Powder -Becca - Boudoir Skin Mineral Powder Foundation
miaaaaa 4/30/2013 10:11:00 PM
(FYI, Becca has since changed the name of this product to Perfect Skin Mineral Powder Foundation. It is the same formula). My skin background: Very oily, sensitive, and acne prone. I can get pretty red and ruddy on bad skin days. I have moderately yellow-based light Asian skin (approximately NC25, Becca concealer in Tahini.) I have difficulty finding foundations that don't clog my pores and break me out. This pressed powder foundation offers light to medium coverage which is definitely enough to cover my redness and the majority of my skin issues. The finish is demi-matte and very natural looking. I find that it doesn't look flat or powdery at all as long as I don't use too much around my nose and upper lip area. The coverage is fairly buildable and an extra swipe of powder will take care of redder areas on my skin. I recommend using the least amount of moisturizer possible if you have very oily skin like me, because it greatly diminishes the staying power of the foundation. My skin is oily enough to skip moisturizer during the day (as long as I moisturize at night) and the lack of moisturizer underneath makes a huge difference in the longevity of this foundation. I can get away without touching up for about 7 hours as long as I don't over-moisturize. I use the color Sand which is described as "light beige, neutral to yellow" on the Becca website. This shade has definite yellow undertones. The next shade lighter, Shell, is slightly lighter but significantly less yellow and more neutral. This foundation hasn't exacerbated my acne and doesn't leave residue on my skin after I use a gentle cleanser. Overall I am very pleased!
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Powder -Becca - Perfect Skin Mineral Powder Foundation
miaaaaa 4/24/2013 11:19:00 PM
(FYI, this is the same product as Becca's Boudoir Skin Mineral Powder Foundation. They've since changed the name to Perfect Skin Mineral Powder Foundation). My skin background: Very oily, sensitive, and acne prone. I can get pretty red and ruddy on bad skin days. I have moderately yellow-based light Asian skin (approximately NC25, Becca concealer in Tahini.) I have difficulty finding foundations that don't clog my pores and break me out. This pressed powder foundation offers light to medium coverage which is definitely enough to cover my redness and the majority of my skin issues. The finish is demi-matte and very natural looking. I find that it doesn't look flat or powdery at all as long as I don't use too much around my nose and upper lip area. The coverage is fairly buildable and an extra swipe of powder will take care of redder areas on my skin. I recommend using the least amount of moisturizer possible if you have very oily skin like me, because it greatly diminishes the staying power of the foundation. My skin is oily enough to skip moisturizer during the day (as long as I moisturize at night) and the lack of moisturizer underneath makes a huge difference in the longevity of this foundation. I can get away without touching up for about 7 hours as long as I don't over-moisturize. I use the color Sand which is described as "light beige, neutral to yellow" on the Becca website. This shade has definite yellow undertones. The next shade lighter, Shell, is slightly lighter but significantly less yellow and more neutral. This foundation hasn't exacerbated my acne and doesn't leave residue on my skin after I use a gentle cleanser. Overall I am very pleased!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Batiste - Dry Shampoo
miaaaaa 1/5/2013 5:53:00 PM
My initial reaction to this product was negative, however it just takes some getting used to. This has turned out to be a lifesaver on oily hair days. I spray it on my roots about 6-7 inches away from my scalp, let it sit for a minute, then shake out or brush out my hair to get rid of the white residue. Also: sometimes the first few sprays won't work, so you'll need to spray a few "test" sprays to get the product flowing. You'll know it's working when you see white stuff on your hair. PROS: - Cuts down on oil substantially - Restores volume and freshness - Fairly inexpensive CONS: - Cheap perfume smell which can aggravate my allergies. This does fade after a while. - Dulls hair a bit (true for any dry shampoo) - Leaves tiny white flakes on dark clothing if you're not careful Overall, the pros outweigh the cons. If you have very dark hair, make sure you shake out your hair a lot after spraying to avoid white residue. I usually shake my hair out over the bathtub so the flakes don't get everywhere. Also, avoid wearing dark clothing while you're spraying it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Sephora - Cream Lip Stain- all shades
miaaaaa 12/11/2012 8:03:00 PM
I can't rave enough about the color Endless Pink (09). I have been searching for a buildable, flattering bright raspberry pink matte lip color and this is it! For reference, I have light to fair yellow based Asian skin. What's great about this product is that you can control the intensity of the color to a great degree. This makes it extremely versatile and easy to work with. For a natural, flushed look, I first apply a light layer of blotted lip balm. Then I use my fingers to apply a TINY amount (like a sesame seed sized amount) of the lip stain and spread it out evenly over my lips. With a bit more product you can create a very saturated, intense matte look. This does stain my lips, but it also rubs off a bit which isn't a huge issue for me. There is fine shimmer in this particular color, however it just makes the finish appear more "dimensional" and not sparkly or too shimmery. Highly recommended! I can't wait to try the other colors.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Becca - Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation 
miaaaaa 11/16/2012 12:27:00 AM
Overall, I'm impressed. This non-heavy liquid foundation is extremely natural looking and the coverage is perfect for my needs. I have moderate redness from rosacea and minor pigmented acne scars. I sometimes still need a bit of concealer to cover the darker acne spots, but this foundation takes care of the majority of my skin issues. I only need a small amount to cover my entire face. The product comes in a squeezable tube and it's very easy to apply. I would say this is a true medium coverage foundation, and you can also build up the coverage somewhat. The finish makes my skin look fresh and natural, not matte but not "dewy" either. Becca has 18 shades available in this product and I was able to find a perfect match. I have light to fair yellow-based Asian skin and use the shade Buttercup. I wear the Compact Concealer in Tahini and the two are comparable in color. UPDATE: Downgrading this because the lasting power is poor. About 5 hours after application the foundation is almost completely gone and I'm greasy. That being said, my skin is also extremely oily so if you have dry skin, this may work for you.
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Aussie - Aussome Volume
miaaaaa 8/20/2012 4:48:00 AM
This shampoo made my medium thickness, undyed Asian hair extremely dry, limp and straw-like after only one use. It also left my hair slightly tangled and dirty feeling. Please avoid this unless you have very fine and greasy hair! I'll stick to Aussie Cleanse and Mend. It's not a volumizing shampoo, but it's gentle and moderately moisturizing.
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Mascara -Laura Mercier - Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara
miaaaaa 8/20/2012 4:40:00 AM
I'm really pleased with this mascara. It adds definition, separation, and moderate volume & length with minimal clumps. The formula is a great consistency, it's not too thick or too thin. It also passed my "yawn test". It does not run at all even when my eyes tear up! After wearing it for many hours, you may see a couple small flakes, but nothing really noticeable. It removes easily with soap and water. I think the name is rather misleading because the volume is on the subtle side and not very dramatic. Personally I dislike the heavily painted eyelash look, so I was very happy with the results this mascara gave me. I used to wear Clinique Naturally Glossy mascara but was looking for something a bit more noticeable, and this was the perfect replacement! Hopefully the tube won't dry out prematurely since it was fairly pricey at $24.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Lots of Lashes
miaaaaa 7/13/2012 2:32:00 PM
The first couple uses or so, this mascara is super clumpy and hard to work with. After this initial "breaking in" period, the formula dries out a bit and you can create full, thick lashes fairly easily with a bit of de-clumping. I had great results with it for about 2-3 weeks, then the formula gets too dry. I would rather spend more on a mascara that doesn't dry out as easily instead of having to replace this every 3 weeks. Please note that this is definitely not the same formula as the original Great Lash. It's much thicker and dries out a lot faster.
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Styling Products -Redken - Smooth Down Heat Glide ] [DISCONTINUED]
miaaaaa 7/13/2012 12:54:00 PM
Edit: I've stopped using this because it was weighing my hair down too much for my liking. I like a lot of volume in my hair and I couldn't achieve it while using this product. This product does work, however it's difficult to use correctly. If you have hair that is weighed down easily, you have to make sure not to use too much or else it'll build up into a gunky mess and look awful. I have medium thickness, fairly straight hair that tends to poof out and get dry at the ends. If you have a similar hair type as me, I recommend using a MAXIMUM OF ONE PUMP of the product, rubbing it between your hands, and apply mid-length and down mostly on the outer layer of your hair where the most damage occurs. Resist the urge to put this any higher up near your roots. Do this after you towel dry your hair, not when it's sopping wet, then blow dry. Heat Glide does make my hair silkier and it definitely cuts out the poofiness I am prone to. My hair looks better once I sleep on it after I use this. I took off some points because you have to be really careful not to use too much and I feel it cuts down on the shininess of my hair a bit, but not much. I can understand why this product is amazing for those with super thick hair.
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Lip Liners -Laura Mercier - Plumberry Lip Liner
miaaaaa 5/5/2012 11:43:00 PM
The color is great - a very natural looking medium subdued pink and neutral on most skin tones. It defines the lip line nicely. However, once you apply product over it, a lot of the liner rubs off on your lipstick/balm/gloss applicator. This kind of defeats the purpose of applying liner in the first place. I recommend using a very light hand when applying your lipstick over the liner. This liner usually requires multiple touch ups throughout the day if you want to have a more defined look.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Burt's Bees - Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm- with Kokum Butter
miaaaaa 3/19/2012 9:41:00 PM
This lip balm feels like I'm applying cooking oil to my lips. It does not absorb into my lips at all and only moisturizes them on a very superficial level. The original Burt's Bees has that deep-down moisturizing quality and this is pretty much the exact opposite. Don't fall for the "ultra conditioning" marketing trap.
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Lipstick -Lancome - Color Design Lipstick - The New Pink (sheen)
miaaaaa 3/9/2012 11:16:00 PM
The color is exactly what I've been looking for: a slightly shimmery medium pink-mauve with a faint hint of violet. In my eyes it's slightly on the cooler side of neutral and very wearable for most skin tones. Youthful yet classy looking and not your cookie cutter pink lipstick either. The shade is perfectly pigmented and is noticeable but doesn't overwhelm the rest of your face. To quote the Lancome website, the color is "perfect not-too-bright medium pink". For reference, I have fair, untanned yellow based skin and medium pigmented lips. I'm always searching for a non-glossy pink based lipstick that isn't too bright or too dull and this just nails it. Lancome classifies the finish as a "sheen" as opposed to matte, cream, shimmer or metallic. It has fine shimmer to add dimension but it's nowhere near frosted. The formula is non-drying and fairly long lasting. HG material.
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Lips -Tarte - 24/7 lip sheers
miaaaaa 1/20/2012 8:18:00 PM
I purchased this in the color Tea Time and was expecting it to be sheer, but the color is VERY pigmented. It's basically a slightly sheer standard lipstick in a chapstick-like tube. I don't look good in bright/strong lip colors so this was a disappointment. Also, I noticed it was making my lips slightly itchy after about an hour of wear. The pink-rose color is pretty, but it just looks a little clownish on my fair, yellow based skin.
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Lip Gloss -NARS - Lip Lacquer in Eros
miaaaaa 1/20/2012 7:56:00 PM
Absolutely perfect. There are plenty of other natural looking lip colors/products on the market that work fine but don't really improve the overall look and texture of your lips. Eros lip lacquer is thick in texture, very moisturizing, and has a subtle fine shimmer that make lips appear fuller. It does not look frosted at all and the shimmer works to subtly emphasize the shape of your lips. The color is a muted pinkish rose/neutral that is neither cool nor warm. It's really ideal for my fair yellowed based skin and I imagine it will work well for most skin tones. It also has the perfect amount of shine which adds to the lip volumizing factor. The very subtle shine looks healthy and not like your lips are dripping with with oil or sticky lipgloss. For me, Eros fills in the gap between clownishly bright lip products and cherry chapstick/barely there lip glosses. This is a great product and worth every dollar.
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Liquid -Clinique - Redness Solutions Makeup SPF 15 with Probiotic Technology
miaaaaa 1/16/2011 2:17:00 PM
I received a sample of this product and it looks extremely unnatural, like I was wearing a mask. I didn't even apply a lot of the foundation. It emphasized every flake and pore on my face, even after moisturizing. Also it was very hard to wash off, I had to use two different kinds of cleansers just to remove all of it. Terrible!
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