Top/Base Coats -Butter London - Hardwear PD Quick Topcoat
micropipette 3/4/2013 12:06:00 PM
I absolutely love this topcoat and will continue to purchase it despite the steep price. Normally, I would have been deterred by the price but, when I was stuck at the airport for 8 hours with no topcoat, I purchased it at a store that carried BL nail polish. Although I wish I could have those 8 hours of my life back, I'm still glad I found this top coat. I've been looking for my HG topcoat for some time now, but nothing fit the bill. Poshe did try smooth or shiny enough, SV gave me shrinkage and I hated using all those chemicals. For awhile I used NailTek Moisture Balancing Top Coat, which gave me the smoothness and shine I like, but would start bubbling once I got to about half the bottle. The BL has everything though - it's super shiny, very smooth, not super chemically and doesn't bubble as it starts to thicken. Which brings me to its only, albeit inevitable, downside...it does thicken over time, but nothing that a little thinner won't cure. I should note that I can't really comment on chipping because I tend to change my polish every couple of days.
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Polishes -Essie - Real Simple
micropipette 11/16/2010 12:26:00 AM
Pretty color but very inconsistent application. On some of my nails it looks great - no streaks, relatively opaque in 3ish coats. However on some of my nails it looks streaky, patchy and just not nice. I spent a long time trying to make it look good, but this just doesn't really work for me. I'll probably try again in a little while because the color is really nice, but only if I have a lot of free time to do my nails.
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Polishes -Butter London - All Hail the Queen
micropipette 11/11/2010 7:50:00 PM
This really is a beautiful color. It's a light taupe/beige/nude color. It has a subtle shimmer/glitter that matches the color of the polish, but flashes holo in light. An otherwise plain color with a little extra to make it interesting. It did require three coats to make it as dark as the bottle/cover nail line...but it was extremely easy to apply with zero/minimal clean up needed, and I suck at applying polish without getting it everywhere. Note: This color is now known as "All Hail the Queen". The colors are the same...my bottle had an All Hail the Queen sticker put over the All Hail McQueen sticker that was originally on it.
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Eyeliner -Annabelle - Kohl Pencil in Acajou
micropipette 10/29/2009 5:26:00 PM
Underwhelmed with this eyeliner. The color is beautiful, but the liner itself is dry, tugs, applies unevenly and has practically no staying power. It's usable and I will probably reach for it every once in awhile, but wouldn't buy another one.
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Blush -MAC - Sheertone Blush in Loverush
micropipette 8/28/2009 10:36:00 PM
Back during the MAC FF sale I ordered Loverush based on the online description and picture. When it came I was put off because it looks very dark in the pan and have just been using the other blushes that I bought at the same time. It's been sitting in my blush palette ever since just staring at me, making me feel guilty for spending money on something that I'll never use. However, I was playing around with makeup today and decided to give it a try and I was very pleasantly surprised. It looks gorgeous on my pale, neutral skin (NW20 for reference but more neutral than cool). Like others have said, using a light hand is key...but even with a moderate hand it can still look natural. I'd imagine that this would look beautiful on a variety of skin colors and tones. If you've seen it at a counter and passed it up because it looks very dark, I'd suggest trying it.
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Primer/ Corrector -Yves Saint Laurent - Touche Eclat (Radiant Touch)
micropipette 8/19/2009 11:30:00 PM
I bought this based on the hype to help cover under eye circles. Knowing that this is a highlighter and not a concealer, I use it after putting on regular concealer (I use MAC select cover) and foundation. I do think it helps hide the darker areas under and around my eyes that concealer doesn't quite cover....but I really can't get over the smell. In the small amount of research that I've done, the smell seems to happen to some people and not others. Washing the brush helps a little bit, but not enough. The product itself is pretty good, but I'd prefer it with a different applicator (possibly doefoot?) because the clicking either gives too much or not enough. I'm torn...I definitely wouldn't buy again because of the smell but I do like the finish it gives to my makeup...maybe I'll try the copycats and see if I can find something better and cheaper.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Buzz Lipgloss (Naked Honey Collection)
micropipette 7/21/2009 11:02:00 PM
This is probably my favorite lipglass that I own and I definitely plan on picking up a backup before the collection goes away. I LOVE this gloss. It is the perfect color for almost any look (although not all). It's natural enough that I can wear it casually but the color is also interesting enough to wear when going out and dressing up. Whenever I put it on my lips look so full and glossy in a way that I haven't experienced with anything else. For reference, I'm slightly paler than NW20 so it can definitely look good on paler women. I think this is a good color to pick up if you wanted to try something in the brown family that has enough color to make it more easily wearable by a lot of people.
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Mascara -Too Faced - Lash Injection
micropipette 7/21/2009 10:56:00 PM
I bought the smaller trial size of this mascara the other day on a whim and I'm really glad I didn't buy the full size. This did nothing for my lashes except very very subtly thickened them. The color is dull, it doesn't lengthen and only holds a curl moderately well. I wish I had read the reviews here and saw how mixed they were before buying. For the cost of the small size you could get a better full size drugstore mascara or for the full size you could get something much better. I'd definitely look elsewhere if you're looking for dark black, dramatic lashes.
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Conditioner -Yes To Carrots - Pampering Hair Mud Conditioner
micropipette 6/29/2009 10:17:00 PM
I jumped on the bandwagon for this conditioner after hearing raves about it on MUA with some hesitation, but was very pleasantly surprised. I love the way it makes my hair feel and look. My hair has seriously never been this consistently soft, smooth and healthy looking. My absolute favorite thing about it though is that when I use this conditioner I can air dry my hair and have it dry without looking weird and haggard like other conditioners I've tried. Not needing to blow dry and/or straighten my hair is a huge time saver. There are however two downsides to it. The first is the smell which isn't horrible, but definitely not the nicest and could be a turn off to many people. The second is that while this conditioner definitely makes my hair ridiculously soft, it takes a few hours after it dries to feel nice. Immediately after it dries it looks fine, but feels kinda weird. I've been using this conditioner for the past month or so and have been very happy with the results. Additionally this is readily available at drugstores (not having to buy at a salon is a plus) and even though it is more expensive than other drugstore conditioners, the bottle is large and it is much cheaper than salon conditioners with the same high quality results.
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Concealers -MAC - select cover-up
micropipette 6/22/2009 10:23:00 PM
This is definitely the best under eye concealer that I've used to date. Prior to using this I had been using Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer because of the reviews it received on MUA. I was mostly satisfied with it, but noticed that it wore away by the end of the day and settled into the few lines my 22 year old face has picked up. I had avoided going for MAC's Select Cover Up because I absolutely despised Moisturecover (possibly because I was given a color that was too dark). Anyway, I'm normally NW20 and got this in NW15. It is a perfect color match for me and does teh best job of all the concealers I've tried so far to cover my undereye circles without looking cakey, settling into lines or wearing off. It doesn't perfectly conceal them, but brightens my eye area and looks extremely natural. Addtionally, this concealer is relatively cheap compared to other HE brands and the package is very hygenic (esp compared to the compact concealers such as BB's). MAC is typically very good about giving out samples so if you're on the hunt for the perfect under eye concealer I'd definitely check this one out. I don't know why this has gotten considerably lower ratings than BB concealers, but I personally think it is higher quality as well as cheaper and easier to use since it doesn't require a brush.
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Lip Gloss -Chanel - Aqualumiere Gloss in Tangerine Dream
micropipette 6/3/2009 9:57:00 PM
This is a very nice dark coral that can be worn alone or over lighter lipsticks. It looks really nice with warm eye and cheek colors and is a perfect quick fix for summer. The packaging is very pretty and the brush is nice, but this lipgloss is definitely over priced. I'm not entirely convinced that its worth $27 especially since it doesn't last as long as some other cheaper glosses. I personally prefer the the aqualumiere glosses to the glossimers in terms of finish (less sparkly) but not in terms of lasting power. For reference I'm NW20 (but very neutral) and have dark brown hair. If you have the money to pick this up, I'd recommend it but if you're short on cash I think its easy to pass up.
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Lipstick -MAC - Sunsational [Style Warriors]
micropipette 6/3/2009 9:50:00 PM
I'm so glad that I bought this because it is so gorgeous. It's very sheer, but pigmented enough to show up. I think its a perfect color for people who want a semi nude lip but can't wear more opaque shades without looking washed out. It's perfect for summer and looks good with yellow, gold and coral glosses. I do wish it were a bit more moisturizing, but that is the nature of the glaze formula. However, I personally find this particular color to be less drying than the other glaze I own (Lollipop Lovin). This is a unique, interesting and flattering color that I'm sure would look great on a variety of skin colors and tones (for reference I'm NW20 and have medium pigmented lips).
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pagan (Alexander McQueen Oct 07)
micropipette 6/3/2009 9:42:00 PM
I bought this at the CCO because I didn't have anything like it. I hadn't read any of the reviews and I'm glad I didn't because I would have been persuaded to skip it. Admittedly, its not MAC's greatest eyeshadow in terms of color, texture and pigmentation...but it has its place. First of all, it is really hard to get it to show up dry, but when I used a little bit of Fix+ on my brush I had no problems. It is a lighter color though, so its not going to be as noticeable as something darker. It looks fabulous with blues/purples but has a tendency to be a bit yellow. If you're willing to play around with it and have a chance to pick it up...its worth trying. But if you're on the fence about the color then I'd probably skip it.
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Lipstick -MAC - Blow Dry (Blonde Brunette Redhead)
micropipette 5/17/2009 11:39:00 PM
This is a beautiful sheer coral pink from the BBR collection. At first I was unsure if I liked it on me but because my lips are more cooler toned naturally it I was just unfamiliar with this color. However, I've grown to really like this lipstick and I'm glad I bought it. I wasn't a huge fan of the BBR concept because it makes people hesitant to look at colors that might suit them but are marketed towards people based on hair color. But whatever, this was designated "redhead" but I have dark brown hair that isn't even slightly auburn and I think it looks good. Although I like MAC lipsticks, I find their formula somewhat drying and this lipstick is no exception. But that is my only complaint. The shade is beautiful and although sheer does provide enough color. It is not matte and therefore has a very pretty sheen to it that makes it wearable without lip gloss. Overall I really liked Blow Dry and I suspect it will be a staple for me this summer.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Matte Lipstick - Nude Attitude
micropipette 5/14/2009 6:48:00 PM
I bought this during a BOGO at one of the drugstores near me to experiment with a nude lip. I have fairly pigmented lips and hoped that I could use this to tone them down and get different looks out of my other lipsticks and glosses. I have found one combination that I really like (this + Steal My Heart lipglass) but for the most part am underwhelmed. Let me first say that I'm NW20 and more neutral than cool. This lipstick looks like I put someone else's concealer on my lips. It is very peach toned and on my skin looked quite orange. I can wear warm colors but for me and probably many others, a pinker version of this would be nicer. Also, as many others have mentioned it is quite drying and exaggerates lines and flakes, so unless you're wearing a gloss over it you'll probably need to check your lips all the time to make sure it doesn't look like you're diseased. I wouldn't suggest that anyone buy this unless it was BOGO and even then I'd do it with caution. I think that nude lips are much more difficult to pull off than anything else and requires more attention to matching with your skin tone as well. If you're fair, I'd pass on this altogether.
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