Lips -New York Color - Lip Sliders Tinted Lip Balm - Sugar Coated
miss_mimi612 4/4/2011 7:39:00 PM
So pretty! I love tinted lip balms but so few good ones exist! I would say this is a combination between a gloss and a balm since 1) it's quite shiny and 2) it has a sticky/tacky texture. They definitely aren't as sticky as MAC lipglasses though.They just look pretty and moist. This color in particular, Sugar Coated, is especially nice. I have very pigmented lips and this gives me a milky pink nude lip that doesn't wash me out. It's pretty moisturizing and lasts longer than most balms due to its texture. I am sensitive to smells, which is why I was reluctant to pick this up. I hate the way NYC products smell and this one definitely has a scent but surprisingly I don't hate it. It smells just like cotton candy, which I love. There is no taste either. I'm less than crazy about the packaging, the sliding function seems flimsy but I like that it is narrow and rectangular rather than round and deep. You get a lot of product, which you'll need since I hear these are being discontinued! I already bought a back-up of this color and I also picked up Sugar Angel and Sugar Fairy.
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Highlighters -New York Color - Colour Wheel Mosaic Powder Translucent Highlighter Glow
miss_mimi612 4/1/2011 10:00:00 PM
I really don't consider this a highlighter. It's a matte powder that is probably the best oil-controlling powder you can get at the drugstore. It's the perfect setting powder. Doesn't add any color, glides on smoothly. It also feels very light. I haven't had any problems with the packaging so far and I like the idea of a 'mosaic' of colors. I have light, asian skin with neutral to cool undertones and it gets oily on my nose and forehead but my cheeks and chin are somewhat dry. This helps to control my oil for 6+ hours while not aggravating my dry areas.
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Blush -E.L.F. - Studio Blush - Pink Passion
miss_mimi612 4/1/2011 9:51:00 PM
Holy pigment batman! I am so pleased with this blush. It is a really beautiful bright, clean pink with no shimmer, I would say it leans a bit cool. It gives the perfect doll-pink cheeks. I like that I don't have to apply tons of product to get vibrant color. One or two swipes will do it, any more and I would look like a clown. It glides on smoothly and evenly. I also like that they don't bother including a stupid brush. I think the packaging is nice and sleek, even if somewhat faulty (I have to pull very hard to get it open). It is definitely worth more than the $3 I paid for it. For reference: I have very light asian skin with neutral undertones that tend to lean cool.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sonia Kashuk - Synthetic Flat Top Multipurpose Brush
miss_mimi612 3/26/2011 2:04:00 PM
I actually have the natural fiber version of this brush (released with the Brush Couture collection, possibly limited edition?), but since they are the same brush in every other aspect (besides the insanely cute print on the Brush Couture brush) I'm writing the review here. I thought I would disclose this info though since my experience might not be consistent as far as shedding, washing, and feel issues. With that out of the way, this is the perfect brush for applying either liquid/cream or powder foundation. I use it with both my CG Aquasmooth and my PF mineral (pressed) powder. Sometimes with the Aquasmooth I use a smaller, stiffer brush to apply in the nooks and crannies (inner corners of eyes, around the nose) because the SK is a bit too big and fluffy to deposit foundation in smaller areas, but I use the SK to blend/buff it all in, which it is actually perfect for. It gives such an airbrushed look and it is incredibly soft. It makes applying foundation, a not very fun task, feel more luxurious. I really hate touching my face and I find the finish when using my fingers is kind of splotchy, so I'm glad I picked up this brush. It shed a few hairs the first time I used it but I experience this with a lot of brushes, and it has not shed since. I've washed it a few times now and it still retains its shape, density, and softness. I'm going to buy a few back-ups because this brush is truly multi-purpose! (Tip: I find that moistening the brush by spritzing it with water or a face mist further helps the blending process)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -NYX - Eye / Eyebrow Pencil * 901 * Black
miss_mimi612 3/12/2011 2:06:00 AM
This is a great, basic pencil. Not my favorite e/l, I tend to like gels/creams but nonetheless this is a nice eyeliner. It does not pull or drag at the eyelid. It is very creamy, but still firm enough to create a nice sharp point for a fine line. The pigment is excellent, very dark and doesn't need much pressure at all. It glides on easily. I usually pair it with NYX HD e/s base so I'm not sure how it wears on its own. It does seem to smudge a teeny bit after about 6 hours but it's not too noticeable. It doesn't last quite as long as my MAC fluidlines or PF gel e/l but the it's nice in a pinch and more convenient to travel with. This is 10x better than Cover Girl and NYC pencils and the pigmentation is much better than Revlon Colorstay.
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Pressed Powders -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Mineral Face Powder
miss_mimi612 3/11/2011 9:26:00 PM
I bought this when it first came out a few years ago, I also tried the PF loose mineral powder, which I didn't like nearly as much. I remember liking the pressed powder but of course I bounced around. I've recently returned to it and I can't figure out why I didn't stick with it. Definitely the best drugstore pressed powder. I've used quite a few too, Maybelline Dream Matte, Revlon Colorstay, NYC, etc... but this one trumps them all. I also like it more than MAC Blot, which was a previous fave). I have this in translucent light and it matches my NC20-ish skin (asian, very light with neutral undertones that lean cool) perfectly. I would say it runs a tad dark, I remember getting Translucent before and it was too dark (I got Beige the first time, that was certainly a mistake!). It's sheer but definitely provides some nice coverage and is easily buildable. It even my skintone and neutralizes redness (I have a lot around my nose). It wear it over some spot coverage of CG Aquasmooth in Creamy Natural (a HG for me). I have shamefully large pores and these covers them nicely and doesn't clog them. It feels comfortable and controls oil all day, although I do dust a bit of NYC loose powder over my t-zone sometimes since that region is my oiliest. I usually just do this if I know it will be a long day because I don't often bring anything to touch up with. It is kind of pricy for a drugstore item, but put into perspective it is also one of very few quality mineral drugstore items and I would argue drugstore items in general. I like that's it's pressed and I love that there are only 12 ingredients. I don't know if it makes a difference at all but I do like the marbled pattern of the powder. However, it is so finely milled that it creates excess powder at the slightest touch. Just one swipe of my brush and it becomes a loose powder. It can get quite messy. I also think the packaging is ugly and bulky. These two gripes definitely do not outweigh the pros though. I don't mind taking a bit of extra time to press the loose powder onto my brush and packaging has never been that great of a concern to me (plus, I will forgive PF because they do know how to design a cute product, hello Happy Boosters!).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Trio - Walking on Eggshells
miss_mimi612 3/11/2011 8:46:00 PM
I am in love! I adore much of the Wet n' Wild line (despite the horrible name) and this is no exception. I easily see it being one of my everyday, go-to items. The eyeshadows are well pigmented and apply like a dream. I never wear matte shadows but I hate glitter, the shimmer in these shadows was perfect. Not too metallic or frosty. The three shadows are the absolute perfect combination for a neutral eye (that can range from subtle to lightly smoky--that's how easily blendable they are). The shades (all with shimmer) are a beige, light golden peachy pink, and medium golden brown that I could see working for both cool & warm skintones (I have neutral undertones, leaning towards cool). All three are great shades and so neutral that they could go with a variety of other shadows. The now discontinued Mega Eyes trios were just as pigmented and smooth but I found that they were so fine they created way too much excess powder. Just one sweep of the brush and it would turn into a loose powder shadow. These new Color Icons thankfully do not suffer from the same problem. This is the only combo I have, but I definitely want more! I wear an excellent e/s base (NYX HD) so I don't know how well these last on their own and I also can't compare to many other e/s, but IME they do last without fading or creasing all day (6+ hours for me usually). Plus, you just can't beat the price, especially on sale!
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Lipstick -Wet 'n' Wild - Mega Last Lipstick
miss_mimi612 3/10/2011 9:58:00 PM
These are definitely a contender for best drugstore lipstick! I love mattes, so my previous favorites were NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams and I also like their Round Lipstick. I got two colors: Smokin Hot Pink and Stoplight Red. Pros: - No scent or taste! I was so happy that they didn't have the typical WnW scent - Excellent color payoff, comparable to NYX and MAC - Lasts 3-4 hours on me, even if I have a snack and/or drink - Feels very light on the lips - Not drying at all - Great price - Great finish, a beautiful not-totally matte texture Cons: - Not the smoothest application, there is a bit of drag on the lips but it's not significant - The packaging is terrible! As others have noted you have to be really careful with the cap and the twisting mechanism is seriously messed up. Really cheap, you have to twist really hard, I feel like I'm going to break it. - Just a small qualm, I hate the shape of the lipstick. I find it very awkward and I have to be really careful and use a lip brush around the edges. - Fades a tad unevenly EDIT 5/2/11: I had to change the rating because I've noticed that these stray completely beyond my natural lip line, even when I wear a lipliner! This usually never happens on me so I wonder what is different about these lipsticks. Definitely a disappointment, I won't buy again.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Full 'N Soft Mascara 
miss_mimi612 2/28/2011 12:53:00 AM
This product is just mediocre on me, but my lashes are pathetically wimpy. Like other reviewers have said, this is very natural looking. It thickens a tiny bit and it does keep lashes soft, but at the same time it leaves them looking somewhat 'dull.' It is definitely not a glossy mascara. It did keep lashes soft and plush-looking though. The color I got was 'very black' but it didn't seem quite as dark as I would have liked. I don't usually curl my lashes but I find my fave mascara, CG Lashblast, does give them a bit of natural curve. This one sort of made my lashes droop and didn't hold a curl that well on me. I did notice some minor smudging after about 6 hours (I wear e/s base if that makes a difference). I did like the fat brush though, which is one of the only reason it is getting some points from me.
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Treatments -Sally Hansen - Instant Cuticle Remover
miss_mimi612 2/24/2011 9:14:00 PM
This is absolutely essential for nice looking nails without going to the salon. Like others, I recommend leaving it on longer than 15 seconds, especially on my horrible cuticles. It works so well! It makes cuticles much softer and therefore easier to push back. It also gets rid of scraggly bits and dead skin. I've used other cuticle removers, but this one is definitely the best.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -eos - Lip Balm Sphere - Summer Fruit
miss_mimi612 2/22/2011 10:05:00 PM
I have an HG balm already, Carmex Moisture Plus, but I'm disappointed with how quickly I go through a tube of it (2-3 weeks!) so I have been on the lookout for a new and better balm as a preemptive measure because if there is ever some sort of cosmetic apocalypse, there is no conceivable way I could ever stock up enough to last a lifetime. Less dramatically and more importantly, these much-hyped spheres were on sale at CVS so I got summer fruit. I hate scented products, but I rather like the scent of this one. It also doesn't have any sort of taste, which is key. The smell has also quickly faded as I have used it. It glides on smoothly but as others have said, it takes several swipes to feel as though you actually have anything on your lips. It's very very thin even after numerous swipes and did I ever swipe, to the point where I just could not go on out of exhaustion and boredom. It wasn't moisturizing at all on me, in fact it dried my lips out. After just a few minutes, my lips felt very chapped. The packaging is rather inconvenient if you like to keep lip balm in your pocket, but it is cute as a button. I also like that it clicks to open/close. The only reason I'm giving it any points is because I find the packaging/shape absolutely intriguing...but such amusements become tiring. I have only been using it for a week or so (I can't continue to use it though since it is so drying), but I would be curious to see how the balm progresses in shape. Is that little dome all of the product? If it does extend to the bottom, how deep is it? I suppose those are questions I may never know the answer to.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast
miss_mimi612 2/22/2011 4:06:00 PM
First of all, let me say that my lashes are puny. I doubt any mascara can make my lashes look outstanding, but I would say that this mascara has done the best job so far. I've tried a lot of mascaras with more or less the same results from all. I bought this when it first came out and was getting so much hype. I liked it but I switched to Maybelline Define a Lash, which I actually like quite a bit. After running out, I had a CG coupon so I thought I would give it a try again. It volumizes more than my previous Maybelline but it clumps a teensy bit more (therefore not as 'defined'). It curls my lashes a bit too which is nice. Just to compare, I wore Maybelline Full n' Soft on one eye and Lash Blast on the other. This is where you really see the difference. I really like Full n' Soft but it is much more natural than CG. Lash Blast made my lashes fuller and longer than FnS, but again clumped a tiny bit more. It curled my lashes much more than FnS as well and the color seemed darker (even though both are 'Very Black'). The difference was pretty dramatic, almost to the point where I though I should change my eye makeup so that I don't look lopsided. I'm not a huge fan of the brush, I prefer those of the 2 Maybelline mascaras I mentioned. I also find the tube to be rather bulky and I just hate orange. I find that it doesn't flake or transfer, but I don't really experience this problem with any mascara. Besides those minor details, this is a really great mascara.
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Styling Products -TRESemme - Instant Heat Tamer Spray
miss_mimi612 2/21/2011 4:36:00 PM
This stuff is amazing! I blow dry and usually straighten my hair every day. It's short (just past my chin) and very fine. I spray this onto the ends before blow-drying and it seriously transforms my hair. It is instantly more manageable and not frizzy at all. It feels much better than it usually does after blow-drying, soft and smooth. It doesn't weigh my hair down at all either. I also love that the nozzle has a lock/unlock function. I don't know why more spray products don't do this.
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Superstay lipcolor 
miss_mimi612 2/21/2011 3:30:00 PM
This 16-hour formulation is being phased out for the new 24-hour formulation (which might be the same thing, I'm not sure). Anyway, these can be found on clearance most places. I love lipstick and I wear it everyday but my biggest pet peeve is lipstick teeth. I also hate reapplying so I'm always on the hunt for a long-lasting lipstick. I had heard some relatively good things and so I thought I would give it a try since it was on sale. First of all, it has a synthetic berry smell that I hate. It applies just like a gloss--with very little pigmentation. I got Rasberry, which is a shimmery, pinky rose. I couldn't see the shimmer in the tube or else I wouldn't have bought it. The color selection seems limited to me (but I like reds and bright pinks, people who like softer colors may be more successful). I tried it the first time on bare lips. My lips are pretty pigmented so I wasn't too surprised that it had trouble showing up. I ended up having to layer and layer in order for it to look like I was wearing anything. This of course made it cake up. I applied the gloss stick and it made my lips really shiny and since I usually wear mattes, this wasn't particularly pleasing to me. Everything felt really heavy on my lips and it felt so gross that I had to wipe it off. It came off pretty easily with just a tissue, the only thing that stayed behind was the shimmer. The second time I tried it with concealer on my lips, but I still couldn't get it to show up very well. After the gloss stick was applied, it just looked like a light shimmery berry gloss. What was most disappointing is that it lasts about as long as a gloss too, if not less. Within an hour or so, without even taking a drink or eating anything, the lipstick was almost completely gone. Again the only thing left behind was the shimmer. I can't believe that Maybelline would try to pass this off as long-wearing lipcolor. I don't know if the new formulation is any better, but I'm not eager to try.
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Blush -Physicians Formula - Happy Booster™ Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Natural
miss_mimi612 2/21/2011 1:57:00 AM
Wow this blush is pigmented! I had assumed (based on their poorly pigmented baked e/s trios from back in the day) that PF just had problems with pigmentation. I was buying it mainly because I had coupons and whatever, but let's be honest, it's just so darn cute! I was accidentally too heavy-handed with it one day (and by that I mean swirling it 2 times and gently applying once and then lightly one more time) and I looked like a clown, a scary one. The joke is on me PF, I will never judge you by past faults again. When lightly swirled, it's a bright rosy pink. The shimmer isn't noticeable at all on me, it just looks like a glow. I love it! I'm also really sensitive to smells and I don't mind the 'violet' smell. I kind of like it. I haven't used the brush yet, but it's better than most of the sort and seems like it would be good in a pinch. I also like that PF went the extra mile and made a cute little matchy-matchy brush. I think the entire design/packaging is wonderful. It's a bit pricey for a drugstore item, I think mine would have been $14 without all the discounts I used. I also think it's a pretty reasonable price for something that is both kitschy-cute and an amazingly good product that you get a good amount of. I would totally repurchase but I will wait for a promotion/coupon of some sort.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No