Pressed Powders -Bobbi Brown - Sheer Finish Pressed Powder
missmelsie 3/19/2013 1:47:00 AM
I purchased this powder to set my Bobbi Brown Long Wear Even Finish liquid foundation. I was matched with the colour "soft honey" (I am a perfect match to Honey in the LWEF). Unfortunately, this hasn't been worth the money (a lot of money, considering I live in New Zealand - this cost me $78 NZD). Firstly, even though it's a sheer finish and I applied it with a small powder brush (to give the sheerest of finishes) the fact that the colour was too light for me showed up right away and washed me out - totally taking away the lovely colour match of the foundation. I'm not super oily, but I do have an oily t-zone, and I also need to blot away shine from my eye cream that comes through my skin. This powder mattified on application, but within a few hours the shine broke through. It has zero staying power! The only pros to Sheer Finish Pressed Powder is that the compact comes with a puff (for heavier coverage - which I couldn't benefit from because the colour was too light!) and a mirror, although the compact could be a little sleeker. I like the yellow undertone that Bobbi uses in all her products, but sadly this powder did not live up to the hype.
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Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Long Wear Even Finish Foundation Spf 15
missmelsie 2/11/2013 1:23:00 AM
Please don't be put off by all the negative reviews! This foundation is actually really, really good! The first thing that thrilled me was that the colour Honey matches my skin tone perfectly. It doesn't go orange, but I did find it warmed up a bit on my skin. When applied with a foundation brush, one pump will cover my face (although I will use two if I want heavier coverage). It is a medium coverage foundation and with a bit of buffing, blends in nicely and looks natural - not cakey or heavy. I have an oily t-zone and dry cheeks, and found this foundation doesn't accentuate my dry spots (like the new Estee Lauder Double Wear) and doesn't make me oilier or require me to blot loads (like NARS Sheer Glow) I haven't noticed any breakouts, and the lavender smell on application is actually quite nice (although I know some people react to lavender, so test this out first!) While it ticks most of the boxes, I am quite disappointed in the "long wear" claim. 12 hours is pretty tough stuff, and I've found that it doesn't even last a whole 8-hour working day. I have tried setting this with the Sheer Finish powder, and with MAC blot powder, or not setting it with anything, but by the time I get home from work I can see my light scarring and sun spots that I covered up in the morning. So while the finish is lovely for a long-wear foundation, I sadly haven't been able to get the full distance out of it. Overall, though, I will continue to repurchase this foundation because it's the best I've tried for my skin tone - and I've tried A LOT!! If I could just find a good setting powder to blot away a bit of shine and if this could really last longer, I'd never look at another foundation again!
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BB Cream -Bobbi Brown - BB Cream SPF 35 PA+++
missmelsie 1/9/2013 1:29:00 AM
This is the first BB cream I've ever tried, mainly because I haven't been able to find another brand that has a good BB cream to suit my dark, Indian skin tone. I tried Bobbi Brown's BB cream in the darkest shade, Medium to Dark, and found that once it was blended into my skin, it actually looked pretty good and wasn't too pale. I wear the Bobbi Brown shade "Warm Honey" (#5.5) and am about NC43 in MAC. You don't need a lot of this product, and while you won't get total coverage foundation-wise, it definitely does take the edge off natural skin. This didn't cover my pigmentation and acne scars, but I did feel happy wearing this (I never leave the house without foundation, my skin won't let me!). I felt natural and was surprised that it actually lasted all day! I did find myself getting quite oily along my t-zone, so can't say that I noticed any of the oil-reducing properties this BB cream claims to have. I used a light moisturiser underneath and my skin felt great all day. Overall, I'll keep using it, as a little bit goes a long way, but it's not quite enough for me and I'd prefer an actual foundation instead. No points for helping with oily skin, but great for SPF and moisture where needed, and top marks for having a broad colour spectrum!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Bobbi Brown - Tinted Eye Brightener 2012 Reformulation
missmelsie 1/9/2013 1:23:00 AM
A total waste of money for me, I'm afraid. While I like the wide range of colours, at the end of the day this product doesn't do its job. I found the pen hard to use and the bristles useless because it was tough on my eye - I would just use my fingers anyway! It's hard to control how much product comes out when you twist it, too. While it did lighten my under eye circles, after a few hours it settled into the creases under my eye, which made things look pretty bad. The original eye brightener in the pot was amazing and I wished that hadn't been discontinued. If you're looking for a similar product to that, stay away from this!
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous False Fiber Lashes
missmelsie 1/9/2013 1:17:00 AM
This is my HG mascara, which is a huge compliment considering the amount of mascaras I've tried!!! This stuff is the ONLY mascara I've tried that really does the job for me - it lifts and separates my lashes, keeps them curls and thickens them, while still looking reasonably natural. It doesn't clump or flake under my eyes. I find it so easy to get the look I want (my lashes are naturally quite long but I like them curled and thick). Better yet, it doesn't take me a hundred coats and complicated techniques to get my lashes to get that way. I often get compliments and asked if I wear fake eyelashes! Quite disappointed that this mascara hasn't fared that well on MUA, but it's all I'll ever need!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Colossal
missmelsie 11/14/2012 3:46:00 PM
Like many people on here, I've tried a LOT of mascaras to find one that ticks all the boxes. And, like many, most have fallen short. The Colossal, however, seems to a pretty good job. Firstly, this stuff makes my lashes looooong!! The brush separates my lashes nicely, so they're still thick but not clumped up. It gives great volume that lasts all day, honestly. It doesn't take too much work to get the final desired effect I want - compared to many where I have to put x amount of coats on, or clean up residue from my eyes. The formula is a really good dark black colour, nice and bold. Another great thing is that it doesn't smudge at all - very noticeable as I always seem to get panda eyes with most other mascaras. I can even work out wearing this stuff and it stays put. The brush isn't very tapered, so it's quite tricky to get the smaller lashes. The formula does smell a bit. But they aren't big issues, compared to how rubbish other mascaras have been for me! Overall, it's worth it for the price. L'Oreal Voluminous False Fibre Lashes is my HG mascara, but this definitely comes in second place (first for price and packaging!)
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Powder -Stila - Illuminating Powder Foundation
missmelsie 11/4/2012 12:22:00 AM
I use this powder to set my liquid foundation and to touch up throughout the day. For this purpose, it's amazing. I love the finish, it's definitely the best powder I've used! In terms of using it as a foundation, it's far too sheer and doesn't stay on bare skin at all. Only occasionally have I managed to apply enough to even me out and keep me looking natural but "better", but it doesn't last long and wears off very quickly. Even using the sponge doesn't really help. I haven't bothered to purchase the compact, as the plastic case does the job and it doesn't seem worth the money! I'll continue to use it, as it works well on top of my NARS Sheer Glow and MAC Pro Longwear Foundation (I use 70 Watt and it works perfectly for NARS Sheer Glow Syracuse and MAC Pro Longwear NC42), but I'm still on the hunt for a good powder foundation to wear on its own. 4 lippies for the beautiful, soft finish I get. I just wish it lasted longer on my face!
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
missmelsie 11/4/2012 12:03:00 AM
A lovely range that's fantastic at moisturising! I get such dry lips and I can apply these lip butters without needing additional lip balm. I love the colours Fig Jam for a natural, everyday look (I have medium/dark skin) and Red Velvet is a great "soft" red that isn't too scary to apply. There are two main cons to this range; firstly they are quite sheer, although relatively build-able so you can live with that. But most importantly, they don't last AT ALL. You have to constantly reapply, which is a real shame. I'd continue to buy the two colours above, but I'd happily ditch them if I found something that lasted longer.
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Powder -NARS - Powder Foundation
missmelsie 10/29/2012 3:02:00 AM
I bought this powder because I wanted a very light coverage foundation, and have been finding that liquid foundations make me oily and don't give me a natural look. I have a bit of an uneven skin tone and some dark acne scars and I just like to look more even and natural. I purchased Syracuse, as it's a perfect match for me in the Sheer Glow formula (for reference, I find Syracuse too light for me in the Sheer Matte formula and am NC43/44 in MAC). I found Syracuse in powder foundation incredibly dark, at least several shades too dark for me - which is even more surprising considering it's low coverage! This stuff didn't last more than a few hours on me, didn't look that great on my skin and didn't cover or even up anything. The only thing this overpriced powder is good for is as a setting powder. It's not bad for touch ups (as it does deposit a bit of colour - more so than a normal finishing powder) but you definitely can't get any mileage out of it as a foundation on its own. I'm really disappointed as the "best" powder foundation I've tried is still MAC Studio Fix Powder, but that breaks me out so I'm trying to find an equivalent. Sadly, NARS doesn't have it.
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Liquid -NARS - Sheer Matte
missmelsie 10/29/2012 2:52:00 AM
I was keen to try Sheer Matte, after being a huge fan of the Sheer Glow counterpart but wanting something more oil-absorbing. First thing that struck me about Sheer Matte is that there is a slight colour discrepancy compared to Sheer Glow. I am NC43 in MAC and Syracuse is PERFECT for me in Sheer Glow, however is a shade too pale in Sheer Matte. I didn't find this foundation long-lasting at all. I prefer low-coverage foundation, and while this provides it, it doesn't look that great when you start to build it up. It's also quite hard to work with and blend in, and has misshapen my favourite foundation brush! Overall, NARS is still the best in terms of great colour matches for those of us with yellow-toned skin, but if you have oiler skin you might be better off using Sheer Glow with a good primer, or blotting powder.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Jordana - Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara
missmelsie 10/4/2012 3:26:00 AM
I've been through a LOT of mascaras trying to find my HG, so I turned to MUA reviews for a new recommendation and ended up buying this. Unfortunately, it didn't do the job for me and I won't be buying this again. In saying that, there are a few good pluses about this mascara - it lasts all day and doesn't stray down to the creases under my eyes. It even held up after a gym workout! The black colour is a good, decent black and the formula isn't too watery. It probably ended up being the brush design but I just found I couldn't get the right volume and thickness I want, and it was hard to get to the smaller lashes. There are definitely worse mascaras out there, but there are also better ones, too.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Redken - All Soft Argan-6 Oil
missmelsie 10/4/2012 3:21:00 AM
This is the best hair oil I've tried - and I've tried a lot! What I love about this oil is that it's the perfect consistency and doesn't leave my hair feeling heavy or greasy. I use let my hair air dry (as it's so thick and long) then put a few pumps through my hair before straightening, and then afterwards for a bit of shine. A little goes a long way - I only need 2 pumps for my very long and thick hair. Not sure if it's designed to be a heat protector and to be used before straightening, but it's working for me! Really great product, great value for money, love the stuff.
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Concealers -Unlisted Brand - Thin Lizzy Concealer Creme
missmelsie 9/24/2012 4:29:00 AM
This is my favourite concealer! After trying MAC Pro Longwear and an extremely expensive and useless By Terry concealer, I went back to Thin Lizzy and I love it. I have a great colour match and I find that it blends really well and covers my dark acne scars. It can be a bit heavy for under eye circles, which is probably the only downside I can see, although I do pat it in with a bit of eye cream which helps a lot. Great to see a New Zealand brand produce something that is, in my opinion, better than some of the big players is cosmetics!
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Pressed Powders -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Medium Dark
missmelsie 9/23/2012 3:17:00 AM
I don't see what's so great about this powder at all! Firstly, in no way can it be used as a powder foundation alone - the coverage is so sheer, it's non existent. I put some on my cheeks, both wet and dry (using ELF Mineral Powder Brush and a sponge) and didn't notice the difference at all. If anything, it made me quite pink, which is really weird because I'm NC43-ish with yellow/brown undertones! The same thing happened when I tried it as a setting powder over my liquid foundation. When I spoke to a MAC MUA about it, she said something about the way it's pressed makes it turn pink on application - apparently! I won't be buying this again, and I'm currently using Stila Illuminating Powder Foundation, which is much better than this!
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Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Doll Lashes
missmelsie 9/23/2012 2:35:00 AM
This mascara caught my eye because of its wand, as it looked really promising. I have long, fairly thick and straight lashes, so I am always on the lookout for a mascara that will curl and separate, get to every lash and give me a bolder, but not too over the top look. In comparison to the many, many mascaras I've tried, Doll Lashes is pretty good. The wand is great - it gets to all my lashes and it definitely lifts and curls them. The main problem I find is the formula. It's just not thick enough and I find I need several coats to get the thickness I want, but then end up with my eyelashes nearly vertical to my eyelid! Apart from this, it doesn't smudge AT ALL (which is great because I have dark circles under my eyes and they're always worse by roaming mascara!) and it doesn't clump all that much on application. My eyelashes don't feel sticky at all when I've got it on. I'm too much of a mascara junkie to stop trying out new ones, but Doll Lashes isn't bad at all. The main reasons why I wouldn't re-purchase this mascara is mainly due to the price, but the fact the formula doesn't make my lashes thick enough is another reason as well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No