Lipstick -New York Color - Ultra Moist Lipwear - Violet Shine
mlq490 5/12/2012 9:17:00 AM
I love the color this has, it's a fuschia (definitely not a violet) with no shimmer that starts out kind of sheer but can easily be built up to a bright color. At the same time it's a pretty natural looking lipstick, it's very similar to the color of my lips but brighter and better. The formula is pretty good for a dollar, this doesn't feel drying or anything on my lips. It doesn't last a super long time but it's average in staying power. This is such a good lipstick for being ridiculously cheap. I would recommend it.
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Cleansers -Neutrogena - Oil-Free Acne Wash
mlq490 3/27/2012 8:23:00 PM
Why so much hate for this? It's not the cleanser's fault that your skin is getting dried up, it's the salicylic acid. I started using salicylic acid in a very low concentration in a moisturizer. And yes, my skin got super dry and flaky and red and all that. Then I realized you have to start using salicylic acid, or any acne medication for that matter, infrequently. If you immediately start using it once a day or twice a day when your skin isn't used to it... your face will dry up. You have to start at like once every other day then go to how often you're willing to use the product (for me, twice a day). But anyway, does this cleanser work? For me, it definitely did. Using it regularly all but cleared up my acne, but in conjunction with a moisturizer and acne spot treatment. However, I noticed when I put this cleanser in my skin care routine it really made a difference, instead of whatever lame cleanser I used before. Bottom line: this rocks. I would really recommend it, but be careful of how often you start using it, and don't forget to moisturize after using this! Also, FYI, the Walmart/CVS/whatever cleanser that say "compare to this cleanser" work just as well, as I found out, but are cheaper. So I've since stopped using this particular product, but it's the original and the first one I tried so I might as well review this one.
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Polishes -Wet 'n' Wild - Wild Shine
mlq490 3/27/2012 8:14:00 PM
I have this so far in 462 Casting Call. It has a wonderful thin, liquidy consistency (what I prefer for nail polishes because it dries quickly and applies without ridges or streaks unlike thick, goopy polishes) and although it has no shimmer it has a very glossy finish that I love. The only problem I have is that this color, when applied in several layers, takes on a darker, almost a bit browner color than what you'd expect looking at the bottle. But all the same I got a pretty, sublte deep berry pink color that is perfect for everyday wear.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Exact Waterproof
mlq490 3/18/2012 7:13:00 PM
I really like this. I wanted a mascara that gave me clean separation and length, and a brush without clumps, just what this advertised. I have really sparse, short lashes, so often volumizing mascaras just get way too much product on my lashes and they start to stick together a lot, which looks hilarious. Cover Girl totally wins in making a mascara targeted to me, this also is in a bright purple tube :) and just screams "young person using cheap drugstore makeup". But whatever, this totally works. Each of my lashes are individually highlighted and lengthened, and it does make me look like I have more and thicker lashes without being a very volumizing mascara. This waterproof formula also hold my curl wonderfully. There is one problem though, and that's the smudging. After I'm about halfway through my day I'll notice a tiny bit of gray under my eyes, and then more accumulates until I end up with racoon eyes unless I wipe the mascara off my skin. But it's controllable as long as you remember to wipe occasionally. This is a great mascara for natural looking lashes but obviously this isn't the mascara for you if you want volume.
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Concealers -Revlon - PhotoReady Concealer SPF 20
mlq490 3/18/2012 7:03:00 PM
This is the best concealer I've ever used so far! I love the stick format for being so convenient, and if you think it's unsanitary to put the stick on your face you can just put the product on your clean fingers and then your face. The packaging is simple, sleek, very sturdy, and I love the weird shape of the actual concealer, it's pointed on one end and round on the other. It makes it easier to use. But Revlon is the higher end of drugstore makeup, so I definitely expect pretty and functional packaging. The texture is what makes this so unique. It's creamy, not waxy or hard like many stick concealers, and this just glides on the skin delivering great (but not the fullest) coverage. I like to take the stick and just slide this over my skin then use my finger to blend it in. And this blends in soooo easily with the warmth of your finger. The color selection was rather limited, typical for concealers, and Light Medium was the closest to my skin tone, but this blends in so well it totally matches my skin. But while being so blendable, this still has awesome coverage, it takes care of my dark circles and large pimples but doesn't cover fresh acne scars... but what does? This concealer is great for any redness in the skin or larger areas of discoloration. This doesn't blend too thin or cover in a cakey, patchy way at all. It's perfect... or almost. Small warning: This appears in the packaging a little darker then it is, I noticed. The top layer of product is kind of more orange than what actually ends up going on your skin. This worked out for me, because my skin is lighter than what the product's color appeared to be, but this might not be the case for everyone. The real flaw: this DOES have GLITTER in it. There seems to be varying opinions if it does or not, but I can say there is glitter that's so fine and there isn't much of it at all. I couldn't even tell until I closely inspected myself after I applied this because of the rumors it was shimmery. Then I looked at the product in the tube and realized why it looked a little shiny. But honestly, I couldn't care less about the glitter. It subtly brightens my eye area up, and you can't tell unless you're checking for glitter like I was or a centimeter away from my face. Bottom line after an overly long review: This is awesome, and I strongly recommend it. This doesn't have the most full coverage in the world but it has a good amount of coverage. But beware the glitter... even though I actually like it.
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Lips -New York Color - Smooch Proof Lip Stain
mlq490 3/17/2012 3:38:00 PM
I got this in Forever Fuschia, which is a hot pink. I was surprised how intense the color is and how much "juice" it in the marker. The felt tip goes to a fine point which you can easily line your lips with, and the stain doesn't bleed at all. It absorbs quickly through the skin, going exactly where you want it to. I'm usually very sceptical of marker or pen applicators because I'm afraid of how fast it dries out, but this actually lasts months without drying out and the felt tip doesn't break or get ruined easily. Like all lip stains, this is a drying product, but applying lip balm over it gets rid of the problem. This lip stain doesn't even smell like very much, unlike I'd expect. I loved this product but I'm not a huge fans of lip stains in general because although they last a while (the 16 hour claim is exaggerated, obviously, but this does last all day with only a bit of fading) you can't completely take them off and instead have to let them fade. Lip stains are also matte without applying a gloss on top, just something to think about. This is a great lip stain for dramatic lips, but at least for me not everyday use, and the cheapest stain I've ever seen at $5.
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Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Trio - Don't Steal My Thunder
mlq490 2/25/2012 10:38:00 AM
For a classic, silver and black smokey eye this is perfect and very affordable ($3). The silver and black have a good color payoff and a soft texture, but a little too soft, because it is easy to crack these eyeshadows. The white shadow for some reason is a little chalkier than the other two colors, but still useable. The black comes off very intense, and you have to be careful not to apply too much. The silver is pretty and has a bit of a blue undertone, it's definitely my favorite color in the trio. The packaging is flimsy and the applicators (sponge & brush) are pretty useless, but you can't expect more from such a cheap product.
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Mascara -Clinique - Lash Doubling Mascara
mlq490 2/25/2012 10:29:00 AM
This mascara gives good length without hardly any clumps, but does not volumize my lashes much. I like the brush. It's thin and easy to get to the bottom of my lashes, and narrows to a point that makes it possible to get to the small, inner lashes. A drawback I've noticed about this mascara is that it makes my lashes a bit too hard and brittle compared to most mascaras. It wears rather well, but after a long day there might be a little flaking, but there is no smudging. This mascara is misnamed as a volumizing mascara, it's actually a lengthening mascara and a good one, but not great.
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Mascara -Neutrogena - Healthy Volume Waterproof
mlq490 2/18/2012 11:37:00 AM
This is great for fluffy, volumized lashes. This was actually waterproof and I had not smudging/flaking issues. Not the most volumizing mascara ever, but good and the brush defined each of my lashes. I really like how I got no clumps with this.
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Liquid -Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup
mlq490 2/11/2012 9:44:00 AM
Well... This is embarrassing. This product is marketed to people with aging skin and that's not what I have. In fact I have combination skin so you would expect this product to totally break down in my t-zone, but it didn't, this actually lasts decently (esp. with powder on oily areas). I bought this because I mistook it for the concealer, which I really wanted because it got rave reviews and I have very dark circles. Stupid me. It didn't bother me though because I already loved this anyway and I still did once I used this all over my face. First of all, this is like a thin liquid but someone it still has pigmentation, although I would call this light to medium coverage, because this is buildable. It evens out my skin tone, and kind of covers blemishes but I wouldn't rely on it to cover up serious imperfections, you'll need a concealer for that.. I love how natural it looks on my skin. It's been hard for me to find a foundation like this that doesn't look kind of fake and mask-like. I also really like the gimmicky sponge applicator. It's soft and does all the blending for you. I'm probably one of the only ones not scared of the germs that it could accumulate because the sponge is apparently anti-microbial and it can't be dirtier than your hands touching your face. In terms of using under my eyes, the texture is just right for that area's dryness, although I'll probably end up purchasing the concealer because this does really help cover dark circles up but they're still visible. Overall, I might repurchase for this feeling light, being natural looking, (although the color I purchased is a little dark for my winter skin) and still have medium coverage although the main feature of this foundation, the anti-aging properties, are pretty useless for me. This is a great foundation for everyday, but it's not enough coverage for special events, and I appreciate the built-in suncreen. Update: This uses up really quickly, and is ridiculously expensive for the amount of product you get. I use this as a matte bronzer over liquid foundation, and despite people saying this feels greasy to me it feels moisturizing on my dry areas, but on my t-zone this does feel a little weird but I just set with powder.
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Eyeliner -New York Color - Liquid Eyeliner
mlq490 1/28/2012 9:13:00 AM
I got this in regular Black, not Pearlized Black. Another NYC product I'm reviewing. Pros: -Cheap, I got it for $3. -Intense black color. -After it dries (and it dries quickly) it "sets" and does not smudge easily at all. Does not run or bleed or anything when you put it on. In other words, it's not too watery. -Can be smudged with a q-tip or brush before it dries. This is good for smoky eyes. -I'm surprised with how even though this is cheap, the packaging still does not allow the product to leak. -The brush tip applicator is skinny for thin, precise lines but with more pressure you can get nice thick lines too. Cons: -I prefer felt tip applicators for liquid eyeliner. It's just easier to apply. It takes a bit of practice to learn to apply this neatly. Bottom Line: This is awesome for the price. I would totally repurchase, and I recommend this for someone on a budget. Not the best liquid liner in the world, but there aren't any serious drawbacks to this product.
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Lip Treatments -eos - Lip Balm Sphere - Lemon Drop SPF 15
mlq490 1/8/2012 9:34:00 AM
I'm such a lip balm junkie. My lips are always really dry and rough, and I need some lip balm to put under lip gloss or lipstick. There's such a hype surrounding EOS lip balms, so I just had to try it. Pros: -The packaging is cute, and the round format makes it so easy to apply. stands up easier than a stick lip balm. -It smells awesome, like lemon wafer cookies. Somewhat like the Body Shop's Lip Butter, but even better. -It tastes nice and sweet, with a little edge of lemon. -I find it's moisturising enough, although not outstandingly and some have complained it doesn't moisturise at all. But this is definitely not better for your dry lips than normal lip balm. -It's all natural and mostly organic. It's probably healthier than all those synthetic ingredients in regular lip balm, and I don't enjoy thinking about all the chemicals I put near my mouth to be absorbed by the skin. -This is the only EOS lip balm with SPF, which is why I purchased it in the first place because after a day in the sun my lips are practically sunburned. -The texture is slick, but very solid. It's great under lipstick because it's not too slimy. Cons: -There's a lot of excess packaging around the product itself. It's not so convenient for putting it in your pocket, and it's a lot bigger than a stick lip balm. -This product is rather expensive. I got it for $5, and that's a few dollars more than you'd expect. The price might not be worth the benefits. Bottom Line: I love this and enjoy using it but honestly it wasn't worth it. This product has become really popular because of the packaging and scents so if you enjoy that this is good to try, but for a person like me really looking for great hydration, this isn't more than a one-time fun buy.
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Concealers -Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
mlq490 1/5/2012 7:25:00 PM
Pros: -Very good coverage. -A little bit goes a LONG way. -Cute packaging. -I only paid $6 and got so much product. -Good for dark circles AND blemishes, a rarity for concealers. Cons: -Seems to emphasise dry patches underneath my eyes. -Horrible color selection, there are only 3 shades to choose from: Light, Medium, and Tan. Medium suited me the best but doesn't match well to my skin tone. But when I set this concealer with powder, it looks natural-ish. -Creamy consistency that doesn't blend well into my skin. I prefer liquid concealers for that reason, this stuff is kind of like putting goo on your face, it's a little cakey. Bottome Line: I'm on the fence about this. I've been using it for a while, but it really annoys me how the color doesn't match my skin and this stuff is stubborn to blend. On the other hand I enjoy the coverage this gives me, and I like using this with foundation on top, like a corrective concealer because of it's yellow tone that helps with blue/purple colored dark circles.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Unlisted Brand - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
mlq490 1/2/2012 1:20:00 PM
EVOO is all I've ever used to remove makeup, even waterproof mascara/eyeliner. It removes makeup completely, doesn't clog pores or break me out, it moisturizes my skin, and is all natural. People seem to be scared of using oil on their faces, but this is really worth a try, and it's a lot better for your skin then all the chemicals in makeup remover.
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Liquid -Rimmel - Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation
mlq490 1/1/2012 10:33:00 PM
I love this foundation! When I bought this, i noticed the color selection was bad, there were like six shades, but I tried Soft Beige (coincidentally same name as the NYC foundation I got) and I think I chose the right color. This applies smoothly (blends easily) and isn't cakey, is long lasting, has no heavy smell, has medium/buildable coverage, a sort of dewy finish without powder... I have no complaints about the actual product. I'm glad this has a squeeze tube instead of those extremely annoying pumpless glass bottles. It's easier to get the product out, it's a lot lighter, and more compact (a lot of foundations have excess glass around them to make you think you get more product). And I can't believe this is so much cheaper than most foundations at only $8 Bottom line: awesome so far. The color selection is disappointing though, and this is way lighter than it appears in the tube. But nothing a little bronzer (or Maybelline Instant Age Rewind the Eraser Makeup that's too dark) won't fix.
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