Eye Shadow -Pop Beauty - Eye Cake - Brown Eyes
mskitte 12/10/2012 3:37:00 PM
Like everyone says, these aren't very pigmented. & also you cannot use them wet. However, they work for me since I'm fair, don't like looking like I'm sporting a lb of makeup, plus these are buildable. Several have shimmer but nothing OTT like UD or Too Faced. I also have this in peaches & bright blues. Neither of which I really use... Peaches hardly shows up (reminds me of Nars Alhambra duo). & the blues while decently pigmented, I rarely do brights on eyes (anyone interested in my almost new Nars Outremer? Lol.) As to be expected of sets, it's annoying there's a few colors that aren't so great IMO: the purple violet leans too red (don't need to look more tired), & the pink hardly shows up. Now the good: the pale blue is awesome for inner corners & inner bottom lid (really brightens eyes) & the dark mahogany ok for lining. But... it's the lavender at one end that makes this palette worth it! Possibly the most amazing e/s ever for my very dark brown eyes. Sadly, it's such a small chunk. I've been looking hi & lo for a dupe (everything is too pink & the lavender half of Nars Elsa is too blue). If anyone knows, please share? I'd be eternally grateful.
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Lipstick -Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - Lip Tar
mskitte 11/16/2012 3:16:00 PM
Overall I'm pleased with these. I can apply thin & it looks like a stain. Or more, for a vibrant pop of color. (Not too thick cuz it looks weird & is prone to feathering.) What I don't like, is that the packaging doesn't say say they are made in. I called & they said they can't disclose the country of manufacture, which is kind of shady. But they assuered me it's not made in China. Go figure... If it were made somewhere good, it would say, right?
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Lip Gloss -Dianne Brill - Lip Lingerie Lip Gloss in Lace Teddy
mskitte 11/7/2012 10:37:00 PM
the packaging like a bonbon (on frilly paper in nice box) is cute but wasteful IMO. fine as a gift but... i'm just chucking it in the trash. makes me sad. anyway, i got this from thecureshop.com along w/ velvet bow. ended up liking this one a LOT. but am freaked out it's so hard to find to begin w/ & it appears many online retailers (i.e. beautyhabit) are phasing out dianne brill! maybe stock up? this gloss is comfortable. i like the consistency more than nars, chanel & mac. (fav is still rouge bunny rouge.) don't like that this is in a pot tho as it's more of a hassle to apply. decent staying power for a gloss. color is totally a MLBB! neutral enough to compliment many looks, yet doesn't wash me out. love.
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Douce France Trio
mskitte 9/29/2012 10:14:00 PM
it is LE. doubt i'll be buying this again, lol. i did balk at buying it as they're no longer on display at stores so i couldn't swatch. lord knows i don't need any more pinks but that cranberry could be one of those particular shades that make my very dark brown almost black eyes glow grayish blue. (so far some rose, aubergines, silvers, periwinkles, cool taupes & oranges will do it. but not always so it's a bit elusive still.) i like the cranberry as a smudgy liner w/ another dark pencil tightline underneath. makes my eyes pop! it's more muted brownish in person but still quite bold, so maybe just in the outer V if it's too much red for you. still, not good to use if looking tired. what helps is using the light shade wet around inner corners & at bottom 1/3 of eye. sadly, as i suspected, the paler shades are meh. i find many of nars light e/s to have little color payoff. these are a bit chalky too, altho all 3 shades as to be expected of nars are silky smooth. the medium pink hardly shows up on my skin! grrrr.
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Blush -NARS - Blush in Oasis
mskitte 3/31/2012 11:44:00 AM
My fav Nars blush! On me, it's beautiful w/ Nars Grand Palais & Catfight. Just found out I'm a winter, if that helps. Am confused about the descriptions of this as warm... It's a mauve pink w/ a hint of plum. Berry, I guess. But definitely more cool than warm. It looks very glittery in the pan but the glitter is subtle when applied, at least on me. Maybe being a very pale Asian makes it not as obvious? Altho I do have to use a light hand when applying this, as the shade can get a bit 'much'. Should try this on before buying... It looks totally different in the pan vs on the face.
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Lipstick -NARS - Afghan Red
mskitte 3/11/2012 12:38:00 AM
this is my daytime red, can't live w/o it! while i own a handful of nice bright reds (nars shanghai express, red lizard & mac dubonnet come to mind), afghan red leans more rose so it's a softer look. much more wearable! it's not (quite) as loud. it doesn't require as much precision w/ application (yep sometimes i apply straight from the tube) or that the rest of my makeup/outfit be (as) impeccable. best of all, it's gorgeous on my pasty & sallow skin, really brightens me up.
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Lipstick -J. Crew Beauty - Poppy King for J. Crew lipstick
mskitte 3/10/2012 10:12:00 PM
Well I'm embarrassed to admit I gave in to the hype, esp considering I've never been a fan of Poppy King lipsticks. (Tried & while not bad, they don't even come close to the wonder that is Nars l/s.) There were plenty left at J.Crew in SF but wtf, there weren't any testers. So I bought it based on staring at Internet pix & peering at the tube. While it's not terrible on me (pale Asian), it does bring out sallowness. So no, I don't consider this universally flattering. Plus it's not as sheer as I was led to believe, at least not on me. It's not quite orange & not quite red either. & I really like the all out orange of Nars Heatwave (tho Schiap is still a much better bright for me). This one is just... meh. I guess moral of the story is, try to somehow test it first. If it works for your skin tone, it could be quite pretty. But, Heatwave is still a much better orange-red. Oh, & this shade doesn't look quite like the catalog. They supposedly use either Heatwave or MAC Lady Danger or a mix of the 2...
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Shampoo -Ted Gibson - individual color captivating copper shampoo
mskitte 3/4/2012 2:13:00 AM
i loved my artec mahogany shampoo even tho it made a mess. but it's been discontinued & i have to get it on ebay at crazy prices. so, on to the hunt for a color depositing shampoo since red is notoriously quick to disappear. wish i never got this! it is extremely drying & worse, actually seems to strip the color from my hair, hastening that nasty orange which happens naturally when my red washes out. but stupid me for not reading the ingredients. there is sodium laureth sulfate in this! why any color shampoo would have SLS to begin w/ is beyond me... update -------------------- anyway, i guess sodium laureth sulfate is supposed to be gentle, as compared to sodium lauryl sulfate. still, not pleased w/ this shampoo. my terax is far more gentle & my artec actually adds color. (this, while orangish, doesn't seem to leave any color in my hair).
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Blush -Tarte - Cheek Stain in Tipsy
mskitte 2/25/2012 9:54:00 PM
The newer, 'healthier' formulation melts very easily. Bad, because then I end up glopping too much on. & We're not talking about LA summer temps, but room temperature in SF. I didn't use this for some time, & today I whipped it out & discovered a hardened crust. After wiping some of it down, it still worked ok. (I dab it directly onto cheeks & blend w/ fingers... Easy to apply & good results this way.) The color is just gorgeous! It's like my natural flush but better. Tipsy indeed. (Pale Asian here, who really likes how MAC's Posey also makes me look less dead. Been using that coral & neglecting this.) I think this one is even more flattering tho... I remember now why I have such a huge collection of Tarte cheek stains! They look far more natural than powders (which sort of just sit on my skin & also tend to cling to dry patches) & even creams. Especially w/ a light dusting of translucent powder over these stains, you really get that lit from within look. These don't break me out either, & sometimes the MAC Creamblends will when temperatures rise. These are also much easier to blend than the Benefit tints (but staying power isn't as good.)
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Mascara -Givenchy - Mister Lash Booster
mskitte 1/28/2012 3:36:00 AM
Very surprised this isn't yet rated here considering its rating on Sephora. Anyway, it is a fortifying serum for lashes that can also be a primer or a transparent mascara. I don't use it as a primer but I'm usually pretty lazy &/or short on time to bother w/ mascara (curling, applying mascara, wiping off smudges from not waiting enough, etc). So, for me this is a transparent mascara that has the added benefit of improving lashes. It does make an immediate difference; lashes look more finished... Glossier & more prominent. My lashes are pretty long already but they're straight... over time w/ this, they seem to be getting curlier & a bit lusher! Previously, I used the Mavala Double Lash but this is taking its place as a night treatment (that is, when I can be bothered to apply it at night). Am glad at least I'm using it in the day.
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Sunscreen -Natura Bisse - SPF 50 Luminous Shield
mskitte 1/18/2012 8:51:00 PM
Well I was nervous about spending so much on a sunblock (it's not a very big tube). Got it during Barneys beauty event so it did help quite a bit in qualifying for the GWP. Plus I hear Barneys is like Sephora in the sense where you can still return something if you try it & get major zits or any adverse reactions. I'm glad I got this! Blocks better than anything else I've tried. I use it in the morning & it's still working in the afternoon. (I don't get how you're supposed to reapply sunblocks... Fine for the body but the face? What about your makeup?) I burn very easily, even before embarking on my Renova regimen... this is a must! You only need a large pea size so I'm not too upset about the cost. (Needed a lot more of my previous Lavanila sunscreen.) It's pretty thick so it does take quite a bit of massaging to get it on. Probably not good for darker complexions since it leaves a whitish cast. (I'm pale so it's fine on me.) Doesn't break me out or make me excessively greasy in SF. Too heavy to use in the humid tropics tho.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - In Fiore - Aloes Solution Botanique
mskitte 1/18/2012 8:28:00 PM
The old formulation, I would repurchase in a heartbeat. The current one, no. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be for the face or body, but I use it on my body after showering. Thought something anti-inflammatory would be nice since I dry brush. While the previous formula had a very strange gel texture that clogged the pump (I unscrew & pour from the bottle) it did make a difference. Softer, smoother & less sensitive. & was surprisingly moisturizing considering that it's not a cream. I once in a blue moon lather on a body moisturizer before bed tho. Both formulations have a medicinal smell that I don't mind, but the new is watery. You can actually spray it but then now I don't notice any benefits to my skin. It actually feels tighter & drier. I suspect the aloe content went down? I mean, aloe products are usually gel like, no? On a positive note, the packaging is gorgeous. Oh, & they have a shop in SF. Been meaning to go in & talk to them about this, as well as complain about their Complexe de Fleur breaking me out... But never got to it.
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Treatments -SKII - Repair C
mskitte 1/18/2012 8:13:00 PM
For the price I was expecting a bit more. (Erno Lazlo comes to mind as having superior serums.) With this I think my complexion is maybe less dull? Maybe. It's that subtle. I use it only in the mornings. I have Renova at night. This goes on ok. A pea does the job. It's a sticky gel but absorbs quickly. Doesn't break me out, at least not in California. But something is majorly clogging my pores whilst in the humid tropics now... Not sure who's the culprit yet. Maybe I need to use it more or longer but at this point I'm not sure if it's worth it. I also use their toner (treatment essence); that product appears to be even more useless.
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Cleansers -Koh Gen Do - Cleansing Spa Water Cloth
mskitte 1/18/2012 7:58:00 PM
Being prone to occasionally going to bed late & lazy but feeling guilty about not washing off my makeup, I've tried tons of cleansing/makeup removing wipes/cloths/towelettes. Some are drugstore, some high end (korres pomegranate, frais, etc.) This one is the best. It's also the most expensive. Organic! Mineral laden Japanese spring water! Pure unbleached cotton! Alcohol free! Wowie. Well really what it comes down to is that this one is most effective at removing makeup. & my skin doesn't feel tight or uncomfortable either. Of course, I still find a bit of eye makeup in the morning, so nothing will ever be as good as my cleansing regimen at the sink. Will repurchase this.
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Lipstick -NARS - Catfight
mskitte 1/9/2012 10:53:00 PM
My absolute fav lipstick of all time. As in, can't live w/o it. It's a cool mauve pink. Sophisticated & just the right point between natural & made up. Gorgeous on me, a pale Asian. Yeah it can be drying, but I don't find that a problem. (Just exfoliate/moisturize more!) I think anything more moisturizing would decrease the incredible lasting power of this. I have found no other lipstick to last as long on my lips. Please don't ever discontinue this...
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