Makeup Brushes -Trish McEvoy - #29
msroser 9/30/2011 5:46:00 PM
The review form asks me if I would buy this brush again. Well, yes I would, but I can't imagine ever needing to. I have owned my TM#29 for at least 10 years, probably closer to 15. It has the gold wooden handle, if that means anything to you. This is really the only brush I need for my eye makeup. I apply eyeshadow base and smooth that out with my finger, then apply crease color with the #29 brush and sweep back and forth till it's blended. Then I dip just the tip of the same brush in my highlight color and apply it to the top of my lids and the inner corners of my eyes. One brush, all done. Love it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -The Body Shop - Colourglide Lip Colour - 14 Pink Ginger
msroser 9/29/2011 5:57:00 PM
I'm a lipstick wearer, a lipstick lover, and a bit of a lipstick snob. I love Chanel lipsticks, and have two in my bag at this very moment. However, the lipstick I reach past those two for, time and time again, is the Body Shop lipstick in Pink Ginger (#14). It was an impulse buy. It was cheap and I was having one of those days only a new lipstick could cure. It's a delicious warmish pink color, very natural looking but with enough oomph to give the face a little something extra. I'm pale, so on me it counts as an almost-red lip, but not too dark. The texture is thick and a bit sticky, not nearly as creamy as the lipsticks I was used to, but it stays on longer than those creamy lipticks. I also think this texture is what makes it easy to swipe on without mistakes, and why it doesn't require a liner. Couldn't be easier. I went back to buy more at the store, and they were out, and only out of this one color, so it must be extremely popular. Luckily, when I went online, it was even cheaper with their online sale, so I bought five tubes. I never want to be without it. I'll still wear my beloved Chanel lipsticks, but they're no longer my everyday choices. I'm delighted I found a bargain!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Jane Iredale - Pure Pressed Base
msroser 9/25/2011 12:13:00 PM
My dermatologist recommended I try this as a product that would not exacerbate my recalcitrant acne. Yes, I am 46 and have both wrinkles AND acne. The joy! I've been using it daily for about three months now. The powder goes on beautifully, covers well without having to cake it on, and stays on all day. There is some transfer to my phone, and to my horror, to the lapel of a colleague's suit when he gave me a hug. To the credit of Jane Iredale, this product does not appear to have made me break out. I still get a cyst or to at that time of the month, but it seems unrelated to my use of this product. My real negative on this is the slight sheen it imparts. I'm not a fan. I know some people like that, and if you do, this might be the perfect foundation for you. But I don't like it, and I wish I could get this kind of gentle, complete coverage without it. I just saw photos of myself from an evening event, taken using flash, and my face appears to be glowing like I just disembarked from an alien space ship. Not the pretty, polished look I was going for, to say the least.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Enhancer SPF 20
msroser 11/3/2009 9:59:00 PM
I so wanted to like this based on Paula's review. I am looking to minimize the number of products, and one containing light tint, antioxidants and sunscreen? Sign me up! But I can't get the coverage smooth, it looks all dotty on my face. I don't know how the other reviewers are making this work, but I can't make it look good at all. :(
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Fragrances -Trish McEvoy - Trish EDP
msroser 10/20/2009 7:00:00 PM
I was looking for a spicier, darker, less floral fragrance. After a bad experience with Ralph Lauren's Notorious, I fell for Trish. I like the scent after it dries down. To me, the initial notes are a bit too masculine - I get a pipe tobacco scent at first - but once that note evaporates, I get a nice warm scent that I find hard to describe. Imagine a wood-paneled expensive hotel lobby bar on a rainy day. It gives me that mood without too much sharpness. My only complaint is that by the afternoon, I can no longer smell it.
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Fragrances -Ralph Lauren - Notorious
msroser 1/11/2009 2:38:00 PM
Some of the reviews are harsh! I asked for this fragrance for Christmas based on the magazine strip. I agree that the fragrance in the bottle smells nothing like the strip, which I find puzzling. That's something RL ought to know about. The scent is really unsual, and I can totally see how they're trying to get at a 1940s film noir thing. The Hitchcock film Notorious with the gorgeous Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant is one of my favorites, and I would love to have a connection to that! But frankly, I think Cary Grant would be more likely than Ingrid Bergman to wear this fragrance. It's just really masculine. Not bad, just not feminine. If you're a girl who likes to be a little more edgy and enjoys spicy, masculine fragrances, you should defintiely check it out, because it really is unique. It's just not right for a traditional floral girl like me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Paula's Choice - Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer
msroser 1/11/2009 2:27:00 PM
I am so happy with this product. I have acne and my skin is usually on the combo/oily side. However, in winter, particularly this winter, I get dry flaky skin on my cheeks and on the tip of my nose. I wanted a really moisturizing product that wouldn't break me out. This is it! The drugstore oil-free moisturizers I tried were too lightweight to even help, and some of them actually made my skin feel drier. The Skin Recovery Moisturizer is a thicker, more luxurious cream that has not only completely cleared up my flakiness in a weeks' time, it did not break me out at all, and it has made the texture of my skin look beautiful. I may not be able to wear this in the summer because it's so emollient and I'm oilier then, but for winter, it's now my go-to product for dry spots. I just love it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Aveeno - Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream
msroser 12/30/2008 7:01:00 PM
I didn't realize how much I depended on this product until I ran out. This is my standard body lotion, particularly in the winter when I am ITCHY. When I ran out of this cream, I saw Lubriderm on sale and bought that instead. Mistake! I'm itchy all over and had to rush out and buy some Aveeno, full priced, today. Pros: Thick, moisturizing cream - not a lotion, but not too thick to use on my legs and body No scent Itch reduction Cons: Expensive Tube packaging (not as convenient as a pump)
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Tinted Moisturizer -Paula's Choice - Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF 20
msroser 12/30/2008 5:02:00 PM
I have seasonally oily, seasonally dry skin and right now I'm in the dry phase, so my usual LORAC foundation is too drying. I bought Laura Mercier TM at Paula's recommendation and I love, love, love it, but boy is it expensive. Then I remembered I had some samples of Paula's Choice Sheer Matte Tint SPF 20, and I experimented with those. As for shade, I use the Porcelain in the LM, though I could get away with Nude, and PC does not make a color that fair. However, when I applied the Sheer Fair shade of the PC, it blended right into my skin. (I don't know how to describe my skin tone using MAC shades so I'll just say I'm very, very Irish.) At the end of the workday, I feel like I have less coverage, but it's still basically there, which is my experience with all tinted moisturizers. For $15 I think you can't beat this product, and I'll buy it again. I'll save the thicker Laura Mercier for when I need more coverage.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -DHC - Silky Cotton
msroser 2/26/2008 2:35:00 PM
I LOVE these squares for applying toner. I used to use cotton pads (not balls) to apply toner and more often than not, I'd find myself blinking and tearing uncontrollably later in the day because I had a random cotton fiber in my eye. No longer having that problem is worth much more than $4.50 every 80 days. LOVE them!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chloe - Chloe (EDP new)
msroser 2/26/2008 1:31:00 PM
I received a sample of the new Chloe fragrance at Saks' beauty week. I believe Saks is the exclusive retailer of this scent for now. It is a beautiful, feminine scent. It is decidedly floral, but without the cloying sweetness most floral scents give off (Lancome Tresor, I'm looking at you.) I would call it an elegant, timeless scent. It has no trace of spiciness. The Eau de Parfum is more concentrated than a toilette so it seems to last all day on my skin. I would say the only drawback is that it's only available at Saks, so discounts and good deals are impossible to find at this time. Regardless, I'm headed over to buy a full size today.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals ALL
msroser 1/24/2008 10:24:00 PM
I've tried to like Bare Minerals foundation. I like the look, I like the ease. But I have cystic acne that is related to my monthly cycles. My months using Bare Minerals are still recorded on my face. I had the worst cysts of my life using this stuff. They were deep, they were painful, the dermatologist's cortisone injections did not make them go away, and they were horrifyingly scarring. I stopped using the stuff and I got better. Not 100% clear, but better. So then I thought perhaps it was something else, not the Bare Minerals. Oh yes, I tried again. New scars. Never again.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bulgari - Omnia
msroser 1/23/2008 6:26:00 PM
This is my scent. It's a combination classic feminine notes, yet in a unique combination. It doesn't smell like men's aftershave, yet it's not cloyingly sweet either. I wish it lasted longer. I bought the lotion in hopes that layering would help, but I find the lotion has a different scent that is less pleasant to me. I'd love to find a solid version of this .
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Active Light Makeup SPF 25 ] [DISCONTINUED]
msroser 1/21/2008 9:50:00 PM
Wow! What a great foundation. How did I just now discover this when it seems to be being discontinued??? Due to adult acne (I'm in my early 40s and still break out monthly) I try to limit the number of products I layer on my face. I need coverage & a finished look. I'm also pale and obsessive about sunscreen. This foundation seems to go on rather thickly - probably what gives it its staying power - but that's how you get the complete SPF 25 protection. Once it's on, it looks very natural, despite my impression that I'm really slathering it on during application. It doesn't turn orange or dark on me at all. If anything, it may actually lighten up a bit. And I need far fewer touch ups than I did when I was wearing L'Oreal True Match, which was beautiful but left me shiny. At the end of the day, I still look even and smooth-complected, so I feel confident the makeup and SPF 25 are still there. My Neutrogena Fresh Foaming cleanser seems to have no problems removing this at night. LOVE IT! ETA 12/2008: I had to give this product up. Something was breaking me out. I don't know whether it was this foundation because I changed my entire routine, but I'm afraid to go back to it. I think it's discountinued anyway. My comments about the quality of the coverage stand.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Trish McEvoy - Eyeshadows
msroser 1/21/2008 9:38:00 PM
I have been using Trish McEvoy since 1996. I think that's close to when she started. I can't use other brands' eyeshadows now. The Trish eyeshadows are deeply pigmented and they really stay on. They blend beautifully. I agree with a prior poster about the rip-off of reduced sizes for the same $ - however, the little squares do allow you to get more colors into a smaller planner page or compact. It's been worth it for me. I also use the definer shadows with "Finish Line" (or water) to create a liquid liner look. These shadows stay put all day. I have never had an issue with creasing or smearing at all. The Trish staff are all trained makeup artists. They will rarely sell you anything without sitting you down to do your face. This can be great if you have the time. They teach you the technique as they go. Typically, they'll do one eye while you watch in a handheld mirror. Then you do the second with their coaching. At this point I'd say I'm pretty much an expert. I will buy Trish's eyeshadows as long as she makes them.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No