Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eye-Liner Gel in Blacktrack
normaestrada19 9/8/2012 1:58:00 AM
I can't believe (seriously I'm in shock) that I have yet to review this! Perhaps if I had rated this about 7 yrs ago when I first purchased this, I would have rated this much higher. But, since then I have tried many other gel liners which I think are just as good or better than MAC's Fluidline. So here goes my 2 cents, when I first tried this I was in Makeup heaven. Up until trying FL I was using MAC's cake liner, which has been dc'd now. With the cake liner you would first have to wet the cake liner and work it into a paste. So it's easy to see why I would love MAC's FL since the application of the gel liner was a huge improvement on the cake liner. I loved the way it applied on my upper lash line, of course I would have to put UDPP first since my lids are so oily. I would apply this on my waterline (I'm obsessed with lining my waterline) and the results were nothing to write home about. True, this isn't meant to be used on the waterline, but it didn't irritate my eyes so I didn't see the harm in using it as so. In it's defense it did last longer than almost every pencil I had tried, up to this point, in my waterline. After 3-4 hrs of wear it would not only be completely gone from my waterline, but it would be not so nicely smudged beyond my lash line :( Which I then have to rub as delicately as possible to remove from the delicate under eye area. Argh! I hated that because I would've been okay with the liner coming off my waterline (hello nothing new there for me) and settling 'nicely' into my lower lash line, but when it decided to migrate and start a smudge festival underneath my eye it was a 'no go' for me. Even with all these short comings, I still would've rated this highly back in the day. The main reason why, would be due to the fact that I had not heard/seen anything like it on the market. I don't know if MAC was the first to come out with a gel liner or it was the first to popularize it, but as mentioned before there are better gel eyeliners out there. For example I think Clinique is better overall and much more pigmented. DS gel liners are comparable to MAC's FL and for a much cheaper price. I am currently using INGLOTS and I'm, fingers crossed, pleased so far :) But I don't want to jinx it! Yes, this gel liner was my first intro and the beginning of my love affair with gel liners, but since then I have found many other loves. I think for the price, pigmentation, lasting power and overall performance this gel liner is dare I say it 'hyped' ........'over hyped'. In general makeup users love it, and that's great but for me it doesn't live up to it with all the other gel liners on the market. Those are my 2 cents or more like a gazillion word review, lol.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -GOSH - Velvet Touch Eyeliner 
normaestrada19 7/18/2012 10:14:00 PM
Argh! I so wanted to LOVE this eyeliner, but it was such a let down :( I was in Vegas and walked into the Walgreens on the strip (the newer, nicer 2 leveled one) and was blown away to see the display of not sold in the states makeup! My eyes went directly to the GOSH display :) FYI, they also sell Becca. Well, I've been wanting to try the Velvet Touch Eyeliners but they are not sold in the states and I refuse to pay the hefty shipping cost. As soon as I applied it to my waterline, I knew it was gonna be a 'mistake purchase'. The color I picked was Black Ink, because I'm a sucker for black, really black eyeliners. For something called Black Ink this applies more like soft black or even charcoal. There wasn't much of a staying power either. In a nutshell the pencil is okay, but it's a no go for what I wanted to use it for which is lining my waterline. My Milani and Prestige pencils are way more pigmented and have better staying power than this pencil does.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Pixi - Cheek Gel Blush
normaestrada19 6/13/2012 1:43:00 PM
Thanks to a fellow MUA user I was informed on this product :) You see, I have horrid oily skin and as you can imagine oily skin eats up my blush. Half way through the day I'm left with no blush, which I absolutely abhor since I LOVE having a flushed appearance. I only have this in the color 'Natural' as they are a bit on the pricey side for a DS product (18 buckaroos) and for the size of the tube. Price is never a breaker for me as long as the product works, hence why I'll continue to be buying these awesome gel cheek stains. I can't wait to own all of them. Last night I fell asleep with my mu on, I know terrible for the skin but I was sooooo tired, and my blush was still on. AMAZING. I wear it with MAC Fleur Power on top for added staying power. I'm just happy I have found a lasting blush just in time for Summer.
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Lipstick -MAC - Lady Danger
normaestrada19 5/11/2012 5:15:00 PM
Love the name, love the wear, love the color...oh heck, I love everything about this lipstick. Lady Danger is such a statement lipstick that it can almost be considered an accessory as much as a lipstick. On me this is a full on true orange, coral lipstick. There is red in it but on my lips it's almost orangey coral. I think this is due to almost zero pigmentation on my lips. This will brighten your whole look and it will have people stopping you and asking what lipstick you are wearing. Oh, and how I love saying "I'm wearing Lady Danger". I am having somewhat of a love affair with matte lipsticks. I normally never can wear this finish due to my super dry lips, but with the MAC Prep + Prime lip treatment, mattes have found a place in my heart. Just make sure to wear a lip balm over the primer and underneath the lipstick as mattes can be extra drying. Who wants to have cracked and dried looking lips with such a beautiful color such as this? Not me. Ladies you can also use this as a base to make your blushes last longer. I'm an oily girl who needs extra staying power when it comes to her makeup, and this just gives extra staying power. I'm soooo happy I met you Lady Danger :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Retro Matte - Ruby Woo
normaestrada19 4/5/2012 3:24:00 PM
Ruby Woo I looooooove YOU! What can I say that hasn't been said before????!? It's a beautiful shade that transports you to another era, when glamour was key to everyday dressing. I purchased this in Vegas and had to wear it right away. I got stopped so many times and was asked what lipstick I was wearing (I also got stopped when wearing Rebel, another MAC favorite), you'd think I was on their payroll. On me the color is a beautiful red/coral on me, not to orangy. This is defitnetly more on the orange based reds than a blue based. The formula is a bit drying, but I wear it with the MAC lip prep + prime and it feels just fine on my lips. The staying power is amazing on this lipstick as well. Again, Ruby Woo I love you!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -MAC - Prep + Prime Lip
normaestrada19 3/21/2012 12:57:00 PM
Oy vey! Just when I thought I didn't need another 'can't live without product' in my makeup arsenal, my life crosses paths with this gem. This purchase happened so organically, I can't help but smile. I went to MAC looking for Lady Danger (not literally lol) the lipstick, only to find out that Lady Danger is only sold at MAC stores. I was at a MAC inside of Macy's. Within my convo with the SA I informed her that I really wanted to start wearing matte lipsticks but my lips were so dry and heavily lined, I doubted I could pull off the look of matte lipsticks. She then introduced this wonderful product and at first I wasn't wowed at the possibility this product could cure my dilemma. Maybe it was something in the air or the fact that the SA at a, gasp, MAC counter was very sweet. I love MAC, but some of their SA's leave too much to be desired. Well, I bought this and needless to say this product will be re-purchased till the end of days. Didn't mean to sound so doom filled, but that's how much I love it! I have also been watching too much of those 2012 end of days thing. You must understand how to use this in order for the phenomenal results. Apply the product on bare lips, I have since stopped using regular chapstick since purchasing it, let it 'set' and you'll know when it's set, the product turns tacky and kinda feels like glue on the lips. I have probably scared you away with my description, BUT I swear your lips won't feel nasty or surprisingly dry. You will be able to wear your lipsticks and lip glosses for hours on end! I don't even have to re-apply, even after eating. One more interesting thing to note is that this isn't a lipstick sealant meaning your lipstick will rub off when you eat/drink, but it somehow keeps your lips moisturized and retains most, not all, of your lipstick on your lips, where it belongs. My lips, unlike my skin, are super dry and I have payed anywhere from 1-28 dollars for a good lip balm and I found that this lip primer which isn't advertised as a lip balm has worked the best. I almost refuse to wear any of my one dozen various lip balms after this product. Unfortunately because it retails for around 14-15 buckaroos I have to be smart and not use it as a lip balm. The only way I can justify wearing this product is if I put on lipstick. So now I seem to be wearing lipstick 24/7, lol cuz it's just that dang GREAT. I used to wear some sort of lip balm/chapstick underneath all lipsticks, but would find myself re-applying lip balm and lipstick almost once every hour. Now my lips feel so moisturized and they look healthier, oh and lipstick looks good, actually looks great. Just total awesomeness!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner
normaestrada19 3/21/2012 12:19:00 PM
I feel like this product will be discontinued before the makeup consuming public will give it a chance. First off, yes this eyeliner smudges like crazy, BUT that's what Kohls/Kajals do. Yet I somehow manged to wear it in my waterline without too much issues. I should mention that I ALWAYS put some sort of loose kohl powder (l'oreal loose kohl powder) to set it. My eyeliner doesn't run this way and just lasts longer on my waterline or else within the hour I would look like a panda with a hangover, pretty much a hot mess. On my top lash line I can do a beautiful cat eye/ winged liner with this and I set it with black eyeshadow, and again no issue with smudging. Let it be known that I have extremely oily lids that require primer whether I'm wearing eye makeup or not, yup that oily. Perhaps, this is why I don't have issues with smudging with this eyeliner. I don't think I would repurchase only because I feel like this eyeliner would last a very long time and I already have over 20 black eyeliners. You can say I'm addicted to black eyeliners. The sharpener that comes with this eyeliner is such a nice added bonus. I almost feel that the sharpener alone is worth the cost, since I feel it's a very well made product. I also love the stubby size of this eyeliner, it gives me more control when doing my cat eye.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Stila - Prime Pot
normaestrada19 3/16/2012 12:23:00 PM
I got this as a sample from Sephora for redeeming 100 beauty points. I'm glad I chose this from all the other options I had, which I can't remember now. I don't think I would have purchased this if not for having this sample first. So lets get down to the nitty gritty, I love it but NOT as a primer. Let me explain, I have super duper oily lids and have been using TFSI or UDPP and am happy with both of them. I tried to use this as a primer and my shadow started creasing after about 3 hrs, and with my UDPP and TFSI it, dare I say, never creases until I take it off. I love this prime pot instead as a concealer. I love how it helps with my eyelid discoloration and even though I don't really use concealer this just makes my under eyes look much nicer, and the times I do wear concealer it sets it nicely. It's creamy enough to use under the delicate eye area. This has become an everyday staple, since it's great for an everyday 'natural' look as well as a great foundation, so to speak, to build the rest of your eye make up look. BTW, the color I'm reviewing is 'Taffy'
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo
normaestrada19 3/16/2012 11:49:00 AM
I am shocked at all the negative reviews. I just guess not everything works the same for everyone, but thank goodness this is a little miracle worker for me. I've tried several of the dry shampoos and although I do like most of them (Batiste, Lush) I can't stand the white residue. I have red hair at the moment and about 2 inches of dark brown roots, so yeah that white residue really, really shows up on me. It's not a deal breaker per say, but it is a bit of a nusance. What I truly dislike is that when I scratch my scalp, my nails are filled with the white powder, and yes ladies I do brush out my hair after spraying but that white residue tends to stay on my scalp, which I guess it needs to be to absorb the oil. Hands down this is my HG of dry shampoos :) I also do feel that it does give you more volume as other reviewers have mentioned, which is a win, win. I can't speak for the smell, since I am fighting a bit of a cold at the moment but I can tell you that it's not overwhelming and my scalp feels refreshed after use and it looks clean and with lots of volume. WIN!
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Polishes -Milani - Jewel FX Gems
normaestrada19 3/5/2012 9:54:00 PM
I adore this fun nail polish! Like others have mentioned Milani's Jewel FX Gems is a dupe for several higher end nail polishes. I actually prefer it to the Sephora's OPI Spark-tacular, since the glitter is bigger on the Milani's version. So many different ways to wear this polish. You can wear it on its own and over an array of several colors. I also love that you can build this color up, or actually just build up layers of glitter. So much fun on you fingertips :)
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Shampoo -Neutrogena - T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo, Scalp Build-up Control
normaestrada19 3/5/2012 9:20:00 PM
This has been a life saver for my scalp and it lets me go without having to wash my hair everyday like I used to. My scalp would horribly itch the next day after shampooing so I would just wash my hair everyday to keep the itch to a minimum. Finally I one day took to the MUA hair board and asked what the heck could be wrong with my scalp. Thank goodness I got some feedback from all in the MUA land. Sometimes it's good to just open your mouth and ask for help :)
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Eyeliner -MAC - Pearlglide - Black Swan
normaestrada19 3/5/2012 6:49:00 PM
I love this for the color, texture and wear. It has a bit of sparkle and the color is somewhere between black/gunmetal, indeed it is quite gorgeous :) I know they are not recommended for the waterline due to the sparkle, but I have used it there with little to no irritation. I always have have to set any black eyeliner with a loose kohl or else it will disappear from my waterline within an hour or two. If I don't 'set it' with loose kohl it will my migrate to my lash line and still look very nice. I just prefer to line my waterline, actually I feel naked when I don't, lol.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -John Frieda - 3-day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray
normaestrada19 7/22/2011 1:32:00 PM
I am in love with this product since it comes nearly close to delivering what it states on the box. I wash my hair every other day so don't know if it lasts 3 days BUT I have oily hair that cannot go without a wash for 3 days. On the day I wash my hair, which I guess it is the third day, my hair still looks very straight with no frizz, but enough oil to gross me out. If it wasn't for my own genetic downfall my hair may well not need to be washed till the 4th day. I love the smell of the product and love the way it leaves my hair, which is soft, straight and frizz free. I have naturally wavy/curly hair and the biggest headache I need to deal with is fighting frizz and the urge my hair has to return to it's natural wavy state. This product takes care of these issues. My hair stays looking like it does in the morning. My only complaint is the too little product you get for the amount you pay, which is like $9+tax. But, then I remind myself about how much I have paid before for similar products and I quickly get over this issue.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -KMS California - Flat Out - Hot Pressed Spray
normaestrada19 7/22/2011 1:11:00 PM
I do not care for this product hence why it has been sitting in my medicine cabinet for years. I recently ran out of my much beloved 3 day straight by frizz ease, and reached for this. I know this isn't meant to do the exact thing that 3 day straight, but I also didn't think it would leave my hair unmanageable, frizzy and sticky. Too bad, I have so much of this product left. I may possibly just use this as a hairspray as suggested by another MUA member. Unless this product works wonders as a hairspray, I don't see myself buying this again.
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Tinted Moisturizer -MAC - Prep + Prime Beauty Balm SPF 35
normaestrada19 7/22/2011 12:09:00 PM
I am so, so, sooooo disappointed with this product because I had heard much hype. I am glad it works for most, but I am not in that group. First off this leaves my face with such an ashy, gray pink sickly look. Needless to say, not very attractive. I also do not notice any improvement in overall skin texture and actually feel like it clogs my pores. I have extremely oily skin, so I only use this (no moisturizer or primer underneath it) and powder. Whenever I wear this I have to put bronzer on my face so I cover up the horrid, sickly shade this leaves. I would return this in a heartbeat, BUT I ordered it online and rather not go through the hassle of the return process. I will just have to use it up and NEVER purchase again.
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