Palettes -Becca - Prairie Moon
northender 12/6/2010 9:55:00 AM
Released in Aug 2010, this palette contains three powders, one cakeliner, one lipgloss, and one double ended brush. The powders (which are supposed to be eyeshadows are: matte bone, matte taupe, a shimmery olive green with tiny cool silver sparkles, and a dark olive green cake liner. The Eyeshadows: These three shadows are true neutral and they pulled neither warm nor cool on me. I am a NC45 and the bone white doesn't chalk out on me, which is a plus. It's not my favorite highlight shade but it will do. It also doubles as a cheek highlighter. The taupe on me is completely boring and pretty much functions as a base only. It may work better on pale or medium complexions. On me, blah. The shimmery olive green with silvery sparkles is the winner - such a gorgeous, complex green. Most shimmery olive greens are warm and golden - this one is not! I am obsessed with green and had to have it. The shadows play nicely with each other though, and the sum of them blended together is definitely greater than its parts. Gives a really sophisticated smokey green fall eye. The Liner: Becca's cake liners are some of the best in the business and this one is no exception. Easy to apply, longlasting, with great colors. They never disappoint. The Lipgloss: It is supposed to be reddish but applies like a clear gloss on my very pigmented lips. I was really disappointed in this gloss but it might work on people with normal lips. Mine are plummy mauve as is. Wish it had been a lip/cheek cream instead because I am not a fan of clear glosses. The Brush: Great little double-ended powder/liner brush. You can apply and shade with the shadow end and it's great for crease work. The liner side is solid and stiff as well. The Palette casing: great mirror, very solid. Protects the contents really well. The Price: Expensive, even with 20% off it was $50. Overall: Not sure it was really worth it (the taupe and the gloss were huge fails on me), the bone white was just OK, and only the green shadow and liner were stunners for me. Although the resulting "look" is realy pretty, it's not really versatile, you cannot do too many looks with it. I am obsessed with green so I am not upset I bought it. I think it would useful for a paler girl who can work the gloss and the taupe.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Becca - Bombora (Holiday 2010)
northender 8/6/2010 7:34:00 AM
Released for summer 2010 (Jan 2010 in Australia and May 2010 in the northern hemisphere, this sunny little palette contains a lip gloss, a lip&cheek cream, a cream highlighter, and two compact eyeliners/eyeshadows. In the US it cost $65. I am bad at describing colors so I took a picture - the colors are much more subtle on than they look in the pan. The textures are dreamy. From left to right: Lip gloss (mai tai) - swatches as a light caramel, goes on similarly. Reminsicent of Chantecaille's lipgloss in caipirnha Lip & Cheek Cream (bougainvillea) - swatches as a pinky coral but blends in very naturally Cream Highlighter (mazu) - my favorite thing in this palette , the perfect gold highlighter Compact Eyeliner (raffia) - teal! Can be used as a wash or as a liner. Compact Eyeliner (sunburst) - bright yellow but goes on golden, so it's perfect as a wash or to highlight the inner corners. Also can be used as a highlighter in a pinch. Used together, this palette gives you a sunkissed, beachy look that can work in the office, on the beach, or out at night, depending on how sheerly you apply everything. I am not normally drawn to those colors but received this in a swap and am extremely thrilled with how fun this palette is. It is often the case with Becca thatcolors I normally would NEVER think og using look great on me (I am NC45, GGG/DDD). Makes me think I should check out Aurora....
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Eye Shadow -Stila - It Girl Warm Trio 2007
northender 6/17/2010 7:53:00 AM
This little trio cost $10 US at Sephora and contains three warm powders that can be used as eyeshadow or highlighter. Colors are gold, bronzy, and pink (lame, chloe, kitten). Powders are shimmery but not glittery and buttery soft. Showed up on my NC45 GGG/DDD skin without being frosty. Thumbs up, especially at the price!
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Gels/Soaps -LUSH - Turkish Delight Smoothie
northender 5/23/2010 10:59:00 AM
Because I am a sucker for anything "rose" scented, and because I know that Lush, although pricy, uses very natural and high-quality ingredients, I splurged on a 7 oz. tub of the Turkish Delight Body Polish ($30 US). Main ingredients are: roses, almond oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter. The rest are listed here http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/body/hand-body-creams/turkish-delight To my surprise, this was not a scrub, Instead, it's whipped butter (like the kind that acccompanies your bread basket in a fancy restaurant). The scent wavers between roses and baby powder - a turnoff for me, but pleasant for some, I guess. The sales associate said to put it on before you get into the shower but I forgot and put it on while in the shower. I was multitasking and also washing my hair, so while my conditioner was marinating, I shut the water off and put this stuff on. I used only a little bit (mostly the stuff stuck to the cap and about a tablespoon from the jar) to cover my whole body (I am 5'2). Then I rinsed. Afterwards, I slathered on some very light body lotion (C.O. Bigelow Rose), sunscreen and headed out. I didn't think anything of it until the evening when I noticed that the little dry skin bumps that live on my legs and arms had either faded pr disappeared completely. The next day, they were still gone. I have tried everything under God's green earth to accomplish this, with no luck, until now. This is a friggin miracle. Twenty-four hours after using this stuff, my skin looked completely renewed. LUSH, I am now a believer.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Chantecaille - Olivia in Bangkok
northender 3/4/2010 8:02:00 AM
Now that I have been to Bangkok, I have no idea how these shades correlate, but it's a very pretty palette. Jade = grape-purple eye shadow Star Ruby Cheek Shade - matte Barbie pink Smoky Quartz = shimmery silvery white The actual powders are fab - pigmented, subtle shimmer, versatile - you can build for coor or wear them sheer. There's overspray, of course, but that wears off soon. I suspect you can use them wet but I haven't tried. These colors look like they would not work at all on my NC45 GGG/DDD skin but they do - as other darkies realize, it is HARD to find a silvery white shimmer that doesn't chalk out. I can even use it as a cheekbone highlighter. This is a 2004 palette that I swapped for in 2008 and let me tell you, it is still fresh. Not an HG or anything but a solid product that is fun to have around.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Guerlain - Exotic Paradise Eyeshadow Quad
northender 3/2/2010 2:25:00 PM
What she said below. Pretty packaging, sherbet and ice cream colors that look luscious in that pan but sheer and powdery and lame on. I love Guerlain and own almost every other LE eye quad they put out, but this one was terrible disappointing. For reference, I am a NC45 GGG/DDD and felt that if anyone could pull these colors off, I could. Also, most of their other eye quads (including perles de mers) look "unwearable" to me and end up looking pretty awesome - so i was sort of shocked that these were so sheer and powdery and just not special at all. Scratching my head still....
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Guerlain - Blush Éclat Cherry Blossom
northender 3/2/2010 8:14:00 AM
This LE blush is part of Guerlain's Cherry Blossom color story. It retailed for $49 US and was released in January 2010. Once the shimmery overspray disappears, the powder is pale pink with peach accents. On my NC45 DDD/GGG skin, it acts more like a pale pinky-peachy highlighter that sculpts the cheeks beautifully but deposits very little color - which, is the way I like my blush. Other dark girls may be irritated with this. The packaging is luxe and gorge - but the amount of blush is negligible. You get a tiny strip of blush that takes up, at most, 1/2 of the compact, as well as a brush I will never use. The price is quite high - I actually bought this, saw how little you got, and returned it, then managed to swap for it. I do love it and it's quickly becoming a go-to product for when I want subtle definition and polish. If I didn't have so many blushes, I might have paid full price for it. It is a nice product.
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Makeup Brushes -Lancome - Mineral Powder Foundation Brush
northender 2/27/2010 11:41:00 AM
Great great GREAT brush. Bristles are so so soft and applies powder flawlessly for an airbrushed look. I use it for powder foundation (not mineral products). Retains shape and texture after washing. Somehow I got it from Macy's for $22 ($26 promotional price plus 15% off from Bing) and I wish I had bought a backup as it is $36 now. It is worth $36 though, so I am waiting for an enticing cashback offer.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -LORAC - Red Carpet Reveal
northender 12/3/2009 7:47:00 AM
Released in 2009, exclusive to Sephora, this palette contains three eyeshadows and a blush and retailed for $35. The three eyeshadows are: 1) shimmery ivory highlighter 2) a warm reddish bronzy brown and shimmery chocolate brown. As everyone knows, LORAC eyeshadows are the best in the business - silky with amazing pigment and blendability. Like Chantecaille eyeshadows, the shimmer is not glittery and the texture is powder that applies like cream. The ivory and chocolate brown shadows can be used by anyone. The middle shadow can be tricky, especially if you don't like reddish shadows (I don't The blush pan is slightly larger than the e/s pans and is a very warm dark, almost coppery-rose. It is extremely pigmented so if you like subtle blush, like me, you have to apply it with a very light hand. The shimmer is refined and not sparkly and it is very pretty.The blush can work as an eyeshadow as well (in fact, I prefer it to the reddish bronzy brown) This palette is housed in a gunmetal silver palette with good heft and a great mirror. Like more expensive products, it also has a velvet bag and a surprising useful little double ended eye brush which was especially deft at crease work and contouring as well as application. There's a little liner end as well. The brush is actually usuable and not crap like most palette brushes. The only cons to this product that I can think of is that the powder flies everywhere so you have to be careful when you work with the palette and that it might not work for cool toned gals. I sort of wish the middle eyeshadow was a neutral taupe; but if it were, it would be like every other cream and brown set. Overall, this product is a great value. I swapped for mine but I wouldn't mind paying $35 for it if I didn't already have these colors over and pver again in my arsenal. It would be a great gift for someone just getting into makeup who doesn't have a cream or brown set yet - just make sure they know to use a light hand to avoid overdoing it. LORAC products are so pigmented that you have to be careful with the,. I suspect it will eventually be discounted at Sephora.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Chantecaille - Syvlie Personal Palette (2009)
northender 11/26/2009 6:10:00 AM
This palette is so perfect that it makes me want to purge most of my stash. Nothing else I have measures up. I think it is going to stop me from buying MU because it is that sublime. For reference, I am a DDD/GGG NC45 and this palette is perfection. I can do a magazine-quality eye in one minute flat. Released in the fall of 2009 and retailing for $72, Sylvie's Personal Palette contains three large eyeshadow pans and one blush pan. All pans are embossed with Chantecaille's signature rose design and have a shimmer overspray that dissipates after one use. This is a negative for some people but not for me. In fact, I like to swap for used Chantecaille since the overspray is already gone by the time I get it. The eye shadow colors are luxe version of the offering in Stila's blanc palette- cream, antique gold with a green/bronze tint, and a chocolatey-plummy brown. Definitely warm neutrals. Both the cream and gold can be used to highlight as well as for eyeshadow. I have never broken out from using Chantecaille eyeshadow on other parts of the face. The shadow have a subtle pearly shimmer but no glitter. The cream is wonderful for darker skintypes because it highlights without appearing ashy, frosty, or chalky. The shadows all just glide onto your skin, almost like a cream eyeshadow but they are far easier to work with than cream. You can use a brush or even your fingers. The shadows also blend into each other so easily that it's almost like you are painting with them. When you are done, there is no powdery finish or creasing - just smooth, pearly glow. You just need the tiniest bit of shadow and can do a pretty eye in literally less than a minute. I did one yesterday morning - and at 10 PM, after working my second jobs, my eye MU still looked pristine. The blush is a neutral medium pink. It is a powder version of Chantecaille's Mandeville blush fromt he Tango in Argentina palette - which means it's more of a highlighter than super pigmented blush. What I love about it is it gives my cheeks definition (hello cheekbones) without looking like I have blush on. It is very subtle on me - which is perfect for me but I understand might not be everyone's cup of tea. The blush can also be used as a pink eyeshadow (which combines nicely with the brown shadow). Chantecaille really nailed this one. Nothing else I have can compare. It's an improvement on the fantastic Tango in Argentina palette, which previously had been my failsafe, go-to palette. It can glide effortlessly from day to night and can work on any girl from 15 to 85!!! The packaging is very nice - sturdy gunmetal case, large mirror. There are no brushes but this 4-pan palette is cheaper than normal Chantecaille 3-pans so I will happily do without the usual crappy mini brushes. I actually ended up getting this for $25 (I had $50 in Saks Mystery Money) but I would have happily paid full price (or more) for this gem. If you are a dark, warm-toned gal, who likes subtle but glamorous MU, this will be an HG for you and may spoil you forever.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Becca - Showgirl Palette (Holiday 2009)
northender 11/22/2009 11:05:00 PM
Released in the fall of 2009, and retailing for $65 US, Becca's Showgirl palette contains one barbie-pink lipgloss (parisette), one cherry-red lip and cheek cream (hollyhock), one pale lavendar eye shadow (tulle), one matte taupe eye shadow (charmeuse), a dark brown cake eyeliner (emanuelle), and a double ended eyeshadow/eye liner brush. The GOOD: the hollyhock lip and cheek cream and the emanuelle liner are the stars of this palette. When applied to lips, the hollyhock gives a rosy flush to my pigmented lips, like I'd been sucking on a watermelon. It gives a very subtle rosy glow on DDD/GGG cheeks - although I must say, it's tricky to work with. First, I applied it with my Becca cream brush and I looked like Raggedy Ann. You need to dot a little on your cheeks and blend like a mofo. The emanuelle liner is a dark bambi brown and is extremely easy to use and work with and lasts forever. One of the best cakeliners I have ever tried. The brush is great too - the fluffy side is perfect for eye shadow and contour; the stiff side makes lining a breeze. THE BAD: the lilac and taupe eyeshadows are matte and flat and have almost no pigmentation on my DDD/GGG lids. I used my failsafe primer and packed the shadows on and still... nothing. At best, the coat my lids like eggshell paint. and give an oh-so-subtle sheen but absolutely no pigment. You cannot even tell I have eyeshadow on but there's a faint glow. My eyes really popped but I can't tell if these shadows, which I can barely see, are the reason or if it's all due to the fantabulous emanuelle cake liner. I tried again using a benefit cream shadow as a base and the results were better. THE MEH: The lipgloss gives you a pinkish sheen but no noticeable color. It's basically lip balm but is a nice finishing touch. So, I got this 28% off at dermstore, no tax, and free shipping,,for a total of $47 US - and still I feel I was a little bit ripped off but I have had a horrible week so this was a nice pick me up. You do get a refined, polished look - I am not sure any self-respecting showgirls would go near this stuff. The look is way too subtle. If you have low expectations and don't pay full price, you'll be OK with this. Otherwise, just get the hollyhock and the emaneuelle colors as singles (if they are available) and forget the palette.
18 out of 19 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Chanel - Poudre Universal Libre
northender 11/1/2009 8:18:00 AM
I got this in shade #3 at the Paris duty free for around $40 US three years ago. I use it as a powder foundation over my sunscreen and moisturizer. The shade is perfect for my NC45 DDD/GGG complexion and doesn't chalk me out as a lot of other loose powders do, as most aren't formulated to be "translucent" on us darkies. This one is truly translucent - it mattes down the oilies I get from applying sunscreen and gives me a matte glow. You an't even tell I am wearing powder - I just looked "finished." :asts all day - don't need to reapply. It came with a little puff that I never use - instead I apply the bare minimum on my Shu 18R and buff it in. I started using it this summer and it's going to last forever, I can tell.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Kinerase - Photofacials Step 2 Day Moisturizer with SPF 50
northender 10/27/2009 8:18:00 AM
I am about halfway through this product and my skin looks great! I have been using it almost daily for two months and my skin appears brighter and more even toned than it did before. I'm 33 and I use barely a dime-size drop each morning and my skin is moisturized without being greasy. I haven't really broken out since I started using this, which is kind of amazing because it's fall here in New England and the seesawing temperatures usually wreak havoc on my skin. The nascent lines on my forehead appear to have been minimized and there are no new brown spots. Further, I like the high SPF (50) and the fact that it comes in a tube rather than a jar. It's a little fiddly to apply - you need to warm it up by rubbing your palms together and smooth it all over your face. It takes a little while to absorb so I put a little powder or MSFN to mattify it and then I am good to go! It is pricy ($85 for 1.7 oz) but it is probably going to last at least four months. I got another one from Sephora during FF. I'll update when I am done with my tube but if you are thinking to get this for FF, I highly recommend testing it out.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Clarins - Gold Attraction Eye Quartet and Liner Palette (Holiday 2009)
northender 10/25/2009 8:48:00 AM
Released in October 2009 as part of the Palazzo D'Oro Venice inspired holiday collection, this palette retailed for $66 US and contained 4 eyeshadows, one liner, and 2 applicators. The pans are teeny teeny teeny. Like GWP sized. I was shocked at how small they were. The four eyeshadow colors are 1) pale pink with silvery shimmery, a coolish shimmery gold, a neutral shimmery beige, and a neutral shimmery brown. The eye shadow is a matte brown-black, The pink and the gold pretty much applied the same on my NC45 skin. The beige was a little flat and barely registered on my NC45 GGG/DDD and the brown was muddy. The liner was kind of dull. The shadows and liner are very similar to Shiseido's Majolica Majorica line in Japanese drugstores that cost 1/3 as much, with more product. The shimmer is kind of too sparkly to wear this during the day - this is a "night out" palette, definitely good for a holiday party, but not something you'd reach for every day. The colors are pretty but nothing special. I swatched the colors on my hand and did a full look with all four colors and the liner. The colors do blend into each other well. They apply nicely though - powder to cream is how I would describe the texture. They are buttery soft. It was way too shimmery and glittery so I took it off immediately. Therefore I cannot attest to its staying power. The compact, however, is truly special - hefty gold with a gorgeous design on front. It is really a collector's item and probably the reason the palette costs $66. Thirty minutes after I left the counter, however, I still wanted it. The packaging is that beautiful. If you must have this collector's item, please do yourself a favor and don't order it sight unseen online - make sure you check it out IRL so you won't be stunned at how small it is. UPDATE: Blame it on hormones + 20% for FF and %7 ebates + no tax + free shipping + a GWP, and I got this. It is a splurge and it will never be an HG or a necessity but it made me happy. It is pretty. Sometimes you need to shimmer.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Chantecaille - L'Ombre et la Rose (Shadow and the Rose)
northender 10/22/2009 11:56:00 AM
The first reviewer described the colors and the textures perfectly, so I won’t repeat what she’s already said other than that I agree completely. I will add that the lasting power is stellar (colors stayed vivid and true for 10+ hours, no creasing, minimal fading) and the texture is sublime – powders that apply like cream with superior blendability. I find these particular shadows, especially the lilac, more pigmented than other Chantecaille shadows, The look is extremely soft and pretty and you can do day and night looks. The only downside to the palette is that there’s not too much versatility with respect to color. You can do lilac wash and line with the mauve, or lilac wash, contour and line with mauve, or start with the mauve close to the lashes and apply the lilac in the crease. If you are brave, you can use the coral cheek shade on the eyes or the lilac as a highlighter if you want to get really wacky. $79 for basically one look is a lot, but if you really like the look, go for it! When this palette first came out, I had zero interest because the apparent lack of versatility. I ended up swapping for it, am glad to have it because I am a Chantecaille collector and it is so pretty on.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No