Mascara -Maybelline - The Rocket Volume Express
p4percut 1/14/2013 6:32:00 PM
I have been using the waterproof version for a while now so it's time for a review. PACKAGING: First things first. I hate the applicator. It's huge and bulky. Package itself is also quite bulky but I like the way it tapers at the ends. FORMULA: Waterproof and smudgeproof. It's a very wet formula. It gives a very "spiky" look to my eyelashes which isn't quite to my taste. This is probably due to the plastic applicator (I usually go for traditional bristle type applicators). I will use up this mascara, but I will never touch this type of wand ever again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Revlon - Nearly Naked Foundation
p4percut 1/14/2013 6:25:00 PM
COLOR: This line's shades are very peachy, more so than their original Colorstay line. For reference, Colorstay in Sand Beige (normal/dry formula) is slightly too dark and pink so I was looking for one foundation that would match even better. I bought Nearly Naked in both Vanilla (too light and peach) and Shell (too peach). I am a pale olive and through these trials of foundations, I can see why MAC's coloring system is the way it is and why it's effective (if you're wondering why yellow skin tones are "cool" or "neutral-cool", it's because it is closer to green, a cool color, than red). FORMULA: The formula is horrible. I have combo/dry skin and while it looks great upon application, it wears down horribly. It accentuates dry areas and pools in pores (and I don't have large pores). PRICE: It's a little cheaper than their other lines at around $7-$8. PACKAGING: This needs to be in a pump of some sort. Just FYI, look on eBay for "airless pumps" for those who do like the foundation but not the packaging. This is going back to the store. I guess I'm waiting for the next foundation release.
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
p4percut 11/26/2012 4:40:00 PM
I got a sample of this in light/medium and it was more than enough for about two generous layers on my face and one on my neck with a bit left over. The color is almost perfect on me (NC20) and because it was so sheer, it didn't matter that it wasn't an absolute perfect match (it is slightly pink). It's very moisturizing and great for cold days that suck the life out of my skin. I love that I can just slap this on as a moisturizer because the color is so sheer that streaks won't show. I have to set this with powder or else it feels like it never dries. This also means it doesn't emphasize flakes or dry patches, which I have along my jaw. Coverage is very, very sheer. If you have nearly perfect skin, this will give it some oomph. My skin is far from perfect so I used a bit of my regular foundation on blemishes and red areas.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -John Frieda - Precision Foam Color
p4percut 11/25/2012 4:42:00 AM
Pros: 1) It's pretty expensive for a drugstore product. But the quality of the packaging, instructions, gloves, bottle, dispenser, etc. are all great. They provide a good amount of conditioner in a proper bottle too. 2) Application is very easy. Just smear it all over your head and wait. This product foams up enough to cover a lot of hair, so where I used to use two boxes of drugstore dye, I can now use one. A Very Big Con: 1) I've been mixing my own developer and dye for a while now. I usually use 4A with a 30 volume developer and get pretty true to color. I used this box dye in 4N and it came out BLACK? I mean, now that it's done, I remember always going lighter with drugstore dyes, but level 4 and level 1-2 is a large difference in color. They really should relabel the numbers so that it's somewhat more true to color. I mean, I was going to go darker to maybe a 3N after trying this out, but never was it my intention to go down another level or two to BLACK. Maybe they mean 4N when you wash it a few more times and fade the color but this really shouldn't be the case.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 70
p4percut 11/11/2012 9:40:00 PM
While this sunscreen is very matte, it is also pretty thick and leaves a white cast on my face. It doesn't combine well with Revlon CS foundation either so the foundation ends up looking spider-web-y on my skin. I did not get freckles this summer so it is effective. I just bought the SPF55 version to see if it is better with the foundation.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -L'Oreal - True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup
p4percut 11/7/2012 1:25:00 AM
1) Con: Shade selection is really strange, this is my main gripe. Revlon CS in Buff is a hair too light for me in the summer but it's perfect in the winter. L'Oreal Lumi doesn't have a W2, which would probably my color. I'm using W3 which works if I do a light layer and blend some onto my neck. My face and neck are lighter than my body though, so maybe this is a good thing? I need to think on this. 2) Con: W1-2 and W3 are also oddly peachy for a warm foundation. W4 is a lot better. Surprisingly, W4 also worked for me when I put on a light layer. 3) Pro: Offers great coverage in a lightweight formula. I can layer over areas that need it without it becoming cake-y looking. 4) Pro: Kinder on skin for dry winter weather. The main reason I looked for a new foundation. Revlon CS highlighted flakes and dry skin. 5) Pro: Formula works with my sunscreen. I switched to using a sunscreen on my face instead of a high SPF moisturizer because I was already moisturizing with argan oil. Revlon CS and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 70 apparently do not mix well. The combination made me look like I had little flakes all over my face. 6) IDK. Upon application, this formula looks too dark and too peach (pink/orange) on me. *Edit: can't take it anymore it is way too dark. Exchanging. **Edit 2: Nope. My skin has a olive/green undertone, all of this line's foundations are too peachy on me. I took a bottle of my regular Revlon CS in Buff and compared it to all the foundations in the drugstore. It seems Revlon is the only brand that makes foundation that has the least amount of red/orange/pink in it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - The Falsies in Black Drama
p4percut 3/9/2012 5:46:00 PM
At first, I hated this mascara. It doesn't really apply well nor does it separate my lashes. I was playing with it today and noticed a lot of little fibers clinging on to the brush and I realized that this was what made it seem clumpy. Like Japanese fiber mascaras, adding more and more layers will make lashes clump together and appear a certain way. That's fine. Clumpy mascara has been in for a while. It's great for those days where my face is bare and the emphasis is on the lashes. I always use a mascara guard so that I can apply with a heavier hand but not get it on my lids.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Ion - Repair Solutions Hair Reconstructor
p4percut 1/9/2012 2:53:00 AM
I got a few of these packets free with packets of bleach. I bleach the ends of my hair every now and then for the ombre look and that comes with a lot of damage. Before I used this, my hair was splitting everywhere, breaking off, and frizzy. I couldn't comb through it with a wide-tooth comb without being afraid of taking off chunks.
This is a protein treatment for porous hair. You need to condition and moisturize your hair after this or it's going to make your hair seem very dry. Protein treatment =/= moisture treatment.
I only use this treatment at the ends (where my hair is bleached) because my hair needs some damage to have any volume. I wet the ends, blot excess water, and coat. Leave in for 45mins to an hour. Shampoo (Tsubaki white, roots only, the shampoo takes off any excess). Condition (Sebastian volupt, ends only). Leave in conditioner (Garnier, which I don't like very much).
I've only used this a handful of times and I'm on my second packet now. The difference is pretty amazing. My hair isn't breaking off, split ends have been reduced by a lot, and it feels smooth as opposed to frizzy.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -E.L.F. - Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
p4percut 12/18/2011 5:56:00 AM
I have bought tubes of this product multiple times already. Besides just a primer, it also does a bit of brightening and concealing for me. I'm pretty pale, so this matches pretty perfectly to my skin.
As a concealer, it works great. I use it alone and it doesn't crease at all.
As a primer, it's very finicky. There have been days where it doesn't crease at all and days where it creases near the middle of the day. It has something to do with the initial application of the primer, I just probably need to let it set longer.
All in all, this primer works fine for me. If you need your eyeshadows to stay and you don't mind paying a bit more, go for higher end ones.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - TCA Peel
p4percut 12/12/2011 10:21:00 PM
I'm doing my third peel of this year right now, a 12.5% after doing two 8% peels throughout the year. This one burns a lot more, much more so than the 8% which I didn't feel worked fast enough, even when layered a few times. This time, I did a two layer peel, second layer on the areas with more acne scarring (chin, temples, forehead).
Right after: Skin felt dry and tight. I don't moisturize at night to encourage peeling but I do put on moisturizer with SPF 50 in the daytime, as I always do even when not going out. Always remember to put on sun protection.
Day 1: Skin still dry, tight and RED. I went out that day and it wasn't too bad, except I felt weird to be going out without makeup. My skin is also darker than it usually is so my foundation doesn't even match.
Day 2: Started peeling at night. Finally! The wait is excruciatingly painful, more so than the peel itself. LoL.
Day 3: More peeling, the skin under is extremely soft and smooth. My forehead still hasn't really peeled yet. ):
Day 4: My forehead is being stubborn. It started flaking at the end of the day.
Day 5: My forehead and temples are finally peeling! I don't moisturize at night and I found it to be extremely itchy. Don't scratch.
Day 6: Almost a week! I just have some really small flakes in various spots on my face. The "fresh" skin is very soft and smooth and scars along my jawbone have faded considerably. I don't have any raised or pitted scars so I can't comment on that.
I bought the 55% Lactic Acid peel to keep up in the months between the TCA.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Stipple
p4percut 12/9/2011 8:30:00 PM
The white fibers aren't as stiff as higher end/more expensive brushes. I don't see how this would work for foundation, so I used it with NYX's cream blushes. I always tend to over-apply with fingers. I dab it on the cream blush, then on the back of my hand to even out the product on the brush (and to remove excess) and stipple onto my cheeks. It gives a very nice, subtle flush. Pros: -Price, especially if there is a sale -Soft Cons: -White bristles are flimsier than other stipple brushes I've used
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Blending Brush
p4percut 12/9/2011 8:25:00 PM
I've never tried E.L.F's essential line of brushes and since it was 50% off everything, I thought I really had nothing to lose. It's a great brush at $0.50. But if we don't look at the price, the brush isn't that great. I haven't gotten around to washing it or through any heavy usage, maybe it'll get better after I wash it or something. Pros: -Cheap, a half dollar with the discount -Fluffy Cons: -Scratchy. It is fluffy, but it is not soft. -Bristles. They're brittle and break and fall everywhere. -Shedding. Maybe I need to wash it to get loose bristles off or something. Would not buy again, I'm sticking with their studio line. Edit: It becomes softer after it's been lovingly shampooed and washed. Still, its bristles break and shed like no other.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Super Lustrous - Black Cherry
p4percut 10/5/2011 12:38:00 AM
This is such a gorgeous color. It's a deep and rich berry, perfect as an everyday stain when applied with fingers or a brush and topped with Vaseline. Applied straight from the tube, it's pretty close to black. It's also pretty dry and will settle around flakes if your lips are not moisturized (which has been harder to do since cold weather kicked in). The night before you use this, exfoliate your lips and slather on Vaseline right after to keep the moisture in for the night. The next morning, apply the lipstick and go over it with Vaseline again to keep your lips from drying out. A few reviewers have stated that this was better on a cool skin tone, but I'm Asian and pretty sure I am a warm tone (NC20/25 depending on season) - perhaps leaning a bit neutral - and I love this color on me, especially for fall/winter when I wear darker colors. I love Revlon's packaging. Very minimalistic with a small detail to keep it from being cheap (the gold band in this case). The lid snaps close tightly, so no worries about this staining your purse. This was about five dollars (I was expecting six or seven), so if you want to try out bolder colors, start here.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Ageless Essentials Continuous Hydration Night
p4percut 12/19/2010 4:36:00 AM
This is a very light gel-like moisturizer for nighttime use. It keeps my face moisturized without feeling heavy or oily and it does not make me break out like my old nighttime moisturizer. What I love about it is that my skin feels great and is still moisturized in the morning until I wash it off.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Light Night Cream
p4percut 12/19/2010 4:27:00 AM
It is a light night cream, but the oil in it was making me break out. I didn't even notice it until I switched moisturizers. It's great for dry hands and feet because of the oil though. :)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No