Liquid -MAC - Face and Body Foundation
paintedtoes 5/23/2013 5:16:00 PM
This review is mostly a tip. I'm a first time buyer and was warned this foundation can "turn and spoil." I bought a 1 ounce container with a squeeze top from a storage store and put in about 1/2 an ounce, and stored the remaining 1 1/2 ounces in the fridge in the original bottle. My house is not air-conditioned and it can get pretty warm some weeks in the summer. I'm 65, fair NW20 so got N1, reactive skin normal-dry but gets dehydrated, have some sun spots and redness from mild flushing rosacea, but generally I have pretty good skin for my age. I like this foundation, especially the finish, and hope it will stay on my face longer than the LM TM which quickly slides off and disappears in the summer. I've always used a SS under my makeup so the lack of one doesn't bother me. I put a light dusting of Pur or MSF in Light Plus over my T zone.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Clinique - Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for eyes
paintedtoes 4/20/2013 7:20:00 PM
Finally found the perfect easy-eye casual weekend look. Just some Painterly to even out my lid color and then Whopping Willow (a bronzed olive) smudged along the upper and lower lash line. Curl the lashes and apply mascara and my eyes look like they have depth and definition, and still casual and natural enough to be out in sunlight with jeans and a T. I'm 65, NW20 with dark hair, hazel-green eyes. Unfortunately I think these will not be good to travel with in the heat as it most likely will get too soft or even melt which is a shame as the stick has good staying power. I'm going to get some other colors to use in the crease or as liner.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Contrast Eye Shadow
paintedtoes 4/19/2013 8:12:00 PM
I am 65, NW20 with dark brown hair and green eyes. I use this as my go-to thin or smudged navy e/l and sometimes for evening on my outer V. This is softer than black, more interesting than gray, and livens up the whites of my eyes. Little-no fallout or smudging.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -DevaCurl - Mist-er Right Curl Refresher
paintedtoes 2/5/2013 3:35:00 AM
OMG- and a 65 year old woman who has taught legal writing to post-grads rarely gushes OMG. This stuff urges each curl like the little engine that could- "You can make it, you can make it". Me, hair is wavy-to-curly, colored dark brown every 8 weeks and in good condition, almost shoulder length, quite thin and fine, and frankly hormonally balding on top despite my use of Rogaine and biotin. I shampoo daily, wrap and dry 3/4 way with a microcloth towel while I do my makeup and partially dress, then put on a mixture of curling cream (usually AG Re:Coil) and gel (Biosilk), and mix together a good nickels worth in equal proportions. (This combo and amount I have been doing for years.) After I finger that through my hair I spray this magic stuff and gently comb my hair and then tousel and scrunch occasionally while I continue to air dry. I do a spray on each section, maybe 4-6, but don't "soak" my hair as it is very thin. When it is fully dry my hair is not crunchy nor weighed down, I don't recognize how curly and separated (not frizzy) it is, and the volume is akin to magic. This comes in a large 12 oz spray bottle and I even bought the travel size of refillable 3 oz for travel and to keep in my car for a mid-day fluff-up if needed. I don't recall the prices exactly, but at Ulta the large size was under $20 and the small about $7. Amazing!!!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Contour brush
paintedtoes 2/3/2013 2:52:00 PM
I'll keep this simple. What if you can't find your cheekbones to contour?? I have a small round face, and whatever bones I have are non-evident. This brush delivers blush where I want it, and not down the front of my face to the level of my mouth, or in a 90s stripe. It works to dab or blend on color, and is soft enough to work with deep colors like Sin on an NW20 pale face. So, all you cheekbone-less wonders, try it!!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Clinique - Aromatics Elixir
paintedtoes 12/30/2012 4:29:00 PM
I'm 65 and this has been in my rotation since the early 80s. It was a daring controversial scent when introduced, remains so, and is often on the "best of" lists. Not a 'delicate blond' scent. I laugh that it smells like bug spray the first hour... but after.... People stop you on the street, men identify it by name, and if it works it is distinctive, sensual, and like no other. Others have described it very well. Very long lasting, and best when sprayed and walked into the mist, or applied around waist or knees for an indirect wafting scent.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Microfiber cloths
paintedtoes 10/19/2012 4:33:00 PM
I'll keep this one simple. I'm 65, with normal to dry skin, fair, thin skinned, sensitive and reactive. My skin was always a bit flaky on my forehead and around my mouth and chin. I changed nothing other than normally patting-wiping-drying my face with these twice per day!! No more flakes, skin looks smoother and more hydrated. It is especially noticeable when I wear a zinc based sunscreen. I can use no other exfoliant due to sensitivity and mild flushing rosacea. I buy packs of multiple wash-sized clothes in the auto section for dirt cheap.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Eucerin - Eucerin Shower Oil
paintedtoes 9/28/2012 1:35:00 PM
I don't have really dry body or leg skin so I only use this when needed, but I decanted some to a small travel-size bottle and found this is excellent for shaving legs while on vacation. When used on my legs or chest I like the glow it leaves. I wish the bottle's opening was smaller, I find it spills out into my hand as I don't use a washcloth for washing my body.
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Gels/Soaps -Eucerin - Calming Body Wash Daily Shower Oil
paintedtoes 8/16/2012 3:10:00 PM
This is great as a moisturizing body wash but I also use it as a shave cream. It creates a close shave and leaves legs smooth without flakies.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Revlon - Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain- Darling
paintedtoes 7/9/2012 8:15:00 PM
I bought Darling Chere, #10, which I assume is the same as the other reviews. It's a pale pink-lavender, a lovely color in the tube. I liked the convenience and thought it would be great to put in my pocket for a summer stroll. I tried it on over bare lips in the car. Okay, it's a bit dry...but the color is nice for NW20 skin and goes well with dark hair. I drive to my next appointment and check the mirror before I get out of the car. A half hour later my lips have morphed to a shade of fushia which resembles lips that are sore raw and dried out. Okay- I get out my mini-tube of Aquaphor and try to remove it, but the color remains and I look even worse for the rubbing. I have sensitive skin but not sensitive lips!! Obviously others have had a better experience so buy where you can return!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Unlisted Brand - Homemade Sea Salt Spray
paintedtoes 7/9/2012 6:09:00 PM
This DIY Salt Spray is the only one I have tried, and it faded my hair. I'm 65, only have concentrated gray on my crown with little elsewhere, but my rich dark brown has faded to a mousy lighter color so I color it every 8 weeks with a permanent dye. I had a haircut and color last week and my stylist remarked she had never seen my hair so faded, and my natural color almost matched the dyed section. Several people had also mentioned my hair looked "lighter." The only thing I used that was new was the salt spray. I recall now I grew up on the beach in NYC, and how much the ocean water faded my swimsuits. Oh well, my hair is thin and fine and I loved the extra body while I had it....
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Protector Finishing Powder [DISCONTINUED]
paintedtoes 7/9/2012 5:12:00 PM
Update 10-9-12: I just called Maybelline, the product has been discontinued with no plans to re-issue. Darn! Really like it. The plastic hinge on the compact completely broke away soon after I began using it. I heard about this powder on YT Makeupbytiffany as a dupe for MSFN. Well I've never tried the MSFN but I am a long time user of the Pur Pressed Mineral Powder. In the winter I use it lightly over a TM, now the LM, and in the summer alone over a stick makeup concealer on my nose chin and forehead to blot out rosacea redness. I apply it with a powder brush, and when used alone (with heavier application) I then buff it is with a kabuki brush. I would say it's a bit less creamy than the Pur, which actually is better for warm weather. I hate using a brush on a sweaty summer face and putting it back onto the product to complete application, so enter the Maybelline as a cheaper substitute. I really like it, the color Nude is a good match for my NW20 skin, it covers nicely with minimal caking, and it isn't mask-like. I have normal to dry skin so I am not concerned about oil break through, but I have facial sweating in the summer, and this seems to last with only a nose swipe mid-day in the hottest weather. I wouldn't recommend this as a main foundation for those with oily skin, but it might work well over a primer and-or foundation which controls oil. Both Pur and the Maybelline have sturdy compacts, but the mirrors are under the powder in a separete compartment for the brush or puff. Not the best arrangement but at least there is a mirror which makes this good for purse and travel.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Kiehls - Midnight Recovery Concentrate
paintedtoes 7/9/2012 4:23:00 PM
After reading all the reviews I decided to get a sample as the product sounded like just what I needed for dehydration. My fair (NW15-20) skin has mild flushing type rosacea, normal-dry, thin skinned, sensitive and reactive, fine pored with few breakouts. Read the ingredients, was concerned about the lavender, but really liked the consistency. I put it on after night washing with no other serums or creams as that is how I usually test a product. Well, the essential oils stuck again and I had to get up from bed and wash my face about an hour later. Many people with reactive skin just can't take lavender, and I am one of them. I think this would be an excellent product for those with normal to dry non-reactive skin. Get a sample first.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Feeling Fresh
paintedtoes 6/28/2012 3:24:00 AM
Using this as a summer liner with essentially a bare eye evened-out with Painterly with just a bit of neutral shimmer on the lid. I've upped the amp for the heat as I often use Humid in the same fashion. I'm 64, NW20, with green hazel eyes, and wear horned rim glasses most of the time. As a liner it's absolutely beautiful and fun! Pale pink blush and lips finish the look.
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Polishes -Rimmel - Lasting Finish Pro - Gold Silk
paintedtoes 6/15/2012 3:07:00 PM
Beautiful soft luminous long-wearing polish, very professional for summer, BUT on my NW20 hands it makes my fingers look red and swollen, and my cuticles irritated, both of which they're not. If you have similar coloring try to swatch before buying.
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