Lip Gloss -Make Up For Ever - Lab Shine - Star Collection
rsch94 2/17/2013 4:44:00 PM
Great underrated gloss. I have S22 from the Star Collection which is described as a pearly candy pink. The sparkles are silver and very fine and aren't very obvious on the lips. I love the cool medium pink shade as it brightens the face a bit. These are less thick than MAC's Lipglasses and wear very evenly on the lips, but are fairly transparent even though the colour in the tube is vibrant. I think a more pleasing scent (less artificial) and slightly more pigmentation would make these a 5/5.
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Liquid -Bourjois - Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation
rsch94 2/17/2013 4:31:00 PM
This is a holy grail foundation for anyone with yellow or olive undertones. I have quite an olive toned/medium complexion and this is one of the best matches I've found, compared to drugstore foundations which tend to run pink or beige. I have shade 53 Beige Clair. For reference I purchased this during summer when I was NC30 and am now NC25, so I just mix with a bit of paler neutral foundation (Revlon ColorStay Sand Beige) and it's fine. Healthy Mix Serum Gel doesn't last quite as long as Revlon ColorStay, but it does give a much healthier and glowier look compared to the matte and heavy Revlon. The foundation itself is a bit runny but has great coverage. I can't speak for acne and scarring as my skin is in pretty good shape, but it covers areas of different pigmentation with no problem. This gets a 5/5 from me for the color match and hygienic pump in the packaging. I bought this from Shopper's in Canada for ~$30.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -NARS - Turkish Delight
rsch94 5/19/2012 4:50:00 PM
Great gloss. I took off a lippie because this does not look good on bare lips -- it sinks into lip lines and is too milky. For best results, apply this on top of another product to add gloss and longevity. This behaves just like my other NARS glosses; it has great lasting power (it's sticky, but I prefer sticky glosses) and high-shine. Turkish Delight is a pale pink nude -- there is no peachy undertones. Looks great on me. (NC25-30, half asian).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Rimmel - Lasting Finish - Airy Fairy
rsch94 4/29/2012 11:44:00 PM
I bought this after the hype/raves here and on YouTube. Nothing special. Product smells awful (and smell usually does not bug me)... very artificial. Staying power was the only good aspect of this - not terrible. A little bit extreme, but reminded me a bit like rubbing a Crayola crayon on my lips. Less moisturizing than MAC lipstick (that's saying something). There are hundreds of better pink/nudes out there. Don't waste your time on this one unless you can - 1) stand the scent 2) want to chance that this shade may look good on you. Airy Fairy did not look remotely nude/pink to me. This shade pulled extremely purple/mauve on my warm/olive toned skin. Yuck. EDIT: Gave this another try. Adding additional lippie. On second impression, the colour itself is not awful, but still.... the scent is reason enough to not purchase this.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Jergens - Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer-Medium Tan
rsch94 4/29/2012 11:38:00 PM
Been using this for a couple years in conjunction with the revitalizing lotion from the same line. Great products. I buy Medium/Tan for more immediate results. Natural looking colour with no streaking (if applied correctly! - make sure to blend it in VERY well otherwise yes, you will be left with streaking. Try it on moisturized skin if you're still having problems). The foam is very convenient to cover large areas. My only complaint is that this stains your hands if you leave it on without washing it off your palms straight after application. However, that can be sorted out with exfoliation and happens with the majority of self tanners. I use this primarily on my body and use the lotion of my face. I just find it harder to blend the foam into my face compared to the lotion. No breakouts/irritation. I'll rebuy as long as Jergen's keeps producing it.
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Foundations -Vichy - Dermablend Corrective Foundation
rsch94 4/29/2012 11:22:00 PM
Dermablend by Vichy is a nearly full coverage foundation that's easy to blend into the skin for a flawless finish. I'm not sure whether this foundation had shade matching properties or what, but my purchased shade 25 Nude was a tad dark in the tube and blended seamlessly into my NC25 skin. 25 Nude is a perfect colour for my olive-toned Asian skin, and has no ashy pink undertones (thank goodness). This foundation provides buildable, natural-looking coverage. Difficult to make cakey unless you have dry patches/ultra dry skin. This also doubles as a good under-eye concealer and can be easily used on blemishes with a small brush. This has a great light feeling on the skin and is not nearly as thick as Revlon ColorStay. This product did not oxidize (turn orange) on my skin. Very creamy and even finish. I apply this with my fingers and prefer it that way vs. MAC 190 foundation brush, which used too much product. Apply this to one area of the face at a time as it sets quickly. Super pigmented...still amazed as how Vichy made it so full coverage and sheer-feeling at the same time. Packaging is a plastic tube. Would prefer a pump for the aspect of hygiene, but not a dealbreaker. Easy to control product amount and to get the very last bits out at the end. Contains 30mL and the price is right at $30 CDN. I purchased this at Shopper's. This product wears very well, given that it does have heavier coverage. Significant lasting power from morning until night. You will not have the same looking finish from application until removal, but it does wear down very evenly, unlike other foundations that wear patchily. Will definitely need a setting powder as this has the tendency to start looking a little shiny around 4 hours in (I like a matte finish). However, that was to my expectation. Can't say enough good things. Converting to this permanently after using ColorStay for 2 years. EDIT: I've started to use this more as a concealer, not all over the face. Still just as good. Just noting that the coverage may be too heavy/cakey for all-over use.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Ponds - Deep Cleanser Cold Cream
rsch94 4/22/2012 11:26:00 PM
This is a very gentle and effective makeup remover. Other ones I've tried in the past irritated my eyes (which are not overly sensitive), but this does the trick without stinging or causing new milia bumps under my eyes (thanks to my previously used oil removers). Yes, this can leave a slight residue on your skin. But 99% of the time after using this, I immediately go in with a cleanser or scrub and that gets rid of it easily. On the rare occasion that I don't wash off the residue, I don't notice any breakouts or irritation. This also takes off my Revlon Colorstay foundation with ease, which is an impressive task on its own. Very inexpensive, lots of product. One jar lasts me 4-6 months.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -MAC - Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
rsch94 4/22/2012 11:19:00 PM
HG setting powder for me. Very finely milled, completely translucent finishing powder. I have a moderately oily T-zone and this keeps it under control and shine free. Doesn't emphasize pores (not sure about minimizing the appearance of them) and stays on throughout the day. Just be sure to only cut half the sticker when you first open the package. Even after cutting only half of mine, there is still an absurd amount of powder that comes through the holes. I've been using the same container of this for nearly two years and it's still going strong.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Revlon - Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara
rsch94 4/22/2012 1:05:00 AM
I usually use this in between purchases of other mascaras. Not outstanding, but certainly doesn't have any big faults like other mascaras I've tried. Grow Luscious has a huge brush with lots of bristles (love). I find this mascara has a drier formula with others, resulting in lashes that are soft to the touch. This mascara does have the tendency to flake off instead of wear down/smear but is not a deal-breaker. Not enormously good at holding a curl. But, I do really like the volume and length this gives. This mascara gives a fair amount of volume directly at the roots of the lashes, making them look very full. Nice amount of length as well. The colour is a very dark black, however not as black as L'Oreal or Lancome's mascaras. Not a huge deal. I have to run a lash comb through this after as it does have a little clumping near the inner corners. Don't use the non-waterproof version of this on lower lashes... it's a disaster. Very flaky and the large brush makes application extremely inconvenient. As for the promise of lash growth... I haven't and wasn't expecting a difference. I've repurchased this product several times already but I'm looking for something better.
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Blush -NARS - Torrid
rsch94 4/22/2012 12:47:00 AM
This is a great warm coral blush from NARS. It does have a shimmer to it but I can hardly tell once applied and blended out. I'm more of a bronzer-only girl, but when I feel like a look needs blush, this is usually the one I reach for. This shade has great pigmentation. A light dab of the product per cheek is definitely enough. Torrid looks amazing on tanned skin and is my go-to blush during summer. However, I notice that this is not all that long-lasting. After about 3 hours in school, I looked in the mirror and could hardly tell I was wearing any cheek colour. I had set it with MAC Prep and Prime Finishing Powder immediately after application. Gorgeous colour and pigmentation, I just wish it lasted longer on my skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -NARS - Laguna
rsch94 4/22/2012 12:37:00 AM
HG bronzer. I'll probably never stray from my Laguna. This is a lovely shade of bronze from NARS; a universally flattering medium toned brown with neutral/warm undertones. Not cool enough to look ashy or warm enough to look muddy. Laguna also has a slight golden shimmer that is only seen in the pan (I've never seen it show up on my face, in various lightings). However if you are tanned/dark skinned this may not show up (try Casino). The shade and pigmentation is quite forgiving so I find it hard to apply too much. Laguna is fairly easy to blend, but I can see how some may find it a bit streaky. I apply it in light layers, blending out every time, and its foolproof. I apply using an angled blush brush right under my cheekbones and sides of temples. Quite pricey but you receive tons of product. I bought my current one nearly two years ago and (with daily use) still can't see pan.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Got 2 Be - 2 Sexy Voluptuous Volume Mousse
rsch94 4/22/2012 12:20:00 AM
I apply this to about 80% wet hair, at the roots, and blow-dry normally (not upside down, no brush), just scrunching with my fingers. My hair is very slightly wavy and flat/fine but with a large amount of hair. I love the effect this mousse gives. Noticeable lift in roots (full marks for me in this category as my super-fine hair has resisted teasing and most products), and a texturized finish that holds the volume in place. It makes my hair look a little drier and feel rougher, but I don't mind as I love the slightly messy bedhead look it gives. I took off a lipstick anyways for that reason, because that does make the product less versatile (not able to achieve that super sleek look). I don't use this on days I want straight hair as it makes it look a bit rough and takes away shine.The volume and texture lasts close to all day for me. Overall- I would purchase again. I also love the scent to this.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Lipglass in Lust
rsch94 4/13/2012 11:05:00 PM
Great product from MAC. This is a fully opaque nude toned gloss. It is a darker, natural nude that is a bit darker than my natural lip pigmentation (to be fair my lips have virtually no pigment to them). This leans quite brown; less pink toned than other nudes. There is no shimmer. Very high gloss finish. Suits many skin tones but may not be as flattering on very pale skin because of the brown undertones. This is fully opaque in a couple swipes on me. The wear time was an impressive 4-6 hours, likely because the formula was a bit sticky (I don't mind stickiness) and very pigmented. It wore fairly evenly on the lips as well. Quite a forgiving formula - it didn't make my lips looks any drier than usual. The traditional MAC vanilla scent is pleasant and doesn't bother me at all. As for all MAC products, the packaging is sleek and simple (if not a bit tiny). But you do get a significant amount of product compared to their other lines of glosses.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter - Cherry Tart
rsch94 3/6/2012 11:15:00 PM
This lasted surprisingly long on my lips, given the texture. I wore this to work and checked the mirror about four hours later. The colour was still there (a little faded in the centre of the lips, but that's to be expected). I loved the balm/gloss texture already so the great pigmentation was an added bonus. This colour is cool-toned but very flattering on my light olive skin (NC25). It does have a faint shimmer but is not as pronounced as others in this line. It may be applied as a stain, a sheer wash of colour, or a full-on cherry red lip. Even applied at full strength this has a jelly-like transparency to it so it isn't completely opaque which makes it perfect for people new to a bold lip. The only issue I have with this line in general is the packaging. The exterior is nice and classy but the twist-up action has gotten stuck and stopped working on 2 of my lip butters.
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Eyeliner -Clinique - Brush-on cream liner in TRUE BLACK
rsch94 1/25/2012 10:59:00 PM
This is the gel liner I keep coming back to. I have used MAC's Fluidline in Blacktrack and Bobbi Brown Gel Liner and this consistently performs the best. I find the Fluidline gets dry too quickly and the Bobbi Brown does not last on the lid. The Clinique doesn't have these issues. I find this formula is a bit more "watery" than others, but it makes application smoother and keeps product soft longer and does not sacrifice lasting power. I can't really find anything wrong with this, so I will keep buying. I love using this for the cat-eye look. For reference I use this with an Ecotools angled liner brush and it works perfectly.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No