Pressed Powders -Milani - Pressed Powder
sbforwin 8/14/2006 7:32:00 AM
The quality of this powder was surprisingly good considering its price. I got this as a backup to my Clinique powder when I saw it on sale at CVS. Admittedly the packaging is a bit tacky, but again I paid less than $3. I am usually a NC30-35, and I got this in Golden, which looks fairly close to my skintone. The powder gives a pretty smooth finish, and stays ok, controls oil, and the only downside is that it's a bit too yellow, even for a strong yellow-toned skin hue like mine. But I usually dust a bit of the top off and spray some makeup setter on it, and it looks ok after that. I think I may search for another powder that's less yellow, but this is a pretty good backup powder.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Healing Garden - moisture rich body toning spray w/ lemongrass
sbforwin 12/14/2005 5:27:00 PM
This is a moisturizing spray that kind of acts like a spritz-on lotion. I like the concept of it, though I find this method uses up the lotion more quickly because a lot of is lost through spraying in the air. I am not too crazy about the scent though. It is ok - a little green, almost a bamboo undertone to it, which is good on furniture, and frankly doesn't smell bad, but it's just not my favorite. The lotion itself is decently moisturizing. I've had better ones from etailers, but this one isn't bad for a light summer type of moisturizer. It does not really do a good job if you have dry skin though. I think I'll use this up and try out other brands with more scent selection.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Beyond Paradise Body Lotion
sbforwin 12/12/2005 9:55:00 PM
This is a nice lotion that complements the Beyond paradise perfume. I actually prefer the lotion for normal basis because it's not as strong. The lotion itself is decent though not as moisturizing as L'occitane or even the TBS/BBW stuff. Makes a nice light summer lotion.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Beyond Paradise
sbforwin 12/12/2005 9:53:00 PM
This is a girly perfume that smell like a mix of white and spring flowers. I find it a lovely fragrance at first whiff, though it doesn't develop into anything more subtle or alluring after that. The bottle is certainly very pretty. This would be a good choice for spring or early summer. The scent is pretty strong and last for a while. While not comparable to the finest perfumes, it is decent for a department store brand.
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Eyeliner -Sephora - Jumbo Eye Pencil
sbforwin 12/4/2005 12:46:00 AM
I have the jumbo pencil in violet, and it's a pretty color that's more a combination of lavender with bluish/silverish undertone. I use this to line my lower rims a lot. The quality is quite good - the color stay all night, the pencil is creamy, and the pencil doesn't tug at all. I would not use this to do tight lining because it's difficult to get this pencil that sharp. However, since I usually blend the lower lining, I don't have problem with it creasing. At this price and color selection, I would definitely look into their other fun colors.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment in Violet
sbforwin 12/4/2005 12:37:00 AM
I got a sample of this from the Pro store, and this is my favorite out of all the purple eyeshadows I own. This one is blended very fine, and while it look a bit scary in the jar, it looks great once I applied it on. The purple softens my yellow skintone and give a more romantic flair to my common brown eyes. Also, the pigment is versatile - it can be lightly dusted on for a lavenderish shade, or applied wet for a true violet. The sales lady gave me a very generous sample, so I don't think I'll run out anytime soon, but if I am out of purple, this would be the one to buy.
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Styling Products -Citre Shine - Highly Polished Glossing Pommade
sbforwin 12/3/2005 1:54:00 AM
I've loved many of the other Citre shine products I've tried, but this one, while not bad, didn't quite perform the same way I hoped. The glossing pomade does gloss quite well, and you only need a tiny bit. However, the smell of this pomade is a bit wierd. I am not sure whether I just got the one that went bad or what, but normally citre shine has a pleasant citrus smell, but this just smell like gas station mixed with orange. Also this is a bit too heavy and greasy, and the consistency makes it hard to get the exact right amount. It's an interesting product, and works well in tiny quantities.
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Fragrances -Yves Rocher - Yves Rocher Gardenia Eau de Toilette [DISCONTINUED]
sbforwin 12/3/2005 1:49:00 AM
This is the cleanest gardenia scent I've smelled - and it gets 5 stars just for that. Too many of the other gardenia perfumes end up smelling like jasmine or rose/white flowery combination, but not this. The downside is that it has very little lasting power, and the scent, while notable, is subtle. But it's called a EDT, and for the price, I can't complain.
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Cleansers -Avon - Perfect Wear makeup remover
sbforwin 12/3/2005 1:42:00 AM
I bought this makeup remover due to the raves on the site, but I have mixed feelings about this product. Ok, first the pros: it removes makeup very well, no stinging at all, and doesn't give me the blurry after eyes. The cons: the product can be a bit greasy, if you don't shake it vigorously before every use. Even with shaking it leaves a bit of soapy feeling afterwards. But my biggest complaint is about the packaging: whoever designed this should be condemned, fired, and prohibited from designing another bottle ever again. The easy-to-open seal was impossible for me to open without tools, and the stupid child-safety cap is so hard to squeeze that I swear I'm getting calluses from it. I'll finish using this one up, but I won't repurchase this unless they redesign the bottle.
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Moisturizers -Shiseido - The Skincare Night Essential Moisturizer
sbforwin 10/30/2005 12:54:00 AM
This moisturizer makes my face feel very soft. I have normal skin and use it in spring/fall when I need some moisturizer but not the heavy face creams yet. It's very pricy, but I only use a dab and the bottle lasts quite a while. I just wish Shiseido would make a cream version of this too.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Palladio - Rice Powder Blotting Papers
sbforwin 10/19/2005 2:50:00 AM
These do a pretty good job of blotting oil. However I'm not sure whether I like them that much because the rice powder is very grainy, not finely grained at all, and after I blot you see distinct powder dots on my face. The only side without the powder doesn't blot for me at all. I like the other brand with French lady in front the best, but I can't find it here. Well, the search keeps going.
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Mascara -Lancome - Definicils Mascara
sbforwin 10/19/2005 2:44:00 AM
My mom and I have about 20 of these gwp mascaras lying around. These were the first mascaras I used, and in some ways I could see why they've become so popular. The gwps are very convenient to carry everywhere with me, and they do a good job of separating the lashes. Also, there's very little smudging, even after putting eye rewetting drops or walking through rain, and mascaras come off easily with good makeup remover. The downside is that the mascara does little to curl my lashes, or lengthen them, and the wand is decent but in no way unique or spectacular. I have these only because they're gwps, but there's no chance I'd be paying full price for these. Now that I've moved away from Lancome, I will just use these up and use the drugstore ones.
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Blush -Bare Escentuals - Warmth All Over Face Color
sbforwin 10/14/2005 8:04:00 PM
Warmth, when applied correctly, gives one a very pretty rosy bronzed glow. That is, if one applies it corrently. I find warmth a pretty color a bit tricky to use because it's so easily to overload, and then the bronzy glow becomes cakey sandstone red. I have tanned skin most of the year, and at NC35, I'm not pale, but then the color quickly overloads itself and turns myface into muddy red. True, it can give you a more sunkissed look than most powder blushes can. However, I've achieved same or better results with the Becca cream blushes, without the careful manipulation required for warmth. If you have excellent fine motor dexterity and are not too pale, this will make a good options. For me, I will happily use this up, and go back to my Becca.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment in Tan
sbforwin 10/14/2005 7:54:00 PM
I love this pigment, it's a very versatile color that will blend with most other eyesahdow colors, and works great as higlighter as well. I am NC35, so this color makes my face looks brighter and gives it an extra spark all year round. The shimmer is definitely there, but not gawdy or glittery. I sometimes use that on my cheek as well, as the color is close to my skin color, given a honey tanned glow.
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Gels/Soaps -Bathology - USP BI African Black Soap
sbforwin 10/14/2005 7:47:00 PM
I tried this African black soap because several members of the B&B board has recommended this for sensitive or combo skin. While I don't really have either, I have trouble finding a good cleanser in the fall time because the weather is switching and my skin responds by producing pimples. Well, I swapped for it (package says it's from Undergroundscentplant but I think Bathed and Infused has bought it) and right now I have very happy with the results. Despite the high oil content, it leaves your skin very clean and soft, and I put on a light moisturizer after that. I have normal skin and the last step is essential. Initially when I tried the soap the soap stang a bit but now it feels just fine. The soap is not much to look at (in fact it's pretty ugly), but it does not have additional scents, which I like, and it does its job very well. In fact, better than many of those $25 cleansers. I am not sure whether it actually help to control pimples as it claims, but I have not noticed an increased pimple rate and right now the weather is changing, so I think even if it doesn't clear up entirely, the soap is still keeping my face clean. The soap last a long time and I think most likely I will repurchase. Update: I've used for a few weeks now and my skin has definitely improved. I also used it on my body. This is definitely a repurchase.
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