Lipstick -MAC - Film Noir
scarattina 6/16/2011 2:12:00 AM
This color is a wearable "black." If you took Brown on the Paint program and clicked on the darkest value you would get mac Film Noir! Lived up to all my expectations on the glamour and excitement of the film noir genre as a lipstick color. Agree with reviewer who said be a little more bold, most people will not think you are gothic just because you are wearing a dark lip color. If you pull it off it's fashion :) Photographs online have the shade looking much lighter than it really is so make sure you test it at the store before purchasing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Laura Geller - Lip Spackle
scarattina 6/6/2011 6:25:00 AM
Not sure why but I really like this lip primer. It kind of makes me feel glam using it before lipstick. As far as delivery, it does the job as someone else mentioned. I find myself less worried about my lipstick feeling dry or doing the lip-smacking/rubbing together thing. It does mix in a little with your lip colors. I don't think it's really for every day because it creates more of a glamorous night-time look that I don't always want. Would repurchase.
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Primer/ Corrector -Laura Geller - Spackle Cream
scarattina 6/6/2011 6:19:00 AM
I am a primer-hater...but this I love it!!! It doesn't feel disgusting like most primers, and it actually makes your skin noticeably softer. That's not even the best part. This primer really delivers and takes your face from blah to amazing looking. I think it's because of the subtle glow that it gives you, making your foundation look much more expensive. It also has great hold for me. It passed the drunken night test where you fall asleep with your makeup on and wake up and find it is still there. This is really something to me because I am extremely oily but this still keeps my makeup on. I believe it does have some mattifying effect as well. My favorite thing about it is how long it can keep my makeup on, just about all day. For once in my life I finally find myself doing my makeup regularly because I know taking the time will be worth it since my Laura Gellar spackle will keep it on! I've started recommending this to friends and family. Worth the money! You can watch reviews for it on youtube and many of the makeup gurus say it's their favorite primer. That's why I originally went to buy it (bought the trio and it's amazing.) Also compared to the MAC primer this feels much better and is MUCH less oily/greasy. The MAC also tends to break me out whereas this primer improves my skin and just looks better overall.
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Eye Primer -Laura Geller - Eye Spackle
scarattina 6/6/2011 6:10:00 AM
There are a lot of negative reviews for this product as an eye shadow primer, but ladies let me tell you, it is FABULOUS as an under-eye concealer primer! The best! I really can't believe my results. I got this with the spackle trio that includes the face/lip/eye primer and I couldn't be more happy. My undereye area is soft and perfectly primed for the Bobbi Brown undereye corrector I use, and I add a cream concealer on top of that then setting powder. Nothing else will keep all that crap on all day except for this primer. It also moisturizes that area and keeps from getting creases (which I fear bc of getting wrinkles). **Even if you don't really have a problem with undereye darkness and just need a little perk me up in that area, try it! This does a pretty d*mn good job concealing my undereye area as well! Really happy with this & will repurchase 'til the end!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Makeup
scarattina 6/6/2011 3:23:00 AM
I bought this before and liked it, but returned it because it was a tad too light for my skin tone. Now that I'm trying to save money and my HG Bobbi Brown skin foundation has been revamped and changed to something I dislike, I'm giving this another go, remembering how similar they were. I also think they added more colors because I found a good match. If you are a fan of natural looking, almost tinted moisturizer foundations you will probably like this product. If not, you may want to try something thicker. **Pros: Looks natural, thin consistency but medium-full coverage. Looks expensive! Pretty formula. Buildable coverage-it's thin and dries fast so it is easy to layer and build coverage. Nice healthy shine LONG-WEARING Keeps oily skin matte Good for sensitive/acne-prone skin **Cons: Feels a bit sticky on application Feels a little itchy on my sensitive skin but goes away Hard to blend ~Overall this is a wonderful high-end comparable foundation for a good price. Looks really great and from what I can tell photographs beautifully. I think people who are seeing the shimmer must be using the wrong shade which is really drawing attention to the glitter (i.e. making a white cast on the face.) Shade matching is the most important thing you can do with your makeup. It is actually really difficult to find your shade without trying this on because it looks much darker in the bottle than it does in real life! When you pick out what you think looks like your shade, I recommend going to the next shade darker. The solution that came out of my bottle looked much lighter than it did in it's bottle. I wish I had bought one shade darker especially since it's sheer if it's half a shade darker it would be better than having a sheer foundation that is too pale...I bought Shell which is about an NC20-25 color, but may exchange it. On the bottom of the bottle you can remove that circular sticker which does show the true color a little better. ***UPDATE: I LOVE this foundation! It never comes off! I have never used a more long-lasting foundation. It lasted me through a sweaty concert, a night in a jacuzzi w/ steam etc.. fell asleep with it on and woke up and looked like I just applied it. Have to wash my face 2-3 times to even remove it. I have never looked better than since I bought this foundation. Normally I'm really self-conscious about my makeup coming off, but hour after hour you can check the mirror and you look like you just did your makeup...A wonderful feeling!! This is very good on sensitive skin. I had a new zit on my chin before I bought this, this first day I used this foundation it actually cleared up. I'm not joking! I was expecting to break out a little from this or have to let my skin adjust to it, but it actually is the best makeup I have worn on my sensitive skin. I'm not claiming that it clears up acne, but just that it's so good that it won't irritate acne-prone skin or existing acne. Also, this foundation keeps me reallly really matte. I'm not sure what's in it but normally I am very oily but this really stays matte all day. I'm kind of blown away I don't think I will ever need to shop another foundation, I just hope they never stop making this! This is my first HG foundation, I say that very comfortably! I've never been a fan of Revlon but now I am really intrigued! (I updated my pros/cons too)
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Skin Foundation SPF 15
scarattina 6/6/2011 2:50:00 AM
There should be a "REVAMP" listed for this product as Bobbi Brown company quietly changed the quality and color ranges of this foundation. My old reviews were rave, 5 Star reviews, as the older version was highly pigmented liquid that was light as moisturizer and covered like a dream! Used to cover all redness and under-eye darkness and lasted all day. Something about it just made my skin radiant and beautiful, like new air-brushed skin. Bobbi Brown's answer to the reviews on the original product was to thicken up the consistency-like they do with those cheap drug-store foundations that have all that extra goo you're not sure of. The color ranges are changed and contain less pigmentation. It was crazy because I was smart and saved an old bottle of my old (beloved) skin foundation after a summer tan...switched over to the Oil Free to test that one out, then after that ran out I tried to go back to Skin Foundation in my original shade. I tried it out and wondered why my skin looked so muddy and lackluster?? I compared the bottle to the older bottle in the "same" shade and found that they were completely different, which was very irritating! I tried on the older version and saw that it was a million times better than the new version, then immediately went back to Nordstrom's to return it. *New version is low-pigmented, low-coverage, oily looking/skin drying. Not good. So disappointed in Bobbi Brown and their "revamp" marketing scheme which hooks consumers with quality products and then changes them to cheaper useless products that confuse the consumer and faithful customers. This also happened with their eye-brightener pots as well which used to be an HG desert island product as well. If they continue to do this I will refuse to shop Bobbi Brown for good. Here's to hoping they don't "revamp" the eye brighteners and cream concealers as well :(
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Eucerin - Redness Relief Soothing Night Creme
scarattina 1/26/2011 3:05:00 AM
If you're looking for a thick moisturizing night creme this is not it. Very strange almost watery consistency, makeup looks awful over it. Didn't do much for my redness and broke me out which doesn't happen to me too often from a product, although I have hormonal acne. My skin is usually agreeable to most products. Returned it to Rite Aid.
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Liquid -Bobbi Brown - Natural Finish- Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15 [DISCONTINUED]
scarattina 6/20/2010 4:58:00 AM
I have been faithful to the Bobbi Brown Skin foundation since that came out last year, and it had been working very well for me! I am naturally extremely oily so when I saw this new oil-free foundation that the sales girl claimed was very similar to the Skin foundation I had to try it! I am picky so I just picked up the sample, and let me tell you... I am simply amazed. Okay, so I was skeptical of the reviews and didn't think it would be that great but as it turns out this does what the Skin foundation didn't do for me... that is it doesn't make me extremely shiny looking-there is still a reasonable amount of shine, I mean that isn't going to go away no matter what I'm using...I don't expect foundation to change my body chemistry. But the fact that when I do get shiny the makeup stays on and doesn't look ugly is the selling factor for me. The big test was it stayed on my entire face most noticeably on both my eye area through a night of "going out" and even my nose! That never happens for me. Usually my eyes get puffy and horrid looking after I drink but this stayed on my under eye area, I am sooo pleased and am going to run to pick it up tomorrow, I am really really excited and happy about this foundation- my almost HG foundation just got upgraded for my real HG!!! *I am NC 25-30, Beige #3 is a perfect match
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Self Tanners -Jergens - Natural Glow- Face
scarattina 4/10/2010 7:15:00 AM
Wasted my money on this when I wanted to look more tan. It didn't change my coloring one bit and I used it for at least a week twice a day. It also smells horrible and made my eyes burn. Gross!
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Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
scarattina 4/10/2010 3:49:00 AM
I really like the look of this topcoat which is a shame because... I think I might be allergic to it or the chemicals are just too strong for consumers. It must use some kind of freezing technique because the nails and fingers get really icy cold and dry very fast! (That isn't the problem I'm having with it.) The first problem that I noticed (not while painting) but immediately after, is that I couldn't see very well out of my right eye which was close to the hand I was painting. As I was putting in eye drops I noticed there was a red streak across me eye where the fumes had reached it. Soon after continued use both eyes started itching pretty badly. Second problem is, like another reviewer, I got a stomach ache too which is strange since my stomach was totally settled and comfortable until using it. Now, I am not a person who usually complains about fragrance/smells or even pain for that matter. I will lay through an entire brazillian wax without a word! But this is weird it feels slightly like being poisoned. This stuff penetrates deep too because I brushed off color that the brush caught and it made the envelope i was painting on top of turn blue and soaked through to several layers of the magazine. I'm not sure if it's worth it to keep using but I'm sure I will be tempted to since it looks so pretty and smooths out mistakes sooo well... :( Toulene: Recognized: Developmental Toxicant Suspected: Cardiovascular or Blood Toxicant Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant Immunotoxicant Kidney Toxicant Neurotoxicant Reproductive Toxicant Respiratory Toxicant Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Matte Eyeshadow in Revolver
scarattina 4/9/2010 6:59:00 AM
Let me start out by saying I ONLY wear gray eyeshadow. I have a huge collection of all the shades of gray, I am so exciting right? That being said, I just don't like this eyeshadow. It's chalky and flat looking on the eyes, gives brown eyes no sparkle. It didn't make me look bad, it's just bad compared to all the other grays I have in my collection. Comparable/dupe for L'oreal smokey eyes quad of 4 grayish shades but not as good! I had been wanting to get this one for so long, but it just didn't work out ;(
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Velvet Teddy
scarattina 4/9/2010 6:48:00 AM
I tried this on seriously 3 times and the MAC people probably thought I was insane...but I wanted it to live up to the reviews and look good on me! It just didn't. My lips but worse! My lips are about the same color and it just made them look dry and kind of outdated the look of my makeup. I have seen other pictures of it on people online and it does look fantastic, just perhaps not on my olive skin tone. The MUA recommended Honeylove instead, which matches my NC30 skin instead of my lips-and doesn't give me that outdated tawny look (for me not for others :)-at least I found a workable replacement that I really like! If you are olive toned you may want to try out Honeylove at the counter as well.
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Lipstick -MAC - Matte - Honeylove
scarattina 4/9/2010 6:43:00 AM
Okay, so I'm glad I didn't return this. At the MAC store today, all the lighting in there really washed me out, and I just picked up this lipstick and Underage lipglass bc I wanted to leave. I expected not to like it at home bc the lighting was confusing in the store. Underage lipglass I picked out myself and the MUA recommended Honeylove lipstick for me (I have olive NC30 skin tone especially after bronzer) because I told her I was looking for a nude shade, and Velvet Teddy looked surprisingly bad on me! When I tried Honeylove on at my house I was surprised to find it was paler than I thought, but I love that! It is pale but extremely wearable and flattering with hints of brown and pink. I like it best as a matte (without the Underage lipglass I bought with it)...but the formula isn't the greatest matte I have used so minus a lippy there. Oh well, the color rocks. I would wear with a very bronze slightly pink cheeks to create more of a contrast and warmth to the face, and of course the smoky eyes. Sexy! **Update, up one lippy because this is now one of my favorite lipsticks. Easy and versatile when blending with lip pencil colors or glosses as well. Very good color!
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Waterproof
scarattina 4/4/2010 7:06:00 AM
I have been using this for a few months now while waiting to find something better. Like most reviewers are saying, it's good but not HG worthy. Holds the curl, a little clumpy, good dark black color, and ridiculous wand/brush that just doesn't work for me at all. I HAVE to comb the base of my lashes and you can't with this, so I use a different brush that I like. So using this is a pain in the a** because I'll have like 3 different wands in my hand and it gets kind of crazy. It's hard to remove but not impossible like my RIP/HG Maybelline mascara they discontinued, sighh. I'm still looking for something better like my old mascara...but for now it's fine.
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Mascara -Revlon - Double Twist Waterproof
scarattina 4/4/2010 6:53:00 AM
I bought this mascara despite seeing all the bad reviews and found it to be actually pretty decent! The overall effect looks very good-long and full, however I prefer my lashes to be a lot more dramatic looking. My favorite mascara ever has been discontinued and this actually gives a similar look...my only problems with it are #1 that it is not a dark enough black, almost grayish, and #2 it doesn't hold up my thick asian lashes very well after I curl them. Also the wand will be extremely difficult for most people to use. It was a little challenging for me but it worked out. I might try it with a different brush... One thing I reallllly like about this mascara is it is so easy to remove, even as a waterproof mascara! Unheard of! Looks good but wouldn't buy again simply because I need a darker formula.
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