Eye Shadow -NARS - Tokyo Duo
shesparkles 9/4/2012 12:31:00 PM
I bought this due to misleading lighting in Sephora--thought it was a workhorse taupe/vanilla duo--BUT I don't regret it. kattymat's description of the darker shade as purply-taupe-gray is pretty right--it's purple, but it doesn't give me a bruised eye, and it's subtle enough that I can wear it to the office without feeling like a teenager (so lovers of brights, you will probably find it boring!). It has a lilac brightening quality, actually, so I look a little better-rested. I generally wear the darker shade all over the lid except the inner corner, and the lighter shade for inner corner and blending into the highlight color.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NARS - Niagara
shesparkles 9/1/2012 7:53:00 PM
Niagara has been my go-to coral-pink this summer as the coral trend has taken over all of our lives. For all that, it's kind of a safe coral because of the pink--not too orange, won't yellow out your teeth, etc. You could call it watermelon and not be far off. I'm a pale/cool PPP and it brightens up my face for either daytime or casual evening, plays well with a range of eye looks. For comparison, it's brighter and more coral than Montego Bay, NARS' Pure Matte coral-pink, which is definitely more pink than coral and is also a fun choice; it reminds me somehow of a younger cousin of MAC Hot Tahiti or Chanel Euphoria, which are both pinky-reds and two of my favorite lippies. So if you like any of those, give Niagara a go. Comfy to wear, and unlike many of NARS' sheer lippies it has great color payoff and good staying power.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NARS - Schiap
shesparkles 9/1/2012 7:40:00 PM
I adore you, Schiap. Everyone should adore Schiap, but it's important to know what you're getting. The tube pic above is very true to color; the photos of it on, not so much. It's not fuchsia, there's no purple or berry in it, so Kim K must be wearing a gloss over it. And the MUAer swatch I would guess is applied as a stain--the real effect on me is very true to color in the tube. Schiap is an obnoxious, bright, shocking pink, but it's actually fairly easy to wear for all that. A bit drying--I'd say it's totally and not semi-matte--but we suffer for beauty.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -MAC - Teddy eye kohl
shesparkles 11/6/2011 1:06:00 AM
Teddy is a beautiful, rich, dark brown liner with a bit of shimmer to it and a slightly red undertone--but far less red and far better for fair skinned girls than UD Bourbon, IMO. It has a lovely creamy texture and applies with hardly any tugging or skipping. If set with powder it can last all day, and in general has very good life for a regular kohl. If you are branching out beyond plain old black liners, Teddy should be your first stop in the MAC arsenal. A classic. I knocked off one lippy because it does smudge (on application and over the course of the day) and you use up the product fairly quickly, but would rather have only knocked off a half--make no mistake, I love this product.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -DHC - Moisture Care Lipstick
shesparkles 5/13/2011 2:59:00 PM
I have this lipstick in Camelot Rose. It's a very sheer, fairly moisturizing lipstick for a minimal makeup day. Dinged off a few lippies for the fact that it's shimmery (which I hate) and the swatches are not very accurate to color at all. It's a nice color, but cooler than I was expecting (the swatch is more in the dusty rose/Chanel Mademoiselle family, and the actual lippie has a lot more lavender mixed into the rose). It comes in a shiny pink metal tube, not very bulky but also not as sturdy seeming as it might be, with a floral pattern frosted onto the surface of the metal.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -DHC - Liquid Lipcolor
shesparkles 5/13/2011 1:48:00 PM
This is a new product DHC launched with the last catalog mailout I received, in late April '11. I was reordering a staple so I took a chance. I ordered in Pink Sands but this review is for the texture and overall feel of the product for anyone considering any of the shades. What Liquid Lipcolor reminds me of most is a discontinued product, Lip Treat from Linda Cantello's pre-YSL solo line. As reviews of that product will tell you, it has a very siliconey slick and artificial feel on the lip, and the same is true of Liquid Lipcolor. Also, it's not really a liquid--it has a thick texture almost like a whipped pudding or mousse. I stood my tube on its end for nearly an hour and it doesn't flow downhill. The tube is nice and sturdy hard clear plastic, the cap is a pinkish metal but not particularly classy. Coverage is decent--thicker and creamier than the average lip gloss, but might have a slight tendency to settle into lines in lips, so wear it over a lipstick or match to your natural shade. For me, too many cons and not different enough from my existing stash.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Make Up For Ever - Lash Fibers
shesparkles 3/11/2011 2:00:00 PM
I am rather dissatisfied with this product. I have previously used Estee Lauder and Shiseido lash primers but grabbed this before a trip because it was available at Sephora. It's a fiber-based product, similar to Imju FiberWig, but is a primer rather than a mascara. I find the placement of the fibers difficult to control--luck of the draw, you could end up with beautifully placed lush lengthening fibers on the outside of both eyes where you want them, or you could end up with one random stalactite on the inner corner, or lopsided eyes, etc. I also find tends to flake/cause the mascara over it to flake, and is a little sticky on my inner corners. But my biggest problem with it, actually, is the color. It applies stark white and unlike the other primers I've used does not dry down to clear. So if you're in a rush in the morning, it's very easy to end up looking like you have crusties! This product might work for a professional or someone who has lots of time to spend on their morning routine, but for me, that's a deal-breaker. Would not repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NARS - Silk Road Duo
shesparkles 4/19/2010 9:40:00 PM
For reference, I'm in my mid-late 30's, fond of subtle neutrals and do not like glitter. I don't fly into a rage if I miss one fleck and get fallout, so I have no glitter issues with Silk Road. I was scared off initially by the warnings of other reviewers, but continued to obsess over the beautiful color combo until I found it in a swap. This duo is now ensconcing itself in my HG arsenal. It's a very subtle look, like a slightly more rosy high-contrast alternative to AAE. I generally use the rose shade to contour and it gives me that oomph without the pinkeye look of some pink/peach shadows. A NARS MA also told me how to avoid the glitter--just tap your brush after picking up the rose color and the glitter falls, leaving only the shadow. Works like a charm.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NARS - Outlaw
shesparkles 10/4/2009 10:34:00 AM
Another amazing blush home run from NARS. Outlaw is a raspberry shade with shimmer in the pan--someone else described as a toned down version of Crazed and that's about right. I'm a cool-toned PPP and as long as I apply with a skunk I get a natural looking flush--a bit more "there" than Mata Hari or Deep Throat, it's like I'm rosy from exercising. I do need to be careful with it if my skin is angry with me, as it matches the red of blemishes a little too well--but otherwise a terrific blush for PPPs as well as darker-toned ladies.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Copperplate
shesparkles 9/5/2009 12:09:00 PM
Total hg matte shadow for me! For reference, I am PPP/cool, blue eyes brown hair, 36 yo. I am definitely a fan of mattes overall, but I can also say pretty confidently that the blendability issues people complain about with mattes in general are nowhere to be found in this soft, blendable, easy to use shadow--the texture is heaven. I would describe the color as a taupey gray--it looks dull in the pan, but once applied I get tones of slate gray, brown and even a little plum, which makes it perfect to create shadow for contouring. I mainly use it for daytime wear in the crease/outer corner--it is particularly gorgeous with Seedling on the lid (a great shade, sort of the color of coffee with milk in it) and Vanilla as the highlight. It makes my blue eyes pop and I look woken up and put together. Excited to try it as a smokey eye too--this shadow's definite HG for me. Dupe note: while not exactly the same (lest I offend the true believers), Copperplate is pretty similar to the cult, HTF French Grey. French Grey is still unmissable if you can get it, but given how hard it is to do that now, Copperplate is a great option. Also, someone said that the color description was misleading--it's actually supposed to refer not to the color of copper metal, but to copperplate engraving (on sheets of copper). I don't know if the sheets were tarnished or coated with an alloy or what, but this Youtube video shows the color is gray and not brown; enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C09ebUBAd_s
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NARS - Cyprus (Single Fall 2004)
shesparkles 9/3/2009 12:05:00 AM
This is another gorgeous, high-quality wearable neutral from NARS. Cyprus is described as a bronze on NARS's site which goes too far, I think--I'd describe it as a slightly cool gold, which is perfect for a cooltoned PPP like me. It has shimmer but it's very understated, and the texture is amazing--finely milled, buttery soft. Because I have a problem with repeatedly buying dupes from different brands, I'll put this here for others with this malady: this color is very similar to MAC's Blonde's Gold pigment and Warming Trend e/s. However, it's paler than Warming Trend and less shimmery than either. And best of all, it's still available.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -NARS - 9952 Essential Eye Palette
shesparkles 9/1/2009 11:29:00 PM
I'm PPP, brown hair/blue eyes, cooltoned, and 36 years old, for reference, and I wear glittery shadow very rarely. I bought this palette during NARS's free shipping week, I guess they got me when I was vulnerable and I'd been lemming Ondine and Nepal for a while, so I figured why not spring for the palette and get some other shades as a bonus. So far, on the fence. I've only tried out the lighter shades, not Thunderball or Galapagos yet, but I'd say I'm only 50% happy. I used the cream shadow, Unconditional Love, as a base, with Night Star and Nepal/Ondine over it, and it creased like crazy. Night Star is quite pretty but serious glitter and fallout so it won't be getting much use, I fear. I will definitely use Nepal and Ondine though, both are gorgeous and wearable. And I'm sure I'll get some use out of the dark shades, which seem to be MUA favorites. I'll try out Unconditional Love as a cheek highlighter/blush--it's bit orangey for my skintone as e/s anyway--and I'm sure I'll use Night Star occasionally, but all things considered I wish I'd just bought the two singles. Will update if I change my mind!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NARS - Damage
shesparkles 8/16/2009 1:55:00 PM
Damage is an amazing lipstick--just make sure you know what you're buying. It's very sheer, IMO sheerer than the other NARS Sheer finish lipstick I own (Canaille). I am pale and cool-toned with somewhat pigmented lips and it's like Black Honey or LQ Medieval--an MLBB shade, in this case a cool berry rose color. It has a comfortable, non-drying wear so although it does need to be reapplied it doesn't do any damage (har har) to my lips. I initially considered returning it because it's so subtle, but I'm now wearing it at least several times a week. A great lipstick for daytime wear.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Colossal
shesparkles 7/9/2009 11:19:00 PM
A serviceable but totally unremarkable mascara in my opinion. I have fairly long lashes with some natural curl so what I really want in a mascara is a little added volume and color so the length is visible--lengthening mascaras give me scary tarantula eyes, so I only use them with very dramatic looks. I grabbed this mascara when I failed to pack one for a trip, and it did the job, the black is nice and deep, and it doesn't give you crunchy lashes like a lot of non-WP mascaras do. Yes, it does have a peculiar and noticeable smell, kind of chemically sweet, but it isn't noticeable longer than a half hour after applying. My big beef is, for a volumizing mascara, this adds nearly zero volume. I get better volume from L'Oreal Voluminous, but that clumps insanely. At least this doesn't clump, but there's gotta be a better way, no? Other mascaras I've liked in the past, which gave more volume than this but were basically similar results: Besame's gingerbread '40s Black WP mascara, and good old Maybelline Full n' Soft. I will be trying this with primer next and will update if there are significant improvements.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Becca - Powder eyeshadow in Boucle
shesparkles 4/5/2009 11:14:00 PM
This is a lovely color, a sort of bronzey gold with a slight ochre tone to it. It looks wonderful to deepen and contour a neutral-ish gold like MAC's Blonde's Gold pigment or Warming Trend e/s (I'm a cool-neutral PPP for reference, dark hair/blue eyes). It is also very similar to, but slightly darker than, Scott Barnes Sable. My main reservation about this shadow is the texture--I love the extremely subtle nature of its shimmer, and the color and blendability are lovely, but I find the texture slightly chunky (ie., when I pick it up with my brush it comes off the cake in larger crumbles than just the powder). I'm also not sure what to make of Becca's flying saucer packaging, it's cute and when I first got it I loved it, but I'm a palette girl at heart and I wish it were smaller or that I could figure out how to depot it! So it's a no to rebuying, but a near miss.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No