Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Tattooed by INKY
spacecowgirlredux 5/10/2013 10:07:00 PM
This is an imitation of Ed Hardy Woman. Even though I didn't like the original (bland, generic), when I saw this for US$4 @ the dollar store for quite a big bottle, I figured it would either be surprisingly good or hilariously bad. It turned out to be the former - it's an extremely wearable fruity-floral that, quite simply, smells much more expensive than it is. It does resemble the Ed Hardy, but is better grounded; although it's hard for me to define the notes, it isn't just a vapid fruity-floral like Ed Hardy Woman. It isn't too artificial, too sharp, too sweet...I usually can't pull off fruity-florals because of one or more of the above problems, but there's something almost floriental about this one. The sillage and staying power are more like a body mist, but it's still a great deal for what I paid. The packaging is pretty cute for something so cheap - of course it's plastic, but the tattoo-covered, frosted bottle with weighted base and pink metallic cap look nice. I would definitely repurchase this even though I don't see myself converting to fruity-florals (I'm a floriental type of gal). The unisex scent by INKY, which is called Koi, is great too - it's China rain!
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Lip Gloss -Jordana - InColor Lipshine Natural Glaze in Pink Grapefruit
spacecowgirlredux 5/10/2013 7:28:00 PM
I have very pigmented lips, and this shows up clear even after 2 thick coats. I did like the sweet pink grapefruit smell the first time I used it, but by the second time it was just a plastic-y scent. The packaging is an unusually good example of the click pen trend that began with Stila Lip Glazes - unlike many others, you don't have to carefully count out X number of clicks to get it started or risk having it all come oozing out at once. The brush is just the right balance between soft and firm, and the pen that matches the shade inside looks quite nice despite being cheap, rather thin plastic. Perhaps I'll have more luck with some of the other shades - I also got Vanilla Bean, Mochaccino (looks pigmented?), and Candy. And hey, they're only US$1.99 @ Walgreens!
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Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter - Berry Smoothie
spacecowgirlredux 5/8/2013 4:12:00 PM
I have medium/deep berry pink pigmented lips, and this shade just makes them look slightly redder. I'm beginning to lose enthusiasm for the Colorburst Lip Butters - they hardly add any pigment to my lips, yet are incredibly drying. I have to wear them over lightly blotted balm, which means they don't stick around any longer than plain old balm/gloss. Anyway, this shade also has some tiny colorless sparkles, but nothing I notice except on the tissue/napkin after wiping my mouth. Has a very slight vanilla scent. The very pretty tube is a giant pain in the ass to open, almost impossible if you've used lotion recently, thereby adding a significant annoyance to my morning. Colorburst Lip Butters are fine if you want a formality to make you feel like you're putting on and wearing lipstick, especially with the posh-looking packaging, but you can find better tinted balms (NYX Lip Spa) and l/s (NYX Black Label) at the same price point or lower.
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Shampoo -Aussie - Aussome Volume
spacecowgirlredux 5/8/2013 11:09:00 AM
I don't know that this shampoo gives me volume, but it's great at cleansing my hair and scalp (which get oily annoyingly quickly) without drying anything out, especially my frustratingly delicate scalp. I wish it had the awesome pina colada scent of the 3-Minute Miracle, but this juicy watermelon is nice too.
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Lipstick -NYX - Black Label Lipstick in Black Cherry
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 11:41:00 PM
NYX Black Label l/s are my favorites no matter the color category or finish, and this is no exception. Black Cherry is a blackened, cool-toned red - not true burgundy; super rich, slightly plum-leaning red. This shade does double duty for me - I sometimes wear it as a light stain over balm for dressy occasions, but my BF likes the Goth look, so I wear it full-on for him sometimes...it gets me lots of extra kisses. ;) I love the BLL's creamy, non-drying texture, lace-patterned tubes, and subtle (though fake) grape scent. If you're sensitive to scents, don't worry, because it disappears when you put it on and gradually fades from the tube as well.
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Eye Shadow -L.A. Colors - 5 Color Metallic Eyeshadow in Ammunition
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 11:31:00 PM
Best quick smoky eye ever. The only shadow in this palette I don't care for is the lilac - I substitute NYX Frosted Lilac or Spring Flower, or sometimes even Luxor, instead. They're not the best shadows ever, but they're not like most cheap shadows either - you don't have to dig into the shadow, or scrape the surface with your fingernail, or even pack on layer after layer to get full color. In fact, I apply them dry (over primer!) with good results - I only use the last one wet, and that's because I wear it as liner. You really can't beat the price, either - I think I paid a measly US$3 @ Cherry Culture, and it's worth at least 5 times that IMO.
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Concealers -Shiseido - The Makeup Concealer
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 11:26:00 PM
Well, I *did* love this concealer---long-lasting, not too dry, natural-looking coverage (slightly sheer, which I prefer for the undereye area)---until I realized that "my" shade (the lightest) is too yellow for me.
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Mascara -NYX - Doll Eye Mascara - Volume
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 11:24:00 PM
I was blessed with long, thick black lashes; I only use this when I want real drama or when wearing a green eye look to create a "break" between my eye color and the e/s - I think it keeps the look from being monotonous, somehow. This mascara really delivers on the volume, but it does seem to give a length boost as well. The brush is great for getting at those tiny inner and outer corner lashes without poking myself in the eye. The consistency is creamy, but a little thin - I have to try really hard not to blink for about 20 seconds until it dries enough not to end up in my undereye bags, lol. It isn't waterproof, but is fairly smudgeproof once dry (more so than UD Skyscraper)
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Palettes -Urban Decay - Urban Ammo Eye Palette
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 11:19:00 PM
I don't like UD, but I have a habit of buying their palettes for some reason. Anyway, Urban Ammo is a good mix of neutrals, including black and white, plus colors - pinky-plum, lilac, deep aqua with golden shimmer, and leaf green. I find UD shadows to be sheer even over primer, and the glittery shades all have dreadful fallout, but they do have a nice soft texture, and this prettily-decorated palette is good for throwing in my makeup bag in anticipation of a vacation or romantic weekend. I've had the palette for a few years and am still using the double-ended e/s applicator that came with it to apply shadow to the lid - the length makes it easier for me to control than conventional tiny e/s sponge applicators.
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Lip Liners -Milani - Easy Liner for Lips - Most Natural
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 11:00:00 PM
This is a touch too brown/light to actually match my natural lipcolor (a very pigmented dark pink), but it works well with any of my lipcolors belonging to the nude/nude-pink category. It's a good balance between stiff enough to make a lasting line and creamy enough to be comfortable; it sometimes makes my lips peel a bit if I color them in, but gloss or balm over that solves the issue. The only annoyance for me is the packaging - the click thingy that makes the liner retract eventually breaks, and the cap goes on so tightly that it's really hard to get it on and off without nicking the liner. I'll continue to repurchase, because for some reason, it's otherwise impossible to find a nude liner with enough pink in it to suit my coloring - most of them look unpleasantly muddy on me.
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Lip Gloss -Cover Girl - Outlast Double LipShine
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 10:55:00 PM
I have this in Tutu. The color side is totally unusable - it's drying even with balm under it (which just messes the color up anyway), and it has to dry for so long before applying the clear gloss side that I literally have to put it on right after getting out of the shower. That's like 20 minutes, and it just peels off in big dried glue-like flakes shortly afterward, anyway. It gets 4 lippies and a repurchase, though, because the clear side is great - it can be worn over any l/s, liner, stain, or even another l/g to not only add a pretty, mild shine and yummy vanilla scent, but to make it last several hours! I especially love it over my HG l/s, NYX Black Label in Bling.
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Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Honey Lip Balm
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 10:49:00 PM
Unlike the original Burt's Bees, which makes my lips peel about as often as it functions as expected from a lip balm, the honey version consistently does its job as long I keep it in my pocket to soften - if I don't, it's too waxy to go on. I'm probably the one person on Earth who actively dislikes honey, but the scent of this product emphasizes the slightly powdery floral notes, and thus isn't too bothersome. Still prefer Cherry Culture's house brand lip balms to anything else I've tried, though.
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Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Pure Ice - Cheatin
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 10:43:00 PM
Of all the pink/blue/silver glitter in a black/dark gray base polishes out there right now (and there are a few!), I'm quite sure this is the worst. It has to be layered over black because the base is so darn sheer, and the glitter just doesn't look shiny or sparkly on the nail. I replaced this with Sinful Colors Frenzy, which is extremely similar in color(s), but has a much more usable formula. I dislike the generally overly thin formula and cheap brush of Pure Ices - it's practically impossible for me to do a tidy manicure with them.
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Polishes -Unlisted Brand - pure ice - black rage
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 10:35:00 PM
A marginally acceptable basic black polish, mostly used by me as "lingerie" under polishes that need a darker base to look good. The formula is way too thin---I've actually had to leave it open a while for it to thicken---which is particularly undesirable in a black polish, since messiness really shows with dark colors. Said messiness factor is further exacerbated by the crappy brush, which picks up so much polish that I spend more time trying to get rid of the excess than I do painting my nails. In any case, there are other black polishes (WnW Black Creme) that actually manage to be opaque in one coat, unlike this - I grabbed Black Rage because Walmart was out of Black Creme at the time, but I'll just get my Black Creme somewhere else next time if need be.
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Lip Gloss -Hard Candy - Plumping Serum Volumizing Lip Gloss
spacecowgirlredux 5/2/2013 10:30:00 PM
I was initially unenthused about and wary of Hard Candy's rebirth as a low-end brand at Walmart, but these were a pleasant surprise. First and foremost, they're sticky, which is what I like in my l/g. Unlike a lot of plumping treatments, they don't dry out my sensitive lips or make them peel; to be fair, though, I don't notice much in the way of plumping. All-American Girl is (for me) a medium glossy light nude with a hint of pink plus diffuse, very tiny colorless sparkle. Like most l/g, it's sheer, but surprisingly buildable. However, the doefoot applicator doesn't pick up much gloss, so it takes several dips to get the look I want. My other gripes are the huge, unwieldy tube and the "cheap lotion" cocoa butter scent that eventually fades, leaving the gloss smelling like melted plastic, which is actually worse than cheap lotion. Nevertheless, this is the gloss I keep in my purse in case I somehow forget the lipcolor I intended to bring - a subdued but sexy nude lip goes with pretty much anything!
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