Fragrances -Parfums de Coeur - Skin Musk
str8thuggin 7/19/2012 7:38:00 PM
Picked this up at Walgreens on sale because of the great reviews. Smells JUST like Lemon Pledge mixed with Play Doh. Not what I was going for. I get none of the wonderful notes others talk about, and it does not even remotely smell of musk. I have the oil, the Parfums de Couer version. This might have been good stuff back in the day, but it seems to have been ruined by reformulation like so many other scents. If you want a nice soft musk oil that actually smells good, go to your local African-American beauty supply store and pick up a roller vial of any Egyptian musk oil for $2 and I PROMISE you, it will smell WAY better than this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Instyle Fragrance
str8thuggin 6/26/2012 9:28:00 PM
These are on sale bogo free at Walgreens this week (week of 6/24/12) and after looking at the reviews, decided to take the plunge. I like fragrance! Two of my favorites are Angel and Opium so I picked up these. I agree with other reviewers that these are like light versions of the originals. Some say that they can't tell the difference between these and the originals, but I definitely can. Not bad, but definitely not the same. I'm enjoying these to put on before bed, when using my real stuff would be a waste. They don't last more than a couple of hours, but that's ok at bedtime. These would also be good for work where the real stuff might be too much. Really more like body sprays than cologne, but serve a purpose and I really like them, even if I do keep them hidden in my medicine cabinet.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Kiss Me - Kiss Me Mascara
str8thuggin 6/20/2012 3:15:00 PM
This is not a review for Blinc Kiss Me mascara. No. I didn't want to pay $24 for it, so I went on-line searching for a dupe and found Kiss I-Envy Mascara. Kiss cosmetics are mostly sold in African-American beauty supply stores - the kinds of places that sell hair extensions and wigs. They also have some makeup gems and this is one of them. To be fair, I have never tried Blinc mascara, but I feel that I have absolutely no need to. Everything good that is said about Blinc in these reviews is also true of I-Envy, but I-Envy is $3.99. I've been using it for over a month now and will NEVER go back to regular mascara. Reviews for I-Envy here are for black, but it is also available in brown. While you're there, check out Kiss' liquid eyeliner too.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -E.L.F. - ENDLESS EYES 100 EYESHADOW PALETTE
str8thuggin 5/13/2012 10:05:00 PM
This is a palette of cheap crappy eyeshadows in a cheap crappy plastic case. I wholeheartedly recommend it and happily give it five lippies. Here's why: There's the obvious, um..... you get 100 eyeshadows for ten dollars, and imo, it is unrealistic to expect them to be of any decent quality. I mean, can you imagine how much this would cost if it were a palette of MAC shadows? But then, you probably wouldn't buy that unless you were a professional makeup artist, because ALL those colors would never be perfect for one person. But with this palette, who cares? After all, it was TEN DOLLARS! This is the ideal palette for PLAYING! My own experience with it: The other day I tried on a bright aqua blue shadow out of this palette on a whim. Having hazel eyes, I did not own any aqua blue eyeshadow. Why would I? It's not "my color." But guess what? With my MAC Club, a little smudge of this blue looked AMAZING. Now granted, two hours later it had all faded away, but for the time it was on...... incredible. Now I am off to buy the same aqua blue color in a Lorac shadow that will have much better pigment and texture. So I found my new favorite eye look and it would never have happened without this $10 palette. That alone is worth the cost to me, and I'm sure I'll discover more fun looks at the future that I would have never put together had I not had this palette. :).
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Lollipop
str8thuggin 4/26/2012 2:13:00 PM
I saw all the glowing reviews on this and thought "whatever, it's just red nail polish." Oh no. It is magic red nail polish!I had never bought Essie before because frankly, I think it's overpriced and none of their colors ever grabbed me enough to plunk down the cash. Well my hubs and I were in Target and it was my birthday, and there sat Essie Lollipop so I figured what the hell. Little did I know, it would become one of my all time favorites. The color..... everyone has already described very well and it IS all that AND a bag of chips. This coming from someone with well over a hundred bottles of nail polish. Also, I CAN'T BELIEVE how well this wears. I painted my nails a week ago with it and they look like they were done yesterday. I'm talking NO tip wear. I'm a believer!
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Mascara -Unlisted Brand - Kiss -- i-Envy Mascara -- Very Black
str8thuggin 4/26/2012 2:00:00 PM
I really like this. Like A LOT. I think I might be in love actually. I had really wanted to try Blinc but didn't want to pay $22 for it, so when I saw this on MUA, I knew I had to try it. I've had it on all day and not a single smudge in sight. UNHEARD of for me. It's not going to give you any kind of crazy volume, but if you want thicker, longer, defined lashes that wear and wear and wear some more.......this stuff is great. The only reason I took off a lippie was because of the packaging, which is MUCH bulkier than it needs to be. Regardless, this is officially my favorite mascara that I've ever used by far. $3.99 at my local ethnic beauty supply store. Can't lose!
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Foundations -Maybelline - Dream Matte Mousse
str8thuggin 4/4/2012 5:57:00 PM
I LOVE this foundation. I used to use Smashbox, but no more! I apply over Reviva hyaluronic acid serum, then Monistat anti-chafing gel (as primer), then this. I love the way it makes my skin look. I have learned to apply with a WET foundation brush to get perfectly smooth and even coverage. I don't need heavy coverage (thank you Differin gel!) and applying it wet thins it out ever so slightly to make application perfect. The best thing about this foundation is that it does not settle into my pores, so no more tiny dots all over my nose!
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Hair Removal -eos - Lavender Jasmine Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream
str8thuggin 4/4/2012 3:14:00 PM
MEH!! A completely unnecessary product. Other reviewers like this because it feels like lotion. Well, I already have lotion, which I can use to get the exact same results that this gives me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Nuance by Salma Hayek - Hydrating Balm Rose Petal
str8thuggin 3/30/2012 5:50:00 PM
They should call this Make Out Balm. Seriously, it's perfect for that! The very slightest scent of roses. Very sophisticated and yummy, and leaves the prettiest slight tinge of pink on the lips. My man loves it when I wear this, and the great thing is, you won't get lipstick all over your man (or woman) when you wear it. The only reason I took off a lippie was the packaging. It's bulky, and if you have any fingernails whatsoever, you will need to use a lip brush or you will get balm under your nails. Would be better if it came in a wider, flatter container, but yeah, I love this stuff!!
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Eyeliner -E.L.F. - Cream Eyeliner - All Colors
str8thuggin 3/29/2012 9:00:00 PM
I liked these pretty well until I tried Physician's Formula creamliners and found those to be far superior for about the same price.
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Primer/ Corrector -Urban Decay - All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
str8thuggin 3/29/2012 8:49:00 PM
This is good, but E.L.F makes the same thing for $3. I have used both and can't tell the difference.
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Liquid -Sally Hansen - Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy Your Skin Foundation
str8thuggin 3/29/2012 1:15:00 PM
Count me in with the haters. This stuff has the consistency of Elmer's glue and is almost as sticky. Settles into my pores like nobody's business, and because of the thick goopy consistency, still has streaks after blending and blending. Got it as CVS for 75% off, so no big loss. Glad it works for some, but for me, sux big time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - For Audrey
str8thuggin 3/28/2012 11:49:00 PM
I liked this well enough until I got Sinful Colors Mint Apple. Mint Apple is in the same color family, but has a slight tinge of green and a shimmer, which makes me love it much more than For Audrey. For Audrey looks flat in comparison and gives me "lobster hands" and Mint Apple does not. Plus, Mint Apple is only $1.99 at Walgreens. If you're thinking about For Audrey, check out Mint Apple, it's AMAZING!!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Loose Powder
str8thuggin 3/28/2012 1:49:00 PM
Ummmm........NO. I liked this product until I saw photos of myself wearing it and was mortified to see that my face looked completely white and ghostly - and no I didn't put on too much. Good thing I save the packaging from the products that I buy until I'm SURE that I like them, so I was able to return this to Sephora. It does look nice under normal circumstances, but I won't risk it as I would have to hide from any camera that happened to come out. This powder is nothing but 100% silica, and if you like to try it E.L.F. makes the same exact thing for only $6.
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Eyeliner -Physicians Formula - Shimmer Strips Gel Creamliner (all)
str8thuggin 3/27/2012 11:06:00 PM
My go-to EL. I have tried L'Oreal HIP and Bobbi Brown gel liners and this beats them both. The colors are subtly different from other ds eyeliners and they last FOREVER. I have had el transfer to my upper eyelid with EVERY el I've ever tried until this. This stuff doesn't budge! CVS often has them on sale and it's possible to pick up a set of three for about $3.50 if you hit one of their sales. My only complaint is that sometimes they caps don't line up perfectly, but this is minor and not enough to take off a lippie considering what you get for the money. The brush that comes with it is also pretty worthless, but the ELF angled el brush that I bought for $1 applies it perfectly.
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