Eye Shadow -MAC - Zestful
sweetmalinche 4/19/2013 2:13:00 PM
ZESTFUL EXTRA DIMENSION EYESHADOW. Originally released with the In Extra Dimension Collection (Spring/Summer 2013). MAC describes this color as "pale iridescent lime." When I saw the swatches online, the color looked very pastel with very little iridescence. I had no intentions of picking this up. When I saw the color in the packing, it looked orgasmically beautiful and very iridescent and so I quickly snatched up it. When I got it home and began to actually play with it, I became slightly less impressed with it. First of all, I realized that I had a few eyeshadows that looked similar and some that I liked better than this. (1) MAC ZESTFUL (MZ) VS. MAC UNIVERSAL MIX PIGMENT (MUMP): I always thought that MUMP was a white pigment with a green iridescence, but the iridescence is actually gold. MUMP is actually a white pigment with a gold iridescence, while MZ is actually a pastel lime with green iridescence. The texture of MZ is much smoother. (2) MAC ZESTFUL (MZ) VS. MAC WHITE GOLD PIGMENT (MWGP): MWGP is really a white pigment with green iridescence, while MZ is a pastel lime with green iridescence. The texture of MZ is smoother. (3) MAC ZESTFUL (MZ) VS. ARAMNI EYES TO KILL #23 MADRE PERLA (ETK #23): If you looks at ETK #23 alone, it looks like a mix of pink and green iridescence, . However, when you compare ETK #23 to any of the other shadows I discuss in this review, it is looks very blue and very pink and much, much cooler toned, to the point of looking ashy. (4) MAC ZESTFUL (MZ) VS. LANCOME FASHION FOWARD (LFF): Note: Lancome's Fashion Forward is the same color as Body Shop Eye Shimmer in Green (BSYS) and as Hawkwind in the Kat Von D Gypsy palette (KVDH). LFF, BSYS, and KVDH are the most similar to MZ. However, they are greener than MZ. In comparison to these three shades, MZ looks yellow-green. The iridescence in LFF, BSYS, and KVDH is stronger than in MZ. For these reasons, I prefer LFF, BSYS, and KVDH to MZ.
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Lipstick -MAC - Cremesheen - Shy Girl
sweetmalinche 4/5/2013 7:14:00 PM
I don't think I have been as ambivalent about a product as Shy Girl. I adore the name (I have an affection for all things chola). The color is pretty too; it's nude without being boring. Sometimes I put this on my lips and say, "wow! It looks great. No wonder I love this color." Other times, I see my lips and think, "why doesn't anyone tell me how horrible my lips look?" Although it's partially an issue of hydration and exfoliation, I really think it is finish of the lipstick itself. I don't own many cremesheens (most of my lipsticks from MAC are matte and satin with an occasional lustre). I don't know what it is about this finish but it can create the crepe-like look. Adding a gloss can help, but if it is a pigmented gloss, it makes it worse. I really love the color (and the name) but there's something about the texture of this finish that doesn't agree with me. If MAC made this lipstick in a different finish, I would be all over it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Unlisted Brand - Dickinson's Witch Hazel
sweetmalinche 2/26/2013 6:47:00 PM
I have been using this on my skin since I was a teenager. As a teenager, I used this on my oily skin as a gentle but effective astringent (Sea Breeze was often too harsh to use all over my face and I hated the sticky residue Sea Breeze left behind). Now that I am in my 30s, my skin (on my face at least) is normal (no excessive oil and no excessive dryness). I use this now as a toning cleanser. STEP 1: I use a baby wipe to remove most of my makeup. STEP 2: I follow up with coconut oil to remove any residual eye makeup. STEP 3: I use witch hazel (sometimes mixed with equal parts of more expensive toners, like Organix's Teatree Willow Bark Oil Control Toner). STEP 4: I sometimes use a mix of grapeseed oil, tea tree oil, and lavender oil first and then follow up with witch hazel as a toner. Other times, I use the witch hazel first and then use the oil mixture second to allow for the oils to really sink into the skin. Sometimes I use witch hazel only! It all depends on my mood, how my skin feels, and if I am leaving the house (and putting on makeup) or staying home. I used to be embarrassed to admit that I sometimes just used a baby wipe and witch hazel to clean my face. But I have just come to realize that witch hazel not only tightens pores, but it cleans, too! It has worked for me for many years and I get many compliments on my skin. It has never, ever dried my skin (unlike other cleansers and toners). This is a staple. It stinks (it has a woody-herbal scent that does not linger), but it's a winner.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Feelin' So Good
sweetmalinche 2/15/2013 2:26:00 PM
Debuted with the Feb 2013 Archie's Girls collection. MAC described this as a deep blackened plum. It is a indeed a blacked plum, but there are some red and brown tones in there, too, that prevent it from just being a very dark, cool-toned purple. I didn't intend on purchasing this because I already have MAC's Pro Longwear "Dark As Night" (DAN) and it looked very similar. However, since I love very dark lip colors, I picked this up. Although it looks exactly like "Dark As Night" in the tube, "Feelin' So Good" (FSG) is actually more red and brown than DAN; DAN is more purple and deeper in tone than FSG. FSG also looked similar to Estee Lauder's Pure Color Gloss in "Midnight Bloom" (MB); but MB is even redder and has burgandy red shimmer; FSG looks more purple and brown in comparison to MB and does not have shimmer. The color itself is pretty and pigmented enough to be worn alone on the lips, which is why I gave it a 4. MAC lip glasses are sticky, which knocked it down a lippie. Because of licensing issues, this item was more expensive than a lip glass in "regular" MAC packaging, so I think that the price is too much especially considering that Veronica's face (which caused the price increase) will eventually wear off. I gave the packaging 3 lippies because, as I said, the cutest part of the gloss packaging (Veronica's face) will rub off. Despite all of this, I would repurchase this item because FSG is more flattering on my skintone (MAC NC 30/35) than either DAN or MB because of the red and brown undertones lurking in the color.
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Eye Shadow -L'Oreal - Infallible- US shades
sweetmalinche 4/13/2012 1:36:00 PM
Like everyone and their mother, I was excited to try these. I picked out Endless Pearl (off white) and Continuous Cocoa (dark cool brown). Turns out that both are satin finishes. I don't mind that, but I didn't realize that some were satin finishes because everything I had seen looked so metallic and shimmery. [Note: I have since figured out that you can tell the finish of the shadow by sticker on the packaging. If it has a slight shimmer/glitter on the sticker, it's a shimmery shadow. If it lacks the shimmer/glitter, it's a satin.] With that said, I found it pointless to purchase Endless Pearl since it's just a basic off white shadow and we all have a ton of those. Also, it's not very pigmented. It doesn't blend easy, either. Patting it onto my lid didn't do much since the pigmentation is lacking. I would have returned it except that I could not find my receipt. It's ok as a browbone highlight, I suppose, but since you have to unscrew the cap and remove the plastic insert, it's often too much work to use. (Wow, how lazy am I?) I liked Continuous Cocoa better as it is more pigmented and blended much better. I would rate it 4 lippies in an individual review, but it is nothing spectacular or amazing like all the hype. It's a good alternative for those who find black too harsh in the outer V. I don't know if I need to try a shimmery shade to see what all the fuss is about. I do like the packaing in that the bottom is clear and the package itself is square and flat. Drugstore packing can be bulky and these, while not expensive looking, are sleek in design which I appreciate. ***UPDATE*** Since writing this review I have purchased 3 additional shadows and have increased my rating. I picked up Golden Emerald (warm green with gold glitter), Smoldering Plum (darkened plum), Gold Imperial (neutral gold), Gleaming Bronze (bronzed olive). And, wow, are these things amazing. I have a few Armani Eyes to Kill shadow and these are just as amazing and (dare I say) smoother. The price, of course, cannot be beat. While $7 might sound like a lot of a drug store shadow, they are dirt cheap because of the quality. I wish the satin colors in this line were more pigmented and easier to blend. My theory about the shimmer (or lack there of) on the label appears to be holding true: the label for Golden Emerald has the most shimmer and the it the shadow with the most glitter.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Sonia Kashuk - Eyeshadow Quad - Brown Eyed Girl
sweetmalinche 1/12/2012 5:58:00 PM
The colors look so pretty and multidimensional in the pan, but end up looking like silver glitter on the eyes. And the glitter gets everywhere. Everywhere. Like sand and cat hair, the glitter went everywhere: my cheeks, my shirt, my hair, my car dashboard... I adore my brown eyes so I love the name, but this palette is an injustice to brown eyed girls everywhere.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Legendary Black Pro Longwear
sweetmalinche 9/23/2011 2:19:00 AM
When I showed this eyeshadow to my co-worker, she said, "You already have several colors like that. In fact, you wore it yesterday." After sticking my tongue out at her, I vowed I would prove her wrong as soon as I got home and was able to swatch it against other shadows in my stash. COLOR: MAC describes this as a warm black. In the pan it looks like a very, very blackened olive green with very subtle golden shimmer. Once applied to my skin, Legendary Black looked less green and more taupe. Once I swatched it against Guerlain's Nuit 182 (also described a as warm black), Legendary Black looked very purple taupe, and Nuit 182 looked very olive/brown. However, once I swatched Legendary Black against MAC's Furiously Fabulous (Leopard Luxe quad), which is a color MAC also described as being a warm black, Legendary Black looked more green, and Furiously Fabulous looked more purple. That's the best way I can describe it: more purple than Guerlain's Nuit 182, and more olive than MAC's Furiously Fabulous. ***UPDATE ON 10/27/11*** Christine from Temptalia compares this color one of shades from Wet-n-Wild's Comfort Zone palette (2nd green shade from the bottom). As an FYI, that color is most similar to Guerlain's Nuit 182. TEXTURE: Despite looking shimmery in the pan, once Legendary Black is applied to the skin, it's not so much a shimmer as it is a soft metallic finish. Not buttery smooth, but not chalky or patchy either.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Medium
sweetmalinche 8/3/2011 3:41:00 PM
I always wanted an MSFN but was always too chicken to buy one. I came across Femme Couture Mineral Effects Baked Bronzer (mine is in "Beach Girl"), which looked like baby MSFNs. I liked by Femme Couture so much that I couldn't wait to swap for an MSFN. I had swapped for 3 MSFNs in Medium and Medium Plus before I figured out that I didn't like them. Initially, I loved the light coverage, which seemed weightless compared to my usual Studio Fix powder. It took me a whole month to realize that this crap, despite looking matte in the pan, is sparkly. It's not chunks of visible glitter, but sparkles that are totally obvious in broad daylight. I looked like Edward Cullens in "Twilight" when the sun hits my face. I don't care for shimmer on my face, so this is a big no-no for me. Deceptive, deceptive... Although I am too light to use my Femme Couture bronzer all over my face, I like it as a light bronzer/blush.
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Eyeliner -E.L.F. - Cream Eyeliner - Metallic Olive
sweetmalinche 6/6/2011 8:29:00 PM
I bought this to use as an eyeshadow base. ELF products are hit or miss for me and I wasn't sure what to expect with this. I first primed my lids with UDPP in Eden and then added a layer of this on top. It didn't crease. Tried it again as a base a few days later. Again, it didn't crease. Tried it again yesterday and like a bad girl, I fell asleep with my eye makeup on. And almost 20 hours later, not a crease in sight! (Note: I used Victoria's Secret's eyeshadow in Gilded Fierce on top; not only did it look beautiful but it made the VS last. Those shadows are not known for their staying power.) Please understand, EVERYTHING creases on me: MAC paint pots, Stila Smudge Pots, UDPP with no base on top, MAC Greasepaint Sticks, UD 24/7 Shadow Pencils...and this $3 product doesn't? That's amazing. I cannot wait to pick up more colors. The packaging is horrible. It's extremely bulky and doesn't seem to close tightly. I depotted mine into a small MAC sample jar which I know is air-tight and takes up so little space.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Revlon - ColorBurst Lipgloss in Gold Dust
sweetmalinche 6/2/2011 11:02:00 PM
I have 4 Colorburst lip glosses and this is my least favorite. Alone it looks like a hot glittery mess on my lips. The shimmer looks gritty and even kinda flakey. I tried to layer this over a nude lipstick and it just my my lipstick look gritty and flakey. I don't understand the high ratings for this gloss, but I guess to each her/his own, right? I am returning this as soon as I find my receipt... P.S. I forgot to say that this crap leaves behind silvery snowflake-like glitter behind on your lips, in the corners of your mouth, everywhere!
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - ColorBurst Papaya
sweetmalinche 6/2/2011 10:58:00 PM
This is the first ColorBurst color that caught my eye. I loved the color and texture. It's milky looking and opaque looking. On the lips, it's not as scary orange as it looks in the tube. Despite that, I never wear it alone because I feel it's too bright for me. (I love rocking deep browns and brick reds, so I am not afraid of color.) But the real reason I love this gloss is because it looks beautiful over nude lipstick to create a custom peach lip color that reminds me of MAC's infamous Sock Hop lipgloss. There is some shimmer, but it is minimal and not glittery. This is my favorite color of the line and the color is pretty unusual for a drug store gloss.
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Lip Gloss -Revlon - Colorburst Rosegold
sweetmalinche 6/2/2011 10:52:00 PM
I went buck wild this week with Rite Aid's 40% Revlon sale. Picked up a few more Colorburst lipglosses (I already had Papaya and was digging it). This color didn't look appealing to me at all in the tube. Just a very blah color with a touch of pink. Pink doesn't look good on me so it never crossed my mind to purchase this until I saw swatches and reviews online. When I first put this on, I felt like I wasted my money, even if it was 40% off. My lips looked pinker (a warm pink, if that makes any sense, most likely from the gold shimmer), but there was no pigment to the gloss. Booooo! However, once I saw my lips in sunlight...and wow, so pretty. It reminded me of a duo-chrome eyeshadow or highlighter, almost like MAC's Light Flush MSF in lipgloss form. I then put on another layer of gloss and I was loving my lips! They looks luminous. The texture of the gloss wasn't sticky or gritty. The shimmer is fine. The packaging is sleek. And at 40%, it was only $4 and change. Good gloss, good deal.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -L.A. Colors - Mineral Eyeshadows All Colors
sweetmalinche 3/18/2011 7:22:00 PM
I have been eyeing the shadow in "Teal" for sometime. Everytime I went to Dollar Tree I would see it looking at me, winking at me from behind its package. I would pick it up, hold it, admire it, and then put it back b/c this is Dollar Tree makeup and I am not a five year-old wanting to look my mommy. (I am not a makeup brand snob, but I had to admit I didn't think LA Colors was anything more than kids' makeup.) Yesterday I bit the bullet and paid a whole $1.07 for this bad boy. As soon as I got in the car I tore into the package and swatched it on my hand. Wow, this sucker was pigmented! Although there is a slight shimmer, it looks more matte than anything. Later, I wiped the swatch off my hand before heading back to work. Except that it didn't come off. That's how pigmented this shadow is. I was kinda bummed that I didn't like any of the other colors (purple, yellow, and black, I think). When I got home, I swatched it over a dark green base and a dark blue base and it turned two different shades of peacock teal. Wore it today and 8 hours later it still looks good. The size of shadow is freaking huge, making the value of this shadow even more amazing. I like the slim, clear top packaging (even though it is a little flimsy). To me, this was the most unique shade out of the ones they had at my Dollar Tree and more than worth the price. I am very happy to add this to my teal blue collection. I will definitely be checking out LA Colors eyeshadows online if this shadow is any indication of the quality. Two thumbs up for "Teal."
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -NYX - Eyeshadow Base in Skin Tone
sweetmalinche 3/16/2011 2:04:00 PM
As another reviewer said: there is a difference between a primer and base. I still have to use a primer (I use UDPP in Eden) to prevent creasing, but this makes a nice base. It is matte and pigmented so it creates a good primed canvas for colors. (I imagine that the new Stila Prime Pots give a similar finish and plan on getting during the next Ulta sale to compare.) For those of you with super oily lids that seem to crease not matter what, the combo of this and UDPP in Eden have been the most crease proof I have tried. This still occassionally creases on me, but it is way more budgeproof (yes, that's word) than MAC paint pots. For $5 - $6, give it a try.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Trio - Knock on Wood
sweetmalinche 3/13/2011 9:36:00 PM
Reminds me of MAC's infamous Spiced Chocolate quad (just missing the copper color). The brown and burgandy look beautiful together. It's a neutral eye, but, with some spice. :) The price is amazing for the quality of the shadows and I like the slim, clear packaging.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No