BB Cream -Tarte - BB tinted treatment 12-hour primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen
taurusgurl5984 3/4/2013 6:50:00 PM
OMG the oil control with this stuff. It makes my skin look poreless and perfect. Let's be clear here though: this is NOT a BB CREAM, it is a primer. If you are truly oily, you may not need moisturizer. But most normal to combo or dry skin types are going to need a moisturizer. I got the shade light, I tried fair and it washed me out (I'm between an NC/NW 15ish). I normally wear the smooth operator in 00, which is actually oddly darker than 02, and a tad more yellow. This product is super fast to put on, and when I am having a good skin day, it is just enough coverage. My skin looks fresh, clean, oil free, and like it's MY skin. Lasts all day. The only caveat - it MAY be breaking me out. I am taking a break from it, and will go back to it. It could have been my fault though. I got a little lazy and was cleansing with oil cleanser only and not going over with my purity afteward like I normally do. I will use my trusty smooth operator until my pores de-clog and then give it a go again, cleansing more thoroughly. So far, if it doesn't break me out, this could be a HG face product for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -C.O. Bigelow - My Favorite Night Balm
taurusgurl5984 3/17/2012 12:10:00 PM
OMG - I have only been using this for a few nights but it has made a huge difference in my lips already. They were cracking at the corners, peeling and flaking all over - none of the balms I was using helped and some of them seemed to make my lip feel dry (waxy type balms like EOS). This just sinks in, when I wake up in the morning my lips are PLUMP - I can tell they absorbed some of the humectants. I would say the texture is kind of like aquaphor but slightly thicker, has a pleasant vanilla scent and slightly sweet taste. I wish it came in a normal size tube like the rest of the balms for the price, but if it continues to work, I'll pay for it. ;)
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Mascara -NYX - Le Chick Flick (waterproof lashes)
taurusgurl5984 2/20/2012 9:36:00 PM
I am an avid wp mascara user. I need wp mascara to hold the curl in my lashes. Upon first application, I thought this wasn't going to work, because for being wp, it's quite wet. I find this unique because most, if not all WP mascaras I have used are on the dry side - which can become problematic if you really like to build or sculpt the lash. This does not get clumpy, but you really need to wait for it to dry between coats because it is just too wet to build if you don't - it basically just keeps pulling pigment off when trying to build. BUT - if you wait you can build some fab lashes, and it holds the curl. This also held up amazingly well when I was working out. My normal wp mascaras usually wilt the curl when I sweat a lot, and I still get some smudging underneath. My lashes looked perfect when I was done with my workout with this stuff on - and trust me - sweat was dripping into my eyes (I'm doing Insanity) for almost a full hour. So I'd say, for the price, it's a good solid waterproof mascara that is very buildable for volume and length. Give it a try, you can always return it to Ulta if you end up not liking it, and it's cheap to begin with. EDIT 3/7/12 - I am upgrading from 4 to 5 lippies. This has been giving me consistently good results. The formula only gets better as it ages, a bit thicker so I don't have the problem with having to wait so much between coats like I did at first. The thing I love about this is because it is so much more wet than I am used to, it holds curl BUT brings it down just SLIGHTLY. Sometimes when I curl my lashes, a few lashes will have weird kinks in them. If I put on a dry mascara, the lashes hold exactly how they were - weird kinks and all. This mascara kind of helps to smooth everything out, while still holding a natural curl. So my lashes look much more uniform. It thickens a good amount, lengthens a lot - and I have not had a single smudge OR flake with this. Usually WP mascaras tend to smudge under the eye because they are made to be removed with an oil type remover - so if I have eye cream on or what have you they smudge. But this just doesn't - and it isn't any more of a PITA to take off than any other WP mascara. Love this. Will definitely be stocking up when Ulta has NYX BOGO 1/2 off plus use their coupons they always send out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Bumble & Bumble - Styling Creme
taurusgurl5984 2/11/2012 10:33:00 PM
I had used this product years ago, saw it at a CCO outlet a month or so ago and decided to buy it again (I had re-purchased several times before). I don't know why I ever stopped using this stuff. My hair is baby fine, but I have a lot of it. It's layered with medium length. I use this primarily to lift my roots. While my hair is damp I use about a nickel sized blob in my roots and massaged through the rest of the hair shaft. This gives my hair texture, grip, and lift. It's really the only styling product I need if I could only use one thing. Most days, this and a little hairspray is all I use. I think everyone with fine hair should try this. Love it!
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Eye Primer -NYX - HD High Definition Eyeshadow Base
taurusgurl5984 2/11/2012 10:28:00 PM
I have previously used TF SI, UD PP, NARS, and LORAC BTS primers. I was in need of a new tube and had heard this was good... decided to try. I'm glad I did! I love the consistency of this. It is actually my favorite of all the ones I've tried. It holds my shadow and liner on like iron and it doesn't make my shadow look weird or thick over the top of it. It's also easy to blend over. Really brings the color and sheen out in e/s that otherwise seemed to not be very pigmented or shimmery. Love this - I will not be purchasing the overpriced primers anymore!!!
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Foundations -Tarte - Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full-Coverage Foundation SPF 15
taurusgurl5984 2/11/2012 10:25:00 PM
EDIT OF BELOW REVIEW: I bought this again, in Ivory. It matches me well. I am applying with the Sephora airbrush and sometimes smooth a bit with fingers. This didn't cause the breakouts I was having when I tried it in the past - I found out it was the grapeseed oil I had started using around the same time. I don't know if my skin is just different now or what, but it's a good foundation. I like it for days when I want a little more coverage than my Tarte SO. I would say the finish is satin. Definitely can cling to dry patches if you have them, but I usually don't. Solid foundation, without all the nasty chemicals. I'm liking it. I've been wearing this for roughly the last week. I wear the color fair, and 00 in the Smooth Operator TM (I am in between an NW-NC 15ish, Bobbi Brown Oil Free Compact Warm Ivory, B10 in Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua... typically I am the lightest shade available in most foundations - even then they are sometimes either too dark or too pink. The color fair matches me perfectly. I would say it is pretty neutral leaning a tad warm - there is definitely a bit more yellow, I don't detect any pinky or orangey tones. I did not get the foundation with the brush, so I can't comment on their brush - I might try it in the future. So far I have used the SK Blue Peep, Beauty Blender, and Sephora Pro Airbrush Foundation Brush #56. I have achieved the best results with a dampened beauty blender, stippled into the skin. I would say the foundation COULD be built to a full coverage, but it would most likely look a bit cakey. I feel I get a good solid medium coverage out of it without having to build. The foundation still looks really natural even though it's more coverage than I am used to (usually wear their TM). I have combo skin, and it keeps my skin pretty matte the majority of the day. My nose will get a little shine, but the nice thing about this foundation is I think it actually looks better as it wears and gets a little dewy. Unlike a lot of foundations I have tried, it doesn't seem to "separate" when I get oily. It just looks dewy... not a separated oil slick mess. I've only been using this for a week, so I will update if I change my mind - but this is so far one of the best foundations I've used. It really holds up to the oil, it stays on, doesn't oxidize, gives solid medium coverage that could be built up, actually conceals my under eye darkness without the need for a separate concealer - and actually seems to work very well as an eyeshadow base. The color is also one of the best matches I've ever had. Really liking it! It also doesn't feel heavy or uncomfortable on my skin. I do think that this is probably best suited to oily-combo-normal skin types. If someone is very dry and has lots of flaking, I think the texture of this foundation highlights flakes.... so best suited to the normal to oily skin types IMHO. EDIT 2/20/12 - I think I had lemming goggles on when I was wearing this the first week. I've been waiting for this to come to Sephora forever and based on the reviews I really thought I'd love it. Tarte SO TM is my HG that I wear almost every day. There is something about this foundation that just seems to make me look chalky. I don't know what it is. I have tried both the fair and the ivory now - ivory boosted color a bit but was just off, and I feel like fair just sucks the life out of my skin. I have to put on so much bronzer. I don't know, when I look in the mirror with this on I just don't get wowed. I much prefer the skin smoothing look and coverage of LM Silk Creme - but that does tend to get a bit more shiny on me than this. However - I think I prefer the glow over the matte chalky look. I'll keep experimenting with this and if I change my mind again I will update. Maybe it would be better for me in the summer or something. It's not BAD, it's just that my skin looks a lot prettier with many other foundations and tm's I've used (Tarte TM, Lancome Teint Miracle, Bobbi Brown Skin...) EDIT 2/7/2012 - I returned this. I am pretty sure this broke me out in the worse acne I have had since high school. My skin is still recovering. It just seemed to sit on top of my skin and like I said, I had issues with the color. My skin just didn't look alive with it on. I didn't feel pretty when I looked in the mirror. I was really hoping this would work for me as I really like tarte, but oh well. I've found a new foundation for more coverage that I am loving. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24 Hour!
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Eyeliner -Ulta - Ulta Automatic Eyeliner in Charcoal
taurusgurl5984 2/11/2012 10:14:00 PM
A great neutral grey color - a true cement type color. Stays on all day, and most of the day on my waterline/tightline. These are just as good as any other popular waterproof liner (UD, MUFE), and really cheap considering you can get them BOGOFree often. Plus I like that they are automatic. The consistency is such that it's easy to get a nice precise line (some pencils are TOO soft and end up smearing and making the line thicker than I'd like), but they are not so hard that you end up tugging on the eyelid. I will continue to purchase this and other colors - these have replaced my higher end liners.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Ulta - Automatic eyeliner in Moss
taurusgurl5984 2/11/2012 10:11:00 PM
Moss is a great alternative for the color "stash" in UD's 24-7 pencils. Not a dead on match, a touch less golden, but really you can't tell the difference on the eyes. Theses pencils are the perfect consistency, imho. They are not so soft that it's difficult to get a precise line, but not hard enough that you end up tugging on the eye. I use this on the waterline to tightline as well, and it stays as well as any other waterproof pencil I've used. The price is amazing also considering you can often get them BOGOFree. I will continue to buy this and get more colors. Great buy.
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast 24 HR Mascara
taurusgurl5984 12/14/2011 8:26:00 PM
First of all - make no mistake, this is WATERPROOF. It doesn't say that on the package, but it performs like a waterproof. Best removed with oil-based m/u removers. It holds a curl VERY well (I have to use WP mascara to hold a curl). Other than that, I feel like it works exactly like original Lash Blast - but it doesn't make my lashes crunchy and stiff like the WP version. Overall - I have tried all versions of Lash Blast, and this is my favorite. I get length, volume, definition, curl, no irritation... no flakes, no smudges. Sure, it could be easier to remove - but then it probably wouldn't hold a curl and wouldn't stay on as well. They could have put it in a nicer tube (I hate the orange and black), but that's just me being picky. I would definitely repurchase!
17 out of 18 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Lancome - Teint Miracle
taurusgurl5984 11/12/2011 7:50:00 PM
I love this. I am super fair, and have an odd skin tone so I am glad that I was able to find a match (I don't think I had ever had a good match in Lancome in the past). I am somewhere in between NC and NW 15 but I have some redness in my face and my neck is more neutral. For reference Tarte Smooth Operator in Agent 00 is a pretty good match for me. I found my best match in Ivoire 4N. Ivoire 1N was just a tad too pale, and Ivoire 2C was too pink. This product is so pretty on the skin. Medium, buildable coverage. It has a lit from within glow but is somewhat matte. Going on the texture is neither dry feeling or too moisturizing. It has enough slip to blend and then it seems to just become one with the skin. It lasts all day for me. I get compliments on my skin all the time when I use this. I am clog and breakout prone with combo skin and haven't had any breakouts. Minimal shine breakthrough. I don't love glass bottles but to each their own. I like that it at least has a pump. Lancome is very generous with foundation samples so give it a go!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter
taurusgurl5984 11/12/2011 7:42:00 PM
I was lucky enough to find these at my local CVS even though it seems many people have had a hard time finding these. They were running BOGO 50% off, plus Revlon qualified toward a $10.00 gift card if you purchased $30 worth of product. I got four colors. I am about a NW15 with lips that are NOT pigmented, for reference. Berry Smoothie = really pretty deeper cool to neutral pink on me, Sugar Frosting = this is the color I'd probably reach for most days, it gives me a TAD bit of color, but for me it's more of a pinky-nudeish lip without going brown, Cotton Candy = so gorgeous, a cool light pink with gold shimmer, and Pink Truffle = my least favorite.. was hoping it would be the YLBB color many described. On me it pulls more brown than mauve-pink. It also is one of those colors that makes my teeth look more yellow (I wish I could whiten my teeth but one of my front teeth had a root canal so I would need to get veneers on both front teeth, expensive... someday...). Anyway, these are great. Staying power is about 2 hours, and after that they leave a bit of a stain. They are creamy but I wouldn't really call them balm like, or lip butter like, from the different balms and butters I've tried. They just feel like a nice moisturizing lipstick. I do think the texture is similar to the Dior Addict lipsticks as others have suggested. I really like them and if you can find them on sale or a BOGO they're a great price. I'm actually not much of a lipstick person, usually a gloss person, but these sucked me in. Since I don't wear lipstick often I don't want to pay a ton for it. I love that these are moisturizing and seem to have a great color selection. The package is super cute. I do wish that they had made the base of the stick a little longer, and the cap a tad shorter. As others have stated they can sometimes be a pain to open up because there isn't much to grip at the bottom. Overall I love these and I'll probably repurchase them when I run out. I want to find Red Velvet for the holiday season!!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Maybelline - master drama eyeliner
taurusgurl5984 11/12/2011 12:05:00 PM
Amazing. I like this better than UD 24/7's and as much as MUFE Aqua liners. Texture is buttery and lasting power is fabulous, even on the waterline for me. I tightline with them. I LOVE that they are twist up. I wish they had a smudger on the other end, but can't complain. I have used the Vibrant Violet and Coal Commander (LOVE Coal Commander). I can't wait to use up some of my other eyeliners so I can buy more of these.... only complaint is that the lid cracked on my coal commander one after only a week, but not a huge deal to me.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Bare Escentuals - High Shine Eyecolor in Glisten
taurusgurl5984 11/12/2011 11:58:00 AM
I love this color, it looks awesome on my blue-green eyes. I know a lot of people complain about the packaging, but I feel like the texture of this type of e/s does apply a bit better with a sponge. I put some on with the sponge and then blend out either with my finger or a brush. It is a perfect lid to crease color for me, and highlights my lid as well as adds depth to my crease at the same time. It's easy and quick for me... of course there is the fallout but I always apply foundation after my eyeshadow so it's not a big deal. It looks really good with benefit skinny jeans cream shadow all over into the crease and then this on the inner 3/4 of lower lid. I love it - awesome complex color but neutral. I get compliments when I wear this.
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous False Fiber Lashes~Waterproof
taurusgurl5984 11/12/2011 11:47:00 AM
I'm not sure what to think of this yet. I've used it two days. It doesn't smudge or flake, and it holds a curl well. But it doesn't seem to lengthen nearly as I expected it would since it has fibers in it. Application isn't too difficult. It's not bad, but I don't think it makes my lashes look as pretty as my Maybelline Colossal WP. It's on the pricey side for a drugstore mascara, but you can always get it on a sale or with a coupon. It's a drier formula, which I don't mind, but I can't help but wonder if it will dry out super fast because it already starts so dry. I will update after I use it more. But so far I am not blown away by it like I was when I first used Colossal. *EDIT 11/27/11* - I am really liking this mascara. It gives me a dramatic yet defined look. I can really build it up if I want to. I haven't had any problems with smudging or flaking, and it doesn't irritate my eyes at all. I purchased the Voluminous Million Lashes last week and haven't been very impressed with that one - I have been reaching for False Lashes almost every day! Not quite HG, but a great mascara.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Colossal Waterproof
taurusgurl5984 11/12/2011 11:35:00 AM
Been using this mascara a couple months now. Holds curl wonderfully as most WP mascaras do. I don't get smudging until I've been wearing for more than 10 hours, and only if I am blinking kind of hard (I get dry eyes at the end of the day, so sometimes I close my eyes a lot and blink them sort of hard and that seems to make the mascara smudge). Separates, lengthens, and thickens. It's a no more than 2 coats mascara for me, though. More than two coats looks spidery. For me 1 coat is a nice natural look, and two coats is dramatic. It reminds me of Maybelline Full N'Soft WP that I wore in high school, but a little more dramatic, and less smudgy. I've already re-purchased this a few times to have back ups.
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