Lip Treatments -Fresh - Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment
technopixie 2/19/2012 10:22:00 PM
Fresh Sugar was the best thing I've found for instantly soothing irritated or chapped lips; this is a step more luxurious. As the previous reviewer noted it has a cushy gel-like texture and just melts into my lips. At first I bought this might be too soft for q night balm, but my lips are perfectly soft when I wake up. Yay Fresh for trading SPF for hyaluronic spheres. New HG.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Scotch Naturals - Water Colors nail polish
technopixie 1/22/2012 8:22:00 PM
These are a dream to work with. I've been painting my nails every week for years and still struggle a bit to get nice results with OPI, Essie, and Zoya. I've ruined many a manicure with dings and sheet marks over an hour after application. But as others have mentioned, these are really watery, so they spread on the nail a lot easier without gumming up and they really do dry to the touch in 10 minutes. Removal is easy after a shower, just a spritz of soy polish remover and after a couple of minutes the polish scrapes right off with an orange stick. It doesnt last quite as long as other polishes, I get tip wear after two. But application is so easy and uses so little product its a fair tradeoff. Plus my nails are so much healthier after three weeks with this formula! I have Klondike Cooler, a neutral gold shimmer that works as a wash with one coat but builds to nearly opaque with three; Bitter n Twisted, a punchy cherry creme in two coats and a deeper cherry with three; and Whisper, sheer candy pink with white shimmer. Whisper is the only problem child, but then again the only nude sheer that I've ever been able to avoid a streak festival with is Essie Mademoiselle. If you have perfect, non-ridgy nails your mileage will likely vary.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Josie Maran Cosmetics - Argan Color Stick
technopixie 1/8/2012 7:18:00 PM
This is the first lip and cheek product that keeps my lips perfectly comfortable, let alone nurtures them. But it still has plenty of pigment to blend into my cheeks without disappearing as i blend or sliding around during the day. Others have noted poor staying power but it lasts just as long as anything else on my face. I got this in petal pink, it's a punchy pink, natural and neutral enough to work on plenty of ladies, and not nearly as shimmery as it looks in the tube. One complaint: the packaging seems kind of bulky and excessive. Otherwise, it's amazing, highly recommend.
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Concealers -Laura Mercier - Secret Concealer
technopixie 10/5/2011 11:16:00 PM
This is the only product that covers blotchiness and acne without sitting on top of my skin and accentuating pores, dryness, or turning into an oil slick. The website says it's meant for under eye only, but I use it everywhere and it's the best. No irritation, no pore clogging. It performs so well and I need so little to get amazing results that the price strikes me as utterly reasonable.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Fresh - Sugar Honey Lip Treatment SPF 15
technopixie 10/5/2011 11:04:00 PM
Holy holy grail, one of the few products I would hate to live without. I'm pale (second lightest neutral shade in most foundation brands) with dark hair and eyes; this is the most perfectly natural warm pink-beige lip color that not only looks flawless but is perfectly creamy and flawless. I love all the sugar shades so far, but this one is creamier and more opaque. I would say I'm in a makeup rut of mascara,concealed, bronzed, and this, except every morning as I'm pulling out of the driveway I notice how gorgeously warmed-up I look. This is a must-try if you're fair skinned and your lips tend to pull a bit blue.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Olay - Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System
technopixie 10/5/2011 10:54:00 PM
Good, but not a miracle; I get similar, if not slightly better results with a warm washcloth. But if you don't have a washing machine or don't want to bother with regularly washing a pile of cloths, this is a good option. And during the four or so months I used it, I did get into the habit of spending more time washing my face, which has improved my skin texture and reduced clogged pores. This could be a great tool for teenagers and college students. Bonus: stick the brush in the dishwasher on the top rack once a week to sanitize and make it last a bit longer.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Laura Mercier - Gel lip color
technopixie 3/23/2011 9:01:00 PM
This is one of the most comfortable lipcolors I've tried. It reminds me of the Vincent Longo baby balms, cushy emollient bliss. The shades are all neon in the tube but go on transparent but punchy. I came home with Rosette, a cheerful raspberry pink. I also love Clementine, a gorgeous coral in the same vein as Mac's gentle coral TLC. I could seriously see owning all of the shades though. True love, hope these become permanent.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -MAC - Greasepaint Stick Below Ground
technopixie 2/12/2011 5:49:00 PM
This is a great liner, it's really easy to do a thick, smoky line. The lasting power is up there with the best gels but this is effortlessly smoldering. I don't care for it as amshadow base though, it sets too quickly to sheer out and I just end up smearing it into dark patches, and full strength it's darker than I care to wear except once in a full moon. Pick this up if you want a no-fuss chubby liner; otherwise pass.
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Lip Treatments -MAC - Tinted Lip Conditioner- Close for Comfort
technopixie 2/12/2011 5:38:00 PM
Just picked this up at the cosmetics company outlet, mine still has tons of these. This is my favorite tinted lip conditioner so far, I also have gentle coral and petting pink. Close to comfort is a soft toffee peach beige, reminiscent of Mac freckletone but sheerer and glossier- a perfect mlbb honey nude. The tint in the darker TLCs tends to get patchy after a while, but this one stays smooth. While the TLC formula isn't my favorite lip treatment (Fresh wins), as a sexy, glossy tint this deserves five lippies.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Private Collection Jasmine White Moss
technopixie 1/23/2011 10:51:00 AM
Gorgeous green and floral Chypre, the best I've tried of those currently in production. A review below noted that the moss in this smells synthetic and that it's as if the the knowledge of how to make a Chypre has been lost. This is true in a way; oakmoss, the foundation of all classic Chypres, has been banned due to allergic reactions. At least Estee Lauder went to the trouble of creating their synthetic white moss mist instead of churning out another bland patchouli floral like other brands. The moss in this is clean, true, as is the jasmin; to me this is the florist shop version of the original Private Collection's country club garden. Some of the earthy bits have been left behind and it's more shower-clean than lushly humid, but just as gorgeous and grown up.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Estee Lauder - Signature Hydra lustre
technopixie 1/23/2011 10:16:00 AM
This is my favorite lipstick formula. It feels like a thick balm, not slippy like moisturizing lipstick formulas, and lasts very well through eating and drinking. I picked up Plum Amethyst from the cosmetics Company outlet; it has a gorgeous stain finish. It has the signature Estee Lauder "fig" scent, which I like, though it smells like cider to me. I definitely recommend trying these before forking over for Chanel Rouge Allure, the formula i hear the most raves about in terms of comfort, which i find to be a bit irritating (and expensive).
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Polishes -Sephora - Sephora by OPI - Let's Do Lunch
technopixie 1/22/2011 6:36:00 PM
This shade is reminiscent of Bobbi Brown's Cabo Coral pot rouge; a dusty, sunburnt peach. The bottle and online swatch show a bit of fine orange microglitter but it doesn't translate on nails. Perfect for summer and autumn. This is my second Sephora by OPI polish. I love the formula, I'm not terribly skilled at giving myself manicures by these polishes are really easy - they go on smoothly, don't gunk up around my cuticles, and dry in a reasonable amount of time. They wear just as well as my other OPI polishes, and better than other comparable brands, lasting a solid four days without base or topcoat and over a week with propper prep and maintenance.
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Lip Treatments -Fresh - Sugar Rose Lip Treatment SPF 15
technopixie 11/24/2010 6:35:00 PM
Holy grail, one of my favorite luxuries. Like the original this balm is rich without feeling heavy or waxy, heals and soothes like a dream, and contains SPF. The tint is a subtle but buildable healthy pink flush; it definitely brightens my pigmented lips, and the color (and moisture) linger after eating and drinking. I love that I can slather this on with abandon and look pretty, not like a hot mess. (Re: wiggling and breaking issues, twist it up like chapstick, not lipstick.)
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Lipstick -MAC - Viva Glam Gaga
technopixie 8/21/2010 3:36:00 PM
My holy grail, just pure fun cotton candy pink - everything I wanted NARS Roman Holiday to be. The color is on the paler side, but still punchy, and the hint of lavender keeps it from making my pale skin look ruddy. The formula is creamy and pigmented enough to cover my rosy lips (even mixed with balm); and unlike other MAC lipsticks and tinted lip conditioners I've tried, this one doesn't make my lips burn and peel. I'm planning on the gloss, and for the first time I'm considering buying backups.
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Lip Treatments -Fresh - Sugar Plum Lip Treatment SPF 15
technopixie 7/27/2010 8:11:00 PM
This is the perfect blackberry-jelly balm, total holy grail. The color doesn't lean brown, red, or pink on me, just true moody berry purple. On my rosy lips I can get a sheer but noticeable tint with one swipe, and a rich stain if I slather it on. Either way, the texture stays perfect - like chapstick, but it goes on thicker and feels more nourishing - and it leaves a healthy sheen. The color doesn't completely last through a meal, but my lips feel great for hours after. I've tried the regular sugar lip balm a few times and this feels a bit thicker; though I can't attest to which is more moisturizing, sugar plum does a great job. My lips look and feel great. I'm so impressed, this is the first true tinted lipbalm (not lipstick in disguise) I've tried that packs a nice translucent color payoff while keeping my lips nice. And I've fallen in love with the scent, like candied lemon peel. One caveat: skip this if your lips are dry or flaky, the color will be splotchy until the formula smooths things out (I use Sugar Rose when my lips are chapped and I need a little color).
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No