Crème -MAC - Full Coverage Foundation 
tobermory12 11/12/2012 1:04:00 AM
This foundation is indeed full-coverage, following in the same tradition as a pancake or a stage grease paint, only with a much nicer formulation. I do have combination skin and I do use this product every day in the winter. The trick to application, as many have noted here, is to use a slightly-dampened wedge sponge and a light hand to dab and blend the product. I use this foundation mostly in the centre of my face to cover dark circles and redness, and blend with sponge to get a natural look. I have used this product to cover the multi-colored tattoo on my arm for a wedding. The results were okay, but that is due to me needing more shades of foundation and more time than i had. As with all cream/panstick/greasepaint type makeups, you have to set with powder. Will repurchase, but won't need to for awhile since a little goes a long way with this product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Make Up For Ever - Duo Mat Powder foundation
tobermory12 11/12/2012 12:50:00 AM
Excellent face powder for oily skins. Sets foundation or can be used alone for light coverage. Very good at absorbing oil throughout the day with minor touch ups. I have not had a problem with the powder darkening as it absorbs the oil. I have tried Benefits Hello Flawless and MAC Blot Powder, and prefer this for the colour match to my skin. I will definitely repurchase.
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Mascara -Anastasia Of Beverly Hills - Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat
tobermory12 11/12/2012 12:39:00 AM
Bought on the premise that this would waterproof my non-waterproof mascara, this product was used once and returned. At $27, this is an outrageous waste of money for a product that does not do what it claims to do.
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Mascara -Clinique - Bottom Lash Mascara
tobermory12 11/12/2012 12:34:00 AM
Disappointing product. Smudges badly if you have oily lower lashes. Wanted to like it, but it was too good to be true. Will not repurchase.
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Eyeliner -Essence - Gel Eyeliner
tobermory12 11/12/2012 12:25:00 AM
Very reasonably-priced gel eyeliner from German brand, essence. Very long-lasting and budge-proof even on oily lids. I purchased the Midnight in Paris black eyeliner, and even used it for doing a dia de Los muertos halloween sugar skull and it stayed out for hours, even when combined with grease paint. I have used gel eyeliners from Maybelline and MAC, and this has a better pigment load ( unlike the Maybelline which was sheer) and so far hasn't dried out(like that MAC). The color is a soft black. The price is ridiculously cheap. Best of all, you can use the money you saved to buy yourself a nice eyeliner brush. Will repurchase.
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Mascara -Maybelline - one by one, waterproof
tobermory12 11/12/2012 12:16:00 AM
* this is for the waterproof version* I have oily under eyes, and I have been looking for a long-wearing, reasonably priced mascara that will not leave smudges under my eyes. This is the product for me. I have long eyelashes but they are light-colored, and this mascara does a very nice job of coating each lash and giving them a fuller, but fairly natural appearance. I like the football-shaped applicator, and I find that the product does not gob up at one end like the Covergirl Lash Blast Volume I was using. I can go for 8 or more hours plus a workout and this product will stay and not smear under my eyes. Very pleased! Will repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Essence - get big lashes volume boost mascara
tobermory12 9/13/2012 10:13:00 PM
*** This review is for the waterproof version of this mascara. *** The pros: nice, large football-shaped applicator, which may take some getting used to. Nice coverage from root to tip. Price point is excellent. Made in Germany (not China, as some of the cheaper and even expensive brands -- Stila, for example -- are). First application produced a very pretty fringe of dark eyelashes although I cannot comment on the volumizing since my lashes are already pretty long. Cons: First and foremost, this mascara is not waterproof, even though it is sold as a waterproof mascara. It will smudge like crazy in the shower or at the gym if you sweat. No hygienic seal around the package. No ingredients list. I found if I was wearing concealer, this mascara would be dissolved by the oils in the concealer and end up on my face. The formula started out lovely but after a month, began to dry out. Verdict: Now that i know this product is not waterproof, i would purchase this again because of the price (cheap) and would use for an evening out or short term application (my lashes looked great), but not for as my long-wearing mascara of choice.
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Cleansers -MAC - Cleanse Off Oil
tobermory12 9/28/2010 11:55:00 PM
I really like this product. It dissolves all manner of oils and removes makeup like a dream. You just rub it into your skin and then remove with a warm, damp wash cloth. The "oil" of the product emulsifies in water and washes cleanly away. There is no residue. You can use your usual cleanser afterward, but I find that my skin feels so clean and soft with just the Cleanse Off Oil that I don't need to. I have oily/combination skin that is quite sensitive, and I have had no problems with breakouts or pimples. A very cool, multi-purpose product that dissolves makeup with no solvents. Nice!
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Moisturizers -Cetaphil - Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF15
tobermory12 9/28/2010 11:46:00 PM
For the colder drier climate in my area, I find this to be a nice, simple moisturizer with SPF 15. It seems to work well with my combination skin, goes well under make-up. I When I sweat, it allows my skin to breath and doesn't make me feel clammy the way some sunscreens do. Any sheen is taken care of with a light dusting of powder. I have to blot my skin regardless of whether or not I use a moisturizer. I found this product comparable to the MAC Day SPF 15 Light Moisturizer.
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Mascara -MAC - Splashproof Lash in Blacksplash
tobermory12 9/28/2010 11:33:00 PM
I have oily under-eye areas, and this formula transferred onto my face from the top lashes a few hours after application. I have fairly long eyelashes, and this mascara actually managed to make them appear skimpy. This is a very disappointing product for MAC.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Volum Express Waterproof
tobermory12 9/28/2010 11:20:00 PM
After much trial and error with other waterproof mascaras, I bought this as a replacement for my much-beloved (and sadly discontinued) Loud Lash mascara by MAC. What I loved about the Loud Lash was that it was almost entirely budge-proof. I admit it -- my under eye area is oily, no matter how thoroughly I degrease the area. Add concealer on top, and you have a recipe for dissolving . The Loud Lash would not dissolve in that pool of under-eye oil, and, I am very happy to report that the Volum' Express Waterproof does not either. I get a perfect fringe of pretty upper lashes each time I use this product. Let dry and comb through with a Tweezerman eyelash comb and voila! Gorgeous. I am fortunately blessed with long eyelashes, so I cannot comment on the lengthening/volumizing/curling aspects of this mascara. However, I will say that this mascara does seem to last a good 12 hours for me and even then I have to use a water-proof eye-makeup remover to remove it entirely.
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Shampoo -Frederic Fekkai - Apple Cider Clarifying Shampoo
tobermory12 9/28/2010 11:05:00 PM
I bought this product to help clear away some of the styling build-up from my hair. I soon found that if used more frequently than, say, once or twice a month, it will also strip the colour from my hair. This was an expensive lesson in the workings of clarifying shampoos, let me tell you! In the end, it's not a bad shampoo, just expensive for what it really is.
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Highlighters -Yves Saint Laurent - Touche Eclat No 1
tobermory12 9/28/2010 10:45:00 PM
This product did seem to help with highlighting and lighting the dark spots in the inner corner of my eyes. However, I was advised by the salesperson at YSL counter to ensure that I wipe the brush off after use with a tissue and rubbing alcohol. She didn't say why exactly, but I soon found out because after a couple of weeks, mould (or was it mildew?) started growing in the base of the brush. It could not be removed. The entire tube had to be junked, and it would appear that for $50, I had cultivated some rather expensive fungi. Sad, really, because pre-mouldy brush, I liked the product and what it did for me. But because of the packaging flaw, I would not buy it again.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No