Lipstick -NARS - Damage
toomuchjoy 6/14/2013 7:18:00 PM
This lipstick embodies what an everyday lipstick should be -- The shade is very natural and the texture is almost like a balm. It feels comfortable on the lips even for someone like me who has dry lips and avoids most lip products. I recommend this formula to anyone who typically hates wearing lipsticks. Although it is a "sheer" formula, this is a well-pigmented lipstick. Damage is a great MLBB shade for me. My lips are quite pigmented and it evens everything out. Not too red and not too blue. Everytime I put this on, no matter what look I'm wearing, it just seems to work.
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Polishes -Revlon - Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel
toomuchjoy 8/22/2012 6:06:00 PM
I bought the shade Spanish Moss on sale at CVS this week. Right now they are marked down to $5 with $3 ecb back! Spanish Moss is a cream mid-tone muted green, great for the upcoming fall season. I normally don't wear greens but this is quite wearable and would be fine for a casual work environment. To test out the polish, I did not use a base coat or top coat. The brush is a little wider than a standard brush, with a flat, rounded end. It makes application really easy and quick. The formula of Spanish Moss was a dream! It was near-opaque with one layer. I could have added another layer but chose not to, because you could only tell if you were to inspect my nails closely. The polish dried fast and had a nice shine. I put it on 3 days ago and it still looks great. There's minimal wear on the tips and it lost a bit of the original shine, but otherwise I'm impressed. I'm removing it tonight but I could seeing this looking decent another 2-3 days. Other reviews have mentioned you need the base and top coat to get it to last the 11 days Revlon advertises. I don't really like keeping the same color on for that long so I wasn't interested in testing those out just yet. The color polish alone lives up to the Colorstay name. I can't think of ANYTHING to improve on this nail polish. I can't speak for the whole line, but based on this one color, I can't wait to try more colors! Perhaps a nice red...
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Fragrances -Tocca - Florence Perfume
toomuchjoy 8/20/2012 12:14:00 AM
I first smelled this perfume 3 years ago when my roommate at the time was on a mission to find her signature scent. This was my pick of the samples she brought home. It was the first fragrance that really got a hold of me. Before this, I never really had a thing for fragrance but this scent had me going back to my local Sephora over and over to test how I liked it on my skin. With this perfume, I found my love for headier floral scents, which isn't everyone's cup of tea. I have another friend who loves the scent in the bottle but doesn't like it on her so you really need to test any perfume on your own skin before you commit to buying it. I believe this has notes of gardenia, tuberose and jasmine and I now find myself gravitating to other perfumes with these notes. I never would have thought I would be so into florals! I also really like the bottles and the stories behind each Tocca fragrance. With their range, I think any woman could find a scent that appeals to them. Florence is mine.
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Fragrances -Montale - White Aoud
toomuchjoy 8/19/2012 9:48:00 PM
Oh, I am in trouble! I am slowly becoming more attracted to niche fragrances. I thought it was bad that a Diptyque counter popped up at my local Nordstrom. A new shop just opened in my neighborhood filled with Diptyque, Commes de Garcons, Montale, Histoires de Parfums, and other rare brands. These scents cost a pretty penny! I walked in to check out the shop and the girl had me sample a few different rose-based perfumes. I liked White Aoud the best. She described this perfume as being for the woman in charge. Not a "let's be friends" type of scent. I'm not the best at describing scents, but Katie Puckrick on YouTube (username is KatiePuckrickSmells) has a good review up. It is quite expensive so I wasn't ready to walk out with it today. And with any fragrance, it takes me awhile to commit since I like to see how long it lasts and how it changes on my skin. It started off very in-your-face (in a good way) but has dried down to a comforting and creamy rose. After a few hours of wear, I have to say I will definitely be saving my pennies for a bottle. This stuff is divine. Can't stop smelling myself!
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Liquid -MAC - Face and Body Foundation
toomuchjoy 3/10/2012 2:50:00 AM
Every time I try to venture out and try a new foundation, I keep coming back to this one. I've been using this foundation for over a year and now I can't stand the feeling of heavier (both in consistency and level of coverage) foundations. This is my daily foundation. Mac Face and Body is a water-based foundation with buildable light to medium coverage. I've been applying this with a Real Techniques stippling brush. It leaves a very dewy sheen on the skin so I just smooth over the center of my face with my fingers to make sure it's really set in. I powder my forehead and nose but I like the dewy effect on my cheeks. I find this is really nice in the winter when my skin's a bit dull. I wear the shade C4 which is slightly dark for me in these winter months but the sheerness of the foundation is very forgiving so blending is key. Even so, I've been mixing it with Neutrogena Healthy Skin in a shade that's too slightly too light for me and that's been working fine. This foundation is really good at evening the skin tone and allowing your natural skin to show through. It won't cover blemishes, so you'll have to use a heavy duty concealer. I find I can cover most of my problem areas by buffing the product in those areas and building up the layers. I apply a light layer everywhere else. Face and Body is probably best for those with dry to normal skin types. It's also a great value for the price. You get 4 oz of product for $33. Other Mac and higher end foundations are in the $30+ range and the standard bottle size is 1 oz.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Walgreens - Alpha Hydroxy Lotion 8%
toomuchjoy 3/10/2012 2:17:00 AM
I love this stuff! I bought this product in September 2011 after reading some great reviews. It is a little hard to find even after using the product finder on Walgreens.com. I hope this product isn't being discontinued. Firstly, it makes my skin feel incredibly hydrated and smooth. I just can't believe how soft my skin is in the morning. I started off using this every other night but I probably use this about twice a week now just because I've been using another night cream. If you are new to AHA products, I test this on a smaller patch of skin before slapping it on your face since some find it irritating. I never had a problem with this though. Also, I wouldn't apply this in the eye area. In the morning, I cleanse it off really well and apply my moisturizer and sunscreen. This is key, since it is a chemical exfoliant and you don't want to expose your freshly exfoliated skin to sun. Negatives? I'm not a big fan of the tub packaging since they are not hygienic. But since I apply this after cleansing my face or showering, my hands are clean. It also has the consistency and smell of Elmer's glue but that fades after a few minutes. I've been using this consistently for 6 months and I still have a LOT of product to go. This retails for about $8 at my Walgreens and sometimes you can find a better deal with weekly promotions or coupons. I bought this BOGO 1/2 off and gave the other one to my sister and she loves it too. This is a bargain miracle worker!
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