Palettes -Tom Ford - Burnish Amber
tstgirl 5/18/2013 10:03:00 PM
I love plums, cranberry, warm colors so i choose burnish amber as my first TF eyeshadow palette. on my nc30 skin, the shades consists of a yellow golden champagne(this is the most shimmery of all the shades). a cranberry which reminds my of mac cranberry but with a satin finish. a neutral shimmery copper brown. a matte warm brown, it appears to have shimmer like a satin but on my skin, its not really satin nor is it very flat matte but i still would say it leans more matte. if you are not a fan of cranberry shades and want to avoid shades what make your eyes appear tired, you might not enjoy this palette but for my complexion, this works fine. i was worried at first because on the pan they were all shimmery and i was afraid it would make my eyes look tired or sore but surprisingly, it looks very subtle that i can use it everyday. the shimmer is subtle, the only shade that has lots of shimmer is the golden shade really, i use it as an accent color over the lid. the packaging is classy but i'm not really that fond of the packaging because i travel a lot so its kind of bulky for just 4 shadows. the shadows are smooth and pigmented. it lasted all day, they are enjoyable to use and they are not powdery at all and i don't get any fall out. the color selection is excellent unlike some chanel and dior palettes where sometimes i find you can't work all the shade together or there's always that one shade that isn't pigmented or there's two shades that too similar. if you are fond of cranberry plummy shades, i would recommend trying this palette. if you like high end luxury brands this is excellent however even for high end i find the price way too expensive. you do get more product but i almost never finish a pan of eyeshadow. i would rather they reduce the quantity and lower to cost to the price of a chanel or dior. the shades are not very unique, you could easily find a dupe. i would not repurchase or buy another palette simply because there are a lot of other brands that have the similar shades and are fairly good quality as well. i wouldn't say this is a must have.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - No 5 Eau Premiere
tstgirl 5/17/2013 12:09:00 AM
i never liked the original chanel no.5. i just decided to try this one day and i was pleasantly surprised i actually liked the scent. i had to try a sample because a lot of scents don't suit my body chemistry and this did not change on me. what surprised me the most is my husband who almost always don't like any perfume i make him smell, actually likes it and just kept sniffing my wrist. he was even happy to let me know a bit of the smell still lingered at the tip of his nose. very strange. i had my daughter smell it, she thought it was too strong. however, my son likes it just as much as my husband. i find it smells like a sophisticated powdery scent. some say it smells powdery or soap, maybe but i think its a classy scent.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -NARS - Radiant Creamy Concealer
tstgirl 4/24/2013 1:02:00 AM
This is by far the best high end concealer I've ever tried. I am an nc 30, nars Punjab and I got the concealer in custard. I've tried many high end concealers like Laura mercier, Bobbi brown, Mac, I like his creamy they are but they always crease on me. I don't have wrinkles but when I smile and when the weather is humid, the concealer always settles on the lines. This is creamy, easy to blend and yet dries quickly and sets all day. What I like about it as well is that I an use it for concealing my acne scars. It does a pretty good job with that as well. However, it's just a tad better than my maybelline instant age rewind. It has been my HG for a while. Nars is a tad bit more pigmented because the nars is a bit thicker. I'm also not crazy about the packaging, with a doe foot applicator I'm wondering if I would have a hard time digging for the remaining product after a few months whereas the maybelline, you can see and use every bit of product. I would have to wait till I finish the whole product to see if I can see pass this problem before I repurchase. But overall, I really think nars has got itself a winner because it is by far the best high end concealer I've tried for my oily combo skin.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Jo Malone - Ginger Biscuit
tstgirl 4/22/2013 12:38:00 AM
If you like scents like pink sugar, BBW warm vanilla sugar, you'll probably like this. It's smells in the same family but a bit more grown up and complex. On me I can definitely smell the ginger and cinnamon. It's a sweet warm scent. My husband and my daughter likes it so if you like vanilla scents, something a bit more grown up, not offensive or strong and just want to try jo malone, I would reccommend you to try this. For a cologne, I find this has good staying power. I like the simple packaging, it's slim and easy for travel.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Cover Girl - Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation
tstgirl 3/7/2013 1:40:00 PM
i rarely buy drugstore makeup and i never buy drugstore foundations but a youtuber with the same skin type as mine highly recommended this foundation so i thought i'd give it a try. i have oily combo skin, NC30, yellow based asian skin tone and i got this in warm beige. pigmentation: medium buildable coverage. finish is a not matte, i would say more satin. definitely not glowy, glowy to me has more shine and dewy. i think it gives excellent coverage, i normally wear a light to med coverage foundation and a concealer for my undereyes. i am fine with just this alone. My common problem spot is redness around my nose, foundation seems to disappear first around that area since I get oily there first. The foundation starts to fade slightly after the 6th hour but still the coverage is pretty good. quality: it not as dry as my lancome teint idol ultra, it's a tad creamier, which i like because in the winter my cheeks get really dry. however i don't think this foundation will suit dry skins as it may not be moisturizing enough. oily skin suits this best as it helps control oil. i will have to give an update when the weather gets warmer and humidity is at its peak but so far i think the quality is great of oily skin girls in winter climates. packaging: i really like the packaging, i appreciate the pump applicator. for traveling, although the bottle is glass, i like that it's a slim bottle that doesn't take up so much space. Cons: its difficult to find the right shade because most of the shades are pink tone. I tried medium beige and find it to be too light with a grayish cast. Creamy beige is still a bit pink tone but closest to my skin color.I know that others it oxides and darkens but on me just slightly so it depends how it will react to everyone's skin type. Make sure you keep your receipt. i got this at Walmart for less than $10. for the quality of the foundation, glass packaging, the pump, i'd say it is really a good deal, comparable to many high end foundations and would definitely repurchase.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman - Expert Face Brush
tstgirl 3/6/2013 3:28:00 PM
By far this is the best foundation brush I've tried and I have three of these. I am not willing to pay for really high end brushes, the most I would pay is Mac brush prices. I've tried sephora airbrush, Mac brushes and coverfx and by far, I love this the most. I usually don't like synthetic brushes because they take a while to dry compared to natural bristles but all of the RT brushes dry faster than some of my natural ones. This one doesn't scratch my skin at all. It's nice and firm. It washes easily and keeps its shape. It doesn't smell. The only thing I'm not crazy is the bottom of handle because I can't slide it in my brush roll but that's really a minor problem since I have a zip pouch. I do like the colored matte metal part of the handle though, it doesn't look cheap. Definitely buy them when they are on bogo 1/2 off at ulta, it's so much worth it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Urban Decay - All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
tstgirl 2/20/2013 8:58:00 AM
I wanted to try this to see what the hype was all about but sorry to say I did not like this at all. I think mainly because I have oily combo skin living in a hot humid weather. Living in this kind of climate, I struggle to avoid looking too dewy and although I know this spray does not mattify, it doesn't really prolong my makeup any longer than when I wasn't using it. I also detect a slight scent and i didnt like the feel of the product on my skin. of course your skin will feel damp once you spray it on but i feel as if my skin was damp all day and i just felt the urge to grab my mac blot powder because it just felt uncomfortable. Perhaps it would work better in colder drier weather. I don't think it's a bad product but I would say if you have the same skin type and living in the same climate as I am, I would not recommend you trying this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -FLOWER Beauty - Shadow play
tstgirl 2/12/2013 12:10:00 AM
Package: i like the packaging. Love the rose gold accent, compact is almost the same size as chanel's and the pans are big enough that its easy for your brush to pick up product. I wish it had s mirror but the clear lid does make it easier to see the shades. Love the magnetic closure. Overall, i think the packaging is classy. Quality: i am impressed with the quality. Its buttery and pigmented. They remind me of mac's satin velux pearl finishes and buttery like stila shadows. Because they are buttery, they tend to be a bit dusty but it didnt bother me, i didnt have any fall out as long as you are light handed when swiping your brush on the pan. Pigmentation: on my nc30 skin, the light pink shows up as a light pink champagne. There is a dark bronzy brown shade. A medium greyish taupe. And the only matte shade is the cool tone dark brown, kind of reminds me of mac brun. Even the matte shade is buttery and not hard snd chalky. If you like neutrals like mac satin taupe, you will probably enjoy this. I found it is not too cool or too warm. The majority of the palette is shimmery but it isn't frosty like a lot of the urban decay shadows can be. I highly recommend this to anyone who dont want to purchased high end neutral palettes. I have most of the high end neutral palettes but i have to say i am glad to have this one. Its just so convenient everyday, office friendly colors you can even leave in the office and not worry losing it.
5 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -FLOWER Beauty - Wild geranium
tstgirl 2/8/2013 11:18:00 PM
Another lovely shade. Packaging. I love everything about the packaging except for the stopper. I don't find it useful so I just tossed it. Quality. Creamy, more time to blend comparing to other cream eyeshadows but after it sets, it last all day with no creasing and minimal fading. I prefer using my fingers. I don't know why but a flat brush makes it look a bit patch. With my fingers, its perfect. Shade. On my nc30 complexion, it shows up a dark bronze champagne shade. Great for everyday shade that can be used alone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -FLOWER Beauty - Mum's the Word
tstgirl 2/8/2013 11:12:00 PM
Awesome product. Packaging, love it. It's a glass jar plastic lid. Love the rose gold accent. I like the square shaped jar. I don't care for the stopper, I actually throw it out. It doesn't really cover the whole eyeshadow anyway and it's a mouse consistency so in like powder, I don't think it will get anywhere. Plus the lid is pretty secure, I don't think it'll dry out easily. Quality. My lids get oily only over time after the day so a dry cream product dries my lids in the beginning. It is nice that the product feels smooth and creamy. You have more time to blend compared to other cream shadows but once you're done it sets and doesn't budge. For my lids however, I prefer applying this with my fingers because when in use a flat brush, it gets kind of patchy. When using y fingers though, it's even and beautiful. By the end of the day, very minimal fading and no creasing. You can apply powder shadows with no problems too. Shade. On my nc30 skin, it shows up like a rose gold. It's shimmery but not frosty. I definitely would recommend this even as an everyday quick swipe of color and I will definitely be purchasing more shades.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Urban Decay - Glinda Palette
tstgirl 2/7/2013 5:45:00 PM
I purchased both oz palettes and i prefer theodora over glinda, first for the packaging, i love the packaging of theodora more. Second for the quality of the shadows. Both have great quality shadows, both have that one eyeshadow with crazy glitter but the glitter in the glinda palette is chunkier, some fell into my eye and it hurt like crazy. Third, i'm nc30, asian skin tone, i find the shades in the glinda palette doesnt compliment my skin tone. Too many pastels. I like tornado(purple), south (grey) and illusion(champagne). Other than that, i still think this is a great value and if you suit the colors, i would recommend purchasing the palette.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -NARS - Light Reflecting Setting Powder
tstgirl 2/7/2013 5:20:00 PM
Packaging-although i like nar's sleek packaging and i dont really might the rubberized exterior that attracts dust like crazy, what i dont likeabout the packaging is the puff doesnt fit in the compact. Even though it comes in a pouch, IMO though the pouch looks nice, i just have no use for it and its too bothersome for quick touch ups. Quality-this is a strange product to me, you barely see the powder when you swipe it on your fingertips. Honestly, i thought i got a fake compact because i thought the powder looked like plastic. Its a hard paper feel product. Its only when i googled for reviews that the product really comes like this. I used the sponge and just pat some of the powder on my face, i'm an nc30 and this barely shows up on my face. I seriously doubt this would make any difference at all. On first application you really dont see anything, my skin just has a satin look, i did noticed some of my imperfections blur a bit but as the hours pass by, i realized i didnt have to powder my face. My face was still that satin finished that i had this morning. I have oily combo skin and my skin felt fine and not oily. I will continue using, i havent used it in the middle of summer which is the biggest test. If it continues to have the same effect, i will surely repurchase, it would be the perfect setting powder in my opinion.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Theodora Palette
tstgirl 2/1/2013 1:37:00 AM
Love this palette. I got suckered for the packaging. The quality of the eyeshadows are great. I got both palettes and i think theodora has less fall out than glinda. Although both palette have beautiful shades, i think theodora suits medium to dark skin tones simply because it compliments better, glinda has too many pastel shades. And if you have very pigmented lips, theodora's lip color would suit you better. Lip color is a little bit drier than what i'd like, i wear clarin jolie rouges but for a cherry red lipcolor, it might be better drier in order to avoid color from bleeding. Overall, this is a fantastic palette, great colors, great quality and great value. If i ever use it up or lose it. I would def repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -FLOWER Beauty - Creme Blush
tstgirl 1/20/2013 10:37:00 PM
I got this in pure petunia which is like a bright poppy color. Packaging. I think I love this packaging the most out of the whole line because it has the rosé gold accents, looks classy and small enough to fit in my makeup bag. it reminds of an ice cube. At first I thought maybe its cheap because its such a tiny pot but it actually contains more product (4g) than my Bobbi brown pot rouge (3.7g). Quality, I have oily combo skin so most cream blushes don't last long or feel sticky, this one is quite nice and dries quick which I like. I would say it last just as long as any of my high end cream blushes. On my nc30 skin, this bright blush shows up as a bright poppy color perfect for spring. I would definitely purchase more shades.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -FLOWER Beauty - Lip Service Lip Butter in Princess and The Peony
tstgirl 1/20/2013 10:25:00 PM
Packaging design looks classy IMO esp. for a Walmart brand. I only find it a bit too bulky but aside from that I actually like the design. It's a bit difficult to open at first but after a while it gets better. One thing I do find annoying is after you've peeled off the seal, you won't know what color you've purchased because the name is on the seal. Quality. If you like clarins joli rouge, maybelline whispers, Dior addicts you will like these. These are sheer, moisturizing and this shade shows up on my pigmented lips pretty well but keep in mind, these are moisturizing so they won't last long, probably just as long as the clarins joli rouge and Dior addicts, these never really last long but I have very dry lips so I don't mind reapplying and they are very moisturizing. There is no scent or taste which is very nice as well. I will definitely buy more shades.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No