Lipstick -LORAC - Naturally Demi sheer lipstick
uberfemme 8/6/2003 5:54:00 PM
This was originally a post written by myself on the makeup board. Since I love this lipstick so much, I wanted to add my post to Productville where it can do the most good.
I think I maye have found my Holy Grail lipstick. Keep in mind this is coming from someone who owns a good couple hundred lipsticks and glosses. (One of these days, I'll take a picture of my stash. It's insane.) For me to find one I like, well it's a cause for celebration! Today I decided to play with my Lorac Pro 9 palette. (For those unfamiliar with this palette, it has 4 lipsticks and 4 lip/cheek stains in a small palette.) One of the lipsticks is Naturally Demi, a medium-deep mauvey pink brown. This is such a perfect and beautiful YLBB color, especially for GGGs and DDDs. It isn't very dark, it just naturally enhances your natural lip color. It's very sheer and has a hint of gloss to it. It's also very moisturizing. I needed no balm under this all day. This is a really beautiful color. For those of you searching for a great YLBB color, you should really check this out. Now, I have to go order the full size.
Update: I am still loving this lipstick and it continues to be a holy grail for me. However, I would now describe the color as more plummy-pink-brown with a hint of mauve. Still a gorgeous color.
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Crème -MAC - Studio Tech
uberfemme 8/6/2003 5:48:00 PM
This is one of my favorite MAC foundation formulas (Yes, I have many). I wear Studio Tech in NC45 which is pretty close to my natural skintone. A good match is important with this foundation since it melds into your skin, creating flawless-looking, naturally gorgeous skin. I don't have any real trouble blending this foundation, but I did spend some time finding moisturizers and sunscreens that wouldn't "pill up" under the Studio Tech.
This is one of the best products to come out of MAC for some time. If you can wear it (Some have had problems with breakouts), I highly recommend it!
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Conditioner -Fresh - illipe butter conditioner
uberfemme 8/6/2003 5:40:00 PM
When I first read last year about Fresh starting a hair care line, I was skeptical. While I do like the bath and body line as well as the fragrances, I felt the company was spreading itself far too thin to have a clear focus on creating haircare. On a whim, I picked up Illipe Butter Conditioner(Along with Soy Shampoo). Since my hair is dry and dehydrated with a bit of damage, I chose this conditioner because it is supposed to deep condition with ingredients like shea butter. It costs $24 for a 150ml tube, which is expensive although a good price for high-end haircare.
Illipe Butter Conditioner is very thick and feels like butter at room tempurature. It's not as heavy or greasy as butter would be although it does a fantastic job of moisturizing and conditioning my hair. I really like this product and credit this with getting rid of some of the frizziness in my hair. It truly smooths the hair and makes it feel much softer. I can achieve this using the smallest amount of product. The scent is nothing to write home about. It's a standard citurs scent although it does help to boost the scent of Soy Shampoo, which makes that scent last much longer.
This is a very nice deep conditioner. However, I think it does work best when used with Fresh shampoos. Because it is heavy I wouldn't recommend this for anyone who doesn't have very dry hair. It can be a bit heavy and might make some hair types greasy.
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Shampoo -Fresh - Soy Shampoo
uberfemme 8/6/2003 5:26:00 PM
When I first read last year about Fresh starting a hair care line, I was skeptical. While I do like the bath and body line as well as the fragrances, I felt the company was spreading itself far too thin to have a clear focus on creating haircare. On a whim, I picked up Fresh Soy Shampoo (Along with Illipe Butter Conditioner). Since my hair is dry and dehydrated with a bit of damage, I chose Soy shampoo over the much hyped Soda (clarifying) shanpoo. It costs $22 for a 10 oz. bottle, which is expensive although a good price for high-end haircare.
When I initially tried Soy Shampoo, the very first thing I noticed was the delicious scent--fresh tangerines. This shouldn't be suprisingly since Fresh is well-known for their scents. But this was different. The shampoo smelled like real tangerines-- neither chemical smelling nor cloying. Can you imagine waking up to that scent every morning? *sigh* It's heavenly.
How does it work? Well, it works much better than I expected. It cleans thoroughly without stripping my hair of moisture nor making my hair feel straw-like after use. It does its job and does it well.
I've been using Soy shampoo in conjuction with Illipe Butter Conditioner for several months now. The combination has made my hair much healthier looking and less frizzy (Good news for us curlyheads!). While I would otherwise give this product 4 lipsticks due to its high price, the scent is so wonderful and unique I feel it deserves five. I just don't think I could easily reproduce this scent which is my main reason for loving this.
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CD/Books/Movies -Frederic Fekkai - A Year of Style
uberfemme 8/3/2003 7:04:00 PM
A Year of Style isn't so much a beauty book as it is a lifestyle guide--and what a wonderful lifestyle it is! Written as part book/part day to day giude, A Year of Style covers all the basics of looking and living good: hair, makeup, cltohing, food, etiquette, etc. While his focus is mainly on looks, there is some excellent advice about subjects like food and entertaining. While his methods are not suitable for everyone, if you prefer to incorporate a little chic-ness"" into your life, this is an excellent book to read.
There isn't much that can be said about this book, It is what it is. And you will either love it or hate it. If this seems like the kind of book you'd like (Perhaps if you are someone who enjoys good food, music and company), by all means get it. Otherwise, I strongly advise browsing through this book BEFORE purchasing to avoid disappointment.
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CD/Books/Movies -Unlisted Brand - Book- Beauty The New Basics
uberfemme 8/3/2003 6:51:00 PM
This is quite possibly my favorite beauty book. Rona Berg's book is a definite must-have for anyone interested in cosmetics, whether you are a beginner or a beauty junkie like myself. The book is divided into three sections: Face, Body, and Hair. Within each section is a series of chapters devoted to that particular area of beauty. For example, the Face section is all about skincare and makeup.
What makes this book different from all the rest is Rona Berg's seeming enthusism for cosmetics (She strikes me as being a beauty junkie herself), the focus on high-end cosmetics and the fact that she recommends actual products. There are lists and lists of products (both high and low-end, but mostly high-end) throughout the book. Two other interesting sections are the makeovers given to REAL women and the short cosmetic timelines.
This is a fantastic book. I bought it two years ago, shortly after it was released and still find it helpful to this day. If you want a book that fun, informative and about the pure joys of cosmetics, you'll want this one.
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CD/Books/Movies -NARS - Book - Makeup Your Mind
uberfemme 8/3/2003 6:42:00 PM
A must have for every Nars fan! Francois Nars has written a most comprehensive and helpful guide to using his makeup line. With this book, you get detailed instructions on how to create the different looks shown. There is even a clear overlay for each photograph to show you where to place all products, even foundation and concealer. (Rare, since there seems to be very little focus on applying foundations, powders and concealers in most makeup books.)
Unfortunately, unless you have a good eye for choosing colors, this book isn't all that helpful unless you are a Nars fan. For that reason, I gave the book 4 lipsticks. I also gave the book 4 lipsticks due to the packaging. While I love the spiral-bound book, the pages fall out easily. The book itself constantly falls out of the cover. The plastic sleve that houses the book is flimsy and a waste of material. However, that shouldn't deter you from buying the book. Just be cautious when reading.
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Lip Gloss -Chantecaille - Lipgloss in Campari
uberfemme 8/3/2003 3:50:00 AM
Although expensive at $20, Chantecaille makes one of the very best glosses on the market. They have an incredible texture that is neither too sticky nor too greasy yet is long lasting and moisturizing. Campari is coral-red with just a hint of pinkness to it. It's definitely on the neutral to cool side. Like most Chantecaille lipsticks, it can be worn as a sheer, hint of color or as a deeply pigmented red gloss. This shade would be flattering on most tones except the very warm toned. Comes in a cute little mirrored compact for easy touchups. If I could give this gloss a higher rating than a 5, I would. It really is superb and deserves to at least be tested at the counter. It's worth every penny.
For refereance, my skin tone is Mac C6/NC45. I have brown hair and eyes.
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