Mascara -Christian Dior - DiorShow Mascara Waterproof
veronique2046 1/2/2007 7:29:00 PM
The Pros: Adds good volume and good length. My lashes are already naturally long and thick though, but this defines them very well without turning into a super clumpy mess (as happens with most "volumizing" mascaras on me.) I LOVE the brush. Its a BIG round brush which, I find, applies a good amount and evenly distributes the product. I really really loved the way my lashes looked when I wore this...but...The Cons: At $23 bucks it's pretty pricy for mascara. To be honest, Maybelline Full n' Soft gives the EXACT same look, seriously. The only reason I used this instead of the Maybelline is because I'm allergic to the Full n' Soft (it makes my eyes swell shut...dammit, it's such great mascara too!) Another con: This stuff smears!!! This is probably the first mascara I've bought that gave me racoon eyes. I didn't even apply it to my bottom lashes and still it was smeared black under them halfway into the day. And it's suppose to be waterproof!!! I ended up exchanging it for the regular non-waterproof version and found that it didn't smear and gives just as good a look. I would seriously go for the regular one over the waterproof one if you are looking to buy this...and, if you're thinking about trying it, try the Maybelline Full n' Soft first.
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Eyeliner -Guerlain - Loose Kohl in Noir
veronique2046 11/26/2006 10:32:00 PM
I use this only to line my inner and upper rims and love it. The color is dramatic but not super harsh. It sticks pretty well (as far as things sticking to your waterline go.) It lasts almost all day but I do notice a very little smudginess under my lower lashes near the end of the day. Nothing real bad, but enough for me to notice. I just carry a little q-tip in a tiny plastic bag with a tiny bit of makeup remover on it if I feel its too much for me to handle...which it isn't. Near the end of a long day it isn't that dramatic black it was at the start, but there is a noticeable shimmery dark grey line. Application was a little tricky at first, and as others mentioned this does have a tendency to drop black powder on your cheeks which I find all but impossible to get off, especially when lining the upper rims. As another reviewer mentioned below it's best to do this before your foundation. I usually hold a tissue under my eyes while applying this. I did try the method where you put the stick in the inner corner, close your eyes and slide it back and forth but I found the application uneven this way. Instead I just run the tip and sides of the tip along the waterline and get beautiful results. I really like using this when I do more "natural" eye makeup like NARS "AAE", or "AAE" with Clinique "Gold Rush". Then I slap on some MAC "Dubonnet" or Chanel "Vamp" and it really makes my dark brown eyes look bigger and much brighter. I know how some say that lining the waterline closes the eyes, but my eyes are a tad almond shaped and this stuff really makes them appear larger. MAC "NC30."
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Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (UDPP)
veronique2046 11/20/2006 8:02:00 PM
The Good News: This does exactly what it says it does. One of the very very few products that lives up to every claim it makes. Yes, your color will look brighter! Yes, it will keep your color from fading! And, Yes, your eye shadow WILL NOT CREASE. I was totally freakin' amazed with this product. My eyes lids are oily (or they were, but we'll get to that later) and this stuff made my eye shadow stay put all day and look just as good at the end of the day as the beginning when I first put it on. The consistency is creamy, goes on nice, and I personally didn't have a problem blending my shadow. So...why the 3 rating and not a 5? The *Very* Bad News: My eyelids went from being very oily to DRY...and I mean dry. They're cracking, they're wrinkly (from the severe dryness) and they're flaking. I've never had dry skin in my entire life and it's making me crazy. I've spent the last week covering my lids in Emu Oil, and Hyaluronic cream to get them soft and smooth again. They're finally returning to normal. Another week of extreme moisturizing and they should be fine. I should have seen it coming really. A product that makes your eyeshadow stick like glue...how good can it be for my lids?!? Even my mom, who has super oily lids was amazed at how well it worked, and bought some herself, became a little scared when she saw just how well it worked. Those with oilier skin have fewer lines and wrinkles because their skin is always moisturized (I guess it's a blessing and a curse) and since she's made it to almost 50 without any lines on her eyes she became concerned that having no oil on them may not be so good. I had been using it everyday (everytime I wore eyeshadow) for maybe 2-3 months before I noticed the skin becoming really dry. It's such a pity too, because this stuff REALLY works. I'm still going to use it (after my eyelids get back to normal) but ONLY on special occasions, which is also the only time I wear liquid foundation. This shouldn't be too bad for them I think...I just can't glue my eyeshadow to my eyelids everyday.
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Lipstick -MAC - Cream Lipstick in Dubonnet
veronique2046 11/20/2006 9:42:00 AM
Picked this up a few days ago and LOVE it. It's a gorgeous warm red...at least to me it seems warm. It's a very deep red and one of my new HG reds (along with NARS Shanghai Express.) I agree with previous reviews that this is a great red especially if you don't want an overly bright one. The formulation is very nice (Amplified Cream) and it goes on very smooth. I was pretty surprised how creamy it was and how it didn't dry out my lips. I'd been prepared to "fight" with it a bit to get it just right (as I do with some NARS lipsticks) but it went on beautifully. I put it on in a moving car, with no lipliner and it looked great. It didn't bleed or feather, and it really stays put. It even looked good after I ate dinner. Leaves a great stain anyway. One coat yeilds a beautiful color pay off that is even appropriate for daytime...3 coats and you get that gorgeous 1940s screen goddess look mentioned below. MAC "NC30", Jane Iredale PPB "Latte", Jane Iredale Loose Minerals "Warm Sienna", EL Double Wear "Wheat"
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Bysance Duo
veronique2046 11/14/2006 10:03:00 AM
Totally agree 100% with the previous reviewer. I can't believe I paid $33.50 for this. I really have no idea what I was thinking. I'm giving it a two instead of one hoping that I can use the colors seperately?!? I do *kind* of like the purple side but it does fade pretty quickly. I seriously doubt I'll ever use the mustard yellow side though. I probably should have taken it right back to Macy's the second I put it on my eyes at home and looked in the mirror and "Oh SH*T, I look like a Mardi Gras float" was the first thing that popped into my head! Oh well...that'll teach me to impulse buy. QUICK EDIT: Fades fasts, doesn't blend well.
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Lipstick -L'Oreal - Color Riche Star Secret Aishwarya Beige
veronique2046 11/13/2006 10:16:00 AM
I picked this up at Target after reading the reviews here and on the makeup board. I'm really glad I only spent around $7 on this thing. It's the EXACT same color as my lips!!! It looks exactly the same as when I wear clear chapstick, which is what I do almost everyday. I'd wanted something subtle to add just a bit of color to my already pigmented lips. Unfortunately, this wasnt't it. I put it on my top lip only at first, then my bottom lip only, just to see if there was a difference between my lips and it and there really was no difference at all. I did get a *slight* change when I put like 10-15 coats on my lips...I just kept smearing it on and on and on...after that it looks a teeny tiny bit "mauvey." I think this would work well on those with less pigmented lips, and those with maybe a fairer complexion. I don't really think it would show up at all for olive skinned, Latin, Indian, or women of color in general...or those with lots of pigment in their lips...which I find odd since it's Aishwarya's Beige. I highly doubt she ever really wears this color just by itself. For reference I'm MAC "NC30", Jane Iredale PPB "Latte", Jane Iredale Loose Minerals "Warm Sienna" and Estee Lauder DW "Wheat." EDIT TO ADD: Though the color doesn't show up at all it's a very moisturizing lipstick. I wore it for an entire day and my lips didn't dry out at all. Usually with my chapstick they get a little flaky near the inside by the end of the day. I'm going to upgrade my rating from 2 to 3 just for this reason. I really do think that this would be very pretty on other women though.
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Eye Shadow -NARS - All About Eve Duo
veronique2046 10/6/2006 7:50:00 PM
I had been looking at this eyeshadow for awhile now but just couldn't get myself to buy it. It just looked so incredibly boring and at $33 I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend that kind of money on boring eyeshadow. The NARS website describes them as flesh toned neutrals. One is a more satin finish and the other has more shimmer. I was actually afraid that they wouldn't even show up real well on my skin. Well, I am SO glad I broke down and bought this. I can't believe how much I absolutely love this eyeshadow. It may look boring in the pan but it's gorgeous on the eyes. I have very dark brown eyes and this coupled with the tiniest smidge of eyeliner and a double coat of mascara really makes them stand out...in that whole "look at my pretty eyes, not at my eyeshadow" kind of way. It gives a beautiful "natural" look, a perfect day/work look. In fact I've been wearing it everyday since purchasing it last week. Plus, this can be paired with anything. The shimmer side lasts all day on me and the more satin side does fade some, but my lids are a little more on the oily side. I will definitely be repuchasing, and at the rate I'm using this it'll probably be soon.
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Moisturizers -Desert Essence - Jojoba Oil - 100% pure
veronique2046 12/20/2004 5:32:00 PM
This is such a great product. It's classified here in p'ville as a moisturizer but I don't use this for my face and skin, instead I use it in my hair as a smoothing serum. I had been using Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine for this purpose (which I LOVED), but I wanted to get away from the alcohol in it and the -icones (not that my hair was drying out, I was switching as a precaution since I'm growing my hair out and need to take care of it more now.) The Garnier worked wonderful but I ended up switching to Aquage Ultra Shine Complex. This stuff was outstanding:killed frizzies, added shine, and had no alcohol...BUT it has a ton of -icones in it and was priced at $20 per ounce. I really needed something that was just as good as these other products but without all the chemicals. And I finally found it thanks to the hair board: 100% Pure Jojoba Oil. I found it at my local health food store for about $6, and it lasts a very long time since you only need like 2-3 drops (unlike my Garnier and Aquage where you needed 2-3 pumps.) I put it in my wet hair after shampooing and conditioning and it makes my hair very soft, smooth, no frizzies, and feeling moisturized. My hair has been looking really great as a result of this stuff. After my hairs dry (whether airdried or blow dried) I add a few more drops of this for excellent frizz control and tons of shine. You really can't beat this stuff: Inexpensive, no alcohol, no -icones, no chemicals, just 100% Pure Jojoba Oil. I honestly wish I'd have found this product sooner. Try some out on your hair instead of your current smoothing serum (not too much though) and I'm sure you'll be just as pleased.
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Conditioner -Aura - Pure Organic Conditioner with Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Oil
veronique2046 12/18/2004 1:41:00 PM
This is a really great conditioner. The Aura line at Sally's is truly a really good line. I like to use this in combination with the Aura Hypoallergenic shampoo. It's very highly moisturizing to my thick/course, wavy/curly hair. It always leaves my hair looking and feeling soft and frizz free even when I *attempt* to blow dry my hair straight! :P I like to rotate this with my Aquage Healing Conditioner (which is excellent for deep conditioning.) I would highly recommend this to those who need lots of moisture, and those with very thick hair!
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Moisturizers -Clinique - Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
veronique2046 12/8/2004 12:30:00 PM
I was surprised when I saw the reviews saying that people who never brake out were breaking out from this. I love this product for the opposite reason. EVERY moisturizer I have ever tried had a tendency to feel greasy, oily, and almost always made my sensitive skin brake out. I never used moisturizers ever for just this reason. I was told to try a gel moisturizer so that my skin would be hydrated yet not oily. I was pretty skeptical at first by the idea of getting this product (I remember the old DDM lotion which was like "oil slick in a bottle") but this stuff has been WONDERFUL for my skin. It's one of the only products EVER that has not made me break out. This is perfect for the summertime when it's 100+ degrees outside with 100% humidity (South TX!) It sinks right into my skin and leaves it feeling very soft. I always use this right before using my Jane Iredale mineral make up so that I get a flawless and even application. The only problem (and the only reason I gave it 4 lippies instead of 5) is that it's not quite enough moisture for the wintertime so I have to apply more and more when it gets cold. If I keep putting it on throughout the day my skin looks fabulous, but that can get pricy. Overall I still think this is an excellent moisturizer for those with acne-prone sensitive skin who still want moisture.
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Styling Products -Beyond The Zone - Air Wax
veronique2046 12/7/2004 7:30:00 PM
I really wanted this to work! I really did. I enjoy so many of the BTZ products I thought this would be no different, but man was it. It was horrible. Not only did it make my hair a greasy looking mess, but it tangled it up soooo bad. I mean really really bad. So bad that I had knots I couldn't even get out and had to go to my 78 yr. old grandfather to have him get them out for me (he was raised on a farm so I figured if he could untangle a horse's tail without getting kicked in the face, then he should do alright with my ratted up air-waxed hair.) Grampy came through in shining fashion but instructed me to no longer use "axel grease" in my hair...enough said!!!
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Shampoo -Aura - Hypoallergenic Shampoo
veronique2046 12/7/2004 7:11:00 PM
A really great gentle shampoo. My favorite thing is the fragrance - or lack there of. I'm not a fan of very strongly scented hair products (bad or good!) This stuff cleans well, doesn't dry out my hair, and is very reasonably priced.
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Styling Products -TiGi - Curls Rock Curl Booster
veronique2046 12/7/2004 7:04:00 PM
This is a very nice curl defining product. Like another reviewer already stated, it will not create curls, but define ones you already have. This product, when used on dry hair greatly reduced frizz and helps lock my curls in place. The great thing about it though is it has NO hold at all. I really dislike things with hold as they make my hair feel "crunchy" or stiff looking. With this product I just have beautifully soft, frizz free curls that are free to move and bounce (think Winona Ryder in Little Women.) It's a little pricy I think ($15 a can) but it doesn't take much to tame my hair so it lasts a while (and I have a ton of hair.) I think this is a great product for all the curly-haired gals out there! :)
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Powder -Jane Iredale - Pure Pressed Base
veronique2046 12/2/2004 9:30:00 PM
I really LOVE this foundation. I've been using it for a good while now, and I never thought I could get such great coverage with only a pressed powder. I have acne prone skin which absolutely hates liquid foundation, and I had tried them all (d/s as well as expensive department store brands) and every one seemed to cause me to breakout. I eventually just had to stop wearing makeup so that my skin could clear up but I still wanted something that would even out my complexion. The Jane Iredale mineral makeup is my HG foundation. It covers like those liquid foundations yet it allows my skin to "breath", and it never looks greasy or pancake like. I do like the Amazing Base as well, but the Pressed Powder gives a much more matte finish which I prefer. The best part is that since using this foundation my skin looks much better. I had previously tried mineral make-up and liked it (I had the Sheer Cover line - you know, the one that Leeza sells on T.V. lol!) The problem was that it only came in 3 shades (light, medium, and dark.) The Jane Iredale make-up comes in a very wide variety of colors, and I have found (or rather the lady who color printed me found) that "Latte" was a totally perfect match. I couldn't ask for more in a foundation. I would recommend this to all those looking for a foundation that gives great coverage, still wants their skin to "breath", and has problems with liquid foundations breaking them out. It's rather pricy ($40+) but so worth it for a great looking complexion!
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Conditioner -Aquage - Healing Conditioner
veronique2046 11/28/2004 3:37:00 PM
OMG, this stuff is amazing. It makes my hair look AND feel amazing. It is soo moisturizing, the MOST moisturizing conditoner I have ever used. I think this is going to be a new HG, and will be replacing my NT Mega Moisture and Garnier 3 Minute Masque (I honestly never thought I'd find anything so all around wonderful.) I picked this up at my local salon for $12 for 6 fl. oz. It was completly worth it and would pay it again in a heartbeat. The great thing about this stuff is it feels like my hair is really moisturized, not just coated with silicones to make it feel moisturized (also, there are no silicones in this product which is a bonus for those whose hair can't stand them.) This conditioner has greatly reduced my frizz when I airdry and even makes my dryer ends look fantastic. The smell is alright, not great IMO. I do enjoy it though. Very Fresh - it has an almost "sea-salt" smell, like those sea salt hand scrubs you pick up at places like Origins. Of course this makes sense as it has a number of algae extracts in it...of course maybe the company just wanted it frangranced that way, heck, algae may smell like nothing at all for all I know! :) I would highly recommend this to anyone with dry/frizzy/thick hair who need a seriously good conditioner, or for those who heat style.
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