Top/Base Coats -Unlisted Brand - Oh So Wet!
wcw74 7/25/2009 11:19:00 PM
This top coat is not for me. The drying time is ok, not as fast as SV but faster than the regular top coat. The shine factor is also ok, again not as shiny as SV, Poshe, or Essie G2G but again better than almost all regular top coats. The wear is also ok, no chips or tip wear and the shine lasts for a good 2-3 days. What drives me nuts is that I get dents on my nails with this polish. I see it on the tips of my nails the next day -- no chips but the dents are there. I've tried this with a combination of all my polishes - OPI, Essie, China Glaze, and finally realized that it's this top coat. Oh well, there are plenty of top coats that do work for me and Oh So Wet is relatively cheap for under $5 at Sally's.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express Turbo Boost Waterproof 
wcw74 3/14/2009 8:51:00 PM
Eh nothing special about this mascara. It's billed as a volumizing mascara and in a super fat tube. So they are setting up the expectations pretty high already. The results are ok - I get teensy lengthening and some volume. Nothing dramatic or lash fattening. The good news is that the mascara did not drag down my curl or irritate my eyes. The waterproof version is truly waterproof but it's not smudgeproof. I have worn this mascara several times on rainy days and I didn't get runny racoon eyes. Though when my skin gets a bit oily from the humidity then I get smudges underneath my eyes. It's not a terrible mascara but don't expect miracles either.
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Polishes -OPI - Parlez-Vous OPI?
wcw74 12/15/2008 12:47:00 PM
Poo this color doesn't work well with my skintone. It's a lovely muted greyed purple in the bottle but it appears much brighter lavendar-y on my hands. The smokey murky mutedness is not there when applied. At least not on my skintone. It's ok on my toes, actually it looks good there along with flip flops. But it doesn't evoke the cool damp days of fall/winter.
The application is ok, not great but not bad either. Again, the prowide brush is a bit tricky to use with the formula. I cannot comment on the wear as I took it off after 2 days.
For reference I'm Chanel Beige/Sand, LM Sand, GA LSF 5.5, and STila 30 watts in skintone.
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Polishes -OPI - You Don't Know Jacques! 
wcw74 12/13/2008 2:39:00 PM
You Don't Know Jacques is a daring out of the norm color released as part of OPI's Fall 08 collection. It is a dark taupe cream - think portobello mushroom cap color. A nice change from all the dark vamps, reds, and blacks out there. It's dark enough to complement to cool crisp weather of autumn. A great color if you can get used to wearing it.
Although I love this color I can't give it a full 5 rating because it's not as versatile and it requires upkeep. First of all the application is not the perfect OPI quality that we all come to know and love. It is streaky and somewhat dry. Combine that with the pro wide brush and the application can look sloppy - take your time in applying and cleaning up this one. At least for me (not a fan of pro wide brushes). Also a shiny top coat is a must, I needed to refresh it every 2-3 days. Because it's a dark taupe, it does look like dirty grungy nails once it starts to chip and the finish starts to dull. Unless that's the intended look. This color is still a winner for me, I just can't slack off when I'm wearing it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -China Glaze - Recycle
wcw74 9/21/2008 4:15:00 PM
Yeah, I'm on the grey bandwagon..or rather I've been trying to find grey polish for years and years with little luck. Finally it has become "trendy" enough that I can shove all my mixing experiments aside and sit happily on the cart. Recycle is a very nice balanced grey creme from China Glaze. No the color isn't terribly exciting, it's basically white and black creme mixed in equal proportions. The reasons why I love Recycle and give it a perfect 5 are as follows - 1) 2 coats give me opaque coverage, no streaks, no frustrations or tears, 2) the finish is nice and glossy. A TC with Essie G2Go or SV amps up the shine 3) Grey is one of my favorite colors, works with my skintone and 4) I think grey is just great as a neutral - goes with everything! The wear on Recycle is pretty good with my OPI Natural Nails BC and Essie Good to go Topcoat. It's day 3 of my mani and no chips or tip wear. I'll be taking it off tonight simply because my nails getting too long for my comfort but I think the mani will last longer if I left it on. Recycle is a great polish and a great grey, recommended for those of you looking for one.
For reference my skin tone is Chanel Beige, stila 30 watts, and LSF 5.5. I'm tanner these days because of a few trips to the beach & some tennis time the past few weeks.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Slimshine Lipstick in High 90's (Cool Heat)
wcw74 9/13/2008 9:15:00 PM
I have to say that I'm really in love with High 90s slimshine. Yes it's orange but pair it with a pinky lipgloss or liner (or if you have pigmented pinky lips) and I get the most awesome juicy pinky coral lips. No glitter or frost, just pure juiciness. Perfect summer lip color and I have been faithfully reaching for this lipstick since late July. I'm about halfway through the tube and can see myself finishing this up before our "summer" here in California is over which is sometime in late October. My only gripe is the short staying power and it's not as kind to my lips in the moisturizing department, and it doesn't go on as smoothly (kind of lumpy clumpy so I need a mirror). Nothing major, I can live with applying lip balm, reapplying lipstick, and smoothing out my lips.
For reference I'm Chanel Beige, Stila 30 watts, and GA LSF 5.5 in skin tone. I like to pair High 90s with peachy or peachy pink cheeks - NARS Orgasm, Deep Throat, Shu Peach 40, GA Blush #2 or just some bronzer. Nothing too bright on the cheeks as this lipstick already brightens up my lips plenty!
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Lip Gloss -Kiehls - Lip Gloss - Pink Rider
wcw74 8/15/2008 11:27:00 PM
Love love love this lipgloss from Kiehls! Though I would call this more of a glossy lipbalm rather than lipgloss. Or maybe they are the same? :)
Pink Rider is a gorgeous pinky rose gloss with some sparkles. These sparkles are nothing to worry about - they don't migrate all over the face or end up hair like other glosses. The pigmentation is medium (for a lipgloss) adding more color to my lips in a bright healthy way. The result is soft office / meeting appropriate shiny rosy lips. The wear is comfortable too and my lips soak up the moisture from this gloss. I bought this lipgloss on a whim to qualify for a Saks GWP and it ranks as one of the best impulse buys I've ever done! I got this tube in the spring and it looks like I'm about halfway through it and I apply every day at work.
For reference I'm Chanel Beige, Stila 30 watts, and GA LSF 5.5 in skintone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Bobbi Brown - Hot Pink
wcw74 8/15/2008 11:20:00 PM
Hot Pink is not as bright or OTT as the name implies. Yes, it is a fuschia bright pink in the tube but the gloss applies sheerly. I still get a cool toned pink tinted color, enough to see that I am wear a pink lipgloss on my medium pigmented lips. What I love most about these glosses is the high glass like shine that makes my lips look juicy but not in a young way. I can play it up or play it down with application and it never looks over the top. The wear is comfortable - thick smooth texture and it doesn't dry out my lips. Lasting power is about average for a lipgloss. Of course as with most everyone's gripe I would be very happy if they replace the applicator. I have to go into the tube about 3-4 times to get coverage and my lips aren't that big! Still a good product though.
For reference I'm Chanel Beige, Stila 30 watts, and GA LSF 5.5 in skintone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Cartier - Delices
wcw74 7/6/2008 2:48:00 AM
The notes sound promising - some fruit, some flowers, and some headier (violet, sandalwood) notes to anchor it down. Though on my body it's way too sweet, like cherry candy with a dash of pepper. Actually it reminds me of Luden's cherry cough drops. Tolerable in small doses but I get tired of it and it's a fragrance that last hours on me. I have a sample vial of this perfume and spray it sparingly...to help cut down on the sweetness I usually pair this with either a florally or amber/woody based lotion. The mixture is more tolerable that way.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Funships
wcw74 6/30/2008 2:07:00 PM
Now this color is what summer is all about - bright, loud, shimmery, glowy, red coral! Funships leans more on the orangey red side when applied to my toes. The polish applied evenly and I got opaque saturated color with 2 coats. The wear was also fantastic - my pedicure lasted almost 2 weeks with only slight tip wear on 2 toes when I removed it. A great summer color but it is too much for me to wear as a manicure and it's strictly a seasonal color for me. So the versatility is not there but it's still highly recommended.
For reference I'm stila 30 watts, Chanel Beige, and GA LSF 5.5. I used OPI Natural Nails BC and Essie Good2Go TC on my pedicure.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -LUSH - I should Coco Soap [DISCONTINUED]
wcw74 6/13/2008 1:51:00 PM
This is ok, I'm not too crazy about this but I don't detest it either. I agree that this smells great when dry - a sweet fresh coconut with a hint of citrus. But that doesn't translate well when it gets wet. The exfoliating scrubby part includes the coconut flakes which feel bumpy and rough when applied to the skin. It's not bad but it's not a euphoric experience either. Rather it reminds me more of one of those massage bars with the bumps so it feels stimulating when applied with light to medium pressure. I use this mainly when I take a bath so the lack of bubbles/lather doesn't bother me. I used my little bar but won't be repurchasing it. Though I would still keep and use it if I got it as a gift or freebie :)
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Polishes -Elizabeth Arden - Providence Cherry
wcw74 5/18/2008 8:59:00 PM
Another lucky find in the Ulta clearance bin! Providence Cherry looks like a cool toned cherry red creme in the bottle. Surprisingly, it goes on warm, so it looks like a coral (slight) red creme with a glossy jelly finish. Think a more neutral tone to OPI's My Chihuahua Bites. Still lovely on toes, especially now that it's flip flop sandal weather. The application, as with all EAs is flawless and easy - great coverage in 2 coats. Unfortunately all EA polishes have been discontinued but they are still floating around on ebay and in some salons. Providence Cherry is a definite keeper and re-wear for me :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Clinique - high definition lashes
wcw74 4/19/2008 2:40:00 PM
Eh, I'm not too impressed with this mascara, it's ok. I've tried different methods in using this mascara and it fails to wow me. The wand is half comb and half brush. When I first apply the comb side my lashes are clumped together into spidery lashes. When followed by the brush side, lashes do feather out a bit. I still need to use a lash comb afterwards to further separate out the lashes. I also tried going the other way, brush side first then followed by comb. Oh no, definately spidery clumpy lashes. The only good thing about this mascara is that the formula doesn't flake, smudge or irritate my eyes. That's true of Clinique's mascaras in general. It's too much work to make my lashes look thicker and longer, and I think the wand is too gimmicky. This mascara is not for me.
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Polishes -Elizabeth Arden - Chesapeake Pearl
wcw74 4/13/2008 12:54:00 PM
Chesapeake Pearl is a cool toned soft white that have blue-pink-purple tones. The finish is definitely cool toned. The application is perfect as with all EA polishes - smooth and non streaky. Staying power decent at around 3-4 days with minor tip wear. What I love most about this polish is the versatility - it looks good with 1, 2, or 3 coats. With 1 coat I get a soft pearly pinkish blue sheen on my nails, it's very sheer but pretty. 2 coats gives them a stronger glow/sheen, very very pretty. This would look great as part of a french mani. 3 coats gives my nails more of a mod pearly look, especially with short barely over nailbed nails. Also looks hot with a tan. I am very pleased with Chesapeake Pearl and this was a great find at the sale bin at Ulta :)
For reference I'm Chanel Beige, Stila 30 watts, and GA LSF 5.5
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Lip Gloss -Chanel - Pagoda Glossimer
wcw74 4/4/2008 1:45:00 AM
Pagoda is one of the few Chanel glossimers that I actually finish in a season (3-4 months) because I reach for this lipgloss so often. It doesn't got on the lips as dark as it looks in the tube - I get a little bit of warm rose, a bit of bronze, and a teensy bit of peach. It coordinates perfectly with the rest of my makeup and clothes at work. The texture is typical Chanel - thick, gel like, not sticky, moisturizing, unscented, and wears off evenly, I'm almost done with my 2nd tube and will be replacing it.
For reference I'm Chanel Beige, Stila 30 watts, and GA LSF 5.5 in skintone.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No