Primer/ Corrector -Paula's Choice - Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish
websterboy20 7/19/2011 7:36:00 PM
I don't review a lot of products, even though I try out a TON. This one is worth documenting my experience over, however. This product is great...if you're not going to wear foundation. Even a light layer of loose powder looks dry and flaked over the Shine Stopper. So, what do I use this for? I use this if I know I'm not going to be wearing makeup that day. I apply it right after my daily facial sunscreen, and it does indeed keep my skin more matte than if I had not used it. However, I wear makeup most of the time, so that means this product is just collecting dust a lot of the time, given that any type of foundation does not apply all that well over it, given my experience. Still, a great product if you don't wear makeup.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Besame - Cashmere Powder Compact
websterboy20 10/16/2010 3:36:00 PM
Mixed feelings. I love all things vintage, and this compact is a replica of what a lot of high quality compacts looked like in the 1940s. With that said, the formula is much like products from that era as well. Granted, this is paraben free, and shouldn't break you out, but it is also very heavy, has limited color choice and is tricky to apply since the compact is so small. I couldn't imagine using this for touch ups; even trying to apply it as a powder foundation left my skin looking unnatural and even patchy...and I have oily skin! However, I found a use for this; since it's only 5g of product, it makes an excellent concealer! Using a concealer brush, sweep it into the product and pat it over blemishes. Works great! All in all, a beautiful compact that I will always have, but the actual product is just so so...it's unique, and I don't regret buying it, I just wish it performed better.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Bare Escentuals - buxom lash
websterboy20 9/27/2010 2:41:00 PM
This is a surprisingly great mascara! I got a sample with my Sephora purchase...I don't think I would have tried it otherwise. Very similar to Dior Blackout, but perhaps with even more volume and drama! I love false looking lashes...this delivers! It's also paraben and fragrance free, and easy to remove! It's a bit cheaper than higher end mascaras, although it's not without a few faults. I wish the packaging was a bit more...classy...Buxom Lash, printed in big letters on the tube...I guess I'm used to chic, Chanel packaging. Also, since the wand is so big, sometimes the formula clumps on the wand, so you will need to get of excess by scraping it in the tube or running it on a tissue. One coat is all you need, I suggest sweeping straight up instead of wiggling the brush! I will probably revisit this, even when I run out of the sample...it's that great, and I've tried mannny mascaras! Hope this was helpful. : )
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -MAC - Face and Body Foundation
websterboy20 9/3/2009 8:30:00 PM
My favourite liquid foundation. I have great skin most of the time, so the sheer coverage of this product is great for me. You could probably build it to medium coverage, but I've never used that much. It is long wearing, and is great even for my oily skin, as well as hot CA weather. What's so great about this for me is the consistency; it's very watery, which makes it perfect to apply with the MAC 187. Also, I wear N1, but I cusomize the shade by mixing in some vanilla pigment, as well as the face and body foundation in the white shade (a pro product). I stipple it on, then lightly swirl to blend. The finish is slightly dewey, which I matte with a translucent finishing powder. Probably the best foundation for those who only want minimal, natural looking coverage.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -La Mer - The Tonic
websterboy20 9/3/2009 8:27:00 PM
I'm surprised at the low review score! This is the best toner I've ever used, and it's far better than the La Mer Oil Absorbing tonic, which is way too harsh. Since I started using this toner, and I've been using it a long while, my skin just doesn't feel clean without it. Uncap, place a cotton pad at the bottle opening, and one tip is all you need. I first pat over my whole face, then gently rub it in. The pad eventually comes away dry, and any excess cleanser residue or makeup is removed. Gentle enough for the eye area! Don't let the price discourage you, it lasts a long time!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Smashbox - Photo Op Under Eye Brightener
websterboy20 9/3/2009 8:24:00 PM
I wouldn't recommend this product for anybody with severe dark circles. I don't even think it would help very much if used in tandem with a concealer. For those blessed with a youthful undereye area, this product is fantastic. It will match any skintone, I feel, since it's very neutral and very sheer. It doesn't so much conceal as it does draw attention to the eyes. I apply it with the wand, then blend out using a concealer brush, not my finger like the product suggests. I feel since it's such a thin formula, you don't really need to warm it with your fingers. Recommended not for coverage, but for bringing attention to the eyes.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Smashbox - Muse Bionic Mascara - Black Violet
websterboy20 9/3/2009 8:21:00 PM
My go to mascara for a more natural look; I use Dior Blackout for a more dramatic look. I curl my lashes, then apply two coats to each eye. It really is more of a black than a purple, but it's just violet enough to make brown eyes, especially, pop. You could even use this on the bottom lashes, which I wouldn't recommend for most masaras. The formula is fairly thin, so it's not going to work wonders. However, I don't use a primer or a lash comb with this, so for a natural, quick and easy mascara, this is my pick.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Lolita Lempicka - L de Lolita Lempicka
websterboy20 9/3/2009 8:18:00 PM
The box for this perfume says "Pacific Creation". Interesting, because I do not think it smells of the ocean or a pacific environment at all. Rather, this is a rich, vanillic, gourmand scent. I wear this when I'm at home, and I associate it with cold weather, a warm fireplace...wintertime, basically. The bottle is beautiful, and you can get this on drugstore.com for much cheaper than many other sites. I've been asked many times what I'm wearing when I choose this perfume, always being told that it has a comforting, warm smell. Recommended.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Shiseido - The Skincare Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam
websterboy20 9/3/2009 8:13:00 PM
I surprised there aren't more reviews for this! This is my PM cleanser, the one I count on to remove all of my makeup, which I wear pretty much every day. I first use a cleansing oil, in this case, the La Mer Cleansing Fluid. After that is when I applying this product. A pea size in the palm of your hand, combined with a little bit of water, is all you need. It's really best just to apply this with your hands; I've tried using the brush that Shiseido sells, as well as a washcloth, but I don't feel the product lathers as well if you do it that way. This product is indeed gentle, and it leaves the skin feeling crisp like most cleansing foams, but not horribly tight and dry. Packaging is in a leak proof tube, and the price is very reasonable considering one tube lasts close to a year. Probably the best thing about this product is how it does not interact poorly with other products, such as my cleansing oil, toner, moisturizer, etc... Highly recommended!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -La Mer - Skincolor De La Mer - The Powder - Poudre de La Mer
websterboy20 9/3/2009 8:05:00 PM
I would probably review this product lower if I didn't have such a specialized use for it. I use this product as a blush for my cheeks, after having applied liquid foundation and setting my face with another finishing powder, Chanel Poudre Cristalline. I dip my blush brush into the powder, tap of excess, then lightly sweep over each cheek. I use this in translucent, which has a slight shimmer to it. Also, the colour of the translucent powder isn't completely sheer, do I do feel it adds a little flush of colour. Since I only use it for this purpose, the price isn't bad at all, and it will last me a loooong time. I actually enjoy the packaging, as it's very luxe, but to take it with me would be inconvenient. Lastly, I have very oily skin, and I don't find this powder to be matte enough to use as my finishing powder of choice.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Black Out Mascara
websterboy20 8/20/2009 5:31:00 PM
An incredible mascara for creating a dramatic, glamorous effect. I use a different mascara for a more natural look. I don't see myself ever switching from Black Out, it's that good. However, it is VERY tricky to use, but once you learn how to apply it, the compliments won't stop, I kid you not. Like any mascara, use it up in 6 months, and shake it gently before removing the wand. With this particular mascara, I use a primer to avoid clumping; I'm not sure what it would look like without a primer. It's a very thick formula, with a very big brush, so just one application to each eye is perfect. Wiggle it back and forth at the base of the lash; it will look like you're wearing eyeliner on your top lashes! Then gently move it up. Immediately follow with a lash comb; this mascara is very thick and dark, so clumping makes it look particularly bad. If you do this correctly, it is the best looking mascara you will ever find. I'm taking it down to a 4 because it's difficult to apply, pretty pricy, messy, and hard to remove. However, once mastered...the best for dramatic lashes, hands down. Don't use it on the bottom lashes!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -La Mer - The Hydrating Infusion
websterboy20 7/29/2009 12:53:00 AM
It's a shame the reviews for this product are so negative, as it's one of my favourites from La Mer. Just one pump of this generous 4oz bottle is all you need. Pump a bit into your hand, then, using your fingers, gently sweep it over your chin, cheeks, forehead and neck; think of it as working from a paint palette, taking just a bit at a time. The texture is great. It's gel-like, but not so thick that it feels sticky. I HATE the texture of oils and serums on my skin, and my very oily skin takes well to this product. Once you learn how to use this product, you will notice big improvements in your skin. Right after you apply the infusion, PAT your moisturizer of choice onto your skin. If I don't use the Hydrating Infusion, I feel that patting a creme on my skin doesn't do the trick, as it just doesn't penetrate enough. With this product as a primer, any creme just seems to sink into my skin, no rubbing required. I recommend buying a sample of this on ebay for about $20. The sample is gennnerous, and if used as suggested, will last months. Then you can decide if you want the full product. A long review, but I highly recommend this product!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -MAC - #187 Duo Fiber Face Brush (Stippling, Skunk Brush)
websterboy20 7/26/2009 2:13:00 PM
One of my favourite brushes, from MAC or otherwise. I use it only for liquid foundation. This brush isn't that great for very thick liquid/creme foundations; I tried it with Smashbox and it did not work so well. Rather, a more liquidy, watery foundation is best for this type of brush, because it coats all of the bristles. You want to keep your foundation on the white fibers of the brush. When I apply, I ONLY stipple, without buffing it out. I get great, non streaky, even coverage. The only thing about this brush that I don't like is that it's a bit tough to get coverage in certain areas, such as the upper lip, sides of the nose, and near brows. For those areas, I use the MAC 188, but you could probably just squeeze the 187 to get the same result. Overall, great brush, very recommended.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -MAC - Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50
websterboy20 7/14/2009 6:11:00 PM
Okay okay, so this Suncream/Primer doesn't have the greatest packaging, and it's pretty expensive...but it's probably my most valuable product...and I have a lot of products. Perfect for my very oily and very fair skin, a light application of this protects my skin and preps it for liquid foundation. The texture is very thick, so I apply it with a foundation brush; it spreads evenly, and doesn't leave a white cast. After it dries, I finish up with the rest of my routine. The result? Matte, flawless, poreless skin for hours on end. I've used other primers, such as Smashbox Photo Finish in Lite. I like Smashbox primers, but they are more expensive and do not provide the sun protection. Extremely, ridiculously, highly recommended for those with fair or oily (or both!) skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Smashbox - High Definition Healthy FX Foundation
websterboy20 7/11/2009 2:37:00 PM
I'm a big Smashbox fan, but this product is an upset. The good- *Spf protection- Sure, it's only 15, but I don't get in the sun much anyway. *Pump bottle- More sanitary than pouring or dipping your fingers in a jar. One pump does my whole face. *For me, good colour match-I wear F0, the finish is natural. *Healthy ingredients, and oil free- No makeup is actually good for your skin, at least I don't think so, but this foundation doesn't have harmful ingredients, is oil free, and is paraben free. Long lasting-One bottle lasts me almost a year. The bad- *Hard to blend! This foundation is hard to work with, streaks easily, and sometimes dries patchy. *Colours run dark- Like I said, a good match for me, but all of the colours oxidize a bit and run a bit on the orange side. *Cakey-A few hours later, the finish is no longer natural. Would I recommend this? Yes and no. Sure, it's got the spf and good ingredients, but it's hard to work with. Healthy and difficult, in a nutshell.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No