Makeup
- GigiSD » See my profile
- Points: 438580
- Reviews: 1103
Here are all my reviews:
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Gold Bond has come a long way. I recall using the powder occasionally, and it was only available at certain drugstores. I suppose enough customers showed confidence in this company to help them flourish--they now have an extensive line of skin care items. Their "Ultimate Healing Lotion" is a staple in our home, mainly used during the winter. It boasts seven moisturizers and three vitamins. I don't know what vitamins it contains, but it is replete with soothing Glycerin, Jojoba, and Aloe. It does a very good job at healing small cuts caused by exposure to the elements, continual hand-washing, etc. It is a dense, concentrated formula, great for immediately calming irritations. I like to slather it on and follow with white cotton gloves so that the moisturizers truly sink into my skin while I sleep (highly attractive, to be sure!).
March 19, 2013
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Ah, palettes. I've discussed them before--yes, I am an addict. Want my attention? Simply pull out a palette. Want my devotion? Buy a good one for me. I attribute my compelling, powerful love of colors to the fact that I paint as an avocation. I delight in mixing shades and creating beautiful new ones. Sephora first offered Smashbox's "Meet the Masters Palette" in December. For what is contained, it is a true bargain at $59.00. But I was buying Christmas gifts for family and friends then and debated long and hard whether or not to indulge on myself--of course I did! And I'm so very glad I did. This palette packs a punch, chock-full of products in hues so creative, so becoming for any woman that I hope you'll purchase one as well. Let's start with the shadows. They are Smashbox's famous "Photo Op" variety--finely-milled, deeply pigmented, with a sumptuous texture and staying power. The lighter tones are fascinating. I am drawn to "Opal," a light pink base with a holographic appearance. "Flirt" is a sheer, gleaming beige, perfect from lid to brow bone. "Linen" is an ecru with some added lustre. And then there are the dark ones: "Serpent" is a glowing deep forest green. "Haze" is a lovely matte mix of purple-tinged grey. "Roast" is a delicious deep chocolate with sheen. My favorite? "Aubergine." It is the most seductive matte purple permitted by law. Accompanying creamy eyeliners are equally intriguing, from "Picasso" (midnight blue) to "Midnight Purple" and "Image" (a gold-infused moss green). Four "Brow Tech" powders are incorporated in the palette (what else could you possibly want?). Two large pods of blush are included with subtle sparkle--"Posy Pink," a shade so rosy, SO LOVELY that people have asked me the secret to my lit-from-within glow. Another is a pretty "Warm Apricot." Smashbox's much-touted "Soft Lights" highlighting powders are included to give a natural flush to face and décolleté. They come in "Lens" (peach), "Prism" (delightful pink), and "Shimmer" (beige). Add to this fantastic mix four rich, non-sticky lip glosses: "Bitten" (muted rose), "Guava" (perky apricot-rose), and "Mulberry" (perfect berry). Top any of them with "Buff," a nude gloss with a gold base. How to make purchasing this can't-miss kit easier for you? There are forty-five (count 'em) amazing products. Divide $59.00 by 45 and you are only paying about $1.30 per item! And you'll be mistaken for "Miss America" while wearing them. Now what are you waiting for? Head on over to Sephora or logon now for this SPECTACULAR DEAL!
March 19, 2013
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Long before I had ever heard of Urban Decay's "Primer Potion" and Too Faced's "Shadow Insurance," I was a faithful user of Ultima II's "Fade Not, Crease Not" shadow base. It worked beautifully, but it became hard to find when Ultima II sadly disappeared from the cosmetic counters of department stores. I saw L'Oreal's original "De-Crease." I was perfectly pleased with that and now have tried their new "Magic De-Crease." It offers the same staying lengthy staying power of their other product. The nude base keeps cream, mineral, or powder shadows pigmented and in place for more than ten hours for me. I love Ultima II, Too Faced, and UD, but this is a mere $9.00 as opposed to $20.00 and more for the others. It's a win-win for women everywhere.
March 19, 2013
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I was intrigued when I saw Physician's Formula "Baked Collection Wet/Dry Eye Shadows" on my sister's vanity. The pods looked so intriguing; the shades were unique and sultry. So I bought a kit myself (a steal for about $8.50). The shades work beautifully together and go on smoothly. I use them dry during the day, but for extra "oomph," I wet them for a stunning, long-lasting look! I now own several of these little palettes and am in love.
March 19, 2013
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I was fortunate enough to win this system from another beauty site. Foundation, blush, and highlighter apply the same way--you simply snap in the pigmented pod you want to the airbrush unit. I chose blush in a very flattering "Washed Rose" shade (the representatives at Temptu helped me choose the hue). You move the attached wand in small, circular motions. Start at the apples of your cheeks. Coverage is buildable, so begin with less and add as needed. It leaves a lovely, natural flush which lasts all day (and into the night)! Now I understand why brides flock to makeup artists for this technique. It's you--only far better!
March 19, 2013
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Why do women wear foundation? They want to even their skin tone, hide any imperfections, and impart a clarified, lit-from-within finish, right? That's exactly what Temptu's "Airbrush System" does--and THEN SOME! I was fortunate enough to win this from another beauty site, and I was so thrilled that I began experimenting the very night I received it. Foundation flows on seamlessly; you simply slip the small pigmented pod into the brush system and move in circular motions, concentrating first on where you need the most coverage. Less is more. There is no fear of bacterial contamination which you may have with using sponges or brushes for application. You look like yourself--only a much more enhanced version! The foundation lasts all day. That's very important for me, as I teach and have no time to use the ladies room, let alone do makeup touch-ups. Yes, it's expensive, but once you use it, you won't want to return to traditional foundation. There's no fear of having a cakey look or base clinging to fine lines and creases. IT IS A SECOND, MORE PERFECT SKIN. And I am perfectly happy!
March 19, 2013
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I ordered this from Sephora in "Garden of Eden" ($58.00). The colors are all shimmering shades of green, from dark olive to kelly to yellow-green. I didn't find that they complemented each other as well as they could have (another color or two would have been more helpful). When paying this much money, I expect shadows to be buttery-soft, to glide onto lids. They didn't do that. They weren't difficult to work with, nor were they especially easy. This product was mediocre. Perhaps I would have been pleased with another palette choice, but I think that they have a lot to learn from Christian Dior when it comes to fabulous combinations.
March 18, 2013
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I confessed in some earlier reviews that I am an eye shadow fanatic--for the last twenty-five years, I have never made a trip to a drugstore or department store without perusing the shadows first, no matter what I needed. And I am dependent on palettes. It's so wonderfully convenient to have a number of products in one container (not to mention visually stunning). Large palettes remain on my vanity or in one of my cosmetic containers for use when needed; small ones are easy to simply toss in my purse and go. I first ran across this little wonder a few years ago and fell in love. It's a product that I use to the very last bit, scraping it out of the corners until I purchase a replacement. The shades are quite different than they appear in the picture. All have shimmer to them and blend easily, and they are absolutely PERFECT for creating a smokey eye. There is a soft lilac, taupe, bronze, and silver. The deeper colors are ones so plush, so intense that you rarely find them elsewhere. There is a seductive, inky indigo, a gorgeous dark purple, a perfect plum, and a black with gold inflections. What I truly appreciate are the light hues. They appear in various shades of ecru and peach, but they are holographic. Each has an undertone, ranging from gold to pink, which lends a mysterious gleam. I place a bit under my brow bone and just above my pupil to draw attention to my eyes. The compact includes a soft matte powder in a fair shade (perhaps for touch-ups?) and a tender pink-taupe glimmering highlighter. Also included is an intriguing lip gloss in a peach with gold highlights. The compact closes magnetically and stays closed. The price? It varies now; I just purchased another on eBay for $10.00. Amazon carries this for about $21.00. The colors can be used for daytime, but they work amazingly for a stunning evening look. I highly recommend it!
March 18, 2013
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Just the name "Pond's" conjures an image of my beautiful grandmother using this nightly before washing her face. I would sit on her bed and watch her, fascinated, enjoying the signature scent. Her skin was flawless even into her eighties. Many years later, when I did local modeling and attended modeling school, did I learn the reason for the use of cold cream: Lipids bond with lipids. In order to draw out every impurity and trace of makeup (and I used tons of makeup at that time--heavy, professional products made for the camera), soap and cleansers alone don't do a complete job. (Another image just came to mind--Bette Davis sitting at her dressing table in "All About Eve," slathering cleansing cream over her entire face in front of a number of friends.) Pond's "Cold Cream Cleanser" is thick, but it is wonderfully refreshing, ultimately feminine, and leaves your face moisturized and velvety. It is part of my nightly regimen to remove not only makeup (including stubborn waterproof eye products), but also imbedded oil and grit from the day (okay, so I cheat when I travel and use makeup-removing towelettes). The payoff is well worth the extra few minutes it adds to your routine.
March 18, 2013
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In another review, I talked about the fact that my mom had to have plastic surgery after an emergency quadruple-bypass operation a decade ago. I was completely fascinated by the physician's office. It gleamed; polished shelves overflowing with glistening bottles and tubes of skin products called my name as I wandered around, I swear! One day I asked the surgeon which brand(s) he most recommended. He was quite honest and surprisingly said, "Forget about what you see here! It is overpriced. I supply it because patients ask for it by name. When you want to care for your skin, turn to Shea and Cocoa Butters." I will never forgot that. He said these natural ingredients healed and hydrated more efficaciously than anything man-made. I received Farmhouse Fresh's "Whoopie! Cream Shea Butter" as a gift a few years ago. It has a delectable smell--get ready to swoon! It is an exact replicate of white velvet cake AND frosting (how they make the fragrance of both cake and frosting I will never understand). This scrumptious light-textured cream is comprised of 90% Shea Butter, with Vitamin E, Jojoba, and Soybean Oils included to comfort even the most parched skin. Slather it everywhere to combat dry skin (don't forget oft-neglected elbows and feet as well as arms, legs, and décolleté). It seeps in quickly, leaving the luscious scent behind along with silkened, renewed skin. There is no heavy, greasy feel at all. This is Paraben- and Sulfate-free, so those of conscious of ingredients can relax. Thirty dollars is pricey for a lovely jar, but this is such a wonderful, uplifting splurge that I keep buying a new bottle when I finish one (once opened, the product begins to turn brown with time, so you must use it consistently). Farmhouse Fresh makes a huge variety of great products--I also enjoy their "One Fine Day Flawless Face Polish" to exfoliate. It has a Shea-Sugar base, meant for those with sensitive skin, including Rosacea. I am a convert to this company's products!
March 17, 2013
