Makeup
- GigiSD » See my profile
- Points: 438580
- Reviews: 1103
Here are all my reviews:
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I'm sorry. I recently purchased several palettes which Stila names for various cities. There was no room for "Vibrant in Vancouver," and I am over the moon about it. I want to shout from the housetops! So I am putting my review here. I am still scratching my head as to how Stila can afford to offer five high-quality eye shadows and a good amount of their famed lip and cheek tint, "Convertible Color," for just $10.00 at Sephora (yes, you read that correctly--a $67.00 value for $10.00!). The inspiration for these particular shades comes from that fact that Vancouver is a huge cosmopolitan city, with breathtaking coastal and mountain scenery. The company wanted unique shades--and they did create them. All of these palettes are small, sleek, and highly portable. They close magnetically and are made of very hard, sturdy cardboard (don't be afraid to toss them in your purse and go). Each comes with a good-sized mirror and a schematic with just one suggestion on how to best use the eye shadows. With "Vancouver," it is suggested that you apply "English Boy" from lid to brow bone. This is a lovely deep nude color with tender, wearable shimmer (even for daytime). Stila then suggests adding "Cypress" (a tenderly gleaming gold) or "Granville" (matte taupe) in the crease and blending upward. Follow by lining upper and lower lashes with "Seaplane" (a gold/taupe with sheen and a hint of green) or "Cool Harbor" (the most delicious matte chocolate imaginable). However, these are merely suggestions. Go wild! Begin with "Cool Harbor" on your lid and create the ultimately smoky eye. Only your imagination can restrict you in the many looks you can produce with these long-wearing, no-crease, beautiful hues. For cheeks and lips, try a touch of "Tiger Lily" (a gorgeous red-brown, reminiscent of the lip stain once sold by Lorac). Whatever you do, you'll look absolutely lovely, and the colors will not budge for a long period of time (I suggest a great eye primer, a lip primer, and using a lip brush for the best possible look). These palettes are beyond incredible; I'm in love!
June 7, 2013
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My husband probably owns more fragrances than I do. I wanted to get him a few new ones for Father's Day. His Dolce & Gabbana "Light Blue" just arrived, and I can't wait to smell it on him. It is fresh, crisp, a bit spicy, and masculine, but it is sexy above all else. It's a perfect scent for the summer. Dolce & Gabbana expertly blends Sicilian mandarin, frozen grapefruit peel, bergamot, juniper, rosemary, Szechuan pepper, rosewood, musk wood, incense, and oak moss for this come-hither scent.
June 7, 2013
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My husband probably owns more fragrances than I do. I wanted to get him a few new ones for Father's Day. His Dolce & Gabbana "Light Blue" just arrived, and I can't wait to smell it on him. It is fresh, crisp, a bit spicy, and masculine, but it is sexy above all else. It's a perfect scent for the summer. Dolce & Gabbana expertly blends Sicilian mandarin, frozen grapefruit peel, bergamot, juniper, rosemary, Szechuan pepper, rosewood, musk wood, incense, and oak moss for this come-hither scent.
June 7, 2013
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This is a surprisingly gentle yet seductive fragrance. It is a mix of neroli, raspberry, green mandarin, jasmine, orange blossom, guimauve, heliotrope, and sandalwood make it highly wearable for all women, even those who don't care for perfume.
June 7, 2013
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I ordered this in "Caramel" to work with my auburn hair, and it matches very well. This does apply easily and dries quickly (fortunately, eyebrows aren't "crunchy" once they dry). However, the formula doesn't seem substantive enough to fill in the sparse areas I have. I believe I will still work with "Divaderme" and/or brow powders first and finish with this.
June 7, 2013
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Stila has created an amazing array of palettes, each named for a particular city. I reviewed the sexy "Stylish in Seoul." I am so very impressed with these palettes that I have to shout from the rooftop; there was no specific place to review "Rockin' in Rio," so I'm using this space. The colors in this palette are meant to reflect the colorful culture and beautiful topography of Rio. They do! All of the palettes are slim, portable, and beautifully sized, created of very hard cardboard, and close magnetically (don't fear tossing them in your purse--they'll stay closed). Each includes five high-quality eye colors, a large mirror, a schematic suggesting how to use the eye shadows, and a large amount of Stila's coveted "Convertible Color," the perfect long-lasting cream to give a pop of color to cheeks and lips. Stila suggests applying "Copacabana" from lash line to brow bone (a brightened nude with tender shimmer). They suggest putting "Samba" (gleaming light taupe) or "Bossa Nova" (taupe with sheen) in the crease and blending upward. The next step is to use a liner brush to upper and lower lash lines with the color "Carnavale" (glimmering charcoal). For a touch of unexpected color, they advise adding "Ipanema" (gorgeous cobalt blue with subtle gleam) to either your lower lash line or on your lid. Of course, these are suggestions. Go wild and apply "Ipanema" over your lid, working with the other shades as complements. No matter how you play with these hues, they will leave you with very wearable looks, ranging from demure to dangerously glamorous! Oh, and then there is Stila's "Convertible Color" in "Freesia" (a lovely deep rose to enhance any complexion and pout). It blends easily on cheeks and stays put. On lips, it is comforting, shiny, and won't budge, even through lots of conversations and sips of coffee, tea, water, or soft drinks. I am still scratching my head at how Stila can offer these INCREDIBLE palettes for $10.00 at Sephora (worth more than $67.00), but I'm certainly not complaining. I will simply continue to buy and enjoy. I hope you do as well!
June 7, 2013
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There is a pervasive attitude which I come against all the time when reviewing cosmetics--paying more money does NOT necessarily mean that you are getting a superior product. Many times you do indeed "get what you pay for," but there are companies like ELF which offer amazing kits, like this palette, worth far more than the pittance you pay. The key is learning to read labels and becoming familiar with ingredients. I have ELF's "Studio Little Black Beauty Book" in cool and warm. No, the shadows are not as luxurious as Dior or MAC, but they are highly pigmented and surprisingly easy to work with, apply, and blend. Once in awhile you may find a shade where you have more difficulty getting the amount of color you need, but there's probably another one just like it in the palette which will satisfy you. What I love about ELF is that they offer several gradations of the same shade--for example, they will begin with the most light blue and follow through until you reach a vivid, hard-to-find cobalt. Sometimes Urban Decay puts together palettes with no seeming rhyme or reason to the color combination; not so with ELF. The colors wear very well over a good primer, do not crease, and do not flake. The lip colors are also a bit shocking--they are more substantive than glosses, more like little wells of real lipstick. They last a good bit of time, especially over a lip primer and when applied with a lipstick brush (of course, you can always use your finger for touch-ups). The beauty of these palettes is that you can mix shades and create your own signature hues. The "warm" palette has hues of cream, ecru, taupe, brown, copper, and amethyst. A smoky eye is extremely easy to achieve with these, and you don't have to worry about carrying around individual pots of color. Hooray for ELF for offering quality makeup at truly affordable prices!
June 7, 2013
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I am completely befuddled. I am clueless. I have absolutely NO idea how Stila is able to offer these high-quality, keepsake palettes for $10.00 at Sephora when they are worth more than $67.00. Hey, I'm not arguing--I'm just loving this deal and taking advantage of it! There are several of these palettes which come in very slim, portable hard cardboard cases (have no fear of tossing in your purse) and include five incredible eye colors and Stila's stellar "Convertible Color" for lips and cheeks, along with large mirrors and schematics on how to use the colors. "Stylish in Seoul" is a sexy palette. It is suggested that you apply "Zen" (a subtly shimmering champagne) or "Dynasty" (a bit deeper, rose-infused champage) from lash line to brow bone. Stila then directs you to use "Palace" (a tender gleaming silver) along the crease and blend upward well. They go on to direct you to line upper and lower lash lines with "Midnight," a glimmering taupe, or "Empire," a pulse-pounding matte intense amethyst. That's a great look, or you can play with these any way you want, starting with "Empire" (amethyst) on your lids and using the other colors as complements. No matter how you work with these colors, they create simply beautiful looks, from subtle to dramatic. I am absolutely in love with "Convertible Color." In this palette it comes in "Azalea," which is actually a very neutral and wearable tea rose. "Convertible Color" applies easy to cheeks and stays put, as do the shadows (no worries about creasing or flaking, especially when applied over a great primer). When applied to lips, it becomes a shiny, flattering shade on anyone and wears for very long periods of time, even when sipping on coffee, water, or soft drinks. This is stylish in Seoul, Paris, New York, or your hometown. The palette works incredibly well. Stila does not offer any applicators; best looks are achieved with good eye brushes. For a refined, polished lip look, use a brush there as well (it will also keep color from straying). In a pinch, you can always swipe on with your fingers.
June 7, 2013
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A cosmetic company offered me the opportunity to try this, and I have since repurchased several times. This is a highly effective product, though pricey. The company has created a complex called "Firmoxyl" to leave the eye area looking well-rested, boost hydration, and reduce crow's feet. A closer look at ingredients reveals gentle acids, sodium hyaluronate (a moisture magnet), and copper. Neutrogena included copper in one of their eye-firming creams years ago, and it works wonders at making skin immediately more taut. With continued use, the benefits accrue. It is totally non-greasy, absorbs well, and you will definitely see positive results with this. This is a great eye cream which I highly recommend.
June 7, 2013
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I prefer cocoa and shea butter, but this lavish cream sinks in skin pretty quickly and deeply and thoroughly moisturizes. Especially great to use during bitterly cold winters!
June 6, 2013
