Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Great but the product design has got to go!

Urban Decay Eye shadow Primer Potion is a Holy Grail product IF YOU HAVE OILY EYELIDS. It's aloso a HG product if you like to have your eye shadow look “morning perfect fabulous” all day long. Yes. It’s a bold statement and I’m not afraid to say it. UDPP, as I like to call it, is stupendous, incredible, amazing, it slices, it dices it…..no wait. That’s the Ginsu Knife. Allow me to give you some background on my skin. I thought I was going to solve the world’s energy crisis because with the amount of oil my eyelids were producing I could have supported the Tli Cho land transport truckers in Yellow Knife Canada (You know what I’m talking about…near the Arctic Circle…. Ice Road Truckers TV show….is this thing on? *taps microphone*) So as I was saying…my eyelids are oily. UDPP has managed to quell that oil and keep my eye shadow in place and crease free for up to ten hours! TEN; count ‘em ten full hours. No creasing, no smudging, no migrating crease shadow with outer V shadow with brow bone shadow. Heck, even on days when I just wear one color (gasp! Yes it does happen from time to time) UDPP keeps my shadow from creasing like a cheap suit. I love this stuff. I do have some caveats though: a) The packaging is awful. I would prefer a squeeze tube and a see through tube at that. The rigid and opaque lavender Genie bottle-esque container is cute to look at but impracticable as a bicycle is for a fish. You never know how much product is left, and the little stopper at the top of the tube may actually cause many users to think there is less product remaining than there actually is. Personally, I’m just not fond of the color. I think it looks kinda kidde makeup-ey like. For such a wondrous product it needs wondrous packaging. Silver, gold, high shine black lacquer… something regal. Not some reject from the “I Dream of Jeanie” TV show. Barbara Eden’s characters of Jeanie, (for those old enough to remember) was one of my favorite characters and as much as I like the misogynist idea of keeping a sexy woman in a prison like bottle for ones own personal amusement…oh wait. I have gotten off course my apologies to all readers and Gloria Steinem. 2) The doe foot applicator stinks. That awful doe foot makes people feel like not enough of the product is being delivered on their eye…which makes many people use more than they need and in turn they get poor results. I have nothing against Bambi but the doe foot has to go. I don’t like them for gloss and I certainly don’t like them for UDPP but as I am just one woman I cannot convince Urban Decay to change this aspect of their product…trust me I have written to customer service. IV) Corporate Greed. I love Gordon Gekko from the movie “Wall Street” just as much as any child of the 1980’s. The mantra “Greed is Good” has stuck with me all these years (Thanks Oliver Stone!) but only when it is MY GREED not Urban Decay’s greed. The stopper at the top of the tube (as mentioned above) wipes off so much product from the stupid doe foot applicator that many people believe their tube is empty before it really is, which in turn makes them throw a most likely half used tube away only to plunk down more money for another tube which they didn’t need in the first place. Get my drift? Keep your own greed & money; remove that stopper from the tube when you feel that the product is getting low. You will be amazed at how much is still there. Just be careful not to use too much. This brings me to my last point I cannot stress this enough. A small rice sized dab on clean eyelids, patted out w/ your ring finger is ALL you need. People complain that it isn’t working for them or it dried their eyes out….Bunk. (OK maybe not “bunk” but they were probably using too much product and that’s why they had problems.) Trust me. This stuff is gold. OK it’s actually beige colored w/ no shimmer at all but it is worth its weight in gold…not that I know the price of gold on the market today but if gold is worth a lot at the time you are reading this review then UDPP is worth just as much. I will, and have repurchased this product. I always love it when I look in the mirror at the end of a long day and while my blush is invisible, my nose is shinier than a new nickel and my lipstick is a distant memory and being digested like that day’s lunch, I can see the perfect eye shadow & liner that remains and know that I have UDPP to thank.

November 7, 2008

Chanel Rouge Double Intensité Ultra Wear Lip Colour

Lovely long lasting lips!

I’m impressed. I purchased this months ago. Used it twice and decided I would return it. The color was nice but the wear was icky, it kept pilling up on me, felt flaky (even with the gloss top coat) and it seemed awfully expensive ($32 USD) for something I can get the same results from w/ a drugstore product. I lost the receipt and procrastinated about returning it for store credit. Finally I decided to give it another go. This time I put it on without any MU on my lips. I always seem to have some sort of powder or foundation transfer on my lips when I apply lipstick 1st thing in the morning. This time it was the evening. I had washed all my makeup off and I was about to hop in the shower. I thought. What a better way to test the “long wearingness” (not a word. I know) of this product than to take a shower and eat dinner with it. Let me tell you. It was going strong after the shower and after dinner, the gloss top coat was gone but the color was still there perfect as ever. No pilling, no awful feel. It was fabulous! The trick to this product is to make sure your lips are completely clean. Wait for the color to dry a bit before putting on the gloss top coat. Reapply gloss top coat only when it is all gone. What makes this different than drugstore bands? The color choices are limited but very unique. The wear is so much nicer and better than anything I have purchased on the cheap and the gloss top coat isn’t sticky at all. You hardly feel it on. It’s like having perfect moisturized lips without a sticky, greasy, gloopy feel. As for the color…I purchased Rose Pearl. It’s a frosty rose, but a warm rose as I’m a MAC NC20/Chanel .5 Limpide and cannot wear cool lip colors. So maybe it’s a neutral rose. I took off one star for the price and one for the packaging as the tube for the clear top coat is black and I cannot see how much product remains. However I do like the fact that the color is a doe foot applicator and the clear top coat is a brush applicator. I am writing this review after eating a bagel w/ butter and hot tea for breakfast and I have only needed to reapply the top coat as the color still looks as fresh as when I applied it this morning. I would definitely repurchase and I plan to get other colors as well.

August 12, 2008

Smashbox O-Glow

Gimmick Gel Blush

If any of you are old enough to remember the first time “mood” lipsticks were introduced in the early 1980’s you probably aren’t reading this review or were smart enough to avoid this lame gimmicky “blush” from Smashbox. I am putting quote marks around the word blush when I refer to O-Glow “Blush” in this review because I don’t consider it Blush. It’ more of a vile and wretched ooze that summons the evil mood lipstick nymphs of the 1980’s to ruin your complexion. But I digress. I remember my first tube of that green waxy mood lipstick. It looked so “punk” (I being a suburban kid in the 80’s wanted to be Punk Rock Oh so bad.) I bought it secretly so my mother wouldn’t object…just like how I shaved the side of my head when she went out of town. What a rebel I was walking around the mall with half of my hair gone and combat boots purchased at the Army/Navy surplus store…but I digress again. I wanted to try this product when I saw it because I was feeling nostalgic. Perhaps it was the fact that I couldn’t find it in stores or the fact that my Misfits CD had just gone missing but in a grasp to hold on to the warm and fuzzy teenage punk rock angst memories I clicked “complete order” and the “blush” was shipped to me the next day. I put a little bit of this clear gel on my cheeks and it immediately started to turn my skin a bright, gaudy, fuchsia pink. Eck! The only good thing about O-Glow is that it came off with a little makeup remover...which is more than I can so for those dang “mood” lipsticks from the 1980‘s. Those things were lip stain’s evil twin! The fuchsia color clung to your lips like white on rice and wouldn’t fade for two or more days. Chapped flakes of bright pink lip skin would remain on your lipsmackers tube for days after use. But I digress yet again. The gel was too watery and almost slid off of my face before I could rub it in. Perhaps it was trying to save me the shame of a fuchsia cheek but I think it’s just a bad product. I gave this junk “blush” it to my niece as a big “phbbbtbtbtt” to my brother for making fun of my black khol eyes and shaved head whilst cracking my favorite Clash LP (The Clash first album- self titled) as he ripped it off of the record player to listen to *barf* Bruce Springsteen. Let’s see HIS little girl walk around w/ “mood” cheeks & combat boots* for a change. So to bring back a catch phrase from the 80’s “Just say NO” to O-Glow. It’s a gimmick and not worth the HIGH price (financially and physically) I paid for this product. Oh and just so you know, red dye #27 is all that this “blush” has that makes it go from clear to crap…uh I mean pink. *Note: Combat Boots are no included with your purchase of O-Glow Blush.

August 12, 2008

Vincent Longo Liquid Canvas Healthy Fluid Foundation

My Holy Grail Liquid Foundation!

First and foremost. I never apply foundation on to my bare skin. I always use a moisturizer, sunscreen and primer. I have only worn this foundation while wearing Dr. Brandt - Pores No More primer. I have combination skin. It is very oily in the T-zone but normal on the cheeks. I have been matched as a NC20, MUFE Matte Velvet 20, Chanel .5 Limpide. I wear the Porcelain shade in this foundation as I found the golden porcelain too yellow. This is my Holy Grail! You may be asking yourself “Well then why did you take off a star if it’s a holy grail?” (Maybe not. Maybe you don’t care, maybe you didn’t ask that at all, but I’m the one writing the review and I get to fantasize about what you are thinking and I say, you just asked yourself that question, so stop arguing with me!) OK. I took off a star because of the packaging, the cost and the fragrance. Pros: Long wearing, sheer but buildable to medium coverage, perfect color match, matte that stays matte for at least 7 hours, does not break me out, looks like perfection in photos and in real life. Cons: Glass bottle with pump. You must remove pump when the bottle gets low and use a q-tip to get the product out. You can never really get all the product out, It’s $48.50 USD for a 1oz bottle, and it is heavily fragranced. Has silicones (but for some reason these particular “cones” don’t cause me to break out….which is a pro) *see ingredient list at end of review) How I apply: After primer I use a skunk brush (MAC 187) and buff the foundation onto my skin in small circular motion. This gives me a diffused and even coverage. I look airbrushed! I have applied using fingertips but I felt that the overall look was better if it was buffed in. Plus using fingertips gave a more dense heavier coverage that I do not need. I have repurchased many times and plan to do so again in the future. *ingredients for Porcelain color: Water, Isododecane, Cyclomethicone, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Dimethicone Copolyol, Silica, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sodium Chloride, Phenyl Trimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Vegtable Oil, Glycerin, Dimethicon/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Rice Wax, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Aloe Extract, Wheat Germ Oil, Matricaria Extract. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue.

August 12, 2008

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Your Skin Makeup Foundation

Wow. a drugstore foundation I actually like!

First of all. I am a foundation hoor! I think I have tried almost every foundation out there at least once. I am currently wearing Guerlain Paure (Powder foundation) and I adore it. But when I need something easy and quick I reach for this Sally Hansen foundation. Just to give you some background, I have combo skin - Oily T-Zone. I see a lot of reviews here say that this foundation isn't for oily skinned gals. and I would have to agree. However, I have found that if I use the right primer underneath (Dr. Brandt Pores No More) and a good powder on top (MAC Blot or Caron Translucide), the foundation lasts pretty well, even in my oily areas. I like the fact that this foundation is relatively inexpensive, I normally spend about $40 for foundation so this is a nice respite. I like the fact that one pump from the bottle is all I need for my entire face. It's not too much and not too little. Just like Goldilocks said, "It's juuuuuuust Right!" The bottle is glass which is OK, the frosted glass does make it a bit difficult to determine the shade. I am a MAC NC20/Chanel .5 Limpide/MUFE F&B 20, and found that the Ecru Beige is the best shade for me. I had originally purchased the lightest shade (Porcelain) and it was far too light on me. It came out looking almost mask like. So I would definitely say that shade selection is very important. Lastly, this foundation does not break me out. I'm clog prone and acne prone and have yet to have a bad reaction to this foundation. I'm thrilled with that!

August 12, 2008

Laura Mercier Brilliant Eye Liner

Eyeliner Disaster - Laura Mercier - Brilliant Eye Liner

When I saw that Laura Mercier was coming out with a new liquid eye liner I was so excited. The colors were metallic and looked so interesting. I also love liquid eyeliner so I knew I would be looking into this product. Why oh why didn't I listen to the postings on MUA when people relayed stories about how awful the liner was? Why oh why didn't I read reviews of the product before I bought this? I know why. Because it was an impulse buy. I was purchasing another craptacular product from Laura Mercier and I thought, oh heck, why not add one more thing. Also, the eyeliner I really wanted to buy was the Bobbi Brown Sapphire Shimmer Ink gel liner. The reason I didn't buy it was because the Bobbi Brown SA was far too busy to be bothered by the likes of me. She wanted to help out some idiot woman who wasn't sure if she needed to get the loose translucent powder or not, and kept asking if it would accentuate her wrinkles. Psst. Hey lady. You are 75 you have wrinkles. Everything accentuates it. Move along. I want my gel e/l! OK. That was fantasy. I didn't actually say this to her, but I thought about it. Since the Bobbi Brown SA was too busy I went to the Laura Mercier counter to browse until I was "worthy" enough to buy something from Bobbi Brown. That's when I fell into the trap. The Laura Mercier SA was cunning. She was pleasant, attentive, and charming. Darn her! I am now guilty of having to return this eyeliner to the counter. I hate to waste but I have to return this. It's so awful. This morning I went to use the new LM Brilliant Eye Liner in Cobolt that purchased from that SA with her Siren song lulling me into opening my wallet. The design of the bottle is pretty awful. You need your own liner brush (OK fine. I have one) but the neck is fairly narrow, I don't see how I would be able to get the liner out once it gets low or nears the end of it's life. I shook it and some of the color liner deposited in a tiny well underneath the cap. That was good...I guess. I used the product left in the well, to dip my brush into. While the color is pretty in the bottle, on the eye it is splotchy and inconsistent. I hate liquid e/l that does not apply evenly. I had to go over the line 3x to get an even color. By then, with my rushing and layering I looked like freakin’ Amy Winehouse. This stuff is going back. I'll just order from the website that Bobbi Brown Sapphire Shimmer ink gel liner. GAH

August 12, 2008

Clinique Happy Heart

I'm happy to finally find a clinique product I LOVE!

Clinique is a dirty word in my book, well as far as makeup goes. I still cannot shake the tragic makeover I received in 1987. (Yes. 21 years ago, but makeup tragedy scars run deep! I still shed a tear every time I think about the Dior eyeshadow quint I threw away accidentally back in 1985.) Imagine if you will, Cobalt blue pencil eyeliner, matte peach eye shadow, clumpy blue mascara, some sort of fuchsia lipstick (dare I say Clinique Almost Honey??? perhaps I don't remember the name) and foundation that turned orange on my skin. ::shudders:: I swore off Clinique for 20 years. Those pseudo lab coats making a mockery of scientists whilst the "Skin Computer" made a Speak and Spell look like a CRAY super computer. That "computer" was merely a dumb woman's slide rule. It told you what you already knew about your skin: Oily, Dry, etc. Then there is the cornerstone to the Clinique brand, The infamous 3 step cleansing system. I inevitably was suckered into buying all 3 items and the soap dish holder. (basically a green coffin for my soggy soap) That turned me off even more. Stupid soap and yellow moisturizer that broke out my skin. Oh and those Gift With Purchase (GWP) ALWAYS containing that dang yellow skin menace? I mean how many tiny bottles of dramatically different Moisturizing Fluid does one need in a GWP? Right now you are thinking "So is this a rant about Clinique skin care or a rave for perfume?" Excellent question! And if you have read this far, the answer is ........... both. OK So when this brand came out with perfume I swore I would never get something as pedestrian as Clinique perfume (said with my nose in the air and a sneer on my face). But then it was the free sample that wooed me. Damn those free samples! Happy Heart was sitting there in my latest order from who knows where, in all it's free sample cuteness and at first spritz I fell in love. ♥ Green and white floral, Hyacinth, a touch of citrus and a crisp floral scent that lasts fairly well for an Eau de Toilette . It mellows down to a soft, but not powdery, floral. It's a white t-shirt and jeans scent in my book. Casual, easy, uncomplicated, spray & go. I don't think you can apply too much. It's not overpowering and has little silage, but if perfume is worn for the owner and not for the admirers this is a nice spring/summer treat. I will say it's a scent that attracts a lot of men to ask what perfume I’m wearing. No marriage proposals come from it but it might be the wedding band I am wearing and the screaming child on my hip...but who knows. I have worn Happy Heart for so long that I find it hard to detect on me. I have decided to give it a rest for a few months in hopes that my nose forgets the scent and I will be able to appreciate the fragrance once again. Clinique had started on the path to redemption with Happy Heart. Mind you they are not completely forgiven; cobalt blue eyeliner is a hard thing to forgive, even if it was the 80's.

August 11, 2008

Too Faced Eye Shadow Base

Too Faced - First Base was a Strike Out!

Oh I so wanted to love this eye shadow base. "What a lovely alternative to Urban Decay Primer Potion, Too Faced Shadow Insurance or MAC Painterly Paint Pot." I though as I lovingly stroked the shimmery gold eye shadow base on my hand. "Wow. I could wear this alone and it would still look great on me!" I mused while waiting in line at Sephora to purchase it. "This looks even better on my eyes!" I remarked as I applied it with clean fingertips the next morning. "Humm. Maybe I put on too much." I thought to myself as I watched the stuff crease on my left lid before I had even applied eye shadow. "Well now. That IS pretty!" I smiled and looked at my finished eye shadow in the mirror that morning…the subtle gold shimmer showing through ever so much and allowing my eye shadow to be a bit more bold than I remember. But it was a bit harder to apply my shadow, regardless I happily went to work. "Uh Oh." I said aloud at 10am when I went to touch up my lipstick. My eye shadow was starting to look muddy and, "GASP! Was that a crease on my right eye?" I muttered while slicking on a coat of lipstick. "Egad it's 2:30 and my eye shadow is completely gone." I lamented to my husband on the phone. Dead silence on the other end. I could tell he was just as horrified as I was. "Ah. A new day. A second chance" I thought as I cleverly applied my Too Faced First Base eye shadow base with a concealer brush. "The first application must have been too thick; this thin application will do the trick." I contemplated as I applied a single eye shadow color over my entire lid. "OK. What the heck is going on here?" I said aloud at my desk as I anxiously looked in my pocket mirror at 10 am the next day. Disbelief colored my face as I looked at the reflection of my single eye shadow color creasing on both lids. "That's it. I'm returning this stuff." I typed furiously on the makeup board. "It's not worth the price of the plastic container it came in" I huffed as I put it back in its box and headed to Sephora for a refund. "My Precious" I whispered to my Too Faced Shadow Insurance as I kissed it and promised "I won't stray ever again...no matter how shiny and shimmery and ease of use. No matter how cute the packaging and glimmery the gold looked on my eyes. I was totally devoted to you my sweet." As the Too Faced First Base eye shadow base became a sad and distant memory but a lesson well learned I mused, "If I want gold shimmer I'll use my Shu Uemura gold eye jelly." The End

August 11, 2008

Amazing Cosmetics AmazingConcealer

Amazing Results with Amazing Concealer

I am so glad that is concealer gets decent reviews here because for some reason I don't think it gets a lot of love I can understand why. It’s a small brand, has a hefty price tag ($40 for .half an ounce of product) and limited color selection (8 shades including a white shade you can use to add to lighten foundation or as a highlighter) can be a bit off putting. But if you are able to find a good color match (Mine is Fair -Ultra Light. For reference I’m a MAC NC20 / MUFE F&B 20 / Chanel Limpide .5) you will soon see that there is a lot of misconception associated with this brand of concealer $40 for an entire years worth of concealer. Would you pay that? Would you pay, knowing it was a concealer you can put on under eyes, on blemishes and anywhere else you need concealer without worry of creasing, breakouts, cakeyness? OK. Maybe you wouldn’t but I did and I’m so glad. You really only need the tiniest amount to cover dark circles under your eyes and to cover up small marks (old acne scars, blemishes, moles, etc) A have heard complaints of this concealer not being good for under eyes, that is creases or can look cakey. If used alone, with certain skin types I can see that happening. But if you choose to use a setting powder (Amazing Cosmetics Pressed Powder Set or Laura Mercier Secret Brightening powder – what I use) you will not experience any of these issues. In fact I believe this concealer works better when used in combination with a setting powder. For reference I have combination acne prone skin, And Oily T-Zone, and a normal to slightly dry under eye area. I do not use a morning eye cream. I pat on concealer under eyes and use a brush for any acne spots. I set with Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder after I apply the concealer. I am prone to cystic acne. I get time of the month (TOTM) cystic acne and sometimes they are on my forehead and chin. I have used this concealer on those awful and painful eruptions with a lot of success. I apply w/ a concealer brush, use a setting powder and even though acne can be oily the concealer stays on for a good 8 or more hours. I have had 10 hours of wear on some days. No cakeyness, no wear off, perfect coverage, best of all it does not aggravate current blemishes nor does it break me out. I was using another concealer for years wondering why my acne was always so bad. When I stopped using it, my spots seemed to come less often. It was probably due to some other skin care changes but at least I know that Amazing Cosmetics Concealer is not going to hurt my skin. Those sensitive to mineral Oil may want to steer clear, but it has never bothered my skin. *see ingredients below.…That’s a Holy Grail in my book. The concealer comes in a small black tube. That’s a con, because I don’t know how much is left, but after a year of use I’m finally having to start squeezing from the bottom…up to get out product and the neck of the tube where the product comes out split about a month ago so some products seeps out the side when I squeeze it but I don’t really waste much as I clean it up using a concealer brush to remove any from the treads on the neck of the tube. So I really cannot complain. I will be buying this again once the tube runs out….which at this rate may be in another few months…14+ months of usage from one tube! I love it! Ingredients: Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Petrolatum, Lanolin Oil, Ozokerite, PVP/Hexadecene, Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Cucumber Sativus Fruit Extract (Cucumber), Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, BHT, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, May Contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492)

August 11, 2008