Makeup
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- Points: 149575
- Reviews: 566
Here are all my reviews:
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Smashbox, like other brands are hoping onto the trend to integrate skin care and cosmetics in the form of BB creams which were popular originally in Asia before making its way to the western world. What Smashbox promises with this product is that it hydrates, controls oil, gives you a soft and smooth airbrush finish, protects it with spf 35, and can be used under make up. First off, it's okay as a moisturizer. For people with oilier or normal skin, this might be adequate, but for drier skin I would supplement it with a light moisturizer underneath. As far as controlling oil, it's not bad either. I don't have a huge oily problem so I honestly can't say but it doesn't cause me to get oilier so that's good. The spf 35 is a huge plus, considering that it's higher than most BB creams and tinted moisturizers in terms of sun protection. Like almost any product with spf, it tends to leave a slight shine on your face, but that can be alleviated with a little translucent powder. Using this as a base for makeup is wonderful. I normally do not like the Smashbox Photo Finish primers--the original formula breaks me out and the others do not hold my makeup well. What I LOVE about this BB cream as a base is that it literally smoothes over pores for an airbrush finish that makes my foundation glide on. It does a great job at holding my makeup throughout the day as well. Unlike the original photo finish primer, this hasn't been breaking me out. My biggest beef with this product is two things--hence the removal of two stars. First, the product is expensive for a little tube. Even if you use a little, the tube is still much smaller than other BB creams a bit more expensive than others too. My second problem is the color. There are four shades--fair, light, medium and dark. For those lucky people who fit the shade closely, this will be wonderful for them. However, I am like most people where I am in between shades. Light is too light, and medium is too dark for me. I've even tried mixing colors and it doesn't work out very well. Even with a small dab of medium mixed with light, the deeper shade seems to over power it. Therefore, I just use the light as a base for my make up because I have to use a lighter shade of foundation for my face to match my naturally lighter neck. I'm only disappointed with the shading due to the face that Smashbox usually runs a little darker with their foundations, so I really hoped that light was going to be a decent match. So I do hope that Smashbox will release a few more in between colors because so far the sales of this product has been quite successful in the short time it has been out. There are a few tweaks that Smashbox can do with its formula to make it the best BB cream ever, but so far it is high on the list in comparison with other creams.
December 4, 2019
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This polish goes on evenly and smoothly. It dries fast and it resists chipping for quite a while, even without a base coat!
February 21, 2019
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When I got this, I became extremely upset when I squeezed out the first of the product had broken down chemically! The oily-like substance squirted out all over my hand, so I had shaken the tube only to find out that the moisturizer made a sound like a thin-liquidy substance. Not exactly what I had in mind when buying a tinted moisturizer. I tried shaking the tube to mix the product, but I still didn't like how it went on my skin. I thought maybe I just got a bad tube, but after a while I learned from other people they had experienced the same thing. I heard a lot of hype about this product, but I was disappointed to learn the rate of manufacturing error was so high with this product in particular.
November 26, 2018
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I live in the desert and my skin dries up sooo easily. This has done a great job to keep my skin soft and it has decreased the amount of flaking of my skin. It absorbs easily and quickly, and it feels refreshing to have on. It also feels lightweight on my skin and doesn't weigh it down. I have sensitive skin and this is suitable for it.
January 14, 2016
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To most people, they might instantly be put off by the price of the serum. My motto has always been, if it works, it's worth the price--especially when it comes to skincare. I'm in my late 20's and fortunately I started using skincare early on, so I felt like I have been able to delay some of the creeping signs of aging that are sneaking up on me and my friends. Unlike them, I don't have noticeable signs of lines, but because of this serum I'm getting other anti-aging benefits. When I use this with the SuperStart serum (also from Elizabeth Arden), both products work in synergy to create fast and visible results. Within a couple days, I noticed my skin felt firmer and thicker, which is something I didn't notice that I was starting to lose a bit of collagen which makes your skin naturally firm and thick, Also, it made my skin look lifted and more contoured; my cheekbones and jawline look more defined and tighter. This also additionally plumps the way my skin looks so it looks healthy and smoother like porcelain. If you want a serum that will give you noticeable results in a short period of time, or if you are serious into skincare and want to delay the aging process as much as possible, give this a try. Yes, it's a bit of a hefty price tag, but I've paid more for skincare products that don't work as fast as this without giving me serious irritation. I do recommend using this product with the SuperStart serum because that serum allows boosts the power of this serum and any other skincare product you use with it. If you are starting to notice the signs of aging, I recommend this once a day. If you want a stronger, more heavy duty attack then use this twice a day. Do pay attention to how much you use otherwise you might burn through the bottle quickly.
August 18, 2015
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When I first read the packaging information about this product, I immediately thought about the Dior Capture Totale serum. Both products plump the appearance of the skin, boost radiance, strengthen, and boost the efficiency of all other products you use because they help to detox the skin from deep within. The Dior has salicylic acid in it so I recommend that to oily/combination skin because for some people it can be a little drying. Based on initial reading, I assumed this would treat the opposite and cater to dry/combination skin types. Upon actually using it, I was wrong. I have SUPER oily skin--so oily I joke that you could fry an egg on it. I was worried that this might promote excess oil production (I do use a moisturizer already). If you have ever used the Dior Capture Totale, it feels very similar when you feel it and how it absorbs. What this serum does is VERY different than Dior. Yes, both promote anti-aging and boost product power, but this serum gives you a plumper, smoother look. The days I wore this, I got a lot of complements from people because they thought my skin looked like porcelain--this is VERY welcoming considering I was born with deep, massive pores (Imagine an orange-peel texture). Also noticeable was that my skin did NOT produce excess oil like I was expecting to. In fact, I feel like I produced a noticeable amount LESS than I usually do (I had fewer touch-ups). In addition, like the packaging says, this product has made my skin noticeably stronger within the few days I've used it. I have a little bit less redness from my rosacea and my skin has been less irritated and brighter looking. What I love about this is that this costs about half as much as the Dior serum for the same volume. Like I've said, this Superstart serum is great for plumping and strengthening skin, and the Dior Capture Totale is great for detoxifying and clarifying the skin. The only thing is unfortunate is since I have big pores that suck everything up instantly, I have to use two pumps in order to put enough on my skin and I feel like I'm using the bottle up quickly.
August 18, 2015
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So I had the privilege of trying both the Closer and the Sensitive Touch. I wanted to give both a good trial run before I could give my opinions of each of them. Closer is a thin, lightweight texture that feels very natural. It doesn't have any odor or taste to it. It's very emollient so a couple small drops was more than enough. It does not leave the skin feeling sticky or dirty even after it disappears. The only downside is that it does disappear quite quickly and you may need to reapply if you take a little longer to "warm up." Consider this the perfect lube to give you a kick-start before your body becomes completely aroused, or if you tend to be a little drier, which is totally normal. We like 'Closer' best for penetration. The Sensitive Touch has aloe and Vitamin E so it is extra moisturizing for the skin. The texture is a tiny bit thicker, but not thick enough where it feels slimy and heavy. Since it's a little thicker it lasts just a little bit longer before reapplication. If you and your partner like to use toys on each other (or just you), I like the Sensitive Touch for this purpose. There is also no taste or odor to this one which makes it easier to enjoy and experiment during intimacy with my partner without having to grab some paper towels to wipe it up because we've tried so many lubes that leave either a gross taste or a stickiness on you. Ask my partner, he definitely likes the quality of both of these lubes.
August 10, 2015
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First and foremost, I am a prestige girl. I haven't touched mass-produced stuff in over a decade because I just didn't like the quality. You can say a LOT has changed over a year to give customers a run for their money. I received the opportunity to receive one of these palettes for free from Total Beauty (Nude 2 - roses/mauves/coppers) and needless to say, I am in love. I firmly believe that good brushes are the biggest secret to a good eyeshadow look. So needless to say, the first second I opened the package, I threw away the little flimsy plastic stick brush that came inside. I swatched the shadows on my arms with my fingers and I was impressed at the pigmentation. Pigmentation is a plus, but I've used so many eyeshadows that have had good pigmentation and just wore awfully on my eyes and creased like crazy because they didn't bind to my primer, so I was still skeptical. I have SUPER oily lids so there is only one primer that I trust to keep my eyeshadow on (Nars Smudgeproof Primer). What I didn't expect was how WONDERFUL the shadows blended on my lid with my brush. I'm not exaggerating that this shadow blended better than several of the more expensive shadows I own. Some of those single, more expensive eyeshadows cost more than the retail value of this ENTIRE palette. So I was happy by the way the colors blended on my eyes. What I also love is how TRUE to color the pigmentation is. Many eyeshadows tend to turn brown or muddy on my eyes, but the rose, mauves, and coppers in this palette stayed those exact colors on my olive skin. Now the real test; see how long the shadows last on my eyes with primer. I would check for creasing, oxidization (color change), and fallout. After several days of testing, I didn't have any of that. My eye makeup looked exactly the same as when I first put it on in the morning. I actually went to the store to check out the other palette, but I didn't get it considering I have several similar colors found in the Nude 1 palette. To remind you of what I had said earlier, many mass-produced makeup brands have come a LONG way to create gorgeous, pigmented products that rival the more expensive prestige makeup. This was a palette that changed my mind and proved me wrong with makeup that out-performed makeup that cost two or three times as much money. I'm deeply impressed with this palette and I would love to see L'Oreal produce different kinds of these nude palettes.
August 3, 2015
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I got this after a recommendation and it's a stellar lipstick for less than $6. There are so many colors available for any skin tone. Goes on very evenly and colors stay true. I definitely would like to try some more in the future. The only reason I gave it a 9 was because I don't necessarily like the color I chose; I might learn to love it after using it a few times. I hope after using it a few more times that it becomes more creamier; I still have that stiff-waxy new lip stick texture.
July 23, 2014
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You have no idea how many times I've fallen asleep with my makeup on from the morning, only to wake up in the middle of the night in a greasy mess and the horror of potentially creating a breakout because of it. This cleanser is one of the best I've ever used because it cleans my skin so well, detoxifying and unclogging my pores, that I haven't had a breakout caused by sleeping with my makeup on. There is a correct way to use this cleanser. First and foremost, like all Shiseido cleansers, you must build a lather IN YOUR HANDS. You only need a pearl size amount of cleaner, and then keep adding water to increase the lather. When used properly it will give a lovely thick foam which will clean your skin very will. Do not put the cleanser on your Clarisonic brush head and expect the same results. Do not put the cleanser directly on your face and expect the same lather. If you do not build the lather in your hands, one, it will leave a film on your skin and for some people that can make your skin dry and itchy, and two, the little blue beads need enough water and stimulation so they can burst and make your skin feel cool and fresh. This is in no way an exfoliating cleanser despite the blue beads. If you can feel the blue beads on your face, you need to add a bit more water to your later. What I adore about this cleanser is how clean it makes my skin feel and look. I use eye makeup remover and a cleansing wipe to remove my makeup prior to washing my face and as soon as I'm finishing lathering up my face with this cleanser, it turns brown because it's finding more dirt and grime that I couldn't get off my skin. I love to use this with my Clarisonic (after properly lathering of course!). Like other reviewers mentioned, this cleanser in no way has any ingredients to actually kill bacteria and already-formed blemishes. This will keep your skin clean to prevent your pores from becoming clogged and forming blemishes, but it's not going to accelerate the removal of pimples you already have.
November 18, 2013
