Showing posts with label Quickies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quickies. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Nudey Tuesday: Urban Decay Bronzer in Gilded

This is really just a quickie -no in depth review today and I do apologize! I just haven't had time for them and am seriously reconsidering the way I write reviews. I still want to keep a majority of it the same in terms of how I review the actual product but I think adding things like the packaging and going too into detail about things that aren't too important are just more time consuming than they are useful.

Anyways..

I picked up Urban Decay's Bronzer (for face and body) in Gilded last week during the 25% off summer sale. I actually only wanted to get a Pocket Rocket gloss for my friend but since free shipping requires customers spend $50+, I threw in a few extra items that I definitely didn't need.

Since the sun starting showing its face around here, I've been on a real bronzer kick. I have a handful of bronzers but they're all either matte or very tan or orange-y. I wanted something that was shimmery (but not over the top) and golden.

Review..

Urban Decay's new bronzer in Gilded does the job. When applied, it shows up as more of a "glow" -no disco ball cheeks here. I have more of an olive undertone but I love how the warm, very golden bronze color brought so much warmth to my skin. To be honest, I felt like Asian Malibu Barbie and as lame as that sounds, that's a plus in my book -at least on certain days.

As for the negatives, I think the only thing I can say is that the bronzer lasts about 5 hours (applied over primer.) But then again, I've seen so many bronzers and blushes only last for 2-3 so I'd say 5 hours is pretty average.

Prior to purchasing the bronzer, I read Christine's review. She notes in her review that this (new) version contains a lot less product than their previous one which I didn't catch. I absolutely hate when companies do that. However, being the makeup junkie that I am, I'm not too concerned about that because I know I'll never use this up. And $26 (for 0.26 oz) is actually cheaper than I'd expect from a high end brand since other (high end) bronzers usually go for around $30 and up.

Overall Grade: A-


Swatches..

Urban Decay Bronzer in Gilded
More Photos..

Monday, March 7, 2011

Quickies: Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Mistress Review & Swatches

Repurchase: Yes
Price: $19 (0.2 oz)
Overall Grade: A

I just wanted to pop in today with a quick post on Illamasqua's Intense Lipgloss in Mistress. Prior to writing this review, out of curiousity, I took a peek at my old Illamasqua review from way back in 2009. YES, 2009! I didn't even realize I had this blog for that long. I discovered that my current thoughts of the Intense Lipgloss Formula are still fairly the same compared to my first impressions from Fall 2009. I feel like I did grow a bit though in terms of my writing style, photography skills, and "makeup" intelligence LOL. For instance, I wrote, that the gloss "doesn't last all day like most glosses do." I obviously have tried many more glosses since than and now know that glosses rarely last all day!
(P.S. I apologize in advance for the not-so-awesome photos today. We've had very cloudy weather lately and in order to take good photos, I need the sun.)

My quick take on Illamasqua's Intense Lipgloss:
Illamasqua produces one of the best lip glosses that I've ever tried and by now, I've tried many. In my experience, every single "Intense" Lipgloss that I've ever tried has been extremely pigmented (what you see in the tube is what you get) and you don't need a lot to fully cover your entire lips. The glosses contain a sort of thicker, creamier consistency and the color lasts for about 5 hours. While the shine will fade overtime, the color will stay. The gloss is also moisturizing and even applies fairly well to dry lips. I've heard many say that the formula is non-sticky. I don't feel that it's 100% non-sticky -I'd say it's just sticky enough to stay on the lips but not sticky to the point where it starts to be annoying and uncomfortable.

Color:
Mistress is a bright coral that's more on the orange-y side. Surprisingly, it wasn't too bright for me. I just added a few dabs of and spread out the gloss which gave me a more toned down look as opposed a bright, in-your-face coral lip (which the gloss is definitely capable of!) This shade is perfect for summer.
Product Description
Ingredients
Swatches..
 Above (no flash): Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Mistress
Above (no flash): Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Mistress
(Note: Again, my lips were pretty chapped. The gloss applies a lot smoother than this.)

Disclosure: This post contains products sent by PR.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Gloss Quick Review & Swatches

I've had the new Revlon ColorBurst Lip Glosses for months now but haven't gotten around to reviewing them. Honestly, I'm just not really excited about them (which is the reason I haven't reviewed them!)

My quick take on them: Revlon's Color Burst Lip Glosses are decent but to me, they're only average and honestly, I don't pay attention to average when I have so many other glosses to choose from. To sum it up, they are sheer, moisturizing glosses that last for about 2-3 hours. They are very moisturizing -more than the Super Lustrous glosses. The majority of these glosses are NOT pigmented and if you're looking for something sheer and shimmery, these will be perfect for you but if not, keep on walking.

I'd recommend picking up 1 or 2 but don't go rushing to buy every shade -they're really no different from the other sheer glosses on the market and they're a bit expensive at full price.

The packaging is cute -clear tubes with black, quilted lids (similar to the ColorBurst Lipstick tubes.) The applicator is thinner and straighter than the usual doe foot with an oval edge.

I'm sorry I don't remember the price but I got them on sale at CVS for $6.49 -they should be around $8-9 retail price. (I'll update when I find out for sure.) Contains 0.20 oz.


Colors:
  • Crystal Lilac (002)- Light almost grapefruit pink with pink and blue violet shimmer. On the lips, this gives a light wash of lilac (because of the shimmer) pink. I like the color of the shimmer in this.
  • Strawberry (006)- Bright strawberry red with silver shimmer. On the lips, this gives a nice tint of bright, strawberry red.
  • Hot Pink (010)- Bright fuchsia with silver shimmer. Finally! A shade that’s pigmented. This is a nice shade of deep fuchsia on the lips –it’s really not like flashy and bright.
  • Orchid (012)- Medium orchid pink with shimmer. This is one of the more pigmented shades although it still goes on semi-sheer and gives a tint of medium orchid-lilac to my lips.
  • Sunset Peach (022)- Golden peach with gold shimmer. This goes on very sheer on the lips and looks more like a MLBB shade with a hint of golden shimmer.

Swatches..

Above (with flash) from left: Crystal Lilac, Strawberry, Hot Pink, Orchid, Sunset Peach
Above (no flash) from left: Crystal Lilac, Strawberry, Hot Pink, Orchid, Sunset Peach

Lip Swatches..
Above (with flash): Crystal Lilac
 Above (with flash): Strawberry
Above (with flash): Hot Pink
Above (with flash): Orchid
Above (with flash): Sunset Peach

Have a marvelous Friday everyone! <33

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Quickies: Revlon Cotton Candy & Lilac Pastelle Review & Swatches

Somewhat recently, a reader asked to see swatches of Lilac Pastelle. ..So here it is -along with Cotton Candy! (I'm not really a fingernail polish girl -I only paint my toes.. and I can't stand the shape of my nails.)
Above (no flash) from left: Lilac Pastelle (3 coats), Cotton Candy (2 coats)
Above (no flash) from left: Lilac Pastelle (3 coats), Cotton Candy (2 coats)
1. Lilac Pastelle- I've been wanting this shade for months now but it really didn't impress me as much as I thought it would. The color is a very, very pale creamy lilac/pink. You have to apply at least 3 coats to get it right -it was streaky.

2. Cotton Candy- This is a scented shade and to me, it smells sickly sweet. Cotton Candy is a very, very pale baby pink with pinkish golden shimmer. This is a nice natural shade but it was a tad runny to me. Also, I only applied 2 coats on my nail but I'd assume you'd need at least 3-4 coats.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Quickies: Make Up For Ever & Illamasqua Blush, Lipstick, & Foundation Haul (Quick Review & Swatches)

I'm trying extremely hard to move all all the files from my "to do" folder to my "done" folder in a very short time. This was a little Sephora Haul from last November (seriously, talk about being behind!) and I just wanted to show you the swatches. Sorry for the poorer quality -this was way before I even knew that different settings existed on my camera. I actually didn't like any of the products I bought (color wise) so they were all returns.. which is why I can't give you better swatches.

Quick Breakdown of the products..
1. Illamasqua Hussy Blush- The blush is finely milled, smooth, and pigmented. Hussy is a matte, bright coral pink. (Here's a more indepth review and better swatch from Temptalia.)
2. Illamasqua Climax Lipstick- No matter what color I've gotten, Illamasqua lipsticks have been slightly too dry for my lips. They're great considering they're matte (not as drying as other matte lippies) but are too dry for me. Climax is a matte, medium dusty rose with the slightest lilac edge.
3. MAKE UP FOR EVER in Fresh Pearly Pink 301- This has been discontinued as Sephora now carries the Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks. I remember the lipstick being sort of dry and not very pigmented at all. Fresh Pearly Pink is a frosty medium pink that barely showed upon my lips.
4. MAKE UP FOR EVER Face & Body Foundation- I originally bought this is Golden Beige 24 which wasn't a great color match. I later on got a large sample of the correct color (I think it was Ivory 20) which was the perfect shade for my "Fall skintone." It worked great -it gave me an even finish and made my skin look so good from about a foot or more away. However, if you looked really closely, you could see small dry patches. This is not forgiving to those with very, very dry skin (like me.) I do have to say that it's the BEST foundation I've ever used for photography purposes though -this makes your skin look absolutely flawless in photos.

Swatches..

Clockwise from top (with flash): Illamasqua Blush in Hussy, Illamasqua Lipstick in Climax, MAKE UP FOR EVER Lipstick in 301 Fresh Pearly Pink
Ahh! This was me almost a year ago -funny how our look can change in such a short amount of time. I kind of miss my long black hair.. that's A LOT of hair. And my eyebrows are CRAP. =O Above I'm wearing the Illamasqua Hussy blush and Climax lipstick.


P.S. Wtheck?! I just checked the Sephora website to link the products to you guys and I can't belive the Illamasqua lipstick is $22!! When I bought it, it was only $20 (plus I used a 20% discount so it was $16.) The blush also went from being $23 to $24.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Quickies: Some CVS Clearance Sale Lovin'

I visited my local CVS last night looking for the Extra Fruit Sensations Strawberry Banana Gum that Val had mentioned the other day. They didn’t have it (I was so sad!) so I figured I better buy something to make my trip worthwhile. I wandered off to the far end of the store and found a big cart filled with random knick knacks. To the right was 3 baskets full of clearance makeup! Jackpot! =)
Here's what I got:
1. Revlon Quad in Summer Suedes- $1.74
2. Revlon Polish in Peach Petal- $1.25
3. Maybelline Express Finish Polish in Pink Sophistication- $1.25
4. Ardell Complete Brow Grooming Set- $1.74
I don't know what the retail prices were but I paid a total of just $6.53 (tax included.)
 Revlon Summer Suedes Quad (Daydreamer Collection)
This is the limited edition quad from the Daydreamer Collection. I originally wanted it when it first came out but passed it up knowing I wouldn't use all the colors included. However, at just $1.74, it was a steal!
The palette (no mirror, just clear lid) includes 4 shades that I would've never expected to be put together. The eyeshadows are all decently pigmented with the 2nd (brown) and 4rd (orange) shades being the best in terms of color payoff. Each shade applies smoothly and has a nice "sheen" to it. I like it but I don't think I'd pay full price since I only really like the brown and orange.
The Color: (From top to bottom) (Each shade has subtle shimmer)
1. Light blue-gray (slightly chalky)
2. Chocolate brown with iridescent teal pearl (I've heard of this being a dupe for MAC's Club eyeshadow)
3. Very pale, baby pink
4. Deep reddish orange
Swatches..
 Above (no flash): Revlon Summer Suedes Quad- shades swatched from top to bottom of quad
 Maybelline Express Finish Polish in Pink Sophistication (Sweet Thing Collection) & Revlon Polish in Peach Petal (Daydreamer Collection)
Maybelline Pink Sophistication
This limited edition shade is from Maybelline's popular Sweet Thing collection. I remember the polishes being a huge hit and if I were to have gotten any shade back then, I would've chose this one. I really like the bright, pastel girly pink -it's very Malibu Barbie. The color reminds me of MAC's Saint Germain lipstick. I'm not the best at describing polishes as I rarely wear them but the formula, to me, is slightly clumpy but cleans up nice after 2 coats.
Revlon Peach Petal
This too is from the Daydreamer collection. This is a fabulous opaque, creamy, pastel peach with a hint of pink. My little sister said it was pretty and reminded her of Angels. I really love this shade. The formula is pretty good although it's slightly runny to me. It needs 2 coats.

Swatches..
 Above (no flash) from left: Maybelline Express Finish Polish in Pink Sophistication, Revlon Polish in Peach Petal
Above (no flash) from left: MAC Lipstick in Saint Germain, Maybelline Express Finish Polish in Pink Sophistication
 Ardell Complete Brow Grooming Kit
The Ardell Brow Kit comes with 4 different tools: (from left to right.. see picture below)
1. Precision Shaper- I'm really liking this razor. It's very small so it can get into all those "tight spaces." It shaves off all the hairs without leaving being those "stubby, short hairs." I've also tried it on my upper lip (aka mustache area) and it works great there too. The only thing I don't like is that the blade is a little "scratchy."
2. Trim & Shape Razor- I've been using this for about a year now. The one that came with the kit is travel size and smaller than the regular ones. I really like this for inbetween my brows -it's just the perfect size for it. I also use it for underneath the brows on the eyelid area. It's a little too big for tighter spaces though. Also, I can't imagine anyone cutting themselves with this. The blade doesn't feel sharp at all yet it gets rid of all the hairs.
3. Brow Grooming Pencil- This is a wax pencil that's used to keep all the hairs in place. It's a lot cheaper than the higher end options and works fine for me. An extra bonus is that it comes with its own sharpener.
4. Brow/Lash Comb- I haven't use this since I don't like using these. For my brows, I rather use a spoolie thing (mascara wand) and I prefer metal lash combs -they have finer "teeth" to separate the lashes.
Products Included in Kit
Product Details
That's it for my little haul! Check out your local CVS to see if there's any clearance makeup -I'll try to check other stores soon I hope all stores are having these great makeup clearance sales because I got everything for such a great deal.
Have a nice Friday. I'll be hanging with my boyfriend all day and hopefully squeezing in some shopping. What are your plans for tonight?

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Quickies: Random Sephora Haul- Napoleon Perdis, Vincent Longo, Sugar, and More (Brief Review & Swatches)

Quickies- A new blog series that will contain “quickie” reviews (or sometimes just swatches) of products, hauls, etc. that have been taking up space on my “to-do list” for far too long. Usually, these will be older (but still important!) items I’ve neglected and forgotten to review from weeks/months ago. Hope you enjoy the quickies!
Back in mid November, there was a bunch of Napolean Perdis and Vincent Longo products in the Sephora sale section for dirt cheap. Right when I saw the items on sale, I jumped to purchase a handful of things. Whenever Sephora discontinues a brand, products go quickly and by the house. Most the items I picked up were Napolean Perdis but I did also buy Vincent Longo, Sugar, and Benefit products. Here are the items I purchased:
Swatches..
Above (no flash) from left: Vincent Longo Lip Vinyl in "Loredana", Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipsticks in "Calypso", "Electra", "Harmonia", "Xenia", Vincent Longo Liquid Shadow in "Sweet Magenta", Napoleon Perdis Ultra Pearl Eyeshadow in "Lapis", Napoleon Perdis Loose Eyeshadow in "Dust Leaf", Napoleon Perdis Eye Pencils in "Violet Rose", "Brun Mordore", "Noir Bleute", and Smashbox Cream Eye Liner Artist Pencil in "Lapis."
Above (with flash) from left: Vincent Longo Lip Vinyl in "Loredana", Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipsticks in "Calypso", "Electra", "Harmonia", "Xenia", Vincent Longo Liquid Shadow in "Sweet Magenta", Napoleon Perdis Ultra Pearl Eyeshadow in "Lapis", Napoleon Perdis Loose Eyeshadow in "Dust Leaf", Napoleon Perdis Eye Pencils in "Violet Rose", "Brun Mordore", "Noir Bleute", and Smashbox Cream Eye Liner Artist Pencil in "Lapis."

Product Descriptions/Colors:
1. Vincent Longo Lip Vinyl in "Loredana"- I expected this to be more opaque due to "vinyl" being in the name but the color ended up being totally clear. The gloss felt a bit thick in texture.
2. Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in "Calypso"- Bright, hot pink (reminded me of MAC "Girl About Town.") These lippies had a touch of moisture (but not as moisturizing as Shiseido or Givenchy lipsticks.)
3. Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in"Electra"- Pale-medium pink.
4. Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in "Harmonia"- Pale-medium salmon pink.
5. Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in"Xenia"- Bright berry red. I love the color but it's just too intense for me. Still haven't worn it since I bought it.
6. Vincent Longo Liquid Shadow in "Sweet Magenta"- I love the bright opaque fuchsia but when I tried it on my eye, it was more like a cream shadow where your spread it all over the lid and it sheers out too much. Not the bold pink I expected it to be. It looked like any other eyeshadow once it was spread all over the lid.
7. Napoleon Perdis Ultra Pearl Eyeshadow in "Lapis"- I'm still kicking myself for returning this. This is basically your average medium blue with the slightest touch of green. I just kept feeling like I had this color somewhere else in my collection.
8. Napoleon Perdis Loose Eyeshadow in "Dust Leaf"- Light green with gold tint and tons of shimmer. I couldn't see it looking good on me but I think it would be gorgeous on someone with darker skin.
9. Napoleon Perdis Eye Pencil in "Violet Rose"- Pigmented, shimmery, bright lavender with a touch a blue and magenta. LOVE this and have never seen a liner in this shade before.
10. Napoleon Perdis Eye Pencil in "Brun Mordore"- Shimmery bronze brown.
11. Napoleon Perdis Eye Pencil in "Noir Bleute"- Blackened blue with subtle shimmer. I compared it with the Smashbox liner in "Lapis" thinking they were similar but the Smashbox is lighter with more blue sparkle.
(Not swatched)
12. Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Lip Service- This was just another lip treatment/balm and from what I can recall, it tasted really, really good. I think it was a fruity minty taste but I can't remember. It seemed to help my lips at first but dried them out in the longrun so I ended up tossing it.
13. Napoleon Perdis China Doll Foundation in "1" (Never tried any of these since they were all the wrong shades. It did appear to be more of a lighter foundation though.)
14. Napoleon Perdis China Doll Foundation in "3"
15. Napoleon Perdis China Doll Foundation in "4"
16. Sugar Tint Tinted Moistuirzer- Seemed "heavier" than other tinted moisturizers and I felt like my skin couldn't breathe under it. No breakouts or irritation though.
17. Benefit Lust Dusters Trio Set (Didn't open these because inside the jars, they looked too similar to colors I already had and I didn't want to "contaminate" them. Ended up giving the set away.)