Shiseido
The Skin Care
IRinse-Off Cleansing Gel
Night Moisture Recharge
Eye Moisture Recharge
moved to About Face!
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Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Urban Decay Matte Eyeshadow
Urban Decay
Matte Eyeshadow
Secret Service
Once again Urban Decay has sold me on their product. This pigment rich eye shadow is great. It comes in a neat little subway token compact with a snap shut lid. The Secret Service color is a nice dark brown shade. I have actually used it as an eye shadow and eye liner, but I have not tried it wet. This little product has made its way into my every day routine. I can't wait to go out and buy a few more colors.
Catherine's Review:
I'm also a UD convert. I tried the Matte Shadow in Chronic - a fresh, light green color. Beautiful on my brown eyes as a shadow, want to try as a liner. A great shade for Spring (and those, like me, with Spring Fever!). Easily adjustable from sheer to full coverage.
Matte Eyeshadow
Secret Service
Once again Urban Decay has sold me on their product. This pigment rich eye shadow is great. It comes in a neat little subway token compact with a snap shut lid. The Secret Service color is a nice dark brown shade. I have actually used it as an eye shadow and eye liner, but I have not tried it wet. This little product has made its way into my every day routine. I can't wait to go out and buy a few more colors.
Catherine's Review:
I'm also a UD convert. I tried the Matte Shadow in Chronic - a fresh, light green color. Beautiful on my brown eyes as a shadow, want to try as a liner. A great shade for Spring (and those, like me, with Spring Fever!). Easily adjustable from sheer to full coverage.
IsaDora Gleaming Eye Shadow
Isa Dora
Gleaming Eye Shadow (Wet & Dry)
88-Metallic Rose & 82-Frosty Seashell
Let me start out by saying that I have been using this product every day since I have tested it. I LOVE the Frosty Seashell color. It is a light neutral highlighting shade that works great with my coloring. It actually goes well with the Mary Kay Highlighting Pencil that I have (to be reviewed at a later date). These colors come in a single, round case with a crazy curved applicator. At first, using the applicator was a little awkward. However, I soon realized that it is curved perfectly to apply under your eyebrows. I only wish that it could be curved at one end and straight at the other, because holding it can be a little challenging at times. I actually tried the Metallic Rose wet and dry. Wet, you are going to get a richer more flat color. Dry appears more "gleaming" and obviously not as intense. Both of these are easily everyday wearable colors.
Gleaming Eye Shadow (Wet & Dry)
88-Metallic Rose & 82-Frosty Seashell
Let me start out by saying that I have been using this product every day since I have tested it. I LOVE the Frosty Seashell color. It is a light neutral highlighting shade that works great with my coloring. It actually goes well with the Mary Kay Highlighting Pencil that I have (to be reviewed at a later date). These colors come in a single, round case with a crazy curved applicator. At first, using the applicator was a little awkward. However, I soon realized that it is curved perfectly to apply under your eyebrows. I only wish that it could be curved at one end and straight at the other, because holding it can be a little challenging at times. I actually tried the Metallic Rose wet and dry. Wet, you are going to get a richer more flat color. Dry appears more "gleaming" and obviously not as intense. Both of these are easily everyday wearable colors.
Urban Decay Loose Pigments
Urban Decay
Loose Pigments Eyeshadow
Baked, Smog, and Yeyo
Nicole:
Baked, Smog, and Yeyo are the 3 colors of Loose Pigment that I was able to try. Baked is a shimmery "solid gold" color, Smog is a deep shiny brown, and Yeyo is light shimmery white. The spill proof tube definitely prevents cracking and spilling if you drop it. (Don't you hate when that happens? I do!) The only thing is that I am not sure about the brush attached to the tube. I felt like I got it all over the first time I used it. There was glitter everywhere. The best way to approach it is to either use the brush to get it on your eyelid and then spread with another brush, or try to remove as much as you can from the brush and apply lightly and evenly to your eyelid. As far as the colors go, they are great. Baked is more of a night time "going out" color, Smog can be used as an every day color, and the Yeyo is a nice highlighting color. Overall, once you get the hang of application, these are great little compact colors that can be taken anywhere.
From Eleasha:
the colors are nice and I like the quality of the shadow, but I hate the brush. It is too hard and it makes the application of the shadow very difficult and messy, especially since it is loose eye shadow. There needs to be a spongier type brush, not something with bristles.
Loose Pigments Eyeshadow
Baked, Smog, and Yeyo
Nicole:
Baked, Smog, and Yeyo are the 3 colors of Loose Pigment that I was able to try. Baked is a shimmery "solid gold" color, Smog is a deep shiny brown, and Yeyo is light shimmery white. The spill proof tube definitely prevents cracking and spilling if you drop it. (Don't you hate when that happens? I do!) The only thing is that I am not sure about the brush attached to the tube. I felt like I got it all over the first time I used it. There was glitter everywhere. The best way to approach it is to either use the brush to get it on your eyelid and then spread with another brush, or try to remove as much as you can from the brush and apply lightly and evenly to your eyelid. As far as the colors go, they are great. Baked is more of a night time "going out" color, Smog can be used as an every day color, and the Yeyo is a nice highlighting color. Overall, once you get the hang of application, these are great little compact colors that can be taken anywhere.
From Eleasha:
the colors are nice and I like the quality of the shadow, but I hate the brush. It is too hard and it makes the application of the shadow very difficult and messy, especially since it is loose eye shadow. There needs to be a spongier type brush, not something with bristles.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Candles: StellaMare--Cranberry Tangerine
Candles
StellaMare
Cranberry Tangerine
So, I'm standing in a store, on my lunch hour, smelling candles. There were a LOT of candles that smelled like feet and patchouli (or worse).
Then I opened the (very well designed, visually) package for the Cranberry Tangerine Candle. Yummy, but not overly foody. Not real sweet, just right.
Smells even better when lit!
It's also a really pretty deep red, in a nice glass cup, so it looks good on my kitchen counter.
StellaMare
Cranberry Tangerine
So, I'm standing in a store, on my lunch hour, smelling candles. There were a LOT of candles that smelled like feet and patchouli (or worse).
Then I opened the (very well designed, visually) package for the Cranberry Tangerine Candle. Yummy, but not overly foody. Not real sweet, just right.
Smells even better when lit!
It's also a really pretty deep red, in a nice glass cup, so it looks good on my kitchen counter.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Combs: My search
I have hair that breaks things.
Hair bands, brushes, and, especially COMBS.
[There is a LOT of hair on my head. Each strand is about the same thickness as sewing thread. And there are tons of that. I donated hair last year, the woman had to package it in 3 bundles.]
I comb my hair after washing. It doesn't matter how much conditioner I use, it's a tough job. I've come to terms with that.
What I can't stand is when combs snap in my hair!
I've tried the cheap, bendy-plastic drugstore combs (imagine hair laughing), and the fancy salon combs (took a year, but my hair won).
The only comb I have yet to break is this immense, thick-toothed, white plastic handled comb. It came free in a Clinique bonus.
I am down to the Clinique comb for wet hair & a Phillips Light Touch brush for dry hair. The brush does not consistently reach my scalp through my hair. I could press harder, but I don't want to break the brush & have to go buy another. The Phillips brush works to smooth the mess.
I would like to think that there are others in the same boat. Any recommendations???
Hair bands, brushes, and, especially COMBS.
[There is a LOT of hair on my head. Each strand is about the same thickness as sewing thread. And there are tons of that. I donated hair last year, the woman had to package it in 3 bundles.]
I comb my hair after washing. It doesn't matter how much conditioner I use, it's a tough job. I've come to terms with that.
What I can't stand is when combs snap in my hair!
I've tried the cheap, bendy-plastic drugstore combs (imagine hair laughing), and the fancy salon combs (took a year, but my hair won).
The only comb I have yet to break is this immense, thick-toothed, white plastic handled comb. It came free in a Clinique bonus.
I am down to the Clinique comb for wet hair & a Phillips Light Touch brush for dry hair. The brush does not consistently reach my scalp through my hair. I could press harder, but I don't want to break the brush & have to go buy another. The Phillips brush works to smooth the mess.
I would like to think that there are others in the same boat. Any recommendations???
Friday, March 21, 2008
Laura Geller Brow Marker and SmashBox Brow Tech
Let me start by saying that my brows are 1-2 shades darker than my hair color (and yes, this is a naturally occurring phenom, which I sometimes address by coloring my hair to make them match my brows). Being very dark brown, my brows are a prominent feature. They require daily maintenance (plucking the ones that are too many or shouldn't be, and trimming the ones that have gotten unruly and too long). As we all know, maintenance can be tricky, as evidenced by a little bare spot in my left brow, and if I get too cut trim-happy, I end up exposing it. Which is what happened this morning.
I thought I'd give Laura the chance to help me out. I'm happy to report that Brow Marker goes on easily, doesn't have the tell-tale look that pencil gives, and has wonderful staying power. I tried it in brown (it comes in either Taupe or Brown). If only it were dark enough to match my real brow hairs, I would have declared a blessing from Aphrodite.
But, since it didn't quite match up, I turned to my reliable old friend, SmashBox Brow Tech in Brunette. If you use a light hand, Brow Tech is wonderful (get carried away, and you look like either Frankenstein or his lovely Bride). It comes with wax which (depending on the coarseness and determination of your brow hairs) does a fairly good job of reigning them in. Again, restraint is the word, or you'll look like you have greasy brows - what an image! Brunette is the perfect color for dark brown/almost black brows! It also comes in Auburn, Blonde, Grey, Taupe, and Soft Brown (available on QVC with a free full-size Smashbox Soft Lights Quad in Allure).
In summary: Brow Marker is great, just be sure the color is right for your brows; and Brow Tech is great if you have a little self-control, and has colors to suite everyone.
Laura Geller Brow Marker does not appear on her website, and is not avaiable online at Sephora. To buy, visit QVC or BellaSugar. Brow Tech is available at Sephora, QVC and Smashbox.
Happy Brow-sing!
I thought I'd give Laura the chance to help me out. I'm happy to report that Brow Marker goes on easily, doesn't have the tell-tale look that pencil gives, and has wonderful staying power. I tried it in brown (it comes in either Taupe or Brown). If only it were dark enough to match my real brow hairs, I would have declared a blessing from Aphrodite.
But, since it didn't quite match up, I turned to my reliable old friend, SmashBox Brow Tech in Brunette. If you use a light hand, Brow Tech is wonderful (get carried away, and you look like either Frankenstein or his lovely Bride). It comes with wax which (depending on the coarseness and determination of your brow hairs) does a fairly good job of reigning them in. Again, restraint is the word, or you'll look like you have greasy brows - what an image! Brunette is the perfect color for dark brown/almost black brows! It also comes in Auburn, Blonde, Grey, Taupe, and Soft Brown (available on QVC with a free full-size Smashbox Soft Lights Quad in Allure).
In summary: Brow Marker is great, just be sure the color is right for your brows; and Brow Tech is great if you have a little self-control, and has colors to suite everyone.
Laura Geller Brow Marker does not appear on her website, and is not avaiable online at Sephora. To buy, visit QVC or BellaSugar. Brow Tech is available at Sephora, QVC and Smashbox.
Happy Brow-sing!
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