Beauty Product Reviews

Tricky for newbs, but a good liner

If you're just figuring out how to apply liquid liner, steer clear of this. If you smudge, be prepared to be cleaning it up with powerful makeup remover since it really is water-proof. But, if you've got some experience and need a liner that will last all day, this is an awesome option. It's dirt cheap, but applies well as long as you've got the skills, and doesn't crease or look unnaturally shiny as the day goes on. The tip is rather firm, so be warned. Will buy this again, for sure.

Pretty fabulous

Not as long-lasting as a glitter, but this formula tends to stay on my nails a while longer than most polishes, and looks darn good doing it. I'm a nursing student, and tend to wash my hands a LOT (which totally breaks your nails and ruins polish), so I need polishes that stand up to abuse (no worries, though, I never ever wear polish during clinical). This one does, as long as you put on a generous top coat.

I love the texture on this baby, and the little bits of glitter help to make this polish a statement piece. Great for summer, and definitely a stand-out for a great pedi.

Best brush for cream foundation.

After lots of research, and my own desperation at trying to find a good finish, I decided it was worth a shot to try this brush. It was only nine dollars on Amazon. I was skeptical that it could do the job, since I'd tried various applications over the years, and noting did the trick. But, using it the first time I was very impressed. It smooths the foundation over your face, doesn't leave streaks, covers pores, and gives your face the perfect satin finish. But, I wasn't quite convinced yet: would I have to clean the brush after each and every use to get the right finish? It turns out, unlike some other styles/brands of brushes, this one keeps its integrity of finish through multiple uses. Of course, I do try to clean all my brushes after a week of use, but you could probably go longer with this one. This is my go-to brush for foundation, and I love it. I would definitely buy this again.

Must-Have

My favorite eye-shadow. I use this to complete my smokey-eye look, and it serves me well, giving a slightly shimmery effect to my eyelids. Unlike some other MAC shadows, Moth Brown is very smooth, thus ensuring an easy application and even coverage. The formula is blendable, and the color is entrancing. Though supposedly "brown," this shadow is slightly more grey, but with depth of tone...You can see purple and a brown/blue shade in certain lights. I don't know what I'll do when I run out (I neglected to get a backup!), but this is a holy-grail shadow for me.

Perfect Primer.

I used to use Urban Decay's primer potion until I found my bottle contained nasty ingredients, and I gave it away. THIS, though, is awesome. You can find ELF's mineral primer for $1-3 depending on sales, deals, etc. and it works great! It's just as good as all the other high-end primers out there, and costs nothing! This stuff doesn't crease, and keeps my shadows on all day long. I will definitely be buying this again. BTW, you can use the "blush" shade of this primer as a light pick-me-up for your lids on days when you need a quick go-over before heading out.

Gorgeous.

This was my first Illamasqua, and it has really hooked me on their polishes. Phallic is stunning on the nail: deep blue with subtle shimmery sparkles that seem to make it glow from the inside. Application is great, opaque in two coats, and almost opaque in one. It's not too thin or thick, and dries faster than some other high end polishes, which is great.

Broke me Out!

I received a nice sized sample of this in my January Birchbox, and since it's pretty "natural" I thought I'd try it out. First off, it doesn't really smell good. I was kind of expecting it to smell slightly chocolately, but it just smells a little medicinal (less pleasant even than my Clinique lotion). I just put a small amount on, and smoothed it into my face, and it seemed to moisturise just fine, though it wasn't anything special. After a few days, I noticed my chin breaking out, and my face starting to get oilier. I had changed nothing else about my daily cleansing/moisturising rituals, so I know it was definitely this product that was the culprit. Wouldn't buy it, and for the price you could get a lot better product!

Fave Hair Tools.

Before I cut off all my hair (my brand-new daughter LOVED to pull on it!) I used these spin pins about every other day. They make it so easy to just put your hair up in a cute little bun and run out of the house looking like you took time on your hair! They're relatively cheap (about 6 dollars US), are smooth and don't tangle your hair. My best suggestion is to spin the first one horizontally from the back of your bun in towards your head, then to take the second on at a 90 degree angle from the first and spin in (again horizontally) in from the side so it catches the rest of your hair and the first pin. Voila, you're set to go out.

No good for my sensitive skin...

I tried this since it's supposedly oil-free (like many of us, oil makes me break-out), but found that even though it does indeed get eye-makeup off, it burns and irritates my eyes. I had to get rid of this stuff because it was so irritating. So, if you have sensitive eyes or eye-areas, don't use this stuff.

Pigmented, Doesn't have great staying power.

I love the colour, but this is definitely a shade you'll be reapplying throughout the day (or evening). It wears off rather quickly, and is a little drying. I am glad I bought this shade, but probably wouldn't buy again (if it were an option).