Makeup shop-talk.
Reviews from my latest Sephora order-- my gift to myself with my first new job paycheck, since my favorite eyeshadow had crumbled to bits a month before and I hadn't bought anything in... six months or so.
Stila Night Flower Deluxe Palette:: Stila's products are really hit-or-miss with me. Some products, like the Ava lipcolor, I love to bits. Some, like the Fiber Optics mascara, I threw at the wall and never touched again. This palette, while kind of pricey, was worth every penny spent. For starters, the limited edition Nectarine eyeshadow is gorgeous. It's a pigment-packed cool-tone pink/peach highlighter that goes on like a dream. Venus is nice-- more cooltoned than Urban Decay's X, which is my go-to everyday pink-gold. Sunkissed is a nice metallic-neutral gold, and Mahogany is rich enough that it can be used as a liner. The Quaint blush is absolutely fabulous on me. I hear it's a lot like NARS' Orgasm blush, minus the annoying shimmer overload. On me, it's a really smooth frosted peach, but with a pretty good pigment payoff-- a little goes a long way. The Melissa lipcolor, contrary to the site, is not a pinky-brown. It's more of a neutral purple with a subtle metallic sheen that is actually really wearable, and honestly, it really allows the eyeshadows to stand out, because it pulls the whole face together. The gloss is pretty clear, and looks good over the lipstick. For a neutral pale chick, this palette is a dream. You can wear this in the daytime, or pack a little more color on for a totally hot pinup look for night. I very well may buy a back-up of this one before they're out of stock-- this is a clear winner. Plus, the packaging is durable and gorgeous.
Benefit BeneTint Pocket Pal:: I was expecting a deeper color out of this, but the stain is actually a very rosepetal pink. It looks kind of startlingly bright on my lips. It's not a loss, though, as I have a tendency to bite my lips and wipe all of my lipstick off, and this helps my lips retain color worn under lipstick. Plus, it is a very subtle natural flush when used on the cheeks. And the clear gloss is handy to have around. I wouldn't re-purchase this, but it is nice enough that it won't go to waste.
Urban Decay Primer Potion:: I'd heard all the hype. Apparently this stuff is the best stuff ever-- God's gift to eyeshadow, etcetera. I have oily lids. My eyeshadow never stays on. I always have to freshen things up mid-day. Well. I put my makeup on at 7:45 this morning, and I just washed it off at 10:30 at night, and I didn't have a single goddamn crease. This stuff is very worthy of the hype. Completely.
Benefit MoonBeam:: Erm. Whoops. I'd meant to buy High Beam, which I'd tried in the mini fake-it kit. HighBeam is a really shiny, pigmented pink highlighter, and it looks really great on my skin. MoonBeam is considerably warmer, and not as pigmented. Which isn't to say that it's bad-- it's not. It's just different. Much more subtle as a brightener, which means you can mix it into your foundation for an all-over illuminating effect, or you could use it as a spot illuminator. I usually rub some in over my cheekbones and temples. As a highlighter, this is fine. I prefer HighBeam, but this is nice, too.
Becca Line and Illuminate Pencil: Ibiza:: It's a double-ended pencil, pretty standard. The black end is really nice and smooth. About as rich a black as you're going to get without switching to kohl. The gold end was a little lacking-- it shows up very faintly on skin. Nice, but for the money, I'd just go with individual pencils and go for a more pigmented gold.
TooFaced Magic Wand Illuminating Foundation Sample: Hollywood:: One of my free samples. Really nice, actually. Gave me a great all-over glow. I remember thinking, "man I look kinda hot today" after wearing it. I don't know that I'd pay $32 for it, but I will say that it looked nice. Went on kinda light, and had a nice smooth finish. For everyday wear, I need something a little more oil-blotting, though.
Okay, I'm going to bed. I've got a heating sack on my neck, and everything is stiff and sore. Bleurgh.
Stila Night Flower Deluxe Palette:: Stila's products are really hit-or-miss with me. Some products, like the Ava lipcolor, I love to bits. Some, like the Fiber Optics mascara, I threw at the wall and never touched again. This palette, while kind of pricey, was worth every penny spent. For starters, the limited edition Nectarine eyeshadow is gorgeous. It's a pigment-packed cool-tone pink/peach highlighter that goes on like a dream. Venus is nice-- more cooltoned than Urban Decay's X, which is my go-to everyday pink-gold. Sunkissed is a nice metallic-neutral gold, and Mahogany is rich enough that it can be used as a liner. The Quaint blush is absolutely fabulous on me. I hear it's a lot like NARS' Orgasm blush, minus the annoying shimmer overload. On me, it's a really smooth frosted peach, but with a pretty good pigment payoff-- a little goes a long way. The Melissa lipcolor, contrary to the site, is not a pinky-brown. It's more of a neutral purple with a subtle metallic sheen that is actually really wearable, and honestly, it really allows the eyeshadows to stand out, because it pulls the whole face together. The gloss is pretty clear, and looks good over the lipstick. For a neutral pale chick, this palette is a dream. You can wear this in the daytime, or pack a little more color on for a totally hot pinup look for night. I very well may buy a back-up of this one before they're out of stock-- this is a clear winner. Plus, the packaging is durable and gorgeous.
Benefit BeneTint Pocket Pal:: I was expecting a deeper color out of this, but the stain is actually a very rosepetal pink. It looks kind of startlingly bright on my lips. It's not a loss, though, as I have a tendency to bite my lips and wipe all of my lipstick off, and this helps my lips retain color worn under lipstick. Plus, it is a very subtle natural flush when used on the cheeks. And the clear gloss is handy to have around. I wouldn't re-purchase this, but it is nice enough that it won't go to waste.
Urban Decay Primer Potion:: I'd heard all the hype. Apparently this stuff is the best stuff ever-- God's gift to eyeshadow, etcetera. I have oily lids. My eyeshadow never stays on. I always have to freshen things up mid-day. Well. I put my makeup on at 7:45 this morning, and I just washed it off at 10:30 at night, and I didn't have a single goddamn crease. This stuff is very worthy of the hype. Completely.
Benefit MoonBeam:: Erm. Whoops. I'd meant to buy High Beam, which I'd tried in the mini fake-it kit. HighBeam is a really shiny, pigmented pink highlighter, and it looks really great on my skin. MoonBeam is considerably warmer, and not as pigmented. Which isn't to say that it's bad-- it's not. It's just different. Much more subtle as a brightener, which means you can mix it into your foundation for an all-over illuminating effect, or you could use it as a spot illuminator. I usually rub some in over my cheekbones and temples. As a highlighter, this is fine. I prefer HighBeam, but this is nice, too.
Becca Line and Illuminate Pencil: Ibiza:: It's a double-ended pencil, pretty standard. The black end is really nice and smooth. About as rich a black as you're going to get without switching to kohl. The gold end was a little lacking-- it shows up very faintly on skin. Nice, but for the money, I'd just go with individual pencils and go for a more pigmented gold.
TooFaced Magic Wand Illuminating Foundation Sample: Hollywood:: One of my free samples. Really nice, actually. Gave me a great all-over glow. I remember thinking, "man I look kinda hot today" after wearing it. I don't know that I'd pay $32 for it, but I will say that it looked nice. Went on kinda light, and had a nice smooth finish. For everyday wear, I need something a little more oil-blotting, though.
Okay, I'm going to bed. I've got a heating sack on my neck, and everything is stiff and sore. Bleurgh.