All posts filed under: Reviews

Illamasqua Precision Ink in Wisdom

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The Illamasqua Precision Ink in Wisdom is a product that I wish I used more. I ordered it a few months ago and I’m a little ashamed to admit that it hasn’t seen the outside world that much yet because it got lost in all of my makeup hoarding recent acquisitions. From Sephora: This long-wearing liquid liner comes with a fine tip that allows for defined application, making it perfect for creating a defined eye—or even painting designs on the body. The waterproof formula dries within seconds and stays true for hours. So, I want to bring your attention to the tip. It’s awesome for application because it’s quite stiff, so it doesn’t really flex much and bend all over the place. You can’t get a super fine line with it, but it’s a thin enough line for me, and I’ve found that I prefer this type of applicator over the thin, bendy brushes from the likes of e.l.f.’s liquid eyeliner (review) or Le Métier de Beauté’s Indelible Inks (review). I love this so much! …

My MAC Eyeshadow Palette (Swatches, Looks & Video)

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I know I’ve shown these before, but I have this feeling that it shouldn’t be left out of any eye month. Someone is bound to ask for these, so here: My MAC Eyeshadows. MAC eyeshadows seem to be the gateway to makeup madness. It’s a phenomenon quite unlike anything I’ve seen—anyone who’s at least knee-deep in the business of beauty knows what Satin Taupe, Woodwinked, and All That Glitters all mean. I don’t have a lot of MAC shadows and I don’t have a special relationship with them. I bought my first two eyeshadows in October 2012, and bought the rest in one go. Today, I’ll show you my MAC eyeshadow palette (plus, 2 that don’t fit), and give you a rundown of what they look like and how I use them. Here’s a pretty short video, if you want to see the swatches in action (different angles, etc): Here are the two out-of-palette stragglers. The Runaways: Amber Lights, and Trax — Amber Lights is a “peachy brown with shimmer” and has a frost finish. …

Check in your bags for the long haul with these concealers

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An overview of my current concealer products. In case you have no idea what these do, concealers hide our blemishes, red spots, acne, and dark circles. They do almost nothing to your bags. I mean, let’s be real. No matter how much concealer you put on a surface that it not flat, the protrusion will cause a shadow. Like Krysty, I don’t really like hiding my bags because lighter concealers emphasize them and make them look baggier, or at least more noticeable. I think my issue is more on the ‘puffy’ side than ‘dark circles,’ so when I conceal under my eyes, I keep my expectations in check. Of course the puffs will show when I smile! The best thing I’ve ever done about that is come to terms with it. But that’s neither here nor there! I have found a favorite to use, however! Can you guess which one I like the best? 🙂 THE BODY SHOP TEA TREE CONCEALER (02) I think this might be my pinkest shade. I used this on my …

Drugstore Finds: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

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The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk was made popular a few years ago by YouTube beauty gurus, and I can see why. It’s a chubby pencil that dispenses a rich, white opaque coating in one swipe. Fans of colored eyeshadows that really pop, rejoice! I have a few others in Lavender, Oyster, and Pacific, and while all of them are inferior to Milk in the department of Making Eyeshadows Pop, they’re great for other things. I swatched three eyeshadows over each of the Jumbo Eye Pencil Swatches to observe their performance as a base: On top, I have Addiction’s Sandbar, and to me, it’s a bit too light to arrive at any sort of conclusion. The next row is made by a rust-colored shadow, and you can see the pink tones come out more when it’s over Oyster. The last row is a swipe of a cool blue shadow, 203 by Art Deco, and you can also see the nuance of the change shade the most over Oyster once again. I love Milk, especially …

Drugstore Finds: Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohls

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Today’s review is on a product that I am a little bit scared to talk about because it has reached an insane level of cult stardom. Or something. The Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohls are often touted as a drugstore alternative to many high-end creamy eyeliners because of its rich and creamy texture, as well as impressive pigmentation, and staying power. These do not budge, apparently. And—apparently—I had to try them out. Color me surprised when the first time I used the black liner. I used it to tightline my upper waterline (which, by the way, applies impressively. I have a very sensitive upper waterline) and it was so creamy and smooth, and I loved it. Then it traveled to my bags. And stayed put. I tried it again on a different day, this time on my lower lashline and in between my upper lashes. This is pictured above. Again, after a few hours—a case of smudgerama. Anyway, I guess I should note that I have watery eyes and I live in a country that is …

Quickie: Urban Decay Primer Potion Original & Sin

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The Urban Decay Primer Potion is perhaps the best eye primer I’ve tried. It’s right above the NARS Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Base (which I can’t get to work on my lids, strangely), the Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer, Benefit’s Lemon Aid (which is great upon application but creases as well), and tons of other eye bases like cream shadows and such. This is just the best, basic one for me. I do like the MAC Paint Pots also, but the ones I have are shimmery, and if I want a neutral base, my go-to is the UDPP. A great thing about this is also its applicator. No doe-foot unsanitariness here! I bought the PP twin pack in Original and Sin from a Friends and Family Sale eons ago, and I realized I haven’t spoken about these wonders yet. The original looks like an opaque pinky cream here, but it blends out into an invisible base. Sin is a beautiful champagne color with a finish that reminds me of LUSH’s Sophisticated. Here, I am wearing UDPP …

Drugstore Finds: Flower Beauty Color Play Crème Shadows in Orchid-ing Around and Vine of the Times

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I’ve been eyeing the Flower Beauty line (yes, Drew Barrymore’s makeup collection!) for the longest time, but I finally decided to bite the bullet a couple of weeks ago when I saw some lipstick swatches that looked remarkably like MAC’s Betty Bright. That turned out to be a dud dupe, but a great lipstick by itself. The Color Play Crème Shadows were always high up on my list of things to try, so I bought two of them as well: Orchid-ing Around, a blackened orchid shade, and Vine of the Times, a pretty light green. Both have shimmer in them, though the green looks like a cream. Swatches, L-R: Orchid-ing Around and Vine of the Times First up is Orchid-ing Around. Although it probably looks scarier, it’s actually the “safer choice,” since it’s close to being a black. As mentioned, it is a blackened orchid with quite a bit of glitter/shimmer, though it’s not anything chunky. I thought this would be an interesting base color to layer some lighter shades on top of. These cream …