Dawn C.'s (dawndie) Beauty Product Reviews
How disappointing!!
I got this in Earth 2 which is a little too dark for my complexion but the closest color they had to my skin tone. I have yet to find a true color match in Iman products for me.
Long story short, this BB Cream broke me out with the worst case of cystic acne I have ever suffered. I stuck with it for a week in order to really test out the longevity and wear.
First, the color was not a match for me, but I tried to work around it with my powder.
Second, while it applies very smoothly and evenly, it left me with a very shiny finish after 10 minutes. Even after applying my primer and powder, I was an oil slick with this BB Cream
Third, it broke me out so horribly...I have never had such a painful breakout since I was a teenager. I'm not sure which ingredient set me off, but I opted to pitch this product rather than inflict it on someone else!
Finally, I had to order this online. Iman products are difficult to find in my area and the online color matching system didn't work very well for me. I also found the price to be a bit high.
I was really bummed out, even though I always strike out with Iman's foundations, I do like a lot of her products and love supporting her company. Alas, I will stick with my Smashbox and Maybelline BB Creams. Smashbox is the best for my oily t-zone and Maybelline is perfect for me in the fall and winter when I'm a little drier.
This review is for the Outlast 2-In-1 from the Cover Girl Queen Collection. (looong review!)
Absolutely fantastic!! I've been wearing this foundation for a little over 6 weeks and am so happy with both the coverage and the finish.
First, it was such a wonderful change to have a full range of colors specifically targeted to women of color to choose from at the store. Just as the regular line has 12 shades, the Queen Collection line also has 12 shades from which to choose your best color match.
I purchased 5 shades (I'll break down the variances below) and have worn all of them alone and mixed together.
The coverage is medium, buildable to full. It comes in a glass jar with a pump dispenser (yea!) and one pump is enough for a smooth looking complexion. 2 pumps give me a flawless finish. This foundation dries to a true matte finish and after 4 hours of wear with NO PRIMER OR POWDER, I still do not have shine to touch up! Let me repeat, 4 hours with NO PRIMER OR POWDER on top and I'm still looking like I just left the house!
This has been huge for me because I really don't like to wear a ton of product on my face. When it gets warmer and more humid, I'll probably just need to wear a dash of primer only on my nose with a light dusting of powder on top. This stuff is that good!
I've had no adverse reactions, it applies smoothly and once dry it doesn't transfer! If I apply 2 coats, I don't need to wear concealer. This really does provide great coverage for minor shadows or blemishes. I have worn concealer on top for days I've had darker spots or circles and every brand of concealer I have worn blends seamlessly with this foundation.
I bought this in Spicy Brown, Almond Glow, Golden Honey, Warm Caramel and Soft Copper. If you line these up and only go by the color in the bottle you may think you have bought the same color. But Cover Girl really did a great job at addressing the minute variances in the undertones for women of color.
Spicy Brown is a gorgeous, rich, true brown that is a touch dark for me now, but will be my color for the summer.
Almond Glow and Golden Honey look identical in the jar, but Almond Glow is just a touch darker. These two have warm notes to them.
Warm Caramel and Soft Copper look identical in the jar, but Warm Caramel is a touch darker thank Soft Copper. These two have cool note to them.
So, Almond Glow and Warm Caramel are identical in color but the undertones are distinctly different. Warm and Cool. Same story with Golden Honey and Soft Copper. Colors are identical, but undertones are warm and cool.
Spicy Brown has a warm undertone.
I have given my daughter Soft Copper and Golden Honey to play with. Once you figure out the best color for your skin tone I recommend keeping one cool and one warm to mix and match to your complexion if needed. I find that Almond Glow is the color that matches me the best overall. I grab it more than any of the others (at least during the winter).
When I mix this with my moisturizer and wear this as a lighter coverage you absolutely cannot tell that I'm wearing any thing. Even in the full sun. You will see some slight dark marks or circles, but they are blurred and overall it just looks like I have great skin.
I truly hope that this line gets the support it deserves. You can find it on sale and use coupons to get a great deal on these. I bought my five bottles online and only paid approx. $36 for all 5 bottles after sales and coupons (and free shipping!).
BTW....I still really love my Revlon Colorstay foundation. I really only tried this one to review for a friend, and was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of this foundation. I think that the Cover Girl (Queen Collection) offers more shade choices for those women who have not been able to find a perfect match in the Colorstay line. I have to mix two colors in Revlon to get my perfect match....I don't mind, but still......Amber Glow in the Queen Collection is already a perfect match for me and I don't think I'll need to mix the Spicy Brown with any other color once my complexion gets darker over the summer.
My everyday lipstick....love it!
This color looks very nice on my lips. It's just a shade darker than neutral, I like how it gives a nice polished look.
This lipstick is very moisturizing! I was pleasantly surprised at how creamy it feels. It has a beautiful finish, not glossy or greasy but very natural. It looks great with a dark brown lipliner. It lasted me about 3 hours with no eating or drinking.
I can't wait to try a few more of these cremesheen lipsticks from MAC, Creme In Your Coffee is a great everyday color.
Fountain of youth? :-)
This corrector has been a tremendous help with covering up any dark spots and circles on my face. I must admit, I was skeptical about the results I was reading about in various review sites. I'm glad I decided to give this a try as it really works for me.
I apply this with my fingers and blend well. You don't need a lot of this product for it to work. I then apply a very light brush of concealer over the top and set with a light dusting of powder. It gives my face a more brightened look. I have not experienced any creasing with this....I've applied it both before and after foundation and it seems to work the same either way for me.
I've used a variety of concealers with this, it doesn't really matter which brands, the corrector does its job perfectly underneath. I have tried it alone underneath my B.B. cream and it helped to brighten up my look without leaving a heavy feel on my face.
With a full-coverage foundation, using this gives me a totally flawless face for special occasions or pictures.
It was a bit pricey, but it will last a very long time since I don't need a lot to get great results.
One of my favorites....
Long lasting, vibrant color. This lipstick actually makes my lips feel healthier when I'm wearing it. It's not sticky, just very moisturizing and smooth. I've used it with and without lip liner with no feathering of the product.
Unfortunately this lipstick is not sold in the U.S. I'm lucky to have a family member in Japan who sends me lots of nice products without the markups and shipping costs. You can find it online, but at $30-$40 a tube I wouldn't try to justify that expense.
Beautiful shimmer, generous amount in jar
I just picked up 6 gorgeous jars of Sparkle Dust. You will need to apply this before you put on your foundation or use Shadow Shields because it does have fallout. If you tap your brush, then you can start with a light layer of shimmer or build it up to a more dramatic finish easily. I have used this with a mixing medium and it turns the dust into a super-charged, metallic finish. Not for the faint of heart! I love this product. You can also use some of the colors as a pretty highlight on your face or shoulders.
Blackest black.....
I really love this eyeshadow. It's an intense, rich black. You cannot beat the $5.99 price and it's always a breeze to buy from MUG. You do need to tap the brush before applying this color as there can be a little fallout if you don't. You need to add a tiny bit of color at a time as this black is crazy pigmented. A little bit goes a loooong way with this shadow.
I've been using this palette too much!
Not too much to add to the already great reviews. The color combos are endless. An almost perfect mix of shimmers and matte colors great for any skin tone. The blushes are beautiful and can be used as shadows too. My only complaint is that there is not a black shadow in the lineup, not even a dark brown. That is what stops this palette from being the only thing you need to pack for a short trip. You'll still need to bring a black or dark brown shadow to round it out.
Otherwise, the colors apply remarkable well. A few of the colors seem to need a couple of more layers than others, but for the price you really do get a great product.
Works great.....with a lot of work and help from another mascara!
I love this mascara. I use it underneath Lash Stiletto to get a perfect lash every time. This mascara is great at separating and capturing in inner and outer corners. It does not give volume as much as it gives lift and length. When I top it with the Lash Stiletto I find I get a very intense, gorgeous lash.
I couldn't give it 5 stars since I have to apply another mascara on top of this to get it to work for me. It also takes a lot of time and work to apply this mascara so I don't wear it much on its own/everyday. Just when I want to rev up my the more natural look I get with Lash Stiletto.
Good buy if you are willing to work for it.
Not for me....terrible break-out!
Alas, this toner gave me horrible and painful cystic acne. Thankfully I realized very quickly that it came from the toner as this was the only new product I used on my face. I'm not sure what triggered the break-out but I suspect it is probably the fragrance.
Overall, I liked the rose scent but not the acne! Too bad, I really wanted this one to work for me. I'll stick with my regular ole witch hazel toner.