Beauty Product Reviews

Finally The Brights Palette I Crave from ND

Adore this palette. Just a wonderful sampling of NDs best formulas. Four stars because of the price and one dud, "spiral".

Pastels in ND's CP Formula! Yes Please!

The duo chromes are pretty but a little underwhelming. Although I really like "duet". "Adriatic" is also lovely. There are two metallics. "Mint Frost" is a lovely formula. "Limoncello" is so disappointing. It has absolutely no color when applied and the shimmer brushes away. The mattes (except for "Bubble") is wonderful! Love the payoff and blendability of them. They ARE pastel but I did not require a base on my fair skin to see them. Have not tried it on deeper skin tones.

Easy To Work With

This felt like I was painting on canvas rather than using makeup. It was very easy to work with. I felt I had some time to work before the product dried. It did have a bit of a satin sheen on dry down. Not completely matte. I'm ok with that. The product reminds me of a hybrid of a gel and cream. It's a dream to work with like cream but dries down like a gel. This is a great base for the Twin Flames Liquid Pigments or gloss products. It was easy to remove with my cleansing balm. I plan on picking up more colors.

His worst one

Can't believe this even produced anymore. I have SEVERAL of his palettes. I pre-ordered this when it was first released and was so excited to get it. The entire palette is a dud save white china. The shimmers are chunky. They'll work with glitter glue but still look dull and muted. The mattes are paaaatttcchhy and skip. Such a disappointment. I thought the colors were inspiring but after trying all the techniques for working with cheaper shadows, I barely got something worth wild. If you HAVE to buy a J* palette, don't bother with this one.

Was Skeptical About The Puff.........

I like the buffer applicator. I don't understand the big stink about it. I keep this in my car or purse for when I need something quick. This is the only travel friendly MMU out there. For those having issues with the applicator, turn the middle ring in the open direction until you feel a click, turn the container upside down and pat against the back of your hand until the product comes out, pat and then buff product on face, viola! Once you have enough product in the puff, you can click it off to save product and prevent the puff from caking. If you twist towards open after the click, the cap eventually screws off. I do this occasionally when I want to apply with a concealer brush for healing pimple spots. The puff is made of antimicrobial materials. If you apply to a clean face, don't share the product and keep it dry; contamination isn't an issue. I wash the puff with a MU remover cloth, remove excess moisture with a towel and then let it air dry without the cap overnight. The coverage is comparable to BE. It's a decent medium coverage but you may want to use concealer for really pigmented blemishes. The shades run yellow. I wear illusion which is the fairest shade. If I wasn't living with a mild tan year round, none of the shades would work for me. The finish is just between satin and matte. The more product you use, the more likely you'll get the sheen that MMU is notorious for. However this product is not as bad as BE's shine factor. Really great product overall. It's a bit of a holy grail for me. I use this for work mostly. I'm a floor nurse who runs around for 8 to 16 hours. I want to look slightly made up but can't afford the melting factor of liquid, the uber shine of BE MMU or the crappy coverage of the "sensitive skin" MMU. Give it a try. Buy it somewhere that has a good return policy. It's worth a try. UPDATE: Still using this powder but more often then I use to. I use this as a setting powder over liquid foundation when I want to look more made up. It has a beautiful finish that's satin and doesn't cake like most other powders. I still love the puff. I've been using it for 6 months. It hasn't caused any breakouts. The puff is still in good shape. I use this product at least 4 to 5 times a week.

Not bad but not an HG

I got a sample of this from Ulta. It does work better then I thought but it isn't a miracle. I have VERY oily skin so I had low expectations. It works better then the De-Slick spray. I might buy this again but am not sure yet. It is nice for getting rid of cake with out melting my makeup like MAC Fix+.

THE Lotion for oily skin!

I have VERY oily skin and I've looked high and low for a light weight moisturizer to prevent rebound oil after washing BUT not create new oil problems itself. This is amazing. It helps keep my skin less oily. It has a matte finish when applied. The best thing is this absolutely doubles as a primer for me. This reminds me of a slightly cheaper version of Murad's Mattifier without the glue like texture. My only complaint is that this does not have an SPF. This means I have to put on a separate sunblock sometimes. My foundations usually have some type of SPF but on makeup free days, I have to use sunblock.

Versatile and Sturdy

I own a black large, pro and small z-palette. They are surprisingly sturdy. I was first put off by the cardboard but it's very much like the sturdy cardboard of pre-filled palettes. I don't have to worry about cardboard cracking. I just expect some wear at the corners and my makeup not to be damaged. The magnet is strong and each came with sticker magnets to attach to pans that aren't magnetized (MAC). I like that the top is clear so I can see what I have in each. The plastic of the lid feels thick and just flexible enough to prevent cracking but not pressing into the makeup. I use the small palette for my purse and pull pans from the larger ones. I'm very happy with this customizable system. I'm an amateur MUA and I like how these palettes are universal and allow me to organize all my makeup for my case. I ordered directly from the site. The shipping was very fast. I got an email with tracking info the morning it was shipped. Just a great overall experience. I do feel these might be overpriced but they are unique. There are other palettes out there but they are not as spacious but sleek and universal.

Long Lasting, Inexpensive

LOVE LOVE these. The colors are gorgeous and they are very long lasting. Do yourself a favor and purchase the invisible 100 and use it as a topcoat. It will make the cheapest nail polish last a lot longer. I use to be a die hard Seche Vite fan but the x-treme invisible is just as good for a fraction of the cost. It's super shinny, long lasting and evens out bumpy glitter.

Learning Curve, Long Lasting

I really love these. I wear them pretty consistently now. They take a bit of practice to get them on perfectly. It took about the 3rd time before I got my nails covered from edge to edge. It's better to pick a strip that's a little large and trim the excess using the pointed end of the orange stick included (run it between your nail and cuticle). I do wish these were a bit cheaper but it does include all the tools need to get these on just right and it's cheaper then a salon manicure. I usually find the LE designs on clearance or BOGO 50% @ the drugstore. They do wear for a very long time. I usually don't get past 7 days because I like to change my design often. I work in the health industry and clean my hands frequently. I use my SH x-treme invisible 100 top-coat. I see more wear and cracks with the metallic patterns but they still last awhile. The metallics are easier to apply because they're stiffer. They are also easier to remove. I've heard others complain about buying strips that have dried out. I've never ran across this but I do buy the LE designs so they're always fresh. It helps to warm the strips between your hands for a moment if you're working with them in a cold environment. Tips: Follow the instructions!, warm between your hands before applying and once applied, good nail prep first, the orange stick is your friend for perfecting edges, make sure to stretch strip over edge of nail