Beauty Product Reviews | Page 3

expensive & disappointing

I bought this eye cream last November (2010) and finally got around to reviewing it in April. I used it daily for about two months straight (late November to January) and didn't experience much of a difference. The texture was like a gentle lotion, my skin absorbed it well, and the skin under my eyes felt smooth for a little while after application. Contrary to its 'fragrance-free' aspect, it did smell like sweet black tea, but the scent wouldn't linger for long after applying. I should point out that I absolutely loved the smell of this until recently. I picked up this cream again in order to photograph and swatch it last month (March), but the texture and smell had changed. Firstly, it had somewhat separated in the tube, and now felt waxy and sticky on my skin, and that smell I loved was, well, very off. Granted, I did stop using it for a few months, and the eye cream is composed of mostly natural ingredients (with key ingredients being rice and fermented sweet black tea), but nevertheless, I was not expecting such a drastic change from before. Ever since the changes in texture and smell, I did try to use it twice, but have not used it (or wanted to) since. I'm disappointed because I feel like I can't even try to use it up and not waste it because the product has changed so much. Although personally, I did get this eye cream at a much discounted price through HauteLook, the retail price of 37$ for 0.5 oz is definitely not worth the product changing in smell and consistency in less than 6 months.

affordable mixing medium that seals loose eyeshadows very well!

Liquid Sugar is a water based sealer that is safe for sensitive skin and contact wearers which are both big pluses for me. It is odorless, looks and feels like water and dispenses into droplets to prevent spillage. At 17$ for 1 oz, it is affordable and works really well with applying products wet for more lasting power. I don't particularly like using it with glitter, but absolutely love its staying power with loose eyeshadows. You don't need to use a lot when you apply, so it will last a while too. Since it's hard to swatch something that just looks like water, I decided to use some Sugarpill eyeshadows. In terms of pigmentation, Sugarpill totally rocks even with dry swatches, but with Liquid Sugar, they become so much brighter. Applying wet is smooth and the application dries pretty quickly. I did find that Absinthe applied with Liquid Sugar stained my skin after removal though. Attached is a photo of dry and wet swatches of Absinthe, Birthday Girl & Magpie for comparison.

hefty price for a moisturizing lip balm, probably my favorite though

I am totally part of the hype with this lip balm. This is basically a review for the Lemon with Chamomile flavor, but almost all of the aspects (minus smell) apply to the others I've tried as well. It is tasteless to me, unless I deliberately lick my lips and then I taste waxiness. The smell doesn't linger for long after application. In terms of wear, it really lasts, even after eating I can feel remnants of the balm and I like how I can worry less about my lips drying out. Another thing (that I usually don't think about with lip products) is that it has 25 SPF, so it helps protect your lips when you're out in the sun too. The color seems clear for the most part, but does look like it is a very faint yellow. The texture is thick and you'll definitely feel that on the lips. I don't mind that aspect, but it might bother others. There are only two things I would nitpick about this lip balm. One, is that every time you open it after the first use, the tiny piece of plastic that pokes out into the shape of the applicator hole (inside the cap) pushes out balm around the hole of the applicator. Second, is its hefty price tag of 8$ for 0.25 oz of lip balm. Attached is a swatch of the Lemon with Chamomile one. I love the citrus smell of it! Others I've tried include Black Tea & Blackberry and Vanilla & Lavender. I absolutely love the smell of the Black Tea & Blackberry one and would pass on getting the Vanilla & Lavender flavor. It just doesn't seem like a smell I'd want on my lips.

pricey at 17$, not my favorite concealer

This was my first try with a BB Cream product. The texture is like liquid foundation and it applies well. However, coverage is light, and it is not the best concealer for the under eye area. I don't have much else to say about this one, other than the fact that I don't really find myself reaching for it if I want to put on concealer. I like it for covering up minor blemishes though.

pretty packaging & decent lip balm, but too pricey

I tried out Bite's lip butter in blueberry thinking it would be scented as such, but it is not. It actually smells waxy and has no taste. The product ends up being clear and glides on smoothly. In terms of those pieces of blueberry, I couldn't really feel any when applying, and they just melt away into your lips or skin. I also like how natural the product is, how 'each fleck of color is a piece of fruit' and the look of the texture in the pot. Though the lip butter is decently moisturizing, I wasn't very impressed with it overall. I'd equate it to an expensive lip balm that is not worth keeping. Attached is a photo of Blueberry up close so you can see the texture.

great value, pigmented, little to no fallout

Inglot's Double Sparkle or D.S. eyeshadows each have sparkle to them and apply smoothly with very minimal fallout. Attached photo is a close-up of 487 to show you how little fallout Inglot's D.S. eyeshadows have. I only own five of these: D.S. 483 - navy blue with blue sparkles D.S. 487 - reddish brown with golden sparkle D.S. 488 - peachy pink, very smooth application D.S. 496 - sheeny white, smooth application D.S. 504 - sea green with sparkle, smooth application Eyeshadow #504 was very pigmented from just one layer of swatching and the application was buttery smooth. It's probably my favorite color from my 5 pan palette, and I normally don't like greens. Overall, I prefer Inglot's Double Sparkle eyeshadows over the AMC ones, mainly because their color payoff is much easier to obtain.

kinda pricey, lightweight serum good before moisturizer

I like to apply this serum before my nighttime lotion and after toner. Despite daily use for a couple months now, it hasn't discolored which may be due to the hygienic pump packaging. A small amount can cover my entire face and it slightly tightens the skin once it's been absorbed. It has a very faint banana color to it, and there is a soft smell of blueberries when applied that dissipates. After my JUARA experience, I'm really impressed that texture-wise it hasn't changed at all. The feeling of it on the skin is comparable to a light, watered down lotion that dries clear and quickly. Attached is a photo of what the serum looks like swatched.

pigmented, buildable, one will last you a long time

The packaging for X-Rated isn't very practical. It's actually pretty bulky for the product inside. Nevertheless, I find its look very appealing. The box is sealed with two stickers of the blush's name on both sides. It comes in a weighty compact with no magnetic closure that could be inconvenient for traveling. The blush has that pressed-into-the-pan feeling, but it is finely milled, nicely pigmented with very minimal fallout and has lasting power. X-Rated looks really bold in the pan but swatches a lot lighter and is very buildable if you want that extra flush of color. Attached is a photo of light, medium and heavy swatches of X-Rated blush.

works nicely, but I don't feel that it's necessary to skincare

I really like putting it on immediately after I shower. It looks like water, but feels like a watered down serum on the face. There's a light scent that I really like but don't know how to explain it very well. It's a soft clean smell that's almost floral and lingers until it dries. I love the feeling of patting it all over my face because it feels cool as it dries, but doesn't tingle or burn like other products have. Right after applying, my skin feels supple and smooth. Although, it's definitely not meant to be used alone and is a nice primer before the rest of my nighttime skincare routine. Practically, I don't think it's a necessary part to any skincare routine, it is much more like a toner than a lotion.

great value, removes waterproof makeup

These wipes are cheaper (than the 12$ ones I compared them to: <a href='http://bit.ly/hvK5HB' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>http://bit.ly/hvK5HB</a>) and hydrating, so they don't dry out my skin, though I do opt to put on lotion afterwards anyway. They remove waterproof makeup and require much less rubbing compared to the Bear Naked wipes. Also, I feel like these wipes actually remove makeup because they would look dirty (the Josie Maran ones never looked as dirty, if that makes sense). Neutrogena's packaging states the measurements, but I measured one wipe to be about 7 by 7.5 inches. They have a cucumber-like scent to them and are gentle for my eye area (with no burning sensation) as well.