Review: Revlon Self Adhesive False Lashes

I tweeted that this review was long overdue--and it is! Revlon sent me these LAST OCTOBER for review! But I wanted to review them thoroughly, and that meant extensive testing--for a girl who really doesn't have much occasion to wear false eyelashes. HOWEVER..here we are!


Revlon says:

"Revlon Fantasy Lengths Maximum Wear eyelashes are a revolutionary way to go from Plain Jane to Naturally Fantastic instantly. Without messy glue to fumble with-you can have perfect lashes that stay where you want them to- even in water!

To remove: Use oil based eye makeup remover to gently peel off and remove. Wash with water to remove excess glue on eyelid." (Note: I don't think that's necessary for the self adhesive lashes, probably from their regular line of false eyelashes)

Ingredients:

Adhesive: terpene resin, styrene-Isoprene Copolymer, Petroleum oil, Isobutylene-Butene Copolymer, Microcrystalline Wax, Hydrocarbon Resin, Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene Copolymer

Lash: polyvinyl chloride, polyester thread, coated polyester flake"

My own false eyelashes experience is literally zero. Before these, I'd never tried them before so please keep that in mind when reading the review!

Revlon sent me 2 styles: Defining (Lashes roughly the same length) and Intensifying (Alternating shorter and longer lengths).

Defining:
Intensifying:

What comes in the box...the plastic thing is for pressing the lashes closer to your eyelid
It also comes with a 2nd line thingy (I don't know how to get technical here) so when the first adhesive starts wearing out, you can peel it off the actual lashes and put on the 2nd. And when the 2nd wears out, you can use it as normal false eyelashes..if they aren't too grimy by then haha)
Anyways, I can wear these for about 3x each self adhesive 'band' before they lose their sticky ness. I really like these! It's really as simple as pushing them in place, no glue (obviously) needed. Revlon really hit the nail on the head with these.

I don't know if they last through water as I didn't exactly go swimming with them on but they didn't wilt through a light rain.

Defining lashes are sold for 5.48$ on Amazon, so at drugstores I'd assume around 6$.

*disclaimer: Revlon representatives sent these to me for consideration only. Please refer to my disclaimer for more information.

Review: Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream 02

(image from sephora)

Aqua creams were the biggest craze this summer, setting off launches of other cream shadows from many brands. Cream shadows in pots were around before, though....so why all the hype for Aqua Cream?

Its the intense colors, budge-proof and waterproof-ness, the ability to be used for eyes cheeks or lips depending on the color all packaged in a little plastic pot for 22USD$. (0.21 oz).

For reference, Shiseido Hydropowders are 25$ for .21 oz and MAC Paint pots are 16.50 for .17 oz.

Something to note: Make up for ever doesn't seem to name these shades, instead calling them 01-22. Sephora seems to be the one who names them [02 Steel]. Names seem to be on the box and not the product itself.

Anyways, MUFE says this about the Aqua Creams:

What it is:
An ultra-pigmented, long-lasting waterproof cream.

What it does:
Aqua Cream combines the highest-quality pigments with mother of pearl particles to give immediate rich color payoff with a luminous finish in just one application. It's long-lasting formulation will not crease or smudge under the most extreme conditions and its creamy and elastic texture allows for easy blending.

Exclusively carried by Sephora.

What else you need to know:
Available in shades ranging from soft neutrals to pure bright tones, you can find the perfect color for any purpose.
Shades #5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are formulated for the Lips & Cheeks.
Shades #1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 22 are formulated for the Eyes & Cheeks.

The Aqua creams are indeed very pigmented and creamy. I chose the shade 02 Steel, because its such a gorgeous taupey color.

You will be tempted to rub your finger in it alot but don't! It's too pigmented and will go on thickly if you do. These dry very quickly and thin layers are better if you want to deepen the intensity. As for fingers vs. brushes on these, I use a brush because they dry too quickly for my finger to blend properly (coming from a girl who ALWAYS uses fingers!)

Do these smudge? Hold up in the hot sweaty Chicago summer? Crease?
No, they don't smudge. They're pretty waterproof as well [Waterproof assuming you don't keep rubbing your eyes]. However...they do crease on me after about 8 hours.
However, at the time in question it had been an extremely hot humid day [in the 90s] and I had been outside for 6 of the 8 hours, sweating.

On a normal day, 6 hours, it's perfectly fine and it lasts until I take it off with cleansing oil.

Layering other eyeshadows over it is no problem and it doesn't crease with the powder over it after a school/work day either.

I know some bloggers have been experimenting with it as eyeliner but this particular shade isn't really dark enough to define effectively. I did try it on my lower lashline but it takes a lot of layering for this shade to show up and it was hard to tell whether I still had it on an hour later. Perhaps with a darker more vibrant shade it'd be more effective.

Aqua Creams were created for use with each other but I don't know if you'd use a bright grassy green or crimson very often. Even though they have those intense colors though they also have a nice selection of neutrals.

All in all, I'd recommend these for anyone looking for a stay put eyeshadow! Click here for the link to Sephora. I think I have my eye on 8 Red, 20 Intense Blue, and 15 Taupe next!
The packaging looks nice and utilitarian but my main gripe with it is that its plastic. I don't have a great experience with plastic pots as I find they usually crack easily; I would have much preferred glass.

Review: Kanebo Freshel Moist Lift W Cream

Kanebo jumped on the BB cream bandwagon too with their line Freshel. This is the first time I've gotten to try Freshel, but hopefully won't be the last. When I was in Taiwan, I'd been looking for it, but hadn't found it (most of my family members don't wear makeup and don't know 95% of the brands...I must say that my aunt has been picking some brand names up off me though! lol)

Anyways, a friend in Taiwan sent me this as a thank you for a favor I did her recently, and I was delighted to try it. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term BB cream, it's something that originated in Germany, became very popular in Korea / spread to the rest of Asia. It's pretty much a tinted moisturizer, with sunscreen usually and supposed to be good for your skin (in my opinion all just hype. There's no proven research that it's good for you but it certainly is good for marketing).

This particular BB cream is marketed as being more moisturizing and dewy. It comes packaged in a gold and bronze metallic tube and a brown twist off cap, which I find looks classy.

Moist Lift W cream has UV SpF23 PA++, which I find enough for the winter in Chicago at the moment. However as summer arrives, I definetly would recommend using a sunscreen with this product.


The opening is okay, but I dislike the space around it where the product can collect (the photo illustrates it for you...). It's decently packaged for the price.

The product only comes in one shade which works for my NC20 skin. It's supposed to be sheer coverage but I think its almost medium coverage since I only have to use a little to cover up uneven bits of pigmentation and redness around my nose. It's a creamy product that is easy to blend in (I usually use a kabuki brush).

My skin has been a bit dry recently (even with my using a new Holy Grail moisturizer, to be reviewed later) and this makes my skin feel soft & smooth. It hasn't broken me out, though my skin isn't exactly sensitive. I use this alternating with my Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream foundation, of which this color is slightly more peachy and brightening.


As I said before, this was sent to me as a gift from a friend in Taiwan (who does not work for any makeup companies...) and she had crossed off the price in Taiwanese dollars. However, this is available from adambeauty.com for 99Hong Kong dollars (~12.75 USD) and the retail price on the box is listed as 1600 Japanese Yen (about 18 USD) for 50 g.

With all said, I'd definetly recommend this product if you have the skintone that it's marketed to. I find it a great product and one that I'd definetly repurchase.

Review: Skin MD Shielding Lotion

(Source). Click the picture if you want to take a trip to the Skin MD natural site.

Disclaimer: A Skin MD representative sent this to me for consideration and review.

Wow, a skincare review Ti_Amo, you say? Yes! Why? Well, to be honest, because a company sent this to me and I really was curious about it. Supposedly a good for you lotion that helps heal the skin? Color me skeptical. It's toted to be able to help burns or rashes or anything else that you might want to heal. Well, I didn't have many things that I wanted to fix, but I gave it a try anyways.

Surprise! I like it! Maybe its the texture [a light gel, something like an Aloe Vera gel would be like. Well surprise, one of the ingredients is aloe vera!] and the cooling sensation (thank you, Aloe) and the way it sinks in so fast.



Anyways, enough from the rough description and onto the real review.

What is a shielding lotion? Taken from Skin MD's site, "A Shielding Lotion is far more effective as a dry skin treatment than conventional moisturizing lotions or protective creams. If you suffer from dry skin, you know that just using a moisturizing lotion doesn't solve the problem.

A shielding lotion keeps moisture-robbing irritants away from the skin while the proprietary "super" humectants hydrate the skin throughout the day.

An accumulated effect of Skin MD Natural is fully realized after only a few days of daily use. Depending on how dry your skin is the first few days may require reapplications after only a few hours. Usually, after a few days of continuous use, only one or two daily applications are necessary to see the improvement."

So pretty much, using a shielding moisturizes and locks the moisture in, and depending on how dry your skin is, you may have to reapply several times a day to only once or twice a day.

Well, after weeks of not using lotion on my my legs (oi, I know) one quick application of this and they feel so much better! Whats better is that its not thick and it sinks in quickly so it doesn't rub off on my clothes.

Ingredients:
*Paraben Free & uses natural ingredients*
There is a slight scent, noticeable once you put it on--really it just smells like aloe and a little soapy. You can still smell it after it sinks into your skin but you'd have to really sniff at where you applied it to notice. After it sinks in, it does leave my hands a little slippery--not because its an excess of lotion, but it leaves a sort of ''shield''? It doesn't cause too many problems.

The packaging is very utilitarian with a red push-down cap. It sometimes gets stuck and you have to push harder, but the lotion also doesn't dry inside the cap (so you don't end up with a semi-hardened blob of lotion, ew!).



But wait--Shielding lotion claims to be able to use on the face! I tried this and it did give some moisture, much like an Aloe Vera gel I also own, but Chicago winters seem to be too harsh, because I need to use a heavier cream. However, I think this would be perfect for hot summers!

Shielding Lotion comes in a red top bottle which is the regular version and a yellow top bottle with SPF15. You can order Shielding Lotion here at the Skin MD site, 18$ for 4 oz (120 ml), or find a store here with their store locater. (P.S. you can even request that Skin MD be stocked at a store near you with this form).

I know what you're thinking--18$ for a 4 oz bottle? Ridiculous! However, I've been using this for about 3 weeks and have used 1/6 of it. It should last you at least 1-2 months according to Skin MD.

Intrigued? Skipping it? Let me know what you think!

Review: MAC Hypnotizing

MAC Hypnotizing [right].

This particular eyeshadow [MAC Love Lace collection, December 26 2009] has been garnering alot of chatter recently. Why? Mostly...because its taupe.

As many of you know, taupe is probably the most treasured [I kid you not] eyeshadow color in the makeup world. In its many colors and form, it's one of the colors most everyone loves because they can find one that works for them, and its flattering.

So, when MAC comes out with a warm taupe....what do you get? Tons of buzz and sold units!



Voila...MAC Hypnotizing.

It's a warm taupe, almost not quite taupe anymore, and frosty. The texture is rather dry for a drost but not to the point it's unworkable. It's quite wearable, though it mostly shows up on the lid as a frostly silvery sheen rather than alot of color. It doesn't crease on me over UDPP.

Overall, definetly a worthwhile item to pick up at only 14.50$ USD :) Available nationwide.

Review: Estee Lauder Doublewear Mascara

(please note, this is not a full sized product, but rather a sample).

Someone gave me this sample of Doublewear mascara quite awhile ago, but I only just pulled it out to use. After a week or so of testing, I'm ready to write a review.

Doublewear is touted to be a lengthening and no smudge mascara. The full size version of this product retails for 19.50$ USD and comes in black or brown.

How did it do? It started out pretty well, if boring. This is a definite 'natural' mascara--meaning that I'd recommend this to anyone who didn't want anything dramatic. It did lengthen, as you will see in the following pictures, but people who saw an eye makeup look with this mascara said: I think adding mascara would make this look more glamorous! Ouch!

Estee Lauder claims this mascara creates 'extraordinary length' that will last the whole day. It doesn't "wilt" as some mascaras can, but you have to keep your eyes open for a bit longer than I'm used to while waiting for this mascara to dry. It also doesn't create EXTRAordinary length, but just a little bit longer.

This doesn't make my lashes feel stiff, more feathery. Its a very gentle formula, especially when taking it off. It came off almost like a tube mascara! You just need a bit of cleanser and water and rub and most of it should come off. It's not exactly waterproof in that regard, but should hold up to a light drizzle of rain.

The pigment on this mascara is sort of dull. It claims to be glossy and rich in pigment, but falls flat on both accounts. Definitely not the darkest mascara out there! I can never tell the difference between a mascara that claims to be glossy and one that doesn't either, to be honest.

Doublewear's wand is small and skinny, with dense bristles as pictured below. I can't really get to the inner or outer corners of my eyes but that's okay because I don't look for that in a mascara.


Natural eye:
Doublewear'ed eye:

I will continue to use this, but only because I don't really want to waste it. It'll be a nice change from the harsh waterproof [yet dramatic] mascara that I'm currently using, but I certainly won't be dropping 20 bucks on it. Mediocre at its best.

Review: Lavshuca Eye Color Duo in PU-1

I posted pictures of this very pretty duo a few weeks ago and began to use it as everyone was asking for reviews. When I tested these duos in store while in Asia, they seemed buttery, pigmented and perfect. They even swatched well......but sadly didn't apply that great.
Look how gorgeous that purple is! It matches with the golden champagne color well, and it was the only reason I chose this duo over the other, rather drab color choices. I am pleased to say that the texture of both was pigmented and silky and shimmery with bits of glitter shot through.

My highest hopes had been for the purple, but it wound up being the champagne gold color that wowed me. It turned more golden once applied and really brightened my eyes. The purple though...it turned a drab mauve tinged grey once applied. (I used sponge applicators for higher color intensity, I find brushes don't work that well with Japanese drugstore eyeshadows).

The shadows lasted through a day with Urban Decay Primer Potion as a base with minimal creasing on my oily lids.

The packaging is minimal, with the burgundy wine color that I've come to associate with Lavshuca. It's quietly elegant and I like that it has a clear windows so I can tell what color it is.

I bought this for about 7$ retail price in Asia.

The bottom line: it's a good starter duo, especially for the golden shade, but if you have a stash like me, don't bother with it.

Review: Illamasqua Cry Eyeshadow

Illamasqua. Makeup for your alter ego. One year old British makeup sensation that made it's way across the pond a few months ago.

It's got a lot of hype to live up to, thanks to Youtubers in Britain. Does it live up to it?

..not the eyeshadow, at least.
Cry is a cool medium pink that has alot of blue in it. At first I was wary (this was won in a giveaway overseas) of the color, but gave it a try anyways.

Illamasqua. Makeup for your alter ego. One year old British makeup sensation that made it's way across the pond a few months ago.

It's got a lot of hype to live up to, thanks to Youtubers in Britain. Even more by their eyeshadows' description:

Bring a room to its knees without saying a word. Each of these glorious colours makes a statement that's as individual as you are. Highly pigmented, these long-lasting colors ensure all-night intensity. Experiment and be bold.

Does it live up to it?

..not the eyeshadow, at least.
Cry is a cool MATTE medium pink that has alot of blue in it. At first I was wary (this was won in a giveaway overseas) of the color and the finish (LOVE shimmer...wary of mattes) but gave it a try anyways.
Well...it's okay. Mediocre. People were saying how it totally rivaled MAC (didn't crease like MAC on me.....but I don't mind how MAC creases) and shu. Uh....this formula might be able to beat out MAC's old matte formula (but Matte2 totally destroys Illamasqua), but shu uemura still reigns supreme for me! The formula on Cry felt a bit chalky and powdery, nothing like the buttery textures of MAC Matte2. When I swatched it, I needed to build up 3 layers to get the intensity you see in the pic above.

That's alright, I thought. Alot of shadows apply better on the lids right? Well I had to apply 2 layers of Cry to get it to show and, to my horror, it took on a distinctly warm fuschia feel. What?? Yeah, fuschia. Yuck...I can definetly tell you it didn't look too great.

But the color is something that I can change, so lets talk more about the formula. It was kind of dry, and like I said before, a bit chalky and had a 'dusty' feel to it. It doesn't do the brighter color any justice, so I expect the neutral colors will be better. I'm very curious about the shimmer eyeshadows especially.

The packaging is shiny black, which does attract alot of fingerprints (SO annoying!) But unlike NARS packaging, there is a clear window embossed with their logo (and if you tilt it, it looks like there's a logo under it!). I like the window so you can see the color quickly. The sides of the square are pushed in, like if you played with a soft candy chew and pressed in.

Illamasqua eyeshadow retail 20$ for .07 oz.

My first foray into Illamasqua doesn't leave me terribly impressed, but I am eager to try their lipgloss, foundations/primers and blush and reserve judgement until then.

Scarlet Princess: Review: Besame Voluptuous Lip Color Set Red Velvet

So, after coming across my review of Besame Enchanting lipstick, Ms. Gabriella Hernandez herself commented on it! She also said to contact them to try their new Voluptuous lipstick (which is NOT supposed to replace Enchanting. Enchanting will be released full size later this year!). Anyways, for 35$ you get a nice box, a lip brush, that small velvet case for the lipstick (pictured above), a lip liner and a lipstick.

The lipstick is .14 oz or 4 grams, and about the same size as a MAC lipstick (the mac lipstick is very slightly taller due to the different shapes).
Note the different shape of the bullet...I like it because I always hate that I can lose the point of my lipstick. I didn't know how I'd use a completely curved bullet at first but it's surprisingly easy.

The packaging of these are metal and still evoke vintage themes but the black, as opposed to the previous red seems to be a bit more modern. I like it better! The black is very elegant and classy, and the cap will definetly stay on. Here's another picture of the set:

As you might be able to tell, the lipliner is nicely sharp. I can get a defined line from it and I don't need to sharpen even after a few uses. The lip brush is firm and slightly flexible, and nice for depositing even color. I was wondering how I could travel with it, as it doesn't have a cap, but I just wiped it with a tissue and it was okay. See the uniquely shaped handle? It's supposed to fit perfectly between your thumb and index finger. I think it may be a bit more of a marketing hype but it does work.

Please ignore the peach lipgloss underneath the Red Velvet swatches, that was the only decent swatch I could get for another product:
The lipstick I had swatched 3 sheer layers and the lip liner only 1, to give you an idea of how the color layers. The liner has a very nice match to the lipstick, you can hardly tell the distance.

The formula is nice on these (which also come in a nude and a pink color). I much prefer them over MAC's rather drying ones [please keep in mind I've only tried Lustres and Frosts], but I have to say that the Enchanting lipsticks probably had more WOW pigment factor. I think I'd use the Voluptuous color for everyday and the Enchanting for a night out or formal occasions. Also, remember that the Enchanting ones weren't supposed to be replaced with the Voluptuous!

I've heard reports of people disliking these because they were drying, but I find them very comfortable at first swipe. After a few hours it does tend to dry, like any other lipstick, so I put some lip balm on top. I'm so glad that the red fades evenly (though it does seem to become more magenta-ish over time, like pretty much every other red lipstick on me) and doesn't leave a ring around my lips. It might feather slightly though, but I didn't use lipliner with it, and the lip liner usually solves those problems.

Overall, I'm not sure if I'd repurchase these though. I really like the formula, but if I bought a set each time I wanted to try a different color, that'd be quite alot of extras you get with the lip liners (which I don't really use) and lip brushes. I think, that if they split the set up and had the option to buy the lipstick alone for a bit cheaper price that it'd get a positive response. I still want to try the nude color though!

Oh and another thing-- red lipstick is seriously a PAIN in the ass to photograph. I can't count how many pictures I took, and I still will include 4 to give you an idea how the lighting alters the shade. It's not that vibrant honestly, more of a slightly muted red (AKA, not Marilyn Monroe) and deeper.
This pic's probably the most accurate:



(Sorry for the annoying placement of the watermarks, but after a case of picstealing ebay'ers I won't take any more chances!)
*This review will kick off the Scarlet Princess series of red lipstick :)
**Please note, this product was sent to me by Besame Cosmetics for reviewing purposes.

Review: Majolica Majorca Jeweling Palettes

Ah, review long overdue! The Jeweling eye palettes came out the summer collection of this year, long ago in the makeup world! They come is a range of 5 shades for roughly 420NTD -- 13 USD.
I had been excited to hear of a new eyeshadow series from Majolica, but then was mostly disappointed to hear the initial reports of the powdery texture and the usual pastel like shades. However, I wanted to pick at least one palette up to see how it really was...and ended up getting another as well.

But anyways, the colors I ended up getting were SV887 and GD886. After swatching all of them I thought these two had the best texture and pigmentation, even if they are for a sheerer look.
SV887 contains a shimmery white, a cool, purpled light pink, a medium silver and a darker gray.
The texture of the white was okay, a little chunky, the pink a bit chalky, but the other two great.
GD886 contains a gold tinged shimmery white, a pale buttercup yellow, a deeper bronze and a darker greenish brown.

The texture of all of them are a bit powdery, not atypical of Japanese eyeshadows. It's a very 'meh' texture, one that usually sucks when used with a brush but applies better with sponge applicators. If you use these palettes with a brush, you will be so disappointed! You MUST use these with sponges!

I like the color combinations of these two. Not overwhelmingly creative, like the Trick On palettes are, but they are very pretty and idiot-proof [trust me ladies, I would know ;-)].

Overall, if you're looking for a more office-friendly soft shaded palette, these are for you! If not, steer clear and keep your 13$ safe!

Review: RMK Gloss Lips 35 Translucent Shiny Pink

This review has been a long time coming!! :X Sorry! But I've finally gotten around to it, so let's begin.

When I was in Tokyo's Narita Airport, I was wandering around the duty free and came upon RMK gloss lips. I had been meaning to check it out while in Taiwan, but the counters were always missing testers and they never had a GWP to tempt me with. But now, seeing the range in the duty free section, I immediately wandered over to see the colors.

I have been wanting a pink gloss for awhile now, and since I had heard Gloss Lips are sheer I tried to pick up a darker color. I ended up with 35, a color from the Spring collection [full name 35 Translucent Shiny Pink]. It's indeed pretty and totally lives up to its name.

Here's a terrible picture of how it looks on lips [it actually doesn't look so peach, more pink and MUCH shinier, like a mirror shine]. I bought this gloss duty free for 20USD.
Anyways, more about the gloss. It comes in a nicely sized tube with a silver handle/wand that looks very classy. You get 6.8 grams for your money, but wait! Look! I've used this about 3-4x and the product level has already gone down!

As much as I hate how the product gets used up so quickly, I LOVE the super shine. [I wish I could post a pic, but they won't come out right! FuzKittie has some pics of Gloss Lips on her lips if you want to get an idea :)].

This isn't really pigmented at all! It's definetly just for the shine. It gives only a bit of color, which is to be expected considering that the Japanese favor that kind of light translucent look. The formula is also sort of slick, not too tacky and thick like MAC's but it does last awhile.

Last of all, I LOVE the brush! It's such a nice applicator, I think Western brands should definetly adopt it [Bobbi Brown, this is what your brush should look like, thanks :D]. It's not too stiff, flexible enough to deposit enough color and to get it everywhere you want.

I would love this even more if there were a bit more pigmentation, but I like it alright. Would I rebuy it? Probably not. It's a great gloss, but not for this pigmented lip'ed girl.

Your thoughts?