And no, Chanel pumps aren't technically make-up but life changing none-the-less.
Bare Escentuals Bare Skin eyeshadow
<------Philosophy Microdelivery Peel Pads
Wet N Wild Color Icon Trios Sweet As Candy----->
<-----Korres Mineral Foundation
NYX "Beige" (middle)
<-----
These products have most definitely changed my make-up life. Coincidentally I came to use every single one of them in the last few months. Prior to that my cosmetic/skin care purchases have been pretty hit or miss. Fortunately when I miss, Sephora takes them back without making me feel like a hardened criminal. Thank you Sephora for your impecable and "respectful of the customer" customer service. The following products are in no real particular order except for the top 3 are my top 3 and the rest are just top something else. But I love them all and wouldn't ever replace them on purpose. Mini review with each one listed. Full-length wordy rambling review to follow soon. Let's get started.
Bare Escentuals Bare Skin eyeshadow
<------Philosophy Microdelivery Peel Pads
Wet N Wild Color Icon Trios Sweet As Candy----->
<-----Korres Mineral Foundation
NYX "Beige" (middle)
<-----
These products have most definitely changed my make-up life. Coincidentally I came to use every single one of them in the last few months. Prior to that my cosmetic/skin care purchases have been pretty hit or miss. Fortunately when I miss, Sephora takes them back without making me feel like a hardened criminal. Thank you Sephora for your impecable and "respectful of the customer" customer service. The following products are in no real particular order except for the top 3 are my top 3 and the rest are just top something else. But I love them all and wouldn't ever replace them on purpose. Mini review with each one listed. Full-length wordy rambling review to follow soon. Let's get started. 1. Dior Lash Primer:
In the words of Rachel Zoe, "Uh-May-Zing". This stuff can take any random less than steller mascara and turn it into absolute amazingness. It is the ultimate catalyst for your bottom drawer feeder mascaras. So imagine what it does for mascaras that are already top performers in their category. This mascara comes in a white tube for around the price of a Dior mascara, $30. You put it on before applying your mascara and it goes on white. While its wet, you follow up with your faveorite mascara and go to town. It leaves your lashes just about hitting the tops of your eyebrows, stiff but not crispy just stiff enough to keep their curl and stay put. And they stay like this the whole day and night. Personally, for my lashes, I use the Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash after I apply the Dior primer and the results are astounding. I know, right about now would make for a good photo op showing a comparison between my normal wimpy lame lashes and the Dior-tastic version of my lashes. I am in desperate need of a new camera and the photos I could have taken would not do this product justice and I can't in any way devalue the performance of this amazing discovery. Wow. Just, WOW.
2.Korres Mineral Powder Foundation:
Gotta admit, I've just never been wowed by Korres products. Besides their lip butters. But it all changed when I went to Sephora the day this stuff was just put out on the shelves and I was curious to try because I was looking for a change in mineral foundations. I tested some on my hand and it was so smooth and had a very subtle shimmer (mica) that is hardly noticeable on your face. The shade selection was kind of minimal so my only choice was to pick a medium shade but its still a bit gold for me. I wish they had a cool-tone medium. Good thing I love this foundation so much that I will take what I can get and be converted to a golden medium rather than a cool-toned fair-medium. The things I do for great products. Korres provides much better coverage than other leading mineral powder foundations and you know the one I'm talking about. It rhymes with Pear Pinerals. Another bonus, its not drying whatsoever and gives a much prettier finish. And I don't know if I'm seeing things so don't hold me to this but I think it fills in the fine lines I have on my forehead. Not to mention, SPF 30. Enough said. $28
and worth every penny.One more thing, the jar is actually full to the top with product. What a crazy concept in mineral foundation. Some companies previously hinted at give you a big old jar to deceive you when it actuality its around half full. And if you're talking about the hydrating mineral veil you are getting around 30% product and 70% blank empty useless space.
3. NYX Megashine Lipgloss (Beige):
I can't believe it took me so long to try these. They are all of $5.50 at Ulta and a larger variety of shades can be found on various beauty sources online. This is my perfect gloss in every respect. Beige (which looks nothing like the way it sounds) is the perfect pink and will look gorgeous on everyone. I haven't seen it on everyone of course but I am confident in my assumption. This almost looks like a liquid lipstick in that it is more opaque than a gloss and deposits the most perfect amount of color. "Perfect Pink" would be my description of the shade if I could change the name from Beige to a color of my own choosing. The formula is perfect. It is just sticky enough to actually stick on your lips and last a while without being too sticky. Looks and feels much more expensive than $5.50. Oh and they smell so good! A definite plus. I worship this gloss so you can imagine my disappontment when my baby girl was gripping it in her tight little fist while I was holding her in the kitchen and she dropped it and it shattered on my wood floor. I find this odd since it's plastic. But this is how much I worship the gloss, I wrapped the tube as well as applicator in foil and still use it through the goopy sticky mess.
4.Dermalogica Multi-Vitamin Power Firm Eye Cream:
Got a sample of this. Thought it was just another eye cream to throw in my pile of samples. It's another eye cream but not JUST another eye cream. For one, its not really a cream but more like the texture and appearance of a makeup primer. Think Smashbox Photo Finish but not in the way of breaking you out like silicone can sometimes do. Its just a nice refreshing change of pace to the ordinary boring eye cream. It feels so smooth and your under eye concealer goes on like butter after you apply it. Instantly I noticed the eye area looking brighter and more alive. It's around $56 for .50 ounce. I wasn't ready to make that financial comittment without using more than just one sample. So I bought eight samples. I'm giving some away but I think one sample pack lasted me about 4-5 days so I should have an even better idea of how amazing it is by then. For now, I love it and was sad to see it run out. I tore open the package and scraped every last bit I could muster.
5.Dior The One Serum:
This was one of Oprah's faveorite items one year. I'm proud to admit I found that out AFTER I had it in my hand to purchase. Was convinced to buy this from a renowned Dior make-up artist that travels around to different Sephoras and Dior counters doing skin care and make-up for special in-store events. Being that it was free, I signed up to be her first client. I asked her how long Dior has been doing skin care. She replied "Oh.. about 25 years!" Woops. Anyway, she explained that The One acts like a barrier between your skin and the 7 million toxins we encounter on a daily basis. That is her number, not mine. I haven't investigated the accuracy of that statement but it sounds pretty convincing. You apply it after cleansing and before moisturizer. It does feel like it is tightening and it looks like it is too. Plus I like the smell. Sold. It's pricey though which can cause a lot of people to become un-sold, $90. Did I mention it was one of Oprah's faveorite things?
6. Origins Vita Zing Moisturizer:
I've heard so many people, youtube guru's in particular rave over this. No one could quite pin point what it was that it did but it did something special to give a very pretty glow. One person said they'd feel just fine leaving the house with just this moisturizer on their face and no foundation. Yikes. So I decided to give it a try. Expensive for the small 1 oz. tube, $35. It is great stuff though. It was mentioned that it wasn't a self-tanner and it doesn't state that it is nor that it say tinted moisturizer on the tube. This is misleading though because it clearly gives your skin a bronze colored glow. Although it comes out of the tube as a white-grey grainy looking (not feeling) shade, I took a piece of tissue and wiped my hand with it after swatching it and the tissue came back brown. A-ha! The magic ingredient no one can quite put their finger on. Smells nice and does give a pretty glow but perhaps that is the SPF15 giving that glow. I love love love the texture and the way it makes my skin feel and look. But, it may be to blame for three new zits that came for a visit this morning. It's almost worth the zits though. I blame them on trying too many products in the last week. We'll see what happens but for now, its super amazing and much more special than the average daily moisturizer. Don't apply it at night though unless you want to wake up to an orange outline of your face on the pillow.
7. Sedu Ceramic Flat Iron:
This has a temperature control so you don't have to fry your hair until steam shoots out in order to straighten it and instead can fry it at a lower level. Why doesn't every flat iron have temperature control? It just seems like a logical option for flat irons seeing as how much heat they give off. I've used CHI for the last 8 years. I've had 2 CHI's in 8 years which says a lot about the quality because the first time I had to replace was because I broke it. The black original CHI changed my life but also prevented my hair from every growing past my shoulders because it pulled on my hair and split it off in many areas. It was time for a change so I checked reviews and this Sedu brand is very highly rated. I got the 1 inch black original ceramic Sedu for a great deal on Ebay that included 2 full size heat protecting products. The iron itself is nice and light and makes my hair look much better and shinier than the CHI every did. That being said, the original CHI is good and the red Ultra-CHI is not. And guess what I found out 8 years too late? That my hair doesn't need the highest 400 degree heat to straighten it but I can go down to high 200's and it will still work. When I think of all the degrees I wasted and all of the ends I split and hair I fried, I'm a little bit bitter. But Sedu to the rescue. If you're gonna fry your hair, fry it on a lower heat setting.
8. Rare Elements Shampoo/Conditioner:
The name says it all. This stuff is rare. I found it at one location online (LuckyScent) and one person selling it on Ebay for like two dollars cheaper. I first heard about this when I read Rachel Zoe talk about how amazing it is and she uses it on a regular basis. Sold. It has all sorts of interesting ingredients from Japan and Italy as well as something called Africa's miracle oil. Both the shampoo and conditioner are very hydrating and focused on putting the moisture and strength back into damaged and dry hair. My hair has personally gone to war multiple times and somehow still survives, but barely. The very first time I used this stuff, I could tell a difference. My hair was thicker, smelled wonderful, and just looked overall healthier. Kind of like the first time I used Pureology Hydrating shampoo/conditioner until my hair became immuned to it, hence the switch to Rare Elements. I used it on my little girl too because she has super long amazing hair and it made her hair look even more amazing,shiny and thick and smelling so good. But its too expensive for regular use on both of us so its back to Burt's Bees Shampoo & Body Wash for the kid and momma will continue to bathe her hair in luxury. I often sell samples of it on my Ebay store so you can check back from time to time for it.More favorites to come! These should hold you over for now..
In the words of Rachel Zoe, "Uh-May-Zing". This stuff can take any random less than steller mascara and turn it into absolute amazingness. It is the ultimate catalyst for your bottom drawer feeder mascaras. So imagine what it does for mascaras that are already top performers in their category. This mascara comes in a white tube for around the price of a Dior mascara, $30. You put it on before applying your mascara and it goes on white. While its wet, you follow up with your faveorite mascara and go to town. It leaves your lashes just about hitting the tops of your eyebrows, stiff but not crispy just stiff enough to keep their curl and stay put. And they stay like this the whole day and night. Personally, for my lashes, I use the Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash after I apply the Dior primer and the results are astounding. I know, right about now would make for a good photo op showing a comparison between my normal wimpy lame lashes and the Dior-tastic version of my lashes. I am in desperate need of a new camera and the photos I could have taken would not do this product justice and I can't in any way devalue the performance of this amazing discovery. Wow. Just, WOW.
2.Korres Mineral Powder Foundation:
Gotta admit, I've just never been wowed by Korres products. Besides their lip butters. But it all changed when I went to Sephora the day this stuff was just put out on the shelves and I was curious to try because I was looking for a change in mineral foundations. I tested some on my hand and it was so smooth and had a very subtle shimmer (mica) that is hardly noticeable on your face. The shade selection was kind of minimal so my only choice was to pick a medium shade but its still a bit gold for me. I wish they had a cool-tone medium. Good thing I love this foundation so much that I will take what I can get and be converted to a golden medium rather than a cool-toned fair-medium. The things I do for great products. Korres provides much better coverage than other leading mineral powder foundations and you know the one I'm talking about. It rhymes with Pear Pinerals. Another bonus, its not drying whatsoever and gives a much prettier finish. And I don't know if I'm seeing things so don't hold me to this but I think it fills in the fine lines I have on my forehead. Not to mention, SPF 30. Enough said. $28
and worth every penny.One more thing, the jar is actually full to the top with product. What a crazy concept in mineral foundation. Some companies previously hinted at give you a big old jar to deceive you when it actuality its around half full. And if you're talking about the hydrating mineral veil you are getting around 30% product and 70% blank empty useless space.
3. NYX Megashine Lipgloss (Beige):
I can't believe it took me so long to try these. They are all of $5.50 at Ulta and a larger variety of shades can be found on various beauty sources online. This is my perfect gloss in every respect. Beige (which looks nothing like the way it sounds) is the perfect pink and will look gorgeous on everyone. I haven't seen it on everyone of course but I am confident in my assumption. This almost looks like a liquid lipstick in that it is more opaque than a gloss and deposits the most perfect amount of color. "Perfect Pink" would be my description of the shade if I could change the name from Beige to a color of my own choosing. The formula is perfect. It is just sticky enough to actually stick on your lips and last a while without being too sticky. Looks and feels much more expensive than $5.50. Oh and they smell so good! A definite plus. I worship this gloss so you can imagine my disappontment when my baby girl was gripping it in her tight little fist while I was holding her in the kitchen and she dropped it and it shattered on my wood floor. I find this odd since it's plastic. But this is how much I worship the gloss, I wrapped the tube as well as applicator in foil and still use it through the goopy sticky mess.
4.Dermalogica Multi-Vitamin Power Firm Eye Cream:
Got a sample of this. Thought it was just another eye cream to throw in my pile of samples. It's another eye cream but not JUST another eye cream. For one, its not really a cream but more like the texture and appearance of a makeup primer. Think Smashbox Photo Finish but not in the way of breaking you out like silicone can sometimes do. Its just a nice refreshing change of pace to the ordinary boring eye cream. It feels so smooth and your under eye concealer goes on like butter after you apply it. Instantly I noticed the eye area looking brighter and more alive. It's around $56 for .50 ounce. I wasn't ready to make that financial comittment without using more than just one sample. So I bought eight samples. I'm giving some away but I think one sample pack lasted me about 4-5 days so I should have an even better idea of how amazing it is by then. For now, I love it and was sad to see it run out. I tore open the package and scraped every last bit I could muster.
5.Dior The One Serum:
This was one of Oprah's faveorite items one year. I'm proud to admit I found that out AFTER I had it in my hand to purchase. Was convinced to buy this from a renowned Dior make-up artist that travels around to different Sephoras and Dior counters doing skin care and make-up for special in-store events. Being that it was free, I signed up to be her first client. I asked her how long Dior has been doing skin care. She replied "Oh.. about 25 years!" Woops. Anyway, she explained that The One acts like a barrier between your skin and the 7 million toxins we encounter on a daily basis. That is her number, not mine. I haven't investigated the accuracy of that statement but it sounds pretty convincing. You apply it after cleansing and before moisturizer. It does feel like it is tightening and it looks like it is too. Plus I like the smell. Sold. It's pricey though which can cause a lot of people to become un-sold, $90. Did I mention it was one of Oprah's faveorite things?
6. Origins Vita Zing Moisturizer:
I've heard so many people, youtube guru's in particular rave over this. No one could quite pin point what it was that it did but it did something special to give a very pretty glow. One person said they'd feel just fine leaving the house with just this moisturizer on their face and no foundation. Yikes. So I decided to give it a try. Expensive for the small 1 oz. tube, $35. It is great stuff though. It was mentioned that it wasn't a self-tanner and it doesn't state that it is nor that it say tinted moisturizer on the tube. This is misleading though because it clearly gives your skin a bronze colored glow. Although it comes out of the tube as a white-grey grainy looking (not feeling) shade, I took a piece of tissue and wiped my hand with it after swatching it and the tissue came back brown. A-ha! The magic ingredient no one can quite put their finger on. Smells nice and does give a pretty glow but perhaps that is the SPF15 giving that glow. I love love love the texture and the way it makes my skin feel and look. But, it may be to blame for three new zits that came for a visit this morning. It's almost worth the zits though. I blame them on trying too many products in the last week. We'll see what happens but for now, its super amazing and much more special than the average daily moisturizer. Don't apply it at night though unless you want to wake up to an orange outline of your face on the pillow.
7. Sedu Ceramic Flat Iron:
This has a temperature control so you don't have to fry your hair until steam shoots out in order to straighten it and instead can fry it at a lower level. Why doesn't every flat iron have temperature control? It just seems like a logical option for flat irons seeing as how much heat they give off. I've used CHI for the last 8 years. I've had 2 CHI's in 8 years which says a lot about the quality because the first time I had to replace was because I broke it. The black original CHI changed my life but also prevented my hair from every growing past my shoulders because it pulled on my hair and split it off in many areas. It was time for a change so I checked reviews and this Sedu brand is very highly rated. I got the 1 inch black original ceramic Sedu for a great deal on Ebay that included 2 full size heat protecting products. The iron itself is nice and light and makes my hair look much better and shinier than the CHI every did. That being said, the original CHI is good and the red Ultra-CHI is not. And guess what I found out 8 years too late? That my hair doesn't need the highest 400 degree heat to straighten it but I can go down to high 200's and it will still work. When I think of all the degrees I wasted and all of the ends I split and hair I fried, I'm a little bit bitter. But Sedu to the rescue. If you're gonna fry your hair, fry it on a lower heat setting.
8. Rare Elements Shampoo/Conditioner:
The name says it all. This stuff is rare. I found it at one location online (LuckyScent) and one person selling it on Ebay for like two dollars cheaper. I first heard about this when I read Rachel Zoe talk about how amazing it is and she uses it on a regular basis. Sold. It has all sorts of interesting ingredients from Japan and Italy as well as something called Africa's miracle oil. Both the shampoo and conditioner are very hydrating and focused on putting the moisture and strength back into damaged and dry hair. My hair has personally gone to war multiple times and somehow still survives, but barely. The very first time I used this stuff, I could tell a difference. My hair was thicker, smelled wonderful, and just looked overall healthier. Kind of like the first time I used Pureology Hydrating shampoo/conditioner until my hair became immuned to it, hence the switch to Rare Elements. I used it on my little girl too because she has super long amazing hair and it made her hair look even more amazing,shiny and thick and smelling so good. But its too expensive for regular use on both of us so its back to Burt's Bees Shampoo & Body Wash for the kid and momma will continue to bathe her hair in luxury. I often sell samples of it on my Ebay store so you can check back from time to time for it.More favorites to come! These should hold you over for now..
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