sarahromeo
Member Since: April 24, 2012Reviews
Benefit Cosmetics Hello Flawless! Custom Powder Cover Up
A once avid reviewer, I haven't felt compelled to review anything in quite a while. I got talked into buying this powder when I went in for Benetint lip balm, it was part of a preorder event at Macy's where they gave you a ton of free products. I... +
A once avid reviewer, I haven't felt compelled to review anything in quite a while. I got talked into buying this powder when I went in for Benetint lip balm, it was part of a preorder event at Macy's where they gave you a ton of free products. I sort of figured that I wouldn't use this or like it, but went for the deal anyway because I'm a sucker.
On the contrary. I really, really like this. I am not a fan of liquid foundation, therefore I have gravitated toward mineral makeup and the like. Most days, however, I just wear a little concealer and blot powder. I don't need or like a lot of coverage, just redness around my nose.
This powder is pretty heavy duty, as another reviewer noted. I don't like the included brush or sponge, but I think the packaging is OK otherwise. I use my Ecotools powder brush to apply this VERY lightly. I wear the Never Settle Petal shade - which looks dark in the pan but works for me. It provides decent coverage for my nose and evens out the rest of my skin nicely. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERDO IT!! It's so easy. Buffing a little with a kabuki helps this.
I find it very similar to mineral makeup. It's got a matte finish, no sparkle. Do not use if you have dry or flaky skin--this will only exacerbate it. I was first using it after I had returned from visiting my fiance in Canada, and my skin was CHAPPED. I had to forgo this until it healed, but now it is fantastic. I love that it has SPF, and have not had any adverse reactions to it, and I have sensitive skin. Overall, I recommend trying this powder. It is pretty steeply priced, at $34 USD. I've repurchased a few times, and find that it lasts quite a while - about a year for me, with almost-daily usage.
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Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
This lotion... so hard to write about it. Seven years ago, I hated this stuff. I was 18, and this stuff just did not sit well with my skin. It wasn't awful, just nothing great. I abandoned it until a few months ago, when in desperation, I borrowed... +
This lotion... so hard to write about it. Seven years ago, I hated this stuff. I was 18, and this stuff just did not sit well with my skin. It wasn't awful, just nothing great. I abandoned it until a few months ago, when in desperation, I borrowed my mom's sample.
I'm not sure how much my skin has changed between 18 and 26, but now my skin loves this stuff. I'm not acne prone, I couldn't tell you the last time I had a pimple or a blackhead. I'm definitely normal/dry, prone to a bit of sensitivity and occasional redness. I don't think my skin has changed much in these years, and neither has this ubiquitous yellow moisturizer.
I love how this sinks in and makes your skin feel so moisturized, makeup glides on. I've suffered no long-term ill effects thus far, and I've even purchased a regular sized bottle. I never thought I'd write a review for this product, because it so clearly wasn't for me. But now it is. I don't use any other Clinique skincare products (I cleanse with either Philosophy's Purity or plain old Purpose).
If you're like me, all I can advise you is to maybe take a second look. Moisturizers are fickle things, and maybe next year, this won't be right for me again. But a good product nonetheless.
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COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Mascara
I've never been so hyped up about a mascara. I just got this when it was initially released, and was so excited at seeing it at my local CVS that I grabbed the nearest one without even checking the color! I got black, even though I wanted Very... +
I've never been so hyped up about a mascara. I just got this when it was initially released, and was so excited at seeing it at my local CVS that I grabbed the nearest one without even checking the color! I got black, even though I wanted Very Black, but no worries :) The black version is still very black, I'm not really sure there's even much of a difference. Just an FYI: I am one of those girls who is constantly on the quest for the perfect mascara, have tried everything high end or low end and have recently given up on department store mascaras (too expensive for something you have to throw away so frequently!!) and have been using Cover Girl Volume Exact or L'Oreal Voluminous. I've been pleased, but not ecstatic, with the results and when I heard about this mascara, I went EVERYWHERE looking for it.
I'd kind of describe the brush as the Benefit BadGal/Diorshow brush of the spiky plastic school of brushes. In other words, this is the super FAT sized version of Lash Exact and Volume Exact. The tube is huge, really round and orange, haha I felt like a little kid holding it. I not only LOVE the brush, I really like the formula so far. It's wetter and more volumizing than Lash Exact and Volume Exact (it's closer to L'Oreal's Voluminous, IMHO), both of which dried out very fast on me (I'll have to update about this when I've had it a little longer.) My lashes are dark and wicked lush after 2 coats. This is, in my opinion, the best volumizing AND separating mascara on the market, period-- if you think about it, that's hard to find. The fatter your lashes get, the harder they are to separate, and this does the trick.
I've had no problems with irritation, flaking or smearing (even with 2 coats), and it comes off easily with an eye makeup remover. The volume is **great**, it curls my lashes naturally (mascara does this for me, not sure why), and they look long and lush. I read someone comment about it not really giving any length help, and I can't comment on this because my lashes are already on the longer side, but I think it lengthens them as well. Very dramatic and gorgeous. The bottom line for me: one coat will gave me the result I got with Volume Exact, and 2 coats proved that it was the mascara that I WISHED Volume Exact was. After only a few uses, I'm very, very pleased: HG material here, ladies. At $8.49 a pop, it's worth your money, and definitely worth a try if you're still on the quest for the perfect mascara!
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