Shadowball
Member Since: October 10, 2011Reviews
CoverGirl TRUblend Fixstick
I've been on the lookout for an affordable concealer, and I'm still trying to decide if I prefer liquid over stick. I tried a sampler of CoverGirl Continuous Wear and really liked the result, but wondered if their "dry" concealers worked as well. I... +
I've been on the lookout for an affordable concealer, and I'm still trying to decide if I prefer liquid over stick. I tried a sampler of CoverGirl Continuous Wear and really liked the result, but wondered if their "dry" concealers worked as well. I actually got mine at a reduced price on eBay because it was damaged, but CoverGirl TRUblend Fixstick normally retails for between $3 and $8, depending on the store or website.
Overall, this product is alright. Not wonderful and I most likely would not buy it again, but it's not horrible either. It goes on sort of smooth, but it's kind of thick and tacky. I find it doesn't glide over my skin all that well. No sharpening is involved - it has a twist top auto-sharpener. I went for the Light shade and it's a little more orange-y than I'd like, but most concealers aren't a perfect match. For this to work, I think lots of blending is likely required.
TRUblend Fixstick would work best as a touchup product - something you'd use to cover very small spots or under the eyes. It's not good as an all-over concealer. Also, I used it a bit on my upper eyelids and it kind of felt like my lids were sticking to my face when I opened my eyes. Again, it's sticky.
I think this product would work okay in conjunction with a fluid concealer to cover up especially dark blemishes or redness, but by itself, it's not that great. I think CoverGirl is a great drugstore brand and definitely try the Continuous Wear concealer if you're looking for a good product in this line. But the TRUblend Fixstick leaves much to be desired as far as this reviewer is concerned.
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e.l.f. Cosmetics Essentials Liquid Eye Liner
Another e.l.f. review! I spotted liquid eyeliner for a dollar at Target and snatched it up immediately. I've been out of liquid eyeliner and was going to get another bottle of Wet N' Wild's H20 Proof liner, but e.l.f.'s is actually cheaper. The... +
Another e.l.f. review! I spotted liquid eyeliner for a dollar at Target and snatched it up immediately. I've been out of liquid eyeliner and was going to get another bottle of Wet N' Wild's H20 Proof liner, but e.l.f.'s is actually cheaper.
The verdict? I love this stuff! It works better than H20 Proof in just about every way. It goes on nice and dark, it dries very quickly, and it doesn't flake off. The brush on this eyeliner is flat, but I think that allows for more precise application compared to a thicker or pointed tip. While this eyeliner isn't listed as 24-hour, it definitely stays on for a long time without fading or chipping off. Sadly, it will not survive sleeping, but it's lovely otherwise and goes on nice and smooth.
I always wear black eyeliner, but for those who prefer other shades, e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner also comes in dark blue and also brown, if I'm not mistaken. And for one dollar, how can you go wrong? I'll definitely be buying this again when this bottle runs out. Nothing's better than beauty on a budget!
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Ruby Kisses 24HR Eye Define
To start off, I can't take credit for finding this particular product. I was looking on YouTube for makeup tutorials, and one specific one suggested Ruby Kisses 24HR Eye Define eyeliner in the shade "White Out," which is precisely what it sounds... +
To start off, I can't take credit for finding this particular product. I was looking on YouTube for makeup tutorials, and one specific one suggested Ruby Kisses 24HR Eye Define eyeliner in the shade "White Out," which is precisely what it sounds like: white eyeliner.
In short, it's a beautiful product. I've never used or even heard of Ruby Kisses prior to seeing this video or trying this product, but if this eyeliner is any indication of the brand's overall quality, I'm definitely impressed. The pencil is retractable, so there is no sharpening required. Also, the liner itself is very bold and creamy. You might have to go over your eyelids twice for the full effect, but once it's down, it does not come off. This is one of a precious few cosmetics I've tried that boasted 24-hour wear and actually lived up to it. It's also waterproof and smudge-proof. If you want to smudge it, do it immediately after applying it. Otherwise, it won't budge - I tried.
I operated under the impression that since black eyeliners don't stay on my eyelids for very long, a light white eyeliner would fade off even faster. Boy, was I wrong! White Out stayed on my lower lids all day and through my falling asleep with it on. It even takes a little effort to get it off. Personally, I use this just on my lower eyelids to perk up my eyes, and I also dot it in the inner corners of my eyes like an eye brightener and it does a fantastic job. Eye Define comes in six different colors (black, brown, turquoise, gold, white and purple), and if their black eyeliner is as gorgeous as their white one, I'll certainly be switching from Avon to Ruby Kisses.
Truly, I'm shocked at the quality of this eyeliner at a mere $2. I've paid $10 for eyeliners in the past that didn't work this well, and I can't praise Ruby Kisses Eye Define enough. Give it a try, as I think you'll be equally impressed.
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e.l.f. HD lifting concealer
I had heard that e.l.f. is a rather underrated cosmetics brand, but I never got the chance to try them because there were no stores near me that sold that line. But on a recent out of town trip, I spotted their stuff in Target and was definitely... +
I had heard that e.l.f. is a rather underrated cosmetics brand, but I never got the chance to try them because there were no stores near me that sold that line. But on a recent out of town trip, I spotted their stuff in Target and was definitely impressed by the prices. Liquid eyeliner for a buck? Yes please! Now, I'm going to say up front that I did not like the concealer I got, but please don't let this taint your opinion of e.l.f. overall.
One of the items I purchased was the Studio Concealer stick in Ivory for $3, which is a fantastic price. The concealer shade was just fine for my skin tone and it goes on alright (it's a little bit thick and sticky), but I find it doesn't seem to stay on all that well. In addition, it's not a good choice for those of us with oily skin. Would I buy it again? Possibly. Maybe it would work better with powder over top of it, but it's not bad as an under-eye concealer where layering of concealer might be more necessary. e.l.f.'s All Over Cover Stick might be a better option, though I haven't tried it yet. Still, it may be worth a try for the cost. Maybe you'll have better luck with it than I did.
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Jesse's Girl Loose Eyeshadows
I had never heard of the brand Jessie's Girl until I spotted it in Rite Aid. I'm a fan of drugstore makeup, so I got a container of their loose eyeshadow powder. I'd been on the lookout for a nice dark midnight blue eyeshadow and I figured this song... +
I had never heard of the brand Jessie's Girl until I spotted it in Rite Aid. I'm a fan of drugstore makeup, so I got a container of their loose eyeshadow powder. I'd been on the lookout for a nice dark midnight blue eyeshadow and I figured this song reference powder would be a good place to start looking.I chose something called Blackstar Blue.
Looking at the jar, there's no actual color listed on it, which is weird. Just "Jessie's Girl" on the top and "Eye Dust" on the bottom, and then a list of ingredients. I think the name of the shade is listed on the wrapper, but it'd be nice if it was part of the label that didn't have to come off, but whatever. Then there's the inside, which has another lid inside the container. It's meant to be a shaker top, but believe me when I say hardly any powder comes out. This means you have to put the lid on, shake the jar, then open it again and do this repeatedly to get enough eyeshadow out to even use. So if you buy this, I would recommend doing what I did: take a pair of cuticle scissors and cut off as much of the shaker lid as possible (it's made of thin, transparent plastic). And do this in the bathroom because the powder will go everywhere. Apparently, there IS a way to get the shaker top out in one piece, but I had no such luck.
Upon applying the eyeshadow, you'll find it goes on extremely bold, and the Blackstar Blue I got looked just gorgeous. However, it doesn't stay bold. It wears off very quickly, and for me, what began as a deep, dark blue will fade to a dusty grey-blue within a couple hours, and then come off completely due to simple blinking. However, I should mention that I didn't use primer or any kind of a base with this, so perhaps it would work better with it. It might also work better when applied wet. Most of the Jessie's Girl loose eyeshadows appear to be shimmery and wet application will enhance said shimmer too, it seems. This eyeshadow also appears to blend alright, but as said, it comes off so fast that you feel like you have to put it on heavy just so it stays put longer than 15 minutes.
In my experience, this product isn't really worth buying. However, I will eventually give it another chance with primer, a base coat of something and wet application. If it turns out better, I'll leave an updated review. But as it stands, it's nothing spectacular.
I can't upload an image, for some reason, but please see the image link below to get an idea of what Blackstar Blue looks like.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MWMEnh4ABSo/TR1wvPL4OVI/AAAAAAAAACs/EUSpk1o6uoA/s1600/Jesses-Girl-Blackstar-Blue.png
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Measurable Difference Lash DefEYE Mascara
Another bargain bin find. Seriously, if you have a Burlington Coat Factory near you, check out their makeup sometime. You'll be surprised what you can find there. I have never even heard of the brand Measurable Difference prior to finding this... +
Another bargain bin find. Seriously, if you have a Burlington Coat Factory near you, check out their makeup sometime. You'll be surprised what you can find there. I have never even heard of the brand Measurable Difference prior to finding this product, and I got it for $4 when it normally retails for $8 or $9. I've been using Maybelline's One By One Volum Express for at least a couple years now and the only reason I went looking for mascara is because I ran out and wanted to see if I couldn't find something a little less pricey that was also volumizing.
I found this product and even at normal price, it would have been cheaper. I have to say I'm impressed with it. This mascara doesn't get clumpy or messy and my eyelashes aren't freakishly long, but there's a major difference in length and fullness. Plus it stays on pretty much all day and doesn't seem to smudge all that easily. You can get an especially nice effect if you apply multiple times per eyelid.
Overall a fantastic product that I can say gives Maybelline's volumizing mascaras a run for their money. I'm not sure if this mascara has been discontinued or not, but if you can find it, give it a shot. I personally would buy it again whenever my current tube runs out.
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physician formula Eye Booster™2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum
Another bargain bin buy - I got a two-pack of this product at Burlington Coat Factory for $5 when normal retail price is something like $10 for just one. To be fair, I have not noticed any significant difference in the length of my eyelashes after... +
Another bargain bin buy - I got a two-pack of this product at Burlington Coat Factory for $5 when normal retail price is something like $10 for just one. To be fair, I have not noticed any significant difference in the length of my eyelashes after using this product, but I didn't buy it for that reason anyway. I bought it because I wanted a new liquid eyeliner, and if it happened to lengthen my eyelashes in the process, then that was just a plus.
As an eyeliner, this product works like a felt tip marker and is similar to L.A. Girl's Mark My Eyes eyeliner, but not quite as bold. But, to be fair, this eyeliner is meant to just kind of look like eyeliner while enhancing the lashes, so I'll give it a pass. It feels a little tingly when applied to the eyelids and it does go on smooth, but as with most felt tip liners, you have to make sure the tip stays free of things like eyeshadow residue, lest it become clogged and unusable.
The liner does wear off a little quicker than I thought it would and can easily be covered with eyeshadow. So for anyone who purchases this with the intention of volumizing their eyelashes, I would suggest putting this on first, then eyeshadow over it, then another liner on top, tracing the faint line left by the felt tip liner. I wouldn't buy this product if it wasn't on sale either - I know Physician's Formula is higher end than Wet N' Wild, but I would never in my life spend $10 on any eyeliner, even if it did promise fuller lashes.
Mind you, this isn't a horrible product, but it's also not worth the cost. If you want to add volume to your eyelashes, I would recommend looking for a different lash-boosting serum and using volumizing mascara, of which there are many fantastic choices available. For an eyeliner, I would recommend the one I mentioned before if you want a good felt-tip liquid liner: L.A. Girl's Mark My Eyes.
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Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipcolor
As far as I know, this series is still available, but certain shades are discontinued. The only reason I tried Color Whisper lip color was because the shade I chose (Go Nude) had been discontinued and was available at half price at the grocery... +
As far as I know, this series is still available, but certain shades are discontinued. The only reason I tried Color Whisper lip color was because the shade I chose (Go Nude) had been discontinued and was available at half price at the grocery store. I assumed the lip stick wouldn't be bold, but on the subtle side. After all, with a name like "Color Whisper," I'd like to think that's pointing more toward a light shade.
I can only speak for the Go Nude shade, which goes on nice and smooth and is definitely subtle. In fact, it's lighter than my actual lip color, leaving me with a slightly lighter pinkish color. When I swiped it across my hand, it was hardly visible, so Go Nude is reeeeeally light. It's nice and all, but kind of pointless when it hardly makes a difference. But hey, that's what I get for picking a neutral shade.
My only real complaint about this product is the caps. The caps are transparent, but color-tinted. Meaning you can see the lipstick inside, but the actual shade is hard to see. The cap on Go Nude is bright orange, but the actual lipstick is much lighter. If you find one of these and they aren't sealed, pop the cap off and take a peek at the actual color before making your decision.
Overall a nice product, though I'd never personally buy it at normal price. To be honest, I think Wet N' Wild's Mega Shield lip color works just as well as this and at half the cost.
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Cargo Essential Lip Color
The only reason I'm reviewing this product is because I tried it on at Kohl's. The quality is awesome - I fell right in love with the Essential shade called Bombay, which is a more neutral shade. I tried on some of the other shades in this line, but... +
The only reason I'm reviewing this product is because I tried it on at Kohl's. The quality is awesome - I fell right in love with the Essential shade called Bombay, which is a more neutral shade. I tried on some of the other shades in this line, but Bombay was my favorite. For some reason, all the Essential colors are named after cities - Dubai, Tokyo, Las Vegas, etc.
Quality is unmatched - it goes on smooth and it does stay on for a while and not too shiny either. But I would never ever in my life spend $22 on lipstick and that's why it gets a less than perfect review from me. If you're good with blowing that much on any single cosmetic, then go for it. But it's a little too rich for my blood and if I really want to wear Bombay, I'll just go back to Kohl's and use their tester for free.
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Wet N Wild Mega Shield Lip Color SPF 15
Going along with my review on the Smoky Nude eyeshadow from Physician's Formula, I was also on the lookout for a more subtle lip color. Since I'm a cheapskate, I went for Wet N' Wild, and knowing that their colors sometimes go on lighter than... +
Going along with my review on the Smoky Nude eyeshadow from Physician's Formula, I was also on the lookout for a more subtle lip color. Since I'm a cheapskate, I went for Wet N' Wild, and knowing that their colors sometimes go on lighter than appearances suggest, I tried their Megashield Lip Color in the shade called "Ring Around The Rosy," which is sort of a tan-pink color and isn't incredibly dark. Don't let the image fool you either - as the name suggests, it's a rosy color and not brown.
To my surprise, it did go on exactly how it should have rather than lighter. It goes on smooth and resulted in a tint that was only slightly darker than my natural lip color, which is what I was kind of looking for. But I think for a lighter color, I'd go with Peachy Keen or Bare-ly Legal instead, and since the price is reasonable (but probably expensive by Wet N' Wild standards), I may buy one or both of these shades in the future.
Overall, I'd say this is a really nice product. My only complaint is having to reapply it every couple hours, but to be fair, I kind of expect that with Wet N' Wild lip products. So as long as you have no issues with putting it on repeatedly, it's very worth the price.
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