Dear Makeup Diary

Saturday, July 9, 2011

A Post About Polishes

It really annoys me when one bad nail becomes two... then four... right now, I have six nails being mended!! I haven't had this many nail problems since winter.

I was going to use a nude polish, so I wanted to post two of my favourites- very inexpensive and easily obtained.

Sally Hansen Without a Stitch and OPI Samoan Sand:

Samoan Sand was always my go-to for 'mannequin hands', Without a Stitch is a more recent find, and it's just visible enough on my nails.

I did not use these today though. I found something else that looked very interesting.

Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle- in a polish!

The name of this...

Forbidden Fudge. Love it! It is such a pretty colour, but to me it's an odd choice for a nail growth formula- it seems like this bold colour would draw attention to, rather than away from, the nails. Despite that, I still used it to see if it does anything, but I don't expect it to really, given the fact that my nails will be at a decent length naturally in about 3-4 days, barring any other mishaps.

This is what I plan on painting my nails with once they are healed:

Orly Bubbly Bombshell. It is a really pretty magenta pink with big and small glitter. It reminds me so much of Urban Decay's Woodstock glitter eyeliner, in a polish.

I'm looking forward to it!

Black Comfortable Shoes?

I am so frustrated. It seems like I have been looking for a pair of shoes forever, and now I have to return another pair for non-fitting. Hello, the sizes are supposed to be standard!!!! Not a difference of two inches!

I have to be able to walk around in this pair quite a bit, without them falling off. I also need them to be age-appropriate. These are the ones I am contemplating now:

Help! I really have no idea. #1 looks a little too young, #4 may be too old. Any opinions??

Of course, I could always go a bit bolder, if I want to do some wardrobe shifting too...

Only thing stopping me is these tend to fall of my feet due to the width, and I heard they are really bad in the heat.

Friday, July 8, 2011

NP Set Pore Perfecting Primer

For those who don't know what NP Set is, which I admit I did not until late last year, it is a price-conscious brand of Napoleon Perdis. His products are pricey depending on where you live, but I like the brand and the artist very much. I used to watch that program "Get Your Face On" at least that's what I think it was called.

Anyway... I always look for the NP Set line when I go to Target. I have had a lot of success with the face and body products, but for some reason the Targets I have been to don't stock a lot of the makeup. Plus what I have seen of it, it isn't exactly appealing to me since it seems to be convenience oriented- that is, multi-functional or multiple products in one package.

I was able to get this face primer, Pore Perfecting Primer (man I can barely type that, let alone say it!!).

The tube was sealed, and there was no tester. Basically, I knew nothing about this besides that it was a primer.

Now, excuse me while I take a moment for a long sigh.

It's a Smashbox primer. Ugh. Instant disappointment. I wish they would have marked on the box "Compare to Smashbox" or something like that. Now, I hope everyone knows what I mean when I say "Smashbox primer". They are just the first ones I know of that made that clear silicone primer, so every primer that is similar I just place it into that category, even though I know very well that they make other primers and products.

Anyway, here it is- it does have a slight pink tint.

It is also heavily perfume scented, but thankfully once it was on my face, that disappeared.

I am surprised to say, I really like this product. It did not feel greasy or filmy, and when I used it as a prep for foundation, it made it glide onto my face very smooth.

As far as pore perfecting, I took a before and after, but as usual, I don't know if it's going to show up very well in the photo.

I felt like it did work a little bit, and after the first couple times I used it, it seemed to work better. Maybe I was just applying it a little more evenly, I don't really know.

I do like this primer, but I don't see myself using it everyday because I like my primer to be a creamier, tackier texture if that makes any sense. Like a lotiony type. It's been my experience that with those, the face products really adhere better on my skin. I also went to look at my receipt for the purpose of this review, and I was aghast that it costs $26.99!!! I mean, shocking for an "affordable" alternative, but when you consider the full version, Auto Pilot, is $45, it is a step down from that.

I don't really have a recommendation one way or the other, very sorry to be so verbose and indecisive. I personally do not think I would buy it again, but I would like to try some other products like a toner, cake eyeliner, China Doll foundation, brushes....

My Dirty Little Perfume Secret

Someone bought me this fragrance a few years ago, and I have purchased it myself since then. I often get perfumes as gifts, which I don't mind at all. It's an easy thing to gift me since I am not all that picky. Pretty bottle- I'll love it, even if I don't love what's inside. Not too pleasant scent- I will keep it around until I think the giver will have forgotten about it. The only fragrance I had the guts to tell people I really do not like is Chanel no 5. Well, the word got around, I only told like two people. So I have shelves full of Dior, Prada, and the like, but this one is like a sore thumb on the vanity.

It is called Animale Temptation.

I had always been going to big department stores and shopping in person for fragrances, you know, sniff before you buy kind of thing. I never saw this one anywhere. When I only had a few drops left, I panicked. Then someone suggested going online. Open a big can of worms, because I have never looked back- I don't think I've been to a department store in 6 or 7 months.

I found it online, and it was only like 10 dollars. I was shocked. I got a Dolce & Gabbana set for $75 once and I thought it was the bargain of the century. So at first, I didn't buy this. I was like, why 10 dollars, I feel ashamed. But I really loved it. It is so strong it lasts all day, and I say that's pretty good for ten dollars. I have some Diors that wear off in 3-4 hours.

Here is the second part of the secret. It is not feminine, in a traditional sense of perfumery feminine. It's not fruity or florally. It doesn't have that 'classic' style like many brands I have do.

Since I am totally perfume illiterate, here is a quip from Fragrantica.com:

"Top notes are pear and bergamot; middle notes are gardenia, jasmine and lily-of-the-valley; base notes are sandalwood, musk and vanilla."

Sandalwood and musk, for sure. It is very much smokey, jazzy, night like, and I love it. If I were not afraid that it would make the people around me sick, I would probably wear it every day. Well, maybe every other day. I'd have to keep Vanille Chocolat around...

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Covergirl Lip Perfection Swatches: Sultry, Temptress

Wow, I just realised I haven't bought any of these lipsticks since April, and I didn't finish swatching the ones I have!! Project CG underway lol!

These two are Sultry and Temptress. I was excited about Temptress, but Sultry ended up looking better on me.

(WITH FLASH)

Pardon the bad lighting, we have had nothing but rain for the past 3 days, despite the fact that it has also been over 90 degrees!

I think I layered Sultry on a bit thick, but oh well.

Here is Temptress:

And Sultry:

These lipsticks are great- they are my absolute favourites besides MAC. They have no scent or taste, and they are very creamy, pigmented, and long lasting. I don't usually go for frosty lipsticks, but even their frosty shades are flattering. They have a huge range of colours, and I out of all the lipsticks I have tried, I have to say, these are very much worth it. I also have come to appreciate the low profile packaging more as other ones I have tried seem to clash with whatever else I may be carrying, so I tend to avoid those when I go out for that sole reason.

Hard Candy Just Face It Foundation

One-step anythings haven't really worked out for me in the past, but this one looked interesting.

The pump:

The formula is thick and creamy:

For me, this foundation had pros and cons. I liked the texture, and it went on smooth and blended well. It did not dry instantly like some creme to powder products I've tried in the past, but it has that same fine, powdery finish that is appealing. It is very comparable to Stila one step, both in texture and finish. I no longer use that one, so unfortunately I cannot compare them side by side.

I would say medium coverage, but on me it felt a heavier compared to others I have used. As a reminder, I don't wear foundation daily and when I do, it would be a 'sheer' type.

What I did not like about it was that for me, it did not prove to be "one step". I used if for a couple days alone, but it did not last all day. And it does not work as a concealer by any stretch, so that would involve another step if needed. It says on the back of the bottle "....your primer, concealer, foundation, and powder". Sorry, that's a no. It continues to say "Leaves skin shine free & natural looking". It just doesn't say for how long.

I am sorry I do not have a better photo, but I took one when I was getting ready to remove my makeup, so this is just the foundation alone:

I can't tell if it is visible in the photo, but there is some patchiness and shine. I ended up trying this foundation in different ways- with primer and powder, with primer no powder, with powder no primer.... and for me, I felt like with powder with or without primer worked the best.

Overall, I thought this foundation was decent, but if I were to judge it based on the fact that it is claiming to be a "one step" I say, two thumbs down on that. As a foundation, it is a bit on the thick side, but it is a pretty good product. I used it for about a week with no reactions. I am starting to wonder how a lot of companies can justify $40 and up (sometimes way up!) for a foundation.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Physician's Formula Yellow Concealer Stick Review

I have been using Physician's Formula concealer sticks off and on over the past year or so. Recently this yellow one piqued my interest. It came with a flesh coloured one also, and it was only $5.99.

I had never used a yellow concealer before. Here are the swatches- the yellow one is on top:

I like these lipstick-styled concealers, they are so easy to work with. These have a creamy texture, excellent coverage and very blendable. I followed the directions on the package exactly, and I did this deliberately at 1 a.m. because generally, I don't have darkness under my eyes.

Here are the directions:

This brings me to something else I want to show you. It is my favourite concealer brush of all time.

This is such a wonderful brush. It makes application effortless, and I especially love that it is not too rough for the delicate under eye area.

Back to the concealers. It did take a bit of time to apply because I wanted to get it just right, but these concealers are so blendable and easy.

I did a before and after, I think the difference is noticeable enough.

I thought it looked amazing!!! The teeny little veins- gone. The darkness- gone. My eyes brightened up my entire face. I love these so much now. It's an extra step I never would have taken before, but now that I see the difference it makes, I will definitely be keeping these around.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

New for me Polishes!

Well... these have been out for a while, so they're not new. But I was in the process of moving, so I didn't order them when they came out. Now I just found out I am moving again arrrggghhh!!! But I will take them with me hehe.

I got China Glaze Electric Pineapple (eew), Papaya Punch (fave of the bunch), Hey Sailor, Trophy Wife, and since I never tried Color Club (and it doesn't appear I was missing much but I could be wrong), I got High Society and Ooooh La La.

And I also want to say a quick thank you to everyone who left feedback on the giveaway post- I really appreciate that, and I took it all to heart. It is so encouraging to me that people still read, and even though I might not follow a particular format, it is true that I love readers and my blog itself, and I am happy I get to share these tidbits!

Polishes of the Day

My nails have improved much since the problems I had last week. The dotted nails come to an end and today I did them in OPI Flower to Flower. I did my toes in China Glaze Orange Knockout, and I say never again with that. Horrible to need 3+ coats on my toes, and just an awful formula. It is also really bad to photograph because it is so neon. Here it looks orange but this is like traffic cone orange.

Wet n Wild Natural Blend Pressed Powder Review

I purchased this recently, for no particular reason except wanting a product to review- which I am reluctant to even admit, because I really don't usually do that. I've started to recently though, because there seems to be a slim selection of products I haven't tried, or that I am interested in I suppose.

The packaging is a recycled cardboard. Unfortunately, that's what the product feels like as well. It smells so bad, like clay, but really strong like I am ingesting it or something. Ok, I am being generous. It smells like dirt. I thought the smell would dissipate once on my face, but it took about 3 hours to do so.

Here are the ingredients:

I really should have read the ingredients before I purchased. Mica and calcium carbonate are oil absorbing minerals derived from rocks- and very drying if you do not have oily skin. I would not deliberately put corn starch on my face either. I was itching both figuratively and literally to get it off my face. It also felt so, so dry- very chalky. If you have oilier skin it may be helpful because it does mattify, but I feel there are much softer, smoother powders, even for oilier skin, that would give you a smoother appearance.

It did give me a matte finish, but so extremely dry I could not possibly recommend this product.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Independence Day Giveaway!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Wonder Wom-aaaan!!

Let's celebrate with a small giveaway!

Here is the prize:

Inglot round palette with 3 concealers and two lipsticks!

All followers welcome! All you have to do is comment below with your GFC name and email, and tell me what is the worst product you've ever tried.

Open until July 21st! Winner will be announced July 22.

If anyone has any feedback regarding if I should do "extra entries" next time, I would appreciate that as well! Myself, I don't like feeling as if I am forcing people to do things, and I would like things to be less complicated on my blog as well, but I will gladly take feedback into consideration. Thanks to everyone who reads, and good luck with the giveaway!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser

Up until early last year, I had been using Clinique products all of my adult life. I thought I needed a change, but this was right after I had my baby, so I think I made the changes mistakenly now.

This was one of the few products I had left.

So, I have been using Philosophy for this entire time, and I don't notice any problematic areas of my skin, but my face also never feels "scrubbed". It bothers me sometimes, especially on hot days or when I use a lot of products.

The texture is so smooth, thick, and creamy.

The most important thing about this cleanser: you only need a LITTLE bit. When I used this before, I was cleansing my face by hand and I would use about a dime size. Now I am using the Clarisonic and I use about a quarter size of Purity, so when I used too much of this, I could probably use it on my entire body there was so much. It lathers like shaving foam, but it is really lathery. But it does what it says- it rinses right off!

This cleanser gave my face that sqeaky-clean (yes, I tested that lol) feeling, and I did experience some tightening feeling as well. I love this cleanser, but I would probably only use it once a week since it does have a tendency to dry out my skin. I can see it being beneficial for any skin type, really, and I would totally recommend any of Clinque's skincare. I actually miss my 3-steps, so I am going to go back to those as soon as I get an order in.