Chi, that sucks!

Remember when I purchased the Chi Travel Set? I realize now (almost a year later) that I never wrote a review of it. I know this is kinda late, but you never know. It might still be out there, lurking for its next victim!

First, it wasn't much of a steal anymore when I ran into the set during a routine shopping excursion to Costco and discovered it was being sold for even cheaper! I think it was around $69.99 there. But guess what, even at that price...I wouldn't buy it again. I hate when Costco does that! Like when I purchased the hubby the complete Sopranos DVD set for a whole lotta mula at Best Buy and a few weeks later they have it for a good chunk less. Ugh, Costco! You are the bane of my wallet's existence! It's like I must consult with them before making any big purchases. Argh. But I digress...

Well, the kit was nice and cute and compact and stored neatly for traveling. This is what enticed me to purchase the set in the first place. Especially with a name like Chi, I thought it would surely deliver despite it's minute proportions. But, it is only useful if you are completely desperate and even then, make sure you have a lot of time on your hands.

The blow dryer is worse quality than even that of hotel dryers. It took a verrrrrrrry long time for it to even dry my little girl's hair and she's two!

Next, the flat iron was a little stubby but had good sized plates, so I thought, hey maybe this is where it'll redeem itself...until it started to burn my fingertips!

Overall, this product was probably my biggest purchase regret of 2009 that and the juicer I bought and used all of ONE time. Man, I am such an impulse buyer!

The Hot Tools Helix curler I bought in the same post turned out to be just so-so also. By the time I got to one side of my head, the already curled side had gone straight again. I endured it though and let it sit in my cabinet for months since I gave my older curling irons away when I purchased it. But no more! I got a wonderful hot roller and curling iron set from my sister for Christmas, and me and my fickle hair loves it!

Hot Shot Tools Hairsetter with 20 Flocked Rollers by Helen of Troy

$59.99 @ Sally Beauty

Hot Shot Tools Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron by Helen of Troy

$29.99 @ Sally Beauty

Note to self: Read customer reviews first, then purchase! During Christmas she found this set at Sally's. It was buy one (hot rollers) and get one (curling iron) for free. There were different packages like dryer plus flat iron, but I am so glad she chose this one. For some reason, my hair is extremely fickle with curling, but these do the job perfectly. Thanks sister!

Smashbox Mascara & Primer - Product Review!

Now this is going to take a bit of an effort, but remember when I purchased the bulk beauty find at Costco months ago? Well I horded both the Smashbox Layer Lash Primer and That's a Wrap Mascara until my current mascaras recently became doomed to meet the nearest land fill and finally got the chance to try them. Before this duo I was using L'Oreal Volume Shocking Step 1 Primer with many different mascaras from drugstore to prestige brands; L'Oreal Voluminous Original, Clinique High Impact, MAC Zoom Lash, and Imju Fiberwig. Of them all, I found that the drugstore brand gave the best results with multi-tasking for fuller, longer, and thicker lashes. I don't like the Volume Shocking Step 2 comb at all though and I haven't used that side since I purchased it. In my opinion, L'Oreal should manufacture the primer as a product all by itself, it works great! In order of desirable results the L'Oreal duo was the best, next it was L'Oreal with High Impact, then it was L'Oreal with Fiberwig, and last was L'Oreal with Zoom Lash. I am planning on a solo review of the Imju Fiberwig, so stay tuned for that!

Now, on to the real review...

 

Here is the lash primer. It's looks like the average primer appearance wise being that it is white in color but it's different from L'Oreal's in performance. The consistency is creamier and it feels like you're actually putting a conditioner or lotion onto your lashes so they remained soft and silky. The formula doesn't dry as brittle as L'Oreal's so that's where Layer Lash Primer wins. Also, if you've over-crimped your lashes and have that awkward straight edge, the Layer Lash Primer smoothes it out to a more natural curl.

Here is the wand of the mascara. As you can see it is spiraled into varying lengths. It's something I haven't come across before with mascara wands. Also, the formula is creamier and not as wet as most mascaras I've used. There is also a strong fragrance, nothing weird just regular mascara smell but really magnified. 

These are my naked lashes. I think I am somewhere in between thick and thin. I could do with more, but I am not completely disappointed with what I've got. ;p

This photo is after being curled with a She Uemura curler.

This is immediately after applying the Layer Lash Primer. Top only. As you can see, there is a bit of length and definition added to the very tips of my lashes, revealing that they're a tad longer than they look.

This is immediately after applying That's a Wrap Mascara. Top and bottom. As you can see, it definitely stretched out my lashes for some length and darkened them. I think I did about three coats here and that's when it started to clump. The thing that I don't like about the Smashbox duo is that while it did lengthen my lashes, it didn't keep a natural curl. L'Oreal did both, adding length as well as giving me more lush lashes. 

This last photo is just the mascara alone. As you can see, the mascara needed the primer. My lashes were lengthened but remained thin. Over all, I liked the results of the duo but in my opinion it didn't beat the L'Oreal duo. If you would like photos or additional reviews of any of the mascara/primer combos I mentioned above, please feel free to make requests! I also still have Lola and Too Faced Lash Injection Mascaras to try out, so check back for those reviews as well! 

Skin Fusion MMU - Product Review!

This is a continuation of a post I started a while back. I wanted more time and use of the Skin Fusion minerals products before continuing with my review in case you're wondering that the heck happened! Let me tell you though, the more time I spent with Skin Fusion, the more I felt true amour! In my humble opinion each of these products, if used on their own, is magnificent but when used as a set the results are truly amazing!

 

Let's start with the first step of the trio; Skin Fusion Micro-Technology Bio Active Mineral Power Brightening Lotion. Man, that is a mouth full! I've already gushed about the packaging so I won't keep singing the same tune, but it's still Tony the Tiger GGGRReat! This product is unlike any other facial moisturizer I have ever used in that GOLD is listed as an ingredient among "60 additional sourced essential minerals and anti-oxidants to activate and boost absorption of nutrients, fight free radicals, and rev cell metabolism"! Other claims; "Breakthrough Litchiderm Extract deeply hydrates and reverses and protects against sun damage and protein loss.", "Stimulating peptide rebuilds skin from within to resurface and heal dull, congested, and damaged skin.", "Invisiskin technology bio adheres for targeted, time-released delivery that calms irritation and inflammation.". 

All that's just Urkel talk for; it is super light weight and blends in smoothly. ;p After placing a small amount (the picture above is from one pump and is all you need) on the back of my hand and rubbing it in, my skin texture takes on a cashmere soft focus look and feel. The formula seems to spackle over the lines of my hands and makes the surface much softer when compared to the non treated areas. When applied to the face, it's even better. The results are much more visible and oh so flattering. Its not sticky at all and the fragrance is a faint citrus-y floral. I bought my sister a set because I loved it that much and this lotion is her favorite part. She said her skin has never felt and looked so soft before using this product. Would I purchase this product again? In a heart beat! 

Next in the trio is the Skin Fusion Micro Technology Bio Active Mineral Intuitive Soft Focus Fluid Foundation. Gah! The names just get longer! This foundation is similar to those smart foundations that dispenses as a white cream and magically albeit smartly chameleonizes itself to your skin tone. Skin Fusion's formula is more of a grayish purple with speckles. I was a bit leery to be honest with the color of the liquid, but once I blended it onto my skin I was choked up with emotion. I exaggerate, but honestly I have tried many many products whose number one claim is to minimize pores and yet the one product whose talent is not listed as pore minimizer has nonchalantly left that neat little trick out of its repertoire. In all seriousness, if big pores is your problem, here is your solution. I couldn't believe it could make my pores appear smaller, yet my face didn't seem heavy or masked. Would I purchase this product again? I already did!

Last of the three amigos is the Skin Fusion Micro Technology Bio Active Brightening Minerals. Now, if the first two weren't great as it is, this last product is just the icing on the cake.  The finishing powder is very soft, almost creamy in texture and blends like a dream with the MAC 185 Kabuki. Would I purchase this product again? YES YES YES!

With all three products on, my skin doesn't feel heavy or as if it were suffocating at all. Plus, with knowing that all the beneficial ingredients are doing their job I don't mind taking the extra steps. The products last hours and hours without the need for touching up. Now, that is an incredible feat in of itself because my T Zone is like the Good Old Faithful, spouting every 15 minutes or so. These products seem to keep it under tight control all day. I LOVE IT! However, now that Winter is around the corner I think I am finding that this set will become my Summer routine since my skin is naturally more oily than the average normal human being the light weight coverage is perfect for that weather. For Winter, I am liking the PerriconeMD and bareMinerals combination as my non T Zone area skin needs that extra "drink". 

I guess my only con is the friggin' long names! Even acronymed, its still pretty long...SFMTBAMPBL, SFMTBAMSFFF, and SFMTBABM. Blah! At any rate, if you are like me extra oily in the Summer and drier in the Winter, with super sized pores to boot then this set is perfect for you! On my last visit to Nordstrom Rack they had restocked their shelves with them and added the Translucent (sheer) and Radiance (pinkish) mineral powders as well. The NR price is definitely right if you want to try it out. Otherwise, when gone from NR, the retail value will dissuade you from even thinking about it! I know it did me for the LONGEST time. I am truly thankful for this opportunity to purchase and stock up on Skin Fusion products! Go get your own!

Skin Fusion MMU - First Impressions!

Ok, can I just tell you that Skin Fusion Mineral Makeup is totally INSTANT GRATIFICATION! Just where the heck have you been all my life!? Oh wait, I know where, completely out of my reach is where! At retail, I couldn't stomach dropping $49.00 for mineral makeup when I was already paying half of that for bareMinerals, which I LOVE like stalker, fatal attraction love! It just didn't make any sense. Then I read the ingredients and nonchalantly listed as the very last item is gold. GOLD. No frilly unpronounceable without looking a complete tard scientific name. Straight up "karats" g-o-l-d! So when I saw the price tag of $9.97, I thought; "Hey, if I don't like it, it's no biggie." Nordstrom Rack also takes back beauty products within 30 days with receipt, no questions asked. So I found myself self-talked into purchasing another MMU brand. Which I never ever though I'd do just so I could say that I have a "gold plated" face. HA! 

Can I just provide you with a quick [and nerdy] example of how much I have saved on this deal I found at Nordstrom Rack?

skin fusion micro-technology bio active brightening minerals

$9.97 vs. $49.00 Retail

skinfusion micro-technology bio active mineral intuitive soft focus fluid foundation

$12.97 vs. $56.00 Retail 
skinfusion micro-technology bio active mineral power brightening lotion
$14.97 vs. $70.00 Retail

That's $37.91 total vs. $175.00 (pre-tax)! That is an un-freakin-believable savings of $137.09. Holy $%#@!! Are you effin kidding me?! Put in that perspective, you can believe I ran out and got myself a second set. Are you still not convinced? Okay then...on to the review.

Let's start with the packaging. With Skin Fusion's foundation and lotion bottles, I love it. It's ingenious. It's a pump with a little extra locking mechanism. You have to twist for the pump head to reveal itself. I love this because no more accidental spillage when traveling or if my little one happens to get into my stash. 

However, the minerals package is a hit and miss. I love that the sifter is only about a quarter in size when compared to other mineral sifters, but it still dispenses enough powder. The cool part again, is the "locking mechanism". There's a plastic tab with enough stubbies to "cork" all the holes in the sifter. The only thing I would like more is if the tab was attached. It's a loose tab, which means I will lose it soon! ;p The part that I don't like about the powder packaging is the size. It's a lot bigger than other brands and it's a big ol' globey ball. I guess what makes up for it is the lid serves as a great tray for brush dipping. It's the perfect size for my MAC 185, which is also a tad bigger than most kabuki brushes. All the bristles couldn't fit in my bM lids. The lid is made of a faux metal plastic, so no more caked on mineral residue. So much easier to clean and disinfect as there's no paper lining. 

To be continued...

Lola Cosmetics Details!

I am soooo excited about this opportunity to test out Lola products at such a low cost! I came across Lola first at Ulta but it never much called out to me. Given that the price is a bit higher than MAC and comparable to NARS, I didn't think I would ever purchase a Lola product unless it was recommended with high praises. Needless to say, I don't hear the name Lola tossed around much in the beauty world. 

Here is a pic of the case of the LuminEyes Eye Colour Collection palette from a 2007 Limited Edition promo. The case is a pearly, opalescent white python.  The tab closure is magnetic and bedazzled with a few jewels. Lola is embossed in red foil on the front, in its signature cursive font. 

Inside, you'll find 8 cashmere soft, shimmering shades. I tried to find names to these shadows, but have been unsuccessful so far. In order from Left to Right, Top to Bottom: a buttery yellow, a bronze gold, a rich brown, an olive green, a fleshy pink, a smokey gray, a mellow taupe, and a vibrant blue. Most shades have high shimmer, similar to a pearl or veluxe pearl. The brown is more matte with tiny bits of sparkle, and the blue is an oddball one being that it isn't very pigmented and requires a bit more packing than the others. Kind of shocking, considering the vibrancy of it in the pan. I was bracing myself for a Mimi-esque pay off.

I was in a swatching mood last night...these are in the same order as in the pans.

Now, I mentioned this before, I am not the biggest fan of liquid liners. I can honestly say, until this palette, I own absolutely no liquid liners! Maybe with the four color options provided, I can grow to like them with some forced practice, eh? Time to search some application techniques on youtube! From Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Bronze, Olive Green, Silver, Blue. All with a low glare metallic finish. The first two applied evenly with a good amount of product and was consistent in application. The last two, especially the blue, seemed to be a bit more watery as if the formula seperated.  These liquid liners have a no budge policy. It took a few wipes before they released their hold. The applicator tip is a fine brush tip.

Same order as above...see how the blue was uneven?

And the included tinsy brush. So so cute!  I don't think I ever use the included brushes though.

Here are the lip gloss bottles. These lip glosses remind me of the C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shines you can find at Bath & Body Works (Free S/H with $60 purchase, Promo Code: FREESHIP60) being that they had a fresh minty scent. Guess what, there's NO flavor though! The texture is creamy, not at all tacky and sticky. Although, it looks like a lot of shimmer, the formula appears very natural on the lips, highlighting and accentuating the shape of the lip very well. 

The product swapper strikes again! In my rush, I didn't notice that I picked up two Muses. One was in a box marked Celestial. Oh hum, oh well. My bestie, Lola, will be blessed with the duplicate. Surprisingly, she's never heard of the brand! I will be scoping out other Marshall's soon, because I definitely am a fan of this minty gloss and at $2.99, I can't justify not getting more as stocking stuffers! 

I love Lola's packaging. It totally appeals to the girly girl in me. A much different approach, than the more fashion forward labels and their simplistic black packaging or the clean, clinical look of the more eco-friendly brands. I love the racy, scarlet red! Product review and Mugshot to follow soon, please check back!

Lancome - Product Review & Mugshot!

When I first noticed the Diamond Studs palette. I thought, "Wow, Lancome for only $14.99? Probably all jacked up inside." but when I opened the package and saw the beautiful neutral shades still unscathed and perfectly pressed within the pans I said, "Come to mama!" and grabbed up all three palettes!



Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Off the Rack, The New Blue, Backstage Pass, Rendezvous, Wear It Well & Socialite. Here's something I rarely do...swatches! These are in the same order. I also put the finish I felt it mostly resembled. However, after I finished Photoshopping and now that I play with it more, I think the ones I originally thought were Satin are more of a Veluxe Pearl. Buttery soft texture with high shimmer. The New Blue is the long lost cousin of Mythology but because of the Lustre texture it was so hard to get the color to show up. I was too lazy to apply a base. :p Application to the eye was easy peasy. The colors blend smoothly with no hassles using MAC brushes. You'll see why I used MAC brushes in a minute. With concealer as a base, the colors were just eh but with MAC Shadesticks in Taupographic and Beige-ing, the colors popped more. The formula is also very long wearing. It lasted pretty much all day and even endured a 2 hour nap. Le bebe needed one, therefore, so did !! ;P

The extra touch, Lancome tagging on the mirror, so cute! Love the font!

Le Petite Brosse - awe, ain't she precious!

I don't think I have ever had the luxury of using a Lancome brush. In fact, all the brushes I own are from MAC and the newest edition to my brush collection are the MB York Weapons of Mass Seduction brush set. So I thought I scored when I found this deal!

This tri-fold sleek black case, is a shiney soft material, kind of looks like patent leather with the flash, but its not. It's similar to a professional roll-up brush holder/belt. It has a magnetic closure, with one zipper compartment, and enough sleeves for all the brushes with a plastic protection sheet.

Included in this set is a Highlighting Brush #3 which looks like the MAC 187 but does it hold up to the reputation? NO. The white bristles are longer than the MAC 187 so the application was a bit wonky. Kind of like writing while holding your pencil near the eraser. It didn't feel like it was doing the job of seamless blending properly but the end result of my blusher didn't look too bad. Large Shadow Brush #11 similar to MAC 213. This brush was very stiff and the bristles were slick due to being synthetic. The eyeshadow didn't seem to grab onto the brush as well and I received full impact on my lids. A tad messy, but it wasn't too shabby in the clean up process. Blending Tip Brush #16 dupe to MAC 219. Um. I did not like this brush AT ALL! It isn't as tapered as the MAC 219, so the application and smudging was sketchy and hiccuped a lot. Blending Shadow Brush #17 wannabe MAC 224. This brush looked promising because it was so similar, but again, the synthetic bristles just ruined it. I didn't change the method of applying my shadow, so I was a bit taken aback when I started getting pricked by the hairs. It was annoying and blending wasn't as easy as with the MAC 224. Liner Brush #18 mini me to MAC 263. In one word, this brush was WEIRD. It was hollow? That's the best I could describe it. The bristles were not dense throughout and seemed to be hollow near the center. Not at all good for a liner brush where precision is key. I had to make shorter strokes to ensure a smooth line with this brush. That just takes too much time! All brushes were finished with metallic silver handles and Lancome inscription in black cursive font. Lancome's brushes are made of all cruelty free synthetic fibers so the result is tons different from natural bristles and not in a good way. I was disappointed. I figured since Lancome is pricier than MAC it would do better, but I think Sonia Kasuk brushes may be even better than these. Or maybe MAC just spoiled me rotten because they totally had me yearning for them!

Lancome Color Fever Glosses in Heatstroke, Precious Light, and Up in Smoke. I was immediately drawn to Heatstroke. It is a warm, deep coral color with high shimmer, perfect to go with neutral eyes. Precious Light is a barely there whisper pink. Very subtle. Up in Smoke is mostly void of color but is infused with a dash silver sparkles. The application tip kind of caught me off guard. In my MAC bubble, I haven't been exposed much to other brands' quirks. I've seen the normal calf's foot, paint brush tips, and sponge tips but Lancome's gloss applicator is like a mutated calf foot. Same fuzzy softness, but a whole other shape. Took some getting used to as it was bigger and I felt clumsy using it for the first time. There is a light floral fragrance and the formula is a bit thicker than most glosses but not sticky icky.

If you would like a more detailed description or photos of any of the above, please feel free to comment me or send me a request via email. I would be happy to share! Here are a couple of photos using all shadow colors except the first two, Off the Rack and The New Blue.

Product Placement:

MAC Shadestick Taupographic on lid

MAC Shadestick Beige-ing on brow bone

Lancome E/S Wear it Well on lid

Lancome E/S Socialite on inner 1/3 and tear duct

Lancome E/S Backstage Pass on crease, outer v, and lower lash line

Lancome E/S Rendevous on brow bone

Anastasia Brows In Bloom Product Review!

I willingly admit that I have a complete (albeit compulsive) obsession with eyebrows. I don't deny this. If I see a pair that I don't like, I can imagine how I'd reshape them. I have done the brows of others, but no other tweezer wielding hands have touched mine. This is not allowed. Now I am not claiming that I have the perfect set of brows, but I like how I do mine. The weird thing for me is that, when I look in the mirror, my brows appear to be symmetrical but in photos they aren't! It's the strangest thing. Totally makes me paranoid of what people see when they look at me! The problem, I recently learned, is that when I groom my brows, I have a habit of tilting my head up slightly. Little did I know that this tiny movement is throwing off the symmetry of my brows! I have to literally stop and force myself to look straight into the mirror. Okay, enough brow beating *wink*...on to the review.

Let me start by saying that I can remember exactly what products I've used on my brows. The reason is because I don't change often, especially if what I am using is working fine. Here's the timeline: As a teenager, I first was plucked at the ripe age of 14 by my aunt. From there, I maintained them but didn't know about filling them in until I was about 17 or 18. Around that same time, I first noticed that The Body Shop had their own make up line. I wasn't really into makeup just yet, but wanted something more for my brows than just tweezing so I figured I'd start at a place which offered natural products, this is where I met...

Eyebrow Makeup 03 Shade: Brunette and Dark and angle brush

Can you believe I still have them! I won't date myself by telling you all how old they are! But they're old and a bit beaten up! Once I got wind that The Body Shop was discontinuing this particular product, I knew I had to find a new favorite or be SOL. So in my quest, I found...

Trucco Hi-Brow Trio

$26.00 Retail

I worked with it for a while, but it was way too pigmented and my brows looked too heavy. Very Katrina Babushka-esque. My sister loved it though and it became hers. After that, I was in between a brow specific product and improvised with MAC E/S Embark until I was introducted to...

MAC Eyebrow Shader

$16.00 Retail

I have been using it for a couple of years with absolutely no complaints. I adore it, but thought I'd try something new when I took down this product during my recent stakeout score...

Anastasia Brows in Bloom - Brunette

$28.00 Retail

$12.99 @ TJ Maxx

I have been using everything in this palette except for the Highlighter Cream (seems a bit too gold for my skin tone) for a solid week and I think the powder is comparable to the MAC Eyebrow Shader. Its pigmentation is just right, not too heavy or sparse. It applies easily with the Wax Cream included. The Wax Cream is just that, creamier than most eyebrow waxes. It acts as a hair tamer and powder adhesive at the same time. I only use the included stubby brush to apply the Wax Cream. I like the stiffness of the bristles, it's like a comb and helps put unruly hairs in place although it makes me feel like a giant hefer trying to use Barbie pretend beauty tools. I prefer the MB York #3 brush to apply the powder. For me, the softer natural bristles are far more accurate for application than the stiff synthetic bristles. All in all this product gets two raised brows! (How corny, I know) I would definitely drop retail dollars for this product again as well as venturing in to other products of the Anastasia line. Here is what Anastasia' Brows in Bloom has done for my brows...

Update 09/19/08: So I finally got around to testing out the Highlighter Cream and, as suspected, the color was much too gold for my skin tone. I also didn't like how it applied, a bit wishy washy to me. I almost shined the cream off altogether until I realized I had packed the wrong eyeshadow base! Pink Couture instead of Beige-ing for the neutral palette I was planning. Then I had an, "a-ha!" moment, and thought I'd try the Highlighter Cream. Lo and behold, the product does very well to pick up color and adhere the eyeshadow powder. The gold base also gave the color a three dimensional tone. So I don't recommend the Highlighter Cream as a color on its own, but it is great as a golden cream color base.