Is $75 worth it for Sisley Eye Concealer?
Sisley Phytocernes Eye Concealer - $75.00 Click Here
The Claims: “Combines botanical extracts such as hawthorn and sea fennel with essential oils to nourish and beautify the skin.” The cream “illuminates the complexion” and is suited to the most sensitive skin. And perhaps most importantly it “reduces the appearance of dark circles and under-eye puffiness”
The Reality: This cream looks cakey and unnatural. Despite the promises of illumination and botanical nourishment, the thing that stands out the most about this product is the hefty price tag. I am actually shocked that I shelled out seventy five bucks for this little tube.
Neutrogena Skin Soothing Undereye Corrector - $8.99 Click Here
The Claims: “Brightens & instantly reduces appearance of puffiness, minimizes dark circles, and has a “silky-smooth, lightweight texture blends easily”.
The Reality: This under eye cream actually works. It is a great product. The applicator allows you to blend the cream perfectly and give you an overall brighter, firmer and younger look. The one downside is that the “cooling” ingredients are sort of irritating and if you get it in your eye and have already put your mascara on, you might have to start over.
Neutrogena Skin Soothing Undereye Corrector is the winner!
I cannot stress how superior this product is compared to the extraordinarily over priced Sisley product. Save your money and your youthful look and go with the Neutrogena!
Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow, Iridescent Gold- $19.00 Click Here
The Claims: “Micro-fine powders adhere firmly to skin for an even, long-lasting finish while light-capturing powders absorb and reflect light for a truly multi-dimensional finish.” Can be used as an eyeliner with a wet brush.
The Reality: Goes on smooth, with a very yellow cast. Slightly to glittery for my taste. This shadow lasts for an average of 2-3 hours, which is longer than the revlon, but hardly what I might call “long-lasting”. I created some interesting looks with a wet eyeliner brush.
Revlon Diamond Lust Eye Shadow, Grab Me Gold - $11.52 Click Here
The Claims:”Diamond-like pearl powder and sheer color dazzle lids with never before seen sparkle and luminosity”. Blends well with other shadows.
The Reality: Flaky, more large peices of glitter and less overall shine. The pigment is weak and the shadow fades in less than an hour. The price is too expensive for a medicore drugstore item.
Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow, Iridescent Gold is the winner, but just barely. Overall these two gold shadows both left me cold. My quest for the perftect gold shadow continues on. I will keep you posted.
Physicians Formula Concealer 101® Perfecting Concealer Duo - $7.25 Click Here
The Claims: “Contains a color-corrective shade and a flesh-tone shade in one package. The Green color-corrects red blemishes and scars and the flesh color helps you blend the green in. Lightweight formula hides skin imperfections and smooth out fine lines and has a cream to powder finish.
The Reality: This heavy duty concealer works fairly well. I have been experiencing some moderately serious acne and scarring and physicians formula has really come to the rescue. Anytime you have something significant to cover up it is not going to be completely natural. However this product does a pretty decent job. It’s “cream to powder finish” is a little cakey and heavy but it definitely reduces redness and gave me confidence and coverage for 3-4 hours.
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit - $32.00 Click Here
The Claims: . This kit includes Creamy Concealer on top and Sheer Finish Loose Powder on bottom to set concealer for long-lasting wear. The Creamy Concealer “Goes on smoothly, providing full, but natural looking coverage.” Contains “conditioning ingredients like Vitamin A, which helps minimize the appearance of fine dry lines and wrinkles and Vitamin E, which moisturizes and provides antioxidant protection”. The sheer powder is 100% oil-free and oil-absorbing, with Vitamin E for the most comfortable wear.
The Reality: The kit is seriously cumbersome. If you try and open the powder case it inevitably spills all over the place. The cream is thick and unnatural looking. The powder does not create a perfect finish, and is really messy. In addition it is seriously expensive.
Physicians Formula Concealer 101® Perfecting Concealer Duo is the clear winner!
Two pricey eyeliners, which one is the best?
Gel eyeliner usually comes in a jar form and is applied with a damp fine brush. It dries a lot faster and is easier to use then liquid eyeliner, with similar dramatic results. A great brush is key, I used Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush.
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner - $19.00 Get it now
The Claims: “Long-wearing and water-resistant. Can be used to create subtle to dramatic looks”.
The Reality: Brushes on very unevenly, so that creating a refined sharp line is almost impossible. Creating the “subtle” looks is far easier. This eyeliner is truly long wearing, lasting from the pre- work day application to late in the evening.
Stila Smudge Pot Liner - $18.00 Get it now
The Claims: Promises “sultry, smoky eyes” when applied with your fingers, or a “razor-sharp precision” with an eyeliner brush.
The Reality: Much smoother going on and I was able to create a smooth line. True to its name it was really easy to create a smoky eye by smearing that line with my fingers. It didn’t last as long as the Bobbi Brown, fading considerably by mid-day.
Stila Smudgepot is the winner!
It’s versatility is superb. Smoky or refined it looks great and goes on easy. Although you may want to pack it in your purse if you want a strong look 5-6 hours later.
I just discovered this great site called e.l.f cosmetics www.eyeslipsface.com
I bought a bunch of stuff and it came to like 18$! And I pretty much got enough stuff to outfit an amatuer beauty pageant!
Their schtick is that almost all of their products are a freaking dollar, eyeliners, mascaras, eyeshadow palettes, foundation sticks, lip glosses, all makeup brushes. I could go on but you get the idea. Elf’s skin care products are also a bargain at about $4 a product!
One of the coolest things I have seen, and which should be arriving at my house in the next week or so is their Get the Look Sets. I got the expert kit, and am pretty excited to report back and tell you how it goes.
And if the rock bottom prices are not enough, here is a great promo code coupon I found that is valid until tommorow evening…
CAROLINA - 50% off order up to $15 (total of $7.50 savings)
Does expensive mean more effective? Not in this case!
Sally Hansen Lip Inflation EXTREME at Walgreens for $7.49
Lip Fusion Color Shine retails at Sephora for $38.00
These products typically work by irritating the thin, delicate skin of the lips with ingredients like menthol or camphor. This makes the lips swell slightly, which may also diminish the appearance of fine lines in that area.
Both Sally Hansen and Lip Fusion use a similiar active ingredients and technology which uses marine collagen micro spheres.
The Claims:
Sally Hansen promises “full, smoochable lips” and enhanced lip color.
Lip Fusion promises “fuller, smoother, perfectly plumped lips in seconds” with results that “can last for up to 48 hours”
The Reality:
Sally Hansen’s Lip Inflation Extreme produces a pinker fuller effect, and is the superior product of the two. However while producing lips that appear to be “smoochable” in reality the person that you kiss with this gloss on will get the same mildly irritaing sensation that is this products claim to fame. My boyfriend was not that thrilled about it.
Lip Fusion’s Color Shine may inflate lips slightly, however compared to Sally Hansen it is barely perceptable. Moreover, at more than four times the cost it is the definite loser.
