satojoko
Member Since: April 14, 2010Reviews
NARS Smudge Proof Eye Shadow Base
Absolutely not necessary. I tried this product last night under sevral NARS shadows and found it was not worth the amount of money they are charging. I use shadow sticks - MAC, Rimmel, Cover Girl - as well as low-cost creme shadows under all my eye... +
Absolutely not necessary. I tried this product last night under sevral NARS shadows and found it was not worth the amount of money they are charging. I use shadow sticks - MAC, Rimmel, Cover Girl - as well as low-cost creme shadows under all my eye shadows, which is extremely effective and a far cheaper alternative than wasting cash on this product. Wouldn't even consider buying this. -
NARS Eyeshadow in Galapagos
On my foray to the mall yesterday with NARS dreams in my little head, I picked this puppy up. Once again, like with their blushes, this NARS product outdoes MAC in several aspects. This is a very intensely pigmented dark brown eye shadow with a... +
On my foray to the mall yesterday with NARS dreams in my little head, I picked this puppy up. Once again, like with their blushes, this NARS product outdoes MAC in several aspects. This is a very intensely pigmented dark brown eye shadow with a slight satin finish to it - very slight - and tiny TINY gold flecks in it. Like a very good quality dark chocolate you would eat with a sheen. Nothing over the top, nothing somebody would look at and think 'holy-happy-hooker'. Gorgeous! I am very much into earth tones and have MANY - browns, greens, even earthy purples and peachy tones - and this did it for me on so many levels. Seeing as I own in excess of 200 eye shadows, that's saying something :-)
First of all, the price is not cheap by any means, however, the amount of product in the container is significantly more. MAC single > 1.5 grams. NARS single > 2.2 grams. It may not seem like a large number, but when you do the math, that's about .75 grams more. Which would be approximately 50% more. That is A LOT more, and in my calculations, is worth the extra cost. It's a no-brainer.
Then we've got the level of pigmentation. WOW! When testing it in the store, I immediately thought 'I have GOT to buy this one'. That rarely, if ever, happens. That was dry. The color payoff is amazing. When I got it home and wet-lined it, I nearly wet MYSELF. Wet-lining brings out more of the golden tones in the shadow and turns it into an EXCELLENT dark brown liner which isn't ugly and flat like many brown liners. You can also foil it as an eye shadow, but are not going to get a super-metallic finish. You'll wind up with a very dark, intense brown with tiny gold flecks in it which are just noticeable enough without being over-the-top. So this product is also multi-purpose. Another plus. I also packed it on dry over my MAC shadow sticks and my Rimmel gloss shadow sticks as a liner and as a shadow, which gave it a softer finish than wet-lining or foiling. Depending on the color of your shadow stick, whether it be MAC or another brand, it slightly changes tone, but all are beautiful. Try it over a dark green or dark blue cream shadow stick. beautiful! Or a shimmery cream for a softer look. As a shadow, it can be applied very intensely and dark, or rubbed down to more of a milk chocolate tone and blended to give a beautiful, natural finish. In addition, this is THE perfect color for a dark brown smokey eye, rather than a harsh black one. Still intense, still gorgeous, without having blatant raccoon eyes. If you want it even more intense, pack it on over a black gel/creme liner. A LITTLE goes a LONG way! If you're not careful with this one, you WILL get fallout. That's not because it's a product of questionable quality . It's because it is seriously concentrated in color. Start with a tiny bit and work up from there. Maybe even put a tissue or a piece of masking tape under your eye while applying. And for the love of god, USE A BASE. ANY base. It doesn't have to be anything expensive. If you don't, it's gonna give you some ugly dark circles.
And once again, as when comparing NARS and MAC blush packaging, there is a massive difference in quality when it comes down to it. MAC eye shadows are packaged in more flimsy plastic with a clear, cheap lid. No mirror, no nothing. Easy to see the color, but that's about it. NARS eye shadows come in a deep black velvety matte black compact with a high quality mirror in it. Solid. You would think that would mean a more ungainly container. Not at all. It fits in your hand beautifully, about the size of a condom (the best comparison I could think of) and isn't prone to flying across the room while you're applying your shadow.
With all this raving, you may be wondering - why 4 * for quality when it's such a great product? Because it's got bismuth in it, which makes many women break out in hives, itching and even burning. It doesn't affect me in that manner, but it is definitely a concern for somebody with ultra-sensitive eyes. Try it in the store before buying, for sure.
Yes, it is worth every penny. You will use this specific color for a VERY long time. I'm estimating, based on my normal shadow usage and the intense pigmentation of this product, this will probably last me well over 2 years. WELL over. No, eye shadow does NOT go bad. There have been studies done which prove there is no need to throw out old makeup unless you've been sticking your boogers in it. If you're not doing that - let's *hope* you're not - you've got nothing to worry about :-)
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NARS Blush
This is my LEAST favorite NARS blush, I must say. Orgasm is ok, nothing as great as is raved about, but this one with the shimmery gold in it just does absolutely NOTHING for me. I didn't even like the way it looked in its package. When I... +
This is my LEAST favorite NARS blush, I must say. Orgasm is ok, nothing as great as is raved about, but this one with the shimmery gold in it just does absolutely NOTHING for me. I didn't even like the way it looked in its package. When I actually did try it, I found it highlighted pores and lines and was not at all attractive. If I had the face of an ogre, I could understand, but it ain't that bad LOL
Overrated, over-hyped, overpriced. The quality is the same as other NARS blushes, but would NOT buy this one. Not buy a long shot.
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Bourjois Paris Eyeshadow in Marron Glacé
Gritty, hard, no pigment, no color payoff, low quality, low blend-ability, worst stuff ever. Where do I start? I tried ALL the shades in Shoppers Drug Mart and they all had the same quality - NONE. I wouldn't ever waste a $ on these. You could... +
Gritty, hard, no pigment, no color payoff, low quality, low blend-ability, worst stuff ever. Where do I start? I tried ALL the shades in Shoppers Drug Mart and they all had the same quality - NONE. I wouldn't ever waste a $ on these. You could probably find better eye shadow in a dollar store. I can't believe that Shoppers carries this junk.
Would never buy these, would never even take another look at them. Although I do wonder about their mascaras, I must say.
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Hard Candy Meteor Eyes Eyeshadow
I also saw these in Walmart, and as I am a sucker for anything EYE SHADOW, I swatched them on my hand right then and there. Can't say I was impressed. As a matter of fact, they stunk. They reeked. They blew. Most that I tried were kinda gritty... +
I also saw these in Walmart, and as I am a sucker for anything EYE SHADOW, I swatched them on my hand right then and there. Can't say I was impressed. As a matter of fact, they stunk. They reeked. They blew.
Most that I tried were kinda gritty and didn't have much pigment. Even with a 'primer' or base, they wouldn't give much color payoff. $6 or not, they simply are not worth it. The quality is just not there. I would far rather pay $20 for a shadow of which has great quality than waste even $1 on one which doesn't. For this price, I'd be far more likely to buy the Maybelline product which is similar and far more pigmented and soft, or get some NYX shadows which are far better in quality.
This is a no-brainier for me. Would definitely not buy again. Not only that but - IT'S GOING BACK.
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NARS Single Eyeshadow
Lurv lurv LURV these eye shadows, although, as another reviewer said, they ARE too powdery. That's due to the talc in them. Like Stila, they like to use cheap fillers. HOWEVER.....holy mother of god.....one of these will last you a lifetime... +
Lurv lurv LURV these eye shadows, although, as another reviewer said, they ARE too powdery. That's due to the talc in them. Like Stila, they like to use cheap fillers. HOWEVER.....holy mother of god.....one of these will last you a lifetime because it's so pigmented. They are CRAZY pigmented!
Yes, of course you have to use a base, just like all shadows, otherwise you are not going to get the staying power at all. Powders are powders, regardless f how pigmented they are, and will wear off if you don't prime properly. But you CAN use a cheap product to prime which isn't necessarily marketed as a primer, such as any tacky concealer, Cover Girl Shadow Sticks (or whatever they are called - the cream shadow sticks which came out the year before last I think and which I have in all shades available), any cheap cream shadow, a fat Rimmel glossy eye shadow stick, etc. They all work great. No need to go out and spend even more money on a so-called 'primer'.
Is this product worth it and would I buy it again? Even though they are somewhat pricey? Considering one will last me til I'm old and wrinkled, yes, yes and YES. They have some unusual, amazing colors which are difficult to find elsewhere and, even though they are powdery and can end up under your eyes, if you brush up on your makeup techniques - made a pun and didn't eve mean to GAG - you will get a lot out of these. Moreso than most other eye shadows. Personally, I'd go for the ones that contain 2 or 3 colors when available, which makes me believe I'm not wasting so much money :-)
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MAC Cosmetics Paint Pots
This is another product I had been wanting to buy for a long time but couldn't justify the price. Well, once again, I bit the bullet and put my thinking head in my bag while in the MAC storefront. Can't say I'm glad I did. Does it work... +
This is another product I had been wanting to buy for a long time but couldn't justify the price. Well, once again, I bit the bullet and put my thinking head in my bag while in the MAC storefront. Can't say I'm glad I did.
Does it work well under eye shadows? Yes. Absolutely. However, for the price and the fact that it dries out far too fast, it isn't worth even a quarter of what I paid for it. When products I bought over a year ago are still fresh in their container and this one is like an old prune after a few months, there isn't much else to say.
Would I buy again? Hell no. Didn't even put a dent in the jar before it shriveled up.
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stila cosmetics Eye Shadow Trio in Gold Glow
I had been drooling over this puppy, testing it and retesting it on the back of my hand, for quite some time until I finally bit the bullet and bought it. The reason for my hesitation was the price tag. $37?!? Add HST and you're looking at over... +
I had been drooling over this puppy, testing it and retesting it on the back of my hand, for quite some time until I finally bit the bullet and bought it. The reason for my hesitation was the price tag. $37?!? Add HST and you're looking at over $40! That being said, it is fairly large and does have a decent amount of product in the container. Yeah, I know....$37 for an eye shadow....3, technically, is what I keep telling myself. That's how I justify my own overspending :-)
The show is very soft, extremely pigmented, vibrant, and beautiful. It actually comes in 3 different trios of neutrals, all of which are spectacular. It was very hard to choose, but I eventually went with the trio which had the darkest brown color. I absolutely love this palette-in-one and use it a lot. The downside to it is that it has talc in it, which is an extremely cheap filler. That can often mean the color payoff is squat, but that's not the case with these particular shadows. It does mean, however, that it can get muddy if you're not careful when blending.
I also recently bought a Smashbox palette very shortly before this one and am very disappointed in it compared to this product. Nowhere near as pigmented and not worth the cash, even though it has 5 different shadows in it. That left me feeling more ripped off than this particular palette.
Would definitely buy this one again - not that I'll ever have to because of the amount of product - but I STILL flinch every time I think of how much I spent :-)
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Garnier Fructis Color Shield Shampoo & Conditioner
I've been using these products for several weeks now and have come to the following conclusion: Neither the shampoo or conditioner do what they claim. My color, which was also Garnier, didn't last any longer than normal. And my hair felt... +
I've been using these products for several weeks now and have come to the following conclusion:
Neither the shampoo or conditioner do what they claim. My color, which was also Garnier, didn't last any longer than normal. And my hair felt like it was in worse condition than it did when I use my Ojon products. I found my hair got dirtier faster using this hair care duo, smelled of synthetic perfumes ALL day and really did nothing special for my hair. The ingredients are also questionable. Sodium laureth sulfate, etc. Why bother putting token 'natural' ingredients in the products when the company uses the same old surfactants in the shampoo?
As for the conditioner, it's loaded with silicone based polymers. a repeat of the Color Shield leave in product. I don't want to be coating my hair with silicone of any type. Using this line of products, I get a double dose of them. I want my hair to grow faster, more healthy, and be in better condition. It's impossible for those things to happen when using these products.
And again, the GOD AWFUL packaging. Puking fuchsia and lime green. Really? This is the best Garnier's package development team could do?? They're even more of an assault on the eyes in Costco, where the bottles are of gargantuan proportions.
Nope, sorry, can't recommend either one of these products for any reason. These would never be my hair care products of choice. If you want your hair color to last longer rinse, shampoo and condition with the appropriate herbal products depending on your hair color.
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Garnier Fructis Color Shield Instant Color Sealer
I've been using this product now for a couple of weeks and can't say I'm overly impressed, unfortunately. The issues I have with it are the following. Firstly, I've been using Ojon products on my hair for about 6 months. My hair... +
I've been using this product now for a couple of weeks and can't say I'm overly impressed, unfortunately.
The issues I have with it are the following.
Firstly, I've been using Ojon products on my hair for about 6 months. My hair has been the best it has ever been in my life. Full of incredible body, shiny, soft and stays clean much longer between washes. But, as soon as I started using this product, my hair immediately went back to being thin and lifeless. I also had to go back to washing my hair daily, meaning of coutse my color would fade much faster. Obviously defeating the purpose of the product. Strike one.
The second issue I have with it is the fact that my rich brown color that I got from the Garnier hair color didn't last any longer than normal. It just as quickly faded to a very reddish brown, as it always does.
The claims made as to keeping the hair soft also didn't hold water with me. My hair was far softer before I starter using the Color Shield. It also was not shiny by any stretch of the imagination and I found my hair to be LESS manageable than when using my Ojon products.
I've also got concerns with the ingredients. On the front of the label it's stated there us acai Berry extract and grape seed oil in it. But when I read the actual list of ingredients, propylene glycol is the 3rd one on the list. Dimethicone is 4th on the list. Making it yet another silicone based product that we women don't need. Was super unhappy to see that. The acai and grape seed oil are way too far down the list to be effective in any way. It seems acai is the latest hype ingredient the cosmetic and hair care companies are using. Then they just add a token amount so they can legally list it on the label. Not impressive.
The last issue I have with the product itself is the super artificial fragrance. I very much dislike the smell. When I use the product, I feel like I'm walking around reeking of cheap hair care products. The fragrance is so utterly unnecessary and off putting. Why claim to have natural ingredients and then make it smell so God awful? I was shocked at the smell the first time I used it, and my husband kept asking me to go back to using 'the nice smelling stuff' (Ojon product line).
The final issue I have with it is the horrific packaging. Dear mother of God, screaming fuschia pink plastic with a bright green label and top? What was the company thinking? I saw it in my local store on the shelf and immediately thought 'dammmmm that looks like the CHEAPEST product I've ever seen!'
Between the lack of results, the same old chemical, yucky-hair-coating ingredients, the cheap smell and very cheap looking presentation, I unfortunately cannot and would not recommend this product to anyone, not at any price. I'm very happily back to using my Ojon products and won't be using this product again for any reason.
Sorry, Garnier :-( I appreciated being chosen for the review, but I simply cannot lie when it comes to the quality of a product. Women spend far too much of their hard earned money on products of questionable quality as it is.
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