Audrey Dao » HE Makeup

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara Review and Photos

Audrey Dao — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:14:23 +0000

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara ($19) A reparative and volumizing mascara containing Tarte’s biggest beauty breakthrough, Amazonian clay. This amazing mascara delivers a 406% increase in lash volume and long-term reparative, rebuilding, and strengthening benefits with each swipe giving you instant results and better lash health. Just as it intuitively restores hydration and texture in skin, Amazonian clay intuitively hydrates and replenishes dry and brittle lashes to prevent fallout. High performance natural™Amazonian clay performs all day by absorbing oil to balance mascara and keep product in place for flake-free longer wear. It lends itself to deepen pure color pigments creating a volume-boosting formula with higher intensity and truer pure color. The result is healthier and more voluminous lashes that won’t ever flake or transfer, naturally. After daily wear, lashes are intact, healthier and stronger. This mascara prevents lash loss and promotes lash health.

My Thoughts:

I really like Tarte’s Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart mascara. It’s a really good mascara for natural looking lashes. The mascara gives enough volume and length to your lashes to make them more noticeable but not overly dramatic. Also, the mascara doesn’t clump, smudge, or flake! It stays on all day and comes off easily when you remove it. I love that it didn’t dry out my lashes. Instead, my lashes felt soft. Overall, even though I liked the mascara, I feel you can find cheaper costing mascaras that work just as well. I couldn’t find a feature of the Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart mascara that stood out to justify the price tag.

Check out more photos of Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara!

Smith’s Rosebud Salve in a Tube Review

Audrey Dao — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:57:43 +0000

Rosebud Salve in a Tube ($6) A cult-favorite, multitasking miracle balm in a convenient tube format. This beloved multi-purpose essential not only moisturizes and soothes dry lips; it also calms and heals irritation, soothes the sting of minor burns, helps heal cuts, tames mangled cuticles, helps fix ashy elbows and knees, and minimizes diaper rash.

My Thoughts:

I know Smith’s Rosebud Salve is a cult favorite and almost everybody raves about it, but I might be one of the few people who didn’t find it all that great and just an average balm. I think I ended up disappointed because (1) the cost of the balm and (2) so many people raved and hyped it up. The Rosebud Salve reminded me of Vaseline, except tinted. I didn’t notice a very strong rose smell (which is good for me!) nor was it sticky or overly glossy. To me, this balm wasn’t all that moisturizing. I kept having to reapply more often than I would have liked. I think it lasted about a couple of hours before I had to reapply. I also didn’t notice an improvement in the conditions of my lips. It could be though that my lips weren’t in bad condition to start off with. Overall, Smith’s Rosebud Salve was a disappointment to me. I felt like it was overpriced Vaseline. There are definitely a lot of cheaper and better options available.

Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara Review and Photos

Audrey Dao — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:31:13 +0000

Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara ($20) A sculpting, curling, long-wearing mascara. In addition to holding curl all day, this mascara boasts incredible conditioning ingredients in its formula. Packed with glycoprotein for lash thickening, Moringa seeds to help with curl definition, and Meadowfoam seed oil and Shea Butter for moisturizing and smoothing, lashes get an extra nourishing boost with just one swipe.

My Thoughts:

Urban Decay’s Supercurl Curling Mascara is a very wet mascara. I’m not a big fan of it. The mascara didn’t curl my lashes like the name claimed it would do. Instead, it uncurled my curl. I’m guessing since it’s such a wet formula, it weighed down the lashes. Even with a curved mascara wand, my lashes still didn’t curl. However, it did lengthen my lashes. But still, length isn’t a good enough reason to like it if it doesn’t hold a curl like it’s suppose to. I have a feeling if your lashes are naturally curled, the mascara will work for you. It’s people with lashes that don’t curl naturally that are not going to like the mascara.

Check out more photos of Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara!

FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen Mascara Review and Photos

Audrey Dao — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:03:46 +0000

FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen Mascara ($24) A volumizing, water- and sweat-resistant mascara with a brush so unique it is patented in Japan. This do-it-all mascara is blended with fiber to give you lush, doll-like lashes. The unique brush catches even the tiniest lashes, defines, lengthens, and provides all-day curl. FAIRYDROPS mascara was created by Japanese TV personality Aya Yasuda. Realizing that the eyes are the secret to making a great impression, she was inspired to create a new mascara wand that is now patented in Japan. The Scandal Queen formula is available exclusively in the U.S.

My Thoughts:

Fairydrops Scandal Queen mascara is better at lengthening than adding volume. Even though it did add some volume to my lashes, I didn’t notice it as much as I noticed the extra length it added. What lengthens your lashes and adds volume are the fibers/tubes in the mascara. I found it worked best if only 1 or 2 coats was used. Layer on more than that and you’ll get clumps. The formula is just too wet to layer. Because the mascara has a wet formula, it couldn’t hold a curl. The wand is very interesting. I’ve never seen a mascara wand that curved and have 3 bumps before. The design did not help combat the problem of clumping. I think it made it worse. The mascara wand would collect too much mascara. The one major thing I didn’t like about the Fairydrops Scandal Queen mascara is that the fibers/tubes flake off your lashes. By the end of the day I had tiny flakes all over my under eye and some even in my eye! Overall, I don’t think this mascara is all that great. I can find drugstore mascaras that have the fiber/tube formula that work better.

Check out more photos of FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen Mascara!

Stila Smudge Pot in Black Review, Photos, and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:14:40 +0000

Stila Smudge Pot in Black ($20) This unique gel eyeliner and shadow is an innovative alternative to traditional powder and liquid formulas. This clever little gel has an inky intensity that leaves powder shadows in the dust. A favorite for the sultry, smoky eye.

My Thoughts:

Stila’s Smudge Pot is awesome. It’s so creamy and goes on so smooth. The gel eyeliner is also super pigmented. I like that I can smudge it before it sets for a smoky look. The color lasts all day and doesn’t fade. It’s jet black from the moment you apply it until you remove it. The one major problem I have with the Stila Smudge Pot is the price tag. I don’t know about you, but $20 is a bit much don’t you think? I mean it’s even pricier than MAC’s Fluidline! You also get about the same amount too. I wouldn’t get this again only because I know I can get a cheaper version.

Check out more photos and swatches of Stila Smudge Pot in Black!

Stila The Purrfect Cat Eye The Talking Kitten Palette Review, Photos, and Swatches

Audrey Dao — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:41:01 +0000

Stila The Purrfect Cat Eye The Talking Kitten Palette ($39.99) Stila’s revolutionary talking palettes let you take a pro makeup artist with you wherever you go. This four-pan talking palette features everything you need to create the perfect cat eye – including Black Cat eye shadow! Who knew beauty could be so simple? Bonus! The palette also includes a mini slanted eye liner brush and Liquid Eyeliner in Black. All Stila eye shadows can be used wet or dry. Apply shadow with a damp bush to intensify the color.

My Thoughts:

The Stila Purrfect Cat Eye the Talking Kitten Palette includes a talking palette with 4 shadows, a mini eyeliner brush, liquid eye liner, and an instruction booklet.

Mini Eyeliner Brush – Love the mini eyeliner brush! It’s an angled brush that is the about the same length as my index finger. The short handle allows me to get up close to a mirror without having to worry about the handle banging into the mirror with each stroke. It doesn’t give you the thinnest line, but I think it’s great for creating a cat eye.

Eyeshadow Palette – I really like the eyeshadows that are included in the palette. There are 4 shadows in the palette: a base, lid, crease, and liner shadow, and they are labeled so you know which shade is for what. All the shades are pigmented and go on so silky, smooth. I didn’t need a lot for the color to show up. They are all blendable and buildable with decent staying power. I want to stay these shadows are the same size as the individual shadows. However, you cannot take them out of the palette without ruining the palette. Now onto the fun part of the palette: it talks to you! When you push the play button, you hear a woman’s voice explaining to you how and when to apply each shade to get the “purrfect” cat eye. The only downside of the talking palette is that there is no pause button for you to push after each step. I don’t know about you, but I can’t apply makeup as quickly as the the woman speaks. So after you finish one step, you have to push play again to hear the recording all over again to get the next step. It was quite annoying.

Liquid Eyeliner – The liquid liner isn’t the best, but it’s fairly decent. Just remember to shake well before each use to get a solid black color. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a faded black. The long felt tip makes for easy application. The dark black color doesn’t last throughout the the whole. I noticed it faded at the end of the day.

Check out more photos and swatches of the Stila The Purrfect Cat Eye The Talking Kitten Palette! *picture heavy*

Philosophy Supernatural Superglossy Lipgloss SPF 15 in Reflect A Little Review, Photos, and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:07:10 +0000

Philosophy Supernatural Superglossy Lipgloss SPF 15 in Reflect A Little ($16.50) This sheer liquid lip gloss moisturizes and conditions lips while delivering the ultimate shine—sans the stickiness. It’s formulated with SPF 15, providing broad-spectrum sun protection for sensitive lips, and is packed with antioxidants to keep lips looking young and healthy.

My Thoughts:

I was very surprised at how much I really like Philosophy Supernatural Superglossy Lipgloss SPF 15 in Reflect A Little. What I really like about the lipgloss is that it isn’t sticky at all. Even though the lipgloss has a thin texture, it’s very moisturizing and packs a lot of shine! Don’t forget it has SPF 15 too! The gloss didn’t have super staying power. It lasted a couple of hours before I had to reapply (typical of a gloss). I noticed a light minty scent and taste that didn’t bother me at all. The only downside of the Philosophy Supernatural Superglossy Lipgloss is the sheerness of the color.

Reflect A Little is a soft sheer pink. When I applied it my lips, it was really difficult to see any color. It just looked like I applied clear gloss. Of course, I should mention that I have pigmented lips and sheer glosses usually don’t show up on my lips. People with lightly pigmented lips will really like the Reflect A Little shade. It will be perfect for summer.

Check out more the swatch for Philosophy Supernatural Superglossy Lipgloss SPF 15 in Reflect A Little and more photos!

Skindinavia No More Shine Review

Audrey Dao — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:22:42 +0000

Skindinavia No More Shine ($29 for 4oz.) Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray. Controls shine and absorbs oil over face and t-zone while preventing makeup slippage. Formulated for oily skin types.

Features and benefits:

Extends makeup wear for oily and combination skin types.
Fewer required “touch-ups” throughout the day.
Stops makeup slippage on t-zone.
Can be used both under and over makeup.
Controls shine and oil without drying.

My Thoughts:

For the past several months, my face has become super oily and shiny by lunch time and this is after I blotted mid-morning. I needed something to help control the shine so I turned to Skindinavia’s No More Shine. Skindinavia’s No More Shine is a setting spray that controls oil and shine. The spray is very light weight and feels refreshing. There was no unpleasant smell nor did it ruin my makeup. It didn’t dry out my skin or leave behind a sticky feel. No More Shine didn’t keep my face matte all day like I was hoping, but it did cut down on the amount of times I had to blot to just once in the afternoon. Even though the setting spray didn’t keep me matte, it did keep my makeup in place all day long. I didn’t have to worry about doing a mid-day makeup touch-up. Overall, I wouldn’t use Skindinavia’s No More Shine as a way to prevent oil and shine. Instead, I would use it as a way to keep my makeup looking fresh and lasting all day.

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 24L Photos and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:39:24 +0000

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 24L ($17) This best-selling eyeliner has become a favorite among all women who fear the dreaded raccoon eyes. Formulated to glide on effortlessly and withstand the most extreme conditions, it stays put on eyelids without melting for precise application and intense color throughout the day.

You can read my review of Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes here.

Check out swatches and more photos!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 23L Photos and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:36:40 +0000

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 23L ($17) This best-selling eyeliner has become a favorite among all women who fear the dreaded raccoon eyes. Formulated to glide on effortlessly and withstand the most extreme conditions, it stays put on eyelids without melting for precise application and intense color throughout the day.

You can read my review of Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes here.

Check out swatches and more photos!