Friday, January 6, 2012

Loreal Colour Riche Nail Polish Review!

You are looking at the brand new, highly anticipated launch of Loreal Colour Riche Nail Polishes! Loreal has outdone themselves here with a fantastic range of longwear polishes each boasting a hefty 10 day wear time.
I originally spotted these on 12/21/2011 in my local Walmart store in Alabama. The display above was taken that day. For the sake of proper review, I wanted to take the time to actually put these to full wear testing before posting a review.
I was immediatly drawn to all the amazing on trend colors. Right away, I thought I recognized some dupes but wanted to put them to the test before proclaiming such:)
Initially, I purchased the shades Tweet me and Club Prive'. This past week I found them at Walgreens during the BOGO1/2 on Loreal sale, which is still in effect. There is also a coupon in the January Savings Booklet found inside Walgreens for 1$off each polish. While they retail at $5.99, this sale makes them obtainable at $3.00 each! I purchased four more shades...Safari Chic, Jet Set to Paris, and Paparazzi Purple. These polishes are a steal at $5.99 as I am sure you will conclude after reading my full review.

 Here are the shades I purchased and review in this post.




Tweet Me- Is a lemon yellow with rose gold microshimmer that flashes highlighter yellow. I expect it to be very popular this spring. It is extremly vibrant after you build it up. This particular shade was a bit sheer. I had mild issues with streakiness. I had to use 4 coats to get an opaque coverage. I scored this shade lower only because 4 coats can make dry down time almost unreachable and reduces the amount of times a manicure can be permormed with the quanity given. If I hear back from L'oreal that this shade is intended to be sheer I will immediatly change my review to 100%. I would recommend, if you want opaquity to use a white base coat before applying two coats of tweet me! For review purposes, I used a standard clear base coat and top coat.

Tweet Me after two coats

Tweet Me! after 4 coats in indoor lighting

 Tweet Me! Direct Sunlight

Tweet Me! Under Flash

Packaging 20/20, Pricing 20/20, Pigmentation 20/30, Performance 20/30
THE PAYOFF : 80/100 B- Go for it if you like the shade It is an original lemon yellow
I have found no dupes for this shade!



Paparazi Purple-is a gorgeous grape shade, It is almost identical to Orly's Charged UP, However Paparazzi Pleaser is slightly more grey toned. I had zero issues with this laquers formula, It gave nearly opaque coverage in just one coat! If youre in a hurry you can definatly get away with one coat. It dried quickly and wore as promised chip free.
                                                   
                                                     Paparazzi Pleaser in direct sunlight
Indoors
Under Flash

Packaging 20/20, Pricing 20/20, Pigmentation 30/30, Performance 30/30
THE PAYOFF 100% A+ GRAB IT !!



Jet Set to Paris -is a rich royal blue. It is almost identical to Essie Mesmerized except that Mesmerized is deeper and more navy. Jet set is very vibrant and eye catching. It applied evenly, streak free and is another "you can get away with one coat" shade. It wore perfectly and best of all still removed easily!

Jet Set to Paris in direct sunlight

Indoors

Under Flash


Packaging 20/20, Pricing 20/20, Pigmentation 30/30, Performance 30/30
THE PAYOFF 100% A+ GRAB IT !!!


Club Prive'`-is Ah my favorite ! The shade that drew me in . A gorgeous cream finish turquois. It is an exact dupe for Essies Turquois and Caicos and the greatest news is it cost half the price and PERFORMS BETTER. If you have Essies T&C you know it has its streaky moments. Not this one ! Club Prive applies perfectly, is more opaque than essies and wears a full 10 days with no issues. Im talking I used the Brillo pad while wearing this cat and has no chipping ! Dont ya just wanna swim in this color ????
Club Prive' Direct Sunlight
                                                 
                                                                           Indoors

Under Flash
Packaging 20/20, Pricing 20/20, Pigmentation 30/30, Performance 30/30
THE PAYOFF 100% A +
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS SHADE , GRAB IT NOW IT IS ALREADY SOLD OUT IN MY AREA.


Now You Sea Me- is a seaform blue green that is an exact dupe for Butter Londons Artful Dodger. So if you missed out on Artful Dodger, nows your chance for a do over. I must say I actually perferred the formula of Loreals to Butters 3 free. I was amazed. Again, with this shade...perfect performance. No chipping. Win win.

Now you sea me in direct sunlight

Indoors
Under Flash

Packaging 20/20, Pricing 20/20, Pigmentation 30/30, Performance 30/30
THE PAYOFF 100% A+ Grab it!
This is the shade in the promo for this line


Safari Chic- is a chic army green that is a bit more sophisiticated. You may be thinking, "Honey, that is not army green" More accuratly it is ACU green (Army Combat Uniform) It is the exact color of my hubby's ACU's. While I would not immediatly consider it to be jade, it was featured in an upcoming article about the spring trend in jade nails in Vogue Magazine. GO Loreal ! Read the article here. http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/article/obsessed-jade-nails/  It applied opaquly in one coat and was definatly an original color and I have found no dupes for it. It morphs from an almost khaki greyish green to deep jungle green depending on the lighting. It provides chip free wear as the others.

Safari Chic is direct sunlight



Indoors



Under Flash


Packaging 20/20, Pricing 20/20, Pigmentation 30/30, Performance 30/30
THE PAYOFF 100% A +  If YOU want it GET IT NOW! As it was feautured in Vogue, You can bet its gonna fly off the shelves!!

I will post swatches of Dupes shortly ! Have you seen these yet?





Thursday, January 5, 2012

Maybelline Color Tattoo by eyestudio 24 hour eyeshadows



I am a lover of Maybelline's gel liner so of course when I saw these lovlies I was awestruck. I came across the display unexpectantly in Walmart. I wasnt aware they were even being released.
I expected them to be Mac's paint pot wannabe's. I was in for a surprise !

There are ten fantastic shades that I will review for you in this post. Rather than a paint pot or base, these are reminiscent of Make Up For Ever's Aqua Creams. In fact, I actually prefer most of them over the aqua creams! Thats good news if you want all 10. Considering a 10 set of Aqua Creams was just released at Sephora retailing 200 USD. I purchased these for $6.29 each :) They are available at mass merchandisers nationwide. Mot of the time you can find promotions for BOGo1/2 on Maybelline. Combine that with a coupon for Maybelline or 3.50 off 10$ purchase at Ulta and you can get them even cheaper.

The formula was smooth, creamy, and easy to apply. I had no issue applying them with a synthetic brush. I was suprised at how blendable and buildable they were. They work fantastic as bases but are intended to be stand alone shadows, that being said they are reviewed here as such. Lets get right to it. Let's look at the neutrals first ... Its time to
STEP ON THE SCALES!

 seen left to right: Too Cool, Bold Gold, Bad to the Bronze, Tough as Taupe, Audacious Asphalt

Too Cool is a shimmering white that flashes towards silver. It is fantastic to wear under any eyeshadow to increase its vibrancy. As with all these creams seen here, when applied as a base, they will ensure 24 hour wear to whatever is applied on top. The only issue I had with Too Cool is it applied a bit streaky. Nothing so severe that I was frustrated with it...only that it requires more of a pat on application that a blendable one.It is waterproof. 
Packaging-20/20,Pricing-20/20,Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-28/30
The Payoff -A+-worth it !


Bold Gold is a shimmering yellow gold, it would pair perfectly with Urban Decay's Half Baked. Bold Gold applied flawlessly and it wore flawlessly. It is completly waterproof.
Packaging- 20/20, Pricing-20/20, Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-30/30 
The Payoff- A+ -Worth it !

Bad to the Bronze is a shimmering tawny bronze. It pairs nicely with Urban Decay's Toasted. The glittery effect this gives in person is amazing. There is zero fallout. It applied flawlessly,and wore flawlessly. It also is waterproof.
Packaging- 20/20, Pricing-20/20, Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-30/30 
The Payoff- A+ -Worth it !

Tough as Taupe- is a matte grey taupe, a gorgeous mushroomy color. It is the only matte cream in the launch, as you can see it has no sheen when flashed. It is opaque immediatly and very creamy. As you may have seen in swatches, it can have the slightest streaking to it. It has 24 hour wear, It is the only one that began to lift under waterproof testing. It held mostly intact even after scrubbing.
Packaging- 20/20, Pricing-20/20, Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-29/30 
The Payoff- A+ -Worth it !

Audacious Asphalt-is a shimmering charcoal that pairs well with  Urban Decay's gunmetal. I had zero issues with this product, it is glittery without being overly so and had no fallout. It is waterproof and intensifies any darker eyeshadow.
Packaging- 20/20, Pricing-20/20, Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-30/30 
The Payoff- A+ -Worth it !

Seen below...Under Flash


 AND NOW FOR THE COLORS ! :)

 Edgy Emerald under flash






 From Left to Right: Tenacious Teal, Painted Purple, Pomegranate Punk, Fierce and Tangy,Edgy Emerald-and below under flash


Tenacious Teal and Edgy Emerald - (reviewed together due to simularities) Tenacious teal is a bright blue green with a silver glitter underneath. In person it pulls more blue than in photos. In looks very simular to edgy emerald on camera. The differences are that while edgy emerald is a shimmering teal, it is more mermaid turquoise than teal...For instance, edgy emerald is more like the color of essies turquoise and caicos nail laquer. Edgy emerald is a shimmer while tenacious teal pulls glittery and is much more vibrant. Tenacious Teal applies more opaquly, while Edgy Emerald requires some building up . The are both fantastic overall. They are both waterproof and provide 24 hours of creaseproof wear.
Packaging- 20/20, Pricing-20/20, Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-30/30 
The Payoff- A+ -Worth it !

Painted Purple-is a vibrant matte royal purple. It is the shade that initially attracted me and unfortunatly it was the only shade I had issues with. It applied a bit streaky and required build up. The color itself is beautiful and original. It flashes with a bit of sheen. The only issue I had with it as a standalone eyeshadow was the streaking and the need to build up for consistancy, but it was still an amazing product. I am still pleased with it.
Packaging-20/20, Pricing- 20/20, Pigmentation-25/30, Performance- 25/30
The Payoff- A - Still worth it :)

Pomegrante Punk- is a gorgeous bronzy plum. It has plum shimmer and pulls more brown on my yellow undertones. It looks cranberry or burgandy in the pot. This color is excellent for green eyes. It like the others is waterproof, performs perfectly, and wears 24 hours creasefree!
Packaging- 20/20, Pricing-20/20, Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-30/30 
The Payoff- A+ -Worth it !

Fierce and Tangy- is a terracotta, burnished yellowed orange. I know there is no such thing as "mostly matte" Its kinda like being"a little pregnant" But I still feel like this is mostly matte, unless you look at it under flash it is matte. It pulls the slightest bit of gold shimmer when flashed.  It applies opaqually. It is a very original color. It works amazingly well alone or to add vibrancy to golden or tangerine shadows. It wears 24 hours with no creasing.
Packaging- 20/20, Pricing-20/20, Pigmentation-30/30,Performance-30/30 
The Payoff- A+ -Worth it !

I happened to wear Fierce and tangy on my lids and Pomegrante Punk in the crease on Christmas Eve. I applied them at around 9 am 12/24. Unfortunatly I was up alll night wrapping presents.....

and I didnt go to bed until 1230 pm on 12/25, So...I actually wore them 28 hours! I know! I know! Thats absolutly aweful! BUt i completly forgot to remove my makeup I was so focused on getting all of that done ---------------------->
When I looked in the mirror 28 hours later My makeup was still perfect! No smudging, budging, cresing or fading! So when I give them full performance ratings I know first hand !






Now lets move onto to the waterproof test !

Initially, I ran my arm under running tap water for 30 seconds timed. I then submersed my arm in water and allowed it to sit for 30 seconds, I then immediatly took photos.

after 30 seconds in water


after 30 seconds in water

Next, I returned my arm to the water and this time I scrubbed vigourously over the swatches for 30 seconds.I then immediatly photographed.

after 30 seconds scrubbing


after 30 seconds scrubbing

So as you can see they all held up suprisingly well ! See anything you love? Let me know your thoughts!


Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Step on the Scales! An in depth look at the rating system


Step on the Scales
Nurse Jens Beauty Clinic
Rating system
I have always been accused of being too analytical. Being of a scientific mind and armed with training in a profession that charges one to critically think, I can only approach all avenues in life with process J
Often when reading reviews I see things like, “This product is great! Buy it! You won’t be sorry! I highly recommend it!” But…when I see these statements I think …What makes the product great? How do I know I won’t be sorry? Why should I trust your recommendation?
After all, Money don’t grow on trees! No matter how many times I find myself singing, “I want money lots and lots a money, I wanna be rich! Ah oh”
I never see that pie in the sky L
So…When I make a purchase, I wanna be sure it’s going to be something I love! Something that lives up to my expectations and that performs the way I expected. There are few things worse than spending 50$ on a product only to learn you basically had it already in another form and it wasn’t all it cracked up to be.
That’s why I have put careful thought and consideration into the rating system I will implement here at the clinic.
Now for the serious bit…
It is of course not exactly scientific. It is, like all forms of review, open to the interpretation of the reviewer and ultimately the reviewers opinion.
As a consumer it is important to understand not only the system the person reviewing the product uses to make their decision but also what each part of their review means to them exactly. It is very important to me to write and provide honest, accurate reviews uninfluenced by outside sources.  So I have written a detailed description of how I review products and what each part means to me specifically as the reviewer.
I have broken it down into a little process I like to call
Step on the Scales
When a product is reviewed in the clinic it will undergo 4 categories of assessment.
I will be testing the products 4 P’s.
Packaging,Pricing,Pigmentation,Performance
Leading up to the Payoff.
What does that mean? Let’s define…
Packaging-The package in which merchandise is sold or displayed
Pricing-the sum or amount of money or its equivalent for which anything is bought, sold, or offered for sale. Specifically, in this forum, How the product compares in pricing trends to similar products currently available in the same market or culturally understood category e.g.– drugstore or high-end. For example, we would expect LancĂ´me mascara to be 28$ we would not expect Covergirl mascara to be 28$ therefore it would unreasonably priced)
Pigmentation- correlation with or deposition of pigment. Specifically in this forum, the amount or saturation of color deposited onto the skin in comparison to the advertised or understood color of product. For example, I will not score a product poorly on pigmentation when the advertised claim is “sheer wash of color”
Performance- the execution or accomplishment of works of a particular action. Specifically in this forum, How the product performs in comparison to its advertised performance. For example, I will not score an eyeliner low in performance for not being waterproof if it made no claims to be waterproof.

And finally the above combined bring us to the payoff.
The payoff as defined by the outcome or final sequence in a series of events or actions or the reward. In this forum, the overall benefit of obtaining and using the product. Start to finish.
How is it scored?
Each product reviewed has the potential to earn 100 points or 100%. I chose this because we are almost all familiar with this grading system of 100= A+…
Each of the 4 P’s have different factors considered to earn points for their category as seen below
                                                       


Packaging 20points
Pricing 20points
Durability
Reasonable when compared to comparable item
Ease of transport
Limited edition or Hard to Find
Ease of use Opening/Closing/obtaining product
Collectible
Protection of product
Performance or Originality/cant be duped
Attractiveness of Packaging
Quantity or longevity



Pigmentation 30points
Performance 30points
Matches advertised color
Ease of application
Accurate color reached with reasonable amount
Longevity/lasting power
Has the amount of pigment to be expected in its category
Performance in comparison to similar in its category
Consistency of pigment in application
Lives up to its claims of performance


Points will be calculated and then given an overall grade level
100-95 A+
94-90 A-
89-85 B+
84-80 B-
79-75 C+
74-70 C-
69-65 D+
64-60 D-
59 and under F
Now there ! If you’re still awake and still reading congratulations!  I am aware that was not fun for all J hopefully, it will help you to understand the process a product undergoes when stepping on the scales at Nurse Jens Beauty Clinic! I welcome any suggestions. After all, these reviews are for you! See anything you think should be taken into consideration not mentioned above? Let me know!

Disclaimer- The above ratings system was developed solely by Jennifer Griffin, RN and is the express copyright of such, Any attempt to use, credit, copy, or redistribute without permission will be considered copyright infringem