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Face Product Reviews 3 For Bobbi Brown, Creme de la Mer, Sue Devitt and more reviews click here!
NARS Palacinka Product Rating Guide
NARS Makeup Primer SPF 20 1.7 oz
Tester: African-American, late 30’s with dry/combination skin and occasional breakouts.
“If you have drier skin like me, and are looking for a great primer that also has sun protection, then this is a great choice.
I found that a little of the medium/thick-weight cream went a long way to cover my face in the morning before applying my makeup. It went on smoothly and sank in fairly quickly. I found it very moisturizing and it also did not give my skin a grayish cast, despite the sunscreen ingredients. Throughout the day it did a very effective job of keeping my makeup in place (no running, streaking or dry patches), even on hot/humid days and several business trips via plane.
This is a very nice little skin luxury from the master NARS!” L.D.
Editor’s Note: This formula will work best on drier/combination skin as it may be too heavy for oily skin.
Go-->NARS Makeup Primer SPF 20 1.7 oz
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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NARS The Multiple Multi-Purpose Stick, Malibu
Tester: Middle Eastern (Syrian) about Paula Abdul’s complexion.
“I’ve used many NARS products over the years, but never a multiple! I was as pleased as I thought I would be. This was the perfect product to use in the morning when I needed to get out of the door quickly or on the weekends when I just needed a basic look. I used this on my eyes, cheeks and lips and find it excellent for all three.
The texture is a little dry (so if you have very dry skin a moisturizing primer is essential!) but I that's why it's so long-lasting. I applied it with my fingers, blended well and created a nice stain on my lips, and a nice flattering color on my eyes and cheeks. With this and a little liner, mascara and powder and I was ready in five minutes!
This shade is a dusty, pinky peach, the perfect shade for me! This shade has enough red to give a me fresh looking cheeks, but also enough orange/pink tones to really warm it up in a sophisticated way. I just looked really healthy and glowy when I wore it. Also it seemed to bring out my eyes dramatically. It’s incredibly flattering and also very versatile. It has a great stay-put texture without being drying or cakey – my color didn’t fade at all during the day. This particular shade will work very well up to a Beyonce complexion.” L.K.
Go-->NARS The Multiple Multi-Purpose Stick, Malibu
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Exhibit A, pictured left
Tester: Asian (Indian) about Sarita Choudhury’s complexion with combination skin.
“Yes, in person this color can look downright frightening (day glow reddish/orange) - but I am so glad I have discovered it. This very well may be one of the best all-around colors for all women of color, particularly those of you with darker brown skin tones (think Gabrielle Union to Alex Wek)!
I applied this silky smooth blush with a big fluffy brush on the apples of my cheeks, fading up the lower side of the cheekbone and it woke my face right up in the mornings! This saved me many a morning when I was at my most tired. I just loved the alluring glow it gave me. I found that I needed just very light hand to apply a little amount (so this will last you FOREVER). By little amount, I mean, I tapped my brush very very lightly on the color, blew on the brush, and tapped it lightly on my cheeks because once all this careful application is done, it has a very natural beautiful glow.
The color lasted on me all day and I found the more I loved it that I incorporated a little more on my face by sweeping it over my eyes and temples -- and wow the effect was fantastic! This is a really gorgeous color and with no glitter it’s perfect for day time and then layered a bit more for a sexier look at night if you choose.
Note: This works best if a light primer or tinted moisturizer/foundation is applied first (many of you do that automatically I know!). I found that gave this red/orange color the best effect and eliminated it highlighting an occasional blemish or a slight discoloration on my face.” - R.P.
Go--> NARS Blush Exhibit A
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Mounia, pictured left
Tester: Multi-Ethnic (Japanese/African-American) about Beyonce's complexion.
"This is my new favorite cheek color! Its a pretty coral-red-berry. Mounia gave me warm rosey cheeks - very bold and glowing. Note: Unless you are in the Alex Wek skin tone range, you must apply this blush in layers as the pigments are extremely rich. One too-heavy tap of the brush and you could be prone to a "clown cheeks" effect. What I would do is swirl my brush on the mirror before application and this helped to distribute the pigment and cut down on splotchiness.
Mounia also makes a great lipcolor! Apply a glossy lip balm, swipe a clean finger on the blush and dab/blend it on your lips. Instant red lips! i wanted to try something new, out of the ordinary. also something i could wear during the fall. I recommend this to anyone with an adventuresome heart and a love for vibrant blushes.! This is a beautiful blush, looking like you just had a sunny day out or a jaunt in the park. It is a deep warm shimmer rose brick - almost red but not quite, a little more rose in it - very pigmented" K.M.
Go--> NARS Blush Mounia
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Casino (Pictured, left)
Tester: African-American, about Queen Latifah's complexion.
"I really loved the way the Casino bronzer made me look, like I had my summer tan after a long winter. It doesn't turn orange, there's lots of product in the big compact, and the texture is amazing.
Another plus is it is long lasting. I love the packaging and the big mirror too! a beautiful, realistic bronzer! With just a slight shimmer that can easily be worn day or night." - L.G.
Go--> Nars Bronzing Powder
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Giorgio Armani Beauty Palacinka Product Rating Guide
Giorgio Armani Sheer Pigments Fluid Blush #18 (Vibrant Pink)
Tester: Hispanic (Dominican) about Raven Simon’s complexion with combination skin and good skin tone.
“All I can say is Wow! This is by far the star of the new Armani Beauty Spring 08 collection. I really loved this product (my first time using a liquid blush). This color appears bright pink (almost neon) in the tube, but it blended beautifully on my skin to a subtle rosy pink. This was just perfect for an everyday look, and gave me an incredible glow.
The texture is simply divine. It only took a few small pumps of the liquid on each cheek and my fingers (or a small brush) to blend in and achieve a perfect look every time. This blush was very easy to blend onto my skin. The result was really polished and subtle. I also love that it gave me you a true glow, without being shimmery or looking greasy or shiny. The lasting power is also amazing. I was very surprised that this did not wear off quickly, since it is a liquid. This blush lasts as long if not longer than some of my favorite powder blushes!
The product is also versatile. I also mixed a few drops with my liquid foundation and even my tinted moisturizer which gave me an incredible look as well. Using it this way gave my complexion a boost and made me look radiant overall (I choose to do this in the evening especially). Since it’s so pigmented and not much is needed to achieve a look, this will also last a very long time, which is another bonus! This will work very well up to a Gabreille Union shade.
This is limited edition (spring 2008)…run don’t walk to get this one girls!” S.D.
Editor’s Note: If you have very oily skin, this should be used sparingly.
Go-->Giorgio Armani Sheer Pigments Fluid Blush #18 (Vibrant Pink)
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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YSL Palacinka Product Rating Guide
YSL Limited Edition Palette Pop
Tester: Asian (Pakistani) about Sarita Choudry’s complexion with good skin tone and combination skin.
“What a lovely palette! From the beautiful embellished flowers on a light luminescent pale pink background, to the shimmery gold case, this was a joy to look at and to use. I loved using is as an accent to my peach or coral toned blushes. The “pollen” center of the flower is a glittery hot pink (which actually goes on quite soft and complemented my skin tone nicely). I loved applying it on my cheek bones, and under the brow.
When I wanted to use it as more of an actual cheek color, I swirled the pale and hot pink together with the soft brown to get a very flattering medium pink with subtle shimmer. This is very pretty for spring and will work as a shimmer accent for all skin tones, and has enough pigment to work as an actual blush up to about a Nia Long complexion.” S.G.
Go-->YSL Limited Edition Palette Pop
This product gets 3 "Palacinka Points" *
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Prescriptives Palacinka Product Rating Guide
Prescriptives Custom Blend Tinted Moisturizer
Tester: African-American about Garcelle Beauvais’ complexion with combination skin and good skin tone with slight hyperpigmentation.
“I was very excited about this concept because I have always gotten amazing results with Prescriptives custom blended products such as their foundation, concealer and bronzer. The tinted moisturizer is perfect for me as I do have fairly good skin and don’t usually need a full foundation for day to day. The idea that there is now a tinted moisturizer to match our exact skin tone with added benefits like skin brightening ingredients (which I chose) is just fantastic. I am a yellow/orange, and that was still the color family that they used in creating my moisturizer. There are additional finishing ingredients that they can add to the custom blend, such as firming, lifting, line minimizing, clarifying or evening. Every time I wore it, it left my skin looking better than ever! This is now a must have product for my morning makeup routine. It also comes in a handy pump bottle, which I loved, as just two pumps was more than enough for great coverage.
What is also incredible about this product is that it gives the coverage, moisture, desired finish, and lasting wear (it does not budge) all without a primer, should you choose not to use one. This is a fantastic choice for any woman, in particular very dark (or with very olive/green/grey undertones) as the Prescriptive makeup artists are true geniuses at creating the perfect color for you. It is true however, that if you need the coverage offered by a foundation, this won’t be the product for you.” RLB
Go-->Prescriptives Custom Blend Tinted Moisturizer
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Stila Palacinka Product Rating Guide
Tester: Asian (Pakistani), about Padma Lakshmi’s complexion with medium brown eyes and normal to dry skin.
"I absolutely love this palette. The packaging is beautiful, with a beautiful vintage velvet black vine with red buds design (creating a subtle “S” for Stila I suppose?) contrasted against a stark white background. One of the best features about the packaging is that the pans are removable (magnetic) and the palette can be reused.
All four colors matched perfectly together. The two stars of the palette are the gold eye shadow (upper right hand corner) which is just gorgeous and it made my brown eyes "pop!" Is a beautifully rich gold that is warm, has depth and would look good on everyone. Each of the shadows is buttery smooth and is highly pigmented, making for easy application and long wear. The second standout is the blush. It is beautiful and gave me a natural flush. It is very pigmented though so it should be applied with a very fluffy brush and layered lightly. The blush has no shimmer, it's a matte finish.
The other two eye shadows are neutral ones. The lightest shade I used as a very subtle highlight or as a wash. It gave me just a subtle shine. The other shadow is a pretty chocolate shimmer. With the exception of the lightest shade, everything else is super pigmented so use a light hand. Note: The packaging is beautiful, but if you keep this in your purse as opposed to home and it bangs around a lot those fine black threads creating the vine decoration on the cover will shed.
If you're looking for a nice nude palette with a twist this is it! It became my go-to when I felt inspired to use neutral and unique bright colors together. And long after this palette's is finished I will be able to continue to enjoy the beauty of the packaging. It is a gift that keeps on giving.
The palette as a whole will work best up to a Gabrielle Union complexion, but the eye shadows will work on all skin tones." A.V.
Go-->Stila Blanc Palette
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Tester: West Indian (Trinidadian) about Kerry Washington’s complexion with dark brown eyes, combination skin with good skin tone.
The Noire Palette is a lovely palette for a “cool face”, featuring periwinkle blue shadow, pearly pink lavender eye shadow and a cool pink blush.
The palette itself has a lovely, unusual design of silver and white flowers and vines with a black background. The black felt on the white and silver is a nice touch The magnetized palette opens up to 3 eye shadows and one blush. No mirror included in the palette. The pans can be taken out and exchanged for the individual Stila eye shadow and blush pans.
The top left eye shadow in the Noire Palette is a light pearly pink. I found this to be beautiful for highlighting. The top right eye shadow is a periwinkle blue, which I tended to blend with the bottom left eye shadow which is a sparkly black that was excellent for a smoky eye look. The blush in the bottom right spot is a bright pink.
When I used the periwinkle I tended to layer this one more heavily as it is not as pigmented as the others. It read a little more blue/grey on my skin and was very pretty. I tended to use the glittery black quite a bit as both an eye shadow and it also made a nice, soft charcoal liner for a daytime appropriate but smoky look.
The blush is actually the winner of the palette. It’s a bright but deep pink color. It looks a little bright in the pan but goes on really sheer, natural and flattering. It just looked like pretty flushed pink cheeks which really complimented my skin tone and not bright pink obvious blush. Because the blush is very pigmented I used it with a light hand.
The cost is also a great deal as opposed to buying eye shadow and blush pans plus palette or compact costs. This palette will work best up to an Iman complexion.
Go-->Stila Noire Palette
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Per-Fekt Palacinka Product Rating Guide
Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel Rich
Tester: African-American, about Queen Latifah’s complexion with normal skin and good skin tone.
“I have good skin, and this I am grateful for…but perfect, well no. So I am always magnetically drawn to products which promise flawless skin.
So you can imagine how happy I was when I discovered that per-fekt skin perfection gel is a primer, foundation and magical air-brusher all in one that delivers a refined, beautiful finish without feeling mask-like.
I loved the silky, mousse-y texture of the gel (just a few pumps covered my entire face) which instantly mattified my skin yet provided hydration all day. On most days I wore it under my makeup (I also added some concealer under my eyes when going to work), but I also found that on more casual weekend’s I could wear it alone.
Also impressive: it didn’t budge because it's sweat proof and water-resistant. There are little reflective particles in it which are very flattering and the color match was also great. I found Rich could be used on a fair range of brown skin tones (there is also one shade which is darker, Decadent, which would be better for those of you around a Serena Williams complexion).
Once I put it on in the morning I was primed and ready to go! I just love this and can’t wait to try the body per-fektor next!” Y.D.
Editors Note: This is for those of you who don’t need heavy coverage as it is not a foundation.
Go-->Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel Rich
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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Aveda
AVEDA Triple Accent Petal Essence
Topaz Taupe – Heather (shown)
Tester: Multi-Ethnic (Japanese & French) about Lucy Liu’s complexion with lightly pigmented lips and combination skin with good skin tone.
“If you are looking for a product to look great with no effort (that’s also great for your skin), then the new Triple Accent pencil is just what you need!
This pencil has a side especially for lips & cheeks and another one for the eyes. I found that the lips side was super creamy, moisturizing and easy to blend – more adaptable than most multiples that I’ve tried. The staying power of the color on both my lips and cheeks was phenomenal! I would apply on the weekends in the early morning (I have a 10 month year old!) and late at night the color was still there, looking fresh and vibrant! The Heather side for lips and cheeks is a very flattering reddish-wine shade, great for fall but certainly adaptable year round.
The Taupe eye side was also impressive! The pretty silvery based-taupe with shimmer (not sparkle) made a good base for powder shadow when I had a little extra time, or more often than not, by itself, it's a silvery taupe. This side can also be used as a highlighter on the cheekbones, which is how I applied it for evenings out occasionally.
I also loved the convenience of throwing this in my purse and having one product for every touch ups if I needed it! This is also a must have for travel to help keep the cosmetic bag light. This is one of the darkest colors in all the pencils, and will work very well up to a Venus Williams shade." G.N.
Editor’s Note: This product is made with FSC-certified wood and rich plant ingredients. It combines plant emollients and a blend of organically grown berry anti-oxidants.
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Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon
Tester: Egyptian & British, about Paula Abdul’s complexion with combination skin.
“I'm a big fan of gel / liquid blushes. The Beach Tint is a creamy gel. It has the best of both worlds -- like a cream, it was easy to blend and doesn’t stain your fingertips. Like a gel, it lasted all day without fading.
The color on me is a natural flushy color. This is a rosy watermelon pinkish shade (no shimmers) with a runny liquidy texture. It does have a sweet scent, but it's rather nice and not cloying. It blended like a dream on my cheeks so it looked like I had a lovely "flush" that came from within.
It’s a luxury purchase but a little is all it takes to get the effect and it is SO long lasting. After a 9+ hour work day (sometimes even with air travel!) my cheek makeup still looked as fresh as if I had just applied it. This is my new little addiction!
Note: Please remember to give the tube a little shake first before you squeeze it, as this does have a tendency release clear liquid first if you don’t.” P.L.
Go-->Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon
This product gets 4 "Palacinka Points" *
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