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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Mascara

Hey guys!

So, I am an absolute Mascara Junkie. I can never stop experimenting and purchasing new ones, and I can also never choose just one favorite. So I decided to do a little post about some of my favorite mascaras out there and why I like them (all drugstore).
The 5 I like best (yes, 5! haha) are:



Maybelline Mega Plush Volume Express in Blackest Black
Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Flared in Blackest Black
Almay One Coat Get up & Grow in Blackest Black
CoverGirl Clump Crusher Water Resistant in Very Black
Maybelline Illegal Length Fibre Extensions Waterproof in Blackest Black (Not pictured above).

Maybelline Mega Plush

I really like this mascara mainly because of how it makes my lashes feel. This Mascara acts exactly like the name says and makes your lashes feel "plush". There is no hardness or stick-like feeling, just a soft lash that can still bend and looks fairly natural. It does give decent volume and separation, but it definitely isn't the best mascara for that. I wear this when I'm going for a more natural eye look and I dont want the gross hard feeling that you normally get with other mascaras. It washes off very easily, but doesn't smudge or flake off during the day. The only downfall of this mascara is the brush. It's is shaped so that the bristles in the middle are longer than either end; this makes is harder to get your inner and outer lashes coated without getting product around your eyelids.



Maybelline The Falsies Flared

I first tried the original Falsies mascara (the one without the Flared claim) and really enjoyed it. I went to repurchase it and ended up getting the Flared version by mistake but I also really like this one as well. To be honest, I don't see much of a difference between either of them, and the claims that the mascara will "flare" out your outer lashes is simply not true unless you just work harder at them - which can ultimately be done with any mascara. However, I still really like this mascara in general. It stays on all day, does not smudge or flake off after 8-10 hours, and can be easily removed without pulling lashes out. It provides good separation and some definite volume that works well with more medium eye looks (not natural daytime, but not full-on, going clubbing makeup). The brush is slightly curved with normal bristles that are all the same length and the wand has a joint in it so it can bend. Overall, I've gone through my second tube of this and will definitely repurchase it again.


Almay Get up & Grow AND Maybelline Illegal Length Fibre Extensions




Both of these mascaras I actually dislike on their own; however, together they make a wonderful combination that I absolutely love! Almay's Get up & Grow offers amazing lash separation that I've rarely seen in any other mascara. It also provides outstanding volume, and the formula is a perfect consistency- not too wet and not too dry. It also has a great brush; lots of big bristles and very "bushy". The problem then? The mascara adds absolutely NO length to my lashes, and smudges off on my upper lids in the matter of 2 hours, (I'm talkin', people politely telling me I have black all over my eyes kinda smudging). For those reasons, I actually really dislike this mascara on its own. Maybelline Illegal Length Fibre Extensions does just what it promises, lengthens your lashes using tiny fibres. The brush has a very small circumference which is great for using on the lower lash line. That is where the solo Pros of this mascara end. I find this makes me lashes very hard, extremely clumpy, and the formula is a bit dry so it ends up flaking. This mascara is not pictured above as I used it all up and have not repurchased it yet; I do plan on repurchasing though because of the results explained below.
Combine both of these mascaras together? You get volume and extension heaven. I use this combination when I'm going out and I want big lashes without applying false ones. For some reason, when these formulas and brushes are used together, the Cons of both completely disappear. I apply one coat of Almay first, and finish with one coat of Maybelline right after which the first coat is still a bit tacky-wet. This gives me incredible volume, lash separation, and length. My lashes do still feel hard, but there is no longer smudging, flaking, or clumps. Seriously - THE perfect mascara combination.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher

This is a newer mascara on the market by the Lash Blast lineup and I have fallen in love with it for daytime use. It somehow grabs and separates every little lash I can find and coats it with a great black formula. The rubber bristle brushes are usually not a style of brush I go for, but this one is perfect. The brush also has a curve in it which works for getting all your tiny lases in the inner corner. It adds just enough volume and length that my lashes look outstanding, but could also be mistaken for just naturally outstanding. I don't find that the formula causes much hardness (definitely more than the Maybelline mega plush, but much less than the rest mentioned here), and there is no smudging or flaking. As the name says - it truly "crushes" clumps and provides all day wear that can be easily removed at night with no fuss.

So, there you have it! My favorite mascaras at the moment. I know some of these are older, but no matter what I try, I keep coming back to these in the end and all have been products I continue to repurchase when I run out.
Let me know what else you guys want me to write about and I'll gladly take requests!

Thank for reading. Love!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

This or That: Eyebrow Pencils

Hey guys!

Today I'm going to be comparing 2 products for defining those brows! Both are from the drugstore, Maybelline's Define-a-Brow and Revlon's Brow Fantasy. I'm excited to share this with you because I feel like proper eyebrow color, shape, and definition can completely change the entire look of someones face in under a minute. It's actually incredible the difference a defined eyebrow can make.

To demonstrate the difference when filling in eyebrows: 2 different days (and lighting - sorry), but one picture with no makeup, and the other with. (Maybelline Define-a-Brow was used). You can click the pictures to enlarge them for a better look ;)



To start, I have naturally dark eyebrows, but they definitely need a little filling in; I also really like a thick, defined brow. Keep this in mind when reading my thoughts on these 2 products as you may like something a little different for your needs.




First, I have been using the Revlon Brow Fantasy in "Dark Brown" for years. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I decided it was no longer working for me anymore and I began searching for something different.
Revlon Brow Fantasy first caught my young eye because it is double ended and not only gives you a brow pencil, but comes with a colored gel for setting your eyebrows into place. Although maybe a little gimmicky, it is something I fell for and really enjoyed. Not only do you have the gel, but it is the same color as your pencil and aids in keeping that darker color in place. The pencil also worked fine and I found the product lasted all day.
It wasn't until recently I began to get annoyed that I constantly had to sharpen the pencil, and I realized I was losing out on so much product so I could keep the edge at a smaller, sharper edge. I found myself sharpening the pencil every few days, and sometimes caved and used the pencil when it was more blunt just to get more use out of the product. As we all know, this just leads to messy brows that are not as defined as we would like.

I've been hearing all the hype about Maybelline Define-a-brow for such a long time now, and decided to try it out. At first I was hesitant because the pencil is so much thinner than Revlon's Brow Fantasy, I almost felt I was getting jipped on how much product I was paying for; then I realized this is exactly the same problem I was already having, but I now just consistently had the thin edge I desired for definition. I have been using the Maybelline Define a brow for a few weeks now and I am loving it. Despite the thin pencil, I find the product distributes onto the brow well and sparingly and I have only had to twist up more product once since purchasing it. The only thing I do miss is the gel. I have been using this pencil alone now and I am still trying to decide if I really need an eyebrow gel for everyday use or not.

Overall, after using both, I am officially converted to Maybelline Define-a-brow. It offers the thinner edge needed for definition, while still offering excellent color payoff and all day wear. Although I am sad to let go of my Revlon Brow Fantasy after so many years, I do feel the product is now quite dated and is due for a definite revamp.

Side Note: I have also been hearing wonderful things about E.L.F's studio eyebrow kit; however, there is nowhere to purchase E.L.F where I live at the moment. I will soon be putting in an order and definitely adding that to my basket to try it out.

Thanks for reading! Love!

Monday, May 6, 2013

NOTD

Hey Guys!

Just a quick Nails of the Day shoutout to a new color I picked up this week that I have absolutely fallen in love with! I instagrammed a picture of it earlier but just wanted to mention it here.
It is CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Polish in the color "Coral Silk".



This is a new line of nail polish by CoverGirl that I have been eyeing for a while and hadn't tried until last night. The formula is amazing; It isn't too watery or thick, it has the perfect consistency for spreading onto the nails for a nice even color and not straying onto your cuticles. I also only needed one coat to get an amazing color payoff and the drying time was pretty quick as well!
This is also a beautiful shade for spring/summer and can be paired with any outfit without looking awkward or overpowering; I'm really loving coral a lot this season.
Overall I really like this polish and I'll definitely be picking up some more shades very soon!


Sunday, May 5, 2013

FOTD: Fun with blue shadow

Hey guys!

It's finally sunny and warm for the first time this year here; that means its time for dresses and fun makeup colors.
Today I decided to play with some old eyeshadow I had kickin' around and get a little tropical for the sunshine.




My hair was a mess so I added a hat, but I didn't want to shade the makeup in the picture.
To get this look I started with a BB cream as a moisturizer/primer. Next I applied foundation with a stipple brush. I added a little bronzer and blush and did a bit of minor contouring around the cheeks and nose area.
For the eyes, I began with Urban Decay's Primer Potion. The inner corner of the eye I applied "Virgin" from the Urban Decay Naked palette and applied "Buck", from the same palette, all over the lid.

The blue comes from an old CoverGirl eye enhancers quad palette "Tropical Fusion"; the exact color of the shadow isn't on the packaging, but its the only blue shade in the palette. I took a small fluffy brush and began layering the color on wet. I found that the product didn't show much color dry (probably because it's also older), but showed intense blue when wet. I blended the blue over the lid starting in the outer corner and working inward, and continued into the crease. After I applied the blue, I went back and added more buck and blended that further into the blue.
I finished the eyes off by using liquid eyeliner winged out on the upper lid, and a kohl eyeliner on the outer lower lid. I then used a small flat brush and added a little more blue eyeshadow underneath the eyeliner on the lower lid.
Viola! Summer blues!
I always try to keep the lips simple when doing a bolder eye look, otherwise it can start to look a little overdone and heavy. For this, I used MAC matte lipstick in "Please Me" topped with Elf super gloss lip shine in "Goddess" for a nice neutral lip.


Products Used



Face
L'oreal Youth Code BB Cream: Light (moisturizer/primer - not pictured above)
CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 foundation: Medium Beige
NYC Bronzing Powder: Sunny (contouring)
Wet and Wild Bronzer: Princess
Milani Baked Blush: Rose D'Oro
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer: Brighter (under foundation)
Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller (Over foundation)

Eyes
Urban Decay Shadow Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked Palette: Buck and Virgin
CoverGirl Eye Enhancers: Tropical Fusion
Rimmel Scandal Eyes Kohl Eyeliner: Nude (inner rim of eye)
Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Liner: Blackest Black (top lash line)
Gosh Velvet Touch Kohl Eyeliner: Black Ink (bottom lash line)
Maybelline Mega Plush Volume Express: Blackest Black
Maybeliine Define-a-brow: Medium Brown (eyebrows)

Lips
Mac Matte Lipstick: Please Me
Elf Super Gloss Lip Shine: Goddess

Comment below if you have any questions or requests for me!

Thanks for reading! Love!

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Hey guys!
First post, How exciting!

Today I wanted to share my thoughts on Cynthia Rowley nail polish that I picked up at Winners about a month ago. I LOVEEE Cynthia Rowley's clothing collection and her line of housewares so I wanted to try out the nail polish on a whim.



The colors I picked up came in a set together but do not have a name; I did a little two-toned mani with them for some spring fun.
First I'd like to note that I had high hopes for these polishes; they really let me down.
The brush is a standard old fashion nail polish brush. It doesn't curve like the new salon style brushes so I found that the nail polish got on my cuticles a lot (maybe the new brushes spoiled me). The formula was a little watery and the color needed two coats, which is pretty standard.
There was also no indication on the packaging that these colors were in fact a matte finish. At first, I liked the matte look to the nail polish, it's different than usual so I enjoyed it. The down side however, is the staying power. It is absolutely terrible! I applied the polish at about 3 pm for a neon themed birthday party I was attending, and it was chipped before I left my house at 8.
I'd like to note, I also tried applying a top coat over it to prevent chips - not only did this take away the matte finish, but it still chipped in the SAME day! Not at all what I would have expected from a product with both a base and top coat (Sally Hansen Hard as Nails).
I would also like to note I purchased a different color set as a gift (before I had even tried them myself) that were not a matte finish, and was told the same thing about the staying power so it doesn't seem to be just these colors or finishes.

Recap

Pros:
Fun colors
Extremely Fast Drying
Attractive Packaging

Cons:
Brush is hard to work with
Watery Formula
Terrible Staying Power

Thanks for reading! Love.