Jan 27, 2012

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Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush – Hot Tamale

One of Maybelline’s newest product launches is it’s powder-gel formula Dream Bouncy Blushes.  The line has 10 shades and is supposed to be lightweight like a powder but melt into your skin like a cream. The biggest buzz about this product is it’s literal bouncy texture, when you push down on this product it literally gives under your fingertips and springs back into place. I guess this is supposed to be a big selling point but to be honest I think it’s kind of gross seeing all my little finger-print impressions everytime I open the product.

I watched quite a few reviews on this so I knew when I bought this product it would go on sheer but could be built up for a more intense color. I like my blushes to be fairly pigmented so I chose Hot Tamale since it looked like I would get the most color from it.  The color swatches nicely on fingertips but I had a hard time building it up to a color I liked on my cheeks without piling on a lot of the product.  But like I said this product is aimed more for those people who like a more sheer flush of color. That being said I still feel like if you bought one of the lighter shades you would be getting very limited color payoff so what’s the point of even wearing it.  Another issue I had with the product was staying power, the first day I wore it I did not apply any other powder blush on top of it and I felt like it faded quickly and looked splotchy after just  a few hours. It worked fine as a base.

What You Need To Know:

1. These apply best with fingers

2. These are very sheer washes of color once you start blending them in

3. The lasting power on this was NOT very long for me

My overall opinion of this product is you’re mostly paying for the quirky texture and not a high-quality product. It’s not a terrible but it didn’t wow me and I won’t be purchasing any of the other shades. I also think this would work best for people with dry skin and those who just want a very sheer wash of color.  My other suggestion is if you already bought this product and aren’t crazy with it, try using it as a base for one of your favorite powder blushes!

 

Swatch of Hot Tamale

 

 

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Jan 25, 2012

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Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Eyeshadow vs. L’oreal 24 Hour Infallible Eyeshadow

This past month Youtube has been flooded with reviews and tutorials on the new Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo and L’oreal  24 hour Infallible Eyeshadows. While both products boast intense pigmentation, 24-hour long lasting power, and crease-resistant shades there are some differences between the two so instead of another blog with swatches you’ve already seen I thought I’d compare both eyeshadows. To be honest both are pretty great but if you don’t have a ton of money to spend to try both out here’s some things you might like to know before deciding which one to buy:

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Eyeshadows: This line has 10 shades. I own Tough as Taupe, Pomegrante Punk, and Bad to the Bronze

      1.  These shadows are actual cream shadows. Most have shimmer finishes except Tough as Taupe

2.  These have been called dupes for Mac Paint Pots.  They work well as a shadow base but can be worn alone.

3.  Without a primer these lasted about 8 hours on me before starting to fade out. I did not notice any major creasing with any of the colors I purchased.

4. While these can be worn on their own I felt I got the nicest look when I used these as a base.  They are very pigmented when swatched but I felt on their own the eye look they  created  was a little too subtle for my taste

5.  The packaging for these are great. They come in sturdy glass jars with twist off tops. I do not see these drying out.

6.  I think these apply best with fingers, they are easy to blend and do not set too quickly.

7.  I wish they had a black shade. I feel like while they have some nice neutrals and vibrant shades they lack some deeper shades.

 

 

L’oreal Infallible 24 Hour Eye Shadow: This line has 12 shades, I own Continuous Cocoa and Eternal Sunshine

    1.  These shadows are actually a powder that has been pressed into a cream like texture. When applied they finish more like a cream shadow then a powder

2.  I find that the texture on these are a little harder to work with. Fingers work best for application, trying to pack the pigment on a shadow brush can be a little difficult.

3.  These do not blend as easily as the Maybelline 24 hour shadows but I felt they were slightly more pigmented.

4.  I got a good 8 hours of wear from these before fading and they did not crease.

5.  I like how this line had some darker colors, you can create some really dramatic looks that will last all day without smudging or creasing.

6. These also had nice packaging. The shadow comes in a sturdy little jar with twist off lid. Don’t lose the little piece inside used to pack down the pigments!

 

Overall I have really liked both of these products.  For a drugstore buy they really do what they say and are such a great alternative to higher end shadows.

If I had to choose one over the other I would probably spend the money on the L’oreal Infallible shadows only because I like wearing a darker smokier eye most days and the L’oreal line has a better selection for that.  Honestly though I love combining these 2 products together if you can get your hands on both.  My favorite look so far is using the Maybelline Bad tothe Bronze all over my lid and then lining and smoking my upper and lower lashline with the L’oreal Continuous Cocoa. I believe I spent about 7 bucks a piece on these so price isn’t really a big difference.

Hopefully this helps those of you who still haven’t had a chance to try these out, let me know your thoughts if you are already using them! :)

 

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Jan 17, 2012

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My Holy Grail Miracle Best Hair Product I’ve Ever Found- Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Hair Masque

Anyone who watches youtube beauty channels or follows popular beauty blogs has probably had a few experiences where they spent big money on a product that was raved about online only to try it out at home and be more than a little disappointed. Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Hair Masque was one of those products I felt would be mostly hype with little results.  I’ve read and watched tons of glowing reviews but never wanted to shell out the 30 dollars to buy this product. However, I received a giftcard to Ulta over Christmas so I didn’t feel as guilty about picking this up.

*Cue the the trumpets, flashing lights, applause, drum roll and any other sound that signifies unadulterated joy*

THIS STUFF IS AMAZING.

Just to give you a little background on my hair, it’s super thick, long, color-treated, wavy/curly, frizzy and overall ridiculously damaged from years of styling, straightening, bleaching, redying etc. I just recently stripped the black out of it, bleached my ends, redyed it a chocolate brown and added caramel low lights. I’m also a big believer in teasing, ratting, hair extensions, and trying out new hair styles. Needless to say I’ve always had an extremely hard time finding products that can make my hair soft, shiny and smooth but still hold shape and style.

That’s where this hair masque comes in, after one use of this conditioner my hair felt like a new texture. It was softer, less frizzy and had a really beautiful natural shine. Now that I have been using it for over a month I feel like my hair has much more natural volume, holds curl longer and is smoother and shinier.  This is not an exaggeration or hype, this stuff is just amazing. (Not to mention it smells delicious)

Personally I had never really used a higher end hair masque before this. I have used the Pantene deep-conditioner for medium/thick hair ( It comes in that little square jar and costs about 6 dollars) but there is no comparison. I also use leave-in conditioner and Moroccan oil serums but nothing has made a difference like this product. With other conditioners I always feel like no matter how long I rinse there is always a bit of a heaviness left on my hair but with this product I feel no build-up or residue. My hair is just light and soft but with lots of texture so it will still hold teasing, curls or wave.

Now obviously the one con is that this product is expensive but I will definitely repurchase this over and over again.  A little goes a long way too, so I think the 8.5 fl ounces that comes in the jar will last me awhile.

How I Use it:

The first time I used this conditioner I shampooed, squeezed out the excess water and after applying the Masque I left it in my hair overnight. The next morning I rinsed it out and styled as usual. However my regular routine with this stuff is to apply it after I shampoo and then leave it on between 5-7 minutes. I just go ahead and do the rest of my shower stuff, shave my legs, wash my face etc.  Since I only wash my hair 2-3 times a week I actually use this every wash and it has replaced my normal conditioner. As an FYI the jar recommends using it only 2 times a week.

Things To Know:

-You can try out a sample of this stuff at Ulta. They sell little packets of it for around 4 dollars.

- I’ve recommended this to my mom, her co-workers, my best friend and my sisters :)

- I still use a leave-in conditioner after I use this stuff, usually my Its a 10 or Hask Placenta Leave-In Conditoner ( Click the highlighted links for reviews on those products)

- I’ve seen this sold on amazon.com for around 13 dollars but I read a lot of reviews saying it was not the real product so be careful if you buy from those sites!

Let me know if you try this product and have the same great results!

 

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Dec 20, 2011

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Drugstore DUPE for Benefit’s Bad Gal Lash Mascara

Love Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara but not a fan of the $19 dollar price? I stumbled upon Milani Power Lash Volumizing mascara and as soon as I used it I immediately thought of my pricier Benefit mascara. This drugstore mascara is less than half the price of Bad Gal and cost only $5.77 at my local Wal-Mart.

Now the first similarity I found between these 2 products is the brushes. Both have what I consider a bigger “fluffier” wand, with Benefit’s brush being just a tiny bit longer. While the brushes are bigger neither grabs very much product although Milani’s mascara comes out a little thicker.

The formula’s are also similar. Neither are overly wet but are still buildable with very minimal clumping. I consider this a pro and con. While you can get a very full look with both I find I have to apply 3 or 4 coats before I get my desired effect.  The Benefit mascara dries a little softer than Milani’s but neither are waxy which I like.

Some places where I think Benefit outshines Milani is in the blackness of the mascara and seperation. Bad Gal definitely has a darker pigment which I prefer.  The Bad Gal brush also gives a slightly more fanned and separated effect. However, I think if I took the time to run a comb through the Milani lashes I could achieve a similar look.

Overall, for me I found Milan’s Power Lash to be similar enough to not have to repurchase Bad Gal again.  I always feel guilty spending 20 dollars on mascara and you can’t beat only spending 6 bucks! Let me know if you get the same results as me!

The picture below was taken without lash primer or use of a lash curler, Benefit’s Bad Gal is on the left with Milani Power Lash on the right

 

 

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Nov 21, 2011

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How I Make My Make-Up Last All Day

When I first started watching youtube videos and reading beauty blogs one of my main concerns was making my makeup last longer. I’ve always had oily skin and only a few hours after application I would have to be retouching my foundation and blush, especially in my t-zone area. The worst part would be how blotchy I would look, because of my oily areas it always wore off unevenly. Yuck! Fortunately after doing my research and trying a number of products out I have come up with a way to look fresh all day.

So for those of you looking for some tips on tricks on how to keep your makeup looking flawless throughout the day and evening here are the steps I follow!

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