Collection| Drugstore Mascaras (Maybelline, L'oreal, Revlon)

As a common peasant suffering from Nolashatall syndrome (used to be Noassatall, but a healthy dose of squats took care of that...), I'm constantly on the look out for good mascaras. As the rule goes, mascara tubes harbor bacteria and biochemical weaponry faster than the speed of light, prompting you to throw them away every 3 to 4 months. That, or the formula dry out into oblivion and crust onto your lashes as easily as cornbread mix on a catfish filet.

Because of this, however, they are also relatively cheap at the drugstore and come in such a wide array of options that promise dazzling results. "Your lashes will be extended a million kilometers south!" "Lashes look as volumized as a spayed cat on a Fancy Feast diet!" And since so many mascaras get PR hype, it's very easy to get pulled in and pick up a few on your trip to the drugstore.

As for me, these mascaras will be decommissioned in another month or so, meaning I can explore other options or throw them out if I hate them! Here are a few that I've been using for the past 2 months and their results. I won't be including close ups of my eyeball, because camwhoring my face is hard enough. Keep in mind that I use either MAC's Cleanse Off Oil or Lancome Bi-Facils to remove all of these mascaras and have no problems with tugging or residue.

 

From top to bottom: Revlon Grow Luscious, Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express, L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes, Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express waterproof, and L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions (all are in the blackest formula available).

 

Revlon Grow Luscious is my go-to mascara when I don't want to deal with mascara or eyelashes in general. It gives a dark color to my lashes as well as a bit of length and a bit of volume. It does smudge slightly after a long day of wear. This is strangely my second tube, because it doesn't feel crispy on my lashes. It's easy to build because of such a wet formula, but I usually don't try to. Very basic contender.

Though hyped, The Rocket is also your average contender. It gives lashes a natural and somewhat longer look and doesn't feel too dry. It doesn't smudge, but it isn't extraordinary by any means. The large and hard bristled brush also means a higher risk of eye pokage if you're not careful. If you try to build up with this one, not much will happen except clumps.

Although I didn't have high hopes for L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes, it is actually one of my favorites. I'm not a huge fan of volumizing mascaras because they tend to clump and give me spider leg lashes. This one is very unnatural (in a good way) and would probably look great with long lashed gals. On me, it gives a great impact due to the intense black color and thickening effect. It's also great layered over a drier/curling mascara. This one doesn't smudge, but I wouldn't say you can build any more after 2 coats.

The Falsies is my favorite of the bunch because of its smaller curved brush shape that reaches into the inner and outer corners and dark waterproof formula. There is absolutely no smudging or flaking, and it gives lashes a very dark and feathery look and does a surprisingly great job at lengthening as well. This one can be built up to 3 coats. For every day looks where I want to amp up the drama, I will always reach for this one. I will repurchase only this one once all of these dry up.

In an earlier blog post, I gave L'oreal's Telescopic Shocking Extensions glowing reviews for its ability to lengthen my lashes. It won't add much in volume and it definitely doesn't smudge, but contact lens wearers need to be weary of this one. After a few hours, its fibers will flake slightly...into your eyeballs. What joy. Layered over Urban Decay's Canonball, it is the BEST look for my lashes. Sadly, I can never wear it when I have contacts in simply because it is too irritating. The small wand means you can build to your heart's content and reach everywhere. Still, I may only repurchase to use on my bottom lashes.

I hope that helps you on your quest to find the holy grail mascara. In all honesty, mascara doesn't have to be a life changer if you already have longer or thicker lashes. As for me, finding the perfect mascara is still in my 5 year plan. I have found some great mascaras in the mid and high end price ranges, but it is a little ridiculous to pay such an amount of money every four months. It really becomes an investment rather than a staple. Since I'm not a huge fan of false lashes for every day, I usually neglect my lashes anyway.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Be

Favorites | September 2013

Oh my gosh, it completely slipped my mind that September is over! I've been on a mini-vacay with the husband for this past week and haven't been on the computer 24/7. Speaking of ideal husband situations, he got me the new Vice 2 palette! I would do swatches but it hurts just looking at it. I told him that I would get a lot of usage out of it and "it would last for 10 decades", but I honestly just want to encase it in bulletproof glass and only purvey from the outside. 

September weather in the OC has been temperamental. My nose is beginning to flake from the drier weather, and with cooler temperatures comes the return of full fledged makeup. I'm talking medium to full coverage foundation, dolly cheeks, and long lashes since my hair is short (I recently gave myself an undercut, but that's another horror story) and my clothes are modest. Take a look at my favorites for the past month.

From left to right: Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 foundation in 832 Nude Beige, Urban Decay Lip Primer, Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer in 002, Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Sandstorm, Benefit Watt's Up sample, NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder, TheBalm's FratBoy blush, Benefit's Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark, NYX Cream shadow in Suede , NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee, YSL's Rouge Volupte Nude Beige 001, L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara

Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 foundation in 832 Nude Beige is like Revlon Colorstay's better looking sister. It's a very full coverage and long lasting foundation that will photoshop your face upon contact into flawlessness with no tell-tale caking. The only downside is the lack of strong yellow tones, and 832 is rather pale on me at the moment. The next yellow toned color is 842 Medium Beige, which is much too dark now that my tan is faded. I have to use a bronzer on the perimeter of my face, but this foundation is comparable to MAC's Studio Fix at a fraction of the price. 

Urban Decay Lip Primer is my new holy grail lip product. I have a review on the blog already, but it makes even the most dull and sheer lipsticks come to life and gain much opacity without drying out my lips. I put MAC's Sunny Seoul on top and it was much brighter and opaque than I was used to!

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer in 002 is a recent drugstore find that has encouraged me to use primer before foundation on a daily basis. For summer, a primer seems to suffocate my skin. In the wintertime however, this primer seems to provide a much smoother surface and blurs away any pores or expression lines on my face. The 002 shade is clear and doesn't feel particularly "silicone-y" and sets any base product I put on for the entire day. It isn't hydrating, but pairs well with any moisturizer underneath. I can also smear it onto my lids if I'm feeling too lazy for a separate eyeshadow primer. 

Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Sandstorm sets any makeup perfectly without imparting color and kept my T-zone mattified all day in the hot days of September. I dropped it the other day (mind you, I had been using for 6 months and hadn't even made a dent) and had to run out to the drugstore to pick up more. It's only 3 bucks and does an even better job than my MAC Studio Fix powder. Amazing drugstore product. 

Benefit Watt's Up sample is the perfect size for my everyday makeup bin, and its smaller bullet means I can glide it directly onto my cheekbones. It's absolutely beautiful and natural. 

NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder is a new item I received in a swap, and it's the best setting powder for undereye concealer (I've been experimenting with the Kardashian triangle of light) and gives my face a very healthy glow with no sheen or glimmer. It's really lovely for dry skinned gals who want a glow but still want their foundation to last. 

TheBalm's FratBoy blush has been my go-to blush for everyday looks. It has a tiny bit of sheen and gives my cheeks a healthy look, and I always get compliments from the husband when I wear it. Something about it is very understated and works with every type of makeup look, but it also stands out in its own way. The packaging is also adorable.

Benefit's Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark, in conjunction with my Anastasia Brow Wiz in ebony, has become my holy grail brow routine. My brows have never looked more defined yet natural and they last all day.  

NYX Cream shadow in Suede, another daily favorite, acts as a base and primer in one and is a lovely metallic sheen of gold that isn't overpowering or unnatural. I use it with a light wash of matte brown in the crease and outer V along with some black eyeliner and it completes an eye look. 

NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee is a nude gloss that's very moisturizing and thick without being sticky. It's nude, but won't wash out your lips and layers well with any lip look. It acts as a moisturizing balm in my book when I can't find a true lip balm. 

YSL's Rouge Volupte Nude Beige 001 is the high end equivalent of MAC's Creme Cup and is much more moisturizing while maintaining a high level of opacity. I love it with a simple cat-eye. Often I will put on Creme Cup in the morning and touch up with YSL. 

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara is the product of my drugstore mascara vice. I love the packaging, and I've been meaning to try out some volumizing mascaras for that thick, almost spidery lashes look for winter. It really does thicken up my sad lashes, but I can't say much for its lengthening abilities. I like layering it over Definicils or another tubing mascara. 

That's all for my September items, and I've been using most of them into October. I love a full face of makeup for colder months, and now it seems like every YT tutorial is for plum/burgundy/dark lips. As much as I love the trend, I'm more excited to try the other fall trends out there, like a light grey wash of color on the lids and matte skin with no blush. So tell me, are you one to go for makeup trends or do you think trends are best left for fashion? Let me know :)

Be

Quick Blab | Burgundy Lip Trend for Fall 2013

It seems like the trend for fall and winter of 2013 is once again dark red and wine stained lips. Aka oxblood. Aka Burgundy. Aka Goth red. I just wanted to hear from all of my subbies/stalkers/readers/flagrant strangers:

[polldaddy poll=7318183]

Please leave a comment with a suggestion if you could. I am currently in possession of a few dark reds and wines but don't know whether to try Revlon Wine Not, MAC's Diva, or YSL's Forbidden Burgundy next. I am also thinking of cheating and layering a dark plum over a magenta lip liner. But, if you know of any other colors or lipstick collections out there that would have the perfect burgundy for fall, let me know too!

 

Review: Revlon Colorstay

Is the Revlon Colorstay foundation a hidden holy grail, lying underneath piles of rubble?

If you know anyone in the beauty blogging world, either on blogs or Youtube, you have probably heard of the drugstore Magna Carta known as Revlon Colorstay. When I first tried it out, I was NOT impressed. Why? It's thick. The color match was horrendous. Every shade suited for NC25 was too pink toned or seemed ashy on my skin, making it look like a horrible and flat mask. 

I picked up the shade Golden Beige in an earlier haul as a last attempt of saving humanity's faith in drugstore foundation, and it seemed to fail me yet again. I had thought this shade would be a great match for my summer tan (around an NC35 to NC40). Wrong!It was much too light. This is when I should've realized that it would be a perfect match to NC30. I didn't. Instead, I shoved it into my "excommunicated and ugly foundation pile", never to be seen again.

Now in the summer heat, my skin is a definite poster child of combination oily. My T-zone, and especially my nose, isn't responding well to liquid foundations that have a satin or dewy finish. Two hours after makeup application, I look like I've been snorkeling in a sea of grease. Gross. Meanwhile, my matte finish powders are too dark. Therein I thought to myself, I should invest in Makeup Forever's Mat Velvet and solve this awful problem!

Then my wallet cried, and I said, "Let me look instead to my pile of cast-off foundations to find something that controls oil."

Oh yeah, I have Revlon Colorstay. Isn't it touted as the HG affordable solution for oily skinned girls?

I gave it a try again, and it matches PERFECTLY with my NC30 skin. As the name suggests, its yellow tone matches to my face and neck with no issues.

Yes, it's thick. I use a very watery Beauty Blender and a very sparing amount of product, taking care not to spill the entire bottle out with each application. The finish in the first hour is definitely flat and doesn't pass for natural at all. By the second hour, however, my natural oil has seeped through enough to make it a beautiful natural finish with zero shine or slick. Wow! I'm guessing this is the goal of any other oil controlling foundation that is on the higher end, but since I am on a budget, this foundation is turning out to be a surprising (or not surprising) favorite of mine at the moment. I'm sure that when my tan comes through again, however, I will have to buy the next color up and risk hating this foundation again.

Verdict?

Pros:
- Oil control is magical. Blows my Studio Fix Fluid AND Powder out of the water. The only place that "glows" on my face right now is where I place my highlighter, not on my forehead or the creases of my nose.
- Cheap. And for the price, I think it probably does the same job as a higher-end product like MUFE Mat Velvet or NARS Sheer Matte.
- Needs very little product for full coverage. Goodbye, obvious zits and concealer!
- Water resistant, may I say waterproof. This baby doesn't budge with sweat and only comes off with some elbow grease and some oil based makeup remover.
- Natural finish with some aid from skin highlighters and natural oil.

Cons:
- Thick. I think it is very easy to go overboard and risk cardboard skin.
- Good God, why can't you include a simple pump? I feel like it's a life or death situation every time I pour some product on the back of my hand.
- Horrible, horrible, horrible color match for light-medium skintones with yellow undertones. I'm talkin' NC23-NC27. I've tried Sand Beige based on online recs and the color was still way too pink and ashy. As for NC30, Golden Beige is deceptively dark in the bottle, and you can't try it on in stores before purchasing. I'm not even sure what the color match for NC35 is, or if it even exists.
- Will this clog my pores? My skin is very resistant to allergic reactions from products, but I can't see this as healthy for every day use. It takes a lot of work to remove this foundation, and I wouldn't recommend to people who even occasionally sleep in makeup after a long night out.

Overall, I'm glad I saved 40 bucks from not buying a new foundation that controls oil. I wouldn't say that this foundation is amazing, but it is very excellent for the price point. My skin wouldn't like it in the winter, but for the humid summers, it stays on very well. This is a good option for those who are active, live in hot climates, and need full coverage (or are just plain lazy like me and hate multiple steps when applying skin correcting goop).

What's your take on drugstore foundation? Do you have a DS foundation that can beat out a high end one? Let me know!

Haul: Drugstore Lipsticks and Eyeliner

Hi guys,

Went over to Walmart today to pick up some toothpaste and 3 in 1 for the husband. Apparently, men can't take the extra time to wash their body and hair separately, much less condition it. Good thing the entire bottle (about the size of my forearm) was only 3 bucks. Maybe it's more cost efficient to shower like a man...

They were having a rollback on Rimmel lipsticks, and I was in need of a good drugstore red lippie. I picked up the very YT popular Rimmel Kate #1.

It seems to be a very vibrant red that isn't too light or vampy. I'm not sure if I can wear it in the summer however as i prefer my orange-toned reds for the heat.

The one above is from the same line, but number 6. I really dig watermelon pinks at the moment and since these Rimmel lipsticks were only 3.97 each, I had to get two. I did have to dig through a few to find one that was untouched, as these are sold without a seal. Really? You trust people enough to not open and swatch in store?

Revlon's "Love that Pink"

Rimmel's Moisture Delight in Violet Pop

I also picked up the two above to add to my pink/purple collection. Love that Pink seems very similar to Kate's #6, but just a tad darker. Violet Pop is a little grandma chic, but I think can be pulled off by ladies with darker skin.

Above is a swatch of all four, in natural daylight. (From L to R: #1, #6, Love that Pink, Violet Pop.)

I also picked up two liquid liners, one with a brush application by Rimmel and a felt tip by Maybelline, both in black. With the summer heat, eyeliner is all the eye makeup I want to wear!

I reserve brush tip liners for days where I have the patience of a saint, but the master precise looks very promising. The biggest thing I look for in a liquid liner is zero transfer onto the lids and thus, lasting quality. No liner looks good flaking off the lids!So, that's all for today. I will be back to do reviews for each brand's product later! Happy Hump Day!
-Be

FOTD: Milky Pink Lips

Happy Friday!

Today I am doing a FOTD that will incorporate my two new lip products that I recently hauled.

The first, shown on the left, is part of MAC's summer line, "Temperature Rising" complete with sulking model and glistening abs as part of their advertising strategy. I was shown a sneak peek at the counter, but only found their Lipglass "Liquid Passion" interesting.

You see, I HATE lip gloss. I don't like its stickiness, the shininess, the gloop that gathers around the mouth of the container, and most of all the hair to mouth attraction that gives me a long mustache. The list goes on. However, I've heard good things about MACs lipglasses and have always wanted a milky nude gloss to accompany my lipsticks.

The color payoff of this gloss is amazing! I didn't know it was possible for a lip gloss to be that pigmented and sheer out my lip color with such ease. Liquid Passion seems like a beige/milk gloss that makes my lips look pouty and full without venturing on fourth grade glitter gloss territory.

Liquid Passion is Limited Edition and is a tad more expensive than their normal lipglass pricing. I will do a more in depth review later.

The second color I picked up is a drugstore lipstick: Milani lipstick #14 in Rose Hip. This color is bright but not too bright and best of all, smells like Jolly Ranchers! It's very moisturizing on the lips. I would describe it as a bright pink that's very creamy in texture.

---

When layered together, these two create a lovely pouty pink look that reminds me of candy or juice. I've created a FOTD look with the layered lip products and a very strong brow. The final look tutorial will be on YouTube within the week.

Products on the mug:Face: Studio Fix in C5 (Finally, I am tanner!)
Milani Blush in Luminoso
E.L.F. Makeup Setting Spray

Eyes: Aqua brow in 25
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
Maybelline Mascara The Rocket
Revlon Colorstay eyeliner in black and brown

Lips: Aquaphor
Milani Lipstick in Rose Hip
MAC lipglass in Liquid Passion

Trust me, this look takes less than 5 minutes to go and you look fresh and awakened from your vampire slumber enough to venture out into the summer sun.

What's your fav drugstore lipstick brand?

-Be