NEW Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

I'm so STOKED to talk about this mascara. Luckily because of my work I was able to try this out several weeks before the launch date. I had an amazing first impression that I've maintained since my first use!

To give you all some background, I am NOT a high-end mascara girl; in fact, I've told clients over the past two years not to spend money on mascara and to invest money elsewhere. I haven't found one perfect drugstore mascara but I get amazing results from layering them, and I'd rather buy two mascaras for under $10 than buy one "okay" $30 mascara.

PROS:
The packaging is pretty cute and classic Benefit. I'm not crazy about the entire tube design, but the wand top is adorably designed to look like an old-school hair roller. The formula is so awesome- it's lightweight but I still get awesome length and volume from one coat without it feeling spikey or flaking. If you run your fingers over your lashes once they're dry, they still feel fluffy and soft! I'm still so stunned that I liked a high-end mascara, but the results were just too amazing and it is SO much better than the They're Real mascara!

CONS:
Okay, yes, I did just say I like the packaging. The design is cute but the material however, is not. The pink wand top is rubber, which may not seem like a problem, but rubberized packaging picks up dirt and makeup from wherever you take it so easily and quickly makes it look dingy and gross (COUGH, COUGH NARS). Also, ugh, that price tag. $24 for a mascara is so painful for me and I cringe at it still, but it's just so damn good :(

IS IT WORTH IT?:
If you can afford it, YES! As I mentioned, I hate that I love this mascara but it's such an amazing all around mascara and it has really cut my makeup routine time down because I know longer spend 5 minutes caking on layers and layers of mascara. If you really can't justify the price tag enough to buy it, keep an eye out for Sephora's Friends & Family sales when you can get 20% off! This mascara launches in Sephora stores February 27th.


*All photos are my own and this post was not sponsored*

John Frieda Colour Refreshing Gloss- Cool Red

If you're a fake redhead like myself, it's no secret that red hair is one of the most difficult hair colors to upkeep. The red dye pigments are bigger than most colors which makes it not only harder to blend but harder to keep it adhered to your hair cuticles. For the past 2 summers I've bleached my hair; the first summer I was blonde and this past summer I was blonde again before going lavender. Unfortunately, this has caused the most damage I've EVER had that still isn't completely fixed, even months later. One of the biggest problems I've had is the bottom half of my hair; all of the bleaching and processing has shredded my hair cuticles (even after haircuts) to the point where they will not reseal. This is my biggest issue when it comes to keeping my hair red.

Almost a week after re-dying my hair, the bottom will fade so badly that if I put my hair on top of my head in a bun, I can see a side by side comparison of the auburn roots and the light brown ends. As a result of the damage of my own making, I've been trying to be extra careful when it comes to taking care of my hair over the last few months, especially since I plan to go lavender again this spring...don't judge me.

A common tip I've seen/read about is color glossing; glosses are supposed to refresh color without damaging your hair like a dye does. Since I keep my hair red and that's already such a difficult color to manage on it's own- never mind my cuticle problem, I was all about trying a gloss out. One of the first search results I found was the John Frieda gloss; I swear I'd walked past this product 1,000 times and never looked at it twice before. Although it retails for about $12 (which is pricey for the drugstore in my opinion) I figured it would be cheaper than going to a salon or trying to find a salon-equivalent product.

I ended up totally hating this stuff- it dried my hair out even WORSE! I definitely would never recommend this to anyone. Not only do you have to use a ton of it which ultimately limits your amount of uses per bottle, but it didn't even leave any color in my hair...just more damage.

The reason why I still wanted to talk about this is because I am open to ALL suggestions! I'm getting so frustrated with the bottom half of my hair that over the course of the next month I'll be amping up my research and trying products until I find a routine that WORKS. I've been looking into cuticle sealers from Sally's Beauty Supply and read some positive reviews about Redken's Shades EQ Hair Color Gloss, so if anyone has a personal testimonial about these or anything else, please let me know! I'll come back and update my blog as I make my discoveries!

*the picture in this post came from google; post was not sponsored and all opinions are my own*

On Trend: Makeup Removing Cleansers and Oils

First and foremost: do not let the word "oil" scare you. It used to make me nervous, but I always cross check ingredients with the non-comedogenic list on acne.org and I haven't experienced any issues! Lets be honest, makeup wipes suck. Yes, there are "good" ones and there are terrible ones, but no matter what I have never heard anyone ever talk about a makeup wipe that has legitimately and effortlessly removed ALL of the makeup off of their face (mascara and all!) I'm over spending money on the makeup wipes, and then liquid eye makeup remover to get the remaining black swan eyes off, and the cotton pads I need to use it with, and then the cleansers to remove all the oily residue. It's too much effort to accomplish one goal- ain't nobody got time for that!!! I've been searching for one product that I can use to easily get the job done, and I've formed some definite opinions on both drugstore and high end products.

Drugstore Cleansers/Oils- Garnier

All of my drugstore selections are from Garnier because I believe they've been producing the most competitive makeup removing cleansers and oils that you can get at the drugstore. As far as I've seen, they were the first drugstore brand to put out a makeup removing oil. Since its release about a year ago, they've expanded their line of products to include a lotion cleanser and a cream cleanser.

Garnier Clean+Nourishing Cleansing Oil

This is the product that scared me the most because it just looks like straight up vegetable oil. BUT, don't be afraid because of the skin myths out there. The first ingredient is mineral oil. This is not a pore clogging oil. Also- this is a cleanser- it goes on and immediately comes off,  so if you're still concerned, know that the oils wont stay on your skin like a moisturizer, they rinse off clean and you should still follow with your regular cleanser after rinsing the makeup off. Another major oil in this is jojoba oil which is AWESOME! Jojoba oil is one of the best things you could possibly use to moisturize your face without clogging pores. Jojoba is also expensive which is probably the biggest contributor to the cost of this product, but it's still s cheaper alternative than the pure oil. 

I use about three pumps and apply it with DRY hands on a DRY face- definitely do not get water involved yet. I spend most of my time rubbing my lashes to work the mascara off and once my face is covered I rinse it off. 

My biggest peeve with this product is how it leaves my eyes. Even after rinsing the oil makes my vision foggy and I sometimes get these weird emulsified strings of black makeup in my eye. I also will admit that I can tend to have some eye makeup leftover under my eyes that doesn't rinse off easily and will cause me to use a towel or a makeup wipe. However, this stuff really does cut through my heavy eye makeup and even when it doesn't remove everything, it softens my chunky mascara and makes it easier to get off. I don't love the price- it's usually around $8 but is sometimes on sale around $6. I just think I need to use too many pumps and sometimes additional products to justify how quickly it runs out. It has a nice scent, leaves little residue, and is awesome compared to what's available at the drugstore, but overall it's not the best thing in existence.

Garnier Clean+Sensitive Skin Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser

I was really stoked to find this new display at my Target because I never knew they were releasing more products! The lotion cleanser is designed for sensitive skin and is free of fragrance, alcohol, dye, and oil. Unfortunately, this was my least favorite product of the three I tried. It removes face makeup really well; I could see the foundation coming off as soon as I started rubbing the cleanser around my face. However, this product sucks with eye makeup; it barely removes mascara or eyeliner yet it claims it can remove waterproof mascara...yeah right. The term "lotion" also made me surprised by the consistency of the product. It's not like a thick body lotion but more of a thin lotion that feels more like a gel. I think this could be a big reason why the cleanser doesn't remove eye makeup well and I just wouldn't repurchase it again.

Garnier Clean+Smoothing Cream Cleanser

THIS, THIS, THIS!!! SO MUCH YASSSS!!! I have found the holy grail product people! This product is AWESOME because it combines the same moisturizing properties of the Garnier oil, but in a cream form. This is not like the lotion cleanser- it's much thicker, even more like a lotion, and actually does turn into a cleanser. Not only does it remove everything COMPLETELY but I feel like I'm not wasting product like I was with the oil. The oil required me to use several pumps and because it's a liquid I often felt like I was spilling a ton of it from my hands when I was trying to get it on my face. The cream is thick enough to dissolve my mascara but still lets me get away with using about a quarter-sized amount because adding water foams the products up and helps rinse everything completely clean. I'm gonna go ahead and say what I probably shouldn't say- this is an IDEAL product for those nights when you stumble home drunk and are too tired to go through your skin routine (lol). It removes all your makeup, helps cleanse your skin, and leaves it soft and slightly moisturized from the jojoba oil. I wouldn't suggest skipping your routine every night, but when you're feeling lazy, this stuff is awesome. I was really amazed that I didn't have any eye makeup remaining after rinsing and I will probably never buy another remover or wipe because of my love for this product!

High End Oil Removers- PurMinerals and Bliss

I'm prefacing this post by saying don't spend your money on expensive removers. I won't go into as much detail on these products because I'm not endorsing them, especially after expressing my thoughts on the Garnier Cream Cleanser. 

PurMinerals Melt Away Makeup Emulsifier

I tried this product because Ulta was doing a 50% off sale on PurMinerals skin care and I've really enjoyed their products in the past. However, while I was shopping on Amazon I saw the product for the same sale price and I'll take any opportunity I can to avoid shopping at Ulta; always check Amazon, they typically offer lower prices than retailers (the original price is $23). This product is okay but overpriced- it only works a little bit better than the Garnier oil and is 3x the price. It's also overpoweringly scented and gave me the same problems of feeling wasteful as the Garnier product did.

Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt Gel-to-Oil Cleanser

This stuff is better than the PurMinerals product because it starts as a gel and is easier to apply to my skin but it still doesn't remove as well as the Garnier Cream Cleanser. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible product- it does remove a fair amount of makeup but the fact that I still have some remaining eye makeup left under my eyes makes it DEFINITELY not worth the $28 price point. There's no contest against the Garnier Cream Cleanser, so save your money and hit a Walgreens before trying these overpriced time wasters!

*This post was not sponsered; all photos except for the bliss photo and the garnier oil photo are my own*

New NYX Products: Wonder Stick, Correcting and Contour Concealer Palette, and Wicked Lippies!

Tons of brands have been releasing new products because of the change of the season, but NYX always catches my eye because of their generally good quality products and extremely low prices. I know that the Wonder Stick has been out for a while but it took my Ulta months to get it. When I went to pick it up I was immediately drawn in by their new "Wicked Lippies," which are jewel toned lipsticks. Disclaimer: they're not every day wearable lipsticks, but they are a line of crazy metallic colors and I really thought they were beautiful. Now, do I know when I'll actually wear it? No, but I wanted to add something new to my collection. To this day I still haven't heard anyone mention their new "Conceal, Correct, Contour Palette" and since I've now tried a fair share of contour products, I thought I'd go ahead and give it a test run. Each product will be discussed individually below with the link attached in headings :)

NYX Wonder Stick

This was hands down the best product of the bunch. It's that perfect kind of crayon-like shape so it's extremely easy to draw in the exact spaces where you want your contour and your highlight. I do wish they were slightly more pigmented but because they aren't, you can blend it out easily and build up the amount of product as desired. This is definitely and ideal product for beginners who want to start learning the basics of contouring. You could blend it out with your fingers or a sponge, but I preferred my E.L.F. small stipple brush. The price point is a little high in my opinion, not only for the drugstore but for NYX, but if you're okay with $12, they offer four different shades and I feel like the product will not only last a decent time, but it'll be a great self-teaching tool.

NYX 3C Conceal, Correct, Contour Palette

I'm not even going to waste my time going into a lot of detail on this palette. Two words: GLUE. STICK. That's what this feels like! You can even see how thick they are in my swatches! I tried my fingers, brushes, and my beauty blender- nothing blends these sticky concealers out and it will show on your face. They threw the word "contour" in to be on makeup trend, but not much about this palette is good for contouring. They put the basic color correcting concealers in the palette but don't be expect to correct anything on your face as these concealers crease, settle in lines, and are completely un-blendable! $12 could've happily been spent elsewhere; two thumbs WAY down.

NYX Wicked Lippie

On a happier note, this lipstick was pretty good. I'm obsessed with the shade I picked up (Envy) and I think the pigmentation is decent for the price point. It's not as easy to tell on my swatches but it does take several layers to get the full pigmentation of the blue. It has a comfortable glossy finish that is lightweight but can definitely feel a little heavier with the layers. It's not the perfect staining, long-lasting, all-day wear lipstick, but it's a fair quality lipstick if you want to add something fun to your collection!

*This post was not sponsored and all photos are my own

Eye Drops vs. Laura Geller Shadow Shifter

If you're familiar with eyeshadow pigments, you've probably heard about using eye drops to liquify and intensify the pigment you're working with. I've done it many times before in the past but it seems like every Youtuber I watch mentions that you can use eye drops but then they proceed to use some other mixing medium; this always made me wonder if eye drops were really the best thing to use to get the strongest pigmentation. A few months ago I found a duo pack of the Laura Geller Shadow Shifter on clearance at Ulta for about $8 so I decided to get it and try something new. I've been practicing with it for several weeks now and I've included swatches for both high end and drugstore pigments so everyone can see how they compare!

PROS:

These drops definitely work. As you can see, I got a much more pigmented swatch from liquifying the pigment with these drops. Surprisingly, the drugstore pigments were harder to remove with the drops than the MAC ones! I can also completely testify to the fact that this product did not make my shadows crease. I always get nervous putting any wet products on my eyes but this product really did seal everything in. I can't say they were waterproof because I didn't jump in a pool or anything with it on but it did hold up extremely well on my eyes for several hours.

CONS:

Balance. If you don't get the ratio of drops to pigment just right when mixing it, it can be a disaster. You can even see in my Maybelline swatch that the product looked chunky in some parts- I left this in the picture intentionally to show how that can happen. I used the same amounts when mixing all my swatches yet not all of them turned out perfectly smooth; this is a common risk I've found with the product which makes me feel like the turnout will be unpredictable every time. *ALSO* my biggest issue with these had to do with layering. Many people get their brush wet then dip it directly in the pigment and apply it; this was impossible to do as the application was incredibly uneven. I always mix it on the back of my hand first and then apply it to my eyes. Occasionally I would need to go back in and pick up more pigment to get the full intensity on my eyes and THIS is where it can really turn to shit. I did this one of my MAC pigments that isn't featured and the second application of pigment completely chunked up on my eye and then removed it completely! I was not swiping with my brush I was patting it on and I still had this problem- it completely ruined my look that night and I was not happy!

IS IT WORTH IT?

Ahem, do you see the differences between the eye drop swatches and the shadow shifter ones? NO! Almost all the swatches both drugstore and MAC were equally as pigmented with both drops! The only differences I really saw were in the MAC pigments; Kitschmas went on just a little bit smoother with the shadow shifter, and Push the Edge actually went on too dark in my opinion- the eye drops pulled a much more wearable purple and showed off it's slight duo-chrome much better. Bottom line, if you can find them on clearance I would say give them a shot and see if it helps waterproof your makeup (especially in the summer months). If you can't find them on sale, HELL NO! These retail for $17-$20 and there's no way I would EVER advise anyone to spend that kind of money on these. Eye drops are like $4 so I'd go that direction. Also note that I included the swatches after two swipes of a makeup wipe below and the eye drops held up pretty much as well as the shadow shifter drops!

*this post was not sponsored and all photos are my own*

Buxom Full Bodied Lipsticks

Buxom as a brand seems to be greatly underrated. I myself am guilty of often passing the isle in Sephora and heading for the big brands I'm familiar with. While I still haven't tested many of their products, I have been playing with a few lipsticks and they may be one of my favorite formulas to date! The first one I tried was the shade Exhibitionist, which is what sparked my love affair. The color wore for several hours without fading and was so comfortable I forgot I had it on. Buxom came out with a mini set for the holidays at Sephora and it recently went on sale (click here). I've had the set for a few weeks now so I felt like after testing several shades I had a final opinion.

There are a ton of reasons why the formula for these lipsticks are amazing; to start, they feel SO good on! The lipstick is super hydrating and helps make it wear comfortably on my lips. I also get a great amount of wear time before I need to reapply it. Even the application is easy- I didn't feel like I absolutely needed a lip-liner and I barely even needed a mirror! You get so much pigmentation that you really only need one swipe of the lipstick for it to look awesome.

Nudist: Nudist unfortunately was not my favorite. It is a pretty peachy-nude color, but it almost seems to go on much more sheer than other shades. I had to put on several swipes to get the color to show up.

Exhibitionist: I don't have it anymore but I'll be getting a new tube soon FOR SURE! It's hard to explain because the bright fuchsia color looks pretty basic, but I swear it's the first one I've worn and felt like it was completely flattering on me. I definitely think it would look great on all skin tones!

Dolly: Dolly was one of the colors I owned before getting the mini set and I truly love it. It's a deep mauvey-pink and it's a really great color to wear when a nude is too light and a dark color is too dramatic.

Provocateur: I LOVE this red! It's a true blue-based red and I feel like it's really flattering for my skin tone and girls who usually have a hard time finding the right red.

The only downside I've found about these lipsticks is the price point. It's $21 a lipstick, but I honestly feel like the little bit you need per use will help it last extremely long. Also, I don't believe this line has a shade without a glossy finish but Buxom carries other products and matte formulas.

*this post was not sponsored and all photos are my own*

ColourPop Haul and Review!

I don't know if it's addiction, obsession, or maybe a little bit of both, but I know I reached a new level when I swatched everything in this haul and was immediately tempted to get online and place another order. Many people haven't heard of ColourPop, and until recently, I hadn't either. As a part-time beauty Instagram stalker, I started noticing there were tons of pictures of their products and soon after that, one of my favorite Youtuber's, LustreLux, started incorporating some of the shadows into her looks and a favorite's video. After all the hype and talk about how odd the texture of their eye-shadows are, I decided to place an order.

Here's some background info about ColourPop:

• Website: www.colourpop.com
• They sell eye-shadow singles. They don't make palettes because the texture of the shadow will dry out if it's de-potted. For you Z-Palette girls, sorry bout it.
• Almost every shadow you order will be glittery UNLESS you order from their recently launched matte collection.
• They also sell lipstick and lip-liner, or as they call it "lippie stix" and pencils. Every shade of lipstick has a corresponding pencil!
• EVERY INDIVIDUAL PRODUCT IS $5. Do you hear the choir singing?
• You only need a $30 minimum for free shipping and if you sign up for the newsletter you get $5 off... aka a free product, so do dis.

To get a well-rounded idea of ColourPop I ordered five eye-shadows and two lippie stix; here's how it went.

Okay can I just say I immediately fell in love with ColourPop before I even opened my products? Do you see that note in the top left corner? That is a handwritten thank you note from ColourPop. Like what? I so appreciate the care and personalization they took from both a business and a consumer standpoint. Those other two cards are details about some of their ingredients. finishes, tips for application, and upkeep of the products. Again, I love them so much for this!!!

SUPER SHOCK SHADOWS:
The biggest hype and reputation for these shadows is the texture; I've heard everything from creamy feeling, to foam, to satiny velvet. My interpretation is that they feel sort of like a cream but almost oilier. I don't want the word "oily" to turn anyone off because they set to a powder and I haven't experienced a creasing problem! Another amazing thing is that despite most of these being intensely glittery, I've experienced NO FALLOUT!

POP ROCKS:

This is the color that inspired my order. I literally checked my shipping confirmation every single day because I couldn't wait to see how this shadow works. They call it a tie-dye shadow because it has several colors speckled together and when you swatch it, they all come together and make a really gorgeous and unique shade. This one has baby pink, blue, lavender, and a ton of glitter. When I swatch it I get this amazing periwinkle sort of duo-chrome looking color that shows all of its depth as you move in different light. It makes me think of the Lizzie McGuire movie when she wears her big custom gown at the end that rips of into pants and crop top. If I had wound up hating every other product in this haul (which I don't) it would have been worth it for this color alone.

KRINKLE:

CALLING ALL MERMAIDS! I'm so happy with this color, it's exactly how I imagined it would be. It can tend to photograph almost like a gunmetal grey but it's actually this beautiful blueish teal duo-chrome glittery color that just makes me think instant mermaid. Easily my second favorite of the bunch.

SLAVE2PINK

No other word to describe this but Barbie. The pictures do no justice. It's a hot pink with undertones of blue and so much glitter that it's hard to think I would buy such a girly color, but it's so BEAUTIFUL! This shade however is where the confusion starts. This one is technically labeled as a pressed pigment; I don't know what the technical difference is but it seems that only the fluorescent shades qualify as pigments. Additionally, in super fine print on the label I noticed that it says "not for eye area" and it's mentioned in the details on the website. What? How do you make a pressed pigment on a site that mainly sells eye-shadows and then they list you shouldn't put it on your eyes? Where am I supposed to put it? They don't include a reason which makes me concerned as to what may happen if I do put it on my eyes, although I seriously doubt it's serious. This color also surprisingly stains! I don't see this negatively, I think it's a perk to its longevity but I wont know until I wear it on my eyes.

SHAMELESS

Unfortunately, Shameless was kind of a bummer for me. Don't get me wrong, it's still a stunning color, but it tends to pull a little different from how it looks in the pot. My camera really struggled to pick this color up accurately, but it's basically a really deep forest green with an almost lime green duo-chrome from the blue and gold glitter that's inside it. What I don't love about it is that I feel like there's almost a black in the background that make this swatch so incredibly dark and make the green aspect almost secondary. I'm going to keep playing with it and see how it looks on a white base but overall, it's not my favorite of the colors.

MEOW

Meow is f***ing right! This was another tie-dye shadow I was stoked to test out. The specks of color include a mix of pinks and greys and when blended together you get an almost indescribable color. It's like a silvery-pinkish-lavendery color. Yeah, fail. But it's beautiful and that's what matters.

At $5 a shadow these really are a steal and a completely unique formula that is worth trying and having in your collection. I've never even been much of a glitter girl and I'm already trying to buy out half of the store! While some of the shadows usually needed about 2 coats to get its full payoff, they are ridiculously pigmented and gorgeous. They have worked best for me as a lid color and I get the strongest effect just using my finger but I plan to try more and more and test out how the blending works. I can't wait to place my next order, ColourPop has a new customer for life.

*OH AND BTW, these are the swatches after three swipes of a makeup wipe!!! UHM, HELLO!!!*

LIPPIE STIX:
I didn't know as much about the lip products before ordering them, which is why I only purchased two. I LOVE that they have a huge range of wearable shades in addition to pastels and crazy colors! I wanted to broaden my collection so I tried something completely different; I got a black, and a purple.

BULLCHIC:

First of all, I love the name. ColourPop has an edgier dialogue and style and I think it's humorous and entertaining! Bullchic is a matte finish black lipstick and I have mixed feelings. I don't own another black lipstick so I don't have much to compare it to but I felt like it could have been a little bit more pigmented. It's still a great color payoff but I need to do about two swipes to get full opaque color. I also don't think this is matte whatsoever. It's not glossy, but it's definitely not matte. Added plus, these lipsticks smell like warm vanilla sugar spray from Bath & Body Works.

GRIND:

I'm really, really pleased with Grind! It's really difficult for me to pull of a purple but it makes me optimistic. I also felt like when I applied it lightly and blotted it, it was a gorgeous violet-magenta and I adored it. However, once again, I don't see how this is a matte. This one applied less shiny than Bullchic but I would say it's a demi-matte at best.

Overall the lip colors are really comfortable and pigmented! I'm SO happy that it's a skinny lipstick, especially since they sell some crazy colors. All the lip crayons and lip markers are on the market and I'm just like, this is why people are intimidated by lip products! Think about it, would you use a paint roller on a coloring book? NO! The skinnier size and the sharp tip make it so easy to apply your lipstick without getting it all over your face or even needing a lip-liner.


*this post was not sponsored (as much as I might wish that it was) and all pictures are my own*