I grabbed up a sample of this at the dollar store and it just sat for a few months waiting for me to try it. It looked a little scary both because it's in a pot and because of the baby pink color. After having finally pushed myself to try it though I can honestly say I am going to love it. It made my foundation stay on all night at work, despite working in a warehouse with no climate control and it being summer. And to me that's a huge feat!
This primer stood up to sweat and heat, and I came out looking the same as I walked in. I got a ton of compliments on how wonderful my makeup looked, and how natural my foundation appeared. The primer melted into the skin beautifully, had no color, and was a nice silicone texture to grab onto and hold makeup in place. Though the tub looks small it claimed to have 3 weeks of use inside, and with how little I have to use in order to cover my entire face I certainly believe it.
The sample size is .17 ounces of product and is approximately the size of a Maybelline color tattoo. The full size is .5 ounces and is still in pot form. It has a beautiful silky texture and a whipped feeling. It glides onto the skin easily and blends out beautifully. I love that it has no color so that it doesn't change the tone of my skin before my foundation application. It claims to keep the skin matte and minimize pores with lightweight coverage and keep skin looking great all day. I don't particularly care about whether it keeps my skin matte since I have dry skin, but I did like that it minimized the occasionally shiny and oily spots I can get when I am hot or in the sun. It didn't feel like I was wearing makeup like some silicone based products can make it feel heavy on the skin. I struggle with a lot of texture particularly on the tops of my cheeks where my highlighter goes and on my nose where I have larger pores and lots of blackheads, but I did notice that my nose pores were camouflaged much better than usual, and I didn't notice much texture on my cheeks until I applied highlighter.
I'm extremely impressed with the weartime this primer gave me, especially in the heat of my workplace. I will definitely be using this more and maybe even purchasing a full size after I get through my elf hydrating primer.
My only problem with the product is the packaging because it's not all that sanitary when you have to stick your fingers in the entire pot of product, however I will either depot it into a pump canister, or I will use a disposable spatula to get the product out and onto my mixing palette before application.
Stay Flawless and Beautiful!
BNB
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Hourglass Ambient Powder: Holy Grail?
I wanted to give the Ambient Lighting powders a try since I have dry skin, and I'm trying to embrace the more dewy and glowy look with my makeup to give myself some life. I'm fully in love with the way the Reserve Your Cabana bronzer makes my skin look when dusted all over as the Ambient powders should be, so will it be replaced or will it hold it's own against the higher end product?
And the answers is! It holds its own. I'm excited to be using the Ambient powder (I have dim light, by the way), but I don't feel like it's a necessity in my collection. It gives a nice radiance, but the Wet and Wild one does a little more and has a slightly yellow tone that I prefer to the pinker tone of the Dim Light. Maybe next I will try the more yellow toned Ambient powder.
The Ambient powder is very finely milled which sits much less noticeably on the skin, but I don't so much find that the Wet and Wild powder sits all that noticeably either, they're very smooth and buttery and blend well into the skin. It doesn't affect the color of foundation applied under it when put on, but gives a slight luminous look to the skin when the light hits it right.
I do like this powder, but with such an affordable product at the drug store that is so close to it, I'm not sure it's worth the price for a full size powder. Maybe if I get the palette it will be more worth it to me with a range of shades to play with. It's definitely made it to the top shelf with the Wet and Wild bronzer, and I use them both interchangeably.
Stay Flawless and Beautiful Girls!
BNB
And the answers is! It holds its own. I'm excited to be using the Ambient powder (I have dim light, by the way), but I don't feel like it's a necessity in my collection. It gives a nice radiance, but the Wet and Wild one does a little more and has a slightly yellow tone that I prefer to the pinker tone of the Dim Light. Maybe next I will try the more yellow toned Ambient powder.
The Ambient powder is very finely milled which sits much less noticeably on the skin, but I don't so much find that the Wet and Wild powder sits all that noticeably either, they're very smooth and buttery and blend well into the skin. It doesn't affect the color of foundation applied under it when put on, but gives a slight luminous look to the skin when the light hits it right.
I do like this powder, but with such an affordable product at the drug store that is so close to it, I'm not sure it's worth the price for a full size powder. Maybe if I get the palette it will be more worth it to me with a range of shades to play with. It's definitely made it to the top shelf with the Wet and Wild bronzer, and I use them both interchangeably.
Stay Flawless and Beautiful Girls!
BNB
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Liquid Metal Eyes
For my birthday I stopped at Ulta and bought myself two of the Catrice Liquid Metal eyeshadows because I absolutely love having super shimmery colors for the lid and the swatches were to die for. I bought 80 Making Mauves and 100 What Do You Sea?.
They're very a very soft and buttery texture. They have great pigmentation. The price doesn't break the bank. And they have a super shimmery finish as well. Or at least one of them does. Number 80 is a beautiful muted purple that has a truly stunning metallic quality to it, however the other one seems to have more of a slight glitter to it moreso than the shimmer. I'm not a huge fan of the quilting and ridges that are in the powder, but the product itself is very good. I hope to pick up the other neutral shades soon, but I think I may end up passing on the green-blue shade (What Do You Sea?) because I don't know how much use it will get from me, but I will keep it for a while and see.
I wore these for an entire work day and they stayed put despite the conditions I work under. I had no trouble applying them with either a brush or my fingers, though I prefer a dense eye brush when I use them. These are some of the smoothest eyeshadows I have seen at the drugstore, and I love the metallic finish. I often use the Mauve one to highlight my inner corner and give it a pop of color (when I'm not using Pink Champagne from ABH, that is). For the price, these shadows can't be beaten, and their similarity to the Bella Eyes line from Milani is spot on in my opinion. I love both lines, however Milani has far more colors.
Stay beautiful Ladies!
BNB
They're very a very soft and buttery texture. They have great pigmentation. The price doesn't break the bank. And they have a super shimmery finish as well. Or at least one of them does. Number 80 is a beautiful muted purple that has a truly stunning metallic quality to it, however the other one seems to have more of a slight glitter to it moreso than the shimmer. I'm not a huge fan of the quilting and ridges that are in the powder, but the product itself is very good. I hope to pick up the other neutral shades soon, but I think I may end up passing on the green-blue shade (What Do You Sea?) because I don't know how much use it will get from me, but I will keep it for a while and see.
I wore these for an entire work day and they stayed put despite the conditions I work under. I had no trouble applying them with either a brush or my fingers, though I prefer a dense eye brush when I use them. These are some of the smoothest eyeshadows I have seen at the drugstore, and I love the metallic finish. I often use the Mauve one to highlight my inner corner and give it a pop of color (when I'm not using Pink Champagne from ABH, that is). For the price, these shadows can't be beaten, and their similarity to the Bella Eyes line from Milani is spot on in my opinion. I love both lines, however Milani has far more colors.
Stay beautiful Ladies!
BNB
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Frugal Flop: Beauty Treats Lip Scrub
I snatched this up at Five Below during the end of winter to help cope with dry lips when my Elf Lip Exfoliator was too harsh for me. Its in a squeeze tube, so it's nice for sanitary application and travel. The formula was much softer and gentler than the Elf one, but still worked well enough to get the job done.
It was claimed to be mango scented, but it has a rather soapy smell and taste to it which is unfortunate and somewhat disgusting. On the tube it also proclaims that it is all natural and no animal testing was done, but for the price of the product as well as the fact it was manufactured in Taiwan I am not so sure I believe these claims. Also, the mango label is a sticker, so it could be very easily mixed up with another scent on accident, which isn't all together terrible, but could explain the smell of the product. Finally, it states in the directions that the product should be removed with a washcloth or washed off the lips, which doesn't speak to the product being all natural in my mind, but it still may be.
I'm about a third of the way done the tube, and will be finishing it up, but I think I will find another scrub to use once this one is done. I still stand by my Elf exfoliator, but it's often to harsh for my always dry and peeling lips. Because of the smell and taste of this product alone it was a complete flop. I'll finish it because it's not horrible, but I don't see myself rushing out to buy it a second time.
Stay Healthy, And Beautiful!
BNB
It was claimed to be mango scented, but it has a rather soapy smell and taste to it which is unfortunate and somewhat disgusting. On the tube it also proclaims that it is all natural and no animal testing was done, but for the price of the product as well as the fact it was manufactured in Taiwan I am not so sure I believe these claims. Also, the mango label is a sticker, so it could be very easily mixed up with another scent on accident, which isn't all together terrible, but could explain the smell of the product. Finally, it states in the directions that the product should be removed with a washcloth or washed off the lips, which doesn't speak to the product being all natural in my mind, but it still may be.
I'm about a third of the way done the tube, and will be finishing it up, but I think I will find another scrub to use once this one is done. I still stand by my Elf exfoliator, but it's often to harsh for my always dry and peeling lips. Because of the smell and taste of this product alone it was a complete flop. I'll finish it because it's not horrible, but I don't see myself rushing out to buy it a second time.
Stay Healthy, And Beautiful!
BNB
Monday, July 11, 2016
Better Than Sex or Mega Effects?
The review you've all been waiting for is here. The verdict is in!
I can't say I hate the Better Than Sex mascara, but I have a lot of problems with it when I look at it and its packaging in comparison to my ride or die drugstore mascara.
My Mega Effects mascara from Avon completely blows my mind. It gives me the best volume, length and curl I have ever seen for a drugstore mascara that's only 10 bucks. The wand was terrifying looking at first, but after a few cautious applications I am completely in love, and it is absolutely effortless. The handle bends so that you can apply it from whatever angle makes it easiest for you, and the wand it three dimensional with longer rows of bristles faded to shorter ones towards the ends. The formula is very liquid-y which I think helps it to apply smoothly and avoid clumping. The black part of the tube where all the product is is pliable so the product gets low you can get the most of the it out by squeezing it. I have a little bit of trouble with transfer while the product is wet, but once it sets it is almost impossible to remove without an oil based remover which is awesome. When waiting for the product to dry I usually just hold something under my eye to help keep transfer from getting on my face, but it's easily removable.
The amount of times I have stabbed myself in the eye with the wacky bristles on this wand is far too high. It's not a day with this mascara until I've poked my eye out at least once while using it. I've got a lot of problems with this mascara, but the formula is not one of them. It's the perfect consistency, and lasts all day, but I did have some issues with transfer over the course of the day where it smudged on my lower lashline. The bristles on the brush aren't nearly as straight as they are in the picture, and the curve is so minute in the wand that it's hardly noticeable and does little good to help with application. I know people rave about this mascara, so please don't hate me, but this is not one of my favorite formulas, and for the price of a full size I can't see myself being willing to shell out the dough to get another tube.
I can't say I hate the Better Than Sex mascara, but I have a lot of problems with it when I look at it and its packaging in comparison to my ride or die drugstore mascara.
My Mega Effects mascara from Avon completely blows my mind. It gives me the best volume, length and curl I have ever seen for a drugstore mascara that's only 10 bucks. The wand was terrifying looking at first, but after a few cautious applications I am completely in love, and it is absolutely effortless. The handle bends so that you can apply it from whatever angle makes it easiest for you, and the wand it three dimensional with longer rows of bristles faded to shorter ones towards the ends. The formula is very liquid-y which I think helps it to apply smoothly and avoid clumping. The black part of the tube where all the product is is pliable so the product gets low you can get the most of the it out by squeezing it. I have a little bit of trouble with transfer while the product is wet, but once it sets it is almost impossible to remove without an oil based remover which is awesome. When waiting for the product to dry I usually just hold something under my eye to help keep transfer from getting on my face, but it's easily removable.
Stay Beautiful and enjoy the summer heat!
BNB
Saturday, July 9, 2016
CoverGirl Lash Blast
Over the years of wearing makeup I've tried both the Lash Blast Fusion, and now the Lash Blast Volume in the new waterproof formula. Now, I used to absolutely swear by the Fusion formula, and I haven't tried it very recently, but the last tube I used up was my favorite mascara for a long time. However, after trying to love the volumizing formula that is waterproof I am not at all impressed.
I have had more trouble with my top and bottom lashes sticking together than I can even explain. And it is just at random throughout the day too. For instance, I will be at work on my computer and one time I blink my lashes will get stuck and I will have to blink a billion times and brush my lashes with my finger in order to get them unstuck. And the formula doesn't lay smoothly no matter how hard I try and how careful I am. It creates good volume but it is clumpy no matter how new it is. The brush in my opinion is far too big and the bristles are far too small for it to distribute the product in an effective manner.
I have mascaras that I love both the formula and applicator of, and this is not one of them. This is a total pass, and I will not be buying it again. This tacky formula is a total No Go for me.
Keep them lashes fabulous, and Stay Beautiful Ladies!
BNB
I have had more trouble with my top and bottom lashes sticking together than I can even explain. And it is just at random throughout the day too. For instance, I will be at work on my computer and one time I blink my lashes will get stuck and I will have to blink a billion times and brush my lashes with my finger in order to get them unstuck. And the formula doesn't lay smoothly no matter how hard I try and how careful I am. It creates good volume but it is clumpy no matter how new it is. The brush in my opinion is far too big and the bristles are far too small for it to distribute the product in an effective manner.
I have mascaras that I love both the formula and applicator of, and this is not one of them. This is a total pass, and I will not be buying it again. This tacky formula is a total No Go for me.
Keep them lashes fabulous, and Stay Beautiful Ladies!
BNB
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Bonus: Behind the Times
So I know I'm behind the curve on this one, but I picked up a few of the Star War/ Covergirl collab lipsticks on clearance the other day at Walmart. I picked up 10, 20 and 40; the silver, lilac, and orange shades. I'm by far the most in love with the orange, but they're all great and unique shades.
I have a few qualms with this product, and I know almost everyone has mentioned them... the packaging is nothing special, and the whole collaboration was completely unimaginative. But all in all the colors that weren't part of the regular line were great. My biggest issue with the lipsticks themselves aside from packaging was definitely pigmentation... it takes a lot of work to get color out of all of these shades, and even when you get color they're not particularly opaque. This is especially true for the silver color (10), which I had high hopes for a shimmery grey lipstick and I ended up not loving it in the least.
I absolutely love the metallic nature of the shades though, and the the gold-toned orange was a total must have for me. Honestly, I was shocked to even find these in a store, because every time I went looking for them they were all sold out except for the red and the dark purple, which are boring and probably comparable to shades in their permanent line. They're super creamy and comfortable and the weartime is comparable to other lipsticks in the drugstore. The glitter isn't chunky or gritty when you rub your lips together like some shimmery drugstore products can be.
While I remain unimpressed by the packaging and creativity with such a landmark collaboration, I enjoy two of three shades I purchased enough to call these products a fave. Though I think only the orange has earned its place on the top shelf of the lipstick cabinet, because I just can't get enough of it.
May the force be with you!
Grab them while you can, Beautifuls!
BNB
I have a few qualms with this product, and I know almost everyone has mentioned them... the packaging is nothing special, and the whole collaboration was completely unimaginative. But all in all the colors that weren't part of the regular line were great. My biggest issue with the lipsticks themselves aside from packaging was definitely pigmentation... it takes a lot of work to get color out of all of these shades, and even when you get color they're not particularly opaque. This is especially true for the silver color (10), which I had high hopes for a shimmery grey lipstick and I ended up not loving it in the least.
I absolutely love the metallic nature of the shades though, and the the gold-toned orange was a total must have for me. Honestly, I was shocked to even find these in a store, because every time I went looking for them they were all sold out except for the red and the dark purple, which are boring and probably comparable to shades in their permanent line. They're super creamy and comfortable and the weartime is comparable to other lipsticks in the drugstore. The glitter isn't chunky or gritty when you rub your lips together like some shimmery drugstore products can be.
While I remain unimpressed by the packaging and creativity with such a landmark collaboration, I enjoy two of three shades I purchased enough to call these products a fave. Though I think only the orange has earned its place on the top shelf of the lipstick cabinet, because I just can't get enough of it.
May the force be with you!
Grab them while you can, Beautifuls!
BNB
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