Obsessed With: 3D Fiber Lashes from Younique

On my right eye is the 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara and on my left eye is my everyday mascara - See the difference??

I am beyond obsessed with Younique.

What is that, you say?  Trust me, I said the same thing over a month ago when I first heard of Younique as well.

A friend of mine, who recently started selling this line, asked me if I'd heard of fiber lashes.  I had, of course, though had never heard of this line before.  She explained that it was an all-natural line where the fibers are actually made of green tea.  I thought to myself "yeah, right, this sounds way to god to be true."  However, I bought the mascara and the weirdest thing happened.

IT ACTUALLY WORKED THE WAY IT SAID.  And better yet, I actually had the amazing lashes without having to wear false lashes OR having lash extensions.

I was floored.

Have any of you ladies tried this line yet?  What are your thoughts?

A Disappointing Flirt Cosmetics Purchase

I don't usually make too many mistakes but when it comes to picking beauty related items, I never make them. However, somehow, on a recent trip to the states, I (and the store) made a big blunder and I'm now the proud owner of a lipstick I will never wear.

I should begin by saying that Kohl's it not a place where I would normally buy cosmetics but they do carry, exclusively, the Flirt Cosmetics line.  I've looked into it's products before and love the minimalistic packaging and the feel of their lip colors.  So, I bought a couple things.

 The first item is a mascara and I was instantly intrigued because it comes in a toothpaste-inspired tube.  Plus, the color is so nice and black that I can't wait to try it out.  (I should mention that I'm on an eye-makeup hiatus as I am using a lash growth serum - again- to see if I get the results I want.)  As soon as I do try the mascara out, I will give a full review.

And this, my friends, is the lipstick gone wrong.  Do you notice the issue?  Maybe this next picture will help.

If you said that the color blends perfectly into my skin tone then you definitely take the cake.  The color is so fair that it actually blends into my hand and could really be used as a greasy concealer.  This color was actually supposed to be a gorgeous vintage wine tone but I accidentally selected this one instead.  So boo to the store for having the display items in the wrong holes and double boo to me for not checking the color when I grabbed it.  Oh well, maybe I'll go as an ultra pale ghost for Halloween.  The lipstick will come in handy for that.

Have any of you tried this line before?  Have you ever bought the wrong item?

 

The Top 3 Budget Mascaras

Photo found here

Mascara is one beauty product that I can't live without.  Honestly, I've tried.

About 7 years ago I had laser eye surgery and part of the healing process was no eye makeup for 6 months.  Waking up everyday and not wearing eye makeup was the hardest thing, ever, because I felt naked.  After those 6 long months passed, I got back on the mascara horse and have never looked back.

I don't know about you but there are quite a few things I require from a potential mascara and if it doesn't deliver, I move on to a different type/brand very quickly.  I need my lashes to be volumized, the mascara formula needs to be non-clumpy, a brush that separates the lashes AND lengthens them all the while not breaking the bank.  Here are my top three budget-friendly picks that meet my extensive must-have list...

Photo found here

1. Maybelline Great Lash Blackest Black Mascara (Curved Brush)

I wrote a REVIEW about this mascara before and, since then, have incorporated it into my daily beauty routine.  This mascara separates lashes, lengthens, volumizes AND doesn't clump.  Such a bargain at only $7.

Photo found here

2. Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Mascara in Extreme Black

I also reviewed this mascara HERE quite sometime ago and nothing's changed since then... I still adore it.  I use this product every morning as my first two coats.  I love this mascara because it lengthens my lashes extremely well and doesn't leave any added build-up.  The only issue I have with this mascara is that it doesn't fully coat the lashes in one stroke.  (You have to double-dip the wand in the container.)  Aside from that, every couple months I have no problem paying $8.99 for this mascara.

Photo found here

3. Avon SuperSHOCK Mascara in Black 

This mascara has surprised me the most.  First, I never usually like abnormally large brushes (and this brush is HUGE) but for some reason it works extremely well.  Also, it's one of the most volumizing mascaras I've used in quite some time.  The only downfall is that it can be a bit clumpy if you're using more than two coats.  Either way, it's a steal for $4.99

Have any of you ladies tried these mascaras before?  What are your thoughts?

Review: The Maybelline Mascara Battle

I typically don't stray too far from my two beloved mascaras: Rimmel Lash Accelerator and Lancome Definicils. However, while at Shoppers Drug Mart the other day, I stumbled upon the Maybelline display and was instantly drawn to the pretty pink tubes....how can you resist right?

I purchased the Maybelline Great Lash Blackest Black Mascara in both the straight and curved brush. Though the packaging may look slightly different, they are both the same formula aside from their brushes. (Curved is on the top while straight is on the bottom.)

Great Lash Blackest Black Mascara Curved Brush

This mascara is surprisingly good. It's funny because I totally tend to gravitate towards a straight brush but think that in this case, the curved brush adds something special. You can definitely see that it's lengthened my lashes very well WITHOUT clumping. (I have two coats on my lashes, in case you're wondering.)

Great Lash Blackest Black Mascara Straight Brush

Hmmmm, where do I begin. Now I know that lashes are always better on one side of the face BUT I really expected more from this mascara after seeing it's sister in action. This one really fell flat for me. Yes, it lengthened a bit and may have added a bit of volume, but it's extremely clumpy. I actually had to separate my lashes with my fingers as I was coating them. (Again, this is two coats.)

So, I guess the answer is obvious. I will, without a doubt, be purchasing the curved brush formula again. Oh, and the best part is, it was only $6.50

Have any of you ladies tried this mascaras before? What did you think about them?

My Recent Avon/Mark Haul

I came to a realization today. This epiphany occurred as I was sifting through my recent Avon/Mark purchase, deciding which products to use on my face, and envisioned writing an Avon haul post. Yes, my very first one!!! I enjoy reading all your haul posts so much and thought I'd join the bandwagon and write one myself.....ha. As most of you know already, I'm a huge Mark fan. Mark (Avon's trendy sister) has fantastic colors, great prices, and is always coming up with something new and different. (As you'll definitely see from my recent order.) This time around I got Mark Get a Tint (tinted moisturizer), Mark Glossblossom (color changing lipgloss), Mark Cheekblossom (color changing blush), Mark It Kit (eye/lip/cheek palette), Avon Tri-Shadow in OnyxLuster, Avon Tri-Lip Gloss in Onyx Luster and Avon's Super Magnify Mascara. Avon Tri-Shadow and Tri-Lip Gloss - I fell in love with both Onyx Luster products as soon as I saw them. Though the colors look quite a bit darker in the lip gloss, the colors in both products are actually the exact same tones. Both have a deep purple, a dark silvery grey and a pale pink. These two products were the reason I placed the order in the first place. Mark Glossblossom and Mark Cheekblossom are the only color changing beauty products that cost under $10 CAN. Seriously, can you believe that? Can't wait to write a review on these two... Mark Get a Tint - Summer is the perfect time for wearing tinted moisturizer so I thought I'd beat the rush and purchase mine early. This one is great because it matches my skin (YAY) and has an SPF of 15. Perfect for those days when you're running around, not wanting to wear anything heavy and still needing some sun protection. (By the way, the moisturizer blends in smooth and feels nice and light!) Mark It Kit - Here I am, saving the best for last. As per Mark's website, this palette is described as containing "Spring's hottest, straight-off-the-runway shades". It has three eye shadows and a bronzer on the first side (L to R: White Hot, Violet Femme, Vampette and Bronzini). While the flip-side of the palette (yes, I said flip-side and you'll see what I mean in a second) has three color creams (L to R: Mauving On, Goldirocks, Cocoa Rush) and three lip glosses (L to R: Retro, Lotus Pop, Pretty Delish). The color creams are great because you can wear them on your lips, eyes, or even as a nice cheek color. Here's the kicker. Once opened, you access both sides of the palette by flipping the inner compact over with your finger. In all my shopping, I've never seen a palette this unique and I absolutely love it! Reviews will, of course, be following but just wanted to give you a quick little taste. What do you think? Have you used any of these items before? XO

My Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara Displeasure

As much as I love trying new products, I'm starting to realize that mascara might not fit into that "experimental" category.

I like long, dramatic and voluminous lashes. Lashes so thick that eye liner isn't even necessary. Seriously, the thicker and darker, the better. Naturally, as I've mentioned before, I have very very very long curly lashes. I have never used a lash curler and will, hopefully, never need to. Because my lashes are extremely long, I need a mascara that creates thickness to match the length.

Well, Revlon's Grow Luscious Mascara does not do it. Actually, it didn't do anything.

I purchased the blackest black mascara, on a whim, and tried it the other day. I pulled the wand out of the tube and knew, instantly, that it wasn't going to work for me. The wand was extremely thick which, for volume building, is not the type you want. I put it on and, after three coats, my lashes looked exactly as the always do without mascara, except slightly darker.

The worst part for me (aside from wasting money...ha) was the aftermath. The product flaked off my lashes for most of the day. For some reason, it didn't seem to adhere itself to my lashes at all. At the end of the day, I didn't even need to use eye make-up remover.

Needless to say, I won't be buying this product again.

Tell me, friends, what's the worst mascara you've ever tried? Have you tried this product before?

Another Guest Blog by the Smashing Ariella

Unlike the lovely Ms. Christina, it is very rare for me to fall in love with a product. I am not loyal to any particular brands and I usually find myself settling for products more than loving them. But then a friend came to stay with me for a bit and brought along an amazing container of wonderful…

Only available in the US at Sephora, or ordered online here in Canada, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream has changed my world. I suffer from severely dry skin and eczema. This cream made a difference in just 3 days. I ordered a bunch immediately! It is free of fragrance, parabens and other harsh chemicals too, which is the cherry on top to this greatly affordable wonder cream!

As a makeup artist, there really aren’t many types of mascara I haven’t worked with. All have their benefits and downsides, and frankly, mascara is a very personal thing. Everyone’s eyelashes react differently. So just imagine my luck when after finding my amazing wondercream, I also found my perfect mascara!

I discovered Bourjois Paris Volumizing Mascara. If you are like most women, your eyes, lashes and brows are not identical, they are sisters, very similar, but different. My left lashes do not behave like my right!! My right has a perfect natural curl; my left just doesn’t want to curl! I religiously pull out and heat my eyelash curler each morning to fake it but within a couple hours we are back to square one. What first caught my eye about this mascara was its 2 step system. (None of this eyelash primer business, but 2 actual mascara wands in one tube). I curled my lashes, applied using each wand and voila! Perfect lashes… this is when I thought to myself “nice volume and length, but let’s see how long it lasts”. Now, this was one of those nights where you get tipsy, tired and do not take your makeup off before going to bed, you know, the night where you are amazed you got into your pj's? Anyway, I woke up in the morning and went into the washroom and looked in the mirror. My first thought, “well that was a good night, look at that hair!” but more importantly, my second thought was “my eyelashes look like I just applied mascara!” They were still perfectly curled with virtually no smearing.

Perfection ladies, that’s all I can say.

Thanks so much Ariella for your reviews and words. I am so excited to hear about this mascara that I'm just about to run out and grab some myself....xo

Definitely Diggin Rimmel's Mascara

It's official. I'm completely biased.

The fact that Rimmel London has signed on Zooey Deschanel as their "new face" is making me want to purchase Rimmel a bit more frequently. She is literally my female actress crush! Oh, and plus she's married to the lead singer of one of my all-time favorite bands SO you can see why this bias thing is occurring.

On one of my shopping endeavors, about a month ago, I picked up Rimmel London's NEW Lash Accelerator Mascara but never thought to try it until after I'd completed the RapidLash. Reason being was this mascara is also designed to stimulate and promote natural lash growth. The product's advertisements say that "overtime, the unique Grow-Lash Complex

strengthens, nourishes and renews lashes to promote natural lash growth for up to 117% longer looking lashes after 30 days".

I have been using the product for about a week now and am genuinely impressed. Not because my lashes are so long they touch my forehead BUT because the mascara is quite good. It goes on smooth, dark and definitely does extend lashes to make the appear full and long. My one comment is you have to "double-dip". (I despise a mascara wand that doesn't fully coat one eye. You have to dip the wand in to coat the upper lashes and then dip again to coat the bottom.....yes, I'm EXTREMELY nit-picky.)

Because it's only been a week, I'm not noticing a change, whatsoever, to my lash length. Now, having said this, I just completed the RapidLash Serum and because of this I honestly think another lash growth product won't work for me at this time. I still love the product though because for under $10 you can have a product that actually works.

NOTE: If someone has tried it for the full month, I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Dial Up Mascara???

I was wandering through London Drugs Saturday afternoon and I, of course, beelined for the cosmetics area. Now, this trip wasn't like any other, since I was with a great friend of mine and we were both a bit tipsy from drinking on the patio. (Well, me more so than her...) I ended up buying a lot of things I didn't really need...aka three more lip glosses in Coral...BUT I found the product that's the basis for this review: Almay One Coat Dial Up Mascara

It's a brand new product, just launched in June, that actually has an adjustable base. The point of the dial is to customize the amount of lash coverage you want; a remarkable idea if you ask me.

So, does it work???

It's a chunky tube that actually compresses internally, thus giving the dialing effect. It has a thicker brush ( not your standard mascara wand) that does appear to evenly distribute the mascara. Level 1 gives a nice dusting of mascara but not very dramatic. Level 2, again, same as before but it goes on a bit thicker. Level 3 is the only level worth using as it gives full lashes but not the volume.

Would I use it again?

Though the idea of the mascara is smashing, I am not sold on the product. I love full, dramatic and voluptuous lashes and it didn't happen with this product. I, also, despise a mascara that makes my lashes hard to the touch. (This can cause lashes to break or fall out.) Having said this, I will definitely stick with my Estee Lauder or Lash Stiletto!

Let me know your thoughts though. I am always eager to hear what others think....

The Truth About Mascara

I can not leave the house without mascara.

I tried it once and felt so boring and plain that I walked into a shop, at night, with my sunglasses on. Granted, I wear sunglasses at night quite frequently, BUT I flat out refused to take them off this time. Now, don't get me wrong, I go without makeup periodically, but there is something different about not wearing mascara versus bronzer, blush or powder. I guess there are certain products one can't live without....

It has taken me years to compile a list of mascara's I heart and here they are....

1. Estee Lauder MagnaScopic Mascara is actually really good. I used this for years before branching into other brands and types and I chose this one because it was always consistent. The brush is really easy to use and does prevent clumping. (Unless you are using the tip of the brush a lot. If so, this will tend to cause clumping.) It does give volume, length and definitely creates fuller lashes.
2. Clinique High Impact Mascara is another one of my faves. This mascara is also good because it does create full lashes. Again, like with almost all mascara, be careful when using the tip of the brush, as you can get some clumping.
3. Maybelline Full n Soft is actually my favorite mascara right now. Yes, it's not department store quality BUT it does exactly the same thing as the Clinique brand and only costs about $5.99. Love this product and highly recommend it.
4. Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara is one I use everyday. I will start with the Full N Soft as the first coat and then this as the second (and third). I ONLY use the Voluptuous Stiletto (red packaging) product as I disliked the original Lash Stiletto (black packaging). I will also say that this is not something I would use on it's own since it will add length but not the volume as it claims.

I am also veerryy lucky since I, naturally, have long long long lashes that curl. I have never had to use an eye lash curler or any lash primer for that matter. I do, though, need fuller lashes. That's why I tend to gravitate towards products that create the illusion of full lashes.

As always, tell me what brands you love and what products work well for you!!!