Products I'm on the Fence About....

[All purchased by me, one Essie polish from a friend who thought it made her hands look weird]


I've never really done a post that was solely dedicated to things I don't feel strongly about.  I think these kinds of posts/videos/conversations are sometimes the most helpful since it saves you from spending money on something you may end up feeling "meh" about.  There's plenty of products that I don't feel are strong recommendations, but these stand out in terms of how highly they were raved/hyped about somewhere else.  

Here's a rundown:

- Wet n Wild Spring 2013 palettes (I know... GASP)
- Lush (in general?)
- Essie polishes (turquoise was given by friend)
- L'oreal Color Caresse Wet Shine Stain
- Nivea Lip Butter
- Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous 

I found both of these palettes after they were re-released after MONTHS of going in and out of every drugstore that I could stop into.  The neutral palette looked so interesting that I thought it was going to be a new HG neutral palette for me.  After I snagged all the palettes in the display and dispersed the extras amongst my friends, I carefully considered how I felt about them.  Going in the Wild is on the left and Nude Awakening is on the right.  In the GITW palette, I was most excited for that plummy shade two down on the left.  It looked gorgeous and shimmery but applies kind of patchy.  The lilac below it is kind of sheer.  Other than that, this palette is great.  I only feel on the fence about it because those two shades excited me the most and disappointed me the most.  However, that mint color alone makes up for it since it's the perfect minty inner corner highlight I was looking for all Summer!  

Nude Awakening was a bit more surprising in terms of why I don't feel strongly about it.  The colors in the pan look interesting and the pigmentation on all of them is good.  Why am I on the fence?  Do you see the two eyelid shades, the browbone shade on the right and the definer shade on the left?  Those look like the most exciting shades in the palette but they are so close in tone that it's hard to get a good contrast using them.  They all lean on the darker, warmer side of the spectrum and therefore the look doesn't "pop" when you use them.  I would recommend these palettes strongly if they were easy to get a hold of.  But for how much effort I made and how much hype surrounded them, I actually think the original Comfort Zone palette is a better all-around palette.  


Lush.  Oh Lush.  You entice me with you no-cruelty policy, amazingly scented stores and quirky tongue-in-cheek product names but you keep me away with your prices and lack of visible results.  Sure everything you do smells awesome, but never has it lingered long enough to warrant the cost.  I've tried your jellies, soaps, scrubs and more but none of it wows me.  I think I need to tune out the hype on this one and smell you from afar.



Essie polishes are exceedingly popular.  I never understood why because the formula is inconsistent from bottle to bottle, the brush is tiny and the price is close to OPI.  For me, OPI is the most consistently good polish formula across the board.  Essie, on the other hand, can be easy to use (Turquoise and Caicos) or be tricky to get right (Fiji).  I had another one from the range that I believe is discontinued but applied and cracked like fault lines along my nail.  Where is the quality control? I think the range is popular because the shade selection is wide and very on-trend.  They seem to have the lighter and brighter shades covered well.  I just think it's too much of a gamble to get these unless I love the color.  It takes a lot for me to even consider getting one and I think that's a shame because they have some great shades.

On my nails now is Fiji.... I've been on the hunt for the perfect neutral nail and just got an OPI one I'm very excited to try out.  Sadly, Fiji is not my fave (too middle school for me?) so on to the next!

These L'oreal stains are supposed to be a dupe for the YSL ones since they are under the same company.  L'oreal owns tons of brands.  Wikipedia it for more info, it's pretty interesting.  I have the shade Lilac Ever After which isn't very lilac at all but a rosy mauve instead.  It's a pretty shade but weird texture.  I don't seem to get along with gel textures in glosses even though they sound like they would be an amazing new thing that everyone loves.  This feels like gel on the lips and leaves a stain.  The consensus across the board seems to be that these are not as pigmented as the YSL stains.  I don't have one to compare but this does take a few coats to reach mid-opaqueness.  I think I'd try a YSL stain if I found the right color, but this stain gloss thing kind of leaves a strange finish on the lips and I don't really like how it feels.  However, I appreciate the color of this and the innovation behind it.

Lip butters are all the rage.  I fell into the hype with this one and I think the main reason I don't love it more is because the smell isn't my favorite.  Other people love it, and if you enjoy vanilla or food-y scents at all, I think this is great for you.  Out of the range I think I like raspberry the most.  Anyway, the texture is interesting, kind of a waxy balm but it doesn't sink into the lips for a ton of real moisture.  It's a good prep lip balm while you're doing you're makeup but not an amazing overnight one.  Cute concept, though.

The last product (Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous) is the one I have the most to say but I feel like it's going to go more into a rant.  I think bullet points make my point clearer:

Pros:
-good match for me in the warmer months (I have it in Medium)
-great "no makeup" look
-applies well with damp sponge (not the one included)
-tinted primer feel leaves a nice finish

Cons:
-expensive because if applied with included sponge, you can hit pan within weeks
-sheer (but still pricey)
-included sponge never fully cleans but instead traps color
-limited shade range

I feel like this is the one product of this group I don't hear the most raves about.  People seem either on the fence or full-on dislike this.  I don't blame them because it's so over-priced for what it is.  I've gone back and forth on liking/disliking this but at the end of the day, I don't think I would repurchase this for $30.  

Makeup Bag: Travel Edition

[Everything purchased by me]


As Summer is going full-blast (at least where I live), I think a lot of people are going to be going on vacation (or "holiday" as the Brits say). There was actually an original version of this makeup bag that included more Maybelline Color Tattoos and L'Oreal Infallible pigments but my friend nixed that idea for the more travel-friendly single palette format you see here.

Also, I tried to only bring lip products I included in my "Five Lip Products to Use up in 2013" post from oh so many months ago.  An SPF lip balm is definitely coming with me though.

It's a really basic kit of makeup that I can hopefully adapt everyday to suit my preferences. For base, I haven't decided which one I'm taking but it will definitely be liquid and therefore not in my carry on but in a Ziploc with my skincare.  For concealer, the SheerCover Duo Concealer in Light Medium is a creamy combination of peachy and neutral shades.  It beat out other concealers where brushes/excess blending is required.  The setting powder is from GloMinerals and is translucent.  Nothing to write home about but it has a mirror and is non-chalky.  A mini of Benefit's Watt's Up is not only coming along for it's compact size but also because it's a very nice highlighter.  I can't stand the fact that the full size is so bulky and has an applicator at the other end though so may have to find another alternative when this is gone.

For cheeks, I have a little duo from Tarte in Park Ave Princess and Dollface.  The bronzer contains shimmer so it's not my favorite and the blush is ok as well.  It's a nice lighter pink blush and for a peachier option I am taking Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Candy Coral.  I've been reaching for this a lot because it's easy to apply and hard to over-do. 

I think the Too Faced Summer Eye palette will be great for a neutral look to pair along my pinker lip colors (NYX Haute Melon, Revlon Peach Parfait) but also adjust really well to a brighter blue or pink look if I want to wear just the Dior Beige Casual lipstick.  For brows, the Missha Brow Styler from the semi-annual sale post is really impressing me. As for eyeliner, I am taking Stila Smudge Sticks in Stargazer and Oscar Fish.  The lash curler you see above is from Koji.  


Bonus Item!

This was in my original version of my travel makeup bag, but I had to add it back in because I want my friend (the one I'm visiting who has an impressive makeup collection already) to try this out!  I'm so sold on this duo and it's a current must have.  

There you have it!  Wishing everyone safe travels this Summer! 

Delayed Posting! Mascara Comparisons
L'Oreal Telescopic vs. Maybelline The Falsies vs. Benefit They're Real

[All purchased by me - the Benefit was a gift with purchase]



Wow I just posted this as a test and it worked!  Basically, since I am a total newbie at this blogging thing, I thought using Word would be an easy way to write blog posts.  HAHAHA that only didn't work a little bit.  I tried copying to Notepad and posting but that didn't work.... UNTIL NOW.  Sigh, this isn't as easy as some of the experts make it look.

Anyone who watches Viviannadoesmakeup knows that L’Oreal Telescopic mascara in the waterproof formula is her favorite mascara of all time.  While I also have a favorite mascara of all time that’s not in this post (will review once I repurchase), I wanted to try out some other options since finding a perfect affordable mascara is probably every beauty blogger’s dream.  I was also rotating around Maybelline The Falsies as well as a mini size of the Benefit They’re Real mascaras and thought since these are three pretty popular mascara options that I’d do a comparison between them.

I’ll rate them along the same characteristics: length, volume, curl, lasting power, removal and overall ease of application using a 1-5 scale with 5 being the best.

Top to Bottom: The Falsies, Telescopic and They're Real

Amateur artistic interpretation of results

L’Oreal Telescopic in Black

Length:  3 – this surprisingly didn’t do amazingly telescopic things to my lashes as the name implied, but it didn’t make them seem short and clumpy either

Volume: 4 – the wand adds a decent coat of mascara to the majority of my lashes and makes them look more intense with one sweep

Curl: 2 – this isn’t the waterproof one so I can’t overly fault this for not holding a curl better but it didn’t really enhance a curl at all

Lasting Power: 3 – not a ton of smudging with this but can’t say zero smudges

Overall ease of application: 3 – The wand is finicky because it’s a thin triangular comb shape which might throw people off who are used to a traditional mascara wand.  I found it pretty easy to maneuver actually but my main qualm was actually getting this back into the tube.  I bend this almost every time I tried to close it.

Maybelline The Falsies:

Length: 2 – does not do much for length and I find all of Maybelline’s variations on the Volum’ Express mascaras actually do make my lashes look a little stunted and clumpy with too many coats

Volume: 5 – the volume-boosting factor is where this mascara really shines and I can see why this is a popular product.  It builds up lashes easily and dramatically.

Curl: 3 – this was better than the Telescopic at holding a curl, probably because of the drier formula.  It won’t dry out your lashes like a waterproof formula will but the curl won’t stay quite as well either.

Lasting Power: 3 – same comments as the Telescopic.

Overall ease of application: 3 - This wand is a little strange and the way the bristles are spaced makes it really easy for me to smudge this on my eye.  If you’re careful you should be fine and this is a pretty subjective characteristic anyway.


Benefit They're Real

Length:  4 - the plastic bristles did a good job of creating believable length and was the most lengthening mascara overall

Volume:  4 – not every use yielded the same amount of volume as the Falsies did but more times than not, this left my lashes looking very full

Curl: 4 – of the three, this held curls the best and was probably due to the drier consistency of the formula.  Luckily, this didn’t increase how hard it was to remove at the end of the day.

Overall ease of application: 3 – I don’t prefer plastic bristles and this one kind of poked your eye a lot because the bristles are so long.  I think that the end of the wand, which is rounded, doesn’t necessarily make it easier to get to the ends.  However, this consistently gave my lashes good length and volume and held a curl well for a non-waterproof formula.

Conclusion:  I think the Benefit mascara is the best one of the bunch but I wouldn’t be willing to purchase this because of the ridiculous price and also because I have a mid-range mascara that I like even better (to be in a future post).  If I had to pick one at the drugstore to buy, the Falsies really impressed me and I think it’s one I would recommend to anyone looking for a volume enhancing mascara.