Splurge or Save: Mascara Edition

To splurge or to save? That is the question...

As in life, when it comes to beauty products, there must be a delicate balance struck between a product that actually works and its price tag. This is its intrinsic value and while it is easy to be distracted by a label or big name, it's truly what's inside that counts. A good example in the beauty world is mascara. I have very big, very sensitive eyes and have had to practice good optical hygiene from a young age. This includes the discarding of mascara every three months, rather than the suggested six, at the behest of my ophthalmologist. As you can imagine, this adds up quickly and I had to cut my mascara budget in half. Luckily, CoverGirl seemed to be on the same page and delivered quality mascaras in their LashBlast line that are both safe for sensitive peepers and actually do what they say they do. A fine example is their LashBlast Clump Crusher which I have previously raved about.

However, the last month or so, the winds of change have begun to blow in the favor of more high end brands. I began to feel a shift when I tested CoverGirl's latest LashBlast Flamed Out Mascara which I found to be a step backwards in terms of anti-clumping and flaking.

2 coats of CoverGirl's Flamed Out: color not as black, began to flake right away, as far as I could get without major clumping. Lashed are sill quite wild and all over the place. 

Later the same week, I found myself visiting an old friend at a Bare Minerals boutique and she asked if I had tried their latest Lash Domination 10-in-1 Volumizing Mascara. Initially, I was hesitant as I had tried their others and not achieved resultas that were any better than my LashBlast of the moment. I also hesitated because it seemed to be promising a lot of things and I have learned to be somewhat skeptical of something that claims to do 10 things at once. It was just by chance that I did not put mascara on that morning and decided it couldn't hurt. At first I was impressed by the results so I purchased one and brought it home.

2 coats Bare Minerals' Lash Domination: Better in color and in definition but clumped MAJORLY with any more coats. Not very helpful in the volume department.

 Enter the REAL problem: when testing masacra in department stores or boutiques, you are given wands that have not actually been sitting in the mascara tube (thank goodness) but the catch is they don't actually mimic what the real wand does. The solution would be to clean your wand every time you use it but AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FO THAT!!! Or you could just make a mascara that has a brush that volumizes and remains clump free...which Cover Girl already did with Clump Crusher.

Oh thanks, Clump Crusher, for...you know...crushing it

So if it ain't broke, there's really no need to but the pricey stuff as long as your reasonable one does the job. I have yet to find one of the high end brands that has done the job better than this one.

VERDICT: Save your dollars, darlings, and go get an iced coffee/tea/chai. Don't forget to bat your fabulous fringe at the barista. ;)

BREAKING NEWS: As I was researching for this post, I discovered that Cover Girl has telepathically heard my rants (finally) and is re-launching Clump Crusher with a twist - Clump Crusher Extensions which will apparently provide more length for a perfect balance of volume and length...I see a follow up post in the very near future...

Till next time!

Calling Captain America!!

Let's kick off the holiday weekend right - with a patriotic mani/pedi!! This was super simple - all the nail colors were from Essie's Winter 2012 collection (Butler Please, Leading Lady, & Beyond Cozy.)  To make the stars, I used a hand punch from Michaels and scotch tape. I recommend putting a top coat in between your main color and your stars. Also, allow each star to dry at least 5 minutes before removing the tape and applying another top coat.

Happy 4th and have a happy and safe weekend!!

Power to the Petal

Happy May Day!! May is my favorite month and not just because it's the one I was born in but really because everything comes to life! Gone is the crappy weather and in rush the new flowers and vibrant colors of Spring. Are you ready for all this delicious change? I am cause I've got the new Sugar Petal Tinted Lip Treatment from Fresh and it's a beauty!

Fresh Sugar Petal Tinted Lip Treatment

Ordinarily, I would never go for something this shade as I like nude, deep lip tones rather than something soft and feminine. However, whilst perusing around Sephora a few weeks back, I noticed this new shade had been added to their already impressive lineup. There was no way that this mauvey pink could look good on me. I already own almost every shade as these truly are universally flattering but at some point, there has to be one that just doen't work, right? Wrong! Its a warm but subtle pink - not really bright or striking but still gives that great balance of tint and treatment that Fresh is known for.

Pretty Petal Pink

All of the Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments have SPF 15 along with a blend of various oils like jojoba, oli, and avocado. They really do contain sugar which is a natural humectant that stops moisture from leaving the lips. I love them ALL - I just can't get enough! A quick swipe puts a spring in my step which is quite appropriate, given the season.

Juice Beauty makes CC Cream Silicone-Free

When BB creams first hit the US market last year, I was ecstatic. As a beauty junkie enthusiast, all-in-one products are as tempting as they are plentiful - needless to say I jumped right in. Alas, this "enthusiasm" led to a silicone allergy discovery as many BB Creams are made with a lot of silicone in order to create that smooth, flawless look. After months and months of searching for an alternative, Juice Beauty skipped the line and debuted its Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream. At first, I thought it was a typo but as "BB" stands for "Beauty Balm" or "Blemish Balm", "CC" means "Color Correcting" and is designed for people are hyper-pigmented or those with sun damage. There are ingredients that lighten those dark spots while also protecting from further damage with SPF.

Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream in Warm Glow

I am very familiar with Juice Beauty and their use of organic ingredients and juices as the foundation for their entire skincare lineup. Personally, I enjoy using this creme as a primer under a mineral power or my MUFE Pro Finish as it is a tad on the thicker side but really smooths things out nicely. I also wear it alone for sheer coverage day to day; its not pigmented enough to cover like a foundation but it definitely evens skin tone. But the BEST part of this CC cream is that it really does fade all my old acne scars - naturally! Pretty soon, I might not need this product at all! Just kidding, Juice Beauty, I'm hooked on this multifaceted product as it just continues to find ways to make my skin happy.

What about you - do you have a favorite BB or CC Cream?

Earth Day is every day for OCC!

There has never been more eco-friendly, vegan, and organic products on the market so don't be shy - try something new! I for one am flipping over the Lip Tar and Concealer from OCC or Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. Your eyes and lips are the most delicate parts of your face - not to mention the most fabulous! It feels so good to treat them right and show them just how beautiful they can be. OCC's products are 100% Vegan and Cruelty-Free and the range of shades is outstanding.

(l to r) OCC Lip Tar in "NSFW" and OCC Skin: Conceal in "Y2"

Choosing just one Lip Tar seemed unfair but with "NSFW" a "True, Balanced Red", I feel like I made the right choice. It's light in texture but saturated with color. Made with castor seed oil, hemp, peppermint and Vitamin E, its also surprisingly moisturizing.

Silicon-free concealers are very hard to find - especially in a shade that's perfect for me. OCC Skin: Conceal has it covered on two fronts, incorporating skin undertones (Red or Yellow) as well as your shade (0 is the palest, 5 is the darkest). It gentle but long-wearing - a new staple in my makeup bag.

So today, in addition to papering yourself, do something nice for Earth - she works hard for us but she can always use a little help. Any little bit counts so even is it's installing a smaller garbage bin in your house for recycling, always leaving a reusable tote in your car so that you don't have to use paper or plastic ones when running errands, or buying a reusable self-filtering water bottle instead of another case (one filter saves 300 plastic ones!!) There are so many things but I feel like these are easy to incorporate into anyone's routine. Start something today and stick with it tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. Change starts with you and so why not say thanks by showing you do care.

Make Up For Ever + Pantone Color of the Year = LOVE

I have huge - scratch that - MASSIVE love and respect for Make Up For Ever ever since I was first introduced to the brand over a year ago. What started as an idyll fascination has developed into an active, working relationship based on learning and developing skills that no other make up brand has taken the time to teach. How does that old saying go - something about teaching a man to fish instead of just giving him one and sending him on his merry way? Well, though different programs like one-on-one Make Up School and weekly Make Up Mastery Courses, MUFE has put education first, ensuring a loyal customer base that includes make up artists and beauty enthusiasts alike.

Last night at the "With Flying Colors" Event at the Robertson Blvd boutique in L.A., the focus was obviously on color and how to incorporate it into your makeup repertoire. What a great excuse to play with my favorite shades including, by some celestial coincidence, Pantone's Color of the Year: Emerald. I could not have planned this better as it was an ideal pairing of the new Technicolor Palette and Aqua Shadow 8E to create a look that is 100% me!

Eyes by Make Up For Ever
Products used: Technicolor Palette and Aqua Shadow in 8E

The lovely duo: Technicolor Palette and Aqua Shadow in 8E

 What is so unique about the palette is that it combines neutrals with brights, ensuring experimentation and wearability. To achieve this look, almost every color was used, starting with the white in the inner corner, all over the lid (white under a color makes it POP) and to highlight the brow bone. Then the lighter champagne color was swept all over the lid and the darker brown concentrated in the crease. A touch of the black added depth when placed in the outer corner. (For an everyday smokey eye, I could have stopped here but where's the fun in that?!) Next came the color in the form of that light green. With color this bright, it is very important to place the color by patting it on the eye, not swiping or blending. You'll be much more color payoff and won't diffuse the color all over the place. The green is placed in the middle of the lid, where it will have the most impact. The yellow is added to the inner corner and blended in towards the green so that it comes off golden. The blue was added on the outer lash line before adding the green Aqua Shadow pencil in a diagonal shape towards the middle of the eye. This sounds like a lot but the whole thing took less than 5 min including mascara (blue makes eyeballs look whiter!) and brows (Aqua Brow is da bomb!!) The result is totally wearable, emerald green smokey eye that begs to be taken out for a night on the town.

Color is EVERYWHERE this spring so don't be afraid to play and have fun! I, for one, can't wait to try some other looks even though this combo might be a hard one to top.

Nailing it: butter London Spring 2013 Nail Lacquers

Spring is my favorite season so when it came to looking for new nail hues, I wanted colors that were fun, flirty and mirrored my excitement.  There was no shortage of collections to choose from - everyone from Essie to O.P.I. to Zoya attempted to catch my eye but the best shades seemed to come from across the pond. butter London's Lacquers may all be pastels but they seem to have popped right out of a pretty box of delectable macaroons. Aptly named Sweetie Shop, the collection includes (from left to right): Fiver (the prettiest mint you ever did see) Fruit Machine (a true bubblegum pink) Molly Coddled (a lovely lavender) and Kerfuffle (very cantaloupe-esque).

butter London Spring 2013:
(l to r): Fiver, Fruit Machine, Molly Coddled, and Kerfuffle

Having tried butter before, I know to expect a smooth, shiny finish with none of the bad stuff. Their 3 free formula and über pigmented polishes make them a guilty-but-actually-good-for-me pleasure.

(l to r): Molly Coddled, Fruit Machine, Fiver, Kerfuffle

Two additional shades that I did not purchase are Cuppa (yep, its coffee colored) and Jasper (a bright, sunshine yellow). Both are cute but not as fab as the other four - I had to have them! Could. Not. Leave. Them. There. The summer collection is about to debut in stores but this Sweetie Collection will be a tough act to follow.