Makeup Review Log

So if you don't know, I'm a Free Lance Makeup Artist trying to establish myself. It comes slowly and the economy isn't helping right now but it's still way fun! I heart cosmetics!

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MAKEUP REVIEW LOG

So from time to time I will keep you updated on my Makeup Log for anyone who's interested. I LOVE trying new cosmetics and being in the loop on what's new and hot! So, here is my recent log with ratings from 1-5 stars (5 being the best)...

UPDATE:  I forgot some of the products that I've recently tried! Yikes! Sorry about that. Here are the additions:

**** L'Oreal's H.I.P. Mascara - LOVE THIS STUFF. I would give this a 4 1/2 stars if I could! I didn't give it five stars because I wish it lengthened a bit more than it does. BUT- it does lengthen and it does definitely thicken! It's ultra black pigment gives you the look of dramatic lashes. Even borderline fake lashes if you already have long lashes to start with like I do! Love it! It should definitely be on your list of mascaras to try out!


*** L’oreal Extra-Volume Collagen Mascara - This mascara will definitely make your lashes darker and and thicker with a couple coats. The brush is bigger like the Cover Girl Lash Blast BUT it's tapered at the end so you can still get those tiny lashes on the inner corners. This mascara alone wasn't enough for me but when worn with a great lengthening mascara (like the Brushless Magic Wand from Bare Escentuals), it is great! I didn't give it 4 stars because you do have to pair it with another mascara in order to receive the best results. If you already have a lengthening mascara that you love, then give this one a try because it is a pretty good thickener!

* Cover Girl Outlast Lip Stain- I've heard raves about this as the new drugstore lip stain you shouldn't live without. I wasn't impressed! It dried up within a couple days (perhaps due to leaving it in my purse in the hot car for a couple hours while I ran in somewhere?) and it went on very blotchy. Definitely not for dry lips. Need to exfoliate before use. I just didn't have a good experience with this one :( *tear

***** Urban Decay Lip Envy - This stuff is AWESOME! It lasts a long time (it's a lip stain), goes on smoothly, and comes in two great shades : Envious (pinky/red) and Greedy (plummy). It has the perfect "I've just eaten a popsicle" look! Great for summer time!

***** The Bronzed and The Beautiful Bronzing Powder Palett By Too Faced- This pallet comes with 3 different bronzing powders and my favorite is "Snow Bunny." It's "a winter shade that brightens, illuminates, and highlights skin with a subtle bronze."  Winter, Shminter. For all my fair-skin ladies such as myself this is great year-round! It has slight pink, white, and browns mixed together so it doesn't leave you looking orangey! It's hard for me to find a bronzer that doesn't and this one is GREAT! If you're not fair-skinned the other two colors are great too: Pink Leopard and Sun Bunny.

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1. * Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara (Waterproof): Ok so let me just begin this by saying that I accidentally picked up the waterproof tube and boy, was that a mistake!!!!! The regular formula is supposedly a hot new drugstore mascara out there right now (including the Fusion version). The brush is ginormous so it doesn't get to the little lashes on the inner corners; it didn't volumize at all; it is nearly impossible to remove EVEN WITH GOOD EYE MAKEUP REMOVER and it realllllly clumps! I just wasn't that impressed with this one...Will probably try the regular one but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like it!

2. **** Loreal Voluminous Lash- Ok so this is *the* mascara I keep coming back to...I LOVE IT! It doesn't get 5 stars because it does have a flaw. First the pros- GREAT BRUSH! I love the curved one. It helps keep my lashes curled and the bristles get to every single lash. Blackest Black does just the trick to darken them AND it does a great job with lengthening and thickening! It's easy to remove and it doesn't clump...until a couple weeks later. The only think I hate about this mascara is that it dries out quickly and when it starts drying it begins to clump/flake a little bit. But, I'm willing to buy a tube of this amazing stuff more often than to deal with crappier mascaras that last longer in the tube... LOVE IT! If you want some VA-Voom lashes CHECK THIS ONE OUT!

3. ** The Big Tease (Bare Escentuals) - Well... it's so frustrating because there are SO MANY mascaras out there that are such a TEASE and so disappointing! It doesn't really do much of anything. It can build a little bit of length but no volume. It is easy to remove and doesn't clump but who cares if it doesn't perform any function of real use to you?

4. *** Magic Wand Brushless Mascara (Bare Escentuals) - No brush with this one- just little grooves on the wand that will grab the lashes. It definitely provides length but no volume...so I found it quite useful to combine it with another mascara that's great for thickening. I just decided to double up with this one so it didn't go to total waste but I don't think this is anything worth buying. I won't buy it again.


5. *** Maybelline's Define-A-Lash (green tube)- This mascara is fantastic if all you're looking for is lengthening! That- it does VERY well! Easy to remove, no clumps, but no volume either. You decide.


6. ** Lash Injection By Too Faced- Ok so this mascara has little fibers in it to create little tubes around your actual lashes to make them appear thicker/longer. The results: Longer- absolutely! Thicker- not so much. A pain to remove- OH YES! Seriously, it is soooo hard to remove and cused my eyelashes to become brittle and break. Won't buy this stuff again.


7. * Great Lash Mascara (by Maybelline)- ok so this is my go-to mascara for my makeup kit because it doesn't matter what mascara I use, I have to use a disposable wand anyway and the technology is mainly in the brush when it comes to all of these expensive mascaras so it is very useful to me for that reason. It does darken and separate the lashes. But lengthen or give fullness, it does neither.

8. ** Ulta Lash Icon (orange tube)- Lengthen, thicken- it does a little bit of both. Doesn't clump, easy to get off. But nothing to be excited about. Will not purchase again.

9. *** Volum' Express Turbo Boost Mascara (Maybelline) - Ok - so to be fair I probably should give this one 4 stars because thickening it does do a decent job, it just doesn't lengthen at all. It's so disappointing and far from being a dynamite mascara. It was just ok. I have been combining it with another mascara to receive better results.

10. ** Cover Girl's Volume Exact (Waterproof)- Again, I accidentally picked up the waterproof formula and in case you didn't know waterproof formulas are very different from the original. Usually never as highly rated in performance as its original counterpart either. But...it did give soft definition and lashes never get clumped or look heavy. But, there is really no building to this mascara. It's not going to make your lashes extremely long or full. Just average.

11. *** Cover Girl's Professional All-in-one Mascara- This mascara is supposed to give you everything (thickness, length, no clumps, long wear, and be natural looking.) I am using the curved brush which I love. I always go for the curved brushes because they help keep my eyelashes curled better. It does thicken a decent amount but doesn't lengthen a great deal. I do like that it gives your lashes definition but looks natural. On the days I'm going for the super natural look, I throw this on and it does a decent job. I don't know that I will buy it again, but it's a decent mascara. If you're looking for a good mascara that leaves your lashes looking natural- maybe give this one a shot or try Maybelline's Full 'n Soft Mascara. It's great for adding thickness, length, and leaving lashes looking natural.

12. *** Ulta Automatic Eye Liner (Long Lasting-Waterproof in Raisin and Bronze)- A little too waxy so it seems to slip around a bit and fade away. Not purchasing again.

13. ***** Shadow Insurance by Too Faced- This is my new rave in cosmetics right now! I love this eye primer and holy cow does it work! Trust me...I've tried many eye primers that have done nothing. This one is silicone based and sheer. You use a tiny pin-head amount and it is enough for both eyes. It glides on and smooths out the surface and dries sheer. You can't even tell it's there except your eyeshadow glides on with ease and blends oh so well...it's heaven! And my eyeshadow looks the same in the evening as it did when I put it on in the morning. YOU MUST HAVE THIS!!!!! I do have to say that I also recommend Urban Decay's Shadow Potion (I like their shimmery one that's great for evenings and also their new one called Eden. Eden has a flesh toned color to it which you could just wear alone as a base shadow. It is a beautiful color! But, I think I like this primer better than Urban Decay's original formula! Yes, it's that good!

14. ***** Age Rewind Double Face Perfector Concealer (Maybelline).  It's a liquid concealer and  highlighter in one package. So right away- the down side is that you get much less concealer and it runs out quicker. But, for a liquid concealer- this stuff rocks! It has the perfect yellow undertone (which every white person needs) to help conceal and brighten the area (perfect for under eye areas!). I'm normally not a fan of liquid because it tends to have a more sheer coverage and sometimes it doesn't last as long because of the medium of the product, but as long as you set your concealed areas with a translucent powder, this is a GREAT product! It has great coverage and dries to a matte finish! (Just be careful with "Medium" color option because it is slightly peach which can actually age you rather than create a more "awake" and youthful look.)

15. ***** Dream Liquid Mousse Airbrush Finish Foundation by Maybellline. As Usher would say, OH MY GOSH!!!!!! This is also my NEW RAVE right now. You looking for a foundation that has a luxurious, silky texture that fades into the skin so well that it makes you look like you have new skin? THIS IS IT!!!! For a drugstore product- this stuff rocks! It leaves the skin with a luminous/matte finish. It makes you look like you have a healthy glow not like you're shiny/oily. This is great for all skin types!!!! Drier skins- make sure to moisturize really well before and those with oilier skins- you just need to make sure you set it well with translucent powder to keep your shine away. Both of these steps should be done by everyone anyway! In combination with a stippling brush/dual fiber brush-it really and truly looks airbrushed. It looks like I have great glowing skin when I use it. And I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you get the brush. I have both 187 and 188 from MAC and love them both. Try and find a knock-off for cheaper if you dont' want to buy from MAC. It will be worth it! You'll use less product and it will look more natural. I will not be looking to try anything new for a while! I was using Bobbi Brown (and I love love love Bobbi Brown's foundations ) but this is a whole heck of a lot cheaper and it works! This foundation has light to medium coverage, so for major flaws concealer is needed.

16. ***** Sonia Kashuk Eye Marker or L'Oreal's Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Liner- Do you have trouble with regular liquid liner? Smear it easily? Not that steady of a  hand? Try liquid liner in a felt marker form! It's AMAZING. Easier to control. Bold, long lasting definition!

Well that's it for now...These were the most recent things I've tried within the last month or so. Hopefully this will be helpful/interesting for someone. Do you have a can't-live-without product?! DO TELL!!!