Product Reviews

$9 Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational Lip Gloss Beams Brightly on Lips

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Ooh! So shiny…

Something primitive kicks in whenever I see the mirror-like shine of Maybelline’s Color Elixir by Color Sensational lip gloss ($8.99) on my lips.

I wonder if I have leftover genes from a cave girl who was more interested in collecting shiny rocks and staring into sparkly rivers than gathering dried sticks for the community fire (BO-RING).

Perhaps.

These have been out since fall 2013, but this is my favorite time of year for this kind of shine. The non-sticky medium-weight formula lasts about two hours on my lips and shines like a lacquer.

Um…the flavor and scent? I think they’re a tad unusual, like jasmine and earl gray tea perfume, if that makes any sense. I don’t mind it. It’s just a little…strange.

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational in 015 Mandarin Rapture, 02 Signature Scarlet and 095 Blush Essence — From the left: 015 Mandarin Rapture, 02 Signature Scarlet and 095 Blush Essence

“Experience saturated lip color, sensuous balm care and polished lip shine from Maybelline New York Color Elixir by Color Sensational. The exclusive smoothing angora brush delivers a polished, even application and smoothing sensation to lips. The balm infused formula, with pure color pigments, leaves lips feeling cushiony soft.”
– ulta.com

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational in 020 Signature-Scarlet — 020 Signature-Scarlet

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational 095 Blush Essence — 095 Blush Essence

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Maybelline’s $7.49 Color Sensational The Buffs Lipsticks in Blushing Beige and Stormy Sahara Promote Acts of Pigmented Public Nudity

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Maybelline Color Sensation The Buffs in Stormy Sahara — Wearing Maybelline Color Sensational The Buffs in Stormy Sahara

When we met at the drugstore, they were full-on nude. None of that halfway bullsh*t.

Maybelline Color Sensation The Buffs in Blushing Bride (left) and Stormy Sahara (right) — Color Sensational The Buffs Lipstick in Blushing Beige (left) and Stormy Sahara (right)

Stormy Nude, the bolder of the two, was the first to start talking. “$7.49. For each. One layer. Full coverage. Satin finish.”

“How about wear time?” I asked.

“Three to four hours,” replied Stormy. “With a moisturizing formula.”

I considered the terms. The faint scent of vanilla and — plastic? — floated in the air.

“Is that…?” I started to ask.

“Vanilla, yes,” answered Stormy, guessing at my question. “Taste like it, too.”

I let the plasticky part go. The other terms were agreeable.

I took a step forward and put out my hand. Stormy grabbed it and we shook. Then, right there in the middle of the store, we all got totally and completely nude.

It was glorious. 🙂

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The Symptoms of This Fever Are Pink: Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever

May 22nd, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Pink Fever — Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever, $8.99

I feel like Maybelline made Pink Fever for hoarders of pink products like me. If it’s pink, I want it. I want errrrrthing!

Pink Fever, one of six cream blush sticks in the Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick line released earlier this year (wow, now that name is a mouthful), is perfect for quickly adding a hint of sheer color with a soft, shiny finish to my cheeks.

I usually just run my fingers across the top of the stick to pick up some product, then dab it directly on my cheeks.

And dabbing is the key here… Any amount of rubbing disturbs the foundation I wear underneath.

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Benefit They’re Real Push-Up Liner Says, Come On, Baby, Let’s Do the Twist!

May 22nd, 2014 by Karen 24 Comments

Benefit They're Real Push Liner — Wearing the new Benefit They’re Real Push-Up Liner on my lash lines with MAC Kelly Yum-Yum Lipstick on my lips

Well. Now I know what eyeliner I’ll be wearing when I find out that Ryan Gosling has finally gotten hitched and consequently start sobbing into my Cheetos — tears of pain, clearly, but I’ll try to pass them off as tears of joy (“I’m just so happy for him!”).

Benefit’s new They’re Real Push-Up Liner ($24) will be able to handle the waterworks, fo’ sho’.

The new waterproof matte black gel liner heads to the Benefit permanent line this July, and it has an interesting twist (literally).

Instead of coming in a pot, it comes in a pen. Think YSL Touche Eclat (which I talk about in this video), but with a flexible calligraphy-like nib instead of a brush. Twist the bottom, and the gel emits from the nib.

It’s the first ever lash-hugging gel liner pen! The custom AccuFlex tip hugs your lash line for bigger-looking eyes in seconds. The closer the liner, the bigger the eye!
—From the back of the box of Benefit’s new They’re Real Push-Up Liner

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Performing Tonight: Benefit’s New Sheer Rose Gold Rockateur, an Ultra Plush Lip Gloss Rock Star

May 16th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Listen, I’m probably the furthest thing in this zip code from rock ‘n’ roll. All of the presets on the radio in my car are to easy listening stations (“KOIT… Light rock, less talk”), and if I ever actually tried to head-bang, I would probably pull a muscle in my neck.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, because you do not have to be a rock ‘n’ roller to like Benefit’s new $16 Rockateur Ultra Plush Lip Gloss, the latest addition to the Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss fam.

Smooth, sheer, non-sticky and unfathomably comfortable (wear time is about 2-3 hours), the Ultra Plushes are part of Benefit’s permanent line.

Not only are they all that and a bag of Cheetos, they also have corresponding blushes — you know, in case you want to get all matchy-matchy on that @ss.

A fairly sheer rose gold, Rockateur is one of those glosses I think of when I think of weekend glosses.

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Dewy Wear Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Cheek Glow? Yes, We Dew!

May 14th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

How smooth is Estee Lauder’s new Bronze Goddess Cheek Glow ($28), my favorite piece from this summer’s annual Bronze Goddess collection?

Well, it’s smoother than an iced Frappuccino on a 92-degree day.

Ah… I sure could go for one of those right now.

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$10 Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black Will Put the Wind Beneath Your Winged Liner and Keep It There for Hours

May 14th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Maybelline Blackest Black Lasting Drama Eyestudio — That’s Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black ($9.99) on my upper lash lines

Easy to control and totally legit, Maybelline’s $9.99 Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black makes quick work of cat eye flicks (meow!), and it stands up to perspiration like Tabs stands up for gravy!

Plus, once it’s on, it doesn’t budge for nothin’.

Oil-free formula holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base

Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours

Safe for sensitive eyes

— maybelline.com

Pretty dark, but not as dark as my current black gel liner love, Black Valley Eye Paint by NARS, Blackest Black looks closer to a charcoal black than a black cat/midnight black to me.

I think darker would be better here…but it’s no big whoop, as Blackest Black is only $10 (versus $25 for NARS Black Valley).

The formula is designed to last a full 24 hours, which is kind of inconvenient to test… I’ve worn it about 10 times already, usually from morning till night or late afternoon, and I’ve never even seen it begin to give up the ghost. I have to physically remove it every time.

Maybelline Blackest Black Lasting Drama Eyestudio swatch — Blackest Black

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Giving Lips an Attitude Adjustment With Flushed, Heartbreaker and Temptation: New Gel Lip Colours by Laura Mercier

May 14th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Laura Mercier Gel Lip Colour in Heartbreaker — Heartbreaker

To quote the great Rachael Ray of 30-Minute Meals, “YUM-O.”

Whenever I get one of Laura Mercier’s Gel Lip Colours on my lips, my tummy rumbles because they taste so good! I’m tempted to bite into one like it’s a big butterscotch popsicle.

They taste and smell like butterscotch to me, also known as “one of the fine flavors of my youth.” Seriously, I used to walk to the corner store and get candy from those Brach’s Candy tubs, and I was all about the butterscotch, mah!

Laura Mercier Gel Lip Colours in Flushed (top) and Heartbreaker (bottom) — Gel Lip Colours in Flushed (top) and Heartbreaker (bottom)

This summer, as part of her New Attitude summer collection, Laura is adding four new limited edition shades to her sheer, smooth Gel Lip Colour line in Heartbreaker, Flushed, Temptation and Clementine. The lightweight, moisturizing formula conditions lips while it hydrates them.

Laura Mercier Gel Lip Colour in Flushed — Flushed

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