Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

5 Drugstore Mascaras, 5 Days

May 20th, 2009 by Karen 25 Comments

Today blogger Caroline K. takes us through five days of testing with five popular drugstore mascaras.

So, have you heard the one about us being in a recession? We’re all saving money where we can.

There are even things like the Lipstick Index. Apparently, when times are bad, cosmetics sales go up.

Who knew?

In my case, I am being more conservative with my makeup purchases, which is why I’m looking closely at drugstore mascara.

With my favorite, Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes, costing $28 a pop, it was time to return to my college days. I wanted to find the greatest drugstore mascara ever sold, so from Monday-Friday I played with five mascaras over five days.

Naked lashes

no-makeup

First, I present you with my no makeuped eye, which is maybe the scariest thing I have ever posted on the Internet. I’m going with that first so you have nowhere to go but up with your opinion of my eyeball.

For the following photos, I wasn’t wearing any makeup other than each mascara. I stuck to the included mascara wands — no additional brushes, combs or eyelash curlers. Oh, and these are all double coats.

Now on to the fun!

Monday: L’Oreal Bare Naturale, $10

monday-barenaturale

Monday was L’Oreal’s new mineral mascara, Bare Naturale ($10). I clearly hadn’t figured out the lighting thing yet … but that’s neither here nor there.

I like this mascara. It’s not heavy or goopy and lasts all day long but is still easy to remove in the evening.

The look isn’t anything dramatic, but it does add definition. Great Saturday afternoon mascara, not that I wear special makeup when I want to look like I’m not wearing any. Oh, no, not me. 🙂

Tuesday: Maybelline Lash Stiletto, $8

tuesday-lashstiletto

Tuesday, I tried the new Maybelline Lash Stiletto ($8).

Maybelline really went all out with their packaging, and this bad boy actually looks like a stiletto heel.

I really like this mascara. It gives a lot of length, but I feel like it’s missing that added volume bump I need.

The mascara itself is super glossy and would take some getting used to, but my biggest complaint is the brush. It’s a little too wiry and pokey for my taste. Sure, I think it makes my eyelashes look terrific, but my lash line got a little banged up in the process.

Wednesday: Cover Girl Lash Exact, $8

wednesday-lashexact

Wednesday, I moved on to Cover Girl’s Lash Exact ($8) in the purple tube.

I’m not going to lie; those new pokey plastic Cover Girl brushes really freak me out. They look like some sort of medieval torture device but in fun new colors, so I was totally surprised by how much I liked the way they made my lashes look.

They were stunningly long. I could have used a comb to separate them a little more, but I was in heaven.

Unfortunately, as the day wore on, Lash Exact let me down. By noon it was getting a little flakey, and by dinner it seemed to have disappeared.

Thursday: Maybelline Sky High Curves, $7

thursday-skyhigh

But Thursday was another day, and I decided to try my old standby. Before I moved to the Givenchy mascara last year, I was a Maybelline Sky High Curves ($7) girl.

Would it welcome me back into its old embrace? Would I still love it after working with perfection all these months?

I have to say, I did.

This mascara actually does curl my lashes, which I have to say weirds me out, but it gives terrific length and volume.

The brush is easy to use, but it seems like Maybelline may have changed the formula while I was away from the product because it tended to get a little clumpy with my eyelashes leaning toward the spidery side of the spectrum.

A little brushwork took care of the problem, though, and I looked good for the day! Oh, and the waterproof formula lasted through a marathon crying session during Grey’s Anatomy, so good work, Maybelline!

Friday: Cover Girl Lash Blast Luxe, $9

friday-lashblast

Finally, it was Friday, and I was ready for the weekend. I tried Cover Girl’s new Lash Blast Luxe ($9), which I had saved for Friday because of its OMG shimmer! Nothing says “weekend mascara” like shimmer, and I was excited to see what it could do.

And then, nothing.

Not only does it lack shimmer, but it doesn’t have much else either. I think it may darken my eyelashes a little, but that’s certainly not anything to write home about.

This was a big disappointment for me, and after Drew Barrymore’s eyelashes looked so great in the commercial…

So it seems like I’m sticking with my old standby, Sky High Curves. 🙂 I think in general Maybelline knows what they’re doing in the lash department. With money so tight these days, if I can still look fabulous on a budget, I’m all for it.

CVS, here I come!

This post was written by blogger Caroline K. She wasn’t always a makeup girl, but a marketing internship at Seventeen magazine changed all that. The editorial girls took pity on her poor soul and taught her about brushes, eyeliner and lip gloss; she’s never looked back.

10 Days of Giveaways: Comment to Win the Benefit Smokin’ Eyes Palette

May 20th, 2009 by Karen 298 Comments

The giveaway is now closed, and I’m contacting the winner by e-mail. Good luck!

makeup-and-beauty-blog-10-days-of-giveaways-bird-of-paradise

First, that paddle board lesson…

Watching my first attempt at paddle boarding yesterday, a spectator might have thought, “That girl must be deathly afraid of sea turtles!”

That’s because of how determined I looked not to fall off my board into turtle-infested waters, LOL!

Howzit, ladies? Happy hump day!

I signed up for lessons not knowing much about stand-up paddle boarding, like that the board is NOT, in fact, just a regular surf board. It’s larger, more stable and consequently much easier to stand up on in the water than a surf board.

The lesson lasted about two hours. The school I chose was Rainbow Watersports Adventures, run by Nate and Heidi, a young couple who live on the North Shore.

Nate was the instructor and went over everything, preparing the equipment on land before we ever touched the water. I felt safe the entire time.

He was encouraging and cracked jokes to keep things light while guiding us from a beginner’s beach out a few yards around a jetty up the mouth of a calm, tropical river filled with schools of fish and sea turtles coming in from the ocean to feed. They’d pop their cute heads up right beside the board to say hi.

The river winds through a jungly, residential area with peacocks and other tropical birds hanging out along the water’s edge.

I don’t sign up for activities or lessons very often when I travel, but this time I’m so glad I did.

Time for a giveaway!

At home I sing a song I like to call Tabs Has Smokey Eyes when I do the dishes or vacuum.

Tabs is lucky enough to have naturally smokey eyes, but the rest of us need something like the Benefit Smokin’ Eyes Palette to get the look. 🙂

The prize

benefit-smokin-eyes

One lucky lady will win Benefit’s Smokin’ Eyes Palette (a $36 value).

This cute lil’ kit comes with everything you need to create sultry, smokey eyes *AND* get your brows in gear. It includes…

One pan of Benefit Eye Bright
One shimmery pink highlight eyeshadow
One shimmery pewter base eyeshadow
One matte deep charcoal eyeshadow
One Pencil Eyeliner in Smokin’
One pan of Brow Zings Wax in Light
One Fluff Eyeshadow Brush
One Hard Angle Brush
One pair of tweezers
Directions

How to enter

You know how we do this, girls!

To enter, just leave a comment in the comments section at the bottom of this post, letting me know the name of your favorite Benefit product of all time.

Mine has to be Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit. That’s one for the ages!

I’ll pick the one winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59PM PST tonight.

Ngikufisela iwela (that’s good luck in Zulu)!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The giveaway is now closed, and I’m contacting the winner by e-mail. Good luck!

Two Top Drugstore Gems: Good for Baby, Good for Mommy

May 19th, 2009 by Karen 15 Comments

Today MBB reader Jane in Philly shares two great drugstore products for baby and mommy.

aveeno-baby-and-aquaphor

Hello, Beautiful Women! I’m really excited to be writing a guest post for this blog. I’ve only recently discovered MMB, so I’ve been doing lots of catching up on past posts and searching for how-to’s and tips. MMB is my guilty pleasure.

My husband thinks it’s silly how people can be so passionate about cosmetics enough to blog about them. Little does he know just HOW MUCH exists in cyberspace about a particular lipstick (e.g., MAC’s Lollipop Loving), let alone everything else that people buy, use, and review.

Anyway, here’s a look at two products I’d like to call “Good for Baby, good for Mommy.”

Pregnancy, labor and delivery, recovery, breastfeeding — those were probably the greatest physical challenges I’ve ever endured, even more than running a marathon! For all you moms out there, you know what I mean.

Now my daughter is almost a year old — how time flies! Over the past year, I’ve come across several “beauty gems” that I would not have discovered had it not been for my sweet baby girl. 🙂

Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion

aveeno-baby

I love this lotion! I should stock up on it in case Aveeno goes bust or something equally tragic happens.

FOR BABY: I use it to give my baby a massage after her bath. The lavender scent is subtle and pleasant and doesn’t scream “I’ll make you smell good!” like other baby products do. And there’s something about lavender that really does seem to calm her down for bedtime, especially when she’s feeling under the weather.

FOR MOMMY: I started using it myself when I accidentally squeezed too much from the tube. I rubbed the excess on my elbows and knees. After that night, I started squeezing A LOT more out of the tube, and not by accident anymore! 🙂

I love what it does to my dry skin, especially the skin on my legs and arms. The texture is just right — not too thick, not too slippery. It’s so much better than Johnson & Johnson’s baby lotion in lavender, which I used before getting Aveeno’s. J&J’s lotion is filmy and the scent is too much. The texture feels thin, slick, and doesn’t seem to absorb into my skin — it just sits there (ironically, Aveeno’s parent company is J&J).

I’m becoming more loyal to Aveeno (also check out their suncare products as well as their daily moisturizing lotion with SPF — perfect for year-round sun protection, which I need!).

Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Eucerin Aquaphor

This does it ALL. I found it at my pediatrician’s office. I picked up a handful of tiny sample tubes (no shame!), along with some coupons.

FOR BABY: I’ve been using it since my daughter was about a week old, primarily for her cute little baby bum, and for what it’s worth, she’s never had a diaper rash. I also use it when she scratches herself with her fingernails (I know… I’m terrible about not clipping her nails regularly, but if you’re a new mom, you know it’s not easy!). The scratches heal quickly and are very mild for her delicate skin. She’s never shown any adverse reactions to it.

FOR MOMMY: I’m not ashamed to admit that I made it a habit to pick up Aquaphor samples every time my little one has an appointment. I like to have samples with me everywhere — purse, diaper bag, office desk drawer, car console, jacket pocket, bedside table. They’re as ubiquitous in my household as lip balm and diaper wipes.

Aquaphor works wonders on my feet (especially the heels) after a shower, and it’s awesome on chapped, dry lips in winter.

My favorite use of all? — running. I need Aquaphor when I’m going beyond 10 miles because there’s a good chance I’ll chafe and get yucky blisters. Before I head out, I’ll put some wherever my skin rubs — underneath my sports bra, in the groin area, around the waist, even underneath my ipod armstrap.

It’s especially important when I’m running marathons, where my arms and legs make the same repetitive motions for about 3 hours and 55 minutes.

Now it’s time for all of you to chime in, especially you fabulous new moms! Which baby products have you found useful for your own beauty needs?

This post was written by Jane, lover of Revlon and MAC, high school teacher and mommy to a smiley 1-year-old daughter in love with green peas. Jane has been wearing makeup since high school but credits blogs with turning her into a full-on makeup addict.

Stand-Up Paddle Boarding: Wave of the Future Oar Fad of the Day?

May 19th, 2009 by Karen 41 Comments

karen-jungle

Hi, ladies! I just wanted to pop by to say hello. El Hub and I finagled a couple nights at the Ko’Olina resort on the western side of Oahu. This is a first for us, but my parents have a timeshare that they were kind enough to let us borrow for a quick getaway.

MOVIE FUN FACT: Ko’Olina is where the 2002 surf film Blue Crush (starring Kate Bosworth) was filmed.

Today we’re heading up to the North Shore to the little town of Haleiwa for stand-up paddle lessons.

It’s the latest thing out here. You stand up on a surfboard and paddle around with a long oar. There are lots of paddle-boarding races on the island, and you see people doing it at the different beaches. It’s supposed to be easier than surfing, but I dunno… I’m good with balancing sports but BAD with projectiles and sports involving batons, bats and rackets.

Here’s to not hitting anyone with my oar!

cheesy

I hope you’re having a good day so far. Let me know how you’re doing. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Stef Goes Cuckoo for Coral!

May 19th, 2009 by Karen 21 Comments

Today Stef of the can’t-miss We Heart This (’cause chicks love stuff) shares six of her favorite coral lip glosses.

coral

I’m not sure when the change happened; when coral became an acceptable color choice for those outside the senior set. I’m just so glad it happened! Because for the last few years, when the weather gets warm, the corals start popping up. I find nothing brightens up your face more than the pop of coral, with its brighter than peach, but not quite orange glow.

strawberryblonde
MAC Strawberry Blonde Lipstick

My love affair with coral started with the infamous MAC Strawberry Blonde limited edition lipstick, a lustre from the 2006 Catherine Denuve collection. Described as a Coral Pink, it’s the measure in which I judge all corals by. As in “it’s pretty, but it’s no Strawberry Blonde.”

I brought it out in the desert sun so you could get a glimpse of it. This is semi-sheer, bright and flat-out gorgeous! Of course, I’m not the only one who fell hard for this. And to find it now, you pay dearly. But it’s oh-so worth it! I’ve tried dupes but never found another lipstick I like as much as this perfect coral.

So I moved on to the next logical step … lip gloss! A bit of a lip gloss addict, I could (and often do) spend hours talking about the merits of a perfect gloss. I can’t tell you how many times friends have grabbed a gloss from my hands in the middle of a store and scolded me that I didn’t need it, that I had a color just like it at home. But they’re always wrong, I do NOT have a color “just like” it. I never do.

So without further ado, I bring you my top six favorite coral glosses (and I do have to apologize, because a couple of them were LE, and you may have to really search to find them).

coral_swatch

From the top:

Smashbox Sheer Color in Red Rock — Sheer Coral Red Shimmer. This is one of the brighter glosses of the bunch, and it looks absolutely fabulous with summer, sun-kissed skin. You’re in luck, my pretties! This LE shade is not only still available, but on sale for only $13.50.
Smashbox True Color in Beauty ($18) — Smashbox calls this Pink Melon; I call it perfect. It’s a pinky coral, with no shimmer, and super glossy coverage. If I had to only wear one gloss for the rest of my life, Beauty would be it. Just a lovely pop of summery color to give your lips that cheery, baby doll look (and the most similar to my beloved Strawberry Blonde).
MAC Dazzleglass in Smile ($18.50) — Light coral with pink and gold pearl (the pink pearl really dominates the gold). Brand new and super hot. If you don’t know the joy of a Dazzleglass, go get one immediately. It’s like crushed diamonds on your lips but with none of the grit. Smile is sheer but really adds a nice milky coral hue to plain lips or a bit more oomph to coral lipsticks.
MAC Lipglass in Red Devil ($14) — Coral Orange Frost. Sorry, this was a limited edition color from the Blonde, Brunette, Redhead collection and you may be SOL trying to find it. It’s the brightest of my favs, with big color payoff for a bold look. If you come up empty on a search, try the Smashbox Red Rocks; they’re very similar.
Hourglass Extreme Sheen in Lush ($28) — Coral Shimmer. Oh, but not just any shimmer. Lush has micro fine gold shimmer (in my opinion, the prettiest of the shimmers!). I am in love with Extreme Sheens. They have a buttery consistency with no stickiness at all.
Trish McEvoy Lip and Cheek Stain in Pick-Me-Up ($28) — Coral Stain. Sorry, another LE. But well worth the hunt if you, too, are cuckoo for coral. This actually has a bit of coral shimmer to it (which is rare for a stain), and it makes a fabulous base for any of the glosses listed here. And it Does. Not. Budge — even when you’re trying to remove it!

What about it, ladies? Have a favorite coral that you think deserves a spot in this hall of fame? Do tell! ‘Cause I could always use another gloss…

This post was written by Stef of We Heart This. A graphic designer and bona fide lip gloss and face serum addict, Stef loves MAC lipstick, Hourglass gloss, Paula Dorff Blush and Stila shadows. She lives in the Southern California desert with her husband, their four dogs and the world’s most patient cat.

10 Days of Giveaways: Comment to Win Body Shop Peppermint Foot Goodies

May 19th, 2009 by Karen 223 Comments

The giveaway is now closed, and I’m contacting the winner by e-mail. Good luck!

makeup-and-beauty-blog-10-days-of-giveaways-carved-statues

The ancient Hawaiians must have had some *hella* tan and crusty feet…

I’ve been slathering mine with sunscreen, covering the tops with the stuff and getting sunscreen between my toes, and I haven’t suffered any burnt piggies or ankles yet (knock on koa wood).

My feet take a beating every summer, being uncovered and unprotected as much as they are, but nothing could stop me from busting out the flip-flops.

You can get your puppies in gear this season by winning a grab bag filled with Peppermint Foot goodies from The Body Shop! 🙂

The prize

bodyshop-peppermint-giveaway
One lucky lady will win five Peppermint Foot products from The Body Shop (a $64 value):

Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion ($16)

Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray ($10)

Peppermint Pumice Foot Scrub ($14)

Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue Treatment ($18)

No More Rough Stuff Pumice ($6)

How to enter

Like yesterday’s giveaway, today’s is easy to enter. Just leave a quick comment below describing your favorite pair of summer shoes/sandals. Be sure to use a valid e-mail address so I can reach you if you win.

No secret here, but my favorite pair of summer shoes are my yellow Aerosoles platform sandals. 🙂

I’ll choose the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59PM PST tonight (Tuesday).

Ya’ll know that crusty feet and cute sandals NEVER look cute together.

Kali tihi!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The giveaway is now closed, and I’m contacting the winner by e-mail. Good luck!

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, May 18

May 18th, 2009 by Karen 61 Comments

leonards-malasadas

Mood:

Cheerful. I slept well last night, and I’ve been able to catch up on some reading on this trip.

Outfit:

Khaki green jersey sundress.

Eyes/cheeks/lips:

Urban Decay Get Baked Palette on my eyes, NARS The Multiple in South Beach on my cheeks and Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in Venus on my lips.

What book are you reading?

How to Write Fast (While Writing Well) by David Fryxell

A song that can always get you on the dance floor?

It Takes Two, by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock.

What’s your least favorite type of clothing:

High-waisted pants. I have a short torso, so when I wear high-waisted pants that end up just below my boobs I look completely redonkulous. Oh, and I also hate having to wear socks… They oppress my feet.

What lotion are you wearing today?

I picked up a random bottle of Vaseline Firming Smoothing Body Lotion at Longs Drugstore yesterday. Not bad stuff.

Do you dance by yourself when no one is watching?

HECK YAH!

What was your last meal?

Two malasadas (Portuguese doughnut holes; deep fried doughnuts covered in sugar) from a Leonard’s Malasada truck last night. Not exactly the most nutritious of meals, but very tasty!

Weekly goals:

Learn to stand-up paddle board, spend lots of time with my family, relax.

Good morning, pretties! I hope your Monday’s been smooth sailing from that first sip of coffee.

Let me know how things are going with you. Just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers to the Monday Poll in the comments. 🙂

Le List

Mood:
Outfit:
Eyes/lips/cheeks:
What book are you reading?
Song that always gets you out on the dance floor:
What’s your least favorite type of clothing?
What lotion are you wearing today?
Do you dance when no one is watching?
What was your last meal?
Weekly goals:

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

OPI Bright Pair Nail Polishes for Summer 2009

May 18th, 2009 by Karen 24 Comments

Today the lovely Kelly of Vampy Varnish shares a review of OPI’s newest collection of nail polishes for summer.

OPI Bright Pair

OPI and Paige Premium Denim have paired up this summer to release a really great collection of matching nail polish and colored Paige Denim jeans!

I am a HUGE fan of Paige jeans and OPI, so what could be a better fit? I must confess, though, that I haven’t worn a pair of colored jeans since the ’90s, but I suppose all trends make their way back eventually.

All of these polishes are crÃ¨mes, and the application was excellent, as usual for OPI!

opi-over-the-taupe

Over The Taupe is a gorgeous mushroom-y taupe. Offbeat colors like this one have always been some of my favorites, and they seem to be quite popular in general (such as Sephora by OPI’s constantly sold out Metro Chic). It’s similar to You Don’t Know Jacques, from their French collection, but a lot lighter. The application was perfect and this was three coats.

opi-a-grape-fit

It’s A Grape Fit! is so pretty! It’s a fabulous medium lavender and perfect for summer. There have been a lot of lavender crÃ¨mes lately, but this isn’t a dupe of any of the ones I have. This was three coats.

opi-shorts-story

Shorts Story is an amazingly flattering bright pink. The undertones are blue, so it leans toward the cooler side of pink. It was very opaque and creamy, and I only needed two coats.

opi-in-my-back-pocket

In My Back Pocket is a pretty tangerine with yellow undertones. I think it would look especially great on those with darker skin tones. I can totally picture it on a pedi peeking out from a fabulous pair of copper colored Greek sandals!

opi-no-room-for-the-blues

No Room For The Blues is quite simply stunning. Sky blue is one of my favorite colors, and I think almost all skin tones could pull this one off. The color has cropped up a lot this season, but I could have a thousand different sky blues and be happy! The application was exceptionally creamy and smooth, and I only needed two coats. 🙂

opi-on-the-same-paige

On The Same Paige is a burnt orange. This picture shows it as being a tomato red, but really it’s much more orange and has a slight rusty tint to it that I like. There have been many oranges and reds this season, but its rustiness makes it unlike the rest. It’s very opaque, and I only needed two coats.

Overall, I think OPI really hit it out of the park with this collection. These polishes sell for about $12.50 apiece, and I was especially happy to see purple, blue and taupe in here, since they aren’t too conservative and are therefore more interesting to me.

Which of these are your favs?

On the Same Paige
No Room for the Blues
Shorts Story
In My Back Pocket
A Grape Fit!
Over the Taupe

This post was written by Kelly of Vampy Varnish, a blog featuring reviews and swatches of nail polish brands and colors. Her favorite nail polish brands include OPI, Rescue Beauty Lounge, China Glaze and Zoya. A long time MAC fan as well, she fell in love with makeup at the age of 13, when she started wearing heavy black winged-out eyeliner and bright Smurf blue eyeshadow.