BEAUTY REVIEW: Essie in Fiji and A Cut Above

SOURCE:  Essie website

I am back with another nail polish review. I polished my nails in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I think everyone has known someone close to them that have been afflicted with breast cancer. One of the secretaries at work was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of years ago. She is married with two sons and courageously and successfully beat it. She is now in remission and grateful. She proudly pins a pink ribbon to her blouse every day this month as a badge of courage and a statement of strength.

Pink is the color for breast cancer awareness and many have been donning pink this month to show their support towards finding a cure. I've noticed NFL and MLB players with pink gloves, socks, or shoes. Just a little touch of pink to show their support.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. notes the following:

• One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women.
• Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.
• Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,150 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 410 will die each year.

I was tweeting with a follower the other week who loves makeup and nail polish as much as I do. She told me that OPI has a special nail polish set for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The set includes a bottle of pink polish and a bottle of pink glitter polish. The pictures were beautiful and I was so tempted to get the set, but the little shopping angel on my shoulder gently reminded me about the constantly growing stash of nail polish I own. And then I remembered that I own a bunch of pink nail polish as well as a pink glitter polish from Essie. I decided to save $16 and use what I already had on hand to duplicate the look that OPI created.

Essie's Fiji with Essie's A Cut Above

I used Essie's Fiji with Essie's Lux Effects line in A Cut Above. What do you think? When I posted this picture on Twitter, a follower loved it and suggested that the next time, I apply the glitter overlay with a ombre effect. Good idea...now, just to figure out how to apply an ombre look. Hmm...

THE PROS:

• APPLICATION:  Fiji is opaque and creamy with a glossy finish. I only needed to apply two coats. The polish did not streak upon application either. A Cut Above consists of small and medium flecks of pink glitter. I only applied a single coat of the glitter overlay polish over Fiji. For application of A Cut Above, see Cons below.
• AVAILABILITY:  Fiji is a popular polish shade that is part of Essie's permanent line of polishes available at most major drug stores.
• AFFORDABILITY:  Essie polishes are not cheap, but they are not crazy expensive either. For the quality, you get a solid product at a reasonable price.

THE CONS:

• APPLICATION:  The first nail I applied A Cut Above to, had more glitter than the subsequent nails I painted because there was more glitter on the brush from sitting in the bottle. Thus, my index finger of my left hand appears to way more glitter than my ring finger, as seen in the picture.

I really like this look. So much so that I ended up buying the OPI glitter nail polish. I know... I'm a hopeless nail polish addict. Sigh...

BEAUTY REVIEW: Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackest Black

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

I've been doing a lot of nail polish reviews lately, so I thought I would shake things up a bit by selecting another type of beauty product to review.  I am still in the process of slowly cleaning out and reorganizing my beauty products.  I admit that I've kept some of these products way too long, but only for the purpose of posting a beauty review before tossing them out.

Revlon's ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen is one of those products that I have been keeping to review.  As you all know, I am a fan of the felt tip liner.  For some reason, I'm not very good at applying eyeliner with a brush tip unless its the Physicians Formula's Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum.  Perhaps with more practice, I will be able to apply my eyeliner with a brush tip like a pro, but until that happens, I am more than satisfied with using a felt tip eyeliner.  Thus, Revlon's ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen seemed to fit my criteria and I had to try it, especially after some of the beauty gurus on YouTube raved about this product.

THE PROS:

• Application:  The felt tip liner applies the product smoothly across the lash line, but I suggest using this product for only your upper lash line and using a pencil eyeliner to line your bottom lash line.  I use short small strokes along my lash line to apply the product.  The felt tip allows you to apply a fine to bold line depending on the look you want.  This is also a great product to easily achieve a cat eye look.
• Availability:  Revlon cosmetic products are widely available at all major drugstore chains.  However, this seems to be a very popular product so stores tend to run out of this product fast, especially when Revlon products are on sale.
• Price:  The felt tip liner retails for about $9 to $10, which is a deal considering the price of other high end eyeliners.

THE CONS:

• Performance:  The eyeliner formula is not as dark as I would like it to be, even if it was in "blackest black", but it is darker than some other black eyeliners I've used before.  A huge drawback for me was that it is not waterproof.  It tends to smear on my lids, especially around the corners of my eyes where moisture tends to collect.  I also noticed a little bit of smearing under my bottom eyelid area.  Boo hiss.  I am not a fan of raccoon eyes.
• Variety:  This eyeliner only comes in three colors:  Blackest Black, Black, and Blackened Brown.  Even though I usually use jet black eyeliners, having a wider variety of colors would probably make this product even more attractive.

Again, I have more pro points than con points, but the performance of a product is an paramount factor in my book when it comes to eyeliners.  I don't hate this product, but I am not totally in love with it either since I have other eyeliners that I feel perform better than this one.

BEAUTY REVIEW: OPI Nail Lacquer in Chicago Champagne Toast

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

I am trying my best to stick with my plan to make use of all the nail polishes I have accumulated.  Honestly, what is the sense in buying all these lovely bottles of polish without ever using them?  Every time I see big displays of OPI, Essie, or Sephora polishes, I am overcome with excitement.  I slowly feel my willpower cave in and my body being magnetically drawn to the display.  My eyes are dazzled with all of the pretty shades.  It's actually really sad to realize that I am such a vulnerable and gullible target consumer.  But, I digress.

During a recent sidewalk sale at the mall (again, I am such a sucker!), I picked up a couple of OPI polishes, including this classic favorite in "Chicago Champagne Toast".  I've been a fan of this color for a long time.  In fact, it was one of the first shades I used when I sported my long acrylic nails.  Yes, I used to have acrylic nails when I was a poor starving law student until I realized that one of the reasons I was a poor starving law student was because I was spending money every two weeks to get my nails filled, filed, and polished.

"Chicago Champagne Toast" is described on the OPI website as a "fine pink champagne with an understated shine".  I'm not sure if that description is totally accurate because the polish looks more peachy than pink to me and the shine is pretty frosty.  Well, you be the judge by looking at the picture of my finished nails.

OPI's "Chicago Champagne Toast"

THE PROS:

• Performance:  This polish is opaque and I found that only two coats are sufficient.  I used a base coat (Revlon's Quick Dry Base Coat) and a top coat (Seche Vite) to complete my manicure.  Due to the frosty finish, you need to make sure that you apply your polish carefully.  The polish stands up to the daily wear and tear and usually lasts on my nails for about one week before noticeable chips and cracks.
• Affordability:  OPI polishes are not cheap, but cheaper than some of the high end polishes, such as Butter, Chanel, and Nails Inc.  For the quality, you get a solid product at a reasonable price.

THE CONS:

•  Color:  I am not sure whether my issue with color should be under its own separate category or lumped under the performance category.  However, as much as I love this color, I swear that the color in my most recent purchased bottle is different from the color in an older bottle.  Maybe it is just me, but I remember "Chicago Champagne Toast" as being on the nude side rather than pink/peachy.
• Availability:  OPI polishes are only available at salons.  However, now that OPI also makes the polishes for Sephora, you can find OPI polishes at any mall or outlet mall.  My biggest complaint is that OPI has so many limited edition polish lines that unless you fall in love with a color that is part of OPI's Classic Line, you may need to wait and find a dupe in a subsequent collection.  Luckily "Chicago Champagne Toast" is part of OPI's Classic Line.

Hmm...so with two pro points and two con points, it looks like a tie.  However, as I stated before, this is one of my all time favorite OPI polishes and therefore, this polish receives a thumbs up from me!

BEAUTY REVIEW: Essie in Lilacism

SOURCE:  Essie website

Recently, I've been making a conscious effort to polish my nails.  I keep buying bottles of pretty nail polish shades, but never get around to polishing my nails.  Thus, I am making an effort to get off of my lazy butt and start polishing and manicuring my own nails.

As part of my effort, I am also trying to use all the colors that I currently own.  I bought Essie's Lilacism several months ago at my local drugstore.  I was looking for something pale/neutral with a hint of lavender.  Even though Lilacism looked a little darker than what I had in mind, I thought that I would give it a whirl.  So what did I think?  The verdict is still out.

Perhaps it is because I am so used to neutral, pink, and red shades on my finger nails.  Or, perhaps I am used to a polish with more shimmer.  Whatever the reason may be, I am just not totally head over heels for this shade.  The polish is opaque, which I like because I find that many of the Essie polishes are sheer.  I only needed to apply two coats of polish to achieve my desired finish.  Lilacism does not have any shimmer or sparkle to it, but leaves a very shiny opaque finish.  A plus for this type of finish is that your application does not have to be super straight.  For a little more desired sparkle, add a glitter top coat.  The application was pretty easy; no noticeable streaking, which Essie is also known to perform.

My nails with Essie's Lilacism

THE PROS

• Availability:  Essie polishes are now widely available at more large retail drugstore chains, including Target and Walgreens.  I remember the days when we needed to visit the salon to get our hands on Essie polishes.  In fact, I didn't even hear about Essie polishes until about five years ago.  I got this bottle at Longs Drugs.
• Affordability:  Essie polishes are not cheap, but they are not crazy expensive either.  For the quality, you get a solid product at a reasonable prices.
• Performance:  As stated above, this polish is opaque and does not streak on application.  I used the Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat; two coats of Essie's Lilacism; and Seche Vite top coat. I did my nails on Sunday night and after five days, I don't see any noticeable chips; just a little wear and tear on the tips of my nails, but that is due to typing on my keyboard at work.  Since Lilacism is a lighter shade, little chips in your polish isn't very noticeable.

THE  CONS

• Color:  Despite a good performance, I am not crazy about the color.  The lighting in the picture above lightens the actually color of the nails.  It is very lavender; almost the shade of an Easter egg.  In fact, after I finished polishing my nails, I thought that perhaps I should wear this shade for the Spring rather than the Fall.

One would think that after three pro points and only one con point that I would give this product a thumb up.  However, the color point really weighs heavy for me.  I don't dislike it enough to give it a thumbs down.  After all, if I really hated it, I would have taken it off and changed my polish.  I am going to keep Lilacism in the rotation, but perhaps I will revisit it when the Spring rolls around.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Clinique Continuous Coverage SPF 15 in Ivory Glow

SOURCE:  Clinique

I don't know many women with flawless skin.  Admit it ladies, we all have some blemishes that need hiding or a little touch up, so a good concealer is a must have item.  My favorite concealer used to be Almay's Nearly Naked Cover Up Stick in Light/Medium until I found out that this concealer was discontinued.  Instead of searching for a concealer from the drugstore, I decided to go to the department store.  I am a satisfied and dedicated user of Clinique products for moisturizing, cleansing, and face makeup, so I figured I would give its concealers a whirl.

Incidentally, my mom uses Clinique's Continuous Coverage and suggested that I try it.  I'm glad that I listened to her (I admit it, I don't always listen to her) because it does a fantastic job with covering my facial blemishes and sun spots without leaving a cakey appearance.

THE PROS:

• The performance:  This liquid product provides full coverage and is easy to apply onto the face with using your fingertips or concealer brush.  It applies on smooth and leaves a matte finish without streaking.  It also does not leave a cakey appearance and easily blends with your foundation.  I use this product under my liquid foundation.  This product provides such great coverage that you can use this as a concealer or a foundation.
• The benefit:  This product has SPF 15, so it provides protection from the sun.  Although I always wear sunblock under my foundation, a little more protection can't hurt.
• The variety:  This product comes in four different colors to match a full spectrum of skin tones, including Creamy Glow, Ivory Glow, Porcelain Glow, and Natural Honey Glow.  I use the Ivory Glow, which is good for light to medium skin tones.
• The packaging:  This product comes in an easy to use squeeze tube with a needle point nose.  Forget the messy doe foot applicator wands or the pumps that sometimes squeezes out too much product.  The squeeze tube allows you to control the amount of product you need.  However, the Clinique website states that new packaging is being phased in, so I am not sure if it is just a change to the color or design of the tube or if Clinique is doing away with the squeeze tube all together.  I hope that is not the latter because I love the squeeze tube.

THE CONS:

• The price:  This product has a retail value of $24 for 1.2 fl. oz., which is pretty steep, but I find that this product lasts me several months since just little goes a long way.
• The availability:  This product is not available at drugstores.  However, Clinique is widely available at most major department stores and Sephora as well as outlet cosmetic stores, such as Ulta or the Cosmetic Company Outlet.

All in all, I am sold on this product.  Again, I guess mothers do know best because this product performed great on my skin.  Even my female coworkers noticed the difference and asked me if I was doing something different to my regular skin care routine because my skin looked clearer and brighter.  I give this product a thumbs up all the way!

BEAUTY REVIEW: Neutrogena Formula Moisture Wrap Body Lotion

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

Yes, long time no blog.  I am obviously having a difficult time consistently blogging, which makes me wonder if I should keep this blog going, or just face reality and close it up.  Perhaps a blog month is needed for me to change my tune.  "Blog-tober" anyone?  How about "Blog-vember"?  But, I digress.

I was looking through my room the other day and realized that I have all these used products that I am ready to chuck, but have been holding onto because I wanted to blog about them.  In light of my growing "to chuck" pile and an urgent need to reduce the clutter, I decided that I better start blogging again.

I have been looking for a good body lotion.  Although I suffer from dry skin mostly on my hands and face, which I have great moisturizers for each, I would like to address my ashy legs.  I was a pretty consistent user of Victoria Secret body lotions, but stopped using them.  The scents were driving my olfactory senses batty and my favorite scent was discontinued.  Boo hiss.  I noticed the Neutrogena Formula Moisture Wrap Body Lotion in my local drugstore and decided to give it a try.

I am a fan of the Neutrogena sunblock line, so I was eager to try out the body lotion line.  Perhaps the hand cream and foot cream products are better, but the Moisture Wrap Body Lotion needs more work in my humble opinion.

THE CONS:

• The body lotion has a thin, almost watery, consistency.  I could shake the tube and hear the product bouncing vigorously around inside.
• Due to the lotion's thin consistency, it takes a while for the lotion to settle into your skin.  I found myself fanning my legs to speed up the drying process.
• The body lotion is not the best for extremely dry skin.  My legs are not extremely dry, but the lotion didn't do enough to moisturize my ashy legs.  Perhaps after continued use I would have seen more results, but I am impatient and didn't see much results after one week of continued daily twice-a-day use.
• The body lotion has a slight fragrance, so it is not "fragrance free" as advertised.  Perhaps my sense of smell is a little more sensitive, but this product does have a slight fragrance that reminds me of Keri Lotion a little bit.  I don't think that it is off putting at all and really don't mind it, but the tube says "fragrance free".
• The body lotion leaves a slight sticky feeling on your skin.  I prefer moisturizers that don't leave a greasy or sticky feeling.

THE PROS:

• The price.  The regular retail price for this product on Drugstore.com is $7.99.  I think this product costs more at my local drugstore in Hawaii since things tend to be a little more expensive here.  Still, that's super reasonable for body lotion, especially from a pretty reputable brand, such as Neutrogena.
• The size.  The body lotion comes in a generous 8.5 fl. oz. tube, which at $7.99 comes out to $0.94 per fl. oz.  Very reasonable, especially when you consider that body lotion from Bath & Body Works comes in an 8 fl. oz. bottle at a retail price of $11.
• The availability.  Neutrogena products are sold in every major drugstore chain.  The Nordstrom Rack I visit also has a large variety of Neutrogena products available at a discounted price.

After writing out the pros of this product, it's a shame that I didn't like this product more.  I just wished that it performed better because at the end of the day, that's what really matters in my book.  Since I don't have much use for it now, I am chucking this into the trash can.  What a pity.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

SOURCE:  urbandecay.com

I noticed that my most recent posts have consisted of bad reviews regarding drugstore cosmetic products, so I thought I would stray from this trend and post a review about a cosmetic product that I love.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I have oily eyelids, which affects the lasting power of my eyeshadows.  I am a big believer that drugstore cosmetics can be just as good as department store brands, so I usually try drugstore varieties before investing my hard earned money on more expensive high-end products.  Thus, I tried the L'Oreal De-Crease Eye Shadow Base first.  Unfortunately, I didn't see any remarkable results or improvements when I used the De-Crease product.  My eyeshadow still faded and creased within no time at all.

I finally caved in at Sephora one day and decided to purchase the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.  Virtually every makeup guru on YouTube owns a tube or bottle of this eyeshadow base.  I bought the original primer potion in the professional size because I figured that I would get more bang for my buck.  I also heard that the squeeze tube was easier to use and last longer than the original potion bottle with the applicator wand.  The salesperson at the case register at Sephora said that I would not be disappointed and she was totally right.

I have been a fan of this product since the first day I used it.  The primer is light and creamy and dries invisible on the skin.  It helps to brighten your eyeshadow shades while providing the best last power that resists fading and creasing.  I was so impressed with how my eyeshadow and eyeliner held up way past my lunch hour.  During my pre-eyeshadow primer days, I would always find myself in front of the bathroom mirror after lunch carefully wiping away my raccoon eyes.  Now, all I need is powder touch ups for my face and rarely have to wipe away raccoon under eye circles...only the outer eye corner areas at best (I have teary eyes from time to time).

The squeeze tube bottle is easy to use and the needle point dispenser top makes application as breeze.  I usually dab a small amount on the tip of my finger and blend the product with a finger tip along my entire upper eyelid.  I find that just a little bit goes a long way and am so impressed with the staying power of my eyeshadow when I use it, which is daily.

I am still a fan of drugstore makeup products, but make exceptions for higher-end products that work, especially when they work better than the drugstore products.  A huge thumbs up!

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Dream Mousse Blushes -- DISCONTINUED

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Pink Frosted, Soft Plum, and Rose Petal (L to R)

I came to the conclusion the other night that I have too many items in my makeup stash that I don't use anymore.  I also realized that rather than tossing these used and neglected products into the trash, I was saving them to do a review.  By the way, I take total blame for my procrastination.  Due to my procrastination, some of these neglected or rejected items have been discontinued in the interim by their manufacturers, such as the Maybelline Dream Mousse Blushes.

I previously fell in love with the Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer many moons ago until Maybelline decided to discontinue the concealers, but still stick with blushes and bronzers.  In fact, one of my very first blog posts was about my frustration over discovering that my favorite concealer was no longer available on the market.  I guess Maybelline decided that it was time for the blushes and bronzers to go as well because I noticed on Maybelline's website that these products have been discontinued.

I am not fretting over this news like I did when I found out about the concealer because the Dream Mousse Blushes were just okay.  Perhaps I am too used to powder blushes, so anything that is in mousse or cream form is a little suspect to me.  However, I used these Dream Mousse Blushes periodically for over two months and I was just not sold on them.

I bought and used three shades:  Pink Frosted, Soft Plum, and Rose Petal.  The product comes in a small heavy clear glass paint pot jar.  The blushes really look and feel like a mousse dessert--light weight and a little fluffy.  The color selection was not very large as I recall (maybe five or six different shades?), so I picked the shades that I thought would match my skin tone the best.

The positives:

• Easy application.  I just used my fingertips in lieu of a blush brush.
• The mousse consistency applies with a powdery finish, but more on the finished look below under the negatives.
• Easy items to pack while traveling.  The packaging and blush consistency make these blushes a great product to take with you when you travel because you don't have to worry about your powder blushes cracking or breaking.

The negatives:

•  Limited blush shade selection.  All of the shades looked fairly similar to each other with just fine differences between them.  None of the shades available were particularly bright and most fall along the lines of a subdued pink or health rose shade.  The brightest shade was Pink Frosting.
• The powdery finish does not blend well and has a bit of a glittery finish.  The more I tried to carefully blend the product, the more it started to clump together.  The product also has a bit of a sheen, so if you are looking for a matte finish, this is not the product for you.
• There is not much of a color payoff .  I was a bit disappointed in the limited color payoff of this product.  The shades were pretty in the paint pots, but washed out once applied to my cheeks.  Pink Frosting had the best color payoff compared to the other shades, but not by much.
• The product is not long lasting.  Perhaps it is due to my over blending, but I found that the cheek color faded away by noon.  Rose Petal performed the worst.

I am assuming Maybelline discontinued the Dream Mousse Blushes to replace them with the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes.  However, after the lackluster performance of the Dream Mousse Blushes, I am not interested in the Dream Bouncy Blushes.  Oh well, one less product to keep in my makeup stash and with this post, off to the trash can!

BEAUTY REVIEW: L'Oreal Concentrated Lash Boosting Serum

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

I admit it.  I am a puny eyelash sufferer.  No matter how many layers of volume boosting mascara I apply, I am still a victim of puny eyelashes.  Don't get me wrong.  I am not ashamed.  I take my less than stellar eyelashes in stride.  And, after trying the L'Oreal Concentrated Lash Boosting Serum, I will continue to take my eyelash shortcomings in stride.

My local drugstore was having a sale on all L'Oreal cosmetic products several months ago, so I thought that would be a perfect opportunity for me to try out the lash boosting serum that several YouTube beauty gurus were raving about.  Again, I wanted to see if the product really lived up to all of its hype.  Sadly, this product did not.

The description for the lash serum states on the L'Oreal website that it contains "Centella Asiatica extract and Arginine to reinforce, condition, and protect each lash."  To tell you the truth, I have no clue what Centella Asiatica extract or Arginine are, but I'll give it a whirl!

I applied the lash serum daily to my bare lashes at night by using the soft serum applicator that was gently curved in the shape of the average eye.  I placed emphasis on "average" because my small Asian eyes do not normally fit the size of the average eye, but I tried my best not to poke my eyeball!  The lash serum can be used twice a day, underneath mascara and on bare lashes at night.  Perhaps my failure in applying the lash serum under my mascara contributed to the downfall of this product because I didn't see much results, especially after four weeks, like the website claims.  My eyelashes essentially looked the same as they did when I first started to use this product...puny.

However, I do have some positive things to say about this product.  First, the product conditioned my lashes.  I found that my lashes became softer thereby preventing them from breaking or falling out.  Second, the serum did not leave a residue or dark markings.  I read that one of the side effects of using some of these rapid growth lash treatments is darkening around the eye line.  The clear serum applies and dries clear without a sticky residue.  Lastly, the serum does not burn when applied.

Oh well.  I guess I will just keep applying mascara and eyeliner.  It's totally fine with me.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Fit Me Blushes & Bronzer

From upper left hand corner going clockwise:  Blush in Light Pink, Bronzer in Golden Tan, Blush in Medium Pink, and Blush in Medium Coral.

I've started getting into blushes recently.  Perhaps I am starting to realize that I have enough eyeshadows to last me several lifetimes (okay...that's an exaggeration, but I admit that I have more than enough), but not that many blushes.  I was starting to get tired of using the same coral blush and wanted to branch out and explore different shades and colors, so I figured I would start with the drugstore brands first before laying down some hard earned cash on department store blushes.

My local drugstore was having a sale on Maybelline cosmetic products several months ago, so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to try out their new Fit Me line of cosmetics.  The Fit Me! line has an assortment of liquid foundations, face powders, concealers, blushes, and bronzers to fit your skin tone.  Maybelline claims on its website that its blushes "provide a natural, fade-proof cheek color that leaves the skin the way it was meant to be...fresh, breathing, and natural."  The bronzers claim to also provide the a fade-proof bronze color.

The blushes come in twelve shades and the bronzers come in three different shades.  I bought the blushes in Light Pink, Medium Pink, and Medium Coral and a bronzer in Medium Bronze (see, picture above).  My local drugstore didn't have all of the twelve blush shades available, but I thought the three that I purchased would be a good start for me and neutral enough to match my skin tone.

Being that I consider myself a newbie on blushes and bronzers, I shouldn't cast stones, but these products failed to even live up to my naive expectations.  The blush and bronze colors look very pretty in their packages, but unfortunately, the compliments stop there.  The blushes and bronzer I bought are not blendable and in fact, the product is so dense that I had a difficult time lifting the blush or bronzer onto my makeup brush.  You actually have to use deliberate scrubbing motions in order get get any product onto your brush.  Furthermore, the blushes and bronzer are not very pigmented.  You need to build quite a bit onto your cheeks in order to see any color payoff.

All in all, the Fit Me line of blushers and bronzers are a huge disappointment and will be tossed into the trash as soon as I am done posting this review.  What's the point?  Maybelline needs to go back to the drawing board with this product.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Black

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

I was browsing around the cosmetic department of Longs several weeks ago (which, by the way, is never a good idea for me since I always end up buying more cosmetic items that I don't really need) and noticed that the store restocked and reorganized the Physicians Formula display section.  So, like a dedicated target consumer that I am, I just had to make a full investigation.

I have to make a disclaimer.  The Longs that I usually go to is located in Downtown.  Due to its smaller space compared to other Longs stores, the cosmetic department is smaller and the variety of products is limited.  Thus, even though the some products are out on the market for a while, it sometimes takes Downtown Longs a long time to finally have these new items in stock.

One of the "new" items that I noticed was the Eye Booster 2-in-1 Boosting Eyeliner + Serum from Physicians Formula in Black.  I first heard about this product from watching several makeup gurus on YouTube and was excited to try it.  I am a big fan of felt tip eyeliners because I feel that I have better control applying my eyeliner than with a brush.  However, the videos on YouTube claimed that the fine brush tip on the Eye Booster Eyeliner worked just as well as a felt tip liner and the staying power of the liner was fantastic.

This product claims to visibly boost lash length, volume, and thickness instantly among 100% of women. Honestly, I think that is a pretty bold claim to make, but...whatever.  I bought this product for the eyeliner part, not the lash boosting serum.  This product is made in Japan and uses a high-tech Japanese formula that claims to be long-wearing, water-resistant, and smudge-resistant.

While I can't vouch for the lash boosting serum (since I haven't used this product long enough to see any results), I can say that the eyeliner was long-wearing, water-resistant, and smudge-resistant.  I was pleasantly surprised at how long lasting this eyeliner was and had an easy time using the brush tip to line my eyes.  The brush tip allowed me to make thin and thick lines effortlessly, just like my favorite holy grail eyeliner from L'Oreal.

There is one downfall to this product that keeps my L'Oreal eyeliner from losing its holy grail status.  The eyeliner is not dark enough.  I prefer jet black eyeliners and the Physician's Formula eyeliner in black is actually a slate gray, especially when applied on top of eye shadow.  I happened to notice on the website that this line comes in a "ultra black" shade, which I did not see at Longs.  Perhaps that shade will satisfy my need for jet black eyeliner.  If you are looking for a slate gray eyeliner, this would be a great product for you.

All in all, I give this product a thumbs up for its eyeliner portion.  The eyeliner does what it claims to do and stayed on throughout the day and night.  It was also relatively easy to remove at the end of the day.  However, the jury is still out on the lash boosting portion.

**UPDATE**  I bought and tried the ultra black shade and I can't believe that I am saying this, but...I think I am now in love with the Physicians Formula eyeliner over my beloved L'Oreal  Linear Intense Carbon Black Felt Tip Liner.  The ultra black shade is jet black and applies effortlessly.  Combined with the long-lasting, water-resistant, and smudge-resistant formula, the Physicians Formula eyeliner has reached "super star status" with me!  Don't worry, I am not giving up on my L'Oreal eyeliner.  Now, I just alternate between the two products.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Suave Professional Touchable Finish Hairspray in Extra Hold

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

Hairspray.  I've been using hairspray since my days when we used to style our bangs into big "Hang Ten" waves.  When big hair was all the rage and before we knew that the gaping hole in the ozone layer was partly attributed to our desire for big hair that defied the limits of gravity.

However, despite my need for height and control, I wasn't very picky about the actual product name.  Since I used so much of it back in the day, I usually resorted to cheaper brands at the drugstore that did the job.  That's when I started to use Suave hairspray.  It was affordable and performed pretty well.  The downside to Suave hairspray is the slightly crunchy finish.

Despite graduating from the big wave bang style, I still need hairspray to keep down my flyaway wisps or maintain volume.  Thus, I still use Suave hairspray.  I also still use aerosol hairspray now that I am reassured that the formula in aerosol cans are regulated as to not cause further damage to the ozone layer.

Recently, I noticed that Longs was having a sale on Suave hairstyling products.  I was actually running low on hairspray, so the sale came at a perfect time.  I picked up a can of the new Suave Professionals Touchable Finish Hairspray in Extra Hold.  I usually buy the regular Suave Hairspray in the big hot pink cans, but I thought I would try this new line of Suave products after seeing the commercials on TV.  Those are the commercials where top name hair stylists use unnamed hair products and find out that they used Suave Professionals hairstyling products rather than the fancy big name products they are used to using.

I give this product a big thumbs up.  It has a light non-chemical scent and sprays an even mist.  The hold is strong, but the finish is soft and natural rather than clumpy or crunchy.  The product is not sticky and lasts throughout the day.  It also washes out easily from your hair.  I am a big fan of this new product.  Kudos to Suave for developing a line that is affordable and performs well!

BEAUTY REVIEW: L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Sunset Red

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

Since it is the holiday season, I've been using red lipsticks to be festive.  One of my favorite red lipsticks used to be from Clinique until the company discontinued that shade for another shade of red that didn't quire compare to my favorite.

I was using Revlon ColorBurst lipstick in Crimson, which is a gorgeous deep red, but for some reason, I am not a fan of the scent of the Revlon ColorBurst lipsticks and eventually placed this lipstick to the side.  It's a shame because I liked how the Revlon ColorBurst lipstick line moisturized my lips.  My favorite line of lipsticks is L'Oreal Colour Riche lipstick; regardless that some people think that only old ladies use this line.

I am in love with the L'Oreal Colour Riche lipstick in Sunset Red.  It is a subdued shade of red that is not bright like a fire engine and not too deep that it looks bloody.  Instead this shade of red is really pretty with a hint of a gold undertone that lightly catches the light in the sun; hence, its color name.  Like all the other shades in the Colour Riche line, this lipstick is creamy and keeps your lips supple, soft, and smooth.  This particular shade lasts me throughout the morning (even through sips of coffee and breakfast) with only a minimal touch up after lunch.

Thumbs up for this lipstick shade.  It is my new holiday favorite!

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Blackest Black

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

Like I stated in my previous blog about mascara, I don't have long and thick eyelashes.  Instead, my lashes are short and sparse, so whether I have mascara on or not doesn't really matter in the long run because it is unnoticeable.  However, I still wear mascara and am always looking for a product that will create the illusion that I have more lashes and save me from wearing fake lashes.  Honestly, I am just too darn lazy to apply fake lashes every morning.

One day, I couldn't find the tube of mascara that I usually use at the drugstore.  I kind of started freaking out for a bit because I was worried that the brand discontinued it.  My friend suggested that I try Maybelline Great Lash mascara because she read that it is one of the most popular mascaras on the market.  I was a little skeptical, but I was desperate because I just threw away my last tube of mascara.

I purchased the waterproof formula and read the product claims that it it is waterproof, conditions as it thickens with all day wear without clumps, globs, or smudges.  I give this product a huge thumbs down.  This mascara has a wetter formula that I am used to, so with my teary eyes, I quickly noticed smears and the development of raccoon rings under my eyes.  While I noticed that my lashes thicken, it did not lengthen and it took awhile for the mascara to dry.  After about a week of wearing this mascara every day and wiping away the excess around my eyes every day, I decided to mind another mascara.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner Pencil in Black

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

As I mentioned previously, I found my holy grail eyeliner.  Well, liquid eyeliner.  I am still in the hunt for a pencil eyeliner that will stay put along my bottom waterline.  Like a lot of my cosmetics, I have some conditions or preferences when it comes to my pencil eyeliners.

First, the pencil has to be waterproof, smudge proof, and fade proof.  Second, I also prefer a pigmented liner.  Finally, I prefer a retractable pencil rather than a regular pencil that requires sharpening.  However, that part is becoming a negotiable feature if the pencil is waterproof and smudge proof.  I guess I am a picky-picky girl, but I honestly just know what I like.

The Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner Pencil looked like it fulfilled all my requirements.  It claims to contain a waterproof formula that lasts up to 16 hours and won't smudge, smear, or fade away.  The pencil is a retractable crayon with a pull out sharpener to get your crayon to a nice shape point for thin precise line. Lastly, its carbon black formula is rich and intense.

Unfortunately, my water eyes are too much for this product to handle because by lunchtime, my eyeliner along my bottom waterline was fading and smearing fast.  My raccoon eyes were developing and I ended up taking a tissue and gently wiping the eyeliner along my bottom waterline away.  I had such high hopes for this product, but after about a week of consistent daily use, I decided that this was not the pencil for me.  I still use this product from time to time, but only for short periods of time before the raccoon in me makes an appearance.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Revlon Ceramic Wet and Dry Hair Straightener and Curling Iron

SOURCE:  Folica.com

I was trying to figure out what to blog about today and nothing came to my mind.  I didn't feel like doing a review on makeup, although I did buy two Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzers today at the drugstore in "Princess" and "Goddess," but I didn't think that was enough to warrant a haul post.  Nothing popped into my head that spurred a ramble post, so basically, I was stuck.  I decided to quickly scan my bedroom and write about the first thing that caught my eye.  POOF!  I spotted my straightener and curling iron.  I should've taken a picture of my actual hot tool, but in the interest of time, I found this picture online that was the closest to mine minus the wet and dry feature.

I have to say that this is my favorite hot styling tool because it does an excellent job at straightening my hair without damaging it.  My hair comes silky and smooth and can be used on wet or dry hair with a flip of a switch.  I have to admit though that I haven't used the dryer feature on my tool.

For the curling iron feature, simply lock the barrel and use the curling iron clip to grip onto your hair.  The ceramic barrel is smooth to allow you to twist the segments of your hair around it.  However, I find that the clip does not hold my hair segments tight enough against the barrel in order for me to achieve tighter curls rather than waves.  Thus, I use the flat iron feature far more than the curling iron.

This hot tool comes with cool tips to make it easier for you clamp and pull the tool through your hair and heats up pretty fast.  The swivel cord prevents the cord from getting tangled and knotted while the auto shutoff saves you from the all day worry of whether you remembered to turn off you curling iron.  This is a great tool to travel with because you just need to bring one tool rather than two and saves space in your suitcase!  I highly recommend this hot styling tool and so glad that I have it.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Physicians Formular Concealer 101 Duo in "Yellow/Light"

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

Like many women out there, I suffer from dark under eye circles.  Sometimes I can get away without concealer, but for the most part, applying concealer is part of my regular makeup routine.  I am always on the hunt for a good concealer, but my hunt is a little harder because I have some conditions.

First of all, I do not like wet liquid concealers, which you need to apply with a brush.  I prefer concealers with a thicker consistency, so that I may apply the product with my fingertips.  I feel like I have better control that way and besides, it is one less makeup brush that I need to clean.

Second, the concealer needs to provide good coverage with relatively easy application.  I like thicker concealers, but I want a concealer that is so thick that it is like applying nearly dry paste to my under eye circles.

I am a fan of Physicians Formula products, but usually wait for the brand to go on sale at the drugstore as the regular price can be relatively higher than other brands.  It looked like this product fulfilled my conditions, so I was eager to try it out.

The Physicians Formula Concealer 101 comes with a yellow shade to color correct dark under eye circles and a light shade to cover yellow and any minor skin irritations.  The package contains a small applicator brush.  I have to give this product a thumbs down.  The consistency is just too thick and the coverage is too patchy.  The concealer is also so thick that it is difficult to extract the product to apply to the skin.  The small applicator brush in the compact is of absolute no help to serve the product's intended purposes and claims.  Back to the drawing board to search for another concealer.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Expertwear Quad Eye Shadow in "Plum Smokes"

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

I have to admit that I am a huge fan of Maybelline's Stylish Smokes quad eye shadow in "Natural Smokes."  In fact, I previously did a review on that product.  It's a great "go-to" every day eye shadow that you can wear day or night.  Thus, I was looking for more Maybelline eye shadow quads to add to my collection.

I noticed the Maybelline Expertwear Quad in "Plum Smokes" one day as I perused the makeup aisle at the drugstore.  I tend to gravitate to eyeshadows in plum shades and thought this might be a good quad for a day or evening look; just like the "Natural Smokes" quad.

I was right!  I love this quad!  The four shades are separated as follows:

1. Base:  Light peachy shade
2. Lid:  Lavender shade with slight gold undertones
3. Crease:  A subdued violet shade
4. Liner:  A rich chocolate brown shade with a slight sparkle finish.

I follow the numbered sequence on the package, but are more than welcome to mix and match the shades with others you may already have on hand.  These shadows go on easily and lasts long if applied with a good eyeshadow base.  The only drawback I can tell with this product is the packaging.  I really don't understand why Maybelline went from four equal squares to two long ones and two short ones.  To top it off, the rectangular eye shadows (base and liner colors), so you will run out of the based color fairly fast, which probably mades Maybelline happy as we find outselve buys more Maybelline products.  

BEAUTY REVIEW: L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes Mascara in Blackest Black

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

Mascara is a makeup product that I wear daily, but don't really get that much bang for my buck.  I have really skimpy eyelashes.  They are short and sparse and really don't show up even with a ton of mascara on.  However, it is far better for me to wear mascara than without, so there I am every morning in front of the mirror; carefully applying mascara.  Honestly, I just don't have time in the morning to apply false eyelashes either.

I am always looking for a good mascara that will provide me volume and length.  However, the most important feature for me in a mascara is that it has to be waterproof and smudge proof.  I have gone through far too many tubes of mascara claiming to be both, but by lunch time, my raccoon eyes set in, which can be difficult to wipe away.

I was excited to hear about the new L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes Mascara, which claims to have a lash sculpting fiber formula that adheres to lashes for a volumized, sculpted lash effect.  Lashes are supposed to appear fuller, longer, sculpted, and curled.  Furthermore, and of most particular interest to me, the product claims to be clump-free, flake-free, and smudge-free.  I was intrigued and decided to see how this mascara would perform on my wimpy lashes.

Unfortunately, I give this product a thumbs down for several reasons:

1. The wand is too long.  With a long applicator wand, I feel like I have less control of the mascara brush and application.
2. The applicator brush is too long.  I have small eyes on top of the fact that I have wimpy eyelashes, which makes applying mascara a little trickier for me, especially when reaching my corner lashes.  I  poked my eye more than a couple of times when I used this product.
3. The triangular shape of the mascara tube is hard to grip.  I am used to a round tube and the angles of this mascara tube do not comfortably fit in my hand or between my fingers.
4. You really need to build this product onto your lashes.  The formula has a drier consistency, which I prefer over a wet formula, but needs building with several applications to achieve a thick and full lash look.
5. The formula is not clump-free.  While building up my mascara, I noticed that my lashes were starting to clump together.  I had to stop before all I had was only a couple of spider leg lashes on each eye.
6. The formula is not smudge-free.  While I admit that I tend to have teary eyes, I noticed that by lunch, I was developing raccoon rings around the outer corners of my eyes.
7. The formula takes a little more elbow grease to remove.  I use the Physicians Formula Cleansing Lotion to remove my makeup.  I love this product because it takes off all of my makeup, including my waterproof mascara with little rubbing.  I needed to do a little more rubbing to remove this mascara from my lashes.  I noticed clumps on my lashes even after I washed my face, which I had to carefully remove by hand without pulling out my lashes.

I usually end up loving products that are raved about by YouTube makeup gurus, but this time I have to pass on this product.  Back to my favorite mascara--CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion!

BEAUTY REVIEW: Conair Infiniti You Style Curler & Straightener

SOURCE:  Amazon

I've been looking for a new flat iron and curling iron lately.  I have an old Revlon wet and dry flat iron and curling iron that I mostly use to straighten my hair, but I wanted something that heated up higher.  While the flat iron feature does a good job with my hair, the curling iron does not get hot enough to keep the curl in my hair.

My hair is naturally straight and has a difficult time holding a curl unless a lot of product is used or the tool is a salon tool.  I find that drugstore curling and flat irons do not get as hot as the ones found in salons, at least in my personal opinion.

This opinion rang true until I found Conair's Infiniti line of hairdryers, curling irons, and flat irons.  The nano silver tourmaline heating plates create shine and volume without ruining or frying your hair.  Conair Infiniti has a You Curl product, which is a clip-less curling iron that is all the rage with YouTube beauty gurus.  However, I didn't hear about the You Style implement until I happened to peruse through the shelves of my local drugstore when Conair hairstyling tools were on sale.

The Conair Infiniti You Style tool is a flat iron and curling iron in one tool.  You can create waves or curls using the curved edge curling plates or straight styles using the traditional flat straightening plates.  The product comes with an instructional DVD to help you create different styles.

I used this to straighten my hair for the pin straight look and found that this tool left my hair silky, smooth, and shiny.  I kept running my fingers through my hair without any resistance.  The curling feature is a little trickier and takes some practice and more time to do, but once I got the hang of it, my curls lasted longer than they usually do when using my Revlon curling iron.

Some of the negative reviews regarding this product are that the curls do not form correctly even when following the instructions.  I found three tricks to help me achieve the curls I want:

• First, curl smaller sections of your hair to help disperse the heat better.  Smaller sections mean that curling your hair will take more time.
• Second, loosely wrap your sections around the "barrel" of the instrument before pulling the "barrel" down while holding the end of your section with your fingers.  Be careful that you don't burn your fingers while doing this.
• Third, pull down the instrument slowly through your parted section.  The slower you pull it down, the tighter curl you create.  Again, this method will take more time.

All in all, this product does what it claims to produce.  However, in the morning, I don't have time to curl my hair in the fashion that I just described above; thus, I end up using the flat iron feature.  I think I get faster results by using my old curling iron even though the curl doesn't hold as long.  Unfortunately, I just don't have time in the morning.