Review: Maybelline Brow Drama

This is Maybelline's newest brow gel: Brow Drama in "soft brown." I hate to say I was not all that impressed with this product. I am always on the hunt for great brow products. Since I have blonde lashes & brows, I use mascara and brow tint daily. I typically use a brow wax or pomade on a liner or angled brush, and I set it with a tinted or clear gel. At the moment, I'm using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade. On an everyday basis I set this with the e.l.f. clear brow gel and when I want a bolder look, I use Benefit's gimme brow (see my thoughts on that here).

I love gimme brow, but it's a bit pricey so I'm searching for a cheaper alternative. Unfortunately, this definitely doesn't qualify as a dupe. It doesn't seem to have many fibers or if it does, they're not working to add thickness to my brows. It doesn't help keep my brows firmly in place and doesn't add much tint, either. I was most surprised by the brush shape. It looks like a regular mascara wand but then has a big round bulb on the end. This is really a bad shape for brows. It was much too large to tint my brows without getting onto the surrounding skin. When I try to apply this neatly, I end up not being able to get enough product onto my brows. The product may be ok when applied with a normal brush, but this brush really ruined it for me.

I won't be repurchasing this and my hunt for the perfect brow gel will have to continue. I would really love to find a drugstore brow gel that holds hairs in place and has fibers for added volume. If you have any suggestions, please leave them below so I can check them out! Until then, I'll stick with Benefit!

Spring Blush: MAC Fleur Power Satin Blush

It's finally Spring time! I love Spring - I love the weather, the flowers, and the colors that we typically associate with the season. While I love Fall & Winter, I'm always really happy to break out the pastel nail polishes, bright blushes, and sandals when the weather starts to warm up! This is one of my favorite MAC blushes: Fleur Power. You can probably already tell by the name that it's perfect for Spring & Summer!

I think this is a really great choice for fair skin. It's also a great neutral if you're wearing a bright lip color as it doesn't really clash with much. It's a nice orange-y peach but it's natural enough to wear with other corals, pinks, peaches, and even red lip colors. As with most MAC blushes, a little bit goes a long way. This is a satin finish, so it's not exactly matte but it definitely doesn't have a shimmer. To me, this is the ultimate Spring blush color. Pink, orange, and peach all seem like essential Spring colors. 

As you can see in the swatch above, it's a really beautiful color but very subtle and natural. I love to pair this with Benefit High Beam when I want to brighten up my cheeks even more. However,  I usually wear this on its own without a bronzer or contour because I think it's so pretty that it deserves the spotlight. Because it's not super bright, it provides a tiny bit of a contour, too. With a little highlight on the tops of the cheek bones, this is my favorite spring time look. This would be suitable for natural makeup looks, too. 

What are your favorite MAC blushes? Which products do you love to bring out again when Spring returns? Post your favorite Spring products below!

First Impression: Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara

I've seen this mascara many times in the store but I haven't heard much about Neutrogena mascaras so I've never picked it up. I was recently in a Target and decided to try this out. I got it in the shade "carbon black." It's a really skinny tube and it's packaged with the brush separate from the tube. So, when you open it for the first time, you open the mascara tube and insert the clean brush. This mascara claims to lengthen lashes 100% and includes vitamin E, olive oil, and antioxidants to increase lash health as well. It is anti-clumping, flaking, and smudging. 

The first thing I noticed about this mascara was the consistency. It's a lot thicker than the mascaras I typically use. I could tell it was a much thicker formula as soon as I inserted the brush. I noticed that this is beneficial when applying as it's a lot less messy, doesn't smudge onto my eyelids, and doesn't flake off onto my cheeks when I put it on. I was a little worried that would mean it'd be clumpy, but actually the opposite was true.

The first time I applied this, the first thing I noticed was how natural it looked. After applying one coat, it looked like I had naturally black, full lashes. It coated every lash but remained soft to the touch. I applied a few more coats to build up length and volume and was really happy with the finished product. This is definitely not a dramatic mascara - even after several coats it's very natural-looking. This would be a perfect "no makeup" mascara, a base coat, or a good everyday mascara if you're looking for something a little more subtle. 

This was just under $8 at Target and can be found in most drugstores and also at Ulta. It's a great mascara to keep in your makeup bag or to take when traveling because of its slim tube!

I've only been using this for about a week so I can't review it's lash lengthening properties, but I would repurchase just because I liked the product. I've actually been using this as a base mascara because it separates lashes and coats them so they're totally black. Then, I go in with just one coat of a different mascara to add a bit more length and thickness for a bolder look. I have used this several times on "no makeup" days and I really love the way it looks just on its own. I've also been using this on my bottom lashes and it has not smudged at all.

Have you tried this lengthening mascara? Did you see any results? Let me know! I will provide an update after I've been using it consistently for several weeks.

Products I Love: Smith's Rose Salve Balm

I am obsessed with this lip balm. I have been using this for so long - I remember always having a tin of this when I was a little girl. When I rediscovered it years later in Sephora, I was dying for that minty rose scent again. I picked up the Rosebud Perfume Co.'s Minted Rose Lip Balm tin and have gone through several since then. It smells amazing, it's adds the slightest pink tint to my lips, it's very hydrating, and makes my lips look instantly soft and moisturized. 

When I was in Sephora again recently, I had already browsed through the mini items near the register and was actually on my way out when salve tube caught my eye. I had to go back and purchase the tube because I love the tin version so much but it's not as convenient or hygienic. Sephora calls it a "cult-favorite" and I have to agree; I have loved that balm for years and it's perfect for anyone at any age! 

I also love the packaging! It's very antique-looking and classic. The tin seals really tightly as well so it never gets dirty or opens up when it's floating around my handbag. These are both technically salves so they can be used for other things such as scrapes and burns, although I haven't tried them for anything other than dry or chapped lips. Their website claims that the salves can be used to tame unruly brows, flyaway hairs, to add a dewy finish on cheek bones, etc. 

The tin version definitely adds more shine and a bit more tint to my lips, but the tube is super easy to throw in my handbag and quickly apply some balm on the go. Also, I believe the tube is just rosebud scent rather than minted rose. I have to say I prefer the minted rose option, but I love the smell of roses and Rosebud Perfume Co. manages to capture the rose scent without it being overwhelming or too floral. These are perfect for everyday wear; they can be applied alone or on top of lipsticks or pencils to add a glossy finish. 

Like I mentioned, I picked both of these up at Sephora, but you can also find these (and tons of other products) on the Rosebud Perfume Co. website. I also have the strawberry lip balm and I love it as well. Again, it's a scent that reminds me of when I had this as a child. The tins go for $7 and the tube for $6 so they're super affordable and last forever! I have a feeling I will get through the tube much quicker since it's so easy to apply.

Have you tried any Rosebud Perfume Co. products? Do you regularly use salves? Let me know in the comments!

Products I Love - My Top 5 Favorite Lush Products

I'm a huge Lush fan. All-natural, hand-made, never tested on animals, amazing scents, real ingredients - what's not to love? I can honestly say I've never purchased something from Lush that I didn't like. Unfortunately, the closest Lush store to me isn't all that close, so every time I get a chance to pop into the store I pick up my old favorites and try out some new things as well. I have several Lush products that are a part of my regular routine, and some that I save for special occasions or pamper nights. 

On a regular basis, I use their Breath of Fresh Air Toner. Don't let the word "toner" throw you off - this is basically just a facial mist. It's not at all drying and doesn't have any alcohol in it like a lot of traditional toners. Facial mists are so refreshing; I love to use this during the summer when it's super hot outside. It's made with seawater, seaweed extract, & aloe vera so it's very soothing and moisturizing. I spritz this onto clean skin and then follow up with a moisturizer. 

Another favorite of mine is the Ocean Salt Face & Body Scrub. I keep this in my shower and use it weekly on my body. It's made with sea salt, lime, and vodka so it's refreshing and gives your skin a very deep clean, but it also has avocado and coconut to keep skin moisturized. When my face is feeling particularly dry, I use this as a facial scrub, too. I love the smell of this! Reminds me of the beach.

One of my favorite cleansers to use in the morning is Angels on Bare Skin. I have very dry skin, so while I remove my makeup and cleanse with a more heavy-duty cleanser at night, in the mornings, I like to use something gentle and moisturizing. I don't like to strip my skin of necessary oils in the morning. This cleanser doesn't really lather or foam up like some cleansers, and because of the ingredients and consistency, it gently exfoliates as well. 

My new favorite from Lush is the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner. I picked this up a few weeks ago and I have been obsessed with it since then. This is a shower lotion. Yes, a shower lotion. This is meant to be applied to damp skin while you're still in the shower and then rinsed off before getting out of the shower. This. Smells. So. Good. I could smell this all day. It's made with rose, cocoa butter, almond and Argan oils. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to moisturizing my skin after a shower and this becomes a bigger issue in the winter when my skin is much drier. Slathering this on in the shower and rinsing it off quickly is much easier and it leaves my skin so soft and hydrated. I have used this every other shower and I have not had any dryness at all. It was a little pricey at almost $35 for about 8 and a half ounces, but I will definitely be repurchasing this. It was totally worth the price to me - it feels so luxurious on the skin, smells amazing, and really works. Also, it doesn't take much to really moisturize a large portion. I still have more than half of the pot left and I've been using this for several weeks now. 

My last Lush staple is their Butter Ball Bath Bomb. I love to try out all their seasonal bath products, but this is one that I always pick up to use when I feel like a nice luxurious bath. It smells so good - like creamy vanilla and cocoa butter. This fizzes up as soon as you drop into your bath, makes the whole room smell like warm vanilla, and rehydrates skin that may have been dehydrated by a hot bath. I keep a few of these in my bathroom and they scent the entire room. 

I love making a trip to the Lush store to see what new bath bombs they have and any other products I need to try. Let me know what you can't live without from Lush!

Until next time! xoxo

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara - Review

There hasn't been much hype around this mascara (I can't figure out why) but I spotted it in Sephora and decided to give it a try. I'm a long-time fan of simple, old-fashioned mascara wands. I'm not a huge lover of plastic brushes, curved brushes, fancy wands, etc. I tend to stick to more basic brushes and I find that they give more volume and length without clumping or getting all over my eyelids. I love the packaging of this - it's a bamboo tube with simple but cute labeling and design. The wand is just a normal mascara wand, nothing crazy; it reminded me of my all-time favorite, holy grail mascara - the L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black formula. 

I love the brush! It's fat (but not so much that it makes a mess when applying) and fluffy and gives really great volume and length. It holds a curl but it isn't difficult to remove. I never have problems with smudging, running, or it wearing off after a long day. This is definitely one of my new favorite mascaras! I also like the smell (weird?) it's a bit sweet and almost vanilla-like. A little weird in a mascara, but I'm not complaining.

I will definitely repurchase this mascara. I feel that it doesn't damage my lashes much (if at all) because it's easy to remove and the formula doesn't feel too harsh. In fact, I was noticing such a change in my lashes that I decided to look up the description of this mascara to see if it's meant to improve the quality of your lashes. Sephora's description of the gifted mascara claims that it's meant to repair, strengthen, and rebuild lashes. I can definitely see the results after just a couple weeks! It's easy to apply - only takes a couple coats and you're ready to go. Even without curling my lashes, it adds volume, length & lift. I have also tried the Lights, Camera, Flashes statement mascara by Tarte (you can read my thoughts on it here) but I definitely prefer this formula. It's perfect for everyday wear and could easily be a staple in your vanity. 

A bonus is that it's formulated without mineral oil, parabens, sulfates, or phthalates. Also, Tarte does not test on animals!

What are your favorite mascaras? Do you prefer a traditional brush or a plastic one? Let me know in the comments!

Perfect Formula Pink Gel Coat - First Impression

Just a quick first impression of this gel polish! I got this as a free gift with my VIB points at Sephora. I'm a big fan of the slightly pink natural nail polish. My all-time favorite is the Dior Nail Glow which costs a whopping $27 but looks so natural and pretty on my nails. When I saw this as a gift option, I knew I had to try it! 

A pink-toned clear polish is a perfect option when you need to swipe something onto naked nails in a hurry. You don't have to worry about being precise or getting any on your skin, because you won't be able to tell anyway. Also since it's "clear" you don't have to use so many coats - I swipe on a coat or two and that allows it to dry quickly so I can move on. Perhaps the best part about wearing a natural shade like this is that the nicks and chips don't show. I use this during busy weeks because if it chips, no one will be able to tell and you can wear it a lot longer before it starts to look worn. This polish claims to strengthen and brighten your nails. My first impression is that it dries really quickly, but it's not as rosy as the Dior version. It also really stinks - like a very strong top coat. The full version of this is $30 for .6 oz., which is still much cheaper than the Dior version ($27 for .33 oz.). I would imagine that the .6 oz. bottle would last a long time. I use my Dior polish more than any other polish I own and I haven't made much of a dent yet. After 2 days of wear, I don't see any chips in the polish. It is super shiny like a gel and seems to be holding up much better than Nail Glow usually does. My only complaint is that it really isn't very pink. I think next time I'll try 2 coats of Nail Glow and top it off with a coat of this Perfect Formula polish. Maybe that will be the magic combination!

What are your favorite natural nail shades? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time... xoxo!