Review Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Trio

First of all let me say Happy New Year! When I saw these I knew I had to have them. I was thinking they would be almost like my beloved shimmer strips gel cream liners that they have. I just thought that this would be easier since they are in pencil form and the words Kohl Kajal made me think the black was going to be very black. The box says Enhance and Define Brown Eyes and it says it's 100% waterproof which also made me excited. I picked the one for Brown Eyes and it has a black, Espresso (brown) and purple liners and they do have some slight shimmer to them. I have oily lids and whatever is 100% waterproof or does not budge is a must for me. OK well these totally disappointed me and they will be going back. There are good and bad things to these but here it is in a nutshell.

The Good:

1. They are creamy and glide on very smoothly
2. They come in pencil form which is more sanitary and easier to use
3. The colors are very good and bright

The Bad:

1. They DO NOT STAY ON even with a primer.
2. The color does not last even with a primer
3. Um, yeah they don't stay put.

I guess people can use these in the Inner rim of the eye just like the box says which is why I'm assuming they are 100% waterproof. But I'm not one to line the inner rims of my eyes that much so this is useless for me. Will you be buying these?

Almays New Makeup

It seems that there is an endless collection of new makeup. I saw this at CVS. There is a Smart Shade perfect and correct primer. It looks like it's green and purple, I'm assuming to correct redness and possibly brighten. Next is the Clear Complexion Makeup with Blemish Heal Technology. The one thing I did about this foundation is that one, there seems to be a limited arrange of shades and two, it's a little on the pricey side at $14.50. I guess we can wait for a sale. And finally the Almay Clear Complexion concealer + treatment gel with Blemish Heal Technology. This is $10 bucks and I did see this in three shades. With this makeup collection Almay is marketing better skin by providing a correcting primer and foundation and concealer that is for acne prone skin.

Will you try this new makeup?

Merry Christmas

May you and your family has a Merry Christmas and I hope Santa brings you everything you want :)

New Physicians Formula Makeup

There's a lot of new stuff coming out and I saw this display at my CVS. The new item I see is the Happy Booster lipstick. What is also new is the bronzer and blush which appear to be a 2 in 1 product. I really want to try the lipstick. I like their blush and hopefully their lipstick will be good as well.

 Have you seen this product?

SPOTTED: New Maybelline Products at Target

I was walking in Target today and found these lovelies. I saw one blush at CVS but could not find the display so here it is at Target. I'm dying to try the blush, they look very pigmented and of course the foundation looks like a must as well. I could not help but notice that the bottle of Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam foundation look almost exactly as the Revlon PhotoReady Mousse foundation I just bought. I'm curious to compare them. If my CVS has them you bet I'll be buying some and report the comparison right here. Have you seen these or tried them yet?

First Impression Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Makeup

I saw this at a CVS on my way to my husband's Christmas business party. There was a huge display and the first thing that my eyes went to was the foundation. Why you ask? I'm still on the hunt for that famous Holy Grail and have not found it, I've been close but still no cigar. I picked out the color Medium Beige hoping it would have some golden tones and maybe even yellow undertones. I'm a MAC NC40 during the summer but right now in the winter it can be NC35 or 37. But I have yellow undertones and not pink. So I could not wait to get home and try it. I also picked the Revlon Photoready Eye Primer + Brightener and will review that later. I first applied my beloved L'oreal Magic Perfecting Base, then I applied the foundation with my Ecotools bronzer brush. I love that brush because it's dense and makes this type of foundation a lot easier to apply. Use CAUTION when pumping it the first time, a lot of product comes out and does not stop until you stop applying pressure. It applies sheer with a brush but covers extremely well, I applied with my fingers where I think I needed more coverage and it worked perfectly at concealing what I need it to. I did notice it has shimmer like the original photoready and I wish they would STOP putting shimmer in foundations, but the shimmer is not that noticable when blended. I did conceal my eyes and a few dark spots I had and then set it with my Lancome Dual Finish Powder in Matte NU III. I then applied Physician's formula Mineral Wear correcting pebbles in Creamy Natural with a Ecotools Bamboo Finishing Kabuki so that it would apply very lightly. I finished it off with a mist of my Model in a Bottle Sensitive skin spray. If you have not tried a finishing spray you should, this is not like fix plus and it does make a difference in the way my makeup looks and lasts.  

Soft texture and I blended it toward the bottom the color disappears

This is too much product but it dispensed a lot so be careful when using the pump

Pros- The packaging is great I love the PUMP, the consistency is that of a mousse, good color for my ranging NC35-40 skin, decent price, stayed true for about 4 hrs until I had to blot, sheer but buildable.

Cons- Its has shimmer like the Original Photoready foundation, I bought it at CVS for 13.99 but I think it might be cheaper at BBB, there are about 8 colors I think to the collection but I think there should be more, The Pump can be tricky dispensing too much makeup it does not stop until you stop the pump, the longevity of the makeup can be a little longer, if you have oily skin this might not be for you unless you wear a primer.

Overall, I think this is an excellent foundation and I will wear it over the winter months. My skin is dry is some areas and I noticed it did not make those areas seem worse, although a finishing spray makes that go away as well. I think the price is fair and I think the packaging is genius, especially for those makeup artists on the go. I think Revlon makes the best drug store foundations out there including color stay and the original photoready foundation.

Spotted: New Phycisians Formula Products

I walked into my local CVS and spotted some new Physicians Formula products. If you've been hiding under a rock and don't know that CVS and I believe other drug stores have been putting makeup on clearance including a lot of PF. Out with the old in with the new. I spotted some new mineral wear products. They included some new correcting bronzer with 2 shades and airbrushing powder. These look like good products and they are talc-free mineral makeup.

What's your favorite physicians formula product?

New Cover Girl Products

Cover Girl has come out with a couple of new products. So far you can get these online on and if you buy them thru facebook you get free shipping. These look interesting and they seem to be long lasting. I personally want to try the eyeliner and the lipsticks. They might hit the stores at the beginning of the year. What do you think?

CoverGirl LashBlast 24 Hour Eyeliner

Smoothly glide on LineBlast 24HR to design your eye look that lasts for up to 24 hours!

Our long lasting formula will get you noticed hour after hour.

Bold, intense eyeliner that lasts up to 24 hours. LashBlast power, hour after hour!. Big, bold, look-at-me eyes that last. The latest from the LashBlast collection.

CoverGirl Blast Flipstick Lipstick

Mix and match shades with a flip of a stick for Your unique look for endless possibilities with our 13 customizable shades!

Double your lip color! Multiply your shade power!. Blendable lip duos that let you customize your look. Creamy color on one side, shimmery color on the flip side. Mix them any way you like to create your own look.

CoverGirl LashBlast 24 Hour Mascara

LashBlast 24HR gives you bold, look at me lashes that will get you noticed around the clock!

Bold, intense volume that lasts up to 24 hours. LashBlast power, hour after hour! Big, bold, look-at-me lashes that last. The latest from the LashBlast collection.

CoverGirl & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation

Instantly covers discolorations, fine lines and wrinkles, while helping to improve skin tone over time. A foundation focused solely on tone discoloration and age spots. Provides beautiful even coverage

Another ELF SALE

It seems ELF has been on a roll lately with the sales. Here's another one. I will say that ELF does some good brushes and at 40% off it's not a bad deal.

Review Neutrogena Microdermabrasion System

I purchased this a week and a half ago at CVS. I had been using the Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System. I like the Olay Peel system but I feel like it needs to be done in the shower because it's a two step system. I like the results of the Olay because you can feel them immediately. I thought I'd give this one a try since it comes in a wand form and has the disposable puffs.

 According to Neutrogena.com this is the product description. For softer, more luminous skin today and firmer, younger-looking skin tomorrow, Neutrogena® Microdermabrasion System starter kit delivers noticeable results every time you use it.

Even more effective than professional microdermabrasion, Microdermabrasion System is a simple, convenient at-home system that features single-use puffs and the microdermabrasion applicator. Each puff is pre-dosed with ultra-fine crystals and mild purifiers for the perfect degree of gentle exfoliation. What's more, the massaging micro-vibrations boost surface cell turnover for firmer, younger-looking skin.

After the first use I immediately felt my skin to be softer and it did seem more luminous. I always feel that with microdermabration my serums and moisturizers have a better effect on my skin. When you turn the wand on, it does have a pulsing sensation that is stronger that you clarisonic. Some people report having problems using the clarisonic because their teeth hurt, if that's the case then this product is not for you skip it. But if you don't then definatly try this. It says to use 1 to 2 min per facial skin area. If you have sensitive skin do about 1 min. I used it like my clarisonic and did rotating motions concentrating on my dry spots and my t-zone. My skin felt fresh, smooth and more radiant. I'll continue using it and see if I see any diminishing some very fine lines and wrinkles that I have. Overall, this is a good product for the price and you can immediately feel results after the first use. Have you tried microdermabration at home? 

ELF Holiday Gift Favorites 40% off

ELF is having a good sale right now until 11/7/2011. You can get some good gifts at 40% off. I bought some for Holiday gifts. There are some starting at $3 so you can score some great things for you tween daughter or sister or girlfriends. Go to the ELF website and check out what they have. Let me know if you get anything.

Review Revlon Lip Butters

I've had these for a couple of weeks and wanted to give them time before I reviewed them. At first, they remind me of the Clinique Buttershine Lipsticks. I LOVE the Clinique Buttershine lipsticks my favorite one is Adore U. Clinique's retail for $14.50 while Revlon's are about half the price. The picture above is from Rite Aid. I bought three, Red Velvet, Berry Smoothie and Creme Brulee. All the colors are really nice and they apply like well, butter. They are really smooth and feel nice on the lips not sticky at all which is nice. They have a nice shine to them as well, not as much as a lipgloss but enough that it makes the color stand out. I've been wearing Red Velvet and Creme Brulee the most and I must say the color holds true with both of them. I especially like Red Velvet even though I have had really bad chapped lips the color glides on and does not make my lips worse. You know that chapped lips and red lipstick do not go together but I have to say that these work well for me.

The colors are really pigmented. Red Velvet is a nice red that goes well with any skin color. It's more of a warm red than blue and can almost pass as a dark berry color and does not have shimmer in it which is nice for a change. Creme Brulee is a nice nude with slight shimmer. It's not too nude where it makes you look dead but can work as a tinted lip balm almost but it's not as thick as a lipbalm is. Berry  Smoothie is a nice subtle pinkish hue with some slight golden shimmer to it when it hits the light a certain way. This color will be gorgeous for the spring.

My final thought is that I love them and I will buy more colors. I will buy them when they have BOGO or when some has them for 40% off. Great lipstick, good staying power (about 4 hrs) and nice consistency. I like the packaging as well.

Free Be Enchanted Lotion at BBW Oct 14-16

If you visit a mall this weekend be sure to stop by a Bath and Body Works store for this freebie.

 It's a 2 oz lotion called Be Enchanted and it's described as a Frosted Florals sweetened with Sparkling Sugared Pomegrante. Sounds sweet. Click here for your coupon. It's only good until Sunday the 16th of Oct. If you get it let me know what if you like how it smells. 

Lumene Lift Touch Revitalizing Cleansing Oil

I was at my favorite store CVS and knew I had to buy something from Lumene. I had a coupon and their stuff was BOGO 75% off. I could not pass up that deal. I purchased the Revitalizing Cleansing Oil and my 75% off item was the Matt Touch Deep-Cleansing Peat Mask. I started using this cleanser two weeks ago. I chose this because the bottle said Clarifying & Smoothing but was a little iffy because it's for dry/ extra dry skin. My skin is combination at this moment but on some spots it's really dry, anyway the clarifying part is what sold me. I was having some breakouts again on my left cheek and my chin. I thought why not let's hope this works. Now, let me say that I am a fan of the Oil Cleansing Method. If you are new to OCM please go here. But basically the OCM is usually a carrier oil like jojoba or castor and another oil like sunflower, almond, etc. You massage the oil onto your skin for about 5 to 10 min and you will start feeling the white heads and black heads come out of your pores. Yes, I know seeing is believing but I am a believer. Anyway, I started using the Lumene oil the same way by massaging it to my skin for a couple of min and then rinsing off. Because I had not used the OCM method in such a long time when I use it I usually break out for a couple of days and then my skin is clear, but sometimes the OCM method is a pain because in my experience I had to use another cleanser to remove the oils. With Lumene I find that I do not have to use another cleanser, once I rinse this off my skin is supple and smooth. After two weeks I am happy to say that my face is clear and my skin has never felt better. I love this cleanser. If your wearing a lot of makeup I would recommend taking if off first and then using this oil. I don't think it's really made to take makeup off, although I used it when I had my Sonia Kashuk TM and it worked just fine. It does have a slight flowery fragrance to it. The packaging is not the best, the oil shoots out and makes the bottle really oily but other than that it's good. Have you used the OCM method or the Lumene cleansing Oil? What other Lumene products have you tried?

NOTD L'Oreal Owl's Night Project Runway Collection

I'm automatically drawn to nice displays. I saw this at my local CVS and it caught my eye. I had a hard time taking a pic of it since it changes colors a lot. I was drawn to the nail polishes first, I did see and also buy the eyeshadows but they are a disappointment. The pigmentation on them sucks. Anyway, I bought Owl's Night because of the way it seemed to morf into different colors. The color is a dark brown with gold sparks but it can change with the light. It can also seem dark greenish and also even black at times. The consistency is easy to work with and I applied two coats with my fav seche Vite on top. I LOVE this color and I might be buying more of this collection but only the nail polishes. What do you think?

Salma Hayek Nuance Front & Center Concealer & Brightener

I think other than my quest for the HG of foundation (which I have not yet found) I'm also on the HG of concealer. I usually stay away from drugstore brands because I have not had any luck with any of them. I saw this from the new Nuance collection and decided to give it a try. What caught my eye is that it's on the peachy side. I love my Eve Pearl Salmon concealer and have yet to find a peach at the drustroe aisle. So, I purchased it and forgot about it until a couple of days ago. It's creamy and does have the peach color that my dark circles need in order to hide them or minimize them. I like that it's in the form of a lipstick and that it's in a tube and not in a pot form. It blends nicely and does hide minimize my dark circles. If I have not had a good night's sleep I still need put concealer on top. My fav one is from Estee Lauder the Doublewear concealer in warm/light medium. But on days that I have minimal darkness this does the trick.

Let's move on to the brightener. I find that this does nothing for me. It does not brighten for me at all. I tried putting it on where highlighter normally goes and nothing. For brightening it does nothing but it does help concealing. I've tried it alone under my eyes and it cover slightly. It does have more of a peachy/pink shade but I also need concealer and can't wear this alone.

Overall, I do think it's a good concealer/brightener for the price. And you can't find a peachy color like this at the drug store. If you have minimal darkness that needs concealing you might be able to just use this and the brightener, but if your like me that on certain days you need more coverage you can use this but be prepared to use a concealer as well.

I just purchased the Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles in 50 Neutralizer. I'm going to try to use them together and see the results. I'll have a review for the Maybelline Eraser in a few days.
Have you tried this concealer?

Great Deal on Revlon ColorBust Lipgloss at ULTA

I went to Ulta yesterday in search for the L'Oreal Project Runway Limited Edition Items. I did not buy any because they were not on sale but Revlon, Physicians Formula, Neutrogena and Maybelline are 40% off. I went online and according to the ULTA online catalog the price ends October 1st. You might want to call your store before you make a trip out there to be sure. I really like their colorbust lip glosses. They are smooth and not sticky and the color is true to what you see on the container. They don't last long but it's easy to reapply. My favorite color is Gold Dust and Hot Pink.

Anyway, they rung up at $4.79 this is with the 40% off already. They had 2.00 off peelies so I paid 2.79 each. I only purchased 2 at Ulta the other 2 I bought at CVS earlier in the week and were not that cheap either. I think that is a super price considering that even at BOGO you can't get them this cheap. The peelies were only on the display with like the limited edition stuff. I did not see them on any permanent Revlon display. I also saw that some of the Physicians Formula items should have had peelies but were taken off of the product. They were for 4.00 off, if you can also find those that might be a good deal as well. Let me know what you find.  

E.L.F Lip Conditioning Lip Balm

I'm a sucker for a good lip balm, I've reviewed some from Nuance and Josie Maran. I'm more of a sucker for a good lip balm at a cheap price. As you may all know ELF has some great cosmetics and lip balms are one of them. I purchased Nice & Natural and Mellow Melon. I don't want to start with a complaint but I have to. For a small amount of product you get this huge pot. I think it's a waste of material to have such a big pot, I like packaging and this is NOT one of them. They are bulky in my purse but I guess because they are so big I can find them easily. Second, the labels on these are super tiny, for such a big pot the sticker can be a lot bigger just saying!

Anyway, aside from that they are fabulous for the price. The color pay off is good. I don't expect a huge color payoff because it's a lip balm and not a lipstick. The staying power is decent but I do have to re-apply after about two hours and that's with not eating anything. They smell like coconut and to me that's a good thing. Coconut reminds me of the beach and that puts me in a good mood. It reminds me of the times when my mom and aunt used to take me and my aunt used to teach me how to swim and how to duck the waves and not be scared of the ocean. Nice memories but sorry did not mean to get side tracked there. Mellow Melon gives my lips a slight pink color which is nice. The color is pinky coraly, not the best way to describe the color but that's how I see it. It's a good color if you want a wash of subtle color.  My favorite one is Nice & Natural. It's neutralizes the redness of my lips making them a nice nude. 

I like that they do not have any shimmer to them, and I do love the smell. They taste like fruit but not a lot. They glide on the lips and are not sticky. They are in pot form which some people might not like but I don't mind, if only the tubes were a lot smaller. Final verdict? I will repurchase in different colors.

My Favorite Mascaras

My favorite mascaras are Covergirl lash exact, Mally Voluminizing Mascara, Josie Maran Argan Triple Volume Mascara, Korres Provitamin B5 and Rice Bran Mascara, Laura Geller a long lash mascara, Physician's Formula Organic Wear. The one that I think is a good value is the Maybelline XXL Pro Extensions. It has a mascara and primer and it lasts, does not flake and make my lashes full.

I love mascara but don't like to pay crazy money for a tube of it. The high end mascaras that I have are all from kits that came with them. I think that mascara is the one makeup item that is ok to buy at the drugstore because of a wide variety to choose from. I'm sure that Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara has a cult following but I'm not paying thirty bucks for a tube that I'll have to replace in three months. Anyway, I took a pic of all of them and the individual wands but I forgot to add one that I can't find and that I also love which is the Buxom Amplified Mascara (I got a travel size of it). I don't have full lashes so I need a mascara that won't flake or clump and that makes the most of what I have.  

The one's that I have tried and do NOT like are Covergirl lash blast volume in the orange tube, I prefer the purple tube and Rimmel Glam Eye Lash Flirt.

As for a mascara primer, it's not a must but it sure helps my lashes for the mascara to work better. I bought the E.L.F Studio Mascara Primer. For 3 bucks it's excellent and makes my mascaras last longer. What is your fav mascara? Do you prefer High End or Drugstore?

Estee Lauder Pure Color Blue Dahlia Palette By Tom Pechuex

When I saw this palette I knew I had to have it. Not only are the colors gorgeous (all but one) but the compact itself is pretty. I did not have any blues like this and the black seems to make them all stand out. I bought it and thought I would use it as a smokey eye. However, I did not think it would be appropriate for Summer and because I want it to be fall so badly I decided that I would wear this hoping to bring the cold weather a lot sooner. I swatched the colors for you and the only one that just did not swatch was the lightest color. I had such a hard time with this color. It has tiny tiny shimmers that look like a really light blue when you swatch it. It's not a white color at all. But other than that, All the other colors are gorgeous and this is going to be a palette I will be reaching for a lot this Fall and Winter. The colors have a bigger pay off when you use a primer. When I swatched them I did not have a primer on.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Liplicous Lip Gloss

I was at the Bath and Body Works the other day and had to do a double take with all the new lip glosses they have. They had Strawberry Lemonade, Salted Caramel, Apple Cinnamon, and Peanut Butter & Jelly. These caught my attention because they have two colors. Yes they do smell like Peanut butter and Jelly but more Jelly than Peanut butter. It's a sheer shimmer with little color. You have to apply these with a light hand or else they can be super sticky. If your looking for something to hydrate your lips, then you need to skip these. For hydration I'd go for the lip balms or treatments. These would be a super cute gift idea for little girl for Halloween and can including the color changing gloss Bad Witch or Good Witch, Vampire Vixen, Crazy for Candy Corn, Wicked Kiss, Bitten & Smitten, Cookies and Cream, and Strawberry Bonilla. Whew that's a lot of gloss. I might get Strawberry Bonilla as a Halloween treat for me. You can buy them here.

 According the BBW website:

Our fun, new side-by-side formula gives you the perfect combination of flavor and shimmery shine! What's better than your 2 favorite flavors - combined?

• Delicious mouth-watering flavor and high-shine in a moisturizing formula
• A creamy blend of delicious peanut butter and sweet jelly
• A bronze and berry side-by-side shimmer

NOTD Zoya Sooki

I had my nails done and had bought this when Zoya was having a sale. I love this gel looking tomato red. It might look a little off in the pic but I love this red. I think it's become my favorite and I love it especially for summer. I also bought Rica and will be reviewing that when I get my nails done again.

Highlighters

I think that the use of highlighters in a makeup application is important if you know how to use them correctly. I prefer the use of liquid highlighters rather than compact highlighters. I like the using my fingers because I feel I can control the application more, than with a brush. I know that many people like MAC's mineralize skin finishes. I like them too but I do think that those require a special application, I have one and I will review it with my other compact highlighter from Mally.

My two favorite highlighters are Serious Skin Care Illuminating Infusion Radiant Makeup Base and Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer. Both can be used alone or mixed in with either foundation or a tinted moisturizer.

The one that I use the most with my foundation is the SSC Radiant Makeup Base. According the SSC website: A smooth and radiant makeup base that evens out and illuminates the complexion. Our hydrating formula minimizes the appearance of imperfections with a beautifully smooth finish. Skin looks glowy and more even. Foundation application becomes smoother and easier. Wear alone or under makeup for a subtle but noticeable glow. I find that the SSC can be used as a primer as well, it's very versatile. The SSC has more of a yellow tone to it with a subtle glow. I don't use this to highlight various areas to the face but mix it with my foundation or use it as a base. It gives such a nice finish to the skin. The look is a healthy glow and not unwanted shimmer to the face.

The JM Argan Illuminizer according to the box it came in: An ultra light skin brightener with a hint of bronze, giving skin a radiant, luminous glow that lasts all day. Works to eliminate dark circles with Argan Oil conditions the skin. The universal bronze shade is perfect for any skin tones or skin types. This highlighter has a more gold tint to it and more shimmer. I tried mixing it with my foundation and did not like the look it gave me. It was too shimmery and not with a bronze look either. The pump also dispenses too much product. A very little big goes a long way. I do like to apply this like a traditional highlighter on the bridge of the nose, along the cheekbones, and maybe a little on the temples. It also says you can mix it with a body lotion which I think would be great for applying on the chest and arm area if your going to wear a top or dress to enhance those areas.

Overall, they are both good highlighters. What is your favorite highlighter to use?

You can barely see the SSC which is why it gives such a nice finish.
You can see the JM one is more blended but has more of a gold shimmer to it.