Prestige Cosmetics--First Impressions

Hi Lovelies! Are you familar with Prestige Cosmetics? I wasn't either, thought surprised since they're such an affordable makeup company! They offer a number of fabulous eye, lip, and face product among others. I'd say they rank around Hard Candy and Wet 'n Wild when it comes to cost.

The lovely Carly at Tilson PR was sweet enough to send me a number of samples to try and review! So today I want to go over very quickly what I got and some first impressions I have on the products and the company as a whole. Then in the next couple weeks, I'll share with you my full review on each of the products. So! Let's get started!

Starting from the top left and going around clockwise:
Eyeshadow Duo in Passionfruit ($4.50): Wet or dry formula, no creasing, long wear. I used this a couple time this past week after receiving and I must say it has some of the smoothest application I've ever seen! Not only is it smooth, it's also super blendable. The two shades just compliment each other and since it's purple, it helps my brown eyes pop!;) I've only been wearing it dry so far, but I plan to try a wet application too and see how that works:)

Wonderful Lip Plumping Gloss in Deluxe ($5.95): Bee-stung pout, shiny, refreshing tingle. This is actually one of the products I requested specifically from Carly. First off, I am addicted to lip gloss (this is no secret;) Secondly, I have somewhat thin lips so I am always ready to try a plumping gloss! I've used it for a few days as well, and it's actually pretty powerful stuff! It's a very sticky lip gloss (which I know some people don't like) but because of that, it lasts for a longer time than what I was expecting. Even the "refreshing tingle" lasts! But more on this after I use it more.

Vinylwear Extreme Lipgloss in Intense Blossom ($5.95): Maximum shine, color intense, long lasting. I was honestly a little nervous by this one because the color in the tube is so bright I was afraid it was going to look too bright on my face. I used it for the first time yesterday and it actually blended in really well to my natural lip color! It comes out as a lot softer pink than it looks in the tube and gives a definitely shiny look to my lips. I was studying the packaging, and I don't understand why the applicator part is so long and the product part is so short, lol.

My Biggest Lashes Mascara in Brown-Black ($6.50): Full plush brush, intense color, one coat application. This is another one of the products I requested since we all know what a mascara whore I am and that I'm always looking for a new volumizing type mascara. This definitely has a plush brush which makes application super easy. It also doesn't make my eyelashes crunchy or clumpy, so so far I'm a fan. We'll have to see how I feel after using it a little longer.

Liquid Glitter Eyeliner in Starlit Black and Super Nova ($5.50): Shimmering "micro-glitter," fine line precision, effortless stroke. I had requested the Starlit Black and was surprised when I received Super Nova as well as I've never ever in my whole entire life used a green eyeliner! lol. I've used Starlit Black several times and am very pleased with the quality. Liquid eyeliner is not something I use a lot (because I'm not very good at it haha, I often smear it all over my lid or blink before it's dry.. drama-rama haha). Anyway, I tried Super Nova for the first time yesterday and oh! I absolutely adored it! It's a soft, sparkly lighter green that just puts a little pop on my eye! I can't wait to use both of these more!

So overall, I'm very excited with everything I received and can't wait to continue testing them all! I'm very impressed with Prestige Cosmetics as a whole. The prices are so affordable and the quality doesn't feel "cheap" at all. They don't do animal testing! Which I know is a huge selling point to many of you! They also have a line of mineral makeup, which I am excited to try as well.

Supposedly they are sold at Walmart, Walgreens, Ulta, Rite Aid, etc. Sadly, I haven't been able to find their products at my local Walgreens or Walmart, but I am going to keep looking at other stores too! If not, their website is super easy to navigate and easy to order through there. And right now they are offering free shipping on orders of $50 or more!!:)

Has anyone else tried Prestige Cosmetics? What are your thoughts?? Where do you buy them?

Review: Revlon Photo Ready 3D Volume Mascara

OH EM GEE, Lovelies! I absolutely adore this mascara! Like, I feel I don't even need to write a whole review on it--just believe me when I tell you it's simply awesome!

Okay, okay, I'll still write the whole review.

I actually bought this several months ago, but still had a few other mascara's to try before I got to this one (what can I say? I'm a mascara whore). When I finally got to this one, I was pretty excited about trying it. I've always had pretty long eyelashes, but they just aren't as thick as I'd like. Therefore, I'm always looking for mascaras that are "volumizing" and promise to "thicken" my lashes. This mascara was right up my alley.

From Revlon's website: "Get glamorous, big volume lashes from every angle
Lashes look 100% more magnified, multiplied, amplified*
*with two coats " and continued, "Lash finding brush with rounded tip easily reaches every single lash for maximum dimension."

So true! Let me show you this brush!

I know the picture is kinda fuzzy, but it's hard to get a perfect shot just to show you how amazing the brush is!! There are all these tiny little bristles reaching out to lift up and coat your lashes! It is alike a miracle brush! The shape is perfect. Not too long, not too short. Not to thick, not to thin. LOVE IT.

I've even used this mascara without eyeliner a few times and my eyes still totally pop. It is by far my favorite mascara used lately and probably one of my favorites of all time! It's about $6.74 at Target and I would definitely purchase it again! (multiple times, probably!:)

Great formula! Well done, Revlon!

Have you tried this mascara yet? What are some of your favorites right now??

Review: Ulta's Lash Blow Out

Hi Lovelies! I believe I've mentioned once or twice before that I'm somewhat of a mascara whore... I like to try a lot of different kinds.. different brands.. different types... etc. So maybe you're wondering what I've been using lately?

For about the past month (is that too long? I think it's time to throw it away.. lol), I've been using Ulta's Lash Blow Out! I was super excited to try this since I loved the L'oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara! The Lash Blow out was about the same concept with the little round applicator vice the traditional straighter applicator.

I used the color Jet Black and it's a very good formula black. People actually noticed/commented on my eyelashes saying how long they looked. So that was nice:) It works well to separate the lashes and to provide a little definition... but there were some days I felt like it clumped a few of my lashes together so that I looked like there were just 8 spider legs coming out of my eyes:( Not cool.

At $10 for a tube, I think it's safe to say I will not be purchasing this again (p.s. it's $.51 more than the L'oreal one! And as much as I love Ulta, I still think of it being kind of a "generic" or "store brand" type brand compared to something as big as L'oreal!) I felt like it started to dry out/get clumpy after just a day or two of use. I was constantly having to wipe the excess off so I didn't get huge globs on my eyeball! Not a fan.

Have you tried Ulta's Lash Blow Out? Did you like it? What is your favorite mascara right now?

Review: L'oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara

Hi Lovelies! And welcome to the start of another week! When someone asks you what your favorite products are, you probably have a pretty good idea--my favorite foundation is X... my favorite eye shadows are Y... my favorite lip gloss is Z... etc. But when it comes to mascara, I have one I really like, but I'm not sooo comitted to it that I'm not willing to try others.

In fact, if we're being completely honest, I'm what one might call... a mascara whore... lol. Anytime a new mascara comes out, I feel like I *need* to try it! I have this compelling need to see if it does what it really claims! ('cause you know EVERY mascara promises to thicken, lengthen, plumpen, darken, yada yada yada. But do they really???!)

So, I've tried A LOT of mascaras. And some work.. some get gloopy.. some make my eyelashes fall out.. okay, that one hasn't happened, but it's felt like it at times! lol.

When I saw this mascara at Ulta ($9.49), I was quite intrigued! It didn't have the normal mascara wand, but rather a little ball on the end of it! What an idea! I figured it could get into all the little crevices of my eye where it may be harder (and more possible to stick in my eye) to use the regular classic wand design.

May I introduce you to L'oreal's Telescopic Explosion Mascara!

Before I get into a full review, can I please draw your attention to this packaging. It looks like a.... wait for it... TELESCOPE!!!! OMG! I honestly did not even see that when I bought it; it wasn't 'til I'd been using it for a few days before I saw it! HAHAH Love it!

So when you open it up, you can see how it has a little ball on it:

Here's what it claims: "100% of lashes are extended and separated. The spherical brush allows you to apply in every direction - result... you have fanned out lashes for a dramatic effect." I know a lot of girls didn't really like this. And I'd even been warned before I used it. Someone told me, "Oh, I tried that; you're not going to like it." So I went in to using it kinda nervous... and skeptical.

I think this mascara is actually pretty fabulous. I've been using it for about three weeks now, and I'm very happy with it. The formula is lovely--not too thick, not too thin. It's starting to get a little clumpy, but since I've been using it every day, I'm not too surprised.

I like that it makes my eyelashes look dark (I got it in blackest black) without making them look too shiny or like I have a lot of mascara on, ya know?

I don't feel like my lashes are a whole super lot longer, but I do believe it "fans" them out and makes them appear longer. People have noticed my eyes more since I've been using it, so it definitely works:)

Final opinion? I like it, but it is a little pricey. I probably will not buy it again, not because there is anything wrong with it, but I still haven't found a mascara I'm ready to commit to and will continue whoring myself out until I do:) Next up? I'll be comparing Ulta's Lash Blow Out to this one!

So, have you tried the ball mascara applicator yet? What did you think? And what is your favorite mascara?? Do you have one??

Review: Rimmel VolumeFlash Scandal Eyes Mascara

Hello, Lovelies! You are probably well aware that eyelashes are a very important part of your face! For years decades centuries forever women have been trying to get their lashes to be longer, thicker, more defined, etc. and even go to great extents by putting potions on them or just sticking fake ones over top.

I'm pretty happy with the length of my lashes, but I am always trying new mascaras then promise to "plump" or "volumize" or "thicken" or any variation of those words. One of the ones I've tried recently is Rimmel's VolumeFlash Scandal Eyes.

The packaging is nice--this bright sparkly orange (so it's never lost in your purse or makeup bag;) and it's a pretty chunky tube--and have you noticed that all of the "get thicker lashes" type mascaras come in thicker bottles? Pay attention next time, it's like subliminal messaging packaging. lol.

Here is what this mascara promises:

The MaxDensity brush, that's 50% larger and thicker, covers your lashes with attention - from corner to corner. Bristles now flex in to deposit mascara and out to comb through clumps, so volume will scream. With scandalous eye opening volume, this mascara should need a license.
Watch false lashes become a thing of the past, as Scandal Eyes Mascara becomes the ultimate beauty weapon in your make-up bag. This Rimmel revolution has 3x the collagen for plumper, sculpted lashes, 3x the keratin for strong and healthy lashes and...3x the attitude to guarantee scandalous behaviour!

Now, the brush is definitely bigger and the mascara is definitely thicker. Actually, I was very impressed with the formula. I have shade 003 Extreme Black, and it is a great color!

It did pretty well in making my lashes look fab; but I was disappointed when after just a few weeks of use, everything started clumping. It clumped on the brush, it clumped on my lashes. Just pulling it out of the tube and some would hang off at the tip; so I'd have to scrape that on the edge of the tube before applying. It just started to get messy :(

So overall, I do like the color, the texture, and how it made my lashes look. But I do not like how it deteriorated so fast and got clumpy and messy. I'm glad I tried it, but I will not be buying again.

Have you tried this mascara? Did it work better for your? Do you like any other mascaras by Rimmel?

One more haul--ULTA!

Okay! One more big shopping trip to share with you all! Then it's time to use all this amazing stuff and tell you how fabulous (or not;) it all is!! (you are all guaranteed reviews for AT LEAST the next month! hahahah:)

Tonight I went to Ulta, and as soon as I walked in they had their whole display of Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 Palettes. Now, for anyone who has been following my blog for any length of time, you know I'm definitely all about the more inexpensive makeup brands. A lot of my makeup is e.l.f., Wet 'n Wild, Hard Candy, etc. I figure if I'm gonna buy a lot, I don't want to go broke.

But.

There it was.

In all its splendor.

And everyone has said such great things about it...

And now I own it.

So, not wanting to let all you lovelies down, I knew I needed to *invest* in some other products to rate, review, and compare. And around the store I went. I picked up:

Illuminating primer!

Which one will make my lashes fuller?

These both have the little round applicator

 Then this product caught my eye! I have never seen, heard, or have any knowledge of it, but it looks amazing! (if it works)

Spray foundation?! Airbrush-"like"?

Now, I had also purchased a small $10 NYX palette that had similar colors to the Naked 2 (I wanted to compare). But after leaving the store I realized the palette *in* the box (Jazz Night) was NOT the one advertised *on* the box (Champagne and Caviar). So, when I went to return it, I somehow ended up buying this in its place:

 

So yes, now I will be reviewing both of them. My first ever real "expensive" eyeshadow. I'm excited and kinda nervous!:) 

And that's about all the shopping I should be doing for a while! Many, many reviews and comparisons to come!!

Mini Walmart Makeup Haul

So I'm kinda swerving from the schedule for a bit, but from the survey results I think you all are okay with that;)

Anyway, I did a little shopping and wanted to do a quick mini-haul to show you what I got! Of course there will be full reviews on all the stuff after I've used it enough!

This is all from Walmart... I went for some groceries and just got sidetracked into the makeup section...

In my defense, I really was in need of new mascara;)

Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes in Blackest Black

But along with that, I also got:

150 Classic Ivory

Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam foundation. I know there have been some mixed reviews over this. I'd seen in first in an ad in a magazine and thought the concept was pretty cool. After reading Kelly's post on it, I knew I wanted to try it! I'll save all the details for my full review, but let's just say, day two of use and I'm pretty pleased:)

05 Fresh Pink

Next was another new Maybelline product: the bouncy blush! Everyone said it was actually kinda bouncy! I made the mistake of pressing on it thinking it would spring back up (nope, just left a dent hahaha). First impressions, it's very soft and light.

717A Bronze Gold

This was the most random purchase. I'd been thinking about getting e.l.f.'s highlighter/bronzer duo, but I saw NYC Sun 2 Sun Bronzing Powder and figured I'd pick it up yet. I have not even opened it yet! So no first impressions yet:)

Last but not least, I picked up some more eyebrow waxing strips! I'm not sure if this is the same brand I usually use just in new packaging, but I'm hoping they work just as well! An easy/fast/cheap way to get great shaped eyebrows at home!

So that's it for now! Like I said, full reviews to come soon! How 'bout you? Any shopping lately? Find any fab new products? You must share!:)

Hard Candy Lash Ink: 4-day Stain

As I mentioned last week, my "eyes or lips" day has been very "lips" focused so today I'm taking some time to discuss an eye product!

This is Hard Candy's Lash Ink 4-day Lip Stain. Let me start by saying I really do heart Hard Candy. I think overall they make a fabulous product at an even more fabulous price! I love how everything is a solid dollar amount. Something is $4 or $5 or $7, etc. It's just like a really simple concept. But they have such fun colors and overall really quality makeup. They also don't test on animals which is a perk in some people's minds:) [Which does make me kinda wonder, who or what to they test on to make sure the product is safe? Hmm...]

Not gonna lie, part of the reason I picked up this mascara was because of the packaging--it comes in this tube of sorts (I really don't know why, but it definitely piqued my interest enough to spend the $7 on it;)

The mascara claims:
"

Mascara that won't quit until you do. Flatter your flutter for four days straight! Lash Link 4-Day Lash Stain defies the elements--paint on lashes and don't reapply mascara for up to four days. Your lashes will stay flawless no matter the circumstances!

Paint on lashes and don't reapply for up to four days!

Bristle brush allows you to reach every lash from root to tip

" (via Walmart's website, since I couldn't find it listed on Hard Candy's site anymore)

Those are definitely some pretty hefty claims! It lasts for [up to {keywords here!}] four days! Wow! And they'll stay flawless!? Fabulous!

swatch

Here's what I like about this mascara: the color is great. It's a shiny black that really does make my eyelashes look pretty amazing. It has a very skinny applicator wand, and I felt like I was painting my eyelashes on. It's somewhat thin and watery, so I applied more than I probably needed. Since it dries so fast, when I (accidentally) used (a little) too much, my lashes did clump together some. A simple eyelash comb can fix this problem.

Did it last all four days? Eh. It's really just a very powerful waterproof mascara. It lasted through a shower and washing my face morning and evening. Day two it was still pretty good. It didn't flake off nearly as much as regular mascara, but it still did as the days went on.

What I didn't like about it? It really is a "stain." And it does stain. I'm sometimes in a rush when I'm doing my makeup in the morning, and if it dripped anywhere near my eyes, on my cheek, wherever it would leave a little black streak (not a huge deal, it can be washed off. But if you're one of those girls that does her makeup in the car or something and you might not have q-tips and a sink on hand? You might have to rub a bit to make it go away). Also, sometimes if I would pull the wand out too fast it would splatter. (I understand both these issues are really kinda my own fault, so you may not experience the same negatives.)

Would I buy it again? Probably not. But not because it's a bad product, just because when I wash my makeup off, I really do want all my makeup to come off. I was kinda afraid it was going to make my eyelashes come out 'cause it felt glued to them. It still is totally something I'll use especially in the summer or for a day at the beach because it definitely stays in place.