Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara

I don't review mascara's very often, mostly because if I find one I like I stick to it for a while.  I also tend to use them until I literally can't anymore.  In the past year or so I've gone from Mary Kay's Ultimate Mascara to Urban Decay's Perversion and now I'm currently using Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara....that's quite the mouthful. I didn't purchase this mascara it was actually given to me by my boyfriend's mom.  On the sad day that Perversion ran out I reached for this to give it a try and was actually pleasantly surprised!

The tube is fairly large and gold.  Nothing too crazy about it.

The brush is pretty large.  I have no trouble using it on my upper lashes but it can make doing my bottom lashes difficult.  I usually don't put mascara down there so for me this isn't a big deal.  When you pull the brush out there is a good amount of product there, not too much and not too little.  I generally don't like when I have to scrape off excess which is something I had to do with Mary Kay's and what I had to do with Perversion towards the end of its life.  

The top row is with mascara and the bottom row is my natural lashes.  As for actual performance I feel like it falls somewhere between a high volume mascara and a natural mascara.  It doesn't give near the volume that Perversion provides but its better than a lot of other mascara's I've tried.  If you are looking for a more in between length and volume mascara this very well may be for you.  Unfortunately I prefer a bit more volume.

As you can see in this full face shot, the mascara doesn't overpower your makeup, it just kind of adds to it.  

Personally I would not buy this simply because of the price.  It is a great mascara and I will thoroughly enjoy it while I have it but I cannot justify paying $26.  Especially when I like Perversion a lot more and its less.

On my lips is Brink by Colour Pop Cosmetics.

Where to buy: Esteelauder.com, Estee Lauder counters, Sephora

Price: $26

Ipsy Glam Bag December 2014 Review

Well...another month...another Ipsy review starting with a rant. Sigh.  I've been a subscriber for 1.5 years and EVERY time I get a nude lip product I rate it "not for me" and EVERY time I get a bold or bright lip product I rate it "love it".  Yet out of the 4 shades of NYX Butter Balms, which do I get? Take a guess....the nude.   I am so pissed.  My mom who doesn't even like bright lip colors got the hot pink. Customization, yeah freaking right Ipsy. I'm pretty disappointed this month. Nevertheless...here we go....

As you can see I switched out my gross Marshmallow nude balm for Parfait with my mom.

The bag this month is super adorable. It a black pouch with a pink zipper and heart keychain. I will definitely be reusing!

1. Beauty Without Cruelty Facial Cleanser

"Beauty Without Cruelty 3% A.H.A. Facial Cleanser is a lightly-foaming, soap-free cleanser that removes dead surface skin cells, daily impurities, and excess oil without over-cleaning your skin. Nature's own alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) gently and deeply clean and actively clarify your skin without disturbing it's natural balance. Pure premium Oshadhi aroma-therapeutic essential oils tone, condition, and calm, leaving your skin clean, clear, and refreshed."

3/5

First the good:  It cleanses? So that's a plus I suppose. The smell is also ok, not wonderful, just ok.  It smells like some sort of herbal thing, I can't really tell.

The bad: The big one is that its for normal to oily skin and my skin is insanely dry.  Both times I used this even my moisturizer couldn't fend off the nasty dry flakes.  Maybe I'll store this away until summer and try again then, it just isn't good for winter time.  Its also pretty runny, as you can see from my swatch it wouldn't stay put long enough for a picture.

Where to buy: Amazon, Drugstores, Vitamin Shops

Price:  $12 ($2.82)

2. Cailyn Cosmetics Just Mineral Eye Polish in Orchid

"Made with 100% raw mineral powder, this highly pigmented satiny powder not only colors your eyes with shimmery, gorgeous hues, but is also safe to wear long hours. "

4/5

I love everything about this product except the color.  I wish Ipsy would have a nude and a bright option for every eye shadow and lipstick color.  Anyway this is a similar color to the Be a Bombshell eye base thing from last month but the formula and application is miles better.  It applies very easily and opaque with the little applicator and has a foiled finish.  You just dip the brush in and give it a shake to replenish the  color.  This stayed on all day.  I would definitely buy this in a different color if it wasn't so expensive.

Where to buy: cailyncosmetics.com

Price: $15

3. NYX Butter Balm in Parfait (switched for Marshmallow)

"Dip your lips in a sheer wash of color with NYX Butter Lip Balm. One swipe leaves dry lips feeling supple and hydrated."

4/5

This probably would have gotten a 2/5 if I wouldn't have been able to switch with my mom but because I really like the new color I'm rating it high.  Besides it being a very nice shade, it is also very moisturizing, comfortable on the lips, and long lasting for a balm.  The only con would be the chubby stick makes precision application difficult.

Where to buy: NYXcosmetics.com, Ulta, Drugstores

Price: $4

4. StyleSexyHair 450 Blow Out Spray

"Protect those tresses! Sexy Hair’s 450° Blow Out Heat Defense Blow Dry Spray protects hair from heat damage up to 450°F. In addition to outstanding thermal protection, it also conditions for smooth, sleek styles, detangles for improved manageability and strengthens hair. Helps to decrease blow dry time and adds weightless shine."

I can't rate this because I can't use it.....

I don't blow dry my hair and I haven't straightened it since getting my pixie 2 years ago. I don't even own a hair dryer.  I tried spraying it in my hair before styling normally but it did nothing.  Guess this one is going to my mom or a friend who uses a blow drier.....:/

Where to buy: Sexyhair.com, Ulta

Price: $19 ($7.69)

5. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

"Like a pushup bra for your lashes, tarte’s best-selling mascara lengthens, curls, volumizes and conditions to deliver a 330% increase in lash volume instantly. The high-performance formula is also infused with naturally-derived olive esters to help nourish and protect lashes. "

4/5

I don't really have any complaints here...it isn't too wet, it isn't too dry.  It lengthens and adds volume.  It loses a point because for me Urban Decay's Perversion is my 5/5 mascara and it isn't quite as good. Otherwise its a pretty solid mascara!

Where to buy: Sephora, Ulta, tartecosmetics.com

Price: $20 ($8.33)

Total price of this month's bag comes to $37.84, a bit lower than usual but still over 3x what you pay.  Kinda sucks that I can't use one of the products though. I hate when that happens but I guess its just the luck of the draw.  

Ipsy Glam Bag August 2014 Review

Another month another Glam Bag! Let's jump right in!

1. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

5/5

"Bigger. Blacker. Badder. Urban Decay's ultra-creamy, lengthening and volumizing mascara features triple-black pigments and a deeply nourishing ingredient blend. Perversion Mascara gets you sexy in one stroke, yet it won’t quit until you say when. "

So I actually already owed this mascara before it was announced that I was getting it in my Ipsy bag.  Long story short I LOVE THIS MASCARA. It lengthens and adds volume and doesn't clump and oh my gosh its just perfect.  I have the mini that came in the Ipsy bag up next to the full size.  the brush pictured is also from the full size as I do not want to open the mini in case it goes bad too quickly.

Where to buy: Urbandecay.com, Ulta, Sephora

Price: $22 ($5.50)

2. Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Lip Conditioner

5/5

"Slather on this balm for soft lips all year long. Mongongo oil has hydrating, regenerating and restructuring properties and offers a unique protection from UV and environmental pollutants in skin applications. Mongongo oil is rich in calcium, magnesium, zinc, cooper and anti-oxidants."

At first I was a little bummed to get this because bleh what am I going to do with a chapstick?  But believe me it is much much more than just a chapstick! First of all it smells amazing. I was worried because it has orange in its title and I hate artificial orange, but the Mandarin Green Orange Ginger scent is actually quite pleasant. Second it has UV protection and Anti-Aging properties! Sweet! I've also found that lipsticks apply quite nicely on top of it meaning I can use it under my daily lip color without any problems!

Where to buy: Jerseyshoresun.com

Price: $5.50

3. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

4/5

"Klorane Dry shampoo with oat milk gently revives hair, ridding it of excess dirt, oil, build-up and odor while leaving hair soft, clean and full of volume."

I'm very much a fan of this product as well.  I only shower every other day because my skin gets horribly dry If I do it every day.  There are two spots on either side of my head that tend to get greasier than any other part of my hair so I use dry shampoo on off shower days to spruce things up! This product definitely works great however the only reason its getting a 4/5 is because I personally prefer my Tresseme dry shampoo but only because its less powdery.

Where to buy: dermstore.com, Amazon

Price: $19.50 ($12.15)

4. Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil

3/5

"Sensual and exotic, that's the effect that Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil delivers. Just like the traditional Kohl, but with the modern ease and control of a pencil. Giving a semi-matte finish that is also smudgeable, Silk Kajal Kohl's soft tip is ophthalmologically-tested and gentle enough to be used on the inner eye."

This is a fine eye liner and there isn't anything wrong with it....but there isn't exactly anything spectacular about it either.  Its just your average black kohl eyeliner.  I'm really getting sick of all these black pencil liners I've been getting from Ipsy. sigh. Anyway this applied smoothly and I could even do a little wing flick. However it wiped off my hand fairly easily, something you don't see with Urban Decay or Cynthia Rowley. I think this will make a nice purse liner as its very tiny.

Where to buy: Lordandberry.com, beautybar.com

Price: $16 (I couldn't find a size for the full product to calculate so I'm going to guess the mini is $5)

5. Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo

1/5

"Sheer Glo is an incandescent liquid that lights up skin with all over radiance. Mix with foundation or wear alone to provide a luminous glow for all skin types. An especially amazing product for mature or dry skin. Sheer Glo provides a youthful glow and dewy finish. Use on face and/or body and get glowing."

1/5? I know...ouch.  But seriously this product is worthless.  First of all I'm all about matte skin and do whatever I can to not be shiny.  I have zero use for this product.  On top of that it doesn't' actually do anything.  I tried it on and honestly didn't see any sort of difference. I'm not really sure what to even do with this besides throw it away....maybe I can try it as a subtly shimmer eye shadow or something. Its a really expensive product for doing a load of nothing.

Where to buy: mannakadarcosmetics.com

Price: $29 ($7.83)

I hope my review helped! 

This month's bag totaled approximately $35.98!

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<3__)~

Pastel Waterproof Volume Color Mascara in Dark Pink

While in Turkey this colored mascara caught my eye.  Its by a brand called Pastel and I bought it in the slightly darker pink shade. At least I think.  The normal pink and the dark pink had such similar cap colors I'm only 80% sure I actually picked up the darker pink....

There is absolutely no identifying color information on the tube besides the cap.  My online searching says this color is no.106 in Fuşya

The formula itself is very very dry and therefore it is a bit hard to build up an intense color.

Instead it gives more of a slight pink tint.  I find the best way to apply it is to apply one coat, wait for it to dry and then apply another one over that.

Overall I'm quite pleased with this mascara.  It isn't as intense as I'd hoped which also makes it a bit more wearable I suppose.  I don't already own a pink mascara so I definitely don't regret this purchase! My mom bought the dark blue and because she is blonde and has lighter lashes it looks seriously intense on her.  I'm a bit jealous.

Where to buy: www.Pastelshop.com

Price:  17,00 TL (about $8.50)

<3__)~

June 2014 Ipsy Bag Review

I'm not doing a review for May's bag simply because I wasn't thrilled with anything in it except for the sunscreen, but that doesn't really make for an exciting blog post.  Therefore I am skipping to the June bag which was wonderful and amazing.

1.Be a Bombshell Lash Out Mascara

This mascara didn't clump but it didn't offer much as far as length or volume.  The brush also isn't anything special.   This is the same price as the Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara I use almost every day, and performs severely worse. Overall its pretty lack luster and while I will use it for days I want more natural lashes but I definitely would not buy this. 

Where to buy: beabombshellcosmetics.com

Price: $15

2. Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray

I unfortunately do not have much to say about this simply because my hair isn't long enough to get any use out of it.  It does smell nice, like coconut. Once my mom gets back from Turkey I'm sure she will use it but until then it will sit around the house unused.

Where to buy: Ulta, Drugstore, marcanthony.com

Price:  $8.99 ($3.25)

3. NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee

I was super impressed with this product.  I was already looking into buying one but held off when I found out I was getting one in my next Ipsy bag.  First of all I can rarely find a nude that looks decent on me but this one definitely does.  I Love the color and will definitely be pairing it with some crazy Elecctric Palette looks.  It also goes on very easily, isn't sticky at all, and feels extremely moisturizing.  I would definitely buy this because I already have gone out and bought another color! Haha!

Where to buy: Target, Drugstore, Ulta

Price: $5

4. Jesse's Girl Waterproof Liquid Liner

So I keep hearing that this eye liner explodes for some people upon opening.  Well I've opened it about 5 times and I've still witnessed no explosions.  It is a huge shame if that is seriously an issue because I absolutely adore this liner.  It is so easy to use, I can make crazy thin lines, and can do a perfect wing very quickly.  It also seems to last for quite some time.  I'll wait to see how many more people have issues with this but I'm seriously considering buying this to replace my Stila liner I used to use.

Where to buy: Jessesgirlcosmetics.com

Price: $6.99

Here is an eye look I did using the Be a Bombshell Mascara and the Jesse's Girl liquid liner.  As you can see teh liner is awesome and the mascara is...well...not. The eye shadow is Revolt, Urban, and Jilted from the Electric Palette.

5. Skinn Olive & Enzyme Cleanser

I have nothing bad to say about this cleanser.  It smells nice and seems to remove all my makeup.  It also has a more creamy consistency which I prefer over an oily runny one.  I did wake up with a pimple this morning but I am unsure if they are related.  Further testing is required.  I don't think I'd buy it but I will enjoy using it while I have it.

Where to buy: skinn.com

Price: $24 ($12)

Total price of bag: $42.25

So I got over $40 worth of product for $10.  Seriously Ipsy how are you so amazing. Haha!

If you would like to sign up for an Ipsy bag click my rat! Thanks for reading!

What was your favorite thing in this months bag?

<3__)~

Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara

Before I started using this mascara I was addicted to Benefit's They're Real.  The reason I sought a new mascara was because after 3 months the mascara would get all over the bottom of my eye after only a few hours. I was getting so frustrated and after talking to my mom who bought the same mascara around the same time I found out she was having the exact same problem.  We now both use Mary Kay's Ultimate Mascara because to me it does the same thing as They're Real did for a much better price tag.  It gives both length and volume.  For anyone wondering the difference between the Ultimate Mascara and the Lash Love mascara is the volume.  Ultimate is all about dramatic awesome big lashes while Lash Love is for those who like a more natural look.

The brush is a fairly basic mascara brush. I have it in black.

On the left I have one coat of Ultimate Mascara applied and on the right are my bare lashes.  It can be built up to be even more dramatic.  I tried so hard to get a picture with my eyes closed but my  camera refused to cooperate, sorry! Anyway, with this mascara I like to slowly start from my bottom lashes and wiggle up until I have every lash coated and then I flick it on the end of my lashes to add extra length.

Where to buy: Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant

Price: $15

Green Eye Makeup Collection

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Because of the holiday I've decided to share swatches of all my green eye makeup. Spoiler alert...there aren't many.  Green is my second favorite color but for whatever reason I rarely incorporate it into my makeup routine.  After swatching all these I'm starting to feel bad for my lonely greens.  I've decided to make an effort to wear them more often!

First up is a Brazen cosmetics eye shadow I got in a Beauty Army box. I unfortunately have not used it yet so I can't really comment on the quality.  I've been having trouble finding something to wear a camo colored green with.  Its a deep green with gold sparkle. Suggestions are welcome!

This is Maybelline's Color Tattoo cream eye shadow in Emerald.  It is a really pretty color and goes on very nicely.  I really need to wear this more.

I have 12 Shiro eye shadows in total and this is among the ones I haven't used very much.  They come loose but I pressed them myself and I would definitely buy from her again.  I picked up a few colors from all of my favorite video game collections.  Rupee is from the Legendary collection based off of the Legend of Zelda.  I plan to do swatches of all the ones I have.

This is the green from NYX's Love In Rio Carnival Del Sol palette.  As you can see its in kind of bad shape as I depotted it and it didn't really go well.  Also this is one of the few times that NYX is a miss for me, the pigmentation just isn't that great.

This is Ulta's Glamazon eye shadow that I got on sale the first time I went to an Ulta store (I live nowhere near any sort of makeup store so I do all my shopping online).  As you can see it is a super dark greenish blue.  I have never worn it as an eye shadow but I use it wet as an eyeliner every now and then and it looks very nice.

This is Graffiti from Urban Decay's Deluxe palette.  I bought it from Ulta on sale.  As with any Urban Decay eye shadow it has great pigmentation and goes on smooth.

This is Vert from Urban Decay's Skull Shadow Box palette.  My mom bought me this palette in early high school when I wore a single color of bright eye shadow all over my lid so this green has gotten a lot of use.  I actually used to just call it "dragon scale green" because..well, it reminded me of dragon scales! Very pretty.

This is Maybelline's limited edition green mascara in Green with Envy.  It is not super intense on my dark brown lashes but it adds a hint of color so I do use this every now and again.

Here is Urban Decay's 24/7 eye liner pencil in Mildew.  My mom got me a mini pack of these in all sorts of shades back in high school.  Unfortunately this pencil has not gotten a lot of use either. :(

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And that's my green eye makeup collection.  My St. Paddy's day resolution will be to wear more green on my eyes!

In the mean time here is a simple look I did with a few of the products. Rupee is on the lid and Glamazon is in the crease. I also used the Maybelline mascara and the Urban Decay liner.