REVIEW: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation

This foundation retails for a good $42.00.
This is a Matte finish, *full coverage* foundation that is recommended for all skin types.

My shade is Bisque 5

This is a very long lasting foundation. Lancome claims that it will last 14 hours, I can't really say that it does because I don't wear my makeup that long, but for the 8-10 hours I usually wear it, it does stay on.

*I wouldn't say it's "full" coverage, I would say it's more of a "heavy medium/buildable" coverage. It goes on really nice, you have to work on one area of the face at a time, rather than applying it all over the face and then blending. It dries quick, which brings me to my next point, it dries to a powder!

Application can be a little bit tricky, I think it takes a little bit to learn how to use it and make it look nice on you, but if you are willing to spend $42.00 on one product, I think you should be willing to take the time to work with it before deciding you don't like it.
When applying this product you MUST have a completely clean and smooth face. This is the kind of foundation that forces me to exoliate and moisturize daily. If you have any, and I mean ANY flakes, once the foundation dries you will be able to see them.

I have tried many different brushes but I have found that the MAC 130 is the best one for it. That is the amount I use for one third of my face. Which at the end of the day comes down to a pump and a half. Keep in mind thou, I like more coverage than your average Jane!
On the left photo I am wearing no makeup at all. Right photo, after having applied foundation. No concealer or anything else on. And this is what it looks like after doing all of my face.

Review: Laura Geller "Spackle Tinted Under Make-Up Primer"

I don't know how long it's been since I posted something, I was about to delete this blog when I saw that I had a bunch of comments waiting for me to reply. It made my day. I guess some people DO read what I have to say.
I don't have time to do makeup tutorials anymore, I have two kids now and they are so active its just impossible to do anything, and I also have a business. Anyways, I decided to dedicate this blog to reviews and reviews only. I will tell you my honest opinion on every single product I review. So here is the first one:
Laura Geller Spackle tinted under eye primer in Bronze...
I received this primer in one of my birchboxes. I was really excited to get it when I first saw it, I mean, you can never have too many primers, right?
I lost the card that came with the birchbox that explained that this specific color works on every skin tone... I thought that was really interesting being that it's a dark primer.

I am hispanic and if you've seen my photos on this blog, you know my skin tone. I am dark and this primer goes really nice on me, I just can't imagine it working on a white person. It's consistency its sort of like a runny lotion, I don't know how else to explain it. It's not thick but is not thin-watery either.

It's got sheen to it but its very hard to see. I applied this primer to my face with nothing else to see if it made any kind of difference and it didnt. Right after applying it I got this tight feeling, very strange. It was nothing like a Smashbox primer. If you've tried the smashbox primer, you know how your skin feels very silky afterwards. You feel it filling in your pores and just love it. This Laura Geller product feels nothing like it! After the tightness is gone it feels like you have nothing on (not in a good way).
All of that aside, does it work? I tested this primer for about a week, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary that would make love it, BUT i did see something that made me not want to use it anymore. I broke out with pimples like I was a 14 year old! It was freaking crazy! It was so bad I had to poke at them with a needle to be able to get the stuff out and begin healing (do not try this at home!), excuse the gross details... I am trying to make a point. I have never had any product do that to me. Even when I wear drugstore foundations I've never broke out this bad.
So here's the bottom line. It does work as a primer, but it breaks me out. When a product causes me to get pimples, it just doesn't matter how expensive, or fancy or cheap it is. It goes out the window. I think I am going to be sticking to my smashbox and Mac primers.

Review Time: Olay Complete ALL UV moisture Cream SPF 15 for Normal Skin

This is a review for the Olay Complete All Day UV Moisture Cream SPF15 for Normal Skin

Price: $6.49

Where to buy: Any drugstore

Finding a good drugstore moisturizer can be really hard.  Using a regular lotion sometimes can work just fine but not for me.  High end moisturizer brands can be really expensive so I really wanted to try to find a good quality moisturizer at a drugstore before having to spend 30+ dollars on a high end one.

Up until this point I had been using just a regular lotion on my face but as I started wearing liquid foundation I had a harder time getting rid of those "dry spots" that you get when you wear liquid makeup.  I tried many different things and as all of you that read my very first post know, the ultimate trick was to get my clarins cream, but I did notice a big difference when I changed from lotion to a real moisturizer. Before actually getting this Olay one I used other drugstore brands and they didn't do anything for me, that's when I started my search for a good drugstore moisturizer, and lucky me, I found this one!

I don't really anything bad things to say about this product.  I like it a lot.  It's price is very affordable and I love that.  As of the effect it has on your face, I would say it was better than expected. It is definitely better than just using your everyday lotion and your skin does feel smoother. 

I believe this is one of the best moisturizers that you can find at a drugstore.  It is very affordable and the jar comes with 2 oz.  I finished my whole jar and although is not my moisturizer of preference at the moment I do recommend it.  I give this product a 5 out of 5.

Beauty Experiment: Revlon Color Stay 12 Hour Eye Shadow

I was reading through my BHG magazine when I saw this ad for the new Revlon 12 hours eyeshadow so I HAD to try it. I got my son in the car and drove to Target, up here where I live everything is more expensive than usual but luckily they were having a sale and I ended up getting this quad for 4.99. I am not one to use "fancy" eyeshadows, I do have a couple of palettes from Estee Lauder and ONE eyeshadow from MAC but I have been able to find good alternatives to the high end eyeshadows that are just as good, I'd rather spend my money on a good foundation or eyeliner. So anyways, I was excited to try this new product...

I bought the quad in Azzure Mist, you know me, always on the look for new ways to do smokey eyes!

First thing I did was swatch the colors... they look pretty pigmented I would say.

The package comes with instruction on the back on how to apply it, I am determined to see if these shadows really work so I followed those instructions to a "t".

Here is the "before" picture.  Foundation and eyebrows are done, and my eyelids are clean and ready to be worked on.  It's been so long since I applied any eyeshadow on my lids without having any primer or shadow base underneath, I was a little nervous, but this quad promises 12 hours of stay without having to use anything under it, so let's see!

Ok, so now here is the thing:  I didn't use the little applicators that came with it, I used my own brushes.  I honestly don't think those applicators would have made a difference anyways.  Based on the swatches I did earlier I was expecting a ton of more color when I applied the shadow on my lid.  You know me and how I like my smokey eye to be dark and believe me, I tried making this look dark, I wasn't able to.  To be able to get enough color to show on my lid (under the crease) I had to apply the shadow 3 times!  Not a good sign so far.  In the crease area I applied blue first and on top of it brown, they looked so pigmented on my fingers, what happened?

Blending the colors and lines was easy, that's a plus!

I finished applying my shadows at 10:30am and this is what it looks like.  Not as dark as I would like it to be but still looks nice I think. 

Keep your fingers crossed!  I will take some photos all throughout the day and post my comments on how it looks...  check later for an update!

UPDATE: 10 hours Later (8:30pm)

Ok, here is the picture I just took, i am not sure if I will be able to post anything else tonight but I will take a picture at 10:30 and will definitely post my comments on it tomorrow morning.

It's been ten hours since I applied my eyeshadow.  I am very impressed by how long this shadow has stayed on my eyelids.  I did notice, though, that the right lid is not as dark as it was this morning, can you tell?  Besides that, everything else looks pretty much the same.  I see no creasing at all, so once again, I am impressed!

UPDATE: 10:00pm

I didn't make it all the way to 10:30, I was too tired so this is just a 11.5 hours after applying makeup on my eyes, not 12. 
I think this eyeshadows have a lot of potential. I did not apply any primer or base on my lids prior to applying my shadows and I am pleasantly surprised to see that it did not crease.  Like I mentioned on my last update, it did fade a little bit in one of my eyes but that's something that can be easily fixed.  I think the colors will look a lot more vibrant if I apply my usual base underneath, so I guess this means this quad is a keeper!

11.5 hours later.  No creasing!!

Review Time: Lancome Hypnôse Drama Mascara

Price: $24.50

Where to buy: Lancome.com, Lancome counters, Sephora, Sephora.com

Description: Hypnôse Drama mascara provides high volume lashes in a single stroke. The full contact brush, with its S-shaped curve, grasps and loads lashes for a fanned out, full body fringe.

My Opinion

As promised, here is my review of the Lancome Hypnôse Drama Mascara.  I got this mascara during my Memorial Day haul, I have been wanting to try it for a while since I read great reviews on it, so here is my own.

This Mascara is supposed to be used when you want that "wow!" factor, therefore the "drama" in its name.  But, does it really do as it claims?? YES! It does!

Let me tell you all... I LOVE this mascara!  It is so easy to apply and extremely hard to clump.  I know it has a weird "S" shape wand but that's what makes this mascara work so well.  I was very surprised to find that I was able to reach every single lash, even the ones on the outer corners of my eyes!  I didn't expect that from a mascara with a wand that is so big, but somehow it just works.

Lancome's website suggests ways of taking advantage of the "S" shape wand: The best way to apply Hypnôse Drama is to start with the brush at the root of the lashes. The curve of the brush should face up in a U shape. Using a zigzag movement, glide the brush up the lashes from root to tip. To create more drama, rotate the brush and use the longer bristles to fan out the lashes. This formula can also be layered and built for maximum volume without clumping.

Another thing, this mascara will give you a ton of volume and the look of false eyelashes with just ONE coat! How amazing is that!? Like I said earlier, it is very easy to apply, I didn't have to try hard at all and after the first time using it I was in love with it.  It won't flake throughout the day and it washes off with water and soap easily as well.  It does not irritate my eyes at all and when you make a little mistake (i.e. when you get mascara on your eyelid) it is easy to remove without messing up your makeup too much.  This is not a waterproof mascara, I haven't tried getting it wet and honestly I am not planning on doing that anyways.  I really like this mascara a lot so I do recomend it if you are looking to add volume to your lashes or to make your "smokey eyes" look more dramatic.  I give this a 5 out of 5.
Here are the before and after pictures:

Wearing no mascara at all.

After applying ONE coat on top and bottom lashes.

See the difference? 

Final look!

Just imagine how much more dramatic it would look if I had black eyeliner on!

Review time: Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

I almost didn't post anything today, it's been a long day but I owe it to my two loyal readers to try to post at least one thing a day, so here it is.
This is a review on the Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser (a makeup remover and cleanser in one for refreshingly clean skin).

Price: $4.99
Where to buy:  Any drugstore.
What is claims: Dermatologist tested cleanser effectively removes makeup and cleanses in one easy step.  Removes dirt and oil, makeup and waterproof eye makeup without stinging or irritating the sensitive eye area.
My opinion:
I don't really know much about Neutrogena, I've heard some good things about their foundations (which I personally have NOT tried yet) but that's about it.   I was looking for a drugstore cleanser that I could afford and came accross this one so I decided to give it a go.
This is a very gentle cleanser, it feels like liquid soap when you wash your face and it doesn't irritate your skin at all.  It is very easy to use. 
Here is what you really need to know:
I don't think that this product takes all of the makeup off of your skin.  When you wear liquid foundation it is very important to cleanse your face really good at the end of the day.  Also, if you wear heavy eye makeup like I do, even if it's not waterproof makeup, this cleanser won't take it off, you will need to use an eye makeup remover to get your eyes completely clean, so overall I don't think this is a very good cleanser.
One good way of checking how good your cleanser works is by cleaning your face with a cotton ball soaked with toner and seeing how clean it is.  I do this every time I cleanse my face and it usually looks dirty, I wouldn't feel like I got my face completely clean if I was to just use this cleanser.  
I wouldn't recommend you use this cleanser as your only step for washing your face.  I highly recommend you use a toner afterwords to get rid of the makeup that you will have left on your face AND have eye makeup remover on hand for when you are using heavy smokey eyes, because this cleanser won't get rid of it either.  I give this a 2 out of 5.

Review Time: L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara

Price: $7.99
Where to buy: Any drugstore.
Description: This mascara is designed to lengthen, thicken, and separate 100% of the lashes. The patented Flexi-Globe Brush applies from every angle for a spectacularly fanned-out look.

My Opinion
This mascara is the low end version of the Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Mascara ($29.00 at Sephora.com). I personally haven’t tried this specific brand but I did my research on it and it is supposed to be pretty good at separating all lashes, even the ones on the outer corners of the eye.

But how does L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara compare to this Givenchy Mascara? I can’t really compare it but I will tell you what I think of it. First of all it is very affordable and that is a huge plus in my book. One big difference between these two mascaras is the length of the wand, L’Oreal’s mascara has a longer wand then the Givenchy one which can make it a little more difficult to apply but I think practice will perfect anyone’s technique.

When it comes to application, at first it can be a little hard to achieve the wanted results, it can be easy to clump BUT again, a little practice will take care of all of those issues. I think for almost a fourth of the price of the high end brand it is worth giving it a try.

I like this mascara a lot. It does separate each lash from end to end for a fanned out look. It doesn’t flake throughout the day and even though it doesn’t thicken the lashes as much as I would like it to I think it’s great for a more natural look. I personally prefer more drama on my lashes.  Here are the before and after pictures:

Review time: Murad Active Radiance Serum featuring Resilient-C Complex

Price: $89.00

Where to buy:  Sephora.com

Description: A rich, silky serum that restores a youthful, healthy glow to the skin.  It encourages collagen production to help skin resist environmental stress and damage. Its advanced formula boosts cell proliferation to reverse visible signs of aging. 

I have had this serum for a couple of months and just decided to write a review about it a couple of weeks ago so I had to stop using it for a little while to see what my skin would look like without using it and then again after using it for a few days.
Let me begin by saying this, I have never used a skin product with vitamin c before this and read a ton about it before deciding to get it (I didn't buy it, it was a rewards gift I received from making a purchase somewhere) and in most of the reviews people said that this product was great for overnight acne treatment and even though I don't have acne all the time, I do get it every now and then so I went ahead and chose it.
Ok, now back to the review: After not using it for a few days I noticed  little zits along my jaw line, nothing major, but they became one of those never-ending pimples, you know, the kind that won't go away no matter how many times you clean it or pop it.  My everyday skincare products do take care of most of my facial issues but nothing would get rid of those dang spots on my jaw line, seriously, nothing!  And then I finally started using this serum, I will tell you this much, it only took 2 days of using this product for me to get rid of my acne.  I haven't, however, seen any difference in the size of my pores or blemishes around my nose, but then again I've only used it for a few days.  This product also claims to give you a "glow" after a week of using it and I do see that on my face.  I think that if I've seen this results in a week, if I continue using it I will see even greater results.
You are supposed to apply a thin layer of this serum all over your face and neck right after toning your skin and then wait one minute for it to get absorbed and then apply your moisturizer.  Application is very easy and not messy, it doesn't have a bad smell to it. I read that some people got irritated by it but this didn't happen to me, I didn't have any allergic reactions to it or break outs from it.
Also, this serum comes in a very air tight and covered bottle and the reason for this is so that the vitamin C in it won't oxidize. It has a pump which is really nice so you can get the right amount of product every time and overall I would say it looks really nice... but do I think is worth it?  This serum is very, very expensive and you only get 1oz for your money.  I like it a lot but I don't think I will be buying it over and over again, instead I will use it as a "spot treatment" for when I have hard issues to deal with on my face.  I believe this product would work great as a spot acne treatment for those hard pimples we all need to get rid off.
Do I recomend it?  Yes, I do.  I think this product will do just what it says if you use it often.  I rate this serum a 7 out of 10 because of it's price and the low amount of product you get.

Update: NYC cover stick

As promised on my last post/review for the NYC cover stick, here is my first update on the product. 
I ended up going to bed last night at 1:30am (hubby and I went out to watch a movie together, probably the last one for the next 2 years, that's what having kids to do to you!) so that was 14 hours after applying my makeup.  Most of my face looked intact (kudos to my Lancome foundation for lasting so long!) except for my chin, I am not sure if it has to do with the concealer or maybe because I touch my chin a lot (I know, that's just one of my weird things!) or because I was eating extra buttered popcorn while watching the movie and maybe the butter touched my chin? I don't know yet but I will keep an eye on it definitely. My forehead and cheeks looked fresh, no signs of blemishes or acne scars showing through my foundation so I would say that so far I am still impressed with this concealer.  It is still too early to tell if my skin will "accept" this product but I sure do hope so. Another thing I noticed that I thought was different was when I was washing my face, I noticed that the first thing that came off was my foundation, my cleanser usually cleans everything at once, but this time I could actually see the green concealer all over my face on the spots I applied prior to my foundation, I thought that was kind of weird but it also tells me that it has some good sticking power.  Anyways, I will keep you all posted as I keep on testing this concealer over the next few days.

Drugstore Find/Review: N.Y.C Cover Stick in Green

I went to walmart yesterday and stopped by the cosmetics section to see if there was something that would call my name.  I am not a big fan of drugstore makeup mostly because they usually make me break out but I still wanted to try something new so I gave it a "go!". 
I bought a few things that I am going to be posting reviews of in the next week or so but I couldn't help myself to tell you about this NYC concealer I am currently trying. 

The NYC website retails this concealer for $1.99 but I am pretty sure I paid $1.39 at Walmart (I lost my receipt, so me!).  They come in a variety of colors but I just got the one in green.  I figured if it doesn't work I am not going to loose that much money.

I will be honest with you all, I was not excited at all to try it.  I guess I always think you get your money's worth when you buy something and I didn't think I would get that much out of this really inexpensive concealer... I was wrong!

If you read my very first post you know that I prefer Make Up For Ever Concealer Palettes, this palette retails for $39.00 and it comes with 5 different colors, including green to counteract redness.  That is a lot of money to spend on concealer and you still need to buy a brush to apply it with but I still bought it and liked it a lot.  I am telling you this because I will be comparing my NYC cover stick to the MUFE concealer palette, specifically the green color.
I didn't think to take a "before" picture until after I had applied foundation on half of my face.
Here are some of the things that I liked about it the most as I was applying it today, please notice I have only wore it ONCE, as far as I am concerned this concealer is still on the "testing" stage.
1.- It comes with quite a bit of product, I would dare to say that it has maybe twice as much as my green concealer on my MUFE palette.
2.- Application was extremely easy. I didn't need to use a brush.
3.- I didn't have to get my fingers dirty trying to blend it , I guess I could have if I wanted to but since I apply it before my foundation I really see no point on doing that.

Half of my face already has foundation on.  It looks just as good as if I had applied my MUFE concealer.

(On my forehead I am using my regular mufe concealer, I only bought NYC concealer in green) 

Right after I applied foundation my cheek... I think it looks pretty flawless, if you ask me.  

What do you all think?  Looks pretty good, blemish free! 

Something else I noticed:  I usually do TWO pumps of my foundation for my whole face BUT today I had all of this foundation left... could it be because I needed less coverage because of this new concealer?  Too early to tell but I was very happy to have used less foundation.

I will be posting an update of this product tomorrow morning and in three days.  I still need to see how long and how well it stay on my face AND the most important thing, if will make me break out.

As of right now I am extremely happy with this product.  I won't be buying any more colors until I test it a little longer and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will work for me.

If you would like to read the "next day update" on this concealer, click here.

Review: Smashbox Camera Ready Full Coverage Foundation Spf 15

Price: $38.00

Where to buy: Smashbox counters, sephora.com, sephora stores, smashbox.com, etc.

Description: A lightweight yet buildable cream to powder full coverage foundation that’s good for your skin. This luxurious, creamy formula glides on effortlessly leaving a semi-matte finish without being cakey or heavy... this foundation leaves skin looking naturally flawless.

I am going to make this short and simple (yeah, right! this is probably going to turn out to be one of those never ending posts!):

Once again, in my search for the perfect foundation I gave this one a try.  Up until that point I hadn't tried any smashbox products (besides for my brow brush) and I really wanted to, I've heard so many good things about their primers so I thought their foundation had to be pretty good as well... anyway, so I ended up buying this one, what attracted me to it is the fact that is full coverage. 

Here are the facts:  This foundation is called "camera ready" for a reason... it makes you look awesome in pictures... and I will give it that, you will most definitely look good in photos... but what about in person??? That, my friends, is the question!
Let me start by saying this: Application absolutely SUCKS! Excuse the language, but that is trully how I feel. This is a cream to powder foundation, so I was a little out of my element when applying it at first, I am used to liquid.  The first time I tried it with the brush that it comes with, I applied concealer, primer and my clarins cream prior to it... it did NOT look good.  The second time I tried it with my mac 130 brush and applied the smashbox primer instead of my mac one... didn't make a difference.  Third time I didn't apply my concealer on first, hoping that it would look less cakey, nope... didn't work. And yesterday I gave it a try one last time, I wanted to take pictures to show you all what I mean when I say that "it didn't look good" and once again it did NOT look good.

The thing with this product is that it only looks bad when you see it up close.  If you are to look at yourself in a mirror from, let's say, 4 feet away you are going to love what you see! I don't know what it is with this foundation but from far away it makes your skin look even toned and like it really does provide full coverage.  When you see yourself up close is when you start having issues with it.  Just look at the pictures:

It settles into every little fine line or dryness you may have on your skin.  My Clarins cream did nothing under this foundation.  Notice my nose and pores on my cheek? My regular foundation does NOT make me look like this.

Look at all of that cakeyness on my forehead! And this is supposed to be a full coverage foundation... well, what do you think?! I can still see my acne scars under it!

And around my lip and my cheeks... more cakeyness... this foundation looks nothing but natural, at least not up close. 

Please note that I tried really hard to blend this foundation onto my face and these pictures were taken after me blending and blending it like a maniac.

Would I recommend it?  NO, NO, NO!  Unless you are a model and all you do is take pictures for a living or you won't have any close up human interaction, than this foundation is not for you.   It is impossible to apply it so that it looks natural, oh, I should point out that that the lady at the Smashbox counter told me to use their smashbox face and body brush with it to achieve the best results but I am not going to spend $52.00 on a brush just for that foundation! So maybe if you do apply it with this brush it would look better but I honestly don't think so.

I am wearing this foundation on this picture, see what I mean by looking good in pictures?  But who cares if you look good in pictures when in person your face looks cakey and you see the product settle in all your fine lines and dry spots on your skin!  I am sad to say that this baby is going back to the store.  I really wanted it to work, for once I found a foundation that matches my skintone perfectly... so I guess my search for the perfect foundation is still on. 

I rate this product a 1 out of 5. 

Review time: Clinique Deep Cleansing Emergency Mask

Price: $19.50
Where to buy: Clinique stores and counters.  Sephora and Sephora.com.
Description: Clay-based treatment for oily, pore-clogged, skin-under-stress.

I have used this mask for a month now and I must say I am very impressed by the results I achieved with it.
I have never used any other kind of mask besides this one so I guess I don't have a way of comparing it to anything, I did, however, read a ton about clay based masks before deciding to purchase this one and noticed how one of the main complains is that the clay irritates the skin.  I did not have that problem with this mask.
On sephora.com this product is rated 4.4 out of 5, which is a pretty good score I think.  This product is only to be used once a week.  When I first bought it I was a little worried about it not lasting too long, after all, for $19.50 I expect to have a product that will do what it says it will do and that it will last me a good while as well.  I will say this: my worries were completely unbased.
The instructions tell you to apply a thin layer all over your face and let it sit for 5 minutes and then wash it off with warm water.  When you first squirt the mask on your finger it sort of feels like a thicker cream or a thinner toothpaste, if that makes any sense. It doesn't have a bad smell at all and it's pretty easy to apply.  I always make sure to get my hair out of the way because it can get pretty messy.
I like to apply a little bit extra on the areas that I want more cleansing, like my nose, my chin and around my lips.  I don't really know if that makes a difference or not but I still do it.  When you first put it on your face it feels smooth, like a cream really, but as it sits for a few minutes it starts to harden and pretty soon it feels like you have dry mud on your face.  Washing it off is relatively easy, all you need is warm water. 
What about the results?  Right after you wash the mask off the first thing you notice is how soft and refreshed  your face is.  After my very first time using it I noticed that a good amount of my black heads had dissapeared.  After the second use (a week later) I had less black heads and now (a month later) I have absolutelly none.
Do I recommend it? YES! Absolutely yes.  This mask is amazing.  It doesn't irritate your skin and it does as it promises. Is it pricey? Well, yes it is, but one tube will last you a long time!  I would say I still have about 70% of the mask left.  I don't have anything bad to say about this product so I give it a 5 out of 5.

Review Time: Estee Lauder Moisture Binding Mascara

Price: $21.00

Where to buy: Estee Lauder counters, Esteelauder.com
What it claims to do: Defines, conditions lashes. More Black impact. Defines each lash from end to end with a continuous stroke of color.
Here’s what I think:
I wasn’t planning on writing a review on this mascara for a while longer since I just did one for the Bareminerals Flawless definition Mascara, but the “deal breaker” happened today, so here it is: Up until this morning I absolutely adored this product. I applied it early today when I was getting ready for church and while I was putting it on my lashes I kept thinking “this mascara is awesome, I can’t even clump my lashes even if I wanted to” And I was really trying to, I wanted to see how much it would take for me to mess it up. The truth is that I wasn’t able to. The application was so incredibly smooth, the wand that it comes with is perfect, you get just the right amount of product on your wand, no need to wipe it off and after applying just one coat my lashes looked next to perfect. They were defined, I achieved exactly what this mascara promised I would.
So what happened? Well, for all of you that don’t know this yet, I am 33 weeks pregnant and on the way to church my “hormones” got to me (it was a long morning getting ready, I was pretty grumpy) and I started crying. I was really self conscious about it because I didn’t want my makeup to get ruined, but the little crying I did was enough. Let me tell y’all, this mascara is perfect up until any kind of moisture gets near your eyes. As I was carefully wiping away my tears I noticed TONS of this black liquid all over my fingers. I know this is not a waterproof mascara but I honestly expected it to last a little longer than a few seconds after my tears touched it. I have used drugstore brands that last longer when wet or if they do come off, is not as much as this one did (hope that made sense).  I think this would be a perfect product if it came in a waterproof form as well, but it doesn't and for that I give it a 8 out of 10.
So, this is my bottom line: Do I recommend it? Well, if you are completely sure that you won’t be crying when wearing it or that it won’t rain that day either, then YES. This mascara is perfect if dry. But if you are not sure about being able to keep it dry, or if you have oily eyelids, or you are going to be sweating, than NO. You be the judge of that yourself.
Would I buy this product again? Yes, I would. I will be more careful though on choosing the days when I will wear it. I don’t have oily eyelids and I don’t cry often either so I think this mascara will work fine most of the time.
However, this is not a mascara I would recommend if you are looking for volume or length (i.e. if you are going for a dramatic smokey eye look). This mascara defines your eyelashes, but it doesn’t give them volume or length.

Review: Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Mascara

Price: $18.00
Where to buy: Sephora.com, bareminerals counters, bareescentuals.com
What it claims to do: Accentuates and separates each lash for a flawless and well-defined finishing touch to your eyes.

Here’s what I think:
I’ve been using this mascara on and off for about a month now, and even though I don’t have the “full size” tube (I have a sample one that I got when I purchased a set of brushes at the BM counter), I have used it enough to tell you what I think.
My first impression was that this mascara wasn’t any better than any drugstore mascara I’ve had in the past, I thought for 18 dollars this thing better work twice as good, but that was just my first impression.
Application was not as easy as I expected it to be, I did not like the wand that it comes with and also you have to wipe most of the mascara off the wand and into the tube before applying it to your lashes or you will have some major clumping.
I think it has the “potential” of being a great mascara but you have to work hard at applying it, I’ve had it for a month and it still is somewhat complicated for me to use and that is not what I am about.
A couple of more things that I didn’t like about it is that it can be hard to layer, if you are going to apply a couple of layer on your lashes you need to do it one after the other, if you wait until it dries a bit than it starts getting ugly. The other thing is that it doesn’t hold your curls, I have to use an eyelash curler (I wasn’t blessed with those beautiful, perfectly curled eyelashes that my son has), and I noticed that after a couple of hours or wearing this mascara my lashes started getting back to their normal shape.
The good things I will say about it is that it lasts all day long, it won’t flake on you and it stays put. Does it separate and accentuate each lash? Well, yeah, it does, but it takes some work to get it to do it without clumping. Also, if applied right it will lengthen your lashes somewhat. If you are going for a dramatic look on your eyes I don’t believe this is the right mascara for you, this is more for a natural look.
Do I recommend it? That’s hard to say because you CAN achieve the results that the mascara promises, it just takes a lot of work to do it, so if you have the patience needed for it, than go ahead and buy it. As for me? I won’t be buying the full tube when my sample is gone. I would say I give this a 6.5 out of 10.

Review Time: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup with Spf 10.

I bought this foundation a while ago, I am always on the look for the “perfect” foundation (I haven’t found it yet, still looking). I was walking by the makeup counters at Nordstrom in Anchorage and for the first time decided to walk by the Estee Lauder counter. They were having a “gift with purchase” event and if I spent $39.50 in any products from this brand I would get a bunch of free stuff, so I gave it a go. I explained to this French lady that I wanted a Full Coverage Foundation, that I wanted it to last all day, not make me breakout, look natural on my skin and match my skin color perfectly, so, without even thinking about it she told me to buy this Double wear foundation, she swore by it and even dared to tell me that it was the best foundation from ALL of the brands that Nordstrom has, which is a HUGE statement, considering that you can find brands like Mac, Lancome, Chanel and others in there… so I fell for it.
Let me start by telling you this was NOT a cheap product to buy, it costs $33.50 and the bottle has 1.0 oz! The bottle does not come with a pump, so you have to get all messy when applying it, which is another turn off for me, but still, I thought to myself “if this is the perfect foundation, I am willing to pay for it and even get a little messy with it, who cares!”… So I took it home, along with all of my free stuff (haha!) and gave it a try that whole week.
Out of all of the requirements that I was expecting this foundation to do, only two of them were “ok”: Color match was a “ok”, better on my skin than some other foundations I’ve tried; and it’s long lasting ability was definitely there… believe me, once you put this thing on you, it won’t come off until you wash it off with a cleanser hours and hours later! So, what went wrong? Let me tell you all about it:
First of all, it broke me out and that is the biggest NO-NO for me. I can probably take anything else but if a product starts giving me pimples there is just nothing that will make me like it.
Second: When you just put it on it feels fine, but an hour or two later it feels like you have a mask on, literally! The only thing I can compare that feeling to is as if you put paint, a thick layer of paint on your face. That made me really uncomfortable and it felt weird to smile or even talk.
Third: Besides it breaking me out, it also made me itchy in some areas on my face. I would find myself scratching my jaw line a lot all day long, and this will make the foundation peel off of my face and then it looked horrible.
I really, really wanted this foundation to work for me, I was impressed by the staying power it has, I was able to take naps when using it and wake up looking like I just did my makeup. But it didn’t work, I don’t know if I just didn’t know how to apply it, or what, but what I do take with me is that I tried everything I could to try to make it work, I used different brushes when applying it, put a TON of moisturizer on before, used different primers under it, applied finishing powder or use it without it… nothing worked.
When I went back to the Estee Lauder counter to return it I talked to a different lady and she told me that all of this things happened because whatever it is that makes this foundation stay on all day makes it feel like paint on you, and they didn’t tell me this, but I am thinking that’s also what made me break out.
So, do I recommend it? NO, I don’t. I think this foundation with a lot more issues than benefits for you. If you are going to pay that much for something, you better get something you are going to use and be happy with.

Review time: Bare Minerals Foundation

I am excited to write my first review on something and amazed to know that there is at least one person out there interested in my opinion on the matter… so Emily! This one is for you!

I think we have all seen those Bare Minerals commercials on TV. Swirl, tap and buff! The idea of wearing a powder/mineral form foundation that doesn’t feel heavy on your face, provides great coverage AND is good for your skin is just too good to pass, wouldn’t you agree? But, gee! 60 dollars for a starter kit is not very affordable, specially if you are used to buying drugstore makeup for a lot cheaper than that.
So, is it worth spending that much money on makeup?? Does it do what it says? I will tell you all about it right now:
I used everything bare minerals for about 3 years, it took me a long while to decide to finally buy it. I went to the bareminerals website and ordered me a starter kit in “tan”. After a few days of using it I learned exactly how to do it and I was quite happy with the results. I must point out though, that back then I had different needs than I do now. When you have kids (this may not happen to everyone, but it sure does to me!) your skin changes. I get pregnancy acne and the color of my forehead gets darker than the rest of my face. I have way better skin when I am not pregnant. Anyways, when I started using BM (bare minerals) I didn’t need a “full coverage” foundation, I didn’t have acne scars to hide or blemishes to cover, so this foundation worked great. It did feel great on my skin, like I was wearing nothing on and application was fairly easy and most important of all, it did not break me out!

(This is me wearing BM, looks nice but notice the lighter area above my brows? I tried very hard to make my whole face look even but I guess I just didn't know how to)

So, should you invest the money and buy it? Before deciding this I think you should ask yourself a few questions:

What kind of coverage do I want my foundation to provide?
Do I have blemishes and acne scars that need a little heavier concealing?
Am I willing to pay 25 + dollars for a foundation refill every so often?

While you are answering these questions, let me give you some facts about these products:

Pros:
This brand of makeup really does make products that are good for you.
Even though the little jars containing the foundation look small, they will last you a long, long time.
The quality of the brushes are fairly good.
You will feel like you are wearing nothing after applying it.

Cons:
The first and most obvious one I would have to say is the price.
Buying your foundation online is not the most convenient thing to do, it is way hard to find a perfect match in the color that you need if you are buying through the website, it can be kind of hard to find a place that sells it near you (Nordstrom and Macy’s do, they’ll match you with a perfect color and you can return it if you are not happy with it, you can’t do this online).
If you are looking for a full coverage foundation, this is NOT for you. I don’t care what they say on the commercials, I would say this is a sheer to medium “buildable” foundation.
If you have spots on your face that need a little heavier coverage they will be harder to conceal with these products.
And you know how the informercials show that you only need a very small amount to cover the whole face?? Well, I don’t know how they do it, but that NEVER worked for me. I always put on a lot more than that. I guess you can do it the way they show you but don’t expect to achieve the “perfect” results they say you will.
Oh, and I almost forgot, I guess if you apply just the small amount that they say you should (which doesn’t work!) you won’t have this problem, but if you apply more, like I did, you WILL see your foundation sticking to things that touch your face, like the phone, and according to Leslie Blodgett (BM Ceo) this will NOT happen to you if you use her products.

So I hope this will help you all decide whether you should or should not purchase these products. As for me and why I don’t use bare minerals anymore? Like I said, my skin has needs now that BM is not able to take care of. I found different liquid foundations out there that are full coverage and good for my skin as well.