Sunday, March 27, 2011

Sunshine At Your Fingertips, A Step By Step

Springtime is around the corner and the fresh change of weather has inspired me to add some sunshine to my style. With an amazing season ahead of us, what better time than now to try something new? This look draws inspiration from the sunny days of springtime and the elated feeling that the warm weathing brings! Using three inexpensive yet high-quality products, use the steps below to create sunshine at your fingertips, blue sky and puffy clouds included :) Happy Spring!

To view video instruction, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4glEwLoapJA

Products:




-China Glaze Nail Polish in For Audrey


-China Glaze Nail Polish in Lemon Fizz


-Milani Nail Art in White Canvas



Step By Step:


1. Clip and file nails to desired length and shape.


2. Apply one coat of For Audrey nail polish, let dry for about 5 minutes.


3. Apply a second coat of For Audrey nail polish, to create a vibrant sky-blue background.


4. Using China Glaze Nail Polish in Lemon Fizz, create a sun on each ring finger (refer to photo for size suggestion.)


5. Draw clouds with Milani Nail Art in White Canvas, using a patting motion. Be sure to tap/wipe the brush on the edge of the bottle to ensure neat applications without dripping. *To watch the video instruction, click here:

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

A $1 Eye Primer? No Way!!!

Finally an affordable eye primer that works!


So the other day I was at Target (love!) because I wanted to check out the new line of E.L.F. products that were released for Spring 2011. As I was perusing the display, one product in particular caught my eye... an eyelid primer for ONE DOLLAR! I did not know that such a product existed! While I was a tad bit skeptical of the quality of the product because of the inexpensive price, but I figured that the worst case scenerio would only put me out a dollar, so it was worth a try. I got home and swatched it on the back of my hand first, and noticed that it was not watery, but rather a decent consistency (similar to Benefit Stay Don't Stray, but thinner than Urban Decay Primer Potion). I swatched the three products on the back of my hand, the photo on the right shows them in this order: Benefit Stay Don't Stray, UD Primer Potion in Eden, E.L.F. Eyelid Primer. As you can see, the E.L.F. Eyelid Primer has a nice neutral undertone, so it should work on everyone from the fair skinned to the darker skinned beauties. It blends in beautifully and dries rather quickly, allowing for quick and easy shadow application. The tube contains half of the amount of product of Urban Decay Primer Potion (1.7fl oz as opposed to 3.4fl oz), however, it costs $8 less per ounce, which in my opinion is phenomenal! Another perk of the product is that there is absolutely no animal testing, which allows you to use the product with a peace of mind. This is an excellent everyday eye primer and I recommend it to anybody, whether your eyelids are dry or a bit oily, this will keep those shadows in place and creaseless all day long! Good job E.L.F!!!

Anti-Puff Eye Roller... Does It Work?

Garnier Anti-Puff Eye Roller ... Does It Work??

My thoughts:
If you're a student, a working woman, or a mother of young children then you know what it feels like to wake up feeling sleep-deprived with puffy bags beneath your eyes. It happens to the best of us, and it seems that it's always then night before an important event when you want to look and feel your best. Imagine being handed a new invention that can diminish the appearance of the puffiness in just a matter of seconds... Well, I'm not sure if the Garnier Anti-Puff Eye Roller works that well, but they are definitely onto something! Pictured at the right, the roller comes in a green tube about 5 inches long and 3/4 inch in diameter at it's fullest point. On the end is a small metal ball (imagine the end of a ball point pen except a lot larger). It costs $13.49 on drugstore.com, however I purchased mine on sale for about $8 at RiteAid in January. I decided to give it a try, after hearing good reviews about it from various YouTube videos. It seems like a great concept when you think about it, especially to somebody like me who has tried everything to get rid of her under-eye puffiness, from teabags to ice to cold compresses to chilled spoons (yes, some of them were quite unpleasant, especially first thing in the morning!) I purchased it during an afternoon trip to RiteAid, so I waited until the next morning to use it with my facial regimine. I washed my face, applied my moisturizer, and then gently rolled it from the inner corner to the other corner of my eye about three times (until I could feel a thin layer of the product beneath my eyes). I was worried that it might irritate my eyes a bit, but it was a very gentle formula and I did not experience any discomfort. However, unless the tube is tilted properly during application (adjust your hold to find the perfect position for you) then the black plastic that is surrounding the metal ball can feel as though it is scratching your skin, which is unpleasant. The first time that I felt that scratching feeling, I checked and made sure that it hadn't actually created a scratch on my skin but rather it only felt that way for a moment. Once I figured out how to hold it properly, I experienced a nice smooth application. The product that is dispensed from the ball is like a serum that is packed with ingredients that giving it a cooling effect, plus caffiene that helps with deflating those sleepy balloons that can develop beneath your eyes while sleeping. Upon application, I noticed that the serum provides a very pleasant, refreshing feeling and and really made my eyes feel more awake and alert. I waited a few moments to see if the puffiness dimished, and I did notice a difference, however it was not a significant one. So is it worth the full price? I don't think so. However, if you can find one on sale like I did, then I suggest purchasing it and trying it out for yourself. I feel good having one on hand in my makeup bag for those mornings when my sleepy eyes are hardly the picture of beauty. If you do purchase one, my suggestion is to store it in your refrigerator. I think that storing it in this cool place would give the refreshing factor an extra boost! If you give it a try, let me know what you think, and have a great day!
- Kyla

Monday, March 14, 2011

Major Mascara Review!

Listed below are all of the mascaras that I have tried over the years. I know that it can be difficult to find the perfect formulation for you, so hopefully this will help you to narrow down the options that are available! I have listed nine below, beginning with some drugstore options and ending with some high-end choices. Enjoy!

Maybelline Full N'Soft ($6.59 at drugstore.com)
Good for: natural, buildable volume
Not so good for: lengthening
My thoughts: This is my ultimate favorite mascara. Not only can you find it at just about any drugstore, but it is inexpensive and truly high-quality. I purchased my first tube of this in October and it's still going strong after daily use! The brush allows for neat application; Thin enough to reach the base of lashes, while full enough to add volume and deliver plenty of product to each individual lash.

Maybelline Great Lash ($4.99 at drugstore.com)
Good for: precise application, a natural everyday look, value
Not so good for: buildable volume, lengthening
My thoughts: This pink and green tube is a classic in the world of cosmetics. It can be found in the collections of many makeup artists and has been praised and adored by women for over a decade. The tiny brush allows for the utmost clean and precise application, while the formula hardly ever clumps and thickens. This is good for achieving a quick and natural look, because it adds a little something extra to the lashes without making it obvious that you're even wearing it. In my opinion, this is the younger sibling of Full N' Soft because it is similar in formulation but it does not create the buildable volume of Full N' Soft.

Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express ($5.99 at drugstore.com)
Good for: creating thick massive lashes
Not so good for: neat application (clumpy), avoiding flakes and smudges
My thoughts: I purchased this mascara in May of 2009 after seeing it featured in the cover look of Glamour Magazine. It comes in a bright yellow tube and I bought the color "Glam Black" which immediately made me feel like it would have stunning results. Unfortunately I found it to be a very clumpy and smudgy, creating a collection of product around the outer corner of my eyes after only a few hours of wear.

Maybelline Classic Volum' Express ($6.59 at drugstore.com)
Good for: --------
Not so good for: unfortunately, pretty much everything (poor odor, very thick and clumpy)
This was an all-around disappointment for me. The product had a very poor odor that was pretty overwhelming, meanwhile displaying all of the flaws that were found with the Colossal formulation. Maybe it was a poor batch of it, but from what I experienced, it was not a product worth re-purchasing.

Maybelline The Falsies ($7.99 at drugstore.com)
Good for: extreme volume, achieving the look of false lashes
Not so good for: neat application (abnormal applicator, clumpy, thick consistency), long-term wear (flakes and smudging)
After hearing a lot of positive reviews about this product on YouTube, I decided to go out and purchase it for myself. My first impression with it was the unique spoon-shaped applicator, and the collection of product at the tip of it. The formulation was very goopy and thick, which I suppose is a payoff for achieving the false-lash effect. Last week I applied it around 9am and then later in the day, around 4pm, found that I had a lot of flakes beneath my eyes. I gently touched the outer corner of my eye to find a clump of the the product come off onto my fingers and then gently touched my lashes to find that they felt very sticky and goopy. I am going to give this another chance because it sounds like such an innovative idea, however, my first experience was a disappointment.

Clinique Lash Doubling ($14.50 at sephora.com)
Good for: clean, buildable volume
Not so good for: cost, availability
My thoughts: This product is incredible! It comes with a cone-shaped applicator which is incredbily convenient for reaching the inner-corner lashes, while also building lots of nice volume for the outer lashes as well. I did not find this to be clumpy at all, and the only difference that I noticed with it in comparison to the High Impact formulation was that it was much more subtle and natural while still making a beautiful eye-opening difference.

Clinique High Impact ($14.50 at sephora.com)
Good for: building thick, luscious lashes
Not so good for: cost, availability
My thoughts:This is a quality mascara that delivers beautiful volume with a few simple swipes. It is a great alternative to Lash Doubling for nighttime.

Clinique High Lengths ($14.50 at sephora.com)
Good for: stretching lashes to a long, pretty length
Not so good for: flaking, cost, availability
My thoughts: This product has a very unique applicator (picture a thin, curved piece of lime green rubber with little tiny spikes on it). It truly gives the impression that you are stretching out your lashes and it can make even the shortest lashes seem long and beautiful. I recommend this to those short-lashed girls who want to create the illusion of longer lashes. The only flaw that I can notice with this product is that it can be a bit flaky if you touch your lashes a lot throughout the day, because the product creates little tubes on the tips of the lashes (this is how it makes them appear longer) but other than that, thumbs up!

Tarte Lights,Camera,Lashes! ($19 at sephora.com)
Good for: cute packaging, but that's about it
Not so good for: unpleasant odor, thick and clumpy, cost, availability
My thoughts: This product has adorable packaging (the tube appears to be in a purple patent-leather case). The product is similar to Maybelline's Colossal Volum' Express, however, it comes with a much heavier price tag. Overall, this product is a disappointment because of the cost.

I hope that this review is helpful to you! Hopefully it will help you to find the perfect mascara without needing the spend the money and time to do the trial-and-error that so many of us have to do to find our favorite!