Hair New Era

I've been eyeign out this specific shade of Essie nail polish ever since I saw Target got Essie nail polish in. This minty turquoise color is probably my second favorite color but I was totally avoiding buying it because $8 for a nail polish from Target seemed kinda pricey to me, but I finally caved and bought it! The down side is that it's really sheer. I had to apply 3 coats to get it completely opaque, but it isn't as streaky as MAC nail polishes (wish are the worst!). After the first coat, you can see through it. The second, you can still see parts of your nail through it. Third coat and it's completely opaque. Since 3 coats is pretty thick, my manicure lasted me longer than a week which is really good for me considering I'm always washing dishes, cleaning, etc. and manicures start chipping really quickly.

Overall, it kind of sucks that you have to apply a few coats, but for me the color payoff is worth it because I LOVE this color. $8 for a bottle of polish is a little pricey but it's right around the range of China Glaze and OPI polish (my fave polish brands) so I really can't complain. The color kind of reminds me China Glaze For Audrey, but leans more green than For Audrey. This was my first Essie nail polish and I'm not sure if every Essie polish is like this, but I would definitely buy this shade again.

one coat


two coats


three coats

PRODUCT: 5/5
PACKAGING: 4/5
QUALITY: 4.5/5
GRADE: A
PRICE: $19 from sephora.com
WOULD I REPURCHASE? Yes

WHAT BENEFIT SAYS
Sexy, sultry, pure unadulterated black mascara for full, voluminous lashes. It's as BAD as you want to be! Famously big, bodacious brush coats lashes with our super black formula. [from benefit.com

PROS
+ Lengthening
+ Somewhat volumizing
+ A lot of product
+ Easy to take off

CONS
- A little pricey [$19 for full size]
- Huge brush - might be hard to use for people with short lashes

OVERALL
As you can tell I REALLY liked this mascara and I think it's saying a lot because I'm not easily impressed at all by make up products. In fact, at first I didn't think this mascara was anything special! The thing about people who make reviews right away, I feel, is that they don't really get the full experience using the product for a couple days and then judging it, which is why I don't do reviews right away. But I used this for a good 3 - 4 months and I definitely liked it a lot. I didn't start liking it til after a few weeks of use because as it got exposed to air, it got a little thicker and I started to notice a lot more volumizing and lengthening. I didn't fully see the difference until I stopped using it and started using MAC Opulash and realized it didn't work as well as Bad Gal Lash!

I have thick, long-ish lashes and I could REALLY see the difference. I think you can really tell in my August 2010 Favorites Video and I think you can really see my lashes there. I tried to think of major cons with this mascara, but I really don't have any. It didn't give me racoon eyes, clump, or crack when I wore it. The only thing I really didn't like about it is the price, but I think in terms of size, it has more product than Dior Show Mascara. I've heard some girls complain about how huge the brush is but I actually liked the big brush. If you're not too keen on spending $19 on a mascara either, you could always opt for the mini sizes that Sephora has in it's little bins or even online. Mascara is kind of easy to grade because you either love it or hate it and Benefit's Bad Gal Lash was definitely love!

the huge brush


my youtube review

I thought it was just OK. I like that it's really affordable (under $10!) and that it doesn't apply cakey at all. If I keep layering MAC Studio Fix, it starts to look cakey, but with this foundation, if I applied 3 layers with a dense kabuki brush, you could just barely tell that I have make up on. I really like that for everyday use because nobody wants to look like a cake face! I couldn't tell that I was wearing powder at all when I had this on. The powder is light to medium coverage, which might explain why it doesn't look cakey.

The "Fit Me" line seems to have expanded the color choices for light to medium skin tones, but the darker skin tones are SOL. I'm an NC42-44 in MAC and in the fit me line, I was shade 325 which is the 3rd or 4th darkest one. I'm pretty sure women of color have as much variety in shades as lighter women do, so it kind of annoys me when brands claim that you can find your "perfect match" and they don't really have a huge variety. The packaging feels like cheap plastic, which doesn't bother me, but I'm sure if you dropped it enough times, it would crack. Another thing I noticed was it doesn't last all day. I have an oily t-zone, but it's not as oily in the winter, and I noticed the foundation faded first from there.

I personally wouldn't buy this foundation again just because I prefer the way higher end foundation works with my skin and this didn't wow me enough to get HG status. But if you're on a budget and you don't need a lot of coverage, this foundation is definitely worth at try. But if you need heavier coverage and especially if you have oily skin, I don't recommend this at all. I did a short review video on YouTube, too, if you wanna check it out! I'm not sure why it looks like there's a little cloud in front of my face though... lol

PRODUCT: 3/5
PACKAGING: 3/5
QUALITY: 3/5
GRADE: B
PRICE: about $3 each at Walgreens & other drugstores
WOULD I REPURCHASE? Probably not

WHAT EOS SAYS: eos lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth.

PROS
+ Really affordable
+ Unique packaging
+ Organic
+ Smells yummy!

CONS
- Feels waxy when applied
- Have to reapply often, doesn't keep lips moisturized long
- Bulky packaging
- A little expensive for drugstore lip balm

OVERALL: I bought this from Ulta in Honeysuckle because I've seen so many people rave about this product and you have to admit, the packaging is definitely eye catching. The lip balm is $3 each which is really affordable, but when you think about chapstick being $1 each it seems kind of expensive. I was expecting to be wowed by this product because I have SUPER chapped lips all the time, especially in the Winter, but I wasn't. It moisturizes my lips when I do apply it, but when it fades my lips go back to being chapped. It actually feels kind of waxy on the lips like the product is just sitting on there instead of moisturizing.

The packaging is kind of bulky, but it make sit really easy to find in your purse or make up bag, but I feel kind of awkward busting it out in the middle of class because it's so big! It does smell really good - my sister had the Summer Fruit and it smelled amazing - but I don't think I would repurchase this just because it didn't moisturize my lips, but I'm sure someone who doesn't have chapped lips all the time like I do would like it. I'm kind of sad that it didn't work for me because so many people love it, but it was just okay to me.

WHAT MAC SAYS: For use under mascara: a white coat that dries to a semi-clear base. Smoothes and conditions the lashes. Intensifies the build and lengthening quality of all formulas. Helps mascara last longer.

PROS: Honestly, I can't think of any!

CONS: MAC says it "intensifies the build & lengthening quality" but I don't see a difference when I use it & when I don't. It feels like an extra unnecessary step. I've been using it everyday since I got it, which is probably about a week or two ago? In fact, I think it kind of encourages clumps when I put on my mascara! I tried a couple days using it on one eye & none on the other hoping to see some kind of difference, but nothing. =[

COMMENTS: Wow, I never thought I would give any product such low reviews but this honestly was a waste of 13.50. I think the primer that comes with the Maybelline XXL mascara does a way better job at lengthening than this does. I know there aren't very many good reviews on MAC's Prep + Prime line, but I thought it might have been worth a try!

PRODUCT: 4/5
PACKAGING: 3.5/5
QUALITY: 5/5
GRADE: B
PRICE: $30 at Sephora, Ulta, or Benefit Cosmetics
WOULD I REPURCHASE: Probably not

WHAT BENEFIT SAYS: Our defiantly different tinted moisturizer gives your complexion coverage, moisture and SPF 15 protection all in one. For fair-skinned rebels. (Benefit Cosmetics)

PROS
+ Lightweight
+ Has sunscreen
+ Non greasy
+ Don't need to use a lot of product - one package lasted me months!

CONS
+ Doesn't come in many colors, only lite and regular
+ A little pricey
+ Packaging is a little tough to use

I like this product, but I don't love it. At first I wasn't sure if it would be a good pick because it only comes in 2 colors, You Rebel & You Rebel Lite. Lite is for the really fair skinned ladies and regular is supposed to be for medium to deep skin tones. You can tell from my swatch that it doesn't even look like my color but blended in it doesn't even look like it's there! I've been using this everyday for the last 3+ months and it STILL has a lot of product left! It's not in the typical plastic packaging, it's in this really malleable metal packaging so it's not as easy to squeeze the product out but you can always tel how much product you have left. The coverage is really light, if you need a LOT of coverage, I don't recommend this for you, but if you have a few small blemishes, it covers it great. It is just a moisturizer! But I've just been putting it on in the morning after I wash my face and I'm ready to go out!

I wish it came in more colors, even though you can't really tell on my skin, I'm sure you could tell with women of color. Even though it lasts a while, I feel like $30 is a lot for something that I just find okay. I don't really recommend this if you have dry skin because I think you'll have to use twice as much product. It's worth a try if you're looking for a tinted moisturizer but it just doesn't wow me.

Product: 3/5
Packaging: 3/5
Quality: 2/5
Overall: 2.67 out of 5
Price: $8 at eyeko.com
Would I Repurchase? No

WHAT EYEKO SAYS: Put tired eyes to bed and banish blemishes. Featuring a skin friendly formula combining purified water and jojoba for colour that glides on for a seamless finish and stays put. "It's easy to fake a good nights sleep with this luminous concealer with a silky finish for wide awake eyes in an instant."

PROS
+ The packaging makes it convenient for ladies on the go.
+ Surprisingly, the consistency is nice. It's not too creamy, but not too thin. I think the right consistency for covering blemishes.
+ Comes with a built in brush, so you don't have to use your fingers.
+ Reasonably price at $8

CONS
+ It only comes in one shade.
+ You can't see how much product is left.



COMMENTS: Overall I like the Eyeko concealer. It has a great consistency and I love that you can throw it in your purse! But the deal breaker for me is that it only comes in one shade! And it's wayyy to light for me! If they produced more shades I think I would definitely repurchase this. Here's some comparison swatches with the eyeko concealer vs. my MAC Studio Finish Concealers.



But since I hate letting any products go to waste, I got this tip from Tina Marie! Use concealer that is too light for you to highlight under your brows after filling them in. It conceals those tiny hairs that are too small/thin to pluck out but are still slightly noticeable. After highlighting under the brows, I continue with my normal eyeshadow application and apply eyeshadow highlighter over the concealer.


Eyeko concealer applied under brows


concealer blended out

If you are one of the fairer skinned ladies out there, I think this is a great concealer to keep in your make up bag. But if you're darker toned like me, you can skip this!

BONUS: Purchase $25 or more of Eyeko products and enter code E129 and you'll receive a free full-size Eyeko product and also enjoy free shipping worldwide!

Sephora Brand Professional Flawless Toner

Product: 3/5
Packaging: 4/5
Quality: 3/5
Overall: 3.3 out of 5
Price: $4 at sephora.com & Sephora stores. [normally $10]

WHAT SEPHORA SAYS: The perfect post-cleansing residue remover, this cooling, purifying, 100 percent alcohol-free toner refines skin texture to smooth the skin and add essential moisture.

PROS: I think this toner does what it's supposed to do and no break outs! It's super cheap when it's on sale at Sephora! $4 for 4.2 oz!

CONS: There's a fragrance to it, and I don't like fragrances in my skin care products! Also, there's no tingly feeling that most toners have after using and that was a con for me.

COMMENTS: I don't think there's really much to say about reviewing a toner! It does do its job but it takes me a couple cotton balls before all the dirt is off my face which sucks! My old Mary Kay toner did the trick in one. [FYI my skin care routine at night is MAC wipe off most of make up, cleanse face, toner, then moisturize] This toner has a "gel" texture not just straight up liquid like others, which I didn't like either. It may be good for dry skin because it's not as drying as other toners, but I'm not completely sure. I rate this about average - it's not bad, but it's not awesome either and I don't think that I would buy it againl. =[

I've been meaning to put up this post FOREVER so here it is finally! lol In this post I said how disappointed I was in the pink Coastal Scents brushes I bought, but after using them for a couple months now, there are a couple brushes which I think are totally worth it.


BRUSHES L to R: synthetic concealer, oval fluff shadow, blending fluff, angle blush, stippling, chisel blush, synthetic foundation, sable powder, & lip brush

[the lip brush cap & crease brush not pictured]

COMPARISONS:


stippling vs MAC 187 SE
>> I actually use this brush a lot! I don't own a 187 [although I wish I did] but it does what a stippling brush is supposed to do - create that "airbrushed" look. I use this with blushes mostly. When I first got it, though, it shed like crazy! But after a few washes the shedding stopped and it's still completely full.


foundation vs MAC 190 SE
>> I personally don't like this brush at all. Normally I love synthetic brushes, but thse bristles are not soft at all and they totally leave a streaky look when I apply liquid foundation!


lip vs Sephora retractable lip
>> I'm not a big fan of lip brushes, but it does it's job. Nothing special really.



chisel blush vs BE foundation vs sable powder
>>Personally, I think this "chisel blush" brush is wayy to big to apply blush! [it takes up half the side of my face!] I sometimes use it for powder but I don't really like it. When you wash it the water comes out black [even after months!] and it's not soft at all. Also I don't like BE brushes at all!! I got this in the foundation kit they had and it's totally scratchy! To me, the sable powder brush looks exactly like it [it's not soft either] so if you're planning on buying this BE brush, you're better off with this Coastal Scent version.


angle blush vs MAC 168 SE
>> This is one of my favve brushes! I use it everyday for contouring. I just love how angled it is. It does bleed black when you wash it, but after a few washes it goes away. It's not the softest brush but it's not the harshest either. I'd say it's worth $2.50!


Sephora concealer vs concealer vs MAC 194 SE
>> I hate this concealer brush too! CS synthetic brushes don't do anything for me. I do use this to apply P/P and eye primer but for concealer I'm better off with my Sephora brush or my MAC 194


MAC 239 SE vs oval fluff
>> This was my fave brush out of everything! After I got the 239 SE I realize they're totally comparable. I'm not sure how the full size bristles feel compared to the SE, but the CS brush is really soft. I use this brush daily to pack color on my eyelids =]


crease brush vs MAC 219
>> This is my second fave brush! The bristles are soft, however they aren't as stiff as the 219 brush. It's supposed to be a "crease brush" but I use it for putting eyeshadow on my lower lash line.

I just got a bunch of the brushes from the MAC Holiday Collection which it was they're all red. ;] The passable brushes are the chisel blush, sable powder, lip, concealer, & foundation. Must haves are the crease brush [if you don't have a 219], the fluff shadow brush [if you don't have a 239], the angle blush [if you don't have a 168] and the stippling [if you can't convince yourself to pay $42 for the 187 like me!]. The blending fluff brush, I personally really like, but it's passable if you have other blending brushes. I like to use it to finish off blending my crease and highlighter colors together but it's not a necessary brush.

Here's a list of the prices on Coastal Secnts
$2.49 Pink Angle Blush Brush
$1.99 Pink Blending Fluff Brush
$7.95 Pink Duo Fiber Powder Stippler
$1.69 Pink Oval Fluff Brush
$2.49 Pink Synthetic Concealer Brush
$1.49 Pink Round Crease Eye Brush
$2.99 Pink Sable Powder Brush
$3.99 Pink Synthetic Foundation Brush