November Favorites

Hello lovelies!

My favorites this month will be short and sweet. A lot of these products I want to do more in depth reviews on, so I won't talk about them too much here. There's also not a lot of makeup this month. Shocker! I know. I've been really focused on my skin care. I've been slacking and my face is letting me know. :) Let's get started.

First is the Noxema Ultimate Clear Anti-Blemish pads. They're around $5 for 90 pads. I have been using these since high school so for at least ten years. They're presoaked in a solution of 2% salicylic acid and take the place of a toner. I use one in the morning after washing my face and one at night after washing. They work so well. I hardly ever even get hormonal pimples. My skin is also incredibly soft. The only con to these is the smell. It is so strong and can make your eyes burn if you get to close. That's not enough to deter me, however.

Next I have the Maybelline Flash Clean Makeup Removing Lotion ($5). I'm not entirely sure why I bought this. I'm a huge fan of their makeup removing wipes, but the last few times I've been to Ulta, they were sold out. This product you massage on to your face like a cleanser, then wipe it clean with a cotton pad. It doesn't remove all of the makeup, but it does a decent job and leaves your skin feeling soft and moisturized. I usually use it after I've washed and used a makeup wipe already. I'll most likely be repurchasing.

I strayed from my beloved Olay products (that I've also been using for ten-ish years) and purchased the Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for combination skin. Again, I'm not sure what drew me to this product instead of repurchasing my usual moisturizer, but I'm very glad I did. It says "clinically proven to normalizing combination skin by moisturizing dry areas while controlling shine in oily areas." You guys. I haven't had to set my t-zone with a powder or use a primer since switching to this stuff. It is amazing. If I had one negative thing to say, I would say it's not as moisturizing as I'd like it to be, but to fix that I've bumped up my night cream to something a little heavier. Big fan.

I'm also been obsessed with thickening my hair. I have an in depth review of the Nick Chavez Plump N' Thick line coming so all I'm going to say here is WOW!

Batiste Dry Shampoo is another must have. I have a review here: http://havemascarawt.blogspot.com/2013/11/review-batiste-dry-shampoo.html
Check it out


Now on to the makeup!

Maybelline Baby Lips Dr Rescue ($4.29). I've always been a fan of the Baby Lips, but the new line with menthol and eucalyptus for hydration and soothing are amazing. They feel so good on the lips. They do have a strong scent which may turn some people off but I find it relaxing. The tints are nice and neutral for a pretty wash of color. I've been loving Pink Pout the most.

Benefit Eye Bright Pencil ($20)
This is meant to be used as an under eye brightener, but I find it's a little too cool and pink toned for me. It looks unnatural. However, as a brow sculpter and highlighter it's amazing. It brightens up the area and gives it a nice lift while defining and cleaning up any mistakes you've made. It also looks nice in the inner corner of the eye.

My new favorite way to fill in my brows is with the Benefit Brow Zings ($30). It is a wax/powder duo that fills in and sets for an all day natural look. I don't like the little mini brushes that come in the kit. They're too stiff, but the mini tweezers are adorable and function well. I have a more in depth review of this come as well so stay tuned.

I also have a new favorite mascara which I think is a great drugstore dupe for one of my high end favorites. It's the Rimmel Glam Eyes ($6.29). It's everything I want in a mascara. More in depth review coming for this as well.

Clearly I need to get to bloggin'! Thanks for reading, loves. If I don't get another post up before, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Much love XoXo

The First of Several Fails

Hello, lovelies!

I've been on a new product binge lately and I'm sorry to say most of them have been complete duds! How disappointing to be so excited to try this new supposedly amazing product only to have your hopes and dreams dashed when it fails to live up to its claims.

In my last Ulta haul I showed you the new Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer from Benefit. Emily the eyebrow lady demo'd this for me and I fell in love. I should have had her use it on my face instead of my wrist because oh boy did this disappoint on so many levels. For reference, I have combination skin with a super oily t-zone and dry everywhere else.

The best thing about this primer is the packaging, all adorable with its black polka dots and trendy font. Its revolutionary stick design makes storage and application simple. However, it is water based, so if you lose the mini cap inside of the big cap, this will dry out and become useless. I repeat, the little cap is necessary, do not discard!

The idea behind this primer is that it melds with your foundation to lock it in to place for a full 15 hours. Yeah, I don't think so. I used it daily over the course of a week with four different types of foundation. It did not change the staying power but oddly enough it did change the shade of my foundation, making it lighter.

 I feel like my foundation never truly set. There was very little help in the oil control department. My t-zone was very shiny within three hours of application. The formula is incredibly sticky making use of a brush or sponge for foundation application pretty impossible.

Actually, it's not completely fair to say this product didn't meld anything together. If anything, it locked it all in my pores. I broke out so badly on my cheeks where I have never had acne. This was the only change to my routine and once I discontinued use, the acne cleared up. 

The only use I found for this product was actually on the eyebrows. Strange? Maybe. Using my finger I applied a small amount before filling them in with a brown eye shadow and an angle brush. I think it made a difference in how well my brow product stayed on and kept my brows in position. However, for $32 this is not a good enough reason for me to keep it. I really wanted to love this primer, but back to Ulta it goes.

Have you given the Benefit Stay Flawless primer a try? Let me know your thoughts!

Mascara is life...

Hello, lovelies!

So maybe you've guessed by my namesake, but I am a total mascara addict. I'm constantly on the hunt for new and exciting formulas. Over the years I've tested a few amazing products, while most others have fallen flat. Admittedly, I ask for a lot out of my mascara. I want it all: curl, length, volume, definition. That's hard to find in just one product! No, my friends, mascaras are not created equal; and like most beauty products, what works for some will not work for all. Let's break it down.

For starters, there are two basic options to choose from: regular or waterproof. This may be a no-brainer but the difference is simple. Regular mascara will come off with water. This also means it will smudge and run if you sweat or cry. Not an attractive look. Waterproof mascara, in theory, will not budge until you forcibly remove it with a makeup remover. In my experience, waterproof mascara may not run or smudge, but some brands sure do flake which is just as annoying.

Now, as previously stated, I am crazy about mascara and lashes. Normal people will use one or the other. I use both. Daily. No, I'm not joking. My lashes are long but not particularly curly. If I only use a regular mascara, all that work I did with my eyelash curler wilts away within an hour. However, if I use a waterproof mascara right after curling, that curl will stay all day. I don't know if there's a different type of wax in the waterproof that allows it to lock the shape in place, but it's magic. Don't believe me? Try it! After using a thin coat of waterproof, I'll use my normal regular formulas. Three layers is a must. Like I said. Crazy.

Once you've chosen regular or waterproof, you have to decide what you want your mascara to do. There's a lot of trial and error here. If you're trying to keep a curl then you want to find a formula that's on the dry side so the weight of the product does drag those flirty lashes down. If you want volume, find a brand with a big fluffier brush. Some formulas have microfiber type extensions or tubes that add length. Walk throw the makeup aisle at your preferred dealer and take a peak around. It's a big mascara world out there. The choice is yours! What will it be?

And now I present to you, my mascara favorites.

Maybelline One by One in waterproof- this is the best drugstore mascara I have ever used. This little red tube does just about everything. If I could make one improvement, I would have it be a little more lengthening. The brush has around 300 bristles or something ridiculous that coats and separates each individual lash. I never have to worry about losing my curl either. One by One is the first layer that goes on every morning.

Maybelline The Rocket- This is another fantastic drugstore mascara. I was afraid they were replacing the One by One with this when it was first introduced because it is so similar! The major difference I can tell is this one is a wetter consistency so it's a little heavy.

Benefit "They're Real"- Two coats of this stuff and you honestly cannot tell if they're your own lashes or falsies. This applicator has a nifty little brush on the tip to really help you separate and push those lashes sky high.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes- I'm sure you can tell how much I adore this mascara by reading my Instagram tags. This is probably the most volumizing of the mascaras I own. It also has conditioning properties. Since I've started using this my lashes are so soft and shiny on their own.

Quick tip: If you're going to go mascara crazy like me, make sure you let each coat dry thoroughly before going on to the next. This will prevent unsightly clumping.

Do you have suggestions or recommendations for me? I know the Dior Show mascara is a popular one and on my list to dupe. Anything else you'd like to see? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you soon!

I just went to get one thing! Ulta Haul

I've learned something about myself in the last month. I cannot go to Ulta without supervision. Seriously. I went Saturday specifically because their liter sized hair care products were on super sale and I've been dying for more Big Sexy shampoo/conditioner but not loving the price. However, at my local Ulta, the hair care products are in the very back corner of the store, which means I had to walk by a lot of pretty, shiny, colorful compacts of happiness. It's ok. Most of them were buy one get one half off. That makes it all better!

Here's what I came home with:

This has been on my radar for about a week now. I had no intention of purchasing it, but Emily the Benefit Brow Bar Lady was good. She demo'd it on me and I was sold. I can't wait to review it for you!

This has been my go to moisturizer for a couple months now. It's very light weight with a satin finish that helps keep me matte. I love BB Creams and O'lay so I figured I couldn't go wrong here. Will report back!

Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Frisky. This is a gorgeous color. You can't tell on camera but there are little gold flecks throughout the rosey color. I looooove it!

I now own the Nyx Buttergloss in every color. These are my favorite! Highly pigmented and moisturizing without being sticky. I'll add swatches.

I also got two more Maybelline lipsticks. Vivids in Vivid Rose and Whisper in Petal Rebal.

On the left are 4 Maybelline Color Tattoos in Pomegranate Punk, Tough as Taupe, Inked in Pink, and Bold Gold.

The Maybelline Clean Express makeup remover wipes are my favorite. They're super fresh. I picked up a L'oreal True Match crayon concealer in N1-2.

And of course, what I really went to Ulta for, Big Sexy Hair color safe Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner.

I want to back up a little to the beginning of this post where I mentioned Emily the Benefit Brow Bar Lady. Benefit has become one of my favorite high end brands without being too high end. Yes, some of their products are expensive and not so great, but the not so expensive ones are fantastic! I went to their little area to look at the Bad Gal Lash mascara for a friend. Instead, I met Emily and my life has been forever changed.

Emily introduced herself and asked if I had any questions. I didn't at that time, but she was very friendly so I decided to make conversation. Sometimes you learn unexpected things. Then she started talking about their brow services and I got to thinking I was looking a little unruly around the eyes. I love well groomed brows. They frame your face and are a must do for me every day, even if I'm wearing no other makeup. If you have not had the opportunity to visit a Benefit Brow Bar, run, don't walk to your nearest Ulta (or other location that hosts this service.) You, my friends, will not be disappointed.

It took about 15 minutes total start to finish. We discussed what I liked about my brows, what I hated, where my frustrations were, etc. Emily measured and mapped them out and by the time we were done I had perfectly shaped and arched brows. She took the time to explain why we were removing what hairs from where and why she left certain ones that looked out of place to me. It was a very eye opening (literally!) experience that is totally worth the $20.

Before and after. I don't remember the last time my brows were actually the same shape!

Have you visited a Benefit Brow Bar? Loved it? Hate it? Share you best and worst waxing experiences with me!

Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you soon. Bye!