America haul!

I'm back and ready for beauty.  After a few stops I have some stuff put together worth mentioning.



Laura Gellar i-care waterproof liners in Bone and Navy.  $18

Laura Gellar Air Whipped Blush in Whisper rose  $13.50 half off!

MAC blush in Pink Swoon   $21

MAC Fluidline in Macroviolet  $18

MAC lipglass in Best of Breed- $15 (CCO)

Bobbi Brown lipstick in Red

Givenchy Phenomen'eyes  in 1

If any items are of specific interest, let me know!

Laura Geller i-care waterproof eyeliner in Bone

Now is this a waterproof eyeliner!  The formula isn't too dry, but it does harden a bit to make it fairly smudge proof in the waterline.  I love the color, a beautiful nude, with just enough shimmer to give you an oomph.

$18 at Nordstrom, QVC

texture          9

application     7

longevity       8

buildability    6

pigmentation  8      

total              38/50       

 I find this to be a fairly reliable liner.  Nothing remarkable, but worth looking at.  I feel there are cheaper alternatives.

MAC Fluidline- Macroviolet

As far as gel liners go, MAC had a very creamy consistency that is much easier to smudge than, say, NYC or Chanel gels.  Once it sets, it stays fairly still, though a good rub will remove the beautiful sheen on top.  This color in particular is gorgeous, and very complementary to most eye colors.  Even though this isn't my favorite gel formula, the color makes this liner completely worth it.

MAC- $16

texture          7

longevity       6

application     8

buildability    7

pigmentation  10          

total             38/50             I prefer other brands formulas, but this color in particular is breath taking.

Makeup Forever Smokey Lash

If you want a natural lash, don't bother with this mascara.  As the name claims, this is perfect for a smokey, night eye.  Where this mascara doesn't clump, it does leave lashes thick and full, as well as long and curled.  I always use a lash curler with this mascara to give an even fuller effect, but it is definitely not necessary.  While this mascara doesn't have a drugstore price-tag, the quality has convinced me to repurchase this mascara again and again.  This comes in many colors, including the more interesting blue, green, and purple, but I am tried and true to my rich black.

$23 at Sephora or Makeup Forever stores and online

texture           8    (works well new or slightly dried out)
hold               7   (never had a problem, wears around 12 hours without flaking)
application      7    (brush isn't too large, can still easily get bottom lashes)
buildability     8   (will not clump until the third coat; trust me, you don't need a third coat)
overall           8                  
total             38/50                For its purpose, I really love this mascara.  I have given it as gifts and                                                heard nothing but good things from others as well.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

I love face masks.  With the damage I receive from having my face poked and prodded all day, I really need a nice skin care routine at night to undo the hurt.  I bought this mask first because its about as basic original as you can get with masks.  At only a few dollars, this is available to about everyone.  It has a soothing scent that is not overpowering.  It claims to rid the face of acne and blackheads as well as shrink pores.  I do not have problems with acne, so I cannot address that, but immediately after rinsing off the mask, my pores do seem smaller.  HOWEVER, within a day, they were back to their enlarged state.  Now, that could easily be the hot, humid weather.  You get a nice amount in the package, you won't need to be replacing this very soon.  Be careful to not apply too much, it is easy to overdo, and then you will be stuck waiting 45 minutes for the mask to dry.

drugstores and Amazon.com at $3-5 

texture          8   (very smooth and soothing)

hold              7   (does't melt or slide off face)

application    5   (I wish it were a peel off- stains washcloths)

buildability   n/a
overall         7                                
total           27/40                            this is a good basic mask; not too intense but you can feel a                                                              tightening and brightening of the skin.  If you aren't sure which                                                        mask to go with, this would be a good starting point.

Nivea Lait Creme

I picked this up in Paris because I was completely out of all moisturizer.  Honestly, this was just the cheapest lotion in local Monoprix.  This lotion smells like baby powder, not my personal favorite.  It is also a very thin consistency, leaving a sheen on the top.  I really do not feel like this moisturizer get absorbed into my skin at all.  It sits on top, and within five minutes, you skin looks dehydrated again.  There are a lot of good, well priced moisturizers out there, but this isn't one of them.  The best part about this moisturizer is the pump on the bottle.

about 6 euros at local markets

texture        3      (goopy)

hold           2      (leaves skin dry)

application  9      (pump)

buildability 2      (does not absorb)

overall       3                                

total          19/50         very disappointed in this product

New Health Favorite- KIWI

Honestly, this has nothing to do with health- I love kiwi! But since it happens to be healthy, I can do a health blog about it!  At less than 50 calories per fruit, this is an excellent way to get more than your daily dose of vitamin C.  Also containing fiber and calcium, all of the sugars in this fruit are simple and easy to digest.  My favorite way to eat this fruit is whole and skin on- though for the more civilized readers, the skin can easily be removed with a paring knife and the fruit added to salads, sweet salsas, and yogurt.

Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid System

Now, I know a lot of the beauty writers and Youtubers have been backed by Olay for this new Fresh Effects System, and I would like you to know that I have not.  This is the only product from the line that I have tried.  I had gone in for a facial recently and I loved how my skin looked immediately upon leaving  I had had the most simple of facials; basically an exfoliator in a steamy room with some moisturizer, but there was still a big difference in my skin.  I could never get myself to go for the Clarisonic system at around $200, but seeing as this Olay system had just launched at $12, I was quick to jump on the wagon.  Obviously, the tiny exfoliating head has less power than a spa's system, but I have been very impressed at how it has held up.  And the toner.... is amazing! I expected just barely a soap, just something to put with the exfoliator to look better.  My skin not only felt fresher, but visibly tighter and more matte than previously.  I wouldn't use this toner everyday, as it is harsh, but I have substituted with regular cleansers and the tool still worked beautifully.

$11-14 

at drugstores, target, ect

texture          8

hold            n/a

application    9

buildability   n/a

overall         8         

total             25/30       I very much recommend this for the price- definitely the best available in this                                     range