Happy Halloween! My makeup for Rocky Horror night

My university does a free showing of Rocky Horror every year at midnight, the Friday before Halloween. I normally don't dress like a particular character, but just go for outrageously sexy-gaudy makeup. Here's what I wore and here's how to do it! Happy Halloween!!

The look!

Eyes: I started off with an eyeshadow primer to make sure the smokey eye wouldn't shift allover my face throughout the night. Then using this eyeshadow palette, I did a smokey eye..
I first took the taupe color in the upper left corner on a soft dome brush and dusted it all over my lids and about halfway up onto my brow bones. Then, I took the grayish-taupe color on the top right on a stiff, flat brush and packed it into the inner and outer corner of both eyes. Lastly, I took the black shadow in the bottom right corner on the same stiff brush and tapped it onto the center of my lid. This was a pretty dark eye, so to lighten it up a bit, I lined my lower lash line with a white pencil and also took the liner up into the inner corner of my eye...
The white lining I did on the inner corner of my eyes I covered with the silver eyeshadow in the bottom left corner to make my eyes glitter. Next, I lined my eyes with a black gel liner. To get the winged out effect, you need to hold a straight edge against the outer corner of your eye at the angle you want the wing to go (I would recommend tape. It doesn't hurt and it frees up your hand to hold your lid steady). Because I felt the eyes still looked a little too matte for the occasion, I added a thin, metallic blue line in liquid eyeliner between my lashes and the top of the black gel line. It instantly made my eyes pop! Lastly, I curled my lashes and applied a great volumizing mascara (if you want more volume or thicker lashes, apply fake lashes as well)..

Face: Apply concealer AFTER you do your eyes because you will most likely get fallout from the dark shadows that could potentially mess up your concealer if you do that first. Contour your face with a darker bronzer to create a more dramatic look..

I've hit tin pan on this one, but I love it! I'll definitely use the whole thing up.

You can add blush if you'd like. I'd recommend a pink or red so it doesn't look too natural.


Lips: Everyone knows Rocky Horror is famous for the Lips that introduce the movie through the song "Science Fiction Double Feature"! For this look, I did a very dramatic red lip by applying a red lipstain and letting it dry...
Then, apply a true red lipstick. Avoid corals, because they'll look 'off' on top of the stain. Deeper shades like wine should also be avoided because they'll drag down the whole look and seem a bit heavy. So, apply your red lipstick, and then blot away excess. Reapply a light coat if you'd like to make it more shiny. Leave it alone if you want it to be matte.
If you're like me, you probably struggle with making your lips look PERFECT each time you do them. Since red lipstick will definitely stand out if it's not all even, take a light-colored concealer and a small brush and line just outside of your lips, and blend outward. This will highlight your cupids bow, hide any mistakes or discoloration, and make your lips look almost too perfect.


And there you have it: a perfect Rocky Horror look for all of my gorgeous Beauty Brains. Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Tips for Drag Makeup

Makeup gurus everywhere have been doing makeup tutorials for Halloween looks for the last month, but I've really been unsure of what type of post I wanted to do for Halloween. After much thought and brainstorming, I decided to do a tips blog on one of my favorite costume-y looks: Drag Queens.

I have a deep respect for the amazing men who do drag, or female impersonation, for a living. Rupaul is a living legend and I think of her as a beauty icon like Marylin Monroe or Sophia Loren. Doing drag is NOT easy and requires a lot of time and patience, even if you're only doing it for one night (i.e. Halloween).

So, gentleman, whip out a pen and get ready to take notes. You've got a lot to learn...

1) Get the closest shave possible. You need to get rid of as much facial hair as possible. I would strongly recommend using a brand new razor and a rich, moisturizing shaving cream to make facial hair disappear. Razor burn is not cute, so make sure you do this very carefully! If you're feeling brave, you can always shave or wax your eyebrows as well (either completely off or make them thinner and more shapely). Reducing your eyebrows will make makeup application much easier later on.

2) Make sure your complexion is flawless. You need to cover any imperfections and have a very even-coverage foundation for your face. If you left your eyebrows intact, check out youtube for some direction on how to cover them up (I'd recommend Youtube Guru and professional makeup artist Kandeejohnson) and then redraw them on.

3) Do not, do not, DO NOT use regular drugstore makeup unless you are going for the manly-woman appearance. If you want to truly look like a woman for the night, you're going to need more dramatic makeup. I'd recommend NYX as an affordable alternative, but more expensive brands like MAC, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC), Urban Decay, and Nars are also good choices.

4) Do NOT have a girl help you with makeup unless she's A) a makeup artist or B) has experience with dramatic, theatrical makeup. A lot of girls and women know how to do natural makeup. That's not what you want. You're going to want heavier makeup with a glitzy, highly pigmented look. Yes, it's going to look a bit streaky! But drag means magnifying every aspect of a woman's appearance and drawing it on a man. It's meant to look a bit outrageous.

5) Think about how lighting hits a woman's face. I'd recommend looking at pictures of Beyonce, Angelina Jolie, or Megan Fox to figure out how to add highlighting. Take a blush brush with a light-colored shimmery powder or cream and lightly dust it onto upper cheek bones, down the nose, and center of the chin. This is going to make your face look dewy and young.

6) Learn how to apply and wear fake lashes. Once again, check Youtube videos by guru JuicyStar07 for fantastic directions and recommendations on false lash brands. False lashes will also make you look more feminine and soft.

7) Contour the face! Get a matte bronzer and sculpt your face by adding simple lines to the face that emphasize high cheek bones and slim your face down.

8) Pay super-close attention to your lips! I would recommend lining your lips with a color two to three shades darker than the lipstick you plan to use. Line just outside your natural lip line to make your lips fuller and plumper looking. Try to draw the line as smoothly as possible, but don't panic if your hand slips or you mess up.. you can always take a q-tip with some makeup remover on it and swipe it over the boo-boo. Pay close attention to your cupid's bow, or the indentation at the peak of your top lip. You want this to highlighted, but don't make it too pointy. After you line your lips, gently apply lipstick and stay INSIDE the lines you just drew. Then, blot your lips and reapply again. This will keep your lipstick in place for longer and look neater. Lastly, add a small amount of gloss to your bottom lip (it can be colorless or match the shade of your lips, glossy or shimmery. Your choice!) and you're good to go.

Of course, this is just an abbreviated list of what you really need to do for drag makeup. Drag queens spend several hours getting ready and look absolutely fabulous when they're done. This post was just a quick list of things that often get overlooked by amateur queens and can easily be fixed.

Review: Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Line

Aromatherapy products never really caught my eye before because I felt like they would either A) not work or B) give me a headache. However, BBW's aromatherapy line has been an enormous success in my opinion and is definitely worth trying out depending on what your needs are.

L to R: Sleep (Lavender Chamomile), Stress Relief (Eucalyptus Spearmint), Energy (Orange Ginger), Sensual (Jasmine Vanilla). Each of these travel bottles of body lotion sells for $5.00 or 3 for $10.00.

Sleep (Lavender Chamomile): If I have a lot on my mind or a big day ahead of me, this lotion is what I reach for after getting out of the shower at night. It smells sweet, but earthy and natural at the same time and helps me sink into the perfect deep sleep. In the morning, I feel relaxed, well-rested, and ready to take on the day.

Stress Relief (Eucalyptus Spearmint): I don't get stressed very often, but my boyfriend does. Recently, he's been turning to this scent to help sooth his nerves and he says it really works! I've noticed I've used it myself during finals week and I think it helps me keep a level head and not panic about my exams. This has a fresh, lemon-mint scent that instantly clears the mind and makes you think warm, happy thoughts. I'd strongly recommend it, if only for occasional uses (i.e. exam time).

Energy (Orange Ginger): Love, love, LOVE this scent! A quick dab of it on your chest, wrists, and temples and you're ready to hit the ground running! It has a very clear citrus scent with a spicy twist, making it perfect for early mornings or late nights (the after-afterparty? Psh! With this, you'll be able to make it till the next night, no problem). I honestly like this a lot more than any of those chemical-filled energy drinks on the market because you're not putting dangerous amounts of caffeine into your body. Instead, this simple body lotion gives off enough of a zing to keep you awake and alert.

Sensual (Jasmine Vanilla): Honestly, the first time I smelled this scent, I wasn't a fan. It came off as too musky to me and not sweet enough for a girl like me to use. However, after a few uses, I can honestly say that this is one of the sexiest scents I've ever tried! It's woodsy and earthy smelling, but when rubbed into the skin, it definitely evolves into a rich, naturally sweet scent. Try it out! You and your special someone will not be disappointed!

I chose to buy each of these scents in the travel body lotions at the summer sale just so I could test them all out. However, BBW offers each one in shower gels, body mists, sugar scrubs, massage oils, and even pillow mists (for the Sleep scent). Prices range from $5.00 for the travel bottles to $19.50 for a 14.5 oz candle. I find that the best way to use these scents is by applying a small amount to the upper arms, chest, neck, and temples so that the scent isn't overpowering, but definitely apparent to you. The Sensual lotion and Stress Relief lotion double nicely as massage lotions, as well.

Review: Pure Ice Nail Polish

For the past few months, I've really been trying to break my habit of biting my nails because it's not sanitary, not pretty, and not healthy (duh!). I've found that the best way for me to break this habit is by constantly painting my nails and making sure they always look pretty and polished. So, to make a long story short, I've been stocking up on tons of nail polishes so I can switch up my nails as much as I want.

Last week, I found Pure Ice Nail Polishes at my local Walmart. These little babies are only $2.00 a bottle and are so far pretty impressive. They come in a wide variety of colors (my store carried about 40 different shades, finishes, and colors of Pure Ice), but I chose to get some more Halloween/Fall inspired shades that could potentially work for other times in the year.

From L to R: Electric!, Wild Thing, and Naughty Girl

The first polish I tried from the line was Wild Thing, a fabulous lime green polish. It has a regular finish, which means it's just glossy. I think it's fun and different and would work excellently for anyone going as a zombie for Halloween. However, I also think it would look sweet and tropical in the summer time.

Then, I moved onto Naughty Girl, which is a metallic tangerine color. I really loved this one because it looks somewhat neutral on the nail but definitely makes people do a double take. Because it's orange, it's definitely appropriate for fall, but I think it could really be worn at any time since it's so neutral.

Currently, I have Electric! on my nails. This solid black polish has tiny flecks of silver glitter in it which add some dimension to the nail and keep it from looking flat like many black polishes do. I definitely find it appropriate for Halloween (which is on Sunday. Get excited!), but I think you could also wear it for New Years Eve because of the crazy silver glitter in it.

A quick shot of all three polishes so you can see what they look like on the nail!

I've found that this polish lasts a pretty long time without chipping (about 4-5 days) and only requires two coats. However, drying time is a bit long for me: about 4-5 minutes. Still, for the color payoff and low price, I think Pure Ice Nail Polish is worth it. Check it out the next time you're in Walmart!

My Top 5 Bath and Body Works Scents

I admit it: I am not-too-secretly addicted to Bath and Body Works. I mean, how can I resist it?! No matter what mall I'm in, its cheery window displays, constant sales, and high quality products constantly draw me in. It doesn't matter that I already have a HUGE amount of shower gels, body lotions, antibacterial gels, or hand soap sitting in a ginormous Bath and Body Works (BBW) bag at home. Even if I was swimming in Bath and Body Works products at home, I still don't think I'd be able to resist 'just popping in'.

So, obviously, over the years as a BBW addict, I've tried out practically every scent they've ever added to their Signature Collection line. This line is carried all year round, regardless of the season or holidays, and each scent definitely has unique characteristics that make it stand out. Most of the collection starts at $5.00 for a travel-sized bottle of lotion, body spray, or shower gel and runs up to $29.50 for an Eau de Toilette. However, the regular sized bottles of lotion and shower gel (8 fl oz) are only $10.50 each and BBW regularly runs a Buy 2, Get 1 Free/Buy 3, Get 2 Free offer as well as a Mix and Match:3 for $10 offer on travel-sized products. All great deals, if you ask me :-)

But I've definitely picked out my favorite scents from the line. And while I enjoy almost all of them at some point, these five are -- in my humble opinion -- the very best that BBW has to offer.

From L to R: Orange Sapphire, Sweet Pea, Twilight Woods, Midnight Pomegranate, Dark Kiss
And, yes, I finally learned how to flip pictures. Yayy!

1) Orange Sapphire: A very energizing scent! It says "Wake up! Time to take on the world today!!" I love to use it after an all-nighter or intense study session because it's a refreshing citrus with a bit of spice to it, so it makes you feel pumped. I find it to be pretty unisex, meaning it isn't too sweet nor too musky: just the perfect, natural balance appropriate for men and women to use.

2) Sweet Pea: Sweet, floral scent. Very innocent and clean, though, which I love because too often I find that floral scents smell heavy and too rose-y. This scent is soft and subtle and doesn't seem to hang on your skin, but instead floats about you like a pretty pink, girly cloud. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to men, but I think they'd find it appealing on their girlfriend or wife.


3) Twilight Woods: My all-time FAVORITE scent ever to be produced at BBW (and it has nothing to do with the name)! This is a deliciously sugary-spicy scent that makes me think of a girl spritzing on some of her boyfriend's cologne if she was in a hurry to get somewhere. It's a multi-layer scent that develops smoothly on the skin. The most obvious tone to me is amber, which is fabulously sexy, but not too over-the-top. I own almost every product BBW has ever made with this scent: shower gel, body lotion, shimmering body lotion, shower cream, body mist, room spray, and home fragrance oil. And, in case you didn't already know, BBW recently introduced a men's version of this scent, which smells similar to the original, but less sweet and more musky. My boyfriend is a huge fan of it and I think it smells fantastic on him. He knows to expect a big bottle of it for Christmas!


4)Midnight Pomegranate: Another extremely sexy scent. Midnight Pomegranate is fruity (clearly) and spicy with some hints of musk. Although it can seem a bit playful, I really do view this as one of the more mature scents BBW offers and I think it's actually appropriate for older women. I've discovered over the years that this scent in particular remains on the skin for quite some time (in a good way! I hate scents that wear off after two or three hours). I would highly recommend it, particularly for someone who's on the go quite a bit because you won't need to frequently reapply.


5) Dark Kiss: The newest addition to BBW's Signature Collection, this scent is a bit more wintery and makes me think of lavish holiday parties. It has a rich berry overtone with a little bit of sugar and a whole lot of spice. I think it's the perfect moisturizer to use before a winter formal or Christmas party because the rich formula blends so nicely with the rich, sugary scent, creating a Sugarplum Fairy-inspired scent. Add some shimmery powder and you're good to go!

What's your favorite scent from the BBW Signature Collection? Do you have a top 5 like me? If so, post it in the comments!

Can anyone recommend...

A good eyeshadow primer? Like, one that costs less than $10? I've been using mark.'s Please Hold Eyeprimer ($8), but I've noticed that it's been creasing like crazy. Soo.. leave me a comment with your suggestions.

My Top 10 Drugstore Brands

If you follow my blog, you already know that I'm a champion of drugstore makeup and beauty items because they often work just as well as the more expensive brands and cost a heck of a lot less. While it's true that some work better than others, so many of the fantastic drugstore products I've tried have worked miracles and never fail to impress me.

Here, in no particular order are my most highly recommended drugstore makeup, skin, and hair care brands:

1) Rimmel London: I obviously have to mention this brand because their mascara, Sexy Curves, just won my Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara, but the brand has so much more that I really love. Their lipsticks are smooth, moisturizing, and heavily tinted, allowing for a vibrant, colorful lip. I also like their pencil eyeliner because of it's smooth and creamy formula. Rimmel always has adorable packaging and their makeup is slightly edgy and hip. I would recommend it for the 20-30 crowd, but anyone with the right attitude can make it work. Rimmel's prices are pretty low on average.

2)Maybelline: Maybe it's because they've been around forever, or maybe it's because they just have really nice products, but Maybelline is another fantastic drugstore brand. Their Falsies Mascara came in second place in my Battle of the Brands, but I'm a huge fan of their eyeshadow quads. These fantastic little palettes have four highly pigmented eyeshadows that go together to create the perfect eye look. I really enjoy the eyeshadows on their own or together because they're high quality and don't crease easily, which means your look can last all day. Maybelline is also low priced -- although, sometimes it's a bit more expensive than Rimmel -- and has pretty bland packaging, but I feel that the high quality of their eyeshadows more than makes up for it.

3) Revlon: They make my favorite foundation. Period. Without their stellar foundation formula, I don't think my makeup would look quite as good on a day-to-day basis. It's a bit on the pricey side as far as drugstore makeup is concerned, but I think it's truly a great product and worth every single penny.

4) John Frieda Collection: This is by far one of the best hair care lines I've found in any drugstore or Walmart. I feel that it's quite trustworthy because it has the name of one of the most successful salon owners in the world behind it and has always helped my hair, whether for frizz control or color shielding. Currently, I'm in love with the Lustrous Blonde line of this collection. The shampoo and conditioner leave my color-treated hair feeling soft, strong, and manageable. I don't feel that it weighs down my hair nor does it dry it out. The price point can get expensive, so I would recommend shopping around at different stores before buying (i.e. price compare Walmart and Walgreens online before buying as they might be running different ads and specials).

5) Neutrogena: I've always been and always will be a Neutrogena girl. The brand makes the perfect skin care regiment for people with skin like mine: normal to dry with little acne, some rough patches, and minor discoloration. They have products targeted at teens, but recently introduced a more mature, adult skin care line (review, anyone?). Their scents are clean and light, easily usable by men and women, and their formulas leave my skin soft and glowing.

6) Aussie: When it comes to deep conditioners and hair masks, Aussie's got it down pat. I'm a big fan of their products because they're made mostly of natural ingredients, which means there's less of a chance of my hair suffering damage. The products are very affordable and smell delicious!

7) Sonia Kashuk: Though it is only available at Target, Sonia Kashuk is a fantastic cosmetic line that has high-quality makeup at a mid-level, affordable price. The gel eyeliner from this line is a standout product that I could not live without!

8) New York Color (NYC): When it comes to nail polish, nobody does it better than NYC. They have a HUGE variety of nail polish that is extremely affordable and comes in beautiful shades and colors. No matter what people try to tell you, NYC is definitely on the same quality level as OPI and China Glaze (all nail polishes chip eventually, no matter how much you pay for them). NYC is constantly coming out with new colors, so go check them out!

9) Physician's Formula: Kind of like the Clinique of drugstore brands, Physicians Formula makes tons of great products for people with sensitive skin. I love their baked eyeshadows and have heard wonderful things about their recently released custom eye enhancing line. It's moderately priced for a drugstore brand, but really works well and is bland enough for sensitive skin.

10) Evolution of Smooth (EOS): I've already told you that I LOVE their lip balm, but their shaving cream is just as nice: extremely silky and moisturizing and smells fantastic. I wish they were carried more widely, but they're products are always available at CVS and Target. They can be a bit pricey for a drugstore brand, but it's totally worth it.

What are your favorite drugstore brands?

Get the Look: Earthy Eyes

Recently, I've really been digging blue and green eyeshadows. I think it perfectly compliments my skin tone (olive-beige) and blonde hair. At the same time, you can easily adjust the pigmentation to better match your own skin tone/hair color.

Eyes: Pack a light or lime green eyeshadow like mark.'s I-mark in Dragonfly ($5.00) all over the lid, up to the crease, using small patting motions to reduce fall-out (loose eyeshadow bits that fall onto your upper cheek bones and smudge terribly). Then, with a stiff dome brush, apply a darker, foresty green eyeshadow like mark.'s I-mark in Retro Peacock ($5.00) in a soft v-shape in the outer corner. Blend the area where the two meet with a softer, feathery brush to reduce harshness. Line the upper lids with your favorite black eyeliner as tightly as possible. You want the green to stand out most! Then, curl your lashes and apply a fun, night-out mascara like Maybelline's The Falsies Mascara ($6.99) for thick, dramatic lashes.

Face: Conceal any imperfections, especially dark under eye circles that will distract attention from your gorgeous eyes and can make your skin look hallow. You can use a bronzer to lightly contour your face, but don't do anything too drastic. Gently blend a pinky-peach blush into your cheekbones like mark.'s Good Glowing Blush in After Glo ($7.00).

Lips: Go for a soft, neutral pink gloss like mark.'s Lots of Lacquer in Rush. Wipe away any gloss that strays from your natural lip line and your look is complete!

Who Knew? Pumpkins are Good for the Skin!

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I work as a resident assistant at my university and part of my job is planning fun social programs for my residents (40 freshman girls) to help them meet each other and get involved in their residence hall. Basically, make their campus living experience super awesome and super fun!

This month, I wanted to plan a Halloween-themed social to go along with this month’s festivities. But decorating the hall was too bland, and carving pumpkins was too messy, so it was back to the drawing board for my program idea. While surfing the web for fun party ideas, I discovered that pumpkins are fantastic for your skin!

Pumpkins are considered a “miracle food” for skin. They contain vitamins A and C as well as Zinc, all of which are anti-oxidants and help purify the skin and body of toxins. These toxins present themselves on your skin through acne, rough or dry patches, or discoloration. However, the minerals found in pumpkin can easily help clear up these skin problems.

So, I decided to Google ‘pumpkin skin care’ and dozens of websites popped up. Among the first three were recipes for DIY skin care projects like a pumpkin pie face mask, sugar and spice body scrub, and a cracked heel balm – all of which had pumpkin listed as the main ingredient. And that’s when it hit me: my social for the month had to be Girls’ Pumpkin Spa Night!

The skin care recipes only call for common ingredients, ones that can easily be pulled out of any refrigerator or cabinet, and are super simple to make. The recipes are as follows:

Pumpkin Pie Face Mask (found HERE)

2 teaspoons cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon milk (or whipping cream, if your skin is very dry)

1. Combine ingredients and apply to a clean face with gentle circular motions, avoiding the area around your eyes.

2. Allow mask to remain on skin for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water, pat dry, and apply your usual moisturizer.

Sugar and Spice Body Scrub (found HERE)

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1/2 cup cooked or canned pumpkin, pureed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl.

2. Stand in a tub or shower stall and use a damp washcloth to scoop some of the mixture up. Apply to body, starting with your feet and working your way up, but avoiding your face. Scrub gently using circular motions.

3. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

Cracked Heel Balm (found HERE)

Mix Pumpkin and Vaseline in equal quantity and massage on your clean washed heels regularly. You'll soon see the result.

I tried each of these the other night and was quite impressed! My favorite was the scrub, which I applied before actually getting into the shower, and let it sit as I brushed my teeth. When I washed it off, my skin felt soft and smelled warm (kind of like amber soaps do) and yummy. The brown sugar definitely helps exfoliate your skin, but I would consider adding more if you have particularly oily skin.

The pumpkin pie face mask smells fantastic and helped reduce redness on my face. I would recommend blending it very thoroughly before use though, because it can get clumpy and then slide off your face. To make it a more deep cleansing mask, add brown sugar until it's grainy. You can also add whipped cream to make it more soothing.

The cracked heel balm definitely makes your heels softer (I'd recommend usage if you're obsessed with flip flops like I am because they can really damage the soles of your feet), but make sure to leave plenty of time for it to set in before walking anywhere as the balm can be very slick and slippery.

Celebrate the fall by making your own pumpkin skin care products! It's far more cost efficient, better for your skin and body (because it's all natural) and simply just fun!

Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara - The Final Verdict

So the Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara is over! Have we found a champion? Let's review the five mascaras I used this past week and see which one comes out on top!

All five of the mascara's I reviewed. From L to R: Fabulash by Revlon, Falsies by Maybelline, Sexy Curves by Rimmel London, LashBlast by Covergirl, and Million Lashes by L'Oreal.

Fabulash by Revlon
Pros: Good curl hold, pretty long lasting, classic packaging
Cons: Smudged pretty easily, not waterproof, tended to clump
Final Verdict: Okay, but not great. I'd probably pass it up.
Score: 2.5/5

Falsies by Maybelline
Pros: Intense volume, literally looks like you're wearing false lashes, cool curved wand, waterproof
Cons: Very hard to remove, some clumping, spiky
Final Verdict: I think this mascara is good for a night out, but not every day wear.
Score: 4/5

Sexy Curves by Rimmel London
Pros: Waterproof, medium volume, smooth application, cool bubble wand, cute packaging
Cons: Require recurl after application, minimal clumping
Final Verdict: Fabulous every-day mascara!
Score: 4.5/5

LashBlast by Covergirl
Pros: Smooth application, quick-drying, waterproof
Cons: No volume, no curl holding, hard to remove
Final Verdict: Good back-up mascara, but not strong enough for every-day wear.
Score: 3.5/5

Million Lashes by L'Oreal
Pros: None.
Cons: Disgusting smell, no volume, no curl holding, wears off quickly, clumpy
Final Verdict: If you're considering buying it, don't. If you own it, throw it out.
Score: 0/5

Sooo... In last place, clearly, we have Million Lashes by L'Oreal. I won't get too far into details, but I just did not like it. Revlon's Fabulash also scored low, but I think it's okay as an emergency mascara (perhaps for travel bags or the purse you don't use often?). Covergirl's Lashblast did not live up to expectations, either. I think it's very dull and would not recommend it as a primary, every-day mascara.

Which leaves us with Maybelline's Falsies and Rimmel London's Sexy Curves. And the winner is...

RIMMEL LONDON'S SEXY CURVES!!!!!! This mascara is gorgeous and wears perfectly. The waterproof power is incredible and it gives you gorgeous lashes all day, everyday.

Maybelline's Falsies Mascara takes home the runner-up award and my recommendation for Night Out Mascara. It's volumizing power is perfect for those of us who hate false lash application, but love the look of false lashes. Now you can have the best of both worlds with this mascara! Be sure to comb out lashes to avoid clumps immediately after application and then recurl lashes if you want it to work, though.

This concludes this week's Battle of the Brands. Do you have another cosmetic item you'd like me to do a comparison on (i.e. concealer, bronzer, lipstain, cream blush)? Let me know in the comments!

Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara - Voluminous Million Lashes by L'Oreal

Day five has arrived! Over the past four days, I've reviewed Fabulash Mascara by Revlon, Falsies Mascara by Maybelline, Sexy Curves Mascara by Rimmel London, and Lashblast by Covergirl.L'Oreal's Voluminous Million Lashes in Blackest Black (635) originally costs $8.99 at Ulta but was marked down to $7.99.

Today, we'll be trying out L'Oreal's Voluminous Million Lashes. This mascara also has a rubbery applicator free of fiber bristles that is also quite flexible (for what reason, I have no clue.). The face of the advertising campaign is the lovely Eva Longoria, which definitely influenced me when I considered which mascaras to test.
Frankly, I don't love the packaging. Yes, it's gold and shiny and blingy, but name just stamped on there? I think it makes the mascara look cheap, like it came out of a $10 makeup kit at Christmas time. Not my cup of tea!
But let's try it out, shall we?

10:00 AM
Ew. Not liking this formula at all. It absolutely REEKS.. like, straight up smells. How disgusting! If I didn't know better, I would think it had gone bad. It smells like old, dead flowers. GROSS!

Aside from the smell, I kind of feel like this did nothing on my lashes. They won't hold a curl (I've curled them twice now) and they certainly don't look voluminous. The mascara might have added a little length, but not enough to really make this worthwhile. At least it dried in like 30 seconds.


3:00 PM
Yeah, this mascara is a waste. Normally I'd reapply a few coats, but it smells so terrible, I can't bring myself to. It really looks like I'm wearing no mascara at this point, except that I can still feel the clumps along the base of my eyelashes.

7:00 PM
No real reason to update. I hate this formula

11:45 PM
Nothing seemed to really come off when I washed my face this evening. But my lashes feel clean and free of mascara, which to me, just means that it didn't stay on throughout the day. Super depressing!

Clearly, I was not a fan of this mascara. I think the smell was terrible and the formula was poorly made. I'm quite shocked this came from L'Oreal, a drugstore brand that normally produces the highest quality cosmetics at an affordable price. This mascara was a complete dud.

Tomorrow, I'll reveal my number one choice and rank these mascaras first through fifth place. Which one do you think will be the winner?

Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara - Lashblast Mascara by Covergirl

Day four is here! Previously on the Battle of the Brands, I've reviewed Fabulash Mascara by Revlon, Falsies Mascara by Maybelline, and Sexy Curves by Rimmel London.

Covergirl's LashBlast Mega Volume Waterproof Mascara in Very Black (825) is $8.39 at Ulta.

Today, I'm trying out Covergirl's LashBlast, a mascara with such rave reviews that it's become an icon in pop culture, like Kleenex (as seen in the movie Whip It: "You can never have too much LashBlast"). What makes this mascara stand apart from others? Hopefully, I'll find that out today!


LashBlast has a synthetic rubber applicator with no fiber bristles. I think the applicator is a bit too wide, though, and I really had trouble getting my smaller, inner corner lashes with it.
The formula also has a strange smell? At first, it sort of smelled like cookie dough to me (haha..), but now it just smells 'off'.

10:00 AM
Just applied the mascara! It applied smoothly and reached all of my longer lashes 0n the middle and outer corner of my eye, but the lashes on the inner corner were just too small to really get coated. I definitely notice some lengthening of my lashes which is great and so far, it's holding a curl fabulously. Not much volume to report, though. I guess no volume will really compare to The Falsies mascara from a few days ago. This mascara dried pretty quickly (it took about 30 seconds).

3:00 PM
This mascara seems to have worn off a bit and I'm kind of surprised, really. I mean, I've heard such fantastic things about it, but it just isn't impressing me. There's like zero volume and my curl didn't last very well. This is kind of just sitting on my lashes =/

7:30 PM
Just applied another coat because I thought it looked so blah. It looks okay now, but I'm really not thinking this is a winner. It did apply very smoothly, though, which is surprising. Normally, when applying a mascara over a dry coat, the formula can clump and get really nasty. That wasn't the case with LashBlast, but I wondering if that's because it just wore off earlier.

1:30 AM
This mascara was almost impossible to remove! I had to rub my lashes for a good 2 minutes before the formula even began to soften. While this definitely proves it's lastability, it also proves that your eyes are going to hurt after wearing it. Not so sure that's a good thing..

To be quite honest, LashBlast disappointed me. After hearing such rave reviews and seeing it tied into a major motion picture (albeit a Drew Barrymore movie. She is the current model for Covergirl's campaign and produced Whip It), I really expected it to do and be everything a perfect mascara should. I don't think it really brings much to your lashes in terms of volume or curl-holding power and it's a pain in the butt to remove. I'm not saying this is a terrible product! However, I'd probably only use it as a backup, a mascara I could keep in my purse to throw on before running into a grocery store. At the same time, for the price I paid (it was the most expensive mascara I sampled this week), I don't know if I'd repurchase.

Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara - Sexy Curves Mascara by Rimmel London

The Battle wages on! Today is day three of my Search for the Perfect Mascara and I have previously reviewed Revlon's Fabulash Mascara and Falsies Mascara by Maybelline.

Rimmel London's Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara in Black (001) is $7.50 at Ulta.

Unlike Revlon's and Maybelline's Mascaras, Rimmel's has a rubbery silicone applicator and not the classic bristles found on most mascaras. Here's what it looks like...
I'm not really sure why they made it this way, but maybe it's more sanitary because it's easier to clean? This is also a waterproof formula, so let's see how that holds up!

10:00 AM
My eyelashes still felt like they had some residue on them from yesterday's experiment, but I decided to apply this mascara anyway. The applicator was nice and definitely grabbed each lash, but it seemed to pull a bit (maybe because of that darned residue?). It also seemed to take forever to dry (at least 2 minutes). Still, I think it looks rather nice..
11:30 AM
WTF?! This formula is not holding a curl at all. Isn't supposed to because it's called Sexy Curves?! Hmph.... Guess I'll have to go break out the eyelash curler.

12:30 PM
Well, this formula is DEFINITELY waterproof. That's good, right? And since I've recurled my lashes, they seem to be holding the curl. Yay!

3:30 PM
Still looking awesome. I think this mascara gives the perfect amount of definition for day time. It's not too full or dramatic, just a nice way to bring attention to your eyes.

7:30 Pm
I think I'm in love. The bottle is even cute :)
I mean, how adorable is that?! It's such a lovely shade of blue and the reflective packaging makes it look a bit more upscale because it's so shiny.

1:00 AM
This mascara came off with gentle rubbing at the lashes while I was in the shower with a bit of makeup remover and soap: not bad at all! Thankfully, my lashes feel residue free, so I should be ready to try Covergirl's LashBlast in the morning =)

Right now, I'm totally loving this mascara. It did everything I'd want my everyday mascara to do and looked really pretty. No major complaints other than that I had to recurl my lashes, but that's no biggie. It's waterproof power is DEFINITELY impressive!

Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara - Falsies Mascara by Maybelline

Day two of my Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara! Yesterday, I reviewed Revlon's Fabulash Mascara, so let's continue on with Maybelline's Falsies Mascara!

Maybelline's Falsies Waterproof Mascara in Very Black (291) is $6.99 at Ulta.

Maybelline's The Falsies Mascara is the lastest in the company's Volum' Express line. The one I bought is the waterproof kind, which I find normally helps the formula last longer. Let's see how it goes!


11:30 AM
The Falsies has a super cool wand that has a slight curve in it. This helps your lashes hold their curl and lengthens the lashes as the wand and formula are pulled through them.
So far, I really like this formula. It doesn't seem to clump up, but it does make my lashes look a little spidery (the lashes look like spider legs). At the same time, it definitely adds volume! I really think I look like I'm wearing false lashes. It's also holding a curl very nicely. The mascara dried within 45 seconds of application: another major plus!

3:45 PM
This mascara is still holding up. I think it's given my lashes really impressive volume and has held the curl fantastically. The spidery-ness is still sort of visible. No smudging to report, though!

10:00 PM
My lashes still look super full and long and have held a curl, but the crunchy, spider-legs look is still apparent. I do have to acknowledge that the formula stayed on all day and didn't budge, but I don't like that my lashes never softened up.

1:30 AM
This mascara was really hard to take off! I scrubbed at it with a cotton pad and my makeup remover and it hardly budged. Eventually, it started to rub off and then, after washing my face, it was all gone. It did burn a bit when I tried to get it off and my lashes feel a little tacky still. Eww!

Overall, I think this is a step up from the Revlon mascara I tried yesterday, but I'm still not thrilled. The spiky, spidery lashes aren't cute, so I need to find a way to make this work. I definitely think this product is worth hanging on to, but I need to play around with it until I can find a way for it to apply smoothly and look polished.

Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara - Fabulash Mascara by Revlon

Today is day one of my new series, Battle of the Brands: The Search for the Perfect Mascara. Over the next several days, I will be trying out various drugstore brands of mascara in search of the perfect one. Each mascara will be judged on lasting power, how it feels on the eyes, curling power, volume creation, lash lengthening, and packaging. At the end of the series, I'll pick a new favorite!

Revlon's Fabulash Mascara in Black (002) is $6.89 at Ulta.

10:00 AM
Just applied the Fabulash Mascara! The wand looks super cool...

Please pardon my messy hair. I just got out of the shower.

But I'm not so sure about the formula. It seemed to clump pretty badly on my lashes (you can kind of see it in the picture below)...

And it still hasn't completely dried! I finished putting on mascara about 10 minutes ago and it's still a bit wet. Not cool, Revlon, not cool!


2:00 PM
Surprisingly, the mascara held a curl really well. I'm used to my lashes falling flat even if I do use an eyelash curler and mascara normally makes it much worse. It still looks a little clumpy, though which is kind of gross.

7:00 PM
GAH! Major smudging under the eye from this mascara!! Definitely not a fan of that. Lashes are still curled though, which is nice. I also really like that it doesn't make my lashes feel crunchy or hard: they're pretty soft. I would post some photos, but my lighting isn't great enough for you to see all the detail.

2:00 AM
Just about to go to bed. I think the mascara held up pretty well throughout the day. As I was taking off my makeup, I noticed that it made my lashes look a little bit longer which was nice, but there was still some smudging (not so nice). The mascara didn't come off at first, but when I used a cotton pad directly on my lashes, it came off pretty easily.

Overall, I think this mascara is okay. It held a curl and lasted longer than my previous mascara (which I will reveal at the end of the contest), but I was not a fan of the smudging and clumping. I don't believe this was a waterproof formula, which is another downfall.

Stay tuned for tomorrow, when I review Maybelline's Falsies Mascara as the Battle of the Brands rages on!

Tag, you're it! This or That

So here is a popular tag that is currently going around Youtube, and I thought I'd answer it here. Enjoy! And post your own answers!

MAKEUP:
blush or bronzer
Bronzer because I like to contour my face with it.

lip gloss or lipstick
Lipstick. It tends to be less messy for me.

eye liner or mascara
Eyeliner. I kind of feel like my eyes disappear into my face without it.

foundation or concealer
Concealer! I have pretty decent skin, but terrible under-eye circles that NEED to be covered up.

neutral or color eye shadow
It really depends on my mood or what I'm doing. I normally do a neutral eye for day time with some browns or nudes, but I've really been into blue and green eyeshadows recently.

pressed or loose eye shadows
Pressed. Again, less messy =)

brushes or sponges
Brushes because they're easier to clean.

NAILS:
OPI or china glaze
OPI, but I'm not really a fan of either of them.

Long or short
I love long nails, but I have a bad habit of biting or picking at my nails, so I never really can grow them out.

Acrylic or natural
Natural because they're easier to upkeep, but I've been thinking of going back to acrylics.

Brights or darks
Brights, usually. But right now, I'm so digging this color!

Flower or no flower
Haha.. No flower, please =)

BODY:
perfume or body splash
Both? I usually apply perfume in the morning and freshen up with body splash by mid-day or early evening.

lotion or body butter
Lotion. Body butter feels to thick to me.

body wash or soap
Body wash! I love using my loofah!!

lush or other bath company
While I love Lush, I do not have a bath tub at school so I cannot use most of their products up here. Also, they're kinda pricey. I do love the Daddy-O shampoo, though! Still, I'd probably go with Bath and Body Works because they have killer scents and deals 24/7.

FASHION:
jeans or sweat pants
Jeans. I never go out in public while wearing sweat pants unless 1) I'm going to the gym or 2) I was napping and you woke me up.

long sleeve of short
Short! I live in the south... we almost never get cold weather!

dresses or skirts
Probably dresses? I think skirts can shift around during the day and look strange.

stripes or plaid
Stripes! Plaid is not my thing!!

flip flops or sandals
Sandals, but flip flops are rather comfortable.

scarves or hats
Bahaha! Scarves, for sure. I own like a billion.

studs or dangly earrings
I wear my Mikimoto pearl studs almost every day, but I like dangly earrings for going out on the weekends.

necklaces or bracelets
Probably necklaces, but I do wear my papa's bracelet all the time.

heels or flats
Love my heels, but I'm just more comfy in flats.

cowboy boots or riding boots
Riding boots!! So much sexier.

jacket or hoodie
I think jackets just look more polished.

forever 21 or charlotte russe
Forever 21! It's one of my all-time favorite stores.

abercombie or Hollister
Neither. I don't like their prices, their discrimination against anyone who's not a skinny white girl, nor their ugly clothing.

saks 5th or nordstrom
Probably Nordstrom unless it's the actual Saks on 5th Avenue in NYC =)

HAIR:
curly or straight
I love loose, big curls.

bun or ponytail
Bun. But I normally rock a ponytail if my hair is straightened.

bobby pins or butterfly clips
Bobby pins.

hair spray or gel
I mix and match? Lol. I usually use a gel on wet hair with some deep conditioner to help support the curl. But I apply hairspray to any finished look.

long or short
My hair use to be super long, then I cut it all off, and now it's slowly growing back. I'm probably going to keep it around my shoulder blade length for a while.

light or dark
I LOVE being a blonde =)

side sweep bangs or full bangs
Side swept bangs. I'm too lazy to style my bangs every day, so I can just pin those suckers back easily if they're the side-swept ones.

up or down
Mostly up and out of my face unless I'm going out.

RANDOM:
Rain or shine
SHINE! I'm such a sun bunny! But I absolutely love it when it's raining and I'm all curled up in my bed.

Summer or winter
Summer! I love going to the beach, wearing fun sundresses, and getting a tan.

Fall or spring
It used to be spring, but this year it is totally fall. I love all of my new fall wardrobe additions and the weather has been spectacular.

Chocolate or vanilla
I'm all about dark, semi-sweet chocolate!

East coast or west coast
East coast, baby!

Review: Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque

Perhaps I'm the last to jump on the bandwagon with this product, but I recently discovered Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque. While I had heard plenty of rave reviews on it in the Youtube community, I could never seem to find it until recently, when I popped into Walgreens and it was there! It's certainly a low-price object (only $3.99) and was practically hidden on the bottom shelf below tons of more expensive drugstore skin care products.

However, this Masque needs to be more properly advertised. It is quite possibly the best facial mask I've used in years and I'm almost convinced it works on all skin types. The Masque was originally made for people with oily, acne-prone skin, but is not too harsh for those who have normal or even dry skin. Queen Helene (the manufacturer) claims that the Masque will dry up acne, pull out blackheads, and shrink pores (my BIGGEST skin problem). Another great thing about the Mint Julep Masque is that it's 100% Vegan, meaning it is not tested on animals nor does it contain any animal products. Vegan skin care can be outrageously expensive, but this Masque is reasonably priced and ethically made.

The Mint Julep Masque is your typical, classic facial mask with minty green coloring and all. After applying it, you need to let it sit until it dries (the bottle recommends 15 minutes. I sat for 20-25 minutes, but it had hardened in 10 minutes). The formula smells very minty (Vannesa said it reminded her of toothpaste, but not in an unpleasant way) and is extremely thick in consistency. Before applying the Masque, I washed my face with my favorite Neutrogena Oil-Free face wash to get rid of my makeup and any surface dirt.

A quick shot of the Masque before application.

Just after applying the masque.

The masque's packaging.

After applying the Masque, I experienced an intense cooling sensation and could literally feel my pores shrinking. As the Masque dried, it did become very stiff and at some points I felt like I couldn't really move my facial muscles because my skin was tight. I don't think this is a bad thing at all, but I could see how it might freak some people out.

The Masque is all dry! It only took about 10 minutes.

According to the Masque's packaging, you can remove it with warm water and a washcloth. I, however, removed it in the shower, and I think it came out just fine. Once I towel-dried my face, I was impressed to see that the masque had not dried out my skin, but rather shrunk my enormous pores and greatly reduced the size of a pimple I'd been struggling with (said pimple is now gone. Yay!).

After picture! You might not be able to really see, but my pores looked MUCH smaller and my skin just looks firmer and healthier.

Obviously, I would clearly recommend this product. I have absolutely NO complaints about it. In fact, I'm going to go buy another 5 tubes right now so I don't have to worry about running out!

Tag, you're it! Products I regret buying

In all honesty, I don't really regret buying any beauty products, because I feel like they each serve some sort of purpose and while they might not necessarily work for me, they could definitely work better on someone else. So, with that in mind, these are a list of products that I didn't exactly love..

1) Urban Decay's Cream Shadow in Delinquent ($17.00 at Sephora)
This eyeshadow looked great in the tube and DID serve as a great base coat for really dramatic, purple smokey eyes, but I got this weird tingling sensation on my lids whenever I used it. It didn't necessarily hurt, but it certainly didn't feel great! Honestly, I don't reach for this product very much because it feels so weird. The packaging also kind of sucks because while you can easily get the product out the first time or two, it seems to clump at the bottom and then you actually have to squeeze the tube to get it out... it just gets really messy. I think for the price, it wasn't worth it.

2) Laura Geller's Lipstick in On Stage ($15.50 on her website, but I think I bought it on clearance at Sephora for $5 o5 $6?)
I bought this lipstick in hopes of a great, night-out-on-the-town, bright red color and it delivered on that end. However, I find it to be pretty drying and it almost seems to flake off? Not cool! I do still use it on occasion, but it's not my number one red lipstick. I don't think I'd really recommend it.

3) Buxom's Travel In Style Lipstick and Lip Polish Duo ($18.00 at Sephora)
I really bought this set because of the beautiful coral-orange lipstick that I fell in love with in the store. Needless to say, I hated the gloss when I got home because it was gooey and gross (also wasn't a huge fan of the plumping formula. I knew it was a plumper in the store, but I don't think it really did much for me and I found it sort of unrealistic) so I used just the lipstick with another gloss over it. But then, like a week after purchasing the set, the lipstick broke! The whole pigment stick fell out of its holder and got stuck in the super-thin cap. I was pretty upset. So overall, I just had bad experiences with the set, but I'd consider buying the lipstick on its own if the manufacturer could create a new packaging for it.

4) mark.'s Shimmer Tubes Hook Up Gel Blush in Rose, Peach, and Bronze (I think these were $2.00 a piece? I bought them in the last chance section and they return every once in a while)
I think these are gorgeous colors, but they're just totally sheer as blushes. I love the concept and the formula, but they don't show up at all on me (except for the bronzer, which for some reason looks like dirt). As I'm typing this, though, I think I'm going to experiment with them as eyeshadow bases or highlighters, so I'll get back to you when I do that!

5) e.l.f. Essential's Hypershine Gloss Box ($5.00)
These glosses were too sticky and gooey for me. The colors are gorgeous, but the formula was not for me and the applicators were not fun either. They got really messy and gross.

6) BonBon's Eyeshadow in Copper and Purple ($0.99 at Walmart)
These shadows were just too powdery for me. It didn't matter how I applied them, they always got messy and were more hassle than they were worth.

7) Almay's Nearly Naked Cover Up Stick ($6.97 at Walmart)
Too creamy and oily. This concealer creased on my skin so quickly and never stayed put. I like the pureness of Almay's products normally, but this concealer just did not work. I also had it in my purse for about a week and it melted and got super-messy.

What are some products that you're not a fan of? Are any of the products I dislike ones that work for you? Let me know!

Review: Sinful Colors Nail Polish in See You Soon

Recently, MAC introduced their new Venomous Villains collection which, despite being exceptionally overpriced like most things MAC creates, instantly sold out all over the world. And while I normally avoid all things MAC because they're unaffordable, I couldn't help but fall in love with the nail polishes: Bad Fairy, Mean and Green, and Formidable!. These colors are duochrome, which means they look black in some lighting and then change from one color to a whole other when in more direct light. Formidable!, my particular favorite in the collection, switched from olive to berry depending on the lighting. But at $13 each, I originally overlooked these polishes.

Until I started to see them everywhere. And then I thought "Hm. Maybe I should splurge just this once because it's so unique. No other nail polish has looked quite this cool."

Needless to say, by the time I'd fallen in love with Formidable!, all three shades were already sold out EVERYWHERE! People were actually selling their backup bottles on Ebay for $30 a pop! Obviously, I was not going to pay that much for a nail polish (I wince at OPI's prices normally and MAC's were even more expensive. This was just out of control), so I settled with the knowledge that I just wasn't going to get this polish.

However, the other day, I discovered Sinful Colors while browsing the cosmetics section in my local Walgreens. Immediately, I noticed that these colors were also duochrome (yay!) and the price was definitely right: only $1.99! There were only about 5 different colors on the display, but I was instantly drawn to one called See You Soon, which looked black at first, but then moved between blue and aqua. So I bought it :-)

Sinful Colors Professional Polish in See You Soon

When I brought it home, I showed it to my friend Vannesa who took one look at it and said "Wow! That reminds me of OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark." For those of you who don't know, Lincoln Park After Dark (LPAD) was a black-berry polish that looked black in indirect light, but changed into a beautiful wine color. The color has been discontinued, but can still be found online for between $5 and $10.

Size comparison of OPI (shown here in Access 24/7) and Sinful Colors (See You Soon)

A shot of the brush tip for all of you Beauty Brains (can I just call you guys BBs from now on? Let me know :-) )

So far, I absolutely adore my new Sinful Colors polish. It applied very easily, only required two coats, and dried completely within 2 minutes. It's extremely lustrous and has a smooth surface (most sparkly polished feel very rough or textured, which I hate). My only complaint is that the brush isn't full like OPI's, but other than that, the bottle looks exactly the same!

Here it is looking a bit black...

..and then it turns blue!

Overall Verdict:
Get it. Get it now. Before it's gone like the MAC collection polishes. This is such a cool, unique polish that is perfectly on trend for this fall and winter. And if blue or teal aren't your colors, check it out in the reds and purples Sinful Colors had as well.

What do you think of Sinful Colors? Are you a MAC or OPI fan? If you have one of the Venomous Villains polishes, do a comparison for me!