Friday, December 17, 2010

SPARKLES!

Hello!!

Last weekend when I got my beloved Lash Stash, I also found the elusive "The Sparkler" from The Body Shop.

Get this: I walk into the store, and the sales lady immediately greets me, (I love them!), and asks if I want to "Spin the wheel." I say "Sure!" and spin, and receive "50% off any Seasonal Item." I ask her if they have the "Perfume looking sparkler thingy" and she leads me to it. I try to look real innocent and ask if it happens to be a "Seasonal Item" and she says, "Well, I'm not sure! Here's another one from the wheel, 50% off 1 item! Here you go!" Seriously-- could she be ANY nicer?! Made my day even better!!

These body shimmers have been popular this season, here are a couple that are out there:

Bare Escentuals Body Lingerie Luminous Body Shimmer, $29














Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity Shimmer Dust, $39















and The Sparkler!



















This puppy has been sold out online, and there were only 2 in this store (1 now, heh heh)!!

It's a little hard to capture exactly how fabulous it is~ when you squeeze it there is a grand POOF of sparkly shimmer!






















And it is most definitely NOT "glitter," so you don't look like a tween headed to a Miley concert, but rather a glistening, gorgeous Lady. ;) Also, it does NOT come off-- I wiped it once to get the initial excess off, but it still looked at luminous as before. Makes me giddy! =)

I just couldn't help myself. It's perfect for holiday parties and New Year's, plus is looks SO GREAT in my Corner o' Fab:




























(Barbie tin with "I wasn't designed to do housework," 50th anniversary re-make of the original Barbie, "Slap on a little lipstick, You'll be fine" book, pink ruffle shoes and clutch, Tiffany box, Victoria's Secret bag, champagne flute from a New Year's party, and an empty mini-bottle of Disaronno.)

What do you think??

Have a great weekend!

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven

Thursday, December 16, 2010

And the winner is...

......Uh oh folks! It's a TIE!

Make Up For Ever's Smoky Lash:













....and Josie Maran's GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara:











I am so incredibly enamored by both of these mascaras. I have worn them each and I Must say both wear beautifully-- no smudging, bleeding, or flaking (*top lashes, my eyes don't wear on the bottom well, I have to use fancy stuff there).
The GOGO mascara is actually quite soft, whereas the Smoky Lash is a little stiff, which makes it perfect for a bold eye look! For some reason, maybe the fun brush, the GOGO mascara makes me feel like my lashes have that fluffy doe-eyed look (not a ton of length) wheras the Smoky Lash has spectacular definition and a little more length.

I'm going to try these paired with Hourglass' Film Noir's length at some point. =D

I forgot to take pics of me in the Smoky Lash (fail), but here are some of the GOGO~
(click to enlarge)





























So, which were your faves? Disagree with me? Tell me about it! =D

Until next time--
~Beauty MAven

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

LashStash~ pt. 2

Okay! Moving on to the last 5 in the LashStash!!
(Refer to the previous post for a rundown of this shin-dig.)

Benefit BADgal Lash, $19
- Full of "BAD-itude!" Oversized brush builds thick, beautiful and bodacious lashes. Is like a set of sexy black false lashes.. without the glue!










































Initial thoughts: ..That's it?
Dear Emily: I am so sorry, but I really tried to like this mascara. It does a decent job on me, but you must have thicker lashes to grab than I do, haha!
The brush is huge-- which some people like, I just happen not to, since it hits my lid during application. As you can see from the pictures, it's not a huge let-down, but I was hoping for more volume and general bad-A-ness.


Buxom Lash, $18
- Holds the style of your lashes for a continuous 12 hours with no flakiness. Lengthens and thickens from root to tip without ever clumping. Patented, hourglass-shaped brush is designed to lift and separate every lash while delivering the perfect amount of antioxidant-rich mascara needed for bigger, fuller lashes.










































Initial thoughts: I like this brush!
- I have heard many Sephora workers suggest this to people, including myself, so I was most excited to try this. It gives amazing definition due in part to the molded brush, which poor thing gave as much volume as it could. I feel like my lashes start out pretty thick at the base, but taper off toward the tip. I like my volume to be uniform, but it still is a really nice look.


Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara, $24
- Dramatically thickens, lengthens, and curls lashes. The lightweight, nutrient-infused formula leaves lashed super-shiny, soft, and clump-free all day long. This mascara uses advanced hair care technology to coat lashes with a "glazing" gel-formula that sculpts, holds, and sets each lash for maximum impact.





































Initial thoughts: Clump-city!
Glaze, whaaa? I had no clue about the fancy technology of this mascara. Hmm. Though it did volumize well, and uniformly (haha), it didn't build well and was very quick to clump. It gives nice volume, but not very much length. The brush is also another soft brush, like that of Hourglass and Fresh Supernova.


Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash, $22
- Gives lashes curl, volume, length, and intense pigment. Specially designed to give the lashes an exceptional volume-enhancing effect with infinite lengthening and immediate curling. The tough, dense brush penetrates into the roots of the lash to ensure that the lash is completely coated with mascara.

















































Initial thoughts: When did I put on false lashes?!
-
My first thought when I looked at the "tough dense" brush, whose bristles seem to spike out sporadically, was that this mascara was going to be a mess. Wrong! This mascara is AMAZING. It has it all-- volume, length, definition, color. Everything! It doesn't give insane length but dang it's still very acceptable. Just look at the pics!


Blinc Kiss Me Mascara, $24
- The famous pioneering, tube-technology water-resistant mascara. It forms tiny water-resistant "tubes" around your lashes for maximum amplification and hold, rather than painting them like conventional mascaras. Once applied, the tubes bind to your lashes and cannot run, smudge, clump, or flake, even if you cry or rub your eyes. Adds both volume and length to give a radiant natural look that lasts all day.






















































Initial thoughts: Where did my lashes go..?
- Okay, the tube technology is SO COOL. I love it! Though, this mascara is one I will likely not even use again, even on bottom lashes. It gave good length, but no volume whatsoever, like it claims. To have no volume, it should have some pretty impressive length, but it just doesn't. This reminds me of CoverGirl's LashBlast Length. It's more of a natural look, and might work well as a topper to another mascara to tube-ify it. We shall see!


So what do you think now? Of the 10, which do you want to/will try? I want to hear what you all think! Mascara is my favorite. =)

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

LashStash~ pt. 1

Hello all!

I was so floored by this little gift that I decided to try all 10 mascaras last night. Yup! All 10.... wouldn't you? ;)

I decided to do the LashStash in 2 parts, as to not super-overwhelm (like the e.l.f. posts.. hehe). So here's the plan:
- Name of mascara with link to it on Sephora, price
- Basic idea of what it claims
- Pic of the mascara, pics of me with it on (top lashes only), and my initial thoughts.

Please keep in mind, I am incredibly demanding of my mascaras-- all of these are good choices, but with different strengths/weaknesses, obviously. Just a head's up!
(Also, for a refresher on how puny my lashes are sans mascara, look here.)

Got it? =)

Let's go!


Too Faced Lashlight- $25
- Contains millions of microscopic mirrors that bounce light off lashes for a super-glossy, jet-black finish with an exclusive light up wand to spotlight each lash for the most precise application process. Thickens, lengthens, and conditions. Makes eyes look brighter, whiter, and camera-ready.









































Initial thoughts: Good mascara, but I didn't flip-out.
The brush is nice because it really grabs your lashes, so it does a good job at lengthening. However, the volume wasn't as much as I would like. I also didn't feel like it was very "jet-black." The light and mirror is a neat idea, but when would you ever need to apply mascara in the dark? I mean, very rarely, and the light sort of blinds you. Not executed well.


Tarte MultiplEYE Clinically-Proven Natural Lash Enhancing Mascara, $24
- Immediately increases the appearance of lash volume by 638% while increasing appearance of length with regular use. Fortifies lashes. Natural ingredients. Achieve maximum results by using as a part of the 3-step regimen.








































Initial thoughts: 638% Not so much..
- This mascara is not easily buildable. It gives great length, ok volume. It clumped a little bit, and I think the brush had a lot to do with it. Something's off, I can't quite pin-point it.


Sephora Advanced Lash Booster, $17
- Scientifically proven to enhance four lash characteristics: length, thickness, fullness, and strength. Uses 360 degree action to fortify your fringe to deliver and instantly visible volumizing effect. Harnesses "coating elements" with microspheres that triple the penetration of active ingredients. (Percentages on link above).





































Initial thoughts: Possibly the biggest disappointment of the bunch.
- You had to put on a lot of coats in order to have any real noticeable length/volume. Although it builds decently at the beginning, by the time you reach the point where the length/volume is noticeable, it starts clumping! Ah! All-in-all it gives fair length, but sub-par volume.


Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara, $28
- Offers multiple fringe benefits in one full-spectrum formula. Signature hourglass-shaped brush adds volume, length, lift, and separation. Jet black seen for dramatic impact.




















































Initial thoughts:I feel so fancy!
-
The brush is soft- in a good way!- and reminds me of Fresh's SuperNova mascara wand. FYI I like these wands for some reason, just seem to work nicely for building. It gives fabulous length! (I added in a 3rd pic to show it). However, after a few swipes I started getting those little itty bitty balls on the tips~ I habitually pinched them off before taking a picture, sorry. =\ The overall effect of this one reminds me of Maybelline's Lash Stiletto.


Josie Maran GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara, $22
- Volume-boosting mascara that naturally plumps and curls for maximum lash drama. Triple V brush coats lashes one luxurious layer at a time for full, longwearing, clump-free, water-resistant definition. Blacker-than-black lashes with a dewy shine. Natural formula. Argan oil conditions and supports hair growth for lush, supple, healthy lashes.























































Initial thoughts: This is it! I've found it!
-
This one truly delivers. Volume, length, and definition. Reminds me of Lancome's Hypnose Drama. Although it took a lot of effort/time to get to this point- it builds slowly- I think it was worth it! Look how fab my lashes look! *Bat*Bat* =D


So what do you think? Which one is your favorite out of these 5? I'll tell you which I loved the most Thursday, after you see all 10 of them. =)

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven

Sunday, December 12, 2010

LASH STASH!!!!!

Hello! Hope everyone had a lovely weekend~

If you follow my Twitter (BeautyMaven8) you might have noticed a special comment about me getting Sephora's Lash Stash this weekend... =D

Oh? Not familiar? Let me introduce you!

Sephora's Lash Stash Deluxe Sample is "An eye-catching holiday collection for the mascara-obsessed that features a purple Tarte eyelash curler and 10 of Sephora's most sought-after mascaras from the hottest-selling brands."

The set contains:
- 0.31 oz Too Faced LashLight Mascara in Black (full size)
- 0.11 oz Josie Maran GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara in Pitch Black
- 0.1 oz Tarte MultiplEYE Clinically-Proven Lash Enhancing Mascara in Black
- 0.1 oz Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara in Black
- 0.141 oz Blinc Kiss Me Mascara in Black
- 0.207 Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara in Black
- 0.20 oz Buxom Lash Mascara in Blackest Black
- 0.14 oz Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara in Black
- 0.09 oz Sephora Collection Advanced Lash Booster in Black
- 0.16 oz Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara in Onyx
- Tarte Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler


There is not a smiley emoticon big enough to express my utter glee.

Here are some pictures!








































I'm going to be trying these out this week~ tomorrow I'll have some pictures of each on and my initial thoughts.

I can't wait to share this with you and get your thoughts!!

What mascara are you using now? Favorite of all time?

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven