Maybelline Lipstick in Very Cherry

This is 635 Very Cherry by Maybelline. It is a super bright red with a slight gloss. It has a nice smooth texture and it goes on evenly.

And! It smells really good. This is such a plus for me. I find it's the little things on top of a good or even moderate product that make it soo much better. Another of these things is the packaging on this- I love the highly reflective silver base and the transparent red lid.

It wears pretty well, especially if you wear a lip liner underneath. And if you don't touch anything. As soon as I do, I find there's a lot of transfer and it sticks better to my thermos than it does to my lips!

Swatch of Maybelline 635 Very Cherry

I find this colour comparable to my Revlon 740 Certainly Red. This is creamier, but doesn't stay put as long.

Maybelline 635 Very Cherry (left) and Revlon 740 Certainly Red (right)

Duo Brush-On Adhesive

This is the Duo Brush-On Adhesive with Vitamins. It's a white adhesive that dries clear. It has a little brush that applies the glue to the lash strip.

I was a little afraid to venture away from my Ardell glue which has always been really good for me. And when I started to put it in the lashes, it turned indigo blue from whatever was on the lashes before and I was afraid it wouldn't dry clear.

But it was all okay! It stayed strong throughout the day (I even went bike riding!) and disappeared once it dried.

I found applying it more of a hassle because of having to dip it back into the bottle several times to cover the entire lash band. On the other hand I didn't have to get my finger messy like with the squeeze tubes! 

Dove Energizing Body Mist and Dove Sleek Styling Cream

I've been using Dove body mists for quite a while now. I started out with the Cool Essentials Cucumber and Green Tea which was pretty good. It was refreshing and not overpowering at all. The Energizing Grapefruit and Lemongrass that I have now is a more mature scent that somehow grew on me. These sprays don't last all that long which is sad. I'm using it for now but I'll probably move on to another scent soon.

The Damage Therapy Straight and Soft Sleek Styling Cream is really good. I don't think they make this anymore- I've been hoarding mine and using sparingly! You apply it wet, and although it doesn't actually straighten my hair at all (I just have a natural wave that even my iron has a hard time with), it's great for styling, conditioning, defrizzing, and making my hair a bit thicker. You definitely don't need that much either, especially since too much will dry white in your hair. I'll have to find something else like it!

Sunday Shoe Day! Call It Spring Pointed-Toe T-Strap

These are quite the shoes. They have the highly reflective gold heel which I love, especially contrasted with the black. And I find it interesting that there's the ankle strap but it also has a closed heel. These look really cool but I don't wear them anywhere that I have to stand a lot because the incline is rather steep (since there's no platform at the front) and they aren't that sturdy. 

I really like them though, and I usually don't like the pointed-toe on heels that much. I call them my Elvira shoes - I just have to get a pair of slouchy black leg warmers to wear with them! 

Essence lipstick in Look At Me!

I got this a while back and didn't really use it that much. I've started wearing it a little more now for the Fall season. It looks like a shiny nude colour in the packaging, but the swatch looks copper, and it seems more bronze on the lips. It is really shimmery and shiny though! There's a ton of little flecks of shine that are super reflective.

It's good for a quick application, but it does need to be reapplied quite often. The texture is really smooth and creamy, and it smells like vanilla which is a major plus! I find I mostly wear it over other lipsticks because my style tends toward bold lips, and on its own this is a subtle colour with quite a bit of transparency.

Swatch of Essence lipstick in 40 Look At Me!

Reversa Cleansing Micellar Solution

This is the Reversa Cleansing Micellar Solution for sensitive face and eyes.

I found that this lives up to the claim of working for sensitive skin. There is no redness or burning sensation left by this product. On the other hand I need a lot to get the job done. I usually end up using another cleanser along with it. To be fair I do wear heavy black liner for a cat eye most days so it may work amazing for a light makeup look. I like the fact that it isn't oily at all, it just needs to be more potent!

Annabelle Volume Lip Plumping Gloss

I got two of these in a sales bin a few weeks back. I saw the colour and couldn't resist! I've really been liking the bright corals and neon oranges this summer. I got 840 Metro Mango and 845 So Sanguine.

Although these swatch beautifully, they just weren't what I was expecting as a lip colour. They're hard to apply because you have to squeeze the bottle as you're applying it. The texture is quite sticky and it bothers me almost as soon as I apply it. And the worst part is that my base lip colour doesn't work with the gloss colour.

I tried making my lips closer to my skin tone with concealer (Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer, reviewed here), which actually did a really good job of making the colour better and the texture not quite as sticky. It is still hard to apply though. I use a brush, which also helps get the colour even across the lip. Quite a process for a gloss!

Swatches of Annabelle Volume Lip Plumping Gloss
Top: 845 So Sanguine 
Bottom: 840 Metro Mango

Bare Minerals Original Foundation

I was given the Bare Minerals original foundation in N20 medium beige as a sample in Sephora a little while back and I've only just gotten around to trying it now.

It wasn't quite what I was expecting. It has so many good reviews but for a few reasons it just doesn't work with my skin, which makes me sad.

Although this foundation has some coverage, my skin just seems to soak it up. Maybe my skin is too oily where I need the coverage, I don't know. I feel like this would work great for a dry skin type that already has a more even skin tone.

Next I tried it as a setting powder. If I manage to get it very, very lightly in the brush it works quite well. It is a foundation though, so I still have to check that it is well blended in. Usually I find it just cakes my foundation unfortunately. 

I also don't like the smell. If this worked well with me I wouldn't really notice as much, but because it doesn't it bothers me so much more.

I do, however, really like the packaging. I'm all about that matte black!

Swatch of bareMinerals Original in medium beige

Products Post: GOSH BB Skin Perfecting Kit

I can't give very good pictures of the inside of this because it's mostly used up! (I had to dig some product out of the creases with a tool for the swatches) A friend gave it to me because it wan't working for her (she got it in 01 Light) but it worked okay for me.

But I can say that it was really good as an eye primer, under eye concealer, and highlighter. Unfortunately I have yet to find something that works wonders on my spots! And at first I really didn't like the lightest colour in the palette as a highlighter (which is what it is supposed to be) using instead the lighter skin tone as under eye concealer and highlighter. But it somehow grew on me and it gets used as a good dewey highlighter on its own or as a primer for a powder highlighter.

I really like the fact that there's two skin tones together in this kit. It's perfect for blending together and just being able to use a different tone depending on the place you're putting it or how your skin looks that day. The texture is really smooth and it blends in well. It does crease at first, but if I wipe off the excess it won't again.

Swatches of GOSH BB Skin Perfecting Kit in 01 Light
From L to R: Light concealer, skin tone concealer, highlighter

Products Post: Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen

So.. my first impression of this was pretty bad. But keep with me here!

I'd been looking for a liquid eyeliner in pen form because I find then pens easier to use, and somehow ended up with this. The first time I used it- great! It went on black and dried quickly. I think I wasn't using it with any other make up the first time either.

The next time I used it, it wouldn't go on worth anything. The colour just wouldn't flow through the end of the pen no matter what I tried! So I stored it upside down and left it alone for a while.

One day when I was just home for a minute and had to freshen up my makeup, I grabbed it to see if it could quickly fix my eyeliner and it worked just fine!

Since then I've discovered that it's perfect for fixing up hours old makeup, or for using on days off when I just want to put on lipstick and a bit of eyeliner to give my skin a rest. But it doesn't work for my normal routine on top of fresh primer and shadow- it seems to just dry up the pen. And like I said, storing it upside down helps too! It's never gotten quite as black as the first time, but it still gives okay lines and a thin point, which works for what I use it for!

Swatches showing different lines drawn with
the Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in 01 Blackest Black

Sunday Shoe Day! Not Rated Peep-Toe Platform

As promised here are my next pair of shoes! They are from the same company as last time: Not Rated.

There are so many things that I love about these shoes. The black with chrome accents is the most obvious. I also love the subtle strips of grey animal print that line the inside and show a bit on the outside when I'm wearing them. Something not shown in the pictures is the way the light reflects off the black. It looks like it's ribbed, but in actuality it is smooth. It just seems to add that little bit more detail that make you keep staring at them for waayyy too long.

They're super sturdy and have the smooth plastic base, which means I can salsa in them! They don't have a strap on them though so we'll see how it goes. Great for nights out though!

Products Post: Rimmel Sun Shimmer Maxi Bronzer

I picked this up in a sales bin a few weeks ago, and I'm super happy with it! It comes in a big ol' round case that is maybe not the best for carrying around, but it just feels nice in my hands. And the lid makes that satisfying click when you close it.

I'm already pretty tanned after the summer, but my foundation routine tends to bring my tan down a shade and this is perfect for bringing it back up! I bought the 003 Sun Queen - I could probably go a shade darker and have it be okay. I really like that it goes on light, but one drawback is that it isn't as buildable as I'd like for contouring. And it is a matte shade, even though it says shimmer (not that I mind). Overall really good though!

Swatches of Rimmel Sun Shimmer Maxi Bronzer in 003 Sun Queen. 
Left is done with a finger and right is done with a brush.

Product Post: CoverGirl Triple Auqastay Mascara

This is my main mascara right now so I thought I'd share it!

I'm really liking the brown mascaras and although this is technically soft black it looks brown to me! The softer blacks/browns still give the length and darken things up but they just make the look less harsh. I'm really enjoying the softer looks apparently!

The Triple Aquastay Mascara has a really nice texture and although I still find myself wiping some off of the wand onto the rim of the bottle before applying, it doesn't clump or smear or go on too thick. It stays put all day, and even at night when my eyes are watering more it doesn't run down my face. 

Swatch of CoverGirl Triple Aquastay Mascara in Soft Black

Products Post: Rimmel Foundation and Concealer

I use my Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation every day and I like it a lot. I have mixed type skin and it just seems to go on nicely everywhere. It's good on its own but a lot of the time I find my self mixing in a bit of my Rimmel Clean Finish Matte foundation to give it a bit more coverage. I use about a 2:1 ratio of WMU to CFM.

I find it hard to use the Clean Finish Matte on its own. Even with primer my pores show up under it and it's just a bit too much on the cakey side. As you can see in the pictures, it's hard to blend in nicely. Again, mixing a bit of this in with the Wake Me Up is perfect!

I have the WMU in 103 True Ivory and the CFM in 240 Soft Beige.

Sometimes I'll use the Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer (in 230 Very fair/light) over top to cover spots. I find this concealer's real strength is in being an under eye concealer instead of a spot concealer. It takes me quite a few coats to cover major spots, though minor ones are just fine. It blends really nicely, and of course it works better if I leave a dab of it on the spot before I blend it in.

Swatches left to right: Wake Me Up foundation,
Clean Finish Matte foundation, Wake Me Up Concealer

Swatches blended into skin

Products Post: Revlon Lipstick

There's three red Revlon lipsticks that I keep going back to and I thought I'd share them with you.

Clockwise from back left: 725, 740, 010

1.  Super Lustrous Lipstick Creme 725 Love That Red

This is just such a nice bright lipstick that is fresh enough for summer and festive enough for fall and winter. It also seems to go with any shade of red I'm wearing or contrast a blue or grey. I find it goes on quite nicely and I rarely need to use a liner or a brush to apply. Although it can last me the day I find myself reapplying it once or twice, especially after eating. 

2.  Super Lustrous Lipstick Creme 740 Certainly Red

This one is a bit more a true red than the 725 (725 has more of an orange base) but it's still really similar. I reach for it a lot more in the fall and winter, though I do use it in the summer. It has the same wear and application pattern.

3. Colorburst Lipstick 010 Plum

This is definitely a purple red. Of course I use it a lot more in the fall/winter, but I have a certain summery gold shirt that just pops with this lip colour. It has a bit of a sheerness to it and I find the colour looks better and stays better with a liner or a stain underneath. I'm pretty sure this line was turned into something else, since I can't find it on the website (you can still buy it elsewhere online). This makes me so sad because besides being a good colour, the packaging details are just lovely and I'll probably keep the tube once it's gone!

Swatches of 725, 740, and 010

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Products Post: Clean & Clear

Recently I've been trying out a couple of Clean & Clear products and thought I would share my thoughts. 

The first is the pore perfecting cleanser:

It has a bit of a perfume scent to it and for a cleanser it has the texture of a moisturizer - silky and smooth. But it does leave my face clean. I've been using it in the morning and before bed for about a month now. As I said it does work well as a cleanser, but I haven't noticed a huge amount of difference in my pores and I'm still breaking out. And it takes quite a rinse to remove all the product. So good, but not great. 

The second is the deep cleaning astringent for sensitive skin:

I've been using it morning and night for about two weeks now. It goes on nicely and it has a bit of a medical smell. It says it's an astringent (treats and prevents pimples) as well as a toner. It says it's step two in the Clean & Clear step method. You put it on after you wash your face, up to three times a day. It leaves my face a bit dry so I sometimes put on another moisturizing toner on after. Although I haven't seen a huge difference in my face, my neck and chest have cleared up quite a bit. So I'm going to continue to use it and see what happens. 

Hakoya Kinoko Lunchbox!

I came to work yesterday to find a super nice surprise waiting for me!

This is the Kinoko Lunchbox in red:

It has a strap with grips on one side to hold it all together. Then the head comes off to become a bowl!

There's two containers inside, each with lids. And then a cold pack that you can put in the freezer that goes between the containers (notice extensive do not eat signs). The entire thing is so cute!

Most of it is microwave friendly - just not the soft lids inside (and the cold pack?). It does however have a warning on the inside to not microwave for more than 2 minutes, so no frozen food! It also says is's made in Japan and that it's BPA free.

This will be perfect if I start taking salads to work! It makes me want to cook little food items to put inside!