New Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Polish!

I'm a huge nail polish fan.... just like with every other cosmetic out there, I'm a hoarder. I spotted Revlon's new line of nail polishes while browsing CVS and just had to try it out. It retails for $7.49. I tried to find it at Walmart (since it would probably be cheaper) but couldn't find it, most likely because it's fairly new and Walmart is always a little behind on new cosmetic releases.

The shade I purchased is called "Rainforest". It's a deep hunter green, almost blackish, with little flecks of gold and light green glitter. This nail polish claims to be very long wearing and chip resistant. Inspired by the current no-chip, soak-off-gel craze, the formula includes UV-sensitive elements so the polish doesn’t just dry — it cures. And it does so in natural light, for a stronger, hardier finish than regular polish

I like to keep my nails short and oval shaped, and I don't believe in paying to get them done because I enjoy DIY manis and pedis. A lot of my friends talk about not being able to paint their own nails correctly, so maybe I'm just one of the lucky few who were gifted with that talent?

Anyway, I absolutely adore this nail polish. It applied very evenly, with no streaks or bubbles. The color was very opaque, however it recommends applying two coats. The drying time leaves something to be desired, as it felt somewhat tacky after a few minutes.... but I guess that could be due to the gel-like consistency of it. I started with a quick dry base coat from Revlon, then two coats of this polish, then finished with Insta-Dry Topcoat from Sally Hansen. Here's the final product!

As far as the wear and durability goes, I guess I'll just have to wait and see! I'll update with that soon.

And here's a couple tips to dry your nail polish faster if you're in a hurry:

Always use a basecoat. It allows for a more even application and protects your nails underneath.

Use a fast dry topcoat. Most out on the market today dry in 30 seconds.

Dip your nails in a sink full of ice cold water for 30 seconds. Repeat this 2 or 3 times. This "freezes" the polish and allows it to harden and dry faster.

Use a hairdryer on the cool setting for a few minutes. Whatever you do don't use warm air or it will make your polish tacky.

Smokey Pewter Eye With Navy Liner

This is a fun yet still somewhat neutral eye look that can be worn day or night.

Products used:
* Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in "Tough as Taupe"
* Rimmel London Glam Eyes Mono Eyeshadow in "Night Jewel"
* Rimmel London Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in "Deep Ocean"
* Dior Diorshow Extase Mascara in Black
* Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara in Blackest Black


Now I didn't do actual step by step photos seeing as how this is my first tutorial, but I did take a bunch of different pictures from different angles to give you guys an idea of what it looks like. I will, however, list the steps... it's actually pretty simple!

I started first with the Maybelline taupe eyeshadow. Its a very creamy consistency so its super easy to blend. I put this all over my eyelid, up to the crease and a little above. Now, I know a lot of girls like to use eyeshadow brushes and applicators... I like to use my fingertips. Call me crazy, but I find it a lot less messy and easier to blend and achieve the look I want. After letting the cream taupe shadow dry for a few seconds, I used the Rimmel shadow in Night Jewel... it's a very dark charcoal color with a hint of shimmer. I used this on the outer half and corners of my eyelids, blending into a roundish shape. After that, I used the navy liner to line my lower lid and waterline, then I smudged it a little. I finished with three or four coats of two different mascaras.

If you wanted to tone this look down a bit, you could substitute the navy liner for black, gray or brown. I love navy though, it makes the whites of your eyes look whiter and totally brightens up your eye.

Say Hello To The Future Of Shampoo/Conditioner!

Once again, L'Oreal has hit the mark with their "Ever" line of haircare. I'm already a fan of their EverPure and EverSleek products due to their natural ingredients and great results. My hair is color treated, dry and damaged... so the milder the ingredients, the better. New for 2012 is their EverCreme line. Boasting a sulfate and alcohol free formula, this line consists of shampoo, conditioner, a leave-in spray, styling products such as a smoothing cream, volume mousse and curl boosting gel.... AND this cleansing conditioner. I've always wanted to try something like this, but I refuse to pay the outrageous prices for them (Wen and Kerastase, I'm talking about you!). I finally got my hands on it after checking Walmart numerous times with no luck... I purchased it at Rite Aid for $7.49.

Unlike traditional 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioners, this doesn't contain the harsh cleansers that strip hair of natural oils. Its actually not even good to shampoo your hair every day, as it dries your hair out and removes all the protective oils and natural moisture. This comes in a convenient pump bottle that locks to prevent accidental pumping. Its a very creamy, thick consistency and smells like a delicious mix of vanilla and amber. It doesn't lather very much, but then again its not really supposed to. The directions say to work 2-3 pumps through hair from roots to ends and leave on 1-2 minutes. No separate conditioner required.

The end result? My hair smelled absolutely amazing! And it felt surprisingly clean too. After letting it air dry, it seemed a bit softer and smoother. I didn't see a significant improvement in manageability or shine, but perhaps I haven't been using it long enough. I doubt I will be using this every day though. I would suggest mixing it up with shampoo/conditioner combo, dry shampoo and this.

Three Mascaras I'm Using Right Now!

Alright, for my first post I figured I'd review something that EVERY girl most likely loves. We've all had our share of love/hate relationships with it, and I know I continue almost every day in search of the perfect one. No, I'm not talking about men. I'm talking about mascara! The one beauty product that can make us feel instantly glam. With hundreds of low-end and high-end brands out there, each one claiming to be more amazing than the last, it can be tough to weed through the never-ending sea of mascaras. With time and lots of experimenting, I've come across these three gems that for the most part do what they promise! Here's a quick review.

Before- No Mascara



Before- No Mascara



Lancome Hypnose Drama

What it claims: 

Get instant lash drama in a single coat with this ultra volume-boosting mascara that’ll take lashes from so-so to show-stopping. The full contact brush, with its S-shaped curve, grasps and loads lashes for a fanned out, full body fringe. Lancôme’s luxe Texturizing Complex features highly saturated waxes and intense black pigments for maximum lash volume. The triple coating system delivers a fluid and creamy application to quickly and easily build big, battable lashes that won’t clump or flake.

Does it deliver? ABSOLUTELY. With its "S" shaped brush and thick, inky formula it gives me plumped up lashes with amazing curl. It does have a faint floral scent to it, as I've heard most Lancome mascaras do. This doesn't really bother me though because it fades quickly and isn't too strong. Now since the formula is super thick, it does have a tendency to get a little clumpy after the 2nd coat (but that's not a problem for me considering I actually like a little bit of clump to my mascara). The different curves of the brush allow you to apply this mascara several different ways. I like to use the flat side to load up on product, and then curved part as sort of spoon brush to fan out and separate my lashes. This is the 2nd Lancome mascara I've tried, and I really do like it. I tried the Doll Lashes before and absolutely hated it. This product retails for $25 at Lancome stores and online. Is it worth the price? I think so.



After



After

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions

What it claims:
Build lashes with 4mm of measurable extensions! Illegal Length Mascara's fiber extensions break every law of lengthening. Created with the longest fibers ever in a mascara, Illegal Length's patented sealing formula and Fiber-Fix Brush give your lashes a dramatically longer look.

Does it deliver? Yes and no. While I really like this mascara, I'm not completely wowed by it. I've never been a huge fan of fiber mascaras, considering I wear contacts and they always seem to leave little scratchy hairs all through my eye. This one however is not so bad. The brush is somewhat skinny and straight with a ton of bristles, its pretty easy to work with. The formula is pretty wet and gives a nice glossy, black sheen. Does it give you crazy length? Yes. My lashes were so long they were practically touching above my eyelid. And it really doesn't take too many coats to achieve the look. However, this does not give the best volume. And I have to have volume. My lashes are naturally pretty full and dark, but this really doesn't make them any fatter. It just adds loads of length and separates pretty well. If that's what you're going for though, you'll probably love this. I like to layer this over a volumizing mascara to get the look I want. This retails anywhere between $7 - $9 depending on where you buy it. I got mine at Walmart for $6.49. Overall its a pretty decent drugstore mascara.

After

After

Dior Diorshow Extase

What it claims:
DiorShow Extase provides built-in treatment benefits and high-impact lashes in a single stroke! The spherical-shaped Black Pearl Pigments create a 3D volume effect and the exclusive Metamorphosis Powders expand in size by up to 50% after application. Also, SR38 Patented Ceramid brings additional care, reconstructing damaged lashes and promoting stronger and fuller lashes.
The Extase mascara features a "Tiered Brush" that is inspired by the "tiered" couture dresses created by the House of Dior. The brush is designed for performance and contains an Exclusive Duo of Fibers: The Black Elastomer Fibers brush out and define the lashes for panoramic fringe and the Gold Nylon Fibers hold and deposit formula, generously coating each lash for outstanding volume

Does it deliver? I suppose. This is the first Diorshow consistency between dry and wet. I prefer my mascaras on the dryer side, they tend to work better and are more buildable. As far as it expanding my lashes after application or making them thicker with use? I haven't really seen a difference. Maybe because I switch and layer mascaras so often. I have experienced a decrease in lash loss though since using this, so maybe it does work. Overall its a pretty good multi-tasking mascara... it gives good length, amazing volume and holds a curl well. It doesn't really do much in the separating department though, so you probably should use a lash comb with it. It retails for $28 at Sephora and Nordstrom. Is it worth the price? I don't mind paying that much, but I think you can get a better high-end mascara for cheaper.

After

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