Maybelline Color Tattoo-Inked In Pink

I have had this product for a little while, but I wanted to wear it a couple of times before I gave my thoughts.  This is a new Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow in the color Inked In Pink.  It is part of their new Metals Collection.  I only picked up two from this collection.  I purchased Inked In Pink and Barely Branded. (My thoughts on Barely Branded can be found: HERE!)  It would seem that these are the two that received the most attention.   This is probably because they are the most wearable in the group.

I really enjoy the Color Tattoos.  I tend to avoid the bright colors and stick with the more tame, wearable ones.  This is just my personal preference of colors I wear most often.   I find these to be long wearing and highly crease resistant.  I say it that way because some days I have absolutely no creasing, and then on other days I will notice some slight creasing after several hours.  It just depends on my skin and the weather that day, really.  As a note, I do have oily skin and lids.   If I wear a primer, I have absolutely no creasing what so ever.   These don't crease nearly as bad as a lot of other creme products that can be found (drugstore or otherwise).  They go on smooth and blend nicely, but after a couple of moments they set up and adhere to the skin.

I love that I can lightly dab these on and get a light wash or go back in with a second layer and really build up the color.   When I go in a second time, I don't find that it goes on patchy or creates balling of the product.  It still goes on smooth. 

I like to use my fingers to apply these.  I have tried brushes, but I just find that the warmth and texture of skin vs bristles applies a more smooth, uniform layer. I start by just dabbing it into place and then swipe (gently) to smooth it over.  

This particular color brightens the face nicely.  It is pink, but it has a sort of pink champagne or rose gold quality to it.   It gives color to the face but can be done up or worn minimally.  I find it looks fantastic when simply worn with a bit of mascara, blush, and a light gloss/lipstick.   It is a no fuss kind of color. 

If you are someone who likes to set a powder over all of the Color Tattoos, a good pairing is the L'Oreal Infallible shadow in Amber Rush.  It isn't identical, but it pairs lovely.  At times I also just set with a translucent setting powder, that works fine as well.  

Alien Sunessence Eau De Toilette

There is no mistaking this perfume (or Eau De Toilette, rather.  I am sure die hard fragrance fans will cringe with how often I will refer to this as a perfume).  It is easy to tell that it is a member of the Thierry Mugler Alien perfume family.  This particular one is Alien Sunessence.  If it is possible to find a lighter, more warm weather appropriate version of Alien, this is likely to be the one.

This came out in early 2009, along side the Angel Sunessence fragrance.  It is marketed to be a lighter, more summery scent.  Granted, you can't really make any version of Alien light, as we would traditionally think (ie: all the fruity floral perfumes floating around).

I only have a mini of this perfume, seeing as I was uncertain how I would really feel about it, and how often I'd wear it.  The bottle is very beautiful, even as a small one.  It's a sunshine yellow that is shaped almost like a jewel. It is supposed to look like a citrin gem. It is a spray bottle, which is a bit unique to mini sized perfumes.  Most have the little cap that you have to pull off and then dab the juice (or liquid) onto your skin. It cannot stand up, as the base is pointed, so it lays on its side. I choose to keep my perfumes in their boxes, so it does stand upright inside of the box while it is stored away with the rest of my fragrances.  I would suggest being careful if you have the mini and want to keep it out on display, laying on its side.  My bottle leaked a bit in transit after purchase.  I think it was completely due to the way it lays.

I am not one of those on the Alien obsessed train, but I do like Sunessence much, much more.  It is somewhat lighter and more pleasant to my nose. It opens very heavy on jasmine, as you'd expect from any Alien, but also has traces of fresh lemon.  The lemon is almost overpowered by the jasmine, however, the hints of lemon are just enough to make this feel more bright. Alien can be almost chokingly strong, but this one I can stand right from the initial spritz. 

After about a half hour of wear, it calms down just the tiniest bit.  It is still powerful, but seems to have settled somewhat.  At this point, I feel that it takes on more of a clean smell.  It reminds me of stepping out of the shower and the smells of shampoo and body wash still clinging to the skin.

I don't find that this really develops or changes too awfully much throughout wearing it.  While it mellows out some, I still really pick up on the same set of fragrance notes.  The listed notes are: lemon, jasmine, cashmeran, amber, vanilla, and green notes.

All in all, I really like this fragrance. I am able to handle it much more easily.  I find it to have a powerful kick, but not enough to bowl me over.  It is crisp enough to be absolute perfection in the spring and summer.  Heck, it is still winter and I've been enjoying it lightly spritzed onto my wrists.   I think if you like the original Alien, you might appreciate this as a younger, more playful (but still classy) sister to it.  Further, if you are someone who really wanted to love Alien, but just couldn't get beyond how strong it is, this would be the perfect way to still get your Alien fix.... in a lighter dose! 

Please keep in mind that while I describe this as lighter and more fresh smelling than the original Alien perfume, it is not at all a light fragrance by today's standards.  It most definitely is lighter when you compare the usual Theirry Mugler perfumes, though. I just wanted to stress that because I don't want someone to be persuaded to purchase this, and then be shocked by what they receive. 

Cover Girl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation

After I returned my Revlon Colorstay foundation a little while back, I have been back on the hunt for a good drugstore foundation.   I don't often have luck when it comes to liquid foundations.  Typically, they look okay initially, but will quickly oxidize, slide, separate, etc.   The Revlon Colorstay was amazing, but unfortunately, I  learned that it doesn't work with my chemistry.  I ended up breaking out in painful, cystic pimples. 

(side note: as long as it works well with your chemistry and you are certain to wash away all traces at the end of the day, I think it is a fantastic foundation to try out. You can see my review: HERE!)

I first saw this foundation pop up in my local Target store just after Christmas.  I should have bought it back then because it still had a $5.99 price tag.  It seems that the price has jumped up now.  I think, according to another blog, that was an introduction price.  Once they have launched it everywhere, the price will be set just around $10.00.   I bought mine at a Meijer store for $9.99.  This was close to the same price (if not the very same) that I paid for the Revlon Colorstay. 

This foundation claims to be not just a foundation, but a primer and concealer as well! "All day flawless coverage. Lasting power of a primer, coverage of a concealer, and blendability of a foundation in one. Shine free." One should be able to apply this to the skin without having the extra steps of a primer and a concealer, according to the claims.  We'll get into this a little bit further down. An added bonus to this foundation is that it already contains some SPF.  There is an SPF 20 mixed into this product.  I really appreciate that, even though I still apply sunscreens to make sure I'm as protected as I can be (with a makeup product, that is)

It comes in about 14 colors, which isn't as large as the Colorstay (it has 20, plus two different formulations for each particular color), but significantly better than a lot of foundation ranges.   The lightest they offer being 805 Ivory.  If you are looking for a very pale foundation, that is as pale as you'll get from this range.  It may not cut it for everyone, and if that is the case, there are some pure white foundation mixes you can get, but typically they're not found in a place like the drugstore. 

The bottle contains 1 oz, which is about average for a foundation.  It is in a glass bottle with a blue pump dispenser. I appreciate this immensely!  So many of us have complained for long enough that we can't stand having to pour out the foundation onto our hands, a sponge, or a palette.  This makes it easier to pump out the right amount of product without worrying that we are wasting.  Good job, Cover Girl, good job!  Something that seems strange to me, however, is that a lot of people have mentioned that theirs didn't come with a lid over the pump.  Mine did.  I have a little plastic, clear lid that snaps over top of the pump, onto the bottle.

When I first tried this out, I sort of expected to get a whiff of paint, like I did with the Colorstay, but nope!  Yes, it has a scent, but to me it is more of a typical cosmetic kind of smell.  I didn't find it strong or offensive.  Once the product is blended onto the skin, the smell has gone away.  This won't mean anything to 99% of people, but for some reason, when I smell this foundation I am reminded of going through cosmetology school.  Now, for most, that is going to conjure up ideas of perm, dye, and hairspray.  While those are prominent scents...that isn't what this smells like.  I can't explain it, but something about my cosmetology school smelled like this foundation does. HAHA!

Application is very nice with this foundation.  I found I could pump out 1 full pump onto my brush (which is simply a flat top mineral brush.....it works well for buffing in this foundation), dot it around my face, and then buff it in.  It blends out with ease.  I didn't find that it dried up too fast.  I was able to work with it and get it spread across my entire face and down my neck before it dried.  

It is, obviously, heavier than a tinted moisturizer, but I don't think it is as thick as the Colorstay.   I would say this is a medium to full coverage foundation, depending on how much you apply.  I apply as little as possible, and then if I still need more coverage in certain areas, I'll go back in with a tiny bit more.  I don't feel like my face looks cakey at all when I wear this.  It does a very good job of evening my skin tone and covering blemishes.  At times, I do need to go back in with a bit of concealer in some areas, but that is really if I'm trying to 100% perfect my face.  I would feel completely comfortable applying only this and walking out of my house.  

I don't feel like my skin is suffocating with this foundation on. Obviously, I know something is there, but it doesn't feel as though I am wearing a mask.  I think it is light enough to still be comfortable.  I find this to be amazing considering it has quite good coverage.  Typically, we expect to find these types of foundations thick, heavy, and cakey. 

I have some very fine lines, but I didn't have any kind of issue with it settling into those areas.  That is a bonus!  The last thing someone with fine lines or wrinkles would want is a product settling into them and emphasizing them.

To give you an idea, I do have oily skin.  In the summer it is much worse.  So far, I have only been able to test this out through the winter months, so we'll see how things pan out in the summer.  I like that this foundation mattifies my skin without making me look deathly.  If you have dry skin I think it could go one way or the other....some will like this and others will hate it.  I did notice if I had any dry patches (from, say, a healing break out or around my nose after a cold) the foundation does cling to it a bit.  Make sure you moisturize before applying this.  Even me, having oily skin, I always make sure I have a well hydrated face first.

Each time I wear this, I treat it as I did the Revlon Colorstay.  I apply some coconut oil to my face, which breaks down the foundation (and everything else on the face).  Then, I wash with my facial cleanser to remove the makeup and the coconut oil.  Lastly, I wash a second time with my Olay ProX Brush and cleanser. This way, I am certain to remove all traces of makeup.

I have to say, so far so good.  I haven't had issues with the formulation breaking me out.  I do think this is just as worthy of hype as the Revlon Colorstay foundation.  It really does hold up to its lofty claims.  Over all, I'm very impressed.  The only negative I have is the price.  Because it is a drugstore brand, I think its price tag should be lower....but that goes for most drugstore products anymore.  They all seem to have jumped up in price over the last couple of years. :-(  If you had any interest in this foundation, I think it is worth purchasing and giving a shot.  I really do think it rivals all other drugstore foundations....  and, dare I say, some high end ones.

Cover Girl Clump Crusher Mascara

After hearing rave review after rave review on this Cover Girl mascara, I had to try it out for myself.  I'm a sucker like that!  HA!  I can only stand it so long before I have to put it to the test on my lashes.  This is the, quite popular, Cover Girl Clump Crusher mascara.  

It is a relatively new product to hit the drugstore shelves.  I've never been a big fan of Cover Girl mascaras, but the fact that this one had some lofty claims intrigued me.   I, initially, tried to get it from Target.  The stock was nearly wiped clean!  They had the brown-black or black-brown available, but I wanted to get a rich, deep black so I skipped buying it there.  I ended up finding it at a Meijer store (in the color Very Black).  I almost walked right by it!  It wasn't in a large, noticeable display.  It was sort of pushed off to the side.   The only reason I even found it was because I was scouting out the newest Maybelline Color Tattoos.  I can't recall the exact price, but I want to say it was cheaper than Target.  For some reason $7.99 sounds right, but don't quote me.

The wand on this mascara is a bit different and unique to others on the market.  It is a rubber style bristle, which I will admit isn't my favorite, typically.  Also, the brush sways or scoops down. But, it doesn't really curve a lot at the top.  This really does help to push the top lashes up as well as fitting into the corners of the eye.  I don't have large eyes, and I found this easily fit around my lashes.  I didn't feel like there were any that I couldn't reach.  

Let's talk about the curl factor, because I know that is a huge deal with lashes.  I, personally, don't feel that this mascara curls lashes.  However, if you curl your lashes first and then apply a coat of this, I do think it holds the curl nicely, and because of the shape, won't pull out the curl as you swipe on the product.  The way that I applied this mascara was to first curl my lashes, then apply a single coat to the top lashes.  Immediately after finishing one coat to the top, I'd use what is still remaining on the wand to coat the bottom lashes.  At this point, I do dip the wand back into the tube and proceed to apply a second coat to the top lashes.  I found this to be the perfect time between coats.  It was enough to let the first coat set up, but not enough to allow it to completely dry.  If I do let the first coat completely dry, it doesn't look as nice and fluttery.

The major claim on this mascara is that it won't create clumpy, spidery lashes.  Did I find that to be true?  YES!  It had the ability to really grab and evenly coat the lashes, but even as I layered it, it didn't get clumpy. I am not a fan of spider lashes (to each her own, right?), and it seemed that no matter how much I tried to build it up (within reason, obviously), it just didn't look like lashes were joining forces and turning into a total of 5 lashes around my eye.  It was amazing!  I noticed that it really opened up my eyes and even, sort of, lined my eyes.  What I mean by that, is it was nice and full at the base of each lash, creating a darkened liner-like effect, but then splayed out at the tips.  I am very impressed!

While I am not a big Cover Girl mascara fan, this particular one has 100% won me over.  I will be repurchasing it again in the future.  I highly recommend everyone check it out, especially for those who usually don't buy Cover Girl.

Coach Poppy Perfume

My husband gifted this perfume to me this past Christmas.  I first came across it in a magazine as a paper sample.  I swiped as much of it as I could onto my skin to test out.  I absolutely adored it and decided right then and there that I was going to own it at some point.  :-)

Poppy opens very crisp, fresh, and clean.  Initially, it can be strong, but give it a bit to settle in and it is beautiful.  A lot of people say they pick up on cucumber when first sprayed on.  I don't know that I can 100% say I smell that, but it does have a similar fresh kind of feel to it.  It quickly moves into a more sweet fragrance, but not sugar-sweet, in my opinion.  I pick up a good mix of floral in there, too.

About 15-20 minutes in, I know this will sound crazy, but there is something reminiscent of Curve.  Not full blown, by any means, but when I'm sniffing my wrists I get this odd deja-vu.  The two must have some similar notes in them.

At the 45 minute mark, the fragrance has settled into the skin and melded better.  Instead of seeming like a perfume that is just hovering over the skin, it has mixed in.  Now, is when I start smelling more sweet notes.  Only when breathed deeply, however, I pick up a sugar scent and the vanilla. Also, it seems that it is on the second inhale that I really notice it...almost as though the exhale from the first breath has to warm up the skin in order for those sugared layers to come to life.   It is a warm, sweet note...tons of candies and vanilla combined.  Maybe the marshmallow is what I am smelling. That is what it reminds me of at this point.  It is an extremely delicious scent.  Now, if these were the notes, constantly, from top to bottom... I would probably get bored of it and crave something to mellow it out.

I find that it has quite good projection.  My husband tells me he is able to smell it on me when I'm near him.  I prefer a perfume that can be smelled when semi close.  I don't want it to be so weak that you can only smell it if you hug me, however, I don't want it so strong that you can smell me from across the room.  Being able to pick up hints of my perfume's scent while sitting/standing near me is fine.

While the looks of the packaging and the bottle shouldn't matter, I can't help but appreciate a lovely presentation. I think the bottle is very pretty!  It isn't overly fancy, in that it is just an oval(ish) bottle, but it has a pink juice inside that lends a girlish feel to the whole perfume. I really adore the lid.  It is a golden ball with Coach texts embossed.  It says things like "coach", "love", "poppy", "1941", etc. Below that is a delicate little red orange (It has taken me FOUR MONTHS to realize this isn't red, but orange. Wow, brilliance at its finest right here!) ribbon, which is attached by an elastic.   Even the box that it comes in is eye catching.  It is a red orange with white and spatterings of yellow text.  The top, where the logo is show, is golden.  I think the bottle is pretty enough to be out on display on a mirrored tray.  Mine, however, is kept in its box in a corner shelving unit to preserve the perfume.  It is best to store fragrance in dark, cooler areas, so I have tried to do this as much as possible.

Over all, I really enjoy this perfume.  I have been wearing it quite often, even though most believe it is best suited to spring and summer. I just can't get enough of it.  As with any fragrance, it is very personal, too.  While I really love that it goes from crisp and fresh to sweet and youthful, others will think that somehow makes it boring.

The official notes are as follows...
Top: sweet, cucumber, marshmallow
Mid: mandarin orange, vanille, freesia, water lily
Base: gardenia, rose, sandalwood, jasmine, Virginia cedar

Maybelline Color Tattoo-Barely Branded vs Barely Beige

I recently stumbled across the new Maybelline Color Tattoo collection while in a Meijer store.  I decided to go ahead and pick up the two colors that had caught my attention because I know so many others haven't been able to track these down in their area (yet). I didn't want to come back later only to find them sold out. I only really wanted two: Inked In Pink and Barely Branded.   

Because Barely Branded has been suspected to be a dupe for Barely Beige (from their fall collection launch), I wanted to pick it up to compare for myself.  I already have Barely Beige plus a back up, however, curiosity  got the best of me.   I will be posting up a review/my thoughts on Inked In Pink soon, but for now, this is just to compare and discuss Barely Branded

Here, you can see Barely Branded and Barely Beige in their pots, side by side.  It is a bit difficult to tell here, but Barely Branded is slightly more golden champagne in color and Barely Beige is more golden-nude pink. 

Here they are again, but with the lid off so you can see directly in to the product.  You can see I have been using my Barely Beige.  When I took this photo I hadn't used Barely Branded yet (but have since). 

They are extremely close in color, and I don't have a preference between the two.  I enjoy them both.  When I put them on my skin, it is extremely difficult to tell a difference.  The subtle difference (one being warmer and the other being cooler) doesn't show up very strong on the lids.  It just looks like a frosted, nude-champagne kind of color.  

However, I did notice a slight difference in the consistency.  I can remember thinking that Barely Beige was super creamy and smooth when I first got it, and in comparison to some of the original Color Tattoos that were released in the first batch.  I still think it is creamy and smooth.  But, now that I have Barely Branded, I can safely say it is even more creamy than Barely Beige!  It is the best of all of the ones I have tried.   It is easy to apply, blends on well, doesn't skip or create a patchy look on the lids, yet sets up nicely and holds up all day.    It was a dream to work with.

The differences were more noticeable on this swatch while in person.  But, even in person it was extremely close.  

If you don't already own Barely Beige, I think Barely Branded is an excellent one to pick up.  I don't feel as though you'd be missing out in the least.  If you already have Barely Beige, I don't think it is entirely necessary to run out and buy Barely Branded.  That is, of course, unless you are like me and curiosity is encouraging the buy (which I totally understand!).  

My understanding is that, while Barely Beige was limited edition, Barely Branded will become a part of the permanent, core collection. This is good news for all of us who have wanted a good quality, affordable option for cream shadow/eyeshadow base!

It would seem that a lot of places are selling these for between $6-$7 (and some change).  I found mine at Meijer for $5.99.  Since that was the cheapest I had heard of, and the only place, at this point, that I had seen them, I went ahead and bought it.  These should start showing up in some BOGO 1/2 off sales, though, so you can likely get it for cheaper. 

Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara

One of my favorite mascaras is Clinique High Impact mascara. I was hoping to find a mascara from the drugstore that would be a good dupe for it.  Wouldn't most of us enjoy a product that is identical (or extremely similar) for a fraction of the price?  I know I do.  So, I started doing a bit of research and most things pointed towards this Maybelline Full 'N Soft mascara.   I read a lot of reviews and decided I was going to give it a shot.

I have to say, it is pretty darned close!  It isn't spot on, but close enough that I will continue to purchase this over the Clinique High Impact Mascara.   

This mascara comes with a more traditional style brush.  It isn't a plastic or rubber bristle.  It has the bristles that twist around it.  This is more to my liking.  I will use some mascaras with the rubber wands, but more often than not, I don't enjoy them.   The traditional styled ones seem to swipe through my lashes better and create a more fluttery lash look.  The brush definitely reminds me a lot of the High Impact one.

This removed extremely easily!  It was a lot like the Clinique in that way, too.  They both will wash off without having to rub a lot or use crazy makeup removers.   I can wet my eyes and most of it will come off right then and there.  With a standard face wash, the rest cleans away.   For that reason, it isn't the best option if you need something to hold up against water, rain, or tears.  99% of the time, however, I want something that will wash away with ease.  

Now, I know some will fear that because it washes away so easily, it won't hold up throughout the day.  I didn't find any flaking away or creating circles under my eyes.  I wore this through several holiday events where I needed my makeup to stay looking fresh until the end.  I want my mascara to look perfect, just like everyone else, until I am ready for it to come off.  This held up absolutely amazing.

While wearing it, my lashes didn't feel brittle or hard.   While this isn't a make-or-break point for me, I know it is for others.  My lashes didn't feel heavy at all. Granted, with any mascara, you are going to know it is there should you take your fingers and touch your lashes, but this was significantly softer than most mascaras out there.  Hence the name, I guess!  HA!

This mascara didn't create a ton of length, but it also doesn't claim to do that.  It does make my lashes very black and full.  I don't have particularly impressive lashes while bare, but this makes them look much thicker. It was also a good layering mascara.  I found that I could layer on a couple of coats without it clumping or looking spider-like.  Further, I played around layering some other mascaras (ones for length, mostly) with this and it worked like a charm. 

I can't recall the exact price, but it wasn't too bad at all.  I do remember noticing it was cheaper than a lot of the mascaras currently on the shelf.  I bought mine from Target, but I'm certain you could find it in nearly any pharmacy/beauty department (CVS, Walgreens, Kmart, Walmart, Etc.)

Cover Girl BlastFlipStick (Minx)

This is the last of the three Cover Girl BlastFlipSticks I received.  This was the one that I assumed wouldn't work at all on me....and I was right.  The coloring is just far too dark on me and doesn't look right.  However, I can see this being stunning on someone with olive or deeper coloring. 

Interestingly enough, these applied the best of the three I had the opportunity to try.  The others went on crumbly and had a tendency to look patchy.  This one, however, went on with more ease and didn't skip or create patches.  

The color is very rich and opaque.  I did like that there wasn't a ton of glitter in this particular one.  It has sheen to it, but didn't look like chunks of glitter on.  Even though the topping color was a bit frosty, it somehow worked well with the darker base color.  It created more of a sheen than a frosty finish.  

While I don't think I'll be able to get any use of the dark side of this lipstick, I might be able to put the more golden half to use over other lipsticks.  I think it could look quite nice with a rich red, perhaps even a berry shade. 

As with all of the others, this had a very dated, wax-like scent that reminds me of lipsticks from years ago.  Further, they were just as drying as the other two.  They are certainly long wearing, however.  They leave a stain behind even after the initial application has worn off. 

Now that I have tried several from this particular collection of lip colors, I can safely tell you that I (personally) don't see any worthy hype.  I think you are better off putting your money towards one of the many lipsticks that have recently hit drugstores.  I just can't give these my seal of approval.  If you love (or just like) these, though, I would love to hear your thoughts on them and why you enjoy them.  Also, let me know if there is a particular color from this collection that you are liking! 

*Product received for free through the BzzAgent.com website and the Cover Girl campaign.  All opinions are my own.

Cover Girl Blast Flipstick (Vixen)

This is the second of three Cover Girl BlastFlipSticks that I had the chance to try out.  If you are interested in my thoughts on the first, you can check that out HERE! (for the color: Stunner) My feelings, overall, are pretty much the same.

I find them to still be crumbly, but perhaps a touch less with this one.  I didn't enjoy the way they felt on the lips and while they claim to not be drying, I definitely feel as though it sucked the moisture out of my lips. My lips were in worse shape after removal than before applying. I always take the extra step of applying a balm, too, to avoid this. 

While I didn't think I would enjoy the color, I actually believe I enjoy it more than Stunner.  I will admit this isn't a color I pull off well, but I do like it more.   I think they are more wearable (for most).   There are still bits of glitter in the main half of this product, which is something I don't particularly enjoy.  The topping half isn't glittery, but frosty.  If you went very heavy with the second side, I think the color would look extremely dated.  Lightly, though, it is lovely.

In the photo above, the swatches go: side one, side two, and combined with side two over side one. 

I don't think this is something anyone needs to rush out and find.  I just think there are so many fantastic drugstore lip products out right now and this one doesn't rank up there with the others.    These feel too much like something I'd have bought 10+ years ago (scent, formulation, and color wise).

*Product received for free through the BzzAgent.com website and the CoverGirl campaign. All opinions are my own.