Review: Covergirl Lash Blast Length

This was one of my necessity buys once I hit the beach a while back. I had left the house with absolutely zero mascara, let alone waterproof mascara to last me through a day of frolicking in the sun and sand. So late that first night, I ran over to a nearby CVS to grab some essentials. This was one of those products.

To be perfectly honest, I was looking for something super cheap. I wasn’t planning on using it past the week and thoroughly expected to just dump it. I’m not a fan of waterproof mascaras because they usually irritate my eyes to no end. Red, runny, painful eyes is just not a great experience.

Enter, LashBlast. It was cheap, it was “water resistant,” and it came from a brand I know. I opted for the brown/black color in the hopes that it would look more natural at the beach.

Well, this stuff exceeded my wildest expectations. I’m still using. And when I run out, I’m probably going to buy some more.

For something so inexpensive, it gives great length. No clumping, no “spidery” lashes. Just nice, soft color. I love wearing this on days when I’m opting for a more natural look. You know, that no-makeup makeup look. Or when I just don't want to have anything super dramatic to take away from my lips, cheeks, or shadow. 

The wear time is a little less than I was expecting, but that’s ok for me. By the time I get home, it’s not as noticeable. It’s a breeze to remove. And there are no raccoon eyes when I wash my face.

Overall, a very good purchase for being so inexpensive.

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Review: Lancome Color Design Shadow Palette

**This product was provided to me by someone on reddit. My review is unaffected.**

This eye shadow is simple and straight forward, and I love that. No fancy pants designs. Just good, pretty color. Trust Lancome to make a great product with simple, elegant packaging. 

The bright metallic pink, Makeover, is fun and funky. The metallic Pink Zinc is flattering and mature. The Pink Pearls is an excellent highlight matte. And It List, the black, is great for matte smoky perfection.

These colors go on super pigmented. Even without primer, I was able to wear Pink Zinc all day without having to reapply. The others are pretty similar to that, although they become even more sturdy when applied over primer (like with any eyeshadow).

These colors go well together, but they also look nice on their own or mixed in with other palettes. Very versatile as far as colors go.

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Birchbox June 2013: Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

This is one of those products that I love so much, it is now added to my favorites on Birchbox. Aka, my wishlist of stuff I’m going to buy once I’m not swimming in debt without a life preserver.

This stuff, first of all, smells fantastic. Amazing. Unbelievable. There are no words to describe how it makes me feel. Bright and fizzy and happy and sunny. It’s tart and tangy, lemon fresh without smelling like chemicals or anything fake. I need a perfume that smells like this. And then I need to bathe in it so I can waft around a cloud of delightful lemongrass.

I digress. This exfoliator also works wonders on skin. It’s a gentle level of exfoliation. Not too harsh, but still rough enough to slough away all of the dead skin from a winter sitting inside. It’s a great way to start the summer.

The bubbles are also something I wasn’t expecting. I know the package said “foaming cleanser,” but I wasn’t expecting this level of effervescence. It didn’t feel soapy, it just felt bubbly and nice. Like it was lifting all of the ick from my skin. Which, I suppose, it was.

Also, a little of this goes a very long way. I used this multiple times over the course of two weeks.  My skin was brighter and looked healthier. It also didn’t leave my skin dry and tight, like many cleansers and exfoliators are wont to do.

This is an excellent product that I will be purchasing again!

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Review: Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple and Juicy Papaya

I’ve been hearing about Lip Butters for a while now. Supposedly, they’re rich colors AND hydration. The best of both worlds! A lot of brands have been coming out with their own versions, like Baby Lips and Burt’s Bees. But in the end, I went with Revlon.

Why? Their color selection was much better than any other brand I’ve seen thus far. They may all be along the lines of pinks and reds, but I would rather have that than have to choose between one pink and one purple. Baby Lips, I’m lookin’ at you!

When I dropped by my local Target to pick up some goodies, I saw these bad boys and couldn’t turn them down. I went from zero lipsticks to 7 within a week. When you want it, you want it.

 First up is Candy Apple, an appropriately named…candy apple red. It’s rich and bright and sexy, which is awesome. It’s pretty pigmented for a balm, although it’s still technically on the sheerer side.

Then I grabbed Juicy Papaya, which is a smooth, barely there peach shade. It’s very natural looking on my skin tone. It looks like I just have healthy, beautiful lips. This picture makes it a touch more orangey than it actually is. 

Both shades are extremely flattering.

The hydration is amazing, though. The softness of this product easily rivals some of my most expensive lip balms, like Savannah Bee Company and Burt’s Bees. The hydration easily lasts several hours without reapplication, as well. I was super impressed. Normally, I have the urge to reapply every hour or so. But with this, I could rub my lips together frequently and still feel the slip and slide that the Revlon was still working.

I did have a slight issue with the pigment working its way into some nooks and crannies of my lips at first, but that went away after several minutes, once the softening began. Then it smoothed out.

I’m so happy with this product. It is easily worth more than the drug store price tag, and I just know that I will be buying them again and again. Not to mention these have turned into my go-to lip color. A swipe in the morning, one after lunch, and I'm good for the day. Super simple for when I'm on the clock!

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My Beach Beauty Packing List

Apologies for the radio silence as of late. I have recently gotten back from a delightful, five day vacation at that beach. It was desperately needed. And now I'm back! For starters, I'm going to tell you guys what got my hair and skin through those days in the sun, sand, and surf.

First off, sunscreen! I like to go with Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock. It's non-greasy, barely fragranced, and does its job very well. It's good for face and body, and doesn't make me feel like a slimy little eel when I jump into the ocean or pool. So far, it's the best sunscreen I've found. I go through it really rapidly, and that is one downside because it's a little pricey as far as sunscreen goes. But in my opinion, it's worth every penny.

As far as my hair goes, I have quite the routine. I have to work hard to keep my hair from turning into bright blonde straw in the sunlight. It's one of the curses of being a redhead. Before I go out in the sun, I use my Beauty Protect Spray from my one of my old Birchboxes. It keeps my hair from getting terribly damaged by all of the UV rays and keeps the ocean from tangling it up too terribly much.

When I get home from the shore, I like to use Dove's Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. I started using these for my vacations ages ago because it helps heal my hair after being out in the sun for so long. This is also one of the few times where I use conditioner every day. My hair needs the extra moisture.

I finish up with Macadamia Oil (also from a Birchbox) to help my hair dry faster, heal the damage, and keep it soft and smelling like summer. It really ties everything else together, which is awesome.

For my face, I use Simple's Refreshing Face Cleanser. It's really gentle on my skin, which is nice when I've been out in the sun and my skin feels burnt and tingly. It doesn't exfoliate, because I don't need it with all of  the wind and sun working their number on my face. It's just a way to gently remove all of the sunscreen that I've caked on throughout the day.

Combine all of this with a metric ton of aloe with lidocaine, and you have a happy redhead.

Thanks for reading! And look out for more frequent updates in the future!

June Birchbox 2013: Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick

I'm going to tell you right off the bat, this product has become my go-to lip color now. I didn't know what to expect when I opened my box, but boy, did they hit this nail on the head.

This gorgeous color applies like butter. Soft and silky, there is absolutely zero dragging. It's hydrating without being sticky. It doesn't sink in the nooks and crannies of my lips. Just an all over shimmer of beautiful peachy red with a touch of golden shimmer. 

To me, this is the lip version of theBalm's Hot Mama. 

Lasting power isn't super awesome as far as gloss goes, but the matte stain has lasted me all day at work with hardly any wear off. And with the format of the color (in a nice pencil), reapplication is a breeze. I can easily run into the bathroom at work, glide some on, and be just as refreshed as ever.

Between this and the Baby Lips I just got, I'm as happy as a clam. 

Thanks for reading!