Alright, all this week I’ve not been on my A game. I’ve been a bit unmotivated and just not loving it. So this weekend I’m seriously digging my heels in and organizing my house and doing a small bed room renovation (maybe just a new bedspread.) I’ll keep everyone posted how the bed room turns out.
Here are the weekly sales for this weekend beginning on 4/24.
◦ Sephora Spring Sale up to 20% off
◦ American Eagle up to $50 off your purchase of $100 with code SOMUCHMORE
◦ Aerie 50% off Swim Wear
◦ Loft 50% off select styles with code Love
◦ Michael Kors % off
◦ Old Navy up to 50% off everything
◦ Steve Madden 40% off with code Spring40
◦ Anthropologie 30% off all clothing
◦ Macy’s up to 30% off with code Foryou
◦ Nordstrom 40% off brands loved by Mom
◦ Famous Footlocker 25% off with code FamousTogether
Hi ya’ll. Thanks for sticking with me as I tried to make my mom’s (okay the internet’s I believe she got it from the Kitchn Website.) pumpkin bread recipe. This time only the spot that touched the heating coil directly got burnt. Everything else was perfect. Below you will see the list of ingredients as well as the steps to make it. I promise the recipe is good. I just got it too close to the edge to bake. The bread tastes really amazing especially if you put a hint of butter with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Ingredients List: ◦ Cooking Spray ◦ 2 Cups of Granulated Sugar ◦ 1 (15 ounce) can of Pumpkin Purée ◦ 1/2 Cup of Vegtable or Canola Oil ◦ 3 Large Eggs ◦ 1 Tablespoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice ◦ 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder ◦ 3/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda ◦ 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt ◦ 2 1/4 Cups of All Purpose Flour ◦ 1/4 Cup of Roasted. Salted Pumpkin Seeds (I don’t like nuts at all so I leave these out when I make the recipe.)
How To Cook The Bread: ◦ Preheat your over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat your a 9 by 5 loaf pan with cooking spray. ◦ In a large bowl mix the pumpkin purée, sugar, oil, and eggs then whisk them all together until it is smooth. (Or if you’re me throw it all in the stand mixer and begin letting it mix smoothly.) ◦ Next add in the pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then continue to whisk them together until smooth. ◦ Now slowly add in the flour (seriously mix it in nice and slow to prevent it from getting everywhere.) folding it in with a rubber spatula until it is all combined. ◦ Then it’s time to pour the amazing smelling goodness into your pan in even lawyers. ◦ Once you have it in add your pumpkin seeds on top gently pushing them in so that they stick in the batter. ◦ Finally it’s time to bake the bread. I cook mine at 350 degrees and for 60 minutes then put an aluminum foil tent over the bread to keep it from getting to brown on top, then cooking it for an additional 20 minutes. ◦ To tell if you need to cook your bread another five minutes stick a tooth pick in at different spots. If the tooth pick comes out clean you are good to eat it. If the tooth pick doesn’t come out cleanly bake another five minutes and repeat this step.
It’s the best time of the year in my opinion. It’s time for the Sephora Sale!! Currently I am a VIB (Very Important Beauty Insider) so I am getting fifteen percent off my purchase. The reason I love this so much is that its the time to stock up on goods I currently use everyday and who doesn’t love the opportunity to save some money on something they use all the time. It also lets me try new things without spending quite as much money.
What I love:
MoroccanOil Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner: I love this shampoo and conditioner it makes my hair buttery soft and keeps it strong. They retail each for $24. If you want to buy it click here for the Shampoo and here for the Conditioner.
MoroccanOil Moroccan Oil Treatment: It just makes my hair feel amazing and helps tame my fly always. It retails for $34. To buy this one Click Here.
Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara: Read my mascara review you’ll thank me later. It retails for $25. To buy it Click Here.
Tarte Opening Act Lash Primer: This primer makes me look like I have lashes for days. It comes in a full size for $22 and a trial size for $11. If you want to get it Click Here.
Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray: This has saved my life for weddings and big events. It keeps my makeup in place all night long. I love it. It retails for $33. If you want it Click Here.
DryBar Detox Dry Shampoo: I use this almost everyday and I love it. It keeps my hair looking fresh and not day three which it probably is. It retails for $23. If you want to grab it Click Here.
What I’m can’t wait to try:
MoroccanOil Intense Hydrating Mask: I have used the trial size and it really deep conditioned my hair. It’s retails for $38. If you want it grab it Here.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Body Lava Body Luminizer: I’ve seen tons of girls I follow myself who have used this and rave about it so I want to try this myself. It retails for $59. If you love it grab it Here.
Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask: I really want to try this because it has a ton of reviews and should give my lips move a softer plumper feel. It retails for $28. Want to try it with me? Click Here.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation: This foundation is supposed to minimize pores, last all day and cover everything. I’ll report back how it goes. It retails for $44. If you want it Click Here.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter: This is a tinted primer and highlighter that makes your skin look dewy and flawless all day. I can’t wait to try this! It retails at $44. If you decide to try it you can here.
Hopefully you all had a fantastic weekend. Last week Grant, Dex and I went hiking for three miles. Then this week has been a whirlwind of busy for us with game nights and virtual happy hours. We”re making the most out of everything. I’m loving all the sales below but it’s currently snowing up in a Michigan so I think it’s going to be a little while longer before I can show off those summer steals!
Here are the weekly sales for this weekend beginning on 4/17.
◦ Sephora Spring Sale up to 20% off (Rouge 20%, VIB 15% off and Insider 10% off)
◦ Abercrombie 30% off clearance and 60% off selected styles
◦ American Eagle 25-50% off
◦ Aerie 40-70% off
◦ Loft 70% off one full price item and 50% off almost everything else with promo code OMG
◦ Old Navy everything on their site is $20 or less!
Raise your hand if you have ever been the victim to dark circles under your eyes? (Okay let’s not lie to each other here. We have all had that feeling or that look where you slept like crap and you have a big day ahead of you and looking like a train wreck isn’t an option. You will find below a really helpful tutorial for how to get rid of those under eye bags.)
Do you have just a hint of a shadow hiding under your eyes? Maybe you just didn’t get the normal amount of sleep. You should be okay with a normal concealer applied directly to the problem area. I like to put a primer on then add in my concealer (currently I am using Bare Minerals Bare Pro 16 hour full coverage concealer in the fair/light neutral color), then add my foundation and if I can still see little bags I will add a hint more concealer before I apply my bronzer. From there you can do one of two things. You can take a little highlighter and apply it under your eyes to brighten them up or you can go with what I am currently rocking. I like the Tula Rose Glow. It brightens under your eyes and adds a more dewy look to help you feel like you slept a refreshing eight hours the night before.
Okay, were looking at medium/dark bags now. We need to do a little more tlc to make it look like you slept last night. (Before we actually begin here we need to discuss skin types and colors. If you have fair/pale skin and want to correct for a blue hue then you want to use a pale pink color; if you have a medium skin tone and want to get rid of purple and blue you want to go with a peach color; if you have a darker skin tone then you want to go with an orangey/pink to get rid of dark spots; and lastly if you have tan/olive skin the magic blue, purple remover is going to be yellow for you.)
The first step in this process is for you to put your foundation on your face (this helps to not have to completely color correct your face by focusing in on the areas that need it most.) Then you will select the color recommend above and gently apply it under your eyes. I know this is going to seem off but to be absolutely honest do not use your make up brushes/beauty blender here, use your fingers. The warmth of your skin will help blend them into your skin better to make sure that you are getting the best results here.
Now to really get that I slept perfectly last night and have had my coffee I own this look I would add a highlighter right under my eyes to really let the color brighten up my look. (Or if you want I also recommend the Tula Rose Glow still.)
Alright guys now that you have heard my tips on how to make it look like I’ve actually slept a solid eight hours and can take over the world when in reality I slept four hours, no coffee and need a nap look go on and conquer the world!
Alright, here is a round up of all the best sales for this weekend. If you see any that you want added to this list send me a shout out and I’ll add them on!
[ ] Lily Pulitzer 30% off Until Monday 4/13/20
[ ] Aeries 40-60% off
[ ] American Eagle 60% off
[ ] Abercrombie & Fitch 50% off
[ ] Hollister 50% off
[ ] Anthropologie 30% off tops and jewelry
[ ] Target $25 off your $100 on Toys ($10 off $50 as well)
I just want to jump on here and be real with you guys. I am an extrovert. Like a true leave my house everyday kinda girl. This quarantine might be the death of me. Don’t get me wrong. I couldn’t be more grateful that the State I live in has declared a Shelter in Place order. I work for a company that didn’t hesitate to initiate our business continuity plan allowing us to work from home even before the Shelter in Place was ordered, I have plenty of food and I am sheltering with my fiancé and dog. My situation is better than most. To be honest we are safe and secure, plus none of our friends and family have gotten sick. That being said I am going crazy bouncing off my walls. So I decided to do a blog post about all the things I am doing to make the most of this situation. (Also I have a job for all of my followers, I want you guys to comment on one thing at least that you are doing to stay sane and in good spirits.)
Everyday I am doing my best to wake up and keep as normal as much as possible. I am getting up, putting on fresh clothes (yes that does sometimes include putting on clean PJ’s but they are still clean clothes!) I normally don’t make my bed I wish I would but hey it just gets away from me so during this time of crazy I have made it a priority to get up everyday and make my bed. I am posting it on instagram to help motivate everyone else too if they need it. (If you want comment and I can message you everyday to help remind you to make your bed too.)
Another thing that I am doing to help keep me feeling more normal is I am grabbing Dex everyday and he and I are taking at least a thirty minute walk. It is just something that really helps. He loves it because it lets him get his energy out and I love it because it is helping me get out some of this nervous/anxious energy I keep feeling. I even made it a goal of mine for this week that I wanted to walk ten miles and not just a total of ten miles throughout the week but a dedicated ten miles where I put my gym shoes on and get outdoors as much as possible. (I decided this Saturday and from then to today I can happily announced that I have walked a total of 8.86 miles and it’s only Wednesday.) Ya girl is gonna make her goal!
I have also been embracing my more creative side doing more make up reviews and comparisons. I am currently experimenting with which Mascara is my favorite and putting the old fable to the test does the amount of money you spend really make a difference. So far I can honestly say that I am thinking for a few that the cheaper mascara has beaten out the more expensive mascara. I’m also testing out eyeliners and new hair tools. (Omg tho if you haven’t read my review on the new Revlon drying brush stop right here and go read it. I am in LOVE!)
There has been a few hardships though in our household. Grant’s birthday was this week. I would have loved nothing more than to just stop the world from turning to make his birthday bigger and better than ever. This year I could only do so much. I couldn’t get all of our friends and family together for a birthday party, I couldn’t take him out for dinner or treat him to a spending spree at GameStop until his heart was content. However, I didn’t let that stop us. I have been making brownies, cookies and all of his favorite foods to ensure that this birthday, though different, was bigger and better than ever. Target had a buy two get one free on Nintendo Switch games and we took full advantage of that! (We bought the classics Hello Crash Bandicoot here I come.) To make sure that his day was the best day ever we even set up video calls with his Mom, Dad, little siblings, and his grandparents. We couldn’t make it work perfectly but we FaceTimed with everyone including my family to make sure everyone got to sing Happy Birthday to my guy. It might not be the best birthday he has never had but we certainly didn’t let the quarantine get in the way of us celebrating.
You know one other thing that has been exciting me is the idea of doing a bit of a home renovation, Grant, Dex and I live in a townhouse so while we can’t go crazy and paint walls or tear apart our bathroom what we can do is reorganize, downsize things we don’t want or need anymore. (Maybe trying to do a little Marie Kondo on our townhouse. I’m not entirely sure if it will work or not but hey we’re trying.) I have slowly started looking at my closet, loving the idea of cleaning it out, then maybe doing more try on hauls for you guys.)
There has been a surprisingly good thing about the quarantine. It is allowing me to focus on my cooking and get better at actually cooking food instead of just ordering take out. I am thinking of starting out later this week, maybe this weekend to try out my instantpot and see how much this baby can really do. If you have any good tips lemme know. I am all for it and more help would be great. Also real easy recipes are my best friend!
I guess in this long post I am just trying to see how you all are doing and sharing ideas and tips for how I am surviving this new craziness.
I actually have never used a drying brush before. I felt like it would’ve been complicated and tricky to use however I was pleasantly surprised. I turned it on and it got warm, blew out hot air and glided smoothly over my hair when I tried it.
I decided to try this out this morning after a shower. I towel dried my hair and then broke my hair into sections. I put half my hair up in a ponytail to dry the bottom half. When I did my hair I went under the hair, then on top of the hair, then I took each strand from side to side to get the best dry possible with the most amount of volume. I think that was achieved with ease.
It gave my hair lots of body and just made it feel light and shiny. I would highly recommend trying it out. If you wanna get one for yourself the link below will take you over to Amazon to grab it!
Can someone please teach me how to do the bottom lid eyeliner? No, well okay, then here are the reviews I have based off the top lid only. (Please keep in mind I am in no way a pro at using eyeliner. I still occasionally stab myself in the eye with it….)
I will be grading the Eyeliner on the following categories: Smooth applicability, texture of eyeliner, how it lasted, if it was all day, taking it off, pigment (how hard it was to get desired color.)
Lancôme Grandiose Liner:
The first eyeliner I tried for the review is Lancôme (this one costs $32 and I bought it at Nordstrom but you can get the black at Sephora). It was their Grandiose Liner in Matte Sapphire. It’s a dark blue and I really love this one. The bottle is really sleek and easy to use, you can bend the cap to give you more flexibility when applying the eyeliner. I was able to just glide them over my eyelids. They go on like butter and it is liquid so its easy to use but be cautions if you aren’t careful it can make a big mess. Since this just glides on its really easy to apply and the pigmentation is great. It is a strong solid color. I thought it lasted really well throughout the day as well. When I went to take it off I found it to be pretty easy to just swipe off with make up remover wipes. This one is expensive, I won’t lie, but with the coverage and ease I think it is worth every penny.
Overall Grade: I think for what it was I would give this an A. It was easy to apply, the color is spot on to make my eyes pop and I can easily remove it when I am ready.
Lancôme Le Stylo Waterproof Liner:
This liner I used is a crayon type. It is a pencil shape and you can extend the liner as much as you would like, on the other end it has a smudger attached to enable you to get a better smokey eye if you want. To be honest this is a great eyeliner. It’s all day, long lasting and waterproof; however, for me I feel like its a bit harder to use. I have trouble getting it to look like a thin line when I apply it. I always end up with it looking really heavy on me. It is really smooth and glides on to your skin. The pigmentation is amazing. It looks great and reflects well on my skin. I do find it hard to sharpen the point since it doesn’t have a tip/sharpener built into it. I will attest that some of this might be me in that I am not the best at applying eyeliner and if you are better this would be an excellent eyeliner for you. It retails for $27. I feel like while its a nice long lasting eyeliner it is a bit pricey. It was really easy to remove. I just took it off with my mascara.
Overall Grade: I would give this a C. While I like the color and the ability for it to be waterproof and stay on all day I can’t get past the thickness. It just comes off too heavy on me.
Make Up Forever Graphic Liner:
Alright, keep in mind I haven’t used this before. I did the trial and I must say I like it but not if you plan to travel. If you want to have an eyeliner that can travel this is not it. The cap doesn’t stay closed in place well so any bumps and it opens. Now that we have that out of the way I can tell you that it honestly glided over my eyes like butter. It was smooth and delicate. It is an eyeliner pen so it has a bulkier base and thins to a point at the top. I think these are my favorites because it allows me max control over the eyeliner. The color is a solid black. It doesn’t feel like it comes out to heavy and it isn’t really light which I like. I want a good line that looks prominent without drowning out my eyes. This eyeliner did last all day and when I say all day I mean though a three mile hike and a nap. It came off really easily too with a swipe of my make up wipe. I went light so be warned it could be more prominent but since I was going to be on a a serious walk I didn’t want to smear it all over. It is slightly pricey coming it at $24 but it is definitely more reasonable than some of the other options on this list.
Overall Grade: I think just because it can’t travel I would give it a B+. I am a big fan of being able to throw my makeup in my travel bag and hit the road. I love how easily it glided on and stayed put on my eyes. I really like it and I would highly recommend it.
Bare Minerals Big & Bright Eyeliner:
I really want to like crayon eyeliners but I just don’t. I think they go on too chunky. That being said I used the charcoal color and when I applied it onto my eyes I thought it went on really smoothly, the pigmentation of the color held up really well thoughout the day, especially considering I wore it all day and did touch my eyes quite a few times. It didn’t smudge which was really nice. The eyeliner also has a built in smudger on the other side which is really nice to help get a better Smokey eye. This eyeliner retails for $17. I will say that it has a twist up for more product. It didn’t break off when I accidentally twisted up too far which is a big plus for me.
Overall Grade: I would give this a B. The color was a nice deep black/grey color that made my eyes look really nice; however, I find it hard to get that perfect smooth thin line with this as I can’t sharpen the point very well. I did like the final results though.
Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner:
Okay, you all know how I feel about eye crayon eyeliner. I get too heavy handed and just wind up looking a little like a metal band. That does not apply to this eyeliner. It glides on my eyes lids perfectly. It also has a simple to use twist top to give you more or less product to use depending on what you are looking to do. The absolute best part of this eyeliner is that it has a sharpener built into the bottom of the eyeliner. I really really adore an all in one product! Plus the color is a nice rich black. It’s shade blacquer and with my blue eyes the black just pops out my eyes making them look bigger. It’s also really easy to remove and I really like that. This eyeliner retails for $26 and you can grab it over at Sephora.
Overall Grade: I actually, despite my normal views on Crayon, believe that this deserves an A, its easy to use, glides on cleanly, has a sharpener built in and just is an easy product to use without getting too heavy handed.
Ulta Gel Eyeliner Pencil:
I actually got this pencil as sample gift from Ulta a while back. it is a two in one with two eyeliners; one in blackout (black) and plum (purple. I was really impressed since it glided on my eyes. Sometimes I believe that pencils can be too harsh on my eyes and the amount of pressure I need to use just doesn’t make them the best choice for me. When I used this liner I felt like it did take more pressure to apply than a pen would but it didn’t take as much as I feel they normally do. I feel like it gave me better control where I was applying the product to let me feel like I could create a better Smokey eye. I also feel like the color went on smoothly and stayed on all day despite meetings, walking Dex and just my normal I have to touch my face self. The full pencil retails at Ulta for $8.00. For this price I would highly recommend it.
Overall Grade: I was honestly really impressed I have had troubles with pencil eyeliners in the past as I feel like it gets painful when I apply the liner. With this, it glided on and gave me full control/access. Plus for less than ten dollars how can you not love a bargain that holds up to an all day use like that.
Bare Minerals Lasting Line:
Okay we all know how I feel about the crayon eyeliners; however, this one used to be my go to before I fell in love with Tarte’s Sex Kitten. I have this in the absolute black and this liner is just terrific. It has a smudger and a sharpener built right into the liner. Plus I do feel like when you sharpen the liner it gives you a really precise line. That being said I have been known to get a little heavy handed with this liner… Remember the trick, less might be more with this one. It is really good for lasting all day, its easy to remove and you can happily nap in this eyeliner without waking up and hating that decision. This mascara retails for $17 but you can look on QVC or Overstock and find it on sale.
Overall Grade: I would give this Eyeliner a solid B+. It says in place all day and it has great color. The only reason I gave it a B instead of an A is that it can be hard to get the point exactly the way you want it because you have to manually sharpen the point. It also can be easy to get a little heavy handed, but its still a really solid choice and I recommend it.
Before we jump into the actual review I want to tell you guys a little about my eyelashes and about me. I have blonde eyelashes. They are very light, I normally use a primer to make sure to really elongate my eyelashes since I haven’t made the switch to extensions yet. I am a bit cautious on what I use because I have sensitive skin and don’t want to hurt my eyes.
I usually use one of two primers. I use the Benefit Tinted Primer and the mink-brown tinted lash primer. I like this one because it helps to elongate my lashes while giving them a darker color. I bought mine at Ulta for $25. The other primer I typically use is Tarte the Opening Act Lash Primer. I favor this one. It goes on white but I feel like it makes my lashes look like the eye lash equivalent of legs for days. This one I bought at Sephora for $22. I like the way the primer looks on my lashes helping to make them look fuller and longer. If you are happy with the length of your lashes then you don’t need to go with one of these but those are my favorites. I will be grading the Mascaras’s on the following topics: ease of applicability, color, length, how many applications, take off, volume , all day use, nap and price.
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara:
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara (this is only in one color: Black) was my first day. I put it on around ten am. I applied two coats, on top of the primer I was using (benefit tinted primer). The mascara went on really smoothly and wasn’t clumpy when applied. I feel overall that it stayed pretty evenly distributed on my lashes. I feel like it held up well for all day use, it didn’t smudge when I bumped my eyes throughout the day. It also curled nicely on my eyelash curler. It does make my lashes look longer; however, it didn’t really add a volume texture look to the lashes. It did hold the eye lash curler curl all day which was really nice. I didn’t take a nap in this mascara but overall after rubbing my mascara with my hands for a few minutes it did hold pretty well. I found it smeared a little but not too badly. When I went to take this off I used a makeup remover wipe and it did take me a few swipes to remove it but, I did put a decent amount on. The cost for this mascara is $25 and you can buy it at most make up stores including Ulta.
Overall Grade: I think for what it was I would give this a B+. I wanted a little more volume in my lashes to get the A.
Lancôme Monsieur Big:
Lancôme Monsieur Big is a solid choice mascara. It is only available in black. I applied my mascara earlier around 8:30am. (I used a different Primer to see if it made a difference or not. It is the Lancôme CILS Booster XL. I liked how cleanly it went onto my lashes but I don’t think it made any difference compared to the Tatre brand I traditionally use.) I have used this mascara before so I know that it lasts a good amount of time and provides great coverage. I applied two coats overall to my lashes to give them the desired look I wanted. This mascara really works well to volumize my lashes. It went on really easily and made my lashes look fuller and longer which are both a win in my book! I wore my mascara all day even taking a nap in it and it held up perfectly! (I was actually really impressed that I could nap in my mascara and not wake up feeling like I couldn’t use my eyes. It also didn’t smudge. I was really impressed. To remove it I felt like it wasn’t awful. It did take a few swipes with a makeup wipe but it didn’t really require me to scrub off. The price is about the same as others on this list coming in at $25 and you can get it at any department store and make up stores.
Overall Grade: I would give this an A I felt like it did well. It made my lashes look longer and fuller. Its very nice and I would get this again. As for the primer I liked it not loved; I’d still go my normal Tarte primer.
Ulta Beauty Limitless Lashes:
Ok, I can’t recommend this Mascara. It was bad. It was really wet and took awhile to dry, so long to dry that if you blinked it would smear the Mascara. It also was very clumpy like a chunk of my eyelashes were stuck together. I applied this over my normal Tarte Opening Act Primer. I applied one coat of Limitless Lashes and it was a struggle. The color was a great dark black and corresponded with their name. I have it in their jet black color. As for long lasting it is anything but. It was very easy to smear and by the end of the day it burned my eyes. It also was a nightmare to remove. I think overall it took me like five swipes with my makeup remover before I was finally able to get it all off. This retails on Ulta for $10.50. Fingers crossed the mascara formula gets a redesign!
Overall Grade: I don’t think it’s worth the money so overall I’m giving it a solid D. It burned my eyes, smeared all over and was just plain clumpy. Do not waste your money on this product.
Make Up Forever Excessive Lash Arresting Volume Mascara:
I actually got the Make Up Forever Excessive Lash as a trial size. I have it in black and it’s a little light on the color for me. I feel like it’s a great everyday mascara since it went on lightly. It did give my lashes some length. It wasn’t overly filling so it didn’t feel like it added a lot of volume to my eyes. I wore it while I was working out and the sweat didn’t bother it which is really nice. Also it didn’t sting or burn my eyes when I got sweat in my eyes. I did wipe it and I didn’t feel like it smeared. When I took this off it came off really easily probably because it was very light. The retail cost for this is $25.00.
Overall Grade: I think I’m going to give Make Up Forever Excessive Lash a C. It was very light color. It didn’t smear which was nice but it didn’t give me long full lashes. For an easy everyday option though more of a normal wear I would give it a B+. To catch the A the color needs to be slightly deeper.
Ulta Beauty Maximum Lashes:
I’m going to be real honest here. I was worried with this one after my previous Ulta Mascara but I am happy to announce that I was one hundred percent wrong. This mascara (Ulta Beauty Maximum Lashes) is meant to define and lengthen your lashes and it didn’t disappoint at all. I applied one eye with primer and one without to see the difference it would make and even without primer I feel like my lashes looked long and had lots of volume. My left eye has the primer and my right eye did not. The mascara is in their jet black color and it stayed consistent throughout all day wear. I tried rubbing my eyes a few times and I felt like the color stayed really consistent and didn’t smear. I did have to apply a few coats of this to get the desired look I wanted but it was maybe three which isn’t bad at all. When I went to remove the mascara it was a little tedious to remove as I did put three coats on so I am not going to hold the mascara accountable for that one. This retails for $10.50 and for the price you really can’t beat it.
Overall Grade: I think I would give this a B+. I liked how it made my lashes look but it could’ve had just a hint more color so three coats wouldn’t have been necessary. I will say though for this price I don’t think you’ll find a better mascara.
Lights, Camera, Lashes:
This is a Tarte classic and quite possibly one of my absolute favorites. The color is a deep black and the way it touches my lashes makes it look like I have lashes upon lashes. Plus it is a lighter mascara so my eyes don’t feel heavy all day. I applied this around 8:45am (full disclosure I had a meeting so I was hustling since I was running slightly behind…..) I put two coats on and called it a day. I felt like the two coats held strong and made me look more put together than I would’ve been with some of the other mascaras I have used.
I did take a nap in my mascara and this was definitely a mistake, I took a full snooze like face in my pillow drooling kinda nap. When I woke up my eyes felt okay a little dry but not bad; however, as I was getting back to work and moving around my eyes were sticking together a little bit and burning. I didn’t love that. I thought maybe my bottom lashes were sticking to my top lashes so I wiped my eyes a bit and no smudging. I took my eye lash curler and thought, okay I’ll recurl, maybe that will help. It didn’t. I eventually just felt really uncomfortable and took my mascara off. When I took it off it was back to my dream mascara that I know and love. It came off with ease. Just two swipes with a make up wipe and boom, no more mascara.
Overall Grade: While this shouldn’t be a huge factor the fact that it didn’t hold up to the nap test did take it down a few notches for me. If I hadn’t taken a nap and just went about my day it would have gotten an A; however, since it didn’t pass the nap test and left me feeling really uncomfortable I am giving it a B-.
Dior Addict It-Lash:
I have used Dior products for years. They never disappoint me and this one lived up to that hype. It is a simple mascara meant to maximize the volume in my lashes. I choose this Mascara because I needed to be on camera for a few FaceTime calls and it did everything I wanted. I applied two coats to my lashes and it made them look super long and luxurious. This mascara holds up all day without a fear, I can rub my eyes and not have to worry about it smearing or looking any differently than it would if I could go all day without touching my face. I choose this one for my go to night out because it just makes my eyes pop with minimal effort (which some days is more than I can ask of my make up.) I also feel like it comes off very easily when I hit it with makeup remover. It doesn’t stay stuck in my lashes, it really just glides off. When I use it for going out I am not the most thorough at taking off my mascara (all right all my make up) so if its easy to remove it just makes it that much better in my book. This mascara might be the most expensive in the list. It retails for just under $30 coming in at $29.50 over at Nordstrom.
Overall Grade: I really like this color and the dramatic look it gives to my eyes while being a trusty easy to use mascara. I would happily give this mascara an A for it’s ease and friendliness of the brush.
Wet n’ Wild Mega Protein:
So a lot of my instagram followers were really eager to see how this Mascara would hold up. I grabbed mine at Target for $1.99. I’m going to be really honest here. It’s not my favorite on this list. It didn’t give me as much volume as I was expecting. That being said if you are in a pinch and in need of a solid mascara this will be a good one. I applied three coats and my lashes had some solid length. When I hit it with my eyelash curler it just emphasized the length. When I first put it on it did take a little bit before it dried (be warned do not hustle through this or you will wind up with mascara all over you.) I didn’t try to take a nap in this one since when I rub my fingers over it I do get a little bit of smearing. I liked it but would not wear it as an all day choice. I plan to be really active mascara but for an uh oh I hustled out the door and forget my make up, its pretty good. Again I paid $1.99 for this over at Target.
Overall Grade: I would give this a solid C+/B-, For this price it was a great quality but overall I didn’t get a lot of volume and it was easy to smear. I did get some awesome length out of this mascara though which I always appreciate.
The Real Elle Woodz 