Review: Sephora Collection Retractable Brow Pencil- Waterproof

As someone with brows that naturally light and unfortunately sparse, I find it's really important to fill them in, lest I look something like this:

Usually my hair is dyed jet black, and I'd fill in my eyebrows to match, using the following:

• Kat Von D's eyeshadow in Lucifer
• Kat Von D's angled eyebrow brush
• Anastasia clear brow wax

However, I've let my hair go a little lighter, and those black brows are now WAY too harsh. Enter Sephora's Retractable Brow Pencil.

COLOR: I bought this in 04 Midnight Brown, which is the darkest available. It's a little lighter than my dyed hair color, but not so light that it looks blonde.  I think it works a little better for my "lighter" looks, as I find myself adding some darker color to my brow when I'm doing something super bright or dark on my eye.

PACKAGING: As the title implies, this is a retractable pencil.  I have had no problems with the twist-up mechanism.  At the opposite end, there is a little brow comb, which I controls product distribution better than a mascara spoolie brush.  The overall pencil is a great size for my makeup bag-- not so tiny that it will get lost, but not so huge that it won't fit.  The downside to the smaller size is that it only contains 0.003oz of product.

Comb end 

"Pencil" end

PRODUCT: The product itself is slightly creamy, so it glides on really well without having to do 1000 strokes over the same area for something to show up.  It's also very skinny, so I can get super defined eyebrows without going overboard (which sometimes happened with the shadow + KvD brush).  I haven't done any waterproofing tests with it, but it has been lasting on my sweaty face during this stupid hot summer.

OVERALL: At a $12 pricetag, this is definitely a worthy buy.  I do wish it came in one shade darker for when my hair is darker, because I can't see myself going back to eyeshadow for my brows after this!

My sad, natural eyebrow.

Filled in!

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO ANASTASIA'S BROW WIZ?

When I bought Sephora's retractable eyebrow pencil, it was in the running against Anastasia's very similar Brow Wiz product.  The differences in Brow Wiz are: it contains more product (0.08 oz), has a much drier formula, has a spoolie brush on the end, and costs $20.  I figure the price increase has something to do with the fact that it has more product, but the dry formula was the deal breaker.  Granted, I only did comparison swatches with testers, so there's a chance that Anastasia's tester had dried out from everyone using it.  Regardless, I didn't mind saving $8!

Don't take my word for it-- The Sephora Collection Retractable Brow Pencil- waterproof is available now!

Kat Von D Fall 2012

It's the most wonderful time of the year-- for me at least-- because new products and fashion for Fall is being unveiled!  And really, what would this blog be without mentioning Kat Von D's new products for Fall/2012?

This season, not much in the way of color cosmetics as the focus seems to be on skin.  Let's take a look!

LOCK-IT TATTOO FOUNDATION ($35.00)

The first foundation from KvD!  This will come in 14 shades total, and has a 3 shade categories- Light, Medium, and Deep- so a large range of skin tones is covered.  I will assume this is supposed to be a full-coverage foundation (even though Sephora's description doesn't say so), since the pigmentation is emphasized in the description.  Speaking of, Sephora notes this has 21% pigment-- does anyone else know the percentage of pigments in their foundation?  The packaging looks great, and  I'm anxious to return to a foundation with a pump.

LOCK-IT TATTOO CONCEALER ($25.00)

As a lover of the original Tattoo Concealer, I'm curious about this.  Besides the new name system and packaging, is the formula different?  I'm not sure how many shades of the original packaging it came in, but the Lock-It tattoo concealer comes in 8, with the same shade Light-Medium-Deep shade categories as the foundation.

FOILED LOVE LIQUID LIPSTICK ($19.00)

If this is a shimmery version of the Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick, which I loved, then count me in.  Foiled Love Liquid Lipstick (which is available now!) comes in four colors:

Forever & Never- "Shimmering Light Bronze"

Backstage Bambi- "Bold Pink"

Adora- "Bright Red"

Hellbent- "Deep Maroon Red"

All descriptions are according to Sephora.


SHADE SHIFTER EYESHADOW ($TBD)
These aren't on Sephora's site (yet), but I've seen the display for them in-store.  These might be duochromes, but I remember the display text saying something about "water activation." It's coming in four colors.  I don't remember the names, but this is what the colors looked like:
gold/copper or bronze
blue/purple
plum/burgundy
reddish brown/green (a la Urban Decay Lounge, MAC Club or the similar color that's in the KvD Gypsy palette from way back)
Needless to say, I'm really curious to see these in person.

I'm SUPER excited for the foundation, as so far I've found her face products to be worthwhile.  Also, my theory is that since there is only one new color cosmetic (which is probably very similar to something previously launched), I want to believe the makeup scientists worked really hard and took a lot of time to create an awesome foundation.  

How are you feeling about the KvD fall 2012 collection? Let me know in the comments!

Review: Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Fair

Do you follow makeup trends?  To me, they're interesting to read about, but I rarely go out and buy on-trend products for the sole fact they're trendy.  However, sometimes trends bring you products inspired from other beauty markets that you didn't have access to before.  Case in point: BB Creams.  If you're scratching your head right now, a BB Cream (or Blemish Balm, as it's sometimes known) was a product that was formulated in 1960s Germany for patients of facial laser treatments.  The product not only had excellent coverage, but also skin soothing and regenerative properties, and it later found popularity in the Asian beauty market., where its popularity continues today.

There are other blogs I follow that have reviewed various Asian-brand BB creams, and I've been tempted by these awesome full coverage products (some even with acne-fighting and scar healing properties) but I was always afraid to take the purchase plunge for fear of not being able to get a shade that matches my skin tone. (From what I've read, most Asian-brand BB creams only come in 1 or 2 shades, and those shades usually all have warm/yellow undertones) So color me excited when the Smashbox Camera ready BB Cream came to Sephora earlier this year.

  

This is Sephora's description of the product:

"What it does:

This multitasking tinted cream formula with SPF 35 moisturizes, primes, perfects, controls oil, and protects for flawless skin on set and beyond. Formulated with emollients and optical pearl pigments, this BB Cream gives skin a glowing, ethereal look and provides a hydrating veil for the complexion to maintain moisture on the surface of the skin. With its ultra-smoothing finish, it instantly re-texturizes to create a smooth canvas. Especially when worn under foundation, it enhances the wear of makeup."

Yes, this is basically a tinted face primer-- nothing like like the awesome Asian BB Creams I've read so much about.  Here's the breakdown of the Camera Ready "BB Cream":

PIGMENTATION: This only has slightly more coverage than a tinted moisturizer, so I definitely still need something else to cover my problem areas.  It does, however, even out my redder areas (around the nose; etc) so if you only have minor redness, the coverage would be perfect.  As for the color, I bought this in "fair" and the color matches my skintone perfectly (this comes in 4 other colors to suit a range of skintones).

On my face is only Camera Ready BB cream-- no concealers or powders (but I think that's obvious since you can see blemishes and such).

PRODUCT: Considering its moisturizing claims, I tried to wear this without a separate moisturizer-- BIG mistake.  This emphasized some flaky spots i had on my face like no one's business, and was extremely difficult to blend in (I initially used my hands to apply this).  I definitely don't notice any sort of "glowing" quality to my skin when I wear this, nor do I notice any effect (shimmer/glitter/whatever) from the pearl pigments that are allegedly in here. Not sure if the "re-texturizing" claim specifically pertains to if one wears regular foundation over this-- I've never worn foundation over Camera Ready, but alone I definitely don't notice a "smooth canvas." The only claim that I've discovered was true was the oil-control aspect; however I still do need blotting papers after a few hours of wear.

PRICE: $39 for 1oz of product.

OVERALL: I will DEFINITELY not be re-purchasing this one.  The only occasion I reach for it is when I'm going outside to run an errand in my neighborhood and don't want to put on a full face of makeup (and it's a much better match to my skin than my Urban Defense tinted moisturizer).  For the price/size comparison, I would hope that it would live up to more than one of the claims that is made for it.

You don't have to take my word for it, Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream is available now at Sephora.

Have you tried this and had a different experience? Do you have a favorite BB Cream? Let me know in the comments!

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Eyeshadow- Edgy Emerald, Bold Gold, Fierce Orange

Ok, the beauty world has gone bananas over the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows, and for good reason. These gems have awesome color payoff and are fabulously textured-- they are definitely reminiscent of MAC's paintpots, but for a fraction of the price. What REALLY sparked my interest in these was Edgy Emerald's similarity to KvD's Finland [dried up] cream shadow from the Truth palette.  And, because Ulta was having a sale on these when they came out, I ended up getting Fierce Orange too, since I don't have any colors like that in my collection AND because I love this makeup look from a past Dior runway show:

Lo and behold I liked the formula so much that I also bought it in Bold Gold when it was finally in stock at my local Rite Aid.

While I echo others' reviews that the Color Tattoo shadows are highly pigmented and wonderfully textured, these definitely don't last 24-- or even 8-- hours on my oily skin.  I'd say these shadows only last maybe 3 or 4 without a primer on my oily lids.  Since UDPP exists, this doesn't prevent me from wearing these.

L-R: Edgy Emerald, Bold Gold, Fierce Orange

Edgy Emerald: Slightly metallic bluish-green.  Unfortunately I can't do a comparison swatch with Finland, since it's dried up (and my photos of it aren't amazing), but when comparing just the two colors in their pans, Edgy Emerald is slightly greener and way less metallic than Finland.

Bold Gold: True gold with gold sparkle.

Fierce Orange: Orange with a faint copper shimmer (I have a terrible lighting situation, so the shimmer didn't show up.  Sorry!)

If you want a real bang for your buck, I highly recommend the Color Tattoo eyshadows.  Just remember if you have oily skin like me, you might want to wear a primer underneath!

You don't have to take my word for it, check  your local drugstore or Ulta for these badboys!

Review: Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Hussy

Illamasqua's powder blusher in Hussy is something I've test drove a few times in my Sephora adventures, but I finally decided to buy it. At $24.00, it may seem a bit pricey for a blush, but read on to see why this is deserving of your hard earned dollars.

Hussy is described as a "bright petal pink," but I'd say it's a bright warm medium pink. When applied with a light touch, it gives my fair skin a nice flush, and this is definitely pigmented enough to show up on darker skin tones if you only have a slightly heavier hand.  It's so pigmented that I only have to barely touch my brush into the blush to get enough product out for my cheek (as opposed to say, a MAC blush, where I have to swirl my brush around to get a sufficient amount of product. So, suffice to say, this one is going to last me a LONG time!

 This has a matte finish, and the texture is smooth, which lends to how evenly this goes on-- no patchiness here! It blends out super easily too, which is awesome because sometimes I accidentally put too much of this on my face. This also lasts a good 9-10 hours on my oily skin, which is remarkable since my skin always "eats" blush so quickly!

Illamasqua's packaging is simple yet elegant.  At first, it was slightly hard to open, but I think that was because it was new and the closure had to get "worn down" a little. Even though it was annoying at first, the blush never popped open in my makeup bag!

All in all, I'm SO happy with this Hussy, and I shall be trying other colors of Illamaqua blush in the future!

You don't have to take my word for it!  Illamasqua's powder blusher in Hussy (and lots of other colors) is available now at Sephora.

Review: Glamour Doll Eyes Circus Collection

For a long time I've been hearing about Glamour Doll Eyes (or GDE for short) on various blogs and youtube videos, but until recently I had never really given the company much thought.  It was when  I saw the look from the Circus collection on this guest post on Xsparkage that I knew I had to check out this company for myself. Even though I set out only to get a few colors, GDE has the awesome option to buy sample jars, so I ended up getting the entire Circus collection + two other colors for around $20!!

The Circus collection arrived packaged in a cute little box, complete with a package of cotton candy Poprocks and a raffle ticket! I don't remember what the raffle ticket is for, but that's ok.  The jars also came sealed, which really surprised me considering they were just samples.

Bearded Lady- Shimmering brown with a silver sparkle

Big Top- Shimmering yellow with a faint pink shimmer

Cotton Candy- Light blue with pink glitter

Electric Chair- Shimmering white

Fiji Mermaid- Deep teal with a sea green shimmer

Fire Eater- Orange, red, and gold glitter

(I didn't photograph my swatch of this because, since I didn't use a base, it almost immediately fell off. It's ok because it's pure glitter- no binders or anything- so this behavior was expected.)

Oddity- Lime green with yellow gold shift

Sword Swallower- shimmering light silver

Across the board (minus Fire Eater, because it's all glitter) that these shadows are very finely milled.  When I put my finger in the jar to make the swatches, I couldn't tell when I had dipped into the product!  Because it felt so barely-there, I was worried about color payoff; but, I'm happy to say that all of these shadows have great pigmentation. Also, to get the colors to REALLY pop, a sticky base works wonders (I put these over my trusty UDPP while it's still "wet," and I have also used my NYX Jumbo Pencil).

All in all, I think this collection is definitely worth your hard-earned dollars. Plus, as I previously mentioned, there are a lot of different price options: $8 will get you the entire collection in sample bags, $16 will get you the entire collection in sample jars, and $32 will get you the entire collection in full-sized jars.  You also can purchase full sized individual shades for $6 (it doesn't look like you can buy samples of this collection individually).

You don't have to take my word for it! The Circus Collection is available now (for a limited time!) at Glamour Doll Eyes.

Looks featuring Mi Vida Loca Palette

Hi! These are looks I wore today and yesterday featuring shades from Mi Vida Loca.  The shades built up enough for my tastes, but if you're looking for Sugarpill or Makeup Forever quality here, you're going to be disappointed.  Any who, these are looks I came up with. One is using the left half of the palette, and the other is using the right.

Look 1: Harlequin eyes

What I used:
eyes
Mad Max- outer half
Sparklehorse- Inner half
Dublin- crease and lower lash line
Altruism- highlight
Wonderchild- top lashline and waterline

Lucifer- eyebrows
Urban Decay Urban Lash mascara

cheeks
Benefit Coralista blush

lips
Coral Castle painted love lipstick

Look 2: Hologram eyes!

What I used:

eyes

Wonderchild- waterline and lower lash line

Drama for Your Mama- lower lash line, outer V

No Regrets- blended into DfyM on lower lash line, and into crease

Marya- inner half, blended into No Regrets

Swan Song- highlight

also used:

Lucifer- eyebrows

Sephora Full Action Extreme Effect mascara

MAC Pink Swoon blush

Viva Glam Gaga lipstick

Gunshine Lightning sheer lipgloss

(I spared you from a full face picture for this because my left eye started leaking and ruined my makeup. You're welcome!)

How would you wear this palette?  Let me know in the comments!