Category: beauty

What’s up makeup lovers? Since my Great Mascara Compara-thon was such a success, I’ve decided to move on to the other main makeup essentials as well and tell you what’s hot and what’s not at the drugstore. Today’s edition, as you might have guessed from the snappy title of this post: eye shadow!

Just like I did with the mascaras, I’ll rate these drugstore divas on an A-F school scale. Here we go!

Almay intense i-color™ trios

These babies come in three different incarnations: smoky-i, shimmer-i, and bold nudes, and the palettes are grouped by eye color. I’ve tried a couple of different sets (and not just for my eye color, either) and I think they’re great. You can use them as shown (eye shadow for dummies! Yay!) or go crazy and apply the color any place on your eye that you please. I’ve also used some shades from these palettes to mix with other eye shadows to get just the look I want. Bottom line – they are excellent. They are very pigmented, but not so much that it’s easy to over-do it, and they blend really nicely and stay on well. I give these Almay shadows an A!

Almay intense i-color™ shadow stick

Like their powdery siblings, these shadow sticks are marketed in different combos for blue, brown, green, and hazel eyes. I only have the one pictured above, for blues, but I loo-oo-ooove it. This is perfect for someone who doesn’t want to fuss a lot with their makeup or needs to get out the door quick. Because it’s a creamy shadow, you don’t need to wear primer with it. You just apply the lighter color all over the lid and the darker color in the crease and you’re done! It’s easy to blend with your finger and it stays put all day.  I haven’t had any creasing problems with this one, either. This is so easy and looks so nice it’s tempting to wear every day. I give it an A+! My only caveat is that I don’t particularly care for the other color combos – they’re not  bad, but they wouldn’t be good for every day wear like the one for blues is.

Revlon PhotoReady Shadow + Primer

I have two of these kits, and I’m kind of on the fence about them. There are pros and cons. The pros: built-in primer which works well and sparkle top coat which is fun to have as an option. It is a lot of product in one little palette. It also blends very well, and also has the “for dummies” setup which tells you how to apply it. The real con of these sets is that they are a little too powdery – a little goes a loooong way, and it’s hard to get just the right amount so that you don’t have excess everywhere. They stay on well, though so with a little practice and figuring out how much you need, you might find these sets to be a keeper. I like mine but I probably won’t go out of my way to buy more. I give this a solid B.

Revlon ColorStay 16-hour eye shadow

I have two of these palettes, the one pictured above (which has some shimmer) and another set that is matte. I absolutely LOVE them both *but* the shimmery one is much easier to blend. I’d have to try more mattes and shimmers to see if that’s the case across the board, but even then, it’s not a big enough deal to keep me from recommending these. The color really does STAY, and the shades are really true-to-color, the pigment is just right, and it holds up great after hours of wear. Revlon is always on sale at CVS so if you’re in the market for some new shadows I really recommend these when they’re on sale – you can get a few and be set! I give them an A.

/4/” target=”_blank”>Milani Cosmetics Shadow Eyez 12 hour wear shadow pencil

I have a weird relationship with these eye pencils. I love their highly pigmented, creamy color, but I hate that there’s just ONE color for the money! I guess I’m just cheap like that. Nevertheless, this is a good product. (I don’t like the name though. Eyez? Come on.) The color is really bright and intense and it definitely stays on well and blends well with your finger. I can definitely live without it, though, so I’m going to give it an B+.

CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil

When it come to this eye shadow pencil, I take back what I said about being bummed that it’s only one color for the $$. This is a great product! It’s more like a cream-gel combo and it works well as a liner too – it stays put well enough to be used as liner. Plus,  it feels good on. It has a cooling effect or something. I love it. I will definitely be buying more. I give it an A+.

CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast

I really wanted to love this as much as I loved the Almay shadow stick, but…I don’t. It’s just a little too…goopy. It doesn’t stay put, the darker color bleeds onto the lighter color, etc. I don’t mind wearing the lighter color on its own, (it has a lovely shimmer) but I don’t think I’ll be buying another one of these. I give it a C.

CoverGirl Eye Enhancers

These CoverGirl shadows, though they just have one color, are reasonably priced, which I appreciate. Grab a couple in some neutral colors and you’re set! They aren’t quite as pigmented as I’d like, and they aren’t as smooth, either – but they blend well stay put, and they’re a good value for the money. I give them a solid B.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Eye shadow

Ooh la la, I love these L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche eyeshadow quads! The colors are shimmery and go on smooth and blend really well. They stay on great, too. My only beef with L’Oreal is that it is pricier than other brands and although I love this, I don’t love it enough to buy it over the Revlon ColorStay, so what I’m saying is, bust out some more coupons and sales, L’Oreal! But, great job on the eye shadow. It gets an A.

Wet ‘n Wild Coloricon™ Eyeshadow Trio

I have two of these and one of the larger sets and they are fantastic. They are not my #1 fave, but for the price, they might as well be! You can get 2-3 of these for the cost of some of the other sets, and the quality is fab. They stay on great, go on smooth, blend well, etc. I have a very neutral set called “Walking on Eggshells” and I could get away with wearing it every day for the rest of my life, and it’s only $2.99. Fer realz! It gets an A!

And finally…

Physicians’ Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye-Enhancing Shadow & Liner Palettes

This, my friends, is the palette I would take with me to a desert island if I could only take one eye makeup item. I have the Nude Eyes (pictured above) and the Smoky Eyes palettes and they are both faaaaabulous! There are 9 different shades in each one from which you can create tons of looks. And, the shadow really does stay on well if you use it as liner. These shades are shimmery and blend well and stay on well. They really just glow. They are my absolute favorite! They are a little pricey so watch out for a sale! I got mine BOGO free at Rite Aid plus there were $2 coupons attached to them, so I majorly scored. These are wonderful palettes, if you don’t want to own a trunkful of eye shadow like ahem, some people, go buy one of these and you’ll be set for a long time. I can’t even express how much I love these! They get an A+! Belle of the eye shadow ball!

Well, that’s IT – if you can believe it! I’ll make sure and update this post as I try new product. Have you tried any of these before? Which is your favorite? What are some other eye shadows you recommend that I try?

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram to see all my #doyourmakeup looks every single day!

It’s no secret around here that I loves me some makeup, so when I get asked to do a cosmetic review I almost always scream say “YES!!” Such was the case with the GlamPact™ by Glam-it. I mean, JEEPERS, look at the thing! Who wouldn’t want to review this? The GlamPact™ is just a very cool tool – a refillable, lit, rechargeable, customizable compact that holds all your makeup and brushes. Pretty darn nifty. Here’s what I liked the most about it.

First, the design: it really is small. I’ve had other refillable compacts that don’t hold much and therefore just aren’t that useful. And I’ve had larger ones that hold much more but are a pain to lug around and store. The GlamPact™ is a compact that is small and yet functional. Whee! Who knew? It holds two shades of pressed powder, 3 eye colors, 3 lip colors, blush, highlighter, bronzer, and brushes. It folds up nice and small when you’re done with it and everything stays in place really well. And also? THE LIGHT! It’s super-bright, and it last hours and hours between recharges.

Now, on to the makeup. Glam-it makeup is supposed to have stuff in it that is good for you: anti-aging and moisturizing stuff. I’ll just take their word for it because obviously I can’t really tell if that’s true or not but I can tell you it is very good quality makeup. I like the pressed powder a lot, unfortunately I don’t have perfect enough skin to wear it on it’s own, but it does a great job over my foundation and also works well for touch-ups. It’s very light but stays on well. The blush I just love; it has just the right amount of pigment and shimmer and wears very well. I also love the highlighting powder – I am a highlighting powder ADDICT. If I were to customize my GlamPact™ I’d probably ask for TWO servings of highlighting powder!! It’s lovely, a bit darker than I usually use but it still gets the job done and stays on well. I’m not as big on bronzer but the bronzer seems to be of the same high quality as its counterparts.

Now, on to eyes! Glam-it provided me with three very lovely neutral shades: a cream, a light brown, and a black. I used the black as eyeliner to give the shadows an extra-thorough test. I can say these are a very good quality. They are super-pigmented and a little goes a long way. That’s also the only con; it’s easy to use too much. But it stayed on great, even the black eye shadow used as eyeliner on my lower lash line. It’s great stuff.

Finally, on to the lipstick. The lipstick was my least favorite part. It’s just a little too sheer for me. Now, if you like your lip color a little more sheer and shiny, you will love it! It’s just not my favorite genre of lipstick. However, it does go on really well (it’s been ages since I applied lipstick with a brush!) and feels fabulous on your lips. Very moisturizing and a lot of shine. What it lacks is just a matter of taste, I think, and not quality.

All in all, I was quite impressed with the GlamPact™! I wish I had enough self-control to restrict myself to that small amount of cosmetics. If you like your makeup high-quality and portable, you will love a GlamPact™. Check out Glam-it’s website if you want to pre-order one!

 

Those of you who follow me on Instagram and see my #doyourmakeup posts know that I typically pick up 3-4 new cosmetic items a week during drugstore sales. I just love trying out new things for #doyourmakeup, and because of the way I use coupons and drugstore rewards, I pay very little for my makeup. Trust me, I wouldn’t be doing it if it were gonna put me over budget! One of the reasons I’ve been buying product so frequently is because I’ve been searching for the very best drugstore mascaras. After a LOT of testing, I think I’ve found them…and some of the worst, too!  In total, I tested 16 different mascaras. Here they are, and I’m saving the best for last! I decided to rate them on a typical school grade scale – A+ – F.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear FakeOut™ mascara

I feel bad writing this, because I have loved every. single. product I’ve bought from Physicians Formula, except this one. There are a lot of good reviews for it on their website, so if you’re interested in organics, you might want to try it for yourself, but my experience was this: great length, great volume, but it would not STAY ON my eyes. It ended up giving me major raccoon eyes, and I am not going to wear it again. Plus, it cost about $10 so I expected more! But, since it did do great with length and volume I won’t give it an F…it gets a D.

Wet ‘n Wild MegaVolume Mascara

This only cost $2.99, so I feel bad complaining….but I didn’t like it at all. It colored my lashes black but didn’t do anything for length or volume. I had to put on another mascara over top of it immediately. So, I give it an F. For FAIL. In fairness to Wet ‘n Wild, I have loved 95% of everything I’ve ever bought from them.

Wet ‘n Wild MegaLength Mascara

 

This also costs $2.99, and it’s waaaaaaaaaaay better than the one in the yellow tube. It doesn’t get my stubby lashes quite as long as I’d like, but if you have half-decent lashes you might be ok with it. It wears well, too. No raccoon eyes! So, I’m giving it a solid B.

Rimmel ScandalEyes™ Flex Mascara

I was really excited to try this mascara because, well, I LOVE THE NAME! ScandalEyes?? Genius! Sadly, I don’t love the brush. It’s a bit too hefty and got in my way. It does provide good length & volume but it’s a little thicker than I like, which makes it prone to clumps, and sad to say, it did dribble down below my lash line to where it’s not supposed to be a little. With all these cons, I’m going to give it a C. I’ll still be trying other Rimmel mascaras though, because I hear good things!

Maybelline Volum’Express The Falsies™ and The Falsies Flared™ Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline’s “Falsies” product has had a lot of buzz around it so I wanted to give it a whirl. Plus, I needed a good waterproof mascara because sometimes you just KNOW you’re going to cry and you have to be prepared, right? I liked both of these very much. I could tell a difference in the Flared version, although I think I prefer the regular Falsies. I can’t say why, I think it’s just a matter of preference! I did have to work a little harder at applying these – the brush isn’t quite my fave. But, I think it works great for length & volume. And they were both definitely waterproof. The only downside besides the brush is that it’s a bit thick for my tastes, but it’s still a great mascara and I give both products a B+.

Maybelline Illegal Length™ Mascara

Although this didn’t knock my socks off like I wanted it to (I’m not sure, but I think maybe I was expecting it to actually change my eyelash anatomy), BUT it is a very good mascara. I like it a lot, I like the brush, it wears well, and looks great. I had a *slight* clumping issue (might be those “fiber extensions” it claims to have) but no big deal. This is a good one, and I give it an A-! If you have short lashes like I do, you’ll like what this mascara does for them.

Revlon Lash Potion by Grow Luscious Mascara

Umm, hellooo!! I would’ve bought this solely based on the packaging. Is that pretty or what?? I really love this mascara. Really, really, really. It’s a great value. Great length, great volume, great brush, great, great, great! It is, (are you tired of hearing me say this yet?) a little thicker than I like. Meaning, my lashes don’t feel soft when it’s on. I know, that’s a lot to ask. But when comparing so many mascaras, I have to look at every last detail. Most of you aren’t as OCD as me, so go get some. I still love it anyway!! It’s awesome! It gets an A!

Almay intense i-color volumizing mascara

Although Almay could use some help from it’s big sister Revlon on the packaging here, I must say this is a dynamite mascara! I like it so much I bought it in two colors, Sapphire and Mocha. The brush is a little bulky for me, especially when I’m working on my bottom lashes, but other than that it’s pretty much perfect. If you buy this mascara you will not be disappointed! And I love that it comes in more colors than just variations of black and brown – you can get it in the aforementioned Sapphire and Plum, too! LOVE IT! I always know my lashes are gonna look great and stay looking great when I have this on. It gets an A!

CoverGirl Flamed Out Mascara

I was wondering what all the fuss was about the CoverGirl Flamed Out line, so I decided to try this mascara (also love the packaging on this one.) I am happy to report that it is delightful! I love the cool curling brush. I think it really does curve lashes up and out. And it wears really, well – stays on your lashes where it  belongs! It gets an A! If you pick up a tube of this I am sure you will not be disappointed.

L’Oreal Paris Telescopic™ Shocking Extensions™ Mascara

This was the first drugstore mascara I tried when I decided to give drugstore makeup a whirl again after almost six years of using exclusively Mary Kay. And honestly, I could’ve just stopped here (but you know, I’m obsessive, so I didn’t!) This is an absolutely fabulous mascara! I love the brush, which has shorter bristles that are close together. It gives great length and volume, separates lashes well, and stays on all day. You can’t go wrong with this mascara! It gets an A+!

Neutrogena Healthy Volume® Mascara

I picked up this Neutrogena mascara because Jennifer Garner shills for them and I want to BE HER when I grow up. (Seriously, Jen? Call me!) Well, I’m glad I decided to be all stalker-y like that because I LOVE this mascara! Volume is RIGHT! It makes my lashes so much thicker. The brush is JUST the right thickness, and the mascara itself gives lots of boost to my lashes without being thick, so my lashes still feel nice and soft even when they are coated with Neutrogena goodness. It gets an A+!

CoverGirl Clump Crusher by LashBlast Mascara

Clump! Crusher! Rules! This baby recently won an Allure Best of Beauty award, and I can tell you why. It’s awesome! The brush is curved so it curls lashes upward, and the bristles are really short and close together to make clumps an impossibility. It leaves me with beautiful, long, full, separated lashes and I love it! It wears really well, stays on alllll day. Get some! You won’t be sad! I love the way CoverGirl often has good coupons out for their mascaras, too.

CoverGirl LashBlast 24 Hour Mascara

This was the 2nd drugstore mascara that I tried, and I could’ve stopped here as well. It has a weird-looking fat brush with those short bristles that I love so much, and it works great at building long, full lashes that are lightweight and not clumpy or sticky! Plus, this mascara MEANS it when it says 24hr. This stuff is majorly long-wearing, and at the very least sweatproof. I did not buy the waterproof version but I wore it to the pool all summer and it served me very well! It’s an absolutely fabulous mascara and if you buy it you are sure to love it.

Well, that’s it for the great mascara compara-thon! Which ones(s) are you going to run out and buy?

Want to see more drugstore makeup comparisons? Leave a comments and let me know what you’re interested in!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram to see my #doyourmakeup looks every day!