NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil VS Jordana 12 Hour Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil

Hello again readers!

So I have been sitting on this post for a while, and I'm sorry to say, but there are SO many posts that have been hiding in my computer... They're hidden in folders, inside of folders, inside of folders, so I'm going to do my best to bring them to the light.

I have been trying out more jumbo eye pencils, because I really like the versatility they provide, plus they can really pump up an otherwise dull/boring eye look. I have duplicates in colours, but I wanted to really compare the colours and the formulas, to see which is the better buy.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils have been around for a long time. They're easy to apply, easy to blend out, and are easy enough to come by. They are $4.50 a piece, and you get 0.18 oz of product per pencil, plus you have SO many colours to choose from! Though, you DO have to set these with an eyeshadow, and even then, they might crease on you (if you have oily lids make sure you wear a primer!)

Jordana 12 Hour Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencils come in a far more limited selection (8, to be exact). They are also easy to apply, to blend out, and are easy to come by (my favourite choices to shop for these products are Walgreens and KMart!). They have the added benefit of staying for the entire day, as once they set, they are SET.  They are $4 a piece, and you get 0.10 oz of product. So, you get .08 oz less than the competitor.

Black  Bean VS Stay-On-Black

Black Bean was really hard to get even close to opaque. I kept applying, and applying... and applying, and I didn't get much payoff for my efforts.

Stay-On-Black applied really well, and with a few strokes I managed to get it fully opaque.

 I applied my dark green eyeshadow from Forever 21, since it's a colour that doesn't have good colour payoff on it's own. I applied it both over Black Bean and Stay-On-Black.

The real winner in this sceanario, is Stay-On-Black, hands down. It's cheaper, it doesn't budge, it's more opaque, and it brings out the colour of cheap eyeshadows more than Black Bean.

Milk VS Eternal White

These were a bit more evenly matched.

Milk was very creamy, and applied well. Though I have to worry about creasing with this product, the white was opaque and applied well. This blends out nicely, and creates a nice base for your shadow.

Eternal White has a drier formula, and though it lasts longer, I have to put more effort into applying it. It blends out nicely, and I do not have to worry about creasing with this product.

For layering, I used a light pink shade in one of my ELF eyeshadow books. The pink on it's own isn't much, but layered over white you really get more out of it.

Milk, since it's a creamier formula, really picks up the powder, helping it to adhere.

Eternal White is a little harder to work with, but you an end up with the same look, it just takes more effort.

I give this a tie, because they both have pros, and they both have cons, and it's really up to you which one is worth your time/money/effort over the other.

--

Really, at the end of it, why not try both? See what really works for you. I prefer the Jordana pencils, but they have nothing on the colour selection that NYX offers. If you like plain neutrals, or you just want to try it out, spring for Jordana, and they also offer blue, frosty pink, violet and green glitters. 

If you want a broader colour selection, and you want to go crazy trying some different colours, then go for the NYX. There's only a 50 cent difference, so you're not saving too much or splurging too much no matter what you pick. :)

Thanks for reading!

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub and Charity Pot Lotion

Hello again readers!

When I went to Ireland, I got the opportunity to go to my first ever Lush store. Funny enough, the first Lush store I stepped foot in, wasn't even in my own country. I was so overwhelmed with all of the choices, and the staff were so nice too - they encourage you to test out the samples, because you never know what you'll want to go home with!

I had to resist picking up a couple of bath bombs, because I didn't want them to shatter on my way back to America, but I did pick up a couple of small things.

I am in LOVE with the Popcorn Lip Scrub. I wanted to get BubbleGum, but when I tried this one I just had to have it. 

The scrub is perfect for exfoliating lips, and it's deceptively amazing at it's task. The scrub isn't rough, and it doesn't hurt to use. Purse your lips together, or exfoliate with your finger, and it gently buffs away the dead skin, leaving your lips SO soft.

The oils in the product help moisturize your lips, and this product is great for a pick-me-up when my lips are dried out too, because it takes away the dead skin on top and leaves me with fresh skin.

The taste is wonderful, though it doesn't really taste like popcorn. I can kind of see how it would, it's more of a buttery taste, but the aftertaste is of popcorn. The scrub has salt in it, and licking it off my lips is an enjoyable experience, because I do love salty things! 

It's worth a try, even if you're not a huge fan of lip scrubs, because a little goes a long way. I've been using this constantly (at least once a week) since I got it, and I barely made a dent! 

I also donated a dollar, so I got this Charity  Pot.

The lotion has that typical soft, clean lotion scent. It's not overwhelming, and after applying it just leaves your skin smelling fresh. 

The lotion isn't greasy, and it instantly hydrates the skin, which I'm thankful for. I don't have much of a use for lotion in the summer, but this will be a savior for when it starts to get colder.

Thank you for reading!

June Favorites

Hello again readers!

I was really disappointed this time around. My plan was that I was going to have a video for you to see, but my camera ended up being too stubborn to record the entire video. It is not the best for video... I tried filming it many times, but it failed every time. Instead, here is a very much delayed June favourites for you!

This month instead of five, I have ten items to show!

ELF Eyebrow Kit - Medium: 

I love having dark, on point eyebrows and I like my brow hairs to stay in place. These kits can suit everyone (they come in lighter and darker choices) and include a tinted gel to hold your hairs in place, and a brow powder to tie the look together and soften the look of the gel.

L´Oréal Color Caresse Lipstick - Sunset Angora:

I wasn't blown away with this lipstick collection, but I really love this colour. Sunset Angora is a sheer nude lipstick that has the perfect amount of warmth to it. Very shiny, and it doesn't dry my lips out.

ELF Liquid Eyeliner - Midnight:

These eyeliners are always really surprising, because they have decent quality, at only a dollar! They aren't waterproof, or even smudge proof, but they are very opaque. It's so easy to do a quick line, and it's even easier to wing your liner out! Plus, it's navy blue, I can't help but love it.

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub:

Picked this bad boy up in Ireland, and I don't regret it! This product works so quick, I'm pretty sure it is legitimately magic. The scrub is not harsh against the skin of my lips, and it exfoliates the skin quickly, leaving soft, smooth lips. The scrub is salty sweet, and though it doesn't taste exactly like popcorn, I can taste the flavor. A definite win in my book, and something I'm going to have to pick up when I go back to Ireland next year.

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick - Let's Get Naked:

I picked this one up on clearance, and I'm so glad they re-packaged them (and changed the formula) but left the colours the same! This is a lot like Sunset Angora, with a warm nude pink shade, and though it's not as shiny, it's definitely more pigmented. It goes on easily, and it leaves a smooth opaque coverage. Plus, it has SPF in it, so it's a great lipstick to choose in the summer!

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - I See Blue:

I expanded my mascara horizons this year, and picked up some blue mascaras. They're a great way to get a little extra flair, without going too out there. The mascara is a light blue, which coats the lashes well and holds up, even surprising me. Even though it's not waterproof, I didn't have any problem with it lasting most of the day, and though I got some smudges, I was really pleased with the performance of this non-waterproof mascara! It's limited edition, but you can definitely find it chilling around stores.

Rimmel London Stay Matte Translucent Powder:

It took me SO long to jump on the Stay Matte train. It's not everyone's favourite, but so many people love this powder. I finally gave in and picked it up, and I'm really pleased. It sets my foundation, keeps me looking matte, and I like how it feels on the skin. Still tinkering with it, but I reached for it often during the month of June.

ELF Lip Balm Tint - Grapefruit:

I have a problem, and it's warm toned pink nudes! This is a similar colour to Sunset Angora and Let's Get Naked, but this is a glossy, balm tint. It's so shiny, and it really lasts well! After the shine goes down, you're left with a dewy look, and then when it wears off you're left with a tint to your lips. It's really sweet, and slick, and it keeps your lips moisturized. So much love for this product.

Sally Beauty Neon Yellow Tweezers:

I picked these up on a whim at Sally's and these are by far the best tweezers I've ever used! They were only a dollar, and of course they came in my weakness (neon yellow! I also have these in holographic!) and I couldn't resist. They really grip the hair, and make tweezing my brows easy as a dream. It made my routine go by so much faster.

Maybelline Color Tattoo - Tough as Taupe:

I use this as a base, but I really love it as an eyebrow gel. This color is a surprisingly good fit for my eyebrows, and it's so easy to create the brow shape I desire. I jut apply with an angled brush, then go through with a spooly brush to soften it up, and I'm done! Waterproof, smudge proof, and I don't have to worry about accidentally wiping off my brows! 

Thanks for reading!

Hello again readers!

It's another Independence Day! The one day a year where you can blow up fireworks and not get yelled at for it! I'm really excited, we're having a family shin-dig and it will be a BLAST (almost as big of a blast as the fireworks ;) )

I went ahead and did a full face of makeup, and spiked up my hair really nice. I am loving how short my hair is! I donated it in June, and I'm still so happy with it. It's perfect for this summer heat, plus there will be a kid with new hair! 

For this look I used:

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation - Ivory

NYX HD Concealer - 02

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - 10

Rimmel London Stay Matte - Translucent

ELF Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder - St. Lucia

ELF Eyebrow Kit - Medium

Urban Decay Primer Potion 

Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil - Eternal White

Wet n Wild Trio - Three's a Party

NYX Nude Matte Shadow - In the Buff

NYX Studio Liquid Eyeliner  - Electric Blue 

ELF Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Mascara

Maybelline Great Lash - Royal Blue

L'Oreal ColorRiche LaLaque - Laquq-onic

Then I did my nails too! I was really kind of trying a pattern, and then I just ended up doing whatever... It turned out okay though, fortunately for me.

Products I used:

Sinful Colors - Ruby Ruby, Snow Me White, Endless Blue

China Glaze - Crackle - Lightning Bolt 

Finger Paints - Red,White, and Hue

Sephora X - Wham!

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful 4th of July! Please be safe, and be careful with the fireworks! 

Thanks for reading~

NYX Extreme Shine Lip Cream - Absolute Red

Hello again readers!

With the obsession I have with the NYX butter glosses (and the fondness for their lipsticks) I thought I would push my horizons out and start buying a few of their other lip products to give it a try.

NYX Extreme Shine Lip Cream in Absolute Red

This was bought back during my red-lippy obsession, and if it wasn't red, I wasn't that interested in it. Of course, that love has died down, but I still love a good red lip product.

Absolute Red is a wonderful, flattering blue-toned red that suits my skin really well, and has the added benefit of making my teeth look slightly whiter.

The application is creamy, but you have to work with it a little bit. Since it's such a pigmented red, if you mess up, it's really noticeable! It's so slick, that I don't feel comfortable applying this without the use of a lip-lock pencil or a lip liner. Also, since the formula is so slick, it moves around a little bit, so it takes a little effort to get the application fully flawless (but not too much work!).

This gloss is decently long wearing, as (if I didn't drink/eat anything) I can get a few hours wear out of it. I was in love with how shiny it was, and even when it started to fade, the colour was still strong.

I don't get much use out of this, since my interests have shifted to wearing nudes, but for only 6 dollars they're affordable, shiny lip colours that are worth trying.

Thanks for reading!