As of Monday, May 17th, 2010, I am officially the Makeup Examiner for Anaheim, CA and the surrounding areas for Examiner.com! I'm so excited to start writing in a journalistic setting. While I absolutely adore my blog, and I will continue to post reviews and other budget-friendly tips here, I will also be posting articles on Examiner.com for a more widespread audience. My first article is up and it's titled "5 tips for getting the perfect bronze look for summer." It's a how-to on the bronzed beauty look that is so popular for summer. It features some of my favorite products from higher end (more expensive) companies and also includes a beauty on a budget section detailing drugstore brand products that can be used to achieve the same look. Check it out here: 5 tips for getting the perfect bronze look for summer. I'm so excited and I hope you all go and check it out. Hopefully I can get a tutorial type post up on this site using the Beauty on a Budget products. So please, PLEASE go check out my Examiner.com page, subscribe at the top of the page, and keep checking back here and there for all the updated makeup info you could ever need (well, maybe not ever!) Thank you SOOO much!
Love makeup,
Jamie
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
E.L.F. Haul/Review
After waiting two whole weeks after placing my order from eyeslipsface.com, it finally arrived and now I'm very excited to write my reviews about it! For anyone who doesn't know about E.L.F., this is a company made for makeup junkies on a budget (like me!). Their entire e.l.f. line--mascara, eyeshadow, lipstick, nail polish, makeup brushes, everything!--sells for only $1! Seriously, everything is a dollar. They also have a studio line, which is a little higher quality, that's products are only $3 each (except for a few things that are $6). They even have a mineral line, where everything is between $3 and $8. Basically everything is super affordable and they ALWAYS have multiple promotions going to save you even more money.
So on with the reviews! Some of the things I'm going to review I got online from their website, eyeslipsface.com, and some of them I picked up at my local Target (you can check their website to see where they're sold in stores near you). For me, ordering online was kind of a bittersweet experience. All of the products I ordered online were from their studio line and I had a coupon code for 50% off all studio items so that was awesome (unfortunately this expired already or else I would totally share it with you guys :( ). But like I mentioned earlier, it took two weeks from the day I ordered to get my products, which is much longer than I'm used to waiting for things I order online. Also, it came packaged in a padded envelope as opposed to a box so all of the boxes the items came in were a little bit crunched but none of the actual products were damaged, so that wasn't too bad. So here are all of the things I got from both Target and eyeslipsface.com:
1) Studio Mineral Face Primer ($6): This is actually the first face primer I've tried so it was a new experience for me. Basically, face primer's are supposed to even out skin's texture so that foundation goes on more smoothly and gives your face that nice, soft, flat surface to hide any imperfections your face may have. Upon first application of this 
primer, you can immediately feel a nice, soft finish on your skin. You only need one pump to cover your whole face and neck area. It helps foundation go on more smoothly; it spreads easier and blends nicely. Because the foundation spreads more readily over the face, it makes the foundation's coverage a little more sheer than without the primer, which may be good for some people but for me, I have a lot of redness in my skin and a few blemishes that need covering so, it wasn't that great. Also, I had to stop using it because I was afraid it was making me break out. I'm not sure because my skin is still recovering from a new face wash that did break me out, so once my skin is better, I'm going to try it again.
Grade: B- I give it a B- because I do like the way it makes my skin soft but I don't like that it sheers out my foundation so much and I'm not a fan of it (possibly) breaking me out.
2) Studio High Definition Powder ($6): LOVE IT! This is seriously one of my absolute favorite
translucent powders ever. It gives your skin that soft, almost airbrushed look. It does not settle into fine lines or pores so it really gives your face a flawless look. It's pretty amazing. I don't have a negative thing to say about it. I highly recommend it. Plus, for a limited time, you can get this amazing powder for free with any $15 order from eyeslipsface.com! Just enter: FBS2 at checkout.
Grade: A Obviously. Love it!
4) E.L.F. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Pink Lemonade and Baby Lips ($1 each): These are like a mix of a lip gloss and a lipstick. The color payoff is fairly sheer, not as sheer as a lip gloss but definitely more sheer
than lipstick. They aren't very sticky and the colors I got are really pretty. Baby Lips (right) is pretty much exactly my lip color so it evens out my lip color without adding any color. Great for everyday wear, it looks like I'm just wearing clear gloss but better. Pink Lemonade (left) is a really pretty pink with a little bit of a gold shimmer to it. It's a brighter pink than Baby Lips but it's sheer enough to not be TOO pink. It looks really great alone but I also like it with a little bit of Baby Lips on top.
Grade: A I love these for everyday wear and I'm really excited to try the other shades they have.
5) Studio Kabuki Face Brush ($5): This is
a really good kabuki brush. It's nice and big, it's really soft, and it's very full. I use it to apply my High Definition Powder and I use it to soften up lines of blush and bronzer. I've had zero hair fall out and I'm going to get another one so obviously I like it.
Grade: A Love it!
6) Studio Eyeshadow "C" Brush ($3):
Great eye shadow brush. It packs color on nicely and is also good for blending. It's size and shape make it great for all different eye shadow applications: highlighting, all over color, crease definition, and blending. I recommend getting multiples of this brush because you will be reaching for it over and over again.
Grade: A I really don't have anything negative to say about this brush. It really is a great brush.
7) Studio Fan Brush ($3): This brush is really not my favorite. The
bristles are too soft and too loosely packed to do very much of anything. Its not very good for sweeping away fall out from under the eyes and it's not very good for applying blush or highlight to my skin. The one thing I do like to use it for, however, is for putting blush on my 7-year-old niece. She loves to play dress up and always wants me to do her makeup so I use this brush to give her an extremely sheer wash of color on her cheeks.
Grade: D Unless you have a 7-year-old that wants you to put makeup on them, this brush is not worth the $3.
8) E.L.F. Slant Tweezers ($1): These are actually a lot better than I expected them to be. They get in there and grip hairs nicely for a smooth removal. I still would recommend picking up a pair of Tweezerman
Tweezers because they will last you forever (literally forever, since you can send them out and they'll sharpen them for free), but if your desperate for tweezers and don't have $20 to spend on Tweezerman's or if you need a stand in for when your Tweezerman's are being sharpened, then there is no greater value than these tweezers and I highly recommend them.
Grade: B Not the absolute best but still good and there really is no greater deal out there.
9) E.L.F. Mechanical Eyelash Curler ($1): This is one of the best eyelash curlers I have ever used and they're only a dollar. They squeeze tightly and give a great curl that really lasts. The only downside is that they're kind of bulky and the spring operation in them makes them store with the handles open and extended, unlike normal curlers that store closed so they take up less space. They come with a little plastic piece that fits over the handles to keep them semi closed so don't toss this when you get them, otherwise they'd be a pain to store.
Grade: A Great curl, inexpensive price tag.
10) E.L.F. Candy Shop Lip Tin in Melon Mayhem ($0.50):
These sell for 50 cents but I actually got it for free with my online order for putting in the email addresses of 3 friends. Unfortunately, I don't really like it. It's very glittery, I don't like the way it smells at all, and it's not really that glossy.
Grade: F At least it was free!
Overall, I like most of the products I got from e.l.f. These products are definitely worth giving a try. If paying for shipping and waiting 2 weeks to get your makeup then definitely check out your local target to see if they have e.l.f. there. But of course there is always the online deals. Here are some of the coupon codes that are good right now:
Free High Definition Powder w/$15 order: FBS2
$1.98 Shipping w/$20 order (normally $6.95): EGSHIP198
$5 off any order: FREEFIVE
50% off orders over $15: WINNERELF
Find more at retailmenot.com
Also, for those of you new to the e.l.f. brand, they have a deal where, for $9.50, you can pick any 5 of their regular e.l.f. line products and they'll give you five more for free and that price includes the shipping. So your basically getting 50 cents off and free shipping. Use the code: TAKETHETEST .
Love beauty on a budget,
Jamie
So on with the reviews! Some of the things I'm going to review I got online from their website, eyeslipsface.com, and some of them I picked up at my local Target (you can check their website to see where they're sold in stores near you). For me, ordering online was kind of a bittersweet experience. All of the products I ordered online were from their studio line and I had a coupon code for 50% off all studio items so that was awesome (unfortunately this expired already or else I would totally share it with you guys :( ). But like I mentioned earlier, it took two weeks from the day I ordered to get my products, which is much longer than I'm used to waiting for things I order online. Also, it came packaged in a padded envelope as opposed to a box so all of the boxes the items came in were a little bit crunched but none of the actual products were damaged, so that wasn't too bad. So here are all of the things I got from both Target and eyeslipsface.com:
1) Studio Mineral Face Primer ($6): This is actually the first face primer I've tried so it was a new experience for me. Basically, face primer's are supposed to even out skin's texture so that foundation goes on more smoothly and gives your face that nice, soft, flat surface to hide any imperfections your face may have. Upon first application of this 
primer, you can immediately feel a nice, soft finish on your skin. You only need one pump to cover your whole face and neck area. It helps foundation go on more smoothly; it spreads easier and blends nicely. Because the foundation spreads more readily over the face, it makes the foundation's coverage a little more sheer than without the primer, which may be good for some people but for me, I have a lot of redness in my skin and a few blemishes that need covering so, it wasn't that great. Also, I had to stop using it because I was afraid it was making me break out. I'm not sure because my skin is still recovering from a new face wash that did break me out, so once my skin is better, I'm going to try it again.Grade: B- I give it a B- because I do like the way it makes my skin soft but I don't like that it sheers out my foundation so much and I'm not a fan of it (possibly) breaking me out.
2) Studio High Definition Powder ($6): LOVE IT! This is seriously one of my absolute favorite
translucent powders ever. It gives your skin that soft, almost airbrushed look. It does not settle into fine lines or pores so it really gives your face a flawless look. It's pretty amazing. I don't have a negative thing to say about it. I highly recommend it. Plus, for a limited time, you can get this amazing powder for free with any $15 order from eyeslipsface.com! Just enter: FBS2 at checkout.Grade: A Obviously. Love it!
4) E.L.F. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Pink Lemonade and Baby Lips ($1 each): These are like a mix of a lip gloss and a lipstick. The color payoff is fairly sheer, not as sheer as a lip gloss but definitely more sheer
than lipstick. They aren't very sticky and the colors I got are really pretty. Baby Lips (right) is pretty much exactly my lip color so it evens out my lip color without adding any color. Great for everyday wear, it looks like I'm just wearing clear gloss but better. Pink Lemonade (left) is a really pretty pink with a little bit of a gold shimmer to it. It's a brighter pink than Baby Lips but it's sheer enough to not be TOO pink. It looks really great alone but I also like it with a little bit of Baby Lips on top.Grade: A I love these for everyday wear and I'm really excited to try the other shades they have.
5) Studio Kabuki Face Brush ($5): This is
a really good kabuki brush. It's nice and big, it's really soft, and it's very full. I use it to apply my High Definition Powder and I use it to soften up lines of blush and bronzer. I've had zero hair fall out and I'm going to get another one so obviously I like it.Grade: A Love it!
6) Studio Eyeshadow "C" Brush ($3):
Great eye shadow brush. It packs color on nicely and is also good for blending. It's size and shape make it great for all different eye shadow applications: highlighting, all over color, crease definition, and blending. I recommend getting multiples of this brush because you will be reaching for it over and over again.Grade: A I really don't have anything negative to say about this brush. It really is a great brush.
7) Studio Fan Brush ($3): This brush is really not my favorite. The
bristles are too soft and too loosely packed to do very much of anything. Its not very good for sweeping away fall out from under the eyes and it's not very good for applying blush or highlight to my skin. The one thing I do like to use it for, however, is for putting blush on my 7-year-old niece. She loves to play dress up and always wants me to do her makeup so I use this brush to give her an extremely sheer wash of color on her cheeks.Grade: D Unless you have a 7-year-old that wants you to put makeup on them, this brush is not worth the $3.
8) E.L.F. Slant Tweezers ($1): These are actually a lot better than I expected them to be. They get in there and grip hairs nicely for a smooth removal. I still would recommend picking up a pair of Tweezerman
Tweezers because they will last you forever (literally forever, since you can send them out and they'll sharpen them for free), but if your desperate for tweezers and don't have $20 to spend on Tweezerman's or if you need a stand in for when your Tweezerman's are being sharpened, then there is no greater value than these tweezers and I highly recommend them.Grade: B Not the absolute best but still good and there really is no greater deal out there.
9) E.L.F. Mechanical Eyelash Curler ($1): This is one of the best eyelash curlers I have ever used and they're only a dollar. They squeeze tightly and give a great curl that really lasts. The only downside is that they're kind of bulky and the spring operation in them makes them store with the handles open and extended, unlike normal curlers that store closed so they take up less space. They come with a little plastic piece that fits over the handles to keep them semi closed so don't toss this when you get them, otherwise they'd be a pain to store.
Grade: A Great curl, inexpensive price tag.
10) E.L.F. Candy Shop Lip Tin in Melon Mayhem ($0.50):
These sell for 50 cents but I actually got it for free with my online order for putting in the email addresses of 3 friends. Unfortunately, I don't really like it. It's very glittery, I don't like the way it smells at all, and it's not really that glossy.Grade: F At least it was free!
Overall, I like most of the products I got from e.l.f. These products are definitely worth giving a try. If paying for shipping and waiting 2 weeks to get your makeup then definitely check out your local target to see if they have e.l.f. there. But of course there is always the online deals. Here are some of the coupon codes that are good right now:
Free High Definition Powder w/$15 order: FBS2
$1.98 Shipping w/$20 order (normally $6.95): EGSHIP198
$5 off any order: FREEFIVE
50% off orders over $15: WINNERELF
Find more at retailmenot.com
Also, for those of you new to the e.l.f. brand, they have a deal where, for $9.50, you can pick any 5 of their regular e.l.f. line products and they'll give you five more for free and that price includes the shipping. So your basically getting 50 cents off and free shipping. Use the code: TAKETHETEST .
Love beauty on a budget,
Jamie
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara Review
To begin with, I was SUPER excited to try out this mascara. After seeing the commercials and hearing all the things they promise I was really hoping for great results.The first time I used it, I didn't really like it at all. It was really clumpy, it took a long time to cover the white from step one and it didn't really come out as black as I would have liked it to; it still seemed kind of gray when it was wet. It didn't really make my lashes any longer and looked like a clumpier version of the mascara I had been using (Maybelline Define-a-Lash) and it makes my eyelashes feel hard, like really fake that I don't like at all. Also, taking it off was a pain. You have to take off your makeup, then take off your mascara, and then wash your face. Plus it was really messy coming off; little bits of the tubes ended up all over my face, in my eyes and all over my sink. The good things I did like about it the first time was that it really did last all day long, it didn't flake off, and it doesn't smudge at all. But that was about all I liked about it the first time.
After using it a few more times, I started to get the hang of it a little better. First of all, it still does look gray when you put the black side over the white, but as it dries it gets blacker, so don't get discouraged if it's still a little bit gray when you're putting it on. Another thing I noticed is that the more white you put on the longer it makes your lashes look, it really builds up on the ends. The white is definitely the key to length. I also figured out a way that works for me to take them off better. I run a cotton ball under HOT water, then squeeze some of the water out of the cotton ball so it cools off and doesn't drip down my face, I then hold the cotton ball on my eye for five to ten seconds, and finally, pinch my eyelashes between my forefinger and the cotton ball and gently pull away. They come off pretty well and don't make as much of a mess as just rubbing downward with the wet cotton ball. This is what it looks like coming off:
It's kind of gross and the first few times I was really scared that I was actually pulling my eyelashes out. Thankfully, it's just the tubes and all of my lashes are still intact.
Here's a side by side comparison of how they look against my lashes with nothing on. Beauty Tubes on the left, naked lashes on the right:
This is without even curling them and there is a definite difference in length. All in all, I really like this mascara. I like the lengthening ability and the way my lashes look with it on but I really don't like the way it makes my lashes feel hard and crunchy and I don't like the extra step in taking them off so I probably wouldn't use it every day, but for special occasions or whenever I need a little more oomph without wearing falsies, I will be glad that this mascara is in my arsenal.Love long lashes,
Jamie
Upcoming Posts
E.L.F. Haul/Review
Essence of Beauty Brow Kit and Brushes Review
L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Review
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
