New Beauty Product Loves

Why does it always seem that when ever you need a new tube of mascara you find yourself running out of face wash, concealer, lotion, etc. too? Anyone else seem to have that pattern? Last weekend, I made a trip to ULTA to stock up on my usual beauty essentials, but I decided to try some new things instead.

I've talked before about how much I like Maybelline's Lash Stiletto Mascara. Well, they were all out of the regular blackest black mascara, so I decided to try the "voluptuous" formula instead. I like it EVEN better! It stays on longer and the brush is easier to use. Try it out!

I also decided to trade in my COVERGIRL Perfect Point Plus Eye Liner for a much cheaper one. RIMMEL's Soft Kohl Liner was recommended to me by a makeup artist I recently worked with. Since it was less than my usual go-to liner, I decided to take a chance on it. I love it! It stays, but it's also smudge-able.

Lastly, I tried out Yes to Blueberry Brightening Facial Towelettes. I have tried their Cucumber ones, and I loved them. However, the price is usually a lot higher than the Clean and Clear Towelettes. This time the Blueberry version was cheaper than my usual choice, so I took a chance on the the brightening wipes. The smell is SO YUMMY!

You might be wondering why I spend money on the towelettes over regular face wash. I really like the ability of seeing my makeup coming off and knowing that I'm not drying my face with a dirty hand towel. With all of my acne issues it's important that my face is extra, extra clean.

Photo Sources: Chic Style 21, Fabuless Beauty, Yes to Carrots

Self Tanning Mitt

We all know that lying in the sun and in tanning beds is horrible for your skin, and yet summer after summer we still want a nice tan and sacrifice our skin for it. Sure self tanners are available, but they are a pain in the butt! You always end up with streaks, smelling funny and orange fingers.

Well, recently, my sister-in-law Nicky and I tried our hands at self tanner again, but this time we were armed with a Self Tanning ULTA Sunless Mitt. I definitely think this is an AWESOME , CHEAP and EASY solution to avoiding orange hands and streaks! The mitt only costs $4.99, and it's totally reusable. All you have to do is rinse it with soap and water and lay it flat to dry.

You can use the mitt with lotion, foam and spray tanners. It rubs the product perfectly into your skin and makes everything nice and even. Give self tanners a try one more time with this mitt. I promise you'll become a fan. Now if only we can find a self tanning product that doesn't smell horrible...

Eye Primer Battle

I'm a long time user of MAC paint pots, but recently decided to switch to Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer because I'm a person that likes change and trying new things. So, which product do I like best? Well, let's break it down...

Urban Decay's primer costs $19.00 at Ulta, which is more expensive that MAC's paint pot. It comes in four colors in a plastic squeeze tube. I like that you can't break it if you drop it (I do that a lot. Darn butter fingers!) There is 11ml in the tube, and a little dot goes a long way. It dries in about 10 seconds to a matte finish. I don't like the 10 second wait, but I do love the soft matte finish. BUT..the BIG question is, "Does it last?" It lasts for about 6 hours or so. I definitely end the day with some creases, but my eye shadow application is effortless.

MAC's paint pot only costs $16.50 and offers 9 different colors to use as your eye shadow base. It's .17fl, and is a gel consistency, which keeps you from grabbing too much primer. I don't like that you have to stick your finger into the pot or having to use a brush. A tube would avoid contamination or bacteria build up. I also don't love the glass container, but at least MAC recycles all used packaging. Application is just as easy as Urban Decay's product. It's ready to go the second you put it on your lids. Love that! As for the big question, it definitely lasts a good 10 hours. I have to take a wet cloth to my eyes and press pretty hard to get my eye shadow off.

So, in the end, I'm still a MAC fan!

Ulta Beauty Products

Maybe you're like me, and whenever you go into an Ulta store you don't even give Ulta's beauty products the time of day. I usually check out the buy one get one free deals in the drugstore cosmetics section, scan the the higher-end beauty product prices and get a couple of hair goodies from the back.

Well, the other week they didn't have any good deals with Revlon, Cover Girl, etc., and I needed a new eyeliner before heading out on a trip. I glanced over at the Ulta beauty product section and saw they were having a special. I tested their eye liners on the back of my hand, and decided to try out their Automatic Eye Liner. I pulled out a shiny lip gloss for my freebie, and crossed my fingers in hopes that I didn't waste my money.

I am happy to report that I am VERY satisfied with the results. I'm saying good-bye to M.A.C.'s eye liner and hello to Ulta's because it's cheaper (it's on sale for $1.00!!!!) and I get the same results. Plus, their Super Shiny Lip Gloss is wonderful. It's not gummy AT ALL. It's shiny, very moisturizing and smells delightful. They are on sale for only $4.00 right now!!!

$5.00 for two new beauty products. How awesome is that?!

Best Lip Product EVER!

As mentioned in my last post, I've been on the hunt for a long-lasting lip stick/stain for a week. My best friend is getting married and the last thing she needs is to worry about is reapplying her lip color. As a bridesmaid, I'd say the same goes for me too. Well, I have found what I'm looking for times TEN! I spent about a half an hour in Ulta scrounging around looking at all of the options. Feeling overwhelmed, I saw Revlon had a buy one, get one free deal, and it quickly helped me narrow down my options. (I'm doing my part to stimulate the economy and I'm not going to pass up a steal like that)! I decided to take a chance on Revlon's ColorStay Overtime. It's a lip gloss/color duo. The color goes on smooth and dries fast, but gives you just enough time to get the color where you want it. The clear gloss doesn't taste the greatest, but it's not gummy at all.

I applied this product at 6:00 p.m. last night, ate dinner, drank water, washed my face, brushed my teeth, went to bed and woke up with the color still on my lips!!! It wasn't even blotchy! Granted, there wasn't any gloss, but there was the same beautiful color I applied last night!

BEST lip product I've ever tried! Not to mention they have 28 different colors! Most long-lasting lip products come in dark, ugly shades. Not this one! I've tried many different brands (Benefit, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Lancome, Laura Mercier, MAC...)

You should try it! Let me know what you think.