December Birchbox 2014

January 7, 2015January 7, 2015 / caitlinemccann / Leave a comment

This will be my third Birchbox, and I’m quite pleased with this subscription box so far. Considering that Birchbox is a $10 a month subscription box, I think there is always an interesting variety of items available to subscribers.

However, this is a much smaller sample range than in month’s past, which is somewhat disappointing. Some of these products are so small that I cannot honestly tell whether or not they would be an effective addition to my regular products, and that’s a problem. The whole point of subscription boxes is to try new things and see if they work for you. If you only get one or two uses out of a serum or oil then it’s hard to say if buying these expensive full size products are worthwhile. So that’s my rant about sample sizes, but you didn’t come here for that. On to the products!

Rusk Texture Dry Finishing Spray (sample size $3.38)

For a hairspray, this is actually a perfect travel size and is the only product I don’t have a problem with size-wise. Which is truly unfortunate because I don’t typically use hairsprays or texture sprays in my daily routine. My hair is naturally very straight, so I don’t do a lot to it. I will say that the spray on this product is even and smells amazing without being overpowering. A full size can of this spray costs $18, which isn’t terrible for a nice hair spray

Would I buy? No. It smells wonderful but that isn’t enough for me to purchase a product that isn’t important in my life. But if you’re a hairspray kind of person, then I would recommend giving this Rusk texture spray a shot.

Ojon Rare Blend Oil Moisture Therapy (sample size $4.00)

Now for the sample value on this product I’m estimating since I cannot for the life of me find my sample vial, but the full size product is $35 for 45 ml, which makes for a rather pricey sample vial. If I can find the darn thing, I’ll edit the post accordingly.

This is one of the products that frustrated me in terms of size. The sample is very small and though you don’t need much of this oil to rub it over the ends of your hair, the size is still problematic if you have anything other that short hair. Even within such a small vial, the product is beautiful: the pale yellow oil layered over a clear and then turquoise oil. You shake the vial before applying a small bit with your hands to your ends. The blend of Ojon (apparently an oil from the Ojon tree in the rainforest), coconut, aloe vera, and Tahitian monoi oils are supposed to soften and protect your hair. It’s hard to say if it works long-term, but I thought after one use the oil was lightweight and gave my hair a nice shine without looking greasy.

Would I buy? Again, no, but only because it’s not a product I would use regularly, not because it isn’t a good product.

SeaRX Anti-Wrinkle Facial Lift Treatment Serum (sample size $4.00)

The skin care samples are always the hardest to judge in terms of effectiveness. For any skin care product to take full effect you need to be using it regularly for at least four weeks, and sample sizes rarely facilitate long-term use. What I can tell you about this product it that it has a light, fresh, floral smell and goes on clear. The serum soaks into the skin quickly and leaves your skin feeling soft to the touch and refreshed. Personally, I don’t have much in the way of wrinkles but preventative use is always welcome! A full size bottle of this serum would cost you $34, so keep that in mind.

Would I buy? Maybe. Definitely not right now when my need for this kind of product is minimal. But perhaps in a few years I would be willing to invest in a serum I enjoyed.

Lord & Berry Paillettes Eye Pencil in Sparkle Black ($4.50)

This is the tiniest sample of eye-liner I have ever received. So that in and of itself is kind of disappointing. Generally, I adore Lord & Berry cosmetics: they’re a high-end brand but they put out solid quality products in some stunning classic shades. But for me this eye pencil was an absolute bust. The glitter in this eyeliner made application rough and unpleasant as it scratched or tugged at my lids. A full size of this pencil would cost $18, but if you’re in the market for a sparkly black liner might I suggest Rimmel’s Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in sparkling black, which should retail for $4.50 at drugstores.

Would I buy? No. Itchy eyelids are not cool.

Manna Kadar LipLocked Priming Gloss Stain in Lucky (sample size $2.88)

Part of me loves this cute itsy-bitsy sample and part of me wishes there was more of it! I love the color–Lucky–a soft mid toned pink that looks very natural on my lips. I’m not sure that the priming and staining claims are 100% true, since I felt the color was mostly gone after a few hours. But the gloss itself feels so smooth and soft on the lips. The formula is packed with Vitamins A and E as well as some natural berry extracts. This is also a paraben-free and cruelty-free product, which I’m always excited to see. My lips feel great after using this product even if it doesn’t stick around for as long as I had hoped.

Would I buy? Maybe. A full-sized lip gloss is $24, so this is one I could see myself getting by using my Birchbox points but not necessarily purchasing with my own money.

That’s it for my December Birchbox! Overall I definitely think I got $10 worth of products but I am not overly thrilled with the size and/or some of the products themselves. The value of this month’s Birchbox is roughly $18.75.

While this isn’t my favorite Birchbox, I have been enjoying this subscription service a lot. If you’d like to give Birchbox a shot, you can use my referral link here or check out my referral links page.

Thanks for popping in!

December Ipsy 2014

January 5, 2015 / caitlinemccann / 1 Comment

The last ipsy bag of 2014 is here! Sorry for the delay in the review. With the holidays and all, reviews have gotten backlogged. But I’m in the midst of catching up, so let’s get into it!

December Ipsy Bag

The bag is OK, but I like the little detachable ipsy heart zipper pull. What I’m really happy with is the card. I was getting sick of seeing the ipsy stylists on every card. Especially because ipsy’s cards never have any product information on them. I’d love to get a frame for this and hang this ipsy card on my wall since it’s an inspiring sentiment.

At first I wasn’t all that excited for this bag, but as I used the products I realized this is actually a really great bag from ipsy. Maybe one of the better bags I’ve had in months.

Nourish Organic Renewing Eye Cream (*full size* $20+)

Before I get into the description I have some explaining to do on why this is a full-sized product. 1) This product won’t officially be released on the Nourish Organic website until some time later this month 2) Because of this I’m not 100% sure what the price will be, but everything in their facial line is $20 or over, so that’s where I’m pulling price from. Hopefully I can edit this post when the official price is revealed. 3) This sample is the exact size as what a full size will be (.5 fl oz) but does not have the cooling applicator tip, so the value of this sample will be slightly less than whatever the regular product is priced at.

As for the eye cream itself, it’s a nice moisturizing treatment for under-eyes. As with most eye creams, a little bit goes a long way. This sample will last me a good long while. Nourish Organic products are all USDA organic certified and cruelty free too, which is always nice to see in a product. The primary ingredients listed on this sample are avocado oil, argan oil, and shea butter. My only issue with this product is that I smell like a salad after one use; it’s just that faint avocado smell.

Would I buy it? Probably not because of the smell. But if that doesn’t bother you, go for it! It’s a great little eye cream otherwise.

NYX Butter Lip Balm in the shade Marshmallow (*full size* $4)

Always a fan of NYX products. I have one of these already in the shade Parfait, so I was grateful not to get an accidental duplicate. I would say these balms are not quite as moisturizing as the Butter Lip Glosses, but they are fun little balms to carry around in your bag. I’m particularly fond of this Marshmallow shade because it does not have much color payoff. I know, that’s not a typical response, but this shade is great for applying before any lipstick to give your lips a bit of a hydration boost.

Would I buy it? Maybe. Since I now have two I can’t see myself running out anytime soon, but I might if I ever did hit pan.

Pixi by Petra Fairy Dust in shade Brightening Bare (*full size* $15.39)

If you click the link on ipsy’s website, which takes you to the Pixi site, the cost of this product is £10.00. Using a currency converter this product would retail for $15.39 in USD. I quite enjoy this loose pigment though. The shade–Brightening Bare–is a perfect base color for a simple eye look or adds a bit of pop if you wanted to dab it in the center of your lid. The applicator is a small pointed sponge tip, but a much better quality sponge tip than your typical drugstore applicators; this one is more dense which makes it easier to pack the color onto your lids. There is a risk of fallout while you’re applying the pigment but nothing that cannot be lightly swept away by a fan brush or a pinky finger.

Would I buy it? Yes. It’s a nice pigment that doesn’t make my lids look crepey. Calling that a win-win.

450° Blow Out Heat Defense Blow Dry Spray Mini by Sexy Hair (sample size $7.67)

Normally, I am not a fan of receiving hair spray of any kind in subscription boxes because I do next to nothing with my stick straight blonde hair. This heat defense spray gets a pass. I don’t blow dry my hair often but when I do, I worry about heat damage. So far I’ve only used this spray once: lightly spritzing it over my hair, brushing through, and then blowing my hair dry. I’ve found that my hair has a nice shine to it with this spray and, at least with that one use, I did not experience any damage to my hair. A full size Blow Out spray costs $18.95.

Would I buy it? Possibly. Like I said, I don’t use these sorts of products often. But so far I like the results.

Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara (sample size $8.30)

Every ipster got a deluxe sample of Tarte’s famed mascara this month, which is really the most exciting part of this bag! Over the holidays, I traveled with this mascara and really enjoyed the formula. I love a good sample size mascara since these are the kinds of products that always dry out before you can properly use them up. The Lights, Camera, Lashes formula gives me fuller, longer looking lashes that enhance my natural curl. I’d say it’s a happy medium between natural looking lashes and falsies. Very impressed with this mascara.

Would I buy it? Yes. The full size is $20, but I could see myself saving up for this. One of the best high-end mascaras I’ve ever tried.

All in all, this is one of the better ipsy bags I have had since starting in April. Ipsy costs $10 a month and the value for December’s glambag is roughly $55.36. I say roughly this time since I’m not 100% sure on the eye cream price and the price of the Pixi product could shift with currency values.

In any event, that is a great value for a $10 a month subscription service! Three full size beauty products and quality brands to boot! If you’d like to give ipsy a shot you can click my referral link here or go investigate my referral links page.

Thanks for popping in!

Eye Looks with ColourPop

December 19, 2014December 19, 2014 / caitlinemccann / 2 Comments

So after my rave review of the ColourPop shadows and a few friendly recommendations, I decided to show off a couple of eye looks using my latest favorites.

Here are the swatches from my original post to use as a reference for what the shades look like on their own. For this post, I won’t be going in the numerical order listed here though.

Swatches

1. Get Lucky

As I mentioned in my original post, my go-to look with is a warm brown shade in the crease (usually, NYX’s Velvet) and then packing the ColourPop shade all over the lid. I’ve done this with all the colors I own, and it always looks good. A very simple eye look: two minutes tops and you’re ready to roll. The shade I use the most for this look is the metallic gold, Get Lucky.

Perfect for day or evening.

Gotta work on my wing skills, this is a bit wonky.

Truly going day-to-night with your makeup can be a challenge. But I think the above look could transition well, maybe without the winged liner if your work environment was more traditional. The gold is metallic, but can be soft and subtle depending on how you apply it.

2. Hammered

A much darker look.

An all over green smoked lid.

Once again, NYX’s Velvet is in the crease. I used a Maybelline Color Tattoo from their limited edition leather line in Deep Forest as a base, to darken the look up. Then I packed ColourPop’s Hammered all over the lid as well. I also ran a shimmery copper shade underneath my lower lashes, which turned out well.

Hammered by itself is really pretty and more of an olive with golden shimmer, so I wanted to try something a little different with it. These ColourPop shadows layer really well, especially with the Color Tattoos.

3. Sequin

For this next look, I used Sequin and the Kat Von D Poetica palette.

I don’t normally go this bold with my eye looks but the darkest shade got a little out of control, so I just went for it. For me, Sequin is one of my more versatile colors because I like warm orange/copper tones for my fair skin and blue eyes to really stand out.

Easily one of the boldest looks I’ve ever pulled together.

4. So Quiche

For this next look, I used So Quiche on 2/3 of my lid over a nude base. I gently blended a shade that I’m calling a Fool’s Gold from last year’s Coastal Scents Fall Palette along the outer corner and into the crease. I also ran So Quiche under my lower lash line to create a subtle smokey effect.

Olay Fresh Effects Dew Over Hydrating Gel

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 / caitlinemccann / Leave a comment

Many months ago I got a free sample of Olay’s Fresh Effects {Dew Over!} Hydrating Gel.

Lovely little jar.

My little sample was .5 fl oz, while the full size product is 1.7 fl oz. and retails for $12.99.

Typically, I’ll use this moisturizer once or twice a week, but I’ll use it more often if my skin has been on the dry side. It’s also a great product to use after a cleanser that has ingredients that can by drying like salysilic acid.

The gel is pale green color but the light color doesn’t show up on your skin when you’ve rubbed it in. There is also a lovely scent to this product of honeysuckle and white tea. Putting it on in the morning smells so good but the scent doesn’t linger all day, which is a good thing.

Almost an empty.

Olay’s website claims that Dew Over will provide 24 hour moisture, and I’d have to agree with that claim. As with any product, it’s effectiveness lessens with wear, but at the end of the day my skin still feels soft.

This hydrating gel is also formulated with a powder, which means that it absorbs quickly into the skin and helps fight the look of oily skin.

Olay also proudly claims this is an oil free product that won’t clog your pores. I find both of these claims to be true as well. My combination skin leans toward the oily side and it is also sensitive and clogs up easily. I don’t feel oily when I’m using this moisturizer, and I do not feel that it clogs my pores.

However, after further exploring the ingredients list there are three different kinds of parabens in this product, which I found to be extrem disappointing. If you’d like to learn more about parabens, please click this link. I won’t pretend that I’m living an 100% paraben free lifestyle, but I’m trying to make a conscious effort to avoid or minimize their presence in my life.

Originally I wanted to give Olay’s Fresh Effects {Dew Over!} Hydrating Gel 4 beauty bubbles for its performance and great smell. But after doing some research and finding out about the parabens in this product I’m giving it 2 beauty bubbles because it’s still an effective product but my desire to use it and recommend it has gone down.

ColourPop Cream Eyeshadows

October 22, 2014October 21, 2014 / caitlinemccann / 6 Comments

Let me introduce you to my latest obsession, ColourPop Shadows.

Even my coffee table likes these shadows.

From Top Clockwise: Sequin, So Quiche, Hammered, BAE, Get Lucky, and Liberty

ColourPop exploded onto the makeup scene within the past month with YouTubers like Kathleen Lights raving about the amazing shadow pigmentation and shine of these metallic cream shadows. The best part? They’re $5.00. And the brand has promised to always price their items at $5.00 because they believe beauty should be fun and affordable. Bless them.

And for those of you who are rocking cruelty-free only cosmetics (woot), ColourPop does not test on animals. They’re also extremely forthright in listing all their ingredients for every shadow, so you know exactly what is going into each product.

Thus far I have six shades: Get Lucky, Liberty, Sequin, So Quiche, Hammered, and BAE.

Swatches

These cream shadows are silky to the touch and are best applied with your fingers. A little bit goes a long way for all-day sheen and wear. I also don’t experience creasing with any of these shadows.

ColourPop specializes in metallics and sparkle, with no mattes yet added to their collection. But my-oh-my are their metallics good.

Get Lucky and Liberty are part of the ultra-metallic line and have a liquid-like sheen that lasts all day. Both of these shades are so pigmented that swatch just as strongly the second time around.

Sequin is a nice coppery shade that has great shine. So Quiche is a golden brown with subtle flecks of purple.

Hammered is an olive-green with dark gold glitter. And BAE is a deep purple with blue glitter that has a near duo-chrome shine as this shade changes dramatically in the light.

My favorite way to wear these are to pat them all over my lid with a warm brown in the crease. Simple, quick but bold eye look!

Make sure you seal these up tight when you’re done so they don’t dry out!

I have had to stop myself from buying too many colors. I will definitely purchase more shades in the future. ColourPop also has a line of lippie stix and lip pencils. I haven’t tried any of them as yet, but these lip products are also $5.00 each.

Because it’s still a small company, there are still some personal touches that cemented my budding brand loyalty. Each of my purchases came with a handwritten note thanking me for my business with tongue in cheek wit. I kept each note because it put a huge smile on my face.

I give ColourPop Cream Shadows 5 Beauty Bubbles! If they ever start making matte shadows then I’m in real trouble.

Thanks for popping in!

Influenster VoxBox: Degree Deodorant

September 29, 2014 / caitlinemccann / Leave a comment

I’m really excited to bring you my first Influenster post.

And it’s about the often hidden or neglected armpit. Or more specifically, the product we use to make sure our armpits are not overly noticed–deodorant.

For my first VoxBox, I was sent Degree Women’s MOTIONSENSE Deodorant with 48-Hour Protection in the scent Fresh Energy.

Influenster is an online community where you review items from a wide array of ranges including beauty, food, and entertainment. Each review you submit on the website earns you points toward an expert badge, and these badges combined with your involvement on social media allows you to occasionally try products from different brands for free.

This box was sent to me for the purposes of review, but I promise to be 100% honest about how I feel about this product.

The original Degree was one of the first deodorants I remember using as a pre-teen, and it is always in my brand rotation. What I’ve discovered about my body chemistry over the years is that I cannot repeat-buy the same deodorant back to back: if I do this, the product gradually stops working for me. Does any one else have this problem?

Anyway, I was glad to try this out and for the last two weeks have switched from my existing deodorant (Dove) to the Degree MOTIONSENSE. Here is what I have learned…

PROS

It’s a white solid deodorant but it doesn’t cake-up my underarms. If I put on too much I can still get the dreaded white marks on my clothes, but this doesn’t make my pits look powdery.
This weekend I went to a 90’s themed sleepover and gave the 48 hour claim a test: still felt fresh all through the next day. No reapplication.
The antiperspirant is great. I do not feel damp when wearing this deodorant.

CONS

I’m not a fan of strongly scented deodorant because I think it draws attention to my sweat. And the scent will linger on my clothes, which to me means I need to wash items after every wear. Doing laundry in a city isn’t cheap. Sometimes I’d rather stretch a t-shirt to two or three wears before washing (don’t judge me). Can’t do that with scented deodorant.

Even considering the above CON, the Fresh Energy scent is nice. The description of it includes raspberries, blackberries, lily of the valley, and tiare flower. So if I had to pick a scent (and for this deodorant, you do because there is no un-scented product in this line) I think Fresh Energy would be a good choice because it is less intense than the others. I still don’t like the added laundry problems, but this is manageable.

I was also excited to see Jasmine Harper from season ten of So You Think You Can Dance as the spokesperson for the brand. Apparently, Degree is the official deodorant of SYTYCD, which is kind of cool. Dancers definitely need their deodorant.

Overall, I’m pleased with Degree’s MOTIONSENSE deodorant in Fresh Energy and give this product 3.5 beauty bubbles.

If you want to talk about this product on social media, Degree invites you to use #DOMORE to start a conversation about how you do more with this product. (Telling you about the hashtag wasn’t a mandatory part of the review or anything, I just figured if you really felt compelled to talk about this product I could at least get you on the proper bandwagon.)

Hopefully, there will be more of these kinds of reviews in the future as I become more involved with the Influenster.

Thanks for popping in!

Beauty Battle: Boots No 7 vs. Physician’s Formula Bronzers

August 12, 2014 / caitlinemccann / Leave a comment

Maybe I’m feeling a bit feisty, but the idea of a beauty battle just sounds awesome.

Summer may be fading but we all want to go back to school or work looking like we gave summer our all. So which of these drugstore bronzers would be your best bet? Let’s battle it out!

How adorable is this packaging?

In this corner…Physician’s Formula Happy Boosting Glow and Mood Boosting Bronze Illuminating Veil in the shade Light Bronzer $13.99 (I bought mine during one of Ulta’s bogos so I’d hold out for that deal.)

Who wouldn’t want a product with the phrase “happy boosting” in the title? It’s been a long while since I’ve tried any PF products. Some of their packaging has changed but the brand is just as charming and quirky as I remember. The pink plastic twist-top container is rather cheery looking and comes with not only a brush but a pink powder puff so you can choose which method you want to use. There is also a mirror inside the compact top, which is always nice. I think the slight bump in price for this product comes from the fancy packaging add-ons.

Hearts of gold and bronze.

One of the first things you notice about this product is the light scent. I think a lot of PF products have a perfume-y note to them, which doesn’t bother me but it often takes me off guard. The scent of the Happy Booster though is light and pleasant and vaguely floral. The bronzer itself is shimmery and I was afraid it was going to look like a craft project exploded on my face. But the shimmer blends out well and is not too obvious. The heart-shaped beads are in light tones and the color does not build that well. A light glow is as good as it is going to get. And for some, that might be enough. I will say it’s great for adding subtle dimension to your foundation but I would not call this a contouring friendly product. Unless you bought the other shade, which is Bronzer. Haven’t tried it, but maybe it would work better for a more chiseled cheek look.

This half of my face brought to you by Happy Booster.

Expectations are everything when trying a new product. The packaging promised me a glow, and that’s exactly what I get out of this Happy Booster–something subtle. I like this for a quick swish over my cheeks so that I don’t look washed out.

And now in this corner…Boots No. 7 Perfectly Bronzed Pearls are $11.99 at Ulta

Simple but chic design.

I first encountered the Boots brand in England when I was studying abroad in Cambridge, but this is my first Boots No. 7 purchase. Right away, I would say the Boots bronzer has a more high-end appearance though it costs less. The container is clear with a metallic-bronze lid that would look quite pretty sitting out on your vanity. The pearls don’t come with a puff, but there is a foam circlet when you first open the packaging to prevent the beads from breaking. I’ve kept the circlet so that I don’t break the pearls during travel. Also I love that they’re called pearls because it just sounds so classy.

I’ve always loved a pretty pearl.

Formula wise, the pearls are in deeper tones and possibly more universally flattering for that reason. (To be fair to PF they also offer a product called Sun Stones that more closely resemble this pigmentation, but I was more attracted to the Happy Booster Packaging.) There is a hint of shimmer but the pearls are much more pigmented. I would say Boots is better for full contour. I only needed a light swirl in the pan to get good color over my cheeks, but if you have darker skin tones, this product also builds up nicely. I even contoured the sides of my nose with this product. At the same time, I don’t feel like the color is too dark for my skin tone.

The Boot-iful other half of my face.

I didn’t have a set level of expectations going into using this product and was pleasantly surprised by how well the Bronzed Pearls worked for me.

*****

The reason I wanted to compare these two products is they have a similar price range and are a similar style of product. Each is a small compact-sized container that has shaped bronzed pearls, or in the case of the Physician’s Formula, hearts. The PF also comes with a pink puff and a flat narrow pink brush, both of which are cute but not altogether helpful in makeup application.You swirl your brush over both pearls for a light dusting of bronzer. I use what I call the E&3 method for my bronzer, which is to sweep my brush in an E or 3 shape down my face depending on what side you’re on. If I want to contour any further than that I do so with the E&3 as a base.

The picture here is just a light application in the E&3 style.

Serious face for a serious beauty battle. Right half, Happy Booster. Left Half, Boots Pearls.

So after a grueling beauty battle a victor has emerged…

And the winner is Boots No. 7 Perfectly Bronzed Pearls!

The price is right and the Boots bronzer is going to be a more versatile product for a variety of skin tones. I like the Physician’s Formula Happy Booster and will continue to use it, but I tend to lean towards the Boots.

So what do you think? Did the referee (a.k.a me) make the right call? What’s your favorite bronzer for the end of summer?

Mid-Week Manicure

July 10, 2014 / caitlinemccann / Leave a comment

Star Sprinkles!

Excuse the raggedy edges. I ended up cleaning my nails up more after taking the photo, but was too lazy to retake the picture. I was just excited about how my mid-week manicure turned out and needed to share!

My inspiration for this week’s nail look is one of my favorite TV shows from childhood, Rainbow Brite. If you’re not in the know (and if not, I highly recommend tracking this down on Netflix or some other streaming equivalent) Rainbow Brite details the epic journey of a young girl whose sole purpose is to bring color, light, and happiness to a colorless land, which in turn helps Earth retain its color. There are Color Kids who are responsible for mining Color Crystals, and anal retentive sprite named Twink, and a sassy faintly British horse named Starlite. And the villains who just want everything to be in black and white are called Murky and Lurky. It’s childhood perfection.

Rainbow Brite tossing out her magical Star Crystals like a boss.

Rainbow Brite tossing out her magical Star Sprinkles like a boss.

I seriously believe this show forever effected my sense of style and aesthetics because I’m all about bright colors. So when I found this glitter top coat from Geek Chic Cosmetics I had to have it! The formula has a clear base with small silver glitter pieces, larger multicolored circular glitter pieces, and some multicolored star shaped glitter pieces. Very multidimensional!

The look you see above was achieved with only one coat of Star Sprinkles. I love it over the white base for a more literal interpretation of the Rainbow Brite theme, but I think it would look great over other colors as well.

So for this nail look I used Julep’s Bunny as a base with two coats. Bunny is a creamy white with subtle hints of golden shimmer. I’ve been using Bunny as a base for many of my designs lately, and it really works for my Rainbow Brite inspired look. I also used Julep’s Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat and the Oxygen Performance Top Coat, both of which are formulated to allow for more oxygen to reach your nail bed for healthier, stronger nails.

Geek Chic Cosmetics also have great shimmery eye shadow shades inspired by several of fantasies most beloved series. They sell their stock of a particular batch until they run out, so if you love it grab it! They have eye shadow collections based on shows/films like Harry Potter and Doctor Who and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The shadows all have names that we satisfy your inner geek. For example, I have a black shimmery shadow from their Win or Die collection called Brotherhood of Crows. Everything they make is also cruelty free, gluten free, and vegan friendly.

Star Sprinkles is currently on sale on the Geek Chic website for $4.99.

Julep’s Bunny is $14.00 for non-Mavens and $11.20 for Mavens (the name for Julep subscribers). If you’d like to become a Maven click here for a referral link.

Product Fail: Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer

June 28, 2014 / caitlinemccann / Leave a comment

Rarely do I hate a beauty product. It might languish away in my drawer due to disinterest, but there’s always the hope that it might get rediscovered. But I have some full-blown hate for Rimmel London’s Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer. It has utterly failed at its purpose.

Grrrr….product rage.

The reason I’m so cranky is that Rimmel is a good drugstore brand. I love their mascaras and eyeliners in particular, so when I saw the Undercover Shadow Primer I thought it would be a natural fit with my collection. False.

This product promises to smooth and prep the lid for 4-7 hour wear and its shimmery white color could be used alone or to enhance your eye shadows. Another feature it stresses is that your color should be smudge proof. All pretty basic things for a primer. Though the 4-7 hour promise is a bit weak considering that my Wet n’ Wild For My Primas (Fergie Collection) Primer lasts me all dang day.

Now finding this primer online is kind of tricky. There are some eBay prices ranging from $4.99-6.99. I honestly cannot remember what I paid for this primer because I got it at Target in store a few months ago, and you cannot even buy this primer online. It’s like the internet knows this product is bad news. And I got seduced by the crisp, white aisles of my local Target. Sigh. Such is life.

Here you can see the pale shimmery white color. it had such potential!

I was really excited for this primer because the packaging showed a picture of colorful eyelid with and without the primer, and the lid with the primer yielded more vivid colors. Typically when I apply primer, I do my face primer and then my eyes. Then I brush my teeth or go get dressed so that I allow my primers to fully sink in. The Rimmel Undercover Shadow Primer was still tacky after the few minutes it took me to get dressed. So I put on my foundation. After my face was buffed and blended, the primer was no longer tacky but it had already creased and clumped up in the tiny folds of my eyelid. Am I supposed to sit for five minutes with my eyes closed for this thing to do its job? If so, that is incredibly unrealistic. Think of me like a little bear perpetually stumbling out of hibernation; it’s not going to take much to make me want to stumble back into my cave. If you ask me to sit still with my eyes closed in the morning for five minutes, I will fall asleep again.

Still, I smoothed out the primer to the best of my abilities and tried to apply my shadow. The shades looked muddy and did not blend well on the primer (I’ve used those specific colors before and have had no problems). On top of all these problems, the colors barely lasted a few hours before they smeared off my lid. I looked like a wreck. But I was still willing to give this primer a second shot thinking that maybe my application was at fault.

Doe footed disaster.

Round two with the Rimmel Undercover Shadow Primer was just as frustrating. The primer has a doe-foot applicator, so I will say it applies easily though not necessarily evenly. This time I gave the primer ample time to set, or so I thought. I used different shadows from the day before and tried applying those shadows with a brush. The primer started flaking off. Or maybe pilling is a better word for it. Little balls of primer formed and flaked off my lid as I was trying to brush on shadow. This is one of the weirdest primer experiences I’ve ever had.

After two disastrous attempts I had to call it quits with this Rimmel primer. Not all of a brand’s range can be winners, and this primer is an absolute loser. I hate wasting things that I spend my money on, but this beast is going in the trash.

Has anyone else had trouble with this primer?

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Product Fail: Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer

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