NEW!!! Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation

Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation

(My color: 50 Creamy Natural)

Packaging:

-Comes in a small plastic tube

-Contains 1 FL OZ of product

-Available at most nationwide drugstores, Wal-Marts, Targets, ULTA and some Bed, Bath & Beyond

Retails for around $8-$10

Formulation:

With most Maybelline foundations I either really love them or I really dislike them. With this particular one though I have developed a love/hate relationship. 

The consistency reminds me of a thick version of Yoplait's Whipped Yogurt. It is very airy and smooth. The foundation gives a medium coverage and looks flawless on the skin. It gives a matte finish that doesn't make you look flat. And surprisingly very hydrating, which is not something you see in a lot of matte finish foundations. I myself have super dry and sensitive skin and haven't had any issues so far (about a month of use).

 However even with all the good things I found that this foundation not to blend as well as others I have tried from Maybelline. No matter if I use a brush or beauty blender it always streaks on me and takes a bit of an effort to fully blend it in. This may just be me, I have friends who use this foundation with no problems whatsoever. Another issue I had with this product was the coloring. Being Asian I have a yellow undertone and this foundation tends to make me look more yellow to even orange gradually throughout the day, I have tried a couple of different colors to try to rule it out but no luck. It could be an oxidation problem, but it is hard to tell because the color change doesn't happen right away. 

But overall I still love the coverage and the way it looks and the lightness it feels on my skin. 

OVERALL 3.8/5

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NEW!!! Maybelline Instant Cheek Flush

Pinking of You

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a round plastic container

-The cap is a handle to the product itself

-Comes also in a peach color

-Retails $5.99

Can be found at drugstores nationwide as well as select Targets, Wal-Marts and Ultas

FORMULATION:

I wasn't too impressed with this product. When I first saw it I had some high expectations. Maybelline usually does pretty well when it comes to their cream cheek products. The Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush is a solid cheek stain. It has a very similar concept to the Tarte Cheek Stains which retail for around $20 each. The packaging is adorable and I do love how the product has a little handle making it super easy to apply. The texture is soft and blend able however the pigmentation is seriously lacking. It gives a very very light touch of color that dissipates after a little while. I do however like using this on my lips instead for a light stain and it stays on pretty well compared to the cheeks. It is also good for a cheek base. The stains allows and keeps powder products on a little bit longer and gives a nice glow underneath. 

Overall 3.5/5

NEW!!! Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation/Concealer

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin 

PACKAGING:

-Foundation comes in a glass bottle w/a pump (Contains 1 fl oz of product)

-Concealer comes in a plastic tube with a doe shape wand (Contains 0.25 fl oz of product)

Foundation is available in 9 shades (not every place will carry all the colors)

Concealer is available in 5 shades

So far I have only seen this product at Wal-Mart and Target. You can also purchase it online from Ulta.

Depending on where you purchase these products prices will vary

Foundation $9-$11

Concealer $7-$9

FORMULATION:

I have been waiting for quite some time now for this product to be released in the States (this product has already been released in the UK). Maybelline foundations are some of the best drugstore foundations on the market today and this one is no exception.

The SuperStay Foundation not only gives you coverage (medium/medium full) but also helps improve the quality of your skin as you use it. It contains Actyl C and SPF 20 that helps dull uneven skin become radiant and glowing. The texture isn't too thin or too thick and blends flawlessly. It is great for dry skin providing a layer of hydration. It also works well with oily skin.

The staying power of this foundation is pretty impressive as well. I have wore this foundation almost all day and it still looked fresh.

I don't have too much to say about the concealer. It is decent enough and offers a reasonable amount of coverage nothing heavy. It is very light and blends effortlessly into the skin. It's perfect for days where you don't want to wear a lot of makeup but just enough to keep you from looking rachet.I personally prefer Maybelline's Master Conceal concealer. 

OVERALL

Foundation

5/5

Concealer

3/5

NEW!!! Maybeliine Eyeshadow Palettes

Maybelline The Blushed Nudes (top) & Maybelline The Smokes (bottom) Eyeshadow Palettes

PACKAGING:

Much like Maybelline's The Nudes palette (1st one released), both of these new releases come in the same plastic case with a clear top. It isn't the most sturdiest of cases so beware if you are traveling with them.

The eyeshadows in the palette are placed in a way that allows you to use them as duos, trios, or quads. All the colors mix and match pretty well together.

Each palette retails for around $9-$12 depending on where you purchase it. These particular ones can be a little bit difficult to find and may not be available everywhere just yet.

I have seen these palettes at...

Walgreens

Walmart

Target

Ulta

FORMULATION:

I was quite disappointed with these two palettes compared to the first one that Maybelline released awhile back (The Nudes Palette). The eyeshadows in both palettes did not have consistent pigmentation and some were a bit on the powdery side. I found myself really having to dig into some of the lighter colors just to get enough color. 

But overall for the price, these palettes are pretty decent and great palettes for starters or for those of you who are looking for a bang for their buck.

The blushed nudes palette contains beautiful pink and rosy hues while the smokes palette contains dark and sultry hues. The blushed nudes is a more affordable alternative to the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette which retails for about $50.

The Blushed Nudes

TOP ROW

BOTTOM ROW

The Smokes

TOP ROW

BOTTOM ROW

Cera Ve Moisturizer Review + Update

Hey guys, long time no chat! I apologize for not posting as frequently as I normally do. My life has been taken over by finals and projects these last few weeks. For those of you who don't know I am currently in grad school pursing a master's degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Counseling. This is my first semester so I am just beginning to get in the swing of things (I took a year off after college due to health issues). Hopefully within the next couple of months I will have a schedule set out for everything. 

But anyways... I wanted to give you guys a little review on a product that I have been loving! Lately my skin has been acting up again due to weather changes and I needed and wanted to get a new moisturizer For me personally, when it comes to moisturizers I don't think it is necessary to spend a ton of money on one since it is one of those skincare products that runs out really fast. So I looked around my local CVS and decided to try the Cera Ve Moisturizing Cream.

PACKAGING:

Comes in a GIANT TUB like seriously one of the largest packagings I have ever seen for a moisturizer (16 oz).

FORMULATION:

This particular moisturizer is designed for normal to dry skin. The texture isn't too thick or thin and feels really light on the skin. You can use it as either a facial or body moisturizer. It contains hyaluronic acid which hydrates and moisturizers the skin and ceramides which are lipids that hold the skin surface together (this is a naturally occurring compound in your skin). It is a great day moisturizer layered with a SPF of course and on its own as an evening moisturizer. You can also mix it into your foundation to create a light tinted moisturizer. 

You can buy this at any drugstore near you as well as Targets and Wal-Marts. It retails for around $9-$12 depending on where you purchase it. It is a bit expensive for a drugstore moisturizer 

Review: Maybelline Master Conceal Camouflaging Concealer (NEW)

Master Conceal in Light/Medium

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a skinny tube (very similar to Makeup Forever's Aqua Concealer)

-Comes in 5 shades

-Contains 0.4 FL OZ of product

Retails around $8-10 depending on where you purchase

Available at drugstores, Ulta, Select Targets & Wal-Marts

FORMULATION:

I absolutely adore Maybelline concealers! There hasn't been one that I haven't tried and not liked and this new one is no exception. 

Texture: Smooth and creamy but light at the same time for easy application and blending

Coverage: While it claims to be full coverage for me I find it more in the medium coverage range

Wear Time: Has pretty decent longevity wore around 6 hours without any changes could probably wore longer

OVERALL: 4.8/5

NEW!!! Maybelline Color Molten By EyeStudio

Maybelline Color Molten By EyeStudio

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a plastic black/clear round container 

-Each one contains 2 eyeshadows 

-Contains 2.1 g total of product 

There are about 6 duos in this collection and retails around $8-9 each depending where you purchase.

Available at drugstores nationwide and select Targets, Wal-Marts & Ultas

FORMULATION:

306 Rose Haze
Left: Soft Baby Pink (A little darker in person)
Right: Burgundy Plum 

305 Plum Fusion
Left: Silver
Right: Dark Purple Plum

I am in LOVE with these eyeshadow duos! I don't think I have ever loved an eyeshadow product as I love this one. The texture feels like a Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush and applies so smooth and effortlessly. Once you apply it to your eye it blends like a powder (Applies like a cream works like a powder). All the shadows in this collection have a semi-matte finish.

Top: Rose Haze
Bottom: Plum Fusion

The color payoff is also pretty great and it stays on your eyelid without any trouble with or without primer. 

Review: Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hr Foundation with Comfort Serum (NEW)

200 Soft Beige 

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a sturdy glass bottle w/a slanted red cap (No pump)

-Contains 1 FL OZ of product

Available at drugstores nationwide

Retail around $7-10 depending on where you purchase it

FORMULATION:

I was very skeptical when I first saw this foundation. Over the years I haven't had much luck with foundations that contained serum. The last one I tried by Physician's Formula was a huge bust and made me never want to try another serum foundation again. However I have been a huge fan of Rimmel Foundations for a long time now and was really excited to hear them come out with another one. 

The Lasting Finish foundation is actually sort of a revamp from their old long lasting formula. I was genuinely surprised at how easy and flawlessly the product went on and was especially pleased that even though it contains serum it didn't go all over my face. The texture isn't too thick or too thin and grabs onto the skin very well. 

It provides a medium coverage but feels very light on the skin almost a no makeup feel. In terms of longevity it claims to last 25 hours and can stand up to heat, sweat, and humidity and not to mention transfer proof. I don't know anyone out there that would really need a 25 hour foundation however this one does hold up tremendously well. I live in Florida where it is hot and humid pretty much year around and I had this product on for about 6 hours and it still looks like I just put it on. I also patted my face a couple times and noticed very little transfer (so not totally untransferable). The only downsides to this foundation is its lack of shades and it has no pump. There are only 7 shades for this collection. For those of you interested I'm in the color Soft Beige (shown above).

OVERALL 5/5

NEW! CoverGirl Ultra Smooth Foundation + Applicator

PACKAGING:

The foundation comes in a plastic case along with a plastic purple applicator.

Contains .84 fl oz of product

Comes in 12 Shades but may vary store to store (I am in 825 Buff Beige)

Pricing varies depending on where you purchase. 

Average retail at drugstores and drugstore retailers 

$8-15

FORMULATION:

Cover Girl has been stepping up their foundations. Less than 6 months after their release of their Ready, Set, Gorgeous Foundation, Cover Girl has launched another one! What caught my eye with this one was of course the hair smoothing it claims to do. I don't think I have ever seen a beauty company advertise a foundation as something as hair smoothing. The design behind this formulation is that it claims to help tame facial hair on the face. Now you might think that is odd especially since it is geared towards women however even us ladies get a bit of facial hair now and then on our faces. 

The foundation is very smooth and moisturizing and goes on very nicely. I personally found the applicator to be completely useless. It ended up not only streaking the product on my face but actually ended up wiping off most it before it got a chance to blend in. I gave up trying after a while and just used my foundation brush. Although I could be biased because I have been using a beauty blender sponge which is an amazing beauty tool. 

The texture is not too thick or too thin and offers a natural look with medium coverage. For my dry skin it also set pretty nicely. I have had this product on for about 6 hours and even then it looked great. I even sweated a little and it didn't budge. I do recommend a primer underneath to assure the long lastingness. 

As for the hair smoothing claims, I honestly didn't find anything different with this one compared to my other foundations. I have a little problem with facial hair underneath my nostrils. This foundation really didn't do much different.

But overall despite its claims this is a great foundation.

Overall

4.9/5

(This would have been a 5/5 but the applicator sucked)

WHAT'S NEW @ THE DRUGSTORE!!!

Cover Girl Lip Lavas

PACKAGING:

Comes in a rectangular plastic tube with a red cap. I like the clear packaging which allows you to view the true color of the gloss.

About 7 colors in the entire collection. The color selection will depend on the store.

Available at drugstore & drugstore retailers nationwide for an average retail price $8.99

FORMULATION:

When I saw these on the shelves I was pretty surprised that Cover Girl launched another lip gloss collection. Their last one the Colorlicious line was only launched a couple of months ago. You can clearly see that Cover Girl is trying to step up their game. These last couple of months have been crazy in the drugstore market. Pretty much all the drugstore brands have been releasing products non-stop. Almost impossible to keep up with!

These lip lavas as you can see in the pictures are VERY eye catching. They remind me a lot of MAC's dazzle glasses. 

The texture is quite on the thicker side but surprinsly not too sticky and feels pretty nice on the lips. They last a decent amount of time if you don't eat or drink much. They come in an array of fun colors like purple and orange but also have wearable colors like your nudes and pinks. These glosses have a TON of glitter in them which impacts the color payoff. I wouldn't say that they aren't pigmented their pigmentation is like MAC's Lip glasses. You can see the color come through. After testing them out for quite a bit I recommend wearing these on top of another lipstick. These can definitely be worn on their own but I do have to warn you when you try to wipe it off there will be glitter EVERYWHERE on your face. It took me a good scrubbing around 10 minutes and even then I still woke up with glitter on my face.

Overall though I think these are super fun glosses and great for going out.

3.5/5

Lychee Lava- Pinky Red

Lychee Lava Swatch

Lava-ender- Intense Violet Purple (This one took even longer to get off but a great color for the season)

Lava-ender Swatch

Review: Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (NEW)

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in 00 Blackest Black

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a pretty milky lavender pink tube, very similar to their Pumped Up mascara.

-Contains .32 FL OZ of product

-Available at drugstores and drugstore retailers nationwide 

-Prices will vary upon the store of purchase but average retail is $6-8 

FORMULATION:

Maybelline mascaras are some of the best mascaras in the drugstore beauty market. They have a formula for pretty much all your lash needs. 

This particular one has also become a much loved favorite in a short amount of time. This mascara claims to give a full fan effect and it definitely lives up to its claims. This mascara gave me nice full and long lashes without much flaking. The pigmentation is also very nice and wear time will vary depending on your lashes. I had this on for about 5-6 hours without any issues. It comes with a rubber brush that is pretty flexible which will help you reach those pesky little inner corner lashes despite the large size.

The one thing I do have a little problem with is the texture of the formula. It is a bit on the wetter side. I personally prefer drier formulas but every person is different so definitely give this a try!

OVERALL:

4.8/5

Review: Rimmel Wonderlash Mascara (NEW)

Waterproof version in 001 Black Noir
Also comes in non-waterproof

PACKAGING:

Comes in a thick bulky plastic rhombus tube. The waterproof version shown above comes in a pretty blue color while the original formula comes in a light caramel brown color.

While it is bulky it is very lightweight so it is easy to carry for travel or just in your purse for touchups.

This mascara has a rubber brush that is pretty flexible so that you can get into those annoying inner lashes.

Contains 0.37 FL OZ of profuct

FORMULATION:

Rimmel over the years has come up with pretty decent mascaras but nothing too spectacular. I have not been a fan of Rimmel Mascaras ever just because for some reason their mascaras tend to irritate my eyes. What interested me about this new mascara was that it contains argan oil. 

A little information about argan oil:
-Comes from the kernels of the argan tree in Morocco

-While we use this particular oil for skincare and beauty reasons it is also quite delicious on top of pastas and couscous

-It also has great health benefits for the heart including lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels Studies also have shown argan oil can help prevent cancer and help maintain a healthy weight.

-In terms of uses for beauty and skincare, argan oil is a great moisturizer for the skin and hair. It can help with certain skin diseases, juvenile acne, and healing of burns
For once Rimmel has produced a mascara that hasn't irritated my eyes. It provides a natural look to the lashes while giving nice length. I didn't notice as much volume. The best part of this mascara is that thanks to the argan oil my lashes were nicely conditioned and not hard and flaky compared to other mascaras. It isn't clumpy but with the original formula it did smudge at first but after switching to the waterproof formula I didn't have any issues with smudging afterwards. The waterproof version also lasted throughout the day without any issues. I love big lashes so for me 2-3 coats gave me a good effect. However everyone's lashes are different so you may need more or less coats. 

There is a bit of a smell to it due to the argan oil but it isn't too strong and the smell doesn't linger.

PRICING:

This mascara is currently available at drugstores nationwide. Prices will vary depending on where you purchase it. But on average it retails around $7-13. So it is a fairly pricy drugstore mascara but definitely worth the money. Josie Maran has a mascara that is also infused with with argan oil but her mascara will set you back a good $22. So this Rimmel on is a great alternative.

OVERALL:

4/5