Drugstore Mascaras Review

One of my guiltiest beauty pleasures is mascara, I just love it! I have my Holy Grails (see below), but I still like to try new ones all the time. Mascara is the only beauty product that I think every woman can benefit from wearing. It emphasizes your eyes and applying just one coat can be enough to get you out the door. There's lots of beauty products that are worth spending the extra cash on, but I don't think mascara is one of them. The two brands I'm most loyal to is L'Oreal and Maybelline, I really like their formulas and I think they give lashes a ton of drama. My favorite type of lashes are extra long lush ones and have found that mixing two mascaras give me the best look. I use one coat for length and another for thickness. I've tried a ton of mascaras and reviewed the top ones here for you.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum Express: B+
This mascara is really close to being an A, in fact I gave it an A- to start and changed it to a B+ because I think the Maybelline The Colossal Chaotic is superior between the two. I really like the brush, it’s very full and the tip narrows just a bit making it easy to apply to the inner lashes and bottom lash line. When using this mascara, I think it pairs amazing with my Holy Grail L’Oreal Voluminous to give lashes both volume and length. Alone, this mascara is great, it adds a ton of volume, but it can be pretty tough to get off on its own. I don’t have a problem removing it when I layer it on top of another mascara that I use as a base. I moved this mascara down to a B+ because I don’t think it gives you as much length as other mascaras and it does flake a bit at the end of the day.

Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama: B- (would be an A, read below why!)
The silicone cupped bristles on the wand really intrigued me and their marketing for the new shape totally sold me! I snagged up this mascara and went to town on my lashes. Right away I fell in love with the mascara, it’s formula and wand had a huge impact on my lashes giving them both length and thickness. My lashes nearly looked fake and one coat really coated my lashes while a second gave them extra drama. However, after a few weeks of wearing the mascara exclusively, my eyelids started to get really dry. One of my girlfriends had mentioned that to me when I bought it, but I wanted to test it out myself. My eyelids got so dry my skin started to flake and my under eye concealer looked terrible! It took over a week of not using the mascara and heavy moisturizing before my lids went back to normal. I’m super bummed about it because other than that this probably is the best mascara I’ve ever tried. I really hope they change the formula, I’ve tweeted them but haven’t heard any response. Has anyone tried this mascara and had the same issue? It’s so weird!

Maybelline The Colossal Chaotic: A-
Each coat of this mascara really grabs your lashes, and the bent end of the wand helps lengthen your tips for extra oomph. This is a mascara that definitely works all on its own to really amplify your lashes. The formula is thick and the directions tell you to use the bended tip to mess up your lashes, but I don’t really care for a crazy look, but that tip really does help to add extra volume you the tips of your lashes. I love the overall look this mascara’s formula and wand give, my only complaint is there can be a bit of fall out at the end of a work day, hence the minus in the grade. I consider this one of my Holy Grail mascaras, it just works amazing at building up your lashes!

L’Oreal Voluminous Original: A
This mascara is my Holy Grail and I always go back to it to use alone or use it paired with other mascaras. Its formula is great and builds really well to give lashes a natural look with a dramatic touch. It’s great for every day, it doesn’t smudge or flake and washes off easily. Typically, I use this mascara paired with another mascara for more length. I have gone through countless tubes of this over the years.

CoverGirl Lash Blast: B-
I bought this mascara in waterproof, which I typically don’t buy because I don’t need it on an everyday basis. I needed some staying power though for the birth of my second baby and wanted to cry those happy tears without having any black streaks run down my cheeks. I really like the wand, I think that shape really helps to build fullness on lashes which is a total win for me. It's very similar to the Maybelline The Rocket Volum Express, but with shorter bristles. At first try, I totally got what all the fuss and cult following was about! After a few wears, the excitement for me kind of died down. I didn’t need to use it every day, so I didn’t use this mascara until the very end, but I just remember thinking that although I liked the mascara, it wasn’t enough to buy another tube of it. So that’s my review, it’s just good enough, not anything extra.

L’Oreal Voluminous Superstar: B-
Primer and mascara in one? Sold! I really like the primer on this mascara, I think it coats each lash well and helps to hold a curl. The mascara is so so. The primer wand is hour glass shaped, which I like, I think this shape really helps to coat lashes from more angles and the mascara wand is curved, which I do not really prefer. I don’t think the curved wand does anything extra for your lashes and doesn’t give you the ability to coat your lashes evenly. The mascara itself is pretty thin (probably to go with the primer and prevent clumps) and is quick to run. The mascara really lengthens your lashes, but doesn’t do much for fullness. The lengthening is really great though, very long and spider leggy (if that’s your thing- I like spidery and full personally). Overall, I don’t think this mascara is a Holy Grail product, I think the mascara wand should also be hour glass shaped and would prefer the formula to be a bit thicker to better compliment the primer. Nothing about this mascara or primer wows me and I would be surprised if it lasted as part of their collection.

I've tried so many mascaras over the years and these are my most used or most recent used ones. I've already bought another mascara to try that's hiding in my makeup drawer. What are your favorite mascaras? Do you go high or low end? Please share your favorites below so I can try them too!

Recent Beauty Faves + Reviews

In the last few weeks I've bought and have been sent a few new products and after trying them out, I wanted to share! I'm such a beauty junkie and love checking out what other people are using and buying. I've been pretty lucky recently and haven't bought any duds so this post is nothing but goodies!
 

The first thing I want to share with you is a new subscription service for perfume- Scentbird. They have over 350+ scents to choose from, you log on and take a test on what types of things you lean towards and what perfumes you already like and then they suggest perfumes to try based off of your answers, or you can choose a scent on your own! The subscription is only $14.95 and they send you a month's worth of a sample (a larger size than standard perfume samples) so you can see how it really wears on you and if you like the scent before purchasing it. I also like that you get a new scent every month to try and you don't have to commit to one scent that you bought full size. For my first sample, I chose Issey Miyake d'Issey Floral and I absolutely love it! It's so fresh and not overpowering, I've worn it nearly every day. Now, I just need to select my next scent!

During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I snagged this Lorac palette for $15! It's no longer available, but here is a very similar Lorac set for $28. The first four shades are perfect for everyday wear and the last three shades are a bit dark for daytime, but make a fantastic smoky eye for the night. The colors are matte, but I've found if I wanted them to have some shimmer, using Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded gives it a shimmer base (see my review here). They last all day, but have a stronger pigment at the end of the day if I use a primer (either the color tattoo or my fave UD Primer Potion). I've never used Lorac brand before, but these shadows are really great quality and I'm so happy I snagged them at the sale. I'll definitely check out more from the brand.

So I'm totally late to the Covergirl Lash Blast cult, but I wanted to pick up a waterproof mascara for Emma's birth (check out my Iphone Pics of our hospital stay here) for the waterworks that totally happened when I got to meet my sweet babe for the first time. So, I've used it a few times before and after and I like the length it gives my lashes, but it doesn't give me a lot of fulness. I found that I have a better outcome when I use my L'Oreal Voluminous mascara as my first coat and top it with the Last Blast. I always use two mascaras for this very reason, but I really do like this CG one. I'm not sure if I'll buy it repeatedly, but it's definitely a contender in the top 5 of fave drug store mascaras (who am I kidding, I only use drug store ones!).

I was sent this Skindinavia Makeup Primer for consideration and wanted to share it with you guys. It's the first makeup primer spray that's silicone-free and works to reduce redness and pore size. I haven't used this every single day, but mostly for special occasions, when I'll be outside for the majority of the day, or when the weather is supposed to be extra hot or humid. One thing I love most about the spray is how it sprays- it's so even and really is a mist that covers your face. When I use it, I spray maybe 3-4 spritzes on my face and let it absorb in before applying my makeup. I think this is one of the best primer sprays I've used; it lasts all day, doesn't leave any residue, and there's no scent. I really love it!

Hello best gel top coat ever! I picked up this Essie Gel Setter a few weeks ago and have been really happy with it. Before, I was using Seche Vite, but it hasn't been working as well as it used to- it's gotten really thick so I bought a new bottle and it just seemed like the formula has changed and my mani lasted only a few days. With this Essie top coat, I love that I don't have to buy a different polish for it, I can use it on any of my Essie polishes (or really any polish for that matter), it dries super quick- less than ten minutes, and my mani lasted 4 days with getting only a very minor chip. It's not as shiny as I would like, but I'm so impressed with it! Definitely a must have for any polish lover!

What have you bought recently? Any goodies? Do you use any of these items? How do you like them?

FTC: All opinions are my own, based on my experience with the products. All products bought on my own, unless specified above.

Recent Purchases: Mama, Ellie, and Beauty Goodies

I haven't been shopping too much lately (although I want to buy everything in the summertime for home, baby, hubs, beauty, and closet, etc), but here are the things I've picked up recently. I bought a few things for the baby too, but I'm waiting until her nursery is complete before posting anything. You know, because it's super secret and I'm waiting for a grand reveal. LOL. Anyways, here's what's made it into my cart and home with me recently.

Top // Bottom

I have a ton of suits, but the supporting plastic bar on the side has ripped through a couple and has been scratching me, I should probably just sew them back in, but who has time for that? So last weekend I ran to Target for a new suit. I love their mix and match pieces, they’re so easy to wear and mix with suits I already own. Shopping while at the end of pregnancy is no fun. Thankfully, with a two piece it will fit post partum, but there are so many cute new styles out right now like high waisted bottoms and a bustier type top, that don’t work for a bump at all and if I get it for post bump I won’t get as much use of them. Next year I’m hoping will be more fun for suit shopping (bahahahaha who am I kidding here?).

Tribal Shorts

How fun are these shorts? I love the print and the lightweight fabric, perfect for this hot summer we’re having. The elastic waist makes it easy to wear with the bump and will still be great post bump. They're super comfortable and I've been wearing them almost non-stop.

Pom Pom Shorts

I love the pom pom and tulip/dolphin short trend going on right now. I bought these shorts with a giftcard from my Grandmother and I can’t wait to wear them. With the tulip hem, they’re not bump friendly, but only a few weeks left before I can rock these babies! They’ll be perfect for pool days and just lounging around the house.

Sunglasses // Mermaid

How cute are these summer tanks with a ruffle hem? Perfect for summer days and playing outside. Ellie comes home so dirty from wherever we are, I hate buying expensive clothes for the everyday. These $5 tops from Target are awesome.

Bows

Our good friends gifted Ellie with the Ema Jane headband bow set for her first Christmas and we absolutely just loved them. They were the perfect size bow and had a color that matched every outfit. Now that she won’t keep a headband on for even a second and has enough hair to put up, I snagged the bow set in 4.5 inches in a flat second. I love the quality of these bows and now our little girl and Ellie can match when she arrives!

Foundation // NYC Liner // L'Oreal Liner

I’ve been using this foundation for years and really like it. It’s lightweight and available in tons of shades. It lasts forever and I thought I was going to run out of my old bottle soon, but now that it’s summer I haven’t been using it much lately. This bottle is ready whenever the last drop is gone though.

I’ve never used NYC makeup before, but Brittany Kerr (Jason Aldean’s wife) swears by it and uses it on a lot of her clients so I figured why not try it? It’s a soft brush and goes on really dark black. It’s really wet and you have to let it set or it can smudge onto your lid, but it doesn’t bleed. It lasts well and doesn’t fade, it’s such a great price (under $4) that I’ll definitely buy it again.

I love L'Oreal's Lineur Intense, but it bled into my eye and hurt like the flames of hell so many times I wanted to try a different liner from them. This one is also Lineur Intense but has a felt tip, which I like, but I find it harder to get a thicker line when I want one. It’s also not as dark of black as Lineur Intense and shadow transfers onto it, so I won’t be buying it again.

Essie Gel Setter // ELF Powder // CoverGirl Concealer

I finally found this gel top coat at Target! I used it Thursday night and I really like it, it dries pretty shiny and super quick. Like 2 minutes quick. I was in the pool all day for the holiday and although it doesn't look as great, it still stood up pretty well! I plan on re-painting them this week to really test out the top coat. So far, it's much better than the Sally Hanson one (see my review here).

Do you read Megan's blog? If not, head over now and check out all her reviews! She's the best and I've read her for years! She's posted about using e.l.f.'s HD Powder a few times and I always look at it on a Target run, but never bit the bullet. Now I finally bought it and have used it a few times. Still getting used to it and where it's best to wear it.

This is a random buy, I don't why I bought it, I wasn't looking for or needing a concealer, but it still went into my basket and home with me. It has a good consisteny and coverage, it creases if you use it under your eyes, but around the nose has been great. It's a great price point too for what you get.

Strawberry Parfait // Eclair

I don’t even know why I bother to buy any lip products with the amount I already own, but I love NYX’s butter glosses. They have great color and last for a long time. They look great layered over other colors and lipsticks too. They’re the perfect texture of soft and creamy. Strawberry Parfait is a nice bright color for a gloss and Eclair is more subdued, very similar to Creme Brulee (which I love) with a touch more lavender to it. If you haven't tried their glosses already, hop on it! I love the quality and texture of them.

I'm now at the point where I've slowed down on buying anything (these purchases have been over the last few weeks), I'm just waiting at this point for post bump. I have a ton of stuff I need to get for the baby and her nursery and I've bought a few items for Ellie's Big Sister gift so my extra mad money has been going there.

Hope you're having a great week! What have been some of your recent purchases lately?

Recent Beauty Buys

Maybelline Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (in Nude)
After reading how Cara from Maskcara raves about this product, it’s been on my radar for a few months. I finally purchased it last week and have been happy so far with it. I’ll do more of a review later about it, but my first thoughts are positive. It has a thicker consistency than I had expected and really does act as a concealer and not just a highlighter which is a cool combination for a product.

Cover Girl Invisible Concealer (in Light)
The last time I wore the Cover Girl brand, I think I was in high school or my first years of college. To be honest, I haven’t been fond of their products so I haven’t tried any of their new lines in years, regardless of what good things I’ve heard. Recently, I’ve had a few breakouts and needed a concealer to cover them. I was looking for two specific ones, but of course the store was out of every product in my color. The Cover Girl brand caught my attention and it was a good price so I figured if I didn’t care for it, it’s no skin off my nose if I threw it away after one use. Surprisingly this has been a great find! The consistency is just right, the color blends seamlessly, and it doesn’t feel heavy or weird on my skin after application, plus there’s no weird scent! Woohoo!

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara
I’ve been using Maybelline Volum Express The Rocket Mascara for a while and I do like it (I’ll probably re-purchase it, I like to have two mascaras to rotate), I’ve been missing my tried and true L’Oreal one. This is just a re-purchase for me, but you can never go wrong with this great mascara. It doesn’t flake, dry out, or run and is a must-have for me.

Neutrogena Naturals Acne Foaming Scrub
To deal with the above mentioned break outs, I also bought this face scrub. I’ve been using the makeup remover wash for months (years even?) and absolutely love it so I thought I’d try the line’s acne wash as well. I’ve only used it a few times so far, so I can’t give a full review yet.

L'Oréal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self Tanning Lotion (in Medium)
Another re-purchase for me. I really like using this and the Jergens Natural Glow lotion. The L’Oreal one has a shimmer to it, so you’re ready to party after each application. It gives you an instant bronzed tint and will self tan after a couple of hours, just like regular tanning lotion. The L’Oreal has a great scent (Matt loves it on me) and is really easy to use without getting any streaks. Check out my original review post here.

MAC Creme Cup
I've been wanting to get my hands on this lipstick forever, but they are always sold out. I've finally have it and I'm so happy with the color! It's gorgeous and more of a pink-nude and is a great color for all day wear and into the evening. I think next time I stop by the MAC counter and they have one in stock I'll pick it up to have a spare.

L'Oreal Paris Advanced Hairstyle Boost It Volume Inject Mousse
I have a love/hate relationship with mousse, I go back and forth using it and not using. This product didn't do anything special for me, it didn't stand out to be above other mousses I've used of different brands. When I used it in combination with my Redken Guts 10 it was way too much product, but is fine on its own. I'll continue to use it, but I don't think it will be a re-purchase for me.

L'Oreal Paris Boost It High Lift Creation Spray
I bought this spray to work together with the mousse, it's just glorified hairspray. It smells delicious though. It does keep the volume/teased hair up longer than just a standard hairspray and  more oomph over all. I think it may be a re-purchase in the future.

What products have you bought this season? Have you tried anything new?