Giorgio Armani Waterproof Eyes to Kill Mascara Review

Giorgio Armani's Eyes to Kill Mascara has gotten a lot of popularity and positive attention ever since it was released. It has stood out from a lot of other mascaras in terms of packaging because of its sleek, glossy black tube with the logo outlined and imprinted into the tube. Part of Giorgio Armani's recently released Acqua Collection, an Eyes to Kill Waterproof version of the mascara has been added, although it's only a limited edition product of their cosmetics line, which is a shame since I personally am a lot more drawn to waterproof mascaras, seeing as they hold a curl better and are a lot less prone to smudging.

The new waterproof version part of the Acqua Collection is the same style packaging, except that it has a brilliant silver color with an almost stainless steel texture and feel to it. I think that the color really makes the imprinted logo on it really stand out more. The brush is made of almost a plastic-like material, but the bristles are fairly long and thin and look like a regular style mascara wand.

The consistency isn't exactly wet but it's not dry. I'd say it's well in between. It's definitely really easy to glide on the lashes, it only takes a few seconds to slightly dry so you can better build upon it. I applied about three coats, and my eyelashes didn't get clumpy. It really adds length if you apply to the very tips of your eyelashes. This lasted the entire day and held its curl completely. I always apply mascara to both my bottom and top lashes. There was no transferring, smudging, or flaking. I think this is great at both volumizing and lengthening, but it holds a few more candles with lengthening than volumizing. This definitely will plump up your eyelashes quite a bit though.

I love this mascara and wear it on a near daily basis, but it might be the first and last tube I get to use up since this waterproof version is only limited edition. I don't really like gambling whether my mascara will hold its curl or not.

Without mascara

With Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Waterproof Mascara

Clean & Clear Morning Burst Hydrating Facial Cleanser: Review + Photos

Typically, Clean & Clear is a little harsh for my skin since its very dry and sensitive. When I saw this at the drugstore, this immediately attracted me with its fresh, bright light seafoam green color and the word "hydrating."

Clean & Clear states, "Hydrating Facial Cleanser is a foaming cleanser uniquely formulated with Bursting Beads technology and a blend of cucumber and green mango extracts to clean deep while refreshing skin with an added touch of moisture. The foaming formula contains an invigorating fragrance to help you wake up and is made with water, not oil, so it won't clog your pores."

This feels like a thin, very watery, gel-like consistency. It quickly and easily lathers a lot, making it really easy to get around your entire face without adding water or taking too much time. I find that this takes me longer than average to rinse off completely. The feeling of this going off and getting off is very cooling and relaxing. It has quite a strong scent of cucumber and a light fruit scent. This cleaned out the sebum out of my pores, and left my skin looking softer and more refined.

As for moisturizing properties, this did leave my skin significantly more hydrated than the other cleansers I have sitting on my bathroom sink. The moisture is on a light level, so I can't use this to replace my actual moisturizer (I have pretty dry skin), but that is to be expected because keep in mind, this is a cleanser. It left my skin super comfortable, and did not dry out my skin in the least. I don't think this could directly treat acne besides getting rid of the gunk in your pores, because it doesn't contain direct acne-fighting agents. This does not contain salicylic acid, which is a common acne-fighting ingredient. Since salicylic acid is pretty potent/strong, this typically sucks the moisture out of your skin.

This is a great cleanser to get your day started. This is widely available at any drugstore I can think of, so I suggest trying it out, especially if you have drier skin. Since this is a light hydration product, I think people with combination or oily skin can use this as well.

Product Comparison + Review: Clinique Take the Day Off Eye Makeup Remover and Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover

I typically like to use waterproof mascara because I find that it holds a curl all day, when regular mascara can sort of droop, and I think that waterproof mascara gives my eyelashes more volume. The problem with that is that I can't use regular eye makeup remover because my eyelashes fall out in clumps and my eyes sting and grow irritated from all the chafing I have to do. Plus I always get the eyeliner/mascara residue rings around my eyes the next morning anyway.

For awhile, I've been using Clinique's Take the Day Off Eye Makeup Remover. It does the job extremely well. I only need a very, very small amount to completely take off waterproof mascara and eyeliner without leaving residue. It's a half-oil formula, so you have to shake it vigorously to activate it. It has a push-down, twist-up sort of cap, and an open bottle mouth. This feels somewhat greasy. It's not incredibly slick/greasy, but you'll be able to notice its oiliness.

A problem I have with this is that it stings my eyes. Pretty badly, actually. I have very sensitive skin and eyes, and this usually makes my eyes dry, burn, and overall just sting. I don't see it visually change the appearance of my eyes like redness or anything, but I can definitely feel some irritation. Since this works so well and I need so little of it, I didn't mind using it anyway.

Just a week or two ago, I saw a promotional display in the cosmetics section of my local Rite-Aid for the Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover, which is something I've been hearing good things about for some time. The fact that the display also stated that this was the "#1 makeup remover brand in America" convinced me to try it out.

This is a half-oil formula as well. What I notice about this one is that after you shake it, it very quickly goes back to its half-oil state. I didn't have to shake it again as constantly with the Clinique one. One thing that surprised me about this Almay one is that it doesn't feel greasy in the least. It feels just as cooling, clean, and refreshing as the oil-free makeup remover I use to take of my foundation and other face makeup.

As for taking off my waterproof eye makeup, this did the job I'd say, 96.8%? as good as the Clinique Take the Day Off. This took literally the slightest bit more amount to get it all off, but it still got my eye makeup easily slid off without any struggle, and there was zero residue in the morning. This also did not irritate  my eyes. Since my eyes are way sensitive, of course my eyes felt a little off for a little bit, but this was a great improvement.

I think Almay's makeup remover exceeded my expectations by a lot. It feels less greasy and irritating than Clinique's. This also reverses back to its whole half-oil state a lot sooner than Clinique's, and I found that Clinique does a slightly better job at removing makeup quicker/easier than Almay, but to me the quality is nearly identical. Not to mention, Almay's makeup remover is less than half the price of Clinique's.

Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover and Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover

Bobbi Brown Blush in Nectar: Review + Photos

The Bobbi Brown Blush in Nectar is a coral-toned, medium peach-pink shade. It's completely matte, which in my opinion is the best kind of finish to a blush. This comes in the slim, glossy black classic Bobbi Brown blush packaging. One thing that I like about this blush is that the color is fairly neutral, and can work on most skin tones.

This blush is pigmented, but it's not pigmented enough to the point where you have to worry about trying to get a small or certain amount to get this to give your face a subtle flush of color. It applies evenly, and blends out really well. It has a super buttery, finely-milled texture to it. This wore on my about 7-8 hours before fading just the slightest bit, but I could still very well tell that the blush was on. I have dry skin everywhere except my T-Zone, so this was not an oil issue. If you reapply it, it'll look just as good as the first time you did. Touch-ups completely blend in with the first application I made earlier in the day.

Bobbi Brown Nectar Blush

(no flash) swatches of non-blended and blended Bobbi Brown Nectar Blush

(flash) swatches of non-blended and blended Bobbi Brown Nectar Blush

Almay Liquid Lip Balm in Cantaloupe Cream: Review + Photos

Almay has released their new line, titled Color + Care. I don't know if they intend to add more products to this line, but so far the first one they have made is quite noteworthy just by the title. Liquid Lip Balm. This claims to have the finish, shine, and color of a lip gloss, but the comfort and moisture of a lip balm as well. I only heard about this checking what coupons I had on my coupons.com app in the Personal Care section. There was an offer to get $1 off this product, and I was willing to try this.

This comes in ten shades, ranging from light nudes to coral shades, pink shades, and red. I would say most people would find a shade that suited their skin tone or that they found appealing. I picked up a shade called Cantaloupe Cream, which is a slightly warm, mid-toned coral shade. It applies slightly lighter than from what you see directly through the transparent tube. The tube is kind of short and thick, with a gray matte cap.

The consistency of this is definitely on the thicker side, but it's not goopy. This has an interesting texture, it's very soft and plush, almost like a MAC Plushglass, except without the tackiness. I wouldn't classify this as a sheer product. I can clearly see that my lips have changed color even with one thin layer. Darker colors such as the red or dark pink they have in this line are probably even more pigmented. I don't find that this settles into lip lines.

This is not a high shine finish product, but the shine isn't subtle either. I would say that it's finish is just average, helping their claim that this has the finish of a gloss while still being a balm. The durability of this will last a very long time without eating/drinking, but like lip balm if you put your mouth to a cup or eat a meal, this is probably gonna slide off.

Overall I think Almay's new concept with the on-going trend of cosmetics that double as skincare or healing properties is very original. This is very comfortable to wear, and performs overall pretty well.

Swatch of Cantaloupe Cream (no flash)

Juicy Couture Couture La La: Review + Photos

Juicy Couture's new fragrance Couture La La features their signature square bottle with the crystal, decorative cap with the Juicy Couture chain charm draped around the cap. Juicy Couture's signature twin dog logo is largely and clearly imprinted right at the center of the bottle, making it impossible to misidentify.

According to Juicy Couture, this blends mandarin with bold white florals. According to Sephora, other notes include Sparkling Mandarin, Water Hyacinth, Green Apple, Red Currant, Lily of the Valley, Blushing Peony, Violet Leaves, Orange Flower, Smooth Woods, and Liquid musk.

The absolute initial thing I first smell is a lot of gentle, feminine-smelling florals. Almost immediately, I also pick up a burst of sort of a sweetened citrus flavor, most likely mixed with a very slight musk aroma. This mixture is very feminine and unique. It reminds me of someone who would walk out of a garden in the springtime, carrying a basket of oranges.

The musky, vanilla-like aroma and the florals are most prominent in this, with the citrus aroma being subtle yet enough to make a significant note of. This fragrance is very youthful, feminine, and flirty. I would recommend picking this up.

NYX Liquid Crystal Liner in Crystal Silver: Review + Photos

This liner is perfect for decorating black eyeliner, or better yet, using on top of eye shadows. This product comes in a lot of colors, but the only one I picked up was the Crystal Silver one. I'll probably go back and purchase a gold one as well!

So this is just a clear liquid with a lot of high quality, finely milled silver glitters. The clear liquid base adds to its shine and texture. One outstanding thing about this is that its not thick or sticky. It's super smooth and has the consistency just thin enough to glide along very easily. It dries pretty quickly, I'd say about a minute's time.

This is really good for decorating black eyeliners if that's your thing, but I personally use it a lot more often to layer on top of shimmery eye shadow. I used this a few times over some of my silver shadows just because I didn't feel like the eye shadow was vibrant enough on its own. This added the most beautiful finish. Although I definitely think this adds a lot to my eyes, this isn't perfect. If you're trying to cover a large area than just a thin line, this won't fill all the areas and usually leaves a lot of gaps. It's not a very noticeable thing, so it doesn't bother me that much. If you try to layer it, it'll just get thick and goopy and won't make a difference, if anything, worse. This is also meant to be a liner so technically speaking it really does do the job it was intended for very well.

e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit: Review + Photos

The e.l.f. eyebrow kit comes with a small mirror, sheer eyebrow gel, and a complimentary powder to finish it off and give it more pigment. There is also a very short, small tool included with an angled side and a brush side, which kind of looks like an eyebrow brush. Because of this tool's length, it's a little uncomfortable to use.

This product comes in three shades including Light, Medium, and Dark. Dark was too dark for me and Light was too light for me and didn't look like it'd go with my skin tone.

The only real problem I have with this product is their pigmentation. Medium probably would've worked out alright for me if it wasn't so dark. Wearing the sheer-colored gel it comes with isn't enough alone, and it would probably wear off since it's a gel. I don't really think the gel is that big of a deal when it comes to how pigmented it is, but the powder is very, very pigmented. I actually think it'd make a good crease color for eye shadow. I usually keep my brows dark and complimentary to my hair, but this product overdoes it with the darkness, and my eyebrows are the only thing I notice on my face and way overpower the rest of my makeup.

I think this is actually a good product, and I would use it often if it wasn't for how dark the powder applies. If your thing is bold, dark eyebrows, this would be perfect for you.

powder on left, gel on right

gel with powder set over it

gel with powder set over it (flash)

Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner: Review + Photos

Like Revlon's Liquid pen version of this eyeliner, this product has gone above and beyond my expectations. I have this in Black, and this is definitely a very intense black. The product glides on extremely smoothly and pigmented. It's waterproof, so if you make a mistake or get it somewhere it isn't supposed to be, it'll be hard to work with. It holds on onto my upper and lower lash line wonderfully throughout the day. On the waterline, this might last a few hours before fading away. It doesn't smudge and make you look dead like some eyeliners can when they wear off the waterline. It cleanly comes off and it's easy to quickly touch up.

This is an automatic, or retractable, eyeliner, which means the tips always stays firm and slim, perfect for every type of eyeliner look because of the amount of control you have with this. You might not be able to create perfect wings, due to the fact the tip, while still slim, is rounded because it's an automatically sharpening liner, so there's not really a clean point you can work with.

If you're looking for a pigmented, long-lasting and easy to handle eyeliner, I think this would be a perfect fit. This has worked better than some of the high-end eyeliners I've used in the past.

Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Flat Iron Spray: Review + Photos

My hair is already very long and straight, but the front parts of my hair curl/wave in an unsightly manner, and they always look frizzy and gross. This spray is supposed to be a heat protectant, while helping to detangle and straighten your hair since Brazilian Keratin is a hair straightening ingredient.

This is a light, refreshing spray that is non-greasy and heavily scented with Brazilian Keratin. This is excellent to use after you've washed your hair, to straighten out and detangle any knots you might have. I usually spray a few places and brush through, then use a flat iron. I think this does a good job at protecting your hair from the heat. I noticed a significant change when I used the spray and when I didn't. When I didn't use the spray, the front of my hair would straighten out a lot, but it'd still have that coarse, frizzy texture to it, and it would slowly curl back after a few hours. I found when I used the spray, it took me less time to get the desired texture, and after I was done it left my hair softer and more slimmed down. Since the front of my hair is extremely stubborn, this effect didn't last all of the day, but the spray definitely extended the effects of my flat iron.

This isn't something you need to wash out like hairspray, it helps repair/maintain the health of your hair as well as aiding to help straighten it out. It's very easy to find at Ulta and WalMart.

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo & Color Tattoo Metal in Bad to the Bronze & Inked in Pink: Review + Photos

Maybelline's Color Tattoos are supposed to be very long-wearing eye shadows that come in a cream form. These can be very well used as a base, but I suggest using an eye shadow primer beforehand. Their regular Color Tattoos are just long-wearing cream shadows with a decent range of colors, and their newly released Color Tattoo Metal line is the exact same concept, except that those are supposed to be super metallic.

First off, I can definitely see where the name "Tattoo" originates from. The texture is super hard/stiff, and once you get it on your eyelid I suggest working at the speed of light because blending isn't an option anymore once these dry, and don't take very long to do. The lighter/sheerer you apply, the easier time you'll have blending this, but it is more of a hassle to reapply layer after layer. I've also found that the only way to really blend this is with your fingers, which is kind of a problem for someone looking to use this as an eye shadow, especially going into the crease. These have a super strong hold though. They have lasted more than 12 hours on my eyelids in very warm weather.

Despite the concept of a tattoo being super heavy with color and permanent, these don't hold up very well on pigmentation. It may seem like you'll pick up a lot of color when you dip your finger into the little pot, but these actually take a few layers to be opaque. If you're using this as a base, that shouldn't really be a problem because bases aren't meant to be drop dead opaque. To get this opaque, I had to use 3-4 layers of this.

The regular Color Tatto, Bad to the Bronze, is a deep, warm bronze with gold sheen/shimmer. The Color Tattoo Metal, Inked in Pink, was a light, icy cool-toned light pink with silver sheen/shimmer. I actually do find slight differences in these besides their finish. I think that the Color Tattoo Metal is slightly more pliable and pigmented than the regular Color Tattoos, and of course, more metallic.

I really had a hard time getting these to work efficiently as actual eye shadows, but I think that these work as perfect bases. They'd really help your eye shadow stand out when used as a base.

(No Flash) Inked in Pink, Bad to the Bronze

(Flash) Inked in Pink, Bad to the Bronze

N.Y.C. Liquid Eyeliner: Review + Photos

This eyeliner only comes in two shades which are Black, and Pearlized Black. I own the one in black. True to the company's claim, the pigmentation of this eyeliner is super intense. It's one of the blackest eyeliners I've seen. It's super matte as well. The consistency of this is pretty thin, making it easy to glide across the lid. It's an extremely wet formula, and it takes an excessively long amount of time to dry. It took me about 5 minutes per eye to have it dry completely. And of course during that time blinking occurs, which I also have to be cautious for. While it is drying, you have to be super delicate and blink very lightly, quickly, and slowly so you won't mess up the eyeliner. Too much movement in the eye, in which this doesn't take a lot of movement, can cause the eyeliner to transfer to the top of the eye, underneath the eye, and to the side. This also sticks to the eyelashes, so it makes it easier for the eyeliner to go places you don't want it to.

The applicator is super, super thin and a bit elongated. This allows for more control than the average liquid eyeliner, but at the same time takes time to get used to because it's so thin and flexible. I would say this is good for creating wings, but that's a contradicting statement because the formula is so moist it gets in the way of that. The wing will probably be ruined if you're not excessively careful.

This isn't water-proof at all. Once it completely dries, it won't smudge throughout the day, but it's super easy to get off. This will wash off completely with just water if you wanted. Because of that though, I'm not sure how well this would hold up if you were in a humid environment, or were exposed to any sort of rain.

Overall, I would just rate this eyeliner as okay. It has good pigmentation and a precise applicator for being $2.99, but I don't think I'll be okay with dealing with the hassle of waiting for this product to dry.

L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner: Review + Photos

This eyeliner comes in three shades which include Black/Noir, Black/brown, and Gray. I have the one in Black/Noir. I can see immediately that this black goes beyond standards.

The texture of this is surprisingly very smooth and very creamy. Since its summer where I live, the weather has gone up quite a few degrees. One hot day when I used this, I had to constantly stop to clean up this eyeliner because as I was applying, it kept melting around and it formed chunks at the tip. I had to remove them with a tissue, then blot the tip. In cooler weather I did not encounter this problem.

Because of the design, this is very easy to apply and get a straight line. I think this kind of eyeliner is best for use with smoked out or blended liner application, rather than clean definition. It blends very easily. It also dries quickly. This is not long-wearing at all I find, because after just three hours this ran and was smudged all over my undereye (I didn't apply any eye makeup under my eyes), and smudged on the outer corner of my eye. When I wore this on my waterline, it didn't stay put for anymore than an hour, and all of it seemed to transfer from my waterline to gunked up, moist eyeliner residue straight underneath.

This eyeliner has great pigmentation and an ergonomic design, but it simply has no sustainability in the least, which is a dealbreaker for me when it comes to pencil eyeliner.

EOS Lemon Drop and Summer Fruit Smooth Sphere Lip Balm: Review + Photos

These have gotten really popular because of their unique shape, word of mouth, and of course, the famous Kim Kardashian's follow-up of various instagram pictures of her showing that she uses them.

These come in a lot of flavors. The two I purchased were the Summer Fruit one, and the Lemon one with SPF 15 in it. Other flavors include raspberry pomegranate, mint, honeydew, strawberry sorbet, and medicated tangerine. I do notice that a regular one with no medication or SPF, such as the Summer Fruit one I have, has a completely different texture than a lip balm with an added ingredient in it such as the Lemon one that I have. The Lemon one with SPF 15 has a rougher, almost grainy or scruffy, texture. It glides just as easily and stays on just as long as a regular one, but it does have a really different feel to it. It's also differently colored. It seems to be sort of translucent and duller, while the Summer Fruit one is very opaquely cream-colored. The Summer Fruit one is also visibly smoother when you're looking at the actual sphere.

These do provide quite sufficient moisture, but if you need intense moisture these probably aren't going to cut it. I would label these lip balms more as constant maintenance, because they do a good job at keeping your lips healthy and moisturized if you're consistently applying it to slightly dry to normal skin.

The Lemon one smells like an actual lemon. It doesn't smell sweet, if anything, tangy. And the Summer Fruit one, according to EOS, is supposed to smell like blueberry, strawberry, and peach. I think the peach and blueberry are especially prominent.

Aside from the technical stuff I appreciate their unique design. They're easy to store in a bag, but not in your pocket because of their circular design. Each one of these are under $5, so these have great value and are pretty fun to collect.

Chanel Glossimer in Sundress: Review + Photos

Sundress is a very nude, pale pink with gold shimmer and flecks. This has a very high gloss finish. Under flash, it almost looks like it has a very purplish undertone to it. This goes on very sheer, and is quite similar to my natural lip color, so the color in this is barely detectable to me. I see mostly clear gloss with shimmer in it. It's v very natural and versatile, especially if you're wearing strong eye makeup.

The texture of this is thick, and kind of sticky. It's not something that is noticeable once it's actually on. Without eating or drinking, this wears off in about 4 hours, and after eating a meal it probably almost completely wears off. It leaves behind a sticky, waxy residue with the gold flecks left behind. It's a very thin layer, so that isn't annoying either. One thing this is really good at is that it doesn't settle into lines, and it doesn't bleed.

Although this isn't especially exceptional in quality, this product has great quality. I would buy this again.

                                     

                                                          

                                   

                                   

Maybelline Color Sensational High Gloss in Gleaming Grenadine:Review +Photos

The special thing behind this product is that it contains absolutely no wax whatsoever, which allows for a crystal clear shine and color, and easy removal, and no stickiness. The catch about this, however, is that since it doesn't have any wax in it, it bleeds really easily. If you use a lip liner though, there isn't a problem as long as the lip liner you're using is of good quality.

This specific color has a cream finish with no shimmer/glitter, and is a warm-toned, rich red. When I swatched it with flash, it looked color toned. But in every other lighting besides flash, this has a pretty strong orange undertone. This is pigmented, but I wouldn't say it's opaque. When first applied, this will have at least sheer to medium coverage, but can be built up to full coverage. It's kind of hard to build this into completely full coverage though because when you overlap the previous layer, some spots may be swept away and left bare.

Without a good lip liner, this will literally last ten minutes before completely bleeding outside the lip line, but still stays put nonetheless for some time after that. When using a lip liner, this lasts about an hour, and then it kind of starts to fade and erode away. It will come off completely after having a full meal, and easily transfers onto cups you drink out of.

I would repurchase this again just because I like it's finish, but it's a very high maintenance so I would only wear this rarely.