ProductWhores

Lash Mob!

Be one of the first 100 people to enter Sephora Times Square this Friday, December 7^th and walk away with a Sephora gift card up to $100 and also receive a luscious lash makeover courtesy of Too Faced’s latest lash innovation…Better Than False Lashes!!

 This new mascara from Too Faced is not your ordinary mascara —it’s a lash miracle which increases lashes significantly in volume and length.  If you hit up Times Square on Friday, you get to experience it firsthand!  Too Faced Pro’s will be on site from 10am – 5pm dramatically enhancing lashes, giving tutorials, etc.

I wish I could be there but I guess I'll just have to wait for the mascara to release here on the west coast.  I hate waiting!

From Top To Bottom

The best part about the holidays (besides the Salted Caramel Mochas at Starbucks and the Peppermint Mochas at The Coffee Bean)?  All the holiday gift sets.  So.  Many.  Gift.  Sets.  It really is impossible not to leave the mall with at least one every time I pop in (and I pop in a lot because, well, I love to shop).  My newest discovery is Clinique's Lashes Top to Bottom. For only $29.50, you get four different deluxe-sized mascaras (High Impact Mascara, High Lengths Mascara, Lash Power Mascara, Lash Doubling Mascara) all in Black, plus a full-sized Bottom Lash Mascara (also in Black).  I'm totally, totally obsessed with Bottom Lash Mascara because it's one of the only mascaras that makes my bottom lashes look thicker and darker without smudging or making them look fake.  It's kind of amazing, really.  Even if you don't get the gift set, you should definitely run out and buy Bottom Lash Mascara, if you don't own it already.  But the gift set is fantastic because you can try out four other great mascaras and they're all the perfect size to travel with or throw in your purse to touch up your makeup for after work drinks.  I've been experimenting with layering some of the mascaras over each other and really like a few of the combos I've come up with.  (Which, uh, I'd tell you about if I'd remembered to actually, y'know, write them down...) Definitely a set worth buying for yourself or someone else!     

Note:  Samples of the above were sent to me by a PR representative working with Clinique

Clump Blaster!

I'm sort of iffy on Cover Girl's mascaras.  Some have worked really well for me, others... not so much.  But I am totally into their new LashBlast Clump Crusher.  I'm not sure what exactly makes it work so well for me - the oversized brush or the formula - but all I know is that when I wear it, I have long, thick lashes that really and truly don't have any clumps.  (Although to be fair, I only usually wear one or two coats - I'm not going all Tammy Faye Bakker with it on a daily basis anyway).  I just love the way it looks.  It lasts all day, it doesn't smudge under my eyes... it's kind of my perfect mascara at the moment.  (Which is good, since after my unfortunate lash tinting incident in August, I'm never ever tinting my lashes again, so I better really love my mascaras).  Even better - it's under ten dollars, and you can probably find it even cheaper on sale or with a coupon.  It's a total bargain!  I assume it's not a limited-edition and here to stay, but I might have to stock up anyway, just in case.  One can never have too many mascaras...   

Lash Booster!

My best friend used to live in NYC and every single time I went to visit her I would have to visit the FACE Stockholm store right there and buy a million things.  I love this line and while I still get excited ordering online or visiting one of the boutiques who carry the products, nothing will replace visiting the actual shop in NY!  Well, since my best friend no longer lives there and I can't justify the jetting to the east coast just for a trip to FACE Stockholm, I'll enjoy getting the goods online.  One of their latest releases (by the way, check out their very fresh-faced look for Fall on their homepage - it's stunning!!!) is a new fantastic mascara called Lash Booster.  Lash Booster is a natural mascara and lash extension which have your lashes looking fuller and longer.  The mascara contains vegetable waxes and polymers which help to nourish and stimulate lash growth and I have to say, after a month of use, I do actually notice a difference - not in the length but in the fullness of my lashes.  The mascara is not heavy or clumpy but really gives lashes a natural, full look which I love.  I have been pairing it with a smokey-grey-lined eye and a bold lip color and I adore my new fall look. 

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with FACE Stockholm

Better Than False Lashes?

Has anyone tried this new mascara from Too Faced?  I just stumbled upon the Better Than False Lashes Nylon Lash Extension System while playing around on Sephora online (as I do, well, constantly) and now I want to try it.  Here's what the description says:

The look of false lashes has never been easier or more affordable with this do-it-yourself system that's an alternative to messy false lashes and expensive lash extensions.  The activating mascara base and top coat is designed specifically to melt and seal the Flexistretch nylon fibers into long, thick, dramatic lashes without the risk, mess, or commitment of other false lash alternatives.  Unlike traditional fiber mascaras, Better Than False Lashes allows you to dial up the lengthening fibers so you easily get better, longer, thicker, more dramatic lashes instantly.

It sounds great, right?  (Although maybe a little labor intensive.  I think I'd save it for going out at night because, really, who needs to look like they're wearing false lashes at work?  My job doesn't involve anything nearly fun enough for that!)  It's $35 though, so I kind of want to hear what more people think before I throw down some cash.  Anyone tried it yet?

Glam Up Your Look

Stila has partnered with E! again to release a collection of fun, Hollywood-themed products that you can use to glam yourself up for a night out on the town.  How cute is the Bring Out Your Glam Eye Shadow Palette (above)?  Love the little stars in the middle of the shades!  It's a nice neutral palette that you can also use for a darker, smoky eye if you want.  I really like the mix of shades - there are some nice highlighters in there paired with darker browns.  And at only $24, it's one of the more affordable eye palettes out there right now. 

The collection also includes the Smudge Stick Duo + Forever Your Curl Mascara set, which I love because I'm a huge fan of Stila's Smudge Sticks.  This one has two shades in it - Oscar Fish (a warm brown with gold pearl) and Stargazer (a black with gold and silver pearl).  They're both basic shades, but the pearl makes them fun and a little more dressy than your average brown and black liners.  I love the smudge sticks though because they smudge really well (I should hope so!) so they're great for creating a smoky eye or a soft daytime look because you can smudge them and get away without using a lot of shadow too.  (That's why they're coming on vacation with me next month.  Less makeup in my bag means more room for magazines for my loooong plane ride.  I am emotionally incapable of traveling without a choice of 37 different things to read).  

There's also a new Lip Glaze Trio with some more new, aptly named shades.  I like that the shades are all darker than a lot of the Lip Glazes since they're so sheer already.  Here are the three colors in the collection:

• Lights - warm golden caramel with gold sparkle
• Action - deep berry with golden pearl
• Camera - soft rust red with golden pearl

Camera is my favorite.  So, so pretty. I love a nice red gloss.  I already have about, oh, twenty or so of them, but this one is really nice.  So now that I'm all Hollywood-ed up, who wants to invite me to a premiere so I can walk the red carpet?  I'm free this weekend... 

Note:  Samples of this product were sent to me by a PR representative working with Stila

Stila Rolls Out The Red Carpet

 

I was one of those people who loved Stila's last collaboration with E! and all of their Live From The Red Carpet fun, so I'm excited that they're doing it all over again.  This year, there are four products in the new collection - a Solar Lighted Compact W/All Over Shimmer Duo, a Bring Out Your Glam Eye Shadow Palette, a Smudge Stick Duo + Forever Your Curl Mascara and a Lip Glaze Trio.  They all look really fun, don't they?  I especially think I need the eye palette and the Lip Glaze Trio (because clearly, I need MORE Lip Glazes even though I already have a ridiculous amount of them).  And how cute is the eye palette, with the stars in the middle of the shadows?  E! and Stila have sucked me in once again!

Lots Of Lashes

I've never been a big fan of Great Lash mascara.  I know there's all this hype and a lot of people who swear by it, but it's just never done anything for me.  But I was at Target the other week and saw a display of the new version of it, Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara.  (Or, as the Target site hilariously calls it, Great Lash LOL Mascara.  They are aware that abbreviating it like that makes it sound like a mascara people are laughing at, right?  Because... why?)  Not only was it on sale, but then I had a random Maybelline coupon, so it ended up costing me like $3.00, which seemed a worthwhile investment even if I hated it.  (It's basically half of what the new English Toffee Lattes at The Coffee Bean cost and I can easily justify those a few times a week, so how could I pass a $3.00 mascara up?  Answer - I could not).  And then a funny thing happened.  Not only did I not hate it, I actually kind of love it.  I think it's the brush, which as you can see is a very odd shape, but that shape lets you really get in there and coat each lash with mascara without getting it all over the rest of your face (a problem I usually have because I'm a klutz).  The formula also works really well for me.  My lashes look super long and thick when I wear it, noticeably more so than with most mascaras, which makes me very happy.  (Especially for $3.00!)  I've been wearing it for a few weeks now and so far, I haven't noticed any drawbacks.  It doesn't smudge once it's dry, it doesn't flake off giving me raccoon eyes, and it stays put all day.  I love having a new drugstore mascara obsession because it makes me feel better knowing if I travel somewhere and forget mine, I can just run over to the nearest CVS and grab another one.  I'm finally on board the Great Lash train! 

Hyperlash

I need another mascara about as little as any human being could need anything, but when I was wandering through ULTA the other day, there was a display of Smashbox's Hyperlash Mascara and it was at a special promotional price.  Special promotions are like my kryptonite.  There's no way I wasn't going to walk out of the store with a tube of it, especially after I realized that it was only $10 (instead of the normal price of $21).  Besides being more than 50% off, that's also about what drugstore mascaras cost these days, so I figured even if I hated it, I wouldn't feel that bad.  And then I didn't hate it at all!  It's actually a great mascara, made even greater by the bargain price.  I love the brush - it doesn't let any extra product stick to it, so the mascara goes on really evenly and there are no clumps at all.  Delightful!  It makes my lashes look a lot longer and thicker and I don't notice much (if any) flaking.  I'm really happy I strolled down that particular aisle at ULTA on what was only like, my third visit that week.  (I'm stalking the nail polish section because I'm dying to pick up Midtown Magic from China Glaze's new Metro collection and ULTA's the only place near me that hasn't gotten it and sold out already).  I love when my obsessive makeup trips pay off!  

Doll Lashes

I have tried Lancome mascaras in the past (huge fan of Definicils, I have to say), however with the hefty price tag and the fact I've become a Cover Girl Lash Blast addict, I haven't touched the Lancome counter for mascara in forever.  Well, this all changed as soon as I saw the ads for the new Hypnose Doll Lashes mascara (those three wide-eyed fifties-looking chicks converted me) and I ran to the Macy's counter this weekend to buy it.  This stuff is amazing - I completely love it. Yeah, it's 25 bucks, but my lashes look ridiculously awesome even if I don't use any liner.  The brush has a fat end and a skinny end and as long as you follow the instructions (outer edge gets the fat end and the inner edge gets the skinny end) you will be as happy as I am.  No clumping, even coverage and definitely lifts and extends my lashes (it does work even better if you use liner and an eyelash curler).  Bonus for me (and the real reason I decided to buy Doll Lashes right away) I scored the bonus gift this past weekend, which comes in an adorable cosmetic bag.  Gotta love bonuses (monetary, too, if my boss is reading this...)