Benefit They're Real Mascara Review

I might be one of the last people in the beauty blogging world to try this out, but I finally did it! I tried out the not-so-new Benefit They're Real Mascara:

I can talk on and on about the claims that Benefit makes, but basically this mascara is supposed to give you such glam lashes that they are supposed to look as good as false lashes. 

Bare Lashes

Lashes with 1 coat of They're Real on top and bottom lashes

So, while this might not look exactly like false lashes, I think this mascara still looks pretty good! My lashes look longer and more voluminous. Benefit They're Real also does a great job of holding the curl in my lashes when I do use a curler, but it also adds a bit of curl on its own. There is no flaking or smudging either. The only thing I didn't get with this mascara is thickening. The mascara wand coats each lash to make it darker and look longer, but it didn't make my lashes thicker. Overall, this is a great formula with a unique want, but I am not sure if it is $22 great. 

Have you tried Benefit They're Real? What are your thoughts?

Origins Ginger Skincare Review

I have had the Origins Ginger bath products for awhile but just recently started using them....and I am in LOVE!

The Origins Ginger Burst Savory Body Wash is so delicious and fresh smelling! It has a ginger scent but it is not overpowering. It does not smell like the ginger you cook with or like candied ginger. It smells like ginger mixed with a clean, crisp, fresh scent...yeah I know that sounds confusing but it's hard to describe! This lathers extremely well and leaves my skin feeling silky soft. The ginger fragrance lingers slightly, but does not interfere with any other fragrance you layer on afterwards.

The Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream is also very luxurious. The scent is a lot stronger and longer-lasting than the body wash, so if you aren't keen on the smell this isn't for you. The texture is a bit thick and very moisturizing, which is why I haven't used nearly as much as I have of the body wash. This is better suited for the winter when I need a thicker moisturizer.

Overall, I love both but am most excited about the body wash. I know it is pricier than drugstore body washes but  it feels so good when I use it that I feel it is worth the splurge.

Have you tried either of these ginger products?

Kiko Cosmetics

While I was in Europe I discovered a European cosmetic store/brand called Kiko Cosmetics. I went in a couple of them and each time the store was packed. Like how a MAC store in the US is on the weekends. Kiko Cosmetics has  HUGE line of products, from moisturizer and face masks to mineral shadows and eye primer. The products are also very decently priced...about half the price of MAC but a little more than a drugstore. Since I didn't know too much about the brand and was hesitant to spend a lot of what could be potentially horrible makeup, I only picked up one thing:

This is the Glamorous Eye Pencil in shade 402. I swatched a ton of products, especially the eye liners, and this shade is one that I don't already have in my collections. Yes, I have bronze liners but this one has more red/terracotta tones than anything else I have. 

This eyeliner is super pigmented and very smooth and creamy in texture. The formula is just like the Urban Decay 24/7 liners. It lasts about 2 hours on the water line and all day on the upper and lower lash lines. Overall, I really like this liner and now I wish I had purchased more products.

Have you every heard of or tried Kiko Cosmetics?

Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish vs. MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder

I really like the texture, feel, and finish of Bobbi Brown's Sheer Finish Pressed Powder as a setting powder and I like having it in my purse for touch ups. However, I hate the packaging. The square shape of the compact makes it larger than I would like and takes up a lot of space in my purse. So, I went to MAC and decided to try out the Select Sheer Powder to see if would be as good of a product as the BB powder, in better packaging.

As you can see, the BB compact is larger, pointier, and bulkier than the MAC compact. Also, the numbering of the BB powder is funky. I use the third darkest shade Soft Sand, or number 5. This throws me off because in the foundation range my number is 3.5, Warm Beige. The MAC powder uses the same numbering as the foundation and in both I am an NC25. 

Both compacts have a mirror and come with a powder puff. 

Both powders are very sheer and don't deposit a lot of color, which is what I wanted. Both powders are very silky, blend in to the skin, are great for setting my face makeup, and control my minimal shine. I really couldn't tell much difference between the two when worn on my face. Considering that I like the MAC packaging and numbering system better, I am now going to stick to the MAC Select Sheer powder. Oh, and the MAC powder costs $23 for 12g of product and the Bobbi Brown powder costs $34 for 11g of product, so clearly MAC wins this battle.

Will This Eye Cream Benefit Your Dark Circles? Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream Review

I was perusing the cosmetic counters a few weeks ago when the Benefit sales associate started telling me about the Benefit skincare line that was released last year. I had heard good things but hadn't tried anything. Until that day. So how did she manage to impress me? By telling me that Benefit is owned by Louis Vuitton, and you know LV is gonna spend the money to do research and put out a great product. 

I've never owned anything by LV, but it sounded pretty good to me. I played around with the eye cream in-store, and then decided to try it out.

Aside from the cute packaging, the cream itself is creamy and light. It feels nice on the skin and is a good base for concealer...I didn't experience any creasing when I wore this under my eyes with concealer on top. In terms of the effects, this did start to decrease the darkness of my under-eye circles, but (yes there is a but) it was not moisturizing enough for me. My skin is dry, and since the under-eye skin is naturally thin and dry that area needs extra moisture. My opinion is that this eye cream would be most effective for someone in their late teens and early 20s....those who don't need the extra moisture that is required with age, but just want to start taking care of their under-eye area and perhaps need help with dark circles.

Since this didn't work out for me I am on the search for a different moisturizing eye cream. Any suggestions?

My Cream Blush Discovery: Smashbox Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trio In Lights Review

I've made it quite known on this blog that I love cream blushes. So imagine how excited I was to see Smashbox release a trio of cream blushers for spring:

This is the Cream Cheek Trio called In Lights, one of two trios released in Smashbox's Be Discovered collection for spring. This trio has warm shades and the other one has cool shades. 

I thought this would be the perfect travel companion, since it has a bright coral shade, a light pink highlight shade, and a natural mauve shade that could double as a pinky bronzer or a natural toned blush. Most of the cream blushers in makeup-land are super pigmented, so I expected the same from this. 

Swatches L-R: Coral shade heavy & blended, Mauve shade heavy & blended, Highlight shade heavy & blended

The coral shade is gorgeous, but the mauve and highlight colors have so little pigment that they are barely visible when blended. When I wore the mauve shade as a blusher it looked like I didn't even have any color on my cheeks. Here I am wearing the coral shade on the apples of my cheeks and the highlight shade on the top of my cheekbones:

There is absolutely no reflection of light on the top of my cheekbones. I don't need my highlighters to be super shimmery, but a good highlighter should at least reflect some light. 

In terms of performance, the 3 shades did last all day and were super easy to blend. I was just really disappointed in pigmentation, especially when there are such great cream blushers out there (like MAC Cremeblend Blushes, Sue Devitt's Gel-to-Powder Blushes and Bobbi Brown's Pot Rouges). 

Do you like cream blushes? What's your favorite?

Disclaimer: The product in this post was provided by PR for consideration. As always, my thoughts and review reflect my honest opinions. 

Does Pequi Oil Peek Your Interest? Couture Colour Pequi Oil Treatment Review

I heard that the Couture Colour Pequi Oil Treatment was the new Moroccan Oil, so I wandered over to Sephora to check it out.

Pequi oil is made from the Amazonian Pequi fruit and this version contains mostly natural ingredients. I thought it was pricey at $32 for 2 oz, but I thought it would be worth it if its' claims were true:

- Dull, damaged hair is up to 600% stronger* after one application of Pequi Oil Treatment.
- Pequi Oil Treatment provides a 250% improvement in shine on dull, damaged hair.

Ladies and gents, STAY AWAY from this! I got a sample and used it today in place of my Moroccan Oil. I applied to it my damp hair prior to blow drying. What a mess my blow dry process was! My hair felt so dry and got tangled - and I never get tangles with Moroccan Oil. After the drying process, my hair looked and felt like straw. It was super dry and crispy, and wasn't at all soft or shiny. I ended up using some Moroccan Oil and Hana Shine Shield just to be able to tolerate my hair because I didn't have time to re-wash it. I followed the directions on the box and I didn't use any other new hair products, so this Pequi oil was definitely to blame. 

Have you tried Pequi Oil? How was your experience?

MAC Must-Haves: Samoa Silk Eyeshadow

With Pantone declaring Tangerine Tango as THE color for Spring, it's no wonder we have been seeing orange on the runways, in the stores, and on the makeup shelves. If you aren't quite ready to take the plunge with bright orange eyeshadow, you may want to try out my latest addiction: MAC's Samoa Silk Eyeshadow.

Samoa Silk is a veluxe finish shadow and is described by MAC as a polynesian peach. It isn't bright and doesn't have any shimmer in it, so it is very versatile. It can be used in the crease or on the lid, and the peachiness factor is just perfect. 

Swatch of Samoa Silk in daylight

Swatch of Samoa Silk w/ flash

Lately I have been wearing this all over the lid, with a darker peach or soft tan in the crease, and black liner. The peachiness really awakens the eyes and adds a touch of warmth, which is perfect for spring. Here I am wearing Samoa Silk on the lid, Soft Brown in the crease, and a touch of mascara.

This is a must have for me because I love neutrals, especially warm neutrals. This would be especially flattering for those with blue eyes because peach/orange opposes blue (color wheel theory) so the peachiness brings out the blue in blue eyes. This shade would also be great for mature women because the brightness of the peach counteracts the grey, sallow tones surrounding mature eyes.

What peach/orange shades are you rockin' this Spring?

MAC Tres Cheek and Extra Dimension Swatches

Hey Dolls! Today I have a treat for you! The MAC Tres Cheek and In Extra Dimension collections launch in-store next Thursday, April 5th, but I have swatches for you today!

The Tres Cheek collection includes 6 springtime blushes that are super pigmented.

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I think all these colors are super pigmented and perfect for the spring/summer. The shades are:

• Pink Tea - Neutral beige pink (Satin)
• Lovecloud - Bright mid-tone pink (Satin)
• Peony Petal - Bright blue pink (Satin)
• Modern Mandarin - Red-orange (Satin)
• Immortal Flower - Bright peach (Satin)
• Full of Joy - Lavender (Frost)

Here are the swatches:

Top: Pink Tea, Modern Mandarin, Immortal Flower

Bottom: Lovecloud, Peony Petal, Full of Joy

Top: Pink Tea, Modern Mandarin, Immortal Flower

Bottom: Lovecloud, Peony Petal, Full of Joy

Top: Pink Tea, Modern Mandarin, Immortal Flower

Bottom: Lovecloud, Peony Petal, Full of Joy

Although the pinks aren't that unique, Modern Mandarin and Full of Joy aren't shades we see frequently so I think they will definitely sell out. My personal favorites are Modern Mandarin, Pink Tea, and Lovecloud. I do want to mention that the Reel Sexy collection also launches on the same day and includes two blushes, Pink Cult and Magenta, which look just ok in the pan, but are beautiful on. Unfortunately, I don't have swatches of those, but if you like blush you have to check those out too! (I almost like those shades better than these!)

The In Extra Dimension collection includes 3 skinfinishes that are multi-use highlight powders. The texture of these is completely different from mineralize skinfinishes. These skinfinishes are are super smooth, almost creamlike, metallic powders with an extremely shimmery finish. The good part is they are not glittery. The collection also includes 12 shadows with a similar texture and finish. 

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Whisper of Gilt Extra Dimension Skinfinish

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Superb Extra Dimension Skinfinish

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Glorify Extra Dimension Skinfinish

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Here are swatches of the 3 skinfinishes:

L-R: Whisper of Gilt, Superb, Glorify

(top row is blended, bottom is a heavy swatch)

L-R: Whisper of Gilt, Superb, Glorify

(top row is blended, bottom is a heavy swatch)

L-R: Whisper of Gilt, Superb, Glorify

(top row is blended, bottom is a heavy swatch)

These skinfinishes are described as liquid-powder highlighters that are supposed to wear 10 hours. I haven't worn them on my skin so I can't vouch for that. These are each 9g and cost $29. A regular mineralize skinfinish (MSF) has 10g and costs the same, so these new ones are pretty on par with the MSFs. Because these are so shimmery, less is more, but I think these new skinfinishes are a fun new multi-purpose product.

Are any of these products on your wish-list?

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Powder Foundation SPF 20 Review

Enabled by fellow blogger Suka and Spice, I decided I needed the Josie Maran Argan Matchmaster Powder Foundation SPF 20 in my life.

This powder foundation is self-adjusting, so it goes on white and changes color to match your skin tone. It really is pretty amazing how this works! The powder goes on white then transforms as the product is blended.

I like that it has a separate compartment for the sponge applicator and also includes a mirror.

I was skeptical whether or not this would work for me because it only comes in 3 shades. The middle shade Light/Medium seemed like the obvious choice, but when I swatched it at Sephora it was way too orange for my NC25 skin. The lightest shade Fair/Light was a touch lighter than my wrist so I went with that. It turns out that the color is actually a great match for me, so I wonder if it really is suitable for very fair skin tones. It is pretty neutral in tone, neither too warm or too cool.

Swatch straight from the sponge

Blended

Isn't it cool how the powder magically blends into the color of my skin? In terms of application, the product does powder up a lot, especially when you use a brush. I prefer to just use the sponge applicator included in the compact. However, since the white parts of the powder are not evenly distributed throughout the compact, the sponge sometimes picks up too much white and requires more blending so it doesn't look ashy.

The feel of this powder foundation is what I really love. It is super silky and my skin feels so soft afterwards. The SPF 20 makes this a perfect swipe and go face product for those days when one is running late or in a rush. The coverage is light - enough to even out the skin tone but not enough to hide blemishes or dark spots. This would be a great summer/beach day foundation. However, and this is a big however, this powder does not last all day. It starts fading after about 4-5 hours. I wore this a few times and when I used a makeup wipe to remove my makeup at the end of the day, the wipe was practically white...there was so little face makeup on that there was nothing left to remove! This was the case even when I used a face primer underneath. Therefore, this powder foundation is going back. Although I really liked how this looked and felt on my skin, I need something that will last all day, and unfortunately, this isn't it.

Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara Review

With a name like Extreme Party Mascara, I expected Bobbi Brown's latest mascara formulation to give me that va-va-voom that I always crave.

The brush seemed promising: large, full, lots of bristles, and easy to use. Even the application was a breeze, and there was no smudging or clumping.

So are you ready to see my extreme party lashes?

Lashes with no mascara

Lashes with Extreme Party Mascara

Wah. Wah. Waah. 

You might be thinking they look pretty good, but that isn't the mascara as much as the fact that I curled my lashes. The mascara didn't add any drama or length....there was nothing extreme or party-like about it. I thought maybe this would be decent to use up for day-today use for casual outings. But, this mascara didn't hold the curl for more than 3-4 hours. After that time my lashes looked like their naked selves again. 

Thanks Bobbi, but I will pass on this one. 

The Body Shop Wise Woman Vitality Serum Review

I know, I know, I haven't been the best blogger this past week. Life was just super busy and although I snapped a bunch of pics in hopes of writing some posts, I kept getting sidetracked. But this week will be better!

I always use a serum before my moisturizer, both in the morning and evening, and since they long discontinued my favorite Lancome Cell Defense, I have been forced to search the market for something just as effective and suitable. That search led me to The Body Shop Wise Vitality Serum. 

The reason I picked this up is because it is not that expensive, $36 for 1oz. However, since The Body Shop always has sales you can often get this for an even better price. The online reviews were pretty good, and since this seemed good for mature skin I thought it would be good since for me (since mature skin is inherently dry skin and I have very dry skin, especially during winter).

The serum itself is clear and very fluid-like. It absorbs quickly without feeling sticky or leaving behind any residue. Although this felt good on the skin, it didn't do anything positive for me. I used up the whole thing, which lasted about 2 months which 2x/day use. Even though I knew I wouldn't see any dramatic change, like wrinkles going away, most good serums at the very least give my skin some luminosity and brightness. I really saw no improvement in my skin whatsoever, not even in terms of moisture retention. I will definitely not re-purchase this.

So back to the drawing board. Do you have any good serum recommendations?

Per-fekt Brow Perfection Gel Review

The last time I ordered something from Sephora I chose my free samples, and with just my luck, they sent me completely different samples. It all worked out though because I ended up liking a product I never would have thought of trying: Per-fekt Beauty Per-fekt Brow Perfection Gel:

I tried the Caramel shade, which is a dark brown color.

First off, the product is natural and doesn't have any of the bad stuff: 

- No Parabens
- No Sulfates
- No Synthetic Fragrances
- No Synthetic Dyes
- No Petrochemicals
- No Phthalates
- No GMOs
- No Triclosan

This is also supposed to be transfer-resistant, smudge-resistant, water-resistant, and sweat-resistant. I didn't go swimming with it or anything, but I found that this brow gel did last all day without fading or smudging.

The brush is really great and adds enough color without being clumpy or looking fake. The product dries to a natural finish, without looking glossy. This is one of the better brow gels I have tried, though it is pricey at $22 for 0.15 oz. There are 4 shades available, which I think are good enough to match any hair color. Overall, I think this is a good product for taming and filling in brows. If you have very sparse brows or literally have to draw them in with a pencil then this might not be for you.

Have you tried anything from Per-fekt?

A Sue Devitt Face of the Day with Product Reviews and Swatches

A few months ago I wrote about my love for the Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Kenya, and I was fortunate enough to recently receive the olive green color Bangalore, along with a few other Sue Devitt goodies:

Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Bangalore

Just like with Kenya, the Bangalore shadow pencil is opaque enough that it can be used as a liner or shadow, and is a quick and easy way to add some color to the eyes. The Eye Intensifier Pencils are creamy, easy to blend, and when used with a primer they last all day. 

Sue Devitt Gel-to-Powder Blush in Marion Reef

This is definitely my favorite product of the bunch. I mentioned it in last month's favorites, and this is a standout product. When you touch the blush it feels like a creamy gel and is soft and very easy to blend. When you start blending it on the cheek it starts to settle in to a powder but without being ashy or cakey. This property really allows the product to look natural on the skin and it lasts all day. The product itself is very pigmented and can be sheered out or layered for more intense color. I usually layer powder blushes on top of cream blushes but I don't have to with this one. I also like that the packaging is very slim and has a mirror....perfect for traveling.

Sue Devitt Lip Enhancing Gloss in Golden Triangle and Costa Del Sol

According to the Sue Devitt Website, these glosses contain Marine Filling Spheres that are supposed to "smooth out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and work in tandem with Peptides that promote collagen production." All four shades are sheer and give the lips a smooth, full appearance. Personally, these are nice, but nothing special. I like that the gloss formula is non-sticky and the brush applicator holds a lot of product so the bristles don't splay like some brush applicators do. I didn't notice any plumping effect or anything extraordinary. On my lips, this gloss lasted only 2ish hours. I also think the tube is a little hefty compared to most gloss tubes, and considering how sleek the blush packaging is, this is not sleek at all.

L-R: Kenya shadow, Kenya blended, Marion Reef blush, Marion Reef blended, Costa Del Sol gloss, and Golden Triangle gloss

Here are snaps of the shadow, blush, and Costa Del Sol gloss in action:

Bangalore Eye Intensifier Pencil with no primer

Bangalore Eye Intensifier Pencil 7 hours later

You can see how badly the Eye Intensifier Pencil creased when worn by itself. When used over a primer this shadow lasts all day without fading or creasing. 

Overall, I really like the Eye Intensifier Pencils and the Gel-to-Powder Blush. The glosses are meh. I have only seen Sue Devitt cosmetics in-person at Macys, but they might be available at other retailers too. You can also purchase them online on the Sue Devitt Website, which is currently offering a free Eye Intensifier Pencil in Golden Triangle, an exotic jungle green, with any $25 purchase. 

Disclaimer: The products in this post were provided by PR for consideration. As always, my thoughts and review reflect my honest opinions.