A High and Low End Eyeshadow Primer

     I used eyeshadow primer for the first time a few years ago and haven't put it down since. Well, maybe that's a little dramatic but I love the stuff! It is essentially meant to extend the life of your eye makeup, prevent creasing, and improve the color vibrancy of your eyeshadow. I have only tried the two most popular brands (Urban Decay and Too Faced) but as soon as I found out about a drugstore version I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

     Wet N Wild just released their new line featuring Fergie called Center Stage. It includes everything from eyeshadow and mascara to lip products and nail polish- not to mention a new eye shadow primer! For the sake of this post I mainly will be reviewing the product but also will be comparing it to the formula of the very popular Urban Decay Primer Potion.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion:
Price: $20
Size: Full Size is 0.37 OZ and the sample size (pictured above) is 0.13 OZ.
Shade: Original 
Shade Selection: 4
Marketed As: "Urban Decay's #1 best selling product. Apply before your eyeshadow for more vibrant crease-free color that lasts for 24 hours".

Wet N Wild Take on the Day Primer:
Price: $4.99
Size: 0.34 OZ.
Shade: For My Primas
Shade Selection: 1
Marketed As: "This revolutionary shade-adjusting technology starts out white and adjusts to match your exact skin tone. Unique primer properties smooth skin texture for perfect application".

Product Photos:

Urban Decay Primer Potion contains a doe foot applicator.

I use this to apply the product to my eyelid and blend with my finger.

*Urban Decay has since changed their packaging- it's now very similar to the Wet N Wild product. Please check out Urban Decay's link, which is provided above to view the new packaging*

The Wet N Wild Take on the Day Primer has very simple, yet effective packaging. You easily squeeze some product out onto your finger then apply it to your eyelid and blend.

-Urban Decay (left) and Wet N Wild (right)-

Application Photos:

-Urban Decay Primer Potion-

It cancels out any discoloration and redness creating the perfect canvas for eyeshadow.

-Wet N Wild's Take on the Day Primer-

This formula is less opaque so it does't leave the eyelid completely flawless.

Here is a photo showing the overall look after applying eyeshadow

Wet N Wild (left) and Urban Decay (right)

*I used the CoverGirl Shimmering Sands palette*

     I was very impressed with how this drugstore formula faired against it's very popular competitor. Here are my overall thoughts...

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion:

Overall Application: There are die hard fans out there for this stuff and I understand why! It's great- just that simple. The application is very smooth and it blends out easily. I would be careful though because it does set pretty quickly. If you don't blend it out within 30 seconds it hardly budges. That happened to me when I was taking these photos!

Overall Color: I have gotten the chance to also try one of their new shades- Greed. It was very nice but I seem to prefer the original color. To me, I don't feel the need to have multiple shades of primer because I'm just going to cover them with eyeshadow. I want the true color of my shadow to show, not a mix of shadow and primer. I do commend Urban Decay for coming out with different shades though. They would be pretty worn alone and would also cater to a wider range of skin tones.

Overall Formula: It is blendable but not too silky. It absorbs quickly and does a great job of canceling out any discoloration on the eyelid. 

Overall Packaging: I was a fan of the doe foot applicator but since they have changed the packaging, I see why they did. Many customers were complaining that they could not get all of the product out of the curves of the tube with the doe foot applicator. Once I need to repurchase this product I am sure I will enjoy the newer packaging.

Overall Wear: This product is at the center of every eyeshadow primer conversation and for a reason, it does exactly what it is supposed to do. It boosts the color of the eyeshadow and made the overall eye look last all day without creasing.  

Wet N Wild Take On The Day Primer:

Overall Application: Application for this primer was great. I actually found my self applying too much product so a little goes a long way. It also blends nicely.

Overall Color: The product doesn't come out white like it claims- it is more of a very light, flesh tone color. I also don't think it "adjusted" to my particular skin tone but it did blend in without being noticeable.

Overall Formula: This product is more watery and liquidy than its competitor. It actually has a very similar consistency to Too Faced Shadow Insurance- the other most popular eyeshadow primer. Even though it didn't leave my eyelid flawless, it did combat most of the redness and discoloration. For me, the finish of this primer was totally acceptable.

Overall Packaging: I liked this packaging but I did have one complaint. The opening where the product comes out is fairly big. It didn't cause too many problems but the product does come out fast when you squeeze the tube. 

Overall Wear: I was very pleased with the wear of this product! It held up great and just as well as a high-end formula. When I wore them side by side I noticed no differences in color vibrancy, creasing, or wear.

Bottom Line: If you are a fan of wearing eyeshadow and don't own a primer, you should! It is an extra step that takes only a few seconds but makes a huge impact. With this new Wet N Wild product being the first drugstore eyeshadow primer that I have tried, I am very happy! If you are in need or are wanting to try an eyeshadow primer than this drugstore one is perfect for the job. It is readily available at any drugstore where Wet N Wild is sold and is a forth of the price of both popular high-end brands. I will be sticking with the Wet N Wild drugstore formula and will be reaching it for it when my samples of high-end primers run out for two reasons...
1. PRICE
2. It gives the same result as a high-end formula.

Love, Lacey

Lunch With A Friend FOTD

     I can't believe I am uploading another one of these already but why not?! I met a friend who I haven't seen in a while for lunch this afternoon and it was so much fun catching up. I decided to wear a more natural look with a bolder lip which is my usual go to daytime makeup. I used a lot of products so I apologize in advance... Who knew going natural could be so much work?!

Face:

-CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

-Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup in 150 Buff

-Clinque Advanced Concealer in 01 Matte Light

-Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (under eyes)

-MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light

-ELF Shimmer Palette (highlight for cheek bones, center of nose, and cupids bow)

-Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

-Milani Baked Blush in 01 Dolce Pink

Eyebrows:

-Laura Mercier Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette

-ELF Eyebrow Lifter and Filler in Ivory/Light

Eyes:

-Urban Decay Eyeshadow Original Primer Potion

-Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in 13 (eyeshadow base)

- Too Faced Glamor To Go Catwalk Collection Shimmery Taupe shade (bottom right corner in palette: outer 2/3 of lid) *Photo Below*

-MAC Omega (crease)

-Too Faced Glamor To Go Catwalk Collection Taupe Brown shades mixed together (first and third color in top row: lower lash line) *Photo Below*

-Urban Decay Naked Palette Creep and Darkhorse (mixed together for liner and applied with angled brush)

-CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara

Lips:

-Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rose Kiss

-Maybelline Color Whisper Lip Color in Who Wore It Red-er

     I received this palette from Sephora years ago when I reached 500 points. It also came with a sample size of their shadow insurance primer and mascara. I have recently pulled it out and have been loving the shadows. Unfortunately, they aren't named and I realized that after using it for this blog post. Even though it made things a lot more complicated I liked the final result!

     So, that was my overall "face of the day" for this cold and overcast Thursday. Maybe I was feeling a natural, simple look today because I was secretly wanting it to be summer!

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Love, Lacey

Dinner Date FOTN

     I am so excited for my first "face of the night" aka FOTN post! My boyfriend Jerome and I headed out to one of our favorite places tonight... Red Robin! I rarely get a chance to sit down, relax, and play with my makeup. Since I had about an hour and a half before I needed to leave I decided to go to town! I used a lot of new makeup and wanted to share what I came up with...

Face:

-Clinque Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

- CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation in 805

-Clinque Advanced Concealer in 01 Matte Light

-MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Light

-Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

-Mary Kay Blush in Shy Blush

Eyebrows:

-Laura Mercier Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette

-ELF Eyebrow Lifter and Filler in Ivory/Light

Eyes:

-Wet N Wild Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer

-MAC Paint Pot in Chilled on Ice (lid)

-MAC All That Glitters (lid)

-MAC Satin Taupe (crease)

-MAC Omega (blending color)

-CoverGirl Shimmering Sands (highlight)

-Maybelline Line Stiletto

-Maybelline The Rocket Mascara

Lips:

-MAC Ronnie Red

 We had a great night- I seriously couldn't stop laughing. Can't wait to do it again!

Love, Lacey

Maybelline Color Whisper Lip Color

     I finally came around and decided to try this new line of Maybelline lip products. Being a HUGE fan of the Revlon Lip Butters which came out last August, I was a little hesitant to try a similar product from a rival company. I have been wearing these for a few days and have found some pros and cons that I'd like to share with you. I tend to go for the darker shades in lines like these that are marketed as sheer products with washes of color. Here are the three shades that I purchased...

Maybelline Color Whisper Lip Color: 
Price: $7.49

Size: 0.11 OZ.

Shades Purchased: Who Wore It Red-er, Rose of Attraction, and A Plum Prospect.
Shade Selection: 20

Marketed As: " Get truly translucent gel color. Sexy, soft, see through color with no heavy waxes or oils, just a kiss of shine".

Directions: "Apply lipcolor starting in the center of your upper lip. Work from the center to the outer edges following the contours of your mouth. Then glide across the entire bottom lip".

Product Photos:

Here are photos on the lips as well as swatches.

The swatches show what the product looks like built up and sheered out.

-Who Wore It Red-er-

-Rose of Attraction-

-A Plum Prospect-

     I really enjoyed the colors that I ended up purchsing. For me, Rose of Attraction (the lightest of the three) was a really nice neutral that I wore with minimal makeup to class. The amount of shine these give off is wonderful and really makes the lips pop without being too overbearing. I would pair the other two colors that I purchased with a flawless face and winged liner- you can never go wrong there! Here are my overall throughts of this line...

Overall Application: These apply very smoothly and are also the glossiest lipstick product that I own! I enjoy big, bold lip colors so I found myself layering the product on.

Overall Color: The colors are amazing once on the lips, but I have some problems... The names and packaging of these products are very misleading. The Who Wore It Red-er shade is essentially a magenta pink! With that being said the shade range is phenomenal. Not only do they have a crazy amount of shades for every skin tone but they are all beautiful! These definitely have the upper hand on the Revlon lip butter's in this category and I can't believe I'm saying that! I will say though that the shade numbers DO NOT go in order. In the display the colors do not range from lightest to darkest so keep that in mind.

Overall Formula: If you love very thin lip products than these are for you! Personally, I enjoy a thicker lip product that stays put because I am always blotting my lips together. These moved around too much on my lips and I found myself having to wipe around my lip line to rid of the extra product. All in all, these were very comfortable and not drying but a little too thin for my taste.

Overall Packaging: This was definitely something that bothered me. The color of the packaging doesn't reflect the shade of the actual product inside at all. I would say the best represented shade by the packaging out of the three that I purchased was Who Wore It Red-er. Of course this particular shades name didn't accurately describe the product but at least the packaging came close! Other than that Rose of Attraction looks like a bright, watermelon pink shade by the packaging and A Plum Prospect looks like it would be an overly purple color on the lips. The packaging is also very thin and doesn't seem durable enough to last in a makeup or travel bag.

Overall Scent: These smell wonderful! It took me a second to really put my finger on it but they smell like fruit loops! Very fruity and refreshing.

Overall Wear: Comparing these to the lip butters from Revlon the wear is not great. On me, they didn't even last an hour- and that was without eating or drinking! Since the formula is so light it doesn't set into the lips- and honestly I think that is what Maybelline was going for. So for me, it was just a matter of personal preference. 

Bottom Line: This is truly a great, new Maybelline line that I'm sure will be very popular. For me in particular they didn't meet what I wanted or needed in a lip product. These would be great for people who want a sheer wash of color because they are easy to wear and easy to apply in a rush! Being the bold lip person that I am, I need a thicker lip product that doesn't stray outside of my lip line. I will be keeping Rose of Attraction for more laid back days and the Who Wore It Red-er shade because out of the three that was my favorite- and the boldest...go figure!  

Love, Lacey

Maybelline New York Mascara

     Maybelline has come out with two new mascaras that are very popular recently. Being the mascara junkie that I am I had to try them. Someone once told me that you should never waste your money on a  high-end mascara because drugstore formulas are just as good! I don't know about you but lately I'm finding that statement true! Here is a comparison of the two latest Maybelline mascaras thatI have purchased...

The Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara: 

Price: $7.49

Size: 0.30 FL. OZ.

Shade: Very Black- not waterproof.

Marketed As: "Introducing Maybelline's first gel-mousse mascara. It contains 40% less waxes for massive, yet supple lashes. The patented Flexor Brush gently coats every lash with mega volume that's never stiff and never brittle. Opthamologist tested and contact lens safe".
Directions: "For best results place the Flexor Brush against lashes and sweep from root to tip until a plush look is achieved. Removes easily with Maybelline New York Expert Eyes Oil Free Makeup Remover."

The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara:

Price: $7.49

Size: 0.30 FL. OZ.

Shade: Very Black- not waterproof.

Marketed As: "Introducing our revolutionary, patented rocket brush. It's hard core and evenly spaced soft bristles give 8x the volume from root to tip, in rocket time! Opthamologist tested. Contact lens safe. Safe for sensitive eyes. Made in the USA."

Directions: "For best results, apply the rocket brush against your lashes from root to tip, until your lashes take off to an explosive level of volume. Removes easily with soap and water or 100% oil-free eye makeup remover".

Product and Brush Photos:

Applicator Details

     The Mega Plush Volum' Express (left): This mascara has a longer, soft, natural bristled brush. It has a pivot point on the wand which makes it very flexible. It has a mix of short, medium, and long bristles that are fuller in the middle and get shorter toward both ends.

     The Rocket Volum' Express (right): This mascara brush lacks the pivot point and natural bristles of the Mega Plush mascara. It has a plastic, short bristled brush that is much stiffer when applying product. This brush contains the same size, medium bristles around the middle. The top one third and bottom two rows of this brush contain smaller bristles (which you can see in the photo above).

Application Photos: Natural lashes with no mascara- three coats. 

NOTE: My eyelashes are not curled.

      -The Rocket Mascara-                                                                           -The Mega Plush Mascara-

     Sorry the photos don't exactly line up. Doing a side by side comparison was really important to me and I am still getting used to this blogging site! I took all of these pictures on the same day and at the same time so I don't know why the lighting is different.

     Both of these mascaras were impressive but one product came out on top. Here are my overall thoughts...

The Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara:

Overall Application/Brush: I was definitely in favor of this brush before even trying these two products. I have always been a fan of natural bristled brushes (not the plastic wands). This brush is VERY flexible though, almost too flexible for my taste. I like to really coat my lashes with mascara and after the first one or two coats, this brush wasn't sturdy enough to get into my lashes. Being a soft bristled brush and having the pivotal wand makes it too flexible for multiple coats of mascara.

Overall Color: I always go for black mascaras and this time was no different. I found the "very black" shade and decided to purchase it. Little did I know that there was an even darker shade! I don't know if they carried the darker color at my CVS but I wish they could be a little more up front with naming their shades. I mean come on, very black and blackest black?! How was I supposed to know! With that being said, this color is black enough for my taste.

Overall First Impression: This mascara literally blew me away after using it for the first time. I actually had my mom take pictures of my lashes- which inspired me to start this blog! The length was incredible and it didn't compare to any other mascara that I own. I LOVED it. Unfortunately, after that application I couldn't get those same results. It was the weirdest thing.

Overall Formula: The formula is nice with this product. It does not leave your lashes feeling brittle or stiff, just like it claims! I would agree that it gave my lashes a plush look the first time I applied it but I wasn't able to achieve the same results in further uses and these photos. I want a formula that I can rely on and this definitely doesn't give me that. It also doesn't do too much volume wise. I tend to have longer, fine lashes- so to me volume is more important than length. I like directing my lashes and fanning them out evenly across my eye and this mascara wasn't great for that. Maybe because of the "plushness" of this mascara it doesn't have much hold. With that begin said I'd be cautious if you need this mascara to hold a curl.

Overall Packaging: I love the color of this packaging. The teal and pink looks so cute together! It would be great for keeping in a makeup bag or purse because it would be easily found due to the bright colors.

Overall Wear: This mascara didn't smudge, fade, or flake. The wear of this mascara was great!

The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara:

Overall Application/Brush: I must say that this brush made me love plastic brushes. I always found them scary and hard to use- but not this one! I loved that it was stiff enough to separate my lashes even when they already had product on them! 

Overall Color: Same as above. I bought "very black" thinking it was the darkest shade. Please Maybelline make this problem a little easier for consumers! 
Overall First Impression: I liked this mascara after the first application. I did not like it as much Mega Plush after the first use but as you know, Mega Plush was very inconsistent. I was surprised that I liked this wand and brush as much as I did and was happy with the end result.

Overall Formula: This formula is a little brittle compared to Mega Plush but it was nothing that bothered me. I placed my lashes by fanning them out during the application and that small amount of "brittleness" I believe helped hold them in place. This was marketed and said to be a very volumizing mascara, so when I tried this I was a little taken back. I would say that this added more volume to my lashes than Mega Plush, but for the "8x the volume" claim, I was a little let down.

Overall Packaging: Even though I love the color of the Mega Plush packaging, I love this one even more! It is sleeker than its competitor and still has those fun bold colors. I will say that the rubber stopper (which cleans off the extra mascara on the wand before application) at the opening of the product was slightly loose with the one I purchased. I can see it pull up, away from the packaging as I remove the wand. This doesn't cause much of a problem, I just thought I'd let you know!

Overall Wear: This mascara also wore well and there was no problem with smudging, flaking, or fading!

Bottom Line: After using these mascaras for about a week I have chosen to keep the Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express Mascara and to return the Maybelline Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara for four reasons...
1. Hold
2. Application Consistency
3. Seperation
4. Fullness

Love, Lacey

Birchbox Unboxing February 2013

     Yay! My first Birchbox post! I have been subscribed to Birchbox for a little over a year now and it has been the best decision. Each month you receive 4-5 sample beauty products ranging from haircare, skincare, makeup and nail polish to even lifestyle products such as tea, notecards, granola bars, etc. You can even fill out questions in your subscription profile to ensure that you get the right products for your needs! Each month you then visit the Birchbox site, rate the products in your box, and get 10 points for each product review. Those points add up and for every 100 points you get $10 towards the Birchbox shop. What is the Birchbox shop you ask? It contains all of the products that Birchbox samples and sends out in one place for easy ordering if you love something you recieved!

     I signed up for Birchbox in September of 2011. It was a reward for myself after cleaning out and organizing my extra skincare and makeup items. From the first box I was hooked- even my mom looks forward to seeing what I got each month! I always feel that I am getting way more than what I am paying for but lately people have had some complaints. Birchbox is known to give a lot of perfume and "foil packet" samples (the kind of packets that you tear open for only 1 or 2 uses). This has many customers searching for other subscription services but I will continue to stick with this particular service for now.

     I usually receive my monthly boxes around the 8th of the month but due to storm Nemo this months box was delayed. It finally arrived yesterday so without further ado here is what I received this month...

Miss Jessie Pillow Soft Curls ($2.58): I am really excited to try this. I received another product from this brand in my box a few months back and really liked it. Unfortunately, this is one of those foil packets that is hard to save after opening. The last product I got from this brand was in the same packaging as the full size product (just a smaller version) which I definitely prefer.

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator ($5.70): I am on the fence about this one. I do like to exfoliate my face every once in a while but they tend to dry out my skin. I currently have an exfoliating product that I am happy with but I will definitely try this out.

Ghirardelli Square Milk Chocolate with Caramel (Free): This will probably be gone today! I personally like receiving samples like this. I've heard that some people would rather receive another beauty related product in place of a food product, but I find it nice. Each month there is usually a "free" item included in your Birchbox which is supposed to add "added value" to your box. This was a nice surprise.

Color Club Nail Polish in Wild Cactus ($4.00): I have never tried this brand of polish before, but love the emerald green color that I received. It's right on trend!

Lancome La Base Pro ($12.07): I do enjoy using primers and Lancome is a very high-end brand. I don't use products like these everyday though, so I do prefer getting the smaller sample versions. This will go to good use and I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

= $24.35 and a 4/10

     As you can see I have included each individual price next to the product's name. This is the price for the specific sample size that I received in my box. Every month I will do this to see how much bang I get for my buck! I will also rate the box out of 10.

     My furture "Birchbox Unboxing" posts will be shorter than this initial one but I wanted to explain what the service is and my history with it. I really do love getting this little surprise in my mailbox each month. If you are interested in looking into this subscription or even signing up please click here!

Love, Lacey