Born in August: July 2013

Maybelline Color Whispers Review and Swatches

beauty 11:00 AM

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Rimmel Show Off (Apocalips) Lip Laquer

beauty 8:10 PM

Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquer in Luna

Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquer in Apocaliptic

This week is Lip Week on my little blog, and if there is one lip product that has been raved about since it hit shelves it is the Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquer. This product was originally released under the name Apocalips in the UK-- and wasn't that a much cuter name? UK youtubers and bloggers absolutely loved this liquid lipstick, leaving us in the States jealous and foaming at the mouth until it was finally released exclusively in Walgreens stores this summer.

According to Walgreens' website the "rich color of a lipstick is enhanced by a smooth satin shine" and it "lasts all day." I would say that these statements are definitely true. The finish is a nice subtle shine-- I would honestly say it makes your lips look juicy. And they last on the lips amazingly well. Of course, it wears off faster with eating and drinking but the brighter colors almost stain your lips... Which lead me to an amazing discovery that I'll talk about at the end of this post.

I picked up two colors: Apocaliptic and Luna. Apocaliptic is a bright fuschia while Luna is a peachy nude that is perfect for every day wear. I had already opened these by the time I photographed them-- I was impatient-- but at the very top of the open tube there is a clear well. When the applicator is taken out, that well fills with product. This helps the customers because we can automatically tell if the product has been opened before we purchase it. The applicator itself is a doe foot applicator with an added bonus of a well in the center, meaning you shouldn't have to get more color from the tube.

And now for the swatches and a little discovery:

The first image is Luna, the second is Apocaliptic. Both are beautiful colors. The third picture is something I discovered after having Apocaliptic wear away throughout the day. I found that I didn't want to reapply the bright color and so I layered Luna on top of it and it resulted in a gorgeous blush color that I absolutely loved. So don't be afraid to play around with these colors and see what you can come up with yourself!

The Show Off Lip Laquers retail for $4.99 at Walgreens stores.

Have you tried out the Show Off Lip Laquers? What do you think? What are your favorite shades?

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Influenster: The Glamour Look by Mary Kay Voxbox

beauty 9:54 PM

Six months after receiving my first (awesome) Voxbox from Influenster, I was informed I would be receiving the new Mary Kay Voxbox. This box provides five products to help you create a glamorous look. I've already tried and tested them, so I'll be reviewing each product as I go along. Let's get started!

The photo above shows the products still in their packaging, as well some little paper extras that came along with the box, including a catalog advertising some of their other products. I'm not sure if this was a full catalog or one made especially for the box, as it didn't seem to have a wide range of products like I would have expected. The products included in the box, as listed on the Influenster website, were:

Mary Kay® Lash Love Lengthening (I ♥ Black; $15.00)
Mary Kay^® Cream Eye Color/Concealer Brush ($10.00)
Mary Kay® Lash Primer ($15.00)
Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color – Violet Storm ($22.00)
Mary Kay® True Dimensions™ Lip Stick in Pink Cherie ($18.00)

I had high hopes for the Lash Love Lengthening mascara. The packaging was cute and the rubber brush looked like it could really grab your lashes and make them look amazing. It almost looked as though there were tiny little fibers in the formula, but I can't be sure about that. The bad news is that, when applied with the primer (I have yet to try it on it's own), it made my lashes look ridiculously clumpy and the formula took a long time to dry. It's doesn't get a total fail from me (the mascara is very dark and I like that), but it would get a D-.

This brush is nice, soft, and decently dense. I'm not a fan of using paddle-type brushes for my concealer, so I will be using this brush with cream eyeshadows. I also love that it is a very simple black and silver. I prefer my brushes to look this way (but I make an exception for a few).

I've used lash primers before and I am not a huge fan of them. They often make my lashes go clumpy when paired with mascara, a look that I do not like. At all. This lash primer was quite different from those I had tried back in the day. It was a thin, clear formula-- much like a clear mascara or brow gel. In fact, I'm not sure I wouldn't just use it for that purpose because it doesn't seem to do much for my lashes.

When I first swatched this product, I was completely unimpressed. It was very sheer and there wasn't much color. But when I used it on my eyes, it seemed nicely pigmented. It did take a couple of applications to make the color what I wanted it to be. It dried rather quickly to a powder-like feeling and was decently long-lasting. I didn't notice any creasing with the product, either.

The last product is a pink lipstick. I was the most impressed with this product initially. The packaging looks very high end. To open the lipstick, you must press down on the top of the tube. The product will pop out halfway and you need to pull it out the rest of the way. To close it, you need to inset the lipstick back up into the tube until you hear a clicking noise. As for the product, it is very creamy and very pigmented. It's almost too creamy-- if you apply it directly to your lips, you may find that you've applied to much. If you apply it and blot, it gives your lips a nice pouty look that I am in love with. This and the eyeshadow were probably my favorite products from the bunch.

Overall, this box had it's hits and misses. I would be interested in trying some more products from Mary Kay as I had never tried out any of their makeup prior to this. I would especially love to try their face makeup.