Maybelline Baby Skin Review

Maybelline Baby Skin Review

From the Brand:
Poreless Smooth Skin Perfection! One second to smooth, poreless skin. Get mistake- proof, poreless smooth skin with Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer.

• Poreless Smooth Skin Perfection!
• One Second To Smooth, Poreless Skin
• Visibly Pore Blurring Smooth Skin

Retails for:  $6.99


Where to Buy:  You know the drill, anywhere drugstore brand makeup is found, but just in case, here's a few of my favorite places to shop:  Walgreens.com, Ulta.com, Drugstore.com


My Thoughts: I purchased this foundation primer to see how it would hold up on clients in the photo studio as a cheaper alternative to higher end silicone primers like the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer.  I'd seen some people on YouTube talking about how much they liked it, and for only $6.99 decided to give it a go.  I can't use anything with dimethicone (a form of silicone commonly found in primers) on my skin, since I'm allergic, but I tested it out on several clients under my silicone Face Atelier foundations to see how it did on a variety of different skin types.

I wasn't very impressed with this primer, much as I'm usually not too impressed with silicone primers.  I really like to buff the foundation over the surface of the skin when I'm working with a liquid and brush, and I never seem to get the perfect finish I want when I'm doing this over a silicone primer.  I find that unless you really work it over the surface of the skin and use just the tiniest bit they tend to roll up on the skin and not sit in place when buffing the foundation over.  They work great when I'm airbrushing foundation over the surface, as I'm not touching the primer once it's laid down.  When applying makeup to someone else, it's kind of weird to sit there and rub their face.  But that's just how I am.  I prefer a thin primer with an almost serum-like consistency that sinks down into the skin to hydrate and lightly "plump" the skin rather than something that sits over the surface.

That all being said, if you do use just a tiny bit of this and really work it over the surface of the skin, it's a good primer to fill in the pores and create a more even surface for foundation.  Just don't try to buff the skin with a flat kabuki style foundation brush.  I can make it work with my Face Atelier by using a small dual fiber brush to stipple and then smooth out the foundation lightly without disturbing the primer underneath or even better with a blender sponge.  The best option is just to airbrush, but I don't bring that to the photo studio.

I'm not able to comment on how well it works at adding longevity to the makeup, since most of our clients take their makeup off before they leave the studio.  (It's boudoir, so 1. It's a heavier look to wear just around town, and 2. It's usually a surprise.)  It seems to dull shine just a bit, even under the lights or on warm days.  On really oily skins though it's not heavy duty enough to mattify the skin, and I need to powder and use a mattifying spray on top of the makeup.



Final Verdict:  It's a decent silicone style primer to have on hand if you can't afford the more expensive prestige brands, but it doesn't live up to my favorites like the Too Faced Primed and Poreless or Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. This article contains some affiliate links provided through Viglink.com. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Revlon Photoready 3D Volume Mascara Review

Revlon Photoready 3D Volume Mascara Review

From the Brand:
Get glamorous, big volume lashes from every angle
Lashes look 100% more magnified, multiplied, amplified*. Award winning.
*with two coats 
Lash finding brush with rounded tip easily reaches every single lash for maximum dimension.

Available in 3 non-waterproof shades: Blackest Black, Black, and Blackened Brown 

Retails for:  $6.99 and up depending on where you buy


Where to Buy:  Wherever drugstore makeup is sold, including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Target, and Drugstore.com

My Thoughts:  First off, I love the wand on this mascara.  It defines and separates my lashes so perfectly.  It's a little pokey, so make sure you don't accidentally jab yourself in the eye with this the first time like I did.  It's nice and long without being too thick and bulky, so it fits in nicely in the inner and outer corners of my eyes to get the lashes perfectly.  It also has a little half ball shape on the tip to comb through the tiny lashes at the inner and outer corners of the eyes.  Overall, it's perfect for the inner and outer corners!

My lashes are very straight, and 90% of mascaras weigh them down and make them lose their curl no matter what I do.  I'm a professional makeup artist, and I've tried every trick in the book to get them to keep their curl.  Nothing works with some mascaras.  I think it's just their weight that makes the lashes lose the curl.  A nice thing mascara that dries quickly and a little on the stiff side locks in the curl before it can fall.  This mascara is perfect for that.  The formula is thin and dries quickly, but it can be layered really well to build up the volume.  Combined with the nice brush, it combs them out and gives them very fluffy flirty volume rather than thick clumpy volume.  With one coat, I get definition and locked in curl with a nice rich black color.  Looks very natural but amplified.  Two coats is when I get the perfect volume, which I love because I can get multiple looks with the same mascara.


Final Verdict:  In addition to the Covergirl Bombshell Volume Mascara, this is my new second favorite drugstore mascara.  It's one of those "on a whim" purchases I'm so thankful for!



Final Verdict:

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. This article contains some affiliate links provided through Viglink.com. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Covergirl Bombshell Volume Mascara Review

Covergirl Bombshell Volume Mascara Review

From the Brand:
Mega volume and dark intensity in one mascara for an over the top bombshell look from Cover Girl. Step 1 volumize - load on for unbelievably big volume - Step 2 - intensify - seal in with one coat for an intense, dark all day finish. Beautifully separated lashes.

Retails for:  $11.99


Where to Buy:  Ulta stores and Ulta.com, CVS.com and CVS stores, Drugstore.com, and anywhere else you can purchase Covergirl brand products

My Thoughts:  This mascara lasts forever.  Like seriously, for-ev-er.  It's not even waterproof.  I can put it on in the morning, and even if my eyes water or it's super humid out (as it's prone to be here in northern Virginia) this won't budge, smudge, or flake.  You can check out my video review below for what a difference it makes on my lashes, too!

Side 1 is the volumizing side, and it's definitely a "lash blast" mascara with the shape of the wand and the consistency of the mascara itself.  It's very similar to my LashBlast Fusion Mascara I reviewed back in September.  {Check out that review here.}  The major difference though is this mascara has a second side that adds another layer of intense color, and I'm convinced is what makes it last so long.

Side 2 is a generic mascara wand, and I don't think it's very useful in separating my lashes or adding any length.  The first side adds all the volume, and it would be nice if this one had a comb or at the very least long spikey spokes to help separate the lashes.  I have to stop in between the steps and get a metal lash comb to keep my lashes from clumping.

It's a little higher priced for a drugstore mascara being $11.99, since most I purchase are around $8.99 or so, but it's worth the few extra dollars.  I've found myself using drugstore mascara all the time now rather than my higher end brands.  I can two or three tubes for what I'd pay for a prestige brand, and even if I have to layer them I'm still getting more for my buck.


Final Verdict:  A new Holy Grail Mascara?  I'd say so!  I hope and pray Covergirl keeps this one around!


Want to see this in action?  Check out my video review!

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. This article contains some affiliate links provided through Viglink.com. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Review

L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Review

From the Brand:
Get the ultimate un-makeup look with Magic Nude Liquid Powder Bare Skin Perfecting Makeup with SPF 18. Revolutionary liquid transforms on contact, leaving a soft powder like finish. This foundation is so amazingly lightweight it's like wearing no makeup at all! Just shake and apply - it's magic!

Retails for:  $12.99


Where to Buy:  Anywhere drugstore makeup is sold, such as Ulta stores and Ulta.com, Walgreens.com, CVS.com, Target, Walmart, and grocery stores


My Thoughts:  This stuff is really quite an interesting makeup.  The term liquid powder sounds weird, but it does dry to a nice powdery finish.  Not an overly dry looking super matte finish, but like it's been softly powdered very naturally.  I love it.  The color matched my difficult skin pretty easily, although I think I got lucky in that respect.  The bottle is a little difficult to gauge color, but it's not that off from how it dries.  It can oxidize just a tad, and I could see that being a problem on more oily skintones.  So make sure you purchase it from a retailer that will let you exchange for another color if it doesn't work out for you.

It does feel quite weightless, too.  I didn't even feel I had anything on.  It's definitely wet when you first apply, so there's that sensation, but it in no way feels cakey or thick once it's set.  If you've got the right color to go with your skin tone, it's pretty natural looking on the skin as well.  It was able to even my skin tone out without covering my freckles to the point where it was obvious I was wearing foundation. My skin is really hard to find a match for, since the freckles make my face appear much darker than my neck which is pale from no contact with the sun and devoid of freckles.  I have to put a lot of bronzer on my neck or wear shirts that minimize the appearance of a pasty neck. 

My only concern is with how long this foundation lasts.  I would give it a solid 5-6 hours before it does start to break down.  And that's with my dry skin.  Again, I'd be a little hesitant with oilier skin tones.  I think it applies best to the skin with a buffing style brush, like the one I use in the video from Real Techniques.  It was too thin to apply with my Qosmedix makeup sponge or Beauty Blender.  It seeped into the sponge too much.  Also, since the sponge was damp, it interfered with the formulation.  The foundation went on a bit splotchy and didn't set.


Final Verdict:  This is one of my foundations I keep in my collection for days when I just need to throw on something to look nice for a little while, such as for a meeting or one of my kids' school functions.  It's pretty inexpensive when compared with high end products, so I don't mind having it on hand for just a whenever kind of look.  It's a total holy grail product for me as far as drugstore products go.  



Want to see it in action?  Check out this review video!

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. This article contains some affiliate links provided through Viglink.com. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.