Almay Smart Shade Concealer Review

Almay Smart Shade Concealer Review

From the Brand:
Finally a concealer that takes the guesswork out of finding your perfect shade, instantly adjusting to the color of your skin. Conceal minor imperfections on face and dark circles under eyes. Antioxidant blend of grape seed, ginseng and ginkgo biloba nurtures your skin for a beautiful, natural finish every time.

Retails for:  $8.99

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:  In theory, this is a super cool concept.  How many times have you purchased a concealer thinking it was going to work for you only to find once you're home that it's way too light or too dark?  Me, it's happened countless times.  And it's a huge waste of both time and money.  I thought this would be an awesome solution.  However, it was way too light for me in the shade Light.  It goes on white and is supposed to darken to the correct color once the pigment spheres are I guess crushed and blended over the surface of the skin?  Not a science person like that, so I'm not 100% sure how it's supposed to work.  But this really didn't pick up much color at all and stayed an ugly ashy color on my skin. 

The formula was really nice though.  It was creamy and easy to blend, and it didn't settle into the creases under my eyes.  So I've got to give it that.  It's just not very "smart" on the shade end of things, and I'm usually the lightest shade of concealer in a brand.


Final Verdict:  Not sure if I'll try again with a "darker" shade or just call this a total miss.  Either way, I wasn't impressed.

**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.

Jordana Twist and Shine Lipcolor Review

Jordana Twist and Shine Lipcolor Review

From the Brand:

• Moisturizing Balm Infused with a Light-Weight Stain
• Applies with a Glossy Finish then Transforms into the Perfect Flush of Color

• Long-Lasting
• Retractable, No Sharpening Required

• Paraben-Free

• Made in USA

Retails for:  $2.99


Where to Buy:  JordanaCosmetics.com, Walgreens stores and Walgreens.com


My Thoughts:  I love twist up lip crayons lately, as they are so much more convenient than lipsticks and give the lips a softer more lived in look than an opaque lipstick.  When I'm not wearing gloss, I reach for a lip crayon, and most of the time it's the beautiful sheer flesh color Nude Chic.  It's got a bit of shimmer to it, which I'll admit can get a bit drying and a tiny bit rough on the lips, but the color looks so flattering on my lips with my fair skin tone I'll put up with it.  I just make sure to put some chapstick on my lips first or top with a quick swipe of clear hydrating lip gloss to give a touch of "wet" look and glide.

I'm not a fan of either of the other two colors pictured though.  They are a lot more opaque than I was expecting, and the color is exactly as you see it on tube.  With my red or copper hair (depending on where I am in my coloring routine!), the pinks are just too harsh for my fair skin.  I got them on the recommendation of Emily of Beauty Broadcast (check out her channel here), and they look fabulous on her fair skin with dark brown hair.  I don't remember which video she talks about them in, but I made a note on my phone to pick some up at Walgreens, and the two darker colors were part of that list.  So I'll just assume they were the ones she wore.  If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone on the internet will be happy to prove point it out to me, ha!

Overall, they aren't that hydrating, and they go on with a more satin finish.  If you want a glossier look, you'll need to top it with gloss.  They do last a good amount of time though, so the staining properties are definitely there.

Final Verdict:  Overall, these are a good twist up crayon color for a cheap price.  I've only seen the brand sold at Walgreens, so it may be tricky to get your hands on them without buying sight unseen online.  I know I've seen reviews for some of their products that I don't see sold at Walgreens, but if you find these I'd recommend trying out a color or two.

I Want To Know:  Which brand is your favorite twist up crayon?

**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 Scented Nail Polish Review

Revlon Scented Nail Polish Review

From the Brand:  Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel is intoxicating color with an irresistible scent. Vibrant shiny shades go on smoothly for flawless color and then dry to light, irresistible fragrances.

• Fragrance revealed when dry
• Light fragrances last all day
• Available in 24 shades.

Retails for:  $5.99

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:  I remember the days back when I was a kid when I'd put on scented nail polish and I thought I was Little Miss Hot Stuff.  Well, let's just say this has a touch of nostalgia for my youth while being a totally sophisticated grown up way to paint my nails.

I love the formula of the three colors above that I've tried above.  They are the only shades I've purchased, but I definitely would try more.  They go on richly pigmented and very creamy, and they don't streak.  I'd recommend two coats though to get a perfectly even nail. 

My favorite is the yellow, Sunlit Grass.  It's the perfect shade of yellow for my fair skin that doesn't look too acidic or jaundiced.  It's a beautiful warm yellow that instantly makes me think spring.  And despite the name, it doesn't have any green tones to it at all.

The pink, African Tea Rose, is not as pigmented in one coat as the other two, but it's still a gorgeous shade.  It was the first color I was drawn to and the first that I purchased.  There's a hint of blue to the shade without getting too far into the purple range, so I think it would compliment both cool toned skins as well as warm toned skins.  It's the perfect pink for summer time.

The red, China Flowers, is a beautiful warm red without getting too much into the coral range.  It's a true red without the cherry undertones of darker or brighter reds.

The nail polish scents are light, not overpowering at all, and it's really unique how the smell comes out as the polish dries.  I wish it lasted longer than a day, but of course it's not really plausible.  The finish of the polish is a smooth creamy finish with no shimmer on any of these three colors.  Although, in the stores I've seen shades with some beautiful shimmers.  There's a huge range of colors, too!

Even the packaging is awesome on these.  I love the little glass bottles with the round black tops.  Something about them is just feminine to me and appeals to my inner girl.  I like displaying them in my bathroom rather than hiding them under the counter in a shoebox.  They stand out from the endless sea of uninteresting bottles of nail polish.  Almost like a perfume bottle rather than nail polish.  Or maybe I'm just seeing things?  Am I the only one who gets that vibe from these?  I mean the "Parfumerie" isn't just an allusion to the smell, right?


Final Verdict:  LOVE!  These are the first three, and I can't wait to get some more when Ulta does some kind of Buy One, Get One sort of sale on Revlon products.

Today I want to know: Who else has tried these nail polishes?  Did you like them?  How long do you feel the scent lasts?  Have you reviewed them for your blog or YouTube channel?  Post the link below so we can all check you out!

**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.

Almay Clear Complexion Concealer Review

Almay Clear Complexion Concealer Review

From the Brand:
Blemisheal Technology contains salicylic acid to heal and conceal blemishes for an even complexion. Mineral complex absorbs oil. Aloe and chamomile soothe skin to help reduce redness.

Retails for:  $6.99


Where to Buy:  Drugstore.com, Walgreens.com, Ulta.com, and wherever you buy drugstore makeup



My Thoughts:  First, have you read my review of the Almay Clear Complexion Foundation?  No?  Be sure to check that out {HERE} after you're done reading this one!  I've got a video so you can see it in action, too.  {By the way, do you like the accompanying video reviews?  Want to see more?  Let me know in the comments below!}

Ok, moving on.... Let's get to the concealer!

This stuff is amazing.  It's truly one of my favorite concealers of all time for breakouts.  It matches my skin perfectly, so I can use it directly on my face.  And it really does work on helping heal my acne.  I wouldn't use it under my eyes at all.  It's too irritating for the delicate undereye area, and it's drying.  I notice a reduction in the size of my breakout within a few hours, and after a few days it's pretty much gone.

The only downside I think is that it's on a wand applicator.  I don't want to dab that directly onto the breakout, as that would put bacteria into the tube of makeup and contaminate it.  Even if the makeup itself has antibacterial properties, it's still not a sanitary way to apply makeup to a breakout.  I have to put some onto the back of my hand and then dab it on with my fingertip or a qtip.  I don't even really like using a concealer brush to cover breakouts.  I'm just too nit picky about contamination, and even being a makeup artist I know I don't wash my own brushes often enough.  In the morning when I'm in a rush to get ready and out the door, I don't want to wash my brushes every time.  And the same applies at night when I'm lucky if I don't crash without taking my makeup off.  And so it goes that I don't wash my brushes as often as I should.  *tsk tsk me!*

It also lasts a good deal throughout the day.  For when my face isn't in need of an all over blemish fighting foundation, like the Almay Clear Complexion Foundation, this does the trick perfectly.  I only have to touch up the concealer maybe once or twice, and that's more often because it's around my mouth, and I eat and drink a lot during the day.  It's also really good at covering the redness from a breakout.  You know how sometimes you can put on a concealer, but after a while the redness starts to show through?  Not with this one!

I love that this is a concealer that does double duty- it fights breakouts while helping to conceal them!  You should be using a different concealer for breakouts than you do for your undereyes anyway, since the areas need different formulations to give you the best finish and wear.


Final Verdict:  If you can find a shade to match your skin perfectly, I'd highly recommend this!  Even if it's just a tad off, you can put this under your foundation and just lightly sponge a bit of foundation over the top to get a nice even blend to the face.  It puts the blemish fighting ingredients right up against the skin anyway.

I want to know!  What's your favorite concealer to cover breakouts?  Do you have a Holy Grail concealer you think I should try?  Let me know below!

**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.