The Worst Eyeliner I've Ever Purchased

I'm no eyeliner connoisseur but I've tried my hands (no pun intended) with all different kinds -- blacks, browns, blues, golds and greens, liquid and pencil, from a variety of drugstore and beauty supply brands. Some that rub off too quickly, others that won't come off without scrubbing.

I've never used a liner that disappointed me as quickly as this one did. It's L'Oreal's voluminous line marker in "true brown."


I had high hopes that it would combine the ease of a pencil liner with the precision and color-intensity of a liquid. The felt tip, reminiscent of a calligraphy pen, isn't something I'd used before.

Unfortunately, it was a let-down from the time I first tried it on my skin. "True brown" is too sheer and muted to be a liner, in my opinion, and the coolness of the applicator didn't make up for that. Since I couldn't manipulate the marker to give me the color I wanted, I just ended up with a thick line of lackluster color. (And I'm very pale, so I can't imagine how this would come out -- or, rather, not come out -- on someone with a darker complexion.)

I've read mixed reviews about this product. Some people found it smudgy and didn't like the applicator while others (including Vanessa at Necessary Makeup, a fav of mine) found the applicator to be quite easy.

I think the color I tried could be very much to blame. I'd probably buy this again in black (not black brown though, for fear that it'd be too light too) -- but only if I found it on sale. (It retails for between $7-9 at drugstores.)

I definitely would not recommend it in "true brown" if you're looking for a liner to define your eyes. It lacks the impact needed.

EOTD: Silver Smokey Eye

I wore this look out to a club last weekend and to dinner this weekend. It's a silver/black smokey eye based on a video by Francine of Frantastic Makeup, whose site you should definitely check out. Her videos are easy to follow and show you how to achieve complex looks with relatively simple steps. Plus, her tone is authoritative yet fun. She's very likable.

(I took these photos post dinner, so that's why I probably look tired! The color was more intense and made my eyes pop more in person.)


Basically, the video's instructions call to divide the eye by thirds -- the part closest to the tear duct is the lightest silver color, the center of the eye is a medium silver, and the corner 'V' is black. I found it useful to see how much color she applied and how she blended it. Her blending tips were definitely the most helpful part of the video for me and really made my look polished.

I even got compliments on how well my makeup was blended! This is certainly one of the cleanest smokey eyes I've ever done.


For even more 'wow,' follow the clip below.

Volume Fail Mascara

I didn't know what to expect when I purchased Rimmel's Volume Flash (waterproof) mascara the other day at Target. I'd heard good things about other Rimmel mascaras and am reasonably happy with the company's Lash Maxxx, but I didn't recall hearing much about this particular product.

Now I know why. It boasts that it is instantly thickening and volumizing. I got nothing of the sort.

You know how your hair looks 10 hours after you put it up for a fancy occasion -- prom, a wedding, etc. -- once the environment and festivities have begun to take a toll? When your coif is still decent but more frizzy and worn-in than when you started the day? That's how this mascara made my eyelashes look. Not clumpy-icky, nor making me wonder if I had any mascara on. Just, it made my lashes look stringy and tired.

It's too bad because the sparkling blue tube is very pretty.

The wand, however, doesn't live up to expectations. I expected it to be a lot less clumped with product, based on the picture on the box. I was disappointed with how short the bristles are, because it's difficult for them to coat the lashes thoroughly. (Maybe why I didn't get the volume I was promised.) The mascara formula doesn't seem like anything special, though it deposited a decent amount of color and didn't easily smudge. It smells a bit funny from up close.

From a distance, my lashes looked fine with this mascara. I could see it working for people who want something low maintenance and waterproof. And hey, maybe your eyelashes are different than mine and this would fit you great!

But if you're looking for full, lush lashes, I'd still recommend trying something else. There are so many drug store mascaras out there, including others by Rimmel with great reviews, so I keep my bar high. (This mascara is listed at $7.49 at drugstore.com, but I got it cheaper at Target.)

Forget Mascara: Grow Your Own Longer Lashes

"Your eyelashes will experience real measurable growth." That's the claim made by Latisse, a new product from the makers of wrinkle-erasing/muscle-paralyzing Botox.

Pharmaceutical company Allergan got FDA approval in late 2008 for Latisse, whose active ingredient, bimatopost, has been used for several years in a product called Lumigan that treats glaucoma.

"The company began studying the potential of using a lower dose of topical bimatoprost to stimulate eyelash growth after Lumigan users developed unusually lush lashes," according to a Scientific American article from Dec. 29, 2008. "It's specifically being marketed as a once-a-day med to treat eyelash hypotrichosis, or lack of hair growth."

Of course, it's also of interest as a beauty-enhancing product. Latisse is expected to be available for prescription in March and cost $120 for a 30-day supply.

So there's real science behind Latisse, but is it worth it for the price?

"David E. I. Pyott, Allergan’s chief executive...suggested that many women would not blink at spending $120 for a one-month, three-milliliter supply of the drug," according to a New York Times article from Jan. 13, 2009. "He compared the cost of longer lashes to a daily cup of coffee.“If you think about it in terms of luxury, it’s four dollars a day,” he said. “We think this is fairly acceptable to a large segment of people even in these times.”"

Keep in mind, the lash-enhancement is not permanent.

"Because the drug works by keeping hairs in their growth phase -- the phase during which hairs become longer, thicker and darker -- lashes return to their normal, genetically determined length within a few months after discontinuing the drug," according to an ABC News article from Dec. 29, 2008.

Reported side effects include itching and red eyes or darkening of the skin by the lash line, where the drug may come in contact with the skin. There's still more extensive testing to be done, though.

On a cool side note...the NYT article linked above quoted a fellow D.C. beauty blogger:

"Jennifer Nobriga, one of a pair of stay-at-home mothers behind the Web site beautyinreallife.blogspot.com, said she intends to stick with plain old mascara rather than splurge on the eyelash drug.

“It would not be at the top of my list,” said Ms. Nobriga of Woodbridge, Va. “I would rather spend the money on a good under-eye cream.”"

So what do I think?
It's an intriguing scientific development that I'm curious to learn more about. I think it has great potential, especially for people who've experienced hair loss or lack eyelashes. But it's not going to be joining my beauty arsenal any time soon.

As a young professional, I definitely don't have the cash to spend on Latisse! (Or a $4-a-day latte habit, though when you think of it that way it seems more reasonable.) Plus, I'm lucky to have naturally long, full lashes to begin with, and the suppleness of youth in my face, so I'm probably not the target audience for this product anyway. (I don't mean to toot my own horn too loudly, it just happens that I consider my eyes one of my stronger features.)

I definitely understand its appeal, though, and would probably try Latisse as long as I was confident in its safety. It's not injecting botulism into your face, so to me, it seems a tad less extreme than Botox.

But yeah, I'm going to keep unnecessary prescription treatments away from my eyes and stick to my Maybelline Full 'N Soft.

I'm curious what you all think!

Sometimes You Get What You Pay For

I am often a thrifty girl, especially when it comes to make-up and beauty products. And while sometimes I score fun bargains -- Nivea lotion, NYX lip gloss -- other times I definitely strike out.

That happened this week.

I had some CVS extracare bucks to use on Monday before they expired and decided to splurge on cosmetics. The coupon was worth just a bit more than $5 and there was nothing in particular I needed, nor any enticing BOGO sales, so I thought I'd try a bunch of little random things.

Error 1: Normally, drugstore pantyhose is just fine for me. I have horrible luck with stockings (and even tights) ripping, but other than that, few complaints. Well, let me tell you, don't try On The Go!-brand stockings. For $2 or $3 I got a pair of navy stockings and some black knee highs, which were attached in some special promotion.


First off, the package looks like it was left over from 1983. Second, the pantyhose is super rough (95 percent nylon, 5 percent spandex) and the color looks dreadful on the skin. I'm also not accustomed to wearing pantyhose that is stiff and has a very defined shape, as opposed to being very stretchy and conforming to your own shape like most pantyhose. The minute I put it on and saw how it looked on my legs, I was kind of horrified. So much for wearing that pantyhose with my navy blue and cream skirt...

My friend brainstormed a new use for it though: a funny hat for his cat! (Progress pending...)

Error 2: $2.99 Black Radiance liquid eyeliner in navy blue. (Guess I was in a navy mood?) For an extra dollar I could have sprung for waterproof, but I was feeling cheap. I got what I paid for. This stuff sucked so much upon first application I'm thinking about throwing it out before a second use. The applicator itself isn't bad, but the formula is so wet that as soon as I opened my eye after lining it, I got blue residue on the overhanging lower part of my brow bone. I could have gotten over this (by, say, keeping my eye closed for a few more seconds) if the formula also didn't run out before I could finish lining half my eye. Maybe I need to press harder while lining...but that would have made it even more wet and left more unsightly residue.

When I tried to do a cat-eye look, it smudged off the sides of my eyes within a few moments. And when I tried to remove the stuff, despite not being waterproof, it was very difficult to get off. I took a shower, used eye make-up remover, and still had blue residue that accumulated on my lower lash line which proved very hard to finally take off. Plus nasty blue bits that got caught in the liquid on my eyeball. Ewwwww.

Maybe I'll try it again, but I think in the future I'll stick to brands I know and trust when it comes to eyeliner. I'm a bit wary of putting sketchy substances so close to my eyes.

A friend of mine really like L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner, so I think I'm going to try that soon. I'd like something that works for a thin, subtle line, and also to be strong for a sexy, smoky eye.

Blogging My First EOTD: Gold and Green

This is my first EOTD on this blog. Technically my first attempt appeared in A Digital Angel's butterfly-inspired contest a few weeks ago. (Check it out, there were so many beautiful entries.) But unlike that look, this one WAS NOT done at 2 a.m. on insufficient sleep, hehe.

This was done on a whim, however. I was feeling a bit lonely after work so I decided to indulge myself in some cosmetics play-time before taking a shower. Thank goodness I have my own bathroom! I holed up in there with my eyeshadow case and I was in business. I didn't do my whole face, just the one eye you see below. I'm still getting the hang of taking an EOTD pic, which is why I just have this one angle of me tipping my eyelid down, taken from above. I figured it'd be easiest for you to see the colors.

Products used:
-L'Oreal HiP Cream Shadow Paint in Secretive as base (I just got this and wanted to try it out)
-MAC eyeshadow in Goldmine across lid and part of the under eye (One of my two MAC shadows - a present a while back from my artistic little sis)
-An unknown-brand eyeshadow labeled "The Flats" Mediterranean Blue from the middle of the eye outward (Gifted from my mom a long time ago)
-Palladio eyeshadow in Navy Blue on the outer V (I don't think it showed up well over the other shadow, though normally it's very pigmented)
-Beautique eyeliner in Jade (from Sally Beauty Supply)
- CoverGirl eyeshadow in Champagne as a highlighter on the brow bone (A fav of mine for everyday)
-Maybelline Full 'n Soft mascara in black, plus some vivid blue mascara I picked up at a local beauty supply place in Maryland

I initially set-out to do a blue look, since I was feeling a bit blue. :( But I only had that one navy shadow readily at my disposal - since I have blue eyes I don't tend to seek out a lot of blue shadows - and the closest other color I immediately saw was the turquoise green seen above. I love that color but never thought it would look good on my eye...however, I had time on my hands and thought 'What the heck? If this eye looks bad I'll just do the other one different!'

Then I saw the gold and figured it would go well too. Since my skin is pinkish I tend to shy away from yellow colors but I think this came together nicely. It reminds me of a gold and yellow parakeet or something tropical.

It makes me happy too look at, and it felt happy to have on. Sometimes after applying eyeshadow I look in the mirror and think 'who is that?' Like I've totally overdone it and made a mess of myself. This turned out pretty clean for me, and I feel like it enhanced my natural features. You can't see there how blue it made my eyes look! Maybe I'll even be brave enough to wear it out of the house sometime. :) And btw, my night cheered up! So all's well that end's well...for now.

Thanks to all the lovely bloggers whose EOTDs I adore and who inspired me to make my own attempt! I hope this is only the first of good things to come...

Funny Wand, Funny Mascara

I bought Revlon's 3D Extreme mascara a week ago in a set with Illuminance creme shadow, whose consistency I've liked and wanted to try again. Well, I haven't gotten around to the shadow but I have been using the mascara, and it's left me...torn.

The drugstore had a few varieties of these kits for about $7 each and I picked 3D on a whim for a few simple reasons: it's shadow colors seemed the most useful, it's hype was enticing ("25X fuller, 70 percent curvier and 80 percent visibly longer" lashes), and the packaging looked fancy. Plus, check out the picture of the wand.

Maybelline Full 'n Soft is great when it comes to making me look refreshed in the morning. But what about when I want to look a bit more glammed up? I hoped that 3D in blackest black could come through.

The first thing I noticed is that when it's gunked with mascara, the wand looks nothing like the press photo. Reluctantly, I swept it on. I was impressed. It made my already decent lashes really POP, look noticeably longer and curvier. About halfway to how they'd look with a couple of false lashes put in, in a good way.

However, I didn't notice much lushness. This is where the problems begin. (Somehow maneuvering the funny wand wasn't a huge deal.) Thrown in with lengthening and curling are minor flakiness and major clumping. Maybe the kits were old and dried out and that's why they were cheap? Because after the first use or two when I really loved it, I found that as soon as I swiped it on it looked clumpy and annoyingly lumped my lashes together.

On second thought, maybe the wand has something to do with it after all. I dislike that I can't comb the wand through my lashes because, in addition to that unique head, two sides of the wand are flat and bristle-less. (Imagine putting a wand flat and shaving off a few rows of bristles on the ceiling- and floor-facing sides. Yeah, weird. In the future I'll keep my eyelash comb close!) This, combined with the mediocre formula, is not great success in my book.

With tweaking this product could be awesome. The brush's unique shape might work better if not so saturated with product; kinks in the formula should be addressed. After 12 hours most of the curl was gone but my lashes still looked long and dark, with no smudging and no flaking on my face. I want to like it! I loved the initial swipes. But it's drawbacks were really a let-down.

Ultimately I don't think I will repurchase this unless it's reformulated because I know there must be equal or better mascaras out there. It still makes my lashes look pretty nice though, so I will definitely finish the tube.

Oh, and one comment about the 'fancy' packaging - my hands were wet and I was in a rush and the darn thing wouldn't open. So I gently clenched the top between my teeth to turn it, as I've done with many a mascara tube before. Well...it dented! lol. Can't say that's their fault since I don't think it was made to be between teeth....Have you ever done that (or similar tomfoolery) before??