Drugstore

Makeup Packaging (Chatter)

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When it comes to cosmetic products, what do you value the most? Form or function?

Personally, I place performance primarily. Packaging comes second; if a product isn’t good, it could have the most elegant packaging ever and not matter.

Maybelline Instant Age-Rewind Concealer, for example, is a fantastic drugstore under-eye concealer…but the applicator is silly. I don’t loathe it as much as some others do, but I do think it could have been executed better. To dispense the product, you twist the case and it clicks as it slowly advances the product up to the built-in sponge-esque puff applicator. It isn’t ideal for application, it isn’t as hygienic as many consumers would prefer, and it is difficult to get the product onto a different applicator if you want to try it that way. The product inside the tube is fantastic, though, so many of us deal with it; it is well-worth it.

That said, there are times when packaging can be a purchase-deterrent. When I choose to invest in a product, I expect greater care to be put into the packaging during the design and manufacturing process. Let’s look at three products, here.

Makeup PackagingMakeup Packaging Comparison
elf Studio Blush, $3 / Benefit Coralista, $28 / Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, $35
  • e.l.f. features simple, uncomplicated packaging. It is slim (bag-friendly!), straightforward, and features a window in the front so you can view the shade within while it is closed. There is a small mirror inside. It snaps shut.
  • Benefit Coralista, and all of their face powders, comes in a box. The box appeared to be made from thin, reinforced cardboard or paper that is printed with, in Coralista’s case, pink leopard print and some other motifs – I think palm trees, but I really have no idea. This makeup packaging does not latch to close.
  • Hourglass features classy, sleek packaging. On top of being aesthetically pleasing, it houses the product well, closing with a reassuring snap. If I bought one of these and it took me 20 years to finish, the packaging probably wouldn’t make me feel dated or juvenile.

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Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick – Divine Wine

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Lipsticks are one of those fun items that you don’t need a ton of time to test in order to fully evaluate. Despite the fact that I don’t wear them often (they’re a little high-maintenance for my day-to-day tastes), I love the look of a matte lip. When I heard that Maybelline added this new Creamy Matte Lipstick formula to their Color Sensational line, I was damn excited. I actually saw them on YouTube first before seeing them in a store, on a blog, etc – Nicole Guerrero was wearing Touch of Spice in a recent video and I was like, “Yep. I need dis.” I looked around and could find no information online, not even on Maybelline’s site.

A few days later, I saw other YouTubers sporting shades from the Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick line and the message was clear, “go to Target.” Next time I was there, armed with a new coupons (no shame in trying something new with one, after all), I went to get Touch of Spice and Divine Wine. They were out of Touch of Spice, but I did get Divine Wine to share with you.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick - Divine Wine

The caps on the Creamy Matte Lipstick shades are identical: frosted for a matte look, but this otherwise looks like many of the other Color Sensational lipsticks from the outside.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick - Divine Wine Case

So dark! The flash makes this look not quite as dark as it is. It isn’t like… Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Transylvania or Nars Train Bleu dark, but it is a pretty deep wine red.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick - Divine Wine - Open

Swatched. For reference on how dark it is, Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick this is sitting next to a well-known shade, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso. Should have let Beso dry, but I was rushing.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick - Divine Wine Swatch (Stila Beso above for comparison)

Though I will sometimes wear a bold red lip, I pretty much never wear a dark lip. In fact, I can remember the last time I did, not counting Halloween scenarios – my mom had a dark burgundy(ish)? Clinique lipstick ages and aaaages ago. I pilfered it. I was not even a teenager yet. That was all.
I am not vampy! I like sheer washes color on my lips and clean eyeliner. I am out of my comfort zone! Applying it, eeek, it is so dark. Just applied:

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick - Divine Wine, Applied

And I love it! Again, slightly ligther in the flash, but trust that this is very fall appropriate.

Despite being called, “Creamy Matte Lipstick,” this is definitely more of a satin-matte finish; the lighter shades are slightly more matte. I think this finish is flattering with this color, personally, but if it want it so-matte-its-flat, this may not be the formula/color for you. It doesn’t feel dry going on – some matte lipsticks can skip or tug on your lips during application, leading to mistakes or uneven-application, nearly necessitating use of a lip brush. Not these! They glide on pretty easily and have great color payoff in one pass. They aren’t as unforgiving as a classic matte lipstick (I’m looking at you, MAC Retro Matte formula – I’ve seen what you’ve done to lips!) but I chose to exfoliate and treat prior just in case. So far, I haven’t noticed any feathering or sass from this lipcolor, but I would probably use a liner (if I had an appropriate color) with this one just in case.

I noticed, also, during application and wear, that the scent of the Creamy Matte Lipsticks remind me of the scent of the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams. I’m sure they share some common ingredients, though I’m not sure what they are. I would wager that it is whatever allows them to apply easily and remain matte. I love my Nyx Soft Matte Lip creams, but I already have a strong preference for this type of lipcolor to be in a lipstick form rather than a tube with a doe-foot applicator.

I got about about 3.5 hours of wear before needing to reapply, but that includes drinking two glasses of tea and eating dinner. I heard and confirmed that it wasn’t a punk about reapplying, but even the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams can be punks when it comes to reapplication. To be fair, I think expecting a lipstick to last through eating and drinking is entirely unrealistic – and this one does not claim to be long-wearing, so I am happy.

It is so damn new that even now, almost a week after I’ve purchased them, I cannot find them online anywhere. Not Amazon, not Target, not drugstore.com – but I will be sure to update you with a link as soon as I find one. In fact, I have another shade to share with you at some point – I’ll hold off until I can get a dang link for you.

Are you into matte hues? Seasonally-appropriate ones? Will you try one of the new Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipsticks, or stick with something more familiar like, say, a Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream?

Nexxus Therappe & Humectress

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Nexxus Therappe shampoo and Humectress conditionerNexxus Therappe and Humectress

I’ve been on the hunt for a new shampoo and conditioner since my Tigi Moisture Maniac stopped working out for me was discontinued and its successor sucked. I tried a Suave option out of curiosity and…nope. It is surprisingly difficult to shop for shampoo…first world problems, right?

Here’s my hair profile:

  • Loooong. Mid-back, even after having four inches lopped off.
  • Straight-ish. Sometimes wavy. I have no idea what the letter/number combinations mean or what I am in them, but I assume they’re really only relevant for curly-girls.
  • Not colored/dyed (though I did do a DIY Hair Gloss once).
  • Free of other chemical processing (no perms, relaxers, Brazilian Straightening witchcraft, etc).
  • Not frequently heat-styled. I blow dry approximately every two weeks at the moment. This increases to 1-2x per week when the weather gets cold because mid-back length damp hair + cold = a big ol’ glass of NOPE. I curl or straighten even less often. I always use a heat protectant when I use heat tools. You should, too. Your hair is worth it.
  • Not a ton of product usage. I have a serum I throw in when I blow-dry. I have one of the twelve thousand flavors of It’s a Ten! that I use every now and then. I use hairspray when I curl or straighten so my hair doesn’t get sassy, but nothing extreme. Basically, I’m trying to tell you I don’t personally contend with a ton of product build-up.

I like to use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner although my hair isn’t particularly dry. On a whim, I grabbed a little tube (5.1 oz) of Therappe shampoo and the coordinating Humectress conditioner from the Nexxus haircare line (mid-range line available at drugstores). At first, I was confused, I spent a couple minutes searching for a Therappe conditioner; not finding one, I looked at the back of the tube and found that Humectress is the accompanying conditioner.

I popped the cap open of both Nexxus products just to see how they smelled. Although performance is far more important than scent when it comes to such a product, but we also don’t want a shampoo whose scent we can’t stand if the scent lingers, you know? Nexxus Therappe, according to the Nexxus website, is formulated with rosemary, chamomile, and nettle – but smells (to me!) like coconut…and was sold. The Humectress conditioner from Nexxus smelled nice too, but not nearly as nice as the shampoo.

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July 2014 Favorites

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July 2014 Favorites

July 2014 Favorites
1. China Glaze Gelaze, $11 / 2. Maybelline Instant Age-Rewind Concealer, $8
3. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light, $15 / 4. Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray, $29

Just four this month because, frankly, it was kind of a lazy month for me. I didn’t really break away from, “safe,” things in light of my wedding. Afterwards, I decided to give my skin a break, so I don’t have a ton to gush about.

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Wedding Makeup pt. 2: What I Used

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So last week, I shared what all I packed to be too-prepared for any wedding makeup needs. Today, I’m sharing what I actually used. You’ll notice that the photo still has a LOT of that stuff, but bear in mind that I didn’t use all the brushes in the Coastal Scents set, all the shadows in each palette, etc.

Wedding Makeup pt 2 - What I UsedWedding Makeup pt. 2: What I Used

Products

Now for tools – these ARE in order of appearance:

Brushes/Tools

  • Coastal Scents Elite Brush Kit
  • BeautyBlender – To blend and help tone down my already-applied foundation.
    Nars Sheer Matte is THICK. I had practiced with it, but it still didn’t hit me how thick it is.
  • Sonia Kashuk Eyelash Curler
  • EcoTools Fan Brush – To apply setting powder.
  • Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki (unboxed it here) – To apply my foundation.
  • Real Techniques Retractable Lip Brush – To mix and apply Cosmo and Brave.
  • Real Techniques Shader Brush – Actually works better for blending shadow, concealer.
  • bdellium Tapered Dome (785), Blender (776), Pencil (780), and Flat Definer (714)
    Respectively: for blending, more blending, precise application, and detail work. I used the last one to help sculpt my brows.
  • Sonia Kashuk Angled-Bristle liner brush – Holy grail liner brush.
  • Urban Decay flat shadow brush (came w\ Naked) – Pack on ALL the Lt. Bronze!
  • Sonia Kashuk Lash Curler

So, like I said, this list still looks massive. I know what you’re thinking, “Really? You needed THREE concealers?”

Yes, in fact I did. The consistency of the first is light enough that it doesn’t settle into lines and crease. The second is perfect for hiding a scar I have on my chin. The third is thick and opaque, good for spot/blemish concealing…which I needed, because I had a couple pop up that week (thanks, stress).

“Three PALETTES, though!?”

Yep. You’ll notice that I only used six shades total plus my Chocolate Soleil bronzer for my eyes. De-potting palettes is against my religion. Besides, my friend was able to get use out of one of them, even if my bridesmaids got their makeup done.

“An entire brush kit?!”

The brush kit IS kind of gigantic, but I didn’t use many brushes from it. I just like to keep everything together, and I wasn’t sure which ones I would want to use day of until I was sitting down playing Bob Ross.

Don’t be afraid to over-pack for events like this; it is far better to have too much stuff with you than not enough and then flying into a panic because, “DAMN IT I left my eyeliner at home!” or something like that which could lead to a meltdown that you don’t need right before your wedding!

Wedding Makeup pt 1: What I Packed

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I decided a long time ago that I was going to DIY my wedding makeup. When I made that decision, I had no idea what I was doing but I figured that I could learn in the space of well over a year (yep, definitely did) and use the money that I’d spend on an MUA to buy (and therefore HAVE) my own products.

So I learned and practiced with the help of YouTube and the various beauty sub-reddits out there – in the time I had given myself, I exceeded my own expectations and was completely comfortable with it. Because I treat makeup as something fun rather than something that I must do, I was able to have a lot of fun throughout this process.

I definitely over-packed my kit, but this was on purpose. Although I had fully planned and practiced my eye look, I wanted to make sure I had plenty of stuff in case my bridesmaids wanted/needed to do theirs (at the time, I wasn’t sure they were doing the student bit as discussed in this post).

Here’s what I packed. Products are not in order of appearance in the photo, but grouped by type. If you need me to point something out/clarify it, please leave a comment.

Wedding Makeup pt One: What I packedWedding Makeup pt 1: What I Packed

Products

A lot of these products are minis, deluxe samples, GWP items.

Now for tools – these ARE in order of appearance, left-to-right:

Brushes/Tools

 

Just to reiterate – I did not use all this stuff on my face for my wedding makeup. Not even close. I just wanted to over-pack for the occasion rather than risk missing something I needed or that my bridesmaids may have needed. My next post will share what I actually used.

Disclosure: Hey! Some of the links in this Wedding Makeup post are affiliate links – this means I may get a very small percentage of the sale if you decide to buy something. I only recommend products I’ve tried and verified as awesome. Ethical blogging FTW.