Rimmel The Maxx Volume Flash Mascara

It's that time again- Mascara Monday. Woohoo. Excited? I know I am!

This time Mascara Monday is brought to you by Rimmel London! I've tried a lot of Rimmel products and their mascaras in particular. I love, love, love the length their Lycra Lash Extender mascara gives my lashes, there is nothing like it out there.

Today though, I'm reviewing the Maxx Volume Flash, the one in the pink tube if you're anything like me and catagorize them that way. LashBlast is the orange tube etc.

I don't hate this mascara, I'm not mad at it, I just didn't go crazy for it either. First of all with all the advancements in the way of brushes this one is nothing special, just a plain ol' spooly applicator, not that there is anything wrong with that, it's just not enough for me anymore, ya know? The brush grabs entirely too much mascara and there's so much that I have to scrape off that the tube's edge is already full of leftovers before I'm done wiping. For that reason it can be clump city if you're not careful. It's not the mascara's fault, blame the brush.

What I do love about this mascara is that it's a wet formula. You either know what I mean or you don't but some mascaras have a drier texture and appear matte on the lash while others appear like patent leather on. This one is the latter. I love that. I got a lot of volume once combed out and length and curl were excellent as well. I'd love to see this formula with a rubbery comb-style wand, see what that can do for you, just not one of those flimsy combs that bends in half when you try to put it back in the tube *ahem Maybelline*.

Any mascaras you're wondering about that you haven't tried out yet? Let me know, I just might have them in my stash for review for Mascara Monday and I can speed up the process.

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara

Wowza! Hilary Rhoda is gorgeous (even in such an obviously photoshopped imaged). I love this picture so much it makes me want to buy the mascara.


I've tried, and had good results with Estee Lauder Sumptuous Mascara, especially the colored shades. The colors are more vibrant than your average colored mascara and the formula is thickening and works well to lengthen. I can't imagine getting much more extreme but I'm game.

Since I haven't tried the line, I can't offer up an opinion but I definitely would love to give this one a go. Has anyone tried it? What did you think?

Lip Fusion

I'll admit it, I wasn't blessed with plump juicy lips (not like my man who is definitely not lacking in that department) but I don't let that stop me from faking it. I've tried A LOT of lip plumpers and I wanted to pass on the results to help you make an informed decision when it comes time to pick one up for yourself. Here goes:

While I haven't tried the original Lip Fusion I did fall in love with Lip Infatuation when I visited it at Sephora but have yet to make any of them my own. These glosses are very pricey and I just can't justify spending that kind of cash on a lipgloss, you could buy a meal with this kind of cash.

Lip Fusion Color Shine gave my lips a slight, subtle plumping and leave a pretty color and shimmer (at least in Kiss, the apparently discontinued color I tried). There was no burning sensation to speak of. My lips felt fuller and thicker, almost as if they were plumped with collagen and a very slight tingle that was not irritating at all compared to Lip Venom or Soap and Glory's Sexy Mother Pucker. Weirdly, my lips felt numb on the surface and much more sensitive at skin level, not unpleasant just different. Also, I didn't find these sticky and they're definitely less tacky than MAC lipglasses, for example.

Worst part about these was the smell. For some reason they have a very Earthy smell when first applied, almost like a cross between dirt and grass. The scent fades fairly quickly but it's almost gag-inducing at first. Sorry, it's true. They didn't wear for a particularly long time but the color lingers around a bit, nothing remarkable.

I got mine through a MakeupAlley User who'd purchased at TJ Maxx. I haven't seen them at my TJ Maxx but I've been keeping my eyes peeled since I heard that. They're also available at Sephora and many online retailers.

Overall, I wouldn't say these are a must have and unless you find a color you can't duplicate elsewhere then I'd pass. They cost too much to justify spending on something that doesn't do what it's claiming to do. There are many, many, many less expensive products out there that can give you better results for less money. Take my word for it. For $38 you could buy at least two of your favorite regular glosses and not worry about plump lips or scaring your man away from kissing you with the tingling/plumping sensation going on.

Do you have these glosses? I'd love to hear your experience.

Disclaimer: When looking up reviews for this item I found VERY conflicting information from reviewers. Some said it was sticky, others said no, some said it tingled, others said it didn't, however, most importantly, most people did say there was very little plumping going on and few were happy with the price.

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse

You've probably heard it over and over again, splurge on your foundation and save elsewhere. I've never been one to do that. The way I see it is if I have crap skin, nothing is going to make it look better, I'd rather do my best to make it look good and then distract you with a colorful eye, fun lip or even a sparkly cheek. That is why I pretty much always finish off my look with MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, the shimmer really blurs my flaws to help me look more perfect and airbrushed, or as close as my skin is ever going to get.

I know, for a fact, from personal experience, that there are great foundations at the drugstore. It's all I use and I can't get over how much I like some of them. The only bummer is you can't try them before you buy them like you can at Sephora but the good news is you can bring makeup back at a lot of places. I mostly by my "drugstore" items from Wal-Mart specifically for that reason. I know other drugstores have return policies but I find that the prices are cheaper at Wal-Mart anyway.

The color thing is what keeps me from personally LOVING Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse. I tried the lightest shade and it's too orange and warm toned for my skin. I've found that with a lot of Maybelline's foundations, concealers and powders. But, fear not, if you aren't as pale and cool as me you should have no trouble finding the right color in this line.

Overall, I really liked this foundation. It's a cream formula and comes in a compact which is by far my favorite type of foundation in the winter months, my skin needs all the hydration it can get. My only gripe is that the compact doesn't have a mirror when it could easily house one in the upper compartment where the sponge is stored, even a smudged mirror is better than none at all. Also, I highly recommend buying a package of sponges and changing them out every few days. You'll notice that you end up picking up too much product on a dirty sponge and who wants to think about the bacteria lingering on that little thing. And, please, please, please make sure you keep the sponge in the separate space. I made the mistake of leaving it in with foundation and soaked up a ton of product which left me streaky and dark the next time I used it. Not a good look.

The ads claim that this product will leave you baby smooth and maybe it will for you but for me it didn't, which is totally fine with me. It definitely hydrates and is great for my super-dry skin but I didn't feel any smoother after using this product than I do other cream foundations. The mousse-y cream did glide over pores and imperfections and leave my face much smoother looking but I don't think that is what they were going for.

I probably wouldn't buy this again just because of the color though it might work on my summer skin. Even though I don't tan my skin always ends up darker in the summer anyway.

Tell me what you think. Do you buy your foundation at the drugstore or do you shell out for department store goodies?

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleansing Cloths

I've made it my mission to test every *affordable* makeup remover wipe on the market. I love these things. I am perhaps the laziest chick on the planet (not to mention my sink is covered with beauty products, towels, discarded clothes and the water takes an hour to get hot) and I rely on these babies every single night. I know it's not the best for my skin but it's better than nothing and that's exactly what I would do if I didn't have these suckers.

I've filled the top drawer of my bedside table with makeup remover wipes, all brands and price points (as long as they are semi-affordable). They run the gamut from Equate, the Wal-Mart name brand, to Philosophy and everywhere in between. First, I'd like to share the results from Philosophy.

Purity Made Simple is the cleanser I use currently. I use so little of it, and it's so concentrated, that I've had it for a while. I already have my next pick lined up and waiting, Bliss Fabulous Foaming Cleanser. I had high hopes for this one because of the greatness of other Purity products. Please keep in mind I only had one sample to try out, however it didn't hinder the results.

These wipes are not the best I've ever used but they are not the worst either (that honor would go to the Neutrogena ones that smell like lavender, those were the product that helped me realize I was allergic to lavender). The size is great. These are a little bigger than your standard wipe. They had the same scent as the other Purity products which is a scent I don't happen to love. Many of the other wipes have scents that I do love and therefore get a higher rating in my book. I'm a sucker for things that smell good, even if they don't work quite as well as their less desirably smelling counterparts.

I found that these wipes stung my face a little and I don't usually have a problem with any other wipe. It wasn't a harsh stinging, not uncomfortable but noticeable. They also left my face a little drier than I would have liked. A lot of makeup wipes leave my face so soft and hydrated that I don't need to use moisturizer after using them, these did not. My face was rough with dry spots. Now, I can't say for sure if these wipes caused it or only helped me notice it and my guess would be that they just cleaned so well I had to make a slight trade off.

All in all these are an okay product. For the price I would choose something else as these are the higher end of the budget. If you love the Purity Made Simple scent and have oily or combination, heck, even normal skin you may just love these. Tell me what you think!

Too Beautiful to Act?

Oh come on! I've heard it all. First, Michelle Pfeiffer said that it was so hard to be beautiful in Hollywood, that there weren't roles for beautiful woman, some shit like that. Bull! I find it hard to name a woman in Hollywood that isn't considered beautiful and is getting roles. Beautiful women even play the ugly woman in movies and they win Oscars for it (Halle Berry and Charlize Theron). Seriously? Then, we have Jessica Alba, who I only find attractive sometimes, claiming the same thing. Okay, so two seriously idiotic, shallow, stuck on themselves women. I can understand why they would think that. But now, I hear Natalie Portman is saying the same thing? Natalie's not classically beautiful, not in LA standards anyway, and she's claiming it's hard to find roles because she's so beautiful. Granted, I know these quotes were probably taken out of context but what do you even say to that? The best actresses in the world aren't getting work because they don't have the look, I'm sure of it, I'd put money on it.

I want to know what everyone thinks on this topic. What do you think of Michelle, Jessica and Natalie in the first place? Do you think they are too beautiful and that their looks are holding them back in H-wood? It sickens me to think that they think being beautiful is a burden.

Katy Perry Purr

How adorable is that bottle? It's kitchy and I'd so love to have that on my vanity. I love purple, love my cat and it's just too cute to pass up. While Katy herself has been riding around in a purple milk truck selling the fragrance (if I am to believe the rumors you can meet her in NYC if you buy the scent off the truck) it's a Nordstrom exclusive, and without a Nordies anywhere near me, I'll have to go on what the website says it smells like. Here's the deets....

Purr by Katy Perry eau de parfum begins with the aroma of peach nectar and forbidden apple, evolves with a distinct floral bouquet of jasmine blossom, Bulgarian rose and vanilla orchid, and slowly reveals accents of creamy sandalwood and musk. Like the singer herself, Purr is playful yet sophisticated. Katy Perry transcends barriers with her music—so does her new fragrance.

If you buy the $65 bottle you can also get a free travel bottle as a gift with purchase for a limited time. Keep one for yourself and pass on the other to a friend. What more could you want?

If anyone has smelled this do let me know if you love it. Sounds delicious to me but you can't judge a perfume without a sniff and skin test.

I'll leave you with this lovely promotional picture from Katy Perry.

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara

Well, well, well. It's "Mascara Monday" and I was waiting on a package that contained the mascara I most wanted to check out: Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara. I'm so glad I waited. First off all, I love, love, love the color of the tube; a gorgeous metallic green. I know that doesn't have much bearing on the product itself but I thought I'd put that out there. It makes me smile a bit each time I look at it. See, try not to smile at that pretty color.

Now, for the good stuff. This stuff really works. My lashes feel softer and I think it's impossible to clump this mascara. I put on literally 10 coats and not a clump in sight. The lengthening is amazing and if that's what you're looking for in a mascara, look no further. If you want volumizing this can give you what you want in just a few coats. It doesn't feel too heavy when you apply so much and for such a cheap price, you really can't go wrong. I'd have to say it looks pretty realistic on Jessica Biel in the ad, though, they DEFINITELY altered the color of her eyes, they are so green it's ridiculous and no one has eyes like that. My eyes are green but not like that.

I can't attest to the growing properties of this mascara since I just got it and I like to switch up my mascara but for doing such a good job, it can't hurt to add a little help in there. If I notice anything, I'll be sure to update.

Kat Von D Adora

She-Ra, She-Ra! You know you love her. If you're a child of the 80s (or you have a friend or family member who is) you've surely heard of She-Ra aka Adora, twin sister of Adam aka He-Man. "I'm Adora!" She's what I think about each time I read about Kat Von D's new fragrance.

I love Kat Von D. I love that she's not afraid to be herself, tattoos, sketchy boyfriends and all. My heart goes out to her after I heard the rumors that her house burned down with her kitty inside (that must be so horrible, I couldn't imagine losing my house and my pet). Nikki Sixx and Jesse James aside, I think the girl has incredible taste. Her makeup line for Sephora is great, very different and innovative without being too different to be marketable. People seem to love it and I can't wait to test out some products when I get a chance.

Adora is her newest fragrance. I love Saint and though Sinner wasn't for me (I found that it smelled like Old Spice on my skin) I think it smells great on a more Earthy woman. I got a sample of Adora with my recent Sephora.com order and I really like it, something about it reminds me of Bvlgari's Red Tea scent which I love, not just because I love the tea either.

Sephora lists it as a floral, which, to be technical I guess it is, but I'd never put it in that category. It's very earthy with a patchouli woodsy base, thyme mixed with florals and fruits for the top and middle notes. I think it would make a great everyday, not overpowering, perfect for the office or errands, scent.

The roller ball is only $16 and I really want to pick it up when I finally make it through my perfume sample bag and get back to wearing the ones I own and love.

Has anyone tried any Kat Von D cosmetics or fragrances? I'd love to hear what you think. Plus, I'd love to hear what you think about this controversial woman. Let's gossip.

Givenchy Play for Men

You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when a man walks by who not only looks good but smells good as well? You know what I'm talking about, the jaw dropping, punched in the gut, can't breathe for a second feeling? Get ready to feel that all the time from your own boy. Givenchy Play for Men seriously gives me that feeling every time I smell it on my man. It's so good I want to wear it myself, and probably would if I bought him a big bottle of it.

Now, I HATE, as in with a passion, Justin Timberlake. I've always been a Backstreet Boys girl and though I did have a brief crush on him way back when, I've never dug him as a person or a solo performer. When is he going to go away for good? But, he is the face of this fragrance and honestly, it would probably even give me that feeling if his curly, mop top walked by wearing this. That's how good it is.

What is it about the scent that makes me weak in the knees? Is it the manly fruits? The Woods? I don't know but I love it. This scent is available in the Sephora Deluxe Fragrance Sampler for Him so you don't have to take my word for it, pick it up and try it for yourself.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Wow, it's hard to narrow down the Victoria's Secret girls into the four hottest, it really is. I mean, there's Lily Aldridge who is so cute with her gap teeth. Izabel Goulart who is a knockout Spanish beauty. Adrianna Lima with her beautiful, crazy eyes. Rosie Huntington with her sexy pout. Emanuela de Paula with her gorgeous skin and eyes. The list goes on and on. Who's your fave?

I had to be diplomatic here and I went with my man's favorite: Alessandra Ambrosio. As far back as I've known him he's been into Alessandra, though now it's more liking her because he used to, I can't actually say which celeb he has a crush on, I have no clue. He can tell you mine though *ahem* Jensen Ackles.

It's hard to tell in this pic but Alessandra's rocking a cat's eye which is so huge right now. First of all, it does take practice and I still have yet to master it. The easiest way (and the closest I've come to a perfect look) is to use pencil liner first and then retrace it with liquid liner. But that comes later.

First, you know the drill. Foundation, this time any of your preference. Then, a little matte bronzer on the backs of the cheekbones avoiding the apple for this particular look. Personally, I've never tried that but I imagine it would be great for making your cheekbones stand out.

For lips, I'd go with a brownish nude and I particularly love a satin finish to not compete with the eyes. You want something that feels soft and slippery, not dry. I love the Victoria's Secret lipsticks (seriously, I have one that is not really my color but I wear it around the house anyway because it's so moisturizing and smooth).

Go ahead, I know you're dying to, get to work on the eyeliner. If you're really daring (which I so am) you could go for a colored liner, I recommend green, blue or purple for cool skin tones (the veins on your inner arm appear blue instead of the greenish of warm skintones, or so I'm told) and copper, gold or brown for warmer skin. Then, when you're done, add as much mascara as you can handle to fill it out. You can also dab highlighter or shimmery shadow in the inner corners to make you look more awake and alive. Dab a little on your cupid's bow and lower lip while you're at it.

Who is your favorite Angel? Did I profile her? Is there a look (Victoria's Secret or not) that you'd like to know how to do? I'll do my best for you.

Erin Heatherton

See the theme of the week? I can't help it. These girls are just so gorgeous. While my man happens to disagree with me, I think Erin Heatherton is just adorable. I mean, the freckles, the smile, what's not to love? I thought I'd go for something completely different for her makeup look, for all you retro-red lovers. See how you can work this sexy look.

Again, for this look I'd go with a cream foundation and I forgot to mention one of my favorites, CoverGirl's Simply Ageless with Olay Serum. Just an FYI: The colors in this line run really light because of the serum so pick one shade darker than you would normally wear or be prepared to darken with bronzer. I like to use my slightly too light shade around the jaw and hairlines to blend in a slightly too dark foundation.

Choose a matte peach blush and apply only on the backs of cheekbones, avoiding the apple area. It adds a slight contrast to the face but should be subtle because the lips are so bold and the eyes are strong as well. I don't have a favorite matte blush but I'd love to hear your favorites.

Next, line the outer half of the lower lid and entire upper lid with dark brown or black liner. If you want a shimmery look I love Urban Decay's Oilslick 24/7 liner with small silver glitter or, if you're lucky enough to have it, Bare Escentuals Buxom liner in black. Use a white pencil or shadow on the inner half of the bottom lid and in the inner corner for contrast and to liven up the eyes. Coat lashes with curling mascara and curl those puppies, it's imperative to this look.

The lips are the star of this look, a look I could never in a million years pull off because A)I'm so fair, I'd be washed out and B)my skin is red/ruddy so red never looks good on me, but I'm still working on being brave enough to just go for it. If you're super brave pull out NARS lipgloss in Bloodwork and go to town. First, I would line the lips with either a red, clear, or exactly your lipcolor lip pencil. This will hold the color inside the lines. Aapply the gloss and add a coat of clear gloss (if you want a vinyl look) or blot (if you want something a little more matte). Then, take face powder and make a ring around your mouth to keep the color from bleeding. Make sure to blend but not to get any on your lips themselves.

Tell me, can you convince yourself to go this bold? Can you go out of the house with sexy red lips? Or are you chickenshit like me? And, what red lipstick do you wear? Inquiring minds want to know. I'm thinking about picking up Maybelline's Red Revival, supposedly the best selling drugstore red.

Miranda Kerr

Surely, if you're a huge Vickie's Secret fan like I am, you caught the fashion show last night. How gorgeous did everyone look? One of my favorite Angels, Miranda Kerr, obviously didn't walk in the show this year due to the fact that she's having Orlando Bloom's baby in just a few weeks. Still, I thought she deserved a little recognition and, since she's one of the most gorgeous women in the world, I know you're just dying to look exactly like her. That's where I come in. I mean, I can't give you the cute cherubic face, not to mention the killer body, but I can help you to wear your makeup exactly like she does. Here goes...

For once, in this pic, Miranda has a completely matte face and I like the look on her. To get it for yourself you'll need a good matte foundation and setting powder in a matching or translucent shade. Since I'm not a huge matte foundation girl, I'd suggest using what you love if you already have a fave (and do share, please) or, you could use BareMinerals matte and skip a step. You'll want a pretty heavy coverage to cover any freckles (not that I normally condone that) and a matte bronzer under the cheekbones for contour. If you're using a separate powder I suggest applying it after the bronzer to mattify it even more, I love Koh Gen Do's Maifanishi Face Powder. And, go light on the bronzer unless you're white as a ghost like me, then you can use a little more.

For the lips I would use a light pink gloss and blot some of the shinyness away or you could use a more full coverage gloss such as Avon's Glaze Wear or Revlon's Mineral LipGlaze. The coverage is more opaque and less shimmery and works perfectly for the look Miranda's rocking. Then, dot a tiny bit of white or champagne shimmer on the center of the bottom lip for fullness and, if you don't have that, you can always use a dot of eyeshadow or even the white liner you'll need for your eyes.

My favorite part, as always, is the eyes. This is such a soft yet sophisticated look. Line inner eyes with white or fleshtone pencil (white is more noticeable while fleshtone is subtle). Then, trace around the lower lashline with taupe or gold pencil. Use a light gold or champagne shimmer (love the gold shade of Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Eyeshadow) in the inner corner and a more matte version of the same color on the lids. Add a coat of lengthening mascara and comb those lashes to avoid clumps and imperfections. To top it off, define your brows with powder or pencil (my fave is by Rimmel and has a great brush attached to the cap for a natural look).

I just love this pic from JustJared.com, don't you? Miranda looks so gorgeous without trying too hard. Do you like this look? Did it work for you?