Mascara Monday: Sephora Favorites Lash Stash to Go

You didn't think I'd forget about our long standing tradition, did you? Mascara Mondays are back and this week we're checking out Sephora Favorites Lash Stash to go.

 Now that my state has joined the rank of coolness and actually has Sephora (2) and Ulta (3), I can tell you all about the goodies I've tried, not just the ones I'm looking at.  This little baby caught my eye as soon as I walked in the store and I carried it around with me the whole 45 minutes or so that I was there. Ok, so I thought it was the last one and I wasn't going to let anyone else get their grimy little paws on it. Turns out there were tons left at the register (PS- how fun are those cute little displays that you just have to look at before you check out?)

Mascara minis are a weakness of mine and I had to get in on the action and get this one. I'd been dreaming about them, mentally putting them on my holiday wish-list just days before I found the summer version in stores. I never knew they did these at other times of the year. My eyes are peeled for them now.

So for the next few weeks you'll be able to read all about the mascaras in this set, that includes:

-Benefit BADgal Lash in Black
- BUXOM Lash in Blackest Black (my favorite mascara even before I bought this set)
- Korres Volcanic Minerals Voluminizing Mascara
- Lancome Définicils in Black
- Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! in Rich Black

Plus, I got a mini Benefit They're Real! from Sephora for my birthday so you'll get a review on that one too.

The best thing? The voucher for a FREE full-size mascara! Choose from the five mascaras included which range from $19-$27. This cutie pays for itself! Just hold on to that voucher and don't let it go.

In case you don't remember I've reviewed Lancome Definicils before here and Buxom here but I'll be reviewing them again for you in the coming weeks in case they've snuck in any formula changes when we weren't looking.

Mascara Monday Extra Tarte Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara

You thought it was all over didn't you? So did I. There really are so many mascaras out there that I'd love to try if money were no object. Luckily I got the chance to try Tarte's Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara.

The first thing Mr. Dudesday said when he saw the packaging was that he liked the wood. It's different and infinitely cool. Hey, I'm a sucker for packaging and this one is great! I'm really into a mix of materials whenever possible and an unexpected splash of wood is always welcome anywhere I am.

There's nothing inherently different about the brush or the formula but both do their job amazingly. My lashes came out clean and free of clumps in my normal amount of coats. They were long and fanned out but still volumized. Overall this is a great $19 mascara and I think the results justify the price. I swear I didn't expect to fall in love with so many pricey formulas when I first started Mascara Mondays but I definitely have. That is not to say that I wouldn't be just as happy trying out all the drugstore has to offer in this department either.

This one promises to help the overall health of lashes with continued use but I can't attest to that. I didn't pay attention to softness during use or after removal but I didn't experience any problems either.

Tarte 4 Day Lash Stain

We're nearing the end of Mascara Monday I'm afraid but I do have two more for you. Today we're checking out Tarte's 4 Day Lash Stain.

Firstly, I have to mention what a ridiculous name this is. Who in their right mind is going to wear the same dose of mascara for 4 days? Even if it did stain the lashes dark enough to forgo mascara, what would be the fun in that? I didn't notice anything that was different about this mascara that would make it a stain. I definitely had the darkening promised but I also had more volume and length, something I don't imagine getting from a product labeled a stain. I didn't find it particularly hard to remove so I'm wondering if it's meant to be left on the lashes completely for 4 days. I tried that too but didn't seem to notice a difference in my lashes come Day 2.

This product wasn't the worst I've tried but it definitely wasn't the best either. I found it to be a little clumpy and at the same time it didn't really make my lashes look volumized. I got great length from this one and I love the dark black, wet look. The brush was a little wimpy but if you're looking for just length and curl I think this one would be a good choice. It's curved and immediately adds lift to my fringe. My lashes were much more noticeable but they didn't look like falsies which is more or less the look I go for daily.

Overall, I'd say it's a mediocre product, definitely not one of my favorites. I didn't find it to be any better than drugstore brands and probably not worth the $18 price tag. Save your money and get something that costs half this much. If you're looking for a true lash stain I'd look into Hard Candy or Neutrogena, both of those would cost the same as one of these. I haven't tried either but they're a better bet than Tarte!

Tarte Cheek Stain with Swatches

Yesterday I waxed poetic about BeneFit's new cheek stain ChaChaTint but I would be remiss to let my love of cheek stains go at that. The first time I tried a Tarte Cheek Stain I was in love with the formula. At $30 I truly thought these were out of my price range. I'm cheap, plain and simple but I definitely needn't worry. These babies are huge, like Heidi Montag post-surgery H-U-G-E!

Here are swatches of my personal collection. Honestly, I wish I had more and realistically, I probably do, hidden somewhere in my house. I wear these A LOT therefore they're shoved in various makeup bags, boxes of items I wanted to review, the wrong drawers of my makeup chest, you know the deal! These are all slightly scented which makes me love them even more. Even though they're on your cheeks you can get a subtle whiff of it on a hot day or give your sweetie a surprise when he leans in to kiss you on the cheek.
L-R Tipsy, Blissful, Cloud 9, Blushing Bride, Flush
Tipsy & Blissful
Tipsy is a gorgeous sheer coral shade with flecks of silver glitter. The glitter is so subtle that blink and you'll miss it so fear not glitter-phobes. Sephora says it smells like Apricots but this one appears to be more subtle than others.

Blissful is exclusive to Sephora and limited edition so hurry and snatch it up if peach-y, sheer watermelon is your cup of tea. Blissful doesn't appear to have a particular scent but I smell candy goodness.
Cloud 9
Cloud 9 is no longer available but if you're looking for a purple cheekstain (fabulous on darker skin tones) I would suggest tracking it down on MakeupAlley. This one reads really sheer on me and doesn't scream "I'm wearing purple blush!" It's got a tiny bit of shimmer and a very fun grape scent that drives me wild, just like grape Bubblicious.
Blushing Bride & Flush
Blushing Bride is very similar to Blissful on my arm, although on the Sephora website it appears more pigmented and plum. I swatched pretty heavily but I still get a sheer red shade that leans to the warmer end of the spectrum. This one smells like plums!

Flush is a fun purple-leaning pink I'd describe as berry. This one is truly unique as far as blush goes and I can see it working wonders on both extremely fair and extremely dark skintones. Of course, this one is berry scented and has tiny silver glitter.
Doll Face, Brilliant, Cushion, Princess
Doll Face & Brilliant
Doll Face is a pretty Barbie pink shimmer, the most basic of shades that works amazingly on my pale skin. This one is the strawberry Bubblicious counterpart to Cloud 9.

Brilliant is from the Christmas 2009 Collection Three Carats and comes in a fun silver, rhinestoned container. Again, these are a little harder to find but MakeupAlley or Ebay are great places to look. This one's a sheer nude which I think a lot of you bronzer-loving ladies will enjoy. It's flattering on my skin even though I'm quite phobic of bronzers. I'm not sure what this one is supposed to smell like but I get a tropical lemon-y scent.
Cushion & Princess
Cushion is also from the Christmas 2009 Collection. This one looks remarkably like Doll Face on my arm, slightly redder and a little bit darker. This one has a fresh peachy type scent that is amazing.

Last but not least is Princess, a reddish-nude. This one seems like another universally flattering shade. I'm not sure on the scent but I definitely get a hint of candy sweetness.

As for the product itself I love that they go on wet, giving you a chance to sheer them out before they set and fix any mistakes you may have made. Keep in mind that these are heavy swatches to show color and you can go a lot lighter if you so choose. They dry matte so they are absolutely perfect for summer and if you're a shimmer gal like me applying sparkles on top is never a problem once dry.

I feel like I should mention that when you reach for a Tarte Cheek Stain that you haven't used in a while you may notice condensation on top of the product. This is very normal in my experience and doesn't hinder use of the product at all. Also it's a watery consistency, not at all slimy or thick but you may want to wipe it on a napkin before using on your face.

Even though they are a stain they are simple to remove, no scrubbing required, so helpful on those summer nights when you're too exhausted from the beach to scrub off every last ounce of makeup.

Tarte for True Blood

As many of you may know the new season of the cult hit True Blood is soon to be airing on HBO. This show has an amazing following and although I've never seen it I definitely have it on my Netflix Queue even if just for sexy Joe Manganiello who I've loved since his How I Met Your Mother and One Tree Hill (two of my favorite shows EVER) days. I remember little Anna Paquin in Fly Away way back when we were both kids now we're both married ladies, makes me feel old!

What you may not know is Tarte Cosmetics has teamed up with the makeup artists from the show to bring us mere mortals a taste of the True Blood beauty look. As a huge fan of Tarte's cheekstains I cannot wait to get my hands on the True Blood version when it releases on TOMORROW at Sephora. It appears to be a deep red color that can work sheerly on us fair folks and with added depth on darker skinned ladies.

There's also a Lipsurgence Lip Tint in Shimmering Red, perfect for those who want to try out a bolder color this summer. I'll be posting a review of my recent Lipsurgence purchase really soon so stay tuned for that.

When I saw a tiny photo (I guess Tarte is keeping it under wraps for now) of the 17 shadow palette in Cosmo I was super excited to see what it would look like. Unfortunately I can't find much information but I know it's going to be gorgeous. Tarte is a wonderful line and I couldn't be more impressed that they've teamed up with such a wonderful franchise for a little blood sucking vampire fun. I will keep you posted if/when I see photos of these lovely products.

Tarte MultiplEYE Lash Enhancing Mascara

I love when a mascara comes along that doesn't smear. Smearing is no fun, especially not for a girl who can't seem to keep her hands off her eyes. I think it's a nervous habit of mine, when I don't know what to do I pull at my lashes or rub my eyes. Now that I'm aware of it, I'm trying to stop. In the meantime I have a mascara that won't make me look like a panda. Tarte MultiplEYE Lash Enhancing Mascara.

Tarte's MultiplEYE line is amazing. I've tried a few of the other EYE products and they are not only a ton of fun but effective and this mascara was no exception. Besides not smearing I found a few other things to point out to you, dear readers. First of all, this seems to be a drier formula so that means your lashes aren't a glossy finish if you're into that sort of thing. It's a more natural look and I swear it looks like I just have naturally dark lashes even though they're normally a fairly pale brown. This one also seems to lift my lashes, giving them a pretty curl that's believable even without a curler (although my lash curler is Tarte)!

The best part, this baby is clinically proven to improve the condition of lashes, probably why my lashes felt more flexible and soft when the mascara was on them. And it does it all while being natural and free of tons of chemicals that you may want to avoid in your products. Best results will be achieved when you use all three items in the line (this is #3). You can buy a set of deluxe minis of #2 and #3 here. The Sephora website claims the mascara adds 638% more volume to lashes, I don't know about that but I did notice a lot more volume than I would have without it. I didn't have the best help with length but the very natural look works for me, it's perfect for the beach.

I do feel like I should point out that I got absolutely zero mascara on my makeup remover wipe at the end of the night which his highly unusual. Even waterproof formulas usually come off a little bit but this one didn't. You'd probably need a separate eye makeup remover to take it all off. That may sound like a negative but just think about how great it will work if you're active at the beach. If you like to swim I highly recommend this mascara. Also, at $24, I'm not sure I'd buy it just for the few days a year I go to the beach but the sample I have should last at least that long this summer.