Influenster Maybelline Great Lash Royal Blue Vox Box Review

*Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Influenster Maybelline Great Lash Royal Blue Vox Box I received for testing purposes.

Great Lash mascara has been around for ages.  The reason it has such strength in the marketplace when new formulas and brands keep coming is because it really brings out the eyes without the need to spend a small fortune to do so.   However, I had never tried the new Royal Blue formula of that Maybelline mascara, only the black until Influenster sent it as a part of this latest campaign.

I have dark brown eyes and really love the effect of the vivid blue color for the flattering contrast it gives. The brush does seem a bit smaller than I cared for, but once you get used to it that brush does help separate lashes nicely.  

I also got to try their Unstoppable Automatic Pencil  701 Onyx eyeliner. This is a twist up type of smudge-proof liner that doesn’t need a separate sharpener to correct the tip in a black that does last for hours.  It glides on easily without tugging the skin.  It also is one that adjusting the thickness or thinness of the line is simple enough to do.

Have you tried these Maybelline eye products yet?  If not, find them at Walmart when you are shopping for some new makeup.

Review: Mineral Fusion Volumizing Mascara (Midnight)

Mineral Fusion Volumizing Mascara (Midnight)

Having allergies makes my eyes extremely sensitive at times.  They have a tendency to water, itch, and get red, which at times can give me problems wearing certain mascaras.  However, I seem to have a lot of luck with vegan brand, Mineral Fusion with how gentle their formulas are for someone like me that easily gets irritated.  This statement still holds true after my latest experiment wearing their Volumizing Mascara in Midnight that PR provided.

This mineral formulated mascara is truly gentle and free of paraben, phthalate, fragrance, artificial color, and gluten.  Besides this intense blue shade of Midnight, Mineral Fusion’s Volumizing Mascara also comes in a black (Jet) and brown (Chestnut).  

Let me cut to the chase.  My lashes aren’t what they used to be.  No doubt, rubbing them probably thinned some of them, but they are shorter than I care to admit.  Yet, once I pulled out this mascara’s brush, it separated and seemed to find each stubby lash in one swoop of that wand.  My lashes were fuller and longer without resorting to a second coat!              

Usually, I stick to black mascaras for ease of wear.  Nonetheless, my dark-brown eyes sporting those midnight-blue lashes along with blue liner really made them pop.  If you also are a brown-eyed girl, I do recommend this Midnight shade because this bit of color contrast can work magic for you.

All through the day, I didn’t get bloodshot, tear, itch, flake, or smudge either.  I can’t say enough nice things about how much I liked this mascara to wear as well as remove.   You got to try Mineral Fusion’s Volumizing Mascara ($18.99) for yourself.  Find it on their website or at Whole Food stores.

Review + SWATCHES: Mehron Makeup INtense PRO Pressed Powder Pigments (Wind) Eye Shadows Palette

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Mehron Makeup INtense PRO Pressed Powder Pigments (Wind) Palette with colors that can be as bold or as delicately sheer.as you need. 

Recently, I received some products from Mehron, the company that is mostly famous for their theatrical makeup.  One that immediately caught my eye was the eight pan Wind INtense PRO Pressed Powder Pigments Eye Shadows Palette. 

At first glance, I thought the matte colors were rather a bit too bright.  However, I was pleasantly surprised once I took the great brush this palette has to them.  The colors that I swatched laid down sheer layers of each of those bold, vivid colors beautifully that could just as easily be built up for a more dramatic look, if so desired. Using a primer first will intensify the richness of the color significantly so keep that in mind.

These shadows are soft, buttery and are wonderful to blend without creating a powder dust storm as you apply unless you tend to pile it on.  Being the case, I suggest using the brush and gently pat the pigment as you go.  If you do so, this minimizes that problem.

The colors in the Wind palette:

Hurricane Blue–dark royal blue
Island Breeze--medium burnt orange
Palm–deep olive-toned green with some yellow that looks brighter green in the pan 
Turbulent–medium warm brown
Tornado–is a medium red-plum color, but in the pan looks more purple lavender
Solar Wind–is a mustard-yellow
Ocean Breeze–ocean blue
Tropical Storm–medium teal green

Below, I swatched the colors for you.

Starting on the right is Tornado, then Tropical Storm, Ocean Breeze, Palm,Turbulent, Island Breeze, Solar Wind, and ending with Hurricane Blue on the right.

My favorite way to use this palette was keeping that gossamer effect so that the colors seemed to wash over the lids in gorgeous, gauzy layers as I mixed shades of various pans.  
Then again, when I going for an edgier look and wanted extended wear, I primed my lids before applying and then adding more shadow.

There are two other shade selections in this palette called Earth and Fire.  I didn’t get those to try, but would have loved to sample them.  The colors appear to have a deeper range.

For my first experience with this brand, I was extremely pleased with this eye shadow palette and will keep on using it.  Do check out Mehron and the Intense Pro Pressed Powder Pigments Eye Shadows Palette ($52.95).

Review: Covergirl’s Super Sizer Mascara and Intensify Me Liquid Liner By Lashblast

Covergirl offered to send me some product to try.  I was clueless about what they would be shipping, but I do love surprises and new cosmetics to play with.  When their box arrived, I found two of their newest Lashblast products, a Super Sizer Mascara and an Intensify Me! Liquid Liner that will soon or just may be on store shelves now where you buy their products.

Covergirl's Super Sizer Mascara and Intensify Me Liquid Liner

The Super Sizer Mascara is advertised to give your lashes 400% corner-to-corner volume.  This turquoise tube features a different sort of brush with a much thinner wand of short, spiny, and more sparsely spaced plastic bristles that do slightly widen up at the tip than what I am used to wearing.   

Covergirl’s Super Sizer Mascara

You need to change the way you apply this mascara from how you normally do. What you do is slowly begin to twirl the wand from the base as you go.  Mastering the twirl takes getting used to, but once you do practice, this mascara does do a marvelous job for lengthening, building volume somewhat and managing to get all those tiny lashes at the corners that are always so hard to get.  However, if you try deviating from this method, then you run into problems and will blame this mascara, which is a shame for what stuff can do for your lashes.  

I didn’t have any complaints with how it wore either.  When I went to wash it out later that day, I had no smudging  and saw a few flakes.  It does take more than soap and water to make this mascara budge.  I used eye makeup remover for an easier time.

The Intensify Me Liquid Liner is something else unusual with its special, paddle-sided tip that I really liked.  It sports a broad side when you want to create thickness and just by flipping that paddle tip, you have a thinner side to work with to do finer lining. 

Covergirl's Intensify Me Liquid Liner--Notice what you can do with the paddle-tip.

This liner does dry fast so you need to be quick to lay down your line.  It did go on smooth for me.  Other than that, I thought it was a nice product for fashioning a more dramatic, bold look for thickness yet with a polished edge from how you can finish your corners. 
  
Nonetheless, if you are experiencing a problem with this liner try tugging your eyelid upward as you apply and dotting the black in closely to do a connected line makes it easier. 

This eye liner held up well in the hours I had it on without cracking, smearing, or fading for me. 

I did like my new Covergirl Intensify Me Liquid Liner and the Super Sizer Mascara.  Check them out when you see them in your stores and give them a try.  

*Disclaimer: Free product was provided to facilitate this review--not my opinion.* 

How to Handle Crow’s Feet When Applying Eye Makeup for a Beautiful, Youthful Lift!

You can't stop the aging process, but you can minimize crow's feet with artful makeup application.

At the start of your early twenties, you don’t need to worry about the type of eye cosmetics you want to wear. Your only problem is trying to navigate through the endless stream of tempting products. Whether you crave metallic, shimmery washes, bold and bright colors to dark, matte and smoldering eye looks, it’s your option–-that is until a few more years when you look into the mirror again and start seeing those fine wrinkles starting to branch out from the corners called crow’s feet.

To minimize the problem, you need to soften and play with light.  The main goal is concentrating your brightening efforts in the center of your eyes and working more light away from your imperfections.

Start by priming your lid.  This will make for a smoother surface to keep your look fresh.

Then take out a liquid highlighter in a shade that works with your skin’s coloring and start patting some on that product on top of the crow’s feet as you blend outward.  What you are doing is redirecting that light away from those flaws and throwing the eye off track to create an illusion of a more even complexion.  

Line your top lids next with pencil eyeliner but don’t lay down a thick, heavy line or take that line beyond the corner.  You want to keep your application light.  

Look through your selection of matte eye shadows and aim for a pale neutral shade.  Swipe that palest gray or palest beige-brown shadow over your entire lid and then finish with your mascara.

What pulls everything together is what you are going to be applying next.  Hunt through your eye shadows again and pull out the shimmery shades.  Look for something like a pale champagne, pink, or gold for darker complexions for over that matte shadow.  Patting just some of that shimmery shade on the center of your lid and subtly blending it there is the secret to give your eyes an instant lift!