Review: Maybelline Eraser Dark Circles Concealer

Today review is Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer...that's a long name! I picked this up recently at Shoppers Drug Mart for $13.99 CAD (ouch I know! It was on sale for $8 at one point and I passed on it thinking this was too gimmicky then I caved a few weeks later and really wanted it, what can you do?). This product is a treatment concealer with Gogi Berry + Haloxyl which is supposed to instantly erase dark circles and fine lines and visibly diminish puffiness. I would love to see them "erase fine lines" I don't think that is possible, maybe on a photoshopped Christy Turlington, but not in real life.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Swatches

Now that the summer is here, many of us need a summer foundation, that is darker than the one we wear in the colder months. I've personally never needed this because I don't really tan, I mean if I went on vacation somewhere warm for a week I would come back looking amazingly tan, but in everyday Canadian climate, not so much, so I normally just wore the same foundation or just a powder. Since starting to self-tan recently with spray tans at home I am very pleasantly to report that my colour has changed a lot. So I was faced with the problem of not having a foundation at all that suited me since all my foundations are super pale. I didn't want to spend a lot of money and I had a coupon so I opted for the Maybelline Fit Me. I reviewed this earlier this year when it first came out, click here to read the review.

Review: Maybelline One By One Mascara

Maybelline's newest mascara is "One By One". This one is meant to give "bold without the bulk" and provide bold and refined volume, specifically instant lash by lash clump-free volume. I guess this mascara, the brush specifically, is supposed to avoid that clumpy look that girls often get when they try to build up their mascara with too many coats. So is this mascara "the one", that mascara that we've all been looking and hoping for?

Review: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

This is Part 3 of my Maybelline Fit Me review series, today I am reviewing the concealer. I did a review of the foundation, and the powder previously. This concealer is described as "flawless that let's the real you come through. Beyond matching: fresh, breathable, natural." For a concealer, personally I am not looking for anything natural, or letting the "real" me come through, I am looking for a concealer that hides the real me, and conceals, that is the point after all, you know what's I am saying? I think we all look for that.

Unlike the wide variety of foundation and powder shades in the Fit Me line, there are only 2 concealer shades in each level (2 concealers for 100's, 200's and 300's) for a total of 6 shades. So if your foundation colour is in the 100 's range of Fit Me, you get to choose from 2 concealers either 10 or 15. I have 10 here, which is the lightest and matches the foundation in 110 which is quite yellow toned, this concealer is yellow for sure, a pretty dark yellow too. I think for a line that is supposed to make it easy for women to find the right match, they really should of had more variety of concealers only 6 shades?

The packaging is the standard doe-foot applicator. These types of concealers are usually best for under the eyes because their coverage is low.

Here is a swatch comparing Maybelline Fit Me concealer in 10 with Maybelline Superstay in Ivory, you can see that the Fit me is much darker. I have learned over time that most of the concealers that I use are far too light for me. I always apply concealer before foundation, so if it is too dark it won't matter because it gets covered anyway, and since I am so pale the whole 'white under the eyes' doesn't really look right on me. I need a more yellow/orangey/salmon coloured concealer to neutralize the red/blueness under the eyes. If you are looking for a lighter concealer, Fit Me's 15 concealer is much more pink toned (as is the foundation). This concealer is very smooth. blends well, is non-drying, non-creasy on me, which is nice.

And the application here, Fit me concealer on your left and nothing on the right. It's very smooth and blends nicely. It covers, but not great, if you need high-coverage under the eyes, this isn't for you. The coverage on Revlon's Moisturizing Cream concealer (my favourite drugstore concealer) is much better for example. This concealer is more like MAC's Moisturecover, it helps refresh your under-eye area, but not not completely, this is absolutely not medium-full coverage. I would suggest this concealer only for under the eyes, but not really enough coverage for all over the face, and I don't think it would stay put either since this concealer is so creamy/liquidy.

Of all the Fit Me products that I bought (including foundation, powder and concealer) I like the foundation the best, but I will definitely keep using all of them, and perhaps together is a good bet too, products usually work best that way. The concealer didn't wow me, the foundation didn't give awesome coverage and the powder is just average, none are necessarily bad, just not anything amazing either.

Have you tried the Fit Me concealer?

Review: Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder

This is Part 2 of my Maybelline Fit Me review, check out yesterday's review on the foundation (if you haven't already) today I am talking about the pressed powder. I have this in 110 just like my co-ordinating foundation colour. As you all know, the Fit me line has a matching powder, concealer, blush and bronzer to go with your foundation shade. There are 18 powder shades available, one for every foundation shade. I am normally not a powder girl, since I have dry skin, but I opted to give this a try because I had great coupons to use on these products and ended up paying about $4 for each item. The powder is advertised as "natural coverage that leaves skin the way it is meant to be, fresh, breathing and flawless, no oils, no waxes, no nonsense".

The pressed powder comes in a chic black packaging, it's squared, but once you open the powder it's round, it would of been cool to have a square pan, but whatever. It has a compartment underneath for a puff and a mirror on the back of the powder too. I would of preferred the mirror to be on top of the powder itself, instead of the see-through top in my opinion. Notice the ugly Walmart sticker on the side of the compact? Love that.. why do company's ruin pretty packaging? I can't get this sticky stuff off!

The matching powder and foundation do not look to be the same colour, the powder looks much lighter. But actually (and this is a fault in the colouring of this line) the powder once applied is DARKER than the foundation. I was tempted to buy 115 since it's darker, but that colour is very pink in the powder and I suspect VERY pink once applied. This powder does oxidize (when used with this foundation) so please be careful what shade you choose.

I found the coverage of this powder to be comparable to MAC's Mineralized Skin Finish Natural (except MAC's powder is much smoother). I have MSFN in the colour 'Light' and as you can tell it's a tad darker in the pan and more yellow swatched. I use both as a setting powder only since the coverage is so minimal. Since the Fit Me foundation itself is so dewy and wet-feeling, I feel like the powder is really necessary (or some powder anyway) to set it better. I like that this powder does not make me itch and it works on my dry skin (which is new for drugstore powders for me). It's not hydrating or anything, but it does not dry out my face, feels comfortable on.

Here are the ingredients on the back for those interested, first ingredient is Talc. That's the Walmart sticker on the bottom left that ripped up part of the label. I feel this powder is nice, nothing wow, and nothing worth running out to get. I think it works nicely with the Fit Me foundation, but any powder would.

Have you tried the Fit Me powder?

Review: Maybelline Fit Me Foundation

Maybelline's new "Fit Me" foundation was a hugely anticipated foundation for me, once I saw it come out around Christmas in the US I knew that I wanted to try it out. I am foundation-obsessed, I know that I own more foundation than any other makeup product, hands down. This new line, "Fit Me" is designed to assist in helping women find their perfect shade to "fit" them. Once you find your foundation shade, you can match it to the co-ordinating shade in powder, concealer, blush and bronzer. I picked up the foundation, powder and concealer only, the blush and bronzer I would suggest passing on since it looks like they just repackaged it to include it in this line. I will review the foundation today, and the powder and concealer will follow.

♥ Best of 2010 ♥

Now that 2010 has come and gone and 2011 is here, it's time to reflect on what products did the job well in 2010. Here is my list of favourite products of last year. I've tried to incorporate as much as possible products that came out in 2010, but in the mix got products that just worked for me too, regardless of when they came out.

Best Foundation

NARS Sheer Glow

MAC Pro Longwear

MUFE Face and Body

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse

Best Concealer

Revlon Age Defying Creme

Benefit Erase Paste

Bobbi Brown Corrector (Light Bisque)

Best Lipgloss

Revlon Super Lustrous Lilac Pastelle, Pink Pop and Peach Petal

Best Lipstick

Revlon Soft Nude

MAC Jazzed

MAC Viva Glam Gaga

MAC Blooming Lovely

Best Blush

MAC Stereo Rose

MAC Peaches

Benefit Coralista

NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink

Best Eyeshadow

NYX Champagne and Caviar

MAC Naked Lunch, Sable and All That Glitters

Best Bronzer

Physicians Formila Bronze Booster (Light/Med)

MAC Golden

Best Powder

Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder

Almay Wake Up Hydrating Makeup

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural (Light)

Best Highlighter

Hard Candy Honeymoon

MAC By Candlelight

Best Mascara

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous

Loreal Million Lashes

Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion

Revlon Grow Luscious

Best Eye Primer

Urban Decay Primer Potion (Pro Size)

Best Skincare

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost

Best Fixers

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

MAC Fix+ Rose

MAC Prep and Prime Skin

Best Perfume

Thierry Mugler Womanity

Givenchy Hot Couture

Best Nail Polish

OPI Suzy Says Feng Shui

OPI Jade is the New Black

American Apparel Malibu Green

Best Brush

ELF Studio Powder Brush

Sigma F80 Flat Top Synthetic 

Sigma E25 Mini

Sigma F25

What were your favourites of 2010?

Monthly Favourites: November 2010

I am super late getting this one, I am usually pretty good about getting these on time, but several things have kept me from not posting lately. 1) I moved and am busy unpacking and getting everything together 2) I couldn't find my camera for the longest time 3) Now that I have found it, the thing has a mind of its own and won't focus well on pictures anymore (as you will notice in the picture below). Time for a new camera, maybe Santa will bring me one this Christmas. My favourites this month are some old and some new items.

Maybelline's Dream Smooth Mousse may be my favourite drugstore foundation of the year. This product is great for the winter when your skin is dry (mine is extra dry). It gives good coverage, and feels smooth on your face, see full review here.

Sigma's F10 Powder/Blush brush which is supposedly a dupe for the MAC 129. I find this a bit large for blush, but I do like it for finishing powder, bronzer, powder in general. it's soft and fluffy. Sigma should make a MAC 116 dupe.

Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion was not a favourite of mine at first, in fact I found it very similar to the original Last Blast, see review here. But since throwing out my overly-expired Lash Blast I have started using up this one this month and like it a lot.

MAC's Creme D'Nude is probably my most favourite MAC lipstick ever, and it has a special place in my heart because it was my first MAC purchase ever. This colour works well on anyone, has great formulation and a pretty colour.

ELF's Lipstain in Birthday Suit has been my go-to gloss for the month. I don't think of this as a stain really, and only use the coloured end, but I do like the light barbie pink colour that the gloss gives.

Clinique's Redness Solutions makeup is a great foundation. I picked this in the month of November and really like it. It's the first Clinique foundation I've ever used. Does it help tone down redness over time? I haven't used it exclusively enough to tell a difference, but I like the coverage and neutralizing effects that it has. Planning to do a full review of this one soon.

What were your favourites for the month of November?

Review: Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation

Dream Smooth Mousse is Maybelline's newest foundation. This is in the "Dream Mousse" category but totally different than the previous Dream Matte Mousse and Dream Liquid Mousse. This took forever to get to Canada. I really wanted to try it but only got it like a month ago when we finally started carrying it over here. I don't know what took so long. This foundation is described as "unique cream-whipped foundation combines perfectly moisturizing coverage with a lightweight formula. Blends seamlessly and feels fresh all day. Go beyond perfect skin, experience baby smooth perfection."

As everyone else that has seen this product knows, the packaging is really obnoxious and large. The top has a  sponge applicator which comes in it's own compartment and then the top unscrews and reveals the actual product underneath (in glass casing). They could of added a mirror on the inside where the sponge is, that would of been a nice feature. I haven't used the sponge that comes in this.

Here is the inside, it is quite a whipped cream consistency, I like it. You can tell mine has product missing in the centre because I use a flat top brush to apply this. I tap it into the product and then tap it on my face. The application is quite simple. I don't really swirl it at all. I have this in the lightest shade, 110 Porcelain Ivory, which I gotta say looks yellow in some lighting and pink in others, it's not as light as I would like, but it's an alright match. I bought the Dream Liquid Mousse in Classic Ivory and it's a lot darker, too dark for me.

Here is a swatch, I would say this is like a thicker, more emollient version of the Dream Matte Mousse (which I did not like for foundation). Since this is advertised as giving "14 hour visible hydration" it is definitely targeted to dry skin types. I have read many negative reviews of this product, but they are primarily coming from those with oily or combination skin. People say it makes them oily, turns them into an oil slick, wears off easily etc. Having tried many foundation, I think each one is definitely suited to a certain skin type, and you won't get the right performance if it doesn't match.

I think this foundation is lovely for dry skin, which I have. It feels comfortable and smooth on my face, hydrates my face (or so does not dry it out more), and actually gives somewhat of a matte flat finish. Keep in mind, my skin is quite dry, so it will perform differently on me than on others. The coverage is okay, medium I would say. The package says it transforms from a cream to a liquid, when you apply it to your face the warm melts this into your skin nicely. I really like using this, they have a winner here.

Have you tried Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse foundation?

Mascara Monday: Maybelline Great Lash BIG Mascara

Maybelline's Great Lash BIG mascara is a step up from the original Great Lash mascara, the main difference is the brush is much larger. I know this mascara is listed as a favourite in many beauty magazines, but I never understood why because personally I hated the original, it was one of the worst mascara I've ever tried. I purchased the Great Lash BIG recently primarily for review purposes, it was $3.97 CAD at my Walmart, mascara does not much cheaper than that. This one promises "bigger brush, bigger lashes, buildable volume" (compared to the original Great Lash).

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Finally Comes To Canada

The Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse foundation has finally arrived in Canada! This was a foundation that I heard about month and month ago on youtube, I wanna say like 6 months ago maybe more? And have been on the lookout for it since then. I wonder WHY it took so long to get to Canada? Anyway, it's finally here. I picked up mine at Walmart for about $10, Shoppers Drug Mart has it for about $15 (don't waste your money, buy it at Walmart). And there are testers available too, of course they are already destroyed and disgusting at Walmart!

I picked it up in the lightest colour, 110 Porcelain Ivory. It's not that light, similar shade selection to Maybelline's other 'dream' foundations, if you had trouble finding a match in those, you will in this one too. I bought the Dream Liquid Mousse in Classic Ivory (which is too dark for me) so I got this in the lightest possible.

Other reviewers were not kidding when they say the packaging on this is very bulky. In the top you get a sponge, it has it's own little compartment. The bottom part unscrews and as you tell in the bottom picture on the right, that is the product there, it doesn't look like much.

I only got this a few days ago, so I will test it out for a bit and then will write a review of what I think of it. So far, I'd like to compare it to MAC Moistureblend foundation, which is a similar hydrating, cream foundation. I will say right off, this is a product for those with normal-dry skin, since it is moisturizing. I hope it works out for my dry skin. I have been using it mostly just with a stippling brush, but will mess around with other options to see what works best. How do you apply this?

Have you tried this product? What did you think?