Makeup Test – The Full Monty Redux

So, I did it again…the Fully Monty using all different products from last time (moisturizer, primer, foundation, concealer and powder).  This week I’ll review each item (one per day), starting with the moisturizer.

I picked up this green moisturizer with quite a bit of skepticism. It was very green and I just didn’t see how all of that color could mix in to my skin without making me look like a leprechaun.

The Good:

• Good application (The green mixed in pretty well. I wouldn’t say that it was perfect, it definitely left a greenish cast to my skin, but once I put the rest of my makeup on, it wasn’t even noticeable.)
• SPF 15
• Physician’s Formula doesn’t test on animals. Yay!

The Bad:

• The Green (I wouldn’t recommend wearing this alone, unless you like looking like a zombie.)
• The Red (This supposedly corrects redness, but it wasn’t effective enough on my problem areas to make it worth the money.)
• The Formula (It applied sort of chalky. It wasn’t too bad once it was all rubbed in, though.)

The Ugly:

• $17+ for 1.7 oz.

The Grade: C-

A good product from an awesome company, but this one’s not worth the money, in my opinion.

Makeup Test – Lotion

I know…not technically makeup, but whatevs. I’m a dunce, remember?

Dunce Cap Moment:  As I’ve mentioned before, I love VS’s Love Spell, especially the lotion. I bought myself a bottle and decided to keep it in my car for any lotion emergencies (I’d noticed other people do this and thought they were so cool and prepared.) Without thinking, I tossed into the back window and went along my merry way. Unfortunately, it was summer (and a particularly desert-y one at that) and my poor bottle of (expensive) lotion quickly shriveled and evaporated in a matter of days.

Lesson Learned: Take care of your cosmetics. Don’t leave them in blistering heat or freezing cold. Room temperature is their natural habitat.

When I first opened this lotion, I was somewhat disappointed. No scent. None! It was kind of bizarre. Then I started putting it on and I realized a lotion doesn’t need some overpowering smell if it’s really good at what a lotion is supposed to do. Moisturize me!

The Good:

• Fragrance free (At first I thought this was a downside, but I find it quite refreshing.)
• Super moisturizing (This stuff goes on super wet-the formula isn’t runny, it just feels wet-but rubs in really well and isn’t too sticky to use on your hands.)
• A little goes a long way
• Long lasting

The Bad:

• Can’t really think of anything…It’s that awesome!

The Ugly:

• $9 for 12 oz.
• Aveeno tests on animals (Grrr!)

The Grade:  A-

My sister has a really strict policy against using products that are tested on animals (or have anything to do with animal testing) but she will not give up her Aveeno lotion. Trust me, that’s a pretty strong endorsement right there. It’s lovely stuff and I would gladly give it an A if it weren’t for the testing (and the price could go down a smidge too).

Extra Credit

I’ve never been much of a fingernail polish person (more on that later), but I have always been fascinated by the names. I could spend hours in a store just looking at the different colors and the (sometimes) clever names printed on the bottles. Very recently, I bought my first bottle of OPI nail polish (it was Will You Mari-Achi Me? from the Mexico Collection in case you were wondering) and I found myself pleasantly surprised. The color was beautiful, the application was smooth and the drying time was minimal. And I’m really rough on my fingernails, but it was several days before I noticed any wear and tear like chips or bald patches. (I’m the kind of person who must remove nail polish that is anything less than perfect.) And the real gold star moment was when the polish didn’t transfer onto the pages of the book I was reading when my fingertips brushed against them. Suddenly, I’m a fingernail polish freak and it’s all thanks to OPI and their funny names. Yay!

(PS-Check out this nail polish giveaway at Vintage Musings of a Modern Pinup. Awesome, right?)

Rivalry Game – Dove Clinical Protection vs. Secret Clinical Strength

When they first started coming out with all of these clinical strength deodorants, I scoffed. I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be embarrassing to admit that regular deodorants just aren’t working for you? Shortly thereafter, I came to the realization that I had never found a deodorant that I loved and it was time to stop scoffing. I tried Dove Clinical Protection first, then switched to Secret Clinical Strength, only to switch back to Dove (which tells you a lot).

Deodorant: Dove 8 – Secret 5

Antiperspirant: Dove 7 – Secret 4

Selection: Dove 7 – Secret 5

Price: Dove ($8+ for 1.7 oz) 4 – Secret ($8+ for 1.6 oz) 3

Final Score: Dove 26 – Secret 17

Recap:  I’ve tried Dove’s and Secret’s regular deodorants and I liked Dove’s better, so the outcome of a competition between their clinical counterparts didn’t come as too big a surprise. I think the wetness protection in both of these products still needs some work, but Dove is waaaay ahead of Secret in that department. Another thing I love about Dove is their many fragrances. My favorite is Rebalance (plum and sakura blossom) but I’ve tried all of them (Soothing Chamomile is lovely too).

Extra Credit

I’ve always been a huge fan of Victoria’s Secret Love Spell products (more on that later), but I’d never really experienced any of their other scents. One day, my grandma gave me a tube of VS’s Blossoming Romance body lotion (a scent they apparently don’t sell anymore, but is still available elsewhere), which I unceremoniously dumped with the rest of my lotions and never gave it another thought. Then, when I ran out of the Gold Bond lotion I use for my dry elbows, I desperately searched for something in my stash to replace it. Although the Blossoming Romance was too thick to use on my hands, it works just as well (if not better) than the Gold Bond I had before. I apply it shortly after I get out of the shower when my skin still retains some of that moisture (but not when it is still actually wet or it doesn’t work as well) and I’m good until my next shower. Yay!

Makeup Test – Face

I did the Full Monty last week for the very first time. And by Full Monty, I mean Moisturizer, Primer, Foundation, Concealer and Powder. (I know Full Monty means to take it all off, and I’m talking about putting it all on, but this is my blog and I can do what I want.) How has she gone this long without wearing all of these products at the same time? you may wonder, but the simple answer is: I am a beauty dunce. It was only very recently that I learned that foundation and concealer were two different things (foundation is to even your skin tone and concealer is to hide the more glaring blemishes). And I had never even heard of primer until my sister and I bought some at Wal-Mart last year. So without further ado, here is my review:

I got a travel-size Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer in my stocking at Christmas (because Santa loves me) and didn’t really pay it much attention to it until my sister raved about her own Aveeno lotion, so I decided it was time to check it out.

The Good:

• SPF 15 (Always a plus! They also have an SPF 30 variation.)
• Instantly brightens skin (You’ll notice there are tiny flecks of shimmer in the formula.)
• Feels clean (Isn’t thick and oily like some moisturizers I’ve tried.)

The Bad:

• The smell (I’m not a huge fan of smelly facial moisturizers. Why can’t this be scent free, like Aveeno’s body lotion? Which I shall review in the near future.)
• I want more (Travel-size isn’t doing it for me, Santa.)

The Ugly:

• $13+ for 4 oz.
• Aveeno tests on animals (Grrr!)

The Grade: B

Totally worthwhile if you can stomach the price (and the animal cruelty). But then, can you put a price on a good facial moisturizer? (Free would be awesome.) And now for the primer:

The aforementioned primer that I bought at Wal-Mart was Hard Candy Sheer Envy Skin Illuminating Primer (what a mouthful!).

The Good:

• Good application (Goes on light and smooth.)
• Instantly brightens skin (More of that shimmer. I probably looked like a vampire in the sun…but I felt pretty!)
• Hard Candy doesn’t test on animals (Hurray!)

The Bad:

• Be careful (A little goes a long way. This is probably a good thing, but when your hands are covered with excess primer, you won’t be too happy.)
• Clumpy formula (This stuff might separate in the bottle – something I’ve noticed with primers in general.)
• Flimsy bottle (The cap on mine is broken and the tube is a little leaky.)

The Ugly:

• $8 for 1.3 oz

The Grade: B+

I would definitely buy this stuff again (although there are two other kinds of Hard Candy primer, so I might look into Skin Perfecting on my next go).

I had heard good things about Revlon Colorstay foundation and since I already had the pressed powder, I decided to get a matching set.

The Good:

• Long-lasting
• Good coverage (I applied this with a makeup sponge – also a first for me, but more on that later – and I really liked the even-ness of my complexion.)
• Good application (This doesn’t feel thick and chalky like other foundations I’ve used – I’m looking at you CoverGirl!- and goes on light and smooth.)
• Revlon doesnt’ test on animals (Hurray!)

The Bad:

• Formula (If you have dry skin or blemishes, be sure to exfoliate before using, as this stuff makes them stand out.)
• Color (I have a problem with foundations in general because the color match is never perfect. But that’s something I’ll just have to live with. I used 110 Ivory and found it to be fairly close.)

The Ugly:

• $13 for 1 oz.

The Grade: B-

I really like this stuff and would recommend it to anyone, but I just wish it didn’t make my dry skin stand out so boldly.

I’ve used Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick as my go-to concealer for many years. The claim that it was good for my skin was a big draw (of course!), but I’m starting to rethink my devotion to it.

The Good:

• Good application
• Good color (for a concealer – see above for my views on skin color matching)

The Bad:

• I haven’t noticed any vast improvements to my complexion while using this concealer.
• Doesn’t last as long as I would like.

The Ugly:

• $6+ for .1 oz
• Neutrogena tests on animals (Grrr!)

The Grade: C+

I like it, but there are definitely better (and less expensive) options out there.

I was a pretty devoted CoverGirl when it came to pressed powder, but my sister guilted me into switching over to Revlon by pointing out that CoverGirl tests on animals and Revlon doesn’t. So I picked up some Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder instead of my usual.

The Good:

• Good coverage (Maybe a little too good.)

The Bad:

• If I put too much of this on, I look a little zombified.
• Makes my dry skin stand out (Be sure to exfoliate before wearing.)

The Ugly:

• $10+ for .3 oz (although I don’t remember paying that much, so look around.)

The Grade: C+

As I stated above, you could probably do better for less $$$.

Rivalry Game – Crest 3D Vivid White vs. Colgate Optic White

As with anything that claims to make my eyelashes longer, I’m also a sucker for anything that claims to whiten my teeth. I’ve done the whitening strips and even the whitening mouthwash, but both of them made my teeth ache, so I gave up on them. I picked up some Crest 3D Vivid White toothpaste and have used it for over a year, until I switched over to Colgate Optic White just to give it a try.

Whitening: Crest 7 – Colgate 6

Flavor: Crest 8 – Colgate 5

Breath Freshening: Crest 6 – Colgate 7

Price: Crest 6 ($4 for 7.6 0z.) – Colgate 5 ($4-5 for 5.5 oz.)

Final Score: Crest 27 – Colgate 23

Recap: Crest 3D Vivid White is my preferred toothpaste (although I’m always open to new pastes), but I have one quibble–the formula includes these little blue beads that, if I’m not careful, linger on the white porcelain of my sink. Colgate is pure white and that isn’t an issue. However, I have experienced some of my old tooth sensitivity issues with the Colgate, so Crest is the winner.

Extra Credit

Recently, I was cleaning out the junk under my bathroom sink and discovered I had a pumice stone. I’d never used it before, even though I’ve struggled off and on with dry feet for years, so I thought I’d give it a try. Just after I got out of the shower, I sat down and rubbed the rough rock across my heels, then applied lotion and put on socks. I have to say, it’s made a world of difference! Lotion alone was not enough and now the pumice stone is my foot’s best friend.

Beauty Experiment – Hair Brained

Hypothesis:  I recently read a beauty tip that claimed a fast way to get beautiful waves was to wind your hair through U-shaped hair pins, then clamp it with a flat iron.

I have really long hair, so winding it through the pins was a bit of a chore and I could only do small sections at a time, but once it was up it stayed up. Working with anything hot is always tricky for me (I tend to get burned), so I was very careful to keep my fingers out of the way (which may have affected the outcome). I found that the end result was more of a crimp than a wave, so I tried again with bigger U-shaped curler pegs.

Conclusion:  I recommend the larger pegs for a more wavy, natural look. Be sure to use some kind of holding product, or else your waves might go poofy on you. Top of the Class Tip!

Makeup Test – Eyes

Dunce Cap Moment:  I was twelve the first time I ever wore eye shadow. I was at my friend S.’s house and we were trying out costumes for our school play. This involved crazy wigs, fun dresses and, of course, makeup. I clumsily applied this beautiful shade of deep, shimmery blue to my lids and thought I looked so pretty (although I probably looked more like a sparkly raccoon than anything else). When it was time to clean up, S. brought out a big jug of heavy duty soap containing talc. She lathered it across her face to remove every speck of makeup and then held it out to me. Since I was only wearing eye shadow, I took a small dab and rubbed it across my eyes. The soap was so strong that it stung and in my panic to wash the stuff off, I opened my eyes.

Lesson Learned:  Don’t use soap with talc on your eyes. Those little particles really sting. If you’re desperate to get your eye makeup off, it’s probably best to invest in some eye makeup remover.

I’m a sucker for anything that promises to make my eyelashes thicker and longer, so when Rimmel released their Lash Accelerator Mascara, I had to have it. And if Zooey Deschanel says it works, you know I’m on board…

The Good:

• Good application (This stuff goes on smoothly and is less clumpy than a lot of mascaras I’ve tried. As long as you don’t go crazy and try to use the whole tube in one go, it has a more natural look to it.)
• Cute packaging (The ruler along the side of the tube is a nice touch)
• Did I mention Zooey?!!!

The Bad:

• Needs more colors (There is only Black and Ultimate Black. Where’s the Brown? Or at least Black-Brown?  As GOB Bluth would say, “Come on!”)
• Lash growth… not so much (I’ve used this stuff for a while and haven’t noticed much of a difference. There have been times when I thought maybe my eyelashes were longer, but it’s probably just wishful thinking.)

The Ugly:

• $7-9 for a .23 oz tube
• Rimmel tests on animals (Grrr!)

The Grade:  C

Even if it doesn’t make your lashes longer, it is still a pretty good mascara… just maybe not for that price.

My sister bought a tube of Physicians Formula Eye Booster™ 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum  (I know, a mouthful, right?) and she seemed to like it. Later, Ulta was having a sale on Physicians Formula products, so I picked up a tube for myself.

The Good:

• Easy application (I’ve never been a fan of brush type eyeliners, but this one is almost pen-like. It goes on smooth and evenly.)
• No animal testing (Hooray!)

The Bad:

• Not longlasting (This is good stuff, but I usually manage to rub it off by the end of the day.)
• Lash growth…again not so much (And yet I keep hoping!)

The Ugly:

• $11 for .016 oz (Be sure to wait for this bad boy to go on sale.)

The Grade:  B-

This is the best eyeliner I’ve ever tried application-wise. The definition is amazing. The price is not.

I originally found SweetPea and Fay on etsy, although sadly they are not there anymore. Now they have their own website, so I guess they’re moving up in the world. Since my post is all about the eyes today, I’m going to talk about their line of mineral eyeshadows, specifically the color “Copper Bird”.

The Good:

• Wonderful color (All of their colors are amazing and have some pretty clever names, such as “Caterpillar Smoke” and “Sure Burt”, although some are misspelled. On purpose, maybe?  “Copper Bird” is just what it sounds like, a very vibrant copper with fine particles of red and gold shimmer.)
• Mineral makeup (It’s better for your skin!)

The Bad:

• Not longlasting (Be sure to wear primer under these, or else they will have trouble sticking and vanish after a few hours.)
• No more samples (When I originally bought “Copper Bird”, it was in a little sample pouch that didn’t cost too much. Sadly, now only full sizes are for sale.)

The Ugly:

• $5 for 5 grams

The Grade: B+

I love this stuff!  I can’t afford it, but I love it.  Some of my other favorites include “The Shadow” (a shimmery charcoal gray), “Planet 426” (a crazy awesome brownish-purple), and “Moxy” (a sparkly red).