Beauty for the Economically Challenged

(picture from Google images)

If you’ve been following my blog from the beginning, you know that I am very loyal to my Covergirl Lashblast mascara.

UNTIL NOW.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this mascara. It’s perfect. It’s perfect. It’s perfect.
I have naturally long, thick, curled lashes, but this mascara makes them even better. It makes them longer AND thicker and they definitely look curled with it on. I’ve also read reviews from other people with more short, sparse lashes who love this too, and they even say that they noticed some lash growth in the first month of use. I didn’t really track that in myself because I just don’t need it.

This is honestly going to be a short review because I just love this stuff and that’s really all there is to say.

I didn’t think I could love another mascara more than the Lashblast, but this is it. I think that what I like more about this mascara is that it takes a little longer to dry, so more can be done before it starts looking clumpy. It also doesn’t take TOO long to dry, so it doesn’t cause any problems either. The wand is small and easy to navigate, and it’s not hard to make sure not to get any on your lids while applying. 

Aaaand it lasts all day, my lashes look the same in the morning as they do right before I wash my face at night. 

I really can’t fault this product, and I would recommend it to everyone who wants a mascara. 

I give this an A+!

Any questions? Let me know!

xox

Noelle Alysse

As many of you know, I recently went crazy on the Eyes Lips Face website and did a haul on all my new swag.

I told myself that I was going to do all requested reviews (obviously) and also do a review of the thing I used the most in the first week.

Without a doubt, I used the Glossy Gloss in Ballet Slippers the most (pretty much every day to be honest).

Part of my love for this product is just the title of the color; “Ballet Slippers.” I’ve been a ballet dancer since I was five, and the gloss really is a very similar color to the ballet slippers I often wore. It’s a kind of muted beige-y pink, and I think it’s gorgeous.

I know that a lot of people get frustrated with E.L.F.’s Glossy Gloss because it’s sticky. I personally don’t mind. It is sticky, but it’s not too bad, and to me it just comes with the territory of a really shiny gloss. And when it’s sticky, it has more staying power than a watery gloss. This one isn’t sticky enough to bother me at all, and it definitely lasts a pretty good amount of time.

The best part is, my lips themselves feel soft even after the gloss is gone. I’ve always hated the never-ending struggle between balm and gloss, and this solves that for me. 

I also have a lot of natural color to my lips (you can tell a lot more by looking at the close-up picture), so a lot of glosses lose their color when I put them on. This one really doesn’t do that as much as others. (For girls who have my problem: try a light layer of concealer over your lips before your gloss!)

This color can’t necessarily be worn with everything. If your skin tone is like mine, it can wash you out if you’re wearing white or really light neutrals. A healthy dose of blush helps too! :)

The only fault I find with this product is the applicator. It’s a brush, and I just personally don’t like that as much. Most people don’t mind that though.

This can be found for $3 (!!!!) on E.L.F.’s website or in some stores such as Target and K-Mart.

Overall, I give this product a B+.

Questions? Comments? You know what to do!

xox

Noelle Alysse

Today’s review is Rimmel’s Natural Bronzer.

Please excuse my dirty hand, I was testing out random eyeliners and mascaras that I had found in my makeup bag…

I use the color Sun Light, but I’m wary to tell the colors that I use because everyone really needs to figure out what works for them and I’d hate for someone to be using the wrong color just because I mention it.
As you may be able to see (I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures, the only camera I have is the built-in one on my macbook), it comes with a really cute sun imprinted in the powder, which just kind of makes me happy every time I use it.
I personally embrace the pale look in the winter, so I only really use bronzer on my face in the summer to make it match my body because I exfoliate and scrub often so my face is never quite as tan as the rest of me. 
Anyway, I really like this stuff, and it would take a lot of convincing for me to change. It’s a very tightly pressed powder so goes on well, but not too quickly, which I like, because then I can really control the amount I’m using. And it’s not orange-y at all, so even when I’m applying it in the horrible lighting of my dorm, I don’t go into natural light looking like I belong on Jersey Shore (though I have much love for Snooki…guilty pleasure I guess). 
The only negative I can think of for this product is the packaging. It’s just a bit flimsy. The cover screws onto the base, but it’s very shallow and never stops turning like a regular screw-on cover, so you never feel like it’s on tight. The first two times I used it, I honestly expected to find it broken up and sprinkled in my makeup bag because I thought the lid wasn’t on. Rest assured, though, it was on, and I have never had any problems at all with it.
This bronzer retails for $4 (which is, of course, another reason that I love it!).
In closing, I love this stuff, and I give it an A-.

If you have another opinion, please share it with me! I made this blog first to learn, and so I would really love to hear what you have to say!

xox

Noelle Alysse 

I have to admit, I was scared to use this shampoo and conditioner, only because my current hair routine works so well for me that I hate to deviate from it.

But I’m really impressed with this stuff.

For those of you that don’t know, I received a sample of it in this month’s Birchbox. The Birchbox website says that this shampoo and conditioner was made exclusively for hotels until so many people loved it that they released it to the public. It says “it leaves hair shiny and clean every time you lather up” and that is very true. 

It smells pretty harsh, you can definitely smell the lavender and peppermint. It’s a very natural smell, and I like it, but some people might find it to be pretty intense. Luckily, it didn’t stick in my hair at all. 

Right after I shampooed (is that a word? hmm…) my hair felt kind of dry-ish, my fingers couldn’t glide over it as easily as usual, and so I was kind of worried. But when I conditioned, my hair felt just as soft, if not softer, than usual. To maintain the integrity of the review, I did everything the same, except I let my hair get a little dirtier than usual before washing to really put it to the test. I used the shampoo and conditioner for three days. And I noticed that after I used it, it took much longer than usual for my hair to feel dirty again, but my hair wasn’t dried out or coarse, so I know that the shampoo didn’t just strip my hair and the moisture along with it.

In fact, my hair was so soft after using this (even after just one day!) that it was almost TOO soft, if that’s even possible. And my hair is really soft and silky to begin with, so if I notice a difference, it’s a big deal. 

The only negative that I noticed was a lack of natural volume in my hair (I realize that I complain about my hair’s lack of volume anyway, but that has changed, and I’ll address it in a post in the near future). So, if you like to air-dry your hair but your hair doesn’t have a lot of natural volume, these products may not be for you.

This shampoo and conditioner sells for $12 per bottle on the Birchbox website.

In summary:
Pros:
-unbelievably soft hair
-natural formula
-very clean hair without damage

Cons:
-harsh scent
-kind of expensive
-loss of volume in hair

So, I think that’s it! Overall, I give this product an A-. When my hair needs a good cleaning, I’ll definitely be digging my samples out until they’re gone. ;)

If you have any questions, let me know!

xox

Noelle Alysse 

This review will be on Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara (I use Ultra Black…as you will soon find out, I like my lashes nothing but the blackest black, and big!). 

Since I started this blog, I have been very excited to write this mascara a glowing review…until tonight.
Tonight, my very very best friend in the world came over, and we were discussing makeup. I mentioned this mascara, as she was there the first time that I ever bought it, in mid August. And then I mentioned that I was ready to open my third tube of it.
“Your third?!” she said. “It shouldn’t be drying out that quickly.” 
And when I thought about it, I realized, she was right.
This product boasts that it is 100% natural, free of everything synthetic and chemical. Maybe its lack of preservatives is what causes it to dry up so fast. Don’t get me wrong, reading the package is quite impressive. The idea of the mascara is to keep your eyes and your lashes more healthy by not exposing them to the chemicals that are in other mascaras, and that’s what drew me in in the first place, because my eyes are dangerously sensitive (I’m even allergic to most contact solutions). Even the tube itself and the brush are 100% recyclable. I love to make even that small difference, so I thought, why not.
When I first used the mascara, I was converted, and I really thought that nothing could replace my beloved CoverGirl Lashblast (say what you want about that stuff but it has always worked great for me!). But this mascara applies and looks exactly like it, but again, is minus all the synthetic and harsh chemicals. It also has the same large brush that the Lashblast has.
This mascara worked so well, in fact, that one of my roommates asked me if I was wearing false eyelashes, when all I was wearing was the mascara (not even with primer underneath). So, there is definitely positive aspects of the product. It also washes off very easily, which I love. I hate hate hate waterproof mascara and anything that doesn’t wash off easily. And this is the only mascara that hasn’t burned my eyes when I cry or wash it off.
But it dries out so damn quickly! I’m trying to save my money, not spend it on mascara sooner than I need to. So, I do recommend this product, with the stipulation that it really doesn’t last. I’m going back to CoverGirl Lastblast (not sure which one yet because I love them all).
This mascara is usually around $10, but I’ve seen it selling for $11, and I’ve never paid more than $8.50. I give it a B/B-, I can’t really decide between the two. 

If you have another opinion, please please please let me know! I started this blog foremost to learn, so I would love to hear it. 

xox

Noelle Alysse