Foundation update and a few drugstore goodies.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I had bought Neutrogena's Healthy Skin foundation (click here to see my post on this foundation).  I tried the foundation for a few weeks and I must admit I'm very mixed on how I feel about it.  It's lightweight, safe for sensitive skin and blends fairly easily.  The drawbacks I found were that it was almost too lightweight, had minimal coverage and poor staying power.  I really liked the application but at the end of the day I noticed most had been rubbed away.

Revlon's Colorstay Foundation (Normal/Dry) in Natural Beige

After dealing with Neutrogena's disappearing coverage, I decided to find a foundation that was short on price but long on wear.  Colorstay by Revlon has been noted in the past to be a good choice for those who are looking for all day wear.

First I would like to mention that Revlon's color selection is much better than Neutrogena's.  I was able to find a shade that matched me and Revlon offers their Colorstay foundations for Normal/Dry and Oily skin types.  I know it's not completely fair to compare Neutrogena's Healthy Skin to Colorstay since Neutrogena doesn't claim to be a long wearing option but I must say that Revlon's Colorstay performed well.  I noticed my makeup didn't fade or rub off.  I also noticed my skin was less "greasy" and the coverage was much better.  The one drawback to Colorstay is that it seems to be absorbed very quickly into my skin so I use more foundation than I would normally.  I also feel that Revlon's Colorstay is harder to blend than Neutrogena.  You can find Colorstay at your local drugstore for around $8.00

Of course when I picked up the foundation I just HAD to pick up a few more goodies.  I had been eyeing Milani's baked blushes for quite some time.  I love Milani's regular blush line so I knew the baked blush collection would be a good fit.  Currently at my local CVS Milani only offers 3 different shades.  I decided to pick up Rose D'Oro which is a beautiful berry/coral color with gold veining throughout.  When swatched the blush appears more pink/coral with gold shimmer.  Many people compare Rose D'Oro with the rare and much lusted after Stereo Rose by MAC.  I plan to do a comparisson between the two for my next blog entry.

Close-up of Rose D'Oro

Rose D'Oro swatched with a flash.

Picture taken without a flash.

I find that all the Milani blushes I own are smooth, pigmented and affordable.  You can find Milani at CVS, Kmart and Target.  Rose D'Oro was purchased for around $6.50. 

Aside from enjoying Milani's blushes, I also LOVE their 3D Glamour Glitzy gloss line.  I now own almost all of the shades and I love each one.  The most recent color I purchased was In Vogue which is a gorgeous, bright magenta with pink sparkle.  The glitter is not gritty on the lips when worn.  3D Glitzy Glamour gloss has been compared to MAC's Dazzleglass but personally I think Milani is better (and cheaper!).  MAC's Dazzleglass is notoriously sticky.  I'm not going to say that Milani's Glitzy gloss is 100% better but it is less sticky.  The one drawback for Milani is staying power.  MAC Dazzleglass does last longer when worn.

Close-up of In Vogue-notice the glitter.

Swatch with no flash to show true color and pigmentation.

Milani's In Vogue worn on my lips alone.

  If you want a gloss that is packed with sparkle and doesn't break the bank, consider Milani's 3D Glitzy gloss which can be found for around $7.00 versus MAC's Dazzleglass which is priced at $18.50.

I've been on a nail polish kick for a while now and two more bottles surely don't help my addiction any!  Revlon makes great nail polish for cheap and I took advantage of the buy one get one 1/2 off deal recently.  I picked up Coconut Crush and Gold Coin.  Coconut Crush is a pearly white shade with super-fine shimmer.  When dried it resembles mother of pearl and is scented.  Currently it's on my toes and I really like the way it compliments almost any outfit.  Gold Coin is a gold polish with fine shimmer.  I was hoping this polish would be a winner but with it's slow drying time compared to other Revlon polishes I own, I find this one to be a dud. 

Lastly I want to highlight a recent mascara purchase that I am pretty excited about.  I really enjoy Lancome's Hypnose Drama mascara.  It's volumizing, doesn't smudge, has a great wand and makes my itty bitty lashes look great.  What I don't like is the huge price tag.  I think I've solved my problem (somewhat).

Prestige makes a mascara called My Blackest Lashes.  I found my tube at Ulta for around $6.00.  In my opinion My Blackest Lashes is a close dupe to Lancome's Hypnose Drama.  It's super black, volumizing, has a great wand and makes my lashes look amazing.  There is almost a $20 price difference and I was happy to discover this mascara.  The only drawback was that at the end of the day I noticed some slight smudging under my eyes.  I've used this mascara for almost two weeks and the smudging does not occur every day.  I'm even beginning to wonder if the smudging is heat related considering the 100 plus degree weather lately!  I cannot say that My Blackest Lashes is completely smudge proof like Lancome or Covergirl's Lash Blast but it's benefits outweigh any negatives at this point.  If you want your lashes to appear longer and thicker, consider Prestige's My Blackest Lashes.

Some goodies to try out!

Lately I've been really into girly scents.  I'm loving anything that is floral, flirty or sweet and that makes you feel sexy the minute you spritz them on!  I picked up a new scent by Marc Jacobs today called "Oh, Lola!".  The scent is described as fruity and floral with strawberry, pear, peony, raspberry, sandalwood and vanilla notes.  I am finding that this has worn well today and it has stayed true on my skin even after it dries.  Some scents completely change and go against my chemistry but this one stays soft and doesn't overpower me at all.  I bought the 1.0oz bottle at Ulta for $48.00.

Aside from smelling good even in this sweltering weather, you've got to keep your skin moisturized.  Each time the thermometer rises and my legs come out of hiding, I reach for my cocoa butter.  My legs tend to get dry very quickly and cocoa butter solves the problem.  Some people don't like cocoa butter but I personally love the rich scent and the moisturization it provides.  I have found that Queen Helene's is the best.  It's long lasting, smells pleasant and is cheap.  I've had my tub for over a year and I still have plenty left.  I usually apply it to my legs at night before bed and then I wake up to great skin that looks and feels wonderful.  I got my tub (15oz) at Walmart for $4.00!

Even in the August heat I find that I want to reduce the amount of foundation I wear.  Some foundation is too thick and too hot.  I recently purchased Neutrogena's Healthy Skin liquid makeup in the shade "Natural Beige".  So far this foundation has worked well with my combination skin.  It hasn't caused any breakouts and has felt light.  Neutrogena states that this foundation has spf20 and an exclusive blend of antioxidants to help skin look younger.  I will say that it's too early to see any real difference but it's lightweight and gets the job done.  The only drawback with this foundation is that it is not full coverage which I prefer if I am going out or wanting to disguise any blemishes.  I purchased mine from CVS for $9.00.

Over the past month I've purchased the Wet n Wild 8 pan palettes which I am proud to say I adore!  In the past Wet n Wild has not disappointed me with any of the purchases I've made.  Almost every eyeshadow in each palette I've bought has turned out lovely, with rich pigmentation.  I was excited to hear about the 8 pan palettes when they were released earlier this year.  I've purchased all 3-Comfort Zone which has gorgeous greens, browns and bronze shades.  I also purchased Blue Had Me at Hello which has icy blues including navy and of course black.  The last palette is Petal Pusher which is full of gorgeous berry shades, purples and a shimmery black color.  Each palette costs around $5.00!

Comfort Zone-numbers 1 & 2 are highlighters, 3 & 4 are for the lid, 5 & 6 are for the crease and 7 & 8 can be used for liners and/or for the crease.

1 & 2 are shimmery champagne colors.  3 is a gorgeous rose gold shade and 4 is a wonderful, green shimmery shade.  5 appears to be a matte copper color but it is actually a soft brown with copper undertones and slight shimmer.  6 is a greenish gray with gold shimmer.  7 is a highly pigmented brown with heavy plum undertones and red shimmer.  8 is the most unique shade of all.  In some lighting it appears copper and in other light it has a green cast to it.  It is very similar to MAC's Club eyeshadow-click here to see my review of MAC's "Club" eyeshadow!

Blue Had Me at Hello- 1 & 2 are highlighters, 3 & 4 are for the lid, 5 & 6 are for the crease and 7 & 8 can be used for liners and/or for the crease.

1 is a white, shimmery highlighter.  2 is an icy blue and 3 is a shimmery gray.  4 is a gorgeous, teal blue.  5 is an extremely deep navy blue whereas 6 is a lighter blue, more similar the color of the ocean.  7 is a matte black and 8 is a shimmery black shade.

Petal Pusher- 1 & 2 are highlighters, 3 & 4 are for the lid, 5 & 6 are for the crease and 7 & 8 can be used for liners and/or for the crease.

1 is a soft, pale pink with a slight iridescent shimmer.  2 is a shimmery purple/pink and 3 is a light, matte purple.  4 is a shimmery raspberry shade.  5 is a deep purple and 6 is a shimmery berry shade that is very pigmented.  7 is a lovely iridescent purple that almost glows on the skin and 8 is a black with silver shimmer.