New This Week

Ever since I started my luxury vs drugstore posts, I've been trying so many new products. Some I can categorize and have a large post, some are nomads that will be lumped together. So.....

Here's my new tests for this week.

I'm pretty sure that I have fallen in love with a new brow pencil. I bought this after my brows and lashes post. It is better than those I tried (although I still love the E.L.F. pencil). Sshhhhh..... I love it more than my IT pencil too. *gasps* Maybelline has, so far, knocked me over with their Total Temptation products. That mascara is amazing. And now I bought their new brow pencil in dark brown and did a wear test. I love it!!! My brows looked so natural. I couldn't believe it. The formula is a strange wax-powder hybrid that applies smoothly. I put my makeup on at 7 AM, at 11:30 PM my brows were still beautiful. As a bonus.. I have never received this many compliments on my brows. Guys..... On. My. BROWS!!! This pencil is on the top of my pile. (The struggle has always been real. I really do have a pile of brow products.)

There is only one strange thing about this pencil. Did I miss something? When did pencils stop being pointed? This whole shape thing is weird for me. This has a lengthened, but very sharp, diamond shape. I'll show you what I mean. Other than that oddity, this pencil is perfect for me. Don't worry about the strange shape of the spoolie. It's actually really effective.

Next.... My wear test also included a new primer. I recently purchased StriVectin Anti-Wrinkle LineBLURfector Primer (that's a mouthful). So many products claim to hide wrinkles, pores, imperfections, etc. This one does an outstanding job of living up to its claims. I noticed immediately blurring/smoothing without any greasy feeling (that's what I get from Smashbox Photo Finish). The cream is white in color but applies clear. The best part? It applied like moisturizer so I didn't even feel it. I wore this from about 7 AM to 11:30 PM. (Yesterday was a really long day.) Even in the unflattering light of a concert, my skin looked amazing. Kudos StriVectin!!! You are also moved to the front.

These swatches are to compare StriVectin to The POREfessional. Can you see the difference?

The final additional piece of my wear test was a new concealer. I love Tarte Shape Tape. It does everything. But it's kind of expensive so I want to find something a little more friendly to my root beer budget. I tried Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define. It claims to be full coverage for concealing and contouring. I purchased the color C5 which appeared to be close to the light color I get from Tarte. It's a little darker, but not too dark. It actually blended beautifully with my Too Faced Born This Way (I wear Nude) foundation. The shade was so close that I went for an "enhanced natural" look. This product is full coverage and a little went a long way. It lasted too. I was running late yesterday morning and forgot to set my face. So I went sprayless and everything still held strong for 16+ hours. I'll call that a win.

Morning makeup....

Many, many hours later....

Even later....

Beyond my wear test, here are a few more products I've tried this week.....

I LOVE masks and not just the Phantom mask tattoo on my arm. My micro obsession is trying all sorts of face masks, except sheet masks. I really don't like them. This week I tried 2. Sephora Lingzhi Sleeping Mask and Ahava Dead Sea Essentials Soothing Chamomile Mud Mask. (I'm usually partial to mud masks but I'm trying to branch out.)

The Sephora mask left my skin very hydrated and soft. But that was it. I DEFINITELY would not recommend sleeping in it, even though that's the intended purpose. It's messy, slimy and doesn't dry down. It will literally get everywhere. If you're going to be home for awhile, wear it for several hours and rinse off what's left. It's still a good mask.

The Ahava mask also left my skin feeling hydrated and soft. But what I love most about mud masks is the tightening effect. This mask didn't disappoint. I definitely loved this mask.

I've purchased a few Flower cosmetics items and the first I tried was a lipstick. This is a creamy color in peachy nude. This feels so nice. It's been a long time since I wore a lipstick that had kind of a balmy feeling. The color is nice, especially if you want a neutral lip that's non-drying. I really love this lipstick.

Lastly, I tried a new conditioning treatment. Joico K-Pak Color Therapy Luster Lock. OMG!!! I had a completely new experience when I tried this. I have NEVER had soft hair when it's still wet. I felt like I'd just had a scalp treatment at a salon, but better!! The best way to describe it is my hair felt like silk. What a great find (for me). I'm also glad I probably wouldn't need to use it all the time (it's $19.99 for 4.7 oz).

So, there you have it. My new items for the week. If you want to see more posts like this, let me know. I love to try new things, so suggest away.

Thank you for joining me here today. I'll see you all next time!