Review: ALMAY Pure Blends Foundation and Loose Powder

I like ALMAY and I really, really wanted to fall in love with this product line and run away together to some tropical island, but it wasn't meant to be. My skin is super sensitive, so I thought the 97.4% natural ingredients would be a totally refreshing change.

Not so much.

The only change I noticed from the foundation is that I was a greasy mess. It provides little to no coverage. I don't mind light coverage. I like make-up that lets your skin breath and show through. Make-up is an enhancement, not a disguise. This formula just did not work for me. It was also extremely pink. I looked like a mortuary cosmetic school fail.

I held out hope, however, for the radiant loose finishing powder. I've expressed my dislike of being completely matte before, so I of course purchased the formula with what I though was going to be a a little pearly.

This shit had Edward Cullen sparkles in it. Large flakes of mica. It was kind of tragic. Much like Twilight.

In closing gentle readers, I suggest staying the hell away from ALMAY Pure Blends. Try Physician's Formula Organic Wear instead. It doesn't make you a twinkling vampiric shell of your former self. 
Amanda

review: ALMAY bright eyes liner/highlighter duo

ALMAY is usually a safe-bet for affordable goodness (with the exception of Pure Blends which I will review later). I have been lusting after the bright eyes liner/highlighter combo since it hit the shelves. Since I I had some cash in my pocket, and I may have been a little drunk, I finally picked one up.

The Good:

• Nice size. Larger than average pencil makes it easy to hold and gives you lots o' product for your dollar.
• Nice texture. Creamy and rich feeling, glides on for easy application.
  
• The highlighter end is amazing. I'm rocking it on my lower waterline, inside corners of my eyes and under my eyebrow arch as I type. I look AWAKE and that is a total lie. I woke up looking like a backwoods zombie. 

The Bad:

• The eyeliner end goes on well initially, but isn't super long lasting.

The Ugly:

• I'd recommend this product for a cheap alternative to BeneFit's "Bright Eyes" liner. It serves the same purpose for less than half the price. I'm not as in love with the traditional eyeliner. It's meh.

Amanda

Review: Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner

Wow. All I can say about this product.

I purchased a black and a brown Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner on SGY's suggestion. I'm so glad I did. This shiz is the bomb. True, lasting color; creamy texture, and it's retractable! WIN. It holds true even on the waterline. I'm getting a little bit of transfer onto my upper eyelid from my Betty Draper liner job but that might be due to:

A. The massive amount of liner I used.
B. My greasy eyelids. McDonald's can't even hold a candle to grease my eyelids produce.

I NEED to own the one in Teal. It's calling to me from CVS. I'm not even kidding. Shut up Teal. I don't get paid until Friday. I can't hang out with you until then.

Amanda

The Poor Bitch's Moroccan Oil

I'm too poor and sassy to buy the expensive ass real Moroccan Hair Oil, but I really want to try it out. Sally Beauty Supply saved my day yet again with their knock-off One 'n Only Argan Oil Treatment, which is supposedly made out of the same good stuff and is less than half the cost. 

The jury is still out. I've only used it once, and I think I used too much. I will say that this stuff smells amazing, like warm amber with soft fruity notes. Wow. That sounded totally QVC but it's an accurate description.

I really want to like it. I'll let you know, dear and gentle readers, how this hair experiment turns out.

Amanda

No Poo Update

No poo was an epic failure. My fine, color-treated hair rebelled like a 50's greaser kid hell bent on self-destruction. I caved after 2 days and washed the greasy mess that had become my hair. I looked like Jaime Lee Curtis from True Lies in the sexy, private dancer scene.

I was neither sexy, nor dancing for anyone privately.

So I caved and bought new shampoo, Pantene Pro-V's Beautiful Lengths Shampoo. I've heard good things about it, and it also supports women suffering from breast cancer by providing them with real human hair wigs. I totally got sucked in. I'll have a review up in a couple of weeks. I want to give it a good run before I make a decision on whether or not I lurve or hate it.

Special Review for Anna

Anna writes:

"I have never found an eye liner that I like or works for me. I have to put eye drops in when I wear contacts so my eye liner always looks uneven or washes away. Any suggestions?


Also, when I am on my period I break out like I am a 14 year old girl - any cover up products you like?"

Well, I have never had the contact issue, but I do have allergies, so I sometimes look like I'm crying like a little bitch. It's not because I just got done watching Wall-E, I swear. Anyway, I have found that I like cheap waterproof liner. Wet N Wild to be exact. Yes. I said it. WET N FREAKIN' WILD. The H20 Blending Eye Pencil stays put. It's a little "harder" for lack of a better word, but it has true, long-lasting color, and I like the little smudger.

 I'm cheap, so I have never ventured into the department store brands, but Laura Mercier's eyeliners have great reviews for staying power.

As for breaking out when Aunt Flo comes for a visit, I've got a few options. When I'm not rocking mineral  make-up, I LOVE Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector. It has a creamy, blendable concealer on one end, a a sheer, perfecting highlighter on the other. It's not going to cure an outbreak, but it will cover that hot mess that is your face up.

If you are interested in healing as well as concealing, I suggest using a concealer with blemish blasting salicylic acid in the formula. Neutragena, Almay, and my perennial fav Physician's Formula all have acne-treatment concealers. Be warned, salicylic acid can be drying. If you have sensitive skin or are already using a topical acne treatment, these formulas may not be for you. You could burn your face off and end up looking worse. Carrot Top worse.

Amanda