A Necessity

Recently I went to the hair salon, with the intention of only getting an inch cut off, to clean up my hair & to rid myself of split ends. 

Little did I know, my split ends had travelled two inches up my hair! I was devistated I had to get two inches cut off. 

However, my hairdresser did recommend a hair product that has already made a significant difference. 

It is called It's a 10. I picked mine up at Target for $17.99. It is a bit pricey for what I would usually pay, especially for a drugstore product. 

My hair has already started to recover, regrow, and repair. I can't believe how soft my hair has been, and without oiliness or greasiness. It's a 10 has a hefty list of promising ten benefits. Here they are: 

1. Repairs dry, damaged hair.
2. Adds shine.
3. Detangles. 
4. Controls frizz. 
5. Seals and protects hair color. 
6. Prevents split ends.
7. Stops hair breakage.
8. Creates silkiness.
9. Enhances natural body. 
10. Flat iron spray & heat protector.

I agree 100% with all of these claims! I recommend this product 110%, regardless of your hair type! :)

**Comes in 2, 4, or 10 OZ**

Beautiful without breaking the Bank

Liquid eyeliner is one of the most popular cosmetics and one of the easiest things to be "ripped off" on. Liquid eyeliner, just like any other cosmetic, can be found at both the drugstore or any high end makeup retailer. 

It seriously doesn't matter where you pick up your liquid eyeliner. I have tried several drugstore liquid liners and they work exactly the same as my high end ones. Application is the same, pigmentation is the same, longevity is the same...

Here is a list of high end and drugstore liquid liners with their prices: 

As you all can see, I have tried a multitude of liquid liners, and they all are exactly the same. They all have the same staying power, especially if you prime your eyelids, prior to application. 

HIGH END	DRUGSTORE
LANCÔME ARTLINER PRECISION POINT EYELINER: $30.50	LOVE & BEAUTY (FOREVER 21) LIQUID LINER: $1.00
SEPHORA COLLECTION 12 HR WEAR: $12.50	E.L.F. LIQUID LINER (BLACK): $1.00
	E.L.F. LIQUID LINER (MIDNIGHT): $1.00
	N.Y.C. FELT TIP PEN: $3.99
	N.Y.C. LIQUID LINER (BRUSH APPLICATOR): $2.99
	JORDANA COSMETICS FABULINER FELT TIP PEN: $2.49

I'm sure that you have noticed that my high end side is a relatively short list compared to my drugstore list. Part of the reasoning for that, is that both of these eyeliners were gifted to me, because I can't bring myself to spending this much on a liquid liner, when I could be getting the same thing for a dollar!

I like to think of liquid eyeliner as mascara - drugstore or high end, it will have the same finish, same result, and it will do the exact same thing. :)

Everyday Mascara Routine

This is my everyday go-to mascara routine. I reach for every single one of these products on a daily basis.

So, without further a due, here is my daily mascara routine! :)

Products Used:

• L'Oréal Telescopic Shocking Extensions mascara: $7.99-$12.00 (depends on where you buy)
• Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara: $7.39-$9.00 (depends on where you buy)
• Lancôme Clis Booster XL mascara primer: $24.50 
• Benefit's "They're Real!" mascara: $10.00-$23.00 (travel size VS full size)
• Sephora Collection eyelash curler: $17.00

Hidden Drugstore Gem

Recently, I went to K-Mart to pick up a couple of things and I saw this puppy on display. All of the BONGO nail polishes were on BOGO, so I decided to pick this one up and another one that I have yet to try.

The BONGO nail polish I'm reviewing today is a nude with a pearly finish. It is called "Urban Playground". $2.99 each/regularly.

I liked that this nail polish was layer able so I could do two coats without my nails becoming a gloppy and sloppy mess. I also liked the color payoff of this polish.

The wear is OK, nothing spectacular.

What I didn't like is that it took more than 15 minutes to dry and I had to dip my nails into ice water to get the polish to set.

Here are pictures of the polish it it's bottle and applied.

Do I think these are worth it? Absolutely. Give 'em a try! :) 

Benefit VS Benefit: YOU Decide!

Benefit VS Benefit - Should I choose "High beam" or "Watts Up!"? To be honest, both are great. Let's have a side-by-side comparison so you can decide which one to love.

HIGH BEAM	WATT’S UP
.045 OZ	0.33 OZ
BETTER FOR PINK UNDERTONES	UNIVERSALLY FLATTERING
$26.00	$30.00
BRUSH APPLICATION	STICK APPLICATION
PINKY/PEARLY IRRIDECENT FINISH (MORE NOTICEABLE)	CHAMPAGNE FINISH & MORE NATURAL FINISH
BEST ON CHEEKBONE AND BROW BONE	BETTER FOR TRAVEL
HARDER TO STORE (SHOUD STORE ON SIDE) - ROTATE FROM TIME TO TIME TO AVOID DRYING OUT	GREAT ON ALL AREAS (BROW BONE, NOSE BRIDGE, CUPID'S BOW...)

Let's take a look at some swatches, shall we?

I love both. How about you? Comment down below! :)

Try This, not That! Eye Shadow Edition

Let's take a look at these two drugstore eye shadow trios. One is from CoverGirl and the other is from Wet 'N' Wild.

Both of these trios are fine without primer, and have the same amount of longevity.

Here are some swatches.

CoverGirl "Shimmering Sands" is on the left. Wet 'N' Wild "Walking on Eggshells" is on the right. 

As you can see, the pigmentation difference between these two is ridiculous. You can hardly see the CoverGirl.

Texture wise, the Wet 'N" Wild is very buttery and silky, while the CoverGirl is chalky. 

Price: CoverGirl "Shimmering Sands" $3.69 at Target. Wet 'N' Wild "Walking on Eggshells" $2.99 at Rite Aid. 

I think the answer here is quite obvious...

Try out the Walking on Eggshells for a gorgeous eye look. :) 

Try this, not That! Liquid Eyeliner felt tip Edition

There are lots of ways one can go about applying eyeliner. There are cream, gel, kohl and liquid formulations. All are great, but some are more appropriate for certain looks than others are. For instance, if you're wearing a smokey eye, you aren't going to want to wear liquid liner on your lid; you'll want pencil, cream or gel because it'll look more sultry and hazy. 

Some formulations are better than others as well. However, it all comes down to what you as the wearer are comfortable with. I personally prefer to wear cream or liquid on my lid and a kohl pencil in my waterline on a day to day basis. 

Liquid liner defiantly takes some practice. Through my personal experience, felt tip liners are easiest and the most precise. Also, various brands produce felt tips like L'Oréal, Stila, NYC, Jordana, Maybelline and Rimmel. 

Thus far, i have tried NYC's and Jordana's felt tips. This post is going to be a comparison between the two. 

Let's begin with some swatches.  

NYC is on the left. Jordana is on the right. 

As you can see, Jordana is more pigmented. NYC has more of a grayish-green color payoff. Both are accurate, neat and precise during application. But, for a day to day look, I prefer Jordana's FabuLiner, and for only specific looks can I use NYC's High Definition liner. However, NYC's felt tip may be better for beginners because it isn't as bold or strong as the Jordana. It has more of a natural look to it.  

Packaging wise, both are the same. 

Price: NYC was $3.99 at Target. Jordana was $2.49 at K-Mart. 

I personally prefer the Jordana FabuLiner. I like how black it is, it's staying power and it's price! This liner is a must for anyone's makeup bag! :)

Nars VS Milani (Review)

A lot of you are well-versed with Nars' blush, "Orgasm". However, many of you may have heard of the baked blushes by Milani, the most popular being "Luminoso". Some bloggers and YouTube beauty gurus call Luminoso a dupe for Orgasm. Well, today, I'm going to give you all the full and true report regarding these two. 

OK, let's begin with a swatch VS a swatch. 

Luminoso is on the left, Orgasm is on the right.                            

Orgasm is $29.00 wherever Nars is sold. I picked mine up at Sephora. Luminoso is $6.99 wherever Miliani is sold. I picked mine up at K-Mart. This makes a price difference of $22.01 before tax. 

Packaging wise, Nars is sleek and has a mirror inside. Milani has a mirror and a brush inside.      Luminoso: .012 OZ     Orgasm: 0.16 OZ

As you can see from the swatches, Luminoso has more coral-y hues while Orgasm features more pinkish hues. Luminoso has more of a sheen and sparkle while Orgasm is matte with sparkles. Luminoso has a smoother texture that Orgasm doesn't have, but then again it isn't chalky. Both last all day. If you are really in the market for trying the Nars blush, I'd wait for a Sephora or department store coupon/sale or even if you can get your hands on a sample size. Both last all day over a foundation. Defiantly try out the Milani blush if you're in the market for a new one. 

All in all, this is not an exact dupe, but it is defiantly close. :) 

Glitter Application

When using glitter for an eye look, cosmetic grade glitter and glitter from any craft store can be used. However, when craft glitter is used, it is important to strictly keep it on the lid, and to use a fan brush to clean up any that has fallen onto the face. It is important to use a flat shader brush to apply and apply in a gentle patting motion. Makeup setting spray also will help with longevity.