Mascara Wars

As a makeup connoisseur, I know that I have tried so many different mascaras it isn't even funny.  I haven't found one I hated, but I am still on the quest for my favorite!  So I decided to duke it out between my 4 current top mascaras!

So far, most of the one's I've tried have been from Maybelline.  It all started when I bought one of the new ones to try and  the cycle continued; every time a new one came out, I bought it.  For a while I preferred the Maybelline Cat Eyes mascara, but then I tried the first mascara on my list: the Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Big Eyes Mascara.

Shown in the first picture, this mascara works pretty well!  It gives my lashes volume and length like a good mascara should.  I like it because it gives my lashes a natural look.  My favorite thing about this mascara is the double wand.  I find that the small wand is perfect for the bottom lashes.  It makes it so much easier to grab those baby lashes without smudging it under my eyes.  Also, it retails for about $8 and it comes in waterproof as well! Can't beat that!

Second up is the Benefit They're Real Mascara.  I kept hearing so much about this mascara: that it was the best premier mascara on the market and that it was basically "magic".  So obviously, I had to try it for myself.  I am pleased to say I really love this mascara and I agree with all of the hype it comes with.  It not only lengthens and volumnizes, but also darkens your lashline, so you almost look like you're wearing eyeliner as well.  The coolest thing about this is the wand.  Again.  The shape allows you to not only apply as you normally would (lift and wiggle!) but also use the wand vertically.  It gets all of those little lashes you didn't even know were there and curls them even more, post-eyelash curler.  My only negative about this one is that it's really hard to get off.  I don't actually use "eye makeup remover" persay.  I just use a facial wipe to remove my makeup, so it takes a while to get it off and most of the time there's still some residue.  But a good oil-based remover should get it off.  If not, Benefit does sell a remover specifically made for the "They're Real" products.  I have to say, as much as I feel like it may be a marketing ploy, I still really want to try it. But overall, the product is wonderful. Price wise, this is a premier company, so it's a bit on the higher end; it retails at $23.  However, they also sell a mini version that's only $10!  So if you want to try it and are still skeptical, the mini is your BFF!  The small sizes are also great for travel!  A+, Benefit!

The third picture shown is the Cover Girl Bombshell Volume Mascara that I got to try, courtesy of my Influenster Surf's Up Vox Box.  This one is similar to the Maybelline mascara in that it has a double wand: Step 1: Volumize. Step 2: Intensify.  I really like this one for when I'm wearing darker eyeshadow, because it really does intensify the lashes.   You can see even by the picture that my lashes are thicker and darker, especially near the lashlines.  I like using this for a night out or if I'm just feeling like being a little bit glamorous!  This mascara retails for about $12, depending where you go.  For brands like Cover Girl and other drugstore brands, keep your eyes peeled for coupons!  They often pop up at Rite-Aid, CVS, Target, and even Ulta sometimes does deals.  Overall, I really like this mascara.  It looks great and I hardly can tell I'm wearing it! Way more comfortable than wearing false lashes, and it looks just as good!  Thanks Influenster!

Last, but not least, is the Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara that I received in last month's Influenster Vox Box.  So if you read my blog regularly, you've already seen this one in action!  Since I got it, I noticed that I've been using it quite a lot.  I really like the easy, natural look it gives my lashes.  As a natural makeup kind of gal, it goes great with my variety of neutral brown eyeshadows and still looks great sans eyeliner.  This one doesn't pump up the volume as much as the Bombshell, but it separates your lashes really well and gives you a nice, finished look. Price wise, this one is in between retailing at $15.  You can get it on line, or through your personal Mary Kay consultant!

So after trying all of these different mascaras, I can't say I favor any one of them!  They're all great and work perfectly for different occasions and looks. I think you should have more than one favorite to go with your mood, look, or occasion! I would recommend all of them to every one of you!  All of them work wonderfully and look great.  Who needs falsies when your natural lashes can look just as good!

So have you guys tried any of these? What do you think?  Leave your comments below!! :)

P.S. I feel like I should explain the difference of color in the photos.  I took a picture of each mascara on different days at different times!  So the two center photos were in full natural light, the others were a combination of natural light and the light in my room.  Oh, and that's my actual eye color, no editing!  They change ;)

XO, Briana

Summer Glam with Mary Kay!!

Hey everyone!! Who is seriously ready for summer?! Now that spring has finally arrived, I am still unsatisfied and now am craving summer.  Go figure.  I actually am not a huge fan of spring because of allergy season. Yuck.  However, I'm happy that it's reasonably warm and I don't need my boots and coat anymore!

But, in light of the coming season, I've decided to show you a Summer Glam makeup look featuring the wonderful products I received compliments of Mary Kay and Influenster!  Earlier this week I came home to a very happy mail day!  One of my packages was my MKGlam VoxBox!  Included was:

Mary Kay® Bronzing Powder

Mary Kay® Translucent Loose Powder

Mary Kay® Mineral Cheek Color

Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist 

Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color/Concealer Brush

Mary Kay® Lash Love® Mascara

Mary Kay® Gel Eyeliner with Expandable Brush Applicator in Jet Black

Mary Kay® NouriShine Plus® Lip Gloss in Mango Tango 

Happy Mail! Top Photo is MK!

Everything in the box was so pretty, fresh, and summery! I was inspired to create my own look using everything! So I'm going to call this my Mary Kay Summer Glam Makeup Mini Tutorial! 

So first up, I primed my face to make it a blank canvas for my makeup. I used my Yes to Blueberries Brightening Eye Roller to de-puff my eyes. This is really great for early mornings! Then I sprayed with my Lush Cosmetics Tea Tree Water Toner. Last I decided to use my Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. Now a lot of times I would use full fledged foundation, especially if I was planning on being photographed. But for this look, I felt that a tinted moisturizer was a better summer option. It's lightweight and gives you that sunkissed, dewy glow! Lastly, I put on a bit of concealer to cover any blemishes, redness, and the dark circles under my eyes that never seem to go away.  I used Benefit's Boing concealer (not shown) which is a lifesaver.

So now that we're prepped and ready, next up is powders!  I started off with the Mary Kay Translucent Powder to set the "foundation" and take away unwanted shine.  So here is what I looked like at this point!

Next I put on the MK Bronzer and the MK Blush! Both had great color and pigmentation. I didn't need to use a whole lot for it to show up. For the bronzer, I used the MK Powder Brush to dust it on the places the sun would normally color your skin. Which is pretty much everywhere except your eyes! I also used it to contour just a smidge under my cheek bones and jaw line. As for blush, I tend to be picky about colors. I usually lean toward a more coral tinted color, and this one is right in between pink and coral. But I absolutely love it. It gave me a nice natural glow that doesn't look like I'm wearing too much. And it's even got a bit of glitter!

Now onto my favorite part, the eyes!  I always love to play up my eyes with makeup! Although most of the time I go for a natural eyeshadow and a classic winged eyeliner.  Which is pretty much what I did here. After touching up my eyebrows, priming my eyelids and white lining my waterline, I moved onto the shadow!

Now I'm not really used to cream eyeshadows.  I've used them before on other people, but I actually think this is now the only one I own!  I have to say though, I really love it.  Its a beautiful color: neutral with a bit of shine, and its not slimy or greasy.  The color is very light, but it could definitely stand alone.  But for me, I like to add a little more depth.  So I used my favorite shadow pallet, Stila's In the Light pallet.

Can you tell which are my favorites? Lol.

I put the MK on my lids, then used the Stila "Kitten" shadow to highlight my brows, then dusted a little of the "Gilded" in my crease.  Also to give my eyes a little more brightness, I put some of the "Bubbly" in the inner corners of my eyes.

There are really a lot of different ways to use this cream shadow.  Another great thing about it is that its very buildable.  I used about two or three light coats to get it to the intensity I liked.  But you could definitely make it stand out even more if you want.

Awkward finger swatch

Next for the eyes was eyeliner!  I am basically the eyeliner queen.  I've been obsessed since about 8th grade and ever since I literally won't leave the house without it!  Well, not until recently when I started working 9 to 5. Now mascara is enough to hold me off, since I already look like I haven't slept in weeks.  Not much I can do to cover that anyway, haha.  But I digress.

This eyeliner is fabulous.  It is the MK Gel Eyeliner, and it came with the little baby brush which is adorable and equally as wonderful. It's also expandable. The liner glides on super smooth and is a really cool texture. It's not really a solid like most gel liners I've tried, but actually "gel" like in texture.  To give you an idea, if I had stuck my finger in it it would have sunk to the bottom!  So really, in this particular case, go light with that brush and less is definitely more. I found myself wiping the brush on the side of the pot even after taking the tiniest bit.  So seriously, don't just dive on in there.  You'll regret it.

Last for my eyes was the mascara. I am a mascara addict. Which is actually funny because I never even used it until my second or third year of college. I always hated the clumpy feeling it gave me. But when I got older, I tried out some different ones and eventually latched on to the Maybelline mascara collection. Seriously I bought like every new one that came out until I found my favorite. But for this look, I used the MK Mascara. I actually really like it. It's not clumpy and it doesn't feel like you're really wearing anything. But it gave my lashes a nice natural boost. I put two coats on my top and one on the outer lashes on the bottom.

I used that little brush for my concealer!

To complete the look, I finished off with the MK lipgloss. I think this is the product I was most excited about when I opened everything up. It's such a fun, bright color and instantly made me think of summer. It's just an overall great gloss!

I had a really great time doing this look! I 100% LOVE all of the Mary Kay products and would recommend them all to everyone! I'll definitely be using them this summer!! Make sure you head over to the Mary Kay website to check out the products I used and the tons of other great things they have to offer! I've been a fan of theirs for many years, as my mom used to be a representative!! So believe me when I say the company is timeless and great quality!

The final look!

I hope you enjoyed reading my first mini makeup tutorial as much as I did writing it! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or anything else! I always love to hear from my readers!

#DWEEB

XO, Briana

Workout Ready! (Influentser Violet Vox Box Pt. 2)

To complete my series of Violet Vox Box posts, I'll be reviewing the last three products in my box: the Cranberry Soy Joy, the Goody Athletique Yoga Headband, and the Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo.

All of these products are great for your time before, during, and after the gym! So here is the Workout Ready review and how you can implement these great products into your routine!

Pre-Workout: Soy Joy Cranberry Bar

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I know that when I'm about to go to the gym I sit for a good 10 minutes trying to decide if and what I should eat before working out.  Now, I know something with proteins and nutrients will give you energy, but I don't want a heavy stomach and I need to get going.  Enter, Soy Joy. These bars are your new favorite pre-workout snack!  This little bar not only fills you up, it gives you a boost of energy and it tastes great! Not like those yucky protein bars health nuts are always pushing.  Step aside kale shakes, we're having soy!

Soy Joy bars are made with all natural ingredients: ground whole soy and real fruit!  They also fit into just about any diet.  The bars are gluten free, vegan, and low in carbohydrates.  Soy Joy bars also have several health benefits: they are packed with nutrients, they help keep your hunger in check, and they also help maintain weight. 

In my Vox Box I had the cranberry flavor bar and I absolutely loved it.  The taste was great and it kept my appetite down for a good deal of time. I would recommend anyone to try it!  For more information about Soy Joy, check out their website! 

During Workout: Goody Athletique Yoga Headband

My whole life I've had issues with fabric headbands.  Whenever I put one on, they seem to slip right off of my head, usually resulting in me throwing it across the room and grabbing a toothed one.  That was until I tried the Goody Athletique Yoga Headband.  The headband has a Velcro closure that helps to find that perfect size, especially if you have a little head like me.  While working out, the headband stayed on and did its job of keeping my hair out of my face.  It also looks super cute and will make you feel good during your work out.  The last thing we want to worry about is hair in our faces and all over the place, right ladies?! The other awesome thing about this headband is the moisture-wicking fabric. Unlike other fabric headbands, this one doesn't make your forehead hot, it actually helps to keep it cool! Perfect for a great workout!

For more hair ideas, check out my Good Hair Day! Pinterest board.  For more information about Goody products, check out their website!

Post-Workout: Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo

I know how much I hate the post-workout sweaty hair.  I'm guessing everyone else feels the same. I've tried many different ways to make my hair look decent when it obviously is not and I have failed more often than I've succeeded.  Failed being I wind up with a hat on my head.  Through my endeavors, I've concluded that dry shampoo is my best bet.  The next step was finding the right brand.  Thanks to Influentser, I have found it.  The winner is Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo.  

If you don't already know, dry shampoo is a gift from the beauty gods.  It's like washing your hair without all of the pain of actually washing your hair and re-styling it.  It takes about 10 minutes total and doesn't require your full attention for about 9 out of those 10.  You can use it in three easy steps:

Step 1: Spray.  Keeping the can about 3 inches from your head, spray the area where your hair is greasy until it turns slightly grey.

Step 2: Wait.  For about 8-10 minutes, leave the spray in your hair.  Do something else while you wait.  Have a snack, fix your makeup, check Facebook, whatever floats your 10 minute boat.

Step 3: Brush.  After you've done your waiting, grab a brush and brush the area where you sprayed until all of the grey is gone.  I used the Goody Tangle Fix Hairbrush (another product that I absolutely loooveeee.)

And viola! Your hair looks shiny, but not greasy! Like you just did it!  This dry shampoo is great and really gets in there to get out all the gunk in a pinch.  

For more information about Clean Freak and the other great Not Your Mother's products, check out their website!

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That's a wrap on my Violet Vox Box courtesy of Influentser! I loved all of the products I received and will probably purchase some of them myself!  Keep an eye out for the possibility of future Vox Box reviews!

XO, Briana

The Influentser Violet Vox Box!

At the beginning of the month, I had the honor of receiving my first ever Vox Box from the Influentser team!! After signing up for the site and completing all of the necessary tasks, I made the list!! So now I have a little box full of wonderful products to try out and review to all of you!! I'll be splitting them up a bit, so here is how the whole shebang is going to go:

In my #VioletVoxBox, I got one #GoodyAtheltique Velcro headband, one #SoyJoy Cranberry baked soy bar, one #SallyHansen #TripleShine nail polish, one #NYMCleanFreak Dry Shampoo, and one Montagne Jeuness Clay Spa Mask (#MJClaySpas).

So, I'm going to review the headband, the soy joy, and the dry shampoo together and then the spa mask and nail polish in a separate post.  That totals to three Vox Box posts (including this one!)

On every post with products from Infulentser, you'll see this little badge.  This just shows that, "Hey, I got this from Influentser! Yay! Thanks!"

So that's basically it for this introductory post.  Don't want to give away all of the fun stuff!! ;) In the meantime, here are all of the links to the Pinterest boards I made for this box! Have fun, and check back soon for post number 2! 

Vox Box Board

Spa Day Board

Good Hair Day Board

XO, Briana