Review: Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express Mascara

Hi! Sorry it's been so long between posts. I've been so busy!

Anyway, today's review is of a mascara that has been much raved about in the beauty community. It's the Maybelline Rocket Volum' Mascara in Blackest Black (non waterproof). Since I was in the market for a new mascara, I thought I would give it a shot.

Let's break it down! (Ok, that sounded way more gangster than I intended it to. You know what I mean. I meant we should break down the aspects of the product.)

The Packaging:

Ok, I LOVE the packaging. The pink and blue tube is just way too cute. It's very fun and bright, and it will easily stand out in your makeup drawer. 

It isn't too bulky that it's hard to get a grip on the tube; it's the perfect size.

The Brush:

Before you dip the brush into the product for the first time, it looks really awesome. 

For starters, it's pink. Adorable. You can see that it has a thin core and lots of long plastic bristles extending out from that. 

The brush isn't too long that it won't fit your eye. It's a really good size, but I will say that if you're not careful, those bristles will poke you in the eye. And that HURTS.

This is what the brush looks like after you dip in the product.

You get a lot of product on there!

The Formula:

First off, when they say Blackest Black, they ain't kidding. This is probably the richest and blackest mascara I have ever used. It's pure black, and it looks AMAZING.

This is fairly wet formula, wetter than I'm used to using. Because of that, yes, it does clump fairly easily. That being said, it doesn't clump until the third or fourth coat. But the clumps never make your lashes look spidery, like some mascaras do. They just make your lashes stick together. 

This mascara claims to give you 8x the volume, which is a pretty big claim. It definitely does give good volume, but not 8x. In fact, this gives better volume than any other mascara I've used. And it really does a good job in the lengthening department. 

But where it shines, is in separating your lashes. If you just stick to two coats of this, the long bristles comb through your lashes beautifully. It looks awesome. 

It also holds a curl very very well,

The Results:

Let's take a look at what it did for my lashes, huh?

Before-no mascara

 After-with mascara

Overall: 

I LOVE the way this makes my lashes look. It is a little tricky to remove, but it is so worth it. I really recommend this mascara.

This retails for about $10 CAD at any drugstore. 

Thanks for reading!

Melissa

Review: Essence I Heart Crazy Volume Mascara

Ok, so I am going to make a very bold statement right now- this might possibly be my new favourite mascara. After seeing emilynoel83 raving about this in one of her videos, I had to go out and buy it, seeing as I usually like most of the same mascaras she does. And that definitely goes for this one!

Essence is a brand that only recently got onto my radar. I knew it was available in the US, but I had never seen it in Canada before, until I spotted a display at my Shoppers Drug Mart (not every Shoppers Drug Mart has Essence though, which is sort of sad; only two of mine have it). 

At first I was dubious, because the prices were SO cheap, and it looked sort of juvenile. But I decided to pick up an eyeliner just out of curiosity, and I loved it! I don't have a lot from this brand, but when I was recommended this mascara, I decided "what the heck"- it's only $5.

Yes, you heard right. The mascara that is my new favourite, that is better than any other drugstore or highend mascara I have ever tried, is ONLY FIVE FREAKING DOLLARS. Sorry if I seem excited. I am.

That being said, just because this mascara works well for me, does not mean it will work for everyone! I've tried mascaras that many other people have raved about that I ended up hating. So buy with caution (but really, it will only set you back five dollars).

Ok, anyway, on to the pictures!

The brush is a long, thick rubber brush, with short bristles. When I first saw the brush, I thought it looked like it might clump easily. But it doesn't.

THE FORMULA:

This isn't an overly wet or dry formula, it's sort of the perfect balance. It's a little wetter when you first buy it, and as all mascaras do, it will dry out as the weeks go by.

This claims to give "crazy volume", and it does give volume (though I'm not sure I would admit it to a mental hospital- get it? Because it's not actually that crazy...? Ok, moving on.) But it does give nice volume, but it also gives great length! Best of both worlds! Great, now the Hannah Montana song is stuck in my head. 

So to sum up, it doesn't clump, it gives good volume and good length. Awesome! One down side- it flakes a little bit. But it's a price I'm willing to pay. It doesn't give spidery lashes either, well, unless you put on like ten coats. 

There's only one colour available, which is just plain black. It's a nice rich black, though.

Ok, so now that I've rambled on enough, here is some before and after pictures.

Before

After

So, yeah, I'm in love. I definitely recommend checking this mascara out!!

Thanks for reading!

Melissa

Review: Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara

So this is a review on a product that everyone in the beauty community has been raving about. Unfortunately, this isn't going to be another positive review to add to the list.

This mascara claims to give 200% more volume, with no clumps, despite how many coats you put. This mascara did none of the above for me. But this is where I'm confused. I know of so many other people who rave about this mascara, and I just don't understand why it didn't work for me. Maybe I got a bad tube? But regardless, don't be offended if you really like this mascara! This is just my opinion!!!

This mascara has a different brush than all the other mascaras in the LashBlast family. It's thinner and it's curved instead of straight. Covergirl claims that the bristles are perfectly placed apart to avoid clumps, so maybe my eyelashes are just at odd measurements?

The first thing I noticed when I pulled it out was how dry it was. Which makes me suspect that I might have gotten a bad tube, because this barely put any mascara on my lashes. 

Before

After

I'm sorry, but those are definitely what I would call clumps to me!! This mascara just did not work for me, which was sad, because I had very high hopes!

Sorry, Covergirl, but you had a miss on this one. I might try it again in the future to see if it was just a bad tube. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for reading!

Melissa

Review: Too Faced Lashgasm Mascara

Too Faced LashGasm Mascara

Today's post is going to be a review of a mascara I got for Christmas, Too Faced's LashGasm (awkward name) mascara. This came with a palette I got from Too Faced, the Shadow Bon Bons Palette. 

For starters, I like this packaging. It's simple and not overdone. It's slim enough to fit into any makeup bag. The writing on the tube is nice. 

I really wanted to like this mascara, and I was excited to try it. It's not the worse mascara ever...well, I'll tell you what I'm not too fond of about it. 

What Sephora says about this: (source: sephora.com)

What it is:
A voluptuous, fluffing mascara that conditions as it thickens to create dramatically long lashes with intense color.

What it does:
Lashgasm's multiple rows of flexible-but-firm, molded bristles are designed with micro-hooks that grab each and every lash for a clump-free application. The vitamin-rich, creamy formula penetrates for high-color absorbency and exaggerated depth. Meadowfoam seed oil forms a protective barrier to lock in soothing emollients that promote long-term wear without drying or harming lashes. A moisturizing combination of panthenol, vitamins A & E, and jojoba seed oil hydrates and soothes lashes to keep them soft, light, and flexible.

I really do think that this mascara lengthens well, and the colour does make my lashes a nice rich black. The only problem I have with this mascara is the brush. When I first looked at the brush, I thought it seemed like it was going to separate my lashes really well.

But-the opening of the tube isn't small enough to scrape off the clumps of the mascara that come out with the brush. 

Can you see the globs of mascara on there? When I put this on my lashes, it makes them all clump and stick together. I have to turn the brush over to try to find a side that doesn't have goopy black stuff on it. 

Here I have some before and after pictures using this mascara:

lashes before: no mascara

lashes after: with mascara

As you can see, it lengthens nicely and makes lashes thick. But you can see my lashes get clumpy and this is only two coats. You can get nice results, you just have to work a little harder with the brush.

My Rating: 8/10

This retails for $28 CAD, and can be bought wherever Too Faced products are sold.

Thanks for reading!!

Melissa

Review: Benefit They're Real! Mascara

Benefit's They're Real! Mascara in Black

Today's post is going to be a quick review of a mascara that I've been using for quite awhile, Benefit's They're Real! Mascara. I've also used BadGal Lash from Benefit, but I prefer this one, and I'll tell you why in a minute.

I got this mascara as a present for Christmas 2011, and used it until it got old. Then I just recently got another tube as a birthday gift from Sephora, so I thought I would post a review while I have a new tube.

For starters, I really like the packaging on this. It's practical, and not overly gaudy! That's one thing about Benefit; their packages are cute, but not always practical. But this is slim enough to easily fit in a makeup bag. 

I got the colour Black, but they also have Plum available. This usually costs $29 CAD, which is pretty steep, but it is a high end brand. However, I think that the results it gives are not that far above regular drugstore mascaras, which you get for about a third of the price. 

This brush is what gave this mascara so much hype when it was first released. It claimed to be able to reach all the little lashes that regular brushes can't. 

This is what Sephora.com says about it:

What it is:
A jet-black mascara that lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts, and separates lashes for a spectacular "out-to-here" look. 

What it does:
This mascara features an exclusive brush specially designed to maximize the performance of the long-wearing, glossy formula revealing lashes you never knew you had! Staggered bristles grab close to the root, boosting length and volume beyond belief. The precision bristles on the custom-domed tip lift, define, and curl even your tiniest lashes. The end result is luxurious, silky lashes that won't smudge, clump, or dry out.

Research results:
-94% saw dramatic length and volume*
-90% saw base-to-tip curl*
-94% saw visible lift*
-100% saw long-wearing results*
-*Results observed in a consumer panel survey

I like the brush, but I don't think you can reach every lash without poking yourself in the eye. Which is one of my complaints about the brush: the bristles are super sharp, so when you poke yourself in the eye (which happens quite often), it hurts!! 

As for the other claims (length and volume), I think it delivers quite well on both. I've included before and after pictures below so you can see for yourself. 

One thing I will say quickly though is this: it doesn't hold a curl very well, and it will clump if you go beyond two coats. It also starts to wear down after six or seven hours of wear. 

lashes before-no mascara

lashes with mascara

As you can see, it gives nice length and volume and makes your lashes rich and black. It DOES NOT give the look of false lashes like it claims, but it's nice for everyday wear! I personally really like this mascara.

My Rating: 9/10

Thanks for reading!!

Melissa

Review: CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara

CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara

Today's post is going to be a quick review of a mascara I recently bought, the CoverGirl Lash Blast Mascara in Very Black. I had used this mascara before, a few years back, but I couldn't remember what it did for my lashes. Since I needed a new mascara, I decided to give it a try.

Purple is my favourite color, so I'm really enjoying the packaging on this. That being said, this is a rather bulky mascara tube. It's nothing atrociously big, but it's not very slim, and it's rather heavy. 

brush

The brush looks the same as the one on their original Lash Blast. It is a pretty large brush, but not too big that I jab myself in the eye whenever I use it. 

The colour is pretty good; it's a rich black that makes statement on the lashes.

lashes-before

lashes-after

As you can see, this lengthens my lashes quite a bit. This mascara promises both volume and length, but it definitely gives me more length than volume. 

This is two coats of mascara in the pictures above. After two coats, it can start to get a little clumpy, but this mascara is actually pretty decent for not being clumpy. 

Staying power is good, too. After about seven/eight hours of wear, it can start to wear down a bit. 

Overall, I'm pleased with this mascara. I would have liked maybe a little more volume, but I'm pleasantly surprised because I got this on sale for $6.99 CAD!!!!

My Rating: 9/10

Thanks for reading!!!

Melissa

July Favorites!!!

So since it is now the beginning of August, I thought I would share some products that I was loving in the month of July. So let's get started, shall we?

Benefit's They're Real! Mascara

1. Benefit's They're Real! Mascara: I got this mascara a couple of months ago, along with two other  high end mascaras. When I first started using this, I absolutely loved it. It was my most used out of all three.

But about a month into using it, I started getting really into the other two mascaras and stopped using this one. One day, I decided to use it again, and I didn't really like the results. It made my eyelashes too clumpy. So I put it aside again, and then on my third day of vacation, I decided to try it again...and loved it!! I don't know what changed, maybe the formula dried out enough to give those results? But whatever it was, it made my eyelashes longer, fuller and could hold a curl. A definite favorite!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Stickers in Kitty Kitty

2. Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Stickers in Kitty Kitty: I bought these for my vacation before I left. I had used one of these packs of stickers before in "Laced Up", but never this one. I really like this one better, to be honest. It stayed on longer, and looked more realistic.

This is the look I did with them on my vacation. Sorry for the visible nail beds; these have been on for eight days. But no chipping!! :D

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in Cia

3. Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in Cia: I got this for Christmas, and up until recently I hadn't really used it much. I had other concealer that I used, and it was just too thick for an undereye concealer.

swatch...sorry for the blurriness

It just kind of sat in my makeup drawer, until one day, on a whim, I pulled it out to use on a tiny blemish. It worked wonders!! I couldn't see it after one swipe!! Now it is part of my daily makeup routine.

Smashbox Metallic Cream Liner Palette

4. Smashbox Metallic Cream Liner Palette: I had been eyeing this palette in my Sephora for a long time before I finally broke down and bought it.

Top Row (from L-R): Onyx, Topaz, Emerald, Sapphire, Gold

Bottom Row (from L-R): Amethyst, Blue Topaz, Graphite, Platinum, Bronze

Being a neutral eye makeup lover, I was quite surprised that I preferred this palette over the more neutral one that Smashbox also offers. 

My most used shades are Amethyst, Sapphire and Graphite, as you can see from the dents. These are really good shades for any colorful and neutral looks, although I don't quite see the purpose of having a sparkly silver cream liner. But ah well. One out of ten going unused isn't bad at all. I paid $40 CAD for this palette (it is Smashbox, after all) but that's still $4 CAD per eyeliner, which is pretty good. Anyway, these are pigmented and stay on well. Not much more I can say!

Essence Cream Liner Brush

5. Essence Cream Liner Brush: I don't actually use this for cream eyeliner, as all my cream liners have their own little brushes. I use this to darken my lower eyeliner by running some dark eyeshadow under my lower lashes, all while staying close to the lashes, so it blends in with my eyeliner.

I also use this on my upper lashline, too, when I'm using dark eyeshadow for eyeliner. I think I paid $2 CAD approximately for this, which is pretty good for the amount I use it!!!

So that concludes my July favourites!! 

Thanks for reading!!!

Melissa