Eyes
Stila Stay All Day Liner Review
This is a legacy post that has been given a facelift. Opinions are the same, content has been edited for readability, clarity, all that jazz. Additions are noted in line. Enjoy!
I’m not sure what it is that sparks my desire to challenge, well, everything that I challenge. But like the lipstick, if I see something that claims to Stay All Day, I can’t help but want to prove whether or not it is true. You know, for science, and love and justice, whatever.
In the same holiday set that I received the aforementioned lipstick by the same name, I received a smaller-than-normal tube of Stila Stay All Day Liner. Though more favorable than my initial reaction to the name of the lipstick, I still couldn’t believe it without seeing it. Since receiving it, I have worn it with success but I never really documented how long it lasted – and, “more or less all day,” isn’t enough for me.
The Test
Yesterday, I slapped some on my face before work around 6:15AM (contrary to my programming, I am the early bird at work. 2018 Update: SO CUTE. My makeup is done by 5:45 these days.). This is what it looked like at 6:30AM:
Well of course it looks decent, freshly applied. Also, I am an airhead and hadn’t even slapped on mascara, yet.
Products I Stopped Using (2018)
Over the years, as I’ve learned about my skin and honed my beauty preferences, I’ve tried many products. Some worked, some didn’t; some did at one point and then my needs/wants changed.
Face Scrubs
Ages ago, I used a certain walnut-shell-containing, apricot-scented facial exfoliant from a popular drugstore brand. I loved it! Bottom line, though, is those shell fragments can be sharp – and there are more effective ways to exfoliate. These days, my physical exfoliation comes from my Clarisonic and Silkin ReVit. Chemically, I use this AHA gel from Alpha Skin and the occasional BHA Stridex pad.
After a troublesome period with my skin, it is looking the best it has in quite a while save for some stubborn pores on my chin that, frankly, aren’t too visible anyway.
Foundation
Lorac Pro 2 Review
This legacy post has been given a facelift! Content was edited for clarity and ease-of-reading with 2018 updates marked in-line.
On Sunday, June 15 (2014), the Lorac PRO 2 came available for sale. Because I own (and dearly love) the Lorac Pro, I had to get a look as soon as I could. I placed an order and anxiously awaited their arrival. Because Ulta and UPS must have shipping wizards in their ranks, I received it on Wednesday. I was so excited to check out these shades and anxious to confirm that they are the same awesome formula as the Lorac Pro. You’re anxious too, so let’s tear ‘er open!
Packaging
The outer retail packaging is very similar to that of the Lorac Pro Palette (Original). Like the original, it comes with a small tube of their Behind the Scenes Primer, which you can see in the window on the right.
Worth it? Covergirl Clump Crusher
Covergirl Clump Crusher, $8
A while back, I managed to hit the coupon/sale/rebate lottery and get a pair of Covergirl mascaras for free (actually, I ended up making a tiny bit after the rebate). One of the two was a tube of cult-favorite Covergirl Clump Crusher. When this mascara launched several years ago, the response was passionate and rabid all at once. Who could blame people for being excited about a (purportedly) well-performing drugstore mascara?
But I never tried it until now. Back then, I was still trying to hold onto my love of bareMinerals Flawless Definition. Then, I found that L’Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black is a reasonable facsimile and aside from trying deluxe samples here and there, I never really looked back.
Packaging
Although I like Clump Crusher overall, it isn’t free from criticisms. I find the packaging bulky and unnecessary; why is the tube such thick plastic? It reminds me of the oversized crayons they give todders who have yet to develop fine motor skills and dexterity. Aside from the ergonomics of it, it really takes up a LOT of room in a makeup bag. I’d really love this formula to come in a narrower tube.
Esqido Lashes – A Lash Named Desire
First things first: I received a free pair of lashes courtesy of Esqido for the purpose of a review and a before-and-after photo. Otherwise, I did not receive any compensation or incentive to write this content, and as always, all opinions are my own.
I’ve only worn false lashes once, ever. This time-ish last year, in fact. That’s right – I didn’t even bother for my wedding. I don’t have anything against lashes; they just don’t fit into my day-to-day, and my life isn’t rife with special occasions, either. As a result, I haven’t tried many – so when Esqido reached out, I figured, “What the hell, let’s do it!”
I had the opportunity to select my pair of lashes. I decided to go with a medium volume pair and ultimately landed on Lash Named Desire:
Esqido Lashes – Lash Named Desire, $29
Along with it, they sent a tube of their lash glue:
Esqido Companion Lash Glue, $10
First Impressions
Esqido Lashes come in a pretty damn nice magnetic-closure box. I popped that open and gingerly retrieved the lashes to see how they compare to my actual eye. Given my limited experience, I had never worked with mink lashes before and was surprised how soft they were. I’ve seen a thousand-and-one YouTubers gush about their luxurious, fluffy mink lashes (from Esqido and other brands), but I assumed they were just putting one on. So, no – they’re surprisingly plush.
Giving ‘Em a Go
“Whoa, this band is huge,” was my first thought upon removing them from their packaging. I’m not sure whose eyes these are made for, but they were drastically longer than my upper lashline. I started by trimming off the innermost section on each lash, then retested; nope. I then trimmed the outer-most section – viola, a passable length.