Worth it? Formula X :: Update

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My first impression of the Formula X System was not fantastic. Despite this, I resolved to give it another shot, and did. Last Saturday (January 3), I slapped the Formula X System and the color Obsessed on the nails of my left hand. A friend of mine had tried whichever red Formula X shade was included with the Sephora VIB Rouge gift this year and had warned me that it stained her nails a bit, so I didn’t want to commit both hands.

I used the whole Formula X system – cleanse, prime, two coats of color, topcoat and took my time. Like before, the polish dried swiftly, which would be nice if the formula is cooperative. Normally, with gel or regular nail polish, I can speed through it pretty decently – but the consistency of the color polish, even after gently rolling it in my hands five minutes prior to use (and then letting it “settle”), was still thick and awkward.

After only three days, this is what my nails look like. Obsessed shows up lighter than it is in flash, but look – sure, there’s a sheen but they aren’t mind-blowingly shiny like they would have you think. The color is uneven; with the flash you can see my “smile” lines and the streaks very evenly:

DSC_0110

There is already noticeable tip wear despite capping the free edge. The corners of my thumb and ringfingers are noticeably chipped. I don’t use my nails as tools, I wear gloves when washing dishes, and this is my left hand – not my right, which I am far harder on considering it is my dominant hand.

Here’s a close up of my thumb. Ooh, that chip, tip wear, and smile line. Real nice for polish this damn expensive. Granted, you can’t see the smile line in regular lighting… but still, I’m really not impressed.

DSC_0111Formula X Obsessed – Chipped in only 3 Days

Disappointed, I removed it the following day – if it is already looking that rough after three days, it isn’t going to get much better. Fortunately, the Formula X polish removed easily with acetone. I didn’t have major staining but my nails did have a pink cast to them, which I don’t dig. I believe my friend only had the polish, not the whole system, though – I’m not sure what she used for a base coat and such. The Formula X system Shine Top Coat was very underwhelming; basically, Seche Vite would kick its arse in a cage fight. Or chess. Or…you know, being shiny and durable and awesome.

My initial opinion isn’t far off. For how much the Formula X polishes and their, “system,” costs, I expected far better. Perhaps it would behave better for someone who has more time (and more patience) to sit there and labor over ever single nail, but I don’t have that kind of time, nor do I want to spend that long painting my nails with regular polish…only to have them chip in 2-3 days.

The colors in the Formula X collection are amazing-looking (their holos collection looks awesome!) but given my experience? I’m definitely glad I got this free or else it would be returned. Unfortunately, the Formula X System is not worth it.

L’Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows

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Brands L’Oreal Paris and Maybelline feature products that are very similar to one another (like their gel eyeliners) and for good reason – both drugstore makeup brands fall under the L’Oreal Group’s portfolio.

I’ve finally had the opportunity to test both L’Oreal and Maybelline gel shadows – Maybelline’s Color Tattoo (available for $6-ish on Amazon and at drugstores, etc) formula, and newer (to me – not new in general), L’Oreal’s Infalliable Eyeshadow (available for $7-ish on Amazon and at drugstores, etc). Now that I’ve had adequate time to play with L’Oreal’s Infalliable offering (and have really, really come to enjoy the latter), I wanted to share a comparison and review.

First, let’s check out the packaging of the L’Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows:

L'Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows - Packaging, Bottom

On the left, we have Maybelline’s Color Tattoo, lid down. The bottom of the glass pot includes information about which sub-line it is from (this is Barely branded, which I talked about in my Color Tattoo post – it is from their Metals sub-line), and also boasts that it will wear for 24 hours. That said, unlike my accidental 28 hour test of Maybelline’s gel liner, I haven’t made a point to push this past a normal day. The cap includes more information about the product, such as the shade name, batch number, and product volume (4 grams or .14 oz).

L'Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows - Packaging, Lid

On the right, we have L’Oreal’s Infalliable Eyeshadow, also lid down. The L’Oreal packaging is a bit more simple, not as loud with the font used, and it allows for an unobstructed view of the product inside (this is Bronzed Taupe). The pot is lower profile, sleeker, and is more of a squared shape with a round screw-on cap. Like its Maybelline cousin, the cap has a sticker featuring batch, color, and volume (3.5 grams or .12 oz) information on the cap. A notable difference is that unlike the Color Tattoo, this Infalliable Eyeshadow features acrylic (plastic) packaging; this makes it lighter (and sturdier!) which I personally consider a plus, but glass is more-often associated with luxe when it comes to product packaging…something L’Oreal usually tends to pursue.

L'Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows - Open 1

Opened, the L’Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows are two different scenes – the Maybelline Color Tattoo has the product right there in your face, but the L’Oreal Infalliable Eyeshadow has a little secondary lid that sits atop the product. Though it isn’t loose or of such a consistency that it may escape if you accidentally invert it, I imagine this secondary lid is to help tamp the product in place to keep it from drying.

L'Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows - Open 2L’Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows

I’m going to be a little backward and share swatches before sharing consistency details. I’ve swatched the L’Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows on the back of my hand. Both products were picked up with a finger and applied with one swipe over no primer – this is how they are out of the pot. You can’t see it in the photo so well, but the L’Oreal Infalliable shadow, pictured left, is a bit more even in one pass than the Maybelline Color Tattoo. They are both great; excellent pigmentation and color payoff. Both L’Oreal and Maybelline gel shadows pictured are frosty metallics, but Bronzed Taupe features a shinier, almost wet-look finish on my hand here compared to Barely Branded, which looks satiny in comparison.

L'Oreal and Maybelline Gel Shadows - Swatches

Now, my favorite part: the formulas. Though these are both gel-type shadows the formulas and consistencies could not be more different.

Maybelline’s Color Tattoo formula, though gel, is actually somewhat stiff. Although they recommend applying with a finger for best results (like you might do with pigments), I found that using this non-flat shader brush gave me the best results. I apply with my finger from time to time and usually regret it – I just can’t get an even application with my finger unless I pat, but I find patting this product with my finger doesn’t give me great color payoff, even if I press, unless I pick up a TON of product. Once it is on, it dries swiftly and does not budge. I like using Barely Branded as a base for other gold or light-neutral eye looks or to use in a single-shade look for lazy days. I have oily lids and this is fine through a ten-hour (office!) workday without additional primer.

L’Oreal’s Infalliable Eyeshadow formula is much softer – we hear the word, “buttery,” tossed around a lot to describe product texture in the beauty world but seriously, this reminds me of butter. Not room-temperature butter, firmer than that, but still definitely smooth – it glides on BEAUTIFULLY with a finger or a brush. I actually prefer using a finger with this to swipe or pat it on my lid. That is invaluable to me – as much as I love makeup, I reeeally love sleep, which sometimes means I don’t have as much time to do my makeup as I’d like…I like not having to grab another tool, and I love that it is so easy to work with. I haven’t used this shade as a base yet because I feel like it would be more appropriate as a base for a darker look (which I don’t do a ton of), but it is also fantastic for lazy or single-shade days (which I’ve had a lot of lately).

In the past two weeks I’ve REALLY been loving using the L’Oreal and Maybelline gel eyeshadows in Brozned Taupe and Barely Branded in concert to create a nice, neutral two-step eye that is appropriate for work. Slap on mascara and wham, you look like you put some effort in when really it took like, oh, maybe two minutes tops (before coffee). They’re definitely worth their price tags.

Favorites of 2014

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I did not plan all along to do an annual favorite round-up, but jumped on the bandwagon after being inspired by too many other bloggers and vloggers to count, let alone name.

Beauty Tool Favorites of 2014

Beauty Tool Favorites of 2014

beautyblender PRO – The only difference between this and the original is the color. I need to replace mine now, but I have worn this little sponge out. It really does deliver a no-brainer, no-fuss, excellent application. I order mine from MakeupGeek or Amazon (being careful to seek legit ones and buy safely) so as to avoid paying full retail but also to ensure I’m getting the real thing.

Sigma F80 – Still my foundation-applying champ. I tend to use my beautyblender more in the winter, but this brush is fantastic for creating a flawless, picture-perfect canvas.

Sonia Kashuk no. 27 Angled Liner Brush – Stiff but not stabby bristles makes this ideal for gel liner. At under $10, too, it is a great steal.

Makeup Favorites of 2014

Makeup Favorites of 2014

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer – I like this more than the Maybelline Fit Me! concealers although those are decent, too. The sponge applicator is goofy but the product itself is so good that I ca overlook the annoying applicator. The whole line is good, my shade varies on the season.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner 24H – They aren’t joking about the 24 Hour claim. This stuff is matte, pigmented, doesn’t cake or flake, and is cheap – like $7-9, and there are frequently coupons available.

LORAC Pro 2 – You may remember my big to-do about this, and I still like it as much as I did. The shadows are so buttery, blendable, amazing. You can make so many eye looks with this palette, just like with its predecessor.

Urban Decay Naked – Yes, still. Yes, probably forever. Urban Decay’s original iconic neutrals make my heart sing. They’re good for work, good for play, good for daytime, night, lazy days, and days where you actually do feel like looking as though you give a bother.

Skincare Favorites of 2014

Skincare Favorites of 2014

Josie Maran’s Argan Oil(s) – Original and Light. My face likes them, the smallest bottles last me a REALLY long time (as in, I’m still on my original bottles of both – need to repurchase the regular variety soon though). I was skeptical about these, but have really come to like them a lot.

Pond’s Original Fresh Wet Cleansing Towelettes – These are my favorite makeup removing wipes. They’re gentle but effective, and remove most makeup without trouble. To date, the only thing I’ve had an issue with using these on is Benefit’s they’re Real! Push-up Liner. Otherwise, they’re awesome.

Clarisonic Mia 2 – I used it for a year before reviewing. It is a great skincare tool – though if you don’t have sensitive skin, save your money and get the Mia. If you’re on a budget the Olay Pro-X is a good place to start with face-washing gadgetry.

Nail Favorites of 2014

Nail Favorites of 2014

China Glaze Gelaze – Love the formula of these gel polishes, also love that I don’t need to bother with a base coat of gel. Fewer layers to cure means less bulk on the finished nail. It looks feels, and wears better. Also Shocking Pink is bright and amazing…just sayin’.

Seche Vite – I don’t tend to use gel polish on my toes (though I will use Gelaze), so I need to keep an RNP top coat on hand. It smells strong, but it is the best I’ve found. I buy mine at Sally Beauty, but Ulta carries it, and I believe Target and Wal-Mart do, too, now.

Red Carpet Manicure Glitz and Glamorous – This showed up in my December Favorites, but I use it throughout the year. I like it so much, in fact, that it was what was on my nails for my wedding.

Revlon Lawsuit

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Revlon Lawsuit

If you keep an eye on beauty industry news, you’ve probably already seen that Revlon is facing a lawsuit from a former employee, scientist Alan Meyers.

You can read the original article regarding the Revlon lawsuit from the New York Post here.

The situation came onto my radar this evening when Revlon tweeted the following:

Well okay. I bit.

The piece starts off with,

Alan Meyer’s lawsuit is a completely meritless attack by a former employee who is trying to distract from his own failed performance with false, sensational, and offensive allegations…

Whoa, damn. You can read the rest of the statement regarding the Revlon Lawsuit here, if you are so inclined.

Basically, the former employee cites not only mistreatment by the company’s CEO and shady behavior (Meyers was concerned about regulatory things with respect to a Spanish company they acquired; Delpani (CEO) said, “Shh, we want plausible deniability!”) but also alleges flatly racist, anti-American, and anti-Jewish sentiments from the same. Talk about a hostile work environment. The official response to the Revlon lawsuit is rubbing a lot of people, myself included, the wrong way – if you’re already publicly under fire for due to a very touchy matter, it is probably best to proceed with kid gloves. You know, instead of folding your arms, stomping your feet and going, “YEAH, well, that guy sucked at his job and that’s why he’s doing this. SO THERE.”

It is understandable that the brand is on the defensive after such allegations have been made – and granted, no brand is going to come out and say, “Oh yeah, I guess you’re right, our CEO is kind of a racist jerk…” but their published response is acrid and beyond unprofessional. They don’t need to be happy about it, but I can’t imagine that the scathing response issued regarding the Revlon Lawsuit is going to help their case.

What the hell, Revlon, don’t you have a legal and/or PR team? Didn’t they caution you against publishing that? If they didn’t, it isn’t just the CEO’s position who should be in question.

EDIT 11:00PM: Actually, no, it won’t just be a, “refrain until we learn more.” The more I’ve thought about this, the angrier it has made me. Without the statement, it was an ugly situation. With the statement, it is beyond clear that, well, Delpani and his lackeys suck. Most of the board sucks. Their PR and legal teams are fools for not strongly advising against this, and frankly, for not resigning when they went ahead anyway (assuming that’s the case). You know what looks really good on a resume, though? Having, “Revlon PR,” with dates inclusive of this Revlon Lawsuit statement.

I will not buy any more Revlon products until Delpani, at minimum, is ousted from his role. Yes, this includes my beloved Revlon Colorstay Lip Butter in Pink Truffle that I use almost daily, and the two Super Lustrous glosses that are regulars in my rotation.

Here’s the old paragraph from before the edit, before I went into full-anger mode. I was trying to be objective; I can’t.

I will repurchase one tube of Revlon Colorstay Lip Butter in Pink Truffle (ideally on sale & with a coupon) because I don’t have the time or money to waste on finding a new day-to-day, go-to lipcolor right this second (uh, yeah, it was just Christmas). After that, I will refrain from purchasing brands within Revlon’s umbrella until we learn more. I won’t threaten, “NEVER AGAIN,” because the reality is that we don’t have all the details at the moment…but right now I can tell you I’m not impressed with either the situation itself or its public handling.

 

How do you feel about the Revlon Lawsuit?

Buying Safely

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Counterfeits exist. We all know this – be they counterfeit bills, bags, whatever. Someone makes a convincing (or not-so-convincing) knock-off, sells it to some unknowing (or uncaring) consumer at what appears to be a deep, deep discount. Fakes and counterfeits exist in the beauty industry, too, so it is important to know who you’re doing business with so you can be sure you’re making good choices and buying safely.

Before my interest in the beauty industry grew, I knew there were fakes – long before I owned my Naked palette, I had seen knock-offs trying to pass themselves off as the real thing from Urban Decay. Oh sure, that palette with the wrong font, wrong-color case, sold by an atypical vendor (eBay? random Amazon Marketplace merchant? Flea-Market [yes, really]?) that only costs $10 is clearly the same thing.

We all love a good deal, we all love not paying full price for something. I personally make it a point not to pay full retail whenever possible (legitimately, of course) but at some point I’d think a red flag would be triggered. This isn’t always the case, however; the siren song of cheap prestige makeup, skincare, and haircare is strong and lures people away from buying safely all the time.

A friend of mine (who isn’t as into this stuff) recently mentioned buying a Tarte Lipsurgence from Ulta ($24-25ish), but bemoaned the fact that she found it on Amazon for $9.97 + shipping after the fact. Eyebrows raised, I investigated…

Buying Safely - An Example of What to be Skeptical Of

 

…and found this.

I want to think it is reasonable to get that that cheap (or from Amazon at all), but unless that Tarte product is that cheap on sale from Ulta, Sephora, QVC, or the brand itself, steer clear. In addition to not wanting to waste money on a fake, you have to ask yourself:

If a seller is willing to pass their product off as that of another brand in order to make a sale, what else are they hiding about that product?

The ingredient listing, surely. You have no way of knowing what is in that product you’d be slapping liberally on your lips/eyes/etc. I’m not willing to gamble on that – if you are, congratulations on living on the edge, I guess. I won’t want to risk harming my eyes or lips to save a couple bucks that way. I’ll save up until I can buy it from a trusted source or I’ll buy a drugstore alternative; buying safely is too important when it comes to beauty items.

The reviews cried out that this listing was not legit, that they were sent fake product, etc. You should definitely check the reviews, but there are other things to look at. See how the features are formatted? You will never see legitimate (respectable!) retailers selling authentic product like this. It isn’t professional. Also, check their return policy. If they do not accept returns or exchanges for any reason, that’s sketchy.

Generally, be skeptical of:

  • eBay – The likelihood of you finding legitimate prestige products on eBay is pretty low. It is possible, but not likely, so I’d suggest avoiding it. You’d have better luck with Glambot – they verify legitimacy (but not batch/age).
  • Anything on Amazon that is not Shipped from and Sold By Amazon.com – There ARE a few Amazon Marketplace merchants who sell legit products but they are few and far between; and you’ll find that the legit products won’t have much (if any) of a discount as compared to traditional retailers. That said, Amazon.com itself does sell some prestige brands (LORAC, Stila, Cargo, The Balm, Eyeko, Butter London, and Deborah Lippman are some examples), so as long as you see that it is shipped from/sold by them, you can usually rest assured that you are buying safely.
  • Flea Markets – It makes me cringe to even have to mention this, but seriously. Fake palettes and products pop up all the time at these. Sometimes, the seller may not even realize they’re selling bad/fake product. Basically, don’t ever buy makeup or skincare at one of these (Avon is probably safe if you see it – no one is going to bother with counterfeits of it).

Basically, you can be pretty sure you’re buying safely if you’re buying from the brand directly, through Ulta, Sephora, a department store, Beauty.com, or other authorized retailers. If you aren’t sure if a retailer is authorized or legit to carry/sell those products, reach out to the brand to see if they can confirm.

Prestige/salon hair products are a bit more accessible. As far as hair products go, you sometimes see warnings to be skeptical of salon brands (like Tigi, Paul Mitchell, Sexy Hair, Redken, Matrix, etc) sold at drugstores, grocers and mass-retailers like Wal-Mart and Target. While you should be skeptical of buying those lines from the merchants I listed above, large chains like Walgreens, CVS, your local large grocers, Wal-Mart, and Target are not going to bother selling shady products, period. It would be a foolish risk for them to take. If you prefer to purchase them from your stylist or salon to help support their business, that’s awesome of you and you will definitely be buying safely – but you needn’t worry that you aren’t buying safely from your drugstore or mass-retailer of choice, either.

Be safe, buy safe. It isn’t just an authenticity issue, it’s a safety issue. If you aren’t sure, ask someone who is more experienced with such purchasing. If you don’t know anyone personally, there are a lot of great, helpful online communities that would be happy to help guide you.

December 2014 Favorites

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December 2014 FavoritesDecember 2014 Favorites
1. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil, $16 / 2. Kat von D Foiled Love Lipstick in Adora, discontinued /
3. OPI Gelcolor in I’m Not Really a Waitress, $15 (varies) / 4. Red Carpet Manicure Glitz and Glamorous, $10 /
5. L’Oreal Infalliable Eyeshadow in Bronzed Taupe, $7

Rather than waiting a week to get these out, I decided to publish my December 2014 Favorites today. I feel like I should have more on my list, but they kind of overlap with last month…and I imagine next month’s will overlap with this month, too. :P I hope 2014 has been awesome to you, and that 2015 is even more fulfilling.

Before moving on to my favorites, today is the final day for my Urban Decay Naked2 Basics giveaway – it ends at 11:59PM EST, go check it out!

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