Lancome Definicils Dupe

Many years ago, I fell in love with Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara. I love the neat, clean and perfectly separated, yet dramatic, intense black look of Definicils but I've never been in love with the $26.00 price tag. As an esthetician, I'm an absolute stickler for tossing out and replacing mascara every three months if not sooner. That's a lot of money for an essentially disposable item!

Enter Maybelline One by One Volum' Express. Gorgeous black pigment, beautifully separated lashes with just enough volume to give it a more dramatic look, and at $6.49 (at Target) it's quite a bargain! It has one of those rubber bristled applicators that has a lot of give to it, but it works surprisingly well. The only thing that might be a bit weird for some is the smell. It has a lot of fragrance added to it which normally would bug me, but this one is actually kind of pleasant in my opinion.  I'm sure the company added this much fragrance to mask the inherent smell of the ingredients - you know, mascaras do tend to smell kind of odd - so you may find it tolerable as I do, or it could be a deal breaker. If I had to describe it, I'd say it reminds me of honeysuckle - sweet, but not too cloying.

I'm telling you, though, this mascara performs well enough that's it's definitely worth a shot - fragrance or no. And if you happen to be a big fan of Lancome Definicils, you may find yourself a new fave!

Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara

Ok, so today I'm going to continue to talk about one of my absolute favorite topics - mascara! I'm not crowning this mascara the best of all time, but I must say, Cover Girl Lash Exact has a lot going for it.

The Very Black shade has a good punch of pigment to it. It's not crazy volumizing but it does beef up lashes enough to give a bit of a wow. Definition is where this stuff really shines - it really emphasizes length while keeping your lashes nice and separated and beautifully defined. The application is easy and very neat which is important if you're a mascara klutz like me.

 I'm way too obsessed with mascara to ever stop trying new ones, but this is one I reach for time and again.

NYC Mascaras

I admit it: as a general rule I'm drawn like a moth to a flame to higher end makeup products. However, when it comes to mascara, I've found some amazing drugstore products that perform as well - or better than - the high priced competitors.

Mascara is one of the few beauty products that must be replaced often - like every three months, so it can get very expensive if you're buying high end brands. (If you're not sure why you need to replace it check out my Squidoo lens on the subject www.squidoo.com/drugstore-mascaras-save-you-money - you can also vote for your favorite mascara brand and shop for amazing deals on mascara right from this page!)  Luckily the quality of many drugstore brands is amazing!

Today I'm going to focus on several choices from NYC (New York Color)....

NYC Sky Rise Lengthening Mascara

NYC brand is a wonderful find for mascara lovers! They have lots of good options and I'll start with Sky Rise Lengthening Mascara which has an MSRP of $1.99. I like for my mascara to be really black and this one has a satisfactory color pay off. It's not the inkiest black I've ever seen, but it's certainly acceptable. Sky Rise has a fairly long, slim brush that grabs every lash and applies the product fairly neatly with no clumping. Lashes look long and thick so I felt it was volumizing as well as lengthening. Sky Rise wears very well and lasts for more than 12 hours with no flaking, smudging or smearing. Another plus is the ease of removal - just regular cleanser, no makeup remover needed.

My bottom line: Tiny price tag, well above average performance, amazing deal!

NYC High Definition Volume Mascara

NYC High Definition Volume Mascara (in the orange tube) has an MSRP of $4.99. It has a noticeably stiff, spiky brush that really grabs your lash line, so much so that it can hurt - so be careful. This one is intensely black and is more wet than Sky Rise, so it can be a bit messy to apply. It is more thickening and gives a decidedly more dramatic look. It also lasts more than 12 hours with no smudging or smearing but does have some minor flaking late in the day.

My bottom line: Excellent mascara, especially when you want an intensely black, well defined, dramatic lash look

NYC City Curls Curling Brush Mascara

NYC City Curls retails for $2.99 and has a slightly curved, yet fairly small brush. The color is not as dark a black as I normally like, but it'll do in a pinch! Although I did not see any discernible curling, it does wear flawlessly with absolutely no flaking, smearing or smudging. It applies easily and is not messy but you will need to apply several coats in order to get any drama out of this one. If you happen to be looking for an "everyday" or "office" type look, then this may be excellent for you.

My bottom line: No curl and no drama, but good daytime look, especially for the price

NYC Show Time Volumizing Mascara

NYC Show Time Volumizing Mascara retails for $3.99 and is the only NYC mascara that genuinely disappointed me. With a name like Show Time, I guess I was expecting a "Wow" factor, and there's nothing "showy" or wow about this one, unfortunately. First of all, the formulation is pretty dry which makes for a neat application but, in this case, very little color pay off. It does give you a fair bit of definition, but does not lengthen or volumize at all. If you tend to be a klutz like me, you might like it because it's not messy to apply, but you need multiple coats to get anything out of it. Personally, there are plenty of others I'd rather use.

My bottom line: Dry, disappointing texture with definition, but no volume or lengthening.

NYC Big Bold Ultra Volume Mascara

NYC Big Bold Ultra Volume Mascara has an MSRP of 4.99, although you can sometimes find it for as low as 2.99 at Rite Aid and Target. I must admit, when I first saw the HUGE brush I thought I would hate this mascara. The enormous brush led me to believe the application would be messy but it's not at all. It has a wonderfully dark black color with just enough moisture so that it applies easily. This mascara gives excellent definition and length, not really what I would call "ultra volume" though. It does not clump at all, even if you apply multiple coats. It wears beautifully with absolutely no flaking, smudging, or smearing.

My bottom line: Great jet black color with admirable definition and length, though not much volume.

I will be sharing more affordable mascara reviews soon, so keep an eye out... 

Drug Store Lipstick Duel

As I’ve already confessed in my bio, I am a person obsessed with makeup products! Some of my absolute favorite indulgences are lip products. Whether it be lipstick, stain, gloss, or balm - you name it, I love it. It’s also important to note that I am certainly not brand loyal. I’m all over the map when it comes to my makeup affection. I own lip colors of every description from such companies as Clinique, Kevyn Aucoin, Lancome, MAC, Prescriptives, Origins, NARS, Dior, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, and Make Up For Ever....well, you get the idea. Ok, so it’s clear that I’m a makeup junkie, but I’m also a bit of a brand snob - at least when it comes to most beauty products. My usual MO involves a trip to Sephora - or a couple of clicks online to purchase a high end  lip product. So, after hearing a lot of excitement about some drug store lip product brands, I decided to check ‘em out!

I’ve spent the last few weeks comparing several shades from L’oreal Color Riche Balm, Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lip Color, and Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter. Overall I must say that I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of all three brands. I’ll review each brand separately, beginning with the lightest weight product and moving to the most intense.

L’Oreal Color Riche Balm, with SPF 15, sells for $5.99 at Target (varies by location), and is aptly named a balm since it is hydrating and has a low color pay off by lipstick standards. This is the type of product I could see wearing to the pool or beach, especially since it has sun protection, or on a day when you don’t want to wear a full face of makeup. It goes on smooth and adds moisture to the lips but very little noticeable color. It just sort of perks up your natural lip color. Like any balm, it needs frequent reapplication to maintain a good level of hydration. The company claims that it “Instantly smoothes and nurtures lips, providing 8 hours of continuous hydration. Lips feel softer and more supple all day long. Even when removed it leaves lips feeling conditioned for an additional 2.5 hours.”   Ok, so my experience with the product didn’t quite bear that out.  As I said, reapplication was necessary and a lot sooner than 8 hours, but it’s still quite a nice tinted lip balm. Oh, and the packaging is quite lovely - looks to me a lot like a Dior lip balm case which is great! The other really positive note is the absence of any cloying scent! So many drug store brands in years past have peddled lip colors that reek of fake fruit or smell like a box of artificially flavored cake mix! (One of the main things that chased me away from drug store brands in the first place!) This one smells, mercifully, like not much of anything which I vastly prefer over the aforementioned train wrecks!

Below are listed the shades I purchased and tested:

219 Plush Plum:  sheer, cool plum 

318 Heavenly Berry:  extremely sheer lilac

518 Tender Mauve: creamy pale mauve 

Of these three, Plush Plum and Tender Mauve show up on lips pretty true to what you see in the tube.  Heavenly Berry did not show up on my lips much at all and I’m fair skinned with fair lips. It’s funny because what you see in the tube looks almost like a cool red but when swatched on skin it shows up a sheer lilac and on lips not at all. 

Bottom line, if you’re looking for a light weight, comfortable tinted balm with an SPF bonus and you’re not concerned with a lot of color, L’Oreal Color Riche Balm is an excellent choice. The key here is to understand the product and have accurate expectations.

What it is? A balm

What it isn’t? A lipstick

So maybe what you want is something soft and hydrating with a lot more color pay off? Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter may be just the thing! Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter retails for $6.49 at Target (varies by location) and comes in 20 gorgeous shades. It’s called a lip butter and feels exactly as you would hope - buttery, plush, and smooth. The company states that “[h]ydrating mango, shea, and coconut butter formula boosts lip moisture by 156%.” Yummy! Seriously though, as an esthetician, I can tell you that mango, shea, and coconut butters are all excellent natural moisturizing factors that protect skin from transepidermal water loss (TEWL) which is a great thing for your lips which are super prone to dehydration through TEWL. 

I tested 6 shades and found they all wore comfortably, didn’t settle into lines, or become cakey, and lasted about 3 hours with no eating or drinking. The color pay off is amazing! Even the pale shades really show up on lips. The fun thing is that these lip butters are a great way to wade into the waters of brighter or more intense colors than you may be used to. Intrigued by the pop of color trend for summer but intimidated by the matte or velvet texture of a traditional lipstick? Try Tutti Frutti or Lollipop - both bright-ish shades but in this hydrating and light weight texture they’re so much more wearable! Imagine hot pink but in a creamy, glossy-yet-not-sticky texture.... it’s so doable. How about a white-based shade without looking like death? Also doable with these lip butters.

Another plus would be the barely there (thank goodness!) scent. They’re not scent-free, but the slight, almost “buttery” scent is not unpleasant. My one gripe, and it’s a little one, would have to be the packaging which I think is a little cheesy looking. The “quilted-look” plastic just doesn’t do it for me. 

The 6 shades I purchased and tested:

001 Pink Truffle: warm pinky beige

015 Tutti Frutti: sheer melon with light shimmer

050 Berry Smoothie: pinky mauve brown with barely there irridescent shimmer

060 Gumdrop: milky lavender

075 Lollipop: wearable hot pink with barest hint of shimmer

085 Sugar Plum: mid tone creamy mauve

Bottom line: Comfortable, versatile lipstick/gloss hybrid with excellent color pay-off at a reasonable price. 

One other quick heads up about these lip butters - like butter, they are very heat sensitive! On warm days they become very soft and could easily be squashed inside the tube if not handled and stored carefully!

If you are looking for a more traditional lipstick, you may be more pleased with Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lip Color. These highly pigmented lipsticks retail for $5.94 at Target, which of course could vary by location - it just happens to be the best price I’ve found. Cover Girl gives this description: “[e]nriched with a silk moisturizing complex, our formula helps sustain moisture levels and helps creat soft, smooth, beautiful lips in just 7 days.”

Well, on a positive note, they do glide onto the lips quite smoothly, but that’s about it. The colors are amazing and intense, but I found them to be intensely drying and uncomfortable to wear.  They seem to drain moisture from the lips and, at least on me, they become more and more caked and settled into every line, nook and cranny of your lips which isn’t cute at all. My other big beef with these lipsticks is the smell. It’s hard to describe but it’s something like synthetic cake batter. At first it’s not too bad but the smell lasts throughout the day and becomes borderline obnoxious. I even felt like I was breathing it in after a while and it was very unpleasant. As far as packaging goes, well I’m not a big fan. The base of the tube, with its cube of product showing, is attractive, but they ruined it with the cheaply made top which scratches easily. I hate to sound so negative because I really do love the colors and rich pigmentation. I just can’t get past the dryness and the smell. 

The colors I purchased and tested:

265 Romance:  creamy browny pink mauve

270 Rush:  neutral reddish brown

285 Temptation:  coppery finished tangerine with a warm red base

330 Divine:  cool toned magenta

335 Embrace:  fuchsia purple

340 Entwined: deep winey mauve

So, if I had to pick a “winner” of the three products, I’d have to say Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter due to the lovely colors and comfortable texture. However, the L’Oreal balm is also a good option - just for different reasons. Whenever you want a hydrating balm with a subtle color boost, it’s a great choice. 

So come on, I know you’ve tried some of these products. What do you think? Everyone’s lips are different and yours may have a totally different opinion, which I’d love to hear!

MAC Cremesheen Lip Glass vs. Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss

As a gloss addict, it's kind of funny that I've never tried Bobbi Brown. A few weeks ago I read a comment online somewhere (sorry, I can't remember where) about someone who absolutely couldn't live without their Bobbi Brown lip gloss. It totally piqued my curiosity, so I ended up running to the nearest counter and picking up a tube.  To make it more fun, I decided to make it all about neutrals and to pick a close-as-possible shade in a similar finish in my tried and true MAC lip glass.

So, here are the contenders:

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Pink Beige, $22.00

MAC Cremesheen Lip Glass in Deelight, $19.50


The challenger, Bobbi Brown had a great color pay-off - even in this lighter toned neutral peachy pink. It also wears well, lasting for hours, though not through eating or drinking, of course. The only down sides are the moderately sticky feel and the fact that it made my lips tingle a bit in a not too comfortable sort of way. It's important for you to note, however, that my lips tend to be a bit persnickety and can be easily irritated so this may not be your experience at all. Maybe it's just me as well, but the applicator of this gloss is what I call "stingy." The sponge tip is small and tight and the wiper inside the tube works a little too well because it takes several dips to get enough product for a complete application. One last tiny complaint - the smell - there's something weird about it - almost like a big pink eraser or some paste? That one could just be my nose, but I wanted to mention it anyway. I find things like that bothersome, do you?

Ok, on to the reigning champ (I say that only because it's the brand I'm more familiar with), MAC Cremesheen Lip Glass in Deelight. The company calls this shade a "mid tone neutral" and I see a slightly plummy-er base than the Bobbi Brown whose base is more peachy. Overall I'd call it a warm pinky rose brown - a super wearable everyday shade for fair to medium complexions. Even though it's a gloss, the Cremesheen line manages to put the kibosh on stickiness altogether which makes it very comfortable to wear. Speaking of wear, it will last on your lips for hours, but not through eating and drinking. And, just like the Bobbi Brown, the color pay off is amazing - made slightly better by the ease of generous application.  Unlike the Bobbi Brown, this applicator is soft and plushy and draws out plenty of product for an easy, one swipe application. There is some sort of barely noticeable scent, but you can't even smell it after you've applied it and that's a good thing in my book. Another plus is that this gloss stays put and doesn't bleed into fine lines at all whereas the Bobbi Brown had a tendency to get a bit cakey around the edges after several hours.

Bottom line: Both brands offer high quality glosses with excellent color pay off. For my personal taste, the MAC Cremesheen Lip Glass edges out the competition because of the superior applicator and better feel on the lips.

Do you have a favorite among these two brands? Other brands? I'd love to hear your picks!

Laua Mercier lipstick or finding your perfect your-lips-only-better-shade

Have you ever found a perfect lip color that looks like your own lips - just "dressed?" That's what I've been in search of for an eternity. Well, it's possible that I've found it! Laura Mercier has a great line of sheer, comfortable feeling lip sticks the company calls "stick gloss." Anyway, the range of shades flatters most skin tones in very natural colors -perfect for when you want to look pulled together, but not necessarily attention grabbing. The shade that is a dead ringer for my lip tone is called Brown Sugar which is sort of a pinky rose beige with a hint of lilac and it's so lovely. Like I said, they have a good range of shades to match your lips and the barely there feel is smooth and stick-free. Even though it is called a stick gloss, it looks and is packaged like a lipstick. The only caveat I can see is that it's pricey - I paid $22.00 at a department store Laura Mercier counter. Being a total makeup junkie, it's not necessarily unlike me to pay that much for a tube of lipstick....but I do feel a wee tad bit guilty. In fact, I'm currently in the process of trying out some lower priced lipstick brands and I'll be sure and let you know if I run across anything truly noteworthy. For now I'm pleased with this not-made-up-looking shade that suits my personal lips to a tee. (Oh, I neglected to mention that I have picky lips - some lip products leave them feeling tingly or swollen or super dried out. Needless to say, this Laura Mercier product passed the moody lips test!)

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer

 Every makeup aficionado will tell you that one of the absolute essential products is a good eye primer. For some reason this particular product category seems to spark a somewhat heated debate. I guess it just goes to show how necessary this item is and that once you’ve found your promised land eye primer you tend to get a tad animated in your discussions on the subject. Well, I’m not trying to add to the debate... only to share an honest opinion. Hey, maybe my favorite is one you’ve never tried and you might find that it works for you. If you’re absolutely sold on the primer you use, more power to ya’, girl!

For those of you who don’t yet know me, let me clue you in - I’m a true makeup junkie. On the web we makeup junkies are a dime a dozen; what might set me slightly apart is how long I’ve been at it - decades. Yes, that means I’m old - not ancient but certainly “mature” by internet beauty circle standards. I could let that get me down, but I choose to see it as the advantage of experience. I still have my very first MAC lipstick which is close to 20 years old. I have eyeshadows from department store lines which no longer exist. I say all of this just to give you an idea of where I’m coming from and how much experience I have in being both a consumer and a professional in the beauty industry. 

When it comes to eye primers, I’ve been trying various incarnations of these eye shadow bases long before the current front runners even came along. What you want from these guys is pretty universal and basic: non-slip, no-crease eye shadow hold as well as ensuring a true, high intensity color pay-off. To be honest, there are several excellent eye primers that fill this bill. The question is how it works in real life for you!

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer is my go to pick time and time again. Even when I have other options on hand for reviewing purposes or professional use, I find myself digging through my bag for the Lorac. Why? Well, first of all it truly does make any eye shadow wear like iron - absolutely no smudging, budging, or creasing - including when you get caught in the pouring rain! I’ve even tested it at the gym -not even one hour of intensive, sweat-dripping cardio could dislodge that eye makeup! Amazing. 

Truth be told, though, there are several other very popular eye primers that do all of that just as well. What’s different about Lorac to me is the way it makes my eye lids look. The Lorac primer goes on smooth and easy (with no color, by the way) and leaves my lids looking and feeling hydrated and toned - not dry as the Sahara like some other primers tend to do on me. One really popular primer seems to suck every drop of moisture out of my eye lids and leaves them looking flaky and -dare I say it? - wrinkled.  For folks with super oily lids I can see that might be a plus.  My lids are neither dry nor oily, and the rest of my skin tends toward oily so I found it surprising how drying some primers can be on me. 

Anyway, Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer does it all in my opinion. It looks great and feels great and keeps shadow looking freshly applied even through sleeping! (I know, bad girl for sleeping in my makeup!) 

One thing I hadn’t mentioned much is the color pay - off question. Since Lorac goes on nearly colorless, it doesn’t compete with ANY shadow color.  All shades I’ve tried with it, from lightest to darkest, come up true and the intensity builds easily - even when used with much cheaper shadow brands.

At the risk of inciting a riot, I’d love to know what you use as an eye primer and why you like it. How many have you tried?