Inexpensive liquid eyeliner must haves

All liquid eyeliners are not created equal... But if you are wanting to use liquid eyeliner on a budget there are a few great ones to choose from. I have tested all sorts of drugstore liquid liners and some are great bang for your buck while others aren't worth the buy. 

Today I am going to let you know about 3 amazingly cheap liquid liners that do an amazing job and are really easy on your wallet.

First up is the super cheap ELF liquid liner which I got for $1.50 CDN. This liner has a thin long brush, which is great for creating a sharp point on your liner. The formulation dries quickly and a very opaque black with minimal shine. The only downside for this one is that if your lid creases much this formula can rack if applied too thick. I had this happen a handful of times and usually when I was wearing the liner for 8 or more hours.

Second is the NYC liquid eyeliner which I paid $4 CDN. This one has been on many bloggers fave list for years but I only recently decided to try it out. Much like the ELF liner this one sports a long thin brush applicator. This formula is a little thinner then the ELF but can be easily layered to create an apaque matte black. This one I have never had crack on my lid even on a long day. My only issue is this one takes longer to dry and if you have a hooded lid this can sometimes mean transfer if you aren't pausing close attention.

Lastly if you like an eyeliner pen option is the Esssence eyeliner pen which retails for $2.49 CDN. This one is great if you need a quick liner looks or if you are a beginner. The felt tip on this liner is quite thin making it possible to create a sharp wing. Also using the side of the pen allows you to create sharp looks quickly and with ease. Again this is great for beginners who are just getting used to liquid liners and creating winged looks. The downside of this one is that it is never quite as thick or opaque as a true liquid liner. I have used any of the pen liners and all have been the same when compared to true liquid liners. The other downside can be that they tend to dry out more quickly then a liquid with a brush. However at $2.49 I will buy a couple at a time and the easie is worth the trade off when you are short on time.

Overeall all three of these are great liners depending on your needs and what your pet peeves are. I like all three for different reasons and trade back and forth often!

What are your fave drugstore liquid liners?? I am always looking for a new one to try!

Beautisol Eye Want and Bright Eyed

I started testing these products a long time ago but didn't want to review until I had a chance to test it on my non pregnant skin (my skin acts very differently when pregnant)! I thank Sinead for her patience in getting this review done and I am excited to write it! If you are not familiar with Beautisol they started out with a line of AMAZING self tan products (click here to read that review) and have now ventured into anti aging products as well!

In the eye line there are two products; Eye Want (Crows Feet Be Gone) and Bright Eyed (No Needles Required).  These two products work best together to battle all signs of aging on the delicate skin around the eye. One works like botox, while the other plumps and strengthens the skin around the eye.

Let me give you the scientific breakdown of these products. Eye Want contains '10% Snap-8, a newer offspring of the highly acclaimed Argirilene®. It is clinically proven to reduce crow’s feet by up to 63% as it targets muscle contractions. Another peptide ingredient that targets muscle contractions, Inyline, is added for extra fighting power. EYE WANT also contains a special encapsulated Retinol to provide deep exfoliation in combination with Edelweiss Stems Cells and Antarcticine, all of which effectively resurfacing and reducing the appearance of those pesky wrinkles!'

Bright Eyed contains '5% Argireline®, a well-known peptide that aids in decreasing expression lines, and 5% Leuphasyl®, another effective peptide in wrinkle reduction. But nourishing and feeding the eye area is just as important! Borage Oil contains the highest GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid) concentration of any oil and helps to increase cell resilience and moisten the fatty layer under the skin. Along with ChroNOline and other botanicals, BRIGHT EYED delivers a multitude of beauty benefits such as preventing collagen loss, soothing dry, scaly skin and firming the eye area.'

Now what you all really want to know... does it work!!! I saw a big difference in the lines around my eyes! Now I don't have much in the way of crows feet but I do have those pesky 11 lines between my eyes and the Eye Want worked great to greatly soften them. As well the Bright Eyed delicately moisturized my eye without a heavy feeling... something I hate in many eye creams! As well I often find eye creams make my eyes water and I did not have this problem with the Beautisol products!

I think this duo is well worth giving a try, especially if you tend to have sensitive eyes like I do!

Garnier Nutritioniste Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller

A few weeks back on a quest to combat the dark circles that come with a newborn I bought the Garnier Nutritioniste Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller. The product boasts that it is a '2-in-1 eye product: 1- eye care with caffeine to hydrate and refresh; 2- tinted mineral pigments to instantly cover dark circles. The combination in a cooling roll-on applicator works wonders! It’s ideal for a gentle, hygienic application in the sensitive eye area and the non-messy roll-on applicator is convenient for use on-the-go.'

Now I don't have puffy eyes much so I cannot really attest to the fact that this aspect of the product works, however if that changes I can test it properly I will be sure to let you know. As to the dark circles I kinda feel like this product can't do much more then any under eye concealer. This product does have Lemon essence which is supposed to give a radiant look and diminish darkness, but this really can only do so much. If you have chronic dark circles this comes from the blood vessels being very close to the skins surface... nothing can change this so for those of you who have always had dark circles, these products cannot do much! For those of us who only once and a while suffer from dark circles due to stress diet and lack of sleep, products such as these can be helpful.

Really though this product is simply a glorified concealer... and a mild one at that. I do really like what it does for my eye area but for it's limited value I will probably go back to my normal under eye concealer once this product is gone... unless I find it on sale for a great price!

Benefit Holiday Collection

Benefit has 3 great sets being released for the holiday season. So whether you are looking for that perfect gift for someone on your list, or perhaps something for yourself, Benefit has what you are looking for.

Limited edition lip gloss set, All You Need is Gloss ($30). This set contains three double-ended lip glosses in six shimmering beautiful shades. It’s the perfect gift or stocking stuffer this season for the special gal in your life. Next up is Glowla ($40), this kit contains everything you need to be glamorous this party season (you’ll want one for you and one for your gift-giving). And finally is the Limited Edition Crescent Row mini holiday fragrance set ($42) which includes all three NEW! 2010 Crescent Row fragrances, along with everyone’s favourite, Leelee.

These sets will be released in November 2010 and will be available at Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques, Murale and select Holt Renfrew stores across Canada.

PS If Santa is reading this I have been a good girl and would like the Glowla set under the tree please!

Annabelle® Winter 2010 Colour Collection... Insomnia

New! - Annabelle ® Multi-Dome Eyeshadow. Discover the world behind the shadows with these three promotional palettes: Insomnia, Midnight or Disturbia. Each of these palettes contain four iridescent eyeshadows in this season’s must-have shades: electric blue, coal black, luminous silver or powdery pastels!

New! - Annabelle ® Dome Face Powder. Try this luminescent face powder and be the queen of the night! Stand out by mixing the matte and the shimmering textures to highlight cheekbones and jaw line.

New shades – Glitterama Liquid Eyeliner. One of Anabelle's star products is now available in two jeweled shades: Dark Angel and Night Light. Add glitter and glam to your gaze!

New shade – Rouge Velours Lipstick in Hypnotic. Balance your dark eyes with this soft nude shade of lipstick. Pure colour that feels like velvet.

Marcelle Brighten Your Eye's Collection

Today while running errands I stumbled upon a display for Marcelle's Brighten Your Eye's Collection. I found 4 amazing metallic liners (pictured above) that are some of the most interesting finishes I have seen in a while! They were beyond pure metallic with a finish that glistened like jewels when I tested them. There are also glitter liners available in this line as well!

I also found the best palette (pictured above) this picture doesn't do it justice I don't think as when I swatched the colours they were deep and luxurious! The picture that I took in store didn't do this palette justice either so it is one you need to see in person!

Have any of you come across this collection? Have you purchased some goodies and would like to share your thoughts??

FOTD Summer Fire

I was really excited wen I finished this look last night! It came out dark with my Blackberry so picture the colours a little more vibrant! I wanted something that reminded me of fire but in more of a summery way. She shadow are from JOE Fresh as well as a palette I picked up at IMATS last ear. I love that great shadows don't have to break the bank anymore and you can get some amazing results!

Now I wanted to ask you all a question... what is our favourite eye primer?? I'm on a quest to try some new one's that maybe I didn't know about. I love my UDPP and I am so excited about the packaging change that means no more genie bottle to waste product. However I would love to know what your favourites are!!!

Using Coloured Liners to Create Summer Drama

During the summer months you don't often don't want to be putting on a lot of makeup just to go out into the heat. So what is a makeup lover to do when they still want to make a statement??

 I turn to my coloured eyeliners! Liquid, gel, kohl the types are almost endless these days and they are a great option for someone who loves to play with colour during the hot months!

I have oily lids so during the hot months I do tend to lean towards liquid or gel liners as they set to a budge proof finish. I keep my pencils and kohls for the waterline mostly this time of year.

I love using liquid liner to create a bold pop of colour, then add black just at the lash line to create the depth I love. With so many colours out there to choose from these days the possibilities are endless.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner Review

A few months back I did a short post about the Maybelline Gel Liners when I saw them in-store for the first time. I was thinking about giving them a try and wanted to know what you thought! Well I was lucky enough to be a sent the colour selection for review along with the entire Eye Studio line, so look for more reviews in the future!

There are four colours in the Lasting Drama Gel Liner collection, black, grey, plum and brown. As stated in my previous post these liners are an 'oil-free formula can hold highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base. So color is more intense and lines resist wear for 24 hours, smudge-proof and water-proof and the most intense line for lasting drama'. 

I first tried black because it my favourite liner colour and the easiest for me as lesser quality liners never show as an inky black colour. Well I loved this liner, it was comparable to my most expensive gel liners without a doubt. This liner went on very smoothly and dried down well on my oily lids. The black was dark and inky which creates amazing drama on the eye.

The brush was usable in a pinch but not my favourite so I did go back to my standard liner brushes when applying this product. The brush couldn't create as many shapes as I like, but I wouldn't say it is a complete waste and I have actually used it as a spot concealer brush!

The other colours in the collection were all nicely done. I love the plum not only as a liner but as a base for purple shadow looks! The brown isn't for you if you like a very deep shade, as this one is a lighter chocolate shade, but it works well in many looks.

Overall I think Maybelline did a great job with these liners, and I have been using them a lot since receiving my goodies in the mail!

Say Goodbye to These Annabelle Colours!!

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I love the Custom Quad colours from Annabelle! I own pretty much the whole collection! Every season there are temporary colours added to the line. With the coming of Spring this means we have to say goodbye 4 Quad colours, B-Ray,Vivid Violet, Graffiti and Chlorine .

B-Ray is a matte navy blue that I think is a great option for a modern smokey eye. Vivid Violet is a very sheer purple with a gold shimmer. Graffiti is an ultra shimmer dark grey that should be a staple in every collection. Last but not least is Chlorine, which is a very sheer almost metallic olive green. I have included a picture for you all, but my flash has made all the colours lighter then they truly are!

If any of these colours are a favourite, be sure to run and and get them while you can! These colours are currently being phased out of stores to make room for some exciting colours coming in March (post on the new colours coming soon) so don't wait!

L'Oreal H.I.P. Kohl Liner

As I told you earlier this week I am a sucker for great packaging!!! This is what lead me to check out L'Oreal H.I.P.'s kohl liner when I saw it in my local Shoppers Drug Mart. H.I.P. products aren't as easily found here in Canada, so when I see some I always take a look.

This product comes in a vile and there were six gorgeous shades in my local store to choose from. at first glance it reminds you of a liquid liner with a tube and pull out applicator.

I had high hopes for the cute little bottle of liner, but I was quickly disappointed. First of all this is a powder consistency, something that I usually don't look for in a liner unless it is in a cake form. The applicator is an extremely firm pointed sponge that I actually found irritating to the skin. Finally the colour payoff was a supreme disappointment, with fallout out everywhere. So many bright tubes to choose from but the colour simply did not transfer onto the eye!

I would skip this product even though it looks pretty in the bottle, that is where the charm ends!

Rimmel LYCRA Lash Extender Mascara

In recent months I have become sort of a fan of Rimmel mascara's. I had avoided Rimmel for quite a while because I just wasn't impressed with much of their colour collection. Once I gave Rimmel mascara's a shot I found them to be quite a good bargain for good quality. Recently while my local drug store had an AMAZING sale I picked up LYCRA Lash Extender as I had heard some good things about it!

Rimmel claims that, 'one coat of LYCRA® Lash Extender Mascara stretches and extends even difficult lashes for an impresive high performance result with 14 hour curl hold. A New high-adhesion, quick dry LYCRA® formula delivers smudge-proof, smear-proof and flake-proof wear for girls on the go.'. Not sure about the curl but this mascara is very nice.

The brush is the traditional spoolie style which I usually like the best to be honest... I guess I'm not high tech!! LOL The mascara is smooth and not at all clumpy creating full lashes. There is no flaking or smudging, and lasted all day on my lashes. I love this mascara when used with my favourite primer, it creates an amazing effect for my lashes!

For the $4 I spent on this mascara when on sale I couldn't ask for better results! There are still some mascara's that I like better, but this has found nice home in my makeup bag and I will pick this one up again when I see another great Rimmel sale and my local drug store!

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

Maybelline has finally added a gel liner to the line up. I noticed while shopping the other day that the Eye Studio line as added a gel liner that comes in 4 colours for you to try; black, brown, grey and plum. The liner also comes with the brush to apply it with, but from a close look I think I would stick to the brush I use now.

Maybelline claims that 'only our oil-free formula can hold highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base. So color is more intense and lines resist wear for 24 hours, smudge-proof and water-proof and the most intense line for lasting drama'. Reviews I have read are mixed, some say it is a great product while others hated it. I have gathered that those who use only liner find that it smudges (especially if you have oily lids). Those who prime and layer product find it wears well. 

I've decided I'm going to give this liner a try next time I see it on sale, just in case I don't like it! Have you tried this liner?? If so what did you think of it?

Revlon Double Twist Mascara

Ok so I am always looking for the next bigger and better mascara, like I know most of you are. When I say Revlon's Double Twist I knew I had to give this 'revolutionary' traditional and rubberized brush a try!!

This product comes in 4 shades including Revlon's Blackened Ruby and retails for anywhere from $8-10 CAD. Revlond claims the following 'MASSIVE Volume, REMARKABLE Definition, Revolutionary 2-in-1 brush. Thickening Brush + Separating Combs = The Ultimate Lash Look'. All I have to say to that is LOL!!!

This has to be one of the worst mascara's I have tried in a long time! The brush is huge and hard to deal with. The opening in the tube is too large allowing mascara to clump up all over the brush, which equals clumpy hard to deal with lashes!

I understand that Revlon was trying to create a product that would meet everyone's needs, but I don't see how it would work for anyone! At first I though maybe the product I had was old or defective, but after reading reviews I know that it's not just me and it wasn't that one tube.

I am a HUGE Revlon fan which is what makes me even more sad that I have to tell you that this product was a fail in my books!

Have you tried this mascara?? If so what did you think of it??

Maybelline Eye Studio in Sinful Sinnamon

I recently decided to pick up Maybelline Eye Studio duo in Sinful Sinnamon as I really felt that Maybelline was trying to do a dupe of MAC's Mineralize eye shadow duo and I just had to try it out. Now this statement did not come from Maybelline, but one look and you see many similarities in appearance.

This duo has a brownish burgundy on one side and a marbleized combo of pinks on the other. I am going to review one colour at a time to make it a little easier. The burgundy side has a high pearl to it much like many other mineral shadows. The texture was very soft, almost creamy and was very easy to apply. This colour looks great on people with green eye's but the shade has enough brown in it to look great on other eye colours as well. I found it made my eye's look a little irritated unless I used a black liner to break up the line between the shadow and my eye but my eyes look red very easily. Overall this colour wore very well and it definitely has found a place in m makeup bag.

The marbleized side was a different story. I found this shadow to be extremely crumbly and un-smooth to try and pick up on the brush. When I applied it to the eye I did not see a pink only a sparkly mess that did not stay on my eye at all but did seem to land on the rest of my face. I can't seem to find any use for this colour and wish it wasn't even there to crumble and make a mess.

Overall I did like the deeper shade and I did like it enough to eventually try some the other shades in the line. As with all new products, hopefully the next generation will fix the pitfalls that this product had.

I can't say that the same problem with the marbleized side would be true with all of the colours available! If you have tried this product out let me know what you think! Did you have a better result with the marbleized side then I did??

Maybelline XXL Pro Extensions Mascara

Maybelline launched a few products over the holiday season with the launches came Extensions mascara, so I decided to give it a try! At first I thought this would be a comparison to my L'Oreal Beauty Tubes, but this one is a totally different product. It is however extremely similar to the XXL Extensions™ XX-TREME LENGTH Microfiber Mascara So I may try that one next so I can compare for you all!

Maybelline says the following about this mascara 'Sweep the microfiber basecoat from root to tip of lashes to tame and align unruly lashes. Before the basecoat dries, sweep the lash extending topcoat from root to tip of lashes to achieve up to 85% longer lashes.' Ok so I don't know about 85% longer lashes, but once I used this mascara a few times I really started to like the look it gave me!

My lashes look longer, but also fuller which is something Maybelline doesn't claim but it something I love in a mascara. Most 2 step mascara's give great volume and this one is no different. It did not give any clumping, and the mascara stayed in place all day with no flaking or smudging. I did find it took a little work to remove, but it makes sense that it would with this formula.

I did wish that this came in a richer black as I really like my mascara as dark as possible, but those options always come after the launch so here's hoping it comes in the future.

If you love 2 step mascara's be sure to check out my post on L'Oreal Beauty Tubes as well!

Quick Tip - Using Eye Liner to Change the Size of Your Eye

Want your eye's to look bigger? Use a white liner in the waterline of your eye, it extends the look of your eye. Create extra drama by using a light brown shadow slightly under your lash line. This gives you the look of a larger more awake eye.

Want to create a smaller more rectangular eye? Use a black liner on your lower waterline, this will give your eye some serious drama. Using a deep shadow in the lower lashes will further the drama of this look. Using a black liner will also make the whites of your eye's look even whiter making them 'pop'.

Beautylicious Cosmetics A Review

Beautylicious Cosmetics is a mineral cosmetic company from Canada. Jessica began her company from home in early 2009 and her loyal Youtube clientele is growing quickly. Jessica was kind enough to send me a few shadows to try so keep reading to hear what i think about this Canadian mineral makeup company.

I must say in the past I haven't been impressed with mineral shadow's, I often find them under-pigmented giving washes of colour. This cannot be said for Beautylicious Cosmetics, these shadow's are highly pigmented giving amazing colour payoff without having to use a lot of product. There is not a selection of matte shades as of yet so these are shimmer, but the shimmer is well done and not 'sparkly'. For myself I love using these shadows in combination with matte shadows to created looks with depth and shimmer.

I think the stars of this line are Jessica's bright colours, to me this is what she does best. Pure bright uncompromising colours that create a punch for any look you are creating. Shades such as sorbet and peacock have quickly become some of my favorites in the line.

The price of these shadow's is great as well at $6 for one or $20 for 4. She also offers collections at varying price points. Each jar contains 2.5 grams of product for you to enjoy!

If you love to make a statement with your shadow's and always wanted a great mineral shadow to try check out Beautylicious Cosmetics! Tell Jessica Nancy sent you!

Sleek Cosmetics Palette and Gel Liner Review

I received my Sleek cosmetics a few weeks back and I can't tell you how much fun I have had playing with the colours. I only wish that these products were available to those of us in Canada. I hope that when Sleek expands a little more they will offer international shipping so that I don't have to have friends mail me products! 

I received 3 palettes in this order. I am not going to give palette specific reviews but instead give my opinion on the general quality of the mineral shadows. I could not believe the quality and colour payoff of these little shadow's. I only had to use a little product to get an intense colour payoff that lasted all day. Most of the shadows are extremely shimmery but a couple of the palettes offer matte shades which I really liked for the crease. I personally feel that for myself shimmery shadow does not look as good in the crease as it once did... if you know what I mean!! LOL

The colour selection was something else that I was greatly impressed by. Rich metallics, intense brights and subtle shimmers. Neutrals are also done very well and placed perfectly in each palette. I really did find these colour selections very well done so each look could be done from one palette alone or mixed and matched for amazing looks! The only con is the fallout, which is something that many mineral shadow's have. Keeping your foundation for after shadow application is an easy way to fix that problem, cleaning up fallout and leaving a flawless look!

Next are the gel liners and all I can say is YEAH! Amazing colours that can be used as bases under shadow or the intended purpose as liners! LOL I received an orange, yellow, white and black. I use them almost everyday and love the creamy texture that is still sticky enough to last the day and stay put!

If you are in the UK or can just get your hands on some of these great products don't wait. I only wish we could get such amazing little palettes here for the price. Canadian these are only around $9, which is a deal that cannot be beat!!

Cover Girl's Lash Blast Luxe Mascara Review

So I have previously stated that I did not like Cover Girl's original Lash Blast mascara, but always willing to try something new I wanted to give Lash Blast Luxe a try in the newest 'luxe shimmers'. I bought black Cabernet as I always find burgundy gives my green eye's a nice boost, boy was I disappointed!

This product much like the original formula boasts a very large wand, which I know many people love but I find it difficult to get this product placed well at the lash line without causing a lot of mess on my lids! As soon as I opened the packaging I was shocked, black should not be included in the colour description as this one is a deep red mascara. It is not a true black with red shimmer to it! I do like the formulation of this mascara as it gives some very nice volume to the lashes, but that's where the love of this one stops.

I could not believe how this mascara did NOT make my eye's pop. The red shade comes across as almost a gray on my eye's leaving my lashes looking washed out and not adding any focus to them at all. The cabernet colour did not make my eye colour stand out at all and I had to add a black mascara over top to save my look for the day.

I have not tried the other colours so I would love to know if they are a true black with a shimmer of colour! I was so disappointed when I opened this product after reading black in the colour. Cover Girl should really have labeled this one as a red or burgundy mascara so that people really knew what to expect!

I really wanted to like this one, but yet again I am disappointed with a Cover Girl product!!

Let me know your thoughts on the new Luxe shimmers!!