1P2L: Pencil Eyeliner with Glossier Colorslide + Glossier Play Mini-Reviews

Like most beauty bloggers, I assumed Glossier was about due for a "more full-on" makeup range, and I figured Glossier Play would be it. When they launched a range that prompted some excitement and a slew of criticisms, my initial feelings toward the four new cosmetics and two new tools were relatively mild. Yes, I was excited for the highlighters, but my reaction to highlighters is as instinctual and simple as my two-year-old niece's response to french fries. The lack of professional swatches on multiple skintones--something Glossier has been relatively good about for the past few years--leads me to believe that the launch was a little rushed.

All of this said, I received a slew of Instagram messages and emails when this line was announced, so clearly there's been some hype and interest surrounding the range. And frankly, a fun, colorful cache of products I could buy with the store credit you lovely people have earned me (thanks!) couldn't have at come at a better time. Between Kirby fighting a nasty bout of shingles and me being whacked with the depression hammer, the first half of March reminded me just how important fun and relaxation are.

Now, a lot of people have complained that this launch doesn't suit the "Glossier look." I can't entirely agree. For starters, there's a reason why they're launching these products under a sub-brand: they know it's not their usual no-makeup-makeup. But more importantly, this strikes me as "cool girl" party makeup, the kind of stuff naturally pretty people slap on their faces when they go out and want to try something a little different. None of it is designed for precise cut creases or stage-worthy Instaglam looks, and in my opinion, that's very Glossier.

There's also been a lot of debate about the design and environmental impact of these products. This delightful post from Auxiliary Beauty sums up most of my feelings about this. I'll add that I thought the 1970s-as-seen-by-Y2K-teenagers fonts and boxes were very cute. They hit me right in the "oh fuck that was middle school" nostalgia. However, like most people, I think wrapping each product in an extra piece of foil, then putting in to a box, is a wee bit excessive. It's also suspicious to me that Glossier claims they spent two years preparing this brand, yet they didn't think to use biodegradable glitter. Their consumer base is almost all Gen Z and Millenials, and we're groups that tend to worry about climate change and plastic consumption. To their credit, Glossier has listened to the criticisms; they will phase out the foil packets and plan on reformulating their products with biodegradable glitter.

Since I'm ranting, may I also point out that Glossier is STILL doing that "this is so unique and there's nothing like it" marketing, and it just doesn't work for them? Colorful pencil eyeliners and glitter gel have been around for decades, but they're releasing ad copy like this:

For the millionth time: there are more marketing tactics than the appeal to novelty. Customers like me are drawn to how easy and effortless Glossier's range is, and some are drawn to the "cool factor." But I'm not seeing a single, not-a-Glossier-rep person gushing over how "new" and "original" these products are. Play to your strengths, Glossier.

Enough complaining; let's get on to the swatches, looks, and reviews!

As mentioned, Glossier Play was launched with four new makeup products and two tools. The first makeup product is Colorslide, a range of colorful eyeliners. I got five shades: Adult Swim and Disaster Class for day-to-day wear, and Early Girl, Nectar, and Jumbo for experimentation and fun. All of these shades are matte, but there are metallic colors in the range, if that's more your gig. The Colorslide pencils are $15 each.

I've also sharpened them with the Blade sharpener. I get that a sharpener isn't something most people are going to lose their shit over, but this is a pretty nice one at an agreeable $4. It comes with a purple "cleaning stick" that you can twist in the sharpener to clean out the blade.

Next, we have those not-yet-biodegradable Glitter Gelees. I have three of the four shades: Glass Bonsai, Phantasm, and Firewalk. They're all technically suspended in a clear base and are, therefore, meant to be layered or used as sparkle rather than as full-on eyeshadows. But you can see that some of the shades contain a bit more of the fine shimmer, which makes the base seem less clear; this is most obvious with Firewalk. Phantasm, meanwhile, contains no fine shimmer and is all larger, more obvious holographic glitter shapes. Glass Bonsai is somewhere in the middle as far as opacity goes.

The product I was least excited for, shocker of shockers, was the Vinylic Lip. Yes, a liquid lip product in a click pen with a spongey applicator takes me right back to my first order from ELF, I'm not gonna lie. But I'm not a huge gloss person, and I find clicky pens a bit of a pain to use. It took me 41 clicks to get product out of Pony, and a whopping 71 clicks with Baby. I also find Glossier's color descriptions a little weird: Pony is less "taupe" to me and more mauve, and "Baby" reads more like a strawberry pink than a saturated, blue-based red.

By contrast, I was beyond hyped to see that they were releasing more full-on highlighters, because...highlighters. I purchased the two lightest Niteshine shades, the yellow-based Pale Pearl and the pink-based Platinum Rose.

Here are two looks I created with my Glossier Play products. (The only one not shown here is the Glitter Gelee in Glass Bonsai.) On the left, we have my attempt at something a little more full-on. I used the Jumbo and Disaster Class liners as bases, then added Glossier Lidstar in Cub to the center of my eye and topped it with two layers of Firewalk Glitter Gelee. I lined my lower lashline with Nectar. On the whole, I enjoy the eye look:

Interestingly, neither the Colorslide pencils nor the Glitter Gelee applied the way I expected. Glossier describes Colorslide as a "technogel eye pencil," implying it has a smooth gel formula. I actually found these pencils very waxy, and they tugged at my lids a little as I applied them. Disaster Class was especially difficult to use and applied patchy when I tried to use it as a base. Also, while I was able to get some intense color out of the Colorslide pencils, it took at least two layers to reach full saturation, sometimes three. And using these all over your eyelid when they're a waxy formula that catches? This can happen:

Yeah, that's frustrating.

In short, you can use these as eyeshadow bases, but it's a real pain in the ass, and some of the shades work better than others. These also take a little more effort to transfer to your waterline as compared to a true gel or khol-type pencil. If you're going to get these, go for the more pastel, interesting shades, like Nectar and Easy Girl, which are perfectly serviceable and can be tough to get in a decent formula. As a whole, though, I don't think these eyeliners are particularly special.

I had much better luck with the Glitter Gelees. Now, some people have complained these glitter gels made a huge mess on their face and left a ton of fallout all over their cheeks. In video reviews that stated this, I noticed that the person would apply the glitter to their eyelid, then immediately start blinking and moving their eyes all over the place. A product like this needs a minute to dry, so just be patient and keep your eye as still as you can right after application. I had absolutely zero glitter fallout or movement from all three Glitter Gelee shades after they'd dried, which sort of stunned me.

For the second, more natural look, I used Easy Girl and Adult Swim on my upper lashline to create a simple, slightly winged eyeliner, then lined my upper waterline with Adult Swim and tapped a bit of Phantasm Glitter Gelee at the corner of my eye. Phantasm is the glitter most people are excited about, and I can see why; it's just really fun and pretty.

For both looks, I used their Detailer to apply the glitter. A silicone applicator is definitely the best way to apply these, since it gives you more control and limits the mess, but you don't have to buy this one. Plenty of other brands make cheap silicone applicators.

Both the Colorslides and Glitter Gelees had great staying power; there was no fallout and minimal fading/smearing throughout the day. I use baby oil and cottons to remove them. The glitter is especially tenacious and should be kept out of your plumbing as much as possible, so you'll probably want to hold the oil-soaked cotton on your skin for a while to loosen it up.

For the more dramatic look, I wanted a super-shiny, very bold, definitely red lip, but I didn't get that with the Vinylic Lip in Baby. In fact, when I tried to layer it, I got only slightly more color, but I also noticed flakes on my lips that I didn't see before--see above. And it still never became "high shine" like Glossier promised. It's a thin, lightweight, decently comfortable formula with a faint strawberry smell. Nothing terrible, nothing to write home about. Frankly, I think Glossier should have produced colored versions of their regular gloss instead, since it is far shinier and more full-on than this formula.

I'll definitely get more use out of Pony, which I used for the softer look. One layer gave me that wearable, work-appropriate mauve shade that's perfect for work.

Last, but not least, we have the Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate. In terms of payoff and shine, I'd say these are like Glossier Haloscopes and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors had a baby: they're shinier and more obvious than the Haloscope, but they manage to do it without being sparkly a la the SSP. It's a nice product with a thin, liquid formula that can be built up. Just make sure you blend them out fast, because they dry within seconds. I'm wearing Platinum Rose on my cheekbones in the full-on look, Pale Pearl on my cheekbones and under my brows in the more natural look.

While I really enjoy these and will get good use out of them, I have two quibbles. First, the shade range is just plain dumb. Platinum Rose and Pale Pearl are almost identical on your skin, and the two darker shades look similarly close. If you're releasing glitter gel and colorful eyeliner, and if your ads are full of disco and rave-inspired shots, you should probably come out with some more interesting colors. A lavender, for instance, would've been an on-trend option. Second, these suffer from the same packaging problems as the Lidstars: the lids are small, smooth, and difficult to turn. Anybody with limited hand mobility is going to have a rough time opening these highlighters.

When it's all said and done, I don't think this launch is as terrible as some people are making it out to be, but I also don't think it's full of products you have to rush out and buy. True, I really love the Glitter Gelees, and I'll use the Niteshine Highlighters regularly. But one of each, tops, will probably be more than enough for most people. And while the Colorslide pencils and Vinylic lips aren't dreadful, they certainly aren't worth it when you have brands like Colourpop producing better stuff at a lower price. If Glossier wants to improve this range, I suggest that they:

• Fulfill their promise to use biodegradable glitter in the Glitter Gelee,
• Improve the shade ranges for several of the products, and
• Focus on creating what their fans have actually been asking for, like a cream bronzer or a tinted moisturizer/foundation with a bit more coverage. 

PS: I'll be taking a very short break from writing this blog to focus on work. I should be back by the end of March!

PPS: WHERE IS THAT GODDAMN CANDLE YOU PROMISED, GLOSSIER?!

Note: All of these products were purchased with Glossier store credit earned via an affiliate link. I have not been paid to test, photograph, or write about anything in this post. My reviews are always honest. Actually, Glossier is probably a bit sick of sending me so much free shit, given how poorly I've rated some of their releases. Sorry, guys.

REVIEW: Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

It's rare that I get two deluxe samples of the same product in different shades, but when I manage it, it's definitely prime reviewing material. In this case, I got two tubes of the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner: a brown (Mad Max Brown) in a gift with purchase and a black (Trooper) in my most recent Sephora Play box. I recently fell in love with the Physician's Formula Long-As-Hell-Name liquid liner, and while it's a tough act to beat, I figured these super popular Kat Von D liners might prove able opponents.

The Kat Von D Tattoo Liner is a brush tip liner that retails for $20 at Sephora. Trooper and Mad Max Brown are the only two shades, which is a bummer; comparable products like the Makeup Forever Aqua Liner contain double the product and come in a slew of shades. The Kat Von D range does offer a few similar products with more colors, however, like the Lighting Liner (with metallic shades) and the Ink Liner (with a felt tip). If this product's shade range expands, I'm hoping they come out with more awesome names like "Mad Max Brown." Because, you know, I have a history with Mad Max in general, and especially Mad Max Brown.

Do you have any idea how long I've waited to use this gif? Do you?!

Anyway.

Physician's Formula on top, Kat Von D on the bottom.

The Tattoo Liners have a very soft, relatively fine brush tip that is easy to control. I got an even line of color without any tugging or skipping on my lids. The thin point makes it easy to poke between your lashes and fill in obvious gaps, although admittedly, I'm too lazy to do that on most days. I'd say the Kat Von D brush is maybe a hair thinner than the Physician's Formula, but not by much.

Trooper on the left, Mad Max Brown on the right. Also, check out that sweet concealer crease!

Trooper is a rich, opaque black color that dries semi-matte. It has decent staying power; I can wear it for a good eight hours with only a small amount of smudging and flaking at the end of the roughest days--I'm talking one or two microscopic flakes on my lid or a grain-of-rice sized smudge after I've cried at the movies. It's also decently resistant to rubbing. The above left picture shows how Trooper holds up when your intrepid reviewer forgets she's wearing eye makeup and paws at her eyes for a full 10 seconds before realizing what she's done. It's a little feathery and there's a little flakiness, but overall, pretty impressive!

Mad Max Brown, though, doesn't quite live up to its namesake's rough-and-tumble reputation. The formula is more watery, and I needed two passes to get a rich brown color. I also found that it was slightly more prone to smearing if my eyes watered. That said, it's a damn pretty shade; in real life, it looks more like a soft black and is great for light makeup days.

I decided to swatch the Kat Von D Tattoo Liners up against the Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner and Serum in Ultra Black. Honestly, in a blind swatch test, I couldn't tell Trooper and Ultra Black apart.

I also dampened a facial cotton and ran it across the liners three times. Mad Max Brown didn't hold up nearly as well as the other two. In all fairness, I don't think most people run a sopping wet cloth across their eye makeup and expect it to stay flawless, but it does show that Trooper is the better formulated shade of the two. Also, props to the Physician's Formula liner, because it barely budged until I whipped out the baby oil.

I understand the hype for these liners, I do. The packaging is beautiful, the brush is efficient, and Trooper is a fantastic basic black. Is Mad Max Brown just as good, though? No, it's not, and that's what prompts me to drop the score from a 5 to a 4. I likely won't purchase these in full sizes, either, because I think the Physician's Formula 2-in-1 liner is just as good at half the price.

Unless they release new shades and give them amazing names like Imperator or Aunty Entity. I'd be all over that shit.

RATING: 4 out of 5.

Kat Von D products are sold at Sephora.

The Hype Machine: Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum

The Hype Machine is a series that takes a critical look at well-loved, cult classic, appears-in-every-other-Instagram-photo products and asks: are they worth the hype?

For the most part, the internet's Beauty Hype Machine focuses on mid-to-high-end products, stuff that many-a-guru will claim is "reeeally expensive, but worth it, I swear!" We think of hyped beauty products, and things like YSL Touche Eclat ($42) and Soleil Tan de Chanel ($50) are the sort of luxury cult classics that immediately jump to mind.

Yet not all raved about and regularly promoted products are of the department store variety. The Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum (say that name three times fast) has been every other YouTuber's favorite liquid eyeliner for years. And while it carries a higher price tag than a lot of other drugstore products, clocking in at around $10, it's still a sight cheaper than high end alternatives.

Let's get this out of the way: this product is supposed to contain ingredients that help your lashes grow thicker and fuller. I haven't noticed anything like that, and to be honest, I'm not that fussed. I bought this product to be a liquid eyeliner, not a lash serum. And it seems like most people who sing this eyeliner's praises feel the same way.

And as an eyeliner? This one is aces. The pen is relatively narrow, making it easy to hold, and the tip manages to maintain its shape without feeling stiff or rough. Actually, when I apply this eyeliner, it feels like I'm using soft paint brush. The tip is longer and thinner than most other liquid eyeliners I've used, and it makes it remarkably easy to get a fine, solid line at the inner corners of the eye. I also found that doing a flick was easier than ever before, which kind of stunned me--I didn't think it could get easier than it was with ye olde Wet n' Wild liquid eyeliner.

Obviously, I have to use a black pencil on my upper waterline (as seen above) to complete the look, because liquid eyeliner does not feel good in your eyeballs. But even without the pencil, the Physician's Formula Lash Boosting Eyeliner gives you solid color. I got the Ultra Black shade and am really loving it; it has the barest hint of a satin sheen to it in real life, but it reads matte on camera (which I think is more flattering in photos) and is totally weightless.

This is a long-lasting formula as well. I had next to no smearing, smudging, or flaking throughout the day, despite the fact that my eyes water like crazy. It was decently easy to remove the eyeliner with a Shiseido cotton soaked in baby oil, though of course, it helps to hold the saturated cotton on your eye for a while to break the product down.

The $10 price tag kind of sucks when you consider that drugstore offerings are supposed to be more affordable. There are absolutely serviceable eyeliners that are half the price, after all. But I've come to the conclusion that the Physician's Formula liquid liner beats all of them, from my long-standing $4 Holy Grail Wet n' Wild liner to the lauded Kat Von D Tattoo liner. I'd especially like to recommend this product to liquid eyeliner beginners, since it's affordable and easy to control.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a rare moment--the hype is real and much deserved. If you're in the market for a felt-tip eyeliner that's easy to use AND long-lasting, give the Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum a shot.

The Hype Machine is a series that represents my experiences and opinions. It is not meant to be a personal attack on a specific company, product, or consumer. I always recommend that you try products for yourself and see how they work for you. Everybody is unique, after all!

REVIEW: Milk Makeup Eye Marker

My first experience with the Milk Makeup range didn't go so well. One product disliked my face, another didn't work for me at all, and a third product was really nice, though nothing new or revolutionary. Despite those sad results, I decided to give the brand one more shot with an item that seemed smartly designed and right up my alley: their Eye Marker, a liquid eyeliner that is designed to look and function like an actual marker.

The Milk Makeup Eye Marker currently only has one shade, a black called Black Sheep, though I'm sure they'll expand the range in a bit. It retails for $20, which is about par for the course for high end liquid liners. The packaging is a hard tube with some rubberized pieces and a lid that snaps on tightly. I'm sad to say that the tube smells strongly of rubber for the first few weeks. That's not the end of the world, and the smell does fade, but it's worth noting.

The tip is firm and stiff, but not rough or painful, and comes to a decently thin, flat tip with beveled sides. This is meant to make it easy to draw whatever line you want, similar to doing calligraphy on paper.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy to draw with this product. The picture above shows my first attempt at using the Eye Marker. On the one hand, I was able to get the outer half of my eyes done in mere seconds, and drawing the wing was a breeze. (I went back in and darkened it after taking this photo.) However, I found it very hard to make the line perfectly smooth and even; you can see that the edges of my liner look a tad "rough" in this photo.

Also, the shape of the eyeliner tube makes it a bit awkward to draw on the inner third of the eyelid. I have small, deep set eyes, so when I tried tilting the marker to finish off my liner, I couldn't seem to hold the marker steadily without smacking my browbone. I eventually got the hang of this after 3 or 4 uses, but it's worth noting that the Milk Makeup Eye Marker is not quite as ergonomic as it seems.

I also had to make more than one pass with this liner, drawing the same eyeliner shape twice to ensure smooth, even color. The problem is that the tip of the marker is either pulling up the liquid liner, or it's not applying it as evenly as the rest of the marker, leaving a line of blank space. You can see it in the swatch above. This isn't the end of the world, since you can get your eyeliner on quickly with this product, and you can avoid this entirely if you just use the beveled side of the marker. But it's definitely an added frustration to have to do it all twice if you want a thin line.

The biggest disappointment, for me, is the wear. Milk claims that this product will wear for 24 hours without fading, and while I definitely didn't experience fading, I did notice a lot of smearing and some flaking with this product. That was the nail in the coffin for me. My $3 Wet n' Wild liquid eyeliner will wear for hours with zero smudging or flaking, and it's easier to get a smooth, solid line.

Yet again, it seems like Milk has created a product that looks cool and works well in theory, but doesn't really function in practice. It's "cool concept" over "smart concept." And that, my friends, has turned me off of the line, at least for the time being.

RATING: 2 out of 5

Milk Makeup is available at MilkMakeup.com.

That Marc Jacobs 500 Point Perk at Sephora is 500% Worth It

I'm a notorious Sephora Points hoarder. I may toss out 100 points on a nice mascara sample or a small tube of a hydrating face mask, but dropping 500 points on a kit of minis has never melted my butter. That's because, quite frankly, none of the Sephora 500 point kits have impressed me over the past year.

Until now. Sephora is currently offering the Marc Jacobs Blacquer and More kit for 500 points. It's all makeup, and it's all makeup I would use (no bronzers, no lipglosses, etc.), so I jumped right on it. And if you have any interest in Marc Jacobs products, I suggest you do the same.

Before I get too engrossed, please note that all of these products are deluxe sample sizes. They're generous samples, no doubt, but don't expect full-sized goodies in your box.

First up, the eye products. There are two eyeliners in this kit: the Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in Blacquer and the Magic Marc'er Precision Pen Waterproof Eyeliner (squee, cute name!). The Highliner is, as the name suggests, a creamy gel formula. It absolutely glides on to my waterline and sets quickly, so if you're in to smoked liner, you'll have to work quickly with this one. The pigmentation and formula of this remind me so much of my beloved Milani Liquid Eyes liner, but the Marc Jacobs product is a twist-up. That's better with a super-creamy pencil like this because otherwise, they need sharpened constantly. I'll stick with my Milani because I don't wear pencil liner that often, but this is absolutely worth it for the more liner-enthused folks.

The pen eyeliner is also fantastic. It has a long marker tip that's thin enough to make precise lines, firm enough to prevent wobbling, but soft enough that it doesn't scratch. This formula is also a rich, pigmented black. Unlike many liquid eyeliners, the Marc Jacobs Magic Marc'er has a distinctly glossy finish to it. I love my Wet n' Wild liquid eyeliner to bits, but it's matte...so this one tempts me.

The mascara is the O!Mega Lash formula. I've tried it before; I kinda liked it then and I kinda like it now. It clumps like no tomorrow, and if you aren't careful, the ends of your lashes can look bent and spidery. However, it's a very rich black that provides plenty of volume, and I dig that. I've also experienced next to no fallout with this mascara. I'm not tempted to buy a full size tube because the formula is more wet than what I normally like, but trust and believe I'll use up my sample for nights on the town.

The only "meh" part of this kit, for me, is the Le Marc Lip Creme in Magenta. The color--a satiny purple with a hint of blue iridescence--is really gorgeous and will flatter a lot of skintones. The formula is nice as well: the lipstick applies opaquely and easily with one quick stroke. I did find this formula slightly drying, however, and the staying power wasn't up to par with other satin/matte lipstick formulations. Keep in mind, however, that I wear mostly satin/matte lipsticks and I like my rouge to wear like car paint, so my tastes may not match up to yours.

The shiny black-and-metal tubes get smudged up easily, but that's a minor gripe. Overall, this is probably the best 500 point perk Sephora has released thus far. And as of this posting, it's still available on Sephora.com!

REVIEW(S): Forever 21 "Love & Beauty" Makeup

Forever 21 isn't exactly a store you'd equate with great makeup. Instead, it's the most popular purveyor of cheap, uber-hipster clothing in my neck of the woods, a store full of see-through crop tops and spandex shorts for $20 or less. That's not to say it's BAD--some people can really rock those shorts--but the vibe doesn't lend itself to makeup.

But Forever 21 does, in fact, sell a wide range of makeup and beauty products, all of which seem to be from a brand called "Love & Beauty." I'd heard that some of these products were incredible for the price point, namely the eyeshadows and lipsticks, so I decided to take a $20 and check it out.

For the record: all of these products were $3.80 when I purchased them with the exception of the cream blush, which cost $0.99.

The Liquid Eye Liner

My my my. If you want to talk about something that's the stuff of my nightmares, the Love & Beauty liquid eyeliner would probably be the top candidate.

First, the good: the brush tip applicator is actually quite well-made and easy to control. I didn't have to deal with any splayed hairs. Also, I didn't pick up any odor.

...annnnnd the good stops there. This was one of the most watery, messy liquid eyeliner formulas I've ever dealt with. While it was easy to draw a straight line with the brush tip, said straight line was a mixture of "blah gray" and "oh there's no makeup here!" It also took its sweet time drying, which left me with a few smears to clean up. I realize that the header image for this post is a little misleading, seeing as the eyeliner shown in said image is quite solid and black. That's because I refused to let that hideous Love & Beauty crap shine through in a FOTD-type picture, so I went over both eyes with the Wet n' Wild Mega Liner.

The difference is night and day. Fun fact: the Wet n' Wild liquid liner is roughly the same price as Love & Beauty's similar offering, and it works ten times better. So just go for that bad boy.

The Cream Blush

I didn't have very high expectations for this cream blush, mostly because my experiences with bargain basement cream blushes have led me to believe that they are Just Plain Crap (tm). With the noticeable exceptions of the NYC Blushable Cream Sticks (which are better than most HE cream blush sticks and were discontinued shortly after they were brought out, WTF) and the NYX cream blushes (great drugstore option for those who like an emollient formula!), all of the drugstore cream blushes I've tried have had a waxy texture, stupid amounts of chunky glitter, and/or zero pigmentation.

The Love &  Beauty cream blush does contain some pointless sparkle, but the actual product itself isn't all that bad.

Here's two layers of the cream blush over a sheer foundation. As you can see, there are some sparkles that don't really do anything (the slight glow you're seeing is just the natural glow I get in the summer, AKA sweat), but they're not particularly chunky or obnoxious. The pigmentation is decent. And the formulation is quite comfortable: it reminds me of the Lipstick Queen Oxymoron Matte Glosses insofar as it's dry in the pan, but quickly warms under the heat of your fingers and is easy to blend. This blush lasted for about 5-6 hours with minimal fading.

I'm not overly impressed with the shade; to me, it's just a standard pink that neither brightens nor muddies my complexion. But because it's cheap, has good staying power, and is easy to apply, I'll probably throw it in my makeup bag. It'll work in a pinch, and it's not a financial blow if it gets lost.

Lipsticks

You'd think I'd have the best handle on this part of the review, seeing as I'm a lipstick fanatic who reviews pout paints regularly. But I'm not quite sure how I feel about these lipsticks, to be honest. On the one hand, they perform impressively, especially for a bargain lipstick; on the other hand, they have some characteristics that drive me batshit insane.

The most obvious problem? The packaging.

Notice our special guest?

This is what happened to Matte Fuchsia's cheap plastic packaging the first time I tried to open the tube. No, really: all I did was take the cap off, and it fell to pieces. I've experienced some truly faulty packaging, but this go-boom incident really blew my mind. How would this thing survive in a purse or makeup bag? (Hint: it probably wouldn't.)

The explosion only happened with Matte Fuchsia, but the packaging for all 3 lipsticks I purchased was flimsy, and none of the lids felt particularly tight.

Matte Fuchsia: blotted vs. applied thickly

Still, I gave each lipstick the good college try, and I was simultaneously impressed and annoyed. Straight off the bat, the matte lipstick formulation has a somewhat silicone-y feel, so it sits comfortably on your lips (I didn't experience any dryness or tightness), but it's just about impossible to get a strong lipline. Even when I applied with a lip brush, I felt like the matte lipsticks always had a "blurred" look around the edges. This isn't a deal-breaker for some people, and I actually liked the softness when I wore the shades blotted. But when I tried to do a full-on layer of lipstick, the smeariness irritated me.

The creme formulation is, of course, more glossy. It's also a little less pigmented, though I still got decent color payoff. Both formulations lasted for about 5 hours before needing touch-ups, and the matte lipsticks stuck it out with next to no fading through eating and drinking. However, those matte formulations also stain a bit, especially the fuchsia shade.

From left to right: Matte Fuchsia, Creme Coral Pink, Matte Red

Which leads me to my next problem: the shades. Do I just have a weird personal color scheme, or is that Matte Fuchsia lipstick more berry than fuchsia?! Fuchsia, to me, is a cool, hot pink with hints of purple; this shade was far more purple and dark than I would expect. The Matte Red is okay, but pretty uninspiring. Coral Pink Creme is the most aptly named and attractive in terms of color, but the matte formulation is more impressive to me.

I don't think I'll buy more of these unless they come out with a super-unique shade, and I'll be getting rid of the red for sure (my other reds are far more impressive). But...I'm not so sure about the other two. Coral Pink is different, shade-wise, from anything else in my collection at the moment, and Fuchsia looks rather nice blotted down. I'll have to think about those two.

Final Verdict?

There were hits and misses here, which is the case with any brand. Over the years, I've learned what I like and what works for me, and most of these products don't fit the bill as perfectly as other products in my collection. But you know what? With the exception of the Eyeliner From Hell, they're not that bad. Actually, they're quite nice and affordable. I could easily see buying a lipstick or an eyeshadow palette from this brand for a younger child who's just getting in to makeup, or if you want cheaper options for your travel makeup bag. And if you're on a tight budget? Eh, it's worth a try.

LIQUID EYELINER: 1 out of 5 (props for the brush)

CREAM BLUSH: 4 out of 5

LIPSTICKS: 4 out of 5

Mini-Reviews: Giving It Another Go

I can be a little fickle. Sometimes, I try a product and absolutely LOVE it, but never wear it again. Then there are products that I think are "just okay" or don't much care for, but I really really REALLY want to love them, so I hang on to them. As I continue shrinking and re-evaluating my calculation, I think it's important that I give these products one last chance to impress me.

MAC Candy Yum Yum lipstick is one of those products that I totally loved when I first tried it, but never wore again. And I'm not entirely sure why. Yes, it's a bit of a drying formula, and I wouldn't call it my most flattering shade. But it's so pigmented and unique, and if I blot it down over a bit of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, it's an incredibly chic, work-appropriate fuchsia.

The Flower Beauty foundation is something that definitely didn't work for me. It was actually too dewy for my combination-dry skin, if you can imagine that; it didn't just fade on my oily nose, it also moved around on my dry cheeks and rubbed off of my chin if I applied a little pressure. I don't usually wear foundation without powder and/or setting spray, though, so it's rather unfair of me to judge the Flower foundation without pairing it up first. And if I set it--as I did here--it looks just fine. Not as flattering as MAC Face & Body or as super-natural as the Tarte BB cream, but certainly doable. Still, it's not GREAT on me, so I won't keep it around.

The two Wet n' Wild products should probably be removed from my collection. The ColorIcon brow pencil in Taupe is really nice, especially for the $1 price. I like to think of it as Shu Uemura Seal Brown's creamier, "heavier" cousin due to the similarity in color. I'd totally recommend it. But the Shu pencil is still my all-time favorite. And while the MegaLiner liquid liner isn't BAD, it certainly isn't a keeper. It's ok for getting a thin line just along the lashes, but it's a bit difficult to fill in my flick with the flimsy brush,  and it actually flakes on my eye area. I could use it, but why should I? I have other products I definitely prefer. Not needed. Both of these will be going away.

So the one thing that's staying is the bright lipstick. Who knew? ;) That being said, I'm REALLY trying to cut down my collection, and that includes getting rid of some of the lipsticks I've always loved. It needs to be more elite, comprised of products I'll wear regularly, and big-move-ready.

Kill n' Keep: Mini-Reviews on the L'oreal Lineur Intense liquid eyeliner and Tarte BB Tinted Treatment

First up in my series of mini-reviews are these two little guys: the L'oreal Lineur Intense liquid eyeliner in Carbon Black and the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment in Fair. Hilariously enough, the product I had high hopes for ended up being a total fail, and the product I was initially doubtful of ended up being quite nice.

First up, the product that didn't wow me: the L'oreal liner. I've heard great things about how pigmented and smooth this product was, and it definitely is a beautiful, rich, black color. But unfortunately, it's not even mildly water-resistant.

Being one of those incredibly pale people with uber-light eyes, I have a mild sun allergy, and bright light--especially bright daylight--tends to make my eyes tear up. The L'oreal liner completely disappeared or flaked up at the first sign of liquid, as you can see above.

The packaging is also mildly irritating. The tube is completely nondescript; the only indication of what product it is is found on the little label on the bottom. And while it's nice to find a drugstore liner with a brush tip, the tip on this liner is a bit thick and rather boxy; I've been doing winged eyeliner for years now, but it was a bit of a struggle to get a precise, pointed wing with this brush.

Of course, when I went back and touched up where it had melted off, I fell back in love a little. It's just so rich and black and affordable--only $8 for a liquid liner with a brush! But alas, I know that it will melt at the first sign of rain, sweat, or tears, and that's a no-go for me. I'll use this product every once in a while, maybe when I'm going out or when I'm just darkening up the liner along my lashline, but beyond that, it's a total bust. RATING: 2 out of 5.

The Tarte BB cream, however, ended up being an unexpected like. Not only did it look quite dark when I first squirted it out of the tube, but the texture is so silicone-y that when I first began rubbing it in to my skin, I actually yanked my hands away from my face in shock. Granted, this product is marketed primarily as a primer, something you'd use under a foundation to give it more staying power and a bit more coverage. But because this product is tinted AND marketed as a BB cream, I was fully prepared to treat it like a light-coverage foundation. To its credit, the Tarte BB blended in to my skin very smoothly, provided light coverage, softened up on my dry-combination skin after about 15 minutes, and looked like a decent color-match. But I still didn't trust it, so I set it with some translucent powder.

Folks, I had no reason to worry: this baby stayed put through a walk, blotting with tissues, and a good 5-7 hours of wear. While it looks nice in daylight, it looks especially lovely in flash photography, as seen above. My skin almost appears slightly blurred and soft-focus, though of course, topping it with a slightly mattifying setting powder helped. And I did feel the need to dust a little more powder on my nose (where I actually get oily) after about 5 hours. Regardless, it looks nice and is in a doable shade for my N5-10 skin--a rare treat. I still get squicked by the texture, and I wish it was a bit more "ooh! aah!" in daylight, but overall, I quite like this product. RATING: 4 out of 5.

Uber-Basic Eyeliner Flick Template

It's no secret that I loves me some flicked liner, but it might surprise you to know that I regularly get asked about how I do my flick. It's especially astonishing when you remember that my eyes are deepset and hooded, so 95% of my eye makeup isn't visible from most angles. There are plenty of "perfect flicked eyeliner!" tutorials on YouTube, but I don't consider this particular version "perfect flicked eyeliner"--that varies so much from person to person--and I haven't really seen any versions by people with barely-visible lids. I figured I'd post a sort of step-by-step eyeliner flick template. I call it template rather than a tutorial because this is just a super-basic eyeliner flick that you can (and should) modify based on your eye shape, personal preferences, etc.

The liquid liner I generally recommend to beginners is Jordana Fabu-liner. It's $2, very black, water-resistant but not so strong you can't get it off at the end of the day, and the felt tip is really nice for those who aren't used to liquid liner, as it's basically like drawing with a marker. Also, the felt tip is firm enough for you to get a smooth line, but it's also soft enough that it doesn't scratch.

With a felt-tip liner like Fabu-liner, it's often best to hold it so that you're applying the product with the TIP of the brush, not the side. This gives you a thinner, more precise line, and you can build up the liner thickness you want as you go. I actually tend to hold my Fabu-liner like a pen and literally draw on my eyelid.

Before we get too  involved, here are a few tips:

1. Don't panic if you make a mistake. A lot of people get upset when they try out liquid liner and can't get perfectly straight, gorgeous lines right off the bat. Then they get all wobbly and nervous. It's easy to fix a blob or too-thick flick with a q-tip soaked in makeup remover. Furthermore, many mistakes are covered up as you finish your liner, ie, you might accidentally dot some liner on the outer corner of your eye, then the flick you add on covers up the dot. Besides: it's just makeup. It comes off at the end of the night. ;)

2. Take your time. I've been doing winged liner regularly for about 2 years straight, but I still take a good 5 minutes to finish the liner on both of my eyes. Granted, part of that is me just taking my time because I find applying my makeup relaxing, but even when I'm rushed, I can't finish my liner in under a minute and have it look the way I love it to.

3. Eyeliner flicks are sisters, not twins. They're just like your brows, your nostrils, your eye shape, etc. Pretty much NO ONE is going to notice that the flick on your left eye is a little thicker and a smidge more vertical than the one on your right.

Before I start my liner, I prime my lids and apply any shadow I plan on using. If your eyelids are really dry or oily, or if you plan on wearing your eyeliner for a super-long time, I highly recommend priming your lids.

If you're new to flicked eyeliner, it's a good idea to use a piece of clear tape as a guideline. Stick a piece to the back of your hand (so it won't yank the skin around your eye too hard later), then apply it to your lower lashline, making sure you tuck the tape UNDER your bottom lashes. The angle you apply the tape at will, of course, alter the angle of your flick. The usual guideline is to "follow your bottom lashline," which I often do (and did here), but you can tilt the tape up higher for a more vertical flick, or down lower for a horizontal flick.

Draw a line across your upper lashline using small, short strokes. Some people start at the inner corner, but most people--including me--find it easier to start at the outer corner and work inwards. Don't fuss about getting it perfectly smooth; just get the color down. Make sure you use the tip of your liner brush to get in between your lashes and cover up the skin (Fabu-liner's dark-yet-liquidy formula is especially nice for this, as it doesn't leave gunk on your lashes).

Do the same on your other eye. You'll notice that I'm already drawing over top of the tape; this is so I can make sure my flick is nice and dark, and I don't have any bare skin spots showing. Feel free to draw over the tape, like a house painter with paint.

Go as far in as you want and as thick as you want. I generally keep my liner very thin on the inner half and just short of the actual inner corner of my eyes, then I make the liner on the outer half thicker. I just like how it looks on my eyes.

Using the tape as a guideline, draw a line that extends out from your lash line. Draw right over the tape without fear!

Notice the chunk of "blank skin" between the flick and the base line you drew? Fill it in with liner. I tend to do "back strokes" for this, drawing from the flick back in to the base line.

Carefully pull the tape away. This will leave a pretty clean, sharp line. It looks a bit funny in this picture because the flick is just kind of "floating." It's a good idea to gently tug the outer corner of your eye up and out to make the skin taut, then use your liquid liner to connect the flick to your lower lashline. Basically, you draw under the flick to thicken it. You can also apply liner to your lower lashline, but my eyes are small, so I generally avoid that.

Now it's time to darken it up! Completely optional, but I think this makes winged liner look even better. I tightline my upper waterline with a dark black pencil; my favorite is Milani Liquif-Eye. I find that it helps to turn sideways and look in the mirror that way; you'll have a better view of your waterline. Rub the pencil up in to the lashes to hide any showing bits of skin.

Applying your mascara can also darken things up. (I used Chanel Inimitable Intense for this look.) Use the ol "wiggle your mascara wand at the base of your lashes" trick, and you'll deposit some extra product along the lashline, plus make your whole look more dramatic. It can also help to add more mascara to the outer third of your lashes, as it draws more attention to your flick.

And that's it! Sharp, black, very basic, and uber-easy to do with a bit of patience and practice.