BellaSugar

Doing Drugstore: Wet 'n' Wild Mega Eyes Defining Marker

BellaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:01:24 -0700

Wet 'n' Wild Mega Eyes Defining Marker in Blackest Black ($4) is probably the best deal you can get on a felt tip eyeliner pen. It's not waterproof, so no waterlining, and the color is a little thin, but if your usual beauty routine includes light lining on your lids, you can't do better than this. The formula is thin enough so that it's not dramatic, but it's still very visible three hours after application. It's easy to handle, and the liquid came out evenly and wasn't runny, a problem with a lot of liner pens more expensive than this one. I expect that the pen is going to dry out pretty quickly, but then again most felt tips do, so no big loss there. If you want something highly pigmented to fall in love with, this probably isn't what you're looking for. But if you want an inexpensive and extremely easy-to-use liner marker, it's a definite try.

Doing Drugstore: L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner

BellaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:10 -0700

As far as waterproof eyeliner goes, my current loves are the Bourbon and Zero Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On pencils ($17). But 24/7s are expensive, and they do smudge after a few hours, so I set out to find something a little less movable.

The best of the pencils I've tried so far has been L'Oreal Infallible eyeliner ($8). I tried the Black 511 shade, and although it wasn't the prettiest or most pigmented color by a long shot, the stuff sure did stay in place. Even after I washed my face before bed, it didn't move, which is impressive (if a little annoying). And I was very happy not to have little dark creases under my eyes. It's also got a built-in sharpener and a smudger, which just seems kind of tacked on. I also tried the Cinnabar shade, but I can't give it the same thumbs up because it was too light for me and the shade just made my eyes look irritated. Overall, I'd say for work or days you know you need to look nice but aren't going to be doing touch-ups, this is a good option. Have you had an experience with any of the other shades in this line? If so, what did you think?

Doing Drugstore: Maybelline SuperStay 24hr Makeup and Concealer

BellaSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:01:52 -0700

For those of you that are fans of Max Factor's Lasting Performance Stay Put Makeup (RIP, old buddy), perhaps you might find somewhat of a replacement in Maybelline's new SuperStay 24hr Makeup ($10). The consistency, which lies somewhere between Revlon's ColorStay and Lasting Performance (see my comparisons here), skews more on the slightly creamy end of the spectrum, so it's quite easy to blend.

As for the wearability factor, SuperStay definitely delivers, although by the end of the day, I did have some slick spots in the t-zone. I guess that's the sacrifice you must make in order to keep the finish on the cake-free side, as this product provides semi-matte to semi-dewy results. Surprisingly, this oil-free formulation provides a light-on-the skin feel, all while giving pretty strong coverage. Speaking of bargains . . . read more.

Doing Drugstore: Revlon Brow Specialist Kit

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:00:54 -0700

Last week, I met up with eyebrow guru Anastasia Soare, and ever since then, I've been paying extra special attention to the brow area - or lack thereof. More tips from Anastasia to come, but in the meantime, after passing by this Revlon Brow Specialist Kit ($9) at Walgreens over the weekend, I couldn't resist. My makeup area at home is getting a little cluttered these days, so anything that is compact, compartmentalized, and brow-related captures my attention. To see what I thought of this mini-kit, just read more.

Doing Drugstore: Wet 'n' Wild Fantasy Makers Collection

BellaSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:00:48 -0700

October is a great month for cheap beauty, not only because all the fun seasonal products are coming out now, but also because the absurdly inexpensive Halloween makeup that's on the shelves can be surprisingly trendy and high quality. The granddaddy of the cheap Halloween makeup lines is, of course, Fantasy Makers, Wet 'n' Wild's special effects line. This year so far, my biggest steal has been Extreme Blue Monster's Ball Polish, which is exactly the shade of blue that was all over the runways last month. I'm also a fan of the line's red body wand, which has a consistency similar to Tarte cheek stain, a color a lot like Benetint, and costs less than $2 at my Walgreens. The brand also makes what are by far the cheapest feather fake eyelashes on the market. The only catch is that the stores carrying them don't have them listed on their websites, so you're gonna have to go scope them out yourselves. It's totally worth it, though. There's bargains in them there jack-o'-lanterns, ladies - go get 'em.

Doing Drugstore: Wet 'n' Wild Wild Shine Nail Color

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:00:35 -0700

You all know by now that I usually love some Wet 'n' Wild makeup. It's not just the ridiculous name - the brand makes several products that I swear work just as well as $20 or $30 versions. Their Wild Shine Nail Polish ($1.29), however, is not one of those products. I know, you're thinking, "Bella, why are you surprised/disappointed with $1.29 nail polish? It probably costs the same as dipping your nails in ketchup would, and the ketchup is probably more moisturizing." And you're right, my expectations should not have been so high, and I bet ketchup makes a nice cuticle treatment. The shade I picked up, Dream Poppy, perfectly matched my new sexyface lip gloss, though, and has a hilarious opium reference for a name, so I was really excited. But then it took me four coats just to get it sort of non-transparent, and even now, beneath five coats, you can still definitely see where the whites of my nails begin. Is this true of all their colors, fellow Wet 'n' Wild fans? Or did I just get a bad shade/batch?

Doing Drugstore: Eos Lip Balm Spheres

BellaSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:18 -0700

I'm sort of addicted to Eos lip balm spheres ($4); there's something about the colorful packaging, the way you can apply it to your whole mouth all at once, and the nonslip texture of the "egg" that makes them really fun to use. Plus the lip balm inside is pretty great, and it's 95 percent organic. I've tried both the sweet mint and the honeysuckle honeydew flavors, and while the former is more refreshing and good if you tend to forget your mints, I like the sweet, herbal flavor of the latter. The only problem is that I suffer from chronic application syndrome when I have them - if I'm distracted or doing something at my desk, I'll be reapplying it almost constantly.

Doing Drugstore: L'Oréal HIP Color Rich Cream Eyeliner

BellaSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0700

I'm a big fan of Bobbi Brown's great Long Wear Gel Eyeliner ($21) for waterlining and intense pigment, but Bobbi doesn't make bright teal, which is one of my favorite shades to wear, so I turned to HIP Color Rich Cream Eyeliner ($12). I like it because it sticks nicely on the rims of my eyes, and therefore I don't have any trouble with bright blue smudges. If you're a fan of waterlining, I highly recommend this one. Just make sure you apply your eyeliner before your under eye concealer, so that you can clean up any inadvertent slip-ups. Bonus: Something about the blue-green shade will make you feel extra runway-ready. That, and it's totally '80s cool, without the dated, neon quality.

Doing Drugstore: Vanicream Lite Lotion

BellaSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

When I'm having a breakout, my skin gets so sensitive that it reacts badly to everything, even products I've been using for years. And each little irritation snowballs, until it feels like my face flares up every time I dot on concealer or use eye cream. That's when I know it's time for Vanicream Lite Lotion ($8). As a moisturizer, there's absolutely nothing fancy about this stuff, but it's free of just about any irritant you can think of: fragrance, parabens, lanolin, dyes, etc. It's also, as the name suggests, very light, and it absorbs quickly. It won't even your skin tone, help with anti-aging, or tighten your pores, but it will keep your skin hydrated without further breaking it out, which is a godsend when your complexion's been sensitized and is going downhill fast. If I weren't so obsessed with trying new stuff and experimenting with formulas, I'd use this every day. The brand also makes the most gentle sunscreen ever, so it gets the thumbs-up from me.

Doing Drugstore: Studio 35 Spray-On Glow For Legs

BellaSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:00:44 -0700

A few weeks ago, I was headed to a cocktail-dress-type event, and I wanted something to give my pasty white legs a bit of a boost, but I didn't have time for a self-tanner. I headed to Walgreens looking to try out Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs ($13.50) but alas, they were sold out of the appropriate shade for my skin tone. Instead, I opted for the less expensive Studio 35 Beauty Glow for Legs ($10), which I found in the underwear, socks, and nylons aisle. "It's like pantyhose in a can!" the label proclaims. Depending on how you view it, that could be a good or bad thing. Tights, I like; hose, I don't. To find out my results, keep reading.