Review:: Jesse’s Girl Eyeshadow Primer

I picked this product up in March when Walgreens was having a BOGO on Jesse’s Girl products. I wasn’t expecting much from the $5.99 product, but figured I could always take it back if I didn’t like it.

The first thing I noticed was the consistency which is very thin and oily-very different from UDPP or MAC paints or paint pots which tend to be thick and creamy. You HAVE to work this product in as it tends to be oily when you first put it on, but turns matte after working it in. 

The packaging is sleek and simplistic with a doe-foot applicator which provides ease of use-remember to use a disposable wand if sharing the product! I know the UDPP leaves product in the nook and crannies of the bottle and I’m not sure if this packaging has the same issue, though I’m not sure I would care with the price point.

Speaking of price point, you will only be set back $5.99 for 4.5ml/.16oz of product. I found mine at my local Ride Aid (not all stores carry Jesse’s Girl products) and online at the Jesse's Girl website for the same price.

This has been my go to primer since the beginning of March only deviating once because I didn’t want my UDPP to get mad at me! I haven’t experienced any creasing and my eyeshadows are vibrant. I’ve been able to wear the product for upwards of 9 hours and didn’t notice a problem. I’m not sure how it wears in extremely warm weather, but I’m sure I’ll find out soon!

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product and repurchase. I’m actually thinking about swinging by Rite Aid for a backup or two.

Be sure to drop me a line if you’ve tried this product.

Happy Reading…Jae

Review::E.L.F Gotta Glow Blush

On the E.L.F website this product is classified as a blush, but that’s obviously not for someone my complexion. I bought this product to use as a highlighter for various places on my face.

When I first opened the packaging I was a bit surprised to find a product that looked like an off white powder that left me wondering how the heck it was going to highlight my skin. I decided to try the product before giving up and I was happy I did so. When swatched I found a nice glowy champagne sheen on my hand and immediately knew this was the product for me. I immediately grabbed a face brush and went to work on my check bones and liked the glow it instantly brought to my face, it was subtle yet effective. I’ve also tried it as a brow bone highlight with the same results.

The product itself is very powdery and should be used with caution. I made a mess the first time I used it with a brush and found that it lost a lot of product because I didn’t realize it was so fine. I now dip the tip of my brush into the product and build it up as needed.

The packaging is very sturdy for a $3 product and reminds me a lot of the NARS blush packaging. I like the simple look and the peek-a-boo area on the front allows you to easily see the product. The back is even more simple with a small sticker containing the name of the product.

Overall, this is a really good product that anyone could benefit from, especially with such a small price tag. This would be a perfect product to use for prom, wedding or even everyday. I haven’t seen this in Target stores yet, but I know its available on the website.

Make sure to leave a message if you have this product letting me know how you use it and how you like it.

Happy Reading,

Jae

Review::E.L.F Stippling Brush

I picked up a stippling brush during one of the recent E.L.F sales and have been using it long enough to deliver my review. I was so excited when I came across the coupon and saw the price of their stippling brush that I had to pick one up! I have a couple of “skunk” brushes none that work well for foundation application and I was really looking forward to using this brush for liquid foundation.

I tore into the package and washed my new brushes as quickly as possible so that I could get down to the fun parts…playing around with them. I first tried the stippling brush with my MAC Mineralize Satinfinish Foundation and felt that it was hard to “stipple” because the brush was not dense enough. I then decided to try buffing the product in and it seemed to work a lot better, but the finish was a little streaky. After working at it, I was able to get a good finish, but it was not as easy as I thought it would be. I then tried it with my Clinique Perfectly Real liquid foundation and it worked much better. I was able to both stipple and buff the product in and received the finish that I wanted…natural! It seems the brush works better for me with a thicker consistency…although it could be user error!

I plan on trying this brush with powder and crème blushes as I’ve heard they work great for those types of products as well. All in all, I’m happy with the brush, but I’m still on the quest to find the prefect foundation brush. I would definitely say pick this up for unbeatable price alone and the fact that it is a good brush overall.

Make sure to drop me a note if you have this brush letting me know how you use it and how you life it.

Love and Hugs,

Jae

Maybelline Fit Me Review

i was instantly draw to the display of Maybelline Fit Me when i saw it at my local Target. i've been on the hunt for an inexpensive foundation and the price point was on particular one was great. my Target didn't have the testers out so it took me a while to decide on the shade that i thought was best. i decided to go with 315 because my undertone is more yellow and pink/red and 325 looked to have too much pink in it. it matched, but i felt like i needed a shade slightly darker. i then went back and picked up 355 (which is way too dark of course) to mix with 315 in hopes of making my idea shade. i played around and finally mixed up a shade that i was comfortable with, but still felt like i was searching for something. much to my surprise my local Wegmans had a display with a color that was missing at Target (320) and i decided to pick it up. i played with it again and came to the conclusion this was not my inexpensive foundation. i ended up returning them continuing my quest for a cheaper alternative.

my pros:
nice color range - although there is not an exact match for everyone
price
ease of use and blending
buildable coverage

my cons:
the smell was a bit much for me
the finish was too matte for my liking
lack of shades for pigmented skintones

overall, this foundation did not work for me and left a little to be desired. i've read a couple of reviews in which the product worked, so i wouldn't count it out until you try it. if you have tried it, let me know how it worked for you.

happy reading,
Jae

Review - MAC Stacked 2! Pigments

I went to my local CCO Tuesday for a little retail therapy although I told myself I was just "looking" I walked out of the store with a little white baggy! They didn't have many new items, but I did find the Stacked 2! pigments which I believe came out with the Spring Color Forecast collection in early 2010. I love pigments (although they can be messy) and had thought about purchasing when the collection was out, but I wait too long and they were gone...boo. I tried them on my hand and loved all of the colors in Stacked 2! and the vibrant purple in Stacked1! *I'm not big on pinks so 1 didn't appeal to me*. I noticed the tester was really chunky and glittery, but i figured it was just the tester and the new package I bought would be fine. Like in a kid in a candy store I immediately went home and started to play with my new pigments and quickly realized something was terribly different than the others I own. They were indeed really chunky, cakey and chalked full of glitter...not the fine glitter, but really big chunks of glitter. Thinking I could work with it, I proceeded to try the colors on my eye area and quickly noticed the amount of fallout *some is expected with loose shadows* all over my face. I had more product on my face than my eye area and the same happened after applying them wet. After taking forever to get decent coverage I realized the colors were really pretty *the golden olive was my favorite* and thought the problem was with me and my patience *which i need to work on*. Soon after I realized my right eye was having a huge issue and I could barely see out of it with the tears streaming down my face *dramatic right???*. At first I still thought it had to be something else, but when I couldn't open my eye I knew it was time to take the shadows off. As soon as I did everything was FINE. Even with that evidence I was still convinced I could make them work, somehow. Then my frugal side kicked in and convinced me to take them back in exchange for one of the Holiday sets from 2009. Needless to say, my experience with the set was aweful. Do any of you have Stacked 2!? If so, let me know your thoughts.

Love and Hugs,
Jae

My Take on Mark/Avon Brushes

I’ve had my Mark/Avon brushes for about a year and decided to share how I feel about them in a video. Overall, I think the brushes are really good as an inexpensive alternative for someone wanting to building their collection and for the working professional. I actually reach for a couple of the brushes more than their MAC counterparts and some I don’t reach for at all. I purchased most of these brushes prior to my mother being a representative and I purchased a few from her *nothing was free*. If you would like to purchase from my mother Click Here. 

I hope you enjoy the video, I decided not to edit it too much as I wanted you to see the real Jae! To see the video for this makeup look Click Here. Make sure to leave me a message if you have these brushes or plan to purchase them. 

 

Love and hugs,

Jae

essence…NOT the Magazine!

Sometime this year my local ULTA began carrying UK beauty brand essence which turned out to be a match made in heaven! At first glance you may think its for the teeny boppers, but when you try the products you soon find out its nowhere near it. I also love the price points for this beauty line which has its most expensive item at $3.99…scoooooore!

I have tried a few of their products and figured it was time to share the wealth. I’ve found a favorite mascara and 2…yes 2 eyeliners.

essence – liquid eyeliner…waterproof: this product is great. It has a brush (not felt) tip which I prefer as it gives you a precise line. Its also a matte black!…which I love most of the time. I did not have any problem with cracking or smudging like other liquid liners. Price $2.79!

essence – eyeliner pen: I was skeptical about this product since I had a bad experience with a pen liner before. Being that it was so inexpensive I figured that I could splurge a little to try this out and boy am I happy I did! This is a great “marker”, it didn’t tug at my eye or dry out halfway through lining. This is also smudge proof and dries quickly…which allows you to quickly complete your makeup process! It does have a slight gloss though nothing over the top. Price $2.49!

essence – maximum definition volume mascara: this is a great mascara that really separates lashes and adds volume. Its not clumpy like some cheaper products…which is a MUST. Price $3.99!

I will do another post once I pick up more products which I plan to do ASAP! Be sure to leave me a comment if you pick any of these products up.

Love and hugs,

LadybugB

Wet ‘n Wild Collection

There has been a lot of hype over the new and improved quality of WnW products and being that I’ve some how *really not sure how it happened* collected A LOT of their from the Color Icon line I thought I’d do a comprehensive post! You can always find WnW on sale at a drugstore somewhere often BOGO or BOG1 50% off which is why I’m pretty sure I have so much of it now…thanks CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid! Be sure to check out my other posts that included WnW (to see my August Favorites post which included WnW click here and to see my WnW Holiday post click here). I hope you enjoy this post and run out and give these inexpensive products a shot.  

LIPS:

MEGA LAST^® LIP COLOR is described by WnW as:  

Lips take center stage! This 4-hour, longwearing lip color leaves a semi-matte, crème finish in one stroke. Glides on easily with rich, velvety color that doesn't cake, feather, or bleed. Made with hydrating skin-care ingredients: Hyaluronic Microspheres provide extraordinary adhesion to lips, an exclusive polymer complex offers cushion-like feel and texture, and natural marine plant extracts Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamins A & E help smooth lips.

I absolutely ADORE *in my sing song voice* these lipsticks and plan on buying a few more of them. I can vouch for (pictured below L-R) 907C Mauve Outta Here, 919B Vamp It Up, 903C Just Peachy, 916D Ravin’ Raisin, 918D Cherry Bomb and 902C Bare It All-my favorite nude right now. My only gripe about this product is the packaging…frankly is SUCKS, despite the the quality of the product the packaging is extremely cheap. Price $2.99!

 

MEGA SLICKS™ LIP GLOSS is described by WnW as:

Super-shiny gloss adds luster and color to lips, while Vitamins A & E moisturize and condition.

I don’t use these much, but when I like them for the most part. Stay away from these if you don’t like frost-its not too bad, but it does show. I will say they have a nice smooth feel and do not have that sticky/tacky texture like some MAC glosses. Try these out (pictured below L-R) 563B Sun Glaze, 566 Strawberry Ice, 570A Berry Burst, 578 Sinless, 564A Cherish and 567A Sheerly Cocoa. Price $1.99!

CHEEKS:

COLOR ICON™ BLUSHER is described by WnW as:

Sweep on this silky-smooth blush that strikes the perfect balance between a blendable transparent sheen and a radiant pop of maximum color. A special blend of treated nylon powders provides long-lasting color. Dermatologist-tested.

I LOVE the 2 blushes that I have so far and plan on getting the other 2 in this collection! They are really buildable which means they are great for day and night looks. I’ve tried the two picture (L-R)832E Heather Silk and 833E Mellow Wine. Price $2.99!

COLOR ICON™ BRONZER is described by WnW as:

Add a golden glow and a touch of luminosity to any complexion for a healthy, sun-kissed look. Special blend of treated nylon powders provide long-lasting, blendable color. Dermatologist-tested.

I only have (741A Princess) because I thought it looked the best for my golden skin tone. I was actually impressed because I was able to use this for a slight contour of my cheekbones and forehead. Price $2.99!

EYES:

MEGA EYES^® CRÈME EYELINER is described by WnW as:

The precision of a liquid liner with the ease of a cream application, this velvet-rich eyeliner provides long-lasting definition in a waterproof formula. Easy-to-use brush included.

This stuff is amazing despite the horrible brush included with it. Its very creamy, super black and very matte!!!! This has been compared to MAC’s Fluidline in Blacktrack which is around $16…so this definitely gets my vote in the money saver column! I like them so much I have 2 on stand by just in case I can’t find them in the store for some odd reason. Price $3.99!

COLOR ICON™ EYESHADOW SINGLE is described by WnW as:

High-pigmentation and pearl-density create a unique, satiny texture that lasts and lasts. A versatile collection of classic and trend shades can be easily worn alone or playfully combined for a variety of looks.

I have 256BP which is a dupe of MAC’s Humid - green *which I also have* and 255B Penny which is pretty close to MAC’s Expensive Pink – Coppery Pink *again, I already have it*. These colors are very pigmented and soft…they glide on like BUTTA! Price 1.99!

COLOR ICON™ EYESHADOW PALETTE is described by WnW as:

Glamour-eyes from day to night! Each complementary shade can be mixed-and-matched for a variety of day-to-night looks. These palettes of 3 matte and 3 highly-pigmented effect shades are sure to please the shade sassy minimalist and enthusiast alike!

I really like these palettes especially for the convenience and versatility they offer. I will admit a couple of the colors are a little chalky or very sheer to the point of not being buildable. I love that all of the palettes have 3 matte shades and 3 shimmer shades which is great for those of us that like to mix textures. Overall, the quality of the palettes are impressive and really stand up to some higher end brands. I have all 4 in the permanent line - 246 Greed, 247 Pride, 249 Vanity and 248 Lust (picture L-R ). Price $4.99! 

COLOR ICON™ EYESHADOW PALETTE LIMITED EDITION – does not have burb on the website.

These limited edition sets were released with holiday themes and offer the same great quality as the permanent collection. All 6 shadows have a shimmer, frost or glitter. These have the same great quality as the permanent line and also include a few dupes of high end brands! They also come with a bonus eyeliner pencil which the permanent line does offer. Picture below L-R Golden Goddess, Snow Sprite, Night Elf and Sugar Plum Fairy. Price $4.99!

Overall, the new Wet ‘n Wild products are awesome and the price point is unbeatable…I really hope they don’t get wind and raise prices like everyone else! I hope this review has helped you you save a few $$$ building your collections! 

Love and hugs,

LadybugB

Jesse’s Girl

Jesse’s Girl…I want to have Jesse’s Girl! I’m sure that's not the right lyrics to the song but that's what i sing when i hear it! So you may have realized that I’m not referring to the song but in fact Jesse's Girl cosmetics specifically their eye dust pigments.

I heard about these products from a beauty blogger on twitter and immediately ran out to my nearest Rite Aid in hopes of finding them. Much to my surprise they were available at the rite aid in Dumfries on 234 (for those in the Woodbridge VA area). My first trip resulted in two colors…although they only cost $3.99 I didn’t want to go too crazy without trying them for myself. Being the impatient person I am I sat in the parking lot and tried them on my hand and was pleasantly surprised. I then drove (a little too fast) home to try them wet as well and boy what a difference a little contact solution made. The colors definitely come ALIVE when used wet. These are definitely worth you while especially if you like loose shadows.

My collection has now grown to 6 colors (Blue Moon, Indian Summer, Antique Green, Sunlit Cactus, Blackstar Blue and Baby Blues) with the promise of more to come. I saw a beautiful pink and purple that I want to snag sometime soon. Remember to let me know if you have tried Jesse’s Girl products or plan to buy them soon.

…and now to the fun stuff…PICTURES!

 

Dry L-R: Blackstar Blue, Antique Green, Blue Moon, Sunlit Cactus, Indian Summer, Baby Blues

Wet L-R: Antique Green, Blue Moon, Blackstar Blue, Sunlit Cactus, Indian Summer, Baby Blues

Happy reading…

LadybugB

First Product Reviews!

now that I've officially become a makeup junkie who actually wears makeup I figured I'd start doing product reviews! i have two items that I bought recently and wanted to share with the world...these may not be new to any of you, but they were to me.

my first item is the 120 eyeshadow palette i bought from eBay seller starriedesign. i kept hearing about this from vids on youtube and finally decided to google to find out what the hype was. i found many variations of this and decided to buy on eBay for the free shipping. the one i bought was the Manly 120 Pro Palette version 2 which is a lot warmer than version 1. the package came bubble wrapped very well so nothing broke while being shipped from AZ. i was soooooo super excited when i got it and that i started swatching immediately. the colors are extremely pigmented but i noticed that on my hand they stood out A LOT...but when i blended them on my eyelid the color faded A LOT. you MUST wear a primer or base under these colors to help hold them in place for blending or learn to blend with a shader brush. you will be fine if you just pat them on your lid, but everyone knows a great look is a blended look *ok*! i was able to great really pretty looks with this palatte, i LOVE the blues and yellows...but was a little disappointed in the pinks. i just didn't get the color pay off that i wanted, but i'll keep messing around with them...i haven't given up yet! prior to buying this i had about 60 shadows which for the most part were not duplicated with this palette. i'm sure i could use multiple shadows from the palette to duplicate the individuals that i do have, but i don't really have time for mixing...i'd prefer it come packaged for me. i wouldn't look at this palette as your 1 stop shop to eye shadows as it doesn't have everything. you will definitely need to find most of your highlighters somewhere else...happy i had a few on hand. all in all i would definitely purchase this again...the price was great 29.99 + free shipping and the colors are great. if you decide to buy let me know how it works for you!

the second item i fell in LOVE with recently was the Iman Second to None Foundation Stick...this item is fabulous all around. i bought mine at my local ULTA but its also available at Target and Walmart...not sure about other drugstores though. its considered a prestige product at ULTA which means 2 things to me, you can't use your coupons (although you can redeem points) and they have testers (!!!) so you can match the perfect color! the tester definitely came in handy as i thought i was a sand 4 based on the color on the box however i turned out to be clay 1. i had to get used to this product as i had never used a stick before (i always used cream to powder, liquid or powder) after a couple of tries i found my technique. this product is pretty easy to blend using your fingers, a brush or sponge (if you use a brush or sponge make sure they're damp) and it's definitely buildable so you can have medium to heavy coverage. i've heard people say its pricey for a drugstore foundation (14.99) but for me a person used to buying MAC of Clinque the price was juuuuust right. i feel like a broken record but i would definitely recommend this product as well...especially for women of color!

well...that concludes my first product review! if you decide to check either of these items out drop me a line letting me know how they worked for you...
until next time...