Wayne Goss Mascara Tips put to the test

I have said before that I enjoy watching Wayne Goss makeup artist on youtube (Find him under the name gossmakeupartist and gossmakeupchat). This past week he posted a video about the top five mistakes we make when applying mascara, i didn't think he was going to have a tip that would help but I faithfully watch his videos.... I did pick up one great tip that saved my L'Oreal voluminous mascara from the trash bin on Saturday morning!

He said that when you pull the wand from the tube, you must wipe the bristles, and then wipe more even when you think you've done enough. His advice essentially said there is often too much mascara on the wand to apply to your lashes. I had kept this tube in hopes i would get a better result and i was surprised after wiping the wand the product did attach to my lashes better than any of my other attempts and i was able to build volume. At the end of a 9 hour work day my lashes still looked just as full as when i wear Maybelline Volum Express Colossal mascara.

Check out his video below. PS the tumbnail is scary but i hadn't noticed when i first watched. What mascara tips have helped you?

Summer to Fall Essentials

It's been a rain soaked summer in the Washington, DC area and the usual humidity that is used to describe our typical weather. This summer I made a daily conscious decision to wear sunscreen as recommended. This meant applying my Neutrogena ultra sheer dry touch sunscreen 15-20 minutes before exposure to sun on my hands, forearms, upper arms, neck and face. In the past I noticed my skin had a different texture my the end of summer and this year I noticed that didn't happen.

It was taking forever to apply a moisturizer, sunscreen and foundation (Smashbox Liquid Halo is a light weight sheer foundation), so in June i purchased a shortcut product Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer which is great with an SPF of 30  and dries to a dewy finish. I did use both an urban decay oil control spray and Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in translucent to stay matte in the t-zone. I used the ever popular Real Techniques expert face brush to apply both face products. To keep from looking flat, i love Bare Minerals Ready Blush in the shade Aphrodisiac.

I'm fighting adult acne and using the above pictured Neutrogena oil free wash to cleanse. I was instructed to leave this on the skin for three minutes then rinse. When my skin is dry from acne products the only thing that eases the flaky skin is Clinique's moisture surge in extended relief. I had gotten a sample when I purchased the three step system, and I was able to pick up a travel size to carry with me in my bag.

Lastly when the day is finally over,  I trust Boot's Expert sensitive cleansing and toning wipes to get off every touch of make up on my face. It's a great buy at slightly over $4.50 for 30 wipes. I keep the package product name face down to ensure they stay moist.

Mascara Review

Bare Escentuals Lash Domination $18

I picked up Last Domination at a Bare Minerals Boutique while at the mall, i was a bit shocked that i was going to give up $18 dollars on a mascara but i was a Bare Minerals believer. I really did try to love and believe in this mascara but it was clumping my lashes together and i would have to use a lash comb to separate them. It did add volume by giving me about six clumps... I should have brought it back, i would be a lot less bitter. I recently moved on from Bare Minerals it seems that the brand changed, i was disappointed by their recent release of a liquid foundation and no longer matched my faithful shade of Golden Tan in the original formula. 

Scent: No scent, replace your mascara every 3-4 months

Texture: thick it clumped on the brush

Color: very true black i don't believe this is offered in any other shade

Use: Apply one coat then decide if you may need anymore

Repurchase: Ha, no 

Review: Cover Girl Last Blast

Cover Girl Lashblast Fusion

I started off with LashBlast Clump Crusher in the green tube and it lived up to it's name. It gave a dark coat of mascara clump free but nothing more. It's biggest con was the fall out i could see on my under eye are and cheeks! This product above Lashblast fusion promised full volume and no clumps... but really it was just the same as clump crusher in a purple tube. It was a terrible impulse purchase i used for two weeks before tossing in the garbage. I will never buy another lash blast product, i'll stick to Maybelline or L'Oreal mascaras. In college I used Maybelline Volum express until my eyes became sensitive but i loved that stuff. Full disclosure, i do have naturally curled lashes at aren't long but by no means are short. So i know the product I am looking for is different than for other women.

 Scent: No scent but don't forget to trash these if they change scent or consistency or about every 3-4 months. 

Texture: smooth, not build-able

Color: True Black

Use: I gave my lashes one coat and used this consistently for about two weeks

Repurchase: No, i think it purchased these products for at least $7-$8

Lifestyle: Apartments

Apartments

There are a handful of things I wish I had considered when choosing my apartment. First let me say i selected the first floor to select the larger of the two apartments i could afford. The first floor apartment offered a larger apartment, in addition to a door on the bedroom. The smaller unit (was a studio with a cut out for a bedroom) had no window or door to the sleeping space. I considered hanging a curtain so i could darker the doorway but in the end i knew i preferred to shut my bedroom door and lock it, that would allow me to sleep easy.

What i didn't know and now will do going forward was my apartment would have a door to an open patio space in my bedroom and living room. This caused me MUCH stress for the first eight months. There were other factors that contributed to my distress but i would never choose this style again! I would rather have no outdoor space and a smaller unit.

A few other things....

1. Does your unit face a street that will loud? 

2. If you are facing the street is there a street light that will shine like the north star into your bedroom?

3. What style heating and cooling does the unit have, can you control these? I find Gas heating to be considerably cheaper than electric heating. I had my heating set to low because the unit was never warm and i depended on a space heater.

4.  Does the apartment have enough storage space for your belongings and can you live within these limits?

Review: Maybelline Color Elixir

 Maybelline New York Color Elixir ($6.99)

I spotted this product at Target waiting for a prescription refill, and was instantly memorized by this lipstick in that clear tube (shiny). I nervously picked a color, not many drugstore brands make great colored lip products that compliment by skin tone. I got home and was distressed to see it wasn't a lipstick and that i had judged it by its packaging. So i wasn't expecting to be so impressed by the color pay off, build ability, scent, applicator and longevity. The product also fades and leaves a little bit of color after the gloss has worn off and feels like a lip balm. This compares well with my Bare Minerals Moxie lip glosses that had been by go to products. Those are approximately $18 so this is great for a budget buy or even if you wanted to collect all. Maybelline produces about twenty shades and they are in nearly every color you could ask for (red, mauve, pink, neutral, orange/coral).

Scent: While it does have a scent, i would guess it smells lightly like honeysuckle. I can't smell it except when i pull the applicator out from the tube.

Texture: smooth and color builds

Color: I have 065 caramel infused, 070 spice, 025 mauve mystique, 

Use: one swipe gives a good color pay off enough to cover your natural lip color much like a lipstick

Repurchase: Yes, this is cheapest at Target and Walmart, about 8.99 or more at Ulta and CVS

Review: Yes to Blueberries Firming Eye Treatment

Review// Yes to Blueberries Eye firming treatment ($17.99)

I decided to give this a try when i noticed it on deep clearance at Target. I picked up for a steal (8.98) and the box was worn a bit but it hadn't been tested. I decided to adopt Lisa Eldridge's philosophy that every product i use on my face should have a purpose.

Boy has this made a difference, i noticed the under eye area to be a lot less puffy when i wake in the morning and after coming home from work. I believe i have seen an improvement in the fine lines i was developing, so that is a huge plus. It's very gentle with no reaction from my skin, and none from my eyes. I'm very hesitant about products getting into my eyes, i love wearing contacts and i'd hate to have to wear glasses because of one of these creams irritating my eyes. I'm going to commit to continuing to this use product to care for my skin. I would however like to hopefully repurchase on sale or with a coupon perhaps from Ulta or a good deal online. You do get 1 oz of product so i'm hoping this lasts maybe six months to one year and it will not expire in that time frame.

Scent: light blueberries (nothing strong i don't care for blueberries)

Texture: light moisturizing

Color: white but this will be transparent once on your face

Use: Twice daily applied to the eye area

Repurchase: Certainly, i believe with a combination of sunscreen I can really hold lines at bay.

Skin Care // The basics

From left to right

1. CVS Acne Treatment Gel (10%  Benzoyl Peroxide) 2. Origins Clear Improvement active charcoal mask to clear pores 3. Target's UP&UP oil free acne wash with Salicylic Acid 4. Clinique Liquid facial soap

1. My last dermatologist recommended i use this product with the 10% active ingredient for spot treatment and i would have to say it's made a huge improvement in fighting acne spots. I use this applying with a q-tip on spots and anything that looks like it wants to be an acne spot. It even fights cystic 

2. This origins mask was recommended by Belle who writes Capitol Hill Style, and she was right. This mask pulls up anything chilling in your pores waiting to strike. I just love this mask.

3. My new dermatologist gave me the Neutrogena oil free wash samples on my first visit and told me to use it as my cleanser and only lay off if my skin got too dry. But the real piece of advice worth that copay was this has to sit and soak into your skin. He told me patients often apply treatments and rinse almost as soon as they have covered their face. He said let this sit for between 3-4 minutes before washing it away so the medication gets into my skin. Great advice, i just choose the UP&UP brand because it was two dollars cheaper and had identical ingredients to Neutrogena. 

4. Clinique liquid face soap from the three step treatment, it's a gentle cleanser that i notice a difference in my skin after use. I can use it to remove Bare Minerals or my Smashbox foundation everything but mascara. I was using the Bare Minerals skin care but i found it to be too gentle when i needed it to the most to fight acne. This Clinique soap is good when skin is behaving or when i'm putting the Oil free acne soap on my problem areas and the rest of my skin is dried out.

Beauty Gurus

I had a moment when i was watching a youtube video thinking, Girl, that is tooo much make up. It was like watching a train wreck then she started on her eyebrows and i realized very few of these videos are something i would ever replicate. So i changed my search to natural looks and eventually stumbled on these great artists. Don't forget to thank me later... If i've forgotten someone let me know in the comments.



1. Gossmakeupartist - He's a british (i believe) make up artists he has amazing suggestions and tips and he's right to the point and shows high and low end products. Also his little winks are so cute!

2. LisaEldridge - She's awesome, i'm not sure words describe how talented she is, just watch her videos and listen to her tips.

Beauty Vloggers

It has always been highly entertaining to me to watch beauty videos on Youtube. I've probably watched hundreds of videos by now. I think i watched many before stumbling on fafinettex or fafinettex3 on youtube. I love to watch people transform their looks from natural before to these dramatic afters with full lashes and lipstick. My original routine was just original bare minerals, mineral veil and sometimes mascara and some rosebud salve in strawberry. I always wanted to use bare minerals warmth but it was practically the same shade as my skin so i gave it away to someone who actually could use the color. Eventually I realized have a great even canvas was great but it just seemed something was missing, so i ventured into blush. I can say i attempt a few misses (never really my room luckily).

So what did i learn back then?

1. It's difficult to find that great base foundation but once you have don't look back and don't settle until it's right.

2. Less is more so take things one at a time, if you not sure don't be afraid to be inspired by youtube beauties!

What have i learned now?

1. A lot of youtube beauties are true artists but my personal style does not include painting my face on.

2. There has been a dramatic increase in influential beauty vloggers accepting products some are great about disclosing and others not so much.

3. There are some great GREAT make up artists!