Beauty Review: Revlon PhotoReady Eye Art

I've always liked the look of dramatic eye makeup but I typically don't wear a lot of eyeshadow, eye liner, or eye glitter so I thought doing a beauty review of Revlon's PhotoReady Eye Art shadow/sparkle duo would be a good opportunity to try something new. I originally went to CVS to buy the product but they were completely out except for one tube in a shade I didn't particularly care for. Thankfully Walmart had all the colors in stock. I chose number 080 in Desert Dazzle, which is the shade Olivia Wilde wears in the Revlon ads. She has hazel, greenish eyes and so do I, so I thought that shade would complement my eyes the best. There were a lot of pretty jewel toned colors to choose from though, including a pretty turquoise shade with matching glitter and a copper tone with bronze glitter.

My eyelids tend to stay oily, so I applied NYX eyeshadow base to one eye and kept the other one bare so I could compare how well the color and glitter stayed with and without a primer. As soon as I applied the cream shadow and glitter to both eyes I noticed that the cream shadow was already sliding off the bare eye. It left an obvious line of product in the crease of my eye as well. While the color wasn't as intense as I thought it would be, the shadow blended well and initially stayed on the eyelid with primer. The glitter, like the shadow, stayed better on the primed eye.

When first applied with no eyeshadow primer...

 And four and a half hours later...

And with eyeshadow primer...

And four and half hours later...

The cream shadow has a thin sponge applicator which makes it easy to apply all over the lid. The sparkle is a little trickier to apply. It has a thin brush applicator, but  I ended up using my finger to apply the glitter all over my lid to get more even coverage. The advertisement says the product can be used on the lashes, put on the lids, or used to line the eyes, but you would definitely need something thinner to apply the glitter on the lash line. Applying the glitter to my lashes was also tricky and left a lot to be desired. I could barely see any glitter on my lashes after applying one coat. Maybe another coat would've done the trick.

What bothered me the most about the eyeshadow and glitter was that it felt heavy on my eyes. If you're used to wearing fake lashes or lots of eye makeup, you may not be bothered by it at all, but for people who don't wear a lot of eye makeup or just don't like the feel of makeup in general then this product probably would be uncomfortable. After a few hours, however, the sticky heaviness on my eyes didn't bother me as much.

Overall, though I'm mildly impressed with the overall "glittery" effect of the Revlon PhotoReady Eye Art shadow duo, the discomfort outweighs the good. I may pull this product out every once in a while, perhaps to wear with a costume on Halloween or with a dress for a holiday party. But would I buy this product again? Nah.

Have you tried the Revlon PhotoReady Eye Art? Do you agree or disagree with my review? What are your favorite eye products? Let me know in the comments section below! :)

#OOTD: Classic Style

Orange Coat - Liz Claiborne
Turtle Neck - Made For Life
Skirt - Sis Sis from Modcloth, pictured here
Tights - ?
Boots - Cliffs
Purse - London Fog

In my favorite movie Breakfast at Tiffany's Audrey Hepburn wears the most beautiful orange, long coat as she walks the streets of New York City. Weeks after I bought this coat, I finally realized that that was the reason I was drawn to it immediately. It's the perfect coat. Its shape is very classic but the bright color is more interesting than basic black. The same goes for this London Fog bag; it has a classic silhouette but is navy instead of black. This skirt from Modcloth has become my work staple. It sits high on the waist (though mine does like to come down a bit) and is long enough to be work appropriate.

My New Favorite Lipstick

Finding the perfect nude lipstick is a challenge. Usually what looks perfect in packaging turns out to be too dark, too light, too pink, or too orange. And while I like lip gloss or plain lip balm when I'm wearing little or no makeup, sometimes I want something that looks natural but better than my lips, something a little heavier than gloss.

I first discovered Milani lipstick on a whim and bought the shad Sweet Nectar, a bright red-orange color. With its creamy, easy-to-apply consistency and high-pigmented color it quickly became my favorite bright lipstick to wear. And while I like walking around with bright, almost neon lips, it doesn't always seem appropriate, especially in a retail environment where I'm trying to sell older, conservative women clothes.

So I decided to give the Milani lipstick in number 26 Nude Creme a try. The color is the perfect nude for my skin type, which is a light-medium shade with neutral undertones. The color is a brighter version of my natural lip color with a hint of gold and gives my normally slightly sallow skin a healthy glow. My favorite way to wear the lipstick is by first outlining and filling my lips with my NYX lipliner in Natural, applying the lipstick, dusting my lips with translucent powder for a matte finish and then applying another coat of lipstick.

Though this shade might not be the perfect "nude" lipstick, it's definitely a color I can see working for most skin colors.

What's your favorite lip product right now? Let me know in the comments section below! :)

Redbox Reviews: Golden Globe Winner and Oscar Nominee Boyhood

Boyhood has been picking up accolades left and right since its debut at Sundance last year, including the award for Best Motion Picture - Drama at the Golden Globes. It seems, however, that often critics and "normal" viewers differ when it comes to determining whether a movie is good or not. Case in point: The King's Speech won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2011; I had to watch the movie in intervals, is was that boring to me. 

I was hopeful about Boyhood because it was not only getting critical attention but praise from regular viewers. And now I see why. Boyhood is perhaps one of the most interesting, compelling films I've seen in years. 

Boyhood was shot over the span of twelve years. We watch as Mason Junior and his sister Samantha grow up in Texas primarily raised by their single working mother (Patricia Arquette) and their spontaneous, often absent father (Ethan Hawke). The story deals with big issues like abuse and divorce but also the normal everyday stuff that most kids face like bullying and first-time heartbreak. Though the story was written by Linklater, he altered the story to fit his actors as they grew which is perhaps why the story seems so real. Often independent films rely on the "realness" of reality to give a film depth and often they fall short. Boyhood does not. Watching the characters, old and young, transform before your eyes is as real as it gets. 

Precise editing is perhaps the most important reason this movie is as good as it is. The scenes are perfectly timed, no part of the movie seeming like it goes on for too long. Another reason the film is so good is the performances. Ellar Coltrane who portrays Mason Junior and Ethan Hawke both give worthy performances, but it is Patricia Arquette who really shines. Her performance as the mom just trying to get it right is often heartbreaking but perhaps the best, and ironically most joyful, performance in the film.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give Boyhood a 9. I've thought about this movie many times since I watched it, and I know I'll still think about it for years to come. It's that good.

You can get Boyhood (rated R) at Redbox right now. So, what are your favorite movies out right now? What one should I review next? Let me know in the comments section below. :)

Beauty Review: Covergirl Ready, Set Gorgeous Foundation and Concealer

I know this foundation and concealer duo has been on the market for a few months, but I was skeptical to try it because I typically don't really like Covergirl foundations. I need a lot of coverage when it comes to foundations and concealers and Covergirl hasn't done it for me in the past, so I typically stick to the products I've used for a long time, which is either Maybelline Fit Me liquid foundation or bareMinerals. But I heard some good things about this foundation on Youtube so I decided to try it out and I was actually pleasantly surprised...

The packaging of this product is really adorable and very Covergirl. It's pink and pretty, so I can see why a lot of people have bought it. The foundation has a subtle smell, almost like sunscreen. The texture is a lot like sunscreen too. It's a liquid but as you smooth it out it evaporates really nicely. It didn't feel like I was wearing much of anything at all, which is awesome.

As far as coverage goes, it did what it said it would do according to the Covergirl website, which says the product provides "medium coverage to even skin tone and cover imperfections." Like I said, I need a lot of coverage, so obviously not all of my imperfections were disguised but the redness was gone and most of bumps and marks were covered with just one layer.

What I'm most impressed with is how well the foundation stayed on my face. After four hours it looked the same as when I first put it on. I did apply a face primer first but I didn't add powder afterward. So the staying power is definitely good. Also, it doesn't feel slimy on my face, like I'll get it all over my pillow if I decide to take a nap. It has a matte finish but it does look a little powdery on my face in some places, probably in areas where I didn't moisturize enough. But if you make sure you moisturize well before applying it, you should be good.

The concealer, truthfully, is not the best. It didn't cover the dark circles under my eyes well and the texture isn't great for covering blemishes. There are definitely better concealers on the market.

If you have good skin and it doesn't get dry easily, then the Covergirl Ready, Set Gorgeous foundation is perfect for you. And even if your skin isn't perfect, this foundation is still really good for providing a little bit of coverage without caking on lots of makeup. I bought this foundation for around eight or nine dollars at CVS. The concealer was about eight dollars.

Have you tried the Ready, Set Gorgeous foundation? What new beauty products have you tried or do you want to try? Let me know in the comments section below! :)

How I Feel About My First Beauty Box Ever...3 Weeks Later

I think I was a little late when it came to joining the beauty box subscription craze. Maybe I was afraid of committing ten dollars a month when I'm already on a tight budget, but I did eventually take the plunge. My first choice for a beauty subscription box was Ipsy because I've been watching Michelle Phan's Youtube videos for a few years now and I had heard Ipsy gave the most makeup samples, but there's currently a waiting list. So I decided to join Birchbox despite the fact that it gets a lot of mixed reviews. A lot of beauty box "unboxings" are people's reactions when first seeing their box. I thought I would mix things up a little and tell you how I feel about my first box...three weeks later.

My box arrived on December 12th (I think). Maybe it was the Christmas spirit in the air or something but opening up the box really did feel like my birthday or Christmas. The products came in a beautiful blue box with gold details (that I will definitely reuse as home decor probably) and were wrapped in blue tissue paper. But you could wrap sticks and rocks in tissue paper and I would be excited to open it. 

The Rundown of My Products:

1. Excuse the lighting in this picture. I took it at night with with only a reading lamp to light the products, so it's hard to see what the products actually look like. The first product pictured is Coola Mineral Sunscreen/Natural BB Cream. Its perks: it's tinted, it has SPF 30, and it's unscented, which is nice when your face is already sensitive to sunscreens. The con: the sample is only .17 fluid ounces so I may be able to get two uses out of it. I haven't even tried the product yet because I want to save it! 
2. The second product is English Laundry's Signature perfume. I really, really like this strong floral, woodsy scent. I had heard of English Laundry before but had never smelled any of their scents so I was very happy to see it in my box. The sample was roughly the size of any perfume sample you can get at a department or beauty store. 
3. The third product is the one I have used the most. Tocca Hand Cream in Cleopatra is grapefruit and cucumber scented and paraben free. The lotion goes on smoothly but definitely combats the dryness of "winter weathered" hands well. It does take a while to absorb into your skin, however. About thirty minutes after applying the lotion my hands still felt a little greasy. Also, I'm not much into really fruity scents and the grapefruit scent definitely overpowers the cucumber one. The lotion comes in a one fluid ounce sample, a really nice travel size.
4. The fourth product is from Lord & Berry, an Italian company. It is a mini liner in #5072 Sparkle Black. When it arrived in the mail the pencil was sort of chalky and hard to use, but after sitting in my makeup container for a few weeks it softened up and now it glides on pretty well. The hint of sparkle is not over the top but makes it different from a basic black eyeliner. I wore this eyeliner over the holidays but by the end of the night it had melted off. Next time I should apply an eyeshadow primer before I apply it maybe...
5. The fifth and final product is Real Chemistry's Luminous 3-Minute Peel. According to the back of the box it "helps with controlling acne breakouts, diminishing dark spots, reducing ingrown hairs, evening skin tone, brightening complexion" and "smoothing & resurfacing skin texture." I was hesitant to use this product because I see a dermatologist regularly and have prescription medicines that are the only products I'm supposed to use on my skin. My curiosity got the better of me however and I tried it once. My skin felt immediately smoother after just one use and my skin felt surprisingly hydrated as well. Once is enough for me though because I'm afraid how its ingredients will interact with my other skin products if I continue regularly using them all. Though the sample is very small (only .17 fl. oz), it's not an everyday product so you could get some decent use out of it over time. 

When I watch beauty box unboxings on Youtube the products always look bigger, so when I received my box it was tinier than I imagined. It easily fit in my mailbox. Even in the picture I took the products look bigger than they are. So I guess the camera really does add ten pounds (or just makes things look bigger).

The verdict: I'm pretty excited about my subscription. I live in small-town Tennessee and the nearest beauty store is about forty minutes away. It's really not that far, but I can't just go whenever I want; it takes a little time and I have to plan my trips. So the fact that I can experience a variety of new, higher-end products and they're shipped to my door is pretty nice. Yes, the samples are small and probably not too different from those I could get in department or beauty stores. Also, I'm afraid I'll start receiving the same products over and over. I've heard that's happened with some Birchbox users in the past. But for me convenience is king right now, so we'll see what happens.

Do you currently subscribe to a beauty box? Which ones are your favorite/least favorite? Let me know what ones I should check out in the comments section. I've heard good things about Boxycharm...:)