Beauty Products That Are NOT Worth The Hype {Drugstore Edition!}

Hello, Everyone! I did a post the other day on beauty products that I think are worth the hype. Well, today's blog is a bit more negative as I unintentionally throw a little shade. I don't enjoy negative posts, but I do think it's equally as important to let you know of things I like and things that didn't work out for me. I know that a lot of people really love and enjoy some of the products I will be mentioning in this post, but these are simply things that didn't work for me. 

So, let's just jump right in...

Photo Credit: drugstore.com

Covergirl Lash Blast has a huge colt following that, frankly, I just don't get! I remember when Covergirl launched Lash Blast years ago and I was so eager  to try their new, hot item. I mean, the name of the mascara literally screams awesomeness claiming to provide "instant volume and thickness." I remember thinking "What Volume?! What Thickness?! What a crappy mascara!!!" My lashes are a relativity long so (thankfully) I can make most mascaras work, regardless of the brush, formula, etc.; however, whenever I use this mascara it takes me a good 10-15 minutes just to build it up to where I have the desired volume and intensity. I have repurchased this mascara several times because I really want to like it, but I don't. I have also tried the Fusion kind- the one in the purple tube- and I swear it's the exact same formula in a different color tube! I'll stick Maybelline's Colossal and Almay's Get Up and Grow! Note: If you are wanting to get a CG mascara, I would recommend the Covergirl Professional Super Thick Lash mascara...it's an oldie, but a goodie!

Photo Credit: myfacehunter.com

I feel like everyone is obsessed with Essie Nail Polish and even though I do really enjoy a few of their shades- Fuji is probably one of my top favorites!- I think the brand as a whole is pretty hit and miss. For example, Sugar Daddy and Periwinkle are way too sheer and Sugar Daddy takes forever to dry! I mean, Essie's Butter Please takes probably 3 or 4 coats just to be opaque whereas Sally Hansen's Pacific Blue- another favorite!- is opaque in one cost and about $5-6 cheaper, depending on where you buy! I'm not trying to bash Essie because the shades that are opaque in one or two coats are beautiful, but as a whole, I think the brand is way over-hyped for the overall quality of the brand! 

Photo Credit: drugstore.com

I was devastated when Revlon discontinued the previous Colorstay Quads and replaced them with the newer formula- I know, First World Problems. LOL First of all, I feel like the old formula was buttery smooth where the new formula is harder and takes forever to build up the desired intensity and the older formula was easier to blend, too. They new Colorstay Quads have some beautiful shades, but I am just partial to Neutral Khakis, In the Buff, and Sterling Rose- from the older Colorstay line!

Let me first start of my saying that I really do enjoy the pigmentation on these Milani Color Statement Lipsticks, but the scent and taste literally makes me nauseous! When the line was re-released with the new packaging, I picked up Rose Hip- 14 because I thought it looked similar to MAC's Candy Yum Yum. The color has intense pigmentation and doesn't feel too drying on the lips, but that smell...ugh!, that plastic, fake fruity-chemical smell! All the bloggers and vloggers were going nuts over these shades {which are beautiful}, but I don't remember reading any blogs or watching any YouTube beauty videos where anyone talked about the smell. Sure, most all mentioned that there was a scent present, but no one talked about how overwhelmingly vile it was. I figured I might have gotten a bad batch and so I went out and purchased Nude Creme- 26 because I remember how much I loved the shade on EmilyNoel83 from BeautyBroadcast. When I swatched it in the car, it had that same nauseating scent, but the color was too perfect to return it so I gave it to my sister, who rocks the smokey eye and nude lip day or night. I still have Rose Hip and do wear it every now and then during the warmer months, but I always have to brace my self and mentally prepare myself for that smell. 

Photo Credit: covergirl.com

I know that it looks like I am picking on Covergirl by having two products from their brand in my post, but there are products from their line that are staples in my collection: CG quad in Country Woods, CG Single Enhancer Eyeshadow in  Mink (because that is my favorite shade in the Country Woods quad), and CG Outlast Stay Brillant Nail Polish in Perfect Penny. I had such high hopes for the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation, yet did nothing for my skin. I tried different application techniques to make this foundation work for me: fingers, brush, sponge, etc. but it never failed that by mid-day my skin would look patchy, like the foundation was breaking down and needed to be re-blended. Sometimes I would go to re-blend during the work day and then my skin would look unnatural and streaky. It really is a shame that this foundation didn't work for me because the color I had was a great match for my skin. Whenever Ross and I were packing things for our move across the country, I gave this foundation away to my sister's friend who is fair like I am. Hopefully it works for her! 

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• I made Mexican Stuffed Shells this morning for Ross' dinner/my breakfast and they were delicious!
• My Maracuja Oil came in today! I am almost out of my Argan Oil and I have been curious to see how the oils I've tried- and it hasn't been many- compare to each other and which I think are worth repurchasing. Let me know if that is something you would be interested in.
• My sister and I have decided to start a blog together! I will still be blogging on Pretties and Pearls, but I will also be blogging on our joint blog, too. I will let you guys know when it's up and running! #SisterLove

FOTD: Rediscovered Products

I was totally inspired to use some old pink finds when I saw Emily Noel's Gloss Daily post on great summer eyeshadows. None of the shadows I've used are ones she mentioned, but it was nice to shop my stack for some great spring shades. Some of the things I've used are discontinued, but hopefully this will inspire you to shop your stash and rediscover some amazing products. 

Face

Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream (in Light/Medium), Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation (in 805 Ivory), Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer (in Light), Wet-n-Wild Blush (in 833E Mellow Wine), and Revlon Mineral Finishing Powder (in Brighten).

L to R: Revlon Mineral Finishing Powder and Wet-n-Wild Blush in Mellow Mauve.

 
Eyes

Loreal Single Eyeshadow (in 805 Morning Light), Clinique Color Surge Eye Shadow Duo (in 104 Strawberry Fudge), Revlon Colorstay Quad (in 06 In the Buff), Wet-n-Wild Mega Liner (in 868 Dark Brown), Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara, and Maybelline Brow Pencil (in Blonde)

Lips

Loreal Color Juice Sheer Juicy Lipgloss (in 500 Watermelon Crush)

 About the Look

 Because I used pinks on the eyes, lips and as a highlight, I wanted to keep the skin flawless and natural. I typically don't use Wet-n-Wild blush in Mellow Wine in the Spring/Summer because I love my bright pinks during those months, but because this was already a pretty pink look, I decided to warm up the skin using a deeper mauve color. I know the blush color isn't showing up well in the picture, but it sure packs a punch in real life. For eyes, I used Morning Light on the inner part of my lid and then sweeped the pink shade in the Strawberry Fudge duo over the rest of my lid and blended a little of the pink into the golden champagne shade I laid down first. I used the top shade in the In the Buff quad as a highlight and then used the third shade in the quad to blend the colors and add a little contour to my crease. I didn't smudge any shade under my eye because I liked the easiness of leaving it bare. I then used a dark brown eye liner to add definition, but still keep the look soft. Lastly, I added two coats of mascara.  

FOTD: Lashy and Bright, Bold Lips!

A few weeks ago I bought the Milani lipstick in Rose Hip (14). Expect a review because I have some strong opinions about the formula. Anywho, since I wasn't going anywhere today I thought I would do a little experimenting. First off, today was the first day I tried to put on false lashes. The final result is alright, but I still need a little practice. I haven’t mastered how to get them completely aligned with my eye and I’m having some trouble with the ends- no biggie, though! I love pin-up looks and although this isn't exactly a pin-up look, I was a little inspired by that era.

The products...

 Lashy eyes and bright, bold lips: Hello, glamorous!

 What I’m wearing…

Foundation: Rimmel Lasting Finish in 100 Ivory.

Concealer: Hard Candy Glamoflauge in Light 

and Maybelline The Eraser in Brightener.

Eyeshadow: Covergirl Quad in Country Woods.

Eyeliner: Revlon Colorstay in Black.

Lashes: Salon Perfect in Demi Wispies.

Mascara: Covergirl Professional in Black.

Blush: Wet-n-Wild in Pearlescent Pink.

Lips: Milani Rose Hip

I love the lipstick, but it’s definitely a “sometimes” color. The lashes are very glamorous, but I think since I’m just starting out with false lashes (and my lashes are pretty decent), I think I’ll try some that aren't so dramatic.

♥♥♥

Daily Dose of Pretty…

• I’m on my 6^th book of the semester…holy cow! Where has the time gone?! Two more books to go and thankfully the other two aren’t 700+ pages!
•  Monday was grad fest and I picked up my cap and gown for graduation commencement on May 10^th.
• Since our engagement, I’ve been looking at some amazing places to (possibly) elope. Some that I’m in love with are Santorini, Greece; Hawaii, and Ross wants to go to either Fiji or Aruba. Ah! Decisions, decisions! 

FOTN: Troy Basketball Game!

I went to the Troy basketball game with my old roommate on Thursday and this was my makeup for the night. I didn't want anything too crazy so I kept the eyes and face simple and worn a great red lip. Sadly, the boys lost by 10 points, but it was still fun to hang out with a great friend! (:

Face: Wet-n-Wild Cover All Foundation ( 816 Fair/Light), Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser (Brightener), Elf blush to contour (Mellow Mauve) and NYX blush (Summer Peach)

Eyes: Covergirl Quad (Country Woods), Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner (Blackest Black), Covergirl Professional Super Thick Lash Mascara (Very Black) and Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara over the CG one.

Lips: Avon Glazewear Intense Lipgloss (G104 Crimson)

What's In My Makeup Bag (for school or work)

I love watching videos on YouTube to see what's in other girl's makeup bags. I think we all have this curiosity to see what other ladies rely on to keep them looking fabulous throughout the day. So, I will be showing you what I keep in my school makeup bag for touch-ups. Thankfully, my makeup is usually pretty good about staying in place until I get home from class, but there are days when it's a long school day and there's no telling what I am going to look like at the end of it. I have combination skin and I don't use primers (although I am thinking about trying the Black Radiance Primer that Crystalis007 talked about). So, let's go ahead and take a peek in my travel makeup bag. All products are from the drugstore.

I got this bag from Ross' parents. It came in a cute goodie bag for Valentine's Day! So sweet! :) Anyways, it's the perfect size for my essentials. You can purchase little bags like this from Wal-Mart, Target, etc...

What's in my bag...

• Oil Blotting Sheets- I love the Elf ones and they're only a dollar for 50 sheets. This is a great product for blotting your T-zone (or wherever you get shiny). I don't usually need powder after blotting my face and I've found that my skin looks so much better when I'm not applying more product through the day. Elf can be purchased at target or eyeslipsface.com.
• Powder Compact- I know I just said that I don't use powder after blotting my face, and typically, I don't. But, on the rare occasion I do need a little more help with shine so powder is great for helping keep shine at bay as well as offering extra coverage. Right now I'm using the Covergirl pressed powder in 105 Ivory. It's a great color match, but I don't like this powder and I would not recommend it. I'm just trying to use it up.
• Eyeliner- This is not really a necessity and honestly I don't re-apply eyeliner at school unless I'm going somewhere after and need touch-ups. I keep this in here as a "just in case essential." If it's a long school day and I'm meeting friends after, I may want to touch up before going out. I like the Loreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black- this isn't my absolute favorite, but it is nice. I do like that it's travel friendly.
• Concealer- Like the eyeliner, I don't reapply unless it's a long school day and I'm going somewhere after. I love the Mybelline Age Rewind in Brightner because I feel like there's a touch of coverage, but it's also brightening. I don't have a problem with this getting cakey after applying over other products.
• Eyelash curlers- Bringing an eyelash curler is a must for me! That extra curl throughout the day is a great way to make you look more awake. It's like Emily Eddington (EmilyNoel83 from Beauty Broadcast) said... "Your hair falls throughout the day and so do your lashes..." - or something like that. :) P.S My eyelash curlers are from Revlon.
• A makeup sponge- Sometimes throughout the day your makeup can shift around and not look too good after a few hours. I love taking a damp sponge and blotting my face to help re-blend anything that's shifted around or gotten cakey. I do this step after I use the blotting papers, if needed. I feel like it's not always about adding more product but taking a little away to look more natural.
• Lipgloss/Lipstick/Chap-Stick/Tinted Lip Balm- One way to really  make you look more put together is to reapply something to your lips. I keep chapstick and lipgloss in my bag at all times, but if I'm wearing a specific lipstick that day, I take that too. I love the Carmex chap-stick in Strawberry and Rimmel's Moisture Renew Gloss in Pink Spa (a sheer gloss). Here lately I've been carrying NYX's lipgloss in Beige because it's so much more opaque than Rimmel's. 
• A tampon- Yeah, ladies, it just got a little personal. But, really, it's never a good thing when it's that time of the month and you don't have the personal necessities. I remember in high school I kept an "Oopsie Bag" in my locker with tampons, pads, whatever. It always can in handy when my friends or I would need one ASAP! 
• Tweezers- There's nothing worse than getting in natural light and realizing your eyebrows are a hairy mess. 
• Bobby pins and pony tail holder- I really need to get a teeny tiny travel brush or comb for my bag, but I think it's so important to have a bobby pin to fix little places that have come undone and a pony tail holder to put your hair up.
• A small perfume sample- I love perfume samples because they're so travel friendly. It's always nice to have a little refresher throughout the day to keep your pretty selves smelling nice. I am using Sexy Little Things NOIR by Victoria's Secret right now.
• Gum/Mints - I love having something like gum or mints around to freshen up my breath after lunch or throughout the day if needed. There's nothing worse than being "that girl with the rank break." 

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• I took the most amazing nap this afternoon. Ah, I needed it so bad!
• I found some sources for my Annotated Bibliography (for my research paper)
• Skype wasn't working tonight so I couldn't see Ross, but at least we were able to talk on the phone.

What are some of your favorite makeup bag essentials?

Review: Concealers: NYX, Covergirl, Hard Candy, Almay and Maybelline.

Let's talk Concealer...
I absolutely love concealer. It's great for covering up dark circles, pigmentation, blemishes, sun spots and more! I think what so great about concealer is if you have amazing skin, you can just pop a little concealer on your imperfections and have a beautiful, clean canvas to work with. Or, if you have more imperfections (scaring, blemishes, dark circles, etc) and uneven skin, concealer is a great way to camouflage without piling on foundation. A lot of girls pile on a full coverage foundation, trying to cover everything and then apply concealer. Foundation is only supposed to even out your skin. The magic of concealer is to give you a little more help, when needed. Today, I'm reviewing five concealers for people with different coverage needs.

Top L to R: Hard Candy Glamoflauge in light, Covergirl Invisible in fair & NYX HD Photogenic in CW02 fair.

Bottom L to R: Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser in brightner & Almay bright eyes concealer and eye base.

Hits:

• NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in CW02 Fair. I love this concealer. It is so creamy and pigmented and doesn't settle in tiny fine lines around the eye. The shade I bought is a tad light for me so I will be going with the CW 03 fair next time. The brand has a great shade range. Being pretty pale, I am most always at the end of the lightest spectrum of shades and usually the shade is a touch dark. With this specific line, I was the second shade, which is a bit light for me. There isn't a whole lot of product (.11 oz) but I've had it about a month and a half and still have plenty left because you don't need much at all.
• Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser in Brightner. I have never used the actual concealer, but I've heard great things about it and plan on trying it at some point. As far as the brightner, at first, I didn't like it. I wasn't crazy about the pinky tone, but I've come to love it. I find that the pink tones really, as the name implies, brightens up the eye area and makes you look more awake. I will be repurchasing because I never want to be without it. The only thing I'm not too crazy about is the sponge tip because you can't clean it. 
• Hary Candy Glamoflauge in light. This is a great heavy duty concealer for those of you with more pigmentation, scaring and dark circles. It's pretty creamy and don't find that it settles into fine lines and wrinkles. I cannot use this concealer everyday because it's way more coverage than my skin needs, but it is nice to have whenever my skin is at it's worst. Also, be aware that the light shade is very light. Medium might be the best shade if you're any darker than I am.

Misses...

• Almay Bright Eyes- concealer and eye base  I do not recommend this product at all! I got this concealer about a year ago. It was on clearance for $2.49 and I had a $2 off coupon, so I got it for only .49 cents. Thank goodness I got this for a massive deal because it really, really sucks. The color is way too yellow and the pigmentation is okay, but not great and doesn't really conceal that well. Although I'm not crazy about using eye primers, I do use this from time to time so it isn't a total waste, but I guess for .49 cents, it's not that serious. 
• Covergirl Invisible in Fair. I can only wear this product on really good skin days. The reason why it's a miss for me is that sometimes it can shift around because of my eye cream. My under eye area is so dry, so I have to wear it and I don't like how this can shift on me and make everything worse. Before I turned 24 and I didn't need an eye cream, this concealer was great and if you have young, amazing skin, I think this would be great for you, but it doesn't work for me anymore. 

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• I bought some new nail polishes today from the Sinful Colors Muse Collection- $1.99 each. I will be reviewing them sometime this week.
• Found a rediscovered blush favorite today. Loving Wet-n-Wild's blush in Heather Silk. It was one of  favorites last year and I'm remembering how much I loved it.
• Going to see my old roommate today. Looking forward to catching up!

What's your favorite concealer?