My First Beauty Products Review!!

Hello Hello!

So I'm adding my first beauty product review.  I've mentioned before I'm no beauty guru, but I do know what I like and what my tight purse string will buckle for.  Now, for the record, my previous description of make-up was neutral eye shadow and lip gloss...not lipstick...lip gloss.  I considered myself low maintenance.  Hubster adored this.  Easy Peasy and leaving the house wasn't some waiting game.  He took some adjusting to my new beauty schedule.  It's not too crazy, but it fits my life perfectly.  I started wearing make up only after learning what it was for.  I was 25 and had NO idea what the hell foundation was used for, and I was dumbfounded to hear that eyeshadow needed primer.  Say what?? Balls!  I was in over my head!  I'm pretty sure on more then one occasion Hubster heard me yell "F*ck make-up!  I'm too smart for this shit!" while chuckling quietly to himself.  I'm a patient woman for only one thing, and thats my kids.  If I'm learning something and don't get it right off the bat, my ego takes a hit and I get all primative.  I'm a brainiac damn it.  Only thing I anticipate struggling with is math, and make up ain't math.  Years of tomboying put me waaay behind the curve.  But if anything, I'm a persistant S.O.B. and I don't take too kindly to feeling dumb.  My crowning achievement so far has been putting eyeliner on my waterline and not crying it off.  It's the little things people!  

Im sure most of you are light years ahead of me, so feel free to offer your tips below.  Im going to give you a brief list of what are my favs and why.  I have come to these conculsions after A LOT of testing different brands.  Let's begin yeah?

FACE!

Foundation: Maybelline FITme!      Price: $6-$7
I whip out this bad boy only when I want to remind hubsters family that I am indeed in his league.  I've heard for one particular in law that they weren't sure why Ben was with me.  I couldnt exactly yell "Because I have HUGE boobs" but, if the best revenge is to prove people wrong, I'm hell bent on serving this in-law a face full of crow.  So, after testing several it boiled down to Cover Girl and Maybelline FITme!.  Both shades were great fits.  But what made the winner was the smell.  Cover Girl had a strong smell of cloves, and sure enough in the ingredients, there it was.  Clove.  I have nothing against clove...when its on my ham or in my rice pudding.  Hubster could smell it on me, and when youre wearing scented lotion, and hair products, the last thing you need is one more scent piled on.  I also found that my skin doesnt break out as much if any with the Maybelline.  

Under eye Concealer: Garnier Skin Renew       Price: $9-$11
I LOOOVE this product!  It goes from liquid to powder feeling quickly and it doesnt collect in the creases above or below my eye lids.  Its got caffiene in it, and it really does perk up the skin for sunken in eyes.  I have struggled with sleep for almost 14 years.  I can function, effectively under 4 hours of it.  But it reflects in my eyes, or rather, under them.  Its all very Walking Dead.  The Skin Renew is light, and brightens my eyes.  It comes in  just one shade, that I could find anyways.  But concealer should always be a little lighter than your skin so that your eyes pop.  (Isn't that a weird visual??).  The price might seem high for such a small bottle, but I've had it for almost a year and i'm not out yet.  Also the bottle says to roll it under eyes...DON'T...that is WAY too much.  Apply to your ring finger and gently dab onto under eyes.  I also use this on the upper lid for a more even look.

Eyelid Primer: E.L.F. Eyelid Primer      Price: $3
Seriously?!  $3?  YES!  And its great!  It goes on a sheer shimmer and my eyeshadow will go all day (WITHOUT CREASING!).  Now, I will preach all day about Urband Decays Eye Primer because that stuff is the mac freaking daddy of eyelid primer.  But at $22 a bottle, it gets whipped out for nights I want a free drink or I want to feel young and make out with Hubster in the car while in the drive way (ahh, those care free days lol).  But for my everyday "cant be seen at Target/Publix/kids school looking how I feel" look, ELF provides a cheap and effective alternative.  

Nude Eye Shadow: Urban Decay Naked Basics       Price:$22
Ok, so for 6 shades, that is a bit much.  BUT, (and its a big but) you will NOT be disappointed.  They have amazing pigment meaning you get what you see when you apply the color.  There is NO need to add another layer to get the color to show (especially if you use primer).  For any of my vegan friends or friends who worry about cruelty in testing, Urban Decay has a TON of vegan friendly shadows and is cruelty free.  This is one of those instances where you really do get what you pay for.  

Color Eye Shadow: Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box      Price:$19 (on sale from $38)
I KNOW!!!!  I am supposed to be cheap!  But this is make-up heaven.  AND ITS ON SALE!!    It has 9 beautiful colors that blend extremely well together and really does give you that va-va-voom.  The regular price is steep, but ALWAYS order from the website.  They have killer deals and sales that you won't be able to take advantage of in any store.  Plus you can sign up for their emails and recieve sales codes.  See, I have a savers mentality, you just gotta let me get there :)  I have tried SOOOOO many brands and they all look pretty in the palette.  They all whisper "Use me, I'll get you a free frappachino".  NO THEY WON'T!  LIES!!  They'll get you about as far as application and then BAM!  Disappointment City, Population: You.  ELF really failed me here.  I was really let down by the lack of pigment once on the eye.  I definitely wasn't causing any boners from my eye make-up those nights.  Spend the money.  You and the hunk barista will be glad you did.


This, is where I will leave you.  I REALLY wanted to  include lips, but I, Crystal, am a stain-a-holic.  I freaking loooove lip stains.  So that will get a post on its own.  I own over 16 different brands of lipstains.  It is a serious problem.  So, as I type good night, please let me know what products you cant live without.  Let me know if you disagree with any of my top choices and why.  Damn, just talk to me!

Hugs til later!

Crystal


PS!  Heres the website for Urban Decay, seriously give them a peek, read the reviews and treat yourself to something nice.  You have a bloggers permission :)
www.urbandecay.com