Impression Confession: Mally Beauty's Evercolor Poreless Face Defender

I have a confession to make...     This one is regarding Mally's Evercolor Poreless Face Defender product, an item I had been coveting for possibly two years! I have very oily skin and I always have to blot my face between two to three times a day, depending on the occasion. So, I thought, hey, I wonder if this interesting product from Mally would work for me, too?

This travel sized Face Defender came with Mally's Bulletproof Essentials kit that I purchased on Ulta.com for $49.00, a wonderful deal with all the rest of the full sized products that came with it!

I have been testing this out for a good three weeks now, and I am ready to give you my full and honest opinion about this product. 

Regarding the packaging, it is a pretty pearl-pink color, definitely girly! But, the packaging on this seems plastic, cheap, breakable and flimsy. Maybe it is because this is a travel sized product? The silver overlay on the name, Mally, on the front of the compact is already rubbing off, so it only adds to the cheap look of the packaging, unfortunately. I am imaging that the full sized product's packaging is more durable because I have seen it in a completely different compact than this one, but I cannot tell you for sure. 

What I do appreciate about the compact is that it is slender and portable, so it slips into your purse without adding extra weight or bulk. It is light and small enough to take on your travels!

This comes with a basic thin foam sponge to apply the product with. There is a bottom to the compact that opens up where you can store the sponge. That is also where you will find the mirror for when applying the product. The pain about that, is that you have to switch back and forth to pick up product and than back again to look into the mirror to apply it. I wonder why they couldn't have just put the mirror in the same compartment as the product itself...

As for the product itself, it is most interesting! You can see that it is a clear powder. Yes, powder! That is what Mally herself called the product in her Youtube video explaining how to apply this. 

In the picture above you can see how this product looks like a little more. It is very hard to explain!

Here is a dab of it on my finger that I picked up from the compact. I thought about swatching it for you, but it basically just disappeared! 

Touching the compact, it feels like rubber (almost), not hard not soft, but firm. When you pick up product with your finger and rub it between your fingers it feels like silk that diminishes into nothingness! It is the strangest feeling I have ever experienced in a makeup product, leaving it very hard to describe! 

I have applied this over my foundation and over my powder and it is amazing! I have even applied this onto my bare skin before it would get oily and after it was oily. Instantly it leaves my skin feeling extremely soft and silky! I would touch my face through out the day after applying it, and it still felt like silk. I did not notice any oil whatsoever. I almost wondered if this interesting gel-like-silk formula created a barrier between my oil and my skin!

I will say, that in my opinion, this did not completely mattify my face, even though it reduced the shine. It was almost as if this left a glow, almost a satin glow to my face. Yet, when I would touch my face, it wasn't oily! It was super soft, like silk, still. It left me unsure of how I felt about this. I wasn't completely in love with that effect it had on me, because I prefer a completely matte look on me. 

Now, I applied this product exactly how it instructs. To dab the sponge into the powder and than dab, NOT RUB, onto the face. Mally warns that if you rub, it will move your makeup. Well, I still noticed that there was some transfer of makeup onto the sponge, but maybe that was because my skin was so oily? That is my guess. So, keep that in mind.

Would I repurchase this? 

Hmmm... this is an amazing product, no doubt about it! I have bittersweet feelings for this, because as much as I like it, I do not love it. I find myself knowing that this is something that I could easily live without and it is not necessary to my makeup routine. Yet, I will use this and enjoy it for as long as I have it. But, I wasn't in love with the satin effect this left on my skin enough to go and buy the full sized product. 

I find that my Clean And Clear Oil Absorbing sheets do an amazing job of removing oils without removing a smidge of makeup with it. And they are only $5.00 for a pack of fifty sheets! 

I am not giving this a negative review, because I like it, but love other products that help with my oiliness better! Yet, I think that a lot of you out there will love and enjoy this product if you love the look of satin skin! It just doesn't suit me well.

And that is something I am bummed about...

Some Of the Best News Of My Makeup Obsessed Life!

There are no words to describe how great I am feeling today... I was reading one of my favorite websites this morning, while I was drinking my coffee, trying desperately to wake up, and I found myself bouncing in my chair all giddy!

Target is now selling NYX Cosmetics!

I cannot began to describe the elation and relief I feel, because until this moment, the nearest store that sold NYX near me was 45 minutes away at Ulta, and I do not get out that way very often, as it is in the middle of a small town. So, I always ordered mine online, which was a bummer to wait, but now I can get instant gratification!

NYX has a store locater on their website and the closest Target selling NYX near me is now a mere 15 minutes away.

Now, I got time for that!!!

I Have Never Been More Excited!!!

I have just got to share this little brief tid bit that I am over the moon excited about!

I was at Walmart last weekend and I was glimpsing over the small goodie section at the check out area and I saw a fully stocked box of my all time favorite Chapstick scented lip balm, Cake Batter!!! Of course I had to pick one up because as far as I can still tell, they are part of their seasonal spring limited addition collection. Fall is just around the corner, so I imagine these aren't going to be available for much longer.

 I currently have six altogether, and since I go through lip balms faster than I do a lipstick or lipgloss, I can justify hoarding these suckers!

So, get yours while you can, cause who knows when they will stop selling these!

Impression Confession: Mally Beauty's Evercolor Shadow Stick in, "Saddle Shimmer"

I have a confession to make...         Here is one of the reviews that I have promised to bring your way from the Mally Beauty's Bulletproof Essentials kit that I purchased a few weeks ago.

Here is the Evercolor Shadow Stick in the color, "Saddle Shimmer", a eyeshadow pencil for your eyes. 

First off, the packaging is very lightweight and the cap snaps on securely, so no worries that it will just slide off on its own in your bag. 

The convenience of this is wonderful, because it is so light, portable and fits in your makeup bag like the rest of your eyeliners. I would definitely take this with me traveling!

I could not believe how buttery and silky soft the application was! It seriously made my mouth drop, it felt so luxurious! There was no tugging, whatsoever! This glided right on and quickly set in a matter of seconds. When I watched Mally's video on Youtube about how to use all of these products, she said there was thirty seconds of playtime with this product before it would set and not budge! 

The color of this is gorgeous! It is a shimmery copper that seems to really glisten and shine. It is beautiful and would look phenomenal on all skin tones!

Taken in doors 

Taken outdoor in the sunlight

I have worn this on my lower lash line and on my upper lash line as an eyeliner and it looks so pretty. I have also worn this  all over the eyelid, which I will show you below...

I decided to test out the longevity of this product to see how it held up. I put this on at 12:30 in the afternoon all by itself, so primer, no eyeshadow, no nothing on my lids! 

12:30am

Excuse the eyebrows, it was not a good day for them! (I did absolutely nothing to them!)

8:45pm

I wore this for about eight hours, and you can tell in the after picture that the color had worn off and it did crease, which was unfortunate. But, I do have very oily eyelids so I am hoping that with primer underneath it will hold up a lot better than it did without. When I test that theory out, I will update this post and let you know! 

I really love the formula and ease of application, not to mention the gorgeous color! Would I repurchase this, or purchase different colors? Hmmm... A single one alone retails for $25.00, and I am just not quite sure if I would pay that kind of money for it. Don't get me wrong, the quality it outstanding! But, personally, for my oily lids, this is not a stand-alone product, if you will. On me, this needs primer in order to stay all day. Not surprised by that, just disappointed... On ones with non-oily lids, I imagine this product would work fantastically on you!

Yet, this is very travel friendly and I would recommend this to someone who is traveling for quick application and less bulk to carry in their beauty bag! 

I am still using this several times a week for lining my lash lines, because it is so soft and such an amazing color! So, I love it for that, just not all over my lids ;)

Hope this helps!

Nails Of The Moment: Sinful Colors "Rise And Shine" and "Mint Apple"

Sorry for the blurred picture! The camera on my phone was not the best at that moment, apparently! I just wanted to share the new nails I painted today! I adore the colors! They are both by Sinful Colors in the names, "Rise And Shine" and "Mint Apple".

There is no top coat on them in the picture because I was hoping the camera would pick up the matte color of the darker color, "Rise And Shine". Its a beautiful matte, but also pretty with a shiny topcoat, which is what I prefer.

The "Mint Apple" has subtle silver shimmer to it, and I love how summery this is! This kind of reminds me of the color of a tropical ocean, like Bora Bora! 

Here is some pictures of a different week that I wore "Mint Apple" on all of my nails. I forgot to post it!

Enjoy your weekend!

Maybelline Clean Express Makeup Remover

I have a confession to make...       There is nothing I hate more than removing mascara! Somedays I intentionally do not wear any because I dread taking it off at night before bed. Yet, I adore wearing mascara... (its very frustrating!)

I decided to try out a new makeup remover, as the Up And Up brand from Target (their cheap version of the Neutrogena one) was not cutting it for me. I purchased mine at Target for $4.99, which was not cheap but not expensive for drugstore price. 

I have been using this bottle for about two months now, and I only use it for my eyes, while I use the Clean and Clear makeup remover wipes for my face. 

The instructions on the back tell you to shake the bottle in order to activate the dual phase formula. The first phase claims to break up stubborn makeup, even waterproof mascara while the second phase claims to wash it clean. 

This is before it has been shaken.
You can see the seperation.

This is after it is shaken

They claim this has quick dissolving power, so no rubbing is necessary and that their oil-free formula leaves no greasy residue. They do instruct you to rinse with warm water after you are done.

So, after using this for almost two months, I can say that I really do think that this works great for a makeup remover. To remove my mascara I pour some of the remover onto my makeup remover wipe after I am done taking off my face makeup and just hold the wipe to my eye for about ten or fifteen seconds and instantly, a whole bunch of mascara has ben removed! I will admit that you have to repeat the process about three times on each eye to completely remove all of the mascara, but I think that it breaks up hard to remove mascara wonderfully!

As far as a residue, it does leave behind a feeling of oil... even though I know they say it is oil free, I still get that oily feeling before I rinse it off with water. Yet, they claimed no greasy feeling, so they were right about that! I think that all makeup removing formulas leave behind some sort of residue that is easy to wash away, so to me, it is no big deal!

The top of the bottle is great for easy pour! 

Over all, I will definitely repurchase this when I run out! It has lasted me a long time and is easy to work along with my mascaras!

Loving this!

Limited Edition Goody Ribbon Elastics!

I have a confession to make...        These adorable hair ties grabbed my immediate attention when I was at Target earlier this week, and I just had to have them! I was on the look out for some hair bands anyhow, since no matter how much I stalk up on them I always lose them. The price tag, $3.99, was a little more than I was used to paying for a pack of hair ties, especially when I get only six. Yet, since I am a sucker for cute and new things, these ribbons made their way home with me!

Specifically, I was wanting ribbon elastics as I had heard that these are more gentle on your hair. I found these on an end cap near the hair accessory isle and grabbed a pack. These are a splash of bright color to add to your day, and a great way to add a little pizazz to your pony tail.

These aren't just adorable, but they perform well, holding a pony tail very securely!

Remember, these designs are limited edition, and we are always losing these little guys, so go and check these out! 

Impression Confession: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

I have a confession to make...        I bought another lip product a few days ago, feeling totally guilty because I already have a basketful of lippys! I have sworn to wear either lipstick or lipgloss everyday so I can use them all up! HAHA!

I just had to try a Revlon Balm Stain, because I had heard so many great things about them, and I wanted to experience the amazingness that I had been missing out on!  

I was attracted to the color Smitten, but I have dozens of lipsticks and lip glosses already extremely similar. I chose the color Rendezvous, a pretty coral orange! 

The packaging is pretty cool, it feel like a giant crayon to me, making me feel like I am a five year old drawing on my lips! I won't ever have to fear about the lid coming off because the top is very secure. To get even more product out, all you have to do is twist the top of the "crayon", so no sharpening required! Very convenient for on the go!

I enjoyed the mint scent of this, it reminded me of the cup of mint tea that I enjoy from time to time. Its like a sweet peppermint scent that feels very refreshing on the lips, like they are perking up! 

When I applied this to my lips, I thought it would drag and tug, almost feel drying, but I was wrong. Revlon's website says that this is made with a gel formula, which was what helped this glide onto my lips with ease. It felt like I had a cross between a lipstick and a gloss on. It is not sticky nor dying! Happily, this did not dry out my lips whatsoever! Actually, this helped my lips feel instantly moisturized, even as I continued to wear it on its own throughout the day. Whoot Whoot!

I will admit that I thought that this color would be a lot more orange like the actual product. So, when I applied it,  I was a little surprised, but not disappointed. I enjoyed the soft peachy color I got from this. But, than the day wore on, and the stain must have taken effect, because this did appear more orange on my lips. It wore nicely, with no patchiness that some stains have left on my lips while they had faded through out the day. 

Below is a picture the first day I wore it right after I applied it.
Under that picture is a photo of me on a different day after I had worn it for a little over an hour. You can see that the stain seems to deepen a little after wearing it. 

Just after application

Over an hour after application

Overall, I really like this product! What I feel makes these stand out from other stains is the fact that these give your lips lasting color without drying them out. If you are in the market for a lip product to stain your lips, than treat your lips right and try out Revlon's Kissable Balm Stains!

Once I use up a few of the lip products from my stash, than yes, I want more!!!!

Impression Confession: NYX Butter Gloss

I have a confession to make...           I have a bajillion lip glosses, lipsticks, lip balms, lip stains... I really truly do not need any more lippys because I barely use up any of them to the point of it being empty! Yet, I always get suckered into trying new products that come out, especially when they are pretty colors!

NYX butter glosses may not be new to you, but they are new to me, and I picked up a pack of three from ulta.com for $9.99. Individually these retail for $4.99 each on Ulta's website, so this was great deal! 

Here are the colors that came in the pack: 

Left to Right: Creme Brûlée, Apple Strudel and Merengue

I had really been wanting to try out Apple Strudel, so this was a score for me!

Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel is a soft pretty pink-coral color.

Creme Brûlée

Creme Brûlée is a mauve-nude color.

Merengue

Merengue is a pastel lilac color.

Left to right: Apple Strudel, Merengue and Creme Brûlée

These come in twelve different shades, and I noticed from swatches online that these are all soft color shades, none of them overly bright and in your face. 

The formula of these is AMAZING! NYX says that these will melt onto your lips, and I must agree with that description! These glide on and feel so comfortable and smooth, wet, but not over wet and definitely not sticky! When applied, the lips look like shining glass, it is beautiful! It really is different in that respect from many other lip glosses I have tried.

I have to mention the scent that these carry! I don't mind a scent as long as it is enjoyable, and I must say that these glosses are divine! No joke, my first immediate thought when I smelled this was, "Sweet pink sugar-candy", if that makes any sense to you. It is not overpowering and strong like the NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss, but sweet and pleasant instead, like a sweet sugary bakery (hence the names of all the glosses!). Let me just say that you have to like sweet scents to enjoy wearing these. The smell, of course wears off, so never fear! 

Really, these glosses are one of a kind. If you haven't already, I recommend that you try these out. They offer a decadence unlike any other lip product out there and there is enough variety to please any palette!

Nails Of The Moment: Sinful Colors, "Cool Gray"

So, I have decided to start a new post, of sorts, about new nail polish colors that I have bought from brands that I have already done reviews on. If you read back on older posts of mine on nails, you know what my favorites already are regarding formula and staying power etc...

Without having to review the formula of brands that are tried and true, I will be posting "Nails Of The Moment" with my simple thoughts on them, just for your enjoyment and mine!

With out further ado, I present to you the first:

Sinful Colors, "Cool Gray"

This is a nice summer or fall color because it is not a true concrete gray, but a light cool toned gray. It is a unique color that I wanted to add to my collection, and I really do love it! I got a lot of compliments on this one when I wore it around town last week. 

I found this at Walmart on a massive in-the-middle-of-the-isle display that they have. They also have a few other fun and unique colors and I picked up another one that I will share with you soon!

Good Times!

Mally Beauty's Bulletproof Essentials

I have a confession to make...       I have always wanted to try a few things from Mally Beauty, but the price tag always caused me to hesitate. Yet, I had heard rave reviews on the lasting power of the formulation of her makeup. The one thing that I had been coveting for probably two years was her Evercolor Poreless Face Defender. So, when I had heard recently that Mally Beauty was going to be sold at Ulta stores I checked their website, since the closest Ulta near me is an hour drive away, and I came across Mally Beauty's Bulletproof Essentials kit, retailing for $49.00! So, I snagged that baby up and put it into my cart, because not only did it contain the Face Defender, but also I needed a new black eyeliner!

This is what is included in the kit:

A travel size Evercolor Poreless Face Defender, 0.41 oz
The full size version retails for $40.00 on mallybeauty.com

Also included:

Evercolor Shadow Stick in the shade Saddle Shimmer, 0.06 oz (which I believe is full-sized! I could not find any of that particular info on mallybeauty.com) 
This retails on Mally's website for $25.00

Included also:

Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner in the color Black Velvet, 0.04 oz (Full sized!)
This retails on Mally's website for $15.00

Here are the swatches of these two eye products:

Left: Saddle Shimmer
Right: Black Velvet

Also included: 

Mally Volumizing Mascara in Black, 0.39 oz (Full sized!)
This retails on Mally's website for $20.00

I have not opened this mascara yet to try this out, because I am waiting to use up my Maybelline Colossal mascara!

Also included:

High-Shine Liquid Lipstick Pen in the color Starburst, .12 oz (full size!)
This retails on mally's website for $20.00

For the price that you pay, you are getting a tremendous value and you get to test out a lot of different products that are full sized! (Except for the Face Defender)

I have tried all these products except for the mascara and will be bringing you individual reviews over the next couple of weeks to let you know in depth how I like each one. Lets just say that my first impression with the majority of these has been, "ooooh", and "ahhhh"!

So stay tuned!