New Remastered YSL The Iconic Volume Effect Faux Cils Mascara

I was sent to review the newly remastered YSL Iconic volume effect faux cils mascara from Influenster.com. Below was my first impression, demo, and review of the product.

Here is my extended review after using it for about a week. I believe the company kept the original formula of this mascara with the exception of adding pro vitamin B5 as a conditioning ingredient. The claim on this is that not only you will get full false lash effect, but also have more conditioned and healthy lashes in the long run. I have a different mascara from YSL that's blue which I love, but it has a different wand, and I'm not going to compare the two in this case. This mascara, however, doesn't work for me. I tried and tried to make it work for my lashes, but I'm pretty frustrated at this point, and just want to pass it onto someone who might find it better for them. I have tried different methods to enhance this mascara, but in actuality, I shouldn't work so hard with an expensive high-end mascara such as this. This retails for $32, and there are six different shades to choose from. You can purchase from the YSL website http://www.yslbeautyus.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-ysl-us-Site/en_US/Moodboards-Show?mid=volume-effet-faux-cils&ga_source=fauxcils_moodboarddw-a

Here is the claim from the website:

NEW improved formula does not dry out. The best gets even better, the original false lash effect mascara, now with an all new Lash Care formula. Achieve absolute dramatic lashes in a single stroke for eyes that instantly pop. Its secret is the Triple-Intensity Formula: intense volume, intense color and now intense care. The nylon fiber brush coats each lash in deep color and maximum volume from root to tip, while B5 Pro-Vitamin strengthens and protects lashes. Available in 6 signature YSL shades to compliment eye color or to create a customized look.

It's not true at all for them to claim that this mascara formula doesn't dry out. It dries faster than any of my other mascaras, and I have never ever had to work so hard on a mascara like this one before. Let alone I've worked with tons of drugstore and high-end mascaras. The formula is also very inconsistent because some days I get loads of wet clumpy inky lashes with just one coat, and other days I found myself kept building up length, volume, and thickness by layering on several coats.

This is one coat on the left side, and bare lashes on the other side for comparison. 

It's adds a little bit of length, and that's about it.

Now without adding another coat to the left side, I applied one coat on top of the Dior lash primer serum for the right side, and you can see a little more thickness and volume there.

So I had to add a 2nd coat on both eyes to show somewhat of a "false lash effect" result. 

Another thing about this formula dries out faster than the other ones I've used is that I can normally apply one coat of mascara both on top and bottoms for both of my eyes with no problem. With this mascara, I can only apply both eyes' top lashes and only one eye's bottom lashes. By the time I get to the last eye's bottom lashes, the wand is dried up. If I dip back into the tube just for one eye's lower lashes, it will make those much heavier than the other eye. I usually have to use at least two coats on each eyes in order to build the "false lashes effect" this mascara claims, which is having all the length, volume, and thickness. I even tried to layer this mascara on top of my Dior mascara primer serum as well as other mascaras to enhance the overall appearance of what this mascaras claims to do. It just kept failing miserably. My everyday morning makeup routine probably only lasts about 5 minutes, but I like to spend extra time on my lashes since I'm all about making a statement with my eyes. I've used many different price point mascaras, whether alone or on top of a lash primer, and none of them make me spend almost 10 minutes on my lashes!!! 10 minutes just to apply mascara on my lashes! Seriously?!!!!! A good mascara, and in this case, an expensive mascara, shouldn't make me work a whole 10 minutes on my lashes. I would expect 30 seconds to maybe a minute. I never ever had to apply 2nd coats of mascara to my lashes. Never! I couldn't help but having to apply at least 2 coats with this one. That also means constant dipping the wand back and forth into the tube, which makes the product dry out faster than all of my other mascaras. With this rate, I will have to purchase another mascara very soon. I'm not going to invest my money, that's equivalent to a whole week of unlimited metro card, on this every month. It's just not worth it! It pains me to write a such negative review on a brand that I love, respect, and admire. The only good thing that I can say about this mascara is the ease of removing it at the end of the day. Since it's a fiber mascara, I can easily wipe away with a makeup remover cloth or eye makeup remover. I do noticing flacking here and there already, and that irritated my eyes a bit if a piece of fiber or flack gets into my eyes. Overall, I'm just not happy at all with this mascara. I wish I have tried the old version so that I can really compare the two. Either way, I'm going back to my other mascaras so that I can end this nightmare.

Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box Swatches

This palette is not available to purchase on the Urban Decay website anymore, http://www.urbandecay.com However, you might be able to find it on ebay or through trading on http://www.edivv.com

Geek Chic Cosmetics Haul, first impression, swatches, and review

I made my very first Geek Chic Cosmetics purchase last Summer, and haven't got a chance to upload the video until recently. Sorry for the delay! Since I uploaded the video with my review and swatches, I thought it's better for me to upload some close up swatches of those beautiful loose eyeshadows. I love indie makeup companies that offer sample sized products. That way, you don't have to break your bank, and still get to try some of the most beautiful loose eyeshadows, pigments, blushes, and lip products. Geek Chic Cosmetics is one of those companies. I got some full sized products as well as some sample sized ones, but I do love all of them. They are amazing in quality and variations of blends of eyeshadows and blushes. Now the company is having a limited edition Sailor Moon collection, which looks so awesome and comes in a round tin with cute design if you purchase the whole collection. Their website is simply http://www.geekchiccosmetics.com

Here is my video review and swatches:

And here are some of the close up swatches:) I will upload soon with every single product swatches!

ColourPop Cosmetics Haul, Swatches, Review, and Tutorial

I uploaded a haul, swatch, and review video on YouTube. This was my very first purchase, and I intend to purchase more of their products since they came out with blushes and limited edition collections (the newest one is the Spring 2015 Pastel collection that's available on the website today!)

 

Then I uploaded another video which is a metallic smokey eye makeup tutorial featuring some of these ColourPop eyeshadows, and you can check out below as well.

 

I won't go into depth about these eyeshadows because I think whoever tried them love the pigmentations and color payoffs. The price for ColourPop is drugstore price which is $5 each for single eyeshadow, lip liner, and lippie stix(lipsticks in pen forms). The newest blushes are beautiful, and they are $8 each which is still very inexpensive consider the quality and the amount you get. I have yet to lay my hands on any of their lip products, but that shall soon come. I just get overwhelmed by how many color selections this brand offers. Again, people who tried their lip products also love them, so I don't think I will be disappointed. Below, I will provide close-up swatches of the eyeshadows from my haul video. This way, you get to see them up close with all the pretty shimmers and layers of goodness:)