Fabs & Flops

I am back again with a little Fabs & Flops post! I think my most favorite part of this little blogging endeavor is the so-called freedom I feel to buy things, so I can blog about it! :) I have loved the opportunity to try things I normally would have never tried and to buy things I would have never thought of buying before. After nearly 15 years of using exclusively Mary Kay makeup, I automatically assumed I would just jump right into high-end makeup because I had never used any drugstore products before, but I cannot begin to tell you just how many drugstore products I have fallen in love with recently. ♥  Not only can I sometimes buy five items for the price of one high-end item, but often times it's just as good or better!
Alright, now here is what I have picked up recently and some that I wish I hadn't . . .   

Fabs:

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner - Ulta $15
I got this in a Mally Beauty gift set from Ulta. The main thing I purchased was a Mally Poreless Defender (that post will come one of these days) and I got a whole bunch of full-sized goodies. This eyeliner is black and glides on beautifully. $15 is pretty reasonably priced for a good quality eyeliner. I will probably repurchase this in black and buy other colors in the future. 

Mally Beauty Liquid Lipstick - Ulta $20
This is a another goodie that came in the Mally set. All I knew about Mally Beauty was that it is sold heavily on QVC, but it never crossed my mind to try it until I saw it for sale at Ulta. This is a liquid lipstick in a really pretty color and it goes on nicely. It has a paint brush type applicator on the end. The lasting power is not great, but the pigment is nice!  

Mally Beauty Evercolor Shadow Stick - Ulta $25
Okay, this eyeshadow stick is amazing. I just love it. It glides on perfectly, with a wet feel, but drys right away and lasts all day. I use it with an eyeshadow primer, so it never creases! I am not sure if I will pay $25 to replace it when it runs out, but I do like it. I forgot to swatch it, but this is in a chocolate/gold color. 

This cream shadow from Laura Gellar as an Ulta sample
freebie. By the way, always, ALWAYS ask for
free samples at Ulta. The whole long cupboard behind
the checkouts are full of things that they just give away if you
ask! This is a pretty good size sample and will last me quite

   a while this is a rose gold color and it has become my neutral,

 day-to-day eye color. I use it with my Urban Decay primer and

it works beautifully! These retail for $19 and I will probably

buy this when it runs out because I am OBSESSED!! 

These are my go to wipes for mornings when
I don't want to bring out the Clairsonic and do
an intense face wash. Prior to trying these I had
only used Mary Kay wipes, which are not
pre-moistened, so these are quite the upgrade. I got
these at Ulta for $6.99 plus coupons! 

Flops:

Mary Kay Lash & Brow Building Serum - Marykay.com $38
This is Mary Kay's knock off version of Latisse. Ya know, the stuff that is suppose to make your eyelashes grow? Well, Mary Kay's version is suppose to not change your eye color like Latisse is know to do, so I figured I would give it a try. I used it for a while. Religiously. I honestly did not see any difference. I think it was a waste of money. I did see that this product was featured in a beauty magazine not long ago and the reviews were great, but it's just not for me.   

NYX Lip Liner Pencil - Ulta $3.49
You know I am a fan, a BIG fan of the NYX Butter Glosses. They are by far my most favorite lip gloss of LIFE, but these liners just don't do it for me. I am not a huge fan of lip liner to begin with, but I do try because it does make a difference. I am glad I didn't pay much for these. I bought four of them and they were BOGO 50% off, plus I had a coupons, so they were about $7 for all four off them. They do not sharpen well, nor do they glide on very well at all. I will not be purchase these again. 

So I was going through my makeup and throwing things out when I came across this lip plumper I  bought a couple years ago (I know, gross, don't judge)....used it again and it still sucks. It is just a thick, sticky gloss in a large silver twist up tube. It is also outrageously expensive (I think it was $18 a long time ago when I got it).  Sure it tingles, but it doesn't make my lips look any fuller than my $5 crystal clear NYX gloss. I have done a lot of research on skin care/cosmetics over the last couple of years and really the "tingling" sensation in the plumping glosses is some kind of mint oil irritating the heck out of your lips, that's why they "plump" (which is actually swelling from irritation). Needless to say this one went in the trash. It is a product I regret buying.

Physician's Formula Va Va Voom Mascara - Ulta $10
This is my least favorite mascara. I do not like brush, it flakes
and it just doesn't coat my lashes like I expect. Luckily,
I got this for FREE with coupons at Ulta, so it's not much of
a loss, but I will never try a Physician's Formula mascara
again. I actually got a BB and a CC cream from PF and
I don't think I like either, but I need to try them a few more
times to be sure. I am sure that will on another Fabs & Flops post
in the near future!  

First, let me start by saying I am not a BB/CC cream
kind of person. I got this at an Ulta freebie (see, always ask for those free samples!) so I figured I would give it a try. It just isn't full-coverage enough for me. I like full, FULL coverage and this just doesn't give it. Plus, I did not feel like it was very build-able, so that was another downside. This travel size retails for $10 and the full-size is $34. I really like the Laura Gellar cream eyechadow, so I will probably try more of her items in the future, but not this one!  

XoXo