Mascara Tube Extensions

During the holiday season I received lots of beauty products as gifts and I can't wait to discuss them all with you. But before I get into any more of my favorite gifted products, I'd like to tell you a little bit about my discovery of a drugstore mascara beforehand.

I had heard a commercial on TV about adding lash extensions to your eyes with just mascara and having them come off when you washed your face, but I wasn't sure what this meant exactly. I had really enjoyed doing up my lashes for events with fun fake eyelashes, so I decided to check this out.

It turns out that what they advertise is kind of true and I enjoy using L'Oreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara from time-to-time. This two-step mascara provides a primer and mascara to finish off your extended look. I think that my lashes are pretty clump-free and lengthened, but their commercials are kind of exaggerated.

The Double Extend mascara uses "tube technology" to essentially enclose each lash with an extension, which comes off when you wash your face. And they aren't lying about that. I was in the shower one day and I saw all these black things in my hands and was very confused. Then I remembered I had used the Double Extend mascara. But taking it off usually proves to be quite a chore and there are a lot of leftover pieces around my eyes. This doesn't make me happy.

All in all, L'Oreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara is ok. I don't use it every day and don't really recommend it for a quick application (you have to do it meticulously, one eye at a time). It's nice to have options, but when a drugstore mascara costs $10.99, you might as well go straight to Sephora and get some Stila or Smashbox.

-A

Photo: LorealParisUSA.com

The Lip Gloss Chronicles: CARGO

Ladies, I never thought I'd see the day, but I've found the perfect gloss. This is quite a momentous occasion because, as you may know, I am very hard to please when it comes to a lip gloss. And there are lots of reasons my praise belongs to CARGO's new line of
glosses with Timestrip® technology. Let me list the ways…

1. My favorite feature of the CARGO Timestrip® lip glosses is that they aren't sticky! Finally, I can honestly say that I don't feel like my lips are getting stuck together when I'm walking around with my hair down. It goes on so sheer and feels very light on my lips. I seriously want to buy up every color of this because I think it's the best thing ever. I had attempted the NARS glosses because JPM swears by them, but I find that they are way too sticky. CARGO Timestrip® is completely different.



2. The big draw to most of the CARGO Timestrip® lip glosses will be this latest technology. Have you ever switched purses and found a plethora of lip glosses in your bags that have been left behind from times past? Do you even remember how long it's been since you first opened them?
   
   
   Well, CARGO Timestrip® lip glosses help you remember because they basically time you from when you open up the gloss for a nine-month period. By inserting the strip, you activate the time sensor and the window begins to turn red. When the window fills up this means that it's time to toss this gloss and get a new one. I mean, you don't want to apply bacteria-filled gloss to your lips (did you know the average woman will ingest about four pounds of lipstick over her lifetime?! Crazy!!). Do you really want to be swallowing bacteria? I think not.



3. The CARGO Timestrip® lip glosses are created with the same great formula as your favorite CARGO lip gloss tins. So you will find both the Classic and blu_ray collections around for a great variety. As an added convenience, you have an applicator with which to apply the CARGO Timestrip® lip glosses, as they are now featured in tubes. And CARGO has ensured that these glosses are paraben-free, which makes it less harmful to your health!

I had always hoped this day would come and I am very excited to continue using this new product. The CARGO Timestrip® lip glosses actually cost $22, which is a bit on the pricey side, but for all they are offering me (not to mention the money I'll be saving on trying out new glosses) I'm pretty willing to dip into my pockets for this one.

-A

My Latest Eye Combo

Continuing with the beauty immunity theme, I wanted to tell you how I get my eyeshadow to stay on longer now than ever before. I have always loved Benefit's F-Y-Eye, but I think it was just time for a change. My face is so seriously oily so it's important to really prime the you-know-what out of my eyes. I started using a combination, which yes takes a little longer, but seriously helps me not have a crease until a while after I leave the office - that's more than eight hours of work that this combo needs to do for me and I'm certainly pleased.

This combination is of concealer and primer. Now, I haven't really attempted to shy away from this particular combination for the simple fact that it's working so well. My fave concealer is Prescriptives' Camouflage Cream and I've coupled it with Laura Mercier's Eye Basics in Flax. These two creams, once blended in, give me a nice clean eye to work with.

I first got the idea to use concealer when I was working with a client and she told me she used concealer on her lids to cover up some redness. I had never done that on myself before (as I don't have much discoloration), but I started and it proved to be a great start to this method of priming my eyes for regular eyeshadow. This is especially perfect for when I go out and really need to exaggerate my eye makeup. Who needs raccoon eyes after a fun night out?

Different methods work for different people so if you find that this combination doesn't work for you then try switching it up. There are lots of primers and concealers out there on the market - you just need to find the one that you like the best.

-A

Beauty Immunity

I love It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product. I actually have been using this leave-in conditioner for almost two years now every day when I get out of the shower! However, I think I have to stop using it. It was making my hair soft and shiny, but I don't think it's doing what I need it to do anymore. Does that ever happen to any of you? You use a product for so long that you eventually become immune to it?

This beauty immunity, if I may, is so frustrating! It has happened to me countless times. I think this is worse than when a product is discontinued! I fall in love with a product, but then it stops working on me. Other people can continue to buy and use it, but I cannot. I get so jealous! Now, I must find a new product to replace it. In the meantime, what do I do? I spend countless dollars trying new things. Sure, I can read the musings of my fellow beauty bloggers (thanks everyone!) and I can even try out some samples (but they may not always be available). Speaking of samples - have you ever walked into a store and they have the shampoo and conditioner on display with a "Try Me" sticker on it? I mean, how can I try shampoo when I'm walking through a store? I just think that's funny.

So now, I'm left to my dilemma. Last week, when I was on my cruise, I didn't bring my It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product. Instead, I just used some Chi Silk Infusion and occasionally some mousse. My hair had a lot more volume then. I think I need to switch up my hair product routine. If anyone out there knows of a fabulous leave-in conditioner, please let me know! Until then, I will forgo the extra product and try to get my hair looking livelier.

I have other beauty immunities too, but what are some of yours?

-A

Photo: Overstock.com