Model 21 Lashes in #36

Hello, hello, hello! Long time, no see! I'm sorry I've been neglecting this blog so much over the past few months. I've been really focused on my YouTube channel recently; filming, editing, and posting new videos every chance I get. So sorry! But excuses out of the way, I hope I make up for my absence with a Model 21 Eyelashes review. But first, I want to make it clear that Model 21 Eyelashes are not compensating me to do this review, but were extremely kind to send me a set of their lashes free of charge. Although some gurus' judgements may get clouded when presented this situation, mine will not. I have a conscience, as well as young viewers who trust and value my opinion. For this reason, I will be 100% truthful, and will not give a glowing review simply because I got a product for free. With that said, let's get started. :)


Pros-
*Model 21's headquarters are located in Frisco, Texas, so shipping for me took a mere 3 days!! Although shipping depends on what state or province you live in, for me, I was glad I didn't have to wait a really long for my package. (Note that on Model 21 Eyelashes' website, it says that international orders arrive in 15-20 business days.)
*Popular drugstore brands such as Ardell charge around four bucks for a single pair of false lashes. Although this doesn't sound like a lot, you're paying $2.00 per lash. Yikes! The cool thing about Model 21's is that their lashes come in a set of ten pairs. I got the #36 lashes, and mine cost $8.95! That's crazy! With Model 21, you known you're getting a great deal... especially because they list the retailer's price, their price, and then your overall savings. Wow!
*You can also reuse Model 21 falsies 3-5 times if you are careful when peeling them off, and also when applying them. :) Talk about getting your money's worth, huh?
*Another thing I really liked about Model 21 Eyelashes are their product's quality. The 36 lashes weren't cheap and flimsy, and also weren't a pain to apply. This makes their lashes great for beginners (like me :P), and really easy to get the hang of.
*The 36 lashes are insanely natural-looking. If you know me from my YouTube account, I think it's pretty obvious I like really natural, really understated makeup. So the 36 falsies were great for me simply because they gave me just enough oomph to my lashes without making me look like a drag queen. (But if that's what you're into, Model 21 has a great variety. ;] )
*These lashes also don't droop during the day, or feel like a gigantic butterfly chilling on your eyeballs. Nope, these lashes feel light as air, and really comfortable for all-day wear.


Cons-
*Because I'm a beginner at using false eyelashes, I was really surprised when I opened up my package to see that there was no lash glue included in the set. I mean, it's not a huge deal, but it cost me a trip to my local Walgreens to pick up some DUO eyelash adhesive.
*Another con to Model 21's Eyelashes is that their falsies are too large for my eyes. I have to cut the falsies down until they fit on my eyes correctly, but it's an extremely tiring and frustrating task.




All in all, I was quite impressed with Model 21's eyelashes in 36. They were natural enough to wear in the daytime, and easy to apply. I have to admit it was a pain driving to the drugstore, and having to cut the false eyelashes down, but I think for the price, Model 21 is worth it. I will give these lashes, as well as Model 21, a solid 9/10. You know when you're a little kid after you play in your mom's makeup and you feel like a princess? That's what I felt like with I had these lashes on. :)



False Eyelashes from Model 21 Eyelashes visit the website at http://www.model21eyelashes.com

:)

Skincare Routine!

New video I uploaded to my YouTube channel. :)


Skincare Routine

<33

Urban Decay Primer Potion

So... I have been itching to go to Sephora for the longest time once I heard Urban Decay had re-packaged their bestselling Primer Potion. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but believe me– it's a big deal.

Urban Decay's Primer Potion is beloved on YouTube. It's hard to watch a video without hearing the product mentioned. Everybody's obsessed with it! Gurus rave and rave about it, insisting it's the best eyeshadow primer on the market! Unfortunately though, all the praise and glory comes to a halt when each girl repetitively whines about the same thing (deep breath): the packaging. 

I don't know what Urban Decay was thinking when they packaged their Primer Potion in a genie-inspired bottle. The packaging had a circular bubble-top and a curvy tube with a little ridge at the bottom. Now, the bottle looks cute, but when you think about using the primer realistically, you immediately realize the problem. If the tube is in a curvy shape, how will the slanted doe-foot applicator reach all the product? Ahhhhhh. Never thought about that, did you Urban Decay? 

Finally, after hearing the constant complaints and whining, Urban Decay finally came to their senses, and decided to package their precious Primer Potion in a regular squeeze-tube. For a dollar extra. Ugh. Sigh. Thanks, Urban Decay.

So after hearing the news, I decided it was finally time to run out and purchase the one, the only, Urban Decay Primer Potion.

Pros-

*I like how Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Original is a light beige-y pink color. It blends flawlessly into my skin, and is quite smooth and creamy. The reason I like the color is because it can work with any skintone and looks colorless against skin.

*Urban Decay also has a nice variety of colors available for the Primer Potion. Although I have only tried Original, I know there is also a pink champagne, a nice yellow-gold, and many more beautiful, flattering shades that create a beautiful undertone to the shadows you place on top.

*This products makes my eyeshadows truly stay forever on my lids! I will never skip a day without using Primer Potion!

*Primer Potion really does make my eyeshadow colors "pop." When applied to the lid, the colors look almost exactly the same as looked at in the pan. I loveee itttt!

Cons-

*Although I was really excited about the packaging, the genie top really disappointed me. Why? Because the stupid thing broke. Well in more detail, the rings where you're supposed to twist the top up and down got kinked together making the top impossible to fully close. If I twist it too tight, the cap makes a popping sound. Errrggghhh..... I hope that made sense.... uggghhh. That irritated me.

*Although the Urban Decay Primer Potion is promised to make your eyeshadows crease-free, I noticed at the end of the day very, very, very slight creasing where my double-eyelid folds over.  This was hugely disappointing considering everyone promised me it wouldn't do that. 

So in the end, I I fell for the hype. I mean, don't get me wrong. Primer Potion is a great product, maybe even my holy-grail eyeshadow primer. I just thought it would be flawless. Maybe I'm being unrealistic, but since I've heard everyone talk about this product, I expected this to be purely amazing. Because of this, I would have to give Urban Decay Primer Potion a 9.5/10. If only it didn't give me that one, annoying line on my shadows, I would have given the Primer Potion 100% satisfaction, ignoring the packaging fail. I mean, what do you want? A single line, or a thousand lines in your shadows? I don't know... ehh. However, all in all, I'd say go for it. It's the best eyeshadow primer I've tried, so I guess it'll be the best you've tried, too.

Lancome Color Fever Gloss in Hotness

I don't know how I do it– whenever I walk into a department store, I always seem to end up in the same place: the cosmetics department. Don't judge me– it's an illness. 

Anyway, one day while I was browsing in Nordstroms, I ended up at (where else?) the Lancome counter. As I wandered through the lipgloss section, swatching and admiring the colors, I came across one lipgloss that I immediately fell in love with. I snatched the lipgloss up, headed toward the register, and bought it, all the while admiring it's peachy-pink shade. On the ride home, I applied the gloss to my lips, really excited about my new find. After about two months of wear, I've finally come to a conclusion on Lancome's Color Fever Gloss in Hotness, and wanted to share my thoughts...

Pros-

*The color: pinky-peach with a cream finish. Ahhh! So lovely. It compliments almost everyone's skintone, and the shade looks great for any occasion. The color looks dupable, but after searching long and hard for a look-alike in my collection, I came to find that Lancome's Color Fever Gloss in Hotness has no competitors. 

*Lancome's Color Fever Gloss isn't sticky. Or, let me put it this way: if it were a cold, windy day, half of my hair wouldn't be glued to my lips. You can definitely feel the gloss, but it doesn't have that annoying tacky feeling. In fact, I'd say the texture's quite nice.

*I like how Lancome packaged their Color Fever Glosses. The gloss is packaged in a rectangular tube that runs thinner at the bottom. The twistable cap is in a square shape with Lancome's signature flower on top, and below the cap is a thick ribbon of mirrored silver. The lipgloss looks sleek, and despite its bulky top, the gloss is really easy to throw in your purse.

*Instead of the typical doe-foot applicator, Lancome opted for a slanted, triangular wand. Like I said in my Loreal Infallible review, this makes the gloss easier to use because the more pressure you apply to the wand, the heavier the gloss applies to your lips. 

*Lancome's Color Fever Gloss in Hotness smells sooo gooood! Lancome made this gloss have a great rose scent that doesn't smell fake or cheap. And the rose scent doesn't just stay in the tube– the rose scent transfers to your lips and stays there until you rub the gloss off. It makes the products seem very high-end, and luxurious to apply.

Cons-

*You guys know how I am when it comes to prices. I am very picky. As a student with an allowance of $20.00 a month, it's pretty obvious I'm not in the best financial situation. So when a lipgloss costs more than $20.00, I just sit there and grit my teeth. Lancome isn't obnoxiously expensive, but their prices aren't exactly wallet-friendly, either. This lipgloss alone was $26.00, so I don't know about repurchasing.... Ugh, the price kind of ticks me off.

*I've also noticed that after a few hours of wear, this lipgloss settles into the fine lines on my lips. I mean, it's not a huge deal, but it makes me somewhat self-conscious .

All in all, I am really, really, really happy with Lancome's Color Fever Gloss in Hotness. In fact, I think it's my favorite lipgloss in my collection. Overall, I'd give this lipgloss a 10/10. The color is gorgeous and flattering, and the scent is fabulous! Thank you, Lancome, for bringing this lipgloss in my life.

Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara Review

 Bare, curled lashes

 1 coat

2 coats 

Finished look!

I think everyone has heard of Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara. Because it's advertised to be the darkest, blackest mascara on the market, Voluminous is a cult-favorite. I have to admit, I've tried Loreal's Voluminous mascara with the curvy wand, but I didn't really like it because it clumped a lot. :( So honestly when I heard so much about the original, I wasn't too interested. But after hearing the countless amount of recommendations and rave reviews, I was finally persuaded, and bought the original Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara.

Pros-
*Geez. This mascara is BLACK. It's really intense, and quite nice especially for a night out on the town.
*Because Loreal is a drugstore brand, their prices are, in my opinion, quite good. I like how their products don't clean out my wallet.
*Voluminous is, indeed, voluminous. This mascara gives a lot of volume without giving me that unattractive "spider lashes" look. I love it!
*The wand is quite nice. You know when you look at it your lashes are going to be coated really thickly because there is a lot of product on the wand. The bristles are compacted tightly together, and the bristles are also quite stubby, not long and fanned-out like some of my other favorite mascaras. Because there's so much product on the wand, the excess mascara transfers to your lashes and makes them really intense-looking. Loooovvveee itttt!
*With my Neutrogena makeup remover wipes, this mascara is a breeze to take off. I don't have to rub really hard on my eyes. :)

Cons-
*Personally, I think Loreal could have done a better job on the packaging. A smokey gray tube with a yellow top and lettering is kind of boring to me. Needless to say, if this mascara was next to a YSL mascara in my mascara drawer, I would completely overlook this product.
*Although this mascara doesn't give me nasty spider-lashes, if I apply too many coats it will clump at my roots. Some may argue it's "definition," but all I see are gross, black, unappealing balls of clump in my lashes. Mmm. Attractive.
*Also, it flakes.... really bad.




Although I may not like the packaging, the flaking, or the tiny clumps, I'd say Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara is a nice find. Bottom line: would I recommend it? Yes. Would I use this every day? No. I think it's nice if you're gone to wear it for only a couple of hours, but definitely not the whole entire day due to the flaking problem. Overall, I'd give this mascara a solid 8/10. It is by far the blackest mascara I have in my collection, which is why I think I like it so much. I'd say the next time you're in your local CVS, pick up the Loreal Voluminous mascara. Who knows? It might surprise you.

40 Question Tag

Hey guys! Sorry I've been so MIA on YouTube. Honestly the only excuse I can give you is I've been working on this blog a lot, and school has been really hectic. Hope I can make it up with the 40 question tag! :) <33

SKINCARE:
How many times do you wash your face daily?

I only wash my face once, and that's right before I go to bed. 

What skin type do you have? 

I have combination skin. It's really weird– like my skin can't make up its mind or something. I get really dry patches on my forehead, really oily on my nose and occasionally on my chin, and get really red and sensitive on my cheeks.

What is your current facial wash? 

I use Biore gel cleanser.

Do you exfoliate?

Only twice a month! I know I should probably do it more than that, but my skin is much too sensitive to do it once or twice a week!

What brand do you use? 

Body Shop seaweed facial pore scrub.

What moisturizer do you use? 

I use a combo at the moment: Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream, and Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.

Do you have freckles? 

Yep! I don't know why some people try to cover them up with loads of heavy concealer. I think they add a lot of personality to my face! :D

Do you use eye cream? 

I use Clinique All About Eyes.

Do you or did you have acne prone skin? 

I consider myself pretty lucky. I'm not the average pimple-prone teenager with constant severe breakouts. If I do get pimple, I typically get only one or two and most of the time it's caused from a new product I'm using.

Did you ever have to use Proactiv? 

Nope. And even if I did have really severe acne problems, Proactive wouldn't interest me anyway. A lot of really harsh ingredients.

MAKEUP:
What foundation do you use? 

MAC Studio Moisture Tint in Light, and over that I use MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder in NW15.

How about concealer? 

MAC Select Coverup in NW15.

Do you know your undertone color? 

Actually I don't. Last time I went to MAC I asked one of the ladies to help me pick a color match, and she said I had pink undertones in my face because of my naturally red cheeks and had yellow undertones in my neck. [...awkward silence...] ANYWAYS, I guess she made up her mind because she ended up matching me to NW15 which actually ended up to be a couple of shades lighter than my natural skintone. Ugh. Sigh.

What do you think of fake eyelashes? 

I think they look really good for special occasions, but I've never actually worn them myself. :)

Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months? 

Yes! But I'm really bad about that. Honestly, I just wait until they dry up and aren't usable until I throw the mascara away. (I know, I know. Bacteria.) :/

What brand of mascara do you use? 

I change day to day, but currently I'm really loving MAC X.

Sephora or MAC?

Sephora only because you can venture out to different brands. :)

Do you have a MAC Pro-card? 

Nope.

What makeup tools do you use in make up application? 

Brushes!

Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? 

Yes! Urban Decay Primer Potion, concealer, or MAC paint pots!

For the face? 

I have tried a few, but all have let me down. :(

What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)? 

Hmm... This is so hard! xD But I'd have to say I'm currently loving Clinique's Soft Shimmer, MAC's Shroom, MAC's Femme-Fi (both MAC shadows are similar, but they have different finishes), Too Faced Heaven, Too Faced Silk Teddy, and Too Faced Sexpresso.


Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? 

I use pencil on my waterline and sometimes tightline, and gel on my upper lashline.

How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? 

Ha ha ha luckily not very often. : )

What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? 

With a clumsy person like me? Ha. Forget it. :P

Do you use mineral makeup? 

Did once. BareMinerals. Cakey, no coverage at all, insanely yellow-toned... A definite miss.

What is your favorite lipstick? 

Lancome's Edgy. Looks terrifying in the tube, but if you dab it on, you'll have an insanely gorgeous berry lip. : )

How about lipgloss?

At the moment I'm really enjoying Lancome's Hotness Color Fever gloss. Beautiful peachy-pink color.

What is your favorite blush to use? 

MAC's Ladyblush Blushcreme. Ahhhh sooo gorgeousss!

Do you buy your makeup on ebay? 

Never! Can never tell if it's the real deal or not.

Do you like drugstore makeup? 

Yep! I sometimes think the only difference between drugstore and high-end makeup is the price difference.

Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets): 

Never been, but want to someday!

Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? 

Why? I have YouTube!

Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? 

Ummmm..... I don't think so lol.

Name a makeup crime that you hate? 

Bronzer overload, concealer lips, crazy filled-in eyebrows, spider lashes, wrong shade of foundation, overdone blush, overdone highlighter (hello greaseball!), bold eye and bold lip... Yuck I could go all day LOL.

Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick, eyeshadow) or neutral ones? 

I wear neutrals on the eyes but I can get colorful on the lips!

Which celebrity always has great make up? 

J-Lo of course, Blake Lively, and Kiera Knightly.

If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item, what would you use? 

Mascara!

Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? 

Yep! I'm not ashamed of the way I look without makeup on... I just think I look better with it. xD

Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? 

As long as you're smiling, you'll always look good! :DD

In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line? 

MAC just because of the color ranges, and the quality of products.

What do you think of makeup? 

I think it's fun to buy and use, but I also think some people abuse its power. Hide behind it like it's a crutch for what they're really feeling about themselves.

So I hope you guys enjoyed this tag! See you soon dolls! <33

xoxo

Cassandra

April Favorites 2011

I feel like this month has gone by so fast! One more month until summer baby! :DD Ha ha ha so anyways, I have a lot of products that I have been absolutely loving this month, and would love to share them with you...


Favorites-

Noxema Plus Moisturizers Deep Cleansing Cream- 

I love this stuff! It tightens my skin, makes my skin insanely soft and moisturized, and leaves me with a really clean feeling. The only thing is the smell. I personally don't mind it, but I think the strong medicated scent might bother some people.

MAC X mascara-

This gives a lot of volume to my lashes! Unlike many other MAC mascaras, MAC X's formula is on the drier side which I tend to like better than their other insanely wet formulations.

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette-

Can I say enough good thing about this palette? OMG I love it. All the eyeshadows are incredibly pigmented and gorgeous. So buttery, so smooth, I could go on and on about how wonderful this palette is! Well actually, I guess I love all of the eyeshadow colors except for one: Nude Beach. Seriously, it's not even a color. Just chunky, messy glitter that, even after you wash it off, you find tiny gold sparkles on your face the next morning. But besides this lousy party-pooper, I have not skipped a morning without reaching for one of these beautiful eyeshadow colors. :)

Benefit Posietint-

This is a beautiful, more wearable version of Benetint. Posietint's pink shade looks gorgeous on my cheeks and also on my lips with its obvious, but yet not overwhelming color. I've been absolutely loving this product!

MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder in NW15-

On MAC's website, they describe this powder to have a cream-like texture. Ha. Honey, way off. When they say it's cream-like, you expect the powder to be medium to full coverage, and have a velvety texture. Instead, I find this product has more of a lighter coverage, and has more of a drier texture than what it's advertised to have. Despite this, I love this powder because it locks my foundation into place, and blends really nicely into my skin.

MAC Select Coverup in NW15-

This concealer just sinks into your skin, and it lasts all day. It also doesn't cake up when I use it on my under-eye circles which I primarily use this concealer for. I love it!

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original-

I am so glad I waited to buy this product! Kuddos, Urban Decay for repacking this cult-favorite! Mwah!

Stila Smudge Pot in Black-

This product was in my last month's favorites, and it's in this month's as well. This liner doesn't transfer, it just glides onto my lids... I have yet to find a more inexpensive competitor. 

Clinique Superbalm lip treatment-

This product doesn't sink in as fast as I would like, but it leaves a very nice glossy finish which I thoroughly enjoy.

Clinique Eye Contour brush-

This brush is perfect for highlighting. The tiny, rounded shape is the perfect size for getting in those really hard-to-reach areas such as your inner corner. :)

Marc Jacobs Daisy rollerball perfume-

As you guys can probably tell from my previous monthly favorite videos, God did not gift me with the ability to describe scents. So knowing this, you probably will just roll your eyes when I attempt to explain this wonderful perfume. Thus, I will not even attempt to try. ;P 

So I hope you guys enjoyed my April favorites, and I hope you check out my YouTube channel where I do everything from hauls to tutorials! Love you guys!

xoxo

Cassandra

http://www.youtube.com/user/xoxochatterbox?feature=mhum