Beauty Battle: Taupe Eyebrow Pencils

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The Beauty Battle Series pits similar products against each other to see who comes out the winner. Depending on the product, different factors go into determining what I think is the best product. You can read my past Beauty Battle posts here.

In this Battle two cruelty-free retractable eyebrow pencils in taupe will duke it out. A taupe eyebrow pencil is supposed to be universal for all hair colors. If you apply the product with a lighter hand you get a lighter color and if you use a heavier hand you get a darker color. Both have a spoolie on one end to help comb your brows into place and distribute product evenly. Both stay put on me all day.

The Contenders:

1. It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil in Universal Taupe

2. NYX Micro Brow Pencil in MBP01 Taupe

1. It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil in Universal Taupe

($24 for 0.005 oz. or $4.80 for 0.001 oz.)

I received a deluxe sample size of this brow pencil in my June 2015 ipsy glam bag and was so excited to try it. It does not disappoint. It is hard for me to find a brow pencil because my brows are dark and pretty full, but still need some filling in. I like that I can use a lighter hand with this to help lighten up my brows.

The product is not the typical shape of a brow pencil—it is a thicker oblong/oval shape. The shape can make it a little harder to be really precise with application. This isn’t much of an issue for me since my brows don’t need much work. Compared to the NYX pencil, the color of Brow Power is a lighter brown with a yellow undertone—it is on the grayer side, like taupe should be. The spoolie is bigger than one I would like for my brows.

It claims to have a special formulation that adheres the product to your skin so it won’t budge throughout the day and that the formulation mimics the look of natural hair. I feel like the product definitely stays in place, but it is no more natural looking than other brow pencils I’ve used. It is a good shade match though. It also claims to have a blend of brow-conditioning ingredients and vitamins. It is paraben, sulfate, phthalate, etc. free. For every pencil purchased, It Cosmetics donates one to a woman fighting cancer through their Cancer with Confidence program.

2. NYX Micro Brow Pencil in MBP01 Taupe

($10 for .003 oz. or $3.34 for 0.001 oz.)

I got this on sale at Ulta when NYX was buy one get one 50%. I’m looking for a cruelty-free drugstore brow pencil to replace my Maybelline Define-A-Brow.

The product is a thin, round retractable pencil. This shape makes it easy to get a very precise application. The product is harder to lay down than the It Cosmetics pencil though. Again, this makes for precise application but I feel like I have to push down harder than I should to dispense product into my brows. Compared to the It Cosmetics pencil, the color is a darker brown with a reddish undertone.

This claims to have a natural looking finish and to be precise, blendable and smudge resistant. I agree with the last three claims and, like the It Cosmetics pencil, it is no more natural looking on me than other brow pencils. It is a good shade match though.

And the Winner Is…

The NYX Micro Brow Pencil!

Both pencils perform similarly, but the NYX pencil has some features that I prefer—the traditional thin pencil shape (vs. the thicker oval of the It Cosmetics pencil) and the thinner spoolie that makes for more precise shaping of the brows. The two products are closer in price than I thought they would be; but then again, you can get NYX on sale making it even more inexpensive. I don’t think you can go wrong with either one and I would be happy to use either—this was a close battle!

Disclaimer: All products are purchased by me or my lovely husband unless otherwise noted in the post. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you. This post is not sponsored.

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Beauty Battle: Micellar Waters

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The Beauty Battle Series pits similar products against each other to see who comes out the winner. Depending on the product, different factors go into determining what I think is the best product. You can read my past Beauty Battle posts here.

In this battle, I will review three micellar waters. What the heck is a micellar water, you ask? It’s a water that gently removes makeup and cleanses the skin—two products in one (so they say…). I like to use a micellar water because makeup removers tend to be too rough for my sensitive skin, aggravate my eyes and leave residue on my skin. Micellar waters are big in Europe and aren’t readily available in the States yet, but they are gaining popularity. Let’s get into it!

The Contenders ( in no particular order):

1. Bioderma Sensibo H₂O Micelle Solution

2. Simple Cleansing Micellar Water

3. Caudalíe Make-Up Remover Cleansing Water

General Use:

I always wash my face after using micellar water, even though they advertise that you do not have to. I wear a full face of makeup, including full coverage foundation, so I would have to use a lot of micellar water to get everything off. I use micellar water to get the bulk of my makeup off, wash my face (usually with the Simple moisturizing face cleanser or Origins Checks and Balances) and then continue on with the rest of my skin care routine (which you can read about here. If you don’t wear a lot of face makeup or just want to freshen up bare skin, a micellar water would be a great option for that too.

For all micellar waters I have used, I soak a round cotton pad and gently wipe it over my face, leaving the round over my eyes for about 10 seconds so that it can break up my mascara. I find that none of the micellar waters totally take off my eye makeup, but it helps to start loosen it up for when I wash my face.

1. Bioderma Sensibo H₂O Micelle Solution ($30 for 500 ml, Amazon)

Price per ml = $0.04 - $0.06

This is the first micellar water I heard about and used—YouTubers talk about it all the time. It is made in France and not readily available in the States. You can order it though Amazon (just be careful and buy from a certified seller). I hear places in San Diego are beginning to sell it and the website Beautylish has too (and it’s cheaper there then Amazon--$20 vs. $30).

This formula of Bioderma is made especially for sensitive (sensibo) and dry skin so it works well for me. It doesn’t irritate my skin and gets my makeup off pretty easily. It has cucumber extract in it, which is supposed to be good for sensitive skin. It is also paraben, fragrance and alcohol free.

2. Simple Cleansing Micellar Water ($7 for 198 ml, Target)

Price per ml = $0.035 (or cheaper if you have a coupon/there is a sale)

This micellar water claims to remove makeup and cleanse and hydrate the skin. It is artificial perfume/dye and harsh chemical free. It contains multivitamins to nourish the skin and claims to unclog pores and increase skin hydration by 90%. This is really the only micellar water I have seen in the drugstore (Garnier makes one, but I’m not sure if it’s available in the States yet, I haven’t been able to locate it). You really need to soak the cotton round with the Simple micellar water to get a good cleanse. It is pretty gentle on the skin, but I find it to dry out my eyelids just a tad.

3. Caudalíe Make-Up Remover Cleansing Water ($28 for 198 ml, Sephora)

Price per ml = $0.14

Where Simple is my favorite drugstore skincare brand, Caudalíe is my favorite high-end skincare brand. Their products never irritate my skin and actually help soothe and calm it. This micellar water has Caudalíe’s signature grape-ish scent because it contains grape water and chamomile (which also help calm the skin and reduce redness). It is paraben, sulfate and phthalate free. I find that this micellar water cleanses my skin the best and is definitely the most gentle on my skin.

And the Winner is…

This was a hard one for me to pick. The Caudalíe micellar water is definitely my favorite, but it is like 3 times more expensive than the other two. The Simple micellar water is my least favorite. Overall, they perform pretty similarly. So, it comes down to which one I would repurchase, I would say Bioderma wins the Battle of the Micellar Waters.

If this was a key skincare step to me (like moisturizer), I would probably buy the Caudalíe one, but it’s not. If I skip the micellar water and only use face wash I just wash my face twice (or use my Clarisonic) and I’m set.

Do you use micellar water? Let me know whether you’ll be trying it out!

Disclaimer: All products are purchased by me or my lovely husband unless otherwise noted in the post. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you. This post is not sponsored.

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Beauty Battle: Silicone-Based Lotion Face Primers

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This Beauty Battle will conclude Face Primer Week (I hope you liked it as much as people like Shark Week, though I don’t have any plans for a Primernado movie). The Beauty Battle Series pits similar products against each other to see who comes out the winner. Depending on the product, different factors go into determining what I think is the best product.

Silicone-based/lotiony face primers are my favorite. I find they blend very well into my skin, are hydrating without making my oily, look nice on my skin and hold my makeup well.

The Contenders:

1. bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer in Original ($24 for 1 oz.)

2. e.l.f Mineral Infused Face Primer in Clear ($6 for 0.47 oz.)

1. bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer in Original ($24 for 1 oz.)

Claims (according to Sephora.com)

• Fights against dryness, fine lines, excess oil
• Minimizes pore appearance
• Refines texture
• Smooth finish
• Not tacky
• Contains minerals, plant extracts, antioxidants, Vitamins C & E

 Pros

• Easy to blend
• Is not tacky, dries down nicely
• Feels moisturizing on the skin without causing oiliness
• Makeup wears for 8+ hours
• Preservative-free
• When I use it (and face primer in generally, really) I get fewer blemishes

 Cons

• A little pricey, but one bottle usually lasts me around 6 months.
• Pump—hard to control how much comes out and hard to get the product on the side of the bottle

 Other

• Gel-like consistency
• I have drier skin so I’m not sure how this would perform for someone who has oily skin.
• You can purchase this primer at Sephora or from bareMinerals directly. 

2. e.l.f Mineral Infused Face Primer in Clear ($6 for 0.47 oz.)

Claims (from eyeslipsface.com)

• Creates smooth and flawless canvas
• Fights against dryness, fine lines, excess oil
• Minimizes pore appearance
• Evens out make up application
• Long lasting
• Mineral-infused

 Pros

• Easy to blend
• Is not tacky, dries down nicely
• Feels moisturizing on the skin without causing oiliness
• When I use (and face primer in generally, really) I get fewer blemishes
• Makeup wears for 8+ hours
• Half the cost per ounce of bareMinerals (e.l.f. is half the size and a quarter of the price, equaling out to about $12 for 1 oz whereas bareMinerals is $24 for 1 oz.)

Cons

• Pump—hard to control how much comes out and hard to get the product on the side of the bottle
• Harder to find in stores.

 Other

• I have drier skin so I’m not sure how this would perform for someone who has oily skin.
• Ever so slightly more watery than Prime Time
• There is a green version of this, I’m interested to see how it compares to the MUFE redness correcting primer I reviewed in this post
• You can purchase this primer at Target or eyeslipsface.com (you may even be able to find it at Old Navy and/or Christmas Tree Shop)

  

And The Winner Is…

e.l.f Mineral Infused Face Primer!

This surprised me so much! bareMinerals Prime Time has been my Holy Grail face primer for, like, five years. The e.l.f. primer is so similar and is half the cost. It is really hard to tell the difference between these two primers, as you can see the pros and cons are pretty much identical. If you can get the same product for the half the price, it will win every time. Way to go e.l.f.! They produce very budget friendly high quality products. Their blushes were recently in my April Favorites.

What’s your favorite face primer? Have you tried either of these two?

I hope you enjoyed Face Primer Week. Let me know if you want to see more theme weeks and if so, what theme you would like!

Disclaimer: All products are purchased by me or my lovely husband unless otherwise noted in the post. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

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Beauty Battle: Eye Primers

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The Beauty Battle Series pits similar products against each other to see who comes out the winner. Depending on the product, different factors go into determining what I think is the best product. You can read my past Beauty Battle posts here.

In this installment, two eye primers will battle it out to see who wins. Eye primers help eyeshadow stay in place longer and provide a barrier between your lid and eyeshadow. I wear some type of eye primer every day, especially when using powder shadows. Not only does the primer keep the powder shadow put, but some powders can irritate your eyes and skin around your eyes. Primer eliminates this irritation for me.

The Contenders:

1. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original

2. Wet ‘n Wild Fergie Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer in CA027 Form My Primas

1. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original ($12 for 0.20 fl oz., Sephora)

Urban Decay makes some awesome eyeshadows (see my Favorite 5 of March 2015), so I figured their primer must be just as good. It definitely is! This primer goes on sheer and is the consistency of a loose putty (sounds weird, I know). It has a tannish color but the color does not transfer onto your lids. I put this all over my lid up to my brow bone. It keeps my eyeshadows in place all day and then some. You only need the tiniest amount. You don’t get a lot in the package, but a little really goes a long way. I’ve had mine for months.

This primer comes in several different colors. I have Original (no color), but it also comes in popular Urban Decay eyeshadow colors, like Sin (I got a sample of this one and it’s great too).

2. Wet ‘n Wild Fergie Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer in CA027 Form My Primas ($5 for 0.34 fl oz., Drugstores/Target)

Drugstores have been stepping up their (eye and face) primers game lately. In the past, there really weren’t any drugstore primer options. I decided to try the Wet ‘n Wild one because Jessica Murphy (JAMbeauty89 on YouTube) keeps raving about it. This primer is tannish, but also goes on clear. It’s a tad more watery than the Urban Decay Primer Potion. I apply the same way as the Primer Potion and a little also goes a long way.

And the Winner Is….

Wet ‘n Wild Fergie Take On the Day Eyeshadow Primer!!

I really find that these two products perform the same. So, it came down to price. The Wet ‘n Wild option is less than half as much as the Urban Decay for almost twice as much product. You really can’t go wrong with either though. For several days I put on primer on one eye and the other primer on my other eye to see how my shadows wore throughout the day. The results were exactly the same. Both primers kept my shadow and place and my shadows did not fade. It really just comes down to price in this case. I’m so surprised that in my three Beauty Battles so far, the less expensive options have won out!

Do you use eye primer? What is your favorite?

Disclaimer: These items were purchased with my own money or by my lovely husband and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

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Beauty Battle: Full Coverage Foundations

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The Beauty Battle Series pits similar products against each other to see who comes out the winner. Depending on the product, different factors go into determining what I think is the best product. The first Beauty Battle featured foundation sponges (beautyblender vs. Real Techniques Complexion Sponge). Check out that post to see who won!

This is a longer post, but it’s mostly bullet points J

In this Beauty Battle, I compare four full coverage foundations to see who comes out on top.

The Contenders:

1. Revlon ColorStay
2. Rimmel
3. CoverGirl
4. MAC

1. Revlon ColorStay Foundation in Normal/Dry Skin 150 Buff (1 oz., about $10)

Claims:

• 24 hours (not quite)
• Flawless look (pretty much)
• Lightweight feel (yes)
• Different formulations for Normal/Dry or Combination/Oily skin (only tried the Normal/Dry)

Pros:

• Tons of shades for fairer/medium; each shade comes in Normal/Dry Skin or Combination/Oily Skin
• Perfect color match for me
• Little to no oiliness pops up when I wear this
• Natural finish
• Blends well
• Full coverage

Cons:

• No SPF
• More limited options for deeper skin tones
• Pour out bottle (no pump)

Other:

• More of a liquidy foundation; I prefer to apply this with a brush as opposed to a foundation sponge (although a foundation sponge works too)
• While it is liquidy, this foundation dries fast so work in small sections or use a damp foundation sponge to blend
• Starts to break down on my nose and chin after around 10 hours

2. Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25HR with Comfort Serum Skin Perfecting Full Coverage Foundation in 091 Light Ivory (1 oz., around $8)…that name is a mouth full.

Claims:

• Full coverage (nope)
• Sweat/heat/humidity proof (can’t really test because it’s winter here)
• Transfer proof (no issues here)
• Up to 25 hours (nope)
• Skin perfecting (nope)

Pros:

• SPF 20
• Holds up pretty well throughout the day. I did need to powder, but nothing outrageous
• Blended pretty well

Cons:

• Medium coverage (it’s advertised as full coverage)
• Color read pretty pink on me.
• Accentuated pores
• Caused me to break out
• Pour out bottle (no pump)
• More limited shade range

Other:

• This foundation leaves a dewy finish. This isn’t necessarily a pro or con, but a personal preference. I personally do not prefer a dewy look. This foundation isn’t overly dewy though. I powdered right after putting the foundation on (I usually don’t powder) and then had to touch up throughout the day so I didn’t look oily (and I don’t have oily skin)
• Has a slight clean smell. It’s pleasant and fades after a little bit
• Can use with either a foundation brush or sponge to apply
• Breaks down on nose and chin around the 8 hour mark

3. CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in 810 Classic Ivory (1 oz., about $10)

Claims:

• Primer, concealer and foundation in one
• Shine free
• All-day flawless coverage

Pros:

• SPF 20
• Over 10 shades available, including deeper colors
• Pump instead of pour out!
• Very natural looking finish
• Blends well
• Pretty full coverage

Cons:

• Color is a little dark on me, but I can’t find one lighter; it will be good for summer
• May need to powder with this one
• I still need to use concealer even though this is advertised as a concealer (I can’t attest to its abilities as a primer because I always use primer to create a barrier for my skin from makeup)

Other:

• Breaks down on nose and chin around the 10+ hour mark
• This is a thicker formula so I prefer to use a foundation sponge to apply this, it doesn’t blend as well with a brush

4. MAC Studio Fluid Fix in NC15 (1 oz., $27)

Claims (taken from MAC website since there are none on the bottle):

• Natural matte finish (yes)
• Medium coverage, buildable (yes)
• Applies, builds and blends easily and evenly (can take some blending)
• Longwearing (yes)
• Minimizing appearance of pores and imperfections (a little)

Pros:

• SPF 15
• Over 30 shades available, including deeper colors
• Full coverage
• Flawless skin finish

Cons:

• Price (almost three times as much as the other three brands in this post)
• Can look a little heavy (“done up”) if you don’t blend properly and/or put too much on
• Pour out bottle (no pump)

Other:

• This had been the only foundation I used for years because of its full coverage; I’m glad that there are some good drugstore options now since this one is pricey
• Breaks down on nose and chin around the 10+ hour mark
• Does minimize the appearance of pores, but nothing earth shattering
• Can use with either a foundation brush or sponge to apply, I think I prefer a sponge

And The Winner Is…

Revlon ColorStay!

ColorStay is very similar to MAC, but at about 1/3 of the price. You'll need to add SPF via sunscreen or your moisturizer to make sure you get sun protection. Second would be MAC with CoverGirl being a close third. I really like all three of those. I did not like the Rimmel foundation at all. I actually ended up returning it because I disliked it so much. I would highly recommend Revlon ColorStay. You can get it at Target or drugstores (I’ve even gotten it basically for free from CVS using coupons!). I highly, highly recommend it!

What foundation is your go-to? Let me know!

Disclaimer: These items were purchased with my own money or by my lovely husband and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

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Beauty Battle: BeautyBlender vs. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

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Beauty sponges are all the rage right now in the beauty world. What is a beauty sponge, you ask? A beauty sponge is a tool you use to apply foundation, concealer and, in some cases, even powder. To use a beauty sponge you first run it under water to dampen it. Dampening the sponge prevents it from absorbing all of the product. Beauty sponges help foundation, etc. go on smoother and give you a lot of control over blending products. You supposedly use less product with a sponge as well, but this has not been my experience (I like really full coverage though).

In the High-End Corner, weighing in at 2oz (?) and $20, from the great store of Sephora, the original beauty “don’t make smoothies” blender! 

The Gucci of beauty sponges is the beautyblender. It is an exaggerated egg shape—like an egg, but the top is much wider than the bottom. You use the wider side to apply foundation and the pointed bottom to blend concealer or spot conceal. It sits nicely in the container it comes in, just rest it on the cup to dry. It is $20 at Sephora. Yes, $20 for a sponge. I was very skeptical about this for a very long time. No matter how many YouTubers/bloggers said it worked wonders for their foundation application, I couldn’t bring myself to spend $20 on a sponge. Fast forward many months and I couldn’t hold out any longer. I had to see what this was about. I am so glad that I got the beautyblender!! I used to use either my fingers or a flat foundation paddle brush to apply my foundation. The beautyblender cut the time it takes me to apply my foundation in more than half and the foundation goes on smoother and less cakey. Since I like full coverage foundation, it can look heavy at times but the beautyblender pretty much eliminates that. Since the sponge is slightly damp it gives you time to work with “drier” formulas (e.g., Revlon ColorStay) and really blend your concealer into your foundation.

The Challenger, in the Drugstore Corner, weighing in at 3oz. (?) and $6, from Ulta, The Real Techniques Miracle “The Whip” Complexion Sponge!

I had heard that the only beauty sponge that comes close to the beautyblender is the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Naturally, I  wanted to see how the two compare. The Real Techniques is about $6 at Ulta and, better yet, Ulta runs regular sales on Real Techniques too (e.g., buy one, get one 50% off). The shape is different from the beautyblender. It is sort of egg-shaped, but one side of the egg is cut off so there is a flat edge. The concept here is that you can use the rounded edge to apply the majority of your makeup (like the beautyblender), the pointed end to blend your eye concealer (like the beautyblender), but the flat side can get around your nose and under your eyes (the beautyblender is missing this feature). The Miracle Complexion Sponge also cuts my foundation application time down substantially and applies products mush smoother, leaves a nice finish and works well with “drier” foundation formulas. 

And The Winner Is…

The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge! The two sponges perform very similarly, but the flat side really puts the Real Techniques sponge ahead of the beautyblender for me. And it’s less than 1/3 of the price to boot. If you want Gucci performance at a drugstore price, I would highly recommend the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.

Have you tried a beauty sponge before? Are you intrigued? Let me know your thoughts!

Disclaimer: These items were purchased with my own money or by my lovely husband and all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you.

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