ELF Fake Lash Set Review

Here we go on day 2 of my ELF review. Today I am going to review the lash set. As I mentioned yesterday, I was feeling like the NYX lashes I have are better and seem more natural. I still feel that way, but what I did to test them was put on one lash set from NYX and one from ELF. Back on August 2nd I shared a Tiffany D video about fake lashes. I can't remember if this tip came from her or somewhere else, but it basically was that one of the steps to making fake lashes look real is by ensuring they are the right size. To do this, you will want to trim the inner corners down so that it isn't a thick lash all of the way across your eye. This is to ensure that your fake lashes mimic real lashes and as real lashes are, they thin out and become shorter and more sparse in the inner eye. As you will see in my pictures, I have already trimmed the NYX, but I didn't trim the new lashes because it was my first time using them. The ELF lashes do give you a lot of room for trimming because they are super wide. This is definitely a must. Here are some of my impressions of the lashes aside from that necessity.

I tried the fake lashes using the applicator clip and found it to be too restricting. It didn't curve naturally with my lid shape, so it didn't really work and I couldn't get it close enough to my lash line. However, I did like it for once my lashes were on to ensure that they were as close to my real lashes as possible. I find the most success with applying fake lashes by applying the thing layer of glue and then kind of bending them inward so that it starts to get tacky and shape more similar to my lashes. This makes it easier to apply. The clip really didn't lend a hand in this process.

The glue that comes with the lashes is ridiculous, just toss it if you buy them and purchase DUO lash glue from  any drugstore or Walmart, Target, etc.

To complete my lashes, I like apply them first, add some eyeliner and then use my mascara to make sure my real lashes are blended with my fake lashes. The NYX lashes are no more real hair than the ELF lashes, but what I did notice is that my mascara adheres and blends my lashes better to the NYX than the ELF. The ELF lashes are just not as flexible, which is kind of a bummer. I still got it to blend, but it took some extra effort. The last thing I noticed is that the NYX lashes have a more natural look in that they are thick at the base and thin as they come to their tips like real lashes do. The ELF lashes are fairly thick the whole length of the lashes, which makes them look less real. STILL...I am going to be honest, though, in the pictures I am showing you really can't tell. In person, the NYX look better, but in pictures, the ELF look just as good. In fact, they may look better. Here are some pics.

The ELF lashes are on the left eye and the NYX are on the right eye. The NYX are longer, but the ELF are thicker. I think the NYX look more realistic. 

In this view you can see I need to trim the ELF lashes (left side), they are waaaaay to long.  I actually think I have to shorten the NYX lashes now that I look. Sorry about my shine, I didn't put pressed powder on yet and it is hot in my apartment. 

This is a side view of the NYX lash. From the side it looks pretty good, somewhat fake, but no one should be looking at you that close up. BTW, I am wearing colors from the bright beauty manual by ELF. The lighting in my apartment is pretty bad so you can't see how bright the lid color is. 

This is my ELF lash eye. Yet again, the lashes need to be trimmed, but the thickness looks to be a problem. What I might do is trim them upward to thin them out a bit since I paid for them. However, I probably wouldn't purchase another pair....bummer.

Is ELF the Cat's Pajamas?

That post title is probably more on the cheezy side than anything, but for some reason I have had the expression "cat's pajamas," in my head all day.

Soooooo....as I mentioned last week, I ordered some things from ELF and was waiting for them to arrive so I can review them. I haven't been purchasing make-up much lately because I have a ton and I don't have a lot of income to play with, but I found an old gift certificate and used it to buy the make-up. Don't you love when you find those old gift cards, fun stuff. I received everything today and wanted to share my feelings about the products.

My total order consisted of three beauty manuals (12 shadows, one pencil, and a run of the mill eye shadow applicator) in smoky, natural and bright. I also ordered their eye transformer quad, a false eyelash kit and brow stencils. While I haven't tested out everything just yet, I did play around with the beauty manuals.

My first observation is that their packaging is pretty terrible. Since eye shadows are so fragile, I was really expecting at least bubble wrap around the products instead of just a bubble-wrapped envelope, so I was pretty disappointed to see that one of my eye transformer shades was a little broken. My first observation of the products is that the colors are a little drab compared to what they looked like online, the lashes are really cheap and plastic looking compared to my NYX lashes, but I do like that the pack came with a little clip that helps apply the lashes and a stand to store them in. Now on to the actual review of the beauty books.

Thus far I have only put on a couple of the colors from the bright eye palette, but I did swatch a couple of the other colors from the smoky and natural beauty book. I don't think they have good pay off and I noticed when I was applying color it is definitely a shadow with more comparable properties to a drugstore brand, such as Maybelline, Almay or Covergirl. They are kind of dry and I had to dab color on and go back multiple times to pick up color to make sure I had enough on my lids. I wasn't wearing a primer when I did this, but there have been many occasions when I wore my Too Faced, Smashbox, Manly and Coastal Scents colors without a primer and the only issue was ease in blending. This is not the case with the ELF shadows. They are not very moist or fine in particulates, so it takes more effort. I think the look I made with them was pretty, but I wouldn't rate them in my top ten.

The pencil that came with the books is also not great. A brown pencil came with the natural set and a black pencil came with the other two sets. The pencil is very dry and doesn't have good color extraction. I could barely see it go on and it came off very uneven. I definitely have found better liners by other brands including Urban Decay, Milani, and Studio Gear. I probably will not be using the pencils at all.

Overall, I am not a huge fan of ELF and I find this very frightening for one reason. After ordering the products I looked at a bunch of reviews of their products and one was talking about how they used to have worse quality. So, if this is what they consider better quality, I can't imagine what it was before. I would say; however, the value isn't bad. I bought three beauty books on a deal (3 for $10) of which usually they run $5 a piece. I think even at their regular price, $5 dollars isn't bad for 12 shadows, you get your money's worth. Still, I would probably opt for spending more and getting more shadows by ordering Manly or Coastal Scents. I am going to try their other products soon and will report back with my thoughts on those. Perhaps ELF is better in some areas than others. If you disagree with my assessment, please share. Perhaps the quality of the palettes isn't as great as their singles or other products they carry. I just call it like I see it and thus far, I am not seeing greatness, but I am not completely unhappy with my purchase either.

The Trick To A Good Blow Out

A good blow out is something I have always found somewhat difficult. I am not very skilled in the art of blow drying my hair without a straightener. However, from what I have heard over and over again, is that the second you put that straightener on your hair, you are just asking for heat damage. Even if you use a heat defense spray, you can't be sure you are always going to keep your hair from suffering.

Today, I am going to give you the five most important things you will need or steps to do regardless if your skills are novice like mine or just plain pro.

1. Light Weight Blow Dryer w/ a Nozzle

One thing I learned is that a light weight blow dryer can go a long way. If you have a heavy blow dryer it means that your blow dryer is probably somewhat cheap, but also far from professional-grade. I tend to like the Conair blow dryers or my current blow dryer is called Pro Beauty Tools (I bought it from a Meijers, but they have it at Walmart for $35.99 and it got pretty decent reviews). While there are a ton of blow dryers out there that are far better than what I use, they are also very expensive.    I would say that my newer blow dryer is heavier than my Conairs, but it has a curved neck that makes keeping control of the blow dryer better. So, if you find that you are going to buy a heavier blow dryer, make sure you can control it. If you go to most stores like Target or Walmart, they will often have the blow dryers set up so you can hold them and pick them up. Try practicing in the store to determine if you can lift it over your head with ease before making that purchase.

The second thing you will want in a blow dryer is a nozzle that comes with it. Although this is a blog about straightenening, if you are a curly or wavy-haired person, you will definitely want a diffuser nozzle that you can buy separately or that comes with the dryer. My blow dryer came with the diffuser piece as you can see above. If you are straightening, you will want some extender piece that narrows at the bottom. The reason for this is that when you have no nozzle on your blow dryer for any type of drying purposes, you are getting a direct heat that can have more damage-inducing properties than one that has a nozzle. The nozzles distance and break up the heat so that you can apply a more reasonable amount to your hair without damaging it as bad. My blow dryer came with this nozzle as well.

2. Dry on Warm at Low Speed
Although it can take longer to dry your hair, did you know you can completely straighten your hair on the cool setting? It's true. I haven't done it personally, but I know others who have. While I don't necessarily recommend it if you want to leave your house before the next decade is over, my suggestion is to dry your hair on the warm setting as opposed to high at a low speed. Not only do you minimize the heat temperature by drying it on warm, but you also slow the speed to control your drying easier. When drying your hair on the hottest and fastest speeds, you have to know that  you have a good heat protecting spray and a really great amount of skill for drying because otherwise your hair is going to dry fast and suffer more damage. This is actually a tip my stylist told me years ago and I have to say it does make a huge difference. Even though I am still not a great blow dryer, I can say that when I am done blow drying on low speed at a medium heat, my hair is straighter than before I learned this trick.

3. Thou Shalt Not Blow Dryer Soaking Wet Hair
One of the most important lessons I can impart is not to start drying your hair when it is still dripping wet. While this is pretty demanding considering that we all have tight schedules in the morning, there are a couple of methods I have to make sure I don't break this rule. First, before you get out of the shower, ring your hair out. Once out towel dry it to get excess water out. I then generally put my make-up on with towel dried hair put up in the towel. While I know your faces are all in disbelief because this seems like it would melt my make-up as soon as I turn the blow dryer on, it doesn't. Because I don't dry at high heat, my make-up generally stays together and in place. A second alternative is to dry your roots once your hair is towel dried. Your hair dries faster when your roots are dry, so sometimes to ensure great volume as well as faster drying hair, I will take my blow dryer to my roots and dry it first, then put my make-up on. This definitely speeds the process up quite a bit. You should always straighten your hair when it is damp.

4. Styling Tool Essentials
This isn't anything new, but a girl who needs to straighten her hair needs to essential brushes, a ventilated paddle brush and a thick, ventilated round brush. These two brushes over you the most control. When my hair is above shoulder length, I generally don't use my paddle brush much, but any longer than shoulders the paddle brush comes in handy. Also, for the round brush, you don't have to wrap your hair completely around the brush, you only need to curl it up enough to get some friction, maybe a quarter turn should do the trick. Light weight brushes are also very helpful, but if they are ventilated, this shouldn't be as much as a problem. I get my brushes from a variety of places, including Walgreens or Ulta. Ulta has a giant selection of brushes in all price ranges. Just make sure you buy one that doesn't have sharp bristles. The sharper the bristle, the more split ends you will have. I have heard a lot of recommendations for soft bristles because they add shine and do less damage, but personally, I dislike them, so it is really up to you.

5. Products, Products, Products
The fifth most important thing is hair products. You will want to have a good heat defense spray and some sort of styling gel, cream or spray. I have used a couple of different products. Kevin Murphy makes a decent heat defense spray (Heated Defence, $21 on Amazon), but it is a bit pricey and if you put too much in can make your hair feel starchy or coated. You can find this product by doing a search engine inquiry. I bought mine from my salon. I have also used the Got2B guardian angel ($4.72 at Walmart) which is much cheaper and advertises it works best up to 425 degrees. I actually like this spray a lot. Or, I have also used the Nexxus Heat Protexx Heat Protection ($11.99 at Ulta). My stylist actually told me that if you don't have a heat defense spray or you have run out, most cream products or some sprays can work in its place as long as the thing that is heated first is the product. Matrix actually makes a couple of different products that I have found to work, including their Step 3, Sleek Look Smoothing System spray. This kind of works as a smoother and heat protecting agent. In addition to a heat spray, you will also want a cream or gel that you can put in your hair to help the straightening process. I personally like the Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm, but again it is going to run you $13.50 or more depending on where you shop. I saw the $13.50 on Amazon, but I bought mine from Ulta. However, like I said, you can really use a bunch of different things as long as you get your hair treated in whatever it is. Try brands like Garnier, Tigi or anyone that specializes first and foremost in hair products rather than make-up brands that started working with hair products.

Also, to apply the creams or gels properly, start with a dime or quarter-sized dollop and work the product into your ends first before moving up through your hair. Since your ends are the most sensitive, you want to make sure they have a nice coating. If your hair is shorter, start with the dime-sized dollop. Also, if you want stick straight ends, you can always use your straightener after, just remember to apply your heat spray again or even a hair spray to protect them. If you have a bob, this may be necessary to get that sleek look; however, if you have long flowy hair, avoid the straightener as it will diminish a fuller and thicker-hair look you probably want.

In summation, these five steps have always worked for me, leaving my hair shiny and healthy for an extended period of time when I wear it straight.

Heel Tastic is Fantastic

So, lets take a pole, how many of you get dry or cracked feet in the summer after wearing your flip flops constantly for days on end? Come on, don't be shy, it couldn't only be me. Dry heels are just a reality of the sandal wearer no matter whether you put lotion on your feet in the morning or not. Sometimes it just happens. Now, I don't have a horrible case of cracked heels or anything like that, they just get a little dry and even my best cream lotions just don't seem to do the job. Since, most of my previous summer was spent in the office or writing papers for school, I was just getting myself prepared to live with it. After all, it only seemed to be an issue in the summer and there are three other seasons in which my flip flops lye in wait. However, my mother and sister have a worse case than I do and they found a fantastic product. These two ladies have tried everything out there also. If it was on TV, they bought it, if it was at Walgreens, Walmart, Target, etc....they bought it. They had scrapers, buffers, lotions, creams...well, you get the picture. However, then they came across the infomercial for heel-tastic.

I must mention, my mother and sister are not your gullable informercial impulse shoppers, I think that is more my speed. However, I think when you have something that nags at you, you will often find yourself trying whatever is out there just to get rid of it. So, they found heel-tastic at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and tried it. They didn't recommend it to me right away. In fact, I don't recall them recommending it all. I think we were sitting at their house one weekend and I noticed my mom's feet looked really good and said something. So, here is the secret to getting rid of those dry, sandpaper heels to ensure your summer feet are glorious.

First, get yourself to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and buy yourself the stuff. I'm not sure what makes it so great, but it does really work. It should cost anywhere from $7-10 dollars. I think I paid around $8.00 for it. They usually have it stocked on the end caps by the register.

However, before you leave make sure you stop at the beauty section. This is a very important purchase too! Buy yourself a pair of the gel insert footsies. I call them footsies, but I think they are called gel booties. The brand is Earth Therapeutics. They may have other brands and those are fine too, just make sure they have the friction stickers on the bottom and a gel insert inside. Mine are pink with maybe peace signs on the bottom, but I saw a green pair online at Bed, Bath and Beyond with little footprints on the bottom. I don't recall my pair costing $19.99, but that is what it says on the website. I don't know where else to get them, so if you have a pair you already like or know where else to get them, you can use those too. Just don't us a regular pair of socks.

Next when you go to bed at night and make sure you are in bed or are maybe watching a TV show that will not require you to get up for at least 20 minutes, apply the heel-tastic to your feet, and anywhere else your feet are dry. I like to rub it on the whole sole of my feet and the side of my big toe. Those are dry-prone areas, so that is my strategy. Carefully put on your footsies and hang out. I usually leave mine on for an hour or until my feet just feel incredibly warm, whichever comes first. I recommended not using regular socks because they just absorb the heel-tastic. Be careful if you do stand up as you will be slipping and sliding all over the place and it is rather dangerous. If you are desperate, just take very slow, small steps, or you can do what I do, "David, I am wearing my footsies, can you get me a glass of water, please?" The Hubz would rather get me water than see me bust open on the floor, call it a good hubby, or maybe just not looking forward to a ride to the emergency room, but either way.

Once your time is up, take them up and let your feet air dry a minute to let the heel-tastic absorb into your feet and then you are ready for bed. It maybe take a couple of weeks of doing this every night, but I swear, your feet will look and feel heel-tastic. Corny, I know, but go and try it, it is really great.

Cost Plus World Market - Ode To Accessories

One of my absolute favorite stores on this earth is Cost Plus World Market. Cost Plus was developed in 1958 in  San Francisco. The name comes from how they priced their items (cost plus 10%). The World Market moniker is due to the types of products they carry. I would essentially call it a more worldly and humble Pier 1 Imports. They have anything from furniture and food items to jewelry and cookware. While I have a lot of different things from Cost Plus, one of my favorite departments in the store is the jewelry and accessory area. They have a lot of beaded necklaces, metal jewelry with charms or pendants and really cute scarves and hats. I would highly recommend visiting one if you have one nearby. Here are a couple of examples of some of the cute accessories they have. Oh, and also, if you go to their website, don't let the prices on their fool you, there are a lot of different things carried in the store and most are not so polished like what is online nor that expensive. In fact, I am not posting any jewelry because most of what they have online doesn't really reflect what is in the store and it is only available online.

These scarves will run you between $12.99 and $19.99 and when you go in there you will find a lot of things will be marked down in price as well. 

Update on Loreal Magic Smooth Souffle Foundation

Previously, I shared that one of my new favorite foundations was the Loreal Magic Smooth Souffle Foundation. I somewhat raved about it and have been using it religiously since I posted. However, I wanted to share an update on my feelings about it now that I have been using it regularly for a month or so.

Previously I talked about its full coverage of which I still really like. Yet, one thing I have noticed is that it can be kind of pilly sometimes. What I mean by pilly is that I will use a concealer or foundation brush to put spots on my face and then blend them in with a foundation brush or sponge, but when I apply it to my skin, sometimes the product gathers together in what looks like pilling on a sweater. I still think it smooths out well, but I wanted to mention it because this is an annoying detail. The reason is because when the product pills like that, you are getting much more foundation than you really need.

So, my tip is use it in small amounts. You don't need to put a lot on to get this foundation to give you full coverage. If I keep to that tip, I have noticed that I have no problems. I still may not be a repeat purchaser of this product, but I think if you have it, it should be fine until it runs out or we find something better.

Window Shopping

Okay, so I managed to get back everything I thought I lost when my computer shut down. You have got to love how Firefox and Chrome restore your tabs for you when your computer unexpectedly shuts down. Oh, and if you do have chrome, make sure you find the add in for re-opening closed tabs. I actually use that little add in quite a bit when I accidentally close tabs I mean to close.

In any case, so I went on a window shopping spree and found some stuff at at a couple of different stores that I liked. I haven't seen a whole lot of exciting stuff out there lately, which is why my posts have been more hair and make-up-based, but I am going to keep trying.

1. Black Skinny Leg Denim - $16.90 at Love Culture
If you are looking for a super stretchy pair of skinny jeans in a truer black, these look like they will fill the role. They are made up of a healthy does of cotton and polyester, so they should be thicker than leggings, but not stiff as true denim. I love that they are super black and would tremendous with a pair of boots I will show on this post in a bit.

2. The Blue Version of Above - $29.90 at Love Culture

I know this pair of jeans is the same as above (with the exception of color), but I fell in love with the blag jeans and then saw the blue right after and had to post 'em also. I really like that the fading on this pair of jeans is subtle. One thing I learned is that if you have thicker thighs, that fading is not your friend. All it does is expand the look of your thigh and we all know that is a no-go. I also like that the color is not your average denim blue, it is more gray-toned. Again, like the black jeans, it is made with cotton and spandex, so you get some thickness to your pants without having them as stiff as regular denim, which is just what you want in a skinny jean. They are too cute and would also look good with the boots I picked out. 

3. Brash Boots for Payless - $44.99 at Payless

I really like the edgy, punkish look, so even though the big fashion capitals may be moving a bit away from the look, it will probably hold on for at least another year in order to allow the midwest to catch up. Plus, its kind of fun to mix the chunky boot with feminine and softer fabrics. I thought these boots would be super cute with the jeans I showed above or a really cute pair of tights with a lace or design-look to them with a skirt or dress. Although the picture I am showing doesn't have what they look like on a model, there was a picture I saw and they are pretty loose in the leg. This means you will get the right look. If you go to the store to try them on and the boot is too tight to your leg and you can't loosen it, don't bother with them. However, based on the model's leg, they looked pretty accommodating even if you don't have chicken legs. 

4. High Slit, Black Crochet - $33.20 at Urban Original

I know I was saying on a previous blog that I wasn't sure how much the crochet thing was going to pick up, but it looks like a lot of companies are jumping on it. This sweater definitely caught my eye. It might be hard to see, so please visit the link in the title (it will go directly to this shirt), but the sides have these slits that make the sweater almost more like a poncho. I like that detail as well as the curved bottom. The v-neck is also very complimentary, but not too low. I think this is a really cute casual piece that can be dressed up a bit, or just worn down with a pair of jeans. 

5. Lying Games Dress - $30.90 at Love Culture

Did any of you happen to catch the new ABC Family series last night, The Lying Game. The two-hour premier was on last night after Pretty Little Liars. The show has a collection of really good songs in the commercials and as it turns out, the episodes too, so I got a little hooked. In one seen, Sutton, the rich adopted twin, is wearing a really cute dress to a party. This dress is certainly not exact, but reminded me a lot of it. It is clear Sutton's dress was definitely much more expensive and certainly designer, but this dress will have people none the wiser. I really like the sleeve length and off the shoulder thing it has going on. I also like the puffy sleeve and the checkerboard print in it as well. 

     

Sutton Mercer's Dress

6. Oatmeal Collar Button Sweater - $19.90 at Love Culture

This sweater is super simple, but super cute also. I really like the wooden buttons on the color and the thin fabric. The sleeve length is also very cute to wear on a casual outfit day. It also comes in black, but the oatmeal just has a very classy look to it that would be adorable with brown shoes and earthy-toned accessories. I wouldn't wear a necklace with this shirt unless it is your simple everyday necklace, but a cute pair of earrings would do the trick.

7. Burgundy Tiger Stripe Sweater - $19.90 at Forever 21

I'll admit, I'm not super crazy about the tiger stripes, nor the color they are in, but I do like the length of this sweater. One of my favorite details in shirts over the past couple of seasons is that longer length. I think it is really cute with short jackets, over skinny jeans or leggings or even with a short skirt and a belt around the waist. This sweater would look cute with simple jeans or black pants, but like I said, the pattern is a little off-putting. Still, I wanted to share it because I really liked the length and the band at the bottom of the shirt.