Mascara Loving: Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Photo Credit: Sephora Website

I'm one of those girls who has always had a hard time applying mascara to her bottom lashes. I've heard of tricks and tips to help make application less messy and smear-free (think holding a business card under the lashes or turning the the wand vertically), but nothing really seemed to work for me. Regardless of my approach, I would always end up with black smudges under my eyes. Definitely not a cute look. And if that weren't bad enough, in the process of cleaning up, I would wipe off the concealer I had just applied (I guess I could/should have put on my face makeup after finishing my eye makeup, but old habits die hard!).

Recently, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Clinique's NEW Bottom Lash Mascara, and so I thought "why not give it a go?" The product comes in a cute little tube decorated in a floral pattern. It is definitely much smaller than the traditional mascara tube - .07 oz for $10 - but, then again, it is only meant to be used on the lower lashes, and I really could only see it being used for that purpose. The brush is perfectly shaped and sized (teeny tiny!) to easily coat the smaller, finer lower lashes. I find that I can really get down into the lashes without making a mess. The wand helps separate each lash without obvious clumping (be careful - only a small amount of product is needed on the brush to do the job!).

It is stated that Bottom Lash mascara can be removed easily with warm water. I used an oil-based cleanser to take it off (as I had full eye makeup on), but I am quite sure that it would have washed right off with the water alone.

Overall, I am really enjoying this product. While some may say that it is not necessary to use a separate mascara for the bottom lashes, this is really a godsend for those klutzes like me who may not have the steadiest of hands (or the patience!). While I have often passed on applying mascara to my lower lashes - and not for lack of a desire to add a little more drama to my look - I am confident that I will now take the initiative much more frequently.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is available in 2 shades - black (which I have been using) and black/brown - and can be found at Sephora and other locations at which Clinique products are sold.

Weigh in: Have you tried Bottom Lash? Are you interested in trying it? Do you think it's an unnecessary product? Share your thoughts!

NB: I purchased this myself.

Even Out Your Skin With Clinique Even Better Foundation SPF 15

As you may know from reading previous blog posts, I am currently on a quest to find my "perfect" foundation. I've been trying out products with different formulas and from different brands to determine what works best for me. To that end, I decided to test drive Even Better foundation from Clinique. I was shopping in Sephora one day with Nancy of The Informed Makeup Maven, and she recommended that I check this one out. I hadn't used Clinique foundations for years (I think the last one I used was Superbalanced) so I figured why not try out this newer formula. I snatched up the foundation in Alabaster, the lightest shade in the range, which I believe is for very fair skin with more neutral undertones. When I applied it at the base of my cheek area and blended it into my neck, the color seemed to be a good match.

I have been alternating between using this and Revlon Colorstay as my daytime foundation. I like the way the product applies and blends into the skin for a natural-looking and luminous finish. It does seem to even out some of the redness in my skin without completely masking my "beauty marks." The coverage I would say is medium, with fuller coverage achieved with continued building up of the foundation. I generally apply a couple of layers onto my face, especially on the areas that need more covering up. It feels very light on the skin and even with excessive sweating (I wore this sight-seeing around Boston this past weekend on a very hot and humid day), it didn't melt off of my face. The foundation is made for dry combination to combination oily skin, so it should work out for a range of people out there.

Clinique states that this foundation is a "make-up meets treatment" product that contains "naturally luminous minerals to perfect" and Vitamin C to brighten the skin's tone with continued use. Clinique also claims that with frequent use, in 4 to 6 weeks, your skin, without make-up on, will appear clearer, have dimished age spots, and have a more even tone overall.

This foundation also contains SPF 15, a factor that always plays into my decision of whether or not to purchase a particular foundation. Even though I use moisturizers and primers that contain sun protection, I prefer when my foundation has some SPF as well (can't hurt, right?)

Here are two pictures of me in which I am wearing Even Better (underneath the beautiful face make-up that Adina, Krasey Beauty, did for me! Adina is on the left in the first photo.)

I recommend checking out this foundation especially if you like the potential of a fuller coverage product without the heavy feeling that some carry with them. It is available in a range of 11 shades, so hopefully there is a color out there to fit almost everyone. You can find it at Sephora, Clinique counters, and online at the Clinique website. The product retails for $24.50.

I wouldn't say I have found my "perfect" formula with this one, but I do like what is has been doing for my skin thus far and the weightless complexion-evening I experience when I wear it. I have only used it a couple of times, but I will be sure to report back after I use it for a month. Fingers crossed that it will have some lasting effects ;-)

Macy's Clinique "Purchase With Purchase" Offer

Clinique and I used to be the best of friends (read: Clinique used to be the only make-up line I would shop consistently!) Though you can't turn to this brand if you are seeking bright, dramatic, over-the-top colors, you can always depend on Clinique to deliver very wearable, natural shades which can transition from day to night. They also have great skincare.

I was browsing cosmetics counters one day, as I am wont to do, and I decided to reacquaint myself with the brand's offerings. As soon as I approached the display, I was greeted by a lovely pink shade of lipstick, the Butter Shine Lipstick in Pink-a-Boo (and yes, the Sales Associate greeted me as well!). First off, if you know me, you know that I can't resist a pink lipstick! So that automatically caught my attention. Secondly, how cute is the name of that lippie?!? Admittedly, it made me smile.

As I stood there swatching the lipstick - I was immediately impressed by the smooth texture and glossy finish - the SA shifted my attention to a cute set, Clinique's Sunny-Side Favorites: five full-size products including a special edition palette. She informed me that the set was $32.50 (a $92 value) with any purchase. She showed me the two color options being offered: pink and bronze. Each collection contains some of Clinique's make-up and skincare greats: a Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser Mousse, All About Eyes, a Long Last Glosswear SPF 15, a High Impact Mascara, and a cute compact housing four eyeshadows and one blush shade. I was taken in by the value and the pinks of course caught me in their web.

I ended up with the Butter Shine Lipstick and the set of pink favorites, which included a lip gloss in Air Kiss, a gorgeous, slightly shimmery baby pink, eyeshadows in Sparkle Pink, Lucky Penny, Precious Pink, and Black Amethyst, and a blush in Cupid. In addition to the cosmetics items, the kit also came with an adorable pink and white summer tote bag!

The bag:

The goodies inside:

A close up of the palette:

Lipstick in Pink-a-Boo:

I loved the lipstick packaging. It reminded me of Bamboo (the shiny metal version!)

L-R: Butter Shine Lipstick in Pink-a-Boo, Long Last Glosswear SPF15 in Air Kiss, blush in Cupid

L-R, T-B: Sparkle Pink, Lucky Penny, Precious Pink, Black Amethyst shadows

All of the colors are soft, natural, and have a pretty shimmer to them. Check out Clinique's line of cosmetics and skincare at Macy's stores and on the Macy's website, for this special offer, while supplies last. You can, of course, find Clinique products at other department stores, Sephora, and at the Clinique website.

I also really love Clinique's Long Pretty Lashes mascara for beautiful natural looking lashes. Do you have any favorites? What are your thoughts on the set I featured?

Getting To Know The Beauty Chick: Cosmetics I'm loving right now

So I thought I would use this post to provide a little insight into my current beauty loves. These are products that I have been using lately on an almost daily basis. I hope you enjoy this intro!

Foundation: I have been abolutely LOVING Revlon's Colorstay Foundation. I picked this up about a month or so ago in the shade Ivory (their lightest shade....yes, I'm a pale gal!) and it has been doing a great job of covering up my redness and any blemishes. The coverage seems to be medium to full (it is nicely buildable). I'm moving through this bottle now and I'm glad I have another waiting for me!

Concealer: Lately I have been alternating between MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer in NW15 and Smashbox High Definition Concealer in Fair for my undereye area. The MAC concealer is nice and creamy. With the Smashbox concealer, a little goes a long way! I have found that the tiniest dab of product is sufficient. The great thing about this HD concealer is that it feels super light on the skin. Both are definitely great products! To cover any redness in my skin (around my nose or cheeks, for example) and blemishes I've been using the MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer in NC15. The slight yellow undertones work well to conceal any blotchiness.
Powder: My powder of choice right now is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light. I love the way this powder buffs easily into my skin to set my foundation and concealer. I generally apply this with either the MAC 134 (large powder brush) or the MAC 183 (flat-top kabuki brush).

Blush: There are two blushes in my collection now that I seem to be gravitating toward. The first is the Laura Geller Blush n Brighten in Roseberry. This product gives me the prettiest pink glow. It is gorgeous and just a little bit gets the job done! The other item is a recent addition to my makeup stash, a Beauty Powder Blush in On a Mission, which was released with MAC's latest collection, Style Warriors. This is such a beautiful plummy blush color that applies so smoothly and warms up my cheeks wonderfully.

Bronzer: Bronzer is an absolute must for me, especially in the summertime. The Chanel Bronze Universel Makeup Base and NARS Laguna bronzers are terrific to help me warm up my complexion. I sometimes alternate between the two products (the Chanel bronzer has a cream-type consistency and the NARS bronzer is a typical powder formula), and other times I layer the NARS powder over the Chanel bronzing base to set it.

Eyeshadow: Lately I've been keeping my eye looks clean and simple (I love using color, but my poor eyelids are still recovering from an allergic reaction to something in some of my more intense shadows). On a daily basis I have been grabbing for a neutral and slightly shimmery cream shadow to use as an all-over lid wash. The product of choice has been Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in R.S.V.P., a light shimmery champagne color. It applies smoothly and stays put (especially when I add a little Urban Decay Primer Potion underneath.....another fave!) R.S.V.P. would also make a nice base for other shadows.

Mascara: My go-to mascara has been Clinique Long Pretty Lashes. It is great for an everyday natural look. I have also been trying some colored mascaras lately. Urban Decay Big Fatty Colored Mascaras in Flipside (teal) and Electric Blue are great for adding a pop of color to the eye area, especially when the rest of the eye is left neutral.

Lip Gloss: I have been making my way fairly quickly through the Korres Cherry Lipgloss in 23 Light Purple. This is a great pinky purple color that is a MLBB shade on my highly pigmented lips. It is natural, too (really...all of Korres' products are natural!)

So there you have it! These are the products that have truly been essentials for me as of late. Everything I've mentioned works great together for a perfect everyday look.

If you want any further information on any of the items I have mentioned, please don't hesitate to leave me a comment! I'd also like to know......what are some of your makeup favorites?