Blogged while wondering exactly what positronic distillation of subatomic particles is and whether it truly can’t be done.

013

CoverGirl Oh Sugar Vitamin Infused Lip Balm in “Cupcake”
011010009

CoverGirl has expanded their line of lip products to include tinted lip balm infused with grapeseed oil, avocado butter, and vitamin C & E. Following in the footsteps of their drugstore cousin, Maybelline (and the popular Baby Lips Tinted Balms) the release of this product was very exciting for me. I wasn’t a big fan of the Maybelline baby lips because mostly it made me feel like I was using the same products I did when I was in junior high school. But CoverGirl’s balms are lip care for the big girls!

Category: 2

Pros:

  • extremely moisturizing
  • is light and comfortable
  • nourishing and healing

Cons:

  • color pay off not great
  • sweet but unpleasant taste

Meadow’s Tip:

  • I lightly swipe this color over a matte lipstick to add a much needed bit of moisture without compromising the matte finish.Verdict: 4/5
    Would purchase again

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Water
001

Micellar Water is especially designed to pull dirt and oil from your skin. This makes it the perfect cleansing tool not just to refresh your face, but remove make-up too. Many brands have released their own version of Micellar water, but I favor Garnier the most.

Category: 2

Pros:

  • effectively removes make up
  • leaves skin feeling refreshed (and not at all dry)
  • truly helped clear my skin and minimized pimples
  • great pay off for the price (almost 17 oz for under $10)

Cons:

  • None

Meadow’s Tips:

  • Fold a sheet of paper towel into a small size square and place into a tupperware container. Saturate the paper towel with the Micellar Water. Voila! Now you’ve got your very own makeup removing wipes!
Harmon Face Values Apricot Exfoliating Towelettes
002.jpg

 My mom stumbled across these exfoliating face wipes at Harmon Face Values. I was blown away by the idea. I didn’t think these existed anywhere, but after researching this, I realized that perhaps I simply wasn’t looking closely enough. They are great for quickly exfoliating the skin and giving it a refreshed and clean feeling.

Pros:

  • exfoliate the skin gently without irritating
  • soft fruity smell
  • double-sided for multi-use (one with raised beads, one smooth)

Cons:

  • wipes not saturated enough to remove makeup without harsh rubbing

Meadow’s Tip:

  • Know when to exfoliate! Exfoliating single day does more harm than good so be careful not to overdo it. Over-exfoliation can cause skin irritation, redness, sensitivity, and dryness.
Maybelline Color Sensational in Romantic Rose
006005004003

Maybelline is brilliantly expanding on their Color Sensational Collection.The collection (like many others) is displayed into their color categories: pinks, purples, reds, nudes, etc. I came across Romantic Rose in the Purples category. I find its cool undertone blends very well with a multitude of different lip liners. Depending on the natural tone of your lips, it can even work as a glossy nude.

Pros:

  • beautiful soft color with cool undertone perfect for fare skin
  • versatile and intensified with the right lip liner
  • creamy moisturizing formula that keeps lips hydrated
  • sleek packaging

Cons:

  • does not last through eating/drinking or over 5 hours
  • irritating plastic-y smell

Meadow’s Tip

  • Pair this creamy lipstick with a slightly darker lip liner. My favorite to use is Rock N Rose by Jordana.
Nivea Men Post Shave Balm
007008

The InstaWebs have been blowing up at the recommendation of a few bloggers that Nivea Men Post Shave Balm makes for a great make-up primer. I have heard that glycerin is the key ingredient in any good primer and that’s exactly what’s in this. Any drugstore will have this product stocked in the Men’s section next to the shaving cream, but does it work?

Pros:

  • makes my skin soft
  • absorbs into the skin quickly
  • consistency easy to work with (more liquid so you’re not struggling to get the product out)
  • reminds me very much of the Belif Oil Control Moisturizer ($10 versus $40 price tag, big difference!)

Cons:

  • definitely smells like a dude
  • can’t tell if it made my make-up last longer

Meadow’s Tip:

  • In defense of this product, it doesn’t claim to do any of the things that beauty bloggers are using it for, so at the very least, you can give it to the boy in your life to use after shaving (or slather it on your legs after the razor).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.