• Maybelline Eyestudio Color Tattoo Metal 24hr Cream Gel Eye Shadow vs. Revlon ColorStay Crème Eye Shadow

    This or That | Maybelline Eyestudio Color Tattoo Metal 24hr Cream Gel Eye Shadow vs. Revlon ColorStay Crème Eye Shadow

    August 6, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Recently, I was watching a Kathleen Lights video and she said how good the Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Shadow was, so I thought I’d give it a try. Then, about a day later, I saw an IG pic by editionalbeauty (check out her blog) of her collection of Revlon ColorStay cream shadows. I thought, “I wonder how the two drugstore brands compare!” So, I grabbed the Revlon cream shadow in a shade as similar as the nude/gold one I picked up by Maybelline. The shades aren’t the same, but I am comparing the two shadows for their longevity and quality. Since I chose lighter shades, I can’t say if the pigmentation for the darker ones are different.

    maybelline v revlon shadows (1)

    Maybelline Eyestudio Color Tattoo Metal 24hr Cream Gel Eye Shadow in Barely Branded

    Dare to get inked! Our ink technology creates super-saturated colour. Cream gel smooths on for vibrant colour that lasts for 24-hours. Ophthalmologist tested. Dermatologist tested. Allergy tested. Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

    Step 1. Using fingertips, apply eye shadow from the inner corner and work outwards. Step 2. For added drama, reapply to darken.

    maybelline v revlon shadows

    Revlon ColorStay Crème Eye Shadow in Crème Brûlée 705 – It comes with a brush that slides into the cap. I thought the brush was useless, the pigmentation was better when I used my finger to apply the shadow.

    Introducing 6 new highly-pigmented bold shades with finishes ranging from matte to shimmer. Luxurious, longwear crème eye shadow with a pro-inspired built-in-brush designed for easy, mess free application. Wears up to 24 hours & waterproof. 

    maybelline vs revlon cream shadows
    Maybelline (left), Revlon

    When dipping your finger into the pot, don’t press too hard. I found the best way was to lightly swirl my finger in the pot so that I didn’t get clumps of the shadow on my finger.

    I did a few different wear tests to see how they performed:

    TEST #1- no eyeshadow primer, no shadow

    I wanted to test the longevity of both products without any primer and no shadows on top. By the 2nd hour, both were starting to crease near the inner corner of my eye.

    TEST #2- with eyeshadow primer, and eyeshadow on top (half of lid)

    I used Etude House Proof 10 Eyeshadow Primer and then I used a light brown shade to smoke out the outer corner. Both shadows creased by the 5th or 6th hour, but they held up well until then.

    TEST #3– using the cream shadow as a base

    For the 3rd test, I basically did the same as test #2, but I also applied a shimmery rose gold shade on the lid.

    Both shadows looked good as a shadow on their own and as a base for a shimmery powder shadow. I highly suggest eyeshadow primer when you use it though. It definitely extended the wear time and my lids don’t get super oily.

    maybelline color tattoo, revlon cream shadow
    Maybelline (top), Revlon

    The Revlon isn’t as pigmented after one swipe, but it is buildable. Both look good alone for a simple, shimmery lid. For me, I liked when I used the cream shadows all over the lid and then applied a brown shade on the outer corner and lower lashline to smoke it out.

    Comparing the two shades I got, I think I like the Revlon one better because it’s more rose gold while the Maybelline is more yellow gold. Both are around the same price (around $10), but you get more in the Revlon pot (0.18oz/5.2g) than the Maybelline one (0.14oz/4g). Both come in shimmery and matte shades.

    I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel like the Revlon shadow is a bit more creamy. When I dip my finger into it, it feels a bit softer.

    Both came off easily with my Garnier Micellar Water. There may be residual sparkles left, but the colour removes easily.

    WINNER: Revlon ColorStay Crème Eye Shadow

    Revlon ekes out a victory here. Both perform really well, but I think I prefer Revlon because it blends more nicely for my monolids. Because it’s less pigmented, it looks more seamless when you blend it on the lid. Since I don’t have a crease, I don’t like when shimmery eyeshadows go too high on my lids (that’s just me though).

    Do you use cream shadows? What are your faves?

    Love,

    jen

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  • Review | Coastal Scents Revealed 3 Palette

    April 21, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    I thought I would do a review and swatches of the Revealed 3 Palette from Coastal Scents. It’s a very nice palette for a beginner. I got this from a TopBox a while back and it’s been great for an everyday eye look. I mostly use the brown/taupe and gold shades. The first two shades are great to set your eyeshadow primer. It has a combo of matte and shimmery shades, but the majority are shimmery.

    The Revealed 3 palette features twenty all-new elegant eye shadows, in a stunning variety of hues and textures. Discover infinite possibilities with a combination of looks, perfect for every eye color.

    Swatches below are without using primer. The top two shades didn’t show up when I swatched them. On the left is the top row of shades, and the right is the bottom row.

    coastal.PNG

    I would suggest doing eyes before your foundation and concealer because the fallout can be quite bad. Sometimes I have to dust off my nose or fluff the shadow out of my hair.

    RATING: 4/5

    It’s not the best palette, but it was the first palette (with more than 4 shades) I ever owned. I mostly used single eyeshadows before and I have trouble deciding on which eyeshadow palette I want to actually purchase. Two of the ones I own were won in giveaways and this one I got from a subscription box. There are so many beautiful palettes out there, how can I decide?

    What palettes do you recommend?

    Love,

    jen

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  • This or That | iBeauty Oval Brushes vs. Simple Glam Girls Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes

    December 29, 2017

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I will be comparing two different brands of oval brushes: Simple Glam Girls and iBeauty (that I bought from Winners). Oval brushes are the brushes that resemble toothbrushes, made popular by the Artis brushes. I’ve never tried an Artis brush so I can’t compare the quality of the Simple Glam Girls and iBeauty brushes.

    NEW JC TITLES(1)

    I’m going to start by saying that I prefer damp beauty sponges to apply my foundation and concealer, even though sponges absorb a lot more product than a brush. Comparing oval brushes to regular brushes, I feel like it’s harder to clean them because the bristles are packed so tightly.

    media-20171228gdLush Rose Gold Oval Brushes (set of 10)

    10 high-quality oval shaped brushes made with grade “A” synthetic nylon hair.

    Contoured oval shaped brushes with different sizes allow you to blend makeup onto any part of your face effortlessly.

    Rose gold neck handle & a firm & anti-slip holder for that extra hold when applying makeup

    media-20171228wweiBeauty Oval Makeup Brushes (set of 3)

    Very easy and comfortable to use for putting on your daily makeup

    Used for: contour/setting powder, contour/blush, & concealer

    Gives a flawless air-brushed finish of all types of skin makeup formulas

    I have 3 brushes that are similar to the ones in the link, but they are slightly different (same sizes though). Even though it says it can be used for setting powder, I wouldn’t use an oval brush to set my makeup because it would blend out all the foundation and concealer I just applied. A fluffy brush is best to set your face.

    NEW JC TITLES(2)

    Both sets of brushes are very soft. The Simple Glam Girls brushes are packed more tightly than the iBeauty ones and therefore less streaky. You can tell from the picture above, the top brush is the iBeauty one and the bottom is Simple Glam Girls.

    For the swatches, I used liquid foundation and a powder bronzer, the top swatches are the iBeauty oval brushes and the bottom ones are Simple Glam Girls brushes. The liquid foundation swatches look similar (although the iBeauty brushe absorbed a lot more of the liquid). For the powder bronzer swatches, you can tell the top swatch is a bit more patchy and uneven. The smallest oval brush in the iBeauty set is a bit thicker than the Simple Glam Girls brush so it gave a thicker swatch.

    Since the iBeauty ones aren’t packed as tightly, it absorbs more of the liquid foundation and when you clean the brushes, it takes longer to clean them. When I run my finger along the brushes when they’re wet from cleaning, the Simple Glam Girls brushes’ bristles spring back into place, whereas the iBeauty brushes’ bristles clump together. The neck of the brushes is also sturdier on Simple Glam Girls brushes. The iBeauty ones, the neck of the brushes bends really easily. The oval brushes are so soft, I can’t wait to try the Unicorn or Perfect 10 brushes from Simple Glam Girls.

    WINNER: Simple Glam Girls Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes

    The iBeauty brushes do a decent enough job, I think they are better with powdered products (like for contouring) since it absorbs so much liquid.

    Have you tried oval brushes? What are your thoughts?

    Love,

    jen

    *I received the Simple Glam Girls brushes for free (just paid shipping) as part of their ambassador program, but I was not paid to write a review of any sort nor do I receive any commission if you use the discount code.

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