I'm Back, and I've Got An Opinion On a Blush!

Hurrah! I have returned! I have risen from the dead to spread a message of makeup; I am a makeup messiah.

Well, no, I mean, not really. I just had the morning off.

But nonetheless, I've got a product to review.

Maybelline's Dream Bouncy Blushes were introduced a few months back to rave reviews. For a while it was a bit tricky to hunt these babies down because everyone was trying to get their hands on them. Never having been a fan of Maybelline blushes before (seriously, the Fit Me blushes are just awful), I read the hype with reservation. However, while running errands one day I found a Bouncy Blush sale in Wal-Mart and decided to pick one up.

I brought #15 in Rose Petal home and gave it a try.

The packaging: it's a small, round compact with a flimsy flip lid. It weighs nearly nothing, which might actually be a factor of the product itself (more on that later). The logo is a bit juvenile, with Comic Sans style bubble letters. It reminds me of the PINK line from Victoria's Secret: aimed at younger women.

Texture: This is where shit gets weird. Dream Bouncy blushes are literally bouncy. If you press into the product, it gives it a little bit and puffs out on the sides, sort of like a new pillow when you first put your head on it. It reminds me a lot of my Chanel Illusion D'Ombre  eyeshadow. It's weird. It also doesn't seem to weigh anything; it's like swiping your finger across cotton candy. It's the most light-weight cream blush I've ever encountered.

Application: You have to apply it with your fingertips, like most cream blushes. I don't personally appreciate applying blush with my fingertips, but it is what it is. The product on the fingertip comes out both chalky and creamy. I don't know how this works.

Color Payoff: Um, not so good. Maybe I just picked a bum color, but I have had a really hard time getting a lot of color to show up on my skin. Maybe this is a factor of how light is feels. I've found it does make a good base for other powder blushes.

(Swatched in natural light vs. an unblended dab on my cheek with flash)

Because I don't get a lot of color payoff with this blush alone, I've been pairing it with my E.L.F. Studio Blush and Bronzer Duo. Together the two look beautiful. It gives my cheeks a lovely peachy-pink glow.

Eyes: NARS Cairo, Urban Decay Virgin and Smog

Lips: Revlon Pink in the Afternoon

Dream Bouncy Blush Rating: C-

Final thoughts: I wanted to like this product, just because I appreciate the concept of a feather light cream blush. Unfortunately, I had such a hard time working with this one its own that I can't really recommend it as a stand alone blush. If you want a nice cream base on which to layer a powered blush, you can be sure this will certainly provide that. But on its own, it's a total bust.

Have you tried any of the Bouncy Blushes? If so, what are your thoughts? Do you think I just picked a bad color? Let me know what you think of them!

Review: Maybelline Charcoal Smokes Shadow Quad and Lilac Nails

I've realized something over the past few months: my job makes it difficult to blog as often as I'd like. That's the funny things about jobs; typically they're time consuming to begin with, but they can often take up the time you enjoy spending on your hobbies. Lame.

Ok, enough kvetching. Onto the pretties!

Ladies, I present to you my newest obsession:

Maybelline's Stylish Smokes Quad in Charcoal Smokes.

Oh. Em. Gee. 

Love.

This quad has been all over the Internet for months now. Every review I've read has gone on and on about how this is a winner of a drugstore quad. I find Maybelline very hit or miss, especially with their eyeshadows. Usually Maybelline shadows aren't very pigmented and the texture is chalky and too powdery. I found this quad on sale ($4, usually $8) and decided I'd try it out. 

Excellent decision, Tiffany! (Pats self on back).

I love this quad. Each shadow is highly pigmented. I swatched them on my hand without any primer underneath and the color and finish of all four shadows was immediately obvious to me.

(In direct light and with flash)

The above swatches are the results of running my fingers through each pan ONCE.

The shadows are true to the picture above. There is an icy white silver, a taupe-grey, a grey with lilac undertones, and a sheer matte black with silver glitter.

No flash (L) and with flash (R)

These shadows are super blendable and long-lasting. I didn't use primer under these shadows and my makeup lasted all night. It's also really easy to build up the color; the lilac-grey looks amazing when you pack it on and blend it into the socket with the lighter grey shadow.

At home and out for drinks; no touchups needed throughout the night!

(Photo shamelessly stolen from the SIL's Facebook profile. Hollah, Em!)

I must urge my green-eyed sisters: BUY THIS QUAD! It gives my eyes an almost emerald tone. Win.

Up next: silvery-lilac nails!

Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Nail Polish in "Pedal to the Metal"

Now, you might think, "lilac nails? Girl's way out of season!" But here's the thing; this is really just a borderline lilac, and its silvery enough to look wintery and to remind me a bit of midnight snow; you know, that really shimmery and cool-colored snow that sparkles in the street lights? This polish has that sort of finish to it.

I found this bottle of polish sitting on my coffee table. Either it belongs to Em, or I've got some polish gnomes leaving pretty bottles of lacquer all over my house. I'm cool with either option, but I think Em probably deserves the credit ;)

With the holidays fast approaching, I'm really looking forward to posting some fun holiday look how-tos! Look for some red lips in the not too distant future!

Have you tried any of the Maybelline Stylish Smokes quads? How do you feel about them? Let me know your favorites!