Review- NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss

Let me start off by saying that I am not a lip product snob. I use all different brands of lipstick, lip gloss, and lipliner. As much as I love MAC, there are other great lines out there too. Like NYX! What an endearing lip gloss they've created. The shade I chose to try is called "Natural", and it truly is my lips but better. It has a medium to thick consistency and is opaque. The scent is marvelous and sometimes I find myself opening the package just to smell it. It has a sweet yet minty-ish aroma that is simply enchanting. I would compare it to the smell of those candy necklaces and candy bracelets I used to get as a kid.

I love the high shine finish, and I was surprised by how smoothly it remained on my lips. I would say the life of this lip gloss is highly dependent on the activities you are doing. If you are not talking or eating at all, this product could easily last up to 6 hours. In my experience, however, the average life without reapplication is 3 hours, talking and light eating included. Obviously if you chow down on an thick and juicy burger this isn't going to make it through the meal.

Most lip glosses with a high shine finish end up being extremely sticky and unpleasant to wear. They're the kind of lip glosses that your hair gets stuck to when the wind blows. But NYX's Mega Shine Lip Gloss avoids this oh-so-common dilemma. I'm excited to try out more colors, but there's nothing I own that is quite like this nude- "Natural". This product has quickly become my favorite lip product for the summer, and I carry it with me everywhere.

The color is so versatile you can use it with a dramatic smokey eye look for going out on the town, or a barely there girl-next-door look for running errands. It is an extremely hard working product with great color payoff and comfortable to wear all at the same time.

So now I imagine you want to know more. Here are the must-knows:

-How much do I get? 0.53 fl oz

-How much does it cost? $5.50

-What is the color range? Ridiculous! Go check them out at www.nyxcosmetics.com

-What type of applicator does it have? A bent wand-tip

If you are considering purchasing a lot of these, I would recommend browsing www.cherryculture.com because they always have great sales going on, and these particular glosses are only $3.75 there! I purchased my first one from ULTA only because I wanted to see she shade selection in person. I suppose what I'm really recommending is to go check out the shades in person and then write down what you want and order it online from cherryculture.

Overall, NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss has become my new favorite lip gloss, and I'm pretty sure it will be my holy grail lip product of the summer and into the fall. I will be purchasing more of these, and for your own satisfaction I hope you do too!

Review- Urban Decay Cannonball Ultra Waterproof Mascara

Okay, so I've been using this mascara a few days now and I'm finally ready to do a full review.  When I saw the ads for this ultra waterproof mascara, I was a little skeptical. Most "waterproof" mascaras are really only water resistant and with enough liquid prodding slough off lashes pretty easily. Not this one. It's sweat-proof, surf-proof, pool-proof, and basically bulletproof. I normally use Neutrogena oil-free eye makeup remover, but even that didn't get all of this baby off. I had to pull out the big guns and use my oil-based Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes, and Lips.

Very rarely have I come across a mascara that lives up to its claims. Bravo, Urban Decay! What a fabulous formula.

Now on to what I didn't like: the brush. How on earth could they have such a wonderful and blessed formula and stick just any old brush on it?! It is your standard mascara wand with nothing else to say. It didn't really do anything special for thickening or lengthening. All the brush did was place the product onto my lashes, which would be just fine if I were a 12 year old girl putting on makeup to go to the movies. I would have preferred to see an oversized brush with extra bristles and a tapered point to make applying product to the inner and outer corners easier.

I suppose if you were using this mascara for exactly what they advertise it (as a product one might wear to the gym or the beach) then you wouldn't be entirely too concerned with fattening up your lashes and lengthening them to the point of no return. But for the vast majority of beauty junkies that purchase Urban Decay, we're just looking for an extremely long-wearing mascara that won't smudge or transfer on those hot and steamy nights.

Onto the must-knows for this product:

-How much do I get? 0.37 fl oz

-How much does it cost? $20

-What colors does it come in? Only black

-What type of formula is it? Ultra-waterproof (neither volumizing nor lengthening)

-What type of wand does it come with? Standard brush of average size

Overall, I think this product has a fabulous formula with a less than par wand. I will continue to use it in those specific afore-mentioned situations, but for times when all out glamour is required, I will have to hunt for something else. Perhaps I can put a coat or two of this mascara on top of another.

First Impressions- Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua

I just purchased this foundation earlier this week and am absolutely in love with it. It is ultra-light but packs more coverage than an average tinted moisturizer does. It has a pleasant floral scent (it reminds me of freesia) that just barely peeks through, but enough that if someone kissed your cheek they would be able to smell it.

I would advise thoroughly shaking the container before using this product, since it is water-based and separates quite easily. It applies nicely over a primer (I prefer Smashbox Photo Finish oil-free) and with a foundation brush. I would not recommend applying this product using the fingers, since it is not terribly pigmented and the oils in your fingers would take away some of its staying power.

It dries to an imperceptible finish and feels like you have no makeup on at all, which is incredible considering its light to medium coverage. VitaLumiere Aqua also has a slightly dewy finish which looks incredible. I would not recommend this product for oily skin, but to each his own. I've read different reviews that say it works fabulously for the oily skin type, so stop by your Chanel counter and ask for a sample before going whole hog and purchasing the full thing.

It is my personal preference to lightly powder the central planes of my face after applying this foundation, but it works just as well on its own. I choose to add powder because I have combination skin and it can look quite slick by the middle of the day in those particular areas.

On to some must-knows about this product:

-How much do I get? 1 fl oz
-How much does it cost? $45
-What type of coverage does it have? Light.
-What is the color range? 9 shades ranging from light to medium.

Overall, do I think this product is worth it? Absolutely! If you have the money and the appropriate skin type and shade, go for it. Non-cakey, dewy, and gorgeous skin is always in, but especially so for summer.