Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer | Dupe Alert | New at the Drugstore

This post contains affiliate and referral links.

I wasn't kidding when I said that good things are coming to a beauty department near you. That seems to be especially true for the drugstore lately. Turns out, Neutrogena wasn't about to be left out of the new product release action. 

While perusing the aisles at ULTA, I stumbled on their new Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer ($12.99, 0.12 oz). I was immediately struck by how similar it was to a certain high end concealer stick. See if you  can guess which one just from looking at the picture below. 

If you didn't scroll down to see the next picture and guessed Benefit Fake Up concealer ($24. 0.12 oz), then we're on the same wavelength. So you know I had to take it home with me and put it to the test. 

But before we check out how the two compare. Let's read a little bit about what Neutrogena's Hydro Boost concealer claims (from Neutrogena's site): 

Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer applies flawlessly to help mask imperfections. The non-greasy, lightweight formula glides onto skin providing silky-smooth, natural-looking coverage. The unique hydrating core is designed to instantly quench skin.

• With purified hyaluronic acid

• Blends effortlessly to hide dark circles for a fresh look all day

• Oil-free, non-comedogenic

• Ophthalmologist tested: safe for sensitive eyes & contact lens wearers

• Available in 5 blendable shades

Now that we know what we're supposed to expect, let's pit these two products against each other and see what we find. Is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost a dupe for Benefit's Fake Up? Let's find out!

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*Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "referral links" or “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item or sign up for a service, I will receive an affiliate commission or referral rewards. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Products I Regret Buying | November 2016

This post contains affiliate and referral links.*

Hi again! We're skipping product favorites this month in favor of a little reality check. After all, I test beauty products so that you don't have to, and sometimes not all of them work.

Life doesn't always drop unicorn magic in my lap. Statistically speaking, a few duds are bound to make their way into my product testing stash.

The way I see it, it's just as important to share those experiences with you, as it is to share the positive ones because:

• I want to keep you from spending your hard-earned money on a product that might not be the best fit for you
• How are you supposed to trust my reviews, if it seems like I love everything I try? 
• This is a place where we can all learn from each other. So if something didn't work for me, maybe some of you have tips that would help improve my experience. 

It's not about bashing a product or a brand. In fact, I love the brands I'm talking about today -- just not these specific products.

It's about sharing information and experiences and helping you make an informed decision that works best for your specific needs.

So with that in mind, here are five products I tried recently that I regret buying. Check out the list below for all the products mentioned and what I consider better alternatives in a similar price point.

Products mentioned + optional items that I think work better (because why would you want to buy a product I said I didn't like? I still included links to those in case you do -- I don't know your life): 

• Stila Custom Contour Duo ($40) | Better option: Anastasia Beverly Hills Foundation Sticks ($25 each contour and highlight shades available
• Tarte Lights, Camera Lashes Liquid Liner ($20) | Better option: Kat Von D Tattoo Liner ($19)
• Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara ($23) | Better option: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara ($22)
• Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue ($28) | Better: Mehron Touch-up Antishine ($11.50) 
• Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker XL  ($14) | Sorry, I don't have a better option for this. Suggestions welcome!

Like what you saw? Subscribe for more!

Join the ULTA Rewards program (free), get a $10 coupon! 

Use ebates for added savings and cash back when you shop! (Get a $10 gift card when you sign up)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "referral links" or “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item or sign up for a service, I will receive an affiliate commission or referral rewards. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Top Five Beauty Favorites | July 2016

This post includes products I purchased myself,  press samples, affiliate and referral links.* 

I can't believe July is over and that fall is just around the corner. I'm not ready. I live in Florida and have been so busy at work I've basically squandered my summer and barely made it out to the beach this year. Unacceptable. 

But what I've neglected in beach time, I've made up for in product testing. So today I'm bringing you my favorite beauty products from the month of July. 

As you know we really like to narrow down the list to the most extra special items: My beauty top five. 

So let's not waste any more time and get right into it. Check out the products I've been loving (and why) in my video below. But first, comment and tell me some of your recent favorites so I can go test out new products and spread the word!

Macademia Professional Weightless Moisture Line (Shampoo | Conditioner | Leave-in ) | Eva NYC Speed it Up Blow Dry Spray* | Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil (Shade 03) | Benefit High Brow (Linen Pink) | Make Up For Ever Brush #108*  

Like what you saw? Subscribe for more!

Join the ULTA Rewards program (free), get a $10 coupon! 

Use ebates for added savings and cash back when you shop! (and a $10 gift card when you sign up) 

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above (press samples are marked with an *) for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Also some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links” or "referral links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item or sign up for the program, I will receive an affiliate commission or referral rewards. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

ULTA Beauty Haul | July 2016

It's been a minute and a half since I uploaded a beauty haul for you guys -- and I know that you like them.

So we're staring off this week by distracting you with a little bit of my weekend shopping shenanigans. Let's ignore Monday with a little weekend nostalgia. Shall we?

This shopping trip was brought to you by the 20% off entire purchase coupon from ULTA. If you haven't joined their rewards program, I'm not sure what you're waiting for. It's a damn good one. Earn points, cash those points in for money off your purchase, get reward member coupons. And if you make it to platinum status, you'll earn points faster, and get access to platinum member special sales, discounts and coupons.

I basically only shop at ULTA when I have a 20% coupon these days, unless I'm out of something and need to get it right now or if it's a non prestige item and I can use a regular ULTA coupon that comes in their weekly flyer. If you use my referral link to join the ULTA Rewards program, you'll earn a $10 off coupon (and then when you join you get your own referral link too!)

Ok, now let's take a peek and see what's in that shopping bag! Oh by the way, what was the last beauty purchase you made? Comment below and tell me!

Benefit Precisely My Brow (03) | Benefit High Brow (Linen Pink) | Benefit They're Real Mascara (mini) | Benefit Fake Up concealer | Benefit Posie Tint |  Benefit Porefessional (mini) | Japonesque Kumodori Highlight & Contour brush | Yes to Coconuts Ultra Hydrating Melting Cleanser | Nip + Fab Dragon's Blood Fix Plumping Serum | NYX Micro Brow (Brunette) | 

It Cosmetics Brush Bath | Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipstick (Chauffer) |Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick (Crush) | Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker XL Extreme Lip Plump Gloss 

Like what you saw? Subscribe for more videos. 

Shop online with ebates and earn cash back! (Plus a $10 gift card when you sign up)
Mink Wink Lashes 25% discount code: GirlyE (expires 9/30/16)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "referral links" or “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item or sign up for a service/program, I will receive an affiliate commission or referral points/rewards. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Haul: Sephora VIB Sale, Henri Bendel + Nordstrom Rack

I went shopping! Wow! It's been a while since I shared a haul with you guys.

Although, it has not been that long since I shopped. I've just been slacking on the haul videos. I know you guys like them, so I'm sorry I've been withholding.

I'll do better.

Anyway, if you're an active member of the beauty community and not living under a rock, then you knew that Sephora recently had their Beauty Insider (BI) sale. If you don't know what that is, let's break it down. If you join the Sephora BI program (it's free!) you get invited to their semiannual sale. Depending on your level (e.g. BI, VIB, or VIB Rouge) you'll get 10-15% off your entire purchase and can use the discount over multiple transactions. VIBs and VIB Rouge members will get the larger discount and a few extra days of shopping.

It turns into kind of a big deal. VIB and VIB Rouge members shop so hard Sephora will sometimes sell out of items before the sale even begins for BIs. It gets a little cray guys. People take their makeup seriously.

I usually use this time to pick up items I know I'll repurchase throughout the year (e.g., Clarisonic replacement brushes) and snag some new items along the way. While that approach is pretty logical, things add up. Fast.

But this year, I did something amazing. I was not a crazed discount seeker. I exercised self control. True story. It was strangely liberating.

Come see the few items that made the cut this time around -- and a few extra items I picked up at other stores that same day.

Sephora Microsmooth Foundation (Light & Medium) | Benefit Cheekathon Palette | Kat Von D Tattoo Liner | Kat von D Ink Liner |  Henri Bendel West 57th smartphone case

Like what you saw? Subscribe for more videos!

Use ebates when you shop online for extra savings! (and a $10 gift card when you sign up)

**Items purchased at Nordstrom Rack were not available online so I could not link to them

VIDEO CORRECTION: I purchased the Kat von D Ink liner, but meant to buy the Tattoo liner. The difference? The applicator brush. The Ink liner has a felt tip applicator (not my fave) and the Tattoo liner has the brush tip applicator (BAE). I went back to Sephora and exchanged the liner after I filmed the video, which is when I realized I had gotten the wrong one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Ipsy Unbagging & Review | November 2015

Hey everyone! It's Ipsy bag time again. I got my bag a week ago and got super busy at work so I didn't get a chance to film the unbagging before I started playing around with everything in my bag (I just couldn't wait, you guys get it, right?). So instead of filming just a regular old unbagging, I'm coming at you with a review of my November Ipsy bag. 

I've been using the products for a week, so I feel like I can at least give you a little overview of how I felt about each item I received. This way you get more than just a peek at what's inside. What do you guys think of this format instead? Do you want to hear how the products perform? Or, nah, you just want to see what's inside? Comment below and let me know. 

For all of you out there on the interwebs who are new to the ipsy thing -- here's the low down:

• You can join Ipsy for $10 (+ tax) per month. Every month you get five (5) personalized beauty samples. They typically include at least one full-size product and the rest of the items are deluxe samples (usually travel sized). In other words, you get a lot more than $10 worth of products. 
• You can get additional discounts using Ipsy discount codes if you decide to buy full-sized versions of the products you received. 
• You can earn points by reviewing the products you receive or through referrals and you can use those points to add additional items to your glam bag (as you'll see in this month's video) 
• Also -- just as an aside -- I pay for my subscription out of pocket, so these posts are not sponsored nor are the items press samples. 

Now you can consider yourself fully informed. Onward with the video!

Like this post? There are more Ipsy unbaggings to be seen! Don't forget to subscribe (new videos every week).

GRWM: My New Year's Day Makeup

This post contains press samples and items I purchased myself

Ok, I'm declaring right now that I'm going to make a bigger effort when it comes to doing my makeup on camera. I tend to focus mostly on reviews because I know that there are a lot of people out there doing tutorials. But the thing is, I have all this makeup, I work at home (I live in my yoga pants), and I want a reason to use the stuff I purchase. I'm not a collector. I buy my makeup because I want to play with it.

Plus, I've learned a few great tips along the way while I've been running this blog and my Youtube channel (I can't thank The Makeup Show enough for a lot of the things I've learned). Many of the useful tips I've tried to share in posts, but sometimes, it just clicks when you see someone doing it, rather than just being told. And sometimes, I forget about a useful tip because I use it so often it's become second nature to me -- I forget it might be new to someone else. 

I like the idea of doing Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos because it let's you just see what I do on a regular basis and how I do it. I feel like it takes the pressure off of coming up with a whole new fresh and innovative look. And let's be honest, it's getting harder and harder to do that these days. I'm not a professional makeup artist. I'm a makeup enthusiast. I want an approach to doing makeup videos that's more personal. Kind of like when you get ready with your friends before going somewhere. It's less formal, but you still learn things here and there along the way. 

That being said, here's my first GRWM video of 2015. 

Note: I filmed this video on January 1, before the whole Revlon lawsuit story was released. I use a Revlon product in this video, but have decided that I will not be using or reviewing Revlon products on this blog or on my channel going forward. I find the allegations very offensive. I am even more disappointed with how the company has chosen to react and respond to this incident. I will revisit my decision over time, depending on how this all plays out. You may or may not agree with me, but I simply don't feel right endorsing the brand at this time. 

Video Music: "Saturday" and "The Bottom" by Josh Woodward (Creative Commons Attribution License)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Cara Cosmetics items featured in this video are press samples. The rest of the products I purchased myself. This is not a sponsored video. For more information regarding the difference between a press sample and a sponsored video please visit my disclosures page. 

Haul: ULTA Friends & Family Sale + Coupon Link & More

Oops! I went shopping...

I have a weakness. I can't resist a good sale, especially of the beauty or shoe variety. This probably isn't news to anyone, but I'm putting it out there. 

Speaking of sales, ULTA is having their Friends & Family sale. It started January 12 and ends January 18. Oh, you didn't know? Don't worry, they've managed to keep it on the low. I'm used to getting emails and mailers from them and this time, nothing. Goose eggs. Nada. I found out about the sale on Instagram when someone posted about it (not ULTA). 

Here's how you can get the discount: Go to this site ulta.com/friends. Fill out your name, email address, and zip code. Wait for them to email you the coupon. (Don't worry, it takes less than 5 minutes. I did mine in the parking lot in front of ULTA)

Then, be a good friend and tell everyone. Just share the link because you can't forward the coupon (it's a one-time use only)

The coupon gets you 20% off your entire purchase, can be used in store or online, and includes prestige cosmetics. However, it excludes Urban Decay's Naked 1, 2 and 3 palettes. I think that's the only exclusion, except the Benefit Brow Bar. Exclusions are listed on the coupon, in case you forget.

You're welcome. 

Now that you know about this sale, you know I went shopping. Here's a video where I share everything I got. 

List of products (all prices listed are regular price, do not include 20% discount):

ULTA:

Gwen Stefani for OPI Rock Starlets Mini Set ($12.95)

Gwen Stefani for OPI Push and Shove Duet set ($9)

Gwen Stefani for OPI - In True Stefani Fashion ($9) 

China Glaze Mingle with Cringle ($3.99)

NYX Infinite Shadow Sticks - Almond and Flushed ($8.99 each)

Benefit Lip Lotto - Lady's Choice, Fame Game, LaLa Land ($18)

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powde - Nude ($8.99)

Urban Decay Naked Basics ($27)

Target:

Up & Up non-latex makeup sponges ($1.77)

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm - Elusive ($6.49)

Sally Beauty Supply: 

Beauty Secrets Pure Acetone ($3.69)

Buffing blocks - Black and Pink ($1.19 each)

Did you know about the Friends & Family sale? Did you get anything? Comment below, let's chat about it. 

Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Beauty Gifts $30 or less

1. Real Techniques Cosmetics Brush Set ($30) / 2. Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral LE Matte/Neutral Palette ($30) / 3. Stila Color Me Glossy Lip Glaze ($28) / 4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Waterproof Liner set ($28) / 5. Stila Tools of the Trade brush set ($28) / 6. MAC Stroke of Midnight Viva Glam 1 set ($30) /  7. Benefit Cosmetics Luve It Up! Color Kit ($25) / 8. Julep Hand Model kit ($25) / 9.  ALTERNA Caviar Experience Kit  ($29)/ 10. Living Proof beauty product ($29)

Makeup and beauty tools:

It's quite possible to purchase quality makeup and brushes for affordable prices, especially during the holidays with all the great gift sets. Best of all, you don't always have to hit up a specialty store to find them. Case in point, the Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Limited Edition matte and shimmer palette is available at Target and offers fantastic pigmentation and easy blending. Speaking of blending, you can also find a Real Techniques brush set while you're there. 

If your giftee prefers high-end brand (how particular of him/her) don't fret. Stila has a great lip glaze set that includes nine glosses and a brush set both just under $30. There's also Anatasia Beverly Hills waterproof liner set and Benefit's cute LuveiIt Up kit, which includes three neutral shadows, a mini creaseless cream shadow, and Dandelion lip gloss. For the bold diva on your list, check out MAC's Viva Glam 1 holiday set that includes the original lipstick and gloss inspired by RuPaul. Bonus, every cent you pay for the set goes to HIV/AIDS research, so it's a do-good, look-good gift. 

Hands and nails:

If you've got a nail obsessed giftee on your list, instead go for a little something different than  nail polish and try this Model Hands set by Julep. Help your nail fashionista take care of her hands and tips so all the fun colors and designs she wears will look even better on her soft smooth and nourished hands. 

Hair

If you're gifting a gal (or guy) with luscious locks, consider helping her (or him) discover some awesome new hair products. Alterna's Caviar kit is a great anti-aging hair travel set that will help keep locks nourished, shiny, and full -- all signs of a youthful mane. And if Jennifer Aniston is his/her hair icon (and honestly, isn't she everyone's?) give them one of the various Living Proof hair care travel kits to address a variety of hair needs. My personal favorite is the  No Frizz Smoothing and Frizz Fighting line. Fantastic humidity fighting products that are light weight, smell great, and leave your hair looking ah-ma-zing. 

ULTA Haul: What I got with my 20% savings card

I recently received a post card from ULTA that offered 20 percent savings on an entire purchase -- always a fun thing to get in the mail. But here is the kicker, ULTA upped the anti, the coupon could be used toward the purchase of premium cosmetics! Usually, their 20 percent off coupons exclude the high-end cosmetics brands. I went in on Saturday (the last day of the sale) to find a mob of people. Everyone wanted in on this deal, and who could blame them? I was so psyched when I verified with staff that I could use the coupon to purchase high-end cosmetics. Even though I'd read the coupon's fine print, I still couldn't believe it. I needed verbal verification.

I didn't go overboard, since I'd just made a HauteLook purchase two days earlier. I did take advantage of the sale to pick up one of the new Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencil ($20 regular; discounted price $16). I was hoping they would have those (or the regular 24/7 pencils) on the HauteLook sale, to no avail. Hey, a gal can hope, right? Maybe next time, when the products aren't as new to market... Fingers crossed. While I wait on the next HauteLook Urban Decay sale with baited breath, I figured I'd pick up at least one of the shadow pencils. I decided on Rehab, which is a gorgeous dark taupe (shout out to G over at Nouveau Cheap, since we both seem to share an obsession with taupe shadows) that borders on brown, seems to have a bit of a rosy undertone, and definitely has a gorgeous shimmery finish (but no glitter).

You can use these (much like the 24/7 pencils) as eyeliner or as eyeshadow (or a shadow base if you prefer). They are creamy, glide on easily, are smudgeable (is that a word?) as long as you work quickly, and waterproof. Once they are on, they will not budge. I haven't had too much of a chance to try it out. I'm curious to see if they will crease or not? The jury is still out on this for me, since I haven't tested it without primer. But the color is gorgeous. I'm in lurve. It boasts the quality, pigmentation, and creaminess you would expect from an Urban Decay product. It's basically a 24/7 pencil on steroids. Bigger so that it's easier to apply to the entire lid.

UD 24/7 Glide-on Shadow: Rehab

Rehab swatch

While I was perusing the isles at ULTA, I found something that made me super happy. I recently wrote about my love for the Sonia Kashuk blending sponge (a dupe for the Beauty Blender sponge) and it's more affordable price tag ($10 compared to the Beauty Blender's $20 cost). Well, my beauty aficionados, I found an even better bargain. ULTA sells its own version of the Beauty Blender for a mere $5. That's a quarter of the price of the original. I immediately grabbed the last two that were on the shelf at my local ULTA. You can find them in the same isle as you would find the disposable sponge applicators.  Check out my side-by-side photo comparing it to the Sonia Kashuk sponge.

ULTA sponge (left); Sonia Kashuk blending sponge (right)

Now that I have used them both, I can tell you, they are essentially the same exact thing. There are some minor differences that I noticed (nothing that I would consider a deal breaker). First, as you can see from the photo, the ULTA version is a bit squatter and rounder, while the Sonia Kashuk is a bit pointer. The pointier end is nice to have since it helps you get in to corners easily (like the corner of your eye for applying concealer), but the difference is not so grand that you don't end up getting the same effect. Second, the material for the ULTA sponge is denser, making it less squishy (yep, that is a technical term there for you). This is not necessarily a bad thing. While the sponge doesn't feel as soft, it's certainly not rough at all, and since it is denser, it absorbs less of your foundation. At the same time, it absorbs less water, so when you get it wet, it's easier to squeeze the excess water out of it and use it. The final result for your makeup application is the same. The only difference: you have an extra $5 left in your wallet to do with whatever you please. I used mine to buy an extra, so that I would have one at the ready while the other was drying from being freshly cleaned.

While I was standing in line I found my last two goodies: a travel-sized Benefit Boi'ing and Eye Bright duo for only $12! I love both of these products and was psyched to see them in one package that would make it a lot easier to carry them around with me; and a Tarte cheek stain (called The perfect pink) infused with Amazonian white clay in an adorable travel-sized container (0.17 oz for $10). I knew the Benefit purchase was a steal because I use both of those products religiously and thought picking up the Tart cheek stain would be a great way to test out this well-known product without spending $30 on its full-sized counterpart. I wanted to make sure I liked it before committing, you all know that I need to test drive my products before I commit. 

Available only at ULTA

Benefit Boi'ing & Eye bright to go

I also purchased a gift for Mr. Girly Things while I was out. He was a good sport, patiently waiting around for me while I dutifully looked at every single item at the ULTA store. Ok, ok I exaggerate a bit, but I did take a while to finally decide on these items and hemmed and hawed over whether or not to buy some extra goodies (but I decided to be good). He got a new cologne of his choosing. He decided on a Givenchy cologne. So even he got to cash in on the sale fun. 

Blush Love: Benefit Coralista

Benefit Coralista

I am jumping on the Benefit boxed blush bandwagon. I have read and seen wonderful reviews for Benefit's blushes. My problem always was that I had a hard time swallowing the $28 price tag. I know, I know. You do get a lot of product in the box. The blushes are pigmented, silky, and blend beautifully. I knew all of these legitimate reasons for the pricing, but I just hadn't bitten the bullet. But recently, I got the opportunity to test it out without spending a penny. Well, theoretically anyway. I'd reached my 500 point level at Sephora (after more than one year) and the beauty product up for redemption was a box of Coralista and a travel-sized Badgal mascara. Amazing, right?!  Here was my chance. I could finally get the blush I'd been lustfully gazing at for an eternity (and continuously talking myself out of buying) without shelling out any additional cash for it. I was so excited. I was even more ecstatic when the blush lived up to its expectations. It's a beautiful coral-peach-pink with a gold undertone. It's not really shimmery, but instead glowy. When I use it, I sometimes wonder if its similar to Nars Orgasm. I don't know, since I don't really have it. Has anyone compared these side by side? Is Orgasm peachy or more pink?

Coralista swatch

With that question nagging at me, I decided to pull out my Nars Deep Throat (one of my favorite bargain finds from TJ Maxx, which I bought in a duo gift set with Striptease lip gloss). The similarities are pretty astonishing. The main difference is that Deep Throat is a bit darker and pinker, while Coralista is peachy and lighter. Also, Deep Throat has golden shimmer in it as opposed to an golden undertone. When you look at them side by side they look almost identical, save for Deep Throat's fine golden shimmer-glitter. When you apply Coralista you definitely see the golden undertone, which picks up light and gives you a beautiful glow, but there are no fine flecks of glitter in the powder. Otherwise, they are pretty close.

My Coralista boxed blush has 0.42 oz of product ($28), versus Deep Throat, which as 0.16 oz of product ($27). That put things in perspective for me. While I had not paid $27 for my Nars blush, I paid $25 for the blush and lip gloss, I could get a blush that is of the same great quality and get more than twice as much product by going with a Benefit boxed blush.

I absolutely adore the peachy, coral, golden hue for the spring and summer months. I'd actually wear it all year long, but it seems so perfect for this time of year, when the season brings beautiful color back into our lives. It gives you such a soft and pretty flush. But a word to the wise, you can apply too much, so build it up lightly so you don't end up looking over done. When I do finally have to replace this (which I suspect will take a long time to do since there is so much in there), I'll be much less timid about the price since I know how much I love it.

The only thing I don't really like is that the bulky box doesn't lend itself to travel, so you can't easily slip it into a small makeup bag. But if that's the worse thing I have to say,  I can't really complain.

Review: Benefit Boi-ing Concealer

 

I've been on a concealer search lately. Trying and testing, liking not loving. I am slowly amasing a decent collection of good-but-not-perfect concealers. I was starting to think that I was hunting for a myth. It was a lot like the dating game, except I wasn't kissing a bunch of frogs. Instead, I was finding a lot of nice guys that didn't make my knees weak.Well, that is until I innocently stumbled upon Benefit's Boi-ing ($18). I was actually looking at Erase Paste, but no matter how much I tried to test it and like it, I couldn't shake my gut reaction ("I think this stuff is going to be too thick."). I kept eyeing Boi-ing, but I was wary. It's a cream and my experience has been that they are often too cakey and drying for undereye usage. Who really wants concealer settling into lines and drawing attention to them. Um, news flash, it's called concealer, it's job is to not draw attention. But, no matter how much I tried to look at other concealers, I just kept coming back to Boi-ing until I finally took the plunge. I kept swatching it, and it didn't feel cakey or dry. Even with my swatches, I still felt nervous at the counter when I paid for it. But, that was short lived. When I used it the next day, I was glad I didn't give in to my initial hesitation.

Boi-ing was like finding myself at dinner, staring across the table at Ian Somerhalder after a string of average dates. It was swoon worthy. Here's why I love it:

• It's smooth, I mean this stuff just glides on, it's almost like a combination of a liquid concealer and a cream.
• It covers; they don't call it industrial strength for nothing. I don't have dark circles, I do have some darkness close to the corners of my eyes, but nothing major. I do have some marks from blemishes I'm working on getting rid of and this stuff covers it up.
• It's not super heavy or cakey, so it doesn't settle in fine lines or creases
• It's the perfect color, at least for me (I got it in medium), and doesn't create the dreaded reverse racoon-eye look. The only thing is that it only comes in three shades, so I wonder if it would really work for every skin tone (does anyone have any insight on this?)

Boi-ing is completely worth the price, though I don't think its obscenely expensive (I've certainly seen worse). I spent more than $18 buying different drugstore brands that I liked but didn't love in my search, so I'd gladly repurchase once I go through it than spend a fortune searching for something else. However, I don't think I'll be finishing it any time soon. The pot comes with 3 grams of product, and you don't have to use a lot of it to get the necessary coverage. So, I may spend close to $20, but I'll get my money's worth in both quality, quantity, and time between repurchase.

I tried to swatch it so you could see a picture, but since it's such a great color, it doesn't really show up on the photo. But, you could easily check out the color and swatch it on your skin at Sephora, Macy's and ULTA. For those of you who have seen the colors and have a pretty good idea of what shade you need, Benefit is offering free shipping on all orders this weekend (no matter what you spend). Use code SPRGTIME (good through 3/13/11 at 11:59 PST). Considering we all lose an hour of sleep this weekend (at least in the US) with daylight savings time, we may find ourselves needing some good concealer.

Have you tried out Benefit's Boi-ing? How do you like it? Did you fall in love with it like I did? Are you still on the seemingly never-ending hunt for a good concealer? What are some of your favorites?