Revlon Oval One-Step Hair Driver + Volumizer | Does this work?!

This post contains press samples, affiliate and referral links.*

Ever stumbled on a new hair tool that seemed like a genius idea but you just weren't sure if it would actually work? 

Me too. 

And I've gotta be honest with ya. My powers of skepticism are strong. Most of the time, my thought process goes a little something like this: 

Me: Hmmm... well this looks interesting. Should I get it? 

Me: Can this actually work on my thick hair? 

Me: I'll probably end up looking like a French poodle with continental hair cut

Me: Or worse, with a gimmicky product hopelessly tangled in my hair

Me: OMG. What if the heat melts the plastic and this damn thing gets tangled in my hair? 

Me: I do NOT need to look like frizzy poodle who got attacked by a hair styler. 

Me: You're right, this is probably a gimmick. Stop being lazy and just do your hair the old fashioned way. 

Me: *Backs away terrified and empty handed*

Clearly, I have issues that I need to deal with. 

So when Revlon offered to let me test out their new Oval One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer ($59.99), I decided it was time to stop talking myself out of trying something new. 

At best, it will work and I could tell you all about an awesome new tool. At worse, the above scene would unfold on camera and serve as a cautionary tale for all of us. 

Hair grows back and burns heal, right? 

Either way, you get to make a smart purchasing decision -- so my job is done. 

Now, before we jump in to the demo and review, let's talk a little bit about the new Revlon Oval One-Step Hair Dyer. 

Here's what the product claims (directly from Revlon's site):

The salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer is designed to deliver gorgeous volume and brilliant shine in a single step. The unique oval brush design quickly creates frizz-free volume at the root and beautifully full-bodied curls at the ends in a single pass, for salon blowouts at home. Boosted by ionic technology, hair dries faster with less heat-related damage. 

Ok, on to the important question: Does this thing work?! Watch me put it to the test. 

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*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. Also, 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 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.”

Girly Things by *e* on Allure Magazine's Daily Beauty Reporter

As the title of this post suggests, I'm featured on Allure's Daily Beauty Report blog! You can see my video here or on Allure's YouTube Channel.  Now excuse me while I completely geek out.

If you follow Allure Magazine closely, you may have noticed they were recently holding their Beauty Blogger contest. What you didn't know was that this blog made it into the alternates list and I was asked to participate in the challenges as well. I had to keep it on the lo-lo, which was difficult considering I was pretty much acting like this. 

Basically, everyone who knew me thought I had lost my  mind. The other less logical theory was that I caught a leprechaun and was in possession of a pot of gold -- and I wasn't sharing. Now, I can finally reveal what had me skipping around like a love-struck teenager. And in case we don't fully appreciate how long I had to hold this secret in, notice I'm sporting totally different hair (Spoiler alert: If you don't follow me on IG, I have dark hair again). 

I didn't make it into the final contest (womp, womp!), but they liked my submissions so much, they still wanted to use them (woop woop!)

So, go check out the Revlon makeover I gave my sister and then leave a nice comment or two. In the meantime, I'll be over here, freaking out.

And making exactly that goofy face. You can watch my video and other submissions for the Beauty Blogger of the Year contest on Allure's video page and on The Scene (you've got options!)

Manicure Monday: Revlon Plum Seduction

Starting off the week with another manicure. Since radiant orchid is the it color this year, I've been finding quite a few different options out there to fulfill the trend. Today, I'm happy to share a drugstore option for you in Revlon's Plum Seduction nail enamel ($6.99 each). 

Seche Clear base coat, Revlon Plum Seduction (2 coats), Seche Vite top coat

This gorgeous polish is a pretty and tastefully bright shade of fuchsia-magenta. I say fuchsia-magenta because in person it has just the slightest bit more purple than a typical fuchsia. It actually reminds me a bit of Zoya Charisma, except this doesn't dry down to a matte finish (it looks similar if you put a shiny top coat on Charisma). 

Given my love for bright pink (and fuchsia) manicures (and lips), it's no surprise I'd be drawn to this shade. But what I'm totally psyched over is the fantastic formula. Revlon's Plum Seduction offers a thin, water-like, consistency with fantastic color pay off. Even though the formula is thin, one coat was totally opaque. I added the second coat because I always do, but also because even though one coat was opaque, it felt very thin, which made me think it would chip easier on its own. I experienced zero streaking and the polish spread easily over my nails. It's pretty much incredibly easy to work with. 

This is my second Revlon nail enamel and both experiences I've had with this brand have been very good, which demonstrates you can get quality and stay on trend without breaking the bank. 

What are some of your favorite radiant orchid nail polish shades from the drugstore? 

*This item was purchased with a gift card provided by company representatives. All opinions are strictly my own. 

St. Patrick's Day Retro Nail Art

Fellow Florida beauty blogger Eugenia (of Geniabeme.com) challenged some of us beauty bloggers to come up with a St. Patrick's Day themed post for her link up. We could blog about anything green. And since I've been toying around with nail art lately, I decided, why not create another green manicure to show you?

I was staring at my collection and really wanted to do something with chartreuse. Combining different shades of green I ended up with this look, which has a bit of a retro theme to me. The color combination looks like something from the wardrobe department on That 70's Show, doesn't it?

All you need are three shades of any color, tape, and a little patience. I applied two coats of a chartreuse nail polish (it was a travel bottle and the brand name has rubbed off by now), waited 20 minutes for it to dry. Then I took tape, cut a slight curve along the edge. Placed it on my nail, and painted the next color onto my nail -- removing the tape immediately while the polish is still wet for cleaner edges. Wait another 15 minutes for polish to dry. Repeat with next shade of green. Repeat on all nail (or just do an accent) and finish off with glossy top coat.

For this manicure I used Revlon Posh (middle shade of green) and Zoya Shawn (dark forest green). There's no way anyone can pinch you come Monday if you're wearing this on your nails!

My nail art still needs more practice, but I'm having fun attempting it. What kind of fun green manicure will you be wearing to celebrate on Monday?

An InLinkz Link-up

Manicure Monday: Green Ombre Nails

It's March! That means spring is almost here! And, since we're in Florida, it's pretty much here already. Thank goodness because I was ready to put a little spring on my tips.

To celebrate the impending arrival of warm weather and open-toe shoes, I decided on a green themed manicure. After all, it's appropriate for the season. But I couldn't just pick one green polish. Nope, I had to try my hand at an ombre manicure.

OPI Nail Envy base coat, China Glaze Re-fresh-mint, Julep Daphne & Revlon Posh nail polish, Seche Vite top coat

I used the the makeup sponge method to achieve an ombre look. Here's a photo tutorial on the makeup sponge method so you can try it out for yourself.  

First, I laid down my base color, which was China Glaze Re-fresh-mint. Then, I applied Julep Daphne and Revlon Posh to a makeup sponge and stippled them on my nails. I definitely still need to practice to perfect the application. But it's definitely an easy way to try out this trend. 

A word to the wise, you'll be doing a lot of clean up with this method (you'll get nail polish on your fingers with the sponge). So learn from my mistake and place tape around the perimeter of your nail to help catch some of the polish. You'll still need to do some clean up, but the tape will reduce it by a lot. 

What kind of beauty trends are you introducing back into your routine to welcome (or maybe even speed along) spring's impending arrival? 

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. 

Drugstore Beauty Products I love vol.1

As a professed product junkie, you can imagine I've endured my fair share of trial and error with beauty products. Thank goodness for the internet and everyone giving their opinions because it's really helped me discover some gems, and even avoid some pitfalls. 

The way I see it, why not pay it forward? From time to time, I'll be sharing a post that will highlight some of my favorite drugstore beauty items. They'll range from makeup to nails to skin care and anything else under the beauty umbrella.

To kick this off, I'd like to share some affordable items that are usually on a pretty heavy rotation in my extensive arsenal. 

1. Yes to Grapefruit lip balm ($2.99) / 2. Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter - Peach Parfait ($6.50) / 3. Jordana Easyliner for Lips Retractable Pencil - Tawny ($1.99) / 4. L'Oreal Paris Infallible Eyeshadow - Iced Latte ($8.50) / 5. Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer ($6.50) / 6. L Oréal Paris Colour Riche lipstick - True Red ($5.99) /  7. Sinful Colors nail polish ($1.99)

Yes to... lip balms

I stumbled upon these recently at Target and I got one in every flavor. My favorites are the Yes to Grapefruit because I love the scent and Yes to Pomegranate because it has SPF (and smells good too). They also come in Yes to Blueberries. All three lip balms are buttery smooth and moisturizing and I love the new flattened packaging, as it fits comfortably in your pocket with minimal bulging (go ahead and laugh you dirty thinkers). Best of all, when I picked mine up they had a $2 off instant coupon attached so each one only cost me 99¢. 

Revlon Colorburst lip butter in Peach Parfait

Revlon's lip butters have enjoyed quite the rapid rise to cult status. Everyone who's tried them loves them. There's no shortage of YouTube gurus out there who've reviewed and raved about them when they first came out. I'll spare you the repetition. You can find these in a wide range of colors, depending on what inspires you. I'm here to tell you that Peach Parfait is the perfect every day color that will suit just about anyone. It's a pretty peach shimmer that deposits just the right amount of color. Swipe it on before work or school and keep it in your purse for reapplication later.

Jordana Easyliner retractable lip liners - Tawny

I have a hard time spending a lot of money on lip liners because I don't use them as often as I should. That's not to say I haven't splurged, it's just not as common. Jordana's retractable lip liners are awesome because they're creamy and soft (similar to a MAC retractable liner) and they're super cheap. They have a fair color selection that will work with most lip color shades. My favorite is Tawny. It's a great nude-pink that I use under just about anything. 

L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow - Iced Latte

The entire line of these cream shadows is fantastic. They can be built up or worn sheer. I love Iced Latte as an everyday color. It's a shimmery champagne beige. You can wear it alone or over primer. Either way, you'll experience impressive lasting power. I reach for this color almost every time I do my makeup. 

Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighting concealer

Anyone who asks me about my favorite drugstore concealer always get the same answer. I've gone through about four or five of these by now and I keep coming back for more. I love how this blends easily, comes in a good range of colors, is affordable, and conceals and brightens. It's not for concealing blemishes though. As the name implies, it will highlight them. I've heard people online compare this to the YSL Touche Eclat. I have not tried that concealer for myself because I like this Maybelline version so much, I haven't felt the need to be led astray.

L'Oreal Colour Riche lipstick - True Red

As a beauty blogger, I'm often asked about red lipstick. People are usually wary of this look and always want to test out a drugstore version before they invest. Getting the right color red can be tricky, especially when you're first starting. My suggestion, start with a neutral red (not too yellow, not too blue). It will be less likely to clash with your skin tone and you can practice until you get it right and get used to wearing a statement lip. My favorite is L'Oreal Colour Riche in True Red. It's got great color pay off, it's creamy, and it's affordable. 

Sinful Colors nail polishes

It's no secret I love these polishes. I've yet to buy one I don't like. I always get great color pay off and smooth application. And they have a pretty decent color selection. I love that they're less than $2 and often go on sale at Walgreens for 99¢. Great quality doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg. 

What do you think of this first installment of my favorite drugstore beauty products? Are there any items you think should make the list? Do you want to keep seeing posts like this? 

My favorite hot pink lipsticks

I'm a huge fan of bright pink lips. I'll rock them all year long, but I'm glad it's still expected to be on trend this spring. Whenever I'm wearing hot pink lipstick people ask me about it, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite bright pinks.



MAC Girl About Town ($15)

• Bright blue-based fuchsia 
• Creamy, moisturizing, and beautifully pigmented
• Satin finish
• Has the quality you expect from MAC products
• Nice vanilla scent
• Easily accessible at MAC stores and department stores with MAC counters as well as online
• By far the one I get asked about the most

OFRA Cosmetics #203 ($13)

• Highly pigmented and bright
• Similar to Girl About Town, but not nearly as blue, more rosy and like a true bright pink
• Creamy although less so than Girl About Town
• Matte finish
• Unscented
• Available online

OCC Lip Tar in Anime ($16)

• Vibrant neon pink
• Liquid lipstick that is opaque and moisturizing (has Hemp Oil and Vitamin E)
• Dries down to a satin finish
• Heavily pigmented - one drop is more than enough product (and sometimes even too much)
• Peppermint oil gives it a nice minty scent without being overpowering
• Great for mixing with other lip tars to creat custom colors
• Easily accessible at Sephora and online
• Only con is that is can be a bit difficult to apply since you can't just swipe it on as easily as you would a lipstick or lip gloss. Be careful not to over apply as it can result in feathering at the lip line. 

Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids Collection in Wild Rose ($7.99)

• Stunning neon pink (rosy red toned)
• Highly pigmented, creamy and moisturizing (as we've come to expect from the ColorSensational line)
• Satin finish
• Really close dupe for Anime. I actually bought it thinking it might be a dupe for Girl About Town, but it's not nearly as blue-toned.
• Easy to find at any drugstore at a price point that is easy on the wallet

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Sweetheart ($8.99)

• The best of all worlds combined: moisturizing like a lip balm, the shine of a gloss, long lasting like a stain, and the stick from makes it easy to apply like a lipstick
• This is the sheerest of the hot pinks in this post but it packs a punch and can easily be built up to be opaque like a lip stick
• Great if you are timid about going all in on a lipstick because it can be worn sheer or intense

Do you have any favorite bright pink lipsticks you think I should check out? 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Left to right: Precious, Honey, Sweetheart

I am obsessed with these tinted lip balms from Revlon. I know I'm late to the party talking about these, but I am glad I finally jumped on the bandwagon. These are a great go-between if you shy away from lipstick in favor of lip balm, but really want something with more of a color pay off.  I bought Precious, Honey, and Sweetheart.

They resemble the chubby sticks by Clinique, although I've never used them, so I have no idea how they compare to each other. I see no reason to pay extra when I'm so happy with the Revlon ones. At least, I see no reason to do so, yet. I am a beauty junkie after all, so you never know, I could eventually give in. 

These give your lips a lovely color, while simultaneously providing moisture, staining your lips, and providing the slightest bit of sheen for a light gloss effect. Say goodbye to the days when you applied a stain, only to get a splotchy result because your lips weren't properly exfoliated. While you are at it keeps  waving goodbye to the times when you had to choose between lasting color and lip balm. At least, if you opt to use Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain sticks instead. They do all that and have a light minty taste, nothing overwhelming, but a nice touch. They really do stain your lips too. It's more noticeable to me when I wear Honey and Sweetheart than it is with Precious, but they definitely leave color behind after the balm has worn off your lips. 

• Precious is a lovely nude hue
• Honey is surprisingly a flesh-tone pink
• Sweetheart is a bright fuchsia pink

By the way, don't take a sharpener to these, they actually twist up -- just twist the bottom when you need more like you would a regular lip balm or lip stick.  

My collection of lip balms is starting to get a little jealous. If you keep up with me on Twitter you know my husband has been showering me with EOS and Burt's Bees  lip balms since he knows I love them so much (and added another one to the collection this weekend) - I've amassed a small collection. But, I keep reaching for these instead (as much as I adore all my lip balms). 

I'm happy with this purchase and I'm sure you will be too. Grab these when you see a good sale to sweeten the deal a little more. 

What do you think? Have you used Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains? Are you as obsessed with them as everyone else is? Are you curious about them? Do you have any colors you love or want to try? 

Welcoming spring: Pink & Grey neutral eyemakeup

Products used:

Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Rose Gold

MAC eyeshadow: Apres-Sky

Benefit Eyebright

NYX eyeliner in charcoal

Revlon lipgloss in Nude Lustre

Sigma brushes: http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=48246

CVS Clearance Super Haul

A lot of you may already know all about this, but if you don't, visit your local CVS if you want to pick up some great beauty products at ridiculously low prices. I've also read over at Nouveau Cheap that Rite Aid has a lot of the same products on clearance as CVS. So if you don't have a CVS nearby or your CVS is out of anything, it might be worth a shot to visit your local Rite Aid. For a more thorough list of products on clearance at CVS (they will be on clearance while supplies last) visit this post on Nouveau Cheap, she updates the list as she sees more products or people write her to tell her what they've found. As you can imagine, she has a pretty thorough list going. 

You can save even more on these bargain basement prices if you bring in coupons. Every CVS I've visited has accepted mine, and I've gone to 4 different stores (two in Florida and two in South Carolina). But, I've also read that some stores won't take them. I guess it really depends on the stores in your area, but it's certainly worth trying. You could end up getting products for free if you do. Plus, if you have any Extra Bucks saved up you can cash them in and reap even more savings. 

Here are pictures of the products I picked up on my numerous CVS visits. I've listed the sale prices and will mention if I used a coupon below the pictures. I have swatches for some products, but not all just yet. This post is just going to be a haul post, but I plan to write reviews on as many of these products as I can. Click on the photos for a larger view. 

Also, I did not list include the Physician's Formula products I picked up on this post, since I wrote a separate post about those. So if you haven't seen that post and want to see what products I got, you can check it out here.

Blushes and Bronzers

Maybelline New York Blush (50% off)

Cost: $2.75

Revlon Mineral Bronzer (75% off)

Cost $3.49 

Revlon Beyond Natural Blush & Bronzer (75% off) - Pink Rose

Cost: $2.99

Sally Hansen Cream Blush (75% off) - Rose Rosy

Cost $2.25

Eyeshadow

L'Oreal HIP Eyeshadow Duos (75% off)

Colors: Cheeky, Charisma, Adventurous

Cost: $2.07

$2 off coupon available (I used a coupon on each one)

Final cost: $0.07 each

$1off coupons also available

I got my coupons from my Sunday newspapers

L'Oreal HIP swatches (with primer) left to right:

Cheeky, Charisma, Adventurous

Lip products

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick (50% off) - Plaza Pink

Cost: $4.25

Coupon: $2 off any lip product

Final cost: $2.25

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipgloss (50% off) - Hooked on Pink

Cost: $3.75

Coupon: $2 off any lipcolor

Final cost: $1.75

I got my coupons in the Sunday paper

Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss (75% off)

Colors: Nude lustre & Pink afterglow

Cost: $2.12 

Note: The Sunday (1/17/11) paper had a $1 off coupon for any Revlon 

lip product.

I didn't use a coupon when I purchased these two lip glosses because I did not have one, but I plan to go see if there are any lip glosses left at either CVS or Rite Aid since I'd get them for so cheap. These glide on smoothly, give a pretty hint of color, and smell delicious (kind of vanilla-y and sweet).

Sally Hansen Diamond 12-hour Lip Treatment (75% off)

Color: Princess

Cost: $1.75

Note: Coupons.com has a $1 off Sally Hansen lip product coupon

Love this lip gloss/treatment. Glides on, has great color, and smells like cupcake batter. Mmmmm... With this only costly $1.75 on clearance, I plan to try to snatch up another color with my $1 off coupon. Plus, I have $0.89 in CVS extra bucks, which means one more of these babies will be free for me!

Lip product swatches (left to right):

Princess, pink plaza, hooked on pink, nude lustre, pink afterglow

Concealer

Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer (50% off)

Colors: Light & Light Medium

Cost: $3.69

Coupon: $1 off

Final cost: $2.69

Revlon Age Defying 

Concealer (75% off)

Color: Light medium

Cost: $2.45

Have any of you taken advantage of the massive clearance sale going on? What have you picked up? Do you plan to take advantage of the sale? If so, what are you hoping to find?

Cheap Copper Eye Look

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Review: Revlon Grow Lucious Mascara

Photo credit: Revlon website

Alright beauty mavens, we all want long, full, lashes that make people gasp, "Wow, are your lashes real?!" You know the kind I'm talking about, lashes so long and full when you bat your eyes you could fan a small village. Yes, those. Drooling at the prospect of having those yet? Ok, well, here's a mascara that won't help you accomplish that. Avoid Revlon's Grow Luscious mascara. Keep your $10 for something more useful that will satisfy you, like say, lunch. This product just doesn't deliver. 

I should take a step back here and say that I just couldn't make it through the 30 days necessary to see any visible difference in my lashes (which are already long, they just can't fan a village and dangit if I'm not gonna try to get them to do that). This mascara's faults make it quite difficult for me to want to wear it every day for a month. Well, not unless dark, black under-eye circles come into style and I desperately want to one-up the gals who just decided to stop wearing concealer. If you don't like reading between the lines, I'll just outright say it, this mascara flakes, runs, smudges, and has absolutely no staying power -- and I got the waterproof version!

Do my lashes look dark and long after I apply this, well, yes. But, and this is a big but (cue Sir Mix-A-lot song here), it lasts all of maybe (MAYBE) an hour or two. By lunch time, my mascara has traveled, in the form of flakes that smudge, from my lashes to my under-eye area. And no, it's not because I'm rubbing at my eyes. It just flakes right off. Lame!

Moving on from its lack of staying power, and on to another reason to kvetch. Let's talk about this brush. Um, hi, Revlon, could you have possibly made this mascara brush any larger, clumsier, and difficult to use? I suppose maybe if you were trying for that you could surprise me with additional mascara brush obstacles. But lets just focus on the ones you gave me here. 

The brush is large and dense, but I would say a bit too large and too dense, because what you end up with is a whole lot of mess on your eyes. I don't really have small eyes, they aren't doe eyes either, but they aren't small, and I just couldn't manage it. No matter how careful I was, I always end up with mascara on my eyelid, ruining my nicely done eye makeup. Good thing I keep Q-tips on hand since my long-ish lashes tend to cause me to usually get mascara on my lids, the difference is it's from the tip of my lashes touching the lid (read: little dots of mascara here and there), as opposed to it being from the brush and the globby mess of product landing on my eye (read: mascara all over the lash line, making it look like messy liner). In other words, this is definitely not the mascara you want in your purse, you know, the on-the-run, save-me-in-a-pinch mascara, unless you want to fix mascara blobs with Q-tips when you're on the go. I'm no novice to applying mascara, so I refuse to chalk this up to user error. 

But wait, there's more. The brush also ends up with a lot of goop at the tip. So, now, not only is the brush too big to get those precious inner-corner lashes that give you that full, voluminous lash effect, if you try to reach them with the tip of your brush, you just get a huge ink blot on your eye. Great, now I get a Rorschach test on my face, awesome. But Erika, couldn't you just wipe the excess product away? Why yes, of course I could, and I do, which leads me to pointing out that this is a waste of product. If I liked this mascara, I'd be bummed to basically lose a large portion of product to a Bounty paper towel. 

But Erika, couldn't you just wipe the excess off back into the tube? Well, I could, but I've got one word for that: bacteria. I don't want black under eye circles, and a bad case of eye infection. Not good. I'd rather lose the product, and since I'm not loving this product, I'll gladly give it to the Bounty paper towel. 

Now, I've read that some people experienced a lot of clumping due to the big dense brush that picks up too much products. I didn't experience all that much clumpiness, but then again, I was fixated on all my other issues with this mascara. Sorry, Revlon, but you missed the mark. I really really wanted to like this, but I definitely think this was an epic fail.  

Revlon's Grow Luscious Mascara left a lot to be desired. I'm certainly not going to repurchase it. It's just plain blah, certainly not worth the $10 ($9.50 plus tax) it cost me at CVS. No thanks. I suppose that's what I get for purchasing this product in a pinch (I'd forgotten to apply mascara and on my way to where I was headed I stopped at CVS and bought it) without reading reviews on it.

I think I may try out L'Oreal's Lash Boosting Technology next. Has anyone tried it out?  If anyone had good or bad experiences with it, let me know. I'll be researching this one before I plunk down any money for it. Lesson learned. The quest for fan-like lashes continues. Until then, a small village will have to invest in its own fan.

How about you readers, have you tried out Grow Luscious? Did you have the same experience?