Product Reviews: Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

There are so many mascara formulas out there that you would think the market is over saturated, but new formulas continue to be launched and people continue to buy them. The search for a "holy grail" item is part of what makes the cosmetics industry so lucrative--we buy an item hoping it does something and are disappointed, so we buy another and another. Every now and then a formula does what it promises and the product becomes a smash hit. On today's Makeup Monday Product Review, I will be talking about Clinique's wonderful Bottom Lash Mascara.

Image from clinique.com

 Clinique's blurb:

Now bottom lashes get in on the action with a brush engineered for tiny tasks and a formula that resists smears. Pair it with any mascara on top, and watch what happens. A full 90-day supply. $10.00 suggested retail. It is good for your bottom line. 

At $10 USD you get an adorable little mascara tube with the smallest "wand" I've ever seen. I hardly ever wear makeup on the lower lash line due to my oily skin, so I was very skeptical of this mascara. However, once I tried it I was pleasantly surprised. The wand lets you get every teeny lash and provides a dark and nicely separated look. You can apply more or less depending on the drama you want to achieve. I found that even in the Florida humidity it won't budge or smear!

I was very pleased with this mascara and used it on the top lashes as well for great definition. Granted this makes the application time a bit longer, but you don't get crunchy lashes like you do with some longer-lasting mascaras. Available in Black and Black/Brown for only $10 USD this is one product that is definitely worth the hype. Let me know if you have it or if you pick it up in the comments section below!

xo

American Beauty

Happy 4th of July to my American friends and clients! I'm sure everyone is ready to head out on the water, to your local park or even your backyard. I, of course, have makeup on my mind. Supporting small business, especially American small business, is very important to me--even if they've grown to make it big! So, I figured I would make a little list of American beauty companies, big and small, for you to support! I tried to make sure their products were also made in the USA. If you know of any other companies please feel free to mention them in the comments below!

*To the best of my knowledge, these companies started in the US and also manufacture in the US. If you find an error, please correct me in the comments below.

Bare Escentuals

Benefit Cosmetics

Benjabelle Brush Tree

Besame Cosmetics

Bomber Betty Custom Cosmetics

Clean Brush Shampoo

Cult Nails

Dr. Bronner's Magic All-in-One Soaps

Fyrinnae Cosmetics

Jao Hand Sanitizer

Layrite Pomade

Lime Crime

Margarita Bloom Retro Vintage Beauty & Skincare

Morgana Minerals

philosophy

Sara Happ Lip Scrub

Senna Cosmetics

Smith's Rosebud Salve

Sugarpill Cosmetics

The Balm Cosmetics

Makeup Monday: The Kit Conundrum

A makeup artist's kit is very personal. We are responsible for choosing the products, organizing, and traveling with our makeup essentials. There are a variety of ways to pack and transport your kit, some more popular than others. However, every artist has to have a "vessel" of some sort to take your kit from job to job. I have seen artists use everything from school backpacks to fishing tackel boxes.

My first kit was a wheeled makeup case I received in makeup school. It quickly fell apart. So I took to the internet to see what other makeup artists were using and found the Zuca bag. It is all over YouTube and you will find many artists that love it. At first I loved my Zuca too, but it became cumbersome. The pouch system is a burden when you have little space to work, and I found you end up carrying a lot more product than necessary.

So, I moved on to a case with drawer inserts. It was great to work out of and took up much less space! However, the case wasn't very sturdy and soon started to fall apart as well. At the moment, the "It" bag for artists is the Stilazzi "Gone Topless" bag, pictured below (image from their site):

The quality is supposed to be superb. It offers the drawer compartments that I like, and it seems to have plenty of room and be sturdy. It retails for $350 USD. I would like to see and touch the item in person before making any decisions, so for now, this is what I use:

Yes, lovely readers, that there is your run of the mill carry on luggage set. And you know what? I love it. I use the bag for my hair items (and it rests perfectly on top of the suitcase). My brush belt fits snugly inside the suitcase's interior pocket. The outside zip pocket can be used for any last minute additions, paperwork or even towels. I use smaller travel bags to keep my makeup safe and secure on the inside. It allows me to take out as much as I need and keep everything nearby with easy access. It works great!

Remember, KISS! Keep It Simple...Silly ;)