Collective (Drugstore) Haul & Swatches - Things I've Hauled While I Was Away

So while I was away, I did buy makeup here and there. I was intrigued by the LA Splash liquid lipsticks so I picked up a few shades. There was many other shades that appealed to me but decided to just pick these colors to see how I liked them. I love and hate these, lol. Will tell you more on my review.

NYX Glam Liner Aqua Luxe Swatches - Glam Nude, Glam Platinum, Glam Pink

I've previously done a review on these NYX Glam Liners liners in different shades if you are interested in reading the review you can head over this post HERE, which includes swatches for the shades: Glam Azure, Glam Golden, Glam Lagoon, and Glam 24 Karat.

The only differences I noticed between these shades and the ones I previously purchased is that these were not thin and are pretty pigmented on the first pass. The other shades started out with a thin formula but eventually thickened over time.

Another thing I've noticed and thought was really weird is that the brush size and length is very inconsistent across the shades. The brush size on Glam Nude is almost twice the length of the others, it's a bit ridiculous.

Swatches from left to right:

• Glam Nude - sparkling shimmery light nude
• Glam Platinum - sparkling shimmery light silver
• Glam Pink - sparkling shimmery light pink

As you can see they are very shinny and sparkly. Definitely more appropriate for a glam or evening look but I think you can still rock these for a daytime look if you like that extra sparkle on your lash line.

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Swatches and Review - Retrograde, Sabbath, Siren, Revolver

I'm so happy that Spring is here and been loving the warmer weather. I'm sorry again for neglecting my blog. I have been doing a major spring cleaning at my place and reorganizing furniture. Holy crap! I have so much junk and stuff I don't use that's taking space and collecting dust. I was amazed at how much I had to let go. It looked like I was moving. It's still messy because there are still stuff I need to sort out but the bulk of the work is done...I think. I'm so sore. And of course, the usual...Work is driving me bonkers. I think I'm gonna go rogue if I keep up with the madness. 

I believe I got most of these at Nordstrom Rack. Some of them were also on sale at Sephora. I wonder if Urban Decay is going to discontinue them and come out with a new line of liquid liners.

Packaging

• Long and slender. Typical packaging for liquid eyeliners. They come with a thin brush applicator which I found easy to manage and create thin lines. 
• The color of the packaging matches the color of the liner.
• .05 oz or 1.7 ml

Product 

• What I noticed is that you should always shake the product before use because if you don't the color looks thin and watery.
• Retrograde - gorgeous dark purple with pink/blue shimmer liner
• Sabbath - dark navy blue with a slight glossy shine
• Siren - beautiful shimmery teal blue
• Revolver - shimmery gunmetal grey with pink and blue shimmer.
• The color is actually quite pigmented when you shake the tube before applying. It last on me all day without fading or smudging. It is also waterproof, which is great for summer when you're going to be sweating or hanging at the pool.
• It only comes off when I want it to come off. You do need an oil based remover in order to remove it though. When it comes off it comes off in like chunks and flakes. Kind of messy. 

Final Thought

So far I've been loving these. I'm a bit annoyed at how watery they get if you forget to shake them but other than that, they are easy to control and work with. The longevity is fantastic and bullet proof. There's quite a few shades available still on UD's website. A pretty good deal for $10 each, I think. 

Rating: 9/10

Price: $10/$19

Availability: Sephora, Ulta, Urban Decay

Jordana Cat Eye Liner Suede - Swatch and Review

Stumbled upon these new Jordana Cat Eye Liners at my local Walgreens. They had a total of 8 colors to choose from but I decided to just try out one first and see how I like it.

Packaging

• Long and slim tube with a thin brush applicator. The part that holds the color is a clear plastic so what you see is what the color inside look like. The cap/handle is black and it was pretty hard for me to read the prints because the dark purple almost blend in with the black. 
• I like the brush. It can create very thin and precise lines. It has just the right amount of flexibility to it.
• .057 oz or 1.7 ml

Product

• Suede is a dark purple with a subtle shimmer.
• It's actually nicely pigmented but I find myself applying 2 or 3 layers in order to even out the application. I wonder if that's just me. It dries fairly quickly. 
• The staying power is pretty awesome. Once it's on, it doesn't budge, smudge, or fade until I take it off.

Final Thought

I would prefer a thinner consistency but didn't have any issues working with this liner. It has a good brush with a long and comfortable handle. It's not waterproof but it definitely doesn't go anywhere until you take it off. Pretty good for the price I must say.

Rating: 9/10

Price: $2.99
Availability: Walgreens, Jordana

Revlon Photoready Eye Art Desert Dazzle and Peach Prism - Swatch and Review

I spotted these new Revlon products a few weeks ago at Walgreens. I had to do a double take at first because I thought they were nail polishes since they had some nail polishes that came in similar packaging. But as I take a closer look, the display mentioned that these are for eyes. They are a pair of cream eyeshadow and glitter eyeliner.

Packaging

• Cream eyeshadow on one side with a doe foot applicator. Glitter liner on the other side with a brush applicator.
• .1 oz or 3 ml

Product

• Desert Dazzle has a shimmery green gold cream shadow, which I thought was really pretty but applied a bit patchy. It gives you a few seconds to blend but sets fairly quick. It can be layered once or twice without looking cakey. The glitter liner is just a gold glitter. I find that the wet base did take at least a minute to set.
•  Peach Prism has a peachy pink metallic sheen. Sets fairly quickly so you want to work with it fast. The glitter liner is a bit holographic with color shifting from gold, green, and purple. 
• I find that the shadow and liner colors are nicely paired. The glitters are not over the top yet noticeable. They just had a little bit of glimmer along the lash line. You can definitely wear these during the day. 
• I usually have better luck with cream shadows in a pot but didn't find these too difficult to work with. They have good pigmentation, can be layered, and set within a few seconds. To my surprise, they lasted 8 hours without creasing and some minor fading at the end of the day. 

Final Thought

These are nice and manageable though I wished the cream shadow didn't set so quick and that the liner would set a little quicker. They last almost all day without a primer and don't crease, which is awesome. I didn't have any issues with the glitters, they pretty much stayed put where I applied them. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Price:  $8-$9

Availability: Walgreens

L'Oreal Infallible Silkissime Eyeliner Swatch and Review - Cobalt Blue and Green Ivy

Hi all,

I hope you had a nice weekend. My life as of lately has been a little chaotic...Another reason for my blog so suffer from inconsistent updates. A week ago after a system update at work, the system crashed for several days and we had to work weekends to meet our deadlines. In order to minimize the chances of another system crash until they fix the bugs, we were told to be on view only mode during clinic hours and that we will have to work a split shift outside of clinic hours to do our account updates. It's a huge inconvenience for many of us who have responsibilities and other commitments outside of our regular work schedule but that is what we have to do to get by for now, Boo! Hopefully, this issue will be resolved sooner than later because I don't know how long I can keep on working those weird hours and not lose my sanity.
Secondly, my sister and her family moved to South Carolina today. It was hard to say good bye realizing that I won't be seeing them as often as I was used to. I'm really going to miss the family time we had together, the food we shared together, and just being there for each other for company and for comfort. Since we lived pretty close to each other, we saw each other several times a week so their absence is going to take some time to get used to.

Anyhoo...so that is a brief overview of what's been going on with me and back to our regular program is my review of these new L'Oreal eye pencils.


Packaging

• Color of the pencil matches the color inside. Comes with a clear cap. 
• Non-retractable, needs sharpening. 
• .03 oz or 1.1 g

Product

• Cobalt Blue is a matte cobalt blue
• Green Ivy is a shimmery dark green olive
• These pencils are incredibly pigmented and creamy. They glide so effortlessly on the skin without pulling or skipping. 
• I have moderately oily lids and hooded eyelids. I find that after a couple hours of wear, there is a small amount of transfer to my crease and a small amount of smudging on my lower lash line. Other than that, they wear well for up to 6 hours before I notice signs of fading. 

Final Thought

In spite of the minor smudges and transfer, these will last through most of the day. I just love how smooth and creamy they feel. It's very hard for me to find a drugstore pencil eyeliner that I enjoy and these are definitely nice and worth a try.


Rating: 8.5/10

Price: $8-$9
Availability: Walgreens, Target

Maybelline Master Duo Glossy Liquid Liner Glossy Teal - Swatch and Review

TGIF!!! It was another hard-working week for me and I cannot wait until things start run a little more smoothly but from what I already know, I doubt this will happen soon if ever. Ughhhhh! I need to take a day or two off.

Packaging

• It has a shape similar to a cone, which I'm not too crazy about but the handle is long enough and makes it easy to hold for application. 
• It comes with a unique felt tip applicator which has a round tip and flat end. I find it easy to use and it can create medium to thick lines. 
• .06 oz or 1.6 ml

Product

• I picked up the shade Glossy Teal. It's a medium dark teal with a grey undertone and glossy finish. 
• The formula is very runny and thin and the pigmentation is average. You will need a second pass in order to get an opaque and even line. 
• As far as longevity, it stayed put through 7 hours with no smudging, fading, or smearing. By the 8th hour, I notice a bit of flaking and fading on the winged end of it. 

Final Thought

I guess my main complaint would be the runny formula and lack of pigmentation but otherwise, I like the color and fact that it wears almost the whole day without any problem.

Rating: 8/10

Price: $6-8
Availability: Ulta, CVS, Target

Have a great weekend!

theBalm Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner - Swatch and Review

Yesterday was a busy day spent with family, cooking pho, and some shopping. I am so tired today. Was up most of the night watching Scandal on Netflix and I feel like I want to sleep some more in spite of sleeping in already. I normally don't watch TV shows and don't care much for it but I find Scandal interesting and addicting to watch because it's a mix bowl of politics, scandals, conspiracies, spies, murders, deceptions, love triangles...It's crazy. I like that.

Anyhoo...My blog has been little slow because I've been slacking off a bit. Been feeling more tired than usual lately and a little depressed. Secondly, I'm not hauling as much as I used to and I'm glad in a way because I'm tired of spending money on things I don't need or can't finish. I know I'll still buy things here and there but only if it is something that really excites me and I find that the more I have the harder it is for me to get excited now, especially if I see products that look too similar to others that were previously released.

I purchased this liner from Hautelook a little while back when they had it on sale. I tried it numerous times already so I'm ready to give you my thoughts on it.


Packaging

• Sleek with a long handle and foam tip applicator. I would prefer the applicator to be just a little more flexible. It doesn't glide as smoothly as I'd like, which also creates jagged lines and makes it difficult to create that perfect winged cat eye.
• .05 oz or 1.7 ml

Product

• This liner is very black and pigmented and quickly dries to a matte finish. You can draw fairly thin lines if you're careful and apply very light pressure. 
• I used liquid liners a lot and I would consider myself an experienced liquid liner user. With that said, even I have a bit of problem getting a straight and crisp line with this foam tip. I find this is where brush tip applicators excel cause they glide more smoothly on the skin. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that it is doable but not fool-proof. If you're new or have difficulty using liquid liners, this one wouldn't be the best choice for practice. 
• The liner isn't smudge-proof or water-proof. I've worn it on humid and hot days and it will quickly smear and run when you get oily and perspire. Other than that, it performs just fine under cool temperatures. 

Final Thought

It's a very pigmented black liner but I would not recommend for those who aren't experienced with using liquid liners. I would also avoid using it during warm and humid weather or if you have watery eyes because it will smear and run like water. Not a pretty sight if you're going to be around people because you're guaranteed to get raccoon eyes. They should definitely tweak the formula and make it water-resistant at least, especially for the price.

Rating: 8/10

Price: $17.00
Availability: theBalm

Hope you had an enjoyable weekend!

Revlon Colorstay Skinny Liquid Liner Green Spark - Swatch and Review

Few days ago, I spotted this new Revlon liner at Walgreens and made a spontaneous purchase with it. Other than the fact that I am an eyeliner junkie and collector, I was drawn to the color and the fact that they advertise the applicator to be skinny or thin. That just made me want to try it out. These new liners come in 4 shades: Green Spark, Black Out, Electric Blue, and Mahogany Flame.

Packaging

• I do like that it comes sealed. That way I know that no one tampered with the product. 
• It has a long plastic handle with a color corresponding the shade inside. The handle is long but the wand is short. Nonetheless, I find it easy to handle. 
• It comes with a flexible skinny foam tip applicator. I would have liked it better if the applicator was just a little stiffer but otherwise, I didn't really have too much trouble working with it. The skinny applicator allows you to create really fine lines. It is .1mm if that matters. I don't think I have another liner that can make lines this thin. So if thin lines is what you want, you should check this liner out. 

Product

• Green Spark is a medium dark green with blue undertone and a subtle shimmer. I love the color and the pigmentation is decent. Definitely needs to be shaken before use. I do find myself going over it 2 or 3 times in order to get the result that I want and it could be in part because the line is so skinny, perhaps a little too skinny for my liking. 
• Although this liner doesn't claim to be waterproof or long-wearing. I didn't have any issues with smudging or fading. It stayed put all day long. 

Final Thought

They're not kidding about the skinny line. This liner does make really skinny lines. If you do like them a little thicker or more defined, you'd have to go over it 2 or 3 times. Pigmentation is fairly good. Applicator is flexible. The wear is also good as long as long as you don't rub your eyes, cry, or get the liner wet, it will remain intact through most of the day.

Rating: 9/10

Price: $7.99
Availability: Walgreens, Target

NYX Infinite Shadow Stick Rose Gold - Review and Swatches

We had snow today. I have never seen snow in April for as long as I've lived in Wisconsin so this is the first. Secondly, I just learned today that one of my co-worker resigned. She called in sick last week. Then she was scheduled to be off on vacation. Then she called again when she was supposed to be back from vacation and said she had surgery while she was on vacation. She was a no show today again and when we asked HR if they heard anything, they told us she decided to quit. I didn't see that one coming. Then we realized that she had cleaned up her desk before she went AWOL on us so yeah, don't even try to make up a sob story and try to make me believe that it wasn't planned ahead. I was pretty disappointed that she didn't have the courtesy to give us a two weeks notice or even mention that she was thinking about quitting for personal reasons. So unprofessional. Now, I'm down another staff and a manager. My desk is a mess. I have no room for the extra work and I'm annoyed cause this feels so unfair and it sucks.
Anyways, on the bright side, I did my taxes and I'm waiting on a fat check. What do you do with yourself when you're overworked?

With no further ado, here's my review of the new NYX Infinite Shadow Stick I tested out.

Packaging

• This cream eyeshadow/liner comes in a jumbo pencil packaging. I wished they made these retractable or used wood. The packaging is made out of plastic and you need to use a pencil sharpener. I didn't have too much trouble sharpening it but you do need to apply a bit more force/pressure than you normally would if it was made of wood.
• .19 oz or 5.27 g

Product

• Rose Gold is a pretty good name for this shade because it does remind me of rose gold. 
• The first thing I noticed about this shadow stick is that it isn't as creamy as their jumbo eyeshadow pencils. It felt a bit dryer. It does tug a bit when I try to apply it all over my lid but not as much when I use it as a liner. 
• It swatches beautifully on my arm but on the lid, it's different because the skin in the eye area is more sensitive and flexible so it doesn't go on as smoothly and as pigmented on the eye due to the drier formula. 
• It last fairly well. I wore it for 10 hours and noticed a bit of fading but didn't experience any creasing even without a primer 

Final Thought

I'm rather disappointed in these new Infinite Shadow Stick. They look really cool in the packaging and most of the shade they had available looked appealing. Sadly, I wished the formula was creamier and applied smoother on the lid.

Rating: 7.5/10

Price: $9.00
Availability: Ulta, NYX Cosmetics

Wet n Wild Fergie Longwear Eye Pencil Ex-Stacey - Swatch and Review

Hello lovelies,

I have a few reviews I really need to work but these past few days I've been dragging my feet and feeling lazy. On the bright side, I've been getting more sleep lately. I'm starting to get into the habit of going to bed early. I'm even shocked that I'm able to get in bed by 10 pm or sometimes earlier though I still have to wake up a once or twice in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. At least, falling back asleep doesn't seem as difficult anymore. Part of this may also be due to daylight saving and because I've had to wake up earlier than my normal time because I've been sending my son to school before heading to work. In the end it worked out for the better. I'm not as sleepy or tired at work and I've been getting there early. My attendance definitely improved in the past few months.

Anyhow...let's move on this review.

Packaging

• Traditional pencil that requires sharpening. Even though the packaging isn't fancy, it's definitely a huge improvement from their old eyeliner pencils. I like that the bottom and cap is color coded. 
• .04 oz or 1.2 g

Product

• Ex-Stacey is a medium shimmery fuchsia. It looks beautiful on the hand swatch but on the eyes, it looks more dull for some reason.  
• What I like about the formula is that it is fairly creamy and soft, doesn't pull or tug. The pigmentation is good though you may need a second pass for more color pay off. 
• As far as lasting power, I think overall I'm pretty content. I get 6 hours of wear without transferring or smearing. Afterward it starts to fade. 

Final Thought

This new pencil liner from Wet N Wild is no doubt a big improvement from their older eyeliner line, which was practically unusable for me. The formula is soft, creamy, decently pigmented, and last about 6 hours without transferring and smearing. I wish the color looked a bit more vibrant on the eyes otherwise, it's a pretty decent and affordable drugstore eyeliner.

Rating: 8/10

Price: $3-$4
Availability: Walgreens