December 2015: Ipsy Bag

Once again I received my ipsy bag at the end of the month. I am not sure what's causing the delay because I have been a subscriber for almost 3 years and never had this issue.  But anyways, this month I received the following five products: Pacifica Power of Love Natural Lipstick, Be A Bombshell Mechanical Eyeliner, Marc Anthony Deep Conditioning Treatment, RickyCare 3D Blender, ModelCo Lip Liner.

 

 

RickyCare by Ricky's NYC 3D Blender: When I first took it out of the packet and washed it, I did not like it at all because it felt rubbery and slippery like those traditional makeup wedges.  It is not light and airy so does not bounce back to its shape like beauty blender, and retains the impression for a few seconds before going back to its normal shape. Also, it holds the water inside and shrinks in size on losing the excess water. However, it works. I used it with a light weight foundation and it blended well so I am definitely going to use it and keep the beauty blender for special occasions.

 

Marc Anthony Coconut Oil and Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Treatment: I haven't used it yet but Marc Anthony products are usually nice so I am hoping for the best.

 

ModelCo Illusion Lip Liner & Be A Bombshell Mechanical Eye Liner

 

ModelCo Lip Enhancer Illusion Lip Liner: From the packaging I thought this is going to be a beautiful vibrant pink liner but it is actually a pinky nude. It is just an average liner, and feels a bit drying.

 

Be A Bombshell Mechanical Eye Liner: This is my least favorite product from the bag. It lacks pigmentation, so requires a lot of work to build up the color but disappears in a single swipe. And its not just this liner that is below average in quality but almost all the products from this brand that I have tried through ipsy are same.



Nudie Red



Nudie Red & Tender Heart



Pacifica Power of Love Natural Lipstick in Nudie Red: This feels more like a balm than a lipstick because it is moisturizing, light weight and sheer. The shade nudie red is nude with reddish pinky hues and comes across as peachy. I have compared it with the shade called Tender Hearts from the same line and they look almost alike except that the latter is a tad bit browny.

 

 

 

Em Michelle Phan Shade Play Eye Color Palette in Bali Bronzes: This was a surprise product and I honestly thought that I received it by mistake, but then later found out that all the long term members have been sent different versions of this palette. The packaging is beautiful, the display is pretty but I feel the shadows are not up to the par. The very light gold does not show up and is not even visible in the picture. The three mid toned shades are nice but the two darker ones lack pigmentation. Also, all the shades are shimmery and very similar to each other. So, overall it is not a palette that can be used on its own as it does not have enough color and texture differentiation.

 

What did you get in your ipsy bag this month? What was your favourite product?

 

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Hope you have a great day!

 

 

 

November 2015: Ipsy Bag

This month my ipsy bag arrived really late. Usually it is here in the second week but this time I got it almost at the end of the month. But anyways, for $20.21 CAD I received five products: Coolway Strong Hold Spray, Inspr Eyeshadow, Model Co Highlighting Trio, Trestique Lip Crayon and Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara.

 

Coolway Strong Hold Hair Spray: I personally did not feel that there is anything special to this spray. It holds well but so do my tressame tres two, which retails for under $5 CAD while coolway retails for $19.95 US.  



Inspr Eyeshadow in Carnival



Inspr Eyeshadow in Carnival: When I saw it online I didn't think I will like it but it is my favorite product from the bag. It is a beautiful shimmery taupe that has the slightest pinkish tint to it, which unfortunately is not showing up in the picture. The formula is very smooth and creamy so barely any fallout. I would definitely check out more shades.

 



Champagne, Peach Bellini & Bronze

 

Model Co Highlighting Trio in Champagne, Peach Bellini & Bronze: This is a cream product with somewhat thick consistency. It looks beautiful in the swatches but I find it to be very heavy and difficult to blend on the cheeks. So I would not recommend it.  



Trestique Matte Lip Crayon in Chile Red

 Trestique Mini Matte Lip Crayon in Chile Red: I am really into matte products these days but this lip crayon was quite disappointing. Even though it is in stick form, the formula feels very slick and watery. I am not sure how to explain that but its just weird. Also, it is quite sheer and it took me numerous strokes back and forth to build up the swatch in the picture. Therefore, I will not recommend it.

 

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara: This is the only product that I have not tried yet so can't really say anything about it except that it has a huge brush.

 

Overall, this month's bag was kind of blah for me except the Inspr eye shadow. What did you get in your  bag? And what was your favorite product?

 

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Hope you have a great day!

January 2013: Ipsy Bag

Today I received my Ipsy bag in the mail and this month's theme is 19 reasons, which I think, has something to do with new year's resolutions. The products came in a nice sky blue bag. However, I felt that this months bag is quite plain and boring when a new years theme could have made it way more glamorous and cool.

Willa Naturals On The Go Face Towelettes: There are 10 lavender scented moist towelettes in a very compact pack, making it perfect for traveling. However, I found the scent to be somewhat off and not very pleasant. Also, I would prefer the L.A. Colors wipes that I received in a previous Ipsy bag over these Willa ones, because of all the unnecessary ingredients used.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner: This is a more natural and supposedly healthy leave in conditioner i.e. made with soy and cocoa. I have not used it yet but I'm definitely looking forward to it. Also, this is one of the only products that I am excited to try from this month's bag.

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow in Penny: Firstly, this pencil looks more like a liner than a shadow pencil. Secondly, it is quite sheer and needs a couple of swipes to build up some color that still looks very light. Therefore, I am definitely not going to swipe this tiny pencil back and forth on my eyelids. However, it does not budge once it sets, I literally had to scrub my hand with soap to get off the color and there is still some left.  As far as the color is concerned, it is a true copper color with noticeable shimmer particles. On a side note, this is my second product from this brand that was sent by Ipsy, first being a mascara and unfortunately I don't like either of the two. 

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow Pencil vs NYX Jumbo Pencil

Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion: I have never heard about this product before so I went onto their website to have a look at it. I found that it is formulated with all organic plant based ingredients and without any chemicals and parabens. Also, the 50 ml bottle of this product comes with a pump and retails for only $21.99. However, the issue is that I understand, it is a  lightweight product but despite of ingredients like argan oil, almond oil, vitamin e, shea butter etc, it is just not moisturizing so I'll not buy it.

Mica Beauty Tinted Lip Balm in Natural: As you all know I am not a huge fan of this kind of pot packaging due to hygiene reasons. Other than that, the color is really beautiful rosy nude shade and the product is more like a lipstick than a lip balm as it is quite concentrated and sets to a semi-matte finish. 

Overall, this  months bag was a fail for me as I liked only one product i.e. the Healthy Sexy Hair Leave In Conditioner and that is the only that that I am probably going to use out of all. Also, it is not just what I received but all the products listed under myglam this month are kind of blah. Apart from that, I found the theme to be quite boring and not special enough to represent the new year. Hopefully, next month there will be something interesting for Valentines day. 

What did you get in your Ipsy Bag this month?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

December 2013: Ipsy Bag

I finally received my Ipsy Bag in the mail yesterday. All the products are centered around the celebration theme. Everything came in a black patent leather bag, which is quite nice and chic. 

I kind of liked this months bag for the most part except one product i.e. the bombshell stick. 

Pop Beauty Eye Shadow Trio in Naturally Bare: I am glad that I got this neutral trio instead of the smokey one. I am not a huge fan of the giant floral design on the compact. Actually, I find the Pop Beauty packaging quite gaudy in general and this trio isn't any exception. All three colors are shimmery and have decent pigmentation. However, the darkest shade is disappointing because it took several swipes to build up the swatch. Since I have it so I'll use it but these days even drugstore eye shadows have raised their bar so I have no desire to repurchase or to try other versions of this line.However, it is a full sized trio so I am glad I got to try it. 

NYX Lipstick in B52: I love NYX lip products and own several lipstick shades from this line. I always wanted to get this shade so I am glad I got it in this bag. It is a beautiful deep mauve shade that is very smooth and creamy. 

Be a Bombshell The One Stick in Girl Crush: This has to be the worst product out of all this month. It goes on very unevenly and feels somewhat crumbly. It is packed with lots of gold glitter and the color blends into nothing leaving specks of glitter all over the place. Usually, I try to utilize everything I have but this is something that will go straight in the trash. 

Nicka K New York Nail Polish: This has to be one of the most beautiful nail polish bottle I own that deserves to sit on the vanity. The polish itself is a gorgeous deep red shade but has very strong pungent smell like those of cheap polishes. Also, unfortunately it doesn't have a name on it. Nonetheless, I am glad I got it because I absolutely love the bottle and the coppery bronze lid. 

Demeter Snow Roll On Perfume Oil: Firstly, I am really happy that it is an actual usable roll on tube rather than the tiny sample. Secondly, I really like the soft scent. I know it may sound odd but the scent makes me feel somewhat nostalgic, it takes me a few years back but I don't clearly remember when and where? I have been continuously sniffing it so that I can recall something and calm down my curiosity but it is not helping :(. 

Overall, I really liked this bag for the size and variety of products. The only thing that is not even worth trying is the Be a Bombshell stick, other than that, I feel everything else is usable. 

Are you a subscriber? What did you get this month?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

Purminerals Bare It All Collection + Benefit Hoola Bronzer Dupe

 A few weeks ago I was browsing through the makeup section of Shoppers Drug Mart and came across this Purminerals Bare It All kit. I always pass by Purminerals but never actually thought of trying it but this kit seemed to be a perfect option to get an idea of a couple of their makeup items. However, I didn't buy it instantly because  it retails for around $36+taxes and the packaging felt somewhat cheap. But when I came home I kept thinking about it so I went to the Purminerals website and was completely shocked to find the same kit for just $25. Thus, I picked it up with another skincare kit that I'll review after trying it for a couple of days. 

One great thing that I noticed about Purminerals website is that they constantly have promotions going on so you will never have to pay the listed price. In addition, this brand is exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada and Ulta in United States, but due to the price difference I would recommend Canadian beauties to shop online.

The Bare It All kit includes a black felt tip eyeliner, shea butter lipstick, contour/highlight powder duo and mineral blush. 

Pure Black Precision Eyeliner: This is an average felt tip black eyeliner. The tip is easy to maneuver and the color is nice and deep but not very long lasting.

Contour/Highlighter Powder Duo in Uncover: First of all, the packaging is sleek but very cheap and plasticy type that is prone to breakage. There is a full round mirror and no wastage of space for extra applicators. The highlighter is a very finely milled beautiful pinkish champagne shade that provides the most gorgeous glow without any shimmer. The contour shade is a true soft brown shade, which is actually not that pigmented but very very close to Benefit Hoola bronzer (I'll post a new comparison picture soon as I lost the original one). Overall, I really like this product except the plastic lid. 

Mineral Blush in Peep Show: I own a lot of blushes but this has to be the most stunning pink blush in my collection. I fell in love with it the moment I used it for the first time. It does not have any shimmer but a beautiful glowy sheen to it which gives a healthy flush to the cheeks. However, I do not like the lid part as it a blank plastic piece that doesn't have a smooth finish or a mirror. Nonetheless, I would definitely like to try some more colors from this line. 

Shea Butter Lipstick in Au Naturel : This is a browny mauve lipstick. It isn't the most pigmented or intense lipstick but is quite moisturizing and feels somewhat like a balm.  However, it doesn't even last for an hour straight. Also, just like other products the lid is very cheaply made. 

Overall, I absolutely love the contour/highlight duo and the mineral blush, but don't really care about the eyeliner and the lipstick. So, if Purminerals comes out with another similar kit I would buy it for just those two products. 

Have you tried Purminerals? What are some of your favorite products from the line?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

MUA Overview & Possible Urban Decay and MAC Dupes

MUA i.e. Make Up Academy is a very affordable UK based brand. But unless you live in UK, MUA products can only be bought from their online store. Few months ago, I bought 8 items and the shipping cost was £7.50 (fixed rate) to Canada. But recently, I have noticed that they often provide free shipping worldwide with some minimum purchase. 

I came to know about this brand because of numerous comparison posts of the UD Naked palette with their Undressed eye shadow palette. 

MUA Undressed: At the time I bought it, I had the UD Naked palette so I can say that they are definitely very similar but not the same because there has to be some difference in the quality since the naked palette is $60 and this one is just $6.45. 

 But still, with the exception of a few (e.g. gold shade in the picture), most of the shadows are soft and bendable. So, I feel it is a good option for the students, beginners and bargain hunters. 

Left: Shade 1; Right: Shade 3

MUA Blusher: These retail for $1.61 but I honestly do not like these because they are quite chalky. Also, they hardly stay on for an hour or two on my dry skin. So, I would not recommend these. 

Shade 1: Bright candy pink with noticeable golden shimmer.

Shade 3: Peachy melon shade with golden shimmer but looks more brownish in the pan. 

MUA Trio in Innocence

 MUA Eyeshadow Trio in Innocence: This is a beautiful trio of baked eye shadows that can be used wet or dry and retails for $4.03. I really like the color combination as there is a light creamy shade, an olive green and a duo chrome reddish brown with hints of bluish green tones making it somewhat similar to MAC Club. All three shades have some shimmer which simply adds up to their beauty. So, if you want to try one trio out of all then I would definitely recommend this one. 

MUA Trio in Pink Sorbet

MUA Eyeshadow Trio in Pink Sorbet: I do not like this trio because firstly the mid-toned pink is very chalky and frosty looking. Secondly, the light pink shade (which appears white in the picture) disappears into nothing on blending. So, at least for me, this trio isn't good enough to be used on its own because otherwise the end result is a frosty mess.  

Left: MUA Single Pearl Shadow in Shade 12; Middle: Darkesst shade from MUA Trio Innocence; Right: Bottom right corner shade from WnW Comfort Zone

MUA Single Pearl Shadow in Shade 12:  This shadow is absolutely amazing. It is super pigmented, smooth as butter and costs only $1.61. On top of that, it is probably a dupe or a more saturated version of MAC Club eye shadow. So, I highly recommend it to everyone. The only issue I have with MUA is they have numbers instead of names for their products.

MUA Lipstick in Shade 11

MUA Lipstick in Shade 11: This shade looks different under different lights. It is described as a brown on the website but it sometimes appears nude with reddish undertones and sometimes more of a peachy coral. But nonetheless, it is a great everyday color. The formula is very smooth and moisturizing so can be used on days when you forget to apply the balm or are in a hurry. Also, it retails for just $1.61. 

The bottom of the tube screws open to reveal extra product. And it was only after getting this lipstick that I realized NYX tubes also open in a similar way. 

MUA Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette

MUA Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette: This is a true dark chocolate brown shade which is very smooth and creamy. However, the downfall of extra creaminess is that it instantly starts smearing and does not even last for an hour. The picture above was taken immediately after swatching it and you can see how the product has already smudged. 

However, I do like the brush end of the pencil. Usually brow pencils come with a spooly or a plastic brush, but this one has a proper bristle brush. This product also retails for $1.61 but I would not recommend it. 

There are definitely some hits and misses with this brand just like with all others. But overall, I really like some of the products like the undressed palette, lipstick, single eye shadow and the innocence trio. 

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

Have you tried this brand? What are some of your favorites?

Sephora Favorites: Give Me More Lip

Each year Sephora comes out with these amazing Favorites kits that include all different brands. These kits are not only a great way to try out a variety of products but are also quite affordable. A while ago I bought the mini version called Sephora Favorites: Give Me Some Lip and loved it so much that I couldn't hold myself from buying this one. 

The kit comes with 16 lip products that are divided into four color categories: Red, Pink, Nude and Mauve; and retails for $71 + taxes. 

Some of the products are repeats from the Give Me Some Lip kit but in different colors. The swatches below are in the following order: Pink, Mauve, Nude and Red. 

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Never Say Never; Too Faced La Creme in Marshmallow Bunny; Smashbox Lip Gloss in Pout; Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Backstage Bambi

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Never Say Never (0.12 oz): Gorgeous bright magenta pink shade. I believe this color is exclusive to the kit as I didn't find it in the regular line. This is one of my favorite products from this kit as everything about it is commendable, be it the sleek clickable packaging, pigmentation, color or smoothness. On top of all that, it is FULL SIZE and retails for $23. 

Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream in Marshmallow Bunny (0.11 oz): Very pale marshmallow pink color that hardly shows up on my dark pigmented lips. This is one of the lipstick that I was really excited to try but unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations. It reminds me of YSL Rouge Volupte Lipsticks in terms of smoothness and the slip, which I personally don't like because it affects the longevity of the product. Nonetheless, it is FULL SIZE and retails for $25. 

Smashbox Lip Gloss in Pout (0.14 oz): Sheer pastel pink shade which is quite creamy and has decent pigmentation for being a lip gloss. The scent isn't very pleasant but doesn't really bother me. Also, the size is pretty good as compared to the original 0.2 oz, which retails for $22. 

Kat Von D Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick in Backstage Bambi (0.03 oz): Bright fuchsia shade, which is described as vivid hot pink on Sephora's website. It looks glossy when applied but dries up to a matte finish. It is really long lasting and leaves a stain behind even after being washed with soap and water. The full sized product is 0.18 oz and retails for $23. 

Tarte Glamazon Lipstick in Inspired; Obsessive Compulsive Lip Tar in Strumpet; Buxom Full Bodies Lipstick in Menace; Stila Color Balm Lipstick in Sonya

Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12-Hour Lipstick in Inspired (0.009 oz): Beautiful dusty rose shade which goes on very smoothly and has good pigmentation. However, the number of zeroes in the description probably gave you an idea about how small this sample is as compared to the full sized product of 0.07 oz, which retails for $34. 

Tarte Glamazon Lipstick in Inspired

I can still understand the reason behind the miniature size of the product but not the humongous size of the outer tube. 

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Strumpet (0.33 oz): This seedless grape red shade (as described on Sephora website) is from the matte collection. I am so glad that they have chose this particular shade because it will look good on a wide range of skin tones. Also, this is one product that I would have never picked up on its own regardless of the millions of rave reviews because of the nature of the product. However, now that I have used it I totally understand all the buzz. In addition, it comes with a tiny brush to facilitate the application and is a FULL SIZE product that retails for $22 on its own. 

Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Menace (0.4 oz): Gorgeous rich wine shade that requires a light touch to transfer the color on lips. The swatch in the picture is one swipe. It is very soft but can get clumpy at times. The full sized product is 0.13 oz and retails for $26. 

Stila Color Balm Lipstick in Sonya (0.03 oz): A sheer dusty wine shade that requires a couple of swipes to look close to the actual product. It is a minty scent and feel to it, which I really like. However, I am not too fond of the packaging because a major part of the balm is above the rim so each time I open the lid (which is quite tight) it damages the product. 

Stila Color Balm Llipstick in Sonya

Also, I am kind of confused about the name. I understand the balm part because it is quite sheer but I don't get the lipstick part of it. The full sized product is 0.12 oz and retails for $29. 

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Nylon Nude; Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Naked; Buxom Full On Lip Creme in White Russian; Stila Liquid Lip Color in Dolce

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Nylon Nude (0.1 oz): A true peachy nude shade which goes on very smoothly but is too light for my skin tone. However, I really like the formula and the consistency of the product so I would definitely try out some other shades. It is another FULL SIZE product that retails for $23. 

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Naked (0.01 oz): It is a beige shade with golden sheen in it, thus making it a beige champagne (according to Sephora). It goes on nicely and has a vanilla scent to it. The Give Me Some Lip kit also had one of these in the color Naked Pink. The full size 0.15 oz and retails for $26. 

Buxon Full On Lip Creme in White Russian (0.07 oz): This nudey pink shade is one of the most popular and raved about shades from this line. It smells very similar to the Laura Mercier Lip Glace. It has decent pigmentation and is good for toning down dark lipsticks because it doesn't show up on my lips on its own. The full size is 0.14 oz and retails for $23. 

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lip Color in Dolce (0.03 oz): This is described as nude cinnamon sheen and is one of the only nude shades that shows up on my lips. Just like the Kat Von D Liquid lipstick, it dries up matte but doesn't dry off the lips and feels very comfortable. Also, it has pretty decent lasting power and can easily go through a few snacks. However, I don't like the scent of this product but I can definitely look over it. The full size is 0.10 oz and retails for $29.

Kat Von D Foiled Lipstick in Adora; Hourglass Liquid Lipstick in Icon; MUFE Rouge Artist Natural N45; Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate

Kat Von D Foiled Love Lipstick in Adora (0.042 oz): It is described as a shimmering candy apple red shade and even though I didn't like it in the packaging but it looks really pretty on because the shimmer makes it look very different from the regular red shades. Also, it is quite long lasting and stains the lips. The full sized product is 0.11 oz and retails for $23. 

Hourglass Cosmetics Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Icon (0.03 oz): This is a blue based red shade which has decent lasting power. However, I don't like the applicator because it gives an uneven application. Other than that, I like the packaging and the concept of the product. The full size is 0.10 oz and retails for $33. 

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in N45 (0.05 oz): A straight up sheer red shade. I believe the sheerness is due to the fact that it belongs to the Natural line, but still it feels more like a balm than a lipstick. I couldn't find the full size of Natural type but the Intense are 0.12 oz and retail for $23. 

Left: MUFE lipstick - 100 point perk; Middle: MUFE lipstick - Lip kit; Right: Kat Von D Foiled Lipstick

I am even more disappointed with this product because it is the exact same size and shade that the Sephora gave out as 100 points perk a while ago. 

Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate (0.05 oz): A beautiful rich red shade which is super pigmented and smooth as butter. If you read my last post about the lip kit then you probably know how much I love this line so I won't say anything else. The full size is 0.09 oz and retails for $28. 

Overall, I absolutely love this kit. There are a total of 16 lip products and four of them are full sized ($93 + taxes). Therefore, I would highly recommend this kit to everyone. Especially as the holiday season is coming up, it would make a great gift for makeup lovers. 

Have you tried any of these lip products? Do you have any recommendations?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

Jordana Overview & Revlon Balm Stain Honey Dupe

Jordana products have been in the market for a while but recently I have noticed a lot more buzz about them. It is a super inexpensive brand with some great products. Jordana is actually a family owned business based in Los Angeles, California. The only downfall is that I haven't been able to find Jordana items in any of the local Canadian stores so far. However, since I do a lot of online shopping so I am okay with it. In order to get a fair idea I picked up products from three main makeup categories i.e. eyes, lips and face. 

P.S. I apologize for the splotchy pictures, the actual copies are perfectly clear. I am not sure what went wrong with the uploading. I even tried to remove and upload again a couple of times but nothing worked. So really sorry about it. 

I bought all the stuff from the BeautyJoint website. When they first started the business their prices were relatively lower than any other online store, but now their isn't any noticeable difference. 

Above: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey; Below: Jordana Twist & Shine in Honey Love

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Honey Love: As the name suggests, the product comes in a twist up tube and provides moisture along with shine. Not just the packaging but the formula and the actual product is very reminiscent of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. However, I didn't know that even the colors that I own are same until I swatched them side to side for this post. 

Left: Jordana in Honey Love; Right: Revlon in Honey

The only difference I noticed is that the Revlon one takes a couple of strikes to attain the same color as Jordana. Other than that, it is very difficult to tell them apart. May be I am wrong  but I don't think that such similarity in the names (Jordana Honey Love and Revlon Honey) is any coincidence.  

Left Stain: Jordana; Right Stain: Revlon

As you can see the above picture, both of them leave a stain behind and surprisingly the intensity of the stain is also same. However, the Revlon Balm Stain retails for around $8.99 while Jordana retails for $3.49 for the same amount of product. If I am not wrong then Revlon Balm Stain comes in 12 different shades while Jordana has only 8 shades so far. 

Brown/Eye Shadow Powder in Brown: I really wanted to try their eye shadow but it was really difficult to pick one online due to the lack of swatches so I went with a very safe brown shade. The one I got is from their brow/eyeshadow line which retails for $1.99 and has 6 shades. I absolutely love this product and have been  using it since the day I received it in the mail. It is very pigmented cool toned true brown shade, so a little bit with a flat liner brush is enough to give a groomed look to the eyebrows. And for me, it is one of the must  have items from Jordana. 

Above: Covergirl Smoochies Lip Balm in Luv U; Below: Jordana  

Jordana Easy Shine Glossy Lip Color in Raspberry: This is a pigmented and moisturizing cool toned true pink color. It has a very strong fruity smell, which isn't bothersome to me. When I bought it, I thought it will be somewhat similar to the new Covergirl Smoochies (because of the similar packaging), but it isn't as it is a lot more pigmented than the smoochies. However, it should be noted that the Covergirl Smoochies is marketed as a lip balm so they are more comparable to Maybelline Baby Lips. And now when I am thinking about it I should have compared it to the pink baby lips instead of Covergirl Smoochies. 

Left: Jordana Easy Shine in Raspberry; Right: Covergirl Smoochies in Luv U

The easy shine costs $2.09 (1.9g) while smoochies is around $4.99 or above (4g) and both come in 12 different shades.

Jordana Fabuliner in Brown

Jordana Fabuliner in Brown: I also had this liner in Black but I threw it away because I didn't like it. Even the brown shade looks like black and I feel it should be named Black Brown instead of just Brown. I agree that it is super inexpensive ($2.99) with great pigmentation but it lacks severely on the lasting power. At least in my case, it didn't last through the day. I found that on humid days it creased and traveled all over and under my eyes while on dry and cold days it flaked resulting in missing patches. So, for me it is only good for short grocery trips. 

Jordana Blush in Touch of Pink

Jordana Powder Blush in Touch of Pink: Recently, everyone and their mother is raving about these blushes, so I thought of giving them a try. I wanted to order more but I ended up with just one. These blushes come in a lot of different shades so there is something for everyone. Also, they retail for just $2.49 for 2.2g. The powder is nice and soft with great pigmentation. However, since the blush is really soft so there is some fall out. 

I heard a lot of people saying that the packaging is very unique, however, that's not true since La Femme blushes have exact same screw cap packaging. However, La Femme's cap is all plastic so mine has already cracked but Jordana has used nicer material so it is quite sturdy. 

Left: Jordana Touch of Pink; Right: Mac Pinch O'Peach

For the color, Touch of Pink is a true peach with a very slight hint of pink. The name of this blush reminded me of Mac Pinch O'Peach. Just like Jordana is called Touch of Pink but is actually a Peach with very little pink, Mac Pinch O'Peach is a Pink with very little peach.  I know this comparison was irrelevant but I just found it very interesting. 

Left: Jordana Touch of Pink; Right: Mac Pinch O'Peach

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara: This mascara is one of the most raved about products from this line. However, I can't say much about it yet because I haven't tried it as I am working on the ones that are already open. But I'll post an update after I have formed an opinion about it. 

Jordana Color Extend Lip Liner: Last but not least, I also bought some lip liners which I completely forgot about and that is why they are not in the first shot. These liners are marketed as all day wear and waterproof. And they are not kidding, these are seriously waterproof. After I swatched them, even rigorous rubbing wasn't able to budge them. It took me some effort to take them off with soap and water. So these are super long lasting. However, I can't find them on the website anymore so I am not sure if they are discontinued or just not available on this particular website. 

Keep on Violet: A very dark plumy purple. 

Espresso Delay: A very soft brown. 

Reach for Java: A true dark chocolate brown, which looks more like an eye liner than a lip liner. 

I bought these for $0.79 each, however, I am not so fond of the colors. Especially the dark chocolate brown isn't my style. If I had seen the shades in person I probably wouldn't have bought the browns. 

Have you tried any Jordana Products? Which ones are your favorite? Where do you usually buy them?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!