Maybelline Baby Lips Color Balm Crayon Review

I recently spotted the new Maybelline Baby Lips Color Balm Crayon ($5.49 each) at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and I was so excited to try them and then review them for you guys! I'm definitely a fan of the original Baby Lips balms but I don't wear them that much because they're so sheer and I'm often craving a little more color . The idea of a lip balm with the pigmentation of a lipstick sounds amazing but now that I've tried these out I've realized that there are definitely pros and cons.

Let's take a look!

Maybelline The 24k Nudes Palette Review & Swatches

I was so excited to find the new Maybelline The 24k Nudes Palette ($9.99) at Bed, Bath, & Beyond recently, which might sound a little strange considering I wasn't a fan of the previous versions that Maybelline released.  However, I've been hearing on Maybelline's social media that all of their "nudes" eyeshadow palettes are going to be reformulated, including this one. They claim that the new formula will be more pigmented with a buttery feel. I had very high hopes for this considering it's pretty easy to find nicely pigmented shadows at the drugstore price point these days. So was it worth the hype? Let's take a look!

Sneak Peek at the Maybelline Spring 2017 Collection

The Maybelline Spring 2017 Collection has just arrived on Amazon.com (shipping in 2-5 weeks)  so we're finally able to get a closer look at all of the new products! I'm really excited to try everything, especially the lip and cheek products. I'm still wary of Maybelline's eyeshadows but I'm hoping they've been reformulated. I actualluy saw a comment on their Snapchat a few weeks ago that said they'll be reformulating their existing eyeshadow palettes, so fingers crossed!

MORE Maybelline Sneak Peeks!

The Maybelline Spring 2017 sneak peeks just keep coming and for me, these are even more exciting than yesterday's products.

First things first...they're launching a Baby Lips Crayon! According to the Snap I watched (and got these screenshots from) these are supposed to be highly pigmented lip balms. I saw them put one on a model (in the photos above) and they really seem to lay down a ton of color and shine. I can't wait for these to arrive! Also, I don't know if they come in just these three shades or if the range will be larger.

Next up is the Colossal Big Shot Mascara. This one also looked promising as they were putting it on the model...I'm not sure if she already had nice lashes to begin with, but it really seemed to give her lashes a ton of length and volume. I've had pretty good luck with the Colossal formulas in the past so I'm excited for this one! 

Finally, I posted about the new Dream Cushion Compact back in September but I figured this round-up of the Spring line wouldn't be complete without mentioning it. L'oreal and Physicians Formula have already brought cushion foundations to the drugstore earlier this year, so this isn't new at this point, but I'm hoping it'll be worth the wait!

Are you excited for all the new products from Maybelline? Keep your eyes open late in November as they'll likely be hitting the drugstores then!

Maybelline Spring 2017 Sneak Peeks

Maybelline just posted some sneak peeks to their Snapchat account of the new Spring 2017 line and I took a few screenshots to share with you! Even though the official launch is in January, we will likely see these hit the drugstores in late November or December, so definitely keep an eye out for these!

First, in the photo above, you'll see some new shades of the Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick. I spot orange, gray, navy, bright purple, pinky nude, and bronze shades...definitely some "non-traditional" colors this time around!

Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Angel Mascara Review

I recently picked up the new Maybelline Falsies Push Up Angel Mascara ($9.49) at Bed, Bath & Beyond and to be honest, I wasn't super excited about it at first. It actually launched at Ulta a few weeks ago, but since I wasn't a fan of the original Push Up Drama mascara I didn't really have much of a desire to try it. Then I saw it in store at Bed, Bath & Beyond, plus I had a 20% off coupon, so I just decided to go for it.

When you compare the brush to the original one in the red tube, they're as different as night and day. The Push Up Drama brush was traditional in the sense that the bristles went all the way around...the Push Up Angel only has bristles on one side. Actually they're more like little spikes...they're very short, which enables you to get right up into the base of your lashes. The brush head is also very narrow so that also helps you to get right up next to your lash roots.
I found that it combed through my lashes nicely so there wasn't a lot of issues with clumping.

As you can see from my before and afters, the Push Up Angel version gives lots of length, but not as much in the way of volume. I feel like this is more natural-looking than the Push Up Drama version... it gives you that long, fluttery, flirty look.

After: 3 Coats of  Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Angel

When I sat back and looked at my lashes, I was really impressed by how long they were! This gives me just as much length as one of my current favorites, the Julep Length Matters mascara which is $20. I have pretty thick lashes, so I don't always need a volumizing formula but if your lashes are more sparse and you want to add volume you can always layer this over a volumizing mascara.

Also, this doesn't smudge under my eyes or drop flakes so that's another big plus!

Overall, I'm glad I finally took the plunge and tried Maybelline's The Falsies Push Up Angel. I didn't think I was going to like it, but color me impressed!

Grab one now at Ulta.com

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New Maybelline Products Now at Ulta

There are a few new Maybelline products on the Ulta website tonight (thanks so much to reader Amber on Instagram for the heads up!). The fall collection isn't supposed to launch until October, according to the sneak peeks I've seen on Maybelline's Snapchat, but as we know, drugstore products have a way of launching earlier than expected!

First up is the new The Falsies Push Up Angel Mascara ($9.49) which has a "push-up wing brush that sweeps lashes to the side, while lifting and plumping from the roots."

Next is the new Brow Precise Fiber Volumizer ($9.99) which is "a filling brow mascara" with a "fiber-infused gel and tapered spoon brush for no-mess, precise application".  I actually was involved in the testing of this product (I work with L'oreal's Research and Innovation department from time to time testing products and giving them my opinions). I absolutely loved this product...the brush is genius! If you think about it, brows are hair so why not comb them with an actual brush instead of a spoolie? It makes it so easy to comb your brows into place and the fibers help to fill in your brows. Plus, the hold lasts all day. I actually still have my test sample and use it all the time, but I'm going to purchase this and try it because I'm not sure if they tweaked the formula after all the testers gave our feedback or if they kept it the same...I'm curious to find out! 

Also, Maybelline is BOGO 50% off right now at Ulta, so if you're planning to try both of these anyway, it's a good time to grab them!

What are your thoughts? Will you be trying either one of these? 

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Maybelline Baby Lips Glow Balm Review

Maybelline Baby Lips Glow Balm ($3.49 at Target) is brand new for Summer 2016 and it's the Baby Lips you know and love...with a twist. The formula reacts with your pH to create a perfect pink glow that's unique to your body chemistry. This concept isn't new (remember the "mood lipsticks" in the 80's and 90's?) but over the years the technology has definitely improved. Back then, you'd get this crazy bright, neon pink shade on your lips, but have no fear, this one isn't like that at all.

The packaging is just like the Original Baby Lips except the cap is opaque instead of see-through and it has a pretty pink ombre effect.

When I swatch it, you can see how light the color is on me. I'm not sure how it looks on other people (it may be deeper or it may not show up much at all), but I really like the color it becomes on my skin. To me, it doesn't feel any different than the original Baby Lips...it's lightweight yet hydrating and has a very subtle vanilla scent.

Here, you can see what it looks like on me (but again, your result might be a little different). My lips are naturally pretty pale but this balm gives them a subtle pink boost.

Overall, I really like this color and will definitely add it to my lip balm rotation but is it worth all the hype? I don't know...I can't to sit here and say it's a whole lot different from the rest of the Baby Lips family because it's really not. They already have several pink shades out on the market that will probably look similar to this once it's on your lips, plus the formula feels the same to me. So unless you're a Baby Lips collector and need to have every single shade, you probably don't need to run right out and buy this.

Baby Lips Glow is available now at drugstores and Target.com

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Maybelline Master Strobing Stick | Review & Swatches

Maybelline Master Strobing Stick ($7.94 at Walmart) is brand new for Summer 2016 and I spotted these at Walmart last week. As far as I know, they haven't shown up at any drugstores or even at Bed, Bath & Beyond yet (which is weird because they usually get things first). If you can't find them in stores, they are available on Amazon.com here.

Packaging: 

The Master Strobing Sticks come in a chubby, twist-up stick like the Master Glaze Blush Sticks. The label has a pretty ombre effect that looks shiny and luminous like a highlighter, making it easy to tell these apart from the blushes, which had brightly colored labels that matched the shade inside.

There are two shades available, 100 Light Iridescent (a soft, pearlescent pink) and 200 Medium Nude Glow (a warm golden champagne).

One thing I want to mention is that you don't get a lot of product with these. The amount that I have them twisted up in this photos is as high as they go, so the packaging is deceptive as far as making it look like you get a lot of product. Still, these are so pigmented, you only need a little bit, which makes me feel like they'll last quite a while.

Formula: 

The formula is gorgeous...very creamy and highly pigmented in one swipe. They remind me a lot of Benefit's Watts Up! highlighter in the sense that they don't need a lot of build-up to get great color payoff and impact.  They don't feel greasy and the shimmer is very finely milled giving more of a pearly sheen rather than obvious glitter.
They go on so smoothly with very little effort...you only have to touch them to your skin lightly to get great color payoff and they blend so beautifully and set with a powdery finish.

Shades/Swatches: 

The colors are beautiful as well!  Light Iridescent is the perfect pinky champagne shade for my fair skin, while Medium Nude Glow is equally as beautiful (if not a little bit dark for me personally). You can see in the swatches how well they catch the light and yet you can't see any obvious glitter (or stray glitter particles anywhere).

These swatches are one swipe of the stick, so the pigmentation is fantastic. Also, they blend really easily so you can customize how intense you want them to be. You can swipe them on and just pat them lightly to keep them looking more intense, or feather them in with your finger or a brush to sheer them out. Either way, they look gorgeous on the skin.

Comparison Swatches: 

I wanted to swatch these next to some of my other cream highlighters so if you own any of these you can see how the Maybelline Master Strobing shades compare.

First, I swatched the Maybelline Pink Iridescent next to some of my pink-toned highlighters...if you like any of the other shades, I'll link them underneath the photo.

Maybelline Pink Iridescent ($7.99), Colourpop Teasecake($8), Wet n Wild Marigold Round (Ltd edition, not available online), Sonia Kashuk Persian Sunset ($10.99), Revlon Pink Light (new-not online yet, but in drugstores), L.A. Girl Luminous

Here's Medium Nude Glow next to some of my golden/bronze highlighters:

Maybelline Medium Nude Glow ($7.99). Benefit Watts Up! ($30), Flower Beauty Honey Bronze & Gold Coaster ($9.98), Sonia Kashuk Sparkling Sands ($10.99), Colourpop Wisp ($8), Colourpop Highly Waisted ($8). 

Final Verdict: 

I absolutely love the new Maybelline Master Strobing Sticks and will say these are definitely my new favorite drugstore highlighters! I've been waiting for a Watts Up! type of formula at a more affordable price and I finally feel like we have one.

Have you tried the new Maybelline Master Strobing sticks? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

You can find them at Walmart stores or at Amazon.com

These Two "Older" Mascaras are my Favorite Combo Right Now

True story: I love to shop "old" products at the drugstore. You know, the ones that have been out there for years and years and nobody talks about anymore. Sometimes they're products I used to use and then sort of forgot about when newer and trendier products were released and other times they're products I haven't tried yet. I especially love when they end up surprising me and being these awesome hidden gems!
A few weeks ago, I was at Bed, Bath & Beyond browsing the makeup aisles and came across Maybelline Lash Discovery mascara...an old favorite from way back. I used to use it all the time but there have been so many new mascaras released since then I just haven't purchased it because I always want to try the latest and greatest formulas.
I also spotted Maybelline Define-A-Lash, which was totally new to me...I've never tried it before. So I ended up buying both of them and decided on a whim that maybe I should layer them.

Lash Discovery has a teeny-tiny brush that reminds me so much of IT Cosmetics Tightline mascara. It's great for grabbing each individual lash and you can also get right into the base of your lashes, which ends up depositing color in between them, hence the tightline effect. And since IT Cosmetics Tightline is really meant to be used as a primer, I decided to use Lash Discovery in the same way...especially since it thickens up my lashes nicely. It's also amazing for using on your bottom lashes because the brush is so small. On a side note, is it just me, or have mascara brushes gotten huge the past few years?

Define-A-Lash is a lengthening formula that has a brush that wipes clean as you pull it out of the tube so it doesn't clump at all. It gives my lashes great length and separation but not much volume, so this is where layering the two comes into play.

I start with Lash Discovery and get it right into the base of my lashes, depositing the color to create a tightline effect. Then I wiggle the brush up through my lashes, giving them one good coat which thickens them up nicely. Before that dries fully, I go in with Define-A-Lash and comb my lashes out, adding lots of length and separation. Afterwards, I go back in with Lash Discovery and add a coat to my bottom lashes.

Here's what my lashes look like before:

And here's the after!  It gives me lots of length and volume, along with a nice darkened effect on my upper lash line. I feel like my eyes look more open and wide awake...I love it.

Overall, I love that I've found Lash Discovery again and this time, I think I'll keep it around and use it as a primer for other formulas too. I'm excited to see how a formula that packs a big punch like Benefit's They're Real or Cover Girl's The Super Sizer would do layered over Lash Discovery. 

I think Define-A-Lash is great on it's own if you want a very natural, non-clumpy look with lots of length but since I like more of a false lash look I probably wouldn't use it by itself. 

Have you re-discovered anything at the drugstore lately? I'd love to hear about it! 

Faves and Flops- Maybelline Edition

I was in Target earlier today picking up a few things for the house and on my way to the checkout, those brighter-than-the-sun lights of the beauty aisles drew me in again (damn them!).  I was really good and didn't buy anything this time but as I browsed, my blogging brain kicked into high gear and I thought up the idea for this post while standing in the Maybelline section. I saw products I thought were terrible and products I love, and while I've talked about most of them individually in blog posts over the years I thought it would be nice to put them all together in one place. Each product I mention here is one that I have strong feelings about one way or the other, so all the Maybelline products I didn't mention in this post fall somewhere between "I Love It!" and "No Thanks". Let's take a look!

Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Pencil Review

Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Pencil ($7.99 at drugstores) is a new eyeliner that has a micro-tip for sharp precision. I've been eyeing the Hourglass 1.5mm Gel Eyeliner ($16) for a while now, because when you have hooded eyes like I do, a skinny line takes up a lot less of that precious eyelid space. I've tried a lot of skinny liquid liners, but the idea of a skinny automatic gel pencil is even better, especially for everyday use. So I was really glad to see Maybelline come out with a 1.8mm version for half the price of the Hourglass one. Let's take a look! 

Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball Review

Earlier this week, I spotted the new Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball ($3.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond) and they looked so much like the Baby Skin blushes that launched over the summer, I almost passed them by. When I took a second look and realized they were actually Baby Lips balms, I grabbed all four shades to try and review. I love the original Baby Lips formula most of the time, even though they usually aren't enough moisture for me in the winter, so I was excited to see if these are the same or possibly a new formula. Also, I was happy to see this cute packaging return as a lip balm this time...I felt like it was wasted on the blushes, since I didn't care for them at all. 

Let's take a closer look! 

Maybelline Master Contour Palette Review

Maybelline Master Contour Kit ($12.99 at Ulta.com) is brand new for Spring 2016 and I first spotted it at CVS last month in a huge Maybelline display that had a bunch of new products in it. I picked this up with the intention of posting a review soon afterwards, but it kind of got lost in the shuffle during the craziness of the holidays. Thankfully, I'm back on track and posting reviews every day, so to hear my thoughts on this palette, just keep on reading! 

Maybelline Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayon Review

I recently found the Maybelline Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayons ($6.99) at Walgreens and picked up five shades to review and swatch for you guys. There are ten shades all together (see my post of all ten shades here) but I wanted to try the formula first and make sure I liked it before I committed to buying more. I'm a big fan of the original Color Tattoo formula so I had very high hopes for these...let's take a look! 

NEW Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball Spotted at Bed, Bath & Beyond

When I first spotted the new Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball ($3.99) at Bed, Bath & Beyond earlier today, I almost walked right by because I thought they were those cream blushes that they launched over the summer (and I was not a fan). But out of the corner of my eye, I saw the words "Baby Lips" and realized that this was a lip product rather than a cheek product. Then I was giddy with excitement...I've seen a lot of Maybelline sneak peeks the past few months but these totally caught me by surprise! Let's take a look...

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation Review

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation is brand new for Spring 2016 and is my highest requested review at the moment! It claims to be a gel-whipped formula with a soft, velvety matte finish. While most matte foundations feel drying on the skin, this one promises to be a hydrating matte formula. All I can say is Thank YOU Maybelline! I've never found a matte foundation that I can wear because I have really dry skin, so when I saw this at Bed, Bath & Beyond, it was like the heavens opened up and the angels started singing. And if you have oily skin, have no fear because the moisture in this formula won't clog you up.

So is this as comfortable to wear as it claims to be? Keep on reading to find out...

MORE New Maybelline Releases Spotted

There are a ton of new Maybelline Spring 2016 products coming out lately and they've been showing up in different stores, so it's been hard to keep track of everything! A week and a half ago, I posted about some that had landed at CVS, including the Vivid Matte Liquid Lipsticks, Contour Palettes, Lash Sensational Luscious mascara, setting spray and powder, and the Brow Drama pomade crayons (see that post here). Then I spotted the Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayons at Walgreens a few nights ago (see those here). I knew that I still needed to find the Rock Nudes palette, but I had no idea that there was a new eyeliner and eye shadow primer on the way until I saw them at Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday. Let's take a look...

Maybelline Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayons Spotted at Walgreens

I was so happy to find the new Maybelline Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayons ($6.99) at Walgreens tonight! After seeing most of the new Spring 2016 collection at CVS, I've been looking everywhere for these. I found them way up high on a shelf, so I'm sorry that this photo isn't the best. I literally had to put my phone on a 3 second timer and then hold it up as high as my arms would reach, haha! 

So I grabbed all ten shades and took some close-ups so the colors are easier to see. They all appear to be shimmery shades...no mattes. Hopefully they add some in the future but for now, I'm just happy to have my favorite cream eyeshadows in stick form. I love the original Color Tattoos but these seem a lot less messy!

Have you seen these in your area yet? I hope to have swatches for you guys soon! 

Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Review /First Impression

I spotted the new Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara ($8.99) at CVS last week and I've gotten a lot of requests for a review on this! I guess a lot of people are really curious since the original Lash Sensational is so popular, so I decided to do sort of a first impression post rather than an actual review since I've only worn this 3 or 4 times. Let's take a look...