Category Archives: Maybelline

Maybelline Make A Mauve Master Glaze Blush Stick Review & Swatches

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Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in Make A Mauve

I purchased one of the new-for-2014 Maybelline Master Glaze blush sticks about a month ago, and the reason it’s taken me such a long time to review is probably because I feel pretty meh about it.

The Master Glaze blush sticks come in six colors ($8.99/Ulta, $7.49/drugstore.com), and I believe all six shades have some shimmer. Make a Mauve has a great base color – a rosy mauve – but the flecks of silver glitter are a huge downside for me. It’s smooth and blendable, but dries to a powdery finish that I don’t love – it feels oddly drying.

Make A Mauve – unblended // blended

Maybelline, I really want to love this. I love cream blush, and actually rarely wear powder anymore. But, it just doesn’t quite work for me.

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder Review & Swatches

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Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder Compact

I recently learned that Guerlain has discontinued my very favorite powder – the Illuminating & Mattifying Pressed Meteorites. I am on my third compact, and although I have a backup (thanks to the generosity of a friend!), I know I will need to find a replacement, so I was intrigued by Maybelline’s new Dream Wonder Powder, which is advertised as a “powderless powder” since it is talc-free.

The main purpose of a powder, for me, is to set my makeup / increase weartime and, depending on the foundation I use, give a matte finish. I don’t really get oily – maybe just a touch on my chin during the hottest part of summer. It’s important that the powder does not make my skin look or feel dry, and I prefer powders that improve the look of skin texture.

Unfortunately, the Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder was a total fail for me. The color (40 Nude) is a decent match, but the texture doesn’t work for my dry skin at all. I’m generally not at all concerned about pore size, but this powder really emphasized the texture of my skin and made the pores on my cheeks very noticeable. In the below swatch, you can see the swatch (on the right side of the photo) blends in colorwise, but really emphasizes the fine lines on my wrist.

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder – 40 Nude

This texture-emphasis is a total dealbreaker and makes the powder unwearable for me. However, I don’t know how the powder would work on an oilier – or even just less dry – skin.

Another problem I had with the powder was the texture in the pan – it’s extremely powdery, and even the softest brush leads to powder everywhere. Below, I gently brushed a soft powder brush across the surface.

This kind of powdery mess really bugs me, though it may not be a problem for others.

If you’ve tried this powder, I’d love to hear about it. Did you have the same problems, or did it work for you?

*I purchased the product(s) featured in this post. This post contains one or more affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Reviews Revisited: Volume IV

It’s time for Reviews Revisited, Volume IV, where I discuss products I previously reviewed. Past volumes are here. Today, I’m going to talk about some products that never got a full review – items that I just swatched and wrote up some initial thoughts.

I’ll start with one of the new (and permanent) Wet n Wild Five Pan Palettes – I initially posted them only a month ago, but I brought the neutral palette, The Naked Truth, with me on my trip so I’ve used it quite a lot over the past few weeks. I didn’t like it very much initially – the shadows are on the sheer and dry side – but it’s grown on me. The matte shades – base and definer – are definitely dryer than I prefer, but still work for (respectively) blending out and as a liner. The eyelid shade is really quite lovely; the texture isn’t perfect, but it applies well and the color and finish are just gorgeous. I don’t have high hopes for the other palettes, but now that this one has grown on me, I’ll give them a shot.

Another more recent quick review was of Almay’s Shadow Softie in Smoke (review here // available here). My thoughts on the shade Smoke haven’t changed much – gorgeous shade, creases on me no matter what – but I also picked up a second shade, the matte purple Vintage Grape, which I do not recommend – it’s very, very sheer and not buildable at all. I would definitely return it if I hadn’t lost the receipt! I would consider buying another Shadow Softie, but only on sale or clearance, and only one of the sparkling shades.

Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes:
upper lashes brush // upper lashes brush from a different angle // lower lashes brush

And finally, from last May, Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes. I’ve been using it on an off since I bought it – which means that I really need to throw it away approximately yesterday (I didn’t realize it was that old unless I looked up the date of my post!) – and it’s a good mascara, a nice brush, and utterly unremarkable. There’s nothing wrong with it, but nothing special about it either.

Maybelline Signature Scarlet & Intoxicating Spice Color Elixir Glosses

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One of the products that is getting a lot of buzz right now is Maybelline’s new Color Elixir lip product. I’ve heard some say that it’s meant to be similar to YSL’s Glossy Stains and L’oreal’s Shine Caress Gloss stains – I have a comparison of those two products here – but it’s a very different product. It’s marketed as delivering “the color of a lipstick, the cushiony care of a balm, and the glass shine of a gloss.” Note that it is not marketed as a stain, and on me, it doesn’t stain more than your typical lipstick.

I purchased two shades, Intoxicating Spice and Signature Scarlet. The below photo is a little bit washed out (sorry!), but you can get an idea of the color and the texture.

Intoxicating Spice // Signature Scarlet

And applied:

no product

Intoxicating Spice

Signature Scarlet

I really like the Color Elixirs, but I don’t think they live up to Maybelline’s claims. Notably, they are significantly less pigmented than a lipstick, though they are quite reasonably pigmented for a gloss or balm. I find the promo image especially misleading – there is no way to make Signature Scarlet, worn alone, look like the below photo.

The Colors Elixirs live up to the claim of being balm-like much better, as they do have a cushiony feel and I find them moderately moisturizing. They’re actually one of the most moisturizing colored lip products I’ve tried, though less moisturizing than some of my non-tinted lip balms. They have an average amount of shine for a gloss.

Overall, and despite the advertising deception, I do really like the Color Elixir gloss/balm/whatevers. They’re comfortable to wear, and Intoxicating Spice in particular is a really lovely everyday shade – I’ve been wearing it to work frequently since I purchased it a few weeks ago. The temporary displays are widely available in drugstores now, and I believe they’ll be up on the Maybelline wall soon. If you can’t find them locally, they’re also available on drugstore.com.

*I purchased the product(s) featured in this post. This post contains one or more affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Maybelline Holographic Color Show Polishes Information Plus Quick Swatches, Review

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Maybelline Holographic Effect Polishes – Spotted at CVS

Lavender Lustre // Alluring Rose

Yesterday, I spotted a display with five new Maybelline Color Show polishes – called the Holographic collection (now available online). Unfortunately, it turns out that they aren’t holo – or even meant to be holo! There is a description of the collection on Maybelline Canada’s website, and it says that they “shift from shade to shade depending on the angle” – that is, they’re meant to be duochrome (they are not very strong duochromes, though). If you’re not familiar with the difference between holo and duochrome polishes, Nihrida has a -->guide to nail polish finishes -->.

However, as disappointing as this collection is, I still have information about all the shades & swatches of two of them.

Continue reading →

Spotted: Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara – Plus Photos, Quick Review

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I was up very early this morning, and just about nothing was open but 24 hour drugstores. So, I went to Walgreens and found several new displays, including one for Maybelline’s new mascara – The Falsies Big Eyes. It’s double ended, with one brush for the upper lashes and one brush for the lower lashes (photographs of both brushes are below!). Given that the back of the package lists only one list of ingredients, I believe both the upper and lower lashes mascaras are the same formula. Continue reading →