Two dry shampoos I'm not loving right now

So I recently tried dry shampoo for the first time. I know, I know, what took me so long? Better late than never, I guess. Anyway, it basically revolutionized my life. With dry shampoo, I can go several days without washing my hair, and that's a huge time saver! Turns out, though, not all dry shampoos are created equal...

You may remember that I previously tried Batiste colored dry shampoo and loved it. After my can of Batiste ran out, I wanted to play he field a little and test out some other brands. I got this:

Got 2b Fat-tastic Fresh & Full Dry Shampoo - $7.99

My first impression - it smells good! Like a tropical drink. My second impression - OMG, it looks like I have white roots!

After I brushed out the white residue, I realized that this product actually works pretty well. That is, until it stopped being a dry shampoo. After using it for a few days, the product no longer sprayed out as a dry powder, but as a liquid that dried powdery. I am not a fan of that.

Moving on....

Next, I tried:

Pssssst Professional Instant Dry Shampoo 7 oz. - $8.99

I'm not sure if the can I bought was defective, but nothing came out except for air! I literally had to hold the can upside down for any of the actual product to come out. Annoying! Has anyone else experienced that problem?

Regardless of the faulty sprayer, out of all three dry shampoos I tried, I liked the consistency of this one least. It was very heavy and honestly kind of made my hair feel dirty. Plus, like the previous Got 2b dry shampoo, it began to turn watery. What's up with that?

I'm going back to my Batiste colored dry shampoo because that one rocked! I know some of you have tried Got 2b and Pssssst dry shampoos - what do you think of them?

Review - Almay Bright Eyes eye base + concealer

I got this product the other day because I ran out of both concealers I usually use. I didn't feel like running all the way over to Sephora so I just picked up something at the Rite Aid down the street. After a little hemming a hawing in the makeup aisle, I settled on the Almay Bright Eyes eye base and concealer, which I got for 40 percent off! (For around $7; score!)

As you could probably tell by the name of the product, it is both a concealer especially for the eye area and an eyeshadow base. According to Almay, the product contains a blend of marine extracts and white tea that "helps reduce the appearance of dark circles. Visually depuffs the eye area. Provides a smooth canvas for eye shadow application."

So what do I think of it?

When I first tried this product I really hated the packaging. Note: I typically use Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Concealer, which has a really cool applicator that allows you to put the smallest dot of concealer on a certain spot. This product is totally different. Basically, you have to squeeze the tube and the concealer comes out onto a little brush.

The first time I used this concealer, I found it really hard to control the amount of product coming out onto the brush. I had the same issue the second time I used it... so I really don't like that.

Now you're probably wondering how well the product actually works. My assessment is that it does what it's supposed to do. It does brighten and conceal the eye area very well. Check out my results:

As an eyeshadow base, however, it is just okay. It does not work as well as the Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer, which is what I generally use, but it's better than nothing. While it provides a smooth finish for eyeshadow, it does not help the shadow go on as vibrant as other eyeshadow bases I have tried.

Important Note: This product does not conceal blemishes completely. Even if you have clear skin with just a few discolored spots from past blemishes, this concealer will not fully conceal those areas.

My final assessment? 

This is actually a pretty ingenious product that works well as a concealer around the eye area and alright as an eyeshadow base. It will not fully cover blemishes, and the packaging could be better, but it is a good product for the price.

Beauty test run: Batiste brunette colored dry shampoo

I was talking to my friend who has the most beautiful long, flowing hair the other day. I randomly asked her how often she washes her locks and her answer totally suprised me!

"Once a week," my friend said.

My mouth totally dropped. I wash my hair every other day and can't imagine going a whole week without sudsing up. So how does she keep her hair looking so nice between washes? Dry shampoo.

"It's a total lifesaver," she said.

I've been wanting to try dry shampoo for what seems like forever, but that conversation drove me to finally actually go out and purchase some.

I picked up this "Batiste" brand colored dry shampoo, which is specially formulated for brown hair, and retails for around $8. After using this product several times, here are my initial reactions:

Pros: The product blends well into my brown hair and does not leave a chalky residue at all. It soaks up the oil at my roots and makes my hair look and feel refreshed. It has allowed me to go an extra day between washes. Plus, it has a nice cocoa butter smell that freshens up the hair.

Cons: My hair still looks better after it's been freshly shampooed and styled. Also, I found it slightly difficult to wash out.

Overall verdict: This products works well for the price and I will definitely continue using it until the can has run out.

Do you use dry shampoo? Which brand do you like the best? Can you believe I'd never tried it before?

Wet n Wild Color Icon "Greed" eyeshadow palette swatches and look

Does everyone remember the brand Wet n Wild? It has occupied drugstore shelves for as long as I can remember and is insanely affordable - like, $1 for a lipstick. It's probably one of the first makeup brands I ever tried, but before this weekend I hadn't used it in ages. 

Lately, though, Wet n Wild eyeshadows have been the talk of the beauty blogosphere so I just had to find out what all the fuss was about. I headed over to the drugstore and discovered that the brand I used as a kid has totally matured! They now have tons of really pretty eyeshadow palettes to choose from in a range of colors.

I picked up this lovely 6-pan eyeshadow palette called "Greed" from the Color Icon collection for just $5. The colors are all pretty neutral, with three matte eyeshadows on the left and three sparkly ones on the right. Check out the swatches below.

As you can see from the swatches, the lightest color matches my skin tone almost identically. The matte shadows have a much greater color payoff than the sparkly shadows. 

Now check out a look I did using these shadows: 

To create this look, I applied the lightest shade along my browbone and the matte peach shade all over my lid. I then blended a small amount of the matte black shade into my crease and topped with the bluish/gray sparkly shade. I lined my upper eyelid with a black eyeliner pencil then blended the matte peach shade over the line to soften it. 

Overall, I think this palette is very versatile and can be used to create many different looks that would be suitable for both day and night. The shadows were a tad hard to blend, but with a little bit of work they eventually went on smoothly. I will definitely be using these shadows again and may even pick up some more Wet n Wild products. I actually had my eye on a few of the other Color Icon palettes as well. Plus, at just $5 for 6 shadows, the price really can't be beat.

What do you think of this palette? Have you ever tried any Wet n Wild products?

Review - the "Magic Mitt" makeup remover

Jane Iredale Magic Mitt - $15

I was lucky enough to receive an ingenious little product for Christmas called the Magic Mitt. It's literally a mitt that you put over your hand and is supposed to remove all traces of makeup with nothing but water. Needless to say, I was intrigued.

The mitt itself is made of specially knit micro-fibers, which are many times thinner than a human hair and able to penetrate and break down oil films, according to the product description.

"This hydro-mechanical process breaks the surface tension of the oils that bond makeup to the skin while the fibers gently exfoliate," the product description states. "The combination of warm water and micro-fibers turn the makeup into an emulsion that is easily swept away by the mitt. It will even remove mascara!"

Even better, the Magic Mitt is supposed to promote the health of skin. Since no soap is necessary, the Magic Mitt does not wash away the skin's natural acid, which acts as a barrier that protects the skin from "harmful and invasive" bacteria. 

So the real question -- does it work? After using the Magic Mitt for more than a month, I can say that yes, it does work. Check out all the makeup it has removed from my face:

I actually find the Mitt is most beneficial for removing eye makeup. With just a few passes, a wet Magic Mitt can completely remove all my eye makeup -- eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara. It also does not have any problems removing face makeup -- foundation, concealer, bronzer, blush, etc.

To be thorough, I should mention that I tend to use regular face wash in combination with my Magic Mitt. Though the Mitt can remove makeup with just water, my face feels cleaner when washed with soap as well. I generally use a regular face cleanser first, then use my Magic Mitt to remove any eye makeup that has been left behind. Even just using it for eye makeup removal purposes it totally worth it for me, because I no longer have to worry about keeping eye makeup remover on hand.

Also, the Magic Mitt can easily be cleaned with soap and water. It comes with a cute mesh bag (shown in the first photo) that can be hung up and used to store the Magic Mitt while it dries and is not being used.

What do you think about the Magic Mitt? Have you tried this product or anything similar?

Nail of the day - OPI The Color to Watch

Hey, beauties! I hope everyone is having a great holiday season and got lots of presents! I got a ton of beauty loot that I'll be blogging about over the next couple weeks. 

This gorgeous iridescent dark lavender nail polish called "The Color to Watch" was gifted to me by my brother's incredibly stylish girlfriend Erin. It comes from OPI's Fall 2010 Swiss collection along with another polish that was recently featured here on Prettied Up called "Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous." Check it out (please don't mind my short nails and shoddy painting job).

Although I usually associate lavender tones with summer and springtime, this color comes out kind of dark with three or four coats so it's perfect for any season. Every time I look down at my nails this pretty purple just makes me happy! 

Do you love this color as much as I do?

Dior "Ready to Glow" swatches & tutorial

I have been dying to do this post for a while now, but have been super busy with work! As you know, I recently picked up Dior's 5-Colour iridescent eyeshadow palette in "Ready to Glow" as part of Sephora's Friends and Family sale. I want to show you an actual eye makeup look I created using this palette, but first here's a reminder of what the palette looks like and some swatches of the colors.

Mascara lash-off: DiorShow Iconic vs. bareMinerals Flawless Definition

Today I'm putting two mascaras up against each other to pick one winner. The competition is fierce - DiorShow Iconic vs. bareMinerals Flawless Definition.

Let's get right into it.

Price
Retailing for $18, bareMinerals comes out on top in this category over DiorShow Iconic, which sells for a hefty $27.

Wand
Dior says its DiorShow Iconic mascara features an "oblique cut" brush (pictured below) with long, skinny teeth that give a lash-curling effect. The brush allows you to "precisely coat every lash ... creating a long, separated fan of lashes," Dior says. 

Meanwhile, bareMinerals says its Flawless Definition mascara features a tapered wand (pictured below) that "lengthens, darkens and lifts" and helps separate each lash.

The bareMinerals Flawless Definition wand is very basic and similar to many other mascaras I have used. DiorShow Iconic, on the other hand, has a very unique wand design and its bristles are super long. 

In this category, DiorShow Iconic definitely comes out on top for me.

Road test
Now it's time for the fun stuff. I applied DiorShow Iconic on one eye and bareMinerals on the other. Below are the before and afters. Note: I only applied the mascara to my upper eyelashes.

Diorshow Iconic

With its extremely creamy formula and unique brush, DiorShow Iconic defined each lash and did not clump at all, even with multiple coats. It also lengthened and curled my lashes very well, without the need for an eyelash curler. 

I have been using DiorShow Iconic for about six months and absolutely love it. The only negative aspect about this mascara for me is the price. Dior isn't known to be cheap, but this is one of the most expensive mascaras I have ever come across. 

bareMinerals Flawless Definition

I had never tried bareMinerals Flawless Definition mascara before this road test and received a small tube of it recently for free as part of Sephora's Beauty Insider program. I applied it three different times for this road test, and liked it more and more each time. The color was a very intense black -- darker than the DiorShow Iconic.

The bareMinerals Flawless Definition mascara defined my lashes very well, but it made them stick together a bit. When using this mascara, especially when applying multiple coats, you may want to use an eyelash comb to separate the lashes.

Overall Winner
It was a tough call, but my top pick is still DiorShow Iconic for its amazing lash-defining qualities.

Also, a fun side-note -- I asked my boyfriend to pick which one he liked better, fully thinking he wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but he pointed to the eye with DiorShow Iconic on it! He said he liked it better because it was "less clumpy."

What do you think of these mascaras? Do you agree with my assessment?

Beauty test run: the Minx manicure

If you're not familiar with the Minx manicure, it's a technique where a film-like applique with an adhesive back is applied to the nail. Tons of celebrities have rocked Minx nail coverings, including Katy Perry, Beyonce, Jordan Sparks, and Scarlett Johansson. Some salons here in New York City started offering the Minx manicure recently, and when I saw that a local salon was offering it I had to give it a test run. There are tons of different designs and colors to choose from, including shiny metallics, but I picked this pink fishnet pattern.

So, let me give you a breakdown of what I liked and didn't like about the Minx manicure. 

Pros: Unlike polish, there is absolutely no drying time with Minx. The manicurist applies it to the nail, files away the excess and it sets very quickly under a heat lamp. The designs and colors are super eye-catching and I got a lot of compliments on my manicure. When you're ready to remove it, you can just peel it off and it does not damage your nails. 

Cons: The manicurist told me it should last up to two weeks but it only really lasted a few days before the film started peeling up. Also, it cost about $45 - much more expensive than a typical manicure and took about 30 to 40 minutes to apply. 

One tip: If you are going to get the Minx manicure, your nails should be a little longer than mine are in the pictures above. Because my nails were so short, the manicurist had some difficulty filing away the excess film and this may have been the reason why my Minx manicure did not last very long. 

My final assessment? It was fun to try but I probably won't get it again. 

Have you tried the Minx manicure?