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?

In desperate need of a haircut? Try this styling trick!

I need a haircut. Bad. 

I haven't been to the salon in months, and by now my hair is so long it's kind of bordering on obscene. My layers are so outgrown that I no longer have a style. It just hangs there. I am actually cringing right now thinking about it. 

Have you ever experienced this? 

Well, this morning, I rediscovered an old hairstyling tool that really helped improve the look of my overgrown hair. You most likely have one of these hidden away somewhere, too. What is it? None other than a set of hot rollers!

I purchased a set of Conair ION shine hot rollers (pictured above) a few years ago, but have only used them a handful of times. Desperate and determined to make my hair look halfway decent, I pulled out my trusty hot rollers this morning. 

I typically curl my hair every day with a 1.5 inch curling iron, which takes about 10 minutes. Putting in the hot rollers was even quicker, so I saved some time getting ready! I left them in for about 25 minutes while putting on my makeup and eating breakfast and took them out before I got dressed. The results were pretty good! 

Next time you're in desperate need of a haircut, try hot rollers. They're pretty quick and easy to use and the curls will help hide any dead ends!

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I've fallen in love... with an eyeshadow palette

Earlier this month I mentioned I was planning to take advantage of Sephora's 2010 Friends & Family sale to purchase a Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow palette but I was tossed up between a few different ones. I typically don't like to buy things online without trying them first, so today I headed over to Sephora to test out the Dior shadows.

Incidentally, there's a Sephora just blocks away from where I work -- talk about a blessing and a curse!

Anyway, as soon as I walked up to the Dior display, I zeroed in on the "Ready-to-Glow" palette.

The colors in this palette are simply gorgeous and I've completely fallen in love. I swatched them on my hand but unfortunately forgot to take a photo.

The shadows felt extremely silky and seemed highly pigmented and true to color. They are iridescent and shimmery but not glittery. When I get them I'll be sure to do a thorough post with swatches. I did snap a photo of the tester palette:

At $58, this palette is certainly pricey, even with the 20 percent off. However, I will be able to use these colors to create several different looks, so that justifies the price tag, right?

Meanwhile, I've also picked out a face and eye travel brush set as well as an anti-bacterial brush cleaning product that I plan to purchase. Oh, and I also need a new tube of Diorshow Iconic mascara. 

Have you taken advantage of the Friends & Family sale? It's only going on for a few more days! Click here to view my earlier post with all the information about the sale.

C.O. Bigelow lip glosses - a must try!

Yesterday I had so much fun reviewing Maybelline's Color Sensational lipstick, I figured I would continue the same theme with a review of one of my favorite lip glosses ever -- C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint in Violet Mint No. 1646. I first discovered this gloss two years ago, when my friend gave it to me for Christmas. I have been stuck on it ever since. This is my go-to gloss that I put on every single day. I absolutely love it.

To me, the best thing about this gloss is the taste. It is infused with peppermint oil and designed to freshen your breath! The second you put it on, you can taste the mint and feel a cooling sensation on your lips. 

C.O. Bigelow's Mentha Lip Tint line comes in various shades of pinks, plums and nudes. The Violet Mint shade is a sheer mauve that gives just the slightest hint of color. It looks great on its own or layered over lipstick. It gives a nice shine but is not sticky on your lips.

 

Another great thing about this gloss -- it's only $7.50! 

Also, it has a pretty cool history. C.O. Bigelow is a pharmacy that has been a mainstay in New York City's West Village for more than 150 years. Story has it that Mark Twain bought his toothpaste there! These days, the store, located at 414 Sixth Avenue, sells many different beauty lines including its own, C.O. Bigelow Products. If you're in the Big Apple, you should definitely check out the store for its unique products and old school charm. 

Photo courtesy C.O. Bigelow

Fortunately, those of you who are not close to NYC can also find C.O. Bigelow products online, and at Bath & Body Works. 

Have you tried anything from C.O. Bigelow? I think I am going to try their Mentha shampoo and conditioner next!

Review - Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick

After seeing the most amazing Maybelline ads in the New York City subway last week, then reading some good reviews of their makeup online, I high-tailed it over to the drugstore to see for myself what all the fuss was about. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd bought anything from Maybelline!

Lately, I've been wanting to branch out and try some lipstick colors that are bolder than the light pink and nude shades I generally stick to. I figured it was the perfect opportunity to test out a new color since Maybelline is relatively inexpensive.

I ended up picking up two lipsticks from Maybelline's Color Sensational line. Not that it really matters, but the packaging for this line is super cute. Check it out:

I chose Yummy Plummy, which is a deep mauve/plum color and Pearly Pink, a very light pink with loads of shimmer in it. They were about $10 each, which I thought was actually pretty pricey. I looked online though, and others said they found the Color Sensational line for around $6 each at Wal Mart. I got mine at CVS. 

Yummy Plummy is much darker than the colors I generally wear so I was unsure whether I would like it. On the other hand, I was almost positive I would love Pearly Pink because it fits into my "safe" lipstick zone of nude or light pink. Also, on display there was a photo of model, Christy Turlington wearing Pearly Pink and it looked divine on her. Here's the photo: 

To my surprise, I actually like Yummy Plummy better! I'm still getting used to it, but do think the color is very pretty. 

On the other hand, Pearly Pink, the color I thought would be a sure thing, is just okay. Since it is so light, I almost feel like it washes me out a bit. I am thinking it will look better in the summer when I get a tan. Also, I am somewhat turned off by the amount of shimmer in the lipstick. I didn't realize it would be so shimmery until I put it on. 

Both of the colors feel very nice and moisturizing, especially the Yummy Plummy. 

One thing I should mention - at first, I did not like the taste and smell of the lipsticks at all. This is weird, but you know how something can taste the way something else smells? Well, at first, I thought these lipsticks tasted (and smelled) like Play-Doh. Note: I have never eaten Play-Doh! I checked out some other reviews and many people actually like the way the Color Sensational line tastes and smells, so maybe it's just me. I think I am just used to my Aveda lipstick, which has the most amazing minty taste and smell. 

Anyway, it was a fun little experiment to try something new. Have you tried anything new lately? 

Sephora's 2010 Friends & Family sale has begun!

Pretties, just a reminder - Sephora's 2010 Friends & Family sale has begun! Use offer code FF2010 through November 3 to receive 20 percent off your entire purchase and free standard shipping on orders of $50 or more. This offer is only good online, unless you have an actual Friends & Family card.

I intend to buy a Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow palette, a new makeup brush set and a makeup brush cleaning product. 

I know I'm not the only one who will be taking advantage of this sale. Let me know what you pick up!

Nail of the day - OPI Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous

Lately I've had a thing for glittery nail polish. It's so pretty and because of the glitter, it stays on longer and doesn't chip as much! I went to the nail salon for a manicure today and picked out a color called "Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous," which is part of OPI's Swiss collection for fall/winter 2010. It's a dark gray/gunmetal color with blue undertones and silver micro glitter. This is the first time I've tried this color, and I'm loving it! Take a look:

Flash off

Flash off

Flash on

I wear glittery nail polish all the time, but if you're more conservative this would also be a great option for a party or special night out like New Year's Eve! 

What do you think of this color? Are you into glittery nail polishes?