Maybelline Baby Lips

I collect these little guys, and boy-howdy do they work! At first glance, they're your basic lip balm. They're super-moisturizing and lock in the hydration. The ads will have you believe its hydrating powers go on and on for 8 hours, but that's stretching the truth. Three to four hours is more like it, but these are so much fun to play with, you'll enjoy applying more often.  I love the scents each one has. Seriously, they're yummy! And the colors are sheer enough that every shade works on pretty much anyone. The purple shade is the most universally flattering, but the cherry-red is my favorite! These are perfect for a wide range of ages from tweens to seniors, as the colors are sheer and the shine isn't over the top. These come in six staple varieties: Quenched (clear), Peppermint (clear), Cherry Me (sheer red), Grape Vine (sheer purple), Pink Punch (sheer baby pink) and Peach Kiss (sheer peach). Every so often, Maybelline will release a limited edition color as well. I can see them carrying on with that for a good while, each time releasing something new and fun. Perhaps a coconut flavor for summer or a hot cocoa flavor for winter time?  That would be great! I know I'd buy them.  Below is a shot of me wearing Pink Punch.  I'm very light-skinned (about a MAC NC10-15).  Product retails for $2.97. maybelline.com

Lumene Time Freeze Firming Night Cream

In November 2012, I was taking a leisurely stroll through my neighborhood CVS store when I stumbled upon a massive sale on Lumene products.  I had looked at them before and was curious about them, but I wasn't sure about spending $20 or more for something that I may not like.  This provided me the perfect opportunity to play scientist.  In the weeks since, it's been hot, it's been cold, it's been rainy, it's been dry.  I've traveled across the country and back.  And this has been a constant in my life.  No matter what the day has been like, I come home, wash my face, smooth this on and all is well with the world.  Well, maybe not, but my skin feels soft, my wrinkles look much smaller and my face looks fresh.  I've even used this as a day cream on super-dry days.  It hasn't broken me out at all, and it doesn't feel heavy or greasy the way some creams can.  And can I mention the great scent?  It's light and pretty, not too sweet or too floral.  All in all I like this cream, and I'm glad I took the chance on it.  I will be buying it again.  Product retails for $24.00. lumene.com

Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Mascara

So not bragging here, but I have long eye lashes.  They're long enough to hit the lenses of my glasses every time I blink.  I do not need my lashes to grow any longer.  But what girl wouldn't want thicker lashes?  Count me in!  That's why I got Rimmel London's Lash Accelerator Mascara.  It promises more voluminous natural lashes with continued use of the mascara.  Cool beans!  Did it work as promised?  No.  Not cool beans.  It's a good mascara.  The brush is fab - plush and full on one end and tapered at the other.  You can completely coat your lashes with product even in the inner corners.  The black color is rich, and it didn't give me crunchy lashes either.  My lashes appeared thicker with the mascara on and even more so with two coats.  But that's only with the mascara on.  Take mascara off, and even after wearing it religiously to the bitter end of the tube, I saw no change in the volume of my naked lashes.  Don't get me wrong, I don't actually expect a drugstore mascara to do what only until recently a prescription was able to do.  I consider myself a realist.  But I just don't like it when cosmetics companies, or any companies for that matter, make promises they can't keep in order to separate you from your money.  Product retails for $8.49. rimmellondon.com

I purchased Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light about 6 weeks ago, after I had given up on the Garnier BB Cream.  I was looking for something more in my shade range.  As a light-skinned redhead, the Garnier was too dark.  Maybelline offered a far wider variety of shades - 5 total.  I picked up the Light shade and got to work.  Now that I've had it and used it daily for a few weeks, I have a good idea of its strengths and weaknesses.  I like how it smells - doesn't smell like much of anything if you ask me, and that's good.  So many times I've had to stop using a product on my face because the scent has given me headaches.  It has a good level SPF to it.  The SPF 30 is higher than most foundations, and is recommended for year-round sun protection. Plus, it's a titanium dioxide sunscreen, so if you have a sensitivity to chemical sunblocks, this may be a better option for you. The color is spot-on for my light, neutral-toned skin.  Those who are super-fair and/or pink in tone might not find it such a great match, though.  It does moisturize, in fact, I can use this in place of a moisturizer under my foundation.  Now, let's see how it doesn't live up to its promises.  It is very sheer.  Like tinted moisturizer sheer.  BB Creams from Asia (where the technology originates) are all-in-one products: foundation, moisturizer, primer, SPF, skincare all wrapped into one tube.  Maybelline's doesn't have the coverage that a traditional BB is supposed to have.  Bottom line?  The product has a good range of shades and is sheer enough to be forgiving if it's not an exact match for your skin, but if you're looking for an actual BB Cream, better look elsewhere.  Product retails for $7.44 maybelline.com 

Benefit Ultra Radiance Re-hydrating Mist

For Christmas 2012, my sister-in-law gave me the Benefit Ultra Radiance Facial Re-hydrating Mist as a gift.  I've used several re-hydrating mists over the years, most recognizable being MAC's Fix Plus.  Before I continue though, let me explain how a hydrating mist is used.  It can be used on just-washed skin pre-moisturizer to add an extra dose of hydration before sealing it in with a cream. It can be used as a prep for foundation in place of a traditional moisturizer if your skin doesn't need a lot of moisture.  It can be used after your makeup is complete, to "set" the makeup - this means that it takes away the super-matte look that powdered skin can get.  I also like to use it on its own throughout the day just because it feels good and smells pretty.  So what's this stuff like?  It sprays a very fine mist of a beautifully-scented hydrator that has a cooling effect on the skin.  Benefit notes that the mist contains its tri-radiance complex, which sounds miraculous, but no miracles here.  When sprayed 3-4 times over makeup, it dries down to a satin finish without destroying your look.  When sprayed 5-6 times before moisturizer, it adds a second level of hydration.  I don't see much of a difference between this spray and MAC's, but I prefer the way that Benefit's spray smells. Product retails for $26.  benefitcosmetics.com