5 Bling Reviews, Beauty, Beauty Product Reviews, Essence, Makeup Reviews, Mascara Reviews

Mascara Reviews: Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara

September 8, 2015 / No Comments

Mascara is one of my must-have makeup items. And above all, I need volumizing and lifting from my mascara. While many women feel the need to spend double digit dollars on a mascara that does the above, I’m quite hesitant to do so, particularly when there are budget friendly options like Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara.

About Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara $4.99:

Get the royal treatment! Essence’s Lash Princess Volume Mascara is presented in a fantastic evening gown design and has a unique wand applicator designed for extra control to reach every lash. The prestige inspired cobra brush is specially shaped to lift, separate, and cover each individual lash for the most majestic volume.

My results:

I’m sold on Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara! Not only does it volumize (as it claims) it lifts and curls my lashes too. I love this formula of volumizng mascara — I get plenty of oomph on my lashes without trashy buildup. My lashes look thick, but not so think that they are unattractive. And, since mascara wands are so important these days, I have to note that the wand for Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara lifts and curls while depositing just enough mascara.

On the first swipe of mascara my lashes were significantly more noticeable, but with two coats, they look pretty ahhhmazing! This mascara also wears well throughout the day without smudging or flaking. And when it comes to removal at night, it comes off with regular eye makeup remover or facial cleanser.

I also have to say that I have extra sensitive eyes (so much so that I have prescription drops) and I had no irritation from Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara!

Check out the before and after pics below:

(I apologize for the sideways photos, my site is doing something weird I can’t figure out. )

Bling Factor:

Pro: Volumizes, lifts, curls, doesn’t smudge or flake

Con: None

Price: $4.99

Buy Again: Yes

Packaging: 5 Blings

Overall: 5 Blings

Hero Ingredients: N/A

Natural/Organic/Vegan: No

Cruelty Free: Yes

Shop:

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10 Winter Must-Haves for Your Closet

Now that winter is upon us, it’s time to upgrade your wardrobe and add some essentials for the cold to your closet. This way, you can stay warm as the temperatures drop. Here’s a list of must-haves for winter that you should definitely not miss out on. 1. Sweater You can’t complete your winter essentials without adding a sweater to your closet. In fact, a warm sweater should be one of the first things you get for this cold weather. While it’s easier to shop for men’s sweaters, women’s sweaters are a different story. But to find the perfect fit, think about the style that best suits your body shape. Do crewnecks or V-necks look more flattering on you? What material is soft on your skin? You can also buy a cashmere sweater for a more luxurious look or a beautiful sweater in a unique color to make your outfit pop. 2. Turtleneck A turtleneck is a versatile must-have that you can wear alone or pair with skirts, pants, or jeans. They’re also a great option to wear under a summer dress to protect your skin as the evening approaches and the temperature falls. 3. Cardigan A cardigan is another must-have. In particular, long cardigans are a great option as they help you look slimmer and taller. They are also a great option if you want to hide your body shape. 4. Long-sleeved tops Winters are all about layering yourself, and a long-sleeved top serves as a nice, warm layer under your clothing. 5. Leather jacket Leather jackets are best for transitional weather so that you can wear them over your summer fashion items as it starts to get a little cold. Plus, it’s always easy to style a women’s leather jacket. For instance, you can wear long layers underneath a short leather jacket to create a unique outfit. 6. Casual coat While both short and long winter coats are a staple, you should consider getting a casual coat. These are best if you are just going out for a cup of coffee with your friends or if you just want to have a lazy day. 7. Shacket If you’re following the latest beauty hacks and trends, you might have come across a shacket, which is essentially a hybrid of a shirt and jacket. It’s a cool and trendy way to upgrade a simple outfit! 8. Leggings or pants Protecting your legs from the cold is also essential, which is why you should invest in a good, cozy pair of winter leggings. The best thing about leggings is that they are easy to style, and you can pair them up with a sweater, long shirt, or even a dress. We recommend fleece-lined leggings to stay warm. If you don’t like leggings, you can always go for winter pants. These also go well with sweaters. In fact, black winter pants are so versatile that you can style them with almost every outfit. 9. Jeans Jeans are an all-year-round essential, and it’s easy to style jeans with your winter tops. Plus, you can use them for both casual and semi-casual events. And apart from regular jeans, you can also opt for skinny jeans and style them with knee-length booties! 10. Leather skirt A great thing about winters is that you can play around with different textures and fabrics. And one of the best clothing accessories to experiment with is a leather skirt. Whether you pair it with a sweater or a blouse, it will look great! Gear up today! These are just some of the winter must-haves for this season. Of course, there are a plethora of others, like boots, hats, and scarves, that you should definitely check out. Remember, your closet should reflect your personal style, so make sure you purchase items you really like!
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Editor’s Picks: The Hardest Working Beauty Products for Labor Day

In 1884, just two years after the first “workingmen’s holiday” was celebrated, the Central Labor Union christened the first Monday in September as the official Labor Day holiday. As beauty buffs, we’re insatiable. When it comes to the art of beautifcation, we operate to an 8-count of harder, better, faster, stronger–we’re constantly on the prowl for those products that are always on the grind and keeps us gorgeous. So in honor of this tribute to our nation’s workers, we have dedicated this edition of editor’s picks to the hardest-working beauty products we know. Our Labors of Love are as follows… Editor-in-Chief Tracey’s Labor of Love: Black Opal Brightening Scrub $9 “I love this double duty scrub/mask. I scrub my face like crazy before I get in the shower. Then I let the mask work its wonders while I do my daily duty in the shower. The last thing I do is rinse off the mask. My skin is exfoliated and brightened in one fell swoop. And the best part is that this Black Opal scrub mask duo is under $10. On top of that the benefits are culmulative–my skin gets progressively smoother and brighter while I use this hard working beauty product.” Chelsea’s Labor of Love: Benefit Cha Cha Tint $30 “This mango colored blush in a bottle is the epitome of perfection! I am on the darker side of the spectrum for Black/African-American skin and many tints don’t show up on me. However, this bottled blush is highly pigmented, even on darker skin tones. It has a brush applicator that makes Cha Cha Tint an amazing multitasker—great for lips and cheeks. For a flawless, fetching face, Cha Cha gives a glowing color like no other.” Taylor’s Labor of Love: Coralactives Retinol Exfoliating Cleanser $22 “Simply put, CoralActives Retinol Exfoliating Cleanser does double duty by cleaning and exfoliating simultaneously. This is great because I don’t want to do any more than I have to in order to get the job done.” Staff Labor of Love: Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correction Pads $36 “Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correction Pads is a powerhouse in a pot. It truly sets the standard for adult acne correctors everywhere since it doesn’t have a traditional, medicinal smell. In fact, it brings the spa to you by incorporating peach bellini! But soothing scents beside, I’ve never experienced such immediate results after using a skin care product. All I saw was glowing, poreless skin. With all the anti-aging benefits, soothing botanical extracts and inclusion of glycolic and salicylic acid, you’re definitely doing your skin a huge favor!” Terez’s Labor of Love: Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme $9 “I’m a huge fan of Burt’s Bees and I can’t say enough about the Coconut Foot Creme. It is nothing short of miraculous and it transforms rough, calloused feet overnight! This creme has a rich, honey-like consistency and smells delicious. I’ve also used this product to moisturize and protect dry elbows, knees and cracked cuticles.” Nalo’s Labor of Love: Estee Lauder’s DayWear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15 $43 “Since it is important to use a moisturizer with SPF in the summer as well as during the cooler months, Estee Lauder DayWear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15 works for all seasons. This hardworking beauty product reduces the appearance of fine lines, discoloration and dullness. It also fights free radicals while refreshing the skin with cucumber. Apply daily and at night to reap the benefits. ” Bona Fide Face Deidre’s Labor of Love: DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex $35 “I love when I don’t have to be slave to a great acne product. What’s worse than acne? Having to keep an acne product in tow in hopes of keeping an onslaught of fresh zits at bay. I use DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex about twice a year to give my skin a glowing, renewed state so my products-of-the-moment get their glory. This product rivals treatments at the derm office minus the sticker shock.” Shop the beauty products that work hard for the money: Face Anti-Aging by Estee Lauder
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Baby It’s Cold Outside: Best Moisturizers for Winter Skin Care

Every woman needs a go to fur (faux) and moisturizer for these winter months. It’s cold outside. We wrap up, blast the heat and even stoke the fire to keep warm. But the fact is that indoor heat as well as outdoor cold can all wreak havoc with our skin. Protect your skin from the harsh ways of winter by keeping moisture level in balance; perhaps bumping up your moisturizer a notch. Even oily skin benefits from the protection of hydrators that keep skin nourished and balanced. My moisturizer picks: 1. Best Anti-aging Moisturizer NeOvadiol Gf Day Densifying Re-Sculpting Care $48 Benefits (to which I can attest) Refined jaw line, toned neck, plumped cheeks, skin is nourished with features appearing smoother and a subtle green tea fragrance. The feel is nothing less than luxurious. 2. Best Moisturizer for Combination Skin Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme SPF 15 $35 This moisturizer combines grape seed oil and antioxidants that gives skin a luminous glow while it protects against environmental aggressors. 3. Best Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin Go Clear Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15 $33 A fast-absorbing, oil-free, moisturizing sunscreen that provides UVA / UVB sun protection, complexion-enhancing botanicals, and a matte finish. 4. Best Moisturizer for Oily Skin Kinerase Lotion $63 This rich, gentle daily hydrator offers phenomenal antiaging effects courtesy of Kineten (0.1% N6-furfuryladenine), a plant-derived ingredient that helps delay signs of aging, delivers improved tone and texture, and visibly minimizes the look of lines, wrinkles, dark spots, blotches, freckles, and uneven skintone. 5. Best Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin First Aid 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30 $38 This blend is allergy tested, fragrance free, and dermatologist recommended; it excludes harsh chemicals and colorants. Photo of Naomi Campbell courtesy of huffingtonpost.com. Shop:Face Anti-Aging by KineraseSkin Care at drugstore.com
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Make it Work Monday: Top 5 Cold Weather Makeup Tips

The winter chill takes its toll on more than our heating bill. Our skin and hair needs a dose of TLC during these frigid temperatures with a boost in hydration. One of the best ways to have healthy skin is to use beauty products that are creamy and have hydrating properties. Avoid over-powdering and dark colors so that you can look fresh and radiant. Here are 5 steps to healthy, moisturized radiant skin and makeup! 1. Use a rich moisturizer with healing properties Try: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream $28 A thick, rich, emollient product that hydrates deep down with exceptional penetration. 2. Even complexion with a multi-tasking cream Try: IMAN Skin Tone Correcting BB Cream $20 Tinted moisturizer by Iman that visibly brightens complexion & minimizes appearance of imperfections, reducing signs of discoloration and promotes long-term skin tone evening. 3. Add healthy color to cheeks Try: Vapour Organic Beauty in Courtesan $34 Aura is made with 70% Certified Organic ingredients and 30% mineral pigments & vitamins is and moisturizing & calming. 4. Use a creamy eyeshadow Try: Mary Kay Cream Eye Color in Iced Cocoa $13 This soft, creamy, long-wearing formula glides on easily, lasts for 10 hours and can be applied in multiple layers to deliver more noticeable color while retaining a lightweight feel. 5. Colorful moisturized lips Try: Clinique Color Surge Butter Shine Lipstick Drenches lips in moist, lush color that glides on buttery-soft, feels luxuriously smooth. Shop! Make it Work Monday: Top 5 Cold Weather Makeup Tips Lipstick Face Blush
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Look Better Naked: Top 5 Exfoliating Body Lotions

Who among us doesn’t want to retain the beautiful, youthful and radiant skin we were born in? I’m sure we all do; or at least I do! That is the reason why skin care products are gaining more recognition each day. You can’t turn the channel or flip through a magazine without seeing some new product related to promoting skin health. And then of course there are the models with glowing skin. Kind of like Chanel Iman on the left… With that said, as aging adults (and those of us who never plan on aging, but simply want to keep our bodies beautiful) it is crucial that we include exfoliation in our daily, or at minimum, weekly skin care routine. Body exfoliation is the process that removes dead skin cells and protects the skin from harmful effects of fungi and dirt. As a result, it helps the new, glowing skin to resurface. When we think of exfoliating we often tend to think only about our face.However, it is just as important to give the same attention to the rest of our body as we do to our face, neck and décolleté. Remember- our skin is the largest organ we have! As our age increases, the body's natural ability to shed dead skin cells decreases gradually, making skin pale and dull. To regain the soft, glowing, youthful skin we need to exfoliate on a regular basis. Here are my Top 5 Exfoliating Body Lotions: 1. Alpha Hydrox AHA Enhanced Lotion $9.49 This exfoliating body lotion promotes skin renewal and repair, helping smooth fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet and forehead creases. A 10% glycolic AHA gently exfoliates dead skin, bringing, younger, smoother skin to the surface. Increases skin moisture while leaving skin looking supple and refined. 2. Burt's Bees Cocoa & Cupuacu Butters Body Lotion $8.00 A blend of rich Cocoa and Cupuaçu Butters mingle with botanical moisturizers like Sunflower and Olive Oils. Burt’s Bees Cocoa and Cupuaçu Butter lotion is clinically proven to make your skin feel soft, smooth and super healthy for up to 24 hours. 3. Alba Botanica – Very Emollient Body Lotion Maximum Dry Skin w/AHA $12.00 A natural, maximum moisture body lotion packed with rich botanical emollients and humectants to relieve dry, itchy skin instantly and provide 24 hours of hydration. This exfoliating body lotion blends aloe vera, green tea and chamomile extracts plus antioxidants to nourish, soothe and soften dry skin on contact. Cellular renewal is supported with alpha hydroxy acids, so extremely rough, dry skin develops a fresh and healthy-looking appearance. 4. DERMAdoctor KP Duty $30 KP Duty incorporates medically proven technology including ingredients for hydrated and healthy skin. Medically potent levels of Glycolic Acid blends with Urea, the dermatologist-recommended humectant, to soften and smooth away the driest, roughest skin. 5. Kiss My Face Moisturizer Peaches & Creme w/ AHA $11.95 This quickly absorbing, 4% AHA moisturizer is recommended for daily use on the face or body to help unblock and cleanse pores, speed up the exfoliation process, allow new, healthy skin cells to emerge and reduce discoloration and age spots. Body Lotions & Creams by Burt's Bees
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