This favorite is for my hair. It is a drugstore gem that I love and usually go back to a lot. Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle is really a miracle. It makes my hair super soft, smells like heaven (the scent lasts too which is amazing), and it's a quick fix! I just had my hair dyed reddish copper so my hair needed some deep conditioning. I used it twice this week. Every time I shampoo I throw it in my hair and just wait for a few minutes and wala - soft and lovely scented hair! For $4, you can't beat it!

This week is yes, another mascara. I had a 100 point sample of Tarte's Lights Camera Lashes Mascara and it is really great. It actually surprised me. Usually the more traditional mascara brushes don't impress me but this one was different. Maybe it was the way the bristles were spaced or the material they were made of or maybe it was just the formula. I don't know what it is, but it works! It feathers lashes out beautifully and gives a great fringy (not a word? lol). This mascara is also one of the first ones I've tried where I can actually say that it curls my lashes. No eyelash curler needed.

Other blog posts featuring this mascara:
Violet Smoke & Fringe
Moody Blues
04/10/14 Makeup of Day
04/11/14 Makeup of Day

photo: Sephora.com

This week my favorite is Dior's Diorshow Maximizing Lash Plumper Serum. It is basically a primer for your eyelashes before your regular mascara. I love this product and will continue buying it. I see a difference when I use this rather than just my mascara alone.

With its protection and conditioning properties, this is a staple in my bag. I feel that it makes a difference in length, volume, and curl. If you can, I would definitely check this out. Sometimes Sephora has this as a free sample or deluxe sample!




From Sephora's Website:

What it is:
Dior's first lash primer that creates a smooth, even mascara base and promotes long-term lash growth, strength, and vitality. 

What it does: 
The newest addition to the family of legendary Diorshow Mascaras, Diorshow Maximizer Lash Primer Serum instantly primes, plumps, and lengthens lashes with an ultralight and quick-drying formula. The first "active serum" mascara primer also contains a unique cell-conditioning complex made up of hydrolyzed soy proteins that promote long-term lash growth, strength, and vitality. 

What else you need to know: 
"Diorshow Maximizer is this season's most innovative, must-have product. Apply as a primer serum base under mascara for intensely curled, thickened, and lengthened lashes and also on its own as a deep conditioner for lashes at night." -Sephora Pro Beauty Team Member, Nathalie Bechard 

Research Results:
The Dior Innovation Center has tested Diorshow Maximizer for efficiency and found amazing results after only 8 weeks use: + 52% Volume, +38% Length, + 73% Curl 
Studies also showed that lashes were more resilient, protected, and revitalized.

I know what you are going to say, "Another mascara?!" The answer is yes. My name is Jackie and I am a addicted to mascara. :)

This week's new addiction is from L'Oreal. It's their Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara. It's a drugstore mascara so I was excited to tell you guys about it. It retails at about $8. I would say it's a close dupe for the Dior Extase Mascara. I don't know if I would say it's exact because the brush is different and the formula is less mousse like but it does give me a similar effect in the end.

Lately I've been a little bit of a night owl and it is taking its tole on my eyes. I wake up in the morning and I just look so tired, especially around my eyes. I decided to look for something to help with that and this is what I found, Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller. It feels cool and refreshing when applied. I notice a difference in the brightness and puffiness even without it now after using it for 5 days. The tint is subtle but it does even everything out for me. I think it comes in two colors, light and medium/deep. I bought the light shade. It has a little bit of a golden yellow tint to it which helps cancel out the blueish purple under eye circles. I would think the medium/deep would have the same tint but darker to have the same effect.

I used to use the regular clear eye roller by Garnier and that worked great for puffiness so if you are looking for something without a tint check that one out! It is made for puffiness rather than dark circles. It also has that cool and refreshing feeling. Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

This week I had the pleasure of using Fresh's Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil. They finally have a smaller bottle so you can try it out ($18.50 instead of $50)!! I've been eyeing this for months and didn't want to spend $50 on another face oil right now just in case I didn't love it.

This baby is wonderful! I would definitely repurchase. I feel like my skin is softer, smoother, a little more even, and moisturized. I feel glowy when I wake up in the morning no matter how little sleep I got. I still have some dry patches but it's winter so I expect that. I have been using this morning and night. It sits well under my foundation or BB cream because it fully absorbs. I layer my Neutrogena moisturizer over this and I am good to go.


The Lowdown from Sephora:

What it is:
A soothing face oil packed with restorative omegas and seabuckthorn oil to preserve a youthful appearance. 

What it is formulated to do:

This stuff is no joke! I have never used anything like it before so maybe that is why it is so cool to me but I think you guys will love it.

It is a gel consistency with a light clean ( a little citrus) scent and you put a thin layer all over your face (not your eyes or lips), wait about 10-15 seconds and start massaging your face small circular motions. You will feel the dead skin just coming off in your hand. It is SO cool! When you are done just tissue off and rinse for a glowing complexion ready for the world!

I wouldn't use this everyday but maybe twice a week. I think it will be great in the summer too.

This is what their website says about it:

• You can't beat a luxurious buff and polish to prime your skin for optimum moisturizing and send dead skins cells on their way.
• This fabulous exfoliate is gentle enough to be used on your face or any place you have dry or dull skin.
• We use papaya and pineapple enzymes (instead of harsh scrubs and chemicals), our exclusive comfort blend of antioxidants, aloe vera, vitamins C,A, E+ and a dose of TLC to ensure your skin glows.
• Did you know, you can also use our exfoliate for a weekly manicure and pedicure!

European Wax Center - The Exfoliate

It comes in two colors, light/medium and medium/deep. I have been using the medium/deep since my hair is dark right now. I find that it accentuates my brows and dries to a quick (not crunchy) finish. I have never used a tinted brow gel before, this is a new thing for me and so far I have to say it's awesome! The application brush is small so it makes filling in your brows easy and mess free.

This is what Sephora has to say about it:

What it is: 
A brow-volumizing fiber gel. 

What it does: 
This innovative brush-on fiber gel adheres to skin and hair creating brows where before there were none. It builds easily for thick, lush arches, thanks to a tapered brush for blending and a precision tip for shaping. The fiber gel is water resistant, long lasting, and buildable for natural-looking brows.

Every Friday I plan on talking about a favorite product from my week whether it be an eyeliner, lotion, book, etc. I thought it would be a great way to do a quick share with you guys on products that I find and love that may not fit into another post I am writing.

The star this week was a sample of the Diorshow Extase Mascara. I had a small tube that I received as a sample from Sephora and hadn't tried. One of my goals for this year is to declutter and get rid of things I don't have a use for. That means makeup too... so I cleaned out my sample drawer and grabbed a couple mascaras I found in there to test out before they were old and dried up.

FYI, I do like long, thick, and as some people would say "spidery" lashes. Everybody has their own taste so I know this isn't everyone's thing... but for me it works and it is how I feel comfortable. Mascara is also something that takes priority in my makeup routine. If I only have time to put on one thing it will be mascara no question.

Anyway... I find the formula to be of a velvety texture. It is thick but glides and sticks to my lashes beautifully while building intense volume and length. It is a lovely rich shade of black. The brush is a strange shape that to be honest I would never have thought would have worked like it did. I have attached a picture below so you can see what I mean. It is a twisted shape. I think the twist makes the brush grab every individual lash more than a straight brush because with each swipe it can grab from all different directions.

I like to layer my mascara so this morning when I used it I think I had counted maybe 3-4 coats of this on my lashes. The brush does separate the lashes so as you layer it gives that feathery effect instead of clumping them all together and just forming a muddy mess. The way I apply my mascara is this... I apply to the top lashes on the right eye then move to the left eye and do the top lashes on that one and go back and forth until I am happy with the length, volume, and curl. This gives each layer a little time to set so the next layer can build/stick better.

please excuse my brows and undereye area... I was in a rush.

As the formula dries on my lashes it stays soft and flexible and does not flake off throughout the day. It does also hold a nice curl. I have yet to try it out with an eyelash curler because I seldom use them to begin with. I really want to try and include an eyelash curler in my routine so I can see if it makes a difference in how long my lashes look. I'll keep you posted on that.
This is a luxury mascara so it is on the expensive side (about $30). My thought is if I find a product I really really really like and it lasts etc. then it is worth spending the extra money instead of in the end spending the same amount on 4 tubes of a cheaper brand because it dried out or something quicker then the expensive one.

In my opinion, so far it is worth a splurge and I plan on purchasing the full size when the sample is empty. Time will tell if I decide to repurchase again after that as I like to play with different mascaras all the time and experiment. But I do have a few mascaras that I go back to over and over because they are just amazing.