Don’t faint, this is NOT a movie review. Due to weekend travel, I’m a little behind on them so I’m back to reviewing items I love!

I’ve mentioned that I love mascara and after treating to Diorshow, I thought I would try another drug store brand. So I’ve learned that I want a lengthening and volumizing mascara. And the CoverGirl commercials for LashBlast totally reeled me in, so I picked some up and got to applying it right away.

Here are my thoughts:

CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara

How much it costs: $8.99

Where you can buy it: CVS, Walgreens, Target and other major drug store retailers

What I like about it: The wand. Seriously, that thing could be used as a weapon. The Maybelline mascara I previously reviewed has a similar one and it really does catch every single lash, which is great for me. It separates well (better than my Sephora brush) and adds length to the lashes right away. I can definitely tell a difference after I apply it and it goes on easily on lower lashes too.

What I don’t like about it: I wish it was a little thicker. I like full, long lashes and this definitely delivers the latter, but I wish that it would add more fullness too because to achieve that look, I have to put on a few layers of the mascara. Plus, the little prickly ends of the mascara can also poke you in the eyes a little bit so be careful.

But overall, I like this and would buy it again. I have a feeling though that my next mascara purchase will be a little bit of a splurge, between Bad Girl Lash or Lash Stiletto, both really intrigue me!

Do you usually mix up your mascara brands or do you pretty much buy from the same line?

Every single one of my eyeshadows are from MAC. Why? I feel it has the biggest variety of colors and wears/lasts really well.

And one reason I’ve stayed with MAC for so long is the MAC Gives Back program, which it started to reward long-term fans and help the environment. If you bring in six (6) MAC makeup containers to a MAC store or retailer, you get a free lipstick or lipgloss of your choice. Sure, the payback isn’t the same as the investment you put in when buying those six products, but it’s better than just tossing them out and it allows you to try something new and fun. After a LONG time, I finally took in my MAC products to give back and opted to go with a lip gloss (shock!)

Choosing lip glosses from MAC is sort of like finding a needle in a haystack because there are so many but here’s one I liked.

MAC Tinted Lipglass

How much it costs: $14

Where you can buy it: MACcosmetics.com and MAC counters and retailers (Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, etc.)

What I like about it: Again, MAC has a variety of colors to pick from, some more subtle and vibrant than others. I purchased the Pink Poodle color, which looks shockingly pink in the container but it is a lot tamer on the lips. The Pink Poodle color is described as “pink fuchsia with pinky-goldshimmer.” Yeah it’s pretty bright, but I like a bright pink lip over red because of my skin tone. The color spreads really well without looking or feeling greasy. Yes, it does leave a bright color outline behind on cups or mugs so you’ll have to re-apply often but it’s fun and nice to know that you can get the bolder colors without it being too much on the skin. It gives a great shine without being too much and you can wear it on its own or over lipstick which is nice to have it be versatile too.

What I don’t like about it: It does rub off easily and when the lips are dry, it can feel a little cakey on the lips but it’s fun to wear out and is small enough to fit in just about any purse.

So overall, I’ve been happy with it and it goes really well with my MAC Sun Tints too.

What color lipstick or lip gloss do you always buy? For me, it’s pink all the way :)

I wear foundation just about every day because of my uneven, reddish skin tone. But sometimes I hate the feeling of foundation on my face after a long day and when it’s warm and I’ve been sweating. Plus, foundation is kind of pricey so I would like it to last as long as possible so I dug around and found a great foundation alternate for weekends and blazing hot summer days.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer

How much it costs: $12 (price varies based on retailer)

Where you can buy it: Neutrogena.com and retailers (Walgreens, CVS, Target, etc.)

What I like about it: It really is a good alternate to foundation. It’s light on the skin and dries really fast so you can see the coverage right away. Plus, spreads really well on the skin and looks pretty natural out in the sun. You can still apply blush and powder over it but on a hot summer day (which we won’t be having for a while) it feels really nice and not heavy at all. Plus it has SPF 20 and is oil-free, two things I like a lot.

What I don’t like about it: So while it is light, the tint isn’t very strong which means if you need a lot of coverage it might not give you the results you want. I use this still over my Clinique Super City Block and it’s fine but it’s moreso for a day of errands around your neighborhood or running downtown for something quick, not red carpet. And, even with a cap, the first little pump of product is usually dry and crusty, which is kind of annoying and a little bit of a waste. Oh also, if you have under eye circles, this won’t be the best coverage either (I found), so feel free to add Smashbox’s Under Eye Brightener as a base or your regular foundation and you’ll be fine.

My parents always said I was blessed with naturally pinky-red skin. Which means I always look like I’m blushing. They find it endearing, I don’t. So to cover my rosacea and redness, I rely heavily on my foundation to balance my skin tone. But because I am a little more liberal with the foundation on the cheeks, I discovered makeup primers to help foundation last on key parts of the skin and ever since I tried it, I’m a devout primer lady.

I used to use Smashbox’s Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer and while I liked it, I found out NARS also had a primer so I gave it a try and I haven’t gone back to Smashbox yet. And here’s why….

NARS Makeup Primer with SPF 20

How much it costs: $33

Where you can buy it: NARS retailers (Nordstrom, Macy’s, etc.)

What I like about it: First, it has SPF. I know, I layer SPF on my face from multiple products, but the fact that it has it in case I shake up my makeup routine one day, that is a little piece of mind. The SPF is also effective against UVA/UVB rays and is oil-free, which is super important to me and my sensitive skin. I also love that it is more of a cream too (compared to Smashbox) and it absorbs really well into the skin while reducing redness. Usually I’ll apply this to my cheeks (where I need the most makeup coverage) and then put on my eye makeup while this absorbs before moving to my foundation. Also, I know it’s a little pricey but honestly, this stuff LASTS. I’ve had a tube for more than a year because it spreads really well and you don’t need a lot of it. A thin layer over the skin is more than enough.

What I don’t like about it: The primer color is white (compared to Smashbox’s variety of colors based on skin type) so I really have to be careful not to accidentally put too much on otherwise it looks like I have white cheeks, but again because it absorbs so well, it’s not a huge deal. Also, it can feel a little greasy on the skin when you apply too much so that’s another thing to be aware of.

Overall though, after using Smashbox’s primer and NARS, I’ll stick with NARS. I prefer the moreso creamy base and have had better results with my foundation over this primer. Plus it’s similar in price to the Smashbox product so you break even that way too.

Do you use a primer? If so what one do you like and if not, why? Just curious :)

I am a sucker for the add-on sale. Usually, I can resist the saleslady’s prowess to sell me one more item but when I’m vulnerable, I will cave in to their tempting ways.

And this would be one of those cave-in situations. When I bought the Volcanic Ash exfoliator a few weeks ago, I heard the saleslady talking about a matching Thermal Mask that deep cleaned the skin, moisturized and removed oils and impurities from the skin. And it was already sold out of the MAC counter at Michigan Avenue. Deep cleanser + sold out? Sign me up. So I bought this off Nordstrom’s Web site and had it delivered.

And now, here is what I thought about this little add-on baby.

MAC Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask

How much it costs: $19.50

Where you can buy it: Nordstrom.com and other retailers’ MAC counters (while supplies last)

What I liked about it: First, it applies a lot easier than the exfoliator. This spreads very easily and well and feels very light on the face rather than hardening and being uncomfortable. The grainy feeling from the exfoliator also isn’t present so it isn’t too harsh on your skin. You only have to leave it on for five minutes too which is easy to brush your teeth or step away for a few minutes before you wash it off. With my sensitive skin, this felt nice on it and I didn’t see any irritation when I washed it off so that’s a big plus for me. Also, when you do wash it off, the minute water hits the skin, the mask warms up (but not too warm) and feels kind of refreshing.

What I didn’t like about it: Because it is so light on the skin, I’m not one hundred percent sure how effective it is in deep cleansing but I’m not willing to rule it out just yet. Also, when you wash it off, the black color lingers a little bit on your hands and towel but again, that’s not a make or break thing for me either, just be aware so you thoroughly wash your hands before touching other stuff.

So I’ll give this a few more tries before making a final decision and hopefully after a few more uses I’ll see more noticeable results but so far I’m happy.

And if you asked me to pick today between this and the exfoliator (if you could only purchase one), I’d say go with the exfoliator.

Do you use any other masks other than an exfoliator? I had no idea other ones really existed!