Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Distortion, $18

I love Sephora's Beauty Insider points program. I racked up 500 points and got a set of 4 Urban Decay 24-7 eyeliners plus this Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Distortion. I was more excited for the pencils than I was about this, but I thought, why not try it out? And I'm really happy I did!


First of all, this stuff is super glittery. This particular color is full of light-colored, iridescent, pearly glitter pieces. (Check out their other colors on Sephora's page.) I thought it would be hard to get a lot of glitter out (kind of like cheaper glitter nailpolishes that go on mostly clear) but was surprised at the amount that gets on your skin. It's really easy to use--the glitter goes on easily and dries in an instant so you can layer on more and more (if you get excited like I do!).

What really sold me on this is that it does NOT come off. With a lot of glitter products the pieces will fall all over your face and get your eyes (ouch). But, I put this to the test: The other night I used some over my black eyeliner, just on the corners (it looked fab, I must say). I danced and sweated all night and it didn't move at all! Perfect for the party-goer in all of us!


Final verdict
Cost: $18--about the same as other Urban Decay liners and shadows.
Easy: The product comes out easily on a thin liner brush, making it easy to put on a little or a lot. Plus it dries quickly, so it doesn't get everywhere, and you can layer as much as you want.
Glittery: OMG, so glittery. And with more applications comes more glitter! You could probably wear it on its own, but I think it would probably look best (and more dramatic) if you put it on top of a good eyeliner.
Stays put: Unlike a lot of glittery eye makeup, once this dries (a couple seconds) it won't move at all. No need to worry about it getting all over your face, no matter how hard you party!
Repeat offender: I'm in love. I kind of wanna buy them all! Actually, I really like the Catfight (bright pink) and Stagedive (bright turquoise) colors. If you love glitter, you'll absolutely love this liner.

-T

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener, $18

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener is a neat little tool that can instantly freshen your look. I received a sample size tube of this product and I am very tempted to buy the full size product!

This product is a nice cream that has tiny bits of light reflecting sparkles (don't worry you can hardly see the sparkles) which work to brighten your under eye area and appear more awake. This is a makeup and not a preventative product so it is definitely for effect. The full products comes with a handy brush to dab the cream under the eye, I think this is really useful because the cream is a little too thin to be coming out of the tube.

You just have to dab a little bit of the cream and spread it with your finger and instantly your under eye area has a fresh glow. I think this is a great every day product that can work the way blush does to "wake" your face up.

Final verdict:
Cost: $18 for the full tube.
Does it make the under eye area white?: No not at all, the cream is a neutral shade that seems to blend in with your natural color, it works as a highlighter and not so much as a concealer.
Would it stay on all day?: I'd suggest spreading some primer in the under eye area before the Photo Op brightener for longer staying power.
Repeat offender?: I really want to get some of this eventually to use daily. Though I must say, I think this product would be better if used in the cooler months so you don't just sweat it off.

-M

Milani Neon in Rad Purple, $5

I had been eyeing Milano's Neon nail polish in Rad Purple for a while now. It just looked so intensely purple. In the bottle it looks opaque and vivid, an intense shade of a plum color that's usually so dark.

(It was difficult for me to get an accurate picture of this shade, so I did my best. I manipulated the pic below to get it as close to the real color as possible. Actually, the color on the site is pretty close to the bottle. My camera did a good job with the polish on my nails, though.)

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed. The polish is very thin, which often happens with bright colors. I put on probably 4 coats here (I got impatient and started putting them on thicker and thicker) and I feel like I can still see through it. At first it dried quickly, but the more I put on the gooier it got (probably because, um, I put it on so thick). This meant that while it looked dry, it got smudged and nicked easily.

The color on my nails also doesn't exactly match what's in the bottle. I wanted a really grape-y, pure purple. What I got instead is a more of a fuchsia. Still a pretty color, but not what I expected. In the pic above, the ring basically matches the color of the bottle. You can see around the top of the bottle how light it actually looks--this is more like it actually looks on your nails.

Final verdict
Cost: $5.
Texture: Really thin. It dries quickly at first, but takes a lot of coats, so it gets gooey.
Color: The color is pretty--like a pinky fuchsia--but not what I expected at all.
Repeat offender?: No, I wouldn't buy this again. I might actually return it. The color's pretty, but the texture bothered me and I was really bummed that it doesn't look like the bottle!

-T

L'Oreal Revitalift Complete Night Cream, $12-15

Recently I had a slight panic attack about the potential for wrinkles, fine lines, etc.--I think it was from some article I read in the New York Times about French women and their obsessive skin care and wrinkle prevention regimes. I know some people are rolling their eyes right now thinking "wow, really?" but hey it's my skin and I want to take care of it! I mean we are supposed to moisturize anyways so why not buy something that says it will help with wrinkle prevention too?

Needless to say by obsession lasted about a day but I did pick up this jar of L'Oreal Revitalift Complete Night Cream in the process. I've been using this cream pretty regularly every evening after removing my makeup. I like to rub it into my skin, especially around the eyes, cheeks, and the neck. Though I can't tell you if I have seen any results from it yet (ask me in 10 years maybe?) I can say I do like to use it nightly because it makes my skin feel super soft the next day.

The cream is on the thick side so if your skin is already oily this probably isn't going to be the best bet. It seems to be working well for me and I find that a little bit goes a long way. Another thing to note is that it has kind of a heavy lotion smell that may not be favorable to many people. It doesn't bother me because it smells pretty fresh but a friend of mine (who joined me in the wrinkle freak of out 2010) said she didn't really like the scent of it because it came off a bit strong.

Final verdict:
Cost: You can find it around $12-15, and you will definitely be able to find coupons! Cheaper than Clinique and Lancome skin products!
Do you think it works?: I may never know if using night cream is going to help prevent wrinkles on my skin but I know I like the soft and fresh feeling I have after I put the cream on and even the next day.
Repeat offender?: I probably won't buy this cream again because like mascara I tend to want to try a different face cream each time I need a new one. But I would recommend it to someone looking for a low cost night cream.

-M

Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Cloths, $15 (for 30)

Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Cloths are on-the-go face wipes for when you just don't have the time to wash your face (or the sink). They lather up without water and don't need any rinsing, so it would be good for after the gym, after a night out, etc.

The cloth lathered up a lot--it was actually pretty soaked, which is good if you're trying to really get clean. I liked the smell when I first opened it (almost like baby wipes and some sort of witch hazel? I've smelled it before but I can't place it . . . my mom thinks it's the glycerin).

I rubbed the cloth into my face (it says gently wipe, but I basically just used it as a washcloth) and I could feel it tingle and get into my pores, so I could tell it was working. I used it around my eyes to get off my makeup, which probably wasn't the best idea--while the cloth felt soft to my fingertips, it didn't feel so soft around my eyes. And the tingling was starting to sting on some sensitive skin I have on my cheeks. Luckily this lasted only a couple seconds.

At first I couldn't believe that this soaking wet cloth would clean my face and then dry without rinsing. I mean, it's full of soapy liquid. But, lo and behold, a few moments later my skin was completely dry and not filmy at all. Actually, it felt really smooth, clean, and soft. But, the smell started to linger and I couldn't stop smelling it, and I started to not like it. In fact, it started to give me a migraine, and I had to go rinse my face anyway.

Final verdict
Cost: $15 for 30.
Soapy: Unlike some cloths, these are packed full of soapy goodness, so you feel like you're getting your money's worth.
Cleansing: You can feel the product going right into your pores, which is awesome in some areas but maybe kinda burning in more sensitive areas. Probably not best for around the eyes.
Dries clean: When it dried, my skin felt soft and clean--no film left behind.
Smell: I liked it at first, and then it got overwhelming and gave me a headache!
Repeat offender?: I would not buy these because the smell kinda knocked me out. That, and they are a bit pricey compared to drug store brands. I'm not sure if they help clear up your skin, but I do like the clean feeling it leaves behind, so I think they would be good for cleaning on-the-go (that is, if you like the smell and are willing to pay $15 a month if you're going to use it everyday).

-T

Sephora Collection Super Shimmer Lipgloss, Pink-o-lada, $10

What I've got here is a sample size of the Sephora Collection Super Shimmer Lipgloss. I don't use lipgloss the way I used to in high school but I thought I'd try this out because it is so pretty and shimmery. This lipgloss comes in many shades you can find here and this one is called Pink-o-lada and kind of makes me wish I was sipping on some pink lemonade alcoholic beverage!

So I put this lipgloss on and just kind of hung around, didn't eat or drink anything, made sure to smack/lick my lips and it is still on! The lipgloss is that traditional gloss texture but it isn't very thick or sticky. I love the fact that it doesn't feel stick on my lips, however if your hair touches your lips it will definitely stick!

The gloss goes on pretty much clear but has little bits of shimmer in it that show up on your lips as well. I don't mind the sparkles because they are so subtle and small. It gives your lips a really glassy look that can look great if you are trying to have something go on with your lips but don't want to wear lipstick.

Final verdict:
Cost: $10 for a full size tube which is twice the size of the tube pictured. I think that is pretty good!
Does it last?: This gloss has lasting power for sure. I love how even after a little while your lips still look glossy.
Will I have to reapply?: Face it ladies, I don't think there is a lipgloss that doesn't require reapplying! I think that you will surely have to reapply after eating or drinking but the lasting power is pretty good otherwise.
Repeat offender?: I think I could definitely make this a go-to lipgloss. There are so many different shades that I'd be interested in trying, especially the shade Red Velvet.

-M

The Youth As We Know It by Bliss, $79

I received a sample size jar of The Youth As We Know It by the skin care line Bliss from a recent Sephora purchase. This skin cream is "an extraordinary anti-aging moisture cream" that promises to revitalize and protect skin.

The cream is light and has a faint citrus smell to it. When you put it on your face it feels super refreshing and kind of has a slight cooling effect. The product doesn't feel super heavy on the skin when blended in either, rather it dries quickly and gives you that "tightened" feeling.

I think that this cream is really excellent but I can't say that it has really given me any results. I can't do a side-by-side comparison of how I will look with or without this cream in ten years so reviewing it based on whether it works or not is kind of difficult. Obviously I am 24 years old and it's not like I have wrinkles to begin with but I am all about prevention! I think everyone should take care of their skin (this goes for men too, they hardly moisturize!) because it is so sensitive and we all feel confident when we look our best.

I can say that I like this moisturizer because of the texture, scent, and how it feels on my skin. However, I'm not a fan of the price or the fact that it doesn't have any SPF. The instructions specifically state to follow with SPF but I'm more into having a daily moisturizer with SPF included. The product is definitely pricey and I wouldn't splurge this much on it but I'm sure there are people out there who wouldn't mind the splurge for a good product.

Final verdict:
Cost: $79 for a large jar of this cream.
Does it hydrate your skin well?: Yes! When you put this product on your skin it feels instantly hydrated but not greasy or oily. Like I said before, it kind of "tightens" the skin.
Repeat offender?: Based on the price I wouldn't get this product in the full size. I like my sample but I'll stick to something that will make my wallet happy as well as my skin!

-M