Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner

Hello ladies! Summer has arrived! And of course, I am just as much of a workaholic now as I was before while I was studying for finals!

I've been on the hunt for a gel liner for a while now, but because I'm working during the summer, I've hardly had time to go to the store to check any of them out. In a quick run-through of CVS, I picked up the Maybelline gel liner and decided to try it out. I didn't really like the one I had from Coastal Scents, and it dried up really quickly.

I must say, I really like this liner. The brush that comes with it is still but super thin so it makes a perfect line. It's creamy but it doesn't get all over your eyelid, and it appears to last all day. What I also found was an important attribute was that I could also get it off. You may not think about it, but many liners that last all day seem to last forever, and they only get off with a lot of rubbing (a culprit for wrinkles!). This liner didn't appear to do that. So far, I've been wearing it to work on my top lids every so often, but I've toned down on the heavy lining because it's summertime. When I did wear it to work, I was complimented on the precision of the makeup, and the intensity it gave my eyes.

To put it on, I've been using short strokes and starting the line very thin. I make it so that the strokes overlap each other, and get fatter towards the outer part of my eye to give the liner some shape. I'm disappointed that I didn't take a picture, but I was so happy to be home after the long week that I immediately took off my makeup! When I put it on again, I will certainly take a picture: one in the beginning of the day, and one at the end.

I'll also have to see how it holds up against time, because the Coastal Scents gel liner dried up fairly quickly on me. This doesn't seem like it's going to do that, but you never know.

I'll add a picture as soon as possible :)


Long story short, I think this is a new staple. I enjoy that it's more intense than a pencil and more precise than those liquid liners that I manage to get all over my face.


kristie <3

Virgin Lush Haul!

So, I had been hearing quite a bit about Lush Cosmetics all over YouTube and from friends and things, so I decided to check out the website. Being a person who is at least modestly aware of the environment, the company immediately hit me in a soft spot. They use natural ingredients, and everything is hand-made and hand-packaged. Also, they don't test on animals and everything is a good value. I remember passing the store in New York  City on the Upper West Side a while back, and all the products looked absolutely delicious. So, I decided to try them out.

I ordered the "Naked Kit," Mudflats Soaps, a Sex in the Shower Emotibomb and a Sex Bomb bath bomb. A small sample of Mask of Mangaminty also came with my order.

Inside the Naked Kit (which was sent with all the products unpackaged for Earth Day) are:

Mini Squeaky Green Shampoo Bar--that green crumbly "sprinkles" type thing, which lasts up to 60 washes, and has been surprisingly effective. Lately I've just been ripping off a piece and lathering up. But think of it this way: if the entire population of North America used a solid shampoo bar (equivalent to three 8 oz. bottles), then it would save 122 million plastic bottles from being produced and ending up in the landfill. That is a terrifying fact for something that could be such an easy change.

Mini Buffy Body Butter-– the medium, sand colored square, packed with natural butters to moisturize, and sand to exfoliate. I've noticed a response from my skin--it looks more even and definitely feels more hydrated. And it's all natural, as I've mentioned 100 times. Which means I can look good and feel I contributed to saving the planet.

Choice of Toner Tab-– T-Tree (oily skin), Vitamin C (aging skin), Vitamin E (all skin types), and Q10 (skin soothing). I personally got the T-Tree tab, but I have yet to use it. Instructions say to drop it in a bowl of hot water and let the steam hit you in the face. The only reason I have avoided this is a) there is one and I'm taking my sweet time using this kit and b) steam cleansers a little bit remind me of being sick. It will happen, though, and I'll let you know how I like it.

Mini Therapy Massage Bar-–this organic massage bar has little balls and crevices on it that help to stimulate blood flow as it passes over your skin. It feels so soft and leaves your skin feeling so healthy. I love it. No preservatives! Vegan! Amazing!

Sexy Peel Soap-– with uplifting lemon and lime, this soap (along with all of LUSH soaps) is made with a palm-free base. a first of its kind, this revolutionary soap base has saved 133,000 pounds of palm oil from being produced, helping to save rainforests, indigenous people and orangutans in southeast asia.

Cleanser Fresh Farmacy or Coalface-–I chose Coalface because I do happen to have oilier skin. This soap smells really good, which I was surprised about, and the powdered charcoal in the soap is much less off-putting than I would have imagined. It has hints of sandalwood and other fresh scents, and the soap is made specifically to absorb excess oils from the face. I'm almost done with this soap--it's such a tiny little guy now. I am definitely going to get more after this one is done.


 I also bought the Mudflats soap, because I've noticed that if I get a blemish on my body, it never, ever seems to go away. I carry a history of my blemishes right on my body, which is all kinds of annoying. I decided to try the Mudflats soap to see if it would help with the blemish marks.

It comes in this brown slab, and the smell is more herbal than it is floral, which isn't necessarily bad. The scent is more surprising than it is insulting. I can't say I really love the texture of this soap--it seems to be too "soft" for my liking, and, well, if it's soft and brown, it's pretty much poop-esque.

However, in the shower, the soap is definitely an effective cleanser--you can feel it remove the yuckiness off your skin that other commercial soaps only mask, which I definitely appreciated. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly "clean". I must say--blemishes appear to be diminishing, which is exciting news. I've heard that Lush is going to discontinue this product, and I will be truly disappointed to see it go.


Now, the Sex in the Shower Emotibomb. I haven't used the Bath Bomb yet, because I don't have a bath at school. The Sex in the Shower Emotibomb "blurb" on the Lush website insists this is for people to use together due to the aphrodisiac qualities of the smell. You just throw it on the floor of the shower and let the sexy smells take you away as it melts. Sadly, I have no one to share a shower with, but the experience was definitely enjoyable on my own. The scent is woodsy and floral at the same time, and I got compliments on the smell of our room for the next few hours. It was definitely a sensual experience, and the next time I pass Lush in the city, I'm going to pick up about 20 of these.

How many times have you seen me try a mask? Mask of Magnaminty is exactly that typical mask--bright green with little aduki bean pieces in it. The peppermint oils were uplifting and refreshing, and I definitely feel like it got into my pores and reduced their size. My skin tightened up, and I was ready to get into gear, and sadly--study for finals :(


I think Lush is my new favorite store. I love their products, I love their goals, and I love their honesty. You should definitely try them out for yourself, too.


<3 happy lushing
kristie