NARS-Orgasm Illuminator

I received this product about a month ago and was so excited to try it! It is described as "a multifunctional face product that gives skin a refreshed luminosity". It has a very light, almost lotion-y consistency which I really liked. I tried wearing it several ways, with full makeup, barefaced, lightly, built up, etc. I have come to the conclusion that while this is a lovely idea of a product, it's just not worth the price tag for what it does. While my skin did seem somewhat more "luminous", I could very easily have achieved the same effect that this product gave me from many other products at a considerably lower cost. NARS is an amazing line that puts out top notch products but I would never search high and low for this nor would I recommend that anyone else does.

Not Recommended

Price:$29

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

I am a mascara girl and won't even leave the house without putting it on. It instantly makes you look awake and more refreshed. Typically, I don't coat my bottom lashes because the wands for most mascaras are simply to big to accomplish this without giving you the dreaded "raccoon eyes" look and not in a good way. When I heard the rave reviews for Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara I had to give it a try.

When you first open the tube it is a bit startling to see how teeny-tiny the wand is. It literally has to be the smallest wand on the market. That makes it absolutely perfect for applying product to your bottom lashes. It works brilliantly and I can't recommend this highly enough. For those of you who can get the job done with your regular top lash mascara, then this isn't a must have for you. For the rest of us though, this is a real gem. It is available in Black and Black/Brown.


Highly Recommended

Price:$10

Basin White Body Butter

Love, love, LOVE this! Lovely consistency, beautiful texture, and long lasting scent. Perfect for the winter months when you need a heavier moisturizer or even year round for those who have drier skin. The big issue that I find with heavy duty moisturizers is that while they do leave your skin moisturized, they often leave it greasy as well. Not the case at all with this product. It sinks right into your skin leaving it soft, smooth and lightly perfumed all day long. Per the directions: After bathing or showering apply liberally and rub into skin for a silky smooth feeling.

It has the standard body butter "whipped" consistency and is available in 11 different scents.

Highly recommended.

Price:$18

Stila-Lip Glaze

This product is described as an "ultra high-shine lip gloss in a nifty click pen" and that's exactly what it is. The one that I purchased is named "Kitten" and is described as a nude pink shimmer but seems more of a champagne color to me. I love everything about this from the texture to the shine to the click pen. It dispenses as much product as you like and there is no mess or excess product to clean up. Kitten also has a beautiful finish, shimmery but not glittery.

Having said that, I believe most lip glosses/glazes are for the most part, created equal and I recommend this only if you are able to buy it in a set. An individual costs $22 and while this is a nice product, there are many comparable ones for much less money.

Recommended

Price:$22

Basin White Lip Scrub

I have always been a little hesitant to purchase a lip scrub simply because it's so easy to make your own and the same effect can also be achieved by using a toothbrush. However, after trying a sample of Basin White's Lip Scrub I decided to order this. It makes your lips super smooth with very little effort and isn't very abrasive at all. Though the container is small, a little goes a long way so I can see this lasting for quite some time.

Per the package directions: Apply to lips with finger tips. Rub in circular motion, then rinse or lick off.

Recommended.

www.basinwhite.com

Price:$8.99

Too Faced-Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer

I have been using Urban Decay's Primer Potion for quite a while but after being fed up with their ridiculous packaging, I decided to give the infamous Too Faced Shadow Insurance a try. It comes in a squeeze tube as opposed to the wand that UDPP has, which makes it much easier to finish the product once you begin to get near the end of it. The consistency of it is more oily than UDPP's creamy formula but in my opinion, performs about the same. They both work really well at keeping your eyeshadow from creasing for many hours throughout the day or night. Some will prefer the thinner, more oily Too Faced, while others will enjoy the creamier Urban Decay. That's really a personal preference, they both perform very well and do exactly as described.

Recommended
Price:$18

The Brush Guard

The Brush Guard has come out with a nifty little mesh tubing that goes over your makeup brushes to protect the bristles. It is described as a "stretchable, breathable tube which protects your makeup brushes". Wonderful for traveling/throwing in your bag since it helps keep the bristles from getting caught on things. They can also be used to help shape your brushes after washing them. I have used these just about every day since receiving them and my brushes are much better off because of it. You invest a lot of money into your brush collection, why not take an extra step in protecting them? These are great and I certainly intend to buy more once the ones I have are spoken for.

There are five package choices available:
Variety pack-assortment of each size
Ex. Small-Shadow/Liner
Small-Blush
Medium-Foundation
Large-Powder/Kabuki

Highly recommended
Available for purchase at thebrushguard.com

Price:$5.50(including tax and domestic shipping)