Review: Covergirl Lash Perfection Volumizing Mascara!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: 
Volumizing mascara that individually wraps each lash for perfectly plumped lashes that resist clumping. Up to 3x the volume vs. bare lashes.

FEATURES:

• Innovative brush surrounds each lash with our amazing conditioning formula so each lash is individualized and volumized
• Hypoallergenic
• Removes easily with soap and water
• Ophthalmologically tested 

Lash Perfection is one of Covergirl's newest mascaras. Covergirl Lash Blast has been my favorite mascara for the past couple of years, and there have only been a small handful of mascaras I've tested out during that time. Why? Because every other mascara I use ends up under my eyes in a couple of hours - I've pretty much stopped trying out new mascaras unless they claim to be smudgeproof/transfer resistant. Considering I've had pretty good luck with Covergirl Mascara's, I decided to try out Lash Perfection as I was in desperate need of a new tube of mascara and Lash Blast wasn't on sale ($9?! No thanks.)

First off, the wand is pretty similar to the Covergirl Lash Blast, Lash Blast Length and Volume Exact mascaras as the wand is rubber/plastic, as opposed to the standard wire/fiber wand. It's thinner than the Last Blast wand and a little fatter than the Lash Blast Length wand. Everyone has their own preference to the type of wands they like, and I have always really liked large, fluffy wands. I'm not really sure why, considering they are more likely to create a mess, but I've always found that they build volume better.Well, after two years of using Lash Blast, I'm getting really sick of that large wand. This wand works really well at coating the lashes and getting the smallest lashes in the inner and outer corners. Once applied, it's really easy to build volume with continued swiping of the lashes. This mascara doesn't claim to "lengthen", but I did find that it slightly lengthened my lashes. When the mascara dries, it dries slightly crispy - this is a good and bad thing. It's good because if you have thin, sparse lashes, it will hold a curl much better than a mascara that dries soft. It can be a bad thing because it's not very pleasant combing through crispy lashes. I do think this mascara holds a curl better than most mascaras I've tried. It actually keeps my lashes fairly curled all day without having to curl them myself with a curler. Throughout the day it doesn't flake, smudge or transfer. Lastly, it's simple to remove with baby oil and a cotton ball.

*Based on reviews, some have compared this to the recently discontinued MaxFactor Lash Perfection Mascara. So if you loved that one, this may be worth a try. (Makeupalley)

PROS: Slightly lengthens, Builds volume well, Minimal to no clumping, Separates well, Doesn't smudge, flake or transfer. Can look natural or a little more dramatic based on how much you apply. The price is great. It's a couple of dollars cheaper than Lash Blast ($5.99 at Target).

CONS: Makes the lashes a little crispy - which can be a good or bad thing based on individual preference.

PACKAGING: I think the packaging is nice. It comes in a sleek, charcoal tube and has a pretty good brush.

OVERALL: Overall, I think this is a great mascara and I will definitely re-purchase!

Review: Covergirl Professional Super Thick Mascara!

Covergirl Professional Super Thick Lash Mascara

Product Description: "For big, bold, thick lashes, Super Thick Lash is the one. Its Lash Builder brush separates, defines, and reaches for those little lashes so you get thick, full lashes – so easy, so beautiful!"

-For bold, thick lashes

-Suitable for contact wearers and Sensitive eyes

-Smudge-proof

Review: I originally purchased this mascara because I thought I HAD to try it because of the positive reviews (rated 4/5 on makeupalley with a 75% re-purchase rate - which is high!). Another thing that lured me to try it is because I've had great luck with Covergirl Mascara (since Lash Blast is my fav!) and that it claims to be smudge proof. Smudging has always been my main issue with mascaras.. and I rarely explore many mascaras because the majority end up under my eyes except for my beloved Lash Blast. I had very high expectations for this mascara.. and I'm not at all disappointed.. but I'm not blown away by the results. The name of this mascara is "Super Thick Lash".. and I didn't find that this made my lashes "Super Thick". The original Lash Blast definitely builds more volume for me than this mascara.. BUT, this mascara gives me much more length.. which Lash Blast doesn't really do for me. Don't get me wrong, this mascara is buildable.. but it requires a little work to get them very volumized. This mascara has no distinct scent (just the typical scent), it stays true to the claim by not smudging, the color is very black, gives length, builds volume (requires several coats), dries quickly without smudging and doesn't make my lashes crispy. There are some mascaras that once you apply it.. you can't go back later in the day and add another coat without having wonky looking lashes. This one I could apply later in the day. The brush is a standard mascara brush.. nothing fancy. Easy to get close to the base of your lashes and in the corners. I think I actually prefer larger wands for some reason? I guess I can't really say anything bad about this mascara except for the fact.. that I wish the formula was a little wetter? So I can build volume as quick as I can with YSL Faux Cils or CG Lash Blast. I will continue using this mascara and I will probably combine this with Lash Blast for more dramatic lashes. Whats really nice about this mascara is the price! It's only around $4 - half of the price of Lash Blast. 

 If you're looking for a new mascara - This is a pretty nice one to try.. (For the record, it does much more for me than CG Last Blast Length & Maybelline Lash Stiletto..)

Whats your favorite mascara? Is there one you think I should try? Let me know in the comments. :)

Thanks for Reading!

Vintage: Nora Ariffin in Ad Campaign for CoverGirl, 1993 & 1995

Models (left to right): Luciana Curtis, Lana Ogilvie, Niki Taylor, Rachel Hunter & Nora Ariffin
Ad Campaign: CoverGirl, 1993
Photographer: Sante D'Orazio

Source: lucianacurtis.free.fr

Models (left to right): Luciana Curtis, Tyra Banks, Rachel Hunter, Niki Taylor & Nora Ariffin
Ad Campaign: CoverGirl, 1995
Photographer: Sante D'Orazio

Source: nora-ariffin.com

Review & Swatches: Easy, Breezy, Beautiful.. CG Smoky Eye Look Sets! (pic heavy)

Covergirl Smoky Eye Look
"Become a Make-Up Master and Create a Celebrity Look in 3 Steps"



Covergirl came out with kits to create many variations of the smokey eye. When you hear the words "Smokey Eyes".. many assume that "Smoke" refers to those sexy, smoldering blacks, gunmetals and grays you see on many celebrities and high fashion ads...


But really, smokey eyes doesn't necessarily have to mean dark. Smokey describes the actual application of an eye shadow and the way it is blended to create a smudged or "smoked" out look.


Smoke can be any color you want it to be. So don't limit yourself to only black.. there are so many other gorgeous colors! Personally, brown smokey eyes are my favorite.

There are 3 different Sets to create 3 different looks:
A Glamorous Look
A Bold Look
A Natural Look

Each Set contains:
1 SmokyShadowBlast Cream Shadow Stick
1 Lash Blast Mascara
1 Line Exact Liquid Liner
Step by Step Instructions to guide you through creating your desired look




The Glamorous Look Set contains Onyx Smoke #800 SmokyShadowBlast, Lash Blast Mascara in Black & LineExact Liquid Liner in Black Brown. Onyx Smoke is a dark black with silver flecks of shimmer and on the opposite side is a frosted white.


The Bold Look Set contains SmokyShadowBlast in Tempest Blue #825, Lash Blast Mascara in Very Black & LineExact Liquid Liner in Smoke. Tempest Blue is an ocean blue with a slight frost and on the opposite end is a slightly frosted sky blue.


The Natural Look Set contains SmokyShadowBlast in Bronze Fire #815, Lash Blast Mascara in Brown & LineExact Liquid Liner in Brown. Bronze Fire is a copper bronze with a light shimmer and on the opposite end is a luminous, golden champagne.

Swatches
The following are swatches of the SmokyShadowBlasts and LineExact Liners (Indoors with flash)


Application
I'm using the Natural Look Kit for a daytime, work-friendly look.


Here is what it looks like so far..


Step 4: Apply LineExact Liquid Liner (I used Brown) to your lash line.



Step 5: Apply Mascara (I used Black instead of Brown)




My Thoughts
First, I'll talk about the products individually and the actual sets.

The SmokeyShadowBlasts: When I first saw these, I wasn't sure what to think. I see more and more companies really putting the effort into designing products to make achieving a certain look easier and being more helpful to consumers that don't know anything about makeup but want to experiment. Now, you see more & more eyeshadow palettes at your local store that has each shadow labeled.. "Lid", "Crease" & "Highlight" to guide you through the process and of course.. It's more than one product in one. So technically you save money, right???? Maybe, maybe not. You could very well be overpaying if some components aren't necessary for your particular needs. So, I was curious to try these.

(I'll be nicknaming SmokeyShadowBlast as SSB..)
The first SSB I tried was the Onyx Smoke. I tried it towards the middle of the day and I already had eyeshadow on. I applied the black over my shadow on my upperlashline. I was actually pleasantly surprised that it worked very well. The black is pigmented and although its a cream formula, it applied almost like a soft powder.. almost a silicone-like feel to it. It didn't apply like a harsh, thick liner. I really liked that the shape of the shadow is thin and flat like a lipstick. It makes applying it to the lid very simple. I can pat it gently on my lid for a soft wash of color without having to use a brush or my finger to smooth out any lines. Then, I can use the tip to line under my eyes. I didn't use the white highlight because I personally don't like the look of white as a highlight on my skin tone. The color lasted me through the day without getting under my eyes & without smudging.

I next tried the Bronze Fire SSB. Even though I don't find myself reaching for highlights.. I decided to follow instructions and start with Step 1. I took the highlighter and applied it to my brow bone, lid and corners of my eyes. I was very surprised to see that It gave the prettiest, soft highlight. Perfect for my skin tone. I didn't even have to blend it. I then created a brown smoky eye (like pictured above.. but a little more intense) and I loved the result!! It is such a flattering shade for my eye color. I've been using this almost every day for the past couple of weeks. I love that the product is so convenient and it takes only a minute to do both eyes. My kind of product. :) I even had my best friend buy this shade when we were at Wal-mart because I kept talking about how great it is.

I have not tried the Tempest Blue SSB yet. Blue is a pretty daring color for me.. but I will try it this week and let you know.

Overall, I would repurchase the Bronze Fire SSB. It's difficult for me to find a flattering highlight and this one is lovely.. and I love the shade of brown. And again, I love how fast and convenient this product is. Although I really liked the Onyx Smoke, I'm unsure at this point if I'd repurchase considering I probably wouldn't be using the white. I haven't used it enough to tell yet because I've been showing all of my love and attention to Bronze Fire.

I probably wouldn't recommend this to you if you have oily eyelids.. because It may crease. This hasn't happened at all to me (I'm not prone to oily lids). I do recommend you to powder your lids before application or even applying it over a light base.

Lash Blast Mascara: This has been my Holy Grail Mascara for some time now. It is the only mascara I purchase over and over again. It gives me full, voluminous lashes, no clumps, no flakes and best of all.. no smudges!

LashExact Liquid Liner Pen: I love the Black Brown & the Brown.. they are almost identical in color except black brown the slightest bit darker (I would call it a true dark brown) and Brown is a little more of a golden brown. They both look great paired with the Bronze Fire SSB. I also like the shade of the smoke liner.. It's different from anything I have. It's like a dove grey. Very pretty! I love that the felt tip doesn't get dried out like other liner pens I've used and that its very short so you can have more control. I will use these until they run out but I'm unsure if I'd repurchase them because they do wear off by the end of the day for me. And if I apply eye shadow over the liner, the liner will rub off and I'll have to apply it again. I do like them, but I prefer a liner that's a little more heavy duty. I'd be willing to try out a waterproof formula if they have one.

The Smoky Look Sets: I think all of the sets are put together nicely.. and is a great kit for a gift or for a beginner.. or really anyone who loves makeup. The only kit I was a little confused with was the Glamorous Look. It has a black shadow with a Black Mascara and a Brown liquid liner. When I put it all together.. It didn't look right. I think they could have put the Black liquid liner instead. That's really my only gripe with the sets. The set costs $16.50 at Wal-Mart.. which is a little over $5 a product. Each product is a little over $7 separately (give or take a little?) So you may be saving a couple dollars on each product by buying the kit. If they are all products you are going to use, It's a great buy.

I'll be posting looks with these soon.. :)

To read tips and other helpful info, visit http://www.smokyeyelook.com.

Disclaimer: I was sent these products for a free trial. I was not paid to write this review and I am in no way affiliated by Covergirl. My opinions expressed are all based on my personal experience in using the products mentioned.

Review: Covergirl Lash Blast Luxe Mascara!

Happy Monday! :)

I wanted to share my opinion about Covergirl's Lash Blast Luxe. I was at ULTA this weekend to pick up a couple of things including a tube of Lash Blast (original) and they were out of stock. The only shades they had were Black Brown and Brown. I saw that there were a ton of Lash Blast Luxe in stock. I wasn't sure whether to get it or not for a few reasons. 1) I was unaware of exactly how shimmery this mascara is; I didn't want mascara with glitter in it. 2) I was unaware of how BLACK it is. I like my mascara to be the blackest black. 3) I wasn't sure if the formula was exactly the same as the original lash blast. I wanted the same formula (I didn't care for Lash Blast Length) Well anyways, I decided to try it. It comes in four shades. Black Platinum, Black Cabernet, Black Royale & Black Emerald. I chose Black Platinum; the darkest shade. When I opened the tube, I wasn't too happy with how black it is. Its more of a dark charcoal grey black with teeny tiny bits of shimmer. It's not overly shimmery. It's definitely not glittery. Its the same kind of shimmer you would see in a face illuminator/highlighter. Once applied, it was super black.. I was very happy that It didn't look like I had charcoal colored lashes & I couldn't tell that it was shimmery.. only if I stared at my eyes 1 inch away from my compact mirror could I see a few specks of shimmer. I was also very pleased to see that the formula is indeed the same. I got major volume (don't you love a new tube of mascara?) I would definitely repurchase this mascara and possibly even purchase it over the original. Bravo Covergirl, I give you 5/5 stars!






This isn't the greatest picture, but it's a smear on my hand to show the true color and shimmer.

1/26: Here are a couple requested photos of me wearing the mascara. My lashes are completely bare prior to application. I'm not wearing a base, and I did not curl my lashes.

Have you tried this mascara? What are your thoughts? Did you notice any difference?

Review: The New Covergirl Lash Blast LENGTH Mascara!

Ever since I tried the Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara, I have been HOOKED. I wear it ever single day and it's probably my favorite drugstore mascara. When I heard that they came out with a Lash Blast LENGTH, I had to get my hands on it. Covergirl Lash Blast is a very good volumizing mascara, but it doesn't do much for length. Very Minimal. So, my thoughts were: This mascara is going to be exactly the same as Last Blast but PLUS length! Well, I was wrong. It does only length. And really, it didn't do anything for me. It barely made my lashes any longer. Maybe a microscopic half a millimeter? It is also very dry.. in comparison to the original Lash Blast. You don't get as much product on your wand. I seriously had to sit and apply this to my lashes for over 10 minutes and I had barely any length or volume. Sad. *sigh* BUT, on the plus side, it looks nice when I apply a coat of the CG Length and apply a coat of the CG Original over it. I do notice a tiny difference (which is similar to when I apply a lash base). The formula also didn't flake, smudge or go under my eyes.. which is a plus. I suppose if you like a really natural mascara, you might like this. But if you're looking for something dramatic like me, this is not it. Also, what may work for you may not work for me.






The wands in comparison to each other. As you may notice, the CG Length had a thinner brush and wand, and there is a lot less product on the wand.


Have you tried this mascara? What are your thoughts?

REVIEW: Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara!

I recently decided to try "The Best Selling Mascara in America", Covergirl Lash Blast. I didn't have high expectations for this. I figured if there is a good mascara out there.. I know about it or I've tried it. lol I never had the desire to try this because I don't use Covergirl makeup & the products I have tried from Covergirl I haven't liked.

Let me start off by explaining why I was searching for a new mascara. I had a big dilemma I was facing with all of the mascaras I've been using. (YSL Faux Cils, MAC Zoomlash, LOREAL Extra Collagen & Voluminous, Maybelline Great Lash, etc) They all gave me smudges under my eyes!

I get little black dots that settle into my under eye makeup which is basically from my mascara rubbing against my skin when I blink, close my eyes.. or whatever. This happens a lot of times when you are wearing an oily/very dewy foundation or a heavy concealer. For example cake/cream concealers that tend to be very oily/greasy (ie: MAC Studio Finish Concealer, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Ben Nye Concealer, etc). And, we all know oil breaks up mascara so it will defiantly smudge when it comes in contact with oils. So you should always powder your under eyes with a setting powder to prevent smudging. I use MAC Blot Powder or Ben Nye Neutral Set Powder, and switched to a liquid concealer and even tried waterproof mascara! (And lots of other things.. lol) But, I was still having this problem. I started to just deal with it for a long time and just check my face often and rub under my eyes.

I was recommended to try a tubing mascara such as: Kiss Me Mascara or Loreal Double Extend Beauty Tube Mascara (reviewed here by Cheryl). Well, Instead on impulse I bought Covergirl Lash Blast.. not thinking for one second that it was most likely going to cause the smudging problem I had.

After the 1st use, I didn't really like it. Personally, I think you need to "break in" a mascara and use it for a week straight before you can really see how it works. 1st thoughts were, this wand is humongous, I hate the rubber/plastic wand (I like a normal mascara wand, not the rubber, plastic or comb wands) and it's like any other mascara on the market.

Well, I've been using it daily for two weeks and I'm in love. Yeah, yeah it doesn't really give me length. But, I have never used a mascara that SEPARATES as good as this. I don't own a lash comb, nor do I feel the need to ever comb out my spider lashes. I like dramatic lashes. But the problem with lots of volumizing mascaras is, they clump your lashes together like crazy so it looks like you have 5-10 long, fat lashes. This mascara, does not clump my lashes together at all. It also holds a great curl.. it doesn't weigh them down, and you can build good volume with it. AND, dun dun dun, IT DOESN'T SMUDGE! I've tried it with my Shiseido's Makeup Mascara Base and I get better results (a bigger curl, thicker lashes, slightly longer). Overall, I am thrilled with this and I recommend it to anyone that has had the same problem as me. :) I hope this helped!