Mascara Sampling: Lancome Hypnose Drama vs. Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume

Somehow, I've managed to collect quite a few mascaras. Mostly samples, as I've stuck to buying only drugstore options this year. In any event, the pile of sample mascaras still grows, even though I try to give them away frequently! The other day I decided to try out two of the mascaras in the pile. (Yes, one on each eye!) Lancome Hypnose Drama in Excessive Black has Lancome's signature rose scent. I don't know why, but I always find putting something rose scented on my eyes a bit strange. What if I was allergic to roses? That aside, I did like the look of the s-curved brush, but wasn't entirely sure of how to best use it. Based on the name, I expected the mascara to offer major drama, perhaps even in one coat, and it did not have that effect on my lashes. My lashes are also quite fine, so I always worry about having a spider lash effect with mascaras. While this mascara didn't do that, comparing it to the Laura Mercier option did make my lashes look a bit... scraggly. Not spidery, but scraggly. Like, not perfectly strong and straight... Perhaps it was the wand, or my lack of skill with it. Either way, this is finding a new home with a makeup friend since I don't have time to use it up! Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara is one that I should have tried sooner. A friend tried it this past spring and swears by it, and I've had this sample sitting around all this time. It really offers definition to my lashes, yet still looks fully natural. YAY. My friend loves it because it never flakes or smudges, and I have to say it really doesn't. I haven't tried crying or swimming with it or anything, but this mascara survives normal everyday wear (even with a bit of eye rubbing!) Since it is not waterproof and washes off VERY easily, I suspect it wouldn't hold up to a day at the beach or a tearful event. However, I'm definitely going to stick with this one and see how I like it as time passes. So far so good, though! Definition, length, and easy removal are all great features in my book! I can't wait to see how it pairs with my trusty Diorshow Maximizer, which really just makes every mascara infinitely more amazing.

I don't know why I don't have a proper photo of this, but here's a quick snap I took of the two mascaras on my eyes. Can you tell a difference?

What do you think of these mascaras? Have you tried either? Do you have any mascaras that I NEED to try? :)

Thanks For A Great Year!

I can't believe my blog turns 1 today! Thank you all for the great year - we've had so many amazing conversations, and I am so glad to have met you all. I can't even fathom how you discovered my little blog, but I'm so happy that you did and have been here to share my beauty obsessions with me.

YAY! I really am SO excited to have met all of you, even those of you who never, or rarely, comment. (Please don't be afraid to say hi, tweet or email me if you'd like!) I am really incredibly appreciative of the support you've shown me and all of the product obsessions we've had in the last year.

Thank you, thank you! Here's to another year of fun! :)

Winter Skin Routine: Ole Henriksen On the Go Cleanser

In the summer, I purchased Ole Henriksen's Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser, which was a very nice cleanser yet a little bit drying for me. (As it turns out, now that it is cold, it is VERY drying for me and somewhat drying on my boyfriend's skin as well! If only I had done my research, I would have realized this Aloe Vera Cleanser was for oily skin! Alas, it seemed nice when we played with it at Sephora, and I bought it impulsively!) I was very keen on trying another cleanser from the line, so sometime at the end of summer, I picked up this cheerful, orange cleanser, and I am so glad I did. This is much more appropriate for my skin type, especially as the weather turns cold and EVERYTHING in the cold Chicago air just makes me feel dry and horrible. 

As you might be able to see from the above photo, the gel texture of this cleanser is quite creamy, almost sticky looking even. This creaminess is quite nice in the winter weather, but was a bit strange feeling at first when I started using it at the end of August. One thing to be careful of as well is if you lather too much on, it can be more work to wash it off, and at that point it CAN feel slightly sticky, especially if you forget to wash it all off... But then again, what doesn't if you pile it on? ;)  Just thought I'd put that out there as a word of warning, as I definitely have done this a number of times because I am generally inept at rinsing things off... (Shampoo is a major culprit, if you've heard the stories of me leaving shampoo bits in my hair. Silly me. LOL)

On the Go Cleanser has a light citrus scent that isn't quite orange, and isn't exactly like the On the Go Wipes, which actually smell like creamsicles to me. In any event, the scent is sort of a mix between a light citrus and the comforting "clinical" clean smell that I associate with doctor's skincare brands such as DDF or Peter Thomas Roth. The scent doesn't last more than a few minutes after you wash your face, which is great as well. I don't know really how else to describe the scent, but it sure does make me feel clean!

This cleanser does not make my skin feel tight or dry in general, and it has not broken me out at all. Due to the weather, I do need a good moisturizer still, but in better environmental conditions I could do just fine with a layer of Nars Tinted Moisturizer, or a lightweight moisturizer or serum. With the Aloe Vera Cleanser, I found that at times my skin overproduced oils and caused minor breakouts, but that did not happen to my boyfriend as his skin type is more normal than mine. On the Go cleanser is a much better option for me, and offers the bit of moisture I need to properly start off my winter skin care routine.

I'll definitely be using this throughout the winter this year, and I know I could enjoy it year round! What are your favorite winter time cleansers? Have you tried this or any other cleansers from Ole Henriksen? :)

Quick Beauty Questions!

I am SO tired this week, I don't know how I'll manage to keep up! Here are the beauty questions that have been on my mind. :)

• How many foundations is too many? (Or is there such a thing?) Is one for each skin tone appropriate? Or one of each finish, for example tinted moisturizer, heavy coverage, etc?
• Save or spend? Do you buy only when there are sales or all year round? How about when a sale comes up, do you take it as an opportunity to save money you would've spent later?

In other beauty news, I got a sample of Jo Malone Assam & Grapefruit and Chantecaille Just Skin. I'm so excited to try both! Have you tried these products before? Also, weigh in on my questions above! :)