Hoots of a Night Al

Beauty Blurbs: L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

June 1, 2015 7 Comments

Mascara is probably my favorite makeup item. I just think mascara is crucial for opening up my eyes and completing my makeup look. My favorite brand of mascara is typically Maybelline, but I recently branched out and tried L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara.

This mascara claims to separate and build lashes for bold volume. The wand is nothing spectacular or new. It’s a pretty “average” wand, if you will. The formula is pretty wet, and doesn’t contain any sort of lengthening fibers.

As you can see, whether from the formula or the brush, this mascara definitely DIDN’T separate my lashes. If anything, it made them clump some. I worked and worked with the brush to help separate them, but i’m not sure how much it helped.

Another complaint I have about this mascara is that it tended to flake and smear on me throughout the day. Granted, I first tested it in Houston, which is notoriously hot and humid. I have worn it since returning to San Antonio, and these issues have not been quite as bad, but it is definitely worth mentioning. My mom wears this mascara as well, and she has complained of similar things.

As I stated, the formula is pretty wet, so I had to wait quite a bit of time between coats. I am wearing two coats in all of these pictures, and when I’ve tried to wear three, it simply becomes too clumpy. While this isn’t the worst mascara I’ve ever tried, I definitely think there are better drugstore options available.

If you need to build a lot of volume for your lashes and you aren’t afraid of some clumping, feel free to give the L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara a try!

Beauty

Beauty Blurbs: Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in India Intrigue

May 29, 2015 2 Comments

Well, Revlon has done it again. You know I’ve been obsessed with their Balms forever, and I recently tried out their Colorstay Moisture Stain. My mom purchased a tube in the color India Intrigue, and I loved it so much, I had to buy some for myself!

The sleek packaging is great, except for the easily removable safety seal. I had to look through several tubes before I could find one that hadn’t been opened! People, if you want to try out makeup, go somewhere with testers or buy it somewhere you can return it…don’t ruin a product for the rest of us! As shown above, the applicator is a doe foot, which is my one complaint. I think it was a little bit difficult to apply, but I’ve gotten better with practice!

This “moisture stain” goes on like a gloss, but it’s not sticky at all. The color payoff is AMAZING! It perfectly matched how it looked in the tube, and it contains a small bit of glitter. Don’t worry, nothing too middle schoolish…just a nice sheen!

This vibrant, berry pink is the perfect color for summer, and the Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain has 11 colors that offer great variety. I’m hoping to pick up a more everyday color, next. I mean…this bright pink is everyday for me, but I meant an everyday color for the average person who rocks a more subdued look. 🙂

I’m still on the fence about whether or not I think this stain is moisturizing. The glossy look stays for a fair amount of time and the stain lasts for a LONG time. As you can see in the photos below, the wear after 8 hours is pretty remarkable. While, the gloss wore off after eating and drinking, the stain was there to stay!

I am super pleased with this stain, and I think it’s really great quality for the price ($7-$10). I am anxious to pick up more colors soon. Let me know what you think if you happen to try it out and which color you think I should try next!

Until next time! 🙂

Beauty

Beauty Blurbs: Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation

May 26, 2015 10 Comments

I figured it was high time for my first foundation review on Hoots of a Night Al, so I decided to start with one of my tried and true favorites. The Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation is a great, affordable, medium coverage foundation. With 14 shades to choose from, it will fit a range of skin tones. Another perk is that it can be found at most drugstores as well as Walmart and Target for around $10 or less.

As always, I typically apply my foundation with a MAC 187 duo fibre face brush. I have had this brush for years, and it really blends my foundation evenly. However, I have also applied this foundation with my fingers, and the results are still great.

As you can see in the photo below, one layer of the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 foundation covers almost all of my redness and helps with my under eye circles. The “3-in-1” claim implies that this foundation combines primer, concealer, and foundation in one step. I am happy to say it can be layered to achieve fuller coverage for trouble spots. Of course if you have more severe skin issues, a concealer will always aid in covering up those areas.

On my combination skin, the foundation lasts for around 10-12 hours without a primer, so I think their claims are pretty fair! With a primer, it lasts even longer, of course.

Another perk of this foundation is that it has SPF 20 included, so you’re helping to protect your skin all day. This product is unscented, which is nice. It has a relatively matte finish, and you can add a finishing powder to help your look stay fresh all day.

Covergirl’s Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation is one of my go-to drugstore foundations for the price and quality. If you’re looking for a reasonably priced product for everyday wear, I would give it a try!

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Beauty

Beauty Blurbs: Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin

April 28, 2015 7 Comments

The temperature is climbing in Texas, so it’s already summer in my mind! That means it’s time to break out my shorts, sandals, and bright lip colors (…and you may want to break out your sunglasses because my legs are blindingly pasty)! This lipstick is the perfect summer color, and it’s cheap enough that you’ll have enough money left over for a snow cone. 🙂

Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks have a huge range of color options, and my latest purchase is Vibrant Mandarin. This shade is from the Vivids collection, just like Vivid Rose, which I previously reviewed. Vibrant Mandarin, definitely lives up to its name.

It’s a bright coral-orange shade, but definitely not a true orange…er…mandarin. 😉 Vibrant Mandarin is very pigmented, and it has great color payoff. The formula is moisturizing and relatively long-wearing.

This lipstick would be perfect to pair with a simple everyday makeup look this summer. A little bronzer, a swipe of mascara, a coat of Vibrant Mandarin, and you’re ready to go!

Let me know if you’ve tried any Maybelline Color Sensational shades and have a recommendation for me!

And Happy (almost!) summmmmerrrr!!!

Beauty

Beauty Blurbs: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Adore

April 27, 2015 No Comments

Hey y’all! You already know about my love affair with Revlon lip colors, so I wanted to share another color I picked up: Adore. This shade is a brick color with a touch of shimmer.

Adore is a little more sheer than my other Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, which I don’t prefer. I like it when my lip color completely covers my lips. It still has a great color payoff, but I wanted to mention that it isn’t as pigmented as Crush, for example. The picture above is a picture of Adore just after application with the flash from my camera.

This picture shows the the balm stain in natural light. The color differs based on your natural lip color, as always. For example, my mom purchased this shade first, and it looks completely different on her! If you’re worried about how the shade will look on your own lips, I would recommend purchasing this product somewhere that will honor a refund like Ulta.

The brick color of this lip product makes it perfect for fall, but I think it can be worn in the warmer seasons as well. It’s a great alternative for someone wanting to ease into bolder lip colors, without jumping in with a bright red lip.

As with my other Revlon Balm Stains, this product has a good wear time, but it does rub off and leave a “lipliner effect” on me after eating or drinking. Also, after I have it on for awhile, it does feather a bit around my lip line. I still think it’s a great purchase, especially for the price point!

Thanks for reading my thoughts on Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Adore!

Until next time!