UPDATED REVIEW: COVERGIRL OUTLAST 3-IN-1 FOUNDATION

So I've been using the Covergirl Outlast 3-IN-1 foundation for a little bit now and I'm sad to say my feelings for this foundation have changed drastically. Let me tell you why..

1. COVERAGE: I think I was a little jaded when I first reviewed this foundation. I thought it was full coverage but it really isn't. Maybe it's because now I have more break outs thanks to this foundation? Yes, this foundation has broken me out. I didn't want to believe it was the foundation so I continued to use it then soon realized it didn't cover any acne/redness on my face at all. It almost looked as though I had put a BB cream on my face. I had to use concealer in order to cover any blemishes.

2. LASTING POWER: Without a little extra help from concealer, this foundation begins to fade throughout the day. I've never had that problem with other foundations before. I don't know why. It seems as though this foundation like really sinks into your pores. (Possibly the reason for causing my break outs?)

3. THE FOUNDATION GETS DARKER? Yes, the foundation gradually gets darker as it sets into my skin. So much for taking all that time out to pick the perfect shade I guess? I feel like as the foundation sets it gets a shade or two darker from when I first apply it. It's awesome if I would have gotten a color too light for my skin tone but unfortunately that was not the case.


RE-CONSENSUS: 
My bad. I pretty much just contradicted everything I said in my initial review of this foundation but I felt the need to correct myself. I guess that goes to show you should actually use a product consistently for awhile before reviewing it lol. I was just so taken aback by how great it was the first time I applied it until now where I'm not happy with it. My main issue is that it has broken me out which sucks for me because I don't just get one little pimple I get a TON. I think I am going to try out a different foundation that I've heard some hype about so stay tuned!

HOW TO: Get long, healthy, hair

I don't know what it is but I feel so much more confident with longer hair than I do when my hair is shorter. I've always loved having long hair and I absolutely DREAD going to get my hair cut. I have grown my hair out several times: the longest it has been was almost to my butt and currently it's about halfway down my back. Here are some tips that I've discovered that have helped the health as well as speed up the process of growing my hair.

1. ELIMINATE HEAT: Well obviously this is a no brainer. Heat products are extremely damaging to your hair and can cause split heads which makes your hair look unhealthy and actually shorter than it really is! I try to use the least amount of heating tools as possible. I rarely use a hair dryer and stick to using curling irons and flat irons for limited occasions. Seriously, this can help significantly for the health of your hair. ESPECIALLY, if you're trying to grow it out. (If you do use a lot of heat products, ALWAYS make sure to use a heat protectant. Be generous with it because this is the barrier between your actual hair and the heat).

2. STAY AWAY FROM BLEACH: Do not, I REPEAT, DO NOT, bleach your hair. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way the affects that bleach can have. I got the under part of my hair bleached blonde almost a year ago and my hair is still seeing the affects of it. All of my hair that was bleached is unhealthy and has broken off to the point where my hair that is underneath is shorter than my hair on top. Weird, I know. Thankfully, it's only underneath my hair. It's been a process trying to rejuvenate the hair that was so damaged from the bleach. In general, stay away from over processing your hair. It really really takes a toll.

3. USE A DEEP CONDITIONER: I feel like my deep conditioner has saved my hair. I use one from TRESemme and it has done wonders to bring life back to my hair. I use it about once or twice a month and it leaves my hair feeling soft and healthy.

4. TAKE BIOTIN: I researched a lot about the vitamin biotin before purchasing it. It's amazing for hair growth as well as good for your skin and nail growth. I've been taking it for about a month now and I can see a huge change in my hair. It feels thicker and stronger than it did before. I'm not sure about hair growth though - I haven't been taking it for long but if I do see any progress I will definitely post about it!

5. SLEEP WITH YOUR HAIR DOWN: I'm guilty for sleeping with my hair in a pony tail or bun at night. The problem with this is the hair tie can pull your hair out at night and it is also suffocating to your hair. I know I've woken up in the morning seeing a few stray hairs on my pillow and I realized that since I move around so much at night without realizing that my hair was being pulled at the same time.

6. DON'T WASH YOUR HAIR DAILY: When you wash your hair every day it eliminates the natural oils in your hair that helps it become healthy and grow. I used to wash my hair every day because I thought it looked oily but now I wash it around every 3 or 4 days. I've noticed a huge difference in my hair: build up is eliminated, my hair doesn't get as oily as it used to, and my hair just looks healthier and shinier. (Still shower daily lol just avoid washing your hair).

7. GET YOUR HAIR TRIMMED EVERY 6 WEEKS: The best way to eliminate split ends from ruining the process of growing out healthy hair, make sure you are getting your hair trimmed. I'm guilty of not doing this but it seriously makes that much of a difference. I've actually taught myself to trim my own hair so it's cheap. There are plenty of tutorials on youtube that make it easy to trim your own hair. I've also noticed that my hair looks longer when I trim it more often (weird, right?)


I hope some of my tips helped you guys out! I'm no expert but I do love having long hair and try my best to keep it healthy. :)

IPSY MARCH GLAM BAG REVIEW

So it's that time of the month again to review the wonderful wonders of the Ipsy glam bag! Some good, some bad, some I don't know if I should cancel my subscription. This bag was okay.

THE BAG: Thank you, Ipsy. FINALLY. The bag actually has a cute pattern. I'm digging the nautical/spring break theme. I love the sailor print. The quality is the usual. I'm pretty sure I broke the zipper when closing it the first time but it's okay!

LA FRESH MAKE UP REMOVER WIPES: Cool. I can always use some make up remover wipes. They're cute and pink and travel sized. Besides that, they're just your average make up wipes. Nothing special about them. You could probably find similar at your local dollar store.

GLAMRX MINI FREESTYLE PALETTE: Love this! It's a cute palette that you can add little eyeshadows/blushes etc. that are magnetic on the back. It has a cute mirror in it and it's definitely great for travel. I really like the idea of this!

YABY EYESHADOW REFIL: I received two mini eyeshadows to go inside the GlamRx palette. The two colors I have are Sand Dune which is obviously a sandy color and So Vein which is a green/teal color. I was excited about the green eyeshadow since St. Patrick's day is this upcoming weekend! Unfortunately, the eyeshadows aren't that pigmented and are actually kind of chalky. I can work with them though. A good primer may help.

JUICE BEAUTY HYDRATING MIST: This is a good size mist that I guess it used to hydrate your skin when it's warm outside. Well, it smells like ass. Sorry for being so blunt but even my boyfriend told me I smelled like a grandma after spraying this (lol). I think that's pretty much self explanatory. If a guy notices it smells bad, then it really does.

CONSENSUS:
There were definitely some hits and misses in this bag. Honestly, I don't expect this company to please everyone all the time. It's impossible. Personally for myself, I don't know if it's worth the money anymore. I don't use the majority of the products I receive so it's kind of waste. It is definitely awesome for trying out new things though which is why I'm kind of on the fence! We will see what next month holds and then I think I will decide whether to stay or unsubscribe!

MY FAVORITE ELF PRODUCTS

Elf has quickly become one of my favorite brands for two really good reasons: 1. it's CHEAP and 2. it's good quality! Elf can be found at Target but I usually just order from eyeslipsface.com since they have everything on there and it's free shipping. The following are my current favorite products from Elf.

1. EYESHADOW PRIMER: I've heard from many reviews that this primer is a dupe for Urban Decay's Primer Potion. I completely agree: this eyeshadow primer does great at eliminating creases and prolonging wear of eyeshadow. It's such a steal for $3!

2. EYESHADOW IN SOCIALITE: I'm absolutely in love with this color. It's a gorgeous plumy shade and if you love sparkly eyeshadow this is definitely perfect. It's so pigmented and it makes my brown eyes pop. I haven't tried it wet yet but I'm sure it will be even better. These shadows come in a bunch of colors too which is awesome.

3. CONTOURING BLUSH AND BRONZING POWDER IN TURKS AND CAICOS: I've heard this is a dupe for Nar's blush and bronzer duo and it totally is. The packaging is almost identical and the quality is great. I love the bronzer for contouring. It's a matte brown which makes it great to accentuate cheek bones.

4. MAKE UP REMOVER WIPES: These are cheap make up remover wipes that makes my life a hell of a lot easier. I can be lazy sometimes when it comes to taking off my make up and these do a great job and removing all face and eye make up as well.

5. SHIMMERING FACIAL WHIP IN LILAC PETAL: I've heard this is a dupe for Benefit's high beam and although I've never tried the high end brand I've seen swatches on youtube and this is exactly the same. Except... it's only $1. I love putting this on my cheek bones. It's such a great highlight.

6. FACE BRUSH: Love this brush to apply powder, blush, bronzer, EVERYTHING. Great quality and it blends everything perfectly.

7. MAKE UP MIST&SET: I love this for setting my make up. It ensures that my make up stays on all day and I've definitely noticed a huge difference when using this. It keeps my make up in place and makes sure my foundation continues to stay full coverage which I love.

8. EYELINER PEN: The felt tip on this eyeliner makes doing a winged look easy, even for people who suck at doing winged liner (like myself). I've used so many different eyeliners to do the wing affect like gel, mechanical, pencil, etc. and this is the only one seriously that makes it so much easier and actually look good!

REVIEW: NAKED PALETTE

The first question I asked myself before getting Urban Decay's Naked Palette: Is it worth it? The answer is YES. Yes, it is. For $50 you are paying for twelve quality eyeshadows that are extremely versatile. You can use this palette in the daytime for a softer look or at night for a dramatic smokey eye. Oh, and the bonus: this palette also comes with Urban Decay's well known eyeshadow primer potion and a great eyeshadow brush as well.

I use this palette very frequently and have had it for over a year now. I haven't even hit pan on any eyeshadows yet (almost on half baked though: a gorgeous shimmery gold shade). I love how this palette has shimmery shades as well as matte. I love using the shade Virgin as a brow bone and inner corner highlight. The shade Naked is great as a transition color for the crease and I love using Sin for a lid color. 

If you prefer cooler toned colors, I'd go for the Naked 2. If you're like me and you prefer warm tones then definitely go for the original Naked palette! I know $50 seems like a splurge but trust me: this is such a staple in my make up collection. I can't tell you how many eyeshadow palettes I have and I'm constantly reaching for this one!

REVIEW: MAYBELLINE THE ROCKET VOLUME MASCARA

I cannot begin to tell you how many mascaras I have tried over the years. I am constantly trying out new mascaras and new combinations that will boost the volume and length of my lashes. I LOVE Maybelline mascaras and I think they are the best drugstore options out there. The Rocket Volume is one of their newest and I am in love.

PACKAGING: Um, ADORABLE. Maybe I'm a little biased because pink and blue are two of my favorite colors but I am obsessed. It is a pretty big tube which is a pun for the name, but I love it.

THE WAND: The wand actually kind of reminds me of the wand that is in Benefit's They're Real mascara. There are a lot of mini bristles and it's a pretty decent size wand. It does a great job at making sure the lashes are separated, not clumpy, when applying.

THE RESULTS: This mascara leaves my lashes voluminous as if I were wearing false lashes. Although I like to combine different mascaras, sometimes I will just wear this mascara alone. That's how good it is. Honestly, one coat does the job but if you're looking for that false lashes look then for sure 2-3 coats is optimal. 

CONSENSUS: 

This is a MUST HAVE in your mascara collection. The formula is great, the wand is perfect, and it does a great job at making lashes look awesome. Although my favorite mascara was Maybelline's the Falsies, I'm pretty sure this one has it beat!