Weekly Cheap Secret: Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush Review

Weekly Cheap Secret:

I seriously do not know how or why I haven’t reviewed this product sooner. I guess it is one that I use so frequently that I forget about it? I really didn’t mean to take it for granted. This is a product that I really like and it retails for under $6.

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush has a mousse texture. It blends nicely and feels weightless on the skin. It works great on my normal skin type. I love that it feels like it isn’t there at all. This texture feels much more expensive than what the product retails for. I’ve used $30 blushes that were going for this effect and couldn’t achieve it. I’m not naming names. There aren’t many colors available. There are six to be exact. However, there are a few I really like. ( I loved Whipped Strawberries but I can’t find it on the website. That was the perfect flushed pink for pale skins.) I like Pink Frosting, a pale pink shimmer that I usually use as a highlighter, and Peach Satin, a sheer pale peach. Both colors are sheer so I choose to layer them and layer them for more color. I apply this blush with my fingertips. I only use a tiny amount. I rub it on to the cheeks. There is no tugging since this product has such a smooth texture. I layer and layer until I get what I want. I’ve used deeper colors (Cloud Wine) and “one coat” was enough to get what I wanted. It doesn’t streak with extended wear. Like I said before, my skin is normal, rarely super dry or oily. When I dip my fingers into the pot, I occasionally get little clumpy Maybelline Dream Mousse bunnies. This doesn’t bother me. I’ll either wipe it on the rim of the jar or I was going to use that much cream blush anyways, so it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that it doesn’t clump or streak on my skin. It doesn’t do that. (It is gross when it gets under the nails. Sometimes I use the end of a makeup brush to dip it out onto my hand, then my finger tips so that I’m not digging in the pot.)

My complaints are that the colors are limited. Just like all drugstore makeup, they start with a few perfect colors that compete with department store brands but then get rid of them for unknown reasons. There aren’t enough colors for medium to deep skin tones.  If you are pale with normal skin this can be a perfect blush for you. It looks natural, somehow the shimmer ones look natural too. (Well, that is coming from me and I don’t mind shimmer on my complexion to give me a “plastic” look). It’s a great price at under $6. The packaging is hefty and glass. It seems like it is “more” than what it is.

It is available at most drugstores and drugstore.com.

 

Givenchy Maharani Spring 2009 Makeup Collection

Just in time with America’s newest obsession with India, thanks Slumdog Millionaire, there is Givenchy’s Maharani Spring 2009 collection. It is inspired by the “sensual and refined beauty of Indian women”. Wow, that isn’t generalizing. Don’t get me wrong. I believe that Indian women deserved to be in the spotlight, Indians do in general. Especially Indian Americans who make up a large population in the U.S. and who are rarely seen in the media. India is a very “exotic” place to most Americans. They mainly think of spicy food and hot Bollywood babes. But, generalizing groups is always a very dangerous practice. Creating looks on a “culture’s ornate clothing and makeup” is a bit generalizing. But, at least it is a bit positive. I mean what country doesn’t want to be known for its beautiful women? I’m sure most want to be known for their great values and minds, but hey this is a makeup/fashion company we are talking about here! We’re selling an image only. Lancome did the India thing this past fall. I liked Lancome’s ad because it had a lovely lady of color. Plus the bronzes and oranges together were lovely. I guess some almost positive press is better than none.

FACE: There are two Sari Glow Iridescent Blushes. There is Maharani Orange which is a golden peach glow and Maharani Pink which is a pink glow. Both retail for $42. There are two Prismissime Eye and Face Compacts. There is one in Maharani Apricots. It is filled with nine bronzy browns, warm tans, and perfect peaches. There is Maharani Pinks filled with nine summer tans, pinks, and taupes. Both retail for $53. I do like both of these because they are multi-functional and the possibilities are endless.

EYES: There is a Magic Kahal Eye Pencil in Black. This is a super dark and thick black pencil. It retails for $21.50. There are two Precious Sari Glittering Eyeshadow. These are gel/cream shadows that pair nicely with bold lips. There is Maharani Silver and Maharani Gold. These retail for $26.

LIPS: There are two Rouge Interdit Satin Lipsticks. There is Maharani Rose which is a deep but bright pink and Maharani Henna which is a deep brick red. These go for $27 and have lovely packaging.

Overall the collection is a “hot” and “spicy” with magentas and corals. It is pretty enough. I like light, sheer metallic eyes with bold lips. That is a look I usually go for in the summer. However, I think the looks could of had a better ad campaign. There is something for both warm and cool skins. Everything is housed in ultra luxury Givenchy packaging. It’s pretty but expensive. And it kills me that the company is idolizing Indian women and I am sure that they don’t even offer a foundation, concealer, or powder in a shade that will suit most Indian ladies.

 

Weekly Cheap Find: Covergirl Cheekers & Instant Cheekbones Blush

Covergirl Cheekers Blush is one of my many stupid addictions. I love this stuff. It is cheap so I can own like every one, about $3.50 each. It is one of my favorite blush formulas ever. Trust me I have dabbled in them all. This blush is up there with my NARS and Guerlain Divonora. I love it. I love it because many of the formulas contain lots of shimmer. It makes my skin look dewy but still like plastic. The shimmer particles are so fine, they are like pixie dust. There is a wide range of colors. The formula does have an “odd” odor. I guess. I actually like it. It has a Noxzema aroma. I can’t use Noxzema because it burns the hell out of my face but I do love its “squeaky clean” smell and the “natural” beauty marketing. The blush smells faintly of Noxzema. The colors wear all day. Some of my favorite shades include: Classic Pink which is a just worked out flushed pink, Snow Plum which is a light pinky plum shimmer, Pretty Peach which is a true peaches and cream with shimmer, Golden Pink which is a warm rust with gold shimmer, Cinnamon Toast which is a warm tan shimmer and Plum Plush which is a deeper violet with tons of gold shimmer. All of the shades make the skin look healthy and like it is “glowing”. The only blush that I have found similar are the ones in the Too Faced Quickie Chronicles. But, they are more expensive and you have to purchase other stuff too.

I also like Covergirl Instant Cheekbones Contouring Blush. It is the same formula as Cheekers but it comes with three fab shades. They retail for less than $5. I love Peach Perfection which contains three shimmery tones of peach and Purely Plum which contains three shades of cool plummy pinks. The colors can be used to “contour” but I usually just swirl a brush around all three to create one shade. The one thing that I must mention about CG products is that the brush it comes with totally sucks. I would recommend attaching it to your key ring so that you could attack any potential muggers with it. The brush actually hurts to use. Not that many of us actually use the applicators that our cosmetics come with, but I am just warning those that do. Blush should be applied with a soft (comfortable!) and fluffy blush. This helps to achieve a nice flush. No stripes!

 

Sephora Brand Professionnel Bronzer Brush #44 Review

I bought this brush over two years ago and it still looks as good as the first day I used it. This has been one great investment. This brush has survived daily use and weekly washes. I love it. It rarely ever sheds. It is dense and the bristles are soft. It is the perfect size and it distributes bronzer perfectly. I typically use it with Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil, NARS Bronzer, and Clarins Bronzer. All of them work so well with this brush. I swipe it on and buff it out. With bronzer,  I apply everything in four big strokes: forehead, both cheek bones, and down the nose. The handle is thick and isn’t too stubby. It’s sturdy. It sells for $25 which isn’t a horrible price, especially for something used daily that is great quality. I keep it clean by washing it weekly with a gentle soap such as my shampoo or face wash. Sometimes I use a hand soap because it is antibacterial. I’m really impressed with how well this brush has held up. I think it should be in everyone’s brush collection.

 

Box-O-Powder: A Guide To Benefit Cosmetics Boxed Powders

Benefit is known for their catchy, kitschy packaging, names and advertising. Everyone has to admit that is why we gave them a try to begin with. If you still haven’t tried any of Benefit’s products then you should. Not all of their products are great, they can be expensive and hokey. But most of them are nice. For instance, some of those little boxes of powder.

First, the packaging of these are usually cute. Functional, um..no, cute…yes. I have mine on my dresser because I don’t want them to break or get nasty in my makeup bag. If you have put yours in with your other makeup and have traveled, please let me know what happened. I just have a feeling it ended up being shattered…Anyways, most of the powders are lightly scented, very lightly and have a nice texture. They come with huge flat brushes that I rarely use because it deposits too much color in one area. I’ll start my guide with the first box I ever tried.

Dandelion: The Perk-Me-Up Pink Powder– This is a non-chalky pale pink powder with a hint of shimmer and a light floral fragrance. It comes in a cute dandelion puff box. When I bought this back in the day, the sales associate sold it to me like a blush. Yeah, whatever. Not enough color for me, this is sheer stuff. You’d have to have like a gallon of Benetint under it to show up. You could use it as a blush if you were terrified of blush and were scared of having 80’s flashbacks when applying something with pigment. I lightly brush it all over and it adds a little color in a good way. It makes me look alive if I am sallow.

Georgia: A Peach Face Powder That Radiates Sunshine– This one is more my speed because I’ve always wanted an Uma Thurman peaches and cream complexion. It’s a sheer peach powder with a little shimmer and a peach scent. It warms my complexion and I like it better than most bronzers. It too can be used as a blush like Dandelion if you want minimal pigment, but I like it all over. The box has a graphic peach on it. It could have cuter packaging in my opinion.

Hoola: A Natural Bronzing Powder– This is a deeper bronze shade matte bronzing powder. I can’t remember the scent because I never purchased it. This is too dark for my skintone and has a tendency to look mucky. I have a friend that uses it, she is way more tan than me and it looks awesome on her. Her skin is oily and she prefers to have a bronzer without shimmer since she spends good money and time to not look shiny. The packaging has an orchid on it and the brush has a teal handle. Do not use the brush with this stuff. It will mess you up and make you look like a zebra. Use a normal bronzer brush for a natural look.

Dallas: The Perfect Combination of Bronzer and Blush– This is a sheer rosy bronze shade with a hint of shimmer. Sorry again, I didn’t buy this so I can’t remember the fragrance. This can be used as a blush or as a bronzer. This color is all wrong for me. It’s too pink to be a bronzer and to dark to be a blush. It works for some folks. My mom loves it but she is really tan. The box is cute with a chick riding a horse into the sunset. I want to love it because I love the packaging. The Benefit website says it is for everyone but that ain’t true.

10– This is a nice powder that is you’re supposed to do the “sexy sweep” with. I don’t. I apply it with a normal brush where I want to. One side is a perfect pale, shimmery pearl pink that is an awesome highlighter and eyeshadow. When I use it I get tons of complements and look flawless. I brush a little over the cheekbones. The other side is a shimmery bronzer that works with my skintone. It is a great contouring set. Both sides can be used as shadow and the colors look great on the body too. It is a very versatile product. I just don’t like the “sexy sweep” which is when you apply the powder with pink side up and the bronze side down and sweep. It doesn’t blend correctly and never looks even. Use a normal brush. And the packaging is stupid looking. It has like a rhinestone belt on it and some outline of a lady. Not cute. And I can’t smell it.

Thrrrob: A “turned-on” Face Powder– Gross, my face powder does not have sexual feelings. Anyways this is a brighter pink with a little shimmer that is supposed to look like a natural heart-racing flush, we know what they mean. It’s a nice color, especially as a blush. I don’t like it all over. I don’t look great with a pink face. It could work if you had that color in your skin. I’m kind of yellow. The packaging is a red and pink corset or something. It’s kind of tacky.

Each box-o-powder sells for $28 and comes in a cardboard box with a flatbuki style brush.