Old but still sad news...

So this information has been out there but I still wanted to address it now that I am back to blogging...

Two of my go-to makeup brands are going out of business! They have been staples for years but unfortunately we all know that in this economy no business or individual is really safe!
In case you don't know who these companies are....

Max Factor and Prescriptives...so sad.

Now Max Factor has been around forever...If you want some background on the company - check out their Wikipedia page here. They have made countless innovations in nearly every field of cosmetics - umm...they created foundation, lip gloss and waterproof mascara for goodness sakes!

And Prescriptives, while not as old as Max Factor was seriously formative for me in middle school and high school and they are a current favorite of makeup artists and celebrities. They have done amazing things in many areas of cosmetics and skin care including being the first company to really come out with any kind of cream highlighter or reflective makeup with their *Magic line. ( Some day I will share with you my nightmare black light experience with one of their early reflective lotions!)

Anyhoo - the saddest part for me of both of these companies going out of business (besides the obvious real world concerns of job loss etc..) is that these two companies carry two of my ultimate go-to products.

Max Factor makes the AMAZING Lash Perfection Mascara. A perfect separator, lash-coater and darkener for each and everyone of your lashes. Plus it is UBER affordable at $8.99!!
I will be going out and purchasing many many of these tubes of mascara...They are amazing and will be sorely missed! If you go out to buy this - just remember LASH PERFECTION- sometimes the packaging is different.

Prescriptives makes more than one product that I have used over the years - from eye shadows to concealer to fragrance. One that I have purchased over and over is the awesome Traceless Foundation. It is light, smooth as silk and provides great coverage without looking like you are wearing foundation. It literally just makes your skin the very best it can be. I am SO sad that Prescriptives is going away- this is THE ONLY liquid foundation I buy. Not surprisingly - Traceless is totally out of stock on line. You are going to have to hit a Prescriptives counter if you want a container of this gem.

Both of these companies are being shut down and pulled off the shelves in January 2010. So if you are a Max Factor or a Prescriptives fan- get your goods now!

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND

Disappointment of the week - July 16th, 2009

I have a sad review to deliver today. I was pretty excited to try this product being as how I loooove mascara. And while I can't give this lash beautifier a perfect score by any stretch of the imagination- it is not all bad. Which is why I am still reviewing it today but calling it my disappointment as opposed to my product of the week.

Revlon Double Twist MascaraLet's start with the good of this mascara. The formula is actually excellent. Seriously defines, lengthens, thickens...all the things you want a mascara to do. It is actually one of the best formulas I have ever used. It doesn't flake or smear and it can easily be layered for a more dramatic effect. If I was simply reviewing the product inside the tube - this mascara would be an A+.

Now for the bad news...the brush is HORRIFIC. I know that is what they were going for when designing and marketing this product but the brush is the downfall of this Revlon item. First off, it is huge. You can barely get it through the opening in the tube. And the combo of the thickening brush and the silicon separators just creates a clumpy mess. When you pull the brush out of the tube the top half of the brush is cleanly covered with mascara while the bottom half looks like you spread the mascara on the bristles with a thick Spackle. It is BAD.

The only way I have managed to still be able to use this mascara is to clean off the bottom bristles with a tissue when I pull the brush out and then try to focus the application with the upper bristles. You waste a ton of product when doing this so sadly I am not expecting this tube to last very long.

So if you have a coupon for this mascara and you need one....I say go ahead and buy it. Or perhaps if you don't care about the brush- the formula is still worth a try. But really- it is just a big fat disappointment.

Keep looking fabulous!
BGND

Good vibrations

Well kids, I am sure you have seen the ads...I am sure you have seen the inserts...I am sure you heard the buzz - literally.

I am of course talking about the newest make-up fad on the market- "Vibrating Mascara". Now if you have not heard of this new fancy invention you may be thinking - "wtf"? Well let me tell you I have heard nothing but raves. The concept is simple, your mascara wand vibrates as you use it thereby depositing more mascara on your lashes but doing so without clumps and without your hand getting tired from the application of 15 coats per lash. It is new and fancy and the latest trick out there to get you ridiculously long lashes.

I have not tried out the vibrating wands yet but like I said, I have heard nothing but major kuddos. My one biggest complaint? The price tag! Of course for a make-up implement to be actually mechanical one cannot assume that the price will be under $20 (but BGND can dream!)



The best reviewed vibrating mascaras on the market?


Lancome Oscillation - $34 (Lancome counters nationwide and online at Lancome.com)

Now first things first- $34 - OUCH! That is some pricey lash ink! However, the brush literally oscillates to coat each and every lash from every angle and good old Lancome is known and thought by many to be THE industry standard when it comes to mascara. So in BGND's opinion, go big or go home. If you are looking to try out this (somewhat ridiculous) new invention - go with the grandaddy of them all.

Now I am not totally sold on the necessity of this kind of mascara - I have my good old fashioned favorites. However, make-up shouldn't be safe or have boundaries so I like that this is an out-of-the-box idea and I am going to roll with it.

So BGND readers, if you do pick up some of this mascara or any of the other vibrating brands- report- let me know what you think and let the great vibrate debate begin!

Keep looking fabulous!

BNGD

A review and a new recommendation....

I am obsessed with lashes right now, not sure why but I am rolling with it....

So a few updates on some of my latest musings on lashes...

1 - I have now used my free gift of Zoom Lash by MAC a few times and am not totally impressed. It covers lashes well and does the length thing pretty satisfactorily but it does cause my number one no-no when it comes to mascara. It FLAKES- ugh and gives you that icky dark under eye circle caused by mascara that does not stay on! Now, I will say this....If you are doing a smokey eye or an edgier look I am not totally opposed to have some under eye darkness a la Debbie Harry...

But for everyday - I am NOT a fan of anything that makes you look less polished and more tired.

2 - I was running late yesterday and had to do some eye make-up in the car (no worries- I wasn't driving!).....and instead of bringing my full size go-to mascara I used my in-purse back-up...another freebie I had received, this time Clinique High Impact Mascara - $14 (nationwide at Clinique counters, Sephora and online at Clinique.com). ( I like to keep all my mini's in my purse for just this reason- I will use them and can then perhaps add them to my rotation.) And holy cow! It is fantastic!! Never mind the fact that it was put on in a moving car in a little tiny mirror, it made my lashes full, dark, long and they actually stayed that way for my entire rehearsal (through sweat and all.)

This is definitely going to be a new favorite of mine- try it out - I think you will love it too!

Have a great weekend and keep looking fabulous!
BGND

Lashing Out

The holiday weekend is over, we have all survived (barely!) and I am coming to you with a little end of summer pick-up that one of the loyal BGND readers tipped me off to! (Thanks Lauren!)
Hopefully this lovely set from Sephora will get you excited for fall and new products!!
So without further ado.....drum roll please...



The Lash Stash by Sephora - $28 (Sephoras nationwide and online at Sephora.com- see link below)

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P217701&categoryId=S10510&shouldPaginate=true

This is a fabulous and AFFORDABLE mascara kit that I cannot believe I did not know about! You get 7 travel size mascaras from some of Sephora's best selling lines. Now sometimes I am not a fan of these kind of kits....you end up buying it for one thing and then you never end up using what is in the rest of the kit because the colors are weird or it's some odd product that no one really ever has a use for.

That is not the case here! Mascara is the perfect product to have in a kit like this...you can mix and match and try things out and potentially find your next great mascara love. Plus, even if you don't love the other mascaras as your solid go-to everyday mascara, these travel size tubes are perfect for stashing in your purse to lightly refresh your mascara before you go out at night....or when you leave the house without finishing your make-up....or for when you have been crying at the movies...you get the idea.

One word to the wise, I have used the BadGal Lash from Benefit before and am not really a fan. I love Benefit but the mascara is sub par. However, even if you removed it from the kit 6 other little mascaras to try at $28 dollars is still an amazing deal.

Go forth and bat those lashes!!

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND