Anastasia Lash Lifting Mascara in Black ($22)
Pros: A medium length brush that gently separates and lengthens each lash, but also tapers at the end for easy access to the hard to reach corner lashes. Also, easy to apply to the bottom lashes without getting mascara all over your under-eye skin. It gives very good volume and, what I really love, is that it doesn't require any lash primer. It actually has hard waxes and synthetic polymers in it. I tried it with the Lancome Cils primer I previously blogged about and it made absolutely no difference. It's also pretty easy to take off with eye makeup remover.Cons: Even though the product suggests the mascara "instantly thickens and curls in one stroke", it still takes a bit more than a single stroke. It's is also not sold in any other colors.
The Verdict: This is my favorite mascara tried to date. Anastasia is known for her awesome eyebrow products and this one goes right down as the mascara to have. It does help with volume, lengethening, separating and curl. That's a big job for such a small product.
Duwop Lash Venom ($24)
Pros: It does lengthen the lashes and, if that is your particular eyelash issue, then this product might be worth a try. It's very short applicator means that you really have to concentrate on each lash, which is partly why it works so well.Cons: The product really doesn't do more than one thing - lengthen. It is supposed to provide volume and definition, but I just don't see it. It's also kind of pricey and takes awhile to apply. Now, the product does allege it has a hair strengthener in it that works over time. I've never really noticed "weak" lashes.
The Verdict: If you need a lengthener only, this might work for you. Otherwise, it seems like a waste of money.
Now, let's discuss a product that I had such high hopes for and, therefore, should have known it was not going to work. It's like thinking you found the fountain of youth and discovering that someone is just pouring Gatorade in it. I tried Cosmedicine Insant Wrinkle Write Off Line Filler. It a pen that has a brush on the end, much like paint on nail polish. It is supposed to temporarily eliminate fine lines and wrinkles and tighten and lift the skin, while absorbing oil and minimzing pores. Now ... go back and read that description a bit more closely. Do you see that word "temporarily"? I am pretty sure that this is the key to the product. The line filling lasted about 20 seconds. What am I supposed to do ... reapply every minute??? Now, before you completely write off this $15 product, particularly when it is such a good buy at Ulta right now because you get a free deluxe size Cosmedicine exfoliator with it, I did discover a beneficial way to use it. The product feels a lot like basic makeup primer, just a tad thicker. The thin brush allows you to fill the deeper lines with more primer. That allows the wrinkles to appear less visible when you then apply your makeup. Now, if you don't own this Cosmedicine product, may I suggest the use of a lip brush, dipped in your favorite primer to work just the same! I must admit, this makes me feel very clever!
Let's switch gears for just a moment to hair. I continue to believe that there is simply no better shampoo in the world for colored hair, particularly blondes, than KMS Color Vitality. In addition to using that, I tried Frederic Fekkai Salon Glaze (currently available in a free sample at Sephora, along with the shampoo and 3-minute mask just for the asking!). What it is is a rinse-off treatment that shines, recharges color and adds silkiness to hair. It does exactly that! It doesn't feel heavy or oily either. That was nearly the most impressive part, since so many of these products weigh down the hair. The silky shine feels great and definitely helps with the flat iron situation. I wouldn't recommend it if you want straight hair to hold curl, though, because the silkiness is very good! I'd probably use this product once a week or once every two weeks. 
Okay, back to the face! I ordered a boatload (a truckload, really) of Avon samples. I realized (thanks Michelle) that I really didn't have a lot of facial cleanser samples and definitely didn't have a lot of facial masks. So, tonight I used Planet Spa White Tea Cleansing Face Polisher. It smelled terrific (of course - it's tea!!!). It also felt great and did a wonderful job taking off my makeup. The exfoliant was what I would describe as "medium". I prefer the micro-exfoliant and, if I want to get really serious, then Kate Sommerville is the best. But, this definitely felt like it polished my face and made things smoother. For a cheaper face polisher, and if you are an avid Avon-er, then you'll love this product!
Next I tried the Anew Dramatic Smoother Facial Mask. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! This is like back in the day when you were little and tried your mom's facial mask that dried and turned your face white and then rubbed off all soft and silky like with warm water. Sadly, it's discontinued, but you can still find plenty on the internet.And to continue with my old school hour of product testing (I damn near started playing 70s music), I tried the Avon Anew Ultimate Eye Cream (once again, as with most eye creams for me ... yuckola). Oh lord have mercy was this one thick and sticky ... just like mom likes it. Comin' your way momma bear! And, I used the Avon Solutions Hydrofirming Bio Night Cream. Not bad. It did take awhile to soak in, but I am starting to get used to that with night creams.
Okay kiddies! It's time to wrap up the beauty session. Much, much more to report in the upcoming week! Have fun and keep sampling!
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