Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Dupe Alert! Maybelline Barely Branded & MAC Bare Study

It's no secret that I LOVE a good creamy eyeshadow base. I've been pretty loyal to MAC on this front, with Painterly and Bare Study being my most loved products. None of the Maybelline Color Tattoos had really been a direct dupe for my paint pots until I discovered Barely Branded.

The packaging is very similar, with both products being in glass jars with black screwtop lids. 


Maybelline Barely Branded and MAC Painterly










MAC Bare Study and Maybelline Barely Branded
Top to bottom: Painterly, Barely Branded, Bare Study
(no flash)
The Maybelline version is actually slightly more opaque and a little bit creamier. I've not tested the longevity of the Maybelline dupe on my eyelids yet, but if it has the same lasting power as other Maybelline Color Tattoos, Barely Branded is giving Bare Study a run for its money! 

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Monthly Favorites--January 2013

These are a few products I've been using and loving for the entire month of January!
1. Estee Lauder Cream Eyeshadow in Mochachino: I adore MAC Paint Pots and anything similar. MAC is actually owned by Estee Lauder, so these are essentially identical to Paint Pots. No creasing, no smudging, and they come in a wide variety of colors. Mochachino is the perfect base for my number two favorite...

2. NARS eyeshadow in Ashes to Ashes: I love NARS eyeshadow duos and this is the first single I've tried. It's a gorgeous taupe color that works great as a wash on the entire lid. Even without adding another color, it adds dimension to your eyes. It has definitely been a staple in my stash for a long time!


3. L'Oreal Paris Shine Caresse lip gloss: These are very similar to Yves St. Laurent glossy stains, but for about a third of the price! I can't pick a favorite color because I love all of the ones I've tried so far. I have about 6 and they're all equally wearable. The color is vibrant and these leave a great stain on your lips after the glossiness wears off. Plus, they're super light weight, which is perfect for those of you who aren't wild about wearing anything heavy on the lips.

4. Maybelline The Falsies mascara: I will try any mascara at least once, and I have a feeling I will be re-buying this one. 

5. Revlon ColorStay Whipped foundation: For me, Revlon makes the best drugstore foundation. I always reach for my Revlon Colorstay over anything else and I've been loving the whipped version since I bought it back in December. It's lightweight, but has excellent, buildable coverage. Granted, I don't look like Halle Berry when I use it, but it IS only around $11 after all...

I was all over the board with blushes for the month of January, and I recently added a few to my stash, so maybe I'll have a stand-out blush for this month. What products did you reach for most this month?