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The New Drugstore Mascaras of 2021

woman applying black mascara

It is now October 2021, the season is fall. The year, my friends, is coming to an end. With that, it is time to start reviewing the best and worst mascaras that were out on the market this year. For this list, I’ve compiled mascaras that I’ve seen show up on drugstore shelves in 2021.

Loreal Paris Air Volume Mega Mascara Waterproof

(Source)

This tube is shaped a bit differently than their previous mascara cosmetic lines with it’s curvaceous edges and thicker design. The tube is also metallic and shiny compared to the duller plastic of their previous launched mascaras. The mascara wand is a straight line with the black piping all the same length, so the volume the user is going to get is going to be less thicker than if the wand was curved. This mascara will be best worn for an everyday work look, and its waterproof version of this mascara will surely not disappoint.

Revlon So Fierce Big Bad Lash Mascara

This mascara was a bit of a weird choice for Revlon to make. The tubing is a vibrant red, which is a classic Revlon statement to make. However, the bold lettering on the sides is a true statement. Revlon’s packaging in their past lineups have not been as statement worthy as the So Fierce collection. I’m wondering if Revlon is now trying to rebrand themselves toward a younger audience.

Covergirl Clean Fresh Water Resistant Mascara

I know I’ve mentioned this previously, but to anyone who hasn’t heard Covergirl went cruelty-free! To go along with this, Covergirl has launched cleaner, healthier products over the past few years with more simplistic ingredients listed on the back. This mascara totes a vegan formula, so you know it’s going to have some good ingredients. This tubing is more simplistic in style than Covergirl’s edgier packaging designs of fashion yesteryear. This package has a white tubing top with a pink body, and is going to stick out along the cosmetic wall of your local drugstore for it’s mismatched yet simplistic design.

Elf Big Mood Mascara

This tube is flashy than it’s predecessors. It’s an all purple metallic tube with big, boxy texts across the body that announces this mascara to have a BIG MOOD. This brush has uneven piping along the sides, which will create more voluminous lashes for a more night look. This mascara is going to make your eyes pop, and the best part– it’s not going to break the bank.

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Tanologist Express Self Tanning Water: Worth It?

I picked this sun tanning water spray the other day while in Ulta beauty. I’ve seen this sun tanning spray in Target quite a few times, however my local target has been out of the Medium version of this tanning spray. Ya’ll…your girl over here is pale. I cannot do a dark spray, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to pull a medium spray off. However this product really swooped me in by the promise that it would be airy light and have a smooth, non-stanning, non-sticky going on. So after waiting patiently for the past few weeks and it never coming in, I ventured over to Ulta beauty. 

I could’ve asked for Target to have ordered me a tube of this sun tanning lotion, I know. But I needed to go over to Ulta anyways so why not just buy it from there? And Ulta had it’s own stand of sun tanning sprays and oils for this time of the season, so there was plenty in stock. 

Putting this spray on, I would say the smell was very quaint and smelled slightly floral. It wasn’t overpowering, which was a releif because some fragrant smells seem to give me a headache this time of the year (thank you allergies). Since the spray was clear and dried quickly however, it was hard for me to really build up a nice even layer that I felt confident about. I did use a new mitt that I had also picked up from Ulta, and I had rubbed the spray into my skin. The bottle said to keep it on for 1-3 hours before rinsing off.

The first time that I used it, I kept it on for 3 hours. My skin on my face did seem to have a very light glow to it, however my fingers and shoulder where I hadn’t rubbed in appeared quite streaky. This would continue to be an issue the following day as well when I reapplied the second time. The build-up has been very faint, but there is a definite glow. 

As far as staining goes, I didn’t notice any staining on my clothes as I wore it in my air conditioned apartment. Since I didn’t test it against sweat, I’m not sure how the tan will hold up or if it will start to streak. My white bra did have faint bronze rub from my underboob, but that easily seemed to come off in the wash. 

I’d say this is a spray I’m going to keep my eye on in the next couple of months as I keep using. So far it’s been okay. It definitely fulfills the pricepoint for me, so that’s not bad. Overall I would say this is a nice buy to have to slowly start building up your tan for the upcoming summer season. 

Posted on by Destiny

The Maybelline Products to Look For This Season

It is finally the beginning of the Spring season in the fashion world, and we’re here to bring you the latest and greatest things from the leading brands within the industry. Here at Life and Destiny, we don’t discriminate between mass and prestige brands because, dear reader, I like to use both. One brand I have used and promoted for a long time as a beauty advisor is Maybelline cosmetics, and I am looking forward to trying out their latest additions to the tried and true makeup brand line.

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Organic Lip Balms Besides Burt’s Bees

There are many good products out there when it comes to the organic side of the beauty industry. I know we’ve all have heard of Burt’s Bees, but I wanted to introduce you to some other lip balm products that are just as good and in some cases even better than your Burt’s Bees lip balm. So let’s take a look at some other products to give you a variety of chapsticks to choose from.

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The Bomb of Drugstore Beauty Balms

Hey guys! So I wanted to talk to you this week about a beauty product I had used many times in the past that seemed to work really well for me in taking care of split ends and fixing my hair after I had used boxed dyes on my hair. 

I have been in love with this balm since I had started using it back in 2012 when I started dying my hair black for the first time. This balm always helped me combat the dryness that comes with the out of the box amateur hair dyes we all seem to use at one point or another in our lives. This damage erasing balm is recommended for use in placement of your usual conditioner. You want to work this at the ends of your hair where most of the damage is going to be, and then spot treat any other dry spots you have in your hair. 

For women with curly hair, I have been told this product works best on top of your usual conditioner, although I would warn you to watch out for weighting down your hair or your hair drying out too much. 

This balm is going to be really easy to use, and as soon as you get it out of the container you can feel the luxurious, silky smoothness. I’m not a big fan of the color or the packaging, like so many other people have mentioned before in the past I do wish this product came with a pump as opposed to just staying loosely in the jar, but I’m not going to beat up a product over something as simple as that. The smell is so good, especially if you like the smell of most L’Oreal shampoos and conditioners.

 

I hope I supplied at least a little more information for you to make a decision today on whether or not this may be a good product option for you. I know that it’s an uphill battle sometimes when it comes to dry and damaged hair, especially if you live in a place with a dry climate. 

Posted on by Destiny

Complete Your Winter Festive Look This Holiday

I am proud to announce that I am now a affiliate blogger for Kissusa/JOAH/Impress cosmetics and nails!

You may have noticed a quick sneak in affiliate linking on my December reading list blog just a few days ago, but I’m not about to promote any product I don’t like. I have been using their nail brand for years, and I have to say I’ve yet to be disappointed with their holiday collections. I ordered a pack already from their site, so look for that update within the next few days.

Press-On Nail Christmas Collection

I am a girl that is not much for matte nail polishes, however I can appreciate the nude nail polish colors in this set. The trees are simple as is the white background behind them. I know a lot of ladies like the matte nail polish trend, so if you do I highly recommend giving this pack a try during the holiday season.

Being both a country bumpkin and a fan of punk rock, I appreciate plaid patterns. I especially love red plaid, and having used a similar product by the same company in the past I know the lines on the nails are not going to fade after wearing them for a day. I have used the sparkly nails in the past as well, and the pack I had wasn’t textured. I dislike how some nail polish makes your nails feel bumpy once you have them painted, and I’m happy this isn’t the case with these nails. However, if you do like to file or shape your fake nails, sometimes I’ve noticed the edges become rough from the glittery pattern. I’ve coated it with a top coat in the past.

Sort of like I said in the aforementioned paragraph, if you’re going to shape your nails before putting them on, the edges sometimes become rough and bumpy. I have used base nail polish before and that seemed to fix the problem just fine. In this pack, I absolutely adore the wreath outline going around the base of the french manicure. I don’t think you’ll have any issue with the pattern wearing off.

I love the cute design on these nails! I also enjoy the dark mauve/dark aquamarine color pallet. Something about these colors are so elegant and have such a warm, cozy feel to them. These nails are perfect for the Winter season, not just for Christmas.

Last but not least are these Christmas-centric nails. I love the little presents on the two nails and the Santa Claus belt buckle on the one for the perfect contrast. I feel like this pack combines all of the previous styles (minus matte) of the other three packs. These nails are the ones I have ordered and I can’t wait to put on.

If you like these products, you should take a look at their entire line and get 25% off when you shop now until December 31st!

Here’s a link to their website for further viewing:

Kissusa Beauty – Bring The Salon Home Shop Now
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Winter Skin Care Routine: Step by Step

This year has been stressful. When you are stressed, that means your skin is stressed as well. This winter, I want you to set up a good skin routine and I’ll tell you how.

Astringent

If you are prone to having breakouts astringents is vital for getting rid of excess dirt and makeup leftover on your face. I like to use an astringent before jumping into the shower because I feel like my current astringent gets rid of a good amount of dead skin cells and dirt before I even touch my face in the shower with my cleanser. Yes, I keep my facial cleanser in the shower so I can remember to do this as a part of my morning and nightly routine.

Cleanser

Next, you’ll want to clean your face. Use a cleanser that’s appropriate for your skin type. If you have oily skin, you may want to opt for a cleanser with alcohol or salicylic acid as an active ingredient. For dry skin you’ll want to avoid alcohol based cleansers for ones that are going to be gentle on your skin such as one with glycolic acid or hyaluronic acid because these chemicals are not going to be as harsh on your skin.

Exfoliate

Now that your skin is clean and glowing, it is time to exfoliate. Exfoliating your skin will get your blood flow circulating, and will prep the skin for our next few steps. This step is important for all skin types, as it will get rid of dead skin cells off of dry skin and remove some of the oils that can cause breakouts for normal to oily skin.

Serum

Our next step now that the skin has been exfoliated will be serum. Serum needs to go on before moisturizer to set into your skin properly. There are so many serums out on the market today, so picking out a good serum is going to be dependent on your personal skincare goals. I am prone to puffy bags so I like to use an undereye serum that has a rollerball on the end. If you are looking for a serum to fill in fine lines and wrinkles using a retinol based serum at night may be best for you. If you are looking to make your skin more glowing, you may opt for a serum that promises to hydrate your skin or one with Vitamin C.

Moisturizer

Make sure your serum is dry before applying moisturizer. I typically use this time to pick out my clothes and get ready for the following day as I wait on my face to dry. Even though it is winter time UV rays can still damage your skin. I recommend using a thick SPF moisturizer throughout the day, especially if you find yourself outside to avoid a chapped or wind burned face. In the nighttime it would be a good idea to find a moisturizer that will add hydration throughout the night.

Thank you for reading! What products do you use? I hope to focus more on the beauty side of my blog in these upcoming weeks! If that’s something you’re interested in please feel free to follow my blog or my social media accounts for updates!

Posted on by Destiny

Marc Jacobs “Perfect”: Is It Worth the Hype?

Within the past few weeks I have noticed as my dashboard has become filled with ads for Marc Jacobs latest perfume “Perfect”. The ads feature a model holding up two bottles of perfume to her eyes and smiling broadly at the camera lense. The ad is meant to be playful, fun, and exciting as opposed to the usual elegance ads have portrayed in the past for “Daisy” and “Daisy Dream”. Whoever is the ad campaign manager seriously needs a raise because I can no longer go on any new website without the ad following me around the internet. But more than that, I have finally caved and bought a bottle of this perfume at my local Ulta.

The most striking part of this bottle is going to be the bottle cap. Marc Jacobs has easily the most identifiable caps in the perfume industry thanks to the Daisy collection. This cap features a large white ribbon on the top with a bunch of little charms on it including a banana, a shoe, dice, a star, and “MJ” initials on it. The bottle itself is simplistic, with the words “Perfect” and Marc Jacobs on the front in black standard type. On the Marc Jacobs website, the perfume’s backstory is inspired by his mantra “I am perfect as I am” and is made to celebrate self-love.


Currently a 1.6 oz bottle of “Perfect” is going to be around $96, with a 3.3 oz bottle costing around $160. This appears to be a standard price with most stores listing it as a base price. Considering today is Cyber Monday, I’m going to shop around a bit and see if there is any good coupons or deals going on so I can buy another bottle as a Christmas gift.