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Drugstore Dupe: Marcelle vs Anastasia

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I love to save money. It’s a game with me. I hate spending more than a penny (or nickle in our case seeing how we phased out the penny this year — that joke won’t ever get old with me!) than I have to. I often get teased regarding my coupons or how I’m so frugal. For instance, I won’t pay over $3.99 for toilet paper. I wait until I see a sale, bring my abundance of coupons and stock up. So much so, the cart is so overflowing with toilet paper, enough where I get questionable stares from shoppers. Is she stocking up for a hospital? Does she have digestion issues?

If I can save and have the cheaper product work out similar or better, then I scored big time.

Although I have long lashes that don’t require mascara, I get it. I get that you want your lashes to stand out, hold a curl and look lengthening and voluminous. I get it gorrrrl. Sorry. That was weird. But honestly, everyone has their all-time favorite mascara. Not everyone is going to go out and buy what someone recommends on a blog. But this is different you guys. It’s not a mascara, it’s a top coat. You don’t have to switch out your holy grail mascara for a completely new one. I know not everyone wants to wear a waterproof mascara every day. But if you plan on laughing so hard that you cry (me, every day), or plan on jumping into a pool at a pool party (me, this weekend) you can waterproof that fav mascara of yours with a clear waterproof topcoat. Then the next day, revert back to your regular mascara sans waterproof topcoat! Brilliant.

And friends, I found a drugstore dupe. Not everyone has a Sephora location they can pop into and spend $28 on the Anastasia Lash Genius (which I reviewed last year). closed-waterproof-mascaras

Bring it on Marcelle!

anastasia-vs-marcelle
About Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat
Retail price: $16.95
0.24oz / 9.5ml

Waterproof features:

  • Transparent water-resistance for mascara
  • Goes on easily over regular mascara (Yup)
  • Long lasting (No raccoon eyes!)
  • Leaves lashes feeling light and supple (Raises hand. I can vouch for that)
  • Tested under ophthalmological control (mouthful)
  • Paraben free
  • Hypo-allergenic and perfume free

I’ve been wearing the Marcelle sweat proof, tear proof, waterproof mascara for the last few weeks. I don’t remove my makeup when I go to CrossFit after work. Due to the fact I have little time in between getting home and changed and then driving to the box to get a workout in. So far it hasn’t caused any rebellious raccoon eyes. Nor has it been stubborn to remove at the end of the evening. I have so many favorite mascaras and I don’t want to buy the waterproof version of them because they’ll all just dry out before I have a chance to re-use them again. I mean, I could potentially wear them every day, since I do laugh a lot and I’m a crier when I laugh. So I could benefit from using a waterproof one every day. But I don’t. waterproof-top-coat

I realize I’ve talked about Marcelle products in the past in a YouTube video of mine, especially the mascara that acts like a “push-up bra”. It has a twistable wand where you can make the bristles give your lashes volume, or lengthening. I’ve been using it in replacement of my Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash (hey, sometimes you gotta switch things up a bit. Know what I’m sayin’?).

An American twitter follower of mine asked me where she could buy Marcelle products and unfortunately it’s not sold in USA stores, however you can buy it online at Marcelle.com and they ship to the USA! Hooray for sharing neighbours. Buy any Marcelle mascara and receive one Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat for Free. Offer applies between August 19 and September 30, 2013. Online only. Promotional code upon check out: BOGO.

How does the Marcelle waterproofing mascara top coat compare to the Anastasia lash genius?waterproof-brushes

(Left-Right Marcelle, Anastasia)

It’s pretty on par. If I were going to suggest you get one of the two products, they’re virtually the same. Save your $12 and get the Marcelle.

Random tidbit: Marcelle is one of the first cosmetic lines I started using. Especially after I found out that I should only be using hypo-allergenic products (mainly in the winter due to my eczema).

Disclaimer: Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat was sent to me for review. I have not been compensated for this review. All opinions are 100% my own, as always!

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Beauty, Photos, Reviews

Make Up For Ever’s new mascara!

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Apologies if you left me a comment on my latest IKEA posts. They weren’t approved and finally when I got around to logging into my site and approving them, they disappeared. So I don’t know what happened there, or if I need to approve a comment within 24hrs, or what. But I’m bummed. I did see all your comments and I had replied but it didn’t and won’t show up on the site. Lame, there was like 7 people! Not sure what kind of glitch caused that.

I’ve put myself on a little spending halt for the last little while.

I wasn’t spending a ton of money, but not as much was going into my savings account bi-weekly as I wished. Because of that, I’ve been avoiding the mall at all costs. Ha, see what I did there? Costs! Get it?  Sometimes I think I’m funny.

When I heard that Make Up For Ever had a new mascara coming out called Smoky Extravagant, I wanted to pop into Sephora to see if they had it in stock and maybe put the spending halt on its own halt. Know what I’m sayin’ here folks? Stay with me…

Unfortunately, it wasn’t at my Sephora. I don’t know if it’s because I went on the first day it was launched, July 11. Or that they’re not getting it at all because it’s a smaller location. I asked the first Sephora rep I saw and I don’t think she knew that MUFE was bringing out a new product because she answered me as if she was asking a question. No? This is the Make Up For Ever Mascaras we have, as she pointed to smoky lash (my all time fav). Then she brought me over to another spot in the store and showed me the new mascara launched by Too Faced “Better than Sex” mascara. Love the packaging, but I had my eye on the mascara from Make Up For Ever. Girls on a mission, can’t stop me.

However, I e-mailed my friends at Make Up For Ever and they’ve sent stock to my local Sephora store, so it will be there!

So while I received both a sample sized and a full sized mascara I have some fun photos to show you.

The brush on the smoky extravagant reminds me of a mixture between Sephora’s mascara (loved). and Lancôme Doll Lashes (which I didn’t like).

3mascaras
Lancôme, Sephora, Make Up For Ever

mascarasDue to the unique cone shaped tip, it allows your eye lashes to be coated effortlessly with one full swoop.

sample-mascaraDany Sanz, the creator and Artistic Director (met her!) wanted the most dramatic, and blackest of the black of formulas to coat your lashes with such an opaque color she came up with Smoky Extravagant.

eyelashesI love to play up one of my most complimented features since I have extraordinarily long lashes, so of course I love the big pouffe wand. If only I was good at applying eyeshadow as I am mascara. This is a light application with one coat. Building it up is easy. The mascara I have is only 3 days old, and I prefer mascaras that have dried out a bit because like every new mascara, there is a bit of clumping on the brush. mascaras-by-makeupforeverIt gives such exceptional separation while lifting and elongating my lashes.
 full-sized-mufe-mascarasIf you’re interested in trying out this mascara with 580 bristles on the brush (!!), check your local Sephora stores as it’s now available Nation Wide .

Now to ask that ever burning question in my head. Do I choose Smoky Lash over Smoky Extravagant? Stay tuned for my next post, and you’ll find out. Dun dun dun…

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Beauty, Daily, Photos, Reviews

Last minute Mother’s Day Gifts

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Sally-Hansen-and-Philosophy

If you’re anything like me this year and feeling a little ill prepared for Mother’s Day gifts and the guilt has finally caught up with you, fret not! I have two very simple, very easy solutions for you. Even though I should’ve been prepared since I did a Mother’s Day Gift Guide a while back.

Part one. Have a local Sephora around you? The mall is still open. Drive there right now and pick up a Philosophy gift set.Philosophy-living-grace

It’s one of my “go-to” gifts for every one of my friends/family members. Philosophy can do no wrong in my books. Personally I like all of the scents that either have to do with regular perfume scents (like the Living Grace). Or, one of my favorites is the Margarita scented item. I’m not fond of any scents that remind me of food, but they sure do a good job at making it look cute, regardless if I dislike it or not.grace-set

Philosophy’s Living Grace set is a Mother’s Day limited edition “try me” set that you can pick up for $45 (I do realize it says $35 on the box).  Philosophy-Grace

This set contains:
– 4 oz Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel
– 4 oz Firming Body Emulsion
– 0.5 oz Eau de Toilette

It’s quite a clean scent, and perfectly me. Which I’m going to keep since it’s a little too late to give away to my Momma ;) The notes in the fragrances are fresh neroli, lily of the valley, and warm musk. I swear you can’t smell anything musky.

To go along with that maybe you can treat her to a mani/pedi session at your local salon or at home? I will not touch anyone elses feet. Just a thing I have. I won’t do it. So for me, I’d treat my Mom to a pedicure and supply her with these three gorgeous shades of summery pastel colors from Sally Hansen.Sally-Hansen-PolishesNail polishes shown: Barracuda, Arm Candy, Pink a Card.

My Mom doesn’t wear much mascara but perhaps yours does. This new mascara by Rimmel London Scandaleyes Show Off is something I’ve never used before. I’ve been taking a break from my holy grail mascara (Make Up For Ever Smokey Lash) and I’ve been using L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes which I’ve been enjoying. I decided to test the Rimmel one out this week. rimmel-scandaleyes-show-off

You can see that there’s a little ball at the end of the plastic mascara wand to get every tiny lash you have. The only issue I have with the mascara is that when taking the wand out of the capsule, there’s still mascara at the end, so you’ll have to clean it up. So far, I haven’t had any issues with clumping or not going on too sparse. rimmel-scandaleyes-showoff 

Before/After using Rimmel London:eyeballs-with-mascara

Or perhaps you live nowhere near your Mother? I’m a three hour plane ride away. I do get to see her at the end of June, but Mother’s Day doesn’t get postponed by the weather. It happens. The second Sunday of May, always. How do I know that off hand? It’s because I know for a fact I never had to share my Birthday with Mother’s Day since my birthday is the 7th of May. Just a random tidbit there for you all. I don’t send my Mom flowers all that often, so I thought it would be the perfect time to surprise her with a nice floral bouquet from a flower studio back home who luckily had a site where I could order online.

The online version.

Holland Nurseries

What she received.flower1

They were delivered to my parents house this morning bright and early, and yes she was surprised. Score.

What have you planned for your mom this Mother’s Day? Or perhaps this is your very first Mother’s Day as a mom yourself? What do you want? :)

Where to buy:

Philosophy Living Grace Set
Price: $45
Availability: Sephora and The Bay

Rimmel London Scandeleyes Show Off
Price: $7.99
Availability: Select drug and mass retailers across Canada

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish
Price: $8.95
Availability: Select drug and mass retailers across Canada

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