Product Review: Mascara

I LOVE mascara!  I rarely leave home without it.  However, I'm very picky when it comes to mascara. I have tried a few brands this past year and now it's time to review so you too can decide for yourself!

Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara

  

This is the one I keep going back to~ Good Ol' Standby.  It makes my lashes look fuller.  Easy to wash off with eye make-up remover. Stays on 8 hours. Have to reapply if I'm going out at night. Nice brush. I like. $14.

Two Thumbs Up!

Tarte gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara

I bought this when it was on special at Ulta. I got it for $10 (so I bought two!).  Nice brush. My lashes look full. It does not flake.  It stays on 10+ hours.  Easy to wash off with eye make-up remover.  I especially love the concept behind it.  Because of it's ingredients (click HERE to see them) the claim is that you will see healthier lashes in 3 weeks.  I have!! $19.

Two Thumbs Up!

Blinc Mascara

I received a sample of this mascara in my October Birchbox.  It "tubes" your lashes.  The major claim is that it does not clump, wear off, is waterproof without the damaging effects of waterproof mascara.  Click HERE for the exact description of what it is supposed to do. It's weird.  You don't wash off the mascara.  You pull it off in tubes. I like the concept, but when I tried it I do not like it. I even gave it three chances to grow on me.  It does not give you full lashes. Whimpy brush. No like. $25.

Two Thumbs Down.

CoverGirl LashBlast

Back in the day before I was focused on cruelty-free products I liked CoverGirl.  LashBlast was all the rage.  Drew Barrymore wore it so it had to be good. It claims to give you that ultimate big-lash look. HA. Not so. Skimpy brush that I did not like. $7.50.

Two Thumbs Down.

CoverGirl Professional Remarkable Washable Waterproof

This was my absolute go-to for years! LOVED IT.  And I would still love it if CoverGirl was cruetly-free.  It stayed on for 8 hours, made my lashes look big and had a nice brush.  And was inexpensive. $7.50.

Thumbs down because of company philosophy.

Thumbs up due to how well it works.

I've got my eye on testing a few others (namely Sephora house-brand and Victoria's Secret house-brand), but that will have to wait for me to run out of the 3 I have in stock (1 Mary Kay Ultimate, 1 Tarte and the Tarte that I'm using right now)!

A Second Chance

Many of you know of my love for animals and my new commitment to live a cruelty-free life.  It all started with the discovery of the Beagle Freedom Foundation.  My heart broke when I watched the rescued beagles take their first steps on grass.  It was at that moment that I decided to change. 

You can stop reading now and skip to the bottom or you can read on about my journey to get to where I am currently...

I did my research on cruelty-free products.  You'd be amazed at which of your favorite companies DO test on animals and those who DO NOT.  Check HERE for the PETA listing. This list isn't 100% complete but it's a good jumping off point.

Boyfriend has been 100% behind me and hasn't laughed once.  Even when I called him from Target in a panic one day because I ran out of hair spray and couldn't remember which of my regular brands (ie. hairspray that is under $6)was on my list I could buy from.  Yes, I ended up coming home empty handed. I know many people might find this all really silly, but I believe in why I do what I do.

Now, don't get me wrong, as much as I've committed to live a cruelty-free life it's only to a point.  I still eat meat.  I still eat eggs. I still eat sea creatures. I am just more conscious about where it comes from.  I'm still trying to get Boyfriend to let me buy cage free eggs, but when you look at 89 cents compared to $3 he hasn't caved yet.

It's been a long process, but if you go through my make-up, house cleaning products and hair products I will be happy to tell you that 97% of them are cruelty-free.  This makes my heart feel good. 

Even our dog food is animal friendly.  Yes, some animal food manufactures do incredibly cruel things to animals all for the sake of "testing results." * Sigh*

On to my what I really wanted to talk about...

Beagle Freedom Foundation does not have a local chapter in Utah, so I contacted the Humane Society of Utah to see if we had a research animal rescue group.  I am realistic and realize that research on animals is necessary to a degree.  You can't test that new pacemaker on a human for the first one. I get it.  So I want to help make the research animals lives as good as I can.  The Humane Society put me in contact with someone at the U of U who walks the reseach dogs.  These dogs are amazing.  Most of them come from local animal shelters and nobody wanted them.  Sure, I understand how people would think it's cruel to sell shelter dogs to research facilities for testing. But what they DO NOT know is that most of these dogs get adopted after their study is done.  Yes, some do not wake up from their study and that breaks my heart but I understand the "why" now. So these dogs that nobody wanted and there was a real possibility of them being put down get an extra special second chance at finding a forever family.  Or as we like to say their "retirement home."  Yes, I had to prep myself before the first day I walked through those doors that some of the dogs I would see I wouldn't see again.  I'm so glad I braced myself for that possibility because the first day that I didn't see one of them in their cages I was okay.  I was sad, but I wasn't devastated. Each time I get to walk some of them it gives me a little smile because I know that I just made their day a little better. And then comes the magically special day that one of them gets adopted... My favorite research dog Sydney got adopted with another one of her research pals, Gypsy, last weekend.  This makes it all worth it.  Look at her doggie smile!

Follow-up Note: I find immense joy in walking "my research dogs."  Unfortunately, due to PETA the U of U will no longer be obtaining dogs from local shelters.  They will only be using bred for purpose dogs and that's a whole other subject. I'm sure I'll have some really interesting stories when we start walking them (Because they've never been owned, they've never been walked, they know NO manners, but one day we will try and adopt them out).  We still have about 6 research dogs that are done with their studies and are (or will be soon) up for adoption. If you are interested in any of them please holler at me!

Tarte Lipstains - Product Review

I received this yummy Tarte Lipsurgence Lip Stain in Moody as a free gift from Ulta over the weekend.  It looked a little dark but when I put it on... I LOVED IT! 

Lipstain is so different from lipstick and lipgloss.  It's stays on longer than lipgloss and gives a yummy subtle color, unlike lipstick.  Plus this line of Lipsurgence is all sorts of good for your lips. Check out here... Tarte Lipsurgence.  You can color your entire lips to give you a bold boost of color or you can put a little on your finger and rub over your lips to give you a little boost of color. 

I give it a million stars and tell you to run out to your local Sephora or Ulta and pick one up!

Plus...

Back to M*A*C

M*A*C has an awesome recycle program!!

I just learned of this today and couldn't wait to spread the news.  By returning six [6] M·A·C primary packaging containers to a M·A·C counter or M·A·C Cosmetics Online, you receive a free M·A·C Lipstick of your choice as their thanks to you!!  I think I have three pretty much empty containers sitting in my bathroom drawer right now. Half way there!

You will need to download THIS form if you would like to participate!

Even better, M*A*C is animal-cruelty free.  Many of you know of my deep commitment to only support animal cruelty-free companies, but that is another topic for another day. 

Today we are celebrating our {BEAUTIFUL} selves! 

So go ahead, buy that lipstick and feel good about it!

For more program details click here.