Avon

Review and Pictures: New! mark. Lash Out Loud Mascara "Violet"

8:00 AM


I recently ordered a few Avon products, one of which is the new mark. Lash Out Loud Mascara in Violet.  I've tried a few others of the mark. brand mascaras, which as a side comment are pretty good, but I was intrigued by the color selections in this one (black, brown/black, violet and wine).   I immediately went for Violet, which is a bright almost blue purple (blurple) color. 


I have found in the past, that it's hard to get a colored mascara that actually shows up on the lashes, so I was hoping this would prove me wrong.  Well...it did.  Talk about bright.  Below is ONE coat of mascara.  Not only is this bright and pigmented, but the mascara does a really nice job of lengthening and volumizing in it's own right. 


Price is $10, which honestly is a dollar or more higher than most of the drug store brands, but the color selection is definitely different.  I would like to try the Wine shade, as it kind of reminds me of the LashBlast Luxe mascara in Black Cabernet, without the shimmer. 

So, what are my overall thoughts?  I'd have to say, to try this out as an actual mascara (not just a fun color) I'll have to get the black and give it a try.  It's hard for me to tell what the mascara is actually doing for my lashes when it's a color.  I think it's adding volume and definitely length, but maybe it's just the color I'm seeing.  As for the price, it's kind of pricey in my opinion, but mark does a lot of good sales so it may be something to look for.  With all that said, I'd give it a B. 

What about you - have you tried this yet?  Do you have a favorite colored mascara?

Avon

NOTD: mark Nailed It Trend Trend Mini Lacquer in "Stay Neutral"

10:59 AM


A few weeks ago I picked up the mark. by Avon Nailed it Trend Mini Nail Lacquer set in Fuschia-istic and Stay Neutral. 


Stay Neutral is a warm nude shade with pink shimmer.  The picture below really shows the shimmer. 


Fuschia-istic is a traditional bright berry pink.  I love these shades in the summer.  Bright pinks are perfect for the go-to pedicure.

(with flash)

Above is "Stay Neutral" - two coats.  I should have gone with one more, but I didn't really realize it because, a) the color is so nude and b) because I think the flash really accentuates the sheerness of the color.  The consistency is nice - it's a bit sheer, which like I said, doesn't really effect the outcome on such a neutral color.  I haven't swatched the fuchsia yet, so I don't know if that was the general consistency of the new mark polishes, or if it was just this particular shade.   

(without flash)

Not so much of the pink when just in natural light.  In my opinion, the picture with the flash is much more true to color.

Right now this collection is sold out of mark, but they do have a new set here.  It has two colors as well: Tango (a bright red/coral) and Mojito (a pale turquoise/mint green creme).



Avon

mark. Shimmer Down Lip Gloss "Pink Spark" and "Feels Ripe"

8:00 AM


I almost forgot how much I love mark. by Avon's products until I received my most recent order, which included the 24K Gold Eyeshadow Quad in Golden Splendor.  I picked up two of the Shimmer Down lip gloss tubes, one in Pink Spark an another in Feels Ripe.  

Each tube is a highly glossy, slightly pigmented lipgloss, packed with iridescent gold shimmer.  Pink Spark is a beautiful pale peachy-pink and Feels Ripe is in the same color family, but is a brighter (almost red) magenta with the same golden shimmer.  

I tried to capture the colors in the shot below, but the flash totally washed them out.  You can pick up the shimmer, though.  
The lipgloss comes with a squeeze tube applicator.  The gloss itself is thick, but not sticky.  It has just a *hint* of color, and the shimmer is very subtle once applied.  The gloss lasts quite a while, too, which is nice - it doesn't immediately soak in and leave you wishing for more.


The colors are very true to life in the picture below.  I really like Feels Ripe - it adds just a hint of color, and Pink Spark is a perfect natural gloss.  See how as the swatch thins out?  You can get a good idea as to the color on the lips towards the bottom of the swatch.  


Lip swatches below.  Like I have said, Pink Spark is quite neutral - it really is just my lips but shiny.  I do like the shimmer, which I couldn't capture in the picture(s) below unfortunately.


Feels Ripe gives a hint of pink to the lips.  It actually is even deeper in real life, but I think you get a pretty good idea of it below.  The shimmer stands out a little better in the swatch below for Feels Ripe. 


I am going to be keeping Feels Ripe in my purse - this is a great gloss to have around.  Do any of you have these Shimmer Down glosses?  Thoughts?

Avon

mark. Super Flip for Eyes and Lips - Holiday 2009

8:00 AM

Below is a sneak peak at the new mark. Super Flip for Eyes and Lips, Holiday 2009. This should be available now - what a jam-packed collection! Nine eye and nine lip colors, with a set of three brushes (free!), and you have your entire look in one convenient package.



new super flip color kit
The ultimate flip for it, featuring nine shades for eyes and nine shades for lips! Shadows range from matte midnight to shimmery soft gold. Flip the palette around for six glosses and three lip colors, ranging from a "hint" of pink to opaque "racy" red.
Below is a closeup of the eyeshadows. There is a little bit of everything: matte to shimmer, white to black. With such a wide range of colors, the looks are endless!


The lip colors are just as gorgeous. I love mark's lip products - I think I own 8 of their hook-ups alone! Again, as with the eyeshadows, there are matte and shimmery shades. Also, you can choose from neutrals, bright berries, and even gold!

Unfortunately, my flash washed out the colors (again), so I am going to try and get a good shot of them in natural light. Unfortunately it's been gloomy and rainy here, so that will have to wait! I was exceptionally impressed with the pigmentation of the matte shades. Lava is a very deep, dark charcoal, and would be great to add a smokey look to any eyeshadow.

I also ordered the Holiday Treats Mini Juice Gems (2008). I love these, and being that they were on clearance, it was a steal! I think that Candy Apple is my favorite, but it's a tough call. These shades are great for the fall - nice, warm, and smooth. They even have a sweet scent!


Do any of you use the mark. by Avon line? What is your favorite product?

Avon

mark. by Avon i-mark Eyeshadows and Good Glowing Blush (South Beach, Nomadic, Fairy Dust and Hush Baby)

8:00 AM

You know, there's nothing like a good sale, and Avon always manages to put up some good deals close to the holidays. When I placed my last order, I thought I'd pick up a few more eyeshadows, as they were 50% off - you can't beat $2.25 for an eyeshadow!

I love the i-mark quality. I'll be honest, I'm not one for Avon's eyeshadows, but the mark. shadows are really quite nice. They have excellent pigmentation, are not over-the-top on shimmer, and the staying power is excellent. This time around I purchased South Beach, Nomadic and Fairy Dust. I tend to buy a lot of deep, dark crease colors, so I took this as an opportunity to add to my much needed base and highlight shades.


South Beach is the perfect name for this shadow. Not only does turquoise remind me of summer, which instantly makes me think of turquoise, bright greens and pink, but this shadow looks like the color of a beautiful clear ocean. It is a beautiful pale turquoise with hints of golden and pink shimmer. It literally looks like the sun sparkling off of the ocean.

Fairy Dust is a very neutral, pale pink shade. This is also a shimmer, but for the "dust", there are hints of silver sparkle that is ever so subtle. I think this might be a bit dark for a highlight shade on me, especially in the winter, but it is a beautiful color none-the-less. I might even use this as a highlight for over blush.


Nomadic is a very interesting shade. Is it ivory? Is it peach? Is it gold? Well, not really, but it's a little bit of everything! At first glance, the shadow is a bit darker in the pan than it actually is on. It reminds me of the shimmer in the Nars Orgasm blush that everyone loves - kind of a peach gold shimmer. This would be beautiful in the summer with bronzer and some peachy-pink lipgloss. Clearly, I need a tan! :)


Last, but not least, is the beautiful Good Glowing Blush in Hush Baby. This is one of mark.'s mosaic blushes, which remind me of a much more affordable version of Clinique's Shimmering Tones, which I have only seen at the Cosmetic Company Outlets, and even at that, they are not cheap. Pop one of these mark. Good Glowing mosaic's in a mini-case, and you have your own Shimmering Tone! Hush Baby is a beautiful mix of pink, mauve and peach. When blended together, on me it came out to be ore peach with pink shimmer. The squares on these are big enough, though, that you could dip your brush in and grab just the color(s) you are looking for and create several different shades of blush.


One of these days, I'll get around to putting all of the mark. eyeshadows and blushes up. That might be my project once it gets too cold to go out and do anything!

Avon

Review: mark. Make it Big mascara in Black

5:57 AM

Good morning everyone! After a week+ of trying the mark. Make it Big Mascara, I wanted to write a review for you regarding the product. Have any of you tried this mascara? If so, I'd love to know what you think!


First, when I saw the tube, I liked how large it was, because for me, it is more ergonomic, and easier to use and apply the mascara. Secondly, I love the brush - it reminds me of the Maybelline Colossal Mascara brush: the style is a that of a traditional bristle, but it is bigger, and the actual bristles are thicker to help pull through your lashes.

The actual product itself is a bit dry, so this was the biggest turn off for me. I don't know if I'm just used to the really smooth mascaras that you apply once, maybe twice, but this wasn't one of them. I found that because the formula was a bit dry, it took several coats to get the length, thickness and application I was looking for. Once I did this, though, I thought the mascara looked great.

There was no flaking, smudging, or other issues with the mascara after application. I did not try to curl my lashes, so I do not know how this will hold curl for those of you that do so on a regular basis.

Retail Price: $6.50
Where to purchase: www.meetmark.com, www.avon.com
Product: 3.5 out of 5
Price: 4 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Overall: 3.5 out of 5
Would I purchase again? I am still unsure if I received a bad tube that was a bit too try, or if this is just how the formula works. I do know they put these on sale a lot with the rest of the mark. line, so there is a good chance I'll try out the Espresso just to see how it is, and I'll be able to come to a full conclusion at this point.

Depending on the type of formula you are looking for with a mascara, this does give you full, long, thick lashes (see below). The final decision is definitely how this product works for you!

**EDIT**
After a lot of thought this morning when using this product, I decided it is just EXTREMELY thick, not dry, which is why it's hard to work with.

Avon

Avon Smooth Minerals and mark. i-mark eyeshadows

8:00 AM

My most recent Avon order was pretty much a hodge-podge of random items, including some of the new Smooth Minerals blushes and eyeshadows and lipstick, and of course, my favorite:  i-mark eyeshadows.  I also got a new Maxi pallet to pop the i-mark eyeshadows into. 

The blush I ordered is called Avon Smooth Minerals in Blushing Mauve, which is a gorgeous true pink with pearl and a hint of cool shimmer. 

As you can see, this is a perfect pink shade with hints of shimmer and a little bit of a cooler undertone, hence the "mauve" shade.

I also ordered the Smooth Minerals eyeshadow in Golden Moss, as olive colors are my favorite! :)  This is a beautiful olive/moss green with golden shimmer.


I also ordered 3 of the i-mark eyeshadows, which I love!  These are so pigmented, have such a range of colors to pick from, and the convenient magnetic compacts (choose from mini, mezzi, or mega).  I picked out Gioia (a deep golden shimmer), Victorian Lace (a shimmery beige) and Sassy (a deep purple/eggplant with hints of shimmer).  Pictures below:


Here are the swatches of the colors below.  Again, the flash washed out the color a little bit, but you get the idea of how beautiful these shadows are!


Avon

New mark. Skincare - Go With The Grain Exfoliating Beads & Calm Yourself Hydrating Mask

8:00 AM

I think that if someone came into my bathroom and looked in the cabinets, they would find just as much skin care as they would makeup.  I absolutely love to try new things, and although I still find it difficult to really get into a full regiment at night, I like to take the time to pamper myself with a good deep exfoliation and mask every once in a while.  

As I stated in yesterday's post, I do love the items I've picked up from the Avon skin care line, from the Avon Clinical line to the basic Avon Anew.  There really has not been one thing I've tried that I don't have something good to say about it - be it the item actually does what it says, or it just makes my skin feel down right good.  

The mark. line is no exception.  Although it is geared to a younger crowd, I think the options of natural and focused skin care is a great option to the basic drug store brands most teenagers are buying.  It's a good idea for young girls, even if their skin is perfect, to start using more than just a basic face wash and moisturizer, because before they know it, those fine lines will start creeping up on you!

Recently I picked up two items out of the new catalog - the mark. 'Go With the Grain' Exfoliating Beads and the mark. 'Calm Yourself' Hydrating Masque.  Both are part of their newer skin care line.  The exfoliating beads are a new idea to me - they are bits and pieces of natural grains that you add water or cleanser to and exfoliate the skin.  The great idea about these are you can adjust how much exfoliator you have - a little or a lot!  The hydrating masque is a great thing, especially in the winter when your skin is dry and could use a little boost!  Not like your typical masque, this one doesn't dry you out - instead it feeds you skin moisture and helps it soften and smooth out.  

Once I get a little more usage out of both I will write a review, but I wanted to give you a heads up for two items I found out to be great on the first try!  Below is the description from the mark. website.

mark. Go With The Grain Exfoliating Beads

Vitamin-rich adzuki beans and rice bran - two traditional Japanese exfoliators - blended with corn cobprovide mild exfoliation. Container conveniently "hooks up" to the tops of our cleansers. 0.65 oz. net wt. 

mark. Calm Yourself Hydrating Mask

This gel mask immediately increases skin's moisture by 168%,plus packs the power of five super smoothers - sea moss, wheat germ, cucumber extracts, aloe vera and green tea. Antioxidant-rich lemon and orange extracts also help improve skin tone. 3.4 fl. oz. 



Avon

Mark Flip-for-It Sets Fall '08

8:00 AM

I haven't posted much with regards to Avon/mark. recently, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to show you all these cute mark. Flip For It sets. Each set comes with two eyeshadows, a blush, and four lipglosses that all coordinate together for an all-in-one look that you can take with you. Not bad for around $20!



I ordered the three colors from this past fall - Milan, London, & New York:

Milan:


London:
New York:
All the shades are absolutely gorgeous. Swatches & FOTD to follow!

Bare Escentuals

EOTD - Golden Olive

8:00 AM

I have been having so much fun playing around with warm golds and browns! They are so easy to coordinate and can make a stunning yet neutral look!

Some of my new favorite eyeshadows are the Jesse's Girl Eye Dusts, which have some great staying power and beautiful colors. I chose the eye dust in Sunlit Cactus to play with this time. This color comes off as a burnished gold, but also has tons of olive green iridescence to it, making this a fun color to play with.



Jesse's Girl Eye Dust "Sunlit Cactus" - foiled on lid
Bare Escentuals Glimmer "Sex Kitten" - dry in crease and pulled down into corner of lid
Jesse's Girl Eye Dust "Sparkles Gold" - foiled to hilight
mark. Hookup Liquid Eyeliner "Bronze Edge" - upper lid
Miliani Eyeliner Pencil "Brown" - lower lashline
Maybelline Colossal Mascara "Black"


Again, here are some pictures of the Jesse's Girl Eye Dusts, which includes swatches of each. Sunlit Cactus is on the bottom right of this first picture, and swatched first below.









Popular Posts

Like us on Facebook