Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara - REVIEW (Influenster)

It has been a long time since I've gotten an Influenster box and BOY AM I EXCITED that it was this particular box. I've tried the YSL Faux Cils mascara before and it was a beautiful mascara...or it would have been if it didn't flake like crazy on me. That being said, this is a reformulated version and I was excited to be able to try it! Mascara is a tricky thing, and it's not my favorite product to review because it's so personal; even if you have the EXACT SAME LASH TYPE as me, you can still end up hating a mascara I absolutely love. It's actually ten times more difficult when you consider that this is a $32 mascara...and that's hella expensive. Add in the fact that I got it for testing purposes and this post is pretty challenging.

I've done many posts involving Influenster before, and I will link to them below. Basically, when you sign up, you can pick badges of interest and do activities within those badges. When Influenster has a program relating to your interests, you can receive products free of charge to test and review. It's social media based, so you will have the best luck if you have the full spectrum of social media (FB, Twitter, IG, Vine, YT, a blog, etc.) I've done a mini intro post here.

• Oral Aesthetics and College VB
• Holiday 2012 VB
• Uni VB

FTC DISCLAIMER: I received this product through the Influenster program for testing and reviewing purposes. I am not affiliated with Yves Saint Laurent and this post is unsponsored, nor am I receiving compensation, beyond the product to try. All opinions are, as always, honest and my own.

Also, before you click the jump, this post does contain wonky close-ups of my eye, so if those kinds of things make you uncomfortable, don't proceed!

January-March Empties!

Okay, okay, so that title is a lie; some of these empties are from as long ago as last July. I'm always torn between wanting to do a substantial empties post...and not wanting it to be ridiculous. This post is going to be ridiculous, sorry to say, because I really want to through out my trash, haha. So, basically, this is about four months worth of empties, give or take a bunch of things that I forgot about and just tossed.

I'm doing this in blog format because it will be way easier to scroll to relevant parts than in a long-ass video. I hope to never acquire this much trash again. I'm hoping to do one of these every other month, if it's interesting. (If all I have is a bunch of cotton and products that I've shown before, don't expect an empties post - I enjoy these types of things...but not when they're redundant.)

bareMinerals Prime Time BB Primer-Cream Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30 REVIEW

So, initially this post was supposed to be a first impressions post. But because I'm so bad at blogging lately, I've actually used this product long enough to do a full review on it! Oh man...Anyway, this product has a SUPER LONG name, so instead of always typing Prime Time BB Primer-Cream Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30 every time, we're just going to stick with "BB primer"! This came out a while back (as usual I am tardy to the party) and I had wanted it then but I have a lot of primers. Recently I just used up a couple and finally took the plunge (I've been on a bareMinerals kick lately) and finally purchased it. I also picked up the Bare Skin foundation, the brush that accompanies the Bare Skin, and the Ready Touch Up Veil along with this primer, but those are separate posts! The foundation used in these blog photos will be the Bare Skin foundation.

This product retails for $26 (I work at Ulta, so I purchased mine for a bit less) and it should be available at any BM retailer (Ulta, Sephora, etc) as well as online. When it was originally released, it came in two shade options but now there are four (Fair, Light, Medium, and Tan) and I have the Light. It contains 1 fl. oz. of product (30 mL), which is a standard size for a face primer. It comes in the same type of pump packaging that the original Prime Time comes in, but I wish that it came in a squeeze tube!

FTC Disclaimer: I purchased this product myself. I am not affiliated with Bare Escentuals nor is this a sponsored post. I am not receiving any compensation for this post and all opinions and thoughts are entirely my own.

L’Oréal Infallible® Pro-Spray & Set Makeup Extender Setting Spray REVIEW

Let's talk about a most exciting release! I'm sure everyone has heard of the UD All Nighter setting spray by now, and certainly the Skindinavia sprays! But here's a setting spray from the drugstore that is actually effective! From the Infallible line by L’Oréal, this spray contains 3.4 oz and retails for $16.99, but if you live in the midwest near a Meijer, I found mine at Meijer for $13.99 AND on a BOGO50% sale! Definitely check places like grocery stores such as Meijer or Walmart instead of Walgreens or CVS because you will probably find it for a bit cheaper! Also, this is a fairly new release, which means the price will probably drop as the product is out on the shelves for longer.

e.l.f. Cosmetics makes a Studio product called Mist and Set, and if this product works for you, that's AWESOME because this particular spray is only $3 and you can frequently get e.l.f. products for 50% off! Unfortunately, this spray doesn't prolong the wear of my makeup, plus it contains parabens (Methylparaben，Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, and Butylparaben, to be exact) so this isn't an option for me.

I'm hoping that, as this product is out on the shelves longer, they begin to bring out different formulations of this setting spray because, REVIEW SPOILER, I am in love with this product! BUT I have dry, flaky skin in the winter and insanely greasy and sweaty skin in the summer months and the All Nighter doesn't work so hot for me during that period so I'm not positive as to how well this spray will fare in those conditions. I HAVE worn it during hot and sweaty truck unloading shifts and it has held up beautifully during those, so fingers crossed. I would love if they came out with an oil control formula though!

NEW AT THE DRUGSTORE - Maybelline Edition

So, I'm not even going to try to give some kind of lame ass sob story. Basically, I've been a terrible blogger, but I just bought a Macbook Pro AND a new DSLR so I'm planning on coming back with a vengeance. ANYWAY, have a new at the drugstore type of post! I knew about the new lipsticks from Maybelline, but I had NO CLUE about these products! Also found but not featured are several new shades of the Brow Drama brow gel, including a transparent shade, but I didn't pick any of those up. I purchased all of these things from my local Meijer, and I found them on an endcap display!

Note: this is not a review, this is basically a haul post. I haven't put any of these on my face yet!