Beauty Battles: 3 Cruelty Free Mascaras I've Tried

Beauty Battles: 3 Cruelty Free Mascaras I've Tried

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Which one is the best?

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Beauty Battles: MAC Ruby Woo vs Wet n Wild Stoplight Red

Beauty Battles: MAC Ruby Woo vs Wet n Wild Stoplight Red

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Please forgive the frizz. My hair hates humidity.

Red is my favorite lip color. It's easy to feel all made up without actually doing all the work and I'm lazy so... yeah. I am sure by now you have noticed how often I wear a red lip anyhow, based on how often I sport red lips in my photos. My favorite, favorite red has always been MAC Ruby Woo, which is drying as the Sahara desert but the color payoff was so beautiful that I happily prepped my lips each night and scrubbed all the chapped skin of day after day. If this sounds annoying, it's because it is. That and the fact that MAC started testing on animals means I will not be repurchasing my near empty tube.

But what's a red lip loving girl to do? She is going to try the Wet n Wild matte Stoplight Red, that's what. A lot of people on various sites claim this is a true dupe to Ruby Woo. I disagree with that statement. When swatched side by side (warning, terrible picture... cannot photograph swatches to save my life), Stoplight Red has a pinkish undertone while Ruby Woo looks more like a true red. However, once on the lips, I really quite like Stoplight Red! It doesn't look pinkish at all on my skintone and feels so much creamier than Ruby Woo. Goodbye, lip prep. I'll still moisturize at night (using Jack Black lip balm), but no more scrubbing and obsessive moisturizing to make sure I'll be able to wear Ruby Woo the next day.

Oh, and the longevity ain't half bad either. Stoplight red will get me through till lunch and I usually remove my lipstick at lunch anyway.

Ruby Woo: $16. Stoplight Red: $1.99

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Beauty Battles: Bobbie Brown vs Wet n Wild Gel Eyeliner

Beauty Battles: Bobbie Brown vs Wet n Wild Gel Eyeliner

Sunday, July 12, 2015

I'm not really one to make New Year's Resolutions. A year is too long a time frame so it allows us to change our goals from "right now" to "someday" waaaay too easily. That said, this year, sometime around March, my conscious started tingling. As I applied my abundance of MAC eyeshadows, I couldn't stop thinking about animal testing in cosmetics. I had recently been purchasing some shampoo from Lush and had a conversation with an employee there. Am I really ok with shoving mascara into rabbit eyes or force feeding animals lethal doses of chemicals just to make sure that eating cosmetics is harmful (btw, don't eat makeup, k)? No, I'm really not ok with that. After a little research on my options, I knew it was time to make a lifestyle change: going cruelty free.

Firstly, I know... L'Oreal, Maybelline, and Cover Girl have so much inventory! It's hard! My favorite lipstick ever is by MAC! On and on the list of excuses could go... but in reality there are tons of options! Cruelty Free Kitty has a ton of options listed on her site. With that many brands on the market, there's going to be something for everyone. So today I'll start with possibly my most used cosmetic item: eyeliner.

For years, I used Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner and brush with fantastic results. Seriously, I have sworn by this expensive product since I was 20! I knew I was going to be really reluctant to let it go, but I had heard some great reviews of cheaper gel/creme eyeliners on /r/makeupaddiction. After searching the sub, I decided to give Wet n Wild's Fergie creme eyeliner in Little Black Dress a go. I am so glad I did! The texture is better than Bobbi Brown! It glides on smoother, lasts at least as long as Bobbi Brown, and Wet n Wild never, ever tests on animals! The best part though is the price, Bobbi Brown is $25 while Wet n Wild only cost me $4.99 at my local Walgreens. My only complaint is that the lid on Wet n Wild Little Black Dress smudges easier and collects more dust, therefore it needs to be cleaned more frequently.

Can you tell which one was $25 and which was $5? Neither can I.

Another benefit of Wet n Wild's Little Black Dress is it has amazing longevity. I don't know about you, but I want my eyeliner to last through the work day, walking my dog in 90 degrees, and through an entire ballet performance. Little Black Dress can do this just as easily as Bobbi Brown for a fraction of the price. Just look below, where I have included some crappy selfies taken after performing a ballet piece in the pouring rain.* As you can see, I am soaked. That eyeliner hasn't budged. Quite frankly, I think that Wet n Wild Comfort Zone pallette held up pretty well too.

P.S. This series will also focus on affordable new favorites. Looking great doesn't have to be expensive. Drugstore makeup has become better than ever.

Do you have a favorite cruelty free eyeliner? Anything else you think I should try? Let me know in the comments!

*Yay for dancing in the rain and crossing things off my bucket list!

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