Beauty Blender Dupe Review: A Failure of Epic Proportions

...Okay so maybe I shouldn't have put that as the post title saving it for the end of the review, but I kid you not..... It was THAT bad. * facepalm*

Backtrack!

Let''s start with the original. The Beauty Blender which everyone knows, unless you've been living under a caboodle kit rock is an amazing pink egg sponge developed by makeup artist Rea Ann Silva.

Beauty Blender Duo Set with Cleanser

It's latex free, reusable and it's unique shape makes applying product a breeze. Used wet or dry, texture provides a flawless finish to your complexion products i.e no more brush streaks.

The sponge also has it's special cleaner which removes all product leaving your egg like new, ready for it's next use. I don't recommend using any other cleaner besides the Beauty Blender cleaner. I've made that mistake in a rush and there was soap coming out of it for weeks! It was like my egg had rabies. >_<

These pink babies are a staple in my kit and almost everyone of my clients that I've used it on have gone out to purchase one for themselves. I even had one client who said she is buying it to put moisturizer on because the feeling of sponge is simply therapeutic  I didn't have the heart to tell her that's actually my touch lol I kid!

The company has since launched the Beauty Blender pure which is a white egg and now the Beauty Blender Pro which is a black egg.

Single Beauty Blenders, Original, Pro, Pure $19.95

A Beauty Blender comes in at $19.95 for a sponge only and $32.95 for sponge and cleaner set.

So naturally when I came across the Yellow Egg at T. J Max for $4.99 I thought hmm... why not! ..honestly it was the yellow that got me...not even the price tag. Yellow egg sponge will now be known as Yolk.

I used it last weekend while working. As I took Yolk out of the package for the first time, I instantly knew it would be a fail. The texture of it was completely smooth and slick, not porous at all and very heavy, not squishy. ( yes you love my technical terms)

On the package it said " Use wet, sponge expands when wet"  I only use my Beauty Blenders wet so naturally I wet Yolk and set it down to let it absorb the water while I prepped my client.

Mr. Yolk...was barely damp. Not even the water could absorb, I had to literally drown it for it to absorb the water. Then it was just like a rock and lost it's shape in a very deformed way as I squeezed the excess water out. The Beauty Blender just bounces back to it's glory, I actually started making faces and different shapes on Mr.  Playdough Yolk

Left: Beauty Blender        Right: Yolk 

Sponges wet.  Scrambled Yolk? O_o

Naturally as I like to torture myself, I still decided to use it with my beloved Face Atelier foundation, it just smeared over the sponge and disappeared with nothing left but a stain.

R.I.P Face Atelier swatch :(

I placed Yolk back in it's box.

The End.

Sajies Say: " I can't"

You don't even go here Yolk!!!

P.S I've decided I'm going to attempt to clean it then stick jewels on it for a super cute paper weight! yay!

Beautyblender sponge

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com

Product Review: NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss

NYX Cosmetics is easily one of the most popular drugstore brands on the market today with a large following from the average girl to the professional artist.

The Mega Shine Lip Gloss is a super pigmented gloss in a wide variety of colour choices. From Nudes to Bold and Brights. The glosses range from opaque to semi opaque and are long wearing without drying the lips.

Left to Right: Plush Red, Sponge Cake, Smokey Look, Sugar Pie

Left to Right: Plush Red, Sponge Cake, Smokey Look, Sugar Pie

The scent of these glosses is a pretty strong cherry-ish scent so keep that in mind if you are sensitive to fragrance.

My fave is Plush Red which is a brilliant Red and Sugar Pie a nude barely there pink

Sajies love pretty lippies!

NYX Mega

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com

Product Review: Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencils are a fantastic drug store steal. 

They come in a variety of shades with a good range for the lightest blonde to dark brunettes. My two personal faves are the Black Brown and Hazel.

The pencils also have a handy brush cap to brush brows in place before filling in, the wood of the pencils is also great as it allows you to get a sharp point once sharpened which is ideal for making light hair-like strokes.

Left: Hazel   Right: Black Brown

What I also like is that the pencil is not super waxy so it is long wearing and there is no issue with melting or that shiny wet looking effect that some pencils give.

Top: Hazel   Bottom: Black Brown

I have a Hazel for myself which matches my lightened brows perfectly and I keep a pair in my professional kit.

At $3.19 it's definitely a great deal!

Sajies love a great brow tool!

Shop your shade below:

Rimmel eyebrow pencil

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com

Bargain Brush Strokes: Top Drugstore Makeup Brushes

Brushes & Applicators Sets by Ulta
Beauty Tools by Ulta

Brushes are an important part of your makeup kit and are also one of the most expensive purchases you can make. They generally are the difference between a sloppy makeup job and a well applied makeup job...even if you are a novice.

With brushes that run at $35-$65 a piece many every day women tend to over look brushes and stick to the awful sponge thingies that come with compacts...might as well clean your ears with them instead -_-

On the same hand, buying cheap brushes do more harm than good. There is nothing worse than a poor quality brush...not grabbing pigment, so scratchy it won't apply smoothly not to mention falling apart on you.

As a pro I  invest in my brushes as they are tools that I need to work with and to last a life time, but for the average woman out there who only wants to apply their makeup well, there are some excellent options both in quality and in price.

Here are my Top 4 Choices for quality affordable brushes for your DIY pro applications:

Eco Tools: 

Bamboo Bronzer brush $12.99 and Bamboo 6 piece Eye Brush Set $7.99

Earth Friendly Beauty, these brushes not only look cute but are cruelty free and made from recycled materials. They come in various sets with carrying cases also made from recycled materials and are available in basically every major drugstore and supermarket. What better way to go green than this!


Sonia Kashuk:

Sonia Kashuk Couture Brush Set $14.99 

Sonia Kashuk brushes and quality, on a budget, on a stick handle. Made by a Makeup Artist so you can rest assured that the make and quality is there. Her brushes also feature really trendy and cute seasonal designs for added personality. These brushes can be found exclusively at Target.



Real Techniques:

Real Techniques Core Collection $17.99

Another line created by Pro Makeup Artist Sam Chapman, known to many as Pixiwoo youtube guru. The Real Techniques brush line combines pro expertise on what a brush should do and innovative design. The handles are made to stand upright and are colour coded to make use easy. No more "What is this brush for?" Real Techniques brushes are available at Ulta.


Face Secrets:

Face Secrets Foundation Brush $9.99

Face Secrets is a brand that provides cosmetic tools such as sponges, disposable applicators and also includes a full makeup brush line (possibly) exclusive to Sallys Beauty Supply. Sold in only single pieces, I randomly picked up a few eyeshadow brushes and powder brushes and was pleasantly surprised at the quality, and for the price there's no harm!

Now that you have great tools to apply your makeup with, be sure to pick up a brush cleaner. Brushes should be washed at least once a week ( personal brushes of course). If you guys would like a post on how to clean and maintain your new brushes comment below!

Brushes & Applicators Sets by Ulta

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com

Product Review: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

As a fan of NYX Cosmetics I easily picked up a few of these for my kit,

 this review has be longggg over due!

I picked up these four shades

Antwerp which is a peachy pink,  Addis Ababa which is a bright fuchsia, London a nude beige and Monte Carlo a true red.

Antwerp

Addis Ababa

 The texture is very soft and creamy with a good consistency. It applies very smoothly and feels great on the lips. Once applied it has a bit of sheen to it but after a few minutes it dries to a nice matte finish.

London

Monte Carlo

For an even softer look, these work well as a lip stain with a light coat.

What They Say:

"It's not lipstick, nor is it gloss. It's like nothing you've experienced before, It's lipstick cream that goes on silky but looks soft matte."

What Sajville says:

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com

Product Review: Black Opal Stick Foundation

One of the most common things I hear being a makeup artist is women with darker skin tones having limited options of finding products to match. *that and most are in denial of their true complexions*

Black Opal True Color Stick Foundations is a really amazing and budget friendly product with excellent shades for darker skin.

The formula of the Stick Foundation is very pigmented and creamy with a medium to full coverage. The colour matching for darker skin is amazing and blends beautifully. 

I have to say I would not recommend this for lighter-medium skin tones as the lighter colors seem to oxidize and turn orange *hopefully this will be corrected soon*

Unretouched Photo of Hana-Safiya Black Opal True Beauty Finalist wearing Shade Hazlenut

Bonus on this product? at $10.00 USD this is a steal!!

What They Say:

"Sometimes you do have something to hide and this creme foundation housed in a portable stick, can make camouflaging problem areas on the face that much easier. This PABA-free, hypoallergenic formula protects skin from UV damage, won't clog pores and blends smoothly to give you the flawless face you've always wanted. Full coverage. For all skin types. Velvet finish."

Application Tip: 

-Apply a stroke of foundation on the forehead, chin, down the nose and cheeks then blend with a damp sponge or a foundation brush with a bit of moisturizer to get a natural finish to your makeup.

- I recommend a loose no color translucent powder to set this foundation as the foundation tends to be such a true match any slight color in the powder could alter the shade.

Team Sajville Loves!!!

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com

Product Review: Top Three Drugstore Mascaras

It's the battle of the Volume!...NO! The Battle of Length!.......no? ..Okay just a mascara comparison then :)

Here are the Top Three Drugstore Mascaras that have a rightful place in Sajville!
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Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

One of the industry's faves! The Blackest Black is truly the blackest mascara out there! Perfect for use with falsies and it will blend your lashes into the false lash seamlessly!

That's What she said!What they say: 

"AMERICA'S FAVORITE MASCARA 

BIGGER BRUSH, BIGGER LASHES 

CONDITIONS AS IT THICKENS "

Lashes were not combed after mascara application to show true results right out of the tube
2 Coats Applied

Personally I love it! I really do, its a staple in my kit, both personal and professional. So whats the rating you ask?

5 Sajies for Great Lash

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Maybelline Lash Stiletto

This seems to have a similar formula to Great Lash but with a skinnier brush judging from the application on my lashes, I can tell that it does lengthen short lashes nicely. It does make lashes a bit spiky/spidery which is fine if you like that look. 

What They Say:

"DOES FOR LASHES WHAT STILETTOS DO FOR LEGS 

STRETCHES LASHES for provocative length 

70% LONGER LASHES, shiny patent finish"      

Lashes were not combed after mascara application to show true results right out of the tube
2 Coats Applied

My view? I like it for the patent shine but I won't be giving up Great Lash for it.

Application Tip:

-As I mentioned this gets lashes really spiky, to create a fuller lash look, use your brow BRUSH and brush the lashes in the same motions used to apply the mascara.

Lash Stilettos spot on the Sajie scale?

4 Sajies for Lash Stiletto

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Loreal Voluminous Mascara

This mascara is popping up in pro kits everywhere, I've honestly never tried it before this review and lets just say...It will be popping up in my kit! I absolutely love love love this mascara length AND volume with a perfect "mid" sized brush..not to big not to small, and the result is just gorgeous lashes.

What They Say:
"Voluminous Original Volume Building Mascara is uniquely formulated to build lashes to 5x their natural thickness, for a full and dramatic lash look. The Volume Maximizing Brush thickens lashes evenly and smoothly leaving them soft with virtually no flakes, smudges or clumps."

Lashes were not combed after mascara application to show true results right out of the tube
2 Coats Applied

I will honestly say...I think I prefer this to Great Lash! :O GASP!

and the people of Sajville say....

5 Sajies for Loreal Voluminous

*All "What They Say" quotes are taken from the respective products websites*

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com

Product Review: Revlon Illuminance Cream Shadow

When Revlon first brought out these cream shadow palettes I picked up two with more neutral shades and quite enjoyed them. They were pretty long lasting for a cream shadow and creased only after a few hours....So naturally when I saw this palette with these colours I went OOOooooooOOooooo!!!!

....womp womp womppppppp

As that standard with these cosmetic companies.... when you have a product that works well...what better than to change the forumla!!!!.....right????....PFFT! But Revlon is famous for this..they took Colour Stay Foundation which was amazing and added this Softflex crap...for no reason... n e way!

The texture of this is No where close to my original palettes so naturally...this creases like crazy!

First the swatches...these are the colours below:

Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow: Black Magic

You can see its creasing already! smh

This is how it looks with eyes open

  

I created a soft smokey eye look since I was going out during the day and I set the colours with a loose Translucent Powder.

It came out very pretty I will say but this look will really only last you an hour or two the most which sucks! For those who would still like to try it or have already purchased a set here's how to get the best of out it!

Application Tips: 

-Apply an eye primer over lids from lashline to brow

- Apply Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow with finger tips or a small fluffy blush to blend.

-Start off light and build up colour as needed for your look.

- Using a medium sized fluffy eyeshadow brush "set" the creme shadow with regular powder eyeshadow in matching colours. e.g Set the black with a shimmery black powder shadow, the shimmer white with a powder shimmery white shadow etc. *This will make the colours bolder for a softer look set with translucent powder*

So! at the end of the day...how worth it is this purchase?

revlon cream shadow

Saj Mack is a Professional Makeup Artist in Atlanta Georgia providing over 6 years experience in Beauty, Commercial, Film, Television, Special FX and more. See her work at www.makeupbysaj.com