UPDATED: Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss Swatches, Photos, and Review

UPDATE: I redid the photos of these glosses, since I really hated the old ones I had, and added a new shade (Plum).

Avon Glazewear Lip Glosses, natural light: (left to right) Diamond Dazzle, Mirage, Iced Pink, Darling Pink, Cinnamon Apple, Rave, Crimson, Intense Plum, Cherry Liqueur

Avon Glazewear Lip Glosses, with flash: (left to right) Diamond Dazzle, Mirage, Iced Pink, Darling Pink, Cinnamon Apple, Rave, Crimson, Intense Plum, Cherry Liqueur

This isn't usually the sort of blog where I swatch a single product in a bunch of different shades, and holy shit, it was a lot of work! I don't know how swatching bloggers can stand it. But I love Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss so fucking much! I bought a bunch of minis recently, so I thought I'd post some photos. I hope they are useful, because the color swatches on the Avon website are not very accurate, and they don't provide descriptions, so it's difficult to tell what you're getting. For instance, from the website, I would have guessed that Rave is brownish, when it's really a purple-pink. 

I've raved about the formula and finish of this lip gloss before, and I still think it's one of the best ones out there. Note that I don't say best for the price. I mean this is one of the best glosses out there for any price, period. It's not sticky, it's moisturizing (or at least not drying), it stays put, and it has absolutely no smell or taste (I think that's ideal, since every scent will annoy someone). They don't bleed, and most don't settle into lip lines at all (the "Intense" shades do, slightly, but it is only noticeable very close up). They come in a nicely sized tube with the use doe-foot applicator. I have no complaints about the packaging at all. I've been impressed with every shade I've tried. The regular price for these glosses is $6, which is good to begin with, but they are frequently on sale or part of some BOGO type deal. I've never had to spend more than $3 on one.

Now that you've mastered winged eyeliner (?), try this trick

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So you've no doubt been spending the last 6 weeks perfecting your eyeliner game (as if you have anything better to do). How's it going? Here's something new for you to try! I call it: Using Eyeliner to Fuck with the Shape of Your Eye.

$1 lipstick for people who hate lipstick: Photos and review of e.l.f. Essential Lipsticks

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Remember how I don't like lipstick? Well (some of) these cheap bastards are a rare exception. The shades I like best (Gypsy and Posh) have a texture, feel, and wear similar to Revlon Balm Stains. I don't like this format as much as I like the big pencil thingy, but then these are 1/8 the price. One of the things I hate most about most lipstick is the constant paranoia that it's going to smear. And it usually does. There's less risk of that with these.

They all have different textures and finishes, and the e.l.f. website is completely useless when it comes to telling you what to expect, so I hope that this information will be helpful when it comes to the 5 shades I have. Also, the photos and color swatches on the e.l.f. site are often inaccurate, as are their descriptions/names. It's not even necessarily that easy to tell what you're getting when you look at the product in the packaging. If you combine my photos and descriptions, hopefully you can get a decent idea of what to expect.

Fix Your Face Quickie: NYX Studio Perfect Primer (in Clear) Review

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It costs $12, and it is exactly the same as the Monistat, the Smashbox, the Lancome, etc. Just buy the Monistat for $7.

(See my review of NYX HD Studio Photogenic Primer here.)

Fix Your Face: NYX HD Studio Photogenic Primer Review (with photos and bonus Star Trek: TNG reference)

Let me start by telling you where I'm coming from when I'm looking for face makeup: I like sheer-medium coverage, because I hate to see makeup on my skin from two feet away. I'd rather have a little unevenness than be able to see the texture of the makeup. This is just a personal preference. I almost never notice if other women are wearing foundation unless I deliberately make an effort to look, so don't take it as a judgement on your own preference. Other than some redness around my nose, purple-blue circles under my eyes, and the occasional zit, I have pretty even skin, so I'm lucky. Those few areas are easy enough to cover with concealer, and then I can use something fairly sheer to smooth everything else out. So this is what I'm looking for in face makeup and, accordingly, in a primer, because I don't want it to cause my makeup to be more noticeable.

I also have a small primer obsession. Mostly, I'm obsessed with eyelid/shadow primers - in fact, I've been planning a comparison post on them for some time now, but I keep deciding that I should buy just one more to add to my collection. It's going to be big. But I am a big fan of using Monistat Anti-Chafing gel under my makeup, so I've been curious about other products that are actually primarily intended as primers. Enter NYX HD Studio Photogenic Primer, which I got from HauteLook (invite link) for about $7 (regular price is $15). Here's how NYX describes this product: "this silky makeup primer fills in pores, minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and mattifies the complexion for a seamless finish. It also ensures the durability of your makeup, which will last for hours under even the harshest lighting."

It comes in a pump bottle, which is good for the stability of the product, though sometimes makes it hard to control how much get get each time. Here's how it looks straight out of the bottle:

A fairly thin, though not runny, lotion-like texture.

Fix Your Face: How to experiment with winged liner without buying new eyeliner (with photos)

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Some people like the way winged/cat-eye liner looks on them, and some people don't. Depending on your eye size and shape, and your general style, you may think it is the absolute shit, or you may think it is absolute shit. You don't know until you try.

I understand, however, that people who are not makeup hoarders like me might be loathe to shell out the extra cash for a gel/cream/liquid eyeliner, in case they decide they are never going to do it. There are cheap options, but you might have everything you need to figure out if this is the right look for you at home.

Here's what you need:

Fix Your Face: My new favorite brow product, Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner in Blonde (with photos and a mini tutorial)

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My usual favorite brow stuff is the e.l.f. one, but lately I've been feeling lazy, and since using a brow pencil is one step instead of two, I've mostly been using this Avon pencil, with regularly costs $6 (thought Avon has frequent sales).

I haven't used an eyebrow pencil in years, but I don't remember the texture of most of them being like this. It's quite dry and powdery-feeling, rather than creamy. It reminds me of a pastel pencil - kind of chalky. This is actually an ideal texture for doing my brows, because it means that it doesn't glob up in the hairs. It works a lot like a powder, but I think it goes on more evenly, because you don't have to keep adding more to your brush. It's a steady supply.

I suggest a light touch. Use short, brushy strokes. I outline the bottom edge of my eyebrow, then the top edge, and then I fill in the middle with upward strokes. If you want more details on how to fill in your brows, here's a tutorial from The Beauty Department.

That's it, usually, although if I have a little extra time, I'll also clean up the edges with some concealer, like so:

You don't need to be too precise, obviously.

Straightish lines along the top and bottom of your eyebrows. This works best if you use a liquid concealer that isn't too opaque or thick, and a brush. I've found that the NYX concealer that I otherwise wasn't too impressed with works well for this purpose. Adding this step just cleans everything up a little and makes your brows look neater. Then blend it, focusing on the edges furthest from your brows, with your finger.

Here's the before and after, with my nearly invisible natural eyebrow, and my finished and penciled in new-and-improved brow:

Before.

After.

I realize that in this photo the concealer is still slightly visible. Trust me when I say that it is not noticeable in person. You can only see it here because it is an extreme closeup taken with the macro setting on my camera. 

So that's my technique with the Avon pencil. The Blonde shade is a nice, neutral taupe that looks natural whether my hair is blonde or red or light brown. It also comes in Light Golden Brown, Dark Brown, and Soft Black. This Avon eyebrow pencil would be an ideal tool if you're just starting to play around with filling in your eyebrows. Just keep it sharpened and use a light touch. I find it easier to use than powders, gels, waxes, or pens. And it's pretty cheap.

Fix Your Face Quickie Review: NYX Slim Sparkle Eye Pencil in Bronze Shimmer (with swatches)

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I feel like I have a bunch of NYX products, but that I haven't reviewed many. But then I realized that it's because I feel kind of blah about them. They're not terrible, but not amazing - and usually it's one of those qualities or the other than inspires me to review something. So here is a review of an okay eyeliner, because if you're thinking of buying it, it's probably useful to know that it's okay. This is NYX Slim Sparkle Eye Pencil in Bronze Shimmer, which costs about $3.50, so even for just okay, the price is decent:

Without flash.

With flash.

Fix Your Face: Quick ULTA eyeliner photos

I took these photos a while ago, and honestly, I don't remember if I had a specific purpose for them. I just found them. You can see some more of the ULTA eyeliners I swatched here. These are the gold and cobalt blue liners from those swatches. They're really nice and bold. The gold actually isn't really showing its true splendor in these photos. It's very metallic and opaque, like liquid metal.

Fix Your Face: Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss Swatches

UPDATE: New swatches have been posted here.

Fix Your Face Review: e.l.f. Studio 3-in-1 Mascara (A $3 Tubing Mascara!?)

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Spoiler: I've already revealed that I love this stuff, so you know what the outcome is going to be. Let me get straight to why.

First things first: I believe this is a tubing formula (here's a pretty good description of what that is). So if you like tubing mascaras, you should try this out. If you don't, it might not be for you. I have never personally used a tubing mascara, and I don't own one, and I'm not willing to spend the money right now to buy one just to compare with this. But if you have tried any of the tubing mascaras out there, like Blinc or the one from Too Faced or L'Oreal's, and you've tried this e.l.f. mascara, I would love to hear from you. If it is directly comparable, then what we have here is a $3 version of a type of mascara that usually costs $10-30.

Let me talk about the qualities this stuff has that lead me to believe it is a tubing mascara, which are also some of the things I like about it. Once you put this mascara on and it sets, it's not going anywhere. It's not waterproof, but it will not run from tears or rain, etc. I also have a bad habit of touching my face, and I have oily skin, and I always wear sunscreen, etc. Despite that, this doesn't smear. Basically, it doesn't dissolve. If I happen to I wake up in the morning with this mascara still on, it hasn't transferred to my pillow and it's barely flaked. It's still there. Now, I know that no one's necessarily looking for a mascara that will hold up over night, but I think that's a good demonstration of its tenacity.

Fix Your Face: How to use lipstick as blush

Here's a helpful link from Project Swatch if you want to expand your range of cream blushes without buying anything new.

Note: THIS is the silicone-based primer you should use!

Fix Your Face: Stain Remover for Your Teeth

I had a lot of stains between my teeth from drinking tea and coffee every day. This got rid of them, and it's less annoying than whitening strips, and it's $8. The end.

Okay, not the end. Just so you know, it's not designed to get rid of stains from smoking, just food. And my teeth haven't got all scary bright white all over, but the stains are gone, and that's what I care about. They were gone within a week of using it, and a lot lighter and smaller by the second time I used it. Also it only takes 2 minutes, it's easy to use, and it doesn't taste gross. If you are both cheap and umwilling to put in a lot of effort, this is a good choice.

Fix Your Face Review: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Bronze

According to the blurb on Cherry Culture, these pencils have been a NYX bestseller for years. One of the major attractions for me was the huge range of colors: Cherry Culture has 36 shades available, ranging from basic neutrals to glittery metallics to acidic neons. Regular price is $4.50 (though they're on sale for $2.99 at the moment).

I figured I couldn't go wrong with something so popular and ended up getting the Bronze shade. Despite the name, it's copper. Definitely not bronze.

Fix Your Face: Baby Wipes

Compare the ingredients of a typical pack of sensitive skin makeup removing wet wipes and a pack of sensitive skin baby wipes. For example:

Pampers Sensitive Wipes:
Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbandensis Leaf Juice, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Bis PEG/PPG 16/16 Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bisabolol

Olay Sensitive Wet Cleansing Cloths:
Water (Eau), Glycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Butylene Glycol, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 20, Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Nothing in the former that's going to hurt your face. Look up the ingredients in this Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary if you're curious (I did). The only thing to be concerned about, if you have dry skin, is the benzyl alcohol, but it is only a problem if it is among the main ingredients. In this case, it is far down on the list, which means it's not there in a major amount. You can probably find some without even that type of alcohol if you you spent 8 minutes looking for them, but I only spent 3.

For 5 bucks, you can either get 20-30 face wipes or 64+ baby wipes. I have used the Pampers Sensitive Wipes, and they leave my skin soft and clean. They do an excellent job of removing makeup. The texture is soft and thick. Think about it: if they're sensitive enough for a baby's ass, they're going to be safe for your face. Worth trying.

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Fix your Face: e.l.f. Makeup Brushes (and a sweet deal)

From today until Jan. 7, you can get the 11-piece Studio Brush Collection for $2.13 with a $20.13 purchase from e.l.f. using the code BRUSH2013. That's cheaper than the regular cost of just one of these brushes alone. The regular price of the set is $30 (basically, you get one brush and the case free, normally).

Here are some things I have recommended in the past that you buy (or don't buy) from e.l.f. to get you to that $21 threshold.

Good:

• Essential Concealer Brush (for cuticles)
• Studio Lip Lock Pencil
• Studio Cream Liner (more)
• Nail Polish
• Studio Eyebrow Kit

Bad:

• Studio Waterproof Eyeliner Crayon

And another list of the goods and the bads (not half price anymore).

It'll be worth it, because those brushes are damned good. Soft, thick, just wonderful. They also come in a nice case for travel that is big enough to also hold other brushes and eyeliners, etc. Here is what I think of each brush in the set, and what I use them for (often not what they're designed for).

• Eyeshadow 'C' Brush: I use this to apply lighter shades to my lid and browbone. Anywhere I need to cover a wider area.
• Complexion Brush: This is the perfect blush brush. It's big and fluffy, so you get a natural application. Make sure to use a light touch and tap off excess powder before you apply, because the thick bristles will pick up a lot of color.
• Small Smudge Brush: This is what I use to fill in my eyebrows with NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Auburn/Red. It's ideal if you like a more natural shape with rounded edges. If you like a more dramatic eyebrow with sharp corners, the Small Angled Brush below might work better for you.
• Small Angled Brush: This is one whose perfect use I haven't discovered yet, though I think it would work well for applying gel eyeliner or eyebrow powder.
• Small Precision Brush: This brush is exactly what you need if you have problems applying eyeliner pencil neatly. You can just draw a messy, uneven line and then use this tiny, stiff brush to smooth out the edges and blend it toward your lashline. You can't fucking lose.
• Fan Brush: Okay, I'm still working on this one too. I guess you're supposed to use it to dust away particles on eye makeup that have fallen on to your cheeks. I usually just use a sponge or my big fluffy powder brush (not from e.l.f.) to do that. Other ideas, anyone?
• Flat Top Powder Brush: This is a really lovely quality brush. It's so dense and soft that it almost feels like a powder puff. I haven't used it much yet, since I have an old brush that I prefer for applying pressed powder. This is supposed to be great for getting your foundation blended smoothly (explanation here from Makeup Withdrawal).
• Angled Foundation Brush: I don't wear foundation very often, but this seems to do the trick for applying it.
• Concealer Brush: I don't use this one too often yet, since I already have an under-eye concealer brush, but this will make a good replacement some day.
• Blush Brush: Personally, I think this is too small for blush, but it's perfect for contouring. I use Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzer Pressed Powder in Goddess, which is a good matte contouring powder for pale skin. You might still be able to get it on clearance at CVS (link above only for informational purposes - you should not have to pay $7 for that shit!).
• Contouring Brush: Nice, multipurpose eyeshadow brush.

Another good e.l.f. brush not listed above:

• Studio Retractable Lip Brush: It's a pointy brush with a fine tip that is ideal for lining lips. And the retractable mechanism is just fun: you put the lid on the other end and it lengthens the handle and pushes the brush out. Plus it keeps the brush from attracting lint. And cat hair. Ahem.

So there you go. These are phenomenal brushes for beginners or the makeup obsessed alike. Get them while they're cheap (if you wait a while, they will be on sale again. Maybe not this cheap, though.)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Review revisited: Revlon Custom Eyes Mascara, Waterproof Formula

Originally I said that I thought this mascara was good enough to pay less than $3 for on clearance. I just threw it away, however, after only a few weeks, so I guess I've changed my mind.

The problem? I get little splatters of mascara on my upper and lower eyelids when I apply it. They are a huge pain in the ass to remove without smearing them all over. So fuck it. I'm over it.

I haven't tried the non-waterproof version yet, so the jury is out on that one.

Fix Your Face Quick Review: NYX Concealer Wand

I have the NYX Concealer Wand in Fair (a.k.a. HD Photogenic Concealer - the label and the website description give different names). As part of my search for a good, affordable concealer, I've been using it for a couple months now, both for blemishes and under my eyes, so here's what I think.

Pros:

• Good texture. It's creamy - not too thick, not too runny.
• Sets quickly, but not too quickly. You have time to blend it.
• Decent coverage. I have very light skin and dark fucking circles under my eyes (think: Uncle Fester), and this eliminates them in a natural-looking way.
• Unscented.
• Cheapish: $5.

Cons:

• Settles into lines/wrinkles under eyes. I have to blend it multiple times while I'm applying the rest of my makeup, and each time I do, some of it gets removed.
• Highlights dry skin/flakes. I think probably every concealer does, though.
• Doesn't last. 3-4 hours later, I'm a zitty vampire again. It does a better job staying put on the blemishes than the eyes. Even over primer.
• Very, very pale. The Fair shade is described as a "beige shade with pink undertones" on the NYX website, but it's so pale that it's almost white. Definitely check these out in person before buying.

For me, the cons outweigh the pros. It doesn't matter how well it camouflages my flaws if they pop up again a few hours later. This may be just because I have oily skin, but I want something that's both easy to use and lasts! And is cheap as fuck. I know it exists, somewhere. I'll keep using this until I find something better. It's not terrible. I prefer it to the Revlon ColorStay UnderEye Concealer, which I used once and then returned to CVS. It settled into lines AND didn't cover up my death rings for shit.

Fix Your Face Quick Review: Jordana Color Tint Blush Stick

I got the Jordana Color Tint Blush Stick in Pink Adore in an attempt to replace my beloved Marcelle cream blush that is 8 years old and getting a little gross.

Pros:

• Good color selection.
• Not messy.
• Small enough for travel.
• Cheap ($3).

Cons:

• Disgusting baby powder scent. I can only smell it when I'm applying, but I still could do without it.
• Very stiff and dry. You can't apply it directly to your cheeks and them blend it out. You have to rub your finger firmly across the stick itself to pick some up and then rub that on to your cheeks. 
• Sheer. I'd prefer something more pigmented so that I only have to use a little, rather than something that requires building up with multiple layers. It's too much work, and it uses too much product.
• Small. The whole package is probably just over 2 inches tall and 1 inch in diameter.
• Fades quickly. It's pretty much gone after a few hours.

Overall, I don't recommend this, though I have only tried the one shade. I linked to it just because it's sort of okay for travel, since it's small and won't break like powder, but is a solid, so you can carry it on without separating it with your other liquids. I'm going to keep looking, though.

What's your favorite affordable cream blush?

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Cheap vampy lip options (from The Science of Chic)

Cheap, cheaper, and cheapest!