High End vs Drug Store

I have been so loyal to my Maybelline Master Prescise Liquid liner pen for about two years now. I love how easy it is to use and how it NEVER seems to dry out. I always manage to make the perfect cat eye flick with this stuff. However I got tempted by Essie Button about a month ago when she started rocking navy liquid liner. I searched high and low for a drugstore navy liner pen and there are absolutely none. Frustrating right? So I popped into Sephora and picked up the Stila Stay All Day liquid liner. I thought I would show you a side by side comparison, my favorite Maybeline liquid liner vs the cult followed Stila pen!

The Maybelline pen has a longer and more tapered nib. It is thicker at the base and tapers off to a .02mm tip. Stila has a shorter nib, I assume to allow more control over the line, and it also tapers down to a .02mm tip.

With a shorter nib I find I have to use more strokes. As you can tell from the picture, this results in a bit of a choppy line. Personally I find that I get a smoother line with a longer nib, I like to lay the nib along my lash line and build from there. 

Stila Stay All Day

Maybelline Master Precise

I find the color inconsistent with the Stila liner as well. You can see the black line is quite a dark, true black throughout the line whereas the navy is a bit lighter on the start and end of the line, or the inner conner of my eye to the tip of the cat flick.

I'm also finding that the Stila liner is already starting to dry out, which is annoying as I bought it a month ago. I find it picks up my eyeshadow as I draw the line along my lid, which might be why it's drying out.

Overall I'm not to impressed with the Stila liner. I love the color if it was a bit more even. I'd jump for joy if Maybelline brought out my "Old Faithful" in some addition colors! Anyone know where I can find a drugstore liquid liner pen in navy? This isn't cutting it!

Top 5 Holy Grail Products!

          I thought I would share my absolute favorite products. Things I repurchase over and over again, here are the things I could not be able to survive without having in my beauty arsenal!

#5 is Burt's Bees Beeswax lip balm in the original tube form.... I'm addicted. I have on beside my bed, on my vanity, at work, in my handbag, and two on hand in my closet just in cases. Has anyone ever actually finished a tube of lip balm? I always lose mine before I get to the end, hence the "just in case" back ups!

#4 I have been using religiously for around 2 years now. If I run out of this and don't have another one on hand, panic mode ensues! The Body Shop's Vitamin C Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30. I have super super pale skin so all of my skin care really needs to have an spf in it as I burn just thinking about the sun. I ideally would like to have a spf in my foundation but i can't be to picky because if the color matches my skin tone i'm super lucky so this moisturizer handles keeping the harmful rays off my skin while nourishing and brightening as well. It smells like oranges!

#3 is MAC All That Glitters eyeshadow. This is the perfect "i'm not trying but I kind of am" shadow. It is a beautiful champagne shadow that looks great on it's own all over the lid or as a brow highlight or inner corner highlight.

#2 would have to be my TRESemme Thermal Heat Protectant spray. I have used this eat protectant for maybe 5 years now. I'm not sure if it's a security blanket for my hair or it really works but i recommend it to everyone and it smells quite nice too!

My #1 absolute favorite product that I can NOT live without is the Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner. I love how much control this liner gives, it's super easy to use and very build able and stays put all day. The tip is really really tiny so it can make a super thin line or lay it sideways on your lid to make a thicker line. The best part is the price, it's only $7.99!

         I love reading these kind of posts, it always makes me want to try new products. What are some things you can't live without? Favorite cleanser? Mascara? Blush? I want to know!!

Primer Problem

     I have been having the hardest time finding a primer that works for me. Sephora has been fantastic with letting me bring home samples to try. Nothing has done what i was hoping. I'm looking for something to control shine, hide pores, and fill lines. That's exactly what Maybelline's Baby Skin primer claims to do! I picked it up and i have to say i am really disappointed! This is supposed to be a dupe for Benefit's POREfessional and from how this looked on my skin i'm really hesitant to try Benefit's version.

       This is a silicone based primer so it should sit on top of the skin, blur the look of pores and fill in lines. Obviously I was all over this.... everything i want at a drug store price? Yes please!

       

         It comes out clear and looks as you would expect and it apples really smoothly and easily. I used the Baby Skin on half of my face after moisturizer and left the other half without. Here I am looking beautiful, pre- foundation!

      The right side of my face has the Baby Skin primer on it, the left just has my normal moisturizer.

         Here i am fully made up for the day. I'm wearing Make Up Forever's HD foundation in the shade 110, Revlon color stay concealer in porcelain (i think... whatever the lightest shade is is what i have), the Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser in the illuminating shade, Cargo's HD translucent finishing powder, and finally the L'Oreal Telescopic mascara.

         Finally, here I am at the end of the day. I went to the mall, out to lunch, and worked a 5 hour shift. There is no noticeable difference in the sides of my face in this picture, in real life I'm a bit shinier on the right side, my makeup actually wore better without being primed.

     

        Overall the Maybelline Baby Skin didn't fill in lines, control shine, or make my make up last longer. In fact my makeup did these things better without the primer on. It didn't work for me but many people have raved about it so i handed it off to my sister. Maybe she will have better luck!