Musings of a Muse » Beauty Battle

Beauty Battle: The Skin Food Wash Off Masks Versus Lush Skincare Masks

the Muse — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:55 +0000

Let me tell you a story…..hopefully you like these long stories I get into. Ok, so I’m a big Lush skin care fan but lately I’ve been cheating with Korean brand, the Skin Food. This stuff is really great for my skin and I’ve been using it’s super power human strength to make my skin glow.

One thing I’ve never been too big a fan with when it comes to Lush is their face masks. I love some of the interesting promises that the masks make but I’ve never actually experienced the benefits for myself after using them. They are nice to have items but I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing incredible, awe aspiring results from ‘em!

I discovered The Skin Food Face Masks and I swear I can’t live without this good stuff! Now we’re talking results!

I’ve pitted The Skin Food Wash Off Masks against Lush Face Masks in a Beauty Battle. It’s easy enough to see who’ll win this battle but take the jump to find out for yourself!

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Read the rest of Beauty Battle: The Skin Food Wash Off Masks Versus Lush Skincare Masks (477 words)

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Beauty Battle: MAC Lipglass Versus Korres Cherry Lipgloss Versus Stila Lipglaze

the Muse — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:47:38 +0000

The Muse normally doesn’t do battle between three different products but today is a little bit of a special day. I’ve decided to face off MAC Lipglass against Stila Lipglaze and added in some Korres Cherry Lipgloss for the ride!

The Muse happens to love all three equally but one has to be the gloss that rules them all. There is only one winner in this beauty battle of the glosses.

Which will it be?

Jump ahead to take on this beauty battle!

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Read the rest of Beauty Battle: MAC Lipglass Versus Korres Cherry Lipgloss Versus Stila Lipglaze (452 words)

Beauty Battle: MAC 224 Versus MAC 217

the Muse — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Gather round kids time to battle some brushes! I get alot of questions about which is the best blending brush for creating good eye looks. When I first started out with MAC I was recommended two brushes from a Specktra member that changed my life (and I’m sure yours if you own them). The 217 and 224 are recommended far and wide by MAC lovers everywhere as the perfect brush for blending color to a fine finish. They are two of my very favorite brushes and I probably wouldn’t want to face the makeup world without either.

Placing them in the ring together to battle it out isn’t such a fine idea as they are both very good brushes and should both be in your arsenal but who follows rules anyway! Might as well stir thing up.

Our beauty battle will begin after the jump as I pit the MAC 224 up against the MAC 217. Who’ll be the victor? You’ll see have to read to find out more!

As I mentioned above both the MAC 224 and the MAC 217 are incredible blending brushes but of course one has to be the winner in this battle. Which will it be?

In this corner we have the MAC 224 which is a fluffy shadow brush specifically designed to blend out shadow color particularly in the crease. I wouldn’t recommend it for applying color directly to the lid but it’s a treat for blending shadow out especially if your contrasting shadow within the crease or towards the V of the eye. I reach for it often when blending and find it does a very good job of gently blending color together without creating a muddy mess. It’s $28.50 price tag is well worth it however the MAC 217 has a bit of an advantage with a cheaper price tag.

The MAC 217 is smaller compared to the 224 with fluffy bristles that are just a bit more denser. It works incredibly well at blending within the crease or all over the eye. It’s small size makes it a shoe in for fitting over the eye socket for a seamless blend. At $22.50 it’s $5.50 less than $28.50. With it’s cheaper price tag and ability to blend colors evenly while fitting nicely into the curve of the eye this could prove to be a major kick in the 224′s face.

Picking between two incredible brushes like these is a difficult task but I award the final knockdown to the MAC 217. It’s smaller size fits my crease quite well and allows me to blend easily without creating fall out which I find happens with the 224. It fits neatly all over my eye particularly my crease. It blends shadow like a dream and allows me to press as lightly or as hard as I like without having to worry about screwing up the entire eye look I am trying to accomplish. For the most part I think it’s advantage is the smaller length of the bristles when compared to the longer ones of the 224. For controlled application and blending the 217 wins this beauty battle hands down!

What do you think?

Does the MAC 217 or the MAC 224 win your beauty battle?

Tell the Muse!

Beauty Battle: NARS Blush Angelika vs FaceFront Cosmetics Cheek Up Blush I’m Faunally Yours

the Muse — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:50:00 +0000

Step right up for a Beauty Battle first here at Musings! This is the first time I’ve paired a posh line of cosmetic with a no name e-tailer brand of cosmetic. Is this kind of competition even fair? Probably not but let’s see who can win this Beauty Battle! It’s NARS vs FaceFront, to the death!

Let the battle begin!

Pairing up NARS Blush with FaceFront Cosmetics isn’t exactly a fair fight if we get right down to it but since discovering FaceFront Cosmetics Cheek UP Blush in I’m Faunally Yours I couldn’t help but think what a amazing dupe it was for NARS Angelika. Hmmmm I hear the call of a Beauty Battle!

It deserves to be mentioned the shades are almost identical down to the slight shimmer each contains. The color is a delightful bubblegum pink that gives cheeks a nice flush. Considering the shade is a great dupe we’ll have to compare size, blending skills, packaging, and price.

Weighing in at 42oz in a loose powder form, I’m Faunally Yours is $16 USD. The blush is pigmented, has a nice shimmery finish, and comes in a decent enough packaging but nothing too fancy. It blends beautifully and leaves behind a cool pink color on cheeks that’s quite flattering, flirty, and very girlish. Taking packaging into consideration I’d say it’s a tad on the cheap side but nothing terrible and I’ve seen far worst. Considering what a cult following NARS has it’s difficult to put a small name e-tailer against such a high street brand but we shall see who knocks out who!

Running up on the wings of I’m Faunally Yours is NARS Angelika. All NARS fans agree the packaging does have a certain chic feels but also annoys us a fair bit as well since it quickly becomes a mess. At $25 USD it’s not cheap and it’s no where near the same size as FaceFront Cheek UP with a size of 0.16oz. That small size could throw this battle as honestly we can all agree the better deal lays elsewhere.

Packaging wise neither wins the game that’s for sure! Color wise they are both a winner plus pigmentation, quality of the blush, and ease of blending they both cover that base. The real punch comes from FaceFront Cosmetics Cheek UP’s price tag. At $16 USD for a nice size it’s obviously the better bargain which brings it in for a win here. Sorry NARS, FaceFront has you here! As much of NARS fan girl I am, I do so admit the bargain lays with FaceFront plus it even has a tad more pop than NARS Angelika.

The Muse awards this Beauty Battle to FaceFront Cheek UP Blush, best bargain price and a killer blush with plenty of pop!

Loves it!

Beauty Battle: Stila Convertible Color VS Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge

the Muse — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:17:00 +0000

It’s that time again kids! Time for a Beauty Battle! Taking two of my favorite cream blushes and battling them again each other should make for an awesome fight. Stila Convertible Color versus Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge to the death!

Let the game begin!

Let me tell you this is sadly not much of a battle as it’s easy enough to see who will win here but let’s have a go and see what you think after I’ve butted these two against each other!

Stila Convertible Color comes housed in a cute little palette with embedded flowers on it’s lid and a nice full size mirror for on the fly application. Packaging wise Stila has it going on. When compared to Bobbi’s very minimal black pot design there isn’t much of a question which is the cuter of the two. Placing cuteness aside Stila Convertible Color has alot of catching up to do in the price and size department. At 0.15 oz in size with a price tag of $25 USD, Stila has alot of work to do to catch our attention aside from sweet packaging.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge def doesn’t have the cute factor in it’s ring but it has the size and the price tag to please! No mirror here and no cutesy flower compact but a $22 USD price tag and a size of a whopping 0.38 oz makes Bobbi Brown a fierce competitor for Stila Convertible Color. So that’s over double the size of Stila plus $3 bucks cheaper? Uh oh Stila look out!

Both formulas are incredibly long wearing and can easily be considered almost an identical product.

Stila takes a sucker punch from Bobbi Brown in the color department. With merely 7 shades and Bobbi coming up on 10! Things are starting to tip dangerously in favor of Bobbi’s side here. Stila defends itself with a quick punch to the left and snaps up about LE color releases for Stila Convertible Color but can we swayed by cute packaging, a few LE colors, and a high price tag? Probably not.

The winner?

Obvious isn’t?

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge wins this beauty battle kids! Great formula, long wearing, a huge size for a nice price tag makes it the champion in this fight. Sorry Stila…it was obvious from the start you weren’t going to win this one. We love you but your size and price leaves a bit to be desired.

How about you?

Is Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge your winner?

Or is Stila Convertible Color your champion?

Tell the Muse!

Beauty Battle: Urban Decay Eyeshadow VS Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow

the Muse — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:21:00 +0000

Pitting sister shadow against sister shadow is truly wicked! But the Muse can’t think up a better battle than facing off Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow against Urban Decay Eyeshadow!

Let the battle begin!

I’ve always been a big fan of just about anything UD has put out, particularly it’s awesome line of incredible eyeshadows. Hello likey! As I was thinking up this week’s Beauty Battle I couldn’t help but think what a great fight it would be putting up two of Urban Decay’s greatest shadows and facing them off against each other!

It’s going to be a close one kids so sit tight.

It deserves to be mentioned that both shadows have incredible pigmentation and a formula that blends like a dream. They are both really high end, quality shadows and some of my favorite shadows around.

Weighting in at 0.05 oz with a price tag of $16 USD and over 25 shades to choose from, Urban Decay Eye Shadow sure does please. Matte shadows, sparkly finishes, and plenty of shimmer are all available from this line of shadow! It’s size, it’s price, and it’s incredible variety keeps Urban Decay Shadow on top of this game but what does Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow offer us?

Merely $2 cheaper with a $18 USD price tag and a size of 0.09 oz these shadows creep up on us as a possible better value. The graffiti style package definitely trumps the old hubcap style of Urban Decay Eye Shadows as well. Getting a 3rd more product for $2 cheaper plus cute packaging could make these a winner but a mere 12 color selection could be it’s downfall!

This is a tough one to call but I do so deem the original Urban Decay Eye Shadow the winner. Although it’s bigger size and great packaging really appeals, I must deem Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow the loser for it’s lack of color selection. The colors they do offer are amazing so I’d love it if they expanded on the line and introduced new shades!

Our Winner?

Urban Decay Eye Shadow all the way baby!

How about you?

Which wins in your book?

UD Shadow or UD Deluxe?

Tell the Muse!

Beauty Battle: NARS Super Orgasm VS Benefit Coralista

the Muse — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Pitting NARS Super Orgasm against Benefit Coralista could cause for an interesting fight dontcha think?

Some fans of both are fond of saying how similar the two are but the question is if NARS Super Orgasm went up against Benefit Coralista who would win?

Jump ahead to find out!

Let the Beauty Battle begin!!!!!!!

Now NARS Super Orgasm is considerably more pricey when compared to it’s contender. Coralista is 0.42oz and has a $28 USD price tag. That’s nearly double the product for $3 USD more. Uh oh NARS, Benefit could be beating you out when it comes to price and size.

I hear tales of woe when it comes to Super Orgasm how glittery and shimmery it is, what a mess it is, etc…but the Muse thinks these are all blasphemy! Super Orgasm is much more pigmented when compared to it’s sister color, Orgasm. And yes it does have a whole lot of shimmer going on and chunks of gold glitter however it blends out to a nice satin finish minus any crazy shimmer. The shade is a glowing peach that’s simply stunning to say the very least! Uh oh Coalista look out Super Orgasm is creeping up on you here!

Now Coralista is undoubtedly the better deal of the two products. Nearly double the size of Super Orgasm with a price tag of merely $3 USD more makes it a considerably better option when it comes the quantity but what about quality?

Smelling like a sweet tropical peach sporting some seriously cute packaging and having amazing color pay off all make Benefit Coralista an incredible blush! The Muse is fond of telling everyone and anyone that will listen that it’s one of Benefit’s crowning jewels! Truly a great powder.

And the fight begins…..

NARS Super Orgasm starts off with a pop of peach, a hefty price tag, but little weight to back itself up! Benefit Coralista throws the first punch with a crazy peachy finish, a price tag to please, and enough weight to sink a heavy punch into Super Orgasm’s face!

And the winner is….

Oh please jebus don’t make me choose between two of my very favorite blushes! Ugh it’s so hard!

It’s difficult to choose between these two incredible products! Both are simply amazing to say the least but if I’m honest with myself Benefit Coralista has the better color pay off, the most bang for my buck, plus who can resist a blush scented like a tropical peach? Actually in the end the peach scent threw the fight and made Benefit Coralista our winner!

So tell me….

Who’s your winner?

Is NARS Super Orgasm the best girl for the job?

Or do you favor Benefit Coralista?

Tell the Muse!

Still not convinced Coralista is a winner? Check out both my reviews of NARS Super Orgasm and Benefit Coralista to make your final choice!