Musings of a Muse

If you’re loving the new Lancome Bamboo Bronzer but simply can’t afford it, check out the Rimmel SunShimmer Maxi Bronzer.

It’ll only set you back around $5.99!

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I gotta confess, I really hate simple mascara brushes. I always feel like a large, bushy standard brush simply doesn’t get the job done. I’ve almost always have really crummy results with mascara that has such a brush. When the US mascara market started evolving and embracing really cool brush applicators I was all over it because for me I get the best results with all those bells and whistles rather than a standard old applicator.

I’m telling you all this because when I seen Rimmel The Max Volume Flash Mascara I was positive it would be absolute rubbish.

Was it?

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Bravo Rimmel on creating a super cool gloss!

Imma a likey the new Rimmel London Royal Gloss……

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Best news ever, my fav drugstore mascara has gone waterproof. w00t! I reviewed Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara for you before and it’s recently been revamped to now include a waterproof version.

Jump ahead for more deets!

I generally loved Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara when I first tried it out but I prefer my mascara in a waterproof formula. Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara steps onto the scene with a brand new version and a waterproof formula. Score!

Now Rimmel Sexy Curves isn’t going to change your mascara world but it’s inexpensive price tag and very interesting applicator could prove it worthy of a pick up. The formula is nice and inky black and the interesting applicator pulls lashes upward and curls them very well for a longer, fuller lash look. The applicator is plastic and is made up of three round clumps. The trick to applying correctly and getting a solid, fuller lash look is to curl lashes prior to use as you’ll see the best results if you do so. The applicator seems to allow good even coverage of lashes and grasps each one between the rounder clumps that make up the brush.

Like I said it’s not going to change your mascara world but it’s a cheap, inexpensive way to get fuller lashes on the fly for a great price. It’s waterproof formula makes it smudge and flake proof so it’s ideal for the humid days we’ve been having lately. It’s unique brush makes it a winner for me and that’s saying alot as you know the Muse isn’t a fan of drugstore mascara so much.

Overall, I’d say it’s worthy of a pick up and a try if you’re in the market for inexpensive. It’s always great having at least one cheap mascara in your makeup case as you won’t feel so badly about tossin’ it out for a fresh one every few months! Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara wins this Muse’s vote for a good beauty on the budget pick.

Likey!

For the most part my skin is quite dry however Summer I do have a case of oily skin that crops up on my forehead and the sides of my nose. For those days I’m always looking for the next best thing to keep that oil in check. Last year, I quite fell in love with Urban Decay Mattifying Powder which allowed me to tote around a rather pretty purple palette with powder inside to help battle the mirror-like shine that cropped up on my forehead.

This year, taking things a step further, I decided to look for various oil controlling foundations to fight the good fight against shine, oil, and Summer humidity. My quest led me to Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation and yes I heard a few recs yelled at me about this one and see? I listened and got me some on the double.

Did it work at battling my oily forehead?

You’ll find out after the jump!

Rimmel Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation is meant to offer coverage and a mattifying finish to allow skin to remain fresh and oil free. With it’s price tag of $5.99 or so it seemed like a great budget friendly option for matte, fresh skin.

A few reasons I didn’t like it….

The formula feels quite moisturizing which is fantastic as my dry skin sucks it up. But what’s the point of purchasing a mattifying foundation that’s moisturizing? Shouldn’t it dry down to a matte finish? Hmmm. It didn’t really have a matte finish and for the most part feels and works like a tinted moisturizer as the coverage is quite sheer. As for controlling oily skin I didn’t feel much of a difference in that area either.

As with most drugstore brands I found the shade contained a heavy dose of beige which wasn’t particularly flattering on my skin. The formula and texture of the foundation is very nice and blends easily but the finish is more of a dewy, moist one rather than it’s promise matte one.

Overall, Rimmel Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation offers decent, light Summer coverage but don’t expect it to battle your oily skin, that might be asking too much.

Who might like this?

• Anyone who likes a light, sheer foundation for Summer wear and tear.
• Those who like a moisturizing foundation.
• Anyone seeking a cheap, inexpensive foundation that can mimic the formula and texture of a tinted moisturizer.

Anyone a fan?

Tell the Muse!

Yes, well, I have a ton of things to do today as it’s a super busy time of the year at my offices but I’ve been sucked into the procrastination vortex when I visited Rimmel London’s website this morning and started playing around with the new Rimmel London Virtual Makeover Tool.

I didn’t have a photo sans makeup aside from the one I uploaded last night with my Yes to Tomatoes review so I ended up using that one and although I’m looking mighty ridiculous I couldn’t help but enjoy my visit with Rimmel London Virtual Makeover Tool.

It’s kinda cool! Likey!

The site allows you to upload your photo (or use a model’s photo that’s provided by Rimmel) and use it to try out virtually all the products in the Rimmel London library from glosses, to blushes, and beyond! Granted I looked a bit ridiculous with Rimmel London Sexy Curves Mascara on (can you say exaggerated lashes?) but I was still loving trying on the glosses and blushes! Coolness!

Need some help procrastinating today?

Check it out at www.rimmellondon.com

Tell me whatcha think!

I’m wasting away the better part of 20 minutes with this today!

Since it’s debut on my blog a year or so ago, Fairy Drops Mascara (Fairy Drops Mascara Review)is the source of much e-mail to my inbox. The Muse likes to think she’s the one who created it’s cult following among follow diseased Asian cosmetic collectors like herself but she knows she’s not that important.

Recently a reader asked me to review Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara because she felt it was so very similiar in style to Fairy Drops Mascara and easier to obtain. Far be it for the Muse to say no to such a sweetly asked favor.

So here is my review of Rimmel Sexy Curve Mascara……

Before I begin my review it deserves to be mentioned I haven’t exactly seen this available outside the British market as of yet. I don’t follow Rimmel that closely but I honestly haven’t noticed Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara in any of my local drugstores. I have mine for about a month or so now? Maybe less? My best friend Lib who lives in London sent over a box of items for me for Christmas with her husband who was here visiting last month and inside was this mascara.

Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara is a good dupe for Fairy Drops Mascara in applicator design as it has the same shape and style. The applicator is plastic and has three curved layers meant for pulling the lashes out and upwards for a “sexy” curl. It does give volume, does curl, and does offer nice length so it succeeds in just about everything it promises.

When compared to Fairy Drops the “curves” of the applicator are not nearly as large and I felt like I obtained a more natural look with it where as with Rimmel Sexy Curves my look was more of a false lash look. The formula is thick but it also manages to feel light once it’s on so it isn’t weighting my lashes down. I honestly won’t say if it kept my curl all day but I will say a majority of the day it looked lovely on.

I was surprised to hear the reviews on MUA as it was quite wrongfully thrashed in my opinion and only 3.2 out of 5 stars was a surprise and shock to me as I didn’t think it was half bad for Rimmel. The formula isn’t waterproof so much ranting was made about how it flaked and smudged but I didn’t experience either thankfully. I’m quite used to wearing waterproof mascara so I always expect the worst with non waterproof formulas but this wore well all day without raccoon eyes popping up!

I’d personally purchase it again once I was out as it is indeed a solid dupe of Fairy Drops Mascara, easier to obtain, and cheaper too (believe it runs around £3-£4).

I’m rubbish at before and after shots when it comes to mascara but this is the best I could do!

Before

After

And yes, before you ask, Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara is Muse Approved for purchase. It does what it promises for a value price. Can’t beat that!

Questions?

Comments?

Love it?

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Remember last week when I purchased a few of the Rimmel Spring Eyeliners? At the time I also purchased something called Lip Bloomer from Rimmel which is also part of one of their two Spring Collections.

Let me start off by saying I sincerely love lipstains with a passion. I stain my lips everyday! I stain my lips before lipstick, before gloss, etc….always without fail!

I do this because it makes my glosses pop and gives a beautiful, healthy dimension to my lips so when I seen Rimmel’s Lipbloom for $6 bucks I thought this indeed might be a nice little bargain!

I use a variety of different stains most of which are excellent however Lipbloom blows. It blows right out the…anyway….

This particular stain mimics an older release from Too Faced with it’s dual side packaging. Too faced had something similar a few seasons ago and it basically consists of a gloss on one end and a stain on the other. Nifty right? That’s about all it is as the nifty is where it ends and all goes down hill!

The idea of having a gloss on one side and a stain on the other is, for me, the height of simplicity for touch ups. Swipe a bit of stain on, top with gloss, and you’re good to go! I find that combing a stain and a gloss makes my lips really look amazingly sexy, healthy, and beautiful (I’m one of the three at the very least).

Well…I can’t achieve or create any look with Lip Bloomer. The stain slides right off my lips as soon as I attempt to apply it. Swipe it on and it drips right off. Pigmentation is zero. It’s like taking the juice from a watermelon or something and swiping it on your lips. Just like water with a bit of color that doesn’t stay put at all.

Sigh.

The gloss? You’d think maybe the gloss would redeem the fact that one side of the product sucks but no such luck the gloss is just as bad which equals out to a crap product all the way around. The gloss isn’t really sticky or tacky which is a plus but it’s also not even glossy in texture? It feels like…nothing? I mean it feels like you’re not even applying anything onto your lips. No shine, no glossy feel, nada, nothing, zip, zero.

Basically I’ve wasted $6 bucks on a product that does nothing. Yay me I won the drugstore lottery and now have a useless gloss and stain duo that does nothing w00t!

This, my dear dear girls, is why I avoid US drugstore brands!

Rimmel Lip Bloom……………

Total loser.

Boo!

Tried it?

Loving or Hating it?

Tell the Muse!

Read my review on Rimmel’s Spring Eyeliners by clicking here!