Maybelline Mega Plush Review: Not too plush after all...

So I don't know if it was the adorable turquoise packaging, or the YouTube guru reviews, or the thought that it'd be similar to the Falsies series- but this mascara wasn't what I hoped for at all .

I guess I wanted this to be another Falsies (my favorite) mascara, but it wasn't. The huge problem is the formula. It dries within 2 seconds, not allowing you to brush it out and fix any mistakes. I feel like a curved applicator can work better for super dry formulas since it keeps a little extra product in the curves.

I love the flex wand idea, actually. It is helpful when you begin to reach the bottow of the tube.

Kind of a disappointment for all the hype it got, but I feel like a rework of the formula will save the "gel mousse" formula.

Pretty good for a first attempt, but will not be repurchasing this version.

Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness

I am absolutely thrilled that some old school Lana is back! I love the video from the hair, makeup and clothes to the scenery. Awesome awesome awesome.

What do you think? Lemme know!

Empties #2: Summertime Smoothness

This Empties post is all about Summer skin and eyes. I've used and abused these products in the past few months. Keep reading to see how they worked out for me!

The Body Shop's Chocomania Body Butter 1.69 oz

I finished the Chocomania Body Scrub in my last post, but I was savoring this body butter for as long as I could! The smell is absolutely delicious. The fragrance didn't harm my eczema-prone skin at all.

I loved this more as a foot and leg cream than an overall body cream. I felt the consistency just worked better on feet and legs.

I really wish The Body Shop had these mini butters in the Vitamin E formula! I am definitely considering trying out more of these!

 Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser 4 oz

I heard the Cetaphil worked wonders on just about everyone, so of course I had to try it out.

And now I see what all the buzz is about!

It's excellent! A drugstore staple, this face wash cleansed my face after humid days out in NYC in a few quick scrubs. It doesn't really foam. It has no harsh dyes or chemicals.

I really loved applying it almost like a mask and then rinsing it off to baby smooth results.

Plus, it doesn't create the tight skin feeling some face washes do!

 Anastasia Clear Brow Gel 0.085 oz

I hold on to my Sephora points for dear life-but this 100 Point gift was an immediate steal. I always have conflicts with brow gels. They seem to flake off, or come off too much like glue. I like this one because it didn't dry too fast allowing me to adjust any eyebrow hairs I didn't like. Also, it had great staying power; no flakes after a whole day!

I loved this mini, but a large size is roughly $21. A littttttle too pricey for me, but maybe I'll repurchase some day!

 NYX 1000 Miles Long Lashes Mascara in MS03 Clear

This is a steal for only $3.00. To continue my eyebrow gel saga, I have to say the Anastasia one is better by a long shot. This NYX gel made my brows feel very stiff, but I do have to give it props for not flaking. Good to buy if you're in a rush. Might re-buy.

Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Flared

I'm a huge fan of the Falsies line of mascaras, but the Flared version is one I'll steer clear of. It's so dry! I feel like it was more impressive for the first 2 weeks of usage, but 2 weeks later its garbage!

Not gonna go into it, but buy the waterproof or regular version instead!

Show me your Empties! Comment, Pin, or Tweet me!

Summer Lovin'

I spent the day on the beach in Montauk yesterday.

I've been coming here since I was a little girl, and I'm still enchanted by it.

The people, the atmosphere, and most of all, the gorgeous beach just bring me back to my happy place.

Check out my new Pinterest board to get inspired for summer!

What's your favorite happy place?

Ulta Mini-Haul

I popped into Ulta a few days ago just to browse around and I picked up a few of these summer essentials.

 I really love Ulta for the drugstore-high end product mix, and they sell NYX which otherwise is hard to find in NYC.

And they had a great clearance section, too!

The Loot!

I picked up these Pureology Antifade Complex Shampoo and Conditioner minis for $3.50 each. The produdt is vegan and not tested on animals. woohoo!

I was curious about these products ever since Brittany Balyn talked about them in a video. Can't wait to give them a try!

Since the beauty bloggers won't shut up about them... ;)

I picked up a Real Techniques brush by the wonderful Samantha Chapman. I chose the Stippling brush since I have all the brushes I need, but have always been curious about a stippling type.

Not quite sure how I'll use this since I'm not into foundation, but maybe as a blush applicator?

$9.99

No summer is complete without Sun In!

Took it to the beach with me yesterday and sprayed and sprayed and sprayed. (We'll see how this turns out in another post!)

For $3.99, I'll try anything to make my hair lighter!

Ulta had a 2 for $6.00 sale on Eos Lip Balms. I tried out the honeysuckle one a while ago, but I love anything Strawberry, so I needed this one.

Gave one to the sister, but this one's mine, all mine.

I know the little bins by checkout are only meant to make you spend more money, but I love scouring them for sample size products to try out and review.

Since I ran out of makeup wipes, I figured I'd give these a try.

Not quite sure if I like the Apple + Lemon Peel scent. But, the packaging is good for travel this summer and I have always been a fan of the Yes To brand; especially the cucumber products.

$2.99

This wasn't a purchase, but I did ask for a sample at checkout and received the Mario Badescu Whitening Mask.

Now, I'm not sure I need to whiten my face in the summer, but I will give this a whirl and review sometime after summer.

A pretty generous size, I think.

Reviews to follow this haul, and I hope you're having an excellent summer!!

LANA DEL REY - NATIONAL ANTHEM



Alrighty,

So I have always loved my Lana, and her videos have always stunned me.

I gotta say, I haven't ever been particularly fascinated by JFK and Jackieand that whole situation, but I like the visuals this video is sending. I'm all for her style- the Old Hollywood, vixen goddess thing. I love the characters blurring the lines in this vid. I like asking myself why the video was made this way.

 But I just kept asking myself: wtf is A$AP Rocky doing here?  It just doesn't make sense to feature him in the video if he isn't performing or anything. I really haven't been impressed with his songs. Could he have at least added some lines in?

Also, I'm kinda tired of the whole Lana and _______, tortured relationship stuff. Let's have JUST Lana- no men! Honestly, I feel like the guys in the vids just distract from her too much.

Nice try, I guess. But major style props.

I'm Pinning!

Hey ya'll! So I'm on Pinterest now. See my board at pinterest.com/dominika520

Also, please let me know if you are on Pinterest! I wanna follow your boards, too!

Hope your summer is awesome so far! <3

Summer Reading! 2012

Do you guys ever start more than one book at a time and then wonder why the fuck you did that?

In my case, it's 4 books at once. And to prove I'm really reading them, I'll list what page I'm up to. It's ridiculous.

Check out what I plan on finishing before Labor Day!

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Page 11 out of 213

I like it so far; pretty cerebral stuff. It's kind of a dark read, but then again I enjoyed The Bell Jar last summer. Always been curious after seeing the movie so many times. I have to say, Burgess' writing style is pretty interesting, and I am interested in reading more of it.

The End of Fashion by Teri Agins

Page 84 out of 285

Of course I love a good "spill-the-beans" or "behind-the-scenes" fashion industry book, and I've been curious about Teri Agins for a while now so this book is a win-win. I first heard her speak at the Handbag Designer 101 Workshop I volunteered at last year. She's so well-spoken, and I really learned a lot from her.

 Very cool if you're into fashion history or marketing. And I really love Agins writing style.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

To be started soon.

I've been wanting to read the book since seeing the movie, but haven't started as of yet. Probably will today though! I'll probably love it anyways.

Plus, I love annoying my sister and asking"oh, so it'll be like Twilight?"

Her reaction is always the greatest teenager anger fit.

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

272 pages out of 327

Having read every other Sookie Stackhouse novel, this was a given buy for me. I've been trying to savor it for as long as I can, since I feel like every day I don't read it, is a day closer to the next novel's release.

Oh my god, that's how drug users must think about drugs....

Okay, you get the point. Of course it's an awesome book as were all the others. I just want more Eric and Sookie action. Dammit, Charlaine!

Cliche blog post : What's in My Bag (womp womp)

So I guess the "What's in My Bag" post is a given for most bloggers, but this is actually my first time trying it on for size. Nothing too fancy, but in case anyone's interested what I'm lugging around...

So this is the bag I wear most often. It's an Urban Outfitters purse which I bought for $20 on sale. It also came with a strap, but I took it off. I love this bag because it's so easy to toss in whatever I need and go out the door. Also, it shows very little signs of wear.

Alright, so from left to right I carry around: my point-and-shoot, my makeup case (laid out below), sunglasses which are NOT YSL, gum (a must), my wallet, Blackberry, tissues, house keys, Sweet Pea body spray, Vaseline, car key, a pen, Tide bleach pen, and my handy dandy planner.

I don't really carry around too much makeup because I always either lose it or it melts. But my musts are Vaseline (trust me! there really are 100 uses for it! check out the video below), Maybelline Master Drama eye pencil in Midnight Master, MAC lipstick in Creme Cup, Smashbox Lip Gloss in Pop, Revlon Lip Butter in Cupcake, Sephora by OPI Brush-on Cuticle Oil, Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Body Spray, C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve, H&M Wet Wipes in Vanilla Bean (looove these!), Handbags.com mirror I got from an event, and my contact lens stuff.

Kinda boring, but they're my absolute essentials and I can't leave the house without it all. What's in your bag?

50 uses for Vaseline in 2 minutes: http://youtu.be/G5KkDU5khoM

Empties #1

Alright, this is my first go at an empties post!

Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Shampoo: I actually really loved this shampoo. The scent is very nice and beachy. Before applying conditioner, I already felt my hair get softer and silkier. I will definitely repurchase this! Plus, it's very affordable. Worth a try for dry, damaged hair.

Peter Thomas Roth Clini-Matte Sample- This didn't work for me. This moisturizer is definitely matte, but it's so drying it made my skin feel parched. Might work on plumper skin types though.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub- I used to love this as a teen, but I guess it doesn't work for me now. In fact, it broke me out so badly I had to go to the derm. The consistency is good for a three times a week usage scrub and I do love the scent still. Won't be repurchasing sadly.

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub- LOVE this product! I used it only on my calves pre-shave (since my skin is eczema prone) and it left them feeling sooo soft! I guess you have to get used to the chocolate color of the scrub, but the scent is so rich and chocolaty. I followed this up with the body butter (which still isn't finished) and loved walking around smelling like dessert. Recommended highly!

Purpose Gentle Wash- A must for sensitive skin, this is my go-to cleanser. I always return to this product even when I try new face regimens. I love how it will wash off my makeup and leaves my face feeling spotless. Available at drugstores and I recommend the SPF 15 moisturizer for summertime!

Colorado Haul 2- Clothes and Gifts

Alrighty, this is the rest of what I purchased in Colorado for myself and loved ones:

I found these sandals in Forever21 and fell in love. They're so nice and simple with an edge- perfect for maxi dresses and shorts. Only $19-ish.

This Roxy sweater was a steal at PacSun, only $20 on sale. I've already worn it three times and it looks super cute with lace shorts I might add. Also, a great coverup for the beach.

Always a sucker for Forever21 accessories, I purchased this jade-colored necklace and stackable rings (one of which is MIA already). I'm getting inspired by loose, western wear so this necklace should do the trick.

These are gifts for my cousins. The thing is, I didn't actually party at Coyote Ugly in CO and I know it's a chain, but my cousins and I used to watch the movie allllll the time. So it's just a little gag gift between us. The saloon was really fun to visit and I love the no B.S. attitude the bartender had.

I bought this bikini for my sister. It's by Kirra, and the whole suit cost about $35. I think it's really nice and will look great at the beach. Also a steal from PacSun- which I never shop at in NYC.... weird.

I visited Gunther Toody's diner in Colorado and LOVED it! It was like walking onto the set of Grease. It's a nice, affordable old-school diner and we had such a great time. I bought this for my parents since they love to cook and love hot sauce.

The Japanese girl pens are for my sister. I thought they were cute since she's learning Japanese at school now. Also, I always wanted to read A Clockwork Orange since the movie is one of my favorites. I guess it is a weird choice for summer reading- I guess I should have chosen Fifty Shades of Grey. I dunno, last summer I read Sylvia Plath. Maybe some weird Goth girl yearnings are still stirring inside me? Anywho, I'm excited to read it!

So that's all I bought in CO. I would like to compile a little travel post so maybe that will be next? Let me know!

Back from Colorado! - Small Target Haul

Hey everyone,

I am finally back from Colorado and I've got a haul of sorts to show you. We had lots of free time and Colorado has some really great malls so I finally got around to buying some desperately needed items. Check it out:

Since going to Target in NYC is as enjoyable as getting a bikini wax, I loved visiting one in CO. It was practically empty so I browsed the shelves worry-free.

I picked up these Boots items just because I'm always hearing good things from essiebutton. The vanilla body butter is really soft and non-irritating for my eczema prone skin and the scent is boyfriend approved! The rosewater toner needs to convince me a bit more, but the scent is lovely and hasn't broken me out. I didn't realize it at the time, but I guess I now like the organic aspect of these products. I recommend checking these out, plus they won't hurt your wallet.

I picked up the Nivea Q10 plus Firming Cellulite Gel-cream for $10. I had a tough time deciding between the serum and other versions, but I am quite satisfied with this gel. Its got an aqua tint to it and it has this cooling sensation when applied. I've been enjoying this after showering and I love cooling products in the summertime in general- however, I will be waiting to see results. Worth a try! And can someone explain the difference between the different versions please?

I have to say I was most excited about ELF cosmetics at Target. But of course, when I'm excited about something, I never know what to choose. I ended up buying a concealer brush since I thought it could come in handy and it was only $1. I like it, but I need to see how long it'll last me.

The Maybelline Color Tattoo is something I've wanted to try for a while but couldn't choose a color. "Too Cool" is the one I settled on and I like using it as face highlighter, body highlighter, and in the inner creases of the eye.

-A mini clothing and gifts haul is up next!-

Welcome! + Travel Makeup

Welcome to Peony Beauty!

Let's begin with my makeup travel essentials.

I'm leaving to Denver later this week and this is all I'm taking:

Brushes: Ecotools Blusher, Sephora 49, MAC 217+218+239, and a random L'Oreal HIP brush

Sephora Eye Pencil Sharpener

Face: Too Faced Peach Leopard sample, Dior Diorglam Face + Eye Highlight Powder, Dior Diorblush 829 Rose Dragee, Boscia Blotting Sheets, MAC Strobe Cream mini, MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW28

*Tip: The Stila Tinted Moisturizer will be used for my legs when I go out at night. *

Lips: MAC Suntints (from last summer) in Lilt of Lily +Full of Grace, Eos Vanilla Bean lip balm, L'Oreal HiP Jelly Balm, Victoria's Secret Classic Red Lip Liner, Smashbox O-Gloss

*Tip: Put on lip balm before starting your makeup. Wipe it off when done and then apply red lip liner and jelly balm for a great summer night red*

Eyes: Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow/liner in R.S.V.P., Maybelline Color Tattoo in Too Cool, MAC Woodwinked Shadow, Sephora Aspen Summit shadow, MAC Handwritten shadow, Makeupforever Aqua Eyes black liner, MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder, MAC Rapid Black Penultimate Liner , Tarte Emphaseyes inner rim eye pencil, Sephora eye primer, Anastasia Clear Brow Gel, Hourglass Film Noir mascara, Maybelline The Falsies waterproof mascara, Sephora Eyelash Curler

And everything fits in my Betseyville makeup bag!

Did I forget anything? What are your summer travel essentials?

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to the Peony family!