Tried & True

Benefit’s They’re Real! Mascara

No one can badmouth this mascara, really. Reviewers and girlfriends alike all seem so heavenly delighted by Benefit’s They’re Real! Mascara. A real summer gem, that’s for sure. 

It’s no secret that my lashes are kind of lame and so I’ve been on the endless hunt for the perfect mascara for years. And while many have come close, nothing I’ve used can honestly compare to Benefit’s They’re Real!

What to love about it: DOES NOT CLUMP! the brush is sort of spindly (think the orange Covergirl LashBlast — but better!) and graces you with a smooth application. It leaves your lashes feeling natural and weightless, never weighed down by a thick coat of intense mascara. And it still delivers. It gives you the open eye look and really lengthens your lashes. They’re Real “lifts & separates” and does not disappoint. I touched my lashes after allowing them to dry and they actually felt pretty silky (and this, I feel like is a rarity in its own). 

Basically, what I’m saying is: This one’s worth a try. 

$22 at Sephora 

(Currently also available as a 100pt. perk to Beauty Insiders, but you got to remember to ask because it’s often not on display!) 

Say hello to another required summer savior: blotting papers!

They’re small, discreet and often overlooked, but they’re a great thing to keep handy in your bag on these unfortunately humid summer days. (I mean, it’s grey skies and muggy as hell over here on the East Coast…that’s just cruel, Mother Nature.)  
 
I always thought I belonged in the populous of dry-skinned sisters. However, this summer (what with all the heat, makeup and constant running around NYC like a madwoman) my skin starts to look oily by lunch. Not cool.

Luckily for me (and all of you), Sephora makes blotting papers (100 sheets) for $8! They provide a wide array to choose from: lavender, tea tree, natural (organic) and Vitamin C/E. It soaks up oil and makes skin look matte without ruining your makeup. You’ll have a whole new outlook on freshening up and it’s such an easy way to maintain your makeup throughout these hot summer days we have ahead of us. 

In the lovely months of summer, we lose a lot of things. We lose inhibitions, distaste for pop music and layers upon layers of clothing. And so with less clothing to work with, we need to accessorize and embellish on something we will always have (no matter the season): our nails. Here’s some idea to change up the mani-pedi routine for your week. (Yes, I know pink is great. So are all the neons that American Apparel may sell. But let’s switch it up here!) 

Monday: 
Try a bright yellow to start off the week and combat the Monday blues (ha, no pun intended). Try Chanel’s Mimosa $25

Tuesday: 
Rock a light sea foam white - it matches with virtually every summer color/outfit! Try Essie’s Absolutely Shore, $8 

Wednesday: 
Don’t crack under the pressures of the week! Celebrate humpday by allowing your nails to be the only thing shattered. Try OPI’s Black Shatter polish, $5.55

Thursday: 
Get amped up for the impending weekend with an acid orange color (it also looks great with a tan)! Try Givenchy’s Vernis Please! in Acid Orange, $16.50 

Friday: 
You’re covering your ears while everyone in the office is belting out the nagging Rebecca Black tune, but hey you’re feeling good and your nails are looking fab for tonight! Try NARS’ Desperado, $17 

Saturday: 

Everyone wants a Saturday that’s not for the faint of heart. Everyone always wants to be as memorable as possible. This deep blue-green shade (with a gold tint) will ensure you just that. Butter London’s Thames, $14

Sunday: 
Time to relax and lounge a bit. Pick a color that reflects that brunch-y bookstore-browsing type of Sunday gal you are. And if you’re not, ballet pink still works if you have to work the early shift at the tattoo parlor or go kayaking with the boys. It just makes you even more multi-faceted :) Try Orly’s Lift The Veil, $7.50

* Honorable mentions (for next week!): 
NARS’ Orgasm
Butter London’s Full Monty 

Benefit is trying to woo us all with their new mascara — and I’m certainly one of the ones being wooed. The mascara has a huge, spindly and is supposed to comb out lashes, leaving them darker and more voluminous. NYMag did an article about it, describing its effect as “feathery” and “clump-free” - those two words alone have me sold. Definitely picking this up at Sephora Times Square next week. It’s only available in a few locations for the time being, but it’s supposed to hit shelves next month! Benefit usually cranks out a lot of cult-fave products. Make note, this one’s a keeper!

$22 at Sephora

L’Oreal Double Extend Lash Fortifier and Extender Mascara (in Black - Waterproof)

Now that it’s officially feeling like summer, we all have pools to swim in, runs to go on, and beaches to relax at. But of course, with those pleasures also come the inevitable sweating that summer involves. 

In addition to a makeup setting spray, I highly recommend you pack a waterproof mascara in your bag for those scorching 90-degree days. I’m usually not a huge fan of waterproof mascaras (ones I’ve used in the past tended to flake or being ridiculously difficult to remove). But lo and behold, someone recommended L’Oreal Double Extend mascara and it proved all my doubts wrong. 

This mascara made my lashes noticeably longer and thicker — I think the key here is in the primer. I always apply the second coat of black right after I put on the first coat of primer to avoid letting it dry out. I wore it to the beach yesterday and returned home with lashes fully in tact, no flaking or raccoon eyes for me! Ultimate win. I’m sure if this mascara can combat sweat, ocean water and a sandstorm or two, it can also combat crying (but I hope no one has to experience that!). I love the thickness that this mascara gives to my lashes and it doesn’t budge. The only con is that like most waterproof mascaras, the formula tends to clump more so be sure to brush through your lashes root-to-tip when applying. 

Pros: lengthening, thickening, great waterproof formula, no flaking, no smudging, primer + mascara included

Cons: minor clumping so be diligent and thorough when applying

Enjoy! 

~ $10 at your local drugstore