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Here was the agenda for the day…

Go to Manhattan to get drug tested for a new job
Go Northwest of Midtown for the DMV office
Go Southwest to visit campus to complete registration for this Fall
&& then to go back into Brooklyn to my parents house, to pick up my youngest autistic brother from the school bus…

ooh, my day wasn’t over just yet cause I needed to, then, go across town. To get back to my apartment and finally EAT!

Then once I got home, immediately start breastfeeding my babygirl cause engorgement is a mother f******.

All this had to be done in 80 degree weather, so I decided to wear some lightweight coverage because I wasn’t about to look like I just rolled out of bed…

My day was full of errands and just as I finished up the last touches of my coverage, I ended my routine with the Wet N Wild PhotoFocus Vaporisateur Setting Spray. I didn’t notice much of a scent, which is great because I hate having strong perfumes or smells around me (unless I actually put on perfume). The nozzle is not hard to push down and it doesn’t get stuck on itself as your fingers are pushing it down. From the many makeup Youtube videos I’ve seen, setting spray is key and should be one of the last steps to helping maintain all that effort you put to applying the makeup in the first place. This is a classic drugstore find and for the price point, you’ll likely find me hoarding this cause I’m a huge fan.

Throughout my agenda, I paid special attention to the overall appearance of my face which is more on the oily side and these are the things I noticed on my skin;

-my nose was not so oily even after power walking to catch the train with some of my nose contour still in place! I was really surprised by this little victory because my nose is usually the first thing that gets super oily.

-at noon, the temperature was at its highest and I started to get some sweat beads around my hairline but my eyebrows stayed the same as when I first left my house (hurray!) and

-by the time I got to my parents house, I felt super hot and humid. When I looked in the mirror, I was surprised to see that my skin still looked a bit airbrushed, except for my nose. The bit of oil on my skin looked a bit glowy also (as if I’d applied some highlighter) which was a very nice effect!

For the first time trying it out, I was really impressed by how long my coverage stayed on especially on such a challenging hot New York City day. To back up my experience and see how others felt once they put this to the test, I looked up a few Youtube videos to just see what others had experienced. Nathalie Marie Kay, a beauty Youtuber Creator, did an awesome comprehensive review of multiple drugstore and high end brand setting sprays. She felt that the Wet N Wild PhotoFocus was one of her top three choices (link of the video down below because its awesome) and she even compared it to the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray.

Her review made me feel even more excited about this purchase because it was money well spend. Nothing gets me more disappointed then when something is overpriced and your not getting the quality that you expect for it. Especially to someone like me, who’s learning the effects of different products on my skin after pregnancy since my hormones have changed the texture of my skin.

Thank you so much for checking out this review, I’ll try to post on a more consistent basis, but I get lazy and, honestly, sometimes uninspired. Thank you again and have a blessed day!

Link of Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJa9uWdMaNI&t=1004s

Recently, I’ve been wondering if theres a method of picking the right mascara… I don’t believe I’m the only one who’s asked this question before but I’m curious to know if theres a true, straight forward answer to this important beauty question.

I’ve had this longing to learn about this topic for a few weeks and it sparked from a very recent disappointing purchase of one of my all time favorite classic mascaras. One I believed would never let me down when the going got tough but, sadly, the formula felt dry on my lashes. Then, about an hour later, I started to notice mascara flakes around my eyes.

I’ve always been very weary about purchasing items influenced by ads or marketing, simply because, I can’t determine if its just hype or the real thing. Our eyes are one of the most sensitive parts our outer skin, therefore I strongly believe that what ever we decide to place on them should feel like an investment into the greater good of the health of our eyes. Below I’ve listed a few mascara insights from varies sources, so here we go:

1. Familiarity

The best way to make a better or rather more informed purchase without running the risk of losing money is by becoming intimately acquainted with your lash type. Not all things work for every person and you can thank your DNA for that!

If your curious to know what might your lash type be, here are four of the most common lashes;

Follow the link below for specific tips about each of these lash types; http://www.eonline.com/news/632094/tricks-to-lengthen-short-sparse-or-straight-eyelash-types

2. Different wands for unique results!

Small wands are typically better for small eyelashes because the bristles can grab each lash with more control and touch up corners easily.
Long, comb like bristles that are evenly spaced are often used for separating, defining and lengthen lashes, but it doesn’t do much to add volume.
For maximum volume, many wands are large and round with densely packed bristles that grab and coat each lash.
If you want a more precise application, its best to use a wand with bristles that have different lengths so it’ll grab each lash individually.
Rubber wands with moderately spaced bristles are perfect for a more natural look!

3. Formula & Texture

According to Cindy Lin, Albea’s Director of Product Development, Beauty Solutions in NYC, mascara formulas haven’t changed much the past 50 years. They’re basically a combination of;

Wax: which is best known for its volume, separating, and blackest black capabilities. Hard waxes — found in low-quality and expired mascaras — can stiffen your lashes and cause breakage.
Pigments: the most recent innovation was made in 2004 when the FDA approved a carbon-black pigment, which gives users the darkest, blackest lashes possible
Film Formers: film-forming agents are groups of chemicals that leave a pliable, cohesive and continuous covering over the hair or the skin when applied to their surface

Most mascaras you’ll see in stores are oil-and-wax-based, which are the easiest to find because their the most traditional. “When it comes to formula claims, if you see “contains vitamin this, vitamin that,” argan oil, botanical extracts, etc., it’s usually just promotional and at low percentages—the bulk of the formula is still the basic wax-pigment combo,” says Cindy Lin.

4. Mastering Layers

Makeup artist often use the art of layering to make mascara last longer while also making it easier to remove at the end of the day. The trick is to use a waterproof mascara on top of your regular formula. You’ll first need to apply your normal mascara and then finish it with a single coat of a waterproof formula. The convenience of waterproof mascaras (besides the very obvious) is that it holds curled lashes beautifully and keeps mascara from smearing throughout the day. But because it’s so difficult to remove, another trick is to put on one coat of a regular mascara and then a clear coat afterwards so it’ll create the same long lasting effect!

5. Innovation is NOT easy

Launching a breakthrough mascara formula isn’t easy. A beauty necessity like mascara can take years to produce because of the different channels of research & development, testing, FDA approvals, patents, etc. It’s actually easier and cheaper for companies to create a breakthrough brush and patent that, then creating a new breakthrough formula. The combined effort of three important components working together is what creates the magic: the brush, the wiper (this part is found at the tip of the tube and controls how much formula is left on the wand), and the formula.

When I jumped into the research, I was expecting to find a straight, cut throat answer with a bit of digging to validate the statements. All the articles I read answered one question but then it would lead me to another question. The conclusions a bit bitter sweet one because there’s no clear answer to towards buying decisions. Like mascaras, it’s a combination of what you’ll like and what would work best. It’s back to trial & error and just in time for the holiday season!

Thanks for reading along and I hope this article has helped you or given you some more insight. Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are of these facts or hacks of mascara! lol

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Wet N Wild PhotoFocus x First Impressions Review