HOLY *****! My Holy Grails (:

Haha wasn't that title clever? I thought of it yesterday while doing dishes and I laughed at how insanely clever I am. Come on, that's was cute you agree. Up top! No? Alright cool 8)

Holy Grail refers to a beauty product that one finds to be exceptional, wonderful, amazing and perfect to their needs. Of course, all tastes are different so it varies from person to person. Also refers to the Holy Grail in the bible, a scared object used by Jesus during the Last Supper.



Holy Grail Products
/As of Sept 4 2010

Forever HGs


Urban Decay Potion Primer



Yes yes, everyone and their moms already know about and own this product. It's legendary for a good reason. It comes in an adorable yet impractical purple tube with a slanted applicator. The primer makes eyeshadow brighter and stay on like no other. It can even make dollar store shadows last! Once this base is applied, one can rest assured that their eye makeup will remain flawless. Amazing product, can't live without it.



Got2B Guardian Angel



When it comes to styling my hair, I never used any protectant because I didn't see the point. Ever since I started using this, I've noticed that my hair straightens faster, doesn't burn to the touch and left my hair silky. It contains a flowery scent that disappears almost immediately after. It's great and does it's job.



L'Oreal Skin Genesis Cleansing Cloths



One of the problems with using heavy duty makeup like I do is trying to remove it at the end of the night. One a typical day I would be using Revlon CS and waterproof mascara. Nothing I've ever used has been able to get rid of all of it. UNTIL I stumbled across these babies. (: I like that they're cloths because they're portable and I can take my time, much better than hunching over a sink. I don't like the oil/soap duals and I hate cleansing bars so this is nearly perfect for me! Magically removes all my makeup.. it's kinda gross to look at the cloth =P It leaves a lovely perfumed scent behind and leaves my face feeling BABY SMOOTH! Can't stop touching my face after! HG product all the way! =D



Nivea Essential



Best lip balm I have ever used. Moisturizing. Heavenly scent. Non drying. Cute little tube. What more could one want? I fell in LOVE with the scent soon as I opened it and kept taking it out to smell it. I'm not weird, I just adore the fragrance! I can't describe how much I love this little lip balm. I reapply it so often I'm starting to think it has crack in it! My tube is on it's last legs.. need to stock up. If I have any complaints about this product, it's that it tends to get soft in warm weather and the tube will slide down when pressure is applied.



Sally Hansen Commander in Chic

Admitted, I've only worn it for a day but I'm thinking it's on it's way to HG status already. I didn't use it for 3 weeks after I bought it because I didn't like the colour in the bottle. I applied it today for funsies and WOW.. seriously in love with this shade! It's hard to place a name on the colour. It's interchangeable from purple to plum to grey to brown. And honestly, I don't even know myself. Two people thought it was chocolate and one said it was purple. But it looks like a great nail colour for fall, it's a mix between edgy and classy
(: Comes with the weirdest brush ever but it's easy to use after a bit.



OPI Princesses Rule!



The perfect shimmery pink polish. Verrrry sparkly and glowy and quite sheer though it can be built up. Good for french nails but with a glitter twist. Great baby pink polish.. looking for a replica in baby blue! (:



Promising Products


Clean and Clear Pore Refining Toner



Got this GWP so wasn't expecting much at all. It actually does a good job of removing my heavy duty foundation in a few swipes, leaving my skin feeling refreshed and soft. Cannot take off my eye makeup because the fumes make my eye water. Still, it's not a bad product.



M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid



Yes, I'm the last person who hasn't tried this product yet I know = = I got to try this in stores and really liked how the foundation matched my yellow skin tone. That's something my current one couldn't do perfectly. I like the coverage but I think it tends to fade overtime. Still testing it out, I like it but I'm on the fence about it.



Currently I don't have a HG for the following: moisturizer, lip gloss, lip stick, concealer, mascara and eyeliner. But I'm always on the hunt so feel free to recommend me :D


Thanks for reading!
What's YOUR HG?


(:

Best Drugstore Mascara

Best Drugstore Mascara

I can't believe I haven't done one yet, mascara is one of my fave products (:

People demand many different things from their mascara. They want it to be lengthening, volumizing, to hold a curl, waterproof, smudgeproof, flakeproof, moisturizing with vitamin E, wet formula, dry formula, lots of definition, thick barrel brush or thin pencil brush! Consumers want these qualities in combination with other elements or just alone by itself! Argghh everyone is so demanding.. especially me ^^

People have different wants and needs, depending on their natural eyelashes. For example, I have short, stubby Asian lashes that are mercifully not pin-straight. My ideal mascara would length my eyelashes like a madman, adding just a hint of volume because I want a more natural look. No curling properties needed as I don't even curl my lashes LOL (gasp, I know).

These are the best drugstore mascaras on the market that will help you rock your look for a sensible price (:


Max Factor 2000 Calorie

A mascara that lengthens and volumizes, with a cute name to boot (: 2000 Calorie is waterproof and smudgeproof, with a hypoallergenic formula that is appropriate for sensitive eyes. Goes on lashes a rich black and keeps them soft and lush (not hard with caked on formula). 2000 Calorie holds a curl all day and comes in a sleek black tube with a straight brush. Discontinued in stores but available through online retailers.


Maybelline The Falsies

Go for this product if you want long, dramatic looking lashes equivalent of false lashes! The Falsies provide enormous length, volume and curl with no clumps or smudging all day long. One coat gives you a innocent, doll-like look. Two coats would bring you up to the 'falsies' level. Add another coat for a lush, glamorous look with Betty Boop lashes. The brush is slightly curved and bends to give you a better coverage. Comes in an adorable fat purple tube with matching brush ^~*



Maybelline Colossal Volume



Said the be the Diorshow mascara dupe, this mascara provides great volume and length. Comes with a large barrel brush perfect for capturing the smallest lashes and coating the bottom lashes evenly. Apply one or two coats of Colossal for thick and full lashes with no flaking or smudging. Might clump if more coats are added on. The packaging is similar to Maybelline The Falsies, only with a bright yellow design. Colossal Volume contains a strong artificial rose smell which may bother some people. The waterproof version is raved about a lot because of it's lasting properties (will not budge through rain tears or sweat).



NYX Doll Eye Mascara- Long Lash

Doll Eye gives a long lash look, but more subtle and not as dramatic. The formula is dry and contains tiny fibers that cling to lashes for amazing length but still keeping them soft and lush (and not crunchy). Doll Eye has no problems with smudging, flaking or clumping. It holds a curl well, however it's not a volume mascara so don't except thickness. A great mascara for an everyday look. Comes in a cute, long bullet shaped tube with an hourglass wand.


Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara



A mascara from the Japanese line, Kiss Me works to thicken up and lengthen lashes while providing a curl to last all day. Contains chamomile extract and Camellia emollient to make eyelashes smooth. Volume & Curl mascara is extremely long lasting.. so much it states that it's 'highly waterproof'! It holds up through water, sweat, tears, grease and can even last through swimming! But removing at the end of the night is a pain, it just doesn't want to leave you! (: Kiss Me produces a mascara remover however, so that might be worth looking into. The packaging box is so rockin, each product from the Heroine Make line has a picture of a beautiful heroine from history (:



L'Oreal Beauty Tubes Mascara



Now this is an unique mascara! Beauty Tubes is double ended to give a more dramatic look and uses new 'tubing technology' to surround each lash and lengthen them. Washes off like a breeze and the mascara comes off in little tubes with some water! How adorable! I know what I'm doing on a rainy day! Ok no, I'm not that weird o-o;
Beauty Tubes contains a white primer (to be applied first) and then a tubing formula (second). The product goes on smooth, with no clumping and gives incredible length and definition. And the mascara does not smudge either because after it has dried, it forms a tube around the lash and cannot come off (except with a combo of water and pressure). The formula goes on a rich black and lasts all day.


(:

Best Drugstore Lipgloss

Best Drugstore Lipgloss

Some people are so picky about their lipglosses though. They want them super pigmented, sheer, sticky, smooth, with glitter, without shimmer, with fragrance, non scented, in a tube or in a jar! = =
Here, I'll try and cover a large variety of different lip glossies.




Milani Crystal Gloss



A good dupe for M.A.C. LipGlass, these contain just a hint of shimmer and smells lightly of vanilla! They have great pigmentation and last for a couple hours. Crystal Gloss goes on shiny but doesn't feel as sticky as LipGlass. It comes in a small tube, perfect for slipping into a pocket or a purse!


NYX Lipgloss with Mega Shine



Great pigmentation with good texture. These lipglosses are never sticky and in fact, seem to moisturize! High shine, nice shimmer with a 'Juicy Fruit' candy smell :D (some may not like the scent). NYX Lipgloss wears off after about an hour and isn't one of the longest lasting glossies out there.



Revlon Super Lustrous



Super Lustrous goes on lips smoothly but has a thick formula, is non-sticky and lasts for around 4 hours! Contains finely milled shimmer and has SPF 15! They have a good selection of colours, all of which look very natural and wearable. Super Lustrous contains a sweet scent and comes in a glass tube that looks very classy :D



E.L.F. Super Glossy Lip Shine



Great quality for the price and the gloss goes on super smooth. They're nicely pigmented, come in a wide array of colours and come in small little tubes; good for just tossing inside your purse.
Super Glossy comes with SPF 15 with only a hint of shimmer. Has a yummy grape smell ^^ As with every other E.L.F. product, these are sold for only a dollar!



L'Oreal Colour Juice



This lipgloss tube has a rounded applicator instead of the slanted tip that most lipglosses have. It goes on smooth and glossy and the colours are well pigmented. Contains a bit of shimmer and a sweet, candy scent. Some may say that Colour Juice is a good dupe for Lancome's Juicy Tubes!



Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment



A thick but not too sticky gloss that lasts a long time. Moisturizes well and makes your lips look glossy. Diamond Lip Treatment comes in a variety of colours (with shimmer) that flatter the wearer's lips and give a beautiful shine. Comes in a long, sexy tube with a tiny brush applicator and smells slightly of coconut.


Chapstick Lip Moisturizer



'Why is there a lip balm in the lipgloss section?'
Well, sometimes a natural colour on your lips is better sometimes. This chapstick is incredibly moisturizing, makes lips really soft and has an SPF of 15! The vanilla scent that comes with it smells nice as well. Also, it can be layered under lipstick or used as a base to make lip gloss last longer. Stock up and keep them everywhere!


(:

Best Drugstore Blush

Best Drugstore Blush

The Joker: And here we ... go.

Milani Blush



They make fantastic blushes! And if you want a great NARS orgasm dupe, try Milani (in Luminous) first! They are all well pigmented, goes on silky and blends well. The packaging may be hard to work with for some people, but fret not! The pans can be easily depotted and they can fit into M.A.C. blush pans.



Wet n Wild Mega Glo



A large compact pan with 4 stripes of colour! The blushers all contain a pale shimmery pink, a rose, a deep red and a brown shade. When all the colours are swept together with a brush, it makes for a lovely pinky-brown. You can control how dark you want the colours to be with where you sweep your brush. The stripes can also be used individually as eyeshadow ^^ Careful, those who do not like shimmer. Mega Glo contains quite a bit of it.



L'Oreal True Match



This blush even comes with it's own brush! WooHOO now you don't have to bust yours out each morning (: These blushes have little shimmer, are a breeze to blend and build on, finely milled and last all day! Comes with a mirror on the bottom of the compact. Not a wide range of colours, however.



Cover girl Cheekers blush



A classic! It's been around forever and won numerous awards from various magazines. You get a little rectangle of powder and a tiny blush brush. I think many will agree that the brush included isn't very effective.. best to use your own brush for a more precise look!
Not the most pigmented shade around, but CG Cheekers does do a good job of giving a healthy tint to the face without being too overpowering. Available in MANY shades, you're bound to find your perfect shade!


(: