Makeup Monday: Maybelline Volume XL Seduction Lip Plumper

The Makeup: Maybelline Volume XL Seduction Lip Plumper, Born With It (105)
The Store: Walmart (available in most beauty stores)
The Price: $8 CAD



Make your lips up to 30% bigger with Maybelline Volume Seduction Lip Plumper. Feel a tingling effect as active amplifiers instantly plump lips for a visibly fuller pout . Available in 10 seductive shades. Not recommended for sensitive lips.

Pros: High shine, Non-sticky gloss.
I didnt realize this was a plumping gloss when I first bought it - all I saw was the picture on the display - and I thought to myself, "Wow! That is some seriously shiny gloss!". I immediate snapped it up and ran off to try it. I have to say, its everything I expected - beautifully shiny, a slew of colors to choose from, and unlike most high shine glosses, it isnt so sticky that I feel like my lips are glued together.

Cons: Uncomfortable tingling, Effect wears off quickly.
Being a "plumping" gloss, it uses a stinging agent, such as cayenne pepper to force a mild allergic reaction, which causes the area to swell, and therefor makes your lips look more plump then usual - but as with most allergic reactions, your body overcomes this quickly, and the effect wears off. You have to keep reapplying, which to be honest is uncomfortable.

The Verdict:
If I wanted a plumping gloss, I might be disappointed, but as I was just going for the shine, I am a happy camper. I bought this gloss in Born With It (105), and Fully blushed (115).

Buy Online at Ulta Beauty

Makeup Monday: Maybelline Express Finish Nail Color

The Makeup: Maybelline Express Finish Nail Color, in Red Comet (180)
The Store: Meijer's (available in most beauty stores)
The Price: $3.50 USD

QUICK-DRY NAIL COLOR Wet to Set in 50 Seconds
ADVANCED WEAR® anti-chip color
EXCLUSIVE CONTROL-FLOW™ BRUSH

Pros: Dries quickly, Comes off easily.
When Maybelline says this polish is quick drying, they mean it. I dont know if it really was 50 seconds, but it was rather fast - which turns out to be a good thing, because I had to put 3-4 coats on to achieve some semblance of the color this polish is supposed to be. As noted later on, I chipped this polish pretty quick, but luckily it comes off rather easily with polish remover. Most red polishes tend to temporarily stain your nails, and glitter polishes tend to be very difficult to remove at all, and leave left over specks of glitter behind, but this color came off rather cleanly overall.

Cons: Chip Resistant? Color is prettier in the bottle.
Chip resistant MY BUTT. I managed to chip about half the polish off in one go just putting on my dress this morning. So, if you plan on wearing it out ...paint your nails after you're already dressed. I know I am hard on my nails, but that was a bit ridiculous!! The polish color is close, but not as true a red as it looks in the bottle. It tends to look a bit more berry-red on the nails, which left me a bit disappointed. The more coats you put on the closer the polish looks to the bottle color, but after 4 coats of polish, you nails start to feel too "built up".

The Verdict:
I liked the color enough to spend $3.50 on it, but I've honestly found better nail polishes at the dollar store, so I thick thats what I'll stick to in this case. I imagine if I would have used a topcoat it would have been a bit stronger, but my nails were already feeling mucky, and I didnt want to add any more layers to it.

Buy Online at Amazon.com

Makeup Monday: Covergirl Eye Enhancers 4KT

The Makeup: Covergirl Eye Enhancers 4KT, Sheerly Nude (265)
The Store: Walmart (available in most beauty stores)
The Price: $7 CAD



This collection of great shades is hand-picked by our make-up pros and designed to help make your eye look go from day to night. They blend effortlessly to bring your eyes out beautifully, without overshadowing. Experiment using them together or as single shades.

Pros: Neutral tone works for almost everyone, Blends well, Multiple uses.
I picked this palette to review for you because it is my absolute favorite out of all the makeup I own for daily wear. The neutral colors work for almost every skin tone, and it applies beautifully for a nice work-appropriate/natural beauty look. I cant say this about *all* of the Covergirl palettes, but the colors chosen for this are well picked to blend beautifully. There are two "matte" shades, and two "shimmer" shades included. Aside from the obvious use for the eyeshadow, I find the darkest brown color works well as a brow filler for light colored or sparse eyebrows as well.

Cons: Sparkles EVERYWHERE.
I know this is a shimmer eyeshadow, but I have never seen one that gets little sparkles everywhere as much as this one. I use clean brushes, I try not to get any excess shadow where it shouldn't be, and I still manage to get sparkles everywhere. I usually take a small fan brush and sweep it away afterwards, but some of the sparkle remains (as you can see from the picture).

The Verdict:
For how often I use this, how well it works, and how little it costs, I would recommend this to anyone. If the color doesn't fit your skin tone exactly, Covergirl carries a few similar palettes in slightly different neutral colors.

Covergirl Eye Enhancers 4KT (Color Chart)

Makeup Monday: Maybelline Falsies Mascara

The Makeup: Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies (Washable), in Very Black
The Store: Walmart (available in most beauty stores)
The Price: $8 CAD


(Without, and with Falsies mascara)

False lash glam, instantly!
• Patented Spoon Brush fans out lashes from corner-to-corner, while our Pro-Keratin formula instantly builds volume without clumping
• Unique flexible wand helps to lift and separate lashes to provide the look of 300% more visible, fuller lashes, no gaps from any angle
• Contact lens safe and ophthalmologist-tested
• Washable, also available in Waterproof formula

Pros: Coats individual lashes, Washable.
As a general rule, the smaller the mascara brush, the easier it is to get even the smallest lashes, but for some reason the large curved brush that Volum' Express Falsies provided worked just as well. Immediately after putting this mascara on, I have to say I was really pleased with the look. It evenly coated even my thin bottom lashes, and even lightly curled and coated my decidedly straight upper lashes. What I liked most is that although it added volume, it didnt make my lashes look really clumpy (we've all seen those women who look like they have 6 lashes), which is definitely a bonus.

Cons: Starts flaking after a few hours, Irritating to eyes, Doesn't come close to false lash look..
The Falsies mascara is unfortunately pretty flaky, and I might go so far as saying its the flakiest I've ever bought. I dont think it survived 5 hours, which left me a bit disappointed. Also, although Maybelline says its contact lens safe and ophthalmologist-tested - its *really* irritating if you happen to rub your eyes. Although the mascara coats your lashes really well, it doesn't come remotely close to looking like you're wearing false lashes. I didnt really expect it would, but I hate when companies make really unrealistic claims.

The Verdict:
I'm coming to the conclusion that washable mascara's are a waste of money. I do like this mascara, and what it does for my lashes, but in my experience you should always go for the waterproof version of a mascara if its available.

The Makeup: Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner, in Blackest Black
The Store: Walmart (available in most beauty stores)
The Price: $10 CAD



Maybelline Lasting Drama is:
Oil-free formula holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base
• Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours
• Most intense line for lasting drama
• Safe for sensitive eyes and ophthalmologist-tested
• Contact lens safe



Pro's: *Very* long lasting wear, Highly pigmented color, Included brush, Non-irritating.
When they say this product lasts 24 hours...thats a bit of an understatement - for me it was closer to 48 hours. It does come off with makeup wipes, but during the process your eyes end up looking like an emo kid with non-waterproof mascara. So, for personal preference, I like to take a q-tip to it on day 2 (to remove the excess smudged liner), and it leaves a nice filled in look on your lash line. The best part about this liner is if you rub your eyes and some of the liner gets in them, it won't irritate the hell out of them (I have extremely sensitive eyes, so this is a HUGE bonus).

The gel liner comes with a handy little liner brush, which compared to most "included" applicators actually works pretty well. The Lasting drama liner glides on really smoothly, and the color is incredibly dark and pigmented, which is perfect for pictures where you want your makeup to actually show up.

Cons: Hard to get off, Limited color range.
I really wish this liner came in more than 4 colors (Black, brown, charcoal, and eggplant), but that being said, they have the basic colors covered at the very least. In the future, I'm hoping they make a lighter shade of black, because as much as I love Blackest Black, it isn't meant to be "everyday wear" makeup. And as stated before, this stuff isn't easy to take off, but that can also be a positive, depending on how you look at it.

Verdict:
Most people wont need a product like this, but its one of my absolute favorites, so I would definitely recommend it if you have a need for it, or even just like playing with makeup. Kudo's to Maybelline for living up to the product claims as well.

Makeup Monday: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color

The Makeup: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No-Chip Nail Color
The Store: Walmart (available in most beauty stores)
The Price: $8 CAD

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No-Chip NailCcolor comes in a hefty 36 shades, with nail perfection achievable after only two coats. The premise of this nail polish is that its chip resistant, fade resistant, and helps stop your nails from breaking. I put on two coats of "Pink Proposal" and decided to test out these claims.



Pros: Chip Resistant, Helps harden soft nails, Many shades to choose from.
Putting it simply, I am really rough on my nails. Most nail polishes dont last a day without chipping, due to the fact that I've got soft nails that bend/break easily, so when I heard about the claims this polish makes, I knew I had to give it a try. I have to say, I am really impressed with the wearability. It was a solid 3 days before the polish was chipped enough to be noticeable. It even survived me trimming my nails without chipping. My nails did seem not to be as soft as before while I had this polish on, and the effects still seem to last a little after I took the polish off as well. The large range of colors for this brand is definitely enticing.

Cons: Price, 2 coats didn't live up to expectations.
One bottle of this stuff (.45 fl oz) will set you back $8 a pop, which can get pretty pricey really quick if you decide you want more than one color. Looking at the color itself, if I chose any other than "Pink Proposal" (looks a bit like a French Manicure), I might be a bit disappointed. I am a tad on the impatient side, so putting more than 2 coats of color on is a stretch for me, but this color was pretty....transparent looking. I'd hesitate to buy any of the darker colors for fear that they might be a bit on the transparent side as well.

Verdict:
Proceed with caution. The price was a definite negative to me, but many women won't consider $8 a large investment seeing as the nail polish lasts so long. The product claims are right on the money, and it did feel like the polish did help my nails. Also, a word of warning...don't try and wear this polish on your toes. Lets just say the greenish undertone *isn't* flattering.

Sally Hansen Official Site

The Planning Stage

Last night I was mulling over the format for my blog, and I think I came up with something that will work out very well in the grand spectrum of things. Things are going to go a little like this:

Makeup Mondays - Reviews of new products I've tried, recommendations for older products I love, and a picture or two of it actually being worn.

The Shoe Review (Wednesdays) - Because who doesn't love shoes? Its kind of a safety net for women after a day of frustrating (clothing) shopping, because the size variance in shoes is pretty small compared to clothing.

Fa(t)shion Fridays - This is going to be a personal favorite - I'll let you know the brand, size, how it fits (loose, tight, true to size), where I found the item, and for how much.

Cheers!,

Makeup Monday: Maybelline Super-Stay 24 Hour Color

Here and there I'll do a makeup Monday post, seeing as makeup can be an essential part of your look. I'll tell you what I love, don't love, and what I think is worth buying. In keeping with my cut-rate fashion theme, I'm not going to be reviewing expensive, hard to find products - only normal products you could find at your local drug-store.

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Color
Endless Ruby, #30



Pros: Long lasting color, very pigmented.
To begin, since I know "long lasting color" lipsticks are pretty drying to your lip, I put on some lip conditioner (my personal preference is Blistex Lip Conditioner, but you can use whatever you have on hand). After that soaked in a bit, I lined and filled in my lips with Rimmel's Exaggerate in Red Diva, #24. Using the liquid color end of the Super Stay lipstick, I filled in the lips with the lovely deep red color. Now comes the tough part: waiting. You have to wait till the lip color has completely dried on your lips before you can use the included color-renewing balm.

Cons: Dry lips, slow drying.
I mentioned in the last section that long lasting color is very drying to your lips - because it truly is. Luckily for us, Maybelline thought this out and included a color-renewing balm with the product. That being said, you HAVE to keep applying the balm if you want to keep your lips from drying out. The other downside is how long the lip color takes to dry. It took around 2 minutes to dry before I could put on the balm, which to someone trying to quick apply some makeup before running out the door, does not work at all. But, if you give yourself some time, its well worth the effort.



Why this is in the blog:
Simple. Its a pretty inexpensive product to begin with, but I managed to snag one of these for free. I always keep my eyes peeled for deals, coupons, and contests - and it just so happened Maybelline wanted to give away about 1,000 of these bad boys for free. So, I signed up , and lucky as I am, managed to win one. Even if you have to go and buy some though, its less than $10 in Canada, and even cheaper in the US. They give you a fair amount of product for the price, and even though I wouldnt say the lipstick lasts a full 24 hours (its still there, but its not something you want to wear in public), it still lasts throughout a work day or an evening out.

The Verdict:
Buy it. I am going to get another color soon. The color they sent is lovely, but slightly brighter than I could pull off normally.

Living Life On The Cheap

For those who know me, I need no introduction; but, I am going to assume atleast a few of you have randomly stumbled across my blog and are wondering who in the heck I am and why you should care. I am a 23 year old plus-sized model living in Canada. You may call me Liz if you'd like.

So, now that you know who I am, you're probably wondering why I started this blog? It's pretty simple - Being plus sized makes it pretty difficult to find good bargains when it comes to clothes, and as a model, I constantly get women asking "Where did you find that? I'd love to have one!". I am the kind of person who doesn't horde secrets about my finds, because even if any of you by chance happened to get the last pair of size 18 jeans in the store, there is still an entire world of size 18 jeans in other stores.

Now that I've got that out - lets get on to the goods: I wont strictly be posting plus-sized only fashions, since a lot of brands are now carrying straight and plus sized versions of the same clothes, and because I like to throw in the occasional shoe post or makeup review. Seeing as both of those are essentials to a fantastic outfit ;)

This blog, as many things are, is a work in progress. I'm constantly updating and adding new things - so check back often!