Bloom Review: Stila In The Know Palette

I almost shouted hooray when I opened my Bloom Ambassador box and saw this - a full sized Stila In The Know Palette :) The palette includes 10 colors of eye shadow and an eyeliner in a case with a mirror. 

These colors are right up my alley and I was very excited to try them all out :) I wanted to try several different looks to show what this palette can do.

Look #1 - 

This was the first look I created with the palette. I basically tried what I normally do but with these new colors. I liked the look ... until I saw this photo. The colors seriously accentuate my dark circles and even make my slight wrinkles under my eyes show up way more than normal. Paired with that lip color, I look really old. Yuck - I didn't even want to post these.

Here is a close up of the shadows. I used Air from lid to brow, then Driftwood on the lid, and added Clay as a highlight at the tear duct and around the lid. Please know that my lid is not normally so wrinkly - I was kind of squinting my eye shut. 

So, I had to go back to the drawing board.

Look #2 - 

I decided to play around with the palette when I was going to a local charity dinner :) I must say, I was so much more happy with this look than the first.

I think I look much younger right off the bat :) I wore my favorite 60s style dress (with a pouffy skirt and everything!) and I wanted to really make my eyes pop.

For this look, I followed one of the suggestions in the booklet that came with the palette. It's called Classic Siren. I used Air as a base all over the eye first. I started with Clay from lash to brow, Rain on the lid, and Earth in the crease. I topped it off with Air as a highlight under the brow and at the tear duct. Definitely much better than the first :)

Look #3 - 

I wanted to go a little out of my norm (and try a few products at once) for my last look. I was at home watching The Devil Wears Prada - seriously whenever that comes on I always want to primp in some way. So I went all out on a very dramatic look ... with a winged eye! I used my new Physician's Formula felt tip eyeliner for the first time and I am in love (but that's a whole different review). 

I've never done a winged eyeliner before! Anyway, the Stila palette was the perfect compliment to my bold eyeliner.

This look was another suggestion that came with the palette and it's called Exotic Stare. I used Clay from lash to brow and then used Ebony in the crease but fanned out a bit more than I normally would to create a slightly smokey eye. It looked good just like that, but the example photo seemed to have a bit of a shimmer so I put just a smidge of phlouf! from Mac over all of it to add to the shine. 

Next I followed this tutorial (I came across this on Pinterest) to do my eyeliner. Once the top was done I knew I had to add a harder liner on the bottom than I normally do, so I used the same liner in the bottom lash line but in a much thinner line. And of course, it wouldn't be complete without mascara and I used Voluminous False Lashes by L'Oréal in black (I've been wanting to try this stuff)

I finished off my look with my favorite shade of red lipstick (CoverGirl NatureLux in Peony) to amp up the old school glam factor. Still, there seemed to be something missing...

A more retro-ish hairstyle :) Too bad I had no where to go, lol. Notice the Planet Fitness t-shirt. Oh yeah, so chic. This was definitely my favorite look out of them all. It was fun to do and I felt very glamorous. It's a lot more makeup then I would wear to work, but for a night out it would be awesome!

I give this product 4 out of 5 stars! I love the versatility of this eye shadow palette. The colors are great for everyday wear but can also be easily amped up for a night out depending on your eyeliner and whatnot. The shadows apply nice and smooth and have great color depth especially when paired with a primer. The only reason this didn't get the 5th star is I'm actually not a big fan of the eyeliner that is included in the palette. I think I may be the only person in the world who doesn't like it, but I just don't love Stila's Smudge Sticks - I found it very difficult to apply because it wouldn't glide well and the self sharpening tip just made it hard to get a fine line. Even though I didn't like the liner, I loved the shadows so much that I would still consider buying this palette again!

Go here to learn more about this product and to get one for yourself!

*I received the Stila In The Know palette for free to facilitate my review, but all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

My Skin Care Routine: Morning and Night

I've had a few friends lately ask me lately about what cosmetics and skincare products I personally use. It's funny, with all the reviews I do you would figure I would have touched on what I actually use day to day; but I never have talked about it. So, today I decided to make up a little explanation of my skincare and makeup routine. First, here are the products I use in the morning:

1. Washing my face every morning is essential, and I will admit that I have to change which product I use for this fairly often - my face seriously becomes immune to things over time so I have to switch it up. I always wash my face while I'm in the shower and for the past several months I've used the Neutrogena Facial Bar. I only started using this out of necessity - I ran out of my other soap I was using at the time and I had gotten a bunch of these for free with a coupon deal, so I pulled one out and it's been magic ever since. I really can't believe that something as simple (and cheap) as this would work so well, but I am completely addicted. It is perfect for my skin and it only costs $2 at pretty much any store.
2. Ever since Bloom sent my a sample of this in my ambassador box back in August, I have become the Lily. B poster child. This is the Lily. B Red Tea Defense Hydrating Serum and it really helps with my combination type skin. I always end up with a few flaky dry spots on my face after washing, so I use this on those spots and you would never know I had any dryness problems.
3. Another Lily. B product from my Bloom box. This is the Lily. B Multi-Action Rescue Ultra Eye Cream and it really lives up to its name. This hydrates under my eyes and helps smooth out the wrinkles that are starting to show up.
4. The Yes To Tomatoes Acne Roller Ball Spot Stick has turned into my new secret weapon. I won't lie and say it's a miracle zit zapper, but it is definitely the best product I've ever used for reducing redness and helping heal the zits. Even my husband will go grab this out of the cabinet and ask me to put it on him :)
5. I am a very big believer in moisturizer. I use some everyday even if I'm not going to wear makeup. Keeping your skin hydrated will help combat wrinkles. Currently, I'm using a sample of Lily. B 24/7 Defense Daily Moisturizer and I really like it. Before I started using that though, I was a devout user of Olay Pro-X Clear Complexion Renewing Lotion which I will go back to once this sample of Lily. B is gone. The Olay gives great moisture without making you greasy. It even feels more like a primer than a lotion.
6. I have really bad dark circles under my eyes and normal concealers just look gunky under there on me, so I use the Garnier Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller. It doesn't heal my dark circles (mine are cause by allergies and other internal issues so I've accepted that they will just always be there),  but the slight tinting really helps me not to look like I'm deathly ill :) This is another product that I use everyday even if I don't wear makeup.
7. I have been addicted to the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion ever since I was first introduced to it when I was 17. It works amazingly well and I have never found another eye shadow primer that worked better, so I've always stuck with it. For those of you who may not be familiar with eye shadow primer, you need to buy this stuff right now. Put it on before you apply eye shadow and not only does it hydrate your lid, it makes the shadow show up the same color on your skin as it looks in the palette. I can't live without this stuff.
8. My foundation is another product that changes fairly regularly. My skin will become immune to it over time. Right now I'm really enjoying my Cargo Oil Free Foundation. This was my first product that I really just relied on the Bloom Best4U recommendation app and I am so glad that I did (learn about the app here). This really does reduce oil in your skin and I look so much less shiny than I used to before using this.
9. Years ago, I used nothing but Bare Essentuals Mineral Makeup line, but over time my skin became immune to it and it just didn't cover anything anymore. The one thing I still love is their original Mineral Veil powder. It's' a very light color and just adds a nice polish on top of my foundation. I always get it at Sephora when they get the limited edition jumbo size once a year.
10. Before I do anything fancy to my eyes, I almost always start with Brulé from Mac. This is honestly the best base color I've ever found for my skin tone and I just use it all over my eye to even things out before applying color.
11. Once the Brulé is on, I usually just use one other color on my lid. I've always been a big fan of Twinks from Mac which is a pinky burgundy brown with a slight shimmer and still use that very often. Lately, I've been on more of a true brown kick and I've been using Twice Baked from Urban Decay. Both Mac and Urban Decay are hands down my favorite eye shadows - they apply so smooth and have very solid and bold colors.
12. This is absolutely something I can't live without. The Physician's Formula Eye Booster 2 in 1 Eyeliner and Serum in black is a joy to use. It has a felt tip applicator and it is so easy to hold steady - it's like using an actual pen on your eye. I always make sure I have a spare of this so I don't run out.
13. I like to use a crayon style eyeliner on my bottom lash line and in a lighter color so it's not so harsh looking. I use Mary Kay Eyeliner in Steely. The charcoal gray compliments the black I use on top but isn't as hard of a line. I can smudge this into my lash line so look a bit more natural. Also, it's self sharpening :)
14. I'm super picky about mascara, and I have really hit the jackpot with this one. It's L'Oréal Double Extend Lash Boosting Serum + Mascara in black. I used to use the serum first and then put the black over top, but I really like it with just using the black and it looks just as good but it takes less time. This really volumizes your lashes and gives them definition at the same time. No clumps! It makes me so happy I want to dance :) Clumps are my biggest pet peeve about mascara.
15. I am not exactly a huge blush user even though I do wear it everyday. I use just a little bit on the sides of my cheeks for contour. I've had a long relationship with Cargo Blush. No joke, my mom bought me this blush when I was 16 and I'm still using it (the shade I have is called Mendocino). This is a little pricey, but not when you consider how long it lasts. It's the perfect amount of coverage and you can build it up if you want a more defined color out of it.

And here is what I use every night:

1. Before anything else I have to take off my eye makeup. Since I use mostly waterproof products, I have to use an oil based remover and I love the Sonia Kashuk Remove. It gets everything off really well and it's also easier to get than others I have liked. I used to use Mac's remover, but I couldn't always drive to Orlando when I needed more, so when I found this at Target I was hooked. It's also only $10 so it's a better value all around than the Mac.
2. Another Target find, the e.l.f.Makeup remover Cleansing Cloths are a must have. These are all around the best cleansing cloth I've tried - they don't irritate my eyes, they get everything off and they only cost $3 per pack of 30. I always stock up on these.
3. Yep, the Yes To Tomatoes Roller Ball again. I use it at night to fight blemishes that appeared during the day.
4. And yes, the Lily. B Eye Cream again too. You can never have enough eye hydration! Plus this smells really nice while you fall asleep :)
5. The LashFood Natural Eyelash Conditioner is kind of a little treat. I was given this in a Bloom box months ago to review and since there's plenty left in the bottle, I've continued using it. I really like it and a little extra nutrition on the lashes can't hurt.
6. The NIA24 Rapid Depigmentation Serum is another Bloom box item left over after a review. I got good results at evening out my skin tone with it so I've continued using it. 
7. I always finish off my nightly routine by putting on lip balm. It kind of depends on my mood and what I've been using more at the time, but lately I choose between these 3: Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, eos Smooth Sphere in Lemon Drop and Pangea Organics in Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom. All of these make my lips nice and soft throughout the night and they all smell great.

So, now the secret is out :) Honestly I always thought of myself as a low maintenance type gal but now that I see everything laid out like this I'm starting to question that. All in all my routines don't take me long at all. Obviously the morning takes a bit longer, but still only about 25 minutes start to finish. It only takes me 10 minutes at night and that's mostly because I like to brush my teeth for longer than the average person (about 5 minutes).

Like I said throughout the post, I do have to change my products every few months, so this list is certainly not permanent. Plus the perk of being a Bloom Ambassador is that I'm constantly getting to try out new products and some of them (as you can see) end up becoming incorporated in my daily routine.

So, hopefully someone out there finds this interesting :) If nothing else, this counts as one massive product review list. And you know all of them get good reviews from me since I use them everyday.

Have you tried any of these products? Let us know if you've had any experiences with these!

My Bloom Ambassador Box Is Here!

It's pretty much my favorite day of the month when my Bloom box comes :) As a Bloom Ambassador, they send me a box of products to try out and review every 2 months and this month is chock full of really neat products! The #1 reason I love Bloom (ambassador box aside) is that they are pretty much completely based on reviews from real customers that also list the particulars about their skin type and coloring so there is no need to ever buy the wrong product again!

So, if you are interested in cosmetics, skin care or hair care products, stay tuned throughout the next 2 months for full reviews on the products in this box :)

Not a member of Bloom? Go here to join. It's free and they give you personalized recommendations based on your profile and other products you have liked.

If you want to see some of the other products I have reviewed for Bloom, go here to see my Bloom Bio and check them out!

I can't wait to get started on this box!

Bloom Review: Stila In the Garden and In the Moment Eye Shadow Palettes

This was a nice little addition to this month's Bloom Ambassador box :) Eye makeup is my one thing I tend to collect and accumulate lots of colors for experimentation. Even better that I got 2 palettes with 10 colors each!

Aren't the pretty? I wanted to try and create several looks using each palette, so I did a few more simple day looks and then enlisted the services of my younger sister - she wants to go to cosmetology school when she graduates high school and loves to experiment with bright and bold eye looks. She excitedly agreed to do me up style.

This is my look I created with the In the Moment Palette.

For this look, I started with eye shadow primer (I always do) then applied Instinct as a base all over my eye and then used Impulse on my lid. I then followed with Improvise in the crease and Catalyst around the outer edge to get a more smokey look. I definitely like the quality of the shadows. I've used other products from Stila but never their eye shadows and I was really happy with them. They blended well and the color came out very nice. I would say the color would definitely be different if you didn't use primer first. I don't think I'm a huge fan of lavender and purple on my skin color - it kind of washes me out - but it was nice to switch it up a bit. The only other thing I didn't 100% love about these shadows is that they are all glittery and I'm not a fan of all over glitter all the time. I like to use it more as an occasional highlight.

This was done by my sister. This is actually just 2 colors. She started with Instinct all over the eye and then Improvise diagonally across the crease to the upper lid. I actually really liked this one. I told her not to go too crazy so she did a really good job at giving me a nice everyday look.

Marisa even did her friend Camera :) This look has Wonder, Catalyst and Impulse. I think once she gets so mascara she would be good to go.
All in all, I liked this palette, but some of the colors aren't 100% in my taste, so I give this palette 3 stars.

Now for my favorite palette - In The Garden :) This palette was seriously more my color scheme. Even though the colors look very bright in the package, they all tend to go on with a more brown undertone than you can see beforehand. I actually used this palette quite a few times, but I had a massive technology failure with my camera. So, I only have pictures of 2 looks and one is admittedly not very good.

I know this picture isn't the greatest for seeing my eye makeup, but this was while I was at Disney World for my birthday :) See - I liked this so much I wore it on my b-day. For this look, I used Chinois all over the eye (a great base color for me, seriously), then I put sage and honey on top of my lid, followed by a bit of breeze at the tip of my tear duct and juniper in the crease. I was really surprised that juniper had such a brownish tone since it looks dark teal in the palette.

lol Posting these pictures make me realize how similar this looks to one of the looks above. This is another one my sister did and she used Chinois on the whole eye, Breeze on the lid and then Juniper in the crease. I really liked this look - it would have been good for everyday or you could dress it up for a saucy night out.

Like I said, I did make a few more looks and I really wish I could show them to you. I was completely happy with each of the looks from the In the Garden palette, so I give it 5 stars!

If you are a fan of creating new looks with fun eye shadows, I would highly recommend these two palettes. Head over to Bloom.com to grab them for yourself :)

Not familiar with Bloom? Go here to sign up and take advantage of their real customer reviews and their 365 day guarantee on every product :)


*I received samples of each of these palettes to facilitate my review, but all opinions are 100% mine.

Bloom Review: Kaia Bamboo Facial Cleaning Cloths

This was a really fun item included in my Bloom Ambassador box this month - a new product to Bloom that was recently featured on the Wendy Williams show - Kaia Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloths.

I was given some info about these too - These are made with 8 pure plant-based essential oils, certified organic Canadian honey, sunflower oil, and vitamins B12, C, and E. They are 100% biodegradable, paraben-free, sulfate-free, alcohol-free, synthetic fragrance free, and tree free (they are made of bamboo). The bamboo is used to cling to the dirt better and the honey helps to keep the cloths nice and soft.

For this sample, I was asked to do a comparison between the Kaia brand cloth and a less expensive brand. I have to say, I was intrigued when I was told we were getting these as I am a big fan of the cleansing cloth (who wants to get all wet cleaning their face in the sink at night?) and I have been using a few different brands to see which one I liked best, so this was a perfect product to add into the mix. So far, I have used Ponds, e.l.f., Simple, and Olay cleansing cloths, and so far the e.l.f. brand has been my favorite both in price and in quality. Most recently though, I have been using Olay brand cleansing cloths since that is what I had (I got a bunch of them a few months back for cheaper than free!), so I will be comparing the Kaia and the Olay in this post.

First off, I started with a fully-made-up-face.

See all that eye makeup? I let my little sister do my makeup and she is always heavy on the eye products. This is important to see which cloth does better at the really hard to get off stuff like my waterproof eyeliner and mascara. So, I literally just invisioned a line going straight down the center of my face and wiped one half with the Kaia brand wipe first. The Kaia wipe cleaned my right side (the left side in these photos).

Look at all that! The first thing I noticed about the Kaia wipe was the smell - they smell wonderful. Also, the cloth feels very soft and also not sopping wet, which is nice. I've used a lot of cloths that leave my hands really saturated with liquid and it's pretty annoying. Also, the wipe didn't irritate my eyes at all while removing my eye makeup - this is a common issue for me. In fact I usually remove my eye makeup first with a cotton pad and some oil-based remover before I use a wipe on my face at night just to avoid this irritation, so it was a welcome surprise from the Kaia.

After that wipe down, here is what my face looked like. Please count my showing you m uncovered blemishes as a testament to the truly scientific nature of this experiment :)

Next was the Olay wipe on the left side of my face (right side of these photos).

It would be reasonable to say that the Olay wipe got just as much off of my face - maybe the Kaia got a little bit more, but not much. A notable difference is the size of the wipe. The Olay is a good few inches longer and wider than the Kaia, so you can get more off with one wipe from Olay. On the downside though, as I already knew it would, the Olay wipe irritated the heck out of my eyes. I like to first wipe my eyelids and then actually wipe under my lashes with my eyes looking up so I can be sure to get all sides clean, and that is killer on my eyes with the Olay wipe. It's so bad that I have to immediately rinse my eyes with water to stop the stinging. Granted, Olay does make a 'sensitive' wipe and this is just the regular type, but I have tried the sensitive as well and had the same issue.

This is my face after using the Olay wipe - pretty clean I must say. Both of my eyes look about the same as far as their cleanliness. Here is a head on comparison:

That darkening on the right of my eye is a shadow - I did actually get all of the makeup off with the wipes.

Please note that I scaled down the Olay wipe for these comparison photos to be the same size, so just remember the Olay wipe is much bigger than the Kaia. Looking at both side by side, it certainly looks like the Kaia grabbed onto more stuff, doesn't it?

After using both products side by side, I have noticed that the Olay side feels a little more oily than the Kaia side, almost like the Olay wipe left a slight residue. The Kaia side feels very clean still, so that's definitely a plus in their favor.

Final Conclusion:
All in all, I give the Kaia wipes 4 out of 5 stars. They are a great product. As you can see, they clearly got more makeup off me, even though it was just a slight difference, but the smell is wonderful, they don't irritate at all, they are natural and biodegradable, and they left no residue on my face after using them. The only reason I don't give them a full 5 stars is because of the price. These sell for $17.99 for a pack of 30 cloths! That's a pretty huge increase on the Olay, which sells for $5.49 for the same amount of cloths. I really liked these, but I'm not sure I would be able to justify spending that much when I could just wash my face traditionally for a lot less. If you are really looking for a fantastic wipe and you don't mind the cost, these are certainly a superior product!

Not a member of Bloom.com? Sign up here for this great online makeup store. Bloom is designed around customer reviews to help you find the perfect product for you. If you don't love what you bought, you have 365 days to return it for a full refund! What have you got to lose?

Bloom Review: LashFood Mascara and Eyeliner

These were given to me to test out as an accompaniment to the LashFood Eyelash Conditioner. It was nice to get to try almost the whole line of products since they are all designed to work together. 

I was given the Mascara and Liquid Eyeliner from the LashFood line. Both of these products are infused with LashFood's conditioning serum, which conditioned the roots of your lashes to help you get stronger and healthier lashes. This is a big luring factor for me, as I currently use the Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Eye Boosting Eyeliner which boasts the same type of serum (I'm noticing differences in the serums though). I am always wanting to play up my eyes as I feel they are my best feature, so healthy lashes certainly help give me a nice pop in the eye department. Just like the LashFood conditioner, these products are all natural (another plus). These products are semi-waterproof and no smudge (another personal requirement).

How was the application?

This was a little tricky. I started with the eyeliner obviously and I like that it give you a decent length 'handle' to hold while applying it. This helps for a much smoother line than with some other types I have tried. The eyeliner goes on smooth and is fairly quick drying. My main issue with the eyeliner was how much it clumped my lashes. I applied this a few other times as a practice run and each time I got the same clumping. Admittedly the first time I used it I didn't really make an effort to not touch my lashes with the applicator, but all the other times I deliberately increased the angle I was holding the applicator at so it wouldn't brush through my lashes as I used it and they still clumped.

I had to pull out an eyelash brush to fluff them up a bit, which helped but they did still seem to have lost some of their body.

As you can see, I was able to separate them fairly well and the lines are pretty smooth, so I'm still on board.

Now for the mascara!

The application of the mascara was pretty straight forward. I love the brush - this is really my favorite type of mascara brush. It was nice and plump with plenty of bristles to aid in volume. The mascara had good coverage and it too was quick drying.

Unfortunately I had the same clumping problem with the mascara that I had with the liner. This picture doesn't show it as bad as it really looked in person. My lashed looked like hairy spider legs - not an attractive look. I'm a big perfectionist when it comes to lash separation, so I pulled out the brush again to break them up a bit.

This is my 'eh' face. It's not terrible, but they weren't very volumized and I like big volume in my lashes. When I brushed out the lashes to separate them, I had more black flakes shoot onto my face, so I had to follow up with a brush of more powder to smooth them away.

Overall, my eyes look good - they just aren't quite as good as I can usually make them look with other products. I guess that the conditioning serum is what makes these products so clump-inducing, so you really have to consider if you are ok with that trade off. Personally, I don't know if the conditioner is enough of a draw for me to deal with such clumping. I do plan on sticking it out and using this for a few days to see if it grows on me.

The final verdict:
I give these products both a 3 out of 5. They aren't really my favorites in the realm of eyeliner and mascara, but they certainly aren't the worst I have ever tried. If you are wanting to promote healthier lash growth and you don't mind brushing out your lashes a few times after each product, then this product would be perfect for you. I just have a pet peeve for clumping lashes, so it's not my cup of tea.

Bloom Review: Alchimie Forever Kantic Mask

Another item I was given to review in the May Bloom Ambassador set was this fancy face mask :)

This is the Kantic Mask from Alchimie Forever. This Swiss mask is packed full of botanicals that aid in reducing redness, brightening, soothing, and protecting your skin. Now, I am a confessed girlie-girl when it comes to face masks. I just love using them :) It makes me feel so pampered, and with all the things this mask promises I was stoked and ready to give it a whirl.

*Disclaimer - you are about to see my face with no makeup whatsoever. You have been warned :)

 I started off with a fresh-from-the-shower cleaned face. As you can see, I am very pale. I also have a few patchy dry spots, especially around my mouth and chin as well as the tip of my nose. I also have some redness from recent blemishes as well as just areas that are more pink on my complexion.

Sorry for the doofy cross eyed-ness again. Oh well :) Here is my forehead, which really just has blemish spots, but they will fade in the course of a few days. My biggest issue with my skin: dark circles. I joke sometimes that I look like a person with a terminal illness when you look under my eyes with no makeup to aid them. I know the mask didn't mention it, but I'm really hoping it will have some kind of brightening effect under my eyes.

So, how about the application?
This mask was a breeze to use. Just spread a liberal amount over the face and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The mask does not dry, it just remains kind of tacky on you face. Once the full time is up, you just rinse off with lukewarm water. No muss, no fuss.

A neat aspect of this mask is that is is pretty much translucent when it is on your face. The above shot is while I am wearing the mask. I read a review by another user that said she wears it around her house and doesn't have to worry about her roommates teasing her, and I have to say I would never know I was wearing a mask if I hadn't in fact just put it on myself (lol confusing sentence, I know).

What's the verdict?
The mask felt great while it was one - actually very cooling for how goopey it is. It was easy to rinse off too, which is nice. I hate it when you have to scrub them off. That being said, I don't have an after shot to show you because I was a little embarrassed on how those came out. My face was very red from the mask and it took an hour or so for it to turn back to my pale color again. After my color evened out, I couldn't see any visible difference - my skin looked exactly the same. I still had my red blemish spots and dark circles (shucks!). I could definitely feel a difference though. Immediately after I took it off, my pores felt tightened yet moisturized at the same time.

I'm going to give this mask a 3 star rating mainly because I would like to give it another few chances before I make my official decision. The directions say to use it 1 to 2 times per week for best results, and I have only had it for a couple of days. So, I will try it again to see if I can notice any visible results. This is another review that should be read knowing a little other background info: this mask is for moisturization and I live in Florida. I get a lot of humidity all the time, plus my skin is oily anyway. All of the reviews I read from women who live in drier climates were all 5 stars, so if you are needing some extra moisture then this certainly seems to be a great option for your skin :)

Bloom Review: LashFood Natural Eyelash Conditioner

As part of the May Bloom Ambassador program, I was asked to try and review a really neat new product line: LashFood. LashFood is a natural line of treatment cosmetics designed to give you thicker, stronger lashes. Their products are drug-free, cruelty free, synthetic fragrance free, gluten free... basically just a pure and natural solution that is similar to Latisse. Now, Bloom didn't know this before, but I am a former Latisse user, so I was really ready to put this natural alternative to the test. Even better - LashFood is approved for sensitive skin. Needless to say, I was excited to give it a try.

I was given the Nano-Peptide, Natural Eyelash Conditioner. The packaging is very nice and I was given an informational pamphlet on the whole LashFood line. So, before I get do to the nitty-gritty, I had to take some before photos of my eyelashes. After all, the main point of the product is to product thicker, stronger lashes. *Please forgive my goofy looking cross eyed shot - it's difficult to take close up pics of your eyes without that happening I have found.

So, not to toot my own horn or anything, but you can see that I already have pretty full lashes. This is partly natural and I guess partly due to other serum-filled eye products I use everyday (but I'll get to those later). 

As far as application goes, it is very easy to use. Just sweep the brush over the lash line exactly like you would with a liquid eye liner at night before you go to bed. Just wait for the liquid to dry before using any other eye products. And that's it! Easy-peasy. It doesn't smell weird, doesn't sting. It also doesn't discolor your eye lid or colored section of your eye (which is a big warning on the Latisse box).

As far as everything went when I first received the product a month ago, I was very happy with it :) 

So, how did this product perform? Let the pictures be the proof.

Honestly, I don't see much difference at all. Here is a combined shot of my eyes closed so we can see a direct comparison:

What do you think? If there is any difference at all, I can't see it. I had high hopes for this product and have used it diligently for 1 month. I even made sure to postpone this review until the last possible moment just so I could make sure my pictures were accurate to the full time. 

As a little bit of a disclaimer, I'm honestly thinking that the reason I saw no difference is just because my lashes were already so full and long. Maybe mine are tapped out as far as they can go, I don't know. I really don't doubt that if I had an issue with my eyelashes, this product would deliver. Like I said, I have used Latisse before, but that was several years ago. With the Latisse, I definitely saw results, though at the time I was not a blogger, so I took no pictures of the progress. 

As far as a direct comparison between Latisse and LashFood, there are differences other than just the results I saw. Like I said earlier, Latisse issues a warning that it may darken your eyelids and it may darken the colored part of your eye - that scared the heck out of me at the time and it was a constant worry. The LashFood has no side effects like that. Another thing I liked better about the LashFood is its applicator. It is all contained in one bottle, brush and serum together. With Latisse, it is much more eye-doctor-ish because the liquid is in a little dropper bottle and you have one time use brushes that you have to open from their sealed packages each time with strict instructions not to reuse them. I always felt the was wasteful and unecessary - I think the LashFood got it right on that. A strange similarity I found was that when I started using either one, I had more lash loss initially. I've always thought that was weird since these products are supposed to make you grow and retain lashes, not lose them. Also with either product, my lashes did grow back in, so I guess the initial loss is normal.

In Conclusion...

I'm going to have to give this product a 3 star rating. I really was rooting for it, but for me it just didn't work out. I think it would be a wonderful product for anyone who has eyelash problems, or cancer patients that have lost their hair, but for someone like me whose lashes didn't really need any help from the get go, it just isn't necessary. So, please take my review with a grain of salt and just judge for yourself. If your eyelashes aren't as thick as mine, then you should definitely give LashFood a try :)