Thursday 22 September 2011

Mary Kay Product Review

When BlogHer asked me if I would like to do a Mary Kay make-up review, I jumped at the chance. I am always looking for great new products, and I had heard of Mary Kay, but never tried it. I didn't know what to expect, but I wanted to keep an open mind.

When the Mary Kay package arrived, I immediately opened it up. In a neatly wrapped box tied with a pink bow, I found mascara, a compact containing eye shadows and blush, lipstick, and TimeWise Microdermabrasion Set. I wasted no time in trying everything out.



My initial thoughts were that the lipstick might be too dark for me, and the eye shadows were colors I normally wouldn't wear. Again, I wanted to keep an open mind, but I was already skeptical.

I created three different looks utilizing all the products: a lighter, day time look, a dramatic lip look, and a night time look.

The day time look.


Mary Kay Products Used: 
Lash Love Mascara in I ♥ Black
Mineral Eye Color Silver Satin
Mineral Cheek Color in Cherry Blossom

The dramatic lip look:


This was obviously taken on a different day. The lighting was warmer, and I got my hair cut!

Mary Kay Products Used: 
Lash Love Mascara in I ♥ Black
Mineral Eye Color in Sweet Cream
Mineral Cheek Color in Cherry Blossom
Lipstick in Fuchsia 

The night time look:



Mary Kay Products Used: 
Lash Love Mascara in I ♥ Black
Mineral Eye Color in Iris and Silver Satin
Mineral Cheek Color in Cherry Blossom

My favorite look was definitely the day time look. I felt like me, but an upgraded version. I thought the Compact Mini was the perfect compact for women on the go. It has a magnetic well so that you can mix and match eye colors and cheek colors depending on your needs. Underneath the magnetic well there is even a little hidden area to store your mini-brushes! Awesomeness.



I was a big fan of the mineral cheek color in Cherry Blossom. I applied it lightly in the day and dramatic lip looks. I used a heavier hand with my night look. It went on so smoothly each time, and left my cheeks pretty and flushed. I also used the Lash Love mascara with every look, and felt like it held up pretty well. The brush looks like it was designed to avoid clumps and smudges, and it did just that! My lashes looked long and full and the mascara lasted all day.

The biggest shock was the purple-ish eye color in Iris that I used for the night look. I was very interested to see how I would look with purple, mainly because I am not adventurous with eye shadow, and almost exclusively stick to dark brown and black. I was pleasantly surprised that the Iris complimented my brown eyes nicely! To achieve the above night look, I added a bit of Silver Satin on top and blended it out with the Iris. I actually wore purple eye shadow! Wow. And it didn't look bad. Wow again.


Lastly, I'll say a few words about the TimeWise Microdermabrasion Set. I have used drug store microdermabrasion products before, but haven't remained loyal to any particular brand. I just haven't been consistent enough to ever see a difference. I started using the TimeWise set a few days ago. So far, so good. It does an amazing job of gently exfoliating, and my face feels smoother and looks clearer already. It is rather pricey, but I have high hopes that my skin's improved glow will be well worth the expense. Only time will tell!