Top 5 drugstore eyes and lip products!!

In our first top 5 post we reviewed our favorite drugstore face products, so today we thought it was about time to bring you part 2 of our drugstore series where we'll be reviewing our favorite eyes and lip products as you could probably tell from the title. Well, lets get straight to it!! I wanted to start off buy reviewing my all time favorite eye products with you all. Ever since I first started experimenting with drugstore products, I found picking out shadows, mascaras, and liners we're always my favorite. Being able to actually see the products before you buy makes it easier to get a certain look you want to create in mind almost immediately, not to mention you don't have to worry about buying the wrong shade. Let's start off with my favorite eyelid primer which is

Elf's eyelid primer

Price range: $1.00
Shade: sheer
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: I absolutely love this primer not just because it's only $1, but because it's by elf. Most people stray away from elf products because of this idea that cheap makeup means cheap quality, and this primer kinda just proves you all wrong. The first thing I love about this primer is that it works wonders for whatever shadow or look I decide to rock that day. Whether I'm going for a more natural look or a dramatic sexy smokey eye for a night out in the city. Upon first application it has a bit of a lighter tint to it, but after you work it onto the lid it almost looks sheer and doesn't feel heavy at all. A big problem I have, along with hundreds of other girls, is during the summertime I get oily. Everywhere!! On my forehead, cheeks, and even my eyelids, so when I do decide to look nice and forget to put on a primer it almost seems like my eye shadow for lack of a better word melts off. This product thankfully prevents that from happening. My shadows go on smooth, lasts longer, and it really helps the pigments pop! It prevents creasing, and can help you obtain that nice matte finish we all strive to achieve. In my opinion this product is a dupe of the Urban Decay primer potion, which to me makes this a better deal since for almost the same amount and same results of a high end product you're only paying $1 compared to Urban Decay, where you're paying almost $20.
Con's: I only have 1, and if it weren't for this little peeve of mine this product would be a 10. The applicator has a straight dome tip, kind of like the ones you see used in most lip glosses, which is normal for most primers but I prefer using a more curved dome tip similar to the one used by urban decay just because it's easier to apply and it works with the contour of the eye lid and shape. Now onto my favorite eye shadow which is

L'oreal Paris infallible shadows
Price range: $7
Overall impression: 8 1/2
Pro's: I'm kinda obsessed with these shadows. I have honestly bought every color this line has to offer. But I have to say my absolute favorite thing about this line is how pigmented and how long these shades last throughout the day!! This line could compete with some of Mac's singular eye shadow pots that can cost you up to $15. These shadows aren't loose, but they aren't compact either. It's super blendable and doesn't leave behind any harsh lines. They last throughout the normal work day while still managing to look good by the time you get home.
Con's: this product doesn't come in many shades. I've only found 8 so far but the color selection isn't that narrow at all. They range from beautiful neutrals to pretty shades of bright pinks, which kinda makes up for the lack of choices. Also with any eye shadow there's almost always fallout, and this product doesn't disappoint. It tends to build up on my lashes after first applying it and sometimes under my eye, but its nothing a little mascara can't fix :-). Speaking of mascara that brings me to my next favorite.....

The Covergirl Lash Blast line

Price range : from lowest to highest is $5 to $10
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: Covergirl in my opinion is the leading drugstore brand when it comes to mascaras. There's something about their formulas and how easy it is to use them that keeps me coming back for more. First let's talk about the formula. There are some things that you look for when in the market for a new good mascara. It hast to create length and volume at the same time. It can't look clumpy after just one coat, or leave that black residue on the lid, and it has to look natural while lasting throughout the day. Covergirl has somehow managed to nail this checklist with pretty much every product in this line. Although my favorite product at the moment is the Cover girl Clump Crusher Lash Blast Mascara, I don't have an all-time favorite because I honestly can't choose. It switches from time to time. Another great thing about this mascara is it's easy to remove. Fun fact: I normally use olive oil to remove any stubborn eye makeup. Not only does it remove the toughest long wear products but it conditions the lashes at the same time! It also prevents you from getting the dreaded raccoon eyes the next day. I can't specifically review the brush types because there's an assortment of shapes throughout the line but they all give you relatively the same results.
Con's: my only problem with these mascaras are that after adding to many coats,it can start to look thick and clumpy. My recommendation, only do 2-3 coats max.
I don't have a life changing liner yet,but I do have some honorable mentions saved up for another post, you just have to wait for that one!! Now onto lips. My next product has been my lifesaver time and time again. Because it's wintertime my lips have been dry, flaky, and just plain bad and this product has come to my rescue in my time of need. If you haven't already guessed what I'm talking about it's the highly raved about miracle product...

Maybelline Baby Lips
Price range: $3-4
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: I'm not a big lipstick fan. I really only wear lipstick or lip gloss on special occasions. So when I found out about a ChapStick that gives you the same effect of wearing a lipstick, I was sold almost immediately, and am now addicted. What I love most about this product is it doesn't give me the feeling of wearing chapstick. It feels light on your lips and is great for everyday wear, it also moisturizes and heals your lips at the same time. This may sound weird but, have you ever forgot you we're wearing chapstick, licked your lips, and got this overwhelming taste of  medicated cream? Hopefully I'm not the only one, but it happens to me more often than I'd like to admit and the great thing about this product is it doesn't have that taste! So in the unlikely event you do get it in your mouth you won't want to scrub your taste buds off. Really it's only a matter of time before babylips comes out with a flavored line. I'm still waiting for that to happen. Anyway it also has SPF 20 which is amazing especially in the summer. Oh and did I mention it comes in an assortment of colors?? Of course I did, but I just have to emphasize how important that aspect is to me. Massive props to Maybelline for making that happen.
Con's: If I had to pick something wrong with this line, it's that I have to reapply this product more than I'd like too. I prefer a ChapStick that's more durable mainly during the summer and winter time when the weather is particularly at its worst, and this product doesn't give me that full effect.
My last and final favorite (I know, I know, don't get too sad) is the

Revlon just bitten lip balm and stain
Price range: $7 - $8
Overall impression: 10!!
Pro's: Does anyone else remember when Revlon first came out with the balm and stain idea it was first introduced as a stain on one side and balm on the other? Well this time they mashed it all into 1 miracle product. Like I said before I'm definitely not a lipstick girl, so if I can find products that give off the look and effect of wearing lipstick without the extra touch ups throughout the day. I couldn't be happier. My first pro has everything to do with why I miss my childhood. The fact that they made this to look like a giant crayon, it's really a newer innovative application method and I like it. What else is so great about this method is that you don't have to sharpen it because it comes with a twist up mechanism. On first application it tends to look more sheer and has a shine quality to which I believe comes from the balm aspect, but it's extremely buildable. So you can go from an all natural look to a strong dramatic lip. Since it is a lip stain, the color is extremely pigmented and lasts pretty much all day through any obstacle. I also love that you don't have to tug on the product to get a good color pay off, it goes on smooth and feels light on the lips. I find that on the rare occasion that I do wear lipstick they tend to dry out my lips but since this is a stain with a balm infused throughout the product it protects my lips by keeping them moisturized, healthy, and happy. It also comes with a wide selection of colors ( my current favorite is sweetheart) I believe there's 12 shades altogether, but I could be wrong. Finally this product smells so good. It almost smells minty, but isn't too over powering. Quick tip: wear this under the Maybelline babylips for a more glossy finish, and for those days when your lips need a little extra TLC.)
Con's: for the first time I don't have any, this is hands down one of my go to favorites for sure.
Well that's it for part 2 of our drugstore series!! We hope you liked it! Have you tried any of our favorites? Leave a comment below with feedback or what drugstore products you can't live without!! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @beauty_breaking for constant updates, sneek peaks, and more!!!

What I really think about Beauty Campaigns.....

Welcome back to our blog Lovelies!! It's been ages since we last posted a motivational post, so today we thought we'd touch base on a rather controversial topic just for you guys. Which is..... Beauty Campaigns. First let me share you all a story that happened to me the other day. I was watching old backstreet boys music videos on YouTube (yeah, I have no shame) when an ad for the "love is louder" campaign grabbed my attention. Seeing as the skip ad option wasn't available, I actually sat through the whole thing and watched it through . If you're not familiar with the "love is louder" campaign I'll share a little bit of what I got with you from my research. "Love is louder" was originally a combined effort started by actress Brittany Snow, The Jed foundation, and MTV. Since then they've paired up with inspiring groups like the Trevor Project and Dosomething.org all with one goal in mind. To support people who feel alone, different, worthless, or misunderstood. I'll leave links at the end of this post if you'd like to read more on them. Anyway after watching a 1 minute ad I was inspired and curious. Out of all the campaigns out there this one had to be my favorite. It targets almost anyone while withholding bias or judgment. Most importantly it's already changed so many lives for the better. With that being said I went on a mission to find a more publicized campaign like this one targeted specifically towards women. I narrowed my options down to the 4 more well known beauty movements out there. 1) Dove's real beauty campaign. 2) Victoria's secret Love my body campaign. 3) L'oreals Because we're worth it movement and finally 4) Aerie's real campaign. All 4 of these have great messages, really they do. But they all also have some serious flaws, and I think it's about time someone finally says something about it, don't you think? Since I listed Dove's campaign first, let's start off by talking a little bit about what they've done already. I think we're all familiar with Dove's real beauty sketches. If not I'll link the video down below.

The overall idea of this video is great. It's true, we are our harshest critic but my question to you dove is what do you think made us this way? How about videos like these. As you can see there's not that much diversity going on here. A majority of the women featured were Caucasian, blond haired, and blue eyes. I think the only thing they did right was getting a more diverse age group. There we're few African Americans and no other race was even mentioned or featured. And in a campaign focused on showing women you can embrace your curves shouldn't you show more curvy women?? I'm getting mixed signals here. This point leads me to my next major flaw. Dove's real beauty campaign is all about embracing your curves so much so that it tends to make women who are skinny feel wrong or socially unaccepted. Shouldn't a campaign called "real beauty" showcase beauty in everyone not just one or the other and do so without bashing on how someone else looks. Onto my number 2 choice which was the Victoria secret "Love my body" campaign. Now it's obvious from the get co there's A LOT of flaws going on here. But hey at least they show beauty stems from confidence, right? That's one thing they're doing right. Right off the back, this campaign is doing one huge thing wrong by having their title as "Love MY body" and not "Love your body" it's almost like they want us to be jealous of their models in their underwear. And obviously not all girls look like that. In fact, a majority of girls do not look like that. You know what; This campaign is exactly what the title says I do have to give them that, because after seeing this campaign you're definitely not loving YOUR body whatsoever. Although these 2 campaigns are a bit older, they in my opinion are really what set off all the love your body and love yourself movements as bad as they maybe. My next one though has been around for a while, almost as long as the makeup itself and it's still going strong. I'm talking about L'oreals "Because we're worth it" movement/campaign. This campaign originally started off as just a slogan but grew into something much more after the sudden boom in product sales. Now don't get me wrong I actually do like the message they're trying to convey, and it's not just because I'm a big of their makeup. See the problem here isn't in the message they're trying to portray but it lies in who's relaying it. Every spokesperson has been this beautiful bombshell ranging from Kerry Washington to the current blond bombshell Blake lively. This could also stem from the fact that they are a makeup company and makeup is supposed to enhance your natural features to make you look like this beautiful bombshell selling you their products. But it doesn't always have to be that way. Take cover girl for example. Okay sure their spokesperson or people always have flawless skin but lets look at who they've picked to represent their brand. Ellen degeneres for one is a beautiful, strong role model for the LGBT community, she's a talented comedian, and  for dang sure a great host!!! of anything! Queen latifah, a beautiful, black, curvy, women, who's also a comedian, actress, and talk show host. Sofia Vergera, a beautiful Latina women with curves for days and who can forget the unforgettable Talia Castellaño an inspiring young lady, passionate about what she loved who just lost her battle to cancer at 13. These women are what role models should be. They aren't just beautiful bombshells but real strong people that we all can relate too. L'oreal, watch out you got some competition...... finally let's move on to choice number 4 . Aerie's "real" campaign. At first glance it seems like a great idea, aerie would be the first company to actually use untouched, non-photoshopped images to represent their brand. Hence the name "real". But my question for aerie is what does "real" mean to you?? Sure these women are real, they're just as real as any other individual who identifies them self as a woman, yet every woman represented here is fit and flawless. These images don't relate to every "real" woman out there, which can make some women feel the "real" you isn't sexy. Sure, the women modeling in this company are real and they are sexy. But you know what else is sexy?? Love handles, cellulite, dimples, freckles, dark marks, scars,tummy fat, and belly rolls, skinny girls with no breasts, and curvy girls with big breasts, body acne, tattoos, girls short and tall, girls of every shape,size,race, and color. Aerie if  your goal is to promote self confidence in women then why not showcase the real woman, and not some supermodel. These 4 companies have 1 thing in common they want to show women that in a superficial world what really matters is that you know you're beautiful inside and out. But one really has to wonder once you put aside the good intentions and really examine these almost elementary mistakes, are these companies really trying to promote self confidence or promote their products?? This post will probably be controversial to some, but I think it was about time someone said what we all we're thinking. Yeah, it's time for a change and everyone who follows us either on bloglovin or twitter ( a little harmless self promotion there) really are helping create that change, by showing we all believe in one thing. EVERY woman is beautiful. It doesn't matter who you are, what you believe, where you're from, or what you do or look like. We're not a company looking to make a profit off of products or trying to boost our popularity, but a group of people who believe every woman of every age should be able to look in the mirror and say "I am Beautiful" and mean it. If you want to join us feel free to stop by our twitter @beauty_breaking. Like what you just read? Follow us on bloglovin and comment your thoughts on this topic. We want to hear from you!!!!! Leave us ideas of what you want to see next, we read everyone of them !!!

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My top 5 favorite drugstore face products!

Have you ever gone to the drugstore with one particular product in mind, but end up leaving with what seems like $150 worth of stuff? Yeah it happens to me all the time, especially when it comes to the beauty department. I may not even be going to the store for a new foundation and powder to match but it somehow makes it's way into my cart before I leave. So its no wonder why my overall drugstore makeup collection is as big as it as today, and hey who would turn down products that can compete with high end lines at a much lower price? Everyone loves a bargain, am I right? We can all agree that a big problem when it comes to dabbling in drugstore makeup is it can be very tricky picking out products that works for your particular skin type and deciding what products to try can be a little over whelming. So I'm here to share with you my top 5 drugstore face products that I can not live without, and hopefully make your next trip to the drugstore that much easier and maybe save you a couple bucks. So let's just get right to it. (Just a disclaimer all of this is my opinion based off of how these products worked on my skin. Everyone is different so what may work for me, might not work the same on you. We love comparing results so leave what you think of our favorites in the comments below.)I'm gonna start off with my all time favorite foundation. I feel like foundation is a lot harder to choose from, whether there's not enough shades or there's just too many it can sometimes leave you feeling a bit lost. I suffer from this problem way more often than I like to admit. I have more warm medium skin tone and trying to find a foundation with the right undertones while keeping peace with my acne is a challenge in itself. But this foundation let me tell you is a miracle product. And it is.....

The L'oreal true match
shade: W5 sand beige, (W6 in the summer)
Price range: $7-8
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: words can't explain how much I love this foundation. It gives medium to full coverage, and you can build on it without it starting to look too cakey. The texture is almost velvety which makes it very easy to blend and gives you kind of a satiny finish. My main concern when I first tried this foundation was how liquidy it was. I normally use foundations with a thicker consistency to prevent my oily skin from looking like a grease ball at the end of the day, but don't let the texture fool you it blends out almost smooth and feels very light without creating shine, and doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky. It also comes in a wide range of shades with almost exact undertones. Perfect for ethnic skin like mine. Price wise, it's affordable. I bought mine for about $7 at Wal-Mart but I think the highest it goes is 8 something at select drugstores. Another great thing about this product is doesn't oxidize as bad as most drugstore foundations. For all the beauty beginners out there not sure what that means (don't worry it took me a while too) basically what happens is when you first apply your foundation it can react with the chemicals in your skin and in the air causing it to become darker than it originally was. Sometimes with drugstore foundations when I apply it at the beginning of the day it will perfectly match my skin and by the time I'm done with my work day it's 2 shades darker. High end foundation can do the same thing, it all depends on what you buy and the formula used. Anyway this foundation doesn't change as much and can almost look like your actual skin after applied and throughout the day. It also has SPF 17 which is especially great in the summertime when the sun is constantly beating on your face. Gotta protect the skin ladies!!
Con's: Now even though I do love this makeup, just like humans, it's got some flaws too. I hate that it doesn't come with a pump. Granted I've found ways too apply it without losing too much product, but with a product this liquidy it should have a pump. Now because of this it's hard to combine 2 colors without losing half the bottle on your hand, dresser, or floor (taken from personal experience). Another con is if you have oily skin like me, I would highly recommend applying powder afterwards to set this foundation, so it stays matte longer throughout the day. The longevity of this product is okay. It lasts about 5 hours until I have to start blotting around my t-zone area. I would prefer a longer lasting formula but like I said it's okay. Another thing that can be bad for beginners is how extensive the collection is. If you're just starting out it can be a little intimidating trying to find the right undertone and then finding the right shade to match. Especially since most drugstores don't allow you to open the product to test it on your skin.

Okay onto #2 which is the Maybelline fit me shine free foundation STICK.

Shade: I'm not sure
Price range: $6-7
Overall impression: 8
Pro's: I also love this foundation in stick form (not the biggest fan of the Maybelline fit me liquid foundation) for A LOT of reasons. I can't emphasize that enough. When I think of stick foundations I imagine the consistency to be really thick and unpleasant. So I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth and light this foundation goes on when you first apply it, it almost feels like it glides onto your skin. It's medium to full coverage and is also build able without looking cakey. It's also versatile. I haven't found my perfect shade yet so I've been using it as a concealer/highlight. I can apply it under my eyes without it looking too heavy or have it looking like it's pulling my face down. You could also get away with using a darker shade as a contouring stick. My personal favorite makeup trick. It gives you a little bit of coverage while creating a nice contoured look; Although I do recommend using a primer before and powder afterwards to create that nice matte look to last throughout the day, especially for girls with oily skin. (Beauty breaking tip: No primer? No problem. Mix a little bit of your favorite foundation with your moisturizer, and boom! DIY homemade primer in seconds!!)
Con's: obviously the number 1 con is I couldn't find the perfect shade for me yet, keep in mind I haven't tried it as a foundation for a while now so they might have my shade. It's possible that it being in a stick form it can hold bacteria more which can cause acne, and you can run out of product much faster than if you we're to use the liquid alternative. The longevity is okay I did have to blot once throughout the day, which really isn't all that bad. All in all great product highly recommend giving it a try. I probably should've listed this product first but my #3 all time favorite drugstore product is 

NYX pore filler primer which I found at target.
Price range: $12-13
Overall impression: 10!!!!
Pro's: I love love love this primer. Drugstores aren't a big carrier of face primers so I was understandably doubtful yet excited at the same time to try this out. But I'm so happy I did. This primer is in my opinion a dupe of the Benefit porefessional primer which cost around $30 I'm not sure, yet these 2 products do exactly the same thing. The only difference is the texture of the NYX product is almost like a mousse whereas the Benefit product is more smooth on first application, but when you work it into your skin you can't tell the difference. I haven't done my research on this product, so I'm not sure if it's silicone based or if that's even in this primer since it's meant to specifically focus on your pores, but what I do know is it creates a beautiful canvas for you to work with and helps your makeup go on smoother and last so much longer.
Con's: I don't really have any except it's a bit pricey, but is noticeably better than most or all drugstore primers. So it's worth the the few extra bucks.
I'm not picky when it comes to powders so I'm gonna skip that and go to my next favorite which is my #4 pick 

the Garnier BB cream for oily combination skin

Shade: Light/medium and medium/deep
Price range: from $11-12
Overall impression: 8 for oily skin 6 and I'll add 1/2 for dry skin.
Pro's: Good drugstore BB creams are hard to find so after reading a bunch of great reviews about this particular product I decide why not try it out. My big problem with BB creams is they tend to make my skin more oily and greasy, they don't normally provide the amount of coverage I need and can smell bad. Although this product smells a little bit like sunscreen, it did the opposite of what I normally expect from a BB cream. It's not greasy or heavy on my skin, and it's perfect for the summertime for when I don't want a face filled of makeup. It provides light to medium coverage, medium is pushing it. It evens out skin tone and doesn't feel sticky or like a moisturizer, it has a consistency of a tinted moisturizer but is more thick. It also brightens my skin, and is great to use under foundation in the winter time when your skin is particularly dry..
Con's: I have yet to find a BB cream that actually does everything that it claims to do on the box, and this one is no exception. I've been using this product for what seems like forever and have yet to see any improvements just by using this product alone. I wouldn't normally recommend bb creams for people with oily skin because it tends to look oily and only gets worse throughout the day, but unlike before this product is the exception. It's great for people with oily skin but not so great for dry skin. I don't have dry skin but my friend does and she personally doesn't like the feel of it around her problem areas. It's also not the best for taking pictures. Because it has SPF it can make you look like a ghost in pictures especially when flash is used, so it's a no for any special occasions.
Finally after a very unorganized long post review my number 5 favorite is something I've just discovered and am now addicted too. They are (drum roll please........) face serums. There's not a huge selection of these available in the drugstore but I've tried pretty much every line and have managed to leave with one favorite. The 

Loreal youth code line! First statistics...
Price range: around $20 at Wal-Mart
Overall impression for:
dry skin:8
oily skin:6
oily/combination skin: 7
Pro's: For the amount you get which is around 1.0 oz per bottle the product lasts forever!!! It's been about 2 months and I have yet to run out!!  It gives you noticeable results fast. My skin started to look brighter about 5 days after using it and my dark marks have faded  since I first started using it. It doesn't smell bad I can't really describe it, but it's tolerable. It's gentle enough to use daily and hasn't broken me out.
Con's: The consistency is more on the oily side depending on what products you buy, and can tend to feel heavy if you apply too much. I haven't tried the whole line of products but this does apply to the Loreal glow renewal serum. It's a bit on the pricey side (but a little goes a long way!) Now that you've read our  top drugstore beauty favorites, we want to read yours!! What is your go to drugstore beauty products?? Tweet us at @beauty_breaking with the hashtag #drugstorebeauty we would love to try out and review new products!! Want more drugstore favorites?? Follow us on bloglovin to stay up-to-date with our drugstore series! Part 2 and 3 will be next plus our least favorite drugstore product of all time. You're definitely not expecting this one!! Have you tried one of these products? Share with us your opinion in the comment section below!! We always love reading great feedback!!