Product Review: Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara and More

I've been picking up lots of new products to try lately. I guess the summer beauty sales have been good to me. There are so many coupon deals going on right now, I can hardly choose which ones I'm going to do. Makes me wish I could do them all! Let's dive right in, shall we? :)

1. Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara

This mascara is being touted as the next big thing, thanks to it's gel-mousse formula. I picked up the waterproof formula to try out (of course!). I've been using this for a couple of weeks now and here's what I think. If you have tried Maybelline's Volum' Express One-By-One mascara, you've tried this one. I love, love, love One-By-One, it's my absolute favorite. I found this formula to look and feel essentially the same. The only difference I can tell is between the two brushes. The Mega Plush has a large brush, with a flexible wand. One-By-One's brush is rubber and is designed to coat every lash. Due to the brush, I also find that the One-By-One goes on more evenly, and with less clumps. Both formula's stay put and don't smudge. Both are not heavy formula's, and really look like my lashes, but better. Both hold curl very well. The verdict? Due to the similarity to my favorite mascara and an unfavorable brush/wand, I won't be buying this one again. I'm sticking with the One-By-One.

2. CoverGirl's NatureLuxe Silk Foundation

I am not a CoverGirl fan. There are very few CoverGirl products that I like and would buy again, especially their foundations. That's why I was so surprised to love this product. It's a lightweight foundation, and in my opinion would be in-between tinted moisturizer and a fuller coverage foundation. The product is very creamy, and easy to blend in to the skin. I always look super-close at my pores after putting on foundation, to make sure it doesn't look like I'm caked in makeup. I was shocked that this covered flaws and evened out my skin, but didn't look like a mask. It also lasted all day, with me only having to do one mid-day touch-up. I think this is an appropriate foundation to wear when you are wanting more of a polished look than tinted moisturizer, like for a lunch date or shopping, but probably not for an evening going-out look. I'm sticking with tinted moisturizer for most of the time this summer, mainly because I don't look like my makeup is melting in this summer heat and humidity. But I'll be using this one on occasion, and probably even more in the fall. The verdict? This one is going in my arsenal, thanks to its light texture and amazing coverage.

3. Garnier Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment

I'm torn on this product. I've been trying it out for a couple of weeks now, and I've tried it with many different hairstyles. Blown out, straightened, wavy, curly, and pulled back. The product works. It makes my hair feel soft and really does add a lot of shine. I especially like it with wavy and curly hairstyles which can stand to use something to help with the frizz. Here's my one downside with this product. I think it clogs my pores. As in, if you touch your face before you wash your hands and if you have acne-prone skin, you better watch out. It may even be this product getting on my pillow, and then getting on my face at night. If there's one thing I hate more than frizz, it's breakouts. Not pretty. I'll take some frizz over a breakout. That being said, John Frieda's Frizz Ease Serum works just as good as this and doesn't clog my pores. The verdict? If you have acne-prone skin, be super careful about getting this anywhere near your face. Due to said skin issues, I will not be purchasing this again.