Maybelline Color Tattoo by Eye Studio 24HR Cream Gel Shadow Collection

(Left to Right: Barely Branded, Waves of White, Cool Crush, Inked in Pink, Bad to the Bronze, Tough as Taupe, & Gold Rush)

(Top Moving Clockwise: Cool Crush, Waves of White, & Barely Branded)

(Top Left Moving Clockwise: Tough as Taupe, Gold Rush, Inked in Pink, & Bad to the Bronze)

(Waves of White on the Lid: 6 Hours After Application)

I'm a huge fan of cream shadows from Buxom, Benefit, Mac, and MUFE. Out of all of them, I find that The Color Tattoo line of shadows outlast all the others (but about the same as MUFE). But considering the $15+ price difference between the two brands, Color Tattoo shadows are a great value.

Barely Branded (Metal Collection): This one was the first I bought, and definitely the one that gets the most use. It goes with just about anything and is a true shimmery champagne color. It fades faster than all the others (with the exception of Waves of White) but I haven't noticed any creasing, even when I don't set it with powder.
Waves of White (Limited Edition): This one came out really recently, in the same launch as Cool Crush. It's actually one of my favorites as it's a true duo-chrome and has a blue/green effect depending on the light. It's also quite sheer, and due to the high shimmer, it does tend to fade faster than any of the other colors.
Cool Crush (Limited Edition): Almost comes off as a silvery blue/lavender. I'm thinking this will probably get about as much use as Inked in Pink. It's slightly sheer, but build-able and wears similarly to Inked in Pink.
Inked in Pink (Metal Collection): This one has less wear time than Bad to the Bronze, again, still good. It's really pigmented and a shimmery pink. I've probably only worn this twice in the last few months, so I wouldn't consider it a must-have.
Bad to the Bronze: This one is a little more sheer, but still easily build-able. When I'm in a rush, I'll slap this one by itself and call it good. It has slightly less wear time than Tough as Taupe but still will easily last you through a long day.
Tough as Taupe: From the ones I've tried, this one definitely has the best wear time. It kind of reminds of clay in color and texture. It's the thickest feeling of the bunch but this would probably last at least 24 hours without creasing/fading. I've put it on my eyes and rubbed and it still didn't budge.  Also, I've had some luck using this for contouring as well.
Gold Rush (Metal Collection): This is probably my least favorite color of the bunch. It lasts a little longer than Barely Branded before fading. I should have known by looking that it was a very bright gold, and I really only end up wearing it when I mix it with Bad to the Bronze. Fades faster than Inked in Pink and Cool Crush.

The Squirts

In honor of my upcoming blog post on terribly named beauty products, I decided to do a post with an atrocious title. 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: Reviews on this are a dime a dozen—and for good reason. I love it but because of the smell I keep trying others. The minty scent is definitely refreshing, however, the rest of the mix kind of smells like urine to me. That said, it does a great job of hydrating your skin better than other facial mists I've tried. It has a really fine mist that doesn't require any blotting afterwards and it doesn't leave your face feeling tight like Evian other brands. The 1 oz. size is perfect for carrying around in your purse but with daily use each bottle only lasts 2-3 months at best. I use it sometimes to set powder makeup and while it doesn't really help the makeup last, it does keep it from looking powdery. I'll frequently use it as a toner after washing my face and follow with a moisturizer. I'm on my second bottle and will likely continue to repurchase. ($18 for 1 oz. at Sephora)

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater: This is by far the best value at $7 for 4 oz. and a close second favorite to Beauty Elixir. I love the distinct rose smell, but it lacks the oils that are in the Beauty Elixir and isn’t as hydrating—still a little more than Fix+. Again, this is good for spraying as a toner or after applying powder but it doesn’t really make your makeup last longer.  

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Face Mist: Claims to be an energizing, clarifying anti-oxidant tonic, hydrating, pore minimizing, and anti-aging. It definitely has a pomegranate/tea scent and in that sense, it’s refreshing but I don’t feel that it’s done much for my skin. This one leaves your skin feeling slightly sticky. I’ll use this up, but it’s not exactly a joy to do so. ($28 for 4 oz. at Sephora)

Mac Fix+: Another facial mist that gets quite a bit of attention. I love how versatile it is and I think it does a good job of setting and extending makeup. I’ll occasionally apply this to apply makeup “wet”.  The light scent is really pleasant and I’d imagine most people would enjoy it. ($21 for 3.4 oz at Mac)

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist: This smells terrible. I blame the Ylang Ylang but it’s so much worse than that.  It’s also the stickiest of the lot. I guess if you wanted to turn your face into flypaper—it might be just the thing for you. ($22 for 6.75 oz. from Juice Beauty online)

 What are your favorite beauty mists?