Give your lashes a boost with Wet n Wild's photofocus Lash Primer

*DISCLAIMER - Item(s) for this review purchased by the passenger element blog.*

WetnWild photofocus Lash Primer

I can imagine what you might be thinking...I'm busy enough...do I really need to prime my lashes also?? :/.  Well, no, you don't have to.  But let me show you why you might after reading this...

Wet n Wild's photofocus Lash Primer is widely available at drugstores and also big box stores such as Wal-Mart.  This was purchased at my local Walgreen's for $4.99 USD.  It is packaged as any typical mascara would be with a midsize spoolie on one end.  Contained inside are 0.27fl.oz/8ml of cream product.  According to Wet n Wild's website, this only comes in one color - 849B Committed a Prime.

This primers blend of waxes also contains vitamins A, E and D-Panthenol to give lashes an added boost of health while building lash length and volume!

The creamy primer formulation is somewhere between wet and dry.  It is akin to when I like to age a mascara and open it and let it sit to make it easier to layer/dry.  The brush coated lashes pretty well, aside from some clumps here and there.  It separated my lashes really well!  I was surprised to see that it did not cake up my lashes into sections.

Clean lashes - eye makeup was left without liner so that you could see the impact of the primer and mascara on its own without any help.

Lashes - Primer added.  Heavier white areas denote larger deposits of the primer.

This is one coat of primer and one coat of a popular drugstore mascara.

Lashes are slightly thickened and lengthened even more.  Mascara and the photofocus primer work well with each other.







I'm really happy with the results.  I used the mascara here the most with the primer, but I also used quite a few other mascaras, both drugstore and high end.  I did not find that the mascaras flaked at all and was really happy with the condition of my lashes after removal.  During removal, it felt as if I had used 2 to 3 layers of mascara, so the process took a bit longer than usual, but nothing that was too much or annoying to handle.  The primer does have a bit of a chemical scent that goes away rather quickly after application.

Repurchase - absolutely.  Definitely a great way to turn dud mascaras into something better!

Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme - Desire and Flirt (swatches)

*Items shown purchased by the Passenger Element Blog*

I went looking EVERYWHERE for these matte lip cremes.  My beautiful friend Jenni was kind enough to grab one for me on her own hunt for these.  Just a few weeks ago, I casually happened to walk into a Walgreens and there was a display that was already attacked majorly, but I was able to find another!!! SQUEEEE!  Shall I show you what I got?

Milani Matte Lip Cremes - flash

The Milani Amore Matte Lip Cremes are a part of a permanent range of 8 colors.  You can find these at CVS, Walgreen's, and their website.  These matte lip cremes usually retail around $8.99 USD.  The range, though small, goes from nude to red to dark berry.  The tube is typical clear, plastic body with signature Milani gold top.  Inside each tube, you receive 0.21 oz/ 6 g of liquid product.

Milani Matte Lip Cremes - No flash / indoor lighting

Amore Milani Matte lip cremes are just that...a matte, liquidy yet creamy lip product that goes on wet and dries down to a very matte texture.  What I have noticed with these lip cremes is that not every color is the same...more on that later.

Milani Matte Lip Creme - applicator

The applicator on this is quite unique.  It has a rounded top with straight sides, where one side is more straight, and the other side is more like that of  a "scoop".  That scoop collects products which you may or may not like.  I do in that I don't have to dip into the tube again and can usually finish both lips with one go.  The rounded out edge handles the lip line beautifully.

Milani Matte Lip Cremes in Flirt (t) and Desire (b)

Here now are swatches of both of the colors I have, both with flash...

Milani Matte Lip Creme - Desire (flash) (ONE COAT)

Desire Matte Lip Creme was a dream to work with!  This is a not so basic bright red.  It is so vivid!!!!  The consistency of Desire was liquidy, but never hard to work with.  Dry down was set in under 5 minutes and then you get this matte goodness.  Nothing bad to say about this at all.  The color, tone and texture speak for themselves!

Milani Matte Lip Creme in Flirt (flash) (TWO COATS)

Flirt is the one out of the lip cremes that I was disappointed with.  This is a beautiful color and so perfect for fall!!!  Flirt is a vampy, extremely deep berry/burgundy shade.  Same liquid consistency as Desire, but this applied and wore patchy.  Patch city is what you can call this.  Layering this lip creme was tricky for me too.  Beautiful color, just....patch-mania is too high.

Both have same consistency as far as pre-application texture.  They also smell like synthetic vanilla frosting.  For being matte, these are surprisingly easy and comfortable to wear.  Almost feels like nothing once the product is dry.  The scent did not linger too long after drydown, though those with allergies to scents may want to patch test first.  Desire was so opaque and blendable!  I have layered Desire and find that it plays well with itself.  Unlike Flirt, who did not want to cover opaquely, could not layer without getting chunky or flaky.

When eating anything oil based, these will wear off.  You will get the lip liner, worn off lipstick look.  During casual wear with drinking, talking and eating non-oily foods, I can get a good 4 hours before the inside of the mouth area starts to crumble.  Also, if you rub your lips together once set, these will crumble off as well.

Do I wish they were a bit more long wearing and could withstand a salad with an oil based salad dressing? Yes.  But then again I have to remember to get my head out of the clouds and think realistically.  For the price, these are pretty damn awesome!  I'm looking forward to getting the rest of the red and berry colors!

xoxo, Diana

Journey to 100 Empties!!! 1-5

*All Items In This Post Purchased by The Passenger Element*

I have to admit...seeing empties posts is enjoyable!  Once I took stock of the mass of products I had accumulated, there was even a bigger thrill in getting to the point where I was pairing down, using and enjoying the products I had.  Here is my first entry into empty land...

#1 - BIORE Self Heating One Minute Mask - I'm a huge fan of anything mask for the skin...lotions, potions and every notion under the sun.  This mask is easy to use and what I love the most about it is that you can feel the heat and feel it working.  I just wish there were more packets in the container.  You get 4 single use packets for between $6-7 dollars.  Not exactly exorbitant, but its drugstore, give us a few more.

#2 - MEIJER (store brand) Strengthening Nail Polish Remover - just your run of the mill polish remover.  Did not dry my perpetually ragged cuticles any further, so that was a plus.

#3 - E.L.F Shine Eraser Oil Blotting Sheets - 50 blotter sheets.  One dollar.  They work.  Enough said.

#4 - BATH AND BODY WORKS Mad About You shower gel - Foamy, rinses clean, does not add much in the way of moisture, but you do feel clean!  Contains notes of Black Current, Vanilla, Peony and Strawberry.

#5 - MAC Zoom Lash mascara - A holy grail in my book. Lengthening, thickening, and black as all hell.  Gives structure to my lashes, but never hard enough to consider them "crispy".  Never experienced any flaking, smearing, smudging.  This starts as a pretty wet formula, or at least the 2 tubes I have had were, so I let them dry out a bit and they become the perfect consistency.

What are you guys currently emptying?