Style Chicks

Growing up, I’d always hear my mother talk about this amazing fiber mascara that they made in the late ’60’s that she was never able to replace in how lush and long it made her lashes. While she had tried other fiber mascaras over the years, she always found that it didn’t give the same look or the fibers would flake off.

So of course, over the years I’ve always wondered if there was a mascara out there that could match the lore of Mom’s favorite mascara. I never had success with fiber mascara either – I hate getting those little fibers in my eyes and all over my undereye.

And then I tried Imju Fiberwig Mascara.

Wow.

My lashes have been going through a short growth cycle recently, but Fiberwig makes me look like I’m a Superhero whose power is the ability grow crazy long and thick eyelashes. (I don’t know if that’s the superpower I’d definitely choose if I got a choice of irrelevant superpowers, but it’s in the top ten – along with “Iron my clothes with a beam that shoots out of my eyes” vision. Anyways, back to Fiberwig.)

So I added a coat to my lashes and it gave my wimpy little lashes a nice, very natural looking boost – kind of like if you added a row of false lashes (“Paint-On False Lashes” is their motto) without looking fake. I let that dry and added a second coat – now it really had my attention. Huge, separated, thick lashes. If you are looking for a very dramatic eye, add a third coat and people will simply stare at you in wonderment of how big your eyes are – and that’s what I love about Fiberwig – your eyes stand out, not your mascara.

The first time I tried it I was so intrigued by it that I kept adding coat after coat of it to the tips– eventually my “lashes” arched all the way past my eyelid and almost touched my eyebrows – it is absolutely amazing what Fiberwig can do with regular, wimpy little lashes how mine have been lately (it was kind of like playing “Wooly Willy” with my eyelashes). It even made the two lashes at the ends that grow straight down behave!

So how does Fiberwig compare to other fiber mascaras? Of the ones I’ve tried over the years, it blows them all away. Not only does it produce a gorgeous eye, but every fiber stays put – you don’t have to worry about your mascara going anywhere until you take it off. Nor does the look fade through the day. Once you have your lashes the way you want them, you’re set until it’s time to take your makeup off. And how you take it off is another thing I love about Fiberwig – it comes off easily with water (ideally on a cotton ball). No tugging or rubbing needed, so it’s gentle on your eye skin and on your lashes (I have yet to lose a lash when taking off Fiberwig, which I can’t say for any other mascara. At the same time, it has the staying power of a waterproof mascara.

I’d recommend gently blotting the wand first time you use it – a lot of fibers are distributed on a fresh wand, which might be difficult to work with if you aren’t familiar with fiber mascaras. After the first time I pulled the wand out, just the right amount of mascara and fibers are on there.

Fiberwig is available at Sephora for $22 – get ready for the most amazing looking lashes and eyes you’ve ever had.

And yes, my Mom has finally found a replacement for her beloved long-lost fiber mascara now that I have her hooked on Fiberwig too!

Looking for a new mascara? If you don’t know where to start, check out Sephora’s The Lash Stash - seven mini mascaras to try out for $28. While I’m true to Fiberwig, there are some amazing mascaras in there - it includes Benefit A Little Bit BADgal Lash in Black, Blinc Kiss Me Mascara in Black (a favorite of another Style Chick in the office), LORAC Publicity Stunt Lashes in Black, Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Black, Stila Multi-Effect Mascara in Black, Sephora Brand Lash Plumper in Black, and Too Faced Lash Injection in Black.

This kit hits a lot of the bases of different types of mascara - Blinc is the one that forms little tubes and washes off with water, Too Faced Lash Injection also coats and lengthens with little tubes. BadGal is a really black black - great if you already have dark lashes. I’ve heard good things about Smashbox Bionic Mascara for photo ops (aka weddings).

This kit is a $50 value - you are sure to find a great mascara in the bunch. And don’t forget Sephora’s 7 eye cream samples with a $25 purchase - Enter code EYESAMPLES at checkout.

Get 7 Free eye samples with any $25 order at Sephora.com. Enter code EYESAMPLES at checkout. One of them is Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream, which is amazingly soothing on irritated eyes.

Other sample in the kit include:

We’re been arranging our office because a few more Style Chicks are going to be joining us! And we promise to get back to writing now.

My eyelids have been getting kind of itchy and red in the air conditioning last few days - the Too Faced Mineral Water Eye Brightening Pencil would be great right now since it has 35% mineral water in it - what a great way to keep your skin hydrated during the hot summer months!

I like when kits are step by step, not just a few random pieces from a line. And when I found the following two kits, I realized you could go from a bare face to a finished look pretty fast:

Kit #1 is the Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit, which contains everything you need for your base. First, start with the foundation primer, followed by the tinted moisturizer (it shouldn’t have too much color to it, but you can skip this step if you don’t wear foundation - but be sure to use an SPF!). Then use the Undercover Pot to conceal any blemishes and under your eyes, and then finish it all off with Translucent Loose Setting Powder. The kit also contains a Camouflage Brush, a Camouflage Powder Brush, a Velour Puff, and an egg-shaped Sponge - so application is a no-brainer if you don’t know what applicator to use with coverage products normally.

Then to add color, pick up a Stila The Perfect Face Kit.  It’s a great combo of Stila’s products that give a classic look - not too flashy and good for everyday makeup. And what’s even better is that you can just add a bit more color at the end of the day for a night look. Stila’s “Kitten” eye shadow is an universally flattering neutral eye color, and it is light enough to use as a highlighter on most skin tones - especially on the brow bone. Add a thin line of Black Smudge Pot for day and a thicker, more dramatic line for night, and finish your eyes with Multi-Effect Mascara (the brush on this mascara is great - just the right angle to the curve). For cheeks, lips, and anywhere else you need a little color, I adore Convertible Color in Lillium (it’s a bit darker and more blue-based than in appears in the picture) - it’s great to carry with you and the consistency is wonderful. It is also great to layer for more impact. Add some Lip Glaze in Brown Sugar, and you are out the door!

What a great combo - an eyeliner that brightens and highlights your eye. What’s even better? The new Too Faced Mineral Water Eye Brightening Pencil is formulated with 35% mineral water, leaving your eyelids cool, smooth, and super hydrated.

Find it at Sephora.com for $18 - I can’t wait to try this!

I saw a couple of cute things on Gap.com and then when I looked at my cart, everything worked together as a cute little outfit!

First I saw this Striped drawstring-waist dress, which looks so crisp and comfortable for hot weather for $24.99.

Then I found this Eyelet blazer in off white - nice to have on hand if the air conditioner is set to “icicle”.

And then top it all off with this adorable Large nylon tote to carry all your stuff in for $19.99!

We all have a ton of makeup palettes that we use one or two colors out of, and the rest of the colors stay untouched. That’s why I like palettes that have similar hues in the selections - you can layer them to create just the right shade in case the color you are looking for is an in-between shade of two hues.

A nice example of this type of palette this season is Sephora’s Sephora Brand Summer Blockbuster Palette - it has a few shades that are more of a pop of color, but if you are looking to blend neutrals, you are sure to find some great variations in this palette. It comes with 24 eyeshadows, 12 lip colors (in variations of neutral shades, ranging from a nude lip to a brown-berry shade), two blushes, and a few brushes. Not a bad deal.

It’s hard to find a strappy sandal heel with a reasonable pop of color, but these Nine West Women’s Dayglow Sandal do so nicely. They come in a variety of colors and materials (leather, satin, etc), so you can certainly find one to match any outfit the style compliments.

Find it at Endless.com and Amazon.com for $27.98.