The Verdict Is In: What We Thought Of The NEW Fenty Mascara

Did Rihanna do it again?

Fenty Beauty is making waves in the industry, and we want to try everything Rihanna is putting out there – she is a real-life goddess, after all! Sure, it’s not the album the Navy fan club have been begging for, but maybe it’s the next best thing?

Of course, we had to get our hands on her first-ever mascara, which landed January 16th! As the name suggests, the Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara, $24, is designed to give you everything you want from a mascara. Plus, who doesn’t want to get Rihanna’s gorgeous lash look! Here’s our full review.

What it is: A mascara created to lift, lengthen, and curl lashes with a unique ‘flat-to-fat’ brush – the fat side is designed to pile on the formula and the flat side defines and adds a curl. The ultra-black, long-wear formula is also water-resistant and has been tested by Rihanna to withstand everything from sweat and tears, all without smudging. Ingredient Callouts: This product is also cruelty-free and gluten-free.

To get really up close and personal, beauty YouTuber Alissa Ashley shared close-ups of the wand, taken with a macro lens, on her Twitter.

What we thought: The lightweight mascara is designed to build easily with a formula that doesn’t dry too quickly, which is definitely true. We layered up our lashes effortlessly with no clumping, and we had plenty of time to build up what we thought were some pretty gorgeous lashes before they set. The wand is easy to use, and we started by using the flat side to build up volume on our lashes (the opposite to what Fenty suggested). Once we were happy with the volume added, we started to use the ‘fat’ side (or what we referred to as the skinny side) to define and separate the lashes. We were also really impressed with how well the wand managed to curl and shape the lashes, all while keeping them separated and fanned out.

The wear: We didn’t notice any smudging or flaking all day – hallelujah – and although we didn’t cry, we did test them out with a little water and they didn’t run everywhere!

The result: We loved the final result – a fanned out, wispy lash look that was natural-looking, but also added drama. We didn’t achieve quite the same result as the image we had seen of Rihanna, which was a little more dramatic, but we imagine if we kept building, we would have been able to layer up for more volume. If you have thicker, dense lashes, you should be able to build even more drama. As you can see from the before and after, we achieved both length, curl, and volume.

The verdict: We really love how this mascara made our lashes look and we feel like this is a great everyday mascara, especially as it wears so well. It didn’t give the most volume we have ever seen from a mascara, but if you love a more natural, wispy-looking lash, then you will definitely love this.

Have you guys tried it yet? Let us know in the comments below.

FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA

Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara

$24

COLOR: Cuz I’m Black – true black

Standard size: Matte finish

KYLIE SKIN LAUNCHES FACE MASK & LIP MASK

When Kylie Jenner first announced she was launching skincare, thoughts were mixed if it fits in with her brand or if it’s best left up to skincare pros. And then the first collection promptly sold out and Kylie Skin was officially a hit. Next came a summer collection and now, a face mask and lip balm are here. “The @kylieskin family is growing,” Jenner wrote on Instagram. “My hydrating lip and face mask are available NOW on KylieSkin.com! My secret to moisturized skin all day long.”

Since Jenner has dry skin, her first face mask is a moisturizing one. The Hydrating Face Mask is fragrance-free and contains niacinamide (one of two forms of vitamin B3), shea butter, glycerin and sodium hyaluronate (a water-soluble salt form of hyaluronic acid). Jenner promises it keeps her skin soft and moisturized. And she keeps that hydration on her lips, too. The Hydrating Lip Mask—a fancy way of calling it lip balm—features pomegranate sterols, shea butter, sunflower and kiwi seed oil. You can use it anytime throughout the day or layer it on thick overnight for “mask” action.

What’s especially nice about masks is that, unlike the rest of the products in the brand’s lineup, they don’t necessarily have to be used every single day, so you can work them into your current routine when you need a little hydration boost, without having to sacrifice your regular faves.

I’m a face-masking fiend, and even though my collection is already quite large, I’m curious as to how much Kylie Skin’s Face and Lip Masks cost, as I can almost guarantee I’ll be adding them to my collection. According to Jenner herself, the brand’s first-ever masking products guarantee hydrated, happy skin, and with cold winter weather here, a little extra hydration doesn’t sound half bad. Will the new duo end my seasonal chapped lips and dry skin for good? Fingers crossed, y’all.

What I love about this instead of using just a regular balm, is this is more like a treatment for your lips,” Jenner explained in a video on the Kylie Skin Instagram account. It definitely locks in the moisture in my lips and keeps them feeling good all day,” she added. As far as formula goes, Jenner dishes that the Lip Mask features nourishing oils, shea butter, and vitamin E, and can be used whenever you’d like. I love to put it on before bed — I feel like my lips feel the most chapped at the end of the day,” she said in the video. Apparently, it’s also a great option for no-makeup days: “It gives it a little bit of a sheen, so it almost looks like you’re wearing lip gloss, which I love,” she raved.

This! There is nothing like this,” exclaimed Jenner in her Instagram explainer video, “This is the most moisturizing mask you can find. This helps smooth, soothe, brighten, hydrate… it’s ideal for anytime use. I love to put this on, again, at all times of the day. I didn’t want to just say Night Mask for this, because I use it all the time,” Jenner explained, adding, “You don’t have to wash this off, although you can. She also uses the mask prior to applying makeup – applying it 15-30 minutes before she does her makeup and then washing it off like any other face mask.

While the Hydrating Face Mask has a thick, moisturizing formula, it still feels lightweight and easy to blend, much like a classic moisturizer:

As for ingredients, Jenner describe the lineup as, “Pretty much just a magical mixture of things to really help out your skin.” That includes vitamins C, E, and B3, as well as shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and kiwi seed oil, so she’s certainly right about that.

I love that she’s listening to her buyers’ requests! And honestly, I can’t help but wonder what’s next. Another type of face mask? What about a clay mask, or a sheet mask? You can’t deny that a pink Kylie Skin sheet mask would be cute AF. While you wait for her to announce her next drop, shop the Hydrating Face and Lip Masks now on the Kylie Skin website.

Our mission at BEAUTYLEEBAR is to bring beauty to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

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Glow Recipe’s New Banana Moisturizer Just Became Our Go-To

In less than two years, K-beauty aficionados Glow Recipe has created sell-out product after sell-out product. The trend-quenching brand has transformed some of the most iconic fruits in pop culture – watermelons, avocados, pineapples – from pool float and phone cover necessities into bomb skincare products that feed your skin and your #shelfies with goodness.

From juicy watermelon to the revered avocado, Glow Recipe has made it its M.O. to craft the most fun, at-times viral skin-care products from nature’s fruit basket. Well, insert banana emoji here, because their latest launch has arrived, and unlike anything they’ve done before.

The latest super-fruit to join their family has less of an Instagram following, but its skincare powers are definitely on par with the rest. Meet the Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream, $39, that harnesses the moisturizing, nourishing and calming properties of banana, which launches online at Sephora.com on Dec 5th (and today on the Sephora app)! We were lucky enough to get a first try of this moisturizer, and we’ve been using it non-stop for the last two weeks to ensure we can give you a thorough review!

What it is: The Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream is a lightweight moisturizer bursting with banana, turmeric and chia goodness to give you plump, hydrated and happy skin that smells like banana cream pie filling.

What it does: This bouncy, banana-packed formula helps skin recover from dryness, dehydration, stress, and irritation by delivering an intense hit of magnesium naturally found in bananas to balance moisture levels and recover skin barrier health. Potassium works to hydrate the skin while manganese gets to work on healing stressed skin – aka when you’ve overdone it on AHAs or your skin is hella thirsty.

The ingredients: Well, if not for the color. Glow Recipe’s $39 Banana Soufflé cream is a telltale shade of pastel yellow that looks like the dreamiest, creamiest, banana-filled smoothie ever blended into existence — even though the formula relies on banana water, according to Byrdie’s behind-the-scenes look at how the moisturizer is made. The intriguing ingredient acts as a source of hydrating potassium and useful magnesium, which helps keep your skin barrier happy, healthy, and properly balanced, moisture wise. Take that, other superfruits.

Soothing Centella Asiatica (aka cica, a classic K-beauty ingredient) and turmeric are full of antioxidants to protect the skin while the essential fatty acids in chia moisturize deeply. Added vitamin A, B, and C reduce inflammation and help brighten dull skin. Jojoba seed oil also makes an appearance and is amazing for repairing the skin barrier as it naturally mimics your skin’s sebum while squalane, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin boost hydration.

glow recipe banana souffle moisturizer

Who it’s good for: This is great for all skin types. It’s light enough for those with oily, acne-prone or sensitive skin and will help regulate and balance your skin while it’s also really hydrating so it’s great for dry and normal skin types too. It’s not too heavy for daytime and rich enough to hydrate all night long.

What we thought: Another little glass jar full of goodness! This richly-scented moisturizer is just as potent as its sisters, and although it has no synthetic fragrance, the first thing you’ll notice is the smell – which, as banana pudding fans, we LOVED! The texture is super lightweight and feels whipped, just like a soufflé, with a seriously addictive, gooey-bouncy consistency that melts into the skin and blends out beautifully with no need to tug or pull your skin. A little goes a long way, and once applied the formula sinks in quickly with no heavy feeling, which is rare with a product this nourishing and moisturizing.

The results: True story, trying products non-stop is testing on your skin, and the Banana Soufflé could not have come at a better time. After testing a new toner, our skin was pretty parched, sensitive and tight, and not only did we feel immediate soothing effects with this moisturizer but, within days – we used it morning and night – our skin felt hydrated and plump again. This moisturize really came through to hydrate our skin and help it feel balanced and comfortable. In 10 days, our skin is feeling its best, healthy self, and definitely looks less dull and feels fuller.

We also tried their hack of combining the Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream with the Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Bright Serum, and we loved the feel and the brightening boost this gives.

The verdict: Naturally, Glow Recipe made it easy to integrate the new cream into your pre-established skincare routine. You can pat on a dollop of Banana Soufflé cream as the next step after your serums both in the morning and before you hit the hay, or create an extra-brightening version by mixing in a drop of Glow Recipe’s Pineapple-C Bright Serum.

If you need a moisturizer to keep your skin glowing on happily, we highly recommend this. Although it doesn’t contain ingredients to target any more problematic skin issues, mix this up in the evenings with one of Glow Recipe’s sleeping masks to target other skin concerns. For us, this is the perfect everyday moisturizer that will keep your skin supple, nourished, protected and balanced, which is especially important at this time of year. It works great under makeup too, which is always a win!

Launched Party: The new fruity creation from the brand dropped on Dec. 4 for pre-sale on the Sephora app, and the following day, Banana Souffle will be available to shop online at Sephora. If you do want to test out and feel the product before purchasing, don’t worry. It will be coming to Sephora stores a few weeks later on Dec. 27. The new product will retail for $39 making it the same cost as the brand’s existing Pink Juice Moisturizer.

The Banana Souffle Moisture Cream marks one of the first products to launch from the brand since founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee decided to eliminate their K-beauty curations. Back in June, the brand announced that it would be focusing on its in house projects (Glow Recipe and affordable brand Sweet Chef) in order to launch more innovative and exciting skin care. Now, one of those creations is here in the Banana Souffle Moisture Cream.

If you were one of the thousands of people who joined Glow Recipe’s wait list when it first launched with the Blueberry Bounce Cleanser and Watermelon Glow Mask, there’s a new product to be added to your wishlist, and this time, you can avoid that waitlist.

Glow Recipe Banana Souffle Moisture Cream $39

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YES, YOU NEED A FOUNDATION BALM IN YOUR LIFE — MORE ON THAT AHEAD

We all have our alliances when it comes to face makeup products. You’re either a foundation kind of beauty person or you’re a lighter CC or BB cream stan (I’m the latter). But we’re here to throw another curve ball into the mix of base products. Introducing foundation balms. We know what you’re thinking: How does this differ from my other foundation products

All About the Texture and Coverage of a Foundation Balm

Think of a foundation balm as a cross between a cream and powder foundation. It applies like a cream or a mousse but sets to a semi-matte finish. As someone who usually prefers lightweight CC or BB creams with a natural finish, I’m obsessed with this formulation. Lujan describes its feel as cushiony and luxurious, being both smooth and comfortable without the heaviness that can come with cream foundations. 

When it comes to the coverage, foundation balms are pretty customizable. When first applied, a little goes a long way and can be blended and smoothed over a larger area of skin. “Foundation balms have an excellent level of coverage that can be applied as a full-coverage foundation or sheer with your moisturizer or beauty oil to create a skin tint,” says Lujan.

How to Apply a Foundation Balm

STEP 1: A foundation balm works best when applied over well-prepared skin. Well-prepared skin starts with a good cleansing and hydrating routine, followed by a good moisturizer application.

PRO TIP: Apply your moisturizer with your foundation balm brush. The residual moisturizer in the brush will ensure a seamless application of foundation.

STEP 2:  Load your brush by dabbing it into your foundation balm. A light dab will give you more sheer coverage. If you swirl it in the product to load your brush, you will get immediate full coverage.

STEP 3: Apply the foundation in the areas that need more coverage first,” advises Lujan. “Bounce the brush on the skin to deposit coverage and then buff outward and down in circular motions with light pressure.”

Our Favorite Foundation Balms

Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Foundation Balm

This full-coverage foundation balm gives you a natural-matte finish that stays shine-free and feels hydrating all day. When applied, it provides you with a blurred finish for smooth, flawless skin. 

Related image

Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Foundation Balm 

You can get as little or as much coverage as you desire with this foundation balm. It contains skin-loving ingredients; hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and skin barrier-reinforcing avocado oil that nourish and hydrate your complexion while you wear it for a better look and feel. The foundation is currently available in 20 shades and is available is 3 undertones.

As for the finish, it’s advertised as silky and flawless, though Kevyn Aucoin notes online that anyone after a dewy glow can apply the brand’s Neo-Elixir Weightless Beauty Oil before the complexion product to achieve a glossier finish. (And in case you’re curious, Sephora has classified the balm as a matte cream foundation.)

While the foundation is intriguing all on its own, the formula’s versatility may be even more noteworthy. In the product description, Kevyn Aucoin lists that the Foundation Balm can be used as an eyeshadow base, contour, or applied over your arms and legs, crediting the formula’s powder-like finish as the key reason why. Using it just as a foundation is simple, too: Just “swirl” the foundation with the Foundation Balm Brush (which comes included) and stroke the product over your skin. It’s that easy.

You can shop Kevyn Aucoin’s new Foundation Balm on the brand’s website; the brand also notes on its Instagram that it’s available at Sephora, Space NK, and Bluemercury.

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