Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner - Review

The last thing included in my BzzKit for Neutrogena was an eyeliner. While I certainly didn't need another eyeliner, I was still game to give this one a try.

Neutrogena says:

Neutrogena® Nourishing Eyeliner defines and brightens eyes with luminous color. Subtle light diffusers make the whites of eyes appear whiter, while rich color nourishes skin with Olive Oil and Rainforest Shea Butter. The built-in sharpener gives precise definition and the contoured smudger softens and blends for a variety of looks.

- Infused with olive oil and rainforest shea butter to condition the delicate skin around your lashes

- Creamy automatic pencil glides on smoothly, then transforms into long-lasting finish that won't budge

-Built-in sharpener and smudger allow to create the perfect look--from precise definition to smoky effect

Packaged in a super-slim twist-up pencil, this liner is very similar in looks to most other eyeliners of this kind. The smudger is the same as any other smudger, and works like any other one you have probably used in the past. I like the inclusion of a sharpener, because often eyeliners like this get dull and then you can't get a super fine line. The upper part of the barrel is color coded to match the color of the liner, which is a nice touch. This liner has an MSRP of $7.49, however, my local stores seem to have it below $7.

Cosmic Black isn't a super harsh black, which is a good thing for people like me - a little to fair to pull of black eyeliner everyday. It has very fine shimmer in it, as well, to help reflect light. It smudges fairly easily immediately after application, and yet wears incredibly well on my lash line. For tightlining, it doesn't hold up as well (but, nothing really does for me, so take that for what it's worth.

The liner glides on with decent opacity at one stroke. The swatch above is 3 passes, as is Feline, for reference. It also removes nicely, which I appreciate.

I was intrigued by the skincare claims - specifically, how well can an eyeliner moisturize? And, how can you tell that it's moisturized such a small area effectively, if at all? I have to chalk this up to marketing. I'm sure the shea butter certainly provides a little something to this liner's feel, but honestly, who has dry enough skin to need a moisturizing eye liner?

Overall, this isn't a bad liner. On my oily lids, it lasted all day with ease, but came off when I was washing my face. I don't think I'll repurchase, only because I don't use black eyeliner all that often. When I do, I'm usually going for a more dramatic look, which would require a deeper, more pigmented black.

Please know, this product was sent to me for review by BzzAgent. The thoughts above are my own, and I was not paid to say anything complementary or otherwise.

Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm - Review

I've been making my own lip balm for several months now (almost a year, in fact), and haven't bought a huge amount since embarking on the USS I-Don't-Need-More-Hobbies. Like the Brightening Eye Perfector, however, I received several Revitalizing Lip Balms from Neutrogena, and was pretty happy to see they include an SPF - if you've ever sunburned your lips, you know how painful it can be.

These balms retail for $8.99, and come in the standard 0.15 ounce size. They're packaged in oval-shaped tubes (like what I use - they don't roll away from you!), and are black, which in a way makes them stand out, but can also make them harder to see in a dark purse.

Neutrogena says:

Revitalizing Lip Balm helps make lips softer, rosier and healthier-looking, even after you take it off! This sheer tinted balm with exclusive ion2complex™ instantly moisturizes lips, leaving them looking fuller and more defined. In just one week, it helps improve lips' texture and restores the look of rosiness. SPF 20 helps protect lips and keeps them looking healthy. 

I have three colors, Sunny Berry, Petal Glow, and Healthy Blush, and there are three additional shades in the line: Sheer Shimmer, Healthy Blush, and Soft Caramel. Although Neutrogena describes these as sheer, I was taken by surprise at how pigmented they were. They're not full coverage, but they're not like the Cover Girl balms - they show up pretty well on me! Some of the colors aren't what I would pick for myself, but that's okay. Of what I have, I like Petal Glow the best right now.

Petal Glow is a very pretty peachy-glowy color. Healthy Blush is a pinked-nude. Sunny Berry is a lighter berry tone.

It seems my lips feel different than they did before using these balms - but that's a hard thing to really know for sure (placebo effect and all that). I can say my lips are less prone to flaking for a few days after wearing the balm for several days in a row, but after the 3rd or 4th day of not using it, things are back to "normal" for me.

Scent wise, these are interesting. They don't really have a taste, and smell like tea, I think. I can't say that confidently, because it's sort of hard to know for sure what they're supposed to smell like. Maybe a little fruity, but a strong tea note is definitely there.

I love the fact that there's an SPF value. LOVE. And, you don't really smell it. I think I've tasted it, though, after wearing the lip balm for a while. There's a very small hint of a medicinal/chemical something, but it's nothing terrible.

Please know, this product was sent to me for review by BzzAgent. The thoughts above are my own, and I was not paid to say anything complementary or otherwise.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector - Review

Although I've been loving my Maybelline Fit Me concealer, I tend to be a bit of a makeup ho - I can't just settle for something that's great, I have to keep trying new products. BzzAgent has an ongoing campaign featuring a suite of Neutrogena products, and one of them is their new click-pen eye brightener, with skincare benefits.

Packaged in a shiny, chubby silver pen, you get 0.17 ounces of concealer for around $10 (the MSRP is $11.99, but the stores I've found this in have for a bit less at regular price). Packed with skin loving ingredients, and boasting a broad-spectrum SPF of 25, this concealer has the makings to be the best thing ever for your eye-area, right?

Neutrogena says:

Discover a do-it-all product that not only brightens and conceals with a patented blend of anti-oxidants including Vitamin E, wild chamomile and soy, but is also clinically shown to de-puff and treat the appearance of dark under eye circles. A flow-through brush perfectly applies the Brightening Eye Perfector for on-the-go flawless coverage anytime. 

We'll talk about the packaging, first. I don't like "flow-through" brushes. They're not sanitary, unless you clean it, and then you lose a fair amount of product. They also tend not to blend well, which is true for the Brightening   Eye Perfector (I end up using my finger or MAC 224 to really blend the product in). I like that the cap snaps tightly shut, though. And, after the seemingly endless number of "clicks" to bring the product up into the brush, two clicks is more than enough for both of my eyes.

I selected the shade "Fair," which is a touch too dark. This ends up being fine, though, because the product is not very pigmented. It needs a coverage boost from a thicker concealer, or corrector (like Bobbi Brown's, or even Cover Girl's). That said, however, it does seem to bring some amount of light to my eyes, which is what I would consider to be the essential function of an eye brightener. It is a fairly thin liquid, which is likely why it doesn't provide a ton of coverage.

It wears well, lasting all day without creasing. After using this for about a week, I haven't noted any real changes to my skin, but I'm not really a believer in products that make makeup and skincare claims. It doesn't appear to dry my skin out, or cause breakouts, however.

If you do not need heavy-duty coverage, this is a great product for you. If you need coverage, you may wish to skip this product. It's not for everyone who, like me, needs a real concealer for their under eye area.

Please know, this product was sent to me for review by BzzAgent. The thoughts above are my own, and I was not paid to say anything complementary or otherwise.