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Mary Kay Skincare & Makeup Reviews & Giveaway!

I remember getting Mary Kay catalogs in the mail when I was younger. As I grew up and became interested in beauty and skincare products, I’ll admit I never really thought about Mary Kay. It just wasn’t on my radar anymore (out of sight, out of mind, I suppose).

(the latest Mary Kay catalog)
Through BlogHer, I was able to get reintroduced to the brand by testing out a bunch of products from their makeup and skincare lines. I’m excited to share with you all of the products I got — and also tell you which ones stood out to me and are worth investing in.
I’ll start with the best products, because of course you’ll want to read all about those first.
My absolute favorite makeup product from the line is the Lash Love waterproof mascara. To be honest with you, I was actually shocked that I loved it so much. If you’ve read my blog for a long time then you’ll know I am extremely picky about my mascaras (let’s just tell it how it is: I’m a total mascara snob). I tend to stick to one mascara because all others are deemed inferior. The brush on the Lash Love mascara is not what I’m used to, but for some reason, it enables me to achieve both length and volume at the same time. This mascara is very easy to use on my bottom lashes, which I appreciate when I’m in a hurry (typically I use a separate bottom-lash mascara). I like to use this both on its own and layered with other mascaras. The other product you see in the photo above is the lash primer. I would say the Lash Love mascara is the must-try of the two. The mascara’s suggested retail price is $15 and you can find it at Mary Kay.com.
My next favorite product is the TimeWise® Microdermabrasion Refine step, the suggested retail price for which is $30.
The reason I love it is because the grit feels just like the crystals in microdermabrasion scrubs that you get in spa treatments. It’s that superfine grit that’s hard to come by in drugstore formulas—it feels gentle yet effective on the skin. Your skin feels super soft and smooth after using it. I recommend using it about once a week (sometimes I use it twice a week if my skin is particularly flaky).
The second product shown is a post-microdermbrasion serum, called Replenish, which I’ve tested out a couple of times, but due to my acne regimen I’ve been careful about which leave-on products I’m using on my skin.
My third favorite product from the line will come as no surprise to you — it’s the TimeWise® Repair Eye Renewal Cream. I don’t think I’ve ever met an eye cream I didn’t like. As you know, I’m pretty passionate about being proactive when it comes to preventing fine lines and have been using eye cream since I was 25 or so. I like this cream because it has a nice thick consistency and moisturizes. It also doesn’t have a strong (or even noticeable) smell, which is great.
(on my bathroom countertop)
Now onto the makeup products. I have to admit I wasn’t as excited about these as the skincare products, mostly because the shades aren’t ones I’d typically wear, but I will note a few of them that stood out to me as favorites.
These NouriShine Plus™ Lip Glosses are pigmented and long lasting. As you can see, the two reds are a little bold for my day-to-day look, however, the Café Au Lait color surprised me with how pretty it was on my lips. I’ve been applying it in the morning before work, and I top it with a quick pop of peachy/pink gloss for a nude/peach lip that works perfectly for the office.
I really wish they would have sent me pink colors versus the red/nude shades because I can see myself wearing the glosses all the time had they arrived in colors I typically wear. In particular, I can see myself loving the gloss in Pink Parfait and Pink Sateen.

Next up were these eye shadows—I will note that the blue one in particular was not very pigmented. The black/silver and the plum color were pretty. I wouldn’t wear eyeshadow like this for the daytime, but it might be fun to use the plum color to line my lower lash line for evening. Overall I’d say that these are just okay—not a must have but if you are really into smokey, shimmery eyes, they would be fun to try out.
Lastly, I tested out one of the blushes from the collection — and ladies — I loved this gorgeous peachy/pink with a subtle shimmer.
(this compact is completely customizable—which is great for travel or if you like to change up your look a lot)
(the shimmery formula is mineral-based so it applies evenly and stays put!)
Have you tried Mary Kay products before? Which ones are your favorite? Let me know –and before you go, don’t forget to enter the Mary Kay giveaway. You can have an opportunity to win a Mary Kay gift basket, courtesy of BlogHer!
Here are the rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 19 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 12/17/12–12/31/12.

Be sure to visit the Mary Kay page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more opportunities to win!

I was provided with Mary Kay products to use and review, and was compensated for this post, however all opinions are my own.

Good luck and thank you for entering!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. jeannie says

    I absolutely love love love Mary Kay satin lips lip balm and use it daily for years! I hope I win the gift basket so I can try all the other fab Mary Kay items. 🙂

    Reply

  5. Amanda says

    I used to wear Mary Kay all the time but haven't in awhile – after I got pregnant I just got out of using a skin care regimen with tons of steps. I'd love to get back into using it again, though!

    Reply

  11. Vee says

    I am a loyal Mary Kay skincare/makeup user! My favorite is the liquid matte-wear foudnation applied with the liquid foundation brush. It's the best coverage I've had out of any other products and gives such a flawless finish. I also love the lash love waterproof mascara. The first time I used it, I couldn't believe how thick and full it made my lashes look.

    Reply

  17. Runblondie26 says

    I've tried a sample of the TimeWise Repair Eye Renewal Cream before (a friendof mine sells MaryKay). It's such a sensitive area, and a lot of eye creams feel like they are burning my skin. That one was colling and felt really nice. I only had the sample, so I didn't have a chance to test the longt-term results.

    Reply

  22. Caroline says

    I've never tried any Mary Kay products, but I have a lot of friends who are super loyal to them, so I'd definitely be interested in trying some out! Great giveaway!

    Reply

  23. Emily says

    I haven't used any Mary Kay products in well over ten years, so I'd be curious to try them out again. I remember really loving their lip glosses when I was younger!

    summerlove1177 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  26. gina says

    My aunt used to be consultant when I was in high school but I haven't tried/used MK products in years. I would be interested in trying them out!

    Reply

  27. Ashley says

    I've used some Mark Kay skincare in the past and I really liked it. Haven't used the makeup line, but would like to try the mascara you loved so much!

    Reply

  33. J says

    I started using Mary Kay when I started to wear makeup in 7th grade but then stopped for some reason in college. I recently started using their TimeWise line for cleasning and love it!

    Reply

  42. hilary glaser says

    So refreshing to see a blog post about Mary Kay that doesn't start with a negative or look on the company before they even try the product. Your honesty was great! I'm a Mary Kay enthusiast and consultant. I was a mascara snob before too but this is the best and their makeup eye remover is amazing! I would totally be willing to send samples to anyone who wants to give it a try. Email me at [email protected]

    Reply

  44. Snowyd922 says

    I LOVE Mary Kay's Ultimate Mascara. It's one of my very favorite mascaras and I just ordered a new one from m Mary Kay consultant. I would love to win some of the other products to try them!

    Reply

  45. Cindy says

    The only Mary Kay product I have tried is the TimeWise Miracle Set. It came with a cleanser, moisturizer, day solution and night solution. It was a great set and I would definitely recommend it.

    Cindy Aiton
    clogzilla(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply

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