Maybelline

We all know that you can spend a mint on eyeshadow should you have the mind (and the bank account) to - but it's not absolutely necessary to spend a lot to get something good!  It's just hard to know what will work for you without trying them and a lot of the time, drugstores just don't offer testers so you can end up wasting your money on shadows that suck! 

We can't give you every eyeshadow out there but we  would like to give you a great big bunch for your testing pleasure!  And keep in mind, even if you don't win, every single one of these shadows on their own are under (mostly way under) $20 - which makes them incredibly affordable for everyone!  Combined you are looking at over $150 worth of shadowy goodness - so what do you say?  Ready to start swatching these babies?!  Here's what you could win:

L'Oréal Studio Secrets Color Smokes Eye Shadow in Forest Smokes for green eyes, Cobalt Smokes for blue eyes, Lavender Smokes for brown eyes and Blackened Smokes for all eyes.
Maybelline EyeStudio Quad in Pink Persuasion and Duo in Khaki Craze
Marcelle Graphic Eyeshadow Quad in Dimensional Blues
Annabelle Eyeshadow Trio in Grafix
mark. Celestial Eyes Shimmery Cream Shadow in Grey Storm
Avon 12-in-1 Eye Palette
Barry M Trio Eyeshadow 040 Greys
Sephora  Eyeshadow Single in Preppy Look No 41
Hard Candy Duo in Blind Date
Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mono Eye Shadow in 120 Urban Green

Sound good? Like something you might want? Read on then...This contest is open to everyone everywhere and it's very easy to enter, just leave a comment letting us know that you follow (if you aren't a follower you can sign up through Google or Facebook - signups are in the right sidebar)

1 entry for following and leaving a comment answering the question - what is your favourite inexpensive eyeshadow?

And for extra entries you can do one or both of the following:
1 entry for tweeting the contest
3 entries if you post this contest as a post or on the sidebar of your blog

If you prefer not to leave your info on a public post, please leave a post saying you want to enter and then e-mail your info to info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "Eyeshadow Contest" in the subject line.  Winner to be decided by random drawing and you have until April 8th to enter.   

Smashbox Lash Revival Treatment and Conditioner - $39 -treatment and conditioning duo for  for noticeably longer, thicker, fuller lashes in as little as 8 weeks.  Can also be used to thicken up sparse brows.  It's easy to use, once a day you glide the treatment along upper lash line only, once dry, generously apply conditioner to lashes.

Brow Tech Trio - $30 - a renovation of the classic Brow, now a trio instead of a duo - now containing a filling powder, defining powder and smoothing wax enabling customization to create the perfect shade.  In five shade combinations: taupe/soft brown, blonde, brunette, auburn and dark brown.  Apply the lighter shade of powder to fill in sparse areas and then use the darker shade to define.  Apply wax to groom brows and keep them in place all day.


göt2b Rockin' it line: Rockin' it Dry Shampoo - 122g - $7.99 - effectively removes oil from hair to instantly refresh your style without having to shampoo as well as offering hold and volume; Rockin' it Hairspray 258g - $7.99 - a flexible and weightless hairspray that is neither sticky or hard to achieve strong but flexible hold; and Rockin' it Gel - 175ml - $7.99 - for strong hold that is non-flaky to mold and shape all hair types.

Clarins Extra-Firming Body Lotion - 200ml - a melting lotion that delivers the ideal solution to loss of skin firmness due to changes in weight or pregnancy. The same benefits are also available as a Extra-Firming Body Cream - 200ml - $60 - in rich, comforting cream form.  Both work on density to boost the production of collagen fibres which help the skin to resist pressure and are responsible for skin density and tone.  Contain Centella and Bocoa extracts which boost the production of collagen fibres and Vu Sua which protects collagen and elastic fibres in skin from glycation, a natural process which results in fibres becoming stiff and rigid.  Skin is replenished and firm and body contours are streamlined and toned.

Clairol Natural Instincts Vibrant - $10.99 - the first Natural Instincts permanent hair colour range! Includes the Week 2 Colour Refresher - a treatment now included in every box of Natural Instincts that turns back the clock to give you the look of freshly coloured hair. - in 12 shades, the formula with antioxidants delivers healthy-looking hair colour and great colour results, providing 100% grey coverage for up to eight weeks. 
Maybelline Superstay 24 - $9.99 - this 2 step lip colour has a film forming technology and a solid structure that flexes with lips while being ultra-resistant that delivers 24 hour wear - in 4 colour families and 30 long-lasting shades to choose from.  I must admit that I'm not usually a big fan of long lasting lipsticks because I find them really drying and I end up applying the top coat a billion times a day just to counteract the effect.  This one feels a lot moister going on and doesn't dry and feel stiff like the other ones seemed to.  This one has great staying power, feels great on and it didn't take a brillo pad to get it off - just an oil based remover.  I'll be happy when they get this out of a display and into the regular products - it was impossible to see all the colours as it looked like a pack of rabid animals had ravaged the display!

RoC Instant Deep Wrinkle Filler - 10ml - $49 - formulated with Hyaluronic Acid, it re-plumps the skin immediately and reduces the look of deep wrinkles by up to 40% in just four weeks. Ideal for targeting the appearance of deep wrinkles around the mouth, forehead and eyes.  It's packaged in an syringe-like pump so it's good for getting the product right where you need it if you can get past the somewhat creepy way it looks like a needle.  I tried it out on this annoying wrinkle I have been getting above my lip by sleeping on my stomach and it really does immediately give a filling effect that makes it disappear so I'm hooked!
RoC Complete Lift Lifting Face & Neck Roll-on - 50ml - $49 - clinically proven to provide instant and ongoing visible skin firming and lifting results in the areas most prone to sagging and provides a two mm lift in the look of skin around the jawline.  Improvements in the skin's lifted look can be seen in just two weeks.  I think the best part is the really big roll-on applicator which feels nice and cool on the skin and also makes it easy to apply it quickly!

Maybelline Fit Me Collection - a shade-aligned system of foundation, concealer, powder and blush meant to perfectly harmonize with your skin.  It is specially formulated to allow skin to breathe without clogging pores while providing a fresh, natural face.  The line consists of:
Fit Me Foundation - $10.49 - with a unique translucent base combined with ultra-lightweight refined pigments which allows the foundation to give an excellent replication of your skin's natural shade while providing a natural coverage.  In 18 shades. I'm happy to see it has a decent SPF of 18.
Fit Me Powder - $10.49 - a lightweight, blendable formula with a natural, non cakey finish to apply flawlessly and match every skin tone.  In 18 shades that correspond with the foundation shades.
Fit Me Concealer - $10.49 - conceals imperfections without hiding the skin's natural radiance.  In 6 shades.
Fit Me Blush - $10.49 - with a silky soft texture that blends easily for soft, fade-free natural colour that lasts. In 12 shades.
Fit Me Bronzer - $10.49 - same deal as the blush in 3 shades.
L'Oréal Root Rescue - $9.99 - 10 minutes to a root-less life!  It has 100% grey coverage, low ammonia gel formula, a quick precision applicator and comes in 12 shades: 3 Soft Black, 4 Dark Brown, 4R Dark Auburn, 5 Medium Brown, 5G Medium Golden Brown, 6 Light Brown, 6A Light Ash Brown, 6R Light Auburn, 6.5G Light Golden Brown, 7 Dark Blonde, 8 Medium Blonde and 9 Light Blonde

L'Oréal The Onesweep Eye Shadow - $13.99 - with an applicator that fits your eye shape it's meant to give you perfect application of 3 colours in one easy sweep.  Available in 8 combos:  Natural for blue, brown, green or all eyes and Playful for blue, brown, green and all eyes.
L'Oréal Double Extend Eye Illuminator - $14.99 - a lengthening mascara on one end and an illuminaing topcoat on the other.  Available in 4 colours:  Black Copper for blue eyes, Black Bronze for green eyes, Black Quartz for brown eyes and Black Crystal for all eyes.

L'Oréal Magic Smooth Soufflé - 20ml - $21.99 - in 12 shades: 510 Light Ivory, 512 Classic Ivory, 514 Natural Ivory, 516 Nude Beige, 518 Natural Buff, 520 Creamy Natural, 522 Natural Beige, 524 Buff Beige, 526 Sand Beige, 528 True Beige, 530 Sun Beige, 532 Classic Tan - if you've been thinking about a new foundation this is one to check out - the texture of the foundation is amazing and feels so light on the skin that if feels like you aren't wearing anything.

But the best part is the finish, the foundation contains a new technology called mati-crystal which is an active mattifying gel which has a transparent structure that absorbs shine to mattify the complexion and lastingly maintain clarity - never before have you been able to have a foundation that is both matte and luminous. Ordinary mattifying foundations contain mattifying powder that absorbs the oil found in sebum to provide matte results but the complexion stays dull.  The mati-crystal technology in Magic Smooth Soufflé allows light to pass through and captures sebum to restore exceptional luminosity.

The best comparison I can make from foundations I have tried is the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation except the texture and coverage is way better.  I am also pleased to note that the Magic Smooth Soufflé doesn't turn orange on me the way the Maybelline Mousse is prone to do.
Maybelline Volum' Express One by One Mascara - $9.49 - one-on-one attention to every lash at every angle.  The brush has over 300 elastometic bristles that work together to grab and detangle every single lash and the formula contains Vitamin C and fruit AHAs that condition the lash cuticle for smooth, silky, flawlessly voumized lashes
Escada Taj Sunset - 50ml EDT - $61, 100ml EDT - $80 - Escada's summer offering is Indian inspired this year. It has top notes of Alphonso mango, nectarine and blood orange, a heart of aquatic flowers with raspberry, pomarosa and Malay apple and a base of coconut, sandalwood and musk. I look forward to the Escada fragrance every year and this one does not disappoint me for it's super fruity wonderfulness, this is most certainly on my shopping list!
Dermaglow Wrinkle Release Serum - 30ml - $70 - up to 50% reduction in appearance of wrinkle depth for - deep wrinkles and expression lines - significantly reduces appearance of deep wrinkles in only 30 days and instantly relaxes the look of expression lines and wrinkles especially in the forehead and around the eyes.
CoverGirl NatureLuxe Collection - Gloss Balm - $9.49 - SPF 15 in 12 sheer colours with a hint of shine - Silk Foundation - 30ml - $17.49 - in 12 shades that are infused with jojoba and cucumber.

Slothfulness and skillful makeup are not such a great combination - what it means in my life is that I am generally running out the door to work at the last minute with a minimal amount of makeup on my face!  I usually go with a wash of one light colour for eyeshadow but lately have been trying out various marbleized shadows to see if I can get more eyeshadow bang in the same limited amount of time...

mark. Celestial Eyes Shimmery Cream Shadow - $8 - a metallic finish cream formula shadow that is very buildable - avialble in four shades: Copper Dusk, Mint Sky, Purple Halo and Grey Storm (shown) which is my favourite - it gives just a little bit of silver metallic sheen without being too over the top!  I was actually surprised to discover how much I liked a cream shadow, I've always had this mental block about them thinking they would crease like crazy within seconds but with a primer underneath, this lasted all day, and the really nice thing about cream shadows, they easily go on with your fingers, even better then a brush I find, which is super quick!

They are limited edition so don't wait to order from your Avon rep - 1800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca


Rimmel Stir It Up - $11.99 - for some reason when I bought this I thought it was powder so I wasn't expecting it to be a cream shadow but I am really liking the marbleized design as a cream since the colours end up getting all mixed together the way they are meant to!  Available in four shades: 400 out of the blue - blue/purple/green (shown), 500 as if - purple/blue/silver, 700 wassup? - peach/brown/pink and 800 no way! - silver/black/white
If you prefer a powder shadow, here are a couple of good choices:

Maybelline EyeStudio Color Pearls Marbleized Eyeshadow - $10.99 - I like that these shadows give you the best of both worlds, one side is plain, the other marbled which makes it easy to do lots of different looks including using the marbleized side as a wash! Available in ten shades: Carbon Frost, Navy Narcissist, Mocha Mirage, Bronze Blowout, Sinfull Sinnamon, Lawless Lavender, Khaki Craze, Tantalizing Teal, Ivy Icon and Silver Starlet
Physicians Formula Eyebrightener - $17.99 - multi-coloured eyelighter available in two shades: natural eyelight or hint of topaz - I read a few reviews of this one before getting and I have a feeling that many people are confused about what this is and are treating it more as a highlighter then a brightener - which in my mind are two different things.  A highlighter is something I would use on my cheek bones, brow bones or inner corners of my eyes, a brightener is something I would use all over my eyelid in place of an eyeshadow to give me a more awake look.  I can see why people were complaining that it wasn't a good highlighter, I would agree with that, it isn't - but as an eyebrightener, it does an excellent job!  I will agree with the people who said that the brush is useless and it's way over packaged!

Are there any I am missing out on?