**REVIEW** They're Real (Push-up eyeliner by Benefit Cosmetics)

I'm so very happy that we finally have an Ulta store in Anchorage. Of course, I found this little gem at the one here in Texas! LOL

Usually, I see stuff like this and go, "Bet it won't work the way it says it will..." And, usually, I'm right. However, this stuff is excellent.

Because I am have really bad fine motor skills (I once almost put my eye out with an eyeliner stick back in high school!), the tip of this eyeliner is perfectly designed.

Now, keep in mind that the tip is not the eyeliner itself. The eyelining gel dispenses from that tip. It just sort of glides perfectly onto the lid, right where you want it to go. You know, instead of all over your eyelid or into your eyelashes (don't judge me) so that you get an even and well-stroked line.

The one thing that drove me crazy when I first opened and tried to use this was that I had to turn/click the push-up end so much. My niece actually counted the clicks/turns and it was something like 68 twists. Oh - and there is a little orange sticker thing inserted that you must remove before first use. (Yeah, I was trying to use my new eyeliner without reading any instructions..)

So... just a quickie little review in case you've seen this in the stores and was wondering if this was worth it. And, actually, the product was cheaper in the Ulta store ($24.99) than it is on Amazon ($29.40).  The Benefit site has the liner for $24.00. Also, if you want to try the brand's makeup remover and mascara along with the eyeliner, Ulta had a kit with mini-sizes of each for around $25.00

Since I do like wearing eyeliner a lot, and since I do have problems wearing it properly, this is a reasonable price - IF this lasts a while. That's going to be the deal breaker. If this ends up running out on me in a couple of weeks, forget it. I can always use a spoon to guide my regular old gel liner...

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Fractionated Coconut Oil by Majestic Pure

Since I'd never heard of a "fractionated" coconut oil before this one, let me explain what that is. Enter the trusty old copy/paste method of gathering info from the product description:

 Fractionated coconut oil is a fraction of the coconut oil from which almost all the long chain triglycerides are removed, thus leaving mainly the medium-chain triglycerides and making it an absolutely saturated oil. This saturation gives it a very long shelf life and greatly increased stability. In addition, fractionating raises the comparative concentration of Capric acid and Caprylic acid, thus giving it more of antioxidant and disinfecting effect. (my bold emphasis)

If you checked the links I provided for the different triglycerides, you probably were thinking, "Who knew?" (Or who cares, maybe.) If you are like me and always want to know a little bit more than your brain can absorb, you can also check this link that talks about MCTs vs Coconut Oil. I'll leave that right here for you. For now, let's move on to what I found in actually using this particular product.

 This is Majestic Pure's Fractionated Coconut Oil (or Cocos Nucifera if you like sounding well-read).

Apparently the whole thing about long shelf life is true. A label was attached showing the manufacture date and the shelf life of my product. I placed my order December 30 so I got a pretty fresh batch.

I got a little tangled up with all the information provided in the links about fractionated oil and maybe you did the same thing. I'm going to point out right now that this particular product is NOT intended for anything but external use. So don't go drinking it or cooking with it.

Since I can't drink or cook with it (heh heh), I have so far used mine in 3 ways: on my freshly washed and conditioned (and damp hair), on my freshly showered body and as a makeup remover. The hair use worked so-so. I think I overdid it. More about that in a moment. First -

As a Body Moisturizer:

When I used this after my shower, I wanted to see which way would work best. First, I used it on my still damp arms and upper body, then I used it on my towel-blotted lower body and legs. I actually like it both ways. Of course, it was a little bit easier to massage in on the dried parts. I have to admit that, when I had to blot after applying the oil to my still-damp skin, I was worried about my towel. No problem. Just as promised, the oil didn't stain the towel and it later washed just as clean as the rest of my laundry.

I love the way this made my skin feel right after showering. It's really, really lightweight, which is a nice change from some heavier oils that tend to sit on this skin and have to be blotted before you can dress. I like this better than cream-like coconut oils I've used because it's much easier to apply. It also is lighter and better absorbing than the jarred coconut oils. I actually liked the way my arms and legs felt after using this.

By the way, when I used this as a sort of lotion/regular moisturizer, it worked well, but it does leave a sheen for the first couple of minutes. I liked it okay, but not on my face just prior to applying makeup.  And this was great as a lip moisturizer!

As a Hair Moisturizer:

Remember that I used this on my hair right after washing and conditioning? Well, that might have worked better if I hadn't gone overboard.

When I put just a little (maybe a dime-sized puddle) in my palms, then rubbed my hands through my hair, I liked that it wasn't greasy. And I should have just stopped right there. I have a suspicion that I might have ended up with soft and moisturized hair, but I can't report that because... I always go one step too far. For some reason, I just had to add another couple "puddles" of oil to my hair. By the time my naps dried, I had a stiff and slightly oily mess. So, yeah, I think next time, I will stick with one "puddle", let my hair dry, then see what the results are. As it happened, I ended up just covering my hair with a scarf until I could re-shampoo. (I haven't had the chance to try the oil again because I just finished reviewing a hair dye and didn't want any more oil in my hair for that...)

I do want to try using this again on my hair because it's supposed to stimulate hair growth.

As a Makeup Remover:

One word for this one: Amazing. Seriously. It's light enough that you don't feel you are gunking up your pores when you slather it on. I generally apply a little to my fingertips and massage into my face, let it sit for a minute, then wipe with a baby wipe. It takes one application for all over and another just for my eye-liner and stuff. Best thing, my face is still moist from the baby wipe so, if I hurry, I can dab a little of the oil on to finish drying with the dampness. That's one way I can use the oil and still apply more makeup within a couple minutes. (Maybe I should always use a little water with the oil when moisturizing???)

The nice thing about removing my makeup with this is, if I'm lazy, I don't even have to apply my nighttime face cream after. The oil doesn't dry out my skin and, so far, it has not clogged my pores.

In Summary:

This oil does lack that delicious coconut fragrance. Of course, that is also a plus in some cases. Sometimes, you just don't want the fragrance.

You can't ingest this oil, so you don't get the "multi-use" factor that you can with "regular" coconut oil. (On the other hand, you can just keep this in your bathroom, dedicated to your skin care use.)

When I ordered this, it was priced at around a dollar an ounce. An ounce will go a long way and, then there's the whole 5-year shelf life thing. That makes it worth it for me. I can keep this in my bathroom without worrying about it spoiling. Then there is the guarantee:

(and the "external use only" warning!)

I like this for body moisturizing and makeup removal because it's not staining sheets and towels. It works great and the price is right. If you are into essential oils (as you know I now am), this is perfect as a carrier oil. I have not yet added it to my existing lotions and creams but I plan to try it. I want to see if it helps me stretch some use out the the ends of my lotions and such.

This is the first product I've tried from Majestic Pure, but I see that they have some other items I might want to check out.

Peace
--Free


DISCLOSURE:
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.