Product Test: Mascara

Okay so this was a little bit of a challenge...

Only because I couldn't see a big difference between a couple of them.

I tested 4 different brands, all waterproof.  It was a box set from Sephora.  [I may do another Mascara product test with those that are suppose to be the best and see if they are what they say they are]

I'm not sure if it's hard to tell because I have small Asian eyes where I don't have the fold [which makes it harder for me to apply eye make-up since most of it won't show and I don't want to put too MUCH]


Urban Decay - Big Fatty Mascara:

- Thick Brush

What it does: Thickens, slightly lengthens

Tarte - Lights Camera Splashes

- Thin Brush

What it does: Slightly Thickens

Make Up Forever - Aqua Smokey Lash

- Thick Brush

What it does: Goes on Clumply

Too Faced - Mini Lash Injection

- Thick Brush

What it does: Slightly Thickens

So the Winner from the Four? Urban Decay - Big Fatty Mascara
The classic mascara by Maybelline is still one of my faves though~

Also I love this eyelash curler from the Sephora collection.  It works for my eyes where it can get closer to the lash line.  I always had trouble with the typical eyelash curler since I have flabby eyelids and I wouldn't be able to get close enough to the lash line...so it didn't curl my lashes very nice.  It's also compact which makes it easier to carry around too =)
(~$15)

This one is apparently really good too so I'm thinking of testing it out.
Shu Uemura (~$20-25)

It looks like the typical eyelash curler but apparently works well for Asian eyelashes.

Put to the Test: Adidas Women's Deodorant

A couple weeks ago, my sister and I went to Wal-Mart with the inital intention to purchase just feminine products when I realized I needed a new deodorant.  My sister uses Adidas so I thought I would test it out for myself.  As we were looking at the various kinds of deodorants (not even just different brands but different types under each brand), we saw that Adidas had one with 0% aluminum (which almost all deodorants there had - aluminum zirconium tetra....) and had a cotton component instead.

So which did the job of keeping the pits dry and odor free?

 

Adidas WITH Aluminum (aka anti-perspirant) vs. Adidas WITHOUT Aluminum (aka absorbent-deo)

The results thus far: Adidas with aluminum or the anti-perspirant did the better job of keeping the pits dry and odor free!

Really it's up to you if you want to go with or without aluminum.  How harmful can it be?

So I did some basic basic research (Googled):
1. AAKP Answer (<--click to see article)
"...FDA issued a final rule establishing conditions that antiperspirants, which often contain aluminum, were safe and not misbranded."
2. Searchwarp 7 ingredients to avoid in deodorant (<--click to see article)
mentions how it can lead to Alzheimer's, however in the first article it only suggests that it would lead to that if large amounts are absorbed, under certain health conditions, or if you're a child (but what child uses deodorant??)

I then decided to confirm these findings with more concrete sources (using PubMed), I found that many articles (looking more towards a link between breast cancer and use of deodorant with aluminum) did not have any sound findings, or that they needed to do additional research to see the long-term effects if any.

So I think I will be at peace with anti-perspirants since "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule in the form of a final monograph establishing conditions under which over-the-counter (OTC) antiperspirant drug products are generally recognized as safe and effective and not misbranded as part of FDA's ongoing review of OTC drug products."¹

That's good enough for me!

Happy Being Sweat-Free Everyone =) (and not worry about the aluminum)
p.s. Have to thank my sister for being a good sport about the picture! hahahaha <3

Next Product Test: MASCARA!
¹Food and Drug Administration, HHS. "Antiperspirant Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human use; Final Monograph. Final Rule." Federal register 68.110 (2003): 34273-93. Print.