Avon Haul and First Impressions: Campaigns 7 & 8 2014

Note: I submit my Avon order every other campaign.  This means that I receive products from two campaigns at once, but half as often as the regular timetable.

I've been AWOL again, this time due to health issues in my immediate family.  Like I've said before, family first, Avon blog ... well, like fourth or so.  I hope you understand!

Here's what I ordered in C-7 & 8 ... plus a mini review on a late-arriving item from C-6:

Avon Femme EDP

The notes in this latest Avon fragrance are said to be: Jasmine, Magnolia, and Amber wood.  Fragrantica.com describes it as such:

"Top notes: pink grapefruit, violet and plum. Heart: jasmine, wild orchid and magnolia. Base: amber, peach skin, musk and woody notes."

Personally, I find it very floral but not too sweet or heavy.  I wouldn't call it a stand-out or unusual scent -- just pretty and fresh.  I definitely pick up the magnolia when I wear it.  It has garnered several compliments from my husband, so that makes it a keeper!  The bottle is a beautiful glass, but the lid itself is actually plastic and doesn't stay on very well.  I like that they named it "Femme" because it does seem very soft and feminine to me.

Earthly Paradise Tote Bag

I love, love, this tote!  It is made completely from a sturdy canvas with a screen printed butterfly on one side.  The other side is a solid turquoise color.  It's big enough to hold the average laptop, plus some.  There's nothing special about the inside -- no pockets and it's not lined.  Just a simple, durable bag -- perfectly adorable for carrying my things as I walk to and from work.

Ultra Glazewear Lip Gloss in Merlot Glow (cream)

A regular application of this gloss over my bare lips is too dark for my taste, but I like the color it gives when applied in a thin layer.

 Of course, that way it will last me FOREVER!  It is a medium-toned dark brownish red without shimmer.  Better a fall shade than spring or summer, I will be making great use of it when the weather turns cool again.

True Color Eye Shadow Single in Cornflower (matte)
Since blue eye shadow has been trending again lately, I thought I'd give it a try (but with one closer to my comfort zone, leaning toward purple).  These photos make it look more like a denim blue, but there is an element of lavender to it in person.  This shade truly is matte.  I wouldn't say that it's totally opaque as it goes on sheer at first, but it is buildable.  On my lids alone without any primer or base, it looks not blue at all, but more like lilac! 

I get it to show up true to pan when I put it on over a thin layer of white pencil.  Now that I have it, I'm not sure how I would like to wear it.  (Sigh.)

AeroVolume Mascara in Blackest Black

I had ordered this mascara along with my C-5/6 Avon purchase, but for some reason it was shipped separately and took an extra week to arrive.  Then all the family happenings....  Long story short, this review is way overdue.


This is the first new Avon mascara that I have seen in a long time that has a traditional brush instead of a rubber one.

 The formula is supposed to be waterproof, smudgeproof, and clump-resistant, and what makes it special is that it "contains hollow fibers to add volume without the weight."  As an experiment, I curled my lashes on only one eye and applied the mascara to both.  Within minutes, I couldn't tell a difference between the two.  To be fair, my lashes don't hold a curl with any other mascara I've tried, either.  Could be just me.

I found application to be smooth ... and ... almost like there was no product on the wand.  Most mascaras immediately bind my fine lashes together, but not this one.  No clumps or globs to mar my other eye makeup, and it dried quickly on my lashes.  One coat left my lashes nicely separated and natural-looking ... too natural!

I'm not a multi-coat kind of gal (mostly because more than one coat of mascara usually looks too "heavy" on me) but I think this one actually needs at least two coats.  A second coat went on smoothly and thankfully built up volume and color very nicely without the clumpy "spider lashes."  My lashes felt soft and flexible as opposed to the usual crunchiness of several layers of product.  Throughout the day I had no problems with smudging, but I noticed flaking on the days when I insisted on "feeling" how soft and flexible my lashes were.  Lesson: no playing with the eyelashes = no flakes.

Removal is typical for a waterproof mascara - meaning that I need a makeup remover (Avon's lotion one works great) to get it all off, but it's not unusually difficult to do so.

Overall, I think that this is a great "no-makeup" mascara, easy to apply and remove.  I like it for days that I want a quick little bit of oomph without saying LOOK AT MY LASHES AREN'T THEY AMAZING.

That's all for today!  Come back tomorrow for C-9/10!

All thoughts stated in this post are my own, honest opinions.  I have not been compensated to review these products, and all were purchased by me with my own money.