New York Color Big Bold Mascara & Big Bold Plumping Lip Gloss

Influenster has been emailing me, asking me to write about the #MapleVoxBox sample box it sent me at the start of December so I’ve decided to make 2014’s first reviews about two of the items found in my #MapleVoxBox.

Just like with the two Skinny Cow products that I received in the box, the two New York Color makeup items I got can be classified as good and not-so-good. Let’s start with the latter product.

New York Color Big Bold Mascara retails for under $5 but I wouldn’t spend one dollar on it.  To put it coarsely, I found this to be a crap mascara that left my lashes clumpy, spider-y and just yucky looking.

NYC boasts that this mascara “gives your lashes up to 12 times more volume and up to 99% more lift. One stroke multiplies your lashes by up to 147%." All of this is due to “an oversized curved brush (that) builds wonder curves and big bold volume for the sexiest lash effect ever!”

Trust me, there are clumps in there
(it's hard to take eye shots!)

This mascara did provide some curl to my lashes and yeah, I guess it also provided volume but not in a good way.  The mascara coating was never evenly distributed over my lashes and as a result, some lashes got volumes (and clumps) while others did not.

I suspect that the brush is part of the problem. That “oversized curved” design doesn’t separate lashes or allow for a smooth, even mascara application. As a result, lashes end up looking messy.

The other part of the problem is the mascara’s formula. It’s sticky, clumpy (despite NYC’s claim that, “There are no clumps, just full-on drama and turned-right-up impact”) and flakes and smears easily. However, I do agree with one claim: It is easy to wash off.

But while NYC’s Big Bold Mascara is a disappointment, the company’s Big Bold Plumping Lip Gloss is actually a decent item if you’re willing to ignore a couple of NYC’s claims.

 The first claim is that this gloss provides, “up to 50% more volume to your lips!” I guess that technically this is true since “up to 50%” means anything from 0% to 50%. But if you’re expecting this product to dramatically change the physical volume of your lips, you’re going to be disappointed.

The second claim is that the gloss also, “gives you up to 4 hours of shine.” It definitely provides shine, there’s no doubt about that, but the only way you’re getting four hours of shine is if you avoid eating, drinking or licking or touching your lips while wearing this gloss.

So if this product’s two main claims aren’t completely accurate, why do I like it? Because it’s a pretty lipgloss that’s easy to apply, easy to wear and that also feels great on.

Due to the low price, and because of my poor experience with the NYC mascara, I expected this gloss to be sticky, messy and possibly even irritating since it has plumping claims. But to my surprise, this gloss goes on like silk and leaves my lips feeling soft and moisturized. There was also no burning sensation or other issues often associated with lip plumping products.

This gloss comes in 12 shades. The one I received in my sample box is called Big City Blush and it’s a pink shade that’s a little lighter than my natural lip colour. When I first applied this product, I was a bit concerned because it initially goes on with a pink frosted colour that looks gross. But after rubbing my lips together the frosted aspect disappeared and I was left with pretty pink lips that actually did look a bit bigger because they were so shiny.

I’m not crazy about the packaging for this gloss – it feels cheap and like it might start leaking if you put it in your bag – but then this product is under $5 so what can you expect.

Would I buy these products: No to the mascara but yes to the gloss.

Should you buy these products: Pass on the mascara but do check out the gloss if you’re in the market for one that’s cheap and shiny (just don’t expect it to do amazing things for your lip volume).