Everything Lovely & Chic

{Haul} Miscellaneous

2012-01-15T09:32:00.000-08:00

So this final haul is just a mix of things I got before and during my NYC trip. I stopped by an outlet, TJ Maxx, the dollar store, and Ocean State Job Lot.

1. Tommy Hilfiger

While in NY, I made my way into New Jersey to see some family and stopped by the Tommy Hilfiger outlet looking for some good deals on clothes. Instead, I ended up getting a couple of makeup bags on sale. They were around $11 each and are nice and sturdy and roomy. I've been using one from Sonia Kashuk I got for free in a Target Beauty is my Bag Sampler (reviewed here), but it's just a tad too small. I really hate it when I've got makeup rolling around in my bag cause I'm afraid it's going to crack/burst and ruin it. These bags are a good size, large enough to fit my touch up makeup and even my Vaseline and hand lotion.

And how pretty is the pattern and logo?

I've got my Vaseline in there, makeup, hand cream, etc, and there is still a lot of room!!

2. TJ Maxx

The TJ Maxx I went to was also in New Jersey. I've gotta say, they had some awesome stuff there. I saw a lot more stuff on sale than at the one near where I live. I got the Arnaud Micellar Beauty Water for $9.99. I've been wanting to try a micellar water for a while now, but all of the ones I've seen are upwards of $30. This one is much cheaper and I absolutely love the dispenser. It's like the ones at Sephora where you just push down on the top and the product is dispensed right onto the cotton pad. The second thing I got was the Ultraceuticals Revitalising Body Treatment Oil. It was on clearance for only $3 so I got it to try in my hair, even though it is technically a body product. I had read some reviews online and several people said it works great as a treatment oil for dry hair. Definitely looking forward to giving it a try. And at $3 a total steal!

3. Ocean State Job Lot

Can I just say that if you've never been to an Ocean State Job Lot, you have not lived yet. Not kidding. You never know what kind of goodies pop up there and the prices can't be beat. I found a brush roll from Posh that comes with 5 brushes and a brush cleaner for only $3.99!

It includes a concealer brush, large shadow brush (similar to MAC's 227), brow/lash comb, large foundation brush, and what I was most excited about, a small powder brush that is very very soft. I've yet to test the brush cleaner or the other brushes in depth, but I can already say that I'm absolutely in love with the powder brush!

4-5. Amazon and the Dollar Store

I picked up the Sea Breeze Astringent online. I'd read a lot of good things about this astringent online, how it helps get rid of acne without drying out the skin too bad and decided to try it out.

If you look at the ingredients label you'll notice that it contains alcohol. Honestly, I know a lot of people steer clear of toners that contain alcohol, but honestly I've never had that big of an issue with them. I've been using this for almost two weeks at night after cleansing and my skin feels great. Not dry, thanks to all of the oils in the astringent, but clear and fresh.

I also stopped by the dollar store in the mall and picked up some more cotton pads because I'm running low (or was before I stocked up on the big ones in NY lol). I really love the ones this dollar store carries. They are square, but very thick and plush. They hold up really well when removing nail polish. I know this seems like such a trivial thing, cotton pads, but a good one at this low a price ($1 for 100) is hard to find. This is my second time buying these. I stopped by the store on Black Friday and I saw women buying ten packs at a time! I guess I'm not the only one who loves these. Definitely gonna buy them as long as the store stocks them.

This is it for hauls! Reviews coming soon!

{Haul} CCO

2012-01-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

This stuff I actually hauled before I left for NYC. I had visited a CCO at an outlet mall. I don't go there often because it is more than an hour away from where I live, but I needed a few key things and really didn't mind the drive for the savings. And I only got three things, so barely a haul anyway haha!

The first thing I got is something I actually need, which is a new bronzer. I finally finished my Calvin Klein Summer Affair bronzer and was looking for a good replacement. I wanted something with a bit more shimmer this time as well. I picked up MAC's Bronzing Powder in Refined Deeper Bronze. It is a very dark bronzer, but I'm really just going to use it with a very light hand just under the cheek to bring some color into my face. I've also used it a couple of times as a shadow, just with some black liner and mascara and it really looks stunning! It brings out my blue eyes so well! And it was only $16.50, which is a good price for MAC. They did have some lighter shades of bronzer from MAC, but they were from the Surf, Baby! collection and honestly, the packaging really put me off.

The next thing I got I didn't really need, but I really really wanted! This is the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Creme in 26, Midnight Kohl. It's a black cream shadow, similar to MAC's Paint Pots, that is shot through with silver and gold shimmer. It is sooo pretty! I didn't get it to use as a shadow, but rather as a liner. I find that darker cream shadows are easier to smudge and get a smoky line with than the actual gel liners, which can look a bit harsh on my fair skin. I've just been loving this one! Can't wait to review it for you guys! And it was $12.25, by the way.

The last thing I got really was a three in one kind of product. It's a travel exclusive from Estee Lauder, two of their MagnaScopic Maximum Volume mascaras and one lash primer sample. I got these three items for $29.99, a great deal! I haven't tried them yet, but I've heard great things about the MagnaScopic mascara. I'm not gonna review them for a while as I'm still working on finishing my Sephora Atomic Volume mascara.

One more little miscellaneous haul to come and then onto reviews!

{Haul} The Face Shop

2012-01-11T09:12:00.001-08:00

Another haul! This one from The Face Shop. I've wanted to try some of their products for a long long time, but as they are a Korean brand, getting your hands on it in the US is difficult, especially since although they have a US website, they don't actually sell their products online. You can find some of them on eBay, but not all of them, and not at as low a price. I finally stopped by the shop in NYC and got a few goodies!

The first thing I got was the Oil Specialist Fresh Cleansing Oil with Cherry Blossom. That's actually what I mainly wanted to try out, a cleansing oil. I've wanted to try the Shu Umeura ones or the one from MAC or Josie Maran, but they just cost so much money, with the Shu ones being over $50. This one was only $20. I had actually intended to purchase a the cleansing oil from their brightening rice line, but I liked that although this one costs $5 more it had more in it and the packaging looked nicer in my opinion.

I'd tell you a bit about the active ingredients, but I can't read Korean lol!

I've also been hearing a lot about their masks so I piked up a hyaluronic acid one for $1.50, just to test out. And I picked up a pack of 8 plain masks to use with stuff I've already got at home. It cost me $2 for 8, so not bad at all.

And finally, I got another item I've been hearing a lot about. This is the White Mud Nose Pack, basically you put it anywhere you get black heads, it hardens, and you pull it (and the black heads) off.

I don't have too bad of a problem with black heads, but I figured I'd give the ones on my nose a try to see how it works. I've used the Biore ones before, but never got the results that people post online. And this one is cheaper too, only $6.

They were definitely generous with samples too! Can't wait to try the BB cream. Never tried them before!

And I signed up for a reward card, which gives me if I remember correctly, 5% of my current purchase credit towards my next purchase. It was just over a buck, but every little bit helps, right?

The total haul:

Total spent: $31. Definitely got my moneys worth! Another mini haul coming soon!

If you're interested in stopping by The Face Shop in NYC, here's the address:

35 W 32nd St #2
New York, NY 10001-3230

It's right next to a book store. I read some reviews online and people complained that the staff isn't friendly with non Koreans. I did not find that to be an issue at all. The women were very nice, answered any questions I had and were more than helpful! Don't let that stop you from going! Definitely a good experience!

{Haul} Cosmetic Market (NYC)

2012-01-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I'm been on vaca in NYC these past few days and I did a bit of shopping. One of the places I stopped by was the Cosmetic Market. Prior to leaving, I'd scouted a few places that I wanted to check out, places that I can't at home. One of these places was this Cosmetic Market. If you are unfamiliar, it's like a discount makeup and skincare store. They had a mix of products from the drugstore to the high end, ranging from discontinued items to samples (those little GWP ones) to overstock inventory. I was really surprised by the selection they had. I saw Shiseido, StriVectin, and Borghese skincare for well under half price. They had almost the entire line of Borghese there, with most of it under $10. Makeup wise they had more drugstore than high end, but still a lot of high end. I saw a lot of the discontinued Calvin Klein line, straight from Sephora. Prices ranged from $8.99 for single shadows to around $13.99 for foundation, both liquid and pan cake. They had a lot of Lip Fusion plumpers for $10, when they are usually almost $40. All in all, I was very happy with what I found, even a few mac products.

That being said, I do feel I need to warn you about some of the cons with this place as well. For one, given that a lot of these products are discontinued, checking expiration dates is a must!! Even if not expired, I would be very careful buying things like hair removal creams and anti-wrinkle products because you simply cannot know if they are still good unless you call the company with the lot number on the box. Also, they do have perfumes, but again I would be careful. They range from around $30 to $50, but the fact that some of them are unboxed made me nervous. Also, they do have testers for most of the products, but I wouldn't put hem anywhere near your face. They are gross. Finally, if you see something you like, get it in bulk now because you're probably not gonna see it there again as their stock varies.

My greatest complaint however, is not with the products, but how they sell them. They must have a huge theft problem because everything is taped up ridiculously and tagged with those security stickers. Example: I bought a fusion lipgloss and both ends of the box were taped shut and there was a security sticker on the outside of the box. I opened the box, and there was a second security sticker around the gloss itself, connecting the applicator wand to the tube. Now, I'm happy that I have a guarantee no one has used or swatched that product (a big concern I have with TJ Maxx and Marshalls), but that sucker took me a good half hour to rub off. I mean, that thing would not come off. It seemed a bit over the top to me. Not that big of a deal for me because I saved a lot of money, but it may really tick off a lot of people.

Before I show you what I got, let me give you the numbers. Not counting tax I payed around $69. The retail value of what I got is around $275, meaning I saved around $206!!!

If you are interested, here is the address of the place in NYC:

The first thing I got was a bunch of these large cotton pads for makeup/nail polish removal. I got these for $1.49 each, when in Target a similar product would cost me around $4, so I stocked up and got 4.

They are very soft, very thick and heavy duty. One side is smooth and one side has these ridges on it. I used one last night, took off all my face makeup and still had room left over on the pad.

I was probably most excited to see Stila products there!!! They had three different foundations, two powder types, and most of their lip glosses, plumpers, liners, stains etc. Also saw some of their eye kohl liners and some of there shadow liner smudger trios. They also had just about all of their single pan shadows ranging from $2.99 to $3.99! I got 3 of these powders because they are my favorite!!!

The Sheer Pressed Powder from Stila is just so smooth and fine it gives me a very natural flawless look. Mattifies very well, and almost never looks cakey. I was so happy I found it because I haven't purchased it in a while because it's just gotten too expensive.

It comes with a puff, but I throw it out and uses a brush.

I got three of these at $6.99 each, much less than what I've paid at the drugstore for Revlon powders and definitely less than the $28 retail.

I got two cans of Stila One Step makeup. I had gotten a sample at Sephora when it first came out and really loved it. It gives me a very good medium coverage, but looks so natural you can't really tell I'm wearing makeup. It feels very light, almost like a mousse texture, but also has a silicone feel which, given I have oily skin, I actually really like. This foundation I'm pretty sure has been discontinued in the past year I think.

I got it for $5.99, but it's worth $44!! I was so happy because at the drugstore I rarely pay less than $10 for foundation.

I also got the Stila Plumping Lip Glaze in Cherry Mint. It's a thick lip plumper that is very very shiny and cool feeling on the lips. They had the entire line. I already own one (can't remember the name) and love it!

I got it for $5.99, while they usually sell for around $24.

The thing I was next most excited about was the Lip Fusion gloss I got. I got the shade Fresh (which was actually on sale at Sephora a few months ago). They had around 15 different shades to choose from, several of them from a limited edition collection. I've been wanting to try these cause I've heard good things about them, but I just could not justify spending so much on one gloss.

These plumpers retail for $38 each, and I got mine for $10!!!

Finally picked up a few drugstore items. Savings on these weren't as high, but still under retail. I was most exited about the Ponds makeup remover. Got it for $4.99, retail is $8.99. The Biore Cooling Eye Gel was $5.99. I got it cause I'm almost done with my current eye cream. Finally, got a pair of Revlon Platinum Tweezers for $2.99, when they are around $8-$10 at the drugstore.

The entire haul:

Phew that was a long one. Anyway, I've got two more hauls coming, so stay tuned!

Review: MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

2012-01-06T14:33:00.000-08:00

This review is for something that I'm absolutely in love with! The Groundwork Paint Pot from MAC. This is a permanent product that was repromoted with the Pret-a-Papier collection a while back. I had bought Coral Crepe because it was limited edition, but kept kicking myself cause this color is one I would get more wear out of, as it is a neutral. I ended up going back a few months ago and finally getting it. I did go back and forth between Groundwork and Constructivist, but ended up picking Groundwork because for me it's the more versatile choice. And I love it!

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

Groundwork is described on MAC's website as a "mid-tone neutral taupe" that has a satin finish. That's pretty much it. I know a lot of people prefer Painterly for their neutral base, but think that this color does a bit better job if you're going to be working with browns, unless of course you are very very pale. I'm NC15-20, and this color works well for me. On me it shows up slightly darker than my skin tone, but on someone who is deeper than 30 in MAC, this may look a lot more natural than Painterly or Ochre, which may look too ashy or yellow.

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

It looks a bit dark in the pot, but it really does go on a lot lighter. And if you open the full size pic you can see quite a bit of very fine shimmer as well, but it doesn't translate when you actually use it, which you can see on the swatch below. It looks matte, but not dry like Painterly sometimes makes the skin around my eyes look. It just catches the light a bit, which I really like.

A swatch:

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

I love this color. Not because it's a new unique shade, but rather because it is very functional. I can use this with just about any look and it simplifies my daily makeup. When I do a neutral eye all I have to do is use this color, a deeper shade along the lash line and in the crease, some mascara and I'm done. Very quick, simple, and easy, and I don't have to worry all day about my eye makeup going anywhere. This stuff doesn't budge.

As a primer, this shadow works very well. I use it under club makeup going out and by the end of the night, my eyeshadows looks neat and fresh. I have very oily eyelids, so eyeshadow sans primer doesn't work for me, even just day to day. This stuff grips and shadow and keeps it there till you take it off with a makeup remover. That being said, when applying you have to work quick. I do one eye at a time because if I wait to blend the shadow will have already set and then getting the edges to soften is next to impossible. Also, sometimes blending shadows over primers like UDPP can be difficult, but I found no such problem with this shadow. Anything I apply over does not look patchy at all.

My only complaint with the actual product is drying. I've never used a cream shadow that didn't start drying in the pot from first use, but it's still disappointing. I've been using it for several months and I can sense a slight change in the formula. It's not as creamy as it first was, and it's starting to separate from the glass. Not a big deal now, but I think a year from now I might not feel the same. In addition, the price when up a full dollar. These used to be $16.50, they are now $17.50. It's still cheaper than cream shadows from Estee Lauder or Shiseido, but now that drugstore brands are finally starting to sell decent cream shadows (Maybelline has their Tattoo shadows--so exited to try them!!) I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep buying them from high end brands. Other than that the shade is great, very versatile and lasting, and I highly recommend, especially if you have deeper skin and find Painterly too light for a base!

Info:

Price: $17.50

Ingredients: Isodocecane, dimethicone, polyethylene, hydrogenated polyisobutene, quaternium-90 bentonite, dimethicone silylate, octyldodecanol, silica, trihydroxystearin, retinyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, lecithin, carnauba wax, propylene carbonate, triethoxycaprylylsilane. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride, blue 1 lake, carmine, chromium hydroxide green, chromium oxide greens ferric ferroxyanide, manganese violet, ultramarines, yellow 5 lake

I'm Back :)

2012-01-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Sorry for abandoning the blog for pretty much all of fall, but last semester was absolutely brutal. I just could not find the time, working and studying as much as I have been. I'm gonna blog everyday for the rest of my break and then about once or twice a week after that during the spring semester. I would love to do more, but I just honestly don't think I will have the time. Thanks to everyone who has been checking the blog out while I've been on hiatus. I'll try to respond to all of your comments as soon as possible! I hope all of you had an awesome holiday break and I wish you all the best of luck in 2012!!

Mini {Haul} MAC!

2011-08-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

I didn't get much, just three things! I got an eyeshadow in Greensmoke, which looks amazing with my blue eyes, the mini Fix + and Groundwork Paint Pot. Reviews coming soon!

{Summer Must Haves} Body Exfoliator!

2011-07-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

One definite must have for summer is smooth, exfoliated skin, especially if you are going to sunless than. I do love a good body scrub, but I prefer chemical scrubs that exfoliate my skin but don't leave it feeling red and raw. This one from Being True, while expensive, does the trick!

So just what is an Energy Work Active Body Peel? It is an exfoliator, but instead of solely relying on abrasives to exfoliate, it also includes chemical exfoliates. This one in particular has beads that are filled with salicylic acid that burst when you rub them in and exfoliate really really well but without irritating skin.

While I know this stuff is expensive $42, you do get 8 oz, so should last you months and months. I've had mine for about three months and with weekly use I'm not even half way through the tub. Before you shell out $42 for it, check your local TJMaxx and Marshall's because I do believe I've seen Being True products there. I've only seen eye creams, but you never know!

Using a chemical peel (yikes, sounds dangerous, but don't get scared lol!) is a bit different from a regular scrub exfoliator. In this case you apply on dry skin, moisten a bit, rub in, and rinse off. I've been told that leaving it on for a couple minutes is ok, so I rub it in before I shower, brush my teeth or something and then rinse off in the shower.

The actual product is a gel that has little crystals and beads suspended in it. The beads contain the salicylic acid, so on top of a chemical exfoliation you are also getting a bit of mechanical exfoliation.

Now, this stuff is nowhere near as harsh or effective as the stuff your dermatologist, esthetician, or facialist would use, but I did notice immediately smoother and softer skin. I've also noticed that when I use this anywhere that I've gotten the odd pimple, after a few uses the scar looks a bit faded. I've also been using this before I get a spray tan, and I must say, the spray tan goes on a lot more even after I use this. If you've got a bit more money to shell out on a luxury product, this one is worth trying. If not, something like St. Ives Apricot Face scrub, although formulated for facial use, works like a charm as well, albeit not as gently!

I don't know of any retailers that sell Being True, but you can get in online from their website here!

Info:
Price: $42
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Algae Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract*, Jojoba Esters (Beads), Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Salicylic Acid, CI 77492, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Leaf Extract*, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract*, Phenoxyethanol, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, Tocopherol (D-alpha), Tocotrienols, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder*, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Alcohol Denat., Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Sodium Hydroxide, Squalene, Phytosterol Complex.

{Review} St. Ives Warming Scrub

2011-07-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

One thing that is essential for any time of the year is exfoliation. The rising trend of warming scrubs has really intrigued me because I can't seem to wrap my mind around getting heat on contact with water. I know, it's all in the chemicals, but it always boggles my mind haha! Although I don't really get much warming from this particular scrub, it does leave my face feeling very very smooth!

What separates this scrub from others is that it is not tested on animals or contain any animal ingredients, parabens, or phthalates. It is also made with natural exfoliates, but what the exfoliate actually is isn't listed on the packaging. Sucrose is listed as one of the ingredients, so it could be sugar, but that's just a guess.

I do like how Earth friendly St. Ives has become, but at the same time I've noticed that their products are getting more and more expensive as well. This scrub retails for $7.99. For a brand like St. Ives, that's a lot. I can get a scrub from Olay for around that much. They also have scrubs for around $10, which granted, isn't going to bankrupt me, but at the same time is a bit pricey for a drugstore brand.

Now onto the actual product. I like the dispenser, a simple squeeze tube with a generously sized opening. One thing I've noticed with warming scrubs is that they tend to be a bit thicker than regular scrubs, and they can be difficult to squeeze out. No such problem with this one.

The texture of the product is thicker than a normal scrub, but thinner than some of the other warming scrubs that I've tried. It is very densely packed with abrasives which are suspended in a foaming cleanser. I like that it's not a cream based scrub because those don't work well with my skin and I end up having to cleanse after as well. This scrub rinses clean without leaving any residue behind. This product does have a strong smell, for those with sensitive skin or noses. Oddly enough, it smells a bit like laundry detergent. Not bad, but strange in a facial product.

My only complaint about this product is that it doesn't really warm much. Getting the scrub to warm when I use it is very difficult. I have to apply it in just the right way, and even then the warmth lasts only a few seconds. I've tried warming scrubs from Olay and Aveeno and their warming scrubs give off at least 10 seconds of warmth. I know, that's not exactly a lot, but much better than this one. honestly, most times I just use this as a regular scrub because getting the warming action to work is just too much hassle.

The really good thing about this scrub, however, is that the abrasive is gentle. Although the cleanser is densely packed with little particles, they are not rough or scratchy like the particles in their Apricot Scrub are. If you're looking for a much gentler scrub, this one is a good choice. At around $8 it is a bit pricey for drugstore, but if you see it on sale definitely consider getting one!

Info:
Price: $7.99
Ingredients: PEG 8, Glycerin, Glycereth 18 Ethylhexanoate, Sucrose, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Glycereth 18, Glyceryl Caprylate, Jojoba Esters, Fragrance (Parfum), Cetyl Alcohol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360)

{Review} Sally Beauty Sally Girl Eyeshadows

2011-07-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

(L to R) Sally Girl Eyeshadows in Cream Cocoa, Espresso, Eggplant, and Midnight.

A while back, I'd been browsing beauty blogs online and I came across a raving review about these Sally Girl eyeshadows. I was intrigued. These shadows only cost a buck, can be put together in palettes, have great pigmentation, a massive selection of shades, and oh yeah, they're only a buck each! Now, I'd walked by this display at Sally's many many times, writing the makeup off as cheap, putting it at the same level as older New York Color formulations. But after seeing that review, I just had to give them a try, so I ran down to Sally's and made my very own quad!

(L to R) Sally Girl Eyeshadows in Cream Cocoa, Espresso, Eggplant, and Midnight.

The colors I got are the ones I usually get, purples and browns. But honestly, each color is unique! I don't have anything exactly like them in my collection, which surprised me. My favorite of the bunch are Cream Cocoa and Espresso. Cream Cocoa isn't just a white. It has the teeniest bit of green in it. I don't know how that looks good on me, but for some reason it goes better with my undertones. Espresso actually goes on a bit darker than it looks and has this very glam feel to it. It has enough orange in it that it makes my blue eyes pop, but not enough to make me look like I've got orange on.

(L to R) Sally Girl Eyeshadows in Cream Cocoa, Espresso, Eggplant, and Midnight.

The thing I love best about these is that you can customize a decent quality palette for a very cheap price and with shades that are stunning! Sometimes I take Cream Cocoa and Espresso as a duo, other times take all four, and other times I'll take Eggplant, Midnight, and Cream Cocoa in a trio. Depending on what I'm doing that day, I can pick and choose what I want to take with me, which is great. It does take a little bit of practice to get the shadows together quickly.

Swatches:

(L to R) Sally Girl Eyeshadows in Cream Cocoa, Espresso, Eggplant, and Midnight.

How stunning are the shades!? It was a bit difficult to get the green in Cream Cocoa to show through, so don't let the swatch discourage you. It doesn't look super green on my skin, it just blends in effortlessly. All four of the colors are very very pigmented. I was actually shocked at how pigmented the colors are. You hardly need any to get a very high impact look. They also blend in very very well, and feel very smooth, like butter lol! The only negative I can think of are that they are just a bit more powdery than other shadows that are pressed a bit more densely. You definitely need to tap of excess well, especially with midnight, or you run the risk of major all out. Other than that, these are great for the price!

Info:

Price: $1 (ea)

Ingredients: TALC ,ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE ,MAGNESIUM STEARATE ,METHYLPARABEN ,PHENOXYETHANOL ,TOCOPHERYL ACETATE ,PROPYLPARABEN ,BUTYLPARABEN ,ASCORBYL PALMITATE ,CI 77891 ,CI 77499 ,CI 77492 ,CI 77491 ,MICA

{Summer Must Haves} Bright Polish!

2011-07-21T08:20:00.001-07:00

(L to R) Essie Funky Limelight and Sinful Colors Pink.

Sorry for the long absence. I've spent the last almost three weeks in NYC!!! I had so much fun, but now I'm back and I'll be blogging regularly again, starting with another Summer Must Haves post!

Obnoxiously bright polish is a must have for the summer, especially for feet. I've got nearly all the fluorescent shades available, from green to blue to purple and etc, but my favorites are the two above. On the left is Essie's Funky Limelight which came out in the summer of '09. On the right is Sinful Colors Pink. Sinful Colors' neon's are available now in a ton of shades if you want them. I've really been loving these on my toes, especially Pink. It is so eye catching I always get compliments with it on1 The only downside to these polishes is that they tend to be a bit sheer, so you will need around three to four coats for full opacity. I know, that sounds daunting, but their formula dries within a minute, I'm not kidding, so three to four coats won't take an hour. Another thing is that they dry to almost a matte finish, so you will need a top coat. Other than that, these are great and I highly recommend!

{Empties} June 2011 (+ Bonus Hit Pans!)

2011-07-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Sorry it took so long to get this post out. I underestimated how many mini reviews I would have to write lol! I've decided to do empties on a monthly basis from now on. Enjoy! Click on any links for more information and more in depth reviews!

Sally Hansen Teflon Tough Top Coat
A good top coat, very shiny, and makes my nails not chip for I would say almost a week. Not as great as Seche Vite, but for the price, a good option. What I really like about it is that it dries very very quickly, within two minutes.

Aquafina Intensive Under Eye Cream
This is a very good eye cream if you're looking for a very thick, rich under eye cream. It moisturizes very very well. That being said, this is the stupidest packaging I've ever had to deal with. The cream is very thick, so it does not sink to the bottom of the container, which means the pump can't pump it up. I would use a little spatula to scoop out as much as I could into a sample container and use it that way. Good cream, but packaging makes use very annoying.

Almay Clear Complexion Concealer
I like this concealer for its coverage, but as far as treating acne, I didn't notice any difference in my skin after continued use, and I really did only use this on pimples. The formula is a bit thicker than other concealers, so if you're used to think, liquid concealers this one may not be for you. It does blend out very well though.

Essie Mini Nail Polishes in Turning Heads Reds (Bottom) and Fearless (Top)
I loved these colors so much, especially for my toes. Fearless was the color that really got me interested in bright shades for nails. I;m not keen on the mini bottles though. I got through about 2/3 of these and then the rest kinda dried out, including the applicator. I've got the same problem with the OPI minis. They're nice if you wanna try out some nice shades, but if you buy them in 4's I would say save your money and buy two full size shades instead.

Maybelline Cool Effect Shadow Liner in On The Rocks
I loved this color. It's a deep, warm brown with a bit of shimmer to it. I also loved how long it lasted. Without a primer all over the lid it lasted until I took it off with absolutely no creasing at all. I was very surprised at this level of long wear from a drugstore brand. My issue with it is that the product dries out very very quickly. I bought it and used it for two weeks daily, went to sharpen and had the entire stick fall out of the tube.

See? Nothing in there. I've never even sharpened it once! I was so disappointed because I bought this brand new at full price from Walgreens. It's not like I picked it up from Big Lots or something, this was a brand new one. I think I may try out the NYX Jumbo pencils and see how they match up.

Petites Nail Polish in Sapphire
I wore this so much in spring! I love the shade, it's a super super shimmery blue jean kinda color. Very pretty and super affordable at only $2. I think one of the Dior Fall 2011 shades looks very similar to this one too!

Jordana Clear Mascara
I like how affordable this brow gel is for me. It keeps my brows in place all day without flaking or looking white. What I hate about it is after just three weeks it starts getting really really dirty.

Gross, right? I use go through about one a month because even though there is enough left for almost 2 weeks of use, i just feel gross using it. At a dollar a month though, it doesn't really hurt much.

Revlon Creme Gloss in Strike A Rose
I loved this gloss. It's the first gloss I've finished in ages. It's a bit thicker than a traditional gloss, but it's marketed as more of a liquid lip color. I did a full review, so if this seems like your type of product, check it out!

Almay Intense i Color Volumizing Mascara
I forget which eye color this was for, but it's the purply maroon color. It is a very nice day mascara. i hated it when I first got it because it was a bit too wet and would clump, but like with many other mascaras, when it dries out a little it worked perfectly, giving very nice and feathery lashes. I kinda wish I had bought the black though. The maroon was just a little lighter than I like my lashes.

Smashbox High Definition Concealer
This is an awesome all purpose type of concealer. I swear, there is nothing it can't do. It's thin but very pigmented texture makes it ideal for covering anything from pimples to dark circles and I've even mixed it with a bit of moisturizer to create a tinted moisturizer on the go. It blends effortlessly and never looks obvious. A bit pricey, but a very good buy.

Essie Mini Top Coat
I love Essie polishes, and when it comes to finish, they beat OPI in the shine department, which makes this top coat a solid buy. It's not as great at keeping nails from chipping as Seche Vite, but it is easily just as shiny. Again, however, the mini polishes dry out way way way too quickly.

H20+ Body Oasis Intensive Hydrating Gel
I've already done a full review of this product, and unlike many other H2O+ products, this one was a disappointment. It just left this sticky film on the skin that made me feel very uncomfortable on top of the fact that it wasn't very hydrating to begin with. If you're interested, read the full review for my complete thoughts.

The Body Shop Jolly Orange Shower Gel
As a shower gel this product performed, but the scent for me was kinda just meh. After using their Satsuma Body Butter for a few months, the scent of this spicy orange just isn't that good. I love how fresh Satsuma smells and compared to it Jolly Orange is a bit cloying. It did get me feeling very clean, though, and it's great for shaving too!

Noxema The Original Deep Cleansing Cream
I love this! Enough said. Read here and here for why lol!

Totally gone! I've already picked up another one, too!

Nivea Natural Beauty Daily Peeling
I really liked this cleanser. It's a nice lathering cleanser, but it's also a very gentle but effective exfoliate. This cleanser succeeded in joining cleansing and exfoliating where others have completely failed (see next review lol). The abrasives in this cleanser are very very fine, but densely packed in the cleanser where as other cleansers of this type have small particles that are more spread apart and therefore less effective. The only criticism I can give this product is that there is little that is natural about it. Don't be fooled by the "Natural Beauty" title. If you look at the ingredients list it is packed to the brim with very unnatural ingredients. Just because it contains one or two natural ingredients doesn't make this a better choice than other cleansers. It is very effective and that's why I do recommend this product highly. It got my skin feeling very smooth and very clean in one go.

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Redness Soothing Gentle Scrub
As a face wash this is a good cleanser, but to me it's not really a true scrub. The particles are these little round beads that are just too sparse to do much good as a scrub. They are suspended in a cream cleanser, which is an ideal choice for many sensitive skins. If you are looking for something that lathers really well, this isn't it. It is lightly scented and really relaxing to use. I didn't really notice any difference in redness, though.

And for some pan porn:

Hopefully some of these will show up on next months empties!

{Favorites} June 2011

2011-07-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi! I hope all of you had an awesome 4th of July! I went to a poolside BBQ and saw some fireworks later! I had a great Fourth and hope all of you were happy and safe as well! And here are June favorites, as promised!

1. Skin Care

The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue
I've really been liking this foot moisturizer for the past month. With all of the pretty flip flops and open toed shoes I love to wear in the summer, it is really important to keep feet looking nice, and this does the job. And it smells absolutely divine!

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid SPF 70 Sunblock
Another summer staple is sunblock. I've been wearing this for a couple of months now and it really is almost undetectable under makeup, which for someone with oily skin is very very important! At a price of $12 I again highly recommend this sunblock! I wore it yesterday by the pool for hours on end and my skin did not tan in the slightest. And don't forget to reapply!

Clarins Eye Revive Beauty Flash
This has been my go to eye cream since January of this year. My mom actually picked it up for me because I mentioned I was close to running out of my No 7 Protect and Perfect eye cream, and she's a big fan of Clarins so she got me something of theirs to try out. It's a light eye cream that really moisturizes my eyes so well. I know, I'm a bit young to be using eye creams, but ever since I started wearing contacts my eyes and the skin around them are really really dry, irritated and red. This keeps my eyes happy! And although it is expensive, you get a 0.7 oz, a bit more than the 0.5 oz that are standard for eye creams.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Spot Treatment
This stuff isn't a miracle product, but for those looking to get away from very harsh products containing salicylic acid or benzol peroxide then this may just be for you! I like how it is liquid because I don't have to use a lot as it spreads easily. It takes about as long as any other treatment I've tried, but I find that it doesn't dry out my skin as much as the other treatments I've tried do.

2. Nails

Sinful Colors Hot Pink
I've been loving this obnoxious over the top color for my toes!!! Especially in the sun, it is blinding! I've never been crazy about such bright colors but lately that's all I've been wearing. For some reason these neon polishes tend to dry to an almost matte finish, with almost no shine what so ever, so you definitely need a top coat with this one.

OPI A Good Man-Darin Is Hard To Find
This bright orange cream came out with the Hong Kong collection. I bought it a while later half off but wasn't really into the color that much. I took it out about a month ago and really like it for toes. It's not as attention catching as Hot Pink, but it makes my feet look really nice!

Sinful Colors Base Coat
I bought this one with the accompanying top coat, but I don't really like the top coat. This base coat, however, is great! Somehow it just grabs onto the color! My lighter cream formula polishes go on less streaky and all of them last much longer. Plus, my nails don't get stained any more! I've got a full review of both the base and top coat coming soon!

3. Makeup

Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in In Season
It's a lot like Vintage from Jemma Kidd, but it has a more olive tone to it. I don't really have any olive shades because honestly they tend to make my skin look really yellow, but this shade has enough brown in it that that hasn't been a problem. I've been reaching for it almost every day.

Stila Convertible Color in Petunia
I love love love this! I've only had it for about two weeks, so it's not exactly a month, but it's the only blush I own that I've worn on a daily basis since I got it! I like Camellia as well, but I feel like this uber bright color is better suited for summer.

Rubens Remedies Rose Water Lip Balm
Ok, so this is one of the best rose salves I've ever used, but is is impossible to find anywhere. I'm not kidding. I got this at TJMaxx for less than a buck and I'm about half way though, but I can't find any place that sells it, in store or online. It's similar to other rose salves (like the C.O Bigelow or Smith ones), but it's nicer. It's a bit harder, but still melts down into a thin salve. while the other two I've tried tend to be soft to begin with. I also like the scent of this one a bit better than the other two. It's less fake. If you can find it anywhere, snatch it up!

Thanks for reading!!! Empties will be up tomorrow!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

2011-07-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

I hope all of my lovely readers have an awesome day at the beach or wherever! I'll have June Favorites up tomorrow! Enjoy the day!

{Review} Stila Convertible Colors in Camellia and Petunia

2011-06-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

Stila Convertible Color in Camellia and Petunia.

Hi everyone! Hope your week is going well! And if it's not it's almost Friday anyway lol! Just thought I'd do another review before heading to class. I picked these babies up at J. Crew for only $4.99 each and I've gotta say, they're making me love blush!

Stila Convertible Color in Camellia and Petunia.

I've been wanting to try Stila's Convertible Colors for a while now, but have never wanted to shell out the 25 bucks, especially since I've never really been a blush person, and certainly not a cream blush person. To explain, I use foundation to above all cover the redness on my cheek and nose, so when I wear blush, it tends to accentuate the redness I try really hard to cover up. And cream blush has never really been that good of an option for me because I've got very oily skin, so in the past they have either made me really greasy or have just slid off.

That being said, I've always been wanting to try these because the shades are sooo pretty and the dual use makes them really good for quick morning makeups.

Stila Convertible Color in Camellia and Petunia.

Another thing I love is how the packaging is the same shade as the blush. It makes getting ready a bit faster as I don't have to open and look at the shade to decide. And I absolutely love how they come with a good sized mirror. I know I'll probably rarely use it, but not having it there just in case makes all the difference.

Stila Convertible Color in Camellia.

Stila Convertible Color in Camellia.

Stila Convertible Color in Camellia.

Camellia is a gorgeous neutral blush. I like blushes like this for when I want to add some depth, but not necessarily color. I sometimes just run this just under my cheekbone for a very natural looking contour. On my lips, although it does nude them out, it is a bit too brown for my liking. It doesn't show up as a dark brown, but rather as a browner version of my own lips, if that makes sense.

Stila Convertible Color in Petunia.

Stila Convertible Color in Petunia.

Stila Convertible Color in Petunia.

I don't normally go for blushes this bright, but as it's summer, I couldn't help myself. I was watching an interview with Bobbi Brown a few years ago and she said that it's good to have a really bright blush that you can just dab a little bit of on to get that fresh faced look. Well, this blush does that for me. I put the teeniest bit on, with just black liner and mascara, and my face looks instantly awake and alive. I like using this one on my lips over lip balm because I don't normally play up my lips very much, so when I wear this product I can go simple on the eyes and then make more of an impact with my lips, cheeks, and brows.

Some swatches:

(Top to Bottom) Camellia Heavy Application, Camellia Blended, Petunia Heavy Application, Petunia Blended.

The way that I've been wearing these lately has been together, though. I dab a bit of Camellia as a contour, and then use Petunia higher on the cheek and on my lips as well. the effect is really natural, barely detectable (texture/finish wise), and just absolutely stunning!

One thing that I really like about these blushes is that they set somehow. They're not really cream to powder. They make my skin feel like I've used a primer underneath or something, just really really smooth. And they last a lot longer than other cream blushes I've tried. I like the look of the ones from Revlon, but they just slide right off of my face. These lasted a good six hours. These also blend really easily. I was actually surprised by how nicely they blend. Sometimes cream blushes can apply patchy, but not these. Actually, these are very buildable too, mainly because they set well, so when you add a second layer you don't displace the first. The only downside I can think of with these is that the packaging isn't hygienic, but that's an issue with most cream blushes. If you zoom in on the pans you can kinda see some specs in the cream. But it's fairly easy to sanitize cream products using a bit of alcohol. Other than that, I highly recommend these if you're looking for a nice cream blush! I've been wearing petunia nearly every day since I got it!

Info:

Price: $25 (retail)

Ingredients:Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Lanolin Oil, Beeswax\Cera Alba\Cire D'abeille, Microcrystalline Wax \Cera Microcristallina\Cire Microcrystalline, Octyldodecanol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ozokerite, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isononyl Isononanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, BHT. +/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 22 Lake (CI 45380), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Red 33 Lake (CI 17200), Red 34 Lake (CI 15880), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985).

{Summer Must Haves} Lip Stain!

2011-06-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

Cover Girl Outlast Lip Stain in 420 Sassy Mauve and Laura Mercier Lip Stain in English Rose (LE).

So instead of doing one massive summer must haves post, I thought I would break it apart by category, starting with lip stains. I'm not a huge lip person, I usually play up my eyes, but in the summer when it's soooo hot, it's a lot simpler to do a stronger lip than to do a stronger eye.

I don't own many lip stains, only three actually including my Urban Decay lip stain that's not pictured because I couldn't find it lol, but I do have to say that there's a lot to choose from. If you're on a budget, the Cover Girl Outlast Lip Stains are great. There's a wide variety of colors from light pinks to deep plums and reds. If you have a bit more money to spend and are looking for something that is not liquid, Laura Mercier's lip stains are a good option as well.

Cover Girl Outlast Lip Stain in 420 Sassy Mauve and Laura Mercier Lip Stain in English Rose (LE).

As far as applicators go, the felt tip marker on the Cover Girl certainly makes application fun and more importantly precise. I like how easy it is to get into all the little nooks and crannies to get a really full lip going. On the other hand, the tip does have a tendency to dry out. I store this marker with the felt tip pointing down and every so often I spritz the tip with some water to keep it moist.

The Laura Mercier stain isn't really a stain. It's more of a heavily pigmented longer lasting lipstick in a pot. I think by stain they meant that it's to be applied using the staining technique (use a finger to dot the product on for a stained look). I did a full review here (and posted a better swatch here), but as you can tell just by looking at the creamy product, it's not going to last all day. I still like it for the summer because the formula is waxier and does last longer.

Swatches:

CoverGirl Outlast Lip Stain in 420 Sassy Mauve and Laura Mercier Lip Stain in English Rose (LE).

I only have a couple of minor complains about the Cover Girl stain. One is that it tends to apply patchy if you have any dead/dry skin on your lips. Also, although it is long lasting, it doesn't last all day, especially if you wear the stain at it's full intensity. After eating it does sometimes leave the outer edge of my lips looking a bit darker than the inner. Other than that, it's a great stain!

The stain that I didn't picture is the Urban Decay Lip Envy Lip Stain in Envious (see it here on the Urban Decay site). I really like this stain because it's not a marker applicator which can dry out. It comes in a little container that holds the liquid stain and you apply it with a little felt tip that you dip into the product. I like this a lot better because there is no drying out. I'll post a picture when I find it.

And I know that the Laura Mercier Lip Stain was limited edition, but there are tons of stains to choose from at any budget, so you really shouldn't have much trouble finding something in a similar shade. Thanks for reading! More coming soon!

{Haul} J.Crew, Dollar Tree & Walgreens

2011-06-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

So I was out and about this past weekend and a few things caught my eye! Not a big haul by any means but enjoy anyway!

1. J.Crew:

(L to R) Stila for J.Crew Convertible Colors in Camellia and Petunia.

I was shopping at J.Crew and to my surprise, right up at the register as I was paying, I saw these gems! I've been wanting to try Stila's convertible colors for a while now, but since I have oily skin I am hesitant to try out any cream blushes. When I saw these on sale at J.Crew and got a look at just how cheap they were selling them for, I couldn't not get them!

Originally, they were $18 each, but when I bought these I got them for $4.99 each!!! And my sister was at the store a couple of days ago and said they were discounted further to $3.99!!! At firt I thought that maybe they are smaller or something, but that is not the case at all! They are they same size as the ones sold at Sephora (0.15 oz) and are in permanent shades (both Camellia and Petunia can be purchased at Sephora. The only difference between these and the regular ones is the price and the packaging, which I think is actually nicer. I like that these containers don't have the flowers that Stila's compacts usually do. I think these look a bit more sophisticated. If you're interested in trying these out I suggest you check out any J. Crews in your area! And I'll have a full review soon!

2. Walgreens:

(L to R) Wet n'Wild Megalength Mascara, Sinful Colors Base Coat and Top Coat.

I've been on the hunt for a new mascara and decided to see if any of the really really cheap ones at the drugstore are any good. I can definitely be a bit of a mascara snob. I love my MUFE Smoky Lash, Chanel Inimitable Intense (review coming soon!), Lancome Definicils, and the list goes on. And when I'm not using those, I stick to L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black or maybe one from Revlon. That's it. Nothing else. But, I was recently persuaded to try a few different drugstore mascaras, so I went out and picked up a few really really cheap ones. I'll be posting reviews soon!

I also picked up the base coat and top coat from Sinful Colors. I didn't realize that these were more expensive than their actual polishes ($4 compared to $2) until I got to the reigster and realized that for the price of these two I could have gotten an OPI or an Essie, but whatever. I do have to say that so far I;m loving the base coat more than the top coat, but I will review them both this week. I really like the frosted packaging. It makes them feel so chic!

3. The Dollar Tree:

(L to R) L.A. Colors Lash Building and Perfect Curl Mascaras.

A few more cheep mascaras to try out! Only a buck each, so I guess it can't really hurt lol!

And finally, I also picked up some cotton rounds. I use these for toner, not makeup removal and they work perfectly. The brand is Assured and I have to say I love these. They're a buck for 80 pads and they come in several different types. The ones I usually buy are with either the stamped outer edge (you know, they ones that look like they're stitched all around) and the ones shown above that are really really thick and plush. Highly recommend if you're trying to save some money!

That's it for now! More coming really soon!

{Review} The Body Shop Cucumber Cleansing Milk & Freshening Water

2011-06-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

I was at the Body Shop several weeks ago and they had a great promotion going on: get any two items from the Originals line for $10. That's not a huge savings, only a few dollars, but I'd been eyeing the two items above, the Cucumber Cleansing Milk and Freshening Water for a while now and figured it couldn't really hurt to give them a try.

First off, they both smell absolutely delicious!!! Like the most fake but delicious cucumbers you could ever smell. TBS says that the cleansing milk will cleanse skin and lightly moisturize. It does that, and a bit more.

It is a light cream cleanser, more runny than a typical cream cleanser.

I know people with oily skin are probably cringing right now, but honestly if you want to do without a moisturizer during the day, using this in the morning might just work for you.

What this cleanser is good at is helping remove base makeup when washing your face. IT IS NOT AN EYE MAKEUP REMOVER!!! I was reading reviews on TBS website and people were saying that they use this to remove waterproof mascara and stuff, but trust me on this one, you do not want this near your eyes. With a cheapie face brush (TBS sells one for $3, Sephora has one for $5) this cleaning milk will get rid of most of your foundation and concealer without drying out your face. It rinses off, but it does tend to leave a film like most cream cleansers (and cleansing milks) do.

I've been using this mostly in place of my Noxema, which I finished a couple of weeks back (stay tuned for many empties at the end of the month!). I just massage a generous amount of this cleanser onto my face and neck for about one minute, tissue off, and the cleanse with my normal cleanser. I'm not rally a big fan of the film this cleanser leaves, but to remove base makeup it is perfect. And I've even used it to shave my legs a few times, too! Very handy.

A word of warning: both of these products are HEAVILY scented. I don't have very sensitive skin, but every now and then it does make even my skin itch. If you have sensitive or dry itchy skin these are not the products for you.

The Cucumber Freshening Water is a cooling and soothing toner. To be perfectly honest, other than feel nice, it didn't do much for my skin at all. I used it following the cleansing milk to make sure all of my makeup was off, but it didn't really moisturize, exfoliate, clean pores, or anything like that that other toners claim to do.

Unfortunately, this toner doesn't really sooth my skin at all. TBS claims that this toner will not dry out, but it did dry my skin a bit, especially around the nose. And it does,surprisingly, for a product advertised for sensitive skin, contain alcohol. As I mentioned above, it is very heavily scented so the first few times I used it it irritated my skin quite a bit and made me itch. What I later did was add about a teaspoon of glycerine to it. It no longer irritates or dries my skin out, but if you have sensitive or dry skin I would still really stay away from products that are as heavily scented as these.

This toner comes with a flip top but I usually just unscrew the top, otherwise I end up wasting a lot of product.

In conclusion, for the price these were average products, but definitely not meant for sensitive skins like TBS claims. If you do have sensitive skin TBS has a great aloe line that will probably work a lot better for you.

Have you tried these? If yes, how did they work for you?

Info:

Price: $5.99 ea (retail)

Ingredients:

Cleansing Milk: Water (Solvent/Diluent), Glycerin (Humectant), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Emollient), Cetyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Stearic Acid (Emulsifier), Triethanolamine (pH Adjuster), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil (Emollient/Skin Conditioner), Benzyl Alcohol (Preservative), Lanolin (Emollient), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus) Juice (Natural Additive), Fragrance (Fragrance), Hexyl Cinnamal (Fragrance Ingredient), Geraniol (Fragrance Ingredient), Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Fragrance Ingredient), Citronellol (Fragrance Ingredient), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Hydroxycitronellal (Fragrance Ingredient), Benzyl Salicylate (Fragrance Ingredient), Green 5 (Colour), Yellow 5 (Colour).

Freshening Water: Water (Solvent/Diluent), Rosa Centifolia Flower Water (Natural Additive), Polysorbate 20 (Emulsifier), Sodium PCA (Humectant), Alcohol Denat. (Solvent/Diluent), Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus) Juice (Natural Additive), Benzyl Alcohol (Preservative), Fragrance (Fragrance), Hexyl Cinnamal (Fragrance Ingredient), Glycerin (Humectant), Citric Acid (pH Adjuster), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract (Natural Additive), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Geraniol (Fragrance Ingredient), Methylparaben (Preservative), Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Fragrance Ingredient), Butylparaben (Preservative), Ethylparaben (Preservative), Isobutylparaben (Preservative), Propylparaben (Preservative).

{Review} Nars Laguna Body Illuminator

2011-06-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago when I hauled a few things from Sephora I made a point to get a sample of the new Nars Illuminator in Laguna. What it is is a buildable bronzing gel that Now, they make two formulas of this, one for the face that is a sheer an another for the body that is larger and is more pigmented. I swatched both at the store and found that the face version was a bit too sheer, even for my very very pale skin. The body one comes in a massive squeeze tube and for your money is the better value (price per oz wise), so I figured I'd try the body one.

Swatches:

(Top to Bottom) Shear Blended Application, Heavy Application

How. Stunning. Is. That!? ^ The color is just a very warm slightly shimmery bronze. Honestly, it doesn't look as shimmery as it does in the tube. Yes, the golden shimmer is noticeable, but not as noticeable as the shimmer in several bronzing powders that I've tried. And after a few hours of wear the shimmer tends to tone down, leaving behind the bronze. When I wear this it gives my skin this really pretty sheen that I absolutely love. In addition, what I love is that you can build this. When I use this on my face, I apply a very sheer layer where I would normally apply my bronzer and then layer a little more on the apples and hollows of my cheeks as well as my temples. Even with the shimmer it looks a lot more natural than a powder bronzer, which I love!

That being said, there are a few things you need to consider before purchasing this product. One, you need a lot of product to cover your body if you want to use this on your arms and legs. A lot. As massive as the squeeze tube is, with weekly use all over the body it will be gone fairly quickly. I only had a sample so I couldn't see exactly how much I would need for my entire body, but I needed about a third of the sample jar to do one arm. One thing you could probably do is mix it with your body lotion to make it last longer, but then it will go on shearer.

In addition, application is tricky. You have to work very very fast because once it sets it sets. If you want to apply multiple layers you need to make sure you use broad sweeping strokes because otherwise it will look patchy. I would recommend exfoliating and moisturizing very well before applying this because it looks a lot more even on smooth skin. And if you have acne on your face be careful because like any bronzer it does tend to stick to problem areas.

Finally, this stuff isn't waterproof. Nars says that it is "transfer proof," but that isn't exactly the same as waterproof, is it? It doesn't really rub off on clothing, but I wouldn't wear white with it just in case. And if you get really sweaty or wet it will start to come off faster.

Like with any fake glow, there are drawbacks. If you have tanned skin to begin with this will probably work better for you to just emphasize your tan and give you a glow. I wouldn't count on this as a full body tanner, though. On the face however, it looks stunning! And the scent, a cross between something coconutty, Brazilian and Hawaiian, is oddly pleasing to me as well, given that I'm not a big fan of coconut.

Info:

Price: $45 (for 5.5 oz)

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Isododecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ppg-17/Ipdi/Dmpa Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Stearate, Cocos Nucifera [Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil], Steareth-8, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Parfum (Fragrance), Euterpe Oleracea (Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil), Calophyllum Inophyllum (Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil), Ribes Nigrum [Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil], Rubus Idaeus [Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil], Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium Edta, Rubus Chamaemorus (Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil), Bisabolol, Boswellia Serrata (Boswellia Serrata Gum), Panthenol, Gardenia Tahitensis (Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract), Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxycitronellal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool [+/- (May Contain): Mica, Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 77491 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77492 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77163 (Bismuth Oxychloride)].

{Review} H20+ Body Oasis Intensive Hydrating Gel

2011-06-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog for a while now you know that I love finding interesting H20+ products at TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Usually they are products that I absolutely love. While I've nearly finished this moisturizer and I like it, I can't say that I love it, and for a few reasons.

So what this is is a hydrating body gel. I love gel moisturizers. As someone with oily skin, I always look for light feeling hydrating gels, especially in the summer. And I love how the gel is blue. It really reminded me of a few Bliss products that I've tried in the past. I think that's what drew me to this gel.

The idea behind H20+ products is that they're supposedly filled with really really good things for skin. According to H20+ this gel contains mineralized sea water, unspecified marine extracts, vitamins A, C, E, Provitamin B, antioxidants, and amino acids. And it supposedly can also be used as a hydrating body mask. I remember reviewing Cliniques Moisture Surge gel (review here) and on that gl it also says that you can use it as amaks, but honestly I fail to see how that could possibly be better than just letting the gel be absorbed.

One place where this moisturizer fails is the dispenser. It would be a nice pump, but only with a facial product. It dispenses entirely too little product for body use and I constantly have to pump and pump and pump more out. I do like how I can twist and lock it though. It makes traveling with it a lot easier.

It looks very very blue when firs squeezed out, but worry not, it goes on clear. It looks like tooth paste lol!

My skin looks really nice after I've applied it right? Very smooth and hydrated. Or so you would think. Honestly, this gel is no where near as hydrating as the words "oasis" and "quenching" on the package lead me to believe. It is very very lightly moisturizing. Lighter I would even say than my Clinique Moisture Surge for face. I apply this and within hours my skin feels dry again. In addition, contrary to what the package says, it does leave a STICKY residue on my skin and hands after application. I've never had a gel do this. My skin felt sticky, like there was a film on it and I had to actually wash my hands after I applied it. It didn't feel like it had gotten absorbed, more like it dried. As much as I wanted to like this product, I just can't recommend it. For the retail price of $32 I was expecting a lot more. The only saving grace here is that I got it on clearance at TJMaxx for $3.

Info:

Price: $32 (retail)

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glycereth-7, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid, Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzophenone-4, Linalool, Butylene Glycol, Ulva Lactuca Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Green 5 (CI 61570), Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Yellow 5 (CI 19140)

{Color Comparison} A Possible Dupe For MAC's Date Night Dazzleglass!?

2011-06-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

So I bought MAC's Date Night Dazzleglass as a replacement for my Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire a few weeks back and little did I know that I already had something that was very similar in my collection!

MAC's Date Night Dazzleglass in Date Night is a sheer plum with blue and golden glitter in it. It cost me $19.50 for 1.92 g of product.

The dupe that I found in my collection is a Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem gloss in the shade Embellished. I bought this at my local Dollar Tree for well, a dollar, and I got 3.1 g of product.

Although the shades are slightly different, the glitter is almost exactly the same and on the lips they look nearly identical.

Can you see how similar the glitter is? Date Night has more, but honestly, they are very very close.

They also have similar applicators. I'm not a big fan of lip glosses that come with brushes because they tend to apply too much gloss and leave me feeling goopy and sticky. Not the case with these two because the bristles are slightly shorter, so they don't dispense quite as much gloss.

And the swatches:

(L to R) MAC Dazzleglass in Date Night and Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished.

Date Night looks a swatches a bit darker than Embellished and definitely has more glitter. While they swatch differently on the hand, they look almost identical on the lips. The only difference on the lips is that the glitter in Embellished is a bit more wearable.

(L to R) MAC Dazzleglass in Date Night and Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished.

(L to R) MAC Dazzleglass in Date Night and Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished.

And lip swatches:

MAC Dazzleglass in Date Night

Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished

Can you see how similar they look on the lips? Nearly identical. And they both have about the same amount of shine. Sally Hansen's gloss is just a teeny bit less thick, but then again, MAC's not exactly known for non sticky gloss. And they last about the same amount of time as well ! Given that I found Embellished at the Dollar Tree for a buck, it is definitely the better value here! I highly recommend, if you like Date Night, that you check your local Dollar Tree to see if you can still get this one!

{Update} No Power For 4 Days = Pure HELL

2011-06-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

So we've been getting a lot of storms on the east coast lately. A few weeks ago when that tornado hit Springfield, we had a power outage. I don't live in MA, but 30 mins away in CT, but we went 2 days with no power, no running water, etc. Just this past week, on Thursday we had another storm that left us without power for FOUR DAYS. Oh my God it was horrible. What makes it worse is that we have a well that supplies our water and the pump that pumps the water up and to the house needs electricity to work, so whenever we have no power we also have no water. It doesn't sound so bad until you realize that without water you can't flush a toilet. For four days whenever we wanted to flush the toilet we would need to refill the tank with two gallons of water. It sucked. But powers back so I'll be putting more posts up later today. It's been a crazy couple of weeks here and hopefully we've seen the worst of storms. Hopefully lol!

{Favorites} May 2011!

2011-06-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Hope you are enjoying your Friday as much as I am enjoying mine! Here are my May favorites! This was definitely a cheek and lip month!

1. Skin Care

(L to R) Natures Gate C For Yourself Vitamin C Serum and The Body Shops Tea Tree Oil.

I've been using these two nonstop this month. The vitamin C serum, which smells a bit of oranges, is very light and absorbs very quickly. It is meant to retexture skin, but honestly I think it gives my skin the perfect amount of moisture during the day. It absorbs so quickly that it doesn't effect anything that I apply over top which I love. I do have a full review coming. TBS's Tea Tree Oil (15% tea tree oil) is great as a gentle acne treatment, for me at least. On my oily skin the treatment is a lot less harsh than salicylic acid or benzol peroxide treatments and although it isn't a miracle worker, it gets rid of acne overtime (as well as the scar) without irritating my skin too much.

2. Perfume

Calvin Klein Obsession Night

I've had this bottle forever, and oddly enough, although it is a more masculine, cologne, night perfume type of scent, I really love it for spring and summer. It's a bit sharper than other scents that I own so it smells very crisp, something I love on a humid day.

I'm almost done! And I just throw this one in my purse all the time which is why the bottle is so beat up and scratched up. I usually sprits it once in the morning and then again around four or 5 o'clock. The scent just lingers, which is nice. One sprits is not overwhelming at all.

3. Makeup

(Top to bottom) Calvin Klein Summer Affair Bronzer, MAC Petticoat MSF, Nars Deep Throat Blush, and Nars Laguna Body Illuminator.

SO I am very very pale and in the summer, because I don't like to tan, I definitely use bronzer and blush a bit more liberally. I've been loving the above four. I don't usually just wear them on their own but layer at least two of them for the nicest glow!

(L to R) Calvin Klein Summer Affair Bronzer and MAC Petticoat MSF

This has been my favorite combo for the past couple of months actually. I just apply the bronzer in the 3 E on my face and a little down my neck and then apply Petticoat lightly on the cheeks and temples. I find that sometimes bronzers can look a bit flat on my face, so layering Petticoat makes it look a bit more natural and believable. Also, I find that a lot of bronzers can look too orange, while a natural sun bronze would have a bit more red in it. Petticoat gives my skin a teeny bit of that red tone, so it looks a lot more believable.

Here's how it looks:

(Top to bottom) Layered, Petticoat, Summer Affair.

I know, not the best pic (I'll post a better one later) but I hope this gives you an idea of how I apply it. And I've been layering Petticoat over other blushes too. Some of then I haven't touched in months. I layer Petticoat over it and voila, a new finish/shade that I'm in love with again!

Nars Deep Throat Blush

I've never been a big fan of Nar's Orgasm simply because I don't really like blushes with gold shimmer in them, but Deep Throat, for some reason works for me. It looks very natural on me. When I blush naturally, this is the color my cheeks become. I've also been wearing this with my Calvin Klein bronzer a lot lately and it just looks very pretty.

Nars Deep Throat Blush

(L to R) Rimmel Lipstick in Undressed and NYC Lipstick in Caramel

This month I've really been liking bronzy or slightly peachy mostly nude lips. I've never been much of a lipstick lip gloss girl, but these two I've really really been wearing a lot. The Rimmel one is really old too, as you can tell by the packaging. I actually like this packaging better than the newer packaging which I find really bulky. The shade is one of the nicest neutrals I own because it's not too brown and has quite a coral undertone.

(L to R) Rimmel Lipstick in Undressed and NYC Lipstick in Caramel

Rimmel Lipstick in Undressed and NYC Lipstick in Caramel

I reviewed NYC's Caramel here if you're interested!

That's it for now! I hope all of you have an awesome weekend!

{Pan Porn} Woohoo!!!

2011-06-01T16:51:00.001-07:00

Calvin Klein Summer Affair Bronzer

OMG!!! I hit pan in a BRONZER!!! I don't think this has ever happened before!!!

Isn't it pretty? I feel so triumphant lol! I'm pale but most bronzers look too orange on my skin so even when I find one I like I use it very very lightly.

Jemma Kidd Single Eyeshadow in Vintage

I really love this shade. It is probably the most shimmery and glittery eyeshadow I own and I love it for going out at night cause it just brings so much attention to the eyes. What I'm not loving about this shadow is how softly it is pressed. If you've ever used the Victorias Secret eyeshadows (the ones from the more expensive line in the square black packaging), the texture of these is about the same, so: very very soft. I've never dropped this shadow but it is chipped in three corners. I'm afraid that one of these days I will drop it and it will shatter everywhere. I love how it is a shimmery champagne but it has a bit of pink to it. I don't have anything remotely close to this shade in my collection.

Avon Eyeshadow Quad in Cocoa Glow

I've only been using the first and the third color consistently, but I really really love this quad. I don't think they even sell it anymore which makes me sad :( This palette has been my go too for many many mornings lol!

I don't know if you can tell, but the pans on the older Avon eyeshadows are deeper than those of regular eyeshadows. I didn't even realize how deep until I hip pan. They are about the size of CoverGirl eyeshadows quads, but deeper.

More to come soon!

{Haul} Collective: Target, MAC, Sephora, etc.

2011-06-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hi! Another collective post, this time most of the things I bought during the month of May. And before I begin, I apologize for the poor quality of some of the pictures. I took these pics over the course of a month and sometimes I was in a big hurry:( I will be sure to post clearer pics of the products I review.

1.MAC

MAC Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe and Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara

A couple of things caught my eye at MAC this past month. I've been eyeing Satin Taupe for a while now but never could justify buying it, especially as I've got about a million shades that are exactly like it, but I finally caved and bought it. And I was a bit intrigued by the two in one mascara. I know that Rimmel has one too, but I wanted to try the mac one and see how it compares. I'll be doing a full review soon!

2. Sephora

(L to R) Nars Laguna Body Illuminator (sample), Sephora Professional Mineral Makeup #45 Brush, Sephora by OPI nail polish in Traffic Stopper Copper.

So I finally caved and bought a couple of things I was eyeing at Sephora for a while now. A few months ago I got a large bamboo brush from Eco Tools, but it was a bit big for me and I finally found a smaller brush with the same type and density of bristles from Sephora. I've been loving it for buffing in foundation or cream bronzer. And the bronzer I got because I've been looking for something more natural looking than a powder bronzer. I got a sample of the body version to use on my face because I think the version made for face use is a little too sheer for my liking. I will have a full review soon!

3. The Body Shop

(L to R) TBS Cucumber Cleansing Milk and Cucumber Freshening Water.

The Body Shop had these on sale, two for $10 on all of the originals so I thought I'd try these. They both smell amazing, like the freshest cucumber smell I've ever smelled lol! I'll be doing a full review on these later on as well!

4. Target, Walgreens and the Dollar Tree

(L to R) ELF Complexion Perfection Powder, Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Orchid Frost, CoverGirl Nature Luxe Foundation in Flax, Revlon Nail Polish in Copper Penny, and Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Pink.

Of these I was most excited to try the ELF Powder. I actually wanted to try their HD powder because I've heard bloggers comparing it to MUFE's HD powder that costs $40, but I guess Target doesn't carry it. The Nature Luxe foundation from CoverGirl I'm kinda kicking myself about. It cost me $14. FOURTEEN DOLLARS!!! For a CoverGirl Product that is really expensive. When I saw that number ring up I was shocked. I was expecting somewhere in the range of $8-$10, but not $14. I was soooo temped to leave it you have no idea. Oh, and the thing I liked the most from this bunch was the Sinful Colors Polish. I've had it on my toes for the last week and every time I go out in the sun my feet look soooo nice!

(L to R) Almay Moisturzing Eye Makuep Remover, L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black and waterproof, CoverGirl Nature Luxe Foundation in Flax (don't know why I photographed it twice haha!).

If you read my last post you know I finished my Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makup Remover, and I decided to go back to my trusty Almay remover. I like it. It does the job. It's cheap. Not much more I can say about it. Full review here! And I accidentally bought the waterproof version of Voluminous. I gave it to my mom and bought a regular one.

ELF Shine Eraser Oil Blotting Sheets

A couple of months ago I finished my favorite blotting sheets from Boscia (lavender scented too!) and just never restocked. I saw these at target and decided to try them. I'll do a review, but for the most part they're kinda average. Not great but not the worst I've tried. They're kinda tiny though.

Plus White 5 Minute Speed Whitening System

I've heard a lot about this whitening system on YouTube from many other gurus and I decided to give it a try. It's only $10 though, so while I was happy it's cheap, I felt a bit hesitant using something so much cheaper than other whiteners that run about $40 and up. I'll do a full review in a bit, but for the most part I have to say I do like it!

(L to R) Cotton Rounds, Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask, Elf Eye Primer, NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent.

I didn't finish my old Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask, but I'm pretty sure my sister stole it when I was home for the weekend. And I ran out of my Sephora Professionals Eye Primer so I decided to try the Elf Primer before possibly buying UDPP again.

So that's it for now! More to come later!

{Empties} Collective!!!

2011-05-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

1. NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder-I was very surprised how fast I went through this powder. I used it just about every morning for less than 6 months, but I've had loose powders last me for eons and eons because I didn't use them very often. I love this powder. It is a good cheap, no-frills, just-does-the-job powder.

2. Shiseido White Serum-This I actually got as a gift from a friend. I don't think I saw much lightening or evening, but it felt really moisturizing. I used it underneath my night moisturizer. I do have to say that at a pump a night I went through it in less than a month and a half. Given by how much this serum must have cost, that's a bit unacceptable to me.

3. Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover-This makeup remover did the job. It removed the eye makeup, but honestly I can't say I will repurchase any time soon. Or ever. Because of the method of dispensing I wasted a lot of product. It lasted me less than two full months while the Almay one I usually use lasts me almost a full year and costs less than half. And I hated having to rub a lot when removing my eye makeup. If you are still interested click here for the full review!

4. Stila Pressed Powder-Although it is expensive, this is probably my favorite pressed powder ever. It is soooo soft and gives my skin a very air brushed look. I really like how you can just repurchase the pan of powder and not the full case. I probably will repurchase later, but only when I finish the powders I've got now.

5. Caswell-Massey Revitalizing Cool Cucumber Eye Pads-These I'm a bit mixed on. I liked putting them on my eye and relaxing at the end of a long day, but to be honest I didn't see any effect. They felt nice and moisturizing, but nothing that my regular eye cream wouldn't have done. For less than a dollar though, I'm ok with the disappointment.

6. Stella McCartney 5 benefits Moisturizing Cream (sample)-This was a sample I got at Marshall's for a couple of dollars in a set. I actually really liked it. It is a day cream (I think), but I used it at night because even in the winter it was a bit too rich for my very oily skin. It is wonderful on any dry patches though. My only complaint (well other than the price of the full size bottle) is the smell. I don't mind an herbal scent, but the smell of this stuff is overwhelming.

7. Boots No. 7 Radiant Glow Concealer-While this isn't an exact dupe of the YSL Touch Eclat, for $12.99 it is a very good illuminating concealer. It really isn't a high lighter like the YLS version, but more of a true concealer. My only complaint about this item is the lack of shades. It comes in two very similar very light shades. If you are deeper than say NW 25 or 30, then this product will not work for you. And it is very warm undertone. If you have a cooler, bluer undertone this will look too yellow on you.

8. Pixi Lash Boosting Mascara-I love this mascara for thickening. I was a bit hesitant about spending so much on a mascara at Target, but this mascara is really good for everyday volume. It is very very black too. My only complaint with this product is that although it isn't marketed as a waterproof mascara but is an absolute pain to get off. I mean, it is impossible to remove. On the one thing it's good because it doesn't budge during the day, but my eyes feel raw sometimes after I remove it.

9. Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara-I really like this mascara. It makes my eyelashes look longer and thicker. I didn't really see any drastic improvement in my lashes without this mascara, but it's still a good day mascara. The wand, I think however, is a bit unnecessarily large and the formula just a little too dry, but other than that it is a really solid mascara. If you're interested click here for the full review!

10. Lancome Waterproof Eyeliner-I am on the fence with this liner. On the one hand, it does a good job of subtly defining lashes, but on the other hand I could just as easily get the same effect with a drugstore liner. I know that Boots No 7 has liners that look almost exactly the same, from the colors to the design of the pencil, complete with a smudger. It's a good waterproof liner that lasts all day, but I just don't think it's worth the price.

11. Lancome Definicils Mascara-And finally, the mascara I've bought more of than any other mascara. I keep coming back to this mascara time and time again because it really is a good all around mascara. It gives decent volume, length, and definition, and has never once failed me. I don't usually use this as my daily mascara which is why a tube of this lasts me forever and I will definitely repurchase in the future.

That's it for now! More to come soon!

{Review} Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Black Pearl

2011-05-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! This is going to be a review for the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Color in Black Pearl. Although I do have other Chanel nail polishes, this is going to be my first review of one on the blog. I just had to do a review on such a pretty and unusual color!

The shade I got is Black Pearl, from the Chanel Spring 2011 collection. I think you might be able to still find it in a few stores, but I would hurry. The color is a blackened, metallic teal/green, with blue and green glitters in it as well.

One thing I really love about Chanel nail polishes is that the big square cap comes off. I really like Lancome nail polishes too, but they can sometimes be very difficult to use because the cap is so large and as far as I've tried, isn't removable.

And finally, swatches:

It's a blackened metallic muted teal/green with blue and green sparkles in it.

On the nail it is very very metallic, but honestly my nails look atrocious right now lol! I don't have anything like this in my collection. I have things that have a similar finish, but not even close on the shade so I fell in love! As far as dark colors go, this one actually isn't too bad on the nail which I like. It is very very metallic so it reflects light. You will need two coats to reach full opacity and they dry fairly quickly. If you don't like any streaks in even metallic polishes then I would stay away from this polish. Although it looks stunning, it takes a bit of work to apply it evenly. I don't mind the effort as I quite like metallic polishes. That's the only negative (well, other than price) that I can think of. I love Chanel's unique colors and this one is no exception.

Info:

Price: $25

Ingredients: (to be posted)

{Haul} Chanel

2011-05-29T16:15:00.001-07:00

L to R: Chanel Le Vernis in Black Pearl, Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir, and Stilo Yeux Waterproof in Rose Platine.

Hi! Just thought I'd share a recent special haul! Now, I don't normally indulge this much on a single shopping trip. I'm the kind of shopper who browses for an hour and buys jus tone thing because buying a lot of makeup especially at one time makes me feel a bit guilty and wasteful since I've got so much makeup at home. And it's been a loooong times since I've indulged in Chanel haha, and lately I've really been craving. So I gave in and bought three things.

I got the Inimitable Intense mascara in Noir. Now, I've never had luck with those plasticy applicators, but somehow, this applicator works on me. I think until this point I had lost confidence in all mascaras with the bendy plastic applicators, instead opting for traditional wads. I will post pictures because honestly, I've been bowled over by how much I like this mascara.

I also got the nail polish in Black Pearl. I love Chanel nail polish. I think Chanel and Lancome nail polishes have the best formulas I've tested, better than OPI and Essie. I will post swatches soon!

The final item I got was the Stilo Yeux Waterproof in Rose Platine. This was a purely indulging purchase. I don't usually purchase high end eyeliners because, since I don't use eyeliners much, they tend to dry out on me and go to waste. This color just suckered me, sooo pretty! I will post lots and lots of pics in the reviews so stay tuned for those!

{Review} MAC Date Night Dazzleglass

2011-05-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hi! Hope you all are having a good weekend and I thought I'd do a review. I know, Dazzleglasses from MAC aren't exactly a new thing, but when they first came out I had been on this super matte everything kick and I've just recently been getting back into shimmer and glitter. I stopped my MAC a while ago and although I don't usually buy a lot from MAC, this gloss caught my eye.

The shade I got was Date Night. Although it looks very very dark and opaque in the tube, it does apply sheerly, especially if you wear it the way that I do, over lip balm. I got this shade specifically because I had recently run out of my fave lip gloss, my Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, and I wanted something sheer and plummy and shimmery, which is what I got with Date Night.

I really like the packaging compared to the regular lip glosses from MAC. These seem more sophisticated and definitely prettier.

Can you see the pretty shimmer?

Date Night is a plummy shade with yellow and blue and purple glitter in it.

A swatch:

And another, cause its soooo pretty:

And a lip swatch:

I applied a very small amount over lip balm, and this is what I came up with. I love that the blue and gold glitter still is visible. A lot of times the glitter tends to disappear but not in this shade. You can certainly apply it darker if you wish, but I quite like this effect. And it is also very glossy too. It gives my lips that lacquer shine that I love so much.

The brush:

Sorry for the blur :( Although I am a die-hard doe foot fan, I am ok with this brush. Like other brush applicators it does tend to apply a bit more than I'd like, but definitely not as bad as other brands that I've tried that have even longer bristles.

Formula wise this gloss is ok. I like a thin gloss and although Dazzleglasses aren't as thick as other glosses from MAC this one is still tackier than I would like. Another high point for this gloss is that the glitter doesn't feel gritty at all when I applied it. When it starts to wear off it does feel a bit gritty, but not as bad as other glosses I've worn, especially the ones from Smashbox. I really bought this gloss because of the shade. As far as moisturizing goes and all the added bonuses other companies put into glosses, this one is ok but nothing special really. It has MAC's signature vanilla scent, which I am not a big fan of. And as far as the shade goes, the shimmer in it is surprisingly noticeable on the lips, so much so that it is often too much for daytime wear. In addition, this gloss only lasted about an hour and a half on my lips. I like the shade, but honestly, it isn't worth the price to me.

One thing that I just realized a week ago is how little gloss is actually in the tube. When placed next to a regular gloss (C-Thru) it looks larger.

However, a Lipglass has 0.17 oz or 4.8 g of product. That's TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE than what you get in a Dazzleglass and a Dazzleglass costs more.

MAC's Dazzleglasses come with 1.92 g of product cleverly disguised in a larger package.

In general, it's an ok lip gloss, but I don't think I would repurchase. I don't think the increased price is justified given the severe decrease in the amount of product. And although the shade is very very pretty the shimmer in it is sometimes too much for day time wear. All that, combined with the lacking lasting power, is why I cannot really recommend this gloss.

Info:

Price: $18.50

Ingredients:Polybutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Triisostearyl Citrate, Silica Silylate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Calcium Aluminium Brosilicate, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Tin Oxide, Silica, Vanillin.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions regarding disclosure don't hesitate to ask!

{Put To The Test} Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream

2011-05-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

So if you've been reading my blog for a while now, you've probably heard me talk about using Noxema to remove my face makeup (foundation, blush, NOT eye makeup) prior to cleansing. I've been doing this for several months now and I can't tell you how much better my skin looks. I still break out every now and then, but on a day to day basis my skin looks and feels cleaner and clearer. I know that using cold cream type products is "old fashioned," but I can honestly say that this has helped my skin and hopefully it can help your's too. And at about 5 bucks a jar, it certainly won't hurt the wallet to try!

If you've never heard of Noxema before, it's just like a cold cream, only thicker. It is a hard white paste in the jar that, when you rub in, thins out, dissolving any makeup in the process. It is oil based (but noncomedogenic) so it gets just about everything. I use a plastic tongue depressor like stick to scoop it out, put it all over my face, rub it in, and then wipe it off with a baby wipe. If my skin is dry, I sometimes leave this on for a few minutes because it is very hydrating. I then use my regular facial cleanser to wash my face. In all, it is a lot more effective at cleaning my face. And I even take it part way down the neck, an area that a lot of people forget but nearly always apply either foundation or bronzer.

I used several eyeliners and a long wear lipstick to test it out. In all, I think my Maybelline gel liner has been the most stubborn thing to remove. It is thick and waxy and really does not budge, so I was curious to see if Noxema would be able to remove it.

IMPORTANT: Noxema is not an eye makeup remover. It contains camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil which can irritate the eyes. I'm just doing a demonstration to show how well it can remove makeup. DON'T USE NOXEMA ON YOUR EYE AREA.

I used a q-tip to apply the product and gently rub it in.

I forgot to take a before shot, but here's what it looked like during.

And I just toweled it off with a cotton round. It got off just about everything. Ignore my creepy veins lol!

I then used a Neutrogena makeup remover wipe to try and remove the rest of the makeup and it didn't work well on the gel liners, the waterproof pencil liner, and it didn't even begin to remove the long wear lipstick. I usually use Mac wipes for comparison when doing this, but I've run out and not repurchased. All in all, if Noxema works this well on eye makeup it is bound to clean your face really really well too!

{Review} New Haircare Routine (Paul Mitchell)

2011-05-21T16:21:00.001-07:00

Paul Mitchell The Detangler (L) and Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo(R).

I'm back! A few weeks ago I ran out of not only my shampoo, but also my daily conditioner and my heavy duty treatment conditioner, so I went and picked up a couple of new goodies. Now, I've never really been into high end hair care. Personally, I've never really found a high end hair care product that I couldn't find a drugstore equivalent of, excluding special treatments of course. Shampoos, for instance, really are all the same to me. I've yet to come across a shampoo that just wowed me. Conditioners, however, I really love, especially the super rich ones that make my hair feel like I've just come back from the salon. That's how this conditioner, Paul Mitchell's The Detangler, makes my hair feel, so I'm glad I spent some extra money!

Paul Mitchell The Detangler (Top) and Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo (Bottom).

And I love how the caps are different colors! When I'm in the shower super late or super early and my eyes are barely open, I can instantly tell the difference between the shampoo and conditioner, lol! One time, I was so tired that I started to use my conditioner as a body wash haha!

Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Shampoo

Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo

According to the Paul Mitchell website, this shampoo is supposed to clean, deeply hydrate, repair, plump skinny strands, offer UV protection from the sun, and be color safe. Really? All that in one little bottle? I'm sorry, but no. Basically, I found that this cleaned my hair. I actually used this shampoo for a week on it's own without the conditioner just to see how well it works. I found that this shampoo was moisturizing, but nowhere near as moisturizing as my favorite shampoo of all time, Head&Shoulders Classic Clean. Classic Clean is my go to in-a-hurry-have-no-time-to-condition shampoo because it makes my hair feel like I've shampood and conditioned. Instant Moisture just makes my hair feel not as stripped. Personally, I don't think this shampoo is worth the $17 I paid for it. It's not a bad shampoo, just not as moisturizing as I would like it to be.

Paul Mitchell The Detangler

Paul Mitchell The Detangler

I actually really like this conditioner. I think the texture of it really surprised me. It's not as thick and oily as other conditioners that I've tried. It looked initially like it would be very thick, but it actually spreads really easy. I know the first couple of times I used this I used too much simply because I wasn't used to using so little. You need very little of this to be effective. This made my hair feel amazing. It was conditioned, soft, shiny, and just overall, healthy feeling. My hair doesn't really tangle much so I can't speak about it's detangling abilities, but other than that, this is a great conditioner. The only thing I really don't like so much is the scent. It's got a scent that is a mix of chemical and herbal, that's the only way I can describe it. It's not horrible, but I like nice scents that linger in my hair and make it smell good for a few hours. This didn't. Other than that, great all around conditioner, and well worth the price.

Info:

Price: $17 ea (10.4 oz bottles, at the salon)

Ingredients: Instant Moisture: Water, Sodium Myreth Sulfate, Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Laureth-4, Laureth-23, Dioctyldodecyl Fluoroheptyl Citrate, Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol/Hedychium Coronarium/Dimethicone Copolyol, Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol/Algae/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf/Anthemis Nobilis/Henna/Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba)/Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)/Dimethicone Copolyol, Glycol Stearate, PEG-150 Distearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Tetrasodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride.

Ingredients: The Detangler: Water, Isododecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Bisamino PEG/PPG 41/3 Aminoethyl PG Propyl Dimethicone, Algae (Seaweed) Extract, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Extract, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Extract (Henna), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Extract (Jojoba), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract (Rosemary), PEG 12 Dimethicone, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Leaf Extract (Carrot), Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil (Grape), Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Nitrate, Fragrance (Parfum), Hexylcinnamal, Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Orange 4 (CI 15510), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035) (CI 16035)

Disclosure: The items featured in this post were purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure don't hesitate to ask in comments!

{Update} Back in About 3.5 Weeks!

2011-04-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

I'm really sorry for the lack of updates but with everything I've got going on I really don't have the time to blog, even though I really do miss it soooo much :( I will resume blogging right after finals, which is around three and a half weeks away. I just didn't want to leave you guys hanging anymore than I already have.

Back in three-ish weeks!

-Nat

{Haul+Update} MAC & I'm Not Dead...

2011-04-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

Haul: just a couple things that caught my eye from MAC.

MAC Cutie Eyeshadow Quad and Date Night Dazzleglass.

I know the reviews for the Cutie quad haven't been that great, but I do like these kinds of colors. The light green shade especially caught my eye as well as the two purples so I'm excited to experiment with them.

MAC Cutie Eyeshadow Quad and Date Night Dazzleglass.

MAC Cutie Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Date Night Dazzleglass

Date Night looks very very dark but it actually applies quite sheer, which I like. I've been looking for a replacement for my Chanel Imaginaire and this gives my lips that same slightly plummy look that Imaginaire did. And I know that Dazzleglasses aren't new or anything, but when these first came out I was going through a massive matte craze. I'll be posting a full review on both of these products this up coming week.

MAC Date Night Dazzleglass

Update: No, I'm not dead. Really really sorry for the long absence, but the last two months of school always make it difficult for me to find time to blog. Between classes and clinicals and a social life and sleep I just can't seem to find the time to sit down and blog. I also haven't been spending a lot of time in my room lately cause I swear my roommate is trying to drive me insane. I understand that she's got a show to prepare for (she's a music theater major), but honestly the constant singing is driving me nuts. She sings all the time. Every single time she's in the room she's singing. It's enough to make me wanna pull my hair out. Seriously, right now all I've been hearing from her is "Oh my god just look at thaaaaaaat! A g-string and a cowboy haaaaaaaat!" Shoot me.

{EOTD} Navy Clubbing Eyeshadow!

2011-04-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

I feel like it's been ages since I've posted an EOTD, so here is one! A few friends and I went out last night and this is what my makeup looked like! I went for a navy smoky eye. I did add liner along the waterline later, but I don't have pics of that :( But yea, I went for dramatic, dark, and sexy! And I used my Sephora ColorPlay 5 in 1 Palette!

Products Used:

ELF Eyeshadow Primer (review coming soon)

Sephora ColorPlay 5-in-1 Palette

L'Oreal HIP Kohl in Navy

Revlon Grow Luscious Lashes Mascara in Black

{DIY} Cream Eyeshadow & Lip Gloss Palette

2011-04-10T16:28:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading this blog for a while now you may have noticed that I really do love all things pretty. So, when I saw these Stila mother of pearl encrusted palettes at Sephora I didn't just buy one, I bought TWO!

Aren't they stunning!? My problem with them isn't the packaging, but rather the eyeshadows inside. I hate them.

The colors they chose to put in this stunning palette kinda shocked me. I still bought the palette because I love how it looks, but I've only used the shades inside once or twice. They're just not shades that flatter my skin at all and the mother of pearl powder they put in the shadows irritates my eyes. So what I've been doing for the past few months with my second palette is replacing the eyeshadows with cream eyeshadows, lipsticks, and lip glosses that I melt down into the pan, and that's what you see in the lower palette. I put my a few of my CoverGirl ShadowBlasts into the pans, but I added either some gel eyeliner or glitter or loose powder eyeshadow to make them less oily and more lasting.

My favorite color of the entire palette in this run is the second orange. It didn't transfer into pictures really well but I added some cosmetic grade fine rose gold glitter into it and when I wear it with the first color in the crease I always get compliments because it makes my blue eyes really pop!

Aren't they pretty!?

I also added a couple of lighter colors and a potted moisturizing balm from Anthropologie.

I'm not a big fan of these two colors in general, but I've been layering purples and greens over them and they look absolutely gorgeous like that!

You can also do a full palette of lipsticks if you'd like. I won't do the tutorial here because I feel like there are a million YouTube videos out there showing the same thing. This is just how I make use of drugstore cream shadows which I would never otherwise wear. It takes be about two months to go through whatever I put in these palettes because I tend to use them on a daily basis so about every two months I've got a new palette! Do you play around with palettes you've got at home?

{Favorites} March 2011

2011-04-03T11:56:00.001-07:00

Not a lot this month, but more than a few cheap and effective goodies!

1. Skin Care

Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream and L'Oreal Skin Genesis Deep Purifying Foaming Cleanser.

I've really really been trying to get my skin looking as great as I can, that's why most of the RIP posts lately have been filled with skin care items. I've really been just wearing less makeup and being more conciencious with my skin care routines, making sure to almost never skip it.

L'Oreal Skin Genesis Deep Purifying Foaming Cream Cleanser

I wouldn't say that this cleanser is foaming. It does lather, but not enough to qualify as a foaming cleanser. That makes this cleanser so different from others I've tried is that it contains clay. I've been washing my face with this cleanser for the past month and every two nights or so I leave it on as a mask for about 15 minutes before washing it off. It really cleans out my face and since the clays are a little abrasive, it gives me a good dose of exfoliation as well. It's just a really good all in one cleanser.

Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream

Now, I know that the idea of a cold cream type product seems very old fashioned, but I have to say that I've seen a drastic improvement in my skin ever since I started first taking off all of my face makeup and only then cleansing. As good as a face wipe is, it's not going to dissolve all of my makeup. If I just use a face wipe to clean my face and then use a bit of toner on a cotton pad, the cotton pad almost always ends up with makeup that I've missed on it. If I do the same but use Noxema instead, my makeup is completely gone. There will be nothing on the cotton pad, and that really leaves my skin cleaner when I finish with my cleanser.

Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream

How I use it (and I will have a full review posted soon), is I scoop a little bit out with my hands and massage it into my face and neck after I've removed my eye makeup with a liquid eye makeup remover. I make sure to get the hair line and neck very well because I apply makeup there but tend to neglect the area when cleaning. At first the cream feels thick, but it gets thin very very quickly. Because it is oil based it will dissolve all of the makeup, everything. I then use a cotton pad or a face wipe to remove it, but you can also wash it off. I love how clean but moisturized my face feels after using this stuff.

L to R: Noxema and L'Oreal.

Although the texture of Noxema seems solid in the tub it thins out as your hands warm the product and spreads very easily. ANd if you zoom in you can see the little particles in the L'Oreal cleanser.

2. Makeup

Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer, NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent, MAC MSF in Petticoat, Benefit High Beam, Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush, Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush, and Chanel Glossimer in Seashell.

NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent and MAC MSF in Petticoat.

I picked up the pressed version of NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder because while I love the loose version, it simply isn't convenient for every day use. I was really surprised with the pressed version as well. It goes on almost invisible (not completely, but doesn't really add too much coverage) and doesn't look cakey or anything like that. I usually use the loose version in the morning just after applying my makeup and take the pressed version with me to go for touch ups. And because the case isn't as sturdy as more expensive drugstore powders, I make sure to keep it in a makeup pouch. It hasn't cracked/opened on me yet, but I don't want to risk it.

MAC's Petticoat MSF I bought last year around the time that Pret-A-Papier collection came out. At first I was absolutely in love, but after a while I kinda forgot about it. I found it again a few weeks ago when I was cleaning out my vanity and fell in love again. I even found a better way to wear it. I used to just use it as blush, but now I layer it over my bronzer and it gives the most natural finish and keeps my bronzer from looking too matte. I'll show you pics of this later.

And how stunning is the veining!?

Benefit High Beam, Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush, and Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer.

Whenever I'm breaking out because of stress I try to focus on concealing and illuminating, highlighting the good areas on my skin and concealing the bad. I found the Sally Hansen Carmindy concealer at the Dollar Store (I'll post a haul in a bit) and I love it!!! I completely gets out the red or the purple!!! It can look a bit heavy so I only really use it on pimples, not all over the face.

L to R: Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush and Benefit High Beam.

I love these two highlighters. I actually bought both of them because I couldn't ever find the Boots No. 7 Highlighting Lotion at Target, and I actually found the Shiseido one at TJMaxx for around $16! I usually just use them in the inner corners, cheekbones, and the cupids bow. I find that the pink highlighters don't work on the brow for me. They just end up looking unnatural. I use the Shiseido one when I need a more subtle highlight and the Benefit one when I want a little bit more oomph.

And I love the packaging of the Shiseido one!!! So chic and pretty!

Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer.

I've always been a bit skeptic about color correcting concealers. Before this one, just about every single one would look unnatural, even under regular concealer or foundation. This one doesn't. It blends in seamlessly and looks barely there, even without regular concealer over it. It doesn't look too yellow either, which I like. I actually wanted the lavender version of this concealer, but they didn't have it :(

L to R: Chanel Glossimer in Seashell and Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush.

I've been wearing one of these every single day. That says a lot because I'm not really much of a lip person. I easily get annoyed with something sticky or something that transfers easily. For me, Nude Blush is the perfect my-lips-but-better color. It barely shows up but evens out my lips and gives me just a bit more color. Oddly enough, it also makes my eyes look bluer, which I love!

L to R: Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush and Chanel Glossimer in Seashell.

I love the formulas of both as well. Nude Blush smells like watermelon and goes on very thin, almost like a thin balm. It's very moisturizing. The formula of the Chanel Glossimers is unlike any other lip gloss I've ever used. It's more gel than liquid, a bit thicker but not sticky and always very shiny!!!

Swatches:

Top to bottom: Chanel Glossimer in Seashell and Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush.

Top to bottom: Benefit High Beam and Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush.

Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer.

It looks a lot more yellow than it actually is when blended out. I'll do a full review to show just how well it works!!!

Top To bottom: NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent, MAC MSF in Petticoat: lightest shade, middle shade, darkest shade, and all swirled together.

That's it for March. No special perfume and you already saw my hair favorites earlier! Hauls and reviews coming up!

{RIP} DDF, Astrale Paris, Olay, Suave, Herbal Essences, H20+, and Lubriderm!

2011-04-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

A collective RIP!!! A few of these were in my last hair care post so refer there for my thoughts.

The new additions:

Olay Clarify and Cleanse Daily Scrub

This is a great cleanser for those who need some acne treatment but don't want to deal with dry patches. It leaves my skin feeling very very clean. As an exfoliator, it's ok. It is definitely more for gradual daily exfoliation than heavy duty scrubbing, but whether that's a good thing or not depends on your skin. If you have sensitive skin, a gentle daily exfoliator may be more for you. I will be putting up a full review of this cleanse. I've had the pics for a while now but just haven't had the time to actually sit down and write the review haha!

Lubriderm Advanced Therapy for Extra-Dry Skin

This stuff works better on my hands than any other hand cream I've ever tried. It goes on thick, but absorbs quickly and isn't really greasy like other lotions. It's not specifically meant for hands, but that's what I've been using it for. I've always got it in my bag and it comes in handy all day long! Highly recommend!

DDF Aloe Toning Complex

Yeah, this one is completely gone, down to the letters on the bottle lol! I love this stuff and I've talked about it a lot in past posts. I don't know if I will repurchase because it is kinda pricey, but I am definitely going to keep and refill the bottle! I love how fine of a mist it sprays out!

Astrale Paris Toning Lotion

Astrale Paris isn't a very well known brand at all. I actually found this lotion at TJMaxx for $1, when retail is $12 I think, so definitely a deal!

What made me love it is the fact that it is alcohol free. It would just give my skin this boost of hydration under my moisturizer. And if I used it to make sure that my cleanser had removed all of my makeup it didn't strip my skin like other toners have. If I can find it in store again I will definitely repurchase!

March Favorites will be up later today!!!

{Samples} Target Beauty Is My Bag Sampler

2011-03-30T15:55:00.001-07:00

I don't know if you guys had the chance to take part in Targets promotion, but I really hope you did. My sister actually filled out the form for me to get this sampler so I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived in the mail! Basically, it's a cute makeup bag from Sonia Kashuk filled with a bunch of samples and even a full sized lip balm from Neutrogena!

The clutch is really cute too! I'm not really into prints, but I do like it! I think you can actually buy this one at Target if you want. It's a bit smaller than I like than I like for a makeup bag, but I've still been using it a lot.

It came packed with lots of little goodies!!!

The inside is also patterned with the Sonia Kashuk logo, which is cute.

What came in mine:

L to R: Coupon booklet, Revlon Colorburst Gloss sample in Hot Pink, Frederik Fekkai Shea Butter Shampoo and Conditioner sample, full size Neutrogena Naturals Lip Balm, Pantene Shampoo sample, Nivea Hydration Express sample.

So yeah, quite a lot of little goodies! I was most surprised by the Nivea Hydration Express lotion. It's very light but very moisturizing so I might pick it up when I finish my current lotions, which are Philosophy's Grace and H2O + Intensive Moisturizing Gel.

I was also surprised that they gave out a full size lip balm, especially since it's form a new range. I really like it too! It has a fresh minty feel to it!

Lots of good coupons too! Some highlights:

I bought their new dry shampoo with this! Love it!

They also had CoverGirl, hair color, hair care samples and more. I'm definitely gonna use them!!! I think everyone got the same stuff, but if you got something different in your sampler lemme know in comments! More reviews coming soon, as well as March favorites and a haul!

{Random Favorites} 3 Cheap & Effective Hair Care Products

2011-03-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

The

Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Conditioner, Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo, and H2O+ Hair Repair Seaweed Masque.

So before leaving for spring break I realized that I never really do hair care posts. So I went and looked through my hair stuff and realized I use a lot of fairly effective products that came from the drugstore or were purchased at a low price elsewhere. My hair is very thick and very straight, so it tends to get oily pretty quickly. Therefore, I look for products that effectively clean and moisturize my hair without leaving it feeling greasy and heavy.

1. Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo

I love this stuff. I don't know what I will do if Suave ever decides to discontinue making it, but it is super cheap (I got the family size bottle for $2) and super effective. What a clarifying shampoo does, for those of you who have never used one before, is clean out all of the left behind hair oil, product, spray, etc. If you use a lot of hair sprays, gels, leave in conditioners, etc, they all leave a little bit of residue in the hair which builds up overtime weighing hair down, leaving it dull, etc. This shampoo gets rid of all that gunk and leaves my hair feeling really really clean. If you have dry to normal hair however, I would not recommend using a clarifying shampoo too often (more than once or twice every two to three weeks) because it can strip the natural oils right of your hair and damage it.

Now, Suave says that this is a daily shampoo. It's not. What I actually did was add a teaspoon of vinegar to my bottle which also helps clean the hair. I use this shampoo no more than once a week. I used to use this shampoo twice a month at home but at school I use it once a week. I swear they have hard water or something in the dorms cause my hair has been so bad lately, very heavy and its been getting greasy a lot faster. And I have thick hair which says a lot.

The odd thing I find with the ingredients list is that instead of using acetic acid, which is what is in vinegar that allows it to clarify hair if added to shampoo, Suave uses citric acid, which from what I've read is not as effective. If you want to make your own clarifying shampoo simply add one to two tea spoons of vinegar into you bottle and shake very well. It doesn't really make it smell worse either. But Suave really is a cheap and fairly effective clarifying shampoo if you are looking for a no-frills product.

2. Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Conditioner

I've tried the shampoo that comes with this but I didn't really notice much of a difference with it. I do like this conditioner though. I have really straight hair so it doesn't leave my hair looking tousled at all, but rather leaves my hair feeling moisturized but very light as well. I've noticed that with this conditioner my hair is easier to style, especially to curl. I have pin straight hair which resists any type of curling, but this conditioner makes it very easy to work with my hair. It's very light weight.

And it smells so good! Not a very strong scent, but very pleasant when showering. I never used to trust Herbal Essences because their products reminded me a lot of the Garnier shampoos which did absolutely nothing for my hair. I'm really glad I tried this one though cause it works very well for my hair type. And very cheap too, around $3.50!

3. H2O+ Hair Repair Seaweed Masque

Now, I know that H2O+ isn't a cheap brand or a drugstore brand, but I really only purchase what I find of them at Marshall's or TJMaxx, and I see this one there all the time for around $4.99, which isn't to bad at all. I don't think you can purchase this from their website anymore but check out your Marshall's or TJMaxx, because I've seen these there and have been buying them there for the past two years.If you rally can't find it, several drugstore brands like L'Oreal or Garnier have those little pots of hair masks. They are similar, but I really like the convenience of using a squeeze tube.

I've been using this so much that it's almost gone :( Will definitely repurchase! :)

What this is is a hair mask or conditioner, depending on the way you use it. I use it as a conditioner and it leaves my hair feeling sooooo moisturized! Every now and then my hair starts to feel very dry, damaged, dull, lifeless, etc, and I use this and presto! Hair is great again. The one thing I don't like is the smell. It has a very herbal, almost medicinal smell to it. It's not too overpowering and the smell doesn't really linger after you are done showering, but still kinda gross.

You can either use it as a mask by leaving it in for 5 to 10 mins in towel dried hair or you can use it as a conditioner. The way I condition is I was my hair first, put it in, clip my hair up, and then wash my face/body, shave, etc, and then wash it off at the end of the shower. If I put it into damp hair as a mask then my hair feels heavy and gets greasier faster because it's a bit too rich for my thick, straight hair. As a conditioner it works like a charm!

That's it for now! I'll finally have another Tip Thursday up again later today!

{RIP} Elizabeth Taylor

2011-03-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

(photo)

I couldn't blog today without giving homage to one of the greatest beauty icons ever to live. A lot of people have come and gone, changing the style, the "it" product, the look, but no one person has had as great an impact on the world of beauty as Elizabeth Taylor. And not just in beauty and film either. During her life time she raised more than 100 MILLION dollars for AIDS. She will truly be missed, both for her iconic beauty and her great charitable works.

And I couldn't finish off this post without mentioning Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe's odd beauty secret: shaving their face to exfoliate. Would you ever try it?

{Review} Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer (For Combo Skin)

2011-03-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably know how much I love gel moisturizers, especially those from Clinique. I've gone through several bottles of their Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel and their Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief Moisturizer. However, while my skin feels better, they make my wallet ache. As far as moisturizers go, they aren't as expensive as other brands. But, for what they are, mildly moisturizing gels, they are a bit pricey. So, when I came across Neutrogena's Oil-Free Moisturizer for Combination Skin, I just had to try it. A friend of mine who has tried it said it was a gel moisturizer so I just had to give it a try. And shocker: it's actually pretty good!

Important: although this moisturizer says it's for combo skin, it really will only work well for people with strictly oily skin. I've tried it on several friends with combo skin and it does absolutely nothing for their dry areas.

What it claims:

"Noncomedogenic, alcohol-free, allergy tested, fragrance-free, moisturizes dry areas, won't make oily areas shiny, and will keep oily areas matte throughout the day." That is a lot. For a drugstore moisturizer that cost $11.99, that is a lot. Heck for my HG Clinique stuff that's a lot lol! But we'll see...

Ok, so one thing I'm loving about this moisturizer is the pump. I've never been a fan of the Clinique DD Gel pump because the square shape makes using the pump a bit awkward. That and it dispenses too small of an amount in one pump, but two pumps is a teeny bit too much. This pump gives a generous amount with one pump that is enough for the face and the neck. And the bottle fits comfortably in the hand.

A swatch:

This is one pump. As you can see, it's a liquidy gel formula that is quite thin.

And rubbed in:

It absorbs right into the skin within a minute. It doesn't leave any kind of greasy film or anything like that, so there is no shine on the skin right after you apply it. Now, Neutrogena claims that this moisturizer will control shine throughout the day. Well, it doesn't. In fact, I've yet to come across a moisturizer that actually controls shine. I've used DDF, Clinique, Lancome, Estee Lauder, etc. They may claim to do so, but none of the ones I've used so far have actually kept my face from getting shiny. With this moisturizer my face gets shiny in about the same amount of time it usually does. It I apply it at 7 am, when I'm usually getting ready, then my face will get shiny around noon. It doesn't make my face greasy though because it does absorb quickly, but that's not the same as keeping my face matte.

It's also important to note that Neutrogena also claims that this moisturizer will moisturize dry areas on combo skin types. Well, it doesn't. In fact, if you have combo skin I wouldn't use this product at all. I've tried it on several of my friends who have combo skin and most of them said that the areas where they had some dryness this moisturizer did nothing, even when I applied an extra layer. I've read a lot of reviews on this moisturizer online as well, and people with combo skin rated this product low while people with oily skin rated it high. This moisturizer is basically a mild day moisturizer for people with oily skin. It is good for people with oily skin because we tend to have fairly well moisturized skin to begin with so we don't need as much moisture. People with combo skin, however, have areas on their faces which do need a bit more moisture which this moisturizer will not deliver.

What I also like about this moisturizer is that it layers fairly well under makeup as well. Sometimes whenI layer moisturizers under makeup my face tends to get oilier faster. Not so with this moisturizer. It absorbs within a minute and leaves my face well hydrated for makeup. The only problem I now have is that it doesn't have an SPF, just like the Clinique version, so I've been mixing this with my Neutrogena Liquid Sunblock. Both formulas are so thin that for the most part they do not make my face oilier. That being said, I've been testing them out at the end of winter so my face tends to be a bit less oily to begin with. When summer comes I'll probably use less of the moisturizer, but for now it works well for me.

In the end, a great moisturizer for people with only oily skin, not so for those with combo skin. It is very similar to Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. For the price, I'd actually say the better buy!

Pros:

-Light weight.

-Doesn't clog pores.

-Didn't break me out.

-Layers well under makeup.

-No strong scent.

-Doesn't make my face oily.

-Good price.

-Absorbs very quickly.

Cons:

-Doesn't mattify like it claims.

-Doesn't moisturize dry areas like it claims.

-No SPF.

Info:

Price: $11.99

Ingredients: Water, Cyclomethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Methyl Methacrylate Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate, Lysine Thiazolidine Carboxylate, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Silica, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Benzalkonium Chloride.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in comments.

{Review} Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

2011-03-21T06:26:00.000-07:00

So a while ago I ran out of my eye makeup remover. I was using the Moisturizing Liquid Eye Makeup Remover from Almay. And while I really liked it, it lasted so long that when I finally finished it I was itching to try something new, so I got the Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover from Mary Kay.

Now, Mary Kay isn't a brand that I've tried very much, only a handful of products over the past few years because my aunt was in love with their stuff. I think one of the main reasons I never really got into it is availability. I really dislike that I can't just got to the store and see/feel/swatch the products myself. Relying on catalog pictures really puts a damper on the shopping experience. That and I think the picture people get when they think Mary Kay is of the older woman. I don't know many people my age that use Mary Kay, but I know my mom and my aunts love the stuff. However, a friend of mine sells Mary Kay now and I finally gave into the urge and tried out a few things from them, the biggie being the eye makeup remover.

Now the unique thing about this bi phased eye makeup removers is that it doesn't contain oil. Usually, one layer is a water (with preservatives, scents, etc) and the other is an oil. With this eye makeup remover one layer is still the water but the other contains silicone. Now, this does make a difference. While the oil actually melts away and dissolves oil/wax based mascaras and eyeliners, etc, silicone products, I think, make it easier to rub them off. The way I realized this was when I noticed that if I just soaked a pad with this remover and placed it over my eye for a minute and then tried to gently slide it off, my eyeliner and mascara were pretty much still there. If I put it on a q-tip and tubbed, voila it was gone! With my Almay oil based remover, I didn't have to rub if I didn't want to.

IMPORTANT: This is a silicone based product. If you have allergies/reactions to silicone based foundations, PRIMERS, etc, this will not be the product for you!

What it actually looks like:

It looks pink in the container, but I think that's the plastic it comes in. The actual remover is clear. I like this new chic packaging much better than the older packaging which looked a bit dated.

You can clearly see the two layers in this pic.

The way this bi phased product works is that you have to shake it up before using it every time. If you don't shake it you'll only get one of the layers and it doesn't work as well.

Shake just a little=pretty!

If you shake it just a little you get this pretty, shimmery bubbly effect!

Pretty, right?

Before shaking:

It's clear.

After shaking:

It's no longer transparent, more milky looking.

The dispenser:

I actually don't like this mode of dispensing. With my Almay one I could just dip a q-tip in, one per eye, and be done. With this, you actually have to pour the product out. Whenever I tried aiming at the q-tip I would end up wasting a lot so now I just pour some on a makeup wipe and rub all over my eyes. I have found that I still use a lot more that I did with my Almay remover.

A comparison:

Almay is on the left, Mary Kay is on the right. Now, you may say that it protects against spillage, but I'm not much of a klutz. I had the Almay remover for close to a year, but never spilled it. I tried removing the stopper with the hole in it (idk what you call it lol) but then when I would close the remover it would leak out of the container, so I stuck it back in.

As a makeup remover, this product works. It will remove the makeup. It removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner and the like. The issue I have with it is how it removes it. I don't like having to rub my eyes a lot. It's different with a q-tip because I'm mostly rubbing the lash line, not the actual skin. I wear contacts and since I've started wearing them my eyes (and the skin around them) have been very very sensitive to things like sunlight, sudden changes in light, glitter, powder, and of course rubbing. I've also read in other peoples reviews that a lot of people have had reactions to this remover. I don't know if it's just the silicone in it or what, but if you have sensitive skin or eyes I would do a patch test before using it because I've heard a lot of people having issues with itching, burning, hives like bumps, etc.

In addition, I hate how much product I end up wasting with each use. If I was able to use this on a q-tip I would not be using any where near as much. Because I have to pour it on a towelette or a cotton pad or ball, I end up using more product for the same result. Since it's not exactly cheap, this becomes a problem real fast for me.

If you don't mind rubbing, this makeup remover will work for you. However, even then there are several oil-free makeup removers at the drugstore which will work just as well and for a fraction of the cost.

Pros:

-Removes waterproof makeup.

-Isn't greasy.

-Doesn't leave a residue.

-Pretty! The packaging and the bubbles lol!

-No strong smell.

Cons:

-Silicone based.

-Requires rubbing to be effective.

-Have to shake every single time before using.

-Inefficient dispenser for those who like to use q-tips to remove makeup.

-Expensive (not as much as Lancome's Bi-Facil, but Lancome's works better too).

Info:

Price: $15

Ingredients: WATER, CYCLOTETRASILOXANE, ISOHEXADECANE, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM CHLORIDE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, DISODIUM EDTA, POLOXAMER 184, BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in comments.

{Review} Revlon PhotoReady Translucent Finisher

2011-03-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks ago I dropped my Stila pressed powder and it shattered :( So I went out and decided to try something a bit cheaper. I do still have my NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder, but I needed something a bit more convenient and portable than a loose powder. I had a dollar off coupon for a Revlon item so I picked up their PhotoReady Translucent Finisher and while it's a good setting powder, I still don't get why there is GLITTER in it!?!?!?

All it is is a translucent pressed powder that is supposed to matte the skin and set makeup.

Notice that it doesn't say anything about it being illuminating or anything like that.

Now, from a distance it doesn't look like there's any thing in this powder other than well, powder.

If you look closer (and feel free to click the image to zoom in) you can clearly see glitter!!! To me that totally defies the purpose of the powder. I have oily skin. The last thing I want to put all over my face is something glittery.

A swatch:

I swatched it a bit thicker and if you zoom in you can clearly see glitter. To be fair, the glitter isn't that noticeable when you first apply. Unless you're out in the sun you probably won't even notice it. However, I do notice it when I see myself getting oily. By then the actual powder is gone and what sticks to my oily skin is the glitter from the powder. Then it is definitely noticeable. Revlon says the purpose of the glitter is to diffuse light in photography, but what I've always been told when getting pictures done is to avoid glitter/shimmer anything on the face because they tend to reflect light and in flash photography make the face look unnaturally light.

Now, just because it has glitter in it doesn't mean that it is a total fail. If it wasn't for the glitter then it would be a very very good setting powder. It goes on almost completely translucent, more transparent than other powders I've tried. Sometimes powders can sit on the skin, or attach to those teeny hairs on the face and look very obvious. I like this one because it is so finely milled that it is almost completely invisible. And it does keep me completely matte for at least 3 hrs, which isn't bad. It's not the best, but certainly not as bad as a powder I used fromAlmay a while back which actually made me look oily within an hour and a half. The powder itself is very very soft and does give the skin a smooth appearance.

If you have normal or dry skin this powder may work for you. If you have oily skin, I say be careful. You may not notice the glitter, but I have oily skin and I definitely did, in the pan and on the skin. For $12.99 retail, I expect a powder to be perfect. That's actually more than I pay for my Estee Luder Powder re-fills and they work better for me.

Pros:

-Very finely milled.

-Gives the face a smooth appearance.

-Mattifys for a decent amount of time.

-Is almost completely transparent.

-Doesn't emphasize hairs.

Cons:

-Has GLITTER in it.

-Is expensive for a drugstore powder ($12.99).

-Brush that comes with it is useless.

-Packaging is unnecessarily large/bulky (for a pressed powder).

Info:

Price: $12.99 (Pushing it for a drugstore product, I think.)

Ingredients:

Mica, Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Zinc Stearate, Silica, Dimethicone, Nylon 12, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polyethylene, Octyldodecyl Glycol Grapeseedate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Saccharomyces Calcium Ferment, Saccharomyces Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces Potassium Ferment, Saccharomyces Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces Magnesium Ferment, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lauryl Lysine, Dimethiconol, Methoxypropylgluconamide, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract (Matricaria), Punica Granatum Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Nereocystis Leutkeana Extract, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Alumina, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid (A Preservative), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in comments.

Update! I'm not dead, lol!

2011-03-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

First off, I'm so sorry for the week long absence. If you guys knew what I went through this past week with school, my friends, etc. I don't really feel comfortable blabbing about it in a post, but this past week was INSANE!!! ANd mostly not in a good way, lol! Anyhow, I'm off for spring break all week and I will definitely be posting a lot more! I hope all of you had an awesome St. Patricks day! Hopefully you guys got the chance to go out and have some fun! So yeah, just wanted to let you guys know I'm not dead or anything lol! New posts will be up starting tomorrow! And again, really really sorry for the long absence!

{Haul} Sephora, Target, Xmas Tree Shop!

2011-03-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

Top to bottom: Nars E/S in Mekong, Palladio Eye Ink in Navy, Benefit High Beam, and Lavera Trend Sensitive Lip Gloss in No.3 Berry.

Another haul! I stopped by the mall and just couldn't resist these four items which I've been eyeing for some time.

1. Sephora:

Nars Eyeshadow in Mekong and Benefit High Beam To-Go.

Nars Eyeshadow in Mekong.

I've been wanting this eyeshadow ever since they first released it. It's a blackened brown with golden shimmer in it, and it is absolutely stunning. It's very versatile because depending on how you apply it you can get completely different effects. As you can see, I couldn't resist trying it out a few times, haha!

I've been wanting Benefit's High Beam for a while now as well, but I just couldn't justify buying the full size because as someone with oily skin, the probability that I would go through even half of the bottle is very small. I was really happy when they came out with the to-go size!!! Only $10 too!

Swatches:

Nars Mekong and Benefit High Beam.

2. Target

Lavera Lip Gloss in No. 3, Berry.

I don't know if this brand is stocked in every target, but Lavera is a bit on the higher end and they offer natural and organic products. I'm very wary when I see a brand sold in, for all intents and purposes, a drugstore, claiming to be organic or natural, but I was sucked in with the gorgeous color!

Lavera Lip Gloss in No. 3 Berry.

A swatch:

It doesn't look like a berry color, but on the lips it just gives enough color to look full and sophisticated. I love how this color looks with just some navy liquid liner. Stunning!

3. Christmas Tree Shop

Palladio Eye Ink in Navy.

I don't know if you guys shop at Christmas Tree Shop, but the one at my mall has a full cosmetics section, just like the ones you see at the drugstore. They stock the bigger brands like L'Oreal, Maybelline, and Revlon, but also smaller brands like Prestige and Palladio. They also have brushes from Ecotools and a bunch of other brands I would only get at Sally Beauty Supply. What sucked me in is that the liners in the Palladio display had testers and I was pleasantly surprised by the small size of the Eye Ink liners felt tip applicator. I'll do a full review later but I definitely suggest you check these out!

A swatch:

Don't be mislead by the swatch. I didn't fully read the label so I hadn't shaken it before swatching. I'll do a full review with better swatches! I really like this liner and am definitely gonna go get more colors. There area a lot of shades!

Well, that's it for the haul! Nothing major, but I thought I'd share anyway!

{Favorites} February 2011

2011-03-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

So here are February Favorites! I know, a little late but everything's been so hectic lately that this is the fastest I could get them out. Not as many as last month, but I've been using a lot of the same so I figured I'd skip the repeats.

1. Skincare

L to R: Nature's Gate C For Yourself Serum, Philosophy Grace Perfumed Body Lotion, The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue Lotion.

I've really been loving all three. I'm almost done with the Philosophy Grace lotion (you can't tell, but trust me on that) and I'm thinking about getting the full size. I put this on right after I get out of the shower, all over, and it makes me smell like I've spent the day at the beach! So pretty! I always get compliments when I wear this.

The C For Yourself serum is a bit heavier than I like a serum to be so I haven't been wearing it during the day but rather at night underneath my regular moisturizer. It's a re-texturizing serum and in the morning my skin feels really smooth like I've exfoliated.

The texture of The Body Shops Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue cream is unlike anything I've ever tried before. It's more solid than a regular lotion, but almost has the consistency of a balm, but softer. It smells amazing though and makes my feet feel so smooth and soft. I put this on before bed, a thick layer, and wear socks. I wake up in the morn with the most soft and supple feet.

L to R: Nature's Gate C For Yourself Serum, Philosophy Grace, and The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue.

2. Makeup

Clockwise: Dior 5 Color Eyeshadow in Earth Reflection, Nars Single Eyeshadow in Nepal, and L.A. Colors 12 Color E/S Palette in Traditional.

I've really been into neutrals this month. I never really go nuts with eyeshadow but I usually wear a mix of neutrals and a shade of purple or navy. This past month has really just ben neutrals. I've especially been loving pairing my Nars shadow in Nepal with any of the shades from the L.A. Colors 12 Color Palette in Traditional. If you remember, I got this palette for $1 (!!!), but it is really an awesome neutral palette. The Dior palette is great too, but it can bee a bit to shimmery for day so I've been using it at night with a liquid liner.

3. Hair Care:

Garnier Nutrient Spray and H2O Spa Hair Repair Seaweed Mask and Conditioner

I've been using the H2O Seaweed Mask and Conditioner as a hair conditioner. If I use it as a mask it is a bit too heavy for my thick hair. As you can see I'm almost done and I definitely will repurchase this one. It doesn't smell the best, kinda herbal-y, but my hair feels really healthy after I use it.

The Garnier Nutrient Spray is one of those products that has the dual layer (like Lancome's famous Bi-Facil makeup remover). You shake it up and then spray. I use this on damp towel dried hair before I blow dry. If I use it on dry hair I have to be careful not to spritz too much or my hair will be too oily. On dry hair one spray is enough to give me some shine. On damp hair I spray 3 times, rub it in, and then blow dry. My hair ends up looking very very healthy and shiny. You have to remember to shake it before using it otherwise the oil and water based ingredients won't work together.

4. Perfume

Marc Jacobs Splash in Gardenia

All this is is a body spray. It smells amazing. My favorite flower is the white gardenia. I love how they smell and look and everything lol! This spray is light and perfect for everyday use. I layer this over the Philosophy Grace lotion after I shower and then maybe another perfume like my Chance by Chanel. People always ask what I'm wearing when I wear this, especially when I layer it over Philosophy Grace. If you want an inexpensive dupe for this, Bodycology has a body spray in white gardenia. It's around $4 and it smells exactly the same only a little bit stronger. They actually have an entire line of lotions, sprays etc with the white gardenia scent. I've reviewed the lotion from the collection.

I've been using this for most of the month and I've barely made a dent in the MASSIVE bottle. You get an astounding 10 fl oz!!! I've only used a tiny bit over a cm, so this is going to last me forever.

That's it for February! I'll be posting a haul later today so stay tuned!

Happy International Women's Day!

2011-03-08T18:44:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to wish all of my readers a very happy March 8th! I'm Russian so I do celebrate it even though I live in the US. Also, sorry for being MIA this past week and a half. Everything has just been soooo crazy at uni. I was gone for 5 days but I feel like I left for a month. Anyhow, new posts tomorrow, starting with Feb favorites and a Sephora haul!

{Tip Thursday} Traveling With Skincare and Makeup

2011-03-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

So traveling with makeup and skin care items can be tricky. There are many restrictions on what you can and can't bring in your carry on, I worry about things breaking, spilling, cracking, etc, and this is how I pack to prevent that from happening. Keep in mind that while this may work for me, you may want to take a few more precautions, especially if you are going to be bringing expensive items with you. I'll have some more tips at the very end of the post about cracking powders, etc, so make sure you read till the end.

1. Airport Rules

-According to the 2011 rules, you are only allowed to bring liquids or gels that are 3oz in size or less in your carry on. If you want to bring something larger than 3 oz you can, you just have to put it in your checked luggage.

-If you re bringing liquids or gels on the plane, they have to be in a clear bag 1 quart in size or smaller and each passenger can only bring one 1 qt bag with them.

It's pretty simple, really. Just make sure to check the sizes of your containers because you will be surprised that quite a few of liquid or gel skin care products are less than 3 oz to begin with so you may not even have to repackage them. I checked luggage so I didn't have to worry too much about this. I did repackage some items cause I didn't want to be lugging around a huge thing of skincare and makeup because if your checked luggage exceeds 50 lbs then you have to pay more than the regular $25 fee (at LaGuardia). IMPORTANT: always check the TSA or the airport website the night before to make sure that you aren't surprised by any changes in policy. It takes 2 mins and can save you a lot of time and hassle later.

2. Makeup: What To Bring

As a general rule, I like to bring the basics, all in one products (or multipurpose products) and nothing I would be devastated about if it is lost or breaks.

What I brought to St. Lousi

Revlon Eyelash Curler, Sephora Professional Eye Primer, Pixi Eye Bright Liner in Nude, Pangea Organics Ecocentric Pyrenees Lavender Lip Balm, Shiseido Lipstick in RS701 Serenity, Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara in Black, Lancome Artliner in Black, Chanel Lipstick in Darling (sample size), Josie Maran The Wildflowers Palette, CoverGirl Clean Foundation for oily skin, and Calvin Klein Bronzer in Summer Affaire. (Not pictured: NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder).

Josie Maran The Wildflowers Palette, CoverGirl Clean Foundation, CK Summer Affaire Bronzer.

I chose items that I either can't go without like my current foundation or favorite bronzer, or products that are very multipurpose. This Josie Maran palette is very small so it's very convenient for travel but it also has everything I need for an everyday look as well as an edgier night look.

And you can see my cute Victorias Secret Pink pjs, lol!

Lips:

Pangea Orgnics Ecocentric Lip Balm in Pyrenees Lavender, Shiseido Lipstick in RS701 Serenity, and Chanel Darling Lipstick (deluxe sample).

For lips, I don't usually go dark so I just brought my everyday color, which is anything like Chanel Darling, and something a bit more nude for an evening out.

Swatches:

Pyrenees Lavender Lip Balm, Shiseido Lipstick in Serenity RS701, Chanel Darling Lipstick.

Eyes:

Lancome Artliner in Plum, Shiseido Liner in 07 Brown, Pixi Eye Bright Liner in Nude, Sephora Professional Eye Primer, and Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara in Black.

For eyes, I choose products I know work for me. I brought the one Josie Maran shadow palette and then just chose fool proof products that I knew would compliment the shades. When you're away traveling the last thing you want to worry about is how to apply your makeup so just go for what you know works for you. Just make sure you bring something like liquid liner so that if you need to go from day to night in two mins you can..

A white or nude liner is especially handy if you spend a lot of nights out or are just tired and jet lagged. A little on the waterline and in the inner corners makes a world of difference.

3. Repackage items in smaller more portable containers.

Face powder:

I love NYC's Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, but lets face it, the thing is HUGE. Not to mention the fact that the lid pull of, but doesn't screw off which has the potential for a huge mess.

My solution:

I bought a $4 travel sifter at Sephora and put about a teaspoon inside. I would advise with loose powders that you tape the holes in the sifter shut so that when you open it you aren't surprised to find all of the powder above the sifter.

Eye cream:

I love the little sample containers from Sephora. They're free and the perfect size for a few days supply of any cream.

Face moisturizers:

From this:

Large irregular containers. The serum is in a glass jar as well, so it is in danger of breaking.

To this:

Just make sure to label the bottom of the contact cases so you remember what is in what. And make sure the container is clean.

Face wash:

I put a weeks supply of my facial cleanser into a 1 oz jar from a used up moisturizer. This is how much was left after I came back, so I got the amount just right. I like the screw on jars better than the squeeze tubes because the squeeze tubes with the flip tops tend to come open.

Things you can't really repackage:

You need to shake the sunblock before using, so don't bother with that. The texture of the foundation is very thick so it doesn't pour easily so I didn't bother trying to get it out into a smaller container.

Eye makeup remover--you want the child proof cap so that it doesn't leak an oil into all of your stuff. You can bring makeup wipes but I don't think they work on eye makeup as well as an oil based makeup remover. As far as perfume goes, take a roller or a travel spritzer. It's still glass, but smaller than the full size bottle. Just make sure to wrap it very well. My favorite toner spray is the DDF Aloe Toning Spray, and I took it in the original packaging cause the spray is finer than the one on any travel spray container. I use it multiple times every single makeup application so it's worth it to me to bring the full size.

4. Hair Care

Save all of those little samples you get at the drugstore or in the mail. It's a lot easier than bringing your own full size products. And while hotel samples are getting better, not all of them are the best quality.

5. Invest in Ziplock Baggies

I just used the regular sandwich size cause I wasn't bringing any of this stuff in a carry on. Basically, anything you worry about spilling/breaking/leaking should go in a plastic baggie. Trust me, there is nothing worse than having a foundation bottle break in your suitcase. Nothing.

You can just put any cotton pads, q-tips or anything in a ziplock as well, no need to buy the travel packs if you already have everything you need.

6. Find a nice, mid-sized makeup case.

IMPORTANT: The way to make sure that nothing breaks or cracks is by packaging your items so that nothing shakes or jiggles. If there is a lot of room between the items they will hit each other causing powders to crack and glass items to break. This is how I keep my powder eyeshadows, bronzer, etc, from breaking. I don't bother putting cotton balls/pads inside the containers. I've never had a powder eyeshadow or anything like that break for me while traveling if I make sure to pack the stuff very tightly.

I fit ALL of what I showed you in this post in a medium sized makeup case from Estee Lauder that I got with a gift with purchase a long time ago. It is the perfect size, not too big and not too small. I also like that it has the handle above. It makes carrying it easier and I don't have to worry about dropping it. If you're going for less than 2 weeks then there is no reason why you should need to bring more than this much makeup.

I know this was a very long post but I hope I gave some useful tips! If you have any other tips or tricks for getting your stuff to and from your destination in one piece don't hesitate to let me know in comments!

You Can Now Follow Me On Bloglovin'!!!

2011-02-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

I just added my blog! The link is in the side bar so please take a minute and subscribe if you aren't already subscribed to this blog some other way. Or even if you are lol! I'm super excited!!! And if you guys know of any other super interesting makeup blogs on Bloglovin' lemme know in comments!

{One Month Later} DDF Aloe Toning Complex

2011-02-27T10:58:00.001-08:00

The purpose of this post is just to show you guys how quickly I go through some products. I find that I go through toner faster than any other skin care product. I use my all time favorite toner, the DDF Aloe Toning Complex spray to set my makeup (if it looks to powdery), lightly moisturize if I don't have enough time/skin's too oily for moisturizer, or just refresh my face during the day. I love this toner and am very sad that they no longer sell the 4.5 oz bottle at Sephora, only the 8 oz which is too big.

1 month ago:

This pic was taken a month ago when I did my January favorites post.

Yesterday:

This pic I took yesterday after noticing that it's almost gone:(

My friends love this stuff too. I have a friend who wears a lot of powder product on her face which can make her look over done. One time I just took this out (I carry it in my tote) and showed her the difference it made to spray this after she powdered. She was amazed at how smooth and flawless her makeup looked, how the powder just melted into her skin. I highly recommend doing this if you think your powder looks too heavy. You don't have to buy the DDF one. I really like Olay's Witch Hazel toner, and it's only around $3.50. Just pour it into a spray bottle and you're good to go!

{Review} Smith's Rose Bud Salve

2011-02-26T19:29:00.000-08:00

I've always liked rose flavored balms. The first I ever tried was some no name brand one I got in some little shop when I was on Brighton Beach in NY. Since then I've tried quite a few, the last being C.O. Bigelow's Rose Salve (review here). I really liked it and it lasted forever. This time I decided to try Smith's Rose Bud salve. For all intents and purposes, it's almost the exact same product from formula to packaging to scent.

I love the vintage looking packaging of this balm. While the C.O. Bigelow one also has the oversize tin, this one seems to have a bit more character. I feel like I found it at some vintage shop :)

I also like how simple the ingredients list is. For some reason the fewer ingredients in a product the more I trust that it's not harmful or too chemically, etc. It is petroleum based (like the Vaseline stuff), so if you really don't want to shell out the money, Vaseline's a pretty good dupe without the rose scent.

Like the C.O. Bigelow balm, it looks pink in the pan, but applies completely clear. And you get a HUGE amount.

A swatch:

As you can see, it's a completely clear balm that has a slightly glossy finish. I like how it has a glossy finish and is a bit thinner than some balms because it makes my lips feel and look more hydrated. I really dislike very waxy balms that look matte. This one looks very natural but with a slight sheen which makes my lips look very healthy.

If you like rose scented products you will love this balm. I do admit that every now and then if I have a headache or something the scent can be a bit cloying, but I am prone to headaches and scents do trigger me. It doesn't smell old lady like or anything like that. I feel like rose scents are sometimes categorized as grandma-ish. This one is light and is gone after a few minutes of wear.

Another thing I like about this balm is how multipurpose it is. You can use it on dry patches, minor burns, cuticles, etc. You need to be hyegenic about it of course and make sure your hands are clean when you dip into the pot.

The only other negatives I can think of with this product are that it's a bit hard to open sometimes and since the balm is so soft you can't leave it in your car or take it to the beach, etc. I left my C.O. Bigelow one in the cup holder sideways and the balm had melted and then set sideways in the container, haha! Other than that it is a good buy and I highly recommend!

Pros:

-Cute vintage/old fashioned packaging.

-Very moisturizing.

-Multipurpose.

-Smells good!

-Glossy finish.

-HUGE amount for cheap price!

Cons:

-Hard to open sometimes.

-Balm is soft so may melt if you leave in the car, etc.

-Packaging unhygenic if you use it on your body and lips or without clean fingers.

Info:

Price: $6

Ingredients: Ingredients Pertolatum, Lanolin Alcohol, Synthetic Wax, Natural Flavor, Artificial Flavor.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in comments!

{Review} Sephora Eyeshadow in Choco Excess

2011-02-26T17:06:00.001-08:00

I don't buy a lot of Sephora brand makeup, so when something really really catches my eye it is usually something spectacular. This color, Choco Excess (number 19) is absolutely STUNNING!!! The problem is everything else about it. Not even the gorgeous color can even come close to making up for how difficult it is to work with this eyeshadow.

Look at this color!!! Click on the pic and zoom in, cause it absolutely gorgeous!!! It's a warm brown loaded with A TON of silvery glitter.

A swatch:

Another swatch:

And now, you can kinda see what I was talking about before. This eyeshadow is HARD. HARD AND CHUNKY AND GRITTY. If I use a brush to apply this product then I end up with not only fallout but also glitter every where all over my face and clothes. If I use a sponge tip applicator (like I used to swatch) same thing happens. If I apply it wet it becomes impossible to blend it out. There's no winning with this eyeshadow!

I don't know why the texture of this shadow is so hard. I've used Sephora brand eyeshadows before and while they've never been my favorite I've never had an eyeshadow be this hard, scratchy, and gritty. Part of the problem is that there is nothing holding the glitter in the shadow so after you blend out the shimmery, glittery goodness of the eyeshadow in the pan doesn't translate onto the eye.

For $12 you cold buy several drugstore eyeshadows that are much better quality than this one from Sephora. Or add a few bucks and get a MAC shadow. I wish I could say I love this shadow cause the color is so pretty and unique, but sadly the formula of it just doesn't cut it.

Pros:

-Very pretty color.

-Reasonably priced.

-Nice packaging.

Cons:

-Gritty and very hard.

-Glitter doesn't stick, ends up EVERYWHERE.

-Hard to work with, even to just et it on a brush.

-Doesn't blend well.

Info:

Price: $12

Ingredients: Polyethylene Terephthalate, Mica, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), Magnesium Myristate, Talc, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), Phenyl Trimethicone, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Diisostearyl Malate, Dimethicone, Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyurethane-11, Phenoxyethanol, Maltodextrin, Sorbic Acid, BHT, CI 77000 (Aluminum Powder), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tin Oxide.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure don't hesitate to ask in comments.

{Haul} Collective Mostly Skincare Haul

2011-02-26T15:59:00.000-08:00

So if you've been reading this blog for a while now, you know I try not to buy too much makeup. Well, in the past month I've really been hauling quite a bit, most of it skin care related. Here's what I got!

1. Sephora:

Sephora Jumbo Pencil in White

Sephora Single Eyeshaodw in Choco Excess

Smith's Rosebud Slave

I had to get that eyeshadow. It is just so shimmery, glittery, and pretty!!! And I finally finished my C.O. Bigelow rose salve a while ago and just now decided to try out another rose salve.

2. Marshall's:

Nature's Gate C For Yourself Serum

Caswell-Massey Revitalizing Cool Cucumber Eye Pads

I got the eye pads for only $0.79 cause I think they thought that someone had tampered with them. It looks like there are only a few in the package but they are very thin and I counted and all 24 were there. I've also really been getting into serums. My ski's been so dull lately that I've really been trying out products designed to smooth and brighten.

3. Ocean State Job Lot:

Nivea Visage Natural Beauty Beautifying Daily Peeling

I was interested in this daily exfoliator because I've been wanting to try Nivea Visage products for a while now but just haven't seen them in any of the stores I usually shop in. There was also an illuminating moisturizer and eye cream, but I didn't get those.

L'Oreal Skin Genesis Deep Purifying Exfoliating Foaming Cleanser

I'm not a huge fan of L'Oreal skin care but the concept of adding clay into a foaming cleanser hooked me. The actual product feels heavier than a normal cleanser of that size. I was definitely interested.

4. Mary Kay:

Oil Free Liquid Makeup Remover

This one I bought from a friend of mine who sells Mary Kay. I finished my Almay Moisturizing Makeup Remover and really wanted to try something different. It's like Lancom's Bi-Facil remover in that it's got the double layer.

5. Target:

Revlon PhotoReady Translucent Finisher in Translucent

While I love my NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, I do need something a bit more portable, so I picked this one up. I'll be doing a full review later because I was a bit surprised by this powder.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for combo skin

A friend of mine told me that this moisturizer is really close to Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel so I had to give it a try. At 4 oz you get a ton of product too.

Reviews on many of these products coming soon! If you've tried any of them let me know what you thought!

{Empties} Almay, Chanel, Revlon, Prescriptives & Psssst

2011-02-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

L to R: Psssst Dry Shampoo, Revlon Blush in Naturally Nude, Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, Prescriptives Camouflage Concealer in Light B/R.

I finished so many products in the past few months! Really super excited! I've really been trying to use more of the same products consistently.

1. Psssst Dry Shampoo- I liked this product, it was actually in my January favorites post, but I don't know if I got a defective bottle or something, but I literally got only five or six uses out of it. Keep in mind that I don't use it all over my head, I just do my bangs and the back of my head for a bit of volume. I picked it up the other day and was shocked to discover it was completely empty.

Top to bottom: Revlon Blush in Naturally Nude, Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, Prescriptives Camouflage Concealer in Light B/R.

2. Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire-I'm actually kind of sad I finished this one. It is probably my all time favorite gloss ever. I've come across similar shades like the Sally Hansen gloss I showed you a while ago, but nothing else gives me the effect this one does.

I can kinda get some if I really work at it, but I can't really get the huge glob of it at the bottom or the top :( Any tips for that?

The formula is unlike any other that I've tried. It's like a gel, not the thin liquid formula of other glosses, but at the same time it's not really sticky.

A swatch:

Look at this shade!!! It's a warm plum but can you see those silvery flecks? The glitter is fine, but the gloss itself doesn't have a frosty shimmer. If you can recommend other glosses like this one, feel free in the comments!

3. Revlon Blush in Naturally Nude-This was one of those products that I really liked when I bought it, but kinda stopped using for no particular reason. It is very light, but since I'm very fair that worked fine for me. It gave me just a bit of color. It's very very slightly frosty which would give my cheeks a glow. I think it's a much lighter version of Nars Decour.

A swatch:

I don't know how well you can see, but the finish is a bit glowy. It shows up better on my face because my face is a bit lighter than the back of my hand.

4. Prescriptives Camouflage Concealer in Light B/R-I liked this concealer a lot because the coverage is very opaque. Just a teeny tiny bit goes a very long way and it's not a drying formula either. There's still a bit in the tube but it's starting to get these little weird hard spots in it, so it's done.

5. Almay Moisturizing Makeup Remover-I just finally finished this stuff. I've had it for almost a year, which is a loooooong time for a makeup remover. I did a full review on this product and put it to the test on several eyeliners if you wanna check out that review. I really recommend this one to anyone trying to find a good makeup remover. I don't think I'll repurchase just because I like to try different products.

St. Louis, MO Pics!

2011-02-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

So the weather was great. i went from 25-30 degree weather in CT with snow to a sunny, comfortable tempt of 65 in St. Louis. The flight was uneventful. We flew American Airlines. It was pretty cramped and smelled kinda funny, but the flight was only around 3 hrs, so not too bad. We weren't delayed either, which was good.

My suitcase:

Navy blue with red and brown accents. I really hate ugly suitcases, like the plastic ones that look like futuristic pods or something.

I got it at TJMax for $40, which is a great price cause it's a bit on the bigger side. Plus, it's different from other suitcases so I don't really have to worry about confusing it with someone elses.

We stayed at the Renaissance Grand, which is a Marriot hotel.

Our rooms were nice and big and I don't know what kind of mattress they had but I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. I tried to check, but they ripped the tags off:(

Another surprise were the samples. They had Aveda samples, which I thought was nice. They smelled very good, too. Well, except for the bar soap.

The arch!

Soooo pretty! We actually went to the top. You pay $10 and they bring you to the top where you look out of these tiny tiny windows.

The view:

It was kinda scary cause you sit in this tiny round pod that holds five people and you kinda get jerked to the top of the arch. If you are claustrophobic or afraid of heights then this is not for you. Otherwise, you'll probably enjoy it. It's cheap too!

In general, I was really really surprised by how clean the city was. It's not like NYC where all you smell is trash. Heck, I didn't even see any trash on the ground which was a first. I was also a bit struck by how deserted the city felt, though. There were a lot of hotels, parking garages, and a few abandoned buildings. But in all, I had a great time! I'' be posting about traveling with makeup later this week. It's a bit of a pic heavy post so it'll take some time to put together.

I'm Back!

2011-02-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

Sorry for not posting at all while I was away. The hotel I stayed at charged a ridiculous amount for internet service per night and I wouldn't be reimbursed for it. I will upload some pics of what I did in St. Louis as well as my beauty routine and how I packed!

Leaving For Missouri Tomorrow Morn!

2011-02-17T16:32:00.001-08:00

Just a little update: I'm going to a conference in Missouri. My flight leaves tomorrow around noon, so of course that will be crazy. I'll try to update during the trip, but if that's not possible I'll show you how I packed my beauty stuff, my airport makeup look, etc after I get back at the end of next week!

{EOTD} Simple Smokey

2011-02-17T16:23:00.001-08:00

I decided to go for a simple smoky look. Just two shadows, a liner, and mascara! I went for something smoky but also subtle with a blended out wing. I like to have some winged eyeliner on because it does elongate my eyes and make them look bigger. I think it can be a bit too much sometimes so I blended it out a bit. And I wanted a bit of a warmer eye, too. Let me know what you think!

Sorry it looks a bit messy. I took the pics just before taking my makeup off before bed cause I didn't have time in the morn :(

Products Used:

Sephora Eyeshadow Base

Benefit Cream Eyeshdow in Birthday Suit

Lancome Eyeshadow in Aspen Nights

Shiseido Liner in Black

Pixi Mascara in Black