{Haul} Sephora, Target, Xmas Tree Shop!

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} January 2011 (VERY Pic Heavy)

So I've decided to post my monthly favorites. I know that some bloggers have been doing this for years, but I just haven't had the time till now. Be prepared, though, this is a very long post. I've got my favorite makeup, skin/hair stuff, and this month I do have a few perfumes I've been wearing obsessively! Enjoy!

1. Makeup:

Kinda clockwise from the shadow: Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, Benefit Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit, Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R, Sally Hansen Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronzer in Rio Glow.

Kinda clockwise from the shadow: Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, Benefit Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit, Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R, Sally Hansen Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronzer in Rio Glow.

Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage ($16)

Tis is a great color for when I don't feel like wearing a lot of eyeshadow. I'e just been putting this all over my lid, slightly above the crease, and then using my Lancome Artliner in Plum. It's such a pretty combo!

Benefit Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit ($19)

I looked at my Benefit cream shadows just lately for the first time in months and noticed that Birthday Suit was starting to crease, so I figured that I'd really start using it so that it doesn't got to waste. I love the color! I'ver really been into metallics lately and this color is the perfect in between for people who like silver and gold.

Lancome Artliner in Plum ($29)

If you've been reading my blog you know how much I love my Lancome Artliners! They're the perfect liquid liners. The tip is just different from most other liquid liners and makes it really easy to line. It isn't normally as wet as it looks above. I accidentally left it upside down overnight :( When I finish this one, I want to try the L'Oreal version of it.

NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent ($3)

This is just a great no frills cheap powder. It doesn't add anything in terms of coverage, but just sets my makeup and makes my face matte. It's a really great value. The sifter is a bit large, but I just dump some out into the cap, swirly, and apply, just like a mineral foundation. It's definitely not a travel item, though.

Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer ($8)

This stuff isn't as good as UDPP because it does crease by the end of the day. Not as much as if I didn't wear a primer, but I never have any creasing with UDPP at the end of the day. If you are looking for a decent cheaper alternative, this is currently on sale at Sephora for $8.

Prescriptives Camolflage Concealer in Light B/R ($20)

I've been breaking out a bit lately so I've been using this concealer. I'm almost done with it. I lost my Smashbox HD Concealer, which is my fave, so I've been using this. It covers really well and stays put all day. I like the dispenser a bit better than the one for Smashbox concealer (which is like a squeeze tube lip gloss) because I waste less with this fine tip.

Some swatches:

Swathces top to bottom: Sally Hansen Carmindy Bronzer, Benefit Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit, Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, and Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R.

2. Skin/Hair:

L to R: Pssssst Dry Shampoo, DDF Aloe Toning Complex, Philosophy Hope in a Jar, and Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream.

Pssssst Instant Dry Shampoo ($6.99)

When I got my hair cut, I had some bangs cut in and since I've got oily skin they tend to get oily faster because the lay against my forehead all day. I just use this to refresh my bangs. Since I don't use this all over my head, I don't really deal with the gray cast people sometimes complain about. I've heard that Suave is coming out with a really great dry shampoo for $2, so I am really interested in trying it out after I finish this one.

DDF Aloe Toning Complex ($32 for 8oz)

I bought this on sale at TJ Maxx for $3. you can't get the 4.5 oz size anymore, but you can get the 8 oz size at Sephora. I like this for spraying on my face when I feel like my makeup looks heavy. It just makes everything sink into my skin really nice and it gives a bit of hydration also. I feel like it calms my skin so I also use it on my face before applying my makeup. I keep it in my bag (that's why it looks so beat up, lol!) to spray throughout the day.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar ($38 for 2oz)

You can't buy this in the 1 oz jar anymore, but I'm kinda glad I bought the smaller jar because a little of this goes a long long way. I've been using this on small dry patches all over. I have oily skin so I don't use this all over my face, but it's great for around my chin and the tip of my nose where I get rally dry and rough in the winter. I also use it on super dry patches on my neck, hands, elbows, and feet. You need the tiniest amount and it works miracles!

I've had it for almost a hear and I'm not even half way through yet.

Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream ($19.99)

Ever since I've started to wear my contacts on a daily basis my eyes have been pretty sore. I guess my eyes just don't like contacts. Or the other way around, lol! My eyes have been getting sore and puffy and this is great for getting rid of the puff in the morn before I apply my makeup. I don't really need anything anti-wirnk, so I can't speak for it's effectiveness in that area, but from the reviews I've read online I've heard great things. And $20 for an eye cream really isn't that much, even for 1/2 an oz.

The fine tip makes it super easy to get the smallest amount out so that I minimize waste. I really dislike eye creams that come in little pots.

Some swatches:

Top: Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream. Bottom: Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

Top: Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream. Bottom: Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

Protect and Perfect is a thin eye cream. I don't like the super thick ones because I feel like they're too rich and seep down my face and make my cheeks and nose oily. Hope in a Jar is a thicker balm like cream. It really is great anywhere where you need some deep moisture quick!

I'm almost done with it!!!

3. Perfumes:

L to R: Calvin Klein Eternity, Bodycology Pick Me, Calvin Klein Eternity Moment.

I've really been into the more floral perfumes lately, maybe cause I'm pining for spring, haha! I've been using one of these three daily for the past month. Sometimes I mix them. They smell soooo delicious!!!

L to R: Calvin Klein Eternity, Bodycology Pick Me, Calvin Klein Eternity Moment.

Some pretty pictures:

I've got Eternity in a purse size from Marshalls for $10. Such a bargain!

I love the simple, yet sophisticated and elegant packaging of Eternity Moment! Soooo pretty!

Bodycology's Pick Me is $10 retail, but I found it at Kmart for $2! It smells really fruity, but also fresh, not sickly sweet like candy. My only complaint about it is that the packaging is a bit flimsy. The little plastic cap came off and the tip tends to leak a little bit w/out it, so I never cary it in my purse anymore.

I've been using them so much that I'm almost done with all 3!!! I always get compliments when I mix and match them, too! Something you might want to try at home with your perfumes.

That's it for now! I really look forward to doing more monthly favorites in the future!

{Put To The Test} Almay Moisturizing Makeup Remover

by far my favorite eye makeup remover has been the Almay Moisturizing Liquid Eye Makeup Remover. It gets everything, the long lasting eyeliners, waterproof mascara, etc. You name it, this remover will get it. So I wanted to do a little test on how well it would remove two popular eyeliners:


The first is a Make Up For Ever Aqua eyes eyeliner which, if you've ever used these liners, you know doesn't budge. The second is my Mac Fluidline in Macroviolet.


to apply, I just soak the tip of a cotton bud in the liquid and gently rub.


Then I wiped the oily liquid off with a cotton pad. I usually use a makeup wipe to do that, but for the purpose of this post I used a plain cotton pad. As you can see it gets it off very well! And with minimal rubbing as well. I never have to scrub at my eyes like I would have to with a makeup wipe.

To remove the rest of the makeup I used a Mac makeup removing wipe. The result wasn't as good:


I definitely think it's worth checking out. If you use a cotton bud, one per eye, the bottle should last you forever. It's a great value at $5.99. And if you have sensitive eyes, there's an oil free version as well! This works as well as my Bi-Facil from Lancome, but at a fraction of the cost! I've been using this for years and I highly recommend!

Review: Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Groupie

Just in time for the holidays, especially New Year's, I thought I'd do a review on this glitter liner I got as a gift a little while back. I know that New Year's Eve is when everyone breaks out the silver, the shimmer, the glitter and I thought I'd give you a review on something that works very well for the type of product it is.


The shade I got it in is Groupie, a glittery (well, obviously, lol!) pale pink.


Isn't it stunning!? There's also a pale golden shade that I've been eyeing.

The brush:

I really like the brush on just about all of Urban Decay's liquid liners. I usually don't like the brushes that come with liquid liners. They tend to be too thick for my liking as well as carry too much product making application messy. I usually use my own small liner brush with them. I don't have to do that with this liner or Urban Decay's regular liquid liners. The brush is very thin and is just flexible enough to make lining very easy.

Some swatches:

As you can see, it is just glitter suspended in a clear gel of some sort.

Another swatch:

It's sooooo pretty!!! I love pale pinks and lately I've been loving anything with glitter and sequins on them. I went through a huge matte phase these last couple of years, but lately I've been craving glitter, haha! As you can see from the swatches above, the liners are on the sheer side, but really I think this a good thing because I think most people who wear this liner want just a hint of glitter, not a straight line of just glitter. If you do want a more opaque look it's easy enough to layer this liner. just give it a few seconds in between layers to dry a bit. What really impressed me was the lasting power of this liner. It stayed put all night! I was worried that I would end up with glitter all over my face, but I didn't have to worry at all! This liner is perfect for glamming up a simple look or just going out for the night. At $18 it isn't cheap, but then again you probably won't be using this everyday so it should last you a long while.

As much as I love this liner, I do have to warn CONTACT WEARERS that glitter liners, or any kind of glitter product, around the eyes isn't a good idea. I actually ended up giving this to my sister because it got into my eyes and I ended up ruining a pair of contacts. If you're careful and don't rub/touch your eyes you may get away with wearing this liner, but I don't recommend that you risk your eyes. I wore the liner on the upper lash line and then I also put some on my lashes for a bit of extra oomph, which is what I think did me in. I had a couple pieces of glitter end up in my right eye and let me tell you, it wasn't fun. If you do wear this liner with your contacts, I highly urge you to completely wash all of your eye makeup off before going to bed. And don't just use a wipe because you may end up rubbing the glitter into your eyes. Try using a liquid makeup remover on a cotton bud. This works best for me. If you don't wear contacts and are looking for something to give your eye makeup a little punch on New Years Eve, I highly recommend this one!!!

Info:

Price: $18 (for .25 oz)

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Polyethylene Terephthalate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerine, Acrylates Copolymer, PVP, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Polyurethane-11, PVM/MA Decadiene Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben.

Disclosure: This product was given to me as a gift for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, feel free to ask in comments!

Early Christmas Gift!!!

So the other day a friend of mine gave me my Christmas gift early cause she's leaving on vaca for the next month to Italy (so jealous!). I know, not really a haul, but I thought I'd share anyway!

Here's what she got me:

Urban Decay Glitter Eyeliner in Groupie
Sephora Brand Cream Liner in Made in Manhattan
Sephora Brand Bronzer in Bahamas

I've kinda been wanting to try these, especially the two liners, so I was really happy. I'll be posting reviews soon! Especially on the liner!

Quick EOTD! Glowy Neutral with a Pop!

I've really been loving the blues these past couple of months, especially those with green undertones! They make my eyes look soooo blue! And glowy makeup is really nice before everyone goes matte for fall.

Products Used:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Dior 5 Color Eye Palette in Earth Reflectin
Urban Decay Liquid Liner in Minx (Soooo pretty!)
Lancome Difinicils Mascara in Black

The stars of the look:

L to R: Dior Earth Reflection and Urban Decay Minx

Some swatches:

Dior Earth Reflection


Urban Decay Minx

I know that some people have been critiquing the Earth Reflection palette, saying that for $56 it's too neutral, the colors too much like what can be found at the drugstore for $5. True, but I guarantee you that you will not find a palette this stunning at the drugstore. You wont. And the formula of these shadows is perfect. They are not too powdery and very pigmented, not to mention shimmery. A little bit goes a long way. This palette will last you forever. I really like it cause it's so glowy. It makes my eyes look so gorgeous and is never too much despite the shimmer in it.

The Urban Decay liner in Minx is actually my first liquid liner from UD. I don't really use liquid liner all that much cause it's so easy to screw up, but the formula of these and the really skinny brush makes it really easy to apply. I know I have a little boo boo up top, but only cause I was in a hurry. I highly recommend these liners. I actually picked up Crash, a pale purple with silver shimmer, a couple of days ago and I'm liking it as much as I love Minx.

Idk if you noticed above but my hand had little red dots on it. Here's a closeup:

They're more obvious in real life. I tried a lotion, Dove Pro Age cause it's all my mother had on her and I really needed some. I had the worst reaction. For the past few weeks the backs of my hands have been red, itcy, flacky, and bumpy. Will never use again. Ever. It looks better now, but it was pretty bad a couple of weeks ago. My hands started to burn the second I put it on.

That's all for now! See you soon!