{Swatches} Urband Decay Illegal, YDK & Cult Eyeshadows

L-->R: UD Illegal, YDK, and Cult

Hey there! Today I just wanted to share some Urban Decay eyeshadow swatches. I don't own many shadows, probably around 6 or 7, but I'm only sharing 3 of my favorite Urban Decay shades today: Illegal, YDK, and Cult. I wear these more than any other UD shadows, and they work very well together.

L-->R: UD Illegal, YDK, and Cult

Sorry for the over exposure in this pic! Illegal and YDK are a bit darker, but scroll down for better pics.

UD Illegal

UD Illegal

Illegal is a very pretty neutral. It's a warm toned tan shade that is completely matte. The texture is so soft and smooth and buttery. It's so easy to just put this in the crease with a shimmery champagne on the lid. I use this a lot with cult (see below). Here's an EOTD I did last year (click here). Very simple and pretty for everyday or work. And because Illegal is warm toned, it really brings out my blue eyes. Actually, all three of these shades do a good job of bringing out my blue eyes.

UD YDK

UD YDK

YDK is a VERY shimmery mid toned brown. The shimmer is silver-y, but the shade borders on metallic. I don't even think the magnitude of the shimmer comes across in the swatch below, but trust me on this. When I wear it during the day, not only do I tap off my brush really well, but I also have to blend it out more than usual to get rid of the excess shimmer. It is stunning for evening or clubbing makeup--especially when paired with any blues. I love it with black or navy liquid liner or just a pencil smudged around the lash line. Makes such an impact and draws attention straight to the eyes. Beautiful shade and if I'm not mistaken, it's included in the Naked 2 palette, for those of you who own it.

UD Cult

UD Cult

Cult is a warm toned matte purple that is also completely matte. In the picture above it looks almost brown, but trust me, it goes on purple. I love to put this around the lash for day looks because it gives that pop of color without being too much. I also sometimes use it with a damp eyeliner brush, and do a pretty wing on the top lash line just with some mascara. So easy and simple but also very pretty.

L-->R: Illegal, YDK and Cult

And finally, some swatches! Illegal and Cult work very well together for everyday looks with a bit of pop. They are more pigmented versions of the Nars Charade Duo (my absolute favorite duo from Nars), only matte. I tend to gravitate to these types of shades on a daily basis, and these three are stunning. This pic doesn't do YDK justice--it;s really a lot more shimmery in real life. Whenever I use it to do my friends makeup for a formal even or just out clubbing, they always want to know what I used because people gave them a lot of compliments on their makeup or how pretty their eyes look. I recommend all three and I do look forward to trying even more eyeshadows from UD (after I finish a bunch of what I already own haha).

Do you guys have a lot of UD shadows? How do you like them? Any shades I absolutely must try out? Let me know in comments!

{Review} Jemma Kidd i-Design Eye Colour in 04 In Season

Hi there! Today's review is for an eyeshadow that I absolutely adore. Except for the eyeshadows and one liner, I haven't tried many of the Jemma Kidd products at Target because I honestly had a hard time justifying paying so much for makeup in a drugstore type store. However, this eyeshadow, number 04 In Season, is absolutely stunning and I can't rave about it enough!

How stunning is this shade!?

The shade In Season is a beautiful light golden brown. It has a very antiqued vibe to it, and because it's got a good amount of gold in it whenever I wear it my blue eyes pop. The texture of this shadow is perfection! It is very soft and smooth, but not too buttery. I think I mentioned in another post (don't remember when, sorry) that I had a problem with the shade Vintage from Jemma Kidd, because sadly, like a lot of my Nars single eyeshadows, it would chip and crack easily. I think on that shadow all four corners were showing signs of chipping. I've had no such problems with this shade, mainly I think because unlike Vintage, although it does have a sheen, it's not glittery. The picture above is several months old, and I've actually hit pan on the shadow because I've been wearing it pretty much every day. As far a s wear time, it is not crease proof or anything like that, but I normally wear an eyeshadow base anyway because my lids are oily, so it's not a big deal for me. You also get a very generous amount of product in this shadow, 3 g. For comparison, a MAC eyeshadow is 1.5 g, meaning that for two dollars more, you get more than double the product.

If you love golden taupe-y colors, this one is stunning, definitely a keeper. And since there are Targets everywhere, you can swatch it before you buy it as well. I love and highly recommend this shade!!!

Info:

Price: $17 (for 3 g)

Ingredients: TALC, MICA, OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE, ZINC STEARATE, SORBIC ACID, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, TETRASODIUM EDTA, BHT MAY CONTAIN: BLACK IRON OXIDE (CI 77499), YELLOW IRON OXIDE (CI 77492), MICA & IRON OXIDES (CI 77019, 77491), MICA & TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77019, 77891)

{Favorites} May 2012!

Hey there! It's been a while since I've done one of these favorites posts, so this is really a what-I've-been-using-for-the-past-three-months post and not just a May favorites post lol!

I've got a good variety of things too! I've really just been sticking to mostly basics lately because I've been on the go and working out a lot in the evenings, so I haven't been wanting to pile on a lot of makeup during the day only to have it melt off my face at the gym.

L --> R: Being True Energy Work Active Body Peel, Rimmel Fix &
Perfect Pro Primer, and RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream.

First up is skin care! I've really been trying to use as little as possible on my face. My skin has calmed down, post uni stress, and I haven't been breaking out. I have been using a sunless tanner so exfoliation is a must. The Being True Active Body Peel has been my favorite way of exfoliating for a long long time now (original review here). I reviewed it fairly extensively last summer, feel free to check out that review! I love it so much that this is actually my second tub of it! It's on the pricy side, $43 plus shipping, but worth every penny to me. It leaves my skin feeling super soft and my sunless tanning gel applies very smoothly, with rarely any streaks or patches. I highly recommend!

The Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer has been another go to in this warm weather. I haven't been wearing a lot of foundation lately, but I like this as a hybrid moisturizer/mattifier. It's not necessarily the best of either that I've used, but at the price, around $6, it works well to make my skin soft and matte. It is a silicone based primer, so if you don't like the feel of those on your skin, this one will not be right for you. And it doesn't work as well as the Smashbox primers, but for the price, it does a good job.

Roc Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

The ROC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream my mom actually picked up for me because I mentioned to her I ran out of my Biore Cooling Eye Gel, which I was in love with at uni because I was pulling a lot of all nighters and it would make my eyes de-puff like nothing else I've every used. My mom has an obsession with eye creams and has tried to get me to use something with retinol for a while now instead of, according to her, wasting money on eye creams with no active ingredients. The RoC cream is a bit more expensive than other eye creams at the drugstore level, but then again this is supposed to be anti-aging, so around $22 really isn't too bad. Does it work to get rid of wrinkles? Well, I really can't tell because I don't have wrinkles, but my mom is also using it so I'll see how it works for her. I like it because it moisturizes, but absorbs very quickly. A lot of eye creams tend to be too heavy and just sit there. It also de-puffs! I was surprised because it's not really all that cooling or anything like that.

My only complaint with this product is the packaging. It's in like a metal/foil package, so I have to be careful to use it from the end in because otherwise too much product is squeezed out. Also, because there is constant pressure on the cream inside the metal packaging, the tip tends to seep a little into the cap, which can be messy sometimes. Other than that so far so good with this eye cream, but I guess time will tell! I'll be doing a full review in the future!

L -->R: Being True Energy Work Active Body Peel, Rimmel Fix &
Perfect Pro Primer, and RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream.

Stila 8 Pan Eyeshadow Palette

I've been meaning to get a palette for my Stila eyeshadows for a while now and when Stila was on Haute Look a few weeks ago, I jumped at the chance to purchase the 8 pan palette and I love it! So glad to not have to store my shadows in the little plastic containers they used to come in. I actually prefer organizing them in a palette as opposed to the compacts they are currently being sold in. For me it's a lot easier to store and travel with them this way. The case is sturdy and has a full size mirror. And the brush the palette comes with is pretty good too!

L -->R: Starlight, Cloud, Grace, Barefoot Contessa,
Jade & Lemon (empty was from Chinois--matte bone shade).

These aren't all of my Stila Shadows, just the ones that aren't packed away. I've mostly been using the top row, especially Starlight, Grace, and Barefoot Contessa. I really want Viola, which is similar to Grace, but warmer and deeper. Cloud is a nice shade, but more of a going out shade because it applies very silver. Jade and Lemon are nice, but I haven't been using them all that much lately. Lemon applies a bit too yellow/gold on my skin. The top row is my go to quad for any occasion.

L --> R: Starlight, Cloud, Grace, Barefoot Contessa, Jade &  Lemon.
(applied wet)

If you want to get similar colors for less, the CoverGirl trio in Shimmering Sands is a pretty good dupe for Starlight, Grace and Barefoot Contessa. Not the same shades, the Stila ones are a bit darker, but pretty close for under $5.

L --> R: Charlotte Ronson Lip Gloss in Anabelle, CoverGirl Lash Exact
Mascara in Black & Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished.

Other than shadows the rest of my looks have been pretty simple. Most days I only do mascara and gloss. Click here to read my review of the Charlotte Ronson gloss. I'm in love with it! Such an easy look, a little taupe shadow, touch of mascara, and juicy sheer red lip. Or, same shadow/mascara combo, but a shimmery sheer plummy lip instead. Effortless, and looks very simple and chic for summer.

L --> R: Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished, Charlotte Ronson
Lip Gloss in Anabelle & CoverGirl Lash Exact Mascara in Black .

And I've been loving the CoverGirl Lash Exact mascara for several reasons. If you've been reading my blog for a while you've probably noticed that I'm not a a bit fan of those plastic bendy mascara applicators. They tend to clump and leave my lashes looking long and spidery and clumpy, not a look I like. I'm more into thick and curled. This mascara, the waterproof version of it, for some odd reason, works. I was shocked. My sister had a tube and I borrowed it, fell in love, and bought one for myself. It gives me thick, lashes that stay curled day, and most importantly do not smudge at all at the gym, no matter how much I sweat! Not a big fan of the clean up at night, it takes forever to remove it, even with an oil based makeup remover, but totally worth it for me.

Top --> bottom: Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished
& Charlotte Ronson Lip Gloss in Anabelle.

This picture really doesn't do the Sally Hansen gloss justice. It's so much prettier in person and  it's appeared several times on this blog. It was a staple in my makeup bag (see here) and it's even a dupe for MAC's Dazzleglass in Datenight (see comparison here!). All in all, it's replaced my Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, which is crazy given I got this gloss for a buck at the Dollar Tree and paid over $26 for the Glossimer.

OPI Nail Polish in A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find

My last fave for this month is a nail polish. I don't post many nail polish pics because I can never get the swatches or even pics of the bottles to show up accurately in pics. I'm gonna try to show more from now on, maybe swatch some on tape or something.

           OPI Nail Polish in A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find

This shade is perfect for summer. I have been favoring neons a lot too, but this shade has been a go to for my feet. It's a bright orange, almost tomato-ish, but not too red. It looks very bright in some lights and almost red in others. A really pretty color for toes, especially with it being flip flop season. It's completely matte and you could get away with one coat in a hurry because it's very opaque. I've had it on my feet for the last three or four weeks straight and I always get asked what color I'm wearing!

So there's pretty much what I've been wearing these past three months. I've been keeping it simple, half out of laziness half out of determination to finish some of these products too haha!

Tried any of these products? Loved them? Hated them? Let me know in comments!

Review: MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

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

{Review} Sally Beauty Sally Girl Eyeshadows

(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

{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!

{Review} Sephora Eyeshadow in Choco Excess

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.

{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!