{Haul} Dollar Store, MAC, Sephora & Target

Hey there everyone! I've got a haul for you today! Rare, I know, because I've been so focused on finishing up a lot of my makeup lately that I haven't bought anything in a long while. Let me know if you want reviews on any of the stuff below! Enjoy!

1. Dollar Tree
I was at the mall and the dollar store (don't remember the exact name of it -- sorry) carried the full line of Jordana cosmetics. I wanted to pick up a few shadows because I've heard some pretty good things online. That and I was planning on buying a MAC 15 pan palette and figured I could fill some of the empty spaces with a few good basic colors

Clockwise: White Lie, Pink of Me, Bronzeville, Total Blackout, Ms. Brown

Clockwise: White Lie, Pink of Me, Bronzeville, Total Blackout, Ms. Brown

I wanted to try out Bronzeville because I heard that it is a dupe for MAC's Amber Lights, which I've actually finished in the past. Bronzeville is very very close. The texture and finish is a bit off, but on the eye it looks identical. I wanted to try Pink of Me because it looked similar to MAC's Yogurt, but they're not really all that close. Yogurt is matte while Pink of Me has an opalescent sheen to it.

Overall, these shadows are very nice, especially White Lie, Bronzeville, and Ms. Brown. They are a little more powdery than most shadows, so you need to be careful when applying them, but for the most part they are nice. The only shade I didn't like was Total Blackout. I hit pan on my Laura Mercier Deep Night eyeshadow (see here) and I wanted to try out another black. I hate this one by Jordana. I read online that people compared this to a matte black from MAC, that it's supposedly that good, but I don't agree at all. It's very powdery, I'm used to a more firmly pressed Laura Mercier black. It made a mess when I went to apply it. And it's not very black. Compared to my all time favorite black, LM Deep Night, this one looks almost grey and washed out.  Other than this shadow, though, the other ones are great.

2. MAC

MAC Pro Colour Palette, Eyeshadows in All that Glitters (L) and Twinks (R)

I didn't get much from MAC. I finally picked up their 15 pan palette, which I'm in love with. Between all my MAC shadows, the Jordana ones I picked up, and the Lancome ones I've depotted, I've got more than enough colors to fill up 15 slots. I want to get another one already and I've only had this one for a couple of weeks!

MAC Eyeshadows in All That Glitters (L) and Twinks (R)

I also got the eyeshadows in All That Glitters and Twinks. For me these past few weeks, these have become my go to day colors. I love how warm and pretty they look on my lids and how they bring out my blue eyes. They make my eyes glow!

Now that I've bought a few shades in pans, I've gotta say that I will never again buy a potted shadow from MAC. Depotting them is just such a pain and hassle. And putting them in a palette just saves so much space. I live in a dorm for most of the year, so anything that saves me some room is great in my book. Let me know if you guys wanna see what I filled my 15 pan palette with. Most of the shades are everyday shades.


3. Sephora
So I went into Sephora a few times, not really intending to buy anything, just wanting to see what they had and they had this whole section of clearanced stuff out. Now, if you shop at Sephora, you know they rarely have sale stuff out in the store. Usually it's only listed online, and that annoys me because I'll want to buy something but I refuse to pay more shipping than the item is work. Anyway, all the stuff I picked up is Sephora Brand, but they did have a few other brands there. All but one of the items I bought was on sale for just $5!

Clockwise: Sephora White Blasted, Glamour, Star, Anti-Shine Primer

I got the Sephora by OPI White Blasted nail polish, their version of the OPI crackle polishes. It's ok. Application is a bit tricky because on some finishes (like matte nail polishes) it won't crackle, which is annoying. I got two lipsticks. I've never tried Sephroa Brand lipstick before, and I've been craving lip stuff recently. The first is Lip Attitude in Glamour, the second is the Lip Attitude in Star. They also had the Anti-Shine Primer, which I'm going to use after I finish my Rimmel one and what little is left of my Laura Mercier primer.

L-->R: Lip Attitude in Glamour and Star

I'm loving Glamour at the moment. It's a light, glossy pink color that looks really nice with my tan right now. It smells a little weird, but I can tolerate it. Star on the other hand I actually returned, it was that bad. It smelled soooo bad! I put it on and instant headache. It's a shame because the color is really pretty. Kind of a lipstick version of Nars Belize gloss, only with more gold glitter. Super pretty! Too bad it smells and tastes like burning plastic.

L-->R: Sephroa Balm in Coral Twist, Hot Hues Neon Balm in Funky Fuchsia

These last two items I got on another trip to Sephora. The first is the new Sephora Be You Lip Balm in Coral Twist. I got this because I thought it was on sale for $5 on the sale rack, so I couldn't swatch it or anything. I found out later when I got home and looked at my receipt that it was actually $12 and when I swatched it I was even more disappointed because it applies pretty much clear. I'm going to keep it anyway because I like how it feels on my lips and it doesn't have a weird taste or smell. Would I buy it again? Nope.

Sephora Balm in Coral Twist, Hot Hues Neon Balm in Funky Fuchsia

The other item I got was one of the limited edition balms. Its called the Hot Hues Neon Lip Balm in Funky Fuchsia. It's soo pretty! It's got this jelly clear look to it. I know Clarins made some a while back and so did Maybelline, but I just wasn't willing to spend the money on them, given that I knew they were probably going to apply clear. I was so surprised when this balm applied very very pigmented on my lips. It made them look almost stained! I the formula of the Be You Lip Balm better, but the pigmentation of the Neon Lip Balm is stunning. It is a more waxy balm though. I'll review both.

4. Target
I'm in love with Target. I swear, you can get anything and everything there, it's amazing.

Almay Eye Makeup Removing Liquid, Banana Boat SPF 15 Tanning Oil

I didn't get much this time. I ran out of my all time favorite makeup remover, the Almay Moisturizing Eye Makeup Removing Liquid (full review and test pictures here!) and picked up a replacement. I've gone through three bottles of this stuff, and this is my fourth, which says a lot. I tend to always try different things, but I've gone back to this stuff time and time again, which says a lot.

I also picked up the Banana Boat Protective Tanning Oil with SPF 15. I know, I know tanning is bad, but I just can't stand the fake stuff anymore. I've been using the L'Oreal Sublime stuff and I'm starting to really hate it cuz it's such a pain and it fades really weird, all patchy and gross. I finally got to the beach this past Thursday, and this oil worked like a charm! It smells delicious, like bananas, gave me a light golden brown tan after one use without any redness or irritation anywhere. And my skin felt so soft after too! I'll do a full review, but so far I'm absolutely loving it!

So that's my haul! I'll be putting up reviews later this coming week! If there's anything you specifically want a review on or swatches let me know in comments!

{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!

{Swatches} Sephora ColorPlay 5-in-1 LE Palette: LIPS!

Finally, the final segment of swatches for the Sephora ColorPlay 5-in-1 LE Palette, the lips! Included are 10 lip glosses. Some of them really are just glosses, but a few of them are much more pigmented, almost like a lipstick. I really like!

The glosses:

L to R: Boho Bombshell, Classics Never Die, Angelic Boudoir, Black is the New Black, A Nod to Mod


Top to bottom: Boho Bombshell, Classics Never Die, Angelic Boudoir, Black is the New Black, A Nod to Mod

Keep in mind that there are two glosses to each palette! More looks to come soon!

{Swatches} Sephora 5-in-1 Color Play LE Palette EYESHADOWS! (Pic Heavy)

I'm feeling a bit better now. Still not 100%, but getting there. Here are the promised swatches! Boy, did this take a while. Sorry in advance if some of the pics are a bit blurry. I wasn't using my camera.

The shadows:


Boho Bombshell:

The colors in this palette are colorful without being over the top. I could easily see someone wearing several of them to work or to class to give the eyes just a bit of color. They are so beautiful tough, especially the combo of the plum and the brown right underneath it with the gold. Really really pretty!


Except for the blue, the colors in this row look like they belong in their own palette, like something you would get from Dior. I love plums and golds!


These are a bit darker, but make it easy to play up the neutrals with a kick look.

Classics Never Die:

If you need something for work, this palette is for you. Every texture and shade imaginable is included. You get two dark browns, both matte, two high lights , one matte and one shimmery, and then a handful of medium shades that are both warm and cool as well as matte and shimmery. Endless combos to keep the everyday eye from being boring!


The second color from the left is a dead ringer for a Dior single I have!


If you like khaki brown/green shades, you'll love this row. Personally, khaki's aren't my favorites, but I love pairing the middle colors with a deep plum or navy!

Angelic Boudoir:

The entire top row of this palette is absolutely gorgeous!


I've been wearing this combo of colors for the past few days and it looks absolutely stunning on blue eyes! The purple has just the right amount of warmth in it and the bronzy brown is just too pretty to pass up! All in all, great combo. I would probably buy these shades separately if I knew what they were!


These aren't my favorite shades, just because I'm not a fan of pastels (at least not on my eyes). Then again, that is a matter of personal preference. They are super soft and smooth and I can definitely see the gray and lavender on trend for spring!

Black Is The New Black:

If you like smoky eyes, this is the palette for you! You get everything you need to create any kind of black smoky eye imaginable. Matte, shimmery, frosty, sparkly, warm, cool, etc. The combos with this palette are nearly endless. It actually reminds me of a palette NYX released this past year for smoky eyes.


It didn't come across well in the pic, but the first shade isn't a matte black. It has blue glitter in it that comes across a lot better on the lid.


I've never been a big fan of black shadows, simply because they have a tendency to look very stark on my super pale skin, but the second shade in is just so pretty that I can't help but wear it often, especially when going out.

A Nod To Mod:

You get a really nice range of brights in this palette. Not anywhere near something like the Costal Scents palettes, but for the average woman it's more than enough to experiment with!


The orange, yellow, and white in this palette got really well together! They are very pigmented and warm.


The last color is a bit more vivid in real life. It's a nice, deep, blackened turquoise shade. I love using it wet to line the upper lash line. It looks very sexy! My only complaint with this one is that the matte purple, second from the right, is a bit hard, making it difficult to work with in terms of getting decent payoff.


The last color in this palette is quite interesting. It looks like a plain old unassuming white, but changes in lighting reveal the duo chrome. It switches between a white and a light blue and a periwinkle lavender color. Really pretty!

All in all: a great palette! Lip swatches will be up soon!

{Swatches} Sephora Color Play 5-in-1 Palette: BLUSHES!

So I thought I'd start with the easiest and work my way up, lol! 50 shadows or 5 blushes? Hmmmn... haha, you get the idea. I'll have the rest of the palette swatches posted tomorrow, but for now, here are the 5 blushes. I was REALLY REALLY surprised by how nice these blushes are, and I'm not that into blushes.

The blushes:

L to R: Boho Bombshell, Classics Never Die, Angelic Boudoir, Black is the New Black, A Nod to Mod


Top to bottom: Boho Bombshell, Classics Never Die, Angelic Boudoir, Black is the New Black, A Nod to Mod

And closer:

Top to bottom: Boho Bombshell, Classics Never Die, Angelic Boudoir,


Top to bottom: Black is the New Black, A Nod to Mod

A couple of the blushes, as you can see from the pics, are a bit powdery, but they are smooth and buttery and apply gorgeously! Check them out if you get the chance! The rest of the swatches, both eyes and lips will be up by the end of tomorrow at the latest!

{Review} Sephora Color Play 5-in-1 LE Palette

This is a review for my very first Sephora Palette, the Limited Edition Color Play 5-in-1 Palette. Now, I've always been hesitant with Sephora makeup. I feel like it's hit or miss. Sometimes I love the products, other times I absolutely hate it. This palette, though I do have some issues with it, is a hit!


On the back of the box there are several diagrams, one of which shows what is what.


The other diagram shows how to use the to-go palette, a special feature of this palette. Simply pop one of the palettes out, stick it into the to-go case and you're ready to go!

The actual palette:

I'm not a big fan of Sephora packaging, but this palette is really nice. It is a bit thick/bulky, but it has a sturdy feel to it. A lot of palettes that I've bought in the past that are of similar size feel a bit flimsy/bendy, as though if you hold it just the right way you might make some of the shadows crack. Not with this one. It is a bit on the heavier side, but it feels very secure.


The design is also nice. It doesn't have many embellishments that you sometimes find on cheaper palettes. It's very simple, sleek, and sophisticated.


In terms of thickness, it's slightly thicker than my enV Touch cell phone, so not too bad.


When you turn the palette over, you'll notice that there are some wells. This is where you would push to remove the palettes. They pop right out.


Then all you would do is put one of the palettes into the travel case and you'd be good to go. The travel case is why the palette itself is a bit thicker than normal. Other wise, the travel case wouldn't fit and that's one of the things that makes this palette so great.

The colors are a bit washed out in the pic above, but I will post individual pictures of the mini palettes below so you can really see the shades!


The travel case, like the palette itself, is very sturdy and simple. It has a good closure so I don't have to worry about it coming open in my purse, especially since all of the palettes have glosses that could potentially leave a purse very messy if the travel case should open. I really love this feature of the palette. I've never had a palette that allows me to take the colors with me. I've used palettes like the Costal Scents ones and I would hate that they weren't more portable.

Now, onto the actual shades!


A Nod To Mod


Black Is The New Black


Angelic Boudoir


Classics Never Die


Boho Bombshell

I will be posting swathes of all the palettes all next week!

Eyeshadows: You get a very good selection of shades. You get a bit of everything: some matte, a lot of shimmer, darks, lights, warm, and cool tones. They've had palettes like these before, just with different shades, but this one is a bit more sedate. There are wearable shades in every palette, along with some brighter ones. As for the quality of the shadows, it is expectably so-so. While the colors are pigmented, the brighter shades are less so. The shimmer shades appear to be very pigmented, but apply a bit on the sheer side, and the same applies for the bright shades in the A Nod To Mod palette. The colors also tend to turn a bit muddy (the darker shimmery shades) when blended, so be careful. The formula of the shadows also isn't the greatest. They are a bit powdery, so I would be careful when using brushes because I find that with these shadows you get a lot more fall out and then the powder left behind gets into the glosses. Also, you definitely need a primer with these shadows. They do migrate and crease, especially the shimmery shades. And using a pigment does get the colors to apply more vibrantly. Now, although I have a lot of issues with these shadows, I can't deny the value of 50 shades for 30 bucks. And with the right primer and some sponge tip applicators these shadows aren't that bad. The color selection is great for all skin tones and all occasions, so for these reasons, I think this palette is pretty good.

Blush: The blushes and glosses surprised me, especially the blushes. I know that in the past people complained that the blushes were too light, but in this palette they're really great! I've never been much of a blush person, I usually wear bronzer, but I've been wearing blush everyday since I bought this palette. There's a good mix of colors. Three more natural blushes, a deep blush, and a bright blush. Except for one light pink blush, most of them are very pigmented! Three of the blushes are matte, for which I give Sephora kudos because a lot of times in palettes like these the blushes are very shimmery. The two shimmery shades don't have chunks of glitter. The shimmer is very fine and just gives a sheen to the skin when applied. All of the shades are very smooth and butter soft, so I highly recommend! There is a blush to suit just about any skin tone!

Lip Gloss: The lip glosses were another surprise! I normally hate the glosses that come in palettes like these with a passion. They tend to be gooey, sticky, and putrid smelling. And while these glosses do have a plastic-y scent to them, in general they aren't that bad. They are very smooth and non sticky, but also shiny. You get a variety of finishes, as well! Of the 10 shades, 7 are shimmery, but 4 of those 7 are barely noticeably shimmery. You also get a very good variety of shades. You get a clear shimmer, a coral-y pink, a very nice nude shade, a garish purple pink, a burgundy, a red, etc. There are ten shades that are on the sheer side, but very wearable. I really like the red and the burgundy. The colors are a bit sheer, but since people often have a hard time pulling these shades off, I actually like that they are a bit sheer because it makes them easier to wear. You can mix and match the shades to your liking, so you have an even greater variety. I really like these colors and they wear fairly decently.

Pros:
-Good variety of shades.
-Good variety of finishes, both shimmer and matte.
-Fairly good color pay off.
-Lots of shades of eyeshadow, blush, and gloss.
-Good price.
-Nice packaging.
-To-go option.

Cons:
-Lip glosses smell a bit like plastic.
-Eyeshadows are powdery.
-Some of the shadows blend a bit muddy.
-Some of the shadows crease/migrate easily.
-Not as many bright shades as sedate shades.

In general, I really like this palette, and not just for the shadows. If you're starting out in makeup and want to experiment with a lot of colors or just need a good all in one travel palette, at only $30 this is a solid choice all around!

Info:

Price: $30

Ingredients: Listed on the Sephora website. Click HERE to view.

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