Showing posts with label Stila. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stila. Show all posts

Friday, July 6, 2012

{Favorites} June 2012!

Hey there! It's time for June Favorites! I know, I know a few days late, but better late than never. This month has been a pretty fuss free month. I've been focusing a lot on skin care because I had a pretty big breakout in the beginning of June and kinda freaked out haha. I don't really have a big problem with acne, so a breakout that big caught me off guard, hence all the skin care stuff in this post. Let me know if you want reviews of anything shown!


Banana Boat Protective Tanning Oil SPF 15: Before you say it, yes I do know that tanning is bad for you. That being said, I just got really tired of using self tanners nearly every other day. I don't tan often, and until the past couple of years I've been obsessive with the sunscreeen, but on me a real tan just looks so much better so I decided to go for it this summer. This stuff is great. It comes in varying SPF levels (5, 8, 15 and 25 I believe). The highest my Target had was the SPF 15 one, so that's what I went with. I'm very fair and this stuff works to give me a nice golden tan without that irritated red look to begin with. For me, this tanning oil worked fairly gradually, but if you're darker you may want to go with one of the lower SPF's for a quicker tan. And this stuff smells really really good, like sweet bananas!


L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self Tanning Lotion in Medium Natural Tan: This is the self tanner I've been using for the past few months. It gives a pretty natural color. On me the tan is a little more yellow than a real tan, which looks more of a cool brown on me, but I don't really mind. It works quickly, doesn't smell too bad, and for the most part fades naturally. The only thing I don't like about this is that it has shimmer in it, so I don't use it daily. I like to use it during the day so that I don't mess up my sheets, which means if I'm going out I won't use it or I'll look like a disco ball. Like any other self tanner, you really have to be careful with application or you will get patchiness/streaking, but except for on my fingers I haven't had too much difficulty getting it to look even. Overall, it's a pretty good drugstore self tanner.


Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunscreen in SPF 70: I use this stuff on my face, neck and decollete area daily. This is my second bottle of this stuff and I love it. It's a thin consistency that goes on very easy, blends out well and layers easily under makeup. It does smell like sunscreen, but I don't mind, as long as it keeps me from burning. I think when I run out of it next time I'll try the Pure & Free Liquid one from Neutrogena to see how it's different from the reqular Ultra Sheer Liquid. {Full Review Here!}


The Face Shop Oil Specialist Fresh Cleansing Oil with Cherry Blossom: I got this last summer when was on vaca in NYC. I bought a cleansing oil (I think it was either $12 or $15) and I kinda forgot about it while I focused on finishing other cleansers. I rediscovered it when I broke out and really needed to deep clean, and now I'm in love. I've been using it morning and night and my skin feels soooo good! It took me a little while to really get the method down, but now that I know how to use it properly I'm hooked.

Murad Clarifying Toner: This is another product I started using again when I broke out. It is a witch hazel toner meant to really clean pores and kill any germs on the skin. I like it because while it acts like an astringent, it doesn't burn my skin or dry it out too much. The only place I'm careful with this stuff is my chin because I tend to get dry patches there. Other than that it works well. As nice as it is, for $22 I think I can mix up some of my own witch hazel toner and save some money, so I don't think I'll be repurchasing it in the future. I think I'll get a big jug of pure witch hazel (it's super cheap) and see how that works for me. Just fyi for all you people with sensitive skin: although this stuff is alcohol free, witch hazel can burn just as much if you have super dry or sensitive skin. It doesn't really irritate me (except for the chin), but I wouldn't risk it if you have sensitive skin.

Proactive Repairing Treatment: I don't use Proactive, but a friend of mine does. She says that she can never get through a full bottle of the Repairing Treatment before she gets another shipment, so she gave me the new one that came in the mail while she was still not even half way through her current bottle. This stuff is a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide acne treatment lotion. I use it as a spot treatment and I've had this stuff for months because you really just need the smallest amount. It works well. Is it worth what Proactive charges for it? Not really because it works about as well as any other acne treatment I've used. I can't really do a full review because it's meant to be used in combination with the rest of the Proactive line. I've been mainly using this on pimples and to clear up any stray pimples that pop up on my shoulders here and there from using self tanners and tanning oils. I heard that Walmart makes cheaper versions of this stuff that you can buy separately, so I may try that after I run out.


Biore Skin Brightening Night Serum: I love this stuff. It gives me the perfect amount of moisture in the mornings and really brightens up my skin. I did an indepth review not too long ago which I will link--feel free to check it out! {Full Review Here!}





















Nars Lip Gloss in Gina: Gina is on the left side of the gloss duo (the other side is Boogie Nights). It's a matte, sheer nude. I've been loving anything that is orangy/coral and this is a perfect shade for my skin tone. Not too orange, not to pink, not too opaque. It's super glossy and just gives my lips a really nice finished look. I've been pairing this a lot with like a smokey eye look lately and it's perfect, never too nude/concealer like.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Sunrise Nude: I don't think you can get this shade anymore, but I'm sure that Revlon has something similar in their current line. This one is a super pale, sheer peach with a lot of pretty silver shimmer. I love this gloss because although you can't really see the peachy color it does even out my lips a little.Of all my glosses, the Super Lustrous ones have the best drugstore formula I've come across. They are thick, but not sticky, last a very long time, and have a great color selection. They are also feel moisturizing on the lips, which I love. You can't go wrong with any shade in this range. {Full Review Here!}

Calvin Klein Delicious Light Glistening Lip Gloss in Radar: I don't know where you can get Calvin Klein makeup anymore--they brought it back to Sephora, then discontinued it again. I know that Marshall's and TJMaxx had sets of CK stuff last year, but I haven't seen any in a long time. If you can find these glosses definately get at least one to try because they are great. Very shiny, fragrance free, a little on the thicker side, but not too bad. This shade is so pretty and brings out my blue eyes. I've finished close to 1/2 of this color, which says a lot for me. {Full Review Here!}

Lip Fusion Micro Collagen Lip Plump in Fresh: This is my first Lip Fusion plumper, and I've been loving it. The shade is a sheer, slightly shimmery orange that looks great with a tan. The formula is thin, and it doesn't tingle as bad as some of the other plumpers I've tried. It makes my lips look really full and juicy, a look I've been loving lately. Overall, I'm looking forward to trying out more shades from this line!



















L-->R: Lip Fusion Fresh, CK Radar, Revlon Sunrise Nude, Nars Gina. 

Of these shades, I think Radar and Sunrise Nude have been worn most. I've really got a lot of these orangy lip colors and really am trying to not forget about them in my stash, which is so easy when you've got as many glosses like I do. 




















Top row: Stila Starlight, Cloud, Grace, and Lemon.
Bottom Row: MAC MSF in Petticoat (some chipped of and I pressed it), Stila Barefoot Contessa, Mystic, and Sajama.  

Stila Eyeshadows: When it comes to shadow, I've been keeping it pretty simple. I've rediscovered Mystic and Sajama in my collection and stuck them in the 8 pan palette to keep them close. I've been mainly using those two along with Starlight and Grace. Grace looks really nice layered over top Mystic. It's a strange combo, but it looks really pretty--not too blue but not exactly brown either. Almost like one of those duochrome shadows from MAC--it looks different depending on the lighting.




















L-->R: Stila Starlight, Grace, Mystic and Sajama. 

Of these shades, Sajama is a matte formula and Stila's matte shades can be difficult to work with. I really had to dig in the pan to get this swatch. I like to use it along my upper lash line, over a dark liner or by itself wet. It gives this hazy smokly lash look that's very easy to do.


 

















Funky Fingers Nail Polish in Kingston:This last item is one I've been obsessed with for the past six months or so. It's a nail polish from a relatively unknown brand called Funky Fingers, and the shade is Kingston. I found this gem for $2.50 at a Five Below store and have been wearing it pretty much non stop since. It's a pretty neon orange that looks amazing in the sunlight. It's so bright and fun that I always wear it poolside or to the beach. The formula isn't the best and it starts to chip after about three days of wear, but honestly, I couldn't care less because the color is absolutely stunning. Also on the plus side, it dries to a matte finish (I use a topcoat over) and matte shades tend to dry really quickly. I've been on the hunt for a back up of this color because I'm more than half way through with it, but I haven't been able to find anything yet :(

That's it for my June Favorites! Tried any of these products? Loved them? Hated them? Want a review of one of the products featured? Let me know in comments!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

{Review} Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light

Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light


















Hey there! Today's review is for a product I absolutely adore. I've gone through probably two or three of Stila's Sheer Pressed Powder and I have yet to find a powder that works as well for me.

When it comes to higher end products that obviously cost more, I usually try to find cheaper alternatives, especially if I foresee myself repurchasing a product multiple times in the future. I haven't yet been able to find a drugstore alternative for this powder, but I was able to find it a lot cheaper than the $28 retail price. I was at the Cosmetic Market in NYC last summer (see the haul post here) and I found this powder for $6.99 and stocked up. I don't know if they still have it, but if you live in or around NYC or will be visiting sometime, it's worth checking out.
                                                                                                                                                            
Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light

The compact is a simple silver plastic case that has these cute little flowers on it. Not as chic as anything from from Chanel or Dior, but pretty. It's durable and doesn't show smudges or scratches easily.

Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light



















Another thing I like is that the compact is reusable. There's a little hole in the bottom, you just poke a pencil or something and the pan pops right out. Stila no longer sells the pan refill to this powder alone, not that there was a big price difference between the powder with the case and the refill alone anyway. I figure even if I can't find the refill powder from Stila I can reuse this case because I've had plenty of powders in a similar size that the clasp has broken or the case is really bulky. I think I can just repot them into this case if I wanted to. I've gone through so many of these powders that I've got four or five of these empty cases lying around.

Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light
The shade I have this powder in is light. It comes with a thin little foamy sponge, but I toss it right away and just use a brush.

Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light (HEAVY swatch)



















This swatch here is a very HEAVY swatch. I just wanted to show you how finely milled this powder is. The texture is very very soft and thin, almost translucent. I find that it applies as thinly as a translucent powder, but it does have some color to it. If I wear it alone, I can't really notice any difference, but it takes to tinted moisturizer very well and definitely ups the coverage level.

I love this powder for the finish it gives. It mattifies my face completely without looking cakey or powdery. It leaves my face with this flawless silky finish to it that makes my skin look a lot better than it usually is. If I'm ever going out or have a formal event, I reach for this powder without fail because I know it will look stunning in pictures. It last like your average powder does. I apply it in the morning around 6 or 7 am (when at uni) and then touch up around 1 pm and then again around 5 pm. Not great, but not horrible either given how oily my skin is.

Bottom line: try this powder!!! I've been using it for years and I love it more than any other powder I've ever used!

Info:

Price: $28


Ingredients: talc, polymethyl methacrylate, silica, zea mays (corn) starch, octyldodecyl lactate, isononyl isononanoate, pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate, cetearyl ethylhexanoate, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, avena sativa (oat) kernel extract, caprylyl glycol, hexylene glycol, ethylhexylglycerin, dimethicone, zeolite, nylon-12, zinc stearate, bht, phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid, [+/- mica, titanium dioxide (ci 77891), iron oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499), ultramarines (ci 77007)]

Thursday, May 31, 2012

{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!



Wednesday, January 11, 2012

{Haul} Cosmetic Market (NYC)


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!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

{Favorites} June 2011

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!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

{Review} Stila Convertible Colors in Camellia and Petunia


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).