Quick EOTD! Glowy Neutral with a Pop!

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

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

The stars of the look:

L to R: Dior Earth Reflection and Urban Decay Minx

Some swatches:

Dior Earth Reflection


Urban Decay Minx

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

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

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

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

That's all for now! See you soon!

{Empties+Review}: Bonne Bell lipLites in Berry 'nilla Creme

The lipLites are probably the only glosses that I use now that I've used in high school. They smell sooooooooooo good! I cannot even begin to describe how yummy these smell. Think of the Urban Decay Pocket Rocket glosses, but better.


The one I just finished is in Berry 'nilla Cream. It smells like some kind of berry cake with whipped cream topping. Mmmmmmm!


Empty!!! So rare for me!!! Non beauty addicts don't understand this happiness, but it's been months since I've finished a product cause I've got so much and use something different just about every day. Soooo happy!!!

The applicator:

Just a standard doe foot.

A swatch:

Sucky pic, I know. I was in a hurry. Its a matte, milky pink. It gives a bit of that nude lip look, but not as washed out as a beige gloss. It makes my lips look very very full. It's not a very glossy, more understated, but that's perfect for everyday and work/school. It's not sticky either, but very creamy and smooth. Not too thin, but not thick at all or tacky. It's not moisturizing, but it doesn't dry out my lips. Lasting power is average too. It comes in all different colors and scents. I'm gonna try Cappucino and Cream Pop next! Best of all is that they are only around $3.72 a pop (and I do mean pop, lol!). At this price, anyone can try!

Info:

Price: $3.72

Ingredients: Acetylated Lanolin, Polybutene, Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Bis Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate 2, Kaolin, Ozokerite, Flavor (Aroma), Dipropylene Glycol, Silica, Sodium Saccharin, Mica, BHT, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, May Contain (+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Carmine (CI 75470) (CI 75470), Red 33 Lake (CI 17200), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Blue 1 (CI 42090) (CI 42090), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red 21 Lake (CI 45380), Red 27 Lake (CI 45410), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360).

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

Quick EOTD!

I know, it's been a while since I've been here. Just got the laptop back and will try to post as much as possible in between classes. Sorry for the funky lighting in the pic. Idk what happened, but all the other pcis were blurry so it was this or nothing :( Anyway, I used three shadows: Nars Nepal, Urban Decay YDK and Electric. An odd combo, brown/bronze and matte blue, but they look gorgeous together! Oh, and ignore the bit of mascara on the inside. I didn't notice until I'd already taken the pics.

Here are the shadows:

CW from top: UD YDK, Nars Nepal, UD Electric


CW from top: UD YDK, Nars Nepal, UD Electric

Swatches:

L to R: Nars Nepal, UD YDK, UD Electric.

I'm really loving Nepal specifically because it's very multipurpose. I use it as a shadow, a highlighter all over my face, or a bronzer even. It looks very natural because it's not a garish white like many of the lighter highlighters on the market. And if I use it in the inner corners I get this pretty sultry look. Electric I've been using when I'm in a hurry but want some color. I usually just line my upper lash line, but I wanted to try something different this time so I diffused it around.

More coming soon!

Update!

Sorry for the prolonged absence, yet again. My lapton, my brand new 13 in. MacBook Pro has broken FOR THE THIRD TIME!!! GRRRRR!!!! Honestly, I'm starting to get fed up. The whole reason I upgraded from my VAIO to a Mac, after being a PC user all my life, was to not have to deal with crashes and viruses, and ect.Prior to purchasing a $1200 (Yikes!!!) laptop, I was told by many many different sources that Macs are very good, very virus-resistant, very self-sufficient, very durable. Instead, what do I get? A dud. This is the third time I'm sending it in for repairs and I've only had it for a couple of months. WHY DOES THE UNIVERSE HATE ME!?!?!?!?!? Needless to say, I will post as often as I possibly can, but it'll be a while before I get my laptop back :( They sent it to a national repair center this time. Hopefully, it'll be the last time I have to take it in. I'm just very frustrated because this is exactly what I hoped I wouldn't have to deal with. Now, I'm going to have to go the rest of the week without a laptop. I know, it doesn't sound like a big deal, but I really do need it for school. I'm a nursing student and all my info is on there. Plus, a lot of my texbooks are e-books (much cheaper) and I need my computer to read them so that I don't have to go to a comp lab every time I need to study :( Anyway, that's my rant. The evil people at the Apple store that stuck me with this computer are probably laughing right now...mean people >: [

LOTD: Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire

Just a quick post today: what's on my lips. I've been in love with the Chanel Glossimers for the longest time. I know that a lot of people believe that drugstore and high end glosses are the same, but no one whose ever tried this gloss will tell you that. The texture, finish, feel, and shade selection of this gloss is unlike that of any other gloss that I've tried and I highly recommend these to everyone!!!

The shade Imaginaire looks very dark in the tube, but applies basically like my lips only better, with a bit more of a plum color to them. It's very sheer and I think would be flattering for a wide range of skin tones. I love how juicy and plum it makes my lips look!

My full review is available HERE!

Review: Clean & Clear Warming Daily Pore Scrub

I know I've been doing a lot of skincare reviews lately, but that's only because I don't have any other pics taken/edited. Bear with me and I'll get some makeup soon, haha! Today's review is for a warming scrub. I've been curious about these types of products for a while, about how they work and if they are really more effective than normal cleansers/scrubs. I couldn't find anything about how they work but I am assuming it has to do with a reaction to air/water because they are sold in vacuum containers (no air inside). I know the pic above makes it seem as though I've been using this scrub for months, but really its only been a couple of weeks. You'll notice the same with Olay's warming scrub. I have to say that while I am a fan of warming scrubs in general, this one fell short.


First off, it is impossible to get it out of the tube! This is true for most of the warming scrubs I've tried including the ones from Olay and St. Ives. I don't know why the product has to be so thick, but it makes it very difficult to use.


Immediately after you squeeze it out it looks like the pic above.

Spread out:


Add water:


And more water:

I don't know how well you can see, but the crystals are very small and square, almost like sugar. When I first got the product dry on my hand I thought that it'd be very scrubby, but really when you dilute it it ends up much gentler. The heat really does help it clean better. I was skeptical at first because come on, just how hot could it get? Apparently, very hot. You can feel it getting hot in you hands. Thea heat does leave fairly quickly, though, so I think using a regular scrub after steaming your face would be more effective. I did notice that my skin was smoother and my pores were cleaner, but I still wouldn't recommend this product. Why, you may ask? Well, it leaves my face with a sticky/greasy film that is almost impossible to wash off. I swear, my face feels like I spread glue around on it after I use this product, no joke! My face felt sticky, like really sticky. And it too me about 3 washes with a scrubby brush (a facial one) to get rid of the stuff. As well as it works, I cannot recommend it to anyone as it's a pain to use. If you don't mind having to clean the residue off your face, then by all means try this. Otherwise, stay away.

Info:

Price: $5.99

Ingredients: Zeolite, Sucrose, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, PEG-8, Ethylene Propylene Styrene Copolymer, Steareth 2, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Polysorbate-20, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Butylene Ethylene Styrene Copolymer, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Titanium Dioxide.

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

Update! Back in college!

hey, I know that I've been MIA for the last couple of weeks, but I have a good excuse (this time at least, haha!), I promise. I just moved back to college for the fall semester! I'm glad to be back, but at the same time I find myself missing my privacy, my space, my stuff, my food, my safety, my piece of mind, etc... My roommates are ok. They're nice, but kinda boring you know? Like, I can talk about classes with them and school and the weather, but other than that, nothing. That and there are three of us in what was supposed to be a double room but is now a forced triple, which means that there are only two of everything except for the bed. And guess who got the short end of the stick? Yeah, me. I don't really mind that much, cause I didn't bring that much stuff, but still it's annoying. Oh, and I got bottom bunk. Wow, just saying that makes me feel like I'm five, lol! I don't really mind cause sleeping top bunk makes me feel claustrophobic. Idk, it's ok, but I miss all of my stuff and the convenience of having my own space. I'll deal though. Don't hesitate to comment me if you're living on a campus as well!

For those of you who haven't been reading my blog for a long time, I am a nursing student at a state school in Connecticut. That being said, now that school is back in session I will have to cut back on the amount of time I spend blogging. I will try to post as often as possible, with pics, but I will have to change how I do my reviews cause I don't think I'll have time to take as many pics and edit as much. Plus, blogger is really annoying in how it uploads my pics backwards and on my MacBook it will only let me do one at a time or else it gives me an error. Or the Spinning Beach Ball of Death. Grrrrrrr. Anyway, I hope that everyone had an awesome summer. I wish all those going back to school good luck! And I really hope to be able to update a lot more often than I have been these past couple of weeks. I've just been sooooo busy getting ready (by doing a TON of laundry, cleaning A LOT of stuff) that even just the thought of blogging makes me wanna nap, haha! I wanted to make sure that you guys didn't think that I'd abandoned this blog, and rest assured I haven't! New reviews will be posted soon!!!

Review: Biore Dual Fusion Moisturizer with SPF 30

If you are a fan of stores like Ocean State Job Lot, Big Lots, and various other discount stores you may have noticed a bunch of the newer Biore products cropping up, and I'm telling you not to hesitate to try them! Biore products are very good as far as drugstore skin care goes in my opinion. While they usually cost a bit more, the ones that I've tried have been very effective, especially the moisturizers and toners. This review is for only a moisturizer but I'll be sure to post some more Biore beauty!

This is a dual moisturizer. This means that it is a combo of moisturizer and SPF, but the products are separated until you actually pump them out and then you mix them and apply them to your face. Supposedly this is supposed to be better as it protects against the degradation of the SPF, but I can't really attest to it.

You can see in these next couple of pics how the product comes out:



This dispenser my only pet peeve with this moisturizer, but I'll get to that later.

Here's what the packaging looks like:

If you think it looks a bit on the small side, you are correct, it is very small, as far as I'm concerned. You only get 1.7 oz of product, which, for a high end brand would be ok, but this is just too little, especially as half of it is the SPF. Keep in mind that this retails for $13.99. This may not seem like too much, but if you do the math it's more expensive that my Clinique DD Gel. The Biore one is about $8.29 per oz, while the Clinique one is about $5.71 per oz, so while I may pay around $24 for the Clinique, I'll actually be saving money in the long run. As great as this moisturizer is, I wouldn't pay full price for it. However, I found this at my local Ocean State Job Lot for $5, which is a steal!!! If you can find it discounted like that, snap it up. Otherwise, it's not really worth it.

Here's the dispenser:

It's got two little holes. One dispenses the sun block and the other the moisturizer. You can tell which is which by the color. The sunblock is white and the moisturizer is green.

The product:

You dispense it and then mix it together before applying it to you face.


When you mix it, it just turns white and then applies clear.


This is right after you rub it in a bit. Ignore the blue shadow in the corner. Idk where that came from :/ It feels really good right after you put it on. My face felt super moisturized, but not greasy/sticky. It feels really light, almost like a gel and absorbs very quickly.

Here's a couple of minutes after I applied it:

My skin feels very fresh after this. The biggest plus for this moisturizer is it's non greasy formula, even though it has SPF 30!!! My biggest pet peeve when using the Clinique DD Gel is that is doesn't have any SPF, so I'd have to layer it over SPF and end up feeling like I've got a ton of product on my skin. This moisturizer goes on very light, absorbs quickly, and doesn't leave me looking oily like almost every other moisturizer with SPF has in the past. Also, SPF 30 is a significant amount of SPF. Usually in moisturizers it's 15. And as it's been proven that we usually don't apply enough of the moisturizer to get full protection, a higher SPF is better. The box also mentions that this is supposed to improve skin tone, but even with continued use (a month and a half) I haven't noticed a reduction in redness, so I wouldn't put much stock in that. This moisturizer is supposedly meant for in between (not a teen, not old enough for serious anti-aging ingredients), but I think anyone can benefit from light moisture and a good SPF.

There really is only one big problem with this moisturizer, and that is how much you have to pump to get BOTH sides of the dispenser to dispense products. If you've used those click pen concealers/glosses you'll know what I mean. You've gotta pump and pump until a ton of product comes out, only here, you've got a ton of product coming out from one side of the dispenser and none coming out from the other side. I must have emptied almost half of the SPF before I wizened up to check out other customer reviews online on how to solve this problem.

Here's what you're supposed to do:

Well let me tell you, tapping the bottle does nothing. I tapped, and tapped, and tapped, and still no green. I Googled the problem and here's what I found:

The dispenser actually removes the show the two pumps that the product comes out of.



You can then pump whichever one you need to catch up (in my case the green) until the product comes out, as opposed to pumping both and wasting a ton of product.

Final thoughts: if you can find it at a discount, then you may wish to try it. It's a great moisturizer with a good amount of SPF in it that doesn't leave your skin feeling oily, greasy, or sticky. However, if you do purchase it, be careful that you don't waste a huge amount of product trying to get both pumps to dispense product. And I wouldn't advise paying full price for this product as it is way more expensive (per oz) than more high end moisturizers.

Info:

Price: $13.99

Ingredients: Octinoxate (3%), Zinc Oxide (3.9%), Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butylene Glycol, Phenyltrimethicone, Cetyl PG Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Nymphaea Coerulea Flower Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hordeum Distichon Extract (Barley), Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate, PEG 3 Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Copolymer, C13 14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Stearoxy, PG Hydroxyethylcellulose Sulfonate, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Laureth 7, Propylene Glycol, Iron Oxides, Disodium EDTA, 1,2 Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Tropolone, Fragrance (Parfum), Green 5, Yellow 5, Green 3

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