Amber Likes Beauty

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer in Cocoa Radiant

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 18:20:00 +0000

I suck at applying lotion when I should, especially because I have really dry skin that demands lotion just to look presentable. I'm just really lazy and I also hate that heavy, slightly sticky feeling of applying moisturizer after a shower. I always feel a bit greasy for a little while. And there's nothing worse that having to put clothes on top of a freshly applied lotion (read: first world problems). So Vaseline has set out to change all though with its new Spray & Go Moisturizer. Let's take a look!

The Spray & Go Moisturizer comes in 3 varieties: Total Moisture with oat extract for soft skin, Aloe Fresh with pure aloe for fresh skin, and Cocoa Radiant with pure cocoa butter for glowing skin. I chose the latter to try, although having experiences with the Vaseline brand of lotions in the past I doubt I would have a noticeable difference between all the 3. Cocoa Radiant has the signature sweet scent that is common for cocoa butter products.

The dispensed product is very thin. It's not like a mousse, rather just a slightly foamy mist. And it doesn't begin to drip while sitting on your skin.

Too apply, all you need to do is to press the spray nozzle of the can and aim it at whatever skin you wish to use it on. Very simple and to the point. According to the commercial for this product, I should be able to spray, wipe, and then flip my clothes on and be out the door in seconds. Hmmmm...

First off, no, I never believed that the commercial would be accurate for me. It takes me 15 minutes to even decide what I might where for the day, so that ready in seconds shit isn't a possibility in my life. I was really just looking for a product that absorb quickly and not make me feel icky when I slide my clothes on top. And that's what I got.

Simply wiping the product once as done in the commercial is not sufficient. You must rub it in as you would any lotion, though this doesn't take long. Where this product shines is how quickly it sinks into your skin leaving your skin moisturized yet without that thick, greasy feeling you can experience with a normal form of lotion.

As dry as my skin is, the thin formula of this product is not sufficient enough to keep me adequately hydrated all day, but because it's slightly more convenient than the traditional lotion, I'm more likely to include it in my routine.

You can find more information on this product on the Vaseline website. It retails for $6-8.

Pantene Ultimate 10 BB Creme for Hair Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:35:00 +0000

Source

When I first heard that Pantene was coming out with a BB Creme a couple months ago, my first thought was "Pantene's getting into makeup?". This was because a BB Creme for hair did not occur to me as a possibility. I've talked about how BB Cremes tend to annoy me on principle before but I couldn't wait to get my hands on this version for the hair. So what exactly is the Ultimate 10 BB Creme 10-in-1 Beauty Balm for Hair, you ask? Read on to find out!

Pantene has 10 claims for the product as per the website:

Repair for rough hair.
Strength against damage
Silky softness
Brilliant shine
Smoothing
Moisture
Frizz Control
Heat Protection
Manageability
Tamed Flyaways

I'm guessing this kind of multitasking ability is what justifies Pantene qualifying the product as a BB cream, which I'll go with.

The product has a texture akin to your typical leave in conditioning cream type of product. I usually use about 2 pumps, but I have long hair and a lot of it, so someone else may use less. You can apply it on wet or dry hair. I tend to put it on when my hair is damp, just before I blow dry to take advantage of its heat protection. Sometimes, if my hair is really rough, I'll put it on as a finishing touch after the blow dry as well.

As for the claims, I really believe it has helped in all 10 areas it claims to for me. I especially think it does great in the softening department. It also smells AMAZING! I love with the wind blows through my hair and I get a whiff of it throughout the day.

I will say, however, that there is some overlap in the Ultimate 10. I mean, number 1, 3, and 5 kind of go hand in hand....

Bottom Line: Amber LOVES!!!!!

This is definitely my favorite product with the letters "BB" in the title. Even if it didn't have that awfully trendy title it's still an awesome product on its own.

You can find more information on this product on the Pantene website. It retails for $5-7 depending where you buy.

Rocking Out With theBalm's Balm Jovi Rockstar Face Palette!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:12:00 +0000

I missed out on theBalm's The Balm and the Beautiful Palette a couple years ago (the one that was the same as the Muppet's palette) so I promised myself that wouldn't happen again. So enters last holiday's Balm Jovi Palette that's absolutely adorable....in a totally kick ass rockstar kind of way, of course.

A heart shaped mirror with wings in the top flap!

You get 12 eyeshadows, 1 highlighter, and 1 blush in the center section.

L-R: Metal-ica, Iron Maid-in, Lead Zeppelin, Alice Copper

Metal-ica is a frosted silvery white.
Iron Maid-in is a buttery golden shimmer.
Lead Zeppelin is a mossy olive with shimmer.
Alice Copper is a pomegranate with shimmer.

L-R: Adagio, Allegro, Moderato, Presto

Adagio is a matte cream.
Allegro is a matte mid tone tan.
Moderato is a matte dark greyed plum.
Presto is a matte cool dark brown.

L-R: Blink 1982, The Stroke, Rem, Third Eye Blinded

Blink 1982 is a shimmery mauve.
The Stroke is a dark blue base with intense blue shimmer.
Rem is a lilac with shimmer.
Third Eye Blinded is a light baby pink with shimmer.

L-R: Solid Gold Luminizer, Don't You Want Me? Blush

Solid Gold is a frosty golden champagne highlighter.
Don't You Want Me? is a matte peachy pink blush.

A couple notes with the luminizer and the blush. First, Solid Gold is theBalm's Mary Lou-manizer and Don't You Want Me? is theBalm's Frat Boy blush. Also, Solid Gold doesn't apply as frosty on the skin as it does in the swatch, so don't be scared!

Also included are two lip/cheek creams.

L-R: Milly, Vanilly

Milly is a nude rose.
Vanilly is a bright, blue based red.

The shadows are of phenomenal quality, just as all of theBalm's shadows are. I've been using the palette nearly every morning since I bought the palette, especially Rem and Third Eye Blinded. The face powders are also just as good as their permanent line counterparts.

I can't comment on the lip/cheek creams as I haven't used them yet, but do you see how pigmented Vanilly is? Holy cow!

Also included is this Billboard themed suggestion panel that recommends different looks to try. I love it because the panel also serves as a cover for the cream products so that the powders don't get all mixed up in them. I thought that was very thoughtful on the company's part.

Bottom Line: Amber LOVES!!!

Another score from theBalm! So far I don't think I've met a product from the brand that I didn't like.

You can find more information on this product on theBalm's website. It retails for $39.50, but I got it for $30 on Amazon, so you might want to check there first!

Sephora Disney Storylook Palette Vol 2: Jasmine

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:45:00 +0000

As excited as I was when I heard about the Cinderella palette, I just about blew a gasket when I found out the next princess to be featured at Sephora was going to be Jasmine! Jasmine was my absolute favorite princess growing up (probably because she was the only princess at the time that looked anything like me at all). And seeing the shades included, the Jasmine Storylook palette is just in time for the Summer with its warm shadows.

Jasmine's palette features more detailing than Cinderella's. I love the kind of lattice bordering they've got going on.

Inscribed at the top is: "you're only in trouble if you get caught". :)

I don't think I mentioned this in the Cinderella review, but both palettes feature a pull-out drawer design, which, to be honest, I'm not that fond of. I'd rather it just have a lid that you could pull up. But whatevs.

The shadows actually pop out of the drawer they sit in, so you can reuse the box when the shadows are gone if you want.

Jasmine differs from Cinderella in that instead of having 20 eyeshadows, Jasmine has 15 shadows, 1 blush, and 1 bronzer. I wouldn't have minded if they repeated the same arrangement as Cinderella, but it's cool that they did something different. Makes me wonder what they're planning with the next princess...

L-R: Blue Oasis, Trust Me, Abu, Ali Ababwa, Sultana

Blue Oasis is a bright aqua satin.

Trust Me is a metallic rusty cranberry.

Abu is a metallic taupey brown.

Ali Ababwa is a light cream matte.

Sultana is a light rosy nude shimmer.

L-R: Friend Like Me, Master, Cosmic, Cave of Wonders, Sand in the Glass

Friend Like Me is medium sky blue shimmer.

Master is a deep eggplant shimmer.

Cosmic is a warm champagne frost.

Cave of Wonders is a canary gold shimmer.

Sand in the Glass whitened gold frost.

L-R: Lapis, Mystical Wonder, Rajah, Arabian Sunset, Bazaar

Lapis is a teal blue matte.

Mystical Wonder is a bluish purple shimmer.

Rajah is a satin rusty orange.

Arabian Sunset is a satin coral.

Bazaar is a medium brown matte.

L-R: Thrilling Chase & Golden Sands

Thrilling Chase is a dusky rose with some shimmer.

Golden Sands is a golden bronze with shimmer.

The quality within this palette is much more consistent than with Cinderella's. The only shades I had trouble with was Ali Ababwa and Lapis, both applying patchy and not with the amount of pigmentation the other shades came with.

Bottom Line: Amber LOVES!!!

I like that the quality seems to be getting better with these palettes. I'm hoping we get Ariel next! Which princess are eagerly awaiting?

You can find more information about this palette on Sephora's website. It retails for $55.

Sephora Story Look Palette Vol 1: Cinderella Swatches

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Seeing this palette on Christmas morning, despite the fact that I was well aware my mother had bought it for me, almost brought me to tears. There is something about Disney Princesses that makes me feel so nostalgic! So you can imagine that Sephora mixing Disney and makeup together was exactly my kind of product!

The outside of the palette features a silhouette of Cinderella in her ball gown and gorgeous golden detailing around the border.

Also inscribed is the phrase "fairytales do come true". Are you in love yet?

Inside, you get 20 eyeshadows inspired by the film. I think Sephora did a really good job creating colors that truly mimicked some things in the movie.

L-R: Maiden, All Aglow, Destined, Cinderelly, Pumpkin Coach

Maiden is a deep fuchsia shimmer.
All Aglow is a nude warm light beige shimmer with a rosy undertone.
Destined is a pale sky blue shimmer.
Cinderelly is a pale sea foam green matte.
Pumpkin is a pale peach matte.

L-R: Ball Gown, Kilt Joy, Fairy Godmother, Glass Slipper, Royal

Ball Gown is a pearly metallic white. I believe it's supposed to mimic Cinderella's wedding gown.
Kilt Joy is a metallic dirty grey.
Fairy Godmother is a pale periwinkle blue with a slight golden sheen.
Glass Slipper is an extremely pale sky blue with a slight sheen.
Royal is a matte medium turquoise blue.

L-R: Gus Gus, Charming, Chateau, Palace, Drizella

Gus Gus is a buttery metallic gold. I think this is inspired by his shirt.
Charming is a light beige with a golden sheen.
Chateau is a medium warm taupe brown.
Palace is a beige nude shimmer. Much like All Aglow minus the rosiness and it's not as warm.
Drizella is a metallic bronze.

L-R: Cinders, Jaq, Midnight, A Wish, Rococco

Cinders is a matte black base with copper shimmers throughout.
Jaq is a metallic ashy taupe.
Midnight is a metallic gunmetal.
A Wish is a matte cream.
Rococco is a matte dark brown that leans warm.

When I swatched the first row, I was a bit worried that the shadows wouldn't be that great. Other than Maiden and Destined, all the shades in the first row were patchy and not so pigmented.

Luckily this wasn't the case for the vast majority of the shades in this palette. Pigmentation and texture was great, especially with with the metallic shades, as per the usual with shadows. I guess I had the most trouble with the mattes included, although A Wish swatched quite well compared to the others.

Bottom Line: Amber LOVES!!!!!!

To be honest, something seriously wrong would've had to go down with this thing for me not to love it. This is one of the rare occasion that I bought something almost exclusively because of the packaging and the meaning behind it. Cinderella and the rest of Disney Princesses are pretty sentimental for me, and as long as Sephora puts out these Story Look Palettes, I'll continue to cop them. And before you ask: Yes, I bought the Jasmine palette too. You can expect a post about that soon :)

You can find more information on this palette at Sephora's website. It retails for $55.

Squatting onto the Bandwagon: 30 Day Squat Challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:13:00 +0000

Scrolling down on Facebook the other day I came across a before and after photo from a friend that's been on a weight loss journey for a quite a while now. I assumed that this was just photo documenting her success from her normal diet and exercise plan, but it turned out to be results fromthis 30 Day Squat Challenge.

The change from before to after on her was outstanding! You could see a definite big difference with her legs. Usually I find this type of stuff gimicky but it did spark my interest in a major way. Obviously I decided to start it myself.

But I must say: I'm not doing it for the results.

Now, don't get me wrong, it would be great if I do see a change with my body. But I really want to get back into exercising for my health and my body image. For me, this challenge is about proving to myself that I can commit to something and carry it through.

So here I am, on Day 3 having completed 60 squats. I couldn't believe I was even able to make it through the first day. Each day, it's gotten the most challenging around 30 squats or so but I've reached the goal each time and I'm happy with that.

I'm not even sure I'm doing the squats correctly, but like I said, I just want to prove to myself that I can do it. A part of that is why I'm posting about this, to make myself even more accountable. So I'll keep you guys posted as I continue through the next 27 days!

Has anyone else heard of this challenge? Is this something you'd be interested in doing?

Wet N' Wild Coverall Cream Foundation and Powder: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:40:00 +0000

As mentioned in Part 1, I had no expectations of the Wet N Wild Coverall Pressed Powder because I didn't really want it in the first place. To be honest, if anything, I thought it would come off a bit cakey based on the textures of their eyeshadows.

I can't remember the shade selection for the pressed powder so I can't comment on it as I did with the foundation. I ended up choosing the shade in Medium/Tan, which corresponded with the shade I chose in the foundation.

I was pleasantly surprised that the texture of this powder is AMAZING!!! It's so silky smooth to the touch! And it matches my skin perfectly. It doesn't apply cakey at all and doesn't settle into any fine lines.

Powder is the last swatch on the right

You do pick up a good amount of product, but the same amount you would pick up with the WNW shadows, which was my initial worry. It provides a good additional coverage on it's own.

Bottom Line: Amber LOVES!!!!!!

I'm very impressed with this powder. For the price, it's got amazing quality! I've actually ended up using it more than the foundation and its become my go-to powder now.

You can find more information on this product on the WNW website. It retails for $2.99!

Wet N' Wild Coverall Cream Foundation and Pressed Powder: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:23:00 +0000

I wanted to try the new Wet N' Wild Coverall Cream Foundation since I first heard the announcement of its arrival in stores, but never really had an interest in the powder. However, Rite Aid had BOGO 1/2 off sale on WNW products and I figured, why not try the powder too? So for Part 1, let's go over the foundation, shall we?

First things first: the shade selection here sucks. And it's weird for me to say that because the shade I ended up getting for myself is absolutely perfect for me. However, that won't be the case for many of you. There are a total of 7 shades, which isn't bad necessarily, except for the fact that all of the shades with the exception of Medium Tan (the one I chose), have pinky undertones. Medium Tan has yellow/olive undertones, but if you're lighter than NC35 or deeper than NC42, I doubt you'll be able to pull it off.

I'm happy to say that's the only major roadblock with this foundation. Texture-wise, it has a thick consistency yet it blends onto the face with a very lightweight feel. It feels moisturizing as you apply it, yet it dries down to a semi-matte finish, as promised by the product packaging. I never feel like I have to powder this to set it.

The Coverall Cream provides a solid medium coverage on me. I've only ever applied it with my fingers and it blends quite easily while evening out my skin. I will say that it ends up looking just a tad bit too dry on my already dry skin, but it's nothing a little highlighter can't fix. And even though I don't look dewy, I love that it doesn't feel dewy, you know what I mean. I love to look luminous but I hate that feeling like my makeups is about to melt off. Don't have to deal with that here.

L-R: CC Foundation in Medium Tan, CC Foundation spread out, CC Powder

Bottom Line: Amber Really Likes

This is a really nice product, plain and simple. I've never tried a face product from Wet N' Wild before, but I gotta say I'm definitely impressed. Stay tuned for Part 2 when we go over the powder!

You can find more information on this product on the WNW website! It retails for $3.59.

Make Up For Ever Face & Body in 34 Honey Beige

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 17:27:00 +0000

I've been sitting on this product since last summer, stalling on reviewing it. When I first tried Make Up For Ever's Face & Body foundation I was less than impressed with it's results in relation to its hefty price tag. I almost returned it, but I've since given it some more chances and I'm warming up to it now!

My original motivations for purchasing this foundation was that the Sephora website claimed that it was waterproof and approved by some synchronized swim team. I sweat like a beast from doing practically nothing, and that's kept me from using foundation on many occasions. I was excited to see that there was a waterproof foundation that may help me out in this department so I decided to go ahead and try it out.

And so begins my first gripe with this product, and the brand in general: shade choice. Even though MUFE always includes an extensive range of shades for their foundations, I can never find one that's at all suitable for me. It's always the wrong undertone or too dark. So frustrating!

I settled for the shade 34 Honey Beige, which is described online as a medium shade with beige undertones. What it really is is a warm tan that leans a bit orange. Now, it's not orange enough to make me look oompa-ish, but it's a little too dark for my tone, to the point where I absolutely must blend it down on my neck or any other exposed skin. Luckily, because the foundation has a sheer-buildable coverage, I'm able to pull it off though so it's not too bad.

The texture of this product is very watery because the formula is, in fact, water-based. I don't think I have a thinner foundation than this. It has a sheer-buildable coverage.

Under the bright lighting of my desk lamp, when I first put this on I was left very unimpressed, so I left this alone for a few months. But something made me try it again and I remember looking in the bathroom mirror one day and thinking, "Wow! My face looks amazing!"

It gives a slight dewiness to the skin, without actually feeling dewy to the touch, which I love. It also looks completely natural on my face. To me, the foundation on my skin is almost undetectable. It wears quite comfortably and weightlessly, and from what I can tell it also doesn't wear throughout the day no matter how much I sweat.

Bottom Line: Happy to have it, just wish it was better suited to my skin color..

Within the shades that are said to be a fit for medium skin tones (7 shades), there are absolutely none available for yellow or golden undertones. This really annoys me as I find it absurd. I get having half of the shades with pink undertones, but how many medium skin toned peeps are orange?

Other than the shade range, this foundation is a great companion for sweaty girls like me. It does retail for $40 at Sephora for 1.69 oz though, so it's not the cheapest foundation out there. You can find more information about this on Sephora's website.

Trying to Get Back into the Swing of Things....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:20:00 +0000

I come to you with my tail between my legs, profusely apologizing for my obnoxiously extended absence from the blogosphere.

I'm currently in my 2nd semester of grad school and along with that comes my first field placement (which I'm loving), going up to full time at my grad assistantship, and classes that are just sucking the life out of me.

When I get stressed I tend to avoid things and shut down a bit, so unfortunately Amber Likes Beauty has been the innocent casualty. But lately I've been slowly reintroducing the things I used to enjoy back into my life like shopping and taking the time to apply my makeup each morning before work, and wouldn't you know that I've started feeling better already.

So I'm hoping to start easing back into blogging as well, since I've been getting so many things I want to show you. I'm getting my photos ready now, and with any luck I'll have some posts up for you within the next week or so :)

Thanks for hanging in with me here!

Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:14:00 +0000

I'm on my last pack of my favorite Neutrogena makeup cleansing wipes, so I figured I'd try out some wipes that I found on sale for 50% off: the Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes. Stepping after my love affair with Neutrogena wipes, Almay had some big shoes to fill....

The Almay wipes are of a good size, big enough to remove all your foundation, blush, eye makeup, and lipstick with just one.

They feel very moist to the touch, but when you're done cleaning your entire face, your face isn't left feeling overly moist. They also glide easily across the skin.

In the photo above, I have a couple swipes of a black, waterproof gel liner.

This is what the swatches looked like after a few seconds of heavy scrubbing. As you can see, the wipes did not completely remove either swatch. Rather, they are left looking merely faded.

In action, the wipes do take off most of my face makeup and eyeshadow without too much trouble, but I have to be a bit more heavy-handed and persistent than I'd like to be to remove any liner or mascara. There's been a number of occasions when my mascara doesn't completely come off either.

Perhaps the most bothersome aspect, however, is how my eyes feel after I've used the wipes. Sometimes my eyelids burn a bit. I'm not sure if it's due to the ingredients, the texture, how hard I have to scrub, or a combination of these aspects, but it's uncomfortable nonetheless.

Bottom Line: Definitely not a repurchase...

I'll be using these towelettes up, mostly for removing swatches off my arms since the skin there can handle the heavy scrubbing necessary better than my face, but I won't buy them again. The $1 pack of wipes I got from Big Lots (which I can't find lately, please don't tell me they don't have them anymore!) worked better.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Call of the Wild Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:49:00 +0000

I saw a bunch of swatches for this Tarte Call of the Wild palette and I was instantly drooling. I'm not sure why, but the colors just screamed to me. So when Tarte had a Friends & Family sale while I was on vacation at Virginia Beach, I momentarily left the oceanside to place an order.

With names

Without name sheet

This is a neutral palette but it's not just the usual nudes and browns. You get a really great mixture of different shades that will offer a wide range of options for both your daily and nightly needs. And I love that none of the shades lean too warm nor too cool. I think they would go well with any skin tone.

L-R: Meow, Jungle, Call, Instinct

Meow is a nude champagne shimmer. Jungle is dark bronze shimmer. Call is a very light warm pink with a sheen. Instinct is a pale cream with just a slight shimmer.

L-R: Wild, Lynx, Primal, Roar

Wild is a metallic plummy bronze. Lynx is a light greige. Primal is a medium bluish grey matte. Roar is a dark navy blue matte.

I found that the 3 lightest shades (Call, Instinct, & Lynx) swatched quite powdery, but apply on the lid just fine. It's the darker colors that truly shine in this palette though, with great pigmentation and creaminess. All the shades blend together quite nicely.

Bottom Line: Amber Likes!

I've been keeping this in my car for days I have to go into work early and do my makeup in my car. Even though there are only 8 shades, there's enough of a range that no matter what I'm wearing, I can create a look that agrees with me for the day.

You can find more information on this palette on the Tarte website. It retails for $36.

KILLER DEAL ALERT!: Bare Minerals Ready Quads and Duos 50% off at ULTA!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:12:00 +0000

GO, GO NOW TO ULTA! All the quads and duos from their line of ready shadows are now 50% off!!! Buy now and ask questions later!!

Another Giveaway from Cut & Blow!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 23:05:00 +0000

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I mentioned the arrival of the new beauty flash sale site Cut & Blow a few days ago and I thought I'd share this 2nd giveaway they are carrying. In addition to the Clarisonic, it also includes the chance to win a teeth whitening system, Ultra Renew Ultrasonic LED Device, and a Jane Iredale Starter kit!

E.L.F. Studio Baked Blush in Rich Rose Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:44:00 +0000

E.L.F.'s newer baked products haven't perked my fancy much for some reason I'm not sure of. But I did decide to throw one in my basket after hearing a lot of pleasantries about it. Check out the Baked Blush in Rich Rose after the jump!

I like the packaging with the Baked Blushes. I was scared that it would share the bulkiness of the brand's cream blushes, but the compact was just large enough to contain the product with no extra space taken. The lid is completely clear so you can easily see the product without having to open it.

In the pan, Rich Rose seems to be a rosy bronze base with some corally swirls throughout.

Once these 2 shades are blended together, they become a warm, subdued marriage of coral and rose. It's a very nice everyday kind of shade that would complement many skintones. There's a sheen to it that will impart a nice glow, but no shimmery, over the top disco ball going on here.

One thing I also liked about this was the textured. I hold ELF's original Studio Blushes close to my heart because they were my first blushes, but I did notice that they emphasized any uneven texture I had on my cheeks. This baked blush, however, went on much smoother.

Bottom Line: Amber Enjoys!!

These baked blushes are definitely worth looking into. I'm not sure if I'm interested in purchasing another shade at this time, though. The present shades don't seem too unique but if they were to add new ones I'd be willing to check them out.

You can find more information on this product on the E.L.F. website. It retails for $3.

My HG Toner! L'Oreal Hydrafresh Toner Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:18:00 +0000

While I love experimenting with different cosmetics, once I find something that works with my skin, I tend to stick with it for the long haul. One of these long-term skincare products of mine is L'Oreal's Hydrafresh Toner.

I think there is a myth out there that people with dry skin shouldn't use or don't need toner. I don't take stock into this belief myself. Whereas people with oily skin use toner as an astringent to soak up excess oil, people with dry skin can find benefits with toners that kind of "prep" your skin for your moisturizer. It's all about the type of toner you choose.

Hydrafresh is a great toner for dry skin. It contains no alcohol, so it doesn't strip your skin at all. For me, it takes off any dirt my cleanser didn't get to or any remnants of cleanser left behind. It also makes my skin feel even fresher than with cleanser and exfoliant alone. I find that moisturizer hydrates better if I put this toner on first.

Bottom Line: Amber's Obsessed!

I'm on my 3rd bottle of this stuff and I haven't been tempted to stray. I especially love this in the summer when I'm hot for an instant refreshing.

You can find more information on this product on L'Oreal's website. It retails for $6.

Beauty News! Cut & Blow: A New Beauty Flash Site!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:02:00 +0000

Great news everyone! There's a new beauty flash site in town! It's called Cut & Blow and it's reminiscent of Hautelook except it centers around Hair and Beauty Products. You've got to be a member to take advantage, which just entails you signing up with your email, which you can do here. According to their present and upcoming brands list, you can expect to see products from companies like Sebastian, Smashbox, and even Clarisonic!

Also, Phyrra from phyrra.net is running a raffle contest for a free Clarisonic Mia 2, sponsored by the Cut & Blow site! You can enter into the contest in the form below! Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

E.L.F. Studio HD Blush Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:16:00 +0000

E.L.F.'s Studio HD Blush is probably my favorite release from the brand. I'm not speaking on the actual product, just the unexpectedness of it. Who would've anticipated a brand like E.L.F. coming out with a product like this? So it was a no brainer that I would have to buy each shade available....

L-R: Superstar, Showstopper, Headliner, Diva, Encore

If these blushes look familiar, it's because they are. Make Up For Ever has had blushes like these for a while now. The difference? MUFE charges over 8 TIMES more for their product. That's not to say they aren't worth that because I don't know as I don't own the MUFE ones. But E.L.F. does seem to have the more affordable option.

This is a cream blush that comes with a pump to dispense the product. I've heard some complaints that the pump from E.L.F. pumps out too much and is hard to control, but I've actually found the opposite. On all 5 bottles of mine, I find it easy to pump out as little or as much as I want.

L-R: Encore, Superstar, Showstopper, Headliner, Diva

Encore is a strawberry red-pink. Superstar is a melon peachy pink. Showstopper is a deep wine. Headliner is a nude pink. Diva is a hot blue-based pink.

Each swatch above is no more than a half of a pump. These are EXTREMELY pigmented! Dare I say....too pigmented? Let's face it, usually we'd rather something be more pigmented than sheer, since you can always sheer something out, but these blushes have the most opacity I've ever seen. That makes it far too easy to apply too much. You absolutely must have your used foundation brush on hand to pull down and blend out the intensity with these guys.

Which leads me to my only con: application. I've had these for a while now, but the reason I haven't brought this review earlier is because it took me a long while to figure out how to best apply them. With cream blushes, I typically use a stippling brush, but that is an absolute no-go with the HD blushes. With the combined pigmentation and very liquid nature of the product, stippling merely stains your cheeks with dozens of non-blendable dots.

Next, I tried using my fingers, which was better than stippling but still not what acceptable for a public outing. Using the fingers in a tapping motion gives a finish reminicent of a stippling brush, except instead of small dots I ended up with larger finger-sized spots.

I then used the fingers in a more swiping motion, which was once again better than the last method, but didn't give me the precision I needed. It left a larger portion of my cheek blushing than I preferred.

Finally, the method I found best was using a dense kabuki-style brush to apply. My favorite is the Sigma Angled Kabuki. I tap the brush into the product very carefully, then I tap the excess off onto a clean spot on the back of hand, and then I go right into buffing the product along my cheekbones. I do it with the smallest amount of product at a time and build until I'm satisfied.

As far as performance, I find that this lasts all day, even when I'm sweating . When I tried to remove the swatches off my hand, it took some extreme (and a bit painful) scrubbing. I don't have to scrub too hard on the face as I use such a minuscule amount though.

It gives such a natural, lit-from-within finish if you apply it carefully. So far, my favorite is Headliner, since it's such an easy and natural color to pull off.

Bottom Line: Amber Adores the Quality, but Application is a bit of a chore...

If application wasn't so complex, this would have definitely been a Love, but this product is too high maintenanced to use if you're running late. I apply this for special occasions, when I have plenty of time to focus on every detail of my makeup. I still highly recommend these for checking out.

You can find more information about this product on the E.L.F. website. It retails for $3!

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Waterproof Concealer Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:24:00 +0000

My dream is to find products that are legitimately waterproof. I sweat so much that there are many times that I won't even bother putting on makeup because I know I'll just sweat it all off. So a waterproof concealer perks my interest very much, and that's where Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Waterproof Concealer comes in.

This guy is a stick concealer that comes in a sleek bullet-style casing. It's on the thinner side, making it good for travel or just throwing in your purse on-the-go.

One thing that bugged me before trying it was that it didn't seem to come with a lot of product. It only scrolls up a teensy bit more than what you see in the picture. According to Tarte's website, it houses 0.07 oz of product....yea. That ELF concealer I reviewed a few posts ago? It holds 0.7 oz. That's kind of a crazy difference. But whatever...

I chose the shade in Medium, which is obviously too light for my face but works alright under the eyes for a brightening effect. I'd say it leans yellow, but not terribly so.

Applied under my eyes, I didn't notice any creasing or settling into lines. It went on with minimal tugging as well.

So was it waterproof? That I couldn't tell you. Why, you may ask? Because, although when you first swipe this under the eyes it looks pretty pigmented, as you blend it in it goes very sheer. Probably sheerer than any concealer I've ever owned. It was very bizarre. My undereye darkness shined right through it as if there was nothing there.

No matter how I tried to blend it, it still pulled a disappearing act. So you see, I didn't get to see if it was waterproof or not, but there was nothing really there to begin with.

Bottom Line: Amber's Just Not Into This!

This product was utterly useless and I really don't have anything good to say about it. I've seen a lot of positive reviews on this, though, so maybe I got a bad tube...

You can find more information on this product on Tarte's website. It retails for $22.

L'Oreal Color Riche Caresse Lipstick in Sunset Angora Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:55:00 +0000

These lip butters never end, do they? Today we have L'Oreal's answer to Revlon in the form of Color Riche Caresse Lipsticks. I can't say I mind this trend too much as I'm partial to these more moisturizing, sheer lip colors than the more traditional lipsticks. So how does Caresse stack up? Check it out!

The first, and my favorite, thing I want to talk about is the packaging. It feels so high end and luxurious. It's in this gold casing that reminds me of YSL lipsticks.

The shade I picked up was Sunset Angora. It's an absolutely gorgeous peachy coral with a bit of strawberry in the mix.

Even though I have a ton of corals and peaches in my lip collection, there is something different about the color. I just adore it. It glides on quite easily and the color is buildable depending on how opaque you want it to be.

Comparing Caresse to the Revlon Lip Butters, I'd have to say Caresse has more of a "slip" to it, if that makes any sense. Not that they're greasy, but they move around a lot more. They also don't have the hydration that the Lip Butters have. In fact, they can be a bit drying, so I have to make sure my lips are well exfoliated and moisturized before application.

Can you see the dry spots on my lips? Gross! It's a beautiful color though!

Bottom Line: Amber Likes

I love the packaging and the color, so I'm interested in trying other shades, but I prefer the formula of Revlon's Lip Butters. Have you tried any of these lip colors? What did you think?

You can find more information on these lipsticks on L'Oreal's website. It retails for $10.

Urban Decay Vice Palette "Chaos" Look

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:19:00 +0000

Without a doubt, Chaos is the standout shade from Urban Decay's Vice Palette, so I really wanted to challenge myself to use it for a day look. I got so many compliments on this look it was insane, especially since I only went to get my blood taken and to the gas station. It's something about this kind of electric blue that demands attention. List of products after the jump!

Eyes:

Laced (Urban Decay Vice Palette) - all over the lid
Tease (Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette) - blended lightly through the crease
Chaos (Urban Decay Vice Palette) - blended out in the outer corner and on top of liner
The Deep End (Sephora Waterproof Smoky Cream Liner) - lined and winged out on the top lashline
Buxom Lash Mascara
ELF Brow Kit in Medium

Face:

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Medium Beige
Sephora Microsmooth Foundation in 30 Sand
Almay Line Smoothing Concealer in Light/Medium
Milani Bronzing Powder in Light

I skipped blush and lips because I didn't want any competition with the eyes.

If you have brown eyes, Chaos was made for you. It really made my eyes pop.

L'Oreal Color Riche Eyeshadow Quad in So Over It Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:07:00 +0000

I'm slowly beginning to realize that, for the most part, drugstore eyeshadows are not for me. I'm by far not a makeup snob and whenever I can get a quality product for cheaper I'm all for it. But aside from NYX and Wet n' Wild, drugstore shadows always seem to disappoint me. So is the case with L'Oreal's new Color Riche Eyeshadow Quad in So Over It. The name of this quad is quite fitting though, because that's exactly how I'd describe my feeling right now.

So Over It had the shadow combination that most drew my eyes to it. You get a golden copper, frosty white gold, dark plum, and a black with purple shimmers.

Now, I realize the swatches here don't look terrible, but the formula with these shadows was not fun to play around with. It took several layers of swatches to get the pigmentation of the 2 lighter shades on the left to show up, and the frosty white applied quite patchy. The 2 darker shades were easier to work with, but the formula on all 4 shades was quite dry.

Because of the dryness, I had a very hard time getting the shadows to adhere to my lids. Once again, the darker shades applied a bit easier, but the overall experience was a chore.

Bottom Line: Amber gives up....

I'm kind of tired of giving drugstore eyeshadows a chance, only to be disappointed time and time again. From now on I'm only interested well after I've read a TON of glowing reviews first.

You can find more information about this product on L'Oreal's website. It retails for $8.

You Know I Had to Try This: Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:06:00 +0000

A lot of people may have been excited that Revlon is following in Urban Decay's footsteps with a "Naked" Foundation, but that's not what prompted me to purchase Revlon's Nearly Naked Foundation. What I was happy about is it seems that Revlon is finally coming out with shades that may fit my skintone. I've wanted to fall in love with many of their foundations like so many others do, but they just don't seem to like my coloring....until now, that is.

These naked generation foundations appeal to so many because we all want our cake and eat it too. We want our foundation to give us a flawless complexion but to not actually look like makeup. While that may seem like a tall order, Revlon claims we can have it all with Nearly Naked.

Packaging-wise, this is just as big a pain in the ass as Colorstay in that it doesn't have a pump. Seriously? Why are foundations still being made without pumps these days? I think I've mastered getting product out without a mess, but I always wind up with so much more product than I needed. It's so wasteful!

Moving on to a better note, I love not only the shade selection, but the way Revlon has organized it. If you go on their website, here, you can find out what shades are more likely to match you judging by your undertones and how deep or light your skin is. There is also a little pamphlet with the same shade recommendations available on the display in-store.

Based on their recommendation and my own personal estimate, I chose the shade Medium Beige. It has a yellow-peach undertone and is perfect for my winter complexion. I will probably have to go up to Warm Beige come Summer, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'm just happy there are definite warm tones available, as usually with Revlon the shades are way too pink or grey for me to pull off.

The consistency is on the liquidy side, but not so much so that it drips all over your ha nd. I consider it a light coverage on my skin, as I can still see a hint of my freckles under the foundation. It is possible to build it up to a medium coverage though, although light is satisfactory for my needs.

As far as the "nakedness", I agree that it does not look like I'm wearing a foundation with Nearly Naked. It looks like my skin, just a bit more even.

Me wearing Nearly Naked Foundation

As you can tell in the picture above where the tops of my cheekbones and temples, this has a dewy finish. I appreciate this because my skin is the depths of it's dryness right now and I could use as much luminosity as I can get. It doesn't make me look greasy or anything, but I could see how oily skins may not love this.

So leads me into my only small con: I don't think it ever truly sets on its own. I have dewy foundations that maintain their finish while completely setting, but Nearly Naked is not one of them. Like I mentioned above, it doesn't look bad at all on, but when I touch my face I can feel the foundation. Even with my dry skin, I always set this with my Sephora Microsmooth Foundation Powder. Just a little bit of powder does the job and I still have the dewiness :)

Bottom Line: Amber Really Likes!

Maybe what Revlon means by "Nearly Naked" is that while it looks undetectable, you can still feel it a little bit. Possibly? I've had worse foundations in that aspect though, so I still consider this a pretty awesome product. You just need a bit of powder, and there is a Nearly Naked powder if you're interested.

You can find more information about this foundation on Revlon's website. It retails for $10.

ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Cream Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:52:00 +0000

ELF's Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder has been a longstanding favorite among those who look for the feel of NARS without the hefty NARS price tag. Seeing that the company came out with a cream version of the top product I couldn't wait to try it.

The packaging is exactly the same as the powder formula. Very NARS-esque but plastic instead of a rubberized exterior.

The compact is in the shade St. Lucia, just like the corresponding color in powder form. You get a peachy pink cream and a medium warm bronze cream. Where the shades in the powder compact had gold shimmer in both colors, the creams feature zero shimmer, which I prefer especially for the bronzer. That way I can use it for contouring.

Both shades have lovely pigmentation. I was worried that they wouldn't show up on my skin and that the bronzer wouldn't be dark enough for me to contour with, but I had no problems with either shade.

I like to use the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to push the blush along my cheeks and to buff the bronzer into the places I contour. It creates a seamless and natural look that I love.

Sadly, there is one stick in the mud when it comes to this product: it's longevity, or lack thereof. I rarely have a problem with any product lasting on my face, but this duo doesn't last through the day for me. I'd give it 2-3 hours before the blush has all but vanished. The bronzer seems to hang on for a little longer, but you can easily see where it has faded as time goes on.

I've even set both creams with powder and they still fade quite easily :-/

Bottom Line: Amber Likes!

This would have been a definite love were it not for the drastically short wear time. I'm not the type of person who expects or needs her makeup to last from dawn till dusk, but I don't think wanting things to last more than a couple hours is asking too much.

I do recommend this if you only need a short wear out of them. It's easy to apply and looks so natural on the face. Despite the one major con, I don't regret this purchase at all.

You can find more information about this product on the ELF website. It retails for $3.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Swatches & My New Favorite Crease Shade!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:16:00 +0000

I debated on posting about Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette because I'm aware that I'm quite late to the party. But there's one shade in this thing that is approaching HG status for me and so I had to rave about it!

Shadows in Naked 2 are now housed in a tin palette as opposed to the velvety texture of the original Naked. This makes it easier to keep clean for me.

L-R: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper

Foxy is a light cream matte with yellow undertones. Half Baked is metallic gold. Bootycall is a shimmery cream, kind of like the shimmery version of Foxy. Chopper is a pinky-copper with silver glitter.

L-R: Tease, Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol

Tease is a matte taupe. Snakebite is a dark bronze shimmer. Suspect is wheat shimmer. Pistol is a shimmering taupe that wasn't as pigmented as I hoped it would be.

L-R: Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout

Verve is a metallic pearl. YDK is a rosy taupe metallic. Busted is a shimmering brown with slight plummy undertones. Blackout is a matte black.

Although I'm someone with warm undertones in my own skin, I actually think I prefer the cooler neutrals of Naked 2. The coolness contrasts with the warmth of my skin and eyes. If I had to choose between Naked 1 and 2, I'd probably go for 2.

And that HG shade I was talking about? TEASE!! I know it doesn't look all that spectacular, but I've seriously been using this in my crease for every look I've done since I bought this palette. There's not one thing Tease doesn't go well with and it blends beautifully with any shadow.

Bottom Line: Amber Adores!

I can't say this is an outright LOVE, because there were a few shades included here that I already had from other palettes. I was also a little disappointed by the pigmentation of Pistol. All in all, though, this palette is one my new most used items and I'm certainly glad to call it mine.

You can find more information about this product on Urban Decay's website. It retails for $50.