Shades Of Steph

First Impressions: Glossier

2020-08-08T17:39:00.008-07:00

When I think of Glossier I think of clean, sheer, natural beauty. I have read many reviews about the products. I finally caved and ordered a few products. I wanted to try a range of the products they offered. So I tried skin care and a few make up products.

Skin Care

The first item I purchased was the Super Pure Niacinamide + Zinc Serum this is a 1 ounce bottle and has a dropper for easy product distribution.

Glossier states: "A daily vitamin and mineral duo of 5% Niacinamide and Zinc PCA that nourishes skin, for visibly smoother texture and improved clarity."

The website states it is non greasy, which I completely agree with. It is a very light serum and doesn't leave any residual residue on my skin.

Price: $28.00

Glossier Super Pure

The next product I ordered was the Bubblewrap Eye + Lip Plumping Cream. The size that is came in was 0.74 fluid ounces.

Glossier states: "A silky eye + lip cream that hydrates your face’s two most delicate areas."

WHY IT'S SPECIAL:

Bubblewrap makes eyes and lips look fresher, smoother, and more hydrated, immediately and over time
Made with a combination of natural hydrators such as Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, and Avocado Oil, plus antioxidant-rich Blueberry Extract

The minute I saw that this product contained Squalane in it I hit add to bag. One of my favorite facial creams is the Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream. I absolutely love the way that it makes my skin feel. So my expectations for this products are high. I absolutely love the packaging. I highly dislike putting my fingers in my facial creams and eye creams and always make sure my hands are clean before I do. This packaging component solves that problem. It distributes a good amount enough to do both eyes and use the left over for the lips. Even after a few hours my under eyes remain highly moisturized. As well, my lips remain nice and supple.

Price: $26.00

Glossier Bubblewrap

Make Up

The highly coveted Cloud Paint in Dusk was the next item I ordered. Product size is 0.33 fluid ounces. I chose dusk because it was peachy and neutral. In person the shade is more bronze than peach, with a neutral undertone. I prefer the shade it is in person, as it warms up your skin like a bronzer but with the blush flush of peach. I agree with the statement that is on the packaging "Seemless Cheek Color" this product is so seemless I easily applied it with zero makeup on and it still looked beautiful. I highly recommend this shade.

Swatch:

Price: $18.00

Glossier Cloud Paint

I am a stickler for brow products. I have found items I love and use daily. But, I have always been intrigued by the Brow Flick, so I had to order it. After trying it I will say, I think it easily edged out some of my benefit products. Not only do the strokes produced by the brush easily appear hair like, the color is perfection. I chose brown and it is the perfect brown, with zero red undertones.

Size: 0.01 fluid ounces

Price: $18.00 alone or in Duo with Boy Brow $34.00 currently on sale for $30.00

Glossier Boy Brow + Brow Flick

In the duo I also got Boy Brow after applying this in conjunction with the Brow Flick. It is the finishing product that your brows needs. I actually prefer this to my beloved Gimme Brow from Benefit, and I have been a fanatic since it came out, I was even sent it by benefit before it came out, that is how long I have loved it. What separates this from the Gimme Brow is the pigmentation and the tone of the shade. It takes minimal effort after the brow flick to set your brows. It is safe to say I will be using this duo for the foreseeable future.

Size: 0.11 ounces

Price: $16.00 if purchased separately

Packaging

One final note, Glossier's packaging has to be one of my favorite I have ever encountered. I love that the bag is lined with bubble wrap. This ensures the products have support during the shipping and handling process.

All in all I am very happy with my purchases from Glossier and look forward to trying additional products.

Tiffany & Co. Sheer

2020-08-08T15:57:00.002-07:00

One of my lifelong obsessions has been fragrances. The eternal hunt to find my own unique scent that mixes with my own natural chemistry and vibe. Finding that balance is a pursuit that is different for all of us.

My favorite scents must have a few key components; clean, woodys, lightly floral, long lasting, and nostalgic. By that I mean when I wear it people automatically know it's my scent.

I was recently notified by Influenster that I would be sent a sample of the new Tiffany & Co. perfume to test out. I was excited to try it as I do currently have a Tiffany & Co. perfume in my scent repertoire. The sample I was sent was the Tiffany Sheer Eau de Toilette.

Tiffany & Co. website describes this as "Tiffany Sheer Eau de Toilette is a bright and sparkling interpretation of the signature fragrance. Elegantly wrapped in notes of blackcurrant, vert de mandarine and ylang ylang, the scent beautifully blends with rose oil and finishes with an iris base. Crafted by world-renowned Givaudan perfumer Daniela Andrier, the multifaceted structure is playful yet elegant. The aromatic equivalent of a diamond in its purest form, Tiffany Sheer is a subtle luxury for the skin."

I would say that it smells lightly luxurious. It is soft yet refined. Although, in about an hour you can no longer detect the scent that makes it standout. It is still lovely, a suitable scent for work or an evening event where people may not appreciate a strong fragrance. As I love a perfume that carries the power of longevity, this would not be a fragrance that I would particularly reach for. But, I am sure there are many that would as it is very true to its name, sheer.

The price range for Tiffany & Co. Sheer: $68 - $119 I would call that a fair price point for the product.

My absolute favorite perfume from Tiffany & Co. is Tiffany & Love Eau de Parfum for her. This is a euphoric scent that lasts all day and mixes well with my body chemistry. I can wear this on any occasion and never worry that my scent is over powering to anyone. I own the largest bottle they manufacture which is 3 ounces.

Notes are:

Top notes: Blue basil, blackcurrant, grapefruit

Middle notes: Neroli, jasmine, tuberose flower

Base notes: Blue sequoia, vetiver, cedarwood

Price range $105 - $135

*I was sent the sample courtesy of Influenster. My opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this post.

Hello.....

2020-05-16T09:34:00.002-07:00

Long time no see everyone,

So I wanted to give you all a update as to where I have been as clearly from my blog time line....I went missing lol.

Actually for a few years I was extremely active on YouTube. But keeping up with real life, YouTube, and a blog is actually very hard work. If you have ever filmed and edited a YouTube video you completely understand the struggle.

In the last few years I went radio silent from there as well. Real life became my priority and was slightly chaotic for a while. Life has settled in the last few years, my children have grown up, and I have worked my butt off to obtain my educational goals to get the position I now hold in the medical field. Even though I truly loved YouTube and Blogging it was just to hard to maintain life at that time and social media. I am truly glad I took the time for myself and I do not regret it at all.

During that time I was merely a silent observer. I watched YouTube while I got ready for work and before I went to bed. I read blogs for reviews of current products I wanted to buy, I just stopped being a content creator. I also had a medical issue and that completely changed stuff for about two years. If you guys want me to elaborate on that I can in another post. If anyone wants information on having to go through treatments and what chemotherapy is like. I am an open book and it may help anyone who is recently diagnosed.

But with that said, lets get back to blogging.

Review: Melt Cosmetics Dark Matter Stack

2015-08-20T17:26:00.001-07:00

I have an addiction to matte eye shadows. They are a staple in any make up routine. I have a vast collection of matte shadows. My favorites by far have consisted of MAC cosmetics, Anastasia Beverly Hills, & Makeup Geek. They just never let me down. Then approximately a year ago I ran across MELT Cosmetics via Instagram and I watched them post and saw they created Stacks. Now I am not one to get caught up in hype. Most of the time I am essentially let down. So I finally decided to buy them, than as luck would have it they were sold out for months..insert sad face... But two weeks ago they restocked! YAASSSSS! So I did not hesitate right at 12 noon I placed my order....and I am so glad I did. The stacks are hyped for a reason.

First, lets start off with the wonderful packaging. Magnetic, in this time of bulky palettes that just seem to be getting bigger and longer. Melt went Vertically! Thank you <3 I could literally shove tons of these in one drawer and be set for life.

Next, size...here it matters;) The eye shadow size is unimaginable. The best part I USE every shadow in the stack. I had an endless run of purchasing cute palettes and would only use a handful of the shadows that the palettes had to offer. Either they had 2-5 matte shadow and the rest look like a disco ball graveyard or they would have those 1-3 random shades that the 80's were screaming to take back. I wasn't about it. With the exception of my MAC palettes which are fantastic because I customize them myself. So no weird or randomness there. The other brands releases left me a little bemused that I owned things I was never going to use.

Melt Shadow vs. MAC Shadow

Than we have pigmentation. The Dark Matter Stack is a perfect blend of what I see as essential to a great eye. 1. A transition color (sadly some palettes lack one I can use) 2. A punch of excitement that belongs...which in this case is Enigma, is an exciting color that balances on the edge of safe. I wear this all over my lid, in the crease, as liner. It is such a versatile color that you will not be intimidated by. 3. Texture, sadly some shades in other palettes look so great and than just fall flat. None of these do that. Makeup Geeks Corrupt is hands down my favorite black shade. The texture is velvet and has a deadly punch of color. The Dark Matter Stack has an amazing black as well called....Dark Matter. It goes on smoothly and has great color pay off. All the shadows in the stack have the same great pay off and texture.

Natural Light

Shades (L-R): Enigma, Unseen, Blurr, & Dark Matter

With Flash

Shades (L-R): Enigma, Unseen, Blurr, & Dark Matter

I rate the the Dark Matter Stack:
Get or Forget: GET
Pigmentation: 9/10
Texture: 9/10
Price: 10/10
Packaging: 9/10

ColourPop Collection: Super Shock Cheeks

2015-03-25T02:19:00.001-07:00

The last few months I have been steadily building my ColourPop Cosmetics Collection and I have made two collection videos. I figured it was time to start a series here on my blog. To help you guys when making either your first, or subsequent purchases with ColourPop.

I am going to start with the newest items released by ColourPop which is their line of blushes, aptly named Super Shock Cheek.

The texture of these is thicker in feel then their matte shadows. They have 23 shades in total. The finishes consist of 15 Matte, 7 Satin, & 1 Pearlized shade.

The shades I picked up are; Holiday (Matte), Early Bird (Matte), Birthday Suit (Satin), Between The Sheets (Matte).

Out of all of the ones I picked up I have to two daily standout favorites.
1. Between The Sheets- ColourPop describes this as "a mid-tone beige pink in a matte finish" I would 100% agree with that description. This is a safe everyday neutral blush. The blush that literally goes safely with any look. Be it day time or night time. Safe isn't boring, safe is versatile. I highly recommend this shade.

2. Holiday- ColourPop describes this as "A true mid tone peachy pink in a matte finish" again perfect description. But, for me this blush screams Summer. It is bold, but safely bold. Because it is that mid tone shade the color is bright but subtle. The perfect middle ground between safe and bold. You guys know I love peach shades. This is one of my favorites already, right up there with some of my high end limited edition shades...gasp I know. That speaks volume. ColourPop is quality.

Between The Sheets, Birthday Suit, Early Bird, Holiday

The other two shades I picked up I still love the shades. But if I were to rank them for you on personal preference this is the order they would go in. The great thing about personal preference is our lists will always look different then our beauty neighbor so to speak.

3. Birthday Suit- ColourPop describes it as a "neutral pink in a satin finish" I don't know if I would necessarily call this neutral pink, to me it is not so much a muted pink as much as it is a true pink. I think neutral and I think no strong undertones. Not to bright, not to dark. This one is more pink. But not in a bad way. I really like the sheen/shimmer in this blush. You can wear it either with or without a highlighter. So it is a great blush for when you're running late and don't quite have the few extra minutes to pop on some highlighter.

4. Early Bird- ColourPop describes this as "A bright red coral in a matte finish" Yes, Yes, & Yes. To-A-T (pun intended) that describes it perfectly. It is coral with a kick of fire in it, hence the red undertones. This is a vibrant, bold, and flirty shade. Great for a night out, with a simple eye, bold wing, and strong lips. The flush this leaves on your cheeks is just breath taking. I am pale so for now I do have to wear it with just one thin layer. But when Summer gives me my tan, watch out!

All in all ColourPop is consistent. They make all around amazing products. From the packaging, appeal, quality vs. price. They just nailed it and their blushes are no exception.

July Lip Monthly Box

2014-07-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

Since I heard about a new subscription service called Lip Monthly I have loved the concept.....a beauty subscription service with all lip products, with a range from drug store to high end? Yes please! So I was more then excited to see my July Lip Monthly Box in the mail today.

These boxes did not have themes like most beauty boxes, I said did because that is all about to change next month. Not only will boxes have themes but they are getting ready to open up and online shop.

The items I received for the month of July are:

Outside of the box:

City Color Cosmetics Lip Lush Luscious Lip Crayon in Wine ($2.99)- This is such a gorgeous purple shade. The texture is that of a moisturizing matte lipstick. I love the shade!
Revlon Color Burst Lip Gloss in Sun Baked ($6.99)- This is a great Fall time lip gloss. It is on the deeper side of Pink. I actually own this already so I will be handing this beauty off to someone else.
MONTHLY MIXUP super cute concept this is when they throw in a non lip items to shake things up a bit. This month it is the John Frieda Straight Fixation Smoothing Crème 1.5 ounces of product is around $3.50 worth of product.

In the box:

City Color Cosmetics Lip Balm in Bright Red ($2.99)- This is unbelievably pigmented for a Lip Balm it is a gorgeous Pinky Red shade. I am sure I will get use out of this.
Appeal Cosmetics Lipstick in Red Light District ($22.00)- This shade is a magnificent Scarlet Red shade. It is mind boggling pigmented and the texture is supple and it cocoons your lips in this shade.

Swatches (1 swipe only L-R): City Color Cosmetics Wine, City Color Cosmetics Bright Red, Appeal Cosmetics Red Light District

Total for this months box:
$38.47

That is a great box and nothing I got is discontinued or unavailable. If you guys have not checked out Lip Monthly here and use the code SUMMERLIPS to get your first box for $5.00

Also, if you would like to see live swatched check out my unboxing video on YouTube here

July Ipsy Glam Bag: Sensationally Sunkissed

2014-07-14T15:00:00.003-07:00

I love this time of month because my subscription bags are rolling in and this first one for the month has to be my favorite subscription service. Ipsy has been hands down trend setting with its ability to include a vast array of beauty products. I started receiving my bags back in April and have not been disappointed once. So with that said, lets jump right in to my bag for the month of July.

I was so excited when I opened my bag for the month because I got in essence products to almost complete a full face of makeup. I love when that happens.

The items in my July Ipsy bag consisted of:

Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow 2.0 in The Inspiration: which contains the shades Muse & Passion in the cutest mini I have ever seen in my beauty existence. I love the duo they sent, the name of the shades screams Michelle Phan's mission statement about empowering women to realize their own inner power and strength and strive to be the best versions of themselves that they can be and that no dream is unattainable...yes I got that all from one shadow duo name.

Pop Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer in Secret Sunshine: This bronzer is a satin finish and can easily be worn lightly or full on bronze goddess. It is very velvety in texture and even with my light skin tone can be worn easily. It reminds me of MAC Superb when built up.

Derma E BB Cream: A very nicely textured BB Cream. You all know I am about texture when it comes to testing any sort of BB cream, Tinted Moisturizer, or Foundation. I have dry skin and I know right down to the touch if I will like a product on my skin. Right off I loved the texture of this product. So high hopes for this. I will update you all on my final verdict.

Pur Lisse Pur-Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30: The texture of this is slightly thicker for a day cream, but I love that. I have dry skin so a good daily moisturizer is a must have in my beauty bag. So I will for sure be using this.

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Unique Pink: I believe this is a self adjusting lip balm when I swatched it on my arm not to much happened. Then I swatched it on my lips and it had a vibrancy that was not present on my arm. It has a very nice slight mint scent. Great for day to day wear.

Top lip no product, Bottom lip Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm

I loved everything in my bag this month. I am always pleased with my bags from Ipsy and this is another home run for them. My video will be up shortly on my YouTube channel here, so keep an eye out. Let me know what you received in your bags this month in the comment section below, or leave me links to your blog post or videos.

First Impressions: Tarte Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette

2014-07-11T15:15:00.003-07:00

Today my new palette arrived in the mail and I thought you guys would like a first impressions of it. I am talking about the new Limited Edition palette from Tarte, the RainForest After Dark Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette.

I passed on the Aqualillies palette and after seeing it in a lot of favorites videos I was a bit put out because it was so gorgeous. But, I am almost glad I did. I am a neutral girl at heart so when I saw this on Sephora's website I jumped for joy. Everything from the packaging to the color selections inside this palette scream STEPHANIE!

First, off the packaging is a heavy faux wood texture on the cover with a gorgeous gold snake embossed on the packaging with a beautiful purple gem as the eye. Even the box it came in is outstanding. The snake pattern in the gorgeous ombre purple box is just hypnotizing.

Then you open it and all your neutral dreams come true!

Clockwise from top: Park Ave Princess, Don't Turn a-Brown, Tan-gled up in you, Up to no gold, Plum away with me, Make a Mauve, Bare to Explore, Champagne, & Unleashed in the center.

Swatches:

(L-R) Bare to explore, Make A Mauve, Plum away with me, Up to no gold, Tan-gled up in you, Don't turn a-brown, Unleashed blush, Champagne, Park Ave Princess

The shades are all so beautiful and there is a range from matte, to shimmer. I love that everything is in one palette. So simple but so elegant and exotic. Such a gorgeous palette. So far my first impressions are all positive. I will make sure to do an update on my YouTube Channel Here

MUA Kit Essentials: MaqPro Palette (lightest shades)

2014-06-22T13:09:00.002-07:00

If you guys saw my latest YouTube video, you know I promised to have this post up so you guys could get a better look at one of my most loved palettes from my MUA kit. I figured I would turn this into a series seeing as I have a few of these palettes and they are a staple in my kit.

The palettes I am talking about are my Maq Pro Palettes, otherwise known as Le Maquillage Professionnel Palettes by Maq Pro Paris.

To begin I am going to start with the lightest palettes in my kit. The lightest palettes consist of:

Fard Crème Palette in E.7 or Caucasian 1. This palette is great for almost all shade ranges in the light skin tone range. It contains 30 ml of product which is your standard foundation size. With the convenience of being able to adjust and create your own unique foundation shade.
Fard Crème Palette in PP01. This palette is tiny, it is smaller then the palm of my hand. But, the wells are deep. With the versatility of the Foundation palette but with more options for custom shades & correcting abilities. This is a great addition to have to the main foundation palette. This also contains 30 ml of product, so don't let the size of it fool you. It has just as much power as its big sister.

Shades:

Fard Crème Palette in E.7: 198,170,118,1989,124,TL2
Fard Crème Palette in PP01: 170,TL2,111,52,41,124,131,91,CI,101

Swatches:

Fard Crème Palette in E.7 Caucasian 1

TL2,124,1989,198,170,118

Fard Crème Palette in PP01

124,170,131,TL2,111,91,C1,52,41,101

Texture:

These are truly a dream to work with. They are a waxed based foundation. Which you think wax and you are like...? But, these foundations can literally last up to 12 hours on the skin. They can be applied with brushes or sponges. I prefer brushes. Versatility of wear is exceptional, they even make products to thin this out, I find it works beautifully just the way it is. It is easily layered. Coverage range varies from light-high coverage without developing the dreaded cake face.

The convenience is phenomenal. To be able to do so much with simply one palette is invaluable. They take up such little room in your kit. I highly recommend them and think they are worth every single cent.

If you want to see E.7 in action head over to my YouTube channel and check out my latest video:Here

MakeupGeek EyeShadow Swatches

2014-06-03T16:36:00.005-07:00

MakeupGeek Swatch Video

The latest and greatest eyeshadow finds in my current collection are handsdown MakeupGeek eyeshadows. When Marlena (MakeupGeekTv) announced her makeup line I was so excited to try out anything she released. She was one of the first YouTube gurus I began watching years ago. She has a genuine love for beauty, not just outside but more importantly inside. She is relatable on a life level and I love supporting her in anyway possible. She brings such joy to all of her subscribers.....and yes she is that sweet in person as well! I had the honor of meeting her at IMATS 2013 still a major highlight to this day.

MakeupGeek Eyeshadows:

60 shade range and continuing to grow.
Inexpensive for outstanding quality.
Low cost/fast shipping.
Options; you can buy either single pans, pots, or sets.
Great pigmentation.

Storage:

If you have or pick up a Z Palette, know that you do not need magnets because they go right in. This does not work with a MAC palette as you will need magnets. Here I have mine stored in a Medium 4 U Z Palette and I can easily fit 15 MUG shadows.

(L-R) Cupcake, Latte, Preppy, Crème Brulee, Beaches & Cream,

Corrupt, Beach Blonde, Barcelona Beach, Ba-da Bing.

Quality:

The quality and texture is out of this world for $5.99 per pan. I seriously have no clue how she does it. What I love is actually the difference of texture in certain shades. Out of the 9 in the photo 7 are velvety smooth. Corrupt & Ba-Da Bing feel drier in texture. But do not be discouraged because one dip and you pick up bold, sensational color. They remind me or NARS shadows in the way the texture can change depending on the shade. Which is saying something if you consider the price difference.

Swatches:

(L-R) Ba-Da Bing, Barcelona Beach, Beach Blonde, Corrupt, Beaches & Cream, Crème Brulee, Preppy, Latte, Cupcake

Versatility in Wear:

The shade range is already so immense that you can take ordinary neutral looks to extraordinary. For example, here I took a basic smokey night time look, which most people wear, black shadow and transition with something in the neutral brown family. Here I used Preppy which I see as an Olive Green/Taupe shade to transition instead and it just takes it to a different level, I get so many compliments when I wear this look. I love the difference between the bold black and the underestimated green shade. It is exquisite, it also makes the green in my eyes pop.

I hope you guys found this post helpful in your search to begin or add more MakeupGeek shadows to your beauty arsenal. They are a must have in my opinion.

If you have any MUG favorites, anything from the line. Leave me a comment and I will check it out.

Details:

Purchase MUG eyeshadows: Here
Marlena's YouTube Channel: Here
My Channel ShadesOfSteph: Here

City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Blushes!

2014-05-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

Ipsy truly stumbled upon a beauty gem in February's Glam Bag! City Color Cosmetics has a line of blushes rightfully labeled Be Matte Blushes. After that bag is when a fellow YouTuber Catarina Smith released her Be Matte Blush swatch video she purchased a lot of the collection and made a enabling video for us all, instantly I ordered some. So I thought I would share the ones I am loving with you guys!

(Clockwise) Fresh Melon, Guava, BlackBerry, Papaya

First off can I just tell you how enormous these blushes are They are seriously bigger then my palm. You get 8.5 grams of product for only $2.99 that is almost criminal.

The quality of these blushes is marvelous. They are velvety soft, the color saturation is mindboggling. Again, I say for only $2.99

Bendability is smooth and seamless. Although, these are super pigmented and a few are a tad powdery they are easy to blend and the powder causes no issue.

The packaging is thin feeling but like I noted in my April Favorites, I would rather they put the money into the product and they certainly have.

Now on a side note; if you are allergic to Talc you may want to avoid these. I know in some it causes breakouts. So just know that Talc is the number one ingredient in the product which means that it contains the most of that substance.

(L-R) BlackBerry, Fresh Melon, Guava, Papaya

These are just an example of the shade range that they carry. They have shades for every skin tone. These are my favorite, and I highly recommend these for anyone with a light to medium skin tone. If you have a darker skin tone do not even fret my beauty babes, they have shades I wish I could wear but I am simply to light.

If you have watched my April Favorites video these made the list...easily. I have tried a few more items from City Color Cosmetics, so believe me if I find anymore gems I will let you guys know.

As you can see from the swatches below. The pigmentation is outstanding. I have to say these are my favorite drug store blushes out of the ones I have tried.

So please pop by City Color Cosmetics website and pick up a few of these wonderful blushes!

Milani: What Do Your Lips Say About You?

2014-05-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

Milani latest contest is all about you! What Do Your Lips Say About You?

This contest sounds exciting because it lets you express yourself, your lips can speak louder then your words! So express yourself and enter this amazing contest.

How Do I Enter?

Snap your photo

Describe it using hashtags, and listing which Milani Products you used to achieve your look.

Enter it:

Upload your photo on Milani's Facebook Page
Upload on Milani's Website
Share on Twitter using #MyMilaniLips
Share on Instagram using the #MyMilaniLips

Share It
With your Friends & Family

Prizes

Grand Prize of $2,000 Cash...That's a lot of lipstick!
$1,000 worth of Milani swag

The Contest has two rounds. First round starting today May 6, 2014.

Best Of Bronzers!

2014-05-04T01:07:00.003-07:00

There are so many bronzers on the market these days. You can find really nice bronzers no matter if they come from the Drugstore or Specialty stores. In the years I have used bronzers I have tried quite a few. So I thought I would share with you all my thoughts on a few of my favorites!

What made me want to share my thoughts on these bronzers was my recent purchase of the Maybelline Master Bronze Matte Bronzing Powder in Paradise Bronze. So lets start with that one.

Maybelline Master Bronze in Paradise Bronze:

The pigmentation on this bronzer is AMAZING! The texture is so velvety and you have to be careful when dipping your brush into the product. Especially if you are pale like me. It says it is a Matte bronzer, but I can see a very slight shimmer and I do mean SLIGHT, nothing I would be worried about. I will still contour with this. Bendability is nice and melds with the skin. In comparison to the NYC Sunny bronzer, which is a treasured staple in a lot of beauty vloggers collections this one is more of a true bronze shade. On my skin the NYC Sunny bronzer always pulled more Orange in tone. The range has three shades and this is the darkest of the 3.

NARS Laguna Bronzer:

This has been a cherished part of my collection for years. I know this one categorized as shimmery. But I do not contour with this one. I use it to warm up my complexion. Notably when the weather is on the cooler side. But, during the Summer it makes your tan radiate. The texture is smooth and plush. The tone is beautiful. Yes, it is on the more extravagant side of the price point spectrum, but it lasts forever, even if you use it on a daily basis. For $38.00 you get 8grams of product.

NYX Matte Bronzer in Light:

Easily one of the, if not best bronzers I have ever purchased at drug store prices. I can use the shade all year long and even at my tannest it still shows up. This and the Sleek bronzer are products I know I can use anytime of the day, anytime of year, with any look, & never be disappointed. The pigmentation is immensely wonderful, not overpowering, not under pigmented, just a perfect beauty median when it comes to hue, so you will never be afraid of your bronzer. The line has 5 shades & comes with 9.5grams of product.

Sleek Contour Kit in Light:

This is what I like to call my impervious bronzer. I know that if I reach for this, I am good to go. The product has a lot of the same qualities as the NYX Matte bronzer as it is smooth in texture and the perfect median in pigmentation. The best part it comes with a gorgeous champagne highlighter and the price point is jaw dropping. Sleek is a UK brand, but they have incredible shipping prices. I seriously pay way more in shipping for items 100 miles away from me....unreal right? It comes in 3 shades. The highlighter shade alters as the bronzer gets deeper, to give you a coordinating set. You get 14grams for $9.99.

TooFaced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer:

This is what I like to call a safe bronzer. In texture, pigmentation, quality, you simply can not go wrong. It is a very netural based tan shade. It is smooth and blends like a dream. If you want a subtle warmth or a stark definition of your features. This can do it all. It retails for $30 at Sephora.

　

Bourjois Delice de Poudre:

I love this bronzer for warming up my complexion without the shimmer of NARS Laguna. I am in shade 52, it is a beautiful tan shade. The texture is substantially more firm than the other bronzers. But, it does not take away from the pigmentation. Along with that it smells devine. It is harder to get a hold of. I purchased mine from ASOS, which currently does not have the product listed on the US site. You get 16.5grams of product.

NYC Sunny Bronzer:

As mentioned in my video this is the bronzer that I simply don't like. Mainly based off of the shade. With me having such fair skin, this sadly pulls Orange/Red on me. I am NW20-NW30 in MAC coloring and have neutral based skin. So if you are in that range you may want to avoid this.

Swatches: (L-R)

TooFaced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, Bourjois Delice De Poudre #52, Sleek Contour Kit in Light, NYX Matte Bronzer in Light, NARS Laguna, Maybelline Master Bronze in Paradise Bronze

I hope this post helps with your search to find your best bronzer for your skin tone. They are a essential part of any makeup collection. Happy hunting.

Blog Sale.....

2014-03-03T18:51:00.001-08:00

It is that time again when I make myself go through my stock of makeup items and sell the ones I know I no longer use or are no longer working with my skin tone...So far I have been really good about not keeping make up I will not use. So far so good.

Eyes:

SOLD

Sleek Au Naturel Palette $3.00

Sleek ShowStoppers Palette $3.00 SOLD

Inglot Freedom Palette with 4 Inglot shadows $10 SOLD

Benefit Peek-A-Bright Eyes $6.00

Loreal Project Runway (LE) Palette in Sultry Raven's Gaze $2.50, Wet N Wild (LE) Camera Obscura Trio $1.00, Wet N Wild We're Blasting Off Trio $1.00

(STILL AVAILABLE) LORAC Starry-Eyed Baked Eye Shadow Trio in LORACstar $4.00, Too Faced Eye Shadow Collection Quad with shades Teddy Bear, Blonde Ambition, Totally Toasted, & Satin Sheets $5.00 SOLD

Rock & Republic Single Shadows in Skintight, & Saturate $3.00 each (Pending)

LORAC Single Shadows in Social & Posh $1.50 each (SOLD)

Cynthia Rowley Liquid Eye Liner in Black $2.50

Skin Food Choco Eyebrow Powder Cake in #2 $2.00

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows in Bikini-Tini & Bronze Have More Fun $3.00 Each,

Maybelline Color Tattoo in SeaShore Frosts (LE) $1.50, Anastasia Brow Pomade in Chocolate (love this but went a shade lighter) $10.00 ALL SOLD

CHEEKS:

L'Oreal Project Runway (LE) Blushes in Watchful Owl's Blush (SOLD) & Sultry Raven's Blush $2.50 each

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Glisten SOLD $4.00

Milani Baked Blush (matte) SOLD in Bella Rosa $2.00

FACE:

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque SOLD $4.00

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 in No 13 Full Size $4.00 SOLD

LIPS:

Inglot Slim Gel Lipstick in #51 3.00

(Had to take these two pics without flash because it washed out the shades)

Too Faced La Crème Lipstick in Nude Beach (Pending)

Flower Beauty Kiss Stick Luxury Lip Color in Petunia Petal $1.50

Maybelline Intoxicating Spice $1.50

POLISH:

Julep Kendra $1.50, Zoya Dannii $1.50, Zoya Gemma $1.50

Essie No More Film & Armed and Ready $2.00 Each

Orly Fowl Play $1.50, China Glaze Ultimate Holiday $1.25,

Nicole by OPI Back to Reality $1.50

Revlon Brilliant Strength in Enthrall $1.00, Revlon Chroma Chameleon in Pink Quartz $1.50

Julie G Polish in You-Niverse $1.00, Julie G Light it Up $1.25, L.A. Girl Hologram Nail Polish in 3D Silver $1.00

All Items are negotiable, It is just overflow from my collection and needs a home. I have given my friends & family so many makeup items. I don't think they can take anymore. They aren't avid makeup lovers like me=D

Payment will be accepted through PayPal only, Payment must be made within 5 hours of hold.

Shipping will very between 1.00 to 5.00 depending on weight of shipment. US Customers only. All items are as is and non returnable.

Thank you for checking out my blog sale,

NanoBlur Review!

2014-02-16T17:23:00.001-08:00

After months of using my new favorite face primer, NanoBlur. I figured I have finally got the 100% feel for it and would share my thoughts with you all.

In using this for a few months I find that it works best with:

Moisturizing Foundations (Neutrogena Healthy Skin, Marc Jacobs Genius Gel, Selma Hayek Flawless Face Foundation, Maybelline Fit Me Foundation )

BB Creams & Tinted Moisturizers: (Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Physicians Formula All in 1 BB Cream Compact)

(Left side of hand nothing applied, encircled space NanoBlur)

I find that it does not work well with:

Full coverage foundations (Revlon Whipped Foundation) and do not like it over NanoBlur, it tends to dry the foundation faster makes it cakey, and does not apply smoothly. I would not recommend it with Matte foundations as well.

NanoBlur Claims:

Immediate correction of the appearance of skin aging, including the look of lines, wrinkles, crow's feet, sagginess and enlarged pores.

Overview:

I completely agree with the claims that it corrects the appearance of lines and wrinkles. As I am too young to have sagging skin, I can not comment on this claim.
The Packaging is a sleek and clean squeeze tube.
The price point is acceptable because of the results of the product.
It is a nice texture & I recommend moisturizing the skin, then tapping it on the the areas needed. I do not use this over my entire face. Simply where I need corrections, such as my cheeks, smile lines, & forehead.

See NanoBlur in action: In my latest GRWM video on YouTube.

I am so in love with this product and if you guys would like I will give one away on my YouTube Channel for my subscribers in the near future.

Pink Ladies Tag!

2014-02-11T19:04:00.001-08:00

Hi Ladies,

Today I got to thinking and decided to create a new Tag. I have been seeing PINK everywhere for the last few weeks. Which means HELLO Valentines Day!!

So I got to thinking, how many Pink beauty products do I absolutely love? Before you knew it I had a complete list!!! So here are my Questions & Answers to the Tag. You can find the video on my YouTube Channel . I will enclose the full list of Questions without the answers at the bottom of this post, if you wish to do the tag as well=D

The Pink Lady Tag!

Drug Store & High End

1.What is your favorite PINK Blush?

*Sleek Blush in Pixie Pink
*Mac Pink Cult

2.What is your favorite PINK Lip Sticks?

*Maybelline Warm Me Up
*Inglot Gel Lipstick in #51

3.What is your Favorite PINK eyeshadow?

*Buzz From Urban Decay NAKED 3 palette
*Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal Inked in Pink

4.What are your favorite PINK Stain & Gloss?

*Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain Honey
*Revlon Superlustrous lip gloss in Pink Pop

5.What is your favorite PINK Lip Liner?

*NYX Pale Pink

6. What is your favorite PINK Nail Polish?

*Sinful Colors Star Fish

7.Favorite PINK miscellaneous item?

*Pink iPhone Case, from Walgreens & Walmart

QUESTIONS:

1.What is your favorite PINK Blush?

2.What is your favorite PINK LipSticks?

3.What is your Favorite PINK Eye shadow?

4.What are your favorite PINK Stain & Gloss?

5.What is your favorite PINK Lip Liner?

6. What is your favorite PINK Nail Polish?

7.Favorite PINK miscellaneous item?

I hope you guys enjoy the Tag & if you do let me know where I can check out your posts<3

Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation

2013-10-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

By all accords I am a foundation junkie. Since I started wearing make up well over a decade ago I have always been a strong believer that your foundation should add to your beauty, not mask it. I have never been a full coverage kind of gal. I've pretty much got my talent for discovering lovely foundations down to a simple touch of a tester. I believe that when you embrace your beauty, uniqueness, flaws, confidence shows through and that is the root of your beauty. It should never be masked.

My latest foundation find is the epitome of that. Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation.

I have never been hyped up by a foundation, since I know what I like in texture. A brand name does not entice me. If the quality is simply not there from the moment I walk in and test it. I becomes lost on my foundation radar, if you will.

I wanted to go and test this out because I do love Marc Jacobs fragrances, and do value the quality he puts into his products. So when I heard he was coming out with a make up line I made a mental note to check it out.

On first appearance the packaging is refined and sleek. Most notably the pump, which is one of my most desired aspects in packaging, but can typically be hard to find. I love the glass packaging, but the downside would be travel, as it would make you less inclined to take it with you out of fear of it breaking. But honestly has never stopped me.

The price point is $48.00 at Sephora locations, which is where I purchased mine. You get the standard 1 Fluid Ounce.

I am in shade #32 Beige Light, which is neither too dark or too light, but just spot on to my natural skin tone.

The texture is very nice, slightly runny, thin, and glides effortlessly over the skin. It does not settle into smile lines or fine lines under my eyes. The application is gorgeous, my favorite application being a single layer. It evens out my complexion wonderfully, and does not enhance my pores, while still maintaining the presence of my character building freckles. For testing and buildability I applied two layers and found it looks very perfected to where it becomes obvious that you are wearing foundation, without becoming cakey.
I think this will appeal to both light coverage and medium to full coverage foundation lovers.

I have tested numerous high end foundations and never wore one everyday simply because of the price point. But with this one I am guilty of wearing it everyday since I purchased it. Because of how simply beautiful it is.

I can not wait to test out more from this collection.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

2013-05-31T00:52:00.001-07:00

Like everyone else in the beauty world. I too have a love for the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. I have five in my collection and use them very routinely.

Now when I picked up my first one it was when they were first launched and I didn't have swatches available. So I just went with my gut and went with a shade that was safe for day to day wear. The first shade I picked up was Honey and I do not regret it one bit. It has become my go to Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain.

Along with Honey I also picked up Precious. This is such a gorgeous nude shade. It is buildable on my lips. I love the sheen it also has to it. Very pretty and different compared to any nude lip stick or gloss that I currently own.

After trying out more subtle shades I decided to pick up a few bold shades. I first picked up Smitten which is more of a bright berry shade. I was honestly surprised at how bright it actually ended up being.

Next, I decided to try Crush. I had seen numerous swatches and was surprised that to me it looked a heck of a lot like MAC REBEL in stain form. So I instantly went out and got it.

Last but not least I picked up Rendezvous I love that it is a Peach/Bright Orange shade. I even love using this under my more peach toned lipsticks. Such as, Coral Bliss from MAC or topping it off with Coral Reef Lip gloss from Revlon's Super Lustrous line.

Swatches:

(L-R) Precious, Honey, Crush, Smitten, Rendezvous

I love that these stains are not drying on my lips, easily buidable, nicely priced, & long lasting. I highly recommend these shades.

Updated Blog Sale!

2013-02-18T09:29:00.002-08:00

Today I went through my most used makeup drawer to get rid of things that I love but that I reach for the least. Some of the items are just items I am just to pale for as well.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance:
Retail: $20
Sale: $10 SOLD

Jesse's Girl Eye Shadow Primer: (used once)

Retail: $5.99

Sale: $1.25

MAC Select Sheer Loose Powder NW15 (half full)
Retail $24.00
Sale $4.00

Milani Baked Bronzer in Soleil (used once)

Retail: $7.99

Sale: $2.00

Loreal True Match Super Blendable Crayon Concealer in N1-2-3

Retail: $8.99

Sale: $2.00

NYX Incredible Water Proof Concealer in CS04 Beige (used once)

Retail: $4.99

Sale: $1.50

Wet N Wild Cover All Foundation in 816 Fair/Light (used once)
Retail:$3.99
Sale:$1.50

Milani Color Statement lipstick in #25 Naturally Chic (swatched)
Retail: $5.49
Sale: $1.50

E.L.F. Baked Eye Shadow in Toasted (used once)

Retail: $3.00

Sale: $1.00

NYX Cream Blush in Tickled (used once)

Retail: $5.99

Sale: $2.00

OPI Liquid Sand in Can't Let Go (used once)

Retail: $9.00

Sale: $3.00

The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner:

Retail: $12.50

Sale: $2.50

Tarte Eye Couture Natural Eye Palette:
Retail: $44.00
Sale $12.00

Maybelline FIT ME Foundation in 120 Classic Ivory (Used Once)
Retail: $7.99
Sale: $2.50

Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance Lipstick in Fierce: (Swatched once)
Retail: $26.00
Sale: $10.00 SOLD

LE Wet N Wild Palettes: Sparkle Til Morning & Shimmer The Night Away (each used once)
Retails: $4.99
Sale $2.00 Each SOLD

Wet N Wild Fergie Shimmer Palette Rose Champagne Glow:
Retails: $5.99
Sale: $2.50 SOLD

Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in Fair (used once)

Retails: $9.99

Sale: $2.50

Loreal Caresse Lipstick in Blushing Sequins (swatched only):

Retails: $8.99

Sale: $3.00

SOLD

Maybelline Color Tattoos (used twice each):

Retail $7.99

Sale $2.50 Each

Fierce & Tangy SOLD

ELF HD Blush in Superstar (Used Once)
Retail: $3.00
Sale $1.00 SOLD

ELF Warm Correcting Powder (Used once)
Retail $3.00
Sale $1.00

L'Oreal LipStain (Used twice) Lilac Ever After

Retail: $9.99

Sale: $2.00

Coastal Scents Go Palette in Cairo:

Sale: $3.00

Cargo Blue Ray HD Make Up Pressed Powder in #20 (gently used)
Retails: $32
Sale: $8.00

There are only 3 shades available and this on just started to pull yellow on my neutral skin tone. Bummer because I LOVE it!

The Balm NUDE'tude Palette: (gently used) Some shadows never used.
Retails: $36
Sale: $18 SOLD

MAC Lip Stick in Creme Cup (Creme Sheen Finish)
Retail: $15
Sale: $6.00

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick Bare Again:
Retail: $16.00
Sale: $6.00

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick in #200B Lasting Kiss
Retail: $26.00
Sale: $7.00

Ben Nye Cake Eye Liner in EL-1 Black (used 4 times, love this but have others I reach for more.)
Retail: $5.99
Sale: $3.00 SOLD

Sleek Make Up Blush in Coral (gently used):
Retail: $5.99
Sale: $2.00

Wet N Wild Fergie Daily Lipstick:
Sale: $1.00

E.L.F. Maximum Coverage Concealer in Sand (swatched once, used once)
Retail: $3.00
Sale: $1.00

Sigma F30 Large Powder Brush:

Retail: $21.00

Sale: $5.00

Sigma F50 Duo Fibre-
Retail: $20.00
Sale $5.00

Sigma F40 Large Angles Contour:
Retail: $16.00
Sale: $5.00

OCC Lip Tar in Grandma (Gently Used)
Retail: $16.00
Sale: $8.00 SOLD

GE X500 Image Stabilization 16 Mega Pixels: (used only for product shooting and in home.)

Retail: $99.00

Sale: $50

SOLD

Shipping will vary by amount of products purchased. All items shipped will include tracking. Prices will be between $1.80- $5.00 for shipping. All items are as is and non returnable. Shipping to USA only and payment made via Paypal only.

I still have items available from my previous blog sale as well. Previous Sale Here!

Spotted: Sinful Colors Sugar Rush Collection!

2013-02-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

Today while out running errands I spotted the new Sinful Colors Sugar Rush Collection. This collection just screams Spring! Which if you have been watching my YouTube channel....you know I miss my tan lol!

This collection is full of Spring shades. I did pick up two from the collection.

Candy Coated- Which a gorgeous Lavender Shade. The finish is cream with a tiny iridescent shimmers.
Orange Cream- Which is a Pastel Orange. Very wearable and gorgeous. This finish is a cream finish with tiny shimmers.

Sinful Colors is one of my favorite drug store nail polish lines. Wear time is nice & the color selections are always vast. I will tell you I wanted to buy the entire collection just because the shades are so lovely and warm. But alas I had to stop myself!=D

Let me know if you guys pick up any of the shades from this collection.

Pictures & Content are mine. Do not take=)

Nuance by Salma Hayek Flawless Finish Liquid Foundation

2013-02-07T01:05:00.000-08:00

If you guys follow me on YouTube or Instagram then you will have seen me rave about this foundation. I am in awe of how amazing this foundation is for a drug store foundation.

If you guys did not know Salma Hayek came out with this line inspired by her Grandmother last year. Now if you have seen the line at CVS then you know for a drug store line it is quite pricey. So like others I was hesitant to try it. Especially after reviews on any other products are scares. I did not even look up any reviews before purchasing this foundation. Which for a foundation is really rare for me. You all know how picky I am with foundations. They are the foundation of your make up so to speak, your canvas, if that is not spot on then in my mind the rest of my make up can not be to the best of its potential.

Nuance by Salma Hayek Flawless Liquid Foundation with Skin Adapting Technology:

Price Point: $14.69
Packaging: Very nice and sleek. it is a frosted glass bottle, which makes it look more elegant and high end feeling. I love that it comes with the pump.
Texture/Finish: It is a nice Heavy Medium coverage foundation. It doesn't stay "wet" feeling. It set within seconds and you can see it adjust to your skin tone. It is the perfect balance between dewy and satin.
Only available at CVS
CLAIMS (Front of packaging): Minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines while delivering a radiant glow. I 100% Agree it does this! I have slightly bigger pores on my cheeks, close to my nose area and seriously this foundation minimizes and smooths the area. I also agree with the Hydration of the skin. As I said it is the perfect balance between dewy and satin. My skin truly feels radiant.
CLAIMS (Back of packaging):
Hypoallergenic
Paraben Free
Not tested on animals.
Dermatologist tested
Skin Adjusting Technology balances tone, allowing your skin's natural pigments to show through. HydraCell Complex with Apple and Lentil Extracts provides instant, long-lasting hydration. Pearl Extract imparts a smooth, radiant Finish.

Shades:

Now if you guys watched my haul on YouTube you will see that the biggest task of this foundation was finding my right shade. Now I have NEVER bought a shade of foundation and been wrong with my shade. My skin tone is just easy. I will say the only reason that I had an issue was because of the packaging! The same elegant frosted glass made the shades appear darker then they actually are. Just from my photos of the Light Cool (the first one I purchased) & Light/Medium Cool (Second shade and actual shade) you can see how dark my shade looks in the packaging. This is also funny considering these shades are next to each other on the display. So I wish they had testers. But other than that hiccup the shade range is nice the have all the way from PALE to Dark tones. Which some make up companies leave out really pale or really dark tones which is unfair if some one wants to try a foundation and can not because they don't carry their shade. So Nuance gets an A+ for that.

Light Cool

Light/Medium Cool

I really am in love with this foundation and can not wait to try out more of her line. She really did nail it with this foundation. If you have dry skin. I highly recommend this foundation. I think I found my new Holy Grail drug store Foundation.

Have you guys tried any products from the Nuance line?

Photos & Content are mine. Please do not take=)

Julie G Nail Polish Collection!

2013-02-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

If you guys watch my YouTube Channel. Then you all know how much I love Julie G's nail polish line. Not only is she an amazing guru, but she came up with a superior nail polish line in my opinion! I have been collecting her polishes since Jesse's Girl put out a few shades by Julie last year. So I thought I would share with you my small collection. It is seriously so hard not to buy every shade.

Julie G Nail Polish Collection:

Stiletto (in Jesse's Girl Packaging)- This is a gorgeous Taupe with fine Silver shimmers. It was my go to for months when it hit stores.
Umbrella Drink- This is a gorgeous Peach with fine Silver shimmers. This is going to be a beautiful Spring shade!
You-Niverse- This is a very unique shade and like nothing I own. This is a wonderful Duo Chrome polish that shifts from Bronze to Green and Blue! So gorgeous!
Peep Toe Pumps- Perfect name for this cream berry shade. This seriously is my go to pedicure shade!
Elegant Edge- This is an Eggplant/Raspberry shade with a cream finish. This was one of my favorite Winter shades. It let me be able to wear the deep shades even though I am very pale.
Royal Rebel- This is such a standout purple for me, because it is light enough that you know it's Purple. I love Purple shades but sometimes once I apply a second coat on my nails they can look almost black. This royal purple shade truly is a noticeable purple. The finish is almost like a Shimmer/Metallic.
Fierce & Fab- Now this has to be my favorite shade by Julie, it is bold and gorgeous. I wore it a lot during this past Summer. It is a Matte Finish nail polish.
Bikini- This is a bright Hot Peach shade or as I call it my 80's nail polish! It takes me back to the days in elementary school when Hot Pink nails were all the rage lol! I love this shade. It is a cream finish shade.
Light It Up- This is my favorite Multi Glitter polish. It has different colors of glitter so it essentially goes with any look. I love that there are different sizes of glitter as well! This was part of her Christmas Collection.
Julie G (Jesse's Girl Packaging)- I believe in her packaging it is called Julie's Fave. This is the perfect Coral. It is also a cream finish.

My Hindi Inspired Nails

Using Julie G Polishes in Fierce & Fab, & Bikini

You can see how pigmented the shades are. The price point is perfect, they Retail for $3.99 at you local Rite Aid or online at Jesse's Girl Website they still have her first collection available. The Packaging is nice and clean, and the brush is perfect. I seriously have zero complaints about these polishes.

Julie shows you her collections on her YouTube Channel so check them out there and subscribe if your not=D

Photos & Content are mine. Please do not take=)

Skin Food!

2013-02-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday guys!

Today I wanted to share with you my new favorite shop and items I purchased from there. If you have not heard of Skin Food it is a Asian brand. Which if you follow me anywhere you know I am a lover of Asian BB creams and companies. They just set the standard so high for BB Creams that so far American brands have not even come close to replicating their coverage and benefits.

So that being said you guys must realize how happy I was to see that my local mall opened up a new Skin Food store about a month ago. I went in for a BB Cream but they were sold out of my shade so I asked if I could prepay for mine, so that when my shade shipment comes in they will hold it for me. When I pick it up I will add that to this post.

SKIN FOOD:

Black Sugar Mask (wash off): This is an exfoliating mask that also has a touch of oil if feels like in it. When you apply this to your face it turns your face a fake tan shade. Don't be afraid it doesn't permanently tint your skin. It has a nice light lemon fragrance. It comes with 100 grams of product for $17.60 Via the Skin Food Website: Enriched with minerals and vitamins, this face scrub effectively exfoliates dead skin that prevents makeup application, while revitalizing skin.

Choco Eye Brow Powder Cake #2: This comes in 2 shades and each comes with 2 different eye brow shades of powder. That way you can use one of the other, or simply combine the two for your perfect shade. I have been really enjoying this, and yes it smells like Chocolate!! I love how secure the packaging is. This retails for $7.00

Nail Vita #BR612 Cappuccino & #BR609 Mono Chocolate: These are such nice nail colors! I am really impressed and will be purchasing more. The texture goes on so smooth and they are very pigmented! These retail for #3.00 each. Via Skin Food website: With vitamin and keratin nutrients, it protects the dry and rough nails with excellency in shine and continuance

Nail Vita Essence: This is to be used as a base coat to help you nail polishes go on smooth. I am currently testing it out and will update this post with my thoughts after a few days of wear. Via the Skin Food Website: Enriched with vitamins and keratin, this nail essence provides nutrients to nails, preventing them from breaking and cracking. This retails for $3.00

TONS OF SAMPLES:

Now I was so impressed when the girls asked all about my skin and then put a ton of samples in my bag for me to try out.

3 Honey Red Orange Masks
3 Lettuce & Cucumber Water Drop Essence
4 Fresh Apple Smooth Pore Cream (already used one)
3 Gold Kiwi Toners
1 Agave Cactus Toner
3 Gold Kiwi Hydrating Masks (already used one)
Eggplant Eye Make Up Remover
Avocado Rich Cosmetic Set
Fresh Apple Sparkling Pore Gift Set
Royal Honey Gift Set

I am sure out of everything I have to try I will find even more items I will end up loving!

Announcement:

Because of how much I have been loving these products, my next YouTube Channel giveaway will be for a SKIN FOOD PRIZE PACK! Keep and eye out for that video in the next week or so.

Check out Skin Food

Photos & Content are mine. Please do not take=)

FLOWER High Shine Kiss Sticks Luxury Lip Color by Drew Barrymore

2013-02-02T15:24:00.001-08:00

This past week I went searching for the new collection by the gorgeous Miss Drew Barrymore. It took me a day and 3 Walmart's later and I found them!! Now the collection is pretty extensive. I have seen a few reviews via YouTube and decided the first items I wanted to try was her High Shine Kiss Sticks Luxury Lip Colors. I will start out by saying the range of these lipsticks are AMAZING! Anyone no matter what their particular taste will be able to find a great lip color. The High Shine Kiss Sticks Luxury Lip Colors have day to day shades all the way to bright bold & deep shades! Total plus in my book. As I often wear lip color depending on my mood=).

Flower High Shine Kiss Stick Luxury Lip Color:

Packaging: Very nice, lightweight, and sleek. You do have to line it up perfectly but I don't think that is a big deal. I find the packaging very elegant for a drug store makeup line.

Price Point: $6.98

I find that a very good price for the quality of this lipstick. These do not feel cheaply made.

Finish: Just as the name implies HIGH SHINE. You do not need a gloss over these.

Shade Range: AMAZING! No matter what their preference they will be able to find a shade of their liking.

Wear Time: The two shade I got lasted about 4 hours on me with having to reapply. I only picked up bold shades so that is really great considering the high shine texture. The only thing I would suggest is with the bolder shades wear a lip liner as feathering can happen if worn alone.

Would I repurchase? YES and I will be picking up more ASAP!

Shades:

Ginger Lily- Easily a DUPE for MAC's Ravishing! & half the price! This is a gorgeous Coral Shade that will compliment a wide variety of skin tones.

Petunia Petals- This is a gorgeous bright Hot Pink shade! IN LOVE! I love that it is more of a cool toned hot pink so it is very complimentary to most skin tones.

Swatches:

(L-R) Ginger Lily, Petunia Petals

Overall I Highly recommend the Flower High Shine Lipsticks by Drew Barrymore they are the price point of a drugstore but the high quality of a higher end lipstick. I really love them and will be pick up more shades.

Let me know if you guys would like me to review anything else from the collection. I would be happy to.

Photos & Content are mine. Please do not take=)

Wet N Wild CoverAll Foundation and Powder!

2013-01-09T17:02:00.000-08:00

The other day I picked up a few items I had on my list since I saw that Wet N Wild would be releasing it. Because I love Wet N Wild eye shadow palettes, blushes, lipstick, & polishes I knew I needed to get the new Foundation and Powder to try out.

Wet N Wild COVERALL Foundation:

Packaging: I really love that the packaging is a squeeze tube with a good size opening for the product. The packing is sleek and very nice for the price point.
Shades: From what I could tell there was about 6 shades in the line. They do not seem to carry darker skin tone shades. I picked up the Shade #816 Fair/Light.
Texture: The texture is very nice and glides on rather easily. It is not runny at all. It goes from semi slick to matte rather quickly. Even though it is thicker in texture it is still buildable. Even on my dry skin I was able to layer an additional layer over blemishes.
Price Point: $3.99 for 1 Fl Oz I got a dollar off coupon so I only paid $2.99 for it. So great deal for the quality.

Wet N Wild COVERALL Pressed Powder:

Packaging: Now I have Blushes and Palettes by Wet N Wild and the top always feels a bit flimsy the top of this feel more sturdy! Upgrade from Wet N Wild. =D
Shades: The Shades are like the Foundations 6 or 7 shades. No darker skin tone options in the powders. I picked up #825B Medium. The shades only seem to very slightly down the range. So I could have probably wore the one above this too. So that is nice that either or it would have been relatively easy to find a shade that matches me.
Texture: It is very nice. Most powders I tend to like/love have a satin feel to them. This does as well. I could easily use this over a heavier foundation or something as light as a tinted moisturizer and still like the finish.
Price Point: $2.99 also got $1.00 off.

Application:

I tried applying this with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and my fingertips then buffing. My favorite technique for application is my finger tips then buffing. It seems to give the best finish and allows for layering in problematic areas.

COVERALL Claim:

I am a stickler for foundation and I am a firm believer in order to have a beautiful painting you need a beautiful clean canvas. That does not look packed with product. Does this CoverAll....No. Does it cover most Yes! If you build it up in the places you need additional coverage. If you have minimal skin issue you will probably love this. I have dry skin, slight hyper pigmentation, freckles, and occasional hormonal breakouts. When my skin is clear I could see me loving this. Even with two slight breakouts right now I really like how it looks. Next time I have a breakout I will probably apply concealer. Even though I am still very impressed by the overall finish and how long I have been wearing it and how nice it still looks.

Repurchase:

Foundation: Yes
Powder: Yes

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