Tutorials, Hauls, Reviews, N'at

1-2-3-Lashes! - Maybelline Lash Stiletto

2013-05-18T18:44:00.002-04:00

Maybelline's Lash Stiletto seems to be a one coater. With that single coat it makes my lashes look long but natural. Each additional coat adds nothing but weight and clumps. I had this mascara in the past and didn't love it then, and I don't really love it now.

Have you tried Maybelline's Lash Stiletto? What do you think of it? Comment and let me know.

this product was sent to me by freebeautyevents.com

Product I've Hit Pan On - Updated

2013-05-18T15:01:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I did the "Products I've Hit Pan On" tag. Six months later, I thought it was time for an update on my progress. Many of the products featured in the tag have departed from my collection, others haven't been used all that much more, and there are two new additions.

Essence Bronzing Compact in Bronzing Queen. I feel like I've put a decent dent in it since last time.

Essence Shimmer Powder in Prettylicious. I've doubled the size of the pan that's showing. Now that it's heading into summer I can see myself finishing this powder off pretty fast.

A new product on the list, ELF's Complexion Perfection. I go through these powders pretty regularly, this is my third or fourth one.

Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder. This one was really a surprise for me, since I only use it twice a week. I noticed a small dent, and next thing I knew it was halfway done.

ELF Shimmer Palette. I feel like I've only really diminished the white shade, which you can't really see because glare. I'm tempted to throw this palette away since I've had it about 2 years and I have better highlighters now, but I feel like finishing it would be an achievement.

What products are you working on finishing? Tell me in the comments.

Loova Citrus Bliss Bath Blaster Review

2013-05-18T00:20:00.002-04:00

Loova is a local Pittsburgh based company that specalises in "hand made bath and body product bursting with essential oils to sooth, revitalize, and relax your body, mind, and soul." A while back I was out to lunch with Dean and stopped at their shop in Station Square and picked up three of their Mini Bath Blasters. I've always thought bath bombs and the like were a silly thing to spend money on, but Loova's are pretty reasonably priced, selling for $2.50 each, or 3/$6 or 6/$12. I picked up two in their Sweet Pea scent, and one in Citrus Bliss. Loova offers eight scents total. Loova says that the size of their mini bath blasters shouldn't fool you because they're "packed full of cocoa butter and yummy oils to moisturize and sooth." Loova products can be bought through the brand's website, at their two stores in Station Square and Castle Shannon, and at specialty boutiques throughout the country. Loova products are handmade right here in Pittsburgh, and of course they're cruelty free.

Loova's Mini Bath Blasters are pretty small, about 6" in diameter, less than half the size of most Lush bath bombs. The Citrus Bliss Bath Blaster is yellow with orange speckles. These bath bombs are round with indentations at the top and bottom. Loova's Bath Blasters seem to be quite delicate and powdery. These little bath fizzies come wrapped individually or in trios. The six packs come in little egg cartons. Loova's Citrus Bliss Mini Bath Blaster fizzes instantly when it hits the water. This bath bomb took roughly 3 minutes to dissolve completely. Citrus Bliss tinged the water yellow, cuing lots of immature lols. As they dissolve, Loova's Bath Blaster release an impressive amount of moisturizing oils that seem to sink in and leave my skin feeling super silky. The oils, nor the color leave behind any residue in my tub.

I'm not much of a citrus fan, but I liked the scent of Citrus Bliss well enough. Citrus Bliss as an effervescent mix of equal parts lemon and orange. The fragrance is light and very natural, not overly sweet or sugary at all. The scent of Citrus Bliss lingers on the skin just a little bit. I paired Citrus Bliss with Bath&BodyWorks Wild Citrus Sunflower Shower Gel and Fruits&Passion Grapefruit Guava Body Cream. It made for a pleasant but subtle fruity bath, very citrusy, which wasn't the best idea considering I took this bath at 1am.

I really like Loova's Mini Bath Blasters. I still think bath bombs are kinda a waste of money, but I'd much rather buy six of Loova's rather than two of Lush's the same price. Loova's scent selection is limited and their Bath Blasters don't have all the bells and whistles other bath bombs do, but they deliver a surprising amount of moisture. I think I'll try another couple scents in the future. If you love bath products, check out Loova and support small businesses.

Ingredients Unavailable.

Avon Glow Bronzing Gel Review

2013-05-17T15:01:00.004-04:00

Avon's new Glow Bronzing Gel is a "lightweight, buildable bronzer that instantly gives you the look of a sunkissed tan." This innovative new product is promised to be stain and streak free. Avon offers two shades; Light Bronze and Deep Bronze, my review is featuring Light Bronze. This liquid bronzer contains 1 fl oz (30ml), the same amount in a standard foundation. The full price for the Glow Bronzing Gel will be $11, but it's currrently available for $4.99, which is how much I paid for it. Avon products are available for purchase via the brand's website, or your local Avon representative. Avon products technically aren't tested on animals, but the brand recently expanded to China, where their products may be tested. This bronzer was made in America.

Avon's Glow Bronzing Gel came in a bronze cardboard box featuring the product name, application tips, and a full ingredient list. The product it's self comes in a very long squeeze tube featuring the same information and color scheme as the box. Unscrewing the tube's cap reveals a needle nose applicator. While I like the design of the packaging, its visually appealing and functional to use, but man is a pain in the butt to store in my blush/bronzer drawer. A big tube just doesn't mesh with a bunch of compacts.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from Avon's Glow Bronzing Gel. I'm still trying to master traditional powder bronzers, but I've never seen an affordable gel/liquid bronzer, so I decided to snatch it while it was still at it's introductory price. I wouldn't call this bronzer a gel as much as a thin cream. The shade looks pretty day when first squeezed out, not gonna lie it was kinda intimidating. Fear not though, this brozner blends out beautifully. I buff Avon's Glow Bronzing Gel out with an angled kabuki and it ends up with a really natural, skin like finish. Avon's Glow Bronzing Gel is the most natural looking bronzer I've ever used, mainly because of the perfectly blended finish, but also because of the color. Some makeup lovers hate on bronzers with a reddish or orange undertone, but I feel like those are the most natural if applied correctly. I don't know about you, but my skin doesn't turn tan or brown when I've been out in the skin, it turns a little reddish, almost the exact color of Light Bronze. Glow Bronzing Gel has a small amount of gold shimmer in it when blended out. These shimmer particles don't provide a sparkly look, thankfully, but more of a subtle luminosity. Avon's Glow Bronzing Gel has a slight coconut/sunscreen scent that I don't notice unless I sniff it out of the tube.

Avon's Glow Bronzing Gel is really good! My only complaint is that its kinda hard for me to store. I was a little nervous about this product, but now I reach for it pretty often. Avon's Glow Bronzing Gel has bumped Benefit's Hoola out of the spot for #1 Bronzer in my collection. The finish and color of Light Bronze is perfect for my very light skin. The price is pretty reasonable considering how much product you get and how long the tube will last. I'm going to grab another tube of Glow Bronzing Gel before the price goes up. Hopefully Avon adds this product to their permanent line up.

Ingredients:

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Fragrance

May Contain:
Mica, Bismuth Oxychloride, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Carmine

Balea 3-in-1 Cleaning Cloths Review

2013-05-16T21:34:00.000-04:00

Balea is the home brand of the Canadian drugstore Shopper's Drug Mart. My friend Steph sent me a packet of their 3-in-1 Cleansing Cloths in a swap a few months ago. I think out of the whole box this was one of the products that excited me the most, I love trying new skincare. Balea describes their 3-in-1 Cleansing Cloths as "an easy and effective way to maintain a complete skincare regimen in just one step. They gently deep clean the skin to remove makeup, minimize pores, and moisturize the skin. Hypoallergenic, oil free, dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested. Gentle on eyes and safe for contact lens wearers". Balea also promises that these cleansing cloths contain good for you ingredients like chamomile, vitamin e, and triple tea complex. My packet contains 15 wipes. I'm unsure of this product's retail price. Balea products are not tested on animals. Ironically, these wipes were made in America.

I love the packaging for these wipes. They come in a pretty blue packet. The Balea logo, product name, and a quick description are printed in silver font of the sticky flap (which actually stays closed!). A longer product description, directions, and a full ingredient list can also be found on the packet in both English and French. The packaging isn't really extraordinary in any way, I just really love the color of the packet.

[brand new]

These cleansing wipes are awesome, really awesome. Each of Balea's 3-in-1 Cleansing Cloths measures 15.2cm x 18.5cm (6x7in), so they're pretty average in size. Each towelette is quite moist. My one and only complain about this product is the scent, which kinda reminds of me licorice. Even that isn't a big deal at all. Balea's 3-in-1 Cleansing Cloths remove every speck of a full faceo f makeup without needing to pre-moisten my face or rub it raw. Balea's towelettes can ever remove mascara, which is quite a feat. The best part is that these wipes are super gentle. So many facial towelettes have left my skin feeling tight or otherwise irritated, but not Balea's, they actually make my skin feel good!

[removing a full face of makeup with heavy eye makeup]

I really love Balea's 3-in-1 Cleansing Cloths, they're a new favorite! I've used cleansing towelettes in the past that could remove all of my face makeup, but never one that could remove my eye makeup so well. Some eye makeup removes can't even compete with these wipes. My only minor annoyance is the licorice like scent, but I don't mind it too much. Balea's 3-in-1 Cleansing Cloths are gentle and effective, I really couldn't ask for more. I want more of these wipes so bad! I've always wanted to go to Canada, and when I do get there I'm gonna stock up on these cloths. If you live near a Shopper's Drug Mart you must try Balea's 3-in-1 Cleansing Cloths!

Ingredients:

Water, Cetearly Isononanoate, Ceteareth 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cetyl Palmitate, Ceteareth-12, Propylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cammellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol Acetate, Fragrance, Butylene Glycol, Methylaparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane 1-3 Doil

Bath&BodyWorks Be Enchanted Body Lotion Review

2013-05-16T14:53:00.000-04:00

Bath&BodyWorks describes Be Enchanted as "frosted florals sweetened with sparkling sugared pomegranates inspired by all that glitters." Be Enchanted isn't really a scent that appealed to me, but at the time I was running out of new scents to try. I grabbed a little 3 fl oz (88 ml) travel sized bottle during the Semi Annual Sale for just $1.25. Travel sized lotions typically retail for $5, or 3/$10; the full sized 8 fl oz bottle retails for $11. Bath&BodyWorks describes their body lotion formula as "fortified with powerful ingredients like super conditioning shea butter, fast absorbing jojoba oil, and protective Vitamin E to hydrate skin with moisture that lasts all day. Non-greasy formula absorbs quickly and completely to leave skin feeling ingredient soft, smooth, and nourished, making it the perfect daily moisturizer". Bath&BodyWorks is a cruelty free company that makes all their products in America.

Be Enchanted comes in the same style of packaging all Signature Collection lotions come in. The bottle is made of translucent pink plastic molded into a curvy shape. The bottle is topped by a matching pop up cap. The bottle is recyclable. Be Enchanted's label artwork kinda confuses me, I'm not entirely sure what it's trying to depict. It features the scent name in blue cursive lettering, and many silver branches. A blue and fuchsia flower also grace the label. the back of the bottle offers a full ingredient list.

Top Notes: Mouthwatering Citrus, Iced Pomegranate, Chilled Wildberries, Crystallized Passionfruit
Mid Notes: Sheer Honeysuckle, Floral Frosted Bouquet, Sugared Violet, Dewfruit, Asian Pear
Dry Notes: Whipped Vanilla, Creamy Musk, Sandalwood

Oh jeez. I feel like that was the most drawn out, ridiculous list of scent notes Bath&BodyWorks has ever written. Frosted Floral Bouquet? That don't make no dang sense. Get it together, Bath&BodyWorks. Also, that's a total of 12 scent notes, which is an awful lot for a lotion that smells like one thing; sugared berries. Just berries, nothing else really, except maybe a touch of musk. The scent is very light and has almost no lasting power. Be Enchanted is the closest thing to an unscented lotion that Bath&BodyWorks makes.

This lotion is Bath&BodyWorks standard, white and thin in consistency. A little goes a long way, these tiny travel bottles last me about a week if I apply it every day. As promised, Bath&BodyWorks lotions sink in super fast and are never greasy. This lotion formula is adequately moisturizing for normal skin, leaving it feeling soft, smooth, and comfortable. By no means is Bath&BodyWorks' lotion is the best one out there, but its pretty good. (Though I've been favoring Avon's Naturals lotion lately).

Bath&BodyWorks Be Enchanted left a lot to be desired. To me. the scent is just so bland. I'm kinda grumpy that Bath&BodyWorks decided to discontinue Secret Wonderland and Midnight Pomegranate, but not a boring fragrance like this one. Be Enchanted is a good choice if you find other Bath&BodyWorks scents too sweet or strong. As with any scent, its really just a matter of personal preference. I wouldn't repurchase anything from the Be Enchanted line, it just isn't for me.

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Dimethicone, Deteareth-20, Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Tocopherol Acetate, Isododecane, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptonate, Carbomer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Benzyl Alcohol, Benyzl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropinol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Pixi Correction Concentrate Review

2013-05-15T21:25:00.002-04:00

Pixi's much buzzed about Correction Concentrate is a "highly pigmented correcting concealer that instantly erases darkness, softens, and blurs lines. Skin immediately looks fresh, rested, bright, and youthful. This ultimate 'good night's sleep in a jar' camouflage cream is correction perfection in a pot." This tone corrector contains "Vitamin E to nourish and protect, Vitamin C to brighten and revitalize, Vitamin A for an anti-aging effect, and rose hip extract for it's cell regenerating and skin elasticity boosting properties." Pixi is a brand that really appeals to me, but I've always felt like the products were overpriced. Luckily, Correction Concentrate is one of the brand's most affordable products, retailing for $15 for 3g (.1 oz) of product. Pixi is exclusively available in Target, as well as the brand's website. I bought this concealer for myself as a birthday goody after hearing my favorite YouTuber EmilyNoel 83 rave about it and compare it to pricey products like Benefit's Erase Paste and Bobbi Brown's Corrector. Pixi products are cruelty free. The Correction Concentrate was made in China.

Packaging for the entire Pixi line is gorgeous, the brand's signature color is light green, you'll know that if you've ever seen the brand's display in Target. Correction Concentrate comes in a light green cardboard box that offer the Pixi logo and product name on the front. The back of the box offers a product description. The ingredient list can be found on a side of the box. The concealer it's self comes in a small glass jar topped with a green cap. The cap features a gold pixie along with the Pixi logo. Cute, but simple, with an eye catching green theme, there's no mistaking a Pixi product.

Pixi's Correction Concentrate comes in one shade; Brightening Peach. Why does Pixi's Correction Concentrate have such a strong pinky peach tone? It's a matter of color theory, a subject I don't feel experienced enough to explain at length, but I'll try to sum it up. Under eye circles are typically blue or purple toned. Orangey shades are considered the 'opposite' of blue on a color wheel. When orange and blue tones are mixed they cancel each other out. It's kinda like math, but with colors, I guess.

Pixi's Correction Concentrate has a thick, almost pasty consistency, you need to warm it up with the warmth of your fingers to melt it into a creamier consistency. Once its warmed up this concealer is easy to pat on to the under eye area. The bright peachy tone may look a little bit crazy at first, but don't panic, just keep patting! Soon enough Pixi's corrector will blend almost all the way in. Though Petra Strand, the Swedish makeup artist behind Pixi describes the coverage of Correction Concentrate as "full", I feel like it sound be used with a regular under eye concealer as well to help diffuse what's left of the peachy tone. This correcting concealer does just what it promises, it just about completely erases mild to moderate under eye circles. The results are way better than I expected! Because Correction Concentrate is on the pastier side, I suggest avoiding powder in areas where you've applied this corrector, otherwise you'll end up with a cakey texture. I don't feel like Pixi's under eye concealer's epic results last all day, after several hours it can settle into fine lines, which is almost as unappealing as dark circles.

[do you see any circles?]

Pixi's Correction Concentrate is great, I'm thoroughly impressed! I was really nervous about investing $15 in a corrective concealer, but it's proved to be worth the money! I've been using it along with Benefit's It's Potent! Eye Cream and my under eye area has never looked better. The packaging is really pretty. The texture of the product is great once it's been warmed up, so application is super easy, you just need to tap it inn. The peach tone will neutralize dark circles for most fair to tan skin tones. I highly recommend Pixi's Correction Concentrate concealer if you struggle with under eye circles, this is the cheapest peach/salmon toned corrector I know of and it's totally worth the price. This product will have you bright eyed in no time.

Ingredients:

Petrolatum, Diisostearyl Malate, Silica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polybutene, Polyethylene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Alumina, Microcrystalline Wax, Glycerin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Phosphatidylcholine, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Retinyl Palmitate. (Vitamin A), Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Alcohol, Water, Simethicone, Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035:1).

Barry M Teal Nail Paint Review

2013-05-15T14:53:00.003-04:00

Barry M claims that they "cover the whole color spectrum with their award winning Nail Paints, which are a quick drying, long lasting base suitable for natural and acrylic nails". Barry M offers a multitude of colors and finishes. My only Barry M Nail Paint is Teal, which was sent to me as part of a gift from my friend Rae. Each Nail Paint contains 10ml (.35 fl oz) and retails for £2.99 ($4.55 USD). Barry M products are cruelty free and made in the UK. Barry M items are available for purchase at drugstores throughout the UK, as well as through the brand's website, which ships worldwide.

Packaging for Barry M's Nail Paints is simple but nice. A rectangular glass bottle topped with a rubberized black plastic cap. The product name and Barry M logo are printed on the front of the bottle in gold lettering. The back of the bottle offers directions. The brush for Barry M's Nail Paints is nothing special, but functional. The brush is long, flexible, and slightly rounded with no splayed bristles.

Barry M's Teal is kinda gorgeous, this shade is true to it's name, I don't think I've ever seen a more literal teal. Depending on the angle you view this polish from it may appear more blue or green, though I wouldn't say it has a duochromatic effect. Barry M's Teal Nail Paint has a rich, marbled look in the bottle, but it translates to more of a mirrored metallic finish that's surprisingly doesn't show streaks. If you can't tell, I kinda love this shade.

I'm still on the fence about this polish's formula. Metallics can be problematic, and Barry M's Nail Paint in Teal is no exception. This lacquer seems to be on the thicker side, so it can get goopy if you aren't careful. Teal takes two coats to reach opacity. Dry time is decent, a little over a minute per coat, though it's still easy to smudge for quite a while afterwards. I haven't experienced very good wear from this polish, which isn't surprising, nothing likes to stay on my fingernails very long, but I don't typically experience wear problems on my toenails. Barry M's Teal Nail Paint chips and peels even on my toes. This polish removes easily and doesn't stain the nails.

[outta control cuticlez]

Barry M's Teal Nail Paint is good, but not awesome. The packaging and price point are both great. The shade Teal is lovely, and aptly named. I'm pretty disappointed by this polish's wear time, but that could just be my personal experience with it. I'm going to continue to wear this gorgeous green-blue polish throughout the summer. Though I wouldn't repurchase this polish, I do recommend it if it's available to you.

Ingredients:

BUTYL ACETATE, ETHYL ACETATE, NITROCELLULOSE, ADIPIC ACID / NEOPENTYL GLYCOL / TRIMELLITIC ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER, ACETYL TRIBUTYL CITRATE, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, STEARALKONIUM BENTONITE, N-BUTYL ALCOHOL, STYRENE/ ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, BENZOPHENONE-1, SILICA, CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, TRIMETHYLPENTANEDIYL DIBENZOATE, POLYVINYL BUTYRAL

May Contain:

MICA, CI77891, CI77742, CI77510, CI77499, CI77491, CI77266, CI77007, CI77000, CI74260, CI74160, CI47005, CI19140, CI15880, CI15850, CI11680, CI77820, TIN OXIDE

Renaissance Henna Pakeezah Amla Hair Oil Review

2013-05-15T01:13:00.001-04:00

I'm a devoted user of hair oils, so a few months ago when a UK hair care company called Renaissance Henna contained me and offered me a few products to try, I jumped at the opportunity. I received a trio of hair oils to try, it included Pressed Stinky Neem; the previously reviewed Pakeezah Bhringraj Oil; and the subject of this review, Pakeezah Amla oil. Renaissance says that Amla oil is derived from the amla fruit (aka the Indian Gooseberry), which is "said to be the richest natural source of Vitamin C". Renaissance also claims that Amla Oil is "reputed to stop hair loss, to halt grey hair in it's tracks, and to strengthen, condition, and rejuvenate the dullest, lifeless hair." A 100 ml (3.4fl oz ) bottle of Amla Oil sells for £6.40 ($10 USD). The trio I received sells for £15 ($23). Renaissance Henna products are only available through the brand's website. Renaissance Henna is a cruelty free brand, their products are made in the UK.

Renaissance Henna's Pakeezah Amla Oil is thin and green in color. As with all of their oils, Renaissance suggests using their Amla oil for scalp massage or on the ends of the hair. I use it as more of a deep conditioner and detangling treatment, applying it throughout my hair, twisting it up, and letting it sit in for about ten minutes or so. I had big expectations for Renaissance's Pakeezah Amla oil, mainly because I was so impressed by their awesome Bhringraj oil. Before I go on, I want to preface my following comments and say that I don't need to use this product to combat hair/color loss, I was merely hoping to benefit from it's conditioning properties. Renaissance goes as far as to claim that this oil will give you "stunning India silk hair". Yeah, I don't feel like their Pakeezah Amla oil does that, or much of anything for my hair. This oil doesn't seem to soften or detangle my hair, the two main things I expect from all hair oils. Amla oil is difficult for me to rinse completely from my hair, so I often end up with limp, oily locks post-usage. Renaissance Henna's Pakeezah Amla Oil has a very spicy, pungent scent, it kinda reminds me of a Thai restaurant I ate one, or maybe it smells more like a hot mustard. Either way, it isn't a scent that I want in my hair, I actually really can't stand it (though I love spicy mustard), so I tend to leave it in for less time than I would for the much less potent Bhringraj oil. Perhaps that's why I feel it's significantly less effective. The icky scent permeates the hair, and it jut really turns me off of this oil.

I'm just not feeling Renaissance Henna's Pakeezah Amla Oil. The very strong, spicy scent was enough to put me off of this product. I also just don't feel as though it yields the same great results the Bhringraj oil does. Bhringraj oil enhances my henna hair color, detangles my knotty hair, and gives it a healthy shine. Amla oil just leaves me with stinky, greasy hair. I don't think I'm going to finish this product. Maybe this hair oil will work out for you if you do have hair or color loss issues, but I cannot attest to it's effectiveness. I think Renaissance Henna's Pakeezah Bhringraj Oil is a much better choice and I recommend it over the Pakeezah Amla oil.

Ingredients:

organic sesame seed oil, amla extract, organic natural almond oil, shikakai extract

This product was sent to me for review.

Essence Volumizing Lash Powder Review

2013-05-13T21:32:00.002-04:00

Essence is a European drugstore brand that offers some pretty unique products, including their Volumizing Lash Powder. Essence calls this product "artificial mini fibers for a false lash effect." I picked up this lash booster at Ulta for about $3.50. Each jar of Volumizing Lash Powder contaisn .6 oz (1.8g) if fibers. This product was made in Germany, Essence's home country. Essence products are not tested on animals, a practice outlawed in the European Union. Essence products can be bought at Ulta in America; Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada; Priceline and Target in Australia; and drugstores throughout Europe. This product is not safe for contact lense wearers.

Packaging for Essence's Volumizing Lash Powder is a little too simple, it could use a redesign. These lash fibers come in a plastic jar with a black screw on cap. No sifter, no nothing. The product name and Essence logo can be found on the front of the jar. Some warnings can be found on the back. Essence was kind enough to include a nice little spoolie with this product. Ok, so what exactly are you supposed to do with the spoolie, exactly? You can't dip it into the fibers, because they go everywhere when you pull it out. You can't run the spoolie over the top of the fibers, the opening of the jar is too narrow. The packaging is just such a pain to work with, that alone keeps me from reaching for Essence's Volumizing Lash Powder.

Essence's Volumizing Lash Powder consists of millions of miniscule, loose, white lash extension fibers. You're meant to apply a coat of mascara, a coat of these fibers, then another coat of mascara, all in quick secession. It isn't as easy as it sounds though. I think I made it clear that its hard to get the fibers onto the brush, but it can also be quite difficult to apply Essence's Volumizing Lash Powder to the lashes. No matter how carefully I tap off the spoolie I still I end up with so many of these little fibers falling into my eyes and onto my face. All the itchy, oh it is so unpleasant. As promised, Essence's Volumizing Lash Powder gives the look of more fullness, but they add a very minimal amount of length. The length this product does provide doesn't last very long at all, mainly because they cause the tips of my lashes to point downward, and eventually they flake off. One other problem that this product presents is that it can run your mascara pretty easily if too many of the fibers get into your tube.

Essence's Volumizing Lash Powder does give the lashes more volume, I give it that. However, I feel like there are a lot of flaws to this product that overshadow it's effectiveness. The packaging was poorly designed, though the included spoolie is nice. The fibers are very loose and irritating to both the eyes and skin. The fibers cause flaking after a few hours and weigh my lashes down. I don't think I'll be reaching for Essence's Volumizing Lash Powder, its just too messy and impractical to use everyday. Kudos to Essence for putting it out there though. It was a bold move, I can't think of any other brand in this price range that offers a similar product.

Essence doesn't list the ingredients for these fibers, but I'm going to assume they're nylon.

May Ipsy Bag - Spring Fling

2013-05-13T12:56:00.000-04:00

I just received my May Ipsy Bag with the theme of "Spring Fling". For the first time, Ipsy had lots of of options for what you received. This month, Ipsy partnered with nine brands: NuMe, Macadamia, St. Tropez, Zoya, Anastasia, Pacifica, Juice Beauty, Mirabella, and Yaby. If you aren't familiar with Ipsy, you can click here to read my "My Thoughts on Ipsy" post. In short though, Ipsy is monthly subscription service that sells for $10/month. Each month you receive 4-5 beauty product samples, deluxe samples, and full size items. Ipsy hasn't updated their "glam room", so I can't share the coupon codes yet, but I hope to update this post with them eventually.

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow - Glitter Rock - Full Size - $20

When I got my tracking info for May's bag, I was informed that I was getting a bonus item, for being "active on the Ipsy community and creating content". I'm not sure when I was ever active on Ipsy's site, but I wasn't going to say no to an extra goody. I was delighted to see this eyeshadow in my bag! I was hoping to receive a different shade, but I'm still excited to try one of these glittery shadows. I've been lusting after them ever since I was Temptalia's post about them.

The Claims:

You’ve never seen a sparkly shadow this sophisticated. Moondust is dazzlingly sparkly but with a super refined, incredibly sophisticated feel (and not a single speck of chunky glitter). Microfine bits of iridescent sparkle collide with intense, dreamy hues and lush, 3-D metallics—for an effect that’s out of this world.

Mirabellla Colour Sheer Lipstick - Posy - Full Size - $22

I wasn't too excited about this product, I don't really need another lipsticks, and I've had really mixed experiences with the other two Mirabella products I've received in Ipsy bags. However, I really like it. The shade is pretty and not as sheer as the name would imply. The formula is very comfortable on the lips, so I may be more impressed than I initially though I'd be.

The Claims:

Beautifully sheer lip color to wear all day and night. Mango butter base nourishes lips. Available in a wide range of fashionable shades. Lead-free; Paraben-free.

Yaby Concealer Refill - Buff - Full Size - $4.85

Not super thrilled by this concealer. The consistency is nice, but the shade isn't great for me. While it's not totally off, it is a little bit too dark. Yaby claims that the shade Buff is neutral, but it comes up quite yellow on me. We'll see how it works out.

The Claims:

creamy texture, extremely easy to apply.

» highly pigmented to correct any imperfection on the face and body, creamy and gentle for around the eyes.

» tear proof! a concealer that won't run away with your tears.

» vegan friendly - contains no animal byproducts.

St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion - Deluxe Sample - About $9 (Full size $18)

This is kinda my disappointment in the bag. If you haven't noticed in my swatch photos, I'm incredibly pale. The palest, some would say. I like being pale, and I don't really want to try self tanners. However, I'll be heading back to Australia in a few months and I probably should get a bit of color on me so I don't get too many stares. What I do like about this St. Tropez product, the only thing about it that makes me willing to try it, is that it washes off.

The Claims:

This lightweight cream simply smoothes on to give you an instant, even, beautifully golden tan that will wash off whenever you choose. Simply smooth on from top to toe using your palms, an Applicator Mitt or latex gloves for maximum, even coverage.

Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss- Pink - Full Size - $14

Juice Beauty is a brand that was introduced to me by Ipsy in their MyGlam days. We've gone on to have a love/hate relationship. I've tried a handful of Juice Beauty skincare items, but this is the first makeup item I've tried. The packaging for this gloss is pretty simple but attractive. I like the color, its sheerer than it looks in the tube. I think this is my favorite product in the bag, aside from the Urban Decay shadow.

The Claims:

This Reflecting Gloss will give your lips the most brilliant shine on earth. The combination of antioxidant-rich berries, minerals and sweet agave will wrap your lips in radiant color.

Zoya Nail Polish - Blu- Full Size - $8.

Zoya is another one of my love/hate brands. Some of their polishes are the best I've ever tried, and others just won't stay on. I'm not sure how Blu is going to work out for me. I don't know if I love the milky, pastel blue shade, but I'm willing to try it out.

The Claims:

Zoya Nail Polish in Blu can be best described as a full-coverage, soft and delicate pale baby blue with a glossy creme finish. A dreamy, calming blue that's both fun and flattering on the nails.

Swatches.

On top of the 5 full size products and one deluxe sample, we also received a $110 Gift Certificate for NuMe styling products.

Total Value of my May Ipsy Bag:

~$77.85

+$110 Gift Certificate.

Not bad at all, it definitely makes up for the last two months which were kind iffy.

If you're interested in joining Ipsy, feel free to use my referral code in this post.

Deals&Steals - Ulta - May 12-June 1 +Event Schedule

2013-05-11T12:04:00.000-04:00

Here's a full listing of Ulta's sales and specials for May 12 - June 1st.

Let's start with the Love Your Hair Event Schedule:

Day 1: 5/12 - Get Longer Lasting Color
Special: Redken Color Extend Shampoo or Conditioner - $9

Day 2: 5/13 - Volumize with Powder
Special: Osis Dust It - $9.99

Day 3: 5/14 - Supercharge Your Curls
Special: Tigi Bed Head On The Rebound Curl Recall Cream - $6.99

Day 4: 5/15 - Flaunt Instant Shine
Special: Orofluido Elixer - $14.99

Day 5: 5/16 - Perfecting Your Style
Special: Matrix Biolage Styling Products - $6.99

Day 6: 5/17 - Blow Dry 101
Special: Conair Tourmaline Ceramic Styling System - $19.99

Day 7: 5/18 - Humidty Proof Hair
Special: Sexy Hair Humidity Resistant Spray - $9.99

Day 8 5/19 - Get Your Perfect Curl
Special: Hot Tools Cheetah 1" Tapered Iron - $29.99

Day 9: 5/20 - Smooth&Soft Hair
Special: AG Hair Care Smooth Solution Trio - $9.99

Day 10: 5/21 - Hair Spray 911
Special: KMS Dry Extreme Hair Spray - $6.99

Day 11: 5/22 - Smooth&Straight Locks
Special: Hot Tools Nano Ceramic 1/2" Flat Iron - $29.99

Day 12: 5/23 - Natural Products for Healthy Hair:
Special: ABBA Shampoo or Conditioner - $7.99 Each

Day 13: 5/24 - Clean&Hydrated Hair
Special: Rusk Liters - $9.99

Day 14: 5/25 - Combat Summer Frizz
Special: Sexy Hair Healthy Soy Tri Wheat Leave In - $6.99

Day 15: 5/26 - High Control, Brushable Hair Spray
Special: Redken Control Addict 28 - $12

Day 16 5/27 - Perfectly Straight Hair
Special: Tigi Bed Head Straight Out Straightening Cream

Day 17: 5/28 - Shampoos for You
Special: Sebastian Select Shampoos Free with any Hair Care Purchase

Day 18: 5/29 - Volume on the Go
Special: Kenra Volume Spray Free with any Hair Care Purchase

Day 19: 5/30 - Big Curls Are Back!
Special: Conair Big Curls Hair Setters - $17.99

Day 20: 5/31 - It Starts With Hair Heat Protectant
Special: Rusk W8less Multi 12-in-1 Miracle Leave in Treatment - $6.99

Day 21: 6/1 - Try Me Sizes
Special: Sexy Hair, Joico, Paul Mitchell& Chi Biosilk - 5/$10

AG Hair Care:
Repair Serum Anti-Breakage Keratin Sealan - $24
Refeul Sulfate Free Shampoo - $20
Revamp Volumizing Spray - $24
Free Reconstruct Anti Breakage Mask with any $25 AG Hair purchase

Kenra:
Reparative Shampoo - $28
Reparative Conditioner - $28
Blow Dry Spray - $22
Free 2oz Shampoo&Conditioner Duo of you choice with any $30 Kenra purchase

Liquid Keratin:
Deep De-Frizz Conditioner - $15
Healthy Hair De-Frizz Shampoo - $14
Free Liquid Keratin Filling Leave in Conditioner with any $25 Liquid Keratin purchase

Keratin Complex:
Straight Day Spray - $32
Intense Rx - $60
Free Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner with a $30 Keratin Complex purchase

Chi:
Keratin Conditioner - $16.50
Keratin Shampoo - $15.50
Free Keratin Silk Infusion with any $25 Chi Liquids purchase

Rusk:
Speed Freak Dryer - $79.95
B2GO Haircare
Free Diamond Oil Mini Kit with any Redken Diamond Oil purchase

Rowenta:
Dryer or Versa Style Iron - $159.99

T3:
Veloce Dryer - $99

Devacurl:
Maximum Hydration Duo - $24.95
High Definition Duo - $24.95
Get Started Curl Essential Kit - $37.95

Carol's Daughter
Hair milk Pudding - $22
Hair Milk Co-Wash - $18
Free Hair Milk Original with any $20 Carol's Daughter purchase

Fekkai:
Luscious Curls Shampoo - $25
Luscious Curls Conditioner - $25
Free Sheer Hold Hair Spray with any $25 Fekkai purchase

Hot Tools:
Rainbow Curling Iron - $39.99
Ceramic&Tourmaline Deep Waver or 3 Barrel Waver - $49.99

Conair:
Neon 1 1/4" Flat Iron or You Curl Styling Iron - $29.99

Bed Head:
Clamp Free Design Styling Iron - $29.99

Sexy Hair:
Select Products - $9.99

Living Proof:
Instant Texture Volumizer - $24
Free Restore Mask Treatment with any $20 Living Proof purchase -
Shampoos&Conditioners - $24

Blowpro:
Body Volumizing Mousse - $19.75
Blow Up Root Lifting Concentrate - $21
Free Blow Up Thickening Mist with any Blowpro purchase

Nick Chavez:
Advanced Volume Shampoo - $22
Advanced Volume Conditioner - $24
Free Beverly Hills Advanced Volume Hair Spray with any $20 Nick Chavez purchase

Oscar Blandi:
Hair Lift Instant Thickening&Straightening Serum - $30
Pronto Invisible Dry Shampoo - $25
Free Hair Lift Mousse with any Oscar Blandi Purchase

Matrix:
B2GO Biolage

Tigi:
B2GO

Redken:
B2GO

Joico:
B2GO

L'Anza:
B2GO

Macadamia:
Healing Oil Treatment - $39.95
Free Deep Repair Mask with any $40 Macadamia purchase

Ouidad:
Mangongo Oil - $36
Free Climate Control Gel and Moisture Lock Leave in Conditioner with any $25 Ouidad purchase

Ojon:
Rare Blend Deep Conditioner - $34
Rare Blend Oil - $35
Free Rare Blend duo with any $25 Ojon purchase

Alterna:
Bamboo Smooth Kendi Pure Treatment - $24
Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Mist- $24
Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Micro Mist - $25
Free Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Mist with any $30 Alterna purchase

Hairmax - $295

Coolway:
Flat Iron Starter Kit - $99.99

Jose Eber:
Hair Therapy Tool - $169

20% off Cosmetic Bags, Caboodles, and Hair Accessories

Ulta Brand':
Mens Grooming B2G2
Haircare B2G2

Skin and Suncare B2G2

Bath Products B2G2

Smoothies B2G2

Cosmetics, Brushes, Beauty Tools and Nail Lacquers B2G2

4pc Mini Nail Sets - $4.99

Diamond Dust 4pc Mini Nail Set - $9.99

Covergirl:

BOGO 50% Cosmetics

Free Cosmetic Bag with any $15 Covergirl or Olay purchase

Olay:

15% Regenerist, Total Effects, and Select Cleanser

L'Oreal

Free True Match Concealer with any 2 L'Oreal Foundations, Primers, or Powders

Everpure Shampoo&Conditioner - $5.99

Elnett Hair Spray - $13.99

Preference Hair Color - $8.99

Feria Wild Ombre Haircolor - $11.99

Neutrogena:

15% off Sun Care

Free Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover with any $15 Neutrogena Cosmetic purchase

NYX:

BOGO 50% Cosmetics

Revlon:

BOGO 50% Cosmetics and Beauty Tools

Maybelline:

BOGO 50% Cosmetics

Palladio:

BOGO 50% Cosmetics

Physicians Formula:

BOGO 50% Cosmetics

15% off Skincare

Clairol:

Umberto U Color - $9.99

Root Touch Up - $5.99

John Frieda:

Shampoos&Conditioners - $4.99

Precision Foam Hair Color - $11.99

Nexxus:

Stylers - $9.99

Not Your Mother's:

Haircare - $4.99

Garnier:

Stylers - $3.49

15% off Skincare

Splat:

Haircolor - $8.99

Nip+Fab:

15% off Skincare

Caramance:

15% off Skincare

Own:

15% off Skincare

Boots:

15% off Skincare

Jergens:

15% off Skincare

Nivea:

15% off Skincare

Eucerin:

15% off Skincare

The Body Shop:

Hand Creams - $10

Body Butters - $20

Ahava:

20% off Skincare

Hawaiian Tropic:

15% off Sun Care

Banana Boat:

15% off Sun Care

Australian Gold:

15% off Sun Care

Maui Babe:

15% off Sun Care

Kardashian:

15% off Sun Care

Cal Tan:

15% off Sun Care

Sally Hansen:

15% off Hair Removal

Surgi:

15% off Hair Removal

Nads:

15% off Hair Removal

Moom:

15% off Hair Removal

Parissa:

15% off Hair Removal

Bikini Zone:

15% off Hair Removal

Veet:

15% off Hair Removal

Hot Legs:

15% off Hair Removal

St. Tropez:

Self Tan Bronzing Mousse - $42

Self Tan Bronzing Face Lotion - $30

Free Gradual Tan Body Moisturizer Travel Size with any $25 St. Tropez purchase

Butter London:

Nail Lacquers - $15

Red Carpet:

Starter Kit - $74.99

OPI:

Nail Lacquers $9

Essie:

Nail Polish $8

Zoya:

Nail Lacquers - $8

Urban Decay:

Moon Dust Eyeshadows - $20

Build Your Palette in Rebound - $10

Benefit:

Prime and Proper Set - $31

Events: 5/18, 5/25, 6/1

Bare Minerals:

Marvelous Moxie Lipsticks - $18

Marvelous Moxie Lip Glosses - $18

Marvelous Moxie Lip Liners - $15

Free Sample of Renew&Hydrate Eye Cream with any $30 Bare Minerals purchase

Lipstick Queen:

Look of Love Kit - $45

Pür Minerals:

4-in-1 Liquid Foundation - $26

Liquid Chisel Brush - $23

Napoleon Perdis:

Long Black Mascara - $22

Mesmer-Eyes Mascara - $25

Mangif-Eyes Mascara - $25

Free Deluxe Auto Pilot Duet Makeup Remover with any Napoleon Perdis purchase

CK One:

Longwear Nail Color - $14

Cream Eyeshadow - $18

Powder Bronzer Compact - $25

Summer Eau de Toilette - $50

Free Deluxe 3-in-1 Face Makeup with any CK One purchase

Smashbox:

Heatwave Summer Collection Eye Shadow Palette - $48

Heatwave Limitless Eyeliner Collection - $16

Heatwave Lip Gloss Set - $29

Too Faced:

Summer Sexy Shadow Collection - $36

Sweet Sun Shine Lip Glosses - $16

Free Deluxe Lash Injection Mascara with any Too Faced purchase

Tarte:

Maracuja Rainforest Glow Instant Matte Waterproof Body Perfector - $36

Brazilliance Skin Rejuvenating Maracuja Self Tanner with Mitt - $37

Cargo:

Limited Edition Cargo Swimmables Eyeliners - $19

Studio Gear:

20% Cosmetic Brushes

Elizabeth Arden:

Prevage Clinical lash&Brow Enhancing Serum - $98

Free Dull Size Double Density Mascara and Prevage Eye Cream with any $29.50 Elizabeth Arden purchase

Lorac:

Tantalizer Glow to Go Collection - $36

Free Deluxe Size Tantalizer Body Bronzing Luminizer and Deep Bronzing Luminizer with any $25 Lorac purchase

Stila:

10-in-1 HD Beauty Balms - $38

Laura Geller:

Fresh Brewed Beauty Kit - $39

Free Full Size I-Care Eyeliner in Bone and Spackle Packet with any $35 Laura Geller purchase

Clarisonic:

Mia2 Sonic Skin Cleansing System - $149 Each

Mia2 Lucy Skin Cleansing System - $159

Dermalogica:

Ultrasoothing Eye Serum - $50

Redness Relief SPF 20 - $45

Barrier Repair - $42

Bliss:

Ingrown Eliminating Pads - $38

Fuzz Off - $24

Free Lemon&Sage Body butter Sample with Any Bliss purchase

Philosophy:

Hope in a Jar - $40

Miracle Work Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer - $58

Take a Deep Brath SPF 30 - $34

The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash - $26

Purity Made Simple One Step Cleanser - $22

Free Purity Made Simple Foaming 3-in-1 Cleansing Gel with any Philosophy purchase

Exuviance:

Daily Antioxidant Peel - $65

Free Targeted Filler T5 Sample with any Exuviance purchase

Murad:

Youthful Skin Renewal 4pc Kit - $45

Free Rejuvenating Lift for Neck and Decollette with any Murard purchase

Mario Badescu:

Acne Repair Kit - $46

Free Whitening Mask Sample with any Mario Badescu purchase

Strivectin;

Tightening Trio for Lift - $79

Free Deluxe Sample of Strivectin SD for Sensitive Skin with any Strivectin purchase

Peter Thomas Roth:

Unwrinkle Kit - $82

Free Anti Aging Cleansing Gel with any Peter Thomas Roth purchase

Dermadoctor:

Shrinking Beauty - $58

Free Sample KP Duty Moisturizer with any Dermadoctor

Vichy:

Liftactive Serum 10 for Eyes and Lashes - $47

Free Deluxe Sample of Purete Thermale One Step Cleanser with any Vichy purchase

LaRoche Posay:

Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid with Cell-ox Shield XL - $29.99

Free Deluxe Sample of Mela-D Pigment Control with and LaRoche Posay purchase

Marc Jacobs:

Daisy Eau so Fresh Sunshine Eau de Toilette - $78

Daisy Sunshine Eau de Toilette - $65

Dolce&Gabbana:

Light Blue Dreaming in Portofino Eau de Toilette - $71

Light Blue Pour Homme Living Stromboli Eau de Toilette - $61

Calvin Klein:

Eternity for Men Summer - $62

Eternity Summer - $62

Burberry:

Summer for Women Eau de Toilette - $67

Giorgio Armani:

Acqua di Gioia Eau Fraiche - $58

Sebastian:

Hairsprays - $9.99

Mirabella Prime for Face&Eye Review

2013-05-10T20:37:00.000-04:00

Mirabella's Prime For Face&Eyes is a "silky smooth clear formula primer that slides on the skin, creating the perfect base for any Mirabella foundation." Mirabella warns you to avoid using this product near the lash lines and to use this primer sparingly. I received a full size tube of this multi-use primer in my December Ipsy Bag. Mirabella's primer contains no parabens or dyes. This primer contains .45 fl oz (12.85) and retails for $29. Mirabella products can be bought through the brand's website and at salons throughout North America and Europe (a map can be found on the brand site). Mirabella products are not tested on animals. This product was made in the USA.

Packaging for Mirabella's Prime for Face&Eyes looks pretty professional. This product comes in a red and white cardboard box. The box offers a product description, a full ingredient list, and application tips. The primer its self comes in a long, grey, squeeze tube. The texture features the product name and product name printed in dark grey lettering. Removing the tube's screw on cap reveals a needle nose dispenser.

Mirabella's Prime for Face&Eyes is different from just about any primer I've tried. Its clear and seemed similar to Tarte's Clean Slate Poreless Primer, but its not. This primer is very thin and dare I say it, greasy. Greasy was my first impression of this product, not just in it's feel but also in it's finish. Mirabella's primer makes me look oily and I hate the way it feels on my face. This primer feels so heavy and cloying, it makes my cheeks feel tight. I don't notice the same gross feeling on my eyelids. I feel as though Prime for Face&Eyes does the opposite of what a primer should. It causes eyeshadows to apply with less vibranct and to crease faster than they would without a base. As for my foundation? It causes it to transfer off of my face, a problem I've never encountered before using this primer. I've come to the conclusion that Mirabella's Prime for Face&Eyes is actually an anti-primer. On top of the previously mentioned problems, this product also causes me to get clogged pores on the sides of my nose. There is not a single thing I like about this product.

I've been incredibly displeased with Mirabella's Prime for Face&Eyes. This is a poor excuse for a primer, it doesn't prolong the wear of anything, it shortens it instead. The consistency of this product is oily and off putting, plus it feels uncomfortable on my face. If I have to say something nice about Mirabella's primer, it has sanitary, easy to use, and professional looking packaging. In short, I can sum up my feelings about this product in one word, and that word is "no".

Ingredients:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Ethylene Brassylate, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate.

NYX Yellow Gold Ultra Pearl Mania Review

2013-05-10T16:44:00.001-04:00

NYX says its "hard not to sparkle with one of our ultra shimmering loose shadow powders that can be used on eyes, cheeks, even lips. These finely milled eyeshadows are high impact, long lasting, and a little addictive." So addictive that NYX offers a total of thirty shades. This review is for Yellow Gold, which NYX calls a "light gold". NYX' Ultra Pearl Manias are among the the most affordable pigments on the market, they only cost $3 for 5ml (.06 fl oz). I have no clue why NYX measures these pigments like they're liquids. I received this pigment in a swap with my friend Mariah, who received it in an Ipsy bag and wasn't wild about it. NYX products are cruelty free and made in China. NYX products can be bought through the brand's website, Ulta, and Target.

I hate the packaging for these pigments. Its dreadful and a pain to use. The worst. These pigments come in tiny plastic jars with black twist on cap. The name of the product and NYX logo can be found on the front of the jar. A silver label was affixed to the back of the jar, but I peeled it off. The label was used to seal the jar and it became icky, sticky, and coated in pigment. The jar has a very narrow neck, its hard to find a little brush to dip in it. However, the narrow neck isn't all bad though, it prevents dreaded pigment spills.

Like all pigments, NYX Ultra Pearl Mania Pigments have countless use, but the most common use is as an eyeshadow and that's how I've been reviewing this product. NYX's Yellow Gold Ultra Pearl Mania Pigment is very finely milled, the texture is wonderful. This pigment is almost fallout free, I rarely need to clean up application. Yellow Gold's pigmentation is just astounding, it doesn't even need a primer (but I use one anyway). Wear isn't quite as wonderful as I hoped, this pigment has a hard time bonding to the skin, so there's some creasing involved after a few hours. NYX's Yellow Gold Ultra Pearl Mania will also rub off if you touch it. Though the pigment may crease, the beautiful and intense color doesn't fade.

Yellow Gold's name is spot on. This shade is a bright vivid gold with strong yellow tones. This shade is very shimmery, but not glittery, really it's more of a metallic finish. I love this shade, I love golds in generaly they go great with my dark brown eyes. I've been using NYX's Yellow Gold a lot lately, since its NHL playoff season and I gotta support the Penguins.

NYX's Yellow Gold Ultra Pearl Mania pigment is great! If you want a bright gold loose eyeshadow, go for this one! The pigmentation is amazing and it causes barely any fallout. Wear could be better, as could the packaging. I really wish NYX would repackage these pigments. I highly, highly recommend this product! I love it, and will use it pretty often. I hope to acquire more of these pigments in the future.

Ingredients:

Mica, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxides,

this post contains an affiliated link.

ELF Daily Moisture Stick Review

2013-05-09T17:24:00.000-04:00

ELF's Daily Moisture Stick is "an easy to use clear gel formulation that nourishes and hydrates the skin. This light weight and soothing multi-purpose balm is enriched with anti-oxidants and anti-aging ingredients including grape, cocoa, shea, avocado, macadamia, aloe, and chamomile. The sleek, convenient packaging is perfect for travel and everyday use to condition and moisturizes skin both at home and on the go." surprisingly, this solid moisture does contain a fair amount of good ingredients and is fragrance free (but it still contains a good bit of yucky chemicals too, unfortunately). ELF's Daily Moisture Stick contains 15g (.53 oz) and retails for $6 (though I feel like I paid $3 for mine), making it one of ELF's pricier products. I purchased my Daily Moisture Stick at Target. ELF products can be bought through the brand's website, and at Target, Kmart, Big Lots, and select drug and dollar stores. ELF products are made in China and are not tested on animals.

ELF's Daily Moisture Stick comes in a black cardboard box that offers a product description, directions, and a full ingredients list. The product its self comes in a black tube that's about 3 inches long. The front of the tube features the ELF logo, product name, and a list of beneficial ingredients. The cap snaps on firmly, but ELF is still concerned about their Daily Moisture Stick drying out, so they include a second smaller cap inside. The twist up mechanism for this tube is smooth and easy to operate. This product's packaging is recyclable.

ELF's Daily Moisture Stick seems like a hybrid of a giant chapstick and a glue stick, hardly like something you'd smear over your entire face. This moisturizer is a solid gel that melts on contact with the skin. This stuff feels a little sticky at first, but it sinks into the skin almost immediately. Unless you have very oily skin, ELF's Daily Moisture Stick wont cut it as your only moisturizer. However, it does a great job at keeping skin feeling moist throughout the day if your moisturizer doesn't quite hold up. ELF's Daily Moisture Stick is great for smoothing over dry patches, and would likely make a good foundation primer for drier skin types. Applying this solid moisturizer feels pretty strange, I'm not used to rubbing gel sticks all over my face. There's a bit of a tug during application, so avoid the delicate eye area.
This product is also a really great lip balm. ELF's Daily Moisture Stick serves more purposes than just providing moisture. As a pro-cook, I get a fair amount of cuts and burns. ELF's Daily Moisture Stick is great for soothing and protecting those little injuries. I'm thinking about buying another one of these to keep at work. The other use I've found for this gel stick is that its great for lubricating piercing holes. If you have any facial piercings you probably have one or two pieces of jewelry that are slightly too large or blunt to put in comfortably. A quick swipe of ELF's Daily Moisture Stick will help that stubborn piece of jewelry slide right in.

I like ELF's Daily Moisture Stick. It provides a nice level of moisture and is very travel friendly. You can bet that this moisturizer will be in my carry on for my next long-haul flight. I've found a few practical uses for this product on top of a facial moisturizer. I'll almost definitely buy one more of these for my work's first aid kit, which always seems to be void of topical burn soothers/aloe gel. The only downside I can see in ELF's Daily Moisture Stick is that it seems to get used up quickly if you apply it over your entire face. I don't think I'd repurchase this product for use on my face, but I want to keep it around for it's other handy uses (I have a really hard time putting my monroe retainer in, this is a great little helper). I do recommend picking up ELF's Daily Moisture Stick to see what it can do for you.

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Sodium Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Menthol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Mica, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkll (Shea) Butter, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Chamaemelum Nobile (Chamomile) Extract, BHA, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben.

Bronzer Swatches for Fair Skin

2013-05-09T12:30:00.001-04:00

Now that its well into spring, with summer right around the corner, it seems like everyone is busting out their bronzers. For those of us with very fair skin it can be hard to choose a bronzer that isn't too strong or unrealistic on our skin tones. Here are swatches of 7 bronzes and 2 products that kinda market themselves as bronzers (but really aren't). Remember to click the photo to enlarge them if you want a closer look.

Heavy swatches

Blended swatches.

The bronzers are:

1. Essence Bronzing Compact - Bronzing Queen

2. Bare Minerals Warmth

3. Benefit Hoola

4. Bourjois Bronzing Powder

5. Benefit Sunbeam

6. Avon Glow Bronzing Gel - Light Bronzer

7. BYS Matte Mosaic Bronzer - Pure Bliss

8. Physicians Formula Shimmer Strip Bronzer - Sunset Strip

9. Sportsgirl Oh My Goddess Bronzing Beads

For Me, Benefit's Hoola and Essence's Bronzing Compact work out best for me. Bourjois' Bronzer isn't doesn't really do much for me.

What bronzers do you recommend?

Sample Say So: Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Shampoo&Conditioner Review

2013-05-08T18:40:00.001-04:00

Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner will "bathe hair with encapsulated olive oil all day long to keep locks lustrous." This hair care line is supposed to be safe for color treated hair. I received a 9ml (.3 fl oz) sample of both the shampoo and conditioner in the last Target Beauty Bag. I put off trying this hair care duo because I typically have healthy, shiny hair, but I'm currently desperately in need of a hair cut, so my hair is looking a little dull and damaged at the moment. Fekkai's shampoos and conditioners are pretty expensive, even for salon brands. There are three sizes available; 2 fl oz ($9), 8 fl oz ($25), and 16 fl oz ($39). Wow, could you imagine spending $80 for your shampoo and conditioner? This stuff better be magical. Fekkai is a subsidiary of Proctor&Gamble, so this brand is not cruelty free. Fekkai products are made in the USA. Fekkai products are available for purchase at select salons and fine retailers like Ulta, Nordstrom, and Saks, as well as at Target.

I really like the packaging for Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing line, even the foil packets I received are kinda nice. They're pea green with the Fekkai logo on the front along with the product name. The back of the packets offer a description of each products, directions, and a full ingredient list. All the lettering on the packets is periwinkle. The full sized products feature much of the same design. The bottles are cylindrical and made of recyclable plastic.

Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing Shampoo is said to be shine enhancing and "infused with pure olive oil extract which gently cleanses and adds luster to normal or dull hair." I'm not really sure how a salon brand like Fekkai can call their Brilliant Glossing line appropriate for color treated hair when two of the first three ingredients are sulfates. On an up-note, there's also a fair amount of beneficial natural oils. This shampoo is about the same color as olive oil and has a thick gel consistency. This shampoo lathers decently and rinses out cleanly. As I rinsed it out my hair felt smoother, it was easier to run my fingers through. You don't need to use a lot, I only used about 3/4 of my 9ml packet.

I don't have very much good to report about Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing conditioner. When I opned up the sample packet I felt like it was the end of a porn clip directed by Frederic Fekkai himself. I tore the sample open and it spurted out in a stringy messy all over my face and neck. Icky. Unlike the shampoo, I did feel the need to use up the full packet and even then I felt like I could've used more. Fekkai's Glossing Conditioner doesn't spread through the hair very well, but it does rinse out nicely. I don't feel like this particularly moisturizing or softening, but its decent for detangling.

I'm not in love with the scent of Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing line, but I don't hate it either. It smells like any other salon hair care product. They have a slightly herbally perfumey scent that's really light and doesn't cling to the hair.

So does the Fekkai Brilliant Glossing line give me shiny, glossy hair? No more so than usual, honestly. Yes, now that my hair is dry, I can see that my hair is shiny, but its also shiny without this hair care system. Perhaps with prolonged use it may make hair shinier, but I can't vouch for that. That's why this is a sample say so and not a real review.

Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing Shampoo is really nice, but I can't say the same for the conditioner. The shampoo really does seem to smooth the hair, but I don't feel as though it increases the shiny factor. The packaging is attractive, it looks like a salon brand's packaging should. I find the price point for Fekkai's prodducts utterly ridiculous. There is no way you need to drop $80 for a shampoo and conditioner duo. The shampoo is worth trying if you can get a sample or a travel sized product. The conditioner isn't worth it though, you can find better formulas for a fraction of Fekkai's $39 price tag.

Shampoo Ingredients:

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Lauryl Sulosuccianate, Cocamide MEA, Lauramdopropyl Betaine, Polygylceryl 3 Laurate, PEG 7 Gylceryl Cocoate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauryl Oat Amino Acids, Olive Oil, Peg 7 Esters, Polyquaternium 10, Peg 60 Almond Glycerides, Grape Seed Extracts, Glycol Stearate, Panthenol, Methoxy PEG/PPG 7/3 Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, PVP Cross Polymer, Sweet Almond Protein, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Soybean Protein, Panthenyl Ethylether, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride,Sunflower Seed Extract, Fragrance, Benzophenone 4, PEG 150 Disostearate, Citric Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 33

Conditioner Ingredients:

Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Propylene Glycol, Isododecane, Fragrance, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydroxycetyl Hydroxyethyl Dimonium Chloride, Quaternium 91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Ceteryl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Dimethiconol, Quaternium 80, Glycerin, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Extract, Panthenol, Methyoxy PEEG/PPG 7/3 Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, PVP Cross Polymer, Sweet Almond Protein, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Soybean Protein, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride,Sunflower Seed Extract, Fragrance, Benzophenone 4, PEG 150 Disostearate, Citric Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 33

How To Draw Twiggies

2013-05-08T12:58:00.000-04:00

[The Classic Twiggy look.]

Twiggies are iconic, can you really recall a classic mod look without them? If you aren't familiar with what twiggies are, they're lashes drawn onto the lower lash line. This style was made famous by their namesake Twiggy, way back in the 60s. This style may sound dated, but if done in a subtle way, Twiggies can help add drama to any look. Here are a couple tips on how to properly paint on some twiggies.

Twiggies can be drawn on in just about any style you like. For this post I'm going to try to teach you how to draw basic, natural looking lower lashes. Natural looking twiggies can be a challenge. The product or tools you use really depend on what you have at your disposal. I prefer to use a pen style liquid eyeliner with a very fine tip (ex. Soap&Glory Supercat), but a well sharpened pencil will do, or even some gel liner or waterproof mascara on a very tiny brush could suffice. I'll be using a pen liner for the demo in this post.

Realistic lashes can be hard to draw because they need to be smaller than you'd expect. The key to drawing realistic twiggies is to start off as small as you can and lengthen or thicken from there. I suggest only drawing your twiggies on the outer half of the lower lash line. Create dots between the roots of your lower lashes, this alone will give the illusion of more fullness. If you want to add the look of more length, draw downwards from the dots you draw. I suggest adding the smallest amount of length at a time. If in doubt, apply your mascara first and drawn your twiggies on afterwards. Well drawn, natural twiggies should almost blend into your lashes once the mascara i applied, and shouldn't be obvious unless someone is really studying your face. In a way, this method of applying twiggies should give your lashes a bit of a shadow.

[see them on the bottom outer corner?]

This technique is really easy once you get used to it. If your drawn on lashes are short, thin, and placed as close to the lower lashes line as possible, you should be good to go. Of course you can draw your twiggies in any style you like, but it's good to learn the basics first, right? I hope you found this quick how to helpful. If you have any more questions feel free to ask them in the comments, in my Tumblr ask box, or on Twitter. And here is the wikipedia page about Twiggy if you want to learn more about her.

Avon Extreme Cobalt Mega Impact Gel Eyeliner Pencil Review

2013-05-07T18:06:00.002-04:00

Avon's Mega Impact Eyeliners will "up the wow factor!". These eyeliners are actually gel based. Avon released their Mega Impact eyeliners last summer and discontinued them shortly after. I was so disappointed because I had bought it when it was first released and fell in love! When I saw them re-released a few weeks ago with an expanded color range of eight shades, I couldn't have been happier! I purchased two in Black Flash and Extreme Cobalt. Each Mega Impact pencil sells for $6, but I scored both of mine for $2.99 each. This eyeliner contains 1.2g (.042 oz). Avon products can be bought through the brand's website, or your local Avon rep. Avon does not test on animals, but they recently began selling in China, where their products may be subject to government controlled animal testing. This eyeliner was made in Germany.

Avon's Mega Impact Eyeliners come in traditional wooden pencils, which do need to be sharpened. These pencils have a black coating, the base of the pencil is color matched to the internal product. The product name, shade name, and Avon logo are printed on the pencil in silver lettering. The Mega Impact Eyeliners are topped off by plastic caps that manage to stay on. Unlike the Ultra Luxury Eyeliners, the wood casing for the Mega Impact pencils never splinter and always sharpen easily and evenly.

The smooth, easy to use gel texture of Avon's Mega Impact eyeliners is second only to NYX's Slide On Pencils. The Mega Impact pencils are incredibly easy to use, they glide on effortlessly no matter where you decide to apply them. Because the Mega Impact liners have a gel base, they're not only easy to work with, they're very pigmented and go on opaque in one pass. This liner formula is very smudgable at first, but after 45-60 seconds it stays put no matter what! Even on the waterline this eyeliner lasts at least six hours. Avon doesn't advertise their Mega Impact liners as being waterproof, but I believe they are because they're very difficult to remover even with the best makeup removers.

Extreme Cobalt is such a great color! Avon shows it as a dull blue on their website and that is such a lie! This shade is so rich and deep, yet kinda bright. Extreme Cobalt is darker than what I'd call a "cobalt blue", but its not a navy either, its somewhere between the two. This shade contains a few flecks of dark blue shimmer that aren't too noticeable except when you smudge it out. These little flecks of glitter give Extreme Cobalt some subtle dimension.

Avon's Mega Impact pencils are excellent! I hope they never discontinue them again. The idea of a gel eyeliner in a pencil form is genius because it gives you the best of both worlds. The Mega Impact pencils are pigmented, creamy, long lasting, and very affordable. I highly recommend these eyeliners in any shade. This is a product I've repurchased, and plan to repurchase in the future.

Ingredients:

ISODODECANE

CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE

CYCLOPENTASILOXANE

PEG/PPG-19/19 DIMETHICONE

SYNTHETIC WAX

CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE

HYDROGENATED POLYDICYCLOPENTADIENE

NYLON-12

C20-40 ALCOHOLS

PERFLUORONONYL DIMETHICONE

POLYGLYCERYL-4 DIISOSTEARATE/POLYHYDROXYSTEARATE/SEBACATE

SILICA

POLYETHYLENE

PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE

TIN OXIDE

TOCOPHEROL

May Contain:

IRON OXIDES

MICA/CI 77019

TITANIUM DIOXIDE/CI 77891

FERRIC FERROCYANIDE/CI 77510

ULTRAMARINES/CI 77007

CARMINE/CI 75470

BLACK 2/CI 77266

CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS/CI 77288

ALUMINUM POWDER/CI77000

BLUE 1 LAKE/CI 42090

MANGANESE VIOLET/CI 77742

CHROMIUM HYDROXIDE GREEN/CI 77289

YELLOW 5 LAKE/CI 19140

BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE/CI 77163

RED 40 LAKE/CI 16035

Soap&Glory Red My Lips Super-Colour Fabulipstick Review

2013-05-06T22:19:00.001-04:00

Soap&Glory's Super-Colour Fabulipsticks feature "ULTIMELT™ lip shine & shaping technology, 3-D PLUMP™ peptide complex, Shea Butter, Monoi Butter & Vitamin E. Hyaluronic acid and Ceramide 2 (for aging repair and visible wrinkle reduction) help to give a soft, smooth, dewy, plump colour-fill pout." Soap&Glory offers two different finishes for their Fabulipsticks, satin and matte. I have all six satin finish Fabulipsticks, which came in the Wowed Mouth palette, which was sent to me as a gift by my English friend Rae. Soap&Glory products can be bought at drugstores in the UK, Canada, and Germany. A limited selection of Soap&Glory products can be bought at Sephoras in the United States, but the Fabulipsticks are not available here. The full size of these lipsticks contain 1g and retail for £10 ($15 USD). Soap&Glory does not test on animals. This lipstick was made in Italy.

I've never seen the packaging for these lipsticks, so I can't really tell you about it. I can tell you about the Wowed Mouth palette, which is adorable! This palette is made of red, solid cardboard. The front of the palette features the palette name, Soap&Glory logo, and a woman enthusiastically riding a red lipstick. Opening up the palette, you'll find six round pots of lipstick, a double ended blush, and a good quality mirror. I typically hate lip palettes because they're so inconvenient, but Soap&Glory's Wowed Mouth is small enough to carry around with me. Obviously I'd prefer this, and any, lipstick in a tube, but this palette will do.

Me and lip palettes haven't gotten along in the past, the lip products are almost always waxy and poorly pigmented, but that isn't true at all for the Fabulipsticks in the Wowed Mouth palette. These lipsticks are creamy and brush onto the lips flawlessly. Red My Lips feels a little dry on the lips, so I definitely suggest pairing it with a gloss. Red My Lips could have much better wear, I feel like it only lasts a little longer than an hour or so. This lipstick doesn't smudge or smear on my lips, but it does transfer onto straws, cups, and more. Just like Guavarama, Red My Lips has a someone blood like taste, which frightened me at first. I'm fairly sure these lipsticks must have a high concentration of iron derived pigments, I can't think of any other reason Soap&Glory's Fabulipstick would taste bloody.

Red My Lips, ironically, isn't a true red. To me this shade is a red with some plummy and brown tones. As promised, this Fabulipstick has a satin finish. Red My Lips applies fully opaque in one layer. This lipstick will fool you! As I begin to paint it on, it looks like a very flattering mid-tone shade, but by the time Red My Lips is all the way on, it looks kinda dark! Something about Red My lips reminds me of a cranberry type shade. It's hard to put a finger on exactly what color Red My Lips is, I guess it's a brownish red with just a dash of plum. A reddish shade like this one is a great foray into red lipstick, without being too bold.

I don't like Soap&Glory's Super Colour Fabulipstick in Red My Lips as much as I like other shades in the line. I would definitely recommend Guavarama over this shade any time. Red My Lips feels drier than the rest. The shade is pretty and flattering for so many skin tones, but I think it could be found from a different line with a better formulation. I really wish Red My Lips wore better, I know Soap&Glory is capable of more comfortable lipsticks than this. Maybe the version in the tube is better. I wouldn't recommend Soap&Glory's Super Colour Fabulipstick in Red My Lips, but I do recommend searching for a similar shade.

Ingredients:

Octyldodecanol, Triisostearin, Diisostearyl Malate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate, Polybutene, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Polyethylene, Paraffin, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Ozokerite, Mica, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Phospholipids, Ethyl Vanillin, Propylene Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Sodium Chondroitin Sulphate, Hyaluronic Acid, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Tocopherol, Tripeptide-29, Gardenia Tahitensis Flower

May Contain:

CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 15850 (Red 6, Red 7, Red 7 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 75470 (Carmine), CI 15895 (Yellow 6 Lake))

Free Beauty Events May Giveaway ft. Dove

2013-05-06T17:00:00.004-04:00

Hey guys. I just wanted to let yinz know about Free Beauty Event's latest monthly giveaway. During May, ten randomly selected winners will receive a a Dove prize pack featuring the Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash with NutriumMoisture, Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash with NutriumMoisture, and Dove Beauty Bar for Deep Moisture. This giveaway is open to US residents only, and is open for entries until the end of the month (5/31). All you need to do is click here and fill out a the quick and easy entry form.

Free Beauty Events also features smaller, weekly giveaways of only or two products, the most recent prize was Mustela's Stretch Mark Cream.

Free Beauty Events isn't just good for giveaways, this site also features product reviews, as well as a listing of free beauty events throughout the country. Simply type in your zip code and you'll be directed to a listing of demos, samples, events, free makeovers, open houses and more in your general area.

*I am provided with product based compensation in exchange for this promotional post. I honestly endorse this website regardless of the compensation.

Shock by CK One Eau de Toilette Review

2013-05-06T15:01:00.000-04:00

Shock by CK One is an "edgy, sexy, impulsive, electrifying new fragrance". CK One, a sub-brand of Calvin Klein, describes Shock as "a fierce bouquet of passionflower, intensified with a drizzle of liquid chocolate accord, and warms into a second skin musk for an addictive signature". CK One offers a version of Shock for men and women, I'll be reviewing the women's version. I received a sample of this fragrance in a swap with my friend Stephanie. There are two sizes of this Eau de Toilette to choose from; 1.7 fl oz ($42) and 3.4 fl oz ($52), which is pretty affordable for a designer fragrance. CK One products can be bough through the Calvin Klein website, at department stores, Sephora, and Ulta. Calvin Klein cosmetics/fragrances are produced by Coty, which has a sketchy and unclear animal testing policy. This fragrance was made in France.

Shock has girly yet edgy packaging. My sample came in a white cardboard folder with the CK One logo in black and the Shock logo in playful pink letters with a brush stroke design. The sample tube features the same design, and a little spritzer, which is great because I hate those little vials! I can't really speak for the full sized perfume's packaging, I don't recall ever seeing it in person. It appears to be an opaque white bottle with a screw on cap and shares the same design as the sample.

Top Notes: Passionflower, Pink Peony, Poppy Flower
Mid Notes: Liquid Chocolate Accord, Blackberry, Narcisse, Jasmine
Dry Notes: Vanillin, Patchouli, Amber, Skin Musk

I've been wearing Shock by CK One on and off for about two weeks and honestly I still haven't formed a solid opinion on it. Sometimes I love it, other times I feel really neutral about it. If anything, Shock is fairly unique at first. CK One describes this fragrance as a "juicy floriental", but nothing about Shock strikes me as juicy, in fact this scent is just about fruitless. When first spritzed on, Shock is kinda plasticy and unpleasant, but it quickly settles onto the skin. At first stiff I pick up a yummy, warm chocolate note mixed with just a hair of blackberry and some nondescript florals. Shock morphs into a warm floral as time goes on and it loses it's interest. Florals bore me, so once Shock's sweet, chocolaty notes wear away my neutral opinion kicks in. This scent, like most eau de toilettes, doesn't last very well on me, I only get about 2-3 hours of wear from Shock. This is a surprisingly light scent, it stays very close to the skin. By no means is Shock a weak fragrance, I think "delicate" would be a better term to describe it.

Shock by CK One is totally mis-named in my opinion. You must have an incredibly sheltered scent palette to be "shocked" by this fragrance. This scent is great at first, the chocolaty note really gives it a spark of delicious individuality, but it fades into a run of the mill floral. The price for Shock is pretty reasonable, considering the brand. Spritz this scent on or ask for a sample next time you head into the department store. Shock is worth checking out, but for me it isn't a scent worth buying.

Ingredients:

Alcohol Denat, Water, Fragrance, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnimate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Limonene, Benzophenone 3, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzolymethane, Butylphenyl Methylpropinal, BHT, Hexyl Cinnimal, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Coumarin, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Acrylates/Octylacrylamides Copolymer, Hydrolized Jojoba Esters

Deals&Steals- Ulta - May 5-12+Event Schedule

2013-05-05T22:41:00.005-04:00

A listing of Ulta's Sales and Specials for this week! Press CTRL+F and sort by brand, or just scroll on through to see what deals catch your eyes.

Free Tote with a fragrance purchase of $30 or more.

Dermalogica:
Special Cleansing Gel - $35
Age Smart Skinperfect Primer - $48
Age Smart Skinperfect Powder Firm - $56
40% Dermalogica Targeted Skin Treatments at Ulta Salon
Free 3pc Emergency Skin Fix Kit with any $65 Dermalogica purchase
Event: 5/9

Clarisonic:
Mia 2 Sonic Skin Cleansing - $159

Philosophy:
The Care Package Value Set - $89
Almonds&Cream Duo - $26
Living Grace Spray - $44
Amazing Grace Fragrance Layering Collection - $52
Free Living Grace Trio with any $35 Philosophy fragrance purchase
Event: 5/11

Stila:
BOGO Skincare!
Free Deluxe sample of Coming Clean Revitalizing Gel Cleanser and Face The Day Moisturizing Gel Cream with any $30 Stila purchase
Event: 5/7

Benefit:
Big Time Prime Set - $12

Urban Decay:
24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil - $19
Event: 5/5

Lorac:
Glogetter Palette - $20 - Ulta Exclusive

Smashbox:
Camera Ready CC CReam - $42
Free 3pc Deluxe Primer Trio with any $35 Smashbox purchase

Too Faced:
Bronzers - $30
Event: 5/8

Tarte:
Aqualillies Palette - $38
Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner w/ brush- $24
Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss Duo - $24
Glamazon Pure Performance 12 Hour Lipstick - $26

The Body Shop:
Satsuma Gift Set - $20
Free Lip Butter with the purchase of a gift set - your choice of flavor.
BOGO 50%

Tree Hut:
BOGO 50%

Earth Therapeutics:
BOGO 50%

Hempz:
BOGO 50%

Vitabath:
BOGO 50%

H20+:
Age Prevention&Repair Kit - $29.50
Free Beauty Bag with $28 H20+ purchase

Ahava:
Color Me Smooth Gift Set -$30
Free Color Me Pampered Body Care Set with any $30 Ahava purchase

Ulta Brand:
Smoothies and Smoothie Scrubs - $6.99
B2G2 Bath&Antibacterial
Beauty in Bloom palette - $12
4pc Black Eyeliner Wardrobe - $14
Nail Fix 4pc Nail Lacquer Top Coat Set - $14

L'Oreal:
15% off Skincare
15% off Haircare
Free Total Repair Shampoo or Conditioner with any L'Oreal Advanced Hair Care purchase

Atopalm:
15% off Skincare

Nip+Fab:
15% off Skincare

Derma E:
15% off Skincare

Yes To:
15% off Skincare

Boots No7:
15% off Skincare

Neutrogena:
15% off Skincare
Free Healthy Skin Eye Perfector with any $18 Neutrogena Cosmetics purchase
Free Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes with any $12 Neutrogena purchase

Nexxus:
Free Pro Mend Serum with any $15 Nexxus purchase

Covergirl:
Free Stay Brilliant Nail Color with any $15 Covergirl purchase

Physicians Formula:
Free Eye Makeup Remover Lotion with any $15 Physicians Formula purchase

Hot Tools:
Gold Neon 1" Curling Iron - $29.99

20% Cosmetic Bags&Caboodles

Wigo;
EZ Curl Styler Curling Iron or 1 1/4 Bubble Curling Iron

Chi:
1" Flat Irons - $89.98
Free Hobo Bag with 1" Flat Iron 'purchase
Touch Dryer - $199.95
Free Curling Iron with Chi Touch Hair Dryer purchase

OPI:
Bond Girls Nail Lacquers - $9

It's a Ten:
Free Miracle Silk Smoothing Balm with a purchase of It's a Ten shampoo or conditioner

Kenra:
Free Kenra Volume Spray with any $30 kenra purchase

Redken:
B2GO

Sexy Hair:
B2GO

AG Hair Care;
B2GO

Bosley:
B2GO

Nioxin:
B2GO

Bare Minerals:
Your Starting Lineup Kit - $25
Free Multi wrinkle Repair Serum sample with any $25 Bare Minerals purchase

Eau de Toilettes and Eau De Parfums:

Donna Karan:
Cashmere Mist - $78

Jimmy Choo:
Eau De Parfum - $75

Yves Saint Laurent:
Manifesto - $82

Marc Jacobs:
Daisy Eau So Fresh - $78
Dot -$89
Daisy Gift Set - $94

Free Canvas Clutch with any purchase of a Marc Jacobs large fragrance

Lancome:
La Vie Est Belle - $75

Coach:
Poppy - $65

Calvin Klein:
4pc Women's Coffret - $35
Euphoria - $82
Free Tote Bag+Three Free Deluxe Scent Samples

Just Cavalli:
For Her - $75
Free Animal Print Tote Bag with any Just Cavalli purchase

Juicy Couture:
Deluxe Mini Coffret - $49.50

Gucci:
4pc Coffret Gift Set - $50

Burberry:
Body Gift Set - $75

Dolce&Gabanna:
Light Blue Set - $76

Betsey Johnson:
Too Too Pretty Gift Set - $67

Guess:
Guess Girl Set - $65

Julep New York Jazz Lipstick Trio Swatches

2013-05-04T15:30:00.000-04:00

Julep recently released two sets of jazz inspired mini lipstick trios. Each lipstick trio retails for $28 ($22.40 with Maven Discount). I was sent the New York Jazz Trio in my May Julep Maven Box. Here are the swatches!

Left To Right: Tea For Two, Satin Doll, Lady in Red

Julep describes Tea for Two as "Nude Shimmer Sheer". Sheer kinda feels like an understatement to me.

Satin Doll is called a "sheer poppy". I wish this lip color had more payoff because it's gorgeous in the tube!

Lady in Red is a "matte crimson". Unlike the other two shades, Lady in Red is intensely pigmented, and very creamy for a matte. Lady in Red is also featured in the Paris Jazz trio.

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Soap&Glory Supercat Carbon Black Eyeliner Pen Review

2013-05-03T18:19:00.000-04:00

Soap&Glory's Supercat is a "Carbon Black Extreme Eyeliner", is a seemingly popular liquid pen style eyeliner from this beloved British bath&body brand. Soap&Glory says that this pen liner "features unique Inkjet color release and Gloss-Fix finish to give rich and intense colour. The foolproof marker tip creates two looks - fine point for a natural look or thick edge to add a dramatic flash! Uses long lasting, long wear pigments plus a high percentage of carbon black for intense colour release". I'm not sure how much of that actually made sense. My dear friend Rae spent me this eyeliner as a Christmas gift. Supercat contains .5 oz of product and retails for £6 (about $9.50 USD). Soap&Glory products can be bought at drugstores throughout the UK, Germany, and Canada. A limited selection of marked up Soap&Glory products can also be found at Sephora here in the States, but unfortunately Supercat is not one of the available products. Soap&Glory does not test on animals. The Supercat eyeliner was made in Italy.

Soap&Glory is known for their cute and girly packaging, and Supercat's packaging is no exception. This eyeliner comes in a pink and gold cardboard box. The box features the product name, Soap&Glory logo, application tips, and the ingredient list. The eyeliner it's self comes in a black plastic pen. The cap of this pen snaps on very firmly, which is great, it helps product the felt tip from drying out, but I also find it very difficult to open. The pen features Supercat written on it in dynamic pink lettering. Pulling off the cap reveals an elongated felt tip applicator. The felt tip is extremely saturated with product, so there's no skipping involved. Supercat's tip is wide, but tapers to a very fine tip.

I kinda struggle with applying Supercat; sometimes it glides right on and I get the perfect cat eye flick at the end and other times I just can't get it right. The tip of Supercat is difficult for me to correctly angle on my smaller eyes, but that's user error, not Soap&Glory's fault. For me, I find it easier to paint some of Supercat onto an angled eyeliner brush and apply it from there. I think Soap&Glory's Supercat eyeliner's packaging is cute and the felt tip is nicely designed, just not suited to my eye shape.

Soap&Glory's Supercat is great. Most liquid eyeliners work out pretty well for me, so I can't say whether or not Supercat is extraordinary, but it certainly is good, to say the least. Supercat is a very pigmented, deep black. This liner doesn't seep into fine lines, nor does it smudge or smear, it stays exactly where you put it all day long even in hot, humid conditions. Supercat will smear a little bit if you rub your eyes, which you shouldn't do anyway, so it won't be a problem right? Despite Supercat's longevity I find this eyeliner really easy to remove. I have two qualms with Supercat, neither of them are major, but they are worth mentioning. The first issue is that while Supercap applies as a very dark black, it fades somewhat throughout the day. It doesn't turn grey or anything, just a less intense black. The other problem? Supercat is stinky! It smells chemically and unpleasant, but not enough to ruin the product for me.

I really enjoy Soap&Glory's Supercat Carbon Black Extreme Eyeliner Pen! The packaging is attractive, though the felt tip isn't ideal for my eye shape. The price of Supercat is very fair in my opinion. The quality of Soap&Glory's eyeliner is very good! The wear time is great, though there is some fading. This has been my new go-to eyeliner, I've been using it every day lately. I can definitely see myself finishing this liner, and I think I may need to request another from Rae in our next swap.

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lignosulfonate, Sodium Laureth-11, Carboxylate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 80, Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate, Methylaparben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, EDTA, CI 77266 (Black2)