Adventures In Beauty

Blog Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:25:35 PDT

After weeks of talking about it I have finally gotten everything together and posted my blog sale on my new blog! I had to post a page versus doing it in a post because it's very picture heavy.

I have multiple brands including include MAC, Urban Decay, WEN Haircare, Smashbox, The Balm, Benefit and much more! Most products are either new or swatched just one time.

Click here to proceed to the Blog Sale!

Influenster Love VoxBox First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 08:42:26 PDT

I was fortunate enough to be selected to receive complementary products from Influenster once again. This box had some definite hit and misses for me.

There are a couple beauty related items that I will post a full review at a later time. In the meantime, here is a breakdown of what I received and a quick review of the things I have already tried.

Ghirardelli Gourmet Milk Chocolate invites you to "Experience a moment of timeless pleasure with all natural Ghirardelli Gourmet Milk™ chocolate." I had already tried this chocolate prior to receiving it in this sampler box and I wasn't disappointed to receive it. The chocolate is smooth and creamy and definitely lives up to the Ghirardelli standard you'd expect.

Gillette Venus and Olay Razor is the newest razor product by Gillette. I've been a fan of the Venus razor since the day it came out and I'm a huge fan of Olay. I was excited to try this product.

This razor is suppose to lock in moisture while you're shaving with the Olay moisturizers. I'll test this out further and let you know how it fairs.

I was a little disappointed to open up my sampler box and see Truvia inside. I am not a fan of natural sweeteners because they always taste chemically and end up causing health problems in some form or another.

Truvia is calorie free, made with natural ingredients and is supposed to bake and brown like traditional sugar. I did give this one the benefit of the doubt and tried it in a couple of glasses of tea.

I found that while it does sweeten well and does not taste as chemically as Sweet N Low, the fact that it's made with natural ingredient-s such as erythritol bothers me. Excessive consumption of erythritol is known to result in digestive upset, diarrhea, gas and bloating.

That being said this product is suppose to be a good alternative for those with diabetes. I, however, will be sticking with pure sugar.

Stash Herbal Tea is another product I was kind of disappointed in receiving simply because I rarely drink hot tea. I've had this brand before and liked it but I tried a couple more cups from this sampler for good measure.

I really like that they sent the sampler with caffeine free teas. I try not to drink caffeine, especially at night. The tea is good, like I remembered from past experience, with my favorite flavor bring the cinnamon apple chamomile.

I didn't dawn on my until yesterday afternoon, that I could probably drink this tea cold. It doesn't say anything about it on the box or website. Do you happen to know if you can drink any teas hot or cold?

Kiss Nail Dress was another product I was kind of disappointed in simply because of the design I got. I'm 31 and I work in an office, how am I suppose to try out hot pink zebra stripes for a week?

Thankfully I had this past week off work and was able to try them out. I'll have a full review on these later.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried any of these products? Did you like them?

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Masque

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:27:00 PDT

I've been trying my best to use facial masques once a week as it's supposed to help reduce the appearance of pores and help to promote an even skin tone. This week I used the Chocolate Masque from Montagne Jeunesse.

I've already reviewed the product in detail with the Fruit Smoothie Masque so I'm not going to go into too much depth here. Similar to the Fruit Smoothie Masque, the Chocolate Masque is another deep cleansing mud masque.

Upon opening the package I was instantly hit with a very strong scent of brownie mix. I worried the scent would be too over powering once I got it on my face but to my surprise it wasn't.

The product went on smooth and thick just like you were painting mud on your face. It was supposed to be left on until it dried but if I use this one again I don't think I will leave it on until it's completely dry.

As you can see from the picture above, by the time the thicker parts were dry the thinner parts were an itchy cracked mess. I was very uncomfortable by the time I went to wash it off and it wasn't just because I couldn't move my face.

I did remember to take before and after pictures unlike the last time I posted about a face masque. As you can see in my before picture below, my pores are enlarged and it have redness and irritation by the side of my nose.

Afterward my skin felt smoother but a bit stripped. I had to put facial lotion on once I removed the masque to get rid of the tight feeling. My pores don't show any difference but you can see a reduction in the redness around my nose.

In hindsight, I don't know that I will purchase this particular masque again. While it did reduce redness and make my skin feel smoother, I don't feel the irritation of the masque drying was worth the results received.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this product? Did you like it?

CCO (Cosmetics Company Outlet) Beauty Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:12:00 PDT

I had a day off this past Monday and after getting my taxes done I decided to take a trip to my local outlet mall. Unfortunately, my hour drive turned into a two hour drive when I took a wrong exit but I eventually made it.

I love going to the CCO (Cosmetics Company Outlet) every few months or so because you can get crazy deals on cosmetics and you can also find limited edition or discontinued products that are no longer sold.

I've very pleased with my purchases and I'm eager to try them out.

MAC Dazzleglass Creme in Gone Romancin' - This is part of the Tartan Tale collection. I'm not 100% certain how I'm going to like this gloss. Normally, you can use testers to check out all the colors but sometimes they only have individual items in their shipments. Those you can only look at and can't try.

This was one of those. It's a very pretty lilac/pink with lots of sparkle and hopefully it will go well with my complexion.

MAC See Thru Lip Color in A Secret Crush - This color was part of the A Rose Romance Collection. It is another product they only had one of and I couldn't test. I've never seen this before and upon looking it up on the internet I see it's a little old. Upon opening it up it doesn't smell bad and the consistency has not broken down so I'm not that worried about it.

The rep told me it's just a sheer wash of color but it doesn't wear off in chunks like stains do. Hopefully I will have some luck with it.

MAC Glitter Eyeliner in Enbronze - This is another discontinued product. It's a deep brown liner with multicolor glitter. It's subtle enough to get away with wearing it as an adult without looking like you're trying to relive your teenage years.

MAC Viva Glam Lipglass in Cyndi - I was so psyched when I saw this! This is my absolute favorite lip color ever. When I originally found it I lucked out and bought the very last one they had at my local MAC counter. I haven't been able to find it since.

I bought three boxes (two as back ups for myself and one as a future giveaway here). In my opinion this is the perfect coral lip shade ever! I love that it goes on sheer or opaque depending on how much you apply.

MAC Eye Shadow in Knight and Swell Baby - I bought both of these as I don't have any gray shadows that aren't super shimmery. I have such a hard time finding grays for my complexion as well.

Knight is part of the Brunette, Blonde, Redhead Collection from a while back. I think I was kind of spot on in selecting it since it was part of the Blonde set. Swell Baby is part of the Surf Baby collection that was just released a while back. You can still buy this at some of the MAC counters by me but why buy it full price when I can get it here?

Smashbox Masters Class - I'm such a sucker for palettes. They had a few Smashbox palettes but this one was the only one for fair skin that wasn't all pinks. I mean, do they really think blondes wear nothing but pink?

I'm really pleased with this as I got a ton of items inside - everything from shadow to liners to glosses. There are detailed shots below.

I really like that it came with a little booklet to give you ideas on how to combine a lot of the products. I always think it's cool when the companies throw a booklet in. Sometimes all the colors at once can be so overwhelming when you don't have a place to start from.

What are your thoughts? Have you been to CCO? Did you score any cool items?

Review: EOS Lip Balm

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 08:26:37 PST

I've been hearing people rave about the E.O.S. (Evolution of Smooth) Lip Balms for quite some time now. During our weekly grocery run I happened to see some for sale in the impulse buy section by the checkout line. I figured I'd see what it was I was missing and threw one in the cart.

The flavor I ended up with is the bright pink one, Summer Fruit and as the name implies it smells a bit tropical (think mangoes and honeydew melon combined).

The packaging is a cute, original design. It's something that's so different you could easily find it in the bottom of your purse without looking.

Upon researching the product I saw that they do not test on animals. It's also 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. All of which are big pluses.

Unfortunately, that's about where I stop liking the product. The application is a little...awkward. The rounded top is too big for my lips and I always manage to get it outside of my lip line. Also, since it's already too big I'm afraid what it will be like once the rounded top starts to flatten.

Unlike the balms I usually use, this one feels waxy and my lips feel almost more chapped than before I used it. The more I use it the worse it gets. I regret purchasing this product and do not see what all the hype has been about.

EOS lip balm is available in six flavors for about $2.99 at most locations including WalMart, Target, CVS and Walgreens.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this product? Did you like it?

Nail of the Day: Found! Essie Ballet Slippers Dupe

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:43:57 PST

I absolutely love the color of Essie's Ballet Slippers. It's the perfect delicate pink and putting it on says instant class.

What's I don't like about it is the formula. No matter how hard I try with Essie polishes I always get these weird dents in the back of the polish where the brush lifts color. Also, unless you do about four/five coats of this particular polish it's very streaky.

Question - Can you tell which polish is Essie Ballet Slippers and which is the dupe?

I immediately did a double take when I saw OPI's Femme De Cirque SoftShades display in my local Beauty Brands. I recognized the color the second I set my eyes on Step Right Up.

Those that read my blog know my love for OPI polishes and my disdain for Essie (if only they didn't make such pretty colors!). I jumped at the chance of having an OPI dupe for Ballet Slippers. I compared the OPI bottle side by side with a bottle of Ballet Slippers and since it looked near identical I went ahead and purchased it.

There is an immediate difference in formula. The OPI polish is a lot thicker than the Essie as is normally the case. The second obvious difference is the brush. I can't stand Essie's teeny tiny little brushes and much prefer OPI's larger thicker brush. I also don't have the problem I mentioned earlier with the polish lifting when I used the OPI.

Unfortunately, due to the color of the polish, the OPI takes just as many coats as Essie to avoid streaks.

Upon first glance you can't see a difference between the two colors. They look almost identical. Sitting here inspecting the colors to decide if it's a dupe you can see only the tiniest difference in the shade. The Essie polish looks just a hair whiter than the OPI.

My opinion - this is a dupe and I am thrilled! If you have to sit there and inspect the polish to find a difference color then you're obviously not going to find much of one if any. The only thing I'm kind of bummed about is that I believe this is a limited edition color from OPI.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried these colors? Would you switch from Essie to OPI?

Nail of the Day: Zoya Minka

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 08:27:31 PST

Ever since I had tried Zoya's Pandora from their Touch collection I've been interested in the rest of the colors in it.

I hadn't really seen them anywhere (the again, I wasn't really looking) but I happened to walk right past them at Ulta one day and snagged this one in Minka. It's a light beige color with a slight metallic finish and the lightest polish in the Touch collection.

Unlike Pandora, Minka goes on completely opaque with two light coats. I did notice that if you don't wait until the layers are completely dry the color does lift a bit when you apply the next coat.

Other than that I have no complaints! It's an office appropriate neutral that's really good for just about any occasion.

You can purchase Zoya nail polish for $8 on their website and at Ulta (in select shades). The Touch Collection comes in three colors and Zoya's full line of nail polish comes in over 300 shades.

February Makeup Monthly Box First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:54:00 PST

Immediately upon opening this month's Makeup Monthly box I was disappointed. I know I'm only promised two items at a minimum but opening the box up after spending $30 and only receiving that amount leaves you wanting more.

After my initial disappointment with the amount of items I became even more disappointing upon looking at them further.

Like always I'm not reviewing the items (and in this instance I won't be using either) so I'm just posting my initial impressions.

M·A·C Mineralize SPF 15 Foundation (Loose) - This product alone made up for this month's subscription cost. It's full size and it retails for $30. I was actually pretty eager to try it given my limited experience with mineral foundations. Unfortunately, any hopes I had of using the product were squashed when I looked at the color on the bottom of the container.

I received Medium Deep. Really? I can't find foundations light enough for me and I receive a Medium Deep? I'm not quite sure what the point of taking the profile about your coloring is for if they aren't going to use it.

Smashbox Brow Tech Quad - This product I can't fault the company for since they did send me proper coloring in the Brunette, Taupe and Blonde. Too bad for me though, I can't/won't use it. The wax I could probably use since it's clear but I won't. The three powders don't match my coloring. The taupe and blonde are too gold for me to use and the brunette too dark.

This month marks the end of my three month trial period I give most subscription services. As I had mentioned in my first post about this subscription I was very leery about spending $30 each month.

The idea behind this service is great. I really like that I get name brand and full size products in each box. However, in my second box, I started noticing a trend of receiving older products.

Also, out of all the products I've received, I only use one routinely. That combined with the issues in this box I decided not to continue on with the service. I feel I could take my $30 a month and spend it on products I know I will use instead of taking a gamble.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this company? Did you like it?

Nail of the Day: OPI DS Classic and OPI Warm and Fozzie

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:08:00 PST

Today's color inspiration was thanks to Beauty by Miss L. I came across one of her posts where she used these colors together in her nail art.

Now, I've tried my hand at nail art (and failed miserably) but I could definitely pull off the combo!

DS Classic is par to of the OPI Designer Series and is a warm gold holographic while Warm & Fozzie mix of bronze, gold and pink foil particles in a dusky translucent base. I think the two combined offset each other wonderfully.

Both polishes went opaque in three coats. While DS goes smooth with a top coat Fozzie takes a couple of coats as it eats top coat a little.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried these colors? Did you like them?

Nail of the Day: China Glaze Fireside Glow

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:09:00 PST

When I saw this polish I instantly decided I had to have it. Since going to accent nail only and deciding against full 10 digit glitter I've been taking more of an interest in neutral glitter polishes.

Fireside Glow is part of China Glaze's (Ulta Exclusive) 2011 Holiday Collection. It's the only one that really caught my eye out of the collection. It's a mix of orange and halographic glitter inside a clear base.

It's kind of hard to tell if it's suppose to be a brown or burnt orange tone but it's gorgeous nonetheless. It took three thin coats to get the polish opaque. The polish dries matte and a bit rough to the touch.

I stopped applying top coats after two coats since it seemed to just keep eating it. Even then it was rough to the touch.

I was pleased it lasted a couple of days before it started chipping, especially since I hadn't used a base coat. I think it will also make an awesome toenail color.

On a side note, I've decided I am going to go back to doing only two or three posts (if that) per week. For one, I think I burnt myself out a little bit in January when I was posting everyday. For another, I simply don't have the time to produce five quality posts per week.

Right now, with work and going to the gym I leave at 7/7:30, work all day with no breaks or lunches, try like crazy to leave by 6:15 so I can make it to the gym. That has me getting home between 8:30/9 to eat a little something for dinner, spend time with my husband and be in bed by 10/10:30. I'm tired, cranky, just started another class for school and on top of it all apparently working on the weekend is now the new routine for the office.

You might have noticed I haven't been on Twitter much either and that's why. I'm frustrated and things are going to change but wanted to let you guys know what's going on with me behind the scenes. So enough of my drama...

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this color? Did you like it?

Face of the Day: Using Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:01:00 PST

I went back and forth buying this Pomagranate shade from the Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo line. I worried I wouldn't wear it much or that I just plain wouldn't like it.

Turns out it's my favorite color out of all the ones I own! Be sure to check out tomorrow's post for my full review on these products.

Products Used:

Eyes: Maybelline 24 Hour color tattoo in pomagranate, Wet N Wild Brulee, Wet N Wild Knock On Wood Trio using cranberry and brown colors, NYX Black, Prestidge My Biggest Lashes Mascara in Black
Face: MAC Gingerly
Lips: NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Smokey Look

What are your thoughts? Have you brought a product you were worried about only to love it? What was it?

Review: Estee Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick in Dune Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:35:00 PST

I was so psyched when I received Estee Lauder's Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick in Dune Rose inside my December Makeup Monthly Box. It's the perfect color of pink and I knew immediately I was going to love it.

The lipstick is a satin finish and is super moisturizing. The shade I received is just two shades darker than my natural lips making for an excellent nude. The lipstick has a sickeningly sweet scent that I'm not too fond of but it does not settle into the cracks or bleed.

I had such high hopes for the lipstick but I was very disappointed once I went to wear it. Just an hour had passed and it was gone. I thought maybe I did something unknowingly and it came off so I reapplied and paid more attention again. Within an hour it was gone. All day long I was having to reapply.

I think the lipstick I received is in old packaging because now all the lipsticks are in a gold case. Hydra Lustre Lipstick runs about $22.50 at Estee Lauder or at your local makeup counter.

I'm a little confused as to my experience with this lipstick. Everyplace I look at for reviews people are giving it a five star rating and just raving about it. There are people stating how long the product lasts.

Maybe I got part of a bad batch or maybe my chemical makeup just doesn't work well with this. Either way, it's a dud for me. That's too bad.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this product? Did you like it?

My Glam January Bag First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:59:00 PST

I heard about My Glam after it was already too late to sign up for the December bags. After all the hubbub I'm glad I didn't start until January. It seems like they are still working kinks out as this month there was a problem with shipping and some people received two kits and others receive their kits two weeks later.

I'm still willing to give them a shot for a few more months because I really like the contents of my bag!

If you aren't aware of what My Glam is it's a monthly beauty sampling service where subscribers get a makeup bag and deluxe samples or full size beauty products to try out. This month I received three full size products and a deluxe size sample along with my makeup bag so I'm thoroughly pleased with the monthly price of $10 a month.

Aside from the Wen, I haven't used any of the products I received so I'm eager to try them all out.

My Glam Makeup Bag - The makeup bag isn't really anything to write home about. It's just a white canvas makeup bag with the My Glam logo and a leaf pattern across the bottom. It's a decent quality so I'm sure I'll find a use for it.

Cleansing Conditioner by Wen - I already use this product and I can honestly say this stuff is awesome! My main concern with the sample size is that this isn't enough product for people with long hair. I have to use almost the amount of the sample tube when I wash my hair and mine is above my shoulders.

I have a full review saved in drafts that I need to get to but I will throw this out there in the mean time...You have to use it more than a few times to see decent results!

The first two days my hair looks dull and lifeless. It's the third day you start seeing improvement. I start and stop using this product (which is why I haven't finished my review) and it's the same thing that happens every time I start up again.

Sheer Cover Duo Concealer - I've seen Leeza Gibbons advertising this product on infomercials many a sleepless night. I've wondered if it works as well as she claims.

It says the concealer comes in two colors so you can make the color your exact shade. This may be a tricky thing for me to do since the lightest shade is quite a bit darker than I am but I'll at least test it out and see how well it covers.

The Balm Shady Lady in Luscious Lani - I was so psyched to get this shadow! I have been seeing people talk about The Balm all over the internet but have never seen it in person. This shade is perfect for an on the go/minimal makeup look. I am interested in seeing how it performs.

Freeman Peel-Off Cucumber Mask - Can I just start off by saying I love peel off masks? It's completely sick but there is something so satisfying in peeling that layer off your skin and knowing impurities are coming away with it.

It smells really good too. I will probably try this out sometime this week.

What are your thoughts? Are you a My Glam subscriber? Do you like it?

Nail of the Day: Sally Hansen Naked Ambition

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:03:00 PST

Today's nail of the day is Naked Ambition from the Complete Salon Manicure line by Sally Hansen. Like most nail polishes I bought this on a whim.

I've never really been one to research polishes first. I see a color I like, I buy it. This polish, however, I'm kind of regretting doing that.

The color itself is very pretty. It's a peachy pink nude with a slight shimmer to it and it goes great with my fair skin tone.

They have this stiff oval shaped brush which I really like as well. I've seen quite a few people stating they have trouble with it but it worked nicely for me. The bristles don't splay like most polish brushes do and I had an easier time controlling it.

I also like that the bottle is a little bigger and heavier than most. Being the clutz that I am, it's nice to have one that is comfortable to hang on to. I can't tell you how many bottles I've almost knocked over.

Unfortunately, that's about where I stop liking this product. The Complete Salon Manicure line is suppose to be all inclusive with the polish being your Base Coat, Strengthener, Growth Treatment, Color and Top Coat all in one.

To start the color goes on very streaky. I normally only do two light coats of polish but went a step further the next day and did a third coat trying to get it opaque enough so the streaks didn't show. I wasn't so lucky.

The polish also takes forever to dry. I applied the polish hours before going to bed in thin coats and still woke up to bed sheet imprints in the polish (as you can see in my middle and pointer fingers below).

It also chipped very easily. See my ring finger in the picture above? That picture was taken the next morning. I didn't even do anything to chip it!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure is available in 41 shades and can be purchased most anywhere including Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and more ranging from $5 to $8.

I saw online that this was rated as one of the top products of the year by Marie Claire, Redbook and Self Magazine but can't help but wonder why. Judging by the reviews I've seen from other bloggers and other customers it makes you wonder how that decision came about.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this product? Did you like it?

Nail of the Day: OPI Pink Friday and Ulta Tink-Her-Bell

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:38:00 PST

I've been eyeballing the OPI Pink Friday since I starting seeing it pop up in people's twitter feeds. I have a weakness for bubblegum pink and I don't know why.

I was so excited to try this color on once I got it but unfortunately I was very disappointed once I did. It is not made with the traditional OPI consistancy! It's thick and gloopy!

I also had to use three coats which is something I rarely have to do with OPI.

I imagine it was because the polish is so thick but it took forever for it to dry. Also, once it was dry and you added your next coat it does it removes part of your first layers when applying the next (the way a lot of Essie polishes do).

I continued on with my ringer finger painting as I'm a little obsessed with now and added Ulta's Tink-Her-Bell. I don't believe I ever did a nail of the day post with this polish but I love it.

I'll have to make a point to do so in the future so you can see it. Three thin coats and it's pink sparkle goodness.

I thought it would look pretty over the bubble gum pink color. It kind of reminds me of Valentine's Day.

I also wanted to take a quick moment to let you know I will be taking a small blogging break. Between being sick and work on school work I've run out of posts!

Rather than rushing through and posting lesser quality posts I will be taking a break. I will be back sometime next week with normal posting.

What are your thoughts? Did you have the same troubles with OPI Pink Friday? What do you think of Tink-Her-Bell?

Beauty Army January Beauty Box First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:19:00 PST

I think I may have been one of the last people to get my hands on Beauty Army's inaugural run. I was one of the first 300 subscribers so I was automatically included but it took quite a while for it to get to my house.

I wasn't aware until later that the boxes are shipped from Canada. Once I found that out I was a little more patient though I think most know patience is not my deal. I was avoiding others posts like the plague so I didn't get jaded before my own box arrived.

If you aren't aware of what Beauty Army is it's a monthly beauty sampling service where you get to choose your own samples for $12 a month (free shipping). I've been waiting for it to open subscriptions since I first heard about it several months ago.

Once it arrived though I decided it was definitely worth the wait. Since Beauty Army allows you to choose what you get in each box the contents are not a surprise in the slightest. However, I think it makes these boxes a little more personal since everyone gets different things and it's stuff you actually know you want to try!

The box it comes in is a sleek black design with the company logo and different beauty jargon printed across the top in slight raised lettering. It reminds me of those pencil boxes you had in school as a kid. Since the box itself is pretty study I will more than likely recycle it for use of something at a later date.

The inside of the box is lined with pink camo print and everything is neatly wrapped in blue tissue paper. Upon opening the box you are greeted with a welcome letter from the company.

The products come neatly packaged in tissue paper with many of the items wrapped individually. I know it's probably to secure the contents of the package but I felt like I was unwrapping little presents while I was opening the box.

As usual since this is a first impressions post I won't be providing a review of the products but here's an upclose look at what I did receive.

StriVectin Get Even Brightening Serum - I got this to try to work on two age spots I have under my eyes. It's supposed to even out your skin tone and texture and bring out a natural glow in your skin. It's suppose to take 8 weeks before it works on the pigmentation so I'm not sure I will have enough of the product to really see how well it works but we'll see.

CellCeuticals NeoCell - This is an exfoliant that uses natural enzymes and volcanic-minerals. It's not supposed to cause any irritation when using it. I'm eager to try it as most exfoliators cause me to break out after using them. I'm hoping this one will be an exception.

LaRocca Skincare Pumpkin Fleur de Sel Body Polish - OMG it's the smell of pumpkin pie in a bottle! I don't want to use it as it smells so good! This is a sea salt body polish with pumpkin and cinnamon. I thought it would come in handy for my knees and elbows since they get so dry during winter.

MyFace Cosmetics Blingtone Eyeshadow - I was pleased to see this was a full sized product! The color goes on a lot lighter than what it looks like in the container. It's a light sandy beige with gold micro glitter. Dry it is very sheer but with a little water it's pretty pigmented. I'm very concerned about the possibility of this shadow turning into a glitter bomb on my face. I will be using it with caution.

Chella Anti-Fatigue Eye Mask Kit - Considering I rarely get a full night's sleep I jumped at the chance to try this product. This is suppose to lift, firm and smooth your skin to reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.

Shea Terra Organics Black Soap Facial Cleanser - This one I chose purely on a whim because I like products that smell like roses. In reality it smells kind of like multi vitamins inside a bottle. It's 100% natural which is always a plus. It's suppose to work like microdermabrasion to remove dead skin, even skin tone and fight acne. I have to admit I was/am a little worried when I read on the instructions "slight redness and tingling are normal as soap works away dead skin". That translates to me as "it's going to eat off your face". I think I will try this on my hand first before I try it on my face.

I know many people were put off when Beauty Army subscriptions opened up on January 1st and their site crashed. I was one of those people. In fact, I had decided not to subscribe at all after an hour and a half. The rep on Twitter convinced me to give it another go.

Beauty Army had gone to extra measures to prevent the crash from happening but I honestly think the amount of traffic they had was beyond even their wildest expectations. I went onto their site a few hours later and signed up with no problems at all.

I don't think I have ever come across a company with the stellar customer service this one has. I'm not just saying that either. I literally talk to their Social Media Editor, Nancy-Lee of fashionCHICsta, multiple times a day on Twitter and see her all over the place on Facebook. When I made mention that my shipment hadn't arrived after a week I got an email within a few minutes updating me with my tracking info and where it was.

Beauty Army limited the first run of boxes to make sure they work out the kinks which was smart thinking on their part. I think allowing customers to choose their box samples is a very unique idea. If they work out all the kinks and keep the customer service at the level it currently is, I think this company will really be going places. I'm happy to have been a part of it from the get go!

If you are as excited as I am about Beauty Army - click here to join: Join Beauty Army

Then jump over to their Facebook page and say "I just joined the beauty revolution! Thank you Adventures in Beauty for recruiting me, I can’t wait to choose my own samples!”: Beauty Army on Facebook

You can also tweet about it by saying "I'm joining the #Beauty Revolution http://on.fb.me/oHF5yB Thanks to @blueskysunburn & @BeautyArmy #luxury #beauty #samples"

What are your thoughts? Have you subscribed to Beauty Army? What did you think of it?

Quick Tip: Storing Your Makeup Remover Wipes

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:40:39 PST

Do you ever have the problem of grabbing a makeup remover wipe only to find it's kind of dry? It's because gravity is pulling all the moisture down to the bottom of the package.

The solution? Store the package upside down.

Not only will the wipes you pull out be full of remover but the bottom of the package will start have the drier ones. This will signal to you when it's time to buy some more.

We are looking for submissions for our weekly Quick Tips series! If you have a quick tip you'd like to share email me at blueskysunburn (at) hotmail (dot) com. If your Quick Tip is selected you'll receive full credit with a link to your blog or twitter at your preference!

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this trick? Did it help you?

Blog Award

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:17:00 PST

Today I wanted to do something a little different. While this is not 100% beauty related I find these types of posts help you get to know the person behind the blog a bit.

I was tagged with a Cute Blog Award by Kelly from Beauty Obsessed. The rules of the tag are as follows:

1. Link back to the person who awarded you.
2. Answer the award questions.
3. Tell something about yourself that you haven't told anyone on your blog yet.
4. Award as many blogs as you think worthy of this award.
5. Make sure to let everyone you gave this award to know that you awarded them.

The Award Questions

What is your go-to makeup brand?

Image courtesy of Joanna Jadoo

In general? I don't have one that I live by. I use different brands for different types of products. For shadows? Hands down, Urban Decay. Aside from my recent disappointment with their Naked 2 palette I have always found Urban Decay shadows to be excellent quality, extremely pigmented and very easy to work with. The only downside to their shadows are that the mattes are few and far between.

What was your favorite fashion trend of 2011?
Not that I'm really up on fashion but I love, love, LOVE polka dots! I have since I was a kid. I really like seeing them come out into fashion this year. Most importantly so I could buy dresses that have them! Even in a classic cut it gives the clothes such a retro feel.

Image courtesy of Laura Bullington

What is your favorite dessert?
Oh this one is easy - CAKE! I love cake! I eat just about any flavor, any type, any size piece I can get my hands on. I'll eat it for breakfast if it's handy and have on many occasions. I'm very thankful we only celebrate birthdays once a month at our office because otherwise I would be as big as a house!

Favorite color?
Green. The majority of my clothing is green and it's the first color I go to with decorating. Although, surprisingly enough there is only one room in my house that color.

What is your middle name?
Brook. I've always been jealous of girls that have their name spelled Brooke. I don't know why.

What's the last song you listened to?
Well, considering my husband is an 80's rock band enthusiast and is listening to music right now the last song I listened to was Hysteria by Def Leppard. I know, we should all be so lucky.

Cats or dogs?

Our cat Hailey

I've always had both and I enjoy their company for different reasons. I have to say I lean more toward cats though. Cats are just more self sufficient. They stay clean, rarely need baths, they don't chew up your stuff, you don't have to worry about finding a place to board them if you go out of town, etc.

Some thing you didn't know about me is....
I had to think long and hard about this one. There are so many things I could post! I'll leave you with this random piece of information...I can't go to sleep at night unless I have socks on and my feet are covered by blankets. I know in my heart it protects them from being eaten by the Boogey Man.

The award states you're suppose to list as many blogs as you want but that's just not realistic since I follow at least 75 or more in Google Reader. I'm also going to try not to pick ones that Kelly has already picked so people aren't bombarded with the same tag. Without further ado and in no particular order my ten picks are...

Amanda from Snowflake Says...
Lilit from Makeup and Macaroons
Katy from Buxom and Beautiful
Tiffany from Everyday Beautiful
Mercedes from Mercede's Makeup Obsession
Lisa from Ms. Prettyful Girl
Ms Red from Ms Red's Beauty Blog
Jerry from Silhouette Screams
Danielle from Bloomin' Beauty
Holly from Another Lipgloss Junkie

Please take a moment to check out these ladies blogs. They rock!

Makeup of the Day: Neutral With Plum

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:34:00 PST

Today's look was inspired by a blogger I've followed for a while named Hanna Ogren. Her blog is in Swedish so you'll have to translate it but I really enjoy it. She does mainly wearable fairly neutral looks that you can wear everyday. I can't tell you how many of her posts I have starred in my Google Reader.

I like her version of this look a lot better than what I came up with. Her colors are a lot more intense than what I had. I probably could have gotten it a little closer to what she had but I was running late and didn't want to be late for work.

As you can see in my haste for work I also didn't get quite as much powder as I needed so my apologies for the shininess on my face.

Products Used:

Eyes: MAC Sketch, MAC Vanilla, NYX Black, Prestidge My Biggest Lashes Mascara in Black
Face: MAC Gingerly (one of my two favorite new blushes!)
Lips: NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Smokey Look

What are your thoughts? Have you a color combo like this? What do you think of the purple color?

Nail of the Day: Revlon Midnight Affair and OPI Last Friday Night

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:03:00 PST

I have had Revlon's Midnight Affair forever. I don't even have a clue when I bought it or if I've actually worn it.

I have no clue why either as it's a beautiful color. It's a shimmering dark navy blue that looks black in certain lights and has a deep richness to it in others.

It goes on pretty thin and is opaque in two coats. You know how much of a fan I am of two coat polishes. No three coats for this girl!

Unfortunately there is quite a bit of shrinkage with this one so I have to remember to paint the tips of my nails in the future. Another thing I noticed is this polish takes forever to dry.

It's not like Essie polishes where the bottom coat comes up if the first coat isn't bone dry but I wouldn't go to bed within an hour of painting your nails.

Something I never got into was the painting the ring finger a different color. I don't know why I just never got it...until I decided I didn't want to wear full on glitter on my nails anymore.
It's the perfect comprimise!

Anyway, I ran across It's Only Makeup But I Love It and she posted about topping dark polish with OPI's Last Friday night. Never in a million years would I have thought of that.

It's so simple it's a no brainer but I guess my brain doesn't work that way.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried these polishes? Did you like them?

Janaury Makeup Monthly Box First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:47:01 PST

After being pleased with the contents of my first Makeup Monthly box I was eager to receive this month's.

Once again I would use the colors and the products inside my box and I am pleased with my subscription. I am not going to post a review of any of the products since I haven't used them yet but here's a run down of what I received.

Clinique Color Surge Eye Trio in Coffee Shop - I've always had decent experiences with Clinique's shadows. Nothing to write home about but still decent. Purples and pinks make my green eyes pop and I'm eager to try out this palette.

The palette comes with three colors that can be purchased separately (Coffee Shop, Beach Plum and Pink Slate), brush and sponge applicators and a little chart attached to the mirror telling you where to apply each color.

Tarte EmphasEYES High Definition Eye Pencil is a basic black eyeliner. I'll be using this one cautiously. My last experience with Tarte eyeliner was when I used the one that came with the True Blood palette. I don't know what this is the same formula though as it's not as creamy as that one was.

Last but not least is MAC Marbleized Lipglass in Crazy Haute from the Color Craft collection. This one from what I can tell is full sized and it's a very pretty wearable pink.

I became a bit concerned the last time I was researching products for my last Makeup Monthly first impression post and I am again concerned. I noticed that everything I'm searching for doesn't seem to be sold any longer except for on Ebay and the occasional QVC websites.

I know the MAC Color Craft collection came out in 2009. I'm curious at how old these cosmetics are that I'm receiving. I know most products have shelf lives but I'm not certain if that is once they are open or in general. So far they don't smell funny or have an odd consistency or texture so I'm not outright alarmed.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this monthly subscription before? Did you like it?

Quick Tip: Cleaning Nail Polish From Your Cuticles

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:41:02 PST

Love painting your nails but hate the mess that's left behind on your cuticles? Instead of using a cotton swab or orange wood stick just use a short stiff bristled brush.

The one I use (in the picture above) is a concealer brush from ELF and it only cost me a dollar. I fill the lid of my nail polish remover with remover, dip the brush in and erase my mistakes. I keep a paper towel handy in case color builds up on the brush so I can wipe it off.

When I'm done I pour the remover back in the bottle and put away my brush.

The best part? Not only is it more efficient but you can use it over and over again so there is no waste!

We are looking for submissions for our weekly Quick Tips series! If you have a quick tip you'd like to share email me at blueskysunburn (at) hotmail (dot) com. If your Quick Tip is selected you'll receive full credit with a link to your blog or twitter at your preference!

I'm thinking about including Quick Tips once a week here on my blog. What are your thoughts? Is it something you'd be interested in seeing?

Review: Maybelline Illegal Lengths Fiber Extension Mascara

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:01:52 PST

Have I mentioned before my immediate draw to the display isle at Ulta? Once again it pulled me in. This time is was for Maybelline's new Illegal Lengths Fiber Extension Mascara.

When you're going to "break every law of lengthening" with "4mm of measurable extensions" who could pass that up? The mascara states it's "instant lash extensions" with "no flakes". So I decided to put it to the test.

The square tube of the bottle and handle made holding the mascara a little awkward but not so much that it hindered using the product. It has your typical mascara smell and the wand has thin evenly spaced bristles.

I noticed the mascara itself goes on a little dry. Perhaps it's because of the fiber extensions? You're not suppose to wait in between coats on this mascara but it is dry almost immediately once you've applied it.

When applying, the wand clumps your lashes together a bit. Even with combing my lashes out I wasn't able to make them separate too much. However, I didn't notice any flaking even when brushing through the lashes so that's a plus.

No Mascara

One Coat

Two Coats

The mascara wore well all day and stayed on until I went to Zumba class that evening. A word of advise - if you are going to have any moisture near your eyes, get the waterproof formula.

I had streaks of mascara down my cheeks after class and I didn't even get sweat in my eyes. This is the first time I've had this happen with mascara during/after class and since I go after work, I'm always wearing mascara to class.

The good news is that the mascara removes easily with just a makeup wipe.

No drying in between coats

The directions state that for best results you're not suppose to let the mascara dry inbetween coats. Obviously I couldn't do that while taking pictures so I'm including a shot of it when I wore it during the day.

Illegal Lengths Fiber Extension Mascara is available in three shades and can be purchase most anywhere including WalMart, Target, Walgreens, CVS and Ulta for around $9.

Image courtesy of Maybelline

All in all, I don't care for this mascara and I will not be buying it again. In fact, I'm kind of bummed I bought it in the first place.

That aside, the main thing that really irks me about this mascara is the advertisement. The model is very clearly wearing false lashes or is photoshopped, probably both. I've marked with an arrow where you can see the end of her natural lashes.

This kind of just gets me going.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this product? Did you like it?

Face of the Day: Neutral with a Pop of Color

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:17:00 PST

I was in a bit of a hurry when doing my makeup today and I think it shows. My foundation isn't on as well as it should be but that's okay.

I also look kind of irritated in this picture but I'm not. I guess I was just feeling rushed.

I wanted to use the neutral matte colors from the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette since I had not had a chance to play with them much.

I am surprised to say I'm not that impressed. It felt like they went on a little chalky to me and I had to work to get the color to build up.

I was also surprised that the mattes didn't really do anything for me. The mattes from the original Naked Palette at least gave me some definition. These, not so much.

The lip color I have on is my absolute favorite. It's the MAC Viva Glam Cyndi Lipglass and I wear it all the time! I am hoping they rerelease it so I can get some more. Otherwise, I might have to start stalking blog sales to find some.

Sorry about the hair in the eye shot. Did I mention I was in a hurry? I think I also need to look into finding a background for my photos. You can totally see my messy desk behind me.

Products Used:

Eyes: Wet N Wild Brulee for blending, Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Foxy on lid and brow, Tease in crease and Blackout for liner, Prestidge My Biggest Lashes Mascara in Black
Face: Sephora blush color unknown
Lips: MAC Viva Glam Cyndi Lipglass

What are your thoughts on the Naked 2 Palette matte colors? Did you have the same reaction?

Review: Revlon In the Red Matte Lipstick

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Williams) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:28:10 PST

I came across the blog Blushing Loves and saw a her post about the In the Red Matte Lipstick by Revlon and fell in love with the color.

I'm not a red kind of gal. I will always choose pink over red just because I feel more comfortable in it. I've bought a ton of red lipsticks trying to find the one magical color that will win me over. I always feel kind of like I'm freakishly standing out when I wear it.

I have, however, been looking for more of a toned down raspberry kind of red. Kind of a smie red without the drama. The lip color in her pictures was exactly the color I was looking for.

Revlon has no description of In the Red on their website. In fact, I can't find this color on their website. I've seen it described across the internet as a matte true red, a classic brick red, a brown based red with orange overtones. Whatever color it actually is, I really like it. In the Red is a full coverage matte lipstick.

Blushing Loves mentions it's listed as a dupe for Ruby Woo on Temptalia's website, however, Temptalia also has it listed as a dupe for MAC's Viva Glam I. On Temptalia's website Ruby Woo says In the Red while Viva Glam I says In the Red Matte. I'm not sure if there are two colors or if one is a mistake but everything else I can find on the topic over the internet is listing it as a dupe for Viva Glam I.

The color goes on smooth and opaque and gave me no trouble with bleeding although I should probably use a lipliner the next time I wear it. I didn't notice any smell to mention.

It is a bit drying since it's a matte lipstick but it's not overly so as some others are. It's also a good idea to exfoliate your lips thoroughly before applying the lipstick or you are going to see any imperfection your lips have.

I did notice while I was wearing the color that if you don't wipe off the remaining product before reapplying it does get a bit cakey so watch out for that.

I'm very curious if this color is being discontinued. When I was looking on the Revlon website I did not see it on there. It would be a shame if it is. I really like this color.

The matte lipsticks come in 9 colors and can be purchased most everywhere including Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and more from $5 to $8.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried this product? Did you like it?