Thursday 28 January 2010

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler



Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler:

This much talked about eyelash curler lives up to the hype. The rubber pad is very gentle and allows even a curler-aphobe like me to curl my lashes without having too much of a freak out. The curler also comes with an extra rubber pad which is very handy. I have tried other eyelash curlers before and this one, I can honestly say, creates a curl that will last for days. This tool is definitely worth the copious amounts of publicity it gets (Hello! Shout out by Gisele in The Devil Wears Prada, anyone?).

It's expensive (I got it as a gift...thanks Houle!) but it will last a lifetime...especially with that extra pad they throw in there. For a serious lash curl, this is worth it.

Brush Care



Vincent Longo Hygienic Professional Brush Cleanser:

For a quick cleaning or a mini-clean between colors used on the same brush, I use this brush cleanser. It is hypoallergenic even though it has a slight fragrance and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. Simply spray it directly on your brush and then wipe the brush gently back and forth on a paper towel or soft cloth until the brush wipes clean.

Johnson's Baby Shampoo:

This is the only thing that I will use to deep clean my brushes. It is extra gentle so it won't harm even the softest brush and it gets brushes very clean and smelling fresh. Get your brush wet in the sink and put a dime sized amount (more or less depending on the brush size) into your palm. Swirl the brush around in the shampoo for a round brush or stroke back and forth for a flat brush. Rinse the brush in the water. Squeeze the hair between your fingers to wring the water out and if the water runs clean then you know you're finished, but if not, then repeat the process. Let the brush air dry. I promise it will get back to its original shape once it's dry and you gently rub the bristles a few times.

Just a trick: For lip brushes that seem gunky and hard to clean, try putting a teeny bit of olive oil in your palm and running it through the oil, then clean with your shampoo as described above. The olive oil will break down whatever lipstick is stuck in the brush and help you get it completely clean- no sticky residue!

Favorite Face Brushes


Sonia Kashuk Stippling Brush:

This brush stipples on blush like no other brush I have tried and it is also a Target purchase so it didn't cost an arm and a leg. I get some color onto the brush and then slowly stipple it onto the apples of my cheeks, blending upwards towards my temples as I go. The handle is also a great perk of this brush because it has a great hand-feel and makes the brush easy to hold and the application easy to control.

Favorite Face Brushes


Two Faced Teddy Bear Hair Blush Brush:

This brush is so amazingly soft that you would never guess (unless you checked out the cute name) that it was made of synthetic hair. Two Faced Teddy Bear Hair brushes are 100% cruelty free. Blush application is smooth and even with this brush and it feels amazing on my skin!

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Roman Holiday




NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Roman Holiday:

This formula is so incredibly creamy that I often find myself wearing it like a chapstick. The baby pink color is simply a bonus to the fabulous consistency. It is a much lighter pink than I would normally wear, but that's why I like it! I find that the only area of makeup where I often slip out of my comfort zone are my lip products.

This pencil gets smaller by the day! I think I may try another color when I replenish. Any suggestions?

Sunday 24 January 2010

My Top Three Perfumes of all Time



My Top Three Perfumes of all Time: Marc Jacobs by Marc Jacobs, Miss Dior Cherie Eau De Parfum by Dior, and Nanette Lepore by Nanette Lepore:

You guys know that I love Lavanila's Vanilla Coconut perfume, but these are the three that I always have to restock, listed below in the order in which I adore them.

Marc Jacobs is my all time, hands down, number one favorite. I can wear it day and night all day every day. If I was stranded on an island this would be my perfume pick for sure. It is a blend of gardenia, wild muguet, musk, cedar, and ginger. If you ask me what wild muguet is I will have to admit I have no idea, but it smells great! This is a fresh yet sexy scent that I can't live without!

Miss Dior Cherie Eau De Parfum is my European love affair. While studying abroad for a semester I took 14 airplanes in four months all around Europe and at each airport I always had to wander the duty free section to smell all of the perfumes. This was the one scent that I kept coming back to and by the time I took my 14th flight (back to America) I knew I had to buy it and I have been hooked ever since. It has notes of green tangerine, pink jasmine, patchouli, crystalline musk, strawberry leaves, and more. This is perfume with a punch. When I wear it, people smell it, and I like that.

Nanette Lepore perfume (I have the roller ball version because I keep it in my purse) is the ultimate girls girl scent. It is so fruity and flowery I feel like it should spew rainbows and kittens out of the roller ball...but in a good way. It has notes of
moonstone rose, white peach, magenta nectar, black currant, orange jasmine, Persian lime juice, violet, amber, Indian sandalwood and more. This mini version is ultra-convenient to tote around- just don't ask your guy friend to hold it for you while you hunt for a stick of gum in your purse because he may just drop it...and it may just shatter...all over the floor of Grand Central Terminal. Sometimes I roll some of this on the edge of my pillowcase before I go to bed so that I can smell it while I fall asleep. Mmm!

These are my absolute favorite scents...what are yours?

Sephora Crayon Gloss Lip Gloss Pencil




Sephora Crayon Gloss Lip Gloss Pencil in Shade 03:

CHEAP THRILL ALERT!!!

Follow me here: A glossy coral with flecks of gold in an easy-to-apply stick with color that lasts for hours but keeps your lips soft and smooth...for FIVE dollars! This is my current favorite shade although I have them in a few colors.

Ignore the blueish color at the bottom end of my swatch- I possess the bad habit of writing on my hand. I love Post-It notes, but my hand is with me everywhere I go! In my defense, I did try to scrub it off before I did the swatch.

Anyway, grab these sticks when you can because they are not easy to come by! I can never find them in stores, but I stock up on Sephora.com in whatever colors they have available. Happy hunting!

What's your cheap thrill?

MAC Slim Shine Lipstick in Urgent!



MAC Slim Shine Lipstick in Urgent!

Red lips can be a hot mess. The color bleeds and feathers here; the texture gets dry and cakey there; the shade is too bright or too light. You get the idea. This MAC Slim Shine is bright, but sheer and glossy so it gives you a wild pop of red without a harsh matte finish. It is seriously moisturizing and generally feels like more of a gloss than a lipstick. Plus it is so small and skinny that it fits in the teeniest clutch or the smallest pocket.

I typically shy away from bold shades, but this color will give you a confidence boost like no other! Try it out...if you dare.

Cargo Plant Love Lipstick in Muir Woods



Cargo Plant Love Lipstick in Muir Woods:

Sometimes I am a bit skeptical of "eco-friendly" beauty products. How legit are they? Well, this lipstick means business. Cargo Plant Love products are 100% natural, Ecocert certified for being environmentally friendly in its packaging (made of corn!), product, and the process of making the product and it's free of parabens, phthalates, petro-chemicals, synthetic dyes and fragrances.

FYI- What does it mean to be Ecocert certified? Check out the Ecocert web site! http://www.ecocert.com/?lang=en

So now that we've established that this product is seriously environmentally friendly...is it any good? Well, I think so. The texture is creamy and doesn't dry out my lips like some lipsticks can and they come in a mass of shades.

There is even a line of these lipsticks designed by celebs!

Check them out here: http://www.cargocosmetics.com/plantlove.html

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve



Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve:

My hands get dry in the winter time and I don't mean they feel a bit dry and maybe look a little dull. My hands peel and crack and bleed at the knuckles in winter time. This wasn't always the case, but living in a college house and being a fairly clean person I am always washing my hands or worse...doing dishes! My hands plus scalding water plus extra strength dish soap equals the state of my hands at their worst. This cream, after one application, can turn them from something that may scare small children to soft, smooth and delicate lady-like hands. It absorbs fast and doesn't feel greasy and it also works wonders on dry elbows.

Just a tip: As much as I love this cream, I think Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream works just as well, but for a fraction of the price.

Battle of the Hair Serums




Battle of the Hair Serums:

My hair. I think the saying about grass being greener really applies here. I have thick, wavy/curly hair and have always, since birth, wanted stick straight hair. Luckily, my hair is not too picky about its own texture and can be straightened into submission in no time flat.

In my experience, guys think curly hair is cute and straight hair is sexy. So many guy friends have told me that my hair looks "alright" when it's curly, but they prefer the straightened look. Once, sitting in class with my blown out hair, I had a guy sitting next to me actually go on about how he hated curly hair and thought it looked so ugly, not realizing that I had naturally curly hair. I just sat there horrified, expecting the ceiling to open up and dump a bucket of water on me to reveal the natural state of my hair. Regardless, I am always on an eternal search for new hair products to coax my hair into being non-frizzy curls or sleek and straight.

I was forever a Kerastase user. It is expensive, but it works. Period. I like the Curl Definition Cream for keeping my curls glossy without being weighed down and I like the Anti-Frizz Serum for keeping my straight hair frizz-free with a healthy shine. Then one day I ran out of my serum before I could order more (I can rarely find it in stores and mostly order it online) and needed a frizz-free blow out for an event that evening. I ran out to a beauty supply store and asked if they carried Kerastase. I needed a serum! The woman said she didn't carry that brand, but could do me one better. Better? She pulled out a bottle of MoroccanOil. I quickly compared the two first ingredients on this bottle to my old favorite. The same. Check. Except the MorroccanOil contained argan oil which I knew works wonders on hair (and skin), plus this serum smelled amazing. It's like you actually flew to Morocco and went to an exotic spice market. It's one of my favorite scents I have encountered in a hair product. I love that I get compliments on how my hair smells and how soft it feels.

Sorry Kerastase. I may just be a convert.

My Chanel Lip Palette and Shout out to Cara



My Chanel Lip Palette and Shout out to Cara:

Do you ever covet a product that you know you'll never buy? I try to be realistic about my makeup purchases and some things I just can't justify buying for myself. Maybe it's the senior year of college mentality: Lip gloss or an apartment next year? I don't exactly know. But I had been going on and on about this palette for quite some time and my roommate Cara had listen sympathetically. I just couldn't quite get myself to the Chanel counter for it. So you could imagine my surprise/shock/awe/excitement when I opened up my birthday present this year to find this palette, an adorable wine glass, and a Snickers bar. She knows me too well.

Thanks, Houle!

Tuesday 19 January 2010

January Beat-the-Blues Wish List




It is cold, rainy, snowy, and gray outside so I'm feeling inspired to search for a few products that could beat my winter blues and give me a pop of color. Here are my wish list picks to brighten my January-

NARS Orgasm Illuminator:

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P254215&categoryId=C8330&shouldPaginate=true

I may just be addicted to this shade. Yes, I have the blush, creme shade stick, and lip gloss in this color, but now they've come out with the Illuminator and I just have to try it too!! A fresh dewy glow is just what I need right now amidst this dreary winter weather. I am already a fan of sunless tanner so that I keep from being pasty-pale 24/7, but this would give me a whole new kind of glow! I mean at least I've never given a second thought to buying the Orgasm nail polish. Well, not really....

MAC CremeBlend Blush in So Sweet, So Easy:

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/spp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT2218&PRODUCT_ID=7166

I was definitely intrigued by the new MAC in Lillyland spring collection. It was drastic contrast from their Warm and Cozy winter collection! Bright, punchy colors that definitely match the collection's muse, Lilly Pulitzer, and make me wish spring wasn't months and months away. I love the bold color palette of this collection. If I had to pick just one product it would be this blush. I can picture myself fresh faced and lightly flushed with just a few dabs. Maybe I would even try some of the brighter colors. Do they look radioactive to anyone else? So bright!

Essie Nail Polish in Tart Deco:

http://www.essieshop.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Tart+Deco&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

This creamy coral color from Essie's spring 2010 collection is bound to pump up my spirits. I normally have a coat of Essie's ballet slippers on my nails in the winter time, but maybe not so much after this little incident: Over my winter break I went to get my nails done with my mom at her usual nail place and I plopped down in the chair with ballet slipper only to have my nail technician eye me critically and quip, "Ugh this color is so boring! Ugh! Any other color would be better. Really? You really want this color? You sure?" Well, if that didn't turn me off my favorite polish then I don't know what would! But she had a point. Ballet Slippers is not exactly a shade that begs to be noticed. This polish may be just what my hands have been waiting for!

Sunday 17 January 2010

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Lilac Sugar



Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Lilac Sugar:

Oh this gloss! I remember back in middle school (wow) when every girl had this gloss. Now I don't mean that many girls had this. I mean that every girl, if she wanted to survive to see age 14, had this lip gloss. I would walk down the halls and pass tubes and tubes of this being plucked out of backpacks, tossed into lockers, and stuffed into pockets. I had to have it. It was an emergency. It was a life and death situation. So I did a few hours of babysitting, dragged my mom to Bloomingdales, marched up to the Bobbi Brown counter and bought it. Now that color looks purple and it does have a purple sheen to it, but it's mainly just a shimmery clear gloss that happens to smell like cupcakes and candy and birthdays. I wore this color for a year straight and forgot all about it...until recently.

I was at Sephora buying something (can't recall what it was...this event overshadowed all else) and I used my Sephora Insiders card, obviously, because every 100 points that you wrack up (aka 100 dollars that you spend) you get to choose a free gift. I guess I was at my 100 point mark because the sales girl brings three small items up to the counter and asks me to choose my free gift. I barely look up...and there it was. This lip gloss in Lilac Sugar. Can it really be the lip gloss that defined my middle school days? It was. Of course I scooped it right up and have worn it frequently ever since. Maybe it's fate. I was destined to be reunited with the gloss that started my lip product addiction years ago. Or maybe Bobbi Brown realized that a gloss that was popular when I was in middle school needed some re-promoting. Either way, I'm hanging onto it even just for the sentimental value...and the scent that could induce a sugar rush just from one waft.

Bare Minerals Lip Gloss in Cassis




Bare Minerals Lip Gloss in Cassis:

I have found many a lip product in great shades of pinks and reds, but when it came to corals I was at a loss. Every color I tried always had an unattractive orange tinge to it...until I found this. Cassis is my perfect coral. It has no harsh orange undertone, just the right amount of shimmer, and I can walk around without having to pull my hair off my lips (not too sticky!). I have yet to find a coral that tops this, but I would love to hear some suggestions! Anyone have a favorite coral of their own?

NARS Lip Gloss in Orgasm



NARS Lip Gloss in Orgasm:

Clearly I am a huge fan of this NARS shade. I own the blush, the cream shade stick, and the lip gloss all in the color Orgasm. The gloss is just as fabulous as the blushes. I have no idea how NARS does it, but this color looks good on absolutely everyone and it manages to look equally as stunning on lips as it does on cheeks. Enough said.

Trish McEvoy Lip Glosses



Trish McEvoy Lip Glosses in Sexy and Pretty:

So you may have noticed a theme to the last few posts. I am getting into my lip product collection a bit. Lip colors are my absolute addiction and I only keep the ones that I truly love. I am not a hoarder then it comes to makeup. I love to throw things out, have a clean slate, start fresh...whatever you want to call it. I do this with clothes, books, bags, just about everything I own is in danger of being tossed. This may sound wasteful, but everything I get rid of is donated and it really just pares down my accumulation of stuff to just the things that I really love, use, wear, etc. I can't even watch the show Hoarders. Clutter and disorganization are such pet peeves of mine. Throw clothes on the ground? Why do that when they don't belong there? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Alright, back to these glosses! I love the formula because they are super pigmented, but not too sticky. I do find the names to be a bit odd. The light pink that gives you just a teeny bit of a pinky sheen is called Sexy and the va-va-voom red with gold reflects is called Pretty. Does anyone else find this odd? In my opinion, the light pink is pretty and the red is seriously sexy. Anyway, they are both gorgeous in their own right and have managed to survive multiple lip product clean-outs, earning their places in my collection.

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey



Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey:

Don't judge this color- it is not, I repeat, not as dark as it looks! In fact, I was going to do a swatch of this but it wouldn't show up in the pictures because it goes on so light and sheer. This color is a classic because it looks great on just about everyone and gives the lightest wash of a rich berry color. There is really nothing I can compare it to because I have never found another color quite like this. Give it a shot...you won't be disappointed!

Kiehls's for Lips!



Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 and Lip Gloss in Golden Berry:

Personally I believe that Kiehl's Lip Balm in #1 is the world's best lip balm. It is a bit gooey, but once you put it on you know you're saying goodbye to chapped lips. Period. It moisturizes like no other lip product I have used. I have absolutely gone through more tubes of this than anything else, including my Rosebud Salve which I use like my life depends upon it. Always a classic!

The gloss in Golden Berry is a favorite because the consistency is similar to the balm, albeit a little bit stickier, but the color is fantastic. It is a sheer berry red that gives your lips a punchy color without making it look like you just made out with Bozo.

My Top 5 Lights and Brights Nail Polishes



My Top 5 Lights and Brights Nail Polishes:

So from left to right here are my top five light colored and bright colored nail polishes-
Essie's St. Lucia Lilac, Ballet Slippers, Hard to Get, Jag-u-are, and OPI's My Chihuahua Bites!

I am a huge fan of Essie nail polishes and am generally brand loyal, but I do have some OPI favorites. Two of my three favorite dark shades, in fact, are by OPI. I love OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark and Russian Navy. My third favorite dark shade happens to be Essie's Wicked. During the winter I tend towards the more muted shades, but in the summer I love going all out with my polish. My Chihuahua Bites! is a particularly good toe color.

elf Mineral Lipstick in Party Pink




elf Mineral Lipstick in Party Pink:

So I promised that I would do this post as soon as I got my Party Pink from elf and here it is! I am not usually a pink lipstick fan. I have dabbled in the red department before but with pinks I always fall for a soft baby pink that is invisible on the lips or a pinkish clear gloss. Party Pink is my first bright Barbie pink. I think this is just what I need to get through a freezing cold/drab/cloudy/snowy winter!

Friday 15 January 2010

Glitter!



So I just finished a post about how I only go for boring neutral shadows and I need to break out of my comfort zone a bit more, which got me thinking about this quad...

So this year (my final year of college) I live in a house off campus with 5 of my friends and we decided to do a roommate secret santa before we left for our winter break. I had my roommate Jenn and I made her a collage of magazine cut outs (I buy every fashion magazine the second it hits the stand so you would be surprised at the things I come up with to the lower the growing stacks) and each cut out reminded me, in some way, of her. She is vegan and the absolute best chef I know. You haven't lived until you have tried her tofu pot pie!

My secret santa happened to be my roommate Laurel and Laurel is not only an amazing friend, but a great listener. We were watching ELLE Video Star videos one night (we love watching these makeup tutorials while we get ready to go out at night) and I mentioned that I really should get some more vibrant/sparkly/crazy eye shadow shades because I always wear boring neutrals. It was the briefest mention, said almost to myself, but months later as we're sitting around our living room exchanging secret santa gifts Laurel presents me with this quad of the most glittery eye shadows that I will ever own in my life. Hey Laurel! Check out the bottom left hand corner! Yeah, I used that one on New Years Eve.
:-)

Loreal HIP Matte Shadow Duo in Perky



Loreal HIP Matte Shadow Duo in Perky:

Like my other Loreal Shadow Duo, I love one color more than the other, but only because I am not so adventurous in the green eye shadow department. These duo's got me thinking though...maybe I need to step out of my eye shadow comfort zone. Palette after palette in my collection is a neutral single, duo, quad, or, well, check out my post on the Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette. Can you say 88 neutrals in one palette? Time to take my shadow looks to the next level. These Loreal duo's remind me of the NARS two shade combos. I am always inspired by the gorgeous colors that NARS thinks to put together...maybe it's about time that I try some of those looks myself.

Check out the NARS Spring 2010 collection

I have my eye on Kuala Lumpur...but let me experiment with this green hue for a bit. I'll let you know how it goes! Anyone else in a boring/bland shadow rut?

Tuesday 12 January 2010

elf Mineral Lipstick in Nicely Nude




elf Mineral Lipstick in Nicely Nude:

Same great lipstick formula as described in my previous two posts, but my absolute favorite color so far! Nude, let me just say, is a terrible way to describe this color. It is a vibrant and rosy pink that really pops against my skin. I actually think this is the brightest pink of any shade I generally wear. I love these lipsticks so much that I got my mom to order two for herself and I ordered another color for me (post on "Party Pink" coming asap) and I even wore this particular shade to bed last night. Why not?

elf Mineral Lipstick in Runway Pink




elf Mineral Lipstick in Runway Pink:

Same amazing formula as the Natural Nymph rave in my last post, but better color. I love the soft baby pink of this shade. I feel more perky and bubbly whenever I apply it. You know you love lipstick when simply applying it can put you in a good mood!

elf Mineral Lipstick in Natural Nymph




elf Mineral Lipstick in Natural Nymph:

Love Love Love! These lipsticks are amazing. The formula is so creamy and moisturizing I could swear I was wearing a gloss or balm and they come in an array of colors. I was looking for a great nude color and this color is definitely nude! As you can see from my swatch, it blends in so completely with my skin that you can hardly see it. I think this color is actually a little too light for my lips, but it makes a great base for other colors and when applied lightly it is a bit more wearable.

Because it's an elf product it only cost 5 dollars per lipstick and if you Google "elf coupons" there are about a million coupon codes that you can enter. I found a few different ones that got you free shipping, free bronzers with your purchase, discounts and deals etc. I used one that got me 50% off my entire purchase so when I bought three lipsticks the whole deal including shipping cost me less than 15 dollars. Score!

Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in Copper Spice (#01)



Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in Copper Spice:

Ever seen my post on the same shadow quad in the color Sandstorm? Well I loved that quad so much that I got this one in Copper Spice. I am still shocked at how pigmented the colors are for a drugstore brand. I even find that I have to use a very light hand to apply these colors so I am not over-depositing the hue. I adore the bronze/copper shade second from the right and the peachy/gold shade next to that. The chocolate brown makes an awesome crease color and the champagne shade is my go-to highlight right now. I really can't rave enough about these quads!

Sunday 10 January 2010

Lavanila Vanilla Coconut Fragrance



Lavanila Vanilla Coconut Fragrance:

This line of products comes with fragrances, candles, body lotions, and deodorant. I originally got this scent in a candle and every time I would burn it my roommates would pop their heads into my room to comment on how good it smelled. I burned the fairly large candle right down to the pan and went out to buy the fragrance of the same scent. It does smell exactly like vanilla and coconuts- like you were baking something sweet on a tropical island. It is truly a heavenly smell.

The bonuses? The brand is all natural and "healthy" because, in the case of the perfumes, it contains 30 different vitamins and minerals and 19 amino acids. The candle was considered healthy because it was clean burning, meaning that it did not eject possibly dangerous chemicals into the air when it was burned down. This fragrance happens to contain anti-oxidants and oils so that it isn't drying like some fragrances that may be loaded with alcohol.

I bought it because it smells fantastic, but that's quite a long list of bonuses don't you think?

Clinique acne solutions clearing concealer



Clinique acne solutions clearing concealer:

Have you ever had a blemish that you couldn't wait to hide, but once you start covering it with all sorts of heavy creams and concealers you can't help but feel like you're just making the problem ten times worse? So stressful! Well I may have finally found a way to avoid my anxiety. This Clinique concealer (I'm shade #2) not only works well to conceal unwanted bumps, it also has 1% Salicylic acid in it so you don't have to feel like you're further clogging a pore or extending the life of a blemish. The concealer fights the zit while hiding it away. It's sort of like the FBI of concealers. You don't really see them fighting crime, but you know that's what they're doing, right?

My only beef with the product? It's a little drying and therefore semi-hard to blend. I am used to patting in my concealer with my finger because I think the warmth of my hands helps me blend the concealer into the spot, but I find this just works better with a small concealer brush because the more I blend with my hands the more dry the spot gets. Strange, but true!

Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment



Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment:

I feel like this product needs no introduction because it got so much publicity when it first came out. Everyone was raving about this tinted lip color and my opinion is no different. I love the Fresh traditional lip treatment, but this tinted version has the most amazing color! It is like messily eating a cherry popsicle. Your lips turn a bright cherry shade, but because it is a "lip treatment" and not a lipstick or even a lip gloss the color is very sheer. Bonuses? It makes your lips ultra soft and has SPF 15!

I have a fairly extensive lipgloss/stick/balm etc. collection because that is the one makeup product that I have absolutely adored forever, but this color has kept its place in my purse ever since I first got it. And I don't see it going anywhere any time soon.

Friday 8 January 2010

Lush Bubble Bar!



Lush Bubble Bar:

When my sister asked what I wanted for the holidays I did not hesitate to answer. I knew I wanted some Lush body products. I had been hearing about Lush for a long time but had never actually tried it myself. Due to the lameness that was FedEx I actually got this mid January, but it was better late than never with this gift! The set came with two bath bombs and two bubble bars. I was too excited to hold off on using the bath bombs to take a picture of them for this post so they are long gone, but the bubble bars last a while because you crumble just a small piece to use at a time.

First of all, they smell AMAZING! My bath smelled great, but I figured, like most bath products, that the scent would not linger past the water. These surprised me by making me smell delicious for hours after my bath. The bubble bars create very little bubbles- maybe just enough to skim the surface of the water- but again, they smell fabulous.

The bath bombs were very fizzy and fun. I had a white one that deposited creamy oils into the tub that made my skin feel like silk. I also had a pink one that deposited little pink plastic hearts all over the bath which was a bit of a surprise. A Lush suggestion? Make all of the bath products 100% dissolve in water! Other than that I can't think of a better gift! I will be a Lush bath product junkie from now on!

The Lush face treatments are another story because I have heard too many people tell me that those products have made them break out. I am serious about my skin care regime and hardly deviate from it...ever. Should I do my day/night skin care as a post?

Clinique Pore Minimizer T-Zone Shine Control



Clinique Pore Minimizer T-Zone Shine Control:

My quest to find the perfect matifying product for my skin continues. I have semi-tricky face to deal with because it is the textbook definition of combination skin. I have an oily t-zone and dry patches everywhere else. Especially in winter time, I get very dry around my mouth, between my eyes and under my nose but I remain oily in the center of my forehead, on the sides of my nose and on the tip of my chin. I think I may have found my favorite yet matifying product in this Clinique cream. Cream may be the wrong word. It is sort of a gel that turns to a powder on the face. When used with my moisturizer to keep dry spots from flaking, this kept my face on the perfect level of not too greasy/not too dry.

I took it for a test drive on New Years Eve when I knew I would be out of the house with a full face of makeup on for hours and hours late into the night. My face was shine free even in pictures which is when I am most self conscious of that a-little-too-dewy glow.

Could my problem finally be solved? Only time will tell...

Loreal Hip Matta Shadow Duo in Dashing (#917)




Loreal Hip Matta Shadow Duo in Dashing (#917):

So this is another one of those products where I love it, but only use half. I find the baby pink shadow to be too light on my lids and no matter how I apply it I think it always makes me look like I'm coming down with pink eye. I am, however, in love with the matte black shade. I think it's comparable to MAC's Carbon shadow. It is seriously pigmented, but easily blendable and because it's a drugstore product I think it is well worth it to buy just for one half.

Thursday 7 January 2010

CoverGirl Lashblast Length




CoverGirl Lashblast Length:

I told you the mascara hunt would continue! So after falling in love with the CG Lashblast Volume I knew I had to try the Length version. The brush is much longer and thinner than the Volume mascara and gets just a tiny coating of mascara on the wand. The fat, chunky Volume wand creates thick, full lashes and the thin, long Length wand creates long skinny lashes. I like how precise the wand is. It coats each lash individually and makes extend out just as far as they can.

I am beginning to think that the perfect mascara look would be a coat of Length followed by a coat of Volume. Who says you can't have it all?

Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Spicy (#102)



Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Spicy (#102):

I have had this shadow quad for years now and it still remains a favorite of mine. I haven't hit pan in any of the colors yet because I never use it long enough to actually run out. I am always bouncing back and forth between different shadows. Shadow ADD perhaps? This quad, however, has the perfect colors for a neutral eye look. The first goldy/brown shade and the last goldy/pink shade are great all over lid colors and then the darker chocolate brown makes for an excellent crease color and the champagne shade works as a highlight!

I really should use this more often. Note to self: stop buying so many shadows and start using this quad again!

Laura Mercier Bronzing Duo Coral Bronze



Laura Mercier Bronzing Duo Coral Bronze:

Oh how I miss this compact! It is one of my favorite bronzer/blush duos, but it is certainly not for winter. The deep bronze shade and bright coral/pink blush only look natural on me when the sun is actually shining and not hidden behind the thick clouds of winter. I am a huge sunscreen fan so this would never actually blend right in with my skin tone (unless I'm on a sunless tanner kick), but I still feel like I have to wait until the appropriate season to whip this out.

In just a few months we will meet again!

Cargo Beach Blush in Coral Beach



Cargo Beach Blush in Coral Beach:

This is definitely a blush rave. It is so warm and rosy that it makes me look fresh and glowing even while I'm snowed in at home in the middle of winter. I swirl my brush through all of the colors and swipe it gently from the apples of my cheeks upwards towards my temples. Warning- use a light hand with this blush otherwise you can end up with orange cheeks!

Battle of the Matifying Powders




Battle of the Matifying Powders: Maybelline Dream Matte Powder vs. elf Translucent Matifying Powder

I have oily/combination skin and I am forever trying to combat the oil with different types of matifying makeup. Everything promises to keep your face oil-free for the day, but I haven't actually found a miracle item that works that well...yet. These two powders, however, do a fairly good job. The elf powder cost me 3 dollars and the Maybelline powder was about 8 with tax. I don't use the sponge that comes with the compacts unless I am on the go because I think a brush gives me more of a clean and even finish. I don't want it to look caked on.

If I had to choose a favorite of the two I suppose I would choose the elf just because I think they do the exact same thing, but that one cost me five dollars less. So far I am not too excited about these products, but stay tuned for a post coming soon on a Clinique product I have just begun testing out...

Sunday 3 January 2010

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencils




Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencils:

Urban Decay is not kidding when they chose the term "glide-on" when naming these pencils. It's almost like a gel liner in a pencil form. The line goes on so smoothly that it is just about impossible to mess up your eye liner. These soft lines are excellent for smudging and make for a great smoky eye look.

I have the color Stash which is this amazing gold/mossy green and the color Zero which is the black shade of the collection, but there are an array of amazing colors to choose from. I am currently obsessed with my MAC Feline Eye Kohl (check out my post on that liner) and have been rudely neglecting my 24-7 pencils, but I always come back to a favorite!