Perfect Pink: Too Faced Pink Chocolate

As a general rule, I have a hard time wearing lighter pinks. For some reason my skin tone really pulls the pink shades out of lip colors (I have a hard time wearing corals that don't have enough orange in them because the pink is the only thing that will show up). For this reason, my "pinks" tend to be things that are like Revlon Fuchsia or MAC Girl About Town. Unfortunately, those kind of pinks aren't exactly the everyday kind so when I saw the promotional pictures of Too Faced's spring collection, Pink Chocolate immediately caught my attention. I already own two other lipsticks from the La Creme line, and they are buttery soft, smooth and quite moisturizing with a light sheen. They last about 3 hours on my lips, and Pink Chocolate has the same consistent qualities. Not to mention they come in lovely luxe gold packaging.

In the bullet, Pink Chocolate looks like a dark browny-pink, which is probably what it will show up as on people who don't pull pinks as much as I do. I think the color on it's own is lovely, but on my lips it actually shows up a bit "pinker" which I think helps make it a true everyday pink. On lighter skin tones this would be a phenomenal fall color.

This is seriously one of my favorite lipstick formulas, and there's a wonderful selection of permanent shades. If you're interested in pinks/plums, the spring collection is definitely something worth checking out :)

Birthday "Haul"

As I stated in my last post, I'm currently on a no-buy. BUT, one of my oldest and dearest friends sent me a Sephora gift card so I had to go spend that...right? Plus Sephora gives a free birthday gift during your birthday month so I figured I could pick that up as well.

Before I went, I decided after looking through my collection that I would not be purchasing any lip products or eye products. I ended up deciding to swatch a few different Marc Jacobs and Nars blushes, and then pick one to purchase.

I ended up getting the Marc Jacobs blush in Irresistible ($30, 0.15 oz) which is described as a warm terra-cotta color. It is so pretty! I highly recommend this color for anyone with a medium/tan olive complexion because it will really pop against that skin tone.

As for the free birthday gift, this year Sephora is giving out a mini Make Up Forever lipstick and smoky lash mascara. I've had a sample of the smoky lash before, and it's a great volumizing formula. The lipstick is their Rouge Artist formula in color N9, a really nice neutral browny pink color. I also ended up redeeming some of my points to get a mini Buxom eye liner because I go through black eyeliner like it's going out of style and wanted to try the formula.

I'm really pleased with everything I got and am looking forward to using these products in the next few weeks :D

De-Cluttering 2014

Recently I was watching PinkSoFoxy's videos on Youtube and she has a MASSIVE makeup collection which she has been slowly downsizing and donating products she hasn't actually been using. I felt pretty inspired by her video and decided to take a look through my eyeshadows and lip products (the two products I tend to hoard) to see if I needed to just toss anything, or if I could donate it to a friend who would love it. After a quick 20 minutes, I came up with a pile of eyeshadow, lipstick and lipgloss.

Here's what I'm giving away and why:

• ULTA Singles (3): Perfectly pigmented and nice but I just NEVER use them.
• Stila Kitten mini: I already have a full size which I love, and received this as part of a kit.
• Starlooks Conquest: Dark navy blue, I really don't need a single in this color as I already have some in palettes that I use more frequently.
• Wet n Wild I'm Getting Sunburned: The only trio of the ones I own which never gets any love, even though the colors are super pigmented and pretty.
• Sleek The Original palette: I originally purchased this for the olive green on the right hand bottom corner, but I just never reach for this palette.

Onto the lipstick:

• Loreal Le Laque in I Laque You a Lot: This is an orange red, and just doesn't suit me.
• Milani Flamingo Pose: This color again, just doesn't suit me.
• Revlon Fuchsia: I have MAC Girl About Town which is the same exact color.
• Neutrogena Berry Bright: LOVE the formula, but the color doesn't work for me.
• Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy: Picked this up and then realized when I got home it was the exact same as MAC Rebel.

And lastly, the lipgloss (yikes):

• Lorac Christian: Just doesn't suit me and is better for a lighter complexion. Really nice formula though, and I got it as part of a kit.
• Julep Camellia: Got this for free with some nail polish, but baby pinks don't work for me.
• Cargo Route 66: Pretty pinky red that I just rarely ever reach for.
• NARS Place Vendome: The applicator is tiny and out of lazyness I don't use it.
• Mally Starburst: Got this as part of a kit which included Mally products I really wanted to try for cheap. I knew already when I got the kit that I wouldn't be keeping this color.
• Loreal Shine Stain in Coral Tattoo: Ugh it's too sticky for me, but these seem to be massively popular so I will give it to a friend to try out.
• Benefit Sugarbomb: Sample size I got for free, and I already have another one.
• Bella Il Fiore in Marie Antoinette: Beautiful color and texture, but I already have a lot of peachy glosses.
• Lancome Juicy Tube in Raspberry Ice: For some weird reason, I'm actually allergic to all juicy tubes. They are lovely glosses which are really popular so I'm sure it will find a good home with a friend.
• Chanel Controversy: What an apt name. I feel horribly guilty that I never use this expensive product, but I've just realized that I like wearing matte vampy lips rather than glossy.

Phew, that's all for right now. I'm using this as a sign to make sure I don't purchase colors I already own, and I'll be on a temporary no buy for a few months so that I can just shop my own collection and enjoy what I have!

Review: Tarte be MATTEnificent palette

I think if you read my blog, you knew this was coming. I have an unhealthy obsession with matte eyeshadows, so when I saw that Tarte was going to be releasing an all matte eyeshadow and blush palette I knew I had to have it! Because, I only have 5 other matte palettes...lol.

I love how the packaging has a geode print on it!

Keeping in the theme of rosy neutrals, which appears to be the trend for this upcoming Spring, Tarte has included a line up of 6 eyeshadows, 2 eye liner shadows and a blush. The special claims come from the colored clay aspect. Tarte has both a rose clay and vanilla clay incorporated in these shadows, which is supposed to give them the ability to soothe the eye area and control oil. To be honest, I'm not sure if it does this or not because I always use a primer underneath my shadows anyways. The palette retails for $36 (though I got mine for 20% off with an ULTA coupon) and contains a 3/4 size Amazonian Clay Blush and 0.6864 oz of eyeshadow. The palette also houses a large mirror and a dual ended brush, which is a flat shader on one end and a precise blender on the other.

The thing that sets the Tarte matte shadows apart from others, is how ridiculously smooth they feel. They aren't creamy, but they are unbelievably smooth to the touch and blend out like a dream. For my skin tone, I feel like I have to layer on the bush a little bit, but the effect is still very nice. I think this is the perfect all in one palette for a working woman because the texture and colors make it ideal for the workplace. Overall, I am super pleased with this purchase and highly recommend checking it out!

Simple EOTD: I used Sand Out from the Crowd as my browbone highlight, Peach for the Stars in my crease, Rose to the Occasion all over the lid, Pink Outside the Box on my inner corner, and a mix of View from the Taupe and Two Plums Up for my outer corner/lower lash line. I used Dream in Chocolate to do a soft winged eyeliner to complete the look. PS: Please excuse the eyebrows, I am in between threading sessions.

Review: Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream

I've had this in my collection for a while, but the reason I hadn't reviewed it as of yet was because this is one of the most unique lip products I own and it's taken me months to really figure out if I like it or not.

I purchased my cashmere lip cream in the color Bordeaux from Sephora (0.26 oz, $28) and it is housed in a traditional lip gloss packaging.

The formula of the cashmere lip cream is a cream to powder (matte finish). First off, that's weird for the lips; for cheek products sure, but powder on the lips? The formula glides on smoothly and is extremely light. Although it's name suggests its a cream, on the lips it feels even lighter than your typical creamy lipstick. The applicator is a flat paddle doe foot, which is probably the best way to apply because with the bolder colors you need that precise edge to perfect your lip shape. Alternatively you could always pair the product with a lip pencil in a corresponding color. Although the formula is very smooth, it doesn't feel particularly hydrating, most likely because of that powder finish, but I don't find that it is drying on the lips either. Bite boasts that the lip creams contain 4 times the normal pigment, and I would agree. What you see in the bottle is exactly what will come out on your lips.

In terms of delivering pigment and longevity, this product is definitely a win. But, every time I wear this that powder finish feels so strange on my lips! Overall it's a good product and I just need to get used to the feeling of it because its true to color and has a great lightweight formula. Have you guys tried these? How do you feel about the powder finish texture?

New Drugstore Makeup 2014: Eyes!

The drugstore is chock full of brand new items, which is super exciting! I find it easy to get a bit bored with the drugstore every now and then, so the beginning of the year is one of my favorite times to check out all of the new or reformulated products that all the drugstore brands bring out. In particular with regards to the eye products, I was drawn to the Wet n Wild, Maybelline and Loreal releases.

I guess we'll start off with my favorite finds, which come from Wet n Wild. This is probably my go-to brand for pigmented eyeshadows at the drugstore and for 2014 there are a number of new 5 pan eyeshadow palettes and single shadows that have been launched and will be part of the permanent line. I picked up one of the 5 pan palettes, and 2 of the single eyeshadows whose colors have been in the line but I think the formula has been reformulated (they were part of the "new" display). The two single shadows I picked up were in Brule and Nutty and o.m.g. the texture on these is incredibly buttery. The pigmentation is ridiculous and I've particularly fallen in love with Nutty which is a beautiful shimmery taupe-y brown. These retail for 99 cents, but I was able to pick them up for 69 cents a piece on sale.

 

 The camera doesn't even do Nutty justice, it is so beautiful in person.

I also grabbed the new 5 pan neutral palette called "The Naked Truth". I don't think the pigmentation and texture are quite as impressive as the singles, but they still pack a good punch and the configuration of finishes and colors is really lovely for everyday. These retail for $3.59 but there was an instant $1 off coupon on the palette so I got it for $2.59!

 

 

The definer and base color are matte, the browbone and eyelid are satin/shimmer and the crease color is a shimmer with gold flecks.

Alongside the new Wet n Wild products, I was able to locate a giant display with Maybelline products. A number of the single shadows and quads, which tout a reformulated more pigmented formula caught my eye. Keeping with the theme, I picked up a lot of neutral every day wear colors.

For the singles, Maybelline had 3 shadows that were in the taupe family, and I picked up the two that were a bit darker.

 

 

I don't actually have any experience with Maybelline singles, but I think they are reasonably pigmented and smooth. They are also very easy to build up and I can definitely see myself using Tastefully Taupe for a one eyeshadow casual look. These retail for $4.59 at my local CVS and they have a deal going where you get $5 for every $15 you spend.

The Maybelline quads however, I was really impressed with! There's a mixture of textures and the color combinations are well thought out. I think they are more pigmented than the singles. I've already worn these a few days in a row and I highly recommend checking them out. The quads retail for $8.59 at my local CVS.

 

 

 

I am really loving the Stylish Smokes quad and have no idea why it never caught my eye before. I think when I had previously tried the eyeshadow formula from Maybelline I wasn't impressed so I never thought to take a look at the color combinations.

Lastly, I noticed a new eyeliner display from Loreal. The eyeliner that caught my eye is the Silkissime liner in "Highlighter" which retails for $10.49. It's a lovely rose gold liner that is creamy and soft, perfect for brightening both the inner rim of the eye as well as the inner corner. I have a feeling that this is probably very similar to the rose gold liner that the Em Cosmetics line carries since Loreal is the parent brand. Not sure on the wear time and performance, but the color appears to be identical. 

That's all I've picked up for now for new eye products, but I'll be uploading another post soon with some lip products and face products that also caught my attention :)

Rosy Rumble: Naked 3 versus Lorac Unzipped

With the release of the newest Urban Decay Naked palette, I've seen numerous posts with swatches and reviews. However, the first thing I thought when I got the Naked 3 in my hands was how it closely resembled one of my other favorite palettes, the Lorac Unzipped. So, I thought I could do a comparison of the two in case you already own one and are considering the other, or are trying to figure out what might be the best value for you personally based on shade selection and price point.

Let's start off with the Naked 3. The palette retails for $52 and contains 12 eyeshadows inside with a variety of finishes including matte, glitter, satin and frost. There's 0.05 oz of each eyeshadow (for a total of 0.6 oz), and the palette comes with a dual sided brush (flat shader, stiff blender) as well as generous sized samples of UD's four primer potions. The packaging is some sort of metal which snaps into place when closed, and includes a mirror inside as well as a slot for a brush or eyeliner.

As you can see from the picture, there's a good range of light and dark colors which means you can really do just about anything from super natural to super smokey. There are three matte colors which are Strange (cream/yellow highlight), Limit (light pinky taupe) and Nooner (darker mauve taupe) which are perfect for putting in the crease. There's 2 shades with glitter, the first of which is Dust (light pink with silver/gold micro glitter) which in my opinion is one of the weaker shades in the palette. There's a significant amount of fall out if you try to use this dry so I prefer to either put down a tacky cream eyeshadow as a base or spritz my brush with some Fix +. Blackheart is the other shade with glitter (light black with red micro glitter) and I find this one much easier to manage. My personal favorite shades include Limit, Nooner, Trick, Factory and Darkside. While the palette is overall rosy, I think that there's a good incorporation of gold and gray in some of these shades. The eyeshadows are easy to blend and last well over a primer.

Moving onto the Lorac Unzipped. This palette retails for $40 and includes 10 eyeshadows (total of 0.39 oz) as well as a deluxe sized sample of the Lorac Behind the Scenes eye primer. It is housed in a very slim cardboard packaging with a large mirror.

The finishes of the eyeshadow include matte, satin, frost and glitter. One key point is that the highlight shade, Undercover is not matte, but a very subtle satin with a lovely sheen. If you are strict about a matte highlight, this could potentially be a deal breaker. The matte shades in this palette are Unconditional (mauve taupe), Unbridled (rich cranberry burgundy) and Unspoken (medium brown). The only glitter shade in the palette is Untamed (frosty brown with red micro glitter) but it's really a subtle glitter and very easy to use. The rest of the colors vary between a satin and frost finish. My personal favorite shades are Undercover, Unbelievable, Unattainable, Unbridled and Uncensored.

So, the comparison. Price point wise, if you're afraid to splurge $52, the Lorac Unzipped at $40 may be more do-able. That being said, price per oz the Naked 3 is actually cheaper than the Lorac Unzipped. From the packaging point of view, I will not lie, I'm sort of afraid of what could happen to my Naked 3 if I put it in a suitcase. I think the metal could easily be crushed, and the hinge is a plastic material which I worry will wear out over time (in fact, many people have had the Naked 2 hinge break which has the same packaging design). The Lorac Unzipped is simple and lies flat well, making it ideal for packing. Texture wise, the Lorac shadows are definitely more buttery and creamy compared to the Urban Decay but both have good pigmentation and blend-ability. As for the color selection, let's take a look at the swatches:

 

Left: Lorac Unzipped (top row to bottom row) and Right: Naked 3 (light to dark)

When swatched I think there are a few shades which are VERY similar. While the Unzipped highlight has a satin finish, I dare say on the eye both highlight shades have a similar look. Additionally, the light pink taupe shades (Limit and Unconditional) are pretty much dead on. The pinky rose gold color in the Lorac Unzipped is very similar to the one in the Naked 3 but has much better pigmentation (Unbelievable and Trick). The unique options in the Lorac palette are that you get some lovely brown-y shades as well as a burgundy. The Naked 3 however gives you unique options of gray as well as a truly dark color (Blackheart). 

Overall I would say that I love both of these palettes. However, depending on your personal preferences, you may want one over the other. But, the good news is you can't really go wrong either way! :)