Monthly Archives
March 2015
Was ‘Pastel Punch’ a hit or miss? Read more below to find out my thoughts on ColourPop’s limited edition spring collection!
I couldn’t help it! I had to make a huge ColourPop order for Spring 2015! ColourPop recently released their spring collection, “Pastel Punch” with some beautiful pastel (duh!) eyeshadow and lipstick shades! Most of the lipsticks are of the pink and purple variety. However, the odd one out is “Tootsie” which is all-the-rage-greige and is supposedly a dupe for Lime Crime’s ‘Cashmere’ Velvetine. I’ve swatched the ‘Tootsie’ pencil next to ‘Cashmere’ below so you can see for yourself!
The pencils were definitely my favorite part of the haul. I haven’t met a ColourPop pencil that I haven’t liked! These are all very pigmented and can be worn alone on the lips or with a lipstick. I also purchased several pencils from the permanent range so I went ahead and swatched those too if anyone is interested. I’m telling you, me + ColourPop pencils = LOVE.
As far as blushes and eye shadows go, I picked up ‘Shop’, ‘Daddy’, ‘Snap Dragon’, and ‘Taco’ shadows and all three blushes: ‘More, Please’, ‘Olive’, and ‘Rain’. I also got several shadows from their permanent collection: ‘Sugar’ and ‘Ibiza’.
My least favorite from the shadows I purchased was ‘Shop’. It’s so dull against my skin tone! It is also matte which doesn’t help things at all! I was expecting more of a coral-shade, but this is much more “color-of-the -year” marsala. I much prefer the marsala & brick red colors in the 2015 Sephora + Pantone Universe Eyeshadow palette. Those are definitely more vibrant!
The standout eyeshadow for me was ‘Sugar’. This item is permanent and I really have no idea why I got it! It was next to ‘Ibiza’ on the website so I was just all “what the heck!? It’s only $5”. The pigmentation of ‘Sugar’ is unreal. It is a metallic shadow, but it still swatched smoothy and the shimmer was consistent throughout. From the limited edition shades, I really liked ‘Daddy’! The color is just beautiful and the consistency was super creamy even though it is a matte shade! I can’t see myself having any problems blending this out. Very pleased!
I love me some good ColourPop! But when they don’t hit the mark, they really don’t hit the mark. Which is so disappointing because I want to love everything that comes from their sunny California factory! But I can’t always become blinded by the great prices and the cute packaging.
These spring collection blushes are a hot mess! ‘Olive’ is way too patchy. For my heavy swatch, it took me 3-4 swipes from the pan to just get what you see above. It was chalky and heavy feeling, even on the blended swatch. I was expecting this color to be too light for me, but part of me was still hoping I would be able to work with it. Unfortunately, this one is pretty hopeless for my complexion. You can see how ashy it makes me look in the picture. Better luck next time …
‘Rain’ was also a miss for me, but not as much as ‘Olive’. I’m a little unsure about how one would wear a purple blush? It would make sense if maybe this was a warmer purple color, maybe a berry, but this is straight up cool lilac with some grey undertones. I’d be curious to see how this pairs with a cool contour on fairer skin. Will it look chic and fashion foward? Or too harsh for summer looks?
The only blush I liked was ‘More, Please’. I wouldn’t give it a 10/10, but maybe a solid 7. If ‘Rain’ is too far on the cool spectrum, ‘More, Please’ is on the opposite psychedelic, neon end. This blush is very pigmented and super creamy. You can see from my swatch, which is just one swipe from my finger, that this color is very bright. You are going to want to go light with the application and go heavy on the blending. One of the reasons I didn’t give this a higher score was because of the substantial amount of shimmer that is still visible even when blended out. Standing in the sun or taking pictures with flash photography, this shimmer is going to take its spot front and center all over you cheeks. I’m a fan of shimmer, but my cheeks are big and regardless of how much I tried to blend it out, this was just too shiny for me. If you are like me and think this is too bright for your taste, but you already purchased it, don’t fret! You can use this as an eyeshadow! Just put a dab on your lid and the shade becomes more wearable on a smaller canvas.
Overall, I’m still a ColourPop fan. However, this haul has grounded my previously undying love for ColourPop. The hype has now worn off for me and I am slowly starting to uncover flaws in their products and formulas that I previously overlooked. Since my ColourPop collection has grown significantly in the past month, I have begun to compare product quality and that contributed to the feelings shared in this review. I still love the price and the company policies, but I notice now that I have to think about product size and batch quality as well. Till next time folks!
ColourPop Lip Pencil Haul Swatches!
‘Julep’ is pictured with both the Lippie Stix and Lip Pencil
L-R: Taco, Sugar, Ibiza, Daddy, Shop, Snap Dragon
L-R: More Please, Olive, Rain
Swatches swatched once with finger straight from the pan then swatched with finger and blended out on my skin
Top – ColourPop ‘Tootise’ Pencil
Bottom – Lime Crime ‘Cashmere’ Liquid Lipstick
Not a new product, but something I’ve been eyeing for a long time! Finally NARS Taj Mahal blush is mine!
I’ve been ooogling over this blush for about a year now! Ever since I sold my last, worn out and cracked, NARS blush to Glambot, I’ve been thinking about replacing it with this beauty. Why it took me so long to purchase I will never know! But now that it’s in my collection I will never let it go!
This is undeniably one of the prettiest blushes I have ever seen for women of color. It’s perfect for summer with lots of shimmer and orange-y, coral tones. I can also see this being used as a highlighter or a blush topper. It’s just that versatile! And I promise I’m not exaggerating just because it’s finally in my possession! Check out these hand swatches! I mean look at that color! *drools uncontrollably*
L-R: fully blended out, slightly blended out, straight swatch
Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH) is having a breakout year! With their recent launches of single eye shadows, liquid lipsticks, and a cream contour kit, they are expanding their brand with some really distinctive, high quality products. The company recently added 34 lip glosses to their product roster and I must say these are incredible. Founder Anastasia Soare and her daughter, Norvina, have really shown us that the ABH train is on the move! Are you hopping on?
The Queen of Brows herself, Anastasia Beverly Hills, has released an entire line of lip glosses on her company’s website as well as in Macy’s Impulse Beauty stores and on Macys.com. These gems are part of the ABH pro line that has been quickly expanding due to Norvina’s recent promotion to President of the global cosmetics empire that is Anastasia Beverly Hills. It seems that her creativity has no limits and this extremely diverse range of colors proves it.
These new lip glosses have been slowly rolling out at Macy’s Impulse Beauty counters all over the country this month. Not all Macy’s stores will carry the pro line, so if you are interested in making a purchase, call your local Macy’s to make sure they carry the pro line products before heading over to take a look. I ended up purchasing five lip glosses and the cream contour kit (which I will review later and link here). With my purchase, I also received another lip gloss for free. The color is “Dollhouse” and it is predetermined meaning you can’t just pick any lip color for free. All the shades are gorgeous and because there are so many of them, there are more than enough colors to keep anyone busy for a very long time.
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Perk up beauty lovers! ULTA Beauty is about to bless us with their annual 21 Days Of Beauty event.
Beginning March 15th, you can get some of the best products from the biggest beauty brands for dirt cheap. There are new promotions starting everyday until April 4th and each day’s promotion only runs for 24 hours. You have to be quick to get these steals! If you want to check out the full list of exciting offers, head on over to ULTA’s website so you can make your list early!
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Glitter Elixirs are for those who just want to add a little bit of glitter to their lives. Literally, a little bit of glitter as these cuties come in tiny jars for a tiny price tag! You get 3g of custom mixed glitter for just $3. At this price why not try them all!?
I’ve just recently begun to experiment with glitter in makeup so I’m not a pro or anything, but it is fun and easy to mix up everyday looks with some sparkle! I found Glitter Elixirs as I was scrolling on Instagram one day and a gorgeous picture of some glitter lips caught my eye! After some major ooogling at the company’s gorgeous colors I found that the owner was looking for some help naming several of her colors so I had the opportunity to suggest a name AND SHE PICKED MINE! When I tell you guys I was thrilled, I was literally more excited than a kid in a candy store!
Because my name was picked, I got to select a few glitters to try for free (as a token of appreciation) so a few of these glitters I received for free. However, I ended up making a purchase from the brand a few days later because you gotta support small business (and because I couldn’t stop thinking about the color selection)! With all that said, I would totally recommend these to first time glitter users and experts alike. Even though I did receive some free, I placed a follow up order with my own money and I regret nothing!
The glitter is finely milled, high quality that is safe to use with makeup. Just remember to be very careful when using glitter as it is very messy. So take your time! Maybe put down some paper towels on your desk/vanity before you use these so you don’t get glitter everywhere.
Glitter Elixirs offers both solid color glitters and holographic glitters. The solid glitters are incredible and show up beautifully on camera, however, the holographic glitters are a little more difficult to photograph in makeup looks. I’ll try my best to get some shots so you guys can see them in action!
If you guys are interested in learning more about Glitter Elixirs or purchasing any of their products, you can visit their Instagram @glitterelixirscosmetics . Right now, all glitters are sold out, but there will be a restock in about a week. You can also check out their Etsy page here. As you can see, I’m pretty stocked on glitter right about now, so expect a ton of looks with these beauties soon!
All I can say is RIP to my bank account now that I have discovered Becca Cosmetics! This pressed powder highlight launched last week and I eagerly ordered it from the Sephora website a few days ago. Keep reading for more thoughts and lots of product shots!
I can’t believe I am just now finding out about how amazing Becca Cosmetics highlighters are! Why hasn’t anyone told me!? Today will go down in history as the day I upped my highlighter game!
This beauty is the BRAND NEW Limited Edition Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in BLUSHED COPPER. This color is everything. For my darker skinned ladies (medium/tan – darker), I would highly recommend using this as a highlighter this summer. This is a must have in my opinion. The color goes on so smooth and it is very blendable. You can add just a sheer layer of color with a larger powder brush or go more heavy handed with a denser brush. In the photo below, you can see how this color looks blended out on the left side of my hand. On the right, you can see a non-blended swatch straight from the pan, to my finger, to my hand. Either one is gorgeous!
Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate this packaging! Rose gold is really on trend right now and I know Becca Cosmetics scored some fans with this choice. The entire base of the compact is rose gold instead of the standard black packaging. I love this feature that adds to the limited edition appeal of the compact. It also matches perfectly with the product! Inside the compact, you have a nice amount of product with a geometric design on top. There is also a fairly large mirror that takes up the entire inside of the flip top.
Just so you understand how obsessed I am with Becca Cosmetics, I wanted to let you know that I will be going to Sephora this week to swatch some blogger favorites I have been getting acquainted with. I am especially excited about the new cream highlighter line they recently launched as well. It features favorite shades like Opal and Moonstone in a cream consistency. You all might be hearing more about Becca Cosmetics in the near future!
Got any questions? Leave them in the comments below!
So I went absolutely INSANE at my local beauty supply store yesterday! I was in the mood to buy some funky lip colors at an affordable price. After being disappointed by the NYX selection at Ulta, I lucked out by finding the holy grail of unusual lip colors at the beauty supply. And the best part was they were only $1 each!
I have seen so many people talk about these Ruby Kisses Matte Lip Lacquers all over Instagram! I had never heard of the brand, but by the time I saw them on my way out of the beauty supply, I didn’t have time to think about it, I just grabbed a bunch! These colors are $3.99 each and they come in a pretty large tube. Each one comes with 0.3 oz. of product, which is a ton of product (compare that to Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks at 0.11 oz. and the Rimmel Lip Velvets at 0.169 oz.). These don’t really dry matte on your lips, the consistency is more like the Rimmel Lip Velvets. They end up being a creamy satin and I wouldn’t advise eating with these on as these do slide around. The area around your lips might look like a child’s finger painting when you are done eating!
I picked up the colors ‘Narcissism’ (Coral), ‘Wonderland’ (Pale Purple), ‘Bellagio’ (Deep Blue), ‘Fiesta’ (Fuchsia), ‘Pool Party’ (Sky Blue), and ‘Glace’ (Yellow). Some of the colors have a subtle iridescence (like ‘Bellagio’) to them that doesn’t really bother me. It isn’t shimmery or anything, it just reflects more than a true matte lip shade would. Overall, I don’t love them, but I like them enough and I can see myself using them in the spring!
L-R: Fiesta, Narcissism, Bellagio, Pool Party, Glace, Wonderland
Now on to the main show! I went to the beauty supply with the intention of getting several bold lipsticks in colors that you normally don’t see at the drugstore. I ended up finding the most amazing display of Nicka K Cosmetics with more than enough bold lip colors to choose from. The best part is that these products are each $1. So i just went crazy and bought 20! I got a combination of lip & eye pencils and a ton of actual lipsticks.
This haul was so much fun I think I’m going back for more soon! I want to try these colors out for the spring and summer and also use them to do more non-traditional (read: not everyday, natural tones) makeup looks. If you get just as excited as me about any of these colors, let me know and I can list the names so you can go on your own adventure to the beauty supply!
Just take a moment to digest these babies! Done? K, keep reading!
I can feel a glitter kick coming on! I finally bought Too Faced Glitter Glue so I could use glitter in my eye looks! I know there are probably other alternatives to this $21 product for applying glitter, but since I’m not a pro at it, I wanted to get the very best to make sure the glitter really stuck down to my eyelids. The last thing I need is glitter flowing down my cheeks!
While I was out buying the glitter glue, I realized that it would be super fun to put glitter on my lips as well! Novel idea, I know! So I hit up my local beauty supply hoping to find some really funky lipsticks I could use as a base. If you are interested in learning about that beauty supply adventure, click here to read more.
My first foray into glitter lips is Raving Beauty Cosmetics ‘Love Song’ glitter paired with Nicka K Cosmetics ‘Smalt’ & ‘Black’ lipsticks mixed. This lipstick is the perfect consistency to be able to hold on to all that glitter. It is super creamy and the entire look wasn’t heavy on my lips. When I spoke, I felt like I was talking funny at first, but that sensation quickly went away as I grew used to the product.
I know this look isn’t wearable, but it sure was fun to create! I am perfectly fine just rocking this around the house while doing dishes and vacuuming the carpets. I can promise you there will be more lips like these to come!
