Review - Tom Ford Lips and Boys lipstick in Richard

I am SO excited to finally have my first Tom Ford lipstick. I snagged this one from Nordstrom a couple of days before the release of the collection since they had them listed. A little background - the Lips and Boys collection is limited edition, and was first released for only Black Friday. The collection was released again on December 26th and is now available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Bergdorf Gooman, and on the Tom Ford site. If you want to snag one, I suggest moving quickly, as they are disappearing!

Tom Ford Lips and Boys lipstick in Richard

Wrist swatch of Richard

When I got the package with the lipstick, I couldn't believe how TINY it was! Super, super little! It's a cute little thing though, definitely "clutch sized" as advertised. The lipstick itself has the Tom Ford logo embossed on the top. The shade is a plummy-mauvey-pinky shade, a very nice nude or My Lips But Better shade for me, at least. It's worth noting that the shade Richard is a direct dupe of the shade Negligee, which as a limited edition shade from the Fall 2014 collection. 

The application was smooth, and the formula creamy. The pigmentation was amazing, with full color on one swipe. The formula felt moisturizing, though as always, I paired with a lip primer. I also used a lip liner, and had no issues with feathering, bleeding, or gathering of color into the lip lines. There is a very distinct "lipstick" scent that fades a little after application. The lipstick did transfer onto my cup, and did not last through lunch. It was hard to tell if there was a stain left behind due to the color of my own lips. Overall, the lipstick lasted about four and a half hours on me before needing to be reapplied - this was because I had coffee and lunch. 

I must say, the Tom Ford lipstick definitely lived up to the hype. If I have the chance to get another mini or two from this collection I definitely will! The price per ounce for these clocks in at $457.14, with the full size Tom Ford lipsticks coming in at $500 per ounce, making the minis the better deal. My only worry is that since now that I know how lovely this formula is, I'm going to use up the mini and not be able to replace it!

Pros:

• Good pigmentation
• Creamy, smooth application
• Lightly moisturizing

Cons:

• "Lipstick" scent
• Limited edition
• Will transfer

Tom Ford Lips and Boys lipstick in Richard (Limited Edition) - $32.00 for 0.07 oz

Review - 4.5/5

FOTD - 12.30.14

It's been a while since I posted a Face of the Day, so I wanted to take one where I'm wearing a bunch of new products! I plan on reviewing the Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar palette, Tom Ford Richard lipstick, and Koko #103 lashes very soon! I didn't do any touchups to these photos, so please forgive the quality. Still learning to use my new camera!

Close up - eyes closed!

Profile shot

Face:

• NYX Honey Dew Me Up primer
• Maybelline Dream Wonder liquid foundation in 15 Ivory
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla
• Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow
• Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot! pressed powder
• Milani baked blush in Luminoso
• Anastasia Contour Kit (Sand, Vanilla, and Banana)
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim and Diffused
• Urban Decay De Slick setting spray

Eyes:

• Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown
• NARS Smudgeproof eye primer
• Inglot eyeshadow #353
• Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar (Coconut Creme, Mousse, Puddin, Licorice, Blueberry Swirl, Butter Pecan, Rum Raisin)
• MAC Pigment in Vanilla
• Inglot gel liner #77
• Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara
• Koko Lashes #103

Lips:

• MAC Prep and Prime Lip
• Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk
• Tom Ford lipstick in Richard

Review - Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Plum Pink

This is one of the first of the many items I received as Christmas gifts! I'm really excited to start reviewing and showing these off! I marked this as "purchased" since it was technically paid for (just not by me!)

Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Plum Pink

Wrist swatches of Plum Pink palette

I have had this palette on my wishlist for a few months, so I was excited to receive it! I am always in the market for more neutrals, and these plummy shade fit the bill. When swatching, they were a little powdery and patchy, but they apply much better over a primer and a base shadow. I wish the shadows were a little more "buttery" and smooth, but I was still able to apply with no fallout, and they blended nicely. Each shade was decently pigmented, though my favorite is the mid-mauve shade (second from the top in the quad.) I was able to do a complete eye look using these four shades. The shadows lasted all day over a primer and base shadow with no fading. Since I'm that person and work out with my makeup on after work (I need to not do this...) I was able to see that my eye look lasted through me being a sweaty mess.

The packaging on these quads is very luxe feeling, being a heavy metal compact with a magnetic closure, and the top has the Burberry check pattern. The quad came in a Burberry check pouch, with two mini brushes and a sponge applicator. One drawback to the metal compact is that is is super prone to fingerprints, but they are easily wiped off.

Pros:

• Pigmented
• Blendable shadow formula
• Luxe packaging

Cons:

• Slightly powdery
• Packaging prone to fingerprints

Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Plum Pink - $60.00 for 0.19 oz

Review - 4/5

Review - House of Lashes falsies in Au Naturale

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I've gotten a ton of new tools for blogging, including a fancy camera and a new laptop. Hopefully with these, I'll be able to post more often, and with better looking content!

This post is going to review one of my favorite pairs of falsies. Right now, I have about six backup pairs of these.

House of Lashes in Au Naturale

Close up of Au Naturale lashes

First and foremost - check out the adorable packaging! As a bonus, the packaging is all recyclable. Now, onto the lashes themselves. These falsies are very light, with natural looking lashes that are of varied length. The band is clear, which is always a plus. The lashes themselves are very long, which means I have to cut them down to fit my eyes, but it offers the benefit of a custom fit. The individual lashes are various lengths, which gives more of a natural feel. The ends aren't exactly tapered, but they aren't super blunt, like you see on some drugstore lashes.

The lashes themselves are a little fragile, so take care when taking glue off at the end of the day, or when taking them off your eyes. I find that since these are so light, they are perfect for everyday wear, as you barely feel them on your eyes.

Pros:

• Natural look
• Clear band
• Light on the eyes

Cons:

• A little fragile
• Pricey!

House of Lashes falsies in Au Naturale -$9.00 for one pair

Review - 5/5

Review - NYX Baked Blush in Chiffon

I'm a sucker for pretty shimmery things. I read that NYX's baked blush in Chiffon could be used as a soft, shimmery highlighter, so of course I went and picked it up!

NYX Baked Blush in Chiffon 

Wrist swatch of Chiffon

Chiffon is described as an "iridescent highlight." When swatched, it looks more like a soft, warm baby-pink shimmer than an iridescent shade. The shimmer is very fine, there are no big hunks of glitter. When blended out, the full effect is a very nice, soft, barely there pink highlight. I did find the product to be a teeny bit powdery, but maybe it's because I had to grind away at the dome of blush to get any good pigmentation for a minute, which is common with the baked line. 

Pros:

• No visible glitter, sheer shimmer
• Easy to blend out

Cons:

• Need to work off outer layer
• Can be powdery

NYX Cosmetics Baked Blush in Chiffon - $7.00 for 0.23 oz

Review - 4/5

Review - Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Aubergine

Finally, the last of the Bite Mix N Mingle minis that I purchased way back during the VIB sale at Sephora! I don't know why it took me so long to wear it, but here it is. Since this is available as a full size, I will be putting the full size info at the bottom, as the mini is limited edition. The mini is $12.00 for 0.031 oz.

Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon
in Aubergine

Wrist swatch of Aubergine

Aubergine is described as "eggplant" - clearly. However, this shade does not swatch or wear anywhere near an eggplant shade, as you can see. It's much closer to a brighter berry shade. The finish is more of a satin/matte hybrid than a solid matte. If you blot thoroughly, it's closer to a matte finish, but right after you apply, there's definitely more of a satin finish. The formula has good pigmentation, one swipe got me full color. The application was smooth, and the formula is more moisturizing than other matte formulas out there. There is a citrusy scent to the lipstick, but this fades after application.

While wearing, I did experience some transfer onto my coffee cup, but the lipstick leaves a good stain on the lips, so reapplication wasn't immediately necessary. I paired this with a lip primer, but I did not find the formula to be drying at all, quite the opposite. I would pair this with a clear lip liner at the very least, as it is a darker shade and since it is prone to transfer. The lipstick did highlight dry spots and flakes, and the color did gather into liplines a bit, so be sure to exfoliate before use (which, of course, I did not!)

Pros

• Moisturizing formula
• Smooth application
• Nicely pigmented
• Leaves a nice stain on the lips

Cons

• Prone to transfer
• Not extremely matte, more of a satin finish
• Gathers into liplines, highlights flakes

Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Aubergine - $24.00 for 0.05 oz

Review - 3.5/5

Review - Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Berlin

This is the other mini that came in the Kat von D set I was able to snag on Black Friday. Since it's a mini and the set was $10, the price for this is $5 for 0.10 oz. Full size info will be at the bottom of the review, as always.

Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in
Berlin

Wrist swatch of Berlin

I love minis - this one is so cute! It has all the aesthetics of the full size - a perfect mini. Berlin is described as a "warm rose" - I honestly haven't seen any very hot pink roses lately. It is a warmer toned dark pink in my book. Like the other shades in this line, the formula is on point. Smooth application, dries down to a very matte finish in about two minutes, giving you a small window to clean up mistakes. No scent really, which is good for those who dislike scented lip products. This comes with a doe foot applicator, which I find is precise enough to get a crisp line. The product is heavily pigmented, but I like to apply a light layer, let it dry, then apply another layer for optimal coverage and staying power.

The formula is slightly drying, but it is a fully matte formula so this is to be expected - I wore with a lip primer. I did experience a little transfer onto a cup, and the formula did one off when eating something a little greasy, but that happens to be the downfall of most lip products. However, quite a pigmented stain was left behind, so it wasn't very evident. I did not notice much fading before (obviously) needing to reapply after eating. I did not experience any bleeding or feathering, or gathering into lip lines or highlighting of flakes on the lips.

Another win for the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick formula. Make more shades, please! :)

Pros:

• Non scented
• Highly pigmented
• No bleeding/feathering
• Long lasting

Cons:

• Matte formula can be drying

Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Berlin - $19.00 for 0.22 oz

Review - 5/5

FOTD - 12.10.14

I am trying to get to work more...on time...than I have been, so here is my 20 minute makeup look that I managed to pull off this morning!

Hello from my car!

Eyes closed.

Here's a product list for you!

Face:

• NYX Honey Dew Me Up primer
• Maybelline Dream Wonder liquid foundation in 15 Ivory
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla
• Rouge Bunny Rouge Diaphanous powder
• Anastasia Contour Kit
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim and Diffused
• NYX Baked Blush in Sugar Mama
• MAC Fix+
• Urban Decay De Slick spray

Eyes:

• Anastasia Brow Wiz in Soft Brown
• NARS Smudgeproof eye primer
• Inglot #353 eyeshadow
• Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Mushroom
• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Sugar Frost
• Diorshow Overcurl mascara
• House of Lashes falsies in Au Nautrale

Lips:

• MAC Prep and Prime Lip
• Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Berlin

Review - Stila eyeshadow single in Kitten

I know this shade has been around for ages, but I finally got my hands on it! I received this in a swap with a reddit friend.

Stila eyeshadow in Kitten

Wrist swatch of Kitten

Kitten is described as a "shimmering nude pink." This shade swatched to be more of a shimmery champagne than a pink, much emphasis on the shimmer. I swatched this over bare skin, and it seemed to be mostly shimmer and less pigment. When using the shadow, the product was smooth and not powdery at all. I layered this over a nude shadow (Inglot #353) to create a shimmery nude champagne color on the lid, which went well with the matte nude eye look I created. The eyeshadow did fade a little bit throughout the day, though it did not crease.
Pros:

• Non powdery
• Smooth application
• No shimmery fallout

Cons:

• Faded slightly
• More shimmer than pigment

Stila eyeshadow single in Kitten - $18.00 for 0.09 oz

Review - 3.5/5

Review - Kat von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lolita

I was super excited to see that Sephora put out a mini duo set of the Kat von D Studded Lipstick in Lolita and the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Berlin on Black Friday. I was even more excited when I was able to check out in my cart with it, since I knew it would sell out quickly! (Of course, I saw it in store at like 3 PM the next day, so I need not have worried - I was still excited. Ebates!) Since the mini is only available in sets that are now long gone, I'll provide pricing and amount information for the full size below. The mini is 0.04 oz, and I guess in my set, is $5!

Kat von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lolita 

Wrist swatch of Lolita

I know a lot of people dislike minis, but I happen to like them, especially for lipsticks. I have never finished a lipstick, and with my ever growing collection of them, I doubt I ever will finish a lipstick. If I do, I'm sure I will throw myself a huge party, where I end up buying myself five more lipsticks to celebrate. That being said, this one is so tiny and cute! It's about 2.5-3" tall overall, and the case is a very lightweight black plastic. The non studded parts show fingerprints pretty easily, since it's black.

Lolita is described as a "matte dusty rose" - dusty rose is definitely apt here, but on my lips it pulled a tiny bit mauvey nude. In the swatch, there's a small bit of a satiny sheen to the finish, but after applying the the lips, it's matte. It isn't as matte as the liquid lipsticks in the Kat von D line, so if your lips can't handle the whole "matte as fuck," thing, this may be the kind of matte you need. Application was decently smooth, pigmentation was good, I did not need more than one swipe. These lipsticks are known to be very fragile, so I applied with a caution, and even so, mine bent a tiny bit and hit the side of the tube - I didn't even turn it up that much! This is true for both the minis and the full size, so buyer beware. There is a light vanilla scent that dissipates after application.

I was able to have my morning cup of tea without much transfer at all. I paired this with a lip liner (Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip liner in 14 C) and a lip primer, and experienced no feathering or bleeding. The formula did highlight some dry flakes as the day progressed, but my lips themselves did not dry out, but I have a feeling this was thanks to the lip primer. I also exfoliated my lips beforehand. I did not notice any fading on the inner lip or any color gathering into the lip lines.

I happen to like this little lipstick, so I may go and pick up another one or two of the regular size to see how they fare - I've heard they're pretty hit or miss, though. I'm happy I have a mini at least!

Pros:

• Good pigmentation
• Not OVERLY matte
• Little to no transfer

Cons:

• Fragile in the tube
• Highlights flakes
• Potentially drying

Kat von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lolita - $21.00 for 0.10 oz (full size)

Review 3.5/5

Review - Bite Beauty Lush Lip Tint in Raspberry

I've been trying to change up my makeup collection lately, and get rid of items I have been neglecting. I did a swap with a friend on reddit, and she sent me this Bite Beauty Lip Tint in return! I had been wanting to try this, so I was so pumped to get this! Also - it was new! What a great swap.

Bite Beauty Lush Lip Tint in Raspberry

Wrist swatch of Rapsberry

First order of business - when you use the product, the little white B in the middle DOES get all pink. But it does stay in the shape of a B! Moving on to less important matters - the product does hvae a light berry/fruity scent upon application, but this disappears quickly after applying. Application is smooth. The product is quite pigmented for something only being branded as a tint. The product has some slip to it, but not too much so.

During wear, the product did transfer onto my cup while drinking. However, a very nice stain was left behind, almost to the point where no reapplication was needed. (For science, I reapplied.) I wore with a lip primer, but I did not use a lip liner, and I experienced no bleeding, feathering, or gathering in the lip lines. The formula was highly moisturizing, and my lips felt hydrated during the entire course of wear, and even after the product transferred off to my cup, or was seemingly mostly absorbed into the lips, only leaving the tinted stain behind.

The Lush Lip Tint certainly lives up to its name - it does leave a very pigmented tint behind! I really like this product, and I will look to pick up another shade or two to review in the future!

Pros

• Highly moisturizing
• No bleeding/feathering
• Stains lips nicely

Cons

• Very prone to transfer
• Scented, noticeable when applying but fades

Bite Beauty Lush Lip Tint in Raspberry - $24.00 for 0.13 oz
Review 4.5/5

Review - Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in Fig/Date

I'm totally slacking on reviewing products - I have a whole bag of stuff I need to swatch and photograph, and a backlog of stuff to wear and review! I picked this lipstick duo up back during the VIB sale (and right now there is ANOTHER Sephora sale going on!) which tells you how long ago it's been since I've had this. I wanted to wear both colors before I reviewed it, and I finally got around to it!

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in Fig (left) and
Date (right)

Wrist swatches of Fig (top) and Date (bottom)

This is another one of the Mix N Mingle minis that Bite Beauty released for the holiday season at Sephora. I scooped up a bunch of these, as you can see by my past couple of reviews (and there are more coming!) I've decided to hop on the nude lip trend (a little late, as always) so this duo was perfect!

As I've come to expect from Bite's products, the formula is pigmented, long lasting, and high performing. Application was smooth, and the lipstick itself is creamy. Both shades applied with even pigmentation. There is a very light scent, a more lipstick-y scent than anything else, but it fades upon application. I did not find the lipstick itself to be drying, and did not experience any feathering, but I wore with a primer and a lip liner for both shades. While wearing Fig, I did find that after a time, the product did gather into lip lines slightly.

Pros:

• Smooth application
• Pigmented
• Non drying

Cons:

• May gather into lip lines during wear

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in Fig/Date - $12.00 for 0.05 oz (x2)

Review - 4.5/5

November 2014 Favorites

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving if you are in the US - and if not, I apologize for the long absence! I'm back with my favorite items for November. A lot of these are my go-to items, which I can't believe I haven't added to a favorites list yet!

1. House of Lashes eyelash adhesive - I've been wearing falsies on a daily basis for the better part of a year now, but I had yet to make the plunge into using this glue. I got it a couple of weeks ago, and now I don't know how I'm going to do without it! It dries to be 100% clear, which is perfect! The other glue I was using was clear-ish, which was okay, but not perfect. This also has a brush applicator, which really helps with messiness and cutting down on getting glue everywhere. It also gets to the right tackiness pretty quickly. I'm really happy with this! It's also iridescent somehow, and looks pretty cool!

2. Maybelline Dream Wonder liquid foundation -  I wear this in a lot of my posted 'FOTD' posts. This came out back in June, I believe, and was supposed to be a drugstore 'dupe' of Armani Luminous Silk foundation. Now, never having tried the Armani foundation, I still really like the Maybelline! I experience minimal oiliness, and the foundation stays put when set with powder. I apply using a beauty blender, and the application isn't patchy or anything. I was able to find a good color match within the line, but I hope they come out with a wider range of shades, as it's a bit limited right now.

3. MAC Prep and Prime lip  - I love this lip primer, I put it on under every lip product, even gloss. It's moisturizing, easy to apply, and gets the job done. It has no scent, which is an added bonus, as companies LOVE to add scent to lip products for whatever reason. It's also clear, so it won't distort the color of any of your lip products, though some people may want a product like MAC Lip Erase. I may look into other lip primers in the future just to broaden my horizons, but I always recommend this one to those in need of a good primer.

4. Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade - I use the shade Dark Brown, which I chose to picture here. I love this stuff! Anastasia debuted this product the beginning of this year, and it's become a staple in my routine. I use it either alone or paired with brow wiz, and it's super versatile! I can create a power brow, or a natural looking brow, just with this product. And the best part is that it doesn't budge! There is a bit of a learning curve with it, since you need to learn how much product you need to use to get the desired look. I use this with the Anastasia #12 brush, but any stiff angled brush would work, preferably a synthetic bristle brush. I highly recommend this for anyone looking to diversify their brow game!

5. NYX Baked Blush in Sugar Mama - NYX also came out with their Baked Blushes earlier this year, and it's a really great product. I have a couple of these, but I always reach for Sugar Mama if I need something soft that goes with mostly everything. Sugar Mama is a soft peachy color with a bit of sheen, and it adds a bit of glow to the cheek as well as color. The blush is nicely pigmented, but also buildable without getting clownish. I find that though it does have some shimmer, it isn't overly noticeable, so you can still add a highlight without turning into a disco ball. Definitely look into this line, if not this shade specifically!

FOTD - 11.25.14

I wanted glitter and wings this morning, and wound up putting a lot more work into my wings than I'd wanted to. I don't know if my liner or my brush is to blame, or just me being terrible at winged liner.

Hello! :)

Face:

• Becca Ever Matte Primer
• Rouge Bunny Rouge Diaphanous loose powder
• Maybelline Dream Wonder liquid foundation in 15 Ivory
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Creme Colour Concentrate in John Doe
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector liquid in Pearl
• MAC blush in Warm Soul
• Bourjois Java Rice Powder
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim
• MAC Fix+
• Urban Decay De-Slick spray

Eyes:

• Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown
• NARS Smudgeproof eye primer
• MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
• Bobbi Brown gel liner in Black Ink
• Lit Cosmetics glitter adhesive
• Lit Cosmetics glitter in Cher
• Diorshow Overcurl mascara
• NYX Cosmetics Wicked Lashes in Bashful

Lips:

• MAC Prep and Prime lip
• Performance Colors lipstick in Ginger Heart

Performance Colors Haul and Swatches

I'm happy that I get to be writing about another great indie company today - Performance Colors! I received my first order from them over this past weekend, and I got a chance to photograph, swatch, and test out a couple of the items. Performance Colors has been around for a few years (the Etsy shop was opened in 2011) so I'm a little late to the game here, but I'm really excited to finally be giving these products a try!

I ordered a little bit of everything - a trio of pressed eyeshadows, cream shadow sticks, and lipsticks. Turn around time was great, I received my order in less than a week. Everything was packed nicely in plastic bags with labels for each product, in a bubble envelope for protection. Just a head's up - I did have a coupon code for this order, but I did purchase everything with my own cashmoney.

Everything I ordered!

FOTD - 11.21.14

Happy (FOTD) Friday! Another glitter look today - this time I used the glitter as a liner to punch up a neutral eye.

Back facing camera picture!

Front facing camera - hello from the car!

Face:

• Rimmel Stay Matte Primer
• Rouge Bunny Rouge Diaphanous Powder
• Maybelline Dream Wonder liquid foundation in 15 Ivory
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector liquid in Moonstone
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Creme Colour Concentrate in John Doe
• MAC blush in Warm Soul
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim and Diffused
• MAC Fix+
• Urban Decay De-Slick spray

Eyes:

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow in Dark Brown
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown
• NARS Smudgeproof eye primer
• Inglot #353 eyeshadow
• Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette
• Bobbi Brown gel liner in Black Ink
• Lit Cosmetics glitter in Champagne Wishes
• Lit Cosmetics glitter adhesive
• Ardell #110 lashes
• Diorshow Overcurl mascara
• MAC Vanilla pigment

Lips:

• MAC Prep and Prime lip
• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Ibiza

Review - NYX Wicked Lashes in Scandal

When Ulta had their 20% off sale, I took the opportunity to stock up on my new favorite lashes - NYX Wicked Lashes in Bashful. However, due to a mix up at the Ulta warehouse, I received lashes in the Scandal style instead. I exchanged the other pairs I'd ordered in store, and figured I'd give the new style a try to see how I liked them.

...I wore them once before taking these pictures, and I tried to get them to look nice and new in the box. Sorry!

NYX Wicked Lashes in Scandal

Close up of Scandal lashes

I'm just going to be frank here - I wasn't a huge fan of these. I really didn't like how all of the lashes are very blunt looking at the ends, and there is no variance in length. They look very fake while wearing them, and not in a "goddamn I look fabulous!" way. They are somewhat similar in length to Ardell 120 Demi lashes, but with the 120 Demis, there is a slight variance in the length of the lashes, so they are more broken up and less uniform, therefore giving a slightly more natural appearance, though adding a nice bit of drama.

The lashes have a clear band, which is always a plus. The band itself was flexible, but supported the weight of the lashes. 

Pros:

• Clear band

Cons:

• Blunt ends
• Unnatural look

NYX Wicked Lashes in Scandal - $3.50 for one pair

Review - 2/5

Review - Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Guava

I'm not a huge lip gloss fan, but after my recent success with the Charlotte Tilbury gloss I picked up last month, I decided to give the Bite formula a try. Since they released a few of their gloss shades with their Mix-N-Mingle minis, I figured - why not? Better than paying full price!

Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Guava

Wrist swatch of Guava

Firstly, how mini is mini? The mini size that I purchased was 0.06 oz, with the full size product being 0.11 oz. It's worth noting that this shade is not available in the full size, it is only available as a mini sold in the small ornament boxes, or in the Mix-n-Mingle gift set.

Guava is a bright rosy mauve shade, that happens to be quite pigmented for a gloss. There is a scent, it is very sweet and fruity. The applicator is a typical doe foot, and application is smooth. The formula is a little sticky, but not as bad as some other formulas. The pigment of the gloss did collect into my lip lines over the course of the day, even while wearing this over a lip primer. I did not find the product drying, and I did not find that the product bled outside of my lips.

Pros:

• Pigmented
• Smooth application

Cons:

• Slightly sticky
• Heavy scent
• Collects in lip lines over wear

Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Guava - $12.00 for 0.06 oz

Review - 3.5/5

Baroque Cosmetics Haul and Swatches

For the last year or so, I've started dipping my toes into the world of indie makeup. Makeup meaning cosmetics, bath and body, fragrance - you name it, I'll buy it. There's a super helpful subreddit that I like to frequent, /r/indiemakeupandmore, that is a great place to start if you're new to the world of indie makeup, mostly because of the helpful community that can point you in the right direction. (If you're reading this from here, hi guys!! :D )

The owner of Baroque Cosmetics announced her new collection based off of the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim last week, and as soon as I had some available funds, I snapped some of the eyeshadows up (as well as a couple from her other collections!) She shipped them out that day, and they were in my eager little hands two days later. Talk about a killer turn around time!! I've documented the packaging and everything for you, along with some swatches!

Disclaimer - I did receive a blogger discount on these. However, I did pay for the product!

So nicely wrapped!

All unwrapped.

FOTD - 11.14.14

Happy Friday! I wish I had gotten a better picture of this look, but I was in a bit of a rush this morning. I was really happy with how this turned out!

Everyone loves a car selfie!

Face:

• Hourglass Mineral Veil primer
• Too Faced Primed and Poreless loose powder
• YSL Teint Touche Eclat foundation in B10
• NYX HD Concealer in 01
• Anastasia Contour Kit
• Pumpkin and Poppy contour powder
• Milani baked blush in Luminoso
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim and Diffused
• MAC Fix+
• Urban Decay De-Slick spray

Eyes:

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown
• Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown
• NARS Smudgeproof eye primer
• Inglot #353
• Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette
• Laura Mercier eyeshadow in Espresso
• Sugarpill loose eyeshadow in Lucid
• Lit Cosmetics loose glitter in Barbie Shops
• Bobbi Brown gel liner in Black Ink
• Ardell 120 Demi lashes
• Dior Diorshow Overcurl mascara

Lips:

• MAC Prep and Prime lip
• Make Up For Ever Lip Line Perfector
• Too Faced Melted Berry

Review - NARS blush in Almeria

I made sure to pick this up during the VIB sale, since I was unsure whether or not this blush would stick around past the sale. I'm glad I ordered it, because it was not on the shelves at both the Sephora locations I visited. Checking the site, Sephora lists this as "permanently out of stock."

NARS Almeria blush in Limited Edition packaging.

NARS Almeria, opened.

Wrist swatch of Almeria, no base.
Concentrated, then blended out.

I've always loved NARS' blush formula. As always, the product is finely milled, non powdery, and highly pigmented. Since I'm pale, I used a light hand and the NARS Yachiyo blush to apply to my cheeks (the swatch above was done with an eyeshadow brush, and blended out with a Hakuhodo J210 blush brush.) The blush is highly blendable, which is visible in the swatch above. 

This shade is described as a "tan rose," but I would describe it more as a plummy rose. When applied, there is a slight amount of shimmer on the skin left by the blush. However, in the pan, the blush appears to be matte. I'm really happy that for their LE Holiday shade, NARS went with a very versatile color that will play nice on a large range of skintones - it can be blended down for pale ladies like myself, but will be gorgeous on darker tones as well.

Pros:

• Highly pigmented
• Finely milled
• Blendable

Cons:

• Limited Edition

NARS blush in Almeria (Limited Edition) - $30.00 for 0.15 oz

Review - 5/5

Review - Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Gavi

I'm happy to start reviewing some of the items I got during the Sephora sale! Of course, I immediately decided to start with a Bite Beauty product. This shade of the Matte Creme Lip Crayons was exclusive to the Mix-n-Mingle mini ornaments that they released right before the sale. I do not know if this shade will become permanent and made into the larger crayon size.

Please ignore my small burn mark on my wrist swatch. I live an exciting life and got burned by a piece of very hot spaghetti squash.

Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Cray on in Gavi

Wrist swatch of Gavi

Just so we know how mini "mini" is here, the size of the mini is 0.031 oz, with the full size lip crayon being 0.05 oz. You are getting around 3/5 of the full size for half the cost, which isn't a bad deal! (Sorry the math isn't more precise, math isn't my strong point.)

Bite decided to stick with the new style of packaging for these minis, meaning that under the cap, the plastic is colored to match the color of the product. However, the bottom cap pops off for no reason, as there is no small sharpener hidden within. The product is a twist up, which is very nice, and has a slight citrus scent, keeping up with the formula of the rest of the line. 

The shade, Gavi, is described as a "fleshy peach/nude," which I say aptly describes the shade. The swatch above shows one swipe, which gave a very pigmented swatch. Application is smooth, as is expected from this formula. I found that the product was non drying and slightly hydrating, though I wore it over a lip primer. Fading began in the center of the lips, and I could not detect any sort of a stain from this shade. I did not experience any bleeding or feathering from this shade, and I did not use a lip liner.

Pros:

• Mini size! Who uses full lipsticks anyway?
• Twist up product
• Pigmented
• Smooth application
• Scent fades quickly
• Great deal on amount of product for $$

Cons:

• No built in sharpener
• Fades slightly over time

Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Gavi - $12.00 for 0.031 oz

Review - 5/5

Hello Waffle Rose Champagne vs. Shiro I Tried

I love rose gold. You know that song "All Gold Everything?" My theme song would be "All Rose Gold Everything." If it comes in a rose gold tone, I need it. My indie shadow drawer has a whole row of just rose gold shades. So today, I've decided to swatch two side by side that look a little similar in the container, to see how they swatch out.

To keep everything simple, Hello Waffle Rose Champagne will always be on the left, and Shiro's I Tried will always be on the right. 

Hello Waffle Rose Champagne and Shiro
I Tried

Product lids - Rose Champagne and I Tried

As you can see from the containers and the product in the lids, both shadows have a rosy tone to them. Rose Champagne is described as "a sparkly champagne color with a tinge of pink." I Tried is listed to be "that gorgeous rose gold that everyone's been wanting!" Let's swatch the two out before we continue to break down the shades any further. 

Swatches - no base

Okay, so maybe these two don't perform their best with no base. I swear that they are both there, left and right, just as I promised. From what's visible, Rose Champagne definitely has a more champagne colored base to it, while I Tried has a golden bronze feel to it.

Top row - over NYX milk;
bottom row - over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

There are the rose golds we were promised! Over the white base, Rose Champagne definitely delivers  on the description of the champagne based color, while I Tried has more of a rosy hue. Over Pixie Epoxy, both shades foil, with Rose Champagne taking on a metallic finish making it look reminiscent of rose gold jewelry. Overall, Rose Champagne has more shimmer to it, making it a good lid or highlight color, while I Tried would look great as a crease color with its more subtle luster.

Both of these colors were Colors of the Month for their respective brands, both at $6 for 2 grams of product. 

Sephora 500 Point Perks

Ever since Sephora introduced the 500 Point Perks, I've been very picky about how I spend them. Once in a while, something AMAZING will come up, and I want to have reserve points to be able to grab it! But when you think about it, 500 points = 500 dollars, if you disregard bonus point events, which happen so infrequently at Sephora it isn't really worth calculating.

The two point perks I grabbed were the Urban Decay Urban Obsessions mini palette, and the Josie Maran Argan Natural Wonders Set.

Sephora VIB 20% Off Sale

Sephora's VIB weekend with their 20% off sale is wrapping up. I recently posted my thoughts on the VIB Rouge private shopping event, so now it's time to post my haul from the sale. It's relatively modest, since I'm not picturing any gifts I picked up. I also left out a package of Shiseido cottons, because they didn't really fit well into my magic picture taking box. I'll be reviewing items as I use them! I also picked up a couple of 500 point perks, which I'll do a separate post on.

Sugarpill Lumi vs. Shiro Moon Prism Power

I love super sparkly eyeshadows. I also love super sparkly indie eyeshadows! I've decided to compare Sugarpill's Lumi eyeshadow with Shiro Cosmetics' Moon Prism Power eyeshadow, because the two are (somewhat!) similar. Both can be used alone, but they both look amazing over darker bases, or to add more shimmer to other colors.

Sugarpill Lumi on the right, Shiro Moon Prism
Power on the left.

From the initial picture, you can see that Lumi leans a bit cooler and is more of a basic white, while Moon Prism Power (MPP from here on out!) is warmer and pinker. For reference, the Sugarpill container has 6 grams of product (Sugarpill explcitly states that this product is known to settle a lot!) and MPP is 2 grams.

Product lids!

Both shadows over NYX Black Bean - Lumi on
left, MPP on right.

After swatching the products over a dark base, the differences are now very visible. Lumi is visibly cooler with a bluish shift, while MPP is warmer with a yellow/green shift. I included a picture of what the products look like in the lids, because this is how I personally apply loose shadows - but swirling/tapping my brush into the product lid!

Both of the shadows apply smoothly and blend beautifully, even over a base. These really do perform their best over a dark base, as seen in the photo above. Rest assured, if you have both, you don't need to worry about dupes - these are quite different from one another.

FOTD - 11.06.14

Gray and rainy by me today, so I decided to break out a metallic lip tar that I hadn't used in a while!

Face:

• Rimmel Stay Matte Primer
• Too Faced Primed and Poreless loose powder
• Maybelline Dream Wonder liquid foundation in 15 Ivory
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla
• Anastasia Contour Kit
• NARS blush in Sex Appeal
• Bourjois Java Rice powder
• MAC Fix+
• Urban Decay De-Slick spray

Eyes:

• Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Mushroom
• Ardell 110 false lashes

Lips:

• MAC Prep and Prime lip
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Black Dahlia
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Black Metal Dahlia

VIB Rouge Holiday Soirée

If you're a makeup addict like me, you probably spend way too much of your disposable income at Sephora. Last year, to accommodate the growing number of makeup addicts looking for better perks in their Beauty Insider rewards program, they instated the top tier 'VIB Rouge' level - spend $1,000 in a calendar year, and you attain this level. Free 3 day shipping, better samples, bonus shopping events. When you're a Rouge member, you begin to see invites like the one below pop into your mailbox during the year, for closed door shopping events.

This year's holiday shopping event was on a Wednesday evening, meaning they actually closed down the store for everyone but Rouge members, which was actually really cool! In the past, Rouge events had been on Sunday mornings at 9 in the morning - meaning the store was opening early, but us Rouge members had to get up early and drag ourselves to the mall when we would normally be in bed - not making us feel very catered to (me, at least...) These events usually promise gifts or samples - this year was a Shashi bracelet and a tote bag. There's always a tote bag, and I really like the tote bags, since they're great as reusable shopping bags, and who doesn't love to have those on hand? However, here is the bracelet that was given out:

...this is a seed bead bracelet on some embroidery floss. I'm not very familiar with Shashi, but a 30% off coupon was also given out, so I'm sure they also offer some better merchandise. I could go to AC Moore and buy the materials to make this myself for less than $5. I've spent well over a grand at Sephora over the past year (I re-qualified for Rouge back in March) and honestly, with a shoddy gift like this, I'm not feeling very appreciated. The usual makeup bag of small samples would have made me feel better than being given this, ESPECIALLY around the holiday season, where I go and dump a lot more of my hard earned money into Sephora in the form of gifts for my friends and family. 

I do think that it was pretty cool of Sephora to shut down their store and re-open it for Rouge members only during regular business hours to giver us some private shopping time - they knew they would make money, as they clearly know we already spend it there! But if you're going to push that we are so special and that you want to show your appreciation with "limited edition status gifts" - don't make them things that we can make for ourselves in our spare time. ...get more of those adorable mini Le Rouge lipsticks, THOSE were fantastic!