Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in 11 Rose Ashes - Review

I picked up this product during the Sephora spring sale after having it on my wishlist. A few friends got the Eye Tints and raved about them, and I was thinking "Well, I really should be getting one of those, too!" So I did!

Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in 11 Rose Ashes

Wrist swatch of Rose Ashes

Rose Ashes is a slightly metallic rose tan with a greenish glow. It has a slight duochrome to it, especially when layered more thickly. The applicator is a doe foot. The formula itself is cool to the touch, and spreads easily, allowing for easy blending. The formula sets pretty quick, and then does not budge. The thicker the layer that is applied, the longer it takes to set. In the swatch above, I did a thicker layer and a thinner layer to show the pigmentation of the product. A thin layer gives a shimmery wash of rose gold. To get the metallic, more duochrome effect of the shade, a thicker layer is needed.

I applied this with my finger, as the doe foot was a little big for my lid, and I felt that I could blend the product more easily with my finger. I applied a thin wash of product all over the lid into and above the crease, and layered a little more onto the lid to build more of the color. During the day, the thicker layer eventually creased, which I am attributing to the layer being too thick, which makes sense.

The Eye Tint is a super easy product to work with, and I can see myself getting one or two more to add to my collection of eye products. Unfortunately, due to it being a high end brand, the price tag is a bit steep. The price per ounce for one of these is $172.72, which is better than the similar YSL Full Metal Shadow at $30 for 0.15 oz ($200/oz), though still up there.

Pros:

• Blends easily
• Dries to set quickly
• Thin layer provides good pigmentation

Cons:

• Will crease if the product is too thick
• Price tag :(

Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in 11 Rose Ashes - $38.00 for 0.22 oz
Review - 4.5/5

Sephora VIB Rouge Spring Sale Haul!

In all of its splendor, my sale purchases!

I know it's a bit late, but here's my sale haul post from the recent Sephora spring sale! I did some damage, but I had been good so far through the year with only really buying a gift for someone, and then buying a couple of items on my birthday. The first part of the sale clashed with IMATS weekend, so thankfully the sale extended to my next paycheck so I could finish my shopping! I think I got enough to tide myself over til the fall sale... (haha yaok.)

Here's a rundown of what I picked up:

• L'Occitane Almond Hand Cream - I love this hand cream!
• Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel - New item for me, heard it has a good pH so I'm excited to give it a shot!
• YSL Glossy Stain in 20 Rouge Enamel - Hoping this is a great summer color for me!
• Shiseido cottons - Always gotta stock up on these. If you haven't tried them, it's like a cloud for your face
• YSL Teint Touche Eclat in BD 10 - I love this foundation! I may have to exchange for B10, though.
• Shiseido Eyelash Curler - So much better for my eye shape than the Shu Uemura I was using before.
• Too Faced Melted Metal in Peony - SO excited to try this! 
• Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in 11 Rose Ashes - I've heard such great things about these, and my first use was amazing! I can't wait to get my review up.
• Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster - I've been wanting to incorporate a Vitamin C serum into my skincare routine, so I picked this up. It had great reviews and I can see why.
• Sephora Favorites Lash Stash To Go - I love mascara minis, and with this you get to pick your favorite and get a full size!
• Bumble and bumble Thickening Full Form Mousse - My favorite mousse. Makes my hair look full.
• WEN Cleansing Conditioner - Hopping on the co-wash train! This stuff is really great for my hair, but I don't like the price tag.
• Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré - I picked up the small size of this to give it a shot after multiple friends sung its praises. I have a few moisturizers so we'll see how this one fairs!
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin - After destashing my Naked palette, this is the only shade I really missed. It was sold out when Ulta had $9 single shadows, so I snagged it during this sale!
• NARS Audacious lipstick in Audrey - OMFG this swatches so amazingly smooth and I can't wait to wear it!
• Marc Jacobs lipstick in So Sofia - I looked at a few hot pinks before settling on this one. I love the new Marc Jacobs formula. 
• Surratt Smoky Eye Baton in Cendres - I've had Surratt on my wishlist for a while now, and of course Sephora stocks them during the sale! This little thing is tiny, but I can't WAIT to play with it! Hello, simple smoky eyes!
• Kat von D Ink Liner in Baudelaire - I'm not usually a fan of felt tip liquid liners, but I love a good navy wing and I wanted to try the new Kat von D liners out.
• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Moonlight - I've been dying for this shade.
• NARS Smudgeproof eye primer - Just stocking up here, move along...
• Marc Jacobs Highligher in Peri(dot) - Of course, new summer shades released during the sale. How strategic. My swatch of this didn't budge!
• Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bauhau5 - Another wishlist item being checked off!
• Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in #503 - Total impulse buy, but I'm into glossy lips right now! I've heard great things about the formula.

...and there you have it! You'll slowly be seeing reviews on most of these items soon, as I get a chance to use them! 

Review - ColourPop Highlighter in Wisp

ColourPop has just released their new highlighters, so I figured now is the best time to share my thoughts on the one that was included with my latest order! I was able to choose a mini size (which is pretty substantial!) highlighter out of three shades with an order over $40 a few weeks back, and I chose the shade Wisp.

ColourPop highlighter in Wisp

Wisp swatch

Wisp is listed as a "golden champagne with highly reflective hues of gold duo chrome finishes." ColourPop recommends using your fingers for the highest coverage, and a synthetic or duo fiber brush for a more air brushed look. I tried using a Real Techniques Setting Brush, my go to brush for cream highlighters, which barely picked up any product. When I used my fingers, I was able to get much better payoff. The formula is much softer and more spongy than other ColourPop formulas I've tried so far.

When applying, the highlighter spread nicely and I was able to blend easily. I kept it to the top of my cheekbones and my cupid's bow, so I did not see it really emphasizes any of my pores, since I kept it away from my larger pores on my cheeks. It gave a soft champagne gold glow since I blended it out with my finger, though unblended it can be quite bold.

This wasn't my favorite highlighter in the world, I'll be honest. I much prefer my Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors for cream highlighters as they can be applied with a brush and I don't have to go and stick my finger into a little pot. The mini I got is a good size, but I don't see myself collecting all of the highlighter shades from ColourPop. I could definitely see packing this as an "all over" color for a trip though - can slap it on lids, cheekbones, whatever in a pinch and be good to go.

As I've noted previously, ColourPop is a cruelty free brand. Wisp is a vegan shade as well, which is great!

Pros:

• Blendable
• Pigmented

Cons:

• HAVE to use your fingers, brushes basically don't work
• Very, very spongy/soft formula
• Packaging sucks for digging your finger around in

ColourPop Highlighter in Wisp - $8.00 for 0.15 oz*

Review - 2.5/5

* I listed the full size and price of the product, instead of the small size I received as a gift with purchase.

My First Back2Mac!

Nothing feels better than finishing a makeup product. I love the accomplished feeling of using up something I purchased. The Back2MAC program rewards that, in addition to helping recycle the packaging the products come in. You bring in six MAC empties (the best part - false lash cases count, too!) and you can exchange them for a lipstick or an eyeshadow! (Viva Glam is exempt, since all proceeds go towards a wonderful cause, and you should be purchasing those.) I've been hoarding my MAC empties, and I finally had enough for my first Back2MAC!

Car seat glamour shot

Here's my batch of empties. I have a Fix+, two Pro Longwear foundations, a Prep and Prime pressed powder, a Prep and Prime Lip (I SWORE I had another around my house! Ugh!) and a Rapidblack pen liner that is freaking ancient BUT I SAVED IT!

I was originally going to look for another Kylie Jenneresque nude and maybe pick up the shade Brave, but then I started swatching hot pinks and couldn't stop. Some of the shades here are Fusion Pink, Candy Yum Yum, Show Orchid, Impassioned (which I own, but I wanted to make sure I didn't dupe it!) Girl About Town, Full Fuchsia...I had a good time swatching.

Marking on the bottom so you know it was a Back2MAC

While I was going swatch happy, a Sales Associate asked if I needed help. I said I was going to be turning in some empties, and she checked to make sure they were all eligible while I swatched. She offered to have me try on any lipsticks, and I declined - I have a good idea of what will and what won't work for my by now. In the end I settled on Fusion Pink. The Sales Associate pulled it from the drawer, discarded the box, and marked the bottom of the bullet so that it can't be turned in again for another Back2MAC - which I supposed is fair.

MAC Fusion Pink

It was nice to be able to pick up a new lipstick without spending any money, in addition to being rewarded to finishing a bunch of products. With the rate that I go through Fix+ and Prep and Prime Lip, I'll be sure to be cashing in more empties soon!

Review - ColourPop Super Shock Eyehadows in Flux and Snap Dragon

One of my more recent ColourPop orders had some items from the Spring Collection (let's not talk about how many orders I've had, okay?) I finally got around to using two of the new eyeshadows, Flux and Snap Dragon, so I'm happy I can get to review them here!

ColourPop Super Shock Eyeshadows in Flux (left) and
Snap Dragon (right)

Swatches of Flux (top left) and Snap Dragon (bottom right)

Flux is a "light mint green in a matte finish." The shade looks gorgeous in the pan, the perfect springy mint that I've been searching for. However, swatching it doesn't look nearly as lovely. Flux swatches out more of a chalky whitish green shade. It feels more dry in the pan than some of the other ColourPop shadows I have, not as moussy and spongy. I tried to work with it using a synthetic brush and it fared better than using a natural brush. Even after building up the shadow over a primer, the color was just not true to pan - I was pretty disappointed.

Snap Dragon is a "mid-tone sea foam green in a matte finish." Again, the color in the pan is fantastic, and thankfully, it performs on the skin as well. The color was able to be built up to a vibrant shade, and looked great! The texture was that of the usual spongy cream to powder I've come to expect from ColourPop, and it definitely performed better with a synthetic brush. It blended out nicely as well.

I somehow have forgotten to note that ColourPop is a cruelty free brand, as stated on their site. These two shades are also vegan shades, since they are not listed on the FAQ list of non-vegan shades. Pretty cool that these are cruelty free for $5 each!

Pros:

• Dat price tag!
• Cream to powder formula
• Blends nicely
• Pigmented (Snap Dragon)

Cons:

• Dry texture (Flux)
• Not true to pan color (Flux)
• Needs to be applied with a synthetic brush for best performance (or a finger, you know.)

ColourPop Super Shock Eyeshadows in Flux and Snap Dragon - $5.00 for 0.07 oz (each)

Review:

Flux - 1/5

Snap Dragon - 4/5

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Lovely vs. Fyrinnae Lip Lustre in Ocelot

It's been a while since I've done a comparison post! I decided to go for liquid lipstick formulas this time, since they're currently super popular. The Anastasia formula is still pretty new, and I had one in my collection that looked quite similar to Fyrinnae Ocelot.

ABH Lovely (left), Fyrinnae Ocelot (right)

In the tube, the two products look pretty similar. The description for Lovely is "rosy pink." Ocelot is listed as a "warm dusty rose-pink."

ABH Lovely (left), Fyrinnae Ocelot (right)

Here is where we can really see the shade differences. It's worth noting that the ABH formula is a liquid to matte lipstick, but the Fyrinnae formula is not a fully matte liquid lipstick. Fyrinnae's formula is more of a mushed up lipstick that is spread on with a doe foot applicator with a comfortable wear, with more of a demi matte finish.

Outside of the tube, Ocelot really lives up to the warmth in its description, it is a warmer and lighter pink than Lovely. Both are definite rosy pink shades - Lovely dries down to a darker, completely matte finish due to the different formula. I wouldn't say that these are dupes of one another, though if you applied Ocelot over a darker lip liner, you could come close to matching Lovely's deeper pink shade.

It is also worth noting that Fyrinnae currently does not have the mini sizes of their lip lustres on their site, so I feel a little bit bad using mine for the product shot. But the product is definitely worth the full size if a fully matte lipstick is not your cup of tea!

Review - ColourPop Super Shock Eyeshadow in I Heart This

If you're getting tired of seeing ColourPop on my blog...sorry not sorry, I have a bunch more items to go through! This time it's an eyeshadow single, though.

ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in I Heart This 

Wrist swatch of I Heart This

I Heart This is listed as a "cool toned silvery taupe with multi colored glitter," with a metallic finish. I am a sucker for any and all taupes, so I immediately added this to my cart. Glitter is one word that aptly describes this shadow - there is definite fallout if you apply this with a brush. I even broke out the synthetic brushes I bought specifically for working with these shadows and I wound up with sparkly cheeks. I had much less fallout using my finger. The application with a brush allows for a sheerer wash of the shadow, but using a finger really builds up the metallic application. But I digress - back to the formula.

The texture a spongy cream, which makes picking it up with a brush difficult. The shadow itself is somewhat sheer, but can be built up As you can see in the swatch, the taupe color is there, but the sparkles really take over and add to the sheerness of the shadow, and the metallic finish doesn't help build up a solid color, so to speak. Blending out the edges of the shadow was easy once applied. I wore this over a primer, and experienced a little bit of fading over the course of eight hours - the metallic finish lost some of its luster.

Although the shadow has fallout and the color itself is a bit sheer, I've reached for this shadow a few times to punch up a boring neutral eye. It's sheerness allows itself to add a bit of glitter or sheen to an otherwise matte look, or be built up on the lid into something more intense. It isn't the world's best eyeshadow by any means, but it has found a place in my rotation!

Pros:

• Buildable
• Blendable
• True metallic finish

Cons:

• Glitterbomb
• Prone to fading
• Color needs to be built up

ColourPop Super Shock Eyeshadow in I Heart This - $5.00 for 0.07 oz

Review - 3/5

Review - Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

The Marc Jacobs Beauty line debuted in 2013, and apparently the lipstick formula kinda sucked. The lipsticks have been reformulated, and this shade was too pretty to pass up, so I picked it up a little while ago!

Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Wrist swatch of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is described as a "baked rose" shade. It's definitely a rose pink, leaning somewhat mauvey. (Not exactly sure how one bakes a rose.) Application is smooth and the lipstick is pigmented, needing only one swipe for true color, as you can see from the swatch. The finish is satin. The lipstick itself has no discernible scent, great for those who are sensitive. The formula is very comfortable on the lips and not drying. I experienced no feathering or bleeding, and I wore without a lip liner (though with a lip primer.) I did, however, experience some transfer during the day, and needed to reapply around lunchtime.

The packaging is one of those fantastic magnetic closure bullets, which keep my interest for far too long with clicking it open and closed. The bullet itself is plastic, which feels a tiny bit cheap, especially the top portion. A little unfortunate, given the price tag of the lipstick. Thankfully, the lipstick itself isn't lacking.

Pros:

• Smooth application
• Good pigmentation
• Comfortable formula

Cons:

• Not the most long wearing formula

Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - $30.00 for 0.12 oz

Review - 4.5/5

Review - ColourPop Lippie Stix in LBB

Here we are again, with another review of another ColourPop product! If you can't tell I am all aboard the hype train for ColourPop - and why not, for $5! I picked up the shade LBB after reading it was a shade dupe for Melt Cosmetics' Dark Room, since I was not about to pay the shipping for one lipstick.

ColorPop Lippie Pencil and Lippie Stix in LBB

LBB pencil (left) and lipstick (right) swatches

The shade LBB is described as a "rich plum wine with a matte finish." I find that this is more of a raspberry plum shade. Although the finish is described as matte, it actually is more of a demi matte finish, which is nice for those who don't like the super harsh liquid lipstick matte look.

I love buying the matching lipstick and lip liner when I purchase from ColourPop, because they're each $5 and I love having matching sets. The liner goes on smoothly with no skipping, and is decently pigmented. It has no discernible scent. However, it does not have the twist up packaging that the lipstick has, meaning you'll need to sharpen it. A bit disappointing, but at the price point, I can't complain too much. The lipstick itself has the twist up packaging, as well as a color matching button on the bottom with a sticker labeling the shade, and the applicator with color matching plastic. There is a slight vanilla buttercream frosting scent to the product, which fades quickly after application. The application is nice, but the color goes on a little patchy.

During the course of wear, I found that the lipstick begun to highlight any imperfections or flakes in my lips, even with the use of a lip primer beforehand. I did not find the formula to be excessively drying, however. I experienced no bleeding or feathering, but I did use the matching lip liner. There was some transfer to my cup throughout the day, as well as fading on the inside of the lips. Reapplication resulted in more patchiness, especially over the highlighted flakes. The matte formula shows its true colors here - although the finish isn't matte, the formula itself behaves like a matte. I'd suggest a thorough lip scrub before wearing, and thinking about if your lips are ready for a matte lipstick that day. The lipstick did leave a wonderful pinky berry stain on the lips.

Pros:

• Non drying
• Scent fades quickly
• Demi matte finish
• Leaves a stain
• No feathering/bleeding
• Twist up packaging

Cons:

• Highlights flakes
• Some patchiness
• Fading on inside of lips
• Product name (ugh.)

ColourPop Lippie Stix in LBB - $5.00 for 0.0352 oz

Review - 3/5

VIB Rouge paying off??

I received one of my Sephora spring sale packages yesterday, and upon opening I discovered the following:

...lo and behold, it had three full size NARS Smudgeproof eye primers inside! I only paid for one, my invoice only had one listed, and I checked my statement, and was indeed only charged for one. Happy accident, or the VIB Rouge gods smiling upon me? Thanks Sephora, for the $50 in free product - I'll take it!

Review - By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon

By Terry Ombre Blackstars are quickly becoming some of my favorite products (I've already mentioned this one in my March Favorites!) However, due to their hefty price tag (who said $43 was okay?!?!) I am slowly acquiring them. This one was sent to me as a birthday gift from the lovely bloggers of Pigmented Lips and Looking Good Enough to Eat. (u da real MVPs!)

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon

Wrist swatch of Bronze Moon

Bronze Moon is a deep burnished bronze shade that seems to glow from within. The cream formula glides on effortlessly, and is easily blended out with a finger or a fluffy brush. I recommend using a synthetic brush due to the cream formula, natural fibers just don't play as nicely. One swipe is wonderfully pigmented, as you can see from the swatch. The shadow sets quickly, but not too quickly that you can't blend out the edges. I wore this alone over primer, and did not experience any creasing throughout the day.

The packaging is a twist up pencil, which I prefer because that means you won't be losing any product to sharpening. There's a colored stripe near the bottom of the barrel indicating the shade of the eyeshadow contained within. Unfortunately, it isn't the most luxe feeling packaging, which I feel might be a little wanted at the high end level. Thankfully, the product performance makes up for it.

The great thing about this eyeshadow is that it can be applied, sheered out at the edges, and then the color can be built up. This shade can be used alone for a smoky daytime look, concentrating the most color near the lashline, and then blending and smudging out from there.

Pros:

• Long wearing
• Pigmented
• Smooth application
• Twist up packaging

Cons:

• Hefty pricetag
• Packaging is not the most luxurious for the price point

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon - $43.50 for 0.04 oz

Review - 5/5

Review - NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Ash Brown

I have been using this product for WAY too long without reviewing it! It's become one if my daily staples in my routine, and I've been recommending it left and right, especially to people who swear by the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Ash Brown 

Wrist swatch of Ash Brown Brow Pencil

The NYX Micro Brow Pencil is NYX Cosmetics' answer to the ABH Brow Wiz. To break it down, the Brow Wiz is $7000 per ounce ($21/0.003 oz) and the Micro Brow Pencil is $3333.33 per ounce ($10/0.003 oz.) So either way, it's a ridiculous price per ounce when you think about it! But the NYX is definitely cheaper, and is the same type of product.

The Micro Brow Pencil is a twist up pencil product that has a spoolie at one end. The product isn't too hard, which allows for feathering when filling in the brows. I picked up the shade Ash Brown, which is a cool toned shade perfect for my brows, but there are eight shades total in the line. The Micro Brow Pencil also blends nicely with both powder and brow pomades (coughDipbrowcough) so creating a structured brow look with multiple products is just as easy as ever.

Personally, I'm going to switch to the NYX pencil from the Brow Wiz, because $10 is a lot easier to swallow than $21, and Ulta has NYX on sale constantly, and I run through brow pencils pretty quickly. I haven't had any nitpicky differences, though I'm sure some have said it's too hard/soft for their liking. For me, it gets the job done and I love that price tag!

Pros:

• Twist up
• Spoolie end
• Easy to feather and blend

Cons:

• Ridiculous price per ounce

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Ash Brown - $10 for 0.003 oz

Review - 5/5

Sugarpill Celestia Nail Polish

Sugarpill released their new Heavenly Creatures nail polish line at IMATS NY, and I made sure I picked up a bottle while I was there. I picked up the shade Celestia, which looked like a rose gold shade - and I am  such a sucker for rose golds.

Sugarpill Celestia nail polish

The Heavenly Creatures nail polish line is 5-free, cruelty free, and vegan. The bottles contain 15 mL of product. I''m not too sure on the final price, since I picked mine up at IMATS and am unsure if I received special pricing. There's currently no release date on when they will be available online for purchase, but Sugarpill tends to drag their feet a little when it comes to releases - here's hoping they don't take too long!

Celestia is a gold sparkle polish with large flecks of rose gold hexagon glitters. It is very similar to Maybelline Color Show in Gilded Rose. I find that it is best over a base color, otherwise the nail will show through due to the lack of base color in the polish itself.

Manicure using Sugarpill Celestia

Here's a manicure I did on myself using two coats of Celestia over a coat of China Glaze Poetic, a metallic rosy shade.

I'm a little disappointed that the shade I picked up was basically a dupe for something I already had in my collection. A lot of the other shades seemed to be creme bases with glitter mixed in - not my sort of thing. We'll have to see what the actual release brings!

Sixteen92 Haul

So after reading tons about the brand Sixteen92 on the IndieMakeupAndMore subreddit, I decided to place my first order! I have been using the products for a bit, and it's finally time I got off my butt and wrote about what I purchased! Of course, since I waited for a while, some of the winter scents are no longer available. But I managed to get some spring scents as well!

Sixteen92 Hand & Body lotion and perfume oil samples

I picked up the following items:

• Blood Orange & Vanilla hand & body lotion
• Wintering perfume oil
• Toasted Marshmallow perfume oil
• The Orchard Keeper perfume oil
• Lolita perfume oil
• The Sound and The Fury perfume oil (a free sample!)

Blood Orange & Vanilla lotion - I picked up the hand and body lotion because I love blood orange as a scent. The scent description is "creamy vanilla swirled with tart blood orange - a lovely warm-weather gourmand, reminiscent of orange creamsicles or gourmet orange sherbet." I really get more of a creamsicle scent than anything of the tart blood orange variety. Not bad at all, but not the blood orange scent I was looking for, as the vanilla half of the mix overpowered the citrus I wanted. As for the lotion formula, it is moisturizing, but it takes a little bit longer to absorb than I'd have liked. It leaves behind a bit of a lotion-y feeling, not greasy or bad - just that feeling of lotion that is going to need a few more minutes to sink in. I keep it at my desk to moisturize my hands after using the bathroom as the soap at work is the world's cheapest possible soap for whatever reason, and the scent is definitely noticeable for a while after as I tap away at my keyboard.

Wintering - "The crunch of Fall’s last leaves underfoot, fragile and frost-blanketed. Dry hay bales, chilled earth, and thick honey warmed with gingerbread-spiced vanilla bean. Absolutes of hay, tobacco and beeswax (not vegan), patchouli, vanilla bean, spices (ginger, cinnamon, clove, etc)" I picked this up overlooking the patchouli note. I am not a fan of patchouli at all. Opening the vial and the first sniff, it's patchouli and a recoil and a scowl and regret. But it is my duty as a blogger to test things I may hate, so I apply the perfume and let it dry down - and I wait. And I sniff...gingerbread. Gentle vanilla. Fall air with a hint of woodsmoke. Goddammit why did I wait to apply this?!! Will I still avoid patchouli perfumes? Probably. But I'm glad I misread the notes on this. This smells like fall to me, including a hint of pumpkin pie spice. It definitely isn't a feminine scent, which is how I usually lean, but I can definitely see myself huffing this come July and going soooooooon.

Toasted Marshmallow - "Everyone’s favorite hot chocolate topping, gooey marshmallows lightly toasted over a campfire." This scent was the reason I placed my order - everyone RAVES about it! Or they hate it. Opening the vial the immediate scent is mallowy sugar. I can't really describe the scent other than "mallowy," I hope you get what I mean. Applying to the skin allows a very sweet sugary vanilla to escape, it hits right at the back of the nose, at the top of the palate. After the perfume dries, the marshmallow scent evens out. I don't really get anything toasted out of this, but I do get a strong marshmallow scent. When I first received this, It was very strong. After sitting for a while, it has mellowed out and is quite pleasant.

The Orchard Keeper - "Night blooming jasmine, peach, apricot, pink pepper, sandalwood." I picked this up because I am all about peaches and jasmine. Opening the vial, it's all peaches and apricots and wonderful fruitiness. When applied to the skin and after drying down, the fruits fade down to let the floral jasmine and sandalwood come through. The blend is lovely and summery, although the scent is a spring feature. The scent itself is light, and I've been reaching for it often. 

Lolita - "Crisp Apple Skins, Tart Peach Candies, Rose Absolute, Sugared Violet." Lolita is the other fragrance that drew me into ordering from Sixteen92. Reading the description, I knew I would love it. I am all about super fruity, girly fragrances. The first whiff after opening the vial is of the tart peach and crisp apple, just like the notes promised. As it dries down, it becomes even sweeter. The throw on this is great, I feel like a cloud of ripe summer peaches and strawberries. However, I find that although the initial scent is wonderfully encompassing, it fades quickly. I do love the scent, though. Lolita reminds me of an adult version of Victoria's Secret Love Spell body spray - that addicting scent without all of the horrible high school locker room memories.

The Sound and the Fury - "Southern sweet tea, Carolina jessamine, balsam, fern, warm skin musk, loam"  I received this as a free sample. Opening, it smells floral yet woodsy, definitely the balsam. No sweet tea, which I was looking forward to. On the skin, it dries down to the scent of a pine forest and greenery. Also loam! (I had to google what that was. It's apparently a fancy word for fancy dirt. So yup - more woodsy.) I was really sniffing for the tea, which was not coming out for me. Not a scent for me, as I prefer something with fruits and flowers or sugar. Or tea. 

I really enjoyed my first order from Sixteen92, and will probably be picking up a full size of Lolita when my sample runs out! I look forward to trying other scents from their catalog when I get the chance. 

Perfume oils work differently for different people due to skin chemistry. This is my experience with these perfume oils, which may differ for you!

IMATS NY Haul

Here's what everyone really cares about, what I bought from IMATS! I didn't take home too much stuff due to the Sephora sale being the next day, but I did take advantage of some of the super awesome discounts that some of the brands had. Hopefully next year I'll be better prepared!

Bdellium and Sigma brushes

I picked up three Bdellium Tools brushes - 781, 780, and 777. These I plan on using for cream eyeshadows like my ColourPop shadows, and my By Terry Ombre Blackstars. I was also given a mini Sigma E70 brush as a freebie at another booth - look how cute! This is my first Sigma brush.

Hakuhodo brushes

The Hakuhodo booth got some serious love from me. These three are for me, but I got about 13 other brushes for friends! I picked up two new eye brushes the J142 and J5522 for crease work, and the B002 for powder. The B002 is so, so soft.

Lit goodie bags

I got these ADORABLE Lit goodie bags tossed into my Lit purchase! I had a few dupes of some shades, so I sent them to friends, but I kept the purple one. They're full Lit kits, just micro sized!

Lit glitters and base

I love me some glitter. I picked up Lit glitters in Cher, Magic Dragon, Rich and Famous, and Cayman. I was also given the Naturally Lit trio to try out! I also was given a mini Waterproof Glitter Base to play around with.

Sugarpill haul

I was so excited to pick up some Sugarpill goodies! I snagged their new nail polish in Celestia, Sinnocent lashes, a tapered blending brush, as well as Chromalush loose eyeshadow in Charmy and Clickbait.

OCC Sebastian pencil and lip tar, and Z Palette

A large Z-palette for some depotting, and a mini Sebastian lip tar, and the matching pencil from OCC!

IMATS New York

Last week I had the pleasure of attending IMATS New York! It was my first time attending the convention, and I was really excited to go. In case you were wondering, tickets were $60 a pop, and no one under the age of 17 was allowed in. They took that rule super seriously, IDs were checked at the door. This convention was a lot less crowded than other conventions I have been to, but it definitely smelled a lot better. I only stuck around for about two hours, I basically bought the things I had come to buy, snapped a few pictures, and was on my way. I wasn't around to witness the YouTube guru drama that went down (somewhat unfortunately...) so I can't shed too much light on what happened with that.

Sephora VIB Rouge Beauty Before Brunch Event

It's that time of the year again - Sephora spring sale time! If you're a VIB Rouge, you recently received this email or invitation in the post:

The spring Rouge event is a closed door shopping event for VIB Rouge members to kick off the spring sale, which has been referred to as "chic week" in the past. This year, Rouge members get access to their discount four days before VIB members, who get access on the 16th. VIB members also get 15% off their purchases as well. Regular Beauty Insiders will receive 10% off starting on the 17th. (If you are not currently a Beauty Insider, it is free to sign up!)

The event at my store had contouring lessons, mini makeovers, and mini facials. I did not avail myself of any of these, since I had business after the shopping time and I didn't want a red face or an overly warm contoured face. There was coffee, water, fruit, and small pastries available. It looked like the store had its full force of sales associates working, all wearing bright red lipstick to celebrate the Rouge title. I spoke with two vendors, one from Stila, and one from Benefit. The Benefit rep was quite pushy, but I managed to walk away with no product, as I'm not a huge fan of Benefit products.

The Sales Associates were all friendly and helpful, although I was asked about a thousand times if I needed anything. One came over while I was examining swatches and we had a nice chat about which shade would look better on me, and I let her know that no matter which one I got, I'd have a dupe at home - I'm Rouge for a reason! I got a few samples made:

• Josie Maran Argan Milk
• Too Faced Hangover Rx
• Make Up For Ever Smoothing primer
• NARS Tinted Moisturizer in Finland

When I checked out, the Sales Associate thanked me for being a Rouge member. Something I know ALL SAs are supposed to do, but doesn't always happen - I'm sure they were specifically reminded that today was not a day to forget. I got the goodie bag, and here's what it had in it:

• Formula X nail polish in Tornado
• Benefit Puff Off! foil sample
• Nude Omega Treament Milk foil sample
• Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream perfume sample
• Shiseido Ultimune foil sample
• Alterna Caviar Repair Shampoo and Conditioner foil samples
• Buxom Full On Lip Cream mini in Pink Lady

I'm not too thrilled with the nail polish color, and I know other people who got other shades. I have a feeling it was a grab bag of slow moving shades. 

My main gripe with Sephora this time around is the discount. Why, if VIB Rouge is the top tier for rewards, do we get the same discount as VIB, who spend $650 less in a year (to qualify)? Why are we not getting a larger discount? Or at least, some other perk other than a few foil samples and a nail polish? Sephora really does need to step up their top tier rewards. Either up discount for sales so there's some differentiation between the top tiers, allow Rouge to have more than one promo code per order (I can only get the discount but not anything else?) or maybe allow me to have a discount on point perks? I really have to spend 100 points, technically 100 dollars, on a mini mascara?

Unfortunately, since sales on high end brands such as YSL come so rarely, of course I will still buy from there. However, I have not yet requalified for Rouge yet, when I had already requalified and then some at this time last year.

I'll be posting my sale haul at the end of the sale - there's still a week left!

Review - ColourPop Lippie Stix in Tootsi

I am all about the lovingly named "butthole lip" trend, and have been trying to find something close to the end all butthole color of Lime Crime Cashmere, which I refuse to buy for what should be obvious reasons. When ColourPop came out with their new spring shade Tootsi, you bet I immediately dropped what I was doing and added it to my order!

ColourPop Tootsi

Tootsi wrist swatch

Tootsi is described as a "cool toned grey beige with a matte finish." There is definitely a mauve undertone to this greige, but there is definitely the greige tone I was looking for when I purchased this shade. As for matte finish, ColourPop has yet to really figure out what "matte" means to them. There is matte and then there is what ColourPop calls matte, which is more of a very light natural finish that is achieved after blotting off excess product. Definitely more matte than your average satin or natural finish lipstick, but in no way as matte as say, a MAC matte finish lipstick.

Tootsi applies nicely from the tube, very smooth. The product is pigmented, and the color builds nicely. I only needed about two coats, but one will suffice. There is a slight vanilla scent to the lipstick that fades after application. To get a more matte look, blot the lipstick after application as mentioned earlier, or you will be left with a more satin finish. There was transfer onto my coffee cup, but the lipstick did not look bad on the lips after transfer. No super noticeable staining, but the mauve undertones matched my lips slightly. I did not notice any feathering or bleeding, or gathering into the lip lines. I wore this with no lip liner (though I did order the matching one!) and with a lip primer. I did not find this to be drying, but instead to be moderately hydrating, especially for something "matte." (Again, take that with a grain of salt.)

The packaging is a slim plastic tube, with a colored button on the end that coordinates with the color of the lipstick. The plastic applicator is also the same shade as the lipstick as well. The label on the bottom is a sticker, and the labelling on the side of the tube is silver holo. The side labelling rubs off very easily, which is a big negative. The packaging feels pretty cheap, but you're only paying $5 so I'm not too disappointed in that.

Pros:

• Smooth application
• Fits into the butthole category if you're into that
• Non drying
• No feathering or bleeding

Cons:

• Transfers
• Not actually matte
• Product name is "Lippie Stix"
• Holo labelling rubs off very easily

ColourPop Lippie Stix in Tootsi - $5.00 for 0.0352 oz

Review - 4/5

Review - Darling Clandestine /r/Hug of Death perfume oil

I initially missed out on snagging /r/Hug of Death, but I was able to pick it up in a destash sale! I'm happy to review it for those who may be lucky like me to find it in a destash sale and may want to pick it up. This is my first Darling Clandestine scent, and I'm excited about it!

Darling Clandestine /r/Hug of Death perfume oil

/r/Hug of Death has notes of "intense black tea infused with a trio of fruits—strawberries, blackberries and sweet red apples—grounded with vetiver and ginger and tonka bean." When opening the bottle, I am greeted with sweet, sweet fruits. Just fruits! I love sweet fruits, so I'm very happy that this is true to the description. When applied, the dried down scent has the fruity intensity of the initial sniff still there, but it slowly peels back to reveal the ginger and vetiver. As time wore on, the black tea came out to nicely balance the sweetness. The throw on the scent was nice - not too much, but I didn't need to keep sniffing wrist directly to see if it was still there.

I wanted to point out how gorgeous the bottle for this perfume is! I normally don't care what my perfume oils come in, what is inside is what counts, but look how cute this is! The label even has Snoo's little antenna. Displaying this is going to be a real treat.

I loved the concept of this perfume oil as well - something dedicated to the indie buyers of reddit. On release days, or just when something is linked on reddit, the influx of traffic has a tendency to overload servers, being nicknamed the "hug of death." I thought it was a really cute name.

Pros:

• Sweet fruit notes
• Fruit notes weren't too sugary/artificial smelling
• Nicely balanced by grounding notes

Cons:

• Did fade throughout the day

Darling Clandestine /r/Hug of Death perfume oil (Limited Edition) - 0.5 oz
Review - 4.5/5
Perfume oils work differently for different people due to skin chemistry. This is my experience with this perfume oil, which may differ for you!

Review - ColourPop Rebound Eyeshadow Foursome

ColourPop isn't really new anymore, they've been around for a little bit and have become quite popular. With $5 lipsticks and eyeshadows and $8 blushes that get the job done, who can say no? I picked up their spring release eyeshadow quad, the Rebound set, and am happy to review it!

ColourPop Rebound

ColourPop Rebound

Review - Haus of Gloi Honeybelle perfume oil

Seasonal releases from Haus of Gloi are becoming a larger and larger affair, so I decided to bite the bullet and order a full size of a scent that sounded good from the description - Honeybelle! It's arrived and it's time to review, so that you can decide whether or not you'd like to grab it while there's still a chance!

Haus of Gloi Honeybelle perfume oil

Honeybelle's description lists the notes as "A blooming orange orchard, orange blossom honey, soft white tea and creamy white amber." Opening the bottle, I am immediately punched in the face with a fist of amber. Solid, clear amber. No blooming orange blossoms, no soft white tea, no creamy amber note - just hard, clear amber. I checked the label to ensure it said Honeybelle, checked the website to make sure I ordered the right thing, and opened the bottle again - just more amber.

I dabbed the tiniest bit onto my skin and rubbed it in and let it dry to see if I got any more notes out of it. The drydown scent is that of the perfume aisle at Walmart - cheap perfumes mixed with that of old ladies and more amber. I took a shower.

Pros:

• Amber note is present.

Cons:

• All other notes were absent.

Haus of Gloi Honeybelle perfume oil - $15.00 for 5 mL

Review - 0/5

Perfume oils work differently for different people due to skin chemistry. This is my experience with this perfume oil, which may differ for you!

Cirque Colors Spring Release - Love Stone and New Moon

I love new nail polish collections almost as much as new makeup collections, and I fell in love with the new Cirque Colors Awakening Collection for Spring. I picked up two of the shades, Love Stone and New Moon.

Love Stone (left) and New Moon (right

Love Stone is a beautiful petal pink with gold sparkles. The base is a pink cream, and it took two coats to build to full opacity, and it comes to a shimmery finish with the glitter building up and overtaking the cream base.

New Moon is a stormy grey with silver shimmer mixed in. The base is a grey cream, and two coats was enough to build to full opacity. The finish comes to a nice shimmer.

I like Cirque polishes, and they have yet to disappoint me. I am happy with the spring colors I decided to pick up. They're a little pricey, but they do occasionally run sales, so keep an eye out!

Love Stone topped with Lit Cosmetics Oprah glitter in size 3

Here's a quick mani I put together for Love Stone. I topped it with Lit Cosmetics glitter in Oprah, size 3. It comes together to create a lovely shimmery pink look that reminds me of sakura petals.

The Awakening Collection is Limited Edition from Cirque Colors. Each nail polish is $13 for 0.45 oz.

Arcana Meow collection scents - Fluffing the Bunny, Jabberwocking, and Two Finger Ballet

My last indie perfume review went well, so I decided to keep it up! These perfumes are from the Arcana Meow collection, dedicated to the art of female self pleasure. I got decants of three scents out of the collection through the wonderful Ajevie's Circle for decants, and I am so happy with my choices!

Fluffing the Bunny - Madagascar vanilla, Tahitian vanilla, apricot, white musk, skin musk, and a tiny tickle of mint. From the bottle, the first scents are apricot, musk and vanilla, with the mint coming in at the end. After applying and drying down, the musk takes a backseat and the apricot shines through, with a mix of minty vanilla. I think this is a really great light spring scent that can carry you through the grey of spring to warmer days. This is my favorite, and I'm now desperately trying to track down a full size bottle!

Jabberwocking - Fresh gingerroot with ginger grass, strawberry, satsuma, raspberry, ruby grapefruit, apricot, chai, and green musk.  Upon opening, I'm met with strong chai and ginger, laced with the scent of berries. On the skin the grapefruit comes out more. After drying down and settling, the ginger and musk come out and combine with the citrus and berry notes and give out a very nice fresh spiced scent. Not too much like a heavy spiced Christmassy scent, but something fresh for spring. I can see this being a bit strong, but lightly applied I can definitely see it being a great spring and summer scent.

Two Finger Ballet - A delicate blend of French vanilla creme, white amber, sugared vanilla beans, caramel, and the smallest dab of opium. Opening the bottle, it's the immediate scent of a decadent creme brulee - caramel and sugar and vanilla all in one. A definite gourmand luxurious dessert scent. On the skin, a wonderful true cream vanilla note, that of the creamiest vanilla ice cream. As it dries, the creamy vanilla fades and blends into the caramel, which lingers and fills the nose to the point where you can taste the scent - excellent if you're trying to avoid sweets! A great dessert scent for those who love caramel and vanilla. I may try to track this down in a half or full size.

Once again, I've learned my lesson with limited edition indies - if it sounds too good to be true, order a full size!! This was my first Arcana purchase, and I will definitely try more scents!

Review - Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Carina

When my local Macy's got the Anastasia Beverly Hills liquid lipsticks in, I immediately rushed over to get my hands on some, since I am a sucker for both liquid lipstick and for hype.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Carina

Carina Wrist Swatch

Carina is described on the Anastasia site as a "hot pink." I definitely love the color, I held it next to both Kat von D Bachelorette and Berlin and they did not match, which is a good thing! The texture for this shade was more like a NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream than an actual liquid lipstick, but it applied nicely. I needed two coats for an even, solid color. The lipstick took a few minutes to dry down from the cream consistency to tacky, then to completely dry.

There was some small amount of transfer to my coffee cup initially, but not much. throughout the day though, more transfer began on the inner portion of the lips, which is expected. However, this formula had a tendency to bunch up and then flake off, leaving completely bare patches on the lips! I tried the 'press lips together to re-blend product' trick, but this just made the problem worse. I wore this with my tried and true MAC Prep and Prime lip, so I am not sure if the lipstick formula clashed with the primer formula, but then I went to remove the lip color, I could flake and remove solid chunks of color and product off my mouth. Pretty gross. The color did leave a stain though. I also did not experience any feathering, or gathering of the color into lip lines. The product has a weird lipsticky smell that fades pretty quickly.

Pros:

• Not exactly drying?
• Creamy consistency
• Pigmented
• No feathering

Cons

• Lipstick smell
• Some transfer
• Weird flaking/clumping/something issue that was not very appealing

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Carina - $22.00 for 0.11 oz

Review - 2.5/5

Spotted at Sephora - New Kat von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette

The new Kat von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette is on the Sephora site as VIB only, but check your friendly neighborhood Sephora/Sephora inside JC Penny - it may be waiting for you there! I was browsing and happened to chance upon it today!

The palette on display.

Swatched out over bare skin.

All of the swatches shown were over bare skin, two or three swipes using the sponge applicators provided for swatching at the store. Most of the shdaes are pretty pigmented and smooth, a few seemed to be powdery (check on the palette, it seemed quite new.) That black shade is lacking, though. I already have my matte neutral palette bases covered pretty well in my collection with the Urban Decay Naked Basics 1 and 2, as well as the Saucebox Etude palette, but if you're in the market, this may be a great item to pick up, especially with the upcoming Beauty Insider sale!