Sunday, March 30, 2014

Review: City Color Cosmetics "Be Matte Blush"!

Spring Shades for $2.99!

City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Blush
City Color Cosmetics was introduced to me by good ol' Ipsy when I got my February bag. They sent me one of the Be Matte Blushes and I was very impressed! I decided to place an order on their site citycolorcosmetics.com just to give some other colors a try and make sure that I just didn't get lucky with Ipsy haha. I got my order fairy quickly and shipping wasn't too bad. I was just a little hesitant because shipping cost more than 2 of these blushes! Each blush only cost me $2.99 but I managed to get an extra 20% so they were a steal!
You get a lot of product and the color range is pretty good, a total of 8 colors. It's an amazingly smooth matte blush which isn't too common in the drugstore. It's a bit powdery when you first dip your brush into them but they apply evenly on the cheeks. But heads up, they are very pigmented! So make sure to use a light hand. Here are the swatches!
City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Blush
From left to right:
*Blood Orange- A red with orange tones just like the name states! Leaves a beautiful flushed look on the cheeks when used lightly.
*Fresh Melon- A pinky coral color, one of my favorites! Perfect for spring.
*Pink Grapefruit- A baby pink that is more on the cool side. It's a nice, natural shade.
*Blackberry- A mauve-pink, also one of the more natural colors. I received this one initially in my Ipsy bag and its just as amazing as the rest.

Bottom line:  These blushes are gorgeous + the price makes you want to get them all! I really like them. They're pigmented and smooth...everything you want in a blush! They can be easily blended too. For only $2.99 I would give you guys the green light to give them a try. I'm excited to try out more products from City Cosmetics since I ended up winning with these blushes! Normally if a product is affordable it lacks in quality but these don't at all! :-)


Friday, March 28, 2014

Review: E.L.F Studio Eye Enhancing Eyeshadow Palettes!

A Palette For Every Eye Color!

ELF Studio Eye Enhancing Eyeshadow Palettes
E.L.F has done it again! They came out with amazing eye shadow palettes personalized to every eye color! Now... we all know that rules are meant to be broken ;-) so you really don't need to use the brown palette if you have brown eyes. But the thought process behind these palettes is awesome. They're meant to enhance your eye color with day to night looks. They retail for $6 each but I got them on sale for $3 each on eyeslipsface.com. They have a nice mix of shimmers and mattes in each palette with a total of six shades! Here's a close up:
ELF Studio Eye Enhancing Eyeshadow Palettes
The colors are beautiful! If I had to pick one to call my favorite it would have to be Brown Eyes 1. I just love the color combo and that pop of blue completes the palette. The pigmentation of these is really good and can be used wet or dry. I wasn't impressed with other E.L.F palettes, specially the bigger ones that come with 100+ colors. They were horrible which made me a bit skeptical on these but I'm super happy I gave these a chance.  Here are the swatches with primer:
ELF Studio Eye Enhancing Eyeshadow Palettes
Brown Eyes 2- I love the 1st shade in this palette! I'm a sucker for a great brown haha.
ELF Studio Eye Enhancing Eyeshadow Palettes
Hazel/Green Eyes 2- This is the first palette I tried and was blown away! The gray and pink shades are my favorite from this palette.
ELF Studio Eye Enhancing Eyeshadow Palettes
Blue Eyes 1- This is the palette that I see a lot of people gravitating towards! It's the perfect neutral palette with great matte shades.
ELF Studio Eye Enhancing Eyeshadow Palettes
Brown Eyes 1- I love this palette and this is the best one for my eyes! That second shade looks great in the crease and the first one all over the lid. The gold color is also amazing! The E.L.F Smudge Pots would also be amazing bases for these shadows!

Bottom line: These palettes are worth a try! The color selection is great and if you want to stick with the plan you can pick the one that suites your eye color or think outside the box and pick the ones you like. For the price these are really good! I would wait for a coupon code to surface so you can get them for 50% off. They're pigmented, smooth but just a bit powdery... that's my only con. Stay away from the bigger palettes that have a bunch of colors, those aren't pigmented at all. These are better and worth every penny! :-)


Monday, March 24, 2014

Review: Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer!

Break Your Diet & Have Some Chocolate!

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
I was a bit skeptical about makeup products having scents but my mind changed completely as soon as I dove into this milk chocolate goodness! Too Faced has many different bronzers to suite everyone and this Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer is a new release for us light to medium skin tones. It retails for $30, kinda steep in price but I've never found a bronzer that suites me as well as this one! I purchased mine at Sephora. The packaging is the first thing that caught my eye, it's really pretty! The second thing that caught my attention was the scent... it smells amazing! For all you chocolate lovers this is the bronzer for you. The scent isn't overpowering and it doesn't linger but just that initial sniff when you open the compact makes you come back for more!
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
The inside has a nice sized mirror. The matte bronzer doesn't seem to have orange tones like the original Chocolate Soleil Bronzer. I'll include a picture of both below so you can see the difference. I've tried many bronzers before but they always ended up looking a bit muddy or dirty. When I used this one I fell in love! It's a lighter brown with grayer tones which looks more natural on me when I contour. It's practically fool-proof for those of us just starting to contour! I use an angled kabuki brush to contour. Here's the bronzer compared to the original:
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
On the right is the original bronzer which is visibly more orange and a darker. This one would suite people with medium to dark skin tones. Once I get some sun in the summer I'll probably switch over to that one haha. They're both matte which is perfect! It's a super smooth formula which allows it to be buildable if needed. I also use it on my forehead and lightly dust it on my face for a sunkissed glow. I never thought a bronzer would be an essential part of my makeup routine but after giving this one a try I can't imagine myself without it! Here's a swatch:
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
It doesn't look like much just swatched but it's beautiful when applied on the face. I haven't found a cheaper alternative yet for this bronzer but I'll be on the hunt. Hopefully one comes up! :-)

Bottom line: I love this bronzer and I would recommend it to my fellow light to medium skin tones. It's a great product and I've used it everyday since I purchased it. It brings life back into your face when foundations make you flat. It adds just the right amount of color so you look sunkissed and lets face it... we are all searching for that youthful glow! ;-)

Do you have a favorite bronzer? If so leave a comment down below! :-)

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Review: E.L.F Essential EX-tra Lip Gloss!

New Glosses For Only $2!

ELF Essential EX-tra Lip Gloss
The Essential's line from Eyes Lips Face is stepping up their game! This line is coming out with new products that are turning out to be really great, comparable to the their Studio Line. The Essential EX-tra Lip Gloss comes in six beautiful shades, each priced at $2. I ordered three of them and I really enjoyed these!
ELF claims that these are ultra smooth and rich in color which is actually the best way to describe them! The are loaded with so many ingredients like Vitamin A&E, Cocoa Butter, Avocado and Grape to keep your lips moisturized throughout the day. These feel really nice on, very smooth and hydrating without lacking on the color payoff. With just two swipes the color you see in the tube is exactly the color you'll have on. For the most part these are all cream finishes, they do have micro shimmers infused in them but they're barely visible. They add just a little "umph" to make your lips look fuller! I really stray sway from lip products with shimmers but these don't bother me at all, you can't feel the shimmers when you wear it. Here are the swatches:
ELF Essential EX-tra Lip Gloss
From left to right:
*Marc- a neutral pink, really wearable!
*Joe- a coral, this one was a bit patchy but still a beautiful color.
*Michael- a wine, my favorite color! Looks great and its not too vampy.
Now lets take a moment to acknowledge the cute names! They all have guy names, so unique! And the brush is also really great. It's not your typical brush, in the first pic above you can see what the brush looks like. It's perfect for applying the gloss and for precision! Out of the colors that chose I would for sure recommend Michael! I've been wearing it non stop and I've received so many compliments!

Bottom line: Make sure to give these a try! They're not in store yet since its a brand new product but you can always order from eyeslipsface.com. They're not sticky at all and they feel amazing on! The lasting power is about 3 hours which is about average for a gloss. I like these better than the ELF Studio Glosses. I plan on purchasing the rest of the colors. :-)

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Must Haves: Covergirl Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation + Rimmel Stay Matte Powder!

Best Combo For A Flawless Face!Covergirl Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation, Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

It took a lot of testing but I finally found the best combo for a flawless face! The best part is that both products are under $10!
 
Covergirl Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation- This foundation is amazing! It's really light weight and looks natural while still providing coverage. It's a buildable foundation; medium to full coverage if you need it to be. The Covergirl site claims that the formula fuses a primer, concealer and foundation in one. Personally, I still use a primer and concealer but you can definitely get away with just using the foundation if needed to! My shade is in 832 Nude Beige and its a perfect match. They have a nice range of colors plus there's the Queen Collection for deeper skin tones. I use the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to apply the foundation; the sponge is also a favorite! ;-) This foundation lasts all day and leaves a demi-matte finish on the skin. Some matte foundations leave you looking flat or zombie like but this one leaves your skin looking beautiful and smooth! Another pro is that it has a pump; makes everything so much easier. This foundation is about $10 at your local Walmart!
 
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder- Every good foundation needs a great powder. The Rimmel Stay Matte Powder is definitely a drugstore gem! This powder is available in 7 shades and is about $4-$6 at your local drugstore. I purchased mine at Rite Aid. The Rimmel site claims that it provides up to 5 hours of shine control while also minimizing your pores. I must agree, this powder does a great job at controlling shine! It's a really smooth powder that doesn't need touch ups. It continues to control shine throughout the day without a problem. It doesn't move or cake up the foundation which is also a plus! I've repurchased it multiple times and even though I've tried other good powders nothing compares to this one. I have the shade Sand and it pairs perfectly with the foundation! :-)
 
Covergirl Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation, Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
 
Do you have a foundation & powder combo that works for you? Leave a comment down below if you do! :-)


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Review: Wet n Wild "Walking The Red Carpet" Palette! + Lorac Pro Palette Dupes!

Wearable Colors & Great Quality!

Wet n Wild Walking The Red Carpet Palette
When I think of great eye shadow palettes I always think of Urban Decay! They have awesome pigmentation, great color selection and long wearing. Wet n Wild shadows are very comparable at such a great price! I've never found a Wet n Wild palette that I didn't like and the "Walking The Red Carpet" is a really good one! It has a nice choice of nudes and gold colors that are my cup of tea. This palette was only $4.99 at Walgreens. The colors are all rich in pigmentation, smooth like butter and work very well together. So far... this is my favorite Wet n Wild palette!
Here's a close-up of the colors:
Wet n Wild Walking The Red Carpet Palette

The packing in the permanent line is black so I'm not sure if this one is limited edition. I found it on a special display with a few new nail polishes too. Just like the rest of the six pan palettes this one has the words of where to apply them engraved in the eye shadow... but who really follows that? ;-) 
I was surprised to find a few colors that resembled some from the Lorac Pro Palette! I'll include the dupes I found at the end. Lets start off with the swatches first:
Left row:
Wet n Wild Walking The Red Carpet Palette
 Right row:
Wet n Wild Walking The Red Carpet Palette
All the shades are beautiful! I only had problems with the second color from the right row, the texture was slightly gritty and it had chunky glitter in it.
Here is a picture of the Lorac Pro Palette:
Wet n Wild Walking The Red Carpet Palette

And here are the dupes I found from the Lorac Pro Palette! (Click to enlarge):
Wet n Wild Walking The Red Carpet Palette
From left to right (Lorac pro on the left and Wet n Wild on the right):
*Lt. Pink and 1st shade on the left side of the WnW palette- the pink shade in the pro palette is just a bit darker.
*White and 1st shade on the right side of the WnW palette- the white shade in the pro palette is completely matte and the shade from the WnW palette is a satin finish. The colors are similar and both are great for highlighting!
*Pewter and the 4th shade on the left side of the WnW palette-  the pewter color is more metallic but they are both in the same color family.
*Gold and the 3rd shade from the right side of the WnW palette- the gold color has more orange tones but both are very similar and look amazing on the lid!
 
Bottom line: This is a great palette at a great value! The colors are beautiful and the quality is just the same as a $40-$60 palette. Why pay more... right? Next time you're at the drugstore make sure to pick this palette up! :-)

 
 


 


Sunday, March 16, 2014

Must Haves: Benefit Cosmetics "Rockateur" Blush!

My Everyday Blush!

Benefit Cosmetics Rockateur Blush
I'm slowly trying to test the "high end" makeup waters and while doing so I came across a blush that I'm obsessed with! I love adding new blushes to my collection but I noticed that I tend to lean to the more bright pinks and corals. I searched around Sephora.com for a bit... trying to find a more wearable color for my first high end investment. I read and heard so many great things about the Benefit blushes, specifically the newer one to the line, Rockateur. It looked beautiful on the site so I decided to give it a try! It retails for $28, kinda pricey but after using it for about 2 months now I must say it's totally worth it!
The description on Sephora.com states that it's a provocative rose-gold cheek powder accented in luxe gold. Sounds so luxurious right?! ;-) The packaging definitely stands out in my collection plus is a small sized box that doesn't take up too much space. The blush itself is breathtaking! I searched long and hard within my collection to see if I had a color close to it and I didn't. It's a really unique color that will suite everyone; a beautiful blush for fair to medium skin tones and an awesome highlight for the ones with deeper skin tones.
Here's what the blush looks like:
I've used it quite a bit so the some of the detail is gone but that goes to show how much I love it! It's silky smooth and nicely pigmented. To me, it seems rose-gold with more pink tones... just beautiful! It has a satin finish, no visible shimmer when on. It's makes you look youthful and leaves your skin glowing!
Here's a swatch:
Benefit Cosmetics Rockateur Blush
This is a must have blush in any one's collection! On days when I don't know which blush to wear I always choose this one. It looks great with the natural looks and the glamorous ones too! You'll be getting your moneys worth when you purchase this blush because like me... you'll be using it almost every single day! :-)

Do you have a blush that you're currently obsessed with? If you do leave a comment down below to see what I should try next!






Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Review: Milani Rose Powder Blushes!

Limited Edition Spring Blushes!

Milani Rose Powder Blushes
It's amazing how powerful the words "Limited Edition" are! ;-) As soon as I saw these on Milani's website I quickly placed an order. There's a total of 4 blushes in the Milani Rose Powder Blush line and I ordered 2. I picked the two that I thought were most wearable. These blushes look so beautiful! They have a pretty 3D rose engraved in them which makes it perfect to put on display on your vanity! If you collect makeup these would be perfect for you.
The packaging is just clear and gold, really sleek looking. They look more expensive then what they really are; only $7.99 each. Clinique has some blushes that resemble these, with an engraved flower as well for $21 so this would be a great alternative if you don't want to spend that much. You get so much product with these too, 17grams so you'll have blush for a very long time! Here's a close up of the blushes:
Milani Rose Powder Blushes
You can really tell that Milani is great in their attention to detail! Now lets talk about the blush itself. On the back of the blush it states that its an ultra silky-soft powder blush that delivers the perfect amount of color and easily blends onto the cheeks. I don't agree with it being ultra silky-soft which is a bummer because I had high hopes. It's not a bad blush by any means but it's a bit chalky and powdery. I can tell that it would easily accentuate dry patches on your cheeks if you don't moisturize prior to using them. They are highly pigmented which is great, you just have to make sure to use a light hand with them. These are all matte blushes which I love too, you don't find too many of those in the drugstore. The site itself claims that these are multi purpose; they can be used shape, contour and highlight your face. I wouldn't use these for anything else other than blush haha. Milani also mentiones that these are streak free... I wish I could agree but they are a bit streaky. Here are the swatches:
Milani Rose Powder Blushes
From left to right:
*Tea Rose-  a light Rose
*Coral Cove- a bright coral
I wanted to include 2 swatches of each in different settings, the one on the right is under studio lights without flash and the one of the left is with flash. In the first pic you can see a little bit of residue that they leave behind. The second pic just brings out the colors so you can see how bright they are!
 
Bottom line: These aren't as great as Milani's Baked Blushes so I would say to purchase these if you're into collecting makeup. These would look great on display and its nice feeling to know that you own something that's "Limited Edition". The price isn't bad for the amount of product you get. If you can overlook how powdery these are then I would say go for it. I'm pretty happy to have these in my collection and I will continue to use them. Just make sure to try out some of the baked blushes if you haven't, those are amazing! :-)






Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Review: E.L.F Essential Smudge Pots!

Best Eye Bases For $3!

ELF Essential Smudge Pots
I haven't been so excited about an eye product in a very long time! You guys know I'm a blush hoarder and love collecting lippies but I wanted to test out something different so I purchased these ELF Essential Smudge Pots. It didn't set me back too much money wise, they are super inexpensive at $3 each ($1.50 on their 50% off sales!). I ordered them directly from the ELF website (eyeslipsface.com). There's a total of 9 colors but I got 6; more of the neutral colors and a blue one for a pop of color haha. I own some of the Maybelline Color Tattoos and these ELF ones are comparable if not better!
The packaging is really nice! Normally it's a hit or miss with the Essentials line but these are really amazing! The site mentions that these are made with a gel formula which makes them really smooth and I must agree! They glide on like a dream and the best part... they don't crease! These are really long wearing and nicely pigmented. On the site they also mention that they can be used as an eyeshadow and an eyeliner too! Its such a versatile product. They look great alone or as base for your favorite shadows!
Here are the six shades that I picked:
ELF Essential Smudge Pots
From left to right (Click on image to enlarge):
*Ain't That Sweet?- a milky baby pink
*Gotta Glow-a copper-gold
*Back To Basics- a true gold with more yellow tones
ELF Essential Smudge Pots
These were opaque in about two swipes, it doesn't take too much product to get the desired color payoff. They are super creamy and smooth!
ELF Essential Smudge Pots
*Cruisin Chic- a taupe brown
*Brownie Points- a copper brown
*Ocean Bound- a bright blue with shimmer
ELF Essential Smudge Pots
I love that copper shade! I tried out the blue one as a liner and it looked amazing! The shimmers didn't fade throughout the day.

Bottom line: I would recommend these! I love them and have no complaints! They stay put all day and don't budge. I wore one of the golden shades to my nephews birthday party and after a few hours of playing and running around it still stayed on without a problem. Even when I was trying to remove the swatches off my hand with a makeup remover wipe they wouldn't come off haha. That definitely proves that its long wearing. For only $3 each you're getting a 2 in 1 product! Its such an amazing product at a wonderful price... give them a try! :-)

Monday, March 10, 2014

Review: Covergirl LipPerfection Lipcolors!

New Shades!

Covergirl LipPerfection Lipsticks
Recently I went on a blush overload and completely forgot about my previous loves... lipsticks! I love bright, vibrant lipsticks so when I saw these Covergirl LipPerfection Lipcolors I knew I had to have them! The LipPerfection line has been out for bit now but they released some new beautiful shades. I own two previous shades and I love them. The lipstick is super creamy and hydrating, one of my favorite lipstick lines from the drugstore! They retail for about $5 each and I managed to get these new shades from walmart.com. The packaging is amazing, definitely stands out from other affordable lipsticks. It's like a gunmetal color, super sleek! I love how they display the color you're getting at the bottom of the lipstick. Here are the swatches:
Covergirl LipPerfection Lipsticks
*Honeyed- a peachy pink nude with a cream finish. I have very few nudes in my collection because I don't think they're too flattering on me. This one looks really pretty on, doesn't wash me out and it's also a great mixing color. It does emphasize fine lines on your lips, but most nudes do.
Covergirl LipPerfection Lipsticks
*Yummy- a baby pink nude with a cream finish. I owned Mac's Cream Cup (before it melted!haha) and this one remind me a lot of it. Cream Cup is a slight bit darker but still in the same color family. This would be a great alternative for it! This one applied more evenly than Honeyed.
Covergirl LipPerfection Lipsticks
*Sweet- a bright medium coral with a cream finish.  I love this color! It's perfect for spring and summer. This one is a more opaque color but just as creamy as the rest. I'm looking forward to wearing this one! :-)
Covergirl LipPerfection Lipsticks
*Bombshell- a bright fuchsia with a cream finish. This lipstick has the best color payoff of the bunch. It really complements my skin tone and looks amazing with a neutral eye! I love the shine these lippies give off, makes your lips look great!

I'm not drawn to any shimmer or frost in my lipsticks which is why all of these are cream finishes. These last about 2-3 hours max so they're not too long wearing. They don't claim to be long lasting but they do claim to improve the texture of your lips in 7 days. I'm not sure how true that is but I must say... my lips feel smoother after wearing them!

Bottom line: If you're looking for a great inexpensive lipstick give these a try! The line has a great color selection and a range of finishes. They are really smooth and creamy so they feel amazing on. They have a vanilla scent with hints of a plastic smell but nothing that lingers. The best part is that in most drugstores you can get these on a BOGO sale. :-)







Saturday, March 8, 2014

Updates: New Blog Name: Makeup, Fashion & Royalty! Follow Me On Bloglovin!

Stay Connected...Follow Me!

Family
Hey everyone! I wanted to let you guys know that I just changed my blog name from His & Hers Fashion 101 to Makeup, Fashion & Royalty! The new name suites my blog and content a lot more so I'm super excited to announce this change. I wanted something different, that would represent my blog better and the new name does just that! Fun fact: I added royalty at the end because my name is Reina which is Spanish for Queen. ;-)
 
I really appreciate the people who have followed me, hopefully you guys will continue to follow me in this transition!
 
PS: How cute is the picture above?! My niece and nephew were helping me sort some new makeup products! haha.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Review: E.L.F Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush!

New From Eyes Lips Face!

ELF Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush
I love it when Eyes Lips Face or E.L.F releases new products! They are so inexpensive so I don't feel as guilty when buying all of them! Haha. I stumbled upon these brand new blushes from their mineral line so I was very intrigued. I mostly order from their Studio Line so I'm not too familiar with the Mineral Line. These retail for $5 each which is more on the expensive end of E.L.F's spectrum. I managed to get them while they had their 50% off everything sale recently so they were only $2.50, not bad!  These are not sold in stores yet but you can order them from eyeslipsface.com. I've had these for a little over a week now and gave them a try; here are my thoughts!
ELF Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush
The packaging feels a little bit cheap, more so than the studio blushes. It's just a lightweight plastic that snaps shut. But overall, not bad... as long as the product inside is awesome right? ;-) They initially reminded me of the Sonia Kashuk Beautifying Blushes, they have new black packaging that looks identical! They only difference is that the Sonia Kashuk blushes have a magnetic closure. The site claims that these mineral blushes are meant to look natural and also be long wearing. They are also infused with Vitamin E and Grape which provides anti aging benefits. I must say... these blushes are really outstanding! They are completely smooth and not powdery at all when compared to the Studio Line blushes. They apply really well and are super blendable. You look like you have flushed cheeks, the kind of look you get when you're outside on a hot day... sun kissed! They are nicely pigmented and in no way patchy. You only need the tiniest bit to achieve a nice look. I purchased all 4 blushes that they currently have in the line and here are the swatches:
ELF Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush
From left to right:
*Sweet Retreat- a light mauve-pink with a sheen
*Cabo Cabana- a light peach with gold shimmer
ELF Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush
*Jet Setter- a medium mauve-pink with a sheen
*Wanderlust- a plum with silver shimmer
The colors are beautiful! I just feel like the line is pretty limited. The colors are in the same color family and when seen with the naked eye they all look really similar. I wished they had a bright pink or a deeper coral but other than that I really like these. I used Jet Setter recently and it lasted through an 8 hour work shift. Didn't fade one bit and looked just as vibrant as when I first applied it. It looked natural, kinda like it came from within!

Bottom line: Make sure to give these a try! The colors are amazing and the quality is really good. For only $2.50( when on sale!) I would recommend to purchase every single color. The claims mention anti aging benefits, something I never heard of in blushes. I can't attest to that yet but in the long run that would pretty cool if true. The Studio Line has a lot more colors to choose from if you're looking for a bigger selection. The colors aren't as natural as these, so if natural is what you want give these a try! :-)

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Spot it & Buy it: City Color Blushes & Contour Kit! + Promo Code!

Great Products At Great Prices!

City Color Cosmetics
City Color Cosmetics is a brand that's new to me; thanks to my February Ipsy Glam Bag I was introduced to it! I got a City Color Be Matte Blush in my Glam Bag that I fell in love with so I decided to order some more. They had a great promo code at the time so I got all these items for great deal! If you haven't subscribed to Ipsy definitely give it a try, it's a great outlet to try out new and exciting products! City Color Cosmetics are on the lower end of the spectrum when we talk about price. These blushes were only $2.99 each and the contour kit was $5.99... a steal! You get so much product at such a great price! The countour kit is also really nice, you get 2 bronze shades and a highlight. I'll have a post soon with a more in depth review on both items and some swatches!
If you want to give these products a try go to citycolorcosmetics.com and place an order right now! Use promo code MAR10GIFT for 10% off your order until the end of the month. :-)

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Review: Milani Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss!

New And Full Of Shine!

Milani Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss
I don't know about you but when I see something that's NEW I just have to try it! It screams "buy me now!" haha. I hauled a few things from milanicosmetics.com recently so make sure to check out my previous post for some reviews. I was most skeptical about trying these glosses because I already have a preference and I wasn't sure if I was going to like these. I love glosses that aren't sticky and that don't have a strong scent, like the NYX Butter Glosses. Those are my favorite; they are super creamy with great color payoff! I wanted to give the Milani glosses a try and here are my thoughts!
 
The site claims that these glosses have rich color with extreme shine and comfortable lasting wear. They also claim to be non-tacky and moisturizing. I tried the nude shade a few days ago and my initial impression was that it was really sticky. I was turned off by that because sticky glosses aren't my favorite. Most glosses sink in to the lips to keep them moisturized but these felt like they stayed on the surface so they transferred onto anything you ate...or kissed! ;-) They didn't dry out my lips by any means. I just don't agree with the claim of comfort. I felt the gloss on my lips throughout the day and I'm not a fan of that feeling. Now, they are really shiny so the name fits it perfectly! Cream formulas are my favorite so that's the finish I chose when I placed my order. Overall I loved the look these glosses gave. Your lips just look full and juicy! They do have really nice color payoff and a nice range of colors on their site. Here are the swatches:
Milani Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss
From left to right:
*Bare Secret- Nude Brown with a cream finish
*Ravish Raspberry- Berry with a cream finish
These glosses retail for $5.49 so the price isn't too bad. The applicator is a doe foot with flat sides so its really easy to apply.
 
Bottom line: If you don't mind a sticky gloss than give these a try! I personally don't find myself repurchasing them because that tacky feeling is just not for me. But I love the shine and the sheer wash of color you get. I wish the formula wasn't as sticky but what can you do. The line has shimmer, frost and cream finishes so you have variety. They don't have a strong scent like other Milani products, just a subtle sweet one. Check out your local drugstore or place an order on the Milani website if you want to give these a try! :-)
 
Check out my review on the Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color by clicking here!




Saturday, March 1, 2014

Review: bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette!

Perfect "Night Out" Palette!

bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palettea
I must confess... I thought I would be happy with just one of the bh Cosmetics Forever Palettes but... I had to purchase both! I already have a review on the Forever Nude Palette so check it out by clicking here. It's such a great palette, perfect for everyday looks and amazing quality. For those same reasons I wanted to try the Forever Glam Palette. My instinct is to go for the nude/neutrals palette because I know I will get the most use out of it but I wanted to try something different. The colors in this palette are stunning! This one retails for $21.95 but bh Cosmetics always has a sale so you can get it for $9.95 at the moment at bhcosmetics.com! Here's what the palette looks like:
bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palettea
Just like the Forever Nude Palette, this one has a nice plastic exterior that is built to sustain any fall. It has a large mirror too that makes this palette perfect for traveling. Its so convenient to have everything you need is in one place: blush, lip colors, eye shadows and highlight! All you really need is mascara and liner and you're good to go! I was happily surprised to see that the shadow colors weren't blacks or greys like your typical smoky palette. I love that there's a nice mix of neutrals and dark colors so you have endless possibilities! The blushes are also really beautiful. There's a coral-pink with shimmer and a matte hot pink that is actually brighter in person than in the picture...gorgeous! Here's a close up of the palette:
bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette
The amount of product you get is amazing! The blushes are a great size and so are the eye shadows. I wasn't too fond of the highlight shade in the Forever Nude Palette but this one is awesome! I love how it's a satin finish instead of a matte like the other palette. It's a unique color, more of a white base with a lilac iridescence to it... just beautiful! The lip colors are really pigmented, I just wished they had a cover to avoid powder ruining them. Here are the swatches:
Blushes and highlight:
bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette
The left one is a shimmery coral-pink and the right one is a bright matte pink. I really like the matte one!
bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette
Here's the highlight! You'll be able to see the duo-chrome, it leans more lilac in person. It's a very unique highlight color and very flattering.
Shadows:
bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette
I love all the colors! I only had issues with the first shade on the left which is a shimmery light peach shade, it didn't have much color pay off and it started to crumble. The rest of them are amazing! I love the golden/bronze shade in the middle! But... my favorite has to be the pink sorbet shade below, it's so different! It actually has a orange duo-chrome so it looks really good all over the lid. The taupe shade is pretty too. I thought the purple one was going to be a bit deeper in person but it's still OK. I wished it had a matte shade or two but I guess that would take away from it being "glam". All the shadows have some type of shimmer or glitter.
bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette
Lip Colors:
These are just as great as the other palette. Really vivid and glossy! No complaints.
bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette
Bottom line: I'm excited to own both of the Forever Palettes! I'm not sure if these are permanent so that also influenced my purchase haha. But... they are such a great deal! You're getting everything you need to create a look in one palette for less than $12 each, you cant beat that. I love my nude palette but this one is a great addition to my collection. I'm more drawn to creating looks with this one because it's different from what I typically purchase. The quality is out of this world, comparable to high end palettes! I would recommend this one if you're looking for a bright and daring palette for the nights that you want to stand out!  ;-)

Which forever palette is your favorite? Let me know in a comment below!