Need it Or Leave it: Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss Collection- Nudes & Brights!

Great Collection Of Colors!

Sephora released this Buxom lip gloss set recently and I knew immediately that I needed it in my life! I tried one Buxom gloss prior to owning this set and fell in love. So what better way to try out a bunch of colors right?! ;-)

This set retails for $32, while one full size Buxom gloss will set you back $19. So money wise it's worth it because you're getting a total of six beautiful shades to try out. I love the combination of nudes and brights! It compliments anyone and everyone! For the days you feel extra special you can wear one of the brights and on the days you just want to be a natural beauty you can wear the nudes. It's an amazing value!

Here's what the mini glosses look like compared to a full size Buxom gloss:

Ugh... I wish the packaging wasn't so prone to fingerprints. It's definitely a pet peeve of mine haha but what can you do?!

On the Sephora site the glosses are described as sheer, shimmering lip colors but I must disagree! These gloss pack a punch, even the nudes. They are really creamy and full of color, exactly what I look for in a gloss! These aren't plumping like the Buxom Lip Creams, so if you're worried about having your lips tingle just know these won't do that. Here's a close up of the colors:

And here are the swatches:

From left to right:

*Yes You- a creamy beige with gold micro shimmer, looks amazing over a nude lipstick like L'Oreal's Fairest Nude!

*Mwah- a mauve-nude with gold micro shimmer

*Dolly- a deeper mauve/pink with gold micro shimmer

*Strut it- a fuchsia pink with silver micro shimmer... super pretty!

*Pucker Up- a violet pink with silver micro shimmer, perfect to go over "radiant orchid" lipsticks so you can be on trend!

*Cha Cha Cha- a bright coral-orange with silver micro shimmer. This one was more sheer than the rest and the shimmers are less visible.

 

Most of these colors are unique to the set and are not sold separately so when you have a chance head over to your Sephora and purchase it! This set is a must have if your a Buxom fan like myself. These glosses aren't sticky and don't have a strong scent. The shades are gorgeous and at the end of the day... you need it! ;-)



Spot it & Buy it: Maybelline Dare To Go Nude Spring 2014 Collection! (Limited Edition!)

Do You Dare?

It's so hard to find these limited edition collections at my local drugstore so you can imagine how excited I was to find this one! haha. I was strolling around my local Walgreens and saw the Dare To Go Nude display. At first glance I wanted everything but... I talked myself out of it and stuck to these four items. I love the idea of this collection! Normally, limited edition collections are full of bright colors that would only be wearable on a night out or special occasion. I love that this collection is made to be for everyday use! And who doesn't love a great nude? ;-)

The collection was rather big, it had a few color tattoos to choose from and a few palettes too. I stuck with the items that I knew I would get the most use out of. Here's a close up!

Maybelline EyeStudio Quad in Nude Romance- Out of all the quads I fell in love with this one! I believe this palette retailed for about $6, Walgreens was having $2 off Maybelline products (woohoo!) so I manged to get a great deal on these. All the shadows were so buttery and smooth, just great quality! They are nicely pigmented and I find that out of all the drugstore palettes I've tried these blend the best. I've used this palette almost everyday, so this is a must have in my opinion! The cream shade is great as a highlight or all over the lid. The cognac color is amazing as a crease shade. The last two colors are great to smoke out the look... such a versatile palette!

Maybelline Color Tattoo By EyeStudio in Caramel Cool-  After purchasing a bunch of the ELF Smudge Pots (which are amazing btw!) I thought I was set for life on the cream shadows. But... I just couldn't leave this one at the store! Caramel Cool is a beautiful light bronze/gold shade that looks amazing as a lid color. It's such a great formula that doesn't crease when worn over a primer. This was about $4 after the $2 off. I've used this color many times already and I always get compliments. It really brings out my brown eyes! :-)

Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick in Ravishing Rose- Maybelline lipsticks are really good! I love the vivids and buffs that were previously launched so I knew I would like this one too. Out of all the colors I chose the one that I thought was more wearable. It's a nude rosey pink shade that looks amazing on. I thought it would wash me out but it has the right amount of pink in it to makes it perfect for everyday. This lipstick was about $5 after the discount. Its creamy and hydrating... great combo!

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Lust For Buff- This nail polish quickly made it to my top favorites of all times! It was about $2 after the discount and very well worth it. It's the perfect color nude color for the nails, kinda makes your nails look longer! My only complaint is the formula, its a bit tedious. It chips within 2-3 days and chips all in one piece. Ive tried different top coats but the formula just isn't long lasting. But... I wouldn't mind reapplying this color because its that pretty! ;-)

 

So these were my picks from the Dare To Go Nude collection! I read/heard that there's a new neons collection that's perfect for summer so I'm hoping to come across it really soon. Maybelline hit a home run with this, I'm more than pleased with all of my purchases. :-)



 











Must Haves: Top 5 Highend Blushes- Spring Edition!

Worth Saving For!

I'm all about a great sale or deal on makeup, fashion...anything really haha. But sometimes you just need to go the extra mile and indulge on things that you wouldn't normally get. Throughout the years I've managed to add some more pricey items to my makeup collection and each time I use them its a reminder of how hard work pays off! :-)

I compiled my favorite five blushes that are on the higher end spectrum that would be perfect for Spring and Summer! These are all amazing in quality and pigmentation and worth every penny! Luxury may cost a lot but you get what you pay for. Each and everyone of these blushes are unique to my collection and I find myself rotating them without getting bored. The colors are beautiful and the texture of these blushes are incredible. They are never patchy and apply so easily! Here are the colors up close:

Packaging is key to a great blush. It's the first thing you see and what really catches your attention before purchasing it. All of these have the best packaging... nothing that will fall apart anytime soon haha. Here are the swatches:

From left to right:

*NARS Blush in Gaiety- a bright candy pink! It's a great matte blush that awakens the face. It's a subtle pink on the cheeks that makes you look youthful. It retails for $30.

*Illamasqua Powder Blush in Hussy- a bright petal pink with such an amazing formula! This is top on the list of my all time favorite blushes. It's so smooth and pigmented without being overpowering. I find myself reaching for this color a lot. I loved it so much that I ordered another color on Sephora.com! This one retails for $26.

*Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum Pop- a bright pink mauve with a beautiful satin finish. This blush is the buildable type, you can wear it as sheer or as bright as you'd like! It feels like a really buttery powder, almost like a cream blush. The imprinted flower is such a nice touch and it made me want it even more haha. This one is perfect for this time of year! It retails for $21.

*Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Fearless- a pinky coral shade that will suite anyone! This formula is also impeccable. When it says 12 hour wear it's not lying, you'll have your blush looking like it did when you first applied it! It doesn't fade one bit! You can purchase this one for $26.

*Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat- a vibrant poppy, the priciest of the bunch but the most unique! I'm so happy I bought this one because I love it! No two blushes from this line look the same because of the marbling. It has bit of shimmer but nothing that transfers onto the skin. It's such a gorgeous color and the packaging makes it look even more expensive! It was hard to justify this one because it retails for $35 but I got it on my birthday so I guess that makes it ok! haha.

 

You can find any of these blushes at Sephora! I would recommend to order them online via Ebates so you can get some cashback! If you want more information on Ebates click here. Make sure to check them out, any of these will complete your spring and summer looks without a problem. If you have any recommendations of your personal favorites please leave a comment below! :-)



Review: Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids! + swatches!

Saturated Color At Great Prices!

Last Spring/Summer Maybelline released their Vivids line of lipsticks and I wanted each and everyone of them! Since I wasn't planning on spending $80 at the time I waited a bit before purchasing them. I was so happy to find them on sale on Target.com for about $2.50 and... they were worth the wait! The ColorSensational is a wonderful formula but these are out of this world. They are extremely pigmented and full of life. They are a great addition to anyone's lippie collection! :-)

They come in red/orange packaging that will stand out on your next drugstore visit. There's a total of 10 shades in the line and I only purchased eight of them. They're all unique but there was a orange and red one that I felt I wouldn't wear too often. Here are the lip swatches:

From left to right (click to enlarge!):

*Pink Pop- a blue based baby pink, doesn't look too flattering on me but I'm sure a lot of people will like this one! Reminds me a bit of Mac's Snob.

*Fuchsia Flash- a hot pink, one of my favorites!

*Shocking Coral- a pink with coral tones. This color is amazing and will look great if you have a tan!

*Vivid Rose- a bright magenta pink. This color is the perfect darker pink shade that still look bright and fun.

*Vibrant Mandarin-  a orange based red, looks crazy in the tube but great on! I was a bit hesitant about this color but I'm so glad I tried it.

*On Fire Red- a bright red that makes your lips look juicy! It's the perfect red for a night out. It's also one of my favorites!

*Hot Plum- a bright pink with purple tones. This is the color I wore on my birthday and I got so many compliments!

*Brazen Berry- a bright purple with a bit of pink to make it wearable. It's the perfect shade if you're looking to try out the color of the year "Radiant Orchid"!

 

Bottom line: All these shades are super creamy and hydrating! The lasting power is about 3-4 hours which is pretty good. I love the formula and any of these shades would look amazing with minimal makeup. Just picture it: winged liner, nude shadow and BOOM- a bright lipstick! These aren't limited edition so you can find them at your local drugstore. I would checkout Ulta now because they're having 40% off Maybelline products! :-)









Review: Sephora + Pantone Universe Rush Luster Cheek Sweep!

Add Some Radiant Orchid To Your Life!

Pantone Universe released their "Color of the year" products at Sephora and I managed to get the blush palette! There's tons of products to choose from; like lip sticks and brush sets so make sure to visit your local Sephora before they're sold out. The only thing I was really eyeing was the blush palette and I'm so happy that I have it! (blush hoarder status haha!) It's only $26  and it's limited edition which is why I quickly purchased it. I was able to get their pantone blush palette from a few years back (coral shade) for only $7 on clearance but I couldn't wait for it to go on sale. This was something I needed in my life TODAY!

Let's start off with packaging... it's gorgeous! I love the ombre effect it has, looks amazing! It has a nice sized mirror that makes it perfect for traveling. Here's what the packaging looks like:

Now to the best part! It comes with three beautiful shades, 1 blush and 2 highlighters. Depending on your skin tone you can actually use the rosey toned highlight as a blush. These blushes are beautiful on the skin, they're a satin finish so you'll have a glow that everyone is going to envy! Here's what the colors look like:

These colors pair amazingly together! You only need the slightest bit to have the color show up. But if you apply too much of the darker shade you can always go over it with one of the highlighters to tone it down. So if you think the blush is too dark or bold keep that in mind! It looks beautiful on! Here are the swatches:

From left to right:

*Luminizer in Bridal Rose- a rose tone highlighter, can also be used as a blush!

*Luminizer in Spanish Vanilla- a champagne highlighter, looks good as a inner corner highlight too!

*Blush in Radiant Orchid- a violet blush, doesn't look too bright on the cheeks, its just right!

 

Bottom line: If you want to give the color of the year a try this would be the best way to do it! This blush palette is perfect. The quality is wonderful and the colors are super pretty. You're getting you're moneys worth because you'll want to use it everyday like me! I've searched high and low in my collection to see if I had something comparable to any of the shades but I don't. This is such a unique palette so make sure to purchase it while you can! ;-)



 



 

Review: NYC Expert Last Lipstick!

Spring Shades + Great Price!

It's starting to feel a lot more like Spring here in Utah and what better way to embrace it than with new bright lipsticks! While visiting my local Walmart I came across the NYC or New York Color display and quickly notice a brand new lipstick line. I tried some of their other ones before but to be honest they were not good. In that case you got what you paid for...which wasn't much. This new line called Expert Last Lipstick is really amazing! For less than $2 you're getting cute packaging, bold pigmentation and a long lasting formula!

The line has so many shades to choose from but my only complaint is that only a few of them are cream finishes. For the most part the others are frosty or shimmery. So since I always stray away from glittery lips I purchased 2 cream shades. The packaging matches the color of the lipstick which is always a plus. It comes with a clear cap that snaps on shut, nothing too out of the ordinary. You do have to be careful though when you put the cap back on because the lipstick doesn't go all the way down so it's possible to crush it haha.

Here are the colors:

From left to right:

*Forever Fuchsia- A bright blue based pink/purple, stunning!

*Berry Me- A mauve berry, perfect for wearing everyday! Plus the name is so cute! haha

The colors are so bold and creamy. They keep your lips moisturized even when the color starts to fade. But don't worry, it's lasting power is about 4-5 hours so it won't budge for a while!

 

Bottom line: These lipsticks are superb! For less than $2 your getting a greatly formulated lipstick that won't disappoint you. The other lipsticks that NYC offers are not as great plus they have that plastic smell that irritates me. These smell awesome, look awesome and are just....Awesome! ;-)



Review: Milani Power Lip Gloss Stains!

Perfect Lightweight Formula!

It took me a bit to review these new Milani Power Lip Gloss Stains but here it is! I ordered these a while ago ($6.49 on milanicosmetics.com) with a bunch of other new items from Milani so make sure to check out those reviews too! The Power Lip Gloss Stains come in a nice range of colors but you know me, I stick to my basics: pink, berry and coral. The colors all turned out to be really beautiful!

It's a huge plus to have the color of the tube match the gloss, specially when you have dozens of glosses to sort through (bittersweet haha!). It's a cute, petite tube of gloss so fits perfectly in your pocket or purse. It's a twist up mechanism that takes a while to gush out the product so make sure to take your time. I didn't... and it was overflowing!

The weird part is the applicator. It's a brush tip applicator that's really firm. The bristles leave just enough room for the gloss to come, otherwise they're tightly compressed. It's a bit rough when you apply it which is my only con. It makes it hard to outline your lips with precision so it does feather out. I would recommend to use a clear lip liner to prevent that.

The gloss stain itself is pretty darn amazing! It's a lightweight formula that packs a punch. The pigmentation is great, really works like a liquid lipstick. It's creamy and vivid; best combo! The shine lasts for about 4-5 hours depending on your activities but it leaves a nice stain behind. I love the glossy finish so once the shine is gone I reapply. Here the swatches:

From left to right:

*Macaroon- A creamy pink, perfect for everyday!

*Raspberry Tart- A creamy berry. This color is great year round.

*Mango Tango- A bright creamy coral, my favorite!

 

Bottom line: These are great glosses! I wouldn't call them stains because the shine does last. When I think of a stain I think of a matte finish. These are moisturizing and crazy pigmented which is always great. They are decently priced too. My only complaint is the brush tip, it's not my favorite. It makes it really difficult to get precision and it's too rough on my lips. Other than that I would recommend to give these a try! The colors are beautiful and I'm sure you'll find one that's perfect for you! :-)







Review: E.L.F Studio Blush Palettes!

Great Value & Beautiful Colors!

Eyes Lips Face came out with two blush palettes that I had to try! If you know me you know that my makeup weakness is blush so these were the perfect addition to my collection. They retail for $6 each ($3 with 50% off coupon code!) and come with four colors with different finishes. The blushes themselves don't have names but each palette is made for certain skin tones. There's the light palette and the dark palette, nothing in between but if you have both you can mix the colors to create the perfect shade! I love these palettes! I'm surprised that a drugstore brand came out with such a great idea. Normally blush palettes can cost you an arm and a leg but these are affordable, pigmented and overall amazing!

The pigmentation on these blushes is outstanding! You barely need to tap your brush into the product to get the right amount of color on your cheeks. All the colors seem to be new shades (so exciting!). I compared them to the studio and mineral blushes that I own and I didn't notice any repeats. They are all smooth blushes that blend very well. They are not powdery like the studio blushes and they are more pigmented than the mineral ones, it's a really good mix in formula. I'm so happy to see such a nice range of colors that will suite so many people. Here are the swatches:

Light Blush Palette- These colors are so vivid and beautiful! Even though I own every blush color in the world I still get excited by new products haha. These are gorgeous colors and you can tell by the swatch that the formula is very silky! Most of the colors are a semi-matte except the one on the bottom right corner, that one has some shimmer. They leave a really pretty glow on the skin. That third shade is one of my favorites; bronzed cheeks is a really big trend for the Spring and Summer!

Dark Blush Palette- These are the perfect colors for woman of deeper skin tones! Like I said before, I love that E.L.F is coming out with more universal products. The colors in this palette are more berry shades, ideal for Fall and Winter! With a light hand these will leave that perfect flushed look on your cheeks.

So here's something I didn't know when I first ordered these: you can actually pop the individual blushes out and mix and match them to create your custom blush palette! How cool huh?!

Bottom line: Make sure to order these palettes next time you're on eyeslipsface.com! The quality of these are of one that can easily cost you more than $30 but these are only $6! It's a really good deal and the colors are all fabulous! The large mirror they come with makes it perfect for travel plus the fact that you can switch up the blushes too. Last time I check the site they were sold out but you can sign up for an email alert to let you know once it's available. :-)

Must Haves: Top 5 Concealers!

Cover Up Dark Circles & Blemishes!

Concealer is one of the products that I MUST have, once I run out I rush to my nearest drugstore to get more. I suffer from really dark under eye circles so concealer is my best friend. I wouldn't mind leaving the house with a bare face unless I wear a bit of concealer. Now that we've established how important this product is to me (haha!) I wanted to share my Top 5 Concealers that have helped me a lot throughout the years. Whether its dark circles or blemishes taking over my face these have performed so well at covering my imperfections. It's the best way to get that boost of confidence to face the world! :-)

Mac Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20-  This is the best concealer to cover your dark circles! I tried so many concealers before but nothing compares to this one. And... it makes me twitch just saying it because it's pretty pricey, $19 each but totally worth it! Its a lightweight formula with full coverage which is why I love it. It covers you dark circles completely with looking like too much. I use my Beauty Blender sponge to apply it for a more natural look. They have a bunch of shades and undertones to choose from so you'll definitely find the right shade for you. It has a pump which is a HUGE plus but beware; lightly push down on the pump to get just enough concealer. If not, too much will come out and you'll end up wasting product.

NYX Concealer Wand in Light- This concealer is great for someone on a budget. It's medium to full coverage so it's the perfect formula for under eye circles. It's about $5 at your local drugstore and they also have a nice range of shades. It has a doe foot applicator so application is a breeze. It's not thick at all so you don't have to worry about it looking too obvious.

E.L.F Studio HD Lifting Concealer in Brightening- So here's a concealer that I use everyday! I recommend this one in a heartbeat! It's only $3(50% with a coupon code!) on eyeslipsface.com and it's the perfect concealer to make your under eyes looks bright. It's a creamy opaque yellow based concealer that counteracts dark spots/dark circles. I wouldn't recommend to use it alone because it doesn't provide enough coverage but it's the perfect topper to your daily concealer. I apply it on the area that's closest to the higher points of my cheeks and it works perfectly! It's a key point to my makeup routine!

CoverGirl truBLEND Concealer in Light 5 6 7- This is the perfect concealer to cover up redness! On days that I just want to use a powder foundation for a more natural look I use this concealer to cover up the redness around my nose. It also works for spot concealing any blemishes! It lasts all day too! I don't like to use it under my eyes because even though it's a creamy formula, it's on the drier side so it makes my eye area look like it needs some moisture. This one will cost you about $6-8 at your local drugstore.

L.A. Girl Pro Concealer in Natural-  L.A Girl is a very affordable brand so it never really crossed my mind to try their products before. Normally we associate cheap with bad but this concealer is really amazing! Its about $2-$3 at your local beauty supply store and has dozens of shades to choose from. It has a brush tip application which is perfect for control. You just squeeze out the right amount each time without having to worry about wasting product. It's also a light weight formula providing more of a medium coverage. It's the most creamy out of all the ones I mentioned and covers really well. It's comparable to a higher end concealer from Makeup Forever so definitely give this one a try!

So these are my Top 5 Concealers! If you have any other recommendations feel free to leave a comment down below!

Review: L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Liquid Lipsticks!

Lipstick + Gloss in One!

Two in One products are a bit iffy sometimes. The first thing that comes to mind is the 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioners sold at the drugstore... those are horrible haha. Im happy to say that these L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Liquid Lipsticks are amazing and liptick + gloss combo works really well! They are pigmented, smooth and really glossy...leaving your lips looking plumped! They have all sorts of colors; reds, pinks, corals and nudes. For the most part they are all cream finishes, my favorite! They are similar to the YSL Glossy Stains which are about $35 at Sephora but these are only $10 at your local drugstore.

The packaging is gorgeous! It's gold with a little enamel window displaying the color inside. It has sponge tip wand in an oval shape that gets out the right amount of product each time. Liquid Lipsticks is the perfect way to describe these. L'Oreal came out with something similar before but it was more of a stain, these on the other hand are high in pigmentation with a glossy finish. Now... the glossy aspect of it makes the product not the most long lasting. Within 2 hours you're gonna have to reapply but for the color payoff you get I don't mind.

I chose 2 of the brighter shades and here are the swatches:

From left to right:

*Fuchsia Orchestra- Bright Fuchsia Pink, love it!

*Coral Encore- Bright Coral, really pretty!

 

Bottom line: I would recommend these in a heart beat! They are rich in color and really smooth. They glide on like buttah haha. They are not super long lasting but that's ok, normally glosses don't tend to be. If bright colors aren't your thing definitely check some of the nudes and mauves in the line. I'm dieing to purchase some other colors but I'm waiting for a good sale since they are a bit higher in price. :-)







Review: Be a Bombshell Cosmetics! + Coupon Code!

Haul + Review!

Be a Bombshell is a brand that shows up once in a while in my Ipsy bags. I was super impressed with what I tried so far that I decided to place an order to try some more! I got a great deal with a coupon code that I found on the Ipsy website so if anything you see interests you make sure to use IPSY40 at checkout for 40% off your entire order plus a Free Lip Crayon! (Awesome, right?) The line is pricier than what I expected so I would take advantage of the coupon code, it's good until April 14th.

After having some time to give these products a try I must say that I love them! They were all amazing quality and if I had to I don't think I would be able to pick a favorite. The first thing that caught my eye was the packaging, it's really cute and resembles the Mac Cosmetics packaging a lot! It's sleek and pretty sturdy just like Mac...pretty much identical. They have a great range of products and colors that would suite almost everyone. On their site beabombshellcosmetics.com you can read more about how the brand started. It's refreshing to know that there's meaning behind the name and that a fellow beauty junkie created such an amazing brand!

Here are the products that I tried:

*Eyeshadow Quad in Madrid- I ordered this on whim because I'm picky with my shadows but this ended being really good! The colors are beautiful and really pigmented. They are smooth and work very well together. There's 3 satin/shimmer shades and 1 matte shade. It's a well rounded palette, my only con is that it retails for $16. I think that's a bit up there but with the 40% off it was $9.60 which wasn't too bad.

*Blush in Glowing Goddess- This blush is a beautiful shade, the site describes it as a medium peach with a hint of shimmer and that is spot on. It leaves your cheeks glowing, I love it! Now...this is the first product that reminded me of Mac, it's the exact size of a Mac blush... twins! haha. Here's a picture so you can see what I mean:

I guess there must be someone out there that would complain about the packaging being identical to Mac but I like it! If you have a Mac palette I'm sure you can depot the Be a Bombshell blushes and shadows and add them to the palettes. The blush retails for $16 which isn't a bad price for a quality product.

*Lip Gloss in Caliente- Being Hispanic I was quickly drawn to the name of the gloss (which means Hot in English!) plus the color was gorgeous! It's a very opaque coral shade that goes on with the color payoff of a liquid lipstick but the shine of a gloss. It's really pigmented so you don't need too much to get the color in the tube. It's not sticky at all and very long lasting! I love love love the formula! The glosses retail for $14 and with the code it would end up being $8.40.

*Eye Shadow in Clover- I thought I was getting a free Lip Crayon when I used the coupon code but somehow this eyeshadow made it in my order haha. No complaints since its free and its a pretty color. It's out of my comfort zone so I won't use it too much but its nicely pigmented. It does retail for $14 each so I don't think I would purchase any of them myself, it's too pricey.

 

Bottom line: The products are great! I would recommend giving them a try while they are on sale. Personally I do think they should lower their prices, certain items are just too pricey. I don't want that to take away from the product itself because they are amazing. But for a brand that is marketed to be inexpensive compared to the higher end brands they should make some price adjustments. Take advantage of the coupon code while it's available! :-)