Review: Jordana Cosmetics Modern Matte Lipsticks! (+ Swatches!)

Affordable Matte Lippies!

Hi everyone!! Today I have an exciting review for you guys on a lipstick line that I have been using non stop lately! These are the Jordana Cosmetics Modern Matte Lipsticks which retail for only $2.49 each... yes just $2.49! You can find them on the Jordana Website ( which offers free shipping on orders over $25!) Walgreen's and Kmart. There's 12 shades in the line at the moment but there's plans for new colors to release at the beginning of Spring which I can't wait for.

They come in color coordinated tubes which is so cute and convenient so you know what color you're getting. They twist up and down but they have a clicking aspect to them like the bh Cosmetics lipsticks I recently reviewed which makes it feel sturdier and gives you a better application.

These are without a doubt really pigmented... I can't believe the color payoff of a $2.49 lipstick! I'm truly impressed! Out of all the matte lipsticks released these are one of my favorites. The formula is so smooth and opaque in 1 to 2 swipes, simply amazing. These are very long wearing! I've put multiple colors to the test and after talking, eating etc they were still there at the end of the day. If compared to the Maybelline Matte Lipsticks I find that these don't have that slip like the Maybelline ones which helps with the longevity. I wouldn't say they're a true matte because on the lips they have the slightest sheen. I would place them in the satin matte category haha. Plus... they have a really yummy vanilla scent!

Among all these wonderful things there's one con I'd like to point out. Even though the formula is so fabulous, it's not consistent within the line. I find that certain shades may look patchy or others may tug a little during application but honestly it's not a deal breaker for me. 

Lets get into the lip swatches:

*Matte Bare- a pink-brown nude shade... gorgeous! This is one my favorites, so creamy and pairs so well with different eye looks!

*Matte Tease- a more pink nude shade, really pretty! So comfortable on the lips.

*Matte Classy- a true mauve shade, another wearable shade. Great for a "my lips but better" look!
*Matte Popular- a really bright pink, great summer shade. This one was slightly patchy though.

*Matte It Girl- a bright fuchsia... love this color! I was most excited for this color but it did tug a bit. I tried to go over the lip swatch to make sure it looked even but it was really hard to perfect.
*Matte Dare- a deeper berry shade, so stunning! I can see this color becoming a favorite for most. It was a bit patchy at first but after building up the color it looked good.

*Matte Pretty- a terracotta shade, really different from the rest which I like. It tugged a bit when applying but that color is worth it!

*Matte Style- a true blue based red, another favorite! It looks so good on and went on really creamy. This color also makes your teeth look ultra white!

Bottom line: Overall I highly recommend these! It's a great affordable line with amazing color payoff. I've tried higher end lipsticks that don't even compare to the quality of these. These are creamy, long wearing and the color selection is pretty extensive. I'm a huge fan! :-)

Review: Kat Von D Innerstellar Eyeshadow Palette! (+ Swatches!)

Limited Edition Palette!

Kat Von D has been releasing some amazing palettes lately! I own three and haven't been disappointed because the colors are so saturated and buttery, pretty darn great! You may know that I tend to lean for the warmer palettes, gold and bronze are my go to colors. But I'm trying really hard to step out of my comfort zone with some cooler tones and this one pretty much said "buy me!" haha.

So before I forget, this is the Kat Von D Innerstellar Eyeshadow Palette! ;-) You can find it on the Sephora website for $46 which is pretty reasonable for the quality. I own the Monarch Palette (which I love btw!) but I skipped on the Chrysalis Palette because it seemed to bright for my liking. I find that this one is great mix of the two because it has those gorgeous purple tones but in a neutral, more wearable way like the Monarch Palette.

Here's an overlook of the palette! I'm a huge fan of the packaging! For being cardboard it's super sturdy and the mirror is large enough to use while on the go. Plus all her palette designs are a work of art!

Just like her recent palettes the shadows are divided into quads, making it easier to plan out a look! The array of colors is so stunning, there's not one color I dislike.

Now to the exciting part... swatches! I can't get over the color selection, it's everything! If you haven't tried Kat Von D shadows you're missing out because they are so smooth and silky. If you were blind folded you would think they're cream shadows... that's how creamy they are! They can be a little powdery when you get you're brush in there but no worries, they blend like a dream on the eyes.

Here are the swatches with flash, just wanted to include it so you can see the dimension in some of the colors. Exhibit A: the center shade in the 2nd quad... my favorite color in the palette! It's a purple taupe shade, so unique! Some of the colors are iridescent which is something you don't see too often in palettes. The only thing I wish the palette had was a good crease shade. A mid-tone matte brown would've made this palette perfect.

I wore this look for my friend's birthday and it lasted all night! The colors just melt into each other so well, love it!

Bottom line: I adore this palette! The quality is everything I thought it would be (and more!) It seems quicker to create looks with Kat Von D shadows because blending is so effortless. Even though I'm a warm neutrals girl these colors speak to me. Maybe I'm slowly converting.... haha. It is limited edition so if you've been eyeing it I'd say go for it! :-)

Review: Walmart Beauty Box! ( Winter 2014!)

What Did I Get?

Hey guys! Today I wanted to quickly show you my Walmart Beauty Box Winter 2014 Edition! My first one was the fall edition, make sure to check it out for more details on the subscription. Just a quick run down: it's a $5 seasonal box where you'll receive full size and sample sizes of products sold at Walmart. It's an amazing deal and the products you get are totally worth it!

 Here's what it looks like when you first get it. Love the packaging!

Aside from the wonderful coupons and discounts that came in the box I was so excited for variety of products I got! Even the travel size makeup remover wipes come in handy and it's a great addition to this box. Not to mention the lipstick alone exceeds the value of the box!

My favorite things were the shampoo and conditioner by L'oreal, a great size to really try it out and see if I like it. The body lotion by Jergens is perfect to just keep in my purse during these dry months. The Maybelline lipstick was a pleasant surprise, especially the color in Maple Kiss. It's a mid tone brown, so beautiful and complimentary to the color of the year!

These are all the exciting things I received in the Winter box, I just can't believe it's only $5! If you haven't subscribe yet I highly recommend it because I haven't been disappointed thus far and it's seasonally so your not losing money monthly. If you have tried it what are your thoughts? Leave me a comment down below! :-)

Review: Maybelline Iridescent Shine Color Elixir in Enthralling Nude!

A Graceful Shimmer!

When the new year comes I become the giddiest person alive because all you see at the drugstores are NEW products! That's when you have to have the will power to just pick and choose the ones worth trying (very difficult I must add!) This year I'm getting into glosses, it hasn't been my most reached for item before but all the new releases tempted me to try them! Maybelline has anaddition to their Elixir line with a bunch of pretty shades. I only picked up one *pats herself on the back* and it's amazing! They were $7.99 at my local Walgreens.

These are called the Maybelline Iridescent Shine Color Elixirs and I have the color Enthralling Nude. Just a little background on my taste: I prefer opaque, colorful glosses. With that being said I wanted something different, more of a topper and this one is perfect! Now, the name says it's iridescent but honestly I didn't notice much of anything. The color is still really pretty, has a slight micro-shimmer but other than that it's no different from the original elixirs.

Being a gloss it actually has pretty descent lasting power! Your lips stay shiny for a good 4-5 hours depending on what you're doing of course.It's such a comfortable formula, thick but not sticky! The packaging is just the same as the original line, sleek and utterly adorable!

 The wand makes the application so easy, I'm a huge fan of these tear drop wands!

Here's what the color looks like! It's a lovely nude, leans more peachy and the shimmer adds a little something special to the gloss. I've used it alone and over lipsticks and trust me when I say it looks exceptional both ways!

Here's what it looks like on! Kinda hard to get a picture but I did my best haha. 

Bottom line: The Elixir formula is one of my favorites, so I highly recommend you give them a try if you haven't already! If you're expecting some cool duo chrome action from these, sadly it's not gonna happen, at least not with the nude shade haha. But it's still a beautiful color and when paired with a smokey eye even better! :-)

Swatches: ColourPop Lippie Stix in Lumiere!

Lovely Shade!

ColourPop has quickly become one of my favorite brands when it comes to lipsticks! They have all the trendy colors you can think of and the best part? They are only $5! Recently two of my favorite beauty enthusiasts on YouTube collabed with ColourPop to create their very own lipstick. Kathleen from KathleenLights was one of them and you wouldn't believe how excited I was! I've been watching her for years now and to see someone that I admire get this opportunity is simply amazing. Annnnd she's latina haha gotta represent! ;-)

 I reviewed & swatched a few colors from the original line so make sure to check out that post too!

The shade is called Lumiere which is french for "lights", clever huh? It's a beautiful dusty mauve-pink that seems wearable for anyone. It's a matte finish which are pretty long wearing. This color released at the perfect time because it's said to be a dupe for the Nars Audacious Lipstick in Anna! Get the look for less for only $5. Let's get into the lip swatch :-)

On me it looks a bit more pink than mauve which I love! It wears really well and isn't drying.

This collab was a great one! I love being able to support Kathleen and getting a great lipstick out of it. Have you tried it? If so leave your thoughts down below :-)

Review: Revlon Photoready Airbrush Effect Foundation!

It's Time To Shine... Literally!

I haven't been so torn about a makeup product... ever! haha. I've been testing out this NEW Revlon Photoready Airbrush Effect Foundation for a few weeks now and here's the deal: I love it but then I find it so odd! There's specks of glitter throughout the foundation you guys... glitter which is so weird to me! The price is pretty steep too, about $15 at the drugstore. Revlon claims that the formula has a light-filtering technology that delivers a poreless, airbrushed look. It's meant to give you a soft focus effect, leaving your face looking luminous and flawless. I must agree with the claims!

Let's start off with the pros :-) The color match is spot on, the best match in a foundation for me thus far! The consistency is not liquidy nor thick, a nice in between which helps provide a solid medium coverage. From far away it looks stunning! My pores aren't as visible, my skin looks natural but everything that needs to be covered is covered! But then you take a closer look and all you see is glitter...everywhere! I pretty much looked like an extra from Twilight honestly. I screamed when I saw all the glitter haha. I had to go to work and I was so terrified that someone would see my sparkling face and ask me what went wrong. But surprisingly I got the sweetest compliments on my makeup that day!

Here's what the foundation looks like on, it's amazing what those glitters do because this foundation photographs flawlessly! The soft focus claim is definetely true, great foundation if you're in front of the camera a lot! But... for an ordinary gal like myself with an office job it's a bit out there haha.

I wanted to include a close up so you can see the glitters, mainly on my forehead. It's super noticeable up close.

Bottom line: I think this foundation is perfect for special occasions. If you have a wedding coming up or any event where you'll be photographed nonstop this would be your best friend! It looks amazing in pictures. But a sparkling face on the everyday basis is too much. Imagine wearing this foundation under the sun.. eeek! During this time of year for you drier skin girls it may work because it adds a luminous aspect to the skin but I just can't get past the glitter. Have you tried it? What are your thoughts? Leave me a comment down below! :-)

Review: Wet n Wild Fergie Around The Clock Blushes! (+ Swatches!)

New Wet n Wild Blushes!

Blush is my weakness so when I see affordable brands like Wet n Wild release some I'm on it like white on rice! ;-) Wet n Wild Fergie came out with three NEW blushes called the Around The Clock Blushes and at first glance the shades are stunning! I found the display at my local Walgreens and they were only $4.99 each. I also used a $1 off coupon that was attached to the display so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for that! They are packaged just like their Fergie eyeshadow quints, really slim and compact. There's no mirror nor applicator which I prefer.

How pretty are these colors?! I've worn them for the past week or so and here are my thoughts! There's no doubt that the colors are beautiful but the formula is so-so. As soon as you dip your brush into the product it becomes powder central. The fall out is unbelievable. I had to really try to build up the color, not because of lack of pigmentation but because of the texture. They're kinda crumbly so not much tends to stick to my brush. When you finally get the color on your cheeks it looks ah-may-zing though! On the back of the blush it says that they last 10 hours, I would have to agree! I've worn them to work and when I get back the color is still pretty visible. Here's a closeup of each color:

*Brush with Destiny- a neutral- beige blush with flecks of shimmer. I like this one for balancing out a darker eye or a brighter lip. It shows up pretty well after building it up and the shimmer for the most parts also shows up. It's a lovely color, suitable for light to medium skintones.

*Brush with Danger- a bright blue toned pink. It seems to have just a hint of purple too which makes it more unique! It's a matte finish and you would need a light hand to apply it. It's a beautiful color, can't wait to really use it in the upcoming seasons.

*Brush with Brilliance- a coral based blush with a golden sheen/shimmer... my favorite! It reminds me so much of an E.L.F holiday kit that had a similar blush but it was limited edition. This shade showed up the best on me. There was fall out and I noticed that the shimmer didn't stick but that golden sheen is everything so I didn't mind!

Here are the swatches:

Bottom line: I love the colors but the formula needs some tweaking. For being $5 they're good but not the best out there. I've heard that they may be dupes for higher end blushes like the Nars ones so that would be a great buy if true! I've compared them to other affordable blushes that I love like the Jordana Powder Blushes and honestly as far as texture goes the Jordana ones are better. As always it's a preference thing. I'm happy to see the blushes be part of their Fergie line and hopefully they will release other colors in the future to compare! :-)

Spot it & Buy it: T.J.Maxx Makeup Finds! (Too Faced & Kat Von D!)

Discounted Higher End Brands!

At the end of December I took a stroll to T.J.Maxx, I needed to get some last minute Christmas shopping done and glance over the makeup section of course! ;-) There were so many brands on a great discount! I saw a lot of Butter London products that I might go back for but this time around I hit the jackpot on Too Faced & Kat Von D!

I'm not sure how recent these products were released but who cares... it's less than $10! haha. I do want to stress to check the products to make sure they haven't been tampered with. I saw some that were broken into so always double check!

So lets get into details! First off we have the Too Faced Glitter Glaze in Goldie Rocks. It's a cream glitter coat that can be used as base or on top of eyeshadow for that extra pop of something special. Super creamy and pigmented, love it! It has a doe foot applicator to simplify our lives ;-) Next up we have the Kat Von D Foiled Love Lipstick in Beranice. The packaging is stunning! If I'm not mistaking the Studded Lipsticks replaced this line so it's not too old. I only found this color, a shimmery red, hopefully I can find some other ones soon!

Here's a close up of the details, it's so pretty!

Here are the products swatched! The lipstick is a really beautiful color, so smooth and pretty wearable for being foiled.

Alright so there you have it, these are the products I found at my local T.J.Maxx! Make sure to check out your local T.J.Maxx, Ross and Marshall's to see what hidden treasures you can find. If you spot anything good make sure to leave me a comment with a heads up! :-)

Dupe Alert: Drugstore Dupe of Mac Pro Longwear Concealer!

Drugstore Gem!

I think I found a holy grail concealer and... it's from the drugstore!! I've been wearing this NEW Maybelline Master Conceal Camouflaging Concealer in the shade 30 Light/Medium and I'm loving it! It retails for about $8 at your local drugstore but totally worth it. It claims to be a full coverage concealer that camouflage imperfections and dark circles. I don't tend to use concealer on my face so can't attest to that but under my eyes it's so good!

This concealer reminds me so much of my Mac Pro Longwear Concealer for pretty much half the price. I actually like this one better because the packaging is more user friendly haha. Everytime I use my Mac Pro Longwear I pump out way too much and that's just money going down the drain. With the Maybelline one you can control how much you use, plus a little bit goes a long way. The texture isn't thick but it's ridiculously opaque! It covered my dark circles instantly! 

I do want to emphasize the fact that you must set it. If you don't it's going to crease like no other. I use my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder to set it and it doesn't budge one bit for the rest of the day. It's without a doubt full coverage and gets the job done!

You can tell that it has really great coverage from the swatch! I've tried applying it with a brush but it looked streaky. I've used it with my fingers and honestly that's the best way! 

Bottom line: This is a must have concealer from the drugstore! If you've been eyeing the Mac Pro Longwear you can skip it now because this one is the way to go! I saw a few shades on the display when I purchased so you're bound to find your color match. :-)

Review: L'Oreal Infallible Eye Crayons! (+Swatches!)

Long Wearing Eye Crayons!

Eye crayons are one of the most convenient makeup products to have for someone who's always on the go. I personally own a few from other brands but still find myself reaching for my Maybelline Color Tattoos haha, it's a habit. I wanted to break out of routine and try something new so I picked up two of the L'Oreal Infallible Eye Crayons. There's about eight shades in the line but I decided on the two that seemed the most unique unique to me.... plus they were about $8 each so I had a budget haha.

L'Oreal claims that they can be worn as both shadows and liners and they also last up to 24 hours... 24 hours?! I don't know about you but I don't plan on having my makeup on for that long :-P They are a really creamy product and extremely pigmented! I have worn them both ways and really like them. They are definitely smudge proof and long wearing ( idk about 24 hours though haha) but they last a good 6-8 hours. The colors are so vibrant and full of dimension, just like the infallible shadows. I'm a fan!

What I don't like is that you have to sharpen them, it's just an extra step that can get annoying. Plus my sharpener always goes missing when I need it the most haha. Here are the swatches:

*Impressive Brown- a unique pewter brown, looks really pretty all over the lid creating a neutral smokey eye!

*Resilient Green- a gorgeous emerald green, my favorite! This is the most unique color from the line. I used it as a liner for a pop of color and it looked stunning. Imagine this color all over the lid...!!

Here's what Impressive Brown looks like on! The look came together in less than 3 mins, just placed the shadow all over the lid and through a neutral brown in the crease. It's so easy to blend to!

Bottom line- I wouldn't repurchase anymore but the two that I have a really enjoy, specially Resilient Green. I really like the formula and the beautiful metallic finish they have. I also wanted to point out I feel like these work best alone instead of being layered with shadows. They have enough dimension to them to stand out and they don't crease! What are your thoughts? Have you tried them or plan to? Leave me a comment down below :-)