Review: Milani Baked Matte Blushes!

Perfect Spring Blushes!



I love the Milani Baked Blushes so when I read that they were launching two new matte shades I was more than excited! I own two of the original baked blushes which I use all the time and I have a feeling these matte ones will soon become my favorites too. Milani only released two shades with the matte finish priced at $7.99 each. These are just as smooth as the previous baked blushes. The pigmentation is amazing plus you get awesome color payoff when barely tapping your brush!  My initial thought was that the colors were a bit scary since they were so intense and bright. I didn't want to look like a clown haha. But don't be alarmed though, with a light hand they both look really natural!

The packaging is exactly the same as the previous blushes. They fit right in the palm of your hand so they really don't take up a lot space. Here's a picture of the matte blush next to one of the baked blushes in Fantastisco Mauve:

Here's a picture displaying the difference. The matte blush isn't marbleized, its just a sold color. Some brands market their products to be matte but when you put them to the test the have microshimmers or some type of sparkle. These live up to the matte expectations and aren't patchy. Here are the swatches:

From left to right:

*Delizioso Pink- Matte Hot Pink

*Bella Rosa- Matte Raspberry

Bottom line: Place your order on milanicosmetics.com or purchase them at your local drugstore! How often do you find a matte blush that's also baked in the drugstore? These are affordable gems and I would recommend that you add them to your collection if you're a blush lover like myself! I wore Delizioso Pink to work and it lasted all day and just made me look so awake! I love the colors, they are vivid and perfect for spring. I'll be using these a lot these next few months! :-)













Skincare: L'Oreal Revitalift Moisture Blur!

Does It Really Work?!

I recently turned 24 and I felt the sudden urge to find a skincare routine that was better than the $3 Apricot Scrub from the drugstore haha. I don't have any issues with my skin at the moment, just your typical laugh lines and visible pores. But... it seemed like the perfect time to start using a regimen to prevent wrinkles, dark spots and all of those unwanted signs of aging. I heard great things about the L'Oreal Revitalift Moisture Blur Instant Skin Smoother Moisturizer so I wanted to try it myself. I was a bit hesitant at first because of the price. It retails for $24.99 which is a crazy price but I thought of it as an investment (I needed to justify it right? haha). I ordered from walgreens.com and I managed to get a bit of a deal. They had a BOGO sale on the L'Oreal skincare line so I also purchased a night cream.

 

This moisturizer claims to instantly erase the look of lines and wrinkles. It also blurs your pores and provides 24 hour hydration. It claims to have a Opti-Blur technology that diffuses light on the skin creating a soft-focus blurring effect. On top of that it claims that your skin will instantly look and feel smooth, leaving a velvet soft matte finish that lasts all day. Wow, these are a lot of claims! That was my first thought but after giving this moisturizer a try I'm really impressed!

 

I've been using this everyday for the past week and I've noticed a big difference. The biggest surprise was how hydrated your skin felt throughout the day! With previous moisturizers I felt that the moisture would fade after it sunk into my skin or in other cases it would just stay on the surface of my face making it feel slippery. This feels cooling once applied, sinks into the skin quickly but your skin doesn't feel dry at all as time goes by. The lotion consistency is really light which is a huge plus! I noticed that throughout my work shift my face was mostly matte. Usually within 2-3 hours my oils are making an appearance but after using this moisturizer I noticed that they were controlled! My pores were almost invisible too. My nose was the only area on my face that got oily after many hours, so I just used a blotting powder to take care of it.

 

Bottom line: I really love this product! I think it's worth the money because it does solve so many issues without having to use multiple products. My skin hasn't reacted negatively towards it so this is a keeper. My makeup looks a lot better and my skin no longer has dry patches. For $24.99 you're getting 1.7FL OZ. and a little of this product goes a long way. Even though it's a moisturizer it really works as primer! Give this a try and you'll see that it will improve your makeup routine drastically! :-)



Need it Or Leave it: Makeup Geek Pigments!

Will Last You Forever!

Curiosity... such a powerful thing! ;-) I've seen and heard so many great reviews about the Makeup Geek products so I needed to try them out myself. The eyeshadows compare to Mac but at a much affordable price. Marlena, the owner, came up with so many beautiful colors that I just couldn't decide which ones to try! So... I opted for the pigments instead. The selection was still good but there was a lot less to choose from so it was a bit easier. I ordered two pigments... and I really like them! I'll go into detail about each one later on  in the post but lets talk about packaging first. I love how sleek it looks with simple black and white colors! It has a twist off cap and a plastic container... so really simple.

Now...my one and only con is that it doesn't have a sifter! You have to be extremely careful when opening the pigment because its overflowing with product that gets everywhere. I'm not complaining about how much you get, I just don't want to waste it by being clumsy! haha. Here is a picture of one of the pigments so you have an idea:

Makeup Geek is very generous! I'm not sure if they're adding sitfers on new orders, I purchased mine around the end of January. At the moment they're selling a pack of sifters (5 included!) for only $0.60 so not a bad deal! The sifters weren't available when I initially placed my order but I'm excited that they are now! The pigments retail for $6.99 each so its really a steal to higher end prices. You get so much product and on top of that they are amazingly pigmented... its a win/win! You can go to makeupgeek.com and see that most of the pigments are a dupe for Mac pigments and at a fraction of the price. I'll go ahead and include the swatches now:

From left to right:

*Nightlife- Light brown/taupe with shimmer

*Insomnia- Dark Brown duo-chrome with teal reflects

On the left is just one swipe of the pigment dry and on the right is the pigment when worn wet for a foiled look! I love these colors, especially Nightlife. It really brings out my brown eyes! There wasn't much fall out when I tried out nightlife. It stayed on all day over a base so I was very pleased! :-)

 

For the price you have to try them out! If I had to chose only one color out of the two it would be Nightlife since it's the most wearable of the two. When dry its perfect to add a little something to your everyday look and when wet it would look amazing on a night out. If you're more outgoing with your eye makeup there's a nice range of pigments to choose from on the Makeup Geek site. I love that they fill up each container to the rim, this will last you a long time. Just remember to purchase the sifters if you don't want a mess haha. Final verdict? Need! :-)













Review: Milani Eye Tech Perfection Liquid Liner!

A Liquid Liner With A Twist!

Liquid liner is one of the trickiest things for me! I've had years to practice but it hasn't been perfected yet haha. Nonetheless, I'm always looking for the best liquid liner that makes application a breeze but is also opaque. This Milani Eye Tech Perfection Liquid Liner was a bit tricky to use at first but I'm slowly getting the hang of it! Milani wasn't the first makeup brand to release a liquid liner like this, I believe NYX also has one in their line. The concept for this liner is to make application super easy due to the handle, regardless if you're left or right handed. It has a felt tip that is a nice length and pointy making it easy to get a thin line or a thicker line too. The liner retails for $7.49 which is about average for a drugstore product.

Here's a close up on the liquid liner and the tip:

It fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Initially I didn't think I would like the shape of the liner but when I first drew the line it was like second nature for me. I was able to rest my index finger on the liner comfortably which gave me enough stability to draw a precise line. Now, everything was fine when I used my right hand but when I used my left hand...that's a whole different story haha. It felt foreign when I tried drawing the line with my left hand. Instead of just drawing a line with one swipe I had to do it little by little. The good thing about this liner is that the felt tip is longer than most liners. So I didn't have to get too close to my eye to the point where it was uncomfortable. I just think, like anythig new, you have to get use to it! :-)

Here's what the liner looks like swatched:

The liner is really opaque! It's really black and dries to semi-matte finish. I don't like the liners that have a glossy finish because it leans to a plastic look. This one doesn't look like that so that's a plus! You don't have to tug on your eye to get the line, it goes on really smooth. Milani only has one color at the moment, 01 Black.

 

Bottom line: I really like this liner! I've had it for about 2 weeks and I got use to it. I really enjoy the color payoff  and how thin of a point it has for those days where you don't want such a visible line. It's also perfect for winging out your liner! I used the Maybelline Line Stiletto Liner but it's been difficult to find at the drugstore, I'm actually not sure if they still sell it. This Milani liner has been a great alternative...I kinda like it better! I ordered mine from milanicosmetics.com but you should be able to find it at your local drugstores. Give it a try! :-)



 

 





Review: Benjabelle Daisy Brush Tree & Organic Cleansing Balm! + How I Clean My Makeup Brushes!

Leave Your Brushes Squeaky Clean!

For the longest time I was searching for the best method to clean my makeup brushes. In the meantime I was using the Bath and Body Works liquid soaps to clean them and I thought "this will do!" And... it did! It cleaned my brushes and by beauty sponge fine but after using the Benjabelle Cleansing Balm I  realized that it wasn't deep cleaning them and getting all the makeup off! After using both the balm and the Benjabelle Daisy Brush Tree I can truly say that I now have a go-to brush cleaning routine! I'm super excited to share these products with you and hopefully if you were in the market for something to leave your brushes squeaky clean you will give this a try! :-)

Here's a close up of the Daisy Tree:

The Daisy Tree is $19.95... and well worth it! Prior to having this I just laid my brushes flat on a paper towel. It would take forever for the brushes to dry so for that reason I left them drying overnight. With the brush tree your letting the brushes hang with the bristles down so the water drips away, cutting the drying time. Plus, your ensuring that water stays away from the ferulle which holds the bristles together. On benjabelle.com you'll find a nice selection of brush trees, they have other sizes that hold more brushes. The Daisy Tree holds 2 large brushes, 4 medium brushes and 8 thinner eye and lip brushes. When you receive the order it comes in 3 pieces that you have to put together. It was super simple to put together which I loved!

Here's what the Organic Cleansing Balm looks like! I love the attention to detail the company puts into their products! It also makes me super happy that this balm is made with organic ingredients. I mean, its nice to know that you're not cleaning your brushes with chemicals that will eventually end up on your face. Here are the ingredients: Saponified Organic Oils of Palm, Coconut, Olive and Palm Kernel, Cocoa Butter, Powdered Oatmeal, Aloe Vera and Rosemary Extract. At first glance (and smell! haha) it reminded me of the oatmeal soaps that you can find at your local drugstore. The scent isn't overpowering... I really like it! The balm retails for $14.95 and you get a ton of product! This will last you a nice amount of time!

Here's how it works!

Just takes a few easy steps! First you wet the bristles of your brush. Then swirl the brush in the balm a few times and use your hand to squeeze out the water/makeup residue. Repeat if needed. Once the water runs clear place the brushes in your brush tree and Waaahla! Just let it dry and your brushes are ready to use! I even used the balm to watch my beauty sponge from Real Techniques and it worked! Here's what the brushes look once in the tree:

Bottom line: These two products are amazing! They are a dynamic duo and I can't picture not having them. The price isn't bad for the quality items you're getting. Plus, they offer free shipping over $25! I would highly recommend them. The tree makes drying your brushes simple and fast. The balm is perfect for traveling and safe/natural... what more can you ask for? Something that stood out to me is that Benjabelle offers a 100% 30 day money back guarantee...so you have nothing to lose! ;-)

PS: I have a post about my brush set, check it out by clicking here!





 







Review: Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color!

Bright & Beautiful!

I'm so excited about these Milani Lip Intense Liquid Colors! They are quickly becoming my new favorite liquid lipstick/gloss. Milani has come out with a few new products: eyeliner, blushes, glosses, stains and nail polish for spring 2014! I love it when brands release new lines for the season and Milani never disappoints. I ordered a few things from milanicosmetics.com that I will be reviewing soon once I get a chance to try them out. But... as soon as I got my package these stood out to me and I just had to test them out immediately!

I'll start off by saying that I love the packaging. It's not bulky and the gold accents are growing on me. I really like the shape of it too, definitely makes it stand out! The wand is also really great. It's a flat rectangular sponge tip so its perfect for precise application. I was able to outline my lips without a problem. The line has 4 colors to choose from and I'm kinda sad I didn't order them all at once (to save on shipping! haha) I chose 2 colors that I knew for sure I would wear. They are $6.49 each so it can get a bit pricey if your buying 2or 3. They are available online and at your local drugstore! Here are the swatches on my lips:

On the left is "Fiery Coral" and on the right is "Pink Rave". Don't they look amazing? Milani claims that its highly pigmented with the shine of a gloss and the longevity of a lipstick... and I completely agree! The formula is thin which is something I didn't expect. Normally liquid lipsticks are on the thicker side to the point where you can feel them. These on the other hand are a nice thin formula and really comfortable on the lips. Its crazy pigmented too! The opacity you see in the pictures took only one swipe across the lips. I'm just in aw with the color payoff you get! They last a decent amount of time, about 4 hours before you have to reapply. It's a velvet matte finish, so it leaves a bit of a shine but doesn't move around once dry. It's not drying or super moisturizing, it simply feels really nice on!

 

Bottom line: I 100% recommend these lip colors! Like the name states... they are intense! I think its worth the price because they are really good. They have a nice sweet smell that isn't overpowering. Plus they colors are right up my alley, bright! Milani hit the jackpot with these liquid lip colors. It's the perfect combination between a gloss and a lipstick. I can't wait to use these in the spring and summer. My only complaint is that the line only has 4 colors. Hopefully Milani adds more colors soon! :-)



Review: Coastal Scents Forever Blushes!

Long Lasting Color!

First off... how cute is the packaging!? I just love how bright and full of color it is! Even though it's just the box the blushes come they quickly captured my attention. I love it when companies dedicate time to detail. It's something that keeps me coming back to order new things.

These blushes are from the Forever Blush line. It fairly new to Coastal Scents and it has 18 different colors. These retail for $7.95 each but I managed to purchase them on sale for 50% off. You get a ton of product for that price so no complaints there. They claim to be highly pigmented and long lasting... and that they are! They are so pigmented that I'm scared to use a regular blush brush haha. I used a duo fiber stippling brush for a lighter application but it was still too bright for my liking. I had to blend it out with a kabuki brush to make it look natural. So pigmentation can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you like. The colors with shimmer were a bit powdery. As soon as I used my brush powder got everywhere. That was one of the things I got annoyed with. Other than that I consider these to be really good!

Here are the colors that I chose! I wanted a bit of variety and I'm super happy with my choices. They are beautiful shades and will definitely be flattering on many skin tones. Here are the names:

*Lovely- a deeper coral with a shimmer finish

*Alluring- a deep magenta with a satin finish

*Charming- a medium mauve with a matte finish

*Delicate- a peachy coral with a shimmer finish

They all have a cool design engraved in them! You can see close ups on coastalscents.com. Here are the swatches for each blush. Keep in mind, I didn't have to fuss with these to get the color payoff you see. It only took 1-2 swipes and they are this pigmented! :-)

From left to right: Delicate, Charming, Lovely and Alluring. They are silky smooth but as you can see from a the picture some are a bit powdery.

Bottom line: I would recommend purchasing these blushes when they are on sale. I think that they are not worth the hassle at full price since they are so powdery but for $3.97 I would say go for it. If I were to compare them to other blushes at a similar price point (like the Elf Studio Blushes) these are more pigmented and the quality is better. You really just need to learn how to work with them so you don't end up looking like a clown. On the plus side, I wore one of the colors to work (8 hours shift) and by the end of the day it looked exactly the same! So overall, I do like these... I just rather save money where I can! ;-)



Review: Kat Von D Esperanza Eyeshadow Palette!

Perfect For Spring!

I was so excited to try out a Kat Von D palette! I heard great things about her makeup line and this palette was released just in time! Spring is just around the corner and I wanted something with bright colors. The Esperanza Palette has eight eye shadows; a nice mix of mattes, pearls and glitters. This is a great addition to my collection since most of my palettes are neutrals! The packaging was the first thing that caught my eye! It's so detailed and beautiful just like Kat Von D's work! It's compact so it doesn't take up a lot of space and its perfect for travel.  It's only $36 plus it's limited edition so I would grab it before it's sold out. I purchased mine from Sephora.com since they have fast shipping!

Here are all the colors! They are all nicely pigmented but some are a bit powdery. It gets a bit messy when using the palette but nothing to make me stray away from it. In the past I had problems with eye shadows with glitter. When applying them you only get the color but not the glitter. With this palette it's not like that. The color payoff is amazing and the glitter also shows up! It's typical to have some fall out when using glitter shadows but it wasn't as bad as other palettes. All the colors mesh together very well... you can definitely get many spring/summer looks from this palette! I love the theme they came up with for this palette! It resembles "El Dia De Los Muertos" or "Day Of The Day" which is a Mexican tradition. Here are the swatches row by row.

From left to right:

*Selena- a medium purple with silver glitter.

*Dayglo- a white/lime duo-chrome with green/gold shimmer. It's an iridescent shade and also considered a "transformer shade". It's pretty cool! It can be used alone or on top of the other shades to change the color a bit.

*Galore- a pearl light peach (perfect all over the lid!).

*Placebo- a medium coral/peach matte shade. It's my favorite shade! Looks great in the crease!

*Santeria- a metallic charcoal gray with teal/silver glitter.

*Archangel- a sea foam green satin shade, really pretty!

*South- a matte beige color, close to my skin tone so it would make a nice highlight shade!

*Dog Roses- a metallic bronze with a bit of a golden sparkle, love it!

 

Here is a look I created with some of the shades! I didn't have a problem blending them, it was pretty simple to create the look :-)



Bottom line: If you are looking for a palette that is perfect for spring and summer this is the one for you! The quality is amazing and you can't beat the price considering it's a higher end palette. This would be all you need for the seasons to come and they last all day for those road trips or nights out we are all looking forward to! I love trying new brands and this palette makes me want to try other things from Kat Von D's line. If this palette is amazing I'm sure the whole line must be! :-)











Review: bh Cosmetics Glamorous Blush Palette!

Change It Up With This Palette!

Blush.... one of my many obsessions! It's one of my favorite make up products to purchase because it's what brings life back to your face! I never owned an actual blush palette before buying this bh Cosmetics Glamorous Blush Palette. I'm so happy I purchased it. It's so convenient for traveling to have all the blushes in one place. You have a large range of color to complete any makeup look you can think of. The packaging is nice and slim but still made well to survive through travels. It doesn't come with all the bells and whistles like a mirror or a brush but you really don't need all that.



Here are the all the colors it comes with! Now these blushes don't have any names. It contains nudes, pinks and berries. It's very versatile and comes with a nice mix of mattes and shimmers. I love the idea of having so many colors and the option of creating your own shade by mixing some of the colors together. They are silky smooth and very pigmented. They are a bit powdery but that wasn't a big deal for me. You just need the tiniest bit on your blush brush to achieve the look you want! So... this palette will most likely last me forever haha. It retails on bhcosmetics.com for $16.95 but I purchased mine on sale for $10.95! Such a great price for all the colors you're getting and bh cosmetics always has sales. I noticed that most of these colors resemble some of the Nars blushes. So if you're looking for an inexpensive alternative I would get this palette in a heart beat. The shades they include are great for the work place all the way to a night out... I love it! I'll go ahead and include the swatches by row. These swatches were done heavily to show off the color itself but once blended out they are all beautiful! Some of the nude/golden shades even make wonderful eye shadows!



Bottom line: Get it! I personally love it and find myself using it more than my single blushes. I will still continue to purchase more blushes from other brands because I'm just obsessed (its a problem! haha) but if you're new to makeup this palette is perfect! You have everything you need in one place and it's convenient for travel. I noticed that bh cosmetics sells a different one that looks similar called the professional blush palette but its a lot more muted colors and also has bronzer shades. I prefer this one because it looks more vibrant and bright! Go to their website now and place an order! You will love it as much as I do! :-)





Review: ELF Baked Eyeshadows!

Best Single Shadows!



If you're like me you tend buy palettes over single eye shadows. You get more for your buck and it's convenient to have everything in one place. But... I was curious to try some single shadows so I ordered the ELF Baked Eye shadows. I heard a lot of great things about these so I was excited to test them out. They're only $3 but I was able to get them on sale so they were only $1.50!
The packaging is super simple and compact. The last thing you want is something that's difficult to store away haha. You get a lot of product for the price so I find that these are worth it! They are highly pigmented and smooth! They look beautiful on and I find that you an create a "one eyeshadow look" with these. I actually would compare these to Urban Decay shadows. The pigmentation is comparable and some shadows resemble a few from previous Urban Decay palettes!
I've tried some other shadows from ELF but I wouldn't recommend those. I've tried the single shadows from their studio line and those are not as good. The $1-$2 palettes from their Essential line are a hit or miss too. I haven't had any problems when using these baked shadows. They look amazing straight from the pan or foiled with a bit of water. I tried the baked eye shadow palettes from ELF but they are horrible! They are not pigmented what so ever so I would pass on those and just buy your favorite colors in the single form! Here are the swatches of the ones that I own:



These are the swatches over primer! They look amazing! :-)
From left to right:
*Toasted- A bronze/gold color (my favorite!)
*Passion Purple- A bright purple
*Burnt Plum- A brown shade with a burgundy tone
* Pixi- A light pink color

Bottom line: I would recommend these! If you just want to put a wash on color on your lids on those days that you need to be out the door these are perfect, specially Toasted! You don't have to put to much thought when using these. Instead of being overwhelmed with all the colors in a palette you just use one of these and you'll still look like you spent some time on your make up! The color selection is great and for the price I would recommend to try a few! You can order these from their website or purchase them at Walmart or Target. I can't wait for ELF to release some new colors! :-)

Dupe Alert: Drugstore Versions Of Mac Lipsticks!

As Close As It Gets!

So today I wanted to show you guys a few dupes I found for some of my favorite Mac Lipsticks! If there's anything I would always see myself purchasing it would have to be Mac Lipsticks. I don't know what it is... maybe the sleek packaging or just how GOOD the lipstick smells haha. But since they're $15 each it gets super pricey super fast. My method is: buy the Mac lipstick once but find a drugstore dupe of it so you have a back up once you run out. So I wanted to find some duplicates for you guys (within my collection) so you can decide if you should just purchase the drugstore one to save some money! Now... there's many definitions for the term "Dupe". For me, I consider a dupe to be a product that is super identical in color compared to the original. It might have a different finish or texture but the color is the same. I'll go ahead and show you the original and the dupe on my lips so you can see for yourself how close they are! I'll actually be wearing both lipsticks on my lips so its easy to compare; Mac will be on the bottom lip and the dupe on the top! ( Except for the honorable mention!)

Lets begin!

 Mac Heroine & Revlon Matte Balm in Shameless

Heroine is such a beautiful color! It's a bold purple color which isn't too common at the drugstore so I was super excited to find a dupe for it. Heroine is a Matte lipstick and so is Shameless. They are very similar in texture. Shameless is just a pinch darker than Heroine but it you apply it with a lighter hand you wont notice the difference. Shameless is about $6-7 at your local drugstore.

Mac Craving & Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Plumrose

Craving is one of my favorites lipsticks because it's such a nice neutral plum color. I was a tad upset because the camera and lighting washed it out a bit. *Sigh* I'm working on it! haha.  The color does appear a bit darker on the lips and its so beautiful. Craving is an Amplified finish so it's creamy but still has wonderful lasting power and pigmentation. Plumrose is identical in texture. They both leave your lips with a nice shine and they both smell amazing! Plumrose is about $5-6 at your local drugstore or you can also order from Milanicosmetics.com.

Mac Plumful & Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush

Plumful is one of my most worn lipsticks from Mac! I find that on a day that I don't know what to wear I always end up using this one. It's a Lustre finish which is sheer and glossy. It's a color that you can build up but doesn't really last too long since it is so glossy. Cranberry Crush is super similar in colors. They're both a wearable plum shade that isn't as dark as Craving so it's perfect for everyday. The Jordana option does leave a stain behind once the shine fades so it will last a lot longer than the Mac lipstick. Cranberry Crush is about $3-$4 at your local drugstore. I mainly see them at Walgreens and Kmart.

Mac Twig & Wet n Wild Lipstick called In the Flesh

Everyone needs that perfect nude color and Twig is mine! I really don't like those concealer nudes so I find that this one is perfect for me. It leans more brown which I love. It's a Satin finish which means it's a more of a matte color without being drying. The Wet n Wild shade is super similar! It's close in color and also texture. I'd say that In the Flesh is a bit more drying on the lips to the point where you need to tug a bit to when using it. But... its only $2-$3 so you save so much money when choosing the drugstore version!

 

Mac Vegas Volt & ELF Moisturizing Lipstick in Coral Cutie

This color makes me hate the winter time! haha. It's perfect for spring and summer and I'm so excited to wear it! Vegas Volt is new to my Mac collection and I was happy to find such an affordable dupe for it since I plan on wearing it very frequently. It's a bright coral shade with an Amplified finish. This color is super pigmented and creamy, it's just so smooth on the lips! Coral Cutie from ELF is just the same! I have a review on these ELF lipsticks so definitely check it out if you're wanting to know more about them or see some swatches. These ELF lipsticks feel amazing on! I would recommend them any day! They're only $3 on Eyeslipsface.com and $1.50 if you find a 50% off coupon code. You can't go wrong with that!

Mac Riri Woo & NYX Butter Lipstick in Mary Janes (Honorable Mention)

Alright....I have to admit that Riri Woo was an impulse buy! haha. I really thought it looked cool and since I wanted to add a red lipstick to my collection I thought this one would be perfect. The color is super pretty, a bright blue based red. But it's so hard to apply and so drying on the lips. It's a Retro Matte finish which is my least favorite finish. As you can see in the picture, my top lip looks so dry! I decided to include it in the post anyway because I found an alternative for it that I like even better. Mary Janes is also a blue based red and goes on super creamy! It's such a delight to apply that I rather use this one rather than the actual Mac lipstick! They are not alike in texture or finish at all. They're just really similar in color. Mary Janes is about $6 so it's a really great deal for a nice red shade. If you weren't able to get Riri Woo when it launched don't sweat it. I kinda regret buying it and Mary Janes is such a better option!

 

So these are the dupes that I have for you guys today! I hope you guys enjoyed and if you have any of your own dupes please leave them below as a comment. I'd love to know the less expensive alternatives for your favorite Mac Lipsticks! :-)

 



 

 



The Liebster Award! :-)

Wohoooo!!! So... I was nominated for the Liebstar Award! :-) To be honest I had no clue what the award was for or about so I did my research haha. I started blogging about a month ago so I'm fairly new to this world. After looking it up I was so happy and grateful that two lovely ladies thought of me! theotherekta & aurelie-hispter thanks so much for the nominations! Now... there seems to be many ways to go about this nomination. This is more of a "chain letter" to help upcoming bloggers (200-250 or less followers) get known and I'm all for that! It's such a great idea and its awesome that we get to help one another!

So the lucky number is... 11! Here are the rules:
* You have to write 11 random facts about yourself
*Nominate 11 bloggers that you feel deserve it and have about 200-250 or less followers. (Leave a comment on their blog to let them know!)
*Answer the 11 questions the person that nominated you created and also create 11 new questions for the ones that are being nominated!
*Once you're nominated place the award on your blog and spread the love!<3
... Simple right?! (haha)

Alright, here are 11 random facts about me:
1. My favorite color is red but I never wear it!
2. While growing up I was surrounded by water my whole life but... I can't swim.
3. I have the worst sense of direction, I get lost on a daily basis.
4. I'm a makeup hoarder!
5. The Backstreet Boys is my favorite boy band!
6. I love cooking and trying out new recipes.
7. I speak English and Spanish.
8. I love dancing ;-)
9. I post way too much on instagram.
10. Shoes are my weakness.
11. I've tried playing Call Of Duty but I always fail miserably.

Since I was nominated twice I'll be answering 22 questions total, 11 from each! Here we go!
Questions from theotherekta:
1.Who or what inspired you to write and share a part of your world online?
- Hmm... well I've followed Temptalia's blog for a while now I always loved the idea of sharing your thoughts to also help others. I love makeup and fashion so I thought blogging would be the perfect outlet for me. Besides, I love writing so why not write about something you love? :-)

2.You have time/patience for 1 make-up product. You grab...?
- Liquid liner, in order to get it right I need the time and patience! haha

3.Favorite genre of books?
- To be honest I don't read books as much as I should, but I love romance novels! ;-)

4.Are you an introvert or extrovert?
-I would say a bit of both. I'm very shy at first but once I let my guard down I'm always excited to try new things and meet new people!

5.Favorite book or book series?
- Well I'll go old school with this one and say The Notebook!

6.How much water do you drink everyday? Honestly.
- Not enough haha. I try to always have a water bottle with me at all times to make sure I get my days worth but...

7.Best gift you ever gave...
- Hmm... BFF necklaces every year to my BFFs :-)

8.What or who makes you instantly happy?
-My niece and nephew! <3

9.Current style icon?
- Lauren Conrad

10.On a scale from "Allergic" to "Rehab", how much do you love Nutella?
- Hahaha On the edge of rehab

11.What is the meaning of life?
- I feel like that changes everyday for me as I get older so if I had to say something I would say growth!

Questions from Aurélie:
1.Do you have any siblings?
- Yes I have one older brother

2.Have you already traveled? If you did were did you go?
-I've gone to a few places in the U.S like Las Vegas & New York City. I lived in Puerto Rico too!

3.What is your favourite fashion item?
- I loooove cardigans! I feel like they are so versatile and can complete any outfit!

4.What is your favourite part of your makeup routine?
-Hmm... I love choosing the lip color! It's the finishing touch to any look and I love going through my stash haha.

5.Name a quote that inspire you.
- “I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.”

6.Where are you living?
- I live in Utah! Best snow on earth ;-)

7.Tea or coffee?
- Hmm... frozen coffee!

8.What's your favourite store?
- At the moment I love Forever 21 and Sephora!

9.Why did you start your blog?
- I wanted an outlet where I can express myself and share the things that I love (Makeup and Fashion!)

10.What is your favourite thing to do with your best friend(s)?
Wow, well we're far away from each other right now but I loved our road trips!!

11.Something you are looking forward for in 2014?
- ...lots of travel! :-)

So here's who I nominated!:
Lipstick Dupe
Kay & a cup of tea
The Beauty Of A Nerd
SJ | Underground Beauty
Rhiannon Rose
Yesenia's BLT
Dose of Wardrobe
XO Beauty and Makeup
weloveswatches
Blushed on a Budget
Leopard, Lace, and Cheesecake

And here are my 11 questions for you to answer:
1. If you could go be anywhere in the world right now where would you be?
2. What language would you love to learn?
3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
4. If you could have any career of your choice what would it be?
5. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
6. What's your favorite makeup brand?
7. What's your most played song on iTunes?
8. If you could be an animal which one would you be?
9. What super power would you like to have?
10. If you could have an endless amount of something... what would it be?
11. What's the last movie you watched?

Definitely check out these blogs because they are amazing! Also check out the ones that nominated me! :-)
This was fun and hopefully we can keep it going!
XO- Reina

Review: Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Balm Stain!

Every brand known to mankind is coming out with balm stains and I keep buying them! (It's becoming a problem...haha) So on my last trip to Kmart I purchased these Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Balm Stains. I wanted to give them a try giving the fact that the Wet n Wild brand tends to have great products! I purchased a bright color called A Stiff Pink and a more neutral mauve color called Rico Mauve. I tested them both out and here are my thoughts!

These are only $2.99 at Kmart so the price is perfect. I heard that in most stores they have a $1 off coupon attached to them that you can use when checking out but unfortunately mine didn't come with it. The line has a nice range of shades but most of them were sold out at my Kmart so I only picked up two. The packaging is a hit and miss for me. I like how simple and sleek the packaging is. Just like most stains the color of the tube is also the color of the product. But the cap is so annoying! I'm a very organized/clean person so it bothered me so much when I found the lip balm with the cap off in my purse! Luckily nothing got ruined but I just wanted to point that out. It happened with both of them. I also made sure to hear the "click" sound to confirm they were closed but it happened either way.

As far as the lip balm itself... I felt like it was decent but nothing out of this world. The site claims that these will go on smoothly while conditioning your lips. I personally didn't think they were too conditioning. They don't have a minty smell like most lip balms/stains. They do go on smooth and are moisturizing once applied but that doesn't last at all. Within the hour I felt like my lips were drier! On top of that the stain left on my lips was darker than the original color. It was a bit odd. When I applied the pink one it looked like a bright baby pink but it stained like a more dark berry pink. The mauve color looked very natural when I first applied it too but once it stained it looked a bit darker. Here are the colors just applied:

I love the colors once applied. I just wished they would stay consistent throughout the day haha. You do need to swipe the lip color a few times just to build it up to the color in the pictures but I don't mind. The mauve color is my favorite out of the two. Even though it stained a bit darker I enjoyed the color either way so I know it's something that would wear again. The pink one on the other hand emphasized my chapped lips. The funny part is that the lip balm itself made them feel drier. I didn't like that one at all. My lips felt horrible and while talking to my co workers I felt like they were cracking. I took it off immediately and used another lip balm. It makes me think that the formula is a bit inconsistent throughout the line since I didn't experience the sames issues with the mauve color.

 

Bottom line: I would pass on these. I'm glad I tried them since I had high hopes but unfortunately this is something I wouldn't repurchase. I will continue to use Rico Mauve because it's a beautiful color but I'll probably store away the pink one. They just gradually become uncomfortable on the lips. I rather get more of the NYC City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color ( check out that review!) because those remain the same color and are super pigmented with one swipe. They're like a dollar more and worth it. :-)

 

If you've tried the Wet n Wild lip stains leave your thoughts below, I'd love to know if they worked out for you or not!





Review: bh Cosmetics Forever Nude Palette!

Perfect for Valentine's Day!

On a weekly (ok...maybe daily) basis I search around for the best deals on new products. Last week I was snooping around bhcosmetics.com and came across this palette! It's called the Forever Nude Palette and I have nothing but great things to say about it! :-) For the past few days I've used this palette and I love it! It has 6 eye shadows, 2 blushes, a highlight and 2 lip colors... so basically everything you need is in this palette. As the name says, it's full of nudes but with pink hues, kinda like the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. It retails on the site for $21.95 but it's on sale currently for $11.95( such a great deal!).

Here's a look at the palette! The entire cover of the palette is a full size mirror, pretty generous and perfect for traveling. And there's the actual palette... it's so pretty! Lets start with the left side. First off is the duo blush, it has a more mauve neutral side and a dusty pink on the other side. Both of the blushes are a satin finish so they leave a beautiful glow on the cheek. They definitely complete the looks you create with the palette. Below the blushes you have 2 lip colors, a neutral and a pink. To be honest I'm not a fan of lip colors in palettes in general. They get messy with all the powder products so I wish they had a cover or something to protect them. But they're still creamy and surprisingly very pigmented! I probably wont use them too much... but its nice to know they're there if needed.

Here are the swatches for the blushes and lip colors.

 Alright so lets continue with the rest of the palette! In the middle of the palette there's a highlight shade. Now there's no description on the site for what its meant for. Is it a face highlight.... or is it a brow bone highlight? It's a matte cream shade so not typically what I would use for a face highlight. If it is a brow bone highlight then that's a heck of a lot of product haha. I guess you can use it as you please. So we finally have the eye shadows...my favorite part of the palette! Even though it's only six shades you can create so many looks! From sexy to sultry to soft everyday looks, these shadows are perfect for that!



 I swatched the eye shadows by rows from top to bottom. The left row has a shimmery light pink, a medium tone matte pink and a metallic copper. I really love the matte pink! Even though it doesn't look like much it's the perfect crease shade! The copper shade is also beautiful all over the lid. The pigmentation is great and for better color pay off you can use some of them wet.

Here's the second row! This one has a shimmery copper with pink tones, a satin cream shade and a matte dark brown. I'm in love with the shimmery shade for all over the lid as well, it has a certain shine to it that makes it look beautiful! The cream shade is great for a highlight color and the dark brown is perfect for those days that you want to smoke out your look!

Bottom line: I'm a huge fan of this palette! I think it's nicely made as far as packaging and also everything it includes. It's perfect for travel and because of the colors its also perfect for Valentine's Day! If you can, definitely place an order because shipping is no more than a week (at least for me!) so you should get it just in time. After using it I can see myself reaching for this palette on a regular basis. For the price you can't go wrong, it's a really good deal and great quality. I give this palette two thumbs up and I can't wait to create new looks with it! :-)