Must Haves: NYX Cosmetics Powder Blushes in Dusty Rose & Bordeaux! (Fall Edition!)

Get The Flushed Look!

A few posts ago I hauled a few fall appropriate items, including these blushes. I wanted to follow up with some swatches so you can see how beautiful these colors are! They may seem a bit scary in the pan but trust me when I say they bring your cheeks to life! They are the perfect fall colors and can be sheered out to give you that flushed look that we all crave! :-) I ordered mine directly from the NYX Website for $5 each plus an extra 25% off so very inexpensive.

The packaging is very simple and compact which I love since lets be honest... I'm a blush hoarder so the less bulky the better haha. These blushes are cruelty free products which is also amazing! I find that the NYX Blushes are the easiest to blend from drugstore range. They are silky smooth and richly pigmented so a little goes a long way. Another thing I love about them is that they are long wearing! At the end of the day my blush looks just as vibrant as it did when I first applied it!

Here are the swatches! ;-)

*Dusty Rose- a matte rose pink, super pretty and wearable year round but especially for fall since it wont clash with darker lips! Love it!

*Bordeaux- a deep red brown, seems to have shimmers in the pan but on the cheeks it goes on matte. I love this color! This with a simple winged liner and a dark red lip... gorgeous! It's very pigmented so you need to apply it with a light hand but it blends effortlessly.

Bottom line: If you're scared of darker blushes I hope this post inspired you to branch out because once blended these colors look stunning on! I love the NYX formula and how affordable their products are. Sometimes the color swatches on the websites tend to not show up true to color so if you've been wanting these colors I hope the swatches helped as well! These are definitely going to be my go to blushes (including the E.L.F Matte Duo!) for the season and I highly recommend them! :-)

Review: Wet n Wild Fall 2014 Limited Edition Eyeshadow Palettes!

Must Haves!

I'm starting to lose track of all the NEW limited edition collections Wet n Wild has been releasing, haha. I purchased a few items from the Halloween collection so expect a review on those pretty soon. But the spotlight is on these three limited edition palettes for fall which are amazing! There's a total of four palettes in the line but the one I didn't pick up was more of a smokey-dramatic palette which I never use. Now, lately the palettes that were being released were lacking in pigmentation so I've skipped on a few recent collections because of that. But these palettes (specially the neutrals!) are must haves! They are formulated just like the Wet n Wild palettes we all know and love so I highly recommend picking them up! :-)

Here's a close up of the palettes:

Even though these palettes have an imprint of where you should put the shadow when creating a look I say there's no rules in makeup! ;-) Besides...some of the imprints just don't make sense haha. These retail for $3.99 each plus I managed to get them on sale for just $2 each at Walgreens, such a great deal! I'm super impressed with the quality of these shadows. They are pigmented, creamy and blend so easily. I've heard the first two palettes has colors that are similar to a few in the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette which is awesome. I don't own that palette but I can confirm that some of the colors are very similar to the ones in the Lorac Unzipped palette.

Here are the swatches by palette:

Smoke and Melrose:

The first shade makes the best crease color, perfect for fall!

Melrose at Night:

The last shade is beautiful all over the lid!

High Waisted Jeans:

All the tones in this palette are very wearable (for blues!) You can create the perfect night look with this one!

Bottom line: These palettes are definite must haves! I'm loving the neutral colors the most because they mix and match so well. I've used them nonstop for the past 2 weeks and the looks come out gorgeous each time. They really suite brown eyes... not to toot my own horn or anything but TOOT TOOT haha. They're so easy to use and everything you need is in one tiny palette. A+! :-)

Review: Anastasia Beverly Hills Tamanna Palette!

Perfect Fall/Holiday Palette!

I woke up yesyerday and there it was... my Ulta box sitting on my porch! I was super excited because as soon as the Anastasia Beverly Hills Tamanna Palette released I immediately placed my order. It took about a week for it to get here and now that it is I'm completely smitten by it for so many reasons! Before I get into those details lets start off with the basics. :-)

It retails for $29 which is an amazing deal! You can find it on Ulta.com, Sephora.com and Anastasiabeverlyhills.com. The Anastasia website marketed this new release as being the fall/holiday palette which is perfect because the colors fit right in. They actually released a few palettes back to back which was exciting yet confusing at the same time because they came out of nowhere haha. But the best part is that they are collaborations with beauty personalities on instagram or in the beauty blogger community... how cool is that!? I purchased the Amrezy Palette and love it, make sure to check out that review! 

The packaging is so gorgeous and looks luxurious! It has a cool baroque design that's also on the inside of the palette. 

Just like the Amrezy palette is has a nice sized mirror and a great two sided brush which works really well. Here are the colors in the palette!

I love the color combination! I might be biased... but it has a few of my wedding colors so I got super excited! Might even consider having my makeup done with this palette! There's a great mix of mattes and shimmers/metallics and they are all nicely pigmented! They are buttery smooth and the colors blend so effortlessly! The looks you can create are truly endless! Plus if you already have the Amrezy Palette you can use them together because they have similar neutral color families. 

Here's a close up of the colors:

This palette also included five "Get the look" illustrations with step by step instructions on how to recreate some really beautiful looks! They are very detailed and I'm excited to give them a try soon!

This is what the back looks like with the instructions, simple and easy to follow!

Alright... we finally made it to the swatches!(Wohoo!) Here they are by row:

*Fresh- a matte cream shade, the ideal brow bone highlight shade!

*Blush- a very light cream-pink shimmer, really smooth and perfect as an all over lid shade!

*Venezia-  a teal metallic shade with a golden sheen, so stunning! It's the pop of color in the palette and would pair so well with the warmer tones. Swatched so smooth!

*Gilded- a golden-bronze metallic... one of my favorites! So pigmented and silky! Great lid shade!

*Custom- a taupe shimmer shade with pink tones, another unique color! It's a nice change from your typical brown, I really like it!

*Sangria- a magenta jewel tone metallic... gorgeous! Definitely one of my favorites and its super pigmented!

*Bengal- an medium orange-brown with a demi-matte finish, the best shade in the palette for the crease or blending! 

*Chocolate- a deep chocolate brown (just like the name states, haha) with a matte finish. I really like that they included both a matte brown and a matte black because sometimes black can be too harsh for certain looks so this one would be great for deepening up some looks!

*China Rose- a peachy pink metallic, just like Venezia it has a beautiful golden sheen!

*Noir- a dark matte black, great basic color for the palette! It's a lot deeper than LBD which is the black shade in the Amrezy Palette.

Bottom line:  Anastasia + Tamanna hit a home run with this palette! Its full of unique colors and I just can't wait to play around with it some more! It completely impressed me with just the swatches and little time I've had to test it out. The consistency in the shadows its just like the ones in the Amrezy palette which I've been using almost everyday for work so I know I'm gonna love this one just as much or... even more! haha. These palettes have great quality shadows for such a great price. Other brands keep raising they're prices,.. but when it comes down to it we're looking for a great quality product that wont break the bank and these Anastasia Beverly Hills palettes are the way to go! :-)

Here's a look I came up with today! I followed one of the "Get the look" illustrations and love how it came out! ;-)

Review: Milani Matte Lip Art Lipsticks! (Limited Edition Bedazzled Collection!)

Limited Edition Matte Lipsticks!

As soon as I saw these gorgeous colors I knew I needed them in my life! Plus...they are limited edition so that pushed me over the edge haha. These are the new Matte Lip Art Lipsticks from Milani, priced at $4.19 on their website and about $6 at CVS which is where I purchased mine. They were having a great BOGO half off sale so it ended being a great deal! I've heard others referring to them as the Enchanted Lipsticks due to their names. They're part of the Bedazzled Collection which includes those breathtaking liners that everyone is talking about... I want those so bad! haha. But today the spotlight is on the lipsticks so lets get on with the show! :-)

Here is what the packaging looks like, super adorable!

I'm loving the clear cap, the new packaging is captivating! It's not cheap by any means and the lipstick does screw all the way down which is a plus! (Avoids crushing the lipstick haha) I love the gold packaging, always looks so sleek and expensive. The display at CVS included three shades total, I went for the brighter colors of the three and left behind the nude. These are a wonderful matte formula that goes on really creamy! I would recommend to wear some lip balm underneath because after a few hours they tend to dry out your lips a tiny bit. But on the plus side they last all day! I didn't notice any fading until the 7th hour of wearing it and it faded evenly.

Here are the colors swatched:

And here are the lip swatches:

*Enchanted Amethyst- a medium purple-pink color, very unique and pretty. Once it settles it dries down to a darker purple shade which looks amazing! My only con is that it's not the most flattering since it makes your teeth look yellow.

*Enchanted Ruby- a deep burgundy red... stunning! I love this color the most, looks amazing on and because it's blue toned it makes your teeth look extra white!

Bottom line: I'm really loving these! I think that Enchanted Ruby is a must have because the formula is spot on and the color is perfect for the season. It feels really comfortable on the lips just remember to apply some lip balm beforehand. The color payoff is great and the packaging is just so cute! I also wanted to point out that they smell so yummy! Instead of a fruity scent the permanent line has these smell like a vanilla cupcake. Check out your local drugstores or online on milanicosmetics.com to get'em while you can! :-)

Review: Wet n Wild Fall 2014 Limited Edition Megalast Matte Lipsticks!

New Packaging!

The best limited edition collections are released in the fall time! I love this time of year when it comes to makeup, it's just full of bold colors... love love love! ;-) Wet n Wild released a nice range of limited edition products from palettes (which are amazing btw!), nail polishes and these gorgeous matte lipsticks! There's a total of four colors in the lipstick line and they retail for $1.99 each, awesome price. I purchased mine at Kmart after hunting them down for 2 weeks haha. I'm so happy I found them because they are stunning colors.

The packaging on these is different from the original Wet n Wild Megalast line, its a matte rubberized tube similar to Nars packaging. It's pretty cool because I can easily pick them out from the rest of my collection but the downside is that they get dirty pretty fast. The formula is just like the rest from the megalast line, a bit drying if not worn over a balm but amazing pigmentation! I tend to gravitate towards the Fergie Lipsticks because they are so creamy and smooth but I really love these! The colors are right up my alley and they are very long lasting! Here are some swatches:

 

I compared the colors to the ones I have and these are pretty unique, I didn't find any dupes within the  line. So if you see a color you like make sure to pick it up while they are available! Here are the lip swatches:

*Sweet Cream- a peachy nude, really pretty! Nudes are a bit out of my comfort zone but this one looked really good on. It didn't wash me out one bit which is a plus!

*Bordeaux Boulevard- a deep mauve-purple... gorgeous! My favorite from the line because it's so unique. This one is a must have!

*Urban Night- a berry pink, another pretty one! This would be a great shade for the holidays! 

*Sunset Siren- an orange- red shade, not my favorite because it would require more work, like a lip liner and some concealer to make it pop. Sometimes I'm just a too lazy to do all of that, haha.

Bottom line; I'm crazy about these lipsticks! I highly recommend Bordeaux Boulevard and Urban Night because they are the perfect shades for fall. Even though they are matte they are still pretty creamy. Just remember to use lip balm before you apply it, if not you will experience some tugging. For the price I can overlook the possibility of dry lips because Wet n Wild makes great lipsticks and awesome colors! Stay tuned for a review on the limited edition palettes! :-)

Spot it & Buy it: Fall Makeup Trends! (Featuring NYX Cosmetics!)

Bring On The Berries!

Ladies and Gentlemen: Fall is just around the corner!! Wohooo!! Fall is my favorite season ever! I love the chilly breeze, my combat boots and a good ol' vampy lip! I just can't wait to play with bolder makeup. Even though I have some favorite products that I used last year I wanted to haul a few new affordable items to add to my collection. I was in the market for a dusty rose and burgundy blush and I found it on nyxcosmetics.com . I was able to get 25% off my order using the coupon code WELCOME25. So if you're wanting to spruce up your fall makeup looks make sure to stop by the NYX site because you'll find everything you need.  During my online shopping extravaganza I also found some amazing shades of the Soft Matte Lip Creams plus a deep burgundy Butter Lipstick. I love the formulas for both of these lip products and I can't wait to use these in the near future. All you need is some winged liner and you're good to go for rest of fall!

Stay tuned for some swatches and reviews on these products. If you have any fall favorites leave them down below. Ciao!<3

Must Haves: E.L.F Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in Fiji!

NEW Matte Duo!

Eyes Lips Face has done it again! They've released a brand new product that I just can't stop using! This is the new Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in Fiji which retails for only $3! Such an amazing price and an even more incredible product. I think we've all been waiting for E.L.F to release this matte duo for the longest time and it was definitely worth the wait. Its such a blendable product! All I can say is... I'm truly impressed!

I have two of the other duos that are packed with shimmers and honestly I don't reach for them for that reason. This matte duo is the perfect combination of a matte warm dusty rose and a matte golden bronzer which is perfect for light-medium skin tones!

I did notice a slight change in the elf packaging which is a total plus. The brand name stands out more and it now has the amount of product printed on the front. I still hope that someday they will print the shade name on the back in bigger font but... that's another story haha. It still has the awesome large mirror which comes in handy. Here are the swatches:

I can see this blush working on many of skin tones. The bronzer is a bit on the lighter side so I'd say that up to medium skin tones will be able to use it. They are really smooth and blend so well on the skin. It's an effortless application with both sides which is why I love it so much. I wore it to a Comedy Festival and it lasted all day, through bipolar weather (haha) without fading.

Here's what both the bronzer and blush looked like on:

and here's my ring <3 wedding planning has taken over my life haha.

Alright... back to the duo. I highly recommend this product and it's on the top 5 on my must haves list... its that good! I find myself reaching for it a lot because it pairs perfectly with berry tone lips (which is my fav!). It brings life back to your face and the formula is spot on. Make sure to add it to your cart in your next E.L.F order! :-)

Influenster: Caress #FreshCollection VoxBox!

#FreshCollection

Today is a very exciting post for me! I received my first "voxbox" provided by Influester which is a site where you can receive complimentary items for review. It's a great community where you can connect with other people who share your same interests, its lots of fun! I took a survey and qualified for the Caress #FreshCollection VoxBox which came with a travel size of the Caress Fresh Body Wash in Emerald Rush. It's infused with lush gardenia and white tea essence. 

I tend to use body washes that are infused with moisturizer because I do suffer from dry skin. Even though this isn't a cream formula it still felt super hydrating on my skin and my skin felt very soft the next morning. The scent isn't overpowering, it's actually pretty faint so it doesn't linger. It actually lathers pretty well which I love! I felt squeaky clean after my shower. Overall, I like it! I'm not the biggest fan of floral scents, I gravitate towards oatmeal scents or just fruity ones but this one felt refreshing!

Make sure to check out Influester , it's a great place to share your opinions on products and connect with other people. It's free to join! ;-)

*I received this product complimentary from Influenster for review purposes.

Review: Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Wolvesmouth!

Perfect Fall Shade!

Kat Von D recently released a new lipstick line including previous colors and brand new ones! They retail for $21 each at sephora so I knew I needed to make a wise selection/investment haha. Fall is right around the corner so I knew I needed a berry, vampy lip! The color selection is amazing, from neutrals all the way  to navy blue... yes navy blue! That's what I love about the line, it's so unique and outside the box. Out of all the colors Wolvesmouth is the one that spoke to me! It's described as a Metallic Berry which is a true statement! But before we get into details about the color lets admire this packaging! ;-)

How awesome is this packaging!? It's completed studded... looks ridiculously cool! I knew I needed one of these just for the packaging alone. Plus I happened to luck out because the color + formula is amazing!

Since the color was described as a metallic I was really worried about a gritty feeling due to shimmers and such. But I'm happy to report that this is the smoothest lipstick I've tried! It doesn't tug nor emphasize any imperfections. It's a satin finish with stunning pigmentation. It takes just one swipe for full color and you're good to go! In the light you notice a blue-purple shift which looks super cool!

Here's a lip swatch:

It's very long lasting, all day if needed! It does leave a pretty stain behind so the color looks amazing even when it starts to fade a bit. It doesn't feather out which tends to happen with these deeper lipsticks. I really have no cons for this lipstick, its going to be my go to fall shade!

Here's what it looks like on! 

I went on a needed date night with my hubby to be ;-) and we went to the Odd Ball Comedy Festival which was our ideal date haha. We stood under the beaming sun for 2 hours and then got rained on towards the end of the night but... my lipstick still looked perfect!

Bottom line: I would highly recommend this color if your looking for a shade to spice up your fall collection! It's so unique and the formula is outstanding! I've heard mixed reviews about the line which almost makes me want to purchase another one just to run a test (so I call it haha!). I can only speak for this one and if the rest is anything close to it than they get an A + from me! If you want to feel like a total bad ass get this color! :-)

Review: ColourPop Super Shock Shadows! (+Swatches!)

Intense Color!

Curiosity should be my middle name! (haha) Lately I noticed a lot of my favorite you tubers mention the ColourPop brand and how unique their shadows were. Then they mentioned they were only $5... I placed my order right then and there! If you're interested you can order some from colourpop.com and they're offering free shipping on orders of $30+! I gravitated towards the metallic shades but they have a few finishes to choose from. The color selection is also amazing! There's a great range of neutral and a bunch of bold, vivid colors. The consistency of these is very unique, kinda hard to explain almost! I initially thought they were powder shadows but after the first swipe I noticed it was more of a cream shadow. It has a cooling effect to them which is what makes them so different. 

Hopefully you can kinda tell what the consistency is like with this picture haha. The beautiful snake print it comes with disappears as soon as you swatch it. The pigmentation on these is amazing! They work as bases and as a stand alone shadow. I do think that to complete a look you do need to dab into other palettes for some matte shades for definition and dimension purposes. Other than that....these shadows have blown my mind, something you need to try out yourself! :-)

Here's the first bunch of colors I ordered! These are the more neutral colors. The packaging on these is so cute! The name and finish of the shadow are the bottom which I like. You do need to be mindful of screwing the cap on tightly, if not these will dry out.

The best way to use these is with your fingers for more of an intense look or with a synthetic brush.

Here are the swatches:

*Game Face-  a warm bronze shade, super pretty! This is the color that sparked my order. It looks more intense in the pot but goes on a bit sheer on the eye.

*Get Lucky-  a liquid gold color... perfect as a lid shade! I always include a gold color in any eye shadow order because its my favorite color to wear. This one is different from the rest because its more yellow based.

*Sequin-  a rose- copper shade... stunning! This is one of my favorite colors and looks flawless on!

Here are the bold colors I choose this time around. I'm more of a neutrals girl but the color selection looked so tempting! 

Look at that purple in the pot... gorgeous!

Here are the swatches:

*Dare- a beautiful bright purple with what seems to be blue flecks of glitter. The glitter doesn't show up on the eye at all. The color is amazing though!

*Empire- a deep emerald with with green flecks of shimmers. The glitter adheres better on this one. This color seemed brighter, less jewel tone online but its pretty nonetheless.

*Krinkle- a silver-teal shade with silver shimmers... one of my favorites! It has a cool chrome aspect to it and looks different in certain lighting. The pigmentation was amazing on this one.

*Cricket- a plumy brown with multi color shimmers, another one of my favorites! This one pairs perfect with Game Face and Sequin!

Bottom line: The formula is so unique that its worth giving a try! They are super affordable, drugstore prices for a great quality product. They came in cute box with a lovely personalized note that stole my heart haha. I love when companies add something special to the orders because it makes you feel like a valued customer instead of an order number. These are cruelty free and made in the U.S.A which is awesome! In my eyes this company stands out for multiple reasons. I highly recommend them! :-)