Must Haves: LORAC Color Source Buildable Blushes! (Aura & Cinematic!)

So Smooth!

If you're a blush lover you clicked on the right post! I have a blush review to share with you today that might make you stop mid-read and place an order! ;-) LORAC recently released a new blush line, Color Source Buildable Blush, and they are simply amazing! They retail for $22 and you can find them on the Lorac Site, Ulta and Kohl's. They come in the sleekest packaging with magnetic closure and there's 10 shades to choose from. I've used these for about 3 weeks and can't put them down!

Buildable is the perfect name for these because that's exactly what they are...buildable! The formula is so silky smooth that it allows you to go as sheer or as bold as you want! They are slightly powdery but not too bad.

I love how the color is on the back of the compact, perfect for easy access in my blush collection. The compact is really thin and lightweight too! I purchased the two more neutral shades from the line and they look so nice on. They are blendable and very longwearing too!

Here are the swatches! Aura is a matte rose shade and Cinematic is matte plummy brown shade. These shades are perfect for everyday! 

I recommend these in a heartbeat! They go on and blend with ease and you can build them up to the intensity you prefer! The price point is great for a higher end blush. I can't wait to try out other shades because this formula is a new fav! :-)

Must Haves: NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette!

Great For Beginners & Experts!

There's been lots of buzz about this NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette, good and bad! I'm someone that prefers to try something so I can form my own opinion and I'm I happy I did! I've had this palette for a few weeks now and I'm truly impressed with it! I'll be honest though, I was a little bitter after I got it because when I ordered it the price was $30 and now NYX lowered it to $25. Granted, I got a great discount by using a coupon code ("never pay full price" is my motto haha) but that's still money I could have saved. With that being said, after using it I completely forgot about the $5 and fell in love.

There's a total of eight shades in this palette, the top row are for highlighting and the bottom row for your contour. I'm very happy with the color selection! I'm no expert in the highlight and contouring field but this palette made everything so simple! I haven't tried any of the other contour palettes in the market because they are a bit pricey. This is a great starting point for someone like myself who wants to learn and test the waters haha ;-) The packaging is a sturdy plastic, nothing fancy but for the price it's nice.

Here's a closeup of all the shades. The powders are so smooth and silky! The pigmentation is crazy on these so make sure to use a lighter hand. They blend easily too so you don't have to worry about your contour looking muddy at all. The colors seem suitable or light to medium and olive skintones. But, what's great is that the palette is customizable! Refill pans will be sold later on so you can make your own perfect palette.

It's really simple to pop the pans out of the palette, love the idea!

Here are the swatches! This is the first row, the highlighting shades. I wish the shades had names but it's OK. The first shade to the left is a beautiful highlight shade! I was so scared to use it at first since it's a pearly white but it looks amazing on.The third shade is a yellow toned powder which I've been using to set my concealer and it's awesome! It makes my under eye are look so bright, I'm a fan! The last shade is a peachier highlight, gorgeous! Can't wait to use it more during the summer.

Here are the contour shades! I've only used the first and third shade in this row. I originally thought the third shade was best for contouring because of the taupe tones but it didn't show up too much. The first shade was perfect for me.

Bottom line: This palette is a great value! I know there's other well known palettes competing with this one but this is worth a try. The range of colors in this palette is amazing and I've been enjoying the trial and error process of figuring out my ideal highlight and contour combos. NYX did a great job and I recommend it for sure! :-)

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: 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! ;-)



 



 

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!

Must Haves: Benefit Cosmetics "Rockateur" Blush!

My Everyday Blush!

I'm slowly trying to test the "high end" makeup waters and while doing so I came across a blush that I'm obsessed with! I love adding new blushes to my collection but I noticed that I tend to lean to the more bright pinks and corals. I searched around Sephora.com for a bit... trying to find a more wearable color for my first high end investment. I read and heard so many great things about the Benefit blushes, specifically the newer one to the line, Rockateur. It looked beautiful on the site so I decided to give it a try! It retails for $28, kinda pricey but after using it for about 2 months now I must say it's totally worth it!

The description on Sephora.com states that it's a provocative rose-gold cheek powder accented in luxe gold. Sounds so luxurious right?! ;-) The packaging definitely stands out in my collection plus is a small sized box that doesn't take up too much space. The blush itself is breathtaking! I searched long and hard within my collection to see if I had a color close to it and I didn't. It's a really unique color that will suite everyone; a beautiful blush for fair to medium skin tones and an awesome highlight for the ones with deeper skin tones.

Here's what the blush looks like:

I've used it quite a bit so the some of the detail is gone but that goes to show how much I love it! It's silky smooth and nicely pigmented. To me, it seems rose-gold with more pink tones... just beautiful! It has a satin finish, no visible shimmer when on. It's makes you look youthful and leaves your skin glowing!

Here's a swatch:

This is a must have blush in any one's collection! On days when I don't know which blush to wear I always choose this one. It looks great with the natural looks and the glamorous ones too! You'll be getting your moneys worth when you purchase this blush because like me... you'll be using it almost every single day! :-)



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