Review: E.L.F Studio Lip Balms SPF 15!

Color + Moisture!

I recently remembered that I had these E.L.F Studio Lip Balms in my little haul bin and I never used them! That is horrible... haha. But when I order from E.L.F I always order a bunch of things because its so affordable! So some products get used more often than others but whats important is that I finally got around to it! ;-) Lets take these babies out of their packaging!

Alright, that's better! So these come in a total of 5 shades, I passed on the clear one so I have all the ones with a tint to review. They retail for $3 so the price is amazing, specially when they're on sale. I'm liking this packaging, its very sleek but from experience they scratch up easily. I have some of the lipsticks from the studio line that has the same packaging and it looks like it was attacked by a cat! haha but... it's what in the inside that counts. So the actual product is amazing! They have a minty scent which is great because they are very soothing on the lips. Instantly they moisturize your lips but you need to keep reapplying throughout the day to maintain that feeling. I don't mind that, besides... since they are tinted I would be doing so anyways just to keep the color look fresh. The fact that they have SPF is also amazing! This is great for these spring/summer days to keep your lips protected.

I didn't expect these to be super pigmented but I was pleasantly surprised! For being a balm these pack a punch. The colors are gorgeous! Here are the swatches:

*Rose- a beautiful rose-red!

*Nude- a nice nude with brown tones, looks amazing on!

*Pink- a baby pink, perfect for the spring!

*Peach- a peachy coral... my favorite! Love it!

Bottom line: These balms are a must have for this time of year! Even when you're not wearing makeup you can just pop one of these on and protect your lips from the sun. They're really creamy and the shades are super pretty. You can find these on the Eyes Lips Face website or you can checkout your local Walmart & Target! For the price you'll be tempted to pick up every color like I did! ;-)

Review: CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation & Powder!

Best Drugstore Combo!

On my recent trip to Walgreens I noticed a new display with Katy Perry and was super excited! I love Katy Perry and she's undeniably gorgeous! The display was full of new products from nail polishes to lip glosses but I wanted to try the foundation first. I had such great results with the CoverGirl Stay Fabulous  3-in-1 Foundation so I had high hopes for this one... and I wasn't disappointed!

Claims:

The packaging claims to leave a flawless, natural look that lasts all day. It also mentions that the formula blends easily to even the skin tone and reduces shine all day. It's an oil-free formula that doesn't clog pores that is also suitable for sensitive skin. The powder also has just about the same claims, emphasis on it being oil absorbing providing shine control.

I do agree with the claims, this foundation is amazing! It's a thinner consistency than the Stay Fabulous but still provides enough coverage without looking cakey. It's definitely a natural looking foundation which is awesome for these hot days. I use it with my Beauty Blender and the finish is beautiful! It dries to a satin finish. The powder is actually a powder foundation so it can be used alone or as a setting powder for extra coverage. I haven't tried it alone but over the foundation it works really well! It comes with a sponge that is washable and I use it to set my under eye concealer. I then use a powder brush to set the rest of my face. I love how they pair together! Normally within 3 hours or so I would have touch up with other foundations but with this combo I don't see the oils appear until 6-7 hours into the day. Here's a picture of what the foundation and powder look like before applying anything else:

This was taken with my iPhone so excuse the quality haha. But you can see that my skin looks even and youthful!

I haven't found a con with these products! They work well and the packaging is super pretty. I love the splash of pink and white. I don't mind the squeeze tube packaging for the foundation, its easier for me to get the right of amount of product out. My favorite part about this line is the number coding they have. The foundation, powder and also concealer (that I passed on) have number coding to make it easier to match the products to your correct shade. I think that's really smart and makes our lives simpler. Here's my finished face:

Bottom line: I'm loving this combo and recommend you give it a try! The color selection is wide and choosing your color is also simple. At Walgreens they each retail for $8.99 but at the time they were having a sale so it was a bargain. This will be my go to foundation for the spring and summer because of the oil control qualities. Now... stop what your doing and go get this! :-)

Review: Kat Von D Monarch Eyeshadow Palette!

Not Your Typical Neutral Palette!

Recently the Kat Von D Monarch Palette has been really raved about in the Youtube community so I had to give it a try myself! I own too many neutral palettes for my own good but what can I say? I love them! They are perfect for everyday and suite my brown eyes very well (gotta enhance what you have! haha) When I initially heard about it I thought it wasn't going to be anything special. But... this palette is AMAZING! It has a nice mix of cool and warm tones which makes it seem like you really have a 2-in 1 palette! Not to mention that the packaging itself is a work of art! Here's a close up of the colors:

The color selection is perfect! You have your warm golds and browns + your cool silvers and grays that makes the palette really versatile. I love how its designed, you have the most used shades at the very top ( highlights and all over lid color) in a bigger size just so you don't run out of them too quickly. That was a huge plus because you always favor 1-2 shades in a palette and once it runs out it's a depressing day haha. I wanted to include another picture of the palette taken with flash just so you can see how vibrant these shades are!

The texture of these shadows is incredible! They are buttery smooth, almost cream like feeling. They are easy to blend and super pigmented! I'm really impressed with this palette and just excited to come up with some looks! Here are the swatches:

First off  I want to name the three bigger shadows on top from left to right:

*Entomology- a matte cream, perfect brow bone highlight shade! It's super smooth to the touch and decently pigmented.

*Telepathy- a metallic golden beige, a great shade for all over the lid!

*Tiny Death- a matte based cream with silver glitter, this shade was tricky because it doesn't translate too well on the lid. Once you tap your brush the glitter falls off so it's actually similar to Entomology.

Now here are the rest of the shades from left to right:

*Wrath- a burnt orange shade with a golden sheen, for the most part this shadow is matte. Its the most unique color from the palette and what sold me on getting it! It's an amazing color to warm up any look.

*Papilio- a chocolate brown pearl shade, it's a beautiful shade to smoke out a look that's still wearable during the day!

*Summerfly- a warmer golden shade with a more metallic finish. This color looks awesome all over the lid or just placed on the center of the lid for a pop of color! I love golds and this one is really great.

*Killing Jar- a light peachy shade with a pearl finish. As soon as I saw this color I knew I would love it! It looks really good wet all over the lid or even as an inner corner highlight.

*Delaney- a metallic taupe-pewter shade. I love taupes and this one has great color payoff! Just a great color that would pair very well with anything.

*Vanish- a matte light taupe with a hint of brown, great blending shade!

*Disintegration- a metallic olive toned brown with a golden shimmer. This color I love for warming up a look for a night out. It's super pigmented and beautiful!

*Shadow Box- a matte deep brown, an essential color for any palette.

*Deadhead- a matte black, another essential color but wasn't as opaque as I expected.

 

Bottom line: This palette is a must have if you're looking for one that would be wearable for the daytime but can also transition into the night! It's a Sephora exclusive which retails for $46 (less than the Naked Palettes!) and well worth it! The shadows are amazing and the colors pair together like a dream. The packaging is also a work of art and would look awesome on your vanity! I would recommend to order it online from the Sephora site via Ebates so you can get some cash back. I tend to justify my more expensive purchases that way haha. :-)





Review: Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids! + swatches!

Saturated Color At Great Prices!

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

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

From left to right (click to enlarge!):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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









Review: NYC Expert Last Lipstick!

Spring Shades + Great Price!

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

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

Here are the colors:

From left to right:

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

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

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

 

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



Review: Milani Power Lip Gloss Stains!

Perfect Lightweight Formula!

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

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

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

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

From left to right:

*Macaroon- A creamy pink, perfect for everyday!

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

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

 

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







Review: E.L.F Studio Blush Palettes!

Great Value & Beautiful Colors!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Liquid Lipsticks!

Lipstick + Gloss in One!

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

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

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

From left to right:

*Fuchsia Orchestra- Bright Fuchsia Pink, love it!

*Coral Encore- Bright Coral, really pretty!

 

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







Review: Be a Bombshell Cosmetics! + Coupon Code!

Haul + Review!

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

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

Here are the products that I tried:

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Review: E.L.F Essential Smudge Pots!

Best Eye Bases For $3!

I haven't been so excited about an eye product in a very long time! You guys know I'm a blush hoarder and love collecting lippies but I wanted to test out something different so I purchased these ELF Essential Smudge Pots. It didn't set me back too much money wise, they are super inexpensive at $3 each ($1.50 on their 50% off sales!). I ordered them directly from the ELF website (eyeslipsface.com). There's a total of 9 colors but I got 6; more of the neutral colors and a blue one for a pop of color haha. I own some of the Maybelline Color Tattoos and these ELF ones are comparable if not better!
The packaging is really nice! Normally it's a hit or miss with the Essentials line but these are really amazing! The site mentions that these are made with a gel formula which makes them really smooth and I must agree! They glide on like a dream and the best part... they don't crease! These are really long wearing and nicely pigmented. On the site they also mention that they can be used as an eyeshadow and an eyeliner too! Its such a versatile product. They look great alone or as base for your favorite shadows!
Here are the six shades that I picked:

From left to right (Click on image to enlarge):

*Ain't That Sweet?- a milky baby pink

*Gotta Glow-a copper-gold

*Back To Basics- a true gold with more yellow tones

These were opaque in about two swipes, it doesn't take too much product to get the desired color payoff. They are super creamy and smooth!

*Cruisin Chic- a taupe brown

*Brownie Points- a copper brown

*Ocean Bound- a bright blue with shimmer

I love that copper shade! I tried out the blue one as a liner and it looked amazing! The shimmers didn't fade throughout the day.

Bottom line: I would recommend these! I love them and have no complaints! They stay put all day and don't budge. I wore one of the golden shades to my nephews birthday party and after a few hours of playing and running around it still stayed on without a problem. Even when I was trying to remove the swatches off my hand with a makeup remover wipe they wouldn't come off haha. That definitely proves that its long wearing. For only $3 each you're getting a 2 in 1 product! Its such an amazing product at a wonderful price... give them a try! :-)

Review: Covergirl LipPerfection Lipcolors!

New Shades!

Recently I went on a blush overload and completely forgot about my previous loves... lipsticks! I love bright, vibrant lipsticks so when I saw these Covergirl LipPerfection Lipcolors I knew I had to have them! The LipPerfection line has been out for bit now but they released some new beautiful shades. I own two previous shades and I love them. The lipstick is super creamy and hydrating, one of my favorite lipstick lines from the drugstore! They retail for about $5 each and I managed to get these new shades from walmart.com. The packaging is amazing, definitely stands out from other affordable lipsticks. It's like a gunmetal color, super sleek! I love how they display the color you're getting at the bottom of the lipstick. Here are the swatches:

*Honeyed- a peachy pink nude with a cream finish. I have very few nudes in my collection because I don't think they're too flattering on me. This one looks really pretty on, doesn't wash me out and it's also a great mixing color. It does emphasize fine lines on your lips, but most nudes do.

*Yummy- a baby pink nude with a cream finish. I owned Mac's Cream Cup (before it melted!haha) and this one remind me a lot of it. Cream Cup is a slight bit darker but still in the same color family. This would be a great alternative for it! This one applied more evenly than Honeyed.

*Sweet- a bright medium coral with a cream finish.  I love this color! It's perfect for spring and summer. This one is a more opaque color but just as creamy as the rest. I'm looking forward to wearing this one! :-)

*Bombshell- a bright fuchsia with a cream finish. This lipstick has the best color payoff of the bunch. It really complements my skin tone and looks amazing with a neutral eye! I love the shine these lippies give off, makes your lips look great!

I'm not drawn to any shimmer or frost in my lipsticks which is why all of these are cream finishes. These last about 2-3 hours max so they're not too long wearing. They don't claim to be long lasting but they do claim to improve the texture of your lips in 7 days. I'm not sure how true that is but I must say... my lips feel smoother after wearing them!

Bottom line: If you're looking for a great inexpensive lipstick give these a try! The line has a great color selection and a range of finishes. They are really smooth and creamy so they feel amazing on. They have a vanilla scent with hints of a plastic smell but nothing that lingers. The best part is that in most drugstores you can get these on a BOGO sale. :-)











Review: E.L.F Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush!

New From Eyes Lips Face!

I love it when Eyes Lips Face or E.L.F releases new products! They are so inexpensive so I don't feel as guilty when buying all of them! Haha. I stumbled upon these brand new blushes from their mineral line so I was very intrigued. I mostly order from their Studio Line so I'm not too familiar with the Mineral Line. These retail for $5 each which is more on the expensive end of E.L.F's spectrum. I managed to get them while they had their 50% off everything sale recently so they were only $2.50, not bad!  These are not sold in stores yet but you can order them from eyeslipsface.com. I've had these for a little over a week now and gave them a try; here are my thoughts!

The packaging feels a little bit cheap, more so than the studio blushes. It's just a lightweight plastic that snaps shut. But overall, not bad... as long as the product inside is awesome right? ;-) They initially reminded me of the Sonia Kashuk Beautifying Blushes, they have new black packaging that looks identical! They only difference is that the Sonia Kashuk blushes have a magnetic closure. The site claims that these mineral blushes are meant to look natural and also be long wearing. They are also infused with Vitamin E and Grape which provides anti aging benefits. I must say... these blushes are really outstanding! They are completely smooth and not powdery at all when compared to the Studio Line blushes. They apply really well and are super blendable. You look like you have flushed cheeks, the kind of look you get when you're outside on a hot day... sun kissed! They are nicely pigmented and in no way patchy. You only need the tiniest bit to achieve a nice look. I purchased all 4 blushes that they currently have in the line and here are the swatches:

From left to right:

*Sweet Retreat- a light mauve-pink with a sheen

*Cabo Cabana- a light peach with gold shimmer

*Jet Setter- a medium mauve-pink with a sheen

*Wanderlust- a plum with silver shimmer

The colors are beautiful! I just feel like the line is pretty limited. The colors are in the same color family and when seen with the naked eye they all look really similar. I wished they had a bright pink or a deeper coral but other than that I really like these. I used Jet Setter recently and it lasted through an 8 hour work shift. Didn't fade one bit and looked just as vibrant as when I first applied it. It looked natural, kinda like it came from within!

Bottom line: Make sure to give these a try! The colors are amazing and the quality is really good. For only $2.50( when on sale!) I would recommend to purchase every single color. The claims mention anti aging benefits, something I never heard of in blushes. I can't attest to that yet but in the long run that would pretty cool if true. The Studio Line has a lot more colors to choose from if you're looking for a bigger selection. The colors aren't as natural as these, so if natural is what you want give these a try! :-)

Review: Milani Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss!

New And Full Of Shine!

I don't know about you but when I see something that's NEW I just have to try it! It screams "buy me now!" haha. I hauled a few things from milanicosmetics.com recently so make sure to check out my previous post for some reviews. I was most skeptical about trying these glosses because I already have a preference and I wasn't sure if I was going to like these. I love glosses that aren't sticky and that don't have a strong scent, like the NYX Butter Glosses. Those are my favorite; they are super creamy with great color payoff! I wanted to give the Milani glosses a try and here are my thoughts!

 

The site claims that these glosses have rich color with extreme shine and comfortable lasting wear. They also claim to be non-tacky and moisturizing. I tried the nude shade a few days ago and my initial impression was that it was really sticky. I was turned off by that because sticky glosses aren't my favorite. Most glosses sink in to the lips to keep them moisturized but these felt like they stayed on the surface so they transferred onto anything you ate...or kissed! ;-) They didn't dry out my lips by any means. I just don't agree with the claim of comfort. I felt the gloss on my lips throughout the day and I'm not a fan of that feeling. Now, they are really shiny so the name fits it perfectly! Cream formulas are my favorite so that's the finish I chose when I placed my order. Overall I loved the look these glosses gave. Your lips just look full and juicy! They do have really nice color payoff and a nice range of colors on their site. Here are the swatches:

From left to right:

*Bare Secret- Nude Brown with a cream finish

*Ravish Raspberry- Berry with a cream finish

These glosses retail for $5.49 so the price isn't too bad. The applicator is a doe foot with flat sides so its really easy to apply.

 

Bottom line: If you don't mind a sticky gloss than give these a try! I personally don't find myself repurchasing them because that tacky feeling is just not for me. But I love the shine and the sheer wash of color you get. I wish the formula wasn't as sticky but what can you do. The line has shimmer, frost and cream finishes so you have variety. They don't have a strong scent like other Milani products, just a subtle sweet one. Check out your local drugstore or place an order on the Milani website if you want to give these a try! :-)

 

Check out my review on the Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color by clicking here!





Review: bh Cosmetics Forever Glam Palette!

Perfect "Night Out" Palette!

I must confess... I thought I would be happy with just one of the bh Cosmetics Forever Palettes but... I had to purchase both! I already have a review on the Forever Nude Palette so check it out by clicking here. It's such a great palette, perfect for everyday looks and amazing quality. For those same reasons I wanted to try the Forever Glam Palette. My instinct is to go for the nude/neutrals palette because I know I will get the most use out of it but I wanted to try something different. The colors in this palette are stunning! This one retails for $21.95 but bh Cosmetics always has a sale so you can get it for $9.95 at the moment at bhcosmetics.com! Here's what the palette looks like:

Just like the Forever Nude Palette, this one has a nice plastic exterior that is built to sustain any fall. It has a large mirror too that makes this palette perfect for traveling. Its so convenient to have everything you need is in one place: blush, lip colors, eye shadows and highlight! All you really need is mascara and liner and you're good to go! I was happily surprised to see that the shadow colors weren't blacks or greys like your typical smoky palette. I love that there's a nice mix of neutrals and dark colors so you have endless possibilities! The blushes are also really beautiful. There's a coral-pink with shimmer and a matte hot pink that is actually brighter in person than in the picture...gorgeous! Here's a close up of the palette:

The amount of product you get is amazing! The blushes are a great size and so are the eye shadows. I wasn't too fond of the highlight shade in the Forever Nude Palette but this one is awesome! I love how it's a satin finish instead of a matte like the other palette. It's a unique color, more of a white base with a lilac iridescence to it... just beautiful! The lip colors are really pigmented, I just wished they had a cover to avoid powder ruining them. Here are the swatches:

Blushes and highlight:

The left one is a shimmery coral-pink and the right one is a bright matte pink. I really like the matte one!

Here's the highlight! You'll be able to see the duo-chrome, it leans more lilac in person. It's a very unique highlight color and very flattering.
Shadows:

I love all the colors! I only had issues with the first shade on the left which is a shimmery light peach shade, it didn't have much color pay off and it started to crumble. The rest of them are amazing! I love the golden/bronze shade in the middle! But... my favorite has to be the pink sorbet shade below, it's so different! It actually has a orange duo-chrome so it looks really good all over the lid. The taupe shade is pretty too. I thought the purple one was going to be a bit deeper in person but it's still OK. I wished it had a matte shade or two but I guess that would take away from it being "glam". All the shadows have some type of shimmer or glitter.

Lip Colors:
These are just as great as the other palette. Really vivid and glossy! No complaints.

Bottom line: I'm excited to own both of the Forever Palettes! I'm not sure if these are permanent so that also influenced my purchase haha. But... they are such a great deal! You're getting everything you need to create a look in one palette for less than $12 each, you cant beat that. I love my nude palette but this one is a great addition to my collection. I'm more drawn to creating looks with this one because it's different from what I typically purchase. The quality is out of this world, comparable to high end palettes! I would recommend this one if you're looking for a bright and daring palette for the nights that you want to stand out!  ;-)

Which forever palette is your favorite? Let me know in a comment below!