I couldn't resist picking up a few Maybelline Color Elixirs while they were on sale at Rite Aid for 40% off. The regular price for this is $8.99 but with the 40% off, it only cost me $5.39 each. I wanted to try these for a while after seeing some rave reviews on Instagram and Youtube, especially for the colors Nude Illusion and Vision in Violet.
Here is the description directly from Maybelline:
Fall under the spell of the elixir effect. Hyper-saturated color, ultra cushiony feel. The new hypnotic lip sensation. Why You'll Love It:
- A trio of concentrates delivers the color of a lipstick, the cushiony care of a balm, and the glass shine of a gloss
- Our exclusive smoothing angora brush delivers a polished , even application and smoothing sensation to lip
I was honestly a little disappointed after swatching them on my hand and wearing some for a few days but I think it's because I was expecting more of a liquid lipstick or a stain gloss. This product is very sticky but has good pigmentation (for a gloss). The stickiness helps it to last a while but when it wears off it leaves my lips feeling really dry. The main thing I don't like about these is the scent and taste. The scent is very sweet and perfumey and reminds me of Fruity Pebbles. The strong scent seems to cause a bad perfume/chemical taste but it's not bad enough to keep me from wearing it. This "lipstick-balm-gloss" trio would be a good product for you if you like glosses and don't mind the scent.
Breathtaking Apricot 005: pinky coral with shimmer and good pigmentation. This shade left the most stain on my hand from swatching
Caramel Infused 065: pinky/mauve nude with light shimmer and good pigmentation
Vision in Violet 040: bright deep violet with no shimmer; Very pigmented
Raspberry Rhapsody 030: blue toned fuchsia with shimmer
Mauve Mystique 025: mauve with no shimmer; darker than Caramel Infused
Caviar Couture 050: deep wine/burgundy with shimme. The shimmer in this shade is the most noticeable.
Amethyst Potion 045: purple mauve with blue shimmer
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| (Indoor lighting) Row 1: Nude Illusion, Breathtaking Apricot, Caramel Infused, Vision in Violet. Row 2: Raspberry Rhapsody, Mauve Mystique, Caviar Couture, Amethyst Potion. |
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| (Taken with flash) Row 1: Nude Illusion, Breathtaking Apricot, Caramel Infused, Vision in Violet. Row 2: Raspberry Rhapsody, Mauve Mystique, Caviar Couture, Amethyst Potion. |
Am I the only one that's not crazy about these? I have been hoarding so many lipsticks and lip crayons so I was trying to build up my lipgloss collection with these but maybe I just don't like lip glosses. Let me know your thoughts on this product if you've tried it! Also leave me some recommendations for lip glosses that are long wearing but not sticky. Thanks for reading! XOXO
The holiday season is finally upon us and OPI is here to help us get ready for the festivities! This holiday season, OPI has collaborated with Gwen Stefani to release a beautiful collection of 18 colors (plus a special 18K gold glitter topcoat called "OPI Don't Speak" that I don't have for this review). OPI has divided these shades into 3 mini-collections: reds, classics, and nail effects.
GWEN STEFANI RED SHADES
- Fashion A Bow: "So busy- all tied-up today loving this bright reddish-orange!" This is definitely more of an orange instead of red and has a thin jelly texture so you have to use at least two coats.
- What's Your Poin-settia?: "So what if I think this is the one truly perfect holiday red?" This is a true red creme that's not too bright or dark.
- Cinnamon Sweet: "Sugar and spice... this deep, warm red is everything nice." Slightly darker and warmer than What's Your Poin-settia? with the same creme finish. Great opacity.
- Red Fingers & Mistletoes: "This smooch-worthy red shimmer is holiday perfect." This red is filled with bronzey gold shimmer. The gold is not as noticeable when applied to the nails but its definitely shimmery.
- Sleigh Parking Only: "Tell the violet to take good care of this exclusive dark burgundy." This deep burgundy creme has a slight brown or mauve undertone to it and is very opaque.
- First Class Desires: "This melange of gold and eggplant shimmer is #1 on my wish list." Deep, dark purple with gold shimmer that definitely shows through on the nails. This one has a great formula and is beautifully unique.
Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription that sends 4-5 deluxe size samples or full size products and a makeup bag for $10 per month. Beauty products range anywhere from makeup, haircare, skincare, and fragrance. There are some months when I love what I receive and some months when none of the products excite me but I have never felt like I didn't get my $10 worth. I think this is a great subscription for beauty product lovers or for someone who wants to try new products without breaking the bank. Here's the link to get your own subscription to start receiving an Ipsy Glambag every month: http://www.ipsy.com/r/81ue?sid=ipsypoints&cid=general.
The theme for this month's Ipsy Glam bag was Girl Meets Glitter. Ipsy described the theme so perfectly that I'll just share it here: "Why wait for festive fetes and fancy galas to take things up a sparkle or two? Just add glitter, or a generous pinch of shimmer and shine, to elevate your everyday routine and keep you looking and feeling brilliant. That's why we packed this month's Glam Bag with everything you need to leave a little sparkle wherever YOU go. Get ready for your daily grind to "glitterly" dazzle and daze this November!"
The theme for this month's Ipsy Glam bag was Girl Meets Glitter. Ipsy described the theme so perfectly that I'll just share it here: "Why wait for festive fetes and fancy galas to take things up a sparkle or two? Just add glitter, or a generous pinch of shimmer and shine, to elevate your everyday routine and keep you looking and feeling brilliant. That's why we packed this month's Glam Bag with everything you need to leave a little sparkle wherever YOU go. Get ready for your daily grind to "glitterly" dazzle and daze this November!"
Just in case you don't already know what Birchbox is: For just $10 a month, Birchbox delivers high-end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples once a month, customized just for you.
Every month, you'll receive a box filled with 4-5 samples from up-and-coming and well known brands. Each delivery will include a mix of categories. Samples are generously sized, with enough product to allow you to figure out if they're right for you. Sign up here to get 50 Birchbox points (For every 100 points you earn, you get $10 off a full-size product order) and start receiving samples every month!
The theme for this month's Birchbox has less to do with beauty products and focuses more on the act of GIVING. We often get lost in the craziness of holidays and forget to spend time being thankful for being able to experience the craziness. While we are busy planning out a Thanksgiving feast or stressing out about buying gifts that no one really needs, it would be nice to find a way to help others who don't have the luxury of experiencing these first world problems. So in the spirit of giving back, Birchbox has partnered with (RED) to raise money and awareness for the global fight against AIDS by donating $15,000 plus $1 each time someone shares the facts of their Birchbox with #shaRED on Instagram or Twitter. With this act, hopefully Birchbox has inspired others to find their own way to give back to their community.
Moving on to the products that I received this month... I was pleasantly surprised! The last couple of Birchboxes have not impressed me but this one has. I've already used (or eaten) every product at least once within the first few days of receiving my Birchbox (which I admit is pretty rare)! Keep reading for details of each item.
Every month, you'll receive a box filled with 4-5 samples from up-and-coming and well known brands. Each delivery will include a mix of categories. Samples are generously sized, with enough product to allow you to figure out if they're right for you. Sign up here to get 50 Birchbox points (For every 100 points you earn, you get $10 off a full-size product order) and start receiving samples every month!
The theme for this month's Birchbox has less to do with beauty products and focuses more on the act of GIVING. We often get lost in the craziness of holidays and forget to spend time being thankful for being able to experience the craziness. While we are busy planning out a Thanksgiving feast or stressing out about buying gifts that no one really needs, it would be nice to find a way to help others who don't have the luxury of experiencing these first world problems. So in the spirit of giving back, Birchbox has partnered with (RED) to raise money and awareness for the global fight against AIDS by donating $15,000 plus $1 each time someone shares the facts of their Birchbox with #shaRED on Instagram or Twitter. With this act, hopefully Birchbox has inspired others to find their own way to give back to their community.
Moving on to the products that I received this month... I was pleasantly surprised! The last couple of Birchboxes have not impressed me but this one has. I've already used (or eaten) every product at least once within the first few days of receiving my Birchbox (which I admit is pretty rare)! Keep reading for details of each item.
WOW, October has flown by and we started off November with the earliest recorded snowfall ever. That is a big deal in the South since we hardly get to see a single snowflake. I'm sipping on some s'mores flavored hot cocoa as I'm writing this blog post. Here are my current favorite makeup products that I always reach for on days that I take the extra time to actually do my makeup (I've had some lazy days lately).
Peanuts by OPI is a limited edition collaboration inspired by It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and it's the perfect way to get ready for Halloween! This collection contains 4 shades; a yellow and black with a creme finish and 2 black-based glitters.
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| Good Grief!- "The sunny yellow of Charlie Brown's favorite
t-shirt." This color is a really bright warm, yellow but it's a little on
the streaky side. I definitely had to use 3
coats to get an even coverage on my nails but I still loved the end
result. |
I have been slightly obsessed with matte lips lately, especially in bright or dark colors. The Nyx soft matte lip creams (SMLC) have been one of my favorite products to use for a matte lip and they are the first matte lip products that I've ever owned. They have good pigmentation and lasting power AND the scent reminds me of sugar cookies! Whenever you wear a matte lip, you should always make sure to exfoliate and moisturize because most matte products tend to be drying and accentuate any dry spots you already have. I recommend using a lip primer or lip pencil before using the SMLC to get a more precise application and to help prevent the product from settling into fine lines. The SMLC comes in a liquid lipstick form with a doe-foot applicator. It feels like velvet when applied but it's still comfortable on the lips after it dries.
These lip creams come in a good variety of colors (22 total) which makes it really hard for decision making when you're on a limited budget. I started off my collection with Cannes, Addis Ababa, and Prague and recently purchased Istanbul, Copenhagen, and Transylvania during a sale at Ulta. Next on my list are Ibiza, San Paulo, and Zurich.
Cannes is a rosy mauve nude that's a great everyday color for medium skin tones.
As rainy days fight off the summer heat, the words "It's cold outside!" can already be heard from us warm-blooded Southerners. (Yes, lows in the 70s-60s is kind of cold to us when we're used to temps near 100.) Weather like this has been pushing clients (and me) away from bright, summery pink and orange nail polish and reaching instead for deep reds, blues, and purples. The Essie Fall 2014 collection is here to help everyone get ready for the colder days and longer nights. Keep reading for swatches and descriptions of each polish in this collection!
Photos of each polish were taken indoors. The photo on the left was taken without flash and photo on right was taken with flash. I used two coats of each polish with no topcoat because I wanted to show the original finish of each color (all of them are shiny cremes).
A few weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to make a drastic change with my hair. I was originally thinking of doing a medium length bob (think Kylie Jenner-esque) but I realized that it would only take a couple more inches to be able to donate my hair to a good cause. When I posted a before and after picture on my instagram, I realized that a lot of people didn't know about the different options for hair donation. Therefore, I bring to you HAIR DONATION 101!
Most organizations start off with similar requirements. Before heading to the salon on the day of the big cut, make sure your hair is clean and completely dry before cutting. This ensures that hair will arrive to the organization in good condition (wet hair can mold while it's being mailed). After measuring your hair, secure it into a ponytail or braid and make sure the hair tie is below where you want it to be cut (I find that a braid works best). Secure hair into multiple ponytails or braids to maximize the length of hair you are willing to donate. If you only make one ponytail, then the hair that you're left with (on your head) will look really short in the back and long in the front (and that long front hair could've been a couple more inches to donate). After the cut, make sure you have a ziploc bag or something that will safely contain the hair so you can send it to the organization of your choice. Most organizations will send back a personalized certificate of appreciation.
Organizations that accept hair donations (and their requirements):
Birchbox: This month, Birchbox teamed up with Women's Health to release a "Power Up" themed box.
My New Summer Foundation
I've been on the lookout for this product ever since watching Saaammage's Youtube video. It took a couple trips to the drugstore before finally finding it at CVS a couple weeks ago and now I'm finally writing this review after thoroughly testing it out.
I've been on the lookout for this product ever since watching Saaammage's Youtube video. It took a couple trips to the drugstore before finally finding it at CVS a couple weeks ago and now I'm finally writing this review after thoroughly testing it out.
Two iconic brands have joined forces to create the new OPI Coca-Cola Collection that released in June. Each color is inspired by a different soda within the Coca-Cola Company. OPI came out with 9 gorgeous shades, but for this review I unfortunately only have 6 to talk about. The colors that I DON'T have are: Get Cherried Away, A Grape Affair, and My Signature is "DC".
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| Taken with indoor lighting and no flash. I used two coats of color and no top coat. |
June 2014: Birchbox vs. Ipsy
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- Perlier Shea Almond Body Cream: This Italian skincare brand is a nourishing cream that rehydrates skin for a silky finish. It's made with sweet almond milk and 25% shea butter and has a nice warm scent that isn't overpowering. It moisturizes very nicely without feeling too greasy and is perfect for keeping in my handbag.
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The Redken nature rescue radiant sea spray has quickly become one of my top favorite hair products. It is a lightweight texturizer with time-touch fragrance capsules that releases a burst of oceanic scent when hair is touched. It's formulated with sea algae, aloe vera, and soy protein to help protect the hair and is also silicone and paraben free. The scent by itself is awesome and lasts forever! It has a soft, fresh "sea" scent and when it's in my hair I can't stop smelling it (stay away from this product if you are sensitive to strong smells). It doesn't feel sticky or crunchy in my hair like many other salt sprays do. I also like how it has a fine mist spray which makes it easy to distribute through my hair.
The main reason I fell in love with this product is because it gives me the ultimate lazy girl way to get voluminous beachy waves with hardly any effort! I have a step by step tutorial below for how I achieve this look.
How to get super easy beach waves:
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Month of May: Birchbox vs. Ipsy
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When I was browsing through Ulta the other day, I ran into this lovely-looking makeup set. I almost didn't buy it once I got to checkout because I had quite a few other things in my basket. But I've been dying to try the bronzer and mascara so it didn't take long for the cashier to convince me to buy this kit. I love deals like this because they give me a chance to sample products that I haven't used before. That way I don't have to spend money on a full-sized product without knowing if I'll like it. As luck would have it, that wouldn't have been a problem with the items in this set because I ended up loving all of them!
FAB FIVE FRIDAY
1. L'Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder: This foundation applies like a liquid and dries to a natural powdery finish. I love how natural and lightweight it feels on my face. I apply it on top of moisturizer with my Real Techniques Expert face brush and then set it with powder on my t-zone. Since it has more of a "powdery" finish, the foundation has good lasting power throughout the day. This is saying a lot since I work more than 10 hours a day and I don't even wear primer most of the time. The
only con about this foundation is how runny the formula is. I just make
sure I'm careful when I put some on top of my hand before application. For reference, I use the shade 324 Buff Beige.
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| © Cluttered Counter |
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| © 2014, L'Oreal Paris USA |
REVIEW: Smashbox Full Exposure Palette
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Photo © 2014 Smashbox
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This neutral palette is a wonderful mix of matte and shimmer/glitter shades. It includes a double-ended brush where one end is for matte shades and the other for shimmer. The matte end of the brush is an ivory haired blending brush/ long oval shading brush. The shimmer end of the brush is a short shader brush with black bristles on one side and white on the other. This is a nice touch for application of the lighter and darker eyeshadows.
A mini Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara was also included in this palette. This mascara was a little disappointing. It seemed pretty mediocre as far as mascaras go. It lengthened and volumized okay but I think there are better products out there. (It definitely doesn't beat my L'Oreal Excess Voluminous mascara.) I keep it in my purse for times I need add mascara
Now on to the eyeshadows, which is probably why you're here! In this palette are 7 matte shades, 6 glittery shades, and 1 shimmer/pearl shade. I'll describe each shade in detail below with the official Smashbox description in parentheses.
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