Friday, February 26, 2010

review: nyx eyeliner pencil in pearl white

since it has been snowing nonstop at my school for the past 4 days, i thought this post was appropriate. sorry if this seems similar to my last post but the two products - the jumbo eyeshadow pencil and this one have completely different uses and give off different looks.
i have to be honest, i wasn't really feeling nyx eyeliner pencil in pearl white at first - it took me a while to really get used to it. since it was snowing, i decided to go for a "snow bunny" makeup look every day. this product was key in doing so... it allowed me to fully emulate this look. i applied the pencil to my waterline and on my lower lash line all the way under my tear duct. this gave a iridescent white shade under my eyes which reflected the look of snow. this product also lasts a long time, which is fantastic because you don't have to constantly reapply. i now constantly use this and i love it!

note: it also gives the appearance of one looking more awake and alert, so this is key for those of you who are sleepy and tired-looking in the morning. i personally don't like how just white on my waterline looks on me, so i blend in a gunmetal grey, brown, or black pencil into the white from the outer corner of my lower lash line to the middle of my lower lash line. this allows me to still keep the snowy, frosted look without it looking too overpowering.

the cost great - i bought it at ulta for around $2.00!!!

my opinion? this product gets an A :)

Sunday, February 21, 2010

review: nyx jumbo eye pencil in milk

nyx jumbo eye pencil in milk is a great base for eye shadow. it also is a great stand-alone shadow as well. i have learned that it allows shadow to stick to it and stay on almost all day, no primer necessary. it also allows for shadow colors to really pop and gives a more intense backdrop for the shadow you have selected to use.

the consistency of this pencil is extremely creamy which allows for blending. it is also a matte white color which is very versatile for whether or not you want to keep your eye shadow matte.

i initially purchased this pencil from ulta to use for my mermaid halloween costume (see below for a picture - you can't really notice the turquoise as much, but you can see nyx in milk around my tear duct and waterline). i wanted to use different shades of turquoise shadows and wished to use white in order to intensify the colors. this worked and stayed on all night, no reapplication necessary. i also used false lashes and the use of this product did not pose a problem.

this product is also extremely affordable. i believe that i paid around $3.00 for it. unfortunately, although i purchased it at ulta, it is not for sale on the website.

stay posted - i will be reviewing other nyx jumbo pencil colors soon!

A+

Thursday, February 18, 2010

review: almay clear complexion concealer

my dermatologist informed me that almay clear complexion concealer was great for my skin and wouldn't make me break out.
the bottle itself states that it "helps clear and prevent acne blemishes".

i believe this product works wonderfully and does exactly what the label says. it contains 1% salicylic acid which is very beneficial for your skin. though i originally did use this under my eyes, i felt that it came off after a while, so i switched to the laura mercier concealer instead (this can be attributed to the fact that i did not use powder over it). however, i still use it when i have blemishes and i truly believe that it does clear the blemish at a more rapid rate than if i had not used it. i also now dust on mac select sheer/pressed powder over it to give it staying power and it tends to not wear away as quickly.

also, since it is a drugstore brand, this concealer is a lot cheaper and zaps away zits. so go ahead and grab one!

A

Monday, February 15, 2010

review: glitz, glam, & gloss by benefit

i was given this gift for christmas - yes i know it was a while ago, but i haven't started using it until two weeks ago. since then, i haven't been able to put them down!

so ever since i saw that eva longoria looked absolutely stunning with her gold lip gloss in one of my favorite magazines, i knew i had to get my hands on that! turns out, it was in this set i had already. i use it whenever i want to have a bronze glow at night. there's also some other great colors - a lavender gloss which goes on your lips in a pink shimmer, a brown shimmer, a beige shimmer, a peach shimmer, and a pink iridescent. they smell great too... a yummy peach scent.
see how cute and small they are? very convenient for storing 2 colors in your bag in case you want to change it up from daytime to nighttime.
A+ for texture, convenience, and gorgeous colors!

review: urban decay skyscraper multi-benefit mascara

i've been using urban decay's skyscraper multi-benefit mascara for about 6 months now and have not been able to put it down. this is definitely a product i can't live without!

this is what urban decay says:
Reach new heights with our drastically improved, six-in-one Skyscraper Mascara. Our innovative formula will lengthen, strengthen, separate, curl, brighten and thicken your lashes without even a hint of clumping or flaking. The state-of-the-art, new generation brush features a flexible shaft and multiple rows of tapered bristles to comb through lashes from root to tip. Skyscraper gives you that “come hither” look that gets ‘em every time.
And don’t even think about sacrificing the well being of your delicate lashes to a harsh product. Not a chance! The multi-benefit formula actually nourishes lashes. Luxe ingredients like Panthenol and vegetal ceramids condition and strengthen. Silk protein protects, and Vitamins C and E serve as powerful antioxidants. Filming agents even encourage a gentle curling. Lashes are long, strong, and feather-soft.





i can honestly say that this product is definitely 100% what the blurb says it is... it doesn't clump at all, never flakes, and i do believe that my lashes look healthier, longer, and thicker. i also really like the fact that it isn't harsh on my lashes and contains all kinds of nutrients to help keep my lashes looking great! you'll see no breakage and notice that your lashes are very soft, making them look very natural.
if you're in the market for a new mascara, try this one out! it's incredible!!! (trust me - i've gone through every mascara that claims to lengthen your lashes and i was never satisfied with the results)
A+!!!!!

xoxo

Saturday, February 13, 2010

review: concealers - laura mercier secret concealer; haul: ulta

so since the rings under my eyes are getting darker by the day, i decided that i needed to change up my concealer routine. i previously started with mac moisturecover which is a moisturizing concealer that comes in a gloss-like bottle. when i went back to mac and told them it wasn't really working for me, they suggested that i use studio finish SPF 35 concealer and finish it off with the moisturecover so that it wouldn't dry out my skin. to ensure that the concealer would stay in place, she also suggested i use a powder which i purchased as well. although this worked, i still wasn't satisfied, so i took matters into my own hands. i visited bluemercury to see whether or not their concealer would work for me. the girl who was helping me told me that laura mercier secret concealer was the most highly pigmented concealer in the store (which also carries bobbi brown and nars among other well-known brands) and would definitely hide my under eye mess. well, i'm happy to say that today was my first day using it in my regular makeup routine and it worked pretty well! although i applied mac moisturecover and powder to make sure my eyes were moisturized and set, it didn't show my undereye problems as much as the mac studio finish. it is important to only apply a small amount under your eyes, and also to not dip your concealer brush into it - i found out the hard way that it is not hard like studio finish, but it is very creamy and will get all over the place. instead, try to just dab a little under and then blend with your brush. i will definitely purchase this again... unless i find a better concealer that is. ;) A-



now, onto my ulta haul!!!
when i went into ulta, i have to admit, i did have some specific items that i wanted to buy in mind, but i always buy wayyyyy more than i expect to (which is very, very bad). the items i wanted to purchase were: urban decay skyscraper multi-benefit mascara (which i have used before) and amazing concealer (which i heard was just what the label says-amazing). i ended up purchasing those two items and: urban decay lash primer potion, nyx eyeliner in white, and almay clear complexion concealer (which i have used before). in addition to all of that fun makeup stuff, i also bought opi nail polish in rosy future, essie nail polish in pop art pink, and essie good to go! fastest drying top coat. i will most likely be writing reviews on each of these items so if you're interested in any of them, stay tuned! :)

xoxo

Thursday, February 11, 2010

review: kim kardashian perfume

good morning!!! time for a review! :)

when i received my nars highlighting/bronzing duo from sephora (see post below for review), i got to pick 3 samples. when i saw that one was kim kardashian's new perfume i was SO excited! there has been soooo much publicity for this - there's an ad in every magazine i read, so i thought it would be great! plus, i love kim kardashian and watch "keeping up with the kardashians" like it's my job.



well... i was so wrong. as soon as i opened it, i sprayed it onto a piece of paper. my roommate, my boyfriend, and i smelled it
and we all agreed that it was - for lack of a better word - gross. i even started getting sick from the smell. i was so disappointed... sorry kim k.! :(
it really smells to me like something my grandma would wear and i find nothing good about it. personally, i like vanilla and light flowery scents and this was wayyyy too overpowering for my liking.

i give it a solid C because it is just not a scent you would associate with a woman in her 20's or 30's, especially not kim kardashian.

xoxo

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

sephora review: nars duo highlighting/bronzing blush duo in orgasm/laguna



so i ordered the nars highlighting/bronzing duo in orgasm/laguna last week and couldn't wait for it to get here because i am ridiculously and pathetically pale compared to EVERYONE! my boyfriend even said this is the palest he's ever seen me! when it finally arrived here yesterday i ran to the mailroom because i knew it was going to snow today and couldn't bear waiting another two days for it to get here! i've heard sooooo many great things about these two items and was so excited to see that they came in a duo set! i seriously recommend purchasing the duo instead of the two separate orgasm/laguna sets especially if it is your first time buying them - it saves you a nice little amount of money and allows you to test them out.

as for the colors of the duo - the picture shows the hues pretty well. orgasm, the blush, is a darker pink color with a hint of shimmer in it (i don't personally care for shimmer but this amount looks natural and adds a glow to your skin). orgasm also works well with almost every skin tone - a lot of my friends whose skin color varies from mine love to use it and it looks great on them! laguna, the bronzer, caught my eye because khloe kardashian uses it and i always LOVE her makeup, especially the way her complexion looks. when i first saw it, i thought that it might be a little too dark for my skin tone (it's darker than my mac bronzer in matte bronze) and that it would make my face look dirty. i also was apprehensive about the sparkle in it because i like my face to look matte and naturally tan. however, when i applied it i loved it and received compliments from my boyfriend who thought it added a nice and healthy amount of color to my face. i can't tell you how happy i am with my purchase and will definitely be buying a separate laguna bronzer and orgasm blush - i want as much of both of them as i can get! A+

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

i'm currently obsessed with: the alice in wonderland eye shadow palette by urban decay



so i am coveting the alice in wonderland eye shadow palette from urban decay! this adorable little palette has 16 very sparkly shadows, 2 travel-size eyeliners (zero and flipside), and a travel-size primer potion. there is also a very cute pop-up style scene that opens when you open the mirror, making you feel like you're in wonderland itself. the best part of the whole set: all of the best-selling eyeshadows are renamed with alice-in-wonderland names (the white rabbit, alice, queen, drink me eat me).

you've seriously gotta be a mad hatter not to want one.

here's a list of all of the actual names of the shadows:

-Underland (Flash)
-Alice (Painkiller)
-Oraculum (Baked)
-Queen (Last Call)
-Chessur (Chopper)
-White Rabbit (Polyester Bride)
-Wonderland (Maui Wowie)
-Curiouser (Grifter)
-Muchness (X)
-Mushroom (Mushroom)
-Midnight Tea Party (Midnight Cowboy Rides Again)
-Vorpal (S&M)
-Absolem (Homegrown)
-Drink Me Eat Me (Sin)
-Mad Hatter (Twice Baked)
-Jabberwocky (Oil Slick)

here's a close up of all of the colors:



note: the palettes are not available on the actual urban decay site, but sephora and ulta still have them. be sure to get them fast because they're limited edition!!!

Monday, February 8, 2010

daytime eye look: college classroom

since i attend college, i like to keep my look fairly natural in the classroom. i also like to be able to do my eye makeup in less than 2 minutes because i am often late for class (hahaha). this look complements almost every outfit i wear, and it can be easily transitioned to a nighttime look when more shadow is placed on top of it. here it is! <3

1. urban decay primer potion (best primer i've found) all over the lid and all the way up to the brow bone. i like to add a little near my tear duct as well so that the shadow stays put there too (just try not to get it in your eye... trust me it hurts).
2. mac eyeshadow in naked lunch (a medium beige shimmer color) all over the lid. era by mac (a tan beige shimmer color) also works nice too if you want your eyes to be a little darker. both colors are gorgeous!
note: the colors of the pictures may vary depending on your computer screen brightness/resolution
3. super important!!! Add a highlight color such as rice paper (a gold/yellow light shimmer-frost color) by mac to your tear duct and under your brow area to make your eyes look more wide/awake. this is especially important for me because i have all early classes this semester :-/
4. (Optional) You can definitely stop there and your shadow will look awesome!!! I tend to add mac eyeshadow in handwritten (a rich matte chocolate brown color) to my crease area to add more depth to my eyes and blend it. I sometimes also (it depends if i have time or not) add brown eyeliner (also by mac) to my waterline and right below it. i then smudge the area right below my waterline with a pencil brush to smoke it out.
don't forget!!! mascara! you can also curl your lashes to make you look more awake as well!

hope you enjoyed this! xoxo

Sunday, February 7, 2010

lip gloss review: smashbox limitless long-wearing lip gloss

i just wanted to do a quick little review on my favorite lip gloss.
lip gloss: limitless long-wearing lip gloss by smashbox in "nonstop"
i purchased this little gem in ulta right after christmas. there are so many awesome things about this gloss: it really is long-lasting and smells delicious (i can't place the scent but it smells yummy). the color i bought is called "nonstop" and is a raspberry tinted gloss (the second gloss from the right). it gives great color - the perfect amount of pink. this is wonderful in the winter especially because it gives you a beautiful glowy lip look. A+
xoxo



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