Haul: Sephora

I just bought a bunch of stuff online at Sephora.com - I could seriously spend all day on that website.

Anyway... I've heard a lot of great stuff about the brand, Living Proof, which can be purchased at Sephora.com here. It comes in two different product types -No Frizz and Full. I purchased the No Frizz products, since my head is a frizz-ball in the humidity. These products don't contain silicone, which typically weighs down your hair and makes it look greasy. Instead, they contain Polyfluoroester, which blocks frizz from occurring. They also don't contain sodium chloride, an ingredient which makes my hair even frizzier. It's also a great product to use if you got a keratin treatment since sodium chloride will counteract with your treatment and ruin it.

The site was extremely helpful in allowing me to determine what fits my needs. The two sections that I used to figure out which product was right for me were the "What's Right for You" section and the "FAQs". Prior to reading these sections, my shopping cart was full of unnecessary items that i didn't need. Turns out, my very medium-to-thick frizzy hair requires the types of products necessary for the thick-to-coarse hair. I also found out that since I don't want a ridiculous amount of hold when I wear my hair curly, I should stick with the straight making products - my hair will be left with a slight curl and a loose, wavy look. My favorite piece of information was to not mix a silicone-based serum with the products since it will curdle... ewww thank goodness I found that out before I used it! Seriously, read those two sections before making your purchase - they saved me a lot of time and money!

Also, before you make your purchase, be sure to check out the "Value Sets" and "Gift Ideas and Sets" sections before you buy - it's a lot cheaper to make your purchase when you choose this option!!! (I bought the $25 Straight Making System Set, which is typically worth $34!)

My second purchase was the Too Faced Aqua Bunny Cream to Powder Bronzer. Although i haven't even received my package yet this product seems so cool. It's a waterproof bronzer! Seriously who doesn't want that during the summertime? You can wear this in the pool, at the beach, or even during super humid days. It also contains a lot of beneficial ingredients for your skin! How great is it that this bronzer doesn't drip off your face, and make you look like a hot mess?! I hope with all this hype, the product lives up to my expectations!!! I'll keep you posted! Definitely wait for my review since this product is a whopping $28, and I don't want you spending that kind of money if you don't have to.

My third, and final purchase, is the Benefit Cosmetics To Go Beauty Bestsellers. it's a $30 value for only $10! It is important to mention that these products are a lot smaller than their original counterparts, hence the steep price difference. It comes with Posietint - a light pink colored lip stain (usually $28); Some Kind-a-Gorgeous - a product that works like a foundation but isn't ($9-28); "That Gal" - a primer which simultaneously brightens your face ($28); and High Beam - a face highlighter ($28). I made this purchase because I have been wanting to try High Beam for quite some time now. A lot of the beauty gurus I mentioned in my last post have used this during tutorials. This product seems to give an angelic glow, and I can't wait to use it. I'll definitely let you know my take on all of these products later.

I also got a bunch of samples, which I will be doing reviews on throughout the summer. They are:

- Stila One Step Makeup in medium

- Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector

- Living Proof Straight Making No Frizz Styling Cream for medium to thick hair

- LAVANILA Baby Lotion and LAVANILA Healthy Sunscreen SPF 40 - I don't have a baby, I just really wanted to try the sunscreen! ;)

Hope you're enjoying your summer! Remember to check back for pictures and reviews of these fabulous products! xoxo

makeup trend alert: green eye shadow and liner

lately, i have been wanting to wear green eyeshadow and liner as much as possible. This is partially because green is on the opposite end of the color spectrum from brown, which makes brown eyes "pop".

When searching through some other makeup sites, i noticed that green eye makeup is all over the fashion forecast for the spring, not only just for brown eyes, but also for all different eye colors. the reason why this color is so flattering is because it makes the whites of the eyes look whiter.

I usually wear green eye makeup in the form of eyeliner under my eyes, but here are some other ways that green makeup can be applied:

- a light green shadow applied in the inner corner of the eye

- shadow or liner smudged along the lower lash line

here are some of my favorite green liners to use:

1. urban decay 24/7 glide on eye pencil in mildew - a deep, dark metallic green

2. urban decay 24/7 glide on eye pencil in covet - a bright green

3. urban decay 24/7 glide on eye pencil in stash - a brown-green

4. sephora nano eyeliner in silver green

you can find the 24/7 liners at sephora and at ulta. they are the same price at each store.

hope this post inspired you to try green eye makeup! :)

review: hot couture eau de toilette by givenchy

hot couture by givenchy is my new love. i often find it extremely difficult to find a perfume that i like, and as soon as i smelled this one, i fell head over heels. my roommate was the person who showed me this wonderful scent. Every time i smelled it, i knew i had to get my hands on one of my own.

the fragrance has hints of raspberry, strawberry, spice rose, tuberose, bergamont, citron, amber, and white musk.

it is simultaneously girly, sophisticated, confident, sexy, fun, and playful, which makes it perfect for a girl in their late teens to late twenties. i feel like this truly matches my personality and is perfect for everyday wear.

this is avaliable for purchase at ulta and sephora. i got mine from ulta since i got to use my member points and i got to choose any perfume as a reward.

this perfume gets an A+!!!

review: kat von d. romance eyeshadow palette in ludwig

i am absolutely in love with the kat von d. romance eyeshadow palette in ludwig that i picked up at sephora and try to use it every chance i get! you can only buy this product at sephora, since it is made specifically for the company. the colors are gorgeous, so soft, and glide right onto your lid.

this palette comes with the following colors:

- lucifer - matte black

- orbi - green shimmer with flecks of gold

- dimebag - lime green shimmer

- clay - beige with flecks of gold

- tequila - yellow shimmer

- downtown - copper shimmer

- baroque - bronze shimmer

- leather - dark brown

this product gets an A+!!!! :)

review: urban decay primer potion

i have been using the original urban decay primer potion for well over a year now and can honestly say i will never stop purchasing it. this primer really holds eyeshadow and eyeliner in place for hours and hours and allows for the shadow to not crease.

the original formula (left) is a sheer nude which is extremely light, dries invisibly, and will work on every skin tone. it also leaves behind no residue or greasiness. it also now comes in two colors other than original - sin and eden. sin (middle) is a champagne/bronze shimmer which can act as a color by itself, or adds something extra to your eyeshadow. eden (right) is a matte nude color which acts as as a no-makeup looking primer. it also serves as a base to match your skin tone. all of the wands are now bent, so application is easier and more precise. personally, i prefer the original since it is sheer and works with everything, but feel free to give the others a try! the original formula is fantastic, so i'm sure the other two are as well! A

sephora haul

since it is pretty chilly in what was supposed to be warm and sunny florida, i took a trip to the nearest sephora. there were so many great new items that i wanted to try and i had trouble choosing what i wanted to purchase.

here are the items that i ended up buying: **i will do reviews on each**

1. urban decay primer potion - i was debating whether or not to buy the new formulas - sin and eden instead of the original. sin is a shimmering champagne color which i decided was not for me since it contained shimmer which i might not want if i were to use a matte shadow. to me, eden looked like cover-up - it was a matte nude color which i wasn't crazy about. i ended up buying the original potion in a larger bottle since i like it so much. when i first used it, i realized there is a new bent wand which makes it easier to apply.

2. tarte natural lip stain - when i went to the tarte display, this item was almost sold out, so i knew it had to be good. it took me a while to decide which color of the available colors i wanted. i was stuck between charmed - a light pink, amused - a hot pink, and moody - a deep berry. after swatching the items on my hand, i decided that charmed was too light for my lips and amused was just right.

3. josie maran argan oil hair serum - since i have frizzy hair, i decided to pick up this product to test it out. it has a nice, clean smell.

4. kat von d. eyeshadow palette in ludwig - when i saw this, i knew i had to have it - the shadows are so silky and soft and there are so many of them in one palette. the colors are gorgeous browns, greens, and golds and complement each other as well.

stay tuned for reviews on each of the items! xoxo

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

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+

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!!!