Sunday, February 23, 2014

Birthday Beauty Haul!

I don't know about youuuuu, but I'm feeling twenty-twooooo! Last week was my 22nd birthday which is super duper exciting. I had a wonderful birthday surrounded by lots of people I love and by lots of food I love ;) I also did a bit of naughty makeup shopping to celebrate. What's a birthday if I don't go a little crazy buying some new beauty products? I popped into Sephora yesterday with my mom and I can't wait to share with you some of the pretty new beauty products I picked up!

1. DiorSkin AirFlash Spray Foundation 

I'm a confessed foundation junkie and I have been eying this foundation for months now. It is pricey so I resisted as long as I could, but with a little birthday cash in my wallet, resistance was futile. I am so excited to try this out and will do a full review!!

2. Tarte CC Be MATTEnifficent Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek Palette

GORGEOUSNESS! I am over the moon excited about this palette. First off, the packaging is stunning. It comes with 8 limited edition matte shadows, 1 limited edition blush, and a double ended eye shadow brush. I adore matte shadows and any of the Tarte products with the Amazonian Clay are absolutely fantastic! The shadows in here are buttery soft and I can't wait to play around with different looks. I will do a full post on this palette with swatches and everything! This palette is priced so fairly for a high-end palette with so much product in it. It's $36 and you are definitely getting your money's worth from it.

3. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in "Luminous Flush"

Hourglass is one of my favorite high-end makeup brands. Every single product I have tried from the line has been amazing quality and I really get a lot of use out of the products. I have the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in "Diffused Light" and I adore it, so when I heard about the launch of these Ambient Lighting blushes, I had to get my hands on one! Each blush color is marbleized with one of the Ambient Lighting powders. This shade in "Luminous Flush" is a brighter pink shade with the "Luminous Light" Ambient Lighting Powder running through it. I can't wait to use this!!

4. Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick #22

I have seen this lipstick here and there in tutorials and blog posts and I thought it looked like such a gorgeous nude. It is a light peachy nude and I really, really love it so far. The lipstick is very pigmented and has a satin finish. Plus, it is shade #22, which is oh-so-fitting.

5. YSL Babydoll Mascara
This is a repurchased product. I ran out of this a couple months ago and I was missing it so much that I had to pick it up again! It is pricey but it is such an amazing mascara. I highly, highly recommend it!

6. Beauty Blender

This is another repurchase. The beauty blender is my absolutely favorite way to apply foundation and concealer. My other beauty blender was getting pretty worn so it was time to pick up another!

7. Tarte Brazilliance Face and Body Self Tanner

I really want to expand my horizons in the self-tanner world. I am so ridiculously pale and it is almost scary. I read great reviews on this and I can't wait to try it out! Tanned skin, here I come!

8. Make Up For Ever Birthday Gift

Sephora gives a birthday gift every year during your birthday month if you have a beauty insider card. This year the gift is a few Make Up For Ever deluxe samples. It comes with a lipstick, mascara, and if you're VIB Rouge, then you also get a pencil liner. I am super excited to try these products out. I love, love, love, the lipstick shade already!

Well that about does it for my birthday beauty haul! I will be featuring all these products in posts coming up so follow my blog if you want to see those! Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
Paige

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Review: Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

I am definitely a primer girl. After a couple years of using primers before my foundation, I can't imagine not wearing one. I think they can make such a difference in terms of how smooth foundation applies, how long it lasts, and how visible your pores are. My all-time favorite is the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (full review here) but I have been looking to find a good drugstore option. I was super excited to see this product at my drugstore because I have been dying to try it out! I have worn it consistently over the past few weeks and have definitely been able to put it to the test.


Product Rundown

Price: $6.99

This product claims to have "instant blur technology" which erases the appearance of pores on the face. It can be worn on its own or under foundation.



My Thoughts

I had read some pretty poor reviews of this product after I picked it up, so I was super optimistic about loving it. I would agree that it isn't the greatest primer out there, but it also isn't bad by any means either. I think it is a good drugstore option if you are just starting out with makeup and want to try a primer. It will create a smooth surface for you to apply foundation over. I found this made my foundation over the top look more even than just foundation alone. The biggest issue I have with this product is that it claims to blur your pores, but it really did not have that effect on me. I saw no reduction in the visibility of my pores. Also, this is not a primer that is going to prolong the wear of your foundation. My foundation would wear off throughout the day as it would had I not worn any primer.

So overall, this is a product that will provide a smooth base and will allow your foundation to look smooth, blended, and perfect. It does not blur the appearance of pores and will not prolong the wear of your foundation. That being said, it is better than most primers I've tried from the drugstore and for the price, it is a good option if you are looking for a very simple primer. I will definitely still use this product. I prefer to wear it on days where I just have to head out the house for a few hours and won't be wearing my makeup all day. If you are just starting with makeup, this will probably be a great option for you if you are wanting to try out a primer.

I hope you found this review helpful! Have an AMAZING day!!

xoxo,
Paige

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Review + Swatches: Marc Jacobs Lolita Palette


I am a sucker for pretty eyeshadow palettes. When the Marc Jacobs makeup line launched last year, the gorgeous 7 eyeshadow palettes were immediately calling my name. The lux packaging and the selection of shadow shades were too gorgeous to resist. Since I am a notorious neutral eyeshadow girl, the Lolita palette was a match made in heaven. I have had this palette for many, many months now, so I definitely have been able to test it out very thoroughly!


Product Rundown

Price: $59.00

Each palette is a collection of shimmery metallics, buttery mattes, and lustrous sheens. They are made with "advanced pigments" that provide instant color payoff. They claim to be long lasting. All shades are chosen and created to harmoniously work together and blend for the perfect eyeshadow look.



My Thoughts

I have a bit of mixed feelings about this palette as a whole. I do love it and the colors are gorgeous. The mattes are super high quality, buttery soft, and so easily blended. The shimmery shades are quite pigmented. A couple of them are a little chunky and slightly chalky while the other couple are smooth and perfect in texture. I love that the palette includes a really nice matte soft brown transition/crease shade because I think that is essential for every eyeshadow look. I love the matte white shade as well; it is very pigmented and it is an amazing highlight especially for the brow bone. My other favorite shade in the palette is that gorgeous shimmery bronze on the very end that looks so pretty in the crease as well as one the lid. I absolutely adore the packaging. I love how sleek it is. The palette is small and really great for travel.

While I do love so many things about this palette, I just don't find myself reaching for it that often. It is very pricey and I just don't think I am getting my money's worth from it. I have many eyeshadow palettes and I am consistently reaching for those over this palette. The shades are so pretty, but I feel like I have about every shade in another palette or as a single eyeshadow somewhere in my collection. The colors in the palette aren't super unique and I kind of wish I had chosen another one of the Marc Jacobs eyeshadow palettes.

If you love neutral eyeshadow palettes and are looking for a nice, high quality, high end palette and feel you don't have some of these shades in your collection, then yes, I would absolutely recommend this. If you have a ton of eyeshadow, I would say that you don't absolutely need this palette because you probably have something similar already in your collection. The eyeshadows are really good quality though so you may be interested in another one of the Marc Jacobs palettes (there are 3 other variations). Also if you travel a lot and are looking for an small, easy to travel with neutral palette, then this would definitely be one to look into!

I hope you found this review helpful! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have an amazing day!!

xoxo,
Paige

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Valentine's Day Makeup!

Happy Valentine's Day! I have to admit, I am not a biggest fan of this dreadful day BUT I still wanted to create a fun makeup look inspired by it. My Valentine's Day is going to filled with the two loves of my life: Netflix and food. BUT if you are doing something much more exciting than me, then this could be a perfect makeup look for you to recreate! I went with playful and romantic pink and berry shadows for the eyes, a dramatic cat eye, and a nude lip! I hope you like it!


1. Foundation + Concealer
To prime my face, I used the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser. I picked this up a few weeks ago and am still testing it out. I will post a full review on it very, very soon! For foundation, I used the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation. For blemishes and redness, I used the NYX HD Concealer and for under the eyes, I used the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser.



2. Cream Contour + Setting Powder

I cream contoured my face using the CoverGirl truMagic bronzer. I applied this in the hollows of my cheekbones, along and under the jawline, and on the sides of my forehead. Then, I set my entire face with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in "Diffused Light". This gives a gorgeous, natural glow all over the face.

3. Blush + Bronzer

I layered NARS Laguna Bronzer over the cream bronzer for a nice contoured look that will last for hours and hours. For blush, I went with NARS Sin.



4. Eye Shadow!

To prime the eye, I went with the Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Inked in Pink", which is a gorgeous metallic pink cream shadow. I whipped out the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette because I am totally obsessed with it and it has the perfect rosy shades I need for this look. I also incorporated MAC Cranberry (see another FOTD with this shadow here) for a pop of berry.

1. Limit: applied through the crease with a large fluffy crease brush and also on lower lash line
2. Buzz: applied to the lid
3. Dust: layered over buzz on the lid
4. MAC Cranberry: applied in outer corner and lower lash line
5. Liar: applied on lower lash line for more definition
6. Strange: applied on inner corner and on the brow bone

5. Liner + Mascara

I created a cat eye/winged liner with my all time favorite gel liner, the Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liner in "Blackest Black" and then applied two coats of the L'Oreal Voluminous Original Masacra.


6. Lips

For lips, I went with the Maybelline Color Elixir in "Nude Illusion".


I hope you have a fantastic Valentine's Day and I hope you enjoyed this look! Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
Paige

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Review + Swatches: CoverGirl TruMagic the Sunkisser Bronzer

In the past few months or so, I've really stepped up my contour and highlighting game. I am a huge fan of strong contoured cheeks and am pretty picky when it comes to any sort of bronzer or contour shade. Since it is winter, my skin is pretty pale so I prefer a lighter matte bronzer that is not too orange or muddy for my contour. CoverGirl recently released this TruMagic line that features a primer/touch up balm, this balm bronzer, and a balm luminizer. When I saw the line at my local drugstore, the bronzer really intrigued me. I love cream contouring and have never been able to find a good drugstore option for a cream contour. I have been testing this out over the last month or so and actually really like it!


Product Rundown

Price: $10.99

The TruMagic line is martketed as a series of "perfecting balms" that can be worn alone, under, or on top of makeup. There are supposed to be non-greasy and will not clog pores. The bronzer has a matte finish.


My Thoughts

I am actually really impressed by this product. It is a strange texture, and at first, I was a little wary of it. It feels like a cross between a gel and a balm, but it blends out into an almost powdery type finish. The texture is somewhat similar to a silicone primer, really smooth and blendable. This type of texture was a little scary because products of this type of consistency tend to break me out, but I have had no issues with breakouts so far.

The bronzer applied really smooth and it was very easy to blend. You don't have to worry about applying too much of this bronzer because it blends out so, so easily. You can achieve a very subtle bronzed or contoured look with this product but you can also build it up to be a little more dramatic look. The color isn't too orange-y and I love that it is completely matte. It creates a nice shadow for contouring. My favorite way to use this product is to apply it after foundation and concealer, then set everything with a powder or a makeup setting spray, and then apply a powder bronzer over the top. By layering the products, you get a very long wear.

 (excuse that small scratch. I have two boxers and play time can get a little rough every now and then :)

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product if you were looking for a good drugstore bronzer. It is great for both contouring and bronzing and looks natural even on my fair skin. I hope you found this review helpful and if you have any questions, just leave a comment! Thanks for reading and I hope you have an amazing day!!

xoxo,
Paige

Monday, February 3, 2014

January Beauty Favorites

January was good to me in terms of makeup. I collected several new products at the end of last year and have been putting them to the test throughout the month. Some of them, I have fallen totally in love with! I can't to share them and all their amazingness with you...

1. Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

AHHH! Urban Decay, you have done amazing things with this palette. I love the rosy theme of this palette. It is very complimentary of my brown eyes and it's so versatile. I have created so many different looks with this and I have loved each and every one. In the next few weeks, I will post some FOTD posts with this so you can see some of my favorite looks with this palette. The eyeshadows, like all Urban Decays shadows, are super pigmented and blend beautifully. These are a few of my favorite shades...
from left to right: Buzz, Trick, Liar


I may have found my holy grail of all BB creams. This is magic skin amazingness in a tube. It is light coverage, as you would expect, but it just transforms your skin completely. It blurs every flaw and looks incredibly natural. It looks like you're wearing no makeup at all and your skin is naturally perfect. I could go on and on about this product, so I will post a full review on this soon with swatches and a before and after!


This is an amazing, amazing concealer. I am actually shocked by how good it is considering it's only $4.99. It is super pigemented and very high coverage. The finish of it is super natural and blends really nice with many different foundations. It does an amazing job of hiding blemishes and redness. I would recommend anyone to try this concealer! It is my new absolute favorite for blemishes and breakouts!


I have mentioned this blush here and there in some of my past posts, but it has definitely earned its place into my favorites this month. I am loving this color at the moment. It's a super natural rose blush with a hint of gold and it adds great color and life to the face. The powder itself is so fine and smooth, so it blends out so easily. I am in love!


I was a little "iffy" about this product when I hauled it a couple months ago. I wasn't sure it would ever live up to the 30 something dollars I paid for it. It was after all, a lip balm that is supposed to add some color to your lips. But I am glad to say that I am so, so happy that I invested in this! It is super moisturizing, as you would expect, but the color it adds is so flattering. The product claims that it adjusts to your own body's chemistry and therefore, creates a different and unique shade of pink on everyone! It totally changes on my lips and is super flattering to my skin tone and the natural shade of my lips. It also looks a complete different shade of pink on my mom, so it is definitely unique to whoever wears it. I love this and it is the perfect everyday lip color.


I just did a full review on these lip products, which you can read here, so I want go into much detail about these! I love them and there are my new favorite lip products at the drugstore! I can not wait to pick up more colors. 


I picked this up this sample size Kate Somerville moisturizer as part of a Sephora 500 point reward and have been addicted to it! It blows my Clinique Dramatically Different moisturizer out of the water. This sinks into the skin so quickly and leaves absolutely no greasy residue on the face. It plumps and moisturizes the skin perfectly. It's lightweight and I've been using it both day and night. My skin texture has been lovely and I am just in love with this moisturizer!


This Benefit eye cream ticks all the boxes for an amazing eye cream. It is super mega moisturizing, it has improved my dark circles, and it has improved the appearance of fine lines under my eye! I love applying this at night, and in the morning, my under eye concealer applies so much more smoothly. Also, I kind of love the price. This amount of product is going to last me months and months because you only need a tiny amount. It's right around $30. Personally, I think that is reasonable considering many high end eye creams are around $60-$80.

That wraps it up for my favorite beauty products this month! I am super excited that it is February since it is my birthday month *woop woop*! I have tons of posts I am super excited to post this month and you can follow my blog or keep coming back to see all of those. I hope you have an amazing day!!

xoxo,
Paige