Lorac Holiday Haul

The holidays are approaching! And nothing screams LET'S CELEBRATE more than high shine gloss and sparkly looks. With the high request of holiday parties, I took a special trip to stock up on some sparkle glitz and glam. I particularly went to LORAC's section because they seem to have a vast array of shimmery products.

I started with the LORAC Little Black Palette. This super sexy packaging holds 4 of the most pigmented and creamy baked eyeshadows and a mini shadow primer.

I picked up the LORAC Bejeweled Lip Gloss Collection. 5 lipgloss for $25 was a steal. These sizes are .11oz. A regular lipgloss is .17oz for $22. I liked the combination of colors and the jewel encrusted tops. LORAC's lipgloss has great staying power and the formula isn't super sticky.

(top to bottom: Red Ruby, Peach Moonstone, Bronze Topaz, Hot Pink Sapphire, Rich Garnet, Pink Diamond)

I also picked up LORAC 3D Liquid Lustre. If you could extract blood from a fairy, this is what it would look like. This product is pure sparkle in liquid form and is used as a top coat over eye shadows.

A mini drop of the 3D lustre.

"What I'm Loving" Friday

1. MAC Blush Peaches: I love this blush for a nice and calm peach tint.

2. Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream: I use this cream lightly after dropping my pin curls. This is good for frizz. The cream has an irredescent silver/white color, which adds a lovely sheen to my hair without looking greasy.

3. Bebe Lip Balm: It's nothing spectacular about this lip balm but I am a sucker for adorable packaging. These lip balms are free with a purchase from Bebe.

4. MAC Lipstick Ever Hip: I was sooooo excited when MAC rereleased Ever Hip from a previous collection, Give Me Liberty. I wasn't able to get it before but I immediately purchased it when it returned through the new collection, Fashion Flower. This color is a beautiful neutral peach. I probably have so many colors that are similar, but this one is special lol.

5. BUTTER London 3 Free Nail Laquer in The Full Monty: 2-3 coats of this gives me the perfect Golden nails.

6.  NYX Eye Liner in Velvet: I love this suttle mettalic gold color for my inner v's. Simply beautiful and smooth. The name "Velvet" is very fitting.

7. CHI Silk Infusion: This is definitely a staple in my hair care regimen. I use it on my hair with heat. It's not quite a heat protectant but it strengthen my strands and I've noticed less breakage.

8. MAC All Blending Sponge: I wanted to try out a Beauty Blender Sponge, but I ran across this sponge which is similar and cheaper. I use this sponge to blend out liquids to a nice airbrush finish on my face.

9. LORAC Starry-eyed Baked Shadow: This shadow came in the LORAC Movie Star kit. This is great for a sexy smokey eye.

10. Maybelline Color Sensational in Coral Crush: This has become one of my favorite coral lipsticks for the spring/summer.

11. Hard Candy GLOW all the Way Luminizer: I cannot have enough luminzers. This pinkish illumnizer is so beautiful on my cheekbones, nose, and any other place where I want a nice glow.

(left to right: MAC Lipstick Ever Hip, Hard Candy GLOW all the Way Luminizer, NYX Eye Liner in Velvet, Maybelline Color Sensational in Coral Crush, MAC Blush Peaches) 

MAC Big Bounce Shadow Review

Last week I received my order of the Big Bounce Shadow from MAC's new Flighty collection launching this Thursday. I ordered Reward Yourself and Good Fortune.



(left to right) Good Fortune and Reward Yourself)

 These shadows are very similar to MAC's paint shadows, only a little more wet and thin.

PROs:
-I like the suttle sheen.
-It's buildable
-You get a lof of product
-Nice variety of colors
-Can be used as a base or alone
-Does not crease (although I used it over a lid primer)

CONs:
-Once opened, there is a clear top over the product that got very messy while trying to remove.
-Slow drying time

I definitely recommend using a lid primer with this product. Because it is thin, it can streak if used on a bare lid.

(top to bottom: Good to Fortune, Reward Yourself)

"What I'm Loving" Friday

1. MAC's Fix Plus Spray: This skin refresher and finishing mist is like Heaven in a bottle. This is great for those that finish their face with powder. A couple of sprays takes away the powdery look, giving off a beautiful dewy finish. And I love the refreshing smell.

2. Philosophy HOPE in a Jar: Facial Moisturizer. I have been using this moisturizer for 4 years now and it has been great. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and moisturized without looking greasy. The smell isn't the best, but I'm a little reluctant when putting anything with a perfume scent on my face anyways.

3. MAC Blush in Springsheen: The name and color is very appropriate for this time of year. The color is a peachy-bronze shimmer. I love this on top of MAC Blush in Peaches.

4. Philosophy Perfume by Philosophy: I love to wear this perfume on days when I don't want to wear perfume per se. It has a shower fresh clean scent that goes well when I'm dressed down.

5. L'OREAL Colour Riche in Sea Fleur: This color is a very pretty sheer iridescent purple-fuchsia.

6. MAC Dazzleglass in Funtabulous: I absolutely love this gloss over any of my purple/fuchsia lipsticks to give a 3D effect.

7.Sugar Baby Bronze Ambition Shimmer Beads: These little pearls of shimmer give the perfect sun kissed and golden finish.

8. MAC Face & Body Foundation: I love that it's water based, which is great for the skin. The coverage is light, but buildable. And for an even lighter coverage, mix in a little moisturizer. You also get a lot of product for the price, 4 FL. OZ. This with MAC Careblend powder gives me flawless skin.

9. Smashbox PhotoFinish Primer: This is one of my favorite primers. I like that it controls the oil and fills in large pores. For a perfect foundation application, this is a MUST-HAVE!

10. Viktor&Rolf FlowerBomb Perfume: This has become my GO-TO perfume for my nights out.

(top to bottom)
Sugar Baby Bronze Ambition Shimmer Beads, L'OREAL Colour Riche in Sea Fleur, and MAC Blush in Springsheen.

Xmas in Spring: My BirchBox Arrived!

Today I received my first BirchBox in the mail. It was literally like receiving an anonymous gift because you don’t know what samples will be inside. I received:

-6 bags of Extra / Zhena’s Gypsy Tea. I don’t drink tea so I will use it in my face steamer.

-Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser. I read a few reviews on this product. It seems like it would be a hit or miss. I haven’t used it on my whole face, but I did use it as a lip exfoliate and it worked great. The ingredients are raw sugar, rice flour, and organic lemongrass.

-A sample of LIV GRN – Natural Parfum. This perfume  is very fresh, sweet, and clean. It’s also made from biodegradable ingredients, and 10% of the sales go to Global Green.

-ZOYA Nail Polish in Dove, a nice gray color. They also put a mini ZOYA catalogue in the box. So after I test the durability of the polish, I will be ordering more colors.

-Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion. I won’t be using this product. Not only am I happy with my current moisturizer, but the rose smell is highly unbearable.

Overall, I’m happy with April’s BirchBox. I will make use out of 4 of the items received.

Review on MAC’s New Studio Careblend Pressed Powder

MAC recently release a new pressed powder that promises to provide a smooth, virtually invisible, fresh-looking finish. I normally use their Mineralized Skin Finish (MSF), which tends to look a little chalky. So I was so excited to see that they released a more natural product. I believe I have found my staple powder. No matter how much I put on, I don’t get that chalky look. I use MAC’s Face & Body Foundation in C7 and the Careblend in Medium-Deep for an airbrushed finish. This product is perfect for those who don’t like to look like they’re wearing makeup. The powder is extremely soft and finely milled to create the perfect canvas. The only con is that the colors are more light than the MSF. So if you are Medium Deep in the MSF then you may want to get Dark in the Careblend. Overall I believe this is one of MAC’s BEST powders.



I put the Careblend on with MAC’s 109 brush. I didn’t put on any primer. It gave me an even canvas, without the chalky finish.

The PERFECT Oil for People who don’t like Oil

14. Apr, 2011 | BEAUTY 0

 I’ve been struggling for so long to find the right hair products, one being a great oil. I’ve spent so much money on different oils only to get the same results – heavy motionless hair. I don’t like my hair being weighed down. I like for it to bounce when I walk and flap in the wind, all while being shiny.

I worked with a lovely model last week and her hair was noticeably shiny and it still had great movement. She told me that she used MoroccanOil. I was also shocked to hear that she only put it in while her hair was wet and then proceeded to styling without adding more oil. Me being the product junkie that I am went to the nearest Beauty Supply store where I had seen the brand before. The price was a little steep ($40) but visions of her sheen danced in my head, so I couldn’t resist. I did like the instructions said, which was to apply to wet hair after conditioning. The oil doesn’t feel like you’re regular oil. It has a silicon feel to it.  After I blow-dried and flat ironed, my hair was extremely soft and super shiny. I wanted to wait until the middle of the week to write a review to see if the shine lasted — AND IT DID! I love love love that this oil did not weigh my hair down at all. My search is officially over!

The oil has a very pleasant small and it came with a pump which is very convenient. The only con is that the container is glass and that’s not good for those that are clumsy like myself. I may try to transfer it to a plastic bottle. In any event, SO worth the money. I love it and will use it forever.
 
(Hair after using Moroccanoil 5 days ago. )

“What I’m Loving” Friday

Every other Friday I will be reviewing and swatching some of my favorite products of the moment.



1. L’oreal eye makeup remover
I’ve tried many eye makeup removers. And I have oily lids, so I look for removers that are 100% oil-free. This particular brand has kept that promise. I like this remover because it doesn’t leave an oily residue behind like some other brands have.

2. Sona Kashuk Stippling Brush
I use this brush to apply my liquid foundation. It keeps the application light but it gives an airbrushed finish. I haven’t experience any shedding during application or cleaning. I will do a tutorial soon on applying your foundation with a stippling brush. This brush can be a dupe for MAC’s 187 brush, and can be found at any Target store.

3. Sona Kashuk Mini Stippling Brush
I love this little brush. It’s a more thin and less full version of a regular Stippling brush. I use it to apply my blush and highlights. This brush can be a dupe for MAC’s new 188 brush.

4. Cotton – Oval Face and Body Exfoliating Pads
I’m so glad that I stumbled across these one evening in Walmart. They are heaven-sent. This face pad is gentle like cotton on one side and grainy on the other side. To the touch the grainy side does not feel like it would exfoliate well. Boy was I wrong! This little pad can work. I normally use the reusable buffer pads, which leaves my face feeling a little tender. And I’m not sure how sanitary it is to reuse something on the face. So I like the fact that these are disposable. I’m not sure if I can use it on my body. It tends to get a little slippery once you wet it. This pad is perfect because it exfoliates but it’s not too harsh. And for $4 you get 50 pads.

5. Neutrogena DEEP CLEAN Long-Last Shine Control Cleanser/Mask
I have weird skin. It’s both dry and oily. It gets oily in the mornings and when I wear makeup. On days when I will be wearing makeup for  a long time this is a MUST-USE. This product can be used as a cleanser or mask. I use it as a mask to soak some of the oil from my skin. It really helps with the shine and oil problems that occur under my makeup (especially my forehead). This mask contains rice proteins, which is great for absorbing surface oil. I also like that it doesn’t try out my dry spots like my nose. I gives off a tingling sensation once it starts to work. I’ve also noticed that I have less blackheads on my nose.

6. MAC Pigment in Naked
I love this pigment as a brow highlight. It’s like a neutral beige with a light shimmer. This color is swatched below.

7. NYX Eye Pencil in Satin Blue.
Like the NYX lip liners, the eye pencil is just as pigmented. I like that this blue has a slight shimmer to it. This color is beautiful lightly smoked out. This color is swatched below.

8. MAC Cremeheen Glass in Partial to Pink
I love this formula because it is very creamy and provides a great amount of sheen. I like this formula better than MAC’s regular lip glass.

9. Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer
I’ve been using this product for about a month and a half and my hair has never been this strong with thick strands. I use the whole Aphogee line (I will showcase this line soon) and it’s the best. The Green Tea Restructurizer is used after you have washed and conditioned your hair. It’s not a leave-in conditioner, but more like a strengthening system. After using it one time I noticed immediately that my strands were very strong, but still held its elasticity. This is definitely a staple item in my hair regimen.


(Top to Bottom) MAC Pigment in Naked, NYX eye liner in Satin Blue, MAC Cremesheen Glass in Partial to Pink

Which items will be on your wishlist?

MAC’s Pigments Cheaper Alternative

When I do makeup for a photoshoot I use pigments. Pigment is a highly concentrated colored powder. Just think of eye shadow, but as a powder and more intense color. Pigments can also be used as blush and lip color (with gloss). 

I was purchasing MAC pigments which are $19.50 for .15oz., and since they’ve changed their pigment containers, you don’t get as much pigment as you used to get. Well I’ve found a much cheaper and almost identical alternative through Coastal Scents. Coastal Scents pigments can be bought in different amounts. I have been getting the sample size which is only $1.00. And I purchased a bag of 25 containers for $7.99 to hold the pigments.
 
 (left to right) MAC Pigment in Heritage Rouge, Coastal Scents pigment in Deep Russet.


(left to right) MAC Pigment in Heritage Rouge, Coastal Scents pigment in Deep Russet.


(top to bottom) MAC Pigment in Heritage Rouge, Coastal Scents pigment in Deep Russet.
I have MAC Iridescent Powder ($23.00) that I mix into moisturizer or foundation for a lovely glow. Coastal Scents pigment in Sunstone is almost identical. I purchased it in the amount of 1oz. for $5.99 and this amount will last forever. (The amount of powder stops at the top of the label on the jar)


(left to right) MAC Iridescent Powder, Coastal Scents pigment in Sunstone.


(top to bottom) MAC Iridescent Powder, Coastal Scents pigment in Sunstone.

As you can see, the color pay off for the pigments is just as good as the MAC products. Coastal Scents have specials all the time, so you can get the pigments cheaper than $1.00. I purchased 20 different pigments when they were having a sale and I spent less than $15.

Coastal Scents pigments can be found at www.coastalscents.com. What colors are on your wishlist?

XMAS in Spring: MAC Haul

The UPS Man comes to my home so much that he should have a key HA… My MAC box has arrived and I’m super excited. I order a lot of my cosmetics online because the lines and waiting for help can be quite an experience. Anyhoo, here is what I ordered:

(left to right) Giggly blush from the new Quite Cute line, which will be dropping TOMORROW actually, Vegas Volt Lipstick, Angel Lipstick, Gotta Dash from the new Sheen Supreme Lipstick line, and Strobe Cream.

Giggly Mineralized Blush is indeed cute and adorable. And I love the little heart in the middle, which sold me. I thought this color was going to be like Dollymix but it isn’t. It gives off a light frosty pink sheen. I will use this as a highlight over MAC’s Fleur Power, which is a matte pink. Maybe I’m a little delusional, but it looks a tad bit smaller than their regular pan. But it could also be its dome top making it look smaller.
 (left to right) Giggly, Fleur Power
 
I wanted a bright coral lipstick to wear for the spring/summer. So I got Vegas Volt (amplified). I love the color. It’s definitely bright and it pops.  I can’t wait to wear this with color with my mirrored Ray Bans and a cat eye.

I’m usually not a big fan of frost lipsticks. They always remind me of powdered donuts. But I decided to try Angel, which is one of their best selling shades. They say this shade is close to the Nicki Minaj Pink Friday. I’m not sold quite yet on it, but I will try it on a day when I heavily line my eyes. This shade definitely needs a gloss over it or it will look very ashen.

Gotta Dash, will easily become my favorite. It’s a bright, cute, feminine peachy color. And it’s sooo creamy. It is now SOLD OUT online, but they may still carry it in the store.
 (left to right) Vegas Volt, Angel, Gotta Dash

 (Top to Bottom) Vegas Volt, Angel, Gotta Dash

Strobe Cream! If you can’t tell by now, I’m addicted to bright skin. And no I don’t mean LIGHT skin, but BRIGHT skin. I like to look alert and vibrant. I work very long hours and I tend to look drab and tired, so I use a lot of products that will give me that vibrant look. Strobe Cream is an irredescent cream that adds a beautiful glow and some  life to the skin. I will mix this into my moisturizers and/or I will use this over a little liquid foundation and top with a powder.

I will do a look with these products and post.  Let me know if any of these will be added to your wish list.
All items can be found on www.maccosmetics.com (Giggly available tomorrow and Gotta Dash is sold out online)

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch’s Cheaper Alternative

So I’ve been eyeballing the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch pen for the longest time. But I can’t seem to pull myself to paying $40 for an illuminator. This little stick is supposed to remove any signs of fatigue and shadows underneath the eyes.

Well me being the research Queen that I am, stumbled across a similar product. The Avon Majix Illuminator. This pen promises to brighten the skin and banish any dark shadows, AND it’s $32 cheaper than the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch. The Avon wand comes in 3 colors (light, medium, deep). I purchased the medium and deep because I wasn’t sure which one would work on my complexion.

This illuminator can be worn over or under your concealer or foundation. One day I wore it over my concealer and under my powder, but I noticed it gave me the reverse raccoon look. So I will try it again under my concealer. If your dark circles aren’t extreme then I believe this can be a great concealer as well. It does have a slight shimmer, so be light with the application. I like how it turns into a powder once blended. Also be sure to use a primer under this product. Because of the shimmer it will show all of your pores on the areas that it’s placed.

(left to right) Medium, Deep

(left to right) Medium, Deep

Overall I like this product. I have not tried the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch but I am satisfied with the amount of illuminance that the Avon Majix pen provides.

The Avon Majix Illuminator is $7.99 and can be purchased on the Avon website: http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=40924. Please feel free to share your reviews on both brands.

BIRCHBOX: Receive Beauty Samples Monthly

What a Lovely idea! For $10 a month you can receive a box of the latest beauty product samples. And if you’re interested in purchasing the full size, you can purchase through their website and receive points for future items. SWEET! I spend and waste so much money buying full sized products. This will save me the trouble and closet space. I love the affordable membership price, which can be cancelled at any time. Normally samples are giving out when you purchase something. So again, the membership price is very reasonable. And it you aren’t sold by now, then their impressive list of brands will definitely grab your attention. I just signed up  last week, so I have not received a box yet. But as soon as I do, I will review each item and update my testimonial on this membership.

Learn more about the Birchbox at www.birchbox.com

UPDATE: So I just logged in to see if they display a shipping date and THEY DO! Yahhh, my 1st box ships this week. I totally love the fact that you don’t know what products you will be receiving. Merry Christmas to me each month.