Shakeup Your Makeup...

A short vacation...

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am going to be out of commission until Monday, so I apologize for any delay in response to emails or comments. Once I get my fill of beach and sun, I will be back to my usual programming...

I hope you all have a great rest of the week and weekend!

Spotted: Another new brand at Walgreens - Simple skincare

2012-01-25T10:36:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the delay - I've been experiencing some technical difficulties with Blogger and my computer, but it appears everything is back up and running again.

Anyway, a few weeks back I posted some new lip balms I spotted at Walgreens, by a brand called Simply. Evidently, Walgreens is getting into the more natural skin care lines, as there is another brand called Simple and I saw this end cap at another Walgreens closer to my house.

Simple is a collection of products for sensitive skin (that would be me!). Products ranged in price from $6.49 for the facial wipes, to $12.99 for the more specific items (i.e. the Soothing Eye Balm and moisturizers). These are touted as the #1 selling skincare products in the UK, so I am very curious to try this line out. I didn't get anything this time around, but I am considering taking a gander at the eye balm.

Below are some closeups of the products: Click the names to get directed to their website for product details.

(Moisturizing Facial Wash and Smoothing Facial Scrub)

(Cleansing Facial Wipes)

(Soothing eye Balm)

(Replenishing Rich Moisturizer and Hydrating Light Moisturizer)

Have you seen or tried any of these? I'd love to hear from you, as I am very curious about this brand!

Swatches: Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

2012-01-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

I posted a review of the Revlon Color Burst Lip Butters in Cherry Tart and Sugar Plum a few weeks ago. I really like this new collection from Revlon, so I decided to go pick up a more neutral color to keep in my purse - Peach Parfait.

Peach Parfait is a warm peach-pink with a slight golden shimmer. Honestly, this appears more pink to me, especially when on the lips. Not that I don't like it because of that, but maybe a strawberry parfait is more appropriate?

Swatches on - this is a nice and easy "go to" in my bag when I need to refresh throughout the day. The quality and consistency is just as the other two I reviewed earlier.

Happy Friday to everyone! I don't know about you, but I am ready for the weekend!

EOTD: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Eye Shadow in Cyber Lilac

2012-01-18T10:43:00.000-05:00

After posting the swatches of the Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Eyeshadow in Cyber Lilac, it's about time I showed you how beautiful this color is on. A very versatile color as far as purple goes, I couldn't be happier that I can call this one my own.

For the look below, I used the following:

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxie - base

Laura Geller Baked Eye Elements Amethyst Skies pallet - light lavender shade - inner corner

Estee Lauder Gelee in Cyber Lilac - outer corner, crease

Laura Geller Baked Eye Elements Amethyst Skies pallet - champagne highlight shade as highlighter

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeliner - Black

Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Volumizing Mascara

Below I blurred the picture so the shimmer and sparkle of the look could really be seen. All of that gorgeous sparkle from the Estee Lauder shadow really comes through in the picture.

Thanks for stopping by!

Spotted at Meijer: New Display with MORE colors for NutraNail Gel Perfect UV Free Gel Colors

2012-01-17T11:26:00.000-05:00

Back in December I posted a small display and review of the NutraNail Gel Perfect UV Free Gel Nail Set. Well, while walking the cosmetics aisle at Meijer, I saw they had a full display with several more colors than the original one I saw at Walgreens.

Lots of pinks and reds, a few more neutrals, but one color that really struck me as unique: Moonstone.

Moonstone is a dusty blue base with iridescent and silver microglitter. I am now regretting not picking this one up to try out. I've noticed that a majority of these gel polishes are cremes, not shimmers.

Pretty, huh? What do you think?

Get yours now! New Beauty Test Tube on QVC

2012-01-16T12:43:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but I love to try out now products. Skin care, hair care, and of course cosmetics. Right now I'm in beauty-heaven because of all the new items that have come onto the market with the new year. Well, QVC also has an opportunity for you to try out several new or up and coming items before any one else - the New Beauty Test Tube. I have talked to several people who are currently receiving this on auto delivery, and absolutely love it, so I decided to take the plunge. I figure for $30, this is my new year's treat to myself. I also chose to make this a year-long treat by signing up for the auto delivery plan, so I will receive a new beauty tube in April, August and October. There is also a one-time plan available as well.

What is it?

From NewBeauty.

1st shipment includes 0.39-fl oz full-sized Mally Volumizing Mascara; 0.003-oz full-sized tarte emphasEYES Aqua Gel Eyeliner; 0.5-oz Kate Somerville ExfoliKate; 0.5-oz Ole Henriksen Truth Serum; 2.0-oz Nick Chavez Yucca Root Shampooing Cream; 1.0-oz philosophy field of flowers perfumed shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath; 1.0-oz philosophy field of flowers perfumed body lotion; 2.0-oz Calista Tools Achieve 10 Styling Cream; 2.0-oz First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream; and January edition of NewBeauty magazine

Subsequent shipments: contents vary

Made in Italy/USA

Now if I ordered the Mally Volumizing mascara ($28 for two on QVC.com) and tarte emphasEYES eyeliner alone ($18 on Sephora.com), I'm looking at $32 already, so I figure this is a good deal!

I am very excited! What about you? Will you or have you purchased this?

NOTD: LA Color's Color Craze Metallic Nail Polish in Purple

2012-01-16T08:39:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while I come across the L.A. Colors nail polish at CVS. It's hit or miss on when and where they will carry them, but a couple of years ago I stumbled across a set of four Color Craze Metallic polishes. This is one of them. None of the colors have a name, so I have dubbed this one "purple". Creative, I know.

This purple is a deep blue/purple jelly base with purple iridescent glitter. When I look hard at the polish, especially in the bottle, I get bits of pink, so there may be a pink or magenta glitter in there as well. Here is a closeup of the bottle so you can see the color - this is about as true-to-life as I could get.

Three coats below and I got a really nice coverage. At first I thought it was going to be difficult to get the full opacity, but once I started the second application, it was smooth sailing. In the sun the sparkle really comes through, otherwise it is a just a really pretty deep purple. I would exactly call this metallic. I consider metallic to me more of a foil effect, but this is pretty none the less.

Also, my very week and last minute attempt at a stamping on my ringer finger. Not too bad, but I really need to sit down and figure this whole Konad thing out. I bought one for my sister and myself for Christmas. She has used it so much that she is an expert now, so I need to go get a tutorial from her!

Happy Monday to everyone. Here's to this week being a great week!

Review and Swatches: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Powder Eyeshadow in Cyber Lilac

2012-01-13T09:00:00.004-05:00

It's obvious that I've been busy if I am just getting around to posting this beauty: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Powder Eyeshadow in Cyber Lilac. I received this for Christmas from my mom and I absolutely love it. I actually had sent her some swatches from Temptalia's site because I thought these were so beautiful. Evidently no one around us had them so she had it shipped in from Nordstrom's a few states over - guess these are quite popular, and once I saw it in real life, I could see why!

This comes in a beautiful gold compact that opens up with a mirror the size of the compact, a sponge applicator and the actual product, which looks like ripples and waves.

"Color so metallic, it's futuristic. A first-ever techno tri-blend formula that's gel, powder and liquid in one. Create several looks from one shade. Apply it dry for a smooth, molten metal finish. Use it wet for a hyper-cyber effect to intensify the color and metallic shine. Unique formula allows you to build the fantasy to the highest chromatic shine. Sophisticated metallic finish looks beautiful on all skin tones."

A closeup of the color and you can really see the metallic finish. This is sort of a blend between a powder and a liquid. It initial look reminds me of a pressed version of the MAC Crushed Metal pigments, but less grainy.

No matter what I did, my camera would not pick up the complexity of this shadow. Not only is it purple and metallic, it has just the slightest red undertone with different shimmer - maybe some taupe and some deeper purple, but its very small and hard to detect without looking at it up close. This was the best I could get.

The swatch below is one pass with the sponge applicator. It is very creamy, smooth, and very easy to blend. I am extremely impressed with how much pigmentation this has with dry application: no primer, nothing on the brush, just the applicator. I have worn this with and without primer - either way I have had no problems with fading, creasing, etc and ended up getting the whole day's wear out of the color. I did find that I had less fallout when I used a primer (I used Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy), but the fallout I did have was minimal at best to begin with.

I will post an EOTD so you can see this on, with other shades, and how well it blends.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Eyeshadows are $24 for (0.03 oz) pan and can purchased online at Nordstroms. There are several other colors to choose from including, Cyber Green, Cyber Copper, Cyber Teal, and Cyber Silver.

Do you have any of these Gelee Eyeshadows? What do you think of them?

Spotted at Walgreens: Simply Shine Lip Shimmers 2/$4

2012-01-12T14:43:00.000-05:00

A brand I haven't seen before, spotted at Walgreens - Simply Shine Lip Shimmers. These little beauties are 2/$4 and come in three colors. Simply Lip Shimmers are affordable, organic products made in the good ol' USA.

From their website:

Simply believes that good products should be within reach, and the cost of a natural lifestyle shouldn’t be prohibitive. In fact, we believe this should be every consumer’s right. Our products encourage a healthful, natural lifestyle. And we want every like-minded individual to be able to enjoy the benefits of our high standards:

All Natural – Yes, our products are always free from any chemical or synthetic alteration. We believe you have a right to know what’s in the goods you purchase. And we keep it just that simple: All of our products are 100% All Natural, 100% of the time.

Premium Organic Ingredients – We make products with Premium Organic Ingredients affordable. For example, we sought out the best organic extra virgin olive oil for our Lip Shimmer — and we offer it to you without over-the-top markups. We’re scrupulous about every ingredient we select, and you benefit.

Responsibility – It’s not lip service or a trendy attitude, we are proud of our ever-evolving eco-conscious mindset, and we feel every company should follow suit. Before that can happen, we have to set a good example with our own Environmental & Social Responsibility. Our progressive strategy includes: Animal Cruelty Free Products, Eco-friendly Packaging & Recycled Materials – at realistic price points.

Made in the USA – That’s right, not only are we eco-conscious, but we’re also econo-conscious. We think it’s obvious that environmental, social, and economic stability are interdependent. So our far-sighted approach to commerce considers the big picture: Strength and stability start at home. That’s why all Simply products are Made in the USA. And we’re proud of it, too.

We’re working to level-set what people can expect from companies...so the consumer remembers they have the power to insist on the highest standards. Simply choose premium organic products without absurd markups.

What do you guys think? Have you seen these yet?

Spotted at Walmart: New Nailene SensatioNAIL Invincible Gel Polish Kits and Refills

2012-01-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

It appears the at-home gel nail craze is in full effect. I posted Nutra-Nails Gel Perfect UV Free Gel Color review and swatches a few weeks ago, and since then I have started to see those particular kits pop up in more than just Walgreens, so I would say they will be soon available in a number of outlets. Anyway, at Walmart the other day, not only did I see the new SkinnyGirl Face & Body collection, I turned around to look at the Essie polishes and found this: Nailene's SensatioNAIL Invincible Gel Polish Kits and refills.

The kit itself (pictured above on the display, and then a few closeups below), actually contains whatever color you pick for the polish, The Gel Primer, The Gel Base and Top Coat, the Cleanser, and the LED Light to set the polish. You can also pick up other colors, which come in a smaller box with a swatch on the front.

All in all there are 12 colors to choose from:

I took some pictures of the actual main kit below - it's a simple four step process on the box - primer, color, set and top coat.

This is what is actually included in the starter kit : Cleanser, color, primer, base and top coat, and the LED light.

If you are really interested in the "how-to's", I downloaded the PDF for the actual instructions, found inside the box. Click the image to see a larger view.

The starter kit retails for $49.98 and the refills/new colors are $9.98 a piece. Seems about right compared to some of the other kits I've seen that sport a light - the light themselves tend to sell for around $50 a piece, and then you have to purchase the colors and cleansers separately.

What do you think? Something you might pick up?

New! Jordana Glitters Specialty Nail Polishes

2012-01-10T16:05:00.000-05:00

Look what just popped up in my mailbox! Jordana now has Glitter Specialty nail colors - head on over to their website so you can zoom into the swatches. By the looks of them, there are some pretty shades to choose from - 24 to be exact!

I am very excited to see these in person!

Costco.com has eos Organic Smooth Sphere Lip Balm 6pk for $14.99 - Online only!

2012-01-10T10:32:00.001-05:00

If you like the eos Organic Smooth Sphere Lip Balms, then you might want to head on over to Costco.com and see the deal they have running - a 6pk for $14.99! Not a bad deal at all!

The set comes with 2 of each of the following flavors: Strawberry Sorbet, Summer Fruit and Sweet Mint. Item details below:

eos™ Lip Balm That Makes You Smile.
Can a lip balm make you smile? We think so. That's why we invented this one. eos™ lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich Vitamin E, soothing Shea butter and Jojoba oil, eos™ keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth.
Directions:
Twist off top. Pucker up. Smooth on. Smile.
Features:

Jojoba oil - Provides long-lasting moisture
Shea butter - Softens and nourishes
Vitamin E - Provides antioxidant protection; soothes and heals
Smoothes on clear
New smooth sphere precisely glides on to lips
Twist-off top
Gluten-free
Paraben-free
Petrolatum-free
Phthalate-free
Appropriate for all skin types

Ingredients
Strawberry Sorbet:Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Limonene^, Linalool^.
*Organic
^Component of Natural Flavor
Summer Fruit:Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract*, Linalool^.
*Organic
^Component of Natural Flavor
Sweet Mint:Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Limonene^^, Linalool^^.
*Organic
^^Component of Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*
Not Tested On Animals

Spotted @ Walmart: SkinnyGirl Face & Body Solutions by Bethenny Frankel

2012-01-10T09:11:00.004-05:00

A few months back I posted about a new line extension from Bethenny Frankel, the SkinnyGirl Face & Body line that is to be carried exclusively at Walmart. Well, I finally saw it when I went to grab a few things this weekend, so I snapped a couple of pictures of the display and what is on it. You can also see all the items online here.
This was on an end cap facing the wall of nail supplies, including Nicole by OPI, Essie, and Sally Hansen. The display is kind of a mixed bag of things, from cosmetics to skin and body care. The top has two rows of different types of lip balms and glosses, as well as a lip scrub

Next up, about halfway down the display are two rows of skin and body care. There are tinted moisturizers, cleansers, scrubs, body lotions and cleansers as well as a tinted body shimmer.

At the bottom is a set of SkinnyGirl Mommy collection, including foot scrubs and a cooling foot lotion and mist. There were also some gift sets of certain things in various citrus scents.

The price starts at around $4.97 for the lip glosses and balms and runs up to around $15-16.97 for the more intensive items and sets. The packaging is cute, and there definitely are quite a few things to choose from. Interesting enough, although I don't know if I will pick anything up from the collection.

Have you seen these? Are you going to get anything?

Spotted at CVS: New Physician's Formula Happy Booster Collection for 2012

2012-01-09T08:53:00.000-05:00

Last year about this time we spotted the Physician's Formula Happy Booster collection, just in time for Valentines Day. I picked up two of the blushes, which to this day are some of my favorite blushes to use, especially when in doubt about what color to use for the day. Well, this year they have come out with two new bronzers and two new blushes in the set, as well as two lipsticks. The lipsticks, like the blushes and bronzers, have a cute little heart embedded in the lipstick as well. I am such a sucker for cute packaging, and again these little hearts hit the spot!

Physician's Formula is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands from the drugstore. Like I've mentioned before, I love their gel eyeliners, highlighters and the blushes (especially those in this Happy Booster collection) are great as well.

Have you seen these new colors? As much as I love the blushes, I will most likely pick one of the new shades up. I need to take a closer look and see how they compare to the two I got from last year's collection. I really like the bright pink one, though. The lipsticks, too, are on my "want" list. What about you? Are you getting any of them?

Spotted @ CVS: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips LE Collection for Valentines Day

2012-01-06T10:03:00.000-05:00

It's hard for me to think we have started a new year already, let alone the upcoming holidays of the late winter and spring, but it is time! Sally Hansen has released their newest limited edition collection for the Salon Effects Nail Strips for Valentines Day. This is a set of five different strips to choose from. They are all adorable, although I would love to see some with conversation hearts on them! I mean, what is more iconic about valentines day than those!?

Anyway, here are some closeups - they are all very cute!

Are You Single and Speed Dating

Cross My Heart and How Romantic

Love Always

Have you seen these yet? I think I am going to pick up Are You Single and Speed Dating.

FOTD: Bare Escentuals "True Gold", Ulta Mineral Eyeshadow "Atlantis" and Fyrinnae "Otherwordly"

2012-01-05T10:58:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Bring on the sparkles for 2012!

A few days ago I saw my Ulta Mineral Eyeshadow/Liner in Atlantis, which I hadn't used it in a while. Using it I built a turquoise and gold look around Atlantis with Fyrinnae Otherwordly and Bare Escentuals True Gold.

For the look, here is what I did.

Face:

Laura Geller Champagne Spackle - primer

Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer in Light - concealer

Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten in Porcelain - foundation

Milani Baked Blush in Corralina

Eyes:

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Bare Escentuals True Gold - inner corner

Fyrinnae Otherwordly - middle of lid

Ulta Mineral Eyeshadow in Atlantis - outer corner into crease

Milani Wet/Dry Eyeshadow in Lily White - highlight

Physicians Formula Gel Eyeliner - black from the Hazel Eyes collection

NYX Glitter Cream Sweet Chocolate Browns pallet - gold over black eyeliner

Lashblast Mascara in Black

Lips:

Laura Geller lipstick in Vista

It's hard to capture the sparkles in this look, so above I blurred it a bit so you get a good idea. The NYX really stands out in the picture above.

Below is a clear closeup of the look.

I don't usually wear blues, but that Ulta shade is really pretty. I actually love wearing it is a liner - it has enough green and teal in it to make it very wearable.

That's all for now!

NOTD: Studio M (for Meijer) Nail Lacquer in "Orna-Mint"

2012-01-03T06:01:00.000-05:00

Another Studio M today, the house line for Miejer - this time from their holiday/Christmas collection that came out earlier this year. This is called Orna-Mint and is a beautiful pale minty green foil. In fact, this is such a shimmery shade that it was very hard to capture on film. Below are the best pictures I could get.

The swatch below actually captures the green shade pretty nicely. It is almost a light evergreen color, and the silver foil throughout really brings out the mint.

This is two coats. This particular color doesn't wear as well as some of the other Studio M or Massini shades I have. I think it's probably because it's a foil. In about 2 days I started to have chips. Oh well - it's a beauty anyway!

Swatches: Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Ehancing Eyeliners for Hazel Eyes

2011-12-30T10:16:00.000-05:00

My absolute favorite gel/cream eyeliners are the Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips. I've reviewed several colors/versions here, from metallics to the basics, and every one of them is fantastic. The black in the Green Eyes set is my go-to staple black eyeliner every day. When I saw that they were on the 75% clearance for CVS, I had to snag a couple backups for those I have, and I ended up grabbing the base set for Hazel Eyes since I didn't have it to begin with.

Like the other sets, this is three colors meant to enhance the color of hazel eyes. I actually do have hazel eyes, so I was excited to swatch these and see how they looked on. Also, this set comes with a brown/bronze, which I am out of my Smashbox liner so I needed something to back that up - perfect!

The three colors are brown, a cream/matte plum and black with plum and purple shimmer. Unfortunately I had a hard time capturing the shimmer in the brown and black below, but the colors are accurate.

The pigmentation on these are very nice, just as the others have been. The brown/bronze is gorgeous. It has just enough shimmer, but is still very pigmented and actually very rich and dark on. The black is great, just as the others. I like the plum shade too, and will most likely use it as a lower lashline color.

The original price on the sets are around $11.99 a three-piece set, so $3.99 a liner. At 75% off I paid $2.99 for the three-piece set, or $.99 a liner - AMAZING! I cannot stress enough how much I love these. If you love cream/gel liners, get to a CVS and pick one up. You won't regret it! I'd put these up against any of the high end liners for pigmentation, lasting power, color selection, etc. They are great!

Swatches and Review: Revlon Color Burst Lip Butters in Sugar Plum and Cherry Tart

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

I finally caved. Yes, I bought two of the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters. I couldn't help it - I've read so many good things about them, it was only time until I snagged one (or two): Cherry Tart and Sugar Plum.

Packaging is similar to the regular ColorBurst line of lipsticks, only the case is semi-clear - kind of like a faceted gemstone. I think they are really pretty, personally.

Cherry Tart is a sheer red that can easily become more intense with further application. Because this is a butter, you don't get a true opaque coverage, ultimately allowing your tones to mold the color. Truly, this is the neutral girl's red. Easy to wear, and it feels great too!

Sugar Plum is, as the name suggests, a warmer plum/purple shade. On my skin swatch below, it almost looks brown, but when applied to the lips it is a beautiful plum to berry shade.

On the lips below, you can see there is excellent pigmentation to these. This is two applications, so obviously it's a bit more intense than just one.

It's official, I love these. I love the texture - it truly feels like butter, as the name suggests. It melts into my lips, but actually lasts a while once applied. The color selection is really nice, too. There are those that are lighter and less pigmented (Cotton Candy and Cupcake, for instance) and those that knock it out of the park...i.e. Cherry Tart. I will definitely be looking to get a few more of these when the time is right. These make the perfect addition to your purse or desk drawer in the winter time, when I'm always reaching for my lip balm, but longing for a little bit more... like color!

Retail is $7.99-$8.99, depending on where you shop.

Did you get any of these? What is your favorite color?

Swatches and Review: Bare Minerals Luxury 8 Piece Collection

2011-12-28T09:12:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Bare Minerals had a TSV on QVC that included their new pressed eyeshadow duos. I've wanted to try these, so I thought I'd pick it up. The collection is called the Bare Minerals Luxury 8-Piece Collection and includes a clutch, pressed eyeshadow duo, two new waterproof eyeliners, a radiance, two lipgloss and two brushes. The price was just under $50 for the entire set, which is a pretty good deal considering the eyeshadow duos run $20 a piece alone.

First up, the clutch this came with is really pretty. A lot of makeup collections come with some type of purse, clutch or bag, but 90% of the time I have no real use for them. This time, I think I'll actually use it, which is nice.

First up in the collection, the new addition to the Bare Minerals line - the bareMinerals READY Eyeshadows 2.0. These are a collection of pressed eyeshadows. This particular set is called The Phenomenon, which consists of Azure Iris and Golden Iris.

The eyeshadows come in a beautiful gold compact. The actual shadows themselves are described as this: "The Phenomenon, which includes two powerful eye shadows developed to enhance certain tones of your iris." Now, Azure is described as illuminating, but in reality it is more of a satin to matte shade. The Golden Iris shade definitely has more frost in it, but neither of these compare to the illumination of the old Bare Escentuals Glimmers.

Azure Iris is a satin lavender shade, with the slightest hint of a opalescent shimmer. Golden Irish is a rich bronze gold. Both have very nice pigmentation - note swatches below are over bare skin without primer. The texture of the eyeshadows are creamy, smooth and apply evenly over the skin. I used the sponge applicator that is in the compact, although a dense brush will work just as well.

Next up, the blush. This is a radiance, which are some of my favorite products in the Bare Escentuals/Minerals line. I use them almost every day, either as a blush or a wash over the skin to add some glow to the complexion. This particular shade is called Rose Gold Radiance. It is a pale, warm rose shade with a golden and pearl shimmer.

This is the first of the products I've bought from BE that actually come in with the ability to open and close. Not only does this keep things cleaner, but it allows you to tap out how much product you really need to use - see below.

Two other new items in this collection are the Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliners. These, similar to Urban Decay 24/7, Makeup Forever's Aqua Eyes eyeliners, and L'oreal's Liquiline Blast Eyeliners (just to name a few) are the newest addition to the waterproof eyeliners on the market. The pencils are hearty, with rich creamy and extremely pigmented colors. The two in this set are 10 PM and Noon.

The Noon eyeliner is a deep navy with a bit of shimmer. This leans more to towards the black side than the blue - it doesn't scream "blue" when on the lid. The other pencil, 10PM is a gorgeous chocolate brown with iridescent shimmer.

Lastly, the Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Glosses. Another new addition to the line, these are similar to the old Buxom glosses. The product is nicely pigmented, sticky enough to last but not drying, and has a minty fragrance that cools and slightly plumps the lips. I have always been a die hard to the Buxom glosses, but these are very nice as well. I can honestly say, Bare Minerals are my go-to lip glosses when I'm in a pinch. I have tons of them, between the Buxom, Naturals and now the Moxie's, and I haven't been disappointed yet.

The two shades in this set are Wild One and Dare Devil.

Wild One is a creamy peach with a hint of shimmer. Dare Devil is a rich berry, but there is a nice golden shimmer throughout.

The applicator for this is a large, but bent, doe foot. I was a little hesitant when I first pulled this out of the tube, but I actually really like it now that I've used it. I don't need to reapply to get enough on the lips - one swipe and I'm good to go.

Swatches on the lips below.

The full lineup of colors. I have not worn the eyeshadows together yet, just individual mixed in with some of my other colors. I will try and put a whole look together with this set in the near future.

One more thing in the collection - the brushes! I love BE's brushes, and always look forward to them when I order a set. This set came with a flawless face brush and a full, tapered eyeshadow brush.

So far, I am really liking this set. I will say, although the convenience and cleanliness of the pressed eyeshadows in the bareMinerals READY 2.0 shadows are nice, I still prefer the loose powders over the pressed. I think it's a matter of preference, though - not quality. Over the years I've been leaning more and more towards loose shadows and powders, so by default I prefer the original BE's over this. With that said, if you got frustrated with the old powder formulas, these 2.0 shadows might be the way to go! You still get the same quality product, with the convenience of a pressed shadow.

The lipglosses are beautiful, and the eyeliners truly wear all day without smearing or running. I love the colors, too.

Have you picked this collection up? How about just the bareMineral READY 2.0 eyeshadows - have you tried them? What do you think?

Spotted @ Walgreens: New Maybelline and Cover Girl Collections

2011-12-27T10:40:00.000-05:00

Here comes the next round of new products at the drugstores! I had to run into Walgreens yesterday to reload on my Nyquil stash - don't you just love holiday illnesses? I've had this one for two weeks...

Anyway, there were a slew of new goodies to snap pictures of. First, above, the Black Radiance Eye Appeal eyeshadow collections - clearly these are very similar to the Wet 'n Wild 8-pan shadows at Walgreens, but the color lineup is a bit different. I did not pick any up, but I would have gone for the browns and greens. They looked beautiful. These shadows were not quite as sparkly/frosty as the Wet 'n Wild, so these might be a good alternative if you don't want as much shimmer.

Next up, below, the new Covergirl, Queen collection - new mascaras and eyeliners. There are six shades of eyeliner, all of which were shimmery. They remind me of the Urban Decay 24/7 pencils, or the LiquidLast liners from Covergirl, but in warmer shades, and more selection.

Below is the new display for Maybelline, including the new Color Tattoo's by Eyestudio. There are two sets of new lip colors as well.

Below is a closeup of the color selection for the Eye Tattoo's - I picked up #25 - Bad to the Bronze.

Lastly Covergirl has a new Blast collection of lipsticks and a new Lashblast 24 hour mascara. I was tempted to pick up the mascara, but I still have a couple new ones to try at home, so I decided to wait. The lip colors look interesting too - there are two shades to mix and match.

Have you seen any of these? I'll post swatches of the new Eye Tattoo by Eyestudio when I get them uploaded. I love all these new goodies! Although, I should be on a no-buy after all the Christmas shopping, but oh well...

Review: Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara in Blackest Black

2011-12-21T11:26:00.000-05:00

I have been pleased with the several of the past mascara release by Maybelline including The Falsies and The Falsies Flared, so I was anxious to pick up and try Maybelline Illegal Length mascara. Although I am not typically one for length as I prefer volumizing formulas, I thought I'd test this one out for a few weeks and see if I could be converted.

Now, I remember Maybelline having an older version of the Illegal Lengths mascara and it was discontinued a year or so ago. I think this might be their revamping of the product. I didn't try the original version, but from what I've read it was a favorite among many, and they were disappointed that it was disco'd.

The new version of Illegal Lengths is a furmula infused with 4mm fibers, which enhance the length of your lashes, while sealing in the fibers so you don't experience the fall out of some lengthening or fiber-enhanced mascaras.

The brush is pictured below. This was difficult to capture on film - not only did I want you to see the actual brush, but if you look hard you can see the fibers in the mascara. The brush itself has stiff, widely dispersed bristles that come out in different angles. The brush is actually similar in structure to the Falsie's brush's bristles, only this brush is straight and round. The bristles look kind of random, but they actually help capture and separate all the lashes, while pulling the mascara and fibers through the brush to give your lashes length.

Below are several picture to give you some before and after shots, as well as one coat vs. two coats of the product. Click any images to enlarge.

(Before)

(After - 2 coats)

(Left - 2 coats / Right - none)

(Left - 2 coats / Right - 1 coat)

I will say, this product does a very nice job at lengthening. The brush pulls the product through and coats all the lashes - I think the first picture with mascara above shows that, especially if you click to enlarge. The brush also holds the lashes as you pull it through, so it helps curl the lashes too. Unlike some mascara wands that don't really grab the lashes, this one definitely does. (Note, I did not curl my lashes for these photos).

The product itself is on the thinner side, which allows you to build coat after coat without clumping or flaking. With that said, it dries quickly enough in between coats that you can build some volume, although I wouldn't consider this any sort of a volumizing mascara.

I wore this all day without any issues of smearing, flaking, or smudging. Removal was very easy - just simple face wash and water, and I didn't have any residue or raccoon left over. So far I've been using this for a couple of weeks now and the tube hasn't dried out, gotten clumpy, or caused any of the issues above. On another side note, I can't say the same for my beloved L'oreal Voluminous Fibre Mascara that I loved so much - it has dried up very quickly and become extremely difficult to work with. An extreme disappointment considering how much I loved the effect on my lashes.

Overall, I am really enjoying this mascara right now. Maybelline has really hit a couple out of the park with The Falsies, The Falsie's Flared and now this addition, Illegal Lengths. I kind of have the best of both worlds, as I would consider The Falsie's one of my favorite volumizing mascaras, and now the Illegal Lengths is, as the name implies, quite a good lengthening mascara. I would definitely purchase this one again.

I know this is starting to pop up in the drug stores now, although Maybelline doesn't have any product information online at the moment. Retail was $8.99 and I found mine at CVS.

Have you seen this or purchased it? What do you think so far?

Spotted at Meijer: New from Rimmel! The Kate Moss Collection

2011-12-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Looking for some new products for the winter at Meijer, and I found this. Rimmel's new lasting Finish 8-hour collection designed by Kate Moss herself. There are five sahdes of lipstick - a red, plum, pink, coral and pale nude (for lack of a better term). Digging around I find out that the collection is the celebration of Kate and Rimmel's collaboration over the past 10 years. What a nice way to celebrate!

Here are a couple closeups of the packaging and the colors, courtesy of Rimmel and The Daily Mail.

At first glance, the nude shade looked like a relatively similar color to Fashion Night Pout, but I didn't have mine on me to compare.

So, have you seen these yet?

NOTD: Essie "School of the Hard Rocks"

2011-12-15T09:00:00.004-05:00

Essie's School of the Hard Rocks. This is a dusty gray/teal/evergreen. Really, the product in the bottle doesn't do it justice. Applied, this is a very unique and beautiful shade. This falls into the "greige" category, only on the green side - maybe a "greenge"? I will say, this was a bit of a difficult color to capture in pictures - it looks more blue in the pictures, and is a bit more green in real life - but you get the idea.

I wanted to add a little bit of a festive look to this color, so I used one of my CinaPro Nail Decals in Peppermint Twist, which I found at Sally Beauty. They are adorable, and this set has candy canes, snowmen, wreaths and gingerbread men. There is another one exclusive to Sally that has Santa, Rudolph, and other festive decals. I believe they retailed for $3.99.

Back to the Essie - the formula is one of the nicer formulas for Essie. This is smooth and shiny and coverage is very nice. Above is two coats of polish with one coat of top coat. I would put this polish as one of the "must have's" for you - it's different enough, but also very wearable.

Have you tried this color? What other color from the collection have you picked up?

Spotted at CVS: Sally Hansen Nail Polish Sets - a great stocking stuffer idea!

2011-12-14T09:44:00.000-05:00

While I was at CVS the other day (spotting all sorts of new goodies), I saw some Sally Hansen mini 4-pks that would make great stocking stuffers or present toppers. There are four different sets to choose from: Diamond Strength, Xtreme Wear, HD Hi Definition and Insta Dry. I believe they are normally $5.99 a piece, but are running 2/$10 right now.

Really, the Diamond Hard is the most neutral or user friendly of the set. The other three collections have much brighter and colors. Really, at $1.25 a nail polish, it's not a bad little deal.