NYX Lipstick Collection

Hello Again,

Prior to my recent NYX shopping spree, I only had one NYX Round Case Lipstick.  I now have seven, so I want to share the lovely shades with you.

NYX Round Case Lipsticks are affordable ($3.99 or less), and the pigmentation is great.  They come in a ton of shades and finishes.  These are not particularly long-wearing lipsticks, but for $3.99, they are a deal! The formula is smooth, creamy and easy to apply.

L to R: Chic, Margarita, Paris, Pink Lyric, Eucalyptus, Apollo, Snow White

Same As Above (with Flash)

These can be found at Ulta, Cherry Culture or the NYX website.  There are SO many colors!  I strongly recommend checking these out.

What is your favorite shade from NYX?  Do you have any of the ones above?

Talk Soon,

T.

New NYX Love in Paris Palettes

Hello Lovely Ladies,

It is about to get NYX crazy on this blog!  I recently purchased a deal from Total Beauty Shops that allowed me to buy $60 worth of NYX products for only $30.  Happy dance!

I purchased A LOT of stuff, so there will be many NYX posts coming up in the next few weeks.  For now, I am going to review the new 9 color eye shadow palettes, known as the Love in Paris collection.

NYX Merci Beaucoup

NYX C'est La Vie

First of all, the whole collection is incredibly cute.  NYX has three different sets of palettes. Love in Rio - three shadow palettes, Love in Florence - five shadow palettes, and Love in Paris - nine shadow palettes.  NYX asks, "Where will you find love?"  For me, it was Rio and Paris, but the Florence palettes are pretty cute too.

The Love in Paris palettes retail for $9.99 at Ulta, but you can often find them BOGO or at a discount on Cherry Culture.  I have also heard that some Targets have started carrying NYX!

The packaging is sleek and closes with a cute little bow.  It reminds me of the MAC Holiday 2012 packaging.

They also have adorable names!  Unfortunately, this is where my raving about these palettes ends.  The actual product did not live up to my expectations.  NYX is one of my favorite drugstore brands, and I have been impressed with some of their shadows in the past.  Unfortunately, I found these chalky and not pigmented.

Merci Beaucoup

C'est La Vie

One major perk with these palettes is the combination of shimmery and matte (or at least much less shimmery) shades.  C'est La Vie is largely shimmer shadows, but Merci Beaucoup has four matte shades, including a great highlight color.  The pigmentation isn't great, but there are standout shades in each palette.  I really like the second and last shades in the Merci Beaucoup palette, and C'est La Vie offers some nice browns.  I was a bit disappointed that the greens in this palette did not perform better.

Using Only Merci Beaucoup Shadows

Overall, these palettes are okay.  They have great packing and a good price point.  For me, that doesn't make up for the mediocre product.  If you want to try these out, I recommend starting off with one palette and seeing how the formula works for you.

Have you tried these new shadows from NYX?  What are you thoughts?

Also, I have a FOTD coming up using the Love Affair with Louis palette!

Talk Soon,

T.

New Revlon Lip Butters!!!

Hello Ladies,

Revlon has released four new shades of lip butter to be incorporated into the permanent collection.  In my opinion, Revlon really hit the nail on the head with all four of these shades.  I showed some restraint and only picked up two colors.  The other colors in the collection are Juicy Papaya, a soft coral, and Pink Lemonade, a light pink that looks like... pink lemonade.

I chose to pick up the brighter shades from this release: Wild Watermelon and Sorbet

Top: Wild Watermelon, Bottom: Sorbet

Left: Wild Watermelon Built Up, Wild Watermelon (One Swipe)
Right: Sorbet Built Up, Sorbet One Swipe

Wild Watermelon is a vibrant red.  It is my favorite lip butter at the moment.  I was amazed by how wearable it is.  I have always loved the lip butter formula, and Wild Watermelon is an example of lip butters at their best.  It can be worn sheer or built up to achieve opacity.

Wild Watermelon

Sorbet is a bright, summery pink.  It is very similar to Sweet Tart, but it is a hint brighter.  Sorbet would be great on a variety of skin tones.

Sorbet

Have you tried any of the new lip butters?  Which is your favorite from the line?

Talk Soon,

T.

ELF HD Blush

Hello Ladies,

I recently purchased two ELF HD blushes, and all I can say is... WOWZA.  The pigmentation on the babies is insane.  To be honest, I am having a hard time figuring out the best way to apply them.  No worries, I love a good makeup challenge!

L to R: Superstar, Diva

I purchased two shades.  Superstar is a beautiful coral shade, and Diva is a hot pink.  They retail for $3 each, but I saved some money by purchasing them during a half off sale. 

The packaging is great for $3!  It is a small tube, but it comes with a pump.  It is also clear, so you can see the actual color of the product.  Right now, I think these are only available at eyeslipsface.com.

I took this somewhat blurry picture to show you the very, very small amount of product I am using for the swatch.  This is not even a full pump, and the swatch is opaque with one swipe.

No Flash

With Flash

I just can't get over the pigmentation!  So far, a stippling brush seems to be the best method for applying this blush.  They wear well and last all day.  For me, these are an A+!

Have you tried the ELF HD blushes?

Talk Soon,

T.

$20 Makeup Challenge

Hello Lovely Ladies,

I wanted to do a $20 makeup challenge for you using products I genuinely like.  Many of these products were already in my collection, and I reach for them on a regular basis.  I did pick up a couple things from Wet N Wild (buy one, get one half off) specifically for this challenge.  Let's get started!

              Naked Face :)

The Finished Product

First, I used my hands to apply Rimmel's Clean Finish foundation in 240 Soft Beige.  I hid my dark circles and blemishes with Wet n Wild Coverall Concealer in 802 Medium and brought some color to my face with NYC Smooth Skin Face Bronzer in 720A Sunny. The blush is one of my absolute favorites, ELF Fuchsia Fusion. For my eyes, I chose the Wet n Wild Coloricon trio in 335 Silent Treatment.  I used the middle shade in the trio as an eyeliner and finished the eyes with Wet n Wild Mega Volume mascara.  The final pop of color is Wet n Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 553B Taj Mauve-Hal.

My $20 Goodies

Standout Products: 

• Rimmel Clean Finish foundation is a great drugstore foundation.  It covers well and is very buildable.
• NYC bronzer in Sunny is totally worth the hype.  It is matte, and it is $3.  You can't beat that with a stick! 
• I was also impressed with the Wet n Wild Mega Volume mascara.  I chose this one because Marlena from Makeup Geek recommended it, and she was absolutely right! Her full review is here:  http://www.makeupgeek.com/reviews/best-2-00-mascara-ever/

Price Breakdown:

Rimmel Clean Finish Foundation: $4
Wet n Wild Coverall Concealer: $2
NYC Bronzer in Sunny: $3
ELF Blush in Fuchsia Fusion: $3
Wet n Wild Coloricon trio in Silent Treatment: $3
Wet n Wild Mega Volume Mascara: $3.19
Wet n Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in Taj-Mauve Hal: $1

Total: $19.19

Note: It was actually a dollar cheaper because I bought the mascara and concealer on sale.

So there you have it, girls!  What are some of your favorite cheap-but-great products?

Talk Soon,

T.

NOTD: Zoya Pixie Dust in NYX and L'Oreal Jet Set to Paris

Hey Girls,

I am loving the combination I have on my nails today.  I just got six Zoya polishes, including two of the new Pixies.  I will do a full review on my PixieDust polishes, but you can check them out here:

http://www.zoya.com/content/38/category/Pixie_Dust_Nail_Polish_Matte_Metallic.html

Zoya Nyx + L'Oreal Jet Set to Paris (Day 3)

For this look, I applied on coat of Jet Set to Paris and layered a coat of Nyx on top.  It was super easy, and I love the finished look.

What is your favorite nail combo lately?

Talk Soon,

T.

Summer Lips Part 3: Randoms

Hey Girls,

I hope you enjoyed my first two posts on bright lipsticks for summer.  I have two more gems to share.  The first is Dollhouse Pink from Wet n Wild and the second is Stila's Exhilarating.

L to R: Wet n Wild Dollhouse Pink, Stila Exhilarating

Exhilarating, Dollhouse Pink

Dollhouse Pink is part of Wet n Wild's Megalast line.  I don't love the formula because it is a bit dry, but the price ($1.99) is hard to beat.  I like this shade because there is nothing else like it in my collection.

Wet n Wild Dollhouse Pink

Warning: It looks a little scary with the flash, but it is much less crazy looking in person.  I promise!

Dollhouse Pink with Flash (Scary!)

This lipstick is not particularly long-wearing, and it does fade more on the inside than the outside.  I usually reapply to avoid a weird lip ring.

Finally, we have Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Exhilarating.  I love this color!  It is a bright fuchsia-y pink, and it smells really good.  Plus, the stick format makes it easy to apply.  This color does last a while on me (probably 4-ish hours) and is a go-to for nights when I don't want to worry about reapplying.  These are a bit pricey at $20 each, but you can sometimes catch Stila on Hautelook.

Stila Exhilarating

Stila Exhilarating with Flash

Alright ladies, we have reached the end.  Are you ready for spring/summer yet?  I know I am. Share your favorite shades in the comment section.  I would love to give them a try.  It looks like I am in a bit of a pink rut :)

Just for fun- Still wearing Exhilarating!

Talk Soon,

T.

Summer Lips Part 2: Maybelline Vivids

Hey Girls,

I am loving  bold lips at the moment and know they will be a huge trend this summer. Maybelline recently released 10 permanent shades in the Maybelline Vivids collection.  I purchased three of these fun hues.  There are also four limited edition shades out with the Maybelline Fashion Week collection, so be sure to grab those up if you want them!

L to R: Fuchsia Flash, Shocking Coral, Hot Plum 

With Flash

The first shade I bought was Fuchsia Flash.  This was the color I knew I wanted as soon as I saw the collection.  It is a very pretty, bright pink.  It is bold but definitely wearable.

Maybelline Vivid Fuchsia Flash

Maybelline Vivid Fuchsia Flash (with flash)

Next up, Shocking Coral is a great pink-toned coral.  Coral instantly makes me think about summer, and I expect I will wear this shade a lot in 2013.

Maybelline Vivid Shocking Coral

Finally, I purchased Hot Plum.  This turned out to be my favorite of the three, as it can be worn blended in for more subtle color or built up for a statement look.

Maybelline Vivid Hot Plum

Maybelline Vivid Hot Plum (with flash)

The formula on these lipstick is creamy and easy to apply.  As with most bold lipsticks, I do recommend a lipliner.  The Vivids do not have a strong smell and last about two hours after application without touchups.

While I really like these, I actually think I enjoy the Milani Statement lipsticks a bit more.  Have you girls tried the Vivids?  What are your thoughts?  Any other shades I should add to my collection?

Talk Soon,

T.

Summer Lips Part 1: Milani Color Statement Lipsticks

Hey Girls,

I am loving bright lips for spring and summer!  I recently purchased two of Milani's new Color Statement lipsticks, and I think they are fabulous.  The pigmentation is great, and the color selection is even better.  From pink to orange to red and purple, there is something for everyone!

L to R: Fruit Punch and Flamingo Pose

The first shade I chose is a beautiful pink called Fruit Punch.  It is very wearable and slightly toned down compared to my other recent bright pink purchase, Maybelline Vivid in Fuchsia Flash.  I would feel comfortable wearing Fruit Punch for day or night.

Milani Fruit Punch

The formula of these lipsticks is very creamy.  They smell slightly fruity and are opaque in only a couple swipes.  The packaging isn't my cup of tea (I hate fingerprints on my products), but I know a lot of people really like the gold look.  I love that you can see the actual color of the product on the bottom and that the lipsticks come sealed.

Top: Fruit Punch, Bottom: Flamingo Pose

The second color I bought is Flamingo Pose.  It is a bright pinky-coral, and I already know it will be one of my go-to shades this summer.  It is really easy to wear and would look great on a variety of skintones.  Since these lipsticks are so pigmented, I do recommend using a liner to keep the product where you want it.

Milani Flamingo Pose

These wear about as well as your average lipstick.  It is not a long-wearing formula, but the color lasts about 2 - 3 hours, depending on activity.

Overall, I think this is a great release from Milani.  The price is right (under $6 at most drugstores), and there is a wide color selection (30 shades).  Enjoy, ladies!

Talk Soon,

T.

NOTD: L'Oreal Creme Puffs

Hello Girls,

L'Oreal just released the Versailles Romance collection, and the colors are beautiful pastels that make me wish spring was already here!  So far, I have limited myself to one nail polish from this collection.

Creme Puffs is a beautiful pale yellow.  In the bottle, the polish appears more cream colored than it actually is.  On the nails, it is very obviously yellow.  The formula is great, and it was opaque in two coats.

I liked this one better in the bottle than on the nails, but I still think it is great for spring.

Have you girls picked up anything from the Versailles Romance Collection?

Talk Soon,

T.

No-Buy Update: I'm Buying!!!

Hello Lovely Ladies,

I continued my no-buy through February, and I was very successful.  Now that March is in full swing, and I have my tax return back (yay!!!), I am going to purchase a few cosmetic items.  I have REALLY been wanting some of the new stuff that has come out recently, so I am armed with cash and ready to buy.  I am going to limit myself to $50, since I have my IMATS trip next month.

Anyway, look forward to some product reviews coming your way over the next few weeks!

Talk Soon,

T.

Smashbox O Gloss Gold

Hello Lovelies,

In general, I am not a huge lipgloss fan.  I find them sticky and would prefer a balm or a lipstick.  However, I got a lip sampler for Christmas, so I have been trying out some different products.

Smashbox O Gloss Gold is a shimmery lipgloss that makes your lips super shiny and creates a somewhat ethereal feel.  It is described as an "intuitive" lipgloss that goes from gold to a peach shade on the lips.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of this gloss.  It is almost metalic looking on the lips, and I find it distracting.  Plus, the hefty price tag ($23) at Sephora is a turn off for me.  It is cheaper on Amazon, but I will not be repurchasing the product.

Before Gloss

With Gloss

Have you tried O Gloss Gold?  Did you have a better experience than me?

Talk Soon,

T.