Wednesday, December 22, 2010

My first Mac brushes!

I've been wanting Mac brushes for like ever but always end up spending money on other makeup so i don't have enough for the pricey brushes that Mac has to offer. So my darling boy surprised me for my birthday and sent me this limited edition set of travel sized brushes from the Holiday A Tartan Tale collection. Kudos to guys that go to Mac for their girlfriends seriously LOL!
This particular set is called "A Lady & Her Tricks Buff & Line Brush Collection" and it contains a total of five limited edition brushes including the 168SE, 187SE, 209SE, 219SE and 252SE. They all come with a super cute satchel thats green/blue and had plaid design with heraldic crest and metal rivets. It's perfect for traveling i love it! 
I'm really lovin the quality of all the brushes and i've been using them every single day. The 187SE is my new best friend and makes foundation applycation so flawless and easy i love it. It did shed a bit at the first, like all new brushes do when their new, but nonetheless im madly in love.
 
______________________________________
Did you pick favorites from this collection?
Thoughts?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Latest Obsession: Covergirl Smoky eye Look

I finally got my hands on one of these popular sets that i've been dying to try out for a while now. I found it on clearance price at Target for $8.25 and of course i couldn't pass it. I've only tried it out for about two days now but i'm in love with it. The set that i got is the Natural Look. It also comes in Bold Look (frost blue) and Glamorous Look (silver-black).

Each individual set contains these 
(which you can also purchase separately):  
1 Smoky Shadow Blast Cream Shadow Stick
1 Lash Blast Mascara
1 Line Exact Liquid Liner
Step by Step Instructions



The Natural Look Set that i got contains the Smoky Shadow Blast in Bronze Fire #815, a Lash Blast Mascara in Brown & Line Exact Liquid Liner in Brown. Bronze Fire shadow pencil is gorgeous. One end, which is labeled Step 1 is a golden champagne color with slight shimmer and the other end, labeled Step 2, is a copperish bronze with golden sheen. The set itself is very handy if you're just starting out with makeup or if you want to save money by getting more products in a step-by-step kit. It would be a great buy for your green/hazle eyed babes out there. 

Smoky Shadow Blast
She shadow pencil is a great combination of color though and i really love it. It definitely brings out my eyes if i pair it up with some black liner. It still gives me a very natural look. It is a creamy consistency so if you have oily lids you have to be a bit careful with these. I did find that it creased a bit on me but i applied some powder onto my lids and it's holding out good. I think this shadow pencil will be a no-no in the summer time for me though. I would still re-purchase it and make it work somehow because its too pretty lol!

Line Exact Liquid Liner
I'm not sure how to feel about this eyeliner. It goes on great and looks bold but then it fades away quite quick. The eyes still look lined though so im confused as to how it works exactly lol. I love the felt tip and how easy it just glides on but because of its poor lasting power im not sure i would depend on buying it again after this finishes up.

 
Lash Blast Mascara
I've tried this mascara a while ago but got so caught up with trying new ones that i forgot how amazing it actually is. I dont know why i go out and try to find new mascaras when the love of my life has been the Lash Blast all along LOL! I will definitely go buy it in Black because using the Brown feels like too much brown for my brown eyes lol


Overall opinion:
I think these sets are really great for beginners or if you feel like you're going to be using all the products, then you're definitely up for a great bargain. I can only speak for the Natural Look though. I would like to try the other ones too. You can find these sets for $16.50 usually but if you happen to get to Target maybe you can find this for $8.25 like i did! They're packaged very nicely and i love that they include a step-by-step help of how to achieve a look using all the products. I would recommend checking them out, they definitely a great buy. 

I'll be posting an FOTD with this as soon as i get my camera working

You can find out more useful information here: http://www.smokyeyelook.com

Monday, December 20, 2010

Review: MeMeMe blush!

I've been meaning to this requested post for a while, so i apologize for the extreme delay. 
This blush has been my addiction for a few weeks now. I recieved it in a swap from the UK, so if you live in the US it may be a little difficult to get your hands on it. 
The first thing that might strike you as familiar is the packaging which looks extremely similar to the blushes from Benefit. I personally love the boxed package, i think its super cute. 
 MeMeMe blushes come in four different shades, of which i have just this one but hope to get more in a future swap because im in love. They're called Coral, Bronze and Pink - i think the names are self discriptive of the shades of the blushes lol
The shade i have and use basically on a daily basis is called Rouge and its a gorgeous corally red-ish shade. It looks intense in the box and you only need a light hand to apply because it is quite pigmented. It's extremely soft to the touch, almost satiny. It give the face a light flush and because of the shimmer it also adds a nice glow to your cheeks. 
It comes with a soft flat brush that you can use. I personally don't use it because i find it difficult to work with, since it isn't round. It also has a mirror on the top lid which is super handy if you take these blushes somewhere with you. 
I apply a light hand on my cheeks and blend it in so im left with a rosy coral color and a slight sheen. The lasting power is decent. I don't find that it fades away much by the end of the day, so im really pleased with that. 
I'll be posting an FOTD with me wearing it soon so stay tuned...
________________________________
Have any of you tried the MeMeMe blushes?
Thoughts?

Friday, November 26, 2010

My Thanksgiving! = FOTD + OOTD

I hope everyone a great Thanksgiving!
Mine was pretty basic. I ended up cooking everything except the turkey and it turned out pretty great. Spent it with my family and ate pretty much all night LOL! 
Here's a break down of my makeup and what i wore for the night. Simple yet festive enough for the occasion. Sorry about the picture quality, my camera decided to die early lol
______________________________________________
FACE: 
SH natural beauty in Sandy Beige
Maybelline concealer in Cream
Rimmel matte powder
MeMeMe blush
Mac refined golden bronzer

EYES:
UDPP in Sin
UD e/s in Half Baked (inner half of lid)
UD e/s in Darkhorse (outer half of lid)
UD e/s in Creep (darken crease)
UD e/s in Virgin (highlight and inner corner)
UD liner in Zero (thin line above lashline + waterline)
Mac zoom lash mascara
Ardell 105
LIPS: 
Barry M Marshmallow
NYX Sweetheart
___________________________________
Outfit:

And i baked my very first pie!  
It turned out extremely delicious!

How was your Thanksgiving??

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

FOTD: Inspired by Selena Gomez in "A year without rain" video

 This song has been my obsession the past week or so. After watching the video i was inspired to try and re-create her makeup look. It's very simple, yet fancy enough to wear on a nice night out. Reminder that this is not an exact replica of her makeup since i dont know what exact products she used, but you can use what you have and make it work. Hope you like it! =)
______________________________________________
FACE:
Sally hansen natural beauty in Sandy Beige
Maybelline concealer in Cream
Rimmel matter powder
Models Own Peach Glow blush
Mac Refined Golden bronzer

EYES: 
UDPP
Sally e/s in Silver (inner half of lid)
UD e/s in Gunmetal (outer half of lid)
UD e/s in Creep (define the crease)
UD eyeliner Zero (thin smudged line on upper lashline and waterline)
Ardell demi wispies 
Mac Zoom lash mascara

LIPS:
Revlon Soft nude lipstick
Revlon Peach petal gloss
___________________________________________
 _________________
Thoughts?

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Holiday Shopping: Stock up with Overstock!

I think we're all aware that this time of the year is very hectic and goes by extremely fast. With the holidays coming up i keep in the back of my mind what gifts i want to get. For me it can get a little overwhelming to be running around finding that one perfect gift, so i look up things online. I've been browsing on Overstock.com lately and find so many great ideas that i can get easily and at a very affordable price. 

What is Overstock.com?
Directly from their website: Overstock.com is an online retailer offering a wide variety of high-quality, brand-name merchandise at discount prices, including bedding, home decor, appliances, watches, jewelry, electronics, sporting goods, clothing and shoes. We give customers an opportunity to shop for bargains conveniently, while offering manufacturers, distributors and other retailers an alternative sales channel.

So whether you want that digital camera for dad, that nice handmade jewel for mom or even that golf equipment for that one uncle, you can easily find it on the website and make your shopping experience a lot easier and much more convenient. If you're one for pendant necklaces like i am, Overstock.com has a very large selection to choose from that will match your liking. Also if this season you're looking for that special engagement ring, make sure to check out gorgeous ones at a very affordable price. 

Make it easier for yourself and your wallet this year by shopping at Overstock.com
Use these discount codes to make your online shopping experience one of a kind, and get 10% off all products on Overstock.com
The discount code is: ?121728?
202234  ** - free shipping promo code for electronics

Happy Shopping!
Disclaimer: All the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. No monetary compensation was received for doing this post, however, I was provided with a discount code.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

A breakdown of my Halloween!

Bad blogger status... i know! I'm so sorry! =/
Hope all of you had a lovely and safe Halloween weekend. Mine was pretty relaxing: just hanging out all dressed up with some friends, watching scary movies, eating some candy,cookies and popcorn... very original right? lol! 
So my costume was a last minute thing...literally. I came up with the idea the night before and just took a stab at it the nex morning and this is what i came up with. Basically i was the ghost of Alcatraz prison. I always have so much fun packin on makeup to look like lifeless, it's not something you do everyday lol 
Here's a quick breakdown of everything i used:
Physicians formula liquid mineral foundation in Ivory
Rimme London powder
Ulta eyeshadow in Chestnut (mostly for contouring and crease)
UD e/s in Darkhorse (lid and all the way down below the waterline)
Sally girl e/s in Sage (middle of the lid)
UD e/s in Perversion (a lot below the waterline)
Milani liner in waterline
Ardell 105 lashes
Barry M Marshmallow l/s
Revlon Peach petal l/g
NAILS - Sinful Colors Hot Spot
______________________________________
How was everyones Halloween?!?
Did you dress up?

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Sally Girl Mini Baked Eye Shadows!

I mentioned that i was going to talk about these eyeshadows in my recent post and here it is. I went ahead and bought more because im absolutely in love with these little eyeshadows. 
You can get them at Sally's Beauty Supply for 99 cents! If you have a Sally's card, then they're 94 cents. Either way...worth it. I ended up collection 7 of these little babies. There are a total of 12 shades available and they range for everyones' taste. They have a metallic sheen to them, so if you're not really into that then this might not be for you. You can use them either wet or dry, it's up to you. The quality is very good for the price. They're soft and pigmented. If used dry, you might have to pack it a bit depending on the color, but once on it just stays on just the same all day. I love the size! They're super cute and definitely easy to just throw in your makeup bag if you're traveling. However, you have to be careful and not drop them because they break extremely easily. 
 
 All-in-all though im really in love with these little mini shadows and i will definitely be using them and purchasing more in the future because they're worth it.  
PROS:
- Great price
- Good quality
- Pigmented 
- Can be used wet/dry
- Buildable
- Easy to blend
- Gorgeous color variety
- Being small can be good

CONS:
- Break easily if dropped
- So small = less product =(
_______________________________________
What do you think about these? Have you tried any?

Friday, October 29, 2010

FOTD - Purple obsession

This is my new favorite look to wear. It's simple yet edgy. If you're the one to be obsessed with purples like i am then you should try this out. I used Sallys Girl Mini Baked eye shadow. I love this little thing its the best. I'm going to talk more about it in a separate post after i get more colors - so stay tuned for that, you're going to be impressed! 
______________________________________
FACE:
Revlon photoready in medium beige
Maybelline concealer 
Rimmel matte powder
Mac Refined Golden bronzer
Models Own blush in Warm Glow

EYES:
UDPP
Mac Birds and Berries (outer corners into crease and below waterline -half)
Sallys baked eyeshadow Grey/Purple (all over the lid and below wl-inner half)
UD e/s in Virgin (highlight and inner corner)
Maybelline gel liner 
Millani liner (waterline)
Mac Zoom lash mascara
Ardell wispies (cut in half)

LIPS:
Gosh Darling l/s
NYX Sweetheart l/g
___________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Thoughts?

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Swap Haul! (Pic heavy!)

swap haul!
One of the best parts about blogging is meeting amazing people from all over the world! My new favorite thing to do is swaping. It's so much fun to go out and buy makeup for other people. I recieved some pretty amazing things from the gorgeous Aneka (click for her blog), and i've been playing around with the for the past week. Finally i got some pictures of these goodies with swatches and a bit of a review. There's a lot of information so let's get started...

Let's start with these blushes from Models Own
DSC07309
I love them! I believe these are the only three shades of blushes from this brand. We have a pink, a neutral and a peach - perfect!. I love how soft they are and how smooth they apply. You also don't need a lot because they're pretty pigmented. They have a slight sheen to it, so i don't consider them matte blushes.

Cheeky Pink is a bubblegum pink blush. It gives the face a nice pink girly blush.
cheeky pink blush
cheeky pink swatch

Warm Glow is so far my favorite. It's a peacy pinky nude shade.
DSC07318
DSC07319

Peach Blush is the lightest one and it's more of a highlight, because there's no color showing up ony skintone.
DSC07313
DSC07315

MeMeMe blush in Rouge
mememe blush
This was the blush that impressed me the most. I dont know if its the packaging or the product itself LOL! It comes in a box, similar to the ones from Benefit. There's a mirror inside the top and it comes with a flat brush. I've been swatching this every chance i get, because its sooooo smooth and soft. The color is very strong so you just need a light hand to apply it. It's a peachy coraly redish shade with soft sheen, so it will give your cheeks a glow. I think its amazing.
mememe mirror
mememe blush
mememe blush swatch

Barry M lip lacquer crayon in Ballet Pink
barry m lip lacquer crayon
This is a funky product im lovin it lol It's basically a crayon lipstick. This shade is great for a night out. It's very sheer and sparkly after it fades a bit. It's a pale pink with purple glitters. It's very soft and smooth so it applies nicely. It's definitely something different, but its gorgeous.
barry m crayon
barry m crayon swatch

Barry M lip gloss in 11Coral
barry m lip gloss coral
This is another new shade from Barry M. It really is a gorgeous coral and tastes and smells like passion fruit i think lol It's very subtle, so if you want just a hint of coral over some pale lips, this would be the perfect gloss for that. It's very smooth and not sticky at all.
barry m gloss swatch

Barry M lipstick in 100 Baby pink
barry m baby pink
This is probably the most perfect baby doll pink. It's a pale pink, so i recommend some gloss on top. It goes on smoothly but since it has that dry feel, i recommend moisturizing before applying it. I feel like comparing it to the Gaga lipstick but i don't own it, so i would need your take on this.
100 baby pink
barry m swatch

Gosh intense lip colour in 301
mirror gosh gloss
I'm in love with this gloss. First of all, how cute is the light?? and it has a small mirror too! The shade itself is a gorgeous nude peach color. It's a very smooth formula that goes on pretty opaque, so i like paring it up with a super pale lipstick to make it neutral. It has a vanilla-ish scent to it, which reminded me of the Mac glosses.
gosh gloss light
gosh gloss swatch

Gosh lipstick in Darling
gosh darling lipstick
This is love. I'm sure a lot of people have heard about this lipstick and if you have the chance to get your hands on it, you wouldn't be sorry. It's smooth, moisturizing, looks glossy and its the most perfect nude with a pink undertone that has to be part of your collection is you're a nude lip freak like me. I accidently dug my nail into it hence the weird look on it lol but nonetheless its my favorite lipstick right now and im trying not to over use it lol
Gosh darling swatch
134 gosh darling

Models Own it nail polish in Lilac Dream
Lilac Dream
I'm absolutely in LOVE with the formula of this nail polish. I wanted to do a NOTD post with it that's why i dont have any swatches of any sort here. I think in my next swap i will only want Models Own nailpolishes because they're amazing quality and the color range is fantastic. I highly recommend them and stay tuned to see what it looks like on my nails!
Models Own it

So millions of thanks to Aneka for all these goodies she sent me!
Any thoughts, questions or specific reviews that you want?