Nail Polish Change - Wet n Wild Megalast in Beat of a Generation and Love Me Some Muscles

Hey There!

I kept going on the summer pastel colors train. I just love pastels for the summer! I purchased these two lovelies and originally thought I'd pink out my fingers and peach out my toes. I ended up reversing that.

I wore Beat of a Generation on my tootsies. It's one of those pretty pinks that I have to be careful of. It's looks so sweet in the bottle but could be too blue based or too orange based once on your nails. This one leans toward blue base and is a good color for me. On my fingers I wore a coral, Love Me Some Muscles. It too, was a perfectly toned color.

Both polishes are Wet n Wild Megalast colors. They have the white tops so that means they are limited edition. These are two from the Summer 2014 edition All Access Beauty Collection. There were six total. I had seen a few blog post with swatches and I decided that these two were the only ones that I wanted to try.

These are sheer-ish polishes. I used 2 coats and my toes (Beat of a Generation ) were fine but my fingers (Love Me Some Muscles ) were a little more sheer. It was ok.

These polishes have the new "ManiCurve Pro Brush" that I have come to love. They offer precision and help me color inside the lines (most of the time). I love Wet n Wild polish but this was about 1/2  a step down from what I'm use to. Now that I've tried these, if they had another color that I wanted I'd have to think long and hard about whether or not I'd pick it up.

And then I'd go pick it up.

Quickie Review - Cherimoya Magic Lipstick

Hey there,

I took a double take 2 weeks ago when I saw these at my local beauty supply store. They look so similar to the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm that I wanted to see how similar they really were. I bought 2 of them, grape flavor in the blue tube and strawberry flavor in the purple tube. They were $.99. I figured if they didn't work out it's only a $2 loss.

Well, these aren't like Baby Lips lip balms that's for sure. I didn't read before purchasing but these are color changing lip balms. They are nice and smooth on the lips and they would be good except they both cause my lips to turn Kool-aid red.  Kool-aid red isn't so pretty on me. Other than that, they really are nice. They smell fruity and kept my lips moist for several hours (until I got tired of the "Oh yeah" red and wiped it off).

I don't know that I'd recommend them though. If you are ok with color changing "lipsticks" then this is for you. For the price, these aren't bad. Just put a gloss on top to tone down the red.

Ipsy Bag - June - Review

Hey there!

It's time for my June Ipsy bag review. I'll try to review it a bit faster next month but I got it late and wanted to really try things before telling you what I thought. You know I can be a bit harsh sometimes! I wanted to give things a fair shake.

There are 2 things I didn't get a chance to give a fair shake (Great job! There are only 5 things in the bag woman!!). The Be A Bombshell mascara and the Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray. I don't wear mascara anymore and after taking a sniff, decided I didn't really want to share this with a friend. It kinda stinks. But, maybe you don't think so. Let me know if you want me to mail it off to you and I will. The Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray went to a friend at work and she is really trying it out for you guys. She should have a full review soon (first guess blogger!).

On with the show. I gave the eyebrow pencil by OFRA a really good try and you know what? I'm in love. It is about the right shade for me, it goes on smoothly and with a bit of eyebrow gel, stays in place (I use the gel because I tend to touch my eyebrows when I put my glasses on and take them off so the gel helps keep the color on my brows and off my hands). I went onto the website and saw the price. It's $13. And, it only comes in 1 shade. That being said, with your Ipsy 30% off discount plus shipping, it's about $14.05. That's not any worse that's anything else you've purchased. And, if it's your perfect shade, that does make it worth it. I personally am thinking about it. Other eyebrow pencils that I have come close but not as close as this one.

I did use the Realtree for her eau de parfum. It was a tiny bit too strong for me. I like soft scents or sweet scents. This was just...strong. Not my fave. On the website this parfum is $19.99. I tried to use the Ipsy code on their website (to see if it works) and it didn't. Maybe I waited too late in the month. Anywho, after flat rate shipping it's $26.98 for 3.4oz. That's not a bad price but I didn't like it, so I wouldn't purchase it no matter what.

I told you that one of these products got a squeal out of me. I saw it and was very happy, even though I already owned the product! The NYX butter gloss in crème brulee make me smile. Have you smelled a NYX butter gloss? I mean let's just start with that! It's a sweet, vanilla sugar smell that I love. And this color is beautiful. It's a soft warm pink color that is great on top of a brown or pink lipstick or, I just use it alone. And this one became my backup because I go through butter glosses like no one's business. I have 3 in my purse right now, so YES -- I will purchase this item!! I tried to use the Ipsy code on the website but it didn't take. That's fine though because I get my NYX BOGO 1/2 off at CVS or Ulta so no worries there.

Which brings me to a little question. Has anyone had luck using the Ipsy discount? In this case, the one item I would purchase, I'd get cheaper somewhere else. But, I know if you earn enough Ipsy points you can purchase things that way. So, what would I'd do? I'd review the items and earn points and when you have enough, treat yourself to a little something.

Do I plan on continuing my Ipsy bag? Yeah, for now. I got to try a few products that I ended up liking. The bag was $10 and to come out a winner with the NYX butter gloss and the OFRA eyebrow pencil, it was worth it to me.

Do you get the Ipsy bag? Do you like it? What do you really like about it and what could they do better in your opinion?

Ipsy Link  <--- I've put my link right here in case you are interested in checking this out for yourself. I personally think it's a great deal for $10 BUT that is completely my opinion and if you don't want to use my link, that's okay too! If you are interested and would like to try them out, I'd be super stoked if you did use my Link. If you do decide to, come back and tell me how you like your first bag!!

Prime Time Summer - L'Oreal Youth Code Pore Vanisher

Hey there!

I'll go back to what I've said about the size of my pores -- they are small. Around my nose and cheeks (of course) they are noticeable so the idea of something to remove or minimize this is enticing but not a must have in my book. That being said, I'm willing to try these types of products.

L'Oreal has created a product that instantly minimizes the look of pores with a soft-focus finish and over 4 weeks you will see it shrink pores on 3 dimensions; depth, number and size. At least, that's what it claims.

Well, I used this product for 5 days out of 7 for 3 weeks. I can't say that it shrunk anything. My pores are the same size that they started out. And, I can't say I got a soft-focus finish either. And, I can't say that it helped my makeup application. I've used products with that silicone feel and they have helped with my makeup application.

It doesn't have a silicone feel. I guess some people don't like that feel but honestly, now that I've been playing with primers, I do like that feel. It makes me think that the primer or whatever, is actually doing something.

So what did this do? Well, it cost me $2.98 plus tax. Other than that....nuthin.

Am I upset that I tried it? At $2.98, no. At $5.99 (the original price for the .5 fl oz tube), maybe. At $19.99 (1.4 oz), someone is about to get slapped! Would I every buy this again? Ummm, no.

On to the next primer!!

Holy Grail Fail - Garnier Moisture Rescue Lightweight UV-Lotion

Left - My Holy Grail Moisturizer
Right - Holy Grail Fail Moisturizer

I've said so many times that my holy grail moisturizer is Garnier Moisture Rescue Lightweight UV Lotion. Is has an SPF of 15 which is about all my face can handle. I love this lotion! I discovered this lotion a few years ago and have used it ever since. It's lightweight and sinks into your face like magic. It keeps my face hydrated all summer.

Kept.

It kept my face hydrated. It no longer does that.

You see, I ran out of my holy grail moisturizer and purchased 2 more. There appeared to be a new and improved formula -- Garnier Skin Renew Daily Moisture Lotion. No biggie, right? They simply changed the name.

Well no. They changed the formula and added SPF 28.

That caused my face to burn, turn red and itch like the devil. That, is not good. I looked at the bottle and realized that the active ingredients were not the same. I was stunned!

I packed up the 2 bottles that I had purchased and prepared to take them back to the store to exchange them. Then I noticed that there weren't any bottles of my holy grail on the shelf. I went to another store and saw the same thing. Then I took to the internet.

DISCONTINUED!

What?! I was stunned. I mean I was totally and utterly floored. I loved this stuff and now it's gone? I guess they thought the Garnier Skin Renew Daily Moisture Lotion was a better formula. NOT! It was horrible. I know that many people love moisturizers with SPF on their face. Well, some people can't tolerate that. Now, I have to search for a new moisturizer.

Ugh! Who wants to go through that mess? But, I will because you have to moisturize your face and you do need some form of sunscreen. So, I have 4 moisturizers that I'm trying right now. Spoiler alert -- one of them got tossed in the trash already!!

Fun times folks, fun times!!

BareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow

So, before we talk about the product, can I talk about the sales lady at the Bare Escentuals Boutique? You all know I love good customer service. It's the reason that my favorite Sephora of all time is the Sephora store inside my JC Penny's store. I love those ladies. They are fantastic. The actual Sephora stores? Well, I go when I have to but they aren't quite as friendly.

But I digress...I was in a mall that had a Bare Escentuals Boutique so I stepped inside. I remembered seeing that they had some 5 thingie sample and so I asked the lady about it. I'm paraphrasing, because I can't remember the exact words.

ME: "Excuse me ma'am. I saw somewhere that there is a sample of an 5 type eyeshadow product. Do you have that in store?"

HER: "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Well, there's a sample of an eye product that does 5 things that we can get right now."

"Oh, do you mean the 5 in 1 Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow sample?"

"I guess so."

"Well you have to be a FAB member to get that."

"Is that the thing I registered on line for? Cause I'm one of those."

She rolled her eyes and stopped short of sucking her teeth in -- NO LIE!!

"What's your telephone number? I'll look it up."

"8-6-7-5-3-0-9" (You didn't expect me to post my real number did you?).

She did suck her teeth in this time -- AGAIN, no lie!!

"Yes, apparently you are a FAB member."

She wrapped up my little sample, put it in a bag and told me to have a nice day.

Sighhhh. She obviously didn't know how much money I spend on makeup. I bargain shop like a mad woman so that I can spend more money on cosmetics and skin care!!

On to the makeup. I have been working on my eyebrows. I think I have found my perfect eyebrow pencil (more on that to come). One of the things that I have always loved is a good highlight. I have a fairly decent arch so I like to accentuate it. This stuff is amaze-balls for that!! The sample comes in Candlelit Peach. But, I saw swatches and I think 2 of them will make good highlight shades (Candlelit Peach & Soft Linen) and 3 of them will make good "all over color" shades (Blushing Pink, Soft Shell & Barely Nude). I'm excited to get the full sizes!

This product is so creamy. The applicator is a soft doe foot sponge (did I just make that up or is it real?) and is probably the best applicator for this product. It allows you to dot on a tiny amount or slide the product over your lid if you need more.

For highlight, a little bit works. I put 3 good plops on my brow line and blend it in. You have to work fast because it does dry fast and that's good! It also stays all day! Because I used it as a highlight, I didn't have to worry about creasing. In my haste to talk about my love for this, I neglected to try it all over the eye! I'll report back on that because I will try it.

If you are near a boutique, go on line, sign up as a FAB customer and then go get your sample. If there isn't a boutique near you, go into Ulta and try it out. I really think you'll like it. I saw that Ulta had 6, .10 fl oz shades on line (Barely Nude, Soft Linen, Radiant Sand, Blushing Pink, Elegant Taupe and Divine Wine) for $18 each. QVC currently as a trio (Darling Petal, Simply Stone & Delightful Mint) for $30. The BareMinerals website has all 10 for $18 each.

So, will I be buying full size colors? Heck yeah! Will I buy them from the Bare Escentuals Boutique? Heck no!

Customer Service is key people.

Quickie Review - Sephora's Pantone Universe Radiant Orchid Lip Balm

Hey there!

Radiant Orchid isn't necessarily my favorite lip color. It's purple. I'm not big on purple on lips. I like purple eyes and a soft purple cheek (if done correctly) can be gorgeous and yes, purple nails are great. But I'm a nude brown girl as far as lips are concerned. Very rarely do I stray too far from that range.

That's why I purchased the Pantone Universe Radiant Orchid Lip Balm instead of a lipstick or gloss.

That and the fact that it was 50% off at Sephora. Even so, $7.99 is still a bit steep for a lip balm that there wasn't a tester for (my ladies at Sephora couldn't find the tester, so I had to purchase on faith).

Let's start with the bad. I don't know if mine was just defective but it was suuuuuper soft. I mean in the bad way. I tried to use it as a lipstick and it broke. I tried to chill it and it still broke. So, I have to use it with a lipstick brush or depot it. That means taking it with me might be kinda cumbersome. I haven't seen any other reviews with this problem, so it's probably just the one I purchased.

Now that that's out of the way, let's say it together. A - MAZE - ING!! I love this balm! It gives off just enough color that makes the purple just right. It's not super, duper pigmented but that is ok! It's moisturizing and lasts for several hours. I wore it alone and with my Jordana Silver Lilac lip liner. It was beautiful. It's the perfect amount of color. Did I say that already? Sorry.

I didn't see any left on Spehora.com but seriously, if you see this in your local Sephora, you should really get it. $16 might make you balk but $8 is kinda ok.

Yes, I used a gift card. You know I didn't spend cash!!

Nail Polish Change - Victoria's Secret Nail Lacquer in String Bikini & Peep Show

Hey There!

Last weekend I picked up a few Victoria's Secret items. I wasn't very impressed with the cosmetics but the nail colors looked really pretty. I'm going through a pink phase (I don't know why) so the colors that I got were both pink.

My main color was String Bikini. In the bottle it was such a pretty color. Once I brushed 1 coat on, I got a little scared. Then I brushed on another coat. I was completely scared. I tried a third coat on one finger and it looked a hot mess. The formula sucked. I had 3 fingers that were completely cray cray looking. I shoulda taken a picture but I was too upset. I really wanted the formula to be great because the color on the 7 other nails was nice.

I said 7 nails but I meant 5 because I had 2 party nails (I am so glad we are doing that!!). Apparently Peep Show is a different formula or the sparkles cause a different reflection because my party nails looked good. I will definitely wear that again! I thought about painting over the other nails with it but I thought that it might make a bad situation worse.

I don't remember the brush or anything because the formula sucked so badly. I only had my pink nails for 3 days. I got tired of looking at them. So, no, I have no plans on purchasing any other Victoria's Secret nail polish.

Rub A Dub Dub...What's In The Tub?

Hey there!

I like showing all my empties. I think it's fun to watch videos and I hope it's fun to read the blogs that feature what we used up during the month and if we liked it. When I watch the videos or read the blogs, I see what people thought of products and I'm able to make a decision on whether or not I want to try them.

The only problem that I found with empties is that the blog post is so long! If it takes me that long to write, I can only imagine that you have to take a Cheetos and wine break when you read it (What? No? Only me? Oh. I thought everyone did that). So, a few months ago, I pulled the facial masks out of the trash and gave them their own post. I also pulled the candles out of the trash and gave them their own review. This month I've pulled out the bath time products because well, I take a lot of baths and spend a ton of money on bathroom products. Some stuff I like, some stuff I don't. Some stuff I finished and am going to give a mini review and some stuff is just what I liked that month.

First, let's talk about what I used up. My love of Avon Bubble Bath ($5.99/24 fl. oz.) is not a secret. Because I'm in the tub so much, I like bubble baths that aren't harsh on the skin. Avon brand is not harsh at all. This scent is the Pomegranate & Peony scent. I'm not a fan. I really didn't like this one. I purchased this right before Christmas and I am just using it up! I reached for this last and I'm glad that I used it up. It wasn't horrible but I won't purchase it again.

I also finished a 365 Everyday Value (Whole Foods brand) Lavender Blend Shower Gel ($3.99/16 fl. oz.). I purchased this almost a year ago. It isn't bad, it just isn't something I reached for all the time. It gets you squeaky clean...and that's the problem. Even though the bottle states that it cleanses and softens, it doesn't soften. It gets you super clean and then you have to slather on a ton of body cream to moisturize. I like for my shower gels to have a creamy texture to them because normally a creamy texture means a moisturizing feel. This was not creamy. It smelled nice but that's the only good thing I can say about it.

Have you seen these goodies in Target? They are the I love... brand of shower gels ($1.00/3.4 fl. oz). I picked up the Cinnamon Swirl first. Because it was only a dollar, I didn't have high hopes. Then I tried it. It smells like red hots! I know...the orange color throws you off but the scent really represents cinnamon well. And, it lathers well. It's not great but it's good. The next week I picked up Chocolate & Orange. Have you ever tasted one of those orange and chocolate candies that's in the shape of an orange? That's what this one smells like. I like this one too. For $1.00 these are definitely worth the purchase.

And what has been my power bath gel this month? Tone's Petal Soft Moisturizing Pink Peony & Rose Oil Body Wash. This creamy body wash has a light rose sent. It's not one of those overly scented body washes. And the lather is really nice. It's a pearlescent pink color and you only need a little bit. I've used other Tone body washes and the good folks at Tone seems to know what they are doing.

So what have you been using this month? Does it lather well? Does it smell really good? Or, are you just trying to use it up?

DuWop Cosmetics Haul - Review

Hey there!

I'm still reviewing the stuff from last weekend's haul. I went a little crazy and you guys get to benefit from my craziness! If you look at the pics from last weekend, you'd think I spent a lot but remember, I am a super shopper so I buy at a discount!!

I'm not sure why but all of the DuWop Cosmetics items at my local Dillard's were 75% off. Everyone knows that a discount sticker gets me extremely excited. Even though they had quite a bit of stuff on sale, I was trying not to buy a bunch of stuff that I won't really use so I only picked up 2 items.

 

Top - Double Glow
Bottom - Keep Blushin
Thumb - I have no idea what's going on, obviously not lotion!

I thought I'd try the Double Glow Luminous Face Balm (Champagne) and Keep Blushing Water-resistant Blush (Rose). They both looked harmless enough. I took a look at the DuWop website (because I had heard of but never tried this line) and it doesn't appear that it's being discontinued or anything. The colors I bought are on sale for the full price too. So...

I tried the Double Glow first (orig $25, sale $6.25). Because summer is here (officially!!), I like a little glow to my skin. I've discovered that illuminators are the best way to go! This one is a creamy champagne color (as the name hints). I know that it gives off too much of a glow on my hand but I got carried away and used the amount that I'd use on both cheeks. Really, once you put it on, it gives you a soft glow that looks very pretty. I'd repurchase for $6.25. I might even purchase it for $12.50, because a little goes a long way and that .42oz jar will last a good little while. I don't think I'd purchase it at full price. It's nice but there are nicer ones at the $25 price point.

The Keep Blushing blush (orig $22, sale $5.50) is a different matter. The color was wrong, but that's my fault. But in addition to the color being wrong, it was a chalky, dusty color. It reminded me of the pink color in your sidewalk chalk box. I tried to blend it out and make it work but it was too chalky. I would certainly not purchase this again.

But, because I had to do some research on the DuWop website, I noticed a few other things that I'd like to try. I will pass on the lip venum, even though the colors look really nice, but I did take a second look at the angel washes and the mini private lipstick collection.

I dunno -- I'm thinking about it!

Have you ever tried DuWop cosmetics? What did you think?

Victoria's Secret Haul - Review

Top - Lip gloss (Devotion)
Bottom - Lipstick (True)

Hey there!

So Victoria's Secret is doing away with their makeup line. That means we can pick up lots of things for a steal. But, it also means if we like those things we can't get more. That's always the dilemma with these "everything's gotta go" type of sales. If you love it, you're kinda screwed.

No worries. New things come out all the time so when old things go away, it makes room. Victoria's Secret is simply making room.

Anywho, I didn't go crazy at VS. I just picked up a few things - a Color Drama Lipstick (True), a Color Quench Intense Lip Gloss (Devotion) and a Metallized eyeshadow (Gold Card). See, I didn't get a lot. But, I did get colors that looks sooo pretty.

But now, I'm kinda mad that I got any of them. Yep. I said that.

 

Top - Lip gloss (Devotion)
Bottom - Lipstick (True)

The lipstick is the equivalent to a lip butter. It's a patchy color that goes on and then 30 minutes later is almost gone. No lie -- 30 minutes later people. So I thought I'd just reapply a few times and that resulted in dry lips. By noon my lips felt like the Sahara Desert. I had to soak them in lip balm all afternoon.

The lipgloss is a very pretty color but it isn't very pigmented. The color looks nice on my hand but that was like 3 swipes of the wand. It doesn't last either. I used lip liner and then tried to make the color better but it's like the gloss wouldn't adhere to the liner color. Weird, huh?

The eyeshadow is a pretty color in the pot. On my eyes? No pigment. I used primer and packed it on and I got nuthin'. It wasn't a good choice in color. There's a tiny bit of color. I will give it one more try with a cream shadow underneath. But I don't have faith that it will work.

So there! I purchased three items and there is no worry that I will want to replenish and can't. I really had high hopes for this makeup line but...

...I guess there's a reason they didn't make it.

Do you have anything from the Victoria's Secret makeup line? What do you think of them?