September Face (Powder) Off - MAC Studio Fix Powder

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I saved the best for last good people! Let's lift our champagne flutes, wine glasses or adult sippy cups and cheer.

In case you've missed it, I dubbed September "Face (Powder) Off" month. I read an article on totalbeauty.com about the 13 best face powders. You know that I'm a face powder fiend because I don't like the feel of liquid foundation however, I'm always game to try a new face powder. I tried 4 from the article (or variances thereof) and 3 of my own. I liked them all (except 1) but my favorite face powder (of the moment) is my MAC Studio Fix Powder.

I've mentioned before that I was late to the party when it came to MAC products. Everyone else loved them and I didn't understand the hype. Then I purchased my MAC Studio Fix Powder. Now I'm a believer.

This powder is a perfect color match. There are 31 colors within this powder type. You have to find your shade. And, if you don't then MAC has several other types of powders that might work. This powder goes on smooth as silk and lasts all day. Sometimes I have to touch up my t-zone. Sometimes I don't. It's almost magical. There are a few powders that I love just as much, but I will probably always repurchase MAC now that I've joined the party.

Now, you probably noticed that I didn't try the really high end face powders. When I did the math, it would have cost me about $400 to try everything on the list. I like you guys, I really do, but $400 is a lot for a month of face powders. And then, I'd have 13 face powders that I may or may not use. I looked carefully at the list and none of the others jumped out at me as a "go ahead and splurge" type powders. I mean, I thought about the Chanel Poudre Universelle and the Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder but I had already decided to save a few pennies for Black Friday deals and I didn't think any of these were worth digging in that cookie jar.

Instead, you guys tell me if you own one of the 13 best face powders OR tell me what your favorite face powder is.

Nail Polish Change - China Glaze in Travel in Color and Sally Hansen Sugar Shimmer in Berried Under

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I wore 2 polar opposite nail polishes this week. One of them was one of the best and the other was one of the worst. Like I said, opposites.

 

Sorry about the chippage. I didn't take this picture until
5 days in. Pretty good for 5 days, huh?!

I talked briefly about China Glaze's Travel in Color last week. I liked it so much that I wore it on all my nails this week. I am so in love with this nail polish color. I'm going to marry it. The iridescent sparkle and shimmer is amaze-balls. It gives off a slight green hue but that's ok. When you are this pretty you can do that. The staying power is good. My only complaint is that I bought this little itty bitty bottle instead of a full sized one. 

The color that I wore on my tootsies was Sally Hansen Sugar Shimmer in Berried Under. I cannot stand this formula. I am going to give this the award for WORST nail polish formula EVER! It looks like I painted my toes in a pretty, muted pink and then drug my feet through sugar or sand. 

I know, I know! That's the point of this polish but it's horrible. Does anyone really like this? I don't. I won't use this again. Good thing I got it on clearance. 

So just to recap -- Shimmery iridescent, yes. Feet tracked in sugar or sand, no.

Any questions?

L.A. Colors Chunky Lip & NYX Chunky Dunk

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I was a lucky lady this week. I got to try several new lippies. My favorite makeup items are lip products so when I go on a spree and fill my little shipping cart with lipsticks, glosses and crayons, I get more than a little excited.

This week I tried out my lip pencils from the beauty supply store. Last weekend I picked up a L.A. Colors Chunky Lip pencil in Cocoa and a NYX Chunky Dunk in Hibiscus Tea Punch. I originally walked into the store to search for Chunky Dunk lip crayons. I had seen them on several blogs and YouTube videos and I wanted, no, needed to get me one. They were $5.99 and I originally had 2 in my hand. Then I saw that my beauty supply store had the Chunky Lip pencils and I thought a show off would be appropriate.

I understand that I didn't get similar colors. I thought about that. But, I decided that while that would be a neat "dupe" test, I'm not 100% sure anyone wants to know about a $2.99 dupe on a $5.99 product. I'm just saying.

So, the website says that the new 18 L.A. Colors Chunk Lip pencils have a vanilla scent. Well, I didn't smell any vanilla but that was ok. I know where to go for vanilla scented lip products. They are supposed to have a "soft, creamy formula" and deliver "gorgeous intense color". I must agree on both fronts. They are very soft, very creamy and the color pigmentation is great.

The NYX Chunky Dunk pencils come in 12 "hydrating" colors with a "satiny smooth formula". They are "light and sheer at first, yet buildable the more you apply". Yep. I concur. They are hydrating and satiny smooth and very buildable coverage. They were very comfortable to wear.

Both pencils are retractable and don't need to be sharpened so you get every bit of goodness out of them. They last about 3 - 4 hours and reapply easily. I wore mine with a lip liner and OMG, it made them even more amazing. The verdict really is that they are both great. The colors vary a bit so you could actually get several colors and not overlap. True, I might gravitate toward the Chunk Lips a bit more because I could get 2 for the price of 1 but that doesn't mean I won't get the Chunky Dunks because they are just as good and the price is still right.

So, I say try the both. The Chunky Dunk has a smidge more product (3g vs. 2.7g) but there is nothing that should stop you from putting BOTH of these bad boys in your makeup bag!!

Have you tried either one? Do you know where your local beauty supply store is? Well, go in and grab a few and tell me what you think!

September Face (Powder) Off - Black Radiance Pressed Powder

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I mentioned his product back in my June favorites. It was a purchase for my daughter's prom makeup. I thought it would be a good shade for her but it ended up being a good shade for me instead.

Black Radiance is one of those makeup lines that I almost forget about. It's normally the first cosmetic line that you see when you walk to the makeup area at the drugstore but it doesn't always stand out. The only reason I looked there is because I like their lipsticks and I know that they have a good selection of shades for brown skinned ladies. The shade selection does lean toward darker complexions but the colors are so expressive that anyone with a touch of tan can get away with the lipsticks, shadows, blushes and bronzers.

Anywho, I really like this pressed powder. You get .28 oz of product for about $5 and I got it in the shade Honey Amber. At first glance it looks a tad bit dark but when buffed in, it gives me the tiniest bit of a summer glow. It's nice and really warms up my complexion. This powder has a really good staying power and I only need to touch up my t-zone area. It's smooth and in my book, rivals some of the higher priced products.

If you haven't tried Black Radiance powders (pressed, blushes & bronzers), you really have to wander over and try them. If you are fair skinned, you might be able to peek at some of the bronzers (and use a VERY light hand). Gingersnap has always been a fave of mine. If you have a bit of tan, try some of the other colors. I think you will be very surprised!

So, would I buy this product again? Of course! I think you should try it too.

Quickie Review - NARS lipgloss in Orgasm

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Occasionally I try something that is considered a cult classic and I don't like it. Such is the case with the NARS lipgloss in Orgasm. I picked up a mini with my Sephora Points.

Oh, it's a nice lipgloss but it is void if any real color on your lips. That's not necessarily a bad thing but when you pay $26 for a lipgloss, you want it to be a little but more special. 

Yes, it was a great gloss. It wasn't sticky and it lasted pretty well but so does my Revlon Colorburst in Peony. Yes, the NARS gloss gave off a soft iridescent glow and but so does my Milani Brilliant Shine in Luminous. 

I'm not saying that it isn't a great lippie. I'm just saying that there are so many glosses equal to it for less money. If you are wondering if it's worth the money, it just isn't, in my opinion. If you are wondering if it is a good lipgloss, it is. 

It's just a matter of do I have to have it because of its cult status and do I have to pay full price for it?

I say no to both. 

BTW, I'm not saying that Revlon Colorburst in Peony is a good color match -- it's not. But on the lips, it gives off the same glow. The Milani Brilliant Shine in Luminous is a good color match BUT on the lips, Luminous gives off a better glow.

Go figure.

September Face (Powder) Off - NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder

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NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder is one of the 13 best face powders from the totalbeauty.com 13 best face powders article. It was the cheapest one in the group. But, never go by price alone.

Let me preface this post by saying I used my NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder in Translucent as a finishing powder, not a foundation powder. The article in totalbeauty.com leaned heavily toward foundation powders in my book. That being said, I really like the NYC Smooth Skin face powder itself. I just wasn't a fan of the color.

I really wanted to be able to say that this was a great translucent powder. I wanted to be able to say that it was just as good as others that I have tried but that just wasn't the case. While this powder  was smooth, buttery and blended well, it wasn't translucent. My complexion is a good test of translucency. You are truly a translucent powder if you blend flawlessly on my face. If you give off a white hue or look ashy, then you aren't as translucent as you should be. 

This power was ashy and gave off a white hue. I tried it with several foundations in several different forms (liquid, powder, bb cream) and it didn't make a difference. The ghost had walked in. I would like to say that I should have tried a powder with color but the store (and apparently the website) only had translucent, naturally beige and warm beige. Warm beige is the darkest color that they have and it was too light for this MAC NC42 girl.

That actually made me sad because like I said, this is a smooth powder that would have worked like a dream had the color be right. So, yes, this is a good powder. No, I won't every purchase it again. Yes, Mel B, you have a new pressed powder coming your way.

Has anyone else tried this powder and what did you think? Did the color work for you?

Wet n Wild Megalast Lipsticks

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A good girlfriend of mine has been eyeing the "original" Wet n Wild Megalast Lipsticks, so I brought my collection to work so that she could test them out. I haven’t been able to find the new ones in stores yet (can you say order them online?) but I decided that while I had the old ones out for her, I could show you lovely ladies what I currently have and what I think.

I have five Megalast Lipsticks that I use all the time. I have (top to bottom) Cherry Bomb, Mauve Outta Here, Wine Room, Bare It All and Think Pink. Out of all of them, I use Bare It All the most. That color is amaze-balls! I use Cherry Bomb the least. It's a vampy color and that's the one I use on nights out on the town. I'd wear it more, if I had more nights out. #couchpotatoproblems.

I told my friend (and I'll tell you too), while these colors are great, you have to use a lip balm with them. If you don't, you will have chapped lips by the end of the day. If you just use a tiny bit of lip balm, your color will stay for several hours and your lips with thank you that night.

I know that many people look at the $1.99 price point and steer away but man! You are missing out if you do that. These lippies are so good that you will keep repurchasing them. I know the $ .99 Wet n Wild lippies are iffie but these are worth it.

Now, I've been to several blog sites and have already picked out 3 of the new Fall lip colors and 3 of the nail polishes that I want. I did find 1 of the nail polishes already (So Berry On Trend) and can't wait to find the others. I'll let you know on Instagram as SOON as I do!!

Have you tried them yet? Or, are you like me and in a region of the U.S. that MUST get everything last? SIghhhhh!

I'm gonna move just for makeup reasons.

Ipsy Bag - September - Preview

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It's that time again. I got my metallic pink package in the mail today! I was very excited. I opened it right at my desk and looked, smelled, and played with almost everything.

Just briefly, the Ipsy Bag (<-- a link to the about Ipsy page only, however my personal link is below), is a subscription service makeup bag. For $10 a month, you get a cute bag and 5 beauty items -- sometimes full size, most of the time mini's. Some of the companies that supply items are very well known and some are lesser known companies. I enjoy the subscription because it's like getting a little birthday present every month!

This month we have a cute gray studded bag that I plan on getting use out of. There's a Pacifica Natural Minerals liner, a NYX eyeshadow, Briogeo deep conditioner for my hair, Cailyn Art Touch Tinted  Lip gloss and a double ended Crown crease/shadow brush.

At first glance, I think I'm going to love 2 of the items (plus the bag. I already love the bag!).There is one item that I think I'll pass along and one item that I'm not sure about. The 5th item could go either way. But, you know you can't really say until the 2 weeks are up. Last month I wasn't sure about everything and ended up loving some things I didn't think I would. You just don't know folks. You just don't know.

Stay tuned. I'll let you know what the deal is!

AND, I've been thinking about adding a second beauty bag subscription to my list. You know that I tried the Conscious box and that didn't work out so well. Now that I've freed up that $20, I think I might try something different. What do you guys think? What subscription services have you tried and loved? And, which ones do I need to steer clear of?

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!!

Nail Polish Change - Zoya in Lulu and China Glaze in Travel in Color

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I'm still wearing and liking my Nailene Nail Studio nails in medium. I added a pale polish on top and then added a bit of sparkle to the tip, just to change things up.

I used Zoya polish in Lulu as a base color. Again, I wasn't impressed. This is the 4th Zoya polish I've tried and for an $8 or more nail polish, this really should do more. The brush isn't my fave and I had to work harder to get polish everywhere. I paid under $3 for all of the color's that I've purchased and I kinda of want my money back. The pale peach color was decent but they could have done so much more with this color. It was sheer and washed out. I don't know that I'll wear it again.

Now, my teeny tiny China Glaze polish in Travel in Color was AMAZING!! I loved this color. It's like a non color of opulence. I tried to add this as a tip color but it didn't really show all the color that it could be. I hate that I only have a mini polish. I will certainly make a plan to go back and get another one if I can. This is worth paying full price! This color will certain get more play whenever I can wear it!

BTW, by the end of the week my "press on" nails looked very, very ragged. You can just barely get 3 weeks out of these. Just barely. But, come on, for the price they were well worth it. I'd purchase them again.

So the tally is Zoya, no; China Glaze, heck yes; Nailene Nail Studio nails, yes. Not a bad week!

Sunday Funday - Lippie Haul

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Yes, I did this. I felt that I needed to add some Fall color to my life. We've had some chilly mornings here in Atlanta and I feel like we missed out on summer. So, in preparation for the Fall weather that is to come, I decided to pick up some warmer lip colors.

I'm really excited about all of them (of course I am) and can't wait to try them and come back and tell you all about them.

Here's what I bought.

I have been eyeing the Sephora Rouge cream lipsticks for a while ($12.50). A couple of the Youtubers that I watch have talked about how creamy and pigmented the Sephora Rouge lipsticks are. I currently own a few of the Sephora Luster Matte Longwear Lip Colors ($16) so I felt comfortable getting these. I picked up oh oh! and sexy game. Again, both of them are creams and appear to have very little sparkle but lots of pigment. Both look like nice, deep reddish browns that are going to be great for the fall.

Because I was at Sephora, I decided to "splurge" and redeem points for a 100 point perk. I picked up the Nars lip gloss in Orgasm. Of course everyone has raved about Nars lip glosses so I decided I need to see if it lives up to the hype.

I had been searching for both the NYX Chunky Dunks and the L.A. Colors Chunky Lip pencils. I think of everything that I picked up I'm most excited about these two. The NYX (Hibiscus Tea Punch) was $5.99 and the L.A. Colors (Cocoa) was $1.99 (I think). I don't reach for lip crayons much but I find that Fall and Spring are the times that I do wear them. I think I mainly wear lip gloss in the Summer and lipstick in the Winter so Fall and Spring are just natural transition times. If these two work, I am definitely going back for more.

CVS had these Black Radiance lippies on sale. Not a big sale, mind you, just a tiny sale. But they were $1.74 each so I decided to try two of them -- Eldorado Red and Tiger Lily. I don't know that I have any "proper" Black Radiance lipsticks in my collection. I do have the lipstick/gloss duos that I tried earlier in year and they seem very nice. If these don't work, well, they are under two dollars so nothing to cry over.

I also picked up (and then forgot to take a picture of) a Pacifica Color Drench All Natural Moisture Lip Tint in Guava Berry ($3.99). I saw it in T.J. Maxx and remembered that I had heard good things about them so I decided to try it.

So, my lips are going to be properly hydrated for a while! I'll try all of these bad boys out for you good folks and let you know what I think! 

September Face (Powder) Off - Lancôme Dual Finish Multi-Tasking Powder & Foundation In One

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I was lucky enough to score several samples of the Lancôme Dual Finish Multi-Tasking Powder & Foundation In One. I had purchased many lipsticks and glosses (and my BB cream) at this counter and the lady was all too happy to provide them to me. I suspect there was a secondary reason as well. Keep reading.

This powder is really nice. The coverage is great. It stays on very well. Touchups are only needed in the t-zone. The color match is also on point. There are 25 shades to choose from  so you have a good chance of finding the color that you need.

This powder is $38.50 for .67 oz of product which that pretty much goes along with the price point of other powders that I have.  The problem is that I didn't see that it was THAT much better than anything else I've been using. It wasn't better than my MAC Studio Fix ($27) or my Bare Minerals READY^® Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20 ($29). It was slightly better than my drugstore powders but only because of color match. The quality was about the same. Since I already have and love other powders, I didn't really see the point of adding this to my foundation collection.

But then I learned that Dillard's was having $10 off of all Lancôme foundations (liquid, powder, BB cream, etc.) on the 25th, 26th & 27th. Well now, $28.50 is a different story! Of course I'll grab one then! I don't know that this sale is at every Dillard's or in every state (give yours a call if you are interested) but I know I'll be at mine! I'll let you know what I get.

So over all, I probably wouldn't pay full price for this powder. While it's good, it isn't special. But, if I need a powder or there is a special sale, yes, I'd purchase one.

BTW, this is one of the powders from the totalbeauty.com 13 best face powders article. So far, I've liked the ones that I've tried from the article. I'm not sure about best face powders but I'll give a better review at the end of the month.

Summer Scents

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For me, summer scents are no brainers. Spring scents are light and floral and delicate. Fall scents are hearty and heady and smell very “full”. Winter scents? Well, it’s too damned cold to think about fragrance! Go put on a sweater and get a peppermint white chocolate coffee.

But summer scents are sweet scents. In the summer I go all girlie with my scents. Most of the time I smell like I walked through a vat of cotton candy syrup. If that is too strong for you, I advise you wait until the Fall to stand next to me!

One of my fave summer scents was an impulse purchase (surprise, surprise) at the Sephora counter. They were having double points on fragrances so I decided to try a new one. I make a really good choice. Simply Pink by Pink Sugar is sweet and sugary and smells so good. It was about $22 for 1 fl. oz. This is a scent that I will make sure is ALWAYS on my counter top.

I have also talked about the Body Fantasies spray in Cotton Candy. This is one of my favorite scents of all times. I love this one. I start with the body cream and then add the spray and I am super sweet for the day. They body is spray is super cheap ($1.50 or $2 for the small size) and you can find it just about anywhere (Dollar General, Family Dollar, Walgreens, CVS, etc). The body cream is a different story. I have to order that bad boy on line.

I'm almost embarrassed to show the final one. It's a knock off of Britney Spears Fantasy Perfume (I think). I found it at Big Lots during the holidays. Whatever it's supposed to be, it's luscious. It again, smells sweet and candy like and yummy. I spritz it on and smell like a pastry kitchen (I didn't want to say cotton candy vat again). I love it. It cost me $3.50 and it's worth ever scent (ha! get it? scent/cent? Sorry. It was a long day). If it's not supposed to be Fantasy then, well, it's nice. Sorry about that too.

Summer sprays are easy to pick. Run through the candy store and you'll smell just like me. I only have a little while left before the first cold snap. Then I'll have to change over to something spicy and woodier.

And, I'll have to change over to pumpkin spice lattes.

Not really. I don't like pumpkin spice lattes but you get the picture.

What did you wear this summer? Are you going to sneak it into Fall or do you have something waiting in the wings?

Bielenda Happy Feet Foot and Heel Cream

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My holy grail (HG) foot lotion just went into the empties container and I was sad. For years I have been using Aveda's Foot Relief cream but the price kept creeping up and now it's $24 for 4.2 oz. I can't pay that for foot cream...not until I have tried others and see if anything can match my HG.

So I ran to the stores to check it out. I picked up a few foot creams and lotions and started testing. I found Bielenda Happy Feet Foot and Heel Cream at Ross. It was $2.99 for 5.9 oz, waaaaaay cheaper than the Aveda Foot Relief. It's supposed to soften calloused skin and brings relief to my cracked hills.

This is oiler than my Aveda so you have to rub it in really well and then wait a bit before you go walking on floors and slip and bust your head open. My first impression was that I didn't care for it because of the fact that I had to wait to walk. Then, a few days later, I took a look at the bottom of my feet and noticed that this stuff was doin' the durn thing! I was pretty amazed that it was doing so well. I mean we just talked about cheap razors so I was concerned that I was going to talk about cheap foot lotion. But, no my friends not this time.

I don't want to talk about what's in this (urea) because it could gross you out. But if I don't get the proper care for the bottom of my feet, that could gross you out too and I don't eat with my feet or anything so a little grossness on my feet is ok, as long as it works. This works.

I'm going to keep trying this for a while longer before moving on to the next foot product. It's not as good as my HG foot cream but it is decent. The verdict is still out on if I'd buy it again.

It depends on if I find anything better.

Isn't that what we are all doing folks -- chasing the next best cosmetic thing?

What foot cream are you currently using or did you just give up and put on tennis shoes?

Lesson Learned - Cheap Razors

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Ok, ok! I've learned my lesson!

I can't believe I made a mistake like this one. I know the difference between a good deal and a bad bargain. I know that sometimes a cheap item is just that -- a cheap item.

What did I buy cheaply and it didn't work out this time?

Razors.

I know, don't yell at me. I picked up a 5 pack from the Dollar Tree thinking they'd be just as good as anything else I've used. I mean, I don't always buy the expensive, 6 blade, special lotion strip razors. This brand said that they had the lotion strip. They said that they had 3 super sharp razors. What they have is my $1!

These razor couldn't cut paper. I mean really, not to get all graphic or anything, I normally only need 3 swipes under the arm and we're all good. If I get lazy and wait an extra day or two, maybe 4 swipes. These things took ten, eleven and TWELVE swipes and I got ok results. It's a razor. I shouldn't have to swipe TWELVE times! When you are a razor, your goal in life is to cut hair. You should at least come close to that. These razors have failed in life.

So, I replaced them with a plain old pack of $2.99 Bic Silky Touch Razors with 2 blades. They worked soooo much better than the Dollar Tree brand. And honestly, I only save .99 cents by buying the cheap ones! What was I thinking??

I will spend the extra money and keep using what I've been using. I've learned my lesson. Cheaper isn't always better!

Quickie Review - Wet n Wild Under The Sheet Makeup Wipes

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I picked up my pack of Wet n Wild Under The Sheet makeup wipes a little over a week ago. I saw them at Walgreens for $2.99 a pack. I was concerned about my purchase because I accidentally saw a review that said the wipes were waaaaay too wet. I didn't think that it would be a problem but I was skeptical none the less.

Well, I need not have worried! These wipes are GREAT!

First, let's get the housekeeping out of the way. This pretty little blue pack holds 25 pre-moistened towelettes. They are gentle, hypoallergenic and supposedly great for sensitive skin. I have sensitive skin so I was ready to put them to the test.

They are great! They ARE wet. You can see bubbles on the pad and I have to say that I don't know that I've ever seen evidence of makeup remover solution on a wipe like that. They have the same smell that pretty much, all wipes have and cover a good amount of face real estate. I always use wipes as a first removal technique and then use my Purity Skin Cleanser afterwards. I have never used makeup remover wipes as my only means of makeup removal. So, I only used them to remove all traces of makeup for this review. Normally I would only use one wipe. To remove all my makeup (primer, foundation, powder, blush, highlighter and bronzer) I had to use 2 wipes and I had to rinse my face afterwards. But, I'd do that anyway so...

Overall, I like these pads. They do the job for me. The price point is great and they don't break me out. That's a winning combo in my book.

Have you tried these? Have you been thinking about it? My opinion is spend the $2.99!