October Sayonara Products

This month I finished up a whopping fifteen products; more impressive than that,eleven are cosmetic items! I have mentioned in other posts that I have really buckled down on makeup spending, buying only the products that I need, have thoroughly research, and/or have been really craving for a long time. As such, I am hauling less and focusing on and using up what I already have more! Here are the products that I said goodbye to this past month:

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in Medium Light

As far as drugstore concealers go, this is one of the best that I have found. It is really creamy, has nice coverage, and lasts all day when set with powder. It works best on blemishes but this wouldn't be my first pick for dark circles- it tended to cake up a little and crease under the eyes, and doesn't have the peachy undertones to really cancel out the blue. I have a few other concealers to use up, but I would consider purchasing it again.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original, minis x2

I received both of these mini PPs in palettes and have bee amazed by how long they have lasted me! UDPP is the only primer I have ever used or tried, and I haven't felt the need to look elsewhere because it does what it is supposed to do- make shadows more vibrant, prevent creasing, and prolong wear time. I replaced these two empties with a full-sized version in Eden, as seen in my recent Sephora Haul.

EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm

Remember when everyone was raving about these? There is a lot to love here- all natural, organic, fun and unique packaging, tasty flavors. I wouldn't say this lip balm provided the most hydration to my lips, but it certainly got the job done! I used this until the sphere was flat, and then using a toothpick I dug out the rest of the product and mixed it with sugar to make a lip sugar scrub.

Almay Makeup Erase Sticks

My mom gave these to me to throw in my purse, but I found that these were most helpful in the mornings to clean up residual eye makeup that transferred to my lower lash line. The stick of the q-tip is filled with makeup remover, and when you snap one of the cotton buds off the liquid saturates the other end. These were nice to have, but not an essential for me. 

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel

This is just plain ol' witch hazel in a convenient squirt bottle. After washing my face I would load a cotton pad up with witch hazel and clean off any residual makeup, especially in my hairline. This did the trick, and it also did a decent job of shrinking my pores. I'll buy witch hazel again, but to save a few pennies I will just get the generic bottle.

Bath & Body Works Midnight Pomegranate EDT

I picked this up in one of my mad hunts to find my signature scent, and it just didn't work out. Although I always received compliments when I wore it, I personally found it too sweet and fruity.

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Press Powder in Buff

I kept this in my purse to touch up throughout the day, and it was fine for a quick blot. However, as a setting powder this was pretty low performing- my skin was shiny within a few short hours, and reapplication lends itself to looking cakey.

Cover Girl Professional Natural Lash Mascara in Clear

I used this to set my brows, and it served me just fine! However, I have found another affordable clear mascara (Maybelline Great Lash) that has a smaller brush that is easier to tame my brows with, so I won't be repurchasing.

NARS Orgasm Illuminator

As a highlight and gel blush, I personally found this product pretty pointless. The gel was too thin, and once applied the pretty pinky gold shimmers were all but blended away. However, I did like this mixed with my foundation. I typically opt for matte finishes because they control oil better, but for a little luminosity I liked to mix this in. I did purchase a full size of this in Copacabana after falling in love with the color and reading that the formula was thicker than Orgasm's. Updates on that soon!

Estée Lauder Double Matte Foundation in Cool Dusk

While researching Double Wear the SA provided me a sample with Double Matte as well. In short, this was a let down: though it gives excellent coverage, it fails to control oil, it looks mask-like, and leaves you white cast in photos. Read the full review here.

Sephora Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer in Medium Peach

On its own, this is not a superior product. It is a little oily and provided almost zero coverage. However, I liked to mix this with my Revlon ColorStay for a more natural finish. I recently replaced this with Tart'es Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer, which I am loving so far so expect a review soon!

philosophy vanilla birthday cake shower gel

This was my birthday gift from Sephora, and it really did smell like cake! I enjoyed this while it lasted, but I don't want to smell like cake all the time. 

LORAC Perfect Lit Oil Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight

This little deluxe sample lasted me almost a full year, and I vacillated between love and ambivalence. At times I wouldn't think it wasn't anything special, but in comparison to other, lower-end highlighters I can tell how soft, smooth, and natural it applies to the skin. No big shimmers here, just a nice lit from within glow. 

 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil in Zero

This liner is among many bloggers' favorites, and I enjoyed it, too. Zero is very black, and the formula is incredibly creamy and easy to apply yet sets quickly and is long lasting. The only problem I had with this is that it didn't last on my waterline as long as I expected. I would repurchase this, put the price is pretty steep. I am testing out the Milani LIQUIF EYE Metallic Eyeliner Pencil in Black to see how it compares.

Phew! That's a lot!

What did you finish up this past month?

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Almay , Bath and Body Works , Cover Girl , EOS , Estee Lauder , Lorac , NARS , philosophy , Physicians Formula , Revlon , Sayonara Products , Skin Care , Urban Decay

Sephora Friends & Family Sale Haul

Here are the items I picked up during the recent Sephora Friends & Family Sale. I resisted the urge to splurge, hauling only three "must have" products and one that I have been lusting after for a few months.

The "must have" products are:

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer

I adore Tarte's Amazonian Clay products, and read a bit of hype on this product, which is supposedly more like a light to medium coverage foundation than a tinted moisturizer. My oily prone skin has actually been, dare I say, more normal and balanced lately, and I have looking to branch out from matte finish, full-coverage foundations to let my well-behaving skin show through. I am so excited to see if this fits the bill.  I bought the shade Agent 004, which is deigned for light skin with neutral undertones.

NARS Copacabana Illuminator

I had a deluxe sample of the Orgasm Illuminator, and I found it to be a great multipurpose product. However, I wasn't wild about the shade.  Copacabana is a pearly pinked beige, and I plan on mixing this in with my foundation and using it as a highlight.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden

My makeup life changed when I discovered eyeshadow primer, and I recently ran out of the various mini versions I had of the Urban Decay ones. I selected Eden, a matte tawny beige primer, to also help conceal discoloration on my lids.

My nonessential treat:

Illamasqua Blush in Katie

I have been lemming for this blush for months after seeing it featured on various blogs, namely Golden Glow and Getting Cheeky. Katie, a matte milky pink, is not a shade I typically gravitate towards but there is something about this pale, creamy color that I found irresistible.

Did you haul anything during the Sephora Friends & Family Sale?

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Haul , Illamasqua , NARS , Sephora , Tarte , Urban Decay

Coral Fever: Cheeks

This is the overdue second instillation of a three part mini-series on the Spring coral trend. If you find coral lips, like those in my first post, to be too bold for your taste, rockin' coral on your cheeks is a great alternative. From glowy peachy pink to shimmering orange, here is my small collection of coral blushes.

•  Milani Baked Blush in Corallina- This budget friendly drugstore buy is an awesome orange coral with a gold shimmery punch. This can be applied with a light hand for a subtle look, or you can build it up for a bright orange sparkle. Just look at the stunning marbling.

•  Urban Decay Powder Blush in Score- This is a nice peachy pink with a golden sheen. I picked this up during a Hautelook sale for $5, though it usually retails for around $17. Though I wouldn't pay full price for it, this is a versatile blush that leaves a nice glow to the cheeks.

•  Tarte Amazonian Clay Long Wear Blush in Tipsy- I am obsessed with this blush. It is the most expensive of the lot, but the long-wearing formula and rich pigmentation make it worth the $25 I shelled out for it. Tipsy is a stunning matte coral that I couldn't imagine not having in my collection.

• E.L.F. Studio Blush in Peachy Keen- At $3, this is the cheapest of the lot but performs like a more high end brand. Peachy Keen is a peach shade with a subtle golden sheen. It is a very light shade, so if you are looking for a pop of color this isn't your best choice. However, I like to pair this with a bronzed, contoured cheek for a natural glow. E.L.F. also has a true coral blush called Candid Coral- it looks nice, but I couldn't justify picking it up because of the several other coral blushes I have.

•  NARS Orgasm Illuminator- I received this deluxe sample from Sephora, and honestly I am still on the fence about it. It is lovely, but I am not sure if it is worth nearly $30 for a full sized tube. In their signature shade Orgasm, this illuminator has a gel-like consistency that works best as a cheekbone highlight. Pair this with any coral blush for maximum coral payoff.

Gel-like consistency

Blended in

 Here are some comparison swatches:

L. to R.: Milani Corallina, Urban Decay Score, Tarte Tipsy, E.L.F. Peachy Keen, NARS Orgasm Illuminator

Do you have any coral blushes? Which are your favorites? Keep an eye out for the final post in the series on coral nails!

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Blush , E.L.F. , Milani , NARS , Tarte , Urban Decay