April Favorites!

Hey guys, I know I've been pretty absent lately on my blog but I'm going to be making some life update posts soon to fill you in on everything that's been going on!

On another note, it's crazy to think it's already May and we're almost half way through 2013. I thought New Years was yesterday?! But any who, on to what I've been wearing on my face throughout the April since I feel like I give the time flies speech every month ;)

July Favorites!

Is it weird that I'm glad summer is winding down and coming to an end? My birthday is in July, so of course its my favorite month, but I think I'm just ready for boots, scarves, and all the gorgeous jewel toned colors that come with fall! But until then (we still have a way to go before the seasons change), here are the things I've been enjoying in July:

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag!

Face:

Revlon ColorStay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin in "180 Sand Beige"

CARGO OneBase Concealer + Foundation In One

MAC Studio Fix Powder in "N5" 

MAC Blot Powder Pressed in "Medium"

Cheeks:

e.l.f. Studio Blush in "Peachy Keen"

e.l.f. Studio Blush in"Candid Coral"

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Blush in "Blushing Peach"

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Blush in "Rosy Glow"

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Concealer Pink Highlighter 

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

 MAC Paint Pot in "Indianwood"

 Stila Smudge Pot in "Kitten"

 COVERGIRL Eye Enhancers Trio in "Cafe Au Lait"

 Wet n Wild Color Icon Trio in "Walking On Eggshells"

Rimmel Special Eyes Precision Eye Liner Pencil in "Black Magic"

Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara in "Soft Black"

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express in "Blackest Black"

Hi lovelies!

I just got back from spending some time visiting my dad, so I thought I'd share the makeup bag I brought with me! I kept it pretty minimal since I wasn't gone for long, and as you can see I completely skipped on all lip products (other than lip balm of course)!

So let me know what you guys keep in your travel makeup bags :)

Clinique Black Honey Fall 2011 Collection

Black Honey, a colour collection inspired by a cult classic. What began in 1971 as simply a new Clinique lip gloss shade, the Black Honey colour instantly became a success. In 1989 when Black Honey – originally packaged in a pot – was later launched as an Almost Lipstick, no one realised the incredible impact it would have. During the decades that followed, Black Honey has changed formulas but the iconic berry shade remains. Legions of devoted women have turned it into a serious cult favorite and it has quickly evolved into a modern classic.

Today, a single lip colour has inspired an entire collection featuring violet and berry hues for the eyes, lips and cheeks; The New Black is flattering on all skin tones and ultra- wearable for a completely feminine look.

 Available at Nordstrom Now

 Color Surge Eyeshadow Quad:

$25.50

 Four coordinating shades of velvety color in a limited-edition Black Honey-inspired palette. Create the look you want, from natural to dramatic. Creamy, intense shadows build quickly, blend easily for lasting color.

Ophthalmologist tested. Limited edition. Featured in the Black Honey fall collection.

 Gradient Powder Blush:

$29.50

 Versatile powder blush creates the look you want, from a subtle glow to a cheek-sculpting intensity. Brush on all shades, or use lighter shades alone to highlight.

Limited edition.

Brush-On Cream Liner:

$15.00

   Creamy eyeliner brushes on deep, smoky, eye-defining color. Long-wearing, waterproof formula comes complete with a mini eyeliner brush. Ophthalmologist tested. Shade featured in the fall collection includes Black Honey.

 Dual Ended Almost Lipstick & Long Last Glosswear SPF 15:

$21.00

Cult favorite Black Honey gets even more seductive in an exclusive 2-in-1 lip duo. One side brings you original, emollient-rich Almost Lipstick; the other features a coordinating can't-buy-it Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 for extra shine. Featured in the Black Honey fall collection. 

 Almost Lipstick:

$14.50 

 Sheer, glossy slip of lightweight lip color in Clinique's exclusive Black Honey shade. This best-loved lip color is universally flattering yet looks a little different on everyone. Emollient-rich formula gives lips a sleek, moist finish. Featured in the Black Honey fall collection.

Tarte for True Blood Collection

tarte™ for True Blood™ limited-edition collection is available now on sephora.com! Additionally, it will be available for retail on 6/29 at tarte.com and store.hbo.com; as well as in mid-July at Sephora Stores and Ulta/Ulta.com.
Inspired by the edgy drama series, the collection includes three killer products: tarte™ for True Blood™ palette ($52.00 U.S./ $68.00 CDN), tarte™ for True Blood™ natural cheek stain in shimmering red ($30.00 U.S. / $39.00 CDN) and tarte™ for True Blood™ LipSurgence™ natural lip tint in shimmering red ($24.00 U.S./ $31.00 CDN). Emmy® award-winning makeup artist and True Blood makeup department head Brigette Myre-Ellis interpreted the color palette and helped develop the official tarte™ for True Blood™ beauty looks for the collection.

From Sephora:

 Tarte for True Blood™ Limited-Edition Palette ($331 Value)
What it is:
Inspired by the hit HBO® series True Blood™, Tarte's limited-edition palette is packed with 17 eye shadows, a full-size emphasEYES™ Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in black, a deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes! clinically-proven natural mascara and a deluxe Lifted™ Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol™.


What it does:
Get glamoured with this limited-edition palette packed with 17 killer new eye shadows and more. Each richly pigmented shadow is softly milled and infused with Amazonian clay for pure color payoff, silky application and long wear. From ethereal goddess to vampy vixen, you can create countless looks using these shimmering, matte, and smoky shades. Open after dark: Buried in this palette's pull-out drawer is a full-size EmphasEYES™ Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in black, a deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes! clinically-proven natural mascara and a deluxe Lifted™ Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol™ to help you complete your look. Turn into a real truebie using the four 'get the looks' included with each palette, created with the help of True Blood™'s award-winning lead makeup artist Brigette Myre-Ellis. Tune in to the new season of True Blood™, Sundays at 9/8c. Only on HBO®.

This set contains:
- 17 x 0.07 oz eye shadows
- 0.003 oz True Blood™ EmphasEYES Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in Black
- 0.1 oz True Blood™ Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara in Black
- 0.08 oz True Blood™ Lifted Natural Eye Primer


What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Phthalates


What else you need to know:
17 limited-edition eye shadows include:
The Light (shimmering warm ivory), Fairy (shimmering pink), Dusk (matte warm taupe), Dawn (shimmering gold dust), Werewolf (matte chocolate), Waitress (sparkling pink champagne), Nocturnal (sparkling deep indigo), Charmer (sparkling burnt copper), Glamour Me (sparkling deep plum), Stake (matte steel), Bayou (shimmering golden tan), Telepath (sparkling warm rose), The True Death (sparkling silver), Immortal (sparkling midnight black), Moss (shimmering forest green), Legend (deep matte black), "V" (sparkling crimson).


Research results:
Lights, Camera, Lashes! Clinically-Proven Natural Mascara increases the appearance of lash volume by 424% and lash curl by 90.2%. Lifted™ Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol™ decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by 51%.

From Sephora:

 

Tarte for True Blood™ Limited-Edition Natural Cheek Stain
What it is:
Show your true colors with Tarte's limited-edition, sparkling red cheek stain inspired by the hit HBO® series True Blood™.


What it does:
Have you spent eternity in search of an everlasting glow? Meet your maker. Inspired by the hit HBO® series True Blood™, this sparkling red cheek stain blends on smooth and lasts from dawn to dusk and well into the night. One drop is all you need to create a crave-worthy natural luminescence for all skintones and types. Like all Tarte products, this lusty natural stain will do good things to you thanks to natural mineral pigments and fruit extracts. Tune in to the new season of True Blood™, Sundays at 9/8c. Only on HBO®.


What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Phthalates
- Triclosan

Size: 1 oz

From Sephora:

Tarte for True Blood™ Limited-Edition LipSurgence™ Natural Lip Tint
What it is:
Rehydrate with this mint-infused, iridescent red shade of Tarte's limited-edition LipSurgence™ Natural Lip Tint, inspired by the hit HBO® series True Blood™.


What it does:
Experience love at first taste with Tarte's LipSurgence™ Natural Lip Tint, inspired by the hit HBO® series True Blood™. It's all flavor and no bite with this mint-infused, iridescent red shade that drenches lips in a luminous, long-lasting tint. Tarte's LipSurgence™ technology rehydrates lips by delivering a surge of moisture for a deliciously plumped up appearance. Tune in to the new season of True Blood™, Sundays at 9/8c. Only on HBO®.


What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Phthalates

Size: 0.1 oz

Being a fan of True Blood, I was SO excited when I heard Tarte was launching this new collection! But after seeing the products they came up with, it leaves a little to be desired. True Blood has SO many things they would have worked with to come up with a cohesive collection that accurately ties in the show, but Tarte really didn't seize the opportunity!


Let's start off with the eyeshadow pallet, the colors are all very wearable neutrals (which if you've ever seen the show, there is a lot of bold makeup) so I'm guessing that was just a ploy to get the pallet to sell more. Honestly, I thought about buying it because the colors do look stunning (don't hate the player, hate the game) but I'm a huge packaging fanatic, and I can't get over how ugly the outside of this pallet is! I can see how Tarte was trying to capture the sexy element of True Blood, but the corset is just cheap looking and I wouldn't want to add that into my collection. It's such a bummer about the packaging, since the pallet comes with all the extra elements like an eye primer, eye liner, and mascara.

The cheek stain on the other hand, looks gorgeous! I love how the packaging is simple and sleek with just the True Blood logo. The color of the stain itself actually looks like a true blood red (get the pun?) that would be gorgeous for fall and winter to give you that just-came-in-from-the-cold flush. Tarte's cheek stains have a good reputation for being top notch, but I don't know if I really want to shell out the 30$ for just one product! Plus, my skin is oily, so I don't know how a liquid product like a stain would fair on my cheeks throughout the day.


Again, the lip tint has the much better classy packaging, but the color doesn't look much different from Tarte's existing collection of LipSurgence Natural Lip Tints. The price tag of $24 on this product isn't as damaging to my budget, but I'll have to swatch it myself to see what the color payoff is like and whether I'm okay with it being mint-infused, since minty things can sometimes irritate my lips/ I'm not a fan of the tingly sensation you sometimes get.


Overall, I'm not too impressed with Tarte's True Blood collection. There's so much that could be done with that theme, so it seems like such a waste to only release three products!

Walgreens Rimmel Haul

Walgreens is having some pretty good Rimmel sales this week (Advertised: 50% off lip and eye products, Unadvertised: 2 for 4 on Lasting Finish Pro nail polish and buy any Rimmel mascara get a free Rimmel eyeliner), so here are some of the goodies I picked up!:

• Rimmel The Max Volume Flash Mascara in "Extreme Black"

Price: $3.74 (50% off Rimmel Eye Products)

• Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel in "Sunset Orange"

Price: $2.00 (2 for $4.00)

• Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel in "Steel Grey"

Price: $2.00 (2 for $4.00)

• Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in "Purple Passion"

Price: Free with purchase of Rimmel Mascara

• Rimmel Lasting Finish Intense Wear Lipstick in "Airy Fairy"

Price: $2.64 (50% off Rimmel Lip Products)

• Rimmel Lasting Finish Intense Wear Lipstick in "Crush"

Price: $2.64 (50% off Rimmel Lip Products)

Rite Aid Haul

I took a little trip to Rite Aid the other day to take advantage of some of their weekly sales, and though I'd share some of the goodies I got with you guys :):

-St.Ives Apricot Scrub Invigorating

It was BOGO free on all St.Ives products last week, so I bought the ever so famous Apricot Scrub and another one for my mom because they had a pretty sad selection of St.Ives products

-Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 270 "Lacey Lilac"

 I discovered my lack of pastel colored nail polishes the other day when trying to pick a color for my toes, so I just grabbed a nice light purple color for my feet

-Rimmel Special Eyes Precision Eye Liner Pencil in "161 Black Magic"

All sorts of Rimmel products were dumped in the depths of the Rite Aid clearance box, so I'm wondering if that company is going out of business, or possibly re-doing their packaging? I've had some not so great experiences with Rimmel Special Eyes liners before, but I just couldn't pass it up when on clearance 

-Wet N Wild Color Icon Blusher in "Mellow Wine", "Heather Silk", and "Berry Shimmer"

The Wet n Wild products were 40% off, so I went ahead and picked up these blushes since I've never really been a big blush person and I'm trying to get into it, plus I've heard great reviews on these from fellow beauty bloggers, so I have some pretty high expectations!

Smashbox In Bloom Spring 2011 Collection

A gorgeous collection of soft, wearable shades for easy, feminine spring style. Say goodbye to bold cold-weather looks and usher in spring with the fresh, natural In Bloom collection from Smashbox Cosmetics. The spring runways were rife with delicate girly looks, from radiant, lit-from-within skin to hazy, neutral eyes and glossy nude pouts. With light, luminous looks for eyes, cheeks, lips and skin, In Bloom is your ultimate spring beauty update.

 
Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss with SPF 15: 
$21.00

•   Timeless Soft pink
• Endless Kiss Coral pink

Eyeshadow Palette and Brush: 

 $48.00

Spring beauty is in full bloom with this ten shade palette of ultra-luxe shimmers and wearable mattes, arranged vertically in duos for effortless customization. Apply with the included eye shadow brush for a flawless finish. Includes: ballet pink, lavender grey, golden pink, warm taupe, bone, soft violet, marine blue, shimmering copper, moss, nude.

• Ballet Pink
• Lavender Grey
• Golden Pink
• Warm Taupe
• Bone, Soft Violet
• Marine Blue
• Shimmering Copper
• Moss
• Nude

 

 Cream Cheek Duo: 
$26.00

This duo of creamy, rose shades offers a sheer natural flush to cheeks and lips anytime, anywhere. Wear alone or pair together for a rush of custom color. Apply with fingertips or Smashbox Foundation Brush #13 and blend.

• Blushing
• Peony

Artificial Light Luminizing Powder:
$20.00

Inspired by top-selling Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion, this soft shimmering powder highlights and brightens for a radiant glow. Apply to inner corners of eyes, down the bridge of nose, above brows and to the tops of cheekbones with the targeted applicator. It can also be mixed with body lotion and applied to arms, legs and décolleté for a subtle shimmer. 

• Shimmering Soft Nude

Soft Focus Powder Eyeliner: 

$22.00

Available in Heather Grey and Dark Brown. This innovative powder formula creates a soft smoldering look in seconds. Before using, shake well and tap off any excess powder before lining the lashline. 

• Heather Grey
• Dark Brown

Where To Buy: Smashbox.com, Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Beauty.com, and Macy's

All of these items are available now to curb your Spring fever!

Rimmel Special Eyes Eyeliner Pencils

Special Eyes Eye Liner Pencil produces a precise and well defined line for accentuating the eyes with an intense, fade resistant colour finish.

Available in 8 Shades:

• Panama 111
•  Rich Brown 114
• Azure Shimmer 121
• Ivy 130  
• Navy Blue 135 
• Burgundy 140
• Black Magic 161 
• Hurricane Grey 164

Pros: They're cheap.

Cons: The product is not the least bit creamy, and tugs at the skin around your eyes when you try to put it on. You have to really press hard for it to even come out a little bit, and once it does finally decides to, the color isn't even. Some parts are darker than others, and it just looks like a huge mess. I tried warming them up in my hands a little, and it's still blotchy. The colors look ugly in the packaging, and worse on your face.

From my experience, Rimmel should just stop trying to make a good eyeliner.

Rimmel Eyeful Eye Glistener

Left to Right: Straight Laced, Stand Out, Girls Only, Flaunt; Photo by Makeup And Beauty Blog

The made-easy wet look tool for glossing lids in vibrant, yet transparent, rainbow colours. This glistening eye colour can be used as a shadow or liner.

Available in 5 Shades:

•  Girls Only (100)
• Straight Laced (200)
•  Talk To Me (400)
• Stand Out (500)
• Flaunt (700)

Left to Right: Straight Laced, Stand Out, Girls Only, Flaunt; Photo by Makeup And Beauty Blog

Pros: The colors are beautiful, and there's so much pigmentation. I have the pencils in 500 Stand Out, which is a really glittery lime green color, and 400 Talk To Me, a shimmery teal blue. They go on super smooth because the product is so creamy, but I think that's why it creases super easily.

Cons: Half way through first period I can already see the liner start to crease, which is why I've never tried to use these all over my lid, it would just be a big mess. There's so much product in the pencil, but there's no way to get it out. I've tried sharpening my Eye Glisteners, but it the tips just end up getting all smooshed.

Left to Right: Talk To Me, Stand Out, Girls Only; Photo by Temptalia

These pencils look so cute, and I wish they would work better, but they just don't!

Left to Right: Straight Laced, Stand Out, Girls Only, Flaunt; Photo by Makeup And Beauty Blog

Another Fabulous Review of Rimmel Eyeful Eye Glisteners By Fabulous Finds!