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 ;)

A Very Late November Favorites!

 

 Hey guys, I know I've been lacking in the post department this month but the Holiday season is in full swing and I'm mobbed with work! I'm trying my best to update as much as I can but by the time I get home pretty much the only thing I want to do is sleep for a million hours.

But anyway, I'm showing you my November favorites! I've been trying to pick up products I haven't used in a while this month just to switch up my routine because we all know we can get stuck in a rut using the same makeup over and over again.

Reviva Labs Makeup Primer: Review, Photos, & Swatches

If you're satisfied with how you look in makeup, wait till you see how good you look with Revivas amazing MAKEUP PRIMER under your makeup. Your skin will feel unbelievably smooth, like a baby's. And your look...almost flawless. Lines filled in, pores concealed, excess oil controlled. Once you try it, you won't want to be without it. It's another Reviva discovery to help you look your best! Under makeup or alone the visible, touchable results are beautiful! Over moisturizer or directly on clean skin, apply just a drop on forehead, each cheek and above jaw line. Massage in lightly over entire face. Allow product to absorb. Then apply makeup. You'll love the smooth, velvety feel and look. Men, of course, can use it directly on skin. Perfects skin by refining the texture. Fills in lines, conceals pores, and controls excess oil. Helps skin instantly look and feel smooth and silky. Helps makeup foundation last longer (safe under eye shadow, too). And COQ10 adds protective antioxidant action. Our Makeup Primer is good for any skin type, even oily. You get the oil control you want, along with soft, supple skin. Completely fragrance-free and non-comedogenic (which means it won't cause clogged pores and breakouts). 

Ingredients:

Cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), olive oil, coenzyme Q10, squalane.

Where to Buy: Revivlabs.com, $19.50 

 The Reviva Labs Makeup Primer ($19.50 for 1 fl.oz.) is supposed to create a flawless base to either put makeup on top of or wear alone. Now I actually got sent this primer from Reviva Labs in August of last year and I've been using it ever since, comparing to other primers along the way!

Haulin' It!

 

I recently finished up a few makeup items (an empties post coming soon!) so I treated myself to a little online Sephora order after lusting over some items, and got around to using a gift card Apothica they so kindly sent me!

MAC Matte Cream: Review & Photos

A matte-ifying cream that acts like a powder, M·A·C Matte adds a sheer, no-shine matte texture in one smooth layer. May be used on bare or made-up skin. Use a latex sponge or a 252 Large Shader Brush to apply over the entire face or in the T-zone to reduce the appearance of shine. Apply M·A·C Matte after moisturizer, but before foundation to prime the skin for makeup. Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation applies smoothly and effortlessly over top of M·A·C Matte.

Where to Buy: Maccosmetics.com, $19.00

MAC Matte Cream ($19.00 for 0.75 0z)  is actually a gel formula primer that is supposed to act as a barrier between your face and make that will help minimize the breakthrough of oil throughout the day.

Little MAC Haul

I actually ended up returning a MAC Studio Fix Powder (didn't do anything for me, ended up looking cakey no matter how I applied it/doesn't have enough coverage) and a MAC Lipstick in Creme d' Nude (absolutely RUBBISH! Never ever again will I buy a high-end lipstick, not moisturizing at all and sinks into every line on my lips, Revlon makes SUCH better lipsticks for half the price).

So with my store credits I decided to branch out and try something other than MAC eye products (which seems to be all I go for lately) and grab a blush and a primer!

I was looking at the new Shop MAC Cremeblend Blush in Optimistic Orange, but its way darker in person (think burnt orange) and looks an awful lot like the NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Orange, so I think I'm going to save my money and go for that one since its only $5.50 on Cherry Culture (on a side note, does anyone know where you can get NYX in stores besides Ulta?! There isn't one in my area).

No other cream blushes caught my attention, so I went on looking at the powders. I knew I wanted something orange and close to my everyday Physicians Formula Blushing Peach, but without the shimmer. The lovely Makeup Artist recommended Peaches which is a sheertone, and it ended up coming home with me! I really love the color in the pan, but it takes a little bit of building to make it show up on me (I'm only a MAC NW 20) so I don't know, I'm going to play around with it a bit and if it doesn't get any better I'll exchange it for Melba.

Lately my skin has been going through some ups and downs, some days my foundation will look like I just put it on after 6 hours, and some days its a blotchy mess after 2 hours! This led me over to the primer section of MAC, and when I saw the words "MATTE" I knew it was for me! I've tried out the MATTE Cream a few times, and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. My face is still really oily after like an hour, but my skincare routine has been changing a little so maybe that's the real problem.

I'm going to do full reviews on these two things, so I'll let you guys know how they end up working out for me!

My Christmas Beauty Gifts!

Majorly Delayed Black Friday Goodies

Sephora:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Price: $19.00 (I actually traded in my Too Faced Shadow Insurance for this)

Charlotte Russe:

These GORGEOUS fringed colorblock earrings, I can see these getting a ton of use

Price: $4.00 (all jewelry was 30% off)

Bath & Body Works:

Black Raspberry Vanilla Shower Gel

Price: Free (Buy 3 get 3 free)

Black Raspberry Vanilla Body Lotion

Price: Free (Buy 3 get 3 free)

Secret Wonderland Body Lotion

Price: Free (Buy 3 get 3 free)

Vanilla Bean Noel Body Lotion

Price: $10.50

Shea-Infused Lounge Socks

Price: Free (were being given away with any purchase)

Vanilla Bean Noel Fragrance Mist

Price:  $12.00

Black Raspberry Vanilla Fragrance Mist

Price: $12.00

Strawberry Sparkler Preview Sized Body Lotion

Price: Free (were being given away with any purchase)

I left the house at 5am with my mom on Black Friday and we didn't really score any amazing deals, but I just really wanted to do it more for the experience :)

It was quite fun and I really want to make it a yearly thing!

Do tell me if you managed to grab any spectacular deals!

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eyeshadow Primer

What It Is: 

Your full coverage insurance policy against all fading, creasing and smudging. Our skin-soothing formula evens out skin tone and smoothes fine lines to create a perfect canvas for shadows. Color is intensified and locked down until you take it off. 

More To Love: 

• Unique Binders: Volatiles lock down eye shadow pigments for amazingly long wear. 
• Versatility: Use with powder or cream eye shadow products. 
• Fights Fading: Anti-creasing formula holds eye products in place by securing a barrier between the oils of your skin and your makeup. 
• Concentrated: The size of a rain drop covers the entire lid.

Net Weight:
0.35 Oz. (Metric: 11g)


Ingredients:
Isododecane, Talc, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyethylene, Trihydroxystearin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Isopropyl Lanolate, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Dimethicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Mica. (+/-): Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

Pros:

-I love the design of the tube (I'm such a sucker for anything vintage!), its very classy and simple

-The squeeze-y tube design is very functional (unlike the old Urban Decay Primer Potions) and allows you to get all the product possible out of the tube/control the exact amount you want

-I don't really mind paying $18 for the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, I think you really get your moneys worth with the amount of product you get (I've had this eyeshadow primer since April/I pretty much use it 5 days a week and I still have 3/4 left)!

Cons:

-If you leave this unused for a few days the product actually separates inside the tube and you'll end up with a watery mess if you don't roll the tube between your hands

-I find the smell of this primer to be dreadful, its very plastic-y and so strong that I can smell it when applying (it does fade in a minute or two)

-Some people claim that you only need a little dab of the Too Faced Shadow Insurance to keep your eyeshadow from creasing all day, but if I only use a small amount it creases within 3 hours which means I have to use more than a small dab in the morning (I'd rather have a product that doesn't require more than usual in order to work like it should)

-Even with extra primer, I still begin to fade after 3 hours and crease after 4

-I have pretty dry skin around my eyes and if I get even the tiniest amount of this primer near the dry patches it looks horrid, it turns white and chalky, looks like my skin is going to flake off!

-You have to make sure to really blend this on your eyelid, if you don't you can tell where the primer is because it gets this white-ish color when dry

-This primer only comes in one light skin tone shade, and since it dries to a white-ish finish it could look really ashy if you have a darker skin tone

-I don't notice that the Too Faced Shadow Insurance makes my eyeshadows look anymore vibrant than they do on their own

Overall:

I had such high hopes for the Too Faced Shadow Insurance because of all the hype it receives about being a holy grail item for so many people. But I have to say this just ends up in my over-hyped disappointments pile! I have to use more product than the average person just to get it to last a couple of hours due to my oily lids, and even then it still fades/creases. The only reason I ended up grabbing this back in April instead of the Urban Decay Primer Potion is because there were serious flaws with the Primer Potion packaging. Now that Urban Decay has fixed all that and put it in a squeeze-y tube like the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, its on my list (I actually exchanged the Shadow Insurance today for the Primer Potion, love the Sephora return policy)! Maybe the Shadow Insurance works for some people, but it just failed miserably on my oily lids! So if you have the same problems as me, I'd skip this and go give the Primer Potion a try because you most likely need something thicker!

*I'm trying out a new style of reviews, this way is a lot faster for me to do so I can get a lot more done and I think its a little more to the point! So let me know if you like this style or prefer the old one!*

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 :)

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!

Urban Decay Primer Potions In A Tube?!

Huh, I was browsing around Sephora's "Just Arrived" section and came across the all the Urban Decay Primer Potions, but in the tube? 

I'm not talking about the professional size, but here, Sephora is actually selling Urban Decay Primer Potion in a regular sized tube (its exclusive to them, for now at least).

The tube packaging is definitely not as cute as the potion (and a dollar more expensive), but its nice to know Urban Decay actually listened to all their customers.

I never considered buying Urban Decay Primer Potion because of the whole depotting issue, but hey, maybe I'll give it a try now and do a little Two Faced Shadow Insurance comparison of my own.

Here's all the information from Sephora:

Eyeshadow Primer Potion Tube
What it is:
An eye shadow primer that preps, brightens, and provides all-day wear.

What it does:
Packaged in a new squeeze tube with a precise needle nose, these bestselling primer potions glide effortlessly onto the skin providing the ultimate eye prep for smoother, more vibrant shadow and all-day, creaseless wear. The original, award-winning formula disappears completely when applied—ideal for the purist who wants a straightforward primer. Eden, Greed, and Sin work triple-duty as primers, highlighters, or eye shadows. If you want to avoid shimmer, Eden provides a matte, nude wash of color. Greed and Sin both feature a sensual shimmer that makes eyes pop. Formulated in an array of textures, the shades in this line truly offer something for everyone.

What else you need to know:
The squeeze tube version of this product is exclusive to Sephora for a limited time.

 Size: 0.37 oz

Eyeshadow Primer Potion Tube - Original
What it is:
A sheer nude eye shadow primer.

What it does:
Packaged in a new squeeze tube with a precise needle nose, Eyeshadow Primer Potion is an ultra-sheer, totally nude base that glides onto the skin. The original, award-winning formula disappears instantly and is the ultimate eye prep for smoother, more vibrant shadow and all-day wear with absolutely no creasing.

What else you need to know:
The squeeze tube version of this product is exclusive to Sephora for a limited time. 

Eyeshadow Primer Potion Tube - Eden
What it is:
A tawny matte eye shadow primer.
What it does:
Packaged in a new squeeze tube with a precise needle nose, this triple-duty product also works as a highlighter or eye shadow. Perfect for more mature customers or those who want to avoid shimmer, this versatile shade instantly brightens the eyes and provides the ultimate prep for creaseless, more vibrant shadow and all-day wear.

What else you need to know: The squeeze tube version of this product is exclusive to Sephora for a limited time.

Eyeshadow Primer Potion Tube - Greed
What it is:
A shimmering gold eye shadow primer.

What it does:
This primer makes color more vibrant and lasting without any creasing. Try a sexy glimmer applied at inner corners of eyes, or wear it alone to transform your eyelids into those of a fierce seductress. This potion even works as a radiant brow bone highlighter, and can add a golden sheen underneath any eye shadow.

What else you need to know:
The squeeze tube version of this product is exclusive to Sephora for a limited time.

Eyeshadow Primer Potion Tube - Sin
What it is:
A shimmering champagne eye shadow primer.

What it does:
Packaged in a new squeeze tube with a precise needle nose, this triple-duty product also works as a highlighter or eye shadow. The bestselling champagne shade is soft, versatile, and provides the ultimate eye prep for creaseless, more vibrant shadow and all-day wear.

What else you need to know:
The squeeze tube version of this product is exclusive to Sephora for a limited time.

Photo by Temptalia

Photo by Temptalia

Original, Eden, Greed, Sin; Photo by Temptalia

MAC And Sephora Haul

MAC:

Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 in NW20

I asked the woman at the MAC counter to recommend a concealer that would be really thick and do a good job at covering up blemishes/my discoloration. She told me about the Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35, tried out a few colors, and told me NW20 would suite my skin the best. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular since the makeup artists never put on enough product when trying things on in the store because they don't want to risk it looking cake-y, but I was amazed to see that all of the little blemishes and discoloration were completely GONE! I've always struggled with finding concealers that will cover up the unsightly dark blue marks on my face from picking at my acne (such a bad habit!) because most makeup artists have told me there's no way to completely cover it up. But I find that if I put a few layers of the Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 on, it's like liquid skin; this is my first ever holy grail makeup item!

Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in N5

 My mom actually bought this foundation a while ago, and her skin has looked so good ever since! So when I went to MAC, I knew this foundation was a perfect fit for me, especially since I have oily skin and powder is pretty much the only thing I can wear! So I asked the makeup artist (who was such a sweetheart by the way, none of that you-look-young-so-I'm-going-to-be-snotty crap!) to match me to a color, and she said I could either wear NW25 or N5. I was surprised because I thought I would have been NW20 like my concealer? But I guess not! My mom's color is actually NW25, so I opted against that because I think she's way darker than me (plus it would probably come across orange-y on my skin!). I should've asked the makeup artist to

try out N5 on my skin before I bought it, but luckily it's my absolute perfect match, so she has a good eye! So far, I'm absolutely loving this powder!

  Lipstick in Creme d'Nude

I knew when I went to MAC that I really wanted to get a nude lipstick, but I just wasn't sure which one would work for me! The makeup artist tried out a bunch and we both came to the conclusion that Creme d'Nude looks the best since it has peach undertones so I wouldn't get the "concealer lips" look (which I honestly want to try just putting concealer on my lips for a look!). I had previously looked at this color online, and it didn't really appeal to me since you can tell from the picture above, it looks too pink and dark to actually be a nude (lesson learned that you really need to look at things up close and personal!). This color has become one of my go-to lip products for the Spring and I'm so glad I picked it up!

Sephora:
Two Faced Shadow Insurance

Two Faced Shadow Insurance has been on my list for such a long time! I kept debating between this and the Urban Decay Primer Potion, but the whole "depotting" aspect to the Primer Potion really put me off, so I decided on Shadow Insurance! At first I really didn't think it kept my shadows on any longer than they would without a primer, but I found that I need more than just a little speck due to my oily skin! Now I really love this eye primer, and I'm glad I picked this over Urban Decay!

Be on the lookout for reviews on all these products!