10 Lipstick Formulas You Should Try

lipstickcollage

I’ve been really into trying different lipstick formulas lately and I wanted to share with you some of my favorite formulas! If you haven’t tried these yet, you should!

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NYX Boudoir Collection Mascaras

Raise your hand if you got excited when NYX launched a collection of 7 new mascara formulas with 7 unique wands? Ooohh, me, me, me!

Raise your hand if you’ve also tried a couple of them and been sorely disappointed.

Me. [Read more…]

NYX Mood Gloss Review

One of the things I snagged at IMATS LA was this NYX Mood Lip Gloss. This is their original first shade. It’s still sold packaged like this through Cherry Culture, but no longer through NYX. NYX has since renamed this shade “Romantic Love” and changed the packaging since they have other colors now. But they were selling these older packaging tubes at the show (probably to get rid of the old packaging). As with many things stuck near the cash register just to entice you, this did just that. [Read more…]

Stuff I’m Trying Out

Helloooooo everyone! Just wanted to do a little update about stuff that I’m trying out right now or have tried recently. Sometimes products aren’t worth writing an entire review about but I still want to give you some quick thoughts in case you are considering them. But I will also have full in-depth reviews coming on a few of these as well.

Makeup! 

I just got a bunch of Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadows – their new shadow pencils. LOVE so far!! I received 3 and they’re all lovely shades but I’ve really only had a chance to play with one of them, so a full review will come once I have been able to play with them all. But these are awesome!! If you’re thinking of trying one out, do it. :)

Earlier this month I randomly decided to buy some goodies from Tarte. I’ve been really into their Lipsurgence pencils lately, and I plan to do an overview/review of the ones I have soon (I have 3, soon to be more since I swapped for some). I also have a couple of new Amazonian Clay blushes to review, and one of their new (?) maracuja blush tints. Reviews reviews reviews!

The folks at Blanc to Noir sent me NYX‘s glide-on pencil in Jewel to review, and I quite like it. When I get a chance to take some pictures of it, I’ll have a review up. *crosses fingers* I really hope I have time to take product pics this weekend. Don’t worry poppets, they’re coming soon!!!!

Also going to be trying out a couple of lipsticks from Beauty Without Cruelty. I’ve only swatched these so far but the colors are lovely. And last but not least in the makeup category, I’m reviewing a lip product from It Cosmetics that I adore. 

Hair!

Oooooohhh you guys. I have recently had the joy of receiving the HANAair Professional Hair Dryer to review from Misikko. The peeps at Misikko are SO nice, and so is this hair dryer. Holy cow. I believe with tools that you do get what you pay for, and though this dryer is expensive, it’s AWESOME. Definitely watch out for a full review coming soon! I’ll also be reviewing the HANA Shine Shield Thermal Protectant at the same time.

Skin!

I bit the bullet. Big time. I don’t know if I’m an idiot or just brave, LOL. But during the Lancome Friends & Family sale I decided to finally break down and try Visionnaire. Visionnaire is their advanced skin corrector that claims to target wrinkles, pores, and uneven skin tone. It retails for a whopping $84 though, so uh who wants to shell out that kind of cash?! For 20% off though I thought okay, fine. I’ll give it a shot. My first impression is that it seems to have a calming effect on my skin, which I like. It’s way too soon to tell if it’s doing anything for me though. I also got a large sample of their Clarifying Toner, which I really like even though it’s kind of “stingy” – do not get this stuff in your eyes – FOR REAL. It’ll hurt! But it makes my skin feel really clean and fresh.

Recently I tried Beauty Without Cruelty aromatherapy AHA lotion, which is said to be for face or body. I have a love hate relationship with the product, so I’ll be reviewing that in full later – too much to talk about now. It deserves its own review.

Of the things I mentioned I’m reviewing soon, what should I do first? Tell me!

NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation Review

I was recently contacted by a site called Blanc to Noir, which sells all sorts of makeup brands including NYX, Sigma, Face Front, and Real Techniques just to name a few. There’s loads more but that’s just off the top of my head. They asked me if I’d be willing to review some products from their site, and I was excited to see they had some of the newer offerings from NYX that I was interested in trying so of course I said yes! [Read more…]

GIVEAWAY: Get Your NYX Fix

If you were one of the angry mob of people who were unable to get your NYX on during the anniversary sale, this giveaway is for you! I put together a little goodie bag of NYX for one lucky reader of things I happened to have that are brand new. I can add more to the bag with some things that have been previously swatched if you guys want. Let me know in the comments with your entry if you would be interested in that or not. I’m just trying to give you guys options. :) 
To Enter: Simply leave a comment with your favorite NYX product or one you’d most like to try, and whether or not you’d be interested in a swatched item being added to your prize if you win (it’d be like an eyeshadow palette that has been swatched, or something like that). 
Who Can Enter: Anyone!
Entry Deadline: May 31st, 11:59 pm PST

NYX Propel My Eyes Mascara

I mentioned recently that I’d been trying a couple of NYX mascaras that I wasn’t wild about and wasn’t going to review. Well, guess I lied haha. I’ve been trying NYX Propel My Eyes mascara and Fly With Me mascara. Turns out, I don’t particularly like Fly With Me, but I do actually sorta like Propel My Eyes. It’s not a holy grail, but I thought it was worth discussing.
NYX says this wand has a “4-way pinwheel design”. Honestly, it’s kind of hard to tell when the wand is coated with mascara, haha. It’s designed to give your lashes lift. The formula is said to be conditioning due to the ingredients panthenol (vitamin B) and green tea extract. Alright, that’s what they say, here are my thoughts.
Application & Effect – Propel My Eyes mascara definitely gives my lashes a lot of lift. I am usually too lazy to curl my lashes unless it’s a special occasion, but my lashes don’t really need it with this product on. I apply my mascara in an upward and outward motion, which already lifts them quite a bit, but combined with this mascara I get a nice fan of lashes. The application requires a little bit of combing to keep my lashes from sticking together. Propel My Eyes mascara comes in one shade, “Jet Black”. It’s black enough even for Bernard Hopkins! I notice more lengthening than volumizing, though it does also volumize. The length is great.
Wear – Here’s where I get a little unhappy. My tube is a couple months old already so it might just be a sign of its age, but I do see a little flaking and smudging after it’s been on for a while. That makes me a sad panda. 
Flaking mascara makes me a sad panda.
Now here’s where I have a major issue with the mascara. It’s $13 bucks. That’s on the low end for a high end mascara, but for NYX, that’s pretty high. Doll Eyes mascara is only $9, and their “classic” long lash mascara is only $5, so why the huge jump in price? To put it in perspective, MAC mascaras are $14. I know NYX is trying to develop more “advanced” products, such as their HD line, but this just isn’t a $13 mascara. So I like it, but I wouldn’t buy it at full price. 
If you do decide to buy this, or any other NYX products, I highly recommend BeautyJoint.
Sample provided for editorial purposes.

Shopping Rave – Beauty Joint NYX Haul

Because of the complete and total fail of the NYX Anniversary Sale (I’m not going to get into detail, there are plenty of blogs and youtube videos about it), I gave up on placing my sale order and placed a smaller (but still fun) order on Beauty Joint instead. I just had to do a post about this site,  because I am utterly blown away! Beauty Joint sells NYX cosmetics at lower prices than on the NYX website. I was mostly interested in round lipsticks, which used to be a dollar and are now $4 on the NYX website. Beauty Joint has them for $1.99 apiece. They also have much better product photos than most sites that carry NYX products.

The shipping from Beauty Joint is is ridiculous in all the right ways. There is a $1.00 handling fee, and then I had the option of 1-2 day mail for $5.95 or 3-5 day mail for, get this, $2.90. Yeah. I picked the 3-5 day shipping. I checked out through Paypal and received an order confirmation immediately. But what blew me away is a few hours later, I got a shipping confirmation with tracking number. Their website says same day international shipping, and they really aren’t kidding.

You guys, I placed this order yesterday. It arrived today. After paying $2.90 shipping + $1.00 handling fee. Unfortunately they have to charge tax since they’re apparently in California as well, but them’s the breaks. The shipping and handling + tax is still cheaper than the gas I’d have to use to drive to a store that carries enough NYX to get what I ordered. And it came over night. Um, can you say customer for life?

And now, the haulage! First, the Round Lipsticks…

Round Lipstick “Thalia” – rosy pink nude
Round Lipstick “Pumpkin Pie” – peachy nude
Round Lipstick “Orange Soda” – peachy nude. Looks similar to Pumpkin Pie, but Orange Soda is lighter and slightly less warm.
Round Lipstick “Louisiana” – Gorgeous bright pink with a bit of coral. Actual color is a little brighter.
Round Lipstick “Indian Pink” – light warm pink that flashes gold
Round Lipstick “Fire” – beautiful bright pink that leans a bit warm
Round Lipstick “Fig” – mid-toned warm pink
Round Lipstick “Femme” – Insanely bright coral. 
Round lipsticks are very slick and moisturizing on the lips. They have a lot of slip, and are very saturated in pigmentation. You have to be kind of careful with them though, because the lipstick bullets themselves are quite soft. They feel very comfortable on the lips, and the color range is enormous. They have a very faint artificial fragrance that smells vaguely perfume/fruity, but it doesn’t last and I don’t smell it once it’s on my lips. Overall they are very nice lipsticks especially for the price. You might have to reapply more often than other lipsticks, but that’s a small price to pay when they feel and look so nice on.
NYX Girls Nail Polish “Carnival” – rainbow glitter of varying sizes (I’m hoping this satisfies my yen for Deborah Lippmann “Happy Birthday”!)
I’ve tried a few NYX nail polishes and really have no complaints, but I’ve never tried these so I thought I’d give this NYX Girls polish a try. I do not know what the difference is between NYX and NYX Girls, I just saw rainbow glitter and went “mine? mine? mine?” The NYX Girls nail polishes come in a zillion shades and finishes. This one is absolutely lovely, so unless it causes my fingers to turn blue and fall off I am pretty sure it won’t be my last.
Oh! I almost forgot. With my ship confirmation, I got a code for a small % off my next order. So you bet I will be ordering again sometime. I had a fabulous experience with my first Beauty Joint order. Nothing in this video was sponsored at all, I just had to share the experience!

Top Nude Lipstick Picks

Wearing MAC Blankety a few years ago when it was still new to me.
Fact: I love nude lipstick. My very first one was MAC Blankety and I have been hooked ever since. Since then I have collected quite a few. Here are my top picks for nude lipsticks! You’ll notice a lot of MAC, but those aren’t the only ones I love! MAC is just what I have a lot of. If you know of any dupes for these from other brands, feel free to post them in the comments!
  • MAC Blankety (Amplified Creme) (available at MAC)
  • MAC Modesty (Cremesheen)
  • MAC Patisserie (Lustre)
  • MAC Creme d’Nude (Cremesheen)
  • MAC Creme in Your Coffee (Cremesheen)
  • MAC Myth (Satin)
  • LORAC Breakthrough Performance Lipstick SPF 15 in Nude Scene (available at Sephora)
  • ELF Mineral Lipstick in Natural Nymph (available at ELF)
  • Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Cream Lipstick in Fable (available at Apothica)
  • Laura Mercier Stick Gloss in Brown Sugar (available at Sephora)
  • Polaris Cosmetics Lipstick in Tad (available at Polaris Cosmetics)
  • NYX Round Lipstick in Circe (available at Nonpareil Boutique)
  • NYX Round Lipstick in Rea
  • Jouer Cosmetics Lipstick in Meredith (available at Jouer Cosmetics)
Wearing MAC Modesty Cremesheen for a business meeting.
If you’re looking for drugstore colors, I was recommended both Revlon ColorBurst in Soft Nude (for a peachier nude) or L’Oreal Color Riche in Fairest Nude (more pinky beige nude). My favorite drugstore nude used to be a CoverGirl TruShine, but those jerks discontinued the line! I haven’t had a chance to try the new CG Nature Luxe lipsticks, but I do hear lots of good things about them.
How about you? What are your favorite nude lipsticks? Or if nude isn’t your cup of tea, what do you like to wear?
Jouer Cosmetics lipstick in Meredith

My Mom The Purple Princess

My mom loves purple. It is her faaaaavorite color. Sure, pink is nice, but this lady is serious about her purple stuff. Someday when I’m rich and famous (lol) I will buy her dream car and have it painted purple for her. So, inspired by my dear mommyloves, here are a bunch of awesome purple things, and where to buy them.

1. Makeup Cleansing Tissues w/ Lavender Extract – $2.80 / Forever 21
Okay so these aren’t exactly purple…but they smell purple. And my mom loves face wipes. These are great, by the way. I have the cucumber variety on my bedside table right now. I’m fairly certain these are the exact same wipes sold by Beauty Treats too.

2. Ruffled Silk Dress – $27.80 / Forever 21
How cute is this springy ruffled dress? I like that it is obviously a warm weather, daytime dress without being really revealing. I’m of the mind that with a great jacket or sweater and some tights, this dress could transition into cooler seasons as well.

3. French Connection Bow Back Knit Sweater – $50.20 / ASOS
Now that is how to show a little skin while still being classy. It’s sexy, not trashy at all, and the bows keep things feminine and pretty.

4. Benefit Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in “Kiss You” – $18 / Sephora
These lovely lip shines give a pop of color without any stickiness. If you’re timid about rocking a purple lip this spring and summer, a gloss is a great way to start.

5. Urban Decay De-Slick Mattifying Powder – $32 / Sephora
This powder is ever so slightly lavender-tinged in color, and comes in an absolutely gorgeous purple compact. I’ve used up a lot of my De-Slick and it has never let me down. It doesn’t cake, doesn’t look chalky, and keeps oilies and shine at bay.

6. Tweezerman Hot For Dots Matchbox Itty Bitty Files – $4 / Sephora, drugstores
I’ve been trying these out recently, and as soon as they came in the mail mom was hooked. “Can I have one?” she asked while opening the box, hahaha. Anything miniature is cute, and miniature with polka dots? Sold.

And for more purpley goodness…

Best Purple Eye Shadows

  • Make Up For Ever 92 (Sephora)
  • MAC Satellite Dreams, Vibrant Grape, Plum Dressing, Fig. 1, and Shale (MAC)
  • Wet ‘n Wild Color Icon Palette in Lust (Drugstores)
  • Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencils in Delinquent and Morphine (Urban Decay)
  • NYX Single Eye Shadows in Sensual and Beauty Queen (NYX)
  • Stila Cassis (Stila Cosmetics) it looks blue online but trust me it’s a gorgeous purple!
So, what’s your purple preference? Comment and tell me! :)