First Impression: NARS Blush ‘Taj Mahal’

Not a new product, but something I’ve been eyeing for a long time! Finally NARS Taj Mahal blush is mine!

I’ve been ooogling over this blush for about a year now! Ever since I sold my last, worn out and cracked, NARS blush to Glambot, I’ve been thinking about replacing it with this beauty. Why it took me so long to purchase I will never know! But now that it’s in my collection I will never let it go!

This is undeniably one of the prettiest blushes I have ever seen for women of color. It’s perfect for summer with lots of shimmer and orange-y, coral tones. I can also see this being used as a highlighter or a blush topper. It’s just that versatile! And I promise I’m not exaggerating just because it’s finally in my possession! Check out these hand swatches! I mean look at that color! *drools uncontrollably*

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L-R: fully blended out, slightly blended out, straight swatch

First Impression: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Glosses

Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH) is having a breakout year! With their recent launches of single eye shadows, liquid lipsticks, and a cream contour kit, they are expanding their brand with some really distinctive, high quality products. The company recently added 34 lip glosses to their product roster and I must say these are incredible. Founder Anastasia Soare and her daughter, Norvina, have really shown us that the ABH train is on the move! Are you hopping on?

The Queen of Brows herself, Anastasia Beverly Hills, has released an entire line of lip glosses on her company’s website as well as in Macy’s Impulse Beauty stores and on Macys.com. These gems are part of the ABH pro line that has been quickly expanding due to Norvina’s recent promotion to President of the global cosmetics empire that is Anastasia Beverly Hills. It seems that her creativity has no limits and this extremely diverse range of colors proves it.

These new lip glosses have been slowly rolling out at Macy’s Impulse Beauty counters all over the country this month. Not all Macy’s stores will carry the pro line, so if you are interested in making a purchase, call your local Macy’s to make sure they carry the pro line products before heading over to take a look. I ended up purchasing five lip glosses and the cream contour kit (which I will review later and link here). With my purchase, I also received another lip gloss for free. The color is “Dollhouse” and it is predetermined meaning you can’t just pick any lip color for free. All the shades are gorgeous and because there are so many of them, there are more than enough colors to keep anyone busy for a very long time.

ULTA 21 Days of Beauty 2015

Perk up beauty lovers! ULTA Beauty is about to bless us with their annual 21 Days Of Beauty event.

Beginning March 15th, you can get some of the best products from the biggest beauty brands for dirt cheap. There are new promotions starting everyday until April 4th and each day’s promotion only runs for 24 hours. You have to be quick to get these steals! If you want to check out the full list of exciting offers, head on over to ULTA’s website so you can make your list early!

HAUL! Glitter Explosion! Brand New Goodies From ‘Glitter Elixirs’

Glitter Elixirs are for those who just want to add a little bit of glitter to their lives. Literally, a little bit of glitter as these cuties come in tiny jars for a tiny price tag! You get 3g of custom mixed glitter for just $3. At this price why not try them all!?

I’ve just recently begun to experiment with glitter in makeup so I’m not a pro or anything, but it is fun and easy to mix up everyday looks with some sparkle! I found Glitter Elixirs as I was scrolling on Instagram one day and a gorgeous picture of some glitter lips caught my eye! After some major ooogling at the company’s gorgeous colors I found that the owner was looking for some help naming several of her colors so I had the opportunity to suggest a name AND SHE PICKED MINE! When I tell you guys I was thrilled, I was literally more excited than a kid in a candy store!

Because my name was picked, I got to select a few glitters to try for free (as a token of appreciation) so a few of these glitters I received for free. However, I ended up making a purchase from the brand a few days later because you gotta support small business (and because I couldn’t stop thinking about the color selection)! With all that said, I would totally recommend these to first time glitter users and experts alike. Even though I did receive some free, I placed a follow up order with my own money and I regret nothing! 

The glitter is finely milled, high quality that is safe to use with makeup. Just remember to be very careful when using glitter as it is very messy. So take your time! Maybe put down some paper towels on your desk/vanity before you use these so you don’t get glitter everywhere.

Glitter Elixirs offers both solid color glitters and holographic glitters. The solid glitters are incredible and show up beautifully on camera, however, the holographic glitters are a little more difficult to photograph in makeup looks. I’ll try my best to get some shots so you guys can see them in action!

If you guys are interested in learning more about Glitter Elixirs or purchasing any of their products, you can visit their Instagram @glitterelixirscosmetics . Right now, all glitters are sold out, but there will be a restock in about a week. You can also check out their Etsy page here. As you can see, I’m pretty stocked on glitter right about now, so expect a ton of looks with these beauties soon!

First Impression: BECCA COSMETICS Limited Edition Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed “Blushed Copper”

All I can say is RIP to my bank account now that I have discovered Becca Cosmetics! This pressed powder highlight launched last week and I eagerly ordered it from the Sephora website a few days ago. Keep reading for more thoughts and lots of product shots!

 
I can’t believe I am just now finding out about how amazing Becca Cosmetics highlighters are! Why hasn’t anyone told me!? Today will go down in history as the day I upped my highlighter game!

This beauty is the BRAND NEW Limited Edition Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in BLUSHED COPPER. This color is everything. For my darker skinned ladies (medium/tan – darker), I would highly recommend using this as a highlighter this summer. This is a must have in my opinion. The color goes on so smooth and it is very blendable. You can add just a sheer layer of color with a larger powder brush or go more heavy handed with a denser brush. In the photo below, you can see how this color looks blended out on the left side of my hand. On the right, you can see a non-blended swatch straight from the pan, to my finger, to my hand. Either one is gorgeous!

Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate this packaging! Rose gold is really on trend right now and I know Becca Cosmetics scored some fans with this choice. The entire base of the compact is rose gold instead of the standard black packaging. I love this feature that adds to the limited edition appeal of the compact. It also matches perfectly with the product! Inside the compact, you have a nice amount of product with a geometric design on top. There is also a fairly large mirror that takes up the entire inside of the flip top.

Just so you understand how obsessed I am with Becca Cosmetics, I wanted to let you know that I will be going to Sephora this week to swatch some blogger favorites I have been getting acquainted with. I am especially excited about the new cream highlighter line they recently launched as well. It features favorite shades like Opal and Moonstone in a cream consistency. You all might be hearing more about Becca Cosmetics in the near future!

Got any questions? Leave them in the comments below!

HAUL! $1 Beauty Supply Haul + NEW Ruby Kissed Matte Lip Lacquers

So I went absolutely INSANE at my local beauty supply store yesterday! I was in the mood to buy some funky lip colors at an affordable price. After being disappointed by the NYX selection at Ulta, I lucked out by finding the holy grail of unusual lip colors at the beauty supply. And the best part was they were only $1 each!

I have seen so many people talk about these Ruby Kisses Matte Lip Lacquers all over Instagram! I had never heard of the brand, but by the time I saw them on my way out of the beauty supply, I didn’t have time to think about it, I just grabbed a bunch! These colors are $3.99 each and they come in a pretty large tube. Each one comes with 0.3 oz. of product, which is a ton of product (compare that to Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks at  0.11 oz. and the Rimmel Lip Velvets at 0.169 oz.). These don’t really dry matte on your lips, the consistency is more like the Rimmel Lip Velvets. They end up being a creamy satin and I wouldn’t advise eating with these on as these do slide around. The area around your lips might look like a child’s finger painting when you are done eating!

I picked up the colors ‘Narcissism’ (Coral), ‘Wonderland’ (Pale Purple), ‘Bellagio’ (Deep Blue), ‘Fiesta’ (Fuchsia), ‘Pool Party’ (Sky Blue), and ‘Glace’ (Yellow). Some of the colors have a subtle iridescence (like ‘Bellagio’) to them that doesn’t really bother me. It isn’t shimmery or anything, it just reflects more than a true matte lip shade would. Overall, I don’t love them, but I like them enough and I can see myself using them in the spring!

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L-R: Fiesta, Narcissism, Bellagio, Pool Party, Glace, Wonderland

Now on to the main show! I went to the beauty supply with the intention of getting several bold lipsticks in colors that you normally don’t see at the drugstore. I ended up finding the most amazing display of Nicka K Cosmetics with more than enough bold lip colors to choose from. The best part is that these products are each $1. So i just went crazy and bought 20! I got a combination of lip & eye pencils and a ton of actual lipsticks.

This haul was so much fun I think I’m going back for more soon! I want to try these colors out for the spring and summer and also use them to do more non-traditional (read: not everyday, natural tones) makeup looks. If you get just as excited as me about any of these colors, let me know and I can list the names so you can go on your own adventure to the beauty supply!

Get The Look: Glitter Lips feat. Raving Beauty Cosmetics & Nicka K

Just take a moment to digest these babies! Done? K, keep reading!

I can feel a glitter kick coming on! I finally bought Too Faced Glitter Glue so I could use glitter in my eye looks! I know there are probably other alternatives to this $21 product for applying glitter, but since I’m not a pro at it, I wanted to get the very best to make sure the glitter really stuck down to my eyelids. The last thing I need is glitter flowing down my cheeks!

While I was out buying the glitter glue, I realized that it would be super fun to put glitter on my lips as well! Novel idea, I know! So I hit up my local beauty supply hoping to find some really funky lipsticks I could use as a base. If you are interested in learning about that beauty supply adventure, click here to read more.

My first foray into glitter lips is Raving Beauty Cosmetics ‘Love Song’ glitter paired with Nicka K Cosmetics ‘Smalt’ & ‘Black’ lipsticks mixed. This lipstick is the perfect consistency to be able to hold on to all that glitter. It is super creamy and the entire look wasn’t heavy on my lips. When I spoke, I felt like I was talking funny at first, but that sensation quickly went away as I grew used to the product.

I know this look isn’t wearable, but it sure was fun to create! I am perfectly fine just rocking this around the house while doing dishes and vacuuming the carpets. I can promise you there will be more lips like these to come!

First Impression: Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks feat. ‘Celebrity Skin’, ‘Redrum’, & ‘Unicorn Blood’

On February 12, 2015, I waited up patiently until 3am EST to make sure I could grab this bundle. There was no playing around with this launch! The entire bundle was up on the site around 2:40am and it was sold out within an hour. Like is this a MAC Limited Edition product or something?! Sorry to all the people who weren’t able to grab these, but keep reading so you know what to put on your wishlist when all three colors restock in April!

I had no idea people were going to go INSANE for these liquid lipsticks. I mean Celebrity Skin and Unicorn Blood sold out in less than an hour and the bundle was gone by 4am EST. Absolutely INSANE!

I know a lot of people were complaining that Jefree Star did not advertise a release time, but he did! He clearly listed on his Instagram at least 6-7 hours earlier that all three colors would be on the website at 12am PST! So it seems like only half of the beauty junkie community got the message and the other half woke up to some seriously slim pickings!

I just had a chance to dive into these colors today (they were delivered yesterday). I obviously ordered these on the 12th, and then there was President’s Day (USPS holiday) and then it snowed. So considering those things, the package got here in a reasonable amount of time.

The bundle comprised of all three restocked colors: Redrum, Celebrity Skin, and Unicorn Blood. Here are some swatches of all three on the back of my hand.

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L-R: Celebrity Skin, Redrum, Unicorn Blood

The formula reminded me a lot of the Anastasia Beverly Hills liquid lipsticks. It is creamy, not liquid-y. It also takes much longer to dry than, say, a Lime Crime Velvetine or a Dose of Colors liquid lipstick.

I found that Celebrity Skin needed at least two coats on me to create an opaque look. It was the sheerest of the three and it just didn’t want to build up! The swatch above is just with one swipe across my hand and you can see the streakiness left over from the doe foot applicator.

Redrum and Unicorn Blood had great coverage with just one swipe and didn’t look streaky.

I also wanted to compare these colors with some colors already in my liquid lipstick collection.

Here is Lime Crime Cashmere next to Celebrity Skin.

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L-R: Celebrity Skin, Cashmere

The picture above is two coats of each color just so you can really see the slight difference in color. I’ve seen these two look far different from each other on other skin tones, however, on me, I couldn’t really see much of a difference. Celebrity Skin is slightly warmer.

Here is also a comparison of all the deep red liquid lipsticks in my collection. As you can tell by the number of swatches in similar colors, this is my favorite fall/winter color!

Overall as a first impression, this product didn’t blow me away or anything! I felt like the creamy formula was a nice difference because it gives the user more time to spread the color and it also gives you more time to clean up/cover mistakes before completely drying. However, the colors are dupeable and the price is around the same as other alternatives so I felt that Jeffree Star didn’t give consumers much of a differentiating factor in this launch.

I felt that the colors in the first launch (Redrum, Prom Night, and I’m Royalty) had more appeal because they were colors that weren’t so similar to other liquid lipsticks. Jeffree Star has already announced a third round of colors to release in March and those colors also look more unique.

If you were able to get your hands on any of these colors, how do you feel about them? Let me know in the comments!

Get The Look: Valentine’s Day Eyes feat. Morphe Brushes 35N Eyeshadow Palette

I know I sound like a broken record saying this, but I ADORE the Morphe Brushes 35N Palette! I’ve been slowly rediscovering all the wonderful shades since December and I absolutely can’t get enough. So it totally makes sense that I used my latest eye obsession this past weekend for my Valentine’s Day look!

I’ve got a lot of pinks, corals, and purples going on here (and some stray eyebrow hairs that I could just not be bothered with)! I loved this way this looked turned out and I couldn’t wait to share it! On the eyes, I used all Morphe Brushes eyeshadows from the 35N palette. I mixed and matched them to create something special just for me. Brows are Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown. I might be getting a little tired of the harsh brow, so be on the lookout for a change in brow products coming soon! No liner for this look, just some really wispy, flirty lashes from Red Cherry. A little bit of Maybelline Great Lash to top off the look! Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day too! Did you go for flirty, bold, or full on sultry? Let me know in the comments =)

First Impression: NYX Cosmetics High Voltage Lipstick & Intense Butter Gloss New for Spring 2015

As I have said many times before, I am completely obsessed with NYX Cosmetics. Their products are comparable to most mid-high end brands in terms of quality and their eye & lip color selection is unparalleled. In my eyes, this drugstore brand can do no wrong and their NEW High Voltage Lipsticks and Intense Butter Glosses are no exception. And I’ve got some pretty awesome swatches below to prove it!

I wasn’t expecting anything less than amazing when made my most recent NYX Cosmetics purchase from Ulta last week. However, I only got four shades in each product just to be safe and test everything out before I just went crazy and bought every color. If you are considering either of these for your next beauty purchase, be realistic with yourself about how many you need. If you want to rock all these colors, buy everything! Go for the gold! But if you would regularly only wear one color, don’t let the inexpensive price guilt you into buying the whole lot. These shades are permanent so you have plenty of time to test things out and make sure they are perfect for you before splurging.

I am tremendously pleased with the selection I got from Ulta last week! The lipsticks reminded me a lot of the look of ColourPop Lippie Stix with the flat top twist out tube. The colors went on satin and had so much pigmentation it made me squeal with delight! I was not expecting to swipe once and be done. That luxury is normally reserved for my $16 MAC tubes. They did not streak and glided on without a single tug. These colors do bleed and I found this especially true with the bright red, ‘Hollywood’, which bled almost immediately when I tried it on my lips (I did not use lip liner for my initial test).

The only similarity I found with the Intense Butter Glosses and the regular Butter Glosses was in the naming series. These still have cute names that make you feel like you are picking out goodies from a bakery instead of from your makeup stash. The newest additions were thick and very pigmented in comparison to the light, sheer wash of color the original provides. The applicator wand, which is long and flat, was a little difficult for me. It almost looks like a spatula that you would use to remove cream makeup products, except it is covered with the fabric-like fibers to help the color stick to your lips. The applicator was so long is spanned the length of my bottom lip so I had to be more careful than I normally am when applying this gloss. Most times, I just like to sort of throw it on really fast before I go run errands. I feel like I would need more focus for these. 

But enough blabbering, you all want pictures! So, without any further ado, I present to you my first eight (four of each) NYX Spring 2015 Lip Product Swatches!  If you have any favorites already, be sure to share them with me in the comments so I have an excuse to go get more. =) I hope you enjoy!

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Single Swipe High Voltage Lipstick Swatches
T-B: Hollywood, Rock Star, Wine & Dine, Feline
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Single Swipe Intense Butter Gloss Swatches
T-B: Black Cherry Tart, Orangesicle, Apple Crisp, Spice Cake