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Beauty Candy – Ipsy Glam Bag October 2014

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It seems like forever since I posted about my Ipsy Glam Bags on my blog or even did a video about it – so I decided I would talk about this month’s bag.  I have been an Ipsy subscriber now since December 2011 but it seems like this year I experienced many challenges with shipping and I’m sad to say that I will ride it out till the end of the year and probably cancel.  Here are the goodies in my Ipsy Glam Bag October 2014.

Ipsy Glam Bag - October 2014

 

REFERRAL LINKS

Ipsy is a $10 a month subscription and includes a variety of beauty products from skincare, makeup, nail polish and nail care and hair goodies.  This months theme: Beauty Candy included a variety of brands, some of which we have received in our bags before and some new.

This month I received the following products:

Ecru New York Acacia Protein BB Cream Beauty Balm for Hair – I received another beauty balm (bb cream) for hair in last months bag and never used it.  Honestly, I don’t know that I would be using this product so I’ll be putting it on the side.  Full size is 1.0 fl oz and retails for $12.00.  The full size product was sent in this month’s bag.

Figs & Rouge Shea Butter Limited Edition Hand cream – we all know I’m a lotion addict and I am looking forward to tossing this in my bag and adding it to my lotion stash.  I received a sample size (maybe deluxe sample) tube of the product.  Full size product is 20ml / 0.67 fl oz and retails for $6.56.  Full size product was sent in this month’s bag.

Jesse’s Girl Mineralized Baked Powder Shadow – this shadow color is really nice and I guess you can never have enough eye shadow.  The full sized product was included in this month’s bag and retails for $3.99

Starlook’s Lip Gloss – this nude toned gloss is really nice and not sticky which I enjoy.  This would be great for travel because it is really tiny.  A Sample sized was received in this month’s box of Guilty Pleasure.  This gloss retails for $12.00 full sized – I’m unsure of the amount included in full size or sample.

Skyn Iceland Mini Glazier Cleansing Cloths – I haven’t used these yet but I’m always a bit leery when it comes to makeup remover wipes or cleansing cloths because of my sensitive skin.  I’ll be sure to do a mini review if I test them out.  These clothes retail for $15.00 for a full sized packet that includes 30 wipes.  The sample included in this month’s bag includes 10 cloths and would retail for approximately $5.00.

Total retail value for the products received in the October 2014 Ipsy bag = $30.00.  This is an estimated value as there is one or two items that I needed to guess the actual amount due to the sample size.  Overall you are getting your money’s worth from the bag, but this bag’s retail value for products included is probably one of the cheapest I have had in the last year.

Ipsy Glam Bag - October 2014

Overall at $10 a month it’s still a pretty good deal considering the number of products you receive.  I haven’t been at all excited for my bags lately because they really haven’t showcased the “wow” factor for me.  While I’m sure I’ll get use out of this month’s contents – especially the makeup bag, I wish there were more items that I could utilize this fall.  I would have loved to see a bronze or brown shadow in the mix.  If you are interested in signing up for Ipsy – it is $10 a month or you can decide to sign up for a full year and get a discount.  You can sign up here: http://www.ipsy.com/r/1o41?sid=ipsypoints&cid=general

Stop on by my Lip Monthly post mentioned in the video and check out what I got in my Lip Monthly subscription – click here.

Have you tried the Ipsy subscription service?  What do you think of it?  I know I didn’t get into a lot of detail with regard to the bag… but as I use the products (if I use them), I’ll be sure to post about them.

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Makeup by One Direction – Take Me Home Collection Review & Swatches

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Makeup by One Direction

I’ll be honest… now that I’m a mommy and a mommy of boys for that matter, I’m not much interested in boy bands.  But, hearing about those that are popular today reminds me of New Kids on the Block, NSYNC and Backstreet boys.  It amazes me at how much boy bands have grown over the year and how creative they have become.  Never did I think I would hear about a Makeup Collection from any of them, so it was cool to hear that the popular band One Direction was due to release a few Limited Edition Collections.  As of August 11th, they are now available at a few locations and this awesome little kit comes in three different collections for the One Direction fans at heart.

Makeup by One Direction

The irreverent attitude and colorful style of a new generation takes on a glamorous form in Makeup by One Direction. The world’s biggest pop band debuts a limited-edition cosmetics collection by Markwins International, launching mid-August 2014 at Macy’s and select other major retailers worldwide.

Much like the One Direction band members themselves, this prestige makeup line is fun, bold and a tad mischievous, featuring vivid shades, premium formulas and chic, collectible packaging and components.

US RELEASE DATES:
Macy’s – August 11th
Stage Stores – August 25th
Dillards – August 25th
Beauty Brands – August 25th
Lord and Taylor – August 25th

International release dates… TBD

Makeup by One Direction

I got the Take Me Home Collection.  It’s a gorgeous collection filled with wearable and neutral toned shades with pops of color.  The collection includes:

Makeup by One Direction

One Direction Liquilights glow gloss in Kiss You.  This gloss is a sheer bright (almost neon) orange toned gloss with micro shimmer.  I wish I could provide a swatch for you to see but unfortunately the doe foot applicator was MIA when I opened the package, so I am unable to use it.  The color looks gorgeous though and it would be a great shade to rock out during the remainder of the summer months.

Makeup by One Direction

One Direction Nail Varnish in Live While We’re Young.  This is a gorgeous clear polish with different size and color hex shaped and circle glitters.  This would be a beautiful topper over your favorite nail polish.  Filled with rose gold, gold, green and blues – this will surely be a favorite of mine.

Makeup by One Direction

Nude Sheer Pink Lipstick in Last First Kiss.  This lipstick is a sheer medium toned pink.  Unfortunately mine came a bit melted in the tube and the tip of the lipstick arrived smashed, but overall the shade is sweet.

Makeup by One Direction

One Direction 4+1 Eye Shadow Palette.  This palette offers 4 neutral toned shades and one funky and fun gold glitter.  I am very impressed with the shadows, they are soft, buildable shades with nice pigmentation in one swipe.  The gold glitter is a cream/gel like consistency that offers you a sweet pop of color when you want to jazz up your look.

Makeup by One Direction

If you like neutral tones, I think this would be a great palette, whether you are a beginner at makeup or have been using makeup a while – I think you’ll enjoy the simplicity of this palette and the pigmentation.

Makeup by One Direction

Little Black Dress Volumizing Mascara in Perfectly Black is also included in the collection.  I think it’s great that this little tin includes so many fun goodies to create a look.  The brush of this mascara is basic but the mascara is truly black.  While I have small lashes and this did not work for me, I know that it will be a great beginner mascara for anyone.

Makeup by One Direction

I Wish is a warm chocolate brown crayon that can be used on the eyes or the body… though I do suggest that if you plan to use on your eyes – you reserve the product for eye use only since that is such a sensitive area.  The crayon is pigmented and glides on really nicely.  I love the color payoff and it can also be used as a base for your eye shadows.

Makeup by One Direction

This cool little collection also comes with some fun stencils that you can utilize with your brown crayon or shadows.  I especially enjoy using them with the cream glitter in the eye shadow palette.

Makeup by One Direction

A total of five sheets with little stencil designs make creating looks fun and exciting.  Simply apply to a part of your body like your face, arms, etc. and use like you would any other stencil.  It’s easy and the designs are super cute.

Makeup by One Direction

I used the gold glitter cream in my palette to create the little design using the diamond stencil.  I could have used some help in applying and creating my design but I know this will be a fun tool for anyone.

Makeup by One Direction

Overall – I think this little collection is definitely sweet and cute.  It comes with so many goodies and it would make a great addiction and gift for a One Direction fan.  I’m very impressed with the eyeshadow palette and the quality of the shadows.  I’m also super impressed with the variety of products included.  I’m also totally digging the collections tin – if I was a teen, I would probably turn this into my “fan girl” box where I stored cards, magazine clippings and more.  Oh my – do teens even do that still? Can you tell my age? lol

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Find out more about the availability by checking out the Makeup by One Direction’s Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MakeupbyOneDirection.  When I do any makeup looks using some of the products that come in this cute little tin, I’ll be sure to post it here on my blog.

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Wet n Wild Fergie Centerstage Collection Shimmer Palettes – Video Bomb & Photo Bomb: Limited Edition

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I have always been a pretty big fan of Wet n Wild and I’m always checking out their products if they catch my eye.  A few weeks ago, I came across a display in Walgreens that offered these Wet n Wild Fergie Centerstage Shimmer Palettes in two shades that I have not seen a part of their permanent collection.  I’m still not sure if they are Limited Edition, but consider them so since the girl at Walgreens said that they were not getting them back – once sold out, they were gone.  Since they may possible be an LE, I figured I would share them with all of you as quickly as possible so you have the opportunity to go out and get them if you can.

SELF PURCHASED

wet n wild center stage shimmer powders

These face powders from Wet n Wild retailed at Walgreens for $6.99 and also included a kabuki brush.  While sold separately – I considered it to be a pretty reasonable price, especially since these powders retail for about $6.99 – $8.99 at my local stores here on Maui.  I have never seen these before anywhere in other stores and noticed how different they were to the other three that are included in Wet n Wild’s permanent Fergie collection.

Check out my review video and live demo embedded below or click here to watch it directly on YouTube.

Wet n Wild Centerstage Shimmer Palette Video Bomb

The first palette I tried out was Video Bomb.  This palette has a pretty cool marbleized look to it like the other To Reflect Shimmer Palettes that are permanent in the Centerstage collection from Fergie.  It has a blend of a soft pink, chocolate brown and soft brown and when blended together, it has a soft pinkish brown that works really well as a blush/cheek shade.  I loved this palette, but because it is a bit on the powdery side, it can leave your skin looking ashy or muddy – especially if you use too much of it.  A little goes a long way – so tap off the excess from your brush before applying and sweep gently on your cheeks for a soft and sweet summery color.

Wet n Wild Centerstage Shimmer Palette Video Bomb

What I love about this palette the most is that it is perfect on those days you are looking for a little color – but are not keen on truly using a blush or bronzer.  It will give you a slight bronzed look with a soft pink hue without going overboard.  Keep in mind that the palette has a golden sheen to it – so it can look a bit sparkly and shimmery on the skin if you put too much – again, a light hand is key.

Wet n Wild Centerstage Shimmer Palette Video Bomb

The next palette I tried out was Photo Bomb.  This one automatically caught my eye in the store because it is VERY different from the original three Shimmer Palettes Wet n Wild offers.  It is all one shade, golden and what I thought would be perfect for highlight.

Wet n Wild Centerstage Shimmer Palette Photo Bomb

This palette offers a gold sheen, soft but still packs a punch of color.  While this is great for a highlight – a little of this product definitely goes a long way.  Like Video Bomb, this can offer a powdery texture, but blends nicely if you are looking for a great highlight.  I love how both of these powders feel really nice – even when blended on the skin, it feels soft and both palettes are super pigmented.

Wet n Wild Centerstage Shimmer Palette Photo Bomb

I think that the Photo Bomb would work well on light and dark skin tones and in most skin tone shades.  I was very amazed to see how nicely it looked against my skin and how it offered me a great glow but can see how nice it would work for someone with cool toned skin as well.

Wet n Wild Centerstage Shimmer Palette Photo Bomb

There is a lot of product in each palette – 0.4 oz / 11.3 g and I know that a little will go a long way so considering the cost of these palettes, you are getting a great deal for a very affordable price tag.  I have read reviews and seen videos on the packaging for the original Shimmer Palettes where it fell apart for some and honestly, I have dropped mine a few times and they have stayed in tact reasonably well.  The only thing that worries me is that I may drop it really hard one day and the actual powder will crack – but so far, so good.

Wet n Wild Centerstage Shimmer Palette Photo Bomb

Now the one downfall for these sets is the Kabuki brush that is offered with it.  I think it is great that Wet n Wild included a Kabuki brush with each of these but after washing one of them, the quality and brush in general was a fail for me.  While washing, the kabuki brush shed a lot and during the first use, I felt like the brush was quite rough on my skin.  The brush hair felt soft at first but with use, it was uncomfortable and continued to shed.  Ultimately – that was not a great selling point for the kit, but it also allowed the powders to stand alone.

Check out your local Walgreens and see if these are in stock.  I haven’t tried any of the permanent line shimmer palettes, so I honestly don’t know how they would compare and if these have a different texture.  If you are on a budget and interested in trying something fun for the summer months – this may be something you will like.  Overall – well I’m not too keen on the shimmer these palettes offer, they are still pretty cool and I’ll make use of them for sure.  Don’t forget to check out my video review along with demo on how these look directly on the skin – you can find that video here.

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Milani Matte Baked Bronzers – Limited Edition

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It’s no secret that Milani is one of my all-time favorite drug store brands and has been for a couple of years now.  I have had the opportunity to try out quite a bit from the line they offer and for the most part – I’m always impressed with what they roll out.  I literally fell out of my seat a few weeks ago when I got word that Milani was rolling out Limited Edition Matte Baked Bronzers and I couldn’t have been more excited.

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Milani Limited Edition Matte Baked Bronzers

If you have ever tried or used or even seen (for that matter) one of Milani’s Baked Bronzers, then you will know that you get a lot of product for a really affordable price tag.  I have a plethora of Milani products, especially their blushes and I have been waiting patiently and asking the Makeup Gods for the day that Milani would finally come out with a baked bronzer that was matte.  Thankfully, they did.  However – these are limited edition so you want to make sure you get your hands on them… STAT.

These two new limited edition matte bronzers are available in the shades 08 Sunset (medium tan) and  07 Sienna (light golden tan).   They retail on Milani’s website for $8.99 which is the same cost as Milani’s original bronzers like 04 Glow, 05 Soleil and 06 Golden.  As I mentioned, the big difference between these new LE bronzers is that they are completely matte.

Milani Limited Edition Matte Baked Bronzers

08 – Sunset (light golden tan) is on the left and 07 – Sienna (medium tan) is on the right 

Each bronzer comes with a little bronzer brush (not my favorite to use but definitely awesome in a pinch) and a mirror that is placed in the compact below the bronzer.  The come in Milani’s signature gold packaging which gives it such a gorgeous look.   Milani definitely ranks high for me when it comes to packaging, because I always feel like I’m buying a luxury brand from the drug store.  You get a lot of product in each bronzer – Net Wt. 0.25 oz/7g and because it is a baked bronzer, you can use it dry for a sheer matte finish or wet for a more intense or dramatic look.  These bronzers are multi-purpose beauty products as they can be used for both your eyes, face and body (hello – total bonus).  They are streak free, apply easily and blend well for an effortless bronze.  Since I have both shades – I like to do a contour with Sienna (the darker shade) to define my face and then for an all over summer bronzed look, I use Sunset (the lighter brown) and apply as an all over bronzer.

Milani Matte Baked Bronzer Sienna

07 – Sienna is a warm golden bronze and is perfect for those with Medium and golden skin tones.  If you have a darker skin tone, I definitely suggest using this wet and build the color up to the shade you think will work best for you.  If you have a warmer skin tone – this bronzer will be perfect for you.  Since it is matte and baked, you can build up to the shade that you like and those who are not fond of shimmer bronzers, these are perfect.

Milani Matte Baked Bronzer Sunset

08 Sunset is a medium tan bronzer and lends for a cool toned brown.  It is perfect for those that are light to medium in skin tone and those like me who want to warm up my face without contouring, but looking for an all over bronze.  Just like with Sienna, Sunset is buildable and if you need a deeper more intense color for contour, you can definitely use it wet and build upon that color.

Milani Matte Baked Bronzer Swatches

The swatches above were done dry on my bare skin and I only used one swipe.  Considering I’m fairly darker in skin tone, both shades do show up on me and Sienna is the perfect bronze for me to contour for extra depth and dimension.  I love to use Sunset as an all over bronze if I’m looking to achieve a warmer look.  Each shade lasts all day with minor fading after 5 hours… but the wear on these bronzers are long lasting.  I love that they apply effortlessly and last, but most importantly my skin enjoys them – no break outs at all and it didn’t oxidize or start to look muddy on me after a few hours.  If you are planning to use these bronzers for a long period of time, I think they will surely work well for that purpose.

Milani Matte Baked Bronzer Try On

In the look above (tutorial for that look can be found here), I am using Sienna to contour in the hallows of my cheeks to define my cheek bones and along my nose, hairline and jawline.  I have always had a few favorite bronzers to contour and warm up my face, but after using these the last couple of weeks, I have to admit that I have neglected my other favorites.  I love these bronzers!  Their price point is great and the products are awesome.

If you want to get your hands on  one of these bronzers, check out their awesome 30% off sale for Memorial Day.  I have a long list of suggestions, but if you are looking for swatches on the new Milani Matte Baked Blushes, you can check out my review and swatches for those here.  Happy  Shopping.

Milani 30% off discount

Click here to check out the discount and details.

Have you tried these new bronzers out yet?  Our you planning to if you haven’t already?  Will you be taking advantage of this awesome sale? Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend Loves… wishing you lots of fun and sun!

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New NYX Palettes – Sex Bomb Palette, Adorable Palette and Dream Catcher Palette

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NEW NYX Palettes Spring 2014

This year NYX released some new goodies to their line… from their Butter Lipsticks and Colored Mascaras to some new and fun palettes.  Included in some of those new NYX palettes is the Adorable Palette, Sex Bomb Palette and Dream Catcher Palettes.  I have been testing out these new palettes for the last couple of months and wanted to share my thoughts on the products themselves as well as swatches and photos.  Check out my video review embedded below or click here to watch it directly on YouTube.  Keep reading on below the video for swatches and my thoughts.

I hope you enjoyed my video review – please Subscribe, Comment and Like!

Let’s talk Sex Bomb Palette.  This palette comes with six gorgeous shades that are perfect to create a bold and sexy smoky eye.  This palette retails for $7.50 on NYX’s website and was released along with the Adorable Palette (pictured below).  Most of the shades on this palette offer great color pay-off and pigmentation.  They can be a little powdery – but still apply nicely with a great base and/or primer.

NYX Sex Bomb PaletteThe shimmery taupe shade is probably the least of my favorite in this palette as it is very shimmery and leaves behind quite a bit of glittery fall out.  I definitely suggest applying that shade over a creamy/sticky base to keep the shimmers from falling but also to keep from the shadow disappearing after applying.  This shade lasted the shortest on my eyes and creased very easily, even if over my best base and primer.  I attest it to the shimmer and while it can be a pain, it’s still a gorgeous shade.  The black and cream shade in this palette is absolutely awesome – giving you great color pay-off and the matte taupe is a favorite to use all over the lid or as a transition shade.  The red looks like a red in the palette but it did seem like a red with a pink tone to it when used on the eye or swatched.  It’s not a shade I would use often, but it is gorgeous and I love that it is matte.  The charcoal shade in the palette has shimmer, but looks great for smoky looks.  Overall I’m impressed with the NYX Sex Bomb Palette and think it would be a cool addition to any collection, especially at its price point.

NYX Sex Bomb Palette Swatches

Next… the NYX Adorable Palette.  Similar style in packaging to the Sex Bomb palette (and the Natural palette released last year), the Adorable Palette includes soft neutral shades to create an every day neutral eye or even bump it up for a smoky eye.  This palette includes 6 shades in a selection of soft shades to create gorgeous eye looks for those that are looking for a palette that does not include bold bright colors.  If you are someone that loves neutral/nude colors, this would be a great palette for you.  Like the Sex Bomb Palette, this retails for $7.50 and can be found on NYXcosmetics.com, Ulta.com and select stores that carry the brand.

NYX Adorable Palette

This palette is probably my favorite out of the three that I am reviewing here.  The shades are the most universal for me since I do not use bold shades often.  Even if they look like soft neutral colors, you can easily create a bold and daring look with little effort.  I created the smoky eye below using this palette and it was easy and fun.

Valentine's Day Bombshell Makeup Tutorial

A tutorial for the look above can be found here and products used can also be found here.

I’m quite impressed with the colors and their quality in this palette.  The shades are pigmented and you can always build them up easily if you are going for a deeper, bolder look.  While some of them may be a tad bit powdery, blending was easy and the color pay off was great.  The shade that was not my favorite would be the Shimmery brown shade, while absolutely gorgeous with its gold shimmer, you lose the shimmer while blending and you can experience some fall out.  The base for that shade (the dark brown) is still pretty pigmented however, so if you are not interested in the gold micro glitters that are in that color, the dark brown works well.

NYX Adorable Palette Swatches

I love that the Adorable palette is like an all-in-one.  It not only offers you lid and crease shades, you get transition, highlight and even an outer-v shade to create a plethora of eye looks.  I think this palette is probably my favorite because it allows me to use one palette to create a look instead of dipping into my collection to pull for a transition shade or highlight – which I often do with other palettes I own.

NYX Dream Catcher Dusk Til Dawn Palette

The Dusk Til Dawn Palette (Dream Catcher Palette) comes with 10 shades.  It is one out of 3 Palettes that is included in the Dream Catcher Palette Collection.  These are said to be Limited Edition though they have been available on NYX’s Website, Ulta and various Drug Store locations for the last few months – so I’m not too sure if they will hang around a little longer.  Each palette in the Dream Catcher Collection retails for $15 and include rich neutral shades that you can use to create smoky eyes or every day looks.  The particular palette I received (Dusk Til Dawn) includes neutrals and a purple toned shade to create looks.

Dusk Til Dawn Swatches NYXWhile the shadows appear to be very pigmented and have a buttery texture, they do offer a heavy amount of fall out and can be very powdery when applying.  I felt that it was quite a challenge working with the shadows because of how powdery they were, but the shades themselves were absolutely gorgeous and offered a great variety for creating a daytime/neutral look or smoky eye.  When working with these – I needed to apply them over a sticky base and I also needed to consistently build up on the color to get the color pay off that you see in the swatches above.  Overall – I think the shades could use a little work, but I would love to see NYX come out with another one similar once the formulation on these shadows are fixed.  As I said before – the colors are gorgeous, they just don’t offer the pigmentation and buttery quality I look for when using eye shadows.  Staying power was also an issue as after just a few short hours, even the dark shades were faded on my eyes over a great primer.

Final Thoughts

I have been using NYX products since 2007 and for the most part, I am always impressed with their quality – especially since the brand is affordable.  For the most part, I think these palettes are pretty good – though I do think the Dream Catcher palette could use a little tweaking in formulation.  If you are just starting off or are seasoned in makeup, I think any of these would be great additions to your collection.  Do you own any of these palettes?  If you do, I would love to know your thoughts on them and if you don’t… what palette do you have your eyes on?

Have you seen my review on the NYX Butter Lipsticks?  Check out my thoughts and stay tuned for a write up with swatches of some NYX Butter lipsticks not yet posted.

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