As many know, I am a huge supporter and addict of The Body Shop’s products. Their Special Edition Blueberry Body Butter is no exception and I am absolutely loving how they make my body feel and how awesome they smell. I wanted to introduce you to the new Blueberry goodies that was just released on January 27th – check out The Body Shop’s Facebook Page for all the details on how you can get a discount on this line.
I also did a write up on Beauty Stat for the new Blueberry goodies. Be sure to check it out here: http://bit.ly/1mSVGuW. I have photos of all the goodies and you can pick and choose which ones you love best. Also – don’t forget to check out my Video reveal which you can find here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d4odnQh2OM and see all the product live as I go through each one with you. The video is also embedded below.
Do you know that the Body Shop sells a jar of body butter every two seconds? I believe it! As a big supporter and lover of their products, I make an order about once a month and I am always happy with what they offer. Check it all out! Have you tried The Body Shop’s products before? What are your favorites?
Released in December, the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette sold out the day it was released. When I spotted the sneak peaks in early November, I wondered if this was a “have to have” palette for me, but decided later that it would be a part of my ever growing collection. After waiting till Christmas to finally open my presents and my palette, I have to say – considering I was on the fence, I am pretty happy and glad I decided I wanted it.
Currently sold out online at Sephora.com but available for purchase through Urbandecay.com, Ulta.com and Sephora stores – Naked 3 is another addition to the Naked family. Including 12 Rosy Neutrals for show stopping looks. I currently own the Naked 1, Naked Basics and now Naked 3 (still not sure about Naked 2 – swatched it and was not quite impressed) and I have to say that I’m very impressed with the color range this palette offers. Retailing for just $52.00 (the same cost as the other Nakeds), this palette offers a gorgeous collection of shades that I believe will offer great compliments to a wide variety of skin tones.
The palette sports a duo ended brush and includes 4 samples of the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potions in Original, Eden, Sin and Anti-Aging. I haven’t used any of the primer potions besides my regular (original) but I have heard many awesome things about the Anti-aging primer and Eden. I will do a review on those separately once I have the opportunity to test out the samples. Each sample should include enough product for you to get about a week’s worth of use – so once I find a way to store it while testing, I’ll be sure to have my ideas posted.
Now – packaging… ooh la la! The Naked 3, like it’s Naked 2 counterpart comes in a metal tin, very different from the original Naked 1 palette. The case is sturdy and sleek and has a gorgeous rose gold finish. Since I love traveling with my Naked 1 Palette, I can imagine that this palette (Naked 3) would be equally travel friendly – offering support and protection to your eye shadows and your brush (included). The palette sports a large full sized mirror and a little compartment for the included brush. And, the palette itself – while it feels sturdy, is still pretty light weight. What I love so much about this palette is how it’s labeled. Just like the other Naked palettes (and UD palettes in general), there is no guessing – the names are all printed below each shadow which make it easy to use.
As mentioned, there are a total of 12 shades, all of which are brand new rose hued colors. Each shade has 0.05 oz of product (the same amount as Naked 1 and 2). The shadows come in a range of matte/satin and shimmer shades allowing you to create a complete eye look by just using one palette.
Swatches
All swatches are done dry without primer or base
Strange – a creamy pale pink shade (matte / satin finish)
Dust – a pale metallic pink with micro glitter (shimmer)
Burn out – a pinky peach (satin)
Limit – a dusty rose (matte)
Buzz – a metallic rose shimmer with micro glitters (shimmer)
Trick (my favorite shade) – a copper pink (rose gold) shimmer. This shade is my favorite but did give me difficulty when I first started using it. The first few uses it did not offer me the color pay off I had expected, but after wiping it a bit with a paper towel (dry) and removing the first layer, I realized that it truly is pigmented and an awesome shade.
Nooner – pink brown (matte)
Liar – a metallic mauve shade. This shade has grayish undertones so it can lend for an almost taupe color depending on what it is paired with.
Factory – Dark brown with rose hues and gold shimmer
Mugshot – Metallic taupe brown with a light pink shift
Darkside – Gray taupe with a satin sheen
Blackheart – smoky black with rose hued red micro glitters
In the look above I am using the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette – Buzz (all over the lid), Nooner (transition shade), Limit (transition into highlight), Strange (highlight), Blackheart (outer v), Factory (crease color) and Trick (pop of color applied on the middle of the lid and lower lash line). I only used Urban Decay Naked 3 palette shadows to create this eye look and they were all put on over my Urban Decay Primer Potion.
I have always liked the brushes that Urban Decay includes in their palettes. This particular duo sided brush was no exception. The angled blending side worked well for applying color all over for a wash of shadow on the lid or to blend colors effortlessly and the domed shadow side worked well for packing color on the lid. While I am not going to go out and buy similar brushes, this is a great brush to have with your palette – especially for travel.
Now I know you are asking me… “Is it Worth it? What are my overall thoughts?” Hmmm… considering I did spend the money on the palette (or the hubby did), I do think it is worth it. The quality is much like what you would expect from Urban Decay, pigmented, buttery shadows in gorgeous hues that are meant for a showstopping eye look each and every time. I was a bit worried that the shades would not work well with my skin tone, but I am very happy to say that it not only paired well for me but it also makes my brown eyes pop. As mentioned previously, I did have a little difficulty with using Trick at first, but having had similar issues with shadows from other brands in the past, I found that I just needed to remove the top layer to find its greatness. What I love so much about this palette is that it’s not just a “Pink” or “Rose shade” palette, it’s quite universal, allowing me to create a plethora of looks from smoky to neutral with just one palette. $52 for 12 shades… is it worth the price and the hype? Yes, I think so! Makeup like any other object is an investment and this investment has enough product to allow you to create a ton of looks and the product will last. Each shadow proved to me to be long lasting and over a base or primer, it was showstopping. I definitely think this will be a great investment for anyone looking to pick up their first Urban Decay product or just adding to their makeup arsenal.
Check out my video below for a quick run down of what I thought. 😉
Early last month (November) I decided I would take advantage of Sephora and splurge on the Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette ($59 US – available on Urbandecay.com). I…
Have you heard of Freeman Beauty Facial Masks before? I’m sure you have, but I figured I would ask. Could it be possible that an affordable product on the market can offer awesome results? Could it be true that a product that costs less than $5.00 can give you soft and smooth skin? Hmmm… read on to see what I think.I have used Freeman masks for a couple of years now… though I’ll admit that I really was not a fan prior to now. Many of them that I had bought dried my skin out so terribly that it actually was more damaging on my face then it was beneficial. Of course, now that I know more about my skin and my eczema that I was diagnosed with last year, I now know how to use these products properly. For years, I was told I had oily combination skin so I used products such as these (Freeman Masks) as ways to keep my skin at bay… but little did I know – I had dry skin – hence the eczema. Now that I know better, I have enjoyed using Freeman Masks and they are a part of my skincare routine along with other favorite skincare products.
So – you can expect to see reviews on several of these since I have at least 5 full sized masks and at least 20 little packets to go through… but I decided to write about the one that I have been using the most lately – Avocado & Oatmeal. The mask itself is just a $1.99 for the Travel / Sample Size (0.5 oz) or $3.99 for the full sized tube (6.0 oz). Freeman offers a wide range of products to suit all your skincare needs and this is just one of the products from the Feeling Beautiful line. The consistency of their prices is a breath of fresh air, because you can go to most retailers like Walmart, CVS and Walgreens and find the products at about the same price range at each location. The Travel size has enough product to use about 2-4x in my opinion – but for some, depending on the thickness of the product, you may use it just once. The full size tube offers you many many uses. I use mine every week and half to two weeks and I still have a lot left in my tube, considering I have been using it for at least 2 months.
The products texture is much like other masks you can find on the market today. The mask feels creamy and dries quickly so you will feel the tightening of your skin after it starts to dry. While I haven’t tried Botox, I worked in Plastic Surgery for years and it reminds me of what my patients would describe their face would kind of feel like after getting Botox, but of course… without the pain of the needle – just the tight feeling. I absolutely love that this mask smells pretty good – it doesn’t have a chemical scent, which is awesome. I want to say it smells a little like oatmeal, but at the same time – I’m honestly not sure.
Ingredients listed on the website for this product include:
Packaging for the Full Sized Mask is easy to use and definitely awesome for storing. It is larger than the size you are allowed to travel with, but that’s why the Sample Travel Size packets are so awesome because they are travel friendly. If I had to make one suggestion, it would be to have a zip top for the travel sized packets because I can actually get 3 or more uses out of it depending on my need for the product. Because the travel size is perfect for just that, a zip top will allow me to take one packet with me and it will last my entire trip depending on the length of stay.
From the Website:
Nourish and purify with one amazing mask! Rich clays dive deep to purge dirt and oils from pores. Nutrient-rich Vitamin E, Avocado and Oatmeal moisturize for lasting skin softness. Skin looks and feels squeaky clean and is soft to the touch. Perfect for normal to combination skin.
Directions: Apply mask to face and neck, avoiding contact with eyes. Let dry and rinse with warm water. Use two times a week or as often as needed.
As I mentioned earlier, I have eczema, mainly on my face – so I stay clear of many drug store products that I know can be drying to my skin. After using other Freeman Feeling Beautiful Masks, I was very scared to try them again, but I figured I would give it one last try. I’m glad I did because my skin feels soft, smooth and clean after each application. It is my perfect little treatment and spa right at home at a VERY affordable price tag. I love that I can also walk into most drug stores and find the samples, which allow me to purchase different ones to try them out before committing to a larger full size. This Christmas, I have stocked many stockings and baskets with Freeman Mask samples because I do really love them.
Application is very easy and not as messy as most may think. It will apply with little to no effort and washes off very easily as well. Now that I have changed up my skincare routine, I do not get acne or breakouts, so I can’t say how well it will clear it up if you have acne prone skin. But, I can say that it works awesome for a spot treatment as well… just dab a little on your pimple at night and you will notice a significant difference when you wake up the next day. Be sure to remove your makeup prior to using this product as well. Cleanse your skin first. One tip though… be sure to moisturize accordingly after removing your mask to ensure you are putting moisture back into your skin after you have stripped any away. But have a girl’s Spa Day and pamper yourself – I think it’s a great goodie for your skin.
Oh – one more thing… I’ve had to deal with Freeman’s customer service via email and let me just say – Fast response, helpful, polite… I’m very impressed!
To purchase this product and more – check out Freemanbeauty.com or on Facebook for special offers and new products.
November Starlooks Starbox was AWESOME! Honestly, I’ve always been very impressed with their products.
Sign up by December 10th to get the AWESOME December Box – with a 15 eye shadow palette!!!!! http://starlooks.com/
Give the gift of a Starbox Subscription to a friend / loved one for the holidays, and they will receive the December Starbox — an incredible $99 value! — which will contain our 15 Shade Eye Shadow Palette!
Subscribe to Starbox before December 10th to receive the incredible December Starbox, containing our Starlooks’ $99 VALUE, 15 Shade Eye Shadow Palette. Subscriptions are only $15/mo + shipping! http://starlooks.com/
It’s been about a year since I decided I would eliminate Foundation as a part of my makeup routine. Since being diagnosed with Eczema last year, I have been doing my best to steer clear of products that would affect this yucky skin condition. I do test out Foundation products from time to time, but still haven’t taken the plunge to make it a part of my daily makeup process and my skin loves me for it. However, I recently was introduced to Victoria Jackson’s Cosmetic Line, and I’ve been pretty impressed with some of their products already. So when Brandbacker rolled out a Victoria Jackson Makeup Campaign, I figured this would give me an opportunity to try out the products.
I received the Foundation Duo in Tan. What intrigued me so much about this foundation is the statements of it being “The No Makeup” Makeup. Having tried many different foundations and really loving the skin I’m in, I really had to try this product out. Packaging for Victoria Jackson products is great. Sleek, Black – very chic. I have a few items from the line in my Makeup arsenal like the Makeup Survival Kit, Pressed Foundation Powder and even a Foundation duo, but I haven’t tried any of them, so this was exciting for me to have a reason to test drive them. The Foundation Duo in Tan was my choice to try out for this review. It retails for $29.95 which is an average cost for high end foundation brands on the market today. Available in 4 shades: Light, Medium, Tan and Dark. The concept basically is to use either shade or take both shades of the foundation (cream) and blend together for an effortless, light weight look. The formulation is completely buid-able so you can easily conceal blemishes, scarring, etc for perfect coverage.
I used the Victoria Jackson Foundation Duo in Tan and first applied each color of the foundation separately to see if either or would work. I did however need to combine both colors for better color matching, but once the colors were combined, the colors matched perfectly for my skin tone and complexion. I decided I would test this out on it’s own and then added the Pressed Powder (which I had in my makeup kit previously to the Foundation Duo) to try and set the cream foundation.
The cream foundation duo did have pretty good lasting power. I kept it on my face for the day and didn’t have to touch up at all. I did notice however that I needed to set it with a powder because I did find that my pores decided they wanted to be unruly and began to peak their way out of the foundation. I then took the Victoria Jackson Pressed Powder and used that to set the foundation with my next application and the wear was much longer than with the cream on its own.
All and all I’m pretty impressed with the quality of the foundation duo. Because of my warmer skin tones, it is pretty difficult for me to match perfectly to a foundation, especially if I’m ordering it online. I found that it matched my skin perfectly with little to no effort. The foundation itself is very light weight and you need very little when applying. For my first application I actually added too much to my brush, but found it was very easy to blend the product without issue. While it does have a cream consistency – it reminds me more of a liquid foundation. I was pretty impressed with it’s staying power, having lasted most of the day with no touch ups. I do however suggest that you set the cream foundation duo with a powder to keep it in place and long lasting. I did get a tad bit of creasing under my eyes – I do not use concealer and applied the foundation like normal, but after an hour or so – I did have light creasing. My suggestion to that would be to maybe apply a little less.
To see the entire line of makeup available from Victoria Jackson – check out vmakeup.com
Also – to all of my readers… want to try out Victoria Jackson makeup for yourself? VMakeup.com is offering a discount to my readers. Use code: BLOG2013 to receive 20% off your order from now till December 31,2013. The perfect way to treat yourself or the makeup lover in your life. Find everything from Foundation to lip products and eye shadows all on the site – vmakeup.com
This gel like textured product is what I use in combination with the Curl Enhancing Smoothie. You can find the Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Souffle…
