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Victoria Jackson Foundation Duo – The No Makeup Makeup

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

{Powered by Brandbacker.com}

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Sheila G’s Brownie Brittle in Chocolate Chip – Is it as delicious as they say?

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Oh my gosh, have you tried Sheila G’s Brownie Brittle?  Well, a few months back, I found it at Costco and picked up a bag… mind you it was the very large Costco sized bag.  I brought it home to my family to see what we all thought about it and I loved it as did my children and hubby.  I have to admit, when it comes to brownies, I don’t normally get so excited for those made by others because I’m kind of partial when it comes to things I make myself… but these – OMG!

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So what makes these so delicious, so unique, so “need to have”?  Well, if you are a lover of goodies and have a sweet tooth like myself, then you may have heard of Sheila G before.  In 1992, Sheila G Mains (aka Sheila G) took her family recipe for fudge brownies and turned it into a thriving business.  I tried my first Sheila G brownie at Walt Disney World in Orlando about 10 years ago… it was a very yummy, rich and filled with chocolate haven that is so dense you want to put it down, but so delicious, you can’t bare to let it go.  I never forgot the name after that and when I seen the bag of Brownie Brittle in Costco, I had to see if it was as great as the original brownie I had tried so many years ago.

So – how did the Brownie Brittle come about?  Well, Sheila was quite fond of the crispy edges of the brownie – I’ll admit, it’s also my favorite part too and wanted to create the same thing but instead of having to scrape by on just a few crispy edges, she wanted to have a lot of it.  After some work, Sheila figured it out and the Brownie Brittle was born.

Now I asked in my title… Is it as delicious as they say?  Oh hell yes.  It really is like eating a chocolate chip brownie cookie… crispy like a cookie, but not dry like a crispy cookie tastes sometimes.  I just can’t explain it – it really is like eating the crispy edges of a brownie.  The brownie brittle comes in four different yummy flavors – Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel and Toffee Crunch.  Now let’s be honest… all four flavors have definitely caught my eye and I can’t wait to taste the other three.  The whole line of Brownie Brittle just screams “Honey” because it includes all of my favorite flavors.  Now I’m not going to lie, it’s addicting… so my biggest suggestion is to eat in moderation… lol, if you dare.

The prices range from store to store, but you can usually find them at most grocery stores, Walmart and of course, Costco from time to time.  Brownie Brittle’s website offers recipes on their website: http://browniebrittle.com/ which I haven’t had the chance to try yet, but if you are looking to just snack on these that works too.  Our favorite way is to top our brownie brittle off with our favorite ice cream – delish!

Note: Please be sure to use your own discretion when snacking on these… it can be very easy to consume an entire bag in one sitting. lol – Enjoy!

{Self Purchased}

 

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How to Get Beautiful, Long & Voluminous Lashes: Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes – Review and Demo

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I never like to admit it, but I have some super short lashes.  Honestly, out of everyone in my family I am the only one with short lashes.  All of my siblings have long lashes, my hubby and my all three of my sons have lashes to die for and I was just left out of the gene pool I guess. lol  So since I have always had problems with my lashes I have used expensive serums in the past for lash growth – they work, but they are temporary and you need to keep up with them in order to keep your lashes long.  I also have a good layering technique I use with my favorite mascaras, which works pretty well too.  But, a few weeks ago I was sent Younique’s Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes for review and I have definitely been enjoying it.
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The photo above was taken with my cell phone and what my lashes look like at arms length using the 3D Fiber lashes from Younique.  Normally it is pretty difficult to see my lashes when I’m using a bold are dark liner and this case my liner is thick and winged out so it can be difficult to see the difference.  But as you can see in the photo – my lashes are peaking through the liner.

Be sure to click here and watch my review on YouTube as well as demo or view the embedded video below.

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The photo above is a comparison taken on the same day within a 15 minute time frame.  As you can see there really is a big difference with how my lashes look before and after the application.  In the before image, I do not have on any makeup (any look of eyeliner on my eyes is actually from my tattooed eyeliner and not actual liner applied), the after image I have applied 2 coats of the Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash.  The Fiber Lash retails for just $29.00 on the website, which is a steal considering a lot of higher end brands offer similar price points.

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In the photo above, I am using just one coat of Younique’s Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash over one of my favorite mascaras – Elizabeth Mott’s It’s So Big Volumizing Mascara. With just one coat of the 3D Fiber Lash – I can already see my lashes very well without having to worry about them getting lost in my makeup look.

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In the photo above, I am also using the Younique Fiber Lash (one coat) over my Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big Mascara.  I really took the time in this look to make sure that all of my lashes were separated well so that it was not clumped and had a feather-like look.  I really loved how it came out.

While it did offer me longer lashes and I didn’t mind the look it gave me – there are some points I definitely want to touch base on… First, it can be a bit tricky to work with this mascara or in applying.  The fibers can get everywhere and I like to lean over a mirror or something that can catch the fibers should they fall.  I also have super sensitive eyes and the fibers can be a pain when they get into your eyes, which for me is inevitable.  Since they are not waterproof – I found that with a little tearing, I can be left with the fibers in my tear ducts and it’s really uncomfortable.  If you are someone who doesn’t have sensitive eyes and you have the time to work with applying this mascara, then all in all – this mascara / lash fiber duo is definitely awesome and in my opinion a great buy.  If you have sensitive eyes or need a quick look and be out the door, I probably would skip on these a bit.  While you do not need short or thin lashes like I have to use this product, (you can have gorgeous long lashes) I know it will just make your lashes “show stopping” regardless of length.  There are just a few things you need to consider when using it and if those things don’t necessarily bother you, then I think it’s worth a try. Don’t forget to watch my video review as it has much more information, tips and even a demo of the product – this post is more for photos and comparisons.  Review embedded below.

Thank you so much Adriana for giving me the opportunity to try this awesome product.  😉

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{PR Sample}

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Perlier Volcanic Thermal Spa – Review and Thoughts

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About a month ago I received the Perlier Volcanic Thermal Spa ($25.00, 6.7 fl oz) by cashing in my ifabbo coins.  When it comes to skin care products or scrubs, I tend to be a little hesitant to try the products because of my very sensitive eczema skin, but I was still a bit excited to test out the product since Volcanic type products are popular here in Hawaii.

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This product is said to be a true beauty treatment for the skin having extracted micronutrients from volcanic rocks that are essential and vital to the cells in the skin.  I was excited but still a little worried at how my skin would react.  Even more so, I was worried that a friend of mine who had tried the same product did not like the results she received after using it on her face… it was just too much for her skin to handle.  After finding this out – I decided that I would test it out on a small area on my jar line.  My face did not like the product at all and in fact, it was just to abrasive for my skin on my face.  I decided that I would try to test out on areas on my body that I knew were a little drier and not as sensitive as my face was.

I tested the product on my elbows and on my heels of my feet.  It worked well… exfoliating those parts of my body without out being too abrasive for them.  It left those areas fairly moisturized and removed dead skin which worked perfectly.  I will not use this on my face, but it still has a use for me.  Being from Hawaii, I expected something with “Volcanic Rocks” to have a more natural scent to it – but it actually smells like a strong lotion.  It’s not completely off putting, but it is stronger than what I had thought I would be smelling.  My formal opinion would be that you test this product somewhere on your body that is a little tougher than your facial area especially if you have sensitive skin as I do.  But, all in all – it exfoliates well, especially for my feet.

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{Press Sample}

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Gorgeous Candy Apple Red lips with BA Star Holiday Red Lip Pencil

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If you know a little about me, then you will know that I am a sucker for red lips.  Red lips offer a certain glam and sex appeal without overdoing it.  The Holiday season is also my favorite time of year to rock out a red pout.  Fall and Winter months truly are my go-to time of year to strut my stuff in a luscious Candy Apple Red Lip.
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Now, if you take a peek into my makeup collection I have over 25 different red lipsticks and lip shades.  Overkill?  Maybe!  But, I have a wide range of lip colors to suit all seasons and styles.  When I first received BA STAR’s Holiday Red lip pencil in the mail, at first glance it has a kind of gold metallic sheen to the pencil.   I had wondered how that would transfer color wise on my lips and wasn’t sure if my lips would look metallic or not.  After swatching it on my hand, I noticed that there was no gold sheen transfer and that the red color was just a bold red tone in a matte/gloss form.  There was no shimmer, no metallic or no glitter – it had a light glossy look but was completely matte in tone.  I couldn’t not wait to get my lips covered in this gorgeous red shade and immediately put it on and tried it out.
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BA Star’s Holiday Red lip pencil ($8.75USD) is definitely… The Business.  It offers you full color payoff and coverage in just one swipe and application was definitely a breeze since the pencil allowed you to both line your lips as well as apply the color.  Like a lot of red lipsticks and lip colors on the market, it did offer a nice stain, so it did give me at least 6-8 hours of wear with minimal reapplying.  It is not kiss proof and I did lose some color with some fading, but it was nice to know that I wasn’t going to have red lipstick all over the place.  Some of it did transfer onto my straws and glass as well as onto my husband but I was still amazed with the color payoff that was left behind on my lips.  This lip pencil is more on the matte side (though it has a soft gloss to it) so if you want glossy lips, be sure to add lip gloss or glaze over for that extra “show stopping” appeal.  To sharpen, you must use a dual sided sharpener, one that can sharpen a larger pencil.  This gorgeous lip shade is the perfect “Runway” Red.The product includes the following ingredients:

  • Isopolybutene, Castor Oil, Ozokenite, Carnuaba, Candellina Wax, Beeswax, Petrolium, Buty Stearate, Cetyk Ricinoleate, Vitamin E, Precpylparaben, Metabylparaben, BHT, Macadamia Nut Oil, Octyl Palmiate
  • May Contain: Iron Oxides, Ti02,D&C Red 27 D&C Red 30 D&C Red 28
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Now – I ranted and raved about the awesome color and pigmentation of this color, but didn’t talk about how moisturizing it is.  Being that it lends towards a more matte lip shade, I expected it to be a bit on the drying site, as most matte lip colors are.  I was very impressed with how moisturized my lips felt, even after several hours of use and a few reapplications here and there.  I have been using this red pencil on it’s own, without a base and just my normal lip balm beneath it and I just love how it feels on my lips.  When I first applied it, I thought I felt a slight tingling sensation on my lips initially, but after using the lip pencil on several different occasions, I guess that it was just me because I didn’t feel it again.  After application and removing the color, I had expected that my lips would feel a little dry – but that was not the case.  This is definitely a great color for long wear since it keeps your lips reasonably hydrated and it’s not drying.
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Now, not all reds work well on all skin tones.  I know this personally, but I have also assisted many with pairing their skin tone with the right color that works for them.  This red pencil is definitely a great color for most skin tones.  For lighter complexions, since it is a bright true red, it will definitely lend for “Snow White” status, bringing out the porcelain look in the skin tone and for darker tones like myself, this is a perfect red to use because it doesn’t have orange undertones or overly blue undertones that will make it difficult for some people to wear.  I have to say – I’m impressed with BA Stars Holiday Red lip pencil.  This is a glam color at its finest and lends to be such an awesome shade to use year round.
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BA Star has graciously offered a special discount for my readers / viewers.  Get 50% off of your purchase of a gorgeous lippy pencil.   This discount cannot be combined with any other offer and can be used towards the FULL RETAIL price only.  Use code: BBLIPS to receive your discount!
To get this product and so much more, head on over to…

“Strut your stuff on stage, on the runway or at play! BA STAR is the
#1 makeup for performers, dancers, & cheerleaders.” – BA STAR

060 copySPONSORED POST – This product was provided to me by BA STAR, Powered by Brandbacker for review.  

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