Naked2 On Sephora!

Hey, loves! Sorry for the huge lack of updates. I'm currently typing with one hand because I'm feeding my son. Soooo busy! I hope you all had a great holiday. My family and I had a wonderful Christmas. :)

Anyway, the Urban Decay Naked2 palette is officially up for sale on Sephora's website (it won't be in stores until the end of Janurary). HAPPY SHOPPING!! Be quick, it sells out fast!

Found image from here

November Favorites

Happy belated turkey day! I love the holidays. The food, the decorating, fall weather, etc. My son is three months old already. I can't believe it! How the time flies, huh? Here's a few of my favorites for the month of November:

Forever 21 Earrings ($2.66, what a steal!)

Forever 21 Bracelet

  

MAC Face and Body N1

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium

Maybelline The Falsies Flared in 01 Very Black

Benefit Erase Paste

MAC Glitter & Ice Dazzleglass

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in  Exposed

MAC Honeylove

A few new MAC lip products

Happy November! Here's a few new lip products that I recently purchased from MAC:


MAC recently released their ridiculously huge holiday collection. As far as the color collection goes (Glitter and Ice), nothing sparked my interest other than a few dazzleglasses and a lipstick or two.

Double Spin (Cremesheen) and

Dressed to Dazzle Dazzleglass.

Double Spin

Dressed to Dazzle

Top: Double Spin, Dressed to Dazzle

 Double Spin is a very pale, milky pink. It's so pale that it makes it a little difficult to pull off, especially because it's quick to show every imperfection on your lips (so make sure you exfoliate). I like to dab it into my lips with my finger. It looks more wearable on me that way. Naturally, I had to buy Dressed to Dazzle to compliment the lipstick. It's the perfect layering gloss to go hand in hand with Double Spin. This is a lip combo that I've been frequenting lately. I get three to maybe four hours of a wear before needing to reapply.

Glitter and Ice

Because I loved Dressed to Dazzle so much, I wound up buying Glitter & Ice too. If you're looking for a shimmery, glittery, nude gloss to layer of your nude lipsticks, this is what you need. I just got it today and wore it over Honeylove. Gorgeous. I imagine this will layer very nicely over Myth as well.

And I bought one more...

C-Thru

For good measure, I also purchased C-Thru lipglass. This is a permanent shade. I haven't gotten the chance to mess around with it yet but it's a gorgeous nude with subtle micro shimmer -- another nice layering gloss.

In the mail...

Happy hump day! I got a few things in the mail today, one package from Sephora and one from MAC. Bear with me as I'm fiddling around with this Blogger app...

Edit: The Blogger app is a bust. Thank goodness I was playing with it at home because I had to run back to my mac to fix everything. All's well. :)

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ #25

Benefit Erase Paste in Fair

NARS Pokerface nail polish

Fresh mini mascaras

MAC Peachstock lipstick

FOTD

Long time, no see! It's been sevenish weeks since my last update. Sorry about that. My kiddos take up the majority of my time these days but like I said before, I have no intention of giving up on this blog. Here's a quick FOTD. The quality isn't great since I took the pictures with my iPhone. Plus, my house doesn't have the best lighting for this sort of thing but it'll do... right? ;)

Eyes:

Tarte eye primer

MAC: Orb (all over lid)

Gift O' Glamour pigment: quick sweep over the lid, & corners of eyes

(also used a little Fix+ for the pigment)

Paradisco: just in the center of lid

UD Darkhorse (from Naked): outer v, contour

Make Up For Ever aqua liner in mat black

YSL faux cils mascara

Eye brushes used: MAC 239, MAC 226, Sigma SS224, MAC 266

Lips:

MAC Myth & Good Lovin' lipglass

Face & Cheeks:

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet foundation (#25)

mixed with MAC Face & Body (N1)

MAC Studio Sculpt concealer NW15

MAC MSF Natural (medium)

MAC Alpha Girl Beauty powder

Benefit Hoola (contour)

Life and Babies!

This isn't a makeup related post but don't worry, I have one. I just wanted to let give a quick update on my life and why I'm not updating like I used to... you know, 9 months ago. I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy on 8.31.11. I'm very blessed to have my two kids but I'm also very busy (and tired!). This is a huge adjustment for all of us. I'm not putting the blog at a complete standstill. Despite having a new addition to our family, I try to keep some things the same. I think it makes the transition easier. And for me, I love my blog. I love makeup. It's a guilty pleasure that I'd like to hang onto for a bit longer. So while I won't be posting often, I'll still be here and hopefully you'll keep reading. Thanks for reading. :)

Catch Up Time!

I've been such a naughty blogger, huh?  Please bare with me, I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow. Baby is due anytime now so I apologize for not putting a lot of focus on the blog. Anyway, I quickly wanted to share some of my recent purchases with you...

MAC Parisian Skies and Hocus Pocus from Blogger's Obsessions

To quickly sum up my thoughts on the shadows, I expected to love Hocus Pocus more than I do. It's GORGEOUS, I just don't think it blends as well as I'd like it to. I still need to play with it more. Parisian Skies is a beautiful color. I'm not big on blue but this one is special. It's the kind of color that can work for a whole array of people. It's also very pigmented and the color payoff is excellent.

Parisian Skies

Hocus Pocus

Ulta: Seche Vite Top Coat, Butter London Nail Lacquer in Teddy Girl, Earth Therapeutics pumice stone and ceramic pedicure tool

Sephora: Benefit Legally Broze set, YSL Faux Cils mascara (deluxe sample), Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Jo'Mina, Happy Birthday, Beautiful! from Philosophy (my Sephora birthday gift!)

I already swatched the Legally Bronze set and I tested everything out, I just need to review it. Oh and I also bought something for the MAC Me Over collection that I can't wait to share with you guys. :)

I love value sets!

Okay, so last year Sephora released the limited edition "Legally Bronze" set from Benefit. I lusted for it and I kicked myself later for not buying it because A) I loved everything in it (except maybe the Bad Gal mascara but I'd use it anyway!) and B) the price was a steal for what you were getting. Now it's back in stock.

Remember me??

Everything in the set is full size. That's right, full size. If you're no stranger to Benefit, then you know their prices are pretty up there. For example, High Beam alone is $26, Hoola is $28, etc. Also, Gilded is featured in the set. I have one that I received a long time ago from a gift with purchase. Without giving away too many details (saving them for a review), this pencil rocks but it's no longer available for purchase on its own. The set retails for $38. Yes, $38 USD. I just ordered mine last night. I wanted to give you ladies a heads up in case you wanted to get your paws on it too. I'll give a more in-depth review of each product after I receive it.

Buy it here

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! :)

Chanel Tweed Pink Blush

Or also known by its proper name, Tweed Pink Tissages de Chanel. Let me first say this, I'm a blush fiend.  I can't help myself. I love all kinds of blushes: pink, coral, peach, nude, matte, shimmery, frosty, whatever. I'll take it. Tweed Pink is one of the most beautiful blushes I have in my collection. Looking at it makes me happy.

This is also one of the most flattering pink blushes on my skin tone. It's pink without being too pink. Does that make sense? It's soft, blends well, and the color payoff is excellent. Though, for $45 USD a pop, that's what you ought to get.

So, based off the swatch it might look too shimmery for some people's tastes, but it doesn't give you disco ball cheeks or anything. I promise. Sometimes, a swatch can be deceiving. Tricky, tricky!

I tried to find some dupes in my collection and these were the closest (but not quite):

L-R: NARS Angelika, Chanel Tweed Pink, TheBalm Down Boy

NARS Angelika is a deeper, more intense blue based pink that imparts more glitter/shimmer. TheBalm Down Boy is completely matte and the formula is quite powdery. Like I said, they're a little similar but not quite...

Shoes!

Happy Sunday!! I just wanted to quickly share the new pair of heels I bought from Macy's (click here to see it online). I needed a new pair of cute black shoes for a wedding I have to attend next weekend. They were $89 but I got them for $69 with a $20 off coupon (winning!). I'm just praying my feet won't be throbbing by the end of the night in these suckers... ha. 

Photo Finish: A Quickie Review

I'm going to make this snappy because there's a million (and one) reviews on this cult classic product. I personally love this primer. Yes, yes I do. I think those with DRY skin will favor this because it gives the a skin a smooth velvety feel. It did not break me out. On the flip side, those with OILY skin may say this makes their face feel more greasy than velvety. For me, it keeps my makeup in place. I've put Photo Finish to the test in 115 degree weather and it upheld its end of the bargain. It also held up during my daughter's birthday party yesterday. I had a full face of makeup on for about 12-14 hours with minimal touch ups. I would definitely repurchase.

By the way, HauteLook is having an Ugg event today. Chances are, it's going to sell out fast. 

Sephora Stuff

Hey! Sorry for the lack of updates. I know that I've been an irregular poster since I got pregnant but life happens, right? Today is my daughter's SECOND birthday! Gahhhhhh, I'm so emotional right now! We're having a party for her on Sunday so this whole week has been incredibly chaotic so far.

Anyway, I just received a package from Sephora. I wanted to show you a few things I bought with my 10% VIB coupon.

Pictured:

Smith's Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm: I LOVE the original so I'm bound to love this too, right?

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner: I was reeled in by the brush. It looks like a winner for those who fail at applying liquid eyeliner (like me! haha).

Smashbox Photofinish Primer: I ran out of primer and although I have experience with a lot of them, I've never been formally introduced to the most famous of them all. I've tried a sample in the past but it was so long ago that I couldn't tell you what I thought of it.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara: A brand new mascara from Benefit. I'm almost nervous to try it because I never have much luck with the high end mascaras. I always buy mine from the drugstore (my favorites are The Falsies and Loreal Telescopic). I've bought Bad Gal in the past and hated the oversized brush. It did nothing for my lashes BUT I love Bad Gal plum for fall. I'll be sure to lend my two cents on this one, though.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray: I'm most excited and scared to try this. Mainly because it's $23 a pop and the bottle is TINY. It's suppose to give you textured beach hair. For the price, it better!

It's that time of year again!

Happy Friday! I received my order from MAC yesterday. I only ordered one thing from the new Semi Precious collection. Last year, I was all over In the Groove (okay, mainly Stereo Rose but I was loving all of the MSF's and lipsticks... and blushes). This year, eh... I could pass on most of it. I picked up one MSF for now, Semi Precious Pearl. Out of all the product photos I had seen on Temptalia, this one looked the most appealing.

I was instantly attracted to the raspberry, gold, copper, and white veining. Like most MSF's, this one is very shimmery so I think it works best as a highlighter. Although, lighter skin tones can probably pull this off as a blush (if you use a light hand). I tried it that way today and loved it. But like I said, I think most will appreciate this more as a highlight. 

L-R: outside color, center, swirled together

The Junk Drawer: PP50

I haven't done one of these posts in a while. This one is dedicated to a primer. Specifically, MAC Prep + Prime SPF 50. To my surprise, it wasn't that cheap. $30 for 1 oz. However, I typically don't mind paying the money for a product that works for me.

The first thing that bothered me about this product was the packaging. It comes in a hard plastic squeeze tube. For those who use it regularly, you might have a problem squeezing out that last bit unless you cut the sucker open. This ended up not being a big deal to me, though, mainly because I won't be finishing it any time soon.

The product itself does its job. Overall, I think it's an ideal primer. My makeup lasted all day -- even in the 90-something degree humid weather. I also liked that it had a lot of SPF in it. If your skin can tolerate it, you'd probably like it. The formula is like a lotion (because of the SPF, the regular P+P has more slip) and it has a slight, bearable lotion scent. 

Unfortunately, this primer broke me out like nobody's business. I'm pretty sure I have never experienced a breakout like this with a makeup product before. I had small pimples all over my cheeks. No bueno, folks. Just to be sure, I discontinued use of the primer and sure enough, my skin cleared right up. To be EXTRA sure, I tried using it once more. And sure enough (again), I broke out like crazy.

So now it lies in my junk drawer. That is, until I dump give it to my bestie. Like I said before, I think it could be a great primer if your skin tolerates it well. I haven't had any breakout issues with their regular Prep + Prime formula (which I think is great, by the way). 

Semi Precious is online!

Good morning! Just wanted to let you know that MAC's Semi Precious collection is up for sale on their US website. However, you have to search for the products individually. Use the code "precious" for free shipping. I only bought one thing... nothing else about this collection caught my eye (sorry, just being honest!). Are you buying anything?

Tarte for True Blood Palette Swatches

Jeeeeeeeez, there's so much going on with this palette that I'm going to have to break it up into a three part ordeal. The next post will be for the primer, liner, mascara, eye shadow dupes, and roundup. This is going to be very picture heavy...

By the way, if you haven't seen my first post with sneak peek pictures of the shadows and packaging, click here to check it out.

Row 1, 2

The Light, Fairy

Dusk, Dawn

Werewolf, Waitress

Nocturnal

Row 3, 4, 5

Charmer, Glamour Me, Stake

Bayou, Telepath, The True Death

Immortal, Moss, Legend, "V"

Ever hear the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover"? To be honest, I was put off by some of these shadows when I swatched them on my arm. The mattes, were by far, the easiest to swatch (and had the nicest formula). Others, not so much (a few kicked up a lot of dust -- mainly, some the shimmery shades). However, when used with a primer, I noticed a HUGE difference. For the sake of example, I swatched two of the shadows using the primer that came with the palette:

"V", Immortal, without primer

"V", Immortal, with primer

Yowza! Huge difference, indeed! As you can see, a primer is absolutely necessary or else you'll be very disappointed. Overall, I'm impressed. The only one I consider to be a dud is "Nocturnal". Out of all the shadows, it's the least pigmented.