A few favorite glosses

So far during this spring/summer, I've really been into lip glosses. I'm usually more of a lipstick person but I like the change. Here's a few I've been wearing a lot lately:

NARS Wonder (LE)

I love this gloss because it's a nice way to wear orange without screaming orange. Does that make sense? Point is, this color is just right. It makes your lips look lush and juicy.

MAC Viva Glam Cyndi

Cyndi is one of my summer colors and one of the few "reds" I like to wear. 

VG Cyndi lipstick on top, lipglass on bottom

Saving the best for last, my absolute favorite lipgloss is actually a drugstore gem, Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in  Rose Gold.

I really like to pair this with a nude lipstick (something like MAC Honeylove), but it wears well on its own too. It's a perfect everyday color, especially for the summer.

NARS Little Darling Lipstick

I'm excited about this one because it's my first NARS lipstick ever. I have a few things from this brand. It's something that I occasionally treat myself to because it is pretty expensive. However, I was so captivated by their holiday collection this year. I literally want everything!

Decribed by NARS as a "nude-beige", $24 USD

First Impressions

I always like the sleek black packaging, I just don't like how it's quick to get dirty because of the rubbery texture. Aside from that, I noticed that the lipstick is darker than what was pictured in the promo. Keep in mind, I ordered this from Sephora, before the F&F sale ended. I tried to buy it at my NARS counter, but they didn't have it yet (at the time). There aren't too many in-depth reviews of this lipstick right now because it's new so I just had to hope it was as awesome as I thought. Just by looking at it, I was a little scared because it looked a bit too brown for my taste. I gave it a whiff and didn't notice any scent. However, I do have a little cold so I asked my boyfriend to confirm my opinion and he didn't pick up on any scent either (he's such a good sport! haha). 

My Thoughts

This lipstick has decent color payoff although it's sheer, yet pigmented, with a glossy finish (so don't get turned off if you think it looks dark). In all honesty, had this color been more opaque and matte, I wouldn't have fancied it. I think this color is extremely versatile for a wide array of people. Oh, and as for scent... though I didn't pick up on one before I applied it, I noticed one after. It was very light, subtle, and pleasant but it didn't linger. I didn't find this formula to be drying, but it gave me a decent amount of wear. Don't expect it to last too long before reapplying because it does have that glossy finish. I happen to love nudes, but I have to make them work for me. Generally, I dab them in lightly so it doesn't wash me out but I have to make sure I apply enough because my lips are quite red by nature. With this, I don't have to do anything. It just works as it is. I think this is because it's a little darker than most of the nudes I own so it's not so quick to wash me out. 

Bottom Line & Recommendations


I couldn't have picked a better color for myself. I can't think off hand of any dupes to compare it to. Although the color may seem typical, I don't think it is. This color, in my opinion, would be very flattering on warmer skin tones, though it has the potential to work for a lot of people across the board. If you like nudes, you'll probably like this. Especially if you can't wear colors like Myth too well. Don't feel bad, only a handful of people can wear that color and wear it well. I'm not one of them. Also, I think think is a nice shade for fall / winter. It leans on the sheer side, yet has depth. As far as I know, this color is permanent.

Another Sneak Peek for NARS Holiday 2010

I just wanted to share another promo for the NARS Holiday 2010 collection which will be officially released on Friday, October 15th. See anything you like?

NARS Holiday 2010 Campaign (Sneak Peek)

I saw this on Facebook and I wanted to share. Frankly, I'm just curious as to what your opinions are on this image:

I feel intrigued by it, but the model's brows are a little Star Trek-ish to me and yet, I kind of like it? I think? Either way, I love NARS and I'm definitely excited about the holiday collection. Did you hear about the Bento Box set? I want that!

FOTD: UD Naked Palette and MAC

Ha! My first FOTD, whaddya know?! I still have to figure out a better lighting situation that really allows my camera to pick up on my shadows. Funny, it zeros in on my breakouts, but not on my shadows. Go flippin' figure.

Anyway, this was from yesterday but I never got a chance to post it. This is has actually been an everyday look for me since I really love a subtle smoky eye for the daytime in fall, paired with a nice nude lip. It's quick and easy, which is convenient.... being a mom and all. I've been showing my Naked palette A LOT of love since, if your a neutrals gal (like myself), this is all you really need to pull off any look -- whether it's subtle or dramatic.

Please excuse my messy, pinned up hair, haha

Eyes

- MAC Paint Pot in Painterly (though, Bare Study helps the colors pop better)

- Colors used from the UD Naked palette: Sin (all over the lid), Half Baked (on the inner corners of the eyes and in the center of the lid), Dark Horse (just a little bit on the outer crease but it's hard to see because this is what I meant by my camera not picking up all the color, also applied on the outer third of the lower lash line with a pencil brush (like the 219)). 

- UD liner in Zero, applied to the upper and (outer third of the) lower lash line. I typically don't apply liner to my waterline, unless I'm going for something really dramatic, since it makes my eyes look smaller

- Loreal Telescopic mascara in Black / Brown

- NYX eyebrow cake powder in Taupe / Ash

Face

- NARS primer

- MAC Studio Sculpt NW20 (mixed with moisturizer)

- TheBalm, TimeBalm concealer (Lighter than Light)

- Rimmel pressed powder in 01 Translucent

- Light contouring with NARS Laguna

- MAC MSF in Petticoat, just a little bit!

Lips

- MAC Hue (Glaze), the lightest nude I can pull off without looking washed out. I just dab this to my lips instead of applying it the normal way because then it looks too unnatural.

Birthday Goodies

So, I turned 22 this past Saturday, the 7th, and I had a very nice birthday with my boyfriend and daughter. Dinner, Netflix, a day of total relaxation -- just what I wanted / needed! I even got a few goodies that I've had on my wishlist for a while. Sorry I didn't post this sooner, but my daughter hasn't been feeling well since yesterday but she's napping now. Anyway, there's just a couple of things, so I'll do my best to keep this short and sweet =)

MAC 239 Brush

I like getting the MAC pamphlets in the mail =)

I feel like there are certain brushes that you just need to have duplicates of. For me, this includes the 239, 266, 168, and I'm sure there's another one that I can't think of at the moment...

NARS Angelika Blush

I had the most difficult time trying to capture the true color of this blush. Angelika is a cool blue-pink cotton candy color that looks very intense in the pan. This was the best I could get it, but the true color is more intense looking than this. 

Again, the true color is more intense. This is a very pigmented blush, so you have to be careful not to apply too much. Sometimes, I like to buff it out with a kabuki brush so it looks more subtle. Also, keep in mind that it doesn't look glittery on the skin!

NARS Lip Gloss in Dolce Vita & Striptease

I got these lip glosses using the code "TEMPTALIA" on narscosmetics.com (expires 8/15). The offer was originally for three individual mini lip glosses, but now they're offering the duo. I knew I'd love Dolce Vita but I was pleasantly surprised that I ended up loving Striptease too. On its own, I could never pull off Striptease because these kinds of neutrals wash me out, big time. When I dab it on my lips over a lipstick, like MAC Lazy Day (LE), I just really love the muted effect it offers. Both colors are beautiful! Also, there's free shipping on any order over $25 using the code, "25FREESHIP".... which almost everything is $25+ so it shouldn't be hard to become eligible (lol).

On a side note, I know a lot of people don't like NARS lip glosses because of the "smell". I'd like to add that I think the smell is so faint, it's dismissable. Then again, when I like something enough, I never let those things offend me.

China Glaze: Ruby Pumps

This color is gorgeous. So unbelievably gorgeous. I haven't tried it out yet, but I'll take pictures when I do.

Last, but certainly not least......

The NAKED PALETTE!

I purchased this online from Ulta last Monday and just got it two days ago. In my opinion, this truly lives up to the hype. The colors are gorgeous. I love neutrals of almost any kind. This palette is fun, the colors are gorgeous, and the possibilities are endless. I'm going to dedicate a whole post to this palette when I get to try out more looks with it and I'll post them. I'll also include swatches in the post as well. I was going to do it today, but my boyfriend and a bunch of guys are framing out an addition to our house so I would've felt a little silly walking around with my camera and an arm full of eye shadow. I did swatch the liners though!

Whiskey on top, Zero on the bottom

Isn't it GORGEOUS?!

July Favorites

This past month has flown by so quickly! My daughter celebrated her FIRST birthday on the 20th of July and I'm happy but so sad at the same time. My little girl is growing up so fast!

My little monster<3

Anyway, I definitely have a few favorites that I've been using almost everyday in July...

NARS Primer

This has been a favorite of mine since I got it in May. I've been through so many primers and when I got this, I didn't even think I'd like it -- but I love it. I feel like this deserves a review.

Lazy Day Lipstick (Lustre)

Lazy  Day is from the 'To The Beach' collection. It's a milky-cool pink. On it's own, I don't care for it because it makes me look sort of sickly. If I line with Subculture first, it warms up the color a bit, making it very pretty and wearable. Lining with Subculture has the same effect when I use VG Gaga, too.

MAC Subculture Lip Liner

As of now, it's my favorite liner EVER!

Tare Cheek Stain: Flower Child

I went on a cheek stain craze this past winter. I'm over the phase, but I still love Flower Child for my lips. It's a golden rosy-pink. The beauty with cheek stains is that they have the ability to give you an overall natural glow and a light flush -- that 'just pinched' look. I have five of them, and this is my favorite. Though the taste is quite repulsive, I don't let it offend me. Also, the consistency of this stain differs from the others -- probably because this one has shimmer to it. This was limited edition and it's discontinued, but there's still a wide variety to choose from at Sephora. Tarte's cheek stains retail for $30 USD (keep in mind that you get a lot of product).

A few swatches...

Flower Child

By the way, I like these a lot for summer -- for those days when all you need is some tinted moisturizer and concealer.

MAC Summer Rose Beauty Powder

I bought this from the Liberty of London collection. For a beauty powder, it's quite pigmented. I can't say this would show up well on darker skin tones, but as a pasty princess, this works well as a blush. 

                                                                  

Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

I've had this for a while. I probably got it from Sephora during the winter. It went in the drawer and didn't come out until a few weeks ago. It has a nice sugary scent and a taste to match. The tint is sheer, but yet it has a nice color payoff. My only complaint is the hefty price tag. While I love this now and will continue to use it, I'm not sure I'd repurchase it again. $22.50 USD is a lot of money for a tinted lip conditioner!

As you can see, the month of July was all about lips for me!

P.S.: My skin has gotten so dry! NOT a sexy look! If anyone knows of good products for SUPER dry skin, do tell! For now, I'll see how this drinking water thing works out. Thanks =)

Review: NARS Laguna Bronzer

I think I've mentioned the Too Faced Bronzed & Beautiful Palette before -- which is good (also, a great bargain), but not nearly as amazing as Laguna. For $32 USD, you get a lot of product. I mainly use bronzer to contour and I have to be picky about what kind I use because as a super fair lady, things can go horribly wrong if the color is too dark or too orange. I recommend this for fair-medium skin tones. For medium / darker-skinned beauties, I think Casino may be a better bet for you. With the Too Faced palette, I have to swirl my brush (I use the MAC 109 to contour) around quite bit to pick up color and I notice with this, just one swipe picks up a lot of color. Therefore, you really don't need much to get the job done and it's quite a large pan. I can imagine this lasting for a good while. The texture of the powder itself is very silky smooth. I say, this was definitely worth the splurge.