Thursday, January 30, 2014

Rite Aid | #wheresthelove



Hey sugar babies! Rite Aid is looking for you to share your romantic, funny and exciting love moments with them for a chance to win a year's supply of Haagan-Dazs ice cream. Yes, you read that right - A YEARS SUPPLY OF ICE CREAM! All you have to do is share these moments via Twitter, Instagram or Vine using #wheresthelove. They can be stories/videos/pictures with boyfriends, girlfriends, family members, pets, etc. 

You can also upload your videos/pictures/stories directly to Rite Aid's Facebook tab! The tab is easy to use!

Can I enter this? I can't?! Dammit. One of you are going to have to win this and share all that ice cream with me ;)
Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Press Release | OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencils




UGH. I'm going to need ALL of these! How gorgeous are they?!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014

It Cosmetics Celebration Foundation in Light Medium - Swatches & Review


Hey dolls! Who caught It Cosmetics on QVC last night? My mom is obsessed with QVC and suckered me in. Normally, I hate watching QVC only because they have such cool stuff and then I see the five easy payments of $50.99 and I'm like, "THAT'S SUCH A STEAL!" and end up getting myself in trouble. Anyway, the entire time Jamie Kern was explaining the products and how they worked, I'd be like, "Yes. SO true! Mom, are you watching? YES! So pigmented. They work with plastic surgeons, y'know." Needless to say, I'm a pretty big fan of It Cosmetics. I have yet to experience anything less then amazing results with their products.

It Cosmetics Celebration Foundation in Light Medium
Let me just say that the magic with this began before I even had it in my hands. I never told It Cosmetics what skintone I have. Yet they sent the exact foundation match for my skin. MIND BLOWN. They must have some skintone matching ninjas over there. They recommend using the IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Buffing Airbrush Foundation Brush but I found a normal fluffy foundation brush works just as well. This foundation contains hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, antioxidants, rose, silk, aloe and their signature "Drops of Light" technology. 

Normally, I'm a liquid foundation girl all the way. How else can you conceal and cover everything? Powder can't do that, right? Right? Okay. For a powder foundation, it's pretty damn amazing. The Celebration Foundation is a finely milled foundation with medium coverage although the package says you can build it up for full opacity. On the skin, it doesn't feel heavy not pore-clogging (my biggest fear) but rather light as air; like you're not wearing anything. I've been wearing this for a few weeks now and have yet to experience any creasing or flaking off. I'm pretty amazed at this product! The only downside to this product is that it transfers on to anything that comes near your face. Collar of your jacket, blankets, etc. It does wash off but just keep that in mind. Wear time is about eight hours!

 

Overall, I really like this powder foundation! It created almost an airbrushed effect on my skin and covered almost all of my redness. Never did it crease or flake off.  I was for sure convinced my pores would suck this in but it stayed on the skin all day!

IT Cosmetics: Buy (found a better deal that includes a brush!) - Site - Facebook  | Price: $49.50
* Contains affiliate links.
Monday, January 27, 2014

Ardency Inn Americana Natural Lip Color Pencil in Delancey - Swatches & Review


Hey dolls! Today I have a new-to-me brand to share with you: Ardency Inn! Have you heard of them? Currently, they have three collections out that you can find through their e-store or in Sephora: Americana, Modster and Punker. Americana seems to have more natural colors while Modster and Punker bring out the brighter and funkier colors. As much as I love fun colors, I decided to try out something from the Americana collection.

Ardency Inn Americana Natural Lip Color Pencil in Delancey

 Ardency Inn Americana Natural Lip Color Pencil in Delancey

Delancey is described as a fair nude with pink undertones. This lip pencil seems to have a little bit of everything in it! There's Cocoa, Shea and Shorea to soothe and moisturize your lips while antioxidants Vitamins C and E provide protection against the sun. Squalene is also added to give an "extreme conditioning and softening effect by increasing water retention in your lips". Interesting stuff but does it really work?


Right off the bat, I would describe Delancy as a nude with almost orange-y undertones, medium coverage with a satin finish. The color reminds me of Lime Crime Babette. Delancey is definitely smooth going on the lips but I only got about two to three hours worth of wear before it started to fade. Reapplying brought back the color but again, only for about two to three more hours before it started to fade again. I also noticed any lines on your lips were immediately emphasized. I think a good remedy to this is to use a sugar scrub on your lips beforehand, apply Delancey and then finish with a lipgloss. Did I experience any lip plumping effects? Eh, not really. My top lip is super thin so believe me, I would notice even the slightest plumping going on. I also don't see anywhere on the box nor in the ingredients about SPF so take the antioxidants that provide protection against the sun with a grain of salt and know that lipbalm with SPF is the way to go if you really want to protect your lips.


Overall, I enjoyed the color and the formula going on the lips but was disappointed that it faded out within two to three hours. I would give this a go if you don't mind reapplying every couple of hours.

Ardency Inn: E-store | Sephora | Site | Facebook | Twitter - Price: $23

* Contains affiliate links.
Thursday, January 23, 2014

Nail Art Tutorial | Valentine's Day Kiss!


Hey loves! Last year, I did a cute tutorial on Love For Lacquer's site on how to make kiss prints on your nails. Now with Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought it'd be fun to revisit this tutorial! Let's check it out!

Here's the final look. Now let's check out to get it!

 How to:
1. Start off with a clear base coat and then use a solid base color.
2. With your dotting tool (or bobby pin) and draw a loose lowercase "m".
3. To make the bottom lip, draw a ")" underneath the loose "m".
4. Go crazy and add as many kisses as you want to!
5. Using the toothpick, go in and draw small lines on your lips.
6. Finish it all off with a nice top coat!


What I used: Julie G. Peep Toe Pumps for the lip prints and Julie G. Birthday Suit for the base color. I also used the smaller side of the dotting tool to draw the lips and then a tooth pick to create the lip lines on the lips.




So what did you think? Would you try this look out? If you have any questions/comments, just leave them below! Xx

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper - Swatches & Review


I always go gaga for Kat Von D's stuff whether it's her stunning palettes, crazy lipsticks or eyeliners; I always know it'll be the best of quality. That's why when I saw Casey Holmes (itsbl0ndie on YouTube) used the Tattoo Liner to perfect her cat eye, I knew I had to have it!

Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner in Trooper
Now I've never been great at cat eye liner, I'll admit it. Nothing is worse than having your whole eye look down (You blended it out perfectly this time) and then totally screw it all up with the eyeliner. Or better yet, you've lined your eyes but now it's time for the cat eye flick. One eye down, the other not so much. They're supposed to be sisters not twins, right? 

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper
Trooper may be the one eyeliner to change my mind and make wonky cat eyes a thing of the past. Trooper is a waterproof ink black color with a thin felt tip. The formula is super smooth and doesn't pull or drag on your eyelid. Never does it flake or smudge.

You can put light pressure on it to create a thicker line, but it just doesn't seem to come out to my liking when doing my normal eyeliner (I normally use gel to line my eyelid). It's almost too precise and thin for me to use it for that. This is, however, PERFECT for the cat eye flick! To get the flick right, you need a thin felt tip with flexibility and precision. Ta-da! Totally Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner. And once this liner is on, it's on and you'll need a good waterproof make-up remover to get it off.

Patchy line but that cat eye flick is on point!

Overall, I like this liner but it applies a bit to thin and patchy to use as a normal eyeliner. Like Casey (itsbl0ndie), I prefer to use this for the cat eye flick only.

Where To Buy: Sephora | Price: $18.00
*May contain affiliate links.
Monday, January 20, 2014

Ipsy | January Glam Bag - Review


Another month; another Ipsy glam bag! Knowing that I'll be getting at least one package a month makes me feel pretty damn cool. Nothing like snail mail to get a girl all excited, right? 

For those they may be like, "Hey Noelle! What's Ipsy?" Ipsy is a $10 a month subscription service  run by Michelle Phan (beauty vlogger extraordinaire) where you receive 3-5 deluxe mini or full sized beauty products to try out, all in a cute bag!

This month's theme is 19 Reasons 2014 Will Be Amazing. 19 reasons to make it an amazing new year, a million reasons to be a beautiful new you! Cute theme!

The Bag - Adorable, right? Too bad it stuck to high heaven. Like nasty, plastic chemicals or something. I've heard of people having this issue with past bags but thankfully it never happened to me. Until now. It's just a total unpleasant smell that almost cheapens the whole bag. I've had this baby airing out for a few days now and the smell has yet to go away. 

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow in Penny
Penny is a gorgeous smooth copper with shimmer. They recommend that you can use the smooth shadow pencil as an eyeliner, in the waterline, to contour or to highlight. It's basically universal. The formula is buttery smooth and doesn't pull or tug. I'm really happy this was in the bag!

MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm in Natural
Natural is a rosy nude color. One swipe will give you a nice sheer tint but you can keep applying for a more opaque look. The scent is a little weird. It kind of smells like crayons. It goes away once it's on your lips though. Pretty moisturizing and hydrating.

Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion
Oh my goodness. I think this might be my new favorite face lotion. It's so lightweight and soft and just - ugh, amazing. It contains Moroccan Argan Oil to hydrate and replenish, Rosewater to even out your skin tone and Shea Butter to keep your skin moisturized. Scent smells a little like oranges. I don't even know guys. I think my nose is super sensitive lately.

willa On The Go Lavender Face Wipes
Comes with ten wipes. These wipes are hypoallergenic and oil-free with Aloe and Green Tea. I really like these because they're gentle and get off most of the dirt and oils left over. I usually will use make-up remover and then come in with this after.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner
LOVE Healthy Sexy Hair products! I was nervous trying this because I rarely use leave-in conditioners because of my thin hair. This is really light-weight and didn't make my hair greasy. It left my hair smelling amazing (like paradise!) and soft.

Overall, this was great bag! A lot of new products that I don't think I would've known about if it wasn't for this bag. The bag itself reeked which was disappointing. My favorites were the Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner and the Nourish Organic Moisturizer.
Ipsy | Subscribe 
Thursday, January 16, 2014

It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain & Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss - Swatches & Review


Happy Friday Eve! Woohoooo! This has been such a long, crazy week so I am more than happy to say, "Bring on the weekend!" But before we start partying, let's check out my review of It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Lip Gloss Stains and the Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss!

It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain & Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss

It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain & Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss

It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain & Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss

It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain in Je Ne Sais Quoi and Naturally Flushed
These ain't your mama's lip stains. In fact, both of them look so light in the bottle, they don't look like stains at all. This is where some crazy magic comes in to play! I hope you're sitting down.

Je Ne Sais Quoi is a light pink lipgloss in the bottle. Definitely doesn't look like a stain and when you first apply it, it doesn't look like much. However, within about a minute, it matures into a full blown purple-toned pink stain. WHAT THE WHAT!? Naturally Flushed is a nice brown-toned nude lip but within a minute turns into a rosy pink stain. My mind is SO blown! For me, both stains created a nice, natural looking color. 

 
Je Ne Sais Quoi | Naturally Flushed

The gloss itself is a nice consistency. Not too thick and sticky but not too thin either. It's filled with a slew of natural oils, shea butter, anti-aging collagen and more to keep your lips supple and hydrated. The moisture/glossiness of the lipgloss barely faded even after about five hours of wear. The only issue I have with these is how different the colors are from how they look from what's in the bottle. Technically, you don't really know what color you get until you put these on which may be an issue for some who don't want to guess. 

It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss in I Believe
I Believe is described as a nice berry flush. It's incredibly hydrating thanks to the same oils, collagen and more that are in the Hydrating Lip Gloss Stains plus a few others like jojoba and Vitamins A, C and E to keep your lips soft and supple, help minimize the appearance of lines in your lips and keep your lips safe from free radicals. The consistency is such a fun mix of lipgloss and a butter. It's not really more of one than the other. The pigmentation is great with a high shine. It doesn't feel tacky nor thick. Wear time was around four hours.

It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss in I Believe

Je Ne Sais Quoi, Naturally Flushed & I Believe

Overall, both glosses really hit the mark for me. The stains really blew my mind. Honestly, at first, I thought It Cosmetics had mislabeled them because I couldn't get my head around such a light color producing a stain. When they stain, both are gorgeous, natural and wearable colors. Again, the only issue I had is that the color in the bottle gives you absolutely no indication of what will be on your lips. Some people may find that to be a problem. I personally thought it was awesome! The butter gloss is absolutely stunning and hydrating. I usually defer away from shimmer lip glosses but this had me sucked in and wanting more! I loved all three of these products and highly recommend each one.

it Cosmetics: Shop | Facebook | Twitter

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Rite Aid | Starting the New Year Off Right!


Hi love muffins! A few weeks ago, I received a box filled with goodies from Rite Aid! For those who don't remember or are new to my blog, I'm part of the Rite Aid Network, here to bring you the newest and hottest health, beauty and more news and goodies from Rite Aid! In this month's box it seems the theme is starting the year off healthy! Let's peek inside!

Wholesome Goodness Omega Granola Bars | Mountain Mix 
Oh my goodness. These are hands down the most delicious granola bars I've ever tasted. The apple cinnamon ones are where it's at. They taste like apple pie! The Omega Granola Bars have nutritional benefits of Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in each bar. They contain no high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweetners, colorings, preservatives, additives, trans-fat and highly processed ingredients. The Mountain Mix is perfect to throw in your purse when you're on-the-go. It's filled with roasted almonds, peanuts, raisins, sunflower seeds and dark chocolate! Om nom nom! 

When food shopping at Rite Aid, keep an eye out for new shelf signs that can help you identify products: gluten-free, carb aware, healthy heart, low sodium, sugar free, good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Fiber and/or Calcium, whole grain, 100% juice and if it's organic. How cool is that? I don't think I've ever seen that in a store before.

Denise Austin Forever Fit! Toning & Strength Resistance Tube
Denise Austin's Forever Fit! line is exclusive to Rite Aid and is broken down into four main groups - Balance and Flexibility, Toning and Strength, Hearth Health and Fitness Support. I'm a total noob when it comes to using equipment at home but was happy to find out that you can actually watch how to use the equipment in a workout on Rite Aid's website. Pretty freakin' cool.

Denise Austin Forever Fit! Toning & Strength Resistance Tube
The resistance tube itself is light and holds about 5 pounds resistance. It comes in two other options: medium ( 10 lbs. resistance) and heavy (20 lbs. resistance). Resistance tubes (when used correctly) affect every muscle in your body and increases muscle strength. I used mine by placing it under my feet and pulling up. Can you guys tell I'm a horrible fitness blogger? Hahaha. There are three easy exercises on the side of the box as well as the video on Rite Aid's website.

Julie G. Nail Colors in Freshly Squeezed, Sugar Rush & Crushed Candy
Ah, something I'm a bit more familiar with. Nothing is healthier than looking fabulous. Am I right? I am the biggest fan of Julie G. and her polishes. Where else can you find gorgeous polish at such a cheap price? Freshly Squeezed is a light orange-y peach with hot pink shimmer (sorry the picture sucks and doesn't show it).  Sugar Rush is a fun orange with gold flecks texture polish. Blueberry Fizz is a nice textured blue with silver shimmer. Crushed Candy reminds me of grape rock candy with its purple base and silver flecks - also a textured polish. Last, we have the Julie G. Jetset Quick-Dry Top Coat which is nice but doesn't replace my HK Girl Top Coat. Each polish is a dream to work with with no issues whatsoever. I actually already own Sugar Rush and Crushed Candy so as nice as it is to have backups, I'd rather share you with you! Keep an eye out for a giveaway :)

Do you have any resolutions for the new year? If you do, have you broke them or are you still going strong? 

Rite AidSite | Facebook | Twitter
Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Zoya Magical Pixie Spring 2014 Collection - Press Release



https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoxRQE1LQETM8Igle8quzSKDLvhpga6Fe0WqdmsJW6t0iDyVs3xSkQ_B6KLF0ltD5hTWjxBkyO_WA0_7nKD3qG7HJKuZM6PsqHZpSYTBY2Itd9OPQclLaF6HN_WDnA6eP4Zkqm5qgRho/s1600/Zoya_Nail_Polish_Monet_Launch_2014_image5.jpg

Believe in it...
Zoya Magical Pixie - a new PixieDust formulation, amped up with spectacular sparkle creating the most magical, Zoya PixieDust ever! Three new never before imagined textured, holographic beauties for spring 2014... 
ZOYA MAGICAL PIXIE
• ZP717 - Cosmo: Silver Crystal Sparkle, Textured PixieDust with Mega Hex Iridescent Particles, Full Coverage Formula.
• ZP718 - Vega: Blue Opal Sparkle, Textured PixieDust with Mega Hex Iridescent Particles, Full Coverage Formula.
• ZP719 - Lux: Rose Quartz Sparkle Textured PixieDust with Mega Hex Iridescent Particles, Full Coverage Formula.
$10.00 ea. (US)
For BEST RESULTS when applying Zoya PixieDust: apply 2-3 thin coats of polish for full coverage to a clean oil free nail surface. Allow product to dry completely for full effect. Do not use a base coat or top coat. Top coat can be applied for additional glossy effects. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfL0bGWHoz0WbaS05NWyheqeCg6Rk3qREUm_EcmQDjpR7sb_tnDl_O7vUJHaCkMrSgUhDHzWN9gDPVHSEUSYCKiVV8MYjsuFmW7G8doUOpMu-tdlC4wQIe8J3Tn6a4fvAVLZH6TfFGKM/s1600/Zoya_Nail_Polish_Monet_Launch_2014_image4.jpg
*BIG5FREE: Zoya Nail Polish and Treatment Formulas are free of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene and camphor.
Find over 300 long-wearing, beautiful Zoya colors on www.zoya.com. Each and every color has a name as unique as the women who inspired it.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Too Faced Joy To The Girls Palette - Swatches & Review


Okay. Don't kill me but I wanted to do one more limited edition holiday palette review before we hop into Spring collections! My fiance bought this for me for Christmas! AND put down your pitchforks because I actually think this is still available. Whoop whoop!

Too Faced Joy To The Girls Palette
Joy To The Girls Palette contains 15 0.6oz eyeshadows and a full size Too Faced Lashgasm Mascara. This palette is definitely for the neutral lovers and doesn't really contain any bold colors. It contains mattes and satins with some fun, shimmery shades mixed in to make it a nice well-rounded palette.

Too Faced Joy To The Girls Palette
Did you know? This palette's packaging was designed by celebrity decorator Mary McDonald!

On the left, we have a Glamour Guide with three looks for weekday, weekend and party time using the shadows in the palette. I love, love, love when products include tutorials. On the right, we have the palette itself. Can I just how happy I am that the names of the shadows are underneath the shade? I hate when I don't know the name of the shadow I'm using.

  • Cookie Dough - a satin beige brown. One of my favorite colors of this palette! Soft and blendable.
  • Cheers - a metallic rose gold. Super pigmented and another favorite! Smooth and blendable.
  • Prancer - a shimmery warm gold. Pigmented, but a little on the gritty side from the shimmer. I have no clue why this one feels gritty while the other shimmery ones don't. It's still super pretty 
  • Sugar Plum - a deep plum with silver sparkles. Love! Incredible pigmentation with no fall out from the sparkles. Soft and blendable.
  • Mulberry - a plumy brown matte. Talk about butter! Silky smooth, pigmented and blendable.
  • Snow Angel - a snow white matte. A bit on the powdery side. Not very blendable. It kind of disappears on your eyelid if you're not wearing a primer.

  • Powdered Sugar - pale pink matte. I couldn't get over how pigmented this was. A bit on the powdery side but useable and surprisingly blendable.
  • Too-Too - pink with silver sparkles. Pigmented but kind of fades when you blend it out.
  • Yule Log - dark brown with gold sparkles. This reminds me SO much of a log with embers. The name is perfect! Pigmentation is fantastic, blendable and buttery soft.
  • Chestnut - medium brown shimmer. Pigmented, silky and blendable.
  • Twinkle - gold metallic. Silky smooth. Ugh, just perfection to work with. Pigmentation is out of this world.
  • Joy - metallic baby blue. Pigmented but I recommend a primer underneath to really make this pop.

  • Spike The Punch - peachy pink with silver shimmer. Kind of like Too -Too's peachy sister. Pigmentation is there but primer would make it look better. Soft and blendable.
  • Chimney - a pewter grey with sparkles. Super pigmented, blendable and silky smooth.
  • Coal - a matte black. A bit patchy. I think almost everyone has this in their collection somewhere. Just your run-of-the-mill black.

Overall, this palette is great! There's a couple of shades that are powdery and a few that may need a primer underneath to really make them pop, but I really like this. This is the perfect palette of light, whimsical colors with just the right amount of shimmer and glitz.

Too Faced: Shop | Price: $46

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