Thursday, June 27, 2013

Beauty Box by Target - Review & Pictures


Hey dollfaces! A couple of weeks ago, I received the first edition of Beauty Box by Target! Funny thing is, this popped up in the mail and I completely forgot I even bought this and had to deal with a million death stares from my fiance after I swore I didn't buy anything from Target. The box itself is for free but you have to pay shipping which was $5. That's where they get ya! Also, this box took 6-8 weeks to get to me (hence me forgetting). The card that comes inside the box says that Target will be offering this monthly with brands you've heard of and some you haven't plus a special offer. Very exciting!

The Box: Love it. I always say this but I'm a sucker for awesome packaging. This box comes with a cute "slip" over a plain white box with the signature Target bullseye made to look like it was drawn all over it in blush, mascara, eyeshadow and lipstick.

Sneak peek of what's inside!

Gilette Venus & Olay Razor Pack in Sugarberry
This is exactly why I love beauty boxes like this! I've never used Gilette razors before. This razor has five blades and comes with this yummy Sugarberry scented Olay "Moisture Bar" built into it to keep your skin looking and feeling smooth. I love, love, love this scent! I've only used this about four times but the razor hasn't become dull yet nor the "moisture bar" fallen off or used up. A+!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in Sweet Tart-An
Meh. Love Sally Hansen products but not these. They never work for me and I always seem to mess them up or they don't stick for me. I don't really like the argyle print either. Hey, you win some, you lose some.

Fekkai Glossing Cream
Speaking of winning some. Fekkai is in the box!? Fekkai Glossing Cream adds shine and keeps your hair from getting cray cray with frizz. Unfortunately, the price tag ($25 for 4oz.) keeps me from buying anything more than a deluxe sample size ($9) but this was a happy surprise in the box. My mom loves Fekkai's Glossing System and fought me over this. I won.

L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream & La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Samples
First off, thank you Target for actually reading the questionaire you give us to fill out  asking us what are skintone, hair color, etc. is and sending me a B.B. cream that actually matches my skintone. You guys are awesome! Anywho, this B.B. cream boasts it hydrates, primes, perfects and corrects. I just really thought it was cool that it came out white and once you started rubbing it in did it become your skin color. Talk about magic, guys. As for the La Roche sample, thankfully, I don't really have any acne so I didn't get to try the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Dual Action Acne Treatment sample but it says it visibly reduces acne in three days which is a tall order to fill. Someone let me know if this works!

Overall: This box is definitely worth the $5 shipping. I know that the beauty bags that Target puts out every once in a while go really quick and if I can remember correctly, there was a rush on these boxes too! Edit: Just checked. This box was available to the first 20,000 people. I feel this box is exactly what Target was talking about with some brands you know mixed with some brands you don't. I'll definitely be in the rush to buy another box! 
Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Instahaul - HauteLook, MAC & Blog Sale


Hi dolls. So I, um, bought some things... I couldn't resist some amazing sales!

HauteLook
So recently, HauteLook had Urban Decay on its site! For those who don't know, HauteLook is an amazing website that has daily sale events on beauty products, designer clothes, hair products, home stuff - basically everything 50-75% off original price! Say whaaa-? Exactly. If you're not signed up, you should be. They recently had Urban Decay, NYX, theBalm and Juicy Couture!
  • Urban Decay Eyeshadow Ammo - SO excited to try out this palette! I can't wait to wear Maui Waui and Oil Slick. Palette comes with 10 shades! Also, I love the graphics on this palette - the skulls, gun and hearts are cute touches!
  • Urban Decay Mariposa Palette - Oh goodness. Clearly, I wouldn't buy this unless I was dying to try it, but I'm so excited to try this too. The packaging itself is adorable. The palette comes in this beautiful tin with a butterfly etched on it. Unfortunately, my tin came with a tiny scratch on it, but it doesn't really bother me. Out of this palette, I'm most excited to try Honey, Rockstar and Spotlight.
Blog Sale
If you haven't experienced the awesomeness that is a blog sale, I recommend joining some beauty swap groups on FaceBook or scouring beauty swap groups on LiveJournal.com (where I found mine). Everything from limited edition items to new releases can all be found in these groups. I've been a member of MAC Cosmetics on LiveJournal for about a month now and came across some items I had been dying for. Sent my PayPal, received the items, bing bang boom! * I recommend always researching and knowing exactly what you're getting when purchasing from a blog sale. Ask questions. Check out their feedback. 
  • Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Ransom - Since falling in love with Rockstar (in my May Favorites), I needed to buy more of these! Ransom is this gorgeous purpleish blue. I can't wait to rock this!
  • MAC Sushi Kiss - I found it brand new in the box on this blog sale! Woohoo!
  • NARS Orgasm Blush - Need I say more? I felt I needed to buy this and see what all the hub bub is about! Found new, in the box.

Ulta
Ulta is my home away from home. A lot of random things were buy one, get one half off there last week so I took advantage of that.
  • c. Booth Tahitian Monoi Dry Oil Spray - I don't even know what made me pick this up. I love c.Booth products, but I'm not a fan of body oils. Maybe I was curious to see what a dry oil was. Who knows. I ended up trying this out right than and there in the store and fell in love! It smells amazing - like warm vanilla mixed with coconut oil. The oil dries super fast on your body and leaves them so soft and not greasy at all. I ended up buying one for my mom as well.
  • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Milan - I've heard so many things about these lip creams so I decided to grab Milan and try it out. I've only swatched it, but so far, I likey. 
  • NYX Orange Soda Lip Stick - Everyone and their mom has this. Naturally I had to have it too.


MAC 
Awww yus! Part of my RiRi order came in plus some other goodies I ordered. My two RiRi lipsticks I ordered are backordered until mid-July.
  • MAC Florabundance Lipglass - I've heard so many great things about this and have seen it in so many different beauty vlogger's videos. Had to try it!
  • MAC Myth - Another lipstick that I've heard so many amazing things about. I've been on the hunt for the perfect nude lip and I think this with Florabundance over it will look great!
  • MAC Coral Bliss - Squee! The perfect coral lipstick for summer :) SO excited to try this baby out.
  • RiRi Loves MAC Hibiscus Kiss Bronzer/Blush - The only part of the collection that wasn't backordered for me :( Ah well. Love that this bronzer is matte. I'm almost afraid to wear this. It's so pretty!
So those are my most recent purchases! What have you bought recently? 
Wednesday, June 19, 2013

June Ipsy Bag - Review & Swatches


What's this? An Ipsy bag review in the actual month it was delivered? It's a Christmas miracle! That being said, if you haven't received yours yet (or haven't opened it), don't peek!

This month's theme is On The Wild Side! - "As the warm months start to set in, we want you to channel the edgier side of style with products that are undeniably "On the Wild Side." 

Sneak peek into the bag!

The Bag - In all honesty, I think the picture itself explains how awesome this bag is. It screams wild and summer to me. I really love the zipper in the front instead of on the top. I'll definitely be using this a lot this summer.

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Crayon - Buy
I remember getting a Chella brow gel in a previous Ipsy bag and falling in love with the brand so I was excited to see this in this month's bag. This pencil can be used as a highlighter under the eye brow, over your cupids bow and wherever else you highlight, as a light eyelid primer, a nude eyeliner to make your eyes pop and/or a concealer for blemishes! Very smooth application but the lasting power wasn't that great for use as a concealer.

J.Cat Sparkling Cream PaletteBuy
What a bummer about this palette. I was under the assumption it would be a crazy glitter-y eyeshadow palette but J.Cat as well as Ipsy have made it clear that this is not to be used anywhere near your eyes. I'm not really a body glitter type of girl so unfortunately, this wasn't for me. Wahh! 

Swatches of J.Cat Sparkling Cream Palette

NYX Cream Blush in Rose Petal- Buy
I love this! Rose Petal is a beautiful dusty pink that gives your cheeks just the right amount of "just pinched" look. I've never tried a cream blush before, but guys, this stuff is amazing! The consistency is so smooth and creamy and dries almost like a powder. It blends amazingly. I've really never used anything like it before but now I wish I had like, 20 of these. I will definitely be buying more from NYX. 


Starlooks Lip Pencil in Tipsy - Buy
Oh hey, this looks familiar! ;) I already have this lip pencil from reviewing the February Starlooks Starbox and it's awesome, guys. It's a gorgeous bright coral lip liner with great staying power.

Swatches of Tipsy, Rose Petal & Rose Petal blended and Ivory Lace Highlighter

Psssst! Instant Dry ShampooBuy
With this heat, a thin-haired girl like me needs this to survive summer! Normally, I'll wash my hair and by night time, it's flat and greasy. A quick spray of this, brush it and you're ready to go! The smell is very light and clean. This size is perfect to pop in your purse and go!

Ta-da! So that's the bag. What do you think? Overall, this bag had some hits and misses but I'm really excited to have the cream blush, the bag itself and the highlighter. What did you get in your bag?

Not subscribed to Ipsy yet? What are you waiting for? For $10 a month, you'll get a bag filled with 4-5 deluxe-full sized beauty products at your door. Sign up here (referral link)!
Monday, June 17, 2013

May Favorites!


Hi all! Remember me? I went a little MIA "recuperating" from Las Vegas but I'm back now with some entries that I tried to get out last week but didn't happen. One of those being my May Favorites! I actually recorded a video for my favorites. Then my computer decided to hate me and for whatever reason wasn't recognizing my camera no matter how many times I tried to upload it. So I decided blog post it was. I'm rambling. Let's get to it!

Sneak peek at my favorites!

Essie Set In Stones, Dior St. Tropez & Essie Limoscene
I'm so in love with these three all together in a mani. Limoscene is a bit sheer (I use three coats to get to a milky opacity) but it looks so classy. It also makes me look tan and that's always a plus. Set In Stones is the perfect glitter topper. It's a whole bunch of silver hexes in different sizes. Lastly, Dior St. Tropez is a gorgeous deep turquoise color perfect for your toesies!

theBalm Frat Boy Blush & Bahama Mama Bronzer
Naturally, when these badboys appeared on HauteLook (referral link), I had to buy them. Just about every beauty blogger/vlogger raves about them and they don't disappoint. Frat Boy is a beautiful flushed pink (the same color your cheeks would be if a hottie frat boy asked you out) and Bahama Mama is a matte medium bronzer perfect for contouring for us paler girls. 

Hard Candy Baked Bronzer in Tiki
Another beauty vlogger/blogger fave and I can definitely see why. Hard Candy describes it as a bronzer but it's the most gorgeous highlighter I've found so far for so cheap. I'm the biggest fan of Hard Candy anyway, but if you haven't tried this brand out yet, run to your local Walmart and buy this!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Rockstar
In absolute love with this eyeliner right here. I don't even know where this came from (maybe an Ipsy bag) and then was thrown in the back of a drawer and found again. Guys, this is the smoothest eye pencil I have ever used. It's like butter. I dreaded using eyeliner for the sole reason that I would mess up so easily. It'd either drag and catch in my little wrinkles of my eye or would be too chalky but this, this eyeliner right here, is amazing. I will definitely be buying a full size of this and it's little friends. The color is a crazy blackened eggplant. Sigh. So gorgeous.

Hard Candy Lite Bright Whipped Brightening Concealer
Well, by now you've probably noticed my Hard Candy obsession. Ahem. Another amazing product from them. I can't remember the color but I bought this in the lightest color (pale girl reppin'!). Brightening? Absolutely. Smooth and doesn't settle into the creases? Heck yeah! For $8 (I think), you can't go wrong with this.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded
I'm embarrassed to admit this is my first Color Tattoo despite all the amazing things I've heard about them. Lately, I've been using this as my base for eyeshadows and I can't even begin to describe how much difference having this as my primer makes with eyeshadows. Barely Branded itself is a subtle shimmery nude color and I absolutely love it.

Milani Color Statement Lipsticks in Nude Creme, Flamingo Pose & Sweet Nectar
I blame Nicole Guerriero (Beauty Vlogger). She featured Flamingo Pose (a neon color) and Sweet Nectar (a mandarin orange) in her favorites a few months back and I was hooked. Nude Creme just appeared out of no where ;) I think what I love the most about Milani lip sticks (besides the smell - YUM!) is how smooth they are. They also aren't drying which I like (who doesn't?) because I feel like a lot of my lipsticks have been drying my poor lips out. The colors are just out of this world.

Victoria's Secret Pink Wild At Heart & Spring Break Body Mists
It's not officially summer until VS puts out their summer-themed body sprays. I know, a lot of them are just their core collection in new bottles but I still get all excited. Wild At Heart is a sweet perfume of red passionfruit and musk. Spring Break is a summery hibiscus and passionfruit. Smells soooo good!

TooFaced Loves Sephora Palette
I feel like this should be in my favorites every single month this year - that's how much I love it! I'll be doing a review on this soon (promise!). It comes with 10 amazing eyeshadows, two bronzers, a blush, a small blush brush and TooFaced Shadow Insurance. All the eyeshadows are very pigmented with little fall out. I've completely fallen in love with Shadow Insurance and it makes me want to run out and buy a full size one.

Favorite Songs:
Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke ft. TI & Pharrell
Runnin' Out of Moonlight - Randy Houser
I Love It - Icona Pop

Favorite Sites:

Since we're clearly out of May, what are your June favorites!?

PS. Peep the new layout! What do you think?
Tuesday, June 11, 2013

May Ipsy Bag - Review & Swatches


Hello lovers! I received the May Ipsy bag before I left for Nevada and holy cow, guys, this is the best bag Ipsy has sent out so far in my opinion. Everything in this bag is just awesome. Let's check it out, shall we?

(Excuse the weird lighting. I don't even know what was going on with my camera.)

May's theme was Spring FlingAre you ready for a fabulous fling with the fantastic products of May's "Spring Fling" Glam Bag? Delight your beauty routine with products that will get you blooming from head to toe!

The Bag - I love, love, love this bag! Super cute dark blue, light blue, white and orange chevron print is perfect for spring time!

Sneak peek what's inside!

Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Fig - Buy 
Okay. I'm not a huge fan of the smell which I'm assuming is fig-scented so that was a turn off. It's not a horrible scent by any means, just not one I want to slather on my lips. The shade itself is a sheer bronze with gold flecks but is super wearable and not sticky at all. Overall, I probably won't be wearing this but I like that they threw this in the bag. I think maybe another scent would've made me a fan.

Zoya Nail Polish in Gei Gei - Buy
SQUEE! Gei Gei is a light pink with iridescent shimmer in it from Zoya's Spring 2013 line. Talk about Ipsy steppin' their game up! I was very excited to see a full size Zoya in my bag. The color is awesome! Zoya's formulas are absolutely smooth and it took only two coats for full opacity.

Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff - Buy
Whomp whomp. Total color fail. Unfortunately, this concealer was a little too yellow for my skin tone. Minus the color, the concealer itself is extremely smooth and blends very easily into the skin. 

St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Lotion - Buy
I've heard amazing things about St. Tropez fake tanning lotions so I was very happy to see it in my bag! The lotion I received isn't one that lasts all week but rather for only one day. This is perfect for when you tan it up for a wedding or an event for a day. Directions say to apply with an applicator mitt and wait for it to dry before getting dressed. Wash it off when you're ready to call it a night!

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment - Buy
JASLDJASLKDJ OMGGGGGG! I have been dying to try a Macadamia hair product for forever. I've heard only amazing things about Macadamia and especially this oil treatment. Now I haven't used this yet (I'm savoring it, ok? ;)) so this isn't much of a review but more of AJKSADJAS I'm excited for this. 

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in MoonSpoon - Buy
Another SQUEE! Sometimes Ipsy sends out bonus items to those who participate on their website. This month they sent out some UD Moondust Eyeshadows! Imagine my face when I opened the bag and saw this. I absolutely love Urban Decay. What's funny is that a few weeks before I received this bag, I got a sample of the exact same eyeshadow in a Sephora order and fell in love but couldn't spend $18 for one eyeshadow. This eyeshadow is extremely sparkly which is perfect for nights out.

Swatches: YABY concealer in Buff / Juice Beauty Gloss in Fig, St. Tropez Tanner & UD Moondust in MoonSpoon


Overall: The best Ipsy bag I've received to date! Everything (minus the gloss and concealer) is something I was at one point drooling over. I'm so excited to work with the St. Tropez tanner, Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment and UD eyeshadow!

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