Sunday, March 30, 2014

March Favorites (with a few from Dec-Feb)

I did a lot of shopping during the month of February and March and have come to really LOVE many of my recent purchases as well as a few long term ones.  Lets get started.



Skin:

GlamGlow Duo Holiday Gift Set

(L) GLAMGLOW YOUTHMUD TINGLEXFOLIATE TREATMENT/ (R) GLAMGLOWSUPERMUD CLEARING TREATMENT


I purchased this duo set after Christmas.  The black container (small) helps to exfoliate and the white container (large) is for acne and skin problems.  I must say I really like the white container.  It helps "diminish" and minimize unwanting acne.  Both products dries very quickly and smells Ok (no funky smell).  You leave this on for 5-15 minutes and then remove it with water.  You can use the white container overnight.  This retails at $69 and can be purchased at Sephora - GlamGlow.




Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge

I also purchased this after Christmas to help remove the GlamGlo mask.  I love this sponge, but not the price ranging at $18.00.  This is super easy to use.  All you have to do is run it under water until it turns soft then sweep it gently on your face to remove the mask.  It feels so nice on the skin.  Once you're done, hang the sponge in your bathroom using the string attached so it can dry.  This can be purchased at Sephora - Boscia
*EcoTool recently launched a new sponge similar to the Boscia's sponge for only $5.99. Ecotools.  I just picked it up the other day at Ulta.  If you have it, please let me know how do you like it.


Boscia Cleansing Oil Gel

I love using my Mario Badescu's Acne Facial Cleanser, but my youngest son decided to fill it up with water and completely ruined it (and it was a new bottle).  Since I was so happy with my Boscia's sponge I wanted to try a cleanser.  This is weird because it's a pink and thick "Oil-Gel" texture, but it really does a good job.  It has a pump, which is always great and it helps remove makeup and impurities leaving the skin very soft.  It retails at $28.00 and I purchased it at Sephora.  Boscia Cleansing Oil Gel


Clarisonic Replacement Brush Head
This retails at Sephora & Ulta $27 for an Individual and $44.00 for a duo.  However, Groupon was having a great deal for a duo replacement head for only $11.99 each.  I purchased a duo Deep Pore and a Duo Acne under $30.00.  Now that's a STEAL!!! Groupon

Soap & Glory 'Flake Away'

OMG, I LOVE this scrub!!!!!!   It smells so good and leaves the skin so soft.  I bought this back in December as a x-mas gift for my friend and she spoke so highly about this product.  When I was recently shopping for LUSH'S Sea Salt body scrub, I first stopped at Sephora and it was a wrap.  Flake away has almost the same ingredients as Lush's Sea Salt Body Scrub except it's a few dollars cheaper and this has shea butter, sweet almond oil, peach seed powder, sea salt and sugar for a formula that eliminates dry skin.  I LOVE how the smell remains on your skin throughout the whole day even if you apply body lotion over your skin.  I highly recommend this product!  It costs $25.  Soap & Glory

HAIR:


Marilyn Hair Moisturizer

BIG Shampoo
I have really dry scalp and I was reading into these 2 products from LUSH that would help.  I love it!!!  BIG has sea salt, which works great to exfoliate the scalp and Marilyn is a moisturizer that leaves the hair shiny, frizz free and helps lighten Blonde hair.  Both products smell GREAT!  I like the fact that neither product leaves a residue or feels slippery on your tub.  I have straighten my hair after using both products and without adding any hair products to my hair it would look healthy, shiny and beautiful.  Marilyn retails at $22.95 and BIG at $26.95.  Lush

Makeup:
  • Primer - HOURGLASS
    • Veil Mineral Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 15
I like this primer except the fact when I pump it, it comes out everywhere and for a pricy product it's unacceptable.   
  • Foundation - BECCA
    •  BECCA Ultimate Coverage Complexion Crème
This is my holy grail foundation - LOVE!
  • Powder - 
    • Ben Nye Loose Powder - Banana BEN NYE
    • Shades by Gal - Sunlit (highlight) ShadesByGal (website down until April)
    • Hourglass Holiday Limited Ambient Lighting Palette (sorry this is discontinued, but is sold individual at Sephora) HOURGLASS
  • Blush/Bronzer -
    • Clinique 'Peach Pop' Blush Clinique 
    • MAC Pro Sculpting Cream 'Pure Sculpture' MAC
    • Too Faced 'Chocolate Soleil' Bronzer
  • Eyes -
    • MAC Fluidline 'Phlox Garden' and 'Sassy Moss'
    • LORAC Pro Palette Pro Palette 
    • BH Cosmetics 'Take Me to Brazil' Palette 
  • LIPS- 
    • Maybelline Elixir '045 Amethyst Potion'
    • Armour 'Foxy'
    • Kat Von D. NEW Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in 'A-Go-Go' and 'Mau5' (waiting to get 'Vampere' and 'LUV)
    • Urban Decay Rouge Lipstick 'Rush'
    • MAC 'Relent-lessly Red' and Mineralize lipstick 'Be a Lady'; and Mineralize Lipgloss 'Be Nice' 

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Makeover






Meet my neighbor Elena.  She was attending a family birthday party and I wanted her to "surprise" the guests with a flawless face application and soft eye makeup.  I used Eve Pearl, MAC and Naked Cosmetics

FACE:  
Eve Pearl-
  • Moisturizer & Primer
  • Anti-Shine A
  • Cream Foundation 'Tan 1'
  • Cream Foundation 'Tan 2' reverse contour
  • Cream Foundation 'Deep' to contour
  • Cream Foundation 'Light' to highlight
  • Cream blush 'Ruby' (my favorite :)
  • Blush Trio Cheeks 'Tan'
  • HD Dual Pressed Powder 'Tan'
  • BenNye Loose Powder 'Banana' (under the eye) 
  • MAC Powder 'Blunt' (contour over the cream)
  • MAC Mineralize Skinfinish 'Whisper of Gilt' (highlight) 


EYES:
E.P Ultimate Palette
  • Urban Decay Primer Potion 
  • Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo Metal 24hr Cream Gel Shadow 'Barely Branded' (base)
  • Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-n-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner 'Black' on lash line
  • E.P Eye Palette 'Ultimate':
    • Bottom 3 colors over the black liner 
    • 'Gold' e/s on lid
    • 'Brown' and 'Black' e/s on crease (blend!)
    • 'Pink' e/s above crease
    • 'Lt. pink' under brown (highlighter) 
  • Naked Cosmetics 'Sierra Nevada\SN#03' on lid (over 'gold' e/s)
  • E.P Kohl Eye Duo Pencil 'Brownie' in waterline & lower lash line
  • 'Brown' e/s and 'Sierra Nevada\SN#03' on lower lash line
  • E.P Palette 'Au Natural' for Brows
  • MAC Clear Brow Gel
  • Benefit 'They're Real!' Mascara 


LIPS:
  • E.P Lip liner 'Cosmo'
  • E.P Lipstick '#204 Pink Stiletto'
  • E.P Lip gloss '#403 Baby Doll'

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Rust Effect (MAC/UD/Naked)



FACE:
  • Embryolisse Emulsion Hydra-Mat
  • Hourglass Veil Primer
  • Becca Foundation 'Nude'
  • BenNye Loose Powder 'Banana'
  • Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer 
  • Clinique Cheek Pop 'Peach Pop'
  • Shades by Gal 'Sunlit' to highlight
  • Skindinvia Makeup Spray 'All Day'

EYES:
  • MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (primer/base)
  • Urban Decay Smoked Palette e/s 'Kinky' (entire lid)
  • MAC limited Quad Call Me Bubbles-
    • 'Brash' on lid
    • 'Full of Flavour' on and above crease
    • 'Call Me Bubbles' highlight under brow bone and inner tear lid
  • Urban Decay Smoked Palette e/s 'Backdoor' on outer crease (blend, blend and blend)
  • Naked Cosmetics (pigment) 'Urban Rustic/UR#02' over 'Brad' e/s on the lid
  •  MAC liquid liner in black
  • Benefit Mascara 'They're Real!'

LIPS:
  • Armour lip gloss 'Foxy'
 

Monday, March 17, 2014

BH Cosmetics 'Take Me To Brazil' Palette

I love my palette 'Take Me To Brazil' from BH Cosmetics.  

First of all, the packaging is beautiful and colorful, the cover is hardboard and it comes in 30 pigmented colors.  The colors are mix with matte and shimmer.

BH is having a sale RIGHT NOW!!  This palette is at $7.95
http://www.bhcosmetics.com/ 



FACE:
  • Embryolisse Emulsion Hydra-Mat
  • Hourglass Veil Primer
  • Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Foundation
  • MAC Studio Concealer NC30
  • Hourglass 'Diffused Light' Powder 
  • Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer  
  • Clinique Cheek Pop 'Peach Pop'
  • Shades by Gal 'Sunlit' to highlight
  • Skindinvia Makeup Spray 'All Day'
 


EYES:
  • MAC Pro long wear concealer on lid (primer)
  • Urban Decay e/s 
  • 'Pink' shade on lid (1st row/1st color left side)
  • Purple (1st row/L to R - last color) on crease sweeping it above
  • Plum/Purple (3rd row/L to R - last color) on crease to give definition
  • 'Lilac' (4th row/L to R - last color) above the crease to brow bone
  • 'White' under brow bone as a highlighter
  • Benefit 'They're Real!" Mascara 
LIPS:
  • Kat Von D Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick 'Mau5'

Holy Grail Foundation - BECCA



Foundation:  
Becca Cosmetics - it's perfect!
 
BECCA Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme

OMG, where do I begin?!?!?!  Ok, I was watching a video on YouTube about a full coverage yet LIGHTWEIGHT foundation from Becca. I immediately thought of Kat Von D. - Lock-It Tattoo Foundation.  K.V.D's foundation is full coverage but feels heavy at least for me on the skin.  Overall, it gives a flawless application. 
*Recommendation - if you have never tried K.V.D, I suggest for you to get color match and ask for a sample before purchasing it.  

About the brand:
Becca is a brand from Australia and it's sold in most Sephora's and Macy's.  It's an amazing brand with great products.  

About the Foundation:
This foundation gives full coverage yet it's lightweight on the skin because it contains a mix of water and pigment.  It covers most skin imperfection such as acne, acne scars, dark spots, etc. It also hydrates the face, which helps the application lasts a long time without any need of reapplying and not clogging the pores.  The packaging is in a bottle that has a pump.  It contains 30 ml/1.0 oz, comes in a range of 20 colors (light to deep complexion) and retails at $44.00.  This does have a smell not so pleasant but manageable.  It's describe to be used on any skin types.     

How to Use:
All you need is 1 pump, which will cover your entire face and neck.  This foundation dries nicely BUT quickly so you must BLEND FAST!  I like to use my beauty blender (as an alternate tool you can use a large non-latex damp sponge).  If you're a "take my time" gal then using a brush of your choice to help blend the foundation evenly and then go over with your beauty blender.  I also like to use my Sigma F84 or Sedona Lace FB07 brush to apply.   

PROS:
In addition to providing full coverage and not feeling heavy on the skin the BEST part for me and all eye glasses users is for the first time I found a foundation that stays on my skin and not on my glasses. Amazing!  
*I'm in the color "NUDE" (MAC NC30)

CONS:
This foundation is not for someone who suffers with large pores.  Benefit PoreProfessional helps reduce the appearance of pores.

http://www.sephora.com/ultimate-coverage-complexion-creme-P384640?skuId=1576305 

Also, check out Dani's review on the product.  She's awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjafb67Z6U8&list=UUEjBWzcw_3h8rnGsMyFfcEQ