My Skincare Essentials

So I wanted to share my favorite skincare items

I didnt take a picture of these but I wanted to mention them:

Cleansers - I switch between two different ones Clinique Step 3 Facial Soap - Oily & LUSH Coalface

Exfoliater - Again I have two favorites LUSH Ocean Salt & St Ives Apricot Scrub (I love abrasive scrubs that I can really feel working haha)

Clinique Clarifing Lotion 3, Philosphy When Hope Is Not Enough Serum, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, Lancome Genefique Eye, Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment

These are the products that work for me, I have oily skin (if you couldnt already tell) I get the Lancome in samples and poke a tiny hole in the packet with my tweezers and push the cream out as I need it, I had a nice sales girl give me a ton of the samples and told me about that little trick so they have really lasted me! I love the Philosophy serum because its one of those products that you can see instant results, I feel the tightening part of it..I dont use this everyday but on days that I do I always get compliments on my complexion, Even from people that see me everyday!! haha so thats always nice. I use the Clinique 3 Step system because its really the only thing that keeps my skin clear..I dont have bad skin or get tons of breakouts but my skin is slightly breakout prone and I have clogged pores this system just works for me and I like how the moisturizer sinks in quickly and just all around how it makes my face feel. The Clean & Clear Spot treatment is what works for me when I do get a breakout. and if my face is having just a all around bad day I will mix a tiny bit in with my moisturizer and put it all over my face!

I highly recommend the Philosophy serum, I hate the way it smells but it really does work..and I like what it does to my skin even if that means having to wash my hands with something fruity to get through the rest of my skincare routine ;) Its worth it!

Playing around FOTD

So today I wanted to play around with some of my newer products ;) So I decided to do a bright colorful look!



Excuse my cropping, I (ahem my hubby) has lost my favorite tweezers and I just sent my extra pair with my little brother who is working on the road so my eyebrows are a mess and are in need of a good plucking so just dont pay attention to the crops haha ;)

Products used
Eyes:
Eden Primer Potion
NYX Milk Jumbo Eye Pencil
Yellow, Orange and Pink From the Sleek Acid Palette
Napoleon Perdis  Color Disc Pink Slink 
Sugarpill Poison Plum
Hello Kitty Blue Sky Eyeliner
Blue from the Sleek Circus Palette
MAC Pink Opal Pigment
L'Oreal Extra Intense Liquid Pencil Eyeliner (both waterlines)
Yves Saint Laurent Faux Cils Volume Mascara

Face
Kat Von D Rehab Priming Elixr
Guerlain Parure Extreme Foundation 02
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat 1 Luminous Radiance (undereye) 
Bare Minerals SPF 20 Concealer in Bisque (undereye)
MAC Springshine Blush Ombre as a bronzer
Sleek Rose Gold Blush
LORAC Perfectly Lit Powder - Spotlight

Lips
MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick with Calypso Minerals Twilight pressed into the lipstick

REVIEW: Essie Smooth Trick deep-conditioning Cuticle Oil

The Essie Smooth Trick is for Dry Brittle Nails It retails for around $8 and is 0.5 FL OZ or 15ml

This is in a squeeze tube bottle with a gel marker type dispenser, When I got this I just knew it was going to leak when it was pressed or with the cap on but surprisingly it doesnt its mess free & easy to use, you just pretty much draw on your cuticles with it! :)

I have terrible nails, they are paper thin, brittle and break terribly. I have never been able to grow nails, even though every woman in my family (on both sides) have nice pretty long nails! I've tried all kinds of tricks took biotin and everything nothing would ever work. This stuff is amazing! It keep my cuticles nice and smooth and hydrated they look 100x better and I grew nails!

I used this in conjunction with Grow Richer Base Coat by Essie as well but even when I would skip on the base coat this oil kept my nails strong and my cuticles pretty (something that I've never been able to get either) Its a thin oil with a faint peppermitty smell. It dries pretty quick and give my nails and cuitcles a smooth soft feeling

The Grow Richer Base Coat & The Smooth Trick are definetly staples in my nail care! I would have posted a picture of my nails, but I just cut them off! =/ ahh maybe I will show them when I post a NOTD post or something once they start growing again.

REVIEW: Tarte Amazonian Clay long-wear Blush in Amused & Tipsy

Today I am going to be reviewing Tarte's Amazonian Clay 12hr blush in Tipsy & Amused! :)

What Tarte says:

For those who want an alternative blush to tarte's award-winning gel and cream cheek stains, we're now offering Amazonian clay 12-hour blush in 8 shades. Inspired by our best-selling cheek and lip stains, shades range from soft pink (dollface) to deep berry (flush). Used alone or with our best-selling natural cheek stains, this blush is sure to give you that natural glow.

The blushes retail for $25 for 5.6g / 0.20oz of product

First of all let me just say I lovee the packaging its soo cute! The compacts are plastic and are very travel friendly Ive taken them with me on 2 trips now. They also have a pretty embossing on the actual powder that is really nice and lasts Im always a sucker for packaging!

Both of these blushes are super pigmented and a little bit goes a long way. Its very easy to start looking like a baby doll if you have a heavy hand with these!

Amused Tipsy

There is a shadow at the bottom of the picture sorry! but the top half of the swatches are true to color!

Amused is a beautiful bright pink shade its my favorite blush of the moment. It gives a beautiful glow and color to the face. Amused is completely matte in the pan but transfers to the skin with a slight sheen

Tipsy is a coral/orangy shade it looks kind of scary in the pan but applies beautifully to the skin and also gives the skin a nice glow :) Tipsy does have shimmer running throughout it its not glittery or messy and applies with a sheen to the skin, you cant really tell that there is shimmer or glitter when its applied.

The colors I have are nice and bright and like I said before a little goes a long way, They should be applied with a light hand unless you just like bold in your face cheeks!

The blushes last a full day, Im not sure about 12 hours because I usually dont wear makeup for a full 12 hours unless its just by accident or I am to lazy to take "my face off"

I've done swatches of my blushes and these are unique to my collection, I couldnt find any dupes within my own, I like that they are powder and not the stains, While I love Tarte's Cheek Stains, 8 times out of 10 I reach for my powder blushes

REVIEW: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Shadow Pencils

First let me say that I LOVE these shadow pencils..but then again I am usually happy with most items from UD ;)

What Urban Decay says about them:

Big and blendable, this 2-in-1 waterproof 24/7 shadow pencil keeps going as long as you do. Our next generation of famous 24/7 pencils can be used as eyeshadow, eyeliner, or both!

More

They’re crease-proof, they’re waterproof… it’s the next generation of 24/7 Pencils! Our Shadow Pencils deliver incredible color payout, but feel lightweight. The new fat shape allows you to cover large areas more quickly. Use the thin tip as eyeliner, or the side of the tip as a generous swipe of eyeshadow. Luscious drop-dead shades make you feel every inch the creative type, as you blend shimmer, cream and sparkle finishes. Skip the powder shadow brushes and water – our pencils make it easier than ever to get vibrant eyeshadow looks on the go. Experiment with multiple shades layered together, then blend away for an unbelievable effect that sets and stays put. All shades are paraffin, mineral oil, and paraben-free.

 These are like jumbo pencils they retail for $20 and come with 2.8g 0.10 oz of product

I have 4 colors  (descriptions from sephora.com)
Midnight Cowboy  - beige with silver sparkle
Morphine - light purple with pale blue shift
Delinquent - dark purple with bright purple sparkle
Clash - bright turquoise with silver sparkle

Midnight Cowboy is a very pretty shade - If you dont like the eyeshadow version of this give this pencil a try..You are sure to love it ;) It does have the glitters/shimmers in it but they stay put and you are left with the prettiness and none of the fall out. You cant go wrong ;) 

Morphine is a absolutely gorgeous color, Its duochromey and makes MAC's Stars and Rockets eyeshadow pop ;) Its probably my favorite to look at!

Delinquent is like a blackened purple with like the description says bright purple sparkles..Its awesome

Clash is a very bright turquoise blue color and its just beautiful!

All of the shades are gorgeous and very pigmented. They are creamy and they dont pull or tug at your sensitive eye area. I obviously have nothing bad to say about them! haha! These do not smudge or budge after they are dried, they stay put even if you rub them..I am sitting here now trying to smudge them and rubbing my finger across the swatches on my hand and instead of fading or smearing into each other I think they are actually getting brighter!! haha gotta love Urban Decay!

The colors I have do have shimmer..The only one that doesnt have shimmer is the morphine color but it does have a sheen, So if you dont like shimmer or glitter you may not like these shadows, The glitters dont spread smudge or run and are apart of the actual pencil but if you are a all matte girl might want to check out other shades instead of the ones Ive shown here ;) 

I seriously want all of the colors of these shadow pencils. They are wonderful, quick and easy! You cant go wrong!

LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealer/Base Vs Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue

I have had both primers since May. I have been testing, swatching and rubbing trying to find a difference or a complaint..Ive only found subtle differences and I still havent come up with a complaint!

Too Faced Shadow Insurance $18 0.35oz

LA Splash Shadow Sealer/Base $6.99 0.3fl oz

Too Faced Glitter Glue is a squeeze tube while the LA Splash has a doe foot (with a very long handle I might add)

 <-- LA Spash on the Right & Too Faced on the Left.

They are pretty different in texture the LA Splash is more liquidy than the Too Faced. The Too Faced feels more like a thick cream kind of similar to what eyelash glue feels like but not as thin. They both get that tacky feel after a few seconds but the TF feels more tacky than the LA Splash the LA Splash while it gets the tacky feel still has a smooth feeling to it. LA Splash also has a green herbly smell to it, Its not over powering or bothersome just caught me off guard a bit. The TF has no smell.

<- LA Splash on the right TF on the Left
Here I have them swatched with different kinds of glitters the first glitter is Kiss My Sass Pixie Dust in Tink, Second is MAC 3D Silver, Third is Jerome Russell Pixie Sparkle and is just a pink color, and the last one is NYX Glitter Mania in a purple color (sorry these just dont have names anywhere on the bottle)

Both the TF & The LA Splash hold the glitter amazingly well. I used LA Slash on my 21st bday with MAC 3D Silver and it didnt budge what so ever the whole night, Even when I would touch my eyes. When swatched on the hand you can rub the glitter and it stays, They both work amazingly well. And you really cant tell a difference.

 I also use these on regular shadows that may have shimmers or glitters not just straight glitter. It works better than just a regular primer and keeping the glitters or shimmers in place. When I  have used the TF I have always just used it under colors, when I use the LA Splash I use it both under and on top of eyeshadows (that is if I am layering glitter or another shadow on top to give it an extra pop) I just feel more comfortable using the LA Splash because it is a thinner consistency and doesn't get tacky as fast as the TF one It gives me time to blend into the other shadow to place the other one on top. I havent noticed any creasing issues with either one of these they are really like glue and keep everything in one place, I also dont have fall out or glitter all over my face by the time I'm ready to remove my makeup it just stays where I have put it.

So really theres no much of a difference in these products that I can tell, They both work amazingly and the same at holding the glitter/shadow in place. The main differences would be price, squeeze tube & doe foot applicators, the smell that the LA Splash has and the consistency. If you dont wear glitter all that much and you want something quick and easy I would say go for the LA Splash. If you are a fan of Too Faced and prefer the squeeze tube then its also amazing. Its really all up to personal preference because both of these products work pretty much the same.

If all my makeup disappeared....

What would be the 10 products I would go straight out and repurchase :) I originally saw this tag on blushisthenewblack shes sooo cute I <3 her! anyway my iPhone has been messed up and I just got my replacement in so while Im getting everything set back up and cant really take pics yet I figured I would do this little tag just for fun :)

Number - Bye Bye Under Eye by iT Cosmetics This is my favorite concealer it works miracles :)

Number Two - Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette just because I would have to have some colored eyeshadows at least plus the packaging is super cute!!

Number Three - Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Amused - Loveee this blush!!

Number Four - Urban Decay Naked Palette - We all know what this is but seriously if all of my eyeshadows disappeared I could get away with just this palette for my brows and neutral days :)

Number Five - Stila Smudgestick in Stingray - Ive tried every eyeliner under the sea this one stays on my waterline like no other (yes even better than UD 24/7 liners) and its very creamy :)

Number Six - Kiss my Sass Cosmetics Lip Scrub Lush has got nothing on kiss my sass let me tell ya - The stuff is awesome and you can pick your scents super cheap and you get a huge tub..best part its hot pink & the owner is super sweet :)

Number Seven - MAC Candy Yum Yum Lipstick - I probably couldnt even afford or want to pay what this lipstick goes for so if my collection does disappear I hope this baby somehow doesnt ;)

Number Eight - LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealer - Sure I use other primers but this stuff can do everything if I had a limited budget and wanted everything else listed I would pass up UDPP, NARS smudge proof etc and just get this its really two in one keeps all my glitters and shimmers on without fallout and works great with everyday shadows as well and its way cheaper than the others ;)

Number Nine - Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy 24/7 Shadow Pencil - Love this if I am in rush I can just apply this I have color and glitter fast how can you go wrong?! It also makes a great base for other colors - even the brights ;)

Number Ten - Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Lemon Chamomile - I get chapped lips like no other Ive tried all the drugstore stuff and a few of the high end nothing holds a candle to Jack Black seriously love the stuff and the scent is awesome


So obviously I dont have a holy grail foundation (sighh) and I wouldnt have any of my bright eyeshadows (super bummer) :/ ahhh! Well hopefully my cosmetics wont just up and walk away and if they do my wallet and I both might have to look into some therapy sessions :)

I tag everyone..if you do this let me know because I want to see what your ten things you would just have to go out and buy!