Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
For all of my years I've had with makeup, I've always wondered what it was like to actually own a Nars product, let alone four, because I was darn right broke (and still am). After constantly wanting more from my foundation, I decided to splurge for myself and purchase the ever-so-praised, Nars Velvet Matte Tint in the shade, Finland. I knew that I needed to try out Nar's foundations before spending 45 bucks on a product. It's a pretty big investment, but my attitude towards it was just psyched to get something better for my skin that I could wear wherever, whenever without creasing, sliding around, and becoming oily easily since it is a matte foundation.
I walked into my Sephora and bee lined straight to the Nars counter just so I wouldn't have gotten distracted by the other amazing products Sephora has to offer. Commercialism, people! Anyway, I wandered over and a nice woman greeted me and I immediately got help to find the best foundation for my skin. The lady color matched me first and I think it only took her one try to figure out my shade. Props to her! I felt very comfortable with the shade and it wasn't too orange or yellow.
Nars has four different types of foundations and I ended up trying the Sheer Glow and the All Day Luminous, along with the Velvet Matte. The lady gave me three quarter sized containers of each to bring home and put to the test. To be honest, it was more than enough product to use for about a week or two (and I still have extra) to try out. You only need a pea sized amount which is great.
I knew immediately that I did not want any part of the All Day Luminous because it is a water based foundation and with my oily skin, it was a complete no-go. I was unhappy with the application as I found it to stick into every nook and cranny on my face. It took a lot to actually build coverage on my face and I have heard a lot of disappointing reviews about it. I also tried the Sheer Glow, which was okay, but I still didn't want the "extra" glow it promised, or the Sephora lady promised.
When I tried the Velvet Matte though, I knew right away that I liked it a lot. I used a Beauty Blender with all of the foundations and I think it worked best with this one. It truly is velvety smooth and leaves my skin feeling soft and crease free. With that said, I have been wearing it for about a month and it lasts a good eight hours before I notice some natural oil around my t-zone. I never thought I would like matte foundations, because they usually make my skin look dry and cracked, but this one practically does the job of a hydrating foundation without bringing out excess oil.
You get a very copious amount of product in the tube and I only use less than a pea sized amount for my entire face. Another thing that really impressed me was that it had an SPF 30. This foundation sort of reminds me of a tinted moisturizer (which I think they have as well), but without being too light coverage. It has a great medium coverage and is pretty buildable if you wanted more. For my situation, I normally don't wear a crap load of product during school, so this is great for an everyday makeup look. I think this could also be very elegant for a night out or even prom. I think because it is so matte, it's perfect for an event like that. It smoothes out everything and leaves a very natural finish.
I know paying this much for a foundation is ridiculous and there are some great alternatives out there, but a girl's gotta live a little, amirite? I was already using up my older BB creams before buying this so, I would be stuck with a pile of foundation to use up. I really think splurging on a great face product is worth it. Especially if it's something you could practically wear anywhere. I love keeping the sample jar as a travel jar so I can bring a little bit of the foundation wherever I travel. Surprisingly, I haven't heard any negative things about this foundation at all, but if you have tried it, please share your thoughts! I'd love to hear them :)
It's always great to put off time to pamper yourself and I am a true believer in it. Among the chaotic week filled with work, school, and other things, we kind of forget to think about ourselves every once and awhile. In the beauty franchise, many brands have their own skincare lines and very nice, high quality (and high priced might I add) skincare products. Most masks you find at Sephora can range from $20-$100+ dollars. For most of us, we find ourselves at our local drugstores looking for the best masks for the cheapest price.
Especially for an easy and inexpensive mask, the Que Bella range of masks are so individually made for different skin types and my friend gave me this awesome pack of them (I think I already used one of them to try it out).
Each mask is priced at around two bucks; there are cream, gel, and sheet masks and are all made with 80% natural products. Obviously, with it being very inexpensive, they are not made with 100% natural ingredients and contain preservatives to let them last for a longer period of time. There's a very generous amount of mask in each packet so, you could easily share these with friends who have the same skin type as you.
So far, I have used a couple more of these masks and really like them. They're not you're 24 karat masks, but these are really great to use as a little pick-me-up on a cozy, Sunday night. These are sold at Target and I believe Walmart and Ulta, as well.
Sometimes, with cheaper masks, I find them to make my skin tingle a bit. I haven't had any allergic reaction to it, so I think they're okay for sensitive skin. A couple of the masks tingled, but I read on the back that it was normal for them to do that. If you are a bit skeptical, I would recommend reading the ingredients to see if you are prone to a reaction from it or just buy one and try it to see. These are super fun to do at sleepovers and parties, so I would definitely recommend these for anyone of you looking for a cheaper way to look gawrgeous! See you guys on Thursday. XX
I think it's been awhile since I have reviewed an eyeshadow palette and I am very excited to be sharing this one with all of you today. The Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette has been a product that I have always admired, ever since it came out last summer, while walking past the beauty counters in the shops. I wouldn't say that I absolutely love palettes in general because they're way too big for me to ever use up, but I think this will be the first palette I have and will use up until I'm scraping the shadows from the pan.
I wrote briefly about this palette in my Christmas post as it was one of the gifts I received this past year. I think what really drew me to this palette was the entire aesthetic of it. It comes in a beautiful blush, velvet packaging that is very cute and is probably the first thing I noticed. Obviously, I was drawn to the incredibly beautiful shades. The rich golds, vibrant oranges, and deep red shades really stood out to me.
I like to buy palettes when I know I have room and the need for new eye shadows. I was holding off for awhile before Christmas to get a palette because I knew I wanted this one--and this one only. This palette is priced at around $45 and really isn't that bad for a 14 color palette (compared to an Urban Decay palette). I was so eager to try out the red shades because you would never think red would be a shade to put around your eyes. I wanted to try something new with my eye makeup and I have really loved the contrast it gives when you pop the color in the crease or on the outer lid. I recently did an eye look on my blue eyed sister, and it looks so classy and elegant. The overall theme of the palette was really well thought out. I love the renaissance inspired colors and the names are really unique to that period. I honestly feel like an artist when I use it.
I have swatched the palette a couple times in Sephora to see how the color payoff is and I was so impressed. SO IMPRESSED by Anastasia Beverly Hills. I know she has amazing products already and this palette takes the cake. Each shade is so buttery smooth. There is minor fall out here and there depending on the amount you use, but other than that, the powders are all amazingly opaque and vibrant like any paint would be.
For the sake of saving time and not having to swatch and touch every shade with my finger, I swatched two shades that I really love using. This one above is Primavera and is the perfect inner corner, champagne shade. It has just the right amount of shimmer to it and makes any eye look pop. It also is great to use on top of the lid to add a bit more definition.
I also wanted to swatch Red Ochre for you guys so you all can see the pigmentation of the deeper shades. It just looks so yummy! I think this would be a great touch to any eye look to add some color especially during the summer or fall. I guess you could also use it in the winter, but ohhh do I love this shade of red.
Each color blends really nicely and some of the deeper shades like the reds and oranges are actually better when applied with a finger to ensure all of the color to appear on the lid. Otherwise, using a brush works just as well.
Another shade I fell in love with was Buon Fresco, which is a very rich taupe (in the center above Red Ochre). I think this shade is great used all over the lid and nothing else. I have heard every blogger rave and express their love for this palette and I thought I could add to the mix for any of you looking for a new palette to try out. I think palettes can be hard to find or just hard to own because they can be expensive, too big, or maybe they just aren't the right shades you like or are comfortable with. Everybody has their own preferences and that's what I love about the variety of palettes out there. Have you tried this palette yet?
If you've ever strolled past the Nordstrom cosmetic counters, then you have definitely ooed and awed at the endless amounts of makeup and perfumes. Specifically the Jo Malone counter, or at least I have. I'm going to be honest, the blogging world (and Katelavie, thanks Kate) made me get this perfume and I couldn't be happier about it.
I have had many different types of perfumes in my life and I don't think this one is similar to any of them at all. I've never had anything from Jo Malone and I never knew how much I would love all of their perfumes. To speak very candidly, this stuff ain't cheap. I asked for this perfume as a Christmas gift this year and it was truly generous of my parents to get it for me. Prior to asking for this perfume, I did go into Nordstrom (the only place close to me that sells it) and try out all of the other perfumes to make sure I knew which one I loved the most. I'm not very picky with scents, so one can imagine how hard it was for me to decide.
On Jo Malone's website, I wanted to do some research as well as trying the scents out in store, they have many scents and many other products to choose from. They have colognes/perfumes, candles, lotions, room sprays, diffusers, soaps, body washes, and really nice gift sets for the holidays. They have pretty much every scent for anyone's taste, men and women: citrus, fruity, floral, spicy, woody, and light floral. I was very stuck between this one, the Peony and Blush Suede, and the Lime Basil and Mandarin scent. I'm all about sweet smells and really enjoyed these two. I honestly would have been pleased with any of the scents, though.
The colognes come in two ratherly small sizes: 30 ML (1 oz) or 100 ML (about 3 oz). It seems like a very small amount, but it's not like you need a huge spray bottle to get anything from it. One spritz goes a very long way and I would most likely use this on special occasion. Most perfumes these days come in very small sizes, too so that's another thing you have to consider.
I decided on the peony scent because I loved the freshness it had to it. The lime and mandarin one was just a tad too strong for me and I think this floral one is perfect for any time of the year because the other one seemed like a very summery scent. If you know me and my love for Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush, then you know why I was drawn to this lime scented perfume! It's very youthful and lasts all day without leaving that icky, old person smell that's not really pleasant at all on your clothes. If I had to buy another perfume, I would probably stick with the florals and might try out the spicier scents, too. I think the smaller size is the way to go if you are wanting to try out more of their colognes.
As for the packaging, I absolutely adore it. It's minimal and very elegant. It comes in a really pretty box (that I want to display in my room cuzz why the heck not) and a really nice bag as well. I'm not too keen on the overly decorated perfume bottles, I think it just gets in the way sometimes and distracts from the actual product like they're trying to hide something. Less is more, people!
I've had a really nice experience with this product and intend on purchasing more from Jo Malone in the future. So far, I haven't noticed anything bad at all with this product. Obviously, if it was priced lower I would love it even more. I guess I am a victim of the blogger bandwagons, but is it that bad? Isn't that what we are for anyway? To review products and open up about our opinions on them. Sounds pretty valid to me :) What's your guys' must have perfume?
Across all of the well known beauty brands many have come very known to have great pressed powders. However, I have found one of the best, in my opinion, high end and reliable pressed face powders out there. The Mac Studio Fix Powder gives off great medium coverage and is my everyday go-to powder for touchups or use on my lighter makeup days when I don't feel like caking on a full face of makeup.
I knew about this powder, but was hesitant about spending approximately $27 on a face powder, when I could easily run over to Walgreen's and purchase three Rimmel Stay Matte powders if I wanted with the same amount of money. I was, to be honest, sick of drugstore powders (yes, there are some I love), but I was ready to actually treat myself and stop walking past the Mac counter wanting to try out this powder that is probably better for my skin anyway.
When I walked into the Mac store at my local mall, it was New Year's Eve and crazy packed with people getting their makeup done for the long night out. I was expecting it to be crowded and actually had a bad time there. I talked to about three people to get helped and matched to this powder (which only took 2 seconds) and I ended up waiting for about 45 minutes until someone else's makeup artist was helping me as she was doing the woman's makeup. Besides that fiasco, I think I have learned my lesson for walking into a Mac on New Year's Eve.
The lady that color matched me did it by looking at my face once and letting me try it out to see if I liked the color. She chose NC20 and it was surprisingly the exact shade of my face. I gotta give those makeup artists credit because it probably would have taken me an hour to figure it out, since I am so indecisive about shades.
The formula was actually very smooth and silky on the face. I swatched it and thought I was touching butter. Compared to my drugstore powders, there is an obvious difference. This powder does not crumble or has a lot of fallout which is great when you've just put on a nice outfit and it basically snows all over your new dress. I think the biggest thing I noticed with this powder was the way it kept my face incredibly matte and shine free. Specifically around my T-zone, I get insane amounts of oil on occasion and this powder really helps to lock it in and prevent any oil from getting through. Drugstore powders usually don't last for a very long time, but this one really does, even with full coverage foundation on underneath it.
I like to apply my powders with a brush, but I do notice that using a Beauty Blender or any makeup sponge helps for setting under eye concealer and this powder can act as a baking powder if desired. I love Mac's sleek and simple packaging that also features a little compartment for a sponge to use on the go! It's little details like that that I just love about any makeup brand. They take the time to create great, useful products and Mac has really impressed me. This being the first Mac face product I have used, kinda makes me want to try out the Mac Studio Fix foundation next.
Whether you are looking for a new powder, wanting to try something new to add to your makeup collection, or just want to know what's good, try this! I know it's a lot of money to spend on a product, but this goes on like butter and is really great for sensitive skin. Sometimes it's nice to treat ourselves and powder is something that I use almost every single day (not on no-makeup days obvi). I think it is a very practical thing to spend on once you find the right powder that works for your skin type and doesn't react poorly with your skin. For me, this is a great powder and it will probably be a continuous product I use in my routine. What face powder do you guys love?
All over the beauty blogger world, Revlon has been quite the popular brand when it comes to amazing drugstore lip products. I was just going through my makeup collection and found that many of my favorite lip products to use are by Revlon. They're known for their super, long lasting formulas and I can't seem to stop buying them because they're just so great. I also noticed that their Colorstay nail polishes are just as amazing as the lip products. I might have to do a separate review on those, as well.
Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor in Forever Scarlet- I recently discovered this lip color a couple weeks ago and absolutely LOVE IT. Probably the best matte and long wearing lip product I've owned. It doesn't crack or dry out your lips and the clear lip gloss adds a touch of moisture to reduce it from crumbling or moving around. I've eaten a Chipotle burrito with this on, and lemme tell yeah, no lip gloss was to be found (or eaten for that matter). Truly recommend!
Revlon Colorstay Lipliner in Rose- I've actually had this lip liner for ages and can't seem to get rid of it! It's super long wearing and very reliable when I can't figure out which color lipstick to wear. It practically goes with every color because of how neutral it is. I'm not a huge lip liner fan anyway, but boy do I love this Revlon liner.
Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Shanghai Sizzle- Both of these Moisture Stains really do resemble lip glosses and are far from being lipsticks. However, they add just the right amount of pigment and I think they can really soften and sweeten a look up a bit. This is one of my favorite coral shades to wear in the summertime.
Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Cannes Crush- This one is less intense and gives off more of a peachy tone. This is also very nice during the spring or summer. I don't know, I think orange shades look great with tans. Don't you agree?
Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Love- Bloggers made me do it. I'm a little late to the game, but I do have to say that I love this HD Matte lipcolors. They're intensely opaque and pigmented. They also give off a very sweet, vanilla scent. I'm not complaining! This first pink/coral shade is very vibrant and I think it would look amazing in the summer.
Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Temptation- This is more of a scarlet red and is actually a very nice Christmas-ey red, in my opinion. I love how moisturizing these lip products are while still being matte. No wonder there are so many raves about them!
I've been really impressed by Revlon's lip range lately and none of their lip products cease to satisfy or amaze my expectations. I'm probably going to go out and buy even more shades (probably nudes) of these products, because why not? They're awesome!
Tell me what you think in the comments down below!
Xoxo, Nat
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