Sephora Melting Lip Clicks - Creme Brulee, Caramel

Creme Brulee (warm brown), Caramel (cool pink)

Sephora - $14 (on sale for $10) 

Rating: 4/5

Pros: tinted light oil texture, glossy finish, looks great layered, comfortable, click-up packaging is great easy to use

Cons: hard to tell when you’ll run out of product

Creme Brulee is my favorite, Caramel is bit too pink for me

iHerb.com Beauty Blowout Sale: Bareminerals, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Clarins, K-beauty, Drugstore, and More!

 

Picks:

Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Cream in White Russian - $12.08

Many other shades on sale here

Clarins Double Serum - 1 oz - $60.21

Others:

Estee Lauder Double Wear (select shades) - $37.77

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense - 1.7 oz - $29.29

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Highlight - $30.77

E.L.F. Flawless Finish Foundation (select shades) - $3.60

K-Beauty brands:

Missha, Son&Park, Innisfree, Cosrx, Too Cool for School, more

Free Shipping over $20, shop the sale here 

Cos Bar - Luxury Cosmetics - Up to 40% Off Sale + Free Shipping

 

Picks:

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip: $16.20

Shades on sale: Bitter Sweet, Cherry Crush, Haute Cocoa, In a Jam, Peach & Quiet, Mango Mood

AMOREPACIFIC Purify and Polish Set: $12.50 

Cleansing Foam + Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder

Others: 

Tom Ford Lip Color (select shades)

Tom Ford Cheek Color (Shade: Gratuitous)

By Terry Ombre Blackstar (select shades)

Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick (select shades)

The best part of the deal: Free Shipping - No Minimum!

Shop here: Cos Bar

[Steals and Deals] Target Beauty Box for Spring 2015 available now!

Target's Beauty Box for Spring 2015 retails for $5 + free shipping and is valued at $38. The box includes: 

• Maybelline Color Elixir (full size)
• L'oreal Infallible Makeup Setting Spray (full size)
• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream (deluxe sample)
• Shea Moisture 10-in1 Renewal System Shampoo (travel size)
• TRESemme Tres Two Extra Hold Spray (travel size) 
• and probably some coupons! 

This is an amazing deal! If you are interested in this I would say order now since they tend to sell out quickly :) And if you have a Target REDcard you get a 5% discount as well! Get yours here.

Aritaum Honey Melting Lip Tint in Lady Dessert

Description:

Aritaum Honey Melting Tint in Lady Dessert

Retails: ~$10 on eBay and Jolse.com

4g

Lady Dessert is a pinky coral with a slight sheen

Left: Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Fruitti

Middle: Aritaum Lady Dessert

Right: Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

Thoughts: I've always loved the tinted balmy type of lip products and the popularity of Aritaum's Honey Melting Lip Tint made me very curious. Judging from the name Honey Melting Tint I expected this to be very balmy but pigmented much like my favorite Revlon Lip Butters. However, this turned out to be quite dense and has a slight sticky feeling on the lips though not unbearable. The pigmentation is great, you can do a sheer wash or build it to full on color. Because it isn't as balmy, I find that the staying power is a decent 4 hours and I believe it leaves the slightest tint on your lips after it wears off. 

The shade Lady Dessert is a gorgeous mix of pink/orange coral, it is a slightly red leaning especially when compared to Revlon's Tutti Fruitti which is an orange shade and Juicy Papaya which is a more orange coral. I love this shade, I tend to wear it over lip concealer so that it shows up true to coral, on my pigmented lips it leans more orange. 

The packaging is quite cute and sturdy, it is a typical twist up bullet with a cap that shuts tight. It doesn't feel cheap or loose in the packaging. 

Overall, I really love this Honey Melting Tint, to me it is more of a lipstick than a tint or balm. It is very comfortable to wear and I quite like that its not slippery like balms can be. I've always loved Korean lip products for their really pretty wearable shade ranges. I definitely want to pick up more in the future!   

Cargo Vintage Escape Palette

Description:

Cargo Vintage Escape Palette

Limited Edition (I got mine from allcosmeticswholesale.com, btw they are having a 20% off Cargo sale right now!)

12 eyeshadows, (5 mattes, 7 shimmers)

0.36 oz 

Harvest Moon: Matte cream, neutral

Cuddle: Shimmery pinky-champagne, cool 

Frolic: Satin brown, warm

Cinnamon: Shimmery bronze, warm

Twigs: Shimmery navy blue, cool

Black Crow: Matte black, cool

Crisp: Shimmery pale yellow, cool

Hot Cocoa: Matte medium brown, neutral

Autumn: Matte orangey peach, warm

Withered Leaves: Shimmery olive green, warm

Rustic: Shimmery brown with red undertones, warm

Chestnut: Matte dark brown, cool

Thoughts: I was lusting after this palette for the longest time and finally found it on Allcosmeticswholesale.com. The site looked a bit sketchy at first because they sell a lot of discontinued products but everything I've ordered (this and Wet n Wild's Penny single eyeshadow) are authentic. Shipping is counted by weight so the more you buy, the more shipping will cost which is the only downside (I am not being paid to say this!!). 

Anyway, back to the palette. The pigmentation of the eyeshadows are very good, aside from Harvest Moon which doesn't show up as much as I like but it does feel very smooth. The shimmery shadows are especially nice, smooth and buttery but not too buttery that it flakes. As for the mattes, Black Crow and Chestnut are a bit on the dry side but Autumn and Hot Cocoa are very creamy. The shade selection screams Fall, even the shade names are very fall-esque and those who love warm neutral looks need this palette. To be honest I wanted this palette purely because of the bottom row. My favorite shade is Autumn, something about a matte warm peachy orange just draws me in. 

I also love the packaging, the leather-like cover and the fact that it wraps all around making it extra secure. I thought that the inside would be cardboard but it is actually a hard plastic and is very sturdy. I just wish the palette itself isn't so thick (it is about the size of the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette before they repackaged, and is thicker than the Naked palettes). 

Overall, this palette is wonderful warm neutral palette that is especially great for fall or all year round. The quality is great and you can get a variety of looks out of the shades from a green or navy smokey eye to warm natural day looks. For me, the only downfall of this palette is the size of it. I think if you love warm neutral looks this palette would be great for you!      

Wet n Wild Single Eyeshadow in Nutty and Panther

Description:

Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Singles

Nutty, Panther

Retails: $1.99 each at CVS, Walgreens  

Left: Nutty, Bronze/taupe with a slight light blue duo-chrome

Right: Panther, matte black

LORAC The Skinny Palette in Plum (Limited Edition)

Description:

LORAC The Skinny Palette in Plum

Fall 2014, Limited Edition

7 eyeshadows, (4 mattes, 3 shimmers)

Retails: $15 for 0.45 oz

1. White, shimmer, cool

2. Light beige, matte, cool 

3. Light peach with golden shimmers, warm

4. Plum, matte

4. Plum, matte, cool, cool

5. Light brown, matte, warm

6. Maroon leaning brown, matte, warm

7. Black with golden shimmers, cool

Rimmel Show-Off Lip Lacquer in Luna

Description:

Rimmel Show-Off Lip Lacquer in Luna

Retails: ~$5-$6 on Amazon for 0.18 oz

  

Peachy-orange, cream, gloss

Packaging: Plastic tube with a black top that is cut to look like a crystal. The black tube fades into a gradient with the color of the lip lacquer (yes the color you see at the bottom is the actual color of the product). The applicator is angled and has a hole in it which holds extra product (no need to dip back in!). When you first open the tube it breaks some sort of pressure seal that lets the product flow up and fill that top area of the tube.  

Quality: This lip lacquer is what I consider one of those "liquid lipstick" gloss formulas where it is very opaque and creamy but gives off a bit of shine at the same time. I do find that this later dries to a matte finish and as with most pigmented matte lip products, this tends to settle in the lines of your lips. Luna is a gorgeous peachy-orange nude cream. The swatch appears quite dark in the pictures but on my lips the color is very light and gives the look of a nude lip. On my skintone, which leans very yellow, the orange in the product stands out a lot. The lip lacquer has a strong old-makeup type of smell to it.

Thoughts: I am always a sucker for peachy orange lippies and this was no exception. When I heard about the formula of these I was quite excited as I do not own any super opaque lipglosses, especially ones in a peachy nude color. Although I love the color and the packaging (I think it looks very chic), I can't say I love the formula of this, at least not in this particular color. My lips are almost never in perfect condition and Luna seems to accentuate every flake and line on my lips. After about half an hour, the shine of the gloss goes away and I am left with a dry matte lip. However, I do find that if I apply a good layer of lip balm before applying this, the gloss stays on longer and feels much more comfortable. In the end, the deal-breaker for this lip lacquer is the strong old-makeup fragrance. It doesn't quite linger on your lips, but it just isn't pleasant to smell every time you apply it. 

Will I repurchase: No. I think Rimmel did a great job with the color selections in this line and the packaging is lovely, but I think there are better opaque lipglosses out there that doesn't smell as bad. I also think that because Luna is quite milky/pastel in color it tends to accentuate any flakes and lines in your lips. However, this may not be the case for the other shades in this range. I will continue to use it since I can make it work with a bit of lip balm and the fragrance goes away soon enough. 

Get it While it's Haute: LORAC's Skinny Palette in Plum Now on Hautelook!!!

I usually don't post sales like this, but I just wanted to let my fellow makeup junkie know that LORAC's Skinny Palettes are now on Hautelook.com, including the elusive Plum version! They are priced at $15 each, but on Hautelook you have to spend $100 or more for free shipping, otherwise shipping is $5.95. I just snagged a Plum palette for a total of $20.95 w/o tax. Still a good deal considering the palette has 0.45 oz of product! The event ends Friday, but I have a feeling it will be sold out soon! Also the Nude and Navy versions of the palette are on Amazon for free two-day shipping with Prime, otherwise it's free shipping with orders over $35. 

Favorites & Hate-its: August 2014

Jessup Brush

Left to Right: Vaseline Rosy Lips, Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss "Orange Glow", MAC blush "Fleur Power", Wet n Wild "Reserve Your Cabana"

Wet n Wild Fergie Take on the Day Eyeshadow Primer: As you can see from the scratched-off writing on the packaging, this eyeshadow primer has been much-loved and much-used by me. This is my absolute favorite eyeshadow primer for my greasy-greasy eyelids. My eyelids are so oily that they shine even without any product on them, but this eyeshadow primer keeps my eyeshadows on all day and prevents creasing. It is slightly tacky and has a cream color to it that helps lighten my discolored eyelids and intensify my shadows. I much more prefer this $5 primer over the Too Faced Shadow Insurance which is too liquidy for me. 

Jessup Brush: I ordered a 10-piece set of Jessup brushes from eBay for about $16 awhile ago and I am so in love with them. The quality is amazing for the price, they are incredibly soft (much softer than the Real Techniques brushes imo) and they hold up well through washes. The brush pictured is the one that I've been using everyday to buff in my base makeup this month. I can't say whether or not these Jessup brushes are dupes for the Sigma brushes because I don't own any Sigma brushes, but I definitely think the Jessup brushes are worth a try if you are looking for some budget friendly brushes. The only negatives of these are that their handles are quite fat so storage is difficult and you can only get them from eBay. 

Vaseline Lip Therapy in Rosy Lips: I have never been a fan of lip balms that come in jars but I caved and bought this purely because of the rosy pink color and the adorable miniature vaseline tub that it comes in. I didn't like this at first because the lip balm doesn't completely sink into my lips overnight so I have to wash it off in the morning and I am not a fan of the sticky petroleum jelly residue. However, the fresh rosy scent of the balm just helps me relax before bed and it gives me plump and juicy lips in the morning. 

Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Orange Glow: I am a huge fan of layering lip products and mixing colors so I had to have this when I saw it on eBay. This yellow-orange lipgloss has been my go-to lipgloss this month to warm up my cool-toned pink lippies. The formula of Revlon's Colorburst Lipglosses is non-sticky, pigmented, and gives you a nice watery-shine. This yellow-orange color kind of reminds me of a mango and when applied on top of pinks and reds it turns the color into gorgeous corals and red-oranges. Lip swatches of these will be coming soon!  

MAC Powder Blush in Fleur Power: My one and only MAC blush. I purchased this three years ago and have recently rediscovered it this month. Fleur Power is such a lovely warm peachy-pink color that blends really well into my bronzer to give me healthy summer glow. The blush itself has a very smooth texture and is nicely pigmented and long lasting. This is a blush that I can go back to time and time again. 

Wet n Wild Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana: Wet n Wild labels this as a bronzer, but Reserve Your Cabana is definitely a highlighter. It is a beautiful beige champagne highlight that comes in a ginormous compact and costs only $4. This highlighter is incredibly pigmented but there is no detectable shimmer or glitter particles in it all so it's hard to overdo it. It just gives a gorgeous sheen to the skin that makes you look like you are naturally glowing. Besides highlighting my cheekbones and nose bridge, I also like to use this as eyeshadow, especially as an inner corner and brow bone highlight. The sheen that this gives off is brightening but not overly shimmery. It also has SPF 15 which makes it perfect for summer!

I have one hate-it this month and it is The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Cream. I really wanted to like this but it has such an overpowering baby-powder scent that actually irritated my skin and made it painful to use. I strongly dislike fragrances in skincare simply because they can be an irritant to sensitive skin which is exactly what happened in this case. Sadly, I will be tossing this or maybe dumping it out and using the jar for other things.  

P.S. What are your faves this month? :)

Maybelline Baby Lips: Melon Mania and Rose Rush

Description:

Maybelline Baby Lips in Rose Rush (LE), Melon Mania (LE)

Moisturizing tinted lip balm

Retails: ~$3-$4 for 0.15 oz

Left: Melon Mania, sheer pink, cool

Right: Rose Rush, pinky coral, warm

Bare lips

Melon Mania

Rose Rush

Packaging: These come in your typical lip balm tubes, but I love the coloring of the packaging; bright pink and pastel green always goes really well together. Sadly, the plastic top tends to crack after opening and closing the lip balm frequently. 

Quality: As you can see, Melon Mania is quite sheer but an be built up to a light pink color. Although, if you have pigmented lips Melon Mania may not show up at all for you. Rose Rush is nicely pigmented and in real life is more of a pinky coral. The balms give a nice shine but they are rather slippery. I find the color bleeds around the edges of my lips after some time, you can sort of see this in the lip swatch for Rose Rush. And as with other Baby Lips shades, these are less than mediocre in the moisturizing department.

Thoughts: I have to admit I purchased these purely because of the packaging and the color of the balms themselves. I couldn't say no to Melon Mania's bright neon pink and Rose Rush's pretty coral. I love the slight color and sheen that these give off. I have a soft spot for corals so Rose Rush is my absolute favorite because it gives a strong layer of coral but looks super natural. I am quite annoyed by the color transferring, however. Overall, I think they are decent tinted lip balms and give me just the right color and sheen when I'm in a no-fuss-lip kind of mood (which happens a lot). Sadly, these are limited edition, but you can still get them on Amazon or eBay. 

P.S. I'm thinking of doing swatches of all of my lipsticks. A lot of them are Wet n Wild Megalast lipsticks which are amazing but don't get much use. Maybe I will do one lipstick swatch a day? 

Almay Intense i-Color: 401 Smoky-i for Browns

AKA: my favorite eyeshadow trio EVARR

Description: 

Almay Intense i-Color Eyeshadow in 401 Smoky-i for Browns

Retails: $4.99 at Target, $6.57 at Amazon, $7.79 at CVS for 0.12 oz 

Left: satin, bronze/medium brown, warm/neutral

Middle: light lavender/purple with silver shimmer, cool/neutral 

Right: shimmer, champagne with gold shimmer, warm/neutral

Packaging: Clear plastic top with white base, snap closure, includes two sponge-tip applicators (not pictured because I lost them, oops). There's also a step-by-step tutorial on the back for an eye look (bronze shade all over lid, light purple shade in the crease, champagne shade on the brow bone). 

Quality: Although these aren't the most pigmented eyeshadows at the drugstore (the prize for that goes to Wet n Wild trios), they are definitely not the worst either. The bronze shade has the strongest pigmentation and is very smooth, the light purple and the champagne shade has a bit of glitter fall-out but it's not extreme. The champagne shade has the least pigmentation (it's mostly glitter) but it makes for a decent highlight. The light purple shade is fairly pigmented and has a gorgeous sheen to it. I also find that these shadows blend nicely and last very well on my lids with and without primer. Swatches are done with my phalanges, no primer. 

Thoughts: I love love love this eyeshadow trio! When I first swatched this I was put off by all that glitter in the top two shades, but when I wore it for the first time it. was. amazing. The bronze shade is the most perfect warm-but-not-too-warm bronze and the light purple shade is one of those Jekyll-and-Hyde shades; in some angles it's a pinky-purple, and in others it leans more blue-purple with a silver sheen. All three shades go beautifully together and make the trio extremely versatile. You can go fairly neutral with just the champagne and bronze shade or pair the light purple and bronze for a more glam look. The bronze shade can be used with a light hand or built up for a soft smoked-out eye, talk about MVP. The only qualm I have with this is that the eyeshadow pans taper at the end and make it kind of difficult to pick up eyeshadow. 

I really can't stop using this trio because it's just so easy and it looks good no matter what. I highly recommend it especially if there is some sort of deal going on. I think I basically paid 50 cents for mine at CVS using coupons and CVS extrabucks. 

P.S. Should I do some tutorials with this? I'm no makeup expert so it can be really beautiful or it can be a disaster...