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Kat Von D Lolita vs NYX Soft-Spoken!

November 10, 2015

KVD vs NYX

Hi readers! How was your weekend?

Liquid lipsticks have taken center stage and today I am comparing NYX’s Soft Spoken, which is a pretty spot on dupe for Kat Von D’s Lolita. Take a look!

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita

Pros

Long-lasting

Minimal dry down time

Applies evenly

Color can work well for a variety of skin tones

Excellent color payoff

Cons

Pricey at $20

Accentuates fine lines

Overall: I really do love this shade but I’ve found that other shades from this same line don’t work so well for me. The application feels creamy and you get opaque color in one swipe. I find this fades pretty evenly and I have a bit of a stain left over even after eating and drinking. Exfoliating is a must beforehand but it’s worth the money.

NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Soft-Spoken

Pros

Budget friendly at $7

Applies evenly

Great color payoff

Good wear time

Color can work well for a variety of skin tones

Cons

Slow dry down time

Accentuates fine lines

Semi-tacky feeling

Overall: This is a good inexpensive alternative to KVD’s Lolita. It has great color payoff in one swipe and applies evenly. Application feels velvety but then turns into a tacky feeling that never quite goes away. I’m assuming this is the reason why it’s not that long lasting. Exfoliating lips beforehand is a must and I find applying a bit of balm underneath makes

Top to Bottom: Lolita and Soft-Spoken

Swatches from both lip shades. As you can see they are almost identical. Kat Von D is a bit darker with a little more brown.

Have you tried these? Which is your favorite?

Stephanie

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip 2015 Review!

November 5, 2015

Hi everyone! I won this lip set from a giveaway hosted by the lovely Cat Forsley from My Lip Addiction and as you can imagine, I was thrilled. So in time for the Sephora VIB sale, here’s the breakdown of the set along with my review.

This limited edition set comes with six deluxe-size lip products, though the Tarte lipstick looks to be full size, and retails for $25.

Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion The Neutrals in 19-Peony

This dark pink shade is gorgeous and has good staying power unless you’re eating or drinking. It fades somewhat evenly though you’ll find you have to reapply so that it looks even. It feels glossy at first but dries to a matte finish.

Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Coral Blossom

A nice bright and somewhat sheer coral color with a slight peppermint scent. Personally, I love lipsticks that are creamy and moisturizing and this one fits the bill. The lasting power is not long, maybe 2 hours, but I don’t mind. As the name implies, these glide on like butter and feel comfortable.

Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment

You gotta love two in one products. This hydrating lip balm has a rosy tint that gives you a polished look with minimal effort. It also has sunscreen so that’s always a bonus.

Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème in Je T’Aime

My first Marc Jacobs lipstick and I have to say I do like this one. The description states it’s ultra hydrating but I disagree. It’s not super hydrating but not matte either so I would say satin. The color is a beautiful rum raspberry that will last around 3-4 hours. Exfoliating lips is a must with this one but if you’re looking for the perfect shade for the holidays, I highly recommend this.

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi Gloss 202 Sweet Pink

I was excited that this lipgloss was included in this set and was the first one I tried out. Although the sheer pink color is pretty and the full pouted effect and shine it gives is amazing, the formula on this is super thick and sticky-not comfortable or appealing at all. The applicator has a slit to allow precise application but I feel it’s more marketing than useful. Overall, I wouldn’t shell out money for this lipgloss.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita

The hype surrounding this gorgeous chestnut rose shade is real and warranted. After my unfortunate experience with this line shade in Outlaw, this shade is a dream and the staying power is great. It lasted all most all day, even after eating. Although it does begin to fade, it leaves behind a nice stain. I apply a bit of balm underneath, although the formula doesn’t feel too drying, and make sure to exfoliate lips beforehand.

L-R: Peony, Coral Blossom, Rose Tint, Je T’Aime, 202, Lolita

I hope you found this post helpful. 🙂

Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts?

Stephanie

Sephora VIB Sale Wish List 2015!

November 3, 2015

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? I stayed home on Halloween, curled up watching movies including Hocus Pocus and I really enjoyed my low key night. I was also leafing through the Sephora holiday catalog that arrived over the weekend, excited about the sale coming up in the next few weeks and decided to share my wish list with you. 🙂

Burberry Kisses Lipstick

I already love their blush and have heard great things about their lipsticks. Shades I’m interested include Nude Beige and Devon Sunset.

YSL Rouge Volupte

Love the packaging on this- so sleek and elegant and they have a great selection of shades. I’m eyeing Peach Passion.

Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss

I’ve been browsing Hourglass products and two lip gloss shades have caught my attention: Child, a pale pink beige and and Fortune, a festive metallic golden pink.

Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Book The Art of Sculpting + Defining Volume II

With the contouring craze, this looks like a nice set to have.

Beauty Blender Set

I have yet to try out the Beauty Blender-yes, I can hear the gasps now but it’s just one of those things I’ve glossed over and thought of as unnecessary. However, I might just bite the bullet and see what the fuss is all about and this looks like a good investment.

Guerlain Rouge G Intense Shine Lipstick

Okay, I will be shallow for a moment and say that I mainly want this lipstick because of the gorgeous packaging. So pretty and luxe and touch ups would be a joy! Unfortunately, this comes with a hefty price tag so the discount might help.

Dior Addict Fluid Stick

Another great product that is constantly raved about. Whisper Beige and Pandore are shades I am looking at trying.

Of course as is often the case, my mind will change and I may pick up something else entirely but I’ve been lusting over these for a while so we’ll see. 🙂

What items are you looking forward to picking up?

Stephanie

October Favorites 2015!

October 29, 2015

Hi everyone! With October ending this week, I’m sharing products I’ve been using religiously this month. Let’s get to it!

Nest Fragrances Moroccan Amber Candle

Nordstrom just opened up locally and when I saw they carried Nest Candles in store, I knew I had to pick this up. With exotic notes of Moroccan Amber, Star Anise, Sweet Patchouli, Bergamot and Eucalyptus, this candle is just what you need to create a zen environment.

NYX Butter Gloss in Strawberry Parfait

I received this NYX Butter Gloss in a Target Beauty Box and I must say it was love at first swipe. It’s described as a fuchsia but has a sheer finish that on my lips looks natural with a slight tinge of pink. Great for everyday minimal looks or to top off lipsticks without competing with the shade underneath.

Renee Rouleau Skin Drink

I had a chemical peel about 2 weeks ago and this was instrumental in keeping my skin hydrated. It’s an oil-free, water based serum of hyaluronic acid that helps attract and retain moisture in your skin. Perfect for my combination skin as it delivers hydration without making me breakout.

Burberry Beauty ‘Light Glow’ Natural Blush in Earthy

I know I’ve mentioned this blush before but it’s for good reason. It’s an absolute staple in my makeup arsenal because it is versatile and is a joy to use with its smooth and buttery consistency. Pairs well with natural or vampy fall looks. You need this blush. Trust.

Swatches of the NYX Butter Gloss and Burberry Beauty Blush

What are your favorites this month?

Stephanie

Too Faced Brow Envy Kit Review!

October 27, 2015

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend. 🙂 Can you believe we’re that much closer to a new month? Crazy.

I finally have the review for the Too Faced Brow envy Brow Shaping and Defining Kit so let’s get started.

Description: ” Be envied for your perfect brows with Brow Envy, Too Faced’s fool-proof kit that will have you arches, defined and framed like a star.”

The kit comes housed in a black compact, complete with a mirror, setting wax, a cream highlight shade, brow powder duos, tweezers, a spooley, brush and angled brush.

A close up picture. The bottom left powder is Blonde while the bottom right powder is brunette.

Also included in this kit are three eyebrow stencils and a Glamour Guide detailing how to use the kit.

Top to Bottom: Setting Wax, Highlight, Brunette and Blond

Swatches of the shades. You can’t really see the setting wax too well because it’s clear but it’s sitting on top of the pale pink highlight shade.

Pros

A complete set

Good for brow maintenance/touch ups

Duo powder shades allows you to customize a shade

Small tweezers are great for grabbing tiny hairs

Good for traveling

Cons

Cream products make the kit messier

Stencils may not work for everyone’s eyebrow shape

Not versatile enough for every brow or hair color

Overall: I really do like this kit and it has pretty much all of the necessary tools to keep your eyebrows shaped and defined. Personally, I would have preferred a powder highlight instead of a cream one just because I feel I can control it better. Also, the stencils won’t be used because a) they don’t fit my eyebrow shape and b) my eyebrows are pretty wild so I have to get them threaded about every month. The eyebrow brush is a little stiffer than I would like but it’s not a deal breaker. I would recommend this kit to anyone who has dark eyebrows but if you’re looking for lighter shades, Anastasia has a really great selection of powder duos as well.

A picture of me over the weekend using this brow kit.

What’s your favorite product to keep your brows on point?

Stephanie

October Birchbox Unboxing 2015!

October 13, 2015

Disclosure: This post contains a referral link.

Welcome back readers! October’s Birchbox arrived over the weekend and the theme is Positive Force in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Birchbox has teamed up with The Estee Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to fund one year of breast cancer lab research hours. Take a look at the samples I received for this month.

Avene Cleanance Soap-Free Gel Cleanser

A blue tinged cleanser that vaguely smells like Dove Soap (without the soap of course) and is infused with French thermal spring water. Definitely geared towards oily skin as this thoroughly removes oil and deep cleans.

Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo and bonus sample LOVE Smoothing Conditioner

I’m a fan of Davines’ products and these two are no exceptions. Formulated with oilve oil and rice protein, the shampoo cleans without stripping hair and the thick conditioner helps calm frizz. *Note: Personally, I have to alternate shampoos because there is an ingredient in here that over time makes my scalp and body itch but every time I use it, I love the results.

derma e Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask

Activated charcoal is scoring brownie points in the skincare and health realms so I was anxious to try this. It has apricot seed powder to exfoliate along with kaolin and bentonite clays to absorb oil and help decongest the skin. This crazy SoCal weather is causing me to breakout a bit so I’m testing to see if this will help clear it up.

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

One of the sample choices this month, this is a water-resistant mascara that is long-lasting, curls and adds volume. I have yet to test this out but it sounds promising.

Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling Eau de Toilette

The sample perfume has notes of juniper, cardamom, soft leather, black cherry and amber. I cannot stomach the scent of juniper, so this sample will be given away.

Fragrance sample aside, I thought this box was good. Not my favorite but still worth it.

If you like what you saw and are thinking of subscribing to Birchbox, click here to use my referral link and earn extra points to use at the Birchbox shop.

Stephanie

The Ultimate Urban Decay Naked Fall Looks Collaboration!

October 7, 2015

Happy Wednesday everyone! I’m very excited today to bring you a special collaborative post featuring a few of my favorite bloggers. We’re taking the Urban Decay Naked palettes and coming up with makeup looks that are perfect for fall. Grab your Naked 3 to create my look and check out the looks of these amazing bloggers using the other Naked palettes: Janet from Jan and Jot, Jennifer from In the Beauty Box, Kaily from Hello Kaily and Karen from Confetti and Curves.

Get the Look

Foundation: Lancome Teint Miracle in Buff 4C

Concealer: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla

Eyeshadow:

Highlight: Strange

Lid: Limit

Crease: Limit/Nooner

Mid/Outer Lid: Nooner

Lower Lashline: Darkside

Directions: Apply Limit on the lid and Nooner on the mid and outer lids. Use Limit on the crease and to blend out Nooner on the mid and outer V. Use Strange as the highlight shade beneath the brows and just above the crease color. Take a pencil brush and apply Darkside to the lower lashline.

Eyeliner: MAC Fluidline Eyeliner Gel in Dipdown on the top lashline and Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in Ransom on the waterline, over Darkside (bottom lashline)

Mascara: Dior Diorshow Mascara in Pro Black

Blush: Burberry Light Glow Earthy Blush No. 7

Lips: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Lip Pencil in Nude and Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Birkin Brown

The finished look! I hope you enjoyed this segment and please don’t forget to check out all of the other bloggers I listed up above as they have more great looks headed your way. 🙂

Stephanie

5 Lip Colors for Fall!

October 1, 2015

Happy first day of October everyone! Lately it just seems as if the days are zooming by, right? While it still doesn’t feel like fall over here in SoCal-will it ever?- at least we can look the part using makeup. Here are my top favorite lipsticks for fall that I think will work on any complexion.

Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Menace

This beautiful rich wine color applies smoothly but can be sheered out with a little lip balm underneath to give it a glossier finish.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Birkin Brown

This matte lipstick feels creamy on application, delivering a chocolate cream opaque coverage in one swipe that stays put for a few hours. A chic and glamorous lipstick in every sense.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes in Touch of Spice

A more budget friendly matte lipstick, this rosy plum shade feels very comfortable on lips and fits in perfectly for the season’s nineties trend.

Nars Audacious Lipstick in Jane

You’ll be anything but ‘plain Jane’ with this lovely terracotta rose shade. One swipe provides amazing pigmentation and this color looks great when paired with bronze eyeshadow.

Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion in Red Essence

A similar concept to the YSL Glossy Stains, this dark red lip color applies like a gloss but dries to a stain. Very easy to reapply when you need to (which isn’t often) and provides a sophisticated look when worn with grey eyeshadow.

L-R: Menace, Birkin Brown, Touch of Spice, Jane, Red Essence

What are your go-to fall lipstick shades?

Stephanie

September Birchbox Unboxing 2015!

September 17, 2015

Disclosure: This post contains a referral link.

September’s Birchbox is here and this month they’re celebrating their subscribers. Take a look at what was included in my box.

L’Artisan Parfumeur Mure et Musc Eau de Toilette

Described as having notes of blackberry, rich musk and wood, this sample perfume smells like men’s cologne and I don’t like it at all. The blackberry and musk scent combination doesn’t mesh well with me. Sorry to say but I will be discarding this immediately.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil

The sample choices this month were between Pop Beauty Eyeshadow Trio, Davine’s LoveShampoo and packet conditoner and Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil. I picked the eyebrow pencil as I needed one and I’m already a fan of the powder duo. Personally, I prefer powder over pencil because I feel it gives a softer effect but this will do for now. I can always blend it out. 🙂

TOCCA Esfoliante de Corpo in Bianca

I’m happy this sugar based body exfoliant was included since it has two of my favorite scents: lemon and green tea. I tried a little bit on my hands and the word luxurious came to mind. Seriously a must try for the cooler months ahead as it leaves skin feeling hydrated and silky. *Note: Sensitive skin should tread with caution as it is fragrant.

treStiQue Correct & Cover Concealer Crayon in Bisque

I haven’t tried this concealer yet but I love the packaging. The top portion is the cap, shaped like the tip of the concealer-how cute is that. I’m a little nervous testing this because it’s infused with coconut oil and I’m worried it may be too heavy for the eye area. We’ll see.

Rene Furterer Absolue Keratine Sublime Renewal Leave-in Cream

This “keratin-rich cream smoothes, restores, and protects even the most damaged strands.” It’s heavily fragranced but I don’t find it overpowering. It is a rich, heavy cream that feels soft but I need more time to really see if it makes a difference. Having curly, color treated hair, I feel I am a perfect candidate. Stay tuned for a review.

Overall, it was a good box and although I won’t be using the fragrance sample, the Tocca exfoliant made it worth it.

Curious to try out Birchbox? You can subscribe to Birchbox for $10.00 per month and receive 50 bonus points to use towards a purchase by clicking here . If you subscribe before October 9th, you’ll receive your first box for only $5.00.

What are your thoughts on this month’s box?

Stephanie

My Top 3 ‘No Foundation’ Foundations!

September 3, 2015

Hi everyone!

I’m constantly asked on a regular basis what foundations are the best at not looking like you’re wearing foundation. Having tested multiple brands and formulations over the years, here are my top picks that give me a ‘my skin but better” look.

*Note: A good skincare routine is paramount to achieving the best results but that will be for another post.

Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Makeup

The first Make Up For Ever foundation that I tried and immediately fell in love with. This one has a very watery consistency (thank goodness they have since incorporated a pump) and you don’t need much to cover your face. It feels very light-weight and isn’t too glowy or matte and can be used to cover up body imperfections. True story: My grandmother loved how this looked on me that she had me go buy her one and she has been an avid user ever since.

Unfortunately, I think this had an ingredient my skin might have not agreed with because over time my nose would start to itch so I stopped using it. Despite this, I highly recommend it.

Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum

I picked this up when Sephora had their Fall VIB sale last year and after using up a sample. As the name implies, this has a serum-like consistency and gives a nice satin finish. I prefer to apply this using my fingers to pat and roll it in the skin but you can also use a brush and achieve results. Super light-weight as I forget sometimes I have it on and hold up nicely throughout the day. My only complaint is that the shade range is very limited.

Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm

While I know this isn’t a foundation, I do think tinted moisturizers, BB creams and CC creams are some of the best products to use for achieving a natural look. They tend to cover up redness and even out skin tone and work best if you don’t have major imperfections. Since it has the texture of a moisturizer it’s really impossible for it to give a cakey appearance. My favorite way to apply these is with a sponge and stippling it into the skin. Favorites include Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm, Laura Mercier and Marcelle BB Cream.

What are your favorite foundations to use for a natural look?

Stephanie