This is going to be a super quick post on a collective haul that I've been meaning to post for a while! I have delayed doing so because I had things coming in through the mail here and there in addition to instore purchases so I thought I'd just throw them all together like an odd flavored salad.
From Sephora....
I got this wondrous mini Benefit Kit for $10 just so that I could try the erase paste. There is actually quite a bit of product in that little tub, and I'm also looking forward to using the creaseless cream shadow in RSVP. I also got two other creaseless cream shadows in strut and skinny jeans, so I have knocked those off my wish list. The eyelash curler you have seen from previous blogs, and the mini MUFE kit is a special GWP for VIB members at Sephora.
From DF & CCO...
I went to a discount fragrance and makeup store called DF&CCO. The Lancome eyeshadows were less than $5 each (originally $18). The lipliner I got for $10 (originally $23) and the lipstick I got for $10 (originally $25).
From MAC.....
I got these guys from Nordstrom, a MAC store, and a Macys. I snagged MSF in Crystal Pink, and all the Mineralize Blushes (Pressed Amber, Feeling Flush, and Warmth of Coral). I actually only bought Warmth of Coral, and my boyfriend spoiled me by purchasing the others. So far I'm in love with ALL of these! I hate to say this.....but I think I am addicted to MAC now.
From The Body Shop...
This seems to be a new product from The Body Shop, and it's a liquid concealer/highlighter. Reminds me of the YSL Touche Eclat. I liked the light coverage I got from it when I tried it on at the store, so I will be testing this out and doing a full review on it.
From Nordstrom....
Ah, my first YSL lipstick. This is the Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick in 104. I tried this on on a whim and absolutely loved how it looked on my lips. My boyfriend loved it too and bought this for me :)
That's all for now! I can't wait to be able to use everything and do reviews, reviews reviews! Thanks for stopping by :D
Another month is gone, another bunch of favorites are due, and for yet another month I'm late on doing so. Pooh.
Well, I'll just jump right into it!
1. Zoya nail polish in Tangy. What a lovely summer color! It's bright and fun, but not obnoxiously so. The best part is the duochromity (is that a word?) and if you tilt your nails ever so slightly, you can see the orange glitter. So pretty :)
2. Diorskin Nude Glow Healthy Glow Summer Powder. I admit. I got this cause it was pretty and limited edition. Of course, if it didn't work well, I would have returned it promptly. And none of this has to do with why it's a well loved product. I have been mixing foundations lately because my regular foundation has gotten too light, and I'd rather not go out and buy a darker foundation. I sometimes end up going too light, and I like to use this product to bronze up a little. It looks wonderfully naturally, and I think I could find myself using this a lot even when it gets cooler. This is adds just a perfect all over glow to my face. I like it so much that the idea of purchasing a backup as crossed my mind....
3. NARS Laguna Bronzer. Only during the summer would you find a blogger with two bronzing products in a single favorites post. I have fallen prey to this cult favorite when I decided to finally try the bronzer on at Sephora one day. I really love how this works wonderfully as a contour color or all over bronzing powder. I still like my NYC Matte Bronzer but Laguna is just so wonderfully smooth and has that hint of shimmer that I have to lean more towards Laguna.
4. Stila eyeshadow in Kitten. Ah, another cult favorite. This is Stila's best selling eyeshadow. It's a lovely peachy champagne color that is essentially a more refined glitterbomb, as it is super shimmery but is not chunky or frosty. Last month a wore a lot of smokey brown/taupe looks, and Kitten was absolutely the most perfect inner corner highlight.
5. Sephora eyelash curler. My last eyelash curler died tragically from overuse. I ran into Sephora, demanded for their best eyelash curler, and was presented with a Sephora brand eyelash curler. I was skeptical because that's like telling people you bake the best cookies in town. But!--This actually works quite nicely! I have to work really hard to pinch myself, and I can wedge this sucker right to the base of my lashes to really amp up the curls.
6. Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows. This was a very neglected palette until I decided to take on Project 7 Day Palette with it. It's funny how creative you can get when you're forced to use one palette for your eye looks. Not to say I didn't enjoy it, otherwise it wouldn't belong in my favorites. Like with all Books of Shadows, there is a good variety of colors to choose from. I'm happy to report that all the eyeshadows except for the chunky glittery ones are just lovely.
7. MAC Painterly Paintpot. In addition to smokey neutrals, I have been playing a lot with color this month. I used this product a lot because it's a nice sticky, neutral base. I can pop any color on top of it and make it look nice and bright!
Before I move on to the review, I just wanted to thank you all for your wonderful and supportive comments on my last post. I try to be as honest as possible with everything I put out (and sometimes I end up being a little too vulgar/blunt) and I'm glad that has carried across to many of you. I'm going to keep at it in terms of putting good, useful, and sometimes entertaining information out there. So again, thank you all for your support, and even just stopping by to give my blog a read :)
Let's get on to the review!
What:
These are one of NYX's most popular products. They are creamy eyeshadows in pencil form, containing about 5 grams (0.18oz) of product per pencil. Currently, there are 28 colors available. Prices differ depending on where you purchase the product but they should be no more than $4.50 each.
Packaging:
For some reason, some of these were sealed and some of these were not when I ordered them from Cherryculture.com. When I inquired about this, CherryCulture simply said that not all their products are sealed. I shrugged it off since they can easily be sanitized. Since these babies are in pencil form, you just have to sharpen these with a fat cosmetic pencil sharpener to get more product. I find these portable and they can be stored easily if you buy them in the masses.
Uses:
These babies can be used as an eyeshadow base to intensify color, an eyeshadow primer (with limits), or an eyeliner.
I currently own 12 different shades. A review will come after a photobomb of the products themselves with swatches :)
Swatches over bare skin in day light. No flash.
Swatches over bare skin in day light. No flash.
Recommended (and not recommended) Uses:
For best results, use these with an eyeshadow primer underneath.
These make great bases for powder eyeshadows, but do make sure you blend out the color with a brush or your finger or you will indeed experience creasing.
Once you blend the color out, the original color appears very sheer, so I do not recommend using these alone.
If you're in a pinch, these will work as an eyeshdow primer. On myself, they last around 6 hours before creasing a little, but the color starts fading gradually after about 3 hours of wear.
These will make lovely eyeliners, but I recommend using an eyeliner brush instead of applying it directly from the product because they are so big and chunky.
Pros:
Very inexpensive.
Good selection of colors.
Very creamy and easy to apply.
Versatile as they can be used as a primer, base, and eyeliner (with limits).
Portable and easy to store.
Cons:
Product will crease on your eyelid unless you blend it out and apply a powder eyeshadow on top.
An eyeshadow is a must if you want these to be truly long lasting
When blending the product, the color fades considerably and is no longer as vibrant.
Overall, I really love these jumbo eye pencils. They're pretty cheap and come in a lot of amazing colors. They are definitely a wonderful alternative to more expensive cream eyeshadows. The pros outweigh the cons and I hope to purchase more colors in the future (looking out for the sales!).
