Review: NYX Box of Smokey Look Collection

Hello Lovelies! You know how there are some products that as soon as you buy it you just KNOW you're going to love it?? Then there's other products you're not totally sure about when you buy, but you grow to love them? This product is kinda somewhere in between... when I saw it sitting in Ulta in all its glory, I honestly thought it was going to be my new favorite product! But after nearly a month of use, I'm almost ready to store it away (or re-gift it? lol)

The product I'm talking about is NYX Box of Smokey Look Collection. Let's be honest, who *doesn't* love a smokey eye?? And this palette gives you options!

Classic? Purple? Bronze? Natural? The options are limitless with this grouping of shadows! Mix and match! Create your own looks! Who wouldn't love that?? But wait! There's more!

Don't stop your look with JUST THE EYES! Complete it! Use the bronzer, blush, and highlighter to contour your face! And there's a hidden eye liner and sponge applicator! This can all be found by sliding the shadows to the side. But wait! THERE'S MORE!!

Pull out the bottom drawer and you get lipsticks, lip glosses, concealers, and OMG GLITTER!

It should be obvious to anyone now why I thought this was such a genius product, right? Your whole face is in this one handy container! Multiple looks! Change day to night! Oh! The possibilities!! And NYX is really amazing company. Great products, great prices ($24.99 when I bought it.) Who wouldn't want all those products for such a cheap price??

*sigh* I am not in love. I realllllly wanted to be. And there are parts of this collection I really do enjoy. Here are my thoughts:

The shadows are okay. I do love all the colors and the combination, but I don't feel like they are very blendable. Wherever my brush lands on my lid is kinda where that shadow is going. They're just not as soft/velvety as I would have liked. But the color combinations are great! And I do like the versatility of doing purple, classic, bronze, natural, etc.

The light bronzer I actually kind of like! I think the formula is pretty good and it's not too dark for my Snow White-like skin! The darker bronzer will probably never work for me. lol. I like the bottom light pink blush--it proves a nice flush, healthy glow that compliments my cool skin tone. The highlighter is eh, ok. It's almost just like putting baby powder on my face it's sooo white. (it doesn't look white when applied). But I also can't really tell when it's applied...

I haven't used the lip products or concealers yet. I [tried to] use some of the glitter shadows (and we ALL know how much I heart glitter!) but they were more trouble than they were worth:(  Kinda flaked off and just made a mess. Maybe I'm not applying it correctly...

So bottom line? It's an okay palette, and I probably will use parts of it in the future, but given the opportunity, I would not buy it again. And I don't really recommend it to anyone else. I would've rather spent the $25 on something else that I would use more frequently.

Have you tried this box of makeup? What did you think? What's your favorite makeup product right now?

How to be Naked for Less--With Swatches!

Hi Lovelies! You may remember last spring I posted about a cheaper way to get the Urban Decay Naked 2's looks! I recently had a comment asking to swatch the UD shadows with some of the dupes in the NYX Caviar & Bubbles palette! So, here it is! Sadly, NYX doesn't name their shadows so you'll see the UD ones named with the NYX one next to them. All pictures are done without flash for a more natural lighting look. You'll notice that why not exact matches, I still think they're close enough to work:) Let me know what you think and if you've found any other dupes for the Naked 2 Palette!:)

Haul from Blueskysunburn's Blog Sale!

I love shopping. This is no secret. I love a bargain, I'm sure many of you can relate:) So I was sooo excited when blueskysunburn posted her amaaaazing Blog Sale!!! There were sooo many things I wanted to buy! But, I kept my list small (the first time around anyway;) and ordered just a few things! They got here super fast and I wanted to share with you my new (very inexpensive) items!!:)

Sephora Cheek Contour Brush

OPI Holland Collection Dutch Treats Mini Pack

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 001 Transparent

NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Sapphire

EcoTools Bamboo Finishing Kabuki Brush

I've been trying to build up my brush collection and I was so excited to get these two brushes from her! I've been using a contour brush from elf and it's just gotten so flat, I'm not sure it's doing any contouring at all anymore;) lol.

This is my FIRST EVER KABUKI BRUSH! Ahhh. I love how it feels! It's has taklon bristles--which actually look and feel very horse-like to me:) But yay for cruelty free product, it is synthetic:)

You'll remember in one of my last Flashback Friday posts I talked about how I was using blue eyeliner again to make my brown eyes pop! I picked up the NYX liquid liner to play with it; and if I don't like it, I'm not out that much money:)

The mini polishes are perfect for me! I love having more colors but rarely get through a regular sized bottle of polish. Having the minis gives me more options without having to buy full bottles that may go to waste!:) And p.s. these colors are all gorgeous.

Finally, you can never have too much pressed powder:) Especially in the hot summer months; sometimes you just want a light powder to "powder your nose" and conceal the shine:)

Yay!! Jennifer did a great job getting it packaged up and sent out right away! If you're looking for some fun new makeup, you should definitely check out her sale! I just scrolled through it again, and I see even more stuff I want now... lol. It's going fast, so get over there now!!:)

Have you gotten any really good makeup deals lately? How do you feel about blog sales? Would you sell your gently used/swatched makeup? Have you ever bought someone's used makeup?

Review: NYX Crimson Amulet Collection

Hi Lovelies! Before I jump in to today's post, I wanted to draw your attention to my fabulous new blog layout! LOL. I know I'd been saying that when I got my 100 followers, I felt like I was a *real* blog now and wanted to make it feel... better. Hahaha, I wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but I knew I was just looking for something *more*... whatever that *more* was... I went through 100s of pages of blog templates.. and layouts... I looked at blog designers portfolios... I just couldn't see paying someone to do the work for me that I should be able to figure out on my own, ya know? (nothing against people who do do that; believe me, I was *very*close to having someone do it for me). But, my dad taught me years ago that you appreciate things more that you do yourself... and so... I fought on. Anyway! I think the finished product (for now) really captures my personality and what I wanted when I thought of the words "glitter" "gloss" and "glaze" nearly eight months ago!

So! Onto today's topic! I picked up The Crimson Amulet Collection bout a month or so ago from Ulta. This palette was based on the new Johnny Depp movie--Dark Shadows. I was really excited about getting this! It has twenty-four eye shadows, four lip colors, five blushes, one highlighter, one shadow base, and one liquid liner. OMG there is so much in this little box!!!

I'm going to be completely honest with you--I have not used any of the blushes, the liner, or the shadow base. (sorry!) But I don't want to wait any longer before at least starting the review! It's a limited edition collection, and if I wait much longer to review it, you won't be able to buy it! hahahah

So, I've also been putting off the review, because when I first started using it, I really wasn't that impressed. I don't like the lip colors at all... the consistency is just awkward for me... I think I was hoping they'd be more creamy.. more gloss like? And they're just very stiff... while there is some color variation, they aren't lip colors I'd really use a whole lot.

The eye shadows are good texture--typical NYX shadows. It's got a lot of neutrals with some pops of color--both matte and shimmery--I did like that part. The colors are all very blendable, and I'm pretty sure the possibilities are pretty endless.

I'm going to give it a positive review though because I have gotten more compliments on eye looks I've made from this collection than from anything else in a while. Every time I use the blues and purples together people are always asking "Close your eyes! Let me see!" or "What color is that on your eyes?" It's a huge hit!:)

However, here is the best part, ladies and gentlemen! You get all of this for $25!! I'm totally serious!! What a bargain!! So, while I don't really like the lip colors, the eye shadows make up for it, and I love how it's like a little book you can carry. You can throw it in your purse and pretty much use it to touch up or change your look throughout the day... perhaps change your daytime look to a date night or girls night out look!:)

Have you tried this collection? Do you have any favorite products that come in a package deal like this? Have you seen the Dark Shadows movie??

How to be Naked for less!

Hi Lovelies! Remember when the Naked2 palette came out? Remember how it seemed like EVERY GIRL IN THE WORLD was buying it and almost every beauty blogger was doing reviews/swatches of it?

Then there was the price tag... $50... *sigh*... and sure, you could rationalize and say welllll for 12 colors, that's only like $4 per color... so it's not that bad...

But let's be honest, especially if you're looking for beauty on a budget, that is just a big chunk of change to throw down for one product. Even if it is a product you just *know* you'll use EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE if you buy it!

Well, that's how I rationalized it (and really, I have been using it pretty much every day;) but still, is there a cheaper way? Or a way to get the same look for less?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think I may actually have a partial solution if you don't want to throw down the $50 but still want to have the fun neutral looks that other girls are doing with the Naked2 Palette.

May I present to you Caviar and Bubbles by Nyx! ($10)

So here are some of the basic comparisons: Nyx is definitely a smaller palette than the Naked2. It comes in a smaller case that you can easily throw in your purse; whereas the Naked2 is bigger.

Almost all the colors are very similar. Naked2 has two more; and the Nyx one has a pink-ish and a white (which Naked2 does not) but the browns, neutrals, and blacks are very comparable.

Naked2 comes with the fancy double ended brush applicator; Nyx comes with a double ended sponge applicator. I prefer the brush.

You're probably wondering about the big question right now though, how do the products actually compare!? Well, I still think the Naked2 colors are deeper/richer and have more shimmer/shine to them. They just appear more vibrant when applied. However, the Nyx ones are not that much different.

For about a week, I would do one eye with Naked2 and one with the Nyx shadows. When blended, you could hardly tell a difference. Can you tell which eye is which?

.....

The one on the left is Naked2 and the one on the right is Nyx! But it's pretty close, right?

So conclusions? I'm still glad that I have the Naked2 palette; but I do think the Nyx is a decent buy to replicate many of the Naked2 looks! If you don't have the $50 for Naked2, I'd definitely encourage you to pay the $10 to pick up the Nyx one. And even if you already have the Naked2, it doesn't hurt to have the Nyx lying around. Because of the size, you can throw it in a little purse if you're going out and may need to touch up your eye makeup later:)

Have you tried the Nyx shadows? Have you found any other cheaper versions of the Naked2 colors?:)

nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream--Review

Can you believe it's just a few days 'til Christmas! I can hardly believe it myself! Especially since here in Florida it was like 80 degrees today. Granted, it was an absolutely beautiful day; it just doesn't FEEL like Christmas to me! This is the first year I'll be away from my family for the holidays; and while I'm kinda excited about not dealing with family stress/drama, it's still kinda sad to not even see them. But, I got the box my dad sent yesterday and there are plenty of presents under the tree now! I'm super excited that even though I'm nearly 900+ miles away, my mom and dad were sweet enough to send fully wrapped presents so I have something to open!:) More on that later!

Today is lips or eyes day, and I was reallllyyyy close to doing a review on a HardCandy mascara, but I wanted to discuss my nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams instead. I know I've mentioned these in passing, but haven't done a full review on them. I stumbled upon a new-ish blog today Helen Rambles On and she had a post about Collection 2000 Cream Puffs... I have never ever heard of these before.. a little research led me to believe it may be only in the UK (some places may have international shipping). When I saw her pix and swatches though, I just thought, OMG those are exactly like the nyx ones! (which she alluded to also in her post). So, while I'm not able to do a completel comparison for you now (since I don't have the Collection 2000 ones:) I wanted to at least do a quick review on my nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream.

I first saw these advertised several months back in a magazine and the advertisement is so catchy! "It's not a lipstick, nor is it gloss. It's like nothing you've experienced before. It's lipstick cream that goes on silky but looks soft matte." How could I pass up trying something like that?! Not to mention it's only $6!

I now own three of them: Milan, Addis Ababa, and London. They come in a regular lip gloss tube with the typical lip gloss applicator. Completely true to their word, they go on like a gloss and really do look like a lipstick. Since it's matte, there's no glossy/sparkly/fancy look to it at all. The lasting power is aaaaamazing. And they don't dry out my lips. Now, I prefer to put a lip balm on first, just because I want to take every precaution that the color doesn't crease into my lips and look crumbly later.

Milan was the first I got and it is a very soft pink color. It's a hard pink to describe though... not really coral.. but almost a fuller pink color, if that makes sense. It's soft and works well with darker eyes because it won't take a way from a dramatic eye look.

Unlike Addis Ababa which pretty much steals the show. I love how bright magenta pink it was in the tube and I just had to have it. It is bright though. When I first put it on my lips I was like, ohhh nooo, I can*not* where this in public. It is just TOO much. I've become a little more brave with it, and when I really want the attention to be on my lips, it works really well (with like a neutral or very light pearly pink shadow).

London is a creamy light brown--almost the color of a latte or milk hot chocolate. That's pretty much how it looks on my lips too! Almost like my lips were kissed by a Hershey's chocolate bar lol. It's a very neutral color that would probably work on anyone whether they have warm or cool skintones.

I love all of them! (in case I hadn't mentioned that already;) they aren't heavy; they aren't sheer; they're just the perfect amount of color. No scent, no flavor; just straight up creamy color. They're pretty much the *only* lipstick I use right now. (and technically they're not even a lipstick haha)

They can be bought online or at Ulta and possibly other select beauty sellers.

Have you tried them? Are you able to try the Collection 2000 Cream Puffs? Are they dupes? Or just a little similar? Let me know what you think!

xoxo,

Shopping is good for the soul!

I do believe in Heaven. And I do believe I'm going there. I know all the stories about the streets of gold and blah blah blah. But, in my heart, I know that my Heaven will be a lot like a DSW combined with ULTA. It will be bright and beautiful and full of shoes and beauty products! It will all be free!! There will also be donuts and endless supply of pumpkin spice lattes.... 


So I had a little piece of that Heaven since I went to ULTA tonight. There is just some feeling about walking in there... all the lights... the organization of it all... the products... It puts a smile on my face just thinking about it. I wasn't looking for anything specific, just kind of browsing, so I only picked up a few things.

The first thing was O.P.I. correct & clean up refillable corrector pen.  The front of the box says "The easy way to clean Nail Lacquer off cuticles for great-looking nails! Includes pen plus one replacement tip." I'm sure I will be using this product alllll the time since it seems I can't ever keep the polish just on my nail. I have not read any reviews yet, and I probably won't so my opinion won't be swayed when I try it. It seems a lot like a white-out pen. Looks like a spongey, brush type thing and the instructions to refill seem pretty easy. Put in new tip and refill with polish remover. So we'll see. I'm curious to see how long it lasts and how easy it is to use. ($6.95) note: Sally Hansen had a similar product. I may do a comparison of the two at a later point.

Next up was a new holographic polish by essence in 01 Gagalectric. Straight on it looks like a light lilac-y purple, but as you move it, the sparkle/holographic part changes to blue-ish, minty-green shades. I haven't done the color-changing-in-different-angles polish in years, and this one just caught my eye. This is my first polish by essence so I'm excited to try it. Plus, it was only $1.99 so even if it sucks, I'm not really out a whole lot. Obviously the picture just doesn't do it justice, but I'll get better ones when I use it.

Lastly, I can't leave ULTA without passing through the NYX lip color section. I love love love their soft matte lip cream--it's not a lip stick, it's not a gloss, it's just the right texture! I already own Addis Ababa and Milan so tonight I picked up London--a soft, light brown--almost like hot cocoa with melted marshmallows:) What I love most about these lip creams is that it goes on so smooth and the color really lasts! It feels good when it goes on--doesn't dry out my lips like a stick, but provides more coverage and not too drippy like some glosses. The Addis Ababa is hot pink, which with most of my makeup looks seems a bit much. But I really do love the color. The Milan is softer and prettier, but I'm not completely comfortable with how it blends (or rather, doesn't blend) with my skin tone. I have high hopes for London since it is almost getting cooler and fall colors are finally becoming more fashionably acceptable here in Florida. Will probably use it tomorrow and let you know what I think. ($5.99)


And that was all I got today! Total with tax $15.98! What a deal!! :)

xoxo,