Julie G's Peep Toe Pumps and L'oreal Magic Topcoat "The Holographic"

Happy New Year everyone!!

      I did my nails for the new year so I thought that warranted a post. :)  I've never owned or tried a Julie G polish before but I picked this up awhile ago at Rite Aid when there was a good deal. It was $3 and there was a $3 UP Reward backs so I thought I'd give it a try. The berry color was what drew me to this one. I was surprised and pleased with how easily and smoothly the formula applied. People with smaller nails may be able to get away with one coat. It is quite opaque for one coat. I applied two coats because for my nails I find that two coats are usually needed for full opacity. It was a very nice berry color, purplish with red tones. It's a very nice color all year round I think, but especially for the fall and winter. In the first picture, it appears redder on the nails than it does in person. I couldn't quite get the camera to capture the color exactly as it appears.

Peep Toe Pumps by Julie G
Left: One Coat
Right: Two Coats

      I got a L'oreal Magic Topcoat awhile ago too that I never got around to trying so I decided to try it out on top of this nail color. It took me awhile to find this polish after it was available for purchase. I finally found it in Target where it retailed for around $7 if I remember correctly. What you will get from this polish are mostly blue holographic flakes. The flakes will leave your polish not smooth and  with a dull finish, so for those who love their nails with a shiny finish, a top coat will be needed. I used Essie's Good to Go Top Coat. My initial thought was that I wasn't too impressed with how you only manage to get a few flakes with one coat. I needed two coats to get the amount of flakes as seen in the photo and that's still not a lot. Looking at the bottle, it seemed as if one coat would produce a lot of flakes. However, I do like how the holographic flakes look on my nails. They give the nail polish a cool dimension.

Left: the holographic (L'oreal Magic Topcoat)
Right: Peep Toe Pumps (Julie G)

2 Coats of Peep Toe Pumps by Julie G,
2 coats of 'the holographic' L'oreal Magic Top Coat

      I hope everyone has a great New Year's! Stay safe, warm and be merry! Hello 2014!

December 2013 Birchbox Unboxing!

Hi everyone!

      I've been busy for most of December with school, finals, the holidays and such which is why I have not posted anything in awhile. That is also why this December Birchbox post is quite late too considering it is almost Christmas, but better late than never right?
      First thought when I got this package was that the packaging is different and holiday themed! Usually, it comes in a pink cardboard box but this month's is gold with a little Happy Holidays design. The actual box is also different too. It says "Sparkle and Shine" which is cute and the inside has gold stripes.

New Revlon Products - Age Defying Foundation, Wrinkle Ready Line Filler, Targeted Dark Spot Concealer, CC Cream

Hey everyone!

      Just a quick little post to share! I saw this new display in Rite Aid today that I haven't seen elsewhere so I thought I'd share with you guys if you haven't seen it already. Excuse the first blurry picture, I didn't realize it was so blurry when I took it. It is the age-defying line containing a foundation, Wrinkle Ready Liner Filler, and Targeted Dark Spot Concealer Treatment. The dark spot concealer contains a sponge applicator which is interesting. The price tags were not shown at the drugstore so I can't tell you how much they cost. I like how they have a tester of the foundation on the side since you don't find that a lot in drugstores, although it is only one shade. I did give it a try and on first impressions, it feels pretty lightweight and seems to be light to medium coverage. This was only swatched on my hand so I can't attest to how it really is. There were a total of 10 shades.

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      I thought I would also mention the new Revlon CC creams. I have seen them awhile ago, maybe a month ago in Harmon's, but this was my first time seeing it in a drugstore.This also contained a tester too! Maybe this will be a new favorite for you CC cream lovers?

      Let me know your thoughts if any of you have tried these products! Have a great day! :)

Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms (Coquette and Enticing)

Hey everyone!

      I finally picked up the new Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms at CVS. I chose 150 Enticing and 110 Coquette. They retail around $9.49 - $10.49 in drugstores from what I saw. I have never tried a crayon- like lip balm so this was new and interesting to me.

110 Coquette and 150 Enticing

amount of product, 2.7 g weight

Left: Enticing, Right: Coquette

Top: Coquette
Bottom: Enticing

Coquette is a soft, baby pink that should look flattering on most people. It is not too bright or overwhelming. I was a little weary that it might be too blue-toned but it surprisingly was not. It had a minty feeling when I first put it on that gave my lips a cooling sensation. Is this how lip plumpers feel like? It contains sparkles which you can see in the second picture above.

Enticing is a slightly deep, candy apple red. It's not too bright but very pigmented. I was worried that it would be too bright of a red but it wasn't and is a very flattering color. This also contains sparkles but they aren't very apparent on the lips. It appears a little more pigmented and darker on the lips than as shown in the picture above.

Pros:

• Moisturizing, not drying, not sticky
• Creamy and pigmented
• Nice, shiny packaging; easy to twist up and down
• No bleeding
• Easy to apply 
• Product

Cons:

• Not that great for dry lips, especially the lighter colors
• Staying power isn't very long, especially the lighter colors

They both do have a minty taste/ feeling to them, the Coquette one more so than Enticing for some reason. This could be a con for some people.

Overall, I was pleased with them. I think they're interesting products to try if you've never tried crayon lip products before. The formula and pigmentation exceeded expectations. Considering it is a balm and not a stain, the lasting power is about what you would expect of a lip balm. For the price though, I'd say wait for a sale or see if there is someplace that sells them for a little cheaper. So these are my thoughts, have a great day everyone!

Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Glosstini - Hunger Games Collection - Violet Flicker

      I finally got around to trying another Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Glosstini that is part of the Hunger Games Collection. My first review was on Inferno; you can check that out here if you're interested. Now here are some pictures and then a quick rundown of my thoughts!

Topcoat used is Good to Go! by Essie.

Likes:

• Like the Inferno polish, this one dries quickly, which is always one of the most important things for me.
• Applies easily
• Pretty color
• Very glittery! Contains blue, purple/pink microglitters.

Dislikes:

• Very sheer; needed 3 coats for full opacity

      This color is very sheer compared to Inferno which I only needed 2 coats of. Even though this is very sheer, opacity can be achieved and the color is easily buildable. It is a dark, pretty, glittery purple color that is good for fall and because of it's glittery property it can definitely be a festive, holiday color as well. It would also make a nice topcoat, adding a bit of sparkle to your nails.

November 2013 Birchbox Unboxing!

      I have been subscribed to Birchbox for about a year now. I haven't had any issues or strong dislikes to make me want to stop my subscription. I like being surprised and getting to try products that normally I would never try or have the opportunity to try.
     On to this November's box!

      My first thought when I got the box was, "Wow! This is my heaviest box yet!" and that was due to the sea salt spray in there which I will mention first. The product is called This is a Sea Salt Spray by Davines. It contains 100 ml or 3.38 fl oz. The regular size is 250 ml and retails at $27. This makes this sample product worth ~$11. It has a very nice fresh smell that I can't put my finger on, but it does remind me of the beach.

This is a Sea Salt Spray by Davines (100 ml or 3.38 fl oz)

      Eyeko Black Magic Mascara -- (Drama & Curl), "Using a unique paraben-free formula blending keratin and shea butter with a water-resistant carbon black finish." The words water-resistant are the most important for me! I've heard good things about this mascara but have never tried it myself. It is a 4ml (0.13 fl oz) sized sample. [Regular: 0.29 oz, $24.] Sample value: ~$11

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara (4 ml)

      BeeKind Body Lotion -- w/ honey and organic chamomile extracts. The convenient size will allow me to carry this in my bag, hello soft hands! It has a nice, fresh, not too strong smell to it and smells like lemons to me. It is also lightweight which is always a plus for me. 30 ml size. Value: ~$2 [Regular: 8 oz, $15]

BeeKind Body Lotion (30 ml)

      Derma e Samples (Evenly Radiant Cleaner, Evenly Radiant Night Creme, Evenly Radiant Serum) -- for age reverse, natural ingredients. All have a net weight of 0.12 oz (3.5 g).

      Lastly, I got 3 tea samples which I'm excited to try because I have developed a liking for teas although I am quite picky about them. I got Raspberry Indulgence, English Tea I, and Jasmine Romance. They are by the brand Ahmad Tea London. 40 of these teabags retail at $7.00.

      In terms of value, this box has a value over the $10 paid for the box. These are all products I have never tried before, some I've never even heard of so I'm excited to try them. If you like to try new things and be surprised each month, I'd say give Birchbox a try. If there are some products you don't like or wish to try yourself, they can always make great stocking stuffers and such! If you don't like it overall, you can always unsubscribe. The only other subscription service I've tried is MyGlam, now called Ipsy. I cancelled that subscription after a couple of months because I did not like the products I got and I did not think the quality overall was so great. I will definitely be sticking with Birchbox for awhile longer and will update you guys on future boxes!

Maybelline Color Elixir by Colorsensational Lip Products

Hello!

      I recently purchased these products at Rite Aid (retails: $8.99 ea.) and I thought I'd share my thoughts on these color balms. I have also spotted them at Harmon's for around $7 each. They should be in all or most drugstores by now. According to the Maybelline website, these lip products "deliver the color of a lipstick, the cushiony care of a balm, and the glass shine of a gloss." Do I agree with this? Let's see! The four shades I picked up were 005 Breathtaking Apricot, 045 Amethyst Potion, 080 Captivating Carnation, 090 Rose Redefined. Here are some pictures and swatches first. (Note: I tried to capture the colors on camera as close to true as possible.)

(Left to right) 005 Breathtaking Apricot, 045 Amethyst Potion, 080 Captivating Carnation, 090 Rose Redefined

(Clockwise starting from the top left): Breathtaking Apricot, Amethyst Potion, Captivating Carnation, Rose Redefined

Order of colors same as above. One coat.

Top row: Breathtaking Apricot, Rose Redefined
Bottom row: Captivating Carnation, Amethyst Potion
All with 2 coats.

      The packaging of this product is quite different from other products out there with its bullet shaped lipstick inside the clear container with a nice silver toned cap that makes it look chic and new. It has an angora brush unlike others with the doe shaped applicator.

Colors:
     To begin with, I found that Captivating Carnation and Rose Redefined were quite similar on the lips. Captivating Carnation is a little more muted and is like a "better than your normal lip color" kind of color. It is a very wearable, everyday color. Rose Redefined is a tad pinker in color than Captivating Carnation. It is also a very wearable shade.
     Breathtaking Apricot in the bottle looks like a pink-tangerine color with shimmer. On the lips, it is more of a brighter pink that makes me think of a "Barbie pink." It is a very nice color, however it seems to accentuate lines on the lips, which I find to be true of many of the lighter lip color shades in general, is it just me?
     Amethyst Potion is a nice berry color that is perfect for fall and winter. Color seems to settle a bit into lines over time. The use of a lip liner or lipstick base color underneath may help with this problem.


Overall Comments:

• Application is very nice and smooth. They are easy to apply and there is no bleeding. 
• Two coats will usually give full opacity. 
• They are very pigmented and color is buildable.
• They are definitely very shiny, so if you are not into the shiny look then this product is definitely not for you!
• They feel thick on the lips but are not sticky. They have a creamy, butter-like feeling on the lips.
• Feels moisturizing and color doesn't move around which is very important!
• They have a minty taste/smell to them? If you are very sensitive to taste, then this product may not be for you. I am very sensitive and picky in regards to the taste of products, but I find this product's minty taste tolerable.
• Has a tingly feeling on the lips, which makes me think of lip plumping products.

So I have to say I do agree with Maybelline's description of the Color Elixir's description: "color of a lipstick, the cushiony care of a balm, and the glass shine of a gloss." I was pleasantly surprised by the color payoff and how smooth the gloss feels on the lips. If you are looking for a product fulfilling those three descriptions, then these products are worth a try! There are 20 shades in the collection, so plenty of options to choose from, ranging from nudes to purples and reds. :)

Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Glosstini - Hunger Games Collection - Inferno

          All Hunger Games Fans would be excited to know and see the Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Glosstinis the Hunger Games Collection in stores now. I've seen them in pretty much every drugstore although purchasing them may be a little hard since they always seem to be out of many of the colors. I purchased mine from Bed Bath and Beyond and I happily laid my hands on six of them.

(Left to right) Flamed Out, Rouge Red, Inferno, Pink Pyro, Violet Flicker, Scalding Emerald

Inferno is the first one I have tried so far, so today's review will be on this one. 

          Two coats need to be applied for full opacity and is what is seen in the pictures. It has a purplish base color which can be seen when you apply one layer. Once you apply a second layer, that isn't as obvious anymore. It is rich in gold and bronze flecks or microglitters and is very shiny. The overall color is a coppery reddish-brown color that is reminiscent of fall foliage. It is a beautiful color that is perfect for fall and with all that shimmer makes it great for the holidays too! It applies very well and easily and dries quickly as well. I always have a problem with nail polishes not drying fast enough but this did not disappoint. The color does match up with the its name "Inferno." 

          The small packaging makes it very cute, although I have to say I don't like the top so much. While it's silver color makes it eye-catching and different from normal tops, I don't like that fingerprints are easily left behind all over the handle. That aside, though, the color is beautiful and I would recommend it. If you are looking to lay your hands on some of these polishes, I'd say, add this one to your collection if you don't already have something similar! 

Hello!

Welcome to my page! This is where I will post pictures and posts on anything fashion or beauty related. I will do reviews on products that I try out or buy, do swatches, and such. Honestly, I'm not really sure how this will go but I just want to share my opinions on products with you guys because I love beauty products and clothes. I hope you guys enjoy my posts! I hope you all have a wonderful day!