Review: Borghese Eclissare Eyeshadow Palettes

*Disclosure* I very kindly received these products for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always :)

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for the long absence on the blog. The week of Christmas for me was really busy at work, and now that I have a day off, I have alot of catching up to do! At the end of November, I posted a review of the Borghese Eclissare lip glosses and I mentioned that I would post about the eyeshadow palettes I also received separately. Again, I'm sorry this review is up so late, December is a busy retail worker's month!

I was sent the three eyeshadow palettes in the Eclissare collection. There is the Eclissare Color Eclipse Shadow And Light Luminous Eye Palette, the 5 Shades of Sultry and the 5 Shades of Torrid Palettes. First, I'll talk about the larger palette, the Shadow and Light Luminous Eye Palette.

Here is a description of the product taken from the Borghese website:

Neutrals have never looked so good.  Stop and stare dazzling color.  A rich combination of crèmes, soft shimmers and high impact glitters that create a perfect range of neutrals that can take your look from day to night.  Long-lasting, crease-free shadows that are velvet in texture and blend seamlessly.  Everything you need to create multiple looks - light and natural to dramatic and glamorous.
Includes:

-12 new neutral eye shadows that range from light to dark  
-Signature Borghese compact with mirror 
-Dual-ended blending and precision brush for flawless application

I absolutely love how the packaging looks! It's really sleek and fancy looking, to me at least. When I feel the packaging and open it up is when I feel it loses that fanciness. In all honestly, the feel is kinda cheap. On the inside where the mirror is, the black casing is peeling off. The actual product inside though is what's important, though!

The descriptions of the colors are also taken from the website, since I'm bad at describing colors:
Bask - a light, warm-toned creamy-beige with a satin-matte finish. 
Afterglow - a warm-toned medium-beige with a highly metallized.
Pulse - a warm-toned, soft-peach, highly metallized.

Veil - a cool neutral soft-brown with a satin-matte finish.
Muse - a burnished gold with brown undertones, highly metallized.
Ascend - a light, soft-tan with yellow undertones, satin-matte finish.

Wane - a rich medium brown with warm undertones, satin-matte finish.
Impact - a medium rose-copper, highly metallized.
Downfall - a dark brown with depth, matte finish.

Out There - a medium pewter, highly metalized.
Shroud - a deep charcoal-grey with blue undertones, highly metallized.
Immortal - a deep charcoal-black with subtle silver glitter

Swatches from top to bottom: Bask, Afterglow, Pulse, Veil

Muse, Ascend, Wane, Impact

Downfall, Out There, Shroud, Immortal

These are some of the best eyeshadows I think I've tried, ever! Seriously, these are incredibly pigmented, they blend really well, and look gorgeous on the eyes. I know the lighter colors are hard to see, but I think it's because I'm so fair. The darker colors are so beautiful for a smoky eye, and the lighter ones are great for everyday use. This palette does cost $55, which makes the shadows worth it, but the packaging can use some work, that's for sure! I also should mention, it does say that this is made in Italy, but I don't know if that means the shadows are made there, or everything is, including the palette itself. Either way, these shadows are pretty darn awesome! I also have not used the brush it comes with, but it's a double-ended brush that has a flat shader type end and fluffier blender type end. I'm usually not a huge fan of double-ended brushes that come in palettes, but this one is soft and seems like it would serve a purpose.

The smaller palettes, the 5 Shades of Sultry and 5 Shades of Torrid are made of the same packaging as the larger palette. These ones seems alot more sturdy and less cheap feeling. They also come with a mirror on the inside just like the larger one, and they each retail for $29. 

First, here is the Torrid palette:

Wisp - a light, matte-finish ivory.
Kindle- a soft champagne taupe, satin-pearl finish.
Stoke- a medium brown, warm undertones, matte-finish.
Sear- a deep brown, matte-finish.
Torch- a medium champagne, pink overtones, highly metallized

This is another great palette for everyday use, but you can use the last couple shades to make it darker and smokier. These shadows are just as pigmented and blendable as the large palette is as well.

Here is the Sultry palette:

Lit- a light white-silver metallic pearl.

Vapor- a medium grey, blue overtones, metallic pearl.
Smolder- a dark smoky charcoal, high frost finish.
Fume- true black, matte finish.
Scorch- medium, glitter-laden graphite-grey.

Talk about deep and dark! Sultry is the perfect name for this palette as you can tell. I think this palette is great if you love a good dark, smoky eye. I also think this would be great for New Years. Out of the two smaller palettes, I have to say Torrid is my favorite. Since I am so fair, the super dark shades in this Sultry palette can look really harsh on me, but I can work with it as long I take my time and use a lighter hand. Again, these shadows are amazingly pigmented and really easy to use.  

I also have some fantastic news! Borghese was kind enough to send me duplicates of these products, including the glosses I reviewed, so I'll be doing a giveaway! I probably won't have it posted until next week when my schedule calms down a bit more. I am thinking of having two winners though, so I'll be giving away a small eyeshadow palette along with 4 glosses to each person. Or I'll do both the small palettes and glosses for one person. I'm still figuring out the details so bare with me on this! Definitely keep an eye out for the giveaway though. 

What do you think of these palettes? Have you tried anything from the Eclissare line?

Memebox: #63 Skincare Elixir

Hey guys and Merry Christmas Eve! In my last Memebox post, I mentioned I had bought another one that was going to be delivered sometime in December. Well, I finally received it and am happy to report that I love it!

The box I got this time came with 5 full sized products and cost me $36.99, which includes the shipping. I'm also glad the box came with a card explaining what everything was because the directions on the containers are all in Japanese. 

The first product I got is the Tosowoong Syn-ake Whitening Mist. The product description says, "Refresh both your skin and spirits with this complexion reviving mist! The Tosowoong Syn-ake skincare series is formulated with syn-ake complex- a kind of peptide carrying similar constituents to snake venom- EGF, galactomyces ferments, and bifida ferments. This all-natural formula instantly alleviates sensitive, stimulated skin and rejuvenates and strengthens dry, dulled skin." 

The second product from the same Tosowoong Syn-ake line is the Wrinkle Free Lotion. The description of this says, "Firm up and fill in the fine wrinkles, and maintain a healthy moisture & oil balance with this wrinkle care lotion." It then goes on to say the same thing about snake venom as it does above. When I read that, I was pretty stoked to try this out honestly! I've never tried any skincare product this "fancy" before, so both of these products seem so interesting. Both of the products retail for $20 each. 

I also got the Shara Shara Green Oasis Lifting Eye Cream. The product description of this says, "Erase the years off your sagging eyes or prevent pre-mature wrinkles & lines with Green Oasis Lifting Eye Cream. Its gentle formula of adenosine, hydrolyzed collagen, lactose bacillus, date palm ferments, and jojoba seed oil firms and smooths the skinwhile creating a moisture barrier over top for a lasting moisture lock-in." I'm only 26, but I'm all about preventing lines and wrinkles on my face, especially my eye area, so this product seems promising! This product retails for $20

The next product seems so interesting. It's the Neogen Code9 Pore Tightening Aqua Cream. The product description of this says, "Enriched with premium Canadian glacier water, baobob tree extracts, hyaluronic acid, natural ferments, and pore control EX complex, this super moisturizing Aqua Cream soothes and tightens back enlarged pores and leaves skin feeling firm and supple." This truly seems so fascinating! I don't know whether to use this under moisturizer or alone, and also in the morning or at night. This retails for a whopping $44! This alone pays for the box. 

The last product I got in this Memebox is the ProYou Magic Silky Shiny Skin Essence. The description of this says, "A lightweight facial essence suitable for all skin types. A blend of adenosine, Phellinus linteus extracts, copper peptide, and EGF works to smooth out rough skin texture while niacinamide, rice bran extracts, and morus bark extracts brighten up uneven skin tone. Moisturizing agents such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, penthenol, and kerasgen add rich moisture and suppleness for a healthier complexion." The product in the bottle looks like an oil or serum, and it sounds like a nice one too. Definitely excited to try this one out! It retails for $36. 

That's everything I got in this Memebox! The total value of this box is $140, which is such a steal considering I paid under $40 for it! I've honestly been super impressed with the two boxes I've gotten so far and definitely want to try more. I have a skincare stash to get through, so maybe later on in 2015 I'll try out another box! Since I am an affiliate now with Memebox, I'd be really grateful if you used my link to sign up and purchase a box. Or anything else really. They have a whole shop of products you can try, there are sales frequently and the boxes are amazing. 

Have you tried Memebox before? If so/not, what do you think about it?

December 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hi guys! Today's post is going to be the very last Ipsy bag I receive this year! I honestly can't believe how fast this year went, and I know everyone and their dog says that. I swear time goes by faster, the older you get. Anyways, the theme of the bag this month is called Thinking of You. Lets see what I got!

I love the adorable little bag the products came in! It's so cute and I can definitely see myself carrying it around in my work bag or purse if I'm going out. 

The first product I received is the Swissco Electroplated Eyelash Curler. Now, I could've done without this as I don't need an eyelash curler, but this one seems alright. It does feel a little cheap when I'm holding it, but I have yet to try it on my lashes and see if it works well. 

Next up is the Beauty Without Cruelty A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser. I love me a good cleanser and I was so excited when I saw I was getting this. Normally I don't like AHAs, I'm more a BHA girl, but this is only a cleanser, so I'm sure it will be fine. It smells nice and light too!

Then I received the PIXI Fairy Dust in the shade Brightening Bare. This is just a loose pigment that looks like it can be used as shadow or a cheekbone highlight. I am curious to try it and see if I like it. PIXI products haven't been my favorite honestly. 

Then we have the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in1 Mascara. I tried this mascara ages ago but I can't remember if I liked it or not. I was excited to see that I would be getting this so I can try it out again. It always gets good hype in the beauty world. 

The last product I received is the NYX Butter Lip Balm in the shade Parfait, which is the shade I was most interested in. I'm obsessed with NYX's butter glosses, but have not tried the balm version, so I'm pretty happy to be able to try this out. 

Overall, I'm very happy with this month's Ipsy bag! Instead of the lash curler, I probably would've preferred the eye cream that other people got. Oh well, I'm still happy and this month redeemed itself a bit for me. 

If you want to sign up and get your own Ipsy bag, I'd love if you used my referral link to sign up! It only costs $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you get awesome products sent right to your doorstep every month. It's definitely been my favorite beauty subscription service. 

If you already get these bags, what did you think of yours?

Cyber Monday/Birthday Haul!

Hey everyone! I finally got all my orders in that I had placed during Cyber Monday, and I also did some birthday shopping on Tuesday. My actual birthday was Monday the 8th, but my husband and I were both off Tuesday, so he took me to the Willow Grove Mall where there is a Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Of course I had to take a trip to the Sephora there. I do have a little rant though, so bare with me! I have to say, while lunch was amazing, shopping wasn't all the fun. The employees at Sephora were so damn rude and unhelpful and I felt pretty uncomfortable. Also, I went to Victoria's Secret to use up the secret rewards card I had and I don't know what was going on, but they only had one person ringing while probably close to ten people working on the selling floor. Now I'm no expert, but I do work retail. When you have a long ass line of people waiting to be rung up and only one person ringing, don't you think someone would come help the poor girl get through the line?! Honestly, it was unbelievable and I feel for the girl doing it by herself! It's not always easy! Anyways, thanks for reading my rant and here is everything I got! It's a long one, so get cozy.

I really wanted to place an order on Milani's website because they were having a 50% off sale on everything. I've been dying to try some of the Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow, so I bought 8. The colors I got are Bella Cappuccino, Bella Taupe, Bella Ivory, Bella Bronze, Bella Champagne, Bella Caffe, Bella Purple and Bella Chiffon. If you want reviews of these, let me know! I didn't do swatches for this post since it's a long one. 

To get free shipping you have to spend $25, so I decided to try out their Eyeshadow Primer. I think EmilyNoel on YouTube likes this stuff, and I always trust her opinion. I also wanted to try out their Baked Blush in the shade Delizioso Pink. Shades like this always looks nice on my fair skin, and their blushes are great to begin with. 

Bath & Body Works had decent sales going, but I primarily only wanted to get the handsoap my mother-in-law loves, which is the Cucumber Melon, and you can't get it in-store anymore but I did find them online. They're not pictured because I already have them put away to give to her for Christmas. Their 3-wick candles were also on sale, so I picked up 4. 
-Apple Spiced Toddy, which pretty much smells like Leaves
-Stress Relief, which is eucalyptus mint
-Homemade Cookies
-Cinnamon Caramel Swirl, probably my favorite of the bunch

I didn't really think Ulta's online deals were that special, but they were having free shipping with only a $25 purchase. I decided to buy the Real Techniques Nic's Picks 2014 Brush set. This set comes with a Duo-Fiber Face Brush, Cheek Brush, Angled Shadow Brush, Base Shadow Brush and an Eyeliner Brush. I'm already a huge fan of Real Techniques, so I'm sure I'll love this set. 

Lorac had a little eyeshadow palette for only $15 and it's their Champagne Dreams Palette. The colors look beautiful in the palette, but I have yet to try it. 

I placed a rather large BH Cosmetics order, but two items aren't shown because they're gifts for a friend. Of course I have to treat myself as well, so I picked up the 10 piece Sculpt and Blend Brush Set. To me, these look like Sigma brushes, and I honestly like BH brushes, so I'm curious to see if these are nice or not. 

Me being the palette freak, I bought two. The Dark Rose Eyeshadow, Blush & Liquid Eyeliner Palette was only $10, so I figured I'd give it a try. I also picked up the Wild Child Baked Eyeshadow Palette. I love baked eyeshadows, so I'm gonna guess these are pretty good. It only cost $7.50 so if I don't like it, it's not a big deal. 

The last product from BH is their Studio Pro Matte Finish Pressed Powder and I got shade 205, which for me is the perfect color. I'm excited to try this as I only paid $4.50 for it!

I heard about the Stila Cyber Monday sale on a blog and thought I'd go over and take a look. Apparently the products on their sale page were between 50%-70% off, and I was shocked to see two palettes on there. The In the Garden and In the Light palettes were only $20 each. I also picked up their Brighten & Correct Concealer in the shade called Tone. I'm assuming these products are being discontinued  or already have been because I don't see them on the site anymore.

Last up is Sephora. These are a combination of Cyber Monday and birthday shopping and the first thing I truly wanted to get my hands on is the new Kat Von D palette called Innerstellar, and it's flipping gorgeous! I definitely want to do a review on this bad boy. I say that with everything and never do it, but this one deserves a review with how pretty it is.

Then we have the Sephora Collection 2-in-1 Eye Makeup Remover Gel. This was only $5 and I only got it to get up to $50 so I could use my $20 off a $50 purchase coupon. Hopefully it's alright. 

I picked up the Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser because it just seemed intriging. This is what I picked up in-store where I felt super uncomfortable. I would've shopped more, but I had to get out of there. I can safely say I'll be doing most of my shopping online from now on!

The Sephora Collection VIP Pass Eyeshadow Palette was just too adorable to pass up! It was only $10 and you get 8 neutral shadows that are perfect for travel or everyday use. 

A co-worker of mine raves about how much she loves the Eyeko Black Magic Mascara, but I saw a little duo set of it along with a tinted Brow Gel for only $15. I'm always on the hunt for a good mascara, so we shall see if it's as great as I'm told!

The birthday gift this year is from Makeup Forever that comes with a mascara, lipstick and eyeliner. I haven't even opened this yet, but honestly, I haven't tried much from Makeup Forever. Hopefully I like what's inside the box!

Lastly, I cashed in 500 points for the Clinique Eyes To Go set they have. It comes with a makeup remover which I already know I love, All About Eyes eye cream which I also already love, High Impact Mascara is also a love, Lash Building Primer that I have not tried yet and a Quickliner For Eyes Intense. I was excited for this because most items I know I already love, so it never hurts to have backups in mini form!

Phew! That's everything! I definitely did some damage this month and I also placed another order from The Body Shop a couple days ago that I'm waiting for as well, and also Ulta. I think my resolution is a no buy for a while!

Is there anything you've hauled recently?

Review: InstaNatural Dead Sea Mud Mask

*Disclosure* I received this product complimentary for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest and my own!

Hey guys! So today I'm bringing you yet another review of the brand InstaNatural, and it's their Dead Sea Mud Mask. 

Here is a description of the product taken from Amazon.com:

More than a million visitors each year flock to the sacred Dead Sea for a natural remedy for the following:
- Acne & blemishes
- Enlarged pores
- Wrinkles & fine lines
- Body aches
- Irritated or Dry Skin

Our Dead Sea Mud Mask captures the minerals of the Dead Sea waters, along with other nourishing organic ingredients, to provide the ultimate detoxifier & purifier that delivers exceptional results:
- Removes excess dirt, oil, grime & dead skin
- Improves acne and blemishes
- Reduces appearance of wrinkles & fine lines
- Soothes body aches
- Hydrates skin for softness
- Restores even skin tone and texture
- Helps you achieve more vibrant, refined skin

This mask sounds like a miracle product, doesn't it? Well, it pretty much is honestly! With amazing ingredients like Organic Shea Butter, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Calendula Oil, and Hickory Bark Extract and minerals like magnesium, sodium and bromine this mask helps with so many different skin issues. It's great for oily and dry skin, and helps with acne as well as wrinkles and fine lines. After only using this once, I could tell such a difference in my skin. I've mentioned before that my skin is abnormally dry for some reason, but I've also had some pretty nasty breakouts as well. I used this mask for 15 minutes after cleansing my skin and when I removed it and dried off my face, I was amazed with how my skin looked. My pores looked smaller and alot of the dryness went away. My skin felt hydrated yet completely clean, and the zits I had were not as red and angry looking. 

You get a whopping 16 ounces of product, so this big tub will last quite a while and you don't need alot of product at all to get the job done. This typically retails for $50, but it's on sale on amazon right now for only $25.95. That's such a steal when you think of how much product you get. I'm completely sold on this and I will be purchasing myself once I use up the masks I have.

What do you think of this mask? Do you have a favorite?

Review: Dr. Song Professional Teeth Whitening Kit

*Disclosure* I was sent the following product for review purposes. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always!

Hello everyone! Today I'm going to be doing a review on the Dr. Song Professional Teeth Whitening Kit. I was excited to be able to try this at-home whitening kit since I haven't used any kind of teeth whitening product in a long time. 

The Dr. Song Professional Teeth Whitening Kit comes with 8 44% Carbamide Peroxide tubes, a gel applicator brush, a white LED light and thermoform trays. I also chose to get the remineralization gel (blue tube) as well because it's supposed to help with teeth sensitivity. 

The peroxide tubes are good for 50 applications total, which is pretty awesome, and you don't need alot of the gel to get the job done. 

After brushing and flossing your teeth, you take the little brush that comes with the kit and brush the peroxide gel on your teeth, avoiding the gums. If you get some on your gums, it can temporarily bleach them and cause sensitivity. 

Before you put the trays into your mouth, you can bring water to a boil and dip them in the hot water for 5 seconds so they mold to your teeth better. I personally find the trays a bit bulky and annoying, but hey, they're part of the process. 

Once you place the trays over your teeth, you can use the led light over your teeth for the first 15 minutes of treatment. Treatments can range from 15 minutes up to 4 hours if you desire that. I only do 15 minute treatments because of my sensitive teeth and gums. 

After treatment, you place the remineralization gel into the trays and place on your teeth for 30 minutes up to 4 hours. 

Has this kit worked for me? I can safely say, yes it has! It's quite a pain in the butt with the trays though. I have a pretty tiny mouth and the trays are so big, they can sometimes dig into the side of my mouth and hurt. I feel like after only 1 application my teeth were whiter, even though I only used it for 15 minutes. Now, I feel the remineralization gel didn't do much to help with my sensitivity. It could just be me honestly because I really have such sensitive teeth and gums. Because of the sensitivity I have, I can only do these whitening treatments twice a week at most, but I see results everytime. I used to use Crest Whitening strips, but stopped after my teeth and gums got too sensitive. I prefer this kit only because I feel it whitens faster and the sensitivity doesn't last as long. Also, it's a cheaper alternative as well, at only $34.99. The remineralization gel tubes cost $9.99 if you want to try those. You really can't beat that price considering you get 50 applications with this kit. I do recommend this if you want an at-home teeth whitening kit at a good price where you can see results quickly.

What kind of teeth whitening product(s) do you use?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

November 2014 Empties

Hey guys! November was a decent month with the products I was able to use up. I really enjoy the feeling I get when I use something up as it makes room for more products! ;) Anyways, lets see what I used up last month.

I'll start with the more random products. I used up the Bath & Body Works Citrus Garland Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap. This was in my kitchen and took forever to go through. I usually wash my hands in the bathroom and just use a soap til it's all used up. I really love how this smelled. It smelled just like limes and was so fresh. I love these hand soaps, especially the deep cleansing ones because they seem to wash my hands better. They're even husband approved!

The next product is the Colgate Maximum Strength Sensitive toothpaste. I feel like I went through this toothpaste so fast, but I guess that's because it's such a small tube. It only had 4 ounces of product and I think I'm used to larger tubes. I usually just buy what's on sale and if I have a coupon or not. I didn't really like this though. It burned my mouth and didn't taste very good. The one I'm currently using is really nice, but I doubt I'll use that up any time soon. 

Then I used up the InstaNatural Phytoceramides. I did a review on this here, and I honestly think it helped me. I noticed my skin was feeling less dry and more glowy. Now that I used it up, my skin is back to feeling more dry. I do have another bottle of this, but I wanted to not start taking it to see if my skin would go back to how it was before, and it did. I'm going to start the other bottle soon.

Now for some skincare! I finally was able to use up the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser. I swear, this stuff takes months and months to use up. I did only use it in the morning and it only takes 2-3 pumps of product to be effective at cleansing the skin. I've used this before and I do like it, but only in warmer months. Once it got cold, this dried out my skin so bad so I had to compensate by using a hydrating toner and moisturizer.

Next up is the Fresh Soy Face Cream. At first I didn't care for this, especially because of how it smelled. It's very floral smelling, and that can turn me off at times. It was very hydrating though and I only used it at night for that reason. I would wake up with pretty skin that felt nice and plump. 

I used up another one of my favorite sunscreens, the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock with SPF 55. I've raved about this in the past so I won't go on and on about it. This is definitely my favorite sunscreen of all time, but I am willing to try new things. Usually I end up going back to this product, though!

Then we have a hand cream from L'Occitane and it was lavender scented. I had this little tube for ages and finally used it up. I only used it at night because it smelled so soothing and calming, so it helped me to fall asleep a little better. It's not the most hydrating hand cream like their original one is, but I just loved the lavender scent.

The Dylan's Candy Bar Candy Lip Saver in the Chocolate Cupcake scent was interesting. I absolutely loved how this smelled, but after using it up, I didn't miss it. It didn't feel very hydrating and I found myself having to constantly reapply it. That's no good in my book.

I was going through my sample tubes I had and decided to start using the Coola Mineral Suncreen with SPF 20. I appreciate that this stuff is unscented, but boy did I look like a ghost with it on! It was so white on my skin and I couldn't seem to rub it in enough to make it less noticeable. I only got about a weeks worth of use, but I was glad to get rid of it.

Lastly, the makeup. I was doing my makeup for a Thanksgiving/house warming party my husband and I were going to and I wanted to do some winged eyeliner. I decided to use a gel because I felt like I could control it more. Well both of these MicaBeauty black eyeliners were dried up so bad, that I had to go over everything I did with liquid. I got these in Ipsy bags, but only used them a small handful of times. Maybe the lids weren't on tight enough, but I was upset with how dry they were. 

Once again, we have a ton of dried up mascaras. I think I'm gonna ban myself from buying any mascaras for a long time, because it's just a waste of money not being able to get any use out of what I have. Anyways, the dried up ones were the Cargo TexasLash Mascara. I wanted to use this so bad, but not a single speck of mascara would go onto my lashes. The Blinc Stop Painting Your Lashes...Tube Them! Mascara I think had zero product in the tube to begin with. Josie Maran Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara was clump city the second I tried applying it. Dior Diorshow Extase was all dried up. Both bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascaras had no product on the wands at all. The only mascara I was able to get use out of was the Stila Forever Your Curl Curl Mascara. I used this 3 times when I decided it sucked. By the end of the day I ended up looking like a panda everytime I used this. 

Well that's everything I used up! what products did you use up recently?

November 2014 Favorites

Happy December! I know everyone and their dog says this, but this year has totally flown by! I mean honestly, where does time go? It's the 1st of December, which means there is only one more week until my birthday, and one month til 2015! Craziness. Anyways, this month was up and down with products. I've been working my booty off, which means I spent alot of my free time sleeping and not doing my makeup before work, but I do have a few products to share with you that stood out for me!

First up, we have a body butter from The Body Shop and it's in the Shea scent. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this on my blog and had it featured in a favorites before. Since it's been unusually cold lately, my skin is freaking out. It's so dry and flaky, so I started using this stuff again and it definitely helps my itchy, dry Winter skin.

The next product is one that I hauled here, and it's the Bite Beauty Best Bite Remix. As of writing this post, the Sephora site says it's permanently out of stock, which sucks, because this set is amazing! I seriously love every color, there isn't one that I'm even iffy about. They feel nice on the lips, go on smoothly, and last a while as well. Definitely one of my favorite purchases lately!

Next up we have the InstaNatural Age-Defying Skin Clearing Serum. I did a review of this here, and honestly, I think this is one of the best treatment serums I've ever tried. When I use this, I feel like my skin gets more and more clear and looks really healthy. It dries down really quick, but I do add a moisturizer on top. 

Then we have the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the color Submissive. I did a review here, and I really am enjoying this eye base. I do love my color tattoos from Maybelline, but I've been reaching for this more when I don't want to fuss with my makeup but still want to look like a normal person. It gives a nice wash of color to the lids, but I do notice it does crease a bit when I don't use a primer underneath. 

My last favorite is the Maybelline Matte Lipsticks, and the two colors I have are Lust For Blush and Ravishing Rose. If you were to tell me a year or so ago that I'll be loving lipstick in the future, I'd probably look at you like an alien. I've always loved gloss, but I could not get into lipstick, especially matte ones. These are phenomenal lipsticks! I'm amazed at how they feel on my lips, even though I do use balm underneath. I love the colors I have, I love how they apply, I love everything about them. I'd get more colors, but these were the only two that stood out to me right away. I think I want to review these in a future post, so stay tuned for that!

November was definitely the month for lippies! What were some of your favorites last month?

Review: Borghese Eclissare Color Eclipse Color Glass Lip Gloss

*Disclosure* I was lucky enough to have the entire collection of Borghese's Eclissare line sent to me. Any opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always!

Hey everyone! I have some exciting posts to share with you today and hopefully later next week. As you can tell from my little disclosure, Borghese sent me their line of Eclissare products. The line includes lip glosses, a large eyeshadow palette and two smaller eyeshadow palettes. I was thinking of combining the posts into one, but I thought it would be way too long, so the palettes will be reviewed in a separate post.

I had heard of Borghese before, so when I received a lovely package from them, I was ecstatic. I had always thought of Borghese as a luxury skincare brand, I had no idea they had makeup as well. I'm not 100% sure when this Eclissare line came out, but from doing some research, I think it may have been launched this past September (don't quote me though!). Anyways, that was a longer intro, so lets get into my review of the Color Eclipse Color Glass Lip Glosses. 

First, here is a product description taken from the Borghese website:
"Lustrous and captivating, Eclissare ColorGlass Lip Gloss is a hydrating lip gloss that offers high shine and color. Ultra-reflective pigment and pearl deliver a luminous glow. Eclissare ColorGlass Lip Gloss are available in 9 new exciting shimmery shades."

I received 8 of the 9 shades that are available and here are the first four:
-Gilt which is a bronze-y goldshade
-Brink which is pretty much a straight up dark brown
-Darkling which is a very beautiful burgundy/berry shade
-Odyssey which is a light bronze/brown shade

Last four:
-Brightside which is a beautiful pinky champagne shade
-Omen which is a plum-y purple shade
-Simmer which is basically a clear gloss with shimmer in it
-Chaos which is still a clear gloss but has a lot more silver shimmer to it

There is one more color called Spark which to me looks like a dark champagne shade.

Now going back to the description of these glosses, I do agree with them being high shine and hydrating. They do feel nice on the lips and are only a little bit sticky, but not bad. Wear time is alright, about 2-3 hours or so. The color payoff? I don't think it's so great. The darker colors definitely have more pigment to them. These glosses really only seem like topper glosses, if that makes sense. Use a lipstick and top it off with one of these and you definitely have a beautiful shiny look for day or night. 

These glosses retail for $21.50 each and you can find them on the Borghese website.

What do you think of these glosses?

Review: Be A Bombshell Eye Base in Submissive

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing a product that I received in my most recent Ipsy bag, the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the color Submissive. I don't usually review products from Ipsy bags, but this one is special to me, so read on!

As far as I can tell, you can only get Be A Bombshell products on their website. Their eye bases cost $14, so this product itself payed for my Ipsy bag, plus some! 

When I first saw I was getting this, I was happy but I do have quite a bit of eye bases that need more love than they already get. Once it was in my hands, I changed my tune a bit. I used it the very next day after receiving it and was super impressed with how it looked on the lids. You can apply it with your fingers, but I prefer to use a brush to help with blending. It applies evenly and is super creamy and easy to work with. 

The color is so beautiful! At first I thought it was going to be like the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, but this base has more gold to it. The first time I used it, I did use shadow over the top of it and my look lasted my whole work day. I do have to use a primer first because I do get oily eyelids. The second time I used this, I used it on its own with just some shadow in the crease. By the end of the day it still looked nice, but just a little faded, so I do think this works a bit better when shadow is applied over the top. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with this eye base! I honestly didn't think I would like it as much as I do, even though I was excited to receive it. Would I buy more? I'm not sure yet. Like I said above, I do have quite a few bases and cream shadows to use up, so if I do want more of these, I'm gonna have to use up what I have first. 

Remember, when you sign up with Ipsy, you receive a beauty bag every month for only $10, and alot of times you get a product that's worth more than the whole bag itself!

What's your favorite eye base/cream shadow?

November 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! I received my Ipsy bag sometime last week, but only got around to posting about it til today. Work has been kicking my booty and I'll admit, I'm just tired. Anyways, this month's Ipsy bag is called Girl Meets Glitter, and so far, I'm not as impressed as I was last month.

I'm not sure how I really feel about the look of the bag. It's glittery out the wazoo, but I'm just happy it's got a smooth texture to it instead of being rough. I don't really see myself carrying this around with me.

I'm split on the products too. Half of them I like, the other half I can do without. That being said, the first product is the Temptu S/B Highlighter in the color Pink Pearl. I'm not a highlighter girl. I have oily skin most months out of the year so I have that glow already. Plus I don't own the Temptu airbrush system, so this is definitely useless to me. I'm hoping I can find some way to use it though. 

Next up is the Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in the color Guys & Galaxies. I'm sure I've already said multiple times, but I'm just not into nail polish. Give me skincare and makeup, but all the nail polish I get in these bags goes to waste. I have to really be in the mood to do my nails and I have tons of nail polish that are just sitting around. 

Next we have the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray. Again, another useless product for me. I've never used hairspray in my life so unless I give this away to someone, this product will sit in my collection gathering dust. 

Then we have the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the shade Submissive. I'm happy with this. I love eye bases and this one is a pretty taupe-y bronze-y gold color that will probably get good use. Finally something I can use in this bag!

The last product is another good one for me. It's the ClariSEA Sea Salt Solutions Instant Glow Powder Exfoliant. Yes, yes and yes! I love a good exfoliant, especially this time of year when my skin gets drier. I can't wait to put this to use, but I have read comments that it's a bit rough, so we shall see. 

Well, that's my bag. I do wish I had some better products in here, but you can't always have an amazing bag. I have reviewed these products so hopefully they take into consideration that I don't really care for hairspray and nail polish!

If you want to sign up for Ipsy, use my referral link here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some and you get some good products! (Most of the time, at least) 

If you're already subscribed, what did you get in your bag?

Review: InstaNatural Age-Defying Skin Clearing Serum & Moroccan Rose Water

*Disclosure* These products were received complimentary for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always.

Hello everyone! Today brings a skincare review on two products from InstaNatural, the Age-Defying Skin Clearing Serum and the Moroccan Rose Water. I've been really enjoying this brand alot lately and am very lucky to receive these products to try out and review for you guys!

The first product I'm going to talk about is the Skin Clearing Serum. I wanted to try this because it seemed like a multipurpose product. It contains:

-20% Vitamin C
-2.5% Retinol
-2% Salicylic Acid
-Tea Tree Oil and Niacinamide

All of those ingredients work together to help soothe blemishes and irritated skin, decongest and unclog pores, and diminish redness and inflammation. 

Now I don't have wrinkles, but my skin has been feeling a bit clogged and looking dull. Since using this, I can tell a difference in the texture of my skin with it being more soft and smooth, and the pores on my nose don't seem as clogged as they normally are. Honestly, I haven't been impressed with a skin treatment like this in quite a while. It's a great price too for the product you get. It normally retails for around $40, but is currently on sale on Amazon for just over $23. I would definitely buy this again when I use up my skincare stash.

Next, I want to talk about the Moroccan Rose Water. I have to admit, rose scented things usually aren't my cup of tea. I was curious to try it out though and see if I liked it. 

This product is 100% pure and natural rose water and is good for people with normal, dry, oily and sensitive skin. This is also good for sunburns and shiny hair. 

I haven't tried it out for my hair, but I have been using it as a toner. I just add a bit to a cotton pad along with my regular toner. I'm actually surprised that I like the scent of this! Yes, it smells like rose, but it's not overbearing and perfume-y. A little bit goes a very long way and I can tell it's helping my skin feel more hydrated and supple. This is also fairly priced at about $13 on Amazon compared to the retail price of $25. I'm not too sure if I would purchase this, only because I'm so loyal to The Body Shop's Aloe toner. You all know I've raved about it since I started this blog. 

What do you think about these products?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.