Review: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to be reviewing the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, which has been a part of my routine off and on for about a year. I can't believe I haven't done this review sooner, as I am a big fan!

Here is a description of the product taken from Amazon:

Indian healing clays have been used for centuries to beautify and refresh when used as a facial mask. Cleopatra used clay from the Nile River and the Arabian Desert over 1800 years ago, as part of her beauty ritual. German and roman spas have been using clay packs and treatments in the spas they built 4,000 years ago. Many of these spas still exist and use clay even today. Pliney the elder devoted an entire chapter of his "natural history" to the many uses of clay for pimples, black heads and skin tightening. Many famous naturopaths, such as kuhn, just and kneipp have contributed to the revival of the uses of clay through their natural treatments for arthritis and skin ailments. Aztec Indian healing clay- a brief history - the world’s most powerful facial and the use of clay with apple cider vinegar can be dated back to the southern French priest of the16th century, kneipp, and his natural treatments using clay packs and poultices. Throughout history, the use of clay, specifically green clay or bentonite, is well documented. To learn more about clay, look for "our earth our cure" by Raymond Dexteit, translated by Michel Abehsera in your local health food store or book store. Aztec secret Indian healing clay is bentonite clay from Death Valley, California, where it is sun- dried for up to six months in temperatures that sometimes reach 134 degrees. 

This stuff literally looks like dirt, but it's magical dirt! All you have to do is mix equal parts of the clay with apple cider vinegar, spread it on your face, let it dry for 5-10 minutes if you have sensitive skin, or 15-20 minutes for normal skin. I have sensitive skin and can leave it on for 10 minutes. You can also mix this with water, but it gets pretty clumpy and doesn't spread as easily. When I have this on my face, I can feel it tighten alot, but in a good way! It can get pretty tingly too because of the vinegar, and the smell can be pretty pungent. I personally don't mind it as it really helps clean out my pores and controls oil. It's pretty darn messy too, so what I do is put some of the clay and vinegar in a small bowl and mix it that way. I then use a small foundation brush to wipe it over my skin.

My face after it's been on for about 5 minutes

After time is up, I recommend cleaning it off with a warm washcloth and then rinsing any excess off with warm water. I also should say that this can have the potential to clog pipes, so once it's completely rinsed off, put your water faucet all the way on hot and let it run down the drain for a little bit. That seems to do the trick for me. Anyways, once this is all rinsed off and my face is dried, I have pretty red skin for about an hour after using this. If you have sensitive skin like I do, only use this mask at night for that reason. I either then follow up with a hydrating mask, or just a ton of serum/moisturizer. Anything I use on my face after using this mask sinks right into my skin. When I wake up in the morning, my face looks so pretty! My pores look so much smaller, my skin looks calmer, and if I have any breakouts, they're completely gone. 

This product is seriously a miracle worker in my opinion! I'm a mask junkie, and I've used a bunch of different ones. I can safely say this is probably my favorite mask I've ever used to help clear out my pores. It's also super inexpensive too. This whole 1 pound container only costs $9.42, and it's also the #5 product in Beauty on Amazon. If that doesn't tell you it's good, I don't know what does!

Would you try, or have you tried this mask?

Review: Radha Beauty 100% Pure Argan Oil

*Disclosure* This product was provided for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always.

Hey everyone! Today's review is going to be of Radha Beauty's Argan Oil. I've been really into oils lately and I think they've helped me out alot, especially with this nasty Winter we had. 

Here is a description of the product taken from Amazon:

A purer way to beautiful looking skin and revitalized hair
• 100% Pure Argan Oil is first cold pressed to ensure the best quality, highest-grade oil.
• Unscented, Lightweight & pure for the ultimate healthy glow.
• No preservatives, chemicals, water or other oils added. 100% Pure argan oil
• Radha Argan oil is made organically in small batches and imported directly from Morocco to ensure premium quality! 

Radha 100% Argan Oil is your best choice for moisturize and condition!
• Naturally freshens, hydrates and softens dry skin better than any other moisturizer on the market.
• Repairs and beautifies hair, from roots to split-ends and improves scalp health.
• Strengthens brittle nails and cuticles. 

I tried this oil on my hair and my face. It is really incredibly hydrating and was honestly a bit too much for my hair. Even though I have really dry, brittle hair at the moment, this oil made it feel greasy, even with the tiniest bit. I do have fine hair though, which makes it difficult to find something hydrating, but won't make it greasy. 

On my face however, that helped me so much with the bad dry skin I've been having all Winter. I just go through my normal skincare routine at night, and then top it all off with this argan oil. It feels slightly heavy at first, but then sinks in after about 20 minutes or so. It doesn't get all over my pillow, which is a plus, and I end up waking up with skin that's radiant, hydrated and clear. I thought this may clog my pores and break me out, but it doesn't at all. 

There was only one downside to this oil. I had gotten a bottle of this that reeked of chemicals, but thought maybe it was just the packaging or something, so I only used it once and it was just awful smelling. Apparently more people had problems with their oils smelling bad as well, so I was sent another bottle, no questions asked, and I threw out the bad one. This bottle I have now does smell a little strange, but definitely not as bad as the first. I can't even begin to describe the smell of the first bottle, it was so bad. I will continue using this oil because I like how it makes my skin feel. 

You can find this argan oil here on Amazon for only $15.89, which I think is a pretty nice deal considering how other brands are pretty expensive.

What do you think of argan oils? 

Review: Tarte Miracles from the Amazon Collection

Hey everyone! QVC had this Tarte Miracles from the Amazon 6pc. Collection that comes with a bag for its Today's Special Value back in the middle of February. I know other people did reviews right away, but I really wanted to give myself a chance to try everything out. I feel like now I can give a good review of this collection. 

Here is a description of the products from QVC:

Maracuja miracle foundcealer blends a concealer and foundation into one hydrating formula infused with maracuja oil. The maracuja brush works to gently buff the formula onto the skin to conceal and cover for an even finish.

The eye and cheek palette has six eyeshadows for liner, lid, and highlighter shades along with a full-size, universally flattering blush. The double-ended brush lets you apply shadow to the lid and crease beautifully. Complete your eye look with mascara formulated to help increase the appearance of lash length and width.

The liquid lip shine is the perfect finishing touch that blends a stain and gloss in a complexion-enhancing shade.

Take all your Amazon essentials with you in the durable makeup bag--done in a woven print in tarte's signature purple with soft gold details.

I absolutely love the double ended eyeshadow brush. One end is good for applying lid color and the other end is a fluffy crease brush. It's incredibly soft and makes applying shadows really easy. 

The Maracuja Miracle Foundcealer Brush is alright. This brush actually sheds on me quite a bit, and I do not like it to apply the foundcealer. It's got an interesting shape to it. It has a flat side to it, then it has a fluffy slant, if that makes any sense. It is also incredibly soft like the eyeshadow brush. I've been using this brush to apply blush instead of the foundcealer. 

Now I thought I would absolutely love the foundcealer. It looked like it had light but buildable coverage and I got the lightest shade they had called Fair. I don't even know where to start. I'm not really a fan. Once I applied it with a Beauty Blender it did look nice at first. The color is great except it's more of a yellow tone. I can work with it though. It started to break up after just a few hours on me, and was completely gone by the end of the day.

I love the lip gloss too. it's a beautiful berry mauve shade that's a stain as well, which is definitely true. Once the shine wears off, you're left with a pretty color that's wearable on alot of people. 

I'm also a fan of the mascara. I've used it before, and I'm glad to have another one.

In my opinion, the star of this collection is the palette. You get a full size Amazonian clay blush called Talented, and 6 gorgeous eyeshadows. I swear, Tarte's eyeshadow quality has improved so much over the past few years. You can create some beautiful looks with this palette, and I'm never disappointed with how the look turns out. I didn't do swatches of this palette because I think I might do a separate review on it, not sure yet. In the next picture I'm going to show you the look I did with everything in this collection. 

I used the foundcealer by itself, with no powder or extra concealer. I like the coverage and how it looks here, but like I said above, as the day went on, it looked bad. I think I have to set this one with a separate powder. The eye look was simple. I first took Thistle be the Day and blended that all through my crease. I then took Taupe for the best and put that all over my lid, leaving the inner third of my eye blank. I took Out of this Pearl and put that on the inner third of my eye. I finished off the look with Pink Beyond as my highlight and the Gifted mascara. The blush is barely showing up here, but I didn't pile it on either. I love the gloss, it's such a me color. 

Overall, this is a pretty decent collection. If I set the foundcealer with powder, it's definitely better. The eyeshadow palette is a new favorite of mine that gets alot of use lately. When it was the Today's Special Value, it did cost $59.96 plus $6.78 for shipping. Right now, this set costs $72.50 plus $3 shipping. All in all, it's just $10 more, so I still say it's worth it especially because of the palette, lip gloss and mascara.

What do you think of this set?

Review: Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Powder - 100 Translucent

Hi everyone! Today I'm going to be doing a requested review on this Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Powder. I got the shade Translucent, as that's what I normally get in face powders. 

According to the Maybelline website: 

Fit Me!® Matte + Poreless Powder from Maybelline New York goes beyond skin tone matching to fit the unique texture issues of normal to oily skin for the ultimate natural skin fit.
Fit Me Matte + Poreless Face Powder provides long-lasting, mattifying, shine control and up to 12HR wear for a natural, poreless-looking finish.

It also has buildable coverage, it doesn't clog pores, and it is oil-free.

Directions:

With the provided applicator, blot the powder onto areas of face with excess oil. Apply to your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin and blend all over using gentle downward strokes. Build for fuller coverage.  

The translucent shade is perfect for me. There is a Porcelain shade that I could probably get away with, but this one was a smidge lighter and it blends in perfectly. I agree with the natural, poreless-looking finish and that it has buildable coverage. What I have a problem with is how long it lasts. It claims to have up to 12 hours of wear, which is a pretty big claim, but it doesn't even last half as long with my oily skin. Even though it's still cold here in Eastern Pennsylvania, my skin knows the season is changing and it's now starting to get super oily. I noticed my skin was shiny after only 4 hours every time I used this. Honestly, that's fairly typical for me. I've even had powders that only lasted an hour or two, so 4 is a bit better than what I'm used to. This definitely doesn't hold up for me during a full work day. I do really like this for setting my under eyes, though.

Despite the powder not giving me the oil control I need, I must say, it goes on really nicely, blends in well, and like I said above, the translucent shade is perfect once it's blended in. I just wanted to show a heavier swatch so you can get a look at the color. The powder itself is very, very soft and buttery feeling, and it doesn't kick up excess powder when dipping a brush into it. As for the sponge it comes with, I find those to be useless. I can't stand them for some reason and I immediately throw them out. 

I purchased mine at Walmart for $5.94, but the suggested retail price is $7.99, depending on where you buy it. I tend to like buying makeup at Walmart since most makeup there is $2-3 cheaper than at the drugstore. There are a total of 8 shades available, and the darkest one doesn't even look that dark to me. 

Would I recommend this overall? Maybe. Depending on what you do in your daily life, it can be an ok powder. For me, I can really only get away with wearing this on my days off when I'm running errands and doing stuff around the house. This doesn't last through a normal 8 hour day of work. I'm a greasy mess half way through and then my makeup looks really bad. My all-time favorite mattifying powder is still the Rimmel Stay Matte. I haven't found anything yet that comes close to it. 

Have you tried this powder yet? If so, what do you think? If not, would you?

Little Sephora Haul

Hey guys! I have a tiny little Sephora haul to share with you today. I love Sephora but I've been really good in not spending a ton of money there lately. I heard somewhere, can't remember where, that in April there is going to be a VIB event, but I could be wrong. If there is, I'm definitely going to be buying some things I've had my eye on. Lets see what I got this time!

Ok, so I'm going to start with the samples. I don't normally show the samples I get but when I placed my order, they were giving out 5 samples instead of the usual 3. I ended up getting the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizers. It came with 4 different primers, a mattifying primer, smoothing primer, hydrating primer, and a redness correcting primer. I can't wait to try these out. I also got the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel, which I'm kinda nervous to try because it's an extra strength formula. I have sensitive skin, so we will see what happens. I got the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner Primer. I have so many samples of these, but honestly have yet to try them! I've heard amazing things about the Tarte Maracuja Oil, and I may have another sample of this hiding somewhere, but I'm not sure. I've been really into oils lately, so I'm excited to try this. The last sample is the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in the famous color Opal. I'm not normally a highlighter kinda girl, but I was curious and got lucky getting this sample. 

Onto what I bought! I picked up the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel. I have a tiny sample of this that I think I got in an old Birchbox, and I just love it. I panicked the other day because I thought I lost it, which is what prompted this purchase. I searched and searched, and I found it hiding in a shopping bag. This brow gel is like hairspray for your brows. It is $22, which is insane for a brow gel, but I don't do anything else to my brows. I just like to keep them in place with gel, and so far, this one is a major winner in my book. 

I picked up one of the TokyoMilk Dark Femme Fatale Lip Elixirs in the scent Cherry Bourbon, which has a mixed scent of Cherry Brandy, Whiskey, Aged Wood and Clove. It smells AMAZING!! It's very adult smelling, if that makes sense. Definitely not your bubblegum, citrus, or typical sweet scent of other lip balms. I have a couple other of these lip balms in different scents, but I haven't tried them yet. I need to get a move on that!

The last product is a sample of the Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in the shade N45, which is a beautiful red. This was offered from a code if you spent $25. It's an adorable size and the color is nice too, but I haven't swatched it or anything yet. I've never really delved into the Make Up For Ever line, so I'm hoping I like this.

That's my little haul! Let me know if you'd like a review of anything, and if there is anything you picked up recently! :)

Review: Dermalogica PreCleanse Oil & Wipes #DoubleCleanse

*Disclosure* Both products were sent to me by Dermalogica and iFabbo. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always.

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to be reviewing two products from the brand Dermalogica, their PreCleanse Oil and PreCleanse Wipes. I haven't used this brand since I went to cosmetology school, which has been about 7 years! I always liked what I tried and I'm excited to get reacquainted with the brand again. 

You can expand the picture to read how these products work. I tried the wipes first to remove my makeup, and I didn't really care for them. Then, stupid me, I realized that you add water to the wipe and use it on your face again. I might like them better like that, but I have used them to remove swatches. In that way, they work really well. 

The PreCleanse Oil was a new product to the line when I was about half way through cosmetology school, and I had only used it a few times then. I love this oil as it removes makeup like a dream, and you can use it over your eyes to remove eye makeup. Once you add a little bit of water, it removes every little trace of makeup to may have on. I always follow up with my regular cleanser, but you don't necessarily have to with this oil. It makes my skin feel super soft, clean and hydrated after I'm finished with my cleansing routine.

you can find these products on the Dermalogica website, but Ulta does carry the brand as well. 

Have you tried anything from Dermalogica before?

Updates on the Blog!

Hey guys! If things look weird on the blog for a bit, I'm messing around with my layout and updating some things, so bare with me! I want to make my little space here look neater, and I'm not the best with HTML and other fancy technical stuff. It's a learning process for me! Thanks for sticking around! I added social media buttons, so please let me now if those work! They do on my end, so far. Still gotta tweak some things :)

Review: Hard Candy Glow All the Way Ombre Baked Blush in Punch

Hi guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing the Hard Candy Glow All the Way Ombre Baked Blush in the color Punch. I did a haul post here a couple weeks ago of some new makeup goodies I bought for Spring, and this blush has been a favorite so far!

I had originally heard of this blush from a YouTube video and thought I'd give it a try. It only costs $7 and you can find Hard Candy products at Walmart.

It comes in a snap closure compact, with a see-through lid. As much as I love a mirror inside products, I love being able to see the pretty color of this blush. The back of the packaging gives a full ingredient list and the product name and shade.

They had two colors, this one called Punch and the other one is called Sunburst. In-store, they looked so similar, which made it slightly difficult picking the one I wanted, but to me, this one leans more pink and the other one seemed more coral. They're so darn similar though, so I wish they would've made it more obvious which is which. 

The top swatch is the lightest shade on the left side of the blush, the second one down is the darker shade, and the third is the two mixed. I personally love how they look mixed together on my fair skin. You can use them separately and use the lighter shade as a highlight, but I just swirl my brush in both colors and love how it turns out. My only complaint is that it doesn't last very long on my skin. By the end of my work day, I can barely see any color. This is a nice blush for the price though. It gives a nice sheen that's not sparkly, but gives a nice glow to the skin. It also does blend out very nicely as well. Overall, I would recommend it as a nice drugstore blush, as long as you don't mind it fading throughout the day. 

What do you think of this blush?

Review: Pure & Essential Minerals Dead Sea Mud Mask

*Disclosure* This product was sent to me thanks to Brandbacker. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always

Hi everyone! Today I'm going to be reviewing a Dead sea mud mask that was sent to me, and it's from Pure & Essential Minerals. Masks are probably my favorite part about skincare so I'm always looking for a good mask to try. 

Here is a product description taken from Amazon:

DEAD SEA MUD HAS BEEN RENOWNED FOR CENTURIES AS A NATURAL BEAUTY REMEDY! - Here's how it works: As this luxurious mud mask gently dries on your face, it draws out excess oils, impurities & grime from your skin. At the same time your skin is infused with ancient Dead Sea minerals and essential oils. This mask leaves your face clean, fresh and blemish free. Used weekly your complexion will gain a new clarity and all-day glow.
THE BENEFITS OF THIS MUD MASK ARE COUNTLESS! Renowned anti-aging properties tighten pores, reduce wrinkles and lines and promote youthful, healthy, natural skin. A weekly mud-mask will diminish and heal the most common skin issues including Blemishes, Acne, Breakouts, Pimples, Blackheads, Eczema and Psoriasis. Use as a facial mask, spot treatment or full body mask.
WE USE ONLY THE PUREST INGREDIENTS - Why compromise your health with products that contain chemicals? Our Dead Sea Mud Mask contains only 100% pure, natural and certified organic ingredients - free of sulfates, phosphates, parabens or chemicals of any kind. Cruelty Free, Vegan Certified
GIVE YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES A GIFT FROM THE WORLD'S MOST ANCIENT SPA! This Ancient Mud Mask From The Dead Sea Contains 100% Natural and Organic Ingredients. DID YOU KNOW? A single Dead Sea mud mask at a Professional Spa will cost you $90 to $120? This product offers you 30+ Pure Dead Sea facial mud masks per jar!

Ingredients
All Natural and Organic ingredients include: Pure Dead Sea Mud, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Jojoba Oil, Hickory Bark Extract, Organic Calendula Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Filtered Water, Xanthan Gum
 

As you can see, this is one of those dark gray, thick clay masks, which I'm a big fan of for my oily, acne-prone skin. The scent of it is very interesting too. It smells minty to me, but the ingredient list shows no peppermint in it. Whatever makes it smell like that, I'm not complaining! It's very fresh and not overpowering for my sensitive nose. After I spread a nice layer over my skin, I let it sit for 10 minutes where it dries like a typical clay mask. This mask does give me a tingling sensation that can feel uncomfortable at times. The directions say to wet your face a little after it dries, rub it around a little for some exfoliation, then remove with warm water and a washcloth. There are teeny tiny little bits in this mask that do provide some exfoliation, but they're so miniscule it doesn't make too much of a difference. After I rinse it off, my face is quite red, but I do have pretty sensitive skin. When I wake up in the morning is when I see very noticeable results. My skin is bright and smooth, and my pores are so small, it's pretty incredible. I had a huge pimple on my chin, so I used this as a spot treatment one night and the next morning the area was still a little red, but it was completely flat. 

This mask is really great. It typically costs $59.99, but you can find it here on Amazon for only $24.77 now. I feel that price is worth it honestly. This is a mask I would definitely consider buying myself.  

Would you try this mask? 

Review: Kiss Me Organics Organic Dandelion Root Tea w/ Hibiscus and Cinnamon

*Disclosure* I was sent this tea courtesy of Brandbacker for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always

Hey everyone! If you know me, you know I love my cup of coffee in the morning. I had always heard that Dandelion Root tea can be a good alternative if you like the taste of coffee, but don't want the caffeine. When given the opportunity to try out the Kiss Me Organics Dandelion Root Tea, I was definitely excited to try it out!

Here is some info about this tea, taken from Amazon:

1. SUPPORTS HEALTHY DIGESTION, KIDNEY HEALTH & LIVER FUNCTION Detox the liver and kidneys from toxins that can build up over time. Healthy digestion helps the body to absorb more nutrients and improve physical and cognitive functions.
2. RAW & ORGANIC Raw Dandelion Root is extremely nutrient rich and provides more vital minerals and vitamins to your body when compared to roasted Dandelion Root.
3. VITAMIN RICH Raw Dandelion root is rich in Vitamins A, C, D and B-complex plus Iron, Potassium and Zinc. A diet rich in these nutrients can help treat mood disorders, liver disorders and boost a weakened immune system.
4. HIBISCUS & CINNAMON While enhancing the earthy flavor, and adding a hint of flowery sweetness to every cup; Hibiscus has been shown to help regulate blood pressure and Cinnamon has been shown to regulate blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol.

Now I definitely appreciate all the health benefits this tea has, especially when it comes to boosting your immune system. I tried this tea the next day I got it, and I have to say, I'm honestly not the biggest fan of how this tastes. I feel like it's too earthy, if that makes sense, and I just taste bitter flowers. I can taste a little bit of the cinnamon, which is nice, but the flowery taste overpowers it. I went into this tea knowing it wasn't going to taste like other teas I drink (peppermint being my favorite). I'm just not a fan of this. I even tried adding some honey to it to sweeten it up a bit, and that did nothing. If anyone reading this knows of a way to make this taste better, please let me know! I was kindly sent 5 boxes of these, and I don't want to waste them!

If this tea seems like something you would be interested in, you can find it on Amazon here for $19.70. You get 5 boxes with 20 packets of tea in each, which is a pretty good deal if you ask me! I just wish I liked this more.

Have you tried dandelion root tea before?

Review: Borghese Eclissare ColorStruck Lipstick

*Disclosure* Products were kindly sent to me for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always

Hey guys! I got home from work the other night to a lovely package from Borghese. They sent me these Eclissare ColorStruck Lipsticks in 6 different colors. 

I received 6 of the 12 shades available. Here is a description of the product taken from the Borghese website:

Vibrant, color-saturated lip crème. Multi-dimensional infusion of pigment and pearl for a fuller lip illusion. Shine, smooth, creamy, radiant and available in 12 tantalizing, color-rich shades.

I received the colors Verge, Beyond, Halo, Swoon, Dare and Edge. The swatches shown are the lipsticks from left to right on the picture above this one. For me personally, all of these colors except for Halo don't look so great with my skintone. I did like the color Dare when I first opened up the tube, but when I put it on, the shimmers were just out of control. Same with Swoon. Beyond is such a gorgeous dark burgundy/brown shade, but when I tried it on and showed my husband, he looked scared and said it didn't look good at all with my pale skin. I did try all of the shades on my lips, but I didn't take pictures because I was unhappy with how they looked. I had glitter bits all over my face when I took off Swoon and Dare with a makeup wipe. The other shades really feel nice on the lips, are pretty darn opaque, and aren't very drying either. The colors just aren't for me unfortunately. 

These lipsticks cost $25 each and you can find them on the Borghese website. Some of the other colors look nice, but I don't think I would purchase any myself. I'm so grateful to be sent these lipsticks to try, and I really hope this review was helpful to you! Like I said above, I'm always going to be honest whether I'm sent products to try or if I buy them myself.

What do you think of these lipsticks? would you try them?

March 2015 Ipsy Bag

Hello everyone! I got home late last night from work and my wonderful husband had my Ipsy bag package waiting for me on my side of the sofa (he's adorable like that). I did open the bag, but it was late, and I was pooped, so I didn't get a good look at the products until this morning. 

The theme this month is called Floral Fantasy, and I quite like the bag the products came in. it's very Spring-y and has a vinyl feel to it. 

The first product I received is the Boo-Boo Coverup Concealer in the medium shade. I'm all for trying out new concealers, but this shade is just too dark for me. I may be able to mix it with something else, but I don't really want to have to do that. I'll still give it a go sometime and see if I can make it work. 

The next product is the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Anti-Aging Mattifying Lotion. You all know I love my skincare and always want to try new things. I'm definitely excited to try this out closer to Summer, but as I'm writing this, I'm noticing the bottle I have barely has any product in it! I held it up to the window and it's not even half full, only about 1/3. The product is sealed so I can't blame that on leaking, but it's disappointing that I won't get as much use out of this like I was expecting. 

We have another skincare product from Pur-Lisse Beauty and it's the Pur-Delicate Gentle Soymilk Cleanser & Makeup Remover. I will definitely get use out of this, but only at night since my skin will start to get more oily as it warms up outside. This product is filled up all the way ;)

Next up is the NYX Butter Lipstick in the shade Hunk. I love NYX and I already have a couple of these butter lipsticks, but this is just so dark! It's not a very Spring-like color, but it also might not work for my skintone. We will see. I was hoping for the pink shade they were also sending out.

The last product I received is the Vintage by Jessica Liebeskind Illuminating Face Highlighter. I'm not the biggest face highlighter person (I glow enough usually), so I will probably just use this as an eyeshadow. It's a beautiful pink shade that I think will look nice. 

Overall, I'm happy this month! I wish the Dr. Brandt product was filled up but I can still use it. For just $10 a month, plus shipping for some, these bags are awesome. If you want to sign up, you can do so here with my referral link!

If you already get Ipsy bags, what did you receive this month?

Review: Kat Von D Innerstellar Eyeshadow Palette

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing the Kat Von D Innerstellar Eyeshadow Palette. When this first came out, the colors looked gorgeous, and I can't resist a new palette launch, so I snatched it up right away.

The packaging of this palette is beyond gorgeous. It's so different and it's one of my favorite looking palettes that I own. I find myself staring at it occasionally, as weird as that sounds. 

It's a cardboard packaging that has a strong magnetic closure, but it is a bit bulky for travel. It also comes with a very generously sized mirror that I'm sure anyone can appreciate, and the shade names of the shadows are conveniently on the back of the palette. 

Taken from the Sephora website:

What it does:
Experience the bolder side of neutral with this lunar-inspired palette of cool, cosmic colors. These 12 new provocative shades are brilliantly arranged into three quads, each featuring a large, versatile base or highlighter shade with a corresponding trio of accent hues—from irresistible silvers to moon-dust nudes and smoldering earth tones in pearl and matte finishes. These ultrasmooth eye shadows are milled with a triple-jet process to yield rich pigment in just one swipe while delivering ultimate blendablity and crease-free wear. 

- Gravitron: Soft iridescent pink
- Night Crawler: Matte dusty beige
- Dios: Silver grey iridescence 
- Lunacy: Rich pearlized purple

- Vast: Pearlized taupe
- Astrological: Pale lilac sheen
- Darkstar: Purplish pewter
- Orion: Matte chocolate brown

- Lycan: Matte cream
- 3AM: Metallic champagne
- Moonshine: Metallic silver
- Killing Moon: Matte black

Alright, so it's undeniable that just by looking at the colors in this palette, you can tell that they're so beautiful. When swatching though, the pigment quality seems hit and miss to me. They're so buttery soft, which really creates alot of fallout, but I'm not too picky with that honestly. I'm not sure why, but the color Vast has to be my favorite shade in this palette on my eyes. It just makes them look amazing and awake. It's funny because I was originally drawn to the purples, but I'm not so blown away by them. Even with not being so impressed with the purples, I think this palette would look great for someone with green or hazel eyes, and even blue eyes if the purples are used right. Lasting power is good too, as long as I use a primer. For $46, I wish I liked this alot more than I do. It's a beautiful palette and the colors are great, but with them being hit and miss quality wise, I don't think it's really worth the $46. Her older palettes are some of my favorites too, which kinda bums me out. If you're interested in this palette, you can find it at Sephora.

Have you tried this palette? If so/not, what do you think about it?

Spring Drugstore Makeup HAUL!

Hello everyone! I went to Walmart earlier today and decided I wanted to treat myself to some new makeup for Spring. Today is the first nice day we've had in a while. Last Thursday we had a nasty snowstorm that gave us close to 10 inches of snow, and today it's just over 50 degrees, the sun is shining, and Rita's Water Ice was open (yes, I did get some!). My husband is also off work so we got to spend some quality time together. Anyways, enough of the rambling. Lets see what I picked up!

I'll try to go in order as much as possible, so the first product that's pictured on the top left is the Hard Candy Glow All The Way Ombre Baked Blush in the color Punch. It's a beautiful pink shade that I thought would look better with my fair skin. They had another one that was a bit more peach toned, but my husband said they looked exactly the same. They did look similar, but this one was definitely more pink. It only cost me $7

Next up we have the NYC Smooth Skin BB Creme in the Instant Matte version in the color 01 Light. They had only one other color in a medium shade, so I do hope this goes well with my skintone. I heard about this from a review on YouTube and it was only $3.57 so even if I don't like it much, it's not a huge loss. 

I also decided to try out the L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation in the shade 101 Classic Ivory. I have heard rave reviews since this came out and I really want to get into foundations more. I have really oily skin when it gets to be Spring and Summer, so I do have high hopes for this. At my Walmart, this costs $11.88, which is pricey, but alot less expensive than drugstores. 

My Walmart finally has a good selection of E.L.F. cosmetics, so I picked up two of their Smudge Pots. I got the shades Cruisin' Chic (left) and Ain't That Sweet (right). Cruisin' Chic is a light bronze shade and Ain't That Sweet is a pink-y champagne color. I've heard good things about these products and they were only $3 each. 

I saw the brand LAB2 at a different Walmart a while ago, but didn't pick anything up. I saw the line at my Walmart and decided to try their Blending Brush. This is supposed to have some technology that provides superior pigment pick-up and release, and gives professional results. This brush was only $6, so we will see about those claims.

I've been a little bored with the powders I normally use, so I decided to try out the Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless Powder in the shade 100 Translucent. The lightest colored shade seemed a bit too dark, so I normally have to buy the translucent versions. Since warmer weather is upon us, I figured I would put this to the test and see if it works for my skin. It cost me $5.94

I've heard everyone talk about the Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder, and I picked mine up in the shade Translucent. They only had one other shade available, but it looked way too dark. I've never tried this product before, so I'm excited to see what the hype is about. This is only $5.97, which is an insane deal for the amount you get. 

There was a huge display of the new Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Blooms lipsticks, and I picked up the color 715 Hibiscus Pop. Alot of the shades seemed like they wouldn't go well with my skintone, and this was the most neutral pink shade. alot of them seemed too orange or red based which makes me looks dead. I'm excited to get into lipsticks some more, and I love anything Maybelline. This was only $5.50

The last two lip products are from NYC. The first product on the left is the Expert Last Lip Lacquer in the shade 201 Lincoln Square Love Affair. It's a beautiful creamy pink shade that will look really pretty for Spring. The second product is the Big Bold Plumping Lip Gloss in the shade 479 Voluminous Pink. It's a similar shade to the first one, but it has a bit more of a mauve tone. Both of these lip products cost $3.57 each. 

I have yet to swatch or try anything here, but if you want reviews of something, definitely let me know! Is there anything you've purchased recently to get ready for Spring?

Review: Amara Organics Vitamin C Serum

*Disclosure* Product was provided for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest, like always!

Hey everyone! I was given the opportunity to try out this Vitamin C Serum from Amara Organics, and it's been an amazing product for my skin lately. 

Here is some information about the product from Amazon:

Enjoy radiant, youthful skin again with our potent blend of ingredients, professionally formulated using the highest quality Vitamin C, E, and Hyaluronic Acid available.

Forget the facelift, lasers, and chemical peels! Vitamin C has been shown to be just as effective at reversing the effects of time and environmental damage to the skin.

Notice brighter, smoother skin after your first use of our Vitamin C Serum. As the serum penetrates deep into your skin, you can feel confident knowing you are reversing skin aging and preventing further damage at the same time.

You deserve to have young, beautiful skin at any age, and now you can!

The Anti-Aging Power Of Vitamin C

Our Vitamin C Serum replenishes your skin's vitamin C levels to give you these benefits:

-Increases the production of collagen to bring back skin's natural elasticity and counteract fine lines and wrinkles
-Powerful antioxidant properties neutralize free radicals to reverse damage caused by the sun, pollutants, and cigarette smoke
-Protects your skin from UV damage such as age spots, discoloration, and fine lines
-Improves skin texture to give you a smoother, brighter complexion
-Combined with Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid for extra powerful anti-aging effects

Natural, Vegan, & Cruelty-Free

We use only the best, natural plant-based ingredients available, with no parabens, no alcohol, and no animal testing. Made in the USA.

Ingredients

Deionized Aqua (Water), Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide (Botanical Hyaluronic Acid), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Carbomer, (2s)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic Acid, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin, d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Organic Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola Extract), Organic Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail Plant Extract), Organic Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium Extract), Organic Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion Extract)

This serum is really amazing! It's alot thinner in consistency than other serums I've used but it has no scent whatsoever, so that's great if you have super sensitive skin or just don't care for any kind of fragrance. After using toner, all I do is apply some to my entire face, neck and decollete and wait a bit for it to sink in to apply moisturizer. I use this mostly in the morning, but I have used it at night as well. I've noticed in the weeks since using this that my skin has become so soft, hydrated and much brighter. I don't think I've had skin this soft in ages! I am only 26, and typically have oily skin, but with the horrible Winter we've had here in Eastern Pennsylvania, my skin has needed major hydration. I'm incredibly happy I was able to try this product out! It's a great price too, only $17.95 currently on Amazon. If you want more information on this product, you can check out their website as well here. 

What do you think of this serum?

Makeup HAUL! Sephora, it Cosmetics, QVC & Ulta

Hi guys! Today I'm going to be showing you some makeup goodies I've purchased within the last month or so. I  was trying so hard not to spend money, but with me being the beauty obsessed person I am, there were some nice deals I just couldn't pass up!

Starting off with Sephora, The first item I purchased is the Ardency Inn Modster Manuka Honey Enriched Pigments in the color Hell, which is a grey pearl with a slight red undertone. It's so beautiful, rich and dark and when I wore it to work one day, I was getting compliments left and right. I originally wanted a color called Peacock, but it was sold out and still is. I kinda want to do a review on this eyeshadow because it really is so beautiful. 

The last product purchased is the Rosebud Perfume Co. Menthol and Eucalyptus Balm. If I'm not mistaken, this is a new scent and I love lip balms that smell like menthol, so I'm pretty excited to try it. 

I purchased the lip balm because there was a coupon code where if you spent at least $25, you got a sample of the new Benefit Roller Lash Mascara. I've been hearing great things about it, and I can't wait to try it out. You all know I'm always on the hunt for a good mascara! I also cashed in 100 points to get the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser. Honestly, I'm kinda mad at myself because this is such a tiny sample and so not worth 100 points. I'll still use it for my brushes/Beauty Blender, but it's disappointing how small it is!

This is an exciting purchase from the it Cosmetics website! They were having a sale on this Naturally Pretty Celebration Palette for $25. There was also a coupon code for 20% off, plus free shipping! I snagged this right up since I love the first Naturally Pretty Palette, which I did review here. Unfortunately, this is no longer on sale, but the palette is still on the site, despite being limited edition. I've used this two or three times so far, and I really am liking it!

From QVC, I purchased the Tarte Miracles from the Amazon 6 PC. Collection when it was the Today's Special Value (TSV) for $59.96. I still haven't gotten the chance to play with it, but looking at all the prettiness inside the bag makes me all excited. This collection is now $72.50 on QVC, but I still think that's a great deal for all the products you get. I do believe this is a QVC exclusive set. If you'd like a review of this, let me know!

When Lorac came out with their new Unzipped Gold Palette, I wasn't really sure about it. I went on the Ulta website and looked at it, and this original Unzipped Palette. When I compared the two, this first one just jumped out at me and looks more like what I would go for. I purchased this because Ulta was having some deal where you got double or triple points on a purchase, so in my cart it went. There was also free shipping with a $35 purchase. I haven't tried this out yet, but I'm so excited to because Lorac has really impressed me with alot of their products.

Are there any products you've picked up recently?