April 2016 Empties

Hi everyone! It's time again to share with you the products I used up for the month of April. I feel like I didn't do very well, and have plenty of products on their last legs that could've gotten used up earlier, but I haven't been wearing much makeup, or even taking that great care of my skin lately. 

I'll start off with a few skincare bits. Of course it wouldn't be an empties here without a bottle of The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. You all know how much I love this stuff, but the price of it has gone up so much in the last few years, that I'm actually considering trying something else once I use up what's in my stash. 

Next up is the Radha Beauty Miracle Retinol Moisturizer. Not quite sure how this is a miracle, since it dried out my skin and didn't do much for me. I always had to put another moisturizer on top of this because it gave no hydration whatsoever. 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it here or not, but I used to really love the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask. It moisturized my lips like no other and kept them soft and supple without having to reapply. I put it away for a while and came back to it again sometime last month. However, it started making my lips go completely numb about 10-15 minutes after applying it, and it wouldn't go away. It was so bizarre, and then I finally realized that the first ingredient is Lanolin, which is derived from wool. Wool makes me breakout in hives, so I figured I had an allergic reaction to this lip mask. In the trash it goes, because I'm not chancing something more serious happening. 

I had the biggest gripe with the Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator when I first received it in a previous Ipsy bag. The container wasn't even a quarter of the way filled with product and I thought I'd hardly get any use from it. Well, I did end up getting quite a few uses out of this and I'm very pleased with how well this works. It just makes my skin so dang soft and beautiful. I doubt I'd buy a full size, but this was nice while it lasted. 

Lastly for skincare, I have two deluxe sized samples of Ole Henriksen products. One is the Truth Serum Collagen Booster, which was freaking fantastic and is probably one of the best serums I've tried. The second is the Invigorating Night Gel, which I didn't care for. It did make my skin feel better, but also stung quite a bit upon application and I didn't like that, so in the trash it goes. 

Next up is a bit of makeup and a random product. I used up two of my all-time favorite mascaras, Tarte Gifted and Covergirl The Super Sizer. These two are probably my picks for favorite high-end (along with Too Faced Better Than Sex) and low-end. Once I use up what I have in my collection, I will be purchasing these two again!

I decided to just get rid of the Be A Bombshell Lip Balm in French Kiss. This felt very dried out and the color is a baby pink that looks awful on the lips. I already have so many lip balms to go through, so this won't be missed. 

Lastly is the Berry Twinkle Pocket Bac from Bath & Body Works. I loved this while I had it, and one day I found it hiding in a purse and it smelled awful and was incredibly runny. I dumped out what was left in the trash, which wasn't alot really, so now I can use a different one. 

Lastly, I have some random bath, body and health care stuff to share. My husband and I both used up the Sound Body Dandruff Shampoo. I get these bottles at Big Lots for just a few dollars and it's exactly like Head & Shoulders, just much less expensive. We already have another in our shower. 

You all know I have to use sensitive toothpaste due to my incredibly sensitive teeth and gums. This is the Topcare (Wegmans store brand) Extra Whitening Sensitive Toothpaste, and I don't really care for this much. I don't notice any difference in sensitivity and the taste is a little odd as well. 

I finally used up the Bath & Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin foaming hand soap that's been in our bathroom for ages. I love these hand soaps, but they're really expensive even when there's a sale, so once I go through my stash, I'll look elsewhere for less expensive soaps. 

And lastly we have the final Bath & Body Works Shower Gel I had in my stash, which was Orange Sapphire. While this one smelled amazing, it did nothing for me. These shower gels make me itch and make my skin super dry. Plus they're really expensive for what they are. So glad to have these gone and I'll never repurchase. 

Number of products used up: 14
Total for the year: 66

I'm still doing good so far, and we're only in the 5th month of the year. I'm really hoping I can use up a ton more products. I think I'm making a goal of using up 250 products for the entire year. Last year I used up 177 products, so I have some work to do y'all!

What are some products you used up?

My Top 5 Tips to Combat Dry Skin in Winter

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Hi guys! Today I'm going to be sharing with you how I combat dry skin in the Winter. If you're anything like me, every inch of skin on your body just dries up and hardly anything seems to help. Well, I've come up with a regime that has helped me tremendously, and I want to share it with you all!

Tip #1: If you have dry skin all over your body, pretty much from head to toe, I recommend a chunky body scrub, and a nice thick body butter. The body scrubs I like to use typically have an oil base to them, along with sugar or salt as the scrubbing particles. The scrub I have pictured is The Body Shop Chocomania Sugar Body Scrub. This one is fantastic at scrubbing away any dry, flaky skin you may have, and it also is very hydrating as it has that oil base to it, but it's not overly slippery to where it makes you slide in your bathtub. In the Winter, I typically like to do a full body scrub about once a week because my skin can be sensitive to too much scrubbing. Everytime after showering, I slather myself up with a thick, rich body butter. The Body Shop Shea Body Butter has worked miracles on my skin. It keeps my skin feeling and looking hydrated all day long. I have so many different body lotions/butters in my stash, but the ones from The Body Shop are always my go-to. I've noticed as I keep up with exfoliating and moisturizing, I don't have those itchy red bumps on the backs of my arms or legs, which I tend to have all year around. 

Tip #2: Use a thick lip balm at night before bed. I don't know about you guys, but my lips get horribly dry in the Winter, to the point where they crack and bleed at times. It's so painful, and alot of different lip balms just aren't thick and hydrating enough. The two lip products that I tend to reserve for the colder months are the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask and The Body Shop Lip Butters. The Bite Beauty Lip Mask is pretty darn intense if you ask me, and I typically only use it when my lips are at the cracked and bleeding stage. You only need the tiniest amount of it to get the job done, and I wake up to brand new lips when I use it. The Body Shop Lip Butters are fantastic when my lips are still dry and flaky, but they don't work as well if my lips are to the point of no return. The one I'm currently using is the Sweet Lemon scent, and I like it alot. It doesn't give me a white cast to my lips, which some of those lip butters tend to do, particularly the Shea and Coconut scents. I still do love those scents though, and only will use them at night. 

Tip #3: Using a hydrating face mask. Now, this may seem obvious to most people, but I normally have oily skin that goes more towards combination in the Winter. I do also get dry flakes here and there, and my skin gets way more dehydrated in these colder months. My skin gets so finicky in the Winter because I still have oiliness and clogged pores, so I have to use detoxifying face masks, but they dry out my skin alot more when it's cold. That's where a hydrating mask comes in. My ultimate favorite one is the Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment. After using a detoxifying mask, I slap on a hydrating mask for at least 30 minutes. I can't tell you how soft and hydrated my skin looks and feels after doing that combo. I do follow up with my treatments and a heavier moisturizer, but just adding a hydrating mask to the mix has changed the skin on my face so much. I use this mask sparingly since it is $69, but it's incredibly hydrating, my skin drinks it up, and it smells like coconut so I can think about Summer when it's on my face!

Tip #4: Use the thickest hand cream you can think of before bed. During Winter, my hands tend to end up dry, cracked, and bleeding like my lips. The only hand cream I've found to make that go away overnight is The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector (I swear they're not paying me to mention all these products, I just love them!). I've gone through countless hand creams that seem to work at first, but the dryness comes back after a little bit. This hand cream is seriously a miracle worker. Many years ago before I found this hand cream, my hands where in so much pain from the little cracks that formed and started to bleed, and nothing was working. I decided to give this a try, and I swear to you, my hands were like new overnight. I slathered this on my hands, and while it is a bit greasy at first, I didn't care, I just wanted my hands to stop hurting. I woke up to brand new skin that was soft and crack free. The scent can bother some people (my husband hates it, but he has to deal with it), but it's the absolute best hand cream ever. If you work in retail, a restaurant, or in the healthcare field where you constantly have to wash your hands, I can't recommend this enough. It lasts through multiple hand-washings as well, which I loved when I worked in retail. 

Tip #5: Drink more water! I know, I know, water is important all year round. I really have major issues drinking alot of water in the Winter, because one, I'm always so cold now thanks to being on blood thinners, and two, I just don't feel as thirsty in the Winter. When I don't drink enough water, I notice my skin starts to get dry and it just looks parched. When I up my water intake, it goes away. Seems simple enough to just drink more water, but I know it can be tough. I've made it a point to drink just an extra glass of water a day from what I'm normally used to, and it really has helped me (even though it makes me feel really cold!). 

I hope these tips helped you in some way! What are some things you do to help combat dry skin?

My Top 15 Favorite Beauty Products of 2015

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Hey everyone! I know this post is probably a bit late for most of you, but I still wanted to share with you all my 15 favorite beauty products of 2015. They're in no kind of order and I loved everything pretty much equally. 

First, I have to talk about eyeshadows. My favorite palette of 2015 has got to be the Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Palette. Every color is amazing, and you get warm, cool and neutral toned matte shadows in one palette. It's a hooded eyed person's dream, and even though I'm more of a neutral/cool lover, I do appreciate the warm shades as well. I did a review of this here if you wanted to check it out! I had to also give some love to Make Up Geek Eyeshadow singles. For just $6 each, these shadows are such amazing quality, and they may be all you really need if you're just getting started in makeup. All of the ones I have are shown in the picture, but I definitely need to add more to my collection. They're pigmented, buttery smooth, and blend onto the eyes nicely. 

Next up is the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. I did a review here, and I have to say, this mask is probably my favorite mask that makes my pores look invisible. You can mix it with either water or apple cider vinegar (it works better with ACV for me personally), and you leave it on for up to 20 minutes depending on how sensitive your skin is. I do get redness from this mask, but since I use it at night, it doesn't bother me. This is a miracle worker if I feel like my pores are super clogged and nothing else is helping them. You need this if you have pores that clog easily, and it's super cheap as well. 

Oh Batiste Dry Shampoo, how I love thee! Honestly guys, I will never buy another brand of dry shampoo as long as I live. I've gotten others in the past that don't work nearly as well as Batiste does, and everytime I've strayed, I've been disappointed. Batiste is my one true love in keeping my hair feeling and looking clean, even if I've gone about 4 days without washing it. I also did a review of this here quite a long time ago.  

Who can live without a Beauty Blender? I can't! I honestly don't know where I was or what I did before this little pink egg-shaped sponge came into my life. This has changed my foundation/concealer routine in so many positive ways that when I I try to use a brush or even my fingers, it just doesn't work! There is something truly special about this sponge, and completely worth the $20 price tag. Any dupes out there are not the same, including the Real Techniques sponge. I used to like that, but they've changed the texture of it and it's awful. 

If I ever have issues with removing my makeup, Bioderma always comes to my rescue. Yes, this seems like just regular water in a fancy bottle, but there is magic in this water! It removes every last bit of makeup from my eyes and face without irritation. I've said this before, but no makeup remover has ever done what Bioderma does for me. It's incredible and it's surprisingly not that expensive. I purchased mine off of the Beautylish website, but you can also find it on Amazon. I did a review of this here! 

You all are probably so tired of me talking about The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner, but this is still my all-time favorite toner, and I have yet to find something better. There are under 10 ingredients in this, feels great on my skin, and preps it well for serums and moisturizers. I always have backups of backups in my stash. 

The Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder was something I had been wanting to try for well over a year. Every beauty YouTuber raves about it, so I gave in and splurged. They must've been on to something because this is an amazing setting powder! I have oily skin and for some reason it helps keep me more matte, and it's a wonderful setting powder for under the eyes. I feel like this is just such a versatile powder that anyone can use, whether you have oily, dry or combo skin. You get a ton of product as well, so I feel it's worth the price. 

The Tangle Teezer was another product that I had heard about for quite a few years. I felt it was completely overpriced for a hair brush, but fell into the hype anyway. The first time I used it after I had washed my hair is when I knew what the hype was about. I have very fine hair that gets knotty and tangled very easily, that sometimes even combs would snag my hair. The Tangle Teezer just glides right through and gets all the tangles out without hurting. My husband was even interested after I kept telling him how amazing it was and he started using mine to brush out his beard. I ended up buying his own, and he absolutely loves it. Even though I have fine hair, I do feel like people with thick hair can use it was well.

You all know how much of a lip balm freak I am, and my all-time favorite has to be the Lip Butters from The Body Shop. You only need the tiniest amount to make your lips feel soft and moisturized, and one little jar lasts for ages. I love this Sweet Lemon scent that I'm currently using, but my favorites have to be the Shea and Coconut scents.They do leave a little bit of a white cast on your lips, but I only use these at night as my lips dry and crack the worst at that time. 

Every product I try from Bite Beauty, I fall more in love with the brand. The product pictured is the Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in the shades Date and Fig. These duos are only around during the holiday's I believe, but they do have many single shades available. If I could've, I probably would've put every Bite Beauty product I own in this post, and I know you have things to do rather than sitting on my blog all day. The Luminous Creme formula is just incredible. It feels nice on the lips, and it's just a good quality lipstick. These duos don't cost much either, just $12 or $14. 

I have two mascaras that practically blew my mind this year. A little while ago, I was given the chance to try out the Covergirl Super Sizer Mascara. I used to really like the mascara in the orange tube, but hadn't used much from the brand in many years. Trying this mascara has changed my opinion on the Covergirl brand, and now I'm tempted to go out and buy a ton of their makeup. This mascara gives me amazing volume and length, and it looks good all day long. It's probably my current favorite drugstore mascara. I do have a review on this here. I also had to put the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in my favorites. If you want volumized lashes that look fake, this is your mascara. I get a bit of length from this, but the volume I get is like nothing I've ever gotten from a mascara before. I used up a full sized tube around the end of 2015, so this is a deluxe size that came with the Stardust palette. For a high end mascara, this is definitely my favorite, and there is a review here!

Another lip product that was a surprising favorite is the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. I have a few of these now and the shade pictured above is Outlaw. I was so on the fence with wanting to try liquid lipsticks because my lips are already dry, and I always heard that liquid lipsticks were very drying. While I don't feel like this is hydrating by any means, it's not as drying as I thought it was going to be. The colors available are so gorgeous, highly pigmented, and they stay on and don't budge once they're set. I definitely see myself picking up a few more colors in this line. 

The last product I have pictured is an Airbrush Blending Crease Brush by it Cosmetics. Again, I'd put the whole entire brush line in this post if I could, because they're that good. I don't think I've ever felt softer brushes before. I have quite a few different it Cosmetics brushes, but this crease brush is my favorite. It applies and blends out shadows like a dream, and I find myself playing with these brushes because of how soft they are. Seriously, go to an Ulta and have a feel for yourself. I promise you won't be disappointed! 

Those were my favorites from 2015! Let me know in a comment what some of your favorites were in the last year. I'll need some inspiration when my spending ban is over ;)

Video: Sephora VIB Rouge Haul!

Hey guys! I haven't done much with my YouTube channel lately since being sick, so I decided to film the haul I did during the Sephora VIB Rouge sale this past weekend. I hope you enjoy the video, and I also hope you'll like and subscribe while you're there! :)

Products Mentioned:

- Sephora Favorites Skin Wonderland
- Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Eyeshadow Palette
- Tangle Teezer
- Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil
- Glam Glow Poutmud
- Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw
- Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion Lip Stain in 12 Cherry Nectar
- Caolion Premium Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo
- Bite Beauty Best Bite Rewind 

Please let me know if you would like a full review on anything I mentioned! What did you pick up during the sale? If you're VIB, are you planning on picking anything up?

Sephora VIB Sale Wishlist 2015

Hi guys! It's that time of year again, where Sephora has their VIB sale for the holiday season. If you're VIB Rouge, you're one of the lucky ones getting first pick at the sale starting November 6th through the 9th where you'll get 20% off your entire purchase. If you're shopping online (like I will be), the code to use is ROUGE20. VIB members will also receive 20% off but not until November 13th through the 16th. I don't have info yet on what Beauty Insiders will receive and when, but I'll update this post when I find out. Here is a little wishlist I wanted to share with you guys!

This is the Viseart 01 Neutral Matte Eyeshadow Palette. I've heard nothing but amazing things about this brand, and it is only available online They have 7 different palettes to choose from right now, but this one has been calling my name since I first laid eyes on it, probably over a year ago. It's stunning, and you all know I love my neutral palettes. However, each of their palettes cost a whopping $80! That's a pretty penny to spend on a neutral palette, so this is one that might have to wait. 

The Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil is a product I've wanted to try for a little while, maybe 6 months or so. I hear that it makes your skin just look amazing because of the retinol in it. This is another pricey product at $105, but I'm sure a little goes a long way, and I'll always spend money on good skincare. 

I love everything that Kat Von D makes. From her old eyeshadow palettes from years ago, to her Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks, everything I've tried I've been a fan of. This Mi Vida Loca Palette has pretty much every color you would ever need, but the logical side of my brain says I don't need this since I'm more of a neutral girl. All of the reviews I've seen/read have been nothing but positive and at $59, I do feel it's worth the price.

Bite Beauty is a brand that impresses me more and more as I try their products. I've completely fallen in love with their lipsticks, and this year they came out with the Best Bite Rewind. They had a similar set last year which I did get, and was very impressed by. Even though these Matte Creme Lip Crayons are mini sized, the price is only $25, and I feel that's worth it because the quality of Bite products are just amazing. 

This is the Herbivore Blue Tansy AHA + BHA Resurfacinng Clarity Mask. I'm a mask junkie and need to try them all! This is said to be a clarifying and cooling gel mask, and the fact that it's got a bunch of chemical exfoliants makes me happy. As I get older, my skin seems to not be liking physical scrub exfoliators as much as it used to, so I'm always on the hunt for a product that has a chemical exfoliant in it. This one seems promising as I'm pretty sure it's a K-beauty line, and they know how to do skincare! This costs $48, which is fairly high, but I have spent more on masks in the past, so if this works well, it's worth the price!

That's my wishlist for the upcoming VIB sale! My cart is ready for Friday and I'll be making my final decision on everything I want the day before. My wallet hates me already... 

Are you planning on getting anything during the sale? What products are you thinking of getting?

Collective Makeup HAUL! Big Lots, Sephora & Ulta

Hi everyone! The past few weeks I did a bit of makeup shopping, and I wanted to share with you what I purchased. I'm trying to be good right now because the Sephora VIB sale is coming up next weekend for Rouge members, and I have a feeling I'll be splurging a bit. I plan on doing a wishlist for the event that should be up hopefully by tomorrow or Monday/Tuesday, so stay tuned! Anyway, lets see what goodies I have this time!

Starting off with the things from Big Lots, the first product I found is Body Raves Fresher Than Green Detoxifying Wipes. These are said to be infused with Aloe and Cucumber with Green Tea and they remove makeup, dirt, oil and environmental toxins. I snagged these up because they were only $2 and you get a whopping 60 wipes in a package. That's an incredible deal and if I end up not liking these on my face, they'll be fine for swatches. 

The next two products I was so excited to see and they're the Maybelline Eyestudio quads in Sapphire Stylist and Spirited Seas. The packaging for Sapphire Stylist says it was limited edition, but I have no idea what collection it's from, and Spirited Seas says "New", but it was probably discontinued for whatever reason. The price of these were incredible so brace yourselves. They were only $2.20 each! I couldn't believe it! In the drugstore, these quads are around $10, so just over $2 for each was amazing, and no one stuck their grubby hands in them either!

The last two products I found were shades from the discontinued Maybelline Color Whispers line. I found the shades Lust For Blush and Coral Ambition. I absolutely adored this line when it came out because the formula feels like a very hydrating gel. I have about 3 or 4 other shades, so I'm excited to have these in my collection now! Lust For Blush was $3.50 and Coral Ambition was $3. 

Next up is a couple things from an online order at Sephora. I was browsing Instagram a little while ago (I'm @Skinstuffbykaty there if you want to follow me!) and someone had posted about the Make Up For Ever Metal Palette being an awesome dupe for the Z Palette, at a much better price. Z Palettes are typically over $20, and this baby was just $14! I had also gotten a 10% off code to use on this purchase, so that brought the price of it down to $12.60. It was out of stock when I initially went to look it up, but I signed up to be notified when it came back, so I snagged one right away once I got the email. This palette is freaking fantastic! Seriously, it holds so much more product than the Z Palette and the price is incredible. The only downside is that it is heavy because the entire palette is metal. That doesn't bother me, and I'm officially converted. I've even switched my Makeup Geek shadows over to this already. I highly recommend picking one of these up! 

The next product I picked up is the Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in the infamous shade Lolita. The liquid lipstick version is always sold out, but for some reason, this lipstick looks like a prettier color to me. I have yet to try this as I want to review it, but I have to say, this smells like a vanilla cupcake, and that makes me very happy. 

I had cashed in 250 of my Beauty Insider points for the Bite Beauty Lip Lab Trio in Kir Royal. This was October's Limited Edition trio, and I knew I had to have it since it's a beautiful burgundy/berry/fuchsia color. I love Bite Beauty more everytime I try other products from them, and I'm slowly building up my collection. 

Last up is Ulta! I had received a 20% off coupon in the mail a couple weeks ago for Platinum members, and it was good on EVERYTHING! There were just a few exclusions, like Dermalogica, Lancome, the Benefit Brow Bar and one or two others. I had my eye on the Too Faced Star Dust Palette by Vegas Nay, but kept telling myself I didn't need it and had so many colors like what's in the palette, in my collection. As I kept seeing rave reviews on blogs and YouTube, I had to check it out for myself. This truly is such a stunning palette in person! While I probably have many similar shades already, I got sucked in. It also comes with deluxe sizes of Better Than Sex Mascara, Shadow Insurance, and a Glamour Dust Glitter Pigment. I figured since I got 20% off, why the heck not?! #TreatYoSelf

Anastasia Beverly Hills is one of those brands that everyone and their dog talks about, but I really haven't tried much. I do love her clear brow gel, and I also have the Tamanna eyeshadow palette. I've never tried her famous brow wiz and I have not a care in the world for her liquid lipsticks or glosses. However, after seeing pictures and swatches of this Self Made Palette on Instagram, I knew it had to be mine. Do I need another palette? Not at all, but I feel like she has some really nice eyeshadows for an amazing price. This retails for $35 and with the 20% off, it came down to just $28 before tax. Not too shabby for 14 different shades in one palette!

The last product I picked up is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream 3 piece set that has the shades Monte Carlo, Copenhagen, and Transylvania and retails for $11.99. I saw this set online but with different shades, and in-store they had three different sets. I was drawn more towards this one as I'm trying to broaden my dark lip horizon. I haven't tried Monte Carlo or Copenhagen yet, but Transylvania is just such a gorgeous color, yet it's kinda difficult to work with. It goes on a bit patchy and you have to layer it to get it to look nice. I also feel like I maybe need to invest in a lip liner for shades like this. I still feel like the set is worth it, and the price is great. The Soft Matte Lip Creams retail for either $5.99 or $6.99 individually, so it's like you get one free in this set. Also, with the 20% off coupon I had, it really wasn't bad at all.

That's everything! I feel really happy with this haul honestly since I got things I had been wanting for a little while now. Is there anything you've purchased recently?

Fall Inspired Makeup feat. Colourpop La La

Hey everyone! As promised in my last post, which was a review of the Colourpop Shadow in La La, I'm bringing you a full makeup look inspired by the changing season. Fall is probably my favorite time of year. The weather is perfect, the leaves are pretty, and I always feel it's the time for a life change. Here is the look I did!

Face
-Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer
-Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in shade #15
-Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser
-Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
-Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
-Essence Silky Touch Blush in shade 10 Adorable
-Pixi beauty Bronzer in shade Subtly Suntouched
-Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop

Lips
-Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in shades in Fig and Date
-Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in shade Pink (It's not very pink, more mauve-y)

Eyes
-Lorac Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer
-Urban Decay Naked Palette: Naked in crease, Toasted in outer Corner and smudged on lower lash line
-Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in shade La La all over lid
-Clinique Quickliner For Eyes Intense in shade Intense Black Honey, smudged on upper and lower lashline
-Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara and Covergirl The Supersizer Mascara

Overall, I really, really love how this look turned out! I was considering going dark with the lip, but I decided to go neutral as I wanted the eyes to be sort of the focus. By the way, I'm LOVING the Mat Velvet+ foundation! Expect a review in the coming weeks.

Do you have a certain makeup look you like for Fall?

Ulta & Sephora Haul!

Hey guys! I've had a few products set aside to do a haul post for a little while now, and today I'm sharing with you what I purchased! I went to Ulta because I had a 20% off coupon to use, and I only got one item from Sephora, but it's an exciting one in my opinion!

I didn't NEED dry shampoo, but I was wandering down the aisles and saw that Batiste had little sets with a mini travel sized dry shampoo, for the same $7.99 price tag! I don't really travel for long periods of time, but if I end up going somewhere for a couple days, the little cans are perfect. You all know my love for Batiste is very strong so I got my favorite Tropical scent, then decided to try out the Cherry scent. Even if I end up not liking the smell of Cherry, I won't care because this is hands down the best dry shampoo I have ever tried.

Nyx typically has some amazing lip products, and I already have one of their Intense Butter Glosses in a shade name I can't remember, but it's a fuchsia pink color. I wanted to get some colors that were good for Fall because 95% of my lip product collection are shades of pink. I ended up with the shades Toasted Marshmallow and Spice Cake. While both of these shades are incredibly pigmented and gorgeous, I had a hard time applying these without looking like I was drunk. Maybe I'm applying too much, but these are really hard to work with. The colors are so pretty though, so I'm willing to work with them more. 

Since I was on the hunt for more Fall shades to add to my ever growing lip collection, I decided to try out two of the Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks in the colors Cherries in the Snow and Plum Velour. Believe it or not, but these are my first ever Super Lustrous lipsticks! I'm sure I've said this before, but I always hated lipsticks until about 2 or so years ago. Now, I'm really into them and want more, lots more. 

The product I got from Sephora is a Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lipstick in the shade Elderberry. This is from their limited edition Frozen Berries collection and boy is it stunning! I even put this lipstick, along with the two Revlon lipsticks, in my favorite Fall Lipsticks post, which you can see in action here. This shade is incredibly vampy for my fair skin, but I love it. It takes a bit of working with the product to make it look nice, but it's totally worth it. The other little Bite box was a 250 point perk with a little baby lipstick and lipgloss.

Is there anything you've hauled recently? I'd love to know what else I need to try out!

My Top 5 Favorite Fall Lipsticks!

Hey everyone! I'm so happy that Fall is almost here, and I'm really excited to be sharing with you today my favorite Fall lipsticks! What's even more exciting is that this post is a collab with with my friend Steph over at Warrior Makeup. I've known Steph since we were in elementary school, and she's so sweet and nice, so I'm happy to be doing this collab with someone I've known for nearly 20 years! 

First up is the Maybelline Color Whisper in the shade Berry Ready. When the Color Whispers first came out, I was pretty excited to try them. They're said to have pure color pigments suspended in a weightless gel. I couldn't agree more with that statement! These are so soft feeling on the lips and just glide on effortlessly. This particular color, Berry Ready, is alot more pigmented than I thought it was going to be. When I originally purchased it, I thought it was going to be a very light berry color, but it really packs a punch. It can be sheered out as well, but I ended up liking how pigmented it looked with my fair skin, so I load it on. Unfortunately, I don't think Maybelline sells these anymore, which is a shame because the formula is incredibly hydrating. 

Now, when I think of Fall, going into Winter, I think of red lips. My all-time favorite red has got to be the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in the shade Standout. I've always had an incredibly hard time finding a red I liked because I'm super fair, but I have cool undertones. Looking for a red that didn't look orange on me was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Until Revlon brought out these Matte Balms. I had read reviews of this particular shade, and many had said it's a straight up neutral red that would look good on anyone. I took the chance and purchased it. This truly is a total neutral red. It doesn't have that yellowy orange tone, but there's no blue or purple either. It's completely neutral, and I'm in love. If they ever get rid of this shade or the Matte Balm line in general, I'll cry. Then I'd buy up all Standouts they have in stock.

This Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick on the shade Plum Velour is a newer edition to my collection. I have never owned a Revlon lipstick in the Super Lustrous line until I purchased this (and one other, which you'll see next!). This is a shine formula, which I'm assuming means it's a more sheer formula. I'm not complaining about that at all, because when I first tried it out, it was love at first swipe. I was amazed at how creamy it felt, and I like how the shade is a bit more of a muted plum color, and not as dark as it looks in the bullet. It's not very buildable color wise, but to me, that makes it easier to just swipe it on and go without having to think about it. 

This is the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in the iconic shade, Cherries In The Snow. I've heard about this shade for years and years, and everyone loves it. People have said that it's the "ultimate red," but I find this to have a fuschia/raspberry tone to it. If sheered out, it looks like you just came in from the cold or ate a cherry Popsicle. This particular lipstick will probably be my go-to red this year as it's in the creme formula and it feels incredibly hydrating on the lips. 

I had to go a little vampy for this post, and the lipstick here is Bite Beauty's limited edition Matte Creme Lipstick in the shade Elderberry. This is from their Frozen Berries collection and is described as a deep purple shade. I personally really love this color, but it takes some time to work with, so patience is required. I recommend exfoliating your lips well, then applying a lip balm that's kinda waxy feeling as it'll act as a primer. I'm not a fan of lip liners, but it might be a good idea to use one with this or other shades like it. Playing with different looks to go with this lipstick is going to be pretty fun, but trying to not look more like a vampire is gonna be interesting. 

Those are my favorite lipsticks for Fall! I'd use these shades all throughout Winter as well, since they all would work. As you can tell, my love for Revlon is pretty strong right now. Also, make sure to check out Steph's post here, and follow her everywhere! 

What are your favorite lipsticks or lip colors for the Fall time?

Makeup & Beauty HAUL! Ulta, Sephora & Makeup Geek

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to be showing you some makeup goodies I had purchased over the last few weeks or so. Alot of sales were going on, and there were a few things that I just wanted to try. I know I say this in every haul post I do, but I think it's going to be a little while until I do another haul. If you saw my last post, you know my husband and I are expecting our first baby! Since finding out we're expecting, I was in the mindset of changing some of my habits like eating differently, and I want to change around my skincare. Being pregnant and having oily, acne-prone skin is proving difficult to take care of properly. Anyways, forgive this long intro, and lets see what I picked up!

I'll start off with the products I picked up from Ulta. The day I went, Ulta was having a 40% off sale on certain brands and I also wanted to get some advice on skincare I can use during pregnancy. Salicylic Acid, moisturizers/serums/toners with Tea Tree Oil, Glycolic Acid, and possibly Benzoyl Peroxide are ruled out. In turn, that rules out almost all of my skincare because Salicylic Acid and Tea Tree Oil are the only ingredients that help with any acne I get. Instead of buying a totally new regimen, I decided to try out the Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash. My mom has used this in the past, but I had never tried it. The ingredients look safe, so I'm excited to see how this does with my skin. 

I had been so curious about the it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream for ages. During pregnancy, I have read that you can only use a physical sunscreen like Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, and not chemical sunscreens. I found a regular sunscreen I can use at Walmart, and I was very pleased to see this it Cosmetics CC Cream having both physical sunscreens. I have already used this, and I absolutely love it! I bought the shade Fair, and it's almost perfect, but it leans a little yellow on my skin. I can work with it though and it blends in incredibly well. 

I'm in love with Too Faced products and was standing at their section for close to 15 minutes, while my poor husband waited patiently. Their Melted Lipsticks are fantastic so I decided to get the shade Melted Jelly Donut, which is a bright fuchsia color. I have yet to try it, but I think I'm going to love it with my fair skin. 

L'Oreal and Physician's Formula were two of the brands that were 40% off. I picked up the L'Oreal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray due to all the great reviews I hear and read. I love setting sprays, especially during this time of year, and I typically like what I try. For Physician's Formula, I picked up the Matte Collection Quad Eye Shadow in Quartz Quartet. I don't hear alot about these shadows, but what I do hear is typically good. I have yet to try this, but I have pretty high hopes. 

I also had a coupon at Ulta for 20% off one item (excluding high-end brands), so the nice girl ringing me up split up my purchase and rung the L'Oreal spray and Physician's Formula quad separate. Also during that time, there was 5X points for Platinum Members and there was also something else going on, so I have a ton of points to use sometime!

Oh Sephora, how I love thee! I don't know what it is, but everytime I see or hear the words "Limited Edition", I tend to freak out inside a little. Kat Von D had come out with a LE version of her Tattoo Liner in Trooper. The packaging is all fancy, and a portion of the proceeds from every sale of this LE liner go to charity, which I found really sweet. This is one of my favorite liners as it makes it super easy to do wings. 

Another LE product I decided to buy is the Becca and Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop. Good Lord, is this stunning in person! Honestly, I didn't want this at first. I'm not typically a highlighter kind of girl because of my oily skin, but looking at swatches and seeing how much people have been raving about it, I had to have it. I don't know what my problem is, it just had to be mine! I haven't even tried it yet because I haven't really worn much makeup lately and it's so pretty, I don't want to touch it. I'm weird, I know. 

I also wanted to try out the Bite Beauty Neutral Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo. One end is called Fig, the other Date. I'm not the biggest fan of Date, but Fig is beautiful. I can probably mix the two and come up with something pretty! I'm a huge fan of the Bite products I've tried so I'm sure I will love this one too. 

I got a few deluxe sized samples as well, the first one being the Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm. It's got an SPF of 45 and Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, so I can use it! The Clinique Acne Solutions BB Cream has Titanium Dioxide in it, but it also has two chemical sunscreens, which is a bummer. I also have no idea what color they sent me, because it's so dark, I may not be able to use it at all!

Last, but not least, we have Makeup Geek! It had been almost a year since my last MG purchase, and recently there was a coupon code for 10% off Make Up Geek products. 10% doesn't seem like alot, but hey, it's something! I chose to purchase 3 of their Foiled Eyeshadows, and the shades I got were Caitlin Rose, Starry Eyed and Grandstand. These look so gorgeous, but I have yet to play with them. From what I hear, I won't be disappointed. I also picked up 3 of her regular eyeshadows in the shades Bitten, Barcelona Beach and Baby Face. I have 13 of here regular eyeshadows, so I'm already a huge fan. I really want to do a post on either my Makeup Geek shadow collection, or my favorites out of the ones I have. Once I test out these new ones, I'll do some kind of review. 

Well, that's my haul! If there is anything here you want a review on, let me know! It might be a while since I still don't feel too good alot of the time, but I promise I will get to it!

Is there anything you've purchased recently that you've been loving?

Also, remember I'm still doing my Summer blog sale!

May 2015 Favorites

Hi everyone! I'm sorry again for the lack of posts, but life got in the way a bit. I officially was finished work on the 30th, so my plan is to post as much as I can here. I'm hoping to do 4-5 posts a week until I can get into a set routine. Anyways, today I'm going to be sharing my favorites for May. There aren't too many, but the few I have, I've really been loving.

I know I talked about Bioderma in a previous favorites, but it really is amazing! It gets off all my makeup without leaving any traces behind, and it's so incredibly gentle on my skin. I have sensitive eyes and even with eye makeup removers that say they won't burn or sting, they still do for me. Bioderma does not and it's just an amazing product. I want to do a full review on this at some point. 

Next up is The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser. This stuff is amazing at filling in your pores before makeup, and it's helped a ton with keeping my oily skin pretty calm. I would never use this as just a moisturizer, but it's an excellent primer.

I won the Belif Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream in an Instagram giveaway, and I've been so impressed. It's very thick and moisturizing, but it doesn't leave a greasy feeling around my eyes. When I consistently use this, my eyes start looking so much better. I have a few different eye products I'm rotating through, but this one is probably my favorite nighttime eye cream. 

I put off trying the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask for ages and bought it quite a bit ago. I was having an issue with my lips in May, I think I may have had an allergic reaction to something, but nothing was making it go away. I was getting frustrated until I remembered I had this. This stuff cleared it up in a couple days and made my lips look and feel so much better. 

My last favorite is the Pop Pouty Pop Crayon in the shade Coral Crush. This came in a previous Ipsy bag and I would pull it out occasionally then switch to something else. In May, this was basically all I used. It's such a pretty color too, and I always got a ton of compliments while wearing it. It's definitely a good Spring/Summer shade.

What were some of your favorites in May?

Ulta & Sephora VIB A Love Note Haul!

Hey everyone! As you all may know, Sephora is having their A Love Note sale! VIB Rouge's and VIB's can get 15% off their purchase through the 21st of April, and Beauty Insiders can get 10% off from April 17th through the 20th. I also purchased a few things from Ulta when they sent out 20% coupons to Platinum members, so I figured I'd share what I got there as well! 

I'll start off with the few things I got at Ulta. I just had to pick up some Batiste Dry Shampoo in the Tropical scent, because that's my all-time favorite. I had never seen it at my Ulta store before, so I was pretty excited to be able to pick up another one. 

I also wanted to try out the new-ish NYX Intense Butter Glosses, and I decided on the color Funnel Delight. It's this beautiful bright fuchsia color, and I think it'll be perfect for Spring and Summer. 

When L'Oreal came out with their La Palette Nude palettes, my eyes went straight towards the second one. The Nude 1 palette is more warm, which is still really pretty, but I gravitated more towards this one, and I can't wait to play with it.

Now for the products from Sephora! I don't have an actual Sephora store close to me, so I had to go to my Sephora that's inside JCPenny. Soap & Glory are no longer going to be sold in Sephora, so all the products they had were discounted. I'm pretty sure I had never tried the Hand Food Hand Cream before, and with the discount it was under $4. The scent seems a bit strong to me, so I hope I like it!

Bite Beauty is a brand that I'm really intrigued by, but I do find their products to be expensive. I have purchased a few things of theirs, and have liked what I tried. They came out with Butter Cream Lipsticks and I picked up the shade Rosewood, which was also the last one they had! It's such a beautiful mauve-y berry color and I'm excited to try it. I do wish they had a better color selection though, because most didn't seem very wearable for my fair skin. 

The last thing I picked up in-store is the Sephora Favorites Summer Obsessions kit. I had originally saw this posted on a blog and knew I had to have it. It comes with a Beauty Blender Pro (black one), a deluxe size of Benefit's Watt's Up, a full size Nars Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight, a deluxe sample of Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fearless, A deluxe size Tarte Light's, Camera, Splashes waterproof mascara, A deluxe size Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, and a 1 fluid ounce bottle of Urban Decay's All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray. For $39, minus the 15% discount, you honestly can't beat the price. The Nars lipgloss by itself retails for $26 and a Beauty Blender is $20. If there is only one thing you get, it's this kit, which is a Sephora inside JCPenny exclusive.

This is everything I bought online, and yes, I know I have problems. Anyway, I had always wanted to try out the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No. 7 palettes, and this one in particular called 220 The Lover, showed up on the site after I had made my wishlist and it also is saying it's limited edition. The color scheme is just so beautiful together and I think they would look beautiful for Spring. 

A palette that was on my wishlist was the Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette. I'm so happy I got this because the colors are stunning, and I'm also happy I skipped out on her contour palette and waited for this. I plan on doing a review of this, hopefully soon!

I also have been wanting to try Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks for a long time. I'm not really one for matte lipsticks, let alone a liquid version, so I think that's why I waited so long. I ended up getting the colors Berlin (left) and Bachelorette (right) and I don't know what took me so long! I've already tried them and I must say, these are super pigmented and I find them drying, but you do have to put them on dry lips with no lip balm or anything or else it will be super sticky and come off on everything. I want to do a review on these as well because I really am super impressed when I thought I wouldn't be. 

You all know I love me some Urban Decay and I decided to pick up one of their Moondust Eyeshadows in the color Ether, which is a beautiful light purple with pink sparkle. I have another one of these and I think they're really pretty. I'm happy to have another one in my collection. 

I was also really curious about the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer. I got the lightest color called Fair Neutral, and I feel on the fence about this. I haven't tried it yet, but it smells odd, like paint thinner or something. I did want to use this under my eyes, but now I'm kinda afraid to for that reason.

The last product I picked up is the Kari Gran Naked Lip Whip in the scent Peppermint. This is on the new products page and if you know me personally, you know how much I love my lip balms.This was $15, which is kinda pricey for a lip balm, but it smells like York Peppermint Patties and it's got nice packaging, so I think it's worth it. It seems like a nice, thick balm too so that will definitely help my dry lips out. 

That's everything I got! If you want reviews of anything, please let me know! I'd be more than happy to give my opinion once I test things out. 

Is there anything you're picking up/have picked up during this sale?

January 2015 Favorites

Hey guys! It's the first favorites post of the new year and to be honest, I either didn't wear much makeup or when I did, it was usually something different everytime. There were a few products that stood out to me, so lets see what I loved in January!

My first favorite is the Origins A Perfect World SPF 25 Age-Defense Moisturizer with White Tea. I recently ran out of the moisturizer I use in the mornings, went through my stash of skincare, saw this, and put it in my bathroom cabinet. I've absolutely been loving how this makes my skin feel. Since we're in the middle of Winter, my skin is drier than the desert, so I've been needing help. This moisturizer has helped to plump up my skin and make it feel really soft and hydrated. I really love the smell of it too. It's kinda herbally, but not over the top. I love that it has SPF so I don't need an extra one over the top. Great stuff here!

Next up, I've really been enjoying the BeautyBlender liquid BlenderCleanser to clean my BeautyBlenders and the Real Techniques Sponge. This actually does a great job at cleaning those sponges, but I do clean them after every use. I have heard reviews that this isn't that great, but I have a feeling people wait too long to clean them, so they don't get as clean. This smells like lavender too, so it's nice and relaxing. I don't mind cleaning my blending sponges/makeup brushes anyway, but I think this product makes it more fun.

Essence is a brand that I haven't really dipped my toes into, and I've had this Silky Touch Blush in the shade 10 Adorable for quite a while. I had never used this blush until January and I used it pretty much every single time I wore makeup. It definitely has a silky feel to it, and it's such a pretty shade of pink for my fair skin. I don't remember how much this was, but I got it at Ulta and I *think* it may have only been about $3. Not too bad for a pretty blush that blends well like higher priced blushes!

My last two favorites are the Bite Beauty Lipglosses in the shades Two and Four. I got these in the Rose Deconstructed lipgloss set quite a while ago, and I gotta say, these glosses are just awesome! They are a bit on the sticky side, but it's not bad at all. The shades are all gorgeous, but these were the two I reached for most. I have the urge to buy full sizes of their glosses, but I can't really justify buying any right now since I have so many.

What were some of your favorites from January?

Also, take a look at my blog sale and if you live in the US, remember to enter my Borghese giveaway!

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?