Collective Ulta & Sephora Beauty Insider Haul

I've purchased some beauty bits since the Summertime, and wanted to share with you all what I picked up! I've been on a kick lately with self-care in taking better care of my skin and occasionally doing my makeup more. I'm so excited I got to treat myself and can't wait to give everything a try!

I'll start off with the most exciting purchases, eyes shadow palettes! You all know eye shadow palettes are my favorite, and I ended up picking up 3 during different sales where I received 20% off my purchase, and that included prestige brands. I don't really watch Jaclyn Hill much on YouTube anymore, but her eye shadow palette that she put out with Morphe looked absolutely beautiful. Now with Morphe being sold at Ulta, I'm more inclined to try their products. 

I don't have very many MAC products in my collection, but the Cool Neutral eye shadow palette really tripped my trigger. I LOVE cool toned shadows, and I feel like every palette out there is warm toned, so this is a welcome palette to my collection. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills makes some amazing products (the clear brow gel is fantastic!), and I typically love their palettes. With the whole Subculture debacle, I was wary of buying any more from them. However, the Prism palette is just so stunning, and limited edition, so I knew I had to have it before it went away for good. I have yet to try it on my eyes, but I'm excited to, even though reviews I've seen are mixed. 

Skincare is always my weakness, and I haven't used Dermalogica products in ages. Their Active Moist moisturizer was a favorite of mine years ago when I was in cosmetology school. I figured I'd give it a try again to see if I still like it. 

Face masks are my favorite skincare product to use, and I had never heard of the brand Skin & Lab before. They have a few different kinds of masks, but I chose their Glacial Clay Facial Mask, which is said to be a purifying cooling & pore refining treatment with Canadian colloidal & Avena satiba oatmeal. This mask seems to be right up my alley!

I'm in need of replacing my beloved The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner since it's so pricey now, and with the 20% off coupon, I decided to give the Mario Badescu Keratoplast Cleansing Lotion a try. It seems like a simple toner and only has a few ingredients, so I'm hopeful this is a good one.

'Tis the season for dry hands and lips. I tend to go through hand creams and lip balms like they're going out of style once the weather cools down, so I decided to get the Delectable Dream Cream Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream set, and the Skinfix Lip Fix set. I went through so many lip balms and hand creams when my daughter was in the NICU, and I still seem to go through alot, so I can never have enough!

These Hempz products were a gift with purchase for spending a certain amount, and I had never tried any of these products, so I figured I'd give them a go. It came with the Triple Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Hand Sanitizer, Body Cream and Lip Balm.

I wasn't planning on purchasing anything from the recent Rouge/VIB/Beauty Insider sale Sephora recently had, but this was the first year Beauty Insiders received a discount. I'm no longer Rouge, and much prefer Ulta's reward system, but the Kat Von D Saint & Sinner eye shadow palette for Holiday 2017 stood out to me. I missed out on last year's palette, Metal Matte, and I kick myself for not getting it still, so I knew I had to get Saint & Sinner. 

I also cashed in 100 points since I rarely buy from Sephora, so I got the Farmacy Honey Potion Hydration Mask. This is a brand I've been dying to try, and my skin needs some extra hydration lately. 

Is there anything you've purchased lately from recent sales?

Review: Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lolita

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Kat Von D has killed it in the makeup world lately, and almost every product I've tried, I've really liked. Her liquid lipsticks are cult favorites, but I haven't heard a whole lot about her Studded Kiss Lipstick. I purchased a Studded Kiss Lipstick in the infamous shade Lolita, and I have to say, I really, really like it!

Here is an overview of Kat Von D lipsticks from Sephora:

What it is:
An innovative lipstick that coats lips with bold color, long-lasting wear, and luxe comfort.

What it does:
Drench your lips with bold color and unstoppable femininity. Designed to look as rock ‘n roll as its wearer, this revolutionary, hybrid lipstick is formulated with Color Cushion Technology™, which combines lasting-wear, one-swipe payoff, and velvet-touch comfort. This color-true lipstick leaves lips supple, and its wide color spectrum offers stunning shades, including red for every skintone, statement-making colors, and classic, everyday neutrals. 

What else you need to know:
Kat Von D’s Studded Kiss Lipstick is infused with vitamins A, C, and E, an antioxidant complex that leaves lips feeling soft, and the Crème Brûlée scent provides a subtle, sweet experience when you apply it. Designed by Kat to resemble one of her favorite bracelets, the black, monochromatic casing is uniquely studded and topped with her KVD monogram on the outer crown and bullet. 

I absolutely adore the packaging of the Studded Kiss Lipsticks. For some reason, it makes me feel like a total bad-ass when applying this color. Don't ask me why, I'm just weird. Seriously, I expect nothing less than a rock n' roll feel from Kat Von D and it always translates into her makeup.  

The color I picked up called Lolita, is a super popular shade, especially in her liquid lipstick line. I don't own that one, so I can't compare that to this lipstick. Lolita is described as a matte dusty rose shade, and I completely agree. I feel like this shade makes my lips look like they have more color to them when I think they're looking a little more pale than usual. The matte formula is a tad bit drying, but when applied over top of a lip balm, all is good in the world. I have yet to try a gloss on top of this, only because I really love the color by itself. I don't think I've ever owned a lipstick that I feel I can wear on its own and be completely happy with it, and with this one, I'm always happy. 

I love the look of the packaging, the feel of it going on the lips, and the scent is heavenly. The lasting power isn't bad. If I'm not eating or drinking anything, I get about 3 or so hours of wear before I notice any fading. It does transfer unlike her liquid lipsticks (or any liquid lipstick for that matter), but I didn't expect it to stay put all day. 

Overall, this is a fantastic lipstick, and I definitely want to try more from the line. The Studded Kiss Lipsticks retail for $21 at Sephora, and I think they're worth every penny. 

Have you tried these lipsticks before? What do you think of them?

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 ;)

What I Got For Christmas/ My Birthday HAUL!

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Hey guys! I hope everyone who celebrates had an awesome Christmas, and has a very happy New Year! December is always an odd month for me because my birthday is on the 8th, so presents that are given to me nowadays are for both that and Christmas, which I'm honestly fine with! Since I'm now 27 (hooray for being in my late 20's now...not!), I never really ask for certain presents anymore. I prefer either gift cards or cash so I can get something I know I'll enjoy and use. I also do treat myself to some things because, why the heck not?! So today I'll be sharing with you what I ended up getting with my birthday/Christmas money!

I had gone to Walgreen's hoping to find new products that I've been hearing about, but had zero luck. They did however have a major clearance sale going on, so I took some time browsing. I picked up the Wet n Wild Fergie Take on the Day Mattifying Powder that was on clearance for just a couple dollars. I'm hoping this is decent, but with it being marked down, it's probably getting discontinued. 

I also picked up one of the Megalast Liquid Lip Colors in the shade Red My Mind. It's a beautiful shade in the package, but that's it. It's an awful formula and flakes off my lips almost immediately after applying it. Luckily, this was just over $1 on clearance, and now I understand why every shade in this line was marked down. 

I've never tried the popular Wet n Wild lipsticks that everyone talks about, so I picked up the shades Smokin' Hot Pink and Cherry Picking. I always thought these were $1.99, but at my Walgreen's they were $2.49. No big deal really, so if I end up liking these, I'll probably buy more!

Burt's Bees wasn't on sale at all, but if you bought 2 of their lip balms, you got 1,000 points so I got the scents Honey and Coconut & Pear. I love lip balms, and Burt's Bees makes some great ones. 

Next up is Sephora! I had gotten the VIB Rouge giftcard in the mail for $25 off of a $50 purchase, and my mom also gave me hers to use as well, so I placed 2 separate orders, but lumped everything together. On one of the orders I had to buy hair ties because I wasn't quite at $50, but somehow I lost them already.

Anyway, I ended up getting the Philosophy Holiday Handbook hand cream set, which has the scents Cranberry Medley, Fresh Cream and Raspberries & Cream. I purchased a set of these last year as well and love them, so when I saw they had another set this year, I knew I had to have it. Fresh Cream is such a light, but amazing scent and I'm very happy to have it in hand cream form!

I have no reason to be buying more eyeshadow palettes, but the Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons is one I just had to have! I had been hearing about it for months, thought the packaging was adorable, and the fact that it smells like chocolate always seals the deal. I have the other two chocolate bar palettes as well and color selection wise, I think I like this one the most. 

Kat Von D has been killing it with her makeup line within the past year, and everything I've tried so far, I've loved. I bought yet another Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade Bauhau5 and a Metal Crush Eyeshadow in the shade Raw Power. You all know my love for her liquid lipsticks, but I've been dying to try out the Metal Crush Eyeshadows. I was torn between this and the shade Thunderstruck, but went with Raw Power because I love my burgundy's!

The birthday gift this year came from Nars and it included a Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade Cruella, a Satin Lip Pencil in the shade Rikugien, and since I'm VIB Rouge, it came with an extra little sample of their Larger Than Life Eyeliner in the shade Via Veneto. I hear that both of the lip pencils and the eyeliner are great, so I'm excited to try them out!

Last but not least, I made a trip to Ulta. My lovely mother-in-law gave me a giftcard, and my dad gave me some birthday money. I also had the coupon for 20% off, which was good on everything I purchased! I had seen a review on YouTube of the Stila Trust in Love Gift Set, which includes an eyeshadow palette, a deluxe sized lip glaze, and a deluxe sized sample of their HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara. The wand on the mascara reminds me so much of the Too Faced Better Than Sex, which is probably my favorite higher end mascara, so we'll see if the Stila one compares. 

Real Techniques was on sale, so I picked up two of their Shading Brushes. I don't have these yet in my Real Techniques brush collection, but I love the size of these and think they will be good for applying shadow to my hooded lids. 

I've decided I wanted to delve into the world of lip liners, so I went a little ham with what I bought. I ended up buying three Essence lip liners in the shades 15 Honey Berry, 07 Cute Pink and 08 Red Blush. These babies were only $1.49 and with the coupon I had, it made them super inexpensive. I always hear good things about these lip liners too, so I have high hopes. I also purchased two other lip liners, one from NYX in the shade Cabaret, and one from Rimmel in the shade Rapture. The Rimmel lip liner was marked down to clearance, which may mean it's being discontinued. 

Next up is a new Revlon eyeshadow palette called Not Just Nudes, and the one I purchased is Romantic Nudes. They had another one that seemed a bit more warm toned, so the purple-y mauve-y pink shades in this stood out to me more. I love how drugstore brands are coming out with eyeshadow palettes, so I hope this is decent quality. 

The last product was the birthday gift from bareMinerals, and it's a Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in the shade Birthday Babe. I don't think I've tried these glosses before, but I love the color of this, and it isn't very sticky either. 

That's everything from my birthday and what I got for Christmas! Did you get any makeup/beauty goodies that you're enjoying?

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?

August 2015 Favorites

Hi everyone! I say this pretty much every month, but the year is just flying by. The past couple months have been not so great personally, but they're going by fast, which I'm happy about. It's September now, which means I get to celebrate my 2 year wedding anniversary soon, and there are only 3 more months until my birthday! I didn't wear too much makeup in August, but I do have a few favorites to share with you all.

My first favorite is the Olay Sensitive Body Wash. This stuff is fantastic! Even though the bottle says it's unscented, it still has a very light, clean scent. It's lovely and makes my skin feel soft and clean. I originally bought this for my husband, but I've stolen it from him (not really though, I'm not that mean). 

Next up is the Zamian Super Gold Cacao Pack or mask here in the states. I had gotten this in a Memebox, and only used it a small handful of times in the past. I pulled this out again, and instantly fell in love. First off, it smells like hot chocolate with maybe some rum mixed in. It's delicious smelling, but it makes my skin glow and feel like a baby's bum. Apparently, it's got gold powders in it as well, which makes it seem pretty fancy. 

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter is a product I started using literally a week before the end of August, so I might be cheating. I've talked about these lip butters before and it's no surprise I like them. This particular one is so incredibly hydrating, and it smells like lemon meringue pie! This is also one of the rare lip butters that don't leave a white cast on my lips, so that's a big plus. 

If you click the picture to make it bigger, you can see that I have a pan of Makeup Geek Starry Eyed Eyeshadow. This is one of the foiled shadows, and boy is this beautiful! It's so shiny and pigmented and makes for a great lid color, and if you have fair skin like I do, you can maybe get away with using this as a cheek highlight, but very lightly of course. 

The last product is the Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper Blush in the shade Bellisima. This is a pretty pink-y coral shade that has a tiny bit of a sheen and looks so pretty on my fair skin. This little sample size was most likely a point perk from Sephora, but now it makes me want to get more of these blushes. 

What were some of your favorites in August?

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!

Review: Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette

Hello everyone! Today I'm going to be reviewing the much talked about Kat Von D Shade + Light Eyeshadow palette. This has gotten so much buzz and has some great reviews. I had wanted it since before it came out and was able to snag it during the Sephora VIB sale back in April. 

The packaging is made of cardboard and has a magnetic closure set-up like the Monarch, Chrysalis and Innerstellar palettes. I have the Monarch and Innerstellar palettes, but honestly haven't used them nearly as much as this one. 

Here is a description of the palette from the Sephora site:

What it is:
An eye contouring palette featuring three color quads in neutral, cool, and warm shades.

What it does:
Transform your eyes through the art of contouring. After tapping into makeup pro secrets, Kat Von D created this first-of-its-kind eye shadow palette. It’s specially-designed for eye contouring, a groundbreaking technique once used only by beauty experts to define and enhance eyes. This palette features a gorgeous, versatile array of true contouring shades, arranged into three color quads—neutral, cool, and warm—to flatter every skintone.

Three large base shadows are arranged above three coordinating powders for contouring, defining, and highlighting. The palette includes an easy-to-follow contouring guide with step-by-step instructions for creating three different eye-opening techniques. Each velvety powder is blendable and buildable, and it features Kat Von D’s signature high-pigment, long-wear eye shadow formula, created to deliver rich color that lasts all day and all night.  

This is the neutral quad. The top large color is called Laetus which is a creamy nude. The other three colors are called Samael, a dusty fawn, Solas, an espresso brown, and Lucius, a soft beige. These are the colors I tend to use the most since they seem the most flattering for my fair skin. I'm in love with the shade Samael for my crease, and the two lightest shades are so close to my skin tone, so they're great for either highlighting or as an all over lid shade for a base. 

This is the middle, cool quad. The top color is called Lazarus, a cool taupe and the other colors are Saleos, a smoky brown, Shax, a jet black, and Liberatus, a pinkish ivory. I have yet to use Saleos and Shax, but I'm completely obsessed with using Lazarus as a transition shade. It's perfect for my skintone and I use it in conjunction with some of the warmer and neutral shades in this palette. 

This is the warm quad. I have to be careful using these shades because they can make me look sick if I don't use the colors right. The top color is Ludwin, a peachy bronze, and the other colors are Succubus, a rich rust, Sytry, a chocolate brown, and Latinus, a golden bisque. I'm surprised I like these colors! I really like using the color Succubus as an accent color on the outer third of my eyes, and Latinus is a good all over lid shade for me. 

Overall, I'm extremely happy I purchased this palette! It does cost $46 at Sephora which is pretty expensive, but I think it's completely worth it. There are endless combinations you can do using this and you don't have to stick with just using the cool tones or warm tones. Mix it up! That's what playing with makeup is about! These shades are pretty darn pigmented and I find them easy to work with and blend. There isn't much fallout either, which is a big bonus. I have to use a primer on my eyes, but these shadows last all day on me and still look good at the end of the day. I've been a huge fan of Kat Von D's makeup for years and she just keeps coming out with better products.

Have you tried this palette? What do you think of it?

April 2015 Favorites!

Hey guys! I know everyone and their dog says this, but I can't believe how fast this year is flying by. Seriously, We're almost half way through the year already! Anyways, I have some favorites today to share with everyone. April was a good month with beauty products, so it was hard narrowing it down. Lets see what made the cut!

The first product is the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray. Holy moly, this stuff is amazing! It really does keep whatever makeup is on my face looking nice for a really long time. I can do my makeup in the morning for work and by the time I get home, it still looks nice. I also love how it feels on my skin, it's very refreshing and cooling.

Next up is the Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye palette. I had been wanting this ever since I knew it was coming out. I picked it up during the VIB sale Sephora had last month, and I'm so happy I bought it! All of the colors are beautiful and I will be doing a full review of this soon, so I won't blab on about it right now. 

I just posted my review of the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No.7 palette in The Lover here, and it's safe to say, I'm a fan. I will probably be buying another one of these palettes at some point, but I absolutely love this particular one I picked up. 

Next we have Bioderma. I have been hearing about this stuff for ages, but we couldn't easily access here in the states, until now. The website Beautylish is carrying Bioderma, so when it officially launched I decided to order some. I'm so glad I did because this stuff really lives up to the hype! I do want to review this as well, but a short one is it takes off makeup like a dream and feels lovely on the skin. Great stuff!

Lastly, we have two lip products. The first one is the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade Berlin. These bad boys are no joke guys! They're incredibly pigmented, have great staying power, and don't feel too drying. These are definitely worth the $20 price tag. The second lip product is the NYX Butter Gloss in the shade Cupcake. I love these Butter Glosses and this shade is such a beautiful, bright pink that's perfect for this warmer weather we finally have.

What were some things you've been loving in April?

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?