September 2014 Ipsy Bag!

Hey everyone! It's a dreary, rainy day here in eastern Pennsylvania. I'm off work but my husband wasn't so I was by myself all day. I got a little happier when I checked my mail and saw my Ipsy bag had arrived! The tracking info I got said it wouldn't be here til next week sometime, so it was definitely a surprise seeing it! The theme this month is called Street Style, so lets see what I got!

This bag is super cute to me! I love silver and it's very rocker chic with the studs. I can see myself carrying this in my bag. Onto the products!

The first product I received is the Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush. I've purchased brushes by Crown Brush on Hautelook before and I'm impressed with them, so I was excited to see this double-ended brush in my bag. It's really soft too so I think I'm gonna like it!

Next up is the Mitchell and Peach Luxury Hand Cream. Apparently this is made with matured essential oils over in Kent, England which makes it sound all posh. However, I don't really smell anything at all but then again, my nose is a bit stuffy right now. I always like a good hand cream, so I'm happy to try it out!

Then we have the Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss in the color Love Affair. This is such a beautiful burgundy shade that'll be great for Fall! It's fairly pigmented as well, which you'll see in a swatch in a bit.

Next product is the Pacifica Natural Water-Proof Eye Pencil in the color Gun Metal. It's a pretty silvery color that to me has a hint of green to it. The swatch I did on my hand was a bit hard to do so I'm a bit wary of putting it near my eyes. maybe if I warm it up a bit first then it'll be okay. I really like the color too, but it's not an everyday color.

The last product I received is the Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser. I'm a little wary of trying this as well because I have oily skin and cream cleansers don't go well for me. I think maybe I'll save this for colder months when my skin is less oily.

swatch of eyeliner and lip gloss

Overall, I'm alot happier with this bag than I was with previous bags. I'm happy with pretty much everything, which hasn't happened in quite a while. If you want to sign up for your own Ipsy bag for only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, use my affiliate link here!

Review: Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in 015 Barcelona Nights

Hey guys! A few posts ago, I did a haul where I bought 4 of these Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stains, and for a good price too! Today I'll be reviewing the color Barcelona Nights, which is probably my favorite out of the ones I purchased.

Revlon says that these Moisture Stains drench lips in glossy wet color, it's an ultra-light creamy lipstain with Vitamin E and aloe, and that 88% of women felt lips were instantly moisturized without stickiness. The Revlon website shows 11 shades but I have read that there are 12 and depending on where you buy them, they range between $8 and $10. 

I really like the design of this brush. It's like a flat paddle shaped brush that's super soft and picks up alot of color out of the tube. I have to note though, and I don't know if it's me, the brush or the product, but the ones I have go on streaky and I have to work with it a bit to get the full color on my lips. I'm thinking it's me because I always have to put on a lip balm before any lip color or my lips just dry out instantly. Once I get the color on the way I like, it looks great!

Barcelona Nights is definitely a warm color which I surprisingly like since I'm more of a cool toned girl. To me this is a bright berry color and the consistency of it is pretty nice, like a gel-creme formula. I feel like I get good wear out of this and the shine of this product lasts about 3 to 4 hours on me. The stain it leaves behind is nice too but definitely not as bright as this swatch. 

I really love how shiny these look! Overall, I'm pretty impressed with this product. This color is a bit hard to work with and you definitely need a mirror and patience for it to look blended evenly. I can go through a whole work day with only having to reapply once which is definitely a good thing for me because I don't have the time to be constantly reapplying lip products. I typically just reapply after lunch and I'm good til the end of the day. Would I recommend these? Sure, as long as there's a sale! At around $10, I don't find that particularly cheap and like I said in my haul post, I got these on sale at Ulta with a coupon and points were used so I only spent a little under $20 for the 4 that I have.

Have you tried these Moisture Stains? What do you think of them?

Review: InstaNatural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil & Youth Express Eye Gel

*Disclosure* I received  both products complimentary for review purposes. All opinion are 100% honest and my own, like always!

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to be reviewing two skincare products that I was sent to try out and review. If you know me or have read my blog for any length of time, you know I'm a skincare junkie. I love trying out new products and now that I'm 25, I feel like my skincare is starting to change a little bit. Anyway, this is my review of the InstaNatural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil and the Youth Express Eye Gel.

I'm surprised I like the Deep Cleansing Facial Oil as much as I do! This product is made with organic and natural ingredients such as jojoba oil, olive oil, lavender essential oil, pink grapefruit essential oil, tamanu oil, hemp oil, sea buckthorn oil and geranium essential oil. That's definitely a good amount of different oils, which I was unsure about at first since I do have very oily skin. However, when I pumped out some product (a good 5 to 7 pumps) and started rubbing it on my face, I was impressed by how fast it broke down my makeup. I even used it on my eyes when I had full on eyeshadow and mascara going, and it took that off really well! I do follow up with my normal cleanser and I've been pleased with the results I've been having so far. On Amazon this product typically retails for $49.95, but as of today (September 10th) it's on sale for $19.95! Not a bad price considering how much product you get. 

The Youth Express Eye Gel is interesting. Again, this product is made with organic and natural ingredients such as plant stem cells, Matrixyl 3000 and hyaluronic acid. It's also paraben, sulfate and alcohol free! When I used this for the first time, I put it all around my eyes including my lids and also in between my eyebrows. I immediately got this cooling sensation that I love lately with the warm weather we've been having. This product is supposed to help with puffiness, which I don't particularly have, but there is also a tightening effect so I can see it working. It's also supposed to help diminish the look of dark circles, which to be honest, I haven't noticed much of a difference. Mine are hereditary though so I doubt anything will work miracles for me in that department. Now this eye gel typically retails for $89.99 on Amazon but it's currently on sale for only $21.95! To me, that's an insane price when you get almost 2 ounces of product here and a little bit goes a very long way. 

Overall, I'm very happy with these products! Would I purchase them myself? I'd definitely purchase the facial oil because I'm just shocked that it actually works on my oily skin. I'd have to give the eye gel more time for me to make a decision. Products like that tend to take time for me to decide whether or not I'd buy it again. 

What do you think of these products?


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

Bronzed Chrome Look feat. Maybelline, Urban Decay & Lorac

Hello everyone! Today I'm going to be posting a look that I wore on Labor Day. I actually had work that day (yay for working in retail!) and wanted to make myself look nice. I've been wanting to use my Maybelline Color Tattoos more and Bad to the Bronze hasn't gotten much love, until this look!

I started out priming my eyes like always, then took the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze and blended it on my lids using a Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush. 

After that, I took the Color Chrome from the Lorac Pro 2 Palette and put that all over my lids as well. This looks so stinking beautiful, which you'll see in a bit. 

I mixed the colors Naked2 and Faint from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette and ran that through my crease while also blending out any harsh lines. 

I went back to the Pro 2 Palette and mixed Buff and Snow for my highlight.

I finished off the look with mascara, and I was good to go! Also, sorry for my horrible under-eye circles! I don't think I got good sleep the night before.

I really love how this look came out and I think the Color Tattoo really helped the Chrome color stand out a bit more. I'm definitely going to be playing around more with my Color Tattoos and see what I come up with!

What do you think of this look?

Review: Quench! Argan Oil

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

Hey everyone! I was given the opportunity to try out this Quench! Argan Oil and now I'm ready to share my thoughts on it. 

This 100% pure cold pressed argan oil sells on Amazon for normally $49.99 but as of today (September 4th) it's on sale for $14.99! For this big 4 ounce bottle, that's an insane deal. I was also provided with this code: AZWJ5G3L for an extra 10% off your order. You add this code during checkout to save the extra money! 

As most people probably know by now, argan oil is known for its moisturizing properties. What I never knew though is it's also good for acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. Alot of people use it on their hair as well. I recently colored my hair and used some of this along with my leave-in conditioner and my hair was so stinking soft, I couldn't stop touching it. 

There are just so many uses for argan oil, it really is amazing. You can mix it in with your moisturizer or use it alone as your moisturizer, you can use it to soothe muscle pain, and also to soften cuticles and strengthen brittle nails. I've been having this issue with one of my fingers on my right hand being so dry in this one spot to where it's irritated and cracking and it's been driving me nuts. I thought one night before bed to use this as a hand moisturizer and I paid special attention to that finger. In the morning I couldn't believe it! That spot on my finger was completely healed. I kid you not, of all the hand creams I've used nothing would help that spot but this helped it overnight. 

I should also mention that this argan oil is paraben free, sulfate free, preservative free, dye free, fragrance free and chemical free! I especially love that it's fragrance free because lately my allergies have been bothering me and fragrant things are setting me off. 

Now I guess the big question is, would I buy this myself? Definitely! I've tried the Josie Maran argan oil before and I did like it, but there is something about this one that's a little better. It's also a much better price! Remember to use the code AZWJ5G3L for an extra 10% off when you purchase this!

What do you think of argan oils? Have you used them before?

August 2014 Empties!

Hi everyone! August was great in the using up products department, so this may be a longer than usual post. Lets check out what I used up.

 I'll start with the more random products first. I used up a Bath & Body Works handsoap in the scent Candy Cane Bliss. I absolutely love this stuff man! I kinda have a thing for peppermint and this smells like a straight up candy cane. Love it and will repurchase if it comes out again this year!

I also used up a Lady Speed Stick deodorant in the scent Shower Fresh. I liked the scent of this and I feel like it did the job well. I bought this I think for only $1 but I honestly don't remember where.

I used up one of my favorite toothpastes, the Crest Sensi-Relief. I'm sure I've mentioned in the past, but I have super sensitive teeth and gums so I'm always on the hunt for a toothpaste that's good with sensitivity but also affordable. I think this tube retails for around $4 or so, but I wait til I can find a coupon to use. Definitely will repurchase.

 A couple more random products, I used up the Philosophy Happy Birthday, Beautiful! shower gel. Loved this since it did smell just like a vanilla birthday cake. I featured this in my July favorites and I'm really hoping they have a scent like this that's permanent because I'd stock up on this stuff!

Now this may be a strange product, but it's the Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. I used to use this alot when I was younger as a hand cream because it's got a good consistency that melts right into the skin but it's incredibly hydrating. I found this bottle and I think I have another one hiding in my stash, but it rekindled my love again. When I was at Walgreen's the other day, I actually saw a two pack of these things! I could only get them in Amish Country at a local store and would stock up when my mom and I would go. If you live in Pennsylvania, Amish country is in the middle-ish of the state, so like Lancaster/Harrisburg/Hershey area. It would take about 2 hours to get there but it was worth it.

Now for lots of skincare! The first product I finished up is the Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Cleanser. I featured this in my June favorites, and now that I've completely used it up, I wish I would've saved this for the winter time. It's a thicker cream cleanser that doesn't foam up at all, which makes for a good makeup remover. However, I did notice that as the Summer went on, it started feeling a bit heavy on my oily skin. I only used it at night and it is wonderful when used with the Clarisonic, but I feel like I would've gotten better use out of it when it's really cold outside. Oh well, live and learn! Would I repurchase? Maybe, I have so many other cleansers to use up before I think of repurchasing anything.

This bottle of Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for combination skin lasted me ages! And by ages, I was using this when my husband and I were dating and I would stay over at his house. we've been together a little over 4 years now and married almost 1 if that says anything. I'd only use this at night but once in a rare while, mostly in winter, I'd use it during the day if my skin felt dry. This is a great basic moisturizer and lasts forever, so you definitely get your money's worth!

I used up a Clarisonic brush head in the deep pore version. Clarsonic recommends you change out the brush heads every 3 months, but I assume that means with daily use. I use my Clarisonic at most three times a week, so I stretch that out a little. After every use I always wash it well, so I feel I can get away with changing them out less often. I like this brush head surprisingly. It's not harsh on my skin which is great and I do feel like my skin is alot cleaner when I use my Clarisonic. I have so many backups of brush heads, it's pretty nuts.

Next we have the Philosophy Take a Deep Breath Oil-Free Energizing Oxygen Gel Cream Moisturizer. I'm pretty sure this is one of my favorite moisturizers I've ever tried! Honestly, it's got the best texture for oily skin, doesn't feel heavy, and it still feels hydrating. If I didn't have a million moisturizers to go through, I'd go out and buy multiples of this stuff, that's how good it is. I don't think I have a full size jar of this, but this sample size lasted quite a while, about a good 3 weeks I'd say. 

I used up the Clinique Spot Healing Gel pretty quickly. I must've had alot of breakouts or something, but this tube did not last long at all. I think it helped heal any blemishes I had, but the spot treatment I'm currently using blows this out of the water. 

I actually never got to use the Skin Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Cream. When I ran out of a different eye cream, I went to use this and it was just a ball of goo and wasn't useable at all. I cleaned out the jar and I'll probably reuse it for something else.

Last skincare product is the Lancome High Resolution Eye Refill-3X. This is a sample size that came in a gift with purchase set. I didn't really care for it much, it kinda burned a little and didn't feel very hydrating. I looked it up online and the full size jar of this costs a whopping $64! I couldn't justify buying an eye cream that expensive, but hey, someone else may love this.

Now for the makeup! Basically it's all mascara and one eyeshadow primer. The first mascara I used up is the Covergirl Natureluxe Mousse Mascara. I talked about this in my May favorites and I pretty much loved this stuff. It made my lashes look so nice and I'm really sad it's discontinued.

The next mascara I used up is the Clinique High Impact Mascara. I really liked this too! It gave me decent length but was great in the volume department. I might repurchase this after I use up my mascara hoard.

Next up is the Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes mascara. I thought this was alright. It clumped up a bit which I had to go back with a lash comb to remove but it gave me some nice length. I'm pretty sure I already have a full size of this to use up, which I'm kinda upset about since I didn't like it. I may just use it in conjunction with a different mascara.

Now I tried to use the Duwop Lash Venom, but when I opened it, the brush was flattened to the wand! I tried my hardest to make it useable but I figured it was just too dried up to use. It's a shame because I was really looking forward to trying this out.

I was using the Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara for almost a week when I noticed it wasn't really that great. It was giving me those little balls of mascara at the tips of my lashes and they were hard to get rid of. Unfortunately, in the trash it goes!

The one lone eye primer I have is the Tarte Lifted Natural Eye Primer. I used this for quite a while then it started to dry out on me and wasn't useable. It was alright while it lasted. It didn't really make my shadow last long, but it did make the colors pop. I'm pretty loyal to my Urban Decay Primer Potion but I do have a lot of primers to use up!

What have you used up lately?

August 2014 Favorites!

Hey everyone, and happy September! Honestly, this year is going by so darn fast! My wedding anniversary is this month and it seems like yesterday I was posting about it coming up. It's really amazing how time flies! Anyway, August was pretty good product wise for me. I have a decent amount of favorites to share with you all, so here we go!

The first product I've been loving is the Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover. This stuff is amazing! I really like the original cleanser that everyone and their mother talks about, but this stuff is the bomb for oily skin. It's basically a thick gel formula but it lathers up nicely so it feels like it's really cleaning your skin. It's also amazing when used with a Clarisonic. They sell this huge bottle at Sephora for only $21, which to me is amazing because you only need the tiniest bit. This will last a long while since I only use it at night!

Next up we have the Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment. I had ran out of the spot treatment I was using and thought I had samples of something else to use, but I really didn't. I couldn't wait so when I was grocery shopping I took a peek down the skincare aisle and saw this. It was on sale and I actually had a coupon so this was only a little under $5. I'm pleased to say that this stuff really does work! I use it in the morning and as the day goes on, I do notice that the breakouts I have aren't as red and puffy. This is definitely a keeper in my book!

Now I know the Lorac Pro 2 Palette was in my favorites for July, but it's just so amazing that I had to include it again for August. This palette is just so beautiful, it's quickly becoming one of my favorite palettes, ever. Go and buy it!

Then we have The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel. Now I'm pretty sure I've either talked about this or the body butter in the same scent before, but I'll say it again, this stuff smells amazing! when you're in the shower, it truly feels like you're in a field of oranges and the smell just fills the bathroom. I remember I had taken a shower one night and my husband came home from work, stopped dead in his tracks and asked what smelled so good. I hadn't cooked anything so I said it was probably my shower gel. He said it smelled like orange peels were strewn throughout the house and it was wonderful. He loves oranges so he was happy!

Next up is two lip glosses from the Bite Beauty Deconstructed Rose library I hauled a little while back from Sephora. I had originally gotten this because of FleurdeForce saying she loved it. The Sephora I went to only had one of these left, and it was a limited edition product so I don't think you can get it anymore. The two particular colors I have shown here are numbers five and six. Six is actually on the left and five is on the right. These glosses are a bit sticky but the color selection totally makes up for that!

My last favorite is a sample size of the Sephora Atomic Volume Maximum Volume Mascara. I'm pretty sure this came in a kit of some sort, but I'm really impressed with this little guy! It does give me more volume than I'm used to, which is nice, but it still looks natural on my lashes. I just looked on the website, and I don't know if they renamed this or discontinued it, but I can't find the exact mascara on there :(

What were you loving in August?