MAC Freckletone Lipstick Dupe!! & Palladio Cosmetics Haul!

While shopping at Sally's Beauty Supply, I was looking at Palladio Cosmetics. I purchased something called Herbal Lip Slix - ultra shiny lip gloss crayon in the shade Creme Cocoa PLC09. It's basically a lip stick crayon. The texture is very smooth and creamy and the finish is shiny and pretty opaque. I've been wearing it for a few days and noticed that it looks exactly like one of my MAC favorites.. Freckletone. When comparing both, I couldn't tell them apart. The texture, finish, color.. It is the perfect dupe if you want to try Freckletone without spending $14.50 plus tax, and maybe not liking it. This crayon is $5.99, but I got it for 20%. They also sell this at ULTA, and ULTA always has buy one get one sales.. and they have great weekly coupons.

I also bought a concealer stick in the shade "light". Medium looked a little dark for me for a concealer. I already have a yellow color corrector concealer stick and it covers really good.. so I wanted to give another shade a try. Great coverage, it's very creamy and doesn't crease.

and, I bought a beautiful baked blush that reminds me of a mac mineralize blush, but I can't think of which one it looks like. Palladio has a realllyy nice selection of blushes. And they have great lasting power. This one is called "choc-au-lait"

YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Highlighter Review!

 

YSL Touche Eclat #1 Radiant Touch

Item Description: Light, luminosity, radiance. The award winning, must-have, take anywhere instant highlighter that banishes shadows, erases signs of fatigue and leaves your skin looking radiant. Touche Éclat is 8 hours of sleep in a pen - the one item no woman can be without.

Touche Éclat is ideal at any time of the day over bare skin, under or over foundation, crème or powder. Use this best-selling pen-brush around the eye area, the hollow of the chin, the contour of the lips and the sides of the nose. Just slip it into your bag to ensure a brilliant glow, anytime, anywhere. Suitable for all skin types.

Touche Eclat comes in four shades to suit your individual skin tone:

1) Luminous Radiance (for fair/ light/ medium complexions with pink undertones)

2) Luminous Ivory (for fair/ light/ medium complexions with yellow or golden undertones)

3) Light Peach (for warm and golden beige complexions)

4) Luminous Toffee (for deep complexions)

Here are swatches of all of the shades, courtesy of Karla Sugar.

This is an item I've been wanting to try for the longest time. While I was waiting in line to check out, the rack with miscellaneous travel items caught my eye. I immediately picked up the touche eclat and swatched it on my hand. The only shade available at that Sephora location was shade #1 Luminous Radiance, which is a universally flattering light, peachy-pink shade.

It has a very creamy, milky consistency. The brush is actually very soft, and isn't exactly useless like most of the brushes of similar applicators. I use 1-2 clicks and dot it under my eyes after I've already applied concealer and foundation, and smooth it out with a small concealer brush or I pat it in my skin lightly with my ring finger until it's blended.

I also like to run it down the bridge of my nose and under the arch of my brows for a subtle highlight.

Some people argue this is not a concealer, but it does conceal a bit. The coverage is very minimal, so if you have severe darkness, it should be used in conjunction with a concealer. It's like a light concealer and highlighter all-in-one. In contrast to Benefit High Beam which is also a pearly pink highlighter, Benefit only highlights, it doesn't conceal, and its also a lot more luminescent than the Touche Eclat. Touch Eclat is a lot more natural.

It really does make me look more awake and it does an awesome job brightening so no darkness shows through. I was looking at a tutorial on the YSL site which was very helpful. You can also apply this around your lips to make them more defined.

Overall, great product. I'd love to try shades 2 and 3 as well.

Price: $40, 0.1 oz.

Make Up For Ever Eyebrow Corrector Review, Photos and Swatches!

Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector

Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector ($20) is a waterproof eyebrow defining cream in a tube. Fills, defines, and intensifies brows with natural-looking, stay-put color. The result remains flawless throughout the day and holds up under all conditions (water, heat, etc).

The Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector is available in (4) shades: No.1 (light taupe brown), No. 2 (medium warm brown), No. 3 (dark ash brown) and No. 4 (dark brown black). No. 3, a deep, milk chocolate brown is a perfect match for my dark brown hair.

I was skeptical about this product because I've never used a cream product on my brows. The last thing I want is for my eyebrows to look fake or painted on. But, when I was at Sephora, one of the sales associates actually told me it's what she uses on her brows and her brows looked very natural and put-together.

The trick with making this product look natural is by only using the tiniest bit. And when I'm saying tiny, I mean the tiniest drop you can get. A little goes a very long way - even the residue left on the tip of the tube goes a long way.

Any brow brush will do, but I like using a small angled, firm brow brush. I usually start by tracing the underside of my brows (the area that should be the most harsh) and with whatever is left on the brush, make small brush strokes in the sparse areas until the brow is completely filled in.

What's great about this cream is that you can control how light or dark you want it to be. The more product you apply, the darker/harsher your brows will be, and the less product you use, the lighter and more natural your brows will appear.

The product dries fairly quickly to a matte finish.

The lasting power is amazing! My brows don't budge all day. I'm sure it'd be great for oily skin types or you live in a hot/humid climate and you have a problem with your brows melting off! haha.

Make Up For Ever Brow Corrector can be found at Sephora for $19.

Various swatches of #3; as you can see, the color differs with the amount of product used. 

Here is my eyebrow before and after using the Eyebrow Corrector in shade #3.

Have you tried this product?

Sephora Platinum #55 Airbrush Review!

Sephora Platinum #55 Airbrush

I'm not sure how I got lured into purchasing this brush.. but I did. It is the much talked about airbrush from Sephora. I LOVE Sephora's platinum pro silver handle brushes.. they are all so soft and of really good quality. They are a little more pricey than the regular black handled Sephora brushes.. but if you're looking to invest hundreds in brushes.. these are just as good, if not better than MAC brushes. This brush is said to work hand in hand with Make Up Forever's HD Foundation. It really does work well. This brush is incredibly soft and applies the foundation wonderfully. Through the application the brush stayed soft and the bristles never clumped together. It is also pretty sturdy.. the bristles didn't get pressed down or bend while applying. For Make Up Forever HD, this works better than the duo-fiber stipple brush (for me at least). I find that with thinner consistency foundations this brush works really well. I like using this for Make up Forever Face and Body Foundation as well. For thicker foundations, I still prefer my stipple brush. It definitely made applying foundation a lot quicker.. and I love how its shaped so you can really get close to your eyes and around your brow area well. Overall, I wasn't blown away with this brush, but it's definitely a really nice synthetic foundation brush to have in your collection in opposition to a regular flat brush or the duo-fibre brush. I'm glad I purchased it. 

Have you tried this brush? What are your thoughts?

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Review!

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5

As I mentioned in post a few weeks ago, I decided to purchase a long time lust of mine. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. At $58.00 for a 1 oz bottle, I was very reluctant to purchase it. But, I finally decided to treat myself to a bottle when the website had a 20% off promotion. I would of done a review sooner, but I had only used it a couple times because I haven't gone out at all since I started my job.. and its too expensive for daily wear. I wore it today though, to really test it out and see how I like it!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: As seen in the press, capture the glow of perfect skin with this award-winning foundation. Luminous Silk foundation is an oil-free fluid with exclusive Micro-fil technology. So weightless, it redefines foundation. Its hydrating fluid glides on seamlessly with a silky texture and all-day, buildable coverage. For all skin types.

• weightless and luminous oil-free fluid
• natural finish
• all-day sheer to moderate coverage

Application techniques:

Apply with the unique blender brush for a radiant, air-brushed finish.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5

Swatches of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, courtesy of Karlasugar.

First of all, I didn't do much research on this product other than knowing it has a really high rating on Makeupalley. While I was waiting for it in the mail, I started to do some research. I had no idea the coverage was sheer to medium. That made me a little nervous because I never purchase sheer foundations. I always purchase buildable medium coverage foundations. They work better for me for an airbrushed look and seem to have a longer lasting power.

The way I applied this was I first prepped my face with moisturizer and then I put one pump of foundation on a clean palette. I used my MAC 187 brush and stippled it all over my face and then buffed my face in light, circular motions. Because its a light foundation, I needed a few pumps to get the desired coverage I wanted.

Thankfully, it didn't seem at all sheer to me. At the moment, my skin is fairly clear, except for a few pimples that are in the process of healing and a little redness in my cheeks. This foundation covered all of that. No redness from my pimple blemishes showed through. My skin was completely flawless. I would say the coverage is a solid medium.

The beautiful thing about this foundation is, it makes it look like I've applied an iluminating tinted moisturizer on completely perfect skin. It doesn't look like a heavy foundation. It just makes my skin appear like I have naturally good, clear skin. And I love that about this! A very natural flawless.

The color is PERFECT for me. It matches my neck to the point. I got the shade 6.5 (Tawny). For reference, I am a MAC NC37-40. A problem that I always have is finding a foundation with the right amount of yellow. If the foundation is the slightest bit pink or peachy, it will not match me. This has the perfect amount of yellow.

Here's a swatch on my hand of shade # 6.5.

Because this makes my skin look fresh and radiant, I like pairing it with a cream bronzer as opposed to a powder. The bronzer I've been pairing this foundation is my Chanel Bronze Universel, and they go together perfectly.

This foundation also claims to be dewy, but on me, it is more of a satin. I don't need much setting powder, just a little on my nose, around my frown lines and under my eyes. The staying power is wonderful, and it doesn't seem to disappear throughout the day. Only after several hours, I'll notice the tip of my nose needs touching up.

I'm definitely adding this to my list of favorite foundations. I think its perfect for days you want to do heavy eye makeup without looking like you have tons of makeup all over your face. Will definitely repurchase!

Follow up (a year later): I am still loving this foundation. A while after this review, I started using my fingers instead of a brush to apply.. and I really like the outcome. I never used my fingers to apply any foundation since I was in high school.. but one day while I was in a hurry, I put a couple of pumps in my hand and applied it quickly to my face as if I was applying moisturizer. I was surprised to see, my face looked as flawless as when I use my brush. By the end of the night, my forehead and nose get shiny.. so i do find it necessary to use a setting powder. This foundation remains a favorite.

My Sept/Oct. Monthly Beauty Favorites!

1) Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes - I have raved about these before.. and I included these in my favorites because I didn't have them for a week and I was LOST. Nothing was removing my makeup as good as these. These are definitely something I always need to have on hand. Nothing compares!
2) Wet n Wild Creme Liner - At $3.99, this stuff is amazing! I've been using it for a liner every day for around 2 weeks. I haven't noticed any fading or crumbling. I think the consistency is a little smoother than MAC Fluidline. I think this is an awesome dupe and worth a try. The brush that comes with it is useless though. I used it and It was like putting straw to your eye lid. It was so coarse it made my eyes water.

3) ELF Studio Blush Brush - Ever since I purchased this, I haven't used anything else. I always liked large fluffy blush brushes.. so I was skeptical if I was going to like it, but this is the size a proper blush brush should be.. so you're applying it to the apples of your cheeks, not your whole cheek. I use it for powdering under my eyes as well since it comes to a point, you can get close to little areas.
4) ELF Studio Powder Brush - Love this brush for everything! I usually use it for my bronzer though. It works awesome for bronzer, blush, powder and foundation.
5) Bed Head After Party - I just purchased this maybe a week ago. Its a product I always wanted to buy, but reluctant because of the price. At ULTA, I think I paid $18.50. Its around the same price at Target and Walgreen's. It makes my hair feel so light and it definitely makes it more shiny and tames my frizzies I get from the flat iron. Love it!
6) GVP Concentrated Leave in Treatment - I use this every time I wash my hair. I love the smell of it. It's hard to tell if a leave in conditioner has helped your hair, but my hair definitely looks healthier than it use to. I don't know if this has been working.. but I always use it and will repurchase.
7) MAC Blot Powder - I already have a dip in this.. its one of my favorite products and I've been using it every day of October. :)
8) Revlon Nude Attitude Lipstick - I've been wearing this every day.. the perfect nude.
9) NYX Smokey Look Megashine Lip Gloss - I've been wearing this every day as well, paired with Revlon Nude Attitude. It's such a pretty color combo. I already purchased a back up tube of this.
10) MAKE UP FOREVER HD Primer - I got two samples from Sephora and I LOVE this primer. I'm not a primer person.. I think a moisturizer works just the same.. but for some reason, I'm really buying into this primer. The consistency is almost like liquid hand soap, and it makes my face the perfect canvas for my foundation. I just may purchase the full size.
11) MAC Sunbasque Blush - This blush hasn't been getting any love lately because I've been so into my pink blushes.. but I pulled this out of the drawer, and was reminded how much I love it! It is the perfect color for the fall and goes so well with my skin tone.

12) Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow - It's such a pretty frosty tan with a hint of white and pink. I've been using it in the corner of my eyes to brighten my eyes.
13) Biotin - I just started taking these for the health of my hair and nails. My nails are growing quick and they are so hard. They don't bend of break. I'm looking forward to seeing how this stuff works on my hair after daily use.
14) MAC Light over Dark Blush - I've been alternating this with Sunbasque. This is def. a favorite of mine.. as seen in previous posts.
15) MAKE UP FOREVER Lift Concealer - This stuff works wonders ;)

NOTD: OPI Manicurist of Seville!

I went in ULTA the other day to use my coupon and didn't see anything I wanted, so I decided to pick up a new nail polish for the fall. I was torn between tons of deep purples, blacks and blues. But those colors really don't compliment my skin. Or maybe I'm just thinking it doesn't because painting my nails that dark would go out of the norm or what I would usually wear. I'll try some daring colors soon.. But, I did pick up a gorgeous berry. I love wearing reds and burgundies in the fall and winter. This color, OPI's "Manicurist of Seville" is a very pretty deep burgundy with a hint of purple. It is the exact color of a ripened cherry or roses that ave started to wilt.

This is with one coat and clear top coat. With one coat the color will be lighter and more burgundy. With two coats, the purple will really show through and the color will be deep.

Love this! I'll be using it for a while :)

Haul: MAC Style Black Collection + Some Extras from MAC!

MAC Style Black Collection

Everyone was so hyped for the Style Black Collection, that I totally expected everything to be sold out or picked over by the time I reached a MAC counter a few days late. To my surprise, nothing had sold out yet. The only thing I had wanted from the collection was the mineralize eye shadows. The main colors that stuck out to me was the black, purple and golden one. I didn't care for the blue one because it's a color I really don't wear much.

I ended up only getting the purple and golden one; Young Punk and Gilt by Association. The sales associate at MAC also gave me a sample of the Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask, which I've tested and am loving!

MAC Gilt by Association and Young Punk Mineralize Eyeshadows

MAC Young Punk Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC Gilt by Association Mineralize Eyeshadow

READ MORE!

My favorite fragrance at the moment..

Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche.
Chanel Chance is a fragrance I've wanted for a really long time.. but I never buy it because I really don't like spending money on perfume. I don't know why.. as If I don't waste my money on everything else.. lol I always wait for my birthday or Christmas to come around.. :)

I actually wanted to get the original Chanel Chance, but when I smelled it at Sephora, It smelled really musky.. =X I didn't like it one bit. Then, I smelled the Eau Fraiche, and it smelled alright. But, when I actually sprayed it on myself, then I got to really smelling it and it smelled soooo good. That Sephora didn't carry the 1.7 oz, they only carried the 3.4 oz.. and I didn't want to buy that big of a bottle.. since its $90, plus 10% sales tax. So I went to Bloomingdales to see if they had the small bottle, and the sales lady talked me into buying the bigger bottle anyway since it was $25 more for double the size. whatever.. $100 later, I'm smelling oh so nice. :)

My favorite type of scents are really young, girly and fresh. I like fruity smells and citrus-y kinds of smells. I like perfumes that kind of smell like a girly cologne. I don't like musky scents, powdery or vanilla scents.

My other favorite perfumes are Ralph Lauren Romance, Versace Bright Crystal and Clinique Happy & Happy Heart (I don't love, love these, but my boyfriend loves it on me).

What is your favorite?