Illamasqua Mislead Eye Liner Cake Review, Photos and Swatches!

Illamasqua Eye Liner Cake in Mislead

Have you ever heard of "cake liner" before? The first time I ever heard of it was several years ago when I became interested in learning more about theatrical makeup (Ben Nye, Graftobian, Cinema Secrets, etc) and came across Ben Nye Cake Eyeliner - well, I never got around to trying it, but it's a product that's always sat in the back of my memory of products to try one day.

Cake Eyeliner is pretty much the only type of liner I haven't tried before. I've for the most part tried all of the liner options out there - pencil, cream, gel, liquid, kajal, powder, you name it. My preferred choices on most days are gel and liquid.

When I stumbled across Illamasqua Eye Liner Cake ($23), I decided I had to try it, despite there not being too many reviews out there.

Illamasqua Eye Liner Cake is a pressed powder formula, that when comes in contact with water/liquid, becomes an intense liquid-liner.  

There are three (3) colors in total: Mislead (black), Zeal (pine green) and Danger (navy). I chose Mislead, because one could never own enough black liners, right? haha

You can use water to mix the product with, but when using water, I notice the color isn't as vibrant and the lasting power isn't as good. There are of course other options in order for it to last longer - such as MAC Fix Spray, Illamasqua Sealing Gel, Benefit SheLaq, Visine, etc. I usually use Visine and it works great.

The PMD Personal Microderm Microdermabrasion System.

PMD Personal Microderm Microdermabrasion System

I have what you call "high maintenance skin". My skin isn't in very bad shape overall - actually, I have pretty good genes, but as soon as I start skipping my skincare routine, my skin goes haywire. When I stick by a daily regime, my skin looks in tiptop shape - but it's pretty rare that I actually stick by a routine for more than a couple weeks at a time. Why? 'Cuz it's so much easier to just wipe my face with a makeup remover towelette and go to bed. Yes, laziness is the key word here.

Once upon a time I did have some blemish scars, but they soon faded after using an exfoliating brush regularly, along with creams containing alpha hydroxy and glycolic acid.

Right now, my main gripe with my skin is basically the sunspots I have on my upper cheeks from not wearing adequate sunscreen. I never really had freckles until I started exfoliating. I knew your skin becomes more susceptible to sun damage when you're exfoliating and exposing fresh skin to the sunlight, but after seeing first hand all of the speckles on my face, now I know for sure - SUNSCREEN IS KEY!

The PMD Personal Microdermabrasion System is an at-home, handheld device used to exfoliate your skin, not by an exfoliating brush (like the Clarisonic or similar products) but with actual aluminum oxide crystals, like used on expensive machines you'd find in your doctor's office.

What is the purpose of Microdermabrasion? Microdermabrasion is a mild exfoliation of the skins surface, to remove dead skin cells and uncover the fresh and radiant skin cells that lies beneath. Your skin naturally lets go of the dead skin cells on your body, but exfoliation speeds up the process. Doing so, skincare products will better absorb into your skin, working more efficiently. With time you'll notice your skin feels softer, looks smoother, your pores are less visible and scars and spots will diminish.

The machine is very simple to use. It comes with an instructional CD, which is very helpful and should answer all of your questions prior to use. Despite how anxious I was to try it out, I watched the full video twice to make sure I understood it correctly.

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Milani Sweet Rose Minerals Blush Review!

Milani Sweet Rose Minerals Blush

I recently picked up three of the four Milani Minerals Blushes once they were marked clearance (75% off) at CVS. (View the post here, with swatches) Well, a couple of weeks ago, I walked into another CVS and noticed they still had several of the clearance products without clearance tags. So, I scanned them, and sure enough they were 75% off. I grabbed a couple of powders, a bronzer and the only blush I didn't purchase prior; Sweet Rose.

Sweet Rose is a dusty plummy-pink with rosy undertones. It's a very natural, every-day kind of color that won't clash with most of your makeup looks. I initially skipped purchasing this blush at first because I figured the purple tone would make me look ashy. But, I was very wrong. You don't see much red in the pan, but once the color hits my cheeks, it mimics the rosy hue my cheeks would turn after a jog.

All of the shades in this range are pretty pigmented, especially Mai-Tai and Sunset Beach, and I expected the same from Sweet Rose, but it's actually a little less pigmented with one tap of the brush. It doesn't lack in pigmentation overall - it does pack a good amount of color, and is very buildable. It's just not one of those blushes you have to be nervous about over-doing.

It's my favorite blush from the range, as I easily favor shades that can be worn the most often.

Milani puts emphasis that this blush is talc-free and non-irritating. So for those sensitive to talc, this may be a range to look into. (For the full ingredient list, scroll down to the end of the review.)

Milani Sweet Rose Minerals Blush

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Illamasqua Promise Cream Blusher Review, Photos and Swatches!

Illamasqua Promise Cream Blusher

Illamasqua Promise Cream Blusher ($24) is described as a "petal pink". It's your average bubblegum cool-pink, that isn't overly cool, so it will definitely work on warm skintones as well as cool, without looking ashy and/or overly cool purple/blue. 

I use to stray away from wearing cool pinks because of my warm skin, but I've started really liking them on my skin when my skintone is a bit lighter. 

The consistency of Illamasqua Cream Blush is really nice. It's very thin and creamy and isn't at all heavy or sticky. It has a bit of a dewy finish, which you may or may not like. I think it looks quite fresh on the cheeks, and not greasy. For less shine, you can set the blush with a light dusting of powder.

The color is very pigmented and blends very easily. I've worn this blush several times and it never looks patchy or un-even on my cheeks. When used lightly with a stippling brush, it looks like cotton candy on my cheeks. It can be layered for a more intense, doll pink effect. 

I'm back.

Hey Everyone!

You may have noticed there has been an absence of posts, but I've been out of town, and I just came back last night.

George and I took a trip to Minnesota (more work than vacation) to help my aunt move her things to Chicago. We did manage to go to a few fun places. We went to The Mall of America, which I don't think I ever want to see another mall again, or at least for a while after going there. I use to go to there almost every year when I was young, but haven't been there in about ten years. It was just so exhausting walking around for so long, but we had a nice time.

We stayed at Le Meridien in Downtown Minneapolis and it was probably the most comfortable sleep I've ever had in a hotel. Highly recommended.

We rented a Penske truck to drive my aunt's stuff back home to Chicago. I was a little nervous to be riding in a big truck for so many hours, but it went very well, and was actually a pretty fun trip back home. We stocked up on tons of goodies at several gas stations on the way.. haha!

By the end of the day, I was getting incredibly anxious to be back home. I become really homesick when I'm away - I missed my Mom and Rocky so much! ;)

Anyway, I'll be working on a few reviews and getting back to the e-mails I've missed while I was away!

Talk to you all soon! xoxoxo

eBay and CFDA Collab: You Can't Fake Fashion!

eBay and the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) are currently working together to fight counterfeit goods and celebrate original design within the fashion industry.

Combating the supply and demand for counterfeits and those who manufacture and distribute such items requires the coordinated efforts of the government, the fashion industry, law enforcement, businesses, and Internet users like you. As a major destination for fashion shoppers, eBay is committed to partnering to fight the global trade of counterfeits. (Source)

As of yesterday, March 20th, an exclusive collection of 80 handbags customized by several different designers launched on eBay. All of the designs read "You can't fake fashion". Proceeds from each sale will benefit the CFDA Foundation.

Some of the designers include: Badgley Mischka, BCBGMaxazria, Betsey Johnson, David Yurman, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Narcisco Rodriguez, Nicole Miller and more.

Every one of the designer bags are already sold out, but three of the four non-designer bags are still available. I can't find any information if the bags will be re-stocked or not, but if anyone knows, please let me know in the comments!

The sale will run to March 31st.

CFDA Duffle Tote - $45 (I'm thinking about snagging this one!)

CFDA Tote by BCBGMAXAZRIA - $200

Tote by Brian Wolk&Claude Morais of RUFFIAN - $200

CFDA Tote by Doo.Ri - $200

CFDA Tote by Kenneth Cole - $200

CFDA Tote by Peter Som - $200

View all styles here.

Cute aren't they?

You can read more at eBay's Fashion Vault.

A few products that I've been using a lot of lately.

It seems summer has come early this year and even though I'm definitely not prepared, at least my makeup bag is!

When it's hot out, I like to keep my makeup a little more minimal for the daytime. A good foundation with SPF, a light bronzer for a sunkissed glow, an illuminator to make your cheekbones glisten in the sun, a natural pink/coral blush and a little bit of mascara and lip gloss.

Shiseido Sun Protection Foundation - I've been curious about this foundation for years. I remember checking it out a couple years back and I wasn't able to find a good color match for my tan skintone. After seeing Fleur's recent YouTube video, it reminded me how much I've wanted to try it, and the fact that since I hardly ever tan anymore, I'd be able to find a good color match.

I did find a good color match and I've been using it for about a week now. I'm still not ready to give my full thoughts about it yet - all I can say is that I expected to like it a little more than I do at this moment. I am enjoying the high SPF and the lightweight feel, especially since I've been exfoliating on the regular and it's been so hot out! My full review will come soon!

MAC Prolongwear Concealer - Medium coverage with all day, no-budge lasting power. I love wearing it alone or mixed with other concealers.

Chanel Poudre Universelle Compact - I've been using this to set my makeup, and I've been really liking it. I really don't like a matte finish, but I still like to lightly set my makeup to avoid any excess shine. This powder doesn't leave my face looking like a powderpuff, and it doesn't flatten the look of my liquid foundation. It leaves a very nice natural finish, while erasing any shine.

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel/Bronze Universel - I think it's safe to say that if I had to toss all of my bronzers and only keep one, I'd keep my Chanel Bronze Universel. I never thought I'd hit pan, but after three years, I finally did and I'm becoming so anxious to purchase another! I'm so surprised that it's never dried up, and still has it's original smell. It's definitely a good investment. On days where I'm not using this, I'm using Becca Flamenco. They're both light but buildable, and look very natural on my light-medium skin.

Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera - How come no one ever talks about these? I've never tried any of these prior, but I thought Gerbera would be the perfect shade of blush for the summer. All of the pinky-coral blushes I own look alike once applied to my cheeks, but this one really stands out from the rest. It's a light, warm peachy-pink that looks incredibly fresh and natural on the cheeks.

Dior Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond - I own a ton of highlighters, but Amber Diamond is usually my highlighter of choice because of how natural it looks on the cheeks. It gives just the right amount of sheen without being overdone. I've also been using TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer on days where I want something a little more noticeable.

Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara - An old favorite. I know that when I'm wearing lash blast, I'll never have to check the mirror throughout the day for smudges. It stays put all day with no transfer - even through heat and sweat.

NYX Megashine Lipgloss in Nude Peach - Although I'm not really keen on the cherry cough syrup scent of these lipglosses, they sure have some great colors. Nude Peach is a glossy coral-pink that looks great alone or paired with any coral or pink lipstick.

What products have you been finding yourself using a lot of lately? Is your makeup bag starting to look summery?

Earth Science Deep Conditioning Masque Review!

 Earth Science Deep Conditioning Masque

I'm no hair expert, but I love trying new hair products in hopes of being able to better manage my mane. I have very thick, fine, curly, dry hair. Oddly, I have a mixture of two different types of curls throughout my hair - some are wavy and then underneath my hair, they're a bit tighter. So basically, tangles galore.

I've tried several leave in conditioners in my days, but I have never really been impressed with any of them. I suppose I've held my expectations a little too high, and most of the time expect the leave-in to act as a little genie and transform my fried hair into hair that's fit enough for a Pantene commercial.

After trying so many, I settled on using Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner on a daily basis. It's cheap, and it keeps my hair soft and more manageable.

For the past couple of months, I've been using Earth Science Deep Conditioning Masque and I really like it!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Luscious deep-conditioning masque repairs dry, damaged, colored or over processed hair. Penetrates and coats the hair shaft in natural silk protein to strengthen and nourish inside and out. Leaves hair soft, tangle free and smooth; not sticky or weighed down. no animal testing, always paraben free.

The directions are to squeeze out any excess water from your hair after shampooing, and generously apply the conditioner to your hair, letting it penetrate you hair for five minutes. Then rinse, and style as usual.

For the best results, you really have to follow the directions. I often take quick showers, and leave it in for about a minute in dripping wet hair and it just doesn't work the same.

Make sure to squeeze out excess water from your hair and then apply a good amount of product in your hair, working it through your ends. **To evenly distribute the conditioner through your hair, it's a good idea to have a wide tooth comb on hand and brush through your hair and work the conditioner through all of your hair. Often times with conditioner, you'll end up holding all of your hair together in a pony tail and distributing the conditioner to the outside of your hair, missing most of the hair that's in-between.

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L'Oreal Cherubic Magicsmooth Souffle Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

L'Oreal Magicsmooth Souffle Blush in Cherubic

At the start of 2011, L'Oreal launched their Magicsmooth Souffle Makeup, a whipped, airy mousse foundation promising to create a poreless, and flawless finish. It took a year for L'Oreal to add a few blushes to the line, launching the L'Oreal Magicsmooth Souffle Blush at the start of this year. 

There are four (4) shades in total: Celestial (pale pink), Cherubic (warm rose), Angelic (warm peach-pink) and Plume (dusty plum).

All of the shades are very subtle and won't deliver intense color. If you like very light, neutral shades to add just a hint of color to your cheeks, you may enjoy the color selection.

From the swatches I've seen on other blogs, I took the strongest liking to Cherubic - a natural, dusty rose.

Like the foundation, this blush has the same mousse texture that is suppose to glide on the skin with ease, and diffuse into an ultra-soft, natural finish.

I tried using a stippling brush like I do with most of my cream blushes, and it worked fine, but my favorite brush to use is the Real Techniques Blush Brush. It's a tapered, domed synthetic brush with ultra soft bristles. Just a tiny tap of the product on the tip of the brush, and I'll swirl it into my cheeks for a little bit of color.

I've been wearing it on the days where I don't want my cheek color to overpower my eye makeup (if I'm wearing a lot on my eyes) and on days where I've gone bronzer happy and still need a little color on my cheeks without looking like I'm wearing too much makeup.

Physicians Formula Waikiki Strip Shimmer Stripes Custom Bronzer Review!

Physicians Formula Waikiki Strip Shimmer Stripes Custom Bronzer

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer isn't anything new - In fact, the oldest review on Makeupalley dates back to 2006, so they've been around for a while. You may have seen posts about them here and there as they often considered to be comparable to the much higher-end Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks.

The Shimmer Strips Bronzers come in a frosty block with five different strips of color. What's great about them is that they are a multi-use product that can be used as a bronzer, highlighter as well as eyeshadow.

There are six (6) different shimmer stripes to choose from: Sunset Strip/Bronzer, Vegas Strip/Light Bronzer, Riviera Strip/Sand Bronzer, Malibu Strip/Pink Sand Bronzer, Miami Strip/Healthy Glow Bronzer and Waikiki Strip/Peachy Glow Bronzer.

From the selection, I think Waikiki Strip is the prettiest one. It contains a warm peachy-pink, gold, golden-copper bronze, deep bronze and a dark chocolate.

Physicians Formula Waikiki Strip Shimmer Stripes Custom Bronzer

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Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Bubble Babe, Super Girl and Nude Candy.

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss

I've purchased Essence's XXXL Shine Lipgloss in the past, and I was pretty impressed. I can't really call it a drugstore brand, because in the USA, it's only available in ULTA, but it's one of my favorite bargain brands for lip products. (*edit - there may be other locations depending on your area. The location finder on the Essence website only shows results for those living in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. I have only seen Essence at ULTA in my area.)

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss is available in twelve (12) shades: 01 Pure Chic, 03 Timeless Beauty, 04 Rising Star, 05 Super Girl, 07 Big Night Out, 08 Glamour to Go, 09 Party Connection, 14 Bubble Babe, 15 True Love, 17 Fabulous Fuschia, 18 Sparkling Papaya and 19 Nude Candy.

Super Girl is a very sheer watermelon pink with bright pink shimmer.
Bubble Babe is a very sheer, cool cotton candy pink with cool pink and white shimmer.
Nude Candy is a creamy pale pink, reminiscent of Nars Turkish Delight Lipgloss. The color applies fairly opaque in comparison to the other two shades.

Super Girl and Bubble Babe work best applied over a lipstick to add a little bit of glossy shine, as alone, they don't provide much color.

One of my favorite things about the XXXL Shine Lipgloss, is the brush design. It's not your average sponge or doe-foot applicator. It's longer, and flatter than your standard doe-foot. What's nice about the shape is that the applicator picks up the perfect amount of product, and in one sweep it applies the product evenly across your lips. You'll rarely ever have to double dip.

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Essence #47 Prom Night Lipstick Review!

Essence Prom Night Lipstick

I've pretty much been on an Essence buying rampage lately. I know Essence is nothing new to ULTA, but they're constantly coming out with new products and colors. And, since they're such an affordable brand, you won't be breaking the bank, even with your hands full

Essence Lipstick is available in ten (10) fun colors: #40 Look at Me!, #41 Femme Fatale, #42 Fairytale, #43 Kiss you, #47 Prom Night, #48 Red Carpet, #49 Like a Lady, #50 Creamy Nude, #51 Fifth Avenue and #55 Coralize Me!

Since you can never have enough natural pink lipsticks, I knew that #47 Prom Night would be one of those shades you can throw on your lips daily, and it'll pretty much go with anything. And, at $2, how can you go wrong?

Prom Night is a bubble-gum pink that leans a bit on the cool (slightly purple) side and has a slight frosty finish. I'm not a fan of frost. It makes me think of the 90's when everyone was rocking white, silver and lilac frosty lipsticks (Yeah, I was 11 or 12 years old rocking it too.) This lipstick only has a subtle frost, so don't fear. For those of you that own Rimmel Pink Blush Lipstick, it's pretty similar.

Essence Prom Night Lipstick

READ MORE! (there's a picture of George & Me @ Prom.. haha!)

The Blue Illume Whitening Toothbrush

 Hey all!

I always get asked how I keep my teeth white. Thankfully I have pretty good genes and never had too bad of issues with yellow or stained teeth, but still, I'm always interested in the newest whitening products that promise whiter teeth in a short amount of time.

I've tried professional whitening from my dentist and dreading sleeping with those trays in my mouth. I only probably went through with it a handful of times before I wanted to place the trays under my tires and run over them 100 times with my car. Some nights I jumped up out of my sleep with shooting pains through my teeth. Not fun at all.

Crest White Strips (the professional ones) work beautifully for whitening teeth, but I'd always make sure to avoid them during the winter because they caused my teeth to be very sensitive, especially on cold, windy days.

Recently I've been using Supersmile Toothpaste and I've definitely noticed when I use it that my teeth look brighter. The reviews are pretty mixed, but I've had pretty good results. The biggest plus is it doesn't make my teeth sensitive. 

I've never invested in an expensive toothbrush - I usually grab whatever is on sale for a couple of bucks. So, when I heard about the Sweden based Blue Illume toothbrush, a toothbrush that counteracts bacteria (the source of gum disease and plaque) and helps whiten the teeth, I was all ears.

Light Therapy has been proven to be effective for many different medical conditions, particularly in those who have issues with acne. The blue light damages and ultimately kills the bacteria, yielding in clearer skin. 

As for using blue light to kill the bacteria in your mouth, it sounds pretty legit, but does it really work?

Some of you may think this light is actually going to bleach your teeth, but it's unlikely the case. If your teeth are stained (due to coffee, etc) it'd be beneficial to a product that contains whitening agents to brighten up your smile.

Plaque build up is typically what will make your teeth appear yellow, so this brush may reduce plaque, and will help you get rid of it with daily use.

READ MORE! 

Sunday loves.

I'm having a laid back Sunday, and thought I'd do a quick post to show you a few of my recent purchases that I've been loving.

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Becca Flamenco Bronzing Powder has been my go-to bronzer for the past couple of weeks. As you can see, mine sadly broke, but luckily it's still perfectly usable without making a mess. The color is perfect golden bronze with the tiniest amount of shimmer. It's sheer, so you don't have to be shy with your application brush. Even when layered, the color is very natural and seamless. For a deeper bronze, I like applying it lightly over Chanel Bronze Universel (cream bronzer) to seal in the color. 

I was so excited when I spotted these Enzo Angiolini sandals at TJMaxx. I have the same exact ones in light pink/rose gold from a couple of years back and they were probably my favorite sandals I've ever owned. Not only are they totally cute, they have a short wedge - which for me is much more comfortable than completely flat sandals. I figured I can't go wrong with a charcoal version . They'll go with pretty much everything. They were $39.99.

Have you got yourself into the star trend? I've been seeing stars for several months now and never really cared for it. It's kinda growing on me now to an extent, so I picked up a black scarf with white stars (pictured above). I can't help but think it looks like I'm wearing a scarf from a children's store, but I'll just have to find the right outfits to pair it with. I purchased it from TJMaxx as well for $12.99.

I'm loving this plastic makeup organizer. I thought it'd be perfect for keeping my perfumes, skincare and some of my go-to makeup products. I love that it has a few small dividers where I can keep my lipglosses, rollerball perfumes and perfume samples upright for convenient use. Yet again, it was purchased from TJmaxx for $19.99. It could be found in their home department, located near the stationary, jewelry boxes and office items.

What are you loving right now?!

Review: KKCenterHK False Lashes!

KKCenterHK False Lashes

I'm a huge fan of false lashes. Maybe a year ago or so, I was wearing false eye lashes every single day. Some of you might think I'm nuts, but once you get started with falsies, it becomes an addiction (not a bad one of course!) I'd never wear a full-strip, because that's just too much for every day, but I'd snip those babies in half and wear them on the outer corners of my eyes, and they'd blend in perfectly with my other lashes.

They'd give the effect of larger, elongated eyes that looked uber girly. Just a little bit of liner and lipgloss and I was out the door!

Needless to say, purchasing eyelashes every other day was becoming way too pricey. Especially since I noticed a small price increase at my local drugstore on Ardell/Andrea lashes. It took about a week or two to get use to the way I look without lashes. For a whole week it seemed like something was missing from my face! Now I usually only wear lashes when I'm going out, and I want to look my extra best, which is much easier on my wallet.

If you're an avid reader of fashion and beauty blogs, you may have heard of KKCenterHK. I've seen reviews for their eyelashes featured on several of my favorite beauty blogs (MakeupbyLacy & HollywoodHeels to name a couple).

KKCenterHK is a company based out of Hong Kong that sells false lashes, makeup, wigs, nail products and accessories. It's a very popular site to purchase false lashes from because you can buy a large quantity at a low price.

I picked out two different styles: ES A562 and ES A601. So far, I've worn both styles and really like them. The bands are thin and very flexible, so they adapt well to the shape of your eyes and they feel comfortable after several hours of wear. Both sets retail for $16 for ten pairs, so it ends up being $1.60 a pair.

Left: Style #ES A562, Right: Style #ES A601

Here I am wearing ES A601.

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MAC Lickable Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

 MAC Lickable Lipstick

MAC Lickable Lipstick ($15) is the newest pink that has been added to my collection. It's described on the MAC website as a bright, clean blue-pink. It's comparable to MAC's ever popular Girl About Town (described as a bright, blue fuschia), but it's a little less purple, so many reviews mention it's more wearable than Girl About Town. I thought it'd be similar to my recent fav - MAC Insanely It Sheen Supreme, but Lickable is more blue-toned, and Insanely It has a stronger rosy-red tone.

Lickable is a Cremesheen, so the formula is creamy, with good color payoff. It's semi-opaque, but can be built with a few more swipes for full opacity.

My obsession with bright pinks aren't quite over yet. Despite looking bright and intimidating in the tube, bright pinks lighten up quite nicely when mixed with lesser-intense, muted pinks. I pretty much mix MAC Creme Cup and Wet n Wild Think Pink with everything, and it always creates a more wearable pink that is sill vibrant.

I really like it and I think I'll be wearing it often. It's a very wearable bright pink that's not too in-your-face.

Do you own MAC Lickable or any similar shades?

Essence Get Big! Lashes Volume Boost Mascara Review

 Essence Get Big! Volume Boost Volume Mascara

Essence Get Big! Volume Boost Volume Mascara is one of Essence's newest mascaras. It claims to provide "density and abundance with every application" that won't clump or feel heavy on your lashes. The large brush design is said to reach even the tiniest lashes.

I've tried a couple of Essence's mascaras in the past - Lash Mania Mascara (meh) and their Multi-Action Mascara, which I actually think is pretty good.

They are very inexpensive - I don't think any of them cost over $4. So it's not a big investment if you wanna test out a few of them, or if you're just plain pressed for cash and don't feel like spending a lot on a mascara.

One thing I'm not crazy about is that the mascaras aren't sealed - I'm not sure if it's how they are sold everywhere, but at ULTA, none of them are sealed, and I'm sure people are opening them all day long, thus drying them out. Regardless, for a couple of bucks, I'm willing to give them a try.

I was drawn to the Get Big! Lashes Mascara because of the big honkin' tube and large, fluffy brush. For whatever reason, I'm drawn to trying out mascaras with huge wands even though they are typically ridiculously inconvenient to apply.

  Essence Get Big! Volume Boost Volume Mascara (wearing three coats)

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I won a giveaway and I'm so psyched!

 

It's very rare that I enter a giveaway - and by rare I mean very rare. Almost never. The only giveaways I'll typically enter on occasion are the ones sponsored by Temptalia and Makeup and Beauty Blog.

For some reason I decided to try my luck and enter The Best Thing in Beauty's recent giveaway for an adorable Bobbi Brown Mini Shimmer Brick in the shade Sandstone.

I've been a long time subscriber of The Best Things in Beauty (I believe ever since I started my blog in '09 - she started a month before me!) and if you haven't stopped by her blog yet, I really urge you to. She's known as "Charleston Girl" and she is sure to keep you drooling over the newest high-end makeup collections and her lovely sunlit swatches. She is one fabulous woman with wonderful taste and a passion for beauty. What are you waiting for!? Go read! (click here)

Anyway, I really couldn't believe I won, and here comes my package in the mail yesterday morning!

Of course as generous and sweet as her, she added in a couple awesome extras. I'm so thankful and can't wait to try everything out!

Believe it or not, as big of a makeup fanatic as I am, I've never tried a Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick. I've always been curious, but since I own so several MAC MSF's that are on the shimmery side, I passed up ever purchasing any. I'm definitely not afraid of shimmer, glitter or frosty cheek products. There are some people that want nothing to do with anything that shines, but I love a matte blush just as much as I love a shimmer.

Sandstone (limited edition shade) contains five stripes of pure, glowy goodness. There is a lovely champagne ivory, golden tan, bronzed brown, copper brown and chocolate brown. All stripes are of course frosty and pigmented.

What's really great about Shimmer Bricks is that you can use the colors individually (on eyes or cheeks) or you can swirl them all together for a beautiful golden, tan glow. 

Bobbi Brown Sandstone Shimmer Brick

Bobbi Brown Sandstone Shimmer Brick

If you're wondering about the compact, it's actually metal - and yes, heavy! The compact has a very high-end look and feel. I'm sure you could even use it for a little paper weight.. haha! It has a magnet closure, which frankly, I'm quite obsessed with. This little compact was a Bobbi Brown exclusive back in 2009, so I'm sure they are very hard to find now.

Bobbi Brown Sandstone swirled together.

I'd like to thank Charleston Girl again for this awesome prize, and I can't wait to put it to use!

Have any of you tried Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks? Have any favorites?