MAC Chatterbox Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Chatterbox Lipstick

MAC Chatterbox Lipstick ($15) is described as a bright, red-pink with an amplified creme finish. It's definitely vibrant, but it's not in the neon category (ie: Vegas Volt, Morange, Viva Glam Nicki, etc.) It's a medium, rosy pink that is really easy to wear and adds a bit of color and brightness to the face.

This is a shade I've had on my wishlist for a while now, and recently decided to pick it up as my 'Back to MAC' trade-in.

MAC Chatterbox is extremely pigmented, creamy and applies smooth and even.

I love MAC Lipsticks in general, and I don't have a problem with any of their formulas. The amplified formula is definitely one of my favorites because of the bold, bright pigmentation, shine and the comfortable wear.

MAC Chatterbox on my lips

Jewelmint Classic Cinema Bracelet Review!

Jewelmint Classic Cinema Bracelet

Jewelmint Classic Cinema Bracelet is a new spin on the Cinema Americano Bracelet. It's the same design, but for July, the new version was released in silver.

The bracelet is a mixture of curb and cable links with two textured links that give this bracelet a bit of style. The bracelet measures 7 1/2".

I love the gaudy, chunky chain trend, so when I saw this bracelet in my July showroom, I thought it'd be a perfect everyday piece. You may have noticed that I skipped June, because I really didn't see anything I liked. But I actually liked a few items this month, and I ended up deciding on one that I thought I could get the most use out of/the most practical.

Needless to say, I received it in the mail today and wasn't too satisfied with it. Had I saw the bracelet in person, I would have chosen something else.

The weight of the piece is nice - it's not heavy, but it's not ultra-lightweight. It's well-made, and the links are attached very sturdy. The clasp is also very sturdy.

It's not a shiny silver, but it's not grungy/oxidized . It looks a lot like dull, stainless steel.

Wearing the Classic Cinema Bracelet mixed with other bracelets (H&M)

Jewelmint Cinema Americano Bracelet

Photo Credit: Luuux

My Ombre Hair Experiment + How I Achieved It!

I've been wanting a change with my hair for a while now, and after procrastinating for months, I decided to finally "ombre" or "dip-dye" my hair. 

The ombre hair trend has been really big these past couple of years among celebrities, bloggers, and well - what seems like everyone. It's in fact so popular, that there are countless tutorials on blogs, Youtube, etc on how to achieve the look yourself with a couple simple tools.

What does ombre mean? Ombre (a french word) specifically means "shadow" or "shade". If you own a lot of French cosmetics, you may have spotted the word here and there - such as Chanel Ombre Essentielle Eyeshadow or the lovely Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadows. When referring to clothing, hair, etc, it simply implies a "gradient", a graduation of a color from light to dark, or vice-versa.

So it makes sense to name this hair trend "Ombre hair", as it's a gradient of hair color. 

Here's are a few examples- 

Neutrogena Shine Control Makeup - New in Drugstores + Some Swatches!

I spotted a bunch of new products at my local CVS last night. Displays have been popping up in drugstores over the past month, but it's the first time I've seen the display for the new Neutrogena products. There were sample packets for the liquid makeup, so I thought it'd be the perfect swatching opportunity! haha.

I'm going to go over the line briefly - swatches and comparisons will be at the end of the post.

Neutrogena Shine Control Liquid Makeup SPF 20 ($12.99)

Neutrogena Shine Control Makeup helps provide 8 hour shine control in a lightweight, breathable formula. Shine Control Makeup blends perfectly for natural-looking coverage with a soft, matte finish. Broad-spectrum SPF 20 helps protect against sun damage.

• 8 hour shine control
• Lightweight, breathable formula
• Won't over dry skin
• Broad spectrum SPF 20

Available in eight (8) shades: Classic Ivory, Natural Ivory, Buff, Nude, Soft Beige, Natural Beige, Fresh Beige, Warm Beige.

Neutrogena Shine Control Powder ($11.99)

Neutrogena Shine Control Powder helps skin stay shine-free and fresh-looking all day. The lightweight powder with patent-pending rice protein technology acts like a sponge to absorb excess oil and instantly eliminates shine for a fresh look that lasts for 8 hours. Layers invisibly over makeup with a matte finish.

• Blends invisibly into skin for a flawless look that’s never overdone
• Perfect for on-the-go touch ups
• Won't over dry skin or clog pores

Neutrogena Shine Control Primer ($12.99)

Neutrogena Shine Control Primer helps makeup apply more smoothly and last longer, while optical modifiers help minimize the look of pores. Can be worn alone or under foundation. This lightweight, non-greasy formula with patent-pending rice protein technology acts like a sponge to absorb excess oil so skin stays shine-free and fresh looking all day.

• 8 hour shine control with or without makeup
• Extends the wear of makeup
• Matte finish
• Won't over dry skin or clog pores

*Prices may vary based on location.

The liquid makeup has same shades as Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup, but Healthy Skin has 12 shades in total, and Neutrogena Shine Control Makeup has 8 shades in total. It's still very new though, so time will tell if additional shades will be added to the line in the near future when the product fully launches.

The sample provided #10 Classic Ivory, #30 Buff and #60 Natural Beige. I actually own Classic Ivory and Natural Beige in Healthy Skin, so I swatched them below to compare.

Swatches from left to right: Neutrogena Shine Control Classic Ivory, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Classic Ivory, Neutrogena Shine Control Buff, Neutrogena Shine Control Natural Beige, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Natural Beige, MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15, MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC30.

It appears the colors seem to be almost exact matches as Healthy Skin, so whatever color you use in Healthy Skin should work in the Shine Control line. I notice that the Shine Control shades are a touch more yellow.

I did only grab one sample (I don't want to be greedy!) so I can't comment much on the foundation itself, as I really only had enough to swatch the colors.

This foundation is best suited for oily skin. It's silicone based, so for those who do well with silicone based foundations (For example: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hr Foundation, Physican's Fomula Youthful Wear Foundation, Mousse Foundations, etc.) may like this foundation.

NYX Sand Pink Lip Liner Pencil Review!

NYX Sand Pink Lip Liner

NYX Sand Pink Lip Liner ($3.49) is cool medium pink with a matte finish.

NYX Slim Lip Pencils are available in a huge variety of shades (60 to be exact) so you'll be sure to find every color you're looking for. (Incredibly, Makeup By Celly has swatches of 1/3 of the shades!)

You can use these lip pencils to define the shade of your lips, or you can fill in all of your lips with the color and apply a similar shade of lipstick on top for mega-long lasting lip color. If you find a shade you really like, you can even wear them on their own, with a little bit of lip balm or gloss.

I've only tried a couple different shades in the past, and I've been really happy with these liners. They are pigmented, smooth and glide on easily without tugging or clumping.

What's in my makeup bag?

I haven't done a "what's in my bag" in a while, so I thought I'd do a quick run though of all of the junk I currently have in my makeup bag. It's kind of a fun way to show you the products I'm enjoying right now!

The stuff I use changes all of the time, but the stuff I always keep in my bag are products that are easy to use (don't require much work to get it right) and never seem to fail me. In other words, my "go-to" products.

I have many go-to products (most are listed on my favorites tab) but I can't cram them all in one little makeup bag. ☺

For reference, I don't carry all of this with me in my handbag - I've included a list of what I do carry in my handbag at the bottom of the post - which is only a few things!

Continue reading to see all of the products in my bag...

Step by Step Smokey Taupe Eyeshadow Tutorial!

Smokey Taupe Eyeshadow Tutorial

One of my favorite eyeshadows is MAC Satin Taupe. It's a really pretty frosty taupe (gray brown) that looks great with a variety of looks. It looks amazing paired with brown and burgundy - One of my favorite ways of wearing it is by applying a dark brown base to my lids and layering Satin Taupe over top, to intensify and slightly deepen the color, then apply a soft golden brown through the crease, and a reddened brown through the outer-v. The burgundy mixed with the taupe almost gives off a slightly mauve/plum tone that really brings out the green in my eyes. 

I'll be doing just that in this tutorial, but I'm making the look a bit more dramatic by adding black eyeshadow and liner. 

To make this look more daytime appropriate: The black shadow, liner and faux lashes are what really intensify this look, so for something a little lighter and more wearable during the day, skip step 7, 9, 10 and 12. You really don't have to line your eyes at all (I wear this look often during the day without liner), but if you'd really like to, you can opt for a dark brown liner for the top lash line.

Products Used:
Nars Smudeproof Eyeshadow Base (used in step 1)
MAC Constructivist Paint Pot (used in step 2 and 3)
MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow (used in step 4)
MAC Soba Eyeshadow (used in step 5)
MAC Handwritten Eyeshadow (used in step 6)
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow (used in step 7)
MAC Crystal Avalanche and Nylon Eyeshadows (used in step 8)
MAC Retrospeck Eyeshadow (used in step 8)
YSL Eyeliner Effect Deep Black Faux Cils Cream Liner (used in step 9)
Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara (used in step 11)
KKCenterHK False Lashes #ES A562 (used in step 12)
Lorac 3-in-1 Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil (used to line my waterline afterward - for reference, I would not recommend this liner)

*Notable dupes for Satin Taupe: Wet n Wild Nutty Color Icon Single Eyeshadow ($1.99), NYX Iced Mocha Single Eyeshadow ($4.99), Covergirl Tapestry Taupe Eye Enhancers 1 Kit Eyeshadow ($4), E.L.F Moon Dust Custom Eyes Eyeshadow ($1). (Prices will vary based on location)

Brushes Used:
Generic Concealer Brush (used in step 2, 3 and 4)
ELF Studio Contour Brush (used in step 5)
MAC 219 Pencil Brush (used in step 6, 7 & 8; cleaned & used for the inner corner only. I used my fingertip for the brow bone highlight)
Coastal Scents Synthetic Fine Liner Brush (used in step 9)
Coastal Scents Small Detail Brush (used in step 10, to drag the liner upward and smudge)

Misc:
MAC Quite Natural Paint Pot was used to fill in my brows

MAC Paint Pots Overall Review with Swatches and Photos! (pic heavy)

MAC Paint Pot Overview

MAC Paint Pots ($17.50) are MAC's take on Cream Eyeshadows. They are versatile products because there can be several uses for them. You can wear them alone on the lids, as a liner, as a primer or as a base color for powder eyeshadow/pigments.

A highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. Long-wearing, colourfast. Creates seamless coverage without weight or caking. Blends smoothly over the lids. Cream-based, can be mixed with M·A·C shadows and liners.

MAC Paint Pots are available in nine shades: Bare Study, Soft Ocher, Painterly, Rubenesque, Indianwood, Groundwork, Constructivist, Quite Natural and Blackground. I own all of them, except Blackground and Soft Ocher. (None of which I have posted reviews for in the past, so I thought it'd be a good idea to gather them up and review them together.)

MAC releases limited edition shades every now and then in some of their collections, but the actual permanent collection is quite small and lacks much color. All of the colors are fairly neutral. MAC did have many more colors in the past, but almost all of them became discontinued and they never filled the void with replacement/additional shades.

Continue reading for individual reviews and swatches

NYX Natural Xtreme Lip Cream Review!

NYX Natural Xtreme Lip Cream

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream ($5.99) is a "liquid lipstick" - it has the coverage of an opaque lipstick, but in a creamy lipgloss form. It delivers intense, long-lasting color with a shiny finish.

I just reviewed Nude Peach Fuzz in the previous post, and now I'll be talking about the other color I have, which is the shade Natural.

Natural is a light, pinky-beige nude. It's a shade that'd work best on light to light-medium and medium skin tones. It may look too pastel on darker skin tones, but those with darker skin tones may like this lip gloss to mix/tone down dark and/or bright lip colors. For reference, it's not as light as MAC Myth Lipstick - it's much more wearable. I'm around MAC NC25 right now, and it's not lighter than my skin. (See swatch at the end of the post) In my opinion, a must-have if you're a fan of the nude lip.

NYX Natural Xtreme Lip Cream on my lips

NYX Nude Peach Fuzz Xtreme Lip Cream Review! My FAVORITE lip product right now!

NYX Nude Peach Fuzz Xtreme Lip Cream 

If I could leap in the air and click my heels without falling flat on my face, I'd do it right now in salutation of one of my new favorite lip products! Wait... What? What is that? Is that the sound of angels?

I've gone through so many lip products that it takes a lot to woo me nowadays, but this lip cream sure makes me swoon.

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream ($5.99) is a "liquid lipstick" - it has the coverage of an opaque lipstick, but in a creamy lipgloss form. It delivers intense, long-lasting color with a shiny finish.

There are eleven (11) shades to choose from: Dolly Girl, Candy Land, Spicy, Buttery Nude, Bonfire, Pinky Nude, Absolute Red, Skin Tone, Strawberry Jam, Natural and Nude Peach Fuzz.

Nude Peach Fuzz is a warm, light peach tinged pink. If you generally like peachy-pinks, watermelon/flamingo pinks, coral-pinks - all that jazz, you'll like this one. I like the fact that the peach tone isn't overbearing, so there isn't a trace of orange on my lips. Even though the color is light, it doesn't wash me out - it actually brightens up my face. It reminds me a bit of a lighter and brighter version of MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick.

NYX Nude Peach Fuzz on my lips

My Everyday MAC (Neutral/Warm) Eyeshadow Palette with Swatches!

Today I'm going to do a quick overview of what's in my My MAC "Everyday" eyeshadow palette. I recently popped the divider out of my MAC 15 Palette, so instead of casing fifteen shadows, it stores twenty-six eyeshadows. It doesn't look as neat, but it's so much more convenient for me to have everything I need in one palette. 

I use this palette almost every day as it contains everything I need to create a variety of looks. As you can tell, the palette only contains neutral and warm shades, because it's basically all I wear on daily basis. 

First Row: Crystal Avalanche, Nylon, Patina, Corduroy, Sorcery, Tempting, Bronze

Second Row: Brule, Era, Cork, Handwritten, Satin Taupe, Woodwinked

Third Row: Retrospeck, Ricepaper, Soba, Espresso, Brun, Amber Lights, Typographic

Fourth Row: Malt, Grand Entrance, Club, Electra, Black Tied, Carbon

Swatches from left to right: Grand Entrance, Crystal Avalanche, Nylon, Ricepaper, Retrospeck, Brule, Malt, Era, Patina, Soba, Cork, Espresso, Club, Corduroy, Handwritten, Sorcery, Brun, Electra, Satin Taupe, Tempting, Woodwinked, Bronze, Black Tied, Carbon and Typographic. (Oops! I forgot to include Amber Lights.)

Zoya Yara Nail Polish Review!

Zoya Yara Nail Polish

Zoya Yara Nail Polish ($8) is a medium olive/khaki or army green infused with very fine gold glitter. It's by no means a glitter polish, so don't let that throw you off if you don't care for glitter polish. In fact, it looks more shimmery in the bottle, than it does on the nails. Sadly, it's one of those polishes where the glitter becomes semi-lost in the opaque color base once applied. It's still visible, mostly under direct light. I think it's a really pretty, unique color - perfect for Fall.

This is only my third Zoya polish, and so far, I've had luck with all of them formula-wise. The formula is completely ideal - it isn't thick, and it isn't watery. It's a very good medium - nice and creamy, which makes application a breeze. 

Two coats of Zoya Yara on my nails (with Seche Vite Top Coat)

A letter to my Dad on Father's Day..

Since today is Father's Day, I wanted to write a tribute to my Dad. My Dad was and still is my motivation to continue blogging and doing what I love.

It has been eight months since my Dad was suddenly called to Heaven, as his work here on Earth was done.

Coming to the realization that it's already been eight months really bewilders me, as I feel like time hasn't passed since that day. I can feel now more than ever that time really is just an illusion, and our time here on Earth is very short.

I don't verbalize my feelings very much. I know it's something I have to work on, but I always wanted my Dad to know the way I felt about him. There were a few times in my life I wrote letters to my Dad because it was always easier for me to write my thoughts down on paper, but I don't think he ever really knew what I really felt in my heart. I wanted to write a letter for him today on Father's Day, and I know it won't be my last..

To each and every family, I hope you all have a wonderful Father's Day. May your days be filled with the joy of family, happiness, love and cherished memories.

(continue reading)

MAC Nude on Board Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder Review, Swatches and Comparisons!

MAC Nude on Board Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder

MAC Hey, Sailor! Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder ($28) was released in MAC's latest Hey, Sailor! Collection. It's a new formula bronzer that claims to provide a sheer, natural coverage that is long-wearing and remains comfortable on the skin throughout the day. 

There are two shades to choose from: Nude on Board (Bronzy, yellow-tone) and Sun Dipped (Dirty, red-tone). 

Nude on Board is a light, golden-yellow tan with a hint of golden shimmer. I thought it'd be a better match for my skintone, as golden bronzers tend to work better on my skin without making my complexion look ruddy or muddy. 

In comparison to MAC's standard Bronzing Powder, the texture is much softer. The standard bronzing powders are a little dry, but these powders are very smooth and are easier to blend. The texture is comparable to MAC Beauty Powder. 

Swatches of Nude on Board

IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush Review!

IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush

It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush ($48) is a large ultra-plush, dense synthetic brush that can be used in a variety of ways for an always-flawless application. Did I mention that it's OMG soft?

The benefit to using such a large brush is that it covers a larger surface area at once, so application goes by much quicker. The ultra, soft and luxurious bristles create a seamless finish, so not only does it apply product quicker, but completely even with less work than a standard size brush.

I've used this brush in a few different ways - to apply liquid and cream foundation, setting powder, liquid/cream body bronzer and as a finishing brush to help blend everything together.

I love using it for liquid and cream foundation, but because it is so large, you have to use a separate brush to get to the small areas (around the eyes, nose hairline, etc.) so my favorite use for this brush is using it as a finishing brush.

I'm often on-the-go, and when I don't have enough time to adequately blend in my foundation, I always grab my IT Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush and quickly run it across my face working the brush in circular motions. It ensures my foundation is seamless, free of any streaks or blotches.

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick Review with Comparisons!

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick ($15) is described on the MAC website as an emotive blue-pink. It's actually a medium toned sheer, natural pink with subtle cool tones. What's fab about this pink is that it's not overly cool, so it's a pink that both warm and cool skin tone gals could enjoy. Cool-toned pinks aren't normally flattering on my tan skin (they seem to better suit me when I'm lighter) and I often find them difficult to wear, but Lovelorn actually works out well for me.

If you're looking for a barbie pink, Lovelorn isn't it. I find it to be a more mature pink (no, not great grandma mature) - possibly Creme Cup's sophisticated older sister? It's very natural, and kind of gives my lips a "my lips but better" appearance with a couple swipes of the tube. (Check it out on Bloomin Beauty, it looks gorgeous on her!)

Lovelorn is a Lustre formula, which is one of my favorite lipstick formulas for a few reasons - The apply smoothly, don't accentuate dryness, feel great on, and although they are sheer, the color is very buildable for full coverage. Lastly, they have a shiny finish, so I never need a lip gloss layered on top. A simple wham-bam, and I'm done. The only downside is that the lasting power of the lustre formulas aren't the best. After a couple hours, I'm due for a reapplication.

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick on my lips

IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Volumizing Mascara Review!

IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Volumizing Mascara

IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Volumizing Mascara ($29/two tubes) is a QVC exclusive mascara that is promised to provide some seriously dramatic lashes with added volume, length and separation. It even mentions on the box that it's clinically proven (but we all know clinical trials aren't always a trusted source) to increase lash volume by 430%! Yes girl, 430 percent.

Developed with leading plastic surgeons, Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Treatment Mascara revolutionizes and takes the place of five products--volumizing mascara; conditioning, hydrating lash primer; lash-enhancing serum; lash tint; and a lash comb/curler! Hello Lashes offers the blackest of black color that lasts and doesn't flake or fade. The triple-brush lengthens, curls, and separates lashes while the innovative Magic Wand lash ball detailer tip is designed to reach every last inner and outer corner lash. 

Combines a blend of lash-enhancing and conditioning ingredients, including peptides, collagen, proteins, acai, jojoba, green tea, and vitamins A, C, E, and B5.

•Paraben-free •Fragrance-free •Phthalate-free •Sulfate-free •Cruelty-free

Wearing 'It Cosmetics Hello Lashes Mascara' on my lashes