Camerareadycosmetics Haul! OCC Lip Tars, Cinema Secrets & Face Atelier!

Hey Everyone!

I apologize for any delay in getting back to responses (my comment box on the right hand side of the page, my e-mail, makeupalley, twitter). I've been trying my best to get to everything in the little time I have. I just want you all to know that I always try my best to make a blog post and with the time I have left over I try my hardest to get to all of your questions. I do read off of your comments - even if I don't respond timely, they are never over looked and each and every comment you make is SO much appreciated. If you've asked me an in depth question.. it may take me a few days to get back to you because I like to put time into my responses as well. George's birthday is Friday... and I'm trying to plan it out so it's the best (surprise) birthday he's every had. I feel so short on time and I have so much yet to do! Thank you for understanding!!! <333

NOW, onto my haul! I don't order much online... typically, when there's an item that must be ordered online.. I put it off.. and put it off some more until I get to the point where I feel I really "need" the item. "NEED".. yeah sure. lol So, I decided to take the plunge and order a few things I've been wanting to order.

First off, I bought three (3) Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars. I love Cha Cha so much that I thought it was only necessary to purchase other colors. I decided on Hush, Divine and Trick. Although I haven't tried them on my lips yet.. I have swatched all three and I am pleased with the way they look. I was iffy about ordering Trick (pictured on the far right) because some swatches I found looked really nice and some - not so nice. I'm still unsure about it.. it looks a little darker than what I was hoping - but I can't say for sure yet since I haven't tried it on my lips!

Here's a little sneak peak...

Next up, I ordered two more samples of Face Atelier Foundation. In November I placed an order for a sample (#4 Sand) and it ended up being way too light for my tanned skin (Click here for the review & swatch for reference). I fell in love with the foundation.. it's absolutely beautiful! So, I ordered a sample of #5 Sepia and #6 Honey. They are supposedly NC35-37-40 matches.

Another thing I was putting off a bit was purchasing a full sized Cinema Secrets Foundation. I wrote about this in November as well (click here for reference). I puchased a full size of #302 - which is actually quite small, it's the size of a eyeshadow.. but it's great to keep in your purse! I don't think I ever posted a FOTD wearing this.. so I may do that pretty soon.

Lastly, I only needed to spend less than a dollar to get free shipping.. so on a whim I purchased a sample of Keromask Concealer in the shade light. I heard it's great and covers like a champ. So we'll see..

I'll have reviews/swatches for all of these up soon!

By the way, I am in no way affiliated with Camerareadycosmetics, but I'd like to mention that they ship very quickly. Both times I ordered from them I received my package within 2-3 days. I'm pleased.

MAC Sunbasque Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Sunbasque Blush

MAC Sunbasque Blush is described on the MAC website as a peach with pearl. It's a little more complex than that - it's a warm, shimmery rosy-bronze. There's red, there's pink, there's peach and a hint of bronze. It's everything you could ever want! Sunbasque is a sheertone shimmer, so there is definitely shimmer present, but it's not gritty glitter and it's not overpowering.

It's kind of like a blush, bronzer and highlighter all-in-one. When you've got Sunbasque on your cheeks, you don't need much else! It's one of those shades that somehow enhances my tan and makes my skin look radiant. It's a great blush to pair with warm eyeshadows (bronze, brown, gold, etc) and warm pink, peach and coral lipsticks.

It's a really beautiful shade, and it's especially nice on medium to tan skin tones. In fact, if you're around the MAC NC30-NC40 coloring and you don't own this blush, I urge you to check it out! It's one of MAC's best sellers, and it's one of my personal favorites.

Spotted: Faux Lashes at my local Dollar Tree!

Hey Everyone!

I wanted to do a quick post about these awesome lashes I picked up at my local Dollar Tree store. I had first spotted these last summer and was SO thrilled to find inexpensive lashes. I wear faux lashes very often, and wearing them often really adds up! The price for faux lashes went up in price in the past year at my local drugstores. It's now over $4 for one pair of Ardell lashes (which is ridiculous!!). I try as much as I can to get them when they're on sale at ULTA or Sally's Beauty Supply. Well, to make a long story short.. (it's actually not a long story at all.. lol) When I went back to purchase more lashes, they didn't have one pair. So I went searching high and low to all of my local dollar tree stores and saw nothing. Just tubes of eyelash adhesive. Big disappointment. I know Dollar Tree carries items that are purely close outs (sometimes there are N.Y.C, LA Colors, ELF, Etc. products) and there is stuff that comes directly from their supplier. You'll know if it's a Dollar Tree item if the label says "Distributed By Greenbrier International, Inc. Chesapeake, VA 23320. These are in fact, Dollar Tree lashes.. not close outs or overstocks of another brand.

Anyhow, I was shopping at Dollar Tree for party favors and came across my beloved lashes again. Thrilled, I picked up 8 or 9 pairs. There were probably around 40 pairs total on the rack of all different styles.

All of the lashes I purchased were the same style. They don't have a specific style number, but they looked the longest, featheriest (is that even a word?) and the most natural. I didn't think to compare bar codes, but in case you wanted to track these down in particular, the code is 639277893550. There also appears to be an item number of 989354 1010. It is most likely though that all of the styles have the same bar code. If you are familiar with Ardell Lashes, lengthwise they are longer than the 105's but shorter than the 111's. Although it doesn't state if they are 100% human hair or synthetic, I can tell you that they are synthetic. I normally don't purchase synthetic lashes for a few different reasons. 1) They can be stiff and difficult to apply 2) Because of the stiffness and plastic material, they can be uncomfortable 3) They can sometimes be too shiny & look un-natural. But, if you find good synthetic lashes the plus side is 1) They hold a curl better and 2) In my experiences, they have lasted longer b/c they are a little less "delicate" than the natural ones. 

I wouldn't be posting about these lashes if I didn't like them. I think they're great.

Here's a closer look..

I have used this style before and they looked super natural and blended in very well with my natural lashes. I typically cut the lashes in half for a less dramatic look. 

So, if you're near a Dollar Tree store on your next shopping trip out and are in need of faux lashes, check them out for yourself! I hope they will continue re-stocking these.. I've got my fingers crossed.

Have you spotted really inexpensive faux lashes in your area? Share in the comments!

Review: Estee Lauder Sumptuous Mascara!

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Mascara

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

THE FORMULA

• Unprecedented Bold Volume™ formula has ultra light, lash-thickening fibers.
• Lifts and plumps even sparse lashes into big, lush lashes that are all lightness and flirtatious curl.

THE BRUSH

• Exclusive BrushComber™ thickens like a brush. Defines like a comb.
• Wraps your entire lash in air-light volume. Lashes soar with 360° lift and curl.

THE LOOK

• Daringly full, sensuously curved, all-out seductive lashes.
• Now take your lashes all the way to big, bold, beautiful.

EL's Sumptuous Mascara has everyone raving. Among all of Estee Lauder's mascaras, Sumptuous is the highest rated on makeupalley. Currently it has a 4/5 rating with a 73% re-purchase rate, which is very good for a mascara. The mascara claims to lift, curl and thicken (doesn't mention lengthen).

I received a tester size of this mascara a couple of months back from an EL counter purchase and haven't tried it until the past few days.

One (1) coat of EL Sumptuous Mascara.

My Thoughts: What is Sumptuous anyway?? Pronounced Suhmp.choo.uhs. It's an adjective that means "Lavish; Luxurious" or "Expensive". First off, let's talk about the formula. It isn't too thick and it isn't too thin. It's the perfect in-between. The formula seemed very wet (most likely because it's new) and coated my top and bottom lashes without having to go for a second dip in the tube. It didn't take long to dry and didn't transfer all over my lids or under eyes. I was able to go back shortly to add another coat. It seems to build volume well - without looking clumpy (Like L'Oreal Voluminous or YSL Faux Cils might). One thing I noticed right away was the richness of the black. It is definitely the blackest black and has a glossy finish - love that!! Although this mascara doesn't necessarily lengthen and the main focus is on the volumizing.. I do feel that my lashes look the slightest longer. Nothing dramatic though. If you prefer a more natural look... you can still use this mascara, but you only need a few swipes. The claims are true that my lashes do feel very lightweight while wearing this mascara. I really like the brush. It is larger at the base and then gets smaller toward the end so you can get extra close to your lashes and get into the small corners of your eyes. The only downside to this mascara was that after a couple hours of wear, I would get black transfer under my eyes. *sigh* This is the main reason I never purchase new mascaras.. because the only one that has never transferred is Covergirl Lash Blast. If you don't have a problem with your mascara transferring, this is a great mascara to check out! Otherwise, if you're like me... you may want to stick with mascaras that claim to be smudgeproof.

 This was last night wearing two coats. My hair and makeup looked terrible at this point because I took the photo after shoveling the snow outside for over an hour.