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.