NOTD: OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy with Glitter Tips!

Three (3) Coats of OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy with Love & Beauty Silver Glitter on the tips and One (1) Coat of Seche Vite Top Coat.

Coney Island Cotton Candy is a very sheer, milky flesh-tone nude with a peach undertone. Prior to receiving this polish in a swap last year, I looked up numerous swatches and reviews for this shade, and saw so many differences. I suppose it depends on the actual color of you nail how this polish may appear, because many stated there is a pink tone to it. On my nails though, there is absolutely no trace of pink.

This polish is very sheer. It's basically clear with the first coat and a sheer, milky beige with the second coat. It looks it's best with three coats, but the color still isn't completely opaque. Because my tips were still visible with the third coat, I decided to add some glitter to my tips to distract from my self tanner stains. I used Love & Beauty's (Forever 21) Silver Glitter Nail Polish.

The formula is very thin and runny. Once the applicator hits my nail, a small pool of polish extends across my nail in an even layer. I find that it's very easy to work with, but requires patience between coats. Once dried, it has a "jelly" polish consistency. So, to avoid any indents, a good top coat is necessary.

I'll be back soon!

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to post a quick message to let you all know that I'm going to be on break this week, therefore I won't have any blog updates until either later this week or at the beginning of next week.

If you have any requests, please post in my comments!

I'll talk to you all soon!

XOXO
Natty

MAC Blushbaby Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Blushbaby Blush 

MAC Blushbaby Blush ($20) is described as a beige-pink powder blush in the MAC Sheertone family. I purchased Blushbaby after looking for a neutral blush that I can wear every day, and was recommended to try Blushbaby. Blushbaby is the second most reviewed MAC blush on Makeupalley, and it's one of MAC's top sellers.

Blushbaby is a no-fuss shade that pairs well with just about anything. And as much as I wanted to love Blushbaby, because so many seem to favor it - but the first handful of times wearing it, I wasn't impressed. I typically apply my blush right after my foundation, and I think because Blushbaby is super-finely milled and matte, it wasn't applying evenly, thus looking dull and muddy on my face. Now when I wear Blushbaby, I always make sure to apply a setting powder to my cheeks before application and apply the blush with a fluffy powder brush for a natural wash of color. I buff the color in a bit, and the results are so much better.

On my NC30 cheeks, it gives off a natural rosy-pink nude hue. Liked I hoped, It's a really great ever-day shade that gives my cheeks the right amount of color.

For those with naturally rosy cheeks, I can see this blush to possibly enhance ruddiness. Those with strong yellow undertones, it can pull slightly orange. It can also look "dirty" if too much is applied, and because it's sheer, you may feel the need to pack on the color. But be careful, and apply a little at a time because it builds quickly.

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24) is a vivid coral pink (described on Sephora as pink cantaloupe) lipstick pencil with a matte finish.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils combine the convenience of a pencil with the application of a lipstick in a jumbo-sized crayon design. These pigment-rich sticks provide a matte, creamy finish enriched with emollients, vitamin E, and silicone.

After seeing Bolero featured on Temptalia, I knew it would be a shade I was going to love. Although, it did look super dry on her lips.

I'm not sure if the formula differs shade to shade, but Boleo is pretty drying, as are most matte finish lipsticks. To keep my lips from drying out, I'll apply a layer of lip balm on my lips prior to application of the lip pencil and it keeps my lips from drying out and the lip pencil from looking uneven.

My favorite way of wearing Bolero, is with a warm lip liner (such as MAC Stripdown, Hover, Spice, etc) and clear gloss on top. It also looks great when mixed with a baby pink lipstick/gloss.

The color seemed all too familiar, and when I swatched it next to some of my other favorties.. well, I realized why I liked it so much in the first place. Haha! It resembles Illamasqua Obey the most, just with a touch more pink. It's a color that I find very flattering on my skintone, as it really brightens up my face.

Swatches from left to right: YSL #26 Tender Peach Rouge Volupte Lipstick, MAC Everhip Lipstick, Illamasqua Obey Lipstick and Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.

If the pencil wasn't so drying, it would probably be one of my favorite lip products. But, because I have to prime my lips, it is a little inconvenient when applied on the go, or for touch-ups. Still, I really like it and I'm happy with it!

Have you tried any of the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils? What did you think?

MAC Freckletone Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Freckletone Lipstick

MAC Freckletone Lipstick ($14.50) is a warm, sheer, nude peach with a shiny finish. It's a lustre formula, so if you're familiar with the MAC lustre family - it's smooth, creamy and feels great on the lips. I usually have to layer a lipgloss over most of my lipsticks because I love shine, but I don't need anything extra over Freckletone. The pigmentation is sheer, but buildable to medium coverage. It never quite reaches full coverage, but it can get two-thirds it's way there.

Freckletone was one of my first MAC lipstick purchases, and I've used it off and on for years. It's one of my favorites to wear when I'm tan (MAC NC30-NC40 range). It doesn't seem to look right on me when I'm lighter. When I'm around NC15-20, it looks a bit orange/brown on my lips. I think it's best geared toward medium to tan skin tones. I love pairing it with an equally warm lip liner, such as MAC Spice or Stripdown Lip Liner. It also looks great paired with warm-toned blush and earthy-toned eyeshadows.

MAC Freckletone on my lips

Review: E.L.F. Studio Kabuki Face & Body Brush!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: This anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this brush! Our handy and easy to use Kabuki Brushes provide a light to full coverage on your face or body to ensure a flawless finish. The compact brush is perfectly sized to allow for precise and controlled application of bronzer, powder, or a highlighter on your skin.

Both Brushes are from E.L.F's Studio Collection and cost $5 for the face brush and $8 for the body brush.

The Kabuki Face Brush stands a tiny bit over 2 1/4 inches and the diameter of the base is slightly larger than a quarter. It's perfectly compact and fits comfortably in the hands for controlled application. The bristles are very soft, but not too soft where they aren't effective. Compared to the Mineral Brushes reviewed a few days ago which were  extremely soft, shiny, and almost plastic-like. The kabuki is surprisingly pretty dense, so it will work well for application of powders. Also, the top is nicely domed, like the MAC 181 (I don't own the 181 though to compare). I love this brush and can't stop rubbing it on my face! For $5 I highly recommend this brush. Great Value.

The Kabuki Body Brush is reminiscent of the Face brush. The base is exactly the same, but it stands at about a 1/2 inch taller than the face brush. The bristles are the same, very soft and dreamy on the skin. Compared to the face brush, it's not as full, domed or dense. I was a little disappointed that it's not very dense, but it would still make a good brush for setting powder or for adding a highlight or bronzer to your neck and chest. The denseness was kind of like the make it or break it for me, therefore I'm not too crazy about this brush. But I will definitely be using it. 

Overall, I'm pretty happy with these kabuki's. Especially the Face Brush. I can totally see it climbing up my favorites list for setting powder! 

Hope you all had a lovely weekend! Sorry to bore you with all of these E.L.F. reviews. I'll mix it up a little better this upcoming week. ;)

E.L.F. Brush Holder!

E.L.F. Studio Small Brush Holder

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: The stylish and sleek makeup compartment holds your brushes, makeup pencils, tools and more. The professional storage holder keeps everything organized for quick use. The luxurious material is easy to clean and durable for storing on countertops or in cabinets.

Dimensions: 3"L x 3"W x 4"H

Lately I've been really trying to make my cosmetic organization a little more functional. I have a three compartment brush holder currently, which I have my eye brushes, pencil liners and lip liners. Then, I have a separate holder where I have all of my face brushes. It is a little crowded, so I figured I could use another holder. I keep getting requests to post my makeup organization, so I should be posting that within the next couple of weeks.. so you'll see how I have it organized.

On the E.L.F. website, there are two holders to choose from. A small, one compartment holder and a large, three compartment holder. The large brush holder is exactly 3 times the length of the small holder, so it's basically three of the small brush holders put together. You would think that the large one would be a better value, but it's exactly three times the price. So, it really doesn't matter whether you purchase three of the small or one large. It's your preference.

I honestly can't tell if this thing is wooden or plastic. It may be wood with a shiny laminate on the inside. Who knows. What's great though is that the exterior of the holder is the same rubberized material that's on the NARS packaging. It may be a pain because it dirties easily if your hands aren't clean, but it's great because the material allows the holder to stay in place, so it won't easily knock over.

(**The best way to clean NARS packaging, and this holder when it gets dirty is put a little baby oil on a cotton ball and wipe the surface. Then wipe dry with a paper towel. It will remove every fingerprint/makeup stains very easy)

I wished the holder was a little bit bigger. It is pretty small, but it does hold a good number of thin handled brushes. Below is a comparison to Sigma's Brush Holder. I barely even use the Sigma one because it doesn't hold much. The opening is a pretty narrow oval. Good for traveling and to keep dust out of your brushes because it had a lid, but not so good if you have lots of brushes.

The price isn't too bad, but I think $15 for the large one is too expensive. If you're planning on purchasing one, wait till there is a sale. E.L.F. has 50% the Studio line pretty often.

How do you store your brushes?

Review: E.L.F. Mineral Brushes!

While E.L.F. had their 60% off sale, I decided to try a few of their mineral brushes. I've always been curious about the mineral brushes because they are a few more dollars than the Studio Brushes. Naturally, I figured they are better quality.

So, I went ahead and ordered the 4 Piece Bamboo Brush Set, Angled Blush Brush and Flat Eyeliner Brush.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: These antibacterial Taklon bristled brushes are 100% cruelty free, luxuriously soft and can be used with wet or dry products. The natural and sustainable bamboo handle fits ergonomically in your hand for comfort and precise application. The recycled Ferrule is eco-friendly for guilt free beauty.

READ MORE FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS & MY REVIEW!

Review: E.L.F. Conditioning Lip Balm in Peaceful Pink!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: 

With the e.l.f. Conditioning Lip Balm, lips get treated to a sheer splash of color that’s super smooth, velvety soft and non-sticky. Not only are these sheer, natural shades beautiful, they’re also beneficial, with natural ingredients that condition dry, chapped lips including Vitamins A & E. SPF 15 to protect delicate lips against harmful sun damage.

AVAILABLE IN SIX (6) SHADES: Nice & Natural, Peaceful Pink, Mellow Melon, Blissful Berry, Bombshell Brown and Romantic Rouge.

READ MORE FOR MY REVIEW & SWATCHES! 

Review: E.L.F. Studio Complete Coverage Concealer Palette!

Left: Light, Right: Dark

ELF Studio Complete Coverage Concealer

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Savvy beauty shoppers rejoice—now there is no need to buy new concealer from season to season for meeting the different needs your skin tone may have. e.l.f. introduces a sleek quad compact filled with four brilliant, customizable concealers ranging from light, medium and dark shades. A must have for anyone’s makeup kit these highly pigmented, professionally formulated concealers offer ultimate coverage to disguise a range of boo-boos and flaws including blemishes, dark circles, redness and uneven skin-tone for a flawless, makeup artist finish!

AVAILABLE IN THREE (3) SHADES: Light, Medium and Dark.  (I purchased all three, but I only received Light and Dark and was refunded for Medium because apparently it was out of stock)

READ MORE FOR MY REVIEW AND SWATCHES!

Small, but Awesome Swap Haul! MAC, Nars and Guerlain!

I was so excited to get these goodies in the mail today from a recent swap. So, I thought I'd do a quick post and show you what I got! There will be reviews & swatches to follow in the upcoming weeks.

 

Guerlain Meteorites in Mythic

Guerlain Meteorites in Beige Chic

MAC Deep Dark Mineralize Skinfinish

NARS Exhibit A Blush

NARS Mounia Blush

READ MORE FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS & DESCRIPTIONS!

Dior Sugar and Spice Diorblush Glowing Powder Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Dior Sugar and Spice Blush

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Dior presents the first blush that plays on color intensity and a variety of finishes to create a natural, healthy glow with a subtle sparkle. A matte finish enhances the natural skin tone, while a pearly finish highlights the planes of the face. Silky and lightly scented, this Couture blush comes in a wide range of colors to suit all skin tones. (DIOR)

There are ten blushes to choose from: Vintage Pink, Sugar & Spice, Peechy Keen, Rodebud, English Rose, Pink in Love, Strawberry Sorbet, Sunkissed Cinnamon, Passion Fruit and A Touch of Blush.

From what I understand, each blush has two blushes with two different finishes - One matte and one with shimmer or frost. You can wear them individually or together, but they should work hand in hand with each other. 

Dior Sugar and Spice is a velvety matte warm cinnamon and a warm, frosty peachy pink. When mixed together, it creates a sparkling warm peachy cinnamon. I want to say that the matte side is similar to MAC Coppertone or Gingerly Blush, but when I swatched them together, both Gingerly and Coppertone are more orange, whereas Sugar and Spice has more of a brick red tone. They are definitely in the same color family, but they aren't at all dupes. It's actually a bit similar to the color of MUFE HD Creme Blush in #10 (See a swatch here).

My Summer Essentials! (Skin, Makeup, Hair and Accessories)

Hey Everyone!

Despite it's halfway through the summer, I've had a few requests to do a summer essentials post. I've read several summer must-haves and summer essentials posts and I absolutely love reading them! I had trouble narrowing down my list, so I decided I'd break it up into sections and post it all.

(Just about every item is click-able, for more information on the product)

Skin & Haircare Essentials: Pumice (for feet), Leave-in Conditioner, Shine Serum, Dry Shampoo, Body Moisturizer, Facial Self Tanner, Body Self Tanner, Body Makeup, Heavy-duty Deodorant, BHA/Salicylic Acid for face, Body Illuminizer, Sun Screen, Body Brush.  

Mr. Pumice Pumi Bar

 I normally don't have dry feet, but once summer hits, my heels become extremely dry. To keep my feet soft during sandal-wearing months, I always use a Pumice Bar in the shower to rid my feet of dry, excess skin.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner

During the summer, my hair craves moisture. To keep my hair from drying out, I like using a leave in conditioner a few days a week. I recently purchased this Aussie one, and it's great and affordable!

CHI Silk Infusion

 I love using Silk Infusion before I blow dry or heat style my hair. It really makes my hair more manageable, soft and shiny. It doesn't weigh my hair down or make it greasy. Shiny hair is definitely a must have for any season.

T3 Orlando Pita Refresh Dry Shampoo (dark tone)

Dry Shampoo is an awesome product to have handy during the summer for quick hair touch ups. It's an instant refresher and will soak up any excess oil in your hair. Turning your head upside down and working it into the roots can also give you quick volume. This particular dry shampoo is my favorite of all time. I've tried every one on the market, and this one lasts the longest without clogging, doesn't give a white/powdery cast to the hair, doesn't cause flakes or build-up, etc. I just checked the Sephora website, and I'm a little horrified right now that this product is no longer available, and is possibly discontinued.

Stridex Maximum Strength Pads

 These little pads are a great way to keep your skin clean. Whenever I feel like my face has gotten oily, I make sure to clean my face with a Stridex pad. The salicylic acid will deep clean your pores and prevent future breakouts. Not only are these important in the summer time when my skin is a little more oily, but they are important all year round!

HEMPZ Original Herbal Body Moisturizer

 A good moisturizer is vital to keep your skin looking radiant and feeling silky. I really like using Hempz body lotion. It makes my skin feel incredibly smooth and it smells amazing - sort of like bananas? :)

READ MORE TO CONTINUE READING MY LIST!

NOTD: MAC Hangin' Loose Nail Lacquer (Surf Baby Collection) w/ Leopard Print!

Three (3) Coats of MAC Hangin' Loose Nail Lacquer and One (1) Coat of Seche Vite Top Coat

MAC Hangin Loose Nail Lacquer

MAC Hangin' Loose Nail Lacquer is a neutral pink beige cream with very tiny white sparkles that seem to only be noticeable in bright lighting. This polish is from MAC's recent Surf, Baby! Collection and is still available on the MAC website (here). I'm not sure if I can justify paying $15 for a nail polish, so I'm really happy I got a chance to try this through a swap.

I really like the formula of this polish. It's not thick, not too thin, very creamy and dries fairly quick. It is a little on the sheer side and applies a little streaky with the first two coats, but I applied a heavier third coat and everything evened out very well. I actually love this polish and I think it's the perfect nude. I'll be wearing this much more often!

For the leopard print, I first applied dots of OPI You Don't Know Jacques Nail Polish (grayed brown) all over my nail (around 5-6 dots in total). Then, I took a toothpick and used a generic black nail polish and outlined the brown spots. I also made a few extra black dots. Then I used a silver glitter nail art pen and added small lines of glitter to each spot.

What's your favorite nude polish?

Love this bright lip combo!

Wet n Wild 511B Nouveau Pink (First mentioned in my haul post here)

NYX Round Lipgloss in Doll Pink (Mentioned in my '09 NYX post here)

I love bright lipsticks, but the truth is... they make me nervous. For whatever the reason may be, bright lipsticks are out of my comfort zone. I do admire a good bright lipstick when I see one, maybe even purchase it, but it will just end up collecting dust in my lipstick drawer.

There are some days where I'll feel like being a little more adventurous with my lip color, and I'll toss on MAC Vegas Volt, MAC Morange, NYX Louisiana or OCC Divine Lip Tar without much thought. In the past month or so, Wet n Wild Nouveau Pink has pretty much replaced all of those other brights I like to wear - who woulda thought at 99 cents? It's such a flattering shade that really brightens up my face (and I'm pretty sure it makes my teeth appear whiter). It's really pretty on it's own, but I like pairing it with NYX Round Lipgloss in Doll Pink. It takes it up a notch. 

If you're terrified of brights (or red) like me, I recommend experimenting with the inexpensive brands before investing in a high end lipstick you may only wear once a year. Wet n Wild has great options for a low price. If you like the color, force yourself to wear it! Don't look in the mirror every 15 minutes while you're out, forget that you're wearing it. If you can get through a full day of wearing it before putting on something else neutral, you've passed the test! I bet you'll get some compliments too while you're out. Try it more often! ☺

What is your favorite bright lipstick?

Swap Haul! Nars, MAC and Bobbi Brown.

Hey Everyone,

If you didn't know by now, I'm a complete swap-a-holic. I love swapping and browsing blog sales for great deals and hard to find items. It's a great way to try new products when you're on a budget. If you don't know what swapping is, click here to view Makeupalley's Swap FAQ page.

(Sorry, MAC Hottest Pink Glitter Vial is hiding behind the Nars Multiple)

NARS South Beach Multiple (Mini)

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow in Stone

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick

MAC Black Tied Eyeshadow

MAC Hangin' Loose Nail Lacquer

MAC Hottest Pink Glitter Vial

MAC Jardin Aires Pigment Vial

READ MORE FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS! 

Rocky's Hair Cut!

I took Rocky to the groomers yesterday! It was very well needed because his fur was getting pretty long, and it has been the hottest summer I can remember in Chicago. The only time I ever saw the temperature reach 104 was in Vegas, and I thought that was crazy. Lately, ever time I get in the car, it says the temp is minimum 101 to 105. 

I tried my hardest to get a good picture of him, but he was more into his little hedgehog toy I bought him than the camera. Did you know they have an awesome selection of pet things at Marshalls/TJ Maxx!? It depends on the location, but I've found so many cute things there for Rocky. Definitely check it out! He seems to be liking his Rockstar place-mat, but he keeps digging into it, which drives me nuts because I don't want him ruining it. haha!

Hope you're all enjoying your Friday afternoon!

NOTD: Revlon Top Speed Nail Polish in the shade Cloud!

Two (2) Coats of Revlon Top Speed Nail Polish in Cloud and One (1) Coat of Seche Vite Top Coat

Revlon Cloud is a pastel lavender blue. It does differ on certain skintones, but on my hands the color appears a little more lavender than it does blue (although you can't tell much from the photos). I was looking for more of a powder blue, but I think this polish is very pretty regardless. It really brighten up my hands.

I like Revlon's Top Speed Nail Polishes for a few reasons. They have a good selection of trendy colors, the lasting power is pretty good - I don't find it that it chips as easy as other low end drugstore polishes, they have a shiny finish and they are inexpensive (typically $3.99). Although I'm not a huge fan of the soft, plastic-like feel they have. I can get over it though.

The particular formula of this one isn't bad, but it isn't the greatest. Based on some reviews, some thought the formula was too thick. I really didn't find it to be thick. It's pretty sheer (and streaky) with one coat, and evens out pretty well by the second coat. I did find that on a couple of my nails, it looks like I have ridges (you can notice it on my ring finger in the photos), which would of probably been evened out by a third coat.

I do think this color is pretty awesome and flattering on most skin tones. I really don't think the pictures do the shade justice. It's prettier in person.

Speaking of blues, have any favorite blues you can recommend? 

My go-to products when I'm on the run!

I don't know about you, but speaking for myself, I don't manage my time very well. Yeah, I'll admit it. Dinner plans for 6 PM? No problem. Then at 5 PM I'm staggering around my house looking for misplaced items and fumbling through my makeup drawers. Sadly, there comes those days where I think I'm I've got all of the time in the world to get ready and then my best friend will call me and say she's on the way to my house and be there in 15 minutes. Meanwhile, I'm watching Pixiwoo on YouTube in my pj's. Hanging up the phone on them before I could even say goodbye, I automatically run to my go-to products that never fail when I'm racing against the clock.

When it comes to picking your go-to products, they have to be products that won't let you down - zero room for error. Also, products that don't require lots of work. A.K.A "low maintenance products". Everyone moves at their own pace and we're not all at the same level of expertise in application of makeup, so don't feel intimidated by my gi-normous list of products. I've been wearing makeup for enough years to be able to use all of the products shown above in the matter of 10 minutes (I can actually probably do it in less).. That leaves me 5 minutes to comb through my hair, spray a little hair spray and get dressed! 

I did want to show an item from each category though. Depending on where I'm going and the amount of time I have, I may skip some things. Perhaps I'll skip the blush and only wear bronzer, or vise-versa. Maybe I'll only wear mascara on my eyes and skip the shadow. 

READ MORE FOR THE LIST OF PRODUCTS!

The Solution to Razor Burn/Bumps & Irritation: Tend Skin + Homemade Recipe!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: The solution for any cosmetic problem related to hair removal. Men can use it on their face, neck and back of the head while women find it useful on legs, bikini line, underarms and anywhere else hair removal causes razor bumps. Use in conjunction with shaving, waxing electrolysis or epilating. Caution: If you have an allergy to Aspirin (hives, itching) do not use this product. 

INGREDIENTS: 

Isopropyl alcohol, water, propylene glycol, acetylsalicylic acid, cyclomethicone, glycerine.

I figured that since it's the summer, it's a good time to mention a great product that helps with irritations from shaving. Yes, I'm talking about in-growns and razor burn. It's something that a lot of us have to deal with - men and women. Speaking for myself, I suffer from both. Typically, you'll get razor burn and irritation where your hair is thicker and your skin in more sensitive - hence why common places for the women are the bikini and underarms - and for men, the neck. 

READ MORE FOR MY REVIEW + HOMEMADE RECIPE!