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Sunday, September 30, 2012

September Favorites: Beauty

Fa la la la Fall is here, and I couldn't be more excited!  The colors, the smells, the weather, the cozy clothes...I could go on and on about the things I love about the Fall.  Oh yeah, can't forget, your's truly is graduating this semester.  It hasn't hit me yet and probably won't until I start actually doing graduation things...pictures, invitations, etc.

Here are the things I've been loving recently (and some for quite a while now).

I separated my beauties into categories: face, lips, and eyes, so you could get a closer look. 


Face

  • Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer palette - I just recently purchased this, but I didn't need to use it but for a few days to know this would become my favorite concealer of all time.  It comes with 2 concealer shades, a neutralizer, and a setting powder.  Can be found at Target for about $11.
  • Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - I love this powder to set my foundation.  It's non-comodogenic, oil free, and doesn't look cakey at all.  I use the the color beige, but it's honestly just a translucent powder 
  • Real Techniques Powder Brush and Stippling Brush - They are so incredibly soft and are of professional quality. The best part: they are both only about $10 (Ulta). 
  • Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation - some stiff competish for Makeup Forever's HD Foundation (still not sure which I like better).  Nevertheless, UD's Naked Skin is great and worth a try.  I use the color 4.0.
  • NARS Laguna Bronzer - my perfect au naturale bronzer; bronzer is definitely a year-round staple product
  • NARS Orgasm Illuminator - I apply this to my cheekbones on top of my foundation, and it gives me the prettiest glow.  I like this especially in the summer, as I think the gold shimmer looks especially pretty when I'm more on the tan side.  However, I do like it even in my paler months.
  • Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed - perfect year-round blush, but I particularly love this color for Fall... a beautiful bronzed rose with mauve undertones.  Lovely, just lovely. Plus, it has proven to be long-wear for me, even as humid as it's been here lately.
  • Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser - great creamy under-eye concealer!  (see full review here)
Lips


  • Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Sunbaked - sheer mauve color, perfect consistency (not sticky at all but not too watery). 
  • Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Honeysuckle - a hint of nude tint for the lips; very moisturizing
  • Revlon ColorStay Mineral Lipglaze in Eternal Rose (top) and Timeless Nude (bottom) - these glazes are comparable to the NARS lipglosses, and I don't think they get enough hype!  I can wear Eternal Rose alone, but I sometimes mix Timeless Nude with other colors since it's a bit peachy for my taste.  It's still a nice color, but I prefer pinky nudes as opposed to peachy.  These are great longwear glosses and are very moisturizing.  Been a cult favorite of mine for years.
  • MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Modesty - my very first MAC lipstick.  I'm sold on their cremesheens! Amazing! This is the perfect nude pink for Fall; MAC site describes it as a muted pink
  • L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Nourishing Nude and Plush Plum - For me, these were so much better than the Revlon Lip Butters!  L'Oreal only came out with 8 colors in this collection, and I have fallen in love with every single color I've purchased (I own 4).  These 2 happen to be my favorite.  These are so moisturizing! My lips have never been in better condition because I'm constantly slathering these on my lips.  BEWARE: not long-lasting at all (but I suppose I wouldn't expect that of a balm anyway).

Eyes

  • Urban Decay NAKED Palette - The greatest eyeshadow palette known to man (woman) needs no justification.  I've had this same palette since it first came out a couple years back (hence the fading of the gold letters), and I am just now running out of my favorite colors.
  • Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Liner in Spiced Chocolate - the perfect brown liner. I like this on my waterline, or smudged on my lower lash line.  This product is genius because it comes with the smudger on the tip, and you can pull off the smudger to reveal a handy sharpener.  Why don't all crayon liners have this?
  • Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackened Brown - easiest-to-use liquid liner award... seriously, I don't have the steadiest hand, and I can create the perfect winged eyeliner with this
  • Tweezerman Eyelash Curler - I was in need of a new eyelash curler being that I had been using my Revlon one since the 8th grade (whoa).  This one works great!  I've noticed that my eyelashes keep their curl.
  • Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige - great worn alone or as an eyeshadow base in conjunction with the NAKED palette
  • NARS Pro Prime Eye Shadow Primer - crease-proofs my eyeshadow like no other, and I have the oiliest lids
  • Covergirl Lash Perfection Mascara - great every-day volumizing mascara for clean definition
  • Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara - slightly less dramatic than the Lash Perfection; I like this better than the Maybelline Megaplush
  • Jemma Kidd I-Design Eye Color in Vintage - perfect all over lid color
    • P.S. Jemma Kidd went out of business, and all these shadows were $4 at Target, compared to the original $16-$18.  Talk about a steal!
Also, I recently decided to donate my favorite Target coffee mug to my makeup brushes!   I got this mug on clearance for $2!  Multi-purpose at it's finest.


Welp, there you have it...the many beauty items I've been loving.  Sorry so lengthy. Let me know your thoughts and some of your favorites for Fall.

The scarf I used as the background for the products is from Target and is currently on clearance for $10.48.  I adore the pattern and love the Fall colors!

Now, if only Texas would hurry up and get cool! 

Happy Fall!
 -Jillian



Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Nail of the Moment: O.P.I's Manicurist of Seville (my perfect Fall red)



I picked this beautiful color up the other day.  I wanted a new red for fall to replace my dried up Chick Flick Cherry (OPI), and this color caught my eye.  What I love most about it is that it has a magenta undertone to it.  With 2 coats, this color turned out to be really beautiful.  After painting my nails, I realized that I usually don't transition into the reds until November-December.  For some reason, it's always been that way with me.  I just think I was so anxious for Fall this year that I kinda jumped the gun.  Usually for September-October, I like wearing a lot of taupe and gray shades on my nails.  Weird that I have this sort of schedule, I know.  Anyway, if you are looking for the perfect red color that's far from the orange-red spectrum, I say go for this one!


Next to try: O.P.I Berlin There Done That 

...a beautiful taupe color from the Germany collection. Stay tuned!

-Jillian

Monday, September 24, 2012

Dry Shampoo 101: Pssssst, Batiste, Suave, and Tresemme


I know I'm not alone when I say that dry shampoo has to be one of the greatest inventions in the beauty world. My hair has always taken the longest in my beauty routine.  When I have to do all the works (wash, blow-dry, and straighten or curl), it can get up to over an hour spent on just my hair.  This is why I rely so heavily on dry shampoo, especially since my hair seems to get oily by the day after washing.

TRESemme Fresh Start was the very first dry shampoo I tried.  This dry shampoo resulted in a very skewed perception of what a dry shampoo should do.  It made my hair even more oily-looking with the nasty residue it left behind.  I realize that most dry shampoos go on gray, but it was particularly difficult to blend in the powder with this one, making it impossible for me to completely get rid of the gray hue on my hair.  Having black hair, this didn't go over well with me. This was a complete MISS for me.  

After about a year of practically boycotting dry shampoo from the bad first impression, I came across the Suave one and decided to give it a shot.  Hallelujah! This is a great drugstore dry shampoo, costing only about $3.  The smell really caught me offguard after trying the TRESemme.  I was expecting the same hairspray alcohol-y smell, but it ended up smelling like apricots (to me...it may smell like some other fruit to the next person).  This was extremely easy to blend in the gray color and did not leave a heavy residue behind.  My only con for this one is that it seems to run out extremely quickly!  I think they need to recall their packaging also because their spray can is faulty.  I took this on a trip twice, and each time, the entire can leaked.  When I took it out of my travel bag, I had an empty can and a bunch of apricot-smelling products.  I thought it was maybe the particular can I bought, but it happened to me with two different cans.  I just had to be sure it was kept upright if I took it with me on trips (which is harder than it sounds).  Other than that, it's excellent value for the price.

Based on some great reviews on the Batiste dry shampoo, I decided to give it a try.  This one quickly became the best I'd tried, blowing the TRESemme and Suave out of the water.  It is a little more expensive than the typical drugstore dry shampoo brands, running about $7-8, but I found it to be worth it.  I have only tried the original scent/formula, and it smells so fresh.  They do have a rose scent also, but I stay away from anything rose-scented since it anything rose screams "old lady" to me.  It is easy to blend the powder, and it's long-lasting (a quality I had yet to experience in the two I'd tried).  I have found that with the Suave, my hair will regain its oiliness within hours, while this one usually lasts me all day.  So, you pay more, but in the end, it evens out since you don't have to keep reapplying it.  Usually this is how it works with all products you find yourself paying more for.  I have repurchased this dry shampoo 3 times.  This brand can be found at Ulta or HEB (Texas).

I just recently purchased the travel size Pssssst dry shampoo at Ulta for only $3.  I had heard amazing things about this one, but I was stubborn to try it since I felt I'd found my match with the Batiste.  However, I ended up liking this one more.  I am still working on the travel size, but I've been meaning to pick up a full size of this because it's truly amazing.  This totally embodies the perfect dry shampoo for me.  From the scent to the formula, it's great.  If I were to recommend any dry shampoo to anyone, it'd be this one.  While the Batiste is still a great contender, this one seemed to prevail!  To me, this one goes on the least gray and has the freshest scent (even better than the Batiste).The best part is, it is only $6 for the full size can, so it ends up being a little cheaper than the Batiste.  I have only seen this brand at Ulta so far.  

So there you have my experience with dry shampoo.  Hope this helps you decide which one to try. 

Until next time,

Jillian

Thursday, September 20, 2012

It's a 10 Miracle Hair Mask Vs. Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque

 

Starting with the It's a 10 Miracle Mask...I must say, this is indeed a good product.  As for doing all the things it says it's supposed to do, maybe not so much.  You can only assume that it's supposed to work miracles if it does all the things it claims to do: detangles, restores moisture balance, instantly restores elasticity, softens, smoothes, imparts luminous shine, enhances natural body, nourishes, defrizzes, improves color vibrancy.  That's everything anyone could ever want from a hair product.  This retails for about $25.  I got mine at Target, but I've also seen this brand at HEB (if you're in Texas) and Ulta.
Most of it's claims do go hand-in-hand (smoothness, softness, detangling). Well, I would HOPE that it would detangle my hair, but I would expect that of just about any conditioner.  I suppose the 10 promises are all a part of the cheesy brand name.  Anyway, this is a great deep conditioner.  However, I don't think it is as great a MASK as the Macadamia.  For me, a mask should be buttery and thick.  The consistency of this is exactly like that of your typical every-day conditioner, so I used this more as an oomph every other wash rather than a deep-penetrating hair mask. To me, a hair mask should be used less often due to its effectiveness and intensity, which brings me to... 

The winner: Macadamia Deep Repair Masque

 

First of all, it uses the fancy French spelling for "mask" ..."masque."  Well, that's appealing (who cares?).  You will find yourself paying a bit more for Macadamia (retails for about $30: at HEB, Target, and Ulta); however, it is truely worth the splurge if you're in the market for a miracle.  Yes, I know the It's a 10 is called "miracle mask", but I think it falls short of a miracle in comparison to the miraculous macadamia masque.  It is extremely buttery and thick and has a pretty similar smell to the It's a 10.  Both fragrances are soapy to me, but still pleasant nonetheless.  I use this mask once a week, leaving it on for seven minutes.  I still use my regular conditioner beforehand to get all the tangles out.  Afterwards, my hair feels so soft and flexible!  I've noticed that when I use this, my hair air dries more gracefully, with less fro and frizz. I would not repurchase the Miracle Mask by It's a 10 because I feel that the Garnier and Aussie deep conditioners work just as well, if not better, and you pay a fraction of the price for those alternatives. 

Ulta offers a sample size of the macadamia masque for about $4, and it's good for about 3-4 uses, which allows you to gauge whether or not you'll like it enough to spend the $30 on the full size (I find myself really taking advantage of Sephora and Ulta's little sample sizes). 

until next time,
Jillian