Benefit's They're Real Mascara

Yeah, I know I'm super late to the party with this one, but I just felt the urge to share my thoughts on everyone's beloved mascara. Of course I bought this because so many bloggers swore by it, and perhaps it is just me, but after using this mascara a few times you could say I'm not a happy camper.
First of all it's $23 which meant I had pretty high expectations. When compared to other high end mascaras that I own They're Real seems more like a drugstore mascara. It only adds length, and because I have long thick lashes almost every mascara I use works well. I find that it adds some length, but not enough to justify it's worth. The brush easily clumps my lashes together which is rather annoying. I do appreciate the top of the bristles that are pointed outwards. They make it easy to coat the inner lashes. After two coats my lashes become clumpy, and after wearing the mascara for a few hours my eyes get irritated. To be honest I won't be repurchasing it, and I am so over hyped products. I could say that my Cover Girl Lash Blast works better for me.
                                What did you think of Benefit's They're Real Mascara?
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Eye Shadow Project

Top Row : Mylar, Bronze, Girlie
Bottom Row: Sable,  Satin Taupe, Cranberry

Eyeshadow is my favorite part within a makeup look. There are so many ways to create beautiful color combinations, and so many different looks. When I was younger I was a huge fan of the "rainbow eyes shadow"makeup look, and now that I look back I'm cringing. I am more of a neutral lover now. I love a good smokey eye with neutrals, and lots of mascara. I still enjoy pops of color such as Cranberry, but I stay away from the neons. Since Mac is one of my favorite brands I thought I'd start investing in some good shadows. I'm hoping to create my own 15 palette in the future, but for now these are the colors I own. I won't go into too much detail right now because I will be reviewing and showing them in future posts. My two least favorite colors are Mylar and Girlie, and I would highly recommend Sable, Satin Taupe, Bronze, and Cranberry. I think they are such good quality eyes shadows with great pigmentation and color selection.There isn't an official Mac store in my town, just a small counter in Macy's and apparently they don't sell shadows in pans, so I will be depotting them on my own (wish me luck). 

                                   What are your favorite Mac Eyeshadows? 
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The Winter Project: Week One - Favorite Winter Nail Polishes

When it comes to nail polishes I tend to stray away from bright colors or pastels. I just don't really like how they look on my hands so it's pretty much dark colors all the time for me with the exception of a few colors. This winter I'm enjoying Finger Paints - Merry Mittens, Barry M Gelly Hi-shine - Pomegranate, Essie - Chinchilly, Essie- Blue Rhapsody, Essie- It's Genius, and Essie - Mink Muffs.
As you can probably tell I am partial to Essie nail polishes. They are my favorite. In the summer I was feeling a bit annoyed with them though because a few of my polishes went all gloppy and nasty on me. I couldn't get any more use out of them which sort of upset me. Anyway I have crawled back to Essie after trying to explore other brands. I really love how easy they apply and last quite a long time on me. My Barry M polish is also one of my favorites it has a gel like texture, and is very shiny. Finger Paints is not one of my favorite brands, but the color is so pretty. Merry Mittens is a wine red with gold glitter making it perfect for winter.
                                                    What are your favorite nail polishes for winter? 
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Revlon Photo Ready Cream Blush

After scanning the isles of Target and Walmart for weeks, I finally found the Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Coral Reef. I had been wanting to try one for ages, but none of my stores had them in stock. I decided to be bold, and go for the coral color because it is one I would not normally use. I am smitten with Coral Reef. I was skeptical because the color was so bright inside the container. However, once you swirl your fingertips inside the color transfers very sheerly. I strongly suggest using either a clean brush or your fingers to touch the product, I used a not so clean brush and it made the product look really dirty. Coral Reef gives a beautiful flush of color on the skin - very natural (just as it appears in the photo). It blends like a dream. I tend to put some on the upper put of my cheek to sort of contour my face a bit. It can be build up for a more intense color or for a subtle rosy cheek.
                                                       Do you like cream blushes? 
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Mac Diva Lipstick

 

My favorite lipstick this season is Mac's Diva. I've been talking about it quite a lot on twitter recommending it to anyone that is looking for a new A/W lipstick. This lipstick made it into my collection by fate. I never used to wear bold lip colors, but one day while gazing at a Mac counter I thought "Why not?",  and poof I ended up with an amazing lipstick. It was love at first sight. The color is a deep reddish plum almost burgundy. It is  perfect for the colder months. I've been wearing it quite often with minimal eye makeup. It is a matte finish so it is important to really hydrate the lips prior to the application especially in the colder season. The color of the lipstick accenuates dryness by creating black spots on the lips (is it just me and my chapped lips?).
There is not much need for retouching because it is very pigmented. It lasts all day, and survives a meal. I like to occasionally take a clear lip balm and go over it when my lips are feeling dry throughout the day. I've been feeling really sick lately, and this lipstick has been doing a great job distracting eyes from the rest of my face (see photo above). 

                      Would you wear Mac's Diva? What are your favorite bold lipsticks? 
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Review // Mac Mineralized Skinfinish - Gold Deposit

For months I gazed towards Gold Deposit while strolling through Macy's. I knew it was something I wanted, but it took me a while to convince myself. I already own and love Soft & Gentle so I thought I would choose something different. I decided to go for Gold Deposit because of its orange gold shimmery color. It is perfect all year around in California. I wanted something that would help me inject color to my face as well as shimmer.
The Mineralized Skin Finishes are my favorite Mac products. Each are different and one of a kind. I believe most of them are limited edition with the exception of Gold Deposit and Soft and Gentle. Of course.. I would choose the two that are always available.
There is a lot of product here in the pan. It is definitely worth the money because it will last a very long time. It is also very pigmented. A light hand is highly recommended. I use it as highlighter during the day and when I'm out I can get away with using it as blush. If you don't like shimmer then this one isn't for you. Applying too much can cause the disco ball effect, but applying just right amount can create a warm bronzey glow.

                   Have you ever tried Mac Minzeralized Skin Finishes before? Which are your favorite? 
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September Favorites // 2013

 Another month, another favorites post! September flew by, it feels as if yesterday I was taking my driving test, or celebrating my birthday. Towards the end of September I've began to use a lot more makeup than usual, but for most of the month it was all about the hair, cheeks, and lips.

L'oreal EverCreme Shampoo and Conditioner
I picked these up when during late July because I had been very unsatisfied with old current hair care. My hair was very damaged resembling dead grass. I heard of these on a few blogs and decided to try them out. I've reviewed them here. Both the shampoo and conditioner are very moisturizing. My hair quickly became silky and shiny.

Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer
After waiting for so long I finally got my hands on the Show Off Lip Lacquers. They are incredibly pigmented glosses that last for ages. My two favorite are Celestial and Big Bang. They are a bit messy when trying to get a precise application, but I have mastered the technique that work for me.

Mac Blush Coy Girl
As the colder weather approaches I have started to reincorporate blush into my makeup routine.  Coygirl looks very purple in the pan, but on my skin it is a beautiful pale pink. It makes my skin look flushed and naturally pink. I love rosy cheeks at the moment they make me want to be around a warm fire.

That's it for the month of September, nothing too exciting. I'm looking forward to the month of October!
                                     What were your favorites from September? 
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What I Would Buy #1

1)  I've been wanting the Zara Mini Office City Bag for the past week. It's been an intense to buy or not to but type of dilemma. I've heard great things about Zara's handbag quality, and distinctly remember the buzz around the Zara Mini Shoppers. I regretted not buying a Mini Shopper which is part of the reason why I want this one. My current hand bag is too big to cary around all the time. I usually use it to store my folders or laptop. This might sound silly, but I really want it because I'm tired of carrying keys and money in my pockets. I end up being too lazy to whip out my larger bags so I might give into temptation. It also comes in burgundy, but I think I like the navy better and it matches a majority of my wardrobe.

2) For me, skincare isn't the most exciting topic. I've been lucky enough not to struggle with acne only pesky zits that go away fairly quickly. I over look it so much that I've been forcing myself to put together a decent skin care regime. I definitely want to try the Caudalie Make-up Removing Cleanser. Cleansing waters sound very appealing because my skin is a little sensitive. The  price tag is a little daunting, but I think it will make a great treat for my skin. For now I might opt for the L'oreal Micellar Solution.

3) Now that the weather is cooler, I can safely say Autumn is here, and I can finally wear boots again. Last year I went crazy with the slightly below the knee boots so this year I have been eyeing some ankle boots. The Mania Shearling Desert Boots are so cute and versatile. I've been loving burgundy for the cooler weather so these are definitely up my street.

4) Nars Eyeshadow Palette - Fairy's Kiss is a limited edition palette. How gorgeous does it look? It is perfect for fall makeup looks. The lighter shades are great for day time and the darker shades for smokey eyes. The purples are what attracts me. I find that they compliment brown eyes as well as green ones.

Out of these four, I think I will choose the Zara bag, but I'm not completely sure yet.
                          What do you think? Are there any products you've been wanting to buy?
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Origins Super Spot Remover

Blemishes love to make various unwanted appearances on my face. That is my only skin problem, spots! They just randomly show up, and make me feel insecure because I don't usually have breakouts. Since I have been trying to up my skin regime I decided to pick up this product because it has been very hyped, and I just really want to try a product by Origin (what a great reason....*eyeroll*).

Origins Super Spot Remover contains Salicylic Acid which essentially helps to clean and exfoliate skin cells. It is efficient against a blemish because it penetrates the spot unclogging it causing it to clear up. A small amount goes a long way while using this product. I find myself barely squeezing the bottle and using a tiny pint size drop. When I use it, I feel a tiny burning sensation that quickly calms down. It depends what type of spot I am dealing with. If the spot hurts within a few hours the pain calms down as well as the size. I prefer to use it during the night time because once it is applied you can sort of see the gel on my face. It is a really got spot remover, I wish the bottle was bigger (I was horrified when I first saw it). I highly recommend trying this little bad guy out if your looking for a new spot treatment.

Let me know of any other spot removers you've tried?