Review: 3 mascaras (Urban Decay Trouble Maker, Buxom Big Tease, It Cosmetics Superhero)

Mascaras. It's become one of those things that I've grown to love over the years and find it essential for any makeup bag. These are the three that I have been trying lately and I develop quite an idea on how I feel about them as well as letting you know which one is my favorite out of all of them.

So generally, my lashes are about a short to medium length and they're always straight with trouble holding a curl. In the pictures below, I used 2 coats of each mascara with no primer and without an eyelash curler. Be ready for some up close and personal photos of my eyeballs as well as crazy untamed eyebrows

Buxom Big Tease Mascara:
I've tried Buxom's mascara in the past and did enjoy how much it was able to comb through the lashes but I remember it being an "okay" mascara. I feel about 50/50 on this new one. It's best to talk about the pros first. Despite it being somewhat intimidating, I actually do enjoy the cone brush a lot because it helps get into the tiny lashes in the inner corners. I find that the more I use this, the more I enjoy using it has it helps curls, lengthen and separate the lashes somewhat well. HOWEVER, this part disappoints me a lot because I find this very difficult to take off at the end of the night. Throughout the day and when I come home, I also notice that it has smudged and I'll have raccoon eyes. Not cute at all. It upsets me because I actually do enjoy this mascara but it's not worth the struggle of taking it off at the end of the day for those type of results. I could use a primer of course and see if that helps with the raccoon eyes situation but it's still difficult to remove.

I would suggest to try the Smoky Extravagant Make Up For Ever mascara which has that similar wand shape but is a lot easier to maintain throughout the day and has an easier removal process.

Urban Decay Troublemaker Mascara:
Out of all of them, this is my least favorite mascara and I really wish it would work for me. With that being said, let's focus on the two positives about this product. The packaging is captivating and stunning so I do give them credit for that. Out of the three mascaras that I tried, this has been the best brush for combing through the lashes. However, these are the only positives I have about the mascara. It's not a terrible mascara but for me, the results were very natural and there wasn't a significant difference in length. I find that I can't use this mascara on it's own but, I have been using this mascara more as a supplemental mascara with other mascaras. So it is beneficial in that sense but with that being said, I think you're better off saving you're money and purchasing the Covergirl Super Sizer , a mascara that I have raved about before and highly recommend if you need that extra lift that also combs through the lashes but give much better length.

It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara:
I hate being in love with a high end mascara but this....this mascara. I truly think the hype is real with this one and It Cosmetics is becoming a growing brand with me that I've been loving (including the CC cream). I think the more I use this, the more I'm going to love the formula. I think what I love most about this is the curl and length it provides that helps me look awake. It's a mascara that makes me feel comfortable to not wear an eye liner for because it provides so much of that definition. This formula is also not heavy on the lashes and is easy to remove when you're ready to remove it. I also love that it holds the curl (even without curling my lashes) all day since my lashes always seems to fall straight constantly. I'm beyond obsessed and I know I'll be extremely sad when this is done (*sobs in a corner*).

                             

So three mascaras and three reviews. Of course you can seem to figure out that the It Cosmetics product is my favorite one but of course you can be the judge for yourself and see which results you like the best.

Until next time, stay beautiful ♥

September 2017 Favorites

And a happy October, aka the best month, to all of you. I'm excited to show off the favorites I have for this month. I have a new holy grail foundation and I even have some rediscovered drugstore favorites. Let's get right into it. Also can we talk about how cute the little pumpkin succulent is? It's fake of course but I got it from Target for $3 and I just think it's such a cute decor for this season.

Bare Minerals Bare PRO Performance Wear Foundation in Cashmere:
I'm so happy to get back into one of my very first brands that I ever tried when I first started wearing makeup. I already rave about their liquid lipsticks enough that I'm sure everyone is done with me taking about them. I always loved their powder foundation since I started using it when I was 15 and my acne was at it's prime. Now at 25, I'm fighting with hormonal cystic acne but this new foundation has done AMAZING things for my skin. For starters, their products are already dermatologists tested so great for those with acne prone skin. It also has your spf 20 in it which is always important especially if you're on active acne medication like myself. You want to protect the skin from the sun's rays constantly and I think it's an important part in our routine that many people forget to incorporate. It's also a breathable full coverage formula and sets itself, so you don't even need powder on top of it. I'm beyond amazed at how well this has concealed and reduce the redness from the acne scarring yet the foundation still looks like skin. So no cake face here and definitely not overly mattifying. It wears beautifully throughout the day and only a few of my oils seep through but I don't look greasy at all. I received so many compliments on my skin with this foundation which I found shocking since I know I still have redness. Overall, if you're looking for an easy foundation that you don't have to worry about throughout the day and is easy on the budget ($34 is not bad at all for a well performing foundation) then I would definitely give this one a shot.

Also I'm so happy that brands are doing pumps for their foundations. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Biossance Squalane and Antioxidant Cleansing Oil:
This is a new brand in the beauty industry and my second favorite product this month. Before I was using the Clinque Take off the Day Balm which I did love but I'm happy to be using a product that has more natural ingredients and has been dermatologist tested which really has been great with the tail end of my cystic acne. The squalane oil (which is all plant derived) is going to help lock in moisture and hydrate over time. So you're giving back to your skin while removing the impurities instead completely stripping the skin. I think there are several things I love about this. I like that it has a pump (clearly stated in my excitement from the last product). It's also a powerful oil for removing makeup but still gentle and is safe on the eyes so use this EVERYWHERE. Always remember to use cleansing oils on dry skin in order to remove the makeup and oil afterwards. I personally love using this product and then taking a warm, wet washcloth and placing it over my face after massaging the oil in my skin. I'll then take the same cloth to remove the oil. I find the heat of the cloth helps remove the makeup better and it also feels incredibly relaxing after a long day. Anyway, if you're looking to explore into a natural skincare brand, I think this would be a great product to start off with and will greatly help with the "makeup removing" routine.

BITE Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick in Chutney:
Soooo speaking of liquid lipsticks, we're going to talk about a completely different formula of one that I've been wearing the majority of this month. This is a high shine, but fully pigmented color of a liquified lipstick. It's a thick formula but has a smooth application and doesn't tug at the lips at all. Although it is high shine, it's not sticky at all. I normally don't go for these type of finishes (I'm more of a matte finish type of girl) but I've really been loving the feel of this on my lips this month. It has such a good amount of hydration that last for several hours and the pigmentation fades away gracefully overtime. Throughout the day, it doesn't feel as thick as when initially applied and instead feels like a nourishing lip balm. I can see myself liking this a lot more especially when it gets a bit colder out and I want that extra lip balm treatment but color payoff. Sephora currently has a holiday kit for $22 and 4 minis if you want to experiment them first before committing to a full size. Bite always make such great sampler kits every season and these are great as a gift for yourself or to a friend especially if you never tried BITE before. It's a great way to treat yourself but also getting the most out of your money.

Fresh Sugar Lip Caramel Hydrating Balm:
And speaking of hydration, this will probably be my main stable lip balm going into Fall. As you guessed it and how my nose loves things that smell like food, this has a rich caramel scent that hydrates that lips without it being a super thick formula. I think the only downside to this is that it's in a tin when I prefer my lip balms more in a tube. However, that's definitely something I can over look because the thing I love the most about this lip balm, is that it doesn't disrupt your lip color. The first time I tried this, I was wearing a liquid matte lip color for several hours and I put the lip balm on top. Not only did it give me the hydration that I needed, but the color I had on my lips stayed in place and didn't get on my teeth (yay!). I would say this is more of a "treat yo self" product, but nevertheless, another great product from Fresh.

Essence Make Me Brown Gel Mascara:
I'm so excited to get back into some rediscovered drugstore favorites! I've been incredibly lazy with the eye brows this month but I'm also starting to realize the importantance of having some kind of definition to the eyebrows so I went back to this product. I never tried Benefit's Gimme Brow before but I will say the brush on the Essence one looks very similar to the Benefit's product and could definitely be a dupe for it. It helps give some tint and hold to the eyebrows throughout the day and is perfect for the lazy girl routine. Also the main difference is definitely the price point. For $3, I don't think you can go wrong with something just a simple and similar to the Benefit one. Save your money dear.

Wet and Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana:
This is not a bronzer at all. However, it is a beautiful highlighter that honestly I forgot all about and was shoved towards the back of my makeup drawer. This isn't going to be your super sparkly and "highlight so bright you can blind a person" highlight. It's a subtle highlight that enhances the cheekbones and looks so natural. I forgot how much I love this type of highlight and it's great for days when I'm doing subtle looks. Also for $4, you get SO much product. It's about the size of my cheek. Not the best packaging (I know mine looks worn out and gross) but the important part is what's on the inside (truly a great life motto to go by) and the inside of this product, is perfection.

Commodity Gold:
You guys know that I love really good scents and I'm also the worst at describing really good scents. I was just introduced to this fragrance this past month and I've been wearing it constantly. If I want something a little bit more for for a night out, I'll go for the Elizabeth James Bourbon which I feel like has similar notes to this Commodity scent, just more enhanced. The Commodity Gold. Ugh honestly I just stopped typing to smell it more. It has a warmth and a slight sweetness to pull you in. Kinda reminds you of a late fall/ early winter evening and you're wrapped up in a flannel blanket next to a fireplace with someone. It's so inviting but also still subtle so good for everyday. I hope that helps but if not, feel free to look at the notes of the scent online and just go get a sample a Sephora. Just do it. It's so intoxicating and you'll feel like a million bucks (I guess hence the name "Gold").

sephora.com

Guys that's it! That's all my favorites for this month and I'm super excited to get into the fun holiday months and holiday products with you all. Wishing you all an awesome October!

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Review

To be quite honest, I was never super excited for this for this line to come out. I have nothing against Rihanna, I just feel very neutral about her. I did get the foundation and highlighter as part of gratis with Sephora though so I decided to check them out myself.

Fenty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation;
I may be neutral towards Rihanna, but I am amazed with her makeup line. Granted I have not tried all of the products but just from the foundation alone, I'm impressed. For starters she has 40 shades in her collection. That is beyond incredible and something that all companies need to supply. It's also oil free which has been really great especially with my acne prone skin. I think the main take away from this foundation that I love so much, is that it's a breathable, lightweight and full coverage. It's the most comfortable foundation I've tried. It's also sweat proof and the most important part? IT HAS A PUMP. THANK YOU.

I find throughout the day it tends to get a bit drying on my skin so it's best to go in with a good moisturizer before applying.

Overall, this is a great foundation for skin like, full coverage. She priced it affordably at $34 so everyone would be able to purchase (especially now that drugstore prices are going up). I think she really took the time to really focus on her main product and have to perfect many people's skin tones and types. The only downside is that the color I received for gratis (120) is way too pale for me so whenever I wear it, I do have to bronze up my face for it.

Killwatt Freestyle Highlighter in Mean Money/ Hu$tla Baby:
At first glanced, I thought I would like the first shade more than the second shade since it was more golden and I thought it would be too much of a "golden glow" on my pale skin. Surprisingly, it was the opposite. The shade Hu$tla Baby is creamy and has a peachiness to it that helps calm some of the gold. It's definitely a unique highlighter shade that I don't own in my collection yet which I'm pleasantly surprised with. However, I was a bit disappointed with the shade Mean Money. It looked like a really subtle subtle with little to no shimmer, and I feel like nothing swatches on my arm. I even tried applying it with a brush and I still feel like it doesn't add anything to the look. I'm not sure if it has a film to it or I just got a dud. Throughout the day, it wears excellent and is still on my cheeks from the first time that I applied it. But overall for the highlighter duo, at least for this particular shade duo, is a 50/50 for me.

I think this is definitely a line that many people will enjoy but I think the main product and most exciting thing for me at least is the foundation. Again, I wasn't expecting to love it this much and it really shows that she took the time to curate a foundation accessible to everyone with any skin tone. That alone, makes her line incredibly successful and something that will grow in the future.

August/ Finally it's the End of Summer Favorites 2017

Good Morning! Clearly, I'm more than ready for the Fall weather to come as I sit here listening to 80's romantic ballads. Not too many new products for this end of the summer post but nevertheless, they are favorites.

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter:
This is definitely an added new favorite to my body butter collection. It's a very light weight but hydrating formula with argan oil in it and dries down quickly. On the Sephora website, they describe this product as velvety which I would agree with. It has that whipped light texture to it as well and a little bit goes a long way. I haven't tried the other scents yet but the Vanilla Apricot (the one I currently own) has the perfect amount of light sweetness and apricot scent to it. I might pick this product up again when the Spring comes around.   

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Paaarty: 
I have two blushes for my favorites this month because I really couldn't chose just one. This mini sized was in the Sephora birthday gift this year and I think it's one of the best free birthday gifts that they put out. Overall, I've always loved Tarte Blushes. They last all day on me, waterproof, and has excellent pigmentation but is still very blendable on the skin. This particular color is no exception from the performance that these blushes provide. It's a pink/ beige shade and great for everyday for a natural flush of color. These deluxe sizes will last you for a while too so if you haven't tried Tarte blushes yet, I would recommend getting this free birthday gift option and try it out for yourself. I doubt you'll be disappointed in it.

 Anastasia Blush Trio in Pink Passion:
So here's the second blush that I've been loving towards the end of the Summer. I like how this is a trio set and you can use the blushes on their own or all together to get a blush contour effect (which seems to be coming back in style). I also think it's great for the price point to get three blushes for $30 and in a compact but functional case. I personally love using a fluffy blush brush and sweeping across all three of the colors starting at the apples of cheeks and applying it upwards towards the top of my ears. I just love the effect it gives and it makes it look like more was done to the face when it was just a rather one easy step.

Sephora Collection Classic Double Ended Multitasker and Concealer Brush #202:
I plan on making a post in the future of my favorite brushes and you can probably guess that this one will be included on that list. Of course, I love that this is a duo foundation and concealer brush so it's great for those traveling or those who just don't want so many brushes. I love that the foundation brush helps build medium to full coverage with liquid or powder products. The bristles are very soft and doesn't leave any streaks on the face. I do love the concealer brush side of it as well, but I find that I don't use that as often. I wish the concealer side was just a little bit wider such as my e.l.f concealer brush to spread out the concealer over more space. However, I find the concealer brush side to be small to conceal precise detailed areas which could be good for cleaning up a red lip or wing. Overall, it's been my go to brush this month and has been incredibly convenient especially when I don't want to lug all of my brushes with me.

Lancome Monsieur Mascara:
This is my first Lancome mascara that I've ever tried and holy cow (is it lame to say that?), this is amazing. I can see why people adore Lancome mascaras. This holds the curl and length so well throughout the day. I also like how this provides volume but separates my lashes as well. The only down side to this is that I do find it a bit difficult to remove at the end of the day so it's best to use waterproof eye makeup remover on a cotton round and hold it on the eye or about a minute or so. I was so impressed with this one and it makes me want to check out the other Lancome cult favorite mascaras.

 
Kat Von D Saint Eau de Parfum:
This has been my main fragrance this past summer and I've got some many compliments on it. I do like both scents in her collection but the saint scent is light and feminine without it being overpowering or overly sweet. It's described has having notes of vanilla, musk, and jasmine and it's a perfect light balance of all three. I think the only downside to this is that it last me for about 5 hours I would say. However, this is a great perfume if you're looking for something not too heavy but still intriguing. Trust me, you'll get plenty of compliments on this. Also, the packaging it truly a work of art.

sephora.com

My apologize again that this was incredibly late to post. As I type this I already have some September Favorites lining up for the end of the month.

 

Dupe?: Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara vs. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Hi hi. My apologies for being gone for so long, for August has been a chaotic month and not enough coffee in between the days. But with some free time I have right now, I figured I finally give you my opinion on whether this Loreal mascara is the drugstore dupe for the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara.

I was really excited when I first saw this launched because I do love the Too Faced mascara a lot but I also love me a good drugstore dupe (I mean who doesn't?). Especially when it comes to mascaras, I almost never justify buying a high end mascara when mascara expires in 3 months. Unless it's in one of these favorite sets, then it's definitely worth it. 

So to the review. The Too Faced mascara almost gives a false eyelash look and provides great volume to my lashes. I always loved the effect it gave. However, I can sometimes find this to be clumpy and it doesn't separate the lashes as well. So let's break down the comparisons. 

PACKAGING: 

Of course, I do love the pink color on both tubes but the Too Faced tube definitely carries a bit more weight to it whereas the Loreal has a light plastic feel to it. As far as the wands go, I do like that the Too Faced one is a little bit longer but I've also always preferred longer wands on my mascaras. The brushes is when you can notice a little bit of a difference between the two products. The Too Faced hourglass shape is more defined where as the Loreal you can see a slight curve to the hourglass shape. The brush hairs are also a bit longer on Too Faced than Loreal. The Loreal looks more as it will perform by providing soft, fluffy volume to the lashes whereas the Too Faced will have more product on each bristle.

FORMULA:

I find the Loreal formula is a lot lighter feeling on the lashes than the Too Faced one. Both formulas though provide great pigmentation and are midnight black on the lashes. 

PERFORMANCE:

I'm very happy to say though that the Loreal mascara performs just as well or even a little bit better than the Too Faced mascara. Both products provide the length and volume that they claim to give. The wear over time was also great with both. No smearing and no flakes throughout the day. Anyway, you can check out the results for yourself and get close and personal with my eyeballs. Each product was applied with two coats.

Left: Too Face Better Than Sex Mascara
Right: Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I will still keep using the Too Faced Mascara just to purely use it up, but I'm really happy to say that I do enjoy the Loreal mascara just as well. I might even like it just a little bit more because 1) it's a drugstore price 2) the formula doesn't feel heavy on the eyes but still provides a great effect and outcome. I still want to experiment with the Loreal one with my Covergirl supersizer to see the effect it would give. 

Well I hope some of this was informative and will help you save a bit of money. I would love to keep doing dupe reviews like this one so if you have any suggestions definitely feel free to shout them out. Stay well dears. 

♥

Favorite Lip Balms (tinted and non tinted) part 1

Currently indulging in a pb and j sandwich at 10pm on a Tuesday. I know, wild times. I just made a whole post about my favorite matte lip products so now it's time to go to the opposite end and discuss my favorite lip balms. It's a mixture of affordable and some more on the indulgence side. A lot of these are great on there own or just paired with a lip liner. You do you boo.

Also heads up the word "moist" might be used a lot. I mean...it's lip balm guys. Sorry in advance.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Honey:
All of these are amazing and this is very much a "treat yo lips" product but this shade in particular is the perfect terracotta nude shade. There's enough warmth too it that it doesn't look to pale of a nude on the lips. Of course the comfort of these is so nourishing and the sweet lemon scent is refreshing. Truly everyone should treat themselves to at least one of these. I find it best to buy them during the holiday season when they come in minis and sometimes you can get 2 of them for $22. I did give this product some love back in my March Favorites for 2016.

sephora.com

Sephora Rouge Balm SPF 20:
I'm not going to talk about these too much since I just discussed them in my May Favorites but these provide more pigmentation than the fresh ones and leaves more of a stain even after the balm has faded away. A fantastic balm for color payoff and comfort.

Sephora Lip Balm:
I would assume all of these are amazing but I do have this in almond and I'm obsessed with it. Light weight but creamy and moisturizing lip balm. Of course, as you all may know if you can't tell from previous posts, scent is very important to me these these don't fail. Apparently, all of the different scents provide different benefits. It's similar to the rest of the Sephora skincare line with the scents and how they provide different benefits (maybe a future post on that?) They also have an exfoliator for the lips in a honey scent which I'm definitely curious to try out. In the mean time I'm very content using my $3 e.l.f exfoliator which gets the job done.

Lypsyl Lip Balm:
Have you heard of this lip balm? Yea, me neither up until about a year ago. This is very similar to the Sephora lip balm except I think it's a little bit thicker in moisture. It's apparently the only lip balm made with Swedish beeswax along with coconut oil, chamomile, and honey. Sounds like all the wonderful things I do want to put on my lips. This smells like Andes mint (chocolate mint) candies if anyone is familiar with those. Finally, I love the packaging for the little bumble bee on the side of the lip balm. HOW ADORABLE.

sigh, always weak for cute packaging

Rosebud Perfume Co. Strawberry Lip Balm: 
This is another line of lip balms where all the different ones they make are excellent and nourishing but I have the strawberry just for, well you guessed it, the scent. It's like those sweet strawberry candies that used to sometimes be at the doctors office or grandma's house. I used to use this as my overnight balm which works just as well but lately I've been using it as my pre-balm in my morning skin care routine as I do the rest of my makeup. My lips are well nourished and hydrated by the time I'm ready to put a lip color on

BITE Beauty Agave Lip Mask:
You didn't really think I was going to make a 'favorite lip balms' post and not add the holy grail of moisture and the ultimate 'treat yo self' for your lips. I've raved about this way too many times that it's obnoxious. The smell of a sweet brown sugar and the nourishment. I never felt something so great for my lips ever. This product is well worth every penny and will last you for at least a good year. Please try a sample of it and you won't be disappointed by it.

So  I hope this post today was at least somewhat informative and gives you an idea of what you would might like to try. This might be a good post to look back on during the Winter months. Hopefully by then I will have a part 2 up because I don't think this collection is ending anytime soon.

Do any of you have lip balms collections? Any of them I should try out? Help ya girl out


♥

(also I'm trying to get better with photo lighting! just a lot of trail and error for now)

Review: Bite Beauty Agave Lip Collection (Scrub, Treatment, and Balm)

It's winter still so that means it's chap lipped season and Bite Beauty added two more products next to the cult classic Agave Lip Treatment. I adore Bite Beauty lip products but I never tried any of the treatments before so it was quite a treat (ha) when I received the lip balm and some samples of the treatment for gratis (yes those are the ones that kinda look like medication pills but it's really adorable). All of the products in this line have a sweet brown sugar smell which I'm obsessed with! The agave lip scrub I wound up making a sample for myself just to try it out so I apologize for the not so photogenic picture.

Agave Sugar Lip Scrub:

Lip scrubs are great to get rid of dead skin cells and especially before using a matte liquid lipstick which can tend to show lines and cracks on the lips. I definitely come to enjoyed this one as it gently exfoliates while also providing extra moisture. Almost reminds me to a honey and sugar scrub  just not as heavy. When you add water do the scrub, it becomes milky and activates the scrub. It really makes the scrub more effective and provides soft lips instantly. Although I do like how this product performs, the scrub is a little bit high up in my price rage and would recommend something quicker and easier such as the e.l.f Lip Exfoliator.  However, if you need a effective but gentle exfoliator for chapped lips, I don't think you'll be disappointed by this product. Just remember kids, exfoliate especially during those winter months.

Agave Lip Balm:

I remember seeing this on instagram and being way too happy that they made this into a balm. Same sweet brown sugar smell and gives the moisture that the lips need for about 3-4 hours. However, I do wish it was a bit creamier to apply. It does have a matte finish to it so if you wanted to moisturize the lips before going in with a lipstick it would be perfect for that. If it's a day I just want a lip balm, I probably would gravitate towards something else only because I like something just a bit creamier. So not a bad product, but not something that amazed me.

Agave Lip Treatment:

I really wished I didn't joined the bag wagon for this one, but it's a reason why this is so loved by many. It's a thick, creamy balm which is perfect for overnight. I love how this is still on the morning after and you'll feel a big difference. Even though the samples look small, a little bit goes a long way so getting the full size of this will definitely be worth the price point. I was previously using the Vaseline Lip Therapy Creme Brulee as my overnight lip balm which helps get the job done but the Agave Lip Treatment is just a bit creamier and lasts a lot longer. However, I wouldn't rule out trying the Vaseline Lip Therapy as it's a great drugstore alternative (also the smell...THE SMELL *heart eyes*)

So is it worth the whole collection? Honestly, if you suffer from chapped lips constantly, it might be nice to make an investment to treat your lips and constantly have them feeling great (and yes smelling great too). If I had to pick a favorite though, I think the Agave Lip Treatment takes the cake. Get a sample. Give it a shot because it's a beautiful product.

What lip balms or scrubs have you been liking for this season? I kinda want to do a whole post on lip balms possibly in the near future (yes the obsession is real).

♥

Too Faced Peach Palette Review and Swatches

Too Faced continues to be one of my favorite brands when it comes to food related things and making them into wonderful palettes/ makeup products. I was beyond grateful that I was able to get the Peach Palette from Sephora gratis this past holiday season and after testing it out a bit, I've come up with my own opinions on the product and whether it is worth the hype or not. Although I received this for gratis, I always give my 100% honest opinion and thoughts on the product.

Originally when the peach palette came out, I loved the swatches and shadows but then I figured "how many of these neutral shades do I already own?" and "do I really need it?". But after testing it for the past couple of weeks, it truly is a unique neutral palette and I adore the combination of plums and peach creating almost a "sunset" type of look. 

For starters, the smell is wonderful. Smells just like candied peach rings and every time I smell it, I want a whole bag of them. Too Faced definitely knows how to get these spot on smells to their palettes which kinda provides a calming experience in a way (is that weird?)

I also apologize in advance for the strange font sizes in the photos. Photo editing wasn't fully cooperating with me early this afternoon and I'm still a newbie with the whole blogging experience.  

There are two duds with this palette however which are "tempting" a deep brown/black shade with fine golden shimmer and "talk derby to me", a deep plum/ black shade with purple shimmer. I was kind of upset with that second shade though because it looked like it could have been unique shade in the palette, but both shadows didn't provide with pigmentation  or blendability since they were so dry. Instead, it seems like the type of shades that would make the eye shadow look very muddy. I also kind of wish there were more peach shades to the palette. I do enjoy "candied peach" and "bellini" a lot but I was hoping for more peach and berry shadows with some neutrals (mostly the second row of shadows shown below).

Although I do enjoy the matte shadows in this palette, my favorite has to be the formulation on the shimmer shades. They are so creamy and pigmented which is probably one of the main reasons why I keep picking up this palette. One shade I do like using as a highlight for pretty much anything including my face is "nectar". I have it compared at the bottom here to the balm's Mary- Lou Manizer to show that it has a little more of that "peachy" warmth to it. 

Overall, if you are looking for a neutral palette with hints of color to it but nothing too crazy, this would be a great palette. But if you're like me, and have a massive amount of neutral palettes, I don't think this is necessary to pick it up. It is nice and reminds me of spring and summer months, but I continue to gravitate towards my Chocolate Bar Palette and pick up colors from single eye shadows in my z palette. I find it easier to build on colors that you already know you like and create a look from that. 

But then again... the palette smells like candy. Delicious candy. 

Any neutral/ color combo palettes that have worked out for you? Do you enjoy the dessert related scents that Too Faced constantly comes up with? Share some love down below 

♥

Mini Products.Mini Reviews: Sunday Riley UFO Clarifying Facial Oil and Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner(Gratis)

Hello Beauts. It's been a while since blogging and I figure on this rainy day it would be a good time to update you on the duo that has been saving my skin because I can't stop talking about it.

This is the first time I've used Sunday Riley and I can see why it's so loved by many. Both of these products have been great to use in the day time before makeup and at night. The Martian Mattifying Melting Water Gel-Toner is perfect to use after cleansing to help calm down any redness and mattify the face before makeup. I use UFO Clarifying Facial Oil after the toner and sometimes even mix it in with the foundation I'm wearing that day. Lately I have been using the oil more as an overnight treatment but these two products together has helped tamed redness and my acne. The only downside to the oil is that the smell is not my favorite, but it doesn't linger. Facial oils always scared me since I tend to have combination skin, but this oil sinks into the skin after about 15 minute.The price is steep for both of the products but if you suffer from adult acne like I do, I do think it's definitely worth to try this. I always suggest getting a sample first to make sure that you don't have any bad reactions to the products. This year I've really stay true to taking care of my skin so this is definitely something that I want to keep up with and willing to spend the extra money on. Of course the best to keep great skin is a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water but having this product helps a lot since I tend to fail to keep up with a so called diet sometimes.

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Favorite red lipsticks

Currently listening to old 2000 pop songs as I type this post. What a time for bad fashion but really catchy tunes that you had to sing with all your heart.

Anyway, tonight I share my favorite red lipsticks. I have a problem. I constantly feel like I need new red lipsticks in my collection because of the different finishes or undertones. Red lipstick is definitely not in everyone's comfort zone but I do believe there's a red color out there for everyone. I feel like I instantly have a boost of confidence with a red lip and a little more confidence to conquering the day. 

As I de-cluttered some makeup this week in preparation for imats, I've picked my top 6 red lipsticks that I always seem to go back to. I also wanted to de-clutter because..well... I'm probably just going to buy more red lipsticks at imats. Like I said, I have a problem. 

Those are my babies. Just perfection. It's a good mix of drugstore and high end but I personally think they are all worth it. 

Revlon lip butter in Red Velvet: Really bummed out because i think they discontinued this one which is disappointing because this is such a beautiful low maintenance deep blue based red. I loved wearing this for occasion when I had to look put together but I wanted the comfort of a lip balm and the pigmentation of a lipstick. So comfortable and easy to maintain. It also fades away gracefully during the day and leaves a nice natural red tint. Also this was my first lip butter from Revlon and I think the formulation on all of them are fantastic. I mean, you hear lip butter and how could you not want to put that on your lips. 

Sephora lip cream in 01 Always Red: This is hyped on the internet for a good reason. First, the price is $14 which is right in between high end and drugstore. This is everything you want in a matte liquid lipstick. It has the pigmentation of a true blue base, Hollywood classic, red, doesn't budge and is kiss proof! I can't tell you how many times I have put this lip color on and stared at the mirror just mesmerize by how flawless the application looked. I really would love to try their other colors (such as the deep purple of course). I think everyone should have this staple in their collection. 

NARS Audacious lipstick in Audrey: Ok so this was a splurge. However, if you have the opportunity to splurge (maybe during the Sephora's Beauty Insider coupon week that happens in April) get yourself this lipstick. Honestly any color will do because this lipstick is incredible. I'm obsessed with how this is a deep red with a berry/maroon undertone. I just feel like it's such a unique color. I was all about this color this past winter. Comfortable on the lips and pigmentation is all there. Also magnetic closure packaging. I'm a sucker for that. 

Maybelline creamy matte in Divine Wine: Don't let the color fool you online. This is a deep color with some maroon and slight brown undertones. But if you're feeling vampy, this color is perfect. It's comfortable on the lips but you will want to add a lip liner to this since it can be really easy to mess up such a pigmented and deep shade. I'm really impress with the formulation for how creamy it was for a matte and I definitely want to try more colors.

NARS velvet matte lip pencil in Cruella: Yup this was the birthday gift from Sephora last year!. I love this lip color for, of course the deep blue base red matte color but also for how multi-functional it is. You could wear this alone or use it as a liner. This pairs perfectly with the Sephora lip cream I mentioned earlier. It gives just a little bit of a deeper tone to the classic red that the lip cream gives off. Sometimes Sephora will have a deluxe size product available as a 100 point perk. But from what I heard, Sonia Kashuk's Velvety Matte lip crayon in 03 poppy nude might be a possible dupe for the NARS. I can't confirm on this since I don't own the Sonia Kashuk product but maybe that will be a future post? 

Burt's Bees lip crayon in Redwood Forest: YOU GUYS. I love all of the products I mentioned above. But this my be my favorite and I feel like it doesn't get talked about a lot on the internet. This runs about $9 but I'm so happy I got it. It's a brick red but it's soft enough where it doesn't look too striking so it's comfortable to wear during the day. You can also layer it up it get a more intense color. Although in the swatch below it appears shiny, it comes off mostly matte on the lips. This is so comfortable to wear during the day but you still look like you put yourself together. And because the red is not as striking but has a "little something" to it, I think it would be a great product for those who are trying to get into the red lipstick zone without being uncomfortable.

From top to bottom: Burt's Bees - NARS lip pencil - Maybelline - NARS audacious lipstick - Sephora lip cream - Revlon lip butter

So those are my favorites. What are your favorite reds or lipstick colors that give you confidence?