November 2012 Beauty Favorites

I figure the first post back should be a favorites. It has been a while, but I have really been using a lot of the same products since the colder weather has hit my area and doesn't seem to want to quit. :)

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Cream Foundation- I discovered this when I was looking for a good, inexpensive alternative to my Laura Mercier Silk Cream Foundation. I love the coverage of it and it feels very lightweight. It also blends beautifully into the skin. I find it to be quite buildable which is good for the redness in my cheeks and the acne that has developed on my chin and mouth area.

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara- This mascara is a great mascara for every day. It is very natural looking which is good for work or school. I've never had a problem with it smudging and it makes me look like I have so many lashes. I adore it.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed- I am obsessed with this blush. I have worn it almost every day for two months now. Since it is getting warmer I have been wearing more of a dark lip and because of it I like the toned down eyes a cheeks. This is perfect and if I don't want to use a separate contour this works beautifully for that on me as well.

theBalm Mary LouManizer Highlighter- I love, love, love this highlighter. It is a bit glittery so you have to be extremely careful with applying it, but it gives the most beautiful glow. My skin is dry but gets exceptionally dry in the colder months so this gives me the look of wonderfully hydrated skin.

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm- Again, since my skin gets really dry in the colder months so do my lips. I love this lip balm. It is extremely hydrating and I feel like it really helps the health of my lips. It does have an SPF of 25 too so that is an added bonus.

Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie- I can't exactly pull off red lips well, or at least I don't think I do, but this is a great deep purplish pink that can come off red. I love the way it looks and it has been my go-to for a bold lip.

Urban Decay Naked Pallet- I am a big fan of both of the Naked Pallets, but I usually grab the Naked2 more frequently. Lately I have been loving a look from the original Naked pallet for every day. I have been wearing Half Baked all over the lid and I put Buck in the crease. If I want a little more drama I will also use Darkhorse to deepen the crease or outer v area of my eye.


What is your staple makeup product for the winter time?
xoxo Colleen

It's been a while...

It has been a long while since I have posted anything on here, but that is because I was working on another project. I am writing my first novel, or novella, depending on how long it gets. That takes up a lot of my time, but I want to get back into posting on here again.

I have not stopped buying, using and testing beauty products so I hope to make my schedule so that I can work on all the things I love to do.

June Beauty Favorites

So this month I didn't really wear a lot of makeup at all. I stuck to mainly tinted moisturizer, eye liner, mascara, and some sort of cream shadow. I am all about ease since it has been super hot and humid where I live.

• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer- I have been wearing this with some translucent powder to set it and it is working pretty well for me. I usually want some more coverage, but I have been liking the tinted moisturizer on its own.
• Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes- I am in love with these eyeliners. I love the texture, pigmentation and, most of all, the fact that they are waterproof. I am loving wearing the purple or the blue around my eyes and some mascara. It is fun for summer and so easy to do. 

• Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara- I fell in love with the original formula of this when it first came out so I picked up the waterproof version. I love that is makes my lashes look really full, but they also stay soft. It looks really natural and I like that for during the day.
• MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle- I love this to add a great glow to my skin. I have been loving it so much in conjunction with my tinted moisturizer. It makes me look more alive and glowy.

Review: Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes

I have heard so many good things about these eyeliners and I finally got my hands on a few, then I bought a few more. I am in love with these liners. They are super pigmented and when they say waterproof they mean it. They don't budge at all during the day.

L to R: 0L, 23L, 12L, 11L

 Below are swatches I did and I only swiped each of the liners twice to get this amount of color. They work great on the skin and since they are super creamy they don't pull at your eyes if you try yo line your upper lash line. 

L to R: 0L, 23L, 12L, 11L

 I have been wearing them on my water line, lower lash line and upper lash line and the color really pops no matter where I put them. The only one that is hard to see is the nude one, but this I use only in my water line to brighten my eyes up when I need it. These don't need to be reapplied throughout the day, even on the water line.

L to R: 0L, 23L, 11L, 12L

My favorite of the four I have is the purple one (11L) since I have hazel eyes. The purple tone really makes the color of my eyes pop. I love all of these liners though and plan on getting more. They are really long lasting and creamy to use. They are the perfect liner for me.

Product Face off: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows VS MakeUp Forever Aqua Creams

For the longest time Benefit Creaseless Cream shadows have been my favorite cream shadow, but I had heard a lot about the Make Up Forever Aqua Creams and really wanted to try them out. I finally bit the bullet and purchased two of them and have tested them out for the past two weeks.

L to R: Birthday Suit, Pot O' Gold, R.S.V.P., Skinny Jeans;;  13, 15

Both shadows are extremely pigmented and creamy. They both apply very well and blend fairly easily. The Benefit CCS blend a little easier and I think that is due to the fact that they don't have the waterproof feature that the MUFE Aqua Creams have. Because the MUFE Aqua Creams are waterproof, I feel that they set a lot quicker which makes them a little more difficult to work with when trying to blend two together.

L to R: Birthday Suit, Pot O' Gold, R.S.V.P., Skinny Jeans;;  13, 15

Both brands are very long lasting, but I find that over time the MUFE Aqua Creams tend to crease a bit. It might be because the humidity where I live has been out of control, but the Benefit CCS don't crease at all, even when worn at work. They both can be used on their own or as a base under powder shadow. The MUFE Aqua Creams do tend to last a bit longer in general due to the fact that they are waterproof. They only come off when I use my makeup remover before I wash my face at night.

I haven't had an issue with the CCS drying out at all yet and I have had most of them for almost a year now. Since I just got the MUFE ones not too long ago I can't attest to the longevity of the product in the pot. I do think that the packaging might have something to do with it and since the MUFE are in plastic I worry where as the CCS are in glass. 

I love both of these products and really want to try more of the MUFE since I have 4 of the Benefit ones. I think the MUFE Aqua Creams are perfect for the summer since they are quick, easy and waterproof, but my favorites are the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows. I will always love these.

Review: Sheer Cover Duo Concealer

I recently received a new concealer in the Influenster Spring Beauty VoxBox and the moment I tried it I fell in love. It is the Sheer Cover Duo Concealer in light/medium

As someone who is always on the search for the prefect concealer this was an amazing treat to receive. I started to use it immediately and the first thing that sold me was the creamy texture of it. Because of the creamy consistency and great pigmentation you need the littlest amount to cover even the darkest of under eye circles (which I definitely have).

As for staying power I do need to set it with a powder to ensure it stays in place all day. I also attribute this to the creamy consistency of it. Another quality of this concealer that I love is the fact that you get two different shades so it is easy to mix them together to get the perfect shade for your skin tone.

I love being able to use the light shade under my eye to brighten the area and use the dark shade to cover any blemishes and redness on my face. I also love that it is super moisturizing due to the Jojoba in it and it is great for sensitive skin.

This really is the perfect concealer (for me at least) since it applies to smoothly, provides great, build-able coverage, is nourishing to the skin and is super light weight.The cost is $29.95 for an introductory system or for the concealer alone. Visit www.sheercover.com for more information and to purchase.

Review: Inglot Eye Shadow

L to R: AMC Shine 30, Pearl 399, Matte 342, Pearl 445, AMC Shine 44

Oh my gosh I am in love with eye shadow. On my recent trip to Las Vegas I stopped by Inglot to create my very own pallet with the Freedom System. These are some of the best shadows I have ever used. The texture is super buttery and smooth so they glide on the eye effortlessly. The blend so seamlessly into one another and with very little fallout (the matte shade is the worst culprit)

L to R: AMC Shine 30, Pearl 399, Matte 342, Pearl 445, AMC Shine 44

 I love the pigmentation as well. All 5 shades I have are ones that I can wear every day, and I have worn them at all different times of the day and to different events. I do wish I had some more matte shadows, but the one I have is the perfect best friend shadow for me. It is my new favorite crease color and helps when I am trying to do some darker looks for the evening.

The only downside to the Freedom System is that once you put the pans in the pallet you can't see the name of the color. I kept the boxes and was later able to look them up online then I labeled my pallet on the back (shown below).

My go to look with these has been Pearl 399 on the lid, Matte 342 in the crease and for a night out I add Pearl 445 to the outer v. I also love AMC Shine 30 as a highlight. It is not too shiny, but catches the light perfectly. 

I can't wait to pick up more of these. I love the fact that with the Freedom System you can customer build pallets that suit your needs. I want to build a neutral one, a color one, maybe a matte one, and a blush pallet too.