Haul March 1st - March 7th

I have a little collective Haul from the past week.  I picked these items up from all different places on different days.  It's weird to see how much I actually bought in one week until I write it down.  At the time I didn't think I was purchasing that much until I went and brought out everything that I've bought over the past week.  That being said, I'm excited to share my new purchases.

Last week was really rough at work and I wanted to go to Lush to pick up some bath stuff to help me relax.  It has been working so far and I do feel less stressed out.  While I was at the mall I stopped in Nordstrom to pick up the Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base.  I heard about it a long time ago and was curious but every time I would go and look at it in the store it just didn't seem that special and seemed like it would make my skin look kind of orange.   I had gotten a sample of this earlier in the week and just fell in love with it.  

$48 Nordstrom.com

$15 Sephora.com

While I was at the mall I went into Sephora to get a new primer.  I've like the Philosophy On A Clear Day primer because it has salicylic acid in it to help fight acne.  I don't like wearing acne medication during the day but if it's built into my primer, I'm ok with that.  I used this about 3 years ago and really liked it.  Unfortunately, they no longer sell it at Sephora so I was stuck looking for something similar.  Call me crazy, but I prefer primers with silicone in them because I find that they stay longer and help smooth out imperfections.   I also like the way my skin feels when I wear them.  I chose to buy the Sephora brand Smoothing Primer because it does contain that silicone that I like but it also is mattifying.

Last time I was in Sephora I asked one of the sales girls if she preferred the Makeup Forever Smoky Lash or the Fresh Supernova Mascara.  She said she liked the Fresh one because it conditions your lashes and irritated her eyes less.  My allergies have been acting up so anything that will make my eyes water less is helpful.  I decided to purchase it this time because I am a mascara junkie and justified by saying that I wanted to take care of my lashes more and if I couldn't afford a lash growth serum, this would be a good way to do it.

$25 Sephora.com

I had over 100 points so I also received a sample of the Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara.  It's a pretty cute little mascara.  It has a rubber wand that does a good job of separating my lashes but I don't think it builds volume or lengthens well enough to actually purchase.  It is cute though and I'll use it if I want a natural look (like I ever do).

$18 Sephora.com

$8.99 Ulta.com

A few days later I was trying to figure out what hair style I wanted (I had a hair appointment the next morning) when my friend called and suggested we go to CVS to look at some hair magazines for inspiration.  I also had a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase so we decided to take advantage of that.  I walked around for a while in the cosmetics department and helped my friend pick out new eyeliner, lipstick, and lipgloss while I picked up and put back several things for myself.  The only thing that I did end up leaving with was the Revlon Color Burst Lipstick in Soft Nude.  I actually like this color.  It's a slightly more opaque and peachy version of Creme D' Nude by MAC.  We did end up looking for hairstyles and ultimately decided that I like how I've been getting my hair cut, I just need a trim...and full blunt bangs!

The next day I went to get my hair cut and it took 4 hours!!!  I went from a deep auburn to a light coppery, almost strawberry blonde color.  Not exactly what I asked for but I'm rocking it so whatever.  Upon my many trips from the color chair to the shampoo station I noticed a display in the manicure room that had they Katy Perry by OPI Nail Polishes and I spotted Teenage Dream!  I have wanted this color ever since I could no longer get it.  That's how things work with me though.  If I see swatches online and I fall in love with it, chances are it is already sold out.  I heard that Sally Hansen's Strobe Light nail polish is similar and so I bought that and I can now tell you that they are very different and I'm ecstatic that I was able to find it.  I might go back and get another one because they had several and do a give away in the future if I ever get more followers.

$29 Sephora.com

I woke up early the next day to go to a kickboxing class with a friend which was truly one of the most difficult and painful experiences of my life.  I have decided that I need to start eating better, working out and most importantly quit smoking.  We went back to her house and had smoothies then went to a park in our city to walk around their 3 mile lake.  After that it was lunch at a health food store, shower and a trip to Sephora again to help her mom pick out new makeup for an upcoming performance.  While I was in Sephora, I decided to treat myself to a new eye cream I've been wanting for some time.  I had a sample of the Clinique All About Eyes Rich eye cream and enjoyed it very much.  Despite it being so rich, it sinks into your skin quickly and doesn't cause any extra creasing of my under eye concealer.  So far, I'm pretty happy with it but I haven't noticed any major improvements. 

$48 Ulta.com

While out shopping yesterday for a new dustpan and cleaning supplies I tricked my boyfriend into going to the shopping center where our Ulta is by saying that I wanted to pick up a movie from the Best Buy that was close by.  We found the movie and then I made an excuse saying that I had to run into Ulta for bobby pins and he could meet me over there when he was done.  I actually wanted to get the John Frieda Radiant Red color glaze to help deepen up the red in my hair.  Turns out they don't make that anymore so that was a bust but while I was in there, I did see that they had an Urban Decay Naked Palette in a display.  Eager to snatch up this coveted palette, I literally ran back to the Urban Decay section to pick one up.  They weren't there so as I made my way back up to the front of the store to ask if I could buy the display one (it was unused and in a clear box to protect it from the elements) I saw a whole stack of them.  I was tempted to buy two as my sister's birthday is coming up this week but settled for just the one because $48 is a lot of money to spend on her when she does not appreciate hard to find makeup as I do. 

$19 Ulta.com

If you purchased over $25 worth of Urban Decay products at Ulta right now you get three free samples. They're really small but I'm actually enjoying them and thinking about purchasing the full size of at least two of them.  The first one was the Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in the color Midnight Cowboy.  This has become a color that is gaining a lot of hype like Stila's Kitten did a few years ago.  They're branching out from just the eyeshadows to an eye liner and now lip gloss.  Like the eye shadow it is a shimmery beige color with silver flecks in it.  It is a plumping and cooling lipgloss that is not uncomfortable like lip venom.  It is sticky but I think the very wearable and beautiful color makes up for it for me.  I like MAC  lipglasses so I rarely have issues with stickiness.  Also included in that was the Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Wallflower.  This one is a neutral pink my lips but better color that would be very flattering on a variety of skin tones.  The last thing that I got was a sample of the Stardust eye shadow in the color Retrograde.  It's a mid-tone purple with a lot of silver glitter in it.  I don't buy a lot of Urban Decay eye shadows because 1. They're really expensive and 2. They tend to have a lot of glitter that falls out on to your face and is impossible to get off.  It's not really pigmented and the glitter would drive me crazy so I don't think I'll use this.  I'll probably give this to my friend who's birthday is coming up. 

Well that's if for my haul.  As you can see I didn't get a lot at each shopping trip but did end up going out a whole lot.  I really have to stop this.  Being a makeup artist, I can write these purchases off on my taxes but that doesn't help me with money until next year.  I think I'm going to start a project 10 pan in the very near future.  Anyway, as always let me know if there's something you'd like reviewed or if you've used any of these in the past and what you've thought of them. 

Thanks so much!!!

February Favorites

Another month has come and gone and now it's time to share my favorite beauty products for the past month.  I've really been trying to shop my stash this past month but there are some new products featured in this post.

My favorite eyeliner for February was the MAC Creme liner in black.  It has definitely lived up to my expectations.  Once activated with water, it becomes a very inky black that does last all day.  This is by no means waterproof but I have had no issues with it moving until I wash it off at the end of the day.  The best part is that it doesn't take a lot of product compared to MAC's fluid line so I think this will probably last me for the rest of the year.

$16.50 MACcosmetics.com

My next favorite is a paint pot by MAC in the color Rubenesque.  This is a peachy shade that suites my skin tone nicely.  It can be worn on its own or layered under shadows for more color impact.  I find myself reaching for this over any other bases that I own.

I purchased the Vichy Dermablend foundation at CVS earlier this month and while I find it to be too thick for foundation, it really has made its way into my routine as a concealer for my face.  This creases a little too much to be worn as an under eye concealer but it covers blemishes and discoloration very well. A little goes a long way so if you use it sparingly, it is undetectable once blended.

$19.50 MACCosmetics.com

I have been loving the peachy warmness of MAC's Style blush.  The slight shimmers make my skin look radiant without accentuating skin texture.

Chanel Pro Lumiere has fought its way back into my heart this past month.  If I make sure to wear a primer and powder, it looks absolutely flawless.  It's a lot of work but if I am planning a night out, this is my go-to foundation.

I've been wearing a lot of neutral eye shadows this month which makes me think I really need to purchase the Urban Decay Naked Palette.  If only it would come back in stock anywhere.  My favorites include Soft Brown, Sable, Saddle, and Honey Lust.  I'll generally wear at least two of these colors every single day.

Another favorite of mine has been MAC's pearl glide eye liner in Industrial.  I like wearing this light shimmery blue on my lower lash line to bring out the blue-ish tones in my eyes.  I do have green eyes but they are quite light and paired with the right color shirt or eyeshadow they can sometimes look more aqua than straight green.  I wore this eyeliner with MAC's Yogurt, Soft Brown, Saddle, and Brown Down eye shadows on Valentines day and it looked really beautiful.

My Favorite bronzer of the month has been Benefit's Hoola.  This is a new product to my collection and will probably remain there for as long as Benefit keeps selling this product.  This matte bronzer is perfect for contouring as well as giving the sun kissed look to my face when I feel like being tan.  I like to bring this down my neck to blend my foundation with the rest of my body as well.

$8.95 LushUSA.com

Before I get into brushes I'd like to mention a product that I purchased a few months ago from LUSH.  I used it a couple of times as a toner but didn't really think it did anything special.  It is the Tea Tree Water and I recently started using this before my moisturizer.  I find that it wakes my skin up in the morning and helps control the oil throughout the day.  It doesn't smell pretty but it smells clean - Kind of like lemon juice concentrate.


As you know I purchased some brushes from Sigma this month and wanted to give myself ample time using them before I did a review.  I still find myself reaching for these more than my MAC brushes every day.

I find that the Chanel Pro Lumiere foundation goes on best when used with a traditional foundation brush as opposed to the flat top kabuki brush I generally use.  I like the Sigma F60 for this because of its synthetic bristles and smaller shape.  It applies the right amount of product without absorbing and wasting too much.

When I'm not using the Chanel foundation I like the F82 for liquid foundations.  I find the smaller, denser brush gives me more control than the F80 and allows me to get into smaller places on my face like under my eyes and around my nose.

Like the MAC 252, the sigma E60 is great for applying all over color.  The tip is great for applying color along the lower lash line as well as into the crease and on the outer V.

I think my favorite of all the sigma brushes is the E40.  The MAC 224 was my favorite brush of all time for a long time and the E40 is coming in a close second.  The larger, fluffier head is great for blending out the crease as well as concealer on the face and under the eyes.  I find this to be much more versatile than the MAC 224.

Well those were my favorites.  Most probably came as no surprise because they are such tried and true products.  As the weather is getting warmer I've been finding myself getting a little more bold with colors and using a lot less on my face.  I can't wait for spring to come.  I desperately need a change.  Please let me know if you want a review of any of the products mentioned above.

Upcoming reviews:
Mabelline One By One Mascara
Vichy Dermablend foundation
Pantene Beautiful Lengths conditioner
Milani HD concealer
Clarisonic Mia

Little CVS Haul

I have a kick off meeting tomorrow for work and went to CVS today to pick up some travel things since I'll be staying over night in a hotel (that's 10 minutes from my house) and I don't want to deprive my boyfriend of shampoo and conditioner while I'm gone.  I of course had to go look at some makeup while I was there and picked up a few things.

$28 (Vichyusa.com)

The first thing I got was the Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation in the color Opal (15).  I've heard a lot of great things about this foundation and I used to use the Dermablend Cover Creme a few years back.  They are very different products but you get essentially the same results.  I'll be using this as more of a concealer than a foundation because of the coverage it offers.






I also picked up a Milani HD Concealer in the lightest shade.  It is one of those click pen concealers like the YSL Touche Eclat.  I plan to use this under my eyes to camouflage my dark circles.

$7.99 (CVS.com)

$5.99 (CVS.com)

Last thing in the cosmetics department is also from Milani.  It is the Milani Liquif'eye eyeliner in black.  It's really creamy so you can blend it out but once it sets, its staying there.  I swatched this on my hand and it literally was like using a liquid eye liner.  After about a minute I tried to rub it off and was unsuccessful.  It is a very pigmented inky black. 

$6.29 (CVS.com)

I ran out of my Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque today and I didn't have time to go to Ulta to pick up some more.  While looking for a travel shampoo and conditioner today I stumbled across something that I've wanted for a while but could never find it in any of the stores near me.  It is the Pantene Pro-V Restore Beautiful Lengths Replenishing Mask.  I've been trying to grow my hair out for about 2 years now and while it's getting pretty long (almost to my elbows) it's starting to look damaged.  I don't think this will take the place of the Macadamia Oil Masque but I'm hoping it'll be a nice stand in conditioner until I can pick up some more.




Well that was my little haul.  Not a lot of stuff purchased today but I'm pretty excited to try out something new.  Let me know if you've ever used any of these products.  I'd love to hear what someone else might think about them.  I'll leave you with a cute picture of Bailey.

He doesn't like it when I leave him so he's trying to pack himself to come with me.