Thursday, February 26, 2015

More ColourPop Lippie Pencils & Lippie Stix

Today I have some more of the Colourpop Lippie Stix and Lippie Pencils to show you. I purchased these myself and I am so glad I did. These lippies are amazing!! You can read my review on the first two batches of Lippie Stix and Lippie Pencils I purchased here and here.

Let me tell you, these are not only amazing products but they are super budget friendly too! All of their products that are on their site are $5 each. $5 is so affordable!!! They have the new Lippie Stix, Lippie Pencils, and they have their Colour Shock Shadows (I ordered 7 more shadows when I ordered these lippie stix and pencils. You can read my review on those here and here).

Colourpop cosmetics is a cruelty free company (they are "bunny approved") and they are made right here in the USA in southern California. All but 5 of their shadows are vegan (check out their FAQ page here) and their Lippie Stix are not technically vegan because they do contain less than .1% bees wax.

These Lippie Pencils are not like any other lip pencil that I've tried. I usually stay away from lip pencils because they are dry and hard to apply but these are super creamy and go on so smoothly. They look like a plastic retractable pencil but they do not retract, you do have to sharpen them and it is suggested that you use a really good sharp sharpener (I use the Grindhouse one from Urban Decay). The Lippie Stix also come in a slim stick that is retractable, their packaging is just so slim and nice.

This time I purchased 2 Lippie Stix and 1 Lippie Pencil. I didn't get the matching Lippie Pencil to the other Lippie Stix because there isn't a matching one available, you can just use one of the other ones that is close to the shade of it.

The first ones I'm going to show you are the matching Lippie Stix and Pencil and they are in the shade Lumiere. Lumiere was created in a collaboration with Kathleen over at KathleenLights on YouTube, if you haven't watched her videos you should because she's super funny and has a lot of great videos. Lumiere is a dusty mauve pink in a matte finish. I LOVE this one, I love it so much that when I first got it I wore it everyday for at least a week. It still is one of my favorite go-tos for everyday looks for work. I will tell you this baby has some serious staying power! I can go all day at work without having to touch up my lips and that is with drinking from a can or water bottle all day and eating lunch. If I don't have anything special going on in the evening after work I don't touch up my lips and then when I wash my face at bedtime there is still a hint of this on my lips that I wash off.


Here is Lumiere Lippie Pencil alone on my lips.



This is Lumiere Lippie Stix layered over the Lumiere Lippie Pencil.



The next one I got is a new shade and it is in their new finish. This is Juicy. Juicy is a bright strawberry pink in the hyper glossy finish. This one doesn't have a coordinating Lippie Pencil to go with the Stix but you can use one of the other Lippie Pencils that are close in shade and line you lips with that. I might suggest using the Lippie Pencil in Punky or maybe Scandy.


This is the Juicy Lippie Pencil alone on my lips.

I have the Scandy Pencil so I'll here is a picture of Juicy Lippie Stix layered over Scandy Lippie Pencil.

As you can see from all of my swatches these are really pigmented in color and they feel so great on your lips. I didn't have any problems with them drying out my lips or bleeding/feathering. I think that when you layer the stix over the pencil you have less of a chance of any bleeding or feathering. I also think that it extends your wear time when you layer them. You can also see the difference in the finishes of these two, Lumiere is a matte finish and Juicy is the new hyper-glossy finish.

Colourpop Cosmetics is only available online here and they are constantly releasing new shades so you should check back often to see what's new on the site. I just checked the site out again today and seen that they are going to be releasing some holiday collection soon. I am now going to be stalking their facebook and site for this new holiday collection. They ship to the the USA, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico but are hoping to expand shipping in the future. Shipping is free if you purchase $30 or more (which I can tell you it isn't hard to get to that amount with all the great products they have).









Wednesday, February 25, 2015

More ColourPop Super Shock Shadows

Today I have some of the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows to show you. I purchased these myself and I am so glad I did. These shadows are amazing!! I am becoming obsessed with these ColourPop shadows. Colourpop shadows are cruelty free, bunny approved, and all but 5 of them are vegan. These shadows only cost $5 each!! That's an amazing price for a product this good.

A little about these shadows before I go on to the swatches. The formula on these shadows is completely unique and super soft and highly pigmented. They recommend that for best application you pat it on your lids with your fingers, but don't press down too hard on the shadow pot because they are really soft and creamy but they aren't a cream, they are a powder shadow. You can use a soft brush also to apply but I've heard recommendations that you should use a synthetic brush like the Real Techniques brushes (those are the brushes I use).


The first batch of shadows I am going to show you are from the Limited Edition Holiday Collection "Not A Box Of Chocolates". It is still available but I don't know for how much longer it will be available. There are six shadows in this collection, a couple of them ColourPop has decided to make a part of the permanent collection. The Collection comes in a cute little gift box that really wouldn't need any wrapping if you were going to give this as a gift. It is $30 but that still equals out to $5 per shadow (just like the regular price of the shadows). In this collection the shades are Halo, Tinsel, Sleigh, Drift, Partridge, and Doe-a-Deer. Drift and Partridge were made permanent this year.

Halo – (Golden champagne dusted with soft gold glitter / Satin Luxe Finish)

Sleigh – (Icy sage sprinkled with tons of multicolored glitter / Metallic Finish)

Tinsel – (Grayed out icy lavender / Metallic finish)

Drift – (True cranberry / Pearlized Finish)

Partridge – (Saddle brown undertone with a green duo chrome finish / Pearlized Finish)

Doe- A- Deer – (Blackened violet / Matte Finish)

Here are swatches of each of these colors from the Not A Box Of Chocolates Collection. I am so happy that I was able to purchase this set before they took it away. I know a couple of these shades are now a part of the permanent collection but I wanted them all! They just blend so easily and have some insane pigmentation and sparkle! I wear Super Shock Shadows just about everyday!!


The next one I purchased is Ibiza. Ibiza is a bright turquoise with a silver and gold duo chrome finish. This one is gorgeous!! I have worn this recently and I just lined my lower lash line with it and man did it make my blue eyes pop!

Colourpop Super Shock Shadows can be purchased exclusively from their site here. They retail for $5 each and you get free shipping with orders of $30 or more. These are truly a great deal for the amazing product you get. If you haven't tried them yet you really should head over to Colourpop's site and check them out!!










Thursday, February 19, 2015

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel- Redgy

****PRESS SAMPLE****

Today I am going to share with you the most recent polishes I received from the people over at Sally Hansen. I have been wanting to try out these and I am so happy that Sally Hansen was kind enough to send one over for me to test out. This is the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polish with the Topcoat. This is a 2 step system that is supposed to give you the long wear and shine of a gel manicure without the UV light and hard removal.


It is said to give you up to 14 days of color and shine with easy removal and no light needed. These are available at CVS, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Ulta, and KMart. It is available in 45 shades. You can buy the shades and the Topcoat separately or if you are just trying this for the first time you can purchase a shade and Topcoat together in a "starter kit". They retail for roughly $7.99-$9.99 (depending on where you go). I searched online to see if I could find a price on a "starter kit" but cannot find one online, I know I have seen them at my local Walmart so you may have to search for the "starter kit" or just purchase them individually. 


This one Sally Hansen sent me is in the shade Redgy, it is a bright red that is gorgeous in person. Now with these there is no base coat required but I did because I wasn't sure if it was going to stain or not (I am currently still wearing this so I'll have to do an update and let you know how it wore or if it stained. You apply 2 coats of color, wait for it to dry, and then add one coat of the top coat. I on the other hand did not wait for my color to dry before applying the top coat (I was a little rushed) and they only issue I had was that on a couple of nails the color dragged a bit when I applied the top coat. Now had I waited for the color to dry like I was supposed to I wouldn't have had that problem.


Removal for this is the same as any other nail polish you use. You can use acetone or non-acetone nail polish remover and it easily comes off. So far after a few days of wear I can tell you that my nails are still just as shiny as when I first did them and as of yet I do not have any chips or tip wear. I didn't have any issues with application on these, they applied just like any other polish. The top coat does say in the instructions to avoid getting it on your skin but I don't think it's going to be too big of an issue if you do (I did get a little on my cuticle on one nail and it's just fine, it came off in the shower like a regular polish comes off the skin).


I am very pleased with these and I think I will be picking up a few more shades to add to my collection. I love that the shine lasts so long on these because that's one of the things I hate the most is when my top coat dulls and I have to add another coat to revive the shine. If you haven't tried these yet you should do so as soon as you can because you are going to love them, especially if you are someone who loves a gel manicure but hates the removal.






Tuesday, February 17, 2015

February Ipsy Glam Bag


This month's theme for Ipsy was #ipsyLOVE which I thought was very fitting for February (Valentine's Day). The bag is a really cute vinyl bag with a pink, white, and grey checked pattern and of course there is the signature Ipsy zipper pull on it. I really love this bag and I think I might change out the one I carry in my purse for this one.

For those of you who are not real familiar with Ipsy here's a little breakdown of what it is...Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription that you sign up for. It costs $10 a month and they bill you on the first of the month every month. Shipping usually starts around the middle of the month and they start giving out little sneak peeks of what is all going to be in the bags for the month. They start the sneak peeks around the first of the month. Right around the 10th or 12th of the month they open up your "Glam Room" and it will show you what you will be getting in your bag. You get roughly 5 products in your bags and the items they choose for you are somewhat based on the beauty quiz you take when you sign up. Each product is usually a deluxe sized sample and there is usually at least one item that is full sized. You can re-take the quiz at any time if you are not satisfied with the types of products you are getting. Your products are packed inside a cute little make-up bag that is designed for the theme for the month. If you are interested in signing up I will give you my link here. Check out this link for more information and to sign up.

The first item I received in my bag this month was a Rob Scheppy for 'TiniBeauty Eyeshadow. It is in the shade Pearl Fizz, a shimmering beige powder shadow from the palette designed for 'Tini Beauty by Hollywood makeup artist Rob Scheppy. It is a full sized shadow and retails for $12 on 'Tini Beauty's site. I have not tested this out but I am sure I am going to like it, I love having shimmery beige shadows that I can use for creating neutral eye looks or just swiping on by itself when I just want to wear minimal makeup.


The next item I got was a parfume sample from Joya. It is the Composition No. 1 Parfum Oil. JOYA Composition No. 1 is a luscious perfume oil in a beautiful and convenient roll-on travel-sized bottle: fruity, floral, creamy, citrus, a little musk, a lot refreshing. Perfume oil, unlike traditional alcohol-based fragrances, whispers instead of screaming. JOYA parfum realizes the true essences of its top, heart and drydown notes and gently absorbs on the skin of each wearer, making for an intimate and personal experience. Composition No. 1 interacts with your own chemistry and smells different on everyone and is sure to make an impression. This is a sample size and the full size retails for $30 on Joya's site. I have not tested this to see how I like the scent so we will see what happens.


The 3rd item I got was a ModelCo. Blush Cheek Powder in the shade Peach Bellini (a peachy pink). ModelCo’s BLUSH Cheek Powder creates a beaming, rosy glow to brighten every complexion. The micronized color pigments and luxurious, pressed powder delivers a sheer, natural radiance that lasts all day. I have not tried this item yet because just by looking at it I am wondering if it will be too dark for me but I will give it a try and see how I like it. This is a full sized product and it retails for $22 on ModelCo's site.


The next item I was a little excited to get because I have been wanting to try this brand out and see how I like it. This is the Cargo Mini Lip Gloss in the shade Anguilla. Its super high shine gloss delivers intense color payoff and locks in moisture to keep lips feeling hydrated. This longwearing lip gloss has a slick texture that feels creamy gliding over lips without being sticky. Ingredients such as Vitamin E and Jojoba Seed oil help increase lip moisture and decrease the appearance of furrows around the mouth while increasing lip volume to its maximum fullness. I have yet to try this item out as well (I'm a little behind this last week or so) but I think I am going to love it and I will probably wear it a lot, especially on the weekends when I wear minimal makeup. This is a sample size and the full size retails for $16 on Cargo's site.

The last item I got in my bag this month I was really excited about because I love trying out new brushes. This is the Luxie Beauty Large Angled Face Brush 504. This is such a soft brush and I am really liking it. The Luxie Rose Gold Large Angled Face Brush is a 100% Animal Cruelty Free brush with high quality synthetic hair bristles that are soft to the touch. With its Vegan makeup qualities from bristles to ferrule, this Rose Gold brush is a must have in your makeup collection. Coated with a revolutionary antibacterial solution for minimal brush cleansing, your brush remains fresh and clean for longer periods of time. The density of the brush allows for an even application without any wasted product and does not absorb the product into the bristles. This one retails for $8 right now on Luxie Beauty's site.

I absolutely loved everything I received in my Glambag this month and I can't wait to see what Ipsy has in store for us in March!!





*item descriptions taken from Ipsy site







Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Zoya Spring 2015 Delights Collection


****PRESS SAMPLE****

Today I have for you the new 2015 Spring Delights Collection from Zoya. These shades are just perfect for Spring and I am hoping that by me wearing them it will encourage Spring to come a little early here in Minnesota (LOL).

This collection consists of 6 polishes, there are three cheerful creams and three turquoise flash metallics for an updated, flirty way to wear pastels! All in the full-coverage, long-wearing, Big5Free* formulaZoya Nail Polish is famous for.

Here are the shades in this collection. On the metallic ones I decided I was going to try out my new macro lens for my camera and test it out. I thought that it would give you a nice close up of that metallic flash that they have.
 
The first one up is going to be Rayne. Rayne is a dewy, spring blue with an energizing turquoise metallic flash. This one just reminds me of a beautiful icy blue. I may try using 3 coats on this one next time I wear it because I can see that I do have some visible nail line and I usually prefer to not have any. This color is so beautiful and I bet would be wonderful for some Easter nail art.

 
Next up is Lillian. Lillian is a faded aquamarine with a glossy cream finish. This is such a pretty blue cream. It's almost like it's got a bit of a dusty blue to it. I noticed in brighter light it looks more crisp and clean. Beautiful and wonderful to work with this one!

 
 
This one is Tiana. Tiana is a palette-cleansing ‘pistachio gelato’ green in a glossy cream finish. This is actally very pretty and I was surprised I liked it because I don't usually do greens. You can see in my pictures that it was a little streaky but that could have been because I did uneven coats. I'm sure if I had done a 3rd coat that the results would have been much better.
 

Here is Daisy. Daisy is a refreshing ‘lemon merengue’ yellow with a turquoise metallic flash. It is a little sheer, as you can see I do have visible nail lines but it is a really pretty color. I love the metallic flash in it. I wish I had been able to capture it better with my camera but I just wasn't able to.
 


This is Leslie. Leslie is a soft spring lavender with a turquoise metallic flash. On me this one leans a little more pink than lavender and I can't figure out why but it must be either my lighting or my skintone.
 
T
he last one in this collection is Eden. Eden is a classic spring flower pink in a glossy cream finish. I think that this one is my favorite of the collection. It is just a gorgeous shade of pink that to me has a bit of lavender in it (just the ever so slightest bit).



All of these had Zoya's amazing formula and I didn't have any troubles with any of these. I used 2 coats for all of these and Eden is the only one that I photographed with a topcoat. I did feel like Daisy could have probably been better with 3 coats and next time I wear it I think I am going to do 3 coats. I also think that Tiana could have been a 3 coater as well. You can see in my pictures that at 2 coats it's a little streaky. Not to worry though, just add a 3rd coat and you are good to go! I also want to note that I at first glance thought that Lillian and Tiana were very similar to Blu and Neely but when I further studied them there is a couple slight differences in them. I may do a comparision post on them one of these days.

Zoya polishes retail for $9 for regular polishes and $10 for any of the PixieDust line. You can purchase Zoya polishes at Ulta stores, select salons and as always Zoya's site. I don't believe this collection is available at Ulta stores yet but don't fret, it will be in stores before you know it!