NYX Round Lipstick in Strawberry Milk: Review and Swatches

Lipstick is something that the drugstore does pretty well with, in my opinion at least. Today I have to share with you all my NYX Lipstick in Strawberry Milk, a pretty pale pink with a sheen.

In terms of packaging, it's standard. I like how you can see the actual color at the bottom though. It makes it easier when picking it out in store and if you own multiples and are looking for a specific one.

The color is very Barbie: a pale, bright pink with a sheen. I like when lipsticks have a slight sheen (not a glitter or frost, but a sheen or a glossiness). I'm not a huge fan of a super matte lips or super shimmery lips, so a slightly glimmery gloss or a sheen-y lipstick is right up my alley.

I will say that even though it has the effect I like in terms of finish, I always have to wear something on top of this. Always. Extremely cool-toned pinks just don't look flattering on my lips (they look okay on my cheeks though?). When I picked this out, I didn't realize how intense and cool the color is. However, this looks INCREDIBLE with NYX's Mega Shine gloss in Beige over it. The bright, warmness of Beige counteracts the pastel-esque cool tones of Strawberry Milk and look really nice.

This was hard to photograph. The camera kept
picking up the sheen and not the actual color.
In person, it is not as frosty and a tad darker. 

If you're looking for a new lipstick, I would recommend the NYX Round Lipstick line. The formulation was smooth and moisturizing and didn't bleed around my mouth. You can find NYX products at Ulta and select Target stores, and the lipsticks generally retail for $4-6.

Do you like warm or cool tones?
xoxo
Alyssa

Benefit "They're Real!" Mascara: Review

After making a pretty big deal in my review on Maybelline's The Mega Plush mascara on only keeping one mascara in my collection at a time, I realized that I have a sample size of Benefit's They're Real! that I received as part of my birthday gift from Sephora (So I keep one and one-third...but just this once!). I probably forgot about this because when I got it, I put it away for special occasions (meaning...prom) and it was forgotten. But it is one of my favorites.

This is quite more dramatic than I usually go for, though I'm sure it's the perfect everyday product for their lashes, but for someone who likes the natural look, this is on the dramatic side. It coats my lashes beautifully though, making them long and voluminous without clumping. There is nothing I hate more in a mascara than clumping (other than excessive smudging). This ticks off all the right boxes on my good-mascara checklist.

The wand has plastic bristles. To be honest, I'm really not particular with mascara wands or the whole "wet vs. dry" thing. I use what I like, and as long as I like the effect I get, I use it. I do love how Benefit put bristles on the top of the wand, almost like a spiky ball. It allows for easy application to the very inner and very outer lashes and minimizes the product that ends up on my face (hey, it happens to the best of us).

I like it. I can't say that I'm the most qualified on mascara reviews, but if something smudges or clumps, it will definitely be noted here. Other than that, I go with the flow.

Full-sized of this product retails for $19, but if you don't want to shell out the cash without testing it, the sample size retails for $10 (I believe). You can purchase this wherever Benefit Cosmetics are sold.

Dramatic or natural lashes?
xoxo
Alyssa

Elf Eyebrow Kit: Review and Swatches

In my latest (and first ever!) Haul post, I talked about finding the Elf Eyebrow Kit in Dark, and snatching it up, as I love Medium but it requires a lot of work to blend in, being too light for my natural hair color. Before I started messing up my new kit, I figured I would snap some pictures!

I LOVE how this product is packaged. Elf's Studio line tends to be a copy-cat of the NARS packaging (which I do like very much) so there's not too much to say. It does come with a dual-ended applicator (angled brush on one side, fluffier blending brush on the other). I understand that I always complain about applicators, but this one is actually pretty great. I used it all the time on my old one, and it works really nicely.

This comes with a darker gel/wax and then a significantly lighter powder, almost like an eye shadow. I use the darker color for the inner part of my brow and use the lighter one towards the outer portion, the part that doesn't really need much filling in. To be honest, my brows aren't very scarce. I like filling them in towards the inner part (towards the center of my face) as that area isn't very full and I like the look of bolder brows.

I like how Elf decided to make this a duo, but keep each actual product in its separate tin. I hate when duos blend together over time, so this kind of packaging is preferable.

Left: darker gel/wax
Right: powder

It was kind of hard to swatch these. They come out much darker when applied, but I like how you can easily go for a natural look or a bolder one. They're very easy to work with.

For fun, I thought I'd throw in a picture of what my old one looks like. On camera, the two colors don't look very different, but they are significantly different in person. (Unfortunately, my camera wasn't cooperating with these shots so the lighting sucks compared to the others...sorry!)

Left: Dark
Right: Medium

You can see I've done some serious damage to my one in Medium. I do plan on using that one until there's nothing left, as it does work and I like it a lot, Dark just suits me that much better.

These eyebrow kits retail for $3 each and are available at Target, K-Mart, The Christmas Tree Shop, and online at Elf's website. I think they are great quality, not just for the price but in general, and would recommend picking one up if you don't like brow pencils. There are two other colors in the line that are suitable for lighter hair types.

Are you a pencil or powder person when it comes to filling in your brows? (I like both)
xoxo
Alyssa

Revlon Color Stay 16-Hour Eye Shadow Quads: Review and Swatches!

I'm back today to talk about some of my favorite drugstore eye shadows, the Revlon Color Stay 16-Hour Eye Shadow Quads. These received a bit of love when they were released last year, and I have to say that Revlon certainly did not disappoint.

Decadent, Siren

I have two colors here, a light, everyday option (Decadent), and a darker, smokier option (Siren). These come housed in black plastic casing with tops that flip up, and the packaging-to-product ratio is really great. They are something great to throw into your makeup bag for traveling!

First up: Decadent. With it's pinky-gold color scheme, this is perfect for Spring and Summer. Looking clockwise from the top left, there's a very pale pink, a light, yellow-gold, a dark, red-toned brown, and a classic light pink. All of the colors are shimmery, though the top left has a bit of an extra sparkle. I always picture this with a sundress, a pale gloss, and peachy-pink cheeks. Lovely!

The formulation reminds me of the COVERGIRL eye shadow formulation: smooth, pigmented and blendable. I like it! The colors work really well together. I like this for when I want to add a bit more color, but still don't want anything too crazy. Now onto to the next one...

Siren is a bit smokier, a bit darker, and very different than what I normally gravitate towards. Clockwise from top left, you have a slightly purple-toned silver, a dark aubergine, a gray-black, and a bronze-y taupe. I use this whenever I want to get all-dolled up for nighttime, which I can assure you isn't very often. The black is matte, but the rest are shimmer. I wouldn't expect these to go as well together as Decadent, but I really love how they look. Swatch time? I think so!

The formulation of these is the same as the other, so I'm not going to say much about it. The matte black was a bit more sheer, but not enough to make a significant difference.

These quads come equipped with diagrams which explains a simple, easy-to-do eye look for beginners on the back. While I don't necessarily follow this, it would definitely come in hand for someone who doesn't really know what they are doing.

The drugstore is full of great eye shadow formulations these days, and these are definitely a part of that. The color selection is wonderful, and the price is right on the mark at $6-8 dollars each, depending on the store. If you're looking for a new eye shadow combination, I would give these a whirl! You can find them wherever Revlon is sold.

Do you prefer palettes or single shadows?
xoxo
Alyssa

Bare Minerals I.D. Loose Shadow in 1990's: Review and Swatches

In my Beauty Box post a few days ago, I mentioned that I've been playing around with my makeup storage. Because I've been switching things so frequently and moving around my collection, I've come across a few products that I've kind of forgotten about. This Bare Minerals I.D. loose eye shadow in 1990's, which I had received as a gift, tossed into my drawer, and never noticed it in the dark abyss that is my makeup collection.

I've never been one for mineral makeup. Bare Minerals is notorious for incredible-quality mineral products, but I just don't gravitate towards any of it. When I found this eye shadow, however, I put it aside to give it a whirl...juuust to see what all the hype was about.

The packaging for loose pigments in always the same: round, screw-off lid and a sifter to control the amount of product accessible at a time. The color really astonishes me though. At first glance, it appeared to be a black or a dark gray with a sheen (probably why it was just thrown with the rest of the heap), but upon closer inspection, it's a dark, aubergine-esque purple with a fine, holographic shimmer. It's very unique to my collection! The formulation is actually the same as the Elf mineral eye shadows (lovely and pigmented) which I do like very much. While it's too dark for my every day taste, I really like taking this on a small, angled brush and smudging it on my upper lash line as eyeliner, or even in the outer third of my lower lash line. The purple brightens/defines my eyes and the holographic shimmer adds a bit of flare. It looks amazing!

If you're into mineral or loose shadows, you'd probably really like this! Loose pigments aren't my favorite, but I do love the ones I own. This line retails for $14 each and can be found wherever Bare Minerals products are sold (Sephora and Ulta). 

Do you like dark or light eye shadows?

xoxo

Alyssa

Wet n' Wild Blush in Heather Silk: Review and Swatches

I've said before that Wet n' Wild has made a huge comeback in the recent years in terms of quality. 9/10 times that I read a review on something from this brand, it's positive. Their products really don't retail over five or six dollars, so they are great for someone on a budget. Alongside the eye shadow trios and palettes, their blush line is highly raved about, and I can confidently say that it is one of my favorites.

In terms of packaging, it's standard. Like a majority of the packaging of drugstore makeup, there is a lot of  packaging due to the compartment for the flimsy, cheap brush. This brush in particular actually isn't horrible, but I'd much rather have more product, less packaging, and no flimsy applicator. But onto the product itself.

The color is awesome: a bright, berry-toned pink that is completely matte. The formulation is smooth, very pigmented (like, just slightly dab your brush in pigmented) and velvety. It doesn't crumble, which is a rare find for a drugstore blush. There is also a cute, swirled design in the powder. Designs embossed in powders make my heart swell, so this definitely won some points in that aspect.

All in all, I really like it! The Wet n' Wild and Elf brands are my go-to for cheaper blushes, and this one certainly did not disappoint. There are three or four other colors in the line, I believe, and the cheapest I've seen them has been $2.69 (Target, Walmart, The Christmas Tree Shop) and the highest three dollars and change (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid). If you're in the market for a new blush, I recommend the them. 

What color blush is your favorite to wear?

xoxo

Alyssa

Haul: Beauty + Jewelry

I went out shopping with my mom the past two days (really, we go shopping at least 3 days in a week) and was so excited about my purchases (I'm always excited) that I figured I would share them. I went to Target yesterday and then to The Christmas Tree Shop and Icing today, and found some pretty great deals.

As you can see, a little makeup, a bit of miscellaneous beauty, and a dash of jewelry. I love shopping for makeup and jewelry the most (clothes and nail polish are close seconds, however), so I'm particularly smitten over these goodies.

First place: Target. I ran in with the intention of coming out with just a new powder--my everyday one is running dangerously low--but as usual was sucked in to more than I had intended. I was able to repurchase my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte in translucent, which is one of my favorite makeup products, ever. In the winter, fall, and spring, I tend to use colored powders, but with my tan fluctuating so often in the summer, translucent is just so much easier. After having read rave reviews on Elf's Translucent Mattifying Powder, I was really curious. I've been looking for a new powder to keep in my handbag for touch-ups, as the Rimmel one doesn't have a compartment for a brush or a mirror (the one downside). I picked up a package of Target-brand blending sponges. I've been using a different foundation (COVERGIRL Aqua Smooth--review on that later) that works best with these flat, sponge-type applicators, so I wanted a few more to rotate out o while I washed the used ones. In my review on the Nivea Lip Butters, I said that I was searching for the Caramel Cream Kiss flavor, and pounced when I saw it on the top of the display box (and it was on sale!). While roaming the hair care isles trying to find my mom, I landed on bins from Goody that were 2 for $5, and picked out a new wide-tooth comb to use for my wet hair (mine is getting old and ratty) and a package of bobby pins in a plastic container to keep in my handbag.

Today, I found myself in the beauty department of The Christmas Tree Shop (how on Earth did I get there?). Surprisingly, I only walked out with two new purchases from two of the most affordable brands on the market! I love my Elf Eyebrow Kit, but Target only stocks the color Medium. I have very dark brown hair and eyebrows to match, and while I worked hard to make Medium work for me, I knew it would be preferable to repurchase it in Dark. Also, Wet n' Wild blushes are lovely, so I picked up Heather Silk, a gorgeous, bright, berry-toned pink that's matte. For $2.69, I figured "hey, why not?"

I haven't shopped at Icing in a while, and I had forgotten how much I loved their merchandise! Icing is the older, more sophisticated version of Claire's (they are owned by the same company) and the jewelry is right up my ally. While they do stay updated with the latest trends, they always keep things simple, elegant, and timeless. I walked in and my eyes found this silver bangle that spells "love." I've drooled over bracelets like this while shopping on Etsy, and was shocked that this one retailed for less than other, cheaper looking jewelry in the stop (it was $6.50 and I had a 20% off coupon). My mom gravitated towards a rack that said "Red-Line Clearance! $2!" and while I wanted to grab everything ($2 for nice jewelry?!) I picked out a silver ear cuff with a small rhinestone and a long, antique-gold charm necklace. The necklace isn't something I would typically pick out, but it has a girly/vintage vibe that I really like. I've also been really into longer necklaces and this is unlike anything else in my collection.

That's the end of this haul, but I'm sure I will be acquiring some new goodies in the near future ;) Make sure to look out for separate reviews on all of these beauty products, as they will be posted in the near future.

What's stores do you like to shop in?
xoxo
Alyssa

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Just Superb: Review and Swatches

After reviewing two out of three of the products I use for my perfect, everyday lip combination (Arbonne Lip Liner in Ginger and MAC Syrup in Lipstick) obviously I had to give this product some serious spotlight time as well. Like the MAC lipstick, I ordered this gloss online with just a recommendation from a beauty guru and promising-looking swatches from blogs. Luckily, I was very impressed.

 MAC's Cremesheen formulation is my favorite when it comes to their glosses, and just one of my favorite lip gloss formulations in general. While the Lip Glasses or Dazzle Glasses from MAC tend to be very hit or miss, I've never found a Cremesheen that I haven't been impressed with. They're smooth, creamy, glossy, and have the perfect amount of pigmentation for every day wear. Despite being sticky, all MAC glasses are amazing for being long lasting, but I like how the Cremesheen formulation  manages to be long lasting and 100% smooth.

The packaging isn't anything special: a glass cylinder with a doe-foot applicator. Nothing to like or dislike in particular really.

The color of this really spoke to me (yes, it called out to me). It's a gorgeous, peachy-pink natural sort of color. Perfect for every day! If I'm buying a high-end product, I like it to be something I can use more than once in a while. And this lip gloss is exactly that.

It's opaque enough to see the color, but sheer enough to not overwhelm your lips. It's perfect to layer over a lipstick or to wear alone. I pair this with MAC's Syrup lipstick (like I said before), and it takes the darker, more brown color and makes it lighter and better for the warmer months. Perfection!

MAC Cremesheen Glasses are available wherever MAC is sold (counters, free-standing stores, or online) and retail for $20 each. If you're looking for a new MAC gloss to add to your collection, I highly recommend this one!

What's your perfect, everyday lip gloss color?
xoxo
Alyssa

What's in my Beauty Box? July 2013

Recently I've been playing around with my makeup collection/storage, and at the moment I think I'm really liking keeping the majority of my collection tucked away and having a small box on the top of my vanity with my everyday things/products I'm trying to use more. So I keep that, along with two jars with brushes and my mirror, at constant reach for easy access. I figured updates on what I have in my "beauty box" would be something interesting, as they are things I am consistently using and changing.

Mirror: Kohl's
Acrylic 3 drawer box: Amazon
Brush jars: Dollar Tree

Clockwise from top left: Elf Eyebrow kit, Bobbi Brown Corrector,
Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara, Maybelline Cover Stick,
Wet n' Wild Brow Pencil, Rimmel Stay Matte Poweder,
COVERGIRL Aqua Smooth Makeup, Rimmel Powder Blush

 The top drawer is face products. After vacationing and spending a few hours poolside, my skin is a few shades darker. The only thing that I have that matches me right now is my COVERGIRL Aqua Smooth Makeup in Soft Honey, which is a cream foundation that I've been really liking. I also fill in my eyebrows with the Elf Eyebrow Kit, which I like when I'm going for something more subtle. Other than that, nothing has really changed from my Everyday Makeup Look post I did back in June.

Clockwise from 9 o'clockish: Avon Celestial Eyeshadow, Maybelline
Color Tattoo, Urban Decay Naked Basics palette, COVERGIRL
French Vanilla eyeshadow, Maybelline The Mega Plush
mascara, Elf Eyelid Primer, MAKE UP FOREVER Aqua Eyes,
Rimmel Scandaleyes, NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil, Rimmel Scandaleyes
 Eyeshadow pencil.

The second drawer is my current eye products. I've been trying out the Elf Eyelid Primer in Sheer, and I really like that. Then I go in with a base, and lately I've been using Barely Branded from the Maybelline Color Tattoo line, or a jumbo eye pencil from NYX (Yogurt) or Rimmel (Bulletproof Beige). If I don't utizlie my favorite UD Naked Basics palette, I lightly set my base with Avon's Moon Sand eye shadow or COVERGIRL's French Vanilla, just so the eye pencil doesn't crease. I use the same eyeliners as always, a nude from Rimmel and a black from MAKE UP FOR EVER, and then finish off with my current mascara: Maybelline The Mega Plush. 

Clockwise from top left: Maybelline Baby Lips, L'Oreal Colour
Riche Balm, L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick, Revlon Lip Butters,
MAC Lipstick, Nivea A Kiss of Shine, Bath and Body Works
lip gloss, MAC Cremesheen Glass, NYX Mega Shine Lip glosses.

Drawer three: lips. Lately, I've been going for natural, glossy, or sheer colors rather than something bright and bold. If I feel like going on the red side of things, I use my Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me and if I prefer coral, either the Baby Lips in Coral Crush, L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in Sunset Angora, or the Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya. For a standard pink, I go for the Lip Butter in Pink Lemonade, the L'Oreal Balm in Rose Elixir, the NYX Mega Shine in Beige, or the Nivea A Kiss of Shine .The NYX Mega Shine in Sugar Pie and the MAC Cremesheen Glass in Just Superb are used for a simple nude, and the Bath and Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel (I understand it's not Christmastime) is for days where I just want a bit of shine, but no color. 

So far, I've really been liking my beauty box. These drawers are the same ones from The Container Store, which are notorious for makeup storage. I went ahead and purchased them on Amazon, and I'll link the page here. The price tends to fluxuate, as well as if they are available for Amazon Prime or not, but they are usually somewhere between $14-19. I highly recommend looking into it if you need makeup storage!

What do you use to store your makeup?

xoxo

Alyssa

Skincare Staple: Clinique All About Eyes

My grandmother used to shop at Clinique and Este Lauder counters quite frequently and would often accumulate samples she never used that were eventually passed along to me. About two years ago, she gave me a deluxe sample of Clinique's All About Eyes eye cream, and I made that sample last over six months before giving up and purchasing the full sized product.

This was my first time purchasing high-end skincare. I was an avid believer in drugstore-only when it came to my daily routine. Because they're used every single day, skincare is something gone through very quickly. Why shell out $25+ for the high-end stuff then? Well, I've learned that sometimes, it does make a difference.

 I've said it before: I have awful, genetically dark under eye circles. Add in the fact that I am seriously sleep deprived, and it's a bad combination. I generally always keep an out out for products to help me correct this, and this hits the mark spot on.

I only use this in the morning, as this product is marketed to help tired, puffy eyes. It really delivers what it promises. There must be magic fairy dust in this formula because somehow it manages to almost completely eliminate my dark circles to a faint shadow that is easily covered with a light concealer. The only times I find myself dealing with puffiness are after I cry and during allergy season, and this works really well for that, also.

The color looks yellowish-cream in the pot, but the second it gets on the skin it becomes transparent. The controversial aspect of this product is that it's definitely on the thicker side. Consistency of eye creams is completely up to person preference. I happen to like mine more on the thicker side, as I find they are much more moisturizing and have better skin-perfecting properties. 

You can buy this at Clinique counters (check out your local Macy's) or Sephora stores/Sephora online. It retails for $30 for .5oz or $50 for 1oz. Not the priciest, but not the cheapest either. If you struggle with dark under eye circles, I highly recommend this. It's definitely one of my favorite products in my beauty cabinet right now. 

Do you go drugstore or high-end for your skincare?

xoxo

Alyssa

NYC South Street Seaport: Review and Swatches

NYC isn't a brand commonly raved about in the beauty community. I love their Blushable Cream Sticks (which, unfortunately, I believe are discontinued), but besides those and some of their nail polishes, you don't really hear much about the brand. Sold in all drugstores and known for their New York themed line and affordable products, I decided to divulge and try something standard: an eye shadow quad.

The packaging reminds me of something the Elf Essentials line would do: plastic and flimsy, prone to breakage after a lot of usage. It's something you would expect from an affordable drugstore brand, and honestly there's nothing to particularly like or dislike, aside from the fact that the product-to-packaging ratio is terrific. Not too much excess packaging, and a tiny slot for a tiny applicator (which I have removed). Other than that, it's very standard. 

The color scheme for this palette is more on the darker browns/purples side. There's a shimmery, lilac magenta-purple, a dark, warm-toned brown, a matte white, and a medium brown/mauve color. Each color has a pyramid design in the powder, very reminiscent of the NYX powders. I like it!

While colors 1, 2, and 4 are nice, the matte white (#3) has zero pigmentation. Seriously, no color came off on my skin at all, and no color comes off on my brush either. It makes no sense, as the other colors have a richer payoff. White shadows sometimes don't swatch on your finger but have a great brightening effect (Bobbi Brown's Navajo eye shadow, for example) but this one does...well nothing. It's unusable.

Well the other colors are much more pigmented, they still aren't the best formulation I've used. I can think of a half dozen other lines I would go to before I came back to this one, but the color scheme is something I haven't really seen before. The brown, color #2, wasn't as smooth as the first and last one, and the last one isn't as smooth as the first one. The lilac-purple-pink shade is my favorite and really lovely, but as its in a quad with other colors I probably won't use, it doesn't get much use either.

Overall, this is just meh for me. I would recommend this for someone younger or just starting out in makeup, but if you're a beauty junkie with the best eye shadows in the market at your fingertips, I would skip it. These quads retail for $3-4 and are available wherever NYC products are sold.

Have you tried anything from NYC?
xoxo
Alyssa

Arbonne Sheer Glow: Review and Swatches

Today, I'm back to share one of my favorite highlighting products with you all: Sheer Glow from Arbonne. Highlighter is one of my favorites, so I'm always happy to try out a new one!

 Powder highlighters are the "usual" in most everyday makeup routines, but I find cream/liquid highlights usually do better at keeping things more subtle and natural and less like you're oily and/or a glitterball. While cream highlighting products are easier to find (MAC Cream Color bases/Benefit Watt's Up?), liquid highlights tend to be less common.

This product comes in a squeezy-tube (think a giant, Victoria's Secret lip gloss) but with a fine-tipped applicator and screw off lid. I don't really know how else Arbonne would have packaged this product, but I do like it! The applicator makes it easy to dispense minimum product. No excess = no wasting!

 The swatch I'm providing is way more than you'll need for your face.When first dispensed, it looks like a cross between a liquid and a cream, but the texture is more on the liquid side. When blended out, the pinky-champagne blob turns into a gorgeous, subtle-pink sheen. It's absolutely gorgeous!

 When applying to the face, you would obviously use much less product, but as it was hard to photograph, I went on the heavier side. You can see that it's definitely a very glow-y product and one of those highlighters that illuminates the face without being too shimmery. It looks really nice on the tops of my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose. Love!

I don't think there are any other colors for this, as there is no color name or number on the package. It seems to be one of those only-one-in-the-line type of products. Priced at $40 for 1fl.oz, this is a luxury, high-end, I'm-going-to-splurge-on-makeup type of product. If you love highlighter and are looking for a different one, I recommend this! You can purchase this online on Arbonne's Website or through independent Arbonne sellers.

What's your favorite highlighter?
xoxo
Alyssa

Nivea Lip Butters: Review

A few months ago, the online beauty community went absolutely nuts over the release of Nivea's Lip Butters. Nivea in general make amazing lip balms, and when I first heard people raving about these, I knew I had to have some. I'm a definite lip balm junkie, so I'm always up for trying out the latest and greatest. I looked for these at a few different places and finally snagged my first one (the vanilla one) at Target, and a week later found the second (raspberry) one at CVS. 

The flavors I have are Vanilla and Macadamia Kiss and Raspberry Rose Kiss. I found the vanilla one to be my favorit as it smells deliciously like cake and vanilla is my favorite scent (so I'm a little biased). Nivea also doesn't make a scent as warm and delicious as this one, where I found the Raspberry Rose flavor to be very similar to the Nivea A Kiss of Berry Swirl--which isn't a bad thing by any means. 

As for formulation, these are wonderful: smooth and thin but very moisturizing, which is something you don't see too often. Some lip balms moisturize for the first few minutes but after that do nothing, but that's not the case with these. I could apply one of these and not have to reapply for a couple of hours. Lovely!

The packing is standard for pot lip balms: round with tin casing and lids that come completely off. I like pot lip balms for home usage, but I don't normally carry them out, as I hate sticking my fingers in the product when I'm not sure how dirty they are. It's just not sanitary for me. I typically carry stick chapsticks around in my bag (A Kiss of Milk and Honey from Nivea is my all time favorite if you're looking for a good one). 

If you're looking for a lip balm, I most definitely recommend these! They retail for around $3-4 and are available with Nivea's skincare line wherever the brand is sold (Target, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid...). The other two flavors are an unscented one (called Soft Kiss, I believe) and Caramel Cream Kiss. I plan on picking these up as soon as I see them!

Which do you prefer: pot or stick lip balm?

xoxo

Alyssa

COVERGIRL Blush in Plumberry Glow: Review and Swatches

I have actually never heard anything about COVERGIRL blushes, and due to my quest for finding amazing drugstore cheek products, I was curious. Maybe the brand's blush line is an undiscovered gem in the drugstore makeup world, I hoped. From first glance, this color caught my eye as something different, so I tossed it in my cart and hoped for the best.

The packaging of this product is standard and plastic, and to be honest, it really annoys me. Nothing bothers me more than when a brand has packaging double the size of what it needs to be in order to include a small, worthless brush or applicator that I never use. I'd rather have smaller packaging/more product. 

The actual formulation of the product isn't bad, but it isn't phenomenal either. The powder is smooth and pigmented, but it's not the best thing I've ever used, drugstore or high-end. I actually love the color. It's a deep, bright pink with a berry undertone. The thing that disgusts me though is the golden sparkle. When I see "Plumberry Glow," it gives me the impression of a subtle shimmer that highlights the cheeks. This "glow" is chunky golden glitter. I hoped that it might disparate when I swirled my brush in and applied it to my face, but it did not. 

Sparkly blushes aren't my favorite. I way prefer matte, but I work with a slight shimmer by not using a cheekbone highlight. But sparkle in my cheek color is too big of a con for me to use this, even if the formulation was incredible. 

All in all, this product just didn't do it for me. If I find a matte color in the line, I may see how I feel with a matte color. If you're in the market for a new drugstore blush and like glitter, you might like this! If you're like me and prefer matte or satin, I would skip this one. These blushes are available wherever COVERGIRL is sold, and I must say the price point is nice, retailing anywhere from $4-5. 

Do you like sparkly or matte blushes?

xoxo

Alyssa

MAC Lipstick in Syrup: Review and Swatches!

I went to my boyfriend's prom in June, and as any beauty-obsessed girl would do, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I was going to do my makeup. Because it wasn't my prom, I wasn't looking to spend a ton of money on getting all dolled up, and I decided that I would do my own makeup. I spent a long time searching for the right lip combination, and stumbled across this lipstick while doing a bit of a swatch look-up online.

 This is MAC's lipstick in Syrup. Most of the reviews I read on this hyped it up as the perfect color fall, but

after looking at pictures I pegged it as something I would wear year-round. This lipstick is a Luster formula, which are creamy, sheer-yet-buildable, and very moisturizing looking. After getting the facts, I did something I never do: I ordered it online without seeing what it looked like in person first.

Fortunately, I love this product so much it has wormed its way into my favorite lipstick slot.It looks like a dark, pink-brown in the tube (which is perfect for Fall), but because it's a Luster, it goes on quite sheer. In combination with my naturally more pigmented lips, it looked like my lips on steroids. Gorgeous!

As you can see, the formulation is moisturizing enough where you don't need a lip gloss, but I topped it with MAC's Cremesheen Glass in Just Superb (a post on that later) and it's one of my favorite lip combos. Because I wore this to prom, I paired it with my Arbonne Lip Liner in Ginger, which is a similar color. It was perfect, and lasted more than halfway through the night--and that includes pre-prom.

If you're in the market for a MAC lipstick, I recommend this one! I think it'd be perfect for a natural lipstick, wearing it sheer for the warmer months and built up for the Fall and Winter. You can find this wherever MAC is sold, retailing for $15.

What's your favorite lip combination?
xoxo
Alyssa