Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Review and Swatches

I've been on a blush kick lately. Earlier this week I went ahead and picked up 2 of the new Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes because I was curious to know how these held up. I've never tried a blush quite like this. It's not a solid and it's not quite your typical cream blush either. It has a bit of give to it, hence the name "bouncy" blush. It has a almost like a marshmallowy mixed with play-doh type of texture if that makes any sense. I've never tried their mousse blush before so I can't make any comparison between the two.

 Maybelline Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin and Pink Frosting

 Peach Satin

 Pink Frosting

Peach Satin and Pink Frosting swatched heavily

AVAILABILITY: Drugstores

PRICE: $8 USD
SIZE: .19 OZ / 5.6 g
VALUE FOR PRICE: 3/5
APPLICATION: 3.5/5
PACKAGING: 5/5
MEETS EXPECTATIONS: 4/5
OVERALL PRODUCT: 3/5 

PROS:
□ Comes in a wide range of colors
□ Could be used as a base for your blush
□ Color is buildable
□ Blends easily

CONS:
□ Color payoff is very sheer
□ Wipes away easily
□ Not long lasting

FINAL THOUGHTS:
□ I find that these blushes go on a bit sheer. It's buildable but I feel like I would be wasting more product that way. I think if you're lighter than NC30 in MAC, these blushes would be more suitable for you otherwise you would just be layering on another blush right on top of it which is what I had to do. These blushes give more of a natural rosy cheek look, therefore; it shows up very faint. At first I thought it would be best to use a dense brush for application but I find that a fluffy brush works just as fine. Keep in mind the color payoff is not the most pigmented so you may be layering on the color just to get a decent amount to appear on your cheeks. Overall, I find that these are more fun to touch than their intended purpose.

DISCLAIMER: THE PRODUCTS REVIEWED ON THIS BLOG ARE BASED ON THE OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF THE AUTHOR. THIS PRODUCT WAS PURCHASED BY THE AUTHOR AND IN NO WAY WAS THIS REVIEW INFLUENCED BY THE COMPANY OF THE PRODUCT.

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow Swatches & Review

When I initially saw these I automatically thought of MAC Paint Pots. I thought these would be a great alternative to use as an eyeshadow base and the whole "24hr" pretty much sold me. The first time I swatched these on the back of my hand, I automatically noticed how creamy they were (almost buttery!). Just a tiny bit of this stuff goes a long way because the color pay off is amazing! I decided to pick up more neutral shades rather than the vibrant colors so I can opt out of using my more high end eyeshadow bases and use these instead.

 Tough as Taupe, Too Cool

Bad to the Bronze

 Bad to the Bronze

 Tough as Taupe

Too Cool

Bad to the Bronze, Tough as Taupe, Too Cool swatched

AVAILABILITY: Drugstores (Walmart, Rite Aid, Walgreen, etc.)
PRICE: $5-$7 USD
SIZE: .14 OZ. 4g
VALUE FOR PRICE: 5/5
APPLICATION: 4.5/5
PACKAGING: 5/5
MEETS EXPECTATIONS: 4.5/5
OVERALL PRODUCT: 5/5 

PROS:

□ Doesn't crease
□ Once it's on, it's on. It won't smudge or wear off
□ More affordable than MAC Paint Pots or other high end eyeshadow bases
□ Makes eyeshadows vibrant

CONS:
□ Not enough neutral or matte shades


FINAL THOUGHTS:
□ I definitely recommend these for everyone. Whether you're on a budget or not, it's always nice to have a good eyeshadow base on hand and these are definitely worth having. Since I have oily eyelids I usually start off with UDPP (even when using MAC Paint Pots) because my eyeshadow will crease. But these do not budge or crease and they definitely make your shadows last longer. I only hope that in the future Maybelline will come out with more matte and neutral shades that will cater to people who aren't into shimmers or bright colors.

DISCLAIMER: The products reviewed on this blog are based on the opinions and experiences of the author. This product was purchased by the author and in no way was this review influenced by the company of the product.

Clinique All About Eyes Concealer Review

Clinique All About Eyes Concealer - 04 Medium Petal

Clinique All About Eyes Concealer - 04 Medium Petal

I'm always looking for new concealers to try especially since I suffer from really dark under eye circles. I think my dark circles are partly genetic and partly my fault. Nonetheless, concealing my dark circles are absolutely necessary in my makeup routine. Clinique All About Eyes Concealer is a multi-tasking concealer that disguises dark under-eye circles while helping to reduce the look of puffiness. Long-wearing, moisturizing formula won't crease or settle into fine lines. Oil-free. Ophthalmologist tested.

Before / After

AVAILABILITY:  Clinique, Sephora

PRICE: $16 USD
SIZE: .33 FL. OZ. / 10 ml
VALUE FOR PRICE: 3.5/5
APPLICATION: 4/5
PACKAGING: 5/5
MEETS EXPECTATIONS: 4/5
OVERALL PRODUCT: 4/5 

PROS:
□ Corrects dark circles
□ Full coverage
□ Less expensive than most high end concealers
□ Packaging is easy to control how much product comes out
□ A little goes a long way
□ Can be used to conceal blemishes and other scars
□ Goes on smoothly without caking

CONS:
□ Settles into fine lines

FINAL THOUGHTS:
□ I was really impressed with the coverage and the consistency of this concealer. It's really smooth and easy to blend with just your finger. It does a great job at correcting dark circles because it goes on a bit peachy colored (good for canceling out blackish blue or purplish under eye circles) but it blends nicely into your skin. The only problem is that within minutes it settles into fine lines, making the lines more apparent. If I set this concealer with a setting powder right away, it holds up for a little while then eventually it will start creasing. It does everything I expect in a concealer and I think I would have found my holy grail if only it didn't crease. I don't recommend this if you have lines under your eyes. Unlike me, I have really deep lines that I've had since I was young. If you're only suffering from dark circles and the skin around the eyes are fairly smooth (without any lines), this concealer may work better for you. Nonetheless, it's a great product, just not for me. It may be more ideal for people with dry skin.

DISCLAIMER: The products reviewed on this blog are based on the opinions and experiences of the author. This product was purchased by the author and in no way was this review influenced by the company of the product.

Royal Blue Eyeliner Look

Here's the look I wore when my boyfriend and I went out to celebrate our 4 year anniversary. This look was inspired by a girl named Kristina Monique. I love her name by the way ;) I fell in love with her makeup when she was featured in Pursebuzz's videos. I automatically had to recreate it and I knew I had the most perfect blue eyeliner to go with it. It's a shame that MAC came out with such an amazing product and discontinued it. Had I known they were going to do that I probably would've purchased another jar of Royal Wink Fluidline... or maybe 10 :P But that's okay because I know there's a dupe for it somewhere out there and I believe there is one by Sephora called Fancy Blue. It looks just about right or damn near close to it! I'm probably going to purchase the Sephora liner and keep my Royal Wink Fluidline some place safe because I don't know what I would do without it!

EYES:
□ Urban Decay Primer Potion
□ MAC Painterly Paint Pot
□ MAC Cork eyeshadow (crease & transition color)
□ Inglot #434 Pearl eyeshadow (crease)
□ MAC Carbon eyeshadow (outer corner)
□ Inglot #390 Matte eyeshadow (lid color)
□ MAC Blanc Type eyeshadow (brow bone highlight)
□ Inglot #498 DS eyeshadow (lower lash line)
□ MAC Royal Wink Fluidline (Sephora Fancy Blue Eyeliner can be substituted)
□ Wet N Wild Creme Liner (upper lash line)
□ MAC Smolder Eye Kohl (lower waterline)
□ Covergirl Lashblast Mascara
□ Bornprettystore lashes #113

BROWS:
□ NYC Brow Pencil in Taupe
□ NYC Browser Brow Kit
□ MAC Carbon eyeshadow
□ NYX Concealer in a Jar (shade beige)

CHEEKS:
□ Temptu Air pod Blush in Tempting Coral
□ NYX Mauve Blush

LIPS:
□ Maybelline Sensational Lipcolor in Totally Toffee
□ MAC Oh Baby lipglass

Brown Smokey Eyes

I don't know what it is but I have this extra crease on my left eye and it's been there for a few weeks now. It bothers me so much! It makes my eye look swollen. I'm not sure if it's because of allergies or not but I just hope it goes away soon! :( Oh and I don't like how this look came out.. but I'm posting it anyway. :)

EYES:
□ Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze
□ Inglot #327 Matte eyeshadow (all over the lid)
□ Inglot #402 Pearl eyeshadow (crease)
□ Wet N Wild Greed Palette - black eyeshadow (lid color & lower lash line)
□ Wet N Wild Greed Palette - highlight color (brow bone)
□ Wet N Wild Color Icon Eyeliner in Black Black (lower waterline)
□ Maybelline Falsies Flared Mascara
□ Eyes Chic False Eyelashes style #461

BROWS:
□ NYC Brow Pencil in Taupe
□ NYC Browser Brow Kit
□ NYX Concealer in a Jar (shade beige)

CHEEKS:
□ NARS Laguna Bronzer

LIPS:
□ Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolor in Totally Toffee
□ Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss in Stylish

Favorite Must Have Eye Brushes

This was requested by a few readers. Next up will be face brushes. :)

If I were stranded on a desert island and could only grab just a handful of eye brushes with me, it would definitely have to be these! These brushes are the magic sticks that make my eye looks the way they are. I noticed that most of these brushes have multiple uses to them (at least the way I use them) and I think that's why they're considered my favorites. :) Without further ado, let's get started! These brushes are in no particular order. :)

PS: Prices may vary on some brushes depending where you buy them.

Sigma E60 Brush ($11.00)

□ The is my favorite brush to apply my brow bone highlight. It seems a bit large but I personally like this because it also helps to blend the outer edge of your eyeshadow with the highlight color. So it almost does 2 jobs in one! :) It's also great for applying a quick sweep of eyeshadow on the lid.

MAC 266 Brush ($19.50)

□ Of course, I can't be without my angled brush. My eyebrows wouldn't look this way if it wasn't for this brush! I've also used this brush for applying eyeliner and defining my crease for when I do a cut crease look.

Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop (3/8) Brush (about $4.00)

□ This is probably one brush everyone needs! It's pretty much the best "all over the lid" brush and ideal for packing on color. It has a rounded top to it so it also blends outer edges really nicely especially if you're experiencing harsh lines.

Sonia Kashuk Small Eyeshadow Brush (about $5.00)

□ Another great "all over the lid" brush and another favorite of mine for packing on color. This one is a lot smaller so it applies nicely to precise areas of the lid, for example the inner eye corner.

Sigma E40 Brush ($11.00)

□ Say goodbye to harsh lines because you won't experience any if you have this brush! Sometimes I'll have this harsh edge between my brow bone and lid color and this brush effortlessly eliminates that. It's a pretty large blending brush so I use it mostly for blending rather than applying color. It also works nice to diffuse eyeshadow if you happen to overdo it.

Sonia Kashuk Smudge Brush (about $5.00)

□ This is like the baby of all my eye brushes. It's so small but it gets into places with precision and it gets the job done! I use this for smudging eyeshadow or eyeliner on my lower lash line and to set eyeshadow on my waterline. I'm not sure if this brush is still available since I can't find it anywhere. :(

EcoTools Bamboo Angled Eyeliner Brush ($3.00)

□ This is another brush that I can't thank enough for giving me clean eyebrows. I use this for applying concealer on my eyebrows to create really clean, sharp lines.

MAC 224 Brush ($28.00)

□ This is the queen of all blending brushes and my very first MAC brush I've ever purchased! Of course, this brush is what it is... a blending brush! Great for blending colors together and for applying color to the crease. It does the job of applying color and blending at the same time so it's one of those all-in-one type of brushes. I'm probably going to buy a back up of this brush just because I love it so much! It's definitely required to have this brush in everyone's collection from beginners to professionals.

MAC 217 Brush ($22.50)

□ I can't express how much I love this brush! I have a back up of this brush because I use it so much! I think if I had the choice to grab just one (eyeshadow) brush to use for the rest of my life, it would definitely be this brush. It's fluffy enough for blending but it has just the perfect amount of density for packing on and building up color. It's the most ideal eyeshadow brush anyone could ever ask for. I'm saying this to everyone who is starting out in makeup that if you're not sure what brush to get, this is definitely the best choice you could ever go with.

MAC 219 Brush ($24.50)

□ I use this brush in more ways than one. I use it to define my crease, smudging eyeshadow and eyeliner, and even for blending! It's another one of those brushes that have so many uses to them and that's why I love it! This brush is unlike any other pencil brush that I've tried because some were too flimsy and had very little density and others were too harsh for my eyes. This one is just perfect!

Sonia Kashuk Bent Eye Liner Brush (about $6.00)

□ This is such an amazing eyeliner brush. I've had this for years and years and it definitely changed my outlook on how to apply eyeliner. I never preferred applying eyeliner with an angled brush and using a bent brush is so much more easier. Perfect winged eyeliner every single time!

Bdellium Tools Bent Eyeliner Brush ($7.04)

□ Another great eyeliner brush. This one is a lot smaller than the SK brush so it's perfect for really precise eyeliner.

MAC 204 Brush ($13.00)

□ This is another staple brush that I need for doing my eyebrows. Of course this brush has different uses to them from eyebrows to eyelashes to... believe it or not... eyeshadow. Yes! Eyeshadow! I once had an eyeshadow that was really dry from accidentally applying water to it and creating a hard layer on top (it was a matte eyeshadow). I just used this spoolie to gently scrape off the hard layer and the eyeshadow was good as new! I know it's kind of random but who would've thought? :)

What are your must have brushes?

Biotin Review

I wanted to talk about biotin and my experience with it. This is just my honest review and my experience with biotin so not all results will be the same for everyone. However, I've heard really great things about biotin minus the side effects that can easily be overcome if you just stick with it! I know some of you may have questions about it so please feel free to ask them in the comments!

FACTS ABOUT BIOTIN (also referred to as Vitamin H and B7):
□ Though rare, brittle hair and nails could be a symptom of Biotin deficiency.
□ Health and beauty products contain biotin such as shampoo, makeup removers, even prenatal vitamins.
□ Other symptoms of biotin deficiency include hair loss, weak nails, and dry skin.
□ A recommended dosage of biotin is 5000 mcg.

ADVANTAGES:
□ With consistent use, biotin helps to stimulate faster hair and nail growth.

DISADVANTAGES:
□ High dosage of biotin can lead to acne breakouts. (results may vary)
□ May take several weeks to months for any visible changes.

TIPS FOR ENSURING BETTER RESULTS:
□ Because biotin is water soluble, it's important to increase you water intake for it to go through your system. Not enough water with the extra dosage of biotin may be the cause of breakouts.

MY THOUGHTS:

□ HAIR. I've been taking biotin for several months now (on and off). I believe I started in the Summer of 2011. My reason for wanting to take biotin was to boost my hair growth. Now I know my hair was already long to begin with but I noticed it was at a halt. It just stopped growing a little past my mid back. I would see my roots growing when I dyed my hair but the length always stayed the same. Partial to my hair not growing, it was also very brittle. I would get a lot of breakage which was probably the cause of my lack of hair growth.

□ I would try to about 5 tablets periodically throughout the day. For the first couple of weeks I didn't notice any changes in my hair. It wasn't until after a month of daily use that I noticed my hair getting longer (at least 1 or 2 inches). My hair was also falling out and I had a pinky nail size bald spot on the side of my head that completely grew out. I also noticed less breakage and healthier hair. I've heard of other hair supplements that made women grow facial hair but I had no issues with taking biotin. I definitely noticed a difference in hair growth but it took time to notice results. Since then my hair has grown over 4 inches.

□ NAILS.  My nails grew extremely fast after taking biotin. It happened almost right away! This was definitely a side effect of biotin because in addition to my slow hair growth, my nails also grew at a very slow pace, not to mention they were weak and prone to rips and tears no matter how much I kept myself hydrated. So seeing them grow and looking strong was definitely a sign that biotin was working. I was really excited because my nails have never grown so long before.

 □ SKIN. I didn't notice any significant improvement on my skin. It actually made it worse when I initially started taking biotin. However, after taking it several times a day for a few weeks, my body adjusted to the intake and I no longer get pimples because of it. As long as you stay hydrated and increase your water intake as you're taking biotin, then it should be no problem passing through your system.

AVAILABILITY:  Drugstores (Walmart)
PRICE: $3 USD

DISCLAIMER: The products reviewed on this blog are based on the opinions and experiences of the author. This product was purchased by the author and in no way was this review influenced by the company of the product.

How I Contour My Nose

I was never one to contour any features of my face. It wasn't until I noticed a difference it made the first time I tried it that I decided to stick with it. I would always attempt to contour (my cheekbones) but it never came out right. It would come out streaky or uneven or too "muddy". So believe it or not it took  practice to finally get the hang of contouring. When doing my makeup I hardly ever go without contouring. It may not seem like it since my camera washes out about 20% of color on my face but majority of the time I've contoured in some way or another. I think contouring certain features of your face could make all the difference as far as enhancing its natural structure. I contour everything from my nose to my cheekbones and even my eyelids! I don't think contouring is absolutely necessary. It's all about your preference but I really see no harm in doing it. I'm all about accentuating certain features rather than completely altering your appearance.

The way I contour my nose is so simple that it doesn't require a tutorial. But I have gotten questions about it from those who are wondering how I do it especially after my rhinoplasty.

PRODUCTS USED:
□ MAC Cork eyeshadow (any color that's a shade or two darker than your skin tone should work fine)
□ Large eyeshadow brush from Sonia Kashuk (any fluffy brush will do)

 

Starting from the front of the eyebrow,

draw a straight line until you reach your nostrils.

Repeat the same process on the other side, creating 2 lines.

OPTIONAL: Create a "V" shape at the tip to create the illusion of a pointy nose.

Blend out the areas where you've applied the eyeshadow with your finger or a clean blending brush.

Before / After
You can see before contouring, my nose falls flat and doesn't protrude as much as I would like it to in flash photography. In the after photo, you can see that my nose looks more apparent. The contour helps to create a shadow making my nose look more narrow yet natural looking.