Benefit and ipsy lash bash

I was chosen to host an ipsy and Benefit Cosmetics lash bash last Saturday (9/21/13)! My girlfriends and I had so much fun trying out all of the sample products, which included the following:

• they're real! (mascara)
• benetint (rose-tinted lip & cheek stain)
• sugarbomb ultra plush (shimmering pinky nude lip gloss)
• gimme brow (brow-volumizing fiber gel in light/medium and medium/deep)
• creaseless cream shadow (in bikini-tini and bronze have more fun)
• peek-a-bright eyes (eye illuminating kit)
• hervana (a “good karma” face powder)

Here are some pics from the party!

Unbagged - ipsy May 2013

This month's ipsy glam bag was so awesome. The the theme was "Spring Fling". Most of the products were full sized and well known brands. Not sure how the company can afford to provide us with these items when we only pay $10 a month, but I am not complaining!

• yaby concealer refills in Pecan
• Zoya Nail Polish in Blu (full size)
• Pacifica perfume Roll-On in Island Vanilla (full size)
• Mirabella Colour Sheers in Pixie (a sheer orangey color)
• Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink (goes on sheer, very slight hint of pink)
• Bonus: Urban Decay Moondust eye shadow in Moonspoon (full size)

The concealer is actually not too bad, but I don't really use concealer on a daily basis. I haven't tried the Zoya nail polish yet because the color is really light for me, but I will post a blog when I do try it out! The perfume is good but I don't normally use vanilla scents. The Mirabella lipstick goes on sheer with a slight tint of orange/coral and the Juice Beauty gloss is a sheer light pink. The Urban Decay eye shadow was a nice surprise. I love Urband Decay shadows because they a very pigmented and last a long time. The one I received is a silvery color, but I have to tried it yet. 

Unboxed - Birchbox May 2013

Sorry this took me so long to post. I actually got my BB over a week ago but have been so busy! Here are the contents of my May Birchbox *spoiler alert*. This month's them was Beauty Diaries!

MAC - RiRi Woo

MAC Cosmetics has teamed up with Rihanna to create a Rihanna loves MAC collection. The first item ( RiRi Woo lipstick) was released on Thursday May 2nd and sold out in a matter of hours. I was lucky enough to snag one before they sold out, see pics below!

 

My thoughts: It is a really bright red, great for going out at night! Being African-American, there are not a lot of "reds" that will show up on our lips, but this one shows up very well and lasts a long time. I normally wear neutral colors on my lips so it is taking me some time to get used to its brightness, but I am loving it!

MAC will be releasing more of the Rihanna collection in June and this will include a re-release of the Ri Ri Woo color. Stay tuned!

THE TOP 5 EYESHADOW MISTAKES! AND HOW TO AVOID THEM!

Wayne Goss is one of my FAVE makeup youtubers. Check out his video on the top 5 eye shadow mistakes!

1. Blending! You need a separate blending brush. Its completely clean. This is one of the most important elements in clean beauty makeup.

2. NOT KNOWING YOUR EYE SHAPE! Here is the link! 

3. Extending your eyeshadow! Very important. Understanding how to extend your eyeshadow can change your eye shape completely. I have a new video coming on this as part of my masterclass series coming up.

4. Kohl pencil just on the lower water line! SCARY! VERY SCARY. Try and keep balance! The top liner should always be bigger or thicker than the lower lash line.

5. Shimmery Brow bone! AVOID. At least as much as possible. Its VERY 80s! We actually see it a lot from Make Up For Ever. Its an old fashioned technique. Matte or very light shimmer looks better. Im my opinion. 

6. Pick the best eyeshadow brushes for your eye shape. I have videos coming up on my second channel

Beauty Sales This Week

I haven't had the time to do a blog lately, so instead I wanted to notify you all of some beauty sales going this week!

• Drugstore.com is offering 30% off in their makeup department through 5/10
• Too Faced Cosmetics is offering a 20% discount for Mother's Day through 5/9
• Discount code: LOVEMOM
• Stila Cosmetics is offering 15% off all regular priced items but the offer ends today 5/7
• Discount code: STILAMOMS
• Hautelook.com has Pixi & POP Beauty (ends 5/8) and Embryolisse Skincare (ends 5/9) this week

Happy Shopping!

Sation Nail Polish

I finally remembered got the chance to try my full size Sation Nail Polish that I received in my April ipsy glam bag. The name of the color is "Of Corset I'll Call You". See pics below!

MAC Lipstick - Rebel

My latest MAC lipstick purchase was the color Rebel and I was also convinced to purchase the MAC lip liner in Vino to accompany it. Two different MAC artists told me that the Vino liner was very complimentary to the Rebel lipstick (and let's face it, it doesn't take much to convince me to buy things!). I would say Rebel is a nice lip color for going out. See the pics below (with and without the lip liner).

MAC Lipstick in Rebel (without liner) 

 MAC Lipstick in Rebel (with lip liner in Vino) 

In case you are wondering what my full face looks like with the Rebel lipstick and Vino lip liner (I have on no face makeup here, so excuse the rest of my face)

The liner in Vino defines the lip more and deepens the color. I think it is a great accompaniment but you can also wear the lipstick without.

Rimmel Nail Polish - English Rose

I found this duo set at Walgreens (like I need more nail polish!). It was only $4.50 for the set, and I love Rimmel nail polish because the brush is really wide. Walgreens had the duos in other colors as well. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro - English Rose

I love the color! I have many different pink polishes but none this color, so I was very pleased (the majority of my pink polishes are bright and neon-like). The polish boasts that it lasts for 10 days but it barely lasted a week, like most polishes. I am okay with that because I like to change my polishes once a week anyway.

Nars Blush - Taos

I have heard tons of good things about NARS blush. It is very pigmented and they have shades the flatter a variety of skin tones (which is very important to me!). Sooo, after some researching on what colors look best on women of color, I decided to go ahead and purchase their blush in Taos and I love it! See pics below!

Obsessed with the compact design. Very sleek and has a mirror inside.

Color Swatch of NARS blush in  Taos.

Comparison: NARS in Taos on the left and MAC Desert Rose on the right.  Taos is a bit more peachier and is shimmery. Desert Rose is more pink and is matte.

What I bought this weekend...

I really did NOT plan on buying makeup this past weekend (I swear!), but I happened to be in Macy's near the MAC counter and decided to take a look around. I ended buying a lipstick and a blush (not too bad, right?). See swatches and pics below.

I feel like all I ever do is work, so I was looking for some work friendly colors. I ended up getting MAC's Viva Glam IV (mid-tone rose with gold pearl, frost).

For the blush, it was the same case. I was looking for something not too bold and work appropriate. I decided on MAC's Powder Blush in Desert Rose (soft reddish-burgundy, matte). 

     

 So far, I am liking both for work!

Unbagged - ipsy April 2013

This month's theme was pretty in pink.

Complete Look - MAC Neutrals

I don't post a lot of pictures of myself and my makeup, because I don't consider myself to be a makeup pro (by any means!) just someone having fun. Occassionally, my makeup doesn't come out tooooo bad. Below is a look I created using all MAC products.

Unboxed - Birchbox April 2013

Soooo, this is what I got in my April 2013 Birchbox. Spoiler Alert!

This month's theme was, Women's Health - Tiny Tweaks, Big Results.

Review - Miss Jessie's

I never bothered trying Miss Jessie's products in the past because I thought that they were only for people with natural kinky hair (I have a relaxer). I received a sample of their Super Sudsy Slip Shampoo and Creme de la Creme conditioner in my  March 2013 Birchbox so I decided to try them. Both labels expressed that the products could also be used on chemically treated and dry hair, among other hair types. I think I am in like. The shampoo was okay, it lathered well, but left my hair feeling a little stripped after washing.

Obsessed - purity facial cleanser

I sample many products because I am all about the freebies. Once in awhile I find a great product and it becomes a staple in my regimen. Philosophy's purity made simple face cleanser is one of those products! I recieved it in a Birchbox a couple of years ago, and I have been hooked ever since! It cleanses my face (make-up included) and doesn't leave it feeling too oily or to dry. I have combination skin and have had trouble finding a face wash that didn't itch, leave my face dry or oily, or break me out. Purity takes care of all of these things and is fragrance free (but still gives off a refreshingly natural scent). Loves it!

You can snag a small (3oz) sample bottle for $10, and it lasts a long time because a little bit goes a long way.

theBalm Cosmetics Sale

Update 4/9/13: theBalm was experiencing technical difficulties with their new site. The sale was postponed until yesterday (4/8/13) and will end today at 1PM (EST). You still have some time to get the 50% off and shipping is fairly inexpensive for U.S. orders!!!

Today only, theBalm cosmetics is having a 50% off sale to celebrate the launch of their new site. It is supposed to begin at 9:30 AM (PST) and will last 24 hours. It is 50% off of the entire site! I have their Put a Lid on it eye primer and I love it!

Happy Shopping! https://www.thebalm.com/

Makeup Storage

Perusing Pinterest has made me obsessesd with organization, particulary makeup organization. Once I have my mind set on something I obsess about it until I do it.

My first project was makeup brush storage. I was inspired by these Pinterest projects: Pin 1 and Pin 2. It only cost me $3 to create; I bought two glass candle holders from the dollar store and a bag of smooth rocks and below is the finished product!

Nailtini - Bloody Mary

I received this full size bottle of Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Bloody Mary in my January 2013 ipsy Glam Bag. The nail polish has a great texture and I really love the color! All of the polishes are named after different drinks. Although they are pricey, I wouldn't mind buying more from this brand.  Here is their website: http://www.tinibeauty.com.

Discount Shopping Sites for Beauty Items

There are a ton of designer discount sites popping up these days. They offer you authentic designer items at a discounted price. Often they are things that are out of season, being discontinued, etc. These sites feature all types of items including clothing, bags, shoes, household items, beauty products, etc. Here is a list of the some of the sites that I peruse and a few pics of items that I have bought from them.

Color Club - Wild Cactus

I received this green nail polish by Color Club in my February Birchbox. It is a part of their fiesta collection and the color is called Wild Cactus. It is a very rich, pretty color however it is not something that I would wear to work. I decided to snap a picture before removing it for the work week!

Beauty Subscription Services

Beauty subscriptions services are very popular right now; there are so many to choose from! I currently only subscribe to two; Birchbox and ipsy. I began with Birchbox a few years ago and fell in love. It has some benefits over other subscription services; if you review items or refer friends you can get points that can be used toward a full size item purchase. I have gotten many items for free this way!

My Chi Air

For the past few months I was obsessed with purchasing a CHI flat iron. I was recently able to afford one and even got it on sale (Tip: If you purchase it from Harmon Face Values, they allow you to use a 20% off Bed, Bath and Beyond coupon, you know, the ones that don't expire!). I paid a total of $55. (It was on sale for $69.99 + my 20% off!)

Making blogging is fun

Now that I am finished with graduate school and have become a real life grown up (sorta), I am constantly looking for new fun "things" to do. It turns out, I am obsessed with beauty products (mainly makeup) and am constantly buying and searching for new ones. Due to my boredom with daily grownup life, I have racked up quite a collection as well as joined several beauty subscription services (hello ipsy and birchboxers!). I decided to create this blog as a place to review/discuss any new cool products I like or find, among other beauty related topics. I hope you enjoy!