I bought this on good faith. The foundation I was using before left my skin greasy, and I was always seeking a matte finish. When I saw an advertisement for the L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder I was sold. It's pretty new, so reviews are scarce. Well, when I bought it anyway.

I've had it for about 2 weeks now, and I was able to form some pretty solid opinions on it early on.

I chose the shade Classic Ivory 312, but it's a smidge too dark, but I can still work with it. There's a really nice color range, and mine isn't even the lightest (3rd to lightest, I think).

Pros:

• Literally is Liquid Powder- Shortly after blending, it turns to powder like texture.
• One less product- I don't use powder with this foundation.
• It blends pretty well, and evenly.
• SPF 15.
• Medium coverage.
• Little to no scent (also, no sunscreen scent!),
• Not streaky.
• It doesn't dry as quick as you think it would. You can dab it on the 5 points of your face, and then then blend it out.
• Staying power is amazing. At the end of the day it's still there. I never once sweat it off.
• No excess oil. There was a little bit, but not enough to make me apply powder. It looked natural.

Cons:

• Stings- This one shocked me, and I never had this happen with a foundation before. If you have an open sore on your face (or hand), this foundation will make it sting until it is blended.
• The bottle suggests that you DO NOT apply with a brush or sponge (which stinks when you consider the next con).
• Extremely liquidy. Borderline water consistency. Sometimes I pour too much, and it's already all over my hand so I can't put any back.
• Not very build able.
• .91 Fl Oz instead of the standard 1 Fl Oz.
• If you have any dry patches they will show over time, but not as bad as 'the other' foundation I was using. I would be careful if you have dry skin.
• No pump

I bought mine for about $11 at Target, and overall I recommend it. If you want a foundation that gives you a matte finish, and lasts a long time (who doesn't?) I think this would be a good foundation to try. It is a bit pricey for a drugstore item, but it exceeded my expectation. All the notes I mentioned above are things that I noticed on the first few times trying the product out, and it's remained consistent.

I love not having to apply a powder. That's one less product not on my face.

Sorry for the lack of swatches. I have a cyst on my swatch hand that I'm getting checked out so you wont be seeing any swatches until I get that removed.  There are plenty of swatches of the product out there. I'll link a few HERE, HERE (this swatch is really accurate to my experience), and HERE (you can see the consistency in this one).

PS; the other foundation that I was talking about is my Maybelline Fit Me foundation.

Have you had the chance to try it out? If so, what do you think?

Maybelline Color Whisper in Pink Possibilities | Review

I talk about the Maybelline Color Whispers a lot, to the point where they probably should have their own tag, but I never really mention why I love them. I compare it to the revlon Lip Butters a lot, and I heard that the Whispers were supposed to be Maybelline's answer to the Lip Butters. But when I think about it, the Baby Lips could be that too, but I've never tried those.

I love the color. It's not opaque, but not too sheer. It's a happy medium, and as a non-lipstick wearing girl, I never go anywhere without it. That's saying a lot, actually. If that isn't enough I will take just this out with me, leaving my beloved Burt's Bees at home. *Gasp!* I know, shocker, but the Color Whispers are that moisturizing.

I love the packaging too. It's simple.

Wear is normal, I think. It doesn't stay on that long, but I didn't expect it too. It does transfer to a glass, or tissue paper. It's easy to put on, and I don't need a mirror, much like the Lip Butters.

I really recommend the Color Whispers, and if I had to choose between Lip Butters and the Color Whispers, I would choose the latter. I just didn't fall in love with any of my Lip Butters. I really want to try more, and you can be sure I'll let you know when I try them out/buy them. I see an obsession forming, guys. Watch out!

Pink shimmer comparison

From L to R: Orly Artificial Sweetener, Zoya Gie Gie, OPI Pedal Faster Suzi,  and Essie Pink-A-Boo

From L to R: Orly Artificial Sweetener, Zoya Gie Gie, OPI Pedal Faster Suzi,  and Essie Pink-A-Boo 

From L to R: Orly Artificial Sweetener, Zoya Gie Gie, OPI Pedal Faster Suzi,  and Essie Pink-A-Boo

I was rummaging through my nail polish the other day, trying to decide what color to wear, and as usual I notice that I have a couple of colors that are close to each other. It shouldn't be a surprise to find a dupe within my collection, or colors close to each other. If I liked it once, I'm bound to like it again.

One of these I knew were close to each other when I bought them. I did a comparison of OPI Pedal Faster Suzi and Essie Pink-A-Boo a while back, and they're really not that close even though they look it in the bottle. 

The two obvious ones are Zoya and OPI. They are nearly identical except OPI is a bit darker, but not by much. They both have a similar shimmer to their color, which is the same color. Both have great formulas, and apply beautifully. The other two are off playing in the left field. They're not even close.

Weekend Reads №6

• The Convenient Beauty: Shiseido and Cle de Peau cotton pads face-off: which one's superior even better priced than drugstore brands?
• Mama Fashionista: Quinn shares a beauty on a budget find, great for makeup beginners and pros alike!
• Adore A Polish: Kristina's husband takes over the blog with his review of the HYD For Men shaving kit.
• Glamorable!: Do you like flowers? What about nail art? If you answered "Yes" to both, you might love Anastasia's whimsical manicure featuring bright hand drawn carnations!
• Makeup by Kim Porter: Saving Face with Mario Badescu's Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs & Rosewater.
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipstick in Edition is a lovely sheer pink lipstick that sure to delight you!
• BellBelleBella: 752% more volume from a mascara? Check out Brittney's review of Tarte's Lights Camera Flashes mascara.
• TheFabZilla: TheFabZilla does a FOTD featuring Laura Geller makeup.
• Beautyfiends: Julia at Beautyfiends is failing at this nail art thing. Check out week 2 of The Pinterest Inspired Nail Art Challenge!
• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura shows us the IT Cosmetics Limited Edition 6 Piece Vanity Brush Collection.
• ColorMeSoCrazy: Do you love indie polishes?? Check out this one from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer!
• Beauty by Miss L: Check out Miss L´s cool irregular French manicure.
• Daydreaming Beauty: Another multi-tasking gem from Ole Henriksen! Amber looks at Perfect Truth CC cream this week.
• The Passenger Element: Quick Tip featuring Epielle Facial Essence Masks at Big Lots!
• Beauty by Arielle: Arielle's 5 Must Have IT Cosmetics Products in Under 5.
• Geniabeme: Want an affordable bright eyeshadow palette? Check out Sleek!
• Midnight Manicures: Jeanie shares with you her swatches and review of the Zoya Cashmere Nail Polish Collection. Enter the giveaway to win the collection.
• Icy Nails: Icy Nails shares a review of the Ageless Derma Stem Cell and Peptide Anti Wrinkle Cream.
• Makeup, Life, Love: All Natural Fountain of Youth.

Mary Kay Clear Proof | Acne system review

I'm a major skeptic when it comes to acne systems. Most of the time, they don't work for me. So, when I was handed this brand spanking new system from Mary Kay, my immediate thought was "ok, this will be a waste of time, but I'll try it". My mother-in-law is now a Mary Kay consultant, and she had her first party about two weeks ago. I'm not sure what to call this woman, but let's just say her mentor (since she has been teaching my MIL all things Mary Kay, I think it's appropriate), told me about this new line. It's supposed to be a revamped system to replace their old one. At the time it wasn't in the catalogs (It should be now), and was available to consultants at this conference type thing in travel sizes. She decided to give it to me to try. Anywho, they didn't know I was planning on reviewing this for my blog, but I still didn't pay for it, is what I was trying to get at. These aren't full sized bottles, btw.

Individual Thoughts

The first thing I noticed about the products is the smell. Only the cleansing gel has a distinct scent, and I don't like it. It doesn't linger, but it still isn't pleasant. The cleansing gel does lather, but since it's a thinner gel, it's a thinner lather, if that makes any sense. The gel itself out of the bottle is clear, and a little bit goes a long way, and doesn't leave my skin feeling tight. I make sure to cleanse before I apply it (as per directions), so I can't speak on makeup removal. I really wanted to use this product correctly, so I didn't stray too much away from the directions.

I did have issues getting the product out of the toner. I can't squeeze the bottle, so I have to tap it on a cotton pad to get anything out. I'm not sure if that's a reflection of the full sized product, though. It doesn't sting, my skin is really sensitive to that stuff (which you will hear me repeat with the next review I have plan, just warning you).

The moisturizer doesn't make my skin greasy at all (it's oil-free), it's smooth, matte, and exactly what I want it to look like. None of these products leave my skin feeling dry, and that's something that I see in a lot of anti-acne products.

The treatment gel is my favorite product in this little kit. It works quick, and the spot (even if it hasn't completely formed to a head yet, gross, I know) will be gone in 2 days or so, which is really quick for me.

Working Together

Now, here's the big question: Does it work? Yes. Yes it does. I don't remember seeing my skin this clear, and this healthy looking in a long time. Yes, a few cleansers have helped clear me up, but nothing was really meant to be a solution.

I'm not as clear as I would like, I still have a few spots, but I also haven't been using this as often as I would like. At minimum I tried to use it once a day for the past two weeks with the exception for a few days where i just completely forgot. I think if I was using it everyday, I would be completely clear by now. Even with the slight inconsistency with usage on my end, I don't have many new spots. Normally I wake up with one or two new ones, probably 90% of the time since using the Clear Proof system I wake up with no new spots.

If my opinion changes, I will be sure to let you all know, but as of right now, I am in love, and it's replaced my toner and moisturizer in my routine (I mix up the first cleanser depending on what my skin needs that day).

Prices:

The Go Set (pictured)- $20

Clear Proof Acne System (full sized)- $45

^^save roughly $14

Individual:

Clarifying Cleansing Gel 4.5oz- $16

Blemish Control Toner 5fl.oz- $15

Oil Free Moisturizer 3fl.oz- $18

Treatment Gel 1oz- $10

Overall: Yes, I recommend it. It is pricey, similar to Clinique's system, but is it worth it? Yes. I always say that I will go all out for my skin, and it is one part that I will invest the money into. If you're in the same mentality as me, I say go for it. But, I do suggest trying the travel set first so you can see if it works for you.

What if I could only have 5 nail polishes?

Yesterday I made a post called "If I lost all my makeup", and I got to thinking. What would I do if I lost all my nail polish? Well, I would buy a whole bunch that are in stores now. Who knows when I would stop buying. Going from over 200 to nothing would leave me feeling lost. But, what if I could save a few from falling victim to this hypothetical makeup/nail polish apocalypse (the horror!)? Well, these are the top 5 that I cherish the most, would grab, and make a run for it.

Most of these shouldn't surprise you, as I've raved about most of these since I got them. I will also include a link to the post I made about each nail polish.

butter LONDON The Black Night

Models Own Beach Party

NARS Orgasm

Orly Oui

Essie Bikini So Teeny

I know, I'm thinking way too much into this, but hey, isn't it kind of fun? What would you do if you could only keep 5 nail polishes? Those of you with tons of colors, could you even narrow it down? This was hard. I started out with 10.

If I lost all of my makeup

I’m still in Ft. Lauderdale. Actually, I’m in the Volkswagen/Audi learning center while my husband is taking a class. I soo do not belong here, but here I am, sitting at someone else’s desk whilst writing to you all about things these men would give me a funny look for. Aside from Spencer, of course. He understands (sort of). We leave today, yay! I miss my cat. I saw a stray outside of the learning center and yelled (well, said loudly in the car) “FRIEND!!”. Olivia withdrawals, it’s a real condition ;-) Enough blabber, that’s not why you’re here.

Ah, the what if my makeup disappeared tag. I saw this tag bopping around a few years ago, and recently spotted it on The Small Things Blog. I decided to do something similar, but add a little twist to it. There are somethings in my makeup bag that I would definitely run out and buy, but there are also a few things I would do differently. So, what would happen if all my makeup decided to take a hike?

I would definitely put a Maybelline Color Whisper at the top of the list. Whether or not I would choose Pink Possibilities again, who knows. I may even choose to be a bit adventurous.

Mascara was the hard one to decide. Should I stick with Pixi, or try a different one? In the end I went with a known favorite. Ballsy, I know (obvious sarcasm?). Pixi Large Lash Mascara it is!

For eyeshadow I would stick with the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink. It’s simple, wears amazing, and why fix what’s not even broken?

No contest, I would have my mom order Avon’s pencil eyeliner in Eggplant. I had this when I started makeup, and I will probably never stray away from it.

Another product that I had problems deciding is foundation. There are foundations I want to try, and normally I would tell myself to just go for it. Get that Clinique CC Cream you’ve been staring at since Kate from Ghostparties first mentioned it on her blog. But, I’ve been liking the L’Oreal Magic Nude Powder enough to buy it again even if I’ve only been using it for a few days. I really do plan on doing a review of this product. I have a lot to say about it.

For brushes I would buy the Real Techniques Shading Brush. It looks the same as the domed eyeshadow brush from their Travel Kit, so it should work the same. Plus the quality of these brushes are amazing. They really live up to the hype.

The next brush I would rebuy is the Real Techniques Lash-Brow Groomer.

Now for what I would choose to buy rather than repurchase/mini wish list (looking these products up made me really want them, especially the concealer).

I’ve been wanting to try something from Drew Barrymore’s new line Flower. The only bad thing is that it’s only at Walmart, which I avoid like the plague. I browsed the line specifically for this post with a mission to choose one product that I would buy if my makeup up and poofed on me. Even though don’t really need it with the foundation I chose, I went with the Flower Power Up Loose Powder. I saw a review/first impression of it on It’s Judy Time on Youtube and it’s huge! It would definitely last a long time, and if I decide to get a bit adventurous *caugh* and buy the Clinique CC Cream *caugh* it would work well, I think. This coming from someone who has never tried any of her products before. Take that as you wish.

I opted to buy the shadow brush, and powder brush, from Real Techniques separate rather than go for the Travel Kit. I really want to try this huge brush. Real Techniques Powder Brush

Concealer was the biggest dicision out of this entire post. I would not repurchase anything I have currently. They don’t give me the coverage I need, especially under the eyes. After looking at review, and doing some thinking, I decided I would be comfortable going with the L'Oreal True Match Crayon Concealer. To be honest, I think I’m going to actuallly buy this, rather than waiting for the makeup apocalypse to hit.

What would you do if all of your makeup decided to abandon you? Other than balling your eyes out only to switch to utter confusion, of course.

My Travel Makeup Bag

Greetings from Ft. Lauderdale! My husband is here for work related business, and I decided to tag along. It was a long drive (3 1/2 hours, yikes!) but it is so nice to finally get away.

Believe it or not, but I actually brought my camera along with me so I can take some photos here. A bit backwards, but that's fine! I went with the bare essentials this time, and was able to fit it all in my Life's A Hoot bag from Thirty-One Gifts.

You all have seen the Maybelline Age Rewind several times on this blog, so I don't have much more to say about it other than at this point, I'm trying to use it up. I want to try something new. Instead I am opting for the Avon Brightening Concealer. It's a bit sheer for my taste, but I still like it. For my foundation I brought along the Loreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder. I just bought this on Sunday, and so far I have mixed feelings. I definitely plan on doing a review on this product, so look for that in the next couple of weeks.

I don't have a powder for a few reasons. 1) I didn't back one because I have one that stays in the overnight/toiletry bag, 2) Since my foundation turns to powder, I wanted to test the longevity of it. I also thing it would be a bit too much powder.

This is the area that I had to cut back the most. As usual, I'm sticking with my Pixi Large Lash mascara (PR sample). I brought two eyeliners, as well as one that lives int he overnight bag. My Maybelline Master Drama eyeliner in Made of Steel is ok. It's not my favorite, but it was the only silver eyeliner I could find. I kind of settled there. I also have a purple eyeliner from Avon that is not pictured I have two of these, and love them. I also included my Elf Liquid Eyeliner just in case, but I don't see myself using it.

For eyeshadow I brought my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink (one of my favorites) and my Mark Eyeshadows.

Since I bought it, I haven't stopped obsession over my Maybelline Color Whisper. It's moisturizing, and adds a hint of color. I also brought a backup, just in case I'm feeling like I want a change (doubt it, though), and grabbed my Revlon Just Bitten longest name ever in Honey.

I tried to keep everything pretty basic, and took only what I knew I would use. Which, is the opposite of what my daily makeup bag looks like.

What do you take with you on trips? Do you bring products you've never tried before, or do you stick with your most trusted ones like I tend to do?

HYD For Men | Review

I was able to purchase the HYD For Men through the iFabbo shop for review purposes. I figured, why not show my husband a little love? So, I sent him a picture of the products, and he said to do it. When it arrived at my door, I didn't bother to tell him it had arrived. I figured he wasn't too excited about it, and that it could wait. Boy was I wrong. He looked at the box, opened it up, and said "why didn't you tell me it was here?"

Needless to say he was excited. So, for about two weeks he used the three products religiously, and recorded his thoughts on the iPad. In the mean time I snuck in a few tries as well.

The kit came with a Shave Cream, Buffer Stick, and Razor Shield. There is also a coupon code for you at the end of the review.

I figured that since it was a men's product review, why not have a man write it? From here on out, it will be my husband, Spencer's, thoughts (edited by me) and feelings on the HYD For Men shaving products. Yup, that's right, Spencer is taking over the blog today, and writing the rest of the post (with little snippits of my own thoughts).

HYD For Men Buffer Stick

I felt as though it was cleansing, but I'm not a good candidate for ingrown hairs, since I never really got them. However, it did relieve the itch when the hairs started to grow back.

I suggest that you use the buffer stick before you take a shower because it's hard to get all the grit off. It says to use it once a week, but I found that I was using it 3 times a week starting out to relieve the itch even though the bottle says to use it once a week starting. You use it when you shave, or the day after, and if you shave every other day that's 3 to 4 times a week.

HYD For Men Shave Cream

I like it. It smells good. It's fruity, like a sweet citrus scent. It works effectively. You can be frugal with it. It feels more like a lotion or a cream. It reminds me more of a body butter than an actual shaving cream. Shaving cream is normally in a gel or a liquid form, then turns into a lathery state. But then this starts kind of like a body butter. It doesn't really lather, or foam, and it's not the same as Gillette or Barbersol.

This is another reason to do it before you take a shower. Normal foam comes right off, but you have to rub off the HYD shave cream.

Kristina's thoughts: I love the scent of it. It has a slight citrusy smell to it. Ladies, if you use this product,  any of the HYD For Men products actually, you wont have to worry about walking around smelling like a man. It worked quite well, and left my skin feeling smooth.

HYD For Men Razor Shield

It didn't keep it sharp as new, but kept it usable longer, and kept the razor from pulling at my hair. To help reduce the amount required, it's easier to angle the blade on it's side and start pumping the razor shield from the top so it runs down the length of the blade (like the picture shows). Let gravity do the work. If you put it strait on the blade it will just drop through, and a lot is wasted.


Kristina's thoughts: This was probably the item that I was most skeptical to try. It's supposed to lengthen the life of your razor if used after every time it's used. To be honest, I did notice a different. There were a few days when I forgot to put it on, and I could tell that the razor would glide on my skin the day after I used it. It's so smooth! No tugging, and it's almost as if it's not working, but it deffintely is. Keep in mind that I was not using any other product under my arms; just my razor and the HYD Razor Shield. We've had these products for about a month, my razor is an older one where Spencer's was brand new. At this point I would have to work to get all the hair, but right now I'm using it as if it was close to brand new. I really do think this works.

Overall (Spencer's POV): I would recommend the HYD For Men Shave Cream and the HYD For Men Buffer Stick. The only reason that hold me from recommending the razor shield is the price. I feel like if you don't use shaving cream then it's worth it. If you use the shaving cream then it works the same. Both products aren't really necessary. If the price doesn't bother you, then do it. It's a great product, but the price is too much.


Product details:
All products are Dermatologist tested, non-irritating, paraben free, and cruelty free.

HYD Shave Cream - 5.07 fl oz (150mL)    $12.99
HYD Buffer Stick - 2oz (60g)   $24.99
HYD Razor Shield - .5 fl oz (50mL - 90 uses)    $17.99 [5mL starter for $6.99]


Now, I have a coupon code for you! If you use the code SAVE20 you receive 20% off your first purchase at hydformen.com.

How does your man pamper himself? Does he use his own products, or dip into yours?

Products sent for review from iFabbo

NOTD: Reverse Glitter Gradient

Really quick post today. I saw this post on Pinterest, and I had to recreate it. I decided to take one of the glitter gradients that I did last year, and reverse it rather than follow the picture.

I really like this combination. I used butter LONDON Rosie Lee on top, and mixed it up by using Zoya Jacqueline instead of Julep Pippa.

It was simple to do. I did a thin layer starting at the base of the nail, and dragged it towards the tip. Then I built up the glitter at the base, so it looks like a gradient effect. Then, of course, load up the ring finger as an accent then prepare to regret it later.

Toodles! Hope you enjoy the rest of your Thursday =D