I received the Studio Gear CC Cream in the shade Linen for review purposes from Brandbacker (a full page worth of explanation soon to come). I did a survey a while ago to get a small sample (no review necessary), and when I saw that the full sized version was available I jumped at the chance since the sample size was a shade too dark for me.

There are three shades: Linen, (pictured) Natural, and Wheat. It has an SPF of 20 (yay!). It's said to be non-oily, prevents fine lines, and is supposed to restore skin elasticity (no idea how to test that).

I've been wearing this foundation for a while now, and first off I want to say at how impressed I am with how well it held up. I'd say it's light to medium coverage, and blends easily. My skin has been quite dry lately which has become a problem since almost all of my foundations are for oily/combination skin. I had heard that CC creams are usually for dryer skin types, and as someone who is used to oily skin this had me worried.

The dry patches were not made more noticeable when I had the foundation on, and my skin (usually I look at my forehead) was oil-free as far as I could tell. I did not use a powder over the foundation.

The wear, as I said earlier, was better than expected. I do a lot of running around/walking up and down steps at my part time job, and this foundation held up pretty well.

The above is a picture of how the foundation comes out of the bottle like some other products you've heard (think Almay Smart Shade) it starts off white and the color comes out when it's rubbed on the skin.

I use a typical amount. Not too much, but I can't use it sparingly or else there simply isn't enough. It's not too liquidity.

Overall: I really like the Studio Gear CC Cream. I feel as though it could be used by most skin types. The longevity, color, and overall quality is something that I like. My major gripe is that there is currently only three colors. If you are super super pale Linen may be too dark (it was riding that fine line for me), and if you have a dark skin tone Wheat may be too light.

Studio Gear CC Cream retails for $34 (1fl oz) and can be found online. You can get 10% off using the code bloggercc through their website.

Have you ever tried a CC cream? If so, which is your favorite?

Sample provided for review

Loving Lately №5

I've been pretty mute lately, and I'm sorry for that. Honest answer: I have no idea what to blog about. It's not a slump, technically, it's just that I can't come up with a topic to blog about. I'm trying. I have a feeling that there are going to be a few nail polish posts coming up (spring colors are my favorites). Anyways, that's not what you guys care about.

No one should be surprised to see two of these products. I mentioned that I've been using the Clinique Stay Matte foundation ($23) and the Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights ($11) in the shade Bare Light everyday that I wear makeup. It's just a phenomenal combination. I have never been so pleased with a foundation as I am with Stay Matte, and the PhotoReady Skinlights just helps neutralize redness.

In my desperation to find a concealer at Target a month of so ago I broke up the monotony with one of their Jumbo Lip glosses. I picked up what I thought was the prettiest shade- Pink Umbrellas. I've been reaching for this more than any other lip product. I love the shade, and it's more opaque than I expected. The amount of product you get is similar to similar items by Covergirl or Revlon. I think it's worth it, I just wish they had a wider variety.

For the past two, maybe even three, months I have had Essie The Lace is On on my toes nonstop. I take it off, and put it right back on. It's one of those shades that I latch onto for months.

Non pictured is my Burt's Bees lip balm which I had to buy after my lips became ridiculously dry. It's the only thing that can fix that problem, and no amount of EOS, or Chapstick, applications could come close. They're nice, but I really did miss my one true lip balm love.

I'm addicted, what can I say?

Favorite Beauty Products of 2013

Happy New Year everyone! I'm super excited for this year. I have a lot of things planned (not necessarily for the blog), and since it's Year of the Horse (my Chinese Zodiac), I'm hoping things will be great!

I narrowed it down to six products, though it wasn't all that hard. I didn't buy a whole lot this year, and I wasn't loving the vast majority of what I did have. These products did stand out in my mind, and they were definitely used more than the rest.

My bottle of Origins Checks and Balances is looking a bit worse for wear. It's nearly done, and I'm savoring it. The smell, the results, just everything about this cleanser is heaven in a bottle for me. The next skincare product I ended up loving is the Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub (which was a PR sample). I love it just as much, if not more, than when I first reviewed it. My skin is so soft, and smells fantastic. A real winner for me, and I'll be sad when it runs out since there isn't a Body Shop near me anymore.

I just reviewed this product not to long ago, so you all should be familiar with the secret love affair that I've been having with my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink. I find myself reaching for it even more the longer I have it, and really loving it as a base for some of my other eyeshadow shades. This one was a no brainer in the favorites department.

I managed to trade my beloved purple eyeliner for the Avon Glimmersticks in Brown Glow. I've mentioned it before, but I haven't actually discussed how much I love it. It's the perfect shade to be paired with Inked in Pink, and the two really compliment each other.

Finally I have my two favorite lip products. Revlon Honey is one of those colors that everyone loves. It really deserves it too. It's a beautiful shade that applies effortlessly, and smells fantastic. I do love mint. My Maybelline Color Whisper in Pink Possibilities is one that I don't hear a lot about. It adds a sheer pink tint to the lips, and has a your lips but better sort of effect, in my opinion. I wore it for several months straight, ignoring everything else I owned. Even when I decided to give it a break to use something else, it was still in the back of my mind.

Even though 2013 wasn't the best year for me in the way of beauty products, when I found something I loved, I stuck with it. These six are definitely going to be used well into 2014, and who knows. Maybe they'll make a reappearance.

What are some of your favorites of the year?

PR sample mentioned: Body Shop Scrub

Maybelline Color Tattoo | Inked in Pink

How have I not swatched/reviewed this eyeshadow before now? I wear it nearly every time I apply makeup, and have loved it since the moment it was applied. That and I talk about it all the time.

Inked in Pink is part of the Maybelline Tattoo 24/hr Metal eyeshadow line. It's a pink shimmer cream shadow that is contained in a glass pot.

Take the name seriously, folks, because this eyeshadow is not going anywhere. It's super easy to apply, whether you choose to use your finger or brush (in my opinion using your finger gives off more color). It doesn't take a whole lot to cover the lid, which is probably why it's lasted so long.

It doesn't smudge, and it lasts all day without creasing. The Color Tattoo practically blends itself. I usually don't have to do much to it after it's applied. There are no harsh lines, and it applies evenly. Very easy to use.

I like using this as a base, and choosing a darker color for the crease, and outer edge. It plays well with others.

I need to buy more. I always stare at them when I go to Target, but have yet to pick up another one. I can see myself repurchasing Inked in Pink in a heart beat. If/when I pick up more shades, I'll be sure to post a swatch of them. It'll probably become a favorite. I've heard nothing but fantastic things when it comes to this line, and in my opinion it lives up to the hype, 100%.

Do you use a Color Tattoo? If so, which one is your favorite?

Studio Gear Holiday Smokey Palette | Swatch and Review

A while ago I received an invite to join BrandBacker. It's a site where a blogger can join campaigns designed on advertising a product. It took several months before there was a campaign that actually suited me.

I received this pallet from Studio Gear to review, and show you guys. It's a beautiful collection of shimmery shadows, and a blush; perfect for a smokey look (hence the name; Holiday Smokey Palette).

Keep reading for a review. All opinions are my own, but you guys know that.

They're not as opaque as some eyeshadows out there, but for someone like me, who is a big chicken when it comes to makeup, this is perfect. I do with Glimmer was more pigmented, as it is my favorite color out of the set. Below is a picture of the colors swatched. I used a brush to swatch, and had a slight issue building the color up, even though I did notice that other bloggers had no issue.

I did notice that I had some fallout when it came to Frost, but the others were fine.

Snowy Glow is a nice blush color, and gives off a slight rose tint. The glitter isn't too noticeable after it's applied, and it's easily blendable. Platinum lives up to its name I would describe it as a metallic silver, and is the most opaque of the bunch. Coal is black with gold glitter scattered in it, which isn't easily noticeable to the naked eye (but wow does it show up on camera), and is the most sheer of the bunch. Glimmer is a shimmery gold, while Frost is a shimmery white. Great for highlighting.

The pallet comes with a mini tutorial on how to apply the colors to achieve a smokey look using the colors provided. However, my favorite way to use this pallet is to put my Maybelline Color Tattoo all over the lid, then apply Glimmer on the outer corner, and if I'm in the mood; lightly apply Coal to the crease.

I thought that they wore quite well, and were very easy to work with. I find myself reaching for this pallet more than my Avon one that I've been using. I really like it, and it's not a product that I would normally reach for.

The Studio Gear Holiday Smokey Palette normally retails for $40, but is on sale at a special introductory price of $25. Add that on with a 10% off your entire order (Code: SGHOLIDAY. I believe there is no expiration date at the moment), and you have yourself a lovely little holiday deal =) It is available online at studiogearcosmetics.com.

This pallet was sent to me through BrandBacker, and as always all opinions are my own.

Manna Kadar Transfix | Review

Manna Kadar Transfix

Directions:
Dip brush along outer rim of the shadow, or pigment, for a perfect line.

Basically it's amazing, and it takes any powder product, and turns it into a smudge proof liquid eyeliner.

When I first pulled this out of my Wantable Box I was excited. I was intrigued, and immediately started playing with it. I was surprised at how well it worked.

I did find that I had to dip it into the tube to get it to pick up the color after I applied, since the eyeliner would be a bit too dry on the brush if I put a bit too much on. It became a little process of dip>color>apply>dip>color>apply. It wasn't as time consuming as I expected it to be.

One sweep with each color

I used Mark Star Status Eyeshadow Palette in Earth Angel in the pictures above.

It does suggest that you wipe the eyeliner off before you dip it back into the tube, which is a good idea if you plan on using eyeshadow with glitter with it, but I didn't bother. The liquid inside does a good job at cleaning it, and I haven't seen any residue from past applications coming out. If you're concerned with contamination, I would wipe it off. I'll probably start doing that, since that hadn't occurred to me before.

It does smudge a bit, as you can see above. It's not as bad as I was expecting, though, considering it's technically eyeshadow.

Overall I really do like this product. I hadn't heard of it before, I believe it's technically an eyeliner sealer. I was impressed. I wasn't expecting it to work as well as it did.

This product is not technically a PR Sample

It did come in a Wantable Box, which was a PR Sample

Daily Eye Makeup

It looks like so many products! I just love how it all works together to create my favorite eye look at the moment.

I start with applying my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink all over the lid, blending it out when it dries a bit. Then I take the darkest brown shade (Beach Beauty) in my Avon Island Breeze Quad, and apply that to the outer lid. If I feel like it, I'll put the lighter brown shade (Latte) on top of it all, but I don't think it does much. If I want something super simple than I'll apply Latte on the lid, with Beach Beauty on the outer corner.

I switch up between using only the Avon Glimmersticks Diamonds in Brown Glow, and Manna Kadar Transfix (genius product, and a Wantable product which was sent for review)/Brown Glow combo. I like to use a dark brown with the Transfix, which lately it's been Beach Beauty form the pallet I mentioned above. It's not too dark, and it adds a subtle line to my upper lid. Then I apply Brown Glow to the lower lash line.

For lashes I use my favorite mascara; (PR Sample) Pixi Large Lash Mascara. This mascara made me understand the difference between plastic and natural bristles. I just don't like plastic bristles. They just don't add enough volume.

The only two brushes I use are both Real Techniques. One being the Domed Shadow Brush, and the Lash/Brow Groomer, but rarely since the Pixi mascara works beautifully.

Two items were review items:

Pixi Large Lash Mascara

Transfix, though it came in a Wantable Box.

The Wantable Box was the review item, not Transfix

All opinions are my own, as always =)

Daily Face- keep it simple

My daily face makeup has turned into something very simple. I try to keep it simple at the moment by only having my two concealers, and a powder foundation. There's just something about colder weather that makes me want to simplify everything. I don't know what it is, though. I haven't been buying a lot lately, so I've been rummaging through my stash, and pulling out some old favorites. I'm kind of glad I did. It allowed me to nix liquid foundation for now. It's also allowing my face to have a breather, which is nice. Less is more.

I use my Real Techniques Foundation brush to blend both concealers in. It makes it so much more simpler, and I'm much lighter with it. When I use my fingers I find that I tend to blend a bit too much, therefor spreading the concealer out, and sometimes out of the area I need to cover. I use my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, which I've had for ages, and L'Oreal Crayon Concealer. L'Oreal helps under my eyes, and the Fit Me one helps L'Oreal tone down the redness.

I pulled out my Boots No7 Mineral Perfect Foundation earlier this month, and I'm back to loving it. A light application is all that is necessary with this. This foundation tends to come out dark, I use New Ivory, and too much can cause my face to be way too dark. I like to apply it with my Guerlain Meteorites Brush, which is always a favorite (I mean really, who can resist pink bristles? Not me!). Also, I have had this brush for years, like 6+, and I have yet to notice it start shedding. I love this tiny thing.

I do apply eye makeup, I can never resist it, but that post is for tomorrow =)

How often do you reach through your stash rather than buying something new?

Fall Lips

Fall is one of those weird months where I see everyone else start to transition into the cold weather, the trees begin to change, and everyone starts to look so cozy. But, over in my neck of the woods things don't change much. I would like to think I'll be wearing my comfy jackets soon, but that's not going to happen.

Since it's not going to be as cold here in sunny tropical Florida, I decided to stick with some brighter shades for the season. I'm being a bit rebellious, and going off the path from what's on trend (let's face it, I'm no where near close). Here it's reaching mid-80s during the day. Instead of wearing deep colors, and warm tones, I decided to stick with some brighter shades for this season, and I figured I would share with you what I recently transitioned into my makeup bag.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey: I think this is one of those shades that is wearable all year round. It's a fantastic color that quite frankly looks fantastic on most people, in my opinion. It's easy to wear, and apply, and is actually quite moisturizing.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 12: 12 is a very summery shade. It's a nice reddish-orange, but I never found myself using it during the hotter months. I wanted to show it some love, so I pulled out and plan to use it frequently. It's not too overpowering on my light skin tone, and I'm not as intimidated by it as I used to be. I really see this season as a time to go bold, and I don't want to hold back.



Covergirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Ruby Twist: It's such a beautiful shade, and what I like about the lip crayons is that I can use the tiniest amount, and get a great color. Not too overpowering, but not so sheer that I might as well not be wearing anything. I'm loving reds for this season, can't you tell?

Covergirl Two-Sided Blast Flipstick in Glimmer: My husband picked this out for me, and I'm not going to lie, I wasn't to thrilled. One thing I've learned is to trust his instincts. To be honest, this isn't the first time he's picked out a lip color for me and I've loved it. Right now I'm a bit intimidated by the darker shade, but that lighter one is beautiful. I've been wearing it for the past few days, and that's what inspired me to make this post. The only bad thing is that it has lipstick taste, which is just horrible.

LtoR brands: Revlon, Rimmel, Cover Girl, Cover Girl (duel stick), 29

29 Reserves Moisturizing Lipstick in Expressive Rosé: Easily the brightest color of the bunch, and really out of all my lip products. It is super opaque, and glides on beautifully. Plus I love the packaging. I received it in my Wantable Box, and every time I use one of the products that came with it, it makes me want to get another one.

I know this isn't your typical fall makeup post. The colors are much brighter than what you would normally see. I like to so with what the season feels like, and right now it feels like hotness.

Loving Lately №3

It's been a while since I've done one of these posts. I find myself in a rut, and using the same makeup over and over again without much change. I decided to pull out my iFabbo store bought Hydroxatone BB Cream, and I'm back to loving it. I thought my skin got lighter, causing this to be too dark, but I think I was just using too much. The Japonesque foundation brush that I received in my Wantable Box helps a ton. It applies the foundation beautifully, much more so than the Real Techniques one does. I don't know why, but I was always under the impression that most foundation brushes are the same for some odd reason. Always wrong in my ignorance. It's all good, I'm glad I'm wrong because I love this little brush. It's so easy to blend, and not streaky at all.

I mentioned my latest concealer love last month. I see myself never letting this concealer go. I love it so much! It's the Loreal True Match Crayon Concealer amazing majestic magic in a crayon. Ok, so maybe I'm over exaggerating a bit, but you can't blame me. This thing is heaven in a tube. It covers my dark circles, and redness that loves to never go away. This with the Hydroxatone, and brush is all I need. It's just a great combination.

I've been gravitating towards a brighter lip lately. It's weird because that is so not me. Bright colors (other than nail polish) is not my friend. It usually looks too bright on my light skin. That's why I pick up my L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse in Coral Tattoo. I'm thoroughly convinced that someone out there is taking bets on which company comes up with the craziest names. If not, then they should (my money would be on Revlon). At the very least it would make for an interesting poll. Ignoring all that, let's get back on topic. I don't use this lip product the way it was meant to be used. I take the applicator, dab it twice on my top lip, three times on the bottom. Then with my ring ringer I blend it in, and cover my lips. It gives it a lighter tint that's not so opaque and bright. 

Lastly I have Zoya Mia. Oh Mia, how I love thee. I did a comparison last year of Mia and OPI Dulce De Leche. They're close, but I like Mia more mainly because I'm partial to Zoya's formulation over OPI's. I don't want to remove this polish, but I think that when I do it's going right back on. Maybe I'm loving Zoya in general, because that seems to be all I'm wearing lately. I don't know, time will tell.

What are you loving lately?

This post mentions products received as PR samples, although this isn't a review post. Those products are Hydroxatone BB Cream (which was an iFabbo sample, thus being a different kind of sample), and the Japonesque brush (not technically a PR sample item) which came in a Wantable Box that was from a PR company. I know, it's a bit confusing. Links provided in the post itself. Have a fantabulous week!

Three products that surprised me

Whether we all want to admit it or not, we all have products that we picked up that didn't exactly meet up to our expectations. Whether it be from past experiences, or sheer skepticism, we've all been there. For me there are three products that immediately pop into my head; two good and one bad.

I take lip balm, and lip products, very seriously. It's an addiction. I have to have something on my lips or they feel naked. I had tried Chapstick in the past, but I was unimpressed. Then I tried Burt's Bees, and it's no secret that it stole me heart. I had the opportunity, via a lovely PR company, to try out the new Chapstick Hydration Lock in Vanilla Creme for review. 

I'm a menthol girl. Give me peppermint and I am set. There is something about this Chapstick that I actually like. I don't have chapped lips, but, I still like the way it feels. I wish I knew more about lip products to give you guys more specifics, and that's probably why I'm not providing a stand-alone review on this product.

Sometimes I feel like Chapstick just sits on the skin and doesn't do anything. Hydration Lock is different, though. The scent isn't over powering, and it doesn't taste like anything. It says it provided 8 hour protection. It contains CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10), which is really interesting. It functions as an antioxident, and cells use it to produce energy that the body needs for cell growth and maintenance. It also has some other interesting lip unrelated uses. That link is to the WebMD page that explains it all.

Am I a complete convert? Probably not, but I will say that it's sitting in my purse next to my Color Whisper while Burt's Bees is on my nightstand almost empty (no current want to repurchase just yet). That has to count for something.

I thought I did a full review on the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat (such a long name!), but apparently not. Anywho, I said in the past that I liked it, and I did. But, I didn't like it as much as I was expecting.

I've seen this top coat raved about all over the blogosphere, and then when I finally got my hands on it I was let down. It didn't dry that quickly, it gummed up quicker than I expected, and as a top coat it's just ok. That's the thing with quick dries; they gum up so fast, and only two-thirds of the product is useable. That's why I like to use quick dry drops, but that's a story for another day.

My quest to find a great top coat that combats Seche Vite is still going on, but I have to say; there's probably no comparison out there.

All in all, I was shocked that this didn't live up to the hype. But, I'm probably hard to please and uber picky when it comes to my top coats.

I mentioned this product back in my Makeup Apocalypse post, and I decided to actually go out and get it now, rather than waiting.

I have to have been trying some pretty bad concealers for this one to shock me so much. I.e. nothing I had was covering my dark circles. This product does what it says. It blends beautifully, the color is really close to my skin (if not spot-on), and it covers like I couldn't believe.

I can't believe I haven't seen this around more often. It's one of those sleeper products that some people have yet to discover. Is it the best concealer out there? Probably not, but it definitely woke me up to what a good concealer can do for my skin, and that I was not expecting at all.

Contains PR samples (Chapstick)

Wantable September Box

I had the chance to review a Wantable Box for you guys. It's a fairly new subscription box that's been around for less than two years, and they ship in the US, Canada, and Australia. They currently have four different boxes to choose from; makeup, accessory, intimates, and Halloween. The box is $36 per month with a subscription, and $40 for a one time buy. Each box is valued at $80 and up.

The great thing is that they're all full sized, but I did receive a little sample as an addition. Upon registration you are directed to complete a series of questions to help personalize your box. The quiz is really specific with options of like, love, and dislike. You will never receive a product that you disliked.   They're separated into categories; eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip, nail polish, etc. Within these categories are even more options such as shimmer, cream, and the type of colors you wear (eyeshadow). Basically anything that would matter.

It shipped that day, and was here in 3 days. I also received an e-mail from Wantable telling me that my box had arrived, which is something that I haven't seen a company do yet.

The products were packaged between two pieces of foam, keeping them all safe. I've only heard of one of these brands, Japonesque. I like getting to know new brands, and it's not seeing the same brands over and over again. After a while it gets a bit repetitive.

Now for the boxes contents (and original cost of each item)

Lise Watier Ombre Soufflé Suprême Sample (Sunrise Peach and Vert enchanté)- $0

Manna Kadar Transfix Eyeliner - $19

Be A Bombshell Bombshell Mascara in Onyx- $15

Japonesque Angled Foundation Brush- $25

29 Cosmetics Reserve Moisurizing Lipstick in Expressive Rose- $25

LAQA & Co. Nail Polish in Blurple- $11

Grand total of $95.

I already played around with the Transfix Eyeliner, and holy cow it is the most fascinating thing ever. Basically you take the brush and dip into an eyeliner, and it becomes a smudge-free eyeliner. Yeah, look out for a review on that. I'm excited to play with it.

OVERALL: Would I recommend this? Yes. It is more expensive than other boxes, but you know you're getting full sized products with every box rather than hoping it's more than a small sample. I can't speak on the quality, I just started trying them out, but I will try my best to review these for you. The packaging sure is nice, so that's usually a positive sign.

How do you feel about subscription boxes? Do you like not really knowing what you're going to get? I feel a bit safer putting my money into a company like Wantable where I know the contents is going to be products that I actually like.

*This box was provided by Wantable to review

L'Oreal Magic Nude Powder | Review

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!

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?