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L'Oreal Magic Nude Foundation Review and Swatches. Armani Maestro Dupe!

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Dupe alert!  L'Oreal's Magic Nude is a dupe for Armani's Maestro foundation. Read on to find out more, but first, my review!

I purchased L'Oreal's Magic Nude ($12.95) last June, but then I had a baby a few weeks later and I never got around to doing a review on it.  Funny enough, I posted a quick blurb when I originally bought it, and that remains my #1 most popular post even today, which tells me that you guys are searching for reviews on this. So I really wanted to get this review out as quickly as possible!  Take a look...


The Packaging- 
I think the packaging could use a lot of improvement.  The frosted glass bottle is pretty, but if this thing broke on my bathroom floor, I can just imagine thousands of tiny shards of glass everywhere, not to mention foundation. Also, there's no pump or dropper to dispense the product, so you have to pour it out.  It gets messy and I always end up pouring out more than I want, which is a waste.

The Formula-
I love this formula- it's really unique.  It has a silicone base that makes it feel like silk on the skin.  It's super lightweight and once blended, it feels like you're wearing nothing at all.  The name "liquid powder" made me worry since I have dry skin, but this doesn't cling to or accentuate my dry spots. It provides light coverage, but has a flawless finish, so I find it different than a tinted moisturizer or a BB Cream.  It gives a satin finish rather than a dewy one and whatever this doesn't cover, I just use concealer and my skin looks flawless.
Oily skins might not like this as much, because it does contain a lot of silicone and it might slide right off.

It comes in 12 shades, and although I have light skin, I'm usually not the palest shade, so I bought the second lightest shade, Classic Ivory 312.  It looks darker than my skin when swatched, but when blended out, it matches pretty well.  It has a yellow base, while my skin has pink undertones.
Here, I swatched it and you can see how it's already starting to melt into my skin. 

Here, I blended it a little more and it's starting to disappear.


The bottle says to apply it with your fingers, which I do, but I've also had good results with Sonia Kashuk's flat top brush.  Either way, you don't need a lot of product, a little goes a long way.

Ingredients- 
Since L'Oreal owns Armani cosmetics, I thought that this might be a dupe for Armani's Maestro foundation, which is $64! I decided to compare the ingredients.

Both list sunscreen as the active ingredient, and Armani's Maestro has one additional sunscreen in their ingredient list below (Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate). I've color coded the ingredients to show you how similar these foundations are. 

 Formulas always list ingredients in order of quantity, so the first few ingredients make up the majority of the product, while the middle to end of the ingredient list is usually preservatives, fillers and fragrances. As you can see, both foundations have the same major ingredients in the same order!


Loreal Magic Nude Ingredients:  Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Isododecane, Alcohol Denat., Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Water, Propylene Carbonate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Aluminum Hydroxide. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.

Armani Maestro Ingredients:  Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Isododecane, Alcohol Denat, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Nelumbium Speciosum Extract/Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Limonene, Synthetic Fluorphelogopite, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Propylene Carbonate, Caprilyic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum / Fragrance, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil / Bitter Orange Flower Oil, Aqua / Water, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hexyl Cinnamal. May contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides

Final Thoughts-

I've been using Magic Nude since the summer, and it's one of my favorite foundations ever.  It feels so weightless and has a beautiful finish.  I definitely recommend trying this one.  I'll also add it as a dupe for Maestro on my Pinterest Dupes Board.

Has anyone tried this?  What are your thoughts?


Boots Botanics Organic Facial Oil Review

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I was perusing the beauty aisles at my local Target the other day and ran into the rep from the British brand Boots. She's there almost as much as I am (which is almost every day), cleaning, stocking, and making testers.  I really love that they have testers, because most drugstore brands don't. In fact, I tried to buy a Sonia Kashuk concealer the other day, and every single box in the shade I wanted had been opened up, with an obvious finger mark in the product. Gross. 
Anyway, she was telling me about their Botanics line and I thought I'd try something out. The Boots Botanics line contains natural plant extracts, and for the past 10 years, Boots has been working with the botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew to ensure that the plants going into the formulas are as effective for the skin as they possibly can be.
I love facial oils, so I decided to give theirs a try. It was a steal at $8.99.

Here are some packaging shots:



I love that this is 100% organic, and it comes in a frosted glass bottle with a glass dropper.  The packaging seems very high end for such an inexpensive product!  Here are the ingredients:

This oil is lightweight and feels really nice and hydrating on my dry skin. It has a scent of floral essences but I can't really decide what it smells like exactly. It soaks in completely within a few minutes- I use it mainly at night and wake up with soft, smooth skin!  I've been using this for the past three nights and my skin looks amazing!  The hydration stays all day and my skin has a youthful glow that it hasn't had in years.  

I checked the reviews from MakeupAlley.com and this has a 4.9 out of 5 rating, which I almost never see, so a lot of people are really loving this oil.  I can't wait to try more products from the Boots Botanics line! 

Have you tried this, or other Boots products that you loved?  Drop me a comment and let me know!

New Product Alert! Benefit Big Easy

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I just got notified that my February Birchbox has shipped, and one of the possible products inside is Benefit's new Big Easy Multi-Balancing Complexion Perfector       (whew, what a mouthful!). This product is exclusively at HSN right now, arriving at Benefit.com later this month and Birchbox in early March. So what is it? Here's the description from Benefit...

Why we love it!

BIGGER than BB! Why? Two reasons. First, big easy balances moisture & controls oil. Second, the cushiony liquid-to- powder formula melts in like a cream, yet finishes lightweight & velvety like a powder.

This multi-balancing complexion perfector gives light-to-medium natural coverage to even out skintone and conceal imperfections. Even better, it contains ingredients known to soothe & comfort the skin and help fight free radicals. One & done…big easy saves the day! Non-comedogenic. Oil-free.

Beauty balancing act! 
  • Balances moisture & controls oil
  • Self adjusts on skin to your exact shade
  • Perfects & evens with liquid-to-powder finish
  • Protects with broad spectrum SPF 35 to help prevent aging  
BIG results!
97% said it balanced moisture & oil*
90% said it visibly smoothed & evened out skin texture*
93% said it visibly improved skin’s appearance*
100% said it had a lightweight finish*
*Results observed in a consumer panel survey

How to apply

Apply to moisturized face with fingertips, blending for an even, natural finish. Pat on more wherever you want to build coverage.

See a demo here:
Sounds like it does everything! Thoughts?

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Review, Swatches and Tutorials.

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I know I'm a little behind the game on this, especially since the Naked 3 Palette is out now, but I wanted to get this review out there anyway. I've owned the Naked 2 for quite a while and it's my favorite thing to use on my eyes. I love creating all different looks with it and am a bit obsessed with finding Naked 2 tutorials on YouTube (I'll share two of my favorites below).

The Naked 2 features Taupe-hued neutrals, while the original palette is bronze and the new Naked 3 is rosy neutrals.
This palette comes with a large mirror and a full sized double ended brush with an eye shadow brush on one side and blender on the other. The shadows themselves are highly pigmented and soft and I love and use every single shade in the palette. Here they are up close and then swatched in the same order.

Indoor Light:

Sunlight:

Indoor light:

Sunlight:

Here are two short tutorials creating everyday looks with the Naked 2...





I'm sure that there are other palettes out there that are "dupes" for this in the sense that they have similar colors, but I haven't found one yet that has shadows of this quality.  These are so easy to work with- blendable and highly pigmented, plus the shades are edited down to ones that I would use all the time, where with other palettes, I use a few colors and the rest never get touched.

Yes, at $52 the Naked 2 is expensive, but definitely splurgeworthy!  Next time you're in the market for some eye makeup, try this out...I know you'll love it!

Majestical Jewelry Review

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I recently had the opportunity to try a piece of jewelry from Majestical Jewelry, an online boutique jewelry store.  They have pieces that fit every budget and all of their jewelry is authentic and high quality.  They have fashion jewelry, sterling silver, gemstone and pearl items so there's really something for everyone!

I received these gorgeous Leaf Cluster earrings ($8.50).  Every order comes with its own gift packaging, which I thought was a really nice touch! 

These earrings are so pretty, and super lightweight...I barely felt them at all which is something I look for when purchasing larger dangle earrings. I love the detailed design in each leaf. 

Here are some other pieces I love from Majestical:






There are so many pretty options to choose from!  If you're looking for jewelry, definitely check out Majestical!  You're sure to find something you'll love. 









Birchbox February 2014 Reveal and Unboxing

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I got my February 2014 Birchbox today and I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get Benefit's new Big Easy that they said "might" be in the box in the preview video.  Actually, there were three Benefit products they named but sadly, I didn't get any of them.  Oh well, this month's box was still pretty great.  Check it out...


This month's theme is Step, Pose and Repeat and features products to help you get camera ready.  

Here's what I got: 

Miracle Skin Transformer Spotlight- I have the original, but this one has a hint of tint with golden shimmer. 
Strivectin AR Eye Treatment- I own another sample tube of this, but was wondering what I was going to do when I ran out, since the full size is $75.  Now I have another sample tube...yay!
Bain de Terre Passion Flower Color Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner- I've never tried this brand before, but these are generous sample sizes and I can't wait to try these.  They have a blend of argan and monoi oils to help preserve color and give moisture.  Perfect for my hair!
32 Oral Care Effervescent Breath Crystals- These sound like a crazy Jetsons type of product.  It's a packet of crystals that you pour into your mouth like Pop Rocks and swish around to eliminate bad breath odors.  Cool...I can't wait to try these!

Overall, I'm happy with this month's Birchbox.  What did you get in yours? 



Julep Maven Welcome Box Review

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I'm a sucker for subscription boxes, so I recently decided to try Julep's Maven Box (see the end of this post to get a FREE Julep Maven Box). First, you take a quiz to find out your style personality.  Mine came out to be Boho Glam.  Then you get to see what's in your box for the month...the Boho Glam one had a navy nail polish, a maroon nail polish and a cuticle oil pen.  The colors were very similar to ones I already own, so luckily, you can choose which style box you want.  Instead, I chose It Girl, which features 3 trendy nail shades- turquoise, shimmery plum and shimmery white.





I also got 2 square nail files in the box. 

I'm loving these colors for Spring and I'm looking forward to my next box! 
Here's how it works: You'll get an email around the 20th of the month and you'll have a few days to preview your box and if  you don't like what's in your box, you can switch it to another style profile! So if I'm not loving the It Girl box next month, I can switch back to Boho Glam, or one of the other styles.  So you have a lot of control over what you get. You can also choose to skip a box once during a 6 month period if you don't want to receive it.  
They also have beauty products, so it's not just nail polish.  I believe the It Girl box always has just nail polishes, but the Boho Glam one has 2 polishes and 1 beauty product.  There's also a profile that gets 2 beauty products per month and no polishes.  So you can choose what you want!

Budget Beauty Blog readers can use the code FREEBOX to get your first box for free (just pay $3.99 for shipping).  So head on over using the link below, take the style profile quiz , choose your welcome box, and then put in the code at checkout.  The regular subscription is $19.99 per month and you receive over $40 worth of product each month! (If you don't want to continue the subscription, you can just cancel it.) 

Julep Beauty Inc.

Etude House Princess Etoinette All Over Powder Review and Swatches

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I am beyond excited to have been invited into the Etude House Pink Bird program!  The Pink Birds are a group of select beauty bloggers that get the opportunity to review a pink box of goodies from Etude House once a month and represent the Korean brand globally.
I got my first pink box recently and I must say, the products are amazing! 
First, a quick background on Etude House...
The name Etude was inspired by Polish composer Frederic Chopin's studies for the piano. They believe makeup should be playful and not routine, and the products are developed around 4 basic concepts: high quality, affordability, lovely design, and diverse color range. They don't have any stores in the US yet, so we can only order online.  But the stores are gorgeous and look like a princess' bedroom!






I got two products in this month's box and I'll be reviewing them separately.


Today, I wanted to review the Princess Etoinette All Over Powder.  The Princess Etoinette collection is inspired by Marie Antionette and the passion, beauty and luxury of Versailles.  In addition to the powder, the collection also includes lipsticks and a perfume.  

I have to say, the packaging is adorable and looks amazing on my bathroom counter!




 This is a loose shimmer powder with a puff that can be used anywhere on the body.  It has a gorgeous rose and peony scent inspired by the garden of Versailles.

The powder has a beautiful subtle shimmer when using the puff.  I applied it heavily with my finger below so you can see the color (it wouldn't come out in pictures if I dusted it on the way I normally would).  It's a white powder with pink shimmer.  


Here's the information sheet on the powder.  It can be used all over the body, on the face as a highlighter, on eyes, even over lip gloss to add sparkle.  
I love everything about this powder- its versatility and of course the gorgeous packaging!  You can find it at KollectionK HERE for $35.69.  You can also normally purchase Etude House products at Beautynetkorea.com, but they are currently sold out of this powder. 

I can't wait to try more Etude House products! Have you ever tried Etude House, and if so, what products are your favorite?

Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder Review

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I don't own any face powders...at all. Dry skin and powder don't get along. The cakiness, the clinging to dry flakes, the obvious powdery dry finish...ugh. Makes me shudder just thinking about it. So what made me spend $34 of my hard earned cash on a powder? This product right here:
I was at Sephora checking out the new Urban Decay Naked Glosses and saw this Naked Skin Loose Finishing Powder. I don't know what made me try it, but I did and I immediately went, "what...!?". Its amazing. 
Its like silk, and literally melts into and becomes one with your skin. Its so light and airy and doesn't cling to dry patches, settle into fine lines, or any of those things powders are known to do. It blurs imperfections and pores and makes the skin look flawless when applied over foundation or BB cream. 
I've tried some of the new HD powders and they always disappoint me. This one is different. Finally I can set my makeup like everyone else and get a nice satin finish without the cakey mess! It isn't the kind of powder that will give much if any coverage by itself. Its a finishing powder and is meant to wear over makeup.
It comes in 5 shades: light, medium light, medium, medium dark and dark. There's not a lot of difference between the lightest 3 shades and when I swatched them in the store, the medium didn't look that dark on me. So I went with that, since the light medium seemed more yellow and I never go with the lightest shade for fear of looking like Casper. 
The container is super chic with a shiny gunmetal lid and the UD logo inside as the sifter. 
I never thought I'd say that I was in love with a powder, but if this was a man I'd probably marry it, it's that fantastic. 
So splurge away, this one's worth the money. 
Have you tried this yet? Are you dying to? Please share!

Win it Wednesday! Conair Infinity Pro Rotating Curling Iron worth $50

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Congratulations to last week's winner, Jessica who won the Sephora gift card!  This week's prize is a Conair Infiniti Pro Rotating Curling Iron worth $50.  No more sore wrist from winding your curling iron...this does it for you!

Here are the details:
-Auto-rotating clamp holds hair and spins around to create the perfect curl 
- 1-in. tourmaline ceramic barrel for smooth, shiny, silky curls 
- Bi-directional rotation 
- Silicone strip for deep shine 
- Less damage & zero hot spots 
- 400°F high heat 
- 30-second heat up 
- Auto-off 





Enter Below and good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Gloss Review and Naked Swatches

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I have a bit of a weakness when it comes to Urban Decay. I see new products and I can't help but splurge on them! The new Naked glosses are no exception. I'm already in love with my Naked 2 Palette and Naked Loose Powder, so I had to try this. Take a look...


Urban Decay is calling this a luxurious gloss and rich lip balm in one. 

WHAT IT DOES:
This super nourishing gloss has an addictively creamy texture and a gorgeous, high-shine finish. Perfect for complementing the always-popular UD smoky eye, the Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss feels so luxe that you’ll want to keep applying it all day. The makeup junkies at Urban Decay painstakingly crafted this formula, obsessing over every last detail until it was just right. Laced with ingredients that are good for your skin, this formula includes Hyaluronic Filling Spheres™, vitamin E, avocado oil, and shea butter to hydrate and condition lips. Rosehip seed oil provides an extra hit of vitamins, including vitamins A and C. 

I love the packaging! It's a rose gold metal tube with the word Naked cutout. You can see the shade through the tube on the bottom and it also has an extra long flocked paddle applicator so you can cover your lips in only one or two swipes.
I chose the shade Naked, (nude pink with a pearly pink shift), which is swatched below. To see swatches of the other shades, click --->this post.

This gloss isn't very pigmented, but then again, it's NAKED gloss. It has a very subtle mint scent.  Here's my lips before and after...



This is a nice lipgloss but is it worth $20? I'm not convinced. It definitely has that cool factor to it, but there are plenty of cheaper glosses that are moisturizing and deliver similar shades. I really wanted to love this and call it splurgeworthy, but to me this is just a nice lipgloss with an average gloss wear time. If you want to be seen pulling this gorgeous tube from your bag, by all means, drop the cash on it. But if you don't care about that sort of thing, take a pass on this one. 



Etude House Skin Conditioning Cream SPF 25 Review

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The other day, I reviewed the first Etude House product I received in this month's pink box and now I wanted to review the other product now that I've had some time to use it.

Etude House Skin Conditioning Cream is essentially a primer that helps to balance the skin, both providing moisture and controlling oil, while also giving SPF 25.  It also provides anti-aging/anti-wrinkle benefits as well as whitening to lighten dark spots.
The instructions I received with it say that if you're dry to use this over your moisturizer, which I did, but if you're oily, this can take the place of your moisturizer. It contains some very skin-loving ingredients such as glycerin ,Coconut Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Argan Oil,and  Hyaluronic Acid.

It comes in a generously sized tube for $14.79 and like all Etude House products, the packaging is pretty!  I love the white tube with the mirror design and silver cap- it's very sleek, yet girly.

The cream itself is phenomenal, and totally unlike any primers we have here in the US. While most of our primers list silicones as the first few ingredients, this has less, making it feel less slick and more like a medium weight skin cream. It's non-greasy, sinks in quickly and smooths out the skin, making the perfect base for makeup.

 Don't let the white color scare you- it disappears once rubbed in with no chalkiness or white cast.


So far I have really been impressed with Etude House.  The quality of the products is great and the prices are reasonable.  This is my new favorite primer!  This makes my makeup look great, stay put longer, and hydrates my skin while controlling shine. I love it!  
Get yoursHERE!



This Week's Beauty Deals and Coupon Codes- Valentines/Presidents Day

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There are some great beauty deals happening this week! Lots of Valentine's and President's Day sales and coupon codes.


20% off at Urban Decay- Code FFSPRING14

Free Julep Maven Subscription Box- Code FREEBOX
Julep Beauty Inc.

Too Faced 20% Off Code- WEHEARTU

ELF Cosmetics- Get a $25 Gift Card and Free Shipping with $35 Order! Code GC25



Avon's Mega Makeup Sale
Avon

Crabtree and Evelyn 3 for 2 on Hand Products
Shop 3 for 2 on selected hand care

Michael Todd Organics 15% off plus Free Peppermint Body Wash and 4 Samples w/$45 purchase.
MICHAEL TODD true organics


FREE Lipstick at Glossybox- Code BELLA


Yves Rocher 50% off Valentine's Shop



New Product Alert! Marc Anthony Coconut Oil and Shea Butter Line

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Marc Anthony's Coconut Oil and Shea Butter line has landed at Ulta!  Each product is $7.99 and is supposed to be super hydrating.  Here are the details: 

Marc Anthony Hydrating Coconut Oil & Shea Butter Shampoo deeply cleanses to nourish the scalp and repairs dry areas, split ends and breakage. Coconut Oil and Shea Butter restore, invigorate and revive shine. Biotin strengthens and supercharges healthier, faster growth. Hair is left healthy and frizz free. Color safe.

Marc Anthony Hydrating Coconut Oil & Shea Butter Conditioner, extra hydrating formula instantly smoothes frizz and repairs split ends and breakage while creating soft, luxurious, supple hair. Coconut Oil and Shea Butter restore, protect and revive shine. Biotin deeply penetrates to fortify, nourish and supercharge healthier, faster growth. Hair is left healthy and frizz free. Color safe.

Marc Anthony Hydrating Coconut Oil & Shea Butter Treatment is ultra-lightweight & non-greasy. It instantly transforms parched, dry, damaged hair into soft, supple, shiny silk. Coconut Oil and Shea Butter restore, protect, revive shine and enrich color. Biotin deeply penetrates to fortify, nourish and supercharge healthier, faster growth. Repairs damage and split ends and leaves hair healthy, hydrated and frizz free. Color safe.

Has anyone tried these yet?

Beauty Steal- Butter London Nail Polish Over 50% Off!

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Today on Gilt Groupe, get over 50% off a Butter London 5 piece nail polish set!  Was $75, Now $35.



WHAT IT IS: Originally inspired by and created for the catwalk, butter LONDON is know for its high-fashion colour as well as its luxurious quality. To top it off nail lacquers are composed of a vitamin-enriched formula and formulated WITHOUT the addition of formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP, phthalates or paragons. Each shade is promised to deliver brilliant colour and consistent coverage.
INCLUDES:
  • Fiddlesticks, .04 fl oz
  • Pillar Box Red, .04 fl oz
  • Godsmacker, .04 fl oz
  • Fairy Cake, .04 fl oz
  • Cream Tea, .04 fl oz

These are only $7 a piece as opposed to $15+.  I've always wanted to try this brand but they were too expensive.  I just picked up this set and I wanted to share it with you!

Not a member of Gilt Groupe? They have amazing deals on designer clothes, shoes and beauty every day.  It's my favorite shopping site- I'm kind of addicted!

Have you scored anything amazing on Gilt lately? Do Share!

Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm Review

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I recently tried my first product from the Boots Botanics line, the Facial Oil, and I loved it so much that I decided to try another in the line, the Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm.

Cleansing Balms are all the rage at the moment, and those with a cult following are damn expensive (hello Eve Lom, $80, or Ren, $48!). A few weeks back, I found a cheaper alternative in the Body Shop's Chamomile Cleansing Butter, $15, but this one from Boots has them all beat in price at $8.99! Lets take a look...

This balm comes in a white tub and its own muslin cloth.  The balm smells like rosehips and is fairly hard until you dig your fingers into it.  Then it just melts on the skin.
The list of organic ingredients is impressive! The box says it's 97% organic so you can really feel good about what you're putting on your skin.



This balm feels really rich when you first apply it to your face.  It melts into the skin as it turns into oil and feels very soft.  The next step is to rinse the muslin cloth in warm water and remove the balm in circular motions. If you just splash water on your face, the cleanser will remain on the skin since oil and water don't mix.  You'll end up feeling like an oil slick!
That being said, I don't think oily skin types will like this, as it is very rich and moisturizing.  Dry skins (like mine!) will love it because your face doesn't feel tight after washing, just super soft and silky smooth. 
I'm so glad I found this, since $8.99 is a steal for a cleansing balm with such luxurious ingredients. Even Ren's version has shea butter further down on the list of ingredients. 

I won't compare this to the Eve Lom balm, since Eve Lom's #1 ingredient is mineral oil.  Seems backwards that a mineral oil balm is $80 while an organic balm made of shea butter, olive fruit oil, jojoba oil and sweet almond oil is $8.99.  Go figure!

I will post this on my dupes board as a Ren dupe though! Have you tried this?  What do you think?




Ipsy Glam Bag February 2014 Reveal

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I got my Ipsy Glam bag yesterday and as usual, it didn't disappoint!  The $10 a month I pay for it always goes really far.  Here's what I got!



IPKN NY Moist and Firm BB Cream- Full Size 1.3oz $35, This is a deluxe sample .5oz worth $13.50.
The IPKN NY Moist & Firm BB is a moisture gel matrix with rich hydration and nutrition that effectively moisturizes skin. This BB treatment perfectly adheres to skin just like natural skin for complete coverage. Vitamin E helps healing of damaged skin cells and scars, which promotes skin soothing effects in addition to blemish coverage. Moisture silicone barrier boasts a non-sticky matte feeling, making any additional powder unnecessary. Contains ceramide and collagen, which takes care of internal elasticity and skin lines.

It's made in Korea so I'm hoping this BB Cream is better than the American versions that are basically tinted moisturizers.

Pop Beauty Plump Pout in Peony Petal- Full Size $16, This is half size, so value of $8.  
This plumping pout perfector combines the high-shine of a lacquered gloss with the long wear of a stain and is packed full of lip-plumping peptides and avocado and jojoba oils. Lightweight, creamy texture immediately merges with lips & delivers intense glossy color for an extremely long-lasting finish! 


Available in 4 shades, this silky-smooth, highly pigmented matte blush compliments and blends evenly with your skin's natural glow. Extremely buildable to create a subtle or dramatic look. 


This season's Zoya Nail polish are full of pure pigment, intense color and modern complexity that are a perfect transition into Spring.


Tini Beauty Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow plus Base in One in Ambrosia (bronzy brown)- Full Size $18
Say goodbye to creasing and fading with Eyetini Eye Cordial Shadow Tint & Base. Eye Cordial's revolutionary formula glides on beguiling creamy color and sets to a transfer-resistant finish that doubles as a wear-extending base under powder shadow. 

All in all this month's bag was worth over $51!  I love Ipsy because the sizes are either generous samples or full sizes!  Totally worth the $10 and I can't wait to try all of these. 
To subscribe to Ipsy, Click Here!

Milani Rose Blushes are Back in New Shades for 2014!

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I'm so excited! Milani's Rose Blushes are back in 4 new bright Spring shades for 2014. 

These matte blushes have incredible pigment and even contain rose petals micro-milled into the powder to bring out natural rosy tones. They'll be available at Walgreens in March, but you can get them at Milani's Website now for $7.99!  I can't wait until next month, I might have to order a couple now.



Emjoi Micro Pedi Callus Remover Review

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Every winter my feet get neglected since they're hiding under socks and boots, and this year is even worse since having a baby. I haven't had a pedicure since last Spring, and I was looking for something I could use at home to make life easier. I saw Clarisonic's new pedi tool, but $200? Not a chance! I had an Amazon gift card from Christmas and started looking there for pedicure tools. 

I came across the Emjoi Micro-Pedi Nano. It's $24.95 and the reviews on it were amazingly good. So I figured why not...it would be free with my gift card.


Description:

Get Your Feet Ready For Sandal Season as we introduce our NEW Micro-Pedi Nano! The latest innovation from Emjoi.
Enjoy the comfort of your own home while getting a quicker and more effective pedicure than you would at a salon! No Appointment Necessary

It's unique roller spins 360 degrees, at an amazing 30 times a second, to gently and effectively buff away hard, jagged skin on the soles of heels.
*Ground-breaking device takes the chore out of smoothing skin on the feet
*Gently and effectively buffs away dead, calloused, hard and dry skin in seconds
*Unique roller with micro mineral particles pulverizes dead skin in an instant
*Safer and more effective than metal scrapers, which uses blades to cut the skin
*Easier to use than the other methods, that require constant rubbing
*All Micro-Pedi Refill Rollers are compatible with all Micro-Pedi models
* Batter-operated (2AA not included)
*Accepted American Podiatric Medical Association
I previously had tried the Pedi-Egg, which was sort of gross and basically like a cheese grater for your feet. It worked ok, but didn't smooth as well as it could have. Pumice stones are ok too, but like the Pedi-Egg, they're a manual process that takes a while.
The first time I tried my Emjoi, I was hooked! When they say it "pulverizes" dead skin, they mean it. I literally touched it to a hard callused area on my foot for a few seconds and it turned the callus into a fine white powder, leaving super smooth skin behind. It doesn't hurt at all, and you just barely hold it on the skin without pressing too hard, like you would a razor. The roller that buffs your feet is like sandpaper, and rotates 30 times per second, which is really powerful, and way more than you'd ever be able to do yourself with a pumice or Pedi-Egg.

I've been using it once a week, and my feet are already sandal-ready in February! No calluses or dead, dry skin in sight! I love that the Emjoi is small and compact too, it fits in the palm of my hand! It's amazing that something so small can work so well!
It's the best $25 I've spent in a while, and will definitely cut down on the number of pedicures I have to get.
You can purchase it on Amazon.com, below.

New Maybelline Color Tattoo Dare to Go Nude Swatches

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I'm kind of obsessed with Maybelline's Color Tattoo shadows and have 16 of them currently. I usually buy the wearable shades and pass on the crazy colors like bright orange and turquoise. So you can imagine how happy I was to see a nude collection pop up for Spring 2014!

I posted pics of all the new shades on my Facebook page, but here I'll be reviewing 3 of them...Beige-ing Beauty, Nude Compliment, and Sleek and Spice.


Here they are swatched:

Beige-ing Beauty- A shimmery golden beige.

Nude Compliment- A shimmery mushroom brown taupe.

Sleek and Spice- A shimmery warm bronze.

I wanted to do some comparison photos to other colors in the line so you can see how they compare.

Here's Beige-ing Beauty with Just Beige and Barely Beige, in that order swatched. You can see that its very similar to Barely Beige. Just Beige is a matte shade with a bit more yellow in it.


Here's Nude Compliment with Tough as Taupe and Bad to the Bronze. Tough as Taupe has more gray in it and is a matte shade. Nude Compliment is shimmery like Bad to the Bronze, but is more gray. So it's kind of in between the other two.


Here's Sleek and Spice with Bad to the Bronze and Matte Brown. It's very close to Bad to the Bronze, but is warmer with more brown in it, while Bad to the Bronze has more gold. Matte Brown is a matte shade and darker brown.


Of the three, Nude Compliment is my favorite. Since I'm so pale, beige shades don't show up well on me. But Beige-ing Beauty would be so pretty on darker skin tones! Sleek and Spice is nice, but close to Bad to the Bronze.
I want to go back and get the lightest shade, Pure Nude...I think it would be a beautiful highlight color! 
Have you tried the new shades yet? Which one is your favorite?






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