The Budget Beauty Blog

Last week, I posted about a new Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette that was just released at Sephora called Semi Sweet ($49). Currently, it's only available to VIB and VIB Rouge members, but it'll be available to everyone starting on Monday, 12/15!

It's described as a "warmer, deeper" version of the original Chocolate Bar. I was hoping for a cool-toned version since the original palette was warm already. I find that cooler tones look better on me since I have fair skin with pink undertones.

The outside of the palette is very much like the original and resembles a chocolate bar, although this version is lighter brown, sort of like milk chocolate vs. dark.

This palette contains mostly brown-toned shades with a pop of blue and a black shade. There's also a pink glitter called Pink Sugar that was the only shade in the palette that didn't swatch or apply well. It had a lot of fallout and just left a ton of glitter behind without much pigment. The rest of the shades were soft, buttery and smooth and just a dream to apply.

too faced semi sweet chocolate bar review swatches

Here are the swatches by row:

Top Row

Licorice, Coconut Creme, Nougat, Truffled, Hot Fudge

Middle Row

Cocoa Chili, Pink Sugar, Puddin', Blueberry Swirl, Peanut Butter, Frosting

Bottom Row

Rum Raisin, Mousse, Caramel, Bon Bon, Butter Pecan

Here's a quick video tutorial from the Sephora website that shows a beautiful look using the Semi Sweet palette:

Overall, I'm really happy with the pigmentation (except for Pink Sugar) and the colors are gorgeous, though I'm a little disappointed that it's another warm-toned palette. Here's hoping the next Chocolate Bar (if there is another one) will be cool-toned and then I'll be in heaven!
Will you be adding the Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar to your holiday wishlist, gifting it to someone, or just splurging on it yourself?

To purchase or to check out more reviews, please visit Sephora.com

Today at Walgreens I spotted a Rimmel display that included their existing BB Cream plus two new formulas- BB Radiance and BB Matte ($6.99 each).

Every year, Walgreens puts all of the new products way up high on a shelf above the makeup aisle, so if you're looking for new products, I suggest looking up first! This one was up so high, I wasn't able to reach it to take a photo or grab the two new formulas to purchase for review, so I ended up climbing a shelf and taking the whole display down into the aisle (the whole time hoping security didn't come out and yell at me!).

The BB Radiance formula comes in 2 shades, Light and Medium, and is supposed to brighten the skin with Vitamin C. The display says it's a "9-in-1 Skin Awakening Super Makeup" with a "radiant finish" and an SPF 20.

The BB Matte version is an "oil-free formula that controls shine all day" and is "9-in-1 super charged matte makeup". This one comes in three shades- Light, Light/Medium, and Medium and has an SPF 15.

I'm not sure why there are different SPF's in the different formulas (the Original has SPF 25) and also the Original and Matte versions have three shades each while the Radiance version only has two shades.
I purchased both new formulas so I'll be reviewing them soon...stay tuned! Which one are you interested in trying?

Today, I spotted a new skincare line from Neutrogena called Hydro Boost at Walgreens. It includes a Water Gel, a Fragrance Free Gel-Cream, and an Eye Gel-Cream.

Hydro Boost hydrates skin through an approach of replenishing water and rebuilding skin's barrier, leveraging two key ingredients:

Purified Hyaluronic Acid:
Naturally found in skin, it delivers pure boost of hydration. It acts like a sponge for dry skin cells, absorbing up to 1000 times its weight in water and progressively releases water back into skin, keeping skin hydrated and supple throughout the day.
Olive Extract:
Known for its protective, moisturizing and anti-oxidant qualities, it is a complex combination for fatty acids, which is similar to skin’s natural moisture shield. It integrates into skin barrier, forming a structure that protects skin from excessive moisture loss. It also helps leave skin feeling soft and smooth without tackiness.

Hydro Boost Water Gel ($18.99)-

A refreshing, lightweight water gel that instantly quenches and continuously hydrates skin. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, it boosts hydration and locks it in so skin stays hydrated, smooth and supple day after day. Applies effortlessly, absorbing quickly into skin without leaving behind an oily or greasy feel.

Fragrance Free Gel-Cream ($18.99)-

Introducing Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Gel-Cream for extra-dry skin, a fragrance-free, lightweight gel-cream that instantly quenches and continuously hydrates skin. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, it boosts hydration and locks it in so skin stays hydrated, smooth and supple day after day. Applies effortlessly, absorbing quickly into skin without leaving behind an oily or greasy feel.

Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream ($18.99)-

Introducing Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream, a fragrance-free, lightweight gel-cream that instantly quenches and continuously hydrates skin around the eye area. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, it boosts hydration and locks it in all day and is specially designed to smooth the skin around the eye area. Applies effortlessly, absorbing quickly into skin without leaving behind an oily or greasy feel.

NYC Cosmetics has added two new formulas to their Smooth Skin BB Line...Instant Matte and Bronzed Radiance. I reviewed the original Smooth Skin BB Creme last Spring when it debuted (see that post here) and I liked it, so I'm really interested to try the two new versions!

They've also released a BB Radiance powder that looks like a bronzer although it doesn't say that on the packaging.

Both the BB Creams and the Powder are $4.59 at CVS and there was a $1 off coupon on the display. CVS is usually the most expensive of the drugstores because I bought the original version at Target for $2.50. I haven't seen these there yet, but I'm sure they'll be arriving soon.

What do you think? Will you be picking one of these up to try?

Physicians Formula Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil ($11.95 for 1oz. at Bed Bath and Beyond) is a 100% Argan Oil that could finally be a drugstore dupe of Josie Maran's Argan Oil! At $48 for a 1.7oz bottle, Josie's version isn't cheap and I always wondered why anyone would shell out the big bucks for 100% argan oil anyway, when you get a bottle at health food stores for between $5 and $10 (or at places like Bulkapothecary.com, you can get a full 16 oz. of 100% pure argan oil for $27.89). Granted, you won't get the pretty packaging, but it's what's inside that counts right?

Still, I love the pretty bottle this comes in! It's nicer than Josie's, plus there was a $3 instant coupon on the package so I only paid $8.95 for it. Not too bad!

The packaging lists all of the benefits of argan oil and how it can be used anywhere on the body. I've used Josie Maran's oil in the past when I got free samples at Sephora and I used it as a night time moisurizer and on areas that needed extra moisture after showering like elbows, knees and cuticles.

Physicians Formula Ultra Nourishing Argan Oil comes in a glass bottle with a glass dropper (be careful, especially if you get some of the oil on the outside of the bottle...it becomes very slippery).

Even though this and Josie Maran's argan oil are 100% pure with no other ingredients, this one feels a little bit heavier and more moisturizing than Josie's. It takes several minutes to sink in to my skin and my face looks dewy for a while after that. For this reason I only use it at night and not under makeup because I feel like my makeup would just slide right off. When I wake up in the morning, my skin is just glowing and it feels so soft and smooth...like velvet! It's also completely unscented!

Overall, I think this is an excellent dupe for Josie Maran's Argan oil and I'll post this to my Dupes Board on Pinterest. I love how hydrating it feels and it's the perfect thing to start using as we're heading into winter in the Northeast and my skin always dries out pretty badly.
Do you use argan oil? Are you interested in trying this?

Kate Moss has a new addition to her Rimmel makeup line...a mascara called Idol Eyes! Part of the Scandaleyes collection, this mascara claims to be created by Kate herself!

Idol Eyes has a broken-heart shaped brush to create lift at the base of your lashes and to also give volume. It costs $6.99 and I picked one up for review soon!
Also on the display were 5 Kate Moss Lasting Finish lipsticks numbered 29-33. The display doesn't mention them as being new but I don't remember those shades being around before so I'm guessing they are new (but correct me if I'm wrong!).

So are you excited about Kate's new mascara? Do you think you'll be trying it out?

Garnier has just launched a new line of skincare products called Ultra-Lift Miracle and I spotted them at Walgreens tonight. The line includes a Miracle Sleeping Cream and Miracle Sleeping Eye Cream. I've been wondering when drugstore skincare was going to catch on to the Korean trend of Sleeping Packs/Masks. Let's take a look...

Sleeping Creams make sense because that's when your skin regenerates and products have a chance to work the best. The Miracle Sleeping Cream ($17.99) is anti-aging and anti-fatigue so it hydrates and brightens your skin and also reduces wrinkles! I took some photos of the box so you can see what all of the claims are:

There is also a Miracle Sleeping Eye Cream ($17.99) that's supposed to fight dark circles, firm, hydrate, depuff and give your eye area a rested look. It has a gel-cream texture so it's hydrating like a cream, but lightweight like a gel.

I purchased the eye cream for review and I can't wait to start using it (starting tonight!). What do you think? Will you try these out?

Milani Fierce Foil Eyeshine and Eyeliners are new for Spring 2015 and I just spotted them at my local CVS. The Eyeshines were $11.49 each which is really expensive for drugstore eyeshadows, especially since these palettes aren't really that big. I've seen other bloggers posting that they got them for $9.99, so I don't know if my CVS is charging more for some reason...they should be the same across the board. Hmm...

The Palettes come in four shade combinations- Milan (cool nudes), Rome (pinks & purples), Florence (warm nudes) and Venice (blues). The Fierce Foil Eyeliners come in a pot with a brush and also come in four shades- Black Gold Foil, Purple Foil, Brown Foil, and Navy Foil.

These are actually cream eyeshadows, not powder so it'll be interesting to see how well they hold up. Other than Maybelline Color Tattoo's, I haven't had great luck with drugstore cream eyeshadows staying put and not creasing. I purchased a few of these for review so I'll be sure to let you know what I think. In the meantime, if any of you have tried these out, I'd love to hear what you thought of them!

L'oreal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray ($13.79 at Bed, Bath and Beyond) is a new product for Spring 2015 that's supposed to keep your makeup locked into place all day without having to use a powder or needing touch-ups. I was hoping that since L'oreal owns Urban Decay, that this would be a dupe for their All Nighter Setting Spray which is $30, so stay tuned to find out if it really is!

L'oreal Makeup Extender comes in a 3.4 oz rubberized black bottle, which I love and hate at the same time. It's really easy to grip, so when you're spraying it in all of the X and T maneuvers they tell you to do, you don't have to worry about the bottle slipping out of your hands. On the other hand, it attracts everything...dust and any makeup that you might have on your fingers. Mine looks so dirty right now, and it's kind of gross.

The back of the bottle describes the texture as a micro-fine mist. You're supposed to shake it well, hold it 8"-10" from your face and spray it 4-6 times in an X and T motion.

Ingredient-wise, it has some of the same ingredients as the Urban Decay All-Nighter, but there are quite a few that are different, so they didn't use the same formula here.

The sprayer is the kind you have to pump rather than hold down like an aerosol spray. I found that it does mostly come out in a fine mist, but I still felt a few larger droplets hit my face, and afterwards, my face felt kind of wet in certain areas, even though the rest had dried. Once dry, I could sometimes still feel it on my face when I made certain facial expressions. When I smiled, I would feel a slightly stiff, tacky feeling on my cheeks that wasn't horrible, but it was there nonetheless.

Overall, this kept my makeup looking fresh all day, so it definitely works right on par with the Urban Decay version! I can say that I've tried both and I can't tell the difference as far as keeping makeup in place.

Pros:

The Loreal Makeup Extender also has no discernable scent (at least to my nose) which is great.
It's much cheaper than the Urban Decay version- I paid less than half the price of the All-Nighter spray, although many of you have told me that this is more expensive at other drugstores and some of you have paid $16-$17 for it. That's really steep for a drugstore product, but still only a little over half of the Urban Decay version.
Makeup lasted all day without the need for touch-ups.

Cons:

On the downside, it does feel wetter than the Urban Decay and the mist just isn't quite as fine.
It felt a little tacky to me at certain points throughout the day, where I didn't have that problem with the Urban Decay version.

But at the end of the day, if you can get past those things, this might be a good alternative for those of you on a budget. Have you tried this yet? Do you plan to?

BH Cosmetics has just launched a new product called Party Girl Twist Moisturizing Balm Stick
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and they're normally $6.95 each, but today they're only $4.50 during their Cyber Monday II event.

Description:
Add a pop of color and shine in just one swipe. Infused with lip quenching jojoba seed oil, coconut oil, shea butter and aloe for ultra smooth and soft lips. Moisturizing texture glides on lips for a natural flush or layered to intensify.

They come in 10 shades and it sounds like they're a lipstick/balm hybrid. I want them all!

To purchase or check out all of the shades close-up, please visit the BH Cosmetics Website.

Physicians Formula Nude Wear Touch of Glow Stick ($12.95) is a new addition to the existing Nude Wear line for Spring 2015. When I first saw it, I thought it was a highlighting stick, but it's supposed to be a Concealer, Foundation, Highlighter and Touch-up Tool in one.

Description:
Look perfected without looking made up! Lightweight, easy-to-use glide-on formula to help erase the appearance of imperfections and restore the glow of natural, naked skin instantly. Blends effortlessly to provide a long lasting natural finish. Concealer. Foundation. Highlighter. Touch Up tool. Chubby Propel/repel stick.

Like the other Nude Wear products, this comes in pretty rose gold with pink pebbled faux leather packaging. The Touch of Glow Stick comes in a chubby, twist-up container that's capped off with a bow. I love how girly it is and it's totally one of those products I leave out to pretty-up my sink.

It only comes in one shade...Nude Glow, which is really weird for something that claims to be a foundation. If it were just a highlighter, one shade would make sense, but I don't understand how one shade of foundation can fit everybody.
It's a little too dark for me, but it's very sheer so when I blend it out, it actually looks good and gives my fair skin a little warmth. It's way too dark for me to use as a highlighter though, but not dark enough to use for contouring.

I love the formula as it's sheer, easy to blend and hides minor imperfections and redness, all while looking just like skin. It has a soft, satin finish and contains no shimmer or sparkle. It's not overly moisturizing, but it didn't cling to my dry spots or sink into fine lines, so I'd say this would work for most skin types.
I've been using it as a foundation and also for touch-ups. It's so quick and easy to just take out this little tube and swipe it over areas you'd like to freshen up. It's not enough to cover the darkness in my under-eye area or the redness around my nose so I still use a separate concealer along with this.

Overall, I love the soft, sheer formula of the Touch of Glow Stick, but I wish it came in more shades. One thing I'm confused on though, is how you could use this as a foundation, concealer and highlighter, because typically a highlighter is lighter than your foundation or concealer. So lighter-skinned girls will probably be able to use this as a foundation/concealer, while those with darker skin might be able to use this as a highlighter but not as a foundation or concealer.
Have you seen this in stores yet? What do you think, will you try it?

I was at Walgreens tonight and wandered into the haircare aisle. I've been seeing a ton of new makeup placed up high on top of the shelves, but hadn't seen any new haircare products up there. Then I realized that they placed all the new products on the highest shelf of the haircare aisle mixed in with everything else, not on top of the shelving unit with all of the makeup. I'm not sure if your store is doing this, but it can't hurt to check!

There were a ton of new OGX products including:

Quenching Coconut Curls shampoo and conditioner-

Intensely Invigorating Eucalyptus Mint shampoo and conditioner-

Heavenly Hydration Cherry Blossom shampoo and conditioner-

Argan Oil of Morocco Miracle In-Shower Oil for Skin and Hair

Moisture + Vitamin B5 Weightless Oil Mist-

Healing + Vitamin E Penetrating Oil-

Plus, there was another Garnier Full and Plush product to add to the ones I've been showing you the past week or so. For those who didn't see my other posts, Garnier has released a Full and Plush line with a shampoo, conditioner and Ends Plumper (which I purchased a few weeks ago, pictured below) and now today I also spotted a Voluptuous Blow Out Cream.

Hask has launched a Monoi line (hoping it's a Carol's Daughter dupe!) which includes hair oil, shampoo and conditioner so far.

I also spotted an Almond Oil Thickening shampoo mixed in with the Monoi line so I'm assuming there's a conditioner to go along with that, they must not have put it out yet.

Next, I'm really excited about L'oreal's newest addition to the EverPure family...Blonde Brass Banisher (try saying that three times fast!). My blonde is always turning brassy due to all of the minerals in our well water, so I can't wait to try this!

Pantene also has some new additions to their Expert line- Dry Defy and Fade Defy. My Walgreens only had the Fade Defy shampoo out but I'm sure we'll see a matching conditioner at some point!

Also part of the Pantene Dry Defy line is Velvet Creme Infusion (I'm guessing it's a leave-in styling product or leave-in conditioner?).

Finally, TRESsemme has released a Runway Collection that includes Get Sleek Perfect Polish Blow Dry Balm and Make Waves Hi Def Shaping Gel Cream.

So are you excited about all the new hair releases so far? Which ones do you want to try? I'm guessing this is just the tip of the iceberg since many of these collections seem incomplete right now. They were just out on the shelves wherever they could make room for them so it was difficult to pick out the new products among the existing ones! I'll update you guys as more new things come in!

I was so excited to get a POPSUGAR Must Have Box this month! These boxes cost $39.95 a month and always contain amazing products that go way above and beyond the cost of the box. Let's check out what I got!

SPUN by Subtle Luxury Speckled Metallic Scarf in Light Gray ($62)- Can we just talk about how pretty this scarf is?? It's super festive and cozy while managing to be lightweight at the same time.

Sparklepop Sydney Pendant Necklace ($42)- I love that this 18k gold plated necklace is super long because I can wear it that way, or twist it up to make it shorter. It's simple yet elegant...just my style when it comes to jewelry.

Canvas Dauville Platinum Bowl ($29)- This little bowl is so cute and chic at the same time! I love the matte white outside and shiny platinum interior. I plan to put it on my dresser to hold my rings.

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Bordeaux($24)- The wine color is darker than I would usually wear, but I love the formula of these...I own a few shades already. It lasts a long time and is super comfortable and non-drying to wear, not to mention super pigmented!

Knot & Bow Parcel Tags ($4)-This is actually an Etsy seller and they have an amazing selection of gift wrap! These True Blue tags will compliment the Frozen gift wrap I'm using for my niece and cousin's kids!

Williams-Sonoma Cupcake Mix in Vanilla Bean ($14.95)- I usually bake cookies this time of year but these sound too good to not make this week! They actually have creamy flecks of Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans in them...yum!

Overall, this month's box contained $175.95 worth of products for $39.95! I know I'll use absolutely everything in this box at some point so I'm really happy with it.

Coupon Code

To get $10 off a 3-month subscription, use the code DEC14SELECT until $1/2/15 at musthave.popsugar.com.

Disclosure: POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own and POPSUGAR did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Last week, I posted a review and swatches of the new L.A. Girl Beauty Brick in Nudes (see that here). I had also purchased the Ultra palette, so I wanted to share the swatches with you guys. They're $9 at the L.A. Girl website and at some Harmon drugstore locations.

The packaging is very similar to the Nudes Beauty Brick except this one has purple writing.

Inside is a beautiful range of colors from pinks to gray-blue and purple, to brown and black. There's really a lot of variety in this one!

Like the Nudes palette, these are all soft, but I found some of them to be a little sheerer and not as pigmented. They're still amazing for the price, but I'm not sure why there was a bit of a difference between the two. Maybe it's just me?

The first four shades are beige, pale pink (looks peach in the palette photo below...swatch is accurate color), a salmon pink, and a dusty rose pink (mauve).

The next section is varying degrees of purple with a blue that has a hint of purple in it as well.

The last set did not photograph true to life in the palette, but the swatches represent what they actually look like. These are all deep shades including a plum, dark gray-blue, copper brown, and black.

Overall, I like the variety this palette offers and the pigmentation is considerably better than other palettes in this price range. But I still think that the Nudes Beauty Brick is my favorite in terms of shades and pigmentation.
What do you think about the Ultra Beauty Brick vs. the Nudes, or any others you've tried?
To purchase, please visit L.A. Girl.

NYX has just released three Color Correcting powders for Spring 2015. They're $10 each and come in green, lavender, and yellow.

Description:

Even out your complexion using our ultra-fine, translucent loose Color Correcting Powder. This lightweight, easy to use powder can be applied before or after your foundation. The paraben and talc-free formula helps you achieve a natural matte finish.

• What it is: Ultra-fine, lightweight translucent loose face powder.

• What it does: The green powder helps diffuse redness, the lavender brightens yellow tones, and the yellow brightens while helping diminish redness in more olive tones.

• Why we love it: It can be used before or after foundation for a natural finish that helps keep skin matte.

• How to use: Use with a kabuki brush or a puff and apply evenly onto desired areas.

These sound amazing...I can't wait to try them and see how they work. I've used color correcting liquid or cream products before, but never powders!

What do you think? Will you be trying these?

Makeup Revolution The One Fluid Blusher($4.74), is a fairly new product that I picked up during my Black Friday haul. If you are new to my blog, I should tell you that Makeup Revolution is my new budget beauty obsession! Their products are so affordable, super high quality, and they have tons of dupes which makes it a lot of fun to shop with them. The only downside is that they're based in the UK, so shipping costs a little more ($12.95), but all of my packages have gotten to me in just over a week and so far I haven't been disappointed in anything I've gotten.

This blush was so different than I thought it was going to be...in a good way! I was picturing a thick mousse or gel-cream but it's really thin and light, almost like water. I can honestly say that I've never tried a blush like this before.
First, you have to shake the bottle really well, and you can hear little clinking inside (kind of like nail polish) from the little metal balls that help to mix the product. Then you're supposed to just put a small drop on your hand, dab it on your cheeks and then blend. You can build up the color very easily too!

It's an oil-free formula that's supposed to suit every skin type and contains Vitamin E and Jojoba. It claims to be rub-off proof and water-resistant also!

The bottle reminds me of tiny bottle of craft paint and it has a tapered end that allows you to dispense one drop at a time without making a mess.

I chose the shade Pink Sea, a gorgeous bright pink that blends into a beautiful, realistic rosy flush. This photo shows one drop...I'm not sure if you can tell how watery it is from the photo, but it's so lightweight and silky.

Here I blended it a little bit and the color has already gotten a little bit less intense. It feels so soft and velvety as you blend it into your skin.

Here it is blended out even more. It dries to a powdery matte finish, almost like you used a powder blush but it's much longer lasting than that.

It just creates the prettiest natural flush and it lasted all day on me.

Overall, I am so happy with The One Fluid Blusher and I really want to buy more shades (it comes in 5 all together- see them here).
To check out my other Makeup Revolution reviews, including dupes for the Urban Decay Naked Palettes and Too Faced Chocolate Bar, click here.
Have you hauled Makeup Revolution lately, or are you planning to? I'd love to hear about your favorite products or the ones you're planning to buy!

Revlon Photoready Airbrush Effect Foundation ($10.99 at Target) is a new release for Spring 2015 and is not to be confused with their Photoready Airbrush Mousse. This is a new liquid formula that promises complexion perfection. Let's take a look...

First and foremost, I love that this comes in a pump. Seriously, all foundations should...it's so much neater and cleaner to use. Airbrush Effect comes in 9 shades and I chose the third-lightest "Shell" even though I probably should have gone with "Vanilla" which is a shade lighter (but that one looked more yellow and I have pink undertones).

Description:
Look flawless in any light with Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Effect™ Makeup. The makeup features a light filtering technology that delivers a poreless, airbrushed look. The Soft Focus pigments in the makeup create a flawless and luminous complexion. The Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Effect™ Makeup protects with SPF 20 and provides Medium to Full Coverage.

When I first swatched this at home I was excited that there was no shimmer in it, because the other Photoready foundations were too glittery for me. But then I wore it one day and went outside and woah...major shimmer! I mean, I guess that's what helps to diffuse flaws and make you look airbrushed, but that limits me to wearing this only at night which is a shame because I really like the formula.
It gives medium-to-full coverage, medium weight and feels velvety going on. It dried fairly quickly to a soft, satin finish so it wasn't overly matte and it definitely wasn't dewy. It made my skin look smooth and flawless when I applied it with my Real Techniques beauty sponge and definitely softened everything to give that airbrushed look.
Here's a swatch of Shell against my fair skin. It's not too far off and it blends in pretty seamlessly.

Overall, I love this foundation. It feels great on my dry skin, has good wear time, and makes me look pretty darn flawless. But the little sparkles make this difficult to wear during the day, especially if I'm going to be outside in the sunlight.
So what do you think, will you be trying this (or have you already)? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A few weeks ago, Pantone announced the Color of the Year for 2015- Marsala. This warm, earthy red-brown shade is going to be popping up in cosmetics everywhere (just like Radiant Orchid last year), and Sephora has just released their own collection of Marsala makeup and accessories. Take a look!

Sephora + Pantone Universe Bold Marsala Mascara & Brow Highlighter ($20)-

This vitamin-enriched mascara boosts length and curl with every layer, delivering a dramatic effect with bold color payoff. It is formulated with a combination of synthetic and natural waxes to create flexible and buildable coverage and keep lashes from breaking. The formula utilizes the natural properties of jojoba oil to keep lashes silky, but is versatile enough to be used on brows as well.

Sephora + Pantone Universe C ooling Marsala Multi Stick $25-

This light and easy-to-use cooling stick provides Immediate skin relief and de-puffs with caffeine, providing an instant soothing effect. It is slightly pigmented to add a hint of Marsala to cheeks for highlighting or contouring. The coconut oil-based stick allows for quick application and provides light moisturizing for dry or irritated skin.

Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette $39-

This travel-size eye shadow palette features 24 shades that complement Marsala, the Color of the Year for 2015, plus four Marsala shadows with different finishes—matte, glitter, pearl, and shimmer. Use it to create five different Marsala-inspired looks or your own endless combinations. This palette was inspired by the beloved Holiday 2012 Pantone Metallic Palette.

Marsala Layering Lip Collection $28-

These chubby cream lip pencils soften, plump, and create dimension in the lips while adding shine and retaining a natural nude look. All shades complement Marsala, the Sephora+Pantone Color of the Year for 2015. The creamy, hydrating formula contains hyaluronic filling spheres for plumping, as well as resveratrol, an antioxidant derived from red wine grapes. These actives provide hydration and long-term antiaging benefits.

Marsala Metalshine Liquid Liner $18-

This limited-edition Marsala eyeliner was designed to enhance the lashline with bold color and an intense payoff. The soft, flexible brush provides ease of application, and the long-wear formula ensures lasting performance.

Pure Marsala Matte Lip Cream $18-

This satin finish moisturizing lipstick offers rich, matte color in a bold pop of neutral. Infused with resveratrol, an antiaging ingredient derived from red grapes, the creamy formula glides on and provides comfortable, all-day wear that rivals the lasting power of a lip stain.

Shimmering Marsala Cheek Trio $28-

This limited-edition cheek set is a portable and perfect solution for adding a pop of color to everyday makeup and providing instant glow to cheek bones. The powders are created through a triple jet milled process that allows for intense color payoff and a velvety texure that leaves skin feeling luxurious, but never heavy. The uique blend of naturally derived oils and powders enhance the skin's overall appearance with a sophisticated shimmer for a radiant glow without glitter.

Marsala Pro Angled Blush Brush $32-

This angled blush brush applies powder beautifully and makes contouring and highlighting effortless. It brightens and sculpts facial features in a single gesture, thanks to the slanted bristle design that easily hugs the contours of the face for even, precise application.

What do you think of the new Color of the Year? I'm sure we'll see a lot more Marsala themed products coming out this Spring, but if you're looking to get a jump start on the trend, this Sephora collection has your name on it!

Milani Fierce Foil Eyeshine is a new product for Spring 2015 that comes in 4 different color quads. I paid $11.49 for each of them at CVS, which I thought was really expensive for a drugstore eyeshadow palette (especially since they're not that large).

The packaging is beautiful, shiny, and gold- it's definitely eye-catching. I picked up 2 of the 4 quads, 01 Milan and 02 Rome.

These are described as "groundbreaking gloss technology formulated especially for your eyes".

Rome 02 has beautiful shades of purple...

...while Milan 01 has some really pretty nudes.

They're super creamy...almost overly so. To me, some of the shades actually felt greasy like they were made from petroleum jelly. Some of them were also full of big, chunky glitter and the effect was definitely not something I would wear everyday. Still, they went on really pigmented and smooth and weren't streaky.

I took some photos inside and outside and you can really see the glitter in the outdoor photos (and it wasn't even sunny today).

Milan 01 Indoor Lighting

Milan 01 Outdoor Lighting

Rome 01 Indoor Lighting

Rome 02 Outdoor Lighting

I decided to wear the Milan 01 palette today and I put it on without any other makeup (so please excuse the photos). I don't have a before shot, so both photos below are what happened "after".

I had to run out to Walgreens with the baby and I got home about an hour later. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn't believe my eyes, literally. After only about an hour and a half, the glitter was all over my face, down under my eyes and all over my son's head. The Eyeshine had also migrated from my eyelid to above my crease and it was creasing all over the place. I must have looked like a freakazoid to the people at Walgreens...yikes!

Needless to say, these were a total fail for me. I usually love Milani products but these were expensive and ended up a greasy mess. Not to mention that I have really dry skin and usually don't have a problem with makeup sliding off of my face. So I don't think this would work on any skin type, unfortunately. It may work better if you layer a powder eyeshadow over it, but I'm not even going to bother because they're too glittery for my purposes anyway.

Have you seen or tried these? I'm kind of disappointed because they looked really pretty in the packaging and I was hoping for something long lasting and shiny (but not glittery).

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation ($6.29 at Bed, Bath and Beyond) is a brand new launch for Spring 2015 and joins the Fit Me line as an option for normal to oily skin. When the original Fit Me came out a few years ago, it didn't really specify a skin type that it was meant for, but a lot of people felt that it was too dewy for oily skin. They've since renamed the original Fit Me "Dewy and Smooth" for normal to dry skin types. I actually have dry skin myself, but I still wanted to try this one out because a lot of you have been requesting a review on it. So here goes!

Fit Me Matte + Poreless makes several claims including:

Mattifies and refines pores
Matches natural tone
Natural, seamless finish

It comes in a glass bottle, almost identical to the original Fit Me, except the writing on the bottle is blue instead of white. My one major complaint with the packaging is that there's no pump on the bottle. It has to be poured out on the back of my hand and I always end up wasting a lot that way as I tend to overestimate how much I'm going to need (plus it comes out really fast and it's a wide opening).

The formula is lightweight and slightly runny but it gives medium coverage that can be built up if necessary. One thing I noticed right away is that this dries and sets really fast. I sometimes like to dot a foundation all over my face first and then go back and blend with my Beauty Blender, but with this one, I had to work in sections otherwise it would dry by the time I got to the other side of my face.
In the photo below, you can see it already starting to dry a little around the edges and set into my skin (and I took the picture immediately after swatching!)

Since I have dry skin it's going to be hard for me to review this foundation's oil-controlling abilities since there's pretty much zero oil in my skin. But here's how it worked for me:

It clung to my dry areas a bit when I first applied it, which I was expecting it to do, but it did give my face an overall flawless, yet very natural look. I really liked the satin-matte finish- it feels so light on your face and sinks right into your skin so it doesn't feel like you're wearing a mask. I have to say, it didn't make me look poreless...I could still see my pores but it did seem to minimize the look of them which was nice. I didn't need to set this with powder or anything (although if you're oily, you still might) and it lasted all day on me without the need for touch-ups.

Overall, I can see why this formula is meant for normal to oily skin. It dries really fast, is lightweight, and doesn't feel heavy or dewy. It definitely lacks the moisture my dry skin craves, but if you're oily, I'm sure you'll feel like that's a good thing! I think the finish is amazing and very natural looking. If I moisturize really well and use a hydrating primer, I might be able to get away with using this because I really like it!

Have you seen this in stores or tried it yet? Or are you thinking about buying it?

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