Wet N Wild Silver Lake Color Icon Blush & Glow Trios Spotted at Rite Aid

April 18, 2015, 7:27 pm

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I was at Rite Aid today and spotted more new products in the Silver Lake Collection. Back in February, I spotted some new 6-pan eyeshadows that were part of the Silver Lake line and reviewed one of them called Vinyl Collection (see that post here). I assumed that there wouldn't be any more Silver Lake releases because a lot of time has gone by since then, but here they are! These are Color Icon Blush and Glow Trios ($3.99) with bronzer, blush and highlighter shades in three different color combinations. 

Here are some close-ups:

Sunset Junction

Solar Powered

Fair Trade Coffee

Which one catches your eye? I purchased Fair Trade Coffee and Sunset Junction, so I'll be reviewing them soon...stay tuned!

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Jordana Cat Eye Liner Review and Swatches

April 19, 2015, 8:26 am

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Jordana Cat Eye Liner ($2.99 at Walgreens) is new for Spring 2015 and I picked these up back in February when I first saw the display at my local Walgreens. 

There were 8 colors, most of which were really bright and bold. I ended up choosing black and brown...boring I know but I figured those were the shades I'd get the most use out of. 

The shades I chose are called 01 Black Leather and 02 Black Brown.

They come in long, slim tubes with a twist-off cap with the brush attached. The brush itself is micro-thin and flexible to help you achieve that perfect wing.

I did find the brush easy to work with due to it's small size...I could get right into my lash line. However, the formula tends to skip if you don't apply a lot of pressure. I don't want to press too hard because I'm afraid I'll lose the precision of the line since the brush is flexible, so instead, I drag the brush lightly across my lash line. The problem with that method is, if I do it too lightly, it skips about halfway across and I have to go back over it again.  You can see in the photo below where I eased up on the pressure on the black line just before the halfway point...it skips a little bit. Then I applied more pressure and it gets darker again.
The good news is, they dry super fast so if you have any skips, you can go right back over the line again with no problems.

I will say though, that these last until you take them off and don't smudge (at least on my dry skin). I tried to wash these swatches off with dish soap and it took a few minutes of scrubbing to get them off!
Overall, I like the thin line you can get with these and that they dry fast so there's no smudging and you can add layers for more intensity without waiting. The formula is a little problematic due to the skipping but it's not really a big deal for me to go over it again if I need to. I find that I can get a great cat eye with these as well! The flexible brush makes it super easy to curve the line...much easier than a rigid felt-tip pen.
Have you tried the Jordana Cat Eye Liners yet? What do you think?
You can purchase these at your local Walgreens or at Jordanacosmetics.com

L'oreal Miss Manga Rock Mascara Review

April 20, 2015, 3:43 pm

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L'oreal Miss Manga Rock is a new mascara that promises to give you "spiked overloaded volume" with a 360 degree spiked brush. I have to admit, when I first saw the photo of the model on the display I totally lost interest in this. I thought, "why would anyone actually want spidery clumpy lashes? Isn't that what we're always trying to avoid?" I mean, it looks kinda cool and funky on her, but in real life? Nah...But being the beauty blogger that I am, my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to just go for it and see what happens.  So let's take a look...

The model on the Miss Manga Rock Display

The packaging and tube look very similar to the original Miss Manga, except the cap is yellow instead of pink. 

The brush has these short little spikes all the way around it and has very wide gaps between the bristles. Usually, this means the brush picks up a ton of mascara because it settles in those gaps so when I see a brush like this, I know it's going to goop on a ton of product.

Here's my after photo (sorry I forgot to take a before!) . I was right about it transferring a ton of product to my lashes...it pretty much saturated them with mascara and made my lashes clump together instantly.  The formula is very wet and dries pretty fast, so I had to work quickly to comb them out as much as possible. As the packaging suggested, I used the pointed tip of the brush to comb my lashes vertically to create points. I found that it did that by clumping small sections of lashes together. When I was finished, I was left with a very heavy, thick coat of mascara on my lashes, plus some volume but not a lot of length unfortunately.
But I will say, this didn't smudge...at all! I wore it all day and never saw any black under my eyes until it was time to take it off. That was pretty impressive...I was positive that this super thick layer I put on would be all over the place by lunchtime.

Wearing Miss Manga Rock on my lashes.

Overall, I wasn't crazy about this one.  I prefer a combination of length and volume with a more defined, separated finish and this definitely gives a heavy, smoky, rock n' roll sort of vibe (but that's actually the intent, so I can't fault L'oreal for that)! So really, it comes down to personal preference. If I decide to rock a heavily lined, smoky eye this would be the perfect companion...but for every day? Not for me!
I purchased mine at Harmons, but I've also seen it at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Walgreens.

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Wet N Wild Silver Lake Blush & Glow Trio Review and Swatches

April 20, 2015, 9:22 pm

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Wet N Wild Silver Lake Coloricon Blush and Glow Trios ($3.99 at Rite Aid) are brand new for Spring 2015 and the other day, I posted photos of the display with the three shade combinations (see that post here). I ended up purchasing two of them...Fair Trade Coffee and Sunset Junction. Let's take a look!

The Blush and Glow Trios come in large round disc-shaped packaging with a clear lid. Inside, each contains a highlighter, blush and bronzer. The pans are fairly large, but my one gripe with these is that they're not separated by a border, so when I dip my brush into them, I have to be super careful not to let bronzer or blush get mixed in with the highlighter shade which is much lighter. I don't feel like these are the type of palettes you can swirl the brush through all three shades at once (although you could)...personally, I would rather use each shade separately.
The formula is super soft and pigmented...I was able to pick up a lot of color with just one swipe.

Top: Fair Trade Coffee Bottom: Sunset Junction

Sunset Junction is the lightest of the three palettes.  It contains a champagne highlighter with a peachy undertone, a light pink blush, and a bronzer.

Sunset Junction

This is just one swipe of my finger...they have a good amount of pigmentation, although this palette is the lightest so it doesn't show up on my skin as well as the next palette.

Sunset Junction

Fair Trade Coffee contains brighter shades.  The highlighter is more of a white-toned champagne, while the blush is a bright fuchsia.  The bronzer in this palette is actually very similar to the one in Sunset Junction, but it swatches just a little bit darker.

Fair Trade Coffee

As you can see, one swipe gives a lot more color with this palette.

Fair Trade Coffee

Overall, these are cute trios that would be perfect for travel this summer because you'll have your blush, bronzer and highlighter in one compact.  I was impressed with the silky soft feel of the powder and great pigmentation too.  For $3.99, you can't beat these!
Have you spotted this display at your Rite Aid?  Tried these yet?

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How I Save Money On Beauty Products

April 21, 2015, 6:41 am

≫ Next: Julep Maven May 2015 Sneak Peek (and why I cancelled my other Subscription boxes).

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A lot of you have asked me what my favorite websites are for saving money on beauty products, so I put together a guide that walks you through all the ways I get coupons, cash back, and deep discounts on beauty products.  It's a very long page, because I included some tutorials and tips on how to get the most out of each site, so you may need to read it when you have some time to spare, lol.

I know I probably forgot a few sites, so I'll add to it as I think of things. And if you have any money-saving tips you can share with Budget Beauty Blog readers, please feel free to share them in the comments below, or you can also comment on my guide as well. 

To read my guide, please click here or click on the menu link at the top of my site called "Favorite Beauty Deal Sites". 

Julep Maven May 2015 Sneak Peek (and why I cancelled my other Subscription boxes).

April 21, 2015, 4:16 pm

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The Julep Maven window is open today, so I was able to log in and see what I'm getting next month and make any adjustments.  I'm really excited about the upcoming box!  I have to say, Julep is the only subscription box I still receive every month.  I used to get quite a few, and have slowly been giving them up...in fact, I just cancelled the last two I was hanging on to...Birchbox and Ipsy, because they're just not exciting to me anymore.  I feel like they keep sending repeat or similar products and a lot of them aren't really a great fit for me. They've just gotten...well, boring!

It's funny because when I first signed up for Julep, I planned on a 2 or 3 month trial run and figured I would probably cancel it soon after because how interesting could a nail polish subscription box be? At the time, Ipsy was wowing me every month with exciting new products and plenty of full sizes, so I assumed I was going to be with them for the long haul. 

Well here I am a year and a half later, still going strong with Julep...and I haven't been disappointed in a box yet!
I originally signed up for the Julep Modern Beauty Box (there are 5 boxes to choose from). Modern Beauty isn't a nail polish box...instead you get 2 full-sized Julep beauty products. They can be anything from skincare to makeup, or a combination of the two. There have been one or two months where I decided to go with one of the other boxes if the beauty products didn't interest me, or if one of the nail polish boxes was so amazing, I just had to have it.  Some boxes come with 1 beauty product and 2 nail polishes, so those are a great combination of the two.

For May, the Modern Beauty Box contains a duo eyeshadow palette called Feels Like Velvet and a full-coverage lip crayon with a moisturizing treatment core in the middle called It's Balm.

Here are the shades they chose for me...plus I decided to add on a nail polish I liked from one of the other boxes (it's free using my Jules, or points). Each month, you get 300 Jules to spend and 1 nail polish costs 600 Jules.  That means every other month I can add on a nail polish for free!

One of the best parts about Julep is that they let you choose your colors. I wasn't crazy about the eyeshadow shades they picked for me because I don't think I'd wear that peachy shade, so I chose a different one...

You can also click "Try a New Style" and try a different box altogether. Here's what's in the other 4 May 2015 boxes: 

Boho Glam- 2 Nail Polishes and 1 Beauty Product:

Bombshell- 2 Nail Polishes and 1 Beauty Product:

Classic With A Twist- 2 Nail Polishes and 1 Beauty Product

It Girl- 3 Nail Polishes:

Each box costs $24.99 if you pay by the month, but if you sign up for a 3 month subscription, it's $19.99 a month. It's become my favorite subscription box and has never let me down.  I love the fact that it's so customizable, you can get free add-ons, and you're getting full sized products every time.

If you're thinking about signing up, here's a free gift that you'll receive with your subscription...it contains 3 nail polishes ($14.50 each) and one lip gloss ($16) in gorgeous summer colors...a $60 value:

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops Review and Swatches

April 21, 2015, 9:29 pm

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Cover FX Custom Cover Drops ($44 at Sephora) is a brand new makeup innovation that's my favorite product this year so far...and possibly ever. With so many makeup companies copying each other on the latest trends, it's refreshing to see a company actually bring us something we haven't seen before-it doesn't happen all that often.  Most of the time, new products are built on existing ones...maybe a little tweak here or there.  Custom Cover Drops has created a whole new category in makeup and it's likely we'll see many copycats down the road. Let's take a look...

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops is a bottle of pure pigments that can be mixed with any liquid product your heart desires to create the perfect custom foundation.  It allows you to channel your inner makeup artist and I have to say...I've been having so much fun playing with this!
It's vegan and paraben, fragrance, gluten, mineral oil, and talc-free.  It comes in 24 shades that come in cool, warm and neutral undertones.
I have cool-toned skin so I chose a pink-based shade...P- 40 which the Sephora website says is for Medium skin with pink undertones.  I actually have light skin, so I should probably have gone for P-30 or even P-20, but I was thinking that summer is coming up and I usually go a little darker for summer, plus I figured that mixing this with another product might sheer out the color a bit. So to test my theory, while I was at Sephora I mixed a few drops with one of Cover FX's primers on the display and sure enough, when mixed the lighter shades were too light for me.  So if you're planning on mixing this with foundation or something that already has color, you can probably go with your own shade match.  But if you're planning to mix it with something that has no color, you may want to go a shade darker because it's going to sheer out a bit, especially if you mix it with something white like a primer or moisturizer.

The pigments in Custom Cover Drops are created to blend and mix with anything you put them in so there are tons of possibilities. You can add it to primer, moisturizer, facial oil, sunscreen, body lotion, tinted moisturizer, BB/CC Cream, or even another foundation to increase the coverage.

It comes with a glass dropper and although the bottle is pretty small (.5 oz) you only use a few drops at a time so it'll last quite a while. According to the directions, you can use 1 drop for light coverage, 2 for medium coverage, and 3 for heavier coverage.  I find that I need to use about 4 drops for medium to full coverage...more on that below.

In the 2 weeks I've been playing with this, I've mixed it with just about every product I have at home and some worked out...some didn't.
I didn't like it with moisturizer or thinner lightweight primers, such as Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. For some reason, it didn't mix well and sank into my lines and pores, making my dry skin look even drier (and older). I think this is because moisturizers and thinner primers are meant to sink deeper into the layers of your skin, so they pull this pigment down with them...and right into pores and wrinkles.
I had the best success with thicker primers and also with Argan Oil, because they tend to sit on top of the skin a bit more. I also think that this situation may be unique to someone with dry skin like me, because my skin wants to drink up anything I put on it.  Someone with oily skin may find that these drops actually work well with thinner primers and lotions because their skin won't pull them down into the deeper layers. Again, this is really a custom product so you have to take the time to play with it and see what works for you...it's totally worth the effort!
I wanted to demo a few combinations for you so you can see how it worked for me.  First, I'll use it with a thicker primer...in this case, Rimmel's Stay Matte.  I also had great success with Tarte's Timeless Smoothing Primer and L'oreal's Magic Perfecting Base...which are both thick and spackle-like.

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops and Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

I use about a pea-sized amount of primer...the normal amount I would use to cover my face.  Then I added 4 drops of the Cover FX...I found that 3 drops doesn't provide full coverage when mixed with a thicker primer so I had to play with different combinations to see what level of coverage works for me.

When you mix them together, you get a heavily tinted primer...how cool is that?!

Custom Cover Drops mixed with Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

Here it is blended out...if you compare it with the first photo of the drops, you can see a small cut I have on my arm that's almost completely covered, plus it toned down the redness and evened out my skin flawlessly.  It looks smooth and poreless and feels soft and velvety.

Custom Cover Drops and Stay Matte mixure blended out

Another way I love to use this is with Argan Oil.  Here, I'm using Physicians Formula Argan Wear 100% Argan Oil.

Custom Cover Drops and Physicians Formula Argan Wear 100% Argan Oil

Here I used three drops of the oil and again, 4 drops of the Custom Cover Drops. 

Custom Cover Drops and Physicians Formula Argan Wear 100% Argan Oil

When you mix these two together, the Argan oil still feels like an oil and keeps the same consistency. I find that the argan mixture feels lightweight and the coverage is a little bit sheerer than the primer mixture. It leaves my skin looking more dewy and radiant as well.

Custom Cover Drops and Argan Wear mixed

Despite being more sheer than the primer, this still covers very well and evens out my skintone.

Custom Cover Drops and Argan Wear blended.

Overall, Cover FX Custom Cover drops is one of the coolest products I've tried in a very long time. I love how customizable it is and how it adapts to the finish of whatever you mix it with.  It gives you so much control and I haven't even touched my other foundations since I got this...it's a total game changer! Yes, it's a bit on the pricey side but the bottle will last a long time since you only need a few drops, plus it's totally worth it.  If you're thinking about getting this, I say go for it! Play, experiment, and have fun...and if it doesn't work out, well, Sephora has a great return policy. But if you find a combination that works for you, you may never have to go back to regular foundation again!
To purchase Custom Cover Drops, please visit Sephora.com.

Covergirl The Super Sizer Mascara Spotted at Harmons

April 22, 2015, 9:44 am

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Covergirl The Super Sizer Mascara ($5.49 at Harmons) is a brand new release that I spotted this morning on my usual trip to Harmon Discount. Harmon also has a store inside select Bed, Bath and Beyonds and Christmas Tree Shops but I didn't see this mascara in either of those yet...only my freestanding Harmons had it. 

It was on a small display attached to the Covergirl section, so it wasn't in the new products section...I almost missed it!

This promises 400% corner-to-corner volume for full, fanned out lashes.

The packaging shows an inverted wand that's narrow at the bottom and wider at the top with tiny little spikes mixed with longer bristles. The directions on the package say to twirl it toward you as you apply rather than the traditional wiggle back-and-forth method. 

A quick Google search brought up some information about this mascara on Allure.com where Covergirl's principal scientist explains what makes The Super Sizer special: 

"First, there's the wand: Sandwiched in between the longer bristles are rows of the tiniest little baby bristles you've ever seen. And these tiny bristles get loaded up with tons of mascara—so much so that "mascara hits your lashes before the bristles do," Vickery explained. "That initial drenching of the lashes is unusual, and what it does is deposit a ton of mascara right at the lash line, giving you that intensity that makes your lashes look thicker." The longer bristles comb the pigment evenly through to the tips, especially if you roll the wand toward you (this is key). The other interesting thing about the Super Sizer wand is that the longer bristles are spaced far apart—26 percent farther apart than on most mascara wands, to be exact—so that lashes are coated with mascara in groups. "By coating the lashes in uniform groups, you end up with more of a dramatic look," says Vickery. I can attest. My lashes nearly touched my brow bone. And finally, the formula: "It's a dual-polymer system balanced with the perfect mix of clays and waxes," says Vickery. That basically means the formula is both flexible (so you have some play time when applying it) and long-lasting (so you won't get to work looking like you never went home the night before)." 

It sounds great in theory, but the thought of bristles that are spaced far apart that get loaded with product makes me think my lashes are going to be a clumpy, gloppy mess. But I can't wait to try it and see!

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City Color Intense Blush Quad Review and Swatches

April 22, 2015, 3:48 pm

≫ Next: Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick at Ulta

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City Color Intense Blush Quad is one of my latest Five Below finds...the bright colors caught my eye and it was only $4, so I couldn't resist.  If you don't live near a Five Below, you can purchase it from Citycolorcosmetics.com (but it's $7.99 on their website). Let's take a closer look...

I purchased Palette #1, which contains four bright pink shades. From left to right, there's a fuchsia, bright barbie pink, dusty rose, and baby pink.

There are three other palettes in this collection...one with orange/coral shades, one with more subtle dusty pinks, and one with bronzy shades.  All four shades in this palette are matte, which is so great! 

This palette does have a mirror, but it's a skinny one across the top of the lid...not super useful.  Also, the brushes they included are tiny, and I can't see ever using them for blush! But I will say, I do love the compact itself...it looks great with the see-through squares on the lid and it's hefty and substantial...not cheap-feeling.

Okay, so check out these swatches!! I first swatched them the other day and they were really, really pigmented but not like this. I found that I had to break through the top layer first...the magic is underneath. These are soft, creamy and smooth with very little fallout.
I swirled my finger around in each color a few times before swiping to get the color you see here. When you use them with a brush, they're obviously much less intense and more wearable. I haven't been brave enough to try the hot pink fuchsia shade but the others are absolutely gorgeous on my light skintone. They also last a good 8 hours on my dry skin, which is great for a powder blush.
Overall, this is an amazing bargain find and I really want to try more products from City Color Cosmetics now! If you've tried any other products from City Color, what would you recommend? Do you have any favorites? Please let me know in the comments below!
To purchase this palette, please visit your local Five Below or go to Citycolorcosmetics.com

Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick at Ulta

April 23, 2015, 6:36 am

≫ Next: Hard Candy 20th Anniversary Collection Spotted at Walmart

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Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick ($25 at Ulta) is new for Spring 2015 and promises to turn from lillypad green to a beautiful rosebud pink, once on your lips. 

Benefits:

• Magical shade turns each pair of lips their perfect pink
• Moisturizing shea butter and anti-oxidant vitamin E soothe and protect
• Glossy, wet formula wears into a gentle, flattering and long-lasting pink tint
• Your lips happily-ever-after!

Most of the time, these shade-shifting lipsticks are disappointing and turn your lips a crazy, unflattering shade of pink, but this one has a high-tech formula that's really supposed to react to your own unique PH to give you a natural flush of color. InStyle tested it on three of their staffers and the results were all really pretty (see that here).  Now I really want to try this! What about you?
You can purchase Frog Prince Lipstick at Ulta.com

Hard Candy 20th Anniversary Collection Spotted at Walmart

April 23, 2015, 11:50 am

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The Hard Candy 20th Anniversary limited edition collection is just starting to hit Walmart stores and this 90's teen just freaked out when I saw those original nail polishes with the ring! 

My love of Hard Candy goes way back to 1995 when I was 16. It girl of the moment Alicia Silverstone went on David Letterman to promote Clueless wearing Sky nail polish, a light blue shade and when he asked her about it, she said it was Sky by Hard Candy and everyone went crazy! Back then, nail polishes were mainly pinks and reds...other colors weren't mainstream like they are now (hard to believe!) plus there were no Sephora's or Ulta's and these nail polishes were sold at Nordstrom for like $12 a bottle...not exactly accessible to a girl who lived in East Bumble upstate NY.
I finally got my hands on my first one when I was at the Jersey Shore on vacation that summer. A surf shop on the boardwalk had a countertop display of Hard Candy nail polish (all they made was nail polish back then). I really wanted Sky but they were out of it, so I bought Trailer Trash, a glittery silver color.


Slowly, I added to my collection and had quite a few colors as they became more accessible. Then the brand grew into a full-blown makeup line and was carried at Sephora for a while back when I worked there in 2005. I have awesome memories of my sisters and I doing manicures on the front porch with these so you can imagine how nostalgic it is to see these again!

 Today I spotted a small display at Walmart that has five of the original shades ($4 each) plus a new pastel Top Ten eyeshadow palette called Sky's the Limit ($6). There are more products coming out, including heart shaped blush/highlighters (see top photo). I'll post photos as soon as they land in my local store but for now, here's a close up on the polishes and the eyeshadow palette.

Is Hard Candy a nostalgia brand for you, like it is for me? I'd love to hear your stories about it!

The Us Project

April 24, 2015, 6:35 am

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Soffe for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've never been that comfortable taking selfies. I grew up when cameras still had film and there was no way to delete bad photos or alter them with skin-smoothing, acne-erasing, body-slimming tools. Selfies didn't exist. Today, I can look back at photos that were taken of me in my teenage years and laugh at my awkwardness, but at the time I wasn't laughing. I was bullied and teased by the popular girls at my school, and although I had close friends that helped get me through it, it still hurt and created insecurities that are still with me today.

I eventually grew out of my awkward phase and became fairly comfortable with the way I look, but I would still shy away from selfies because I was afraid to put myself out there for fear that someone would point out my flaws. Not to mention that when social media first came out, it was...social. I posted photos of me and my friends having a good time at a party or goofing around with my siblings on family vacations. It was a way to share my life with others and I really didn't scrutinize how I looked all that much.

But in recent years, more and more of my friends have been posting selfies on their pages and they look a little too perfect...like airbrushed models in a magazine. The more I looked at them, the more I felt that old insecurity rise up in me and I have felt the need to compete. I wanted to post "perfect" selfies to show up the girls that had taunted me in high school. For me it seemed like vindication...and a way to create a more beautiful online persona that I could proudly show off to the world. As I was editing a photo one night, my husband reminded me that I have a very rich life full of people who love and care about me. He wanted to know why I would waste my time and energy trying to compete with other women when I have so much going on that has nothing to do with looks...important things like my family, and friends. He was so right.

The selfie culture has really affected the world, and not in a good way. Just take a look at some of these scary statistics:

For these reasons, I'm very proud to share Soffe activewear's #TheUsProject which aims to bring young women together in support of their goals. Rather than competing with our friends, we need to build each other up and stand behind one another. Instead of focusing on how we look, let's focus on those people in our life who give us strength, motivation, and encouragement.

#TheUsProject is using social media to create a more beautiful picture and I hope everyone who reads this will join me in support of this amazing movement. To spread the word (and be entered for a chance to win some awesome #TheUsProject gear from Soffe), here's what to do:

Post a photo of you and your friends (no selfies!) to Instagram and tag #TheUsProject and @budgetbeautyblog. Here are a few examples of what you can win:





Here's #TheUsProject photo I'll be posting. These gals are my besties and they have been there for me most of my life. They never judge me and have seen me through my best and worst times:

For more information on #TheUsProject, please check out this short video and visit #TheUsProject movement:

CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara Review

April 25, 2015, 11:26 am

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CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara ($5.49 at Harmon) is a brand new release this Spring and so far, I've only seen it in Harmon (and not yet in it's sister stores Bed Bath and Beyond or Christmas Tree Shops at the time of this post).  Harmon tends to get new products before the drugstores but I'm sure it won't be too long until this pops up at CVS, Walgreens, Target, etc. 

Let's take a look...

The Super Sizer promises "bold, corner to corner volume for full, fanned out lashes" plus 400% more volume.  That's quite a claim...how can we even measure that? 

The tube is bright blue with yellow writing and it's very wide...much wider than the average mascara tube. It's a similar width to the Rimmel ScandalEyes, but instead of being wide in the middle and narrow at the ends, this tube is the same width the entire way up. 

According to CoverGirl, you'll get the best results by rolling the brush up through your lashes rather than wiggling it back and forth.  The bristles are spaced pretty far apart and the wand has very short bristles mixed with long ones. The short bristles and wide spacing means that this wand loads up with a lot of product and deposits it right at your lash line to make your lashes look thicker.  Then you use the longer bristles to comb it through to the ends. I have to admit, the first time I just wiggled the brush side-to-side out of habit, and it absolutely saturated my lashes with product...it was way too much! Then I took CoverGirl's advice and set the brush at the base of my lashes and rolled the wand up and through my lashes...much better! Although it still deposited quite a bit of product and clumped my lashes together in small sections that I just couldn't separate no matter how hard I tried.

Before and Afters

Before

After

After

After

I have to say, The Super Sizer really did give me super-sized lashes, despite coating them with a ton of product to the point where they actually felt a bit heavy. It's not a mascara to try if you want a natural lash look...this gives you big, bold, dramatic lashes with tons of length and volume. 

It has good lasting power and didn't smudge under my eyes all day, however, I did notice some flakes under my eyes at bedtime. It didn't make my lashes feel stiff and crunchy but they didn't feel soft either...they were somewhere in between. 

Overall, if you're looking for a false lash look, I think you'll really enjoy The Super Sizer. I love the final look it gives but my main gripe with it is that it takes a lot of combing through to spread the product evenly and keep it from being too clumpy. 

What do you think of my results? Do you think you'll be trying The Super Sizer? 

Mini Sephora Haul

April 26, 2015, 2:49 pm

≫ Next: Tarte Park Ave Princess Amazonian Butter Lipstick Review Swatches

≪ Previous: CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara Review

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The other day I went to Sephora to spend my Shopkick gift cards. I had earned a $25 one and a $10 one using the app every chance I get.
You can get all the details about Shopkick on my Favorite Beauty Deal Sites page. You can earn virtual gift cards on your phone for doing simple tasks like walking into stores, scanning items with your phone, and making purchases.
This is what they look like...you can use them online or give your phone to the cashier in-store (I'm not going to blur out the numbers since they don't have a balance anymore).

Anyway, I had $35 to spend and I went a little over but I still made out great!

I purchased the Urban Decay Brightening and Tightening Complexion Primer Potion ($31). So far I love it! It makes my skin sooo smooth.
Next, I bought Tarte's new Park Ave Princess shade of their Amazonian Butter Lipstick ($17). It's a new shade for Spring 2015 and I'll be reviewing it very soon.
Finally, because I had 500 VIB Rouge points saved up, I got a Bumble and Bumble Hairdressers Invisible Oil Set for free. It has shampoo,  conditioner, primer spray, and the oil.
I ended up taking all of this home for $13...not bad at all!

Have you hauled any beauty products lately? Or saved money doing it?  I'd love to hear about it...please drop me a comment below! :)

Tarte Park Ave Princess Amazonian Butter Lipstick Review Swatches

April 26, 2015, 7:55 pm

≫ Next: LA Splash and LA Girl Spotted at Burlington Coat Factory

≪ Previous: Mini Sephora Haul

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Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Park Ave Princess ($17 at Sephora) is a brand new shade for Spring 2015. I haven't tried the Amazonian Butter lipsticks before now, so this is my first one. I absolutely love Tarte's Park Ave Princess bronzer...I've been using it for close to 10 years and it's the perfect shade for my fair skin...it's not too orange or muddy and it's matte which is really important to me.  So, I thought this would be a great compliment to it! Let's take a look...

When I first heard about this shade, I assumed it would be bronze, but it's actually a nude with a little hint of pink in it.  It's really beautiful and I think it's a great companion to bronzed summer skin. I'm naturally pale and nude lipsticks normally wash me out pretty bad...this one doesn't due to the little hint of pink in it.  But I still think it'll look better when I have a little color in my face.

The Amazonian Butter Lipsticks feel very soft and hydrating with Cupuacu, Murumuru, and Shea Butters. They go on smoothly with a melting texture and leave a light sheen...they're not matte or glossy, just somewhere in between.  They do have a minty taste/scent that I'm not really a fan of.  As moisturizing as these feel going on, my lips start to feel dry pretty soon after. It might be all in my head, but I feel like it's because of the peppermint oil, which I've heard can be an irritant.

The Amazonian Butter formula is also not exceptionally long wearing. I find it wears off after only about an hour or so, probably due to the soft, melty texture.
As you can see in the swatches below, this shade is a beautiful soft, pinky nude.

Overall, I'm torn about Park Ave Princess Amazonian Butter Lipstick.  On the one hand, I love the color, but the shorter wear time and mint flavor sort of kills it for me a little bit. But that may not be the case for you...I know plenty of people who love mint-flavored lip products, so if that's the case, this might be a good option for you!
You can purchase this product at Sephora.

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LA Splash and LA Girl Spotted at Burlington Coat Factory

April 27, 2015, 11:49 am

≫ Next: Memebox and Nylon It Girl Sweet 16 Palette Review and Swatches

≪ Previous: Tarte Park Ave Princess Amazonian Butter Lipstick Review Swatches

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I was at Burlington Coat Factory today and spotted two brands that have mainly been online-only brands...L.A. Splash and L.A. Girl.
I have seen a few L.A.Girl products here and there like the Glazed Lip Paints at Harmon, Rite Aid, and Kmart and I've also seen the Beauty Brick eyeshadow palettes at Harmon, but today I saw the brand new Blush/Bronzer/Highlighter Beauty Bricks at Burlington. These just came out this Spring and I was planning an online order at L.A Girl since I hadn't seen them anywhere. Now I don't have to!
At my store, they only had Glow and Glam but there are two others online...Pinky and Spice. I'm not sure if they're just sold out at my location or if Burlington's not planning to stock those two.
They also had the eyeshadow Beauty Bricks!

Next, I spotted some L.A. Splash products, which I've never seen anywhere but online. They have a huge following on Social Media...everyone's talking about their lip products. Sadly, there were no lip products here, but there were glitter mascaras and cream eyeshadows. I'm definitely going to check here more often in case lip products start to show up!

So the moral of the story is, don't overlook Burlington Coat Factory for great beauty finds! I always forget to look there but I'm going to start remembering more often.

Have you spotted any great finds out and about? Any hard-to-find stuff?

Memebox and Nylon It Girl Sweet 16 Palette Review and Swatches

April 27, 2015, 9:34 pm

≫ Next: BH Cosmetics, Tarina Tarantino, Lorac and Illamasqua On HauteLook This Week!

≪ Previous: LA Splash and LA Girl Spotted at Burlington Coat Factory

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To celebrate Nylon Magazine's 16th birthday, they've teamed up with Memebox to create an exclusive It Girl Palette Sweet 16 palette ($29- see below for a $4 off coupon code). This palette contains 1 highlighter, 6 eyeshadows and probably the most pigmented, brightest blush I've ever come across. Let's take a look!

The Sweet 16 It Girl Palette comes in a slim black case that's very sturdy and feels high-end. It's a little on the small side, but I guess that makes it a good palette for travel or to keep in your purse.  I have to say..I don't feel like this is an everyday palette- at least not for me since I typically wear more natural looking shades most days. I feel like I would probably break this out for nighttime use only.

The eyeshadows are named after celebrity "It Girls" who have grabbed the spotlight over the past several years (for better or for worse). The blush, called Sweet 16 takes on the name of the palette and the highlighter shade is called "The Moment".  This palette also includes a brush/eyeshadow applicator. All of the shades were chosen by Nylon's senior beauty editors, and they focused on versatility and uniqueness during the design process.

The Shades: 

• The Moment- Champagne Pink that can be used as a face illuminator or brow highlight.
• Lilo-  Matte White
• Mary-Kate- Sparkly Olive
• Mischa- Grungy Rust
• Lana- Antique Gold
• Paris- An expensive hazel
• Nicole- Multi-dimensional blue-hued brown
• Sweet 16- Matte hot pink blush

For the swatches, I decided to include The Moment highlighter with the top row of eyeshadows and the Sweet 16 blush with the bottom row.

The Moment was such a disappointment for me. It looked so pretty in the pan and I love highlighters but there was almost no pigmentation whatsoever and a ton of glittery fallout. I had to swatch it 3 or 4 times to even get it to show up in the photo below.
Lilo is a pretty matte white and is one of the more pigmented shades in this collection. Mary-Kate was another letdown. The light olive green (really more of a pea green) was very light and lacked pigmentation. Mischa is super buttery, highly pigmented, and a really beautiful rusty red shade.

The Moment, Lilo, Mary-Kate, Mischa

The bottom row fared much better for me.  Lana, an antique gold shade was the least pigmented of the group...and Paris and Nicole (probably my favorite shades of the whole palette) had good pigmentation...not quite as much as Mischa, but close. I absolutely love the pinky taupe Paris and Nicole looks brown but in certain light it has a bright blue sheen to it- it's an interesting shade without taking me outside my neutral comfort zone. Finally, Sweet 16...what can I say? Have you ever seen a blush that bright (or that pigmented?). I haven't. All I could say as I was swatching it was holy.crap. What you see in the photo below is one swipe. Compared to the other shades which felt buttery and soft, Sweet 16 felt really dry and powdery.  I didn't have much hope for it, but then I swatched it and OMG...woah.

Lana, Paris, Nicole, Sweet 16

Overall, I like this palette...I don't love it. There are some interesting shades here, but the pigmentation isn't where I would like a $29 palette to be (except for Mischa and Sweet 16 of course). However, I should note that my swatches were without primer, so it may fare a lot better when layered on top of one. I generally like to test shadows without an eye primer to get a sense of how pigmented they are. So if you like playing with fun shades, you might really get a kick out of this one!
Plus, I have a coupon code for $4 off, making this palette $25- just use code NYLON4 at checkout. You can order the Nylon It Girl Sweet 16 palette at Memebox.com.

**Disclosure- This palette was provided to me for review by Memebox. This in no way influenced my review and all opinions are my own.**

BH Cosmetics, Tarina Tarantino, Lorac and Illamasqua On HauteLook This Week!

April 28, 2015, 4:44 am

≫ Next: Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm Review and Swatches

≪ Previous: Memebox and Nylon It Girl Sweet 16 Palette Review and Swatches

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There are some great beauty deals coming up this week on one of my favorite discount beauty sites, HauteLook. The BH Cosmetics sale is already in full swing, and there are more great brands launching this week:

Today 4/28- Tarina Tarantino 
Tomorrow 4/29- Lorac
Thursday 4/30- Illamasqua and Skyn Iceland

Let's take a peek at what's in the BH Cosmetics sale (this is a very small sampling of what's there):

The Enhancing Eyes Palettes and the Wild Palettes are all available as of right now.  I reviewed the Wild Child palette a few months back (see my review here). I got it on sale for $11.95 (reg. $18.95) but today on Hautelook, it's only $8.50!

The Contour & Blush and Concealer & Foundation Palettes are also on HauteLook today!

I've been dying to try the Color Lock Matte Lipsticks and they're $7 instead of $9 each today. Doesn't the packaging remind you of Kat Von D?

The Party Girl Twist Moisturizing Balm Sticks are another product from BH I've been dying to try....they're only $5, so maybe it's time to grab a few!

There are many, many more BH Cosmetics products in the sale...in fact, it seems like their entire range is there, even the newer products like the Forever Nude Aqua Glosses!

So head on over toHauteLook(and sign up if you haven't yet) to snag some great beauty bargains this week!

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm Review and Swatches

April 29, 2015, 12:36 pm

≫ Next: L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Blush Review and Swatches

≪ Previous: BH Cosmetics, Tarina Tarantino, Lorac and Illamasqua On HauteLook This Week!

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Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm ($8, at Target) has been around for a while, but I wanted to finally review and swatch them for you guys because I just picked up three new shades. I've owned this balm in Natural Rose for several months now and it's one of my absolute favorite lip products so I just had to get some more shades for summer. Let's take a look...

This balm comes in six shades, and the only two I don't own are a clear version and a shade called Ripe Raspberry which is a reddish color and the darkest of the six.  I absolutely adore the formula of these...they're a tinted lip balm that's enriched with Shea Butter and Castor Seed Oil, but they're actually so much more than just a tinted balm!



First of all...they're extremely lightweight. Some lip balms feel thick, like they're coating your lips with wax...these leave the thinnest possible layer and it feels so comfortable and hydrating.  They are also ridiculously pigmented for a tinted balm- almost like a lipstick! I'm not used to lip products with this much pigment being hydrating, but somehow they are. They have a smooth, soft satin finish that's neither glossy or matte and they make my lips feel like velvet.
These do have a scent, in case you're sensitive to them.  They smell exactly like white vanilla Tic-Tacs!

Honey Nectar, Natural Rose, Coral Crush, Pixi Pink

Honey Nectar is a nude shade and I love it for everyday.  It has a slight hint of peachy-pink in it and actually reminds me a lot of the new Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Park Ave Princess I just reviewed the other day. I'd say it's a great dupe, actually! It's just slightly more nude while Tarte's version has a little more pink.

Wearing Honey Nectar

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Honey Nectar

Natural Rose is a shade I've had for quite a while now and is my absolute hands-down favorite of the bunch. I may just go out on a limb and say it's one of my favorite lip products of all time! It's this gorgeous dusty, mauve-y rose that's just a hint darker than my natural lip tone.

Wearing Natural Rose

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Natural Rose

Coral Crush is a bright papaya shade that's a lot of fun for summer.  I don't normally wear bright orange lip products, but this one is still subtle enough that I feel like I can get away with it. 

Wearing Coral Crush

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Coral Crush

Pixi Pink is a bright, vivid pink that I'm really loving with my fair skin and cool undertones. Again, it's bright, but not in-your-face so I feel like it's totally wearable.

Wearing Pixi Pink

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink

Here's all four shades together so you can compare them side-by-side: 

Honey Nectar, Natural Rose, Pixi Pink, Coral Crush

Overall, if you buy one tinted lip balm this year, make it this one (wait, is there a such thing as buying one tinted lip balm a year?! Lol). But seriously you guys...they feel amazing, make your lips feel like velvet and pack a serious pigmentation punch! I'm a fan.

You can purchase Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm at Target.

L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Blush Review and Swatches

April 29, 2015, 3:42 pm

≫ Next: Profusion Sweet Tooth Palette Review and Swatches

≪ Previous: Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm Review and Swatches

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L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Blush Collection ($9 each at L.A. Girl) is brand new for Spring 2015 and I had been planning to order them from the L.A. Girl website for a few weeks now.  But lucky me, I spotted them in Burlington Coat Factory, of all places! Not only that, but they were only $4.99 each...a total steal. There are four different blush palettes online (Glam, Glow, Spice and Pinky), and I would have purchased all four but Burlington only had two of the shades left, Glow and Glam. Let's take a look...

Just like the Beauty Brick eyeshadow palettes these are made of glossy cardboard and have a see-through window in the front.  They're pretty large in size too (they're about the same size as Urban Decay's Naked Palettes) so you really get a lot of product.

Each palette contains two blushes, a bronzer, and a highlighter.  I have other similar blush/bronzer/highlight palettes but they only have one blush, so I like that there are two to choose from here....one lighter and one darker. The blushes and bronzers are matte, while the highlighters are shimmery, but not overly so.

Glam is the brighter, bolder one of the two palettes I bought.  The first blush is a dark fuchsia pink and I think it's a little too dark for my skin...and so is the bronzer.  The good news is, the bronzer isn't orange at all, it's a really nice natural brown.  The lighter blush in this palette is super pretty and the highlighter is my favorite between the two palettes. It's a beautiful champagne color and it's not too shimmery. It's also very close to the color of my skin, so I don't use it as a highlighter, I actually use it all over my face to give my skin a soft-focused airbrushed effect.

Glow is a lighter palette that's perfect for fair and light skintones. The blushes are so pretty...there's a rosy shade and a nude-pink.  The bronzer is the perfect bronzer for fair skin- it's not orange at all and it's light enough to look really natural.  The highlight shade is almost pure white, which is great when you have lighter skin because it actually highlights vs. blend in.

Every shade in these palettes is super soft and easy to pick up with a brush...almost too easy. If I dip my brush in lightly, I still have to tap it to get the extra powder off. But I'm not complaining! They're nicely pigmented too.  I feel like Glam looks a little more pigmented than Glow in the swatches, but it may just be because it's darker and there's more contrast against my skin.

Overall, these are super cute face palettes and I know I'll get a lot of use out of them, especially Glow. If you're interested in these, check at your local Burlington Coat Factory first because you might score a great deal! But I have to say, I like these enough to pay $9 for them...it's still a really good price for what you're getting.
To see all the shades, please visit Lagirlcosmetics.com