The Budget Beauty Blog

As someone with fine, thin hair I have a really hard time growing it past my shoulders and when I do, it looks straggly because of fallout during the growing out period or breakage from styling. I've found that it looks best in a long bob (lob) hairstyle...anything longer than that and it has no volume and drags my face down. One way I can get away with longer hair is to use extensions, and I've reviewed a few different synthetic options here on the blog over the past year or so. Recently, I was contacted by a company called Irresistible Me to try their 100% Human Remy Hair extensions, so of course I jumped at the chance! I had seen a lot of bloggers and Vloggers rave about Irresistible Me, so I was excited to try them. Plus, even though the newer synthetic hair fibers can be heat styled, it's not an easy process...with real human hair, it's just like curling or straightening your own hair...fast and easy!

My extensions arrived in a black cardboard box which will be perfect for storing them in when I'm not using them.

Inside, the extensions come packaged in a clear plastic bag that's sealed.

Normally when you buy extensions, you're not able to return them once they're opened. This makes ordering them a real gamble because if the color isn't right, you could lose your money. Irresistible Me has come up with an ingenious way to eliminate this risk! The pouch the extensions come in has two sides...one side has your extensions and the other side has one weft that you can open without disturbing the other extensions. You can't heat style the test piece or clip it into your hair because it has to remain in perfect condition in case of a return...but you can feel it and hold it up to your own hair to see if the quality and color meet your expectations. If not, you're able to return it within 14 days as long as you haven't opened the main part of the package. They offer free returns and exchanges for US and Canadian customers. I have never seen another hair extension company do this, so it's really helpful!

Irresistible Me offers two levels of hair extensions...Silky Touch and Royal Remy. Both are made with 100% human remy hair and can be cut, colored and heat styled because it's real hair!

The differences between the two are:

Silky Touch is their best selling, more affordable line and are perfect for those who are just starting out with extensions because they look really natural. They start out thicker at the top and get a little thinner toward the bottom just like real hair does.

Royal Remy is their top of the line hair that has a special treatment added to the hair to make it even silkier and to help it last even longer. It's the closest thing to unprocessed hair you can find and has the same thickness from the top of the weft all the way to the ends.

I ended up getting the Silky Touch and they work out great for me because I have fine hair that naturally thins out at the bottom. I didn't want them to look too big or thick because it wouldn't be as believable on me. As it turns out, they added plenty of thickness...wait until you see my before and after photos!

Silky Touch comes in 11 shades while Royal Remy comes in 12 shades. I ended up going with Chocolate Brown because even though it seemed a little darker than my hair color, it doesn't have as much red in it as the medium brown does (which was my next closest option).

Another amazing thing about Irresistible Me is that you can choose both the length and weight of the hair and completely customize your look. From my research on other hair extension companies, I can tell you that all of the ones I've come across only offer the thicker weight hair in the longer lengths, usually over 20". With Irresistible Me, you can get the thickest option, 200g in the shortest length if you want to. I wanted a bit of length, but not too much so I opted for 18", which is right in the middle. The options are 14", 16", 18", 20", 22" or 24" and weights of 100g, 140g or 200g.

The 100g set comes with 7 pieces, the 140g set comes with 8 pieces and the 200g set comes with 10 pieces. I opted for the 200g set so that I could have the most hair possible to play around with. It comes with 1 four-clip piece, 2 three-clip pieces, 5 two-clip pieces, and 2 one-clip pieces. Here's what each piece looks like once you get it. Typically, the larger four-clip piece is used in the back lower down on your head and then you can build it up from there. I like to use the larger pieces in the back and the two and one-clip pieces on the sides of my head. The clips feel very secure and I didn't feel the need to tease my hair beforehand...they gripped onto my fine hair very tightly.

The hair feels silky soft and completely natural. But don't expect perfection because this is real hair and each batch will be different. It also may have some flyaway hairs or different colored hairs mixed in here and there...that just adds to the natural effect. Some synthetic hair extensions look too perfect and shiny, like doll hair and are a dead giveaway. These still feel soft and have a natural movement so they make my more damaged hair look a lot better and hides my frayed ends!

Ok so here's the moment of truth...my before and after pictures! The extensions come straight so I took photos of them straight first, then I added some waves with a 1.5" curling iron so you can see how it looks both ways. Also, I'm only wearing 8 out of the 10 pieces...I just didn't need that many and I could probably even get away with wearing 6 on an everyday basis.

irresistible me hair extensions review before

Before with my everyday "lob"

irresistible me hair extensions review after

With the Irresistible Me extensions in...worn straight

With the Irresistible Me extensions in...worn wavy

With the Irresistible Me extensions in...worn wavy.

The Silky Touch extensions start at $79 but my combination was $169...the cost just depends on the length and weight you choose. The Royal Remy line is the most expensive option. Overall, I love my lob but on days when I just want to sport a longer 'do, or for special occasions, Irresistible Me extensions are totally worth the investment! They take a little bit more work to attach than some of the synthetic options I've reviewed in the past since they're multiple pieces vs one large piece, but again, I prefer how natural these look and feel. Not to mention, having the ability to wash, dry and style them like real hair is priceless!

You can purchase Irresistible Me hair extensions at Irresistibleme.com (plus they're offering 20% off on the site right now when you sign up with an email address!).

Here's a quick video on how to clip the extensions in-

Disclosure- The product featured in this review was provided to me for review purposes by Irresistible Me but all opinions are completely my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Flower Beauty Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream Blush is an innovative formula that allows you to get a soft-focus flush of color with a powder that turns into a cream. Keep reading for my full review and swatches!

I was at Walmart the other day checking out what's new in their beauty department and came across one of the most interesting products I've seen in a long time...maybe ever! It's from Flower Beauty, which I'm sure you're aware by now is Drew Barrymore's line. I regret not reviewing more of their products because it's actually a great line and I love their philosophy. They use high end ingredients that are found in luxury makeup lines but they keep their prices down because they don't pay for advertising...Drew takes care of promoting the line on her own which is really cool. For me, that means it's not just "another celebrity makeup brand"...she's actually involved with everything. Plus, they don't test on animals which is another plus.

When I saw the Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream blush I knew I had to buy it, even though it's a little pricey for a drugstore blush at $12.98. I've seen cream-to-powder blushes, but seriously, what kind of witchcraft is involved in turning a powder into a cream?! That's a question I've asked myself a lot since using this, but at the end of the day, I don't even care because it's just awesome.

Flower Beauty Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream Blush Review & Swatches

This blush comes packaged in a plastic loose powder-type container with a frosted glass look to it, which I think is so pretty! The screw-top cap is glossy and white and has a sticker on top that tells what the shade is. Actually, I should mention that this only comes in 2 shades...boo! I really, really hope that Drew decides to come out with more because I would buy them all...just putting that out there!
The two shades are Tickled Pink (which is what I bought) and A-Cora-Ble, which is a nude peachy coral shade. Tickled pink is a bright, cool hot pink but don't be afraid of it because it's very subtle (yet completely buildable if you're looking for a bright pop of color).

Inside, there's a sifter just like you'd normally see with a loose powder product.

When you first pick it up with your finger, it looks just like a regular powder...at first. On a side note, please don't mind my fingers in this photo, I was blending foundation with them before taking these photos and it's settled into all the cracks, making my skin look even drier than it is...oops.

When you apply this blush to the skin, that's when the magic happens. You can do this with your fingers or a brush, it doesn't matter. I didn't think it would work well with a brush but it really does! For reference, I used my Elf Blush Brush.

When you start to blend it on the skin, it starts to feel wet and you can see it changing into a cream...it's too weird! At first it feels a little sticky during the changeover, but only for a few seconds...this is the time you want to blend it. Then it sets into a beautiful matte blush that looks like it's one with the skin, rather than sitting on top like a powder would. This shade, Tickled Pink looks bright in the container, but this is what it ends up looking like after one application. If you want more color, this layers brilliantly and you can keep building until you have the color you want.
Another thing I love about this blush is that it lasts all day...at least 8 hours on me and my face has a tendency to eat blush so I'm used to it disappearing by noon time.

Here's a light application of it on my cheeks...it gives just enough flush for my light skin, but I could have easily built it up to more. By the way, today was a no-makeup kind of day, so that's why I have no brow or eye products on.

Overall, this is one of my favorite blushes ever and is totally worth the $13, in my opinion. It has a truly high-end feel and finish, and the jar is pretty large so I can see this lasting a really long time. I will definitely be going back for the coral shade next!

Flower Beauty Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream Blush is available at Walmart stores and at Walmart.com.

Kiko Milano, the Italian beauty brand that's been taking the US by storm the past several months has just released a new collection for Fall 2015 called Rebel Romantic. I like Kiko's regular product lines a lot, but their special collections are my favorites so far (case in point, the Modern Tribes bronzer I reviewed last month). This new collection has me lusting after several different products...partly because of the beautiful rose gold, art nouveau packaging (isn't it so pretty?) Let's take a look...

Perfecting Bronzer ($16)- This blends bronzer with a perfecting powder for evening out your complexion (choose from pink or lilac) to give a smooth, flawless and radiant look.

Rebel Bouncy Blush ($13)- This velvety, pliable blush comes in four shades and gives a smooth satiny matte look.

Contouring Pencil Set ($14)- Creamy highlighting and contour sticks that dry to a powder finish.

Metallic Shine Eyeshadow ($14)- A creamy powder eyeshadow with a metallic finish...available in six shades.

Intensely Lavish Lipstick ($10)- This creamy lipstick transforms into a liquid that coats the lips in ultra-shiny intense color. Available in six shades.

Rebel Romantic Face Brush ($19)- The end with the longer bristles was specially designed to work with the Perfecting Bronzer while the shorter side is perfect for using with the Bouncy Cream Blush, Contouring Sticks, or any cream or powder blush.

Glowing Potion Perfecting Serum ($19)- A silky veil that brightens, moisturizes and smoothes the face with hyaluronic acid and pearl extract.

Eyes Potion Perfecting Eye Serum ($16)- Sculpts and brightens the eye area while reducing bags, dark circles and signs of aging. Illuminating microbeads add radiance around the eyes.

So what do you guys think, is anything jumping out at you? Have you tried any of these products yet? The entire Kiko Rebel Romantic collection is on sale now on the Kiko Website.

Rimmel Oh My Gloss! ($5.49 at Target stores) is a brand new range of lip glosses that are infused with argan oil and vitamin E and claim to give your lips color, moisture, and shine that lasts up to 6 hours, which is quite long-wearing for a gloss. I counted 17 shades at my local Target and as much as I wish I could have bought them all to swatch for you, I had to restrain myself to just 6. So keep on reading for my first impressions...plus arm, lip and full face swatches (oh my)!

Oh My Gloss comes in clear tubes with a black cap that aren't perfectly round...they're sort of triangular shaped which actually makes them easy to hold. I guess you could say that they're ergonomically correct...haha?

Looking at the tubes, it appears that some have shimmer and some don't. In reality they all have a little bit, but some more than others. Looking at this photo below, Glossaholic, Pin Up and Snog look like they don't have shimmer, but if you look closely at the swatches below, you can see a very tiny amount (it doesn't really translate to shimmer on your lips though). Stay My Rose and Captivate Me have visible shimmer in the tube but it's not super noticeable once it's on your lips. The shade with the heaviest shimmer is definitely Twinkle Twinkle (at least out of the 6 shades I got), so the shimmer does vary from shade to shade.

They come with a flat paddle applicator which is probably my favorite type for applying lip gloss. It makes it really easy to coat your lips in one or two swipes.

The coverage on these also varies a bit from shade to shade. Twinkle Twinkle, Pin Up and Snog were the most pigmented out of the shades I bought but in general I'm guessing that the darker shades are more pigmented. Still, I had to remind myself that these are lip glosses and not liquid lipsticks so I couldn't expect full coverage. There are so many liquid lipsticks out these days that it's hard not to think that way...lately I see a lip product in a tube and my first thought is that it's going to be packed with pigment.
That being said, these aren't super sheer either, except for the lightest two shades I bought, so you can definitely expect more color than, say, Maybelline Baby Lips gloss.
These have a beachy scent...that's the best way I can describe it. At first I was trying to place it and thinking it was vanilla, but then I realized that it's not a foodie type scent...it smells like sunscreen! So I just wanted to put that out there in case you're sensitive to fragrance.

The formula is very very hydrating and feels like a lip gloss/lip oil hybrid. It's thicker like a gloss but has that non-sticky, melting texture of an oil. I found them very pleasant to wear, especially on my drier lips.

Glossaholic is a sheer baby pink.

Rimmel Oh My Gloss in Glossaholic

Stay My Rose is a sheer nude pink.

Rimmel Oh My Gloss in Stay My Rose

Twinkle Twinkle is a shimmery pinky violet.

rimmel oh my gloss twinkle twinkle swatch

Rimmel Oh My Gloss in Twinkle Twinkle

Pin Up is a bright berry pink.

Rimmel Oh My Gloss in Pin Up

Snog is a pinky brown (and my personal favorite for fall). Sorry the lighting is off in this photo as well...the sun peeked through and made it look warmer than the others.

Rimmel Oh My Gloss in Snog

Captivate Me is a sheer mauve pink.

Rimmel Oh My Gloss Captivate Me

So I haven't really tested the 6 hour claim yet, but I did notice that these stained my lips (except for the two lighter shades, Glossaholic and Stay My Rose which had the shortest wear time). I feel like they definitely stay on longer than your average lip gloss which disappears on me in about an hour. I remember looking in the mirror at around the 3 hour mark after eating and drinking and being surprised that the color and some of the shine were still there. Also, the moisture lasted a good portion of the day and my lips never felt dried out or tacky.

If you like lip glosses, I definitely recommend picking up one or two of these to try. They do double duty as a lip oil and a gloss in one and although I can't vouch for the 6 hour claim, they definitely last longer than a regular gloss. If I wasn't eating and drinking while wearing them, they may well have lasted 6 hours!

You can find Rimmel Oh My Gloss now at your local Target store (sorry they're not online yet so I can't link to them).

I've been a fan of The Body Shop since the mid '90's when I was in high school. I used to go in there for the bath oil beads and those oil burners that made my room smell awesome. Not to mention my friends and I used to argue over whether the Dewberry or White Musk perfume was better (I was White Musk all the way!). They've come a long way since then...I've been addicted to their Coconut Body Oil for years (and I swear it's the one thing that prevented stretch marks while I was pregnant) but their new collection, Oils of Life, takes it up another notch with ultra luxe new packaging and formulas and a simple, three-step skincare routine.

I heard about this new collection from an email that the Body Shop sent me last week, so yesterday I went to my local store to see it in person. It wasn't out on the shelves yet, and the salesperson told me that they're actually launching it today (8/30), but she could sell it to me from the stockroom if I wanted. As it turns out, the employees had already all purchased it for themselves and I ended up getting the very last facial oil they had in stock (and it hadn't even launched yet!). The girl that works there told me that this new launch is "going to be big...maybe their best skincare launch ever!" I have to admit, the packaging is just too gorgeous, so if that's any indication of what's inside the bottles, she may just be right. So without further ado, let's take a closer look at the products:

Oils of Life is a collection of four skincare products that help to bring life back to tired, lifeless looking skin. The secret lies in three precious natural seed oils that are known for their supreme revitalizing and repairing properties on skin:

Black Cumin Seed Oil from Egypt- known for its concentration in antioxidants
Rosehip Seed Oil from Chile- rich in repairing omega 3 and 6
Camellia Seed Oil from China- naturally rich in nutritive oleic acid

These formulas are made for all skin types, even sensitive skin, and provides anti-aging benefits.

It's a three-step skincare routine featuring an essence to prep the skin after cleansing, an oil, and either a gel cream or cream moisturizer. Here's a closer look at the products:

Intensely Revitalizing Essence Lotion $22- There's a lot of buzz around essences lately, which have been part of the Korean skincare routine for many years. They're just gaining popularity here in the US and more and more brands are starting to release them. This particular formula is a bi-phase (oil + water) formula that prepares and activates your skin to receive the rest of the products. You would use this in place of a toner, after cleansing.

the body shop oils of life essence lotion

Intensely Revitalizing Facial Oil ($39)- Infused with three precious seed oils and a blend of seven essential oils, this lightweight and quickly absorbing texture leaves a non-sticky finish, melting onto the skin, leaving it silky and soft. Instantly, skin appears smoother, more radiant, revived, revitalized and nourished. After 4 weeks, the signs of aging appear reduced, wrinkles appear minimized, and skin feels more elastic and firm.

Intensely Revitalizing Cream ($34)- a silky moisturizing cream that helps to nourish the skin without leaving a greasy feel. Water loss is reduced by 21% within one hour, and firmness is improved after 1 hour. The nourishing texture and non-greasy feel leave skin feeling smoother and intensely nourished with a matte finish.

Intensely Revitalizing Gel Cream ($34)- a lightweight moisturizer that nourishes the skin with a non-greasy feel. Essential oils leave skin feeling softer, hydrated, and radiant, while illuminating micro pearls create a radiant finish.

In talking with the salesperson at The Body Shop, she recommended using the Essence first after cleansing, then the oil along with any other serums you might use (she gave me samples of their Drops of Youth Concentrate serum and told me it's like "Botox in a bottle"), then you have to choose a cream based on your skin type. I was thinking that the gel cream would be best for oily skin since it claims to be lightweight, but she told me that they're actually both non-greasy and that the gel cream has illuminating ingredients in it to brighten up dry skin and give it a glowy finish, while the cream actually leaves the skin with a matte finish, which those with oily skin would likely prefer. I was really glad she told me that because I would have thought it was the other way around!

Price-wise, the line is pretty affordable...similar to Olay ProX. It's definitely more affordable than the skincare lines at Sephora or department stores, so I was excited to try it. I ended up purchasing the Essence and the Facial Oil since those were the most interesting to me. I'll use my regular moisturizer for now and if I love the two products I bought, I'll go back and get the Gel Cream. If you want to try just one product, I would recommend getting the Essence since it'll prep your skin and help the skincare you're already using perform better. Or if you're already using an essence, the facial oil seems to be the product the Body Shop employees were most excited about (it's the most concentrated).

You can find the new Oils of Life range at your local Body Shop store or at thebodyshop.com.

L'oreal Voluminous SuperStar Mascara ($9.99 at Walmart and Target stores) is a brand new Lash Primer and Lifting Mascara in one. Read on for my first impression review plus before and afters!

Mascara is my desert island beauty product...I can have a full face of makeup on but if I'm not wearing mascara, my eyes seem so much smaller and tired-looking. Conversely, if I'm not wearing makeup and decide to just wear mascara, I instantly look more pulled together, fresh, and awake. So I'm a bit of a mascara junkie...I think I've purchased every drugstore mascara that's been released the last several years, as well as some higher-end ones as well (I justify this by the fact that it needs to be replaced so often...haha). When I saw that L'oreal had released a new mascara called Voluminous SuperStar at Target last week did I even hesitate before I threw it into my cart? Nope!

Let's take a closer look...

L'oreal Voluminous Super Star Mascara Review

The back of the package states that this is "our 1st primer and mascara system to transform lashes"...but remember Double Extend? It was right next to this on the shelf, so that kind of confused me.

The description states that SuperStar mascara gives you super-volumized, super-lifted, super-extended lashes.
Step 1: The Primer claims to build dramatic volume and create a smooth, even base for the mascara.
Step 2: The Mascara is fiber-infused and has a curved brush to lengthen and curl your lashes.

Ingredients:

The packaging is pretty cool-looking...silver, black and sleek. Each end is labeled 1 and 2 so you can easily tell which side to use first.

Because each end tapers down to a point, you can't stand this mascara on it's end...it has to lay down all the time. I know that might bother some people so I wanted to put that out there.

The brush on the primer side is an hourglass shape, and like most lash primers, the formula is white.

On the mascara side, the brush is curved with the regular bristles (not the hard plastic kind).

Add caption

Here are my lashes with no mascara on:

Before applying SuperStar Mascara

Here, I've added the primer. The formula went on very easily...more so than other lash primers I've used. One coat deposited a ton of white stuff and you can see how it's already lengthened my lashes from the before photo.

After applying one coat of SuperStar Primer Step 1

The packaging doesn't say whether you should wait a few minutes to let the primer dry a bit or just apply the mascara right away (I'm never really sure which one you're supposed to do). So I went ahead and just applied the mascara straight away. It clumped up immediately and made me look like I had 4 giant lashes. I ran upstairs and grabbed my lash comb and used that to separate my lashes back out (I prefer a more separated, fluttery lash look). As you can see, my lashes are really long and a lot thicker...almost like falsies.

After Applying SuperStar Mascara Step 2

But despite the great results, this mascara has some drawbacks. Aside from the clumpiness factor, this also never really feels like it dries. Over the coarse of the day, my lashes seemed to droop under the weight of it...maybe because the primer adds another layer? Either way, by the end of the night, I no longer had a "lifted" lash look...instead, I had some definite racoon eyes going on.

Overall, my first impression of this was great...it gave my lashes a huge boost in both volume and length. But there are definitely some drawbacks to this formula. I'll try experimenting with fewer coats to see if that helps it to dry faster/more thoroughly. In the meantime, if you're planning to try this and you don't like a clumpy lash look, you're definitely going to need a lash comb.

Have you seen or tried L'oreal SuperStar mascara yet? I'd love to hear what you think!

IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss ($24) and Your Lips But Better Waterproof Lip Liner Stain ($20) is the perfect combo to get full coverage color that's hydrating and good for your lips! Read on for my review and swatches...

Liquid lipsticks are so hot right now and most of them have a matte finish which can be really drying on your lips, especially if they're super dry like mine. At first, I gave in to the trend after seeing all of these great photos of matte lips on Instagram and hearing lots of buzz from my fellow bloggers, but looking back, my lips looked terrible! They looked cracked and dry and my lines were even more pronounced. It's taken me until age 37 to finally realize something very important...when it comes to beauty, forget about the trends. Forget about what everyone else is doing and stick with what works for you. It may mean that you don't get to wear that super-popular, of-the-moment brand that everyone you know is gaga about but at least you won't look back and feel bad about the way you looked...that's happened to me so often and I have those "what was I thinking?" moments.

What works best for me is gloss or tinted balm, but sometimes I want that full-coverage lip look that has real staying power, like what you'd get with a liquid lipstick. I've discovered a great combination that gives me all of that and more without drying out my lips...IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss layered over their Your Lips But Better Waterproof Lip Liner Stain. Let's take a closer look...

IT Cosmetics Your lips but better lip liner stain butter gloss review

Your Lips But Better Waterproof Lip Liner Stain ($20) is a long-wearing automatic lip liner that's also a lip primer and a stain. It's infused with peptides, collagen, hyaluronic acid, avocado oil, shea butter, aloe and jojoba, plus antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E, Green Tea, Acai, and White Tea. You would think that with that many nourishing ingredients this would just slide right off your lips but it doesn't. It's definitely creamy for a lip liner, but it still has that drier, lip liner feel...unfortunately, it's a necessary thing to make sure it stays in place. If it were too creamy, it wouldn't be doing it's job! The good news is, despite feeling a little bit dry, these don't make my lips look dry. They stay smooth and don't cake or accentuate lip lines. They also come with a built-in sharpener at the base (although they are automatic so you only need to use it if you want a sharper point).
I have these in three shades...Blushing Nude, Romantic Rose, and Cherry Flush. They also come in Buff Nude, Spicy Nude, Pretty In Pink, and Perfect Red, so there are seven shades in all.

it cosmetics your lips but better lip liner stain review swatches

From Left: Blushing Nude, Romantic Rose, Cherry Flush

The Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss ($24) is an ultra-hydrating blend of oils and butters to make your lips look and feel amazing without a sticky or tacky feeling. For me, these are like a liquid lip balm in a tube...they're the most moisturizing gloss I own. They're infused with peptides, collagen, hyaluronic acid, avocado oil, shea butter, aloe and jojoba, plus antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E, Green Tea, Acai, and White Tea. They have a beautiful shiny finish that helps my drier lips to look radiant and my lip lines just melt away when I apply this. I have the shades Perfect Nude, Naturally Pretty, and Ruby Slippers, but there are also four other shades: Pretty In Pink, Joyful, I Believe, and News Anchor Blue (a clear, teeth-whitening shade).

it cosmetics vitality lip flush butter gloss review swatches

From top: Perfect Nude, Naturally Pretty, Ruby Slippers

Here are all the shades I own of the YLBB Lip Liners and Vitality Butter Glosses swatched individually:

it cosmetics butter gloss swatches lip liner swatches

Here are the shades layered together! Combining the two products gives me a full coverage lip that's super hydrating, yet lasts for hours and hours. The Butter Gloss completely offsets any dryness from the liner and the hydration lasts for hours...even after the shine has worn away. The YLBB Liners stain my lips so the color lasts all day, plus they act as a primer and help the gloss to stick around longer.

Here's the Perfect Nude gloss over the Blushing Nude liner. By itself, the Perfect Nude gloss is sheer and doesn't have a lot of pink in it, but the Blushing Nude liner has a little pink which helps to warm it up so my light skin doesn't look washed out.

it cosmetics vitality butter gloss swatches

Wearing IT Cosmetics Your Lips But Better Waterproof Lip Liner Stain in Blushing Nude under Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss in Perfect Nude.

Here, I combined the Romantic Rose YLBB liner with the Naturally Pretty gloss, which is also a rosy pink shade. This is my favorite combination because it's truly a My-Lips-But-Better color that goes with everything.

it cosmetics lip liner stain review swatches

Wearing It Cosmetics YLBB Lip Liner Stain in Romantic Rose under the Naturally Pretty Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss.

Finally, if I'm in the mood to wear a bolder lip, the Cherry Flush liner layers beautifully under the Ruby Slippers Butter Gloss. Ruby Slippers is more of a berry shade than a red, but when it's layered over the red liner, it gives the look of a red lip that actually has a cooler, almost blue tone (great for making your teeth look whiter!).

Wearing IT Cosmetics YLBB Lip Liner Stain in Cherry Flush under Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss in Ruby Slippers.

Overall, I'm so happy to have found a way to get a more opaque, long lasting lip look that keeps my lips hydrated all day. I also love how they look plumped and my lines are minimized...it's like turning back the clock!

Are there any makeup trends that you can't get on board with? I'd love to hear about it and how you've found a way around it!

Where to Buy:

You can find IT Cosmetics Your Lips But Better Waterproof Lip Liner Stain at Ulta, ITCosmetics.com or at QVC.

Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss can be found at Ulta, ITCosmetics.com or there's a great deal on them at QVC right now...you can get three for $39.50 (that's less than the price of 2). You can get Perfect Nude and Naturally Pretty that I showed here today plus that News Anchor Blue shade I mentioned, or two other combinations.

**Disclosure- The products mentioned in this post were given to me by IT Cosmetics in exchange for an honest review. This is not a sponsored post (I was not paid) and all opinions are my own.

I follow Jane Cunningham (@britbeautyblog on Instagram) and yesterday she posted a sneak peek of these adorable Clinique Sweet Pots. They look like macarons, but they're really double-sided lip balm and scrub. Seriously, just take my money already! :)

I'm guessing they'll be arriving for holiday in the UK, but I haven't heard if we'll get them in the US yet and if so, when it'll be. Fingers crossed we'll get them for holiday as well!

Photo via @britbeautyblog on Instagram

The new releases just keep coming at Target this week! First it was the Maybelline Push Up Mascara, Brow Kit, and Baby Skin Blushes, then the Sonia Kashuk skincare line, Pixi's Fall line, Rimmel Oh My Gloss, and L'oreal Superstar mascara. Now yesterday I spotted a new product in the Superstar lineup...it's a liquid eyeliner that claims to help you create a winged eyeliner look in one step, thanks to a flexible brush. Or if you're feeling fancy, you can do it in 2 steps, as outlined on the back of the package below. It's also supposed to be smudge-proof and last all day. I got one to try (they only come in black at the moment) so I'll let you guys know what I think soon!

When I first heard that The Balm was releasing a palette of their "Manizer" luminizers at Kohls a few weeks ago, I couldn't have been more excited! Mary-Lou Manizer is my favorite highlighter of all time and I use Cindy-Lou often as an illuminating blush. I also use both of them as eyeshadows from time to time...I love to use them by themselves with a little black liquid liner and mascara for a simple, everyday look. I haven't gotten around to purchasing Betty-Lou, mainly because it's too dark for me to use as a highlighter and too shimmery to wear all over as a bronzer. But I'm so glad I have it now because it'll make a great eyeshadow as well! I know a lot of you guys were wondering about the size of this new palette, so I just wanted to do a quick overview and comparison so you can see how it compares to the originals. Let's take a look!

The Manizer Sisters- $28 at Kohls.com

The Manizer Sisters palette comes as a little cardboard foldover style palette with a magnetic closure. It was a little smaller than I thought it was going to be, based on the photos I saw online, but it's always so hard to tell.

The Manizer Sisters- $28 at Kohls.com

Here's the palette next to my full size Mary-Lou and Cindy-Lou, which will give you an idea of the size when compared to them. One thing I really love about the cardboard packaging is that I feel like it won't shatter if you drop it. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to my Cindy-Lou Manizer compact when I was taking the photos for this post. It slipped out of my hands and onto the floor in a million pieces. :(

Opened up, you can see that the pans in the palette are considerably smaller than the full size version. They're .11oz compared to the original at .3oz, so they're just over 1/3 the size. A full size compact is $24, and this palette is $28, so that makes sense when you consider that three of the smaller sizes add up to a little more than one full size. The good news is, that these are so incredibly pigmented, you only need to use a little bit of product, so these smaller sizes will still last a really long time. I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever finish my full-size version, as I've had it for about a year and it barely looks used. Granted, I don't use it every day, but still.

These swatches illustrate how pigmented these are...this is one swipe of each. Since I have fair skin, I use Mary-Lou as a highlighter and Cindy-Lou actually works as a blush on me. Betty-Lou will make a beautiful bronze eyeshadow, don't you think? So for me, this palette is great for travel, because I can use all three for different areas of my face. Perfect!

Overall, I recommend this palette to everyone...if you're already a fan of the Manizer sisters, it'll make an excellent travel companion (and won't be as likely to shatter) and if you're new to The Manizers, this is a perfect intro to all three shades. That way, you can find which one works best for you, or like me, find a use for them all!

You can find The Manizer Sisters for $28 at Kohls.com.

City Color Cosmetics is one of my favorite budget beauty brands...their products are consistently high-quality and the prices are phenomenal for what you're getting. The only thing is, the full line isn't sold in stores and although you can find certain items at places like Five Below, it's never a guarantee. So the only way to get exactly what you want is online. Until now, their free shipping minimum was $50, which was pretty steep considering how inexpensive their products are, but this week, the minimum was lowered to $25! Plus, they've given me a 10% off coupon to share with you...it's BudgetBeautyBlog. Happy shopping! (Check out my City Color reviews here)

Maybelline Push Up Drama Mascara ($7.49 at Target) is a brand new formula and is part of the Falsies line. I typically like Maybelline mascaras so I was excited about this one, especially since there's a lot of talk about this being a dupe for Benefit's Roller Lash (one of my all-time favorites). Well, I'll address that in this post and will compare the two as well as my before and after photos wearing both to see which one I ultimately like best. Let's get started!

The Falsies Push Up Drama claims to give "dramatic lift and volume for the falsies push up effect, with a creamy plumping formula that delivers instant volume and holds lift in place". Already, this is starting to sound like Roller Lash, because that formula is also supposed to be lifting and curling.

The packaging is a really pretty red and hot pink metallic tube. It actually looks like it should be a double-ended mascara, but it's not.

The brush is one of those harder plastic ones and the bristles are spaced very far apart. They have these U shaped cups that are supposed to sort of push your lashes up as you comb it through. Speaking of which, the directions say to "sweep lashes from root to tip" and it doesn't say to wiggle it back and forth like most mascaras do. I would definitely agree with this method, because the first time I used this, I wiggled it like I always do and got a very clumpy result because all of the mascara sitting in between the gaps in the brush found its way onto my lashes. By sweeping it up straight, your lashes mostly stay in those cups and I got a nicely separated look with no clumps by doing it that way.

So how does it compare to Roller Lash?

I think it's safe to say that the two are completely different when it comes to their brushes and formula. The Roller Lash brush has tiny little hooks that are supposed to grab your lashes and curl them as you sweep the brush up, while the Maybelline brush doesn't actually hook and roll your lashes, it catches them in the little cups and pushes them up for a lifting effect.

Before and Afters:

Here are my lashes before using Maybelline Push Up Drama:

Before

And here they are after 2-3 coats. The formula is very wet and dries to a very dark black finish. It gives nice length and volume and definitely pushed my lashes up, however they stayed pretty straight without a lot of curl (I didn't use a lash curler).

After

Here, you can see how the mascara got all over my lids. Because the formula is so wet and possibly because of the way the brush is shaped I had a really hard time not getting it on my lids. Kind of a bummer, but luckily, I didn't have any issues with this one smudging under my eyes like I did with the L'oreal Superstar formula.

Now I thought it would be interesting to compare my results with the Maybelline Push Up Drama with my Benefit Roller Lash results from earlier this year.

You can see here that the Maybelline formula looks quite a bit darker and my lashes look stiff, while Roller Lash appeared to give me a little more length and curl with a softer look.

Below, you can really see the difference in the curl...Roller Lash just gives my lashes a nice curly effect that looks softer and more natural than the Maybelline Push Up Drama.

Overall, Maybelline Push Up Drama made my lashes look long and lifted but it didn't really add curl and was difficult to keep from getting all over my lids. And while it's not a dupe for Roller Lash, it's a lot cheaper so if you curl your lashes first, you may get a similar result!

You can find Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Benefit Roller Lash is available at Sephora.

Thank you so much to reader @v_eronicaa on Instagram for tagging me on this one!

Maybelline just posted this sneak peek on their Snapchat today...they're releasing a line of matte liquid lipsticks! I went on Snapchat to see for myself and there's no information other than this photo, so I don't have a release date or anything like that yet.

It looks like there are 10 shades and lots of pretty shades (even a dark purple and...is that a black?).

I'll let you know as soon as I find out more and thanks again to @v_eronicaa on Instagram for the heads up!

If you see something new that you'd like me to possibly post on the blog, please tag me on Instagram or Facebook (or shoot me an email).

Also, I'm on Snapchat now! Check it out to see my day behind the scenes. My username is budgetbeauty.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush($5.99 at Target) is a brand new gel blush that claims to give a "fool-proof sheer" wash of color to your cheeks. I know you guys have been really curious about these and a lot of you have told me that your Target doesn't even have them in stock yet (mine doesn't either, so I found these at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $5.79 each). I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if I'm being totally honest, you'll probably want to save your money instead of buying these...read on to find out why.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush Review & Swatches

Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush claims to be a tinted cream-gel formula that gives a hint of color for a look that's natural and not overdone. This is all true and it sounds great, in theory, but the main problem is that the formula is just plain greasy. It felt like I was applying a tube of Baby Lips Tinted Lip Balm or even vaseline straight onto my cheeks. I have the driest skin in the world, without even a hint of oil and yet this was way too oily even for me. It stayed wet and dewy all day and never really sank into my skin or set, so even hours later if I touched my cheeks, I could still feel it sitting on top.

The packaging is cute! The flat top unscrews and the product itself is a dome shape, like an EOS lip balm. While I love the look of these, the flat part isn't comfortable to hold when applying these. It's very smooth and hard to grip with your fingers...mine kept slipping as I tried to use it.

When I first saw them in the packaging I didn't realize how small they were, but they're actually pretty tiny. Here's one next to Maybelline's Master Glaze for reference, so you can really get a sense of how small they are!

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush Review

The first shade, Pinking of You is a light rosy pink with a hint of shimmer.

The second shade, Pop of Peach is a peachy coral shade that doesn't have any visible shimmer in it. Both shades have a sweet, fruity smell.

The pigmentation on these is almost non-existent, unfortunately. The packaging does say that they're sheer, but I was almost left feeling, "what's the point?". This photo shows one swipe of each shade and as you can see, they're barely there. By the time you blend them, they disappear and take some of your foundation with them. You can layer them to build the intensity, but they already leave such a thick coating on your skin that doesn't seem to fully dry down, I wouldn't want to add any more.

Here, I'm wearing several layers of Pop of Peach just so that I could get it to show up on camera. You can kind of see the dewy finish it creates, which looks nice...I just don't like how it feels like I'm wearing a lip balm on my cheeks.

Overall, these were a miss for me, and I have really dry skin, so those of you who are oily will really

not get along with these. It's really a shame because they looked so cute and I usually love cream blushes. I think if it were a cream-to-powder versus a gel-cream it would have been better, but sadly that's not the case.

Have you tried these yet? I'd love to hear about it!

You can find these now at Target.com.

Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick($22 at Sephora) is a brand new line of full-coverage lipsticks that come in 30 shades of both satin and matte finishes. It's a lightweight gel formula that claims to give intense pigmentation in one swipe. For those of you not familiar with the brand, Buxom is part of the same company that owns Bare Minerals and is all about bold vivid colors and sexy packaging...sort of like Bare Minerals' wild younger sister. Let's take a look!

Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick Review & Swatches

Packaging-wise, this is probably the most beautiful lipstick in my collection right now. It reminds me a little of Kat Von D's packaging..it's part edgy, part classic and will appeal to a lot of people. The tube is wider than the average lipstick and feels heavy and substantial in your hand. The satin finishes come in a tube with a glossy black finish while the matte finishes have a flat black tube, so from the outside, you'll be able to tell what finish you're picking up.
The outside of the tube has the word Buxom on it in raised letters and the tube opens in the middle of the X, so the OCD in me has to make sure the word lines up every time I put the cap back on. Speaking of which, this has a magnetic closure that's super fancy and really strong...I love replacing the cap and hearing that satisfying "click".

The bullet has that flat shape that a lot of tinted lip balms have, rather than a traditional lipstick shape so it's a little harder to be precise when applying this. Still, I didn't have too much of a problem. I picked up the shade Rebel Rose which is described as a rose pink with a satin finish. I was thisclose to buying Sultry Mauve, which is just slightly darker than this one but I ended up going for Rebel Rose instead.

Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick in Rebel Rose

As you can see, this lays down an intense, full coverage color in one swipe! It feels really creamy and moisturizing, yet lightweight. It smells delicious and reminds me of funnel cake on the boardwalk.

Buxom Bold Gel in Rebel Rose swatches

Here are my lips before and after...this shade is just about my exact lip color, just deeper and richer. So for me, this is a true MLBB shade! If you have more pigmented lips, this shade my look pale on you, but for me, it just deepens my lips to the shade I wish they were naturally! So many MLBB's are just a little too pink or a little too nude but this one is exactly right! I also love the satiny finish...it's the perfect balance between matte and glossy.

Buxom Bold Gel Lipstick Before and After Swatches

I can see myself wearing this shade every single day, it's so pretty and natural looking! The only downside to this shade is that it doesn't have a lot of staying power...I find that most lighter shades of lipstick don't, no matter what the brand. On me, it lasts about 3 hours or so, but I can't speak for some of the darker shades in the line because I've seen reviews that claim they lasted much longer than that. This does stain my lips, which helps it to last longer, and it wears off very evenly without any patchiness.

buxom bold gel lipstick swatch rebel rose

Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick Swatch in Rebel Rose

Overall, I definitely need to own more shades of Buxom's Big & Sexy Bold Gel lipsticks! There were so many amazing colors to choose from I didn't even know where to begin, but I think I'll start with Sultry Mauve next. They're one of the creamiest, most comfortable lipsticks I've ever worn and the pigmentation is amazing.

You can find the Buxom Bold Gel lipsticks exclusively at Sephora.

Now through Labor Day, City Color Cosmetics is 25% off using code WEEKEND25! Plus, get free shipping on orders over $25. So now's your chance to try all the things you've been wanting to try from City Color!

I placed my order already and saved $16.47 off my total. I was able to stock up on a bunch of things I've been wanting to try, including 2 of the new Creamy Lips shades!
Not sure what to get? Check out some of my City Color reviews here!

Here's what I ended up getting..,

Stock up now at Citycolorcosmetics.com!

When you're a blogger, there are many expenses that you incur on a regular basis, so it makes sense to monetize your site to get a little bit back, break even, or hopefully make a little bit of money for your efforts. Affiliate networks are one way to do that and one of the best out there is Rakuten. They have a lot of advertisers to work with that are beauty-related so they're a perfect fit for me! They just started a new program this year called the Bonus Box, where they give certain publishers a box full of products from advertisers in their network, and this quarter, I was chosen to receive a box! I was so excited and couldn't wait to see what was inside.

I was really happy to see a lot of beauty products in this box because there are many advertisers that are not beauty companies in the network.

The first product I got is the Ole Henriksen 3 Little Wonders kit ($24.50). It contains mini versions of their best selling Truth Serum, Sheer Transformation Anti Aging Moisturizer, and the Invigorating Night Treatment. I've heard so many good things about these products but have yet to try them, so I'm really excited to incorporate them into my routine!

Nourish Organic Skin Solve ($19.99) is a multi-use cream-to-oil formulation that can be used all over the body, from head to toe! If you've ever tried Josie Maran's Infinity Cream to Oil, this feels and smells very similar...for a lot less money!

I tried the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil ($28) way before cleansing oils were trendy, after reading about it in a magazine 10-15 years ago! I loved it at the time, but after I used up my bottle I was on to the next big thing. I was so excited to see a mini version ($5.50) in this box. With one sold every 10 seconds and over 4,200 5 star reviews on their website, this is a cult classic that I can't wait to start using again!

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist ($15 travel size, $48 full size) is another product with a cult following and numerous 5-star reviews online. I recently saw online that it's the secret to Kim Kardashian's glow (love her or hate her, she always looks radiant). It's advertised as a spray-on moisturizer, but it's pretty lightweight so if you have drier skin like I do, it's more like a moisturizing toner.

Lacoste L!ve ($74 full size) is a men's cologne that has a really fresh, yet deep scent. I was instantly drawn to it and gave it right to my husband to wear. He has owned Lacoste fragrances in the past so I had a feeling he'd like this one, which he did!

I'm a huge Laura Geller fan so I was really excited to see her Glam Lash Mascara ($24) in the bonus box. I've seen it demonstrated on QVC and have always wanted to try it! I'll definitely post a review when I do!

This keychain from the New York Times store ($12) is all about New York with charms that include a crossword puzzle, apple, taxi, and the original NY Times tower.

Finally, this tee from Lookhuman.com was a bit of a surprise because it's a political design. They have so many cute designs on their website (including Full House sayings and themes) that would have been a lot more suited to my taste. I've seen what other bloggers got in their boxes and every tee seems to be different, so I'm a little bummed that this is the one I got while a lot of other people got ones that they would actually wear. Plus, it's probably not the greatest idea to put a political tee in a random box when you have no idea who it's going to because politics is such a hot topic. It's probably better to send more neutral designs.

With the exception of the Bernie Sanders tee, I loved my bonus box and fingers crossed, I'll get another one next quarter! :)

For all of you bloggers or website owners out there, if you're not a part of the Rakuten affliate network, I highly recommend it as a way to help monetize your site!

I have tried a lot of foot smoothing products in my life, including scrubs, lotions with chemical exfoliants such as AHA's, and callus removing devices, but when I was offered the chance to try and review Illinois-based company Grace & Stella's Luxurious Foot Peeling Mask, nothing could have prepared me for the results...I don't say this often but this product is life-changing!

For the past two years, I've been a stay-at-home Mom and as a result, my feet have been destroyed from wearing sandals and flip flops half the year and going barefoot around the house year round. At first, they just looked dry and cracked, but over time they developed these thick calluses that nothing would get rid of. The calluses themselves would crack and turn yellowish...it was gross! I was embarrassed to take my shoes off anywhere for fear someone would see them. I tried scrubbing them with the harshest scrubs I could find, slathered them with foot masks and peels at night, and used countless electric foot filing devices, and while they all helped them to look a little bit better, my feet never looked perfect. There was always that hardened layer on my heels and bottom of my foot that just wouldn't go away.

Enter Grace & Stella's Luxurious Foot Peeling Mask ($32.95). This product completely removed every trace of hardened, dry, cracked skin in about a week, leaving me with a brand new pair of feet (or at least it feels that way). Keep reading to get a coupon code that brings the price down to $5 for Budget Beauty Blog readers!

The instructions are pretty simple, but you just need some time to complete the process...at least an hour and a half or so. I used mine last week while my son was taking a nap. It works best if you soak your feet in warm water first, so I soaked mine in the tub for 15 minutes.

The peel comes in the form of plastic booties that you wear, and they come in a little foil pouch.

When you open them up, they are completely sealed and need to be cut open on the top. The inside is covered in the solution which contains 17 high quality vegetable and leaf extracts from Japan and Korea, plus lactic acid, glycolic acid, and alcohol which will ultimately dry out the skin and help it to shed. It sounds a little scary but it's really not at all. Once the booties are cut open, you get hit with an astringent smell so I was a little nervous that it might burn or tingle, but it didn't do either one...it just felt sort of cooling. After putting them on, you just use the tape strips that are included with the kit to keep them closed...I just sort of folded the tops over and taped them closed. Grace & Stella recommends covering the booties with socks, and then sit and relax for an hour, trying not to get up if you don't have to (due to the fact that you might slip and fall).

Here's what it looks like before putting your socks on.

I didn't take a before photo because I was way too embarrassed about how my feet looked. But this photo below is exactly what they looked like...that thick, cracked, yellowed skin. Yup...totally gross. It was on my heels, as shown in the photo, as well as on the balls of my feet.

**WARNING** if seeing photos of peeling skin grosses you out, just skip over the next two photos.

Once I removed the booties, I washed my feet with soap and water and dried them off. They didn't look any different...no redness or signs of irritation. For the next week, I wasn't able to wear any moisturizers on my feet, per the instructions, so I just left them alone to dry out.

After a few days, I was starting to think that this mask wasn't working. My feet didn't look any drier than usual...nothing was happening. But then, on day 5...they started peeling! You can see in this photo how the skin underneath is super smooth while the skin surrounding it looks rougher. As the dead skin on top peels off, the skin underneath feels like a newborn baby's...seriously! The whole process took a few days, and I made sure to cover my feet when I went out so that I didn't get strange looks. Also, I wore socks to bed to prevent the skin from coming off in my sheets.

My skin continued to shed, especially after a shower...I found that if I rubbed my towel on them while they were still a little bit damp, the skin would come off faster. The whole process was totally painless!
Now a week later, this is what my feet look like! A far cry from that before photo above (which isn't me, but mine looked exactly like that).

Overall, this is one of the few products out there that actually does exactly what it claims to do, and I have brand new feet to prove it! Grace and Stella have generously offered to give my readers a huge discount to try the Foot Peeling Mask for only $5 (it's regularly $32.95 on their website, Graceandstella.com). In all honesty, this mask is so good, I would gladly pay full price for it, especially since I would only need to use this every 6 months or so (as long as I keep up with moisturizing and exfoliating in between so my feet don't get that bad ever again).

Here's the link for the discount...and just FYI, it may have outdated information from the original launch because it originally says you're getting it for $1, but once you get your code and checkout on Amazon, it's $5, so just be aware of that.

If you get it, please come back and tell me how it worked for you! I'd love to hear about your experience with it. :)

Recently, I posted about Kiko's fall 2015 collection Rebel Romantic and Kiko generously offered to send me some products to try! I was beyond excited because even though Kiko is relatively new to the US, they have a store where I live and I've tried a few products so far that I was very impressed with. This new collection is just gorgeous...the packaging is rose gold (think Charlotte Tilbury) and will look beautiful sitting on my vanity table, or pulling it out of my purse. The whole collection is whimsical, ethereal and soft. Let's take a closer look...

Everything came in a sturdy bright purple box with the Kiko logo in silver on the lid. The products themselves came in cute little pillow pack boxes.

The Glowing Potion ($19) is a face perfecting serum with hyaluronic acid that gives your face a subtle glow and helps to plump up the skin. I use it in place of a primer on days when I feel like something a little more lightweight because it feels more like a light lotion vs a primer.

Eyes Potion ($16) is an eye contour perfecting serum that brightens up the eye area and helps prep it for makeup. After applying this, I notice that my eye area looks instantly more awake! It helps to hide bags, dark circles and signs of aging and absorbs really quickly with no greasy feel.

Both products give your skin a little bit of a glow but it's not shimmery at all. I would describe it as more of a pearlescence.

kiko glowing potion eyes potion swatches

The Perfecting Bronzer ($16) comes in two shades, Light to Medium and Medium to Dark and contain a perfecting powder in the center. The powder is pink in the lighter bronzer and lilac in the darker one and they help to give a flawless matte look to the skin. It has no shimmer in it whatsoever.

Perfecting Bronzer

Perfecting Bronzer in Light to Medium

The Rebel Bouncy Blush ($13) has a velvety, pliable texture that reminds me of putty (similar to Colourpop's blushes) and has a satin matte finish. It comes in four shades (I chose Adorable Pink).

Rebel Bouncy Blush in Adorable Pink

The Metallic Shine Eyeshadow ($14) is a creamy packed-powder eyeshadow that reminds me of the L'oreal Infallibles. It comes in six shades and I chose Absolutely Rose which is a beautiful pink/lavender shade.

Kiko Metallic Shine Eyeshadow

Kiko Metallic Shine Eyeshadow in Absolutely Rose

The Intensely Lavish Lipstick ($10) is a super creamy formula that feels so luxurious! It just melts into your lips and stains your lips for long-lasting color. The packaging is beautiful and feels so high-end, right down to the magnetic closure. I chose the shade Lusty Peony which is a really pretty rosy pink.

Intensely Lavish Lipstick

Intensely Lavish Lipstick in Lusty Peony

Here are the swatches of the makeup products...aren't they so beautiful?

Overall, I continue to be impressed with Kiko Cosmetics! The quality is right up there with much more expensive brands and the packaging is to-die-for. I would recommend anything from the new Rebel Romantic line, as I've been wearing and loving all of the products I got!

To check out the new Rebel Romantic line or to purchase, please visit KikoCosmetics.com or visit your local Kiko store if you're lucky enough to live near one!

**Disclosure- I received the products featured in this post from Kiko Cosmetics but they did not ask me to post a review and all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post so I was not paid.**

More goodies are coming our way from The Balm Cosmetics! First it was the Manizer Sisters palette (see my review here) and if you didn't indulge in that one, you may definitely decide to go for this because it contains Mary-Lou Manizer and a bunch of their best selling shades all in one palette!

I spotted this on Instagram several weeks ago, but @talesofapaleface uploaded a clearer photo yesterday so I could actually see what's inside it:

Photo Originally posted by @talesofapaleface on Instagram, then by @trendmood1

From what I can see, this includes:

Hot Mama Blush
Instain (possibly the Argyle shade) blush
Cabana Boy blush
Bahama Mama bronzer
How Bout Them Apples Cream Blush
Two Shady Lady Eyeshadows
One Nude Dude Eyeshadow
One Balm Jovi eyeshadow,
Mary-Lou Manizer
The Balm Girls Lipstick? I can't see the last one that well, but it looks like it says lipstick at the bottom left of the pan and the pattern in the background looks like the same one that's in the Mia Moore Balm Girls lipstick.

I'm not sure of a release date or price yet, but I'll certainly keep you updated as soon as I find out. I'm thinking it may be around September 18th, because a reader told me that she's getting The Manizer Sisters palette in her store on that date, so maybe that's when everything is launching. I hope so! :)

Irresistible Me Hair Extensions Review

Flower Beauty Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream Blush Review & Swatches

Kiko Rebel Romantic Collection for Fall 2015

Rimmel London Oh My Gloss Review & Swatches

The New Body Shop Oils of Life Skincare Collection is Going to Be Huge!

L'oreal Voluminous Super Star Mascara Review

My Perfect Lip with IT Cosmetics Butter Gloss and YLBB Lip Liner Stain

Sneak Peek- Clinique Sweet Pots

New L'oreal Voluminous Superstar Liquid Eyeliner spotted at Target

The Balm Cosmetics The Manizer Sisters Palette Review & Swatches

City Color Cosmetics Free Shipping!

Maybelline Push Up Drama Mascara Review

Maybelline Matte Liquid Lipsticks Coming Soon!

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Cheek Flush Review & Swatches

Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick Review & Swatches

25% Off at City Color Cosmetics!

Rakuten Affiliate Network Bonus Box!

Grace & Stella Luxurious Foot Peeling Mask Review + Discount!

Kiko Cosmetics Rebel Romantic Collection First Impressions & Swatches

The Balm In the Balm of Your Hand Palette for Fall/Holiday 2015