October 2010 Favorites!

This month was all about slowly transitioning into the Fall/Winter weather. I've been trying as much as possible to use products that I don't normally use.. so here's what I've been wearing all month!

1. TheBalm's Shady Lady Vol. 1 Palette- This used to be one of my favorites until I switched it out for my NARS, Urban Decay Naked Palette, and so on. I completely forgot how great it was and I'm glad to have rediscovered it. I've been wearing a lot of Caught In The Act Courtney, Curvy Cami, Shameless Shana, Luscious Lani, and Risque Renee. (Click here for review and see below for swatches.)

TheBlam Shady Lady Vol. 1 Palette

2. LORAC Baked Satin Matte Blush in Velvet Rope- I've been switching out my coral and orange-y blushes for more warm rose and plum tones so this was perfect. I love the plummy rose red and it also gives me the prettiest glow. (Click here for review of "Exposed" (another shade of the blush) and here to buy. See swatch below.)

LORAC Baked Satin Matte Blush in Velvet Rope

3. MAC Prim & Proper Blush (Liberty of London Collection)- I didn't use this much when I first got it but now that Fall's finally kicking in (or is it Winter??), I've been using it a lot more. It's a nice nude beige blush that's perfect for low key looks. (See swatch below.)

MAC Blush in Prim & Proper (Liberty of London Collection)

4. Tarina Tarantino Pearl Glow Primer- I got this primer as a freebie from Sephora on Friday and I love it! I don't think I'd use it as primer for my entire face (too sparkly!) but I do like it as a highlighter for my browbone and cheekbones. It just gives a pearly pink highlight. (Click here to buy and see below for swatch.)

Tarina Tarantino Pearl Glow Primer

5. Milani HD Advanced Lip Color in Ignition (above left)- I love love love this lipstick and can't believe it's a drugstore lipstick! I'm very picky when it comes to lipsticks because of my dry, sensitive lips but this is just all around a great lipstick. I love the bright cherry coral color and it gives the nicest splash of color to my toned down Fall makeup. (Click here for review and here to buy. See below for swatch.)

Milani HD Advanced Lip Color in Classy Nude, Ignition

6. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector- I picked this early this month and have been using it ever since (will review soon.) Unlike so many other concealers (high-end and low-end), this doesn't dry out my eye area! The illuminating side is also nice and I sometimes mix it with the concealer side for under my eyes. (See below for swatch.)

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector in Medium

7. Make Up For Ever Eyebrow Corrector- I've just started using this again (in No. 4 Dark brown black) because I dyed my hair black earlier this week (hopefully will show photos soon!) This is my all time favorite brow product. It's a cream and I just apply it with a brush -it looks natural and lasts all day. (Click here to buy.)

What were your October favorites? Happy Halloween everyone! I have so much to do before heading out! =P

Sephora Freebies!

Hey everyone! Just sharing my free Sephora haul with you from yesterday. If you download the Sephora To Go app for your iPhone and show them at the register, they'll give you a free Tarina Tarantino Pearl Glow Primer. I also picked up my free birthday gift since my birthday's coming up. And as always, I snagged a few free samples. =) Happy Saturday everyone.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Coral Crush Review & Swatches

Repurchase: Yes
Price: $8.99 (0.15 oz)
Product: 21/25
Packaging: 4/5
Value: 10/10
Overall Grade: B

Before I dyed my hair yesterday, I was really into corals and bright cherry reds. I picked up Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipstick in Coral Crush to add to my growing collection. Prior to this, I've only tried Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks in the "pearls" formula (which I hated) so I was really hoping to like this.

The Packaging: The lipstick comes in a silver, square shaped tube with a long, transparent red cap. I do like the packaging but I think it needs a little extra something for me to give it a solid "A" grade.

The Product: To me, the lipstick is almost semi-sheer but still pigmented and buildable. It tends to cling to the dryer areas of my lips which isn't a huge deal because it's not a pale or nude lipstick -from a distance, it's not noticeable at all. The formula feels moisturizing and my lips feel fairly soft with this on but after it's removed, my lips do feel slightly tighter and dryer.

The lipstick has a perfume-y rose scent. I remember hating the smell when I first tried the Color Sensational Pearls lipsticks but it doesn't seem as bad this time around. I can actually stand the smell (although it's not my favorite) and it doesn't give me a headache. Unlike with the "pearls" formula, I don't get a bad (burning) reaction from Coral Crush. It feels comfortable on my lips and lasts just under 4 hours.

The Color: Coral Crush (515) is a bright, reddish coral strawberry shade with a sheen to it. (In the tube, it looks neon strawberry red!)

Swatches..

Above (with flash): Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Coral Crush

Above (with flash): Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Coral Crush

Overall: I do like the lipstick but I wouldn't mind if Maybelline got rid of the gross rose scent. I also wouldn't mind if my lips didn't feel dryer after using this. Overall though, the color is nice and the lipstick applies nicely for the price. And to those with dryer lips, be sure to exfoliate and apply a good lip balm before you wear this!

Where To Buy: Drugstore.com (cheaper here!), CVS, Rite Aid

I Can't Stop Listening To This: It Kills Me Cover by Jori

I came across this video yesterday and I was so, so amazed. I think this girl's one of the best singers on YouTube no joke. Her singing is so melodic -it's incredibly natural and just plain beautiful -I don't even understand why she doesn't have as many subscribers as some others. She reminds me a lot of Deborah Cox and Keke Wyatt with a slight Monica edge. If I was Diddy or Jay Z, I'd sign this girl in a heart beat -I honestly think her voice is better than half of the artists playing on the radio today.

Here's the original:

200 Followers! I Spy a Giveaway in the Near Future (Sneak Peek)

I've mentioned a 2nd giveaway coming up soon and I just hit 200 followers so I decided it was about time! I don't want to get all emotional again but thank you so much for the support -you don't know how happy I get just to see comments on my posts!

I still need more time to gather some prizes but above are prize possibilities. For instance, I'm not sure if I'll include the Maybelline quad yet because I haven't tried it (so I'm not sure if it's any good.) I'll for sure be including most of them items above but I still want to look for more prizes -I love adding cute, fun items and not just makeup.

Anyways, this is a heads up to look out for a giveaway coming soon.. I'm not sure when exactly it'll be coming (hopefully within a month) but I've been super duper busy so..... Anyways, have a great day!

Nudey Tuesday: My Favorite Eye Primers (Review & Swatches)

Today's Nudey Tuesday is all about my favorite eye primers. A good primer is a necessity if you want your eye makeup to last long and stay vibrant throughout the day. Here's a breakdown of the primers I use regularly:

1. Too Faced Shadow Insurance- TFSI is a great option for those with dryer skin (around the eyes.) This primer enhances your eyeshadow's color and guarantees a long-lasting hold with no creasing -it lasts all day for me (up to10 hours) with minor fading.

2. Urban Decay Primer Potion- UDPP to me is better than TFSI in terms of keeping your eyeshadow vibrant. This lasts all day for me (up to 12 hours) with no creasing or fading (unlike TFSI which will fade a little.) I can seriously take a nap and wake up with my makeup perfectly or almost perfectly in place when I use this. The only downside, for me, is that this does dry out my skin when my skin is dry around my eyes (especially in colder weather.) I have to switch this out for TFSI when Fall/Winter rolls along.

3. Pari Beauty Precious Glow (in 02 Platinum)- I really like this for that extra shimmer to my eyeshadows. It keeps my eyeshadow vibrant but doesn't last nearly as long as TFSI or UDPP in terms of a long lasting hold. When I use this, my eyeshadow starts to crease and face after about 5-6 hours and because of that, I like to wear it over UDPP or TFSI and under eyeshadow if I want that extra "oomph."

4. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner (in Honey Bunny & Recess)- I never wear this without UDPP or TFSI because for my skin, it's a little stiff and dry but I do use it as an extra "base" if I'm going out and I need my eye makeup to last really long. This keeps my makeup intact if I'm going to be out all night and guarantees no smudges or fading. I also feel like this is better than MAC Paint Pot if you have dryer skin.

5. MAC Paint Pot (in Soft Ochre)- Like Benefit Creaseless Creams, I don't wear this without UDPP or TFSI underneath. I use this as an extra "base" for the same reasons. I do think this is better than Benefit Creaseless Creams as it lasts a little longer and makes my eyeshadow a little more vibrant. The only downside is that this may dry out your skin if you already have dry skin to begin with. However, this will be great for those with normal or more oily skin.

Swatches..

Above (no flash) from left: Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Pari Beauty Precious Glow in Platinum, Benefit Creaseless Cream in Honey Bunny, Recess, MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

Swatches.. (with TheBalm Shameless Shana eyeshadow on top)

Above (no flash) from left: No primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Pari Beauty Precious Glow in Platinum, Benefit Creaseless Cream in Honey Bunny, Recess, MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

Above (with flash) from left: No Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Pari Beauty Precious Glow in Platinum, Benefit Creaseless Cream in Honey Bunny, Recess, MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

Overall: My favorites obviously are TFSI and UDPP. I've quit using UDPP for now since my skin's gotten dryer but I highly recommend it. I know the price is a little steep but trust me, this beats buying a primer that's half the price and only half as good. I've owned both my UDPP (larger size) and TFSI for nearly almost 2 years (I think) now and both still half over half a tube's worth of product left.

4 Things (In My Room, In My Purse, That You Don't Know, etc.) TAG

The Rules

1. Name the person who tagged you. Thank you cocoabee for tagging me!! Visit her at her lovely blog. =)
2. You need to have 4 answers at every question
3. Tag 4 other bloggers
4. Let them know you tagged them

I really enjoyed this tag. It basically sums "me" up in one post! Anyways, here we go..

4 Favorite Things In Room

My makeup area is my absolute favorite area of my room. I keep most of my makeup vanities/drawers under a desk and in the cubbies of the desk. The "daily" makeup, brushes, wipes, etc. go on top. I try to do my makeup here but I almost always resort to doing it on the floor in front of my closet mirrors.

My closet is my second favorite part of my room. I really love the closet system I have (shelves, cubbies) and try to keep it as organized as I can. The only problem is I'm having so trouble fitting everything in there as you can see. =P

My bookshelf is where I store my books, magazines, journals, old projects, and so much more. I have a really hard time throwing out anything that's in my bookshelf -everything feels so important.

My feathery paper fans are loud and sort of random but I love them because my room is mostly pink and green. I was really happy when my friend Malcolm gave them to be about 4 years ago.

4 Things In My Bag/Purse

Ok I have way more than this in my purse (what girl doesn't?) but I tried to scale it down to my 4 "main" items. I switch between the 2 wallets above -the black one is stuffed with all my coupons and the HK one is for when I don't want to carry such a heavy wallet. Keys are an essential -so is my IPod. I also carry my Nintendo DS Lite with me everywhere because I never know when I'll need to kill some time.

This is the main bag I've been using lately. I got it at Old Navy earlier this year for about $7 on sale! People always ask me where I got it expecting it to be expensive but nopeeee.. it's Old Navy! =P

4 Things I Found In My Desk/Office Drawer

I don't really have a desk drawer but here are some random things in the drawers all around my room.

My bead drawer! I'd cry if I ever lost this. I love my beads and use them for jewelry, accessories, and more.

My art supplies drawers are also really important to me. I'm obsessed with art markers, sharpies, crayons, etc. I keep my paints and stuff in boxes though.

My school supplies drawer holds all my back-up school supplies including erasers, pens, markers, notebooks, folders, paper, and more. I love, love, love buying new school supplies -it makes learning exciting. =P

My ribbons drawer.. I don't know if I've mentioned it before but I love wrapping presents and making them look all pretty so a "ribbons drawer" is a must for me.

4 Things I Bet You Didn't Know About Me

My favorite t-shirt is loose and has a low v-neck.. preferably with a pocket on the chest. When I love something, I buy a million versions of it. Here's some of my loose low v-neck tees. Most are from the GAP but some are from American Apparel and Old Navy as well. I love simple clothing.. my basic every day outfit is a v-neck, jeans or leggings, and a cardigan or hoodie.

I'm a sticker whore. Ever since I can remember, I've had an obsession with stickers. I love to use them to decorate all my school supplies, cards, presents, and more.

I used to want to be a fashion designer. My mom was a fashion designer so growing up, I always wanted to be one too. I wanted to be one since I was about 4 and the dream died when I was 17. I just lost interest and realized that being a designer is way too unstable of a career for me.

I love the zoo. There's something about the zoo that just makes me really, really happy. I do however feel a bit guilty seeing all the animals "locked in cages" but I do feel that most zoos treat the animals nicely and really care about them. I would feel horrible if the zookeepers were mistreating the animals.

4 Things I'm Currently Into

My TOMS.. I've been rocking my TOMS almost every day since I got them. They're super comfortable and perfect for walking around all day -my campus is crazy.. LOTS of walking uphill and downhill.

Vampire Diaries has been an obsession for a while now but I think it's an amazing show and I'd be really, really upset if they cancelled it. I love Stefan -I think he's way better than Twilight's Edward. He's so much more real than Edward.. Damon's cool too but I like Stefan more.

Hot Chocolate! For some reason I can't stop drinking this. I don't have any of the fancy stuff at home, just the Nestle, but it's still super yummy and I like topping it off with some whipped cream.

Girl Time! I don't have a decent (recent) picture of me and my girls but I've really been loving girl time lately. Most of my friends are guys so I really value the time I have with my girls -you just can't talk about certain things around guys and having that girl time is really, really important.

4 Things I've Always Wanted To Do

To meet K-Ci. I'm pretty sure those who read my blog already know I love K-Ci (from Jodeci) but I've always really, really wanted to meet him. I think I'd faint if I did.

To see Dwight Howard play in person. I also want to see a bunch of others like Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James.

To travel to Japan. I've always wanted to go to Japan.. I also want to go to the UK, Australia, and back to Paris. Oh and I want to go to New York! ..I've never been. =(

To write a book and have it published. I'd just want a book with a collection of my poems and short stories. I don't know if I'd be able to write an entire novel though -I'd get bored with the story.

Whewww! Finally done. I'd like to tag Erynn, Justine, Tiffany, Melissa, and anyone who wants to do the tag.