Tackling summer trends: favorite summer blushes!

Hey guys!  Today I'm continuing with my summer trends series with a post on my top blushes for the summertime.  Most of these follow the peachy-pink trend that seems to always be in style during the warmer months, but I also threw in two others that rank high on my list.
I used to feel really "meh" towards wearing blush.  I was shy towards using much color at all, fearing it would make me look too much like a clown; I'd end up using really sheer blushes that you could hardly even tell I was wearing.  Now, though, I've come to realize why blush is so important!  It's one of the easiest ways to perk up your face and make you look younger.  And, of course, you have to find the right way to apply it for your face shape along with getting the color you like best.  I used to think peachy pinks looked terrible on me, but I've found that ones with enough pink in them can be very flattering!  Since I think you can also wear other colors during the summer, I included a shimmery bronze and vivid lilac shade in this post as well- together, they all scream "summer" to me!  (PS- I have quite a bit of these because I rotate the blush I wear daily.  I'm sure a lot of you can relate :)

Clockwise from upper left: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends blush in Fresh 20,  Hard Candy Fox in a Box blush in Spicy & Sweet, Darling Girl Cosmetics blush in Yes, Virginia!, DCG blush in Paradise Pink

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends sheer highlighting blush in Fresh

This is a blush I use when I'm doing a brighter pink or purple eye look and I want a soft, cool wash of color on my cheeks.  It's soft yet bright, so it creates a nice balance for vivid eyes.  I actually didn't use this much until recently, when I started playing around a bit more with color.  It's very sheer so I don't recommend it if you prefer more pigmented blushes.

Hard Candy Fox in a Box blush in Spicy & Sweet

You can read my full review of this here.  I usually swirl together the pinker shades, avoiding the brown, but all the brown does really is mute the final color and make it more peach (as in it doesn't make the color muddy).  This can be pretty bold for me- and the color leans pretty deep- but in small amounts it's gorgeous.

Darling Girl Cosmetics blush in Yes, Virginia!

This isn't as WHOA PURPLE as it looks in the jar or in my swatches, first of all!  It's subdued and pretty on cheeks and I love the finish.  Like Paradise Pink, it's almost-matte with a tiny amount of sheen.  I love this for a cooler-toned blush, perfect with neutral or purple/pink/violet eyes.

Darling Girl Cosmetics blush in Paradise Pink

On my NC20ish skin, this gives a really natural and flattering look- like you're wearing blush, but it's not in your face.  It's more on the peachy side with less pink, but its finish (same as Yes, Virginia!) makes it natural.  I will probably buy this in a full size the next DGC order I make.  I love it!

Clockwise from upper left: ELF Studio Contouring Blush/Bronzer, ELF Studio Golden Bronzer, ELF Studio blush in Twinkle Pink

ELF Studio Contouring Blush/Bronzer, blush side

This has been a long-time favorite of mine, despite my "meh" feelings towards glittery blush.  The soft color makes it more tolerable, I think.  This is pretty orange for what I normally gravitate towards, but I actually love this a lot.  It's also perfect in combination with the contouring bronzer (who would have thought..).

ELF Studio Golden Bronzer

No I STILL haven't finished this yet!  I purchased this at the beginning of last summer, but having used it so many times I was pretty sure it would be gone by now (and since I hit pan on it several months ago).  When I'm in the mood for a shimmery bronzer, this is what I use.  It's light in color and the shimmer isn't chunky, so it gives my face a really nice "glow".  A little on the cheekbones, temples, and nose looks wonderful.

ELF Studio blush in Twinkle Pink

This is a new one, and it's not the best quality blush, but the color is really pretty.  I should note that if you have the Studio Contouring blush/bronzer, the blush color is pretty similar, just a little more orange-toned.  This one has more pink in it, but as you can see in my swatches below, they're very close in color AND finish (same type of gold glitter).  However, Twinkle Pink is much more powdery, more so than my other Studio blushes.  It's a gorgeous peachy pink for summer, though!

Swatches:

L-R with flash: DCG Yes, Virginia!, ELF Studio Contouring Blush/Bronzer (blush), ELF Studio Twinkle Pink, Hard Candy Spicy & Sweet, DCG Paradise Pink, Neutrogena Fresh, ELF Studio Golden Bronzer

Hopefully this shows the sparkle/glitter a little better!

Hope you guys enjoyed this!  My next post will be my June favorites (I don't have too many), and then I have a few photo tutorials in the works.  Thanks for reading, like always. :)

xox

Peachy Keen

After a recent trip to my local MAC, something The Mother has been saying for years finally struck a chord. Not only do I buy too much make up, but I repeatedly buy the same sorts of products. I was looking at the mass amount of blushes available, and was slightly overwhelmed until one of the artists came up and recommended Springsheen. Although I was initially looking for something more bronze, I instantly fell in love with its peachy tones. Money handed over, thank you ma'am.

Only to get home and discover that I had three other almost identical blushes. Doh! At the beginning I was a little miffed, having spent over twenty euro on such a similar product. But then rationalised that its a colour that suits me and as long as I don't buy another one (hopefully) equally similar life is peachy. Yeaah?

So the moral of this story? I should probably invest in a variety of products, but hey, I probably won't need to repurchase for a while!

Do you hoard similar make up? Don't even get me started on eyeshadows..

Nars Orgasm - A peachy pink with shimmer, but not glitter. Believe me, I am not a glitter person; so its fab.

Sleek Rose Gold - Sleek's dupe of Nars Orgasm and they are almost identical. If you have one, you really don't need the other. Oops.

Nars Orgasm Multiple - Ditto. Double Oops.

MAC Springsheen - Although very similar to both the Nars and Sleek blushes, its slightly more of a peach. Again, its probably not a necessity. Triple Oops.

Hard Candy Fox in a Box blush in Spicy & Sweet

Finally!  I've been wanting to try this Hard Candy Fox in a Box blush ever since they came out with the new products, but living in Chicago we don't have Walmart in the city.  Once I got home for the summer, I knew it was time to try it out (so I'm sure you all have read plenty of reviews on these already- I know I have!- but I hope it isn't too overkill yet!).  Next on my list is Smooth Talker, which is another four-color blush that closely resembles Benefit Sugarbomb, but for today I'm reviewing this one called Spicy & Sweet!  It's a blend of four shades that come together to deliver a nice pop of peachy-pink to the cheeks.  

The packaging instantly reminds me of the Benefit boxed blushes, although the way they're presented in the plastic (see picture above) is kind of funky.  The box is opened so you can see the powder inside, which makes sense, but mine doesn't stay closed very well because of it (the top is magnetic).  I sat mine upside down for a few minutes which did the trick.  All problems aside, it definitely has that "cute factor" and I'm totally willing to pay for it. ;)  The brush is useless like I expected, but I'm fine using my own.

This picture is color accurate- I took a picture a ways back and then cropped it so the flash wouldn't wash it out

Spicy & Sweet consists of four shades that you can either use individually or all together.  I personally never think to use them individually and just swirl my blush in the pan, but it's up to you.  Clockwise from the top left you have a peach, tan with brown undertones, deep rose, and pink.  Together they leave a gorgeous flush of peachy-pink behind.  From the pan it looks sparkly, but I would call the finish more of a satin- no shimmer or glitter translates to my face.  This is my ideal finish for blushes, as I can still use a highlighter of choice and not look "frosty".  

First four swatches are individual, far right is all together

Pigmentation is great!- I was worried because when swatching them on my arm, it took two swipes of my finger to get the payoff shown below (see picture).  It's much better when used on your face.  The blush gets a little powdery, but not bad- kind of like the ELF Studio blushes in my opinion.  I find I only have to dab my brush in the powder a couple times in order to get sufficient color payoff (and that's more than enough for my cheeks!  I like to buff this in with my EcoTools Bamboo Bronzer brush to make sure it's even).

One thing I like best about this blush is how long it lasts.  When I got home from work at 6pm a few days ago, it was still going strong (I applied it around 9am).  Typically blushes don't last longer than 5-6 hours on me so this was a welcomed surprise.  

Overall, I'm really happy about this new purchase.  If you can access Hard Candy where you live I'd definitely recommend trying one or two!  They're affordable ($6), pigmented, and fun.

Hope you all are having a great Thursday! 

FaceFront Cosmetics Limited Edition!

Lust Quest Collection

This limited edition collection has AMAZING colors! I am super excited to place an order for a few of my favorites! To visit website click HERE!

(All photos are from the FaceFront Website!)

(The "purchase" link takes you to the direct color's description and larger photos!)

These are a limited time only products!

More good news is FREE SHIPPING on orders over $49.00 USD!

PLUS! Get the FaceFront Survival Paint (trial size) by entering the code PAINT at checkout!

La La Lilac $10.50 - - PURCHASE

 Mouse Grey $10.50 - - PURCHASE

Sea Soldier $10.50 - - PURCHASE

Silver Fox $10.50 - - PURCHASE

Soloura $10.50 - - PURCHASE

Steam $10.50 - - PURCHASE

Black Jax $9.50 - - PURCHASE

(Favorite named!)

Can't Elope $10.00 - - PURCHASE

Magnetica $9.50 - - PURCHASE

Visionary Violet $9.50 - - PURCHASE

(LIPS) Kiwi For Lunch $10.00 - - PURCHASE

(LIPS) LustQuest $10.00 - - PURCHASE

(BLUSH) I Dream of Peaches $15.00 - - PURCHASE

(BLUSH) Lustful $15.00 - - PURCHASE

I can honestly say that I have not yet decided which ones I will be purchasing, I love them all! FaceFront Cosmetics has become one of my favorite make-up companies and they deserve recognition!

I have ELF to thank for my current favorite blush combination!

I have a love/hate relationship with blush.  Sometimes I absolutely love it and can't get enough of it, and other times I think it makes my face look overdone; it really depends on the day and how the rest of my makeup turns out.  The last few weeks I've been reacquainting myself with my blush collection and wearing it almost every day.
The idea of layering or mixing blushes is totally new to me, though.  I hear about other girls doing it all the time, but it's something I've never tried for one reason or another.  Well, I ended up layering a couple today and I'm loving the way it turned out!  I can already see myself wearing this combination a lot more in the near future.
The two I'm talking about are ELF's Studio blush in Pink Passion, and the blush side of ELF's Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder:

Left to right: Pink Passion, Contouring blush, and both mixed together

Since Pink Passion is matte and the contouring blush is a sparkly peachy-pink, the textures layer really nicely.  The result is a glow-y, soft yet vibrant peach with enough pink so it doesn't run orange on me.  I love the brightness it gets from Pink Passion, and it's subdued enough for daytime looks. 

Kind of a strange combination when you look at both of them individually, but I think they mix really nicely!

Do you have any favorite blush combinations?  

Bare Minerals All-Over Face Color- Glee

The Bare Minerals 8-piece customizable starter kit I got for Christmas comes with Warmth all-over face color.  I mentioned in my post about it that I just didn't like how Warmth looked on my skin tone- I tried to make it work by only using the smallest amount, but I think it just pulls out too many of my pink undertones for my liking.
When I was in Sephora a couple weeks ago wondering about my foundation shade, I brought it up to the SA that I was interested in the other bronzers from Bare Escentuals because I disliked Warmth.  She told me that I could bring in my Warmth and just swap it out for another all-over face color.  So, that's what I decided to do today.
Apparently my Sephora (which is one of those inside a JCPenney) doesn't do that normally- I don't know if  the problem was that Warmth was a part of the kit, or because I didn't have the receipt.  They still let me do it since a SA told me I could before.  It was nice of them but I feel a little bad, lol!
But anyway, the SA that helped me today was so nice.  We walked over to the Bare Escentuals display and she showed me Glee- described by the website as giving you a "rosy flush."  She dusted it on my cheekbones and temples, had me look in the mirror, and I love it!  I'll definitely be using this more than I did Warmth.

My swatches seriously do not do this color justice! 

It's a rose/mauve-colored blush with not really any sparkle to it, which is a nice change (it seems like every blush I see is either jam-packed with shimmer).  It doesn't look completely matte either, at least to me. 

I haven't used much in the way of powder/mineral blush, so it's going to take a little getting used to.  I sure LOVE how it warms up my face, though.  Here's a picture of it on my cheeks (thank you Sephora SA for doing this for me!):

She did a very light amount, but it's perfect for me, as someone who doesn't like a lot of blush.  

These go for $18 individually and contain 0.05oz of product, in case you're interested!

Have you guys tried this all-over face color, or any others from Bare Escentuals?  They seem to have quite a few!

Review: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends sheer highlighting blush in Fresh

I wasn't sure how to shorten the full name of this blush, so I decided to just spit it all out.  I'm so happy to finally own one of these!  I purchased mine at ULTA on clearance the other day, and have had a few chances to play around with it.

(Click on pictures for bigger/better quality)

I got mine in the color Fresh, which is a combination of bright pink, rose, and baby pink colors.  They all blend together to give a nice light pink pop.

What Neutrogena claims: (Via neutrogena.com) 

Healthy Skin Blends sheer highlighting blush provides sheer illuminating color.A sweep of the brush illuminates your face for a naturally healthy look. This dermatologist-developed blush is made up of a collection of shades that blend together for sheer color with subtle shimmer and natural-looking results, regardless of your skin tone. Multi-vitamins and a botanical conditioner soften and smooth skin.

Price: Between $11-13, depending on where you go.  I got mine on clearance at ULTA for $5.49, which is about 50% off Target's price.  It has 0.2oz of product.

I want to talk a bit about the pigmentation first.  These claim to be sheer, so they're not for people looking for a highly-pigmented blush.  I didn't realize that when I bought it but now it makes sense why it isn't as vibrant in swatches as it looks in the pan.

These are buildable, though, so you can achieve a stronger color payoff based on how many layers you apply.  I love my blushes to be buildable.  I think I look silly with too much color on my cheeks, so this was a total pro for me.

Here are a few pictures to show you the pigmentation:

Above, lightly swatched

Another layer added

So this blush really leaves it up to you how much color you want, which I think is great.

I never talk about packaging, so I also wanted to touch on that here.  It is a little bulky because it's large, but it feels sturdy and definitely not cheap.  I hate having to mess with a lid that won't close or keeps separating from the hinge.  The only reason the packaging is bulky is because Neutrogena includes a brush- and I threw it away.  It's not terrible, but nothing I'd ever use in place of my ELF or Walmart blush brushes (Which are really soft, btw!).  

Here's what it looks like on my cheeks:

This is one light application.  I'm a huge fan of sheer blushes, so this is awesome for me.  And I didn't have a pink blush this "bright" looking, so it's a nice addition to my collection!

I also love that this has those baby pink colors in it so it works as a highlight as well.  I'm all for products that do everything in one!

Pros:

- Sheer but buildable pigmentation

- Mosaic colors so you get a nice blend

- Come in a variety of colors (6 in all)

- Feels like a quality product/you get what you're paying more for

Cons:

- A little pricey for drugstore

- Bulky packaging

- Not recommended for those who want a really pigmented blush

Have you given these a try?  Let me know how you like them if you have!  

Finally- A (mini) Haul & Swatches!

I'm so excited to finally have enough new products to (just barely) qualify as a haul!  I've only bought random makeup products here and there since being at school, so this has been long-awaited.  And I must clarify that I'm sure to many of you this isn't even "haul" material, but for how cheap I am it's the closest I get to an actual haul, haha.  Each item I'm really excited to finally have.

I got the makeup products from ULTA (as a little birthday present to myself!), and the body spray from CVS.
I will being doing individual reviews of the three makeup products, but I've included some swatches for now.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends blush in Fresh 20, NYX eyeshadow palette in Champagne & Caviar, NYX single eyeshadow in Flamingo, Essence of Beauty body spray in Dreamsicle

NYX Flamingo, Champagne & Caviar

Swatches of the palette and Flamingo (Click to enlarge!)

Swatch of Flamingo

I wanted the Champagne & Caviar palette for the longest time, but I hadn't seen it in person (There are no ULTA stores where my parents live).  When I first went to the ULTA here I wasn't in love with it, but this week NYX products are BOGO 1/2 off so I decided to just buy it.  The pigmentation looks lovely so far!  

As for the Flamingo single eyeshadow, the color is really understated but just gorgeous, in my opinion (although I am a sucker for purples with gold sheen).  The pigmentation isn't crazy, but I think it will make an awesome all over lid color for when I want a little color.

Neutrogena blush in Fresh

The only reason I got this was because it was on clearance for $5 and some change, and I've always passed by these in drugstores and been curious.  Speaking of clearance, ULTA currently has a bunch on clearance!  I was quite surprised.

This is a pretty vibrant pink in the pan, but it's buildable and sheer- one layer will give you a nice subtle pink, and another will be more of a pop.  I have a review in the works and I'll explain more then.

Essence of Beauty Dreamsicle body spray

The darn security label wouldn't come off!  That's so not cool in my opinion.

This smells like a 50/50 bar, though, it's yummy- I really wanted the Pixie Tangerine body spray, but the EoB displays are so picked over at my CVS locations and I can't find it.  This was my second favorite.  I used my $3 in Extra Bucks that I got via email for my birthday- thank you CVS!

My total cost for all of this was only around $18 (although I bought it over the course of two days).  For the makeup, the NYX products were BOGO 1/2 off like I said, and then I printed the coupon off ulta.com for $3.50/$10.00.  The blush was on clearance, and then the EoB body spray was originally $5.99 but after my $3 in Extra Bucks I only paid $3.00 and some change.

Thanks for reading!  <3

Wednesday Weekly Favorites: Warm pinks and neutrals

Along with monthly favorites, I decided I'm going to post my most-used products for the week every Wednesday.  This is mainly because I switch between different items so often.  I love doing 'monthly favorites' posts, so I figured why not do little ones more often?

This week I got a lot of use out of a mix of new products and old favorites.  Can you tell I've gotten back into pinks/purple?

(Clockwise from top left: Clinique eyeshadow in Lucky Penny, E.L.F. Studio blush in Mellow Mauve, Aveeno Postively Radiant tinted moisturizer in Fair to Light, L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen mascara in Black, Wet 'n' Wild eyeshadow trio in Walking On Eggshells, Maybelline LE eyeshadow duo in Amethyst Diamonds- from the Diamonds collection)

The Clinique eyeshadow is a warm, shimmery pink/bronze that is simply gorgeous but is one I often overlook.  I don't know why!  Fortunately I uncovered it recently and I have to stop myself from wearing it every day.  I love pairing this with just some black mascara- I think it shines the most when left on its own. 

E.L.F.'s Studio blushes are great.  I've yet to try many of them, but so far I love this one in Mellow Mauve.  It's a dirty rose pink that pairs wonderfully with any of these eyeshadows from this week.

This Aveeno tinted moisturizer I purchased a couple weeks ago, but didn't start wearing until later last week.  It gives super light coverage, which I would typically like more, but this week I've broken out and need something heavier.  It has a nice, thicker consistency, and it blends into skin so you don't even feel it.  Although I'll get good use of this, I probably won't buy it again just because of the $15 price tag.

L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen mascara is one I got last year, used awhile and liked it, but ended up losing it.  I bought another one last week to try it out again.  I like it so far, but I'm hoping the formula will thicken up as I wear it more.  It does a pretty good job of volumizing my lashes.

I did a review on this Wet 'n' Wild palette here.  I still love it just as much!  So great for everyday, but the shimmer saves it from being boring.

The purple in this Maybelline Diamonds duo eyeshadow is gorgeous!  I talked about it in this post, but now I've had the chance to use it.  I wish the pigmentation was better, but I love the color so much that I can overlook that.

Swatches:

(Top- Maybelline Diamonds eyeshadow duo

Middle- Clinique eyeshadow and E.L.F. blush- the blush shows up orange in the swatch, but on my face it's definitely more pink

Bottom- Aveeno TM)

What are some of your most-used makeup products recently?

Drugstore Mini Haul :)

I'm so sorry for neglecting the blog this weekend.  I was away at my boyfriend's parent's house, busy with family, etc.  However, I have some new things to share with ya'll today!  I know I said I was going to try and stay away from purchasing anything until I hit pan, but I couldn't resist- especially when Kmart has Wet 'n' Wild cosmetics BOGOfree this week!  (I never used to even go to Kmart, until I moved to a town that has one within driving distance.  They have some pretty decent sales on makeup on occasion.)
I also stopped by Target last night with my boyfriend, and I picked up the ELF studio line complexion brush.  I love it!

Pictures:

WnW Lust color icon eyeshadow palette (I FINALLY got it!  I've been wanting this forever but haven't gotten it for one reason or another)

Swatches: no flash

WnW color icon blush in pearlescent pink

WnW cream eyeliner in black

Swatches: bottom, blush; top, eyeliner

WnW Coverall concealer in fair

Swatch

ELF studio complexion brush

I love Wet 'n' Wild BOGOfree sales- the Lust palette I paid $4.99 for, and then the concealer I paid $3.59.  I got the cream eyeliner and blush for free.  Total it came to only $9.09!  Awesome.  

I'll be doing reviews of the cream eyeliner and concealer for sure this week-  I've gotten a really good first impression from the both of them.  I know there are plenty of reviews online of the Lust palette, but I still may do one in the future for kicks.  

Hope you're all having a good Monday!  I sure am.