Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit-A Review

So the other day I received the Anastasia Contour Kit. 
First let me say, if you become an Instagram Famous makeup artist, you will probably receive these for free and before they are available to the public. 

That is not the case for me. I am not Instagram Famous so I have to stand in line with the rest of the common folk. 

This palette has only been out for a short period of time and it has already reached cult status. Because of this, it is constantly sold out! Plus Anastasia does not offer a pro discount for this item so MUA's you are paying full price. Unless........*twirls mustache*
Unless you are mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and you notice an unassuming post from Anastasia Beverly Hills mentioning that Sephora has the palette stocked. Then you log into your Ebates account and shop the Sephora site at a 4% cash back. Now I know 4% is not much of a discount but if you do as much online shopping as I do, it does add up. 
So I got my order in and within an hour they were sold out again!

This palette is much smaller than I had expected. The packaging is a standard black magnetic flip top with no mirror. You receive 6 refillable colors, 5 matte and 1 shimmer. 

The colors are Top 3: Vanilla, Banana, Sand (Shimmer) and Bottom 3: Java, Fawn, Havana.

Vanilla is a pinkish toned setting powder, Banana is a yellow toned setting powder, Sand is a cool pink shimmery highlighter. I was very impressed with the setting powders as they do not settle into fine lines, even when you are setting the makeup under your eyes. Also, the highlighter is shimmery without looking like a disco ball exploded on your cheekbone. 

The bottom 3 are all the contour colors. Java is a brown with pink undertones, Fawn is a cool ashy tone and Havana is warm kind of burnt brown. 

Fawn is the reason I really wanted to try this palette. I explained to you yesterday how I like to stick to cool taupey colors to contour and this is a perfect shade for me. When I saw Fawn, I knew I was going to fall in love with her and I was right. I used to use Makeup Forever eye shadow in #127 for my contour. Fawn has replaced her. 

These colors are all very soft and blendable and quite complimentary to a wide range of skin tones. I believe ABH will be expanding the color choices for this palette. If you do not see a shade that is a good match for you, hold onto your brushes, she's working on it. 

I highly recommend this palette for everyone! It's $40 when it's in stock. Each pan is .11 oz

I forgot to mention in my contouring post yesterday, you can contour with cream or powder products. Some people powders like these and some people use multiple shades of foundation. Some people use lighter and darker concealers and some use a combination of powders and creams. Just as long as you have lighter and darker color choices in pretty much any medium, you can get it done. 

Repeat from yesterday-This is very subtle everyday shading.

 

 

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The Art of Contouring and Does Everybody Need It?

There was recently a very happy mail day in the Little Goddess household! Not only did I receive a bunch of Face Atelier foundation samples, I received my Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. 

This is another one of those products that people have absolutely lost their Martha Stewart minds over! This kit is constantly sold out so I am happy I was able to get my hands on it. It is already sold out again. 

So let's take a minute to discuss contouring. Right now, if you follow any makeup artist (or makeup fanatics) on Instagram or YouTube, you may notice there is a serious contour trend taking place. I credit/blame Kim Kardashian for this but I'll get to her in a minute. 

I think that most of these overly contoured faces look great in a Instagram photo but may not translate well in the real world. It is seriously a heavy handed look for the everyday woman. This is not a look for anyone who is shy around makeup.

What is contouring?

Contouring is used to create dimension to the face by adding shadows and angles where none existed before. Contouring can create the illusion of a slimmer nose or killer cheekbones. Contouring can literally change the look of your face. 

Is contouring important?

Absolutely! However, it is not important for everyone. Contouring is important if you are going to be photographed. A photograph is a flat, 1 dimensional image. In order for your face to not look flat in a photo, you need to add some angles. You can achieve that by contouring and highlighting your face (Contour retreats/highlights bring forward). Same to be said about if your are going to be filmed. Contour is your friend.

Also, with flash photography, you lose about 50% of your makeup to the flash so the make-up application should be a little heavy handed. Ever notice that you leave your house with a perfect face of makeup and then see a photo and wonder "where did my makeup go?" The flash of the camera ate it.

Should everyone contour?

If you are a model or an actress and you are being photographed for a magazine, then contouring is very important. If you are a bride or you are attending a special event where you will be photographed, then yes you should contour. If you are going to pick the kids up from school or have some lunch with friends, then it is safe to skip it. 

Keep in mind that poorly/overly done contouring can be a super harsh look and can age you. If you want to add a little something to your everyday look, try strategically placed highlighter. It is more natural looking and more youthful! If you absolutely insist on contouring everyday, use a very light hand and make sure to practice! Also, it is very important to know your face shape and contour properly. Not every face is contoured the same so you should know your bone structure before you dive in.

Another thing that gets my goat is I see a ton of people contouring with bronzer and I am not completely on board with that. Bronzer is not meant for contouring, it is meant for warming up the face. Contouring with bronzer can give a very muddy effect. If you insist on using bronzer, make sure it is a neutral (bordering on cool) tone. There is nothing attractive about orange streaks in the hollows of your cheeks. Also, make sure it is a matte bronzer. If you contour with any product that has shimmer in it, the makeup police will literally show up at your house and take you away. 

I stick to cool, taupey tones. Remember, you are trying to create a shadow. Shadows are cool toned, not warm orange. 

So back to Kimmy Kakes! She likes a contoured face. She seems to have lightened up a bit with her makeup since she has become a mommy but she does still like her contour. I credit Kim with this trend because of a few different reasons. When Kim became very famous, a lot of women tried to copy her glamorous look including the contour. Also, she posted a very famous photo of the process her makeup artist (I believe it was Scott Barnes during this particular photo) goes through to achieve those gorgeous angles and then everyone went nutzzzz and tried to copy it. I want to say 50% of makeup photos on Instagram are of women with their pre-blended highlight/contour all over their faces. 

Add captihttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2198352/Kim-Kardashian-lets-fans-beauty-secrets-charts-makeover-process.htmlon

Kim Kardashian has 10000 flashbulbs hitting her every single time she leaves her house. Of course this is going to be part of her everyday look! She is on the cover of every magazine and she has the best glam squad in the game working on her face. The average woman does not so calm down, it's ok if you skip a day. 

Part 2 of my contouring post will be up tomorrow and is a review of this little gem, Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette.

My review will be a love story

Subtle, light-handed contour


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Tips and Tricks: How to Look Younger Using Makeup

         How to             

Look less like this

and more like this

as you age!

Everyone wants to stay young. It's part of the universe's trickery that you get wiser as you get older. Well some of us do. They even say youth is wasted on the young and I have to agree. Unless you are Peter Pan, you are probably aging by the second. Good thing I'm here to teach you the do's and dont's, the tips and the tricks to youthful looking makeup! These tips are good for everyone, not just ladies above a certain age. I feel there is a very heavy handed makeup trend right now that can be very harsh looking and age you before your time. So everyone should listen up.

The Do's 

• Do switch to a moisturizing foundation or a tinted moisturizer. Dewy is your friend. 
• Do switch to a cream blush. As we age we lose moisture in our skin, every little bit of dewiness is going to help, so ditch the powders and opt for a cream. 
• Do lighten up on your eyeshadow application. Stick to neutral tones and only use 1 or 2 colors. 
• Do darken up your lashline with plums, blue, green, browns and greys. 
• Do fill your brows in. Darker brows equal youth. Now I don't mean for you platinum blonds to start coloring your eyebrows in black, choose the color appropriate for you and fill em in!
• Do add pink to your color repertoire. As we age we lose the pigment in our skin tone, a swipe of pink blush or baby pink eyeshadow will do wonders to give a more youthful complexion. 
• Do add a little highlight to your cheekbones and inner corners of your eyes to add light and dimension to your face. 
• Do use neutral or bright toned lip glosses or lipsticks. Pinks and nudes are your friends.
• Do experiment with a nice bright eyeliner like a cobalt blue or turquoise green. Bright colors add modern youthfulness and fun! 

The Dont's

• Don't apply a mask of matte foundation. Matte skin will age you in a heartbeat.
• Don't over powder. Lightly powder only where needed. I usually only powder my forehead. 
• Don't apply a lot of dark eyeshadow, especially in the crease. Try to keep darkness along the upper lash line where you start to lose definition. 
• Don't put eyeliner or mascara on the lower lash line. Keep it clean. 
• Don't over contour. Contouring is going to get it's very own post soon but for the sake of this list, harsh contouring will age you. Keep it light and well blended or just stick with a little highlighter. 
• Don't use too much black eyeliner. Again, anything too harsh will age you. Switch it up and try softer purples, greys, browns, blues and greens. 
• Don't wear dark matte lipsticks. Brick red, matte lipstick on a woman of a certain age pisses me off.
• Do not line your lips in dark, lip liner. Lighten it up and skip the lip liner all together or use a nude tone that matches your lip color. Make sure to smudge and soften using your finger or a Q-Tip.  

 
So there you have them! Some quick tips to keep anyone looking like a fresh summer morning and not like some cold winter night! 

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Me trying to keep it youthful!

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How to Save Money Shopping Online with Ebates

How many people that read this blog shop online? Can I see a show of hands? Oh, everybody does? Good, then you'll want to read this post and learn how to save money while shopping online. I had learned about Ebates from a fellow blogger and decided to give it a try. So far, it is working out great for me and I always like to pass along helpful info to you guys when I get it.

What is Ebates? It is a cash back shopping site. Lets say you want to purchase something from Sephora. You go to Ebates.com, click on the Sephora link and shop as usual. Ebates will offer you cash back when you shop through them. How can they do this? Ebates is an affiliate to many of these online shopping sites. An affiliate (in this case Ebates) will receive a small commission, or a kickback, when they refer someone to a website. They then pass some of these savings onto their members. For example, if Sephora offers Ebates 16% for referring someone, or basically advertising for them, Ebates then gives you 1/2. Sephora gets the sale, Ebates gets the percentage, you get cash back. Everybody is happy!

 Ebates will offer different cash back rates for different companies. For instance, last week if you ordered from Sephora through Ebates you received 8% cash back on your order, Ulta earned you 4% cash back. These rates change all the time. You receive this money at the end of every quarter in the form of a check.

This is what an Ebates email looks like

Ebates works with TONS of online stores (1600), ranging from the big boys such as Home Depot and Target, to the lesser known stores. Besides offering cash back, Ebates will alert you when your favorite stores are running a special. For instance, I was alerted to Ulta's 20% off sale and then I earned an additional 4% cash back. Understand how it works?

I do most of my beauty shopping online. Ebates works with most of the big name beauty sites including Paula's Choice, Skin Store, Bobbi Brown, Lancome, etc.This could spell trouble.

So far I have not had to fill anything out besides my email address. Easy Peasy!

If you are curious and would like to try Ebates for yourself, feel free to click on my referral link.

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ULTA Shopping Trip with Anastasia Dipbrow and NYX

While I was on vacation in Florida visiting the parents, me and the mother went makeup shopping at Ulta. Mother had never been to Ulta and she was interested in purchasing an Anastasia Dipbrow, as well as a new foundation. I was just interested in shopping for makeup. She also kept calling it Ultra which would be another post about my mother's vocabulary that she has made up. She makes up her own words. Similar to if you told her your name was Steve, she would call you Stove. We went to Selby gardens, she kept calling it Shelby Gardens. You get the picture. It brings me endless entertainment and material to tease her with. 

Hi Mom! **WAVES** 

While we are discussing my mother, that woman made a $125 skin care purchase without consulting me. What the hell was she thinking? AND she's not even using the damn product! Her irrational behavior concerns me. 

So this is what I purchased, another Dipbrow in Auburn, NYX HD Photogenic concealer, an Ulta Gel Liner, Ulta Automatic Liner, NYX Retractable liner and an Ulta Lipstick.

First Dipbrow ($18.00). I love this stuff but OMWow! You need to use a light hand because it's very easy to go from natural to Groucho Marx in the very quick swipe of your brush. The Auburn is much better suited for me especially with the hair color I am rocking right now but if you are not careful, your brows can look a little intense. 

Next up, NYX HD Concealer in Yellow. This stuff is yellow so if you're in the market for a yellow toned concealer, this is definitely an option. The texture is thin which is good for High Def and I've had no issues with it settling into fine lines, however the coverage did not blow me away. This is good if you don't have a ton to cover. You can use it as a color corrector and possibly a highlighter if your skin is darker toned. Either way it cost $4.99 so how can you go wrong?

The Ulta lipstick was a BOGO so the mother bought one and I got mine for free. Thanks Mom! The color I chose was #206 which is an orangey, coral-ly, peachy color(?) I picked it because I actually wanted a lipstick with color. I am a nude lip girl but when I get around sunshine and warm weather I look for a color a little more juicy than pinky beige. Which I guess is pretty much any other color besides pinky beige. Anyhoodles, I was underwhelmed. It wasn't as juicy as I had hoped. I will probably wear it when the summer roles around but for now it's in the drawer. I want a delicious violet color which is also my niece's name so that would be two pluses.

 

Ulta Gel liner in Storm, Ulta Automatic in Black Plum (both $8.00) and NYX Waterproof Retractable liner ($4.49) in Turquoise Blue. Although green and purple are my favorite colors for brown eyes, I have not gotten much use from the Ulta purple liners but have been using the Green every day! I love a bright green on the waterline. I will use the purples this week and report back.

So that was my trip, the mother purchased a Dipbrow in blond, a Calvin Klein foundation, some lipsticks and nail polish and I can't remember what else. 

Some more updates for you, the breath mints that I received in my last Birchbox-they are freaking POP ROCKS! What am I 12? What adult wants to walk around with Pop Rocks popping off in their mouth? They aren't even minty-they taste sweet which can be cloying and not refreshing. 

Also, I keep reading about people using lemon juice on their face as some kind of brightener or face treatment? PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS PEOPLE. Besides the fact that lemon is highly irritating when applied directly to your skin, from what I understand it can cause a phototoxic reaction which basically will burn and blister your skin which means you are DAMAGING YOUR SKIN. Please stop blindly following people who tell you to do this crazy shit to your skin (and your eyelashes). Research everything. Even the stuff that I tell you, research and make sure I am correct.

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Random Ramblings

Oh hi there my Goddesses. I had a few random updates that I wanted to share with you and I thought I would put them all in one post. 

First, the great olive oil on your eyelashes debate. It does not work. End of. It just does not. I applied olive oil to my eyelashes every night for 1 month because that is how long "they" said it would take. After the month was completed, my lashes were so long I was being mistaken for a baby giraffe so I threw away all of my mascaras and false lashes and now I am touring the land, werking under my drag name Ardell Lashalot, teaching all of you skinny lashed bitches about the magical wonders of coating your eyelashes and ultimately your eyeballs with oil. 

So besides the fact that oil on your lashes does not work to make them longer, if you are not careful you will be rubbing oil out of your eyeballs which is not much fun. I will admit, I got lazy and did not take another photo of the finished product however the finished product looks exactly the same as the beginning product, so you can just go back and look at those photos. 

Also just to make it official, the lovely ladies at Wise Optical in Bayonne NJ say oil on your lashes is a bunch of hooey and to please not do it. Smart ladies. Click HERE for original olive oil post. PS-My original photos are not showing up on the original post but trust me-my lashes look malnourished.

Next up my Retin-A update. After 7 months I have finish both of my tubes of Tretinoin and .......I really did not see any life changing differences. My acne is cleared up, however I had changed a few things about my routine so I am not sure if it was due to the Retin-A or my new routine. What did happen-some peeling skin and not much else. My nose did not like Retin-A at all. The inside of my right nostril was pained beyond belief! So bazaar! That was my barometer for when my skin needed a rest. The inside of my nose hurt so bad, I could not touch it. I have not used it for a few weeks now and I do not miss it. I honestly believe my skin sees more dramatic, quicker results from a quality AHA/BHA treatment. I did not dislike it but it did not rock my world.

Speaking of AHA treatments, remember my blog post about the egg white/milk/apple juice mask and I said it made so much liquid you can save it in the fridge for your next use? I also said I was not sure if you can do that but I was going to do that? Yeah don't do that. The acids from the milk and apple juice cook the egg (kind of like an egg ceviche') so you end up with gloppy egg whites in milk and apple juice. No bueno! Maybe just half the recipe to make less?

Lastly, this beauty^^^^^ has finally arrived to mi casa and will be reviewed accordingly after many uses! I am so excited! 

I know I already said lastly but one last thing, I highly appreciate the emails I receive from my followers. I would much appreciate it if you left comments so everyone can see whatever it is you would like to share. Unless you want to bitch me out about something, then you can just keep it to yourself. 

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RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 Review

Summer is fast upon us! Not nearly fast enough but be patient my little goddesses, it will be here before you know it. 

Every year I re-post my sun protection post reminding you why you need to wear sun protection. I usually post it in April because the weather starts getting nicer, the sun is out longer and everyone starts spending more time outdoors. Let me be clear my lovelies, it goes without saying that you should be wearing sun protection all year long, everyday no matter the season. 

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am a Paula's Choice fan. I look for certain things in my products that she usually has in her products so it's a no brainer. Also besides producing quality products, she will suggest other companies products as long as she feels they are up to par. That's a great supportive trait to have as a successful business woman. 

I decided to try PC's Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30.

PHOTO CREDIT

PC's Resist line is aimed at anti-aging so all of the products have ingredients with anti-aging properties. 

According to the website, Resist Anti-Aging Collection:

Smooths Wrinkles

Builds Collegen

Fades Dark Spots

 
RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 is a daytime moisturizer with sunscreen designed for combination to oily skin with signs of aging. Its multi-purpose formula not only protects skin from sun damage, but also fortifies it with potent antioxidants to repair and stimulate collagen production for firmer skin. You will see a more even skin color, fewer visible lines and wrinkles, and the return of a younger healthy-looking glow.

I choose the  Super-Light because it is supposed to have a shine free finish. A lot of mineral based sun protection can make you look a little shiny and I was looking for a more on the matte side, natural finish. I had tried the Hydralite sunblock and although a good product, it was a bit shiny for me. It is also supposed to be shine-free. It was not.  

I have been wearing this for a few weeks now and I am very happy with it. I wore it for 1 week in sunny Florida without any burning/tanning issues and no breakout issues as well. It has a high Zinc content so it is tinted to combat the white cast that comes along with Zinc and Titanium Dioxide products. I find the tint to be an odd shade of pinky mauve although it does not translate that way on the skin (or in the photos). Once applied, there is absolutely no white cast and really no tint to speak of.  

One pump out of the bottle.

Blended into the skin.

My one complaint is Paula's Choice packaging for their suncare products suck! At the least the one's I have tried do. This comes in a plastic tube that you squeeze to get the product out. Have I mentioned that it sucks? It squeezes out way too much product and you can easily waste your product. I usually re-package the product into a dark, glass bottle with a pump that used to house a competitor's sunblock. 

Please Paula! Put a pump on your squeeze tube! 

This is supposed to be good for Oily/Combination skin. I have true combination skin, oily t zone, normal in some spots and dry in others. I have read reviews from people with dry skin saying it looked a little chalky on them. I have had no problem at all with chalkiness on any dry parts and it has been very cold in NYC. I do apply a moisturizer underneath this product.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Paula's Choice products. 

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Benefit They're Real Mascara Review

Long, luscious eyelashes are a sign of youth. Have you ever looked at the long, gorgeous eyelashes of a baby or a toddler. Don't ya wish you can just bottle that up like fairy dust to sprinkle on your own sparse lashes? I do, it would be much easier than fake lashes, glue and olive oil (does not work). 

Benefit has tried to bottle up the magic of long, thick lashes with their They're Real! mascara. According to the packaging, this is beyond mascara.

According to their consumer panel:

• 94% saw dramatic length & volume~I would not call it dramatic
• 90% saw base to tip curl~I did not
• 94% saw visible lift~I did not
• 100% saw long wearing results~This is very true, it did last a long time. 

I do like this mascara but I would not say you will look like you're wearing false eyelashes. It is definitely long lasting and there was no flaking at all, however if I am reviewing based on the name, it did not have the same dramatic effect a pair of false lashes do. I think it is a very good, solid mascara although I do think it should be a little darker but that's just me. I think you can find a comparable mascara for a 1/4 of the price at the drug store.

The draw of this mascara is the unusual mascara wand. Instead of bristles, they are little plastic spikes that go all the way around the tip of the wand so you can grab every eyelash. The tip is like a little ball and allows you to get into all of the corners. 

Now I don't think this is the best mascara ever and even if I did, I  probably won't repurchase the full size due to cost($23). Mascara is a hard product for me to splurge on because most of the formulas, high end or drugstore are similar so you can probably find it for much less. The difference I feel are mostly the wands but is this wand worth $23 every few months? 

Now ya know what I do believe it is the best for? Lower lashes. This is the best mascara ever for lower lashes. That little spiky ball tipped wand, very gently grabs and coats every single lower lash without smearing, smudging or causing any kind of mess. All you are left with is a little sexy caterpillar sitting on your lower lash line. For that reason, I will purchase the travel sized version ($10) and always have perfect lower lashes.

To learn more about Benefit They're Real Mascara,

CLICK HERE

and 

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Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE PUR COUTURE Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain – Rebel Nudes Review

So I need to revisit my Sephora gift card that I wrote about last week. My honeybun felt that I downplayed his gift, as if it were from some rando. So to set the record straight, the gift card was from my very generous honey and he can give me a Sephora gift card anytime he wants to. I am mostly impressed with the fact that he actually reads my blog!

Now on to my review, I was very excited about these lip gloss stains when I heard about them. YSL created an extension to their Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain called Rebel Nudes.

 According to the website:

What it is:
A revolutionary nude glossy stain with all-day 3D luminous effect.
What it does:
This glossy Stain captures the shine of a gloss, color of a lipstick, and the long wear of a stain. Rebel Nudes is the first to premiere Euphoric Pearl technology for an all-day 3D luminous effect.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates
The colors are absolutely drop dead gorgeous. They are mostly pink and purple "nudes" with a gold sheen going through them. You guys, pink and gold! I could not wait to try them so I purchased Violine Out Of Control which is a vibrant violet and Fuchsia Fugitive, a soft golden fuchsia. 

I know I always scream about how pink and gold is my favorite color combo on the planet and everyone should own something pink and gold but I think Violet is my new favorite color! Also, purple's are very on trend right now thanks to Pantone's Color of the Year, Radiant Orchid. Let's just discuss that for a moment, I never knew there was a color of the year and now all I've heard about this year is Radiant Orchid, it's on everything-lips, nails, clothes, etc. It is a beautiful color and I want it to always be the color of the year.

These glosses have a texture that I was not expecting and am not sure I love. It went on very wet and felt almost cooling on my lips. As shiny as it is, it didn't feel glossy if that makes any sense. These also are not as opaque as I had imagined although Fuchsia Fugitive is more opaque than the Violine. This is not only a gloss but a stain and the color stays on forever! Well I'm not sure about forever but a really long time and I really liked the flat paddle applicator.

A lot of the reviews I read online said these glosses caused the reviewer's lips to be really dry. I did not get to wear these long enough to find out, like I said they don't feel very glossy. I would not describe these as hydrating.  

These do have an overpowering God awful odor to them. I think it is supposed to be rose scented, however my nose was offended. I am smelling vinegar or something pungent. Not pleasant at all. Also, I had read online but did not research the claim that YSL does animal testing (Boo!). Like I said, I did not research but if this is important to any of you looking to try any YSL products, I suggest you research their animal testing policies.

So something unfortunate happened with these glosses that probably will not affect you but I have to share my full experience. My lips do not agree with certain ingredients in some lip glosses which causes me to have an allergic reaction. Sadly this happened with these glosses. My lips get very itchy and irritated, swollen and red. The swollen and red part is awesome because my lips blow up like I had lip injections, the irritated part is not so awesome. I have not been able to pin point the ingredient but it only happens with glosses and only with glosses that have shimmer in them but not all glosses with shimmer in them. Follow? I will be returning these but 
this should not affect your decision to purchase if you want to try them because this allergic situation is my own weirdness and will most likely not happen to you. Unless of course you have the same allergy as I have. 

These glosses will cost you $34 for .20 oz at Sephora. 

You can read more about YSL Rouge Pur CoutureVernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain – Rebel Nudes HERE

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Sephora Mini Haul

It was 19 degrees in NYC today, just painful-colder than a pimp's heart. I showed up early for a meeting and had to find something to do for 45 minutes so I wandered into Sephora with a gift card burning a hole in my pocket. Quite dangerous in my opinion as I like to already have a purchase list going in so I do not make foolish decisions because I get giddy around all of that color and glossiness. Whole Foods has the same effect on me, as if I've never seen food.

I replenished my MUFE HD Foundation stash, I purchased a travel sized They're Real Mascara from Benefit because I am tired of hearing how wonderful and amazing it is, I will try it for myself and report back to you. I also purchased 2 YSL lip glosses which I will review after I have worn them for a minute. I believe I showed some restraint and actually put products back on the shelf after making the big girl decision that they weren't in my budget this shopping trip. While I was at it, I did pick up a sample of Buxom Show Some Skin Weightless Foundation. What is with all the ridiculous long names of products? Shorten it up people. 

I will wear these for a bit and then tell you my thoughts. Thanks to my Sephora visit, I now have my eye on Ardency Inn Monster Smooth Ride Super Charged Eyeliner (the names) in a really gorgeous deep purple color, Kat Von D's Lock It Tattoo Concealer, MUFE HD Invisible Cover Concealer and MUFE cream blush in a pump, I don't know the proper name but I am sure it is a mile long. 

You guys probably will not hear from me the rest of the week. I will be in Boston for a business trip. I am quite excited about that because I've never been.

I hope all of you have a splendid week.

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Rodin+Fields Product Review

Through some good old fashioned networking on Linked In, I connected with a woman who works for Rodan + Fields, the doctors who created Proactiv. She invited me to a function for Rodan+Fields, which I am almost positive was a recruiting session to hire sales people. She offered to send me some samples,  I told her I had no interest in selling any products but I would be interested in trying the products so I could review them and who doesn't like trying out new products? So just for integrity's sake, I did not pay for these products. I received them as a sample from Rodan+Fields and as always, I will give my honest review of them.

I have never tried Proactiv or any Rodan+Fields products. I never had that much interest in Proactiv but I was interested to try these products as Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields are well respected doctors and they obviously know what they are doing. 

So this is going to be a first impression review, as I only received single use samples which I attempted to spread out over two days. The samples came packaged in a cute little mesh bag with some marketing material about R+F and a little instructional card with directions on how to use the products. The directions were written out in a cute little poem, until the last line when they seemed to have a problem rhyming the word  "spread". Also, it doesn't tell you exactly what you are trying. The only thing that was labeled was the Enhancements Microdermabrasion Paste so we will start with that. 

The Microdermabrasion Paste ($78) is a sugar and salt scrub with Vitamin C and E. According to the directions on the package, you are supposed to scrub your face using the whole packet of paste, without water. If you prefer a more gentle exfoliation, you can add water. I was a little skeptical about this because I feel sugar and salt would be a little harsh for your face. I do not like manual exfoliates and prefer the more gentle chemical kind and I was right, this was a little too harsh for me. I saved half the packet and will use it in the shower as a body scrub. I did notice how slick this feels on your skin, the description says it glides over your skin and it certainly does. It does contain fragrance (which makes me mental in face products) and some color additives. 

Next up is the Night Renewing Serum ($90) which I had to do a little research to figure out what I was using because the instructions refers to it only as the "blue capsule". According to the website:

Each REDEFINE Night Renewing Serum capsule contains a potent, proprietary blend of peptides and retinol to visibly improve skin texture and firmness and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Retinol, favored by dermatologists for decades, improves skin texture and minimizes the appearance of pores. Patented time-release technology increases skin’s receptivity throughout the night while reducing potential irritancy. 

I had high hopes for this product, the ingredients list is not long which I do like and there is no fragrance.  This does not feel like a serum, this is pretty silicon heavy and it feels and wears exactly like a primer. It's really just ok for me. I don't know what the long term effects of this product would be on my skin but first impression is eh.

The last product was the best out of the three. The Redefine Lip Renewing Serum ($54) was a homerun for me. It has been in the single digits here on the East coast and my central heating system has been working over time trying to keep me toasty. My skin is feeling the effects of the dry forced air but my lips are getting the brunt of it. Dry, cracked, peeling lips. Sexiness at it's finest. This serum was like a delicious drink of moisture drenching water for my lips. This is a true serum and feels like a dream, also it stays hydrating all night. I usually wake up at some point during the night and need to reapply my Alba Unpetroleum. Not with this stuff! I would wake up to lips that were still slick and hydrated. They are also packaged in these little grey capsules which sucks because I would want to carry this around with me. They should package this in a Lip Smackers roll top gloss tube, that would be awesome!

Sorry for the blurriness

So these products were just ok for me. I really loved the lip serum but everything else fell short. I also feel they are a bit on the pricy side for what you get. I am thankful that I did get to try them but this will be a pass for me.

If you are interested in learning more about Rodin+Fields, click here:

Rodin+Fields

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