Argan Oil

Spotted: New Physicians Formula Argan Wear Collection at Ulta

11:56 AM


Argan oil is all the rage, and now Physican's Formula has come out with a collection called Argan Wear, which is infused with nourishing Argan oil!  This collection includes BB Creams, a bronzer, blush, and nourshing Argan oil to apply prior to your makeup - one is illuminating (has some gold infused in it) and the other without.  I am kicking myself for not buying the illuminating version (snapshot from the Physicians Formula website below).  


The blush and bronzer are very pretty in person.  They appear to have a gold over-spray, but the detailing of the actual product in the compact is quite beautiful.  

Closeups below - have you seen these yet?  




Blushes

Laura Geller Colors of Love Collection: Heart Blush-n-Highlighter "Pink Valentine" and Love Me Dew "Lychee Glace"

1:00 PM


Laura Geller has some of my all-time favorite blushes, so when I saw her "Colors of Love" collection being presented on QVC a few weeks ago, I had to pick this one up.  

The set consists of a baked blush/highlighter and a lip crayon.  As I have recently fallen in love with lip crayons, thanks to the likes of Revlon, I was anxious to try one of Laura's as well.  


First up, the blush.  Look at how absolutely gorgeous this is.  The color is called "Pink Valentine", and is a coral base with golden shimmer.  The heart highlighter is a shimmery champagne shade, similar (if not identical) to Portofino.  This blush is like Nars Orgasm, only brighter. 


The lip crayon, Lychee Glace, is a bright coral, without shimmer.  This goes on very pigmented, with a nice shine.  The crayon itself is adjusted from the base, like other crayons are.  A nice, thick crayon, it is hefty enough of a product to apply easily, and doesn't feather into your lines.  It is sticky enough to last a majority of the day without a need to reapply, but doesn't dry out your lips like a lot of lasting lip colors are known to do.  


Swatches side-by-side of all three shades below.  When you swirl the blush together, there is just the added depth of the highlighter, although if you have a small enough blush-brush, you can reach for it alone to highlight your cheek bones.  These are some gorgeous shades, for sure!  Definitely a nice step up from your average box of chocolates on Valentines Day....go ahead, treat yourself!


Blushes

Physician's Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Blush "Rose"

10:19 AM


 Nothing like a good ol' sale at CVS, plus coupons on the box to make for a good deal!  Before Valentines Day I went into CVS to pick out a couple of cards, and noticed they were having a straight 50% of Physician's Formula, plus a lot of the items had $2 and $3 coupons on the box!  So, naturally I picked something up! 

I had noticed the new Sexy Booster Sexy Glow blushes on display a few weeks ago, so for $4.50 I got the blush in Rose.  Not a bad deal considering they are regularly $14.99!
 
 
Rose is a beautiful peachy base with a bright pink shoe in the middle.  This truly goes on more peach than pink, but the color is beautiful and the shimmer is just perfect on the skin.  The fragrance is a very warm vanilla, which I can smell after I've applied too. 
 
 


The back has a compartment with a mirror and brush stored away in it as well.  I don't actually use the brush, but the mirror is nice and big, which makes for easier application. 

Did you pick anything up on the Physician's Formula sale?  What did you get? 

Blushes

Swatches: Wet 'n Wild Fergie Center Stage Collection - To Reflect Shimmer Pallet in Rose Champagne Glow

9:00 AM

 
When I saw the Fergie for Wet 'n Wild Center Stage Collection display at Walgreens I posted about yesterday, I immediately was drawn to this gorgeous peach-pink blush on the display.  The name is Rose Champagne Glow. 
 
This is a large pallet, easily held in my hand.  This reminds me of the size of a Laura Geller Balance 'n Blush compact, only square.   


This Rose Champagne Glow is a mix of 2-3 shades swirled together - a berry pink, a bubble gum pink, and then a gorgeous champagne shimmer.  This reminds me of a warmer version of the Laura Geller Blush 'n Brighten in Como/Portofino or like MAC "Hand Finish", which is another of my favorite pale pink shades. 

 
This is a smooth consistency.  The color isn't overly pigmented, but instead gives a very warm glow to the skin.  I think with as fair as I am, this could be used as a blush, but most would use this as a highlighter.  It could also be used as a warm champagne color for an eyeshadow.  Gorgeous, in my opinion.  I'm anxious to give it a try and see how these wear. 




Blushes

Swatches: Maybelline Summer Glow Collection - Luminous Glow in "Blissful Pink"

9:27 AM


I picked up the Maybelline New York Luminous Glow in Blissful Pink from the Summer Glow collection I spotted last week.  This is a beige-pink highlighter that is part of the bronzing collection for this spring/summer.


Blissful Pink is a beige-pink highlight.  Right now, this actually works as a nice, light and neutral blush for me, with the benefits of the shimmer of a highlighter.  As the name implies, this is actually a highlighter, but it doesn't have glitter in it - instead this is a very frosty/pearlescent color that adds a very natural "from within" glow to the cheeks. 

For those of you with warmer complexions, or just looking for more of a golden shimmer, the other shade in the highlighters is called Ray of Gold.


It was hard to capture on my hand swatched, so I used my fingertips instead. 

Below is the display, just in case you are looking out for it.  Remember, there are two Dream Bouncy blushers/bronzers in it as well!



Bare Escentuals

BareMinerals Return to Radiance Collection: Swatches and Review **PIC HEAVY**

8:17 AM



Bare Escentuals was my first introduction into mineral makeup, which is understandable, as they were one of the founders of the mineral makeup phenomenon.  Since then, I have expanded into several other companies, including a lot of indie companies, to the point of having an extremely extensive collection of makeup covering the gamut of foundations, blushes, primers and shadows.  When QVC sent me an email with the upcoming BareMinerals collection, I decided to give it a try since I have not used any of their Prime Time collection, which I've read a lot about.  This Return to Radiance collection also has their introduction into the pressed blushes, so I was anxious to give them a try as well. 
From the QVC website:
What is it: Return to Radiance is an illuminating, full face eight-piece collection that gives you a natural, fresh-faced look and the famous bareMinerals(R) luminous glow.

Who is it for: All skin types and complexions.

Why is it different: It's the ideal mix of makeup and skin care to perfect and pamper the complexion.
NEW bareMinerals READY Blush delivers skin-nourishing benefits for softer, smoother skin while enhancing cheeks with a gorgeous flush of lasting color.

NEW Prime Time Neutralizing Foundation Primer visibly calms skin, reduces appearance of redness, and primes skin for a flawless foundation application.

bareMinerals Original SPF 15 bareMinerals Foundation and SPF 20 Concealer provides flawless coverage without clumping, caking, or drying out skin.

Creamy, waterproof Nude Glow Primer Shadow delivers a soft champagne shimmer on the eyes, while Rock Star Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss gives you full, luscious lips in a soft pink melon shimmer.

How do I use it:Apply one pump of Prime Time Neutralizing Foundation Primer into hands. Massage an even layer all over face, to visibly even skin tone.

Use the Swirl, Tap, Buff application to apply Original SPF 15 Foundation with the Full Flawless Face Brush for medium-to-full coverage.

Pat SPF 20 Concealer under the eye area, around the nose and lips, and on any areas of concern with the Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush.

Smooth Prime Time Primer Shadow in Nude Glow on the eyes from lid to crease for a sweep of champagne shimmer. Use your finger or a brush to apply.

Lightly buff bareMinerals READY Blush in The Natural High onto apples of cheeks with the Full Flawless Face Brush for a golden petal peach flush of color. You can also pat it into the crease of the eye as a contour color using the Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush.

Swipe Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss in Rock Star onto the lips for a perfectly pillow, soft pink melon shimmer.

From bareMinerals.

Includes:
1-fl-oz Prime Time Neutralizing Foundation Primer--NEW
0.21-oz bareMinerals READY Blush in The Natural High, a golden petal peach--NEW
0.10-fl-oz Prime Time Primer Shadow in Nude Glow, a champagne shimmer--NEW
0.15-fl-oz Marvelous Moxie Lip gloss in Rock Star, a pink peach shimmer--NEW
0.28-oz Original SPF 15 Foundation in choice of 12 shades--three-time Customer Choice Award Winner for Best Foundation
0.07-oz SPF 20 Bisque Concealer--2011 Customer Choice Award Winner for Best Concealer
Full Flawless Face Brush
Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush
Made in China/Canada/USA

Below are my pictures and thoughts.  I will post a FOTD using these items later in the week.


First up, the packaging.  I was actually a bit thrown back by this.  It has been a while since I purchased any BareMinerals through QVC.  Every time I did in the past, the products came neatly packed in a little box.  Some were sturdier than others, but more importantly the box kept the products from sliding around during shipping.  This time, when I opened the cardboard QVC packaging, there were my items!  No box, no packaging, no tissue paper or bubble wrap to keep things in place.  Instead there was a spot of "glue" on each item, and two of them had freed themselves and were strewn all over the box.  Luckily it was just my brush and lip gloss.  If it had been my blush, I don't think it would have arrived in once piece.   Maybe I'm just spoiled, for for some reason this really bothered me. 

Up first, the reason I purchased this set - the blush.  This particular color is called Natural High, and is a definite dupe of the coveted Nars Orgasm (as well as the numerous other dupes I have posted on this blog).  In the picture above it's difficult to see the shimmer, but below the golden shimmer really shows up.
The consistency is quite creamy and smooth.  This isn't overly pigmented, so I found I needed a bit thicker/stiffer of a brush to apply on the cheeks.  The glow is really beautiful, and as a result I don't need to add a highlighter on top.


Up next, the Marvelous Moxie lip glosses, which are the newest version of their famous lip gloss.  I have always loved the BE lip glosses, from the original Buxom's to the Natural lip glosses they had a while back.  After using these for a few weeks, I would actually consider these to be somewhat of a combo of the two glosses. 
Marvelous Moxie are rich and luxurious, but actually have a nice sheer color to them.  This particular color, Rock Star, is a peachy pink with golden/peach shimmer.  When applied, it's just a nice hint of color, but not too opaque.  The shimmer is slight enough on the lips to not be over-the-top.  The consistency is thick, but it stays put and doesn't bleed.  There is the slightest cooling/tingling sensation, but not as extreme as the Buxom's



The other two items I was anxious to try were the two Prime Time items.  Below is the Prime Time Primer Shadow in Nude Glow.  Similar to other primer shadows, this is versatile enough to be worn alone or under your eyeshadow to help intensify the color.  The applicator is a squeeze tube - I actually squeeze it out onto my finger and apply to the lid.  Nude Glow is a beautiful skintone color with a slight shimmer.  It really brightens the lid, and I am really enjoying this as my "go to" on days I need basic and neutral look.



The other Prime Time product in this set is the neutralizing face primer.  This is a foundation primer, and the "neutralizing" version is yellow in color, which helps reduce redness and prepare the skin for your foundation. 
The consistency is quite liquid, which surprised me.  I'm used to using the foundation primers like Smashbox Photo Ready primer or Laura Geller's Spackle.  This Prime Time was even more thin than the Spackle, which took some getting used to.  One pump does the whole face, so don't be deceived by the little bottle - it will last quite a while.  Once dried, the skin feels smooth and even, and foundation application is very easy.  Note: you do need to let this particular primer "dry" before you apply your foundation, unlike some others on the market.

I have to say, I was a little reluctant to try this with the yellow color, but it really does blend right into the skin and evened out any redness I was experiencing after washing my face.  I tend to get blotchy, especially if I use a scrub, so this really helped hide any of those flaws prior to applying foundation.  And don't get me wrong - this doesn't have "coverage", per say.  Instead, this primes the skin and helps eliminate the look of flaws prior to application.


Below are the swatches of the Prime Time Primer Shadow (left), the Ready Blush in Natural High (middle) and Marvelous Moxie lipgloss in Rock Star (right).

Have you tried this collection out yet?  What about the Prime Time line?  Thoughts? 

Blushes

Spotted at CVS: New Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes, Spoiled by Wet 'n Wild, Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara, and Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara

2:24 PM


A quick lunch over to CVS to hit up the beauty sale turned into an hour + because of all the new goodies out there!  On a side note, if you haven't seen Nouveau Cheap's list for the beauty sale at CVS - head on over here.  It's a handy thing to have going in!

Anyway, back to the new goodies!  First up, Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush.  These are smooth like a cream but blendable like a powder.  I can't decide if you apply these with your finger or brush - I'm guessing finger because of the display piece, but if it's with a brush, this might be a dupe of Mally's Effortless Airbrush Blushes, which are a cross between a cream and a powder in an attempt to give an airbrushed look on the skin.  The Maybelline versions are selling for $8.29 a piece at CVS right now.  The colors are very bright and have the slightest hint of shimmer, but I would say it's more of a "glow" than anything else.

Click the pictures to enlarge.


Next up, the Spoiled by Wet 'n Wild nail collection.  These are $1.99 a piece and feature a larger bottle and a variety of colors.  The bottles remind me of the Sinful line, and the colors range from neutrals to bright glitters.  The glitter that caught my eye was at the bottom - a silver, black and red mixture of hexagonal and square glitters. 




Rimmel, one of my favorite drugstore brands for mascara, has come out with another volumizing mascara called Scandaleyes.  Reminiscent of the much-loved LashBlast, this is also in a fat, bright orange tube.  These were $7.29 a piece.


Lastly, one I almost missed because of it's location in the store - right in the middle of the baby aisle.  The new Maybelline Illegal Lengths mascara, which claims to extend your lashes by 4mm with fibers built into the mascara.  I assume this is similar to Loreal's Voluminous False Fiber mascara, so we will see.  These are $8.99 a tube.



I can't believe I actually came across some new products this quickly!  I'm pretty sure I saw some of these earlier last week around the blogs, but I certainly didn't expect to see them until well after the holidays!

Have you seen these around yet?


Blushes

Swatches: Maybelline Limited Edition Blushes in Stage Glow, Pressworthy Pink and Ravishing Rouge

9:34 AM


I think I mentioned a while back that they were renovating the Walgreens near me.  Well, while doing so, I was wandering through the aisles and found a section of clearance items.  These weren't just old products, or broken products, these were perfectly good products that were marked down substantially.  Case and point:  Maybelline's Limited Edition Fall 2011 blushes below...marked down to $1.75 a piece, and then Maybelline was BOGO50% off, so I got one of them for $0.87!  The moral of the story?  Go check out the clearance!


The three I found were Stage Glow, Pressworthy Pink and Ravishing Rouge. 

First, Stage Glow.  This is a beautiful highlighting shade.  The palest of nude pinks, there is beautiful pearl shimmer throughout. 


Pressworthy Pink is a true bubblegum pink.  There is also shimmer in this blush, but not as much as the Stage Glow.  The shimmer is a bit more silver as well, or it could just be because it is against the pink so it stands out more.


Ravishing Rouge is a deep brick/plum shade with a slight pink shimmer.  Yes, this is probably a bit dark for me, but I'm hoping with a light hand and a light brush, I can pull it off.  Otherwise, this is going to my sister.


All three swatched below - natural light, no flash.  The Stage Glow is just beautiful!  The textures are creamy, not chalky at all.  They blend very well into the skin and the shimmer left behind is a really nice glow in the cheeks. 


Have you tried any of these LE shades?  How about finding some great bargains like this in your local clearance?


Blushes

Swatches: Milani Baked Blushes "Dolce Pink" and "Terra Sole"

11:43 AM

A few days ago I posted the picture of the three Milani Baked Blushes I had already picked up.  Today I wanted to post two more - one I bought (Dolce Pink) and the other I won on their Facebook page (Terra Sole). 

I believe Terra Sole might be an online exclusive, or at least it was at one point.  This is a warm, very much terra cotta, shade.  Although it isn't completely matte, it's almost-matte.  There is just a hint of sheen to this blush.  No glitter, no chunky shimmer.  Just the most subtle sheen.  I wouldn't call this a muddy bronze, although the picture might make it look that way.  When it's applied, I actually get a bit more pink out of it.  This is definitely a dark and pigmented shade (for me anyway).  I can use it during the summer to contour, and maybe lightly apply as a bronzer, but as a blush I found it too dark.  If you are a darker shade than me (I'm Porcelain to Fair in Laura Geller's BnB, Fair in BE, and honestly couldn't tell you what I am in MAC), then this would probably work a lot better on you.  The consistency is nice and smooth, and it blends very easily into the skin as well.  I just need to see a little more sunshine, or visit the bottle of sunless tanner, before I can wear this on a regular basis.


Dolce Pink is the color I had been lusting over after I saw Nouveau Cheap's swatches.  I finally found it at Walgreens and snatched up the last color.  Honestly, I've been looking for something to fill the void for the MAC Love Rock mineralize blush that I didn't pick up for myself, and I am hoping this will do the trick.  This is true pink, with warmer champagne colored shimmer thoughout.  It's basically bubble gum pink, but more neutral.  I'm not sure that all makes sense or not, but it's definitely worth seeing.  This gives my cheeks a bright pick-me-up.  Like the others, the pigmentation is great, the consistency is blendable and smooth.  This definitely has shimmer, which I love.  It can easily be buffed off if you don't want it, though.


Again, I am happy to report Milani has brought us another round of great products.  Just as the other ones I posted (Corallina, Luminoso, and Berry Amore), these are beautiful shades at a nice value compared to other baked blushes out there.  What do you think?

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