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?  




Eyeliners

Swatches: NYX Glam Liner Aqua Lux in Glam Golden (08)

9:00 AM


My next purchase from Ulta - another NYX eyeliner.  This time, the NYX Glam Liner Aqua Lux in Glam Golden (08). 


Glam Golden is a black translucent base with gold shimmer.  When on, it looks like a really rich black to golden olive shade.  Depending on how you pair it, the color takes on more golds or more greens.  


The applicator is a fine brush, which I prefer over a sponge or felt tip.  The liner applies smoothly, can be applied thick or thin.  Again, I picked this up at Ulta.  There are several other colors available, and the price is $5.49 each.  I actually went back and picked up purple, gold and a teal.  More swatches to come of those as well.


Another winner from NYX in my opinion.  Just some fun, easy to wear colors that can really kick up a look!

essence

Swatches: Essence Breaking Dawn Glitter Eyeliners and Pigments

10:51 AM

 
Several weeks ago while grabbing some stocking stuffers at Ulta, I found the remnants of an Essence Breaking Dawn makeup collection display and picked up a couple of the remaining items.  There wasn't much left of what looked to have been an interesting collection, but I was able to get two glitter eyeliners and a pigment.
 

 The two eyeliners are in a dark translucent black base - Alice Had a Vision Again is a navy glitter and Jacob's Protection is a dark purple glitter.

 
Both come with a small and thin artificial bristle applicator.

 
The pigment I picked up, Jacob's Protection, is a dark almost black pigment with iridescent shimmer.  This would make a gorgeous eyeliner.
 
 
Swatches below.  The eyeliners required several swipes to get the color to pay off, so if you are looking for a subtle glitter to wear as an eyeliner alone or on top of your favorite everyday liner to kick it up a notch, these would be pretty good.  Once dry, they lasted all day without flaking off, which was also nice. 
 
The pigment is rich and dark - the picture below doesn't do it much justice.  I wore mine over Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy and it lasted all day with nice color and shimmer payoff.  I haven't tried this as a liner yet, but think i would be a nice alternative to plain black.

 
There were several other items in this collection that I missed out on, including two highlights, a blush and three other pigments.  Prices started at $1.99 for the liners and went up from there.  Did you pick any of this collection up? 
 

Layla

Spotted at Ulta: Layla Cosmetics Soft Touch Effect & Ceramic Effect Nail Polishes

9:42 AM

 
Ulta always has some neat products around the holidays.  When I went in the other day over my lunch, there was a display of Layla Cosmetics nail polishes called Soft Touch Effect and Ceramic Effect.  These had a matte finish (Soft Touch) and the Ceramic Effect are long lasting and quick drying.  Smooth and sleek bottles, and a variety of colors to choose from.  I have never heard of this brand, but they look interesting - especially if you like matte nails!

Eyeliners

Swatches: NYX Candy Glitter Liners in Gold and Crystal

11:02 AM


After the holidays, Ulta put some items on sale that were all in a giant bin in the back of the store near me.  I spotted a few NYX Candy Glitter liners and picked them up at $2.99 each: Gold and Crystal. 


The NYX Candy Glitter liners have nice, thick brushes that allow some versatility in the thickness of the applied line.  The brushes are not flimsy, which sometimes happens, especially with glitter liners.  Also, the product itself has quite a bit of glitter in it, so you get a nice steady amount applied across the lashes. 

I don't wear glitter liner a whole lot any more, but sometimes a little sparkle is just enough to brighten a look.  Crystal is really pretty on top of black and Gold is just that - gold sparkles.  


Here's a closeup of the two.  I also have Disco Queen and Lavender, which can be seen here.

What's your favorite trick to add a little pizazz to your makeup look?
 

essence

Swatches of Essence Gel Eyeliners in London Baby and Berlin Rocks

10:45 AM


Over the holidays I popped into Ulta to pick up some stock stuffers and gift toppers, as well as see all the new items that have come out from drug store to premium brands.  A little brand I always forget about in the drugstore section is essence, which is a cute little brand that hugs an end cap at the Ulta I visit most often.  Every once in a while I'll pick up a nail polish or lipgloss, but this time something caught my eye: Gel Eyeliners.  At $3.49 a piece, I figured I'd pick a couple up and give them a try.


The two shades I picked were Berlin Rocks (a deep frosty purple) and London Baby (a warm graphite).  Both come in glass pots with screw top lids.  There are 0.1 oz in each pot.  There are three total colors to choose from - the one I didn't pick up was Paris at Night, which was black.


A closeup of Berlin Rocks.  This is a royal purple shimmer, with the slightest hint of blue and pink, depending on how you turn it in the light. 


London Baby reminds me of Chanel Graphite or Revlon's Carbonite nail polish.  It is definitely a deep steel color, but there is a bit of gold shimmer running underneath - just enough to warm up the shade and take it away from silver. 


A couple of swatches below - one in natural light and one with a flash.  The product itself is extremely smooth.  It was so easy to pick up on my liner brush out of the pot - one dip and one swipe was enough.  The product lasts all day as well.  We're talking hours and hours.  I swatched this and washed my hands 3 times before it all came off.  I had no problem removing this from my eyes with my normal Olay face wash, though. 


What do you think?  Have you seen these yet?  Picked them up and give them a try?  I'm actually quite impressed.  I hope they come out with other colors because I love gel eyeliners, and these were one of the easiest sets I've used - I'd definitely consider these right up there with my favorites: Physician's Formula's Shimmer Strips Gel eyeliner trios. 

As I mentioned, these are $3.49 at Ulta.  If you don't have an Ulta near you, these are available for purchase online here.

Nailpolish

An Easter-y NOTD: Ulta Professional Nail Lacquer "Into the Limelight"

10:22 AM


I'm so excited that spring is right around the corner.  Unfortunately, the weather we've had here in the Midwest has been anything but accommodating to the change of the seasons.  Cold, damp and rainy has been the name of the game recently, and it doesn't look to be letting up anytime soon!  Like they say, "In like a lion...".

Well, for Easter, I wanted to wear something bright, but springy, so I chose Ulta's Professional Nail Lacquer in "Into the Limelight".  Talk about a beauty!  This is a bright lime green with silver frost (and I mean FROST!).  It's absolutely gorgeous.  I would consider this a metallic more than anything else. 



I tried under numerous lights to get this color to be true, but couldn't.  The flash totally washed out my hands, although the nail color in the thumb above is probably the most accurate.  I picked this up a couple of years ago and am just getting to it!  I'm not sure if the color is available in stores or not, as I couldn't find it online.  It must have been a seasonal shade.

The formula was nice - smooth and evenly applied.  I used two coats, but probably could have opted for one more. 

Hope you all had a nice Easter weekend!  Happy Spring!

Nailpolish

Ulta Nail Lacquer "Bombshell"

8:43 AM


Each year for the 4th of July, I tend to try and make my mani/pedi as patriotic as possible, without going too over the top.  No, I won't be painting flags, stars or stripes on my nails (I haven't quite garnered the patience for such a task), but I do enjoy a little sparkle and bling to go hand-in-hnad with the "sparklers" for our country's birthday. 

This year, I dug around in my nailpolish bin and rediscovered a purchase from a few years back: Ulta's Salon Formula Nail Lacquer in "Bombshell".  This is the brightest red I've used in a while - it's almost neon.  And, this isn't an orange red, but instead a blue-red, with an undertone of fushia when in the bottle.  This may or may not be because of the dazzling pink and irridescent microglitter that runs through the lacquer.  Also, this is not an opaque polish, and instead is a very dense jelly formula, allowing the glitter to shine through.  Imagine the irridescent glitter swimming through the jelly-red color...you get some bright fushia and red reflections as well.  It is quite gorgeous, without being too over-the-top. 


Unfortunately, it was very difficult to get a good picture of this manicure because of how bright the polish is.  I tried natural light, flash, no flash - you name it - and I still got the look above.  In real life, you see a lot more sparkle, and a lot less red, giving the polish quite a complex look.  The color is quite chip-resistant, I'm sure due to the fact that it is chalk-full of glitter.  I will say, I was a little disappointed in the texture.  I know, it's hit or miss on glitter nail polish, but this was definitely a miss.  I used 2 coats of polish, 2 coats of top coat, and 1 coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat, and I still had a gritty mess on my nails.  I know that those of you who are professionals when it comes to nail polish and manicures, probably have a great suggestion as to a top coat to assist with this dilema, so I'm all ears!  I have plenty of sparkle and glitter polish that I would love to wear, but don't like the feeling on my nails.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

But, that's besides the point - all in all, this was a gorgeous look for the day, and it wore like iron. 

essence

New at ULTA? (Or maybe just new to me??) - Essence

8:31 AM

While wandering through Ulta this past weekend, I noticed an end-cap in the "drug store" section for a brand called essence.  Now, either I haven't been to Ulta in a while (which is true!), or else there is a new brand in the house!   Their webpage is great and gives alot of detail about each of the products.  There is even a page dedicated to their new arrival at Ulta!  My favorite part of all, though, would be the fact that they don't test on animals!



Talk about a bonanza!  There were so many bright and shiny colors on this display I didn't know what to do!  And, the prices...talk about a steal!  The nail polish run at $0.99 a piece, and I think the most expensive thing I saw were some of the eyeshadows and quads which ran around $2.99-$3.99.  This display was full of fun stuff to try out - there were over 15 colors of nail polish, liquid eyeliners, pencil eyeliners, glitter eyeliners, eyeshadows, baked shadows, eyeshadow quads, approximately 4-5 different types of mascara (from volumizing to length, to both!), foundations, blushes...*phew*...the list goes on!

Now, obviously since I haven't tried this brand, I had to pick up some things to play around with.  I chose a glitter eyeliner, lipgloss, and mascara.  I am anxious to give them a try, and will post about them here shortly.  The mascara reminded me of the DiorShow tube, so I'm hoping that is a prelude of things to come (at a fraction of the price!).

Have any of you lovelies tried this brand essence?  If so, I'd love to hear!

Click the pictures to enlarge...

Everyday Minerals

The Balm Palette "Balm Beach" and Revlon Color Stay Finishing Powder "Brighten"

8:00 AM

The Balm "Balm Beach" palette is absolutely gorgeous! I can't wait to wear this when I get back from Floriday here in about a month - what perfect colors to wear with a nice tan! There are three colors that can be worn as eyeshadows and bronzers, as well as a gorgeous lipgloss in this palette. The top color is a matte bronze, the middle is a beautiful coral/peach with golden shimmer and the bottom is a peachy bronze shimmer. These are absolutely gorgeous!


Secondly is the Revlon Colorstay Mineral Finishing Powder in "Brighten". This is a drugstore version of the MAC Mineral Skin Finish blushes and highlights, although it doesn't necessarily carry the drugstore price. At around $14.00, I would definitely wait for a coupon or BOGO to come along, although the product is beautiful. A gorgeous shimmery pink, this works great as a highlight or eyeshadow.
There is also a bronze color, which I am hoping to pick up next time CVS has buy one get one!


Below is The Balm palette on, along with the Revlon as a highlighter - gorgeous! I just can't wait until I have a tan! :)

Face:
Everyday Minerals Intensive Foundation "Fairly Summer"
The Balm Palette "Hot Mama" - blush
Revlon Colorstay Mineralize Finishing Powder "Brighten"
Eyes:
The Balm Palette shimmery bronze - lid
Ulta Eyeshadow "Olive" - crease/outer corner
Ulta Eyeshadow "Lustre" - highlight
Milani Color Brilliance Eyeliner Pencil "Green" - lower lashline
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Deals

Nars "O" Dupes (Milani Luminous, Wet 'n Wild Pearlescent Pink, Loreal Front Page Peach and Ulta Afterglow)

8:00 AM

Something I find I am always trying to do is find a good knockoff of a product in a drugstore brand. I posted a few days ago about a good duplicate of the Urban Decay Primer Potion in the Lumene Beauty Base Eye Makeup Base, and now I am going to tackle the infamous Nars O blush.

While going through my collection of blushes, I discovered I have about every possible knockoff available, so I thought I'd line them up against the real deal - Nars.

Wet 'n Wild "Pearlescent Pink" - shimmering pink/coral - more pink than coral with golden shimmers.

Ulta Blush "Afterglow" - shimmering pink with coral/gold sparkles - cooler undertones than Nars O.

Milani "Luminous" - coral blush with golden shimmers and a more golden undertone.

Loreal "Front Page Peach" - pale coral with a hint of pink and very golden shimmers.

From the swatches below you can see the similarities and differences in all the colors. Depending on your skintone, some might work better than others (i.e. darker skintones might want the deeper corals of Ulta Afterglow and Wet 'n Wild Pearlescent Pink). I think that of the four I am comparing to Nars, that Loreal Front Page Peach and Milani Luminous are the best in actual comparison. Loreal has a bit more golden shimmer, and the Milani isn't quite as pigmented as the Nars, but all in all, these are the most similar. Milani's you should be able to find at any of your local drug stores, where Loreal Front Page Peach I had to purchase on Ebay.
Because I just received the Loreal Front Page Peach in the mail yesterday, I had to play around with it and see if I liked the color or not - which I do! Not only is it a great flush, but it has a beautiful glow associated with it. The glow isn't quite as evident below, but this is a beautiful blush!


Bare Escentuals

FOTD - MAC Sugar Shot, Bare Study, and Mineralize Duo Blush "Grand Duo"

8:00 AM

I was very anxious to get home and try my new MAC items from yesterday, so this is what I decided to do as a simple look.





Face:
Everday Minerals Multi-Tasking Intensive Concealer
Bare Escentuals Foundation "Medium"
MAC Mineralize Duo Blush "Grand Duo"

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion - all over lid
MAC Paint Pot "Bare Study" - all over lid
MAC Eyeshadow "Sugar Shot" - lid / high light
Ulta Eyeshadow "Safari" - crease
Smashbox Eyeliner Compact "Caviar" - eyeliner/lower lashline
Dior Blackout Mascara
Lips:
Maybelline Lipstick "Healthy Rose"


Bare Escentuals

It's Finally Spring (Green) FOTD

6:13 AM

I love spring! I looked outside the other day and noticed that all my spring bulbs are coming up, and some are even in bloom - the beautiful purple crocus and bright yellow daffodils! With the warm weather we have been graced with, I decided to reflect the onset of spring in a pretty pale green look, using Ulta's Eyeshadow "Lustre" and Milani's Runway Fashion Eyeshadow in "Glamorous Gems".



For the look below I used Carmindy by Sally Hansen's foundation in Ecru Beige. The blush I used was Fyrinnae's Spellbound. For the eyes I used the lightest green strip in the Milani shadow and applied on the inner corners and lower lash line. I then applied the next color, the bright green, to the outer corners and into the crease, blending together. Ulta's Eyeshadow in Lustre was used along the brow bone. Finish up with 2 coats of Yves St Laurent Faux Clis #1 Mascara, and you're set! The lip gloss I used was Bare Escentuals Buxom Gloss in "Amber".

Loreal

I *heart* ULTA...

8:38 AM

On Friday I went into work early (4:00am) and was able to leave around 11:30, so I decided to take a trip over to the local Ulta store to see what was there. After reading numerous sightings of NYX at Ulta, I decided to search mine to see if they had a display, which they did! Although they didn't have the entire line, they did have some eyeshadows and lip glosses. I purchased the following:

NYX Eyeshadow Single "Taupe"
TS10 (Tropical, Yellow and Lime Green)
 TS25 - (Golden, Rust, and Walnut Brown)
I also came across a couple of items I have wanted to try. The first is the Loreal DeCrease Eyeshadow Base, which I read about on Vanessa's blog earlier this month.
I have used this product the past couple of days, and I must say it is fantastic! Prior to using my eyeshadow, I dab some on my lid and blend in. It is a very neutral, skintone color, so it blends in seamlessly. After it has set for a minute or two, I put my shadow on over it. The shadow wears like iron, colors pop and blend easily. There is no tugging of the shadow when applying on top of the DeCrease. This is definitely a must, especially for those of you who enjoy and swear by the Urban Decay Primer Potion. More importantly, I think it is a lot easier to get all of the product out of the package as compared to the UDPP. For around $6, this is a great dupe, and easily found at your local drugstore.


Price: $6-$8 at drugstores
Product: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Quality: 5 out of 5
Price: 5 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 5

The final item I purchased at ULTA was the Tweezerman Fast Lash. This looks like a mascara on the outside, but it actually has tiny little fibers that are applied in between coats of mascara to give full, lush lashes! I will do a review of this separately, as I want to show before, after, and in between pictures for your reference.

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