Mar 15, 2014

Milani Rose Powder Blushes

Remember the limited edition rose blushes Milani released last year? Well Milani did it again for Spring 2014, with four new shades of cute rose-shaped blush goodness! I'm thrilled to say that Milani sent me these for review, so I didn't have to hunt them down at all. I couldn't even get my hands on last year's collection, and I haven't seen these ones in my area at all. *Sigh of relief * 

Hopefully you all can get your hands on at least one of these blushes, because they are by far my favorite Milani blush I've used, even over the increasingly popular baked blushes!  


There are only four shades in this collection, and they all have a matte finish. These are limited edition, so once they sell out they will be gone for good! UGH.


Swatches from left to right: Coral Cove, Tea Rose, Love Potion, and Lady Rouge

Coral Cove is a bright coraly orange. Tea Rose is a muted cool toned pink. Love Potion is a bright hot pink (it pulls a bit red on me). Lady Rouge is a deep warm toned red.

These swatches were done with two swipes each. The texture is hard to swatch, it had a slippery/powdery finish to it that is not the easiest to work with. I find that a blush brush is the best way to apply these. 


Claims: "An ultra silky-soft powder blush that delivers the perfect amount of color and easily blends onto cheeks."
Finish/Texture: The finish on each blush is very matte. The texture is somewhat powdery, which makes applying these a bit tricky. I find that using a brush is best, but the texture does make swatching difficult. 
Pigmentation: These are all very pigmented, a little bit goes long way. Especially for someone with my skin tone. I love the shade selection too.
Lasting Power: These had no problem lasting on my skin all day long. I would say these lasted me a good 10 hours, even on hot days.
Scent: These do have strong plasticy cheap scent at first, but it fades after you use them up a few times. Weird I know, but just pointing that out.
Packaging: You get 0.6 oz of blush in each compact. The compact is made of sturdy plastic, but it's bulky! These babies take up a ton of room.
Price/Availability: I was sent these for review by Milani. I've heard that they are available on their website and at Walgreens for $8-$10 each.



Likes:

  • Very pigmented
  • Pretty shades to choose from (suit all skin tones)
  • Beautiful matte finish
  • Great lasting power (10+ hours)

Dislikes:
  • Limited edition (hard to find)
  • Powdery texture/can be patchy
  • Difficult to work with
  • A bit pricey for drugstore
Overall:
I love the pretty shades and the beautiful matte finish that these rose blushes have. They lasted all day and night on me, even through the work days. Each shade is intensely pigmented, enough that even a deep skin tone could pull off. I prefer the finish and overall look of these blushes over the Milani baked blush line! Gasp! 

With that being said, these blushes aren't perfect. They have a powdery texture that makes application a bit messy. They can also be a bit patchy when blending onto the skin, which means that these take time to apply. However, I still really love Tea Rose and those little problems are something I'm willing to compromise. 

I would only recommend these blushes to the die hard Milani fans out there like me, or to the people who appeal to some of the gorgeous shades. The rose shapes are super cute, and the shade selection is amazing. I feel like any skin tone could pull off the blushes from this collection, which is something that we need more of at the drugstore! 



Will you be purchasing any of the new Milani Rose Blushes?



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Mar 5, 2014

Empties, Products I've Used Up!

Here we are again with another empties post! This time around I waited until I had a decent amount of makeup to show you. Personally, I just love seeing empties posts. I have a weird obsession with trying to finish everything in my collection at once, like that's ever going to happen.. haha. Here's what I finished up over the past four months: 


Aussie Moist Shampoo and Conditioner- I have been using these since I was a freshman in high school! I can't get enough of the delicious coconutty-vanilla scent that these leave in my hair throughout the day. I also notice that my hair feels very soft and silky, even after one use. I will always come back to my Aussie Moist products! 

Gilettte Satin Care with Olay Shaving Cream- I usually buy the sensitive skin version since my eczema can't handle any scented gels. However, this one was still sensitive enough for my skin to handle and the scent was a nice touch. It foams up nicely and leaves skin feeling hydrated, I will definitely repurchase.

Herbal Essences Naked White Tea and Mint Shampoo and Conditioner- I bought these on a whim, they are the brand new to the Herbal Essences line. I love the scent, it's more minty than white tea, but they just didn't do anything for my hair. They claimed to make the hair super shiny and soft, but I didn't experience any of that. 


Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser- I've been using this face wash steadily for over a year now, it's become my holy grail. I rarely ever break out anymore, and I believe that I owe it all to this cleanser! It's a gel cleanser that lathers nicely and doesn't leave my skin feeling dry. I always keep one by my sink and also in my shower.

Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover- I love this stuff. It gently removes my eye makeup with one swipe. All I do is dab some on a cotton pad, wipe it across my lids and my makeup vanishes. It's a huge time saver, and even removes my waterproof makeup effortlessly. I go through about one bottle a month! 

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes- These are my absolute favorite makeup wipes! I would really be lost without them.  All I need is one wipe to remove all of my face makeup, even eye makeup. (I follow up with eye makeup remover because I'm a bit obsessive with removing every last drop of makeup before I sleep). Anyway, I use these for everything, wiping down my makeup products, my vanity, and of course swatches! 



Aveeno Positively Bright Brightening Cleanser- I have certain Aveeno products that I love, but this was not one of them. This cleanser didn't do anything for me, not even make my skin feel clean. It felt thick and slimy, all around terrible. It made so many ridiculous claims too, 'brighten/even out skin tone/reduce redness/remove dark spots' after one use. Haha no.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Scrub- I liked the texture of this scrub, the beads were gentle. It's a bit on the runny side, which isn't my favorite. Overall, I might repurchase it again if it went on sale. It's not bad, but not amazing either.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion- I've been using this lotion for years. It's perfect for my dry sensitive skin. It soothes my redness and my eczema after one use. I love how it makes my skin feel soft and hydrated throughout the day. 

Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Cleansing Pads- These are another Aveeno favorite! I love to use them after I've cleansed my face just for extra freshness. They are also great at removing face makeup, but don't put them on the eyes or else they'll sting. I don't find them necessary, but they are a nice bonus!


Maybelline Fit Me Powder 115 Ivory-  This is one of the only drugstore powders that matches my skin tone! I love to use it for touchups, it won't cake up my makeup and it helps me keep my t-zone under control. I always have this in my bag! 

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Mask- I liked this at first, but then the novelty wore off. It's made with blueberries and chamomile to sooth skin and calm redness, but it really didn't do much for me. Sure it calmed redness, but only for about an hour. It had a smelly powdery scent that turned my stomach. Will not repurchase.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation 110 Ivory for Normal to Dry Skin- This is my favorite drugstore foundation! It's full coverage, matches my skin perfectly, and lasts me all night. At $10 a bottle, It can't be beat. I use this foundation everyday, even over my high end favorites.

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer- This is one of my favorite drugstore primers! It's a lotion-like consistency that keeps my skin smooth and ready for makeup. I feel like it definitely prolongs my makeup and creates a smooth canvas. Love it.

NYC Smooth Skin Loose Face Primer- Another drugstore favorite, this loose powder lasts all day on my skin without looking cakey. It's the perfect shade for my skin and the texture is very finely milled and smooth. At $3 a jar, I will always have one around.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me- This is my favorite shade and scent out of all of the ever-expanding Maybelline Baby Lips line! Cherry Me is a red tinted, sweet cherry scented lip balm that I can't get enough of. It keeps my lips hydrated with a nice pop of color.

Lypsyl Lip Balm- I know I've raved about this balm in almost all of my videos, but I still can't stop talking about it. Ever since I discovered it last year, I've been obsessed. The light non-greasy formula leaves my lips feeling hydrated all day long. The subtly minty scent is lovely. It's my holy grail lip balm! 

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara Curved Brush- I love the original L'Oreal Voluminous, but this curved brush is even better. I feel like it really grabs and separates every lash, while making them thicker, longer, and of course more voluminous. 

Tarte Light, Camera, Lashes Mascara- This is one of my high end favorites. I received this travel size and used it up rather quickly, the formula is a bit dry. It makes my lashes look incredibly long and thick, but in a believable way. I love this mascara for a more natural look. The only thing I dislike about it is that it dries up in about a month, which makes me weary about repurchasing. 

Elf Liquid Liner- NO NEVER AGAIN. This was so watery, then later on it got thick and gooey. I think it was a free gift or something, but just awful stuff. 

Assorted Eyeliner Pencils- As you can see, I go through eyeliner like water. I use it almost everyday, eyeliner is life. Anyway there are a few different brands in the mix, I'll talk about each one briefly. 


  • Avon Ultra Luxury Liner is one of the smoothest pencils I've used, but it's not the blackest, and I have to order it through the catalog or online. It's still a good liner pencil, but I hardly buy it unless it's on sale.
  • Rimmel Kohl Pencil in Black Magic and Sable are both good pencils, but they aren't favorites anymore. I used to use these a lot back in high school, before I discovered better pencils. They are smooth, but not the most pigmented.
  • Milani Liqifeye Pencil used to be my holy grail, until Jordana (same parent company as Milani) came out with the 12 Hour Made to Last line. This liner is still amazing, very black and extremely long wearing. Everything I love in a pencil.
  • Jordana 12 Hour Made to Last in Black Point is the blackest, smoothest, most long wearing liner I have ever used. It lasts all day on me, even in my waterline. Yes, even in my waterline, and it's only $3. It has impressed me beyond holy grail status. 

Well that was probably the longest empties post that I've ever made.
I feel like empties posts are fun, but they also let people know what you really love to use. Empties are the best!



                        

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Mar 1, 2014

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Custom Blush

I have tried so many Physicans Formula blushes over the years, mainly because of their cute packaging! Remember the Happy Boosters? Even though Physicians Formula is considered to be a 'higher end' brand at the drugstore, I still find that most of their products are hit or miss with me. Fortunately, I ended up loving their latest blush line, the Powder Palette Multi-Colored Custom Blush! I bought the shade 'Blondes'.


The bright pink packaging definitely caught my eye! What can I say, I secretly love pink.


As you can see, the blush is has a pretty mosaic pattern. It looks a bit sparkly in the pan, but when swatched, it turns into a beautiful  subtle shimmery finish.


Here is one layer of 'Blondes' swatched. I ADORE the finish, it's a beautiful subtle shimmer. It looks very healthy and natural on the skin. The cool toned peachy-pink shade also flatters my pale complexion nicely! It's pigmented, so a little goes a long way. 

There is only one other shade in this line, and it's for 'Brunettes'. I really would have liked to see more shades in the line, I mean come on what about us Ravens and Redheads?! 
I suggest to get whichever shade you think will compliment your skin tone. 


Claims: "Ultra-Glam Bombshell Glow! Compliments your hair color. The Perfect Blush for Your Hair Color. Versitile & Glamorous Glow."
Finish/Texture: The finish is a subtle shimmer, very similar to a Milani baked blush finish. The texture is soft and blendable, but not powdery. 
Lasting Power: This blush didn't have the best lasting power, it started to fade around 6-7 hours on my dry skin. I usually don't have to worry about fading, but I feel like the soft texture of this blush makes it fade quickly.
Scent: There is no scent to this blush.
Packaging: Adorable! I love the hot pink case, it's sturdy and not as bulky as some of their other products. There is also a nice mirror at the the bottom, but the brush it comes with is cheap and scratchy.
Price/Availability: I paid $10.75 at Rite Aid


Likes:
  • Nicely pigmented
  • Beautiful finish/color
  • Easy to blend
  • Nice texture
  • Cute packaging/mirror included

Dislikes:
  • Only 2 shades to choose from
  • Pricey for drugstore
  • 'Ok' lasting power
Overall: 
I really love this blush! It has a subtle satin finish that is absolutely gorgeous, the color is beautiful and the texture is very easy to work with! 

I'm glad that the hot pink packaging caught my eye, because I can't get enough of this blush. I've mentioned it countless times in my latest videos, and every time I wear it, I always get compliments! If you've been looking for something new from Physicians Formula, definitely check out this blush! 


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