Revlon Colorstay Shadow Links Eyeshadows

When I first saw these shadows, I couldn't believe they were only $2.50 at Bed Bath and Beyond. There were so many different colors and finishes to choose from, that I almost didn't know which ones to get! I was intrigued at the concept of creating my own palette. Yes, these little single shadows interlock, hence the name 'Shadow Links'. 

Of course, I always have to try the newest products, and this concept definitely had me sold. I gave in, unfortunately, these are some of the worst drugstore shadows I have ever used.

If you look closely, the side of each square has an extra piece of plastic. That's the piece that interlocks! The other side of each square has a slot, where the plastic piece locks into. 

Here's what the shadows look like all locked together. I really like this idea, it would have been great if the shadows were good quality. I'll explain more about that in depth now.

Swatches from left to right: Bone, Java, Cocoa, Oyster, and Taupe. 

Bone is a matte ivory. Java is a warm brown with silver glitter. Cocoa is a matte deep brown.Oyster is the most  pigmented, it's a shimmery white. Taupe is a cool dusty brown with silver shimmer. These swatches are three swipes each, no primer. 

Claims: I couldn't find any specific claims on these shadows. When I do I'll update this.

Pigmentation: The pigmentation is poor. I felt like I had to keep layering and layering to get them to even show up on me! 

Finish/Texture: Each shadow has a different finish. The texture on all of these shadows are, dry and powdery. When I tried to blend them out, they just disappeared. I hate the way that these feel, and apply!

Lasting Power: These didn't even last more than an hour on my lids! I have dry skin by the way, there's just not substance to this formula whatsoever. I would highly suggest using primer with these shadows. 

Packaging: The packaging is very interesting. You can mix and match shades, and interlock them to create your own personalized palette. The plastic is sturdy and secure.

Price/Availability: I paid $2.50 each at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Likes:

• Customizable 
• Inexpensive
• Variety of colors and finishes to choose from

Dislikes:

• Poor pigmentation
• Chalky, dry texture
• Terrible Fallout
• No lasting power

Overall: 

I was so disappointed in the terrible quality of these shadows. The idea of having a customized palette is nice, but the product inside is just awful. Yes, they're a good price, and the colors look pretty..but the shadow itself just isn't worth my time.

The texture is so dry and chalky, that when I try to apply the shadow it just crumbles everywhere. The pigmentation is a joke, I had to layer and layer to even get some color payoff. As soon as I put these on my lids, the color faded like an hour later. A primer is a must for these shadows! I'm just the type of person who doesn't like to keep products I don't enjoy using, so these were a complete waste of time for me. I returned them the next day.

I have never really been impressed with Revlon eyeshadows before, but these were honestly the worst ones I've tried yet! 

I also have a full video review on my YouTube channel, with live swatches!

   

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NYX Butter Gloss

I first tried the NYX Butter Gloss when I attended PhameExpo, I received it in a goody bag along with a few other cool NYX products. They gave me a bright orange shade, which I'm not too crazy about, but the formula felt smooth and comfortable on my lips, so I ended up buying three more! To this day, I'm still loving the formula and wanting more shades.  

Here are the NYX BUtter Glosses up close. I love the cute packaging!

Swatches from Top to bottom: Strawberry Parfait, Cherry Cheesecake, Meringue, and Cherry Pie. 

Strawberry Parfait is a bright hot pink. Cherry Cheesecake is a bright true orange. Meringue is cool baby pink. Cherry Pie is a blue red. These swatches are two swipes each. They may appear more or less sheer on the lips, depending on how pigmented your lips are.

Claims: "Add a little more sweetness to your lips with a touch of the Butter Lip Gloss available in 12 scrumptious colors! Get creamy sheer to medium coverage on your lips without that sticky sensation."
Pigmentation: These are very pigmented for a sheer to medium gloss! I was surprised at how great these really showed up on the lips. The more you layer it, the more opaque it gets.
Finish/Texture: The finish on all of these shades is creamy, and they have high shine. The texture is extremely smooth, kind of like butter! 
Lasting Power: I only had an hour of wear before the color completely faded. 
Scent: These do have a strong sweet vanilla scent. It doesn't bother me at all, it reminds me of a vanilla cupcake! It fades quickly, after a few minutes.
Packaging: I like how the packaging matches the color of the gloss inside. The applicator is doefoot and the tube is made of plastic. They contain 0.23 oz (6.5 g) of product. 
Price/Availability: I paid $5 each at Ulta.

Likes:

• There's a variety of shades to choose from, 12 total
• Great pigmentation for a sheer-medium gloss
• Smooth, buttery formula
• Leaves lips feeling hydrated
• Inexpensive
• Nice scent
• Cute packaging

Dislikes:

• These only last about 1 hour on my lips before completely fading

Overall:
I really wasn't expecting to love these as much as I do! There are so many different pretty shades to choose from, they smell delicious, and the packaging is adorable. The formula is very smooth, and buttery, just as the name suggests. They aren't long wearing, but I don't mind having to reapply. They are often on sale at Ulta, and on the NYX website. 

I highly suggest trying these if you're a non-sticky gloss lover like me!

Have you tried any of the NYX Butter Glosses yet? 

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Lip Balm Haul and Review!

I don't know how this happened.. but I accidentally bought five lip balms at once. It happens to you too, right? Well, I guess I am a bit obsessed with lip balms. . Today I'm going to share my thoughts on my latest lip balm purchases, and review each one! 

Lypsyl Intense Protection HoneyBerry- The original Lypsyl Lip Balm is my all time favorite. HoneyBerry sounded like a great flavor, but it  had a  Febreeze smell that I didn't like. The formula was great, it gives intense hydration that soaks into the lips, All in all you might like this one, but I just can't stand the smell of it.

Walgreens Watermelon Lip Balm- I had to try this ever since I heard EmilyNoel83 talk about it! It smells like a watermelon Jolly Rancher, and it looks like an EOS dupe. The formula isn't bad, it is on the thin side. It doesn't feel like EOS, but it's decent.

Chapstick Mixstix- The idea of this Chapstick is that you get two flavors in one, and mix them together. This one is green apple and caramel flavored, and they both really smell and taste that way! I was impressed at how spot on the flavor is, but when you mix them together, it just smells like green apple. So the whole mix idea is fun, but I like to use each side individually. The hydration is good, but it isn't anything I would use on chapped lips.

Lypsyl Intense Protection Vanilla Plum- Like I said, I love Lypsyl lip balm! I had to get this one too, because it's a new flavor. It actually smells and tastes a lot more like honey than vanilla or plum, which threw me off a bit. The formula is the same greatness that Lypsyl offers. I still think the original Lyspyl is so much better! 

Rite Aid Strawberry Sorbet Lip Balm- I had to try this one, since I bought the Walgreens one! I've never even seen or heard about this before, but I'm so happy that I got it! It smells like strawberry mochi ice cream, amazing! It's not an EOS dupe, but the formula is decent. I'm honestly keeping it because it smells so good. I think that this one and the Walgreens one are manufactured by the same company, because they are very similar.


I didn't discover anything groundbreaking here, but it was fun to expand my lip balm horizon. I'm always looking for new things to try, especially with lip balms! 

My all time favorite is still the original Lypsyl Lip Balm! What is your favorite lip balm?

If you would like to watch my lip balm haul video please check out my YouTube channel.

  

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Haul: The Latest Drugstore Products!

If you have been keeping up with my YouTube videos, you know that I have been buying all of the latest drugstore products! There are countless products out right now, from every brand! It's so exciting to me, and I just love the thrill of trying new makeup. 

I have already reviewed some of the latest products, like the Maybelline Color Elixirs, L'Oreal Le Mattes/ La Lacques, and the Revlon Laquer Balms/Matte Balms.

Today, I'm showing you my latest haul from the drugstore!

Maybelline Color Tattoos for Winter 2013- These are part of the new, limited edition Gilded in Gold collection. I actually already have a full review on them here. I absolutely love the fact that these shades are all mattes! I've been wearing Nude Pink non-stop this entire month!

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipsticks- These are also from the new, limited edition Gilded in Gold Collection. I wasn't too impressed with these colors, because they aren't very unique or 'new' for Maybelline or the drugstore in general. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Out Butterfly Mascara- Yes, this mascara has a long name. I was really excited to try this, because I enjoy most of the mascaras from the Voluminous line. The brush is an odd asymetrical shape. In the end, I wasn't  impressed with this one, I have a full video review/demo on it here.

Covergirl Flamed Up Mega Curl Mascara- I loved the Flamed Out mascara by Covergirl, so when I saw this one, I knew I had to try it! The brush is curved, and the formula is super easy to work with. I'm currently loving this mascara, I've been using it everyday! 

Revlon Shadow Links Eyeshadow Collection- Ok, so the concept of this collection is to pick out any shadows that you like, and link them together (they have little slots on the sides where they hook together) which is a great idea, but the shadows are poor quality. They're dry, powdery, and unpigmented. Awful product! I have a full video review on them here. 

I've also put together a video of the haul (with some other items not pictured) if you would like to watch it! I  have a clip at the end of the video where I show a few displays too! 

Have you tried any of these new items yet? 

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Limited Edition Maybelline Winter 2013 Color Tattoos

Finally there are more matte Color Tattoos! I can't even begin to explain how much I love these new shades, of course they had to be limited edition, ugh! (Maybelline, you need more permanent matte color tattoos). These are a part of Maybelline's new Gilded in Gold Collection for Winter 2013. 

 Maybelline Color Tattoo by Eyestudio / $5 each at Harmon's

These are the three new, limited edition shades from the Gilded in Gold collection! I'm so happy that they are all matte. Each color is gorgeous and can be used in so many looks.

 Starting from the top left: Just Beige, Nude Pink, and Matte Brown. 

From top to bottom: Matte Brown, Just Beige, and Nude Pink

Matte Brown is a warm chocolate brown. Just Beige is a warm pale yellow. Nude Pink is a cool taupe. Each swatch is only one swipe. 

Claims: "Our ink technology creates 24HR wear shadow for our most intense, long-lasting color saturation. Cream formula glides on without creasing and keeps color vibrant.

Pigmentation: Each shadow is very pigmented. All I need is one swipe to get full color.

Finish/Texture: The finish on each of these is matte, and the texture is creamy.

Lasting Power: These claim to last 24 hours, which I'm not sure if they really do..but I've never experienced fading or creasing with these.

Packaging: The shadow is placed in a little glass jar that comes with a plastic lid. 

Price/Availability: I paid $5 each at Harmon's inside of Bed Bath and Beyond.

Likes:

• Very pigmented
• Creamy texture
• Matte finish
• Inexpensive
• Easy to work with
• Long lasting

Dislikes:

• Limited edition

Overall:

I love Maybelline Color Tattoos, especially the matte finish ones! Of course when I saw this collection, I had to try them all. I love that these are all neutrals, which are convenient for so many different looks. I honestly don't know why they only made three though, I was hopping for a collection of six. 

The formula is creamy, pigmented and easy to work with. I've been wearing these alone, and as a base for my shadow non stop these past few days. Nude Pink is my favorite, it's my perfect neutral! I've never experienced fading or creasing when I wore these, even on 10+ hour days. I'm sure that many of you have tried a Color Tattoo before, but if you haven't, I highly recommend that you do! 

Here's my video review if you would like to watch it! 

Are you going to get any of these shades? Do you wish there were more to choose from?

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Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms and Matte Balms

Yes, there are even more new lip balms hitting the drugstore shelves! A few days ago I reviewed the Maybelline Color Elixirs, and now we have the Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms and Matte Balms. At first glance, I thought that these were more Kissable Balm Stains, but they are actually just balms. 

There are 20 shades to choose from in the collection. Half are Lacquer (shine) finish and half are matte finish. I purchased all of the lacquers, but only some of the mattes were available. The display didn't say these were limited edition, so I'm assuming they might be permanent. 

These are the Lacquer Balms, the tubes are all very shiny. As you can see, the packaging is identical to the Kissable Balm Stains, but the formula is different! 

Swatches from left to right: Vivacious, Enticing , Demure, Flirtacious , Provocatuer, Whimsical, Ingenue, Tease, Coquette, and Coy.

Vivacious is a creamy hot pink. Enticing is a creamy deep brownish red. Demure is a subtle nude that contains sparkle. Flirtatious is a creamy bright fuchsia. Provocatuer is a creamy bright blue toned red. Whimsical is a pinky purple that contains sparkle. Ingenue is a creamy medium brown. Tease is a creamy burnt orange. Coquette is a light blue toned pink that contains sparkle. Coy is a creamy coffee brown. These swatches are two swipes each. 

Here are the four matte balms I purchased. There are six other shades that I couldn't find, but hopefully I can get them soon! As you can see these tubes are all matte. 

Swatches from top to bottom: Unapologetic, Audacious, Sultry, and Showy

Unapologetic is a bright coralish-pink. Audacious is a neon orange. Sultry is a brownish mauve. Showy is a bright blue toned pink. These were two swipes each. 

Claims: I couldn't find any claims on these yet. I will update this once I find out.
Pigmentation: The pigmentation on the lacquers is better than the mattes. The mattes aren't bad, but they apply somewhat patchy on the lips. The lacquers are incredibly pigmented, only one swipe is needed to get full color. 
Finish/Texture: The lacquers have a shiny finish and a buttery texture. They're hydrating, but they don't feel greasy, and they didn't feather out of my lip line at all. The mattes are matte finish, but they feel and look a bit cakey on the lips. They also felt a little bit too slippery and drying. It was a difficult texture to work with.
Lasting Power: The lasting power isn't the greatest, I only had about 2-3 hours of wear on both of the finishes. I wasn't expecting them to be much longer than that though, since they are balms and not 'balm stains'. 
Scent: Each balm has a slight minty scent, it's not as strong as the Kissables. It really reminds me of a Tarte Lip Surgence lip pencil. 
Packaging: The packaging is exactly like a Kissable Balm Stain. The tube is a standard twist up applicator. There is no sharpener included. The tips dull overtime. 
Price/Availability: I paid $7 each each at Harmon's inside of Bed Bath and Beyond. 


Likes:

• The lacquers are very pigmented
• The lacquers feel hydrating and buttery
• The mattes are a true matte finish
• Variety of shades/ finishes to choose from (20 shades overall)
• Nice packaging
• Subtle sweet minty scent/tingle
• Inexpensive

Dislikes:

• The mattes are drying on my lips
• The mattes have a cakey look/are a bit streaky
• The lasting power isn't great on these balms (only about 2-3 hours)

Overall:
I'm not exactly sure what these balms were supposed to do, but overall I was impressed by the lacquers more than the mattes. 

What really impressed me was the creaminess and pigmentation of the lacquers. The formula is buttery smooth, I think they will be a huge hit in the beauty community. I'm a huge matte finish lover, but the matte balms just looked bad on my lips. They emphasize lines and create an odd cakey finish, plus they're a bit streaky. 

The lacquers remind me exactly of a Revlon Lip Butter, but in a pencil form! The matte balms weren't good, but they weren't terrible either. They didn't really do much for me.

All in all, I think this collection is really exciting! Are you going to try them?

If you would like to see lip swatches, please watch my video review! 

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Maybelline Color Elixir Liquid Lip Balms

It seems like every brand is releasing new lip products right now! Maybelline recently joined in on the fun with their latest product, the Color Elixir Liquid Lip Balm. This is the first liquid lip balm by Maybelline. When I bought these, I didn't even know what they were, or what to expect. I'm so happy that I decided to take the plunge and try these, because they are phenomenal! 

Color Elixir Liquid Lip Balms / $6.79 each at Harmon's 

The packaging looks like there's a lipstick inside of the tube, but there isn't! When I first bought these, I thought that the balm was the part showing.. haha. That is just the color swatch of the lip balm itself. 

Here is the applicator! See, it's not a lipstick at all! I was a bit surprised at first. I actually really like the teardrop shaped doefoot, it gives a precise and easy finish.

Swatches from left to right: Raspberry Rhapsody, Vision In Violet, Hibiscus Haven, Captivating Carnation, Rose Redefined, Amethyst Potion, Fuchsia Flourish, Mauve Mystique, and Signature Scarlet.

Raspberry Rhapsody is a pinkish purple. Vision In Violet is a bright blueish purple. Hibiscus Haven is a bright bubblegum pink. Captivating Carnation is a light coral. 
Rose Redefined is a light rose. Amethyst Potion is a deep brownish purple. Fuchsia Flourish is a bright hot pink. Mauve Mystique is a light dusty rose. Signature Scarlet is a bright red. These are only one swipe each! 

Claims: "Saturated Color. Sensuous Balm Care. Polished Lip Shine."

Pigmentation: The pigmentation is amazing, I wasn't expecting them to be so colorful! One swipe gives off full color, a little goes a long way with these. 

Finish/Texture: The finish is very shiny. The texture is smooth, lightweight, and super hydrating. These don't even feel like a gloss. They feel weightless, and non-sticky. 

Lasting Power: This is the weak spot. They only lasted on me about an hour. 

Scent: These have a very odd smell to them.. it's like a mix of perfume/baby powder/plastic.. I can't exactly name it but it's strong, and it also leaves a bitter taste behind. 

Packaging: The teardrop shaped doefoot is great for easy application. The thick plastic is sturdy, and I like that the color can be seen through the tube. 

Price/Availability: I paid $6.79 each at Harmon's inside of Bed Bath and Beyond. 

Likes:

• Very pigmented
• Variety of finishes/colors (20 to choose from overall)
• Keeps lips feeling hydrated
• Non-sticky, weightless feel
• Nice packaging
• Inexpensive 
• Lives up to all claims

Dislikes:

• Odd scent
• Poor lasting power (only an hour or so) 

Overall:

I'm so impressed with the formula on these balms! They are super comfortable on the lips like a balm, shiny like a gloss, and they're pigmented like a lipstick. I couldn't be happier with the color selection and the fact that these live up to all of their claims!  

The downside about these is that they only last about an hour on the lips. I also noticed that they have a strong scent, that kind of smells like plastic, baby powder, and perfume. 
With that being said, I still love this product! 

The Color Elixirs are the best liquid lip balm that I have ever tried! They feel weightless on the lips and the colors are beautiful. This is such a unique product, it's really a balm, gloss, and lipstick all in one! 

If you would like to see lip swatches, please watch my video review below! 

 Have you tried the Color Elixir yet? What are your thoughts? 

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