Review of The Wet Brush on curly hair

Hello!

I don't talk about hair much here but I wanted to share my experience with a new hair brush that I found at Target.

The Brush: 

It is The "Wet" Brush squirt Target.com $4.99. They also have a larger one for $8.99 and they have various colors.

It's a detangling brush specifically made to work with wet hair. I currently visiting family and forgot to pack a brush. I have curly hair and I am currently on the curly girl method so I only brush my hair straight out of the shower and this seemed perfect.

My review: 

I have been using this brush for a week and it is a winner! It does actually make brushing my hair a bit easier. It's not a miracle worker though and any one with curly hair will know that it will always be more difficult to brush our hair. On the other hand, if you are going to brush your curly wet hair, I think this brush is worth it. If your hair is not as difficult I know that you will like this brush. It has the ideal bristles and space between bristles for brushing wet hair. It is very similar to some of the Conair brushes at target and I will have to see how my regular Conair compares once I get back home. In the meantime, I am elated to have found this. It is small enough for travel and WAY better than other travel brushes.

*** All items were purchased by me. I have never accepted money in exchange for a review. This is not a sponsored post and all links are direct to retailers, there are no affiliate links.

Urban Decay Vice LTD palette: Swatches and First Impressions

Hello all!

I was recently able to pick up the limited edition Urban Decay Vice LTD palette at the Newport Beach flagship store. You can pick it up for $58 at urbandecay.com

The palette: 

I have to say that the packaging is beautiful and much better than the Vice palette this year (just my opinion, sorry). I love the lime green color!

You get 20 eyeshadows and a double-ended brush. I know some people don't like the brushes that come with palettes but I always find a use for them :)

The Swatches: 

All shadows were swatched on my NC42 skin, without a primer. It's a rare cloudy day in Souther California, so a did have a light on but they are showing up true to color. I will name and describe shadows top to bottom. 

Chase: a satin gold 

Provocateur: a shimmery pink 

Crystal: a unique dual chrome light blue with gold

Nameless: a satin golden brown 

Last sin: a shimmery champagne 

Hoodoo: a satin lavender 

Goddess: a satin blue (swatches powdery)

Backdoor: a matte dark brown 

Roadstripe: a satin which with some pale pink in it

Freakshow: a satin purple (it looks like it might also have gold glitter)

Vaporize: a dual chrome, it looks like a taupe on the pan but it has brown and green and I am not sure what else. It reminds me of Girly by Too Faced. 

Deeper: a vibrant brown w/ gold shimmer 

Anonymous: a matter light peach

Junkshow: a satin pink 

Floss: a deep green with glitter 

Disco: shimmer gold

Laced: A matte light brown (blends into my skin tone)
Blitz: A shimmery yellow gold

Perversion: a matte black/gray

Heat: a shimmery orange/gold 

The Review: 

There are 4 matte colors , the rest are shimmery and satin so that it something to consider. There are a few blending shades and I am not sure how they will work on my skin tone. However, there are some really great unique shades. Only two shades swatched poorly: perversion and goddess. I will wait and see how they perform on the eyes but it's only two shades so it won't ruin the palette. I will play with it and come back with looks and a full review later in the week but over all I am pretty excited to play with this palette.

This one is not as well organized as the Vice palette this year and has more light tones shades. This worries me a bit. However it also has some fun and exciting shades that swatch with more dimension that they appear to have on the pan.

** All items were purchased my me. I have never been paid for a review or been sponsored and there are no affiliate links

xoxo,
~Cynthia

Urban Decay: NAKED On the Run palette review and swatches

Hello all,

I recently went to the Urban Decay flagship store in Newport Beach, CA where I got my hands on the NAKED On the Run palette.

It is $54 and contains 5 shadows, a bronzer, a pink blush, and highlighter a NAKED lipgloss in Sesso, a 24/7 glide-on eye pencil in Stag, and the Perversion mascara. urbandecay.com

The Palette: 

 

The Swatches: 

From top to bottom: 

The eyeliner: a blackened brown 

The gloss: a neutral pink 

The highlighter in 5050

The blush 

The Bronzer: As you can see it is really light, however it is matte

Shadows from top to bottom: 

Stun: a glittery brown with some gold

Dare: Matte medium brown  

Resist: A taupe/shimmery silver 

Fix: matte light brown  

Dive: a pink champagne 

The Review: 

This is a nice neutral palette and does contain everything you need for a full face (except foundation). However, I am currently thinking about returning it because a lot of the colors are too light on me. I think I could justify keeping it, but I have palettes that are more satisfying. For $54 I really wanted this to work better on me. I will add that the quality of the shadows is good and no different from what we are used to from Urban Decay. 

I do love the pink blush, the 5050 highlighter, the mascara, and the lipgloss. That's what's stopping me from returning this right away. I also think this would be a great palette to keep at the office for touch-ups or at a significant other's house. If I keep it that is how it will be used but if like me you already have a good neutral palette and you are tan/olive skin toned or darker, I would skip this one. 

Two Looks: 

There are two looks I did with this palette, and while pretty they are not much different and I can get these looks from palettes that I already own. 

**I purchased all items myself and have never accepted money for a review. There are also no affiliate links.

xoxo, 

~Cynthia 

My Holiday Makeup: Makeup Geek and Mally Beauty

Hello all,

I just want to share the look I did for Thanksgiving because it was a festive look that I think will work for other holidays and for the holiday season :)

Keep reading if you are interested in how I hot this look:

Products List: 

Foundation: 

I used the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H makeup in 410 Bisque(w)- It's a full coverage, matte foundation which I prefer applying with a beauty blender. 

Blush: 

I layered all 3 blushed in the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush palette (Luminous Flush, Incandescent Electra, Mood Exposure)

Powder: 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette- I used dim light to set my undereye concealer ad Radiant light all over the face 

Concealer: 

Tarte BB tinted undereye corrector and Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser in Medium - I applied it under my eye in a triangle shape to help make it look more natural and highlighted, I used a the beauty blender to help blended in, the foundation on the beauty blender also helps it blend with the rest of the face

Highlighter: 

Doll 10 H2Glo HIghlighter in Champagne 

Brows: 

It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil and Maybelline Great Lach clear mascara to help keep my brows in place. The brow pencil gives me put together but still natural looking brows. 

Lips: 

Makeup Forever lipstick in Rouge 

Eyes: 

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion 

Mally Eye Shadow in cooper rose (eye shadow stick)

Makeup Geek Vegas Lights Pigment 

Makeup Geen Vegas lights Eyeshadow palette

The Look: 

The Tutorial:

I primed my eyes and applied the Mally shadow stick, then went in with the star of the show: the Vegas Lights pigment. I applied it with a wet brush all over the lid and a bit into the crease. I then mixed Sin City and Roulette from the Vegas Lights palette and applied in on the crease and blended it up above the crease, the I used Mirage as a browbone highlight. For an extra wow factor I used casino on the inner corner and Sin City on the lower lashline, and Roulette on the lower lashline as well but on the outer corner. 

I hope this makes sense but let me know if you have any questions!

Disclaimer: I purchased every product myself and all thought and opinion are my own. I do not get paid for reviews and do not use sponsored or affiliate links

Urban Decay US Flagship Store: My experience and haul

Hello all,

So the Urban Decay flagship store just opened up in my area and I tried to resist it's allure but it was much to powerful. It is located in Fashion Island, New Port Beach, CA.

It is located in what used to be an Inglot store and I am quite familiar with the space, which is small. While the space is small, I thought they used the space well. The products are spaced out nicely and there is more than one display for many of them so you don't have to push and shove your way to the item you want.

I went during the day so as to avoid the crows, which I highly recommend. There were two associates there and both were super nice and helpful. Since I was the only customer there, I accepted the offer of a makeover. Usually I don't like anyone else touching my face but the associate offered to try the Naked On the Run palette. She did a lovely natural look on me that convinced me to buy the palette.

The biggest draw for me is that the store is currently carrying limited edition and not yet released palettes I was able to purchase both the Naked On the Run (to be released December 1, 2014) as well as the Vice LTD palette (to be released December 4, 2014). I bought both palettes and will be showing swatches and reviewing both shortly :)

The Flagship Store: 

The design is very Urban Decay!

Along with all their makeup, they also have other goodies! 

The Haul: 

The Vice LTD 

Naked On the Run 

I also got a couple of samples!

Parting Thoughts: 

If you are a fangirl/boy a visit to the flagship store is probably a must. If you are not, I would not go out of my way for it. On the other hand if you live in the area, I think it's worth a visit!

xoxox,
~Cynthia

Smashbox On the Rocks: 3 Looks and Review

Hi everyone!

I have been having so much fun playing with the Smashbox On the Rocks palette. My previous post has swatches and shadow descriptions, if you are interested!

The palette is limited edition and available at Ulta for $42 for 28 shadows.

The Review: 

This palette is excellent! The shadows are pigmented and easy to blend. There is a variety of finishes and colors. If you don't have a palette with a nice variety and options. I would definitely get this one. If you have a complete collection this might not add much. I don't see too many unique shades in here but there are some beautiful taupes and lavender/purple shades. They are powdery so if you hate that, this won't be for you. On the other hand, they are not so powdery that it's a turnoff for me. I would actually compare them to the Lorac shadows, though these might not be quite so powdery.

The looks: 

Look 1

I wore this look to work, so I kept it natural looking but made it interesting by using the lavender :) 

What I used: 

Marzipan all other my lid on top of MAC's paint pot in painterly

Totally Nude on my crease

Sable in the outer corner 

Lavender on the lid

Snow as a browbone highlight 

A bit of Moonlight on the inner corner 

Look 2 

This was my fun weekend look and my favorite look with this palette, so far

What I used:

A mix on Marzipan and Totally Nude on my crease

Mink all over my lid 

Cabernet on the outer corner and taken into the crease just a bit

Snow as a browbone highlight  

I love everything about this look, but Cabernet is probably the standout shade :)

Look 3 

This was my colorful look!

What I used: 

Marzipan all over the lid on top of MAC's paint pot in painterly 

A mix of Totally Nude and Sable on my crease

Peacock on the lid 

Navy on the outer corner and taken into the crease a bit 

Snow as a browbone highlight 

Moonlight in the inner corner 

The standout from this look was Navy, which is a beautiful navy blue :) It blended well and I think looks stunning. 

I am very happy with the palette and the looks that I can make with it. Let me know if you would like to see more looks with it. I will also try to answer any questions you might have!

xoxo,
Cynthia

Smashbox On the Rocks palette: Swatches and First Impressions

Hi everyone,

I love the Holiday season! Yes, I love getting together with family and friends, eating good food and having a great time, but the best part is the holiday palettes!

Today I have swatches and first impressions of Smashbox' On the Rocks Palette.

It is limited edition, $42 and available exclusively at Ulta

I did get last year's palette and while I like it, it does get overshadowed (no pun intended) by other palettes. I was not planning on getting this one but then I saw good reviews and decided to take a second look. Then came the Ulta 20% off coupon and I had to place the order.

The palette: 

I love the packaging: it is foamy, and catches the light beautifully though a bit too thick. 

It does not have cutesy names, and the silly plastic is annoying. I would much prefer when they are printed so that I can throw away the plastic. 

 It's so pretty

It comes with a look book!

The swatches: 

I will take them one square at at time from top left to right. 

Top Left: 

(from bottom to top)

Marzipan: a matte skin color 

Totally Nude: a matte brown with mauve tones 

Sumatra: a matte deep brown 

Ambient: a shimmer golden bronze  

Fizz: a shimmer champagne 

Top middle: 

(from bottom to top)

Sable: a matte mid-tone brown  

Cream: a shimmery crem color  

Midas: a shimmery/satin taupe  

Roast: a glittery brown, the glitter is gold and fine (not chunky) 

Zoom: a shimmery lime green with gold glitter   

Top Right: 

(from bottom to top)

Juniper: a satin brown taupe 

Peacock: a complex satin blue-green (though this description doesn't do it justice) 

Lavender: a satin lavender  

Sapphires: a satin vibrant blue  

Purple Mist: a satin purple taupe  

Bottom Left: 

(from bottom to top)

Navy: a matte dark blue 

Pastel: a mate light mauve 

Lilac: a satin purple 

Babycakes: a pink with silver glitter  

Royal: a dark burgundy that swatches matte but might have micro glitter 

Bottom Middle: 

(from bottom to top)

Mink: a shimmer lavender/gray taupe  

Moonlight: a glittery silver   

Snow: a matte white  

Framboise: a satin fuschia 

Asteroid: a deep shimmer gray  

Bottom Right: 

(from bottom to top)

Cabernet: a satin burgundy  

Smoke: a deep matte gray  

Gypsy: a shimmery green/gray   

First Impressions: 

I have not yet tried every single shadow but  so far I have really been loving these shadows! They are easy to blend and while a bit powdery not overly. There is a good variety of matte, satin, and glittery shades and there is a large variety of looks possible. 

I do have to say that I'm not 100% satisfied with the crease shades. Marxipan, Pastel, and Totally Nude work with certain looks but I might have to mix Totally Nude and Sable to for my perfect shade. For reference I am NC 42 in Mac shadows and usually Tan in Tarte and It Cosmetics. If you are either lighter or darker I don't think you will have a problem finding a good crease shade. So far my favorite color is Cabernet but I am excited to play with the blues and golds. 

I definitely think that this palette is worth it! Is it better than the other holiday palettes... this is in my top three. The top three being: Too Faced Everything Nice, Tarte's Away Oui Go and Smathbox On the Rocks. On the Rocks has more variety than Away Oui Go, and the shadows are more buttery than the Everything Nice. However, the butteriness also means that they are more powdery. The powderiness, I would say is comparable to Lorac shadows. 

I hope this helps as you decide, what palette to get! My next post will be looks I have done with this palette. So far I have loved every look.

Have a great weekend!
xoxo Cynthia

Vice 3 swatches and review

Howdy all,

I don't own either of the first two Vice palettes but I really wanted to try the Vice 3 so I picked it up with my Ulta points :)

The palette: 

I HATE the packaging and I seem to be in the minority on this but the plastic feels flimsy and I don't like the design... However, packaging is not everything and I do really enjoy the color selection and overall quality of the shadows. 

The swatches: 

As a reference, I am NC42 in MAC foundations, though my hand is probably more tan

From left to right

Top row: 

DTF-its a brown/gray shadow that seems to have a sheen to it but shows up like a matte 

Downfall- a matte brown that's perfect for the crease 

Undone- a light brown that comes off almost nude on my skin 

Truth- is a light pink and perfect as a matte highlight on me 

Botton row: 

Brokedown- a metalic green/brown that is quite unique, but powdery 

Heroine- a matte blue! It is pigmented but I have not used it yet to see how it performs 

Freeze- is a gorgeous metalic teal 

Dragon - a grean with a bit of a sheen 

First row: 

Bobby Dazzle- a shimmery white

Reign- a brown taupe 

Lucky- a shimmer caramel 

Vanity- shimmery purple 

Second Row: 

Sonic- I am not sure how to describe this shimmery color, it has some peach, coral...

Bondage- is a deep purple/pink dual chrome, it has a lot of dimension

Alchemy- a deep pink shimmer 

Alien-shimmery pink 

Third Row: 

Revolver- is a dark blue/gray shimmer 

Defy- is a matte gray

Angel- is a shimmer taupe/gray 

Last Sin-is a beautiful champagne shimmer, i've used this all over the lid and comes off beautiful 

The Review: 

When I first got it, I was not at all sure how I felt. At first glance the palette looked nice but nothing really stood out to me. Then I swatched it and started creating looks with it and have grown to appreciate it. It is a VERY versatile palette. You can do all all matte or all shimmer look, you can do nudes or all brights, and there are tons of options. Is it s must have? Not if you have this kind of palette already but if you are just building your collection then this will make a nice addition. 

Tarte Away Oui Go Palette 4 looks and Review

Howdy all,

Ever since the Away Oui Go palette arrived I have not been able to put it down. Before this I had only bough one Tarte palette so I don't really have a lot of experience with Tarte shadows. So, let me tell you that I am SO impressed with these shadows. At first look they did not look all that interesting to me but then I swatched them and fell in love. Then I used them on my eyes and I am officially obsessed.

The looks: 

First off, the palette is divided into 4 sub-palettes that are easy to travel with in an included travel case, so I tried to do a look with each of these sub-palettes. They do come with 4 shadows and one blush. Not all of them have a highlight shade so I did dip into a second palette at times for that. Otherwise I stuck with the palette and used the blush.

Look 1

The shadows: 

Macarons for you: Used as a crease color 

Champagne & Chocolat : used on the inner third of the lid

Kisses Under the Arc: used in the center of the lid

Art in Montmartre: used in the outre corner 

Blush: Envisioned

I also dipped into Private Chateau for a brow-bone highlight

This palette creates a beautiful, natural look with some sheen to it. The blush itself is very light and barely shows up on my skin. For skin darker than mine, it will be a highlighter. For all the pale beauties out there, this will be beautiful on you. 

 Look 2

The shadows: 

Champs-Élysées Shopping: used in the crease 

Stargazing on the Seine: in the inner conerner

Eiffel Tower Engagement: in the outer corner and pulled into the crease 

Secret Soiree: all over the lid

Blush: Limitless-a gorgeous blush with brown and peach tones, it comes off very natural on my tan skin tone 

I layered Champs-Élysées Shopping and Private Chateau as a brow-bone highlight 

From this palette, the standout shade is Secret Soiree. It is a gorgeous purple with silver glitter. The glitter is super fine and had only minimal fallout. My only complaint about it is the missing accent on the name... yeah it's the French teacher in me :)

Look 3

The Shadows: 

Private Chateau (yes it's missing the ˆ accent): used all over the lid on top on Mac's painterly paint pot

Café for Crème Brûlée: used as on the crease

Tea for Two: used all over the lid

Marvel at the Mona Lisa: used on the outer corner and pulled a bit into the crease

Blush: Irresistible-light pink very pigmented color, I was so impressed that it showed up on my skin

This was my absolute favorite look! It's a natural brown smokey eye for daytime. I could have definitely smoked it out but I was teaching that day so I kept it toned down. I LOVE this look so much though, there is just nothing else to say about it

 Look 4

The shadows: 

Snow Angels in the Park: used as a brow-bone highlight

Navigating the Metro: all over the lid

Midnight Stroll: on the outer third on the eyelid and into the crease

Liaison at the Louvre: used to deepen up the outer corner

Blush: Intrigue- this sis a gorgeous super pigmented pink blush with some mauve in it. Do be careful, I definitely went overboard with it at first application :/

This palette has my favorite blush and the one that I think will work best for those of us with darker skin tones. The shadows are pigmented and easy to work with. I liked this look but I seriously want to go back to the browns, lol. 

Other thoughts: 

As you can see I primarily stayed within a sub-palette but you don't have to! Next look I do with these I will grab shadows from the different sub-palettes. I was so impressed with each shadow and blush. There was no individual shadow that I felt was a dud and there was something I likes from each blush. Though the standouts for me were Irresistible and Intrigue. 

Let me know if you are planning on getting this palette. It is exclusive to Ulta and limited edition for the Holiday 2014 season. I absolutely recommend it but let me know if you have any questions!

* I purchased this palette and all opinion and thought expressed here are my own.