Formula X for Sephora Aurora

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are enjoying your day with friends and loved ones. We had our family Thanksgiving early last weekend so today is just a relaxing day for me. I'm likely to do some online shopping today and maybe early tomorrow before I head out to work, that is if I can get up that early. I'm too chicken to go out there in the cold and hustle with the crowd at 5 am in the morning, lol. I know I won't make it alive.

Aurora is a sheer and milky nail polish with lots of iridescent gold and purple shimmers. It's one of those polishes that you would typically want to use for layering. It's not too thick or thin but it is jam packed with gold and pink shimmers which seems to overpower the color underneath and give it a frostier finish. Not really feeling it at this point. Personally, I would prefer that the shimmer aren't so dense so that it will enhance the base color rather than take over it.  I think Aurora would be best paired with a light pastel color.

On the swatches below I did one coat over Orly Purple Poodle.

Price: $12.50
Availability: Sephora 

Freeman Facial Polish Mask Charcoal & Black Sugar Review

Happy Thanksgiving! Almost there but it may be Thanksgiving by the time you read this post. I want to take advantage of Black Friday deals but I still can't make up my mind on what to get. Sadly, I'd be working on Friday...Ughhh. What do you plan on getting? Are you going to be out there shopping on Black Friday?

Initially I purchased the packet trial and thought that this face mask was rather nice so I decided to get the full size tube. 

Packaging

• 6 oz or 150 ml tube. 
• The trial size contains .5 oz which is enough products for 3 applications. 

Product

• I first remove my makeup with a makeup wipe then rinse my face with warm water and pat my face with a towel. While my face is still a little damp but not completely dry, I squeeze a quarter size amount of the mask/scrub on my hand and spread the product on my face and start rubbing in a circular motion.
• The mask is thick and the scrub does a very good job at exfoliating. The friction isn't too harsh for me but if you have sensitive skin you'll probably will need to use less pressure when you're rubbing the scrub on your skin. 
• I noticed a warm sensation when using it. It doesn't sting or burn but it definitely feels warm on the skin. It must be the active charcoal, which is supposed to absorb oil and impurities. 
• I leave the mask for 5 minutes and then rinse with warm water. Honestly, I'm not even sure why they labeled it as a mask because it really is more of a scrub. 
• My skin feel really smooth as I rinse the product away. I didn't find the mask drying but it wasn't really moisturizing either. My skin however feels more polished after use.
• It has a rather pleasant and soft floral scent. I wasn't expecting that but I do like it. 

Final Thought

I've tried a few of these Freeman face masks and this is probably the only one that I actually like from the brand. Granted, I've had better but for a drugstore and budget friendly scrub/mask, it does a wonderful job with exfoliating and polishing the skin. I love the fact that the fragrance isn't too strong and it smells fresh and flowery. 

Rating: 8/10

Price: $3.99

Availability: CVS and Walgreens

This or That - Powder Blush, Cream Blush, or Cheek Tint?

Hello lovelies,

I can't believe I'm going to say what I'm about to say but I can't wait for December to be here already, lol. I don't like Winter but because I have some vacation time and personal time I need to take before I lose them, next month is going to be pretty relaxing for me.

Don't you just love it that there are so many different type of makeup. It's nice to have all these options but sometimes, they make it hard to choose, don't you think? I get greedy when I have choices.

I wear blushes pretty much on a daily basis. I'm pretty pale and blushes give a little life back to my face.

Powder blushes are probably the ones I use the most. They are the easiest and quickest to apply and easiest to blend. With not a lot of time for makeup in the morning, they work out for me. They usually don't last as long as cream blushes or cheek tint but some can last up to 6 hours, which I can be happy with.

Cream blush - I have a love and hate relationship with cream blushes. Most don't work out for me because they don't blend as easily as I want or leave a tacky feeling on my skin. The Illamasqua blushes are probably the only ones that I've been happy with.

Cheek Tint - I love that they have the longest lasting power but for some the application can be tricky as they can set pretty quickly, might be too pigmented, or apply blotchy. Some come in a liquidy form and some come in a gel-type formula.

Overall, powder blushes are typically the easiest for me so they win. With cream blushes and cheek tints I really have to hunt for the right formula and when I do, I love that they last so much longer than a powder blush.

Pink Glitter Gradient Nail Look

Hi everyone,

We woke up with some snow today. Fortunately, it wasn't much so driving wasn't too bad. This is what I'm wearing on my nails this week. I had some time on my hands for a new mani and came up with this lovely glitter nail gradient that I very much enjoy.

Product Used

• 2 coats of OPI Muir Muir On The Wall  
• Carefully place and created a gradient at the base of the nail plate with Orly Bubbly Bombshell glitters and spread them through 1/3 of the nails. 
• Added another layer of OPI Pink Yet Lavender glitter over Bubbly Bombshell for some contrast
• Seal the manicure with Out The Door clear top coat.

Forever 21 Nail Polish Swatches

Hello lovelies,

I can't believe two weeks has already passed since I purchased these nail polishes from Forever 21. I think they are transitioning the new nail polish bottle to the squared shape and no longer being called Love & Beauty.

Forever 21 Nail Color Green/Gold. It looks stunning in the bottle. Shimmery teal green with teal and gold glitters. The base color is sheer so you need three coats for opaque coverage. I don't really like it so much on my nails and perhaps it would look better with one coat over another color. The thing that bothers me a bit is the curved gold glitters. I would prefer them to lay flat.

Forever 21 Sand Lacquer Burnished Gold. Three words: I love it! Medium orange brown with gold sparkles. It's so fall! I don't think there is anything out there similar to this color. The formula is fairly easy to work with and only requires two coats.

Forever 21 Sand Lacquer Purple Gold. Dark purple base with gold and pink glitters. It's quite pigmented and you could possibly get away with one coat but a second layer is better for even coverage. It is a smidgen darker than OPI Alcatraz...Rocks but the resemblance is close enough if you are looking for a cheaper alternative.

The Rest of My Cream Eyeshadow Swatches

Here are the last of my cream eyeshadow swatches...sorry I had this draft sitting there like 2 or 3 months I think, lol, by now I'm sure I've already acquired more cream eyeshadows. If you've missed the previous set of swatches here are some quick links to them.

Green Cream Eyeshadow Swatches
Blue Cream Eyeshadow Swatches
Grey/Silver Cream Eyeshadow Swatches
Neutral Cream Eyeshadow Swatches

Estee Lauder Double Wear Shadow Cream Lilac Petals - this one is a bit on the sheer but feels creamy and has a good lasting power. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Shadow Cream Deep Orchid - almost not as intense as it looks in the pot but works well as a base and doesn't crease or fade.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Fierce & Tangy - I guess my main complaint would be that these dry out faster than I can use them but when it's brand new the color is fairly easy to work with and long lasting without creasing. 

MAC Paint Pot Treasure Hunt (limited edition) - pale shimmery yellow gold. Nice and creamy, average color pay off, but long-wearing without creasing. 

Aveeno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub Review

Time for some skincare review and this one has been in the back burner for a while.

Packaging

• Plastic squeeze tube, 5 oz or 140 g

Product

• This daily scrub claims to help improve skin tone, texture, and clarity to reveal brighter, more radiant skin.
• It contains round micro beads that provide a gentle exfoliation that is suitable for daily use. It also contains active soy complex to reduce the appearance of blotchiness, discoloration, and brighten skin. 
• Personally, I do like how gentle this facial scrub is on the skin. It doesn't irritate or dry out my skin. On the flip side, I don't really notice a significant change in skin texture or improvement in my skin tone. It also doesn't do a very good job at removing makeup so you definitely need something else to remove the makeup prior to using this scrub. 
• It has a fresh citrucy scent. Not too strong or overpowering.

Final Thought

It's a good gentle daily scrub that I think will suit all skin type, including sensitive skin. It does a decent job at cleansing without drying out the skin. Unfortunately, it didn't even out skin tone or brighten my skin.

Rating: 8/10

Price: $5-$6
Availability: Walgreens, Wal-Mart, CVS, Target

Smoky Matte Green Makeup Look

I wasn't sure how this look was going to turn up but I must say I really like using matte eyeshadows. Well I guess it depends on the kind of matte we're talking about. I've been meaning to do a review on the Mehron INtense eyeshadow palettes but in all honestly, I find it hard to wear them enough for a complete review so I'm forcing myself to use them when I do a makeup look.

Product Used

Face

• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette: Dim Light all over face, Incandescent Light highlight on cheeks, and Radiant Light for cheek contour
• Sephora + Pantone Universe Colour of the Year Blush Duo

Eyes

• Urban Decay Primer Potion all over lids
• Mehron INtense Pressed Powder Pigment Earth Palette: Carbon and Graphite on the crease and outer V. Mountain Moss on the lids
• Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Perversion on the upper lash line
• Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof Surfer Babe and Roof Top Party on lower lash line
• Illamasqua Cream Eyeshadow Intrude to fill the brows.
• ELF Natural eyelashes

Lips

• OCC lip Tar Black Dahlia 

L'Occitane One Minute Hand Scrub - Review

I purchased the One Minute Hand Scrub inside a L'Occitane boutique about 2 weeks ago and I have been using this hand scrub almost every single day since.

Packaging

• 3.5 oz or 100 ml of product in a plastic container. Pretty simple and standard. 
• A clear small spatula is included, which I find helpful. 

Product

• This hand scrub contains shea oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, and organic sugar. It kinda smells like the Johnson's baby lotion but better. 
• Using the spatula over dry hands, I scoop about 1/4 teaspoon of sugar for each hand and dip the spatula back to pick up a little more oil. I then rub my fingers over the opposite hand using circular motion to scrub away dead skin and work the oil into my skin for about a minute or two and then rise with warm water. 
• Even upon the first try, I've noticed how significantly conditioned and soft my hands felt. I've been using this scrub every night before going to bed and followed by the L'Occitane hand cream it has made a pretty big difference in the appearance of my skin. During the fall/winter season, my hands are extremely dry and regular use of the scrub banished dry, wrinkled skin, from my hands. Oils from the scrub also help keep my cuticles in good condition as well. 

Final Thought

It has a lovely scent and is very effective for exfoliating and condition dry hands. This is a life saver for the cold months when my skin tend to get drier. It makes skin feel so soft and smelling nice. I use only once every night before bed and it helped a lot. I highly recommend you try this hand scrub if you suffer from dry hands and cuticles. 

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics All-Star Lip Tar Set - Swatch and Review

TGIF and I'm so happy to have the day off as well! I haven't posted in the past few days and it feels like I haven't posted in a month. Anyways, nothing really happened to me, I've just been tired and needing some time for myself. The sad thing is even with all these recent extravagant hauls, I haven't used half of the products I purchased and those I've tried, I haven't paid close enough attention to deliver a thorough review. So with that said, I will just talk about what I know and experienced so far and with limited edition products, they go fast so I feel the urgency to post them sooner.

The Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Lip Tar All-Star Mini set was one of those set that I knew I had to get my hands on. All the shades in this mini set are part of the permanent lip tar line; however, this mini set is only available for a limited time so I suggest that if they sparkle your interests that you get them before they sell out.


Packaging

• I've always wanted to try them for the past couple of years but I really couldn't justify the price. A full size lip tar (.33 oz) retails for $18.00 but with this set you get 4 different shades (0.08 oz each) for $20.00, which appeals to me more because I know that I will never finish a full size tube. 
• The set also include a small lip brush. Nice to have and you certainly will need a lip brush to apply these lip tars but for me I am highly likely to misplace and lose this little brush.

Memento, NSFW, Anime, Black Dahlia

Product

• Memento is a medium peachy rose lip color with a cream finish. It looks a little uneven up close but not very obvious from afar. It's a nice wearable color that I think a lot of people will like. 

• NSFW is a neutral intense red with a cream finish. The color is super saturated. 

• Anime is a bright neon fuchsia with a cream finish. It's a very fun and flirty shade of pink. Also very saturated color pay off.

• Black Dahlia reminds me of the color of a black berry, a dark berry red. I really like the color but it does look blotchy up close and will highlight dry patchy areas of the lips. However, from an arm length's distance, it really doesn't look too bad. 

• I'm not even sure why OCC labels them as matte because they are nothing matte to me unless you blot them with a tissue. 
• They go on like a very intense lip gloss and settle into a cream finish. The OCC lip tars have a reputation for being highly saturated and it's true. The pigmentation is incredible, therefore a little goes a long way and the darker shades stain. 
• They are a little thick but they spread out easily and don't feel heavy on the lips. They do bleed and some of them look a little patchy so I would definitely recommend that you pair them with a lip liner. With that said, the color also get on your teeth so you might want to blot the center of your lips at least to avoid that. 
• I find them comfortable and slightly moisturizing. They have hemp and peppermint oil in them so they do have a bit of a minty scent to them. I can't tell you how long they wear cause I haven't tested them for that but judging from the pigmentation and staining power, I think you will get at the least 4 hours of wear. 

Final Thought

Pros: highly pigmented, long-wearing, comfortable. I love the colors in this set and the price point is something I can live with. You get to try 4 shades without breaking the bank. If you prefer neutral and daytime colors, I don't think this set is for you.
Cons: some shades are slightly blotchy. Colors bleed. This mini set is limited edition and only available at Sephora.
One thing I love and appreciate about these lip tars is that you can mix them together to create a custom color. Overall, this is a really nice set. Definitely a good value and way to introduce yourself to the brand.

Rating: 8.5/10

Price: $20.00
Availability: Sephora