Too Faced Chocolate Bar Makeup Look

I decided to pull out my Chocolate Bar palette and create this look since I haven't done a full face makeup look in a while. Plus with all the new eyeshadows I've been getting lately, I haven't got a chance to with it or get a feel for it. So far, I like it!

Product Used

Face

• Milani Baked Blush Fantastico Mauve
• Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Matte Pressed Powder Deep

Eyes

• Lorac Behind The Scenes eye primer
• With Too Faced Chocolate Bar, I used Champagne Truffle on inner corners, Marzipan on center of lids, Black Forest Truffle on outer V, Cherry Cordial on crease, White Chocolate on brow bone, and Candied Violet on lower lash line. 
• Rimmel Glam'Eyes Glamour Liquid Liner on upper lash line
• Illamasqua Cream Eyeshadow Intrude on brows with Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel Espresso
• Ardell Curvy false lashes 414 black

Lips

• Revlon Matte Balm Shameless with Revlon Superlustrous lipstick Va Va Violet

What's your go to neutral palette?

Bare Minerals Loose Eyeshadows Swatch, Review, Eye Look - Imagination, Mint, Peacock

I purchased these Bare Minerals loose eyeshadows at a Bare Minerals store in my local outlet mall. They usually have pretty good deals every time I go in there so I try to pick a little here and there whenever I pay them a visit.

Packaging

• plastic jar container with sifter. Oops, I forgot to take a picture of them with the sifter on. 
• .02 oz or .57 g

Product

• Imagination - shimmery muted medium blue with grey undertone.
• Mint - light shimmery green mint
• Peacock - shimmery teal green with golden shimmers.
• They swatch beautifully, are pigmented, and easy to blend. They're good quality but you still need a good primer but a glitter base or one made especially for loose pigments, such as Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, would work better to bring out the intensity of the shade.

Final Thought

I know pigments are a bit messy to handle and I don't like the packaging. The sifter doesn't help but get in my way. Otherwise, I love the colors that I picked up. Bare minerals make beautiful eyeshadows.

Rating: 9/10

Price: 3 for $15.00
Availability: Bare Minerals

Imagination, Mint, Peacock

Imagination on lid

Mint on lid

Peacock on lid

Estee Lauder Pure Color Vivid Shine Lipstick Mirrored Orchid - Swatch and Review

I purchased this lipstick at the CCO for $21.00. It normally retails for $26.00. I think it might have been a limited edition shade because I cannot find it on Estee Lauder's website. There are several colors from the Vivid Shine line that you can purchase but if you are looking for this specific shade, you might have to hunt it down at the CCO or somewhere online.

Packaging

• Fancy schmancy!  Look at the gold packaging! It has a nice weight and looks luxurious. I love it.
• .13 oz or 3.8 g

Product

• Mirrored Orchid is a beautiful medium berry plum with pink micro glitters and a frosty finish. I know the frostiness might turn off some people but for this shade, I don't mind it personally. I don't think the frostiness is overkill and still find the color lovely. 
• The formula is very pigmented and creamy. I get intense color payoff with just the first swipe. I think the micro pink glitters is what makes this color more interesting and different for other berry lipstick I own. It adds a very subtle glimmer and depth to the color that looks almost holographic-ish (I don't know if that even makes sense) and the best part is that I don't feel them. 
• Although creamy, the color stays where you put it and doesn't slip or slide so it creates a nice even application. I find it to be just slightly moisturizing but very comfortable. It's doesn't feel heavy but not too light either. 
• I get 3-4 hours of wear before it starts fading. 

Final Thought

Fancy packaging, lovely formula, full coverage, and I dig the color. I like wearing this lipstick with just a simple cat eye look, no eyeshadows.

Rating: 9.5/10

Price: $21 - $26
Availability: CCO, Estee Lauder

NYX Baked Eyeshadow Review and Swatches - Cosmos, Love Junkie, and Vesper

Happy Tuesday!

It feels nice to be on vacation even if I'm not doing anything special. It's relaxing and I really needed that. They have finally hired a manager and she will be starting next week. For the past couple years, we've undergone so many changes with new management and even though change is supposed to be good. I think we are all getting tired of things constantly changing. I have no doubt that this new manager is going to add some more changes. I really hope this is the last major change we have to go through.

Anyhow...let move on to the review of these somewhat new NYX Baked Eyeshadows that I picked up at Ulta a few weeks ago.

Packaging

• I think the packaging is adorable and sturdy, although a little bulky. It looks like a box with a bow on the opening side.
• .1 oz or 3 g

Product

• Cosmos is a light shimmery minty green. This one is very sheer.
• Love Junkie is a dark shimmery purple.
• Vesper is a medium shimmery warm brown with pink undertone and s subtle silver sheen. 
• Pigmentation is very weak on these eyeshadows, even with a primer. They swatch well with the finger but try applying them with a brush and you'll find that it doesn't pick up much product. 
• They show up much better when I used them in conjunction with Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. I personally do not like to use them wet but you could if you want to. It's just another hassle I think and doesn't do much difference with these eyeshadows. 
• With a primer they last about 4 hours before fading.  With primer and Pixie Epoxy, they stay on for most of the day. 

Final Thought

My main complaint would be the lack of pigmentation and the longevity. You will need a base made especially for loose pigments or glitters in order to get the best out of them.

Rating: 7/10

Price: $6.00
Availability: Ulta, NYX Cosmetics

Cosmos. Left no primer, right with primer.

Cosmos. Left with Pixie Epoxy. Right with eyeshadow primer.

Love Junkie. Left no primer. Right with primer.

Love Junkie. Left with Pixie Epoxy. Right with eyeshadow primer.

Vesper. Left no primer. Right with primer.

Vesper. Left with Pixie Epoxy. Right with eyeshadow primer.

Cosmos / Love Junkie / Vesper over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

What I'm Currently Wearing...Revlon by Marchesa 3D Jewel Appliques Silk Rosette

Happy 4th of July everyone! I hope you enjoy the day, the fireworks, and stay safe. As for me, I'm not doing anything special. Will be hanging out with my sisters at home, grilling a good meal, gossip, and watch TV...Oh and I am off work for a week and I haven't figured out what to do with myself. Yeah, it was sort of a last minute decision. Fail. I don't mind sitting at home doing nothing but I don't like feeling like I'm wasting it.

I purchased these Revlon nail appliques months ago at CVS because I had some rewards bucks to use and I got them for a pretty sweet deal.
I'm wearing Milani High Speed Fast Dry White On the Spot as my base color and once dried, I applied the stickers. Yes, they are stick on nail designs.
You probably won't be able to find these in store anymore but who knows, you may find them somewhere.
The design is absolutely beautiful. I really love how they look on the nail but I find the application kind of a pain cause you have to be careful when positioning them during application. They are very sticky and if you have to re-position them, it can make them less sticky. I also had to trim them a bit so that they fit the contour of my cuticles and the edge of the nails. It's a meticulous process and takes time.
Another issue I came across is that they don't all stay flat on the rounded edge of my nail bed. So if I wash my hand or use lotion, the sticker gets a bit loose on the edges. It's so annoying cause I am itching to peel it off.

Have you tried nail appliques? What brands? And what do you love or hate about them? I love the beautiful design but hate the application process and the fact that I'm just itching to peel it off soon after I have them on.

I don't know, perhaps I'm not applying them correctly or there is a trick I don't know about. I have a few of these I have yet to use but not so inclined to reach for them. Do you have any tips or tricks?

Beautique Lip Crayon Mustang - Swatch and Review

Looking for a cheap thrill? Check out the Beautique Lip Crayon from Sally Beauty Supply. I picked this one up on a whim because it was on clearance and I thought why not. It could be a gem just waiting to be discovered. It comes in 13 different colors, at least that's how many they have on Sally's website.


Packaging

• The pencil is a bit short but a little thicker than the average pencil. 
• .044 oz or 1.25 g

Product

• Mustang is a shimmery dark burgundy. On its own the shade is rather frosty and applied a bit unevenly when you look up close. 
• I was actually expecting it to be dry but upon swatching I found the formula rather creamy and smooth. Pigmentation was alright. I like the color and I think it will pair nicely with some of my darker berry lipsticks. 

Final Thought

I probably need to head back to Sally and pick up more of these pencils. This one was on clearance for $.69 I think. I can't remember the exact price I paid, I just remember it was dirt cheap and less than a dollar. Otherwise, the regular price is still pretty low but definitely see if you can find some on the clearance stash first. I like a creamy formula. It makes it easier to apply all over the lip.


Rating: 8.5/10

Price: $2.49 (online)
Availability: Sally Beauty Supply

China Glaze Seahorsin Around

Another old swatch that was lingering in my drafts. You probably remember this. I swatched it on the nail wheel about a couple months ago because my nails were chipping and breaking. Well, here I am now with the swatches on my more decent nails.

Seahorsin' Around was part of the Sea Goddess Collection. It's a lovely turquoise textured polish with some beautiful gold and teal green shimmers in it. Warning, it does stain so you really need to use a base coat. Formula is a bit thick but didn't really have any issues with it and looks great in just two coats. Even though it is a textured polish, it feels rather smooth and not too scratchy.

With a clear top coat