Tag: lipstick

My MAC Collection – Lipsticks

.Reading time 6 minutes.

Hi Everybody!

Happy Friday!

I know I missed National Lipstick Day by a couple of days, but I figured it was as good a time as any to give you a little glimpse at my current MAC lipstick collection!

MAC Lipsticks (outlined from L to R below):
MAC Lipsticks (outlined from L to R below):

I have 9 lipsticks from MAC – a mixture of Lustre, Matte, Retro Matte, Frost, and Satin finishes.

(L to R, Top to Bottom): Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III
(L to R, Top to Bottom):
Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III

Velvet Teddy (Matte): a true neutral deep-tone beige. – One of the Kylie Jenner shades. This is a great shade, I think it is perfect for a fall nude lip!

Angel (Frost): a soft baby pink. I typically don’t like super frosty lip shades, but this wears beautifully on the lips. It is one of my go to everyday shades that is a nude pink with a hint of shine. It almost looks like a neutral, pinky gloss. I think this formula is also pretty moisturizing, although not tremendously long wearing.

Syrup (Lustre): a true pink with almost purple / lavender undertones. This is one of my other most used shades. It is a perfect “my lips but better” color that I can wear with virtually any look.

Razzle-Dazzler (Lustre): This shade is a creamy peach color – almost like a creamcicle – perfect for summer! I love this lipstick paired with a shiny gloss and a simple face of make up. So cute for everyday in the summer to add some freshness to your look!

Left Top - down and right: Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler
Left Top – down and right:
Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler

Call the Hairdresser (Lustre): This lip was from the “MAC is Beauty” collection – and I am happy that it is permanent! It is described as a “rosey mauve” but I find it to be more of a true rosey almost hot pink color. I love this one because it is a lot more sheer than my other lipsticks. With the more vibrant pink I think it is nice to be able to start out a bit more sheer and then build up the color depending on your mood 🙂

All Fired Up (Retro Matte): I bought this color recently in preparation for my upcoming trip to Hawaii. I wanted a really eye catching fun color that I wouldn’t normally be able to get away with in day to day life. I can’t wait to pair this bright fuchsia with a summer dress while I’m away.

Amorous (Satin): This was my first MAC lipstick! I remember walking up to the counter and wanting a “dark” lip to wear for my holiday christmas party. I had never really strayed from the neutral pink lip gloss at this point so I thought all dark lips looked silly on me. The woman at the MAC counter was great and helped me pick this cranberry shade out – to this day still one of my favorites for a night out!

Rebel (Satin):  This is a cult favorite and for good reason. It is a creamy plum purple that looks great on a variety of skin tones. I love this color for the winter time. One of my favorite berry shades for holiday parties!

Viva Glam III (Matte): I’ll be honest and say that I totally accidentally ordered this color. I think I meant to order Viva Glam II as I was browsing around the site for some Kylie Jenner -esk shades. When I got this in the mail I was pretty surprised to find this shade as it is VERY dark compared to even the dark shades I wear. This is described as a brownish plum, which I would agree with. It is quite dark, so with my fair skin looks a little silly. However, I could see it being beautiful on a darker or more olive complexion.

(L to R, Top to Bottom): Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III
(L to R, Top to Bottom):
Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III

Let me know your favorite MAC shades and finishes! Another couple I have been eyeing is Creme Cup and Coral Bliss and Ruby Woo.

Hope you enjoy!

xxoo Melissa

Date Night – Casual Summer Night Outfit ft. Estee Lauder & Kendall Jenner’s Lipstick

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Hey Everybody!

I hope you all are having a great weekend! I am getting ready to go out for the night to see a comedy show with my boyfriend and some friends and wanted to jump on here to give you all a quick look at what I’m wearing tonight!

Outfit of the Night - Summertime Casual Date Night (details below)
Outfit of the Night – Summertime Casual Date Night (details below)

I decided to do a casual yet fun look for tonight’s outing. I am wearing a new pair of black J brand jeans (got these on HauteLook – go check it out here for great prices on designer brands). These are the Skinny Leg Mid-Rise jeans and they are super comfy! I am always a little wary of buying jeans online but these are very stretchy so they almost feel like you’re wearing leggings (my fave!). I am pairing the jeans with this lacy top by Kimchi Blue that I got at Urban Outfitters. I think this is perfect for the summer heat and adds a feminine touch to the look!

I decided to throw on my favorite Steve Madden peep-toe booties that I got at Nordstrom Rack (another great place to get quality clothes at lower prices!). For my accessories, I am wearing a simple vintage Chanel gold bangle and a purse I got while vacationing in Greece from Axel. I love this bag as a way to add a pop to my outfits and the black and white pattern really goes with a variety of colors / styles.

As for glam, I am throwing on my FAVE perfume – Miss Dior that my boyfriend actually got me for my birthday. I love this scent and find it really suits the summertime. It is fresh sweet with a citrusy jasmine smell. So good! Lastly, I am pulling the look together with a bold lip. This new shade from Estee Lauder is the Kendall Jenner lipstick in the shade Restless. It is the perfect bright red/orange shade for the summer that really flatters a lot of skin tones (it also smells amazing!). It is a matte shade, yet I don’t find the formula too drying. I think this lip is the perfect way to jazz up any look!

Casual Date Night Outfit
Casual Date Night Outfit – Ft. Kendall Jenner’s Restless Estee Lauder Lipstick

Hope you love the look!

xxoo Melissa

Subscription Week: Boxycharm July 2015

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Hi Everybody,

The last beauty subscription box for the month I have to share with you is Boxycharm. Boxycharm is a little different than Ipsy and Birchbox as the price is $21. However, you get A LOT for your money. Each box comes with 5 items and they are usually all full sized (sometimes you get one LARGE deluxe sample). Each box usually has over $100 worth of products in it as well – SO IMPRESSIVE.

July 2015 Boxycharm
July 2015 Boxycharm

Anyway, now for the goodies in this month’s box!

July 2015 Boxycharm : Product Details Below
July 2015 Boxycharm : Product Details Below

This month’s box included the following products:

Vasanti Professional Blush Brush – $29 Value: This brush is pretty small. I don’t know that I will use it for blush but it is a great brush for powder under the eyes or even a contour. I don’t know that I would pay $29 dollars for it but it is extremely soft and seems like a great brush! I always love getting brushes in my boxes 🙂 always so fun to try them out.

yourMinerals Transparent Veil Setting Powder – $26 Value: I have already tried this as a concealer setting powder and it is amazing! It is extremely brightening and made my under eyes look ready to go the entire night out!. Highly recommend – and a great product in this box! It might even be my favorite this month.

OFRA Cosmetics Universal Eyebrow Pencil – $13 Value: I tried this product already as well – I am waiting for my brow wiz replacement in the mail! I think this product is ok… not my favorite for a brow pencil because it is pretty creamy. I personally like my brow pencils to be a little waxier. I think this would actually be a great eyeliner and the brown color is ideal for a natural look.

MDMflow Mascara – $35 Value: This product has been in the UK (I thinkkk) and is now being introduced to the US through boxycharm. I used this last night on top of my Loreal telescopic and find it to be a super thin formula. I think this would be great for a “no makeup , makeup” look just as a little eyelash tint. I don’t know that it would really add any volume or length though.

Gorge I’ll Make You Look Amazing Daily Spray – $29.95 Value: I also used this last night and OMG – the smell is sooo good. It has a coconut smell that I could literally bathe in. Sooo yummy. I can’t say as much about the effectiveness of the product. I think it did help to make my hair shiny and was useful as a heat protectant, but I don’t know that it did anything to make my hair softer feeling. Still LOVE the smell and will keep using it as a heat protectant and shine spray. I think my second fave product this month!

I am always sooooo impressed with my Boxycharm boxes. Packing $133 dollars worth of product into a box that costs $21. I call that a win everyday. So impressed and can’t wait to see what they bring next month!

Hope you enjoyed the post – sign up for boxycharm here.

xxoo Melissa

Subscription Week: Birchbox July 2015

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Hey Everybody!

I just got my July Birchbox in the mail! I know in my previous Ipsy post I had mentioned that I cancelled my subscription – however, I was lucky enough to get a 6 month subscription as a gift :).

July 2015 Birchbox

Sign up for Birchbox here! I will say that while my initial feelings on Birchbox were a little mehh – they too have really upped their game and have started to include some great brands and samples (as you will see below)!

Samples (left to right): amika - texture spray, COOLA - cucmber sunscreen, Stila - stay all day liquid lipstick, dr. brant - microdermabrasion exfoliant, and Juice Beauty - CC Cream
Samples (left to right): amika – texture spray, COOLA – cucmber sunscreen, Stila – stay all day liquid lipstick, dr. brant – microdermabrasion exfoliant, and Juice Beauty – CC Cream

In my box this month – actually can we first talk about how adorable this box is. Sooo pretty! I will def. be holding on to this beauty for storage. Back to the point – in this month’s box I got the following samples:

amika – Un.Done Texture Spray – This product would be ideal for flat or dull hair. I have insanely curly and frizzy hair – so the last thing I need is more texture. I may try using this after flat ironing my hair though, when I want a more Victoria Secret kinda look.

COOLA – Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face – This is a super lightweight sunscreen. Sample size is pretty small but it smells delish!

Stila – Stay all Day Liquid Lipstick (shade Venizia) – I was SO EXCITED when I saw that we were getting one of the stay all day liquid lipsticks! I currently own the shade Bellisima and it is such a great formula I can’t wait to try out this shade! 

Stila - stay all day liquid lipstick - Shade Venizia
Stila – stay all day liquid lipstick – Shade Venizia

This is a bright pinky/red coral shade that fits in perfectly with my current coral obsession this summer. These also smell amazing and have a moussey texture so they are fairly easy to apply and less drying than other liquid lipsticks. I highhhhhly recommend these if you are debating between these and say the Anastasia or Kat Von D versions.

Stila - stay all day liquid lipstick in Venizia
Stila – stay all day liquid lipstick in Venizia

dr. Brant – Microdermabrasion skin exfoliant – I haven’t tried this product out yet but I love skin exfoliants. I have dry skin so anything I can do to bring some life back into it helps! I have heard really great things about this product and can’t wait to try it. A+ to Birchbox from me for this sample!

Juice Beauty – Stem Cellular CC Cream – I love a good CC cream and here is where the sample size gets to me. I like to be able to try out a CC cream / foundation a couple of times before splurging as most are notttt super wallet friendly. I know Juice Beauty is utilizes great ingredients and this product specifically targets anti-aging. (Side Note – if any of you got this product it does say to apply to slightly damp skin for best application) I recommend spraying a little bit of Mac’s fix + (mentioned previously here). I LOVE the lavender limited edition scent of the fix + if you can get your hands on it!

The one con of Birchbox is really the sample size. I do think they give really quality products and all the brands they include are well respected. However, I typically get enough product to try a sample once or twice – which for me kinda sucks. When I compare it to some of the more “deluxe” product samples or even full sized items I receive in my ipsy bag I just feel as though I don’t get as much for my $10. I will say though, for someone who likes skincare – Birchbox may be the box for you. I find that I do get a lot of really amazing skincare products – and the smaller samples are great for travel!

Sign up for Ipsy HERE

Sign up for Birchbox HERE

Hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know what samples you guys got this month!

xxoo Melissa

Lipstick of the Moment : Urban Decay Sheer Revolution

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Hey Everybody,

As it is summertime now, I have been loving moisturizing lipsticks for everyday wear. I recently fell in love with this lipstick that I have actually had in my collection for a while now. I own a couple shades of the Urban Decay Sheer Revolution lipstick and I will say they are all amazing. They are the perfect lipstick for a wash of color and you can still build them up for a bolder look. The shade I am loving right now – and have practically worn every day this past month is Sheer Streak. It is described as a sheer coral – pink and I think it is the perfect shade for summer.

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick - in the shade Streak
Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick – in the shade  Sheer Streak

The formula is sheer, with a shiny finish and the lipstick applies extremely creamy and buttery. It has oils and antioxidants in addition to shea butter and jojoba to keep your lips hydrated and naturally plump. I love how moisturizing the formula is especially as I tend to get very dry lips when I am out in the sun. I highly recommend trying out one of the sheer revolution lipsticks! The packaging is beautiful and the product inside is worth every penny.

Swatches of the Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Streak - On the Left - Sheer Streak (one swipe) On the Right - Sheer Streak (built up)
Swatches of the Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Streak – On the Left – One swipe. On the Right – Built up

If you have any questions or requests please let me know!

xxoo Melissa

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip – Swatches and Initial Review

.Reading time 6 minutes.
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - Review and Swatches!
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip – Review and Swatches!

I was lucky enough to get my hands on some of the ColourPop Ultra Matte Lipsticks before they sold out earlier this month. I was super excited because I have been obsessed with liquid lipsticks recently and for $6 how can you go wrong. I had heard a lot of good things and thought it was the perfect way to try out some shades I wouldn’t typically wear or want to splurge on!.

I ended up buying 6 shades as pictured below – Donut, First Base, Mars, Ouiji, Creeper, and Succulent.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - Donut
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip – Donut

This shade is described as a “Bright Peach” I think it lives up to the name. It is a really wearable yet fun coral shade – ideal for summer!

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - 1st Base
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip – 1st Base

This shade is a mid-tone true pink. This shade is a great everyday pink to add a pop to your look. I think it would suit all skin tones and is simply pretty.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - Mars
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip – Mars

Mars is a red fuchsia color that is BEAUTIFUL for the summer time. I can’t wait to wear it to a concert or pool party in the near future. It is so fun and bright – something I typically wouldn’t wear but I like the idea of becoming more adventurous!

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - Ouiji
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip – Ouiji

Ouiji is a bright coral red and might just be my favorite. I have been obsessssssed with coral lips this summer. I think shades with the hint of orange really helps bring out my blue eyes. This coral is the perfect pinky/red coral that will go with virtually any look you can image!

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lips - Succulent
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lips – Succulent

This electric neon orange red is the perfect take on a red lip for summer. It is bright and fun adding a refreshing touch to any look. I personally plan to wear this later this summer for the Taylor Swift concert! (that red lip thing ya know). It goes on the lips so smoothly with intense pigmentation – I can’t wait to bust this out!

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lips - Creeper
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lips – Creeper

Creeper is a true classic blue red – the perfect red lip color. I know I will be getting a ton of use out of this one around the holidays! I think it will be beautiful with some winged liner.

From Top to Bottom: Creeper, Succulent, Mars, Ouiji, 1st Base, Donut
From Top to Bottom: Creeper, Succulent, Mars, Ouiji, 1st Base, Donut

Overview / Review:

I think these liquid lipsticks are great for the price. In my opinion they are the perfect way to try out a bold new lip without spending an arm and a leg on a lipstick you may only wear twice. Overall, I do think the formula can be a little drying – as with most liquid lipsticks. They dry to a true “ultra matte” finish and DO NOT move. After swatching them out on my arm, the swatches were literally still visible three days later (and yes I shower). I recommend conditioning and exfoliating your lips before use for the best application. I also own a couple of the Anastasia Beverly Hills liquid lipsticks, a couple of the Sephora brand liquid lipsticks and some of the Kat Von D – I think for $6 these hold their own. As mentioned, they are drying, more so than some of the other formulas mentioned (although ABH are more drying in my opinion). They are extremely pigmented and go on the lips really smoothly when applying. I do find them a little less long wearing than the Kat Von D version but for 1/4th the price I think they are worth trying!  FYI – these are currently sold out on the ColourPop website but are due to be back in stock in August 🙂

True Matte Finish - From Left to Right:From Donut, 1st Base, Ouiji, Mars, Succulent, Creeper
True Matte Finish – From Left to Right:From Donut, 1st Base, Ouiji, Mars, Succulent, Creeper

I hope this review was helpful! Feel free to let me know if you have any questions and please comment with any suggestions for posts you would like to see!

xxoo Melissa

Make Up of the Day: Reviews – Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Hourglass, Make Up For Ever and others

.Reading time 11 minutes.
makup flatlay
Today’s Look

Details of this look (as depicted – listed below from Top to Bottom, Left to Right):

Hourglass-  Ambient Blush: Mood Exposure:

I love this blush! It’s such a unique color that adds a beautiful flush perfect for any occasion. Looking at it in the pan it looks purple – but once applied to your cheeks it adds just the right amount of pink to make your skin look naturally healthy. I know Hourglass products are rather pricey but the way that they lay so naturally and make your skin look airbrushed makes them worth every penny.

Becca – Shimmering Skin Perfector – Opal (liquid version):

This product has totally changed up my routine this summer. I was skeptical about buying this – especially as it is not cheap! I decided one day to take the plunge and haven’t looked back. My personal favorite way to use this product is to mix it with my primer. I find applying a pump of product before my foundation gives my skin such a natural looking glow it is perfect for summer.

Chanel – Soleil Tan de Chanel – Bronzing Makeup Base:

I don’t know how I did my makeup before purchasing this product. It is truly amazing and worth every penny. Not only does it look great on a vanity (I mean, look at that packaging), but also it adds such a beautiful touch of radiance to the skin. I was a little worried this shade would be too bronze / orangey on my skin – but the formula allows the color to be as sheer or built up as desired. My favorite way to apply this is with a large stipple brush applied to the areas I would normally contour. I think adding this on top of a tinted moisturizer with a touch of mascara and a lip gloss makes for the perfect “no makeup makeup” look.

Make Up For Ever – Artist Palette Volume 2 – Artistic:

I bought this palette mainly because I didn’t own any Make Up For Ever eyeshadows and I really wanted to try them. I thought this would be a nice addition to my collection as it has a couple more “unusual” shades. I’ll be honest and say that at first I was not impressed by this palette. I found that the shadows swatched really well and felt super buttery but just didn’t look great on my eyes. I tried applying them with different brushes and even adding fix + to my brushes before application and nothing seemed to make them look as good as they do in the pan. THEN – one day I was in a hurry and slapped them on with my finger and everything changed. They looked amazing. I have been obsessed. I literally have worn these shadows every day for the past month.

Hourglass – Ambient Lighting Powder – Mood Light:

I use this powder once I am done applying my makeup as a finishing powder. I LOVE the way it makes my skin look and I think this particular shade is perfect as a finishing powder. I know technically they are all “finishing powders” rather than highlights, but I find my luminous light powder to be much better suited as a highlight. If you are looking to get airbrushed naturally beautiful skin, this is the powder for you!

Make Up For Ever – Pro Bronze Fusion – Natural Matte Sand:

I very recently bought this bronzer and to be honest, I am really unimpressed. I do want to give it a couple more tries but I find that it reallllly lacks pigmentation. I like setting my Soleil Tan de Chanel with a bronzing powder and thought this would be great as I had heard amazing things. I don’t know, for the price tag I was expecting more. I may end up returning it to Sephora, but do want to try out a couple different brushes and application techniques first in case I am just missing something.

Mac – Fix + – Limited Edition Lavender Scent:

I really like Fix + and I know it is a staple in a lot of collections. I primarily use it as a way to amp up shadows or blushes by spritzing my brushes with it before applying. When I saw they came out with limited edition scents I knew I wanted to try one and this lavender scent is incredible. I actually now started using it as a setting spray as well because of how relaxing and just happy the scent is. If you can get your hands on one of the (I think 5) scents they just came out with you should!

Urban Decay – Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer:

Ugh, they really need a new name for this product, although if I had to name it myself it makes perfect sense. This concealer really is a completely weightless yet full coverage concealer. On days where I am particularly tired or in need of a more dramatic under eye brightening I use this product and every time I am impressed. I do set the concealer to prevent it from creasing but I find that it lasts all day and looks natural on your skin while providing great coverage for dark circles. I tend to go a shade lighter than my foundation to really brighten up and highlight the undereye area.

Marc Jacobs – New Nudes Sheer Lip Gel – Understudy 114:

I bought this lipstick because I fell in love with the packaging, I certainly am happy I did! This color – Understudy (114) is an amazing everyday natural terracotta pink. It is the perfect pop of color to go with any look and the formula of the lipstick is extremely creamy and nourishing.

It Cosmetics – Your Skin but Better CC Cream:

I use this CC Cream when I know I am going to be in the sun all day. It wears really nicely and it has 50 SPF which is perfect for my fair skin. The CC cream itself goes on similar to a sunscreen in texture and it has amazing coverage. It is packed with anti-aging and hydrating properties so really does the duty of a moisturizer and foundation in one product. Because of its formula I typically set this with a powder as it can be a little wet looking on the skin at first.

Bobbi Brown – Shimmer Brick – Pink Quartz:

I love the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks – I think they are great multi purpose products . I use mine as a highlight and it gives the most perfect glow to my cheek bones. I also use this as an eyeshadow or an inner eye highlight to open up my eyes. I love when products can be multi-use!

Loreal – Telescopic Mascara – Carbon Black:

I just recently bought this mascara after I had heard such good things about it – because ya know, I needed another mascara to go along with the 4 others I have open at the moment….. I was very skeptical because I have been LOVING my Too Faced – Better than Sex Mascara and I really didn’t think this one could top it. While I don’t know that it is better than the Too Faced one, I do think it is equally as good at what it does. This mascara is reallllllly lengthening and the wand is so unique. I find that I am able to literally comb my lashes one by one and apply just the right amount of mascara to get my desired look. The most amazing thing that I found with this mascara however is the INCREDIBLE curl power it has! I have very flat straight lashes and even eyelash curlers cannot keep them curled for more than an hour. This mascara had me looking like I was wearing false lashes all day. It was insane and ultimately what immediately turned this into one of my favorites. This paired with the Better than Sex mascara are the perfect combination of length and volume.

My Make Up of the Day
My Make Up of the Day

I hope you guys liked this post – if you have any questions about any of the products mentioned let me know!

xxoo Melissa