Monday, January 30, 2012

Smashbox Spring 2012 - Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trio in In Lights

This Cream Cheek Trio in "In Lights"($29) is a limited-edition piece part of the Be Discovered Spring 2012 Collection from Smashbox. The trio features three cream cheek products - a cream coral blush, a warm shimmery highlighter and a rosy shimmery blush/highlighter. The shimmery shades go on a tad more sheer compared to the non-shimmery, cream finish shade.






The consistency is just right, without being too sticky or liquid like. It feels light and silky, goes on without being patchy even on my dry skin. The cream blush looks flawless even on someone with quite a few large pores, creating a beautiful flush of color. The finish is quite dewy and adds a warm touch to an otherwise dull face. The highlighters although sheer, blend really well adding a beautiful glow. The colors are buildable and a little bit of layering helps as long as the highlighters go. Sadly, like most cream products these too don't come with great lasting power. With a good primer, I get about 5 hours from them. I do however think the cream blush lasts a bit longer than the shimmery highlighters. Topping it off with a translucent powder brings down the dewiness a bit so, I usually don't set it with any kind of powder. When the weather gets a little more humid, the staying power might be an issue especially, if you have oily skin.






Overall, if you are a blush/highlighter fiend, this is something you will absolutely love. It needs very less effort, looks amazingly natural and goes with just about anything. The ease of use and the combination of shades make it a great buy and an awesome pick if you have dry skin.

What are your thoughts on the Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trio in In Lights?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy. 

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Lavanila Forever Fragrance Oil in Pure Vanilla

Lavanila Forever Fragrance Oil in Pure Vanilla($25) is a long lasting roll-on perfume oil that blends the "tender sensuality of fresh Madagascar vanilla with the warm touch of soft patchouli and pure tonka bean". The unique blend of oils claim to make the scent last longer than traditional fragrances.





I haven't had much luck with roll-on fragrances in the past. They are either way too strong or never last more than a couple of hours. Lavanila calls this scent as a fresh, clean scent that is infused with more vanilla bean than a vanilla cookie. To me, the fragrance comes across as strong and slightly musky than sweet. Sensitive noses may have a problem with the fragrance. I'm not a fan of anything musky since I prefer sweeter, lighter scents. The fragrance lingers on for about 6 hours before it completely fades. The roll-on is super convenient to tote around and travels really well too.






If you are looking for a fragrance that is made from quality ingredients and lasts quite a few hours, these pure fragrance oils are worth trying. Pure Vanilla however, does seem a little too strong and not as sweet as I expected it to be but, I'm sure quite a few people will love the fragrance. Since it is quite concentrated, I tend not too use too much of this fragrance and the tiny roll-on comes a long way. The lovely packaging is something I absolutely adore!

Also available : Vanilla Coconut & Vanilla Grapefruit.

Have you tried Lavanila Forever Fragrance Oil in Pure Vanilla?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy. 

Monday, January 16, 2012

MAC Eye Shadow in Expensive Pink - Review, Photos & Swatches

Expensive Pink, described as a pink with duo chrome is one of MAC's must-have shadows and one of the most flattering, easy to wear shades from the range . It has a nice mix of pink and gold with a beautiful veluxe pearl finish.
MAC Expensive Pink Eyeshadow


























MAC Expensive Pink Eyeshadow
Expensive Pink looks particularly stunning on medium skin tones. On darker skin tones, the gold might stand out a little more than the pink. I tend to avoid pink shadows since they make me look tired depending upon the intensity of the color. This is one exception that I absolutely love and gravitate towards very often. With a good primer beneath, it stays on without creasing for about 7 hours and looks as vibrant as it was when applied.
MAC Expensive Pink EOTD
I always pair it with a black or brown liner along my lower and upper lash line with lots of mascara. Expensive Pink looks great by itself as a light wash of color and makes for a great lid color when paired with darker shades in the crease. Along with Woodwinked, Expensive Pink is one of MAC's most amazing shades and a must-have in everyone's collection. Highly recommended!

What are your thoughts on Expensive Pink?

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Have You Tried These Five Fabulous Blue Eye Liners?


These are a few blue eye liners I reach out to when I need a pop of color along my lash line. Blue eye liners look great on most people and help jazz up any neutral eye look without being OTT.
L-R : Essence Metallic Eyeliner in Black Knight, MAC Technakohl Liner in Auto-de-Blu, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Binge, Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in Deep Ocean, Prestige Total Intensity Eye Liner in Fierce Blue

MAC Technakohl Liner in Auto-de-Blu($15) - I've reviewed this previously and gravitate towards this one more than any other blue liner. It is matte, goes on smooth and stays put for hours together. Removal is easy too, with a waterproof eye makeup remover. The tip wears out a little after a few uses but still works great for the lower lash line and waterline.
Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Definer in Deep Ocean($6)* - Although not completely matte, this is a great pick for the lower lash line especially, when you want to smudge it out. It takes a while to set and does not budge after that. It is a great budget buy and the subtle metallic sheen is something I love. It also comes with a sharpener which is a big plus for twist up pencils like these.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil in Binge($18) - Binge is a very pretty shade but, goes on a little sheer and streaky especially on the lower lash line. I love the quality of the Urban Decay Glide On Pencils but, I wish Binge was just a little more pigmented. With a little bit of layering, it works well and the subtle shimmer does not irritate my eyes at all.
Essence Metallic Eye Liner in Black Knight($1.49)* - These may not be the most long lasting liners but, the color Black Knight is a beautiful, deep blackened blue. It looks almost like a black liner, only less stark. It tends to fade after about 2 or 3 hours which is a big drawback if you have oily lids.

Prestige Total Intensity Liner in Fierce Blue - I love the quality of Prestige Total Intensity Liners in general and think they are very comparable to Urban Decay's Glide On Pencils for a fraction of the cost. Fierce Blue is shimmery, metallic and highly pigmented. It does not move or fade for hours together and the color is very vibrant too!
L-R : MAC Technakohl Liner in Auto-de-Blu, Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in Deep Ocean, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Binge, , Essence Metallic Eyeliner in Black Knight, Prestige Total Intensity Eye Liner in Fierce Blue
What are your favourite blue eye liners?

*Denotes Press Sample

Monday, January 9, 2012

Essence Eye Shadows - Review, Photos & Swatches

Essence Eye Shadows($1.99) come with a variety of finishes, textures and in some cool, fun colors. The matte finishes go on a little sheer, the shimmery(metallic) and holographic ones pack a little more pigment. The eye shadows come with a cute design and also have a soft, blendable texture. The packaging feels a little too flimsy and tends to break easily.



Ultra Violet

Mystic Purple

Knock Out

Blue Mission



                                                                               Back to Khaki


                                                                                It's Up To You

With the metallic finishes, I like to use a fluffy brush for a nice wash of color. The shimmer isn't chunky and blends quite well too. The matte finishes need quite a bit of layering for the color to show up. Over a good eye shadow base, they stay on for about 5-6 hours before creasing. Without a base, they tend to have very poor staying power and crease a lot, especially the shimmery ones. There's very little fall out from these eye shadows. The matte ones have little to no fall out and the metallic ones have just a tad more. Mystic Purple is a holographic finish but sadly, I see more of shimmer here than a holo effect. That being said, the shades are certainly nice to have and play around with. The price makes it a fantastic pick especially, if you are someone just starting out with makeup. "Back To Khaki" is my favourite among these shadows and a great color to be used all over the lid.
L-R : Mystic Purple, Back to Khaki, Blue Mission

L-R : It's Up To You, Knock Out, Ultra Violet
Overall, if you are looking for a basic eye shadow with decent pigmentation and a nice range of colors to choose from, these are worth a shot. The may not be the most long lasting shadows but, with a good primer underneath, they wear well and do the job without breaking the bank.

What are your thoughts on these Essence Eye Shadows?

Available at Ulta, HEB & Fred Meyer stores and online at Ulta.com.

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

BECCA Beach Tint in Watermelon

BECCA Beach Tint in Watermelon($25 for 7ml./0.24 fl oz) is something that I received as part of my Beautyfix package. This water-resistant cheek and lip tint comes in a small squeeze tube, convenient & hygienic. Be sure to shake it well before every use since it has a tendency to separate.





I love how the product smells exactly like the flavor it is. It has a very lovely, pleasant smell that I really like. Watermelon is a deep pink berry that has a gel-creme like consistency, not too thick and very blendable. You only need a tiny amount for both cheeks and just a dab for the lips. It blends out to a gorgeous, natural looking pink giving a very beautiful, flushed look. It has a slight dewy finish which I really love too. On the lips, it looks like a light berry stain that stays on for a good 5-6 hours. I don't usually top it off with a setting powder & it stays on for about 6 hours on my cheeks. Although you only need a teeny tiny amount each time, the product still seems quite pricey given there's only 7 ml in there.




Overall, BECCA's Beach Tint in Watermelon is a great pick especially for summer and a great product to travel with as well. It is also a great choice for people with dry/combination skin. I would love to try a shade or two more!

Available at dermstore.com.

Have you tried BECCA Beach Tint in Watermelon?

Disclosure: The product in this article was provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy. I am not affiliated with Beautyfix in anyway.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Skin Food Mushroom Multi Care BB Cream

I've been on a BB cream kick lately & trying on quite a few of them. The Skin Food Mushroom Multi Care BB Cream is the first one I tried. Available in two shades, this one comes with sun protection and claims to help with skin whitening and prevent aging.


The lighter shade would work well on pale to fair skin tones and the darker one on light to medium skin tones. I got the darker shade, #2 Natural Skin and it looks quite light on me when applied, with a slight whitish cast. After about 15 minutes, it blends well with my skin tone. I don't set it with powder most of the times. Sometimes, I lightly dust some translucent powder. I'm an NC40 in MAC, for reference. If you are anything above NC40, you may need to work a little bit with the shade. The darkest shade also has a slight pink undertone and leaves skin looking semi-matte. It has a pleasant smell and a lovely, dreamy texture but, if you have dry skin, it also has a tendency to enhance dry spots. So, a good moisturizer beneath this is something I highly recommend.

As far as coverage goes, it covers more than what a tinted moisturizer would. It is not sheer by any means, more like medium coverage. I use it under my eyes too, to lighten dark circles. It lightens them to a good extent but doesn't completely cover. Again, since I have fine lines, a good under eye cream is a must. While I don't see any drastic change in my skin type or texture from 2 months of usage, I still love to use it just like I would any tinted moisturizer. I would reach out for this more during the summer when I want quite a bit of coverage and some protection at the same time. I wish Skin Food comes up with some intermediate shades and also some for darker skin tones.

Wearing Skin Food Mushroom BB Cream "#2 Natural Skin" alone

There's always an element of risk when buying such products online. I got mine for around $14 including shipping. I think it's a very good buy if you can find a good, reputed seller on eBay or good shipping rates from Korea.

What are your thoughts on the Skin Food Mushroom Multi Care BB Cream?

Sunday, January 1, 2012

A Very Happy 2012 To Everyone!!!

Here's wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous New Year 2012! May this year bring you loads of joy, success, peace and everything else you wish for!!