Housekeeping

Hello, lovelies!  Just a quick housekeeping post.  I'm headed off to camp for the next month tomorrow, so I won't be able to be online.  I've scheduled lots of posts, though.  I will get back to all comments when I get home again.  Thanks!

FOTD | One Direction Concert

Hello!  I hope you're all having a lovely summer!  On Wednesday, I went to the One Direction concert!  It was so amazing, and I had a great time.  I really loved my makeup that I did, so I decided to do a FOTD for y'all.

Products Used:

Face:

Murad Oil-Control Mattifier
Makeup Forever Mat Velvet + Foundation

Alison Raffaele True Concealer in 1

Benefit Moon Beam Highlighter

Nars Blush in Orgasm

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent
Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray

Eyes:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Suspect

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Half-Baked

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Bootycall (highlights)

Maybelline Eyeshadow in 70 Browntones (lighter color) (brows)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Bourbon

Maybelline the Falsies Mascara

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Lips:

Topshop Lipstick in Ooh La La

Reviews of Products I Used:

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent 
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Bourban
Topshop Lipstick in Ooh La La

Here are a couple pics from the concert.

 

Let me know if you have any questions about how I created the look or if you want reviews of any of the products I used!

NOTD

Hello!  After an eventful trip to the lake with my family, I'm back!  I painted my nails, and I really liked how they turned out, so I decided to do a "Nails of the Day" post.

 Pardon the mess; I haven't had time to clean up around the sides yet.  I used Essie's Mint Candy Apple, my absolute favorite nail polish ever (reviewed here).  I have been using this color a lot, so I decided to spice it up.  I layered Sephora by OPI's Celibacy Club on top.  I absolutely love this glitter!

Also, my aunt gave me this ring last week while I was at the lake.  I think its so gorgeous!  It is a Chantilly silver spoon ring.  I took a couple fun pics while at the lake, so I decided to share them with you!

My brother caught this fish!  (We threw it back--don't worry!)

I have the cutest dog ever!

Rainbow Cake from the local bakery is a new fave!

I went shopping while I was there and picked up a bunch of new clothes.  Let me know if you want me to do a haul post!

Product Review | Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil

Eyeliner has always been one of my favorite types of makeup.  I'm constantly on the quest for the perfect cat eye, and I love the way eyeliner can completely transform a makeup look.  A few months ago, I went into Sephora with the mission of buying a great pencil eyeliner.  I swatched every one in the store, and I decided that I liked Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Bourbon best.

 First off, the texture of these pencils is AH-mazing!  They really do glide on, which is so nice.  I don't think I've ever used a pencil eyeliner that has slid onto my eye so easily.  This makes it really easy to control.  It also stays put very well.  It doesn't transfer to the lid midway through the day.  It's even lasted through a workout in which I got very sweaty.  This eyeliner lives up to its name!

 Take a look at that color!  I love, love, love soft brown eyeliners, as they suit my fair skin and light blue eyes really nicely.  There is some shimmer in the liner, too.  It is so gorgeous paired with a really light eye shadow.  I especially love it with a baby pink.  This eyeliner has been a staple in my makeup recently!  I have been loving a light eye with this liner and lots of mascara, a bright face with a matte pink blush, and pink lips of varying brightness this summer.  That has been my go-to look, and this eyeliner completes it perfectly!

Product Review | Topshop Lipstick in Ooh La La

Hello!  I have a confession.  As much as I love tea, Jack Wills, and One Direction, I am, in fact, not British. As much as I wish I was, I'm just plain old American.  That doesn't stop me from trying to be British, though!  One of my favorite stores to shop at online is Topshop.  I went to the one in New York, and I was in heaven!  I love the clothes so much.  I had also heard so many people rave about their lipsticks.  So, I looked online and picked one that tickled my fancy.

I picked the color Ooh La La, which is an amazing bright pink.  Because of my coloring, I tend to stay away from red lipsticks, so this bold, fun color has been my staple statement lip for the summer.  I love pairing it with light pink eyes and lots of highlighter.

As you can see from the swatch, it is highly pigmented.  It feels nice on the lips, but tends to be a bit drying.  I love the bright color, and it stays on for a good long while.  It has more of a matte finish, but there is some shine to it.  I have loved this lipstick, and I will definitely be purchasing more from Topshop in the future!

This is me wearing the lipstick at the Darren Criss concert this weekend!

Let me know what Topshop lipsticks you love or your staple statement lip color this summer below!

FOTD | Dinner with Friends

Tonight, I'm going to dinner with some friends, and I thought I'd do a Face of the Day because this is one of the looks I've been loving this summer!

Sorry for the crappy iPhone selfie--I had no one else to take my photo for me!

 

Products Used:

Face:

Jane Iredale Liquid Minerals Foundation in Light Beige

Alison Raffaele True Concealer in 1

Benefit Moon Beam Highlighter

Illamasqua Blush in Hussy

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent

Eyes:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in YDK

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Half-Baked

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Bootycall (highlights)

Maybelline Eyeshadow in 70 Browntones (lighter color) (brows)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Bourbon (review coming)

Maybelline the Falsies Mascara

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Lips:

Topshop Lipstick in Ooh La La (review coming)

Reviews of Products I Used:

Illamasqua Blush in Hussy

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent 

Let me know if you have any questions about how I created the look or if you want reviews of any of the products I used!

Lip Balm Comparison

Happy Sunday!  I hope your weekends have been as wonderful as mine has been! (I got to see Darren Criss live in concert, yay!)  I noticed the other day that I had three different sticks of ChapStick.  Yep, that's right, three sticks of the exact same chapstick.  I then realized that I had different types of lip balms in my makeup drawer and in my room.  I thought I'd write up a review of all the different types of lip balms I owned, because, crazily enough, I use each one for a different purpose.

First up, your basic ChapStick.  Just the original kind, nothing special.  I find that this lip balm is moisturizing, but because it is designed to literally do nothing but moisturize, there is none of the glossy look that other lip balms tend to have.  Ergo, it is perfect for use before you apply makeup.  I always apply it first thing and by the time I am ready to apply my lipstick (which I apply right before I grab my handbag and jump in the car), it has blended into my lips.  It gives them a great base for lipsticks and lip glosses, especially ones like my lip tar that can really dry my lips out.

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Lip Moisturizer (such a long name!) is great!  It is highly moisturizing, and I keep it on my bedside table.  It has an SPF of 15, so I always toss it in my pool bag to keep my lips nice and protected.  It does have a glossy finish, so it looks nice on the lips, making it my poolside essential lip balm.

Sugar Fresh Lip Treatment is amazing!  It (and a tinted balm) were Sephora's birthday gift in 2012.  (If you don't have a Sephora perk's card, get one.  The rewards are amazing, and they always give you a gift on your birthday!)  This lip balm has a slightly grainy texture.  It leaves the lips glossy and has a slick feeling.  It has SPF, so it is a very close comparison of the Neutrogena lip balm.  Because of the grainy texture, I would choose the Neutrogena one over this one any day.  I was glad to try it for free, but I don't think I would ever spend money on this when I could get almost the same thing (minus the grainy feeling!) for much cheaper.

Last up is my Eos lip balm.  I can't remember the exact flavor, but I believe it is something tropical.  I had seen these everywhere, but I had never bought into the hype and purchased one myself.  My theatre teacher gave me this one, and I have really loved it!  I don't think I would repurchase it because I think spending five dollars on a clear lip balm is ridiculous.  I do like the way it taste, though.  And I'm a bit disturbed at how great it tastes.  I keep this on top of my bathroom counter to sweep on right before I go to bed.  It is so easy to apply, so it is perfect for when I'm tired.

So that's all my lip balms.  I'm always in the market for new ones, so leave a comment and let me know your favorites!

Best and Worst | Revlon

Hello, lovelies!  I decided to do a post about my favorite and least favorite product in the Revlon line.  I have not tried every single product in their lines, but these are the best and worst of the ones that I have tried.  I narrowed it down to one product that was the best and one that was the worst.  Without further ado, here's what I consider to be Revlon's worst product.

791 Midnight Affair, 615 Banana Blaze

Revlon nail polishes really make me sad.  I am a bit of a nail polish addict, if you couldn't already tell!  These polishes are horribly pigmented.  The yellow (which was a gift-I never would have bought that color!) barely shows up.  It is a "Glimmer Gloss", but there is no pigment.  The dark blue is gorgeous in the bottle.  I was expecting a beautiful shimmery blue, but after about three coats, you get a decent dark blue color.  It also rubs off so easily.  It doesn't chip off, it rubs off.  Strange.  OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark is almost the exact same color, so I will be reaching for it when I want a shimmery dark blue. Priced around $4-$5, these are a complete waste of money!

50 Berry Smoothie, 47 Pink Lemonade, 50 Strawberry Shortcake

I know, I know.  Revlon's lip butters are probably their most raved about item.  And, for good reason!  I have absolutely loved these as they have great pigmentation, moisturize my lips, and stay on for a good amount of time.  I think they are just brilliant!  I have been wearing Pink Lemonade all the time this summer.   I reviewed it in detail here.  One thing I love about the lip butters is that they can be quite casual and I would wear them if I was just running a few errands and didn't want to look all dolled up, but they can also look really nice when you wear more makeup.  I actually wore Berry Smoothie to a dance this winter!

Here are some swatches!

That's all!  Let me know if you've tried either of these products and what you think of them or your favorite/least favorite Revlon product!

Organizing My Collection | Nail Polish

Hello!  I am currently in love with nail polish.  I paint my nails every Sunday.  I have collected so many different polishes, and they are stored in the back of my makeup drawer because I don't use them as regularly as I use my other products.  This makes them hard to see.  Also. I have many collections of box sets that I have to pull out if I want to see what colors I have.  This can make it difficult to pick a color to paint my nails.

My Ridiculous Collection of OPI Sets: Top to Bottom: NYC Ballet, Sephora Glee, Best of The Best, Best of the Best, and Insider Collection

Recently, I have been in an organizing mood, especially with my makeup collection, so I thought I would find a better way to organize my nail polish collection.  I picked up color wheels from Sally Beauty Supply for $4.94 (They were on sale!).  With ten wheels in the package and eighteen nails on each wheel, I think this was quite the bargain!

The Process

The Result

Actually painting the wheels and keeping a record of what color went where was quite time consuming.  It took me about two hours to do this, as I wanted everything done well.  I made sure each nail was well painted so that I would have an accurate picture of what the color would look like on my nails.

Wheel #1

Wheel #2

Wheel #3

I made a list of which number on the wheel corresponds to the color of the nail polish as well as the brand, so this way I will be able to look at all the colors in one place, and I won't have to pull out every bottle.

I snapped some photos of my OPI and Essie colors to share with you.  The majority of my collection is OPI, but I'm really loving Essie at the moment.  I definitely will be looking to them when I want to expand my collection.  The other few colors are random brands.

The More the Merrier, Mint Candy Apple

Teal the Cows Come Home, Divine Swine, Thanks a Windmillion, Blasted Gold

Base Coat, Iris I Was Thinner, Top Coat, Nail Polish Remover

**I absolutely abhor the name of this nail polish.  I hate what it implies.  I never would have purchased the color, but it was Sephora's 500 point perk, so I got it for free.  Also, I really needed a base and top coat.**

My Pointe Exactly, Don't Touch My Tutu!, Care to Danse?, Pirouette My Whistle

Alpine Snow, Bubble Bath, Tickly Me Franc-y, Strawberry Margarita, Cajun Shrimp

Big Apple Red, I'm Not Really a Waitress, You Don't Know Jacques!, Russian Navy, Lincoln Park After Dark

Miss Bossy Pants, Slushied, Celibacy Club, Gleek Out, Sue vs. Shue, Express Yourself to Yourself

Hope you enjoyed this post and are inspired to organize your own nail polish collection if you need to!  Let me know in the comments if you would like a review of one of these polishes.  Have a great day!