CherryCulture NYX Lip Haul!

I got my CherryCulture haul yesterday, I am in love with all the colors. Best $12 I ever spent!

7 NYX round lipsticks, 2 round lip glosses.
Tomorrow if I am feeling energized I will do swatches and on-lip pics.

Wild Orchid and Doll Pink
they do smell like lemon air freshner, but I don't mind it and the texture is lovely. I will definitely get more colors.

Review: Wet N Wild Mega Liner in Turquoise

Dramatic eye emphasis in a single-stroke
Long-wear, quick-dry formula applies thick or thin
Fast-drying, non-caking color glides on smoothly, resists running
Liquid eyeliner formula is perfect for detailed, pinpoint perfect applications and true artistic interpretation.

Quality: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Size: 0.12 ounces
Price: $2.99
Where To Buy: any drugstore

Firstly, the color is called Turquoise, but its actually green. I don't get how WnW made this mistake, but whatever. Secondly, I love, love, LOVE this eyeliner! It is the prettiest shade of green.

PROS:
-The little brush is fantastic at getting thin, smooth lines with little effort.
-Said little brush is good at getting a nice wing, something I've never been able to get before.
-The color goes on super bright the first time, and it dries quickly.
-It doesn't fade or come off during the day. Even at the end of the day it hasn't moved when the rest of my eye shadow is a oily mess in my crease.
-It washes off easily with just water.

CONS:
-The only thing that bugs me is that the bottle is so small. If you're a person that wears liquid liner everyday and if this was a staple color (like brown or black) then it probably would be used up in 3-4 weeks.

Over all I adore this liner, I adore the color, and I plan to get the blue, brown, and black Mega Liners.

top: tkbtrading Mermaid's Gold
bottom: NYX Purple

This was my first time using, so I was a bit more sloppy.

Tkbtrading haul swatches.

Here are swatches of my beautiful tkbtrading haul. It was so much fun drooling all over the colors. My favorites are Ocean Blue Green, Coral Reef Blue, Mermaid's Gold, and Cyrus Green. I love all the others too of course but those stuck out to me.

Somone suggested that Apple Blossom would also make a great blush. I've been looking for a pale cool pink blush, so I'm going to try that out today. Also I got a bottle of clear nail polish and I'm going to mix some of Love Song in it to see how that works. It should make a gorgeous fall color. If all goes well I'll show you how it turned out.









I redid these two over NYX's jumbo e/s pencil Yogurt so you could see how they look over a tacky base. These would be nice pressed over eyeliner.

Review: St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask

This mask contains a firming clay that lifts away dead skin cells leaving skin feeling firm without drying. Herbal extracts deep clean while stimulating collagen production so skin looks replenished and younger, not dry and dull.





Quality: 4 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Size: 4.75 oz
Price: around $4
Where To Buy: any beauty supply store

This is my happy alternative to the Queen Helene mask. Its a lot more gentle but still leaves my skin feeling cleaner.

Directions: For best results, use in addition to your regular facial cleanser when you need an extra deep clean. Before using, cleanse face. Then apply a thin and even layer avoiding eyes, lips and hair. Once mask is completely dry (could take up to 10 minutes based on thickness of application), gently rinse with warm water. In case of contact with eyes, flush thoroughly with water.

PROS:
-Smells earthy, in a good way.
-Makes my skin feel warm, but not uncomfortable.
-Skin glows a little bit after using it and feels very clean.
-The mask is creamy and easy to squeeze out of the tube.

CONS:
The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't have anything that fights breakouts. Also this makes my skin a little more oily too, but not as much as the Queen Helene mask.

Ingredients: Water, Kaolin, Glycerin, Bentonite, Stearic Acid, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower), Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract (Matricaria), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract (Rosemary), Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Caffeine, Dimethicone, Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Phenoxyehtanol, Methylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance (Parfum), Blue 1 (CI 42090)

Review: Avon Satin Deluxe Blush

click to enlarge


Quality: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 4.5 out of 5
Size: .20 oz
Price: $10
Where To Buy: Avon.com

Ultrafine domed pressed powder perfect for blending. Wear alone or together.

I am really loving Avon's Satin Deluxe blush. There are 4 color choices, Bronzing Duo, Mauve Duo, Natural Duo, and Pink Duo. I have the Pink duo, which as you can see in the photo above has a light pink side and a dark pink side. The light pink is quite shimmery and good for highlighting, while the dark pink side is almost matte. Usually I wear the two together. This blush is very pigmented so use a very light hand. The first couple times I wore it I put on too much and looked a bit like a clown. Now I know to do just one light sweep across each color and blow/tap off the extra.

PROS:
-You get two colors
-Both sides are very pigmented
-The colors are easily blendable
-The blush is very soft

CONS:
-My only complaint is that when I open the lid I'm afraid that my finger will slip and scrape holes in the blush. Its more my fault then theirs, so I only docked half of a point

Review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

Mint Julep Masque
-Helps dry up acne pimples
-Rinses away blackheads
-Helps shrink large pores

The original natural home treatment, developed by a dermatologist, that will actually dry up acne pimples, rinse away blackheads and even help shrink enlarged pores.

Simply apply Mint Julep Masque to your face and neck. Within minutes it firms and hardens, as its suction action draws out waste matter from the pores. Minutes later, rinse the masque away with warm water and a washcloth. After the masque is removed your skin will feel clean...refreshed and smooth.

Even for people who are fortunately free of skin problems, Mint Julep Masque is a refreshing facial treatment that relaxes tired muscles and eases tension lines on the face and neck.

No animal testing. No animal ingredients.

Quality: 1 out of 5
Packaging: 1 out of 5
Price: $4
Where To Buy: Walgreens, Rite Aid, other beauty supply stores.

Directions: Cleanse face and neck thoroughly. Apply masque generously and allow to dry for about 15 minutes. Leave on problem areas overnight, if desired. Remove with warm water and a washcloth.

I thought this stuff was going to be ok, but I'm not very happy with it. I've had it for a long time and each time I go to try it again I'm disappointed.

CONS:
-First off, it looks, smells, and feels like tooth paste. Thats not a good thing for a face mask, really.
-Secondly, the first time I used it it burned like hell, I spent five minutes fanning my face before it got to be moderately ok. Every time I've used it its burned, and my skin isn't even sensitive.
-Third, I saw no difference in my skin or pores afterwards.
-Fourth this makes my skin 3x more oily then it normally would be, and that will go on for at least 2 days after using it. Since I'm already very oily this is BAD.
-Its also a major pain to get out of the tube. I have to literally crush this against the counter with my fist to get anything out. Its very thick.

PROS: I can't think of even one. I know this works for a lot of people, but it does nothing for me.
Ingredients: Distilled Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Sulfur, Chromium Oxide Greens, Fragrance, Methylparaben

Theshespace Cindy Swatches & EOTD

Here are the swatches for yesterday's SheSpace haul. All of the colors are a bit brighter in person and very shimmery with lots of sparkles. I think I'm going to get The Golden Rule in full size, and I was thinking of getting Rapunzel's Bad Haid Day and Short On Sass in full size but like I mention below they are very similar to NYX's Deep Purple and I can't justify having 3 of almostthesame colors.

Click to make bigger.



Dupes:
-Rapunzel's Bad Hair Day & Short On Sass are both very similar to NYX's Deep Purple.

Lime Green is very sheer so I prefer Dragon Breathe.

Sky Pink & Pumpkin Head don't look the same in this photo but they are very close.

Turquoise came out looking bluer in this photo but the colors are the same irl.



UDPP
Cindy's Got Gumption (all over lid)
Pumpkin Head (crease)
Maybelline Great Lash mascara

Didn't think I would like CGG but it reminds me of hot chocolate and cinnamon.

Theshespace Cinderella haul!

For ref I ordered the 4th, it was send out Wednesday and arrived today (Friday). I haven't used anything yet so my opinions will come out when I do swatches tomorrow.

Out of the samples I'll probably get The Golden Rule, Sort On Sass, Repunzel's Bad Hair Day full size, and maybe the last two blues. I love the greens I got, especially Be The Fairytale.







These are from the regular collection.

Review: Mark Kiss Therapy Lip Balm in Sheer Peach

Help condition and soothe your lips with this blend of rose extract, honey and vitamin E that adds a sheer wash of color.

Quality: 3 out of 5
Package: 4 out of 5
Size: 0.42 oz
Price: $4
Where To Buy: Avon.com or Mark.com

This Super Smoothing lip balm comes in a cute coral colored tin. You'd expect it to smell like peaches because of the name but it actually smells very strongly of roses and you can smell it while wearing it. It doesn't have any color at all, I swatched it on my arm but it was totally clear so I didn't bother taking a photo. The balm is a bit thicker and heavier then I like, but its not sticky. I don't think it does all that much in the way of moisturizing so don't get it for that purpose. I prefer apply it with a brush.

All in all, I probably wouldn't buy this again. I like the packaging but the balm doesn't do anything for me.

Review: Jane Blushing Cheeks Blushes

Quality: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Size: .12 oz
Price: $4
Where To Buy: Walgreens, Rite Aid, Wal Mart. Almost every week at least one of those places has it BOGO too.

Lord I LOVE these blushes! For a super cheap drug store brand, Jane has sure impressed me (and many others) with these little pots of heaven! I think there are 8 shades in all, they are just $4 and incredible quality.

Blushing Earth Sheer is a hot pot of gorgeous peachy coraly goodness! I can't even begin to describe how beautiful this blush it. There is a very fine shimmer, but its not very noticable when you're wearing it. This goes on semi sheer but is buildable. I just get a lovely glow when wearing this. This is my favorite blush out of all the ones I own.

Blushing Blossom is a great soft cool pink blush. It has no shimmer. You only need a little bit to get good color. This is my 2nd favorite blush.

Blushing Petal is a great muted pink blush with a little bit of peach. There is no shimmer. Great color payoff.

Small haul from About Face/TheSheSpace.com

I put in just a small order a few weeks ago and got my package Saturday, so here is what I got!

I can't wait to try Pushing Daisies, it looks so pretty!

These are meant to be added to other pigments. At first I was a little confused when I saw these because they were just white sparkles, but when you put them against a dark background you can see the colors. I have no clue what to put these in.

This is not one of the regular colors, this was just a free pigment from Heather to make up for the long processing and shipping time.

Cashmere Stockings is a finishing powder meant to really give your skin a soft glow, I haven't used it yet because I'm waiting for my skin to heal. I used something that made me breakout pretty badly two weeks ago and I am still getting new (but thankfully smaller) breakouts right now. Will review once I give this a go.

Review: POSH Brushes

Just to recap, I got these from PoshBrushes.com. You can use the code UA123 for 50% off your order (enter this on the payment page) and shipping is free on orders over $35 before the discount.


Eyeliner Duo
Cost: $12
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Both of these brushes are soft, but the bristles are firm and are great for lining under the bottom lashes. Even the larger one is easy to use for lining. I get the color out of the brushes by washing them with hot water. My only complant is that it would have been better if one of the brushes were angled.



Crease Brush Duo
Cost: $12
Rating: 5 out of 5

I loooooooove these little brushes! The larger one is fantastic for the crease. Its very soft and densly packed. Its great at color placement control, and it doesn't leave a harse line that you have to blend out, the lines from this are pretty soft. You can also use this to blend eye shadow. There were only 2 bristles that shed after I washed this. The smaller of these brushes is similar to the MAC 219 pencil brush (which I haven't used, just going by what I've seen in other videos and photos). So far I've only used it to apply e/s under my bottom lashes and its really nice. I don't yet know how this works in the crease.



Concealer Duo
Cost: $12
Rating: 5 out of 5

These are typical concealer brushes. They are soft with firm bristles and don't shed. I don't even have concealer so I don't quite remember why I got these but they are nice. The larger can be used for foiling eye shadow.



Touch Up Brush
Cost: $7
Rating: 5 out of 5

This is a very soft brush that can be used for applying powder around the nose or other small areas, touching up concealer, and can also be used to apply eye shadow. It does NOT do well applying wet eye shadow, but I love it for applying them dry! I've given it a few rough washings and it hasn't shed but a few of the hairs have kind of gone off in different directions. To clean this you need hot water to get the color out of the white hair. If/When I order from POSH again I would probably get another one of these brushes as long as the bristles don't start to go wonky.

My Brushes

This is for Nikki who asked what brushes I use, so here they are.

Sonia Kashuk Blush Brush (HG) & unknown Kabuki brush. I don't have any other face brushes. I use the kabuki to apply Fyrinnae's Rice Primer and to blend blush.


NYX #1 eye brush, Contour Dome (crease) brush
Studio Tools Large E/S brush (I use this to highlight brow bone), Medium E/S brush (I use this for all over e/s application), Smudge brush (used for blending & applying e/s under bottom lashes)
ELF Eyeshadow brushes, Eyeliner brush (used only to tightline), Angled brush
Sonia Kashuk Smudge brush (detail work, smudging, and lining lower lashes)
unknown angled brush & e/s brush