Ulta/Target Haul!!!!

Hi guys,
So I know I went on a no makeup buying thing buttttt I got a new job and celebrated with a small makeup/tool shopping. I have no regrets about it though so its fine lol.

I only got a few actual makeup products, mostly eye products.

Here they are:

Maybelline Dream Fresh B.B. Cream- haven't really tried this one yet at all... was waiting for my Ulta order with my new brushes.

Cover Girl Clump Crusher Mascara- So far I've been LOVING this mascara along with the rest of the makeup world... another win for CG.

Rimmel Stay Matte Transparent- I've used the coverage version of this before and was looking for something transparent and reallly light and heard great things about the transparent version of this. Haven't tried it yet.

I bought some new NYX eye shadows, all in really neutral shades.
Aloha, which is a pinky taupe color with a pearl finish.
Silk, a light beige highlight color which also has a pearl finish.
And a trio from the "Love in Rio" line called Amazonian Babes; which has a taupe, a pink, and a deep brown.





I got 2 single neutral Covergirl eye shadows.
French Vanilla, a mostly matte white which is actually a little more harshly white than I had hoped.
Tapestry Taupe, which I've heard great things about and is truly beautiful.

I bought two new Prestige Total Intesnsity Eye Liners in Black... best waterline liner I've tried.







Tools:
I finally bought some Real Techniques brushes!! I've been hearing about them for so long I just had to do it when I had some money.  I bought the eye starter set and the expert face brush.

I bought the Sonia Kashuk crease brush I've been looking at at Target for forever.

I also grabbed the Custom Coverage Buffing Brush by Ecotools, which reminds me of a slightly smaller version of the ELF powder brush.

Facts: Get to Know Me

So I know this tag has been going on a lot on youtube and similar ones have been on facebook and whatnot and decided I really wanted to let you guys get to know me a little better.  So here are as many things about me as I could remember off the top of my head.

• My favorite color is purple. 
• I drink water, tea and coffee... and that is all. 
• My laundry is never completely done. 
• I think there should be a screening process for parenting. 
• Makeup is my way of building my confidence, drawing away from my weight and other imperfections.
• I love ER, SVU, Make it or Break it and Crossing Jordan. 
• I was horribly bullied all my life, creating illusions about myself that I am constantly trying to not reinforce. 
• I was an extremely competitive rower from the ages 12-18 when I hurt my shoulder. 
• I have one tattoo on my back, a rose for my grandfather
• Depression has been a battle I have been fighting for years but I haven't relapsed into the dark in 2 years and I know it won't happen any time soon. 
• I spend money like it is going out of style.
• I am a residential counselor at a home for kids with behavioral problems. 
• ELF is my favorite brand of makeup.
• Eyeliner makes me look alive. 
• I like mascara that smells funny.
• Taylor Swift is my favorite musician.
• Skillet is my favorite band. 
• I love my family. 
• I bite my nails to a stub whenever I'm stressed or upset or am in a movie theater.
• Gymnastics is my favorite sport to watch.
• I have a skin condition that's really embarrassing. 
• My hair is always in a pony tail but that doesn't mean I dont take great care of it. 
• I didn't own any makeup until I was 20. 
• My sign is a Gemini.
• I cannot wait to be a mother someday. 
• School cost me $30,000 in loans and won't let me finish my last 3 classes. 
• I've been in the hospital for over a week due to depression. 
• My life goal is to change a child's life for the better. 



View from the boardwalk at Castle Island

• Castle Island is my favorite place in Boston. 

TAG: Questions!!!

Hey guys!

Quickly doing this beauty Tag before heading to work!

SKINCARE
-
-How many times do you wash your face daily? 
2 times

-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Combination

-What is your current facial wash?

Clean & Clear Finishes Oil, Free Pore Perfecting Cleanser

-Do you exfoliate?
I try to but I forget

-What brand do you use?
Clean and Clear

-What moisturizer do you use?
Bio Oil and Ponds 

-Do you have freckles?

Billions

-Do you use eye cream?
No not really

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
Not really but I do get breakouts 

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
Nope, but I did in highschool and college. 

MAKE-UP

-What foundation do you use?
I use a combination of Rimmel Clean Finish and Revlon Photo Ready

-How about concealer?
I use a yellow correcting concealer for my undereye area from ELF and a glamoflage from Hard Candy on blemishes

-Do you know your undertone color?
Pink unfortunately

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I don't use them, I have really long eyelashes anyways and they seem like way too much work.

-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yeah but I generally have ADD about mascara and use a bunch all the time.

-What brand of mascara do you use?
Loreal right now but I use everything realy.

-Sephora or MAC?
Sephora

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
Nope I've only been to Mac2 times in my life. 

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
I use the SoHo beauty sponge for my foundation and then use an ELF eyeshadow all over brush and theyre powder brush and then use a Salma Hayek blending brush. 

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
 ELF eyeshadow primer

-For the face?I use hardcandy face primer,

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
I like purples a lot. 

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
Pencil, gel and liquid depending on the day. 

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
only when I am doing makeup in the car

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
only like 2

-Do you use mineral makeup?
yes I use mineral eyeshadows

-What is your favorite lipstick?
right now mine is the Lip butters

-How about lipgloss?
too many to decide but I love the ELF hypershine glosses.

-What is your favorite blush to use?
MIlani Baked blushes

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
No but I have bought a lot from Amazon.com

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
yeah I love it.

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
None near me sadly.

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
I'd love to.

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Somettimes

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
When people use way too much eyeliner

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
Usually colorful but not always bright.

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Ummmmmmm Carrie Underwood.

-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Mascara

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Sometimes but not if I'm going anywhere important
-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
No.

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
ELF

-What do you think of Makeup??

It's too addictive but such a self esteem booster. 

Colors of the Rainbow Tag

I decided to do this tag after reading http://makeup4myage.blogspot.com's blog today.

Now the way this one works is you have to name one favourite beauty product in your collection representing each colour of the rainbow.  One of each of the following:

White

  I have two white products I could not live without. 

1. Sephora Jumbo Waterproof Eye Liner

2. ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Angelic

Red

Revlon Lip Butter in Candied Apple

Yellow

ELF Cover Everything Concealer in Corrective Yellow has been my dark circles life saver this month. I love it so much. 

Green

Wet N Wild Juicy Lip Balm SPF 15 in Watermelon Pasteque, not the best lipbalm I have ever had but its the best green product.

Blue

ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Beachy is the most vibrant shimmery blue ever!

Indigo

  The top right corner of the ELF Brightening Eye Shadow in Ocean Dreams is the most perfect Indigo color ever.

Violet

The second darkest shade in the NYC IndividualEyes for Green Eyes is such a beautiful violet maroon color. I use this color at least 4 times a week.

So yeah thats my makeup rainbow lol!

Consider yourself tagged!!

Additional Project Pan Products

Hey all!
So I went through my entire collection today and added some products to my P10P so it's more like a P16P now.  The rules are to remain the same though, I just found some new products I would like to try to finish up for various reasons.

Here are the added products:

1. Beauty Rush Baked Eyeshadow in the color Gold Rush- I have had this product for probably around a year and really want to finish it off and just remove it from my collection.  I like this product but have a lot of very similar colored eyeshadows. 
2. Wet n Wild ColorIcon Baked Eyeshadow in the color Fiery- Love this color, it's very mauvy and shimmery I would just like to try to use it more mostly. 
3.  Nuance by Selma Hyack Lights.Camera.Action Eye Trio- This is such a handy product that comes with a cream eyeshadow, eye brightener and eye liner in one stick.  I bought this product a few months ago before I discovered E.LF. and just really want to remember this more and continue to use it.  
4. NYC Metro Quartet Eye Shadow in Lexington Luxury-I have 3 of these in different shades and this is my least favorite color combination.  I dont hate it but it's really boring so I just want to get rid of it without wasting money. 
5. E.L.F Studie Single Eyeshadow in Butter Cream-This is probably my least favorite E.L.F probduct.  The color is a yellowish cream color and it is very chalky.  I received this in an E.L.F free gift package and don't want to just waste it. 
6. E.L.F. HyperShine Lipgloss in the color Flirt- I have like 4 of these products because E.L.F. always sends them as a free gift and I often neglect to use lipglosses. 
7. E.LF. Eyelid Primer in Sheer- I have accumulated a ton of eyelid primers and just want to use this one up. 

All of My Project Pan Products

I also decided to remove my Mac PaintPot from the original list because it is so expensive I really don't want to burn through it, I want it to last..  I'm not really sure why I originially included it anyway because it's neither something I want to finish off or use more of. 

I will post a list on the right side of the blog of all the items I am including in the P16P and will cross them off as I finish them. 

Thanks for reading and post again soon!

My Project 10 Pan

Hey All! So I realized I have been really gluttonous about my makeup collection in the past month and need to pull in the reigns. So I decided to start my own "Project 10 Pan".  I am so nervous about this project because I am literally addicted to makeup but I love these products that I have picked so I am not worried about this because the last few months I have definitely been hoarding makeup.  I have bought everything in sight without thinking about how much I was spending.  So here it goes! For those of you who don't know a "Project Pan" is when you go on a makeup/beauty product buying strike until you finish "X" amount of products.  I will be hitting pan on 10 products.


As of tonight the following rules apply:

• To add a product to my finished "Pan" list, I have to use up the entire thing. Like as in throwing it in the trash barrel kind of finished. Dead.
• I may slip up if I find something limited edition, one of a kind, and a product that I know I will regret passing up. I will probably just keep it in the box until I'm done with this project. Then it will be like a little reward for finishing! 
• Building off of the previous rule, if I see something on a major sale or if ELF has a major deal I will buy the product but it will remain in it's packaging until the product pan is over.  I will also let all of my readers know if this happens so I can be kept accountable. 
• If I receive any giftcards or CVS extrabucks I will use them.  The point of this is to spend less money, not downsize.

Here are my products:

• E.L.F. Complexion Perfection Powder- I love this product so much and use it constantly.  It's only $3 dollars from eyeslipsface.com and I will be starting a brand new one for this product.
• Sephora Mineral Matte Touch Up Powder- I just bought this product last week and it's a great setting powder. So smooth!!
• Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Nude Palette-  The colors in the palette are beautiful and I use them all the time.  It is very versitile and the shadows are all beautifully creamy.
• Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes- This is my everyday mascara and this is a fairly new product so finishing it will take a while. 
• Sephora Jumbo 12hr Waterproof Liner in White- I use this everyday for innercorner brightening but I have a whole bunch of innercorner pencils so I would like to continue with this one. 
• E.L.F Mineral Eye Liner in Black- Again I use this pencil almost every day.  It is a great waterline color and the pigmentation and staying power are amazing!
• MAC PaintPot in Rubenesque- This will be my most difficult product to hit pan on because I only use a tiny bit per use.
• E.L.F. Cover Everything Concealer in Corrective Yellow- This is a great undereye concealer.
• Hard Candy Sheer Envy Illuminating Primer-  This stuff is great but I have the regular one that I prefer so this is the only product I am trying to Pan to get rid of rather than just throwing out my money. 
• E.L.F Minty Lip Gloss in Seattle- Clear, shimmery, minty, GOODNESS!

Yep so that's it! If anyone has every done a product pan or a makeup diet please let me know any tips you used for curbing the desire to buy buy buy. LOL. Thanks for reading and Ill be back soon!

Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty- TAG

Hey all!
I have never done a tag before but really wanted to do this one because I get to talk about my favorite things!!


TAG QUESTIONS


1. GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?
My most inexpensive items are all my E.L.F. Essential products that are only a dollar- my favorites are the shimmer sticks (shimmery liners that have built in sharpeners in the cover) and the waterproof eyeliner pens which come in a range of colors and leave a beautifully precise line every time. Love both of those products. 


As for the most expensive item I own, that has to be my Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV.  I got this for $35 dollars from Hautelook and love it so much. 


2. WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?
I have a love hate relationship with any loose eyeshadows and pigments.  They are beautiful but they are SOOOO messy! I also have a love hate relationship with really dark eyeshadows because I usually like the end effect but they are so dramatic that I have a hard time integrating them into my day to day. 


3. GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products?
My Physicians Formula Happy Boosters products both have the most amazing scent!


4. SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?
I tend to neglect doing my hair because it takes soooo long and it ends up on top of my head in 15 minutes of my punching in at work.


5. PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?
Good eye makeup! Like when you get that perfect blend and it all comes together it's amazing!!!!


6. LUST: What products do you think you could never live without?
I could never live without mascara.  I rarely leave the house without it.  My favorite kind is Lash Stilletos. 


7. ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?
Either of the Naked Palettes would be amazing.  But I usually just ask for gift cards. 


I tag you all! Just leave a link below

Review: E.L.F. Eye Transformer Palette

Hello All!,
So today I am going to give a review/tutorial on the E.L.F. Eye Transformer Palette.  This is a $3 product available on eyeslipsface.com  Just to give you all some background information about how I ended up with this product and what it is.  A month or two ago I placed a E.L.F order and had a coupon code for a whole bunch of extra products and one of them was this product. I will include pictures and swatches below but this is essentially a small black pallet with 4 rectangular powders, a small brush and a rectangular mirror.  I never really understood what it was for because the colors were all very similar, very shimmery and all very light pastels.  Then one day I was watching a n E.L.F. Haul video by xoemilygracexo on youtube and in the related videos sidebar there was a video about this product and I finally figured out how fabulous this product really is!

So here is how you use it:

1. You apply your eye makeup as you would normally. 
2. Apply your eyeliner; pencil, gel or liquid in a neutral tone- black, white and brown
3. Use a precision shadow brush or liner brush to apply any 1 of the 4 tones of the Eye Transformer
4. Watch your normal colored eye liner turn to a beautiful shimmery toned liner

So yes I am in love with this amazing product and suggest everyone goes to the E.L.F. site and buys themselves one of these products because the outcome is astounding!

Here are the pictures//swatches... ENJOY!!!:

This is what the palette looks like. The colors are from left to right-  green, copper, pink and  purple
The green was broken when I received it but it was free so its ok!
\

Swatches after Transformer

White Eye Liner Swatches- Before Eye Transformer

Swatches after Transformer

Black Eye Liner Swatches- Before Eye Transformer

Youtube Channel I Absolutely Love

 http://www.youtube.com/user/emilynoel83
This is one of the most beautiful woman ever and she talks about really doable makeup, down to earth hauls and great advice.  She talks a lot about drugstore makeup and dupes of high end makeup.  In real life she is a news anchor so her videos are very high quality and she sounds wonderful, not like she's reciting something or is trying to impress anyone.  She's real.

I suggest everyone go watch some of her videos if you're looking for any tips or tutorials.  She has over 600 videos on her channel so chances are that you will find something you are looking for.


Also check out her blog for more information.
http://www.beautybroadcast.net/

February 2012 Favorites

Hey All,
So I'm here to do my first monthly favorites/regrets. This month I used a lot of products fairly constantly so I will be picking my favorites from 15 categories. Each category will only have one favorite though I reserve the right to change that if I feel I have more than 1 per category at a later time.


1. Primer - Hard Candy Sheer Envy Face Primer; This primer goes on so smooth and sheer, doesn't add any shimmer to your face and definitely helps your foundation last longer.  It is such a great deal for 8 dollars. 


2. Eye Shadow - M.A.C. Paintpot in Rubenesque; This is my one and only M.A.C. makeup and I use it constantly both alone and on it's own.  It is so beautifully shimmery and stays put so well without any primer. 


3. Eye Liner - E.L.F. Waterproof Eye Liner Pen in Black; O.M.G. the most dramatic, beautiful line ever! 


4. Foundation -  This is the most difficult category to give only one answer to.  I have been trying a lot of different foundations and I seem to have had one consistent go to and it has been Rimmel Clean Face.  It is a beautiful finish and a great creamy foundation. It goes on great with a beauty sponge application.   It's just so nice. 


5. Concealer - I don't even know which concealer I really liked this month because nothing was satisfying me.  E.L.F. Concealer and Illuminator has been my real favorite this month but it is very sheer and does not provide a ton of coverage undereye.  I set this concealer with a yellow pressed powder and love it.  


6. Blush - Milani Baked Blush in the color Luminoso. Without very much shimmer this color provides a nice corally pink color with great payoff. 


7. Palette - This month I have been all about nude eyes and browns.  I have fallen in love with the E.L.F. 32 color eyeshadow palette in Cool.  It has great creamy colors, about half matte and half shimmer and pearlized colors.  They last all day and has great color payoff and the range is amazing! Best thing about this is that it's good for both day and night. 


8. Face Applicator - SoHo Beauty Sponge, using it wet is amazing because it gives you great coverage but seems like you put on a ton of lotion.  It's so hydrating.


9. Eye Applicator - E.L.F. Mineral All-Over Eye Shadow Brush, use it for EVERYTHING!


10. Hair Product - HerCut Ponytail Styling Cream. a-MAZ-ing!! This stuff makes any ponytail look professional and sleek.


11. Perfume - Taylor Swift Wonderfall; such a great scent with so many different undertones and so long lasting. It's a beautiful light citrus scent mixed with florals and almost a nutty aftertone. 


12. Mascara - Lash Stilettos in the color Black Sequins.  Awesome mascara for lengthening and volumizing lashes. This was the best mascara I have ever had and I have used eye makeup since I was fourteen. 


13. Moisturiser - This month I have been using Bio Oil on my face and neck and have really seen a change in my skin the last two weeks or so. 


14. Nail Care Product - Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream


15. Book - The Hunger Games; dont judge me!  I know this is a young adult novel but OMG it is amazing.  I highly suggest this to anyone who wants a good easy book to read. 


So those are my favorites and most used products of February. Have a great night!

Hard Candy Review

Last week I went to Walmart for the first time in ages with the intention of picking up a trash bucket for my bedroom and a few shirts for my younger brother. I came out with 80 dollars worth of trash bucket, boys clothes, toys and of course... makeup.  I seriously have a problem.  Anyways, I noticed HardCandy and loved the amount of products and colors in their eyeshadow collection.  I tore myself away from eye makeup because I have WAY too much eye makeup and looked more towards their foundations, primers and concealers. I have been in the market for a new primer and that was my excuse for being in the cosmetic section in the first place, much to the annoyance of my 7 year old shopping partner.  I have used HardCandy Sheer Envy primer before, in their "illuminating" style and decided to purchase the normal finish primer.  I also bought their Just Face It One Step Foundation in the color light as well as their Nobody's Perfect Concealer Palette.

Lets Start With the Good:

Sheer Envy Primer-Original

-This primer is AMAZING.  I purchased it because I recently ran out of my ELF Mineral Infused Primer after only 2 weeks of use.  I wanted something that I didn't have to wait for shipping and that came in a bigger portion so as to not run out so fast.  For only $8 I am more than pleasantly surprised.  Adorable packaging, smooth moisturising finish and all day coverage make this product a 5 out of 5 for me.  One dime sized dollop is enough to cover your whole face and it buffs right into your face, diminishing the small lines and large pores that cover my face.  I don't think it changed the coverage of the makeup but I am sure that it helped my very sheer coverage foundation last all day.


And Onto the Not So Good:
Face It One Step Foundation- Light
-I have tried a lot of foundations in the past month or so. I've tried some for combination skin, some for dry skin, some heavy coverage and some light. This was the WORST foundation I have ever used.  It was think, oily and shiny.  It looked so cakey and no matter what I applied it with, under or over it just did not change its consistency and was returned 2 days later.

NoBody's Perfect Concealer Pallette- Fair
-I wont say I hated this palette, but it was not the quality that I had hoped for.  All of the concealers were too thin and none of the colours seemed to match my face well enough to conceal any imperfections.  I just overall did not enjoy this product at all.  Considering this was practically a 10 dollar product I could not bring myself to keep it while knowing that I could have found something of equal or greater quality from ELF.  So I returned it also.

Overall I found this shopping trip disappointing, especially considering I had been looking forward to trying HardCandy cosmetics so much for so long.   So I will be thankful for the Primer and sad about the rest but I will move on.

Have a great day and thanks for reading.  Feel free to comment below.

-

Introductions and My Top Five Products of Today

Okay so here goes my first blog post and today I want to talk about dupes, yes I said it, DUPES.  Until about 2 months ago my makeup collection was so limited because of how expensive everything was.  I would plan out when to buy things and everything I bough t was from Sephora. It wasn't until I really had to tighten my belt and start living on a budget that I realized how much makeup was costing me.  At that point I only really used eye makeup and makeup products anyways but I was starting to become more interested in cosmetics and doing everything; face, lips, skincare and of course continued doing eyes! And that's where the journey towards makeup obsession began.

So here is my top five products of today:
1 NYC City Duet 2in1 Lip Color in the color The Cherry Blossoms- CVS $3.99

2.SoHo Beauty Sponge- Walgreens $6.99

3. Elf Powder Brush- eyeslipsface.com $3.00

4. Loreal True Match Super Blendable Makeup in the color Natural Ivory C2

5. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in the color Silky Beige 005