Throwback Thursday: NARS Taj Mahal Blush

Throwback Thursday!!!

Spotlight on: NARS Powder Blush

Color: Taj Mahal

Price: $29.00

Repurchase Reasons:

This was my first NARS blush and I got it for Christmas from my mother. I love this color. I use this primarily in the summer when I have a fake tan. I have also used this as eye shadow and over lipstick for a velvet like golden orange color. I find that the shimmer blushes from NARS are the best in texture. They have an almost slightly creamy feel to them and they blend like a dream. I enjoy the glitter blushes, but glitter is chunkier than shimmer and can fall all over your face and clothes. Would I buy this again after running out? Most likely yes! However, this blush is very pigmented and looks divine on women with medium to dark skin tones. I get a bit pale in the winter but I can usually still wear this in the fall. If you have a lighter skin tone like mine, use a soft and fluffy blush brush and swirl on your hand to dilute the color.

Application Techniques:

 Since this is a punchy color with a golden shimmer, it looks best if used right smack on the cheekbones in a severe slant. This is achieved by sucking in your cheeks, turning your head to the side and then following the bumpy angle of your cheekbones. Then use a powder brush with no product to blend in an upward motion over the product. For lips, apply a orangey lip color or a neutral with gold/yellow undertones; then tap this powder over. If you want a less intense result, tap a bit and then blend into your starter lip product. For eyes, use as an accompaniment to a golden brown smokey eye look. Apply this as the crease color and slightly underneath your lower lash line. Finish by blending a little dark shimmery brown on base of lid and over upper and bottom lash lines. TA DA! You’ll look so good, some handsome man will want to construct a beautiful place to immortalize you in! ; )

Drool Worthy Pictures:

Quality: ****/5 (Rich pigmentation, striking shimmer throughout.. this is a gorgeous blusher)

Perks: There are no added benefits.

Bang for your buck: ***/5 (A high end blusher… what do you expect?)

Disclaimer: I received this as a gift from my mom: I am not being paid for my opinion.

Do you own crazy colors of blush or are you a “everyday” blusher kind of girl?

Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Lip Balm

Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Lip Balm in SWEET TWEET

What is it?

A basic lip balm with a supposed tint and subtle fruit fragrance. This lip balm is $5.99 and can be purchased at drugstore type retailers. This lip balm claims to moisturize lips.

The Real Deal:

If you're like me, then you have a million different lip balms stashed around your house and about five in your purse this time of the year. The skin on my face is oily, but I was blessed with the driest lips in the universe. So, I like to buy new lip balms all the time! Let's take a look at this one to see why I'm not impressed. This lip balm comes in a dual color tube with a clear plastic top. It has an unbelievably long name… that is also very juvenile sounding… However, the product itself is a slightly shimmery very sheer in color balm. The product is slightly oversized and glides onto lips very smoothly. I enjoy applying this balm and it seems to last about 2 hours or less when eating/drinking. The color is so sheer that it is practically non-existent. There is also a very faint fruity smell.  

Note: The color is so sheer it did not show on my lips, therefore there is no application picture. 

The product is swatched on the left of my wrist (see the sheen?)

Overall, this is a nice lip balm but certainly not the best lip balm available. I prefer the uncolored version of Maybelline’s Baby Lips to this Covergirl product mainly because the former has SPF in it to protect lips. The Covergirl lip balm really isn’t for one concerned about color or lip protection. Sure it moisturizes, but can’t I have more than just that one thing from a product that costs $5.99? I’m glad that I had a coupon for this!  

Quality: **/5 (I’m giving it a generous grade here because it is moisturizing)

Perks: There’s no added benefit

Bang for your buck: */5 (For this price? Skip it and look for something else)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

Do you use basic lip balms? Do your prefer tinted or untinted?

NARS Angelika Powder Blush

NARS Powder Blush in ANGELIKA

What is it?

A high end powder blush promising to give you intense pigmentation and superior blendability. This product sells for $29.00 and you can find it at narscosmetics.com or even at Sephora.com.

The Real Deal:

The packaging for this blush is the iconic soft matte black rubber that you’d expect from NARS. This color is a vibrant matte light dolly pink infused with very small pieces of silver glitter. This blush is highly pigmented and is very powdery compared to the shimmer blushes that NARS offers (like orgasm). NARS matte blushes do run on the more powdery side but they are still phenomenal. The product is very pigmented and therefore you do not need to apply too much. This blends nicely and evenly and wears for 4-5 hours. I find that I get less wear out of a NARS blush in the summer. Since it is winter this dolly pink is a nice bright pick me up for the face. The color gives the look of "been out in the cold for about 40 minutes". 

Overall, this blush is probably my favorite NARS blush so far… I do say that every time I buy a NARS blush so… Anyway, apply this high on the cheek bones and blend a little onto the apple to get that (I’m freezing my you know what off) “cold” look. This is such a nice light pink that skin tones ranging from very light to a mid-medium tan can utilize it. If your skin is darker, you should gravitate towards there dark magenta and red blushes; might I suggest the matte dark fuchsia that is  COUER BATTANT.

Quality: ****/5 (It doesn't last more than 4-5 hours)

Perks: none.

Bang for your buck: ***/5 (Great pigmentation, unique color choices, steep price for blush)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

NARS is known for their blushes; have you tried them?

Fantastic Skin Care: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum

Fantastic Skin Fridays!

Area: Eyes

Concern: Aging Skin; specifically sagging skin around the eyes

Product: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum

Price: $21.99 

Function:

Sagging eyes getting you down? I’ve got hooded lids and so sagging eye skin is something that as I get older I will have to be conscious of. You can look tired, old and worn out so easily if you have hooded eyelids and you are not using products to counter act sagging eye skin. This is a serum designed to help firm and lift the skin around the eye using a peptide complex. Dermatologists will tell you to use a combination of peptides, retinoids, and antioxidents in your anti-aging skin care regimen. This eye serum can be used twice a day or in conjunction with a different eye product once a day (using this during the day if using a retinoid eye cream at night).

I have been using this product for about 2 months. I like to use a skin care product for a month or two since it takes a while to see results with skincare products sometimes. I did not notice a difference in my eye are using this product. However, I do not suffer from obvious sagging issues right now. This may prevent the issue and that is a good reason to use it if you are concerned with sagging. Though, I would skip this if you have more serious issues like deep dark circles, wrinkles and sagging skin. If you have these issues, you need a stronger and more specific eye cream that tackles those issues.  

Money Saving Tip: Look for at www.ulta.com and earn points on your purchase that you can use later.

Quality: ***/5 (There was not a noticeable difference and it’s pricy for a drugstore item)

Perks: Peptides and vitamins

Bang for your buck: ***/5 (It is an average serum and not a “wow” product)

Repurchase Quotient: I might but I'm looking at others at the moment...

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What do you use on your eyes for skincare? Creams, serums, or a combination of the two?

  

ELF Studio Powder Blush Review

ELF Studio Powder Blush in TWINKLE PINK

What is it?

A budget friendly shimmering pink blush. This blush is $3.00 and can be purchased at eyeslipsface.com.

The Real Deal:

This blush comes housed in a sleek black plastic container that resembles the classic look of a NARS blush. This blush is incredibly inexpensive. $3.00 for a blush is less than what you would pay for a basic drugstore company blush. I like the price very much and I was eager to try this specific color. I enjoy light pinks in the winter time and this has a little golden shimmer in it. Shimmer on winter skin makes it appear healthy and moisturized during a time when we are probably starved for moisture regardless of skin type. The product is very powdery and you must tap off the excess before applying it to your face. However, the blush itself is very pigmented and it blends superbly!   

Action Shots: 

Overall, this blush is a hit and I would enjoy purchasing and trying out more of these blush colors! I really don’t mind the fall out issue. This is because fall out from blush can be easily eradicated by tapping off your brush prior to application. Next, blend the blush into your cheeks creating a colorful glow instead of a line of product (which is noticeable to everyone and it flatters no cheeks). Budget friendly ladies will love these, and so will first time makeup users.   

Quality: ***/5 (It is very powdery and the shimmer does not stick in the product well)

Perks: Cruelty free.  

Bang for your buck: ***/5 (Great pigmentation, just be careful of fallout)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What is your preferred type of blush formula: powder, loose, or cream?

November Tip: Bright Smokey Eye

Tutorial Tuesday: November Tips

How to create a bright smokey eye look

Tools: Revlon Photoready Eye Shadow Palette in METROPOLITAN, Too Faced Better Than… Mascara, ELF Studio Blush in TWINKLE PINK, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Super Saturated Lip Pencil in GLINDA (Limited Edition OZ palette)

Eyes: Apply an eye shadow primer all over lid and onto brown bone. Start with your base shadow. Use a light shimmer in your skin’s natural undertone (mine is pink so I used a pale pink shimmer from the Revlon palette) apply this shadow onto your eyelid just underneath the brown bone. Apply on the inner upper and lower eye corners and blend onto the rest of the eye lid. Next, take a shimmering gray shadow and apply it on the outer 1/3 of your lid. Blend into the outer part of your eye’s crease only. Blend away the demarcation between the gray and the shimmering base color. Next, apply a brown shadow to your upper outer lash line. Concentrate the color on the outer ¾ of the lash line only. Line your lower outer ¾ lash line with the shimmering gray. Skip eyeliner for a day look and then just add mascara.

Face: Add a soft blush that mirrors the base shadow that you used. Ladies with yellow undertones can use a shimmering light brown blush. Ladies with rich orange undertones can use a shimmering orange blush in apricot (for lighter orange tones) or a shimmering deep burnt orange with hints of red for a deeper skin tone. Shimmer blushes should be applied a little higher since shimmer "highlights" parts of your face. Focus the color on the tops of your cheekbones and blend upward at an angle into your temples. 

Lips: Finish using a natural looking hue that has subtle shine. Stay away from the shimmer on your lips to prevent you from looking a little too glowy. Instead, concentrate on finding a gloss that has “vinyl” or “wet” in the description. Choose a color that coordinates with your lip’s natural hue. My lips are a dark rose pink naturally. So I always choose natural colors that tend to be on the pink side. This prevents me from looking washed out and dead.

 Where to Wear?

1. Thanksgiving: Here’s a simple makeup look that is presentable for all families and looks nice in photos.

2. Work: During the holiday season, change up your go to work look for this (the shimmer makes your look more awake and ready for business).

3. Casual outing: Not the type of girl to go full makeup on a date? No need to; but change up your look here and there and you will start to notice how certain features can be emphasized just right! 

ELF Hypershine Lip Gloss

ELF Hypershine Gloss (Essential Collection) in VIXEN

What is it?

A twist tube of shiny lip gloss with a built in brush. The product is $1.00 and can be purchased at eyeslipsface.com. The product aims to give you shine and subtle color.

The Real Deal:

The lip gloss texture is gel like and the brush applicator allows you to apply with precision. The color VIXEN is a bright watermelon pink without shimmer or glitter. It is sheer in color but noticeable. Wear time for this product is between 2-3 hours depending on if you are eating/drinking or not. The product wears off evenly so that there is little to no product visible on the lips between applications.

Action Shot:

This lip gloss is perfect for both the lady on a budget and teens trying out makeup for the first time. Many of the colors come in light tones to give even the shyest of makeup wearers a reason to buy. This can be used by itself and I would not recommend it over lipstick as most lipstick formulas do not mesh well with gel like formulas atop them.  

Quality: *****/5 (The gel is light weight and no stickyness!)

Perks: There’s no added benefit

Bang for your buck: *****/5 (At this price you can buy all of the colors and give in bunches as presents!)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What does a products price tag mean to you? Do you think cheap makeup has little to no worth?