MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes in Blonde and Redhead

(Blonde, Redhead)

When I found out that MAC had released the Blonde and Redhead mineralize skinfinishes ($28.00 each), as part of their latest collection-Naturally, I jumped for joy. I knew immediately that these two gems were going in my shopping cart, when I purchased them from the MAC website. I missed out on these mineralize skinfinishes when they were originally released as part of the Brunette, Blonde, Redhead collection (from 2009?). So, I was not going to make that same mistake again. Read on to find out why these two products are rocking my world!

Left To Right: Redhead, Blonde (sorry about the glares)

Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde

Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde

First 4 swatches-color sections.  Last swatch-all the colors blended together (blonde)

Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead

Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead

First 4 swatches-color sections. Last swatch-all the colors blended together (redhead)

If you love soft, pink cheeks, then blonde is the way to go. A peach-coral lover? No problem. Redhead has got you covered. Both of these limited edition mineralize skinfinishes contain four sections of colors, that compliment each other beautifully. Starting from the left of the compact, the color strips gradually transition from lightest to deepest. You can apply the lightest of the bunch, and use that to create a soft highlight. Or, swirl your blush brush on all four colors, and you have yourself a pretty blush color, that will instantly liven your cheeks, and give them a healthy looking glow. With these two, you basically have a highlighter/blush in one! Gotta love multi-tasking products.

Both products contain fine, smooth shimmers. Personally, I don't find the shimmers as overbearing as they are, when it comes to other highlighters. Of course, as with all shimmered face products, its best to not overdo it and know your limits. I have gotten heavy handed before and applied more than I needed to. When that occurred, I noticed that my pores were slightly enlarged. So, just remember that a little bit of this product goes a long way. Not so much for the fear of overdoing the amount of color, but overdoing the shimmers. I think the pigment on these is fantastic. The colors aren't super bright, but they have enough pigment to keep one satisfied. The texture of both skinfinishes are so smooth. The smooth texture really helps both products blend effortlessly into my cheeks. Last, I find that these stay on my cheeks all day. They do not budge whatsoever, off of my oily skin. So, I am definitely happy with the lasting power.

I adore both of these mineralize skinfinishes, but I am having a love affair with blonde as of late. The soft pink, flattering glow that my cheeks get is just amazing. I can't rave about it enough. And come to think of it, I actually thought that Redhead was going to be my most favorite, seeing as it has the golden, peachy-coral color schemes that I usually go for. In any case, both the redhead and blonde mineralize skinfinishes are so beautiful in their own special way, and I know that I am going to be getting a lot of use from these.

Currently, I see that these two limited edition mineralize skinfinishes are still available on the MAC website. So jump on the mineralize skinfinish ship ASAP, and get one-or both of these beauties! Believe me when I say, you NEED these in your life. Get to it! 

What do you think of the Blonde and Redhead Mineralize Skinfinishes? Did any of you pick these up?

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased these products for my personal use.

Love & Beauty Coconut & Peach Lip Balms

When I spot packaging that is shaped like an ice cream sundae, I don't have to think twice about taking it home with me. Such was the case with this Love & Beauty coconut and peach lip balm set ($1.50), that I recently spotted, over at Forever 21. 

Peach Lip Balm

Peach: I am one who is not very picky about fragrances in lip products. But, this one was just too artificial-even for me. The peach scent in this lip balm is definitely not something I am a fan of. On the more positive note, this lip balm did go on the smoothest out of the two.

Coconut Lip Balm

Coconut: I am a huge lover of all things coconut scented. Anything that reminds me of the beach, sunsets, and warm summer weather, has a friend in me. This coconut scented lip balm is my favorite out of the two, when it comes fragrance. Unfortunately, when it came to application, I found the texture quite uncomfortable. It did not apply as smoothly as I would have liked. It went on gritty and felt a bit rough. 

Both of these lip balms don't have any pigment, so they apply sheer. Honestly, I don't find that there is really anything special about these lip balms, other than the cute packaging and the fun scent. My lips are super dry and while these lip balms didn't exactly worsen them, they did not help moisturize them, either. Also, these lip balms felt heavy on my lips. I could definitely feel like something was coating my lips-sort of wax-like, actually. Not a very comfortable feeling. As far as lasting power goes, I find that I have to reapply every 1-2 hours. 

I would have really liked to have seen more moisturizing-inducing ingredients such as, Shea butter and vitamin E. Lastly, an SPF of some sort would have been a really nice addition.

Overall, if you don't have extremely dry lips and are looking for a basic, fun-scented, inexpensive lip balm, then these may be ones you want to look into. But, if moisturizing is your goal, look elsewhere. There are many other lip balms on the market that do wonders when it comes to moisturizing the lips. I would not repurchase these lip balms again. One of my favorite lip balms is Smith's Rosebud Salve. It never disappoints me, and I can't imagine my life without it. 

Have any of you tried the Love & Beauty lip balms? Which are your favorite lip balms?

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased the products mentioned above, for my personal use.

Beauty Crave

Hey Dolls, 

I hope you are all enjoying your day! Welcome to another edition of beauty crave. You all know how it goes, so let's get started :)

1. Bobbi Brown Ultra Nude Eye Palette ($45.00)- I don't think I will ever get enough of nude eyeshadows. They are such a necessary essential for me, and they are the color schemes that I wear quite often. This nude eye palette by Bobbi Brown contains six gorgeous universally flattering, nude eyeshadows that are sure to strike every nude eyeshadow lover's fancy. Also included in the eye palette is a handy, double-ended angled eyeshadow and eyeliner brush. Perfect for when one is on the go.

2. Tarte Maracuja Blush & Glow ($32.00)- Tarte's Maracuja Blush & Glow is a duo that is comprised of a cheek tint and a luminizer. Blend the tint on the cheeks for a lovely natural flush of color, and then follow with the luminizer to highlight the tops of cheekbones, for that extra special touch. According to Tarte, maracuja is an oil that contains Vitamin C, as well as fatty acids-great skin essentials. Also, this products does not contain parabens, sulfates, or any other harsh chemicals, that our skin can do without. Love! 

3.  Dior Diorskin Sculpt Concealer ($35.00)- For me, finding the perfect concealer has been the norm, for quite awhile. I just can't give up! I am obsessed, I tell 'ya. This concealer works to help diminish lines, and give the eye area a smooth appearance. I have a few fine lines under my eyes, and this product sounds really great to help combat that problem. I just wonder if it will help conceal my under-eye dark circles, well enough? 

4. Smashbox Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trio ($29.00)- One of my new year resolutions is to start familiarizing myself more with cream blushes. Unfortunately, I don't have that many in my makeup stash. I steer clear of cream blushes because, when it comes to application, I feel like I am not doing it properly-especially when it comes to loud colors. I am afraid I will look like a clown. It is time to get rid of my cream blush fear, and this cream blush trio by Smashbox seems like a good place to start. The colors are incredibly gorgeous, and look very wearable.

5. American Apparel Glitter Nail Polish ($6.00)- I think it is safe to say that my glitter nail polish obsession is far from being over. I am sure come summertime, I will step away from the glitter and go towards the brights, neons, and pastels. Unless, there is a neon or pastel glitter nail color, available! Now, that would be cool. I really love the chunks of fun glitter that these nail colors have (pictured above is Supernova). By the way, for those who are into the latest, nail flake-craze, there is a pretty silver flake nail color available called Constellation, that I am sure will look lovely layered over dark nail colors. Also, these glitter nail colors are cruelty free, DBP free, toluene free, and formaldehyde free. Score!

6. Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color ($19.00)- I really love lip products. Apart from lipsticks, lip balms, and glosses, I am not too familiar with lip pencils. But, I know that lip pencils perform just as good-sometimes, even better. These lip pencils from Urban Decay, promise to give lips a high dose of opaque color, that feels creamy on the lips. I like! I am looking into purchasing 'Love Child', which is a gorgeous soft pink. Next to nude lip colors, I can't live without my pinks. 

Thanks for stopping by, dolls! Be back soon :) 

What beauty products are on your beauty wishlist? 

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. 

Product Rave: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Cotton Candy

I have been searching high and low for the much buzzed about, Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters ($5.99). But not surprisingly, they have proved hard to find. Well, I just happened to spot a display of these lip butters at Rite Aid and although I was excited that I finally spotted these, I was bummed that the color selections that remained were shades that I would not normally buy for myself. Luckily, I spotted one Revlon lip balm that was right up my alley, and her name is Cotton Candy. 

Quick Product Facts

1. The lip butters are infused with shea butter, coconut butter, and hydrating mango

2. Provides a light-medium pigmentation that give lips a beautiful shine

3. These lip butters are available in 20 shades!

(source)

Packaging

I really like the quilted design/texture on the pink plastic top. I think the packaging looks quite sleek, actually. It also feels pretty sturdy, too. Also, I appreciate that the nozzle twists the lip butter all the way down. I just love features such as this one because that way, nicks and scrapes on the product can be easily avoided. I can't tell you all how many times I have nicked a lipstick because the nozzle wouldn't twist all the way down, no matter how cautious I was when placing the top back on. 

Thoughts/Experience

Cotton Candy is a gorgeous, soft pink that contains small, smooth golden shimmers. Both the soft pink and the gold shimmers compliment each other quite well, and I really like the shine that this lip butter imparts on my lips. The shimmers are not overbearing at all. Cotton Candy is nicely pigmented, but not overly so. You can definitely build on it, though. I do detect a sweet fragrance which I quite enjoy. But no worries for those who are not fond of scented lip products, the sweet scent lessens rather quickly, once applied to the lips. 

This lip butter glided on my lips smoothly, and evenly. I noticed how I could keep layering, and layering the product, and my lips would never dry out or get flaky because of product build-up. My lips are often very dry, and believe it or not, I have encountered lip products that instead of adding moisture to the lips, dry them out instead. Cotton Candy felt super lightweight on my lips, never uncomfortable. 

I wish Cotton Candy lasted a little longer on me, though. I found that three hours or so, is the max time that this lip butter lasts on my lips. After the 3 hours, I have to touch up and apply this lip butter again. I found that my lips, did in fact, feel moisturized throughout the day. One thing that I would have really liked to have seen contained in this lip butter, is an SPF of some sort. I think that would have been a really nice addition. 

Conclusion

I love Cotton Candy, and I hope to spot more of these Revlon Lip Butter shades at drugstores. I think if you are on the lookout for an inexpensive, easy glide-on moisturizing lip butter that packs a nice amount of color, these lip butters may be something worth looking into. 

What do you all think of the Revlon Lip Butters? Which are your favorite shades?

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased this product for my personal use.

Love & Beauty Nail Polish in Hot Pink

Personally, I find Forever 21's Love & Beauty nail polishes to be either a hit or miss. I have a few Love & Beauty nail colors in my stash, and I have to say, some colors are spectacular, while others leave me underwhelmed. Luckily, this nail color falls into the spectacular category. 

Three coats of Hot Pink, shiny top coat applied on top as well

Hot Pink (original name, huh?), is a bright pink that packs a whole lot of punch. The color is real bright-but not eye blinding neon bright, that contains fine, gold shimmers. I just love the gold sheen that the tiny, gold shimmers impart on my nails. The gold compliments the bright pink, beautifully. The pictures above do not do this nail color any justice. This mani looks so much cooler in person. To really up the fun factor, I added 2 coats of Wet n' Wild's Wild Shine Nail Color in Sparked to my ring fingers.

Application was a breeze. The brush, as well as the easy-grip handle, makes applying the nail color very simple. The first coat went on a bit sheer. I applied a second, and then a third coat to really get opaque and even coverage. I experienced no streaking, or air bubbles during application, and this nail color dried to a semi-glossy finish.

Drying time wasn't too bad. It took about 10-15 minutes for the nail color to be completely dry. I just applied this color last night so, I can't really report on the wear-time. But usually I have luck with the Love & Beauty nail colors when it comes to lasting power. It is not until 3-5 days of wear that I start to see some tip wear and chipping.

I know there are so many bright pink nail colors out there, in the market, and I am sure that you all probably have one in your nail polish stash. But, I think this color is sort of unique-in its own, fun way. I don't think I have a pink like this one in my collection. Plus, the price tag of $2.80 doesn't hurt either. Hot Pink definitely deserves a look if you spot it at a Forever 21 store.

What do you all think of Hot Pink? Which are your favorite Love & Beauty nail colors?

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased this product for my personal use.