Revlon Lip Butters

I'm not sure if reading other beauty blogs help me make informed decisions about beauty products or just makes me want to purchase more products in general. In this case, I'm really happy I was "convinced" to buy (although it doesn't take much to convince me to pick up makeup in general, especially when it's inexpensive). I've been reading nothing but great things about the Revlon Lip Butters so when I finally found them at Ulta I was pretty excited especially because they were buy one, get one 50% off.

I love the packaging- the pretty frosted colorful caps and the quilted design.  The top of the caps have a clear little "window" as well. Makes finding that shade of lipstick super easy!

Aren't they gorgeous?

Left: Tutti Fruti
Right: Strawberry Shortcake

 Strawberry Shortcake is a gorgeous bubble gum pink and Tutti Fruti is a bright orange. Both colors are pigmented in lip butter terms. I had to layer Tutti Fruti a few times to build the color.  


Like so many other bloggers, I am amazed at these lip butters. I've been wearing Strawberry Shortcake non-stop all week (I'm saving Tutti Fruti for the summer). They are pigmented like a lipstick but feel smooth and moisturizing like a lip butter. Best part is, they are affordable! Prices vary depending on where you buy them, however, I paid $7.50 each at Ulta (although the second was 50% off on promotion).




Have you tried these lip butters? If so, which is your favorite shade? 

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A Nail Polish Lover's Best Friend

What's in my Bag?

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes

I got a few more amazonian clay blushes since my original review here and wanted to show you some more swatches in case you are considering picking up one. There are four new shades listed on Sephora's site but are listed as out of stock. (One of which is the shade Adore, which my boyfriend purchased for me in the Tarte Discovery Kit)

I first wore this blush to a wedding I attended in November. I was impressed that this blush lasted pretty much the entire day even through dancing. Tarte advertises that the blush lasts 12 hours. I would say it lasted on me between 8-10 hours with little fading.

From Left to Right: 

❤ Flush: Deep Berry

❤ Natural Beauty: Muted Strawberry Red

❤ Amused: Bright Pink

❤ Blissful: Warm Peach

❤ Adored: Shimmering Light Pink

 ❤ Natural Beauty: Muted Strawberry Red

❤ Amused: Bright Pink

 ❤ Flush: Deep Berry

 ❤ Adored: Shimmering Light Pink

*Contains tiny bits of glitter

❤ Blissful: Warm Peach

Left to Right: Flushed, Natural Beauty, Amused, Blissful, & Adored

The pigmentation of these blushes are amazing although the picture above really does not do them justice. The first time I tried this blush (in Amused), I packed my brush with blush and had really pink cheeks and had to blend it out. So I would definitely recommend starting with a light hand and slowly building up the color.

While they are on the pricier side (I picked up two with a discount/three were gifts) at $25, I 

really think they are a great investment. Best blush I've tried yet.

So have you tried Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush? What's your favorite Tarte product?

Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express

I'm naturally a dark blonde so my brows (and eyelashes) are light and my brows are somewhat sparse. I've heard a lot of good things about Anastasia eyebrow kits and accessories so I figured I'd give it a try when I made a recent online purchase at Ulta. 

One of the corners in my kit came bent :/

The kit includes:

♥ Brow Wax

♥ Brow Powder Duo (blonde version)

♥ Shadow Duo

♥ 5 Stencils

♥ Angled Brow Brush

5 Stencils included are: 

Full Arch, High Arch, Medium Arch, Petite Arch & Slim High Arch

Before Picture 

(sans makeup) 

After Picture
 makeup: Urban Decay 15 Anniversary Palette and UD liner

 (sorry about the weird angle/weird chunk of glitter in my brow)

In case that picture is hard to read, here is a basic how-to:

1.  Take one of the stencils and line up the red lines (top line parallel with forehead, inner line through middle of nostril, and the outer line diagonally to to the edge of the nose). Pick the stencil that fits the most of your natural brow through the cutout.

2. Apply the brow wax cream to help powder adhere.

3. Align stencil to brow and apply brow powder.

4. Remove stencil and tweeze hair outside the powdered area (tweezers not included)

Review:

 The stencil my brows fit was the high arch. Step 3 is definitely the hardest step in the kit. It takes some practice and shifting the position of your hands around to be able to fill in your brows with the power while holding the stencil in place. I'm hoping after trying this a few more times I'll get the hang of it. The mirror is essentially useless in the kit because there is no way  you are going to be holding a mirror, stencil, and powdering your brows all at once.

In my opinion, the brow colors for blondes are okay. I feel the darker brown of the two shades was a too bit dark for me. My hair is now a mixture of different blonde tones so I can get away with using a mixture of the two. However, if I lighten my hair to the platinum blonde it used to be, I think I will only be using the lighter of the two shades. The kit does come in a brunette version as well. 

The kit definitely has value but really depends if it works for you powder color-wise and what you already have or need in your makeup kit. The kit is $39.50. If purchased individually at Ulta, the stencils are $20 for 4 stencils (excludes full arch), the brow powder is $22 for .1 oz (kit has 2 powders, each 0.056 oz) and the angled brush is $17. I did not see the eyeshadow (which I personally could have done without) and brow wax sold separately on the Ulta or Sephora website.

Helpful info if you want to purchase items separately:

 Individual powders come in 5 colors (2 shades each) vs. the kit which only comes in 2 colors (2 shades each). Purchase the stencils at Sephora. They are the same price and come with 5 stencils vs. 4 at Ulta.

Overall, I like the Anastasia Beauty Express. I think it is important to pay attention to those brows because they can really help define your face. I think the stencils are great for girls who need help with finding a shape that best fits your natural brow. Although I think the items in the rest of the kit can be replaced with (cheaper) alternatives, I like having the items in one place especially when traveling. Hopefully, I can just get the hang of using those stencils!

ENTER MY GIVEAWAY: http://pinkglitterboutique.blogspot.com/2011/09/giveaway.html

Benefit Sugarbomb

When I originally saw this blush in Ulta, I couldn't imagine these four colors (peach, soft plum, pink, and rose) mixing together and creating a pretty blush. However, Sugarbomb is the type of blush you can wear everyday, anywhere. It is a peachy-pink color and it gives your cheeks a pretty, subtle, natural flush of color. 

 This is my third box o' powder (I also own Hoola bronzer and Bella Bamba, review here) from Benefit and I have to say I've become quite fond of each one of them.  

The only downside to this particular blush is the packaging. It has a removable lid which could easily come off in your purse, makeup bag, etc. However, the Box O' Powders pictured on the Benefit website do have flip-tops and mirrors, so I must have purchased an older version (darn!) from Ulta.  

In case you were wondering, Sugarbomb does come with a (semi-decent) brush. However, I prefer using a blush brush. Also, I just wanted to mention that this blush warns to avoid the eye area.

♥

I have my eye (cheeks?) on Benefit's Dandelion next.

So have you tried Benefit's Box O' Powders? Have a favorite?

Where to Buy: Benefit, Ulta, Sephora

Cost: $28 for .42 oz

Hate to Wait?

I love painting my nails, but I hate waiting for them to dry...


A few years ago, I discovered OPI's Drip Dry, which was in a duo nail polish set that was on sale at Ulta. Basically you apply a few drops to each nail after you are finished painting your nails and they are dry within a few minutes! For someone like me who paints her nails up to twice a week, Drip Dry was an *amazing* discovery.


What wasn't so amazing was the price...


Drip Dry costs anywhere in $13-15 dollar range. In my opinion, it is worth the price to not have to sit around and watch paint dry (ha!). However, for one reason or another, I never got around to repurchasing.


I was in Target with my boyfriend recently and decided to stop by the makeup section. Sitting on the shelf was a Drying Drop bottle by Nicole by OPI. I figured if the original OPI Drip Dry was amazing, this formula had to be somewhat similar. Plus, it was nearly half the price ($7.99 for 15 mL). Score!

The directions are the same. Apply 1-2 drops 60 seconds after the final coat. OPI claims in 60 seconds nails are dry to the touch, and in 5 minutes nails are completely dry.


I wanted to try these drying drops one last time without a topcoat. I've been using the drops after using Butter of London's quick drying topcoat, so I didn't want it to skew my results. However, it did not. My nails were dry to the touch within a minute or so (with 3 coats of nail polish!) and after a few minutes they were dry. Of course, I didn't go around trying to smudge them...


Final Thoughts:
Even though I tried the original drip dry a few years ago, Nicole by OPI's drying drops seem to work just as well as I remember the original working. Amazing product, at half the price.


Where to Buy: Target, Ulta
Cost: about $7.99

Review: Benefit Bella Bamba

I've had this blush for quite a while now but never got around to reviewing it. Bella Bamba is described as a "3D brightening pink face powder." It claims to brighten, sculpt & define.

Bella Bamba is a pretty pink color with great pigmentation. It can be built up in intensity or blended out for a softer, pretty pink glow. (Tip: A little goes a long way!)

In the box, Bella Bamba appears to be somewhat of a coral pink. At first glance, it even appears to be quite similar to NARS Orgasm blush. However, when taken out of the box and swatched, Bella Bamba is actually a watermelon (medium) pink with a subtle golden sheen versus a coral pink. Orgasm also has a more intense golden sheen over Bella Bamba.

For the most part, I'm in love with Benefit's packaging (so fun!). However, their previous box o' powder lids (except Dandelion) were removable and could easily came off in your purse, makeup bag, etc. So I was happy when Bella Bamba was introduced with a new lid. The lid flips open and has a magnet that seems to do a good job of keeping the box top shut. Bella Bamba also includes a convenient mirror for touch-ups.

The brush that comes with Bella Bamba is soft and overall pretty decent for a brush that is included with a product. It is quite an improvement over previous brushes that have been included in other Benefit products like Benefit's Hoola and the Hello! Flawless powder in terms of usability.

Brushes from Right to Left:
Bella Bamba, Hoola, & Hello! Flawless Powder

The only potential downside I see to this blush is the scent. Bella Bamba has a sweet watermelon scent to it, which may bother some. Personally, it has grown on me.

Cost: $28 for 8.0 Net wt. 0.28 oz.
Where to buy: Benefitcosmetics.com, Sephora, & Ulta

Nude Nails

I've been searching for a natural, nude nail polish color for awhile now but never ended up deciding on one. My Ulta Rewards allowed me to pick out two salon nail polishes so I finally decided on a sandy beige color.

I've always been partial to just about every color in the nail polish rainbow, except I've never owned a nude polish. (Although after thinking about getting into the St. Patrick's Day spirit last month, I realized I do not own any variation of green polish either.) This beige color, Sand Tropez, is by Essie and is part of their Spring collection.

Two coats sans a top coat

My collection mainly consists of OPI, mostly because I am a big fan of their wider brush. However, after this purchase, I think I will begin adding more Essie polish to my collection. The formula of Sand Tropez was very easy to work with and I'm in love with the color. I plan on purchasing the other neutral color in the collection, Topless and Barefoot, which is described as a "barely there soft beige pink."

What do you think, do you like nude nails trend? Any nude/neutral/natural polish recommendations?