Beauty

Blogmas Days 7-13 Bite Beauty Lab Review

Well, my hopes of keeping my blog going daily through December vanished. Last week we had a massive event at work, which was the kick off to my hectic week. The next night we went out with friends to see Christmas lights. Followed by another work event the next night, and so on. You can see where this is going.

One of the things we did this past weekend was take a trip into NYC, where we had a jam packed day. We started off the day at the Bite Beauty Lab. This is a store where you can go in and create a customized lipstick. There are two different options when you go in – pay $55 for a less customized option with one color and fragrance OR pay $150 for 2 customized colors/fragrances. I did the cheaper option, and it was SO COOL. There are probably 50 different colors to choose from, and they let you try on as many as possible within your allotted timeframe. (OH and make an appointment!!!) I picked two colors and paid $80 for both. Once you pick the colors you can also pick the finish as well – I chose matte. You then pick the scent. After all of that they spin and then freeze the lipstick. 10 minutes later – you’re ready to go!

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I had a great staff member helping me – she was so helpful! If you can, definitely give this a go – it was so much fun.

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The left one is a lighter nude, and the right one is a berry color. The lighting doesn’t do it justice!

Blogmas Day 6 – Influenster & Q-tips

Several months back – like back in March – I received the Influenster Glam Voxbox and I never wrote a post about it. Strangely enough though I use two of those products in my daily life and love them. Thinking about that today, I really wanted to go back and revisit my box and chat about the products I received.

I received a pack of Venus razors and shave lotion which was great because I can always use those. There was a can of Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo, which is ok, but def not my favorite product in the box. Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover and Pads were also in there, and I plan to use those for future at home pedicures. There was a sample pack of SheaMoisture which is in my arsenal to try shortly. But the BEST discovery of all time in this box was the Q-tips beauty rounds. Never did I think the simplest little thing would rock my work. They are sewn shut at the ends so you don’t get little fuzzies everywhere and they are thick and durable, and last with any product. I have repurchased numerous times and am thrilled I received this box for that one discovery alone.

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Blogmas Day 5- Swamp Queen Palette

Several months ago I was so sad to find out that the Swamp Queen Palette was sold out EVERYWHERE. I wound up buying it on ebay (I know this is bad) but couldn’t have been happier when it arrived. Back in November I heard the great news that it was back in stock! It was heavily promoted during Black Friday, and while I’m sad I missed the sale, I really need this in my life!

The different hues of purple were really what drew me in and made me fall in love. I can do a full face with this – contour, blush, eyes and not have to look at anything else. I’d love to hear how everyone uses this palette, especially for eyes! Any tips and tricks are welcome!

Blogmas Day 4 – Tartist Pro Glow

Sometimes in the winter makeup is my favorite accessory. With chunky sweaters and boots, and being bundled up, makeup can warm up these oversized comfy outfits and top off your style bringing together your outfit. On days like today when I barely wanted to get out of my pajamas, I was able to just sit and play with some of my new products.

One of the things I picked up in the Tarte Black Friday sale was the Tartist Pro Glow palette. Did I need another palette? No, not really. This one is absolutely beautiful though and it is incredibly pigmented. I dipped the brush in the color “sculpted” one too many times and wowza, I sure had to soften that look. I like the formula a lot – it is almost creamy and blends pretty well. Its too early to tell if it will be a daily staple, but first impressions are all positive! I do know though that I can’t use all of the colors because they are too dark, but I’m hoping to make as many as possible work for me!

Have any of you used this product?

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Blogmas Day 3 – Le Volume de Chanel Mascara

This past week has been a little hectic for us – we’ve been to 2 different weddings, both had crazy weeks at work and a million social engagements. It’s been so fun though and I’ve especially loved changing up my beauty routine for the weddings and playing around a bit. While in Macy’s the other day I decided I wanted to try out one of the Chanel mascaras. The sales associate and I agreed on one of them that would be best for me, I purchased it and happily headed home. Unfortunately she put the wrong version in my bag! After some research though I decided I might actually like it and decided to give it a chance. I don’t just like it, I LOVE it. I have very long lashes to begin with, and I needed something that wouldn’t clump and would make them super feathery. This does all that and more – much to my surprise. I own nothing from Chanel and decided to buy this on a whim, and I’m so glad I did. The picture below is us at the wedding tonight. I wish I have a better one of my eye makeup!

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Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

Earlier this year when it seemed like EVERYONE was talking about the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer I knew I wanted to try it. The problem was that I couldn’t find it anywhere. It was exclusive to Ulta at the time and I struggled for a while to find it. Thanks to my googling though I was able to get my hands on it via QVC.

I think QVC is a majorly underrated makeup resource. It took a while to get the product, but my wait paid off, and I’m THRILLED. Buying it through QVC allowed me to get the sponge applicator with it, and I’ve come to love it too.

The color range of the concealer isn’t great, and thankfully I could try it in Ulta before I bought it. I’m quite light, but after looking at what they have I decided Light Medium was best for me. It’s been perfect. It is thick and very full coverage – great for keeping dark under eye circles at bay.

I’ve seen some Youtubers who mix Light Medium and Light together for a pop of brightness right under the lash line, and I’m so tempted to give that a try.

Anyone else tried this concealer? Thoughts?

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Skin Care Ideas

As the weather started changing I could feel my skin was ready for a change as well. I’d been looking for some new products to change up my routine – and if you saw my last post you know I found some- but when I came across this post on amixofmin.com I thought it was perfect. I follow Mindy’s blog and also follow her on Instagram – she’s one of my favs.

Check it out – she wrote all about the “double cleanse,” and I feel like it would be great to implement this fall/winter. Click here to check out the blog post.

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Sephora VIB Rouge/VIB SALE

There are two times of year that all beauty lovers patiently wait for – the VIB ROUGE/VIB SALE! Since Sephora makeup never goes on sale otherwise, this is the time to take advantage of the discount!

With my 20% off I went to town. Some of these items I bought previously, but held on to them to help give ideas for what to buy during the sale.

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One of the things I’m drawn to each year is the “Sephora Favorites” line. This year they had a fantastic variety, and as you can see I brought a few of them home….

I went back and forth on the Beauty Sleep box. I have more masks than I know what to do with, but anytime I see Sunday Riley included in a gift set, I’m drawn to it like a moth to a flame. LOVE Sunday Riley.

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The Soko to Tokyo I bought for only one reason: Tatcha. The Dewy Skin Mist was on my radar for a while, and this became the perfect opportunity to give it a whirl.

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Extravagant Eyes was a bit outside my comfort zone, but those LASHES! I love them. Huda for the win.

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When it comes to the Scouted By Sephora box I coveted the Lash Food and Drunk Elephant. Their prices individually were enough to make this worth while.

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In the Skin Wonderland box I went for the SKII toner (and of course, Sunday Riley). I’ve been using it and I can say it’s fantastic.

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And finally in Trending: Beauty’s Most Coveted the Foreo and mix of products I use frequently pushed me to get it. The Foreo definitely justified the cost.

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And then from there I had a little more fun with Moroccanoil, Sunday Riley, Tarte, Too Faced, Stila, Michael Kors, Clinique, IT Cosmetics (CC Cream was bought at Ulta, but you can get it at Sephora now), Jouer, Sol de Janeiro (Brazilian Bum Bum cream is AMAZING), Surat, and Ole Henriksen!

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I hope everyone enjoys the sale!!

Liquid Lipsticks…

We all know that 2015 was the year of the liquid lipstick. They came out in full force by December, and my list of “must try” brands/colors got massive. As I mentioned in my previous post that I went on a little Amazon binge instead of electing to go to IMATS, I picked up several liquid lippy’s there. I also heard about a few other brands that I just had to try out. Because I prefer the dusty rose shades, these are all variants on my favorite color. FullSizeRender 45.jpg

Of course, this list had to begin with Dose of Colors in Stone. DOC blew up last year, and they are known for their unique color choices. I like it – the formula doesn’t seem to last for me though. Tips on fixing this are appreciated!

Next in line is Lime Crime’s Velvetine in Faded. I really like this one, but it is a little too dark for me to wear to work. I need a liquid lip that works for a multitude of purposes.

Following that is Gerard Cosmetics liquid lipstick in Serenity. This is perhaps the most orange of the group, but I wanted to try it for a few reasons. One, Gerard Cosmetics is so frequently mentioned by other bloggers/vloggers, that I really wanted to try it out. And two, because this specific shade was a collab between GC and Manny MUA from Youtube. I love wearing this! I just have to watch, because on me sometime it turns a bit too orange depending what color palette I have on.

I also heard many people talking about Glamorous Chicks Cosmetics – so I made sure to add them to my list! I purchased the Tame Matte Velvette and I really like the shade a lot. Quite versatile, but can appear a bit too dark at times for work wear.

When I was at the Bobbi Brown counter recently I was shown a lip gloss that was in the color Dusty Rose. While this doesn’t have any staying power like the liquid lipsticks, the color is opaque, and can definitely hold its own in this group.

The Beauty Bakerie is a brand that I heard of via YouTube. The color here is identical to the one I bought from Glamorous Chicks. I got the Versailles Lip Whip, and while the formula is a little strange – I’m not always a fan when formulas are whipped- this one has staying power. And I don’t find that it leans toward the darker side, unlike its GCC counterpart.

The last one on the list is by far my favorite. The color is Clueless and it is from ColourPop and it is perfect for everyday wear. It lasts, and I seriously can’t say how much I love it. I reach for it constantly, and need to try other colors!

See swatches below! (Same order as above starting from the top!)

Merle Norman

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Back in December when I was on vacation in South Carolina, I noticed that there was a Merle Norman store just down the road from us. This is not a makeup company I’m used to seeing up north, so I wanted to check it out. The only thing I knew going in was that it was a company that had been around for a long time.

I’ve since come to find out that this company was launched in the 1920’s, thus making sense why I picked up on a vibe that they were skewing their products towards a more mature audience. However, my saleswoman was fantastic, and helped me find great introductory pieces to their lines. And you know what? I really LOVE their products. My favorite is the creamy concealer – I got a sample for making a purchase over a certain price – and my color is medium light warm. I use it for under my eyes, and it blends really well.

The lash primer and retinol night complex also came with the sample set, but admittedly I haven’t tried those out. Their Found Primer Plus SPF 15 however – is def a fav of mine. It has a silicone feel, and definitely gets into my pores to hold my foundation on well. Great consistency. I also fell hard for their Lip Pencil Plus (lip liner and lipstick pencils that are two in one pencils). Mine are in Wild Berry and Hussy. Hussy is sparkly and red – perfect for Valentines Day! Wild Berry is a darker wine color that I love to wear pretty often.

I just stumbled across a Merle Norman store, but I highly recommend checking out their products!

GabGoesGlam

Beauty. Lifestyle. Fashion.