Maybelline Color Molten Eyeshadow by Eyestudio in Taupe Craze

Hello Beautiful Ones!

As always, a new display stopped me in my tracks at the drugstore the other day. I should learn to avoid the makeup section all together, but we all know that's never going to happen. Anyway, the product that caught my eye this time was the Maybelline Color Molten by Eyestudio Eyeshadow in the shade Taupe Craze.

Color Molten is a new cream to powder eyeshadow offering from maybelline. This one is not super creamy or majorly thick, but it is creamy enough that you would be better off applying it with your fingers than a brush. One side of this duo is matte and the other is shimmery. I spent way too long standing in front of the display trying to figure out which color I wanted to try (story of my life), but I eventually went with this nude combo called taupe craze.

Here's the thing: I like the idea of this product and the cream to powder consistency is good, but I'm not crazy about the color payoff. For me, in this particular shade the color just wasn't there. No matter how much I seemed to pile it on my eyelids, you could still barely tell that it was there. With that being said, the lasting power was pretty good (as always I used a shadow primer). I would be interested in seeing what the color payoff is like for the other shades. 

All-in-all this wasn't the worst, but I wasn't crazy about the color. Let me know if you've tried this one in the comments.

XO- Brittney 

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Essie Cashmere Matte - Coat Couture

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It's no secret that I literally can't walk past an Essie display in the drugstore without picking up a new color (it's a problem... or not!). So naturally I HAD to try something from the new Matte Cashmere collection. Today I'm reviewing the shade Coat Couture.

All of the colors in this collection land in the warmer side of the color collection and are inspired by "rich cashmere" as Essie puts it. The finish is matte, but it has a really pretty shine to it. I've tried matte polishes in the past and I've never really been that crazy about them. I think what usually puts me off the matte colors is that they can seem a little one dimensional. But as Essie describes these have a "reflective pearl color." You'll probably want to skip the top coat on this one as the shine would take away from the matte finish.

Now let's talk about the shade I picked up. Coat Couture is a gorgeous grey/purple that is perfect for the winter. I can already tell that I'm going to be getting a lot of wear out of this one for the next few months. Like I said, it has a really great shine to it while still having a matte finish.

Let me know if anything in the Cashmere Matte collection has caught your eye!

XO-Brittney

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Benefit Majorette Booster Blush Review & Swatch

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Today is a bright sunshine-y day and I find myself feeling extremely happy despite the fact that it's Monday. There might also be a few new things in my makeup bag that are adding to the pep in my step. What is it about new makeup that makes getting ready in the morning so much better?!

One of the new things I'm absolutely crazy about is the Benefit Majorette Booster Blush. Confession: I was totally a band nerd in high school. Double confession: I didn't even really like playing the clarinet, but all of my friends were in band so I think it was mostly a social decision. My point is that I made a lot of really great memories during high school marching band so this product name and packaging are making me feel a little nostalgic!

Benefit defines Majorette as a "cream-to-powder booster blush." I'm a complete cream blush junkie so I was excited about this one right away. The first thing I noticed about the product was the gorgeous packaging. The whole concept is that Majorette will "pep up" your makeup routine (hence the super cute marching band theme). The lid of the package opens up to reveal the blush and a mirror in the lid. 

It was so hard to wait to dig into this until I had a chance to get the pictures taken (serious will power took place). I had to get pictures of how beautiful it looks when you first open it! Once I started actually playing with the product I noticed that it is extremely creamy and glides on well. Once you apply it to your face it starts to take on more of a powder texture. I just applied it with my fingers and then buffed it out with a kabuki brush.

Benefit says that you can use Majorette on its own or layered under another blush. I know that a lot of people are a little nervous about the peachy pink color, but I have to tell you that it's extremely flattering. I did try layering one of my favorite pink powder blushes over this and I still liked it. Majorette just gave it a little extra boost. Here is the majorette color swatch:

Just as a little extra bonus this product smells amazing! I know what you're thinking: what does scent have to do with the performance of the blush? The answer is absolutely nothing, but the fresh citrus scent does serve as a nice pick-me-up in the morning!

So far I've been happy with the lasting power of this product. I typically have great luck with cream blushes and this one is no exception. My initial verdict on this product is that I am in love! You can pick up Benefit's Majorette for $28 (I feel it's worth the price tag!).

Let me know if you've tried this one yet and what you think!

XO- Brittney

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Mac: A Novel Romance Collection Lipstick in Myself

Hello Beautiful Ones!

What is is about a new lipstick that just makes your whole day go better? One of life's greatest mysteries! I know the Novel Romance collection from Mac has been out for a week or so but I've been loving the new lipstick I picked up so I thought I would give you a review and swatch.

The new collection from Mac is inspired by the glamour of romance novels. I would be lying if I said that I've never lost myself in a good steamy romance novel. I think that the colors in this collection are especially perfect for fall. I went with the lipstick in the shade myself which is a sheer nude pink.

The color is very subtle so if you're going for a big splash this probably isn't the shade for you. However, I think it's perfect for daily wear or in an office setting. I recently wore it to an interview and it was perfect. Here is a color swatch in natural light:

As I said this lipstick is sheer so it's not too heavy. It glides on smoothly and wears for a decent amount of time. Plus the packaging is small and can easily be slipped in your purse or bag for touch-ups.

You can pick up the Mac A Novel Romance collection lipstick in Myself for $16 at any Mac retailer. But remember these limited edition collections from Mac typically fly off the shelves so you'll have to hurry if you want to get your hands on one. I bought the last Myself lipstick from the counter I was at!

Have any of you tried anything from this collection? Let me know in the comments!

XO-Brittney

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Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop Eye Stick in Volver- Review & Swatches

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It's that time of year when beauty lines are releasing their new fall goodies! There's always so much to choose from and so much to try! It can send any makeup junkie into sensory overload real quick! One of the new items that I couldn't get out of my head as soon as I saw it was the Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop Eye Stick. These little sticks retail for $28 at Sephora.

As you can see the packaging for this product is stunning. But would we really expect anything less from Marc Jacobs? The end of the stick is slanted so that it can be applied as either a shadow all over the lid or as a liner. All of the twinkle pop eye sticks have a slight shimmer to them. I chose the color Volver (402) which is a peachy/champagne that can also look a little golden under certain lighting. Here is a swatch of the color:

I swatched it using both the wide side of the stick and the thin side so you can get an idea of the kinds of lines you can get. I've found that the stick makes application super easy. So far I've only used this on my lid, but I think it would work great as a liner as well. This color would be beautiful lining the inner rim. The first thing I noticed when I spread this over my lid was the gorgeous creamy texture. Seriously, it glides on like butter! The pigmentation is beautiful and the lasting power is good. I've worn it on my lids over primer all day long a couple of times now and I haven't had any problems with creasing or rub-off. 

The bottom line: this one is a keeper! I can't wait to grab it in more shades. Let me know what fall beauty products you're most excited to get your hands on!

XO- Brittney

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Beauty on a Budget: Maybelline Color Tattoo Leather 24 Hr. Cream Gel Eyeshadow

Hello Beautiful Ones!

There's a lot of new and fun things to find in the drugstore right now! I'm really excited to try and review some of the new stuff for you guys. One of my favorite summer staples are cream shadows. I love cream shadows for a lot of reasons: they're easy to apply, light for summer, and usually long lasting. The maybelline color tattoos are what I consider to be the cadillac of drugstore cream shadows so I was excited to try the new leather collection. I picked up the Maybelline 24 Hr. Color Tattoo Leather in Creamy Beige ($5.24).

And here is a shot of the outside packaging:

The leather collection includes five matte shades of their awesome cream shadows. I decided to go with the shade creamy beige because it's closest to the color family I usually gravitate towards. I really want to try to push myself outside of my color comfort zone (believe me that's easier said than done!). Even though I picked my normal beige/brown color I'm still going outside of my normal realm a little because I usually go for shimmers. With that being said, I'm really loving this matte shade!
Here is a color swatch:

The color is a gorgeous chocolate brown. The formula is extremely creamy and very longwearing, just as I expected from a color tattoo. I've been wearing it all day with little to no smudging. I wore it all over my lid today but it would be a really pretty crease color too!

Bottom line: this is a must have! I'm excited to try more colors. Maybe I'll really go nuts and try the lavender shade! :) Let me know what new drugstore products you're excited to try.

XO- Brittney

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Mac Sharon Osbourne Patent Polish Pencil in Patent Pink

Hello Beautiful Ones!

This last weekend I attended a wedding that was held out in a pasture (welcome to Nebraska!). The ceremony was beautiful, but it was also extremely HOT. I was melting, so I wanted really light makeup that wouldn't be hot and heavy on my face. It was perfect timing because I had just bought the new Mac Patent Polish Pencil from the Sharon Osbourne Collection in the shade Patent Pink. The packaging is limited edition in Sharon's signature red color.

I already had this product in mind when I walked into Macy's but swatching it on my hand is what really sold it for me. This lip pencil just glides on and is buttery smooth. I also loved the color. It's just a really gorgeous light pink with a little touch of shimmer. Here is a swatch of the color:

Now back to my experience wearing this at the wedding... I found that the lasting power was pretty typical for a balm. It lasted for an hour or two without food or drink. Luckily the pencil isn't too big and fit nicely even in my little handbag, perfect for touch ups! 

At the end of the day... I'd have to say I'm a fan! I know that Mac doesn't release these Patent Polish Pencils very often so I would suggest getting your hands on one while you still can. They're going fast! Let me know if you've tried any of Mac's Osbourne line!

XO- Brittney

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