Fuse Gelnamel Starter Kit in Na-No Way! First Impressions

I've had my eyeball on the Fuse Gelnamel Starter Kits for a hot minute, but I never wanted to shell out the $29.99 for one. Thankfully I was lucky enough to pick one up for half off at Rite Aid this week! Yay!

Despite being incredibly girly and cosmetics obsessed, I'm quite low maintenance and despise having to do my nails more than once or maybe twice a week. I've been getting gel manicures for a while now, but it is really taking a toll on my disposable income, so it was finally time for me to bite the bullet and buy my first at-home gel nail kit. 

Bite Beauty Musk & Lychee Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo Review + Swatches

I have been dying to get my hands on a Bite Beauty lipstick ever since Emily of Beauty Broadcast raved about them! I was a little hesitant to drop $24 on a single lipstick from I brand I never tried though, so I got one of the duo minis from Sephora for half the price... and I'm kicking myself for it. I. Need. MORE!

I got the Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in Musk/Lychee because Lord knows I don't have nearly enough neutral lipsticks! The thing is kinda weency (we're talking 0.05 oz per lipstick here), and the packaging is a little excessive, but I've totally fallen in love with both shades!

Lipstick Queen Sinner Rust Review + Swatch

I've been feeling a bit nostalgic lately. Maybe it is the fact that I just turned 21 and relinquished my last little shred of childhood, or maybe it is getting close to fall... either way, I've been obsessed with finding the perfect 90s brick red. That is how Lipstick Queen in Sinner Rust came into my life.

I didn't know all that much about Lipstick Queen beyond a few swatches at Ulta prior to picking this little sweetie up. I don't find many people talking about this brand beyond the blue, skin reactive lipstick that they offer. The lipstick I picked up is from the "Sinner" line, which is a line of matte lippies with full opacity (they're formulated with 90% pigment). Lipstick Queen claims that this is supposed to be a long wearing, moisturizing, and comfortable matte lipstick to wear. 

Hourglass "Icon" Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick Review + Swatch

I've seen these $28 Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks hyped up by a few people in the beauty community, so I decided to see what all the noise was about and bought the little $10 one from Sephora during my 21st Birthday buy-binge. Hourglass claims that these "richly pigmented, silky-smooth, matte lip colors deliver extended wear without flaking or dryness".

Pretty svelte packaging, huh?

The shade Icon is a blue-based red that isn't too bright (much to my glee - I find bright blue-based reds tacky on me), and I think it would be flattering for a multitude of skin tones and shades.

How to Clean your Makeup Brushes Properly Spot & Deep Cleaning

I CRINGED when I saw this picture for DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner floating around on Pinterest.

The picture alone is almost enough to make me faint, but the original post this came from instructed the readers to "swirl them around for about 1 minute".

For us seasoned makeup enthusiasts out there, we're in the know when it comes to washing and caring for your brushes, but I can't fault makeup newbies for not knowing how things need to go down. 

Mystified by brush washing? Want to see a video on brush cleaning? Keep on reading after the jump.

Maybelline The Nudes Palette Review + Swatches + Tutorial

I was over the moon when I found out that the drugstore was getting a legitimate nude makeup palette! Not some dinky thing with tiny pans, or only four shades, but a real, bonafide neutral palette! My grabby hands went straight to the Maybelline displays as soon as I got into Ulta and this thing quickly found its way into my makeup stash.

The palette comes with 10 eyeshadows, 5 of which are matte (!!!), and a pretty decent array of shades. 

I decided to throw a quick look together using a few of my favorite shades in the palette.

While I think it is super awesome that there is a legitimate palette available at the drugstore, I didn't let the excitement cloud my judgement and that kind of lead to a really hard come down with this dude...

You'll see why.

Maybelline Leather Color Tattoo Collection Swatches

I've always thought that the Color Tattoo line needed more mattes and more neutrals, and it seems like Maybelline has answered my prayers! Welcome to the brand new, (nearly) all matte Leather addition to the permanent line!

There is only one shimmer in the 5 shade addition. Right now, these babies seem to be in product displays in most stores, but my super sneaky Fred Meyer had stocked extras in the permanent display where a few other discontinued shades used to be.

Buy This, Not That: Urban Decay Primer Potion and Milani Eyeshadow Primer

Unlike my last Buy This, Not That post, I actually like both of the high-end and drugstore products - it is just a matter of price difference here.  More info, a comparison, and an ingredient analysis after the jump!

e.l.f HD Blush in Superstar Review + Swatch

I know, I know... I'm incredibly behind on the times when it comes to these absolute gems from e.l.f. In my defense, up until recently, my little valley town was devoid of most mass-retailers (because grumpy, middle aged white folk like to keep "trashy" places like malls and WalMart out of their little safehaven). I've gotta say that holding off on this $3 little ditty was worth the wait!

Buy This, Not That: MAC 188 and e.l.f Small Stipple Brush

It is pretty obvious that these brushes aren't dupes, but they're still a similar concept that warrants some comparison since buying one over the other could save you THIRTY-TWO FREAKING DOLLARS.

My Summer Sun Care Essentials

It looks like it is finally time(ish) for that great, scorching orb in the sky to visit Oregon once again! Since sun protection is a bit of a personal subject for me (moreso for my mom who has several chunks of skin missing due to skin cancer), I thought I would share some of my favorite products that really work, but don't leave you smelling like a lifeguard. 

Clinique Black Honey Nail Polish Dupe!

Yeah, yeah... nearly black nail polishes are out of season, I know. I just couldn't help but share this dupe with you though since Clinique Black Honey is one of my go-to vampy shades for Fall.

Spring Pink Lip Picks

• O.C.C "Anime" is a "seriously neon fuchsia". This liquid, seriously punchy pink packs a whollop and stays all day with a tingly peppermint feeling and a satin/matte finish. 
• Maybelline "Cherry on Top" packs enough bright fuchsia-pink to really POP, but is sheer enough to wear out on errands. 
• Milani "Pink Rave" combines the opacity of a matte lipstick with the comfort and shine of a gloss in this bright fuchsia gem of a drugstore lippie. 
• Too Faced "Melted Fuchsia" is super bright, super opaque, super fuchsia, and super matte, making it the ultimate statement lip. 
• Revlon "Adorned" is not for the faint of heart! This cool-toned, super opaque fuchsia gloss has a little (or a lot) extra something in the form of fuchsia and blue glitter. Ka-POW!
• CoverGirl "Watermelon Twist" is the ultimate "I'm lazy, but chic" lip. Just swipe on some of this sheer, bright pink balm and you're ready to go!

Physicians Formula Nude Wear Glowing Nude Blush in Natural Review + Swatch

Physicians Formula recently launched a new line of products called "Nude Wear" where the whole idea behind the line is that everything is well... wearing as if you were nude, a.k.a the ultimate no-makeup makeup products. Physicians Formula claims that this new "sheer innovation" line contains "100% Nude Glow pigments that let your skin breathe for a beautiful bare skin effect". Now, I've purchased and fallen in love with the only concealer from the Nude Wear line (and yes, a review will be in the works),  so I decided to pick up one of the two blushes because the packaging is so stinkin' cute! I mean, pebbled, baby pink "leather and rose gold accents with BOWS!? Sign me up!

Wet n Wild Poster Child ColorIcon 8 Pan Palette Review + Swatches

Wet n Wild has included a bunch of new additions to their core and Fergie line over the past few months, and this new 8 pan palette is one of them. Normally bright colors like this are reserved for limited edition products, but I have to clap Wet n Wild on the back for deciding to add this much color into their permanent line (and just in time for pastel crazed spring).

Unfortunately I can't congratulate them for turning out another awesome 8 pan palette.

Product Review: Pond's Luminous Finish BB+ Cream in Light

For someone who is obsessed with makeup, I'm actually quite the low-maintenance girl. I prefer neutrals over bright colors, I'm not afraid of light coverage foundations, and I spend more time terrorizing humanity with my bare face than not, which is probably why I find this BB cream more palatable than actual foundation. Now this BB cream is what I've been searching for since the whole BB cream craze (and then CC... and now DD) hit the states; it isn't a tinted moisturizer that makeup companies have been trying to pawn off as a BB cream, it actually has a thicker consistency, it sticks to the "traditional" standards for a BB cream (e.g. it is supposed to help improve the overall appearance of the skin and correct imperfections), and it doesn't end up making me look like a hot mess briefly after application. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I find that it suits my needs.

Now, it is very rare to run across a perfect product, and this BB cream is not one of them. Sad, but hey... statistics are against it. There are a few down points to this in my book - probably more for others - and it is a bit pricey. However, it really does take the cake when compared to the other drugstore American BB creams I've tried out over the years.

Product Review: Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eyeliner

There are four basic types of makeup products in the world; ones that are flat out amazing, ones that seem horrible and then grow on you, ones that seem amazing and then end up disappointing you, and ones that just plain suck. Thankfully, this product isn't the last option, but unfortunately it isn't the first or even the second. Yes, mon petit pommes, I have experienced a sad, sad whirlwind romance where I was swept off my feet only to be dumped in the bin only a few hour later.

Meet the culprit of my latest failed romance, Milani Eye Tech Extreme:

I had been on the hunt for a nice (inexpensive) liquid eyeliner pen that would fulfill all my needs, but this suitor has left me feeling less than satisfied after a showy courtship. Queue the sad violin music.

Drugstore "Dupe": Urban Decay Jilted Lipstick vs. NYC Expert Last Blue Rose

If there is one thing about me that y'all need to know, it is that I'm more or less the strictest duper in the land. Yeah, the title for this post is a little misleading, but "Dupe" is a lot easier to write out than "Not-Quite-A-Dupe-But-Similar-Enough-Of-A-Concept-And-A-Good-Enough-Product-That-Is-Buckets-Cheaper", so I hope you can forgive my little trespass there.

Another thing you should know is that I normally gravitate towards neutrals, especially when it comes to the lips, but I will occasionally lose my mind and go completely berserk over the tackiest lip color imaginable (and I LOVE it). Meet my guilty pleasure; Urban Decay Jilted Lipstick.

Spring Budget Buys: Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish

Spring has finally returned to Oregon - and by "returned", I of course mean we have intermittent days of sunshine and torrential downpours. I'm not going to lie, I've definitely caught the sun bug and my normally dark and moody preference for nail varnishes has been replaced for bright, poppy colors to either reflect or remind me of the wonderful bright days of spring!

Polish shades from top to bottom: 120 Hot Chili Pepper,  311 Caramel Cupcake, 410 I Lilac You,  210 Mintilicious 

My latest voyage to the drugstore brought me to the Rimmel stand at a local Walgreens, and the 60 Seconds polish line certainly caught my eye (especially since the whole brand is 50% off this week). I'll shoot straight with y'all (like always), and say that this line isn't without fault, but for under $2 a bottle, I'm willing to overlook a few boo-boos.