essence Make Me Brow "Browny Brows" Review + Swatch

Press Sample, Affiliate Links

Tinted brow gels have been my go-to brow routine for a while now, so I've experienced a plethora from different brands. I can say with confidence that this is my favorite one from the drugstore. It hits the three categories that I look for in a brow gel product; it tints the hairs, it shapes the brow, and it fills in sparse spots as well.

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2 comments Drugstore, essence, Makeup, Review

Glossier "Cake" Generation G Matte Lipstick Review + Swatch + "Dupe"

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I've been having a moment with Glossier. Why? Because Glossier is the quintessential cool-girl, minimalist skin care - and now makeup - brand, and even though I don't have the skin for it, subtle makeup has been my favorite look lately. This odd hybrid lipstick in a neutral hue is what I now gravitate towards on a daily basis for a no-muss, no-fuss lip product

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My Beauty Lust List vol. 2

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Ok, so my makeup-buying happy ass is on a no buy for a month or more, and I really mean it. Yes, MAC just announced that their eyeshadow pan refills are now only $6, and yes I REALLY want to get my hands on some more Jouer Cheek Tints that don't have shimmer in them, BUT I CANNOT DO THAT. My wallet is sad and starving, and I've got just enough cash to squeak by for the next month... maybe. I dun effed up.

That being said, I am still lusting after a LOT of stuff because hello... beauty blogger here! I recently did a "My Beauty Lust List", but now I need to make a second because look at all the pretty things!

1. Jouer Bare Beauty Palette, $64

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Leave a Comment Beauty Lust List, Etude House, Glossier, High End, Jouer, Makeup, Milk Makeup

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick "Lolita" Review + Swatch

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Not that long ago I reviewed another lipstick from this line, Armageddon, and while I loved the formula, the shade didn't do it for me. Thankfully I picked up Lolita at The Makeup Show LA, which is definitely a "me" shade, so I can fully enjoy my favorite liquid lipstick.

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Derma e Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask Review

Press Sample

As someone with combination/oily skin that is also very acne prone, I appreciate a good detoxifying/purifying mask. This Derma e Charcoal Mask is definitely a food detoxifying/purifying mask, and it comes in a sanitary squeeze tube, opposed to an icky pot that you have to dip into like a lot of other masks on the market. This product, along with the rest of the range is formulated without parabens, phthalates, sodium laurel sulfate, petrolatum, mineral oil, artificial colors, or GMOs. In addition to having awesome purifying ingredients like activated charcoal, and two oil absorbing clays (bentonite and kaolin if you were wondering), it also has exfoliating apricot seed grans that turns it into a scrub once you're ready to rinse.

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1 comment Derma e, Drugstore, Review, Skin Care

My 5 Favorite Fragrances

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While my wardrobe choices stick to exclusively to my lesbian chic vibe, my tastes in fragrances are a little more varied. Spicy, fresh, floral, or sappy sweet... my preference changes daily and I'd like to share with you my favorite perfumes.

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Leave a Comment Balenciaga, Drugstore, Elizabeth and James, Fragances, High End, Jimmy Choo, Love +Toast, Molton Brown

Jouer Long-Wear Lip Créme "Noisette" Review + Swatch

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I finally got my hands on this shade at The Makeup Show LA. It's been sold out since it launched, so managing to a) find it, and b) get it for only $11 was amazing. As a swatch, this product is what dreams are made of, but is it the same on the lips? Keep reading to find out.

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Leave a Comment High End, Jouer, Makeup, Review

Glossier "Black" Boy Brow Review

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I've been genetically blessed with fuller brows, so I have a pretty laid back brow routine that normally just includes using a tinted brow gel and the occasional powder when I'm feeling it. However, the main product I've been using for well over a year, Benefit Gimme Brow, isn't my everything. Yes, I love the small wand, the plumping fibers, and the relatively dry formula... but their darkest shade, "Medium/Deep", just makes my brows look ashy. Enter my new lord and brow savior, Glossier Boy Brow in "Black". This baby is difficult to get your hands on, let me tell ya. In the short time it's been out, it has achieved cult status and thusly has been sold out a LOT. I finally snagged one when the Phase 2 makeup sets launched along with their stretch concealer and a Generation G Sheer Matte Lipstick.

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Leave a Comment Glossier, High End, Makeup, Review

Sephora Spring Sale Products Worth Buying

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Just because I'm on a spending ban for the rest of the month doesn't mean I can't share the love! I decided to throw together a little list of some of the more pricey buys from Sephora that I think are worth it, but I normally can't repurchase because of the price - however the 10%-15% sale for Sephora customers makes the price tag a little more palatable! Before we get into the products, here are the coupon codes and dates of the sale for all three tiers of Sephora shoppers:

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Leave a Comment Besame, Bite Beauty, Burberry, High End, Hourglass, Korres, Makeup, NARS, Skin Care, tarte, Urban Decay

City Color Shimmer Shadow Review + Swatches

Press Sample

City Color is one of those brands that randomly shows up with the occasional product of two in an end display at my local Rite Aid, and prior to getting their Timeless Beauty Palette at Generation Beauty I never paid them much mind. After trying out a few things from their line, like these Shimmer Shadows, I'm kicking myself for not picking up some of their stuff sooner. These affordable singles are a-ma-zing.

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Leave a Comment City Color Cosmetics, Drugstore, Makeup, Review

NYX "Pink Lust" Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick Review + Swatch

Honestly, I don't get NYX. They're always coming out with new products, which I normally wouldn't mind, except they put out multiple products that are so similar to one another and it makes me hella confused. NYX started with liquid matte lip products years back with their Soft Matte Lip Creams, but new they have Lip Lingerie, Whipped Lip & Cheek Soufflé, and the Liquid Suede things. Is it really necessary to saturate your own line? Where does the madness end!?

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Jouer Blushing Beauty Collection Review + Swatches + Tutorial

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Yep, I totally buckled and bought something off my first Beauty Lust List. For those of you who don't know, I went to Gen Beauty LA and was exposed to a lot of brands I hadn't tried before. Jouer happened to be one of those brands and I've been a little obsessed ever since. This "Blushing Beauty" palette was the best way to get the most bang for my buck because you get a gloss, a bronzer, a setting powder, two eyeshadows, and two cream cheek products ann in one compact palette that can fit in your hand.

The palette is totally re-arrangeable by the way. If you don't like something, or want to go for a different look, you can easily swap something out. That is pretty freaking rad. The lego-like packaging makes most Jouer products capable of becoming part of a super customized palette. Oh, and all thee of the clamshell pods come with mirrors on the lid

Before we get into the rest of the review, I'd like to insert my recent video on YouTube that shows y'all how I use this palette to create a simple, every day makeup look. Check it out!

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Leave a Comment High End, Jouer, Makeup, Review, Tutorial

I'm doing a giveaway!

I'm trying to gather a little more information on my demographic and what y'all like, so why not reward 3 of you lovely people with prizes.

Yep! There will be 3 instant winners of the em Shade Play Artistic Eye Color Palettes in Tokyo Plums.

ENTER HERE

Leave a Comment em Cosmetics, Giveaway, High End, Makeup

Kat Von D "Armageddon" Everlasting Liquid Lipstick Review + Swatch

Press Sample, Affiliate Link

Prior to The Makeup Show LA I'd never had any Kat Von D items. I've heard good things about the line, especially the liquid lipsticks, but I just never really reached for anything in the line whilst at Sephora. La and behold, this product and a few others showed up in my press bag and now we're here. Luckily I took advantage of the 30% off pro discount while I was there and bought "Lolita" because that one is great and this one leaves a little something to be desired. I honestly probably would have written off the whole line based on my experience with "Armageddon", and I'm glad I didn't.

Kat Von D has super stylized packaging - it's very gothic meets tattoo culture meets pin-up, which is basically Kat herself described in three phrases. "Armageddon", a very bright, very cool (as in so blue toned that it almost pulls purple) carnation pink, is housed in a long, skinny, clear tube with black detailing and a black cap with silver roses.

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3 comments High End, Kat Von D, Makeup, Review

PÜR Fully Charged Review | Mascara Monday

It's been a spell since my last Mascara Monday, yeah? This week's feature is from PÜR, and I'm kind of in love with their new Fully Charged Mascara! 

Leave a Comment High End, Makeup, PÜR, Review, Video

Bear with me here... blog under construction

I needed an update to my blog, something a little more professional. Unfortunately I am not tech savvy when it comes to messing with templates and things were bound to go awry... as in I deleted ALL of my post views. Yep, I messed up and I am the dumb.

Anyway, things are gonna be a little messy here until I get everything hashed out. Thanks!

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OFRA "Manhattan" Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick Review + Swatch

Disclaimer: I don't know if winning this by taking an ipsyOS survey makes this a press sample, but I'm gonna mention it anyway just to be safe. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own.

Somebody call Satan because hell is about to freeze over. I may have found an OFRA product that I like. GASP! For those of you that don't know, I'm not a fan of OFRA. I think they overprice their products, have terrible packaging, and sub-par items. OFRA was the brand of cosmetics that came in my student kit when I was in school for esthetics, and everything from the crumbling liners to the less-than-idea foundation called "Ethnic 1" made me so grumpy when I had to work with it. However I do know when to admit that something is alright.

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Recent Acquisitions TMSLA Edition!

So yeah... I went a little nuts. Obviously there are too many products for me to do a proper Recent Acquisitions post like this or this, so I had to do a haul video. My "to review" system (i.e. a series of Sephora bags if we're being honest) are overflowing right now.

Leave a Comment Haul, Makeup, The Makeup Show LA, Video

My Experience at TMSLA + Floor Walkthrough

Oh my god... where do I even begin. The Makeup Show LA was the best experience of 2016 for me so far. I got to hang out with and meet new blogger buddied, learned a million new things, met one of my makeup artist favorites, and got in some pretty hefty shopping. This is definitely an event that you shouldn't miss!

Leave a Comment The Makeup Show LA, Video

TMSLA Keynote Recap: Living in Color - Kat Von D - Hosted by James Vincent

I actually sat in on this keynote out of necessity since I had already made my rounds through the floor, my feet were tired, and I was getting cranky during my wait for the last keynote of the day, which was Union Strong: Women in Television and Film. I'm actually glad I decided to go to this one because I learned way more about Vat Von D and her products than I did before... which was approximately zero things.

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Leave a Comment Kat Von D, The Makeup Show LA

Spring 2016 Reduced Runway: Candy Apple Lips on a Budget

Because I like to keep things real with y'all, I did receive the Essence lipstick as a PR sample. I'm not being paid to feature it, I just genuinely like it. Onward!

NGL, it's felt like spring in San Diego ever since it started cooling down for fall. Either way, spring is here and so are the new trends for the season! One of the major trends on the runway for this season was a bright red lip and I kinda love it. Instead of keeping things soft and pastel, a lot of runway shows killed it with a bright, happy, bold red pout. I've selected three affordable shades for this trend, two are a little more comfortable for people not super confident about rockin' a red lip or for my more low key peeps, and one unapologetic vivid hue.

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Leave a Comment ColourPop, essence, Makeup, Reduced Runway, Wet n Wild