April 2012 Favorites!

Spring is in the air & we are so close to Summer! I love this time of year because I can pull my favorite colors to wear into the most fun beauty season. I have been buying new product like crazy. I'm just an addict. But here are my favorites for the month of April. ENJOY!

I love me some Yankee Candle! I am absolutely LOVING this new summer scent from Yankee Candle. Beach Walk is incredible; a mix of refreshing salt water & sea musk warmed with sunny notes of tangerine and orange blossom. Again, it comes in 3 sizes (small, medium & large jars.) It is super yummy and the perfect scent to bring in the Summer!

PRICE: $27.99

www.YankeeCandle.com

My latest obsession has been concealers! I have been obsessing over finding the perfect concealer formula & this is one of my favorites I have come across. Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer is a heavy duty, highly pigmented, water resistant, multitasking concealer that comes in 8 shades. It is great quality. The formula is very creamy and easily blend-able. It is super heavy duty and provides ultimate coverage. The coverage is so durable it is proven that it can cover tattoos. I haven't used it to cover my tattoos but I have read reviews on other's success. It does work wonders on dark under eye circles and blemishes. After application, applying a setting powder, gives perfect flawless coverage. This is absolutely ranked in my top 3 all time favorite concealers!

PRICE: $25.00

www.sephora.comkat-von-d

I have wanted this bronzer forever and I finally purchased it making my dreams come true! Hoola by Benefit Bronzer is cult favorite amongst bronzer lovers. It's pure color, no sparkle, no shine, just an incredible matte bronzer. Benefit has incredible products and their packaging is super cute. It comes with a soft, natural bristle cheek brush for contouring and/or blending application. This is just an incredible must have buy for any bronzer lover and the perfect shade for all year round.

PRICE: $28

www.benefitcosmetics.com

What will Skinny Girl come up with next? Sangria to vitamins to beauty products. I love me some Bethenny Frankel and was so excited to find her entire cosmetics line at Walmart. I decided to try the Skinny Girl Lip Scrub first and I am LOVING IT! This is a gentle sugar scrub that is the perfect exfoliant while maintaining soft and moisturized lips. The main ingredients amongst the amazingness of this formula are Cocoa Seed Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Mango Seed Butter, Sunflower Oil and Peppermint Oil. (Doesn't the sound of that make your mouth water???) It is perfect to use for every season and extremely inexpensive for what it does. Bravo to Skinny Girl for not testing on animals. You can purchase the entire Skinny Girl cosmetics line at Walmart.

PRICE: $5.49

www.bethenny.com

2 words instantly come to mind. MIRACLE PRODUCT! Origins Drink Up is a 10 minute mask that quenches skin's thirst. Origins is a natural skin care line that provides organic ingredients that bring out the best in your skin. I am so happy I came across this product because it is the perfect cure for dry skin and/or combo skin. When your skin is clean and free of makeup you put a layer of Drink Up on your skin. It's a clear that smells like oranges that is super refreshing. Algae extracts deliver an extra helping of hydration and apricot kernel oil acts like a "fountain of youth". You actually feel your skin drink in the softness and moisture. Another plus is Origins is animal friendly and cruelty free. It's the perfect product for dry skin. The greatest part is how wonderful your skin goes on the next day. You can find Origins products at Sephora.

PRICE: $22.00

www.origins.com

A less inexpensive favorite of the month comes from ELF! ELF's quality for being so inexpensive is incredible. ELF Mineral Infused Mascara is a great mascara. It creates fuller, healthy looking lashes. It enhances lashes for a naturally thicker and more voluminous look. I love the unique silicone brush which helps create a clump free look. And I mean c'mon, YOU CAN'T BEAT THIS PRICE!

PRICE: $3.00

www.eyeslipface.com

Super trend of the moment, printed sunglasses. I recently bought these super cute, printed shades that have been the perfect accessory for any outfit. It adds Spring and Summer flair to any look. I recently came across these at Forever 21.

PRICE: $5.50

I can't do a favorites list without adding a favorite from my ultimate, MAC! MAC Kissable Lip Colour is a newer formula that was recently re-released in MAC's Limited Edition Shop MAC, Cook MAC Collection that evolved earlier this year. I am loving this MAC Kissable Lip Colour in the shade Scan-Delicious; a pink-red with fuchsia shimmer (adding to my fuchsia kick). It is a super unique formula that applies like a lip gloss and looks creamy & rich like a lipstick. Scan-Delicious is super pigmented, glossy & shiny. It is long wearing and very light weight. They are vanilla scented with a doe-foot applicator. I can't wait for MAC to release more shades of this product. 

PRICE: $19

www.MACCOSMETICS.COM

In April 2012, MAC released the In Extra Dimension Collection. Within the collection, MAC released a new product, an Extra Dimension Highlighter. I purchased the medium shade, SUPERB, out of the 3 shades released. This product is amazing. MAC describes this as a liquid-powder highlighter with prismatic reflections that sculpts, highlights and models face. The cool, creamy, near-fluid formula creates a luminous finish that wears all day long. Superb is a soft, peachy nude. It's a champagne beige with a little hint of rosiness and a champagne metallic sheen. It has a soft, dry texture thats really smooth. There is a high shine metallic finish that reflects light really smoothly. Its the most gorgeous finish that gives you a dewy, glowy look. My absolute new favorite invention of the season!

PRICE: $29.00

www.MACCOSMETICS.COM

Nail of the Day: Essie's Instant Hot

My latest manicure is brought to you by Essie's Instant Hot. ($8.00) Instant Hot is also a new shade from Essie's Wedding Collection, released Spring 2012. I have been obsessing over this collection and loving these subtle shades. I was very eager to try out this color because I am loving a white manicure this season. The bad news is, I was extremely disappointed in the formula. First coat was very patchy and streaky. Second coat was just as streaky. I had to apply a third coat for any sort of full coverage. I almost wanted to apply a fourth coat to gain an opaque finish. I have read that other people have been dissatisfied with this formula so I don't think it was just a faulty bottle. It is very disappointing because I was really hoping this would be a pure, creme polish.


Instant Hot is a muted white with a hint of pink color with a subtle shimmer. This subtle shimmer is obvious in the bottle but barely there after application. (In the left photo, you can see this slight shimmer inside.) Besides the invisible shimmer and the bogus formula, I like the final look. I'd mush rather prefer the vibrancy of my favorite white Essie polish, Blanc, but this worked. In the picture, I am wearing Essie's base coat, 3 coats of Instant Hot & finished with Essie's topcoat.


(24 hours later after writing this post.) Okay. I am beginning to catch myself looking at this color on my nails and loving it more. When you look at the finished product, their is a pretty pink finish that comes off the nail making it super unique. Absolutely worth seeing in person.

Nail of the Day: Essie's Who Is The Boss

My latest manicure is brought to you by Essie's Who Is The Boss. ($8.00) This shade was produced in Essie's 2012 Wedding Collection which was released this Spring. This collection is gorgeous. The colors are perfect for a subtle look or work manicure. Out of the 4 shades in this collection, this one was the most visually appealing to me and it didn't disappoint. 


Who Is The Boss is a dusty blue grey shade. STUNNING! The formula is flawless and applies wonderfully. I haven't seen this collection in drugstores, Walmart or Target yet-but I have seen in some beauty supplies or beauty sites online. In the picture, I am wearing a base coat, 2 coats of Who Is The Boss & Essie Topcoat over top. 

Nail of the Day: OPI's No Room For The Blues & Color Club's Warhol

My latest manicure is brought to you by two of my favorite Spring shades: OPI's No Room For The Blues and Color Club's Warhol. Following the heavy trend for Spring, I wanted to create a color blocking manicure. No Room For The Blues is from OPI's 2009 Bright Pair collection, gorgeous collection full of bright colors. Warhol is from Color Club's Spring 2010 Poptastic Collection, one of the most electric collections I've ever seen. Both brands you can purchase at some drugstores or at any beauty supply store. 


No Room For The Blues is a unique bright blue creme polish. This color is very vibrant and covers in just one coat. It is also one of my favorite pedicure shades for the summer. In the picture, I am wearing base coat, 2 coats of No Room For The Blues & finished with a high shine topcoat. PRICE: $8.50


Warhol is a fluorescent neon magenta polish and this picture doesn't do it justice. The camera couldn't capture how vibrant it is. It is BRIGHT! This polish dries as a matte but when you add a topcoat the color soaks in the gloss. I also received a relaxing pedicure and I'm wearing Warhol. I LOVE IT! I also LOVE this polish name- the perfect shade to represent the infamous pop art artist, Andy Warhol. In this picture, I am wearing base coat, 2 coats of Warhol & finished with a high shine topcoat. PRICE: $2.50

March 2012 Favorites!

Hey fellow addicts! I can't believe how fast April is flying by and how close to summer we are. The warm weather we've been having here on the East Coast has tempted me to reach for my bright colors a lot sooner this year (which makes me the most happy.) March was a wonderful month for buying product, buying out new Spring beauty collections and reaching for my favorite Spring colors. Here are my faves of the month! ENJOY!

I WANT TO SCREAM ON THE TOP OF MY LUNGS HOW MUCH I LOVE THESE LIP BALMS! I am a huge lip balm, chap-stick, healthy moisturized lip person and this product has BLOWN MY MIND! Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm is seriously the best of the best. You can purchase at Sephora or Bloomingdales. I tried to create a pros and cons list for this and found NO CONS! Get these pros. It has an SPF of 25. (what lip product has such high amount of SPF for the ultimate protection.) They provide super-conditioning. It soothes irritated lips and instantly heals chapped or sore lips. It guards against windburn and extreme temperatures. Jack Black brand is CRUELTY FREE! The packaging is so convenient. The slanted tip applicator gives off the perfect amount of product. It provides a subtle, healthy looking, slight sheen (the opposite of sticky, goopy, ordinary lip balms.) They smell incredible. I think the all natural ingredients have much to do with the wonderful scents. This lip balm comes in 7 delicious flavors. I am currently using Grapefruit & Ginger and it's seriously mouth watering. Last and not least, my ultimate WOW from this product is how long wearing and long lasting it is. For example, if you apply this before bed (8, 9, 10 hours later) you will wake up and still feel it on your lips. INCREDIBLE! This Jack Black company is a men's company slowly going unisex because its so MAJOR, women are slowly catching on. This lip balm is the perfect product for both men and women! Now GO! RUN and get these! Your lips will thank you!

PRICE: $7.50

www.getjackblack.com

I am so grateful I have come across this miracle product. The name says it all! Pixi by Petra Eyebright Kit is the easy to use, must-have, go to product. Pixi says their products are for the multi-tasking, flaw-fixing, youth-enhancing for women on the go! Pixi says after using you will have the "just had a good night's sleep" look. (TRUTH!) This comes in 3 different shades (fair, medium & deep), I have been using and loving the medium shade. This kit allows you to mix and match the concealer shades to suit your seasonal skin color. This perfect, travel sized palette contains 2 concealers, a highlighter and a brightener. It is crease-free, fragrance free and hypoallergenic. The ingredients are all beauty enhancing and moisturizing, mimicking the skin's own hydration & is an effective natural moisturizer for the skin. This product is incredible and is super easy to use. Highly recommended for the 'quick & easy' roll out of bed days.

PRICE: $24

www.pixibeauty.com

 

I have been on a major makeup brush craze lately. This is by far the cheapest in price, highest quality brushes that I have ever come across. ELF's Powder Brush is a multi-purpose, must-have makeup brush. This is a dead on dupe for Sigma's F80 (Flat Top Kabuki Brush). You can use this for liquid foundations, creme blushes or powder products. It's a perfect dense brush for blush, bronzer or contouring application. It's flat top holds taklon fibers that are 1 3/4 inches wide and 1 inch in length. ELF claims the fibers are anti-bacterial. My vegan friends will be happy to know that this brush is 100% synthetic and vegan-friendly. This brush is unbelievably soft, great quality, great price for such an amazing brush.

PRICE: $3

www.eyeslipsface.com

This is one of my all time favorite drugstore lipsticks! (Just adding on the the fuchsia kick I am still riding.) Revlon's Colorburst Lipstick in Fuchsia is a very loud, bright but not neon, blue based fuchsia color. I love Revlon lipsticks and I am loving this new collection. (20 new shades in this collection) It has major pigmentation and with one swipe creates rich color. It's weightless formula feels like you aren't wearing anything but lip balm. The texture is very creamy and glides on easy to lips creating the most beautiful, high-shine look.

PRICE: $7

www.revlon.com

Continuing with my fuchsia addiction is NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa. This product is so interesting, neither a lipstick nor a lipgloss, and for being a matte formula, it finishes very moisturizing. This color has major pigmentation and is very long wearing. This matte pout paint goes on super smooth and then sets to a matte finish. I have never seen a matte formula that is so soft and velvety. The color is a gorgeous hot pink that is very flattering for many skin tones. You can purchase NYX products at Ulta, Sally's or any beauty supply store.

PRICE: $6

www.nyxcosmetics.com

MAC's Limited Edition PearlGlide Intense Eyeliner in Black Swan is stunning! Black Swan is a deep black with charcoal gray shimmer. It is incredibly soft to apply and a super smooth, rich color. Because of the micro-glitter, MAC doesn't recommend applying in your waterline, but to apply on either lash line. The formula doesn't fade and lasts a very long time. I always love me a MAC gem.

PRICE: US $14.50 - CANADA $17.50

www.maccosmetics.com

I was thrilled to come across this adorable 4 piece polish set, Limited Edition Sonia Kashuk A Powerful Punch 4 mini nail lacquers set. You can find this set at Target. These 4 classic creme shades in summery brights and a universally flattering neutral. Khaki Shorts, a sandy brown will naturally complement bronzed summer skin, or let your nails become the accessory of the season with statement-making color! Mix and match with Making Waves, a clean turquoise, Ooh La La, a vibrant fuchsia or Tutti Frutti, a juicy coral, on fingers and toes for a modern look for Spring or Summer. Sonia Kashuk's 3-free Nail Color formula delivers opaque color and a chip-resistant, high-shine finish. 

PRICE: $9.99

www.soniakashuk.com

Biore Steam Activated Deep Cleansing Cleanser is a spa facial at home. This face wash works with the steam in your shower for a deep clean. It is mint infused and contains "SteamActiv" beads to penetrate deep into your skin to clean away dirt, oil and makeup. It leaves your skin feeling extra soft, squeaky clean and super cool (thanks to the tingly menthol mint after sensation). The formula is a thick gel with a fresh scent. You can purchase at any drugstore. LOVING THIS!

PRICE: $7.49

www.biore.com

This is one of the most invigorating scents of a candle that I have ever smelled! Mint Basil is the most welcoming, refreshing, perfect scent. You can find these candles at Target.

PRICE: small jars: $4.99 - large jars: $9.99

Nail of the Day: Revlon's Buttercup

My latest manicure is brought to you by Revlon's Buttercup! ($7.99) SPRING HAS SPRUNG! This polish is absolutely one of my favorite new shades for Spring! This is from Revlon's latest Colorstay nail polish collection which could be found at Walmart, Target, any drugstore or beauty supply store. The quality of polish is a bit tricky. First coat is extremely streaky. Second coat still didn't cover fully. Third coat finally covered but gave a very thick finish. (3 coats pictured below.) This collection claims to have a "gel-like" finish and I believe this thick finished formula is meant for that reason. The major plus about this shade is that it's OPAQUE! I have searched for a non-bright, non-sheer, light yellow color for sometime now and I've found it. 


Buttercup is a creamy, soft, pale yellow polish. The color is very pigmented and almost bright. This shade flatters any skin tone; makes medium skin look tan & would pop beautifully on dark skin tones. In the picture, I am wearing base coat, 3 coats of Buttercup & Essie's topcoat.

Essie's Navigate Her Collection Review