Loreal "Cobalt Smokes" quad

Hey everyone,
This blog is going to be on another drugstore goodies I picked up which is Loreal "cobalt smokes" quad.


What it comes with:

• 4 eyeshadow colors(which are numbered)

• 1 dual ended applicator

Review:

I am really impressed with this eyeshadow quad collection! At first, I wasn't very impressed, but after using it for awhile and letting it grow on me this quad is a keeper! With this eyeshadow quad you can easily go from daytime smokey to night time smokey. Now to get the nighttime smokey eye follow the directions that come on the back of the quad. Secondly, the dual ended applicator it comes with is very handy (I wish other brands like the Maybelline stylish smokes quad did that). The pointed tip does an amazing job of lining the eyes and the applicator does an amazing job on blending the eyeshadow. For some reason it creases on me, but then again I have oily lids so I have to use a thick base like concealer or my NYX eyeshadow base to keep my smokey eye looks together.

Pros:

• It blends very well
  
• Has a great applicator
  
• Pigmentation on the darker shades is what it is.
  
• It has a nice shimmer to it that reflects very well in certain outdoor lighting.
  
  

Cons:

• In terms of applying the shades some of the lighter colors apply sheer, so you have to build the color.


• It does crease, although I have a little oily lids, so I have to use a thicker primer that's not Urban Decay.
  
• Last all day(with primer- I used NYX eyeshadow base).

Swatches are in the same order they are numbered on the quad.
From left to right: 1, 2, 3, 4

Would I recommend this product? YES! Believe it or not I know I talked highly about the Maybelline stylish smokes, but I like these just as well. For some reason this Loreal quads adds color dimension and the applicator it comers with bought me.

Another NYX Haul: Golden/Rust/ Walnut Bronze, (slim) eyeliner pencils, NYX pencil sharpener. LA Splash nail polish.

I am going to be doing another haul, a NYX haul. YEAH!!!

What I bought?:

• NYX Golden/Rust/Walnut Bronze Trio
  
• NYX (slim) eyeliner pencils
  
• NYX Pencil Sharpener
  

Reviews:


Sorry about the slight glare again


L-R (Golden/Rust/Walnut Bronze)

(L-R) Golden/Rust/Walnut Bronze as swatched.

NYX Golden/Rust/Walnut Bronze trio:

• This trio is by far one of my favorite NYX trios (compared to the Copper/rust/bronze trio) that should be a must have for this Fall 2010. I think the colors are perfectly coordinated, very smooth, and really makes my dark brown eyes POP. For those of you that are new to NYX it comes with a dual ended applicator, a small mirror and, of course, 3 eyeshadow colors.
  
  
• Would I recommend this product? Yes. This product is amazing! I love their color coordination, its highly pigmented, and it would be a great everyday look for this Fall. The application is very smooth and not chalky like some of NYX's other products.

Top-Bottom( 24 karat, Seafoam green, Satin Blue)


Top -Bottom (Satin blue, seafoam green, 24 karat) Sorry again about the fuzzy photo. My camera just won't pick up the colors on my hand well.

NYX (Slim) Eyeliner pencils:

• Right now I am really loving these eyeliner pencils. I bought the following colors: seafoam green, Satin Blue and 24 karat. Apparently NYX really stepped their game up with their eyeliner pencils, because I once bought this product before( about a year ago) and every time I would sharpen the darn pencils it would break before I can even sharpen it to a fine point. So they must have changed the formula or something because they have been a life saver all week for when I have been running late for class and need that pop of color. This time the eyeliner pencils applies smoother and more vibrant. The only con is that it does not last very long in the waterline.
  
  
• Would I recommend this product? Yeah. It is a temporary cheaper alternative to color eyeliners from popular higher end brands like Urban Decay, Mac and Makeup Forever. This is one of those product where you get what you pay for, but a slight bit more.
  
  

This is the covering on the sharpener. It has one on the bottom and one at the top.



This is the stick thing I was talking about. It cleans out any left overs.


Sorry about the glare once again.

Lastly,( NYX dual Pencil sharpener)

• If you are into NYX jumbo pencils and their other liner pencils then you NEED to get this pencil sharpener. From my understanding it is the only pencil sharpener that can sharpen the NYX jumbo pencils (that i know of). They do a great job of sharpening without breaking your pencils. I'm not sure if anyone knows this, but the NYX sharpener comes with this really cool cleaner kind of stick that I guess is used to clean out any pencil residue. (There is a better photo on the link I added for the sharpener).
  
  
• Would I recommend this product? Yes! It does a great job of sharpening the NYX pencils. However, I have never tried using it to sharpen any other pencils brands from Urban Decay, Milani, etc. So sorry on that one.
  

RANDOM MOMENT!!

I forgot to mention that I also bought the LA Splash nail polish in "Embellished". Just a quick review DON'T buy it . This nail polish is TERRIBLE. I have read alot of great reviews on this nail polish and some people keep swearing by it. I, on the otherhand, will NOT.

Here are swatches of the nail polish. As you can probably tell the applicator is clumpy.



Beautiful color, bad application

Pros:

• True to color
• It dries VERY quickly
• Decent price (you get what you pay for)

Cons:

• It chips as soon as you put it on.
• It smells awful (way to much alcohol).
• Glitter overload( I think that's what makes it clumpy)
• VERY clumpy
• Drying on the nails
• Looks dull

Would I recommend this product? NOOOO! This product was a waste of money. I wish I never bought this. I will stick with my opi nail polish thank you very much.

That is all for my haul today. Please feel free to comment....

Eyeshadow tips for Brown Eyes

(image credit: onetalentsource.com)

This post is mainly for future makeup junkies or for anyone that wants to expand their makeup look horizons. The other day I was talking with a friend of mine and it brought so much sadness to my soul to see a bunch of women wearing eyeshadow shades that don't flatter their eyes or even their complexion. Brown eyes is one of the most beautiful, versatile eye colors that can get away with ALMOST any eyeshadow shade you want. Alot of women, for some reason, take their gorgeous brown eyes for granted. Why? (Any comments on the matter). So I mainly constructed together some tips and rules that will help brown eye beauties accentuate their lovely brown eyes to the max.


Rule # 1: NEVER wear a combination of eyeshadow and eyeliner that is the same color as your eyes. I don't know why, but alot of women keep doing this. Brown eyes are not meant to be covered by brown. It's like dropping a penny into another pile of pennies and expecting to find the same one you dropped in. You try it? I'll wait...LOl.



Tip: It's either you use one or the other, but personally I wouldn't recommend brown eyeshadow. However, if u do, opt for a soft brown eyeshadow that at least has flecks of gold in it like Maybelline's "Cinnamon spice" single eyeshadow that has a nice shimmer to it to awaken any eyes. As for brown eyeliner which makes for great, soft, daytime looks. You can still use as long as u line the eyes top and lower lashes, but on the lower lash line don't go to far in (maybe 1/3 of the way is cool). Black eyeliner also makes a great dramatic look on any eyecolor. Milani has a great liquify eyeliner pencil that does wonders.



Rule # 2: Look into eyeshadow shades like purples (esp Lavender), blues, teal, gold, silver, green, copper or other neutral shades (Ex: Champagne). These eyeshadow shades really make brown eyes POP. I would know. For some reason blue on my dark brown eyes and my complexion really make my eyes stand out for attention. LOL



Tip: Try the "Urban Decay" Sustainable eye palette" or Urban Decay's "Naked" palette(when they are in stock...whenever that will be (sigh) ). These palettes are great starter kits for women with Brown eyes. A cheaper option would be NYX For your eyes only Brown eyeshadow palette. These palettes have all the great shades to do neutral or eye popping looks. So don't be afraid to experiment with palettes like that, that's coordinated for brown eyes.



Rule # 3: Get creative with your eyeliner. I don't know why, but I have been noticing that alot of women are afraid to play around with color eyeliner looks. I can't seem to find any youtube videos that pertain to these looks. Sometimes, ladies, there is nothing like a fast pop of color on the go.


Tip: Sometimes Gold, or Bronze eyeliner on the upper and/or lower lash line gives u that eye attention you have been looking for. I would know as I have tried this before. Even a dab of white eyeshadow or eyeliner on the inner lash line spruces up those eyes and can even make them look bigger. You should even try this combination black winged eye liner on the upper lash line and seafoam green OR lavender eyeliner on the lower lash line really POPS brown eyes right out. Look into brands like Urban Decay, and Makeup Forever for intense, fun, eye popping eyeliner shades. For Drugstore/cherryculture: NYX Slim eyeliner pencils, Cover Girls liquiline eyeliner pencil or Milani metallic liquify eyeliner pencils.

Rule #4: Don't be afraid to experiment with different shades of mascara. Mascara that has hints of green, blue, purple OR gold in it really helps to bring out eyes. Depending on the one you buy, you don't have to worry about the color being so vibrant. It's not until someone gets close they MAY see it.


Tip: Try Covergirls mascara in Lash Blast Luxe in colors like "Black Royal", "Black Emerald" etc. You chose.

So that's all for my makeup tips. Remember you are not obligated to use the products I recommended here in this blog. These are mainly products that have worked for me and I am recommending for you. "What works for me may not work for you".

Thanks for reading my blog! : )

Review: Eco tools 5 piece brush set (synthetic makeup brushes)

Hello my makeup junkies!
Today I am going to be doing a review on the Eco tools 5 piece brush set

What it comes with:



Blush Brush

Concealor brush

Angled eyeliner brush




Eyeshading Brush





Eyebrow brush/eyelash comb comb



Reusable Hemp pouch


Review:

I actually bought mine at my local drugstore for $10.99( I think that's the cheapest it comes). First, let me say I am very impressed with the quality of the brush. On the packaging it says it is VERY Eco friendly and 100% cruelty free. The hairs on ALL of the brushes are made of synthetic taklon, which in my opinion, is very good for someone that is allergic to animals. As natural hair brushes (are made of real animal hair), and that can get a little rough on the skin and sometimes shed badly.

Secondly, the brush handles are made from bamboo. At first I was a bit skeptical and did worry about splintering, but the handle is very smooth and virtually free from splinters. On a side note my only complaint is the brush handles are way too long specifically on the eye shading brush. WTF! Now I am a woman with, I assume, average female size hands. I don't feel like these brushes were designed with a woman's hand in mind, nor were they even made by women for women. If it is this is really sad. The brush handle length reminds me of paint brushes you would use to paint your house. I know they are made from bamboo, but isn't that wasting bamboo by making the handles extra long for no reason? Moving on...

Last, but not least, the pouch that comes with the brushes are made from 55% hemp and 45% cotton. Which I thought to be really cool as I get all this stuff for the money and still be Eco friendly at the same time. Now as in term of usage and on how well these brushes apply makeup, I am not very impressed with the few I have used so far. The eye shading brush does not pick up powder eyeshadow the way I expected. You will have to keep dipping and dipping and patting on lightly to get the color you want on your lids. I will admit that the brush doesn't apply makeup harshly and it blends it well while applying. The angled eyeliner brush does a great job of applying eyeliner (not to thick and not to thin). It helps my Stila gel smudge pot glide nicely onto my lashline while delivering the right amount of color.


Pros:
Eco friendly
Packaging is decent
Soft bristles
No shedding
Non irritating (All brushes are made of synthetic taklon)
Price is decent
Comes with a reusable hemp pouch


Cons:
The brush handle is way to long, especially on the shading brush.

Would I recommend this product to a friend? Possibly. I have read alot of great reviews on these eco tool brushes and wanted to test it out for myself, only to feel a little...disappointed. I am willing to keep trying with these brushes as it is a huge adjustment from my last NYX makeup brushes. I do recommend that everyone should try these brushes out for themselves and see how they like it. So I will be doing an update review on my final verdict.

So Stay tuned for an update later on next week... My final Verdict is that brushes are okay. I would recommend them and my favorite brush in this whole group is the angled eyeliner brush. It glides on smooth, pick up eyeliner color very well and goes back into shape if washed.

Unii palette Update!

My updated unii palette that holds both my maybelline stylish smokes quads and my Urban Decay Sustainable palette shades.


Hey everyone!
Todays blog is just going to be doing a small update on my unii palette, which is still holding up VERY strong. I will admit that I did disobey the cleaning instructions, on how to care for my unii palette, a few times that I did see some small wear and tear. However, its not to the point where it is extremely noticable. So here are a few photos of some new stuff that I added into my unii palette. I am still very disappointed in the size of the unii palette as I wish I could add more eyeshadows. Right now, in the photo above, my unii palette holds about 21 eyeshadow shades. I was actually thinking about getting another unii palette to put all my Maybelline smokey eye looks into for the Fall and whatever other smokey eye looks I can come up with. I know I am such a neat freak when it comes to makeup and need everything organized.








Stay tuned for my next blog....