Review - Tarte Royal Collection

My lovely boyfriend took the hint I gave him for Christmas (I would just LOVE either a Sephora or Ulta giftcard) so I had an opportunity to pretty much pick out anything I wanted at Ulta.  The selection was endless and almost dizzying, but my eye fell on the beautiful Tarte Royal Collection in its oppulent ruffled box.  After going between this and the Lorac Holiday collection for a bit, I finally decided I couldn't live without the Tarte collection. 

       It includes:

• Sixteen full-sized eye shadows
• Deluxe clean slate natural face primer
• Deluxe lights, camera, lashes!
• Deluxe multipleEYE, a lash-enhancing primer
• Deluxe vitamin-infused lip gloss

So, what's the story?

I got this baby home and was so excited to try it out.  8 of the shades are matte, 8 are shimmery, and all are gorgeous.  Shades range from pale baby pink, bright shimmery purple, deep navy blue, and matte taupe to bright silver and beautiful gold.  What drew me to this palette was a the wide array of colors that can take anyone from demure daytime looks to sultry nightime ones in minutes.  I also love the sample items, as I've never tried those particular Tarte products but wanted to.  As an added bonus, the small drawer on the bottom pulls out and is perfect to store the sample items plus whatever else you want - I keep my eyeshadow brushes and eyebrow powder in it, so I have everything in one place.

This was my first experience with Tarte eyeshadows and I have to admit at first I was rather dissapointed.  For some reason the shades looked blotchy on me and wouldn't blend.  I usually use mineral eyeshadow or Urban Decay which blend beautifully, so perhaps I've been a bit spoiled.  I was tempted to return this on the 3rd day even though I loved the colors so much but I just had to give it more time.  I realized that A. my makeup remover might have left residue on my eye that caused the shadows to stick a bit, and B. since I usually use mineral shadows I probably wasn't using the right brush.  Today is my 7th day using it and I seem to have figured out some trick to it, as I can now get them to blend and they go on silky smooth - they almost remind me of a cross between a cream and powder shadow and blend into the eyelid itself wonderfully. I wouldn't recommend using more than 2-3 colors at a time or they can get muddy.  Also, the darks are very dark - the dark navy and deep brown shimmer shades make great liners and look gorgeous in the box but show up almost black on the eye.  The shadows do crease a bit towards the end of the day, so I would recommend a primer with them if you have oily lids. 


I really like all the shades in this collection and they would look phenomenal on any eye color.  My favorites are the light and dark matte purple, the top pink shimmer and the bronze shimmer next to it, and the deep brown as a liner with matte taupe or pink.  I have been having a lot of fun trying out a new eye look every day and being creative with it.  I think Tarte put together a great selection of shades to compliment any eye and skin color that also can be used easily for natural or dramatic eye looks.  I keep it on my counter and have used it every day since I bought it, so that's a good sign!


Overall Grade: B+
Pros: Versatile colors, great mix of matte and shimmer shades, useful extras, easy day-to-evening collection
Cons: Slightly hard to blend, creases towards end of day, dark shades show almost black on eye

Review - Lily B. Rose Hip Infused Facial Wash - All Natural

Lily.B skincare provides skincare products for the 20-30 somethings out there like me.  From their site; 'Most skin care lines focus on the acne years or on rejuvenation and repair. We looked for a line focused on the needs of "in between" skin… your skin, and when we couldn't find one, we created one. Lily.B Skincare is smart skin care. Our advanced products are all-natural and are formulated using cosmeceutical-grade, active botanicals and sea-sourced ingredients, providing exceptional antioxidant protection, loads of skin nourishing benefits, and importantly, skin-friendly hydration. Lily.B Skincare products are free of skin irritating ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, glycols, synthetic fragrances or colors. We have created some of the best skin care products to effectively and gently cleanse, nourish, and protect your skin.'

Lily.B was kind enough to have a contest through BeautyUndercover.com, and I was lucky enough to win a Rose Hip Infused Facial Wash.   According to their website, it will wake up your skin while it gently but thoroughly removes impurities including makeup, without drying or irritating even the most sensitive skin. Infused with the natural antioxidant power of rose hip to protect, balance and soothe; and olive oil to gently cleanse and exfoliate, your skin will feel clean and calm….. and perfectly prepared to moisturize. Suitable for all skin types.


So, what's the story?

Use: This face wash comes in a pump and I use about 1 1/2 pumps for my entire face, massage, and rinse with warm water.
 
Results: The product has a pleasant almost flowery smell that is not overpowering and the texture is silky smooth.  I love that it has all natural ingredients.  After using the face wash my skin does not feel dry or tight as it has in the past with cleansers, instead it feels smooth and clean.  Generally with foaming pump cleansers I have not felt like my skin is actually clean and use a lot more product than I probably need because of that.  Also, a lot of foaming cleansers I've tried didn't get all my makeup off and that's a big pet peeve of mine.  Lily.B does a great job of cleansing, refreshing, and evening out my skin tone both morning and night and removes every trace of makeup on my face.  I would love to try this with their Daily Moisturizer, I bet the two together would work great - and who doesn't love a natural cleanser that actually delivers on its promises?

Overall: A
Pros: All natural, removes all makeup, gentle
Cons: None!

Music Time - Ghostland Observatory

Now playing - Ghostland Observatory, Paparazzi Lightning, 2006. 
From Wikipedia  - 'Ghostland Observatory is an American music duo based in Austin, Texas. Their music has been described as a combination of electro, rock and funk by Allmusic, and "electro-dance soul rock" by Gothamist.<sup>' 

I downloaded this today because I am going to Wakarusa Music Festival in June, and this band is on the artist lineup.  I like to research bands before I see them, especially at festivals because there are so many artists there that sometimes you have to choose which ones to see and which ones to miss.  This is a highly recommended album if you like a good beat, interesting vocals, and a bit of fun in your music!</sup>

Skincare - Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel

As my 26th birthday looms in just a few weeks, signs of aging on my face has become more of a concern for me than it ever has before.  I can see the beginnings of fine lines around my eyes, crows feet, forehead wrinkles, and a few age spots that weren't there just a few years ago.  I also have always struggled with spot acne and clogged pores - millia and whiteheads - especially on my cheeks and around my eyes.  I occasionally get acne, and since I have fair skin sometimes the spots leftover can last for months.  I have been trying for years to rid myself of these spots and get the coveted perfect skin that some people seem so lucky to possess naturally.  I am currently testing out Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel ($30/10 applications or $85/30) which hopefully will help me address some of these issues.

From the website:  An extra-strength version of our patented #1-selling Alpha Beta® Daily Face Peel on pre-soaked cotton towelettes. Higher concentrations of Alpha Beta® Acids plus newly added anti-aging boosters, including Mandelic Acid and Willow Bark Extract, deliver a stronger peel without risk of irritation or recovery time.

Best suited for stubborn skin conditions that have not responded favorably to other anti-aging treatments.

So what's the story?
Use - I have the 10 application pack, which includes 10 packs of 2 small towelettes - the first one is applied all over the face and neck until the pad is dry.  After waiting for 2 minutes, the second towelette is applied in the same manner.  The first pad has a slightly chemical smell and causes the skin to feel a bit tight, but it is not unpleasant.  The second pad also smells and causes a bit of stinging and redness, which I didn't like at first but after a minute or two I think it actually feels kind of pleasant, like my skin is being energized.  I follow this up with an application of Nia 24 Rapid Exfoliating Treatment (reverses sun damage) and then follow that with Murad Energizing Pomegranate moisturizer.   

Results - I am actually excited to wake up and look at my skin in the morning!  In just 4 days time I have woken up every morning with fresh, glowing skin that looks even toned.  It seems to be slowly shrinking the whiteheads and milia on my face as well as reducing the size of my pores.  I will update this post when the full 10 days are up with my results. 
Update - after 10 tens I noticed clearer, brighter skin and more even skin tone.

Overall: A
Pros: Provides fresh and glowing skin, evens skin tone, reduces pores, exfoliates
Cons: Application takes time, redness or stinging can occur, chemical smell

Mascara - my top picks!

Let's talk about one staple in many women's beauty arsenals - mascara!  I have had a love/hate relationship with mascara for a very long time.  I seem to find one that I love at first, only to wind up hating it halfway through its use.  Things I, and I'm sure most of us, hate : clumps, flaking, smearing, wearing off, and eye irritation.  Here's a review of the last 3 mascaras I have tried out.

1. bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara, $18

bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara 

From the website: Wink, blink, and bat your eyes. With Flawless Definition Mascara, you'll enjoy every lash. The tapered wand lengthens, darkens and lifts, separating each individual lash for precision definition.





So what's the story? 

Pros: Mineral - natural
         Coats evenly
         Provides separation
         Doesn't clump
         Nice daytime shade of black 

Cons: Doesn't lift as stated
          Wears off by the end of the day - needs reapplication
          Provides minimal extra length
          Slight tendency to flake/smudge

Overall:   B  This mascara is great for natural daytime looks where you want a more toned down lash.  It does not provide much 'oomph' as far as length, darkness, or curl is concerned.  I would suggest it for someone looking for a natural mascara that defines and separates lashes for everyday use, but I would use a different mascara for a sexy nighttime look.

2. Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara, $22

Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara

From the website: Reach new heights with our drastically improved, six-in-one Skyscraper Mascara. Our innovative formula will lengthen, strengthen, separate, curl, brighten and thicken your lashes without even a hint of clumping or flaking. The state-of-the-art, new generation brush features a flexible shaft and multiple rows of tapered bristles to comb through lashes from root to tip. Skyscraper gives you that "come hither" look that gets 'em every time

So what's the story?

Pros:   Lengthens
           Provides a girly, flirty look
           No flaking or clumps
           Separates

Cons: Doesn't last all day
          Can get a bit sticky if applying more than 1 coat

Overall: A+  This is by far my favorite mascara.  I love that it actually does all it says it does.  When I curl my lashes and then use 1-2 carefully applied coats of Skyscraper, I feel like I have the girly flirty lashes I've always wanted.  I do wish it lasted a bit longer throughout the day, and it can cause lashes to stick a bit if applying more than 1 coat, but those are minor issues with an otherwise great mascara. The multi-layered wand provides nice even application and seems to help with lengthening.  I use this daily after curling and apply 2 coats for a night out.

3. Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara,  $19

Benefit BADgal Lash

From the website: Why we love it: Sexy, sultry, pure unadulterated black mascara for full, voluminous lashes. It's as BAD as you want to be!  What else you need to know: Famously big, bodacious brush coats lashes with our super black formula.



So what's the story?

Pros: Lengthens/volumizes
         Not clumpy
         Provides curl
         Long lasting
         True black shade

Cons: Goopy texture
          Chemical smell


Overall: A  This is a close second on my list to Urban Decay Skyscraper.  The texture is a bit weird - when I pull the wand out of the tube it sometimes has a string of mascara that hangs off the wand, but I just brush it off on the top of the tube.  The wand itself is large and provides nice even coverage that doesn't clump.  The shade is a true dark black, almost oily looking, so it's great for a sexy Bardot look. The only other thing that puts me off is that it has a kind of chemical smell to it, but I am not sure if that is normal or if I got a bad batch.  This mascara is great for a sultry nighttime look.   
 

Revitalash! Loving my long flirty lashes!

As a polish girl, I have been blessed with short blonde lashes that do not stand out at all.  I have struggled with the lust for a long, dark, silken fringe of sexy lashes for as long as I can remember.  Finally - a miracle. 

I have been using Revitalash for about 4 months now with excellent results.  Revitalash has increased the length of my lashes and made them look fuller and flirty.  When I curl my lashes and use a great mascara, they almost look like falsies to me - and I love that!  I have read that some people experienced darkening of the irises and/or the area around the lashes after using this product, as well as increased sensitivity.  I do have sensitive eyes and regularly use Opcon-A eye drops to reduce itchiness and redness due to allergies, but I have not been bothered at all by using Revitalash.  This product is a bit pricey - about $98 for a 3 month supply or $150 for a 6 month supply (website here http://www.revitalash.com/ ) - but if you are looking for fuller, longer lashes then I would say this product is well worth it. 

After my tube of Revitalash is gone, I am moving on to try Model in a Bottle's Lash Builder, which is a new product that retails for $60 and claims to work in 2-3 weeks.  I will post a review of that vs Revitalash when the time comes!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!  I decided to start a blog because I love beauty products and makeup, and want to share that with others.  I hope you enjoy reading it!