Mini Sephora Haul + Reviews (Tarte Blissful & Urban Decay Naked Basics)

I have another Sephora haul to share with you today. I usually read lots of reviews before purchasing a product to make sure that I will love it and won’t need to return it. I feel bad returning makeup since I know that it usually has to be sent back to the company and disposed of. The two products that I purchased in this haul are items that I have wanted for a long time. I purchased them a while ago and had time to try them out, so I have included reviews below.

The first item is one of Tarte’s Amazonian Clay blushes in the shade Blissful which is described as a shimmering warm peach. Despite the description, there is no shimmer in this product. It’s a warm matte coral peachy pink shade. I have a cool complexion and was worried that this colour wouldn’t work for me, but I actually really like it. It warms up my cool, pale complexion a bit, but it is not overpowering or too bright. In fact, it takes much longer to build this colour than some of my other Tarte blushes. It’s almost as though this blush is packed so tightly in the pan that it’s harder to pick up the product on my brush. This isn’t really a problem for me though since I like to have control over how much I’m putting on. I like to use this on days when I want to brighten my complexion and look very fresh and awake, so I usually pair it with my Revlon lip butter in Papaya and the peach side of my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde as a cheek highlight and eyeshadow. It gives me that peaches and cream look. Overall, I really like it and recommend it to those looking for a subtle pop of peach.

The other product that I purchased is the Naked Basics Palette from Urban Decay. I never got into collecting palettes from UD’s naked line. I do really love my Naked 2 palette but skipped the first Naked palette since the colours looked too dark and too warm. I tend to wear very light shadows that make my eyes look naturally bright. I did try out Naked 3 but found that the shadows all had red or pink undertones which did not complement my complexion and actually irritated my eyes. I think that the Naked 3 palette was the only makeup item that I have ever returned. I was very disappointed since I really thought that I would enjoy it. After I returned it, I avoided wearing eyeshadow for quite a while. Then I decided that I would buy a palette containing only light shades without too much shimmer. After lots of research, I discovered Naked Basics. This is the perfect palette for me. I can create many different looks with it and my eyes never feel overdone. I don’t use the black all that often but I use all of the other shades quite a bit. My favourite thing to do is use my ring finger to pat W.O.S. on my lids. It’s a creamy matte shade so it covers all the veins in my lids and gives my eyes a more awake look without revealing that I’m wearing makeup. For an easy, subtle look, I like to use W.O.S or Foxy as a lid colour, Venus as an inner corner and brow highlight, and Naked 2 as a crease colour. When I want to go a bit darker, I add a bit of Faint to the outer corner. If I’m feeling really bold, I’ll line my top lashes with Crave.  Overall, I’m so impressed with this palette and recommend it to anyone who likes to wear very natural looking eye looks.
What do you think of this little haul? Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts on them? Do you recommend any other products from Tarte or Urban Decay?

Sephora Haul + Mini Reviews

A while ago, I placed a little online Sephora order to try out a few products that I had been curious about. I have had some time to try some of them so I included mini reviews below.

The first items that I purchased are these mini bottles of Living Proof Full Shampoo and Conditioner. The salon that I go to used these products on my hair once and I really liked the results. I opted for the smaller bottles in case I wasn’t happy with the products after using them for a few weeks. While I love the fact that this combination gives my hair volume and keeps it cleaner for longer, I will not purchase it again. The biggest problem though is the fact that these products create volume and thickness by creating texture in the hair. This texture created horrible tangles in my straight, fine hair. Specifically, the hair at the back of my head near the nape of my neck always had huge clumps of tangles in it while I was using these products. I have since switched to other Living Proof products which don’t cause the same problems. It is a bit sad though because I loved the volume that these products add to the hair.

Next is one of the Make Up For Ever HD blushes in shade #210 (Cool Pink). This is a beautiful pink shade that really compliments my pale complexion. While it is a cool pink, I think that it is also very neutral and would work on warmer skin tones too. The cream formula of this blush is wonderful.It glides over the skin very evenly and looks very natural. There is no shimmer in this blush which is nice for a change. I was inspired to try this shade after purchasing a more peachy shade back in the summer (#215 – Flamingo Pink). I loved the formula so much that I wanted to try a pink shade too. While these HD blushes are a bit pricey, a little really does go a long way.

I picked up another pink blush as well—the Tarte Deluxe Cheek Stain in Energy. This is one of those products that goes on clear and changes colour with your skin chemistry to create a flattering shade for your unique skin tone. It creates a nice, light pink shade on my cheeks and the product feels very light and comfortable on the skin. It leaves a very natural, dewy finish. While I do like this product, I never really seem to reach for it. I think that is because the pink shade is similar to many that I already own. The mini tube and easy application make it perfect for travel though.

The last two items are a Hand Healer from Jack Black and some Shiseido eyelash curler pads. The Hand Healer was a deluxe sample that I added during checkout. I thought it would be a good product to have on hand (literally!) for winter. The eyelash curler pads are just extras that I picked up for when my current one wears out.
Out of this haul, my favourite product is the MUFE blush. What’s yours?

Pretty Orchid Shades for lips, cheeks, and nails!

Since the 2014 Pantone colour of the year is Radiant Orchid, I wanted to show you some of my favourite orchid toned products.

Zoya Odette: Odette is a sultry orchid maroon cream polish from the Zoya Naturel Collection (see a review and swatches of the entire collection HERE). This shade is perfect to wear year round because it’s a classic orchid shade that’s rich in colour but not too bright.

Benefit Lollitint: Lollitint is an orchid lip and cheek stain from Benefit (see more pictures HERE). It looks more muted in the picture above than it does on the lips. This shade is perfect for brightening up a pale winter complexion or providing a fun pop of colour during the warmer months.

Tarte Fantastic Amazonian Clay Blush: Fantastic was released with Tarte’s 2012 Fantastic Foursome holiday collection (see the rest of the collection and a description of each shade HERE). This blush applies effortlessly and stays vibrant on the skin for hours. Its cool orchid tones give the cheeks a glow from within effect. I like to complement this shade by wearing a dab of Lollitint on my lips and a swipe of mascara on my lashes.

Zoya Rory: Rory is a bright, shimmery orchid polish that was released with Zoya’s summer 2012 Surf Collection (see a full review and more swatches of Rory HERE). This polish is a great shade to wear in the summer as its sparkly orchid tones look beautiful in the sunlight. It’s also a nice shade to add a pop of colour during the cooler, more cloudy seasons.
Which one of these orchid shades is your favourite? Which orchid toned products have you worn this year?

Tarte Fantastic Foursome Amazonian Clay Blush Set (first impressions)

This season Tarte came out with a holiday blush set featuring four Amazonian Clay blushes. This set comes with four mini blushes that each contain 3.03 g / 0.10 Oz of product.
Amazonian Clay blushes apply very smoothly and are long lasting. According to Tarte, these blushes last for 12 hours and the Amazonian Clay is beneficial for all skin types as it minimizes oil while nourishing and hydrating.
So far I have not tried out the shades because I wanted them to be perfectly intact for photographing purposes. Scroll down to read my first impressions on the blushes and to see close up photos of each colour.

Magic (pink coral)
Magic is a beautiful coral shade with a matte finish. I think that this colour will give the perfect healthy flush on a warm summer day, a crisp fall afternoon, a cool winter morning, and a tepid spring evening. The colour is pigmented but not overly bright so it should work well for most skin tones.

Stellar (shimmering nude)
Stellar is the colour that intimidates me the most because I usually shy away from brown tones for fear that they will make my complexion look ruddy. This shade, with its explosion of gold flecks, is also quite shimmery. The glitter particles are very fine so I don’t think that they would look too overwhelming on the skin but I will likely save this shade for the summer months when I’m looking for a bronze glow. I do like how the shade is a true bronze and is not very orange.

Fantastic (soft fuchsia)
My first thought when I saw Fantastic was how does this shade compare to Dollface, my favourite Amazonian Clay blush? Like Dollface, this shade is a bright matte pink. I think that Fantastic is a bit brighter and more pink than Dollface but I will be sure to do a comparison post in the future. This colour looks a bit intimidating in the pan but I’m hoping that I can sheer it out to create a doll-like glow-from-within.

Angelic (shimmering champagne)
Angelic is the highlight shade of the group. It is a golden champagne shade filled with shimmer. I don’t mind shimmer in a highlighter and think that this product is light enough to work on all skin tones.

Another post with swatches will follow once I get a chance to try out the colours.
Have you tried this set before? What are your thoughts on the Amazonian Clay line?
~Beauty Writer

Makeup Haul (Benefit, Stila, Tarte, Urban Decay, & More!)

Lately, I have been trying to add to my makeup collection but do not want to spend too much money. I managed to find some great items at discounted prices on beauty forums, and I also purchased a few items at retail.
When buying items on forums, sometimes the products have been used, tested, or swatched. For this reason, it is very important to sanitize products properly to make sure that they are hygienic before use.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (see my first impressions post on this palette here: http://www.writingbeauty.com/2012/07/i-got-naked-2-pictures.html)

Benefit Dandelion Brightening Face Powder

Benefit Bella Bamba Brightening Face Powder

Stila Love At First Blush Palette

Tarte Maracuja Cheek Tint in Light Pink

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch

Have you tried any of these products? If so, what are your thoughts about them? Which products would you like to add to your makeup collection in the future?

Week in Review: Makeup Products

This past week was extra busy so I went with a makeup look that was quick, easy, and involved minimal products while still making me look pulled together and glowy. I achieved this look by using peach toned products with a bit of shimmer.
First, I used Tarte’s Amazonian Clay blush in Peaceful to give my cheeks a healthy glow. I gently patted this product on the apples of my cheeks with my my Sigma F40 Large Angled Contour brush. This blush has a fine gold shimmer running through it that added a smooth sheen to my face, making a separate highlighting product unnecessary. After priming my lips with Vanilla Softlips, I used a Revlon lip butter in the colour Peach Parfait. Like the blush, this product also has a light dusting of gold shimmer. Overall, the look was light, natural, and perfect for a busy summer week.

What makeup products did you wear last week?

Week in Review: Makeup Products

This week, the focus of my makeup was a combination of three eyeshadows. We got a slight break from the extreme heat so I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to experiment with my eye makeup.
Eyes
As always, I began this look by applying a thin layer of Urban Decay Primer Potion from lashline to just above the crease. My base colour was Shroom by MAC. I used my Sigma E55 Eye Shading brush to pat this shade all over the lid and under the browbone as a highlight. Then I added some depth to my crease by blending MAC’s Kid eyeshadow above Shroom with my  Sigma E40 Tapered Blending brush. Since it’s summer and I love to add an unexpected pop of colour to my eye looks during this time of year, I added a bit of Crystal eyeshadow from MAC to the outer corners of my eyes into the crease with my Sigma E70 Medium Angled Shading brush. Crystal looks a bit damaged in the photo below because I am not the best at depotting shadows (I will be purchasing pro pans only for now on). I finished off the eyes by curling my lashes with my Shiseido curler and swiping on a generous coat of Buxom Lash mascara from Bare Escentuals.

Lips
With more colour on my eyes, I opted for a sheer tint on my lips. First I applied a layer of Vanilla Softlips to add a smooth base and an SPF of 20. I then used Tarte’s Maracuja Divine Shine lipgloss in Achiote which gave my lips a coral-pink tint that complimented my cheek colour nicely.

Face
This week I was less than adventurous with my face makeup and used the same products that I have been using for most of the summer. I used my fingers to pat some product from Garnier’s Anti-Dark-Circle roller under my eyes, and then I applied Tarte’s Amazonian Clay blush on the apples of my cheeks with my Sigma F40 Large Angled Contour brush. To give a flawless finish and add a bit of glow, I used my Sigma F50 Duo Fibre brush to lightly sweep Benefit’s Sugarbomb face powder overtop the Tarte blush.

Which products did you wear last week?

My Top Five Blushes for Summer

During the summer months, I like my skin to look fresh, glowy and effortless. I achieve this look with the following five blushes:
1. MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty
Dainty has been a long-time favourite of mine. It is perfect for my pale skin tone and it gives my complexion a healthy pink flush with a bit of glow. MAC describes this colour as a “light yellow pink with gold pearl.” I find that this colour is very neutral and flatters my cool toned colouring. Since it is a mineralize blush, it applies very smoothly, even on bare skin, and never looks harsh.

2. Benefit Benetint
On very hot summer days, I like to use a cheek stain that will stay put through heat, humidity, rain, and even sweat. My favourite is Benefit’s Benetint, a rose-tinted cheek and lip stain. It comes in a tiny glass bottle that looks like it could contain nail polish with its round shape and brush applicator. I apply this product by brushing two or three horizontal lines of colour on the apples of my cheeks and then blend with my fingers. It dries fast so I have to work quickly. Once set, it lasts all day. The rosy shade gives my cheeks a healthy just-got-back-from-the-gym flush. Note: in the photo below, it looks like this product may contain a bit of shimmer but it does not. Any little glimmering flecks were left over from previous swatches.

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface
For a long lasting powder blush, I turn to Tarte’s Amazonian Clay line. These blushes stand up to heat and humidity and last well into the evening hours. My favourite summer shade from this line is a light pink called Dollface. For the most part, this shade is matte. I usually stay away from matte blushes because they can look quite flat but this colour gives my cheeks a bright pastel pink glow that really does make my pale skin look porcelain and doll-like. I have found that it is easy to apply too much of this blush and the colour seems to intensify about 10 minutes after application; therefore, I use a soft brush and a light hand when applying Dollface.

4. Pür Minerals Pressed Mineral Blush in Natural Bornite
This blush has been hiding at the back of my makeup collection for a couple years. I discovered it a couple weeks ago and realized that it had never been used. I usually gravitate towards pinks and this nude-ish shade is just not my style…or so I thought. Out of curiosity I applied a bit to my cheeks and it instantly made my skin look healthy and slightly bronzed. Now this product is my secret for adding colour to my cheeks without looking like I am wearing blush. Perfect for those “no makeup” makeup days. Also, it is fairly sheer and blends nicely so there is no risk of applying too much. The matte finish adds to the natural effect that it gives.

5. Benefit Sugarbomb Face Powder
For me, this product serves three purposes; It works as a blush, a cheek highlighter, and a luminous face powder. Most days I dust it over my blush to give my cheeks a bit of sheen. It is never glittery and somehow gives my foundationless complexion a very smooth, airbrushed finish. On days when I don’t wear blush, I still use this to give my cheeks a subtle glow with a bit of colour. The product comes with four shades (coral, light pink, muted plum, peach). When swirled together, the colours produce a shade that is peachy-pink and extremely glowy but never glittery.

What are your favourite blushes for summer?