Drugstore Haul!

I just moved to New York City last weekend (just in time to experience Hurricane Sandy, I might add, but no worries, I'm perfectly safe!) and I decided to stop by the drugstore to scope out the makeup that they offered, as opposed to my old town (which was seriously lacking).



Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk- I picked this up, because I needed something to help fight off humidity, even though it's pretty cold in the city, the subways are always a bit warm and my hair loves responding to that heat. I've used this several times since purchasing it and it isn't a miracle product, but it definitely helps and it keeps my hair feeling a bit softer

Jordana Fabuliner- This eyeliner has been on my wish list for months, but I could never seem to find it back in my old town. Luckily, when I was in a Duane Reade I found it! The girls from eleventhgorgeous raved about this numerous times and for $2, I figured it was worth a shot. It's one of those felt tip marker liners and I really like it. It works great and makes super precise lines. My only complaints are that it's not quite as black as some of my other liners and it isn't waterproof, but for $2, it really doesn't matter!

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation & Powder- I was in desperate need of a new foundation, as I've gotten a bit paler and the one I was previously using is too pale. Alas, the other foundation I was using until I got around to purchasing a new one was just looking too cakey, so I picked this one up (it was about $8 or $9, which is a fair price for a drugstore foundation). My best friend uses this one all the time, so i gave it a try and I love it! I got in in shade 125 and it matches perfectly and looks great on my skin. The powder (Also in shade 125) is decent, but nothing special. For days when I'm sweating and shopping for 6 or 7 hours at a time (which is really all I've done since moving here), I need a powder that will keep my skin looking semi-matte for longer than this one does.

NYC Smooth Skin Liquid Makeup- I decided to give this try, because it was only $3 and I can't even tell you how I feel about the product. I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem or if I'm just inept, but I have been trying for days to get the foundation of the bottle and I can not get it out. I've shaken it fiercely dozens of times and I've even tried slamming it against the floor and yet, nothing. Maybe I got a defective bottle?

Wet 'n Wild Fast Dry Nail Polish in "Happy Holidaze"- When checking out, I noticed a little display of Wet 'n Wild nail polishes and I was stunned when I saw this color! It's a teal/blue color with silvery, multi-reflective glitters in it. It's so pretty and since my most-worn nail polishes are composed of blue/teal/mint/green, I figured this would look great as an accent polish.

What are your favorite drugstore finds? Do you have any recommendations for what I should pick up next time?

PARNEVU Hair Products Review!

About a month back, I was sent a few product from Parnevu, a hair care lined targeted to women of color, though anyone can use the products. Because I'm mixed (1/2 black, 1/2 white), I typically use products from both ends of the spectrum and I was thrilled to try these out! I've been using these for about a month, so that I can give you all a fair assessment of the products.

Parnevu T-Tree Spray Glosser- I love this stuff! I've used up about 3/4 of the bottle and I fully intend to purchase this when mine runs out. This spray glosser is my favorite of the three products and it's a superb replacement for hair oils. This Spray Glosser is from Parnevu's T-Tree line (featuring products infused with Australian Tea Tree Oil). Now, I have tried literally dozens of different hair oils and sprays over the years and for me, this one stands above the rest. This spray decreases frizz and also adds shine, but more than that, it's actually lightweight. I think the majority of hair types could use this, because it produces such a fine mist and is so amazingly lightweight that it doesn't leave your hair feeling greasy or stiff like most hair oils and sprays.

Parnevu Hair Mayonnaise- This "Hair Mayonnaise" is designed to treat weak and damaged hair. It is enriched with Olive Oil, Egg Protein, and African Herbs. Of the three products, this is my least favorite. You can use this as a deep conditioner or as a daily styling product and it certainly works to help soften hair and strengthen it, but it doesn't really do anything I haven't already seen from other companies. Not to discount this as a bad product, because it is good and will do what you want it to do, but I don't think it's a necessity or a miracle product. While it does work, you can find something comparable from various other companies.

Parnevu T-Tree Growth Creme- Though I am not as in love with this as I am with the Spray Glosser, I do love this and will probably purchase it again. Now, this product is intended to help strengthen hair and promote hair growth. I will say that my hair seems to have grown a little more this month than usually (my hair has never grown farther than jut below my shoulders), but I did get a trim at the begining of this month, so I can't say for sure if it's the creme or not. However, I love using this as a styling agent. It really helps to moisturize my hair and improve the softness of it, which is an added benefit I wasn't expecting. Though most creme products feel very heavy in my thin hair, this doesn't and it makes heat styling and managing my hair a lot easier, which is awesome. So if you're looking for something to stimulate hair growth, I'm not really sure if this is for you (though I will keep you all updated), but this does do an awesome job at styling hair!

Overall, I'm impressed with Parnevu (honestly... I'm not going to tell you I like something if I don't actually like it). The T-Tree line is wonderful and I look forward to purchasing more products from this line. For more information on Parnevu and their product, check out their website and twitter. Also, big thanks to Parnevu for sending me these products and being the kindest company I've ever spoken to!

Coastal Scents Go Palette | Paris

Awhile back, I picked up the London and Paris Go Palettes from Coastal Scents. The Go Palettes each feature 12 eye shadows in a compact, with a big mirror inside. Each Palette is inspired by a famous city and retails for only $8.95. Today I'm sharing Paris with you, but check here for swatches of London.

Coastal Scents is a hit or miss company for me, but I do love the Go Palettes, especially to throw in my purse for some colored eye shadows on the go. They aren't the smoothest eye shadows, but they are quite pigmented. Remember: no matter the brand of eye shadow, primer is your best friend!

Do you guys like the Go Palettes? What else should I check out from Coastal Scents?

How Much Is Your Face Worth? Tag!

I've been seeing a bunch of these posts floating around lately and I had to do my own! Basically, I'm going to put on my everyday makeup and total up how much the products I'm wearing cost. Before I started, I estimated my face to be worth about $140. Spoiler: My estimate was WAY off.

Face products:
Too Faced Primed & Poreless $30
Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation $13.99
Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer $6
Garnier Anti Dark-Circle Eye Rolelr $10.99
CoverGirl Clean Pressed Powder $5.99
NARS Laguna Bronzer $34
theBalm Frat Boy Blush $21
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralized Skin Finish $29
Urban Decay Dew Me Setting Spray $29

Eye products:
Urban Decay Primer Potion $20
MAC Nubile Paint Pot (limited edition, no longer available) $18.50
LORAC Posh Matte Satin Baked Eyeshadow (no longer available) $22
MAC Wedge Eyeshadow (pan form) $12
MAC Porcelain Pink Mineralized Skin Finish (limited edition, no longer available) $29
Buxom Lash Mascara $19

Brow products:
Brow powder (from Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette) $14.97
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Fix $21

Lip products:
Maybelline Baby Lips, Quenched $3
MAC Candy Yum-Yum Lipstick (limited edition, no longer available) $15

**Note: The lipstick is the only thing that's not constantly in my makeup routine, as I change my lipstick color daily (or even multiple times a day).

And the grand total is... $354.44!

It's almost scary that my usual makeup routine costs THAT much. Scarily, these products are only about a 15th (or less) of my entire makeup collection. I'm a bit embarrassed by this post, but I will admit that a few of the products were probably bought on sale... hopefully. I think I'm going to have a blog sale within the next month or so, because no one (aside from a makeup artist) needs (or uses) as much makeup as I have!

Coastal Scents Go Palette | London

If you know anything about Coastal Scents, you'll know they're most famous for their 88 eyeshadow palettes. Awhile back, I saw these 12-shadow Go Palettes on their website and loved how they looked. The palettes feature shimmery and matte shades, which is always a nice for us matte fans! Each Palette is inspired by a famous city and retails for only $8.95. Today I have London to share with you.

The pigmentation, as with all Coastal Scents shadow, is great. I find the eye shadow to be a bit stiff, not buttery like Urban Decay or theBalm. The shimmery shades, as always, are a little better quality than the matte shades. All in all, I actually like this palette a lot. The mattes are gorgeous for a natural eye look and the blue & purple hues are gorgeous for a night out. You can easily do a bright, natural, or smokey look with this palette. Though I don't think these are the best eyeshadows I've ever tried, they work and the price is just stellar. Note: The shadows are swatched by rows, so the first image below is for the first row of eyeshadows, etc.

Have you tried Coastal Scents, yet? If so, is there anything from them I should try out?

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipsticks | Fairytale, Smitten, Darling: Review + Swatches

Before I say anything else, you need to know that I love these lipsticks. Though I haven't tried many of the CoverGirl products, I can honestly say that these are some of the best lipsticks I've ever tried, drugstore or high-end. They are crazy pigmented, super creamy, and there's a pretty sizable array of shades. Until you actually try some of these out yourself, me telling you how smooth they are won't really sink in, but trust me... they're amazing! They retail for about $6.99 to $7.99.

From left to right (in all pictures): Fairytale, Smitten, Darling

These are definitely my favorite drugstore lipsticks (even above the Revlon lip range). They're just so pigmented and smooth (which is all I can ask for in a lipstick). Note: The lipsticks are all a little brighter in person than they come up when swatched in a picture.

Have you tried any of these CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipsticks? Which shades should I check out?

e.l.f. Studio Blushes: Review + Swatches

If any of you have head of e.l.f. before, then you probably know they're a huge sensation. From beauty gurus to your average consumer, I've heard practically everyone talk about e.l.f. Though they're a hit or miss company for me, I adore their studio blushes. For only $3 each, they won't break the bank either.

From left to right: Pink Passion, Mellow Mauve, Candid Coral, and Gotta Glow.

Though these blushes can be a tad chalky (specifically the highlight shade Gotta Glow), they're more than worth the $3 price tag. They're quite pigmented and there is a good variety of shades (from brights like Pink Passion to muted shades like Candid Coral). I also love the sleek, NARS-inspired packaging.

Have any of you tried the studio blushes? What are some of your other favorite e.l.f. products?

NOTD: Chevron Nails

I'm a huge fan of the chevron print that everyone's been obsessing over this year. However, I rarely wear prints when it comes to clothing, so I opted for these fun chevron nails today! The idea came directly from a video by sarahbelle93x. To get the chevron nail decals, check out this etsy shop. The yellow nail polish is from Butter London and it's in the shade Cheeky Chops. The other polish is Nicole by OPI in the shade My Lifesaver, from the Justin Bieber collection. The best thing about the decals is that they were super easy to use. However, make sure that your nail polish is at least semi-dry, because I've found that they go on smoother, the drier my polish is.

What do you think of the chevron accent nail? How about the color combination?

August 2012 Birchbox!

With Back to School right around the corner, the August Birchbox focused on creating a little Beauty School Supply Kit, filled with beauty essenials. They also partnered with Pencils of Promise, an organization that works to provide all children with quality education. Birchbox is donating 15% of all proceeds in the month of August to Pencils of Promise to help build a new school.

Birchbox is a $10-per-month subscription service that sends you 4-5 deluxe beauty samples every month. This month, my box had 5 products and also included a little Beauty School booklet, containing tips and tricks on the basics of beauty.

Schick Hydro Silk Razor- Though this wasn't a terribly exciting product, it's useful and a necessity for most of us. The Schick Hydro Silk Razor has 5 blades and is meant to help moisturize, while shaving. It also came with two Schick coupons. Full size- $10

Beauty Fixation Lipstick Touch-Up- This was one of my favorite products! These are basically cotton swabs, filled with makeup remover. Though they're intended for cleaning up the lines of a bold lipstick, they're also good to clean up any other makeup areas, especially if you're on-the-go! Full size- $5

Sumita Brow Fix- I love this little pencil! Basically, this brow base is designed to clean up the brow area and disguise any tiny hairs and discoloration around the brow. It's a concealer-like product and is a super pigmented, light flesh tone. Full size- $11
Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy La Fleur- This was a tiny sample (as nearly all perfume samples are), but it smelled wonderful. If you've smelled any of the other Juicy scents and liked them, then you'll probably like this one, as well. This is meant to be a follow-up to the original Viva la Juicy scent. It boasts mostly fruity and floral scents, so it's definitely a girly fragrance. Full size- $70, Sample size- $1.40
GLOSS Moderne High Gloss Masque- This is a hair masque designed to add a lot of gloss and shine to your hair. I haven't tried this out yet, but it looks promising. Full size- $39, Sample size $4.88

Price of box- $10, Value of box- $32.28

Though nothing in this box was really out of the ordinary, I think i'll get use out of all of the products and I love when I can use everything in a box. If you haven't already checked out Birchbox, make sure to do so! For only $10 a month, Birchbox is decidedly my favorite beauty box.

Have you all tried out Birchbox? Did you get anything different in your box? If so, link me to your post about your Birchbox, I'd love to see what you got!

TheBalm Betty-Lou Manizer: Review + Swatches

When I first heard about theBalm, I was intrigued. They have adorable names for their products and everything I've tried from them has been high-quality. The Betty-Lou Manizer (see what I mean about the adorable names?) is designed to be an all-in-one bronzer, eye shadow, and all-over shimmer.

On the left you can see it swatched straight from the powder and on the right you can see it blended. As much as I love the pigmentation and color of this, it's just not right for a bronzer. If you're a medium-dark shade, the color probably wouldn't be too dark for you, but it's way too shimmery for contouring or even all over the face. If you've got darker skin, this would be a pretty highlight (when blended properly) and it makes an absolutely gorgeous eye shadow. This retails for $24 and you get .3 oz in the compact.

Have you tried any products from theBalm? Are you as in love with the quality as I am?

What's In My Purse?

In case y'all didn't know, I'm a really messy person. I've been messy ever since I was a kid and keeping things organized is definitely not my strong suit. My room is always a disaster and my purse is no exception. For a more detailed look into my purse, you can check out my What's In My Purse? video, but for now, I'll just give you the gist of it. FYI, I use a black satchel from Olsenboye that I studded myself back in January.

Beauty products:
-YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick (13 Peach Passion)
-NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream (Tokyo)
-Maybelline Baby Lips (Pink Punch) & (Quenched)
-MAC Lipstick (Viva Glam Nicki)
-Tarte Lipsurgence Natural Matte Lip Tint (Lucky)
-Rock The Arts Lip Balm
-EOS Hand Lotion
-Essie (Nice is Nice)
-Essie (Navigate Her)
-Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush (Warm)
-Revlon Lip Butter (Cotton Candy)

Random stuff:
-Looking for Alaska by John Green
-The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
-Betsey Johnson sunglasses
-Banana Republic glasses
-Kenneth Cole Reaction Wallet
-Headphones
-iPhone
-Dark Knight Rises movie ticket
-Keys
-Hair tie
-Tea Forte Minteas
-Mini hair brush

There's also a few receipts and random little things in the purse, but you've essentially seen it all. What's in your purse?

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup 8/10

Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: Getting polish remover (and other beauty products) for FREE from CVS! To celebrate, I did a fun crackle manicure that will be great for college football season.

Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Looking for the perfect "golden-laced pink-peach" blush for a natural glow- then look no further than Youngblood's Crushed Mineral Blush in Sherbet! This is a real stunner!

Cosmetics Aficionado: NYC Summer Crush is a palette that screams tropical with it's warm pink, orange, yellow, and purple colors, but how does it perform?

adore-a-polish: In this post Kristina breaks down to the bare necessities in what she brings on her theme park adventures.

Midnight Manicures: brings you two beautiful unique polishes from the China Glaze Bohemian Luster Chrome Collection, No Plain Jane and Deviantly Daring.

Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom brings you several polishes from Layla Cosmetics

TheFabZilla: Tight lining the eyes can be intimidating. TheFabZilla shows you her technique in 3 easy steps.

Ishah x Beauty: Olympic Fever abounds, check out my Olympic themed nail art for this month's Polish Days.

Phyrra: Phyrra tells you how to go Back to School Gorgeous! They're budget friendly, too.

GlitterPukee: GlitterPukee talks about the awesome Aussie cosmetic line Eye of Horus. The products are perfect for anyone with sensitive eyes. They are waterproof but super easy to remove. Want more? Great swatch photos are just a click away!

Ooh La La Polish: Looking for an easy & fun nail art challenge? Check out the "My Favorite Things" challenge at Ooh La La Polish!

Lisa's Nail Obsession: Simple, yet modern, and it goes with everything. The Tutti Frutti Stripes Nail Design.

the passenger element: Why I had to cancel by Glossybox Subscription (spoiler: unimpressive)

Pinked Polish: Wanna see a Scandalous Polish??? Melissa at Pinked Polish, Tried it on Tuesday

Beauty Product Review: Want big, bright eyes? Find out how I get the look with Smashbox's Brightener!

Polarbelle: See the Layla Cosmetics booth at Cosmoprof 2012 and all the beautiful items that Polarbelle experienced.

My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura loves Lhasa! This week's Taupe-tastic Tuesday features the beautiful shade by NARS.

Liquor, Lube and Lipstick: How did I get over my aversion to wearing "vampy" colors? By wearing one with glitter, of course!

Aly Loves Lacquer: Aly Celebrates Her 20th Birthday with Freehanded Cupcakes

makeupmaniac16: Too Faced Smokey Eye Shadow Collection: Review + Swatches

Mani Curiously: Looking for that perfect red polish? Check out E's ode to butter LONDON's Come To Bed Red!

Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful: Ready for fall? Here are the swatches of Zoya's Diva collection complete with the MUST HAVE FeiFei!

Liesl Loves Pretty Things: Liesl loves China Glaze Bohemian collection! Check out the possible Lippmann Sugar Daddy dupe here.

Beauty Binge: Beauty Binge declares Christmas in July when she reviews the July Glossybox!

Gorgeousskin: Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation- was it love or not so much?

Beauty Info Zone: How much can you spend on one face? Find out what Marcia from Beauty Info Zone spent on her face in the Makeup Wars.

Love my Nails: Cute nail polish art that's both simple and chic!

Makeup Chronicles: Until 8/13, get a free gift from e.l.f. when your order is over $20!

Mama Fashionista: Mama Fashionista takes a look at some of the newest (and most extravagant) innovations in nail polish. 18k gold leaf and black diamonds, oh my :)

A Little Polish: Looking for a great nude polish this Summer? Check out Stephanie's favorite here!

Samarium's Swatches: Sarah from Samarium's Swatches is celebrating her Blogiversary by having a Giveaway!

MakeUpMom123: Awesome August Giveaway! Three Great Prizes Including an Indie Nail Bundle, Make Up Bundle & Amazing Hair Care Bundle. Enter Today!

beyond Beauty Lounge: At home facial peel

Shades Of Beauty, Inc.: NOTD: My own Mermaid's Tail...Orly Royal Navy & Essence Choose Me

Beauty by Miss L: Miss L from Beauty by Miss L tried loose nail art glitter for her manicure for the first time.

Adna Cosmetic: How to get the golden look for summer

Captivating Claws: Are you a glitter-lover?? If yes, you'll love these beauties from Shimmer Polish!!

The Glossy Pages : Evie Evan takes us on a Concealer Crash Course

Baking Beauty: Are you looking for some new makeup, but you're short on cash? Baking Beauty highlights the weeks best beauty coupons.

Media Maven: Media Maven helps you to achieve a flawless back-to-school beauty routine in 5 minutes flat!

Amber Did It!: Amber shares a metallic gradient manicure

DeyiMizu: Look fresh with a simple Champagne Gold FOTD

Patty and Goldie's Day Off: Come explore the Whimsical by Pam nail polishes

MAC Candy Yum-Yum & Moxie Swatches

Earlier in the week, I ordered two lipsticks from the MAC by Request collection. A few months ago, MAC allowed fans to vote for their favorite discontinued MAC shades and the top three from each category (lipstick, lipglass, & eye shadow) were put up for sale again. I'm a lipstick junkie, so I had to order my two favorite shades from the collection ($15 each). These two lipsticks are actually the only products currently sold out from the collection, but you can find them on eBay (just beware of scammers)!

Moxie is on the left in all pictures and Candy Yum-Yum is on the right. They're both matte finishes and look absolutely GORGEOUS on. Wearing a bold lipstick is definitely my signature makeup look and these lipsticks both fit the bill. My purchase of Candy Yum-Yum was actually inspired by Cassie Steele (she played Manny on Degrassi back in the day), who is apparently obsessed with this lipstick color!

Did you all manage to get what you wanted from the collection? I'm so thankful I was able to get my hands on these particular shades, especially Candy Yum-Yum!

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils: Review + Swatches

Most of y'all have probably heard a thing or two about these NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. These pencils are cult favorites, specifically the shade Milk. You can find these pencils in basically any color and they are a staple for beauty addicts on a budget. For only $4.50 (and cheaper some places), they're a super value. Plus, there's a ton of product in the stick and it lasts for ages! As far as drugstore eyeshadow primers/bases go, NYX is my reigning champion.

Since I'm more of a neutral gal, I have four neutral shades to show you (including the ever popular Milk). While these can be used as cream eyeshadows or eyeliners, I prefer to use them as an eyeshadow base. These pencils really help to eliminate creasing and keep your eyeshadow in place longer. The warmth from your fingers helps to blend them out. I find that the shimmery shades are slightly smoother than the matte shades.

Milk (far left) is an opaque, pure white shade. Because you can put any color over this shade, it's hugely popular. Slapping some bold shadows on top of Milk is an essential for me, because the bright colors look even brighter over it. If you want a similar effect, but with a little bit of shimmer, Cottage Cheese (second from left) is your best bet. It's slightly sheerer than Milk. Yogurt (second from right) is one of those gorgeous pinkish, champagne colors that I personally love. This one is my favorites to wear alone or with soft neutrals. French Fries (far right) is a muted bronze that looks great with blended into the crease.

Overall, I'm a big fan of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. Have you guys tried the jumbo pencils?

Review: July Glossybox USA!

So far, I've had mixed feelings about Glossybox. It's kind of a hefty price for a box of beauty samples ($21), but they do tend to have significantly larger sample sizes. If you want to see more of my opinions on Glossybox, check out my May and June Glossybox reviews. This month's products were all centered around Summer Nights. Keep in mind that Glossybox sends out their boxes at the end of each month, rather than the middle (like Birchbox and Glossybox). With the box, also comes GlossyMag, a little Glossybox exclusive magazines with featured beauty products, tips, and tricks.

This month, my box had 5 core items and 2 little bonus packets. According to Glossybox, the products this month were chosen to "offer you the essentials you'll need to indulge in products that show off your sun kissed skin and hair and enhance sultry skin." I was immediately pleased with the size of the products, before even trying them out.

Alessandro International Pedix Heel Rescue Balm- I was pleased to find this product in my Glossybox. I have fairly dry heels and I've been trying to eliminate that lately! I haven't tried this yet, but I'm hoping this really works! Full size- $18.50, Sample size- 5.55
Ofra Cosmetics Universal Eyebrow Pencil- Surprisingly, the color looked perfect for my brows, and it went on smoothly. It's partly made with beeswax, making it really stay on your brow area and it's also water resistant. I loved that this was full size! Full size- $10

Sebastian Color Ignite Multi Tone Shampoo- This shampoo is specifically designed for color-treated hair. It's intended to add moisturize, which is really all I'm looking for in a shampoo! Full size- $14.95, Sample size- $3.03
Sebastian Color Ignite Multi Tone Conditioner- This conditioner is also targeted at color-treated hair. The conditioner is actually a foam, which is rather unique. Full size- $16.95, Sample size $4.24

Senna Cosmetics Double Dose Lip Lacquer- I was really excited to see a full size makeup product in my box! This features two thick glosses: a pink with small flecks of iridescent glitter and a bronze/brown color. Though I definitely won't be wearing the brown, the pink is nice.  The glosses are semi-opaque. Full size- $22
Caswell-Massey Almond & Aloe Hand & Body Emulsion- These two packets weren't counted as part of the box, just little extras thrown in. I tried one of the packets and I really liked it. It's a really moisturizing lotion and has a super strong almond scent. Personally, I'm a huge fan of almond scents (it reminds me of these almond cookies my mom makes every Christmas), but I know not everyone loves the scent. Full size- $24, Sample size (both packets combined), $0.82

Price of box- $21, Worth of box- $45.64

The price of the products in size were worth more than double $21. However, how much the box is worth to each person will differ, because of the products. If you love all of the products and will use them all, it's totally worth the cash, but if you hate most of them, it's probably not your best bet. Overall, I was pretty pleased with this box and I'm totally obsessed with the little bonus almond lotion!

Have you tried Glossybox? How did you feel about your box this month?

Products I Regret Buying!

I always feel a little guilty when I bash on products, but I find that posts like these can be really helpful for other people. Keep in mind, these products didn't work for me... which doesn't mean they won't work for you. Some of the products are simply the wrong color or consistency for my skin and then there are some I just all-around don't like. Be sure to check out my video at the end of this post for a better view of the products and for a more in-depth discussion about them.

Victoria's Secret Mysterious Eyeshadow Quad- Despite the gorgeous colors, when I actually try to use these shadows on my eyes, they come up faded and I always have to apply a ton of product to get a good end result. They aren't the worst shadows in the world, but for what Victoria's Secret Makeup costs, I definitely didn't think this was worth it.
Milani HD Advanced Concealer (02)- This is supposedly a dupe for the YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch, which is why I picked it up. Honestly, I just don't think this brightened up my undereyes enough and it really didn't conceal much either.
Tarte emphasEYES Inner Rim Eye Pencil- The texture of this was really tough against my skin. I prefer a smoother eye pencil, especially because the skin around the eye is so delicate.
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (Cherish Devotion)- This product is actually okay. However, I don't think it did what it was supposed to. As a lip stick or a chubby lip crayon, it works fine. Not super pigmented, but if you pack it on enough, you'll get sufficient color coverage. However, it definitely doesn't stain, which is why I wanted it.
Maybelline Baby Lips (Peach Kiss)- First off, I'm actually a big fan of the Maybelline Baby Lips products. However, this specific one had kind of a slight gritty texture and didn't moisturize well, like the other colors in the range did. I rarely use this, because the color isn't too spectacular and the texture isn't pleasing.
MAC Wonder Woman Lipglass- It's a gorgeous red color with gold flecks, but I simply NEVER use this. I have seriously never used his product and as y'all know, MAC is on the pricier side, so I'm not too happy about spending so much on it. As gorgeous as it is, I rarely wear red lipstick and when I do, I never use a gloss.

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation- As much as I love the texture of this, it's just way too drying for my skin. It leaves my skin looking flaky. I thought that it would work for the summer (because my skin is oilier in the summer than it is in the winter), but my skin is just way too dry for this. If you have oily skin, though, I'd give this a try!

ELF Studio Powder Brush- I heard so many gurus rave about this, but it just wasn't for me. I found that it shed a ton and even after washing it three times, it continued to shed huge brush hairs.

Motions Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion- This was so weird! Instead of moisturizing my hair, it left my hair feeling very dry and brittle. I absolutely hated this.

Essie Matte About You- This is just a matte top coat. I don't think this is a bad product, I just NEVER wear matte nails.

OPI (Love Is A Racket)- For some reason, I just hate the way this color looks on my skin. It's a metallic, which isn't really my thing anyway and it looks almost like a red foil on my nails.

Essie (Haute As Hello)- Like the OPI color, this jut didn't suit my skin tone. I've seen the color on a few other people and I love how it looks, but something about the red undertones of my skin don't mesh well with this!

What products do you all regret purchasing? Have ayou had better luck with some of these products than I have?

Too Faced Smokey Eye Shadow Collection: Review + Swatches!

Too Faced... A brand after my own heart. I picked up this Too Faced Smokey Eye palette awhile back and ever since, I've been obsessed with Too Faced. Because there's really nothing better than a smokey eye, I wanted to share my opinions with you all on the palette that spawned my Too Faced obsession.

The Smokey Eye kit retails for $36 and boasts 9 eye shadows and a trio of cards to help you create the perfect smokey eye. Each row of the palette features shadows to create a specific look: Day, Classic, & Fashion. Each eye shadow has a cute little name to go along with it, as well!

So that you can get a feel of what the eye shadows will look like, I've swatched them and put them into trios with their corresponding look. First up is the Day look (Firefly, Cloves, and Up in Smoke), next is Classic (White Lie, Nice Ash, and Smokin Hot) and finally Fashion (In a Flash, Smoking Jacket, and Smolder). Smokin Hot and Smolder are matte shadows, which are essential to any good palette, in my opinion. Smoking Jacket was actually in my Top Ten Favorite Eyeshadows video I did awhile back!

As you all can probably guess, I love this palette. Too Faced has actually become my favorite comany for eye shadows, especially when it comes to their shimmery shades. They are so buttery smooth and pigmented, which is really all a girl can ask for in an eye shadow. I've used each and every one of these color combinations for various events and daily outings and I always get compliments from my makeup-savvy friends when I wear these shadows. If you haven't already picked up this palette (or any of the other Too Faced palettes), I'd absolutely recommend giving them a try.

What are some of your favorite Too Faced products? Any recommendations as to what Too Faced product I should pick up next?