EOTD: MUG Shadows Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive 2013 Solo

Hello Lovelies! I always intend to take pics of my performance looks and then I get pressed for time and have to get my butt in gear. Sunday I performed my solo at the Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive and I had plenty of time to get ready. I left my house with part of my makeup done. I didn't want to walk through the Flamingo Hotel & Casino with full on stage makeup. So I added more blush and did my lips once I got there.

Featuring Makeup Geek Eyeshadows. I didn't realize my brows needed so much work till I saw this picture. doh!

I didn't sit down and intentionally use only Makeup Geek Eyeshadows but it just happened that all of the colors I was looking for were MUG.

Eyes:

Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin $20

Shadows: Crease MUG Eyeshadow Mocha $5.99

                 Lid MUG Eyeshadow Glamorous $5.99

                 Blending MUG Eyeshadow Shimma Shimma $5.99

                 Highlightt MUG Eyeshadow Vanilla Bean $5.99

Eyeliner: Liner Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner Black $16

                Waterline Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Charcoal  $9.99

Lashes: Ardell Wispies

Love the Ardell Wispies!

Mascara: Maybelline Falsies Flared $6.99

Brow: MUA Brow Kit  $5.48

Face:

Primer: Benefit POREfessional $30

Foundation: Revlon Color Stay Whipped Creme Ivory $13.99

Cheeks: Blush NARS Orgasm $29

               Highlight Benefit Watt's Up! $30

Concealer: Benefit Erase Paste Fair $26

Powder: Guerlain Metorite Pressed Powder Teint Rose $56

Lips (in the video): Lip Liner MUA Red Drama  $1.56

                                Lipstick e.l.f Studio Matte Lip Color Rich Red $3.00

The MUG shadows are great quality and a tremendous value. I purchased The Starter Kit ($49.99) when they first came out. It comes with nine pans neutral and some purples with both matte and shimmery shades. Three of the shadows I used came out of the Starter Kit. Vanilla Bean is the only one I purchased separately.

If you're interested in the whole look or my dance, check out the video (better in HD)! The LVBDI is the biggest event of the year for our belly dance community. Dancers come from all over the world for classes and performances. 

NYX Haul $60 for $30

Total Beauty is running a deal for $60 worth of NYX products for $30. This deal is running for the next two days. So snatch it while you can. I thought about hanging on to mine for a little while but I couldn't resist. If you've been curious about NYX, now's your chance to try out at a discount. NYX cosmetics are cruelty free.

I chose two big ticket items (at least by NYX standards) and a few smaller items instead of just loading up the small stuff. I had a tough time getting right below $60. So the total for this order was $62.25 with free shipping. Out of pocket I paid $32.25 for all of these goodies.

• The Curve $15 Felt tip eye liner with an ergonomic shape. I can't wait to try this out. I'm always looking for ways to get that perfect wing.
• HD Studio Photogenic Foundation $15 Nude Is a lightweight foundation that smooths and brightens. It is supposed to be a dupe for the MUFE foundation. 
• Single Eyeshadow $4.50 Frosted Ocean  I'm always on the look out for the perfect dark blue to use in my crease. I have a go to blue/gold look I use when I wear one of my costumes but I haven't found the perfect crease color yet. I hope this is it.
• Nail Polish Salon Formula $4 I've never tried any of the NYX nail polishes and usually when I do a haul like this with a big discount, I try to cover all the categories. This is described as black with red flecks of glitter. I definitely don't have something like this in my collection already.
• Rouge Cream Blush $6 Boho Chic This is hands down my favorite cream blush and definitely one of my favorite blushes overall. I've hit the pan on the one I have now. It won't be long before I crack into this one. This is also one of the prizes in My Giveaway.
• Extra Creamy Round Lipstick $4  Tea Rose  This formula is very creamy. I wanted to pick up something lighter for Spring.
• Slide on Pencil $8  Pretty Violet These are one of the more expensive items in the NYX line. They are also widely considered a dupe for the UD 24/7 liners which retail for $19. I don't have a purple liner. I'm not sure when I'll use it this but it's pretty.
• Wonder Pencil $4.50 Light  This is a new product from NYX. It's supposed to coneal, brighten, and line. Works great on the waterline.

So I decided to throw together a look using a lot of these products and as many NYX products as I could. I'm about to go meet a friend for Sunday brunch. I didn't want anything too heavy. It's definitely Spring here in Las Vegas.

Face: 

NYX HD Foundation Nude

Cover Girl Olay Concealer Balm Fair

MUA Matte Perfect Loose Powder Translucent

Cheeks:

NYX Cream Blush Boho Chic

Eyes:

NYX Wonder Pencil on the waterline.
NYX Loose Pearl Shadow Sky Pink Pearl

NYX Pin Up Tease Mascara Review

Lips:

NYX Creamy Lipstick Tea Rose

Tools:

Beauty Blender

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

e.l.f. Studio Contour Brush

MUA Haul from the 50% Off Sale

I was so excited for the MUA 50% off sale. I know MUA caught a lot of flack for the whole thing though. After the site crashed during the 35% off sale sure they could have been a bit more prepared for the 50% off sale. It was really disgusting to see how upset people got over the whole thing. You're getting already cheap makeup for even less. We're buying makeup here not saving people's lives. Settle down. But enough of being on my soap box., you want to know what I got!

So the deal was 50% a minimum order of £30 to qualify and free shipping (including international shipping yay). 

• Blush Shade #1 Gives a nice peach glow
• Lip Boom  Bring It
• Eyebrow Pencil Brunette
• Intense Colour Eyeliner Royal Blue
• Lashes Glam & Flair
• Matte Perfect Loose Translucent Powder Finely milled. No caking.
• Matte Perfect Shine Control Foundation Fair Sadly a little too dark and too yellow for me.
• Hide & Conceal Coverup Stick  Fair Light enough. yay.
• Nail Varnish Fever Red
• Lipstick Shade #1
• Intense Lip Gloss Shimmer Kisses  Stolen Kisses 
• Gel Eyeliner On the Move
• Mega Volume Mascara
• Extreme Curl Mascara Great curl but for some reason I ordered Black Brown. This would work well if you want a more subtle mascara. I layered it with NYX's Pin Up Tease Mascara for more drama.

So those are my first impressions on the few products I've used already. I also bought a Heaven & Earth palette for a friend of mine. I seem to compulsively put one of those in my cart whenever I order. Overall this was about £15 or $25 after the currency exchange. This was my third order with MUA and they've all arrived in a timely manner and everything survived the journey.

I'm already putting together my wishlist for my next order. I'm curious about their lip stains. Let me know if you've tried them. What are some of your favorites? Did you take advantage of this sale? 

Brief Update & Giveaway

I know I've been pretty silent so far this year. I've been working hard on my goals for this year. I was also hard at work rehearsing a dance that my troupe performed last week. Now that's out of the way. I might actually get some blogging done. I'm really getting into my Arabic studies though and I'm having a serious Mass Effect relapse. So after my normal bellydance schedule, studying Arabic, and saving the Universe, oh yah and working full time+  there isn't much time (or motivation) left.

Since the response was so positive to my post about How Belly Dance Changed My Life I decided to share a new video. This is just a fun dance we put together for this event.

January 18th marked the one year anniversary of Bat An Eyelash. To celebrate, I'd like to offer a giveaway of a few of my favorite products. Open internationally.

Pardon the phone picture. My camera decided to be a jerk.

• Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment I love this stuff. My hair isn't very dry or damaged so this just adds a nice shine. It smells divine!
• Maybelline Studio Gel Liner in Charcoal I use this mainly in my waterline.
• Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie I'm a sucker for berry shades.
• NYX Blush in Pinched One of my favorite blushes. It's considered a dupe for NARS Orgasm. I have both and I tend to reach for this more.
• NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic My favorite cream blush! I'm wearing it today actually.
• MUA Heaven & Earth Palette Oh MUA please come to the USA! This palette is so fabulous. I keep buying them for other people when I make a MUA order.
• EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint This is always in my purse. 
• OPI Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath I tend to only wear neutral shades on my fingernails. This is the perfect neutral.
• Tea Tree Oil Foot Repair Balm I keep this by my bed and try to remember to use it every night. It is really moisturizing and my feet don't look as awful.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kat Von D Star Kissed Lipstick Set

This set retails from Sephora for $28.50.  I received mine as a Christmas gift. I'm excited to try these out because these are my first lipsticks from this line. It contains six shades of lipstick weighing 0.042 oz. There are three shades from the Painted Love formula and three from the Foiled Love. The full size versions retail for $19 and contain .11 oz of product. That seems a tad bit pricey to me. So this set is definitely the economical route to go.

The exuberant, high-pigment formulas paint lips with brilliant color and finish with a matte or metallic effect. Natural moisturizers and anti-aging properties keep lips healthy and promise comfortable, long-lasting wear. “A shade for every occasion.” —Kat Von D

Looks like foam but it's black velour

L to R : Rosary, Lolita, Underage Red, Beranice, Forever & Never, and Valentine

Rosary & Lolita

Rosary is a dark berry/burgundy red. Lolita is a peachy/pink color. They describe it as "dusty rose."

Rosary & Lolita Swatched

Underage Love & Bernaice

 Underage Red is a true red. It photographed very orange for some reason. It is pretty similar to MAC's Ruby Woo but is creamy. Beranice is a dark shimmery pink. They describe it as "metallic poppy red." It looks more pink to me. I'll have to see how it wears.

Underage Love & Beranice Swatched

Forever & Never and Valentine

Forever & Never is a shimmery nude. It's described as a metallic peach which seems pretty accurate to me. Valentine is a shimmery pink. These two are the most sheer out of the six. I had to swipe Valentine four times for the swatch below. Forever & Never I swiped twice. Everything else I swatched in one go.

Forever & Never and Valentine Swatched

Star Kissed Lipstick Set Swatched: Rosary, Lolita, Underage Red, Beranice, Forever & Never, and Valentine

 I have to agree that there is a shade for every occasion! Have you tried any of the Kat Von D lipsticks? What's your favorite?

e.l.f. 50% Off Sale Haul

Around Thanksgiving e.l.f  had a 50% of sale. You had to spend $20 or $25 to qualify which is a pretty decent sized haul of e.l.f products.  I needed a new bottle of the Mist & Set and the Lip Exfoliator was finally back in stock so I went in search of what else I could through in my cart. Admittedly, e.l.f. products are hit or miss but at half off their already low prices, I'm willing to take some risks. 

• Beauty Wedges Price $1.00  $0.50 You can always use more sponges right?
• HD Blush in Headliner  Price $3.00 $1.50 I'm a fan of cream blushes. I've never tried a straight up liquid blush before. I was intrigued. 
• Cuticle Pushers Price $1.00  $0.50 I've been trying to pay more attention to how my cuticles look lately.
• Brush Shampoo Price $3.00 $1.50 I'm almost out of my MAC brush cleaner. I have the e.l.f. Daily Brush Cleaner which I kinda like so I figured I'd give this a try.
• Maximum Coverage Concealer - Oil Free in Porcelain Price $3.00 $1.50 I've been really interested in finding the perfect concealer lately.
• Makeup Mist & Set Price $3.00 $1.50 I've been using this for almost a year now and love it. I notice a difference when I don't use it.
• Lip Exfoliator Price $3.00 $1.50 I've been dying to try this but it was always out of stock. I was so excited when I got an email letting me know it was back in stock. I just gave this a test drive and I love it. Full review to come.
• Moisturizing Lip Tint SPF 8 in Berry Price $3.00 $1.50 I have this in Rose and I really like it. Good pigmentation. Long lasting. I hope this one follows suit.
• Matte Lip Color in Rich Red  Price $3.00  $1.50 I'm forever on the search for the perfect matte red.

I also purchased a concealer palette ($1.50)  for my Mom's box of holiday goodies. Overall, I got ten items for $13.00 plus shipping. That feels like a good days work of bargain shopping to me.

Sample Society November

Sample Society  continues to be one of my favorite sub services. Last month was a little blah this month though I'm pretty happy. They have also started to slightly customize loosely based on complexion/hair color. So while everyone got the same lipstick sample, there were different colors sent out. I personally like that everyone gets the same samples with only color variations. That is also why I try to avoid spoilers. I really enjoy being surprised when I open my box. Anyhoo, on to November's box.

November Sample Society

• Dermalogica Precleanse Deluxe Sample 1 fl oz (Full Size Retail 5.1 fl oz $35)  A double cleansing regimen that begins with PreCleanse, is a plant-based cleanser that thoroughly melts layers of excess sebum, sunscreen, makeup, environmental pollutants and residual skin products that build up during the day. Then, when water is added, this hyrophilic formula transforms into a milky emulsion that easily rinses away oil-based debris from the skin's surface. This gentle blend can also be used around the eye area to remove even the most stubborn waterproof mascara. I haven't tried it on mascara yet but I do like this cleanser. It does well at cutting through a full face of makeup. I don't know that it's a product I'd reach for every day.. Most days I only wear some BB and blush so I think it would be a bit overkill. I do like it though. Of course, I have yet to meet a Dermalogica product I didn't like.
• Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Mist Deluxe Sample 1 fl oz (Full Size Retail 4.2 fl oz $24) Use as both a Treatment & Style Primer.  Infuses hair with nutrients & anti-oxidants. Strengthens hair.  Protects Color with Color Hold® Technology.  Prevents frizz and extends the life of your smooth blowout with built-in humidity resistance.  Enhances shine. Good for you Beauty: Both highly sustainable ingredients are Fair-Trade compliant & Certified Organic. Their production & sale aids in supporting the development of local communities.  All products contain ingredients grown responsibly & ethically traded; FREE OF sulfates, parabens, gluten, TEA phthalates. I actually wasn't excited about this product until I read it's blurb. I haven't used this yet but I will definitely try to work it in this week. I usually don't use much in the way of hair products because I rarely style or iron my hair. Give me a hair oil any day though and I'm happy girl.
• Diptyque Volutes Eau de Toilette Deluxe Sample perfume vial .06 fl oz (Full Size Retail 3.4 fl oz $120) Blond, honeyed Egyptian tobacco transports you to mysterious horizons and far-off shore. Iris strengthens it, spices give it body, and styrax imposes a daring and distinguished leathery note. Based on the description, it sounds like I'd like it. However, on me, I just get too much of a powder smell. booo. This is the second Diptyque perfume Sample Society has sent out and I haven't like either one. 
• L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream Deluxe Sample .03 oz (Full Size Retail $28) Shea butter, honey and sweet almond extract are smoothing. Jasmine and ylang-ylang essences offer a delicate scent. Vitamin E helps nourish and protect. I've been wanting to try this for a long time so I was very excited to open my box and see the silver tube. This is a hugely popular hand cream. I have to admit that I probably neglect my hands as far as moisture and sun protection. I I like the feel of this hand cream however I'm not quite sold on the fragrance. Still undecided on this one. 
• diego dalla palma Classic Lipstick Deluxe Sample-29. Pink Satin (Full Size Retail $34) Wax coated pigments offer pure and true color while film-forming polymers provide immediate adherence and staying power. Ginseng extracts fight wrinkles and increase lips' firmness, and vitamins C and E put antioxidants and anti-aging properties to work. I liked the formula of this lipstick a lot. It is creamy and long lasting like they claim. Shade 29 is a light pink color that I normally wouldn't choose for myself. However, it looks alright. If I were going to buy one of these I'd definitely choose a different shade.

So overall I like this month's Sample Society box. I thought they were able to get these boxes out without too much delay from Super Storm Sandy. 

Ulta Mini Haul

Even though I'm trying to do a Low Buy for the next few months, I braved a trip to Ulta. I had $5 off coupon on a purchase $10 or more and my quarterly reward to pick up (which I've never actually used before). Ulta had also mailed me a postcard announcing their new Clinique counters. To celebrate, they were giving away a free lipstick. So I made my plan of attack and went in. The only two items I was intending to buy were the Real Techniques Blush Brush and OPI Nail Polish in Bubble Bath. Ashley over at Blush Bug did a post not too long ago about her Favorite Nude Polishes and I fell in love with Bubble Bath.

• O.P.I. Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath Original price $8.50 after coupon $6.07.  This polish is the perfect pale pink color. I did two coats and it's still pretty sheer but still gives a hint of color. Love!
• Real Techniques Blush Brush Original price $8.99 after coupon $6.42 I don't have a blush brush that I love. Everyone raves about these brushes so I thought I'd give it a shot. It was a tough call between this brush and the Expert Face Brush. I'll definitely get the Expert Face Brush next time around.
• Clinique Long Last Lipstick in All Heart Original price $15. FREE! I believe this is full size but I can't find the weight on the tube. The color All Heart is a deep mauve/berry color. It really suits me. I used to use a lot of Clinique skincare products but I haven't ever really used many of their makeup products.
• Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil  .35 oz Original price $6.50 FREE! I hardly ever cash in my quarterly points at Ulta. I always forget. When I saw this as one of the options, I was way more motivated than usual. I love this stuff! I'm still working through my 1 oz bottle from Beauty Army. I swear I'm actually going to buy it one day.

Even though I went to the NYX display twice and everything was buy one get on 50%, I managed to not walk away with anything. I'm so proud of myself for sticking to my plan of action. It definitely was not easy! My total spent before taxes was $12.49 that's like a record low for me.

100 Followers! Thank you!

When I started this blog back in January, I thought that maybe a few of my friends and family would read it. I never dreamt that so many other people would start reading it! Sometimes I don't have as much time to devote to my blog as I'd like to but it inspires me and pushes me to know there are people out there reading this and enjoying it. I love all of your comments and feedback.

In appreciation of hitting the 100+ follower mark, I'd like to send out a small thank you gift. I've chosen the e.l.f. 11 piece Studio Brush set because I think it's a good basic set of brushes. Many of these I use everyday. These are also fully synthetic and vegan friendly. The set includes: Eyeshadow "C" Brush, Small Smudge Brush, Small Angled Brush, Small Precision Brush, Contouring Brush, Concealer Brush, Blush Brush, Complexion Brush, Angled Foundation Brush, Powder Brush, and Fan Brush.

I'm also giving away my two favorite colors of the NYX Xtreme Lip Creams. My reviews of those are my most read posts. I'm giving away Buttery Nude and Absolute Red. NYX products are cruelty free.

You can read about them here and here.  I know NYX isn't a brand that is easily accessible to everyone. So I wanted to spread the love.

This will be open to my international readers as well. Winner will have 48hours to respond. If a response is not received, a new winner will be chosen. I really hope one of my actual readers wins this so you will not find a "Tweet About This Giveaway" or "Blog About This" option. Of course, if you feel like sharing it you can . :)

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DIY: Sample Society Box Lippie Organizer

I use products more if I can see them. Otherwise they get banished to the makeup drawer and who knows if they'll ever be seen again. So I have quite a few lip products on my counter. I was keeping them in a small round cardboard container but they kept falling over. I was also running out of room. I was in the process of upgrading them from their round container to a Sample Society box when I was inspired to make dividers.

I opted for a Sample Society box because it's deeper than the Birchbox boxes and I wanted the lip glosses to have more support. It's not that prettiest craft project ever but I took the sides off the lid and made dividers. I just glued these down with a hot glue gun.

OK so the aren't exactly straight either but it gets the job done. I made the lipstick sections a little wider than the gloss sections. I lucked out and had a slot for shorter pencils and tubes that won't stand up.

There's also plenty of  space left if I were to ever clean out my purse! This was a quick and easy project. I didn't measure anything. I just eyeballed the length to cut the dividers. Perhaps, one day I'll get inspired to redo this and clean it up a bit. For now though, it's a vast improvement.

My First MUA Haul!!

I always thought that MUA products were something that I would just have to admire on the pages of the UK beauty bloggers. Late in July when I was deep into my No-Buy, I told myself it wouldn't hurt to see if they shipped internationally. They do! I put a ton of stuff in my cart but didn't checkout. A few weeks later (and in August after my No-Buy was over), MUA hit 25,000 likes on Facebook and released a 25% off coupon with free international shipping. I was all over it!

Heaven & Earth Palette, Starry Night Palette, Nail Polish #1, Lipstick #13, LipBoom LMK, Liquid Liner in Black, 3 in 1 Contour in Smoked Plum, Blush in #4

Everything arrived safely from across the pond! I am so excited I had to make a quick haul post. Full reviews will be upcoming. I got the Heaven & Earth and Starry Night palettes, Nail Polish in Shade #1 which is a dark sparkly blue, Lipstick #13 red!, LipBoom LMK Deep Vampy and sparkly pink gloss, Liquid Liner in Black, 3 in 1 Contour Pen in Smoked Plum, and finally Blush in #4. All of this was a little over £12 with the exchange rate it was a little over $19.

I did this swatches really quickly while I was sitting in my chair catching up on episodes of What Not to Wear.

Liquid Liner, Smoked Plum, LipBoom LMK Pink Gloss, LipBoom LMK Lipstick Side, Lipstick #13

I really can't decide which of these products to try out first! I'm so excited. I plan on doing full reviews with better swatches and all that soon. I have a back log of reviews but these might move to the front of the line.

What are your favorite MUA products? It's never too early to start putting together my next shopping list.

Review: Makeup Geek Lipstick in Delightful

I'm a huge fan of the Makeup Geek eyeshadows and brushes so I just had to try out one of the new lipsticks. Since I'm more of a gloss kind of girl, I limited myself to just one lipstick. I chose Delightful.

Makeup Geek Delightful Lipstick

They describe it as a warm pink with peach undertone. On me it seems more like an orange undertone than peach. The shade is also a bit brighter than I would normally choose for myself.

Natural Lip color

 

Makeup Geek Delightful

There's something about this color that I'm just not sure that it suits me. I may have to wear it a few more times before making a final decision. Maybe it would work better with a warmer skin tone?

The formula for these lipsticks is creamy and applies easily. They also have a rich color payoff. Although I'm not quite sure this particular color is for me, Long lasting and neither drying or super moisturizing. I'd like to pick up Adorable (soft creamy pink) and Elegant (deep rosy red). Makeup Geek Lipsticks are available at the Makeup Geek online store. These sale for $7.99 each. MUG lipsticks are cruelty free. 

Bat's Rating 7.5: I love the formula and the price. Not sure about this particular shade.

June Favorites

It's hard to believe June is over already! I really haven't been wearing that much makeup this summer.

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush, Holika Holika BB, Revlon Lip Butter, Balenciaga Perfume

• Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Peach Satin.  I had forgotten about this blush until I found it again while digging through my makeup drawer. I love this blush. I'm so sad it's discontinued. I do have an unopened one in my secret stash. I find this blush gives a nice peachy glow.
• Holika Holika Shimmering Petit BB Holika Holika is a Korean cosmetic company. BB stands for blemish balm. These are like a somewhere between a tinted moisturizer and a foundation. They also usually have some skin nourishing ingredients and sunblock. I am so in love with this. I hardly ever wear foundation any more. I will do a full review of this soon. I promise.
• Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie.  When I first bought this, it just didn't live up to the hype for me. I decided to give it another shot and now I can't put it down. This gives a nice berry color to the lips. It lasts a decent amount of time and isn't sticky.
• Balenciaga Essence Perfume Someone sent this to me as an extra with one of my trades. The funny thing is that I just added to my wishlist because I wanted to try it. I'm so in love with this perfume. I'm starting to not wear it every day now because I'm running out. I may have to break down and buy the full size. I suck at describing perfumes so just look it up. :)

So those are my June favorites. Not a whole lot as I'm going for minimal effort these days. I've also spent most of June on the quest for the perfect mascara. I haven't found it yet. ;(

Question Wednesday: Holy Grail Products

Thanks to Nykki for Question Wednesday. Check out her blog Nykki's Mane Blog

Today's Question Wednesday comes from Aly over at Wonderland Beauty!!

Today's Topic from Aly over at Wonderland Beauty is: Holy-grail products


What is your go-to eye makeup look? What products do you use to achieve this look?
Neutral Eyes. Using my Inglot palette. #337, #341 & #353

What are your top 3 favorite lip products for summer?
EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie, and Guerlain Extrait de Rose

What is your favorite liquid face product?
Holika Holika Shimmering BB (the pink one)

What is your favorite eyebrow product?
MAC eyebrow pencil

Lastly, what are some of your holy grail makeup items?
My Inglot palettes, Milani Luminoso Blush, Benefit Porefessional Primer

June Sample Society

What is Sample Society? Sample Society is a monthly subscription service that is a partnership between Allure magazine and Beauty Bar. For $15 a month you get five deluxe sized samples and a one year subscription to Allure.  You also receive a $15 gift code towards the purchase of any of the brands in your box. It's nice that you have some flexibility and don't have to buy the exact product. You can also use your gift code multiple times. The booklet also includes some tips on how to use the products.

Alterna Boho Waves, Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream, Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper, Oscar de la Renta Live in Love, Murad Clarifying Cleanser.

• Alterna Boho Waves Texture Mist Deluxe Sample (Full size retail $22 4.2 fl oz) Combines strengthening organic bamboo extract and nourishing blue yucca root in a weightless texturizing spray that instantly gives you natural, tousled, "just-back-from-the-beach" waves. Use on damp or dry hair.  My hair has a natural wave to it. I tend to wash it and let it air dry. I used this after washing and it does make the waves look more deliberate. I'm not sure how well this works on super straight hair.
• Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream Small sample (Full size retail $95 .51 oz) It targets all the visible signs of aging around the eyes: wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dehydration, dark circles, puffiness, dark spots and loss of radiance. Premier Cru The Eye Cream immediately brightens and correct dark circles thanks to silvery, coppery and iridescent pearlizers. I know some people have reported near empty samples of this. This is the smallest sample I've received so far but mine was not empty. I've had enough to use twice a day for a few days. I haven't really noticed any difference though. For $95, there better be some definite results.
• Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper Deluxe Sample (Full size retail $25) Make your lips full and kissable with Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper. Special peptides give moisture and visible plumping that lasts. One single sweep of this tinted cool mint and ginger lip plumper and your lips will be transformed with sheer natural color and a refreshing feeling you can't top. I love tiny lipstick samples. They're so cute. I haven't given this a try yet. Of the colors this comes in, I'm glad they sent out Tokyo. I'm not sure how flattering the other colors would be other than Milan. Lip plumping is not usually a feature I look for in a lip product. 
• Oscar de la Renta Live in Love Deluxe Sample (Full size retail $58 30mL) A classic scent in its richness and beauty, but with an updated more contemporary feeling. A green floral bouquet.  I don't immediately hate this like I did the other Oscar de la Renta perfume in the first box. It is a more approachable floral for me but still not my favorite. I love the tiny little bottle though. 
• Murad Clarifying Cleanser Deluxe Sample (Full size retail $26 6.75 oz) Use Murad Clarifying Cleanser that helps eliminate 99.9% of surface bacteria and clears blemishes. This cleanser prepares your skin to allow maximum penetration of ingredients and prevents new breakouts. It is especially designed for those with blemish-prone skin.  I actually like this cleanser. I tend to rest my face in my hand. So there are a few spots prone to breaking out. Not sure if I would buy it though. We seem to get so many different facial cleansers in sample boxes that I don't know if I'll ever have to buy a full size again. 

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Bonfire and Absolute Red

Awhile back I raved about how much I loved the NYX Xtreme Lip Creams. So I bought two more. I'm not one of those people that goes and buys every color in a collection but I really do like this formula. It is exactly between a lip gloss and a lipstick, gets a decent amount of wear time, and a little product goes a long way. They are also only $6.

Bonfire is a medium pink color and Absolute Red is a cool toned red. Bonfire is much more pink than I could capture in my photos today.

Natural Lip Color

Bonfire

Absolute Red

These shades are both very much on trend for the neutral face bold lips looks of Spring.  Of the four I have, Absolute Red is the most fussy. I did experience a little bit of bleeding and smearing. It would probably be best to wear it over a lip liner. It does have the most staying power of all the shades though.

I'm a big fan of NYX in general but I really believe they nailed it with this formula. Who knows I may wind up owning them all anyway.

Bat's Rating: Still a 9. Long wear for a gloss, great pigmentation, great value.

March Favorites

I mixed up my usual makeup quite a bit in March. I've been really trying out some new products this month.

• Inglot Eye Shadows In love with the smokey eye palette I put together from my Inglot Mini Haul. Cool toned grays look great with my blue eyes and cool toned fair skin.
• e.l.f. Stipple Brush I've been using this for applying cream blush and I love the amount of control I have. I can go subtle or really build up layers for a bolder look. Soft synthetic bristles.
• Benefit POREfessional Primer My new favorite primer. It really minimizes the appearance of pores and is long lasting. If only it were unscented it would be the best primer ever.
• NYX Extreme Lip Cream in Bonfire I'm a big fan of this formula. This is a nice bright fuchsia for Spring.
• NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic Applied lightly is a nice pink glow. Builds up nicely. Smooth and creamy. It lasts about eight hours before it starts to fade.

Review: NYX Xtreme Lip Creams

I picked up two of the NYX Xtreme Lip Creams when they were BOGO at Ulta.  NYX describes them as "It's not lipstick, nor is it gloss. It's like nothing you've experienced before. It's liquid lipstick that goes on with full Xtreme color and intense shine." I have to say the texture is somewhere between a lipstick and gloss. It's creamy and soft and glides easily. These are a tad small at .023oz but I've found a little really goes along way.

NYX Xtreme Lip Creams

These come in eleven shades. I picked up Buttery Nude and Natural to try out. 

L to R: Buttery Nude and Natural

Here's how they look on my lips. 

Normal lip color

Buttery Nude

Natural

Overall, I love the texture of these. They are also pretty moisturizing. At first I thought I'd like Natural more than Buttery Nude but the more I wore Buttery Nude the more I liked it.  I've been wearing it quite frequently since I bought it.  I like Natural but I think it is a bit too nude for my tastes. I'm going to try to layer it with something else to see if it grows on me. I'm definitely interested in trying out more shades of these especially Bonfire and Absolute Red.Bat's Rating: 9.

You can find these at NYX Cosmetics or Ulta for $6.00

FOTD: Using Maybelline Color Tattoo In Pomegranate Punk

I wanted to play around with my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk today.

Eyes:

Primer: Palladio Eyeshadow Primer Palladio

Eyeshadows: 

Maybelline Color Tattoo Pomegranate Punk

MUG Unexpected MUG

Inglot # 341 Inglot

Inglot # 353

Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On  Whiskey Urban Decay

Mascara: Maybelline Define-a-Lash

Face:
Foundation: Revlon ColorStay Foundation Ivory #110
Concealer: Sonia Kashuk Concealer Palette & e.l.f. Radiance Enhancer Spotlight e.l.f.
Powder: Mac Minearalize Skin Finish Light MAC


Cheeks:
Blush: Milani Baked Blush Luminoso Milani
Highlight: Cover Girl Powder Natural Ivory


Lips: Inglot Cream Lipstick# 121 Inglot

NYX Round Lipsticks Doll & Peach

I finally got around to test driving my NYX lipsticks from My Ulta Haul.

NYX describes these as "our classic lipstick for all-year round. The mineral-based emollient formula offers a beautiful velvet texture, saturated color and it resists wear and smudging. It’s your go-to lipstick."

I picked the colors Doll and Peach. Both shades gave me about three hours of wear without applying a lip liner beneath. I had better results if I applied a lip balm first. But hey it's the desert. They glide smoothly. They can smear a little bit so be careful. They also tend to transfer if you're eating or drinking anything.  Overall though they can't be beat for the price ($3.99).  So you can experiment with different colors without making a huge investment. I'm just starting to branch out and try different lipstick colors. Before my lipsticks were either red or red.

NYX Round Lipstick in Doll

Doll: I would describe Doll as more of a mauve color. I've heard it described as pinkish berry shade. I wouldn't call it a totally matte shade. It has a tiny bit of sheen but is not glittery.

Doll Swatched

Doll is fairly opaque in one pass. I found it to be slightly more long lasting than Peach. It also stains a little bit more than Peach but overall staining is moderate. Bat's Rating: 7.5

Peach: I'm really not sure why they named this shade peach. It doesn't look like any peach I've ever eaten! The color is very similar to Doll. Peach is a little bit more pink shifted and shimmery.

NYX Round Lipstick Peach

It applies very sheer. I'd definitely recommend pairing this with a lip gloss. It lasts for about two hours of wear. Bat's Rating: 6.5

NYX Peach Swatched (daylight)

NYX Cosmetics can be found online at NYX Cosmetics.  You can also by them online or in store at ULTA