Combinations: Sugar Pink Lips

I am back with another combination! This is a lip look that I sported for an entire week and still fall back on when I have no idea what I want to do with my lips.

I use Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Shade 200, Latino - which is a pretty shimmery pink with a blue/lavender undertone. This lipstick also looks lovely applied on its own.

After applying the lipstick, I add a dollop of Maybelline New York Shine Sensational Lip Gloss in Shade 30, Sweet Indulgence. Sweet Indulgence is a similar shade to Latino, with a more obvious blue/lavender undertone. It also smells like vanilla!

Here's some swatches:


Natural Light: L, Latino; C, Sweet Indulgence; R, Blended

With Flash: L, Latino; C, Sweet Indulgence; R, Blended

And here's what it looks like on lips:



Applying the gloss on top of the lipstick gives the color an added boost, and it also makes it more moisturizing. The flash made the colors kind of loose some 'oomph' on my lips - trust me that it looks far nicer in natural light!

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?

I was trying to think of a new post that nobody really does, and this is the first thing that came to my mind. A lot of people post what they carry in their regular kit, professional kit, and purse - but nobody really does their travel kit. So, that's what todays post is about!

The kit (brush roll + bag):

My brush roll is miniature; my mom got it for me for Christmas from Sephora; it's by Bare Escentuals and comes with four mini brushes (powder, blush, eye shadow, liner):

I love that the brush roll is lined with pink fabric and that the tips of the brushes are pink - the bright color makes me happy!

My travel makeup bag is actually a Clinique 'gift with purchase' bag that I got the other day, which contained minis and sample products. I took most of those out (left in a mascara) and replaced it with the contents of my rather run-down and old makeup bag.

Here is what is in my travel makeup bag:


- NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo in Sin & Casino - Full Size
- NARS Essential Eye Palette 9952 (Unconditional Love, Night Star, Galapagos, Nepal, Ondine, Thunderball) - Full Size
- NARS Bronzer in Laguna - Mini (.08 oz/2.5 g, same size as their single eye shadows)
- NARS Makeup Primer with SPF 20 - Full Size
- NARS Multiple in Orgasm - Mini (.14 oz/4g)
- NARS Illuminator in Orgasm - Mini (.29 oz/8 mL)
- The Body Shop Blush Dot in #4 - Full Size
- Clinique High Impact Mascara in 01 Black - Mini (.14 oz/4g)
- Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer - Mini (.02 fl. oz/.5 mL)
- Cover Girl NatureLuxe Foundation with SPF 10 in 305 Alabaster - Full Size
- Clinique Super Balm Moisturizing Lip Gloss in 01 Apricot - Mini (.24 fl. oz/.7 mL)
- Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips in Zena - Mini (12 mL)
- An Eyebrow Razor - Full Size
- Maybelline New York Gloss in Shade 130 (.8 fl. oz./2.4 mL) - Full Size
- DKNY Be Delicious Eau de Toilette (.05 fl. oz/1.5 mL) - Sample
- Marc Jacobs Lola Eau de Toilette (.05 fl. oz/1.5 mL) - Sample
- Tocca Colette Eau de Toilette (.05 fl. oz/1.5 mL) - Sample
- Lip Smacker Natural Lip Balm in Vanilla - Full Size
- Pantene Pro-V Mirror Compact (free with a bottle of shampoo!)

Here is a better look at what the Sin/Casino Duo looks like, as well as the 9925 Palette.

Sin is one of my favorite blushes, and Casino is an amazing dark bronzer, perfect for the summer or as an eye shadow!

This picture makes it look like I haven't used any of the shades, but I swear I have!

These products are both full size, but I don't mind carrying them because they both contain more than one product, which gives me lots of options while taking up less space than brining the individual items contained in the palettes.

Almost everything I carry in my travel makeup bag and in my toiletry bag (not pictured) is a miniature version of a full size product, or is a sample size. I try not to pack too many full-size items with me when I travel. The great thing is that a lot of cosmetic companies are recognizing this and they're starting to produce miniatures/travel sizes of their most popular products.

What does your travel makeup bag look like - or do you even have one? Do you just reduce the items in your normal kit to the bare necessities and take that with you?

I hope you are all having a good week - thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

Monthly Faves: April

May first already! Wow! I swear that just a week ago, we still had snow on the ground where I live (no joke! we did!). It's time for my monthly favorites. Again, this month's offering of products is small.

Lets get started!



Rimmel London Sexy Curves Mascara - I really like this mascara. It does a great job of defining my lashes and doesn't flake off as the day progresses. Could this be my new favorite mascara? We'll have to wait and see! Purchased at Wal-Mart

Maybelline New York Fit Me! Foundation in Shade 135 Creamy Natural - I really thought that I would take the lightest shade in this foundation, shade 110 Ivory. I bought a bottle of it (and the matching pressed powder) and wore it a few times without noticing anything peculiar. Recently, I applied it again and discovered I was really making my skin much paler than it naturally is. So, I ventured out to my local drugstore and bought the correct shade for my skin - which turned out to be the one I am featuring here. This foundation has a built in SPF and doesn't oxidize on me. While my skin doesn't stay matte through the whole day like it does with my Clinique Even Better Makeup, I am not a complete oil slick either. I like that this foundation does not irritate my skin and that it blends very well - putting it on takes no work at all. Purchased at PharmaPlus

Maybelline New York Fit Me! Pressed Powder in Shade 135 Creamy Natural - I dust a bit of this on with a Kabuki brush to set my foundation. It helps to prevent creasing and does a decent job of controlling oil. My beef is the compact it comes in - not a fan of this packaging. Purchased at PharmaPlus

MAC Eye Shadow Quad: Copperplate, Smut, Haux and Jest - These are some of my favorite MAC shadows, which I have been using in their quad combination, or in conjunction with other shadows. I find these shades very versatile and tend to use at least one of them every day. Copperplate makes and awesome brow filler and crease color, Jest is the best highlighter color I have, Haux is my favorite lid color, and Smut is probably my favorite MAC shadow ever. Purchased at MAC.ca

NYC Blushable Créme Stick in 647U South St. Seashell - I am still neglecting my powder blush in favor of cream formulas. NYC makes a great affordable cream blush that I've been using more and more lately. They remind me a lot of NARS Multiples. This particular shade is a warm tawny coral - a wonderful neutral shade that adds a hint of sunshine to my cheeks. Purchased at PharmaPlus

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original - I am really loving Urban Decay's new packaging for UDPP. It makes it so much easier to control how much you want to use and it's also much more sanitary. I use the teeny tiniest amount of this every day - this tube is going to be around for awhile! While it still isn't as good as the NARS Smudge Proof Eye Shadow Base, it comes a close second - and it's a few dollars cheaper. Purchased from Sephora.ca

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Powder in Translucent - This powder has been virtually ignored since I reviewed it. Lately though, it's been living in my makeup bag. I use this to add some shimmer to my face on days where I don't want to wear blush or bronzer - I also use it all over my lid before I apply shadow to add some shimmer. It's also great to use on my eyes when I just want my face to look fresh and I don't plan on wearing any other eye makeup aside from mascara. Purchased at PharmaPlus

I also have some 'randoms' I thought I would include. These are things that have also peaked my interest this month.

So I am a HUGE Gleek. I've been watching this a ton over the past month. My favorite character?



That's right, Santana Lopez. Her bitchy one-liners are awesome and I love her singing voice. I'm glad that the writers are giving her (and a lot of the other Glee club members) more story lines and songs this season. I also like Brittany and Artie, Mercedes, Kurt and Coach Beiste!

Another thing that I've been obsessed with is my Kobo e-Reader.



I just got it last week and I've been using it a ton. I am completely converted to e-reading now. It's like I was when I bought my first iPod - I've never bought a CD since! I doubt very much that I'll purchase a hardcopy book ever again...unless there are super special circumstances involved! My e-reader is 'pearlized lilac' - purple! and I have a nice black Roots leather case for it so that I can cart it around in my purse without damaging it.

I am itching to read everyone else's monthly favorites. It's great to see what everyone else is using month to month.

I hope you all have a lovely week! :)

HAUL: Random Haul

Yay! Time for another Haul post!

I picked up the lion’s share of these products over the last 4 days. I had two Sears orders arrive, went shopping in PharmaPlus, and got one (ONE!) item from Wal-Mart.

Here is a shot of the haul:



And here is the run-down of what I bought. There is quite a lot, so bear with me!

I will be reviewing everything I bought in due time. Some of the reviews will actually go up later this week.

I’ve decided to add a new feature to my Haul posts; I am going to state which store I bought each item from. This way, if you’re interested in picking up an item I’ve listed, you know where to go.

CARGO BeachBlush in Sunset Beach - This product was too pretty to pass up. It’s a product with a dual purpose; it is both a blusher and a bronzer. I think it could also be used as eyeshadow. I know this will see a lot of use! Purchased from Sears.ca

CARGO Bronzer in Light - CARGO is a brand that has quite a reputation for their bronzers. They have several formulations available and a variety of shades to choose from. I have never used a CARGO bronzer before, so I am really excited to give this one a try. It is always nice to use products produced by a Canadian company! Purchased from Sears.ca

Maybelline Fit Me! Pressed Powder - I am very intrigued by Maybelline’s entire Fit Me! line; so I bought all of the products available, minus the bronzer (since I bought the CARGO bronzer). This is going to be one of the first tinted powders that I have used, so I hope it works well and does not make my skin look chalky. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Maybelline Fit Me! Blush in Light Mauve - When I saw the display of the Fit Me! blushes that are available for Light skin tones, this was the one that I thought was the prettiest. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Clinique Chubby Stick - Its a crayon for your lips! Fun! I bought a nice bright shade, Woppin’ Watermelon. Purchased from Sears.ca

Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lipstick - This is the latest of Cover Girls new lipstick formulations. It is the one that both Drew Barrymore and Taylor Swift are spokeswomen for; additionally, they both wear the same shade in the adverts - shade 290 Burn, which is also what I picked up! Burn is a shimmery orange-based red. It will look great with bronzed skin this summer! Purchased from PharmaPlus

Sally Hansen Nail Effects Real Nail Polish Strips - I saw the print ad for this product in last month’s In Style magazine, and new right away that I wanted to try this out. I was very excited to see them when I was out shopping on Saturday. I picked up the design number 340 Girl Flower, that has lots of hippie flowers on it. I wanted the pink camouflage print or the white and black houndstooth, but they were out of those ones! Purchased from Wal-Mart

Maybelline Fit Me! Foundation - All hail drugstore foundation! There such a plethora of them to choose from, and now there is one more! I bought the Fit Me foundation shade 115 Ivory - the lightest shade available. I love to try out new drugstore foundations; it’s handy to have one or two in your supply. I am interested to see how my skin looks with this foundation on, and if there is any allergic reaction. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Clinique Even Better Makeup with SPF 15 - As you may recall, my favorite Clinique foundation has been discontinued. I decided to give a new formulation a try, and thought that the Even Better Makeup would be the best fit for my skin type. We’ll see how this goes! Purchased from Sears.ca

Clinique All About Eyes Concealer - I LOVE this under eye concealer. It works wonders to cover dark circles and hide blue veins. I use the tiniest amount of this product and mix it with Benefit High Beam to add some luminosity; I then apply it to my under eye area with a concealer brush and blend it out with my ring-finger. This is my second tube of All About Eyes. Purchased from Sears.ca

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer - As you can see in the paragraph above this one, I love All About Eyes, so I don’t know if this Fit Me! Concealer will be able to live up to it. I’ll still give it an honest try, though. I bought this concealer in shade 15 Fair. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Rexall Foot Brush - I didn’t buy this so much for looking after my feet, but more for scrubbing my fingers and under my nails. The brush will work great at removing excess nail polish that I may get on my cuticles, and will certainly help me get paint out from underneath my nails. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Rexall Bath Eye Gel Mask - I bought this simply for the fact that I have always wanted one, but could never find one that was at a reasonable price point. This one was cheap, so I snapped it up! Purchased from PharmaPlus

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls - This powder is so pretty in the pan, and very pretty when applied! I bought the shade Translucent. When you apply this powder, you end up with a very nice light shimmer on your skin. I am looking forward to using it! Purchased from PharmaPlus

I also bought a few other items that I am setting aside as prizes for a contest I am working on. It will be my first contest, so I’m getting excited about it! I don’t expect to be ready for another couple of weeks yet, so hold tight for more details!

Monthly Faves: August

Since we are now two days into September, I thought it would be a great time to talk to you about my favorite products for the month of August. Keep in mind that I didn't necessarily purchase these products in the month of August (although some of them were!); really, these are products that seemed to be my most-used, favorite things in August.

So, let's get started! This month's roundup of products covers makeup and skin, and one 'random' product.



Bath Therapy by Fragrance Works 3-in-1 Body Wash, Bubble Bath and Shampoo, in Sweet Vanilla - This is probably the most yummy smelling vanilla-scented product ever. It's amazing. It is a very moisturizing, super frothy 3-in-1 product, akin to the Philosophy 3-in-1s. This product is affordable, and you can find it at Wal-Mart and most drugstores. The other great thing about this product is that it comes in a giant 1 Litre (34 Fl. Oz.) bottle. I love this product; when you're feeling down and need some comforting, this vanilla scent will lift your spirits and help you relax and unwind.

Rexall Nasal Strips - This is from PharmaPlus, and it's their version of the 'Breath-Rite Nasal Strip'. I got a cold at the beginning of the month, and these things were awesome at helping me be able to breath. They're not terribly attractive to wear (even when you buy the clear ones like I did) and the glue on them is a pain to wash off of your nose in the morning, but they do exactly what they are suppose to. The next time I get sick, I will be buying another box of these puppies.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil (4, in trial sizes: Zero - black, 1999 - purple, Flipside -teal, Mildew - green) - These were part of an Urban Decay Beauty Insider 500-point exclusive set that I got awhile back with a Sephora order. I had resisted trying them out until recently. They're great eyeliner pencils! They are formulated to be very creamy, so they are easy to use to create a 'barely there' line, or you can make a very defined, dark line. Plus, they are easy to smudge - but don't move into your crease after an hour like some of the drugstore formulas. My favorite so far is 1999 - I love the plumy purple color!

Bodycology Vanilla Cupcake Body Mist - I've been wearing this as perfume lately. Over the summer months, I tend to wear body sprays instead of perfumes. Perfumes have a knack for creating really strong 'clouds' of scent when it's humid - where body sprays are lighter and more nose-friendly when it gets to be humid. I really like this spray, because it's a fun candy-scent - but it's not going to make you smell like a 4-year-old who just toddled out of the ice-cream parlor covered in their ice-cream.

Neutrogena Ageless Essentials Continuous Hydration Night Cream - I have been on the hunt for a great night cream for awhile now. I really wanted something that had thick formulation that wouldn't be greasy or oily on my skin. This moisturizer does just that. The formulation is thick, so you don't need a lot to cover your face. Best of all, the formula seeps into your skin quickly, and doesn't leave a gross residue on your face. The scent is light and kind of reminds me of a baby powder scent with a dash of something else I can't quite put my finger on - but it's a nice smell!

Essie Nail Polish in Pink Glove Service - This is a very pretty color - it's a light baby pink that is meant to be semi-opaque. It's a very simple color that will look good on anyone. It's a color I turn to when I want to do my nails but don't know what color to put on. It's a work friendly shade, and it's impossible to wear too little or too much.

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in B400 Silver Plum - I told you I would buy more! I actually own seven of these lipsticks now (including the two I just reviewed). I LOVE these lipsticks. This shade is a standout for me, because it's very unique. This color is a mauve silver, with a very lilac purple undertone. It looks frightening in the tube, but it goes on very sheerly on your lips and creates a nice wash of color.

NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Sugarland - I have been lusting after this eyeshadow duo forever. I've always been attracted to the colors - but for whatever reason, I always put off buying it. Awhile back, I finally bit the bullet and ordered it. This is my favorite eyeshadow duo from NARS. Both shades are shimmery, bright and fun - but not too bright that they can't be used during the day for work-wear. The first shade is a lovely apricot color and the second is a pretty bright lilac purple with shimmer that is the same color as the apricot shade in the duo. I have blue-green eyes, so this duo also does a great job of making my eye-color pop. This duo is part of the NARS permanent line, but I have read elsewhere that it may be getting 'retired' shortly. Has anyone else heard this?

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Siberia - Not to long ago, I posted a blog entry about this foundation, and the struggle I had been having with it. I've been having a much better time using it, and it's been my go-to foundation this month. I do love the formulation, and I will definitely re-purchase. The awesome thing about this product is that you don't need much to cover your face - I only need to use a jelly-bean sized amount. So, unless this foundation goes bad (expires), I won't be needing to re-purchase for quite awhile yet.

NARS Makeup Primer with SPF 20 - I love this primer! I use it in tandem with my Sheer Glow, and it makes foundation application a dream. It's got a light, refreshing citrus scent, and you only need a pea-sized amount to cover your whole face. I put moisturizer on before using this (at least 15 minutes before applying the primer) and it doesn't make my skin greasy. I also don't break out, which is another bonus.

That wraps up my August favorites! I would love to know what your favorite products for the month of August were; please leave me a link to your blog or youtube channel and I'll check it out!

Review: Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick

Product Brand and Name, Price (CDN), Where Purchased

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick - A34 Born With It - $5.94 CDN @ PharmaPlus
Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick - G80 Sweet Ginger - $5.94 CDN @ PharmaPlus

Reason for Purchase

I love lip products! I had seen a video on YouTube by Hollyannaeree - her Updated Drugstore Favorites - Top 10 Drugstore Products Under $10 video, which you can watch here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0BYP8iNDcY

She mentioned that the lipsticks are very moisturizing, and have a watermelon scent - so I was sold!

The colors I picked up are Born With It - which is a coral pink with gold/orange shimmer; and, Sweet Ginger - which is a deep pink with golden shimmer.



Swatch Shot: Left: Sweet Ginger, Right: Born With It

Notable Features

SPF 15

Packaging

The lipsticks are in a red tube.

The products have no tamper barrier :(

Experience Using Product

These lipsticks are truly moisturizing. They do feel a bit greasy at first, but once you put them on you won’t need to put a gloss on on top or balm on underneath. You will have to re-apply if you eat or drink - they come off quite easily. They are very glossy.

When I put swatches of the colors on my hand, I found that I experienced a mild irritation - itchiness. Fortunately, I did not experience this irritation once the product was on my lips.

Would I Re-Purchase, Recommend, or Reject

I would re-purchase. I like the fact that I did not have to put a gloss on top to give the product extra ‘oompf’. The lipsticks do this all on their own. I would recommend this product to someone who is looking for a moisturizing lipstick. If you are looking for something that is more ‘long-wear’, these lipsticks don’t fit the bill. I do find this product Acceptable; the next time they are on sale, I plan on picking up a few different shades.

Want more information about this product? Check out the Maybelline website:
http://www.maybellinenewyork.ca/caeng/PRODUCTS/Lips/LIPSTICK/Moisture-Extreme.aspx

Review: Maybelline Shine Sensational Lip Gloss

Product Brand and Name, Price (CDN), Where Purchased

Maybelline Shine Sensational Lip Gloss

Shades Purchased:
Shade 40 - Berry Bella (a bright raspberry pink)
Shade 35 - Sparkling Grape (a purple-based magenta)
Shade 60 - Berry Dazzle (a glittery dark purple)

Purchased at: PharmaPlus, for $5.59 CDN

Reason for Purchase

I love lip gloss. There’s always an excuse to try a new one. I have seen these glosses at my local drug store, and at Wal-Mart for the past few weeks and the shades caught my interest.

Notable Features

They are scented; the scents match the food item that’s on the tube (i.e. the Sparkling Grape shade smells like grapes). The gloss is suppose to have high-shine.

Packaging

These glosses are small, .38 fluid-ounce tubes, with shiny silver-tone caps. The gloss applicator is built onto the tube - it is a hard plastic slant-tip applicator. These glosses do not come with any kind of barrier to product tampering; there is no clear plastic wrapped around the tube and caps so that the gloss can’t be opened, and the glosses are not packaged individually in cardboard.

The tubes are small enough to fit in your pocket.

Experience Using Product

I like these glosses. The smells are nice. I am not really a fan of the super glittery shades (Berry Dazzle has lots of glitter), but I really like the shimmery ones. The glittery shades also do not have very good color payoff. Two of the shades that I picked out are a bit bolder in color, and they provided a nice glossy tint of color.

These glosses are shiny. They’re also not very sticky - which is great. The gloss doesn’t moisturize very well, but that wasn’t what it was specifically created to do. The gloss doesn’t bleed.

Would I Re-Purchase, Recommend, or Reject

I really don’t like the fact that there is no product-tampering barrier. More and more companies are getting away from this, and I really don’t like it. I do not want to buy any kind of makeup item that someone else may have used before me. If a product I want doesn’t have a tamper barrier, I always check them to see if they’ve been used before I buy them. If I want something and can’t find one that hasn't already been used, I ask a clerk to get me one from supply in the back - and if they can’t do that, I leave the store.

I would re-purchase this gloss, if I end up with a favorite shade and used it a lot. A lot of the color range is ‘dupe-able’, so these glosses really aren’t unique in the drugstore cosmetics world. I would recommend the product to someone who wanted to try something new and wasn’t too picky about their gloss. I find this product Acceptable.