Rimmel "10" Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipstick Swatch + Review

In this installment of 13 Nights of Halloween, we have another lipstick review. Other than dark, vampy colors like MAC's "Darkside", a bright, blood-red color is one of the most popular lipstick shades to wear on Halloween. Why? Because whether you're going as Snow White or Cruella De Vil or Taylor Swift, you will need red lipstick to complete your look. Also, Halloween is the one night a year when you can go crazy and no one will judge you. So be bold! Also, I've been wearing this lipstick A TON lately and I really, really wanted to talk about it.

Rimmel London "10" Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipstick

Rimmel "10" Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipstick

 The Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss lipstick range is uber popular on the blog-o-sphere, especially with British beauty bloggers. Zoe from Zoella is a huge fan of a lot of the Rimmel lipsticks and I'm not gonna lie, after watching her most recent Fall Favorites video I knew that I had to try them. I had waited too long!

The first thing I noticed in the store was that the lipsticks don't have actual names. They're assigned numbers but that's about it. I picked up three shades "01", "10", and "12". Both "01" and "10" are bold red colors and even when doing swatches for my blog I had to be careful not to mix them up. It doesn't help that they look so similarly and their numbers are also quite similar. The second thing I noticed was the packaging. These lipsticks come in a sleek black packaging with the company logo embossed on the outside and Kate Moss's signature on the lid. I'm not a huge fan of Kate Moss but I think that the overall look is very appealing and fun.

 This range has a cult following in the states but I never really got around to trying it out until recently. And let me tell you, they're amazing!

Rimmel London "10" Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipstick Swatch

As you can tell from the swatch above, this lipstick is a bright, bold red color. It is a true cherry red. It's the kind of color that will look good on almost everybody. And lately, I feel like I'm obsessed with this shade. If I'm not wearing it to class then I'm wearing it alone in my room while I'm studying. It's a color that exudes confidence and I feel so powerful and strong when I wear it.
Maybe that's why almost all of the female Disney villains have red lips. It gives them that boost of confidence.

Here is what the color looks like applied to the lips. It's certainly a knockout shade. Once applied, it's has a very creamy and smooth consistency. However, I have noticed that when you first start application, the lipstick tugs a bit at the lips. It also has a generic, old lipstick sort of smell. Normally I hate, hate, hate the generic, old lipstick smell. But, somehow, Rimmel makes it work. Don't ask me how but it just does.

POSITIVES
-Great pigmentation
-Fantastic price
-Available at all major drugstores
-Sleek, edgy packaging

NEGATIVES
-Small color range
-Transfers easily
-Is only assigned a number, not a name
-Application can tug at the lips

In conclusion, I am starting to believe that all of the hype surrounding the Rimmel London Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipsticks is well deserved. It's a fantastic product, for a fantastic price. In comparison to the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks, these are more pigmented but Maybelline has a far superior range. The CoverGirl lipsticks have a grainier formulation and a lot of their shades have chunky, monkey glitter--not the sort of look I'm going for. This range is filled with fantastic basic lipsticks that will be in your collection for years. They are amazing.

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Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in "Steel Grey"

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in "Steel Grey"

Today's installment is a bit of a loose interpretation of this month's post's Halloween theme but I hope you don't mind. Today I'm going to be talking about this grey polish from Rimmel, aptly called "Grey Steel". It's a color that would look lovely year round but as I was looking through my nail polish for "spooky" polishes, I saw this one and thought "Aha." "Steel Grey" is a beautiful cream purple grey color that was a product of the greige beauty craze that hit the market a few years ago. It's one of my roommate's favorite colors--she's used up an entire bottle--and I quickly became a fan too. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in "Steel Grey"

The more I looked at "Steel Grey" the more I realized its a fantastic option for Halloween. It's a little spooky but it doesn't scream "Trick or Treat!" If you're looking for a cool but subtle shade to wear with your Halloween costume--and you don't want to go with the obvious choice, black--I would recommend checking out "Steel Grey". It's extremely inexpensive and readily available at almost any drugstore. If you don't wear it ever again, you don't have to feel too guilty because you haven't wasted too much money, but this is one of those colors that the more you wear it, the more you like it. At least that's what I've discovered. 

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MAC "Dark Side" Lipstick Swatch + Review

It's day two of my 13 Nights of Halloween series and I thought to myself this morning, what better beauty product to talk about than a lipstick called "Dark Side"? It was a match made in Halloween beauty heaven. This summer I jumped the gun a little early when I picked up this bold and very Fall lipstick back in July when I was visiting family in Hawaii. Yeah...I guess I was just really, really excited about Fall. 

MAC "Dark Side" Lipstick

 "Dark Side" is a super popular color both on and off the internet. Whenever I go to my MAC counter, the MAC girl always, always, always recommends this color. At first, I didn't even consider buying the color. It was SUPER intense and I didn't feel comfortable wearing something like that. But, as I've gotten more and more into makeup, I've become more and more adventurous.  And after watching countless beauty bloggers and YouTubers rock this color with confidence I began to wonder. Why not wear a super bold color? Who cares?

MAC "Dark Side" Lipstick

MAC "Dark Side" Lipstick Swatch

I will be the first to admit that the lipstick looks incredibly intimidating in the tube but it isn't quite so on the lips. It becomes a beautiful dark, purple-red color when applied. It is considered an Amplified Creme and has a super opaque but smooth formulation. On days when I don't want such an extreme look, I apply a light layer and it wears like a long lasting stain. "Dark Side" is a very popular shade but, as I've compared this lipstick to others in my collection, I've learned that it isn't very unique. I've compiled a list of a few drugstore dupes and, if you love this color but don't want to spend a lot of money, maybe wait and check out that post when I publish it in a few weeks. Maybe it'll be one of my posts for 13 Nights of Halloween? I don't know. Does it fit into the theme? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! I'd love to know what you think. 

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Beauty Haul: Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Makeup Brushes

Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Makeup Brush Haul

 Ah! Ahhhh! I got a very exciting package in the mail last week. You could probably already tell what I got from the title of this blog post but I'm so excited that I'm going to repeat it. I finally got some brushes from Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman! I've been tempted to purchase these for a while but I never got around to finally taking the plunge...until now. (I hope you read that last sentence in a deep and dramatic voice. Because, let's be real here, makeup brushes are a very serious matter.)

I finally settled with the Travel Essentials Set and the Starter Set. At first glance you can tell that I've used a few of the brushes (I couldn't stop myself) but I'm going to wait a while before I sit down and write a review. So, today's post is going to be a quick overview of the brushes that come in each set plus a lot of excited gibberish. 

Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Travel Essentials Set

 The Travel Essentials set comes with three brushes. From left to right: essential foundation brush, domed shadow brush, and multi-task brush. This set retails for $18. Along with the brushes you get a travel case that also doubles as a stand. I think that idea is wonderful but in the short time I've had the brushes, I've noticed that it takes a bit of work to put the brushes back in the case. So I wouldn't recommend it as the place to store them for everyday. 

Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Starter Set

The next set I got was the Starter Set and it comes with five brushes. From left to right: deluxe crease brush, base shadow brush, pixel point eyeliner brush, brow brush, and accent brush. This set also retails for $18 and comes with the travel case/stand. 

And...that's the end of my haul. I feel like I should keep writing but I don't have much else to say. However, I will end on this note. Pixiwoo was one of the first channels that I start watching when I first got into YouTube. Sam and Nic are so professional and talented and charismatic that it's hard to stop once you start watching. I even included the sisters on my first Top Beauty Gurus on YouTube List. They're fantastic. They really are. My only problem when I went to purchase my makeup brushes was trying to decide which ones to get. 

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OPI Pink of Hearts Duo + Breast Cancer Awareness Month Beauty Products

OPI Pink of Hearts Duo

It is already half way through the month of October and, unless you've been living under a rock, you probably know that it is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I know that you're probably sick and tired of hearing about how important it is to be proactive when it comes to breast cancer but I'm going to say it again--get your yearly mammograms and don't be afraid to check your boobies. It's important. 

This month Ulta (along with a lot of lovely companies) has jumped on the Breast Cancer Awareness train with both feet. I went in to do a bit of birthday shopping for my younger sister and the entire checkout counter was littered with wonderfully pink goodies. I only picked up this set from OPI but there were a ton of options to choose from.

"More Than a Glimmer" + "Pink-ing of You"

The set comes with breast cancer ribbon decals, rhinestones, and two polishes--one a matte, glitter called "More Than a Glimmer" and a cream polished called "Pink-ing of You". The second color isn't really that unique but I'm excited to see what the matte glitter looks like. And like all great Breast Cancer Awareness products, this one has the breast cancer ribbons plastered all over them. I think it's a fantastic addition but its a little bit of a bummer that its only a plastic wrapping around the cap. 

But, as you well know, this isn't the only product out there. It's time to support a great cause and I've compiled a list of my favorite products benefiting Breast Cancer Research this month. 

♥ Marc Jacobs Fragrance in Daisy Hot Pink Edition, $79

♥ Clarisonic Face Brush in BCA Pink, $159

♥ Tweezerman Breast Cancer Awareness Slant Tweezers, $22

♥ OPI Pink of Hearts Duo, $15.99

♥ Bobbi Brown Embossed French Pink Blush + Face Brush, $45

♥ Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II with Pink Ribbon Bracelet, $92

♥ Essie Nail polish in "Pink About It" or "Pink Works", $8

♥ Coach Mini Boyfriend Breast Cancer Awareness Watch, $228

♥ Origins Breast Cancer Awareness Drink Up Hydrating Lip Balm in Pink Guava, $17

♥ Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion , $38

 My mother is a survivor of breast cancer and so this disease really hits close to home. In the fight against breast cancer, early diagnosis is key! If you would like to get more information about self-examinations or where to find free mammogram resources, check out the Check Your Boobies website. It's a wonderful organization and they have so much helpful information. The Susan G. Komen website is also another wonderful resource. If we all donate a little, we can make a big difference. 

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ASOS Magazine Cover Girl: Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld is only sixteen years old, an Academy Award nominee, and on the cover of this month's ASOS Magazine. In the spread is is rocking this autumn's best trends and taking some stunning photos--sometimes with the assistance of an adorable dog. One of her latest films, Romeo and Juliet, is set to premiere on October 11, 2013 with Hailee Steinfeld playing the young and beautiful, Juliet Capulet and Douglas Booth as the romantic and impulsive, Romeo Montague. And on November 1, 2013, Hailee has another huge release with the sci-fi adventure film, Ender's Game. Continue scrolling to see the photos from the shoot as well as a few quotes from the interview. 

On going to fashion shows during week: "I'm like, 'Don't bring your phone out, don't bring your phone out...Ok, just one picture.' Then I'm turning round to my mum in the row behind me, like, 'Oh my god, did you see that?' Totally freaking out the entire time."

On compliments she gets from her performance in True Grit: "It's been three years since True Grit came out and yet people still seem to have so much faith in me. It's the most flattering thing, because people have only seen me in one film."

On her success: "I have moments where I'm like, 'Why me? This is unreal!' but I truly believe everything happens for a reason, so I just kind of go by that."

On her friendship with Jennifer Lawrence: "We totally hit if off doing the awards circuit. We saw each a lot that year [Hailee Steinfeld received critical acclaim for her role in True Grit the same year Jennifer Lawrence had her breakout role in Winter's Bone] and since the we'll see each other across the room, shout 'Hey dude!' and run up to each other--I love it when that happens."

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To read the full article and to see the rest of the amazing articles in this month's issue of ASOS Magazine, be sure to click here! And don't forget to see Romeo and Juliet on October 11th and Ender's Game on November 1st. 

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Photos and quotes courtesy of http://us.asos.com

First Impressions: Benefit "Primping with the Stars" Beauty Kit

Benefit Primping with the Stars Beauty Kit

This summer I made a bit of splurge. I went ahead and bought the Benefit Primping with the Stars Beauty Kit when I hit the Honolulu Sephora. Beauty confession time: I don't actually own any Benefit products. Shocking, I know! But I'm hoping that this kit will serve as an entry way drug into the wonderful world of Benefit goodies. 

Benefit Primping with the Stars Beauty Kit

Benefit Primping with the Stars Beauty Kit

The kit comes with six products. A mini tube of the Benefit They're Real! Mascara. A mini bottle of Benetint. A Benefit Some Kind of Gorgeous Concealer in Medium. A mini tube of Girl Meets Pearl  Highlighter. A mini tube of Porefessional Beauty Balm. And a mini Stay Don't Stray Primer. 

Benefit Primping with the Stars Beauty Kit

You also get a handy dandy guide on how to use all of the products. I haven't posted any reviews for any of these goodies but keep your eyes open for a few to be published in the upcoming weeks. There are a few gems but there were also a few products that I wasn't impressed with. 

The kit retails exclusively at Sephora for $32. Unfortunately, the kit only comes with a concealer in a medium shade. However, if you're interested in picking up a similar kit Benefit has a whole slew of kits available at Sephora. Personally, I have my eye on The Bronze of Champions Set next. These kits are a fantastic idea! Benefit products are so expensive that I always find it difficult to commit and purchase something that I might not like. These kits give me the best of both worlds. 

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Victoria's Secret Pink "In The Buff" Lipgloss Swatch + Review

VS PINK Lipgloss in "Buff It Up"

 I know its officially Fall, I know. But I can't seem to stop blogging about summer-esque products. Last week it was the gorgeous Sonia Kashuk blush in "Sunset", this week it's the fun and flirty lipgloss from Victoria's Secret Pink beauty line. And I know what a lot of you are thinking: Wait! What? Victoria's Secret Pink sells yoga pants and underwear, not beauty products. Well, I'm happy to be the bearer of great news but VS PINK has semi-recently introduced a line of lipglosses and nail polishes. So of course I had to pick up a few to review, right?

VS PINK Lipgloss in "Buff It UP"

 Let me start this review by saying that I LOVE the packaging. It is young and fresh and clean. I adore the white packaging. I think it was an excellent choice. And, as I recently discovered, I'm a total sucker for white packaging. 

 To be honest, I was extremely hesitant when I bought this product. I'm not a big lipgloss person and I didn't have high hopes that a lipgloss from Victoria's Secret PINK would change that. But, after trying this product out for the last four weeks or so, I have to say that I'm a big fan. It isn't sticky. It gives a lovely wash of when worn on its own or when worn over a lipstick. It smells fruity and sweet. I think that the smell might be a little strong for people who are sensitive to scents but I love it! 

VS PINK Lipgloss in "Buff It Up"

Victoria's Secret did not revolutionize the lipgloss applicator. It's a simple, traditional doe-foot applicator. Which I personally prefer to lipgloss brushes. 

VS PINK Lipgloss in "Buff It Up"

Here is the lip gloss swatched on the back of my hand. It isn't a really opaque lipgloss but that might only be because the shade I bought is a very light pink color. I'm excited to try a few more shades to see if this is true for darker shades as well. One thing that is true about all of the shades from this range--they all contain super, chunky-monkey glitter. You can kind of see it in the first photo but you can really see it in the photo above. It's also super noticeable in the tube but it becomes a little less so when applied to the lips. But, am I'm speaking as someone who normally HATES super glittery makeup, I kind of dig it. So...yeah. Glitter!

POSITIVES
-Sleek and youthful packaging
-Not sticky

NEGATIVES
-Price ($10)
-Can feel glitter chunks when lips are rubbed together
-Can only be found at VS PINK

In conclusion, VS PINK has converted me into a lip gloss lover. I don't wear it everyday but when I do, it's almost always this one. It's got a great formulation (non-sticky and smooth) and the color looks great over so many of my favorite lip products (I'm particularly loving wearing it with Benefit Bene-Tint and my Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Honey"). I'm going to be trying more shades in the future and if you are a lipgloss junkie, I highly recommend that you check out this range from VS PINK. 

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Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Fragrance Review

Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Fragrance

Wow! Smelling this scent brings me back to high school. People say that memory and scent are closely linked but it kind of scary how true that is. I can remember the exact day when we walked into the Victoria's Secret at our local mall and my sister bought this perfume. *Sniff* Ah, so many memories. It's crazy. 

Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Fragrance

Victoria's Secret has three scents in the Dream Angels line: Kiss, Blush, and the one I own, Heavenly. Heavenly is definitely the cleanest of the three. According to Victoria's Secret the notes in this scent are "white musk, sandalwood, vanilla, and white peony". I definitely smell the white musk and the vanilla. But oddly enough, these scents combined together smell a lot like soap. Which doesn't sound sexy or luxurious at all. Dream Angels Heavenly isn't one of those scents. It's something that's fresh and light and clean. 

Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Fragrance

I really, really didn't like it when my sister first bought it. But after all these years, it's got a special place in my heart. My sister doesn't wear it anymore but I like to spritz it on every know and again when I'm feeling nostalgic. 

So, that is my review for the Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Fragrance. I hope it was informative. I also hope that you enjoyed the pictures that I took with the orange flowers from my mom's garden. I wasn't sure how they would turn out but I think they look great. Hopefully, you do too. 

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Revlon "Not Just Nudes" Illuminance Creme Eye Shadow Quad Swatches + Review

Revlon Illuminance Cream Eye Shadow Quad in "Not Just Nudes"

 Another day, another review. I feel like all of my recent reviews have been products that were featured in my What's In My Travel Makeup Bag? post. Anyone else feel that way? But unfortunately (spoiler alert) this review does not end well. I wanted to like this eye shadow quad. I really did. But I just couldn't. 

Revlon Illuminance Cream Eye Shadow Quad in "Not Just Nudes"

 The Revlon Illuminance Cream Eye Shadow Quads are not a new release from Revlon. They've been out for a while but for some reason I was never drawn to them. Then, during my trip to Hawaii, Long's Drugs was having a sale on Revlon products and I was suddenly tempted to picked up a few of these palettes. I got one for everyday--"Not Just Nudes"--and one for a nice pop of color--"Wild Orchids". 

Revlon Illuminance Cream Eye Shadow Quad in "Not Just Nudes"

 The quad comes with a dark shimmery brown, a matte warm medium brown (sort of reminds me of Soft Brown eye shadow from MAC), a shimmery light champagne, and a matte cream. So, it's a nice balance of matte and shimmer colors. Smart move Revlon. 

Revlon Illuminance Cream Eye Shadow Quad in "Not Just Nudes"

Here are the colors swatched on the back of my hand. I was super impressed by the creaminess and blendibility of these shadows. Some of the shades (specifically the dark and medium brown) were a bit sheer when I first applied them but I found them to be very buildable. Applying these shadows was a piece of cake. However, it was later on in the day that I started to have problems. These colors crease like crazy. I tried wearing these shadows with a few primers (Benefit Stay Don't Stray and Urban Decay Primer Potion) but that didn't really seem to stop the problem. 

I found that these shadows don't ever truly set. So they stay creamy throughout the day and they shift and get smudged and crease. I have super oily eyelids and no matter what I did, I just couldn't get these shadows to last until lunchtime, much less all day. 

POSITIVES

-Creamy consistency

-Good pigmentation + blendibility

-Nice balance of shimmer and matte shadows

NEGATIVES

-Crease A LOT 

-Doesn't ever really set (stays creamy throughout the day)

The Revlon Illuminance Cream Eye Shadows have a lot of things going for it--they're creamy, they have good pigmenation, they're extreme easy to blend. But they are not going to last all day. They crease and they fade and they smudge. It's just a nightmare--especially if you have oily eye lids. 

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