MAC "Woodwinked" Eye Shadow Swatch + Review

MAC "Woodwinked" Eye Shadow

It's time for another MAC eye shadow review! Surprisingly, I've found that these are really fun to write. When I first started getting into makeup, reading beauty blogs and watching videos from the beauty community on YouTube, I kept hearing about this MAC eyeshadow called "Woodwinked". Elle Fowler (aka All That Glitters) loved it. Lollipop26 loved it. Everyone and their mother loved this stuff. 

MAC "Woodwinked" Eye Shadow

Every time I went to MAC, I would always stop and swatch "Woodwinked". It was a lovely color, sure, but could I justify spending so much on an eye shadow? This was back in high school when the only time I got to buy MAC products was when I got my makeup done for a special occasion like Homecoming or Prom. Back then $15 was a lot of money for an eye shadow. Heck, even now it's a lot of money. But, in the end, I finally picked up this shadow when I got my makeup done for Prom. I still remember how excited I was to use it.   

MAC "Woodwinked" Eye Shadow

 "Woodwinked" is an interesting color. It looks brown and a little olive-y in the pan but swatched on the skin it becomes this beautiful copper-brown color. It's a lovely color but I've heard from a lot of people with very light skin tones that the color can look a bit orangish on their skin. However, "Woodwinked" is stunning with a tan. It is my go-to summer shadow.

"Woodwinked" is a luxurious eye shadow. It is so soft and easy to blend. I always forget how soft high end eye shadows feel in comparison to drugstore brands. In all honesty, even though I love using drugstore eye shadows, there is a noticeable difference between the two. If you have the money to splurge, I highly recommend this shade. But, be sure that you try it on to make sure it suits you.

Twitter I Facebook I YouTube I Book Blog I Pictures From Places

MAC "Purple Haze" Eye Shadow Swatch + Review

For today's post we're going to take a walk down memory lane. We're going to go back, way back, to when I was a little ninth grader and I was getting ready for my first big dance. I was nervous and excited and absolutely clueless when it came to makeup. As an early birthday present, my mom took me to the MAC counter to get my makeup done. She allowed me to all of the eye products the girl had used to create my makeup look plus two other eye shadows. She was being very generous. "Purple Haze" was one of those extra shadows that I picked up because the girl at the counter told me that purple eye shadow would make my brown eyes pop.

MAC "Purple Haze" Eye Shadow

To be honest, if I could go back in time I would've helped my mom save some money and I wouldn't have purchased this shadow. It's a nice color but it isn't something that I use a lot. [sidenote: I know that it looks like I've put a major dent in this eye shadow but that's only because I dropped it and a huge chunk fell out.] I know that I should throw this product out. It is super, super old. But, even though I don't really use it anymore, a part of me wants to hold onto it. It was one of my first MAC eye shadows. [sidenote: I know I sound crazy right now and feel free to tell me so in the comments.]

"Purple Haze" isn't a popular MAC eye shadow--and, for good reason. It's a dull, flat dark purple matte color. It's nothing special and doesn't have a smooth, easy to blend formulation. It goes on sheer and sort of looks like a foggy, dark purple. It takes a bit of patience and skill to create a makeup look with this color that doesn't look like it belongs on an episode of a TLC makeover show. The most common way I would wear "Purple Haze" was as a pop of under my bottom lash line. 

In conclusion, "Purple Haze" is a nice color but, unless you know that you will be wearing purple eye shadow enough to use up 1.5 grams of product, I would recommend buying a cheaper version from the drugstore. It isn't worth the price tag considering how much most people would use it. 

Twitter I Facebook I YouTube I Book Blog I Pictures From Places

Physicians Formula "Warm" Happy Booster Blush Swatch + Review

Physicians Formula "Warm" Happy Booster Blush

Don't we all need a little happiness boost in our lives? I know that I wouldn't turn one down if it was offered to me. Well, if you're like me than Physicians Formula is here with a product for you. This blush makes a lot of bold claims.According to the Physicians Formula website this blush is "infused with our Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin* and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been show to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress".

Physicians Formula "Warm" Happy Booster Blush

Well, I know what you're all wondering. Does this blush actually make you happier when you use it? Well, here's my short answer--no. I haven't noticed a difference between days when I wear this blush and days when I wear others. I, personally, believe this whole "happy booster" stuff is nothing more than a marketing scheme. The cute hearts and the subtle violet scent make me happy but it isn't something that will last throughout the day or anything like what Physicians Formula is trying to claim. 

Physicians Formula "Warm" Happy Booster Blush

Physicians Formula "Warm" Happy Booster Blush

The Happy Booster blushes come in these adorable bright pink compacts. On top there is the blush but underneath there is a small round mirror and a large, pink and red blush brush. The mirror comes in handy when I'm trying to fix my makeup on the go. It isn't very big but its very handy in a pinch. The brush, on the other hand, isn't quite so handy--no pun intended. It's way too large on my face and the pink and red bristles makes it hard for me to judge how much blush is actually on the brush. I cannot tell you have many times I've accidentally given myself clown cheeks using this brush. It is more hassle than anything else and highly recommend that you toss it as soon as you can. It is junk.

Physicians Formula "Warm" Happy Booster Blush

Here is the color swatched on the back of my hand. It is a warm pink, almost coral, color. I do own another Happy Booster blush in the shade "Natural" and I will admit that I prefer this one. It gives a nice, bright flush to the cheeks. In winter, it gives you that fresh I've-just-come-in-from-the-snow glow to your cheeks. It's really, really lovely. And it never seems to disappear. I've been using this color non-stop for weeks now and I can't really tell that I've used up much of the product. I'm impressed. There are two more colors in the line that I haven't tried and I think I might check them out sometime in the future.

However, this blush is a bit pricey for a drugstore. It retails for about $11.95, depending on where you make your purchase. If you do want to buy something from Physicians Formula I highly recommend that you wait until it goes on sale at CVS or Rite Aid or at your local drugstore. If you can get 40 or 30% off $11.95, it makes it more budget friendly. And drugstores are always having sales so you wouldn't have to wait too long. Have you tried any Physicians Formula products? What did you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Twitter I Facebook I YouTube I Book Blog I Pictures From Places

MAC "All That Glitters" Eye Shadow Swatch + Review

MAC "All That Glitters" Eye Shadow

 Last weekend I went home and spent sometime tidying up my room. Imagine my surprise and delight when I stumbled upon my MAC eyeshadow pallete tucked away in one of my drawers. Don't ask me how or why it was in that drawer, I have no idea, but I'm glad that I finally found it. I don't have a ton of shades--only about eight--and I'm always amazed, and slightly horrified, when I see other beauty gurus with four or five palletes filled to the brim with MAC eye shadows. I mean, that's hundreds of dollars on eye shadows. It blows my mind when I stop to think about it.
But enough about that, let's get on with the review!

MAC "All That Glitters" Eye Shadow

"All That Glitters" is famous on the internet, not only because it is a cult favorite amongst beauty gurus, but also because it is the namesake of one of the most popular YouTube beauty guru's channel, Elle Fowler. And I can see why Elle chose to name her channel after this shadow. On the MAC website,  this shade is described as a beige with gold pearl. It is a lovely all over the lid color for a natural, everyday look. It's also really great to blend with, if you're going for a shimmery smoldering look. It's probably tied for the MAC eye shadow that I get the most use out of--the other two are "Naked Lunch" and "Brule".

MAC "All That Glitters" Eyeshadow

After months of exclusively using drugstore eye shadows, I had forgotten how creamy and smooth MAC eye shadows feel on the skin. I don't have to struggle to get a nice, opaque swatch. I had almost forgotten what that feels like. However, despite the name, "All That Glitters" doesn't actually have any glitter. Way to be misleading MAC. Instead, it is classified as a veluxe pearl and has a nice, but subtle, shimmery finish. 

This shade is loved because it is extremely versatile and a great everyday color. It's one of the few MAC eye shadows that I know I would repurchase if I ran out--although I don't think that's going to be any time soon. It's a luxurious and beautiful shade. If you have the money to spend, I highly recommend giving it a look the next time make a purchase at MAC.

Twitter I Facebook I YouTube I Book Blog I Pictures From Places

Stila "Spectrum" Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner Swatch + Review

Today is a very special day. It's my first liquid eyeliner review and the first time I've ever reviewed a Stila product on the blog. For the longest time I stayed far, far away from liquid liner. I was never very good at applying liquid liner. It also came out uneven and splotchy. It was a mess. But recently I was playing around with the Stila Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in "Sepctrum" and the sparks were flying and you know how this tale goes. One thing led to another and pretty soon I was smitten.

The Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner comes in about eight shades but the one I own--"spectrum"--is a black with rainbow glitter. I hadn't heard anything about this product when I bought it but I was hoping that it would last longer than the few drugstore liquid liners I'd tried in the past. It retails for $22 at Sephora and Ulta. At first, I was disappointed with the product. I had a lot of unfair expectations (like I had hoped that my liquid liner application skills would increase exponentially if I paid a lot of money for a liner) and in my frustration this product got lost in my bathroom drawer.

After using it again this past month, I realized that while the Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Liner is, by no means a perfect product, I was being unnecessarily harsh. I have extremely oily lids and it takes a serious primer to make my eye makeup last all day. This stuff is good for five hours but any longer than that the product will begin to smudge and rub off. However, if you have dry eyelids, I don't think that that would be a problem. The applicator (while it didn't transform me into a liquid liner ninja over night) is a pleasure to work with. The handle is long but  is close enough to the applicator to give you maximum control. The end is a stiff (but slightly flexible) sponge that is easy to maneuver and create different eye liner looks. It is easily the best part of the product. I find brushes too difficult to control and pens don't give enough control. 

One of the things that is kind of annoying is that while the glitter is noticeable on the applicator and even when swatched on the back of the hand, it somehow doesn't translate very well when applied to the lids. Today, I used this product to do my makeup and my friend came to my dorm room as I was getting ready. She saw that my eye liner was supposed to have glitter in it but she commented that she couldn't see the glitter when applied. I hadn't really noticed before--but she was right. From five inches away, you can barely tell that there is a hint of glitter in the product. This is kind of annoying considering that this sparkle liner is more expensive than a basic black Stila liner.

POSTIVES
-Firm but felxible applicator
-Lasts well


NEGATIVES
-Price ($22)
-Once it dries, it can be rubbed off very easily
-Glitter is unnoticeable from a distance

In conclusion, I will probably not be repurchasing this product once I'm done with it. I really liked it but Maybelline's Stiletto Liquid Eye Liner is a very similar formulation with a very similar sponge applicator for a fraction of the price. Maybe in the future when I have a steady job and income, I might think of splurging on this product again but not any time soon.

Twitter I Facebook I YouTube I Book Blog I Pictures From Places

First Impressions: Rimmel Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipsticks

Rimmell Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipsticks

It's been a while since I've written any lip product reviews and I've got to say that I've genuinely missed doing so. Maybe its because I'm a total lipstick-a-holic but lip product reviews are my favorite. The Rimmell Lasting Finish By Kate Moss lipsticks recieve so much love on YouTube and the blog-o-sphere, so it's more than a little surprising that I've never bit the bullet and tried them--until now.

This isn't a detailed and comprehensive review--that will come after I've played around with them for a bit longer. I've only had them for a few days but I just had to talk about them. They're so good!

Rimmell Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipsticks

The first thing I noticed about these lipsticks was the packaging. It's so sleek and modern. Even though I'm not a Kate Moss fan, I still love that they added Kate's signature on the side. It's a nice detail that makes these lipsticks feel a bit more luxurious than their five dollar price tag.

Rimmell Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipsticks

Rimmell Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipsticks

During my trip to Target, I picked up three shades--01, 10, and 12. As far as I could tell, these lipsticks doesn't have any names (other than the numerical ones I've listed above) which can be a bit annoying and confusing. While I was doing swatches I kept taking pictures of 10 when I was supposed to be swatching 01. It doesn't help that they're both red shades. As you can see from the pictures above, that its an easy mistake to make.

Rimmell Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipsticks

Here are the three colors I bought swatched side by side. 01 and 10 are very similar but 01 is a slightly darker red while 10 is a true cherry red. 12 is a lovely bright coral color. They all easily apply to the lips but I've noticed they stain the skin--a lot. If you smudge your lipstick onto her face or your hands, you need makeup remover to get it off. Also, its a nightmare to eat with. It'll get all over your food and your straw--basically anything that comes near your mouth--and the mess is a bit difficult to clean. However, the opacity is amazing and the colors (while there aren't many of them) are great classic shades that would look fantastic in almost any girl's collection. I have noticed a few flaws in the Rimmel Lasing Finish By Kate Moss lipsticks but overall I'm impressed. I plan to purchase a few more shades from the line and I'll be back in a few weeks with a more comprehensive review!

Twitter I Facebook I YouTube I Book Blog I Pictures From Places