May Beauty Army Box: A big let down

Hello Lovelies!

After this month I am unsure if I will be continuing my subscription with Beauty Army , because in the past couple of months I haven't had many good products to choose from and a lot of the products have been repeats of what I have already tried. Although there are some products that I do love to receive multiple samples of it is hasn't been worth the $12 a month. I will show the products I received this month but since I didn't receive the greatest selection I honestly won't have a lot to say.

Cotz Face is a mineral sunscreen for natural skin tones with an SPF of 40. The tube I received is absolutely tiny and only included enough for maybe five to ten applications if I am lucky. When I first squeezed the sunscreen out of the tube I was surprised to find it the same shade as my skin tone and I initially tested it on the top of my hand. At first it has an almost mousse like consistency and when blended it turns into a lovely matte finish. This sunscreen would be great for days where you want to skip a couple makeup steps because it also offers a little coverage. I may find myself having to purchase this for this summer. 

Once again Beauty Army is filling it's boxes with tiny samples such as this one, they are so small that it's near impossible to give a good review. The Wild Rose Cream is suppose to moisturize and brighten the skin for 24 hours, and it's meant for normal and dry skin types. When I first ripped open the package I noticed that it is heavily scented and kind of smells between something floral and my grandma, I also notice that the majority of the package is not in English. Although this product did make my skin feel quite smooth, I honestly  didn't have enough to really offer a good review. 

I was honestly curious about the skincare line from Own receiving this small sample has me feeling defeated. Although the statistics of the skin line seems to prove that there products are wonderful I have actually heard a lot of negative reviews recently, and they say it takes up to 8 weeks to see results and this sample definitely will not last that long. Once again I can't really say much about this product which bums me out because I want to be able to fully review everything I receive for everyone.

 Another product I can not get any use of is this gel polish from Nail Luv because I do not own a LED or UV lamp which is required and I do not plan to purchase one. Although gel manicures look fabulous I would rather not raise my chance of getting skin cancer in the long run. Using UV lamps frequently for nails has the same effects as using a tanning bed frequently. Although some people don't seem to notice that these beauty regimens are risky, I am the type to avoid things like this. Basically if you do decide to follow this trend please apply sunscreen to your hands before your nail appointment. 

Last but not least, these products are ones I have chose before and decided to choose again for lack of better choices. I absolutely love the scanda-lash mascara from Mark, it has become my ultimate favorite because it makes my lashes look fuller and longer in one quick application. Although I do like the Teen Tone Color Touch Eye, Cheek, and Lip Glow, I find myself rarely using it because I do not like cream blushes and I own so many better pink lip products, but it is a very good product for on-the-go or travel purposes because of it's multiple uses. 

Ulta Haul

Hello Lovelies!

I recently decided to order a couple items from Ulta and just had to share. 

As you can see from this picture there are a couple products I featured in my NYX Cosmetics Haul even though I purchased them from +ULTA Beauty.

To keep my hair a lovely shade of red I have to typically get it touched up every 4-6 weeks depending on how many washes I do and what products I use, because I have to dye so often I try products such as these to help keep my hair healthy. I absolutely love the quality of  the products from Macadamia Hair, but the products are quite expensive so I have been searching for other products that work well to protect, strengthen, and mend my hair. I have used the Hydrating Macadamia Oil twice in the past week and my hair already feels softer, looks shinier, and appears less frizzy.  I also tested the Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil once this week and I am loving the results so far. 

I love to purchase little kits such as this one made by Smashbox that includes some of the best products they offer. I love purchasing these mini's not only because it's cheaper and I get to try products I wouldn't normally buy in deluxe size, but they also work great for makeup bags and travel. I absolutely love the lid primer, it matches perfectly to my skin tone and it helps prolong wear of shadows. I also love the lip enhancing gloss, I like to put just a little bit on top of my nude lipstick. The only product I am not completely in love with is the limitless eye liner, I am not a fan, it's not pigmented enough for me and it doesn't apply smoothly. 

I absolutely love a good pair of fake lashes and both of these pairs are fabulous, and the lash glue included worked quite well. 

SAMPLES!!  I have not tested any of these products before these samples, and my favorite sample of the three was the Smashbox BB Cream. I typically like bareMinerals products but this face wash, moisturizer duo made my skin super greasy and I didn't find the scent pleasant at all. The Loreal BB Cream works decently, but it's not my favorite. 

NYX Cosmetics Haul and Swatches

Hello Lovelies!

So, it's finally spring! Every spring/summer I feel inspired to use more color in my makeup on a daily basis and I ultimately end up purchasing some new items to add to my collection, this time around I purchased some items from Nyx Cosmetics and I also had a little online Ulta shopping spree. (That will be my next post.) So, here we go with the new items........

So I absolutely am in love with my selection of lip products I chose, +NYX Cosmetics offers a wonderful selection of shades and since I already have tons of reds I wanted to add some pinks to my collection. I also was in need of a lovely red lip liner, and a reddish gloss. So far my favorites are the Jumbo Lip Pencil, and the two lipsticks I chose, they are the perfect spring/summer shade. 

 The Nyx Butter Glosses are a wonderful non-sticky, pleasantly scented gloss that moisturizes. Nyx only offers a small selection of shades, but the shades they do offer are spectacular. I love Cherry Pie for summer time, and it works great for on-the-go makeup.

I absolutely love Nyx Jumbo Pencils and so far this color is my ultimate favorite, probably my favorite pink of all time, and it provides a wonderful bold lip. These pencils are highly pigmented, long-lasting, moisturizing and I want one in every shade. 

Shiva is a blue-toned fuchsia that has a hint of shimmer. Just like all of the other lip products it works wonders, and is a beautiful shade. 

I was definitely in need of a good red lip liner considering red lips are part of my signature look, and this one is my new favorite.

 This was kind of an impulse buy mostly because I was simply curious, this is the shade called Romantic Love and it provides an extremely subtle shade of reddish pink. I like to grab this gloss when I am in a hurry and I want to have a little color on my lips but don't have much time for application. (It's non-sticky, and surprisingly long lasting.)

 Lately I have been more interested in trying different fake lashes even though I honestly have a hell of a time applying them, but they definitely can completely change/boost your look. So far I have wore these once and  was complimented numerous times, and the lash glue worked quite well.

 I have purchased NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in the shade of milk numerous times. I love to use it as a highlighter underneath my brow, on my waterline, and it also works well as a base for shadows. The eye pencils are long-lasting, highly pigmented, and it has multiple uses.

 I am addicted to these kind of eye liners, I have tested numerous ones and this one is pretty kick ass if you are looking for very fine lines.

 I love these pearl shadows, this shade is called White Pearl. These are highly pigmented, cheap, and a little goes a long way.

 I have been looking for a good cheaper foundation in the right shade and I think I have found it, this offers wonderful coverage, but doesn't appear cakey at all. I love to top this with a little powder for the perfect matte appearance.

I have also been searching for a good cheap primer that works well for taking photographs and so far I am not sure this makes much of a difference compared to other primers, but it does work well to even skin tone.

 I love Nyx Cosmetics! 

Coastal Scents Sweetheart Collection Review

Hello Lovelies!

 As you can see I recently received a lovely package from +Coastal Scents which included the Sweetheart Collection. I didn't plan on making any big purchases of makeup anytime soon, but I just couldn't pass all this up for just $34.95. Plus, my lovely daughter decided to attempt to eat my favorite eyeshadow palette so I needed to find a replacement. Now the only products I have used from Coastal Scents in the past were eyeshadow samples I received in my monthly subscriptions, so I decided I definitely had to post a thorough review of everything.

These little samples were extras and not included in the collection. I love that Coastal Scents provides such wonderful samples. I used the "Butterfly Garden" sample set to create the look pictured below, along with the brushes, blush too palette, and liquid eyeliner from the collection.

I fully believe you can never have enough good brushes so I was excited to test this little set, but they didn't really leave me wanting to purchase any more brushes from Coastal Scents. Personally I thought that all the brushes were a little too stiff and that they were cheaply made, as I was applying my makeup I had little hairs from the brush left all over my face. Sold separately for $1.95-2.95 each.

My first blush palette! I just recently really started to experiment with different shades of blush, and this palette has a great range of shades. Now, I am not a fan at all of the orange blush, but I bet there are women out there that can pull it off, I tend to lean to the lighter pinks on a regular basis. Sold separately for $19.95.

Yay for more eyeliner! This liquid eyeliner has a standard stiff applicator that makes it easy to get a good straight line and create a winged eyeliner look, and at first I absolutely adored it. The liner is highly pigmented and dries quickly, but I find it flaking off after a couple hours of wear. Sold Separately for $2.95.

I have never really been a fan of these gloss lip quads, mostly because they typically don't provide enough pigment for my liking, and because the gloss normally leaves my lips feeling waxy yet dry. This lip quad is pretty much just like the rest in my opinion, they do work well though for travel and on-the-go makeup. Sold separately for $6.95.

Now onto the biggest most important part of the collection that makes it worth it, the eyeshadow palette. This palette includes 88 jewel toned shadows, and inlcudes more natural shades than any of my other palettes. These shadows blend well and are highly pigmented, especially when paired with a good eyeshadow primer/base. I have been using the shades of blues/greens the most and have been loving this palette. Separately this palette is $24.95.

Overall I think the collection is a pretty good one, and separately everything adds up to about $65.

Walgreens Haul

Hello Lovelies!

About a week ago I had a little time to spare between when I got out of work and when I had to pick up the kids so I decided I would take a little trip to +Walgreens, I wasn't sure what I planned to purchase, but I just was in the mood to browse. Now, I don't often head to Walgreens considering I work at Walmart, but when I do I almost always find something I just have to have, and this was one of those days.

New Nail Addiction

So while browsing I happened to stumble across (almost literally) a display of nail polish by Sinful Colors and was amazed by the beautiful selection of shades they offered so I decided to pick up a few, at only $2 a polish they are DEFINITELY worth it. I was not sure what to expect, but I absolutely loved the colors and wanted to try it and I am glad I did. I purchased six different shades, and so far every one only takes one coat and dries quite quickly. Pictured above from left to right is Lush Life, Kissy, and Rise & Shine (Matte). After doing a little research about the company I also found out that they are made right here in the United States, which is always a plus in my opinion. Pictured Below from left to right is sweet nothing, sweet tooth, and sugar sugar. Another reason I absolutely adore Sinful Colors is because every polish from them has a wonderful name.

Where to Buy:

Walgreens

Walmart (not in all)

Target

Meijers

Rite Aid

On my way out of the beauty section of Walgreens I happened to spot this little beauty from Wet N Wild's Fergie Collection called Make Them Boys Go Loco.

Now, I have been curious about blending sponges since the release of the Beauty Blender, but I never seen the point of paying $20 for a sponge I wasn't sure I would like. So, when I came across this blending sponge by Studio 35 Beauty for only $6 I knew I had to try it. Now when opening the package the first thing I noticed was that it didn't include any instructions, so before I could even use the sponge I had to do a little research. I noticed some people use the sponge wet, and some use it dry, so I decided I had to test it both ways. The first time I applied foundation with the sponge dry and although I did get an even application I felt that the sponge was absorbing up too much of my foundation. The second time I tested it wet and it worked so much better, the sponge didn't absorb my foundation and the application looked smoother, and I didn't have to work at blending as hard as I do when using a brush. Now to get the sponge wet I ran warm water and just placed the sponge underneath until it filled with water, afterwards I squeezed as much of the water out as possible leaving the sponge only damp, you do not want the water to be able to drip out while applying your makeup. These sponges can be used for all sorts of makeup applications and they have the big rounded end for larger areas, and the small pointed ends for smaller areas. I have been using this sponge for a couple days now and I do like it much better than any previous applicator I have used.

I have heard many other drugstore hauls mention Revlon's Just Bitten Lipstain and Balm, but I have no clue what they seen in it, I purchased it in a pink shade called Desire and I wasn't that impressed. For starters the lip stain took quite a few applications before you could even see a hint of color, and it made my lips feel extremely dry (maybe that is why they include some lip balm). The lip balm is just a generic simple balm that didn't last long, but did give my lips a little shine.

I have been searching for some peel-off facial masks in a couple local stores so when I seen this I just had to grab it. I have tested a couple products from Freeman's before and liked them, so I wasn't hesitant at trying the brand, and I like the scent of cucumber. This mask is suppose to clarify and renew skin, and it leaves my skin feeling refreshed, soft, and clean.

 For the past about eight months I have been a rocking a lovely shade of natural red called Hot Tamale, and it takes A LOT of upkeep, so I bought this John Frieda Radiant Red Shampoo and Conditioner in hopes that it will help prolong my color. I have been using this for about a two weeks now and I have noticed that I have A LOT less washout of color, and my hair has more shine to it. This shampoo and conditioner also has a wonderful scent and leaves my hair softer, and less frizzy. They offer this shampoo for all hair colors and I would especially recommend it to women who have problems with washout.

Ulta Haul

Hello Lovelies!

 

On Friday night I got a little break from my regular schedule and got the chance to go get some dinner with my love at Buffalo Wild Wings. After our dinner I decided that I wanted to head to Ulta for the first time, I have shopped around online but before Friday I have never stepped foot in the actual store, which I like to call heaven. Now, I wasn't sure what to expect but if you have never been there and you have a fondness for hair and makeup you definitely need to make the trip. Before today I thought of Sephora as heaven, but Ulta has quickly became my favorite.

 

Before I get into sharing the items that I purchased from Ulta I must explain my hauls are going to be a bit different from a lot of beauty gurus. Now I follow a fair share of beauty gurus on Youtube and on here and a lot of them really go all out when they do hauls, and they spend quite a chunk of money, but I can't do that. Now, I am not going to give you some sob story of how difficult my life is because there is a lot of people in this world who don't even have what I do, but basically I am a young mother working to take care of my two children that has an immense passion for fashion and beauty. I am hoping some day I will be able to share my gift and passion with more people, but for now this blog, my Youtube channel, and my Polyvore account (it's almost like a dress up for adults)  is my way to do that.

 

Anyways, now onto the couple of products I decided I couldn't go without today.

 



I am a huge fan of a lot of products from Urban Decay and I have made many small purchases from them, and I have received samples, but I have always lusted after the Naked palettes, so today I finally brought myself to purchase one. Now it took me a little bit of wandering before I finally settled on getting Naked 2, I honestly want both, but I DEFINITELY can not afford that. I do love all of the different shades that both palettes offer, but I went for Naked 2 because of the shades called Blackout and Pistol.

I fell in love with Benefit Cosmetics  because of there amazing graphics and artwork and then I got the chance to try a couple products from them and that solidified my love for the company. Not only does Benefit offer wonderful makeup, but they have a spectacular like of skincare products for pretty much everyone. One of the first products I was able to test was the foamingly clean facial wash, and I have never came across a better face wash, so I decided I had to purchase a full size bottle of it. The Foamingly Clean Face Wash cleanses skin, removes makeup and impurities with a soft, gentle lather. I also love the Refined Finish Facial Polish, but I will leave purchasing that for another day.



Since I absolutely love cosmetics I have heard of  Too Faced many times, but because I am just recently starting to really expand my collection I have never purchased anything from them before. I know they are a good company and they have high quality products, but I decided to try this little sample set of five products. Included in this set is Lashgasm Mascara, Shadow Insurance, Glamour Gloss in Sheer Lilac, Lip Insurance, and Primed & Poreless. The Lashgasm works wonders at making your lashes look longer and it doesn't clump up, I wish it would make my lashes look a bit thicker though. I personally feel that an eye shadow primer is a necessary to create a sleek "flawless" look and I believe the Shadow Insurance works very well, my shadow lasted longer and I had no issues with creasing or smudging of my shadow or my eyeliner. I am not a huge fan of the shade of Glamour Gloss that was included in this set because I am so pale it didn't work well with my skin color, but the gloss lasted long, wasn't sticky, and had a pleasant minty sensation. Before I applied the lip gloss I used the Lip Insurance that was included in the set which helps create a smooth application that lasts longer and provides a good base for color. I feel the same about skin primer that I do about eye shadow primer, so of course I loved the Primer & Poreless which helps minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines. Overall this set is a good beginner set, sample set, or even a gift, that almost every makeup lover could easily enjoy.



 I mentioned in my last tutorial that I somehow managed to lose my last brush for teasing and shaping so I picked up this simple and cheap one here. I use it to help tease when creating either pompadours (poofs), victory rolls, and when I am lusting after a more voluminous look.



After we left Ulta we decided to stop at our local Walmart and wander around for a bit because I had a couple simple things to pickup, and since I work at Walmart I get a little discount. Typically, when I am just wandering aimlessly through the store I tend to thoroughly check out the makeup department and I always stumble upon something I must purchase. This little palette here is from Hard Candy, and it's the Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette in neutral shades. All of the shades are shimmery and so far I have loved it. Hard Candy is definitely a cheaper alternative that has some decent makeup, I use the Glamouflauge concealer almost on a daily basis.

 

 

 

A little look I created with my purchases.....  (Check out the Marvel t-shirt!!)