Chubby Sticks + a Tag!

For those of you who adore Clinique's Chubby Sticks, check out the new shades available!

Image from Clinique.

I currently own Mega Melon, Woppin' Watermelon, Super Strawberry, & Whole Lotta Honey (from a Holiday set).  If you're not a fan of lipsticks, but love moisturizing lip balm with hint of color (MLBB), these are for you! Going to do a full review on these rather soon.  The new shades look lovely, especially Oversize Orange and Two Ton Tomato!  Individually, these are $16 each, which is pretty pricey in my opinion.


Which is why I'm so excited about a new drugstore option: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain! Haven't tried these yet, since I have yet to see them in stores or on Revlon's website. I believe these will retail approximately $6-9 each, which is a much friendly price! I'm waiting until these hit Ulta Beauty (which often has Revlon products "By one, get one 50% off"). Hopefully these measure up to high-end versions.

Image from Musings of a Muse.

Now for a tag!

"Getting to Know Me" Tag. As always, feel free to do the tag, if you wish!

Eleven things about me...

1-My favorite color is green, but lately I've been loving coral!

2-I love learning about diseases and just about anything medical and/or healthcare related.

3-I've been getting back into running, and it feels great!

4-I love to write, though I usually do my best work at the last minute. It's so bad to procrastinate, but with writing, it works out well.

5-I like to do beauty-related things myself. I've never dyed my hair, gotten a manicure/pedicure, or gotten my eyebrows waxed. You name it, I haven't done it (professionally). I like to figure out how to do it myself, since it saves major $$.

6-I adore animals, but still have never owned a cat or a dog. :(

7-I love the simple things in life. It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing, as long as you're with family and friends.

8-I dislike blatant stupidity and mean people (especially those who are mean for no good reason!).

9-I love to do eye make-up the most! It's always fun to try out a new look, whether it be on me or a friend. 

10-I'm still music obsessed, with a growing library of over 45 gigs.

11-I believe it's always best to be yourself, no matter what.

Eleven Questions 

1. Who is your favorite youtuber/blogger?? 

These are my top two for each:

youtube- emilynoel83 and DiamondsAndHeels14

bloggers-Musings of a Muse and Temptalia

2. Do you have any siblings, if so, how many?

I have one little brother (well, he’s not so “little” anymore, but he’ll always be my little brother no matter how old he gets!)

3. iPhone, Blackberry, Android or other?

iPhone, definitely. I love Apple products!

4.What is your favourite current TV series?

It always changes, but my current favorite are Once Upon a Time, Grim, Revenge, Grey's Anatomy, & Hart of Dixie. Favorite comedies are Big Bang Theory (of course!), New Girl, and Two Broke Girls.

5. What is your favorite song?

I have so many! Here's my top 10 current favorites (in no particular order):

• "Called Out in the Dark"-Snow Patrol
• "Summer Breeze"-Jason Mraz (I also love the original by Seals & Crofts)
• "One Engine"-The Decemberists
• "Kingdom Come"-The Civil Wars
• "Rue's Lullaby"-Taliesin Orchestra & Jessie Daniels
• "My Heart With You"-The Rescues
• "Lay Me Down"-The Dirty Heads feat. Rome of Sublime
• "What the Water Gave Me"-Florence + The Machine
• "The Game"-Disturbed
• "TRON Legacy (End Titles)-Daft Punk

6. Are you subscribed to any beauty boxes?

Nope. I haven't been all that impressed with Birchbox.

7. Do you have any tattoo's or piercings?

I have two piercings in each ear. No tattoos. 

8. What is your favourite thing to blog about?

Beauty products, of course. And music. 

9.What is your all time favourite movie?

Star Wars (especially IV, V, and VI), Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and many, many other random movies, like Tombstone. The new Avengers movie was awesome; you should go see it right now!

10. What colour would you dye your hair if it could stay that colour forever?

I don't plan on dying my hair until I need to. So I guess I'd want it to stay the way it is? If not, I think it would be cool to have light brown hair.

11. What is your guilty pleasure?

Dessert, wine, and eyeshadow. At the same time. haha jk!


I just got back into town, but I have plenty of reviews and a birthday haul planned. Hope you all have a great day!

Vintage Sister Lip Balm New Spring Collection

I'm not sure if too many people are familiar with Vintage Sister, but it's an online business that sells unique flavors of lip balm in adorable, vintage tins.  Each lip balm is reasonably priced at $3.95.  Shipping is international, and there is no animal testing. Check out the interesting "flavors" from Vintage Sister's New Spring Collection!

Daisy Cake. Image from Vintage Sister.

Lemon Cheesecake. Image from Vintage Sister.

Mango Peach Fusion. Image from Vintage Sister.

Sangria. Image from Vintage Sister.

Strawberry Daiquiri. Image from Vintage Sister.

These sound delicious (in a good lip balmy way)!

Just so you know, I'm currently out of town, so posts will most likely be suspended until Monday. I have plenty more reviews planned, so stay tuned! Also, will have a haul coming up with products received for my birthday! Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Cherry Culture Sale on NYX Cosmetics

Photo Credit: Cherry Culture

NYX is one of my favorite cosmetic companies!  Prices are extremely affordable, and all products are cruelty free.  The only bad part is that the products can be hard to find if one doesn't know where to go.  For store locations, the most reliable place to find NYX is Ulta Beauty. To purchase online, you can go directly to NYX's website.  I however, recommend Cherry Culture for online purchases.

Cherry Culture is a budget-friendly beauty site that hosts many hard to find brands.  The best part is NYX cosmetics are almost always on sale! The current sale is 40% off NYX Cosmetics until May 6th.  Use the coupon code "NYX40" when you make your order.  Shipping is very cheap (usually under $5), and usually nonexistent if you meet the minimum requirements (Purchases over $40 have free shipping). 

I have personally ordered from Cherry Culture, and the products arrived within 4 days (with standard ground shipping) and in perfect condition. No products were missing or damaged.

Nyx products I currently recommend are:

• Nyx eyeshadow, whether it be their singles, trios, or palettes. Very good quality comparable to higher end brands, such as MAC.  Their singles retail $5.50 (without any discounts) for 2.4 g compared to MAC's $15 for 1.3 g.  With Nyx, you get almost twice the amount of product for a third of the price, and that's without any discounts!
• Nyx Slide on Pencils
• Nyx Megashine Lip Gloss
• Nyx Round Lipstick

I will be reviewing many of their products in the future.

Bargain Alert! E.L.F. Super Glossy Lip Shine Review

Are you looking for a great quality lip gloss? How about one for $1? Then E.L.F. Super Glossy Lip Shines are right up your alley! In fact, I was incredibly impressed with these, regardless of the price.

Watermelon. Image from E.L.F.

Goddess. Image from E.L.F.

I wanted to start off by using images of the shades I own, Watermelon and Goddess, to show you how website images can often be deceiving. These look VERY similar in person:

Watermelon on top, Goddess on bottom

Company Claims:

• "Super Glossy formula leaves your lips with a healthy glossy glow."
• "Delicious flavor and sweet scent"
• "Perfect on-the-go tube that is mess-proof for easy application."

Pros:

• Is very glossy and smooth! Claim accomplished!
• E.L.F. says the scent is grape vanilla. It just smells like grape to me. It smells okay to me, but might be too sickly-sweet for some people. Claim mostly accomplished.
• I guess it tastes okay...I don't really like to eat lip gloss....Claim accomplished (I think).
• Tube isn't messy and works fine. Good quality, especially for the price. Claim accomplished!
• These have a surprisingly nice pigmentation! Good job, E.L.F. 
• Fairly long-lasting, for a lip gloss, that is.
• So cheap! $. Works as well as pricier lip glosses.

Cons

• It's a sticky formula (helps it last). But for those of you who don't like sticky lip glosses, you might not like these.
• Some may not like the grape scent.

Watermelon left, Goddess right

Watermelon top, Goddess bottom

Shades I Own:

• Watermelon: Peachy, coral shade with a bit of shimmer. This one is more pigmented.

Watermelon

• Goddess: Golden, pearly, nude pink with a bit of metallic gold shimmer.

Goddess

Beauty Breakdown:

• Brand: E.L.F. (Eyes, Lips, Face)
• Product: Lip Gloss
• Shades: Watermelon and Goddess
• Price: $1
• Where to get: Target or E.L.F.'s Website. If you buy online, E.L.F. always has major deals and coupon codes, so ONLY buy on discount. Why not get the products even cheaper?
• Package Quality (out of 5 stars): ***** 
• Overall Rating (out of 5 stars): ***** (I don't think lip gloss has to be expensive to be high quality. In fact, I usually prefer drugstore lip glosses in general.)
• Recommend: Yes.
• Repurchase: Yes, I would repurchase Watermelon simply because it is more pigmented and looks too similar to Goddess to justify purchasing both.
• Side Note: E.L.F. is a cruelty-free company! E.L.F. does not test on animals or use animal-derived ingredients. See their FAQ's, if you have more questions.
• Grade: B+

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

15 Questions Tag

To start this post off, I wanted to show you all some images of Yosemite National Park.  Specifically, this is Nevada falls. My family and I hiked to Vernal and Nevada falls last weekend, and the sites are simply breath-taking! 

Liberty Cap on upper left, Nevada Falls on right. Photo credit: Michele Schwab

Nevada Falls plus rainbow! Photo Credit: Michele Schwab

15 Questions Tag.  I kept seeing this tag on beauty blogs and wanted to give it a go! As always, feel free to do it yourself!

1) Favorite drugstore mascara?

I love Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof Mascara in Very Black (in the orange tube). It’s a big tube with a ton of product. And I absolutely love the length and volume it gives (without the clumpy-ness). Review to come soon!

2) Favorite MAC product?

Probably MAC eye shadow. My current favorites are All That Glitters and Lucky Green. Both are Veluxe Pearls.

3) One product that you can't live without?

If I had to pick one….this is really hard btw….it has to be either my face wash or moisturizer. My favorites that I use everyday is Biore Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser and Olay Complete All Day UV moisture cream for sensitive skin.

4) Worst product you ever purchased?

It’s probably not the worst ever, but the one that comes to mind is Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Very Black.

5) One product that you have splurged on?

Bareminerals Multi-Tasking SPF 20 Concealer in bisque. I had a small sample of this that I used for FOREVER, so I finally purchased this.

6) The worst product that you spent a lot of money on?

I tend to research any expensive product before I take the plunge, so I’m rarely disappointed. A long time ago I bought a Clinique blush I wasn’t too happy with. It's a good blush, but the shade just wasn't my favorite.

7) Your favorite lipgloss?

I don’t tend to be the biggest lip gloss addict. That said, I still haven’t found an absolute favorite. I do have many I enjoy, though!

8) Number one skincare line?

I tend to like single products from different lines. Neutrogena (from my experience) usually makes good skincare products. I love Neutrogena's make-up removing wipes, especially. I love Biore and Neutrogena cleansers (not all, but many of them). Oil of Olay makes great moisturizers! Also, I love Queen Helene's Mint Julep Mask (this green stuff is truly amazing!).

9) The one thing that you wish you didn't have to buy?

Concealer. Would be great if my skin didn’t ever need it! Also, it's so hard to find a good one.

10) Rush through your makeup or cherish every moment?

Depends on the day. Happy medium is always best, unless you are in a rush!

11) Favorite part of putting on your makeup?

Eye make-up, especially eye shadow! I love coming up with new looks.

12) Sephora or makeup counters?

Probably Sephora. I’ve moved away from make-up counters since discovering Sephora and Ulta. Especially since they now exist in my hometown (when I first started using cosmetics, the choices were a LOT more limited). Sephora/Ulta has a wide variety of products, and you are less likely to get a biased opinion from a salesperson. At a counter, the salesperson seems to love absolutely everything that one company sells, but at Sephora/Ulta the salesperson is more honest about telling you what doesn’t work and recommending a better product.

13) Do you buy products that have been tested on animals?

I try to stay away from it but unfortunately, so many companies still perform animal testing. It’s hard to avoid, especially when a company doesn’t tend to give its consumers full disclosure.

14) Lipgloss or lipstick?

Completely depends on the individual product.  As a whole, I’d have to go with lipstick, but ONLY moisturizing ones. Especially those in a chubby stick or jumbo pencil type format.

15) When did you start wearing makeup?

When I was 12 years old (most lip gloss and a dab of concealer), but more so when I was 13 and 14.

Hope everyone is having a great day! :)  

Maybelline Color Tattoo Review

Hello, everyone! Today, I'm going to review a couple of the Maybelline Color Tattoos in Bad to the Bronze and Bold Gold.  I hesitated on picking these up at first because the appeal of an eye "tattoo" didn't draw me in. I assumed it meant "long wearing," but I just wasn't a fan of the look of the ads:

Model is wearing Tenacious Teal. From Maybelline's Site

The color of "Tenacious Teal" is bright, bold, and gorgeous, but I'm just not partial to a harsh crease with bold colors (I prefer a more blended look). This made me think these that the color tattoos might not blend well.

Maybelline's Claims

• "Long-lasting, 24-hour wear"
• "Ink technology creates super-saturated color"
• "Cream gel smoothes on for vibrant color that does not fade"

My hesitation with cream eyeshadows has a lot to do with the fact that a lot of cream eyeshadows out there really are NOT great. So many crease so fast, especially with oily lids.

These surprised me since they are AWESOME!

I've heard these are a lot like MAC's paint pots. While I have not tried these out, I've heard paint pots have smooth texture, are long-lasting, crease-resistant, and make a great eyeshadow base.

MAC Paint Pots. From MAC's site.

Maybelline's color tattoos are very similar, but in bolder colors (MAC's paint pots in the permanent line seem to only be in natural, mostly skin-toned neutral shades). 

Pros:

• Very smooth! Easy to blend in. I just use my finger. Claim accomplished!
• The color is quite pigmented! However, I believe the color saturation varies by color. Claim almost accomplished.
• These are VERY long-lasting, but not quite 24 hrs. I really wish companies would stop putting an exact number on the wear time of these type of products, especially since it's almost always grossly exaggerated! The wear time, however, is worth the hype. Claim ALMOST accomplished.
• By itself: No creasing at 8 hours. Color still strong. Started to fade and [almost] crease by hour 16, but keep in mind I was in a warm, environment and sweating quite a bit. 16 hours for a cream eyeshadow is still pretty darn amazing!
• With eye primer (I used Urban Decay Primer Potion in original): Didn't notice much improvement with staying power. I think it made the shadow last longer overall, but I rather not waste primer on a product that does just fine on it's own.
• As a base w/ shadow on top: Staying power was also excellent by hour 12.  I wore Bold Gold in heat & humidity all the way through hour 16 with no creasing and minimal fading!  My favorite way to wear the color "tattoo" is all over the lid, with a matte color in the crease. Staying power is improved with shadow on top, but I don't find it necessary to wear all over the lid.
• Price: About $6 to $8 dollars, depending on where you go. I'd go to Ulta or a drugstore, where you can get do a "buy one, get one 50% off" deal. Ulta tends to have deals on Maybelline products rather frequently.  About $6-$8 is great for 4 g of product (versus $17.50 for 5g of a MAC paint pot).

Cons:

• Color range has plenty of bold colors, but not enough neutrals. (Hint, hint! Maybelline, you should make more neutrals!)
• Pigmentation varies. For example, Bad to the Bronze is more pigmented than Bold Gold.  Also, I've heard that "Painted Purple" (bright grape purple) has poor pigmentation/texture than the rest of the color tattoos.
• Texture varies. From what I've heard "Tough as Taupe" (matte taupe) is harder to work with. 
• These don't work well together. For example, it's hard to use one shade on the lid and another on the crease. Your best bet is to use one as an all-over lid color and use a powder eyeshadow as a crease color.

Now for pictures and reviews of the individual colors I've purchased:

Bold Gold on left, Bad to the Bronze on the right

Bad to the Bronze

Bad to the Bronze is a gorgeous, bronzy, taupey (this isn't a real word, but it's very taupe, so you get the point!) metallic brown.  The color is absolutely amazing. One or two swipes across your lid and you're good to go for the day!  It has a great shimmer, is very opaque, and works well all over the lid. It's a great neutral for every day and I highly recommend Bad to the Bronze the most, especially if you're in the market to purchase only one.

Bold Gold

Bold Gold is a shimmery, metallic, brassy true gold.  Like Bad to the Bronze, it also has a great texture, wearability, color, and works great as an all-over lid color. I'd also like to try this as an eyeliner, but haven't yet. The color isn't as opaque, however, but can be built up with more layers. 

Bad to the Bronze on top (2 swipes of my finger to make swatch), Bold Gold on bottom (4 swipes) .

Bad to the Bronze on right, Bold Gold on left

Beauty Breakdown:

• Brand: Maybelline
• Product: Long-wearing, crease-resistant creme eye shadow
• Shades: Bad to the Bronze and Bold Gold
• Price: $6-8 each
• Where to get: Drugstores, Target, Ulta
• Package Quality (out of 5 stars): ***** (Sturdy case. Very nice!) 
• Overall Rating (out of 5 stars): ***** (Worth it!)
• Recommend: Yes!
• Repurchase: I would repurchase if I ran out. Especially Bad to the Bronze. I'm eager to try out new shades, especially of Maybelline makes more colors!
• Side Note: My viewpoint on creme shadows has changed! 
• Grade: A+

Here's a look I came up with using Bad to the Bronze & Bold Gold:

Products Used:

• Bad to the Bronze-all over the lid
• Bold Gold-as lower lash eyeliner
• Nyx Golden Amber eyeshadow-in the crease
• Nyx Vanilla Sky eyeshadow-as the brow bone highlighter 
• Nyx Black eyeshadow-to deepen & smudge the eyeliner wing
• Tarte "emphasEYES"Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Black-upper lash line eyeliner
• Physician's Formula Eye Enhancing Eyeliner in Black (from the Blue Eyes Trio)-lower lash line
• Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk-in inner corner & in the waterline 
• Stila Kitten Eyeshadow-in inner corner
• Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

I apologize for the overload of pictures, I'm just simply testing out 3 different cameras to see what works best. Hope you are having a great day!

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

It's Nice to Meet You! :)

I'm a new blogger, so I think answering questions is a great way for people to get to know what kind of products I enjoy and what my overall preferences are.

Here are some beauty basics about myself (I've made these questions up, so feel free to duplicate them if you like!)

Skin Type:

• Skin Type: Combination to oily.
• Skin Issues: Sensitive and acne-prone
• Skin Tone: Pretty darn fair! I'm usually the lightest or next to lightest shade. It can be difficult to find foundation, concealer, powder, and bronzer that doesn't appear orange or dark on me.
• Skin Undertones: Mostly cool-toned.

Preferences:

• Look: I love a natural look the most, but bold/colorful looks are fun for going out!
• Foundation: I tend to love mineral foundations the most! It gives me the most natural look and coverage, while helping with oil control.
• Concealer: Stick concealer for blemishes, one that's waterproof and long-wearing. I love mineral concealer for touch-ups and for brightening the under eye area. I'm still on the hunt for the ideal under eye concealer, specifically one that doesn't crease, look cakey, or smudge/melt away. If you have any suggestions, let me know!
• Blush/Bronze: I love powder blushes, especially matte ones. I've never been a big fan of creme blushes, but I've recently discovered a love for cheek stains! I love a mostly matte bronzer, or one that has a glow (but is not glittery).
• Mascara Preferences: I like to have a waterproof and non-waterproof around, depending on the day. Non-waterproof is best for casual days when the weather is normal, and I want to be able to easily remove it at the end of the day. Waterproof is my overall favorite, but it must separate and lengthen without looking clumpy. Regardless of the formula, I dislike flaking and smudging!
• Eyeliner: Pencil is the quickest and is best for days when you're in a rush. I'm also fan of creme/gel eyeliners, but the right brush is key! I've recently gotten into liquid, but it's not my absolute favorite.
• Eyeshadow: My favorite type of make-up to collect. I love a formula that is soft, blend able, and with great pigmentation! I don't like chunky glitter (that migrates to the rest of my face) but I do love satin, frost, shimmer, and matte finishes! I prefer pressed eyeshadow, but a great creme formula is also great!
• Lips: Chapstick and chubby sticks are my favorite, but lipsticks and lip glosses have there time and place. I love a bright lip look when I'm in a rush but want to look put together. And it's just so fast and easy!

Occasionally, I'd like to show beautiful pictures that are non-make-up related but still all about beauty! Beauty is the world around us, especially if one takes the time to look!

This beautiful shot is of Yosemite National Park in California. The upper Yosemite falls is on the left and Half Dome is on the right.

Yosemite National Park, Upper Falls & Half Dome. Photo Credit: Michele Schwab

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! Next post will be a review!