colourpop haul + review.

i've loved colourpop since their humble beginnings two years ago. i started my "collection" with 3-4 lippies and their matching lippie stix. when i placed my order this time, i was running low on a few other items, so i decided to try some of their other products. here's what i received:

- echo park ultra satin lip

- aquarius lippie

- ellarie lippie

- banging brunette brow pencil

- get leid blush

- between the sheets blush

- no shame creme gel colour

- shadow to-a-t

- weho mini gloss (promo)

-piranha mini gloss (promo)

- finders keepers mini gloss (promo)

wearing echo park ultra satin lip +

creme gel color (eggplant-color eyeliner)

my thoughts:

the retractable brow pencil was soft and applied smooth, but the color was too dark for my preference. i do still use on occasion, but a bit too severe for everyday. i definitely recommend, but i just happen to fall in between the blonde and brunette shades.

i had high hopes for the creme gel colour, but the formula is very dry/drying. it's not very forgiving if you are messy or make mistakes during application. it became so dry and hard on my lids that it changed my eye shape! it was like i was wearing tape on my lids which gave me a double eyelid. will not repurchase.

the ultra satin lip was definitely my favorite. the formula is very liquidy and the applicator picks up a lot of product...i have to wipe off excess product several times before applying, but it feels nice on the lips and is not drying. it's long wearing; i usually don't have to reapply throughout most of the day.

the classic lippies are always great. they apply well, smell good, and look nice. i did begin to notice that they are a little drying, so i usually don't reapply since they may make my lips peel.

the shadows and blushes look amazing in their pots but don't have much pigmentation. you really have to use a lot of product or apply heavily with your fingers as they sometimes recommend. i still like them, though, as i don't wear heavy makeup. i can layer up for more color if need. i thought get leid was going to be way too bright, but i actually like it better than the mauve. 

have you tried colourpop?

what's your favorite colourpop product?

ricky's nyc valentine's haul.

warning: cuteness overload.

seriously...how cute are these?

well...what are they, you ask?

who cares, lol! the moment i saw these, i knew they would make great valentine's gifts, regardless of what they were. they were just too cute.

after i got past the cuteness, i clicked thru to Ricky's NYC to find that these were actually facial sprays and lip glosses. i've been looking for a hydrating spray to use throughout the day, so i was excited to try the tony moly pocket bunny moist mist. the lip glosses come in nine flavors, each with a different bunny face. 

(straight out of the package)

first off, i was sent the wrong mist AND the sticker seals on two of the lip glosses were broken. not only broken, but misaligned...meaning the caps were twisted. they were on pretty tight, so i don't think it shifted during shipping. i randomly opened #5 which looked new and untouched, so i figured i'd let it go. i emailed them about the wrong product and within a few days, the correct product showed up in the mail. great quick response.

(does it look used?)

then, about a week later, i was getting ready to wrap up these cuties and my gut told me to check the gloss, and sure enough i wasn't so lucky with #4. i don't know if it was used or tested, but it definitely looked tampered with. how embarrassing would that have been if i gave that to someone?!

if you are physically packing orders, wouldn't you want to give your customers the best? if the seal was broken, give them one that wasn't? at minimum check the product?

but...by the way they responded to my wrong order, i have no doubt that they would have remedied the situation. it's just a hassle, and i wouldn't have received another one in time for valentine's day.

(received: #2, #4, #5)

i did not try these since they were gifts, but reviews were pretty consistent in that they aren't very pigmented and there isn't much of a color difference between the different flavors. as i was typing this, i realized that i had again received the wrong product. you order these by flavors on the website, but the actual product is labelled with numbers. i ordered peach (#5), orange (#6), and grape (#2), but received cherry (#4) instead.

aside from that, the cute packaging is still worth its affordable price and if not for a colored gloss, something that you could use on top of another lipstick for a little shine.

(nude: mid-toned peach; forbidden: peach toned nude)

nudes are just like reds...you keep buying until you have the right shade. i had a bunch of nude shades in my cart, and when it was time to whittle down the choices, i unknowingly (based on the names, not descriptions) ended up with these two very similar shades. hate when that happens, haha!

tony moly moist mist description from website: Formulated with peach, raspberry and apple! Promotes skin elasticity with a sweet and lovely scent! Great for summer! Keep it in your purse to cool off on hot days!

tony moly has a moist mist and a sleek mist. the descriptions on the website are pretty vague, but i gathered [from other reviews] that the moist mist was for dry skin, while the sleek mist was for oily skin. the scent was sweet, not overwhelming. it's not a fine mist, so hold it away from your face to avoid getting too wet. my skin actually felt tight. this might work better on oily/combination skin.

again...i did initially get this for the cuteness factor, and these bottles are refillable. so you can refill them with some of your other favorite products or a DIY face mist.

overall, the products i ordered didn't have any wow factor, but the packaging is cute and still makes for cute gifts. you can find tony moly products at Ricky's NYC and Urban Outfitters.

*     *     *

still need a valentine's gift? here's a quick and affordable gift for your loved ones: valentine's candy-gram

the ultimate valentine.

...outfit, of course. the ultimate valentine's outfit.

i said i've been loving peach as of late, but in the spirit of the day, here's an all out, in your face red and pink valentine's day outfit.

i've also been loving these fat lip pencils from LAQA & Co. they are super creamy and pigmented and glide on with ease. they aren't too drying and are even a bit glossy. plus, they don't require a sharpener...bonus! i've been wearing 'palate cleanser', a deep blood red, from the Fat Lip Pencil Fiver set. if you find that dark colors make your lips look smaller, try extending the color slightly past your natural lips for a fuller pout.

(LAQA & Co. fiver c/o)

(top via [oomph.]; enzo angiolini heels)

get the look:

gift guide. beauty under $25.

gift giving doesn't have to break the bank. if you have a beauty lover in your life, here are some great products that they would love to use as well as some cute things to decorate their vanity. best part is that they are all under $25! and when you are ready to wrap, check out these simple gift wrapping ideas.

*     *     *

have you entered the $200 Amazon GIVEAWAY?

quick hello.

(my new fave lip color: ColourPop Lippie stix + pencil in Brills)

tgif.

just checking in to see if everyone is surviving the holidays so far. with our calendars filling up, things are getting busy around here. christmas cards are starting to come in, and after our christmas tree arrives this weekend, it'll really feel like christmas.

one more week until the marathon. to say that i'm a little nervous is an understatement. i'm excited, too, but also looking forward to a break from the training commitment. this girl needs some holiday drinks, stat.

have a great weekend!

$300 Sephora GIVEAWAY.

ahhh...so jealous, guys! we're giving away a fabulous gift card to one of my favorite places to stock up on beauty essentials...SEPHORA! one lucky reader will have the chance to win a $300 Sephora gift card! i have a huge Sephora wish list...benefit hoola bronzer, diorskin pore minimizer, anastasia beverly hills brow wiz just to name a few! what would you get?

enter daily over the next 2 weeks and earn bonus entries by sharing the giveaway with your friends on social media.

good luck!

GIVEAWAY

Prizes: $300 Sephora Gift Card

co-hosts: [oomph.] ♥ Simply Sherryl ♥ Stacy's Savings ♥ Pretty Thrifty ♥ Miss Erin Says ♥ Becoming Fab ♥ Jenn's Blah Blah Blog ♥ Simply Carmen Renee ♥ StushiGal Style ♥ Lazy Mom's ♥ Sassy Sweet Style ♥ A Good Hue ♥ Prosecco & Plaid ♥ 

giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

giveaway ends 8/26 and is open worldwide.

enter using the rafflecopter form below. 

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want to participate in awesome giveaways like these? click here for deets.

Ulta GIVEAWAY.

i'm super excited to announce this $250 Ulta Giveaway! one lucky reader will have the chance to stock up on all their favorite beauty products or try new ones that have been on their wish list. will it be you? enter daily over the next two weeks and earn bonus entries by sharing the giveaway with your friends on social media. good luck!

GIVEAWAY

Prizes: $250 Ulta Gift Card

Organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Co-hosts: Notoriously Dapper // Lights Camera Catwalk // Style by Alina // [oomph.]  // Jenn's Blah Blah Blog // Pretty Thrifty // Stacy's Savings // Lush to Blush //She Wears What // Betzy's Makeup // Whispering Sweet Nothings // Mommies with Cents // Wait Til Your Father Gets Home

giveaway open worldwide, ends 7/2

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**want to participate in giveaways like these? click here for details.

a week of beauty. acrylic organizer.

in general, i don't keep a lot of products on hand. i stick to my tried and true items and repurchase them when i run out.

but, we all get the itch to experiment and try new things, and that's where most of my excess products come from. for example, finding the perfect red lipstick is like trying to find the perfect pair of jeans...you purchase 10 before you find one that's close enough. i may also get products to review or win some in a giveaway, and those also get stashed away - not because i don't like them, but because i feel the need to finish one thing before moving on to the next! (but have you ever noticed that it's difficult to completely finish certain products...like lipsticks, nail polish, and blushes?!)

out of sight, out of mind. right?

i'd keep everyday products on my vanity; the rest of my makeup and beauty products were thrown into miscellaneous containers and stored in a closet high up on a shelf, under the bed, or in a cabinet. basically, out of sight...forgotten...never to be used again.

enough is enough.

i stored my excess products because i didn't want to waste my current products, but the stuff in storage would expire or just go bad anyways. wasted. 

so i looked into acrylic storage options and was discouraged for several reasons. they were either too small (muji), too expensive (sherrie blossom/icebox), or too outrageous to ship here. so i was perfectly fine with my current mini plastic drawers, although they are not stackable and eventually take up precious real estate on the vanity as your collection grows.

then...

i stumbled upon this acrylic organizer at tj maxx and almost freaked out in the store. the mere fact that it was here and didn't have to be shipped...price was [almost] a non-issue. i would have bought them all. but there was only one.

i texted mini-she who was somewhere in the store and had her stand guard while i grabbed a cart...although no one around seemed interested at all, haha. but still.

similar stores like marshalls and ross have the most random items sometimes, so check your local stores!

it's big: 15"W  x 10.5"D x 10"H

i haven't figured out what will go where, but i threw some things in so you could get an idea of the size. i don't know the drawer height off hand, but you can see that it fits 2+ rows of lipsticks and i can also stack another row on top. 

the price?

tag: $99, marked down to $95.

website: $202.50 + shipping

(Danielle - Socalite Acrylic Beauty Organizer via TJ Maxx)

in case anyone is in the market for acrylic storage, here's a comparison of similar items:

muji 5-drawer, $27.95: W26cm x D17.5cm x H16cm / 1" drawers

Sherrieblossom Shorty Wide, $385: 15"W x 12"D x 12"H, 2" drawers

The Beauty Cube 5-drawer, $149: 11"W x 11"D x 15"H

(shipping additional)

you can find others on amazon here, here.

how do you organize and store your makeup?

here are a few alternatives:

in case you missed it:
a week of beauty  .  sephora haul + review

a week of beauty. sephora haul + review.

sephora recently had their beauty insiders 15% off ticket,

so i picked up a few products i've been wanting to try.

here's what i got:

- beautyblender [pure for my sensitive skin]

- bite beauty agave lip mask

- obsessive compulsive cosmetics lip tar / matte in black dahlia

beautyblender pure, $20

i recently switched back to liquid foundation, so i decided to invest in a beautyblender. it does a nice job of applying the foundation evenly, and the end result feels lightweight. i used to use flat sponges (typically the ones that come with your makeup) to press and drag the makeup into my skin. after using the beautyblender to "bounce" the product into my skin, i can comparatively say that the beautyblender is much easier on the skin. is it worth it? yes. life changing? no. similar sponges would give you the same result for less money like this one by sephora ($13) and this one by real techniques ($6).

tips for using:

some people say that they end up using more product with the beautyblender. the type of foundation you use makes a difference. the sponge will naturally soak up liquid, so choose a foundation with a thicker consistency. if you pour a dab of liquid foundation on your hand and it immediately drips or runs, the beautyblender will soak it up and less product will make it to your face. 

tips for cleaning:

two words....ivory soap. don't wash your expensive products down the drain...literally! beautyblender has its own liquid ($18) and solid ($16) cleansers, and i've heard some people use their pricey face washes, like philosophy's purity ($23). if you want a cheaper alternative, ivory soap is pure (no synthetics) and simple and washes out easily. i used to bathe my kids with ivory, and if it's good enough for my kids, it's good enough for my brushes and sponges! baby shampoo works, too, if you have kids (and shampoo on hand). otherwise, you can get 10 bars of ivory for under $4 and use it for bathing, dish washing, and laundry!

bite beauty agave lip mask, $26

i've been desperate to find a product that works for my extremely dry and chapped lips. after hearing youtubers rave about this lip mask, i had to try it. this stuff works and keeps my lips hydrated all day. no more peeling!

it looks and feels like an ointment, is heavy but not uncomfortable, and has a nice scent. some may prefer to use it overnight, but i use it like a primer in the morning and apply my lipstick over it when i get to the office. it has a nice long-lasting shine if worn alone. although it's pricey, a little goes a long way. this little smudge on my finger is too much product for one application. is it worth it? yes. life changing? yes.

occ lip tar: matte in black dahlia, $18

i've been wanting a dark vampy red lip color, and i heard black dahlia was it. the product in the tube is intimidatingly dark, but one coat produces a beautiful radiant orchid shade (above). these lip tars are buildable and will easily give you that deep red with a couple of coats. the lip tar has great pigmentation, and lives up to the matte name. perfect for an event, particular look, or the runway.

the bad? they are super drying! it's like i took two steps forward with the agave lip mask, and one step back with the lip tar. my lips instantly dried up and peeled after using. (i expected some dryness with a matte product). you definitely need to use a lip primer (occ has their own here), and i had to apply lip balm to keep my lips moisturized throughout the day. the color also needed to be touched up after a few hours. because of the multi-step process (apply lip primer, unscrew cap, apply to brush, etc...) it would not be an everyday lip product for me. is it worth it? no. if you are looking for a deep red, try jordana matte lipstick in merlot. if you have tried regular or metallic occ lip tars, let me know your thoughts on those.

have you tried any of these products?

do you prefer brushes or sponges to apply your makeup?

shop the post:

design your life with Kleenex Style Studio.

[this post is brought to you by Kleenex; all dirty tissues

(and opinions) are my own.]

from sniffles and sneezes to wiping up spills, Kleenex plays a big role in our home. with school germs and allergies [seemingly always] present, we're forced to have several boxes handy around the house...and for something that is so necessary to have at your fingertips, we're always trying to find inconspicuous places for these Kleenex boxes. either that or cover them up with grandma's crochet creations, haha.

thankfully, Kleenex has been paying attention to the fashions and styles around us. to celebrate their 90th anniversary, they've brought us The Kleenex® Style Studio...a fun and inspiring way to discover more of the Kleenex brand designs and products you love. not only will you find over 100+ cute new designs worthy of showing off, but you'll also find tons of ways to use Kleenex tissues (i loved browsing the uses...really fun!).

i picked up a few decorative tissue boxes from my local Longs Drugs/CVS store, and i'm still on the hunt for a few other designs. you can check out my #KleenexStyle Inspirations pinterest board to see all my favorites and where i'd put them around the house. find your local retailers here.

my everyday use: i lay out one tissue every morning when i put on my makeup to wipe off excess product and to clean my brushes when i'm done.

dresser-top real estate is precious! see that big rectangular box hiding back there? it's ok, but the square box takes less space and better reflects my style.

mini-she's everyday use: catch the drips when she's painting

her nails.

while this huge box is ok, the square box takes up less space on her desk giving her more room to...well, study!

plus, it's a fun design.

head over to the Kleenex® Style Studio to find your inspiration. which designs do you love?

test your fashion knowledge by taking the Catwalk or Kleenex quiz. i got 3 out of 5 correct...eek! can you beat my score?

lastly, i'd love if you would

take this quick 1-question survey.

pretty please? and thank you!

beauty tips. how to combat allergy face.

[this is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zyrtec.

all opinions are 100% mine.]

do you experience red nose, watery eyes, and puffiness?

like many others, you may be experiencing symptoms of allergies.

as an adult, i have become prone to allergies and do experience all three of these symptoms. luckily, my occasional allergies are manageable. my niece, on the other hand, is constantly sniffling, sneezing, and walking around miserably with a box of kleenex.

ZYRTEC is the #1 allergist recommended OTC brand that provides fast relief for those suffering from these allergy symptoms. Zyrtec helps you feel better, and Allergy Face beauty tips will help you look better. the only thing worse that feeling bad is feeling like you look bad as well. read these facts, and you'll find that 66% of women feel unattractive because

of their allergy face.

here are tips and products that help my allergy face:

1) moisturize. hydrating your skin helps the puffiness; i use a heavy cream at night to minimize puffiness in the morning.

2) waterproof your makeup. when dealing with watery eyes, i waterproof my mascara with anastasia's lash genius. sephora's pitch black eyeliner also has great staying power.

3) highlight. i use white eyeliner to highlight features [like the brow bone] and conceal red areas [under the eye and around the nose]. just draw and blend.

check out Zyrtec on facebook and watch this video for more allergy face beauty tips:

do you suffer from allergies?

what are your beauty tips for tackling allergy face?

$100 Sephora Gift Card GIVEAWAY.

welcome to the Sephora Giveaway!

get ready for a more beautiful you this fall with a Sephora shopping spree. one lucky winner will receive a $100 Sephora gift card redeemable in stores or online.

sponsors: Sunshine and Sippy Cups, This Mama Loves, [oomph.], Stacy's Savings, Burning Moon's Inside Advice, A Helicopter Mom, Geniabeme Beauty Blog, Barbara's Beat, The Consumer Adviser, Sassy Sweet Style

blog comment mandatory, all other entries optional

ends 9/26, open to US residents only

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a hangout and a [sephora] haul.

this past weekend, jackie was in town, so we met up for lunch and shopping. (we also met up here and here). she's currently taking a break from blogging to focus on school, but you can still check out some of her awesome looks on fashionation street.

rocking the aviators.

jackie's wearing the real deal, ray-bans.

i got mine from amazon (thanks to julie for sharing the link!).

i've had a bunch of sephora gifts cards for a while now and always left empty-handed because the store is overwhelming! this time i actually needed things, so it was easier to narrow down the choices. i needed an everyday powder, so i bought laura mercier's foundation powder at their recommendation. so far i'm loving it.

a new gel eyeliner was on my list, so i decided to try sephora's pitch black all-in-one liner.

i think i'm the last person to try these sugar kisses.

i finally bought one, and they surprised me with

the mini duo set for my free birthday gift.

(sephora now has a mino trio, just in time for mother's day.)

a hangout is never complete without food and drinks...

coffee jelly au lait with soy milk and yummy appetizers.

what do you splurge on at sephora?

get the products:

egg or eos.

it's a bird.

it's a plane.

it's an egg.

it's an eos.

can you tell the difference? haha.

these eos lip balms were on mini-she's wish list, so i eventually bought her one for girl's day. when i saw this 5-pack at my local costco, i knew it would make the perfect "egg" for her easter basket.  i mean, a teen-aged girl would be thrilled to get an easter basket full of eos lip balms instead of jelly beans...don't you think?

happy easter.

do you celebrate easter? if so, how do you celebrate?

for mini-she.

for mini-he.

my butter london nudes finally arrived.

every once in a while i come across a nail polish color that i absolutely must have, and i go on a crazy mission to find said color (last time it was a concrete gray; here and here). i've been looking for a nude polish and didn't hesitate when i saw this collection from butter london. plus their 'buy 2 get 1 free' promo (at the time) sealed the deal. this is my first time using butter london polishes, and i'm interested to see how long they will last on my nails. so far i am loving tea & toast.

the color is just what i expected.

egg or eos?

(shandy, crumpet, tea & toast)

in case you want to try them:

(silverspeck ring c/o)