NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker~~~~~~

I purchased this NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker at Ulta. In years past, I wore liquid liner religiously!! I have gotten away from it though. I watched a makeup video on YouTube that once again spurred my interest and made me wanna try it again. So, when I saw this I grabbed it.I got it in the color carbon black. The tip is super skinny, just like the name says! The color is very much a dark black. It goes on very smoothly. Very easy to make a nice line. It dries to a matte finish which I love. IT STAYS PUT!!! It isn't going anywhere. BUT, as soon as I applied my face wash it came off with no problem. I will definitely be repurchasing this.

RealTree for her~~~~~~

I received this in my June Ipsy Bag. It is a perfume made by RealTree, a company widely known for producing camoflauge. Odd I thought, but whatever!!! It has a fruity feminine scent. A lot of scents bother me if they are too strong, this one didn't bother me at all. I like the scent, and so did my significant other. It doesn't seem to last very long though, so you would need to reapply. Overall, a nice scent. I would purchase a full size for myself in the future. Give it a try. It certainly surprised me!

Pacifica Natural Beauty Duo 2:Moonbeam & Unicorn~~~~~~

I received this eye shadow duo in my May Ipsy Bag (super late posting this review, sorry!!!). The colors are Moonbeam and Unicorn. The colors look gorgeous in the cute little packaging. The white has a gold tone instead of the usual silvery cool tone. It is gorgeous on! I just love it. The purple is not very pigmented and it has to be built up to get a deep color. I would definitely repurchase the unicorn color I just love the gold undertone it has, but I can't seem to find it as a single. Hmmmmmmm.

NYX Lip Primer in Nude~~~~~~

HI Guys!! This is a new purchase for me. I purchased this at Ulta because it looked interesting to me and also I despise having to reapply lipstick, so I will try anything!!!!!! I have used it a few times and still am not completely sure how I feel about it. It goes on easily and doesn't leave much color on your lips which I prefer because I just am not feeling the nude lip trend so far. Anyway it feels slightly like a lip liner would, but this seems more moisturizing and not like it is drying my lips out as some liners do. I have experienced no feathering, which this promises. My lipstick looks more, uuuuuuuuum, "in place" when I apply it (does that make sense??) lol. I have not noticed that it makes my lipstick stay on that much longer though. In summary: helps prevent feathering, doesn't seem to extend lipstick wear time.

June Ipsy Bag!!!!~~~~~~~~

Here is my June Ipsy bag.......Yippee!!!! It's like Christmas every month!!! Individual item reviews to follow!!!

Another Influenster Box! EEEEK!!!!

I got my second Influenster box today!!! I love free stuff!!!! If you don't know about Influenster, go check it out! I received:

Neosporin-Neo To Go
Ivory soap bar
Puffs Plus Lotion
ANEW Reversalist Complete Renewal Express Wrinkle Smoother
(I was supposed to get a voucher for Breyers Gelato, but mine was nowhere to be found)
Shell Fuel Rewards Card

Now I have to go review all my products on Influenster, then I will come back and review them here!!

THANKS INFLUENSTER!

Sargento cheese on a beauty blog????

 HI!!! As I hope you all noticed by my badge, I am a citizen of Influenster Nation. I just have to show off my first VoxBox. I received my VoxBox last month. It was a Sargento box. When I opened it I found a voucher for a free pack of Sargento thin sliced cheese, a $1 off a package of Sargento thin sliced cheese and also a cool lunch bag that's made out of this neat squishy material. All this for FREE!  So I picked up the slices at the grocery store and used my vouchers...easy peezy! I got the cheddar slices & the baby swiss. They come in a resealable package and the cheddar has deli paper between each slice so they don't stick together, which I find pretty awesome! I hate when they stick together and rip & tear. Anyway they are awesome!! I love the taste. I highly recommend! The price isn't any more than my previously purchased sliced cheese. I have always used Kraft slices or Velveeta slices. However, I don't think I will be purchasing those anymore. I believe I have found a new cheese!!!! I highly recommend trying these slices!! They have my seal of approval!!!

My first attempt at false lashes.......

SO.......This is a first for me! False lashes. I have admired others on YouTube that wear them, but always thought "No way I can do those!" I received a set in my Ipsy bag several months ago but tossed them to the side because I just didn't want to attempt them. I just assumed it took a lot of time and practice and I didn't want to devote the time at that moment. So anyway....I got bored last night and dug them out. These are the brand Andrea, strip lash in Black #33. You can get them for around $3 and they come with a small tube of glue. I had seen several YouTube videos on how to apply them so I just picked one and went with it. I dabbed a small amount of the glue on the tray that the lashes came in, and ran the strip that touches your lid along the dot of glue lightly covering it & then used a pair of tweezers to place them where I saw fit. When I got them situated, I put my mirror down and looked around the room just to see how they felt, and it would definitely be a feeling you would have to get used to. They may not all feel that way, but these were a bit heavy and felt as if my vision was blocked partially (lol), but these are pretty thick so it may just be the type I used. It actually hurt ,towards the inner corner of my eye, to blink. It could be that I had them down too far, after all I am BY NO MEANS an expert at this. Since it was just the inner corner that was bothering me I decided to remove the full strip and cut the strip lash in half and reapply to only the outer corner. I did this and it worked fabulously. Of course I had to add liner and lots of mascara to make the inner lashes look similar to the outer lashes. It ended up looking pretty good in my opinion. However ,I just felt like this was definitely a little too dramatic for my work and day to day routine. Anyway, it was fun and will definately try some again. I will probably go for a thinner lighter look.

May Ipsy Bag~~~~~~

 

Here are the contents of my May Ipsy Bag. I will be reviewing each item as I try it. If you haven't heard of Ipsy or want to sign up for their monthly sample bag here is the link (only $10 a month!) http://www.ipsy.com/r/1wcq

Starlooks Luscious Longwear Lip Pencil in LW100Naked~~~~~~

I received this in my Ipsy April 2014 bag. I have not been huge into lip liner, but I am developing an interest for it so I was excited when I received this. I wanted a liner that could simply be used as a liner, or an all over lip color if desired. The problem I had with this was all my lip colors are berries and this seemed too light to be worn with those. When I tried to use it as an all over color, it looked as if I was about to pass out, made me look very washed out.  Maybe if I had a different color I would like it better?? I won't be repurchasing this.

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion~~~~~~

HELLOOOO!!! I received this product in my Ipsy April bag. It is a skin exfoliant which says it "polishes away dead skin cells, leaving skin radiant". Immediately I had determined I was not going to attempt to try it. My face is extremely sensitive and I was worried that it would just set my skin on fire. So I tossed it aside. Then one day I decided to get on Ipsy and read the reviews from other Ipsy subscribers, because tons of people leave honest reviews on there. I read many many reviews and not one said anything about a bad reaction, or stinging, or anything along those lines. So, I bit the bullet and tried it. It has a lemony minty smell to me which I find refreshing! I literally took a pea sized amount on my fingertip and rubbed my fingertips together and smoothed it over my face. That's all it took, a pea sized amount, I was surprised. It has a very fine texture. No stinging! When I rinsed my face my skin felt amazingly soft and smooth. It has been over a week since I used it and it still smells very smooth to the touch. I like it. The price for a full size tube of this which is 2 ounces, is $78. Quite pricey in my opinion. But with the small amount that you have to use , this sample should last me...well......forever! lol

Mark. Just Blushing Powder Blush in shade Afterglow~~~~~~

This is my current favorite blush. I stumbled onto this when Mark. was having an online sale. I use this daily. I have always gotten darker pink shades but thought I would give this a try. This is a more of a peachy pink color. It is just so pretty. It makes my face instantly just look 'awake' and 'happy'.. lol. It really does do wonders. I apply it to my cheeks and sometimes swipe it onto my eyelids with my blush brush. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! 

IPSY bag April 2014~~~~~~

This is the contents from my April IPSY bag:

Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide On Eye Pencil in shade Black Velvet
Coastal Scents Medium Shadow Brush
Dr.Brandt Microdermabrasion
Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes The Shadow in shade Champagne
Starlooks Lucious Longwear Lip Pencil in the shade Naked

I will post reviews separately as I try the items. STAAAAAY TUNED!!!

If you would like to join Ipsy here is my link...... http://www.ipsy.com/r/1wcq

Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm~~~~~~

 Really liking this stuff! I have seen this in the store for awhile now, it just never really peaked my interest. I finally decided to try it after seeing a review about it on YouTube. I got the 'Cherry Me' color. It has a hint of a cherry scent , which I am enjoying! It leaves a very light tint on your lips and feels amazing. It is smooth & feels very moisturizing. The price is around $3, very affordable. They have other color options which I have not tried yet. As far as staying power goes, well, it's a balm so not much of that going on, BUT the faint color would make it easy to reapply quickly and without a mirror. I definitely recommend trying this.

Mark. Eyeshadows~~~~~~

 

These are my current addiction. You normally buy the case separate (and empty) and then buy the shades individually and they are magnetic and snap into the case so its customized. I found these in a bundle so I got them , because individually they are kind of pricey in my opinion. But you can catch sales where when you order a certain number of colors you get the case for free. I really like the brush they included, I use it often. There is a mirror along the top that is handy dandy. They have shimmers and mattes to choose from. They can be used wet or dry. I use the brown and the dark grey shade as a liner often, I use a wet brush for this. Nice cases and very pretty colors. I did however use the pink as an accent color and had to layer it on because it wasn't as pigmented as it looked to be. Other than that they have all been very nice shadows to work with. I definitely recommend trying.

Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream~~~~~~

Get this stuff , just do it!! I have fine, oily hair so I normally don't try "smoothing" anything because my hair ends up (as we say in the south) "flat as a fritter". I went to a hair stylist and after she blow dried my hair it was so soft and smooth and I asked her how she made it feel that way, I could not stop touching it! I should let you know that at this point my hair was just a little above my shoulders. She showed me this product and I had to have it. I got mine at Target for around $20. (I couldn't find a link on the Target site so the link included is to Wal-Mart) I am cheap so it pained me to pay this much for a hair product but I craved that soft hair feeling again so badly that I caved! The first time I used it I used entirely too much and it seemed to weigh my hair down. So please note...IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH AT ALL!! I put a pea sized dot in the palm of my hand and rub it all around on my hands and then work my hands through my hair. I have very oily hair so I don't use it close to my scalp. I use it starting around the top of my ears down the length of my hair and on the ends then I blow dry. My hair is now currently a good bit past my shoulders. It really does smooth so well and makes my hair feel so lovely to the touch.

Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter~~~~~~

I received this in my March Ipsy Bag. Let me first off say I am very sensitive to scents. Before I unsealed this tube, I could already smell a nice coconut-y scent. I was pumped!! I applied to my hands and arms. I was not really impressed with the way it felt. It felt to me like a thin, more for the smell type of lotion. The smell quickly became overwhelming and annoying and I washed it off. Didn't really enjoy this at all. Their products are all 100% Vegan and cruelty free. And I suppose if strong scents don't bother you and you enjoy the coconut vibe then you may love this. I, however, will stick to my normal Jergen's Cherry Almond Body Lotion.

Be A Bombshell Bora Bora Eyeshadow Quad~~~~~~

I received this in my March Ipsy Bag. So far I have really enjoyed the Be A Bombshell products I have received. This quad is too cute. The colors it contains are Starlet, Bora Bora, Risky Business, Rock Bottom. I have not used the blue color because I am anti blue, I think my phobia stems from the 80's-90's (lol). I have used all the other colors and am pleased with the ease of application, the pigmentation, and the overall look they provide. Good Stuff!!

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara Black~~~~~~~~

Right now , I am on a YouTube makeup video binge. One of the million I have watched had this mascara by Jordana. The video (I can't recall which it was) raved about this mascara and how well it did and how very inexpensive it was. So I ran out and got it to try it, even though I currently already have a favorite (It's So Big by Elizabeth Mott). I like this packaging, I enjoy the purple writing, I don't no why but I do. lol. It went on very easily, no clumping and such. Very nice dark color, didn't stay wet for too long. It looked great when I was finished, I was impressed. Especially since I only paid around $3 for it. So I went off to work blissfully happy!! This was around 7 am when I applied it btw. When I looked in the mirror around 11:30 am, I could see some dark smudging beginning under my eyes, I tried to wipe away what I could. The next time I looked in the mirror around 4pm, much more smudging under my eyes. I HATE when this happens. I assume if you only needed to wear this for a short time, maybe a short event, it might be ok. If you want to wear it over an 8 hour workday, you will see some raccoon-ish looking eyes towards the end of the day. Super Bummed.

Goody TangleFix Gentle Detangling Brush~~~~~~~~

So I saw a product similar to this on YouTube after watching my current favorite video blog "LeighAnnSays". Hers was actually called the Tangle Teaser. Now, I wanted it. My problem is when I want it, I want it ASAP. So on a trip to Wal-Mart to pick up groceries I mosied on over to the brushes and found this very similar product The TangleFix, so I grabbed it, because I NEEDED one, like immediately (lol). I have recently added heavy blonde highlights to my hair. Since doing this, after every shower my hair is SUPER tangled. It literally would hurt to brush my hair and I could tell I was damaging it severely. SO I was super pumped to try this after my shower. So on my towel dried hair I tried it & was pretty much amazed at how well it did. It took me about less than half the time to brush my hair and it was painless! I don't know how it works but I am in love. I have also used it on my dry hair and it makes it SOOOOO soft. LOVE THIS THING!! (Can you tell?) I was thinking it would be great for a child with longer hair too. It has softer bristles than a normal brush and they are different sizes. There will be a row of tall bristles and then the next row is a bit shorter. I purchased mine at Wal-Mart for $7-$8, however the link I am posting is from Target, when I look for the product online at WM it says only available in stores.

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in the shade "Get Ready"~~~~~~

I received this lipstick in my March Ipsy bag. I saw a picture online so I was under the impression that is was a deeper shade, but it's still pretty. I have used the Bare Minerals line of mineral make-up and wasn't impressed so I was skeptical. It goes on very smoothly and feels great on the lips. I used 2 coats to achieve the color I wanted. It came off all over my coffee cup, like... a lot. The staying power was just not what I am willing to pay $18 for. I am not a fan of reapplying. You will hear me say this a lot. LOL. So overall, pretty color, application was easy, feels good on the lips, no staying power, color transfers easily.

Origami Owl~~~~~~~~~

On top of being totally obsessed with makeup....I have another addiction..........jewelry. There I said it!! As a result of this addiction....I am an independent consultant for Origami Owl. I wanted to show off my current locket, I created it last month with Valentine's Day in mind and also my father, who I just lost unexpectedly in November. It's a daily struggle. 

If anyone needs anything or has any questions let me know! www.amberguyton.origamiowl.com

Here it is in all it's glory!

It contains: a "Love" faceplate

                  Sparrow Charm

                  3 crystal hearts in pink, red, & clear

                  Double Angel Wing Dangle

Nicole by Opi Nail Polish Roughles in shade "On What Grounds?"

                          

I received this full size bottle in my Ipsy bag for March. I like "different" colors of polish so I really liked this robins egg blue shade. The texture I was not so sure about. Hence the name "Roughles".When it dries it kind of resembles sandpaper to me, of course it doesn't feel near as course. At first I was not sure, but the texture grew on me. It looks really neat and different than the run of the mill glossy stuff. It seems to have pretty good staying power I have showered and done some manual labor and only have a few chips here and there. The application was very simple, no problems at all. Dried quickly between coats, I did 2 coats. I have yet to remove this, so I can't report on the ease of removal. I am a bit nervous that it may be a bit of a task if it is anything like removing glitter polish which I loathe!! I will update this when I do remove it and let you know. Also, I cannot find a link with a price for this polish anywhere. I will continue to search. It is supposed to be in stores in March, I have read ,and also that the price point will be from $7.99-$10.99.

Ipsy Bag March 2014

ITS HERE!! My Ipsy bag! Good stuff !! I absolutely love receiving this bag, it is like Christmas in my mailbox once a month!! 4 products instead of 5, but that's cool because the lotion is very large. It wouldn't even fit in the bag this month, it was packaged outside the bag. I will review each product individually and post their links in those reviews.

It contained:
* Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in the shade Get Ready
* Nicole by Opi Roughles in shade "On What Grounds?" Polish
* Pacifica Body Butter
* Be a Bombshell Bora Bora Eyeshadow Quad.

Clinique Super Balm Moisturizing Gloss in the shade 09 Currant~~~~~~

I received this in my free gift from Clinique. I loooove the color. It is so nice. You can use it alone or over a lipstick for sheen or to slightly alter the color. When I use it alone it just adds a hint of color.I am not a huge fan of lip glosses because I just like things to stay on for a long time, I don't like to reapply. If you like glosses, this is a nice one. Not too sticky. As far as the moisturizing goes, I didn't notice anything earth shattering. Price tag is $15. 

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm ~~~~~~

I received this in my free gift bag from Clinique when I ordered my moisturizer(which I reviewed earlier). It is a pretty color if you enjoy pinks. I use it often. Easy to apply. It can appear rather sheer if you use a light hand or you can build the color to a much brighter bold color. I would prefer a thinner pencil so I can be precise around the edges of my lips, but definitely not a deal breaker here. The staying power isn't what I had hoped. The "intense moisturizing part", well, it just felt like a normal lipstick to me. It is an ok product. The price tag is $17, a little steep in my opinion since it doesn't even last till my lunch break.

******UPDATE!!: I applied a lip liner all over my lips and then applied this over that, and it lasted quite a long time!! Loving the color more and more! Still wouldn't pay $17 for it.

Mica Beauty Tinted Lip Balm in shade #5 Natural ~~~~~~

 I received this sample in my Ipsy bag. I fell in love with it. I use it pretty much daily. It can be worn very sheer or can be made bold. I apply it with my pinky to my lips in a patting motion. It lasts fairly well. The name is misleading to me. It is called a lip balm but isn't moisturizing at all, in fact it seems a little drying because it is matte so I always use a gloss or balm with it. My intention was to buy this immediately after trying it. When I visited the website to purchase it, the price was $30!! Maybe I am cheap but that is RI-DONK-ULOUS in my opinion, especially since this is a small pot of balm. Love the product, won't be purchasing it due to the price.

Fing'rs Prints Girlie Glam Press On Nails~~~~~~

Let me start by saying that these have the neatest, cutest designs. I was drawn to them. I have had a nail fetish lately because mine WILL NOT grow. I saw the "press on" on the label and had doubts, but had to try them anyway due to their awesomeness. So i get them home and apply. When you get them out of the package the adhesive is already applied to the underside of the nail so you just press them on so the application is super duper easy. After I applied them they LOOKED great, so cute (have I said this before?? lol). When I actually tried to do normal tasks, I could feel them moving around, kind of pushing back into my nail bed or lifting up a bit. Weird. Also part of the sticky pad was exposed under the tip so things stuck in there, like lint & small particles (yuckie!) I ended up removing them because that just grossed me out. It was tough to get some of them off so the adhesive must be pretty strong stuff, but I was left with goop all over my nail. Messy. I wish they would make these to use with a glue application. I won't be purchasing again. UNLESS, they come up with a glue on option!!! (hint hint)

Maybelline Master Shape Eyebrow Pencil~~~~~~

NEW PURCHASE!! Got mine at Walmart for around $6. I got the color "soft brown" because I didn't want my eyebrows to be too dramatically dark. I prefer my brows to be just lightly filled, I just don't care for the heavy dark eyebrows on myself & I hate having really "drawn on" eyebrows , so I am super picky. I like this because it comes with a brush attached on one end for you to groom your brow before you apply, very handy! I used a light hand and filled in my eyebrows and then after I felt I had done a good enough job I ran the attached brush over my eyebrows again and it seemed to soften it to a look that I think is just perfect. I did notice that if I pressed a little harder in some spots it would leave a little "clump", so I think a light hand is best. Here is the result!! Just a nice filled in brow, not overly dark or bold. Just right for my taste!

Elizabeth Mott Creamy Eye Pencil~~~~~~~

In a previous post I tell you about my love for Elizabeth Mott "It's so Big!" mascara, which I had received a sample size of in an Ipsy bag. Well, I ordered a full size tube of the mascara for myself and when I received it, there was a full size Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow Creamy Eye Pencil in Raven included FOR FREE!!!!! (by the way, that's a $14.99 value!!)
Well...it really IS creamy. Now, I didn't have high hopes because my first thought was creamy=smudgy+no staying power, not the case here though!! I used it on my top lid as an eyeliner. It lasted all day and didn't smudge or anything. The color is very nice and bold when used as a liner.

Bandette Comb~~~~~

Why I have never heard of these until a week ago is beyond my comprehension??!! I stumbled on one of these combs at Ulta when I was strolling around so I thought I would give it a try. I didn't really understand how it would work since it is essentially a large hair comb with a ponytail holder attached to one side. But it wasn't pricey so I grabbed one. I enjoy up do's.
 I have always used just regular claw clips that you can find anywhere, medium sized. I sometimes also used clips that hairdressers use in their salons. The plain colored, nothing fancy, they sometimes use when sectioning off your hair or to keep your drape secured snugly around your shoulders. They were not the prettiest things to use but I liked the way they held my hair, although sometimes it would hold my hair too tight and by the end of the day I was ready to chunk it across the room. You could forget about sitting back against a chair or couch because then the clip smashed into your head or loosened the clip which caused your style to fall. FRUSTRATING!!
 ANYWAY....I fell in love with this comb after I used it only once. It is so simple!! I should note my hair is past my shoulders and is very fine. All I had to do was pull my hair back into a low ponytail , twist it, place the tail up on the back of my head and insert the comb in a downward motion through the twist I just made, and then pull the ponytail holder (that is attached) across the twist and loop it over the end. VOILA! Too simple. In fact I kept touching it because I was sure it would fall any minute, but it never did. It keeps a secure hold all day, not too tight as to cause your head to hurt though. Also, I CAN SIT BACK IN A CHAIR!! I have even fell asleep with this in its so comfy.

My current favorite mascara~~~~~~

*It's So Big Volumizing Mascara by Elizabeth Mott
I received this in my monthly Ipsy bag. I have extremely sensitive eyes and also wear contacts, so it is extremely hard to find a mascara that doesn't bother me. I formerly used Clinique mascara and have since changed to this.In my experience, even when I find a mascara I like, by lunch time I am having to wipe dark smudges from under my eyes, which I DESPISE!! To my surprise, this makes my lashes look awesome and I have not had wipe any darkness from under my eyes. SCORE!!!!!! Also a plus for me, comes off easily with my normal sensitive skin face wash. Get you some!!!

Ben Nye Luxury Powder in the color Cameo~~~~~~

This is a new purchase. Ben Nye has blown up due to a picture that Kim Kardashian posted showing how she highlights & contours her face, in which she uses Ben Nye Banana Powder. You should know that the "banana" in the title refers to its color, so it has a yellow tint. That makes it better for darker skin tones, not fair skin tones such as myself. Fair skin tones would do better using the Cameo shade. I paid around $20 for this large size which will last quite awhile because you need VERY little. I apply it with a fluffy powder brush after I have done my normal makeup routine. I purchased it online at Camera Ready Cosmetics. It took quite awhile to receive but anyway...it is good stuff. It will keep your face matte all day, which I need because I am extremely oily!! You can purchase this in smaller sizes. This is the largest size.