Coastal Scents 88 Shimmer Palette :)

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, everyone! :D

How are you all spending the long weekend? Whatever it is you are doing, I hope you are having fun! :)

When I have some spare time, I really try to do some swatches for you guys. :)

Good news is I had some time this past week to take photos of my

Coastal Scents 88 Shimmer Palette! :D

Here's what www.coastalscents.com says about it:

Description

For those of you who love shimmer shadows, you will not be disappointed. These are very pigmented and offer a bit more shimmer than the 56 piece palette. The pots are Dime Size around and contain plenty of powder for many excessive uses.

Contents

88 eye shadow colors

mirror 5" x 3.12" (12.7cm x 7.9cm)x2 dual end foam tip applicators

Dimensions

matte black case when closed = 9.12" x 6.53" x 0.5" (23.2cm x 16.6cm x 1.3cm)

pot diameter = 0.62" (1.6cm)

Ingredients

Talc, Mica, Mineral Oil, Kaolin, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Lanolin, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, BHT. May contain: Mica and Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue, Manganese Violet, Ferric Ammonium Ferro

cyanide, Chrome Oxide Greens, Chrome Hydroxide Green, FD&C Red No.40 Al Lake, FD&C Yellow No.5 Al Lake, FD&C Blue No.1 Al Lake.

Content Weight

61.0g / 2.15oz

I bought this last year for $19.95 -- very affordable, huh?!
The packaging is not the best, but I don't mind because you get 88 colors for $19.95 -- why would I complain, right?

And another good thing about this is the colors are pigmented.

I swatched a color from each row for you guys to see. :)
There are 11 rows with 8 colors each.

*My arm looks weird, hahaha!*

There may be some fall outs, but you can easily fix that by sweeping it up with loose powder. You can also use MAC Fix+ or just plain, good old water to get less fall outs and a deeper shade.

It comes with dual end foam applicators, but I like using my own eyeshadow brush.

All in all, I think this is a really great buy! It feels like it has all the colors you can possibly think of. ;)

Which of these 88 colors do you like the best?

If you don't want much of a shimmer, they also have an 88 Original Palette -- the same beautiful colors without the shimmer for $18.95!

Coastal Scents has a ton of other products, so check out their website to see which one will strike your fancy. :)

Have you ever bought anything from Coastal Scents? Any recommendations?

Have a fantastic weekend, guys! :D

Amazing eyelids (and lips!)!!! :D

Hey, guys!

Happy Tuesday! :)

Sorry I haven't been around too much, but two more weeks of school and I have all the time in the world to spend here on Blogger! I can't wait! :D

We all know beauty and makeup takes practice and patience -- it's like a work of art, right?

I found these awesome photos of works of art (literally!) made from makeup! :D

Can you guess what movies these are from? :)

Aladdin

Cinderella

Lion King

Tangled (I just saw it, it's an amazing movie!!!)

Nightmare Before Christmas

These last two are some of the ones that caught my eye. I was like "*Gasp!* How cool!". :D

What do you guys think of these? Which ones did you like the best?

Have a great week, everyone! :D

***photos courtesy of www.bellasugar.com***

Beauty Watch: Get Sexy Eyes Now

Happy Saturday, everyone! :D

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

And I hope all the Moms out there are having the best weekend ever because after all it should be all about them. :)

----------------------------------------------

Some of you may remember from some of my older posts how frustrated I am when it comes to eye makeup - specifically eyeshadow. I don't know, I just can't get it right, but I know one day, I'll get it! I can now apply mascara better than before... eyeliner and eyeshadow, you're next! ;)

If like me, you still need practice with eye makeup, I hope these tips from pro makeup artists help you. For those of you who are really good with eye makeup, let us know if these tricks work for you. :)

Lash Curler - gently curling bare lashes will give them a "beautiful curve"

Eyeliner - to add depth to your look, apply liner to your inner lashline

Shadow - keep lashes the main focus with neutral tones, which blend easily into skin

Highlighter - as a finishing touch, apply on lower lid to make lashes pop

Pointed Tips - use to separate clumpy lashes and spot treat mistakes

Do you have any tips and tricks to add to these?

I've also always wanted to wear falsies, but I have no idea how to put them on and such.

Here are some tips from Kim Kardashian's makeup artist, Joyce Bonelli:

- Short individual lashes give the eye a "feathery, yet natural look". Apply where lashes are sparse, beginning at the inner corner of the eye.

- Tilt your head up while looking into the mirror to expose the top of your lashline and blend falsies in naturally.

- Don't apply mascara to lashes before your falsies are in place. Once lashes are in place, apply mascara sparingly.

Do you wear falsies? Any other tips?

***from People (April 11, 2011)***

I also found some photos of celebrities sporting smoky eyes:

Anne Hathaway

Beyonce

Cameron Diaz

Diane Kruger

I love her makeup and her hair! :D

Kristen Stewart

Mila Kunis

Natalie Portman

Victoria Beckham

And the queen of smoky eyes...

Jennifer Lopez

Whose look did you like the best?

***images from Google***

I wish all the wonderful Moms and Moms-to-be (and all those who are just like Moms to their siblings, nieces and nephews, step-children, or their friends' children) a

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! :D

***from http://www.weheartit.com/***

Almay Intense i-color Smoky i-kit: Old vs. New

Happy Tuesday! :D

I hope you all had a great Easter weekend! :)

As for me, I had a good break... but, now it's so hard to get back into my normal school routine. I also have some books I want to read (like Hunger Games!), but I probably won't have enough time to do that. :/ But I am determined to make time! Haha. ;)

Do you guys remember when I shared with you my new Almay products? I was going through my makeup kit, when I saw some older Almay eyeshadow trio kits from my Mom. I didn't know I already had some Almay products! :O

Another thing... one of them is an older version of my new one!




new one on the left, old one on the right


Here is the older packaging up-close:




And I swatched it for you guys:





Almay Intense i-color Smoky i-kit




- 1, 2, 3 easy application intensifies your unique eye color
- mistake proof smoky-i look intensifies your eye color
- wears all day
- crease resistant
- paraben-free, talc-free
- hypoallergenic; opthalmologist tested

***from www.almay.com***

I am not a big eyeshadow person, mainly because I have yet to perfect putting it on. ;)

The thing I love about this kit is that it shows you where to put the three colors -- something that definitely helps me! Just follow the order of the colors, blend them all together, and voila, you're done! Basically, you can't go wrong with this.

If like me, you're still practicing your eyeshadow skills, this is a really good product to try.

And again, if like me, you have sensitive eyes, this product is gentle and hypoallergenic.

You should definitely put primer on because the colors can be really light at first try. And the longest I wore this eyeshadow is about three hours, so I can't really say for sure if it lasts all day -- I will definitely update you guys when I do get to wear them for one whole day. :)

The colors look exactly alike, huh?
I actually checked to see if they're the same picture, but they're not. ;)

I tried to research what the difference is, but I couldn't find any legitimate reasons. One thing I noticed is that the new one is more sparkly than the older version, and of course, the packaging is cuter. ;) And maybe it also has something to do with the new one being hypoallergenic?

Anyways, if you're thinking of giving this product a try, they have other colors besides the one I have (which is smoky-i for browns):

smoky-i for hazels, smoky-i for blues, and smoky-i for greens

What color are your eyes?

At Walgreens, it is $7.49. The price may vary. :)

Have you tried Almay's Intense i-color Smoky-i kit? What do you think of it?

Is it something you would like to try?

Have a great week! :D

P.S. I just want to say thanks to Sia @RosemarieRocks and Cheryl @OhToBeAMuse! I won their respective giveaways. :D

Almay One Coat Get Up & Grow Mascara Review

Happy Monday/ Tuesday!!! :D

I hope you guys had a good start to your week.

I had a pretty relaxing day -- almost done reading Mini Shopaholic. I also borrowed an Emily Giffin book, I'm very excited to read it.

Oh, and guess what?! It was gloomy and cold today! Crazy weather. I guess I should wait a little while before keeping my Winter clothes. How's the weather where you are?

For today's post, I just wanted to share with you guys how my Almay mascara worked out for me. :)

Almay One Coat Get Up & Grow Mascara

New Almay® one coat get up & grow™ mascara is formulated to instantly lengthen the look of lashes while strengthening to help defend against future breakage, so your lashes can continue to grow to their longest, shiniest best.

• instantly longer looking lashes
• anti-breakage pro-vitamin formula defends against damage so lashes continue to grow their longest
• unique brush shape fits eye contours perfectly to reach every last lash
• clump free, all day wear
• ophthalmologist tested
• suitable for contact lens wearers

***from www.almay.com***

This mascara is a good one - very good quality and really gentle on the eyes. It lengthens and defines the eyelashes well.

I don't use it everyday, so I really can't say for sure if it helps in the growth of eyelashes. However, according to Almay's website, "98% of women saw healthy, longer lashes in 30 days".

If you have sensitive eyes, wear contact lenses, would love to make your lashes grow, or just simply would love to try out a new mascara, then I think this is worth a try.

The price is around $8.49 -- pretty reasonable for a mascara, don't you think?

the wand

While this is a good mascara, I wouldn't say it's the best. I think there are more mascaras out there that I should try until I find one that I will really love. But, it definitely is a mascara that I can probably always come back to, and know that it will work well.

Here are other mascaras that are worth a try, depends on what you're looking for:

The Get Up & Grow mascara is mentioned above! ;)

Have you tried Almay's One Coat Get Up & Grow Mascara? Is it something you would want to try? Any mascara recommendations?

Have a fantastic week! :D

Almay Smart Shade Anti-Aging Concealer Review

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Right now, I am using the new editor, and I am loving it... why did I wait this long?!

Two days ago, I shared with you guys my thoughts on Almay's hydrating makeup. For today, I will be reviewing my

Almay Smart Shade Anti-Aging Concealer

This breakthrough concealer matches your skin tone and fights signs of aging.

4 out of 5 women saw an instant reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This lightweight formula moisturizes and smooths skin around the delicate eye area. Medium coverage helps to conceal minor imperfections and dark circles under eyes. SPF 20 protects.
***from www.almay.com***

I cannot really say for sure that it reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, but I can tell you that it definitely makes the eye area smoother.

It works like any other concealer, but what I love about this is its consistency. It blends in well, and covers blemishes and dark spots well too.

I suggest really checking to see which shade matches your skin color because I was in a hurry so I just grabbed the concealer that was there (big mistake!). I got it in light, and it's just too light for my skin tone, especially in the eye area. So now what I do is put a little bit of it on top of my MAC concealer, and it works out okay. For the rest of my face though, this concealer by itself is fine.

I just wish there were more shades available. They only have three:

Light

Light Medium

Medium

Besides just having only three shades, I don't have any other complains. It's around $7, so if it doesn't work out for you or you end up not liking it, it really won't hurt your budget too much.

Have you tried using this concealer? Is it something you might want to try?

:D

Giveaway thank you + Almay products. :)

Happy Saturday!

I hope you are all having a fantastic weekend! Can you believe it's the last weekend of March?!

It's officially Spring, but somehow it still feels like Winter, actually it feels more like Winter than it did when it was actually Winter, haha!

Anyways, I've been gone for so long, but now that I am feeling better, I want to get back into my normal routine by going through my blog photos and going from there. :) I found, yet again, that I have a lot of photos to be used for blog posts, and quite a few beauty products I meant to review. Hmmmm... gotta make sure I put those to use. :)

But for today, a long-overdue thank you to Marie@PoutyPinkPrincess for this giveaway I won! :D

Thank you, Marie!!! :D

It's so exciting to get a package in the mail!

The hairties and a card from Marie. :)

Marie's note. :)

How cute are these hairties?! I shared them with my sisters, we all love them!

Thanks again, Marie! :D

I also want to thank Lauren for the $35 CSN code giveaway I won!

And I also recently won cute bra straps from Exposed Envy -- future blog post on that to give my proper thanks. :)

Today, I also wanted to share with you guys some new Almay products I use. So, here we go...

Almay Wake Up Hydrating Makeup

Almay Intense i-Color Smoky-i Kit

Almay Smart Shade Anti-Aging Concealer

Almay One Coat Get Up & Grow Mascara

Do you use any of these? So far, I'm loving them! Reviews to come soon! :D

Have a great Saturday night/ Sunday! :)

Time to visit all your blogs! :D

Maybelline Define-a-Brow Eyebrow Pencil

Hello, everyone! :D

How has your Saturday been going?

I was looking through my old photos, and I saw this picture of my Maybelline Define-a-Brow Eyebrow Pencil. I forgot to do a review on it. So here it is now. :)

Micro-mechanical pencil delivers precise application for evenly defined brows.

($6.49, Ulta)

• Smudge-free
• Waterproof
• Blends easily
• Safe for contact lens wearers (Yay for me!)

I also love the little comb - it makes blending easier. :D

Available in 6 colors:

Dark Blonde, Dark Brown, Light Blonde, Light Brown, Medium Brown, and Soft Black.

Have you tried using this eyebrow pencil? What do you think of it?

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I also just want to tell you guys that you can go to http://www.freebeautyevents.com/ and enter their December contest for a chance to win Garnier Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream, Garnier Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Moisturizer, and Garnier Ultra-Lift Daily Targeted Wrinkle Treatment. :D

The contest will run until December 31st. Winners will be chosen on January 5th, and will be notified on the 15th of January.

L'Oreal will also have a demonstration at select CVS stores - they will be giving out coupons and samples. For our bloggers in New York and Pennsylvania, Coty will be promoting their holiday fragrance gift sets at Rite Aid. Check out http://www.freebeautyevents.com/ for more info. :D

Have a wonderful weekend, loves! :D

CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara Review

Hi, everyone! How is your weekend going? :D

Mine is going well - just spending the day hanging out at home. It's kind of gloomy today here in LA - perfect for a DVD marathon! I'm thinking of seeing some of those Christmas movies recommended to me by other bloggers on my previous post. :)

For today, I just want to share with everyone what I think of my new CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Blasting Mascara.

$8.39, Ulta

Get a blast of lush, volumized lashes! LashBlast's patented volume-boosting formula and patent-pending brush are designed to max-out each and every lash, leaving you with the ultimate big lash look.

• Instant volume and fullness
• Smudge and smear-proof
• Hypoallergenic and suitable for contact lens wearers

*from www.covergirl.com*

They have it in 4 colors:

Very Black (800), Black (805), Black Brown (810), Brown (815)

The description says it all. This is one of the best mascaras I have ever tried. It makes my lashes look long, and I love the mascara wand!

The day I went to get it, they didn't have the waterproof kind. The good thing about this mascara though, is it doesn't smear and smudge easily. But next time, I will definitely get the waterproof mascara.

Bad things... the price, maybe? It's a little bit pricier than my other mascaras, but for the quality we're gonna get, I think it's pretty much worth it. And I'm not sure, but it should be more affordable at drugstores or maybe Walmart. It has been working well for me, so I am a happy girl. :D

Have you used this mascara? What do you think of it?

Oh, and for my NOTD:

China Glaze - Midnight Mission

I saw this over at Marie's blog - www.allthingsmarie.com. :D

Have you tried this color?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Beauty haul :D

Yay for Thanksgiving break! Who's excited for Thanksgiving? :D

I can't believe Thanksgiving is only a day away! Time really flies, next thing we're gonna celebrate: Christmas! :O

I am finally done with midterms, yay! I can now resume my regular blogging schedule. I still do have some homework, but it'll work out. :)

For today's post, I have a beauty haul!

I got an assortment of beauty products. I will definitely do a review on them.

Should we go through all of them?

Covergirl Outlast Smoothwear Lipliner, $3.29 (Ulta)

There are 12 shades available. I have it in Plum (135).

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Blasting Mascara, $8.39 (Ulta)

They have 4 shades available. I have it in Very Black (800).

Covergirl TruCheeks Blush, $5.69 (Ulta)

They have 6 different combinations. Mine is combination #1.

Covergirl TruBlend Liquid Makeup, $8.49 (Ulta)

They have a loooootttt of shades to choose from. I picked #3 Natural Beige.

Covergirl TruBlend Minerals Pressed Mineral Foundation

I can't remember how much this was. I think it was discontinued or something. :/

MAX Factor Vivid Impact Shadow Duo, $8.69

I actually gave this one to my Mom. I'm gonna have to ask her what she thinks of it. :)

I can't remember what brand this lipstick is, what shade, and how much... it's been a while since I got it. Haha, but I will surely get those details down when I review this lipstick.

So yup, that's it for my haul. What are your recent beauty buys?