March Haul + Upcoming Reviews

Hello! It has been a while!

Today I went shopping, my favorite past time. Here is what I bought, and will review the next few days and weeks as I use the products.

*The Body Shop Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash

*Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Fortifying Shampoo for Dry Hair

*L'Oreal EverCrème Deep Nourishing Masque

*Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light/Medium

*L'Oreal True Match Super-blendable Compact Makeup in N1 Soft Ivory

*L'Oreal Color Caresse by Color Riche in Fiery Veil

*L'Oreal Color Caresse by Color Riche in Pink Cashmere

*Essie Nail Lacquer in A Crewed Interest

*Essie Nail Lacquer in E-nuff Is E-nuff

*Essie Nail Lacquer in In The Cab-ana

*Clairol Shimmer Lights Shampoo

I will add the links as I review!

Neutrogena Shine Control Makeup Foundation

Hello bombshells!

I've been using this foundation for a few weeks now and am finally ready to review it. I typically do not wear foundation, except for special occasions, mostly because I have type 3 (oily/combination) skin and am also prone to breakouts. I am extremely careful with my skin to say the least.

Typically, I will wear a tinted moisturizer/American BB cream and light powder over to help control shine. That only goes so far without me looking shiny. Any makeup that claims to be shine control automatically has me intrigued.

Neutrogena has always been a great brand for hypoallergenic makeup and skincare. I used to love their oil-free spf moisturizer and still dabble in some of their other skin care products. Knowing Neutrogena has a good name, I wanted to try this foundation when it hit shelves.

Shade 30 Buff

Here are two swatches, one just a blob, and the other semi-blended. The color looks very off on me in both lighting pictures, but actually blends very well on my face. Buff has a yellowy undertone.

Other reviewers agree that this foundation has a gritty texture for some reason. I don't mind it. It blends well with a brush and does not feel cakey on my face.

I was enthused to see that I went shine free for 2 hours! That is more than I can usually say! 

Lately I have been mixing some of this foundation with an oil free moisturizer to dilute it and make it lighter and even more even on my face, which I find works great for daily use. It keeps me shine free longer than other tinted moisturizers. 

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Price: $12

There is also a primer and translucent powder in this line I will soon try!

Have you tried Neutrogena Shine Control Makeup? Have you tried any other products in this line? Comment below!

DIY Hair Color Refreshing Spray

Hi all :)

Today I want to share a little DIY project for you to try for your hair. I started soaking my hair in brewed rooibos tea to gently refresh my dyed red/gold hair color about once a week. Sometimes I found my hair looked refreshed, and other times not so much. If I kept the soak on longer in shower, it would work better. In the shower, however, when I poured the tea mixture on my hair, it wouldn't soak in well, thus leading to this idea...

I brewed a mixture of hot water and rooibos and herbal peach tea together overnight in a regular, ceramic mug. I then added a few drops of my Organix Moroccan Argan Penetrating Oil to the mixture. The fragrance from the tea is so lovely that I did not need to add anything more to make it smell sweet. I also added a little sea salt, but you could do without it. I put my mixture in an empty hairspray bottle and put it in the fridge.

This DIY refreshing spray is literally cold and refreshing, but can be used at any time. Tea can be drying, so it can also be used to soak up some oilies and refresh your style while replenishing the color slightly. You can spray it on your hair and let it soak in while wet and just let it dry, or while your hair is dry.

Tea for hair:

Blonde hair, use chamomile.
For golden hair, use chamomile and herbal peach tea.
For red hair/red toned hair, use rooibos and herbal peach tea.
For golden brunettes, use herbal peach tea and black tea.
For dark brown hair, use black tea.

My skincare routine

Hello readers :) I think there are about 40 of you...it's a great start.

I want to share my skincare routine with you. I've previously stated that my favorite cosmetic brand is Lush, and this post will be a perfect representation of my love for the company. Every product I use on my skin regularly is from Lush! 

I cleanse my face twice a day using the above products.

AM:

Cleanse with Dark Angels.

Spray Breath of Fresh Air Toner on my face.

Apply Grease Lightning to my entire T-zone, where I am very oily.

PM:

Cleanse with Aqua Marina.

Spray Breath of Fresh Air Toner on my face.

Apply Grease Lightning only on break out areas.

2-3x a week I use Ocean Salt to cleanse and exfoliate usually in the AM in place of Dark Angels.

The products:

Dark Angels is a rhassoul mud and charcoal based exfoliating cleanser, great for oily and clogged skin.

Aqua Marina is a calamine and kaolin based cleanser that is super soothing for sensitive skin.

Dark Angels up close:

Breath of Fresh Air is a seawater toner great for refreshing parched skin.

Grease Lightning is a tea tree blemish treatment that banishes oils and clears up acne prone sin, naturally.

Ocean Salt is my favorite Lush product! It is a coconut cream, lime, and sea salt face (and body!) scrub that exfoliates and brightens skin. It is fantastic for oily/combination skin and smells like heaven.

I love Lush products because they're all handmade and use naturally beneficial ingredients. 

What is your skincare routine? Have you ever/do you currently use Lush products for your face? Comment below!

Lip butters, balms and color sticks.

Today I wanted to blog about my latest beauty obsession, as the title says. Every company has been coming out with their own version of the lip balm/gloss/lipstick hybrid, and I have been wanting to try them all. I've gotten my hands on quite a few different colors from quite a few different brands, but it seems that every time I make a Target run, there are more available.

This is my current collection of these hybrid lip colors:

Aaaaaand swatches...

From left to right:

L'Oreal Color Riche Le Balm in Caring Coral ($8)

L'Oreal Color Riche Le Balm in Caramel Comfort ($8)

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Coral Twist ($8)

Clinique Chubby Stick in Chunky Cherry ($16)

Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato ($16)

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Glossy Tint Lip Sheen in Manic Pink ($9)

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Fresh Papaya ($8)

Maybelline Color Whisper in Pin Up Peach ($6)

Maybelline Color Whisper in Coral Ambition ($6)

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti ($8)

They are all really great. There isn't one I dislike to be honest.

L'Oreal Color Riche Lip Balm
A lip balm should be hydrating, right? This shouldn't be called a lip balm because it dries my lips out in 10 minutes, if even. It goes on smoothly, but deposits barely any color. In Caring Coral, the color is very pretty and looks natural. It's a light pinky coral and very glossy. In Caramel Comfort, it's a definite turn away from pink. It's very warm, with sandy gold undertones, but also very natural looking and glossy. I wouldn't buy another one of these balms because the formula plainly sucks. I rarely use them because they dry me out so much.
Overall rating: 5

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Coral Twist
This is a truly great formula. The gloss goes on so smoothly and makes my lips look full. The color is beautiful, bright, and not over the top. I often wore this color to work because of how nice it looked with my skin tone. When I'm at work, I can't keep touching up my makeup, so I make sure to wear a hydrating lip color with a lasting tint, and this definitely fit the description. The only problem is the packaging. The first one I bought was defective and the whole product broke off from the inside.
Overall rating: 8.5

Clinique Chubby Stick
This is one of the original hybrids! Naturally, it's also probably one of the best. If you're willing to dish out the extra cash for these, they are totally worth it. Moisturizing, long lasting color is awaiting you with these, for real. Chunky Cherry is a bit deep for me. I don't often wear a dark lip color, or one with purple undertones, so this was a change for me. I like it, yes, but it's almost a little too vampy for me. My roommate, however, uses this as her go-to color. Two Ton Tomato is my go-to color. It's a red, but a sheer red like the inside of a tomato. It also has coral undertones to blend and reflect off my skin's golden undertones. I also wear this color to work a lot.
Overall rating: 9

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Glossy Tint Lip Sheen in Manic Pink

I was so excited when I first saw these at work! This is one of the most pigmented of the balm hybrids I own, but also the most glossy and sheen. The color is pretty, but does not, I repeat, does not look good in pictures indoors. It literally looks purple and sketchy in pictures. In person, however, it looks very pretty and colorful. It's also pretty hydrating.

Overall rating: 6.5

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Fresh Papaya

I wish I could record audio of me saying "love it!" in a sing-songy voice and attach it here because this product is awesome. First off, it smells nice. That's a plus, always. It also is so natural looking indoors and out, and I believe all the colors have the potential to look nice on all skin tones. It's almost a little gritty and not super smooth, but it is fairly long lasting and moisturizing. The only annoyance with this stick is that there is shimmer in the formula. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's kinda annoying. Still, it's really great and the color is just so fresh.

Overall rating: 8.5

Maybelline Color Whisper

This new color is so fresh and smooth and light as air on my lips. The only problem is that is not moisturizing, like, at all. I always have to wear a clear lip balm underneath because my lips would dry out in a heartbeat, otherwise. Coral Ambition is a pretty and fresh pink with peachy undertones. It makes my lips look lighter than natural, but I don't mind too much. Make sure you use a lip scrub before applying, because this one will definitely make crackly lips more noticeable. Pin Up Peach is more pigmented than Coral Ambition, but still has some coral/peachy undertones. It's a natural looking lip color, which I love, and is also very fresh and light. 

Overall rating: 8.5

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti

I love everything coral in makeup, so I naturally chose this orange-y color to try. If applied alone, it looks too orange-y on my lips, but if applied over a balm, lightly, it looks GREAT and make my skin look glowing. The formula is beautiful and near flawless. It literally glides on like butter and stays hydrating for a long time. 

Overall rating: 9.5

Have you tried any of these color sticks on my list? Have you tried any other hybrids? What do you like/dislike about them? Comment below!

An introduction to my Lush addiction

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm completely addicted to Lush. For those of you unfortunate souls who do not know what Lush is...

Lush is a great cosmetic company, my favorite, who believes in all the things a company should! I use a vast array of their products, and continue to try and fall in love with more. 

This is going to be my little blog home that I will update with Lush hauls and posts :) Of course I have to dedicate an entire updated blog post to my favorite company!

L'Oreal Preference Paris Couture Hair Color 2013

Finally saw this collection in my local Target the other day! It's new for 2013 and by the look of the boxes, I'm really loving all four shades in the collection.

From left to right, the shades are as follows:

Iced Golden Brown 5CG, Rich Merlot Red 5RM, Rose Gold Blonde 8RG, Delicate Golden Blonde 9DG

I really really really love the look of all four shades, so much that I'm considering picking up a box for my next dye job, een though I just double dyed and then bleached my hair. I'm thinking the Rose Gold Blonde for summer?

Have you spotted the new Paris Couture collection yet? Which is your favorite shade of the group? Comment!