Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick in No.6 (Pink in Devotion) Review

I'm going to start apologizing now for this tardy post about one of my items I purchased during Sephora's Chic Week last month.  I have a few minutes at work to edit and finalize my thoughts on this item so here it goes...

When Sephora posted their "15% off all purchases" deal, I immediately thought of purchasing my first YSL lipstick.  I've been eyeing this product for such a long time and thank the beauty gods for bestowing this opportunity for me to take advantage of it.  Let me introduce my Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine lipstick in No. 6, or Pink in Devotion.  First the gold packaging (box and tube) is priceless and chic!  It's breathtaking and nothing compares to it.  Also, it's seductive in a sense that when you see that barrel, you know the woman who's applying the lipstick is fearless and knows what she wants.  Am I right?

 

I've been loving bright pink lipsticks lately, and this color hits the spot.  The lipstick is very hydrating, infused with vitamins for visible softer lips, and has a sweet scent that's not irritating but delightful.  It lasts only a few hours, but I don't mind reapplying at all.  If it wasn't for Chic Week, I would've waited for this baby till Christmas or my birthday.  Even though I'm working now, I would've needed a real good excuse to buy this lipstick (ahem, I have bills and school loans to pay just like every other person out there).

 

Anyway, I really love this color.  It really compliments my skin tone even though I haven't done any faux tanning (it's skirt season already).  When I wear this lipstick, I feel like I'm about to conquer the world whether I'm going food shopping, clothes shopping or just walking around town.  With any lipstick you own, you should always feel this way.  This lipstick comes in 19 shades and retails for $34 (at Sephora).  YSL is infamous for their other lipsticks, lip glosses highlighting pen, and other makeup items.  I figured I'll splurge on other items when I'm in the mood.  For now, I'll just stick to my lipstick.

It's Friday everyone!  Enjoy the weekend xoxo

Makeup Review: Drugstore Exfoliating Apricot Towelettes

I've been working for about a month now and I think I've finally adjusted to my daily routine.  There are things I look forward to at work and other things I look forward to at home.  The biggest thing I look forward to while I'm at work about to head home (besides pay day) is getting rid of all the makeup and dirt on my face.  I have a simple routine when I come home from work where I immediately remove my makeup before anything else.  When you work long days in Manhattan and pile on top of that a rugged commute, all you want to do is wipe your face (and maybe body) clean.

I did a quick run to CVS last week in a mission to purchase makeup remover wipes.  I amwas a Neutrogena makeup wipes user until I saw the CVS ones that are about 50% cheaper.  I'm not sure how many different towelettes that are of the CVS brand, but the ones that I purchased are real interesting and have a sweet scent.  The Exfoliating Apricot towelettes are pre-moistened wipes that are oil-free and remove dirt and oil from pores.  One side of the apricot-scented towelette is smooth to remove makeup.  The other side has textured beads to gently exfoliate and deeply remove dirt from your pores.

For someone who deals with deep pores and acne-prone skin, these wipes pretty much take care of my nighttime skincare routine.  These wipes are not harsh on the skin and I haven't had a terrible breakout since using these.  With the Neutrogena wipes, I use it to remove all of my makeup including my eyes.  With the CVS wipes, I feel that the wipes are a bit rough to use on the eyes.  The only reason I say that is because the other side has the exfoliating beads.

Overall I'm pretty impressed by these wipes and certainly plan on purchasing more in the future.  Like I said earlier, I'm not sure about the number of towelette variations there are with the CVS brand.  If you're strolling through the beauty aisle of any CVS store, check out the CVS makeup towelettes.  These are pretty inexpensive so even if you have wipes, pick these up and just try them out.  All of my (face) makeup is removed leaving my face smooth as if I just washed it with a face cleanser.

Just Another Manic Monday

This is a review of an eye cream I've been using for the past few days.  This comes from Origins where I was using their VitaZing moisturizer for a while.  I wanted to test another item from this brand to truly see how these products are.  I picked up the GinZing eye cream a while ago when I was in New York City.  Before I continue, please excuse the background of my pictures as this was taken on my bathroom counter...

GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream is "clinically-proven to instantly de-puff eyes and reduce dark circles". This 0.5 oz jar (retail price $30 at Sephora) contains coffee beans that provide antioxidants and age-fighting ingredients and ginseng that enhances vitality.  Meant to be used in the AM and throughout the day if needed, this pearly pink cream product gives the illusion of well-rested eyes.  Most of Origins skincare items are natural and are of organic ingredients healthy for your skin.

Usually before I purchase any makeup or skincare product, I do intense research as to whether or not it has received good reviews.  This eye cream was an impulse purchase based off of one person's positive review on YouTube.  After using this for a while, I wish I did my homework.  Before knowing what this product was all about, I was using it as a nighttime eye cream even though the directions clearly say "to use in AM".  The cream has a slight scent (if you smell the open jar close to your nose) and is lightweight that it instantly absorbs onto your skin.

My previous eye cream was Boscia's Enlivening Amino-AG Eye Treatment which is awesome.  When I first started using that, I applied the cream directly underneath my eyes at night.  In the morning, my eye area would look like I was crying all night long.  Then I started to apply it along the orbital bone (the bone just above the cheekbone that circles underneath the eyes).  That's when I saw a difference in my eyes when applying the Boscia eye cream properly.  I expected the same results using the Origins product.  But alas, I saw no change in my under-eye area.  It does lighten up the darkness, but I still need to use a concealer.  I don't have heavy bags under my eyes, but it doesn't get covered up either.

Overall, I would not repurchase this product once I'm done with the jar (if ever I finish it).  I definitely plan on repurchasing the Boscia eye cream but I have another eye cream waiting to be tested.  Have you used Origins GinZing before?  Do you feel the same way about this product?

Let me know!

Makeup Review: Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara

The latest mascara from Maybelline claims explosive looking lashes that look 8X longer and clump-free volume.

The patented Supersonic Brush with micro bristles delivers smooth application on every lash and volume instantly.  The brush is rubber and the wand is stiffer so you have more control when applying the mascara.  The Rocket mascara comes in different colors: brownish black, very black, and blackest black and also comes as waterproof.  The one I have is blackest black and is not waterproof.  When testing out this mascara, I did not curl my lashes as I wanted to see my natural lashes reach to the sky.  My lashes aren't short, but stick straight out.

After applying my first coat, my lashes looked spidery at first until I worked on the second coat which made a huge difference.  With much wiggling from root to tip, my lashes started to really separate and volumize in the middle of my eyelid.  It's hard to tell from these profile pictures, but I noticed a difference in my lashes.  Overall, I really like this mascara.  My One-by-One has to move over as my favorite volume mascara has arrived into my makeup collection.

Featured in this month's Allure magazine on shelves today!

Have you tried this mascara?  You can purchase this at any drugstore or makeup provider store.

Makeup Review: theBalm Balm Jovi Rockstar Face Palette

I received this palette during Christmas from my secret Santa with my cousins.  I first heard about this palette while watching Emilynoel83 (on Youtube) mention it in one of her holiday videos.  I immediately added this to my wish list and ... you know the rest.  I'm so happy that I have this palette and it's a great addition to my makeup collection.

This sleek palette comes with 12 eyeshadows, a blush, highlighter, 2 lipsticks/cheek stains, a palm-size mirror, and instructions to create different looks.  You can throw this palette into your purse or travel bag and there would be no damage at all.  This palette is very sturdy compared to other cardboard palettes that tend to be boxy and bulky.

The eyeshadows are playfully named after rock bands of our time.  A few of my favorite colors are Alice Copper (real name Alice Cooper, duh!), Allegro, The Stroke, and Third Eye Blinded.  The colors are creamy and can be applied either wet or dry.  This palette is ideal for any makeup look at any time of the day because this has the essential neutrals and enough accent colors to create a rockstar, smokey look.

The blush and highlighter are current favorites among a few Youtubers who own these beauties individually.  The blush is a light pink/coral color that reminds me of Benefit's Coralista.  The highlighter is a sheen gold and adds a nice tough to the cheekbones.  The lipsticks can be used as a cream blush, so the palette comes with 4 cheek items which is a nice addition.  If you wear the lipsticks, wear a lip balm underneath because it is a little dry (in my opinion).

Overall, this palette is awesome and makes me want to go on tour with a band! When you read the front and back of the palette, the description sounds like Rolling Stones made its own review of the palette.  This is a spunky palette, reasonably priced , and the best kick-ass addition in my collection.

Just Another Manic Monday

Hey friends!  It has been a while since I've featured any makeup item, but I finally got my hands on something that I've been wanting to try for a long time.  The item I'm talking about is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation.

This item may or may not seem new to you because this has been in the market for a while now.  But, I wanted to wait for the right time to pick it up which turned out to be now as we transition into fall.  I tested this item at Sephora where the makeup artist/salesperson tried to sell me the Stila Stay All Day Forever Foundation & Concealer.  Of course, I was only interested in the Urban Decay foundation but she did a good job in almost convincing me to purchase the Stila product instead.

Makeup Review: Sonia Kashuk Instructional Eye Shadow Palette

I bought this eye palette at a recent haul and am happy to share my opinion with you.