Sonia Kashuk Blush

             One of my fabulous makeup friends was selling this Sonia Kashuk blush and it was calling my name. HARD!! I had no funds at the time so one of my other fabulous makeup friends bought it for me!!! Thank you AMP!!! The color is Sunset and it retails for around $8.99 which is a steal.

             This blush looked very intimidating in the compact but once I swatched it I was pleasantly surprised. It blended well and was not chalky at all. On my face it appears like a coral bronzer which I really like.

 Sunlight

Natural Light

Flash

            

           I am pretty sure I am going to try a few more of the Sonia Kashuk blushes. Is there a color you recommend or another Sonia Kashuk product I should try? 

Thanks for reading,

Too Faced Haul

             I recently placed an order at Apothica for some Too Faced items. Too Faced has been on my want list FOREVER!!! I found a few things I wanted in the sale section which was nice. I paid approximately $50 for his haul.  I ordered on a Friday and had this all in my hands by Tuesday! Apothica is awesome!!

Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance Policy Set

$37.60

             I have been using Too Faced Shadow Insurance for about a week and I really like it. It works as well as Urban Decay Primer Potion and is around the same price. I still think for the price and performance I prefer elf primer. One thing I dislike is that it doesn't have a doe foot applicator like UDPP or elf primer. This one you have to squeeze out onto your finger and then apply.  The Two Faced shadows are gorgeous and very easy to blend BUT they seem to bring out all the wrinkles and lines on my eyelids. The shadows I bought all had either a metallic, duochrome or shimmer finish to them which really just settled into all the lines on my eyelid. I asked around and most of my friends said they did not have this problem so I would say it is very unlikely unless you have pretty wrinkled eyelids that you would have this problem.

Too Faced Eyeshadow Duo

Lucky Charms $17

              I did not take a close up picture of this look because my eyelid looked like snakeskin. YUCK. I am pretty bummed about these shadows not working for me because I really like this look from far away LOL.

Too Faced Starry Eyed Liner

Mad Mad Love

$17.30

            I am in love with his liner. It is so pretty and filled with glitter. I have used it a few times in some super sparkly looks. I will post some pics of those soon!!

           So that was my Too Faced haul from Apothica. Do you have a favorite Too Faced product? Have you ordered from Apothica? If so did you have super fast shipping too?

Thanks for reading,

Beauty Reads!

Beautifully Addicted To.... shows you how to create Galaxy Nails. Musicalhouses takes a look at Benefit's latest boxed blush offering, Benefit Hervana! Tigers get frisky on Valentine's Day as Addicted to Beauty enjoys London Zoo's viral campaign. At Musing on Beauty, Mariella tries two of the Edward Bess Quad Royale and is positively surprised! Dry skin got you down? Kajal Couture lets you in on an AMAZING new body moisturizer collection from Burts Bees. Beautywoome's response to the Kate Upton's Sports Illustrated cover is that real boobs have rights too! Valentine's Day may be over, but here at My Funny Valentine, we love pink lippies all year round! The Pink Sith has found yet another TAUPE eyeshadow to drool over. This time it's Rouge Bunny Rouge Loose Glitter Pigment in Caress Of Mink! Curious about the new NARS Cosmetics Spring Collection? Check out Krasey Beauty's swatches and review! Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed would like to escape the cold weather for a resort. But, since that's not happening, she's brought it to her fingers with the essie Resort Collection! Check it out and see if it brings you warm thoughts too! Looking for the ultimate baby pink lipstick? Amy Antoinette reviews Clarins Joli Rouge Baby Pink Lipstick. At theNotice, Rae takes you through The BB Cream Breakdown, with bare-faced (!) and full-face swatch comparisons of Garnier and Marcelle's BB Cream offerings. Tracy at Beauty Reflections shares her secret beauty habit and wants to know yours! Has Pammy Blogs Beauty discovered a new Holy Grail eye shadow? Check out her review of L'Oreal's new 24 hour Infallible Eye Shadow in Iced Latte. Phyrra debuts her first video tutorial of the year, a vibrant sapphire blue look with Makeup Geek & Sugarpill.
--- Every woman wants soft, luscious, plump lips. Win a tube of 3Lab Perfect Lips from Prime Beauty and perfect YOUR pout!

Neutral look using elf Holiday Palette

               My kids got me one of the small elf palettes for Christmas. I have used a few of the pinks and purples a couple of times but was not in love with how they applied or blended. I wanted to do a neutral look with shimmer using pressed shadows and my only choice was the elf palette. I have to say I like the way the neutrals perform. They are really pretty and easy to work with.

 They also got me a set of shimmer eyeliners by elf. I used the gold shimmer eyeliner on my lower lid. I went with bronzer and in the picture it looks harsh so I blended it out quite a bit more after this picture. My lips are Tarte LipSurgence in Peaceful.

 Thanks for reading,
 

February My Glam Bag!

                  I got My Glam bag earlier this month. Just a few days after my Birchbox. If you are wondering what My Glam you can check out my post from last month here . Basically it is a monthly subscription, for $10 you get a bag with 4-5 deluxe beauty samples and sometimes a full size product.

             This months bag was Valentine's day themed. It all came inside of a cute pink makeup bag. I do not use makeup bags so I gave mine to my niece. She totally loved it. Overall this months bag did not thrill me. I still feel like I got $10 worth of product so I am pleased but wish there was more makeup and less skin care.

NuMe Professional Styling Tools 

and Hair Extensions Gift Card

                 This is not too interesting to me because I already have a curling iron and flat iron and I have no desire to spend hundreds on hair extensions. I have the code to save $100 if someone wants it!

Cinderella Mask by Dead Sea Primer

• Cinderella had just a moment to get ready for the ball where she met her Prince Charming. She was magically transformed! However, at the stroke of midnight, everything would turn back to the way it was. Apply the mask before your next ball or romantic date on Valentine's Day and watch your skin transform before your eyes. You will see wrinkles become firmer and fine lines instantly tighten.

How you ask?
• This mask is specially formulated and packed full of beta-carotene, Vitamin E and A, tea tree oil, soy protein, cinnamon extract, pro-vitamin B5, Dead Sea minerals and the mud from the Dead Sea. Oh, best part of it all, it will last up to 3 days, so feel free to stay out past midnight.

Application :
• Thoroughly cleanse the face and neck area. Gently massage a thick layer of mask onto the face and neck. Wait for 5-10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Apply cream and make-up, if desired.

              This is a mask. It did what it claimed and my face felt nice afterwards. This product retails for $149 which makes me laugh. I would never spend that much for a face mask. EVER.

Roll On Shimmer by NYX

 Dazzle your face and body with Roll On Shimmer! Jazz up your look with any of the 16 brilliant shades that wears on eyes, face and body. Loose powder with intense shimmer and glitter. Simply apply to your desired body part by rolling on the product and control the intensity of the pigment yourself! Easily blend the shimmer powder using a brush or clean fingers and take with you everywhere you go for added sparkle.

           I have to say this product is weird. It is too big and bulky to be used easily on the eye and the actual shimmer powder is way too dark to use anywhere on your body. So uh....what are you supposed to really do with it??? It does seem like something more suited towards a young teenager. I had a hard time rolling it evenly over my eyelid. I did however like color of the shimmer powder. I used my finger to blend out the top edge.

Shine Control by X Out

  What it is:

• X Out Shine Control is an oil-free moisturizer with a mattifying complex that helps to instantly absorb excess oil.

What it does:
• X Out Shine Control is designed to help moisturize the skin while helping to minimize the appearance of shine, helping to create the perfect canvas to apply your makeup. It's the ideal primer to add to your daily beauty regimen as it hydrates while helping to control oil and mattifying the skin.

What else you need to know:
• Oil-Free
• Non-Comedogenic
• Created by dermatologists Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, the makers of Proactiv®, America's number one acne system

                   I am pretty picky about what goes on my face so I have not used this yet. Have you tried it and if so what did you think? I do not want to even open it if I am not going to like it. I would rather pass it along.

CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!

             I am not a fan of food items in these beauty bags/boxes but this chocolate was yummy so I will let it slide this time LOL.

Pineapple or Goji Berry

 Facial Mask Sachets by Freeman

Hydrate skin with Goji Berry Facial Hydration Mask, which helps calm, hydrate and nourish for soft, supple skin.

               I like masks and I like the Freeman brand but a Freeman mask was in last months bag so I wasn't too thrilled to see it. This mask was good and I liked it but I want to see some variety!!!

           So what did you think of this months Glam Bag????

Silk Naturals - Review and Swatches

                     I was contacted by Silk Naturals and asked if I would like to try some of their products. I checked out the website and a few things caught my eye. I decided to try out some of the mineral pigments and some skin care items. My package arrived within a few days of the first correspondence. That was nice. Everything was packed safely in a bubble mailer and arrived safely. Inside the package was a printed insert containing a "Guide to mineral makeup" and ingredient information.

                 I received Olive Oil lotion, Firming Moisturizer and 4 loose mineral pigments. Everything was sealed and labeled nicely with the exception of the Firming Moisturizer. It had no ingredient label. I looked for it on the printed insert I received but did not find it listed. I checked the website and I think this is what I received http://host.silknaturals.com/creb/firming-moisturizer-coq10-renovage-p-882.html

Olive Oil Lotion

$2.99 - $11.99

                 Silk Naturals says -I wanted to make a simple hand and body lotion- nothing crazy, or over the top- nothing that required a science lesson- just a good, basic, not terribly expensive, yet natural, and organic cream.  I finally succeeded.  This is nothing fancy- just 7 well chosen, nice ingredients.  It's light, yet nourishing, and I used a really cool emulsifier that actually resists being washed-off more than most- so it's nice if you're washing your hands a lot.  There's also some Oatmeal extract that helps draw moisture from the air- even at low humidity.  If you're not overly concerned about acne it's also nice as a face cream.

You get a one ounce bottle- perfect for your purse.  If you really love it we'll make bigger sizes.
Ingredients:  Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Certified Organic Jojoba oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol (naturally derived from Colza oil), Sorbitol Hydrolyzed Oats, Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate 

               I say - This lotion is really nice.  I hate greasy lotion and when I seen Olive Oil I was afraid. It had a good consistency and soaked into my skin leaving almost no slickness. The label on the bottle did not specify if this was for body or face so I only used it on my hands which were really dry. This eased the dryness and kept my hands feeling good. The natual ingredients really make this lotion a winner in my book.

 Firming Moisturizer

$2.99 - $16.95

              Silk Naturals says -
If you want dewy, glowing, younger looking skin- this is the moisturizer for you.  Our Firming Moisturizer has the wonder ingredient Renovage- it works by extending the lifespan of your cells to help reverse all of the signs of aging.  In clinical trials:
  clinical evaluations on a panel of women after RENOVAGE^TM treatment:
 

• Sun spots and skin moisture improved in 100% of the panelists!
• Redness and pore size reduced in over 90% of the panelists!
• Skin roughness, fine lines and barrier function improved in at least 75% of the panelists!
• Skin firmness, tone and elasticity increased in 75% of the panelists!

  In vitro effect of RENOVAGE^TM treatment:
  Skin explants exposed to UVB irradiation:

Protected catalase activity by 100%!

Increased cell resistance to harmful UVB by as much as 100%!

Prevented loss of cell function by as much as 60%!

To that we've added CoEnzyme Q-10 encapsulated in lipsomes to take it deep into your skin's surface- instantly firming, and providing great anti-oxidant protection.
This is all in a wonderful lotion base containing organic aloe juice, jojoba, passionfruit, and raspberry oils- all wonderfully skin smoothing and packed full of vitamins.

This moisturizer is a little bit different from  pretty much anything you may have tried before.  Instead of using a waxy emulsifier we start with a thick gel,and then stir in the rest of the ingredients...it feels lighter, there's less of a chance that it will clog pores. 
You get a 30 ml bottle- enough for about a month.  Osmotics CellularLongevity Serum with Renovage is $150 an ounce- and it's probably worth it- but because we're selling directly to you, and have no advertising budget you're getting a super bargain!
Ingredients:  Organic Aloe Gel, Jojoba Oil, Renovage, Raspberry Oil, Passionfruit Oil, Water, Phospholipids, Ubiquinone, Sorbitol, Gluconoactone and Sodium Benzoate, sodium Carbomer, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Green Tea
Gluten-Free. 

              I do not have as much to say <3  Because the labeling was so vague I was hesitant to use this very often. I did use it once at night and it did moisturize well but I can't review whether or not it is firming at this time. After reading through the product listing I am going to start using this at bedtime and I will update the review when I am finished with the sample.

Mineral Pigments 

$4.00

            Silk Naturals has over 267 mineral pigments to choose from! Wowsa!! That is a lot of choices! I received Rollick, Phantom,Silver Lining and Vandal.

               The pigments swatched very nicely. I was really excited about Phantom.

Swatches in the sunlight

Swatches with flash

           I did a look using all 4 colors. They all applied well and blended  easily. The colors were pigmented and applied opaque.

         Overall I like Silk Naturals. I really like the range of products they carry. They pretty much have everything from skin care to hair care. I am pretty "Crunchy" in my daily life, I cloth diaper, we use cloth wipes for the baby and napkins, recycle, garden and all that jazz so the whole natural theme to the store and products is very appealing to me. The website is easy to navigate and the pricing is average. I will be placing an order soon for some blushes and lip items soon. Have you tried Silk Naturals? If so, what did you think? is there a product that I must try? Let me know!!!

Thanks for reading,

Fyrinnae Haul and Swatches

                I finally got my hands on some Fyrinnae!!! I never seem to have funds when they are open so my super awesome friend Nina sent me some.Fyrinnae is an extremely popular "indie" cosmetic company that routinely shuts down their website to keep their turn around time under control.  I seriously almost died when I seen that "Blurple" in the middle of the top row. I have heard so many GREAT things about Fyrinnae's pigments so I was super excited to get my hands on these. I can safely say all the hype about these pigments is real. They are GORGEOUS.

Meerkat

This pigment is so sparkly!! Fyrinnae describes it as

Vibrant pink-purple with gold shimmer and sparkle highlight

Nevermore

This is my absolute favorite out of the bunch. It has become

one of my new favorite pigments!!

            Okay, I thought the pigments were pretty in the pots. Dude, I was blown away by the complexity of these pigments. There is so much depth and variations going on in each one. I am in love. Check out Mephisto and Purgatory!!! AHHHHHHHHH

Swatches in the sunlight

Close Up

Close Up

          I used both Meerkat and Nevermore for the look below. Both of the colors applied well and blended nicely. I am super exited about Fyrinnae and plan to make an order as soon as I can!! Full size pigments are $6 and sample sizes are $2.

              So tell me, what is your favorite color from Fyrinnae. I need to start compiling my shopping list. What about Pixie Epoxy? Do I need it???

Thanks for reading,