MAC RiRi Hibiscus Kiss

I am late to the party on this MAC product as usual but I just have to rave about this powder blush duo. I got this as a gift from my sweetheart Lisa <3 last month. I have used it quite a few times and am in LOVE. The combination when using both colors is so pretty!!

The bronzer portion is a neutral matte bronzer. Applied it works perfectly as a contour and to brighten up my face. The blush portion is a coral pink which looks WAY to dark and shocking in the pan especially for my face but it surprisingly is neutral and tame when applied.

This was a limited edition product so it not for sale on the MAC website anymore. I am sure their are plenty of them for sale on other websites though but usually that is where you get price gouged. If you have the opportunity to pick this up for a decent price I would totally go for it!

 

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Poise Makeup Creme Blush and Lip Compact

I first learned about Poise Makeup at the PHAMExpo. I was standing in the long line for the Sugarpill booth and the Poise booth was right next to it. A  rep from Poise was giving away fliers and compacts. First here is a little info about Poise Makeup from their website:

Poise International Beverly Hills was established in 1993. It is a company that markets the finest skin care products. It is the vision of Mae Hartberg's late husband, John Hartberg, to expand the Poise International company, to the artistry level of flawless skin. Poise Makeup was then created. Now it is time to fulfill the vision of John Hartberg by launching the "State of the Art Makeup" that will cater to all skin tones from extra light to extra dark. The formula has been created to accommodate the needs of every passionate makeup fan. It is the Poise Makeup Team that spreads the intention of this mission. We believe that our success is your success and we look forward to making dreams a reality.
Poise Makeup offers high quality product for professional makeup artist and everyday woman. Cinema Touch HD Crème has a unique ingredient blend, including natural Minerals, Botanical, Multiple Peptide and Vitamins to nourish the skin while providing flawless long lasting coverage.
Poise believes in empowering professionals, students and customers alike, through quality product and service. We have the educational facility to educate our client for makeup application techniques. Our products are the results of extensive research and experience in color cosmetics as well as skin care.

I can't find this compact on the website so I am assuming it was a promotional product for the expo.
The back of this compact says Cinema Touch HD Crème Blush/Lip in Rose, Beautiful and Mae Pink all of which can be found here . They are sold in refill pans for $10 each.

 

I will admit that I do not have very much experience with crème blushes. I have been thinking I may like crème blushes more because they seem like the would be more forgiving to aging skin ( ugh).





I used all three colors mixed on my lips. I personally feel like this product is too thick and dry for lips. It is really pretty but feels quite heavy and looks dry on the lips.

 Face with just foundation and some tinted lip balm

 

I use the lightest color on the top of my cheekbones like a highlighter, the pink color on the cheekbones as a blush and the coral color just below as a contour.  I really like the colors and the crème blended into my skin quite easily. I used my fingers to apply but now think I brush would have been better for more precise application. I did find that this looks a bit more natural on my skin than powder blush.

 

Added some brows and mascara!

Overall I really like this product for the face. Lips not so much. I found the crème to be easy to use, blend, and I think it looks really nice when applied. At $10 for each crème color I find it to be affordable. Poise Makeup offers a full line of professional grade cosmetics at reasonable prices. Also check out their facebook page here

Have you tried Poise Makeup? If so, what did you think?

Thanks for reading,

I edit all my photo's using PicMonkey! Go check them out!

MAC Mineralized Blushes in Pleasantry and Warmth of Coral

I know these blushes have been released ages ago and swatched all over the internet but they are new to me so I wanted to share =0) I got both of these in a trade from one of the makeup groups I am in. I did not think I would love Warmth of Coral but it is actually my favorite out of the two. It is also a unique blush color in my collection.

Warmth of Coral

 

I can't apply blush nicely or photograph it to save my life.

I apologize LOL

 

 

Pleasantry

Thanks for reading,

I edit all my photo's using PicMonkey! Go check them out!

Benefit, Fine-One-One

What is it? Sheer, Brightening color for cheeks and lips
 How much is it? $30

 Where to buy it? Online at the Benefit website, Sephora and Ulta

 What is it supposed to do? Description taken from the product listing on the Benefit website -This sheer brightening cheek & lip color gives your look instant LIFT, SHAPE and POP. Glide on the  three shades—pink champagne, sheer watermelon and soft coral—for a sheer coral pink flush that builds from soft & natural to bright & cheery.

What does it ACTUALLY do?  I am having horrible sinus issues and feel like death in the pictures below. You can see that it did actually brighten and lift my face up. To apply , I simple pressed it against my face , starting at the apple of my cheeks and glided it upwards. Then I carefully buffed the lines out using my fingers. It was very quick and easy to apply.

Overall thoughts? I like this product quite a bit. On most days I just do a quick face and Fine-One-One is going to work perfectly because it basically has all three products I normally use in one (highlighter, blush and the contrasting shades give a contoured effect). I also think this product would be great for people who are just getting into makeup. It takes the guess work about where to apply the different products by putting them all in one applicator. The packaging is plastic, it reminds of a little deodorant or something. I do feel like the amount of product is small for the price of $30. If you used it everyday I doubt it would last more than a month. I did not try it on my lips. That just seems weird to me. Rubbing it on your cheeks and then your lips. I dunno. I just won't end up using it on my lips. I am finding myself drawn to products by Benefit more and more lately. I am dying to try fakeup!!

Have you tried Fine-One-One? If so what did you think? What is your favorite Benefit product? Mine has to be High Beam highlighter which is funny because when I very first tried it years ago I HATED IT!


 Thanks for reading,

I edit all my photo's using PicMonkey! Go check them out!

Laura Gellar Blush N Brighten

 What is it?  Laura Gellar Blush N Brighten in Pink Grapefruit

 How much is it?  $31.00

 Where to buy it? http://www.laurageller.com/store/cheeks-baked-collection/products/blush-n-brighten-1

 What is it supposed to do? 
 Text from the product listing on Laura Gellar website.
Rich tones of marbleized pigments are swirled together in a soft, silky, powder for a glow-giving blush with universal appeal.  Each of my blushes blends multiple pigments for just the right shade of color for all skin types.

 What does it ACTUALLY do? I found this product to live up to it's claims. It gave me a gorgeous blushing color with a kick of brightness.

Overall thoughts?  I really love this blush! It is a gorgeous color and it brightens up my face really well. It was very easy to apply, went on smoothly and blended out nicely. I would definitely buy this blush again and plan to get some other colors such as Honey Dipped and Golden Apricot.

Have you tried Laura Gellar Blush N Brighten? If so, what did you think?

Thanks for reading,

Some new brushes!!

 

Over the last month I have acquired a bunch of new brushes so I figured I would just lump them into one post to make it more exciting! Are you excited yet? I sure am because in this brush haul is my new favorite brush! Move over MAC #222 because you have competition!

First up is the MAC 168SE Travel Cheek Contour Brush. I found this gem for sale in a facebook group and arranged a trade. I personally HATE travel size brushes but you know what I hate more.... MAC PRICING ON FULL SIZE BRUSHES! I have way too many kids to be affording MAC brushes. So anyway, I decided to give this brush a whirl simply because it was MAC. That was a very good decision because I LOVE this brush. I personally use it to apply blush ( not contour), the angled design and size of the brush are perfect for my face. I have been using the tip from Goss Makeup Artist and only applying blush to my cheekbones and staying away from the apples of my cheeks so the small size and angle of this brush fit perfect into the smaller area.

Next is the Ultimate Eyeshadow Brush from Beauty From The Earth. I received this brush in my prize package last month. Remember I was in the top ten for the Bridal Makeup Challenge on Makeupbee?   This brush costs $9.99 and is available here. I am not sure what this brush is made of but I believe it is synthetic. I have used this brush numerous times and it has quickly become one of my favorites for applying eyeshadow (before blending).  The size is perfect and the bristles are packed just dense enough to grab the right amount of shadow. I could use a few more of these in my brush collection!

Now on to the Sonia Kashuk Crease Brush. These brushes are EXTREMELY cheap and GREAT quality. The normal price for the Sonia Kashuk Core eyeshadow brushes is $5.99. I had a $2 off coupon so this brush was a steal. I use this brush a lot. It is a good addition to my collection. I have 2 other crease brushes by Studio Tools but both are really fluffy so I do not use them as a crease brush but this brush fits nicely into the crease. I like it!

 Then we have the Real Techniques Stippling Brush. I paid around $8 for this brush at Ulta. I wanted this brush and  I do not even know what stippling really is. Someone commented and told me that using a stippling brush with that gold MSF I got from MAC would be a good idea so I got this brush. I have used it once to stipple on some highlighter. I just dabbed it on thinking that was how you used a stippling brush. I have watched some videos and see this brush is quite versatile so I am excited to see how it works. I will update you all!

Last is an elf Fan Brush. My makeup sensei told me I needed a fan brush. I am FAR too cheap to spend good money on a brush that is used to flick makeup OFF my face so I opted for the $3 studio version from elf. I have used it to flick off black eyeshadow and glitter from my face and it works nicely. Before I would wipe it off with makeup remover and make a bigger mess so I am glad I got this brush.

So that is my brush haul from last month! What do you think? Have you tried any of these brushes? if so what did you think? If not, do you have any brushes you are excited about lately? Please share!

 Thanks for reading,
Christina

BH Cosmetics 10 Color Blush Palette

What is it?  10 Color Professional Blush Palette

 How much is it?  $10-$16.95 ( depending on sale pricing)

Where to buy it? http://www.bhcosmetics.com/products/face/10-Color-Professional-Blush-Palette/

 Natural Indoor Light (bright)

 Natural Indoor Light ( away from windows)

 With Flash

Indirect Sunlight

Direct Sunlight

Overall thoughts?  I really like this blush palette. I ended up paying around $10 for it which is a STEAL. The color range in this palette is great, ranging from bright to light. My go to color is the bottom row second color in. It is gorgeous. You also get matte and shimmer finish in this palette which is nice. The darker colors are great for contouring as well. I found the formula of this blush very good and easy to work with. I am beyond pleased with this palette.

Have you tried BH Cosmetics 10 Color Blush Palette? If so what did you think?


Thanks for reading,