Youtube Beauty Gurus

I am a YouTube fan. I find myself watching more YouTube videos than TV. Of course there are the TV shows that I couldn't live without. But, in general I find myself spending more time on the computer watching videos than sitting down and flipping through the TV guide. Mainly I watch beauty Gurus, because it is makeup TV. Beauty Gurus are youtubers that video blog (vlog) about beauty products, they do reviews, tutorials, DIY and much more. Basically their a blog but they flim themselves. So here are the people that I couldn't live without in no particular order.

Elle Fowler:

Basically she is the most put together person I have ever seen. Her videos quality is amazing and her content is off the charts. I love watching her, and seeing what she recommends.

Amarixe:

Allison is the beauty vlogger that makes you want to buy everything. She has a great mix of reviews, and tutorials with affordable and high end products. My favorite videos that she does are her favorites because she goes through everything she loves and gives a review of it. 

Pixiwoo: 

The pixiwoo sisters Sam and Nic are professional makeup artists from the UK who have amazing instructional videos that a normal person can understand and actually learn from. They are always doing tutorials based of celebrity looks, movie characters. Their Halloween tutorials are spectacular and overall they are wonderful. Sam also has created a makeup brush line Real Techniques which is supposed to be amazing.

Emilynoel83 (Beauty Broadcast):

Emily is a News Anchor who is self proclaimed beauty adict. She is always on top of new products drugstore and high end. If you are looking for a good bronzer, foundation, etc she will have a video about the best ones. To sum it up she is the most informative beauty vlogger in the whole youtube world. 

Eleventh Gorgeous: 

Eleventh Gorgeous are two sisters Tracy and Stefanie with a joint youtube channel that is all about the drug store makeup. I love them for their hauls, and product reviews. Also they are so funny and just plain adorable. 

Missglamorazzi: 

Ingrid is probably the prettiest person on the earth, and her videos are well edited and have good content. She has a wide arrange of fashion, GIY (glam it youself), and beauty videos. She is fun to watch and after I finish watching one of her videos it is impossible not to be in a good mood. She is positive, and always puts a smile on my face no matter what her video is about. I also love her vlog channel The Grid Monster . Her cat Nugget is one of my most favorite creatures on the planet. 

Michele Phan: 

Michele Phan is basically normal girl turned YouTube millionaire. Her videos are informative, useful, well made and just lovely to watch. As she has gotten more recognized her videos have changed but I think that they have changed for the better. Her tutorials are also amazing because she doesn't reference specific products she just mentions what type of product you need. This allows someone to create the look using any product that they already own. She also created her own monthly beauty bag service Ipsy. 

So basically you should go to YouTube right NOW and subscribe to all of these lovely ladies. If you don't have a YouTube account you can sign in with your G-mail which makes things super easy. Now you have no excuse for not subscribing. Happy watching!

4 Top Online Shopping Websites

For a very long time I was very against online shopping for clothes because I was scared that whatever I ordered would never fit me. But, recently I have really opened myself up to the universe that is online shopping. I love online shopping because you get a wider selection, it is all about options options. I thought I would share some of my favorite websites and online stores (in no particular order).

1. Romwe
• Romwe is street style fashion heaven. It sells a mix of classic and bold pieces and ships internationally. The best part is that they are always having sales, and promo codes galore. They also have a great selection of inexpensive jewelry, and other accessories. I love shopping at this site because basically it is as if my tumblr feed created a store. 
2. Hautelook 
• Hautelook is a flash sale website that partners with high end brands. It sells makeup, clothes, furniture, eye-wear, . It isn't just for women it sells kids wear and mens wear. Overall just a really good website for some nice stuff. The only thing I don't like about this website is that it takes forever to receive what you have purchase. You can't really get anything that you order until the sale is over.
3. Plndr 
• Plndr is a flash sale website, that sells a variety of brands. With this site it is important that if you see something you like to just grab it, because when the sale is over it is OVER. The thing that I dislike the most is that the sizing can be a little confusing, you really never know what your going to get.
4.  Cult Beauty

• Cult Beauty is a UK beauty website that sells hard to find brands. It is a great place to try out skincare and makeup that you can't find in Sephora or other department stores. Also Cult Beauty ships internationally. 

Have fun shopping! 

Summer wish list ;

Summer wish list ; by emmarosman featuring a camouflage concealer

Kat von d
sephora.com

Urban decay
sephora.com

Thebalm
beauty.com

Stila
stilacosmetics.com

Benefit camouflage concealer
benefitcosmetics.com

Rimmel
$17 - nelly.com

Marc Jacobs beauty product
sephora.com

Urban Decay beauty product
sephora.com

Freeman Beauty Facial Clay Mask Avocado & Oatmeal

I love face masks. They are a great way to perk up your skin or just pamper yourself. However I’m not a huge fan of spending tons of money mask. I never want to break the bank for a skin care product (even though skin care is so important). I went on a mission to find good face-masks at a medium reasonable price. I was trolling the drug store when I came across Freeman products next to the Burt's Bees section in the skincare aisle.

The display contained a variety of different face-masks and scrubs, but the one that I purchase was the Avocado & Oatmeal mask. The mask comes in a green squeeze bottle and contains 6 fl. Oz (150 ml). On the back of the packaging it says

“Made with natural, botanical ingredients, Freeman felling Beautiful is a full range of skin and body care products to feel you look and fell your best.This rich clay mask, with added oatmeal and Vitamin E, draws out excess oils and dirt, purging clogged pores, leaving your skin clean and soft" 

Whats in my Bag Tag

My bag: longchamp (large) in red tote
-Wallet: urban outfitters
Makeup bag: Lesportsac
- 405 fairytale covergirl lipstick
- revlon 001 Matt in Nude Attitude
- revlon 613 Creme in just enough buff
- revlon lip butter 015 tutti frutti
- revlon colorstay concealer in 02 pale
- Maybelline line stiletto in blackest black
- covergirl clean oil control pressed powder 510 in classic ivory
- Eco tools retractable face brush
- two mini claw clips
-Pencil case for feminine products
- mini jam jar for Advil
- coin purse with iPhone 5 charger and headphones
- keys
- Rubbermaid water bottle
and the lovely girl in this photo is my friend Elena who I asked to model my bag!

Ecotools rectractable face brush

Ecotools retractable face brush
-I have oily skin and I always need to carry blotting oil absorbing powder. But storing a face brush in a makeup case can be annoying because the brush can get damaged, loose its shape or get dirty from other products. Eco tools is a synthetic drug store brush company that uses recycled materials like bamboo and aluminum. They are affordable, soft and generally are just really good quality brushes. My favorite is their retractable dash brush. It fits nicely into my makeup bag and is super handy for on the go application. Basically it is the perfect handbag makeup brush. It retails for 6 to 8 dollars at Cvs, and RightAide and other drugstores

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Love and Beauty Forever 21

I bought this Love and Beauty eyeshadow at Forever 21 about a year ago for a few bucks and was amazed at the pigmentation. The shadow is buttery, smooth, pigmented and so easy to apply. This is my favorite neutral eyeshadow color of all time. I sweep this all over my lid, inner corner and brown bone. It also can be use just as a great highlight shade. I unfortunately did drop it and it broke a bit, but it is still functional. I definitely want to pick up more of these, but the displayed in the Forever 21 stores in NYC are so messy and the makeup is always damaged, opened, or falling apart. I might have to order online.

Maybelline New York Color Tattoo Pure Pigments

Maybelline Color Tattoo line has come out with a collection of long lasting, pigments. I am a huge fan of the color tattoo shadow pots, and so I was pretty excited to test out this new line. The collection contains 12 long lasting loose pigment eye shadows in a range of neutral to bright colors. Maybelline claims that these shadows
“Intense pure pigments in our crease-proof, longwearing formula create explosive color for wear up to 24HR.” (Maybelline.com).
That is a pretty big claim for a powder eye shadow. I purchased two colors from the collection and surprise, surprise they are neutrals. I picked up 60 in Buff & Tuff, and 55 in Barely Brazen.
Buff & Tuff:
Is a light pink, pearly color that shimmers, but also contains specks of gold glitter. The consistency is smooth, and sheer. I find that I like to use this best with a small blush brush and apply to the tops of my cheekbones for a highlighter. On my cheeks it doesn’t have the best staying power. After a few hours and a lot of sweat it fades/melts away with my foundation. However this might be a totally different story in the winter. On the eyes I find it to be really nice. I prime my eyes, and then apply it all over for an easy effortless look. If I really want to make it pop I will layer it over my Color Tattoo in Barely Branded.
Barely Brazen:
This is a light pinky brown color that is matt with flecks of gold glitter. I like to use this in the crease or outer V of my eyelid. I like to pair it with my Barely Branded Color Tattoo or Buff & Tuff pigment. The color isn’t too sheer or too overly pigmented where it is difficult to apply. It gives a very natural finish; the glitter isn’t too over bearing


I really like using these shadows but, they aren’t super pigmented and rich like they are advertised but that is just the colors that I purchased. I definitely will continue to use them, and buy more from the collection

Bronzer, Blush and Highlighter combo

Summer Blush, Bronzer, and Highlighter comb
Blush: Pixi energizer blush in pick-me-up-pinkBronzer: NYC Smooth Skin in SunnyHighlighter: Color Tattoo Pure Pigments in Buff & Tuff

Covergirl Quads in Country Woods

I was stumbling though the drugstore as I always seem to be when I came across a very large display of new and old covergirl quads/trios/singles. As I always tend to do I was drawn to the neutral quads in browns, bronzes, and vanillas. I was really hoping that this would be a great complimentary small pallet to go with my beloved Wet and Wild Walking On Egg Shells trio. This defiantly is a nice addition to carry around in my makeup bag because the colors are so pretty and neutral but, the pigmentation is a real let down. To get any of these colors to really pop on the eyes you have to dig your brush into the shadow, and apply many layers to achieve any color pay off.
 The quad has contains three browns/bronze colors called coffee, mink, and mocha, and a crème color in barely beige.
Coffee:
Coffee is a medium brown shade with a satin finish. It is more pigmented than mink or mocha, but the consistency is sticky and clumpy and doesn’t apply easily.
Mink:
Mink is an interesting color. It looks brown with some shimmer in the pan, but on the eyes is a more bronze rose gold color. It is very sheer and no matter how much you try to build up this color you won’t get much pay off.
Mocha:
In the pan mocha looks to be a sun burnt orange brown. However due to its extreme sheer consistency is looks more like an ashy brown when applied to the lid. It isn’t as sheer as mink but the color pay off is just weak,
Barely Beige:
This is the most pigmented shade in the quad but the consistency of the shadow is so awful and difficult to work with I don’t even really think that it is worth it.
 Overall I wouldn’t repurchase this quad ever again. If you don’t mind fiddling with it, and taking lots of time building up the color then maybe you won’t mind it. But I will say that the colors are really beautiful in the pan.

Summer Lip Favorites (July)

Summer lip products
Lipsticks
Revlon superlustrous lipstick in 001 nude attitude Matt formula
-great layering lipstick to tone down a bright lipstick
-great wash out color base completely turns your lips to skin tone ( if you have light skin)
-scent less
Revlon super lustrous lipstick 613 just enough buff Creme formula
- perfect lip enhancer intensifies the natural color if your lips
- moisturizing feels good on the lips
- isn’t super long lasting but it doesn’t come off if you don’t eat or drink
-scent less
-contains small sparse specks of silver glitter
Cover girl lipstick in 405 fairytale
-Creme finish, formula isn’t too drying, but it isn’t specifically moisturizing
-middle blue toned pink, very Barbie-like
-is scented, sweet sugary scent
Moisturizing lipsticks
-revlon colorburst lipbutter in 015 tutti frutti
-semi pigmented, sheer color but can be built up to be fuller
- very smooth on the lips but not as long lasting as the revlon super-lustrous lipsticks
-orangey coral color leaning more on the orange side than coral

Covergirl Clump Crusher

*** excuse my awful photos ***
I was walking through the drugstore looking for a new mascara, and I decided to go out of my comfort zone. I always buy Maybelline mascaras. I love almost all of the volume express line except, for a few I haven’t tried. I was in the Covergirl section and I quickly picked up the Clump Crusher. I have always been turned off by the lashblast chunky orange packaging even though it is a raved about mascara. But, something about the neon green packaging made me grab it.
            Unfortunately I wasn’t really paying attention when I grabbed it off the rack because when I got home I realized I bought it in brown instead of black. This is just about the most annoying mistake a mascara lover can make. Always remember to look at the packaging closer because getting home with the wrong color is the worst. Even though I bought the wrong color, I don’t like to waste money so I have been using it anyway. I actually find that I don’t mind the brown because it does give me a more natural look for summer.
Packaging
Outside:
The packaging is the classic chunky thick lashblast tube. But, instead of orange it is like I said an eye-catching neon green. The tube has a flat bottom giving it the ability to stand. The twist of cap has a pointed slant on the end. In other words it has identical outside packaging to the original lashblast tube. The only difference is the color.
Inside:
The stopper inside the tube works great. When you pull the wand out the perfect amount of product is distributed on the brushes. However like all mascaras there is a little excess the whips out on the tip.
Brush:
The brush is rubber, with small stubby bristles, just like the original lashblast. The twist to the clump crusher is the brush is thinner, and is curved. The bristles start out very small at the bottom, get longer in the middle and go down again at the tip.
Application:
As the name says this mascara is suppose to CRUSH ALL CLUMPS. It definitely doesn’t crush them, but it does eliminate them. After three coats there barely are any clumps. But it can get a little sticky by the fourth coat but it still looks pretty good. Keep in mind that I never really feel the need for more than two coats of mascara. On the bottom lashes it performs ok. It is a little hard to apply without getting mascara all over your under eye area. But, if your really careful it looks pretty good.
Wear:
This mascara wears pretty well. I actually walked in the pouring rain for fifteen minutes and no smudging at all. I have worn this mascara for a few days in 90-degree weather and I have had no flaking. I don’t really have oily eyelids but usually at the end of the day most mascara will flake on me. But, this one has been pretty good, and I didn’t buy the waterproof formula.
Overall rating:
7 out of 10 because I have had better mascaras but this one is still pretty darn good.

Maybelline New York Baby Lips Electro

I am a lip balm lover and basically a lip balm hoarder. I always have at least two baby lips in my bag at all times. I love the sheer wash of color that they give, and they smell so so good. I also find that they last a long time, even when I am reapplying over 10 tens a day. I have had Quench (comes in the blue tube) for about a year now and I still have some left.
They come in a basic twist up, hard plastic packaging with a clear cap. The product contains .15 OZ (4.4g). The whole limited edition collection contains 6 new colors; Pink Shock, Fierce and Tangy, Berry Bomb, Oh Orange, Minty Sheer, Strike a Rose. On the front cardboard packaging Maybelline claims 8hr moisture and that it contains shea butter and vitamin E. On the back of the packaging Maybelline makes some pretty big claims, that after one week of use test subjects experienced
·      88% had smoother lips
·      82% had less dry lips
·      70% had suppler lips
·      83% had better looking lips
As for myself I would say that though I really do love this product it doesn’t really improve your lips too much. It is your average lip balm, and doesn’t perform miracles.
This limited collection has been pretty hard to find, I went to three drug stores and only one of them even had the display. On top of that when I finally did find a store that sold it, only Fierce and Tangy was in stock. Fierce and Tangy is an electric/neon yellow that appears clear on the lips. The smell is mouthwatering and reminds me of sour candy.  Unfortunately it doesn’t taste like it smells, in fact it virtually has no taste at all. The balm has a firmer and smoother feel than the original baby lips line, but looks exactly the same on the lips. I definitely will continue my search for more Baby Lips Electro.

Dream Bouncy vs. Jordana

 
During the summer, I really enjoy using bright and intense blush colors. One of my favorites is the Dream Bouncy blush from Maybelline in Hot Tamale. Hot Tamale is a deep pink color (kind of too intense in the packaging) that when blended out looks very natural. It is a boarderline red pink, and a light magenta. 
The Dream Bouncy blushes are a cream to powder product. The texture is light and airy, it is almost squishy in the compact. The compact contains .19 OZ (5.6g) and is made out of plastic. It retails for around 8 to 9 dollars depending on where you are buying it. The Dream Bouncy line comes in a wide variety of colors but I find that Hot Tamale is my favorite for its pigmentation.
My only problem with the Dream Bouncy blush is the price. As blushes go it is pretty expensive for the drugstore. I also find the texture to be a little hard to work with. Getting the right amount of product on to your finger is a challenge. I either press to lightly and it takes me ten minuets to build up enough color, or I press to hard and extract way too much. Over all it is just not the easiest product to apply.
I was strolling around the drugstore, and I was browsing through the Jordana rack when I saw their cheek tint blush stick shade. The product is a fat and short twisty tube with a stick of blush. It reminds me of the Nars convertible color sticks. The color I bought is number 04 in Coral Touch. I was playing around with it when I realized that is a exact dupe for Hot Tamale. But with better packaging, and a smoother glossier texture that also dries to a powder. The only difference is that the Jordana cheek tint has small flecks of gold glitter. But when applied to the cheek the glitter is invisible. In fact I didn’t even notice the glitter till I was really looking at the product up close in the stick.
The Jordana cheek tint, contains .21 OZ and retails for about 3 to 4 dollars. So you get more product than the Dream Bouncy blush, and it is a fraction of the price. Overall I would say the the Jordana cheek tint in Coral Touch is a home run product. I will however keep testing it out, and see if it long lasting, and continues to wear as well as it does when first applied.

Lush Soild Perfume in Vanillary

um ummmm Vanillary

In the more wintery months while in Milan I was allured into a Lush Cosmetics store and went a little crazzzzzy. I picked up a total of four items but the most significant was this Vanillary Solid Perfume. It comes in a little black hard round tube with a twist off cap, and a pushy thing at the bottom to dispense the product. It reminds me of a huge chubby lip balm. The solid perfume is part of the Gorilla perfume line, which has a variety of scents and forms of perfume. So if you aren’t a fan of solid you can get spray form. I am really bad a describing scents so here is the official description on the Lush website

The decadent, gourmet scent of Vanillary is made with natural vanilla absolute – the sweet stuff made from vanilla pods – and includes a touch of sandalwood and a note of comforting burnt caramel. With a hint of saucy jasmine and cozy tonka bean, Vanillary warms and develops on the skin.This sweet vanilla perfume was originally inspired by the rather extraordinary desserts at a restaurant in the U.K. called The Fat Duck. Its intoxicating aroma is so loved by our staff and customers that it graces an entire range of vanilla treat

My thoughts
The scent is amazing and if you are a vanilla lover, than this will definitely live up to expectations. The tube contains 0.4 oz, so this isn’t a huge product considering it costs $9.95. I have had it since November/December and I have used maybe a 4th of it (I don’t use it everyday). The consistency of the product is thick and very moisturizing. You don’t really need to rub it in much. Actually when I do rub it in I find that it looses a bit of its kick. this isn’t an overwhelming perfume meaning that your not going to constantly get a whiff of yourself through out the day. So if you are the person that finds scents can be overly nauseating then this is the perfect product for you. I have traveled a lot with this and it has preformed great because of the small and thick packaging. Overall it is quick, easy to use, and smells great. As solid perfumes go it isn’t too expensive and the whole line comes in varying prices and scents.
Pros

• comes in a small tube with thick plastic packaging, great for travel
• very moisturizing and smooth not sticky feel
• smells great not to strong or subtle
• tightly sealed cap not going to dry out anytime soon!
• doesn’t crumble or sink-in when pressed on during application

Cons

• doesn’t come with a lot of product for the price
• when you rub it in it can loose its scent
• feels more like a body butter than a solid perfume (this is a preference thing)
• definitely melt-able (don’t leave in the sun or a hot place like your car)
• has little pieces of vanilla or sandal-wood in it can apply rough (not a 100% smooth application)

This is a great product though their are some faults. I definitely would like to get a few more in the other scents to try out.

Sephora Mineral Powder Brush #45

For years I was a die hard believer of applying my foundation with my hands. Because it warms the product up and makes blending easier. When I first started wearing makeup/wearing foundation everyday I would use the classic flat rounded foundation brushes. I found this method to be laborious and washing my brush was so annoying and time consuming. Though I liked the effect that the brush gave my foundation it just took way too long. In December I bought a stippling brush at Kiko Makeup Milano but the brush was awful. The bristles would fall out during application and leave my face full of little black hairs. I tolerated it for about a month and then I just got so fed up with picking the impossible wispy bristles of my sticky new applied foundation-ed face. After that disaster I gave up on foundation brushes I went back to using the old fingers. Then when I was picking up a product I had run out of in Rome at Sephora I walked past the brush section and started to browse. After looking for a while I landed upon a mineal powder brush and after feeling the density and the shape I thought why not. If it doesn’t work out I can always use it for cream blush.
I bought it for 26 U.S. dollars, and that day when I applied my foundation to go out I used it. The minuet I put it on my face I knew that this brush was a keeper. The more I have been using it the more amazing it becomes. The brush blends my foundation in fast and evenly and can cover a lot of space in little time. But, it is also small enough that I can use it for my under eye concealer and not poke myself in the eye. Over all I think that though the brush is a little more pricey that I would want it to be, the quality is so good that it is worth. Also the brush is so well made it will last me a long time.

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden 

 

Up in till I bought my Naked 1 pallet (that came with a mini primer potion in Original) from Urban Decay I had never really used an eyeshadow primer. I always just used a cream eyeshadow as a base to prevent fall out and make them stay put during the day. But, since I’ve been using the mini primer potion I have really liked it. The travel size primer comes in a hard plastic tube that can stand on its own, a twist off top with a doe-foot applicator. I really like the packaging of the travel size, but the big size comes in a squeeze tube. Last week or so I noticed that I was running out of the sample so I went to sephora to pick up the full size. Which is saying a lot for me since I try not to buy products that i could easily get cheaper versions of, and I don’t like the normal size packaging. But, I really liked the product so I went to buy a new one. The sephora in Rome unfortunately didn’t have the product in the Original formula instead they had the three other shades, in Eden, Sin, and Greed. Eden is a light skin/flesh tone (matt), sin is a light pinky champagne color (same as the UD eyeshadow), and greed is a medium golden tone with sparkle. The idea of the colored ones is that they can be used as base as well as a primer so like two products in one

I ended up buying Eden which I like and works well but I find that as bases go it is pretty weak. It by no means has the consistency of a mac paint pot, or a Maybelle color tattoo. The product is definitely the primer, and thought has some color pay off really it just evens out the color of my eyelid. The original formula and the Eden formula are really the same product. I find them to be interchangeable. But, this might because of my light skin tone. Really urban decay should make another formula like Eden in a dark shade of deeper skin tones.

the primer costs 20 dollars and contains 11 ml of product.
It is a little pricey for not a lot of product but a little goes a long way. I don’t know whither i will re-purchase it after I run out. But, for now I am glad I bought it. Especially because the weather is getting a lot warmer and my skin is becoming oilier.
Go buy it yourself!

WANT

So as you can see from the amazingness above Sephora has been coming out with a Disney Princess collection. Basically it is like your Disney princess shoes, crown and costume but for adultish type persons! So far Sephora has come out with a Cinderella Collection and their most recent Jasmine. I have looked at both pallets and I want the Jasmine one more because the colors are bit more wearable than the Cinderella one. The official name is the Jasmine StoryLook eyeshadow pallet because it looks like a book. The pallet comes with 15 shadows a blush and a bronzer. The pallet comes with a whole lot of neutrals and then some more brights that are prefect for spring. The coolest thing about this pallet is that the colors are made to match the colors in the film so you can really look like Jasmine! BE WARNED the collection is limited edition. You can’t even get the Cinderella one anymore (sad face). So if you want this then go splurge and buy it for 55 dollars. If you compare to the Naked pallet it has three more shadows, a blush and a bronzer and is only 5 dollars more. This to me is a deal and the packaging is amazing. If you are interested in the collection it has way more to it than just this jumbo pallet. There is a perfume, another smaller pallet and way more goodies. So if you want something pick it up because it will disappear.
*picture taken from the Sephora website. (click the photo for the link)

Ecotools blush brush

I have already talked about my EcoTools powder face brush but I thought I could continue the series and talk about my blush brush. The brush like all eco tools brushes is well made with a bamboo handle, synthetic bristles, and a aluminum ferrule. The brush is pretty dense but just flimsy enough so a light handed makeup is easy to achieve. The brush is incredibly soft and flexible. The bristles are in a bit of a triangle shape that tapers at the top to a dull tip. This brush could also be used for contouring but is better for blush just on the apples of your cheeks. I have washed my blush brush a million times and have traveled with it (with out much care) and it has retained it shape and never has had any bristles fall out. The brush on its own costs 6.99 which is a total steal for its amazing quality. I personally bought this brush on Amazon. But, I have seen them in my local drug stores in NYC so they aren’t to hard to find. However some of the newer brushes that they recently have come out with like the buffer brush etc. are best to be bought on line. Each Ecotools brush comes in a closeable plastic casing which I just tossed because it squishes the bristles down. Overall I would give this brush an A+ and is worth way more the 6.99.

sorry for the horrible photo, camera charger is still missing
*photo taken from the EcoTools webiste

My Sephora Problem

For me I am not a person that takes HUGE risks in my makeup I like to wear some neutral eyeshadow and nude lip-stick. Nothing much, but I do something that is dangerous and risky. I walk into Sephora without a shopping list or product that I want to buy in mind. Many females know that walking into any store without a thing in mind is a danger for your wallet; you make stupid and impulse purchases. You buy things you already have or things that you don’t need. However you are even more perceptible to these actions in a Sephora store. It’s like you go in with 50 bucks in your pocket and you leave with no cash and you spent another 75 on your credit card. Basically I try to never go into Sephora because the people that work there are just so nice and pushy. But, not pushy the in the bad way they just suggest products and are so convincing that it is liquid gold you always buy it. Another thing that makes it dangerous is the fact that you can sample pretty much everything in the store. I have gone into Sephora painted my nails ten different colors and walked out with all ten colors. Well maybe not all ten but you get the point. Basically when ever I go into Sephora I do no casual browsing I only shop if I have a specific item in mind. So be warned beauty lovers Sephora is dangerous for your wallet and maybe your health.

The Balms Nude Tude

This is a lovely photo of one of my first big makeup purchases and it is the The Balms Nude’tude pallet. This is The Balms response i guess to the Naked UD pallet craze that has been going on the for the past few years. This a great pallet that I love but have recently put down since I bought my Naked one pallet. It has the CUTEST packaging that I have ever seen as do many of The Balms products usually do. I have seen a lot of youtube videos comparing and contrasting this to the Naked Pallet which I think is unfair. The Nude’tude pallet like the Naked both have the same neutral eyeshadow color range going on but they are not the same or can be replaced for the other. The Nude’tude pallet has more brighter color range, with the brighter pinks, the snow white, cranberry color, and the yellow gold color. I really wouldn’t say that any of these colors are dupes for the UD pallet or comparable. The colors more are a great addition in your neutrals collection with your Naked Pallet. Here is a list of the colors.
Top Row

1. Sassy
2. Stubborn
3. Selfish
4. sophisticated
5. sexy
6. serious

Bottom Row

1. Snobby
2. Stand-offish
3. sultry
4. seductive
5. silly
6. sleek

The color range in this pallet are great is have some great lighter colors like stand-offish, snobby, stubborn, and seductive. It has a mat brown sultry but it is quit light. It also has some darker colors like sleek, serious and sophisticated. Then it has some grab bag colors that I love like selfish which is a taup and sexy the cranberry. It also has a highlight color Sassy a frosty white which is too frosty and bright for my tastes but can be nice in the inner corner from time to time. However I would never put it on my brow-bone. The pallet has a huge mirror which is great for travel, and a firm magnetic closing. It also came with a super flimsy dubble ended brush that I would never use but still an up grade form the useless sponge tip common in drug-store palettes. The Shadows in the pallet are a little small but they are full size shadows for The Balm so can’t really get angry at that. The Shadows are butter and have an amazing texture, they are so so so smooth. I love this pallet but, be warned if you don’t like sparkly glittery, or frosty shadows this is not the pallet for you. It only contains one mat shadow in a light brown (sultry). It has an second mat shade in a dark brown border line black (sleek) but, it does have some specks of glitter in it. The same half mat look is for the cranberry color (sexy). The texture and finish however are completely mat on the lid, but has some sparkle in the pan. I would count this as a mat shade but die hard mat fans might not. If you would really like to try something from The Balm but are looking for mat shadows I would suggest their Meet Matt(e) pallet which contains all matt(e) shades. 
Here is a run down of the pros and cons
Pros

• 12 full size shadows (.382 oz)
• good color selection overall with a few less common colors such as sexy
• large mirror for on the go practical application
• not to expensive around 38 dollars (I bought it in Euros so check me on that)
• good colors pay off
• awesome shadow texture so smooth buttery, hardly any fall out
• doesn’t really need a primer (but will help if there is any fall out)
• the packing is great and so cute with the pin up girls

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a mat black
• has only one true mat color in Sultry a light down
• the highlight color is a super bright and frosty white shade in Sassy
• the included brush is totally useless
• the pallet is a little bit wide, doesn’t always fit into my makeup bag easily when traveling
• all but one of the shadows contain flecks of glitter in them and pretty large flecks in stand-offish, silly, sophisticated, and  snobby. so that is four out of the 12

That pretty much wraps it up. I love this pallet it complements my collect really nicely However if all my makeup disappeared I don’t think i would run out and buy this one again. It is great and I love having it but not a total I must have this or I will die sort of product. So final statements love this great quality shadows, and a great addition to a starts collection!

My Urban Decay Naked Pallet

Hey so I know that I am totally late for this cult favorite but I just bought it a few weeks ago. I can say that I am truly aware of why it has such a huge following. Because it is amazing! There are of course a few things that I don’t like about it but I will go over the pros and cons a little bit later. Currently the colors that I can no longer live with out (sorry for my horrible color description)  sin*, which is a smooth metallic like finish in a lovely light pink color (very reflective), sidecar*  which has a metallic finish and is a taupe with a light bronze but also kinda of pink undertone, and toasted* which is a dark amber bronze color and is semi metallic. As you can see I love metallic like colors but, what is great with all of these three that you can wear then all over the lid and blend it out and don’t need a crease color. Just use virgin the lightest color in the pallet for the inner corners and brow bone.  However that said the color toasted I do find to not be as buttery as some of the other shadows it can be a little dusty when you put your brush on it. I am aware that half baked the gold color in the pallet by it self is a UD cult favorite shadow but I don’t really get the hype. It is just a really pretty gold color, which is great but nothing special or amazing to rave about. Which takes me to the claim that when ever I would talk to someone about urban decay shadows they would always rave about the smooth and buttery-ness of them. And, after having this pallet I don’t really get it. They have great color pay off and 95% of the time go smoothly on the lid but they are a little dusty in the pan and don’t have that silky feel to them like I was expecting. But other wise the pallet is so worth the 50 bucks, mostly because it comes with a little primer potion bottle so that is a great bonus to me. The pallet also comes with the good Karma brush which I am joining the masses and saying was a huge disappointment. The brush in no way shape or form is a shader brush, however it does work as a decent concealer brush. The brush is well made and none of the bristles ever fall out but, seriously UD how could you think that it is a eye shadow brush.
Now to the serious pros and cons
pros:

• It has a great neutral color selection for every day where but has color to darken things up for night
• has two mat browns a light one and a darker one
• nice sleek packaging good for traveling, with a space of a decent size eye brush.
• shadows have great color pay off bright and vibrant, especially when used with a base.
• has full size shadows 1.3g

Cons

• Some of the shadows are a little flaky or dusty
• only has no mat black for a liner or a dark enough brow that i also would use to set a liner
• came with a really crappy brush (this is easy to look past)
• comes with the small mirror not practical for acutal makeup application
• magnetic closer so can be open easily if in a purse (but in a travel nothing to worry about)
• the velvet outside does get dirty very quickly and the gold NAKED lettering on the front does seem to fade over time

Ok, so that pretty much wraps that whole pallet up. The Urban Decay Naked 1 pallet is a great purchase and was so worth it. But every rose has its thorn, so of course it does have few flaws. But, those flaws to differ from person to person so if you are a makeup beginner and are thinking of buying it I would say GO FOR IT. It is a great way to have a collection of practical shadows all in one place that are good quality. As some one who is pretty cheap with their makeup this pallet is a good investment and not just a over priced item that will sit in your bathroom for eternity.
here is a color order from left to right

1. virgin
2. sin*
3. Naked
4. Sidecar*
5. buck
6. half baked
7. smog
8. Darkhorse
9. toasted*
10. hustle
11. creep
12. gunmetal

If you want a better look at the colors just google them because there are a million different swatches online. I also lost my camera charger and wouldn’t be able to take a picture of it.
*photo taken from the Urban Decay website

Foundation loves

 

Love this wonderful picture of someones foundation drawer. As you can see this person has a lot of foundations. Now I love to makeup hoard but this is one trend that I never seem to really understand. I can collect lipsticks, blushes and eye-shadows because they can be used for different looks and are so well easy to collect. I currently own and I am using 3 foundations that are in different skin tones, and finishes. I have a more light coverage on the side of a tinted moisturizer which is the Maybelline FIT ME foundation in 120 classic Ivory which has SPF of 18. In the picture above it is the first one in the top left corner. The foundation gives a nice light coverage and blends in like a moisturizer which is great for when I am in a rush and don’t really have time to use a mirror. I just slap it on and blend into my neck and set it with a powder or else it will just kind of melt off of my oily skin. I also have a light to medium build foundation which is the CoverGirl Nature Luxe in the shade 310 Flax. The foundation smells great and is infused with cucumber and green tea extract. It also is lighter than the maybelline one and I like to mix them together during the winter. You can spot the foundation in the center of the photo it is the green bottle. The third foundation that I have is a kiko foundation which is an Italian brand that I bought in Rome. It is the All Day Mat foundation in the shade peach rose which is the shade when I mix the Fit Me and the Covergirl together, but has a matt finish. I have three foundations and when I finish one I just use another and then when I run out of all three I just buy another. I don’t really see the point in buying a tubs of foundation because it expires easily and the color gets all yucky. Also foundation is really expensive drugstore and high-end. I feel like it is a better investment just to have three or four in different shades and finishes.