Illamasqua is a brand that I really wish had better availability in the United States. While they are sold through Sephora's website and freestanding stores the line is limited from the extent that the brand actually offers. The quality across the board is pretty incredible, but it is definitely quite pricey to ship internationally. From my all time favorite blush to my perfect every day contour, I have yet to find a product from the brand that I haven't liked.

Illamasqua lipsticks are housed in a rectangular tube with angular edges that has a fairly sturdy cap. 

The shape of the bullet itself is a bit different from most (akin to Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick's shape) where it is rounded around the edges rather than pointed. I didn't feel that the shape of the bullet had any effect on the  application of the product.

Illamasqua describes Liv as "a soft lavender pink, matt finish". It is a very pale, white pink with lavender tones tones to it. If MAC Saint Germain is pale, Liv takes it to a whole new level. In turn, its not the most wearable shade in my collection. Liv is a bold shade against my skin, which surprised me because I'm so fair skinned.  For day to day wear, its not all too suitable by itself, but it did make an incredible layering shade. Liv can be used to lighten up a darker, vampier look or can be made a bit more wearable when used with a darker lipliner or gloss. 

Liv has a matte finish, and its probably one of the mattest mattes in my collection. There is not a bit of sheen or shine anywhere in this finish. In turn, its quite dry on the lips, but didn't dry my lips out, if that makes any sense whatsoever - keep in mind, matte formulas rarely dry out my lips. The application was a bit tuggy, but applied mostly evenly. The best part of this finish is that it is incredibly longwearing and will not bleed or feather. 

Overall:

Pros - 

- Longwearing.

- Unique shade.

- Layers well.

- Will not feather or bleed.

Cons - 

- Difficult shade to wear.

- Very, very matte finish.

I purchased this shade without trying it on first, and in all honesty, I really should have. I was intending to get a lot more wear out of Liv than I do. However, I really do like how the lipstick feels on my lips. If you want a unique, white pink that won't budge or a great layering shade, have at it. My advice would be if you don't fare well with very matte finishes, this may be a formula to skip.

8/10

Review - Darling Girl Cosmetics Sassy Sakura DuoChrome Blush

Note - I received this product as part of a discounted kit of review sized samples. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I have not been compensated for review. If you have any questions, seek my disclosure statement in my disclosure tab.

I may or may not be totally hooked on Darling Girl cosmetics. I've yet to meet a product from the bran that I haven't liked - and given the amount of products that have crossed my desk from the brand, that's a pretty great ratio! I'm totally loving anything that has been sent my way; and I may or may not have a whole wishlist saved on my computer!

So lets jump on board with Sassy Sakura, shall we?

The left swatch is heavily swatched and the right is blended out.

After playing with this blush, I kind of wish I had included in with my Top 5 Summer Blushes, as it definitely fits! Sassy Sakura is described as a "light pastel pink with blue to violet shift". On my skin, its a little less pastel than anticipated, but it definitely is on the lighter end of the spectrum. The shift that the shade has to it is very stunning. My camera is not usually all too great at capturing any kind of duochrome shift, but as you can see in the blended swatch there is a great amount of violet/blue shift and its absolutely beautiful. The best part is that the shift does translate well to the face.

At the surface, a loose pigment blush seems a bit intimidating. My fear was that it would be difficult to apply, but in reality, the blendability of this blush makes it a dream to apply. Yes, it is incredibly pigmented, but in turn it blends so easily that it's easy to blend and redistribute the product, which was super helpful.

In terms of wear time, it was on par with the average that I get from Darling Girl - nothing ridiculously longwearing, but its not going to fade right after you walk out the door. 

Overall:

Pros:

- Good pigmentation.

- Pronounced DuoChrome shift.

- Bright enough to be wearable on many skin tones.

- Blends well.

Cons: 

- Can be easy to overapply. 

While this one isn't pronounced at Holy Grail Status as Yes, Virginia was, it still is a phenomenal blush. The duochrome is incredibly stunning, and when you apply it in the right moderation, it is incredibly wearable.

9/10

May Favorites!

I've been keeping a running tab all month of the things I've been loving, just to make sure that I didn't forget anything in the moment! This month has definitely been a transition for me; I started a new job late last month, so May was filled with a lot of learning and adjusting. Makeup wise, A lot of super colorful products crossed my desk - specifically eyeshadows - so its been a product-testing-pallooza here! While many of these products I've decided to feature this week are new gems, there are some old faves that I rediscovered as well. Take a look!

Eyes:

The two shades across the top are;

- Urban Decay Laced - A matte taupey-pinky-beigey shade that I've used with nearly every single look I've put together this month. Literally a fantastic eyeshadow. Reviewed here.

- Darling Girl Ladyhawke - Probably the prettiest duo-chrome shade I've ever tried. I just can't stop playing with it and it applies like a dream. Reviewed here.

 And the two pencils are; 

- Milani Naturally Chic Shadow Eyez 12 Hour Wear Eyeshadow in Almond Cream - Milani finally delved into mattes with their Limited Edition Shadow Eyez for this summer and I couldn't be happier. This makes a wonderful base for almost anything. Reviewed here.

- NARS Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner in Barrow Street - So different than any liner that I've pretty much ever owned and has a flawless formula. Reviewed here.

Lips:

From left to right these are;

- L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipcolor in Fairest Nude - Probably the perfect My Lips But Better shade for me. Are you surprised? Because I am. Reviewed here. 

- L'Oreal Colour Riche LeGloss in Short Shorts - Wearable take on lavender lips and felt great to wear. Reviewed here. 

- Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss in Fashion Diva - Its violet with a ton of glitter. Need I say more?

- Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Sunset Kiss Lipgloss in Coconut Escape - A bronze gloss that doesn't make me look odd and it smells like heaven.

- Milani Crystal Gloss in Summer Baby - Said to be a dupe for MAC Nymphette, this is the perfect golden pink for summer. Reviewed here.

- The Body Ship Lip Butter in Shea - I'm dangerously low on my other day to day lip balm (the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment that we all got from Sephora for our birthdays. Great but super pricey!), so I decided to give this a try. So far I'm loving both the consistency and the fragrance!

Face:

Left to right, we have;

- Darling Girl Soft Focus Blush in Yes, Virginia! - Is anyone surprised? Not really. I am head over heels for this blush. Reviewed here. 

- MAC Blush in Pink Cult - My only CCO find this month (shocker - but probably because I was on a budget!) Its probably one of the most wearable pinks against my skin that I've run into. Sadly, it has been discontinued.

Nails:

On the left then to the right we have;

- China Glaze Awakening - I ran into this shade at Sally Beauty Supply and I couldn't pass it up. Its incredibly unique and I had nothing in my collection that was even close to it. Applies like a dream.

- Essie Turquoise and Caicos - I see why this shade has such a cult following. I had no problems with application and enjoyed the waves of compliments this shade brought me.

Fragrance;

I'm super excited about these two;

- Lucky Brand Lucky You EDT - You see that little pink bottle on the left? I had a very unsuccessful and emotional trip to Marshalls (I was trying to buy pants...enough said) and I spotted this out of the corner of my eye. Day = made. This was one of my two signature fragrances in high school (the other being Burberry Brit, which I'm still hoarding) and I couldn't pass it up, especially since both the EDT and Lotion were only $15 together! Lucky You is a mix of Water Hyacinth, Star Jasmine and Sandalwood and it still smells as great as the day little 14 year old me opened it as a gift from my parents on Christmas Morning. LOVE.

- Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day - I'm trying not to bust out into a U2 song here, and its taking a whole lot of restraint. I purchased the deluxe sample size when the brand was teasing this fragrance before it was released, but I didn't expect to fall in love - mostly because I'm not too fond of fragrances with apple notes against my skin. Turns out, I actually love this. Beautiful Day is a mix of sun kissed apple, wild daisies and white peach that just makes me happy when I smell it. 

- Bath and Body Works PocketBac in Sicilian Lemon - It counts as fragrance, right? I may or may not be sanitizing my hands too much so I have an excuse to smell this one. Its bright and lemony and citrusy without smelling like lemon pledge. Woo!

Hair and Body:

- OLD SCHOOL HERBAL ESSENCES! - I chose the Shine Collection which has chamomile, aloe vera and passion flower extracts. Due to the nostalgia of it, I literally had to partake when I saw these popping up on the shelves in Central Florida. Turns out, I loved it for a reason - My hair looks and feels great and smells wonderful. My mother has also followed suit and purchased some for herself. Love it!

- Caress Scarlet Blossom Body Wash - I saw this a couple months back, but decided to wait for a coupon. This stuff smells luxurious - Patchouli (love) and Red Lychee - and its going fast because I can't stop using it.

Tools:

Top to bottom are:

- Ulta Professional Synthetic Eyeshadow Brush - With all of the cream shadows I've been testing this month, this has been perfect. It applies a perfect base - which is how I usually use cream shadows and is big enough so I can place it all over the lid rather than in increments. I purchased this as part of a set - which is why the bristles are seafoam green, but it is available separately.

- ELF Small Stipple Brush - Definitely a new take on my concealer, which now is less prone to looking crepey and a bit more airbrushed.

- Clinique Foundation Brush - I used to hate this brush, but it now has a place in my stash. Its a bit bigger and much softer than most of my foundation brushes. I use this to stripe foundation across the areas I wish to apply and then stipple the foundation in with a separate brush. Who knew there would come a day where I'd not only use this brush on a regular basis, but feature it in a favorites post??

Phew! There was a lot to love this month! What have you guys been loving during the month of May? 

Top 5 Picks for Summer - Fragrances

Here it is! The last installment of my Top 5 Picks for Summer! What better note to end on than fragrances?

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a good amount of time knows that I am a total fragrance hoarder. I have enough body sprays and perfumes to last me for quite a few years! Needless to say, I'm set for any season.

So here they are, my top five fragrance picks for summer!

You're seeing a pattern here; between Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret, I'm set for summer. I tend to wear body sprays versus perfumes as I like to change my fragrance a lot and I wan't something a little less fragile than a glass bottle to pop in my purse to spray on the go. These five fragrances are fun and summery - though I'm not going to lie to you and say I don't wear some of these all year round.

- Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Breeze: A mix of lime juice, jasmine petals and coconut water. This is the perfect coconutty fragrance for those who aren't keen on vanilla fragrances. I love this!

- Bath and Body Works Capri Seaside Citrus: I am a citrus fragrance fiend! This one is a mix of bergamot, muguet and driftwood. Super fresh with a kick of citrus. 

- Bath and Body Works Honey Sweetheart: I saw that this fragrance is now 50% off in store as of this weekend! Its a super sweet fragrance of mandarin, honeysuckle and amber and probably has the most adorable name.

- Victoria's Secret Fantasies Citrus Dream: I've been searching for a grapefruit fragrance that isn't too overbearingly grapefruit. This is it. It has grapefruit and red lily and is a great layering fragrance to boot!

- Victoria's Secret Fantasies Mango Temptation: Old school bottle, I know! I'm not keen on eating mangoes, but this fragrance sure does smell wonderful! This is a mix of mango and hibiscus and is super bright and fun.

So this wraps of my Top 5 for Summer series! What are you guys loving for this summer?

Review - Limited Edition Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow in Waves of White

I remember when I was in 8th grade and my entire eye makeup regime revolved around tons of jet black liner and mascara (and I mean TONS) and a little cream eyeshadow quad from Maybelline that I would apply to my bare lids with my fingers during homeroom. Mind you, the shadow was creased - if not gone - by third period. I think thats where my wariness of cream eyeshadows has come from - especially those by Maybelline. Its all psychological.

Fast forward more than a couple years, but Maybelline's take on cream shadows and my understanding of how to apply makeup (and tame the black liner - yikes!) have both improved. In all honesty, I now have somewhere between 8-10 of Maybelline's Color Tattoos, so they must be doing something right.

Waves of White is part of Maybelline's Limited Edition Spring/Summer line, which seems to have a focus on iridescence and duochrome shades. There are either 5 or 6 Color Tattoo shades in this collection as well as a couple bronzers, a luminzer (I think?), some nail lacquers and a couple Color Whispers and Glosses. I hauled a gloss and two other Color Tattoo shades along with this one.

Waves of White is a icy white with a strong blue shift to it. While this shift is quite pronounced as is, when layered over a darker base, the blue shift is even more amplified. Its really a stunning color, and it made a fantastic base shade.

For me, the standard Color Tattoo is opaque without much work, long wearing and can usually be worn alone. Waves of White was strange; If I had used this not seeing the label or anything of the sort, I wouldn't have guessed that it was from the same Color Tattoo range - it feels quite different. The first thing I noticed was the consistency; it was much thinner and not quite as dry feeling as the average Color Tattoo - It had a lot more slip to it. I applied this with a stiff, flat shadow brush from The Body Shop (which is usually my standard type of application for cream shadows) and while it blended well and on par with the rest of the range, there is a noticeable amount of sheerness to it. The duochrome effect, however, does make up for the sheernesss just a bit, as it keeps it from looking streaky. 

Yes, its not the most opaque cream shadow in the world, but once it sets (which took a tiny bit longer than the average Color Tattoo) it is ready to last. I cannot emphasize enough to use this shade as a base or layered - I almost feel like that was what it was intended for. I wore this as an allover lid base and in the inner corners with a TON of Darling Girl Mercurial over it and MAC Copperplate (surprised? Probably not) in the crease and the outcome was stunning and set for the whole day (still vibrant as I'm writing this!) While Darling Girl's shadows usually don't technically need a tacky or creamy base on me, I feel like Waves of White helped amp up some of Mercurial's metallic-ness.

Overall:

Pros:

- Great duochrome effect without layering.

- Works as a great base shade.

- Longwearing.

- Blends easily

Cons:

- Lacks opacity.

- Slippery texture.

While Waves of White isn't exactly as incredibly as I was expecting (let us not forget Bad To The Bronze!), it works for me. A good 8 times out of 10, I'm using a cream shadow as a base for an entire look to begin with, so it met my needs. If you're looking for a great base with a strong duochrome effect, have at it, but if you were looking for opacity and something to wear on its own, this will be too sheer for you.

7/10

Top 5 Picks for Summer - Eyeshadow

We're rounding out our Top 5 for Summer theme! After this post there is only one that remains! Woo-hoo!

Instead of choosing shades that I normally gravitate to all year round - neutrals, I decided to jump a little out of my comfort zone and choose my 5 favorite colorful shadows for summer. And to be completely honest, wearing more color hasn't been a struggle for me this year, so I'm super excited!

Without further ado, these are my picks for the Top 5 Summer Eyeshadows

From left to right, and somewhat organized, I have;

- Too Faced Seashell - This shade is from the Too Faced Summer Eye Palette which I reviewed here. Its a matte apricot that has been so fun to use so far!

- Darling Girl Viva La Revolution - Its orange. So out of my comfort zone! But when I wore this, it garnered so many compliments that I'm just in love! I reviewed this here.

- Milani Shocking Pink - A matte hot pink that actually looks pink on my skin. If you listen closely you can hear the Hallelujah chorus.

- Urban Decay Fishnet - An iridescent violet that is super fun.

- Lorac "Purple GLOgetter shade" - I hate it when brands don't name individual shades! UGH! But I adore this purple. Its a warm purple with reddish tones that is super easy to work with. I reviewed the Lorac GLOgetter palette here.

So there you have it; my picks for fun, colorful summer shadows! Keep tuned this week for the last installment for summer picks!

Review - Lorac GLOgetter Palette - Ulta Exclusive

When it comes to using bright colors on my eyes, I have to admit that I'm not all too gutsy. I keep it as minimal as I can and always add a neutral in to keep the look in my comfort zone. Of course there are exclusions and I'm taking more risks with fabulous outcomes, but I'm a neutral eye/bold lip girl at heart. So you can understand why it took me 5 different looks to get this palette completely tested!

The Lorac GLOgetter palette is new for this summer from the brand and is exclusive to Ulta. Not only that, but it is a mere $20 for 10 shadows. Break that down and that's $2 per shadow, which is a deal that you just can't beat! The palette boasts a mix of neutrals and brights for the perfect summer palette.

As with most of Lorac's palettes, the casing itself is actually quite thin and sleek - a little longer than my cell phone and a touch thicker as well for comparison. Thank the makeup heavens because I need to save all the room I can! It securely snaps shut.

The shadows themselves are actually a decent size, as well as the two oversized base/highlight shades across the bottom. No wasted space, Lorac fit in as much product as physically possible - kudos!

The swatches - I have the shades swatched in order, even down to having the base/highlight across the bottom.

The left half of the palette contains:

- The first shade is a matte(ish) medium warm brown. Its not the mattest matte (oh lord) that you'll use but its not all too frosty. Theres an understated creaminess to it. It had great color payoff and was one of my most used shades of the bunch (shocker, right?), and usually in the crease. I thought it was funny that the description on Ulta's website said a "mix of 8 vibrant matte and shimmer shadows" because, erm, there's just one matte. Sneaky, sneaky. 

- The next shade is a lighter, golden brown with a frosted shimmer finish. The pigmentation was good, nothing to write home about, but it did a great job in toning a look that intimidated me down a bit. Its quite a dupable shade, but its a neutral and I'll obviously get use out of it.

- Ah coral. So far, I've yet to find a "true coral" that is as vibrant as I expected (Darling Girl Viva La Revolution doesn't count here, its more orange than coral for me) and this is no exception. Its a bit sheer when applied. Though, this shade is a bit closer to orange as well, it made a great base to help amp up DG Viva La Revolution - as if it needed it.

- The fourth shade is a teal blue and probably the shade that intimidated me the most. It has good color payoff, but as with the coral shade, does lose a bit of vibrance on the eye. I'm indifferent to the shade - this type of blue is not really something I'd be able to get a whole lot of use out of.

- Across the bottom is an Ivory highlight/base shade, which is actually pretty phenomenal! Its definitely a great brow highlight for me - it looks a lot like UD Virgin. It also has wonderful color payoff and is super buttery.

And the right half of the palette is:

- I had high hopes for this shade, the first part of the right half is a medium cornflower blue with some purple tones to it. It swatches rather stunning, however, when I applied it, it just sheered out so much and didn't even look like blue. Super bummer. Maybe with a white tacky base it would maintain true to pan color, but without it the shade was definitely a let down.

- Taupe. I don't need anymore taupe, but I'm sure as heck getting use out of this shade. Anything that I could pair this with, I did. It has great color payoff and works great as a base for a darker look or in the crease for something super subtle.

- The third shade is a minty turquoise, and it actually is rather great. If it was a true mint green I'd be floored, but as an all over lid shade you get the mint hues more than the blue. Very nice.

- Be patient with my attempt to describe this fourth shade. In the pan it just looks like a vibrant, medium purple, but when applied it is a slightly warm, medium violet with reddish pink tones and oh my goodness is it beautiful or what? Its definitely my favorite non-neutral in the bunch with great color payoff.

- The second highlight/base shade is average and along the lines to UD Sin. I don't hate it, but its not completely as pigmented as I'd liked.

Overall:

Pros:

- Sleek packaging.

- Great value.

- Mix of neutrals and brights.

- Shades that are usually used more are larger.

- Full lid mirror

Cons:

- Some shades were less than wonderful.

For me, this palette is not exactly a "must have" as I'm really drawn to neutrals, but it was an incredible deal. My major takeaways is that on the plus side, I ADORE the purple shade and the matte brown, taupe, turquoise, and left highlight shades were great, but pigmentation lacked on some shades that I expected to be total showstoppers. 

But I just really freaking like that purple.

7/10

Sometime this week I will be doing a comparison post of this and Too Faced's Summer option as well so keep your eyes open for that!

Review - L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipcolour in Fairest Nude

It has finally happened. I didn't think it would ever happen, but it took me by surprise. What happened, you ask?

I finally found the perfect nude lipstick for my skin. It exists! I've searched high and low for a couple years now trying to find a nude that was versatile enough for me. A lot of times I ran into nudes that were great, but too peachy against my skin to be a holy grail nude. Other times I tried a pale nude that lacked any kind of peachy undertone. The result was a look that made me a shoo-in to be a great Walker on The Walking Dead!

Enter L'Oreal Fairest Nude into my life. Between the perfect mix of pink and nude tones and the subtle nod to Snow White with the name, I am beyond thrilled!

The L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipcolours are housed in brushed metallic gold packaging with indent on one side to make sure that the lid is secure; it also makes it so the lid can only be replaced in that spot.

L'Oreal's name is also embossed on the bullet itself.

Fairest nude is actually quite pigmented; it is a medium nude with pink tones to it that do not read peachy at all on the lips. For someone so fair, I have quite pigmented lips as well as a freckle on my lips (which I love!). The shade is most definitely one of those "my lips, but better" shades in all the right ways. It brings  a bit of a polished look that is very similar to my natural lip color. The shade is also quite pigmented; it covers my lip freckle with no work at all.

This shade also wears quite comfortably, which surprised me. The only other shade I've tried from this range was Tickled Pink and it was one of the worst lipsticks I'd ever tried! Fairest Nude is an incredible improvement. While it didn't moisturize my lips, it did absolutely nothing to dry them.

The wear time of this shade was average for a shade in this color family. After about 3-4 hours I was needing some update. This range also has quite a synthetic "lipstick taste" that I'm not particularly fond of. Its not the worst I've come across (ahem, Milani!) but it does gross me out just a little. However, for a shade this beautiful, I can deal!

Overall:

Pros:

- Perfect nude for my skin.

- Did not dry my lips.

- Opaque without work.

Cons:

- Synthetic "lipstick taste".

- Average to short wear time.

I hemmed and hawed about purchasing this shade for a very long time because I didn't think it would be anything special. Boy was I wrong! While it doesn't have the longest wearing formula on the market, the shade is flawless against my skin and something I've been searching for - for quite some time now!

8/10

Review - Darling Girl Eyeshadow in Ladyhawke

Note - This product was sent to me as a sample for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. If you have any questions regarding me reviewing press samples, please see my disclosure statement.

This shade was an extra that was sent to me with my first Darling Girl order, and it could quite possibly be one of my favorites from the brand. This is the kind of shade that makes me, someone who is super crappy at working with loose pigment eyeshadows, feel the need to put them into my daily rotation. That is saying something!!

Ladyhawke is applied dry on the left and wet on the right. Darling Girl Cosmetics describes the shade as a "light grayed brown with shifts from golden green to blue to violet shifts." The description is actually pretty spot on as the shade has a taupey gray base with incredibly strong duochrome shifts. I wore this over a brown, super smoky base and this shade looked incredible! While the shift is quite apparent when applied on it's own, it really sings over a darker base. It was incredibly multidimensional. It isn't one of those shades that needs to be foiled to show the duochrome finish, and though as you can see above that applying it wet does bring out the sheen a touch more, it doesn't 100% need it.

Application of this shade was a breeze. I literally just took one of my Urban Decay Good Karma shadow brush, picked up a bit of product and pat in on the lid. Bing, bang, boom. Done. Super easy and it looked like I spent a whole lot of time on it. 

Overall:

Pros:

- Easy application.

- Unique shade.

- Strong duochrome.

- Very little fallout.

Cons:

- I have none!

Ladyhawke was not a shade that I was searching for to add to my stash, but just like I did with Darling Girl's Yes, Virginia blush, I will be stocking up on this shade - and hopefully before I fly through the sample I have of it!

10/10 - I highly recommend this shade!

Review - Milani Naturally Chic Shadow Eyez 12 Hour Wear Eyeshadow in Cafe Au Lait

I've never been one to partake in Memorial Day shopping for some unbeknownst reason, but this year I was kind of thankful for it! I pulled myself up by the bootstraps and forced myself to go pants shopping - the worst kind of shopping there is. I'm curvy and in between "regular" size and plus size and I'm full at the waist...but I have chicken legs. Buying pants is a nightmare! Long story way short after trying on more than 25 various articles at more than 5 different stores  (and  experiencing every emotion from frustration, to despair to something along the lines of King Kong) I finally ended up with a pair of jeans from American Eagle, whom were running a 40% off of everything sale (even though the customer service was horrendous!) and a pair of trousers that are actually the proper proportion for my body (shocker! This never happens!) from Talbot's during their 50% sale. Hopefully, I won't have to do that again for a while. UGH!

So onto what is actually relevant here - I've finally had the chance to give my Miliani Shadow Eyez pencil in Cafe Au Lait a proper trial! Still working on the third of the bunch that I hauled, so keep your "Eyez" peeled.(heh)

Cafe Au Lait is a medium brown with neutral undertones, but it does warm up a tad as you sheer and blend it out. My number one use for this is a base for a smokier eye; today I wore this as a base all over the lid, put Lorac Taupe over it and brought Lorac Espresso into the crease with Darling Girl Ladyhawke patted allover (OMG) The outcome was super sultry and smoky but still fun.

As with all of the shades I've tried in this range, Cafe Au Lait has phenomenal wear time. Once it sets, it doesn't budge. This is definitely a great thing in terms of wear, but keep in mind that this formula will set quickly.

That brings about my only complaint about this product; the application. With the rest of the shades that Milani has put out, I can just swipe it across my lid and I'm good. Doing so with Cafe Au Lait, you're definitely going to get color on the lid; dare I say, too much. The pencil deposits a whole ton of color on the lid and since it sets so quickly, its difficult to blend. I've found that it is a lot easier to take a stiff flat brush and actually take it from the pencil and apply it on the eye separately rather than trying to "draw" the color on the lid.

Overall:

Pros:

- Longwearing

- Very pigmented

- Great base

Cons:

- Pain in the butt to apply.

While this shade is strangely messy and difficult to apply, it is one of those staple shades in my stash because it makes such a great base for more neutral toned smoky looks. If you pick this one up, make sure that you take a little bit of precaution to not make a total mess.

7/10

Review - L'Oreal Limited Edition Colour Riche Le Gloss in Short Shorts

There are times that occur when I'm blogging and I just have to sit back and appreciate a product's name. I'm sorry, but I just thought Short Shorts was just such an adorable name on L'Oreal's part, regardless of if it has anything to do with the shade to begin with! It made me giggle.

Short Shorts is a limited edition shade that is part of the Miss Candy collection for this late spring/summer. The collection itself is full of fun - and you probably guessed it - candy like hues to compliment the warmer months. Its definitely very cute! I have two of the eyeshadows from this collection that I will be working on getting reviewed for you guys ASAP!

The Colour Riche Le Glosses are a bit skinnier and longer than the average squeeze tube gloss. 

Short Shorts is a very sheer, milky lavender gloss. Over my natural lip color, it only looks ever so slightly purple, and the milkiness is somewhat apparent. When layered over a lipstick, it will lighten the color a bit, especially over vampier purple shades. This really sings over shades of a similar hue, such as MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 and  MAC Lavender Whip.

In terms of wear time, this gloss is pretty much an average for me. It doesn't wear particularly longer than any other glosses, but it wears a good 2 hours without being sticky or completely fading. What I particularly liked about this gloss, as with the two other Colour Riche Le Glosses I own, is that they are fairly moisturizing on my lips. I feel like my lips weren't worse for the wear after wearing this all day and maybe just a touch more nourished than they would have been if I had forgone anything on my lips at all.

As with the rest of the range, Short Shorts has a strong, cupcake icing like scent and taste. It's quite apparent and takes quite some time to dissipate. While I didn't find it disgusting, I know that many people do not appreciate products with strong fragrances/flavors, so this is something to keep in mind.

Overall;

Pros - 

- Fun summer shade.

- Wearable take on lavender.

- Moisturizing properties.

- Fantastic layering shade.

Cons - 

- Strong fragrance/flavor.

I'm actually quite pleased with this shade - I didn't really expect to be. Short Shorts is definitely a color that I am drawn to and I'm impressed about the moisture it provided my lips.

8/10

Review - Darling Girl Eyeshadow in Viva la Revolution

I received this product as a press sample in a sample size at a discounted price. If you have any questions regarding the subject, see my disclosure statement tab.

I feel like I deserve some serious props here for the fact that I've been wearing so much color lately! For the sake of summer and testing new products, I've only done one neutral look this week! I'm nearly done testing the LORAC GloGetter Palette, but some blog content was much needed in the meantime.

Viva la Revolution is part of DG's Not An 80's Band collection (probably one of my favorite collections as far as the shade names go) and is described as a "Creamsicle with strong blue shift". It reads a bit more orange than a lot of the coral shades that I have in my collection, and thus sets it apart. I wore this over a medium to light coral shade and it definitely amped up the look. When used dry, the blue shift was not all too pronounced, but it was there - I'm really interested in foiling this to play with the shift it contains.

Orange isn't always the most flattering color against my skin, but by some twist of fate, this shade is actually quite flattering. I wore this with a couple neutrals and a soft coral and patted this on the lid. The result was something super summery and it made my blue eyes nearly visible from space! So many compliments on how blue my eyes looked!

As far as wear time, this shade gives me no complaints. It doesn't wear off or fade before I'd expect it to and got me through a work day and more with no issues. In terms of application, it was easier than I would have expected, especially for a loose pigment product. It was very easy to just pat on the lid, didn't take a whole lot of work to reach opacity and caused only minimal fallout.

Overall:

Pros:

- Easy application

- Minimal fallout

- Average to above average wear time

- Unique shade

Cons:

- Shift could be more pronounced when used dry.

Is it fantastic? Yes. Is it out of my comfort zone? Absolutely. Did I have fun? You bet I did. Viva la Revolution is a great shade, especially for those who aren't afraid of color. It was a gutsy shade for me, but I'm happy I took the plunge.

9/10

Review - Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Snare

Its  not often that the Sephora inside JC Penney actually carries a product that the standalone stores don't, (hello, no Illamasqua except for the nail polishes?? Foul!) but lo and behold - it has happened!
Snare is one of 7 shades that Urban Decay added to their permanent line, which are available exclusively to UD's website and Sephora in JCP. I purchased this shade during Sephora's Chic Week along with NARS Sin and UD Laced!

Urban Decay describes Snare as a "smoky olive green with gold micro glitter". Its a subtly olive toned green that has a very subtle gold shift to it. What confuses me is that UD categorizes this shade as a shimmer/satin finish, in which both claim that there is no microglitter in the finish. However, the shade description mentions microglitter. Which one is it??? Honestly, it reads a bit more metallic than glittery, but there is a touch of microglitter there. 

While I am not particularly complaining but the shade is a bit more green than I was anticipating; I honestly thought it would turn out a bit more neutral. I wore this with UD Laced all over the lid and UD Snakebite in the crease and it was a very flattering, cohesive look.

As far as the formula, the shade was on par with Urban Decay's standard as a whole. I had no problem with a shorter wear time or fading, but I do wish that this shade had a tad bit more depth.

What worried me is that I may have had a dupe in my collection for this shade; I thought that L'Oreal Golden Sage might have been a dupe. Above, I have UD Snare on the left and L'Oreal Golden Sage on the right. Snare is a bit darker, and while they are in the same color family, I wouldn't exactly consider them dupes.

Overall:

Pros:

- Great color payoff.

- Longwearing.

- Neutral toned green; wearable.

Cons:

- Not as vibrant as I'd wished.

- Slight bit of fallout.

While Snare is definitely a good performing shade, it wasn't as showstopping as I thought it would be. I'm definitely getting use out of it, but if had been either a bit more vibrant or a bit more neutral, it would have been a must have!

8/10

Another Darling Girl Cosmetics Haul!

Between the fact that I NEEDED a full sized version of the Yes, Virginia Soft Focus Blush (check out my review here), the huge shade range the brand has and the incredible customer service, I hauled some more from the brand!

I purchased two items along with the review kit, so I have tons of samples, the products I purchased and a GWP to play with. Sweet!

As per usual, the products are sent in pure cuteness!

From left to right, there are two samples included with my purchase; Belle Eyeshadow and Mercurial Eyeshadow, as well as the GWP for spending at least $10 before shipping, which was a petit size of South Of Heaven. Also included are a couple business cards and a Darling Girl logo sticker, which is too cute!

These products are part of the press sample kit that I took part in. The top two shades are; Faux Pas Eyeshadow and Angel Face Shimmer Blush and the bottom two are; Sassy Sakura DuoChrome Blush and Viva La Revolution Eyeshadow. Off to the right is the Kiss You Off: Color Rich Lip Balm in Honey Love.

Finally the core of my actual purchase. On the left, which you can probably guess, is a full size of the Yes, Virginia Soft Focus blush which is literally at holy grail status for me. I just ADORE it! To the right is the Glitter Glue which is a mixing medium that I needed something fierce! 

It bears mentioning that this order was sent out like lightning compared to the expected turn around time! For indie brands, its important to remember that these people are running a small business and working their tails off! I was expecting, as per what the site had noted, up to 16 days of waiting. Turns out, I only had to wait a tiny bit over half of that. Once it was shipped out it only took 2 days to get to my house! I'm impressed! I had the same experience last time, so it definitely shows how consistent the brand is!

I'm super excited to start playing with these, as Darling Girl has quickly become one of my favorite brands; indie or not! I've got a lot of testing and reviewing on my plate as of late, so I'll get some reviews posted for you guys ASAP! (And I still have some to review from my last haul!)

Top 5 Picks for Summer - Nail Polish.

I've been on my nail polish game this year! (Ironically writing this post with no nail polish on..) I've managed to come across some great shades so far this year and finally successfully swatched out my entire collection, rediscovered some gems and threw out some that were just too old to function.

So here goes; These are my Top 5 Nail Polishes for Summer!

From left to right, these are; Essie - In the Cab-ana, Essie - Turquoise and Caicos, Essie - Sand Tropez, Revlon - Seashell and China Glaze - Pool Party.

The swatches are all on the middle "nail"!

Essie - In the Cab-ana. A bright light blue that is just too fun to pass up!

Essie - Turquoise and Caicos. The name says it all; turquoise and one of Essie's most popular shades.

Essie - Sand Tropez. I had to include a neutral and this one is the perfect, beachy neutral!

Revlon - Seashell. Peachy with pink tones to it. Pastel and lovely.

China Glaze - Pool Party. Even the name is summery! This is a neon pink that totally rocks your enitre summer!

There you have it! We've got two more categories to go, so stay tuned! What polishes are you all loving for summer?