Although lately I've been a bit underwhelmed by MAC's usually extravagant limited edition collections I'm partially thankful - it has given me a bit more time to catch up on the products that the brand offers in their permanent line, and in addition to trying to build my MAC Eyeshadow palette, I've also taken time to dive a bit deeper into the lipstick offerings from the brand. I swatched out my MAC Lip Product Collection a bit over a year ago, so needless to say - it was ready for some updating!

Lipstick:


Amplified Finish =

Blankety - Ah, Blankety. If I had known how often I'd wear this, I would have purchased it forever ago. This is one of the most flattering nudes against my skin as it does have the pink tones to it but it is far from being too warm or too peach for my fair complexion. Because it has an Amplified finish, it is opaque and creamy and does not dry my lips in the least. This shade is definitely somewhere in my top 5 MAC Lipsticks - ever!

Cremesheen Finishes = 

Creme d' Nude (left) and Goddess of the Sea (right)

Creme d' Nude (left) and Goddess of the Sea (right)

Creme d' Nude - The internet beauty community is so torn on this shade - half fears it gives them the "zombie lips" while the other maintains this is a holy grail. Personally, I rather like it on my skin. I feel the translucence of it makes it a whole heck of a lot more wearable than shades such as Myth (which I still struggle to make work!).

Goddess of the Sea - Limited Edition. I bought this for the packaging, I'm going to be straightforward on that. However, I actually adore the shade and it is incredibly easy to work with.

Lustre Finishes = 

From left to right - Viva Glam Gaga, Viva Glam V and Patisserie 

From left to right - Viva Glam Gaga, Viva Glam V and Patisserie

Viva Glam Gaga - Limited Edition. I took the plunge and after a whole bunch of research, purchased this one eBay. I really was kicking myself for not getting this while in store, but I see the popularity in it. The Lustre formula makes it not too overbearing, but it still gives off great color.

Viva Glam V - This is the universally flattering lipstick. I've yet to see this look bad  on someone! If it don't know what else to wear, chances are that it's either this or Blankety.

Patisserie - I feel like this shade doesn't get talked about a whole lot, but it has become a staple in my collection. This is a darker take on nude pink without being too peach and almost has the slightest smidgen of brown in it. If you're looking for a good "office appropriate" shade, this is it.

Matte Finishes = 

From left to right, Dodgy Girl, Candy Yum Yum, Velvet Teddy and Kinda Sexy

From left to right, Dodgy Girl, Candy Yum Yum, Velvet Teddy and Kinda Sexy

Dodgy Girl - Limited Edition. There was no way I was going to allow myself to not get my hands on this one. It's a lovely lavender shade with enough pink in it to make it just a bit more wearable.

Candy Yum Yum - I Back2MAC'ed for this shade and in all honesty, I have a love hate relationship with it. The way it wears highlights any imperfections on my lips and they have to be in perfect shape to wear it. I should still try more to make it work though...

Velvet Teddy - I'm going to have to review this shade separately because it is just that incredible. This is literally the posterchild for why I like MAC's matte lipstick formula so much.

Kinda Sexy - Everyone says you need Kinda Sexy, but this one is literally so new that I haven't worn it yet (like earlier this week kind of new!). However, it swatches phenomenally - but also broke off in the tube when not in use. Hmm...

Retro Matte Finishes = 

From left to right; Ruby Woo, Punk Couture and Instigator.

From left to right; Ruby Woo, Punk Couture and Instigator.

Ruby Woo - The infamous Ruby Woo. I had to have it because it's a total icon, but Goodness Gracious! If you try to swipe this on your lips like a regular lipstick...your lips are going with it! I do love that it gives such a lovely, Pinup look to the lips and literally lasts forever, but be ready for it with some lip balm!

Punk Couture - Limited Edition. How can I not buy a lipstick called Punk Couture? While press releases noted that this and Instigator were Retro Mattes, they are nowhere near as dry as Ruby Woo.

Instigator - Limited Edition. This one lightens up a good bit on the lips, you think? It almost looks black in the tube. For a retro matte, this one was even creamier than Punk Couture.

Satin Finish = 

Viva Glam II

Viva Glam II 

Viva Glam II - This is one of my all time favorite nude shades...like up there with Blankety! Since this shade is a satin it feels nearly matte and is completely opaque. It has tones of nude and brown and mauve and I absolutely adore it!

Lipglasses = 

From left to right; Underage, Viva Glam I and Docile

From left to right; Underage, Viva Glam I and Docile

Underage - This is another shade I Back2MAC'ed for and I underestimated how pigmented it was! I was expecting this to be much sheerer than it is, but it makes a great layering shade.

Viva Glam I - Limited Edition, but still available on MAC's website. I think I can try to commit to Viva Glam I as my favorite MAC red, so I was so happy that this was released in a gloss as well. I'll wear this layered or without, it doesn't matter. I totally love this one.

Docile - Limited Edition, CCO find. I don't know how I managed to find this one at my local CCO but it just screams "me"! It is an incredibly wearable take on lavender when worn alone and really transforms depending on what you pair it with.

Kissable Lipcolour = 

Woo Me

Woo Me

Woo Me - Limited Edition, CCO find. When the Kissable Lipcolour range was released for the second time with the Shop MAC/Cook MAC/Whatever the heck that was MAC collection, I jumped at the shade Enchantee, and sadly overlooked this one. Carly from The Science of Chic was talking about this shade a while back and after seeing her wearing it, I had to have it. This is what bloggers do - we make each other buy things. I really like this kind of shade - as you can probably tell - it's kind of a neutral with depth.

Dazzleglass = 

Baby Sparks

Baby Sparks

Baby Sparks - Dazzleglasses are a pain to photograph! My camera couldn't really capture it, but Baby Sparks is a transparent warm, baby pink with purple and blue shimmers. For being a gloss with glitter in it, it is also surprisingly more comfortable to wear than I anticipated!

So apparently, this is going to have to be a yearly thing as I've added a whole lot to my collection since my first post!  What shades do you guys love from MAC? Let me know in the comments!

Lorac PRO Palette 2 Review and Swatches!

IT'S HERE! Lorac has literally become a game changing brand in the beauty community in a record amount of time. Across the board, the brand really does offer a lot of great products - but the PRO Palette range is what ignited I think really ignited that hype. Long story WAY short - in terms of pigmentation, variety and value; Lorac's PRO palettes are really a product range that I believe in.

Given the hype in the beauty community regarding the original Lorac Pro Palette, when Lorac's social media started the announcements for the Lorac Pro Palette 2, the hype went through the roof! I can definitely admit that when I saw Lorac's first instagram announcement I wend a little buck wild. Do you remember Tom Cruise's couch surfing escapade on Oprah??? - Which was in 2005, by the way. Nearly TEN years ago now! What the?? - My reaction may have mirrored his...just a tad.

What differs the Lorac Pro Palette 2 from the original is the color composition. The original was about 99% neutral, whereas the Pro Palette 2 is more of a 50/50 blend of neutrals and pops of colors. The great thing is, just as the original, it is set up in the same "top row of mattes, bottom row of shimmers" outline - and the allure of this palette really stems from the choices the brand made as to which shades are matte and vice versa.

Musings aside, I'd like to share my review and swatches of the palette alongside my general...well? Fangirling. That would pretty much cover it.

The Lorac PRO Palette 2 is housed in the same packaging as the original PRO Palette - a very thin, sleek magnetized palette made out of heavy duty cardboard. Inside is a mirror that takes up about 80% of the lid. I find storage for the PRO Palettes very easy since they are so thin - I stack my large palettes in a letter organizer and these take up very little space.

As with the original, the PRO Palette 2 contains a top row of 8 matte shades and a bottom row of 8 shimmer shades. The palette retails for $42 and for 16 shade it would be like spending less than $3 for each eyeshadow.

And now the moment we've all been waiting for - THE SWATCHES.

From left to right - Buff, Lt. Brown, Cool Gray and Nectar

 Buff - Don't let the photo fool you, because this shade has PHENOMENAL pigmentation for such a light shade. It's just literally the actual color of my skin, maybe with a smidgen more yellow. This was a wonderful browbone shade, neutralizing redness in the lid shade and I actually even used this to set my undereye concealer in a pinch. #dontjudgeme

Lt. Brown - This is one of those iconic transition shades and it has a wonderful texture. It is warm enough to not pull ashy, but isn't one of the warmest of the transition shades that I've worked with. It was a pleasure to apply.

Cool Gray - This shade looks MUCH more gray in the pan and conversely much more brown on the skin; I think that's why I like it so much. I'm just going to go ahead and call this one more of a matte taupe because it truly does have a taupe's dimension to it. Strong pigmentation but a very blendable texture led to me using this in the crease a LOT.

Nectar - Where my pale girls at? This shade literally has me swooning. Lorac could charge me nearly the full price of the palette for this shade alone - not really, but...kinda... - if you have fair skin, this will be your favorite transition shade forever and ever, amen. End of story.

From left to right - Plum, Navy, Charcoal and Black

 Plum - This shade is a warm aubergine; and a phenomenally executed one at that! Purple shades are already hard to master and when you throw a matte texture into the mix, things get even further complicated. Apparently, Lorac knows how it's done because this is perf!

Navy - If any shade is going to help me overcome my deep-seated fear of blue eyeshadow, it'll potentially be this one. If you refer to the swatch, let me inform you. That's one swipe. No building or blending to even it out. There is magic at play here...

Charcoal - Charcoal is Cool Gray's "cooler" sister, surprisingly. If you take Cool Gray and lean it a bit more gray, and darken it up just a tad - you'll have Charcoal. Not as universally usable for every single look under the sun as Cool Gray was, but very close.

Black - Are you sure? I wouldn't call this one a true black; rather more of a smokey, blackened brown. The lack of inkiness doesn't detract from the texture - it still is an amazing (yet not aptly named) shade and is perfectly smokey.

From left to right - Snow, Beige, Rosé and Mocha

 Snow - Holy Guacamole! This was one swipe! Snow is just that - a pure, frosted snow white with phenomenal pigmentation.

Beige - This shade suffers from the inability to photograph well - this one is a true sand beige color and applies much better than the photograph would imply. Because it is fairly neutral toned, it makes a wonderful all over lid shade with a whole lot of different looks.

Rosé - The rose gold hype is still alive and well so it does not surprise me that this shade was included. Rosé photographs a bit warmer and golder than it truly is, but it definitely is one of those shades that transforms to fit with whatever it is paired with.

Mocha - I feel like I don't appreciate this shade as much until I start playing with it. Mocha is a warm brown with a bronze-y golden frost to it and the warmth of it really pairs it with a lot.

From left to right - Chrome, Silver, Jade and Cocoa

Chrome - Ah, Chrome. This shade might be up there in my list of top taupes of all time. Literally, this is what I think when I hear the word taupe.

Silver - Let me just start by saying that this shade does have phenomenal pigmentation...its just not too great of a shade for me personally. Since I have pale blue eyes, I feel like all light, cool toned silver shades turn too baby blue on my skin unless I apply them with a very specific look. Great execution, just my personal preference gets in the way of this one.

Jade - When I first saw the promo photos, this was the shade that stuck out to me. We all know how I love my olive greens - and while this is a cooler toned take on the shade, I still do really enjoy it.

Cocoa - This is the kind of shade I've been wearing a lot lately - I've been doing a lot of super smokey looks with really saturated brown shades and it translates very well to my skin. This is going to be another shade that's perfect for just that, and the golden shimmer adds a nice bit of interest to it.

Overall, my opinion of the Lorac PRO Palette 2 is VERY positive. I feel like in terms of the shades that were included, that they work together quite well but are still a very unique grouping of choices - especially with the pops of color. It has unexpected shades, but not ones that you're worried about how to use them with the rest of the palette. The pigmentation, in my opinion is on par with - and potentially even better - than the original Lorac PRO; the mattes seem more buttery and the shimmer shades have even stronger pigmentation than the already phenomenal formula. The only issue that I can gather is the amount of fall out with this palette. I will say that, in terms of both the mattes and shimmers, the high level of pigmentation does lend itself a bit to causing fallout - which was not something I encountered with the first palette. Otherwise, I'm finding it of utmost difficulty to find a complaint about this palette. It is wonderfully executed as well as forward thinking in terms of color selection.

I purchased mine (on the release date because I'm "dedicated" or "obsessed") from Ulta and it is still listed as available on their website!

L'Oreal Colour Riche Collection Privée Nudes - Doutzen, J-Lo and Freida

Since it seems that this range is going to stick around for a bit, I felt it appropriate to share a review and some swatches today. Now, I am not certain if this collection is Limited Edition or intended to be a part of L'Oreal's permanent range - which would be lovely! - but I am awaiting L'Oreal's response to my e-mail on the matter. We'll see! *fingers crossed*

* EDIT* - L'Oreal responded to my e-mail (quite quickly, I might add!) and this collection IS permanent!

To give you my uncomplicated and flat out honest opinion, I think this collection is a wonderful idea. The aim of this collection was to present a neutral nude shade for all complexions, ranging from the fairest of the fair to the deepest of the deep and anywhere in between. The USA version of this collection as explained by the brand - I'll touch on the difference between the US and UK collections in a moment - features Freida Pinto (honey skin tone), Jennifer "J-Lo" Lopez (medium-olive skin tone), Doutzen Kroes (fair-light skin tone), Eva Longoria (light-medium skin tone), Julianne Moore (fair skin tone) and Liya Kebede (deep skin tone) as "spokeswomen" for each individual shade which bears their names. In the UK, instead of featuring J-Lo, the website features Cheryl Cole for "brunettes with fair complextions" (which, uh, hello? ME!) but I'm not entirely sure if this is exclusive to the UK as I've seen it on some US based blogs - I included this in my inquiry e-mail to L'Oreal and I will update with an answer. L'Oreal UK's website also includes an interactive poll where you can enter your hair color, skin tone and  desired look for L'Oreal to suggest a shade for you. According to my brown hair and very fair skin for a touch of "softness" I was suggested Julianne's Nude - ironically, one of the ones that I do not have. Remember though - the questionnaire is meant to be used as a guideline; Wear what you want because you like it, not because it is what you are "supposed" to wear!

The three shades I have in my collection as of right now are Doutzen's Nude, Jennifer's Nude and Freida's nude - but in all honesty, I want to haul the entire collection. #dontjudgeme

Doutzen's Nude is the lightest of the bunch by far - it is a very sheer blue based baby pink, and was sadly a miss for me. It doesn't really appear in the actual bullet or in the swatch, but this has a shimmer to it that wasn't really all too flattering on me - it gave more of a silvery cast on the lips rather than a sheer pink. It was kind of a let down for a couple reasons; one, being that when I saw this I thought it would be perfect for my skin and two, I LOVE The Victoria's Secret Angels and since she is one of them - well, you get the picture.

Jennifer's (J-LO's) Nude - Does anyone else feel weird calling J-LO by her actual name? I feel like I've always known her as J-LO so she doesn't seem like her name would be Jennifer. Either way, this is my FAVE out of the three. It's literally lovely - a rosy toned medium nude - and it literally goes with ANYTHING. It has a semi-opaque creamy finish, but not as opaque as the average Colour Riche shade (such as Fairest Nude). This has become one of those "staple shades" in my collection (A la MAC Blankety), if I'm not sure what to pair with a certain look - this shade usually completes and polishes it.

Freida's Nude - This is actually the shade that I anticipated the most - these were launched in the UK before here in the States and everytime I saw swatches I swooned over this one. Don't get me wrong - I love it. It's a mauve-y nude shade for goodness sake, of course I like it! But - this one does have slight textural issues like Doutzen's Nude. Not nearly as sheer, but the fine micro-shimmer isn't the most comfortable on the lips. Otherwise, the hue of this one in and of itself is divine!

Overall, the formulation of these really does stay true to L'Oreal's Colour Riche line - the cremes are amazing while the shades with a bit of frost have a slightly uncomfortable wear (though some perform better than others as Freida's Nude wore more comfortably than Doutzen's Nude). Out of these three, you immediately need Jennifer's Nude and I would probably pass on Doutzen's Nude - there are so many translucent baby pink shades available on the market with more lip loving formulas.

I will update this post as soon as I receive a response from L'Oreal, but in the meantime...I may just haul the rest of the collection! 

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Swatch-A-Palooza!

I had so much fun with my Revlon swatch post that I decided to go ahead and make it a bit of a series to highlight collections of products that I have...well...quite a few of. It goes along the lines of the thought that if I keep repurchasing from a specific line - there must be something pretty darn good about it!

While not nearly as old as Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick line, Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipstick range has been a staple at the drugstore for a good amount of time by now. The permanent collection itself has every color family covered, and what I really enjoy is that they make it so easy to shop! Everything is broken down by color family, even down to occasionally making the caps a different color to suggest the family the shade might be in. From a consumer's viewpoint, it's never really a confusing task to find what I am looking for from the brand, which was very smart on their part!

Maybelline is also a bit of the "MAC of the Drugstore" when it comes to limited edition collections - and I fall for them just the same. There are shades that get very hyped up to the point where a lot of us in the beauty community find ourselves stalking our local drugstores and...dare I admit it...looking to Ebay for items we couldn't seem to find. I've seen a shade touted "Hard to Find" for as high as $20..a lipstick that retailed for less than half of that! (and don't even get me started on the matte Color Tattoos from last fall...OMG).

Overall, I'm a bit of a sucker for Limited Editions, which I will include here, but I have a really great opinion on the permanently available shades as well - so lets get on to those swatches, shall we?

From left to right - Pink Sands, Born With It, Pink & Proper and Make Me Pink

Pink Sands - Ah, Pink Sands. I was young; naive...maybe. It's awful - sheer, but shimmery and gritty and I maybe wore this once. I purchased this one a LONG time ago when I was first getting into makeup.

Born With It - Since we opened the swatches on such a negative note, let's move onto my all time favorite! Born With It bears Maybelline's tagline, and for good reason. It's natural but refined - my perfect MLBB shade.

Pink And Proper - This is a light neutral to slightly warm toned pink and while it isn't anything groundbreaking in terms of color, it wears nicely and bears a formula that nicely represents the line.

Make Me Pink - Since this one is a bit cooler toned, it gets a bit more wear from me. I have a lot of shades in this kind of color family from other brands, but this could potentially be a dupe for a few popular higher end lipsticks - I'll have to check my stash and get back to you!

From left to right - Fuchsia Fever, Bit of Berry, Warm Me Up and Yummy Plummy

Fuchsia Fever - I don't understand why I don't wear this more. This one is a very blue toned fuchsia shade and has nearly a duo-chrome feel without really having a shimmer to it. I can't explain it but it is VIBRANT.

Bit of Berry - I need to do a post of the lipsticks my sister steals from me the most, because this would be near the top of the list. This one is a true cranberry shade and because it has a cream finish, it really sets itself apart from similar colors in my collection - you know how I am with mattes!

Warm Me Up - The name of this one terrifies me, but I actually found this quite flattering. It really is a slightly darker, slightly warmer toned version of Born With It and for some reason this color family actually flatters me. Who woulda thought?

Yummy Plummy - I purchased this before I heard all the hype about this being a dupe for MAC Plumful (which I don't have), but I really like the neutral tone to this one!

From left to right - Nude Lust, Truffle Tease, Sin-A-Mon and Nude Embrace (LE)

Nude Lust - The Maybelline Nudes Collection is giving me LIFE! I've really been appreciating a nude lip in the past year and Maybelline is kind of being my enabler. Nude Lust is on the lighter half of the range - maybe the second or third lightest?- but I find that I'm fair enough that it doesn't give me zombie lips. I really appreciate the slight pink tone to this.

Truffle Tease - This one is the warmest of the nude bunch, but it actually does work on my skin - with the right look. 

Sin-A-Mon - I feel like this is a true caramel shade, and the translucence of it really makes it work against my skin.

Nude Embrace - This shade was limited edition from the spring Nudes collection that Maybelline released and if you simply glance at it, you'll understand why I love it. It's a mauve toned nude that is SUPER cool toned and nearly unhealthy looking (in the best way possible, I swear) and I absolutely ADORE it.

From Left to Right - Pink Pop, On Fire Red, Hot Plum and Brazen Berry

Pink Pop - This is another case of "why don't I wear this more?". Are we sensing a color theme here? Pink Pop really is a vivid Barbie pink, but it has a refined quality to it that is just really, really nice.

On Fire Red - I might be cheating a bit with this one, because it is still quite new and I haven't had an opportunity to wear it yet. It is, however, in my "to wear this season" basket. In the photograph it leans a bit warmer, but in person it is a bright, cherry red.

Hot Plum - I feel like this shade has the best color intensity out of the Vivids line. It has more initial opacity and white it still has a creme finish, it doesn't have quite the sheen that the others do. By the way, if you missed out on Daddy's Little Girl from the MAC Archie's Girls collection...give this one a little look see.

Brazen Berry - Everyone and their mother was talking about this being a dupe for MAC Heroine and I TOTALLY disagree. Same color family, yes - but this is lighter, has a strong sheen to it and a very translucent quality. Maybe what makes Heroine for me is the matte texture? Who knows...Either way, the semi-sheer quality to this one makes it very pretty to wear.

From Left to Right - Porcelain Pink, Smooth Taupe and Nude Nuances (All LE)

Porcelain Pink - Anyone else remember this collection? And how much of a pain in the butt it was to get all the shades? UGH. Either way, this shade isn't a good representation of Maybelline's formula - it's quite patchy and I normally just use it for a mixing shade.

Smooth Taupe - How this shade didn't give me lips that could cast me as an extra on The Walking Dead suprises me, but I'd assume the translucency has something to do with it. Not taupe by ANY stretch, this is more of a true translucent beige.

Nude Nuances - This shade was where the hype was at! Tumblr was ABLAZE with talk of this being a dupe for Innocence, Beware from MAC and since I missed the entire Venomous Villains collection (I'm still sore about that one) I HAD to snatch this one up. It is a slightly peachy light nude and actually does look quite flattering!

From left to right - Violet Intrigue, Lavender Voltage and Midnight Plum (All LE)

Violet Intrigue - Out of the three, I found this one to be the most wearable - it has a warmth to it that kind of draws it back to earth. This collection was a perfect representation of Maybelline's formula - creamy and opaque but not so creamy that it wears off quickly.

Lavender Voltage - Not exactly a lavender, but this is a VIVID violet shade. Love.

Midnight Plum - NARS Train Bleu, MAC Cyber, Rimmel Kate Moss 04? Yep. They're sisters...not twins. At least that's what I keep telling myself. 

Maybelline's Color Sensational range is really one of those lines that actually has something for anyone - the formula is (for the most part) consistent and they really do have all color bases covered.

Now if they would release some mattes...

That wraps up our second Swatch-A-Palooza! Let me know in the comments what range you would like to see me break down next - if I have a substantial collection of them, I'd be more than interested! Take care!

A Couple Days Late - June Favorites

I'm going to go ahead and get the apologies for the lateness of this post out of the way and offer my excuse. I've been working a couple consecutive overnight shifts this week and along with getting quite sick this week, and in all honesty...I don't really want to do anything but lie in bed and play Hay Day and scroll through Pinterest. I feel like complete and utter yuck.

To do the complete anti-beauty-blogger thing today, I feel like June took FOREVER to go by - it was really one of those just "meh" months where nothing all to awesome took place, life was pretty boring and it rained every single freaking afternoon - thank you, Florida.

I'm going to just jump into the beauty content for this post so I don't complain about anything else, because I'm literally just a wet blanket right now.

 Eyes -

- Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara - This is arguably one of my favorite mascaras of all time. After I tried the Pumped Up take on this, I had to cleanse my mascara palate by going back to this one.

- Victoria's Secret Triple Drama Mascara - I'm really sad to see this go since all VS makeup is now discontinued. I made sure to pick this up because I knew I'd be so sad if I wasn't able to have a last hoorah for this one. The way the brush is twisted really actually gets every single lash and doesn't look clumpy.

- Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Pomegranate - This is one of the driest bases I've ever used, in the most positive manner possible. I wouldn't wear this on it's own because its not 100% easy to blend, but this makes a fantastic base - especially for something I'll mention in a moment.

- Jane Cream Eyeshadow in Copper Shine - This is along the same lines as the Rimmel Shadow Paint, but blends just a touch better. Another incredible base.

- Urban Decay Roach - If you have this, wear it over a red/burgundy base. Just do it. It's literally gorgeous!

Lips -

- Maybelline Color Whisper in Pop of Poppy - I've never been one for pink-ish reds, but this one has me converted. I love the color, the formula and in all honesty, the name.

- Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Born With It - I've had this for so long and I feel like I've sorely under appreciated it. Literally, Born With It is the perfect pinky nude for my very fair skin tone.

- MAC Lipstick in Dodgy Girl - Part of this being a favorite is the fact that I was actually able to get my hands on it. This collection was so incredibly popular! I love this shade because it's a slightly more wearable take on lavender while still staying in one of my favorite color families.

- MAC Lipstick in Goddess of the Sea - I may or may not have pushed myself to buy from the Alluring Aquatics collection due to the packaging...but it turns out what I chose was actually pretty phenomenal! Goddess of the Sea has this muted quality to the color that makes it so gorgeous to wear!

- Victoria's Secret Lipgloss in Wet - Another item I knew I'd be heartbroken if it sold out before I could purchase one. Wet is a neutral rosy shade that looks great on literally anyone.

- MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks - I don't understand how I keep finding permanent MAC items at my local CCO, but here's another one! I've only tried one other Dazzleglass (Boys Go Crazy, I believe) so I decided to test the waters on a more day to day wearable shade. Long story way short, I love it - and while it is definitely sticky, it is not nearly as sticky as I anticipated.

Cheeks - 

- MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell - I now understand the hype around MAC's Extra Dimension Formula; it's literally just so soft and light, but won't blend away to nothing. This shade had the perfect amount of pink to it as well to make it look like a very believable shade against my skin. 

- NYC Cheek Glow in West Side Wine - I've seen it floating around the internet that this might be a dupe for NARS Douceur and while I personally don't think they are dupes, I find this color family very flattering on my skin...not to mention this has a great formula for $2.99!

Face - 

- Boots No. 7 Beautifully Matte - This isn't holy grail status, but it works the best that I've encountered thusfar. I have very oily skin, and it's even worse in the summertime; so I add this to my t-zone to try to keep oil at bay for a bit longer. However, DO NOT put this anywhere you have a drier patch of skin - such as blemishes that are healing and flaking, because this WILL accentuate any minute amount of dryness you may have on your skin.

- Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation - I was so conflicted about this foundation at first because I could not get a smooth application or keep it from settling in my pores but when I started applying this with the next product I am going to mention (ahem!), it literally turned around 180 degrees! I ADORE this foundation!

- Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - Yes, it's dirty right now...don't judge me. Now, I don't have the Beauty Blender to compare this to because, in all honesty - I didn't want to shell out $20 for a sponge when there is something available on the market that I could get 3 and a half of for that price..but this thing really is a miracle for those with enlarged pores. This is my favorite foundation application method and my skin shows it!

That's it for this month! In terms of lips, you can see I've been all over the place but on the rest of my face its been more along the lines of perfecting the techniques I've already had. I've also begun setting aside lip products that I've been intending to wear at the beginning of the month so I don't feel overwhelmed when I'm digging through my drawers as I'm ready to run out the door!

Also, Happy 4th of July to my readers here in America! I (unfortunately) work the closing shift tonight instead of my normal early mornings, so part of the festivities are going to be postponed until tomorrow...it's normal to set off fireworks the entire week of Independence day out here in the country :), but otherwise I get to come home to home grilled burgers and my adorable dogs who we DEFINITELY dressed up for the holiday! If you're celebrating, have fun and be safe!

Next week, I have two HUGE posts coming for you - one Swatch-A-Palooza and a review of a very popular and very new eyeshadow palette..any guesses??!?

Have a great weekend, everyone!