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!

MAC Limited Edition Kelly Osbourne Lipstick in Dodgy Girl and Lavender Lipstick Comparisons!

These are the times when being a morning person totally pays off. Since this lipstick sold out in all of 10 minutes online when it launched, I took advantage of the fact that my shift ended at the same time that the closest MAC store opened. And they had already sold a significant amount of the collection by the time I arrived - maybe 10:05! Crazy! But I'm so happy that I was able to get my hands on this!

The packaging is gorgeous, a grayed lavender with a subtle sheen to it and Kelly's signature - but hear me out...It feels a good bit more lightweight than your average MAC lipstick. I feel like I'm nit-picking (and I kind of am) but the plastic to it feels lighter and thinner to me. It also spins quicker when you turn the bottom, whereas my other MAC lipsticks have a bit of friction to them. In no way did this affect the quality of the lipstick itself, but remember - you're paying $1.50 more for the packaging in terms of these Limited Editions. 

Okay - now all the negative is out of the way!

Did I wear this before I swatched it for you guys? Absolutely. #sorrynotsorry

Can we tell that this is "a Kadie color"? Dodgy Girl has a matte finish and is described by MAC as simply a "light lavender" - it is a slightly darker take on lavender with a touch of pink that kind of brings it back down into the more wearable territory. While it does have a matte finish, it by no means has a powdery matte feeling. There still is a good amount of slip and nourishment to the lips but it still manages to look matte on the lips. The wear time for this one is actually pretty freaking wonderful. I test wore this one...then forgot that I was test wearing it and drank a few cups of tea, ate chicken nuggets and pretzels, etc, and the color was still surprisingly intact. It had not moved outside of the lip lines and it really hadn't faded all too much either. I will say, though, this shade will definitely stain. I never really removed it and let it wear off on it's own on the day I purchased it, and I woke up with a slightly purple-ish pink stain on my lips then next morning...which lasted until about halfway through my day. It's one of those lipsticks that you kind of have to commit to, because its not really going to come off completely for a while. 

This definitely is a color family that I'm drawn to, so I wanted to share the similar shades in my collection to show how they compare to this one, just in case!

1) MAC Fresh Amour Mattene  - This was limited edition and I have no ever loving clue what collection it was from. It is FAR lighter than Dodgy girl and has a very white-purple tone to it.

2) MAC Lavender Whip - Again, limited edition, but I didn't find these all too similar. Lavender Whip has a much stronger pink tone to it and because of the Cremesheen finish has almost a translucent quality.

3) MAC Dodgy Girl

4) MAC Up The Amp - This one is a whole lot pinker and a touch darker and also has a subtle sheen to it.

5) MAC Nocturnal Instincts Mattene - This was another limited edition - and not to mention one of my favorite MAC lipsticks in the history of forever - but it is completely different. It almost has a pinky-gray quality to it.

6) MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 - If you mixed Dodgy Girl with a liberal amount of white pigment, you'd have Viva Glam Nicki 2.

7) NYX Power - Hey, not MAC! What can I say, MAC has mastered the whole purple lip thing! Power is actually nowhere close to Dodgy Girl, but I never realized how similar it was to my oh so adored Nocturnal Instincts. A bit pinker, but it really thrills me that it could almost be considered a dupe for a lipstick that I have been hoarding!

8) Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn - And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for - this is the closest thing I have to a dupe for Dodgy Girl. These two are a good deal more similar than I anticipated because they look quite different in the actual bullet, but beside the fact that Airborne Unicorn has a slight sheen to it and is a bit more blue toned and vibrant, the two are in fact quite similar. Do I need both? No, but yes. Don't judge me.

I was intending on hauling other items from this collection, but I decided to stay with the least dupable. If I run across them discounted at a CCO, I would probably consider the blush in Cheeky Bugger and a gloss named Bijou from Sharon's collection but I'm trying to keep my head about me with all of these MAC collections - which up until they announced the Moody Blooms collection for the summer, I was starting to feel like MAC was "back" with their super exciting limited edition collections. I won't be picking anything up from Moody Blooms to the extent of my knowledge - I was underwhelmed...and don't even get me started on all of these collaberations with designers where they significantly hike up the price and let the quality totally bottom out! UGH!

Now that I've completely gone off on a tangent, did anyone else pick up anything from Kelly or Sharon's collections? Let me know!

Revlon Limited Edition Super Lustrous Lipstick in Brazilian Tan

Okay - I'd consider myself an active sports fan, but I've really never fully gotten into soccer/football/fútbol. In all honesty, the only reason I didn't really start watching until now was how incredibly overwhelming it seems. I don't know who to cheer for - and I'm from the USA and I'm not 100% sure if my country's team is good or not.

Long story very, very short - I figured the 2014 FIFA World Cup was the best place to start...So I'm currently watching Brazil vs. Croatia. And I'm going to go with the hype and cheer for Brazil - I think. I'm so definite about all of my other sports teams, so this is a strange feeling for me.

So, in honor of Brazil's hosting of the World Cup and playing in the opening game, I thought I'd give a few thoughts on a "Brazil themed" lipstick that I've picked up recently.

Okay, so I'm quite fair skinned - Like MAC NC15 can be a bit too dark for me on occasion kind of fair skinned - and when you look at a shade like this, you don't really think it would be one that would flatter me all that much.

Given, this isn't like a holy grail status nude for my skin; but in a really strange, unique way...it works. Brazilian Tan is a deep warm nude shade with strong brown tones to it. I feel like the thing that makes this shade so unique is the real lack of pink or peach tones to it - it really is a true brown nude, which sets it apart from really anything in my collection.

The formula of this shade is definitely in line with what I've come to expect of Revlon's Super Lustrous Creme formula - it's mostly to completely opaque, wears comfortably and doesn't dry out my lips. When this faded, it faded evenly so I didn't have any patchiness or anything of the sort. I really do like this one!

Is this a short review? Yes. Brazil just scored, we're tied 1/1 and I'm going to go watch the game!

CoverGirl Colorlicious Lipglosses - Thoughts and Swatches

When I hauled these a couple weeks ago it was definitely a blind purchase. Literally no one was reviewing these yet - I don't know if we got them early here in Central Florida (yeah right, like that would ever happen...) - but I have a suspicion that nobody really reviewed them at first because it's quite possible that no one really liked them.

And man, did I really want to like these...

The display gave me high hopes. There is a decent color range - I'd like to say at least ten shades - and seem to cover all the bases; nudes, pinks, brights, reds, plums, etc. I wanted to get shades that were from different ends of the spectrum of the line so I chose;  Melted Toffee - which in the tube looked like a pale, neutral toned light beige nude, Give Me Guava - which looked like a beautiful neutral light pink with a nearly golden shift and Fruitlicious - which looked like a fuchsia pink with a blue shift to it. They look pretty intense in the tubes, right? Note how often in the color descriptions I chose the past tense for look...

This is why I nearly always look up swatches. What you see in the tubes is not the color you see on your lips...you'd need nearly half of the tube to get the color to look that intense in the first place!

These are quite sheer, but isn't a sheer gloss okay?  Absolutely - but at least give it a nice formula! Now these aren't sticky in the least, which people who abhor sticky glosses might appreciate, but the issue I have is that they are simply too thin too work with. I was expecting something a bit thicker, along the lines of the Maybelline Color Sensational High Shines or the Rimmel Stay Glossys (which are on the thinner end of the gloss spectrum, in my opinion) but these are much thinner. They also have such a strange, oil like consistency that just makes them slide around and they really don't adhere to the lips much. It's such a strange feeling - almost like I mixed color and olive oil and decided it was a lipgloss. 

Because of the texture of these, I didn't find them particularly drying but yet again, they hardly stick around long enough to tell anyway. The only decent use I've been able to get out of these - other than a quick trip to the grocery store or something of the like - was to use them to layer over lipstick. They're okay as layering glosses, but tend to make the product under them wear away a bit quicker - I think they're just too emollient. 

So how do I feel about these? In all honesty - a little bummed out. The wear time is dismal, the texture is strange and the color payoff is very lacking. While these are rumored to be in CoverGirl's permanent line, I've yet to see them listed on the brand's website and have seen them go on promotional sale (aside from a normal Walgreens or CVS sale) a good two or three times now. My thought is that they're not selling too well. I'd pass on these - they're prettier to look at in the tube than to actually wear.

Maybelline Limited Edition Color Whisper in Pop of Poppy

Ever since my mom surprised me with Coach Poppy last year, I've been obsessed with all things poppy. It may sound silly - I think poppies now make me think of my mom and that makes me happy, so if a product has something to do with poppies, I'm all about it. Does anyone else make connections like that with a beauty product?

So that's why this Color Whisper happened. As soon as I saw the initial launch of it, I knew I'd have to have it - if I could actually find it. That's the frustrating thing about Limited Edition Drugstore Collections; if you don't jump at an item and it sells out, you're screwed. I had to check a couple different locations before I was actually able to find one of these. Though, it was totally worth it.

Can we just talk about how cute the packaging is for the Color Whisper range? I really like the translucency and shine the cap has. It's light and summery and almost jewel like and it makes me happy for some unknown reason.

Pop of Poppy is one of those colors that will literally suit any skin tone. It is a semi-sheer ever so slightly red toned pink shade that can be worn very translucent, but does build quite well on itself to give a pop of pink on the lips. I thoroughly enjoy the formula of this range - I think it's my favorite of the "lip butter" trend - because it's just so lightweight. This is a gel based lip product and you can kind of feel that in the way it applies and wears. Given, it doesn't have a groundbreaking wear time; but not many products of the like do on my lips. I don't know if this range has any sort of lip nourishing ingredient infused in them, but they definitely don't cause any dryness in my lips.

I'm super excited that I was able to round up this shade because, even though I bought it for the name, it really is one of those "staple shades" - especially for the summertime! I do have a few other Color Whispers from the permanent line - Lust for Blush, A Plum Prospect and Ooh La Lilac - and while I do have my eye on a few more, I'm really hoping that Maybelline adds more to this range. They're so effortless and comfortable!

What's your summer go-to lip these days?

Mascara Madness Masterpost - June 2014

I used to be the kind of person that never  had more than one or two mascaras in their collection at a given time; obviously that ship has sailed. I've had these photos on my computer for nearly a month now, and in the name of getting rid of old mascaras, I present you with some mini reviews!

Milani Total Lash Cover - 

What it claims: 3 part brush is meant to define, build and curl.

What it actually does: My lashes have a natural curl to them, so I'm not the best to ask, but this delivered on the define front as I found this did not look clumpy. However, the building aspect is out the window; this deposits a lot less product than you'd expect and isn't very dramatic. The tip of the brush does not have any bristles, so it was difficult to reach inner lashes.

Anything special?: In all honesty, the brush looked cool - before you use the brush, you can see that it is divided up into different colored sections that are all supposed to serve a different purpose.

Wear time and transferring: This didn't transfer on my oily lids but after a whole work day my lashes look a little lackluster.

Removal: No real issue, I use my normal removal process.

Will I repurchase?: No. It was cheap, and I think I now see why.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex - I received this as a sample for review purposes.

What it claims: Fullness and volume with flexibility. 

What it actually does: There is a volumizing effect to this and in all honesty, it doesn't feel quite as crispy as the average mascara, but it still isn't the most lightweight in my collection. The brush is an average bristled mascara wand, but in a very large size. This thing is HUGE.

Anything special?: The infusion of Lycra is meant to make lashes volumized but flexible. 

Wear time and transferring: I had no issues with this wearing off or transferring on me.

Removal: This didn't take any extra work to remove, it was quite easy.

Will I repurchase?: If the wand was smaller, absolutely. I do like the formula but the wand is too big for my liking. 

CoverGirl Bombshell Volume by LashBlast - 

What it claims: Side one volumizes to add 10x the volume, while side two intensifies.

What it actually does: I normally don't like the smaller, rubber bristled wands like side one, but that wasn't what bothered me. 10x the volume is a very large stretch though, and I'm not entirely sure what side two is doing when it "intensifies".

Anything special?: Dual brushes meant to be layered for more volume.

Wear time and transferring: This transfers like CRAZY on me. Horrendously. 

Removal: Since most of it has already transferred to the rest of my eyes/face, they'res not much left to take off, but it does remove easily.

Will I repurchase?: Absolutely not.

Revlon ColorStay 3D Volume Mascara - 

What it claims: Volume and dimension to lashes.

What it actually does: This doesn't make extreme claims, so it is pretty true to the claims it does make. This does not clump at all on me and something I really like about this one is that the wand does not remove an unnecessary amount of product.

Anything special?: Not really - might have a better wiping mechanism than other mascaras.

Wear time and transferring: This may be a little less intense by the end of the day but there was no transferring on me.

Removal: Removal was easy, no issues there.

Will I repurchase?: This is 50% off at CVS right now which leads me to believe that it is being discontinued, so probably. This is my sister's all time favorite mascara.

Benefit They're Real - 

What it claims: Length, curl, volume and lift.

What it actually does: I don't find much lift and lenth to this, but it does add volume. However, this can get clumpy very quickly and is painful to my lashline to apply.

Anything special?: Domed tip for inner lashes and staggered bristles for volume.

Wear time and transferring: This does not transfer on me and still looks very similar to application at the end of the day.

Removal: This takes a bit stronger of a remover to take off completely, but nothing too irritating.

Will I repurchase?: Probably not. Too much work and it agitates my eyes.

L'Oreal Voluminous Volume Building Mascara - 

What it claims: Resists clumping and provides 5x the volume.

What it actually does: I don't thing 5x the volume is too far of a stretch. I posted a selfie on instagram wearing this and was asked if I was wearing false lashes. That's a great feeling. The wand does, however, dispense way too much product.

Anything special?:  Not really.

Wear time and transferring: This did not transfer and still looked the same at the end of the day as it did at the beginning. 

Removal: No issues with removal, an average thickness formula.

Will I repurchase?: Probably. I really like the way this made my lashes look.

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara - 

What it claims: Brush design extends outer part of lashes out for a wispy effect.

What it actually does: It does just that. I adore this mascara, but I will say that it did have to grow on me. It takes some getting used to because the asymmetry of the brush is only on one side so it forces you to either flip the brush in the opposite direction or force yourself to be mascara ambidextrous - which I am SO not - but once I got the hang of it, I fell in love. My lashes look incredible with this!

Anything special?:  The wand is asymmetrical on one side; having a scoop of longer prongs. The rest are short bristles.

Wear time and transferring: This will last me all day with no issue whatsoever and has never transferred on me.

Removal: If I let my remover sit on my lashes for a few seconds, this removes without an issue.

Will I repurchase?: Abso-FREAKING-lutely.

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara - 

What it claims: Complete lash cover and 15x volume.

What it actually does: How does one measure 15x volume? I'm not sure if I'm getting that much volume, but I'm definitely getting volume with this. I can definitely, however, vouch for the total lash cover ability of this. This gets every single lash with no issue and isn't too huge of a brush.

Anything special?: The wand itself is very flexible, and the bristles are sporadic - in a good way. 

Wear time and transferring: I found no transferring and get a whole day's wear out of this.

Removal: Same with all of my other L'Oreal mascaras; no issue, just allow remover to sit for 3 or so seconds.

Will I repurchase?: YAS. I'm just as enthused with this one as the Butterfly mascara. L'Oreal is doing something right, I tell you.

Maybelline Lash Discovery Mascara - 

What it claims: Lengthens, defines and will not clump.

What it actually does: Actually, that's exactly what it does - minus the length. I use this on my lower lashline 9 times out of 10, but I have used this on my upper lashes and it definitely separates them and will not clump at all. This is definitely a more natural look, but it has its place.

Anything special?: The wand is teeny tiny.

Wear time and transferring: Will not transfer, which is very important since I wear this on my lower lashline - but this doesn't have an overly stellar wear time.

Removal: Very easy to remove.

Will I repurchase?: I definitely would - this is perfect for bottom lashes.

Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara - 

What it claims: 8x the amount of volume, smooth lashes and no clumps.

What it actually does: Volume? Yes. Smooth lashes? - what the heck does that mean?? - And no clumps? Pfft. This clumps before I even put it on my lashes, I swear it! The rubber bristles are very, very short and the wand itself is actually quite thick. Not my cup of tea.

Anything special?: "Supersonic brush" and "fast-glide formula". Whatever those mean. Umm??

Wear time and transferring: Once it's on, it's not going anywhere. At all.

Removal: A bit difficult to remove, actually. It takes a bit more work than I prefer.

Will I repurchase?: No. Maybelline needs to scrub the launch of this Rocket.

...I had to...I'm from Florida...

Maybelline Volum' Express Pumped Up! Colossal Mascara - 

What it claims: 16x the volume and an "extra shot" of plumping formula? More mascara being applied possibly?

What it actually does: Well, clumps my lashes, basically. I tried so hard to like this since I love the original Colossal, but I can't even make this semi-work for me by wiping off the excess mascara on a tissue. NOT. OKAY.

Anything special?: A "double shot" brush, which is probably their way of saying a brush that picks up and obscene amount of product.

Wear time and transferring: This did transfer on me, but not to the worst degree I've seen. It still is pretty intense - and clumpy - by the end of the day.

Removal: A little difficult, kind of like I applied too many coats.

Will I repurchase?: I wish I kept my receipt, actually. I would have returned it. For shame!

Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara - (can we tell when my camera died and I had to continue taking photos after the sun went down?)

What it claims: Dramatic length and no flaking.

What it actually does: It has spoken true on its claims. This is a wonderful lengthening mascara that still provides me with a bit of volume as well and I LOVE the shape of the brush. This separates and coats very evenly.

Anything special?: 4mm lash extensions. 

Wear time and transferring: No transferring and no loss of dramatic look (which is often a side effect of these kinds of mascara because of flaking). This one is just very well executed.

Removal: No issue in removal whatsoever. The waterproof of this one - which I've accidentally purchased in the past - is another (painful) story.

Will I repurchase?: I have before and I will continue to as well. I just thoroughly enjoy the brush shape - everything else is just gravy.

Maybelline Volum' Express The Mega Plush Mascara - (i.e. the most difficult wand on earth to photograph!)

What it claims: Full volume without the hardness and weight as well as complete coverage.

What it actually does: It is very lightweight and kind of attributed to a fluttery effect. Not so much for the total lash coverage though - this is one of the lesser dramatic mascaras in my collection.

Anything special?: 40% less waxes and a flexible brush (though not nearly as flexible as L'Oreal's Miss Manga)

Wear time and transferring: No transferring occurred with this one but it was one of those disappearing acts that wasn't quite as full as it was by the end of the night.

Removal: Quite easy, I had no issue with this.

Will I repurchase?: I like the fluttery effect, but I'm a bit on the fence about this one.

Get ready to see some empties coming up soon...because a few of these are old enough to be added to the box. I've already added some replacements - Maybelline Colossal (original! OMG), Maybelline The Falsies and Revlon Bold Lacquer have already been through a bit of testing and I do have a few other recommendations to try out. I will say my standout mascaras from this list are definitely L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly, Miss Manga and Maybelline Illegal Lengths - and outside of this list Maybelline Colossal (original, OMG) and Victoria's Secret Triple Drama are some of my other favorites. I'm sensing a pattern here.

Because 9 times out of 10, I'm just really not feeling these rubber bristle brushes!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Swatch-A-Palooza!

Revlon's standout products would most definitely have to be their lip products. For the most part, the brand can boast not only great formulas (if we just forget the Suedes...ick!), but pretty wide shade ranges - there's literally colors for anyone!

When I first started out with drugstore lip products, Revlon was the brand that I really gravitated toward. In all honesty, I think it set the bar high from the get go for me, especially with the Super Lustrous Lipsticks. There's a reason why this line has been around for ages.

To dive right in, I've swatched my entire collection of the Super Lustrous Lipstick line by finish, and I'll provide my thoughts along the way!

Super Lustrous Shines -

The Shines range is the newest addition to Revlon's Super Lustrous line, and were released about the middle of last year I believe, along with the repackaged and reformulated Super Lustrous Gloss. The shines are meant to be sheer lipsticks with a glossy finish, but that have a thinner texture than Lip Butters. The most similar comparison I have is shades like Roman Holiday from Nars. They have a translucency to them that is almost gel like. I have;

- Lover's Coral: I may or may not have purchased this one for the name, because it's just too cute! This is the closest I can get to Corals/Oranges, because while this shade is still quite warm and orange toned it also has a sheerness to it that is quite wearable.

- Pink Cognito: This is one of those "keep in your bag" lipsticks that goes with everything. I can wear this to look polished if I'm doing a super smokey eye and don't want my lips to look too overdone - but at the same time, I can throw this on if I'm running to the pharmacy in yoga pants and a messy bun because I forgot to pick up my prescription on the way home from work this AM (*cough, cough* today..) and look a little less like I've been up since 4AM. It just works with everything. 

- Berry Couture: This is my compliment getter of the three. We all know how I feel about darker lipsticks, and this is a sheerer take on that very thing. It's especially great if you want to get into the vampier lip trends, but want to ease yourself into it. I get asked what this is every single time I wear it.

Super Lustrous Mattes - 

Real talk, the Mattes in this line can be a touch hit or miss - but of the ones I have, the good does in fact outweigh the bad. This is definitely more emollient feeling of the matte formulas I've tried from other brands (and is definitely a whole lot better than the Suedes that Revlon tried to pass off as matte and longwearing), but they still don't have any shine or glossiness on the lip at all. I have; 

- Nude Attitude = Alright...its a concealer lip shade. I need more rosiness in my nudes to make them wearable for me. This is similar to MAC Myth, but a bit more yellow toned. I definitely need to use this with a gloss or a lip liner of a different shade to mix it and make it work for my skin. You win some and you lose some. The opacity is pretty great though!

- Pink Pout = This is most definitely my most worn of the mattes of the Super Lustrous range. It's a subtly cool toned light pink without being too baby pink and it really fares well with my complexion. I think this is one of their most popular mattes, and for good reason. It is also somewhat similar to MAC Pink Plaid.

-  Wine Not = I'm fairly certain that this one has been discontinued, as it is no longer on Revlon's website. Wine Not is a deep Bordeaux shade that is quite similar to MAC Diva in shade and finish. 

- Stormy Pink = I love the shade of this one; its a strong blue pink without being too overly bright. However, the formula on this one is lacking - quite patchy and powdery and emphasizes lip lines and dryness like a magnifying glass. Such a shame. 

- Smoked Peach = What a pain in the butt this one is to find! Goodness gracious. This shade is unique to everything in my collection, because while it is definitely strongly orange toned, it has a muted quality that makes it more wearable on my skin. The formula on this one is pretty great; nice and opaque but not too powdery.

- Sky Pink = I don't know why I thought shades like this looked good on me (i.e. NYX Strawberry Milk, etc.) but no. Just no. Don't get me wrong, I love pale pinks - but pale pinks like MAC Snob and Saint Germain and the aforementioned Revlon Pink Pout. The common denominator? Strong blue tones. I'm quite cool toned - almost too cool toned as my skin can get very pink, very quick! - and warmer pale pinks like this just don't flatter me. This shade also suffered from the formula issues that Stormy Pink did, but I'm not going to lie and say I shed a tear about it.

Super Lustrous Pearls - 

I'm not one for much frost, but some of the Pearl shades in this range have a really understated frost to them that really just appears on the lip as glossiness. I can't speak to the entire Pearl sub-range as I avoid some of the frostier looking shades, but the ones I have (minus one) wouldn't strike me as a Pearl finish if I wasn't already the wiser. I have;

- Violet Frenzy = One of my all time favorite Revlon lipsticks. It definitely is a deeper violet shade, but the translucency of this shade is what makes it so wearable. Applied lightly and its almost like one of those "popsicle stain" shades, but it does build up on itself well without having too much slip to it. A very easy shade to wear, given how intimidating it looks in the tube.

- Cherry Blossom = Did the name of this one have a big part in my choice? Probably. It is a bright cherry shade (no?!) and really doesn't have any detectable pearl to it, in my opinion. Very, very similar to Cherries in the Snow, which is one of Revlon's most iconic and oldest shades still in circulation.

- Gentlemen Prefer Pink = I think this was my first lipstick of the entire Super Lustrous range and yes, the name of this one probably had a lot to do with it as well. Its a light to medium toned slightly cool pink that has a bit of a rosy quality. Again, no detectable pearl to this one as well.

- Porcelain Pink = Why did I buy this? Is it 1995? I think I liked the hue of this shade but just didn't realize how frosty and dated it was. Pretty shade, too much pearl.

- Fuchsia Fusion = You know those Fuchsia shades that feel more like a red fuchsia than a blueish fuchsia? This is one of them. Its definitely a unique one in my collection. The pearl to this one really just translates as shine rather than frost, and it cloud be a touch duo-chrome-y in certain lighting. This one is more opaque than the rest of the Pearls I've tried.

Super Lustrous Cremes -

Alright, we're going to be here for a minute. Can you tell my preferred finish in this line? Revlon just does a really great creme finish. Across the board, they're mostly opaque and incredibly smooth, but yet really don't slide around too much on the lip. And, if you're lucky enough to suit the brown-er lip shades without looking like you're channeling your inner Drew Barrymore circa 1993 (girl, I feel you. That trend just wasn't for girls of our pallor) then Revlon really does have a great range of those hues to choose from in the Creme line. I have;

- Cherries in the Snow = This shade has been around for 61, nearly 62 years! It was launched in 1953 and is still one of the highest selling shades in the range. The reason? Its so flattering on nearly any skin tone. It's definitely your bright, power red that tends to lean a touch pink. Cherry Blossom is very similar, but has a touch more pink and not nearly the cult following this shade has.

- Black Cherry = Again, another cult favorite. The shade is just as the name implies, a deep, blackened cherry shade. A colleague of mine counts this shade as her signature and it is absolutely stunning on her rich, deep skin tone (I think a MAC NC50) and even though my skin is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum I just had to have it. We need to start correlating when we're both going to wear it so we can wear it on the same day!

- Just Enough Buff = This shade is far more translucent than the remainder of the cremes, but it is a neutral toned nude that isn't too overly pale, at least against my fair skin tone. While I prefer rosier nudes, this one definitely does have its place.

- Berry Haute = Definitely a "me" color. This a more purple take on berry rather than a more red one, which makes it a pretty unique color. Many find this similar to MAC's Up The Amp, but in my opinion it is far more muted. I really enjoy this one.

- Va Va Violet = Another pain in the butt to find, but so worth it. A lot of my dark purple lipsticks are matte, so this having a creme finish really sets it apart from a shade family that I tend to, well, hoard. Va Va Violet is really multitasking shade as well; dab it on for a sheer stained look or apply over a lip liner and after a couple coats you've got a vampy, lacquered pout. I love it!

- Primrose = Another one of my favorite shades from Revlon; I actually just talked about this one in my March Favorites! It's literally the perfect pale pink that doesn't lean too overly cool or warm which makes it quite wearable across the board.

- Coralberry = I bought my sister this one a while back because she has warmer skin than I do and out of curiosity I tried it on and loved it, so I picked up one for myself. This is about as orange as I can comfortably go, thanks to the slight pink tones in this shade.

- Temptress = If Primrose is mostly neutral, Temptress is slightly warm. Being that it has enough depth to it, it actually looks quite nice on my lips with the right look.

- Fifth Avenue Red = Why is this guy by himself? This shade was recently re-released in a blast from the past collection that Revlon just put out, which was based on our votes to see what shades we wanted to see again! This shade is pretty much a universally flattering, only slightly blue toned red and was released originally in 1958! I'm sure I have very similar reds in my collection, but hey, it's vintage right?

Revlon has been around for 80+ years for a reason. It is a brand that has consistently delivered on great product and has a timeless way of captivating its customer. The great thing about the Super Lustrous line is there is literally something for everyone regardless of skin tone, age, anything! When you add quality to that, you can't go wrong!

If you've enjoyed this post, let me know as I am strongly considering doing the same for other brands if that is something that you all would like to see! Have a wonderful day/night, wherever you may be!

My Favorite Products of 2013!

So right before the New Year - as if there wasn't a singlemost worse time for it to happen - my computer broke. Like broke, broke; snapped hinge, exposed wires, won't turn on, no mishandling and definitely not old enough to be that kind of wear and tear. Long story short, right before the spring semester is set to begin and when I have SO much content to post here...I'm stuck with a very expensive paperweight that will definitely get a good bit more expensive if it doesn't want to stay a paperweight, if you know what I mean. I spent a majority of that night in hysterics and now I'm just equal parts sad and angry.

The good thing is, that my sister has been kind enough to share her computer with me so I can get work/blogging done until mine is able to be fixed (and please send me good thoughts and prayers that it actually can be fixed) so I'm not a total and complete loss...though I've never tried to upload blog content from my phone, doing homework from a smartphone is definitely a pain in the rear end.

Basically, this fiasco is definitely indicative of my 2013 as a whole. It can only get better, right?

Now that I've whined and whined about my life - onto what you are obviously here for; these are the products that were total game changers for me in 2013!

 Eyes -

I'm fairly certain that the LORAC Pro palette is on everyone's favorites list this year, but for good reason. This palette got a lot of love from me this year (as you can very well see - so messy!) because it is of wonderful quality and is incredibly versatile! I reviewed this here.

 - Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze - I've used this to death since I picked it up earlier this year. I can wear it by itself or under literally anything and I'm almost all the way through it! I reviewed this here.

- Milani Shadow Eyez in Champagne Toast - I have rather oily eyelids, so using a shadow base along with a primer is usually standard for me. Milani's formula is bulletproof and this shade is perfect - a slightly rosy champagne. I've already purchased a backup... I have a review of this shade here.

- MAC Satin Taupe - There is a lot of hype around this shade, and for good reason. It has an excellent texture and pairs well with almost anything.

- MAC Copperplate - Most of you probably expected this, as it was probably one of my most used crease shades of 2013. MAC's Matte ^2 texture is incredible! I've reviewed this one here.

- MAC Phloof! - This shadow has been my favorite inner corner and highlighting lid shade of the year. It has so much more dimension than you would expect by just looking at it in the pan!

- MAC Shale - Shale is one of those multi-dimensional shades that, like Satin Taupe, pair well with almost everything. I've reviewed this one here.

- Urban Decay Laced - I was ecstatic when I found out this was going to be a permanent shade. Laced works well as a base, lid shade, whatever you need it to be. I love it. I reviewed this one here.

- Urban Decay Sin - I used this literally to death in my Naked Palette, so I definitely needed a new one. Sin is nearly part of my everyday makeup bag.

Brows:

- Revlon Brow Fantasy in Brunette - I'm not too keen on the pencil side of this; the texture is not up my alley. But since I've been using this brow gel my brows have thanked me. I'm too cheap to try Anastasia's brow gel just yet, and since this is the only tinted brow gel on the drugstore market, I'll have to make due with a pencil that I don't necessarily like. Oh well.

- Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Soft Brown - This is my holy grail brow product. I go through about three or four a year...'Nuff said. I've reviewed this here.

Lips:

- MAC Cremesheen Glass in Deelight - Are we going to just act surprised here? This is probably my most used lip product of all time. It simply goes with everything. I've reviewed this here.

- MAC Lavender Whip - I'm not going to lie; when the Baking Beauties collection was released, I basically stalked my local MAC Stores/Counters to make sure I got this. Great call, too. This shade is incredibly flattering on my very fair skin. I reviewed this here.

- MAC Diva - Diva has definitely been my go-to red lipcolor this year...and not to mention, my sister's as well. She liked this one so much that I had to refuse to let her steal mine anymore and forced her to buy her own! My review for this lipstick still stands as my most popular post on this blog. 

- MAC Viva Glam II - I've finally found the nude shades that flatter me, and this is one of them. The other day, I had an adorable older Brazilian woman in my store who had to know what lipstick I was wearing. Needless to say, I sent her to MAC to get this one. From what I could gather in my broken Portuguese, she thought it looked lovely on my "very white skin". That made me smile! I've reviewed this here.

- MAC Blankety - Again with the nude shades, huh? Its been a year for nude lips for me, apparently. This is also one of my favorites, thanks to the strong pink tones to this.

- L'Oreal Fairest Nude - I understand the hype now. This is on of my favorites and a great drugstore option! I've reviewed this here

- OCC NSFW - This is a newer addition to my collection, but OCC Lip Tars really do live up to what everyone says! I wore this on Halloween as part of my Ursula costume and it lasted all night!

Cheeks:  

- NARS Sin - I don' know why it took me so long to get this shade. Its just as pretty to wear as it is to look at! I've reviewed this here. 

- Illamasqua Katie - The fact that I haven't hit pan on this yet is probably a miracle. Whenever I don't know what to wear, this is it. It literally goes with everything.

- NARS Albatross - I get so many compliments on this shade when I wear it. Between the pigmentation and the longevity of it, this has to be one of my favorite illuminators. 

- MAC Full of Joy - I missed out on this in the spring of 2013, so I basically stalked my local CCO's until I found this one. It's a lavender blush...that's all that matters.

Face: 

- MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NC15 - This may be cheating just a bit, but since I purchased this in November it has been a total game changer in my makeup routine. Its quick and has great coverage and layers very well. Given how often I use this, it will soon be a repurchase.

Skin:

- Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strips - These changed everything for me. No more Biore for me; these perform so much better that I use them only half as often!

Brushes: 

- Sonia Kashuk Blush Brush - The dome and density of this brush make it definitely my most used blush brush of this year. I purchased this as part of a set and it was definitely a very pleasant surprise!

- Real Techniques Buffing Brush - I alternate between this brush and the next one i plan to mention in my daily foundation routine. There has been no splaying or loss of density in this brush and it works just as great as the day I purchased it. The size is great to get to smaller parts of my face, as well, such as under the eyes and around my brows.

- Sonia Kashuk Buffing Brush  - This brush is part of my daily foundation routine as well. The size of it makes it quick and easy to work with and it is a very sturdy, dense brush.

- Sonia Kashuk Eyeshadow Brush - I mainly use this brush on the lid, but it works well to blend out cream shadows in a pinch as well. This was part of the same set as the first brush I mentioned.

Nails: 

- Essie Shine of the Times - What I thought was a plain gold topcoat is actually one of the  most unique shades n my collection. What you choose to pair this with really transforms it.

- Essie Mochacino - I wore this on my toes several times this year. I love the understated shimmer to the shade; it makes it very different from the rest of the neutral polishes in my collection.

- Essie In the Cab-ana - If I received copious amounts of compliments on my nail polish, I was probably wearing this shade. Blues are usually not my game, but I ADORE this shade.

- L'Oreal Tea and Crumpets - I definitely purchased this shade for the name, but it is probably on eof the easiest nude shades to apply that I've ever used. One coat is all you need and it applies evenly and opaque.

2013 - when it comes to makeup - was definitely a year for nude lips, neutral eyes and glowy cheeks for me. This year, I definitely find myself already looking forward to bold lips (a la Radiant Orchid, maybe) and dramatic winged liner. Whatever comes, I'm excited for the new collections I'm seeing all over the place and can't wait to start reviewing!