September Favorites

I've been a terrible blogger lately.

I've had a lot going on... seems like we've had doctor's appointments everyday stinkin' day.

But I'll try to do better in the coming weeks.

I don't have a whole lot of new things to show you this month.  But a few really good ones!

For my makeup favorites this month, I have a new foundation.  I've only been wearing it for the past 2 weeks, but I am IN LOVE with it.

I'll be doing a more in-depth review soon.  It's BRAND SPANKING NEW.  You probably won't find much about it if you Google it.  I tried.  

But it is a life changer for me.  Yep.  It's that good.

I'll have to wait to share it with you.

So stay tuned... I know, you're on the edge of your seat. :)

I have a few more beauty products that I purchased this month, but I haven't been using them long enough to consider them favorites.

So I'll move on to other things.

I picked up some Bath and Body Works body washes last month.  One, I have used completely.

Let me begin by saying that I LOVE the new formulation of BBW body washes/shower gels.  They added Shea Butter, I think, and possibly some other things.  But they are SO much more moisturizing than the old ones.  At least I think so.  I can tell a major difference with my scaly, dry skin.

When the Paris line came out, I chose Sweet on Paris.

At first, I wasn't sure how I would like the scent.

But I quickly decided I couldn't get enough!!!

I used it EVERYDAY until it was gone.  No joke.

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Then, I went back for more.  This time, "fall-ish" scents.

Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin.  To be honest, I couldn't really imagine myself showering in the scent of pumpkin.  Sounded kinda weird to me.  But it's not too "pumpkin-y" at all.

It's not my favorite.  But it's okay.  It doesn't "stay with you" as long as some of the others do.

But this is a FAVORITES post... so here's my new favorite.

Dreamy Vanilla Woods

oh. my. word.

I am a sucker for vanilla scents.  But this one is different than the usual BBW vanillas.

It has a subtle "musky" note to it.

And for some strange reason, it reminds me of my ALL TIME favorite soap EVER..... 

Lush's Honey I Washed the Kids.  

And no.... it doesn't have ANY of the same notes in the description.

But it hits the same place in my nose, I suppose.

I love it.  I could smell it all day long.

I will definitely be going back asap to purchase the lotion in this scent.

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For the past month (maybe longer) I've been using a few products from a new line at Walgreens.

BioInfusion.

The last time I did my sister's hair, she had used this leave-in conditioner and her hair smelled FABULOUS.  She didn't know the exact name of the product, but she remembered it had pomegranate in the description.

So I searched Walgreens for a leave-in conditioner with pomegranate.

And I FOUND IT!

BioInfusion Daily Volume Leave-In Conditioner

This is NOT the most conditioning leave-in product I've ever used.  But it does work.  And the smell is worth every penny.  I can't describe it.  But it definitely sticks with you.  One of those times when you keep turning your head to smell your locks. :)

I've even sprayed it on my hair dry, just to freshen it up a tad.

But my most favorite thing about it.... it does NOT weigh my hair down.

I can use half the bottle and it still will not make my hair flat.

Another great product from this line....

BioInfusion Keratin Silk Smoothing Serum

I'm not a "product" person... I've never found ANY kind of product that didn't leave my hair feeling (or looking) "greasy".  But this one is magic.

It is a serum.  Sort of oily.

But once you dry your hair, it just magically disappears, making your hair smooth, volumized and fabulous!

I am really liking this line of products... and most of all, it's AFFORDABLE!

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So there you have it.

My September Favorites.

Review - Almay Get Up & Grow mascara

If you've seen any of emilynoel83's recent videos, you know she raves about this mascara.

She is pretty much in love with it and has recommended it several times.

I have a thing for mascaras.  So I picked this one up and have been using it for a few weeks.

I have to say, I had such high hopes for it.  

It's not bad, but it's definitely not my favorite.

Things I love about it:

- it has great color.  deep dark black that stays rich in color all day.

- it keeps the lashes looking full all day.... no touch ups necessary.

- it has a nice big brush with normal bristles

Things I'm not crazy about:

- it doesn't "correct" very well.  I absolutely CANNOT apply mascara without getting little dots on my lids.  Just can't do it.  And I like to be able to grab a q-tip and wipe the smudge away without messing up my makeup.  With this mascara, I just simply can't do that.  The little dots just refuse to come off.  So I end up having to re-touch my eye makeup after I get rid of the smudges.  

Hate that.

- while I like the applicator, the brush is wide at the tip.  this makes it a little difficult to get to those little lashes in the inner corners.  And if you are able to get in there, it leads to the first problem... smudges.

- while it is buildable, it's just a tad too dry for my liking.  It's much drier than L'Oreal Voluminous or Covergirl LashBlast.  I prefer those better.  With Almay's, 2 coats is about all I can manage without creating spider lashes.  Nobody likes those.

So those are my thoughts.  Not a bad mascara, by any means.

But not my fave.

Let me know if you've tried it and what you think!

~ Carolyn

Review - Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen

I have mentioned before how much I LOVE this eyeliner.

If you like winged liner looks, you absolutely must try this liner.  It's especially great if you are just learning to use liquid liner.  I have trouble with liquid liners that have brushes for application.  I just don't seem to have good control over them.

This, however, is a felt tip pen.  If you can draw a straight line with a pencil, you can use this liner!

I love everything about it.  It has GREAT staying power.  I think everything with the "Colorstay" name proves to stay put.  

The pay off is great.

This is my second pen.  I had the black one for several months.  But it eventually died.

I was so sad, but I didn't rush out to replace it.  I'm not quite sure.

Now that I got a new one, I'm in love all over again.

This time I purchased Blackened Brown.

I really like it.  It's not quite as harsh as black, but so very close.

Check out these photos.  And if you've never tried this liner, PLEASE pick one up ASAP.

I just know you'll love it.

 without flash (top)

with flash (bottom)

Hope you'll try it out and let me know what you think!

~ Carolyn

Review - L'Oreal Colour Riche leGloss

I picked up this lip gloss recently.  It's the first of this line that I own.  I wasn't really searching for anything in particular.  But this color appealed to me.  Just a neutral pink that's great to wear alone or over other colors.

Nude Touch.  A neutral pink.

It does lean toward the neutral side, but it definitely has some pink undertones.

Those are my favorite colors!

It's a great gloss to wear alone.... you can just slap it on and have no worries.

It would also be great paired with other (maybe some deeper) colors for Fall.

The formula is nice.  I'm not extremely picky about glosses.  The only thing I HATE is when my hair gets stuck in my lips.  That's why I tend to not even wear them on breezy days.

I did have that problem yesterday while wearing this gloss. 

But I guess it's just the price you pay.

This particular gloss has nice color pay off (as you can see below) and is not too thick.  Some may feel it's a tad on the sticky side, but I don't seem to mind.  I just feel it allows the color to stay put longer!

 without flash (top)

with flash (bottom)

Let me know if you've tried this gloss, or other colors from the line, and your thoughts!

~ Carolyn

FOTD Monday

Here's a quick and easy look using my favorite color.... PINK.

I know, I know... we're nearing Fall.

I probably should be using "Fall-ish" colors.

I'll get there.  I just had to sneak in one more Summer-y look.

Products Used

Merle Norman Tinted Moisturizer

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush

MAC Paint Pot

Painterly

L'Oreal Linear Intense liquid liner

L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

For eyeshadows:

all Wet-n-Wild shadows.

pink from Sweet as Candy - on lid and into crease

shimmery pink (top right) from Petal Pusher - inner half of lid and inner corner

matte, medium mauve from Knock on Wood - in crease and blended up

white from Sweet as Candy - under brow bone

SWEET AS CANDY

(photo c/o cottoncandyc.blogspot.com)

KNOCK ON WOOD

(photo c/o agelesssecrets.blogspot.com)

PETAL PUSHER

(photo c/o VampyVarnish.com)

Polish Change

Today's polish change color is:

Island Coral

by

Sinful Colors

 I purchased this color (along with a few others) from Sinful Colors @ Walgreens a month or so ago when they were having a .99 cent sale.  I'm pleased with most of my color choices, and I REALLY like this one.

As I was painting, I was afraid this color would be too orange.  I'm not a fan of orange polishes.  But it turned out to be the perfect mix of orange and pink... hence the name, coral. :)

I love it!  Perfect color for end of Summer.

Cheap Finds!

Today's find comes from Dollar General (although, I'm sure you can buy these products in other stores).

I stop in my local Dollar General pretty often.  I always take a walk past the beauty aisle to see what catches my eye.

Several months ago, I purchased an eyeshadow trio from L.A. Colors in BRIGHT colors.  So not normal for me.  But they looked interesting.  I've used them in several looks just for a little pop of color on the lid.

Thursday, I stopped in again to pick up a few things.  There were several items on an end cap that jumped out at me.  One was another L.A. Colors trio that will be great for fall!

I've been drawn to these warm, golden bronze colors lately.  And these looked gorgeous.

Here are some pics and swatches for you:

left: LOTUS
right: SUNFLOWER

top: SUNFLOWER
bottom: LOTUS

LOTUS

SUNFLOWER

These trios were $1.00 each.  You just cannot beat that.

I wasn't worried about spending a whopping dollar on these, even if they ended up to be junk.

But I am pleasantly surprised!

The texture is actually very creamy, especially in the Sunflower trio.

They claim to have a silky smooth application with long lasting, rich and intense color.

I would say those claims are:

TRUE.

Next time you run into these L.A. Colors trios, and if you can spare a dollar or two, try them out!

Review - L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle Blush

While shopping at Ulta last week, I picked up one of these new L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle blushes in the color Plume.

I was a big fan of the Maybelline Dream Mousse blushes.  But since they aren't around anymore, I thought I'd try to find something similar.

When I got this home and swatched it, I was afraid the color wouldn't work well with my skin tone.  But it seems to work okay.  It's not my favorite color blush, by any means.  But I think it will be pretty for Fall and seems to work well with different makeup looks.

without flash (top)

with flash (bottom)

Plume is a cool toned, rich, mauve color.  It's very blend-able and the color isn't too harsh or deep.  It can be blended out for a soft look or built up for a deep color on the cheeks.

without flash (top)

with flash (bottom)

Though I'm not absolutely "in love" with the color, I LOVE the consistency of this blush!

It is extremely soft with a whipped texture.  It blends effortlessly on the skin.

I cannot wait to try the other colors.  There isn't a wide range of colors yet, but I hope they release more!  

A little pricey, but I feel that these are great to add to your collection of creme blushes.