Yet Another CCO Haul...

Yes, I went yet again. I've been in the habit of going once a month, particularly at the end because that's when my CCO gets new shipment in. This time, I made the drive hoping that they would have some blush ombres from the MAC Color Forecast collection (ahem Ripe Peach). Sadly, my CCO didn't have any, even though some girls on Specktra said that they had them at theirs =(. I was really disappointed, but at least they had some new items from Liberty of London. Other than that, the selection was the same old boring stuff.

Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector (For my mom =)..)
MAC:
Prim and Proper Blush
Dirty Plum Blush
Frankly Fresh Lipglass
Perennial High Style Lipglass
Gilt by Association mineralize e/s (YES! I've been waiting for this since I missed it when it was in the Style Black collection)
Graphology e/s

Prim and Proper blush

I really love this blush. It's so easy to wear. It's a beige nude with a sheen. 

 Dirty Plum blush

I honestly don't know what to do with this.I think I just caught up in the Liberty of London fever. Purple blush? Not my thing... What to do...

Frankly Fresh and Perennial High Style lipglass

I'm so glad I found these! I first got them for the fact that they have super cute packaging, but the colors are awesome. Frankly fresh is a very wearable tan peach with shimmer, and Perennial High Style is a pink coral with no shimmer. Like all MAC lipglasses, they're sticky but these both pack a great amount of pigment.

Gilt by Association MES

I was so excited when I finally got my hands on this. I did a look with it and found out... I don't like it. It's just way too shimmery...is messy, and fades a lot throughout the day. It's a gold-black that looks almost brown on the lids.

Graphology E/S

Graphology is a matte gray black with a slight purple/blue tint. I have an affinity for dark shadows... I'm constantly buying them but I rarely wear them.

Swatches

NARS Limited Edition Douceur Blush

For Fall 2010, NARS released one blush. The shade is "Douceur" ($26). It's described as a matte soft pink-brown. This is one of those really hard to describe colors. It does have a pink tone, but is tan at the same time. When I swatch it however, it doesn't even look very pink. One of the things I really like about this blush is that the NARS logo is engraved into the product itself, although it certainly will fade with usage.

The color itself is really lovely. I was skeptical at first, the color is very dusty and looks ho-hum in the pan. It isn't very pigmented, especially compared to its sisters. BUT, Douceur does mean "softness" in French. This blush is exactly that, a tool to achieve a very pretty soft look. I think it would work really well on those with lighter skin. Even though I have medium skin, I really like it. It's one of those shades that I can slap on as much as I want and just simply look like I have a healthy soft glow, without having heavily blushed cheeks. I'm a bit heavy handed, so this works great for me. A lot of people might not like it since it isn't quite pigmented, but I'm gonna go ahead and say this is near the top of my NARS blush list.

As you can see, it's a really hard color to swatch.

I highly recommend this if you have lighter skin, or if you have medium skin and a heavy hand and an interest in soft glowy cheeks =).

FOTD: A Day at the Beach

This is actually a look I did last week, but I thought I'd share =). I'm one of those girls who wear makeup even going to the beach. I do stay minimal and pack on the SPF. I also don't use as many colors/products as I usually do. I went with a gold/brown look (my favorite), for something that was casual (brown) yet stood out (gold).

FACE:
Physician's Formula Healthy Wear Tinted Moisturizer in Light to Natural SPF 55 (Great for sunny days!)
Amazing Cosmetics concealer in Medium Beige
NARS Laguna Bronzer

Please excuse the eye gunk.

EYES: 
UDPP
MAC Creme De Miel e/s
MAC Cork e/s
MAC Blacktrack fluidline
Maybelline Full N Soft Mascara (Waterproof is a must!)

NOTD: A Two Toned Look with Sinful Colors

I opted for something a little different today. I decided to use a different color on both of my ring fingers for a more unique look. I used SinfulColors' Vacation Time on every nail but my ring fingers, which I used SinfulColors' Dumpling (From their new Shanghai Nights collection) for. I topped off dumpling with CoverGirl's Boundless Color sparkle topcoat in Gold Rush. I know the yellow might be a little random, but I used it as my toe nail color so it works =).

What're you wearing on your nails today?

Smashbox Curtain Call Sale: Making the Most of It

One of the places I love to shop for makeup the most is Smashbox. While I'm not in LOVE with their brand, their website always has great deals.

Things to love about Smashbox.com:
First of all, they ALWAYS offer free shipping on all orders.
Second, you get a free deluxe sample and sample with your purchase.
Third, if you sign up for their free pretty points program, you get an EXTRA deluxe sample with every purchase, and you earn points for a $10 gift card.
Fourth, in the month of your birthday, you get a free birthday gift.
Fifth, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am PST to 2pm PST you get a free full sized item with every purchase from their "Let's Do Lunch" program. (This can't be combined with a coupon code)

I've been wanting their Heartbreak collection from this Spring, but I wasn't willing to fork over the money for it. Good news is they slashed the prices on all of the products! Eyeshadow palettes are 50% off, making them $12. Check them out HERE. 

I went ahead and ordered today to use the code for the free birthday code (BTW, it's not my birthday, anyone can use it. The code is: BDAY4587). I'm making another order tomorrow for the Let's Do Lunch special, since there's a few more products I want =).


Here's what my lovely order looks like:

You can't see it too well, but I paid $12 shipped for the palette, and recieved a sample, two deluxe samples, and a birthday gift =).You can click to enlarge it.


Tell me what you get!

Remington 3-In-1 Hair Styler: How to look like you just don't care

Waves are hard to accomplish when you have naturally straight hair. I also don't want to fuss with straightening irons and curlers because my hair is already damaged as-is. I also am not down with braiding my hair and waiting. What if I told you there was a way to get beach waves and blow dry your hair all in one go? Meet my Remington 3-in-1 hair styler!

It's a blowdryer with three attachments. One to volumize (like a diffuser), a nozzle that directs heat for smooth blowouts, and a wind tunnel that creates waves. I use the wave attachment to blowdry and wave my hair all at once. The dryer itself is nice, because it has different settings, including an "eco" one. Basically, you insert a damp section of your hair into the tunnel, and it whips your hair into dreads.It takes awhile, but the results are pretty darn good. I set the style with Sunsilk's Waves of Envy wave enhancing spray and I'm good to go. My favorite attachment that I use the most is the flat nozzle that directs heat. I use it with a round barrel brush for a smooth volumized blow

For a full tutorial on how to use the wave attachment, watch Jen's (frmheadtotoe) in-depth video on her blog: http://www.frmheadtotoe.com/2010/07/natural-beachy-olsen-waves-remington.html

What's your favorite way to get beachy waves, without the beach?

Asos Haul: Clothes, Bags, Shoes, Illamasqua. Hits and a few misses.

I've recently fallen in love with Asos.com. Their range of clothing reminds me alot of a mix between Urban Outfitters and Forever21. Also, this month there's free shipping on every order to the US, big plus! Mainly, I shop from their sale/clearance section because they've got some amazing stuff at great prices. I can't remember the exact prices, but nothing was over $20.

Snake skin print platform heels in a size 3UK. HIT. These make me super tall and look nice. However, they're scary to walk in and my boyfriend says they look like stripper heels. He doesn't know what he's talking about.

 Gladiator flat sandals in a size 3UK. MISS. I will definitely have to return these, they're SO big. 3UK is supposed to be 5US, but these sandals say otherwise.

 

 Gladiator-esque heels in size 3UK. MISS. While very cute indeed, these are also too big =(.

Heart quilt satchel. HIT. I actually wore this bag today. It's super cute and a nice change from the large totes I normally wear.

Hobo slouchy bag. MISS. "It looked better on the model".

Navy draped mini dress. HIT. EVERY time I take a photo of blue, it comes out purple, with EVERY camera I've ever had. In real life, this is a dark navy and drapes beautifully on.

White one shoulder lace top. MISS. Super cute, much too small....

I also had to stop by their Illamasqua cosmetics section. I ended up getting too glosses, one "Intense" and one "Sheer".

The darker color is their Intense gloss in Frenzy, and the pinky shade is their Sheer gloss in Electrify.

Electrify and Frenzy

First thing's first, I HATE the packaging. When I recieved it, my initial thought was "What is this tiny piece of plastic junk?". The tube is a squeezy plastic with a clear domed applicator. It's a "squeeze-type" lipgloss. The packaging itself is flimsy and seems cheap, which is NOT cool, considering their price tag. The good however, is that the formula/color is amazing. Out of the two, I like the sheer color Electrify better. It's a pretty baby pink with sheen. It certainly is sheer and looks great on top of nude lips. Frenzy is a deep vibrant raspberry and the fact that it's an "Intense" gloss means a lot. Do you guys see that crazy pigmentation? It also is long wearing on the lips because even after the gloss fades, the color stains. After I washed off that swatch, I had a pink stain on my arm. This could be good or bad. Anywho, aside from the packaging, I would say the glosses were a HIT, and I am now a fan.

I think that completes my haul for today, hopefully I'll get in another order before the month's over ;P. I just noticed how many black items I got, how depressing. Oh well, versatality is the key!

Have a good Saturday! I know I will ;)!

Update: A Lack of Blogging

It's seriously been two weeks since my last blog post. I feel so bad =(. It's not from lack of material either. Not a day goes by where I don't have an idea for a blog post, it's just difficult to actually execute. Why you ask? Each blog post takes me about an hour to spit out, and frankly, I don't have the time. I'm trying to make the most of my summer, but I really miss blogging and will try my hardest to get back into the game! I have a lot more products to review, and a ton of hauls to cover!

I'm not lying, here's a little evidence of my summer:

I'm always the one with the closed eyes. At the river for a bonfire.

On the beach at night, the Oregon coast is FREEZING. Nothing a little liquor can't cure.

On a side note, did anybody attempt to snag a bag from the Mulberry for Target sale on Gilt this morning? It was CRAZY. It started at 9PST and I couldn't get my hands on one, they were gone in a minute =(. Well technically they were all in people's carts, who either wouldn't check out or wouldn't give it up. JERKS!

Stay tuned!

Quick Update: Deals and Steals Online & Coupons

I'm a major deal seeker, and I'm a sucker for coupon codes and free shipping. Here are some of the deals I'm currently taking advantage of, and I'm sharing them with you guys =).

ASOS: Free shipping on any order to the US through the 31st
Forever21: Free shipping over $40 with code STANDOUT
Charlotte Russe: 20% of regular price items through the 16th with code STYLEWATCH
MjrSales: This is an awesome site to get heavily discounted items from Victorias Secret, ETC. Free shipping through the 7th on clearance items.
Rock and Republic Cosmetics: Still 50% off with code ROCKCOSMETICS, blushes were just restocked.
Stila: The online warehouse sale is going on here through Sunday.
Karmaloop: 20% and free shipping with code WLCMBACK
Jcpenney: $10 off a any $10 purchase with code TEN2YOU, and free shipping on all shoes.

Random freebies:
For Borders rewards members: Free glitter ball with THIS coupon.
Free Dark Kiss lotion at Bath and Body works with THIS coupon.
Free deluxe sample of Benefit's Crescent row fragrance at Sephoras inside Jcpenny with THIS coupon.

 Free swagbag for Sephora V.I.B.s this weekend with code VIBLOVE

Time for a much unneeded shopping spree! Tell me what you find!

July Favorites

I feel like I rarely do favorites because I switch products so often. And once I do find products I use a lot, I don't want to feature them over and over in favorites. July worked out because I fell in love with products that I haven't featured before.

EcoTools Bronzer (kabuki) brush: LOVE. I know this has been featured on a lot of blogs already, but I figured one more wouldn't hurt. This brush is great. I've been using it all summer to apply by bronzer. The bristles are dense and it has a thick sturdy handle. Not the best for travel, but I love how soft and dense it is.
NYX e/s in Iced Mocha: This is a color very similar to Satin Taupe by MAC. It's the perfect all over the lid color, and is so easy to apply and wear.
The Body Shop Shea Butter lip butter: This stuff is awesome. It's so moisturizing for my lips. I use it slathered on at night. The smell is also very "natural", nothing fruity or floral.
MAC Peachstock lipstick: This has actually been a favorite for months now. I bring it with me everytime I leave the house. It's a good nude with peach. The peach add-in is nice so I can avoid looking dead.

Korres Monoi Oil Warm bronzer: This is a good bronzer to use because it leaves a natural bronze look, since it's not very dark.
MAC Stereo Rose MSF: I've already talked about how much I love this. I've seriously worn this almost every day since I've gotten it. It creates such a lovely flush and sheen on my cheeks. The bronze veining creates a golden glow with the coral blush.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer pot in SC03: This is everything you need to hide flaws disguised as a little pot. One side is for undereyes, the other is for blemishes (etc), and when you unscrew it, there's  setting powder underneath.
NARS Pressed powder in Beach: Even though I'm not a big powder person, this NARS one is great. It keeps my from getting oily from the summer sun, and it's definitly not cakey. I only use it on days that are super hot, and if then, very lightly.
Revlon Colorstay Active foundation in 07 Golden Beige: First of all, this is a good color match for NC35-ers. Second, I LOVE this formula. I never hear anyone talking about this foundation, but in my opinion, it actually works better than its Colorstay counterpart.

Bye July, Helloooo August!

Guilty MAC CCO Haul & Swatches [PIC HEAVY]

ERRRR... I sure have been acquiring a lot lately...Judging from my haul posts, and I do NOT post up many of my hauls. This buy was pretty horrible. A few days ago, I went to the Estee Lauder Cosmetic Company Outlet, and needless to say, I spent a lot as usual. I've known that I have a serious problem, with my makeup collecting issue and all, but I think I've finally realized it's a full fledged addiction. After paying at the CCO and stepping out, I felt HORRIBLE. I spent a ridiculous amount, on products that I will never finish. Buying makeup should feel good, but this trip made me feel so guilty.  I usually spend a lot per month, but it hits harder when I spend this much at once, in a half an hour to be exact. I've realized my problem, but will I fix it? Honestly, I'm not giving up my hobby, but I'm trying to restrain myself by spending less and not falling for impulse buys and deals.

SIGH. Regardless, here's what I picked up. Don't get me wrong =), I love what I got, I just think I went overboard this month with my purchases. 

MSFS in : So Ceylon, Sunny by Nature, Brunette, Porcelin Pink
Cheek and Cheerful mineralize blush, Eversun blush, Pleasureful creme blush,
Style Snob e/s, FAFI Utterly Frivolous lipstick, Moistureblend foundation in NC25, and a brush set

Top: Brunette, Porcelain Pink

Bottom: So Ceylon, Sunny by Nature

Brunette

Porcelain Pink

So Ceylon

Sunny by Nature

Brunette, Porcelain Pink, So Ceylon, Sunny By Nature

I am addicted to anything mineralized by MAC. Seriously. It's a given that I'm also a sucka for bronzey-tan shades. The had a few more at the CCO, but I already had them. Instead of the regular $28, these are $19 at the CCO. I use MSFs as a cheek color, these will work as a shimmery bronzer (besides porcelain pink). Porcelain Pink is much to light to wear as a blusher, so I'm planning on utilizing it as a highlight, much like By Candlelight. I love MSFs because they give off such a beautiful sheen on the cheeks. You just have to make sure to avoid the glittery formulas.

Cheek and Cheerful MB, Eversun powder blush, Pleasureful creme blush

Cheek and Cheerful 

Eversun

Pleasureful (I had to take it far away. My camera wouldn't focus)

Cheek and Cheerful, Eversun, Pleasureful

I'm quite pleased with my cheek picks. Cheek and Cheerful was one I knew I was going to get. It's a lovely golden shimmery bronze. I could also use it as an eyeshadow. Eversun was one I was on the fence about. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. It's a sheer bronze/peach. I'm also not too fond of the Style Warriors packaging. It looks quite matte in the swatch, but there is shimmer too in the pan. As for Pleasureful, I almost put it back because I was expecting not to like it. It's a deep pink, and looked much too dark for me. I'm surprised how much I love it. The key is to blend, blend, blend, to get a pretty pink sheen.

Style Snob e/s

I think I may have bought this for the name. Style Snob? How cute is that?  It's a starflash formula, which I love. It's a great warm taupe to use all over the lids.

Utterly Frivolous l/s

I think I just needed something from the FAFI collection, and this was the only item they had from it at my local CCO.  Good thing the color is lovely. It's a bright yet very werable pink. It does make my teeth looka bit yellow though, so I'm definitely in need of reaching for Crest whitestrips.

Moistureblend foundation in NC25

I'm really sad with this buy. Although it will be perfect for my dry skin, I bought the wrong shade. I wanted to get NC30, but that was the ONE shade they were out of. I'm normally an NC30 year round, and am about an NC35 right now. I didn't want to get NC35, because I don't like to self tan all the time. After I purchased, I found out that these run a shade lighter, so I could've gotten the NC35 =(. How sad. I don't really know what to do with this. I like the formula, but the color is much too light. Maybe I'll just slap on some bronzer, or Makeupalley, here it comes.

Hope you guys enjoyed my haul =), as much as I do (now that the guilt is over).