Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contest

Hello Makeup Junkies!


One of my favorite makeup companies is having a contest, and I wanted to let you all know about it.






Here are the details:


"Anastasia Beverly Hills presents Wish You Were Here! This beach inspired kit available exclusively at Sephora features the limited edition Pacific Coast Illumin8 Shadow Palette, HydraFull Gloss in Guava, and Clear Brow Gel to give you that cool LA look, no matter where you are. 

To celebrate this cool new kit, one lucky winner will receive a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles, a two-night stay at a Los Angeles hotel, a brow appointment with Anastasia, a hair and makeup makeover featuring the Wish You Were Here! kit at the Anastasia Beverly Hills Salon, and a photo shoot with the ABH team!"


Here's what comes in the kit: *(Side note- I will be doing a full review of this kit in my next post. Stay tuned...)

Clear Brow Gel
Illumin8 Palette in Pacific Coast, HydraFull Gloss in Guava


Here's how to win:

  • Take a postcard-worthy photo of yourself in front of your favorite local landmark!
  •  Make a new post of the picture on Facebook and tag Anastasia of Beverly Hills (www.facebook.com/AnastasiaBeauty) in the photo to enter. You need to first LIKE the page on Facebook in order to tag us.
  • Or email your name, home address, and photograph to wishyouwerehere@anastasia.net”.  One entry per contestant only by 11:59 PM PST on February 3, 2012
  • You must be a United States citizen to enter.


The Anastasia Beverly Hills team will select a winner and fly you out for a Los Angeles beauty weekend with Anastasia!   

See anastasia.net/wishyouwerehere for complete contest rules and details.


Check back soon for a full review of the Wish You Were Here Kit! PLUS, I will be including my first video tutorial (aaaahhhhh... I'm so excited) where I will show you how I created the look pictured above. 

Stay gorgeous everyone!!!

xx

Friday, November 18, 2011

REVIEW- Alter Ego Cosmetics


Hey Everyone! 

Today I have a wonderful review to share with you. Alter Ego Cosmetics recently got in touch with me and asked if I would review some of their products. After checking out their site, I was more than thrilled to try out some of their products. 


(If you're wondering why I'm wearing a leopard hat with ears, I'll explain further into the review).

Here are some of the mineral wet/dry eye shadows...





Framboise:


Cosmic Pink:


Sandy Brown:


Innocence:



SWATCHES!!!!


These colors are seriously amazing! Innocence is a great color that can be versatile depending on how you use it. When applied wet, it looks like foil. Framboise would make an awesome eye liner when applied wet. Sandy Brown is more shimmery in person. (My picture doesn't do it justice). Cosmic Pink is, well.... FABULOUS!!! I know I didn't use it in the review, but I am feeling inspired and thinking of doing a follow-up post. Stay tuned for a more "hardcore" look using the pigments with a wet medium.


Aren't the lip stickers SO cute! You almost hate to tear it off lol. But of course I did because nothing can keep a makeup junkie from her product!!! Mwahahaha....


Use the eye shadow dry for a more natural look, or use them wet for more intense color. I opted to use it dry in order to achieve a lighter, more ethereal look. 

Each jar of pigment retails, $9.




Omg! The HD Mineral Powder is great! It is the newest addition to my travel touch-up kit. I use it throughout the day. The super silky formula reminds me a lot of Make Up For Ever's HD translucent powder. This is a great alternative to the more pricey MUFE brand. You can get a mini-jar for only $5!!! What a deal! The full-size jar will only set you back $10.



OVERALL VERDICT

I will definitely be getting more of these artistic pigments! 

Pros:
  • These mineral products are 100% natural!!! No dyes, no chemicals, no preservatives. This makes me :)))))) 
  • You get a lot of product for your pennies
  • Versatile wet/dry formula
  • Some colors can double as eye liner
  • The foundation has 15 SPF *(It is always a plus to have sun protection in foundation. Beware: You should still apply a separate layer of sun protection. Many women make the mistake of relying solely on SPF in foundation. Dermatologists recommend using a separate sunblock or tinted moisturizer in combination with your SPF foundation).
  • FREE SHIPPING

Cons:
  • Eye shadows are a little bit messy. (I might take the sifter out to see if it reduces the container fallout)
  • Sandy Brown shadow was a little bit chalky
  • The site could be more user friendly
Colors I want to try:
  • Endangered
  • Enchanted Yellow
  • Lemon Lime
  • Pot of Gold
  • Radiant
  • Striking



These lashes very interesting. In order to create texture, they are layered. It makes for a thicker lash band, but overall I really liked them. They reminded me a lot of Shu Uemura lashes, except they are like half the price!!! (I thought it was funny that they were called "naturalites." They are pretty dramatic, in my opinion).  



Products I used:

FACE
  • Laura Mercier- Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 (sand)
  • Make Up For Ever- Full Cover Concealer (4)
  • Jane Iredale- Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder (warm sienna)
  • Alter Ego- Mineral Foundation (shell), (used as a highlighter)
  • Alter Ego- Mineral Bronzer (afterglow)
  • Alter Ego- HD Powder (translucent)

EYES
  • Browbone- Alter Ego wet/dry mineral shadow (innocence)
  • Lid- Alter Ego wet/dry mineral shadow (sandy brown)
  • Lower Lid- Alter Ego wet/dry mineral shadow (framboise)
  • Eye Liner (top)- Urban Decay 24-7 eye pencil (zero)
  • Eye Liner (bottom)- Urban Decay 24-7 eye pencil (lust)
  • Eye Liner (lower water line)- NYX eye liner (white)
  • Mascara- Cover Girl LashBlast Volume (very black), Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Lash
  • Lashes- Eylure (#205)


BROWS
  • Make Up For Ever- Eyebrow Corrector (0)
  • Coastal Scents- 88 eyeshadow palette (matte, beige brown)

LIPS
  • NARS- Multiple (portofino)
  • Urban Decay- Heavy Metal Glitter Eye Gel (arena)

CHEEKS
  • NARS- Multiple (portofino)
  • Alter Ego- Mineral Blush (bittersweet)





Recently, it has gotten really cold where I live. I guess I'm spoiled by the moderte California weather because when the temperature drops below 70 degrees fahrenheit, I bundle up! 

In my search for new winter accessories such as hats, scarves and gloves, I came across Spirithoods. I know I have seen these around for a while, so I guess I'm late on this trend. 

Image provided by BlackLabelBoutique.com


When I went to the Spirithood website (which you can find here) I was shocked at the price. $129.00!!! I thought maybe it was real fur (which I don't support), but no it's synthetic. I must admit, they are super cute, AND they have wide variety of animals. One day I might break down and invest in the real thing. 

In the meantime, I came across some great look-alikes!!! My oh-so-favorite place for necessities, TARGET




The Target version of "Spirithood," retails for $24.99. Or is it $29.99? Sorry, I can't remember the exact price. I was so excited to wear it that I threw the tag away and I have no idea where I put the receipt. Unfortunately, I don't see it online, so it must only be available in stores. 

I also ordered this hat. I love the puff balls at the ends! These will both be perfect for my upcoming Lake Tahoe trip.

Image provided by Target.com


Hehe... Here are some pictures of me playing around with my new hat :)






As you may know, I am in a sort of leopard phase right now, so I am LOVING this hat/scarf/mitten thing-y lol.

One thing I really like about the REAL Spirithood is that the hands have paw prints, and they are more rounded. The Target hand warmer is very square. I think I see a DIY project in my future. 




Hope you enjoyed this post. Until next time, stay hardcore!


xx





Sunday, November 6, 2011

6 Steps to Beautiful Brows


Hi makeup junkies! I'm back with a fun review to share with you all. Anastasia of Beverly Hills is the first brand that comes to mind when I think of eyebrows. So, you can imagine my joy when they contacted me to try one of their products. I want to share with you my thoughts on the Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes Kit.




* (I used the blonde kit, but it also available in Brunette)

Here's what the kit includes:
  • Brow Wax Cream
  • Brow Powder Duo
  • Eyeshadow Duo (matte & shimmer)
  • Stencils (5)
  • Angled Brush (I love this brush! It's pink and the bristles are firm, yet gentle.)


Here are some additional items that I recommend to use with the kit:
  • Spoolie (It's the funny looking brush with a mascara wand at the end. I never knew what it was used for, but it works wonders to tame brows and blend eyebrow powder).
  • Tweezers (My favorite are Tweezerman slanted tweezers. They even have Betsey Johnson ones with cute patterns).
  • Mustache Scissors (You can find a pair at your local drugstore or beauty store).
As you can see in the picture above, the kit comes in a sleek, faux-leather case that has a mirror and directions inside. 





Anastasia of Beverly Hills 6 Steps to Beautiful Brows:








Drumroll please.....


What a difference, RIGHT??!?! I have some seriously difficult brows, so I was ecstatic about the results I achieved. With all of us leading such busy lives, it is essential to have products that simplify our lives, and also deliver results. This kit is affordable, easy to use, and will leave you with some seriously sexy brows!


The kit retails for $39.50, which is a great deal considering all that it includes.


The Beauty Express For Brows and Eyes is now available in all Sephora stores in the United States. Click here to check it out.

Also, check out this demonstration video about the Brow Express Kit provided by Anastasia of Beverly Hills:






In addition to the review, I also decided to share a simple, yet "hardcore" OOTD (outfit of the day): 










What I'm wearing:
  • Top - Silence and Noise
  • Bandeau - Free People 
  • Leggings - Metropark (closed) 
  • Jewelry - Stud Stackable Bracelets (Forever 21), Necklace (Metropark, closed), Leather Bracelet (Noir from Karmaloop.com)
  • Shoes - Bordello (LOVE this brand!)
  • Lipstick - MAC Show Orchid
  • Lip Liner - MAC Beet


Lately, I have been way into leopard prints. I noticed everything I'm liking is leopard print. Lucky for me, it's in for Fall. Since black is my power color, I like to add pops of bright color or pattern to my outfit. That is why I am loving "bralettes." They are a great layering piece and a subtle way to spice up an outfit. I like to have them peek out of oversized tops. 

Also, stay tuned for my next post. I am going to do a full review of my favorite shoes by Bordello! 


Thanks for visiting my blog :) Hope you enjoyed this post.


Stay gorgeous!


xx

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