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Karity 15 Nudes & Rudes Palette

I received a Karity 15 Nudes & Rudes palette in the mail a couple of months ago. I’m thinking that it was for my honest review, but I don’t know who sent it!

I am so happy that I received it, though! The eye shadows are creamy and very well pigmented. The palette is $25. Which is pretty affordable for the quality. I also received a Travel Chamber, which is like a Z-palette and holds 9 eye shadows. And I received a colorful selection of single shadows. I will be reviewing that next week. I haven’t put it together yet, but I am looking forward to playing with it!

This Nudes & Rudes palette consists of 15 highly pigmented shades in 6 finishes: 5 frost, 3 satin, 2 matte, 2 velvet, 2 metals, 1 duochrome (Pixiedust on the bottom). It is cruelty free, vegan and paraben free. There is also a 9 shade and a 21 shade Nudes & Rudes.

Every Nudes & Rudes palette has its own unique colors which just makes me want all of them!

This comes with a mirror, which makes me very happy!

These are creamy shadows, especially the more shimmery shades. Here are my swatches:

From left to right — In the nude, Tiffanie, Tongue Tied, Butterscotch and Princess.

Moonlight, Good Witch, Sunkissed, Decadence, Centaur

Newborn, Pixiedust, Rockstar, Persephone, Dark Side.

I’m always more of a fan of the shimmery shades than mattes, but I do like to use mattes in my crease and sometimes on my lid. My favorites are probably Tiffanie, Good Witch and Pixiedust. In the nude is a great base shade and Moonlight is a gorgeous highlight. The other shades add a really nice depth to whatever look I’m going for.

I was really impressed with this palette. It may be nudes, but they are not safe or boring. I guess that’s where the rudes come in!

Have you tried anything from Karity?

QVC Presale: IT Cosmetics’ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection TSV!

IT Cosmetics_ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection

IT Cosmetics’ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection gives the power to reveal your most beautiful skin! This Today’s Special Value® is scheduled to debut on QVC Saturday, January 13, 2018 at midnight (ET) and will be offered for one day only!

But luckily, QVC is having a pre-sale leading up to the event! You can purchase the collection here for $79.96. The value of this collection is $200!

This exclusive five-piece collection features two of the IT Girl skincare favorites, one complexion must-have paired perfectly with a brush, and one new game-changing skincare innovation that delivers life-changing results! While new Confidence in an Eye Cream instantly color corrects and brightens the look of your entire eye area, Confidence in a Cream deeply hydrates and improves the appearance of your skin. Also featured is Confidence in a Compact, IT’s first-ever solid serum foundation. Apply it effortlessly with the included Heavenly Skin Skin-Smoothing Complexion Brush for your most flawless, airbrushed application. Confidence in a Cleanser completes your collection and gently melts away dirt, oil and even long-wear eye makeup!

I’ll be doing a more in depth review on the morning of January 13th, but you can visit QVC.com now to learn more now and to purchase. This is a great opportunity to make sure that you get your shade in the Confidence in a Compact foundation. #NewYearNewConfidence!

Are you going to pick this set up?

Target Beauty Box Best of Boots Review

I recently ordered a Target Best of Boots Beauty Box ($7 USD). I haven’t ordered a monthly Target beauty box before. This one was in addition to the January box. It featured British brands, so I wanted to try it. The products included are sample sizes. I have linked to where you can purchase full sizes of each item:

No. 7 Restore and Renew Serum No. 7 Airbrush Away Primer Soap & Glory Righteous Butter Body Butter Soap & Glory Pillow Plump Lip Gloss Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask Sleek MakeUP Eyeshadow Palette

I have tried the Restore & Renew product before. I received a full size product to review and loved it. I used it up so quickly, that I’m going to try to make this last! It has a light Jill Texter that instantly absorbs into my skin. It’s so hydrating and makes my skin look very smooth. I also like using it on my neck.

This is my first time trying the Airbrush Away primer. It’s a blurring primer that makes my skin instantly looks smoother. I haven’t use primer for a long time, and I’m getting back into it now. This is really great one too!

It’s funny, because I recently bought myself a Righteous Butter the same size as this one. I love the scent and feel of this body butter. And absorbs quickly and makes my skin so soft. I like the size because you can put it in your purse or take it on trips.

The Pillow Plump is in the shade Pinkwell. It’s a pretty pink color. It is very tingly on. I haven’t used a lip plumper’s for a long time, so it was a strange sensation. I do love that it is glossy and it’s kind of a natural look. But I don’t think I’ll use it every day.

I haven’t tried the Botanics Shine Away mask yet. It’s doesn’t really appeal to me. I would give it away, but I keep getting these kind of masks and I think I’ve given one to each of my friends! This is my least favorite product in the box, but the others are amazing, so that’s okay!

This palette is the very mini version of the When The Sun Goes Down Palette. It is so small, as you can see by the bottom photo with my fingers. The pans are so small, it’s hard to get a brush in there. I did manage and I did my yes with the bottom left gold and 4th bottom color and the formula is very nice. I’m thinking about getting it in full size, but different shades.

A $5 off $20 coupon for these brands was included. I might head to Target this weekend and pick up some Sleek cosmetics. All of the brands are great, though. Very nice box for the price!

Did you pick up the Target Boots box? Or have you got a Target box before?

Julep Maven January 2018 Subscription Box Review

My Julep Maven box recently came! This is the January subscription box. The cost is $24.99 a month ($19.99 a month with a 3-month subscription).

I have been a subscriber for almost 5 years. And I love it! You don’t have to take a box each month, you can skip if you want to. Which is so nice if I’m short a month or if I’m not feeling any of the items. I skipped December, because I was a bit short of cash and I didn’t really need any of the products.

I also love that you can customize your box. When I first started subscribing, I could choose from curated boxes, but now, I get to curate my own! This month I chose a couple of polishes and a new face oil.

The polishes are Geri, blushing beige cream and Shiloh, stormy aqua shimmer. I half I had to get Geri because it’s my sister’s name, but she spells it Jeri. It’s a really pretty soft neutral. But I think my favorite is Shiloh because it’s really shimmery and gorgeous for winter.

I also chose the Boost your Radiance Rosehip Seed Facial Oil. I’ve only tried it once so far and it was very hydrating. It’s a really good night treatment for me. I will be trying it more to see if it helps with the appearances of fine lines, which is one of its claims.

Do you subscribe to Julep Maven? What did you get this month?

My Beauty Favorites — January 1-7 2018

I hope your new year is going well so far! So far this year I have signed up to a gym (yuck!), started a skincare project pan and decluttered lots of makeup! I’m trying to organize my large stash and get fit. Oh and read more. LOL! We’ll see what happens!

My faves this week include skincare to brighten dull winter skin and natural eye makeup for a bold eye:

KORRES Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser

KORRES Wild Rose Smoothie Brightening Priming Moisturiser

KORRES Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser ($28 USD) — Brightening exfoliating cleanser powered by wild rose oil to improve skin’s overall radiance and texture. This cleanser exfoliates skin naturally using a dual-action process to uncover even, luminous skin.

KORRES Wild Rose Smoothie Brightening Priming Moisturiser ($45 USD) — A lightweight, silicone-free priming moisturizer infused with super C, nature’s most powerful form of vitamin C.

What I think: First, the fragrance of these are so nice. They smell lightly of fresh roses, not a synthetic smell. The exfoliating cleanser really sloughs off the rough skin revealing soft and smooth skin. Plus it is gentle enough to use on my sensitive skin. The priming moisturizer does double duty as it hydrates and smooths my skin, getting it ready for makeup. I love that both of these are natural and help brighten my skin.

Purchase at Sephora and other fine beauty stores

Jane Iredale PurePressed Eye Shadow Triple in Soft Kiss

Jane Iredale PurePressed Eye Shadow in Blue Hour

Jane Irdale Mystikol Powdered Eyeliner in Onyx

Jane Iredale PurePressed Eye Shadow Triple in Soft Kiss ($30 USD) — From elegant to edgy, these silky, richly-pigmented, long-lasting and easily blended eye shadows can create any look. Use them wet or dry; they’re gentle and safe for sensitive eyes.

Jane Iredale PurePressed Eye Shadow in Blue Hour ($22 USD) — Enhance the color and shape of your eye with our light-diffusing, highly-pigmented pressed eye shadow. Easily blended, it glides on wet or dry and stays crease-free. Safe for sensitive eyes.

Jane Irdale Mystikol Powdered Eyeliner in Onyx ($24 USD) — Create the sexy look you love with new improved Mystikol Powdered Eyeliners! The built-in brush makes a perfect line or smudged-out smoky eye. The powder/cream formula makes a shadow that won’t fade, crease or smear.

What I think: Dramatic eye looks are easy with these gorgeous, natural products. The shadow triples and singles come in tons of different shades, so you can create the perfect look for you. They are very smooth and well pigmented, too.

I also LOVE the Mystikol eyeliner. I have this in a few shades and I love how easy it is to use. It glides on so easy and the brush can help draw thick or thin lines. It lasts all day, too.

Purchase at janeiredale.com/us

What products are you loving this week?

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette Review

I purchased this palette for myself on Christmas Eve. Ulta had it on sale for $33 and it was 20% off on top of that. I know I’m probably the last blogger on earth to own this, but I just had to see what all of the hype was about!

This palette normally sell for $42 at Ulta and other beauty stores. I first want to say I was looking forward to quality in the packaging as well as the shadows, and I wan’t let down. It’s a heave palette. I love the velvet dusty pink cover. I also love that there is a mirror and brush included. I also want to mention the formula. It’s really pigmented and rich. A little goes a long way. There is kick up in the pan, but I was expecting that from reviews I have read about this brand. It’s not too bad, though.

The shades are:

Tempera (velvety beige w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Golden Ochre (earthy yellow w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Vermeer (iridescent shell w/ a metallic finish)
Buon Fresco (antique lavender w/ an ultra- matte finish)
Antique Bronze (metallic sable w/ a satin finish)
Love Letter (raspberry w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Cyprus Umber (dark coffee w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Raw Sienna (neutral amber w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Burnt Orange (deep orange w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Primavera (shimmery gold dust w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Red Ochre (sienna w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Venetian Red (crimson w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Warm Taupe (earthy gray w/ an ultra-matte finish)
Realgar (brick w/ an ultra-matte finish)

Here are my swatches:

This is the top row — Tempera, Golden Ochre, Vermeer, Buon Fresco, Antique Bronze, Love Letter, and Cyprus Umber. Our of these, I love Tempera, to use as a base, Vermeer because it’s shimmery and perfect, and Buon Fresco because it’s so different. I am still playing with all of these, so will probably have more faves soon!

The bottom row is Raw Sienna, Burnt Orange, Primavera, Red Ochre, Venetian Red, Warm Taup and Realgar. Both Raw Sienna and Burnt Orange are gorgeous lid colors and Red Ochre is amazing in my crease. I love Primavera because shimmers are my favorites and I used Warm Taupe on my lid today and it looked really warm and chocolatey!

I love the different tones in this. I’m not the biggest fan of warm colors all the time, so I love that there are reds and a pretty lavender in this, plus the wonderful shimmers. There are so many looks that I can get out of this one palette. I have a prediction that it may be my go-to palette in 2018.

Have you tried this palette? What do you think?

Colourpop Holiday Sale Haul!

First, I want to say that I got all of these amazing products on sale at Colourpop! Today is the last day for the sale. Almost all items are 20%, 30% or 40% off. So shop now!

I had a little bit of Christmas money left (after buying tons for others), so I decide to take advantage of this sale. I purchased on Christmas Day, and the Golden State of Mind palette was free if you spent $50. So I did!

I mostly went for eye shadow palettes because Colourpop’s palettes are stunning and affordable! I only had Yes, PIease! (reviewed here) and She (review coming) before these new beauties.

I haven’t swatched these yet, so let me know is you would like a review of any of these products.

Here are the items I chose:

LEGIT AF Highlighter Trio ($24 on sale for $14.40) — These Super Shock Highlighters include Over the Moon a sheer opalescent pearl with hot pink and violet glitters, Spoon A light silver champagne with multi-dimensional glitter and Wisp a golden champagne with gold pearls. They are all really pretty, but quite a bit of glitter!

BRINK Lippie Stix ($5 on sale for $4) — This looks darker than I thought it would be. It’as a matte terracotta rose, so it is really pretty. I love how hydrating these lippie sticks are, even with the matte finish.

YOU HAD ME AT HELLO ($18 on sale for $10.80) — This is the first and maybe only Colourpop eye shadow palette with a mirror. I’ve had my eyes on it for a while because the shades are so gorgeous for day and night! I love the golds, mauves and browns together. They include:

The Knot: metallic cool-toned ivory
Moon Struck: metallic soft gold
Two Peas: matte peachy beige
Candygram: metallic pinky red with gold duochrome
Winning Ticket: matte dusty mauve pink
FBO: metallic pink violet
Look-See: matte cool-toned plum
Fool’s Rush: metallic golden bronze
Pulling Strings: matte warm saddle brown
Want U Back: matte dusty mauve brown
DTR: metallic silvery taupe
Sparks Fly: matte deep plummy brown

I THINK I LOVE YOU ($16 on sale for $12.80) — My 18 year old daughter chose this palette. It is warm and bronzy, but she told me she wanted the yellow-gold shade on the bottom. Maybe it reminders her of Fenty’s Trophy Wife??? Even though it’s hers I might ask if I can play with it, because the colors are super gorgeous! Here are the shades:

Bitter Better: metallic soft gold
Bel Air: matte cool taupe
Fancy Face: metallic bright red copper
Girls Bite: metallic golden bronze
Howdy: metallic red bronze
Rowdy: matte warm ivory
My Treat: metallic champagne ivory
Level Up: metallic bright penny copper
Screw It: metallic soft rose gold
Let’s Do It: matte true black
Rule Breaker: metallic bright yellow gold
My Type: matte deep saddle brown

MY LITTLE PONY PALETTE ($16 on sale for $11.20) — First of all — THIS PACKAGING! So fun and gorgeous! My aforementioned daughter collected the retro My Little Ponies whens she was 3-6 years old, she had so many! This reminds me of that! These shades are colorful and sparkly, just like the toys. I haven’t played with it yet, but I’m looking forward to it. I think it will be really fun for spring. Shades are:

Butterscotch: white with subtle pink violet opalescent sheen
Blossom: metallic peach with pink and gold duochrome finish
Starshine: metallic golden tangerine
Bluebell: satin golden ivory
Applejack: matte dusty red violet
Skydancer: metallic bright icy lavender
Minty: matte cool-toned fuchsia
Flutterbye: matte true pastel peach
Twilight: satin deep blackened violet
Firefly: metallic silvery baby blue
Snuzzle: metallic icy white with opalescent blue duochrome
Princess Sparkle: metallic rich smokey turquoise

GOLDEN STATE OF MIND ($26 on sale for $15.60) — this is one that is also sold on Sephora.com. This is a really glittery palette, all shimmers and glitters! This formula is really creamy and I find it best applied with my fingers or a damp brush. I received this free with my $50 purchase.

Golden Egg: pinky beige with turquoise glitter
Pay the Piper: icy blue
GRLFRND: pink with violet glitter
Zero Clue: vibrant warm yellow
Watch Out: golden ivory with pink glitter
Drizzle: icy baby pink
Uptight: rose gold
Can’t Stop: icy champagne ivory
Sparkler: silvery bronze
Unsupervised: pink champagne
Lust in Time: medium cool rose
Mind Tricks: icy blackened purple
Wing Woman: red brown with green and gold glitter
Heads or Tales: icy cranberry
Tinker Time: blackened antique gold with blue glitter

So that’s my recent Colourpop Haul! I have just starting playing with these beauties, but will probably be review them soon!

Project Pan 2018 — Skincare

Welcome to my first Project Pan! I’ve decided to focus on skincare, since I haven’t been great about removing makeup and using my skincare at night. So, I figured if I set a goal, I can use up some of my skincare and make room for more! Plus my skin will look better, too.

I went through my skincare basket, where I had about 30 products (!) Here are the products I’m trying to use up:

I’ve chosen a variety of 10 products. They are all about half full, so I should be able to get through them in 3 months. By the end of March, these should all be empty. I do receive lots of skincare to try, so hopefully I won’t get sidetracked too much by new items!

These are my smaller size products that I have been working on for a while. They are all about half used, except for the Josie Maran Light Argan Oil and the Mailin + Goetz Revitalizing eye cream. They both have about a third of the product left, but I have been working on the eye cream for months and I totally forgot about the argan oil! Time to use them up.

The other products are Philosophy Purity Made Simple cleanser, L’Occitane Immortelle Essential Water and Prai Ageless Eye Tight Uplift Serum. I’m pretty sure all of these will be used up in 3 months.

These full sized products are all at least half full, if not more. These will take the longest to use.

The first two are the luxe Neocutis Micro Serum which I always forget I have and the Micro Firm Neck cream. I always forget about the serum and think I have only used it a few times. I use the neck cream a few times a week, but I want to use it twice a day.

The next two are from the more affordable YourGoodSkin line. They are the Balancing Skin Concentrate which I have used quite a bit and the SPF 30 Day Cream which I try to use every day. I think I can use these up in a month or two!

Last is the Dear by Renee Youth Soothing Creme. This is a good size bottle at 1.7 oz and is fairly full so it may take a while to use. I usually only use it at night, so I might have to double up on some of these! My skin should look amazing when I’m all done.

If this works well, I’ll do a second one starting in April and maybe include some makeup. I have a LOT of makeup and haven’t seen pan on any of them, so we’ll see. I also have a lot of new eye shadow palettes that I need to review and start wearing more. I usually just go into the office on Thursdays, so I don’t wear makeup a lot. I guess I’m saying that wearing more makeup is a New Year’s Resolution. LOL!

Have you done a Project Pan before? How did it go?

My Beauty Favorites of 2017

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealing Pot

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN MOD LIP CREAM DUO

Lorac Beauty and the Beast Blush Palette

I’ve been looking back at my favorite and most used beauty products — new discoveries. I have noticed that all above are makeup and not skincare. This is curious, since I am a 40-something blogger who loves trying anti-aging products. I guess I didn’t really find anything amazing in skin care last year. This year I’m going to focus more on finding and using (I get lazy) anti-aging skin care, plus using up the ones I have. Tomorrow will be the start of my first Project Pan, skin care exclusive!

But today, I am reflecting on the gorgeous makeup above, some I use every day:

Ofra Beverly Hills Highlighter ($40 USD) — I was sent a bunch of amazing Ofra products for review in August (see review here). I love a lot of it, but this is the product that I use most often. I love that there are 5 shades, I can blend them together or use one or two on their own. The two largest pans, a soft gold and rose gold are my favorites and I love using them together. This is the product that really got me interested in highlighters and I use it more because it this one!

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealing Pot ($28 USD) — I received this and the foundation for review (here). I use both products almost every day. I love this because it is so creamy. I use it under my eye, but also all over the face. It’s great for covering redness. I’ve recently bought a new concealer with a drier texture for under my eye (so it will stay put), but I will continue to use this to cover rednes.

LORAC Pirates of The Caribbean Mod Lip Cream Duo ($26, on sale for $13) — I received a bunch of these this year. Although I announced it on my blog here, I only reviewed the eye shadow palette. On one end is a creamy lipstick and the other end is a natural looking lip gloss, not too shiny or sticky. These are gorgeous alone or layered. The shade in the photo is Risk it All.

LORAC Disney Beauty and The Beast Cheek Palette ($28 USD) — I love this whole collection. I use the eye shadow and the lip glosses a lot. This has four gorgeous colors that can be used separately or blended together. There are also mattes and shimmers for a variety of looks. So pretty!

Huda Beauty Mauve Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette ($27 USD) — I purchased this on Black Friday because I had been wanting to try it since it came out. It’s tiny, but the pan sizes are nice, they take up the whole palette, no unused space. They shades are so pretty and I can make a few different looks with them. This is one I can take with my on trips because it’s so portable. You can see my review here.

COVER FX Illuminating Setting Spray ($31 USD) – I received this in my November BoxyCharm. I have really just started using setting sprays this year and was really excited to try this one. It has been working so well for me in the cold weather. My skin has been dry and a bit dull. This spray gives my skin hydration and nice dewy skin. It’s not greasy on me at all, but I will probably use a matte spray in hot weather. Plus, it keeps my makeup fresh all day!

BENEFIT COSMETICS Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara ($24 USD) — I purchased this during Ulta Beauty’s 21 days of Beauty event this fall. It is now one of my favorite all time mascaras! It grabs all of my lashes, lengthens and curls them. I have tiny lashes, and this makes them look long and lush! I just had to toss it because it’s been 3 months, and I’m so sad! But, I’m sure I’ll purchase it again.

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Lines Foundation ($38 USD) — This is a serum foundation. It’s really light and I’d say a medium coverage. I am looking for a heavier coverage for the new year, but this has been a nice foundation. It blends really well and looks so natural. Plus, I love that it’s good for my skin.

Tomorrow, hopefully, I will post my first ever Project Pan. It will be for the skincare I want to use up in the next three months. Wish me luck!

VineOh! Wine Subscription Box Review: Oh! Ho Ho! Holiday Box December 2017

I received my second Vine Oh! subscription box a couple of weeks ago. It’s there holiday box and contains two bottles of wine and holiday goodies!

Vine Oh! is $59.99 for a $120+ Value. It is delivered 4 times a year and includes free shipping. Ships to: The US, except the following states: AK, AL, AR, DE, HI, KY, MS, OK, RI, UT. Boxes ship via UPS Ground.

Here’s a look at the December box:

The box contains:

Pure Cosmetics 3D Fiber Lash Mascara – ($30 USD)

Violet & Brooks Mosaic Crystal Earrings – ($28 USD)

Hallmark Home Holiday Cheeseboard – ($25 USD)

World’s Softest Cozy Low Socks – ($9.99 USD)

CST Treats Toffee and Biscotti – ($11 USD)

Plus two wines (see below)

Sorry for the blurry pic! Also, I gave this away to someone who I think will love it, so I can’t take another photo. This looks like a fun product, though! I believe it’s a two step system of fibers and mascara.

These are so pretty, and it’s hard to see from the picture, but they are really sparkly, too! I don’t wear earrings but these are a great gift for someone who does.

This cheeseboard is festive and fun! The cheese knife is a little axe and it stays in the notch in the trunk — so cute! Amazing for the holiday season.

I love getting socks! I got a bunch for Christmas, which always makes me happy! These are extremely soft and I love the print. I will wear them all winter long!

The toffee (on the left) was my favorite of the two. The chocolate was smooth and the toffee was crisp and buttery. The biscotti was nice, too. Great with coffee.

Here are the wines I received:

Speechless California Merlot ($24.99 USD) delivers aromas of dried figs, black currants and cinnamon, with flavors of anise and licorice, blackberry jam and notes of cloves and caraway. I liked this okay. Merlot’s aren’t my favorite reds because they are pretty dry. This did have a nice, rich flavor to it.

NightVine Chardonnay ($27.99 USD) is perfect for the nights that require reflection and rejuvenation. This wine is from one of the most respected areas for Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley. Delivers aromas of ripe pear, vanilla, caramel, and citrus leading to flavors of whipped sweet cream, balanced oak and a buttery finish. I really like this chardonnay. It’s crisp and bright.

Do you subscribe to Vine Oh!? If so, how do you like it? It’s a bit pricey, but you get two great quality wines and a box of goodies. I’m going to keep subscribing for a little while at least!