essence – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

2019 Annual Makeup Favorites — And One Big Fail!

Happy New Year! I’m excited to share my 2019 annual favorites. This year I’m breaking it up into two categories — Makeup and Skincare.

I love sharing my favorite makeup products. I’ve included one in each category, and I will also lists some honorable mentions. I usually don’t include products I don’t like, but I have one extreme fail this year that was a favorite on many people’s lists. So read to the end if you want to know what foundation didn’t work for me at all!

These are my favorite and most used products of 2019. If I have reviewed or mentioned them before, I’ll link that post.

Tati Beauty Textured Neutrals Vol. 1 Palette — I purchased a few new palettes this year and got a couple in PR that I really like. This one stood out to me because I really love Tati and wanted to support her, and I’ve never seen a palette laid out like this. Gorgeous!

Honorable mentions are the Urban Decay Naked Reloaded Palette. I used it a lot this year. It’s such a nice, neutral palette. A new one that’s a favorite is the Colourpop Going Coconuts palette. I will be reviewing that one soon. And my favorite colorful palette is the Natasha Denona Sunrise palette. It’s so gorgeous!

NARS Makeup Your Mind Eye & Cheek Palette — So this palette holds my favorite bronzer, Laguna and my favorite blush formula from the year. I love all three of the blush shades in this — Luster, Orgasm and Dolce Vita. Beautiful!

Looking back on my monthly favorites for 2019, I really didn’t have many blushes or bronzers in there. In November I purchased the Colorpop Pressed Powder Blush in Enchanted Mirror and the Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder in 01 Sun Light. I have been loving both of those. I would love to find more favorites in these categories this year.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer — I purchased this in the spring Ulta 21 Days of Beauty, but just started using it in the fall. I used it up in 2 months! I will be purchasing again. A primer I loved for the warm weather is the Touch in Sol No Poreblem Prime Essence. I received it in a BoxyLuxe this year and loved how smooth it made my skin!

Catrice Cosmetics HD Liquid Coverage Foundation — This isn’t a new foundation, but it was new to me this year. I love that it gives a natural finish with a nice coverage. It doesn’t look like I’m wearing makeup. Honorable Mentions are the Pur 4-in-1 Love Your Selfie Foundation and the Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation. Both look so nice on my skin and don’t settle in my pores or lines. I do need both of them in a darker shade, but I think they are nice, too!

Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer — This is one of the best concealers I have ever used! It’s easily blendable and gives great coverage. Plus it stays in place all day. I do not have a runner up in 2019, because nothing compares. Lets see if there’s a better one for me in 2020…

Urban Decay The Ultimate Brush Off Translucent Loose Setting Powder — I love the texture of this powder. It sets under my eyes and all over my face flawlessly. And it doesn’t sit in my pores and lines or look cakey. I’m not a big fan of the packaging and hope they repackage it into a normal container without a brush.

Beauty Bakerie HD Flour Setting Powder is a close second. I purchased it in the Spring Ulta 21 Days of Beauty and used it up in a few months. I will be purchasing it again once I go through some powders I have. It is light and doesn’t settle into pores.

Essence Pure Nude Highlighter — This is an oldie but goodie! I rediscovered this highlighter in 2019. It can look soft and natural on or be built up to be blinding. I do have a few other highlighters, but I don’t really love any other of mine right now. I think I’ll try to find a perfect highlighter in 2020!

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara — What an amazing mascara! I alsways have the issue of my mascara smudging under my eye, even when I don’t put mascara on my lower lashes. This is a tubing mascara, so it only comes off when I take it off with just water! Amazing! I also love the L’Oreal Unlimited Length and Lift Mascara. It gives amazing length and builds up to be really voluminous.

Wander Beauty Frame Your Face Micro Brow Pencil — I got this in an Ipsy Glam Bag Plus. I no longer get that box, but I’m happy I received this brow pencil! It is the perfect consistancy for me, not too soft or too waxy. Benefit Cosmetics Precisely My Brow Pencil Ultra-Fine Shape & Define is my runner up for brows. It’s insanely pigmented, so a little goes a long way. But it works so well on. I love the micro pencils when doing my brows.

Pop Beauty Pout on Point Lip Liner — I have had this liner for a couple of years and it is almost out. The color I have is Nude. It’s not too creamy, so it stays on all day. But it does glide on and blend like a dream! I don’t have another lip liner I love as much, so I might have to make a Pop Beauty order soon. I am always on the lookout for an amazing lip liner that doesn’t cost too much.

Iconic London Lip Gloss — I love this lip plumper! The shade I have is Nearly Nude. It’s lightly plumping and looks gorgeous over a lip liner or any lipstick. I don’t wear lipstick that much any more, usually just a lip liner with a gloss over it. Although this is very nice, I am on the lookout for my perfect sheer gloss. I need to use up ones I have before I will let myself try some more.

And now, my (probably controversial) fail for 2019:

L'Oreal Fresh Wear Foundation

L’Oréal Infallible Fresh Wear 24HR Foundation — Almost all reviews I saw for this last year were positive. And there was a lot. The only two reviews that weren’t as positive were ladies around my age that said it made them look like they were wearing foundation instead of just having beautiful skin.

For me, this foundation was just awful. It settled heavily in my pores and fine lines. I tried so many different primers, serums and combinations of those to try not to look like a cakey mess when I wore it. They didn’t work. Finally (before I gave it away), I had one day that I used an oil under it along with creams and primers, and it only looked slightly bad. Almost passable. LOL! I gave it away after about 10 uses.

It was so sad because I was hoping to love it like so many others. But I did find a perfect (for me) foundation, the Catrice one.

Did you try this foundation? What did you think?

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I found so many amazing products in 2019! I might have purchased too much, because I’m still working through them. I still get BoxyCharm, BoxyLuxe and BoxCharm Premium, but I have got rid of my other subscriptions. I am also going to try to purchase items I need in 2020. And of course, a few I want.

Stay tuned for my skincare favorites of 2019 and I think I’m doing an annual Project Pan this year.

Shop My Stash October 2019 Results and Monthly Empties

Hi All! I’m back with my October Shop My Stash results! I enjoy dipping into my collection and using products I haven’t used in a long time, or just haven’t given much of a chance.

My rule with this is if I don’t like the item after the month, I will move it out of my collection to make some room and let someone else enjoy it! You can check out my first Shop My Stash post for October.

Unfortunately, I was sick for the last two weeks or so, so I didn’t wear makeup all month,

My most used products were the eyeshadow palettes and the essence highlighter. I used each palette a few times, the same with the highlighter.

The essence highlighter is so gorgeous! It can be worn sheer for a soft glow or built up to really shine!

I already let go of the Laura Geller blush. It was too dark for my skin tone, and it’s too old. And I have to say that I’m not really a fan of the Colourpop lipsticks, especially the Blur formula. It is pretty drying on my lips and the Creme formula isn’t much better.

Here’s photos with the eye shadow palettes open:

I really do love this Natasha Denona palette. I created a pretty pumpkin spice look with the orange and yellow shades a few times and also really love the red and purple shades. I am definitely keeping this beauty!

I love this Huda Beauty Smoky Obsessions palette, too! I create really pretty everyday looks with the brown mattes and the lighter shimmers. And the black and silver made a fun Halloween smoky eye! I love the quality of these shades and will be keeping it!

I think this is the first month this year that I’m getting rid of more than one item! I guess that’s good because my collection has really grown this year!

Now on to my empties:

As usual, my empties are mostly skincare, but I do have two makeup items. I’ve had my Tarte Shape Tape for over a year, and it’s finally empty. I might purchase it again in the future. It’s a nice concealer, but I have a few I’m using now and probably won’t need to purchase a new concealer well into next year! The Flower Beauty Seal the Deal matte spray is okay, but smells like perfume, so I won’t purchase it again.

I used up two cleansers. Skin & Co Whipped Cleansing Cream and Dr. Brandt Yogurt Cleanser. The Skin & Co cleanser is amazing at removing makeup and it so hydrating. I would purchase it again. The Dr. Brandt one was okay. I got it in a BoxyCharm. It’s expensive so I wouldn’t purchase again.

For the rest of the skin care, The Skin & Co Truffle Toner is amazing — so cleansing and hydrating. I would purchase again (and if you want to purchase from https://skinandcoroma.com/ and use code LORENA20, you’ll get 20% off your order!).

The StriVectin Neck Cream is lovely and so is the Mamonde eye cream!

October was quite a month. Since I was sick for over half of the month, I’m glad it’s over and I’m looking forward to November. Bring it on!

Shop My Stash — October 2019

Hi all! It’s time for my October Shop My Stash! I am looking forward to cooler weather and Halloween!

I’m always excited to play with new (again to me) color cosmetics that I either haven’t used in a while or haven’t used much at all! My goal is to get more use out of the products I have and to see if they are something I want to keep.

This month I have chosen products that will scream fall to me! The eye shadows I chose are dramatic and smokey and are perfect for this time of year. I think the rest of the products will compliment them well.

Natasha Denona Sunrise Eyeshadow Palette — I purchased this as a birthday gift for myself in June. I think this will be so pretty for fall (and Halloween)! The shimmers in this are stunning and the mattes are s pigmented! I haven’t used it a lot, so I’m looking forward to playing with it!

I purchased this Huda Beauty Smokey Obsessions palette s an add on in my March 2019 Ipsy Glam Bag Plus. I’ve swatched it, but I haven’t used it yet. I am going to try it out this month. It’s so pretty that I think I’ll love it!

I’ve had both of these products in my collection for a couple of years and haven’t used them for a bit. They are the Laura Geller Baked Blush and Brighten in Cherry Truffle and the Essence Pure Nude Highlighter. I am going to test these out to see if I still like them (and if they’re still good and not too old)!

These are the only two Colourpop bullet lipsticks I own. The left one is Hey Mr. DJ (soft petal pink), a Blur Lux Lipstick and Appy (warm pinky beige), a Creme Lux Lipstick. I’ve only worn them each a few times and I want to test them out more to see if I like the formula.

I’m excited to gets some use out of these products this month. Do you do a Shop your Stash? What are you including this month?

Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Haul!

Hi all! It’s Monday! It rained all weekend long in Kansas City, but I got a lot of house cleaning done.

Below are the items I picked up during Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty. I got some really good deals this time. Everything I purchased was 30-50% off. Here’s what I picked up:

I made a few orders and went into the store once! As per usual, with these sales I purchase makeup and not skincare. I have enough skincare, but I’m always wanting to try different makeup brands and shades. And what’s better than trying something new on sale?

I purchased two palettes and they were almost half off each! This is the Lime Crime Venus 3. Purple’s my favorite color, so I couldn’t pass this up! I’ve been wanting to try Lime Crime for some time now. The shadows are nicely pigmented, especially the mattes and shimmers. The two glitters are sheer, but they work well on top of other shadows.

This was also on sale for half off. I’ve never tried any of the Too Faced palettes with this layout — the gold chocolate, peach etc, but I’ve always been curious. So far, I’m enjoying this. The shadows are creamy and the colors are perfect for fall.

I’m not going to swatch the Lime Crime or Too Faced palettes in this post, because I want to try them both out first for a more in-depth review.

I also picked up the Benefit Hoola Bronzer and Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Trio in Peachy Love. I hadn’t tried Hoola Bronzer before and was excited to pick it up at a lower price. Same with the Anastasia blush.

Swatches:

I really like the tone of the bronzer. It’s a bit dark for me now, but will work when I have a tan. The blushes are gorgeous. I love mixing the first and third shade. It makes a really pretty coral. They are easy to build up and are matte.

From left to right is the Dose of Colors Lip Gloss in Can You Not, the Ulta Beauty Patent Shine Liquid Lipstick in Cannes and the Ulta Beauty Full Coverage Liquid Concealer in Light Cool.

Swatches:

The Dose of Colors gloss is really creamy and not sticky, which is what I love in a gloss. The shade is s little light for me, but looks nice over a darker lipstick.

The Ulta liquid lipstick is almost like an opaque gloss. It’s really creamy, and I really like the color.

I have heard great things about the Ulta concealer, and I’m so glad I picked it up! It is full coverage, but doesn’t get cakey. It blended so nicely under my eyes!

The last two products are the All-Nighter spray and essence Glitter Primer. The All-Nighter was half off on the last day of the sale. I’ve never owned this before. I have the Chill spray by Urban Decay, and used it all summer. Once I’m out of my Chill, I’ll open up the All Nighter. I’m excited to use it!

I got the glitter glue because I recently purchased Stila glitters and when I used them, there was glitter all over my face. I haven’t tried this yet, but hopefully it works.

So that’s what I got! I’ll be doing my Ulta Fall Haul Sale post soon.

Did you purchase anything from the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty sale? What did you get?

Switch Up Your Look This Spring With Fresh New Makeup!

I have been testing lots of new (and new to me) makeup this spring. I tend to go more glowy and fun in the spring. I’ve put away my dark shadows and lipsticks, lighter and brighter is better!

Here are some of my new faves:

essence fresh & fit awake primer ($5.99 USD) — This is a shimmery, glowy primer! It is a lightweight formula with fine, light-reflecting pigments preps skin for a flawless finish and helps makeup stay put. It contains vitamins and cranberry water. It’s areally nice affordable primer.

Purchase at Ulta.com/ Ulta

Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream ($48 USD) — This is not a new product, but there is a new shade, BB4, Medium light with neutral undertones. There are 10 shades total. Glow Time covers blemishes, minimizes the appearance of pores, disguises wrinkles and smoothes and brightens skin.

Water resistant to 40 minutes.
Minimizes the appearance of pores and helps disguise fine lines and wrinkles.
Smoothes and brightens skin.
Non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, sensitivity tested, clinically tested, dermatologist tested.

Purchase at janeiredale.com

RIMMEL LONDON InstaPur Duo Contour Stick ($6.99 USD) — Swipe and blend, that’s all you need to do with RIMMEL LONDON INSTA DUO CONTOUR STICK. Regardless of where you are, keep this portable duo on hand to define and highlight your features. Formula & Benefits: Selfie approved formula, Dual sided applicator, Ultra-smooth formula, available in three duos to work with your skin tone. Available Shades: Light, Medium and Dark. The color I have and that is in the photo above is Light.

Purchase at a mass market retailer near you.

Elizabeth Ardern Limited Edition Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick — Elizabeth Arden Limited Edition Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick

Elizabeth Arden Limited Edition Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick ($26.50 USD) — Chosen by brand Storyteller-in-Chief, Reese Witherspoon, this statement-making red shade is soft and comfortable to wear. “Red lipstick can be incredibly powerful—it makes you feel like you can take on the world,” notes Reese. “The March On lipstick channels this power to help actually change the world.”* Clinically proven to keep lips moisturized all day, Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick is infused with moisture-enriched pigments that provide rich, lasting color. Volulip™ helps to seal in moisture to give lips a fuller, appearance. Natural emollient Shea Butter locks-in moisture, soothes and protects lips, and a powerful blend of Vitamins A, C, and E help keeps them looking moisturized and healthy.

*100% of the proceeds of the limited edition red lipstick will go to UN Women, a global champion for gender equality and female empowerment.

Purchase at http://www.elizabetharden.com

Petal To The Metal

Buff And Tumble

Shakin_ Sherbert

Midnight Drive

One of my favorite quick-dry polishes, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Formula has a new formula and new shades! The newly upgraded 3-in-1 formula with built in base and top coat, boasts an updated bottle, a revamped formula and fabulous shade additions. The shades above included muted and bold shades. The pink metallic on top is called Petal to the Metal and it is gorgeous! One coat looked amazing, but two coats was more opaque and it lasted for days!

Purchase these at a mass market retailer near you

What are your favorite spring products? Leave a comment and let me know. And i will be doing some hauls and more eye shadow palette reviews soon!

New Essence Products for Spring!

Essence has recently starting releasing their Spring/Summer 2018 collection. It is full of fresh-faced essentials to let your beauty shine.

These products are available on essencemakeup.com and Ulta.com! The collection retails for under $9.99.

I received the following essence products for my honest review:

essence cosmetics prismatic hololighter stick ($5.99 USD) — Prismatic makeup is really hot for spring. This highlighter is loaded with reflecting pigments, and has a sheer iridescence. It comes in a stick that is easy to use. I think this is really pretty. I have tried it a few times and I like it, but I enjoy powder highlighters more. I think this is fun and affordable for festival or party looks. Available at Ulta.com/ulta

essence cosmetics metal shock eyeshadow ($4.99 USD) — Liquid, metallic eye shadowas are also really popular right now. This has nice formula. As you can see from the swatches above, the peachy shade on the left was a bit sheer, but the other two are full coverage. They dry down pretty quickly and stay looking nice for hours. Available in 7 exciting shades at essencemakeup.com.

essence cosmetics ultra lasting instant colour lipstick ($4.99 USD) — I have reviewed this lipstick recently here. I reviewed darker shades, and I was really excited to try these ones. They feel like spring to me! This is a creamy formula that does last for hours and is very comfortable on. Available in 20 shades at essencemakeup.com.

What new makeup are you loving now?

New Lippies from essence makeup!

I’m a fan of essence makeup! Their products are affordable and generally pretty amazing! They has recently released some fun new lip products. I was sent a few to test for my honest review.

essence ultra last instant colour lipstick ($4.99): This is a long-lasting lipstick with a creamy texture. It does last for a while, and leaves a stained lip after eating or drinking. I like that it doesn’t dry out my lips. Available in 20 shades.

Here are swatches of the lipsticks:

From left to right: 16 Fancy Blush, 5 Un-Grey-Tful and 17 Bur-Berry. Fancy Blush is my favorite and one I can see myself wearing a lot. I usually wear lighter colors, but this will be nice for goring out.

essence butter sticks ($3.99): These are very pigmented and hydrating, even the matte ones! The modern retractable stick is super convenient and easy to apply. Available in 5 glossy love & 5 matte love shades.

The first two are matte and the third is glossy. It’s hard to tell from my swatch, but the glossy one is shinier. The shades are matte 2 Hot Cocoa, matte 5 Betty Gold and glossy 4 Dark Syrup. Dark Syrup is really the only wearable color for me, but I would wear the matte one in a different shade. These are all really hydrating and easy to apply. I find they cover well, too! Probably my favorite of all three products!

essence vibrant/metal shock lip paint ($4.49): Bright and metallic lips are so popular right now! These claim that one swipe gives an instant high color impact with a semi-matte finish. Available in 6 vibrant and 6 metallic shocking shades.

Left to right are vibrant in 3 Red Viper, metallic in 5 Arsenic and 3 Lilly of the Valley.

These are probably my least favorite of the products. They are sheer and need a few coats to build up. I’m also not the biggest fan of drying liquid lipsticks.

Have you tried any of the essence lippies? Which ones are your faves?

Get Your Shine On With Metallic Makeup For Fall!

Metallic eyes and lips are very on trend this fall. And luckily, we can achieve the look without spending a ton!

I was sent these gorgeous metallic eye shadows, a lip topper and brushes for my honest review:

CATRICE Liquid Metal Eyeshadow ($5.99 USD each) — This highly pigmented powder, with a liquid metal finish, instantly creates stand-out eyes. Unique 3D embossment turns this eyeshadow into an absolute highlight.

What I think: I love these, they are so pretty on. I apply them with the wand then blend with my finger. They blend really well, but they dry quickly so I have to be careful! Once they dry, they are only coming off when taken off! The shades are so pretty on and can be built up for a really shimmery metallic look!

Available at www.catricecosmetics.com

essence cosmetics The Metals Eyeshadows ($3.99 USD each) — This new formula goes on smooth with serious color pay-off and a metallic shimmer. Available in 9 shades ranging from soft bronze to vibrant teal.

What I think: These are metallic powder shadows in perfect shades for fall! They apply well and blend out nicely. I like using a brush for a softer look, but when I apply with my fingers, it’s full glamour! And the price is hard to beat! You can stock up with a few shades to make a complete eye look.

Purchase at www.essencemakeup.com

CATRICE Million Styles Lip Topcoat ($5.99 USD each) — The creamy texture provides a shimmering finish, or covers the lips with silver-metallic particles. Simply apply over dried lipstick for an instant transformation – the effect is intensified with every coat.

What I think: This comes in two shades. I have the shade on the left, Shade 20: Metallic, which is a silver shade. There is also Shade 10: Highlight – for a iridescent finish. The metallic one looks really cool alone (Halloween?) and very pretty over lipstick or lip gloss. This is a really cool way to switch up your look.

Availalbe at www.catricecosmetics.com

MODA Metallics Custom Flip Kit ($24.99 USD) — Start with MODA Brushes signature limited edition black studded Flip Kit and add 3 Finishing and Complexion brushes and 3 Eye, Brow and Lip brushes. You’ll be set to slay your weekend travel the Metallic way.

What I think: I have been testing lots of MODA brushes and really like the quality. They have soft synthetic bristles that blend really nicely. The metallic collection is really gorgeous and there are lots so different brushes to choose from to customize your kit!

Available at beautyusa.royalbrush.com

Are you a fan of metallic beauty? What products do you love?

Save

Gorgeous And Affordable Fall Makeup From Essence and Catrice

Ready to change up your look for fall? I received some fun products from essence and Catrice Cosmetics for my honest review. These are affordable, but really high quality cosmetics.

Below are my faves of the bunch:

Essence Pure Nude Highlighter ($4.49 USD) — Bring out your natural glow with this baked powder that has a slightly marbled effect. Works on any skin tone and is perfect for adding a subtle shimmer to your face.

What I think: This beautiful highlighter matches with my skin tone perfectly. A little can be used for a lit-from-within glow, or I can layer to full on strobe. So pretty for day time!

Essence 2 in 1 Eyeshadow and Liner ($4.49 USD) — This waterproof chubby eyeshadow stick combines the benefits of eyeshadow and eyeliner with its conic tip that doesn’t need sharpening. The creamy texture can be easily blended and is extremely long lasting. Available in 4 shades.

What I think: I have this in a light color called Light Me Up. It’s perfect for highlighting the corners of the eyes and under the brow bone, as well as using all over the lid for more subtle looks.

Essence Smokey 2-in-1 Khôl Liner ($3.49 USD) — The ultra-pigmented and ultra-versatile khôl liner you love in black is now available in white and brown! Use the pointed tip as a precise eyeliner, rotate to the side of the cone to swipe over the lid as an eyeshadow for an intense, smokey look. It glides on smoothly and the conic shape of the tip eliminates the need for a sharpener. Now available in a total of 3 shades.

What I think: I have been testing this in Smokey Brown. It is a really rich color with a little shimmer to it. It is smooth and easy to apply. The only issue I have with it is that it can smear easily. So I like to set it with dark brown powder shadow so it won’t budge.

Essence Prettifying Lip Oil ($2.99 USD) — The lightweight texture instantly melts and leaves lips with a subtle shiny finish and sweet taste. This formula contains Jojoba Oil that ensures moisturized and smooth lips sans stickiness. Available in 3 shades.

What I think: The shade in the photo is SOS, My Heart. It is a sheer red that smells and tastes fruity. It feels to me more like a lip gloss than a lip oil, but I really like it. It gives very slight color and lots of shine! It also makes my lips very hydrated.

Purchase essence products at http://essencemakeup.com

Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow ($4.99 USD) — Heavy metal! Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow dazzles eyes with high pigmentation and extraordinary metallic shine. Reminiscent of liquid metal, this silky powder is sure to make your eyes shine instantly. The unique 3D embossment turns this eyeshadow into an absolute highlight. The texture is smooth, easy to blend, and long-lasting. Mix and match to create brilliant metallic looks. Not tested on animals.

What I think: The color above is We Are The Champagnes. It looks gold in the compact, but is a soft champagne on. Very shimmery and well pigmented! The shadow is buildable and can look subtle or all out metal-y.

Catrice Luxury Lashes Volume Mascara Ultra Black ($7.99 USD) — Big, Bold and Beautiful! Luxury Lashes Ultra Black Volume Mascara from Catrice provides lashes with the perfect volume and curl – all with one swipe of the wand! Enriched with Argan oil and a luxurious cashmere protein, the formula cares for the lashes as it creates dramatic volume. A twisted fiber brush captures the ideal amount of formula to coat your lashes from root to tip for maximum impact. Not tested on animals. Ophthalmologically tested.

What I think: This mascara gives lots of volume. I usually go for lengthening mascaras, since my lashes are short, but this would be a great daytime mascara for me. It looked very natural on and did not flake off.

Catrice Ultimate Stay Lip Liner

Catrice Ultimate Stay Lip Liner ($3.99 USD) — Perfectly outlined! The Catrice Ultimate Stay Lip Liner has an extremely long-lasting texture with high pigmentation. You can softly outline your lips with precision to prevent lipstick from feathering and bleeding. Not tested on animals.

What I think: This lip liner does not budge at all! I did one swipe on my hand first and touched it and it was not moving! Also it is nicely matte and would work under a lipstick or a gloss.

Catrice Ultimate Lip Glow Lip Colour Intensifier

Catrice Ultimate Lip Glow Lip Colour Intensifier ($5.99 USD) — Genius glow! The Catrice Ultimate Lip Glow not only moisturizes and protects your lips, it enhances your natural lip color to create your very own personal shade. Not tested on animals.

What I think: This is such an interesting product. It is a clear rosy color in the tube, but applies really naturally on. I though it was going to be glossy, but it is a soft lip tint with a little bit of glow to it. On me it’s very light, almost looks like applying cherry Chapstick. But may be brighter on others.

Catrice products are available at Ulta stores and http://www.ulta.com

Summer Makeup To Brighten Your Face!

The summer is heating up! This time of the year, I usually wear sheer or bronze lip color, but this year I am branching out to brighter hues!

Below are my current favorite beauty balm and lip products. The lip colors range from glossy pinks to matte reds! I love changing them up according to my mood and the occasion:

BB Natural Beauty Balm

Lip Liner Lotta

Matte Lipstick Claret

FACE Stockholm summer collection:

BB Natural Beauty Balm ($38 USD) — A multitasking cream in a compact to hydrate, prime, conceal and shield with Titanium and Zinc Oxides for UVA/UVB sun protection. Virtually melts into the skin for superior coverage that blends easily and diffuses imperfections. The result: a clean complexion that appears almost makeup-free. Wear alone for light coverage or use as a primer to boost the staying power of foundation.

Lip Liner ($17 USD) — Pencil it in! Smooth, writeable color in the precision of a pencil. Define, enhance and compliment lipstick or gloss.

Matte Lipstick ($22 USD) — Bold, bright and beautiful – matte lipstick offers dramatic color-saturated coverage with true staying power. From show-stopping reds to neutral nudes our modern matte formula provides highly pigmented, non-drying color for all skin tones.

What I think: I love the beauty balm. When I dipped my fingers into it, it was almost like a sheer gloss. But applied, it covers moderately and dries down to a dewy finish. The lip liner and matte lipstick create a long-lasting deep red lip.

Purchase at http://www.facestockholm.com

Santhilea London Real Rebel Luxury Lip Care ($9.99 USD) Real Rebel Luxury Lip Care is a truly revolutionary product. A wonderfully blended formula, including Bees Wax, Shea Butter, Vitamin E & Jojoba Oil that actually work in harmony with your own body chemistry, enhancing your lips’ natural rosiness, redness and sexiness. All mixed into a sheer super-long-lasting base that creates long-lasting lip colour AND rich moisturisation and condition.Great for the days when healthy looking lips are the priority, but you want a hint of gorgeous flattering colour.

What I think: I love this color-changing lipstick! It is green in the tube, but when applied turns a sheer red on me. I don’t usually wear red, but it’s so pretty and brightens my face! Perfect for the summer.

Purchase at CVS stores and http://www.cvs.com

Liquid Lipstick in Peach Party

Sheer and Shine Lipstick in bff

XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Popping Pink

essence lip colors for summer:

Liquid Lipstick ($3.49 USD) — Liquid love! This NEW formula combines the best of both lipstick and lipgloss. Get the impact and coverage of a lipstick with the moisturizing shine of a gloss.

Sheer & Shine Lipstick ($2.99 USD) — Sheer love! This NEW smooth and lightweight lipstick provides a moisturizing wash of color and shine. Buildable color with every swipe.

XXXL Shine Lipgloss ($2.49 USD) — Ultimate shine for your lips! The XXXL shine lipgloss pampers your lips without leaving behind a sticky feeling. Contains vitamin e and panthenol to moisturize and prevent lips from feeling dry. Available in 12 glossy shades.

What I think: The liquid lipstick is shiny and full coverage. Perfect for a night out or an event that you want to add some drama! The Sheer & Shine is my favorite for summer. It gives a very moisturizing wash of color and smells like vanilla! XXXL Shine is so glossy without being sticky. Perfect for the gloss girls out there.

essence cosmetics products are available at Target and Ulta stores and Target.com, Ulta.com and the new e-commerce site, essencemakeup.com!