makeup – Page 7 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Festival and Summer Nail Tips and Polishes from Skyy Hadley and Lauren B!

Hollywood Blvd

Did you go to Coachella this year? I’ve never been, but I do love festivals. Although Coachella is over, there will be so many more festivals and summer concerts coming.

I love wearing fun nail looks this time of year. Below are tips from beauty expert, Skyy Hadley and polishes from Lauren B. Beauty that will give you that fun summer and festival vibe!

Skyy Hadley Tips:

For a fun festival look, try the Lauren B. polishes with a base coat and top coat to protect your nails from the dreaded chip.
Stock up and buy a mini travel moisturizer from the drugstore because there is no way you will be bringing a bottle of cuticle oil and you don’t want your hands or cuticles to dry up.
Stash a small travel kit with a nail file and clippers in your suitcase in case you break a nail and need to fix it.

The shades above from left to right are:

Lauren B. Beauty in “33 Carats” ($19 USD) — Packed with ultra-fine flecks of silver glitter (in a range of sizes), it’s diamond-powder sparkly and festive without being gaudy.

Lauren B. Beauty in “One Night in WeHo” ($19 USD) — When we want to look VIP party ready (yes, please), one swipe of this glinty polish leaves us feeling transformed. Apply it to nude or painted nails: The mix of sheer, kaleidoscopic glitter – with particles of purple, blue, green, silver, gold, turquoise and hot pink – creates a dazzling metallic effect.

Lauren B. Beauty in “Hollywood Blvd.” ($18 USD) — A dusting of metallic glitter delivers just the right amount of night-owl sparkle – superchic layered over dark polish or simply on its on.

Available: laurenbbeauty.com

Do you love fun, sparkly nails during this time of year? What’s your go to nail look?

Merle Norman Brand Review and Spring Launches

Look at the elegant, classic packaging! This is the brand Merle Norman. It was created 85 years ago and is only available through independently owned and operated Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios in the United States and Canada.

I was recently sent a selection of the products for my honest review.

I received the Skintelligent skincare system to test. The line consists of a toner, cleanser and moisturizer. The cleanser is exfoliating and it gives a rigorous scrub. I don’t know if I would use this every day, because it is such a strong exfoliator. But, boy did it exfoliate and help reduce the size of my pores! I do like it and will use it a few times a week. If you do like stronger exfoliation, this would be a great pick for you!

The toner, on the other hand, is very gentle. It claims to protect against environmental stressors with probiotic technology. Extracts of Alpine Willowherb and Ginseng energize, hydrate and help tighten skin while reducing the appearance of pores. Together these ingredients leave skin refreshed and help absorption of serums and moisturizers. I do really like how this feels on, it doesn’t sting or irritate my sensitive skin and I will continue to use it everyday.

The moisturizer is nice as well. This also protects against environmental stressors and contains Elixir-IRTM and Resveratrol to help improve elasticity and texture. I typically use a moisturizer with SPF in the day time, but I will use this at night more and see if I see any changes in my skin.

On to makeup!

These are products from the spring 2018 collection. There are other great products like a pink toned blush, an eye shadow quad and eye shadow sticks.

The Lasting Cheekcolor ($17 SRP) blush compact is gorgeous! I love the holographic cover. The shade above is Halo, a fresh peach shade. It’s very pretty on.

Soft Touch Eye Pencil ($14 SRP) This pencil is very creamy and is easy to blend. It comes in a new shade called Ocean Blue. It’s a pretty turquoise perfect for spring and summer.

Lip Pencil Plus ($14 SRP) This dual-function wood-clenched lip pencil is one versatile product, with 2/3 lip color and 1/3 lipliner. This is in a new shade Sweet Marmalade. This is one of my favorite makeup products from Merle Norman. The lip liner is gorgeous and creamy, and stays put. The lip color is creamier and blends nicely over the liner. It also has shimmer so makes lips appear larger. The line has a whole bunch of shades, so you can find a perfect one for you. I love this color combo for spring and summer, but would love to try other shades!

Creamy Lipcolor ($15 SRP) A supremely cushiony moisturizing formula which offers luxurious color in one creamy stroke! The newest shade is Gold Plated Bronze.

Lip Topper ($15 SRP) This is another favorite from the collection. A gloss which creates a shimmering, magical effect on lips. Available in shades Cosmic Rose & Sugar Crystals.

I also received a couple other favorites from the brand:

Fat Lash Mascara — Features a unique flat yet slightly curved brush designed to hug the curve of lashes, even those pesky fine lashes. Flake-, smudge- and transfer-proof formula separates while enveloping each lash to maximize its biggest potential.

I really like this. It separates and defines lashes really nicely. It also gives my short lashes volume and some length. This is a great every day mascara!

Knockout Nudes palette — features ten sensational neutral shadows so you can explore looks from soft and romantic to sophisticated and dramatic. Includes ten shades. There’s a nude for every mood: Moonstone (matte), Rose Quartz (luminous), Gold Star (luminous), Smitten (matte), Caramel (matte), Bold as Brass (metallic), Beauty Mark (matte), Tiger Eye (metallic), Cosmic (luminous), Cafe Society (matte).

I don’t know if you can see from the photo, but I didn’t get the Beauty Mark shade (4th from the right). Instead it looks like a second Tiger Eye shade. I think it’s just a mistake made when putting together the palette. It’s still really pretty! The shades are nice for everyday looks and blend really well.

Merle Norman Cosmetics can be found at a studio near you. You can look on their website at http://www.merlenorman.com/find-a-studio.

Have you tried Merle Norman? What do you think?

Maybelline New York Color Sensational Matte Metallics and Powder Matte Lipsticks

I recently received some gorgeous Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipsticks to for my honest review. I love Maybelline New York. The products are really nice quality and affordably priced.

I want to focus my review on two of their lipsticks lines — the Color Sensational Matte Metallics Lipstick and the Color Sensational Powder Matte Lipstick:

So pretty! Doesn’t this make you want to play with lipstick? This is almost the full shade range of the Metallic Mattes ($7.49 USD). I am only missing the shade Silk Stone. The shades I have are from left to right — White Gold, Pure Gold, Copper Spark, Hot Lava, Copper Rose, Molten Bronze, Smoked Silver, Gunmetal and Serpentine.

Here are the swatches:

This give a very matte finish with a subtle metallic gleam. It feels comfortable on even though it is matte. It does have honey in it for hydration.

I really love most of these shades and can see myself wearing the first three. They will be especially gorgeous in the summer time The others are a bit bold for me, but maybe for nights out. But if you want a bold metallic matte, try one of the more fun colors like Copper Rose or Serpentine.

These are the shades available in the Color Sensational Powder Matte Lipstick ($7.49 USD). These colors are cool, concrete colored shades: Cruel Ruby, Nocturnal Rose, Carnal Brown, Concrete Jungle and Smoky Jade.

Swatch time:

You can tell that this is an extreme matte finish. It goes on matte and stays matte for hours. Cruel Ruby looked the best on me, which is strange because I usually only wear nudes and pinks. This is a gorgeous shade, though. Really rich. I think I can pull it off because it is a matte.

I think both of these collections are really different and fun. I think that if you like unusual shades along with pretty reds and pinks, you will enjoy these lipsticks!

What’s your go to lipstick brand and shade?

Eva Gutowski + ColourPop Collab Review!

I have a ColourPop haul and review to share. I just realized that the lip trio’s box is upside down. Oopsies! I have other photos that I will add below that hopefully won’t be as crazy!

I placed a ColourPop order a few weeks ago for items from the Eva Gutowski collaboration, plus a No Filter Concealer. The were selling a bundle with the cheek duo, lip trio and one of the eye shadow quads for $35. I think I had a 20% off coupon and paid about $32 for everything including the concealer (+free shipping).

There, that’s a better photo! This is the She’s a Beach Babe Lip Bundle. It includes one Ulta Glossy Lip in Just Surfed (warm beige gloss drenched in silver and pink glitter) and two Ultra Blotted lips — Love Bite (soft pinky nude) and Party Wave (soft terracotta).

I love all of these colors. I like lighter lip colors, and these are perfect for me. This is the first time I’ve tried their Ulta Blotted formula. I like it. I’m not much of a matte lip girl, but the colors are really fresh, and the glossy lip is a good topcoat that helps with moisture.

This pretty palette is the Mermaid Glow Pressed Powder Face Duo. I have lots of ColourPop eye shadow palettes, which have cardboard packaging without mirrors, so I was excited to see this is plastic and has a mirror! It’s so cute and is great to pop in my purse. I love having a mirror for on the go.

I think these shades may be better suited for a little deeper skin tones than mine (light). but I do really like them. The blush is a matte peach, and the highlighter is a soft golden champagne. So pretty! I think it will look amazing when I get my faux tan on this summee. (I have swatches of everything below).

There were two choices of eye shadows (two different bundles). I chose the one with the cool toned palette Vacation Mode Pressed Powder Shadow Palette. There is also a warm toned palette called It’s All Wild. That has orange and brown mattes and a copper gold metallic. I have tons of orange and brown ColourPop shadows and I wanted to try a cooler toned palette. And these colors are so pretty. They are creamy powders that blend really well!

On to the swatches:

On the left is the concealer. I will review that below. Then the lip colors, blush and highlighter and eye quad colors. Here’s close ups:

None of the powder products swatched very well on my arm, but they are pigmented on my face.

This bundle is not available any more, but you can purchase that products separately.

Last but not least, I did finally purchase the ColourPop No Filter Concealer. The claim on this is, “Our lightweight, creamy concealer was formulated with soft blurring pigments to give you a creaseproof, matte finish. No filter needed.”

They have added a lot and renamed most of their concealers. When I ordered it, it was called Fair Neutral 10, when I received it, it was called Light 12. The shade is pretty good. I might need one shade lighter.

I’ve used this a few times and I like it okay. It does have a matte finish and it covers well. I think I need to use it more, though, because it hasn’t left much of an impression on me. I’m not a fan of the applicator. It’s kind of flat and scratchy. I don’t know…meh.

I do love ColourPop as a brand. Their products are mostly gorgeous and so affordable for the quality.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think? And, what’s your current fave ColourPop product?

Julep Maven April 2018 Subscription Box Review

I have been so busy with reviews that I haven’t had a chance to post my April Julep Maven box.

I have been a subscriber for 5 years now. 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. The cost is $24.99 a month ($19.99 a month with a 3-month subscription).

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 the Way Butter Hydrating Lip Sheer in Macaroon and two shimmery nail polishes. I also recieved a third polish (the reddish one) as a freebie!

This month had glittery polishes and the amazing lip butters!

I chose the colors Maribel (Caribbean Surf Iridescent Chrome) and Danielle (Cerulean Wave Duochrome). The free polish wasn’t from this month’s collection, but it does fit in. The shade is Lula (Pomegranate Multidimensional Glitter). These are all gorgeous for spring and summer. I wore Danielle last week and it is bright!

This is my favorite product this month. They had these last summer or the one before and they had a different name. So I have a couple in darker shades. I really love this nude shade Macaroon. It’s gorgeous for anytime of the year. Plus it feels amazing on. I love the gunmetal packaging, too. The lid is magnetic so it clicks shut, which is so much fun. This costs $20, or $16 if you’re a Maven. Being a Maven gives you a discount in everything you purchase. It’s a better deal to subscribe, though, and you can choose one or two of these in a monthly box. You can subscribe here.

Are you a Maven? What did you choose this month?

Fresh and New Spring Makeup Part 2

Happy Sunday! It’s snowing in Kansas City, the second weekend in a row! We don’t get a lot of snow, so this is pretty irritating. My daughter’s lacrosse game has been cancelled again — she’s still waiting to play the first game of the season!

I did a new (and new to me) Spring makeup post last week. You can read it here. I still have more products I have been trying for the first time that I wanted to share. Here are some of my new faves:

Hard Candy Fox in a Box Scented Marbleized Baked Powder ($7 USD) The packaging on these powders are so fun and they smell good, too! The packaging has a scratch and sniff sticker, so you can see what the powder smells like.

There are five shades, 3 bronzers and two blushes. That’s what the Wal-Mart website shows. I do have the lightest bronzer called Girl Boss. It’s so light and shimmery that I use it as a highlighter. It’s very glowy. I also have the blush Girl Next Door. It’s a pretty soft pink.

The Hard Candy Fox in A Box Scented Marbleized Baked Powder are available at Walmart and Walmart.com.

Pixi Beauty Palette Chloette ($24 USD) — This palette is a collaboration between Pixi and You Tuber Chloe Morello. The palette contains Chloe’s favorite shades inspired by love and romance. Super silky blush and eye shades bring that “in-love glow” to your complexion & lids. Plus, there is a trio of matte eye contour & liner shades that double as brow powders to define.

This colors are really soft and pretty. The shimmery eye shadows can double as highlighters. This will be really nice in the summer and it will be great to have one palette that takes care of most of a makeup look.

Purchase at http://www.pixibeauty.com, Target.com and Target stores

Maybelline New York Master Precise Ink Metallic Eyeliner ($8.99 USD) — This broad range of eyeliners provides brilliant metallic, pop and glitter finishes for show stopping eyes. The high impact shades come in 7 vibrant colors that last up to 12 hours! This works well for a cut crease or a pop of color. I have the Solar Gold shade and it looks really nice over a black liner.

Maybelline New York Curvitude Liner ($8.99 USD) Maybelline’s first angled eyeliner hugs tightly to the curve of the lash line for the most sensationally refined eyes. The angled pen reaches over the lid and effortlessly fills above and behind lashes, while the 0.2MM flex tip precisely glides between every lash to create a fuller lash line. I haven’t tried this one yet, but I think it would make doing a winged liner easier.

Maybelline New York Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner ($9.99 USD) Combining the precision of liquid eyeliner with the ease of a gel formula, Lasting Drama gives intense color that stays all day. The gel formula holds more pigments than a traditional liquid liner, to create the most intense color. This comes in 4 shades — Blackest Black, Brown, Charcoal and Eggplant. I don’t usually wear black liner, but this one is so pigmented and rich! I love it for waterlines and tight lining and the other shades for definition and color. You could definitely do a wing with these, too.

***NEW Maybelline New York Master Fixer Makeup Remover Pen*** ($7.99 USD) Everyone makes mistakes! See mishaps disappear in the blink of an eye with Maybelline’s makeup corrector tool. Now, correct liner mistakes instantly, all without ruining your look. Maybelline’s makeup remover pen touches up any smudges or marks without leaving behind a greasy feeling.

Available at Maybelline.com

ybf Fall in Love Lipstick & Lipgloss duo ($22 USD) — This lightly scented, hydrating lipstick and lip gloss duo is suitable for every skin tone and will leave lips looking bold and voluptuous. With a creamy paraben-free formula infused with Smart Active Complexes, lips are rich, luminous and smooth for a soft n’ silky, pout.

The lipstick comes with a convenient case with a protractible mirror attached, making it the perfect lip essential to take and apply on the go.

The shades are Passionate Pink (in the photo above), Bloomin’ Berry/Rockin’ Raspberry, Regal & Romantic Red, & Kissable Coral. The lipsticks are very creamy and moisturizing. My favorite is the gloss. It is gorgeous, hydrating and not sticky at all!

Available at ybfbeauty.com

What products have you been loving this spring, and are looking forward to using in the summer?

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?

Maybelline Lip Studio Python Metallic Lip Kit Review

Maybelline Lip Studio Python Metallic Lip Kit ($9.99 USD) feature duos in gorgeous lip colors and prismatic lip powders. I was set the collection to review for my honest review. These can be purchased at mass market retailers.

These are duos as you can see below, a lip cream and a metallic top coat.

I’m going to swatch these in groups. Here are the first three:

From left to right — 05 Passionate, 10 Piercing and 15 Venomous. I have placed the two colors in each kit side by side, then above is the two colors together. These are all very bold and fun!

From left to right — 20 Wild, 25 Valiant and 30 Provoked. Wild is bright and fun! It’s kind of hard to see in the swatch, but the metallic is a bronze. I think this look will be nice on tanned, summer skin. My two favorites out of the whole collection are Valiant (I love purple) and Provoked is a cool nude.

From left to right — 35 Snakebite and 40 Untamed. Snakebite will be so fun for St. Patrick’s day, especially with the gold on tip. Untamed is really cool. Great for dramatic looks!

What I think: These are on trend and really fun. And there are a good variety of shades to try. These do work well, and I find the best way to use them is to apply the lip color with a brush, then dab the glitter on with a finger.

Also, the metallic toppers can be used on the eyes, or maybe even as a glittery highlighter. They are a bit sticky, so make sure to blend!

The only negative to me is they feel a little dry on. Plus, I’m almost fifty and I can’t see myself wearing these often. Maybe for fun nights out and holidays.

Have you tried these fun lip products?

Mini Ulta Haul

So, I wanted to go on a makeup spree, but instead I made a small online order on Ulta. Makeup Revolution is currently on sale at Ulta, buy 2 get one free. Which is an amazing deal! Plus I saw this sparkly Real Techniques powder brush and had to have it!

I am going probably going to review all of these with swatches at some time, but here are the products I just bought:

This is the Makeup Revolution Reloaded Palette in Newtrals 2. It is only $7 USD and is STUNNING! It is so pigmented and the colors are gorgeous, especially the shimmers. I will be swatching this in a review in a week or two, after I play with it. I do want to say that I like this so much I am tempted to go to Ulta and get the other 3 palettes in the Reloaded collection while the buy 2 get one free deal is still going on!

Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Full Coverage Conceal & Contour — $7 USD. I got the shade C4. I like it so far, but I think I should have got it lighter. I’m going to play with it a bit before I review it. I hear it’s a dupe for tarte’s Shape Tape, but I haven’t tried that concealer.

Makeup Revolution Luxury Baking Powder in Lace — $8 USD — This originally just came in the banana powder shade. I don’t do well with anything yellow or orange, so I was happy to find the cream color Lace powder. I am liking it for setting makeup and baking.

Real Techniques Brush Crush 300 Powder Brush — $12.99 USD — I wasn’t happy with my powder brush, so I was looking for a fluffy one. And this is gorgeous! So fun, it makes me me smile each time I use it.

Do you like shopping at Ulta? What did you get at your last visit?