My Cream Eyeshadow Collection- Part 1

My name is Kimberly, and I am a cosmetics addict. Ok, not that it is a surprise to anyone reading this. Blush is probably my number one vice but eyeshadows, especially cream shadows come in at a REALLY close second.

I figured it would be nice to start a blog series that will highlight different sections of my collection starting with all the potted cream shadows that I own. (I will do jumbo pencil types of shadows and ones in tubes in 2 other separate posts) The swatches and information below are separated by brand. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions about any of the products or swatches that I show below.

Chanel Illuion D’Ombre
From bottom to top in both pictures:
1- Convoitise #90 (LE) A pale champagne shimmer with micro glitter
2- Apparence #817 (LE) Light gold shimmer
3- Emerveille #82 Subtle rose gold that leans more to the pinky side than gold
4- Initiation #827 (LE) Warm taupey brown with hints of a gold undertone and shimmer
5- Epatant #84 Cool based silver shimmer with a slight touch of green



MAC
From bottom to top
1- Bare Study: White based shimmery champagne
2- Morning Frost (LE): Cool based taupey silver with shimmer
3- Vintage Selection (pro longwear formula): Pink based taupe with shimmer
4- Rubenesque: True Rose Gold
5- Nubile (LE): Pink based skintone
6- Painterly (pro longwear formula): Brown based neutral skintone
7- Superwatt (LE- Electric Cool Eyeshadow): Warm brown based taupe with shimmer



Part 2 will be up later this week but until then I would love to know if you have any of these shades and which ones are your favorite!

October Favorites

I love going through my stash and putting together my monthly favorites, it is really interesting to me to see how much can change or stay the same month to month when it comes to my daily makeup routine and what I continue to reach for. Most of the month of October I tended to reach for tried and true favorites. I traveled to my sister’s wedding so I will put an annotation next to anything I actually used on her wedding day in case anyone is interested.

Here are my favorites for the month of October:
-IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector Concentrate Cream
-Hourglass Immaculate Foundation and Estee Lauder Doublewear (I have been switching back and forth between the 2 but I wore Doublewear for my sister’s wedding)
-IT Cosmetics Hello Light Creme Illuminator topped with Becca Shimmering Perfector in Opal (I wore this combo to the wedding)
-Benefit Porefessional Primer (I wore this to the wedding)
-Laura Mercier Artist 2 Palette
-MAC Vanilla Pigment
-Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette (I wore Dim Light to the wedding, well I actually wear it everyday)
-Dior Addict Lipstick in New York and Tarte Glitzy LipSurgence (I wore both of these layered to the wedding)
-IT Cosmetics Your Brows But Better pencil
-MAC Tease your Taste blush (wore this to the wedding) and MAC Ripe for Love blush
-Bath and Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin body wash and lotion

I know that this is alot of stuff and if people want I can do a separate post on what I used on my face for my sister’s wedding and what I used for makeup products on her. She was a STUNNING bride! It was a great month with lots of awesome makeup favorites and I hope you will pick up a few of them to try to dig through your stash and start using them again if you have any of them. Here is to a great November!

Laura Mercier Fall/Winter 2013 Artists Palette for Eyes

Well, hello beautiful little addition to my makeup collection! In case you are a makeup lover like me you already know that Laura Mercier has released a new Artist’s Palette for Eyes this fall/winter. For those of you asking “hey wait, didn’t Sephora carry an Artist’s Palette last year?” the answer is YES, but this one is different (and prettier in my opinion). While I love the one from last year (there is a side by side picture below) the new release seems much more wearable for my skin tone.

The palette from last years release is on the left and this years is on the right

Laura Mercier does a FANTASTIC job with shadows, especially mattes. I have never experienced such consistently soft, creamy, and blendable matte shades in any other line of cosmetics that I have tried even better than high end lines like Chanel, Guerlain, Dior, etc.

Here is a closer look at the shades


Color names from left to right on arm: Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet (this years version of this shade is MUCH creamier and better than last years!), Plum Smoke, KIR Royal, Violet Ink, Vanilla Nuts, Primrose, Fresco, Bamboo, Truffle, Espresso Bean

When comparing last years version of the palette to this years you will notice that overall there are a few more lighter shades in this years palette which I really love, plus the Fresco and Truffle shades are amazing crease and blending shades! I cannot wait to bring this on vacation to go back home next week for some easy yet pretty eye looks. The packaging is sturdy, pretty and it has a really awesome big mirror inside which is certainly a nice little detail.

You can pick this beautiful palette up at any Sephora store that sells the Laura Mercier line or online at Sephora.com for $48.

July EMPTIES!!!

I have been on a "use it up" rampage lately. I am trying REALLY hard not to buy things unless they really are difference from what I already have or unless I use things up and can replace those with new things. I used ALOT of things up this month and have quite a few things that I am almost done with so next month I should have quite a few empties too! It feels like such an accomplishment when I can peek into a bag of things I actually finished up. I am sure some of you feel the same way!

Here we go!(I will add in parentheses whether or not I would repurchase or not with w "yes" or "no")

- Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Intense Moisturizing Treatment (YES!)
- Philosophy Amazing Grace shampoo, bath & shower gel (yes)
- Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Frizz Defeat Deep Treatment (maybe)
- Suave Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo (maybe)
- Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Creamy oil Body Wash (yes)
- Nexxus Therappe Ultimate Moisture Shampoo (probably not- it isn't bad but for the price I like the Suave the same and its a lot cheaper than the Nexxus)
- Philosophy travel size pure grace shower gel (yes)
- Philosophy travel size eternal grace shower gel (yes) I cannot get enough of these "grace" scents lately!
- Ion Color Solutions Deep Daily Conditioning treatment for hair 1 ounce packet (yes)
- Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel sample (no)
- Clinique bottom lash mascara (probably not- now that I have been using the IT Cosmetics tightline on my lashes I don't think I will ever use anything else for the bottom. This is good stuff thought if you don't want to try the IT Cosmetics tightline)
- Sample of Glam Glow clearing mask (not sure- the sample was SO small I barely had enough to just use it on my Tzone)
- Baviphat Peach all in one peeling gel (yes love this stuff)
- Ulta eyebrow gel (no I will repurchase the product below though)
- Anastasia Brow gel (YES YES YES!)

What did you use up this month? Look out for a July Favorites post coming tomorrow (with pictures!)

It Cosmetics Your Most Beautiful You 6-pc Collection- Sneak Peak! QVC TSV that airs on July 15th

Newsflash! I LOVE IT COSMETICS! Alright, so if you have read my blog at all you will know that is actually not a newsflash at all. :) I think that they are one of the most underrated cosmetics brands out there. The technology that the creator Jamie puts behind all the products she introduces into the line is certainly impressive. I haven't tried a single product from the brand that hasn't performed exactly as it was advertised/marketed which is almost unheard of.

QVC has amazing kits a few times a year usually showing up in TSV's. For those of you who don't speak fluent QVC it means Today's Special Value which is a one day only special price/package. I recently was able to pre order an upcoming TSV which airs on Saturday, July 13th. I received it after much anticipation yesterday and I wanted to run through all the products before it airs for those of you who might be interested in ordering it.

-1-fl-oz Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer in choice of: Light, Medium, Tan or Deep

- 0.23-oz Hello Light Illuminator

- 0.003-oz Your Brows But Better

- 0.11-fl oz Lip Gloss Stain in Je Ne Sais Quoi (sheer pink flush)

- Double-ended Complexion Brush

- Pointed Precision Illuminizer Brush

I have had all of these items in the past except for the Your Brown but Better pencil and the Lip gloss stain. I have tried the lipstick stain and the vitality color stain in the same shade and this gloss in my opinion seems to be much more pigmented. It feels just as nice as the other 2 but the pink is certainly a lot brighter than the other 2 items appear on my lips. I am also very pleasantly surprised with the brow product as I usually have a hard time with universal brow products actually looking natural on my brows since I am blonde but I didn't have that problem with this product as long as I use short light strokes.

This is a must have kit as the brushes alone are worth the price of admission. They truly do make the best quality brushes and products. If you have been searching for a high performance kit with a lot of products that are all made with a lot of technology and research behind them then I would totally say this is a must have for you. The jumbo size bye bye under eye will last you for a long time and really is like no other concealer out there. (The most similar that I can even compare it to is the Kevyn Aucoin sensual skin enhancer which is A+ in my book!)

If you are interested in pre ordering this kit the item number on QVC.com is A238739. It is $59.95 but if you order it now before it airs you can get it on the Easy Pay system for 3 payments of 19.97 which is amazing! Let me know if you end up ordering it and what you love the most from it, especially if you have never tried anything from IT Cosmetics before. Happy Shopping!

My Top 10 makeup items of ALL TIME!

One of my friends recently asked me if I only had 10 makeup items left in my collection that would last me forever but would be the only items I was able to use what 10 items would I choose. I thought that was a great question but a REALLY hard one to answer! I thought about it for a little while and here is what I came up with: (Keep in mind I assuming this does not include skincare and brushes which I can do a top 5 for each category in a separate post later)

1. Foundation: Estee Lauder DoubleWear
This was probably the hardest item to choose because I haven't been using liquid foundation lately. I really love my bareMinerals ready foundation but it has SPF 20 in it and I would not want to have only 1 foundation that has SPF in it to choose from in case I was going out or doing my makeup for a special occasion where my picture would be taken and have horrible flashback. Doublewear can be sheered out with a little moisturizer and a beauty blender but can certainly be full coverage with your fingers or building it up with a brush. It looks amazing on

2. Concealer: M-A-C Prolongwear concealer in NW15
This concealer is perfect if I could only keep one. I can use it under my eyes or on blemishes and just like DoubleWear it does not contain SPF which is perfect for an event where your picture will be taken. Plus, like DoubleWear it stays put ALL DAY! Can't beat that!

3. Powder: NYX Stay Matte but Not Flat powder foundation in Creamy Natural
I love this powder over DoubleWear! It brings just enough dimension back into your face that sometimes DoubleWear can matte out. Just a really light dusting over your whole face and your face will look like you have perfect skin, even if you don't ;)

4. Bronzer: NYX Blush in Taupe
Yup, that's right I am picking a blush for my bronzer :) Taupe is the perfect contour color for us fair girls but in a pinch I could obviously use it as a blush too so it works double duty for me (Hey if I only had 10 things left I would need some double duty items!)

5. Blush: Mally 24/7 duo in Pink Nectar
This one was SO hard! Everyone knows if I had to pick my favorite category of makeup it would be blush hands down. I am known for going a little overboard at time but that doesn't bother me at all because I just love it. I have almost all of the Mally 24/7 blush duos but Pink Nectar is my favorite. It is the perfect pink for my skin tone and I could always use the NYX taupe in the fall/winter to layer with it to create more of a berry shade if I wanted. I HIGHLY recommend trying one of these blush duos if you haven't already tried them. One side has a little shimmer so I wouldn't even need an additional highlighter which is an additional bonus when thinking of how panicked I would be with only 10 items :)

6. Finishing Powder: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores
This stuff is just amazing and like any other powder that I have tried. It really does help hide your pores and mattify the parts of your face you want to keep matte but still allows any shimmer from products you used underneath to show through. It is everything that a really good setting powder should be. If you haven't tried this you should order it from QVC and give it a try. If you have read my blog at all you know I am a HUGE It Cosmetics fan and this is one of their standout products in the line for sure.

7. Mascara: Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes
I love that this mascara does a great job of getting all the way to the roots of my lashes plus it volumizes and lengthens without smudging at all. Certainly a holy grail in my collection and a mascara I keep repurchasing over and over

8. Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Palette
I think any makeup junkie would pick this one to keep. I have the original style that came with the double ended liner (which is a plus in this case since it is included!) and I can't think of another palette with strictly eyeshadows that has the variety of amazing neutrals that this one has. The Mally In th Buff 2 palette certainly gives this a run for its money but it lacks the liner and a matte black shadow which is what pushed me over to pick this one. Plus I just love Virgin, Sin, Buck, Naked and Toasted eyeshadows. I could very easily live out of this palette forever and achieve a variety of looks. Not that I would ever want to of course :)

9. Eye Primer: Nars pro prime smudge proof eye shadow primer
I use a lot of different primers but if I only had to pick one it would be this one. It isn't shimmery and just leaves a really great base for your shadow helping ir go on more vibrantly and prevent creasing.

10. Brows: Tarte Brow Architect
This actually isn't my favorite brow pencil but the benefit to this product is that it has a spoolie on one end and the color portion on the other. In the middle it actually screws apart and has a concealer that you can use right under your brows to add a matte highlight to your brow bone or in the inner corner of your eye to brighten things up. The concealer portion is what really made me think to choose this because again I would need all the help in terms of choosing products that are multipurpose.

I think that about wraps it up! The only 2 products that I didn't feel like were truly makeup products but I would have wanted to include would be Urban Decay deslick and the Korres vitamin E silicone free face primer. I use those 2 things literally every single day. What 10 products would be in your makeup bag if you had to only pick 10? Here are links to check out all the products mentioned above in case you want to pick any of them up to try!

My June Favorites

It was really tough this month to pick my favorite things. Quite frankly it seems like I have had the same favorites for months and months now but I guess that is a good thing. At least I have been really happy with the things I have in my makeup bag this month :) Here are my top favorites for makeup, hair and body products for the month of June:

1. This one is no surprise but I have been loving the bareMinerals Ready foundation for all over my face. I also have been dusting the outside portion of my cheeks with the IT Cosmetics celebration foundation since it is a little more hydrating. I can get a little dry on the outer edge of my face so this combination has been working PERFECTLY!

2. Maybelline The Rocket waterproof mascara- I typically am not a fan of really big wands for mascara but this mascara coupled with the IT Cosmetics tighlining primer that I am also crazy about is amazing for the hot humid weather we have been experiencing in lower Alabama lately. It makes my lashes look plump, longer and REALLY black without a bit of flaking, smudging or fading throughout the day.

3. MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study has been a staple in my makeup bag this month. It is easy and beautiful while lasting all day. It doesn't get any better than that!

4. I don't think I have used a lipstick all month which is absolutely shocking! I have been using and loving glosses and lip balms in particular any of the Mally glosses and the Nivea mint flavored lip balm. If you haven't ever tried one of Mally's famous glosses go get one now! I will assume that you have been living under a rock and will give you a hall pass on it but seriously GO GET ONE! They will change your makeup life (not kidding!) They truly are the best line of glosses out there in my opinion because of the shade choices, how amazing they look on your lips and the delicious smell. (Last week Mally announced you can now buy some of her products at Ulta! So get to shopping so you don't have to pay that ridiculous QVC shipping rate)

5. Yet another Mally love has been the In the Buff Vol. 2 palette. This has not aired yet on QVC but if you are looking to score it early like I did (and on 3 easy payments!) the item number is A238300. It really is an amazing value for the palette alone but you also get 3 liners, a double ended brush, a sharpener, an under eye brightener plus the Mally Volumizing mascara that is one of my holy grails. If you haven't wanted to spend the $50 on the Urban Decay Naked palette this is a great alternative because of all the extras you get with it.

6. Bare Minerals plush peach blush. Amazing, enough said!

7. It's a 10 Miracle Leave In for blondes is an absolute must have for you other blonde girls out there. I have been using this for a long time and it makes my hair so soft it is worth every single penny. Don't put too much in though or it will weigh your hair down a little.

8. T3 Featherweight blow dryer- I never though expensive blow dryers were worth it but when I bought this from one of my amazing beauty sisters (Thanks Ashley!!) at a great price I haven't really minded blow drying my super thick unruly hair anymore. It literally used to take me about an hour to blow dry my hair and now I am right around 20 minutes from start to finish using this dryer. An added bonus is that it does seem to control the frizz too which is always a good thing!

June was all about getting ready fast but picking products that would stay all day without needing to touch up and that I didn't have to think about a whole lot when applying. What products did you love this month and did you have a "get ready fast" month like me?

Follow me on instagram: KimJorg
Follow me on twitter: KimJorg