Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge Review

Let’s start off by saying that I am not one of those people who is a Beauty Blender hater, in fact it recently has become one of my favorite beauty related items however the price is absolutely ridiculous! $20+ for a little sponge that needs to be replaced every few months is the craziest thing ever which is why I was SO excited when I heard that Real Techniques was coming out with a complexion sponge I was hoping it could compare to the beauty blender. Much to my surprise, when dampened not only does it compare to the beauty blender it is actually better than the beauty blender in my opinion.

The flat side of this really is what makes it so good. It is perfection for getting the majority of your face then you can go back in with the pointed side for around your nose, eyes and to layer a little concealer or more foundation on blemishes or areas you want to cover more. For $5.99 (and most of the time Ulta has them BOGO 50% off plus you can use coupons on them) it is WELL worth it and a great substitute for the beauty blender fans like me that just can’t justify the price. Have you tried this little miracle sponge yet? If so what do you think?

NARS Guy Bourdin Holiday Collection Limited Edition One Night Stand Cheek Palette

I am trying REALLY hard to curb my beauty related spending and trying to save money to eventually buy a house but every now and then I just get suckered into purchasing something. In walks the new NARS Holiday Collection One Night Stand Limited Edition Cheek Palette a beauty that I just could not resist no matter how many times I told myself I didn’t need it. I never got the Danmari palette a few years ago when that one came out and I have regretted it since then so I knew it was now or never. I think this one will sell out pretty fast especially since the 20% VIB sale starts this weekend so I would order it NOW if you want it. Don’t wait for the 20% because you will kick yourself if you miss out on it. Here is the description of shades from the Sephora website:

- 0.14 oz x 6 Blush in Laguna (diffused brown powder with golden shimmer), Deep Throat (flirty, sheer peach), Orgasm (peachy pink with golden shimmer), Mistinguette (bright pink), Goulue (medium pink), Devotee (highlighter)

If I had to change anything in this palette it would be that it wouldn’t contain the permanent shades. For people like me who already has Laguna, Orgasm and Deep Throat it is a little disappointing to see them appear in this palette. NARS PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come out with a 6 pan cheek palette that has all limited edition shades.

I would highly suggest ordering this before the 20% VIB sale start not only because it will probably sell out but because I got to choose from a cute little bag of samples on top of the 3 samples you already get from a Sephora.com order. I have included pictures of all the samples (plus the normal 3 and I grabbed a Clarins One Step Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser for 100 points because I love that stuff and think it is awesome to have a travel size).

Overall this is a beautiful palette and if you don’t already have the permanent shades in the palette it is a no brainer. If you do own 1, 2 or all 3 of the permanent shades you will have to decide if you will get good use out of this as a travel palette. Since I am gone so much (I have been gone pretty much every other week for the past 3 months and will be gone again starting tomorrow) it makes sense for me to travel with this and not being a few single blushes.

Cheers to pretty cheeks!

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!