Mini e.l.f. Haul!!

Hi everyone! 

Today I have a mini e.l.f. (Eyes Lips Face) haul for you! e.l.f. recently came out with their new Mineral Pressed Mineral Bronzers and I was dying to try it, sooo I threw a few more items in my online shopping cart while I was there! :)

First up is the e.l.f. Studio Blush Palette in Light. I have been wanting to order this for a while now so I jumped on the chance! It was out of stock online pretty much as soon as it was released earlier this year. I already have the Dark palette that I wore mostly during the winter and early spring months and I love it! I wish I would have been able to get my hands on this one earlier in the summer months because the colors are so bright and fun! Three of the shades are totally matte and the fourth has a bit of shimmery glitter in it! They are have great pigmentation to them of go apply really smoothly! 

I went a little blush crazy and also picked up a few of the Mineral Pressed Mineral Blushes. I have been hearing so many great things about these from various beauty gurus on YouTube, and couldn't wait to check them out for myself! The colors I chose (from left to right and swatches underneath) are: Cabo Cabana, Jet Setter, and Wanderlust. I chose these colors because I thought they would great for transitioning from Summer to Fall. I'm obsessed with Jet Setter, it is my absolute favorite and so so pretty! I'm excited to keep messing around with these!

I was so excited to get the new Mineral Pressed Mineral Bronzer! I chose the color Tan Toffee and I have already used it a few times this past week! I LOVE this bronzer! It is totally matte and gives your skin a warm glow without adding and shimmer or sparkle! Its a great contour shade as well! I think I'm going to have to pick up a few more shades to try a deeper contour with! I think e.l.f. did really well with the formula for this! My only complaint for these bronzers would be the size. I wish the pan was a bit bigger. Especially for $5, get with it, e.l.f.!

I was also really excited to try the Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadows! I ordered two of these, Toast and Gala, and I'm not entirely sure about them yet. They are sort of a a weird texture, and something about it reminds me of a sponge. They are creamy, but not like a smudge pot and have a "foiled" look to them on the eyes. I tried both shades out this weekend and found them a bit difficult to blend and get them where I wanted them to go. I'm going to have to keep playing with these to really see if they are any good. As of now... ehh I'm on the fence!

I also ordered a few eye brushes! I LOVE e.l.f. brushes! They are SO affordable at $1-$3, super soft, and really do a great job! Whenever I place an order I can't help but repurchase some of my favorites! I can never have too many brushes (especially because I'm lazy and never feel like washing them). I ordered a Blending Eye Brush, an Eye Crease Brush, a Smudge Eye Sponge (which I love for eyeliner), and an Eye Contour Brush.

So far, I love most of the items I ordered! It's so fun using new products and seeing what ways they work best! E.l.f. is one of my favorite brands because they really do have some great quality products at SUPER affordable prices! I love that you can try something new without a huge, high end price tag attached to it!
Do you have any favorites from e.l.f.? Let me know either in the comments below or on my Facebook page (Facebook.com/bakingandbeautydepartment).

Thanks so much for reading!!
♥ Nichole

e.l.f. Studio Blush Palette- Light $6
e.l.f. Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush- Cabo Cabana $5
e.l.f. Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush- Jet Setter $5
e.l.f. Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush- Wanderlust $5
e.l.f. Mineral Pressed Mineral Bronzer- Tan Toffee $5
e.l.f. Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow- Toast $3
e.l.f. Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow- Gala $3

HAUL!!! Ulta & CVS

Hello loves! So as promised, I did some shopping this weekend and picked up a bunch of fun goodies! There's a lot of stuff, so I'll just jump right in to it! 

During my Ulta trip the first thing I grabbed was something I've been DYING to pick up! I was planning on waiting until it got closeR to Fall, but I just couldn't help myself! ;) The Too Faced Rock N Roll Rock Candy Eye Shadow Collection palette is absolutely gorgeous! I love the jewel toned colors for Fall! The darker shadows are super pigmented and have a creamier texture, while the highlight shades seem to be a little less pigmented than I would like! The "Classic" highlight color, New Wave, has a lot of glitter and doesn't go on quite as smooth as the others. I plan on messing around with this one a lot more, and will most likely end up doing a full review on it soon, so stay tuned!

Swatches from Top left: Rockabilly, New Wave, New Romantic, Rap, Pop, Glam Rock, Ska, Heavy Metal, & Punk

Also from Too faced I picked up a Bulletproof 24 hour Eyeliner in Dirt Bag. It is a jumbo eyeliner pencil that can be used to line the eyes, smudge out, or used as a shadow stick! I love the versatility of this product! I swatched this little baby in the store, and let me tell you, the staying power of this thing is AMAZING! Even after washing my hands it did not budge at all! I've been trying it out as an eyeliner the last two days and I think I am in love with it! I'm going to try using it a few different ways and can't wait to see what this thing can really do!

This Mally Beauty Evercolor Startlight Waterproof Eyeliner in Caribbean Sea is actually something my Mom threw into the Ulta bag! She has been eyeing up this color for a while now (as have I) and since we are both such big fans of these liners, she decided to give in and I'm so glad she did! This color is sooo pretty! I love the bright pop of color! Since we already know how well these liner from Mally Beauty perform, I think this color will be great with their formula! No worrying that a brighter color may stray oR smudge a bit more, which is definitely not a good look! I just might have to steal this from her... LOL!

  

The newer shades of the NYX Butter Lipsticks totally caught my eye! They were kind of hiding out on the end of an aisle and there weren't a ton out, but I am so glad I saw them because they might just be my new obsession! The color at the top Hunk, is the juiciest plum color! It has a tiny bit of a pinky undertone, and I absolutely love it! The color is bright, fun, and really different from any of the other lipsticks I own. The color on bottom, Pops, is a really pretty nude pink color with just a hint of mauvey taupe! I can't wait to wear this on a crisp fall day with great boots! These lipsticks go on so so buttery soft and smooth with a touch of a glossy finish! I just LOVE them! I'll definitely be picking up several more of these I think! ;)

Another NYX lip product I've been wanting to try out are the new Soft Matte Lip Creams! The matte lip products seem to be popping up from a few brands lately, and these remind me a lot of the Too Faced Melted Liquefied Long Wear Lipsticks! The Too faced ones had caught my attention earlier this summer because I thought they were really different. However, when I swatched them and put some on in the store, I found them to be a little dry and I didn't think I would really like the effect. Also the Too faced ones go for $21, which isn't too badly priced, but for something I won't love, I can't justify the price! So long story short, I wanted to give the whole matte lip look a go and thought this option from NYX would be a great place to start! For starters these lip creams are extremely pigmented, which I love! They go on very creamy and it takes very little product to achieve a bright lip color that pops! I tried it out for a few hours and I didn't hate it, but I wasn't enamored by it either. I didn't find that it lasted very long, and also found that it was barely there after eating and drinking. BUT, it does totally stain your hand when you swatch it! Haha! 

I'm always on the hunt for a great concealer, but then again who isn't? I've been hearing a lot of great things on various beauty guru's YouTube videos about this Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer (also the longest name of a product ever)! So far I like the texture a lot! It is creamy and just thick enough to really give great coverage, but not so think that its going to get cakey under my eyes! The applicator is nice and soft (and I actually think there is something weirdly cute about the little puff)! I'll keep giving this a try and compare it to some of my other concealers that I have been liking lately! I'll let you know how it stacks up! ;)

So, all summer long I've been obsessed with coconut scented everything! I just love the summery, beachy smell and makes me think of a breezy vacation by the sea (which is as close to a vaca as I'm getting any time soon)! This Coconut Soap from The Body Shop is actually a repurchase (3rd time) and this should have gone in my July favorites post, but the only one I had was a tiny sliver left in the shower! Haha! There isn't anything truly amazing or life changing about it... its pretty much a basic bar of soap, but I can't stop purchasing it! 

I also did a mini CVS haul this weekend since Ulta happened to be out of a few things I was looking for. 

I picked up some necessity stuff obviously, like tooth past (the Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White has been my favorite lately), and CVS brand oil free eye makeup remover (comparable to Neutrogena's oil free eye makeup remover- only a bit cheaper and it doesn't burn my eyes). They were running a great deal on the eye makeup remover, 100% more product for the same price! Can't beat that! 

I saw this Burt's Bees' Coconut Foot Creme on Pinterest, and I since flip flips and sandals have been drying my feet out like crazy, I quickly decided this was a must! However, I'm a bit bummed out about it. :( I was totally expecting a nice creamy consistency that smelled super coconutty, but unfortunately it is more of a greasy yellowish balm that smells like peppermint (barely ANY coconut scent). I'm hesitant to even use it because I don't want my feet to get so greasy that I'm sliding around in my shoes all day. But I'll give it a try I guess. I just think it is poorly described on the packaging. "Creme" does not mean balm in my world! Uhg.

As I posted in my July Favorites, I have been loving these Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes! I'm also loving orchid and plum colored everything, so this Plum Wine color was a no-brainer when I saw it! It's just so so so pretty! I love that this is bright enough to still work for the rest of summer, but also plumish enough that I can easily take it with me in to the Fall! 

Maybelline products were buy one, get on 50% off, so I decided to pick up a Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer! This was also a repurchased product, and its not my favorite primer out there, but I do like it! I usually use this on work days (because good/ expensive makeup shouldn't be wasted on days sitting at an office desk)! It gets me through the day with minimal shine or oiliness, and is does give a nice base for foundation. The consistency reminds me a lot of the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, and I actually think it performs very similarly (and ahem.. its a like 1/5 of the price)!   

And last but not least... I had to purchase another NYX lip product! ;) I've been looking for the Butter Gloss in Tiramisu for a while, and it was always out of stock in Ulta! So... I basically jumped on it when I saw it in CVS! It is sooo lovely! The perfect shiny nude pinky color for Fall!! ♥ I'm in love! I actually think this will look great to top off the NYX Butter Lipstick I bought in Pops (see above). Its just so creamy! Not sticky or goopy at all! I definitely recommend checking these glosses out! 

So, as you can see, it was a busy weekend! ;) I had a nice double date night on Friday with the Boyfriend, spent some time with family on Saturday (even dyed my Aunt & cousin's hair!) and then spent some time with my BFF Sunday night! I hope you all had a great weekend also! Let me know what you've been trying out, buying, loving, and hating! I would love to hear about it!

♥ Nichole

Too Faced Rock N Roll Rock Candy Eye Shadow Collection $36

Too Faced Bulletproof 24-Hour Eye Liner- Dirt Bag $22

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner- Caribbean Sea $15

NYX Butter Lipstick- Hunk $5.99

NYX Butter Lipstick- Pops $5.99

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream- Addis Ababa $5.99

Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer- Fair $8.99

The Body Shop Coconut Soap $4

Crest 3D White Luxe Toothpaste, Glamorous White 2 Pack $8.99 ( I can only find it in a two pack online)

CVS Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover $6.49 (100% more promo not online)

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme $8.99

Maybelline New York Dream Bouncy Blush- Plum Wine $7.99

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer $6.99

NYX Butter Gloss- Tiramisu $4.99

Ulta Haul!!!



Hi everyone! Hope you are all having a good week so far! The weekend is almost here!! :)

I made my weekly trip to Ulta for some goodies that I've had my eyes on and decided to share with all of you! I love going to Ulta because even though I'm there all the time, I still find something new on most trips! There are three stores that are in my general area, so I like to mix it up and go to a different store each time if I can! That way I can maximize my chances of finding the hidden gems! :) Here is what I picked up this week! 

First up is Garnier Clean + Blackhead Eliminating Scrub. I love a good face scrub! And I also love anything that helps me combat my oily skin! So naturally I gravitated towards this when I found it! It Promises to unclog pores and clear complexion, is oil free and formulated for oily skin, and also contains salicylic acid! It claims that you will have unclogged pores and smoother skin after one use and diminished pores and clearer complexion after one week! Sounds good to me! :) 

Next up is Revlon ColorStay Makeup! I've heard about this foundation probably a million times from beauty gurus that I watch on YouTube and follow on blogs! People love this stuff! I'm so excited to give this a shot! I picked out the color 180 Sand Beige to match my skin tone. The bottle states that it is for normal/dry skin. Revlon also makes a ColorStay Makeup for combination/oily skin (which would probably suit me better), but this was the only one I could find on this Ulta trip and decided- What the heck, I'll give it a whirl!

Revlon products were buy one, get one 50% off this week so I picked up this Photo Ready Eye Primer Brightener! I have been looking for a good under eye highlighter that can also be used as a light concealer! I had planned on trying out a Maybelline one, but since there was a sale I decided to pinch some pennies where I could! I'm really glad I picked this up! I can already tell from the swatch that I love the creamy consistency of this! It offers a nice glow without any real shimmer or glitter which is perfect for everyday use! AND I love that this also pulls double duty as an eye primer! The color (003) is a bit peachy which I love for this time of year! 

Now on to my NYX goodies! :) I've had my eyes on this NYX Hi Definition Photo Concealer for a while! I LOVE NYX products and I have yet to be disappointed in anything I have purchased from this brand! I've been meaning to pick this up for about a month now, but somehow always missed it on my previous Ulta trips! I'm happy to say this time I successfully placed it into my little Ulta shopping bag! I chose the color CW03 which seems to be a bit on the peachy/pink side but those undertones are usually perfect for keeping my under eyes from looking too "white" after applying concealer. The consistency seems like it is easily blendable and dries to a light almost powder-like feel! It is a bit On the thinner side, but also like it is very buildable for more coverage if needed! 

I. Have. Been. Dying. To. Try. This.!!!! I came across this NYX Illuminator on Ulta's website when I was browsing around a few weeks ago, and have been looking for it ever since! It was often sold out in my local stores, but I was finally able to snag one this weekend! I love the consistency of this highlighter! It's almost a creamy powder when you swatch it, and gives the most subtle, beautiful glow! It reminds me of a dupe for Too Faced Candlelight pressed powder highlighter (which I have only swatched in store). I'm really excited that I finally found this one and can't wait to start trying it out! 

I'm loving these NYX shadow sticks! This is the second one I have purchased recently and I chose this color (Flushed) because I thought it would be perfect for an inner corner highlight as well as an all over shadow look! They are a nice, creamy texture, but also have very nice staying power. I really like them on their own, but they are also nice when topped with a powder eyeshadow!

This Essence I ♥ Extreme Crazy Volume mascara was actually something that I saw on a YouTube review that my all time favorite beauty guru Emily Eddington posted recently! She was raving about this product and how she goes through so many tubes of it! I knew it was something I had to try! It promises "extreme & crazy volume" and "ultra black" lashes! I will link to the video below :) Let me just say, I already gave this one a try and Oh. My. God. It is seriously amazing! After one coat on my lashes I literally said "Oh my God!" out loud! I will definitely be putting a full review together soon for this one! :)I really am in LOVE!

These little guys I actually picked up as a gift for a friend! I think they are awesome! This was one of those "Oooo I've never seen these before!" things that I came across this week! I love the little palettes and how they put six similar shades together to get a nice eye look! I picked out the Café Latte palette which has a nice mix of dark and light brown shades and the Berry Bloom palette which has nice pinks and berry toned shades! I love that you can get so many eyeshadow looks out of these palettes! I think they make a great gift and hope my friend loves them! 

So that concludes this weeks Ulta Haul! I picked up some really great things that I've been really excited to try and so far, I have been really enjoying them! I'm sure I will be heading back to Ulta again this weekend (maybe even tonight)! Enjoy the rest of the week and thanks again for reading! :)

♥ Nichole

Garnier Clean+ Blackhead Eliminating Scrub $7.99

Revlon ColorStay Makeup for Normal/Dry Skin SPF 15 (Sand Beige) $12.99

Revlon Photo Ready Eye Primer Brightener $10.49

NYX Hi Definition Photo Concealer Wand $4.99

NYX Illuminator (Ritualistic) $8.99

NYX Infinite Shadow Stick (Flushed) $8.99

Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara $4.99

Runway Eyeshadow Glamour Palette (Berry Bloom) $4.99 (Café Latte not shown on site but same price)

emilynoel83- Best in Beauty: June 2014 (At about 5:24 she begins to discuss the Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume mascara! :)