Target Beauty Box

Hello beauty lovers!

As you know from my last post, I am a bit obsessed with subscription box services lately! When I saw that Target was jumping on the beauty box bandwagon, I knew I had to have it! Com'on, it's Target! How could I not?

The Target Beauty Box isn't a monthly subscription but rather a one time purchase. I love this because you can decided whether or not you want to purchase the box based upon what products are being sent, which is something you can't really do with other beauty boxes. I purchased mine and received the box a little less than two weeks later! I really, really, really love the idea of these boxes! I think the value of the box is fabulous considering that for a measly $7 (which includes shipping) you get full sized items and very deluxe sized sample products! I also love that the boxes are basically all the same with the exception of the products only varying by color!

The product I was most excited about was the L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Lip Color! I am a huge fan of these and already have them in a handful of  colors! Honestly, these sell for $8-$10 alone, so the box more than pays for itself in this one product! I received the color Ruby Opera which is a gorgeous red color that borders on a mix of true red and brick red (but not super dark). I didn't have this color in my collection so I was really happy! I think it will be the perfect red color for the holiday season! 

The next product I was really excited to try was the L'Oreal Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hair Spray! Seriously.. this stuff runs about $14.99 for a full sized bottle. Granted this is just a small (but deluxe) sample at 2.2oz, but I've heard great things about it and have been wanting to try it for a while now! I'm glad I can sample it now without having to commit to a $15 bottle of something I might hate! 

I've also been on a bit of a jumbo eye pencil kick lately, so I was glad to see that this box had a Nyx one! I basically love everything Nyx, so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. I received the color Milk (604), which I will probably use as an eyeshadow base or along my inner water line to brighten my eyes! 

I do like to use a dry shampoo on occasion, so I wasn't upset to see a deluxe sized same of Fekkai Professional Blowout Hair Refresher Dry Shampoo. I have super thin and basically lifeless hair, so sometimes I like to tszuj it up a little bit with dry shampoo! I typically apply a little to my roots near my crown and my bangs so it helps to add a bit of texture and grip to my hair when it's squeaky clean!

The last item, Laneige BB Cushion, was one that I have never heard of before, but according to Target's website, it is exclusive to Target. We all know I'm not a fan of BB Creams, but I will give this a shot since the website states that it "prevents shine". I'm skeptical, but we shall see! Plus, it's always fun to try new things! :)

Overall, I am really happy with the Target Beauty Box! I love the idea and think the value is really great! I seriously hope they keep doing these because the price is definitely right for me and I will probably continue to purchase them as they release new ones!

If you subscribe to (or purchase) any beauty boxes or other types of boxes, I would love to hear about them! I'm always looking to try new ones! 

As always, thanks so much for reading!

♥ Nichole

Target Beauty Box

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Radiant Orchid Obsession!

Hi everyone! 

So, I'm sure most of you have already noticed, Radiant Orchid is EVERYWHERE!! And... I am totally obsessed! I cannot seem to get enough of this color lately! I've just been gravitating to it in all forms! It's so pretty, bright and fun... and seeing it just seems to make me happy! It's kind of funny because when this color was first named as Pantone's Color of The Year for 2014, I was a little blah about it. I went on a huge plum craze a few years ago and had just kind of been over the whole purple thing. But, the more I see Radiant Orchid working it's way in to popular trends, the more I want all things Radiant Orchid! Told you... I'm obsessed! I started realizing that I have developed a little collection of various Radiant Orchid items and I thought I would share with you! 

My first real introduction to Radiant Orchid actually came from a lip product that was in my June Birchbox! When I first opened the box and saw the LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Menatour I was a little skeptical. I immediately thought "Damn! What a waste, I'll never wear this!". But then I swatched it and was pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate it! And then, I put it on my lips, looked in the mirror and LOVED it! I was really surprised that the color worked for me. That was just the beginning of a budding obsession! It has easily been one of my go-to lip products all summer! The product itself is a sheer, but very pigmented creamy and smooth consistency. Even with the bright color I find that it glides on super easily and doesn't bleed all over my lip line. The staying power isn't the best, and does need to be reapplied after eating or drinking! If you are looking for a simple way to ease in to the Radiant Orchid trend, this is definitely a great option! 

One night over dinner my boyfriend asked why I never wear "color" eyeshadows (as in blues, greens, purples, pinks, etc.) and why I always stick to "brown". Truth is I just never thought most bright colors looked very good on me and always wanted to avoid looking like a clown! Or worse, Mimi from that Drew Cary show years back (I think it traumatized me)! Any way, a few days later I was browsing CVS and was staring at one of my other recent obsessions, L'Oreal' Infallible Eyeshadows. I saw a pretty Radiant Orchid-ish shade and thought it would be a nice way to work some "color" into my eyeshadow look and see what my boyfriend thought of it! So on our next date night I used this color all over the lid and then went into the crease with a dark brown from the same collection and used a little gold highlight on my brow bone and inner corners! He loved it! Now, he is a guy so the most I got out of him was "It looks nice... I like it!" Haha, but it was nice to change it up a bit, not just for him, but myself too! It's nice to get out of "the box" every now and then!

Now, this next product is where I think my obsession really started to take off... I was standing at the Clinique counter with my mom a few weeks ago while she made a quick return, and I saw the Cheek Pop blushes. All of the pretty, bright, fun, pinky, purpley, orchid colors started to draw me in! I swatched a few of them and felt that rush of excitement that all makeup addicts feel when they find a fun new product! ;) I decided it wasn't worth trying to resist and that I had to have one! I chose the color Plum Pop which was a little on the pinker side of orchid, but I was still new to the trend so I didn't want to go cray.. and because... Mimi. Once I started using this at home I found the color to be less intense than I wanted it to be. I was a little bummed at myself for playing it safe and thought that I should have gone with one of the truer purple orchid colors they had in the line. I still may go back and pick one up though ;)

In the meantime, I wanted to make the color work for me and decided that I needed something to help it along to give it the more purple orchid feel I was going for. I picked up a Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush which I also have been loving) in Orchid Hush, which is a cream blush. This totally helped the Clinique blush pop! I've been putting my blush brush into the Maybelline cream blush and stippling it on my cheeks, and then topping that off with the Clinique powder blush in the same stippling motion. 

This works wonders for the color I wanted to achieve and by topping it with the powder blush I am able to set the cream blush! I've been loving the combination for the last two weeks or so!

My next purchase came when I decided that I needed to check out the NYX Butter Glosses! Any other time I would have definitely gone for a coral or nude colored gloss from this line. But, I was full on in the midst of Radiant Orchid obsession and decided to go with a color that would satisfy my urges to have more of this fabulous color in my life! I chose the color Strawberry Parfait. I love these glosses so much! They are very sheer, but still pigmented enough that they have decent color payoff. The texture is smooth and not at all goopy! I love this gloss on its on for a more subtle every day look or used to top off a more intense color and add some shine. 

For most of this summer I have been using Revlon's Gel Envy Nail Enamels! These things are amazing! They are super pigmented and opaque, and the whole system is easy to use and pretty fool proof! I saw the Radiant Orchid-ish color, Up The Ante, in a magazine and literally had to stop at CVS on my way home the next day so I could have it! There was only one left on the shelf, so I knew it was meant to be! ;) I went home that night and got to work on my mani-pedi with my pretty new polish! After one coat of this color I was deeply in love with it! It is soooo gorgeous!!! I have been wearing it for almost 3 weeks now with no end in sight! The color makes me instantly happy when I see it on my nails! If you buy only one thing in the Radiant Orchid trend, make it this nail polish! You will not be disappointed! :) I promise!

In my last Ulta haul post I talked about new NYX Butter Lipstick that I picked up in the color Hunk! I've used this one a few times over the last week and I LOVE it! Its a bit of a deeper Radiant Orchid shade, but I love that it is bright enough to be worn now in the later summer months and that it will totally work as a nice Fall color also! Best of both worlds if you ask me!

And lastly (for now at least), my Radiant Orchid obsession has officially made its way into my wardrobe! I was in Old Navy this weekend and when I saw the color of this t-shirt, and that there was only one left, AND it was my size, I quickly scooped it up! Its just a simple v-neck t-shirt, but I love the simplicity of it and that I will be able to dress it up or down! Its also a great transitional top for in between Summer and Fall!
 I'm sure the t-shirt will be the first of many items in this color to be added to my wardrobe this Fall! I already have my eyes on some jewelry and accessories! :)
Is anyone else dying over this color lately? If so let me know what goodies you have found and what I should try out! I can't wait to see what other fun Radiant Orchid things come out for the Fall season! I hope everyone is having a good week so far! As always, thanks for reading!

♥ Nichole 

LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil- Menatour $18

L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Eyeshadow- Burst Into Bloom $8.29

Clinique Cheek Pop- Plum Pop $21

Maybelline New York Dream Bouncy Blush- Orchid Hush $7.99

NYX Butter Gloss- Strawberry Parfait $4.99

Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy- Up The Ante $7.99

NYX Butter Lipstick- Hunk $5.99

Old Navy Women's Slub-Knit V-Neck Tees- Winter Wine $12.50

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

Battle of The Finishing Powders

Hi everyone!

So now that you all know about my obsession with having a completely matte face, I thought I would do a little product comparison today!

I love a good finishing powder as part of my makeup routine and I find that it really is one of the most important aspects of achieving that totally matte look that I am after. I have tried SO many over the years but have recently fallen in love with NYX HD Studio Photogenic Finishing Powder.

 It is a totally translucent, mineral powder that sets my foundation and concealer perfectly. It can be a bit on the "powdery" side, but not in a cakey way, and the texture is so super fine that it easily blends and virtually disappears once I apply my bronzer and blush. 

It has quickly become my favorite finishing powder! My only complaint would be that it is a loose powder which can be really messy and difficult to travel with. Which leads me in to my thoughts on another setting powder I've been trying out for a few weeks now. 

I was longing for a pressed setting powder that was decently priced, great for not only everyday use, but great for touch ups on the go and extended traveling too. Well, a few months ago, during one of my many Ulta trips I came across Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Pressed Finishing Powder. I thought all of my finishing powder dreams had finally come true! It felt so smooth and silky when I swatched it on my hand! I was head over heals! Problem was it was always out of stock in my local Ulta stores and it was a bit pricier than I was hoping to find. But one day, it was finally in stock so I quickly scooped it up and decided that it was fate and the price would be worth it! 

So, for the last few weeks I have been testing it out and I've gotta say... I am totally disappointed. While the product feels amazing going on and it is less messy and "powdery", it does not keep my face matte nearly as long. I am shiny and oily in a matter of a couple of hours. Huge, huge, huge disappointment! I find myself going back to my much more effective and much less expensive NYX option. The mess of the NYX finishing powder  is a small price to pay for a totally matte finish to my face! I have repurchased the NYX finishing powder several times now, but must say I will not be repurchasing the Tarte version. The price points are a large factor in this as well. At $9.99 the NYX powder is much more affordable than the Tarte powder at $34.00. If you are looking for a great finishing powder, I would highly recommend giving the NYX one a shot!

If you have come across any other finishing products that you love, please let me know in the comments below! Always looking to give new products a try! 
I hope you all have a great weekend! I will be attending a bridal shower and bachelorette party this weekend so I am super excited! I could not be happier to celebrate a great friend- she totally deserves it and I know it will be a great time!

♥ Nichole

NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder Translucent Finish $9.99

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Pressed Finishing Powder $34.00