Showing posts with label Eyeshadow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eyeshadow. Show all posts

Monday, October 13, 2014

Review: theBalm- Smoke Balm Eyeshadow Palette

Hi guys!
Just a quick review today! I've had this palette laying around for a while now and for whatever reason, I just never used it. Not even once! Possibly because the eyeshadow colors seemed more Fall like to me.. I don't know. BUT... a few days ago I was reorganizing some of my makeup and came across it, tucked away in a drawer. I decided to leave it out in arms reach and give it a go sooner or later! 
Well.. I finally decided to use it Friday night when we were getting together with some friends and I wanted to get all dolled up! Oh. My. God.!!! I was soooo in love with the look I was able to get with this little trio palette! The shadows are unbelievable and applied like a dream! The formula is just such a great quality! They are very pigmented, which I love, but lets talk about blending... They were so so easy to blend! No harsh lines or smudge marks, just beautiful blended glory!
I'm obsessed and have decided I definitely need more of theBalm's eyeshadows in my life! The fun part is that Kohls now sells the line in their stores and online (which is actually where I got this palette a few months ago). 
Here are the swatches and the look I created! 

Kindle: Used this shade all over the lid. It's a gorgeous almost mix of a dark emerald and peacock green. It is a satin finish with just a tiny bit of sparkle to it! So pretty and made my blue eyes pop!

Glow: Quite possibly the most perfect crease shade that I have come across in a LONG time! Its not too dark, its not orangey, its just a perfect light brown tone! I think I would even pull this little palette out just to use this color in my crease on other eye looks! Beautiful and I'm totally obsessed!

Combust: I used this one two different ways.. On my brow bone for highlight as a pretty, soft, satin goldish color, and I also used it wet in the inner corners of my eyes to really make it pop and then blended it in with the greenish color, Kindle just in the inner corner of the lid. I was so happy with the way it turned out! Absolutely loved it and found that it was easily used wet or dry!



I finished the look with a black eyeliner and a few coats of mascara on my top and bottom lashes. I love the drama that I got out of this look, but also loved how it wasn't so super dark or harsh like some smokey eyes can be. I finished with a simple plum toned cheek to play off the greenish color and a very simple nude lip!

I will definitely be checking out some more of theBalm's collection, especially now that it is so accessible in my local Kohl's stores! I cannot wait to get my hands on more of this of this stuff!!

♥ Nichole


Instagram: @Coley0702
Twitter: @Coley7286

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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

August Favorites

Hello lovelies! 
I cannot believe it's already September! It feels like I just did July Favorites! But, I am more than happy to say goodbye to August, I've never been a big fan. At first when I started thinking about my favorite things this month, I didn't think I had many new things to share with you. But then I looked at my vanity and bathroom counter and realized I had some really good stuff! :) Some of them I have already showed you in a haul post or two, but I also realized that some of my actual favorites are things I just picked up randomly during my travels! 

In the last month or so, I have really been loving my Beauty Blender! I actually got this in my Christmas stocking this past year, but never really used it much before now! I am starting to become slightly obsessed! I love this way this blends my foundation perfectly! I use mine damp and just bounce the foundation all over until its blended the way I want! It helps me to use less product and I love the look it allows me to achieve! If you haven't tried this yet, you need to ASAP! 
I finally decided to pick up the Milani Bronzer XL in Fake Tan! I would pass by this so many times and think "Well, I wanna try it, but it's probably nothing thrilling." and I would opt for another item I had my eye on! Let's just say that was really stupid of me! It's amazing! I love the dual shades that can be used individually or mixed together. It gives the BEST bronzed glow! It's totally matte, doesn't make me look "muddy" at all and I can use the darker shade for contouring! Its so versatile! I've probably worn this everyday this month! ;)
Since August has been pretty damn humid (ew) I haven't really felt like wearing a full foundation every day. Instead I've been using Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminator in Bare Light. I mix this into my Revlon Primer (a Favorite from last month) and apply it all over my face. Then I just go in with a little concealer wherever I need it, and finish with setting powder and bronzer! I love the glow that this gives my skin! It's one of those products that really makes you look like you are glowing from within! It's a pearly shimmer, but doesn't cake my face in glitter! No one wants that! It's light and airy and perfect during these gross, hot, humid, August days!
Speaking of concealer, another product I have basically used every day this month is Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer (longest name ever!!!). This stuff gives amazing coverage without being super thick! In fact, it's a pretty thin formula for how much coverage it gives, which is impressive! I love the little "pouf ball" on the end of the "wand" and it helps me get just the right amount of product that I want! I usually blend the product out with my beauty blender and I love the look it all gives! I think this will definitely be a repurchase soon since I'm running low! :)

As for eyeshadows, I don't think it will be a big surprise that I am choosing a Makeup Geek eyeshadow pan in Beaches and Cream. Ugh I just love this shade! It just seems like it can do so much more than any other eyeshadow I've ever owned! I can use it solely all over the lid, to blend my crease, to transition into a different shade.. the options are just endless and I am constantly finding new ways that I love using it for my eye looks! I would be so bold to say that if you pick only a few Makeup Geek shades to try or add to your collection, make sure this is definitely one of them! :)

Another product I think I have used just about every day this month is the new Too Faced Bulletproof 24 Hour Liner in Dirt Bag. This stuff really and truly is bulletproof! I've never worn an eyeliner that is as long lasting as this one is! It seriously blows me away! I will usually put this on around 6am and I swear, not only does it not budge all day (or irritate my eyes- yay!) but it still looks flawless at the end of the day when I go to take my makeup off for the night! It's amazing! I love that this liner can be used for basic every day work looks and can also totally glam up a more dramatic look for evening or more social situations. I love the deep brown (think dark chocolate) and the teeny tiny micro specks of gold shimmer/glitter! I will definitely not only repurchase this one, but I also plan on picking up more shades! 
As far as lip products go, I have really been loving a lip gloss set that I picked up in Target by e.l.f.! These lip glosses are so super pigmented and I love the formula to death! They aren't sticky or goopy AT ALL! They go on so creamy smooth and feel like soft buttah (ha) on your lips! They don't dry my lips out, but I wouldn't say I noticed a ton of hydration from these alone either. I love these for a simple pop of color that is more casual! Perfect for day time or at the office! My boyfriend loves them too because, "They're not gross!" Hahaha! So they are kiss approved! ;) I think these were part of an e.l.f. back-to-school collection. The cherry reddish color has a little bit of sparkle in it, but nothing too crazy or super noticeable. The peachy color has just a teeny bit of shimmer to it. The hot pink color has zero glitter or shimmer and is just glossy! And finally the light pink color is a pearly and a teeny bit shimmery! I think all of the colors are perfect and offer a wide variety for different looks! I totally see why this was marketed as a back to school set! It would be perfect for a young teen or young adult to throw into their backpack or makeup bag! And you can't beat $5 for four great lip glosses! ;)
Earlier this summer I picked up a coconut lotion from Ulta's body line. It comes in an aerosol spray can and is all about the 'spray & go" concept. I must say, I love me a time saver! But even more than the convenience of the product, I love the summer coconut smell and the formula of this is heavenly!! It's not a super think or sticky lotion! It glides on your skin so smoothly and feels really cooling and hydrating! I love this especially for the summer months because I cannot stand feeling sticky from lotion when its super hot and humid! This has been a lifesaver not only for the month of August, but all summer long! The bad news is I can't find this on anywhere on Ulta's website!! I'm not sure if this was just limited edition for summer or if there are other scents! I will definitely look into finding more again and let you know if I come up with anything!
This month I decided to include a hair product! Since I happen to have the thinnest, most baby-fine hair on the planet I need all the help I can get out of volumizing products! I heard rave reviews on John Frieda's Luxurious Volume Root Boosting Blow Dry Lotion (another ridiculously long named product) and tried to purchase it in a few different locations but it was always sold out! Usually that's a good enough sign to me that it's a well liked product! I finally found one single bottle left on a shelf in Ulta a few weeks ago and jumped at the chance to try it! I've been using this every time I blow dry my hair and I can definitely tell a difference! It gives me a little more bounce and lift in my roots and doesn't make my hair hard or "crunchy" at all! Definitely worth trying if you have thinner hair like me or even if you just want to get a little more bounce to your hair!
As you have probably already noticed, lately I have been obsessed with all things Radiant Orchid! I just cannot get enough of it! I was in Charming Charlie's earlier this month and came across this beautiful orchid and navy blue bib-ish style necklace. I have literally worn this every chance I could get this month. Literally. Like to the point where my boyfriend pointed out that I wore it the last three or four times I saw him! LOL! I freaking love it!!! I love it casual, I love it dressy, I love it just hanging on my jewelry organizer! Its just so pretty that I felt that it needed it's own little shout out in my monthly favorites! Annnnd it even comes with little orchid drop earrings! Ugh- LOVE it and can't stop wearing it!!

So that about wraps up my August Favorites! It's funny how I thought I didn't have much at first but was able to come up with a bunch of stuff to ramble on about! Let me know if there is anything you have been loving this past month! I would love to hear about it!
On to September! :)

Thanks for reading!
♥ Nichole



































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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows: New Addiction!

Hello loves! 
Today I have a review for you that I am SO excited to share! My favorite thing to do lately is wind down at the end of a long day by watching the latest YouTube videos that my favorite gurus have recently uploaded. I am constantly finding new products to try or look into and their videos inspire to continue to be creative and try new things when it comes to beauty! I've been a little bit obsessed with Jaclyn Hill's channel recently, and in several of her videos she uses Makeup Geek products. Jaclyn has raved about the Makeup Geek eyeshadows and said that they were her absolute favorite. Com'on... after a review like that... you know I had to get my hands on some! ;)
A few weeks ago, my BFF and I decided to place an order together and got some of the eyeshadow colors that we have been hearing about and eyeing up on the site! I ordered four shadow pans and a rounded blush brush! 
These shadows are so so so pigmented and creamy! They apply like a dream! I do not experience fall out under my eyes at all with these! It really was love at first swatch with all of them! I loved the first few so much that I NEEDED to order more! At only $5.99 each, they are super affordable! I pop them right into my DIY ZPalette that I made a few nights ago!

Here are some swatches and short descriptions:

Peach Beach- Soft peach tone, matte shade. Love this as a transition shade for the crease or a blending shade!
Cupcake- Beautiful matte pink color. Has just a touch of mauve to it. Also love this one for the crease and blending!
Mermaid- Gorgeous satin bluish teal shade. Love this on the lid or for a pop of color liner.
Shimma Shimma- Pretty, pearly, and shimmery highlight tone. Love this on the inner corners and brow bone! It's just amazing!
Frappe- Warm matte brown tone, perfect crease shade! I am quickly falling in love with this one!
Hipster- Cool taupe tone that is incredible! Great color for Fall all over the lid or blended into the crease!
Cinderella- Beautiful pink toned satin highlight! Perfect for all over the lid or brow bone!
Glamorous- Totally gorgeous goldish bronze satin tone! Great for a pop of color and very versatile!
Homecoming- The most perfect Champagne Gold satin tone with just a touch of taupe! Totally obsessed with this one!
Cocoa Bear- Very warm brown tone! So pretty for the crease!
Country Girl- Omg! This one might be my favorite! Warm matte wine shade! So many options with this one! Great for Fall all over the lid or in the crease!

As you can probably tell, I went mostly for my typical taupes, browns, and bronzy shades, but I still wanted to put in some pops of color! I think all of these eyeshadow shades will be perfect for transitioning from late Summer to early Fall (and even work well for actually Fall)! I'm so excited to keep working with these on a daily basis and I know it probably won't be long before I put in another order for more!
If you are looking for a new eyeshadow to try I would definitely recommend these! So affordable, so many shades to choose from, and seriously great quality!
Eye look created with Beaches and Cream all over lid, Cupcake blended into crease, Frappe to darken crease, Cocoa Bear on outer corner of crease and Shimma Shimma to highlight brow bone and inner corners.
I know its hard to see.. and please excuse my ratchet hair (because Tuesday blah) and horrible office lighting.

As always, thanks so much for reading! I seriously love you guys!
 ♥ Nichole


*All are $5.99 





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Tuesday, August 12, 2014

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 


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Thursday, August 7, 2014

Too Faced Rock N Roll Rock Candy Eye Shadow Collection Review

Hi guys!
So as you know from my previous Ulta haul, I picked up the new Too Faced Rock N Roll palette that I just couldn't wait to have! I planned on waiting until closer to Fall for this one because of the pretty jewel tones and darker shades, but I ran out of patience! Is anyone else DYING for fall yet or is it just me?
First of all, how adorable is the packaging?! I love the pink and black design! There are nine colors in the palette, all named after various music genres, which I thought was a really cool way to present them! There is only one totally matte shade in the pallet (Rockabilly) that makes a great highlight shade, while the other eight shadows all have a shimmer or glitter to them. The more shimmery shades are New Romantic (also a highlight shade) and Ska. New Wave, Rap, Pop, Heavy Metal, Glam Rock, and Punk all have a very glittery finish.
The right side of the palette has all of the lighter highlighting colors. The top color, Rockabilly, is a creamy matte shade that is best for highlighting. Its a basic neutral color that is cream/ off white and always good to have on hand in a palette like this! The middle color, New Wave, is a very, very, very glittery pinkish toned highlighter. I find this one to be a little bit chalky with really chunky glitter. Not my favorite look! The bottom color, New Romantic, is my favorite! It is a creamy, almost champagne toned color that is so pretty on the brow bone! I really like the way it plays off the darker colors in this palette and blends everything together really nicely! 
The middle column of the pallet has some of the brighter pops of color. The top color is Rap, a gorgeous bright gold, edgy color that definitely gives off  a bit of that Rock & Roll feel! I love this in the inner corners of my eyelids for a pop of color! It's creamy and has glitter throughout, but I think the bright color tones down some of the sparkle! It's one of my favorite colors in the palette! The middle color, Pop, is a pretty, but super dark plum color...like SUPER dark! Much darker on the eyes than in the pan or swatch! This also has some glitter in it as well, but nothing crazy. I was able to use this the other day as my outer corner color and blend it up into the crease to soften it up a bit and get a really pretty eye look without it being too harsh! The bottom color, Glam Rock, is a really hard color to describe! Its is almost a gun metal or pewter type of color with a greenish undertone that also has glitter in it. I've been a little puzzled over how I want to use this one honestly! It is really pretty and I'm thinking it might be good for a darker smokey eye!
The left side of the palette has the darkest colors. I'm slightly obsessed with the top swatch, Ska! It is such a pretty brown color with a little bit of bronze in it! It is one of the few shimmery shades in the palette and I think it is really versatile! I love using it all over the lid with a darker shade in my crease or with a lighter color on the lid and then put this in my crease! So many options with this one! The middle color, Heavy Metal scares me just a little bit hahaha! I find this one really difficult to use! It is a very dark navy blue color with glitter and I'm really just not so sure about this one. Other than using this as a liner on my upper lash line, I don't see a whole lot of options for it in everyday use. I think this one is the color that they really could have omitted from the palette altogether. The bottom and last color is Punk. This one is a dark forest greenish color that almost pulls black with (you guessed it!!) glitter in it. I'm not a huge fan of this one either to be honest. I think this is also a difficult color to work with. I would have much rather seen a true black shadow with some shimmer or glitter than a greenish shade. Just kinda meh about it really. 
Eye look using Ska on lids, Rap in crease and inner corners, and Rockabilly as highlight
Overall, I am really on the fence with the collection of shadows in this palette. I definitely had higher hopes for it and expected to be more excited to use it/ more impressed by it. It's just kind of confusing and I don't think there are a ton of different looks that you can really create with these nine colors alone. I feel like all you're really getting are a bunch of highlight colors and a bunch of dark colors. Neither of which really scream Rock N Roll to me! While the concept is a good one, I think they just totally missed the mark with the colors they chose to include. I think they would have been better off mixing up the finishes of these shadows a bit more. DEFINITELY less glitter would have been better, but more matte color options or more shimmer would have been great in my opinion! Even something a little more like the packaging would have been nice. Including a nice pink color, black, or silver would have tied it all together nicely! I think if they released their three newest palettes (Country, Rock N Roll, and Cat Eye) together in one larger palette (kind of like the Chocolate Bar) the look options would have been amazing! 
I plan to keep messing around with different looks from this palette and seeing if any of my opinions change (which I will definitely update if they do). I may try to work in some other shadows I have to see if I can balance some of it out or create a look that works better for me. 
Let me know if you have given this palette a try and what you think!
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great weekend! 

♥ Nichole



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