Review: Benefit Cosmetics Majorette

Hi Guys! 

I had a special request from one of my followers to try out Benefit Cosmetics new Majorette cream blush! It was something that I had already considered purchasing, so when she asked me about it I decided what better time to try it then now? So I stopped by my local Ulta store the next day and picked it up so that I could give you guys my feedback!

First, the packaging is adorable as usual! Benefit always knocks it out of the park with the cutesy-girly factor! I was glad to see that it came with a mirror on the inside of the "compact" which also means its convenient to throw in your purse or makeup bag on the go! Another thing I was really happy to see is the clear, plastic "dome" that goes directly over the blush so it won't dry out! The only packaging downside is that it is a little bulky for so little product (I mean...we all know how valuable space is on our makeup vanities)!

The blush itself is super creamy and goes on very smooth! I used my E.l.f. Small Stipple Brush to apply it to the apples of my cheeks and blended it towards my temples a bit! It gives a VERY soft peachy-pink glow to the cheeks! My favorite part is that it dries to a nice smooth and soft powder finish! It doesn't stay sticky or tacky like some other cream blushes do! I didn't feel like I needed to "set" it with a powder blush or finishing powder.
I also found that once it dried completely and was on for an hour or so, the color (I use this term very lightly) darkened a bit and became slightly more pigmented as it oxidized on my skin. For me this was definitely a good thing since I tend to prefer a brighter blush! Again, this change was VERY subtle, but it made me like the color pay off a lot more than when I initially applied it! Overall I think its a very natural blush look!
However, I am not blown away by the product overall. I found that by the middle of the day the blush started breaking down for me. It definitely got blotchy and seemed to fade in some spots (the rest of my makeup was totally matte and intact). I also noticed that it appeared to be settling into my pore a bit and taking on somewhat of a cakey look. So I ended up being pretty disappointed in the product. While it looks great for the first half of the day, it seems to clock out before you do. 

Another downside for this product is the price for me. For $28 you are getting a very small amount of product (one of those situations where you are definitely paying for the cutesy packaging). If that is a major sticking point for you, I would highly recommend trying Maybelline's Dream Bouncy Blushes. I think the quality is much better and they have tons of colors for less than a third of the price of Majorette! 

Taken at 7:30AM (an hour after applying)

Taken @ 1PM- 6.5 hours after applying. Notice blotchy and cakey

I hope you enjoyed this review and that it helps you decide if you have been on the fence or are curious about this product! Thanks so much for reading! I love you guys!

♥ Nichole

Ps. I am very close to reaching one thousand views! Stay tuned for an announcement in the next week or so! ;)

Benefit Cosmetics Majorette $28

Also mentioned: Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush $7.99

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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

Beautyblender- The Original $19.95

Milani Bronzer XL All Over Glow- Fake Tan $9.99

Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminator- Bare Light $13.99

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer- Light $8.99

Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Pan - Beaches and Cream $5.99

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

e.l.f. Essential Beauty School 4-Piece Shimmer Gloss Set $5 

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Root Booster Blow Dry Lotion- $7.49

Charming Charlie Candy Shop Necklace Set- Purple $15

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

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

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

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

National Lipstick Day- Favorite Summer Lipsticks

Hi everyone!! 

Happy National Lipstick Day! :)

Lipstick is one of those beauty products that I can never seem to get enough of, or have too many of! I love the fact that such a simple product can make a woman feel so much better about herself! Whether it's by making her feel more confident, powerful, or strong; sometimes all a woman needs to feel good is a new lipstick to get excited about! So, in honor of this fabulous holiday, I thought I would share my thoughts on some of the lipsticks that I have been loving so far this summer! 

First up is actually a set that my mom gave me for my birthday earlier this month! I love Tarte's Amazonian Butter Lipsticks, and I definitely had my eye on a few colors! This set has 5 full size lipsticks in it for only $33! 

The colors are all pink/reddish tones and they feel amazing on the lips! They do not dry my lips out and have great staying power when I am just out and about or at the office! I do find that I need to touch up a bit after eating or drinking something, but that would be my only (very minor) complaint. My favorite thing about this set is that it can totally take me from the summer months with the lighter shades and in to Fall with some of the darker shades! The colors I have been wearing most this summer are Angelic Nude, a pretty pinky nude color, Sweet Peach, the most perfect peach color for this time of year, and Candy Red, a gorgeous color that is perfect for a little pop or va-va-voom! The set is online only at Ulta, but I would totally recommend ordering one if you are interested in Tarte's Amazonian Butter Lipsticks or the colors! They do sell single lipsticks both online and in store for $16 each, but the price for all 5 cannot be beat! 

(From top left: Candy Red, Sweet Peach, Angelic Nude, Pink Poinsetta, Merry Berry)

In the more drugstore price range, I have been loving New York Color's Expert Last Lip Colors! 

These lipsticks are SUPER pigmented!! I often find that even after eating or drinking my lips are stained and still have some color on them! You can go as light or as dark as you want with these, which is something I absolutely love about them! If I am going for something a bit more sheer, I just put some clear lip balm underneath! I found a huge array of colors in my local CVS store for a measly $1.99! I'm now thinking I need to go pick up a few more ASAP! ;) My favorite colors for summer have been Peach Fizz, a pretty peach color with a little bit of shimmer/ frost (definitely frosted in a good way), Coralista, an amazing bright coral/ orange with redish undertones that I am totally in love with, and Air Kiss, the most perfect bright hot pink with slightly bluish undertones (this one might be my favorite). 

(From top: Peach Fizz 433, Coralista 445,   Air Kiss 404)

So those are my favorite summer lipsticks! I have really been loving the bright colors that are totally trendy right now and it has been a nice change to step out of the box from my usual sheer summer glosses! Would love to hear about your favorite summer lipsticks! Like I said... I can never have too many ;)

Hope you all have a great day!

♥ Nichole

Tarte Online Only Kiss and Makeup 5 Pc Amazonian Butter Lipstick Set $33

NYC Expert Last Lip Color, Peach Fizz $1.99

NYC Expert Last Lip Color, Coralista $1.99

NYC Expert Last Lip Color, Blue Rose $1.99