Fall Style: Black on Black

When I worked at Ulta, we were required to wear all black. I didn't really mind, because I love black, but I had never worn a completely black outfit before.

Even before I worked at Ulta my friends knew my favorite "color" to wear was black. I was known for it, it was expected of me. In one of my classes in college the professor was trying to get to know us a little better each time the class met and one day when he called the roll and got to me he said, "Hi Ivy..." with a sly grin, then said, "You like black, don't you?" I said, "Yes I do," and he said, "Well it looks good on you." We smiled and he moved on.

I want to say that was around Day 3 in the class. I wore black on black every single day for the longest time, and obviously people were noticing.

I don't wear that much black that often anymore, but I still love the way black on black looks. It's so classic, polished and put together. I gathered some pieces, all from H&M just to keep it easy, that are inspired by Olivia Palermo's black on black outfits.

I hope you enjoy!

                        

Links:

Chiffon Blouse

Imitation Leather Pants

Embroidered Skirt

Imitation Leather Bag

Tassel Earrings

Studded Pumps

Velvet Jacket

I love all of these pieces so much and I feel like they would mix and match pretty well. I think using different textures of the same color can make them easier to pair because it will add interest to the outfit and if the blacks aren't the same shade it's easier to get away with!

Let me know what you guys think!

Holy Grail Potential: Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense

Yep, I said it- Holy Grail Potential here, people! I spoke about the Clinique Quickliner for Eyes in my Face of the Day post and said that I used it a couple of times and each time I was amazed at how quickly and smoothly I was able to line my top lashline. Finally I looked down to read the name of the liner and chuckled upon realizing it was actually called "Quickliner," it couldn't be named anything more perfect.

Recently, I've stopped wearing eyeliner because it's so hit and miss for me. Some days it goes well and other days I'm sitting there with a Q-tip wiping it away over and over.

The one that I have was a free gift with purchase, so of course it isn't full of product, but there is plenty for me to be able to determine that I love it. Also, it doesn't have the smudger on the end, which I think is also an amazing touch and I'll tell you why later.

                               

Once again, because this is a GWP, of course they're not going to give you a normal color like black or brown, they give you, or the one I got anyway, is in 07 Intense Ivy, which is a very dark green, and I'm quite fond of the name Ivy ;)

As you can see from the swatch on my hand, it has a very pretty sheen and in real life, you can't even tell that it's green, it actually looks black so I don't mind it.

When I apply it, I just draw my line starting in the middle and I get it as nice looking as possible and then I take a small flat brush (that actually came with a Maybelline gel eyeliner) and finish smoothing the line out, so you can't tell where the line starts on my lash line and it overall, has a nice shape. This is where the smudger would come into play, making the product a complete package for me.

For me, what makes this liner so different from others is that a) it's very pigmented; you will not be pressing hard, dragging or redrawing to get a nice line, and b) it is very creamy so it's easy to manipulate.

It is also worth noting, that the swatch on my hand didn't come off until I rubbed it under warm water. I was going to add a picture of what it looked like when I tried to just rub it off with my other hand to test it, but honestly, it looked the exact same.

 I also cried while I was wearing it (I read a sad/inspirational story online), so the staying power in the waterline is excellent and there was no smudging or moving around.

I think this would be great for beginners, people in a hurry, people with smudging problems or people like me, who just can't seem to get the hang of top lash line liner! :)

Check it out here.

P.S.

This was going to be a double post with another Clinique product, but I can blab on so much about one eyeliner that I think I'm going to stop it here and save the second product for another day. (Seriously, the GWP is such a great idea because it introduced me to products that I wouldn't have tried before and now love!)

Keep an eye out for the next Holy Grail Potential Product and let me know if you guys have tried this liner, know of anything similar or have any questions!

Photo Diary: August

Hello Everyone! I've snapped a few pictures across the month of August and I thought I'd share. I don't take enough pictures in a week to do a week in pictures post, but I think a monthly recap post would be fun, so here we go!

1. We went into a brand new Pier 1 and they had Halloween stuff set up already! I love holiday decor :)

2. I had never had a macaron before so I found a bakery near us and we went on an adventure to find it. It was really cute and family owned. We ended up getting pistachio, mango, coconut almond and raspberry. I loved them, especially the coconut almond. The flavors were subtle, but I loved the texture, they're chewy, but a little crunchy on the outside- it was just so interesting!

3. At the same bakery they had Pumpkin Cream Cheese cupcakes and of course we had to try those. I love pumpkin so much and it was delicious!

4. Umm, yeah, another dessert photo, haha. It's an original glazed doughnut. We were on our way somewhere else and made a surprise pit-stop!

5. My drive home! I loved the scenery- so pretty!

6. I had to get food at this fast food restaurant while I was home. I got chicken strips, hush puppies and a corndog. The corndog counts as a side, which is crazy and amazing.

7. On my way back from home I listened to sTori Telling by Tori Spelling, which I really liked. It was my first time listening to a book in the car and I really liked it! I just love Tori Spelling!

8. We've been packing slowly but surely. We move at the beginning of next week so I know this weekend we're gonna be pretty busy packing everything we haven't been able to so far!

9. I had these purple ruffle pillows from my college apartment and the map pillows are my boyfriends and I needed to get the purple pillows off of a shelf so I put them like this on the couch and I'm not sure, but I liked how they looked! I probably won't leave them like this but I like the masculine/feminine look.

Last thing...I want to leave you with this video. This guys name is Alex and he's married to Mimi from LuxyHair. He makes very inspirational videos and I've been needing some encouragement recently as looking for a job after college can be so discouraging!

I hope this video or maybe one of his others can help you guys like they've helped me.

Let me know what you guys think about my pictures from August and also let me know if you watch this video and what you thought!

xx

Outfit of the Day: Faux Scalloped Edge and Sporty Spice

Yesterday was exciting as it was the day we got the keys to our new place. We don't move for a little over a week but it was fun to do a final walk through and see it empty one last time!

When I went and visited home for a week I went through my mom's closet and found this top. She came home from work and saw me wearing it and joked about how I'd gone through her closet, but I thought that the top was just so pretty and I didn't think that if I asked her if I could have it that she'd say yes. So, I was just going to enjoy my day wearing it...until she said that if I liked it, I could have it because she never wore it. Score! 

I love the high neckline and the ruffles and scallops running over it- it feels so flapper-esque! 

I love the look of tucking the top into the pants and leaving the scalloped edge hanging off, it's just so dainty and girly.

I had actually gotten a coupon from New York and Company that said you could get any pair of pants (besides denim) for $10. That's it. No buy a pair, get a pair for 10. You just get a pair for 10 off the bat. I have shopped there before but it had been a while, this coupon though, got my mom and I in there fast!

I tried this pair on and I didn't know how I was going to style them. Every time I tried them on I felt like Sporty Spice! I think it's the elastic waste and drawstring that made them feel like something athletic. Don't get me wrong- Sporty Spice was always the one I felt as if I identified with, even though I don't play sports or like wearing tennis shoes...yeah, I don't get it either. It just wasn't the look I was going for, okay? haha

After a while of not wearing them I was determined to make them work so I tucked my shirt in, just to give it a try and it was like magic! Suddenly, almost anything I wore with them looked...right. You guys know what I mean when you put something on and it either looks "right" or it doesn't?

I like that the black pants add a tiny bit of edge and the chains on the bag add a little more. I'm pretty minimalistic when it comes to accessories, so I didn't even wear a watch. I felt like the details on the shirt and the headband were enough so I just wore the thin gold bracelet I wear everyday. 

The headband I paired with the outfit is beaded and I thought it would  play off of the black/silver theme and the flapper vibe I get from the top well.

Together, it all just felt right. 

:)

Pants: New York and Company

Top: Ann Taylor Loft

Headband: New York and Company

Bag: Michael Kors

P.S. Did anybody else watch the VMAs? What was your favorite part?? I had a few...I'll just say this: Jared Leto, NSYNC, Drake. 

Yup :)

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara Review

The Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is definitely a "YouTube made me buy it" product. I haven't seen that many people talking about it, but those that do speak highly of it. This is one of those products that is just fun to try out because it's not a necessity (I guess no makeup really is, but you know what I mean!). You don't need a tiny mascara with a tiny wand only to be used on your bottom lashes, but hey, it can be difficult to get them all coated, particularly the ones in the corners, so why not give it a go?

I got mine in 01 Black, but it also comes in Black/Brown. Clinique claims this is a long-wearing formula and is smudge-resistant for up to 24 hours. I don't wear any makeup for 24 hours, but I have worn it an entire day and have had no smudging and little to no flaking. I don't have a problem with smudging generally, it's the flaking that is problematic for me, but I haven't really noticed that with this product.

As you can see, it is quite small- it's the size of a sample tube of mascara. Also, the bottle is very pretty, a gray and silver with a silver metallic floral pattern going around. The website says the bottle contains a 90 day supply, which is how long you're supposed to keep a regular mascara anyway, and is $10.

It does make getting the lower lashes and corners easier, but it does take longer than a regular mascara, of course. Because it's so concentrated, it's easy to get a little blob of product on your lashes or water line, so I recommend wiping the wand off around the top an extra time or two before you start applying it to your lashes.

I tried to get a close-up of just my eyes, but the lighting wasn't right and I couldn't zoom all the way in because the second picture is slightly out of focus and was too blurry zoomed in! Hopefully though, you can see the difference from these pictures. The mascara does lengthen the lashes well and gives them some volume.

Overall though, I don't think I'd repurchase this. It's a fun thing to have and to use, but it isn't life-changing. However, if you do have a problem with smudging on your lower lashes, I would recommend you give this a try because it could solve your problems.

Have you guys tried this out or heard anything about it?

Check it out here.

Liebster Award!

Hey everyone! I'm very excited to be doing this post today! I was kindly nominated by several people for this award: 

Alcamori: alcamori.blogspot.com
Disney: disneydesilva.blogspot.co.uk

Georgie:  fairygobmother.blogspot.co.uk

Beth: beth-stocker.blogspot.com
Danielle: danielleandtheworld.blogspot.com

Harian: Littlecoldcoffee.blogspot.com

It has taken me a while since I was first nominated to do this post as there are several parts required and even though I know there are so many new bloggers out there, it can be difficult to find them and to find ones that haven't done this yet! But I want to thank all of you for nominating me, it was very exciting each time and I have found some great new bloggers through it!

The Award:

The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. So, what is a Liebster?  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Isn't that sweet? Blogging is about building a community and it's a great way to connect with other bloggers and help spread the word about newer bloggers/blogs.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

1. You must link back to the person that nominated you.

2. You must answer the 11 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee before you.

3. You must pick 11 bloggers to be nominated for the award with under 200 followers.

4. You must come up with 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

5. You must go to their blogs and notify your nominees.

Since I was nominated by several bloggers, I decided to choose a couple of questions from each of you to add up to 11 since it has taken me so long to be able to do this post. I hope that's okay with everyone!

1. What made you want to start a blog?

I've been watching the beauty community on YouTube for years and even started a blog a couple of years ago, but it didn't last long. I've wanted to be a part of something that I'm really interested in and find other people who share the same interests. As for why I started it exactly when I did: I honestly have a lot of free time on my hands because I'm a college grad looking for a job and figured that in the time I'm not filling out applications and sending in resumes I could be having fun building something of my own.

2. Favorite YouTuber?

I'm going to break the rules and list several: Alex from HRH Collection, I basically want to be her, she seems like such a cool person, Tanya Burr from Pixi2woo, she is so fun and so gorgeous, and Jamie Barton who is a newer YouTuber but she has such a calming voice and is amazing at applying makeup. I could go on, but I wont :)

3. Favorite childhood memory?

I'm an only child so I kept myself occupied a lot by doing lots of crafts, which I loved, like making pottery, making pop-up story books, and trying paper mache. I also loved making Christmas cookies with my mom, having my family come over on Christmas Eve for our annual get-together and putting up my own little 4-foot Christmas tree in my room- I love Christmas, haha.

4. What was your first makeup item?

A mascara I stole from my mom, and then a concealer stick that I asked my mom to buy me, which I used with a sponge basically as a foundation on my forehead.

5. Do you have any funny or odd fears?

Blown up balloons. I hate it when they pop, it just scares the life out of me.

6. What's your favorite film and why?

I graduated with a film degree, so this is very difficult, but Atonement and The Philadelphia Story come to mind.

7. Favorite perfume?

Hands down, YSL Parisienne.

8. Favorite lip color?

I have yet to find the perfect product, but I love nude lips.

9. What's the last thing you bought?

Milk and a cute notebook for all of my blogging ideas and lists.

10. If you could have any fashion related item in the world right now, what would it be?

Hmm, probably a Celine Bag.

11. What is your favorite genre of film?

I'm more likely to watch a romantic comedy than anything else.

My Nominees:

Shelley: shelleyboo168.blogspot.co.uk
Nancy: pnncy.blogspot.com

Natassa: novembrebeaute.blogspot.com

Shauna: theprettywiseblog.blogspot.com/

Mel: melsbeautyblogg.blogspot.ca/

Sara: justonebeautyblog.blogspot.com
Jade: jadicusxo.blogspot.com
Katie: studentbeautylife.blogspot.com/
Ruth: pocketfullofbobbypins.blogspot.com/
Emily: rareribbon.blogspot.com/

My questions for you:

1. What is your favorite mascara?
2. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
3. What is an item on your beauty wishlist?
4. Do you have any special talents? If so, what are they?
5. What is your favorite type of vacation (mountains, beach, city, etc.) or what is a favorite vacation you've ever been on?
6. What season do you prefer for fashion?
7. How many different countries have you visited and name one you'd like to visit but haven't yet?
8. What is your favorite brand of nail polish?
9. What is your favorite makeup tool or brush?
10. How would you describe your personality?
11. What is your all time favorite accessory?

Thank you again to all of you that nominated me! It was a lot of fun and a great way to connect with other new bloggers :)

Reviews of Beauty Products I bought in Ireland

I went to Ireland for seven days back in March as a spring break trip for school. It counted as a class credit hour, which put me at the exact number of hours needed to graduate. My step-sister (and also my college roommate for the last 3 1/2 years) was so excited to go and convinced me to go as well. I had the most amazing time, I can't even explain it, and I can't wait to go back.

We drove from the airport to Galway the day we landed and the second day there was an optional trip planned that my sister and I didn't want to go on. We decided to take a taxi (because we were afraid of the bus at first) into town to explore and shop. I adored the architecture, which I can only describe as quaint because I know nothing about architecture (ha-ha), and also the stone streets. This day in Galway was my absolute favorite day of the entire trip.

This is going to sound completely silly to those of you that have Boots stores in your countries, but I was beyond excited when I spotted one in Galway. I know it's just a drugstore, but I guess it's the fact that we don't have them in the States that just makes it seem so much better!

I heard from YouTube videos that there were testers of the drugstore makeup, but it was so cool to see! Total weirdo...I know.

I could have bought so many other things, but it was our first real day and I didn't want to spend all my money on makeup!

The Products:

1. Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Shine Control Day Moisturiser

2. Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer

3. Natural Collection Blush in Sweet Cheeks

4. Soap & Glory Glow All Out Luminizing Radiance Face Powder (what a name, whew)

The Reviews:

1. I found my sister in the skin care section and she had picked up the toner version of this. I knew that witch hazel was good for your skin and has healing properties because I had been (and still am) using it as a toner. I also know that tea tree is good for oil control. There was a tester of the moisturizer out so I put a bit on my hand and it was SO soft. I love that it's a gel formula so it sinks in very quickly. I use this especially on days when I'm in a hurry because I hate waiting for my regular moisturizer to sink in. I'm not sure if I would say it controls shine (probably because tea tree is so far down on the list of ingredients), but I think it's a great product and does moisturize well.

2. I had to get the Chocolate Bronzer because I hear people talking about it non-stop. I don't think it smells like chocolate, at all, and I really dislike the smell, actually, but the product itself is nice. I'm also not crazy about the fact that the first ingredient on the list is talc, but that's the kind of thing you see on more inexpensive products, generally. It's a nice matte bronzer, good for countouring and it's a tiny bit on the orangey side, which some people like and others don't. I find that it's a nice shade, especially now in the summer. 

3. I can't remember the price now, but I know it was pretty inexpensive, but the pan on my Natural Collection blush popped right out of the packaging! Despite this, the actual blush is quite nice. It's pretty pigmented and the color is a dusty rose color. I'm pretty sure I wore it almost every day the rest of my trip :)

4. I didn't even know that Soap & Glory made makeup until I saw it in Boots that day. I swatched this face powder and instantly fell in love. It's a nice peachy highlight that gives a subtle, natural glow. I do remember it being on the expensive side, which I didn't love, but it's a nice product to have. I also like to use it on its own some days on my cheeks in place of blush for a more natural look. The packaging does get dirty because it's white cardboard, but it has a nice mirror on the inside and is magnetized to close shut. The swatch of this product on camera does not do it justice; in person it is so pretty.

If you guys have any of these products please share your thoughts on them!

Easy S'mores Pancakes!

This isn't necessarily a recipe because we didn't make the pancakes from scratch. This post is just more of an idea to make a weekend breakfast a little sweeter :)

Probably about a month ago my boyfriend and I were wanting s'mores, because you just can't let a summer go by without s'mores. We bought all the fixings: graham crackers, a package of Hershey Chocolate bars and a bag of marshmallows. 

When we ran out of chocolate the fun was over. We try not to eat unhealthy snacks like that too often so we decided not to buy any more chocolate. So, in an effort to use up the leftover marshmallows, this breakfast treat was concocted one morning.

If you have the larger marshmallows like we did, just take a pair of kitchen scissors and cut them up. Don't worry about being too precise because they'll melt into yummy gooyness.  If you have the small marshmallows you can leave them whole. 

Then you just add the marshmallows to the batter with your choice of chocolate chips. I recommend semi-sweet chocolate chips because the marshmallow is also going to add sweetness.

Once they're done cooking, when you cut into them, you can sometimes see glimpses of the marshmallows. The taste is subtle, but it just adds a sweetness that is so delicious! I have a sweet tooth at all hours of the day- I wish I was kidding, but I'm not, so this is a perfect breakfast for me :)

Sorry there's no measurements or anything! Like I said, this isn't a recipe, it's just something we played around with and the measurements we use change each time.

If you try it out or if you've ever had S'mores pancakes before let me know what you think!

Fun Find!

While I was home, my mom and I went into the Dollar Store, and not for any particular reason, I just wanted to look. It had been a while since I had been in some type of dollar store and I always enjoy going in them because you never know what kind treasures you may find.

On this particular trip I found these small, plastic storage containers and I thought, "This would be perfect for travel!" I bought the pack on the left, but they did come in a larger size as well. I found them in the craft/school section so I'm sure they are meant for something used for crafting like glitter. I, however, had other plans for them.

Before I left on my trip for home I was wishing that I had something like these containers. Generally, I'll use these two small Clinique sample jars I've gotten in the past and wash them out each time I use them for a different product, but I couldn't find them. I had to settle on bringing the full size product in some cases and even though I wasn't flying, I still like to keep it to the minimum to save space.

The package comes with 8 containers and you guessed it! They only cost 1 dollar.

The only down side that I have found of these so far is that they have a pop top instead of a top that screws on. As long as you make sure you've pressed it down all the way around, they seem pretty secure, though.

Ideas for uses:

• You are traveling and your foundation is in a glass bottle or you just don't want to bring the entire bottle.
• You have foundations you are trying to use up that might not be your shade, you can pre-mix your perfect shade and store it in one of these containers so you don't have to do it everyday.
• You're a fan of the OCC Lip Tars or something similar and you like to mix a lip shade, this is a good way to have the shade already mixed to pop into your purse for touch ups.
• You're traveling and only want a small amount of any cream-ish product, such as, moisturizer, spot treatment or the eye makeup remover lotion I talked about in my last post.

I thought that this was such an interesting find because I saw it where I never expected and I really needed them! Let me know what you guys think and if you can come up with any other uses!

My Top 10 Under $10

I love to read posts and watch YouTube videos about inexpensive products that not only do what they claim, but go above and beyond what you expect. These are all products that I love and most of them I've purchased several times or gotten others to love and purchase as well.

Here goes!

1. Neutrogena Naturals Facial Cleaner $7.49

• This is a great face wash that I've purchased a couple of times. I especially like the one with makeup remover in it because I can tell that it's getting my face really clean. I also love the fact that it's a more natural product with less ingredients and that it's available in the drugstore. It's a gentle cleanser because of the fewer ingredients, but it is also great for acne prone skin like mine because it has natural salicylic acid.

2. Caress Daily Silk Body Wash $3.99

• I can't even tell you how many times I've purchased Caress body wash. You get a lot of product for your money, there are so many scents to choose from and all of the ones that I've tried are very fragrant and will stay with you a while after your shower. Also, these lather really well and a little bit of this will go a long way.

3. Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation $7.99

• I think I've been through about 3 of these. Even though it's called "Nearly Naked," I think it has medium coverage, but feels light on the skin and has a natural finish. The texture is creamy and it glides on and blends in amazingly.

4. elf Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder $3.00

• Quality doesn't get much better than this for $3. I love the compact it comes in and it has a large mirror on the inside and feels more expensive than it really is. Both the blush and bronzer are very pigmented. The bronzer, as the name suggests, is a great contour shade and the blush is a peachy-pink with a beautiful glow once it's on the cheeks.

5. Pantene Pro-V BB Cream $7.09

• This is one of those "10-in-1" products. A few of the claims are: softness, shine, smoothing and frizz control. I think it meets these claims, especially the softness and smoothing. When I blow dry my hair it dries so quickly and more straight than when I don't use it (saving me from having to use a straightener on it). I used it last night and today my hair is light and bouncy :)

6. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss $5.00

• I love these lipglosses, they're probably my favorite that I've tried out of every brand I've tried so far. They come in a ton of colors, they're smooth on the lips and they're pigmented. My only complaint is the packaging- the gloss leaks out of the top and gets around the cap and can be gloopy, but the actual gloss and applicator is great.

7. Proactiv Refining Mask $2.96

• This product is listed on Amazon for $2.96 and up depending on how many you buy at once. I think you can also buy it from the Proactiv website. Basically, if you can get your hands on it you should try it. It is sulfur based, which I know sounds a little scary because most people are used to salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide for acne treatment, but I'm telling you guys this stuff is magical. I don't use it as an all over face mask, just as a spot treatment and whatever you have will be significantly reduced after leaving it on for a night.

8. Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Lotion $7.79

• I was tired of using a liquid eye makeup remover because I didn't feel like it was doing a great job. I imagined using a product that would just melt all of the makeup off and I could wipe it away easily, it's hard to explain, but I didn't think it existed. I perused the skincare aisle one day and saw this product, but thought the concept was strange...a lotion? on my eyes? I wasn't sure about it then, but I love it now. It's so easy to use, you just rub it on your eyelids until you look like a panda and you wipe it away with a makeup wipe or a cotton pad.

9. St. Ives Body Lotion, Naturally Indulgent Coconut Milk and Orchid Extract $5.29

• This is a great lotion for the body. It smells great, it's a huge bottle with a pump, is very moisturizing and best of all it is formulated without parabens, phthalates, is not tested on animals, and contains no animal ingredients. The scent lingers, which I like, it sinks in quickly and isn't greasy at all.

10. NYX Chocolate Liquid Eyeliner $5.99

• I have the chocolate one, but it also comes in black, which I haven't tried but considering how good the brown is, the black is probably a winner as well. What I like about this eyeliner is that it makes application on the top lashline very easy. I'm not great at applying liner on the top lashline and what makes this one so easy is the the thin brush on the end with longer brush hairs, you're able to start thin and get thicker as you want, which I feel like prevents mistakes.

So that's it! Those are my Top 10 Beauty Products under $10! Let me know if you guys have any of these products and what you think about them or if you have others that I should check out!

Face of the Day & Mini Reviews

Today I met a friend for coffee that I hadn't seen in such a long time. Whenever we get together after a while we just sit and talk for hours and it's so nice to catch up and chat with a good friend. I didn't do anything special with my makeup, this is pretty much my everyday look with a few new products thrown in. Lately, I haven't really been messing with eyeliner too much, but I did line my upper lashline and left my lower lashline with just some mascara. I also went for a nude lip and pink cheeks with a blush my mom has, which I love!

Face:

• Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation in 810 Classic Ivory
• Great coverage, lasts well throughout the day, I just wish I had gotten the lightest shade because this one is a little too dark for me.

• Physicians Formula Conceal Rx Physicians Strength Concealer in Natural Light
• Thick with good coverage, blends in nicely and is not cakey looking.

• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW 15 under the eyes
• Another product with very good coverage, also has a very nice sheen to it which makes it really nice for under the eyes.

• Clinique Super Balanced Powder Makeup in 01 Natural
• I love this because it's a powder that you grind each time you use it. I prefer loose powder because I think it's easier to apply evenly over your entire face. This powder blends very nicely and actually layers well if you want to skip concealer and use a smaller, more dense brush to add a little extra powder over a blenmish.

• elf Contouring blush and bronzer duo for contour
• This is super cheap at $3 for both a bronzer and blush, both of which I love. They are super pigmented and are nice colors that suit a lot of people.

• Clinique blush in 108 Cupid
• I'm visiting home for a while and I found this in my moms makeup bag. I know she loves it and says she's been using it for a while and you can't even tell by looking at it in the pan. It's a medium pink with subtle sparkle and on your cheeks it looks so smooth and airbrushed.

Eyes:

• Milani Brow Tint Pen in 02 Dark Brown on my brows
• I was skeptical of this because I've never heard of a liquid pen for brows, but it's very quick and easy. You do have to use a spooly or brush to make sure it's blended, though.

• Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense in 07 intense ivy
• This was part of a free gift with purchase and I LOVE this. After using it a couple of times I looked to see what it was called and I thought the name "quickliner" fit it perfectly. For someone like me who has trouble with all types of eyeliner on the top lashline, this is SO easy.

• 2 coats of Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara in black on the top lashes
• Another gift with purchase, it's nice, I like it, especially after 2 coats, but I wouldn't buy the full size.

• Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara in Black
• Just got this and am really liking it so far.

Lips:

• Flower Beauty Nude Lipstick (No idea of the name, it's in the black packaging, though!)
• I really like the color and it's opaque. I have trouble finding nude lipcolors that are opaque on their own without using a little foundation over my lips first. What I don't like about it is that it's not the creamiest lipstick, you can feel gritty pieces in it when you apply it and it just isn't as smooth as I'd like.

• Estee Lauder lipgloss in 46 Sun Burst
• This gloss smooths out the lipstick really nicely. It's a peachy-nude color with subtle sparkle.

Look out for full reviews on a couple of these products in the future!

Hot or Not? Maybelline Fit Me! Shine Free Foundation

I know that this is still a fairly new foundation that has launched and a lot of people are still trying it, so I thought that I'd share my opinion.

Initially, I was attracted to this foundation because I heard pretty good things about it, and because I have never tried a stick foundation but started to think about how fast and easy it would make putting on foundation. Also, it has the anti-shine core which would be great for me as someone with oily skin.

Unfortunately, I have to say that I was not a fan once I tried it- at all. I didn't even take pictures of what it looked like on my face before I returned it, but believe me, it was bad. First of all, I had a hard time choosing a shade because I'm always one of the two lightest colors and out of the two in this line, one was pink on the outside and yellow on the inside, and the other was yellow on the outside and pink on the inside. I saw other reviews that said this helped neutralize everything on your skin, but my face looked very and unnaturally pink; the foundation didn't match my undertone at all and made it look all wrong.

Secondly, while I did like the way that it felt powdery on my skin, it creased terribly around my mouth, under my eyes and on my eyelids especially, and all within an hour or two. I had to return it because I tried several things to get it to look good and stay looking good and never succeeded. I also had a hard time getting coverage out of it without layering too much of it on and making it look patchy because of the powder finish. Also, it was definitely not shine-free for long.

For me, this is not a product I would recommend, but I don't think I've heard anyone who had the same experience with this foundation as I did. Let me know if you have tried this one out and what your own experience was with it!