L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Perfecting Makeup - swatch

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

L'Oreal Magic Nude Perfecting Makeup 

I am always on the lookout for the next bargain in beauty.  Especially when that means I can dupe an expensive product I have lemmed over.  L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Perfecting Makeup was the bargain solution to a very expensive want of mine.  When Armani's Maestro liquid foundation came onto the market, it created a roar!  A very liquid foundation contained in a bottle with a dropper system that blended onto the skin and created the most natural yet perfected face around.  What?  I know, right?  Sounded too good to be true.  But people were having success with that foundation...unfortunately, that foundation was also over $50 USD, and I had to take a rain check.  

But with L'Oreal, I had heard that this was an exact dupe.  Forgive me as I could never get close enough to Armani's to tell, but google it, people have stated they are dupes.  I purchased Magic Nude at my local Meijer for $8.00 USD, and that was on sale with a coupon.  I have seen this foundation retail up to over $12 USD, so it is a bit pricey for a drugstore foundation, but stay with me.  Inside the lovely glass bottle, you get 0.91fl.oz/27ml of liquid goodness.  The Magic Nude range comes in 12 colors, from light to dark, which is a nice change from usual drugstore foundation colors. 

L'Oreal Magic Nude  - packaging

L'Oreal Magic Nude - 328 Sun Beige

L'Oreal Magic Nude Sun Beige - direct sun / no flash

The color I chose was Sun Beige 328.  It was the one that closely matched me at the time.  For my latina skin tone, it was nice finding something that was really spot on for my face!  On the back of the bottle, it gives you application tips as this is not a foundation you want to use with a brush or sponge.  Why?  It is just too liquid.  Once you shake Magic Nude, you take a few drops and apply/blend on your face.  The feel of this foundation is unreal.  It almost feels oily when you blend it on your skin and then you get a powdery dry down.  I did not need much of this to achieve a fully covered face.  Now that it is getting warm, I find that I have to powder my t-zone around hour 3 of wear, but the feel this has, even in the warm weather, is so nice, I am willing to touch up!  It is so light on the skin it is unreal.  Now, I am combo/oily, and my t-zone gets oily no matter what, but I liked that this foundation did not break down on my face.  Your mileage may vary depending on how oily you are/may get.  I will continue to purchase this...a bit of luxury at a drugstore price!

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Spring Skincare - Update

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Spring Skin Care regimen

Today I have a quick update on what my spring skincare has been.  I will state that I have combination/oily skin and tend to get dry patches throughout the year...

* Reviva Labs DMAE & Alpha Lipoic Acid & Vitamin C Ester Firming Eye Serum ( a thick serum that is light on texture/feel, heavy duty on fine lines, used morning and night)

* Olay Active Hydrating Beauty Fluid Lotion ( have used this on again, off again for years...keeps skin soft, used as day cream)

* Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream ( cult favorite that I use for lips, dry patches around nose, forehead and cheeks and also lightly patted under eyes when extra hydration/protection needed)

* Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic ( it claims to do a few things, I claim that it refreshes my skin, adds an extra layer of moisture before my creams and sinks into skin)

* Lumene Vitamin C+ Dry Skin Comfort Radiance Cocktail ( used at night, this vitamin c packed serum hydrates like nothing else and brightens my skin)

What products do you tend to use during the spring time?

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup 6/15/2014

• Glamorable!: Get your glow on with Eddie Funkhouser complexion products!
• TheFabZilla: This week, Kathryne from TheFabZilla went bold with bright orange lips and nails. She also shared her favorite ways to wear orange for summer!
• Beyond Beauty Lounge : Beauty vitamins are a new addition to my regimen, come see what Nutrilux Vitamin Bubbles are all about.
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater is a refreshing and hydrating mist that is perfect for the warm summer months, and it even sets makeup!
• daydreaming beauty: Amber's June Wantable makeup Box was perfectly curated just for her!
• ColorMeSoCrazy: Welcome Back to #RedCoatTuesday!! Be sure to join! 
• MakeUp Demon: Here comes the beautiful bride - bridal makeup idea!
• Fluttering Lashes: Check out the look that I created for Topshop make-up, using their new season beauty products! 
• Geniabeme: Geniabeme makes a fun bright makeup look with BFTE Cosmetic shadows! 
• Never Say Die Beauty: Never Say Die Beauty is giving away Cosmedica Skincare Vitamin C Serum to 2 lucky winners! Is vitamin C part of your skincare routine?
• Beauty by Miss L: Leelo from Beauty by Miss L reviewed cruelty free Physician´s Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer SPF15.
• The Passenger Element: Check out Ecotools 5 Piece Bamboo brush set, great for travel!
• Carinae L'étoile's polish stash: Gorgeous blue from Colors by Llarowe -- Love You Forever
• New World Beautiful: My most coveted lip glosses and balms featuring Hourglass, Dior, Givenchy, and BY TERRY

MICA Beauty Tinted Lip Balm in Fiesta - swatches

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Potted lip products.  Either you love them or hate them.  I for one am for them.  So I have to be extra careful  that I wash and sanitize my hands every time I use it.  Alright, I can do it.  :)  Inside one of my Ipsy bags from a few months ago was this pot of pigment...

Mica Tinted Lip Balm in Fiesta

Mica Tinted Lip Balm in Fiesta came in an Ipsy bag I had a few months ago.  I do pay for this subscription and you can find out how you can get it by checking out ipsy.com.  As far as size reference, the size here and the current size on the MICA Beauty site are different.  This is a small plastic pot with screw-on top.  Inside is a decent amount of lip balm, considering it is sample size.  On MICA's website, you can find the full size version of this lip balm for $30.00 USD.  The full size is 0.14oz/4g full of product and also comes with a top that contains a covered lip brush...a feature I really like about this lip product.  The tinted lip balm range comes in 10 shades and nude to deep reds.

MICA Beauty Fiesta tinted lip balm / flash

Fiesta tinted lip balm is unique in formula.  When I first used this, I first noticed how thin the consistency was. Thin?  A thin lip balm?  Yup, I know.  It was thin going on and also felt a bit powdery.  But what got me about this lip balm was the insane color payoff!  When I think tinted, I tend to think "hint of color".  This is FULL ON COLOR folks!

MICA Beauty tinted lip balm - no flash/ overcast

When I first saw the color in the pot, I thought, this is going to be a mulberry kind of shade, too dark, will do nothing to brighten up my face.  WRONG!  Fiesta is a matte, raspberry shade that can be sheered out to a dark fuchsia like color.  Now, is color payoff enough to win you over?  I experienced major dry out wearing this product alone.  When I used a lip base underneath or a gloss on the top, though still pretty, it wasn't the awesome matte texture of first application.  And also, I feel like that since you lose that matte goodness, you lose the color with it as well.  When worn with a base or gloss this yielded much better wear than before.

you can find MICA Beauty Tinted Lip Balm in Fiesta and other colors  HERE



*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

My Favorite: Lashes ft. Ardell

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

One of my weaknesses is lashes.  Of all kinds.  But I am very partial to individual and half lashes.  Here I have repurchases of my two favorite sets...

Ardell Accent 308 / Individuals Flare Medium

Half lashes give me drama without the hassle of a full lash band.  Okay, maybe I am lazy some days.  The half lash gaurantees a very fanned out, cat eyed look.  At the same time, I love how these can also be subtle.

Ardell 308 Accent Half Lash

Now, on days where I am not so lazy, individuals are my thing!  I love being able to customize my lash line.  I usually add a couple on the outer corners and a couple in the middle of the lash line for medium drama.  I build from the middle of the lash line to the outer corner, much like a half lash, but I also mix smaller and longer individuals for a ton of flair!

Ardell Individual Medium Flare

I will be uploading some looks soon featuring these lashes!  Remember to check out your local drugstore, beauty supply, etc for sales on Ardell's.  Walgreens and Ulta seem to always have them on sale.

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Ecotools Bamboo 5 piece brush set

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Ecotools 5 piece bamboo set

Yes, you have heard it all before.  I...am a brush addict.  I cannot stop buying brushes.  Especially travel size.  I touch up a lot throughout the day and good travel brushes are essential.  Smaller brushes are not necessarily for travel.  I tend to like short handled brushes for certain makeups as they give me the feeling of better and more concise control.

Ecotools 5 piece bamboo brush set was purchased at Ulta for $10.00 USD.  Contained inside a natural fiber bag with zipper, you get:

1 small kabuki
1 short handled blending brush
1 short small foundation/concealer brush
1 short handled powder/blending brush

Bamboo  5 piece contents

The kabuki is fantastic for powder touchups throughout the day.  My one gripe about this brush is having to clean/wash it, but I am sure a ton of people also have that gripe.  The small blender is very useful for concealer but I also like it for a crease brush!  The small foundation brush is decent, I tend to use it for concealer placement around nose/mouth area.  And the prize piece is the powder brush.  Great control, can also be used for blush, blends effortlessly.

For $10, you get a pretty varied range of brushes that are soft, useful, and portable.

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Welcome June! Giveaway

What other excuse do I need for a giveaway other than it is June and you guys are awesome?!?!

Prize Pack #1

Prize Pack #2

So it is now June and what better way to celebrate summer and you guys as my readers than to give away two awesome prize packs!  That is right!  Two winners!

Prize pack #1
 - Zoya nail polish in Dot
 - E.L.F lipstick in Classy
 - Wet n Wild megalast lipstick in Cherry Picking
 - Wet n Wild megalast lipstick in Don't Blink Pink

Prize pack #2
 - E.L.F shimmer lipgloss in Hope
 - Pixi Flawless Base Primer
 - Pop Beauty Smokin Hot shadow trio
 - Wet n Wild liquid liner in Turquoise
 - NYX round lipstick in Cream

Thank you guys for entering and good luck!

Giveaway is U.S only.
Winners will be announced via facebook, twitter, instagram, tumblr, google+
giveaway run: 6/11/14 - 6/27/14\


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup 6/9/2014

• Glamorable!: Love Korean skincare? Then you should definitely check out Memebox! Glamorable is unboxing the Snail Superbox and sharing her thoughts on the products.
• TheFabZilla: Are you into faux tanning? Find out the real deal with Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster
• Adna Cristina Beauty: GelLux Profile - Gel Nail Polish 
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: With the warm days of summer rapidly approaching, it's time to protect those lips, and Sun Bum Sunscreen Lip Balm SPF 30 is the perfect choice!
• Color Me So Crazy: Zoya Summer 2014 Magical Pixies are here!! Which one do you love?
• Beauty by Miss L: Leelo from Beauty by Miss L reviewed great Alpha Hydrox Night Replenishing Cream which suits well for normal to dry skin.
• The Feminine Files: Kristina has swatches and a review for some of the NEW NYX Hydrating Lippies with the silly name!
• Geniabeme: Sleek Acid Palette is fun if you want to play with some neon eye looks!
• Never Say Die Beauty: Allison's take on two shades from Bare Minerals' Marvelous Moxie Lipstick collection
• New World Beautiful: The best tools to prevent and cover up female hair loss due to sickness or stress
• Makeup Life and Love: Looking to update your lipstick wardrobe? Well Jamie has some wonderful options for you. Take a BITE out of beauty and grab a few lipsticks along the way...
• beautyXposé: Ready to kick off the Summer in style? Check out our fellow beauty bloggers’ favorite summer products.
• The Passenger Element: Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream - review 
• Carinae L'étoile's polish stash: Llarowe's A Box, Indied for June 2014

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream - review

*Disclaimer - Product shown was purchased by passengerelement blog.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Olay Fresh Effect BB Cream

When it comes to BB creams, my knowledge is quite limited.  I do not have access to Asian skincare or makeup near me and do not know enough about it online to make a purchase.  And, as a latina, I have seen some of the shade ranges they come in...doesn't look like any, if at all, would suit me.  But I can't keep away from new products, and I had heard so much from this line and decided to take a bite.

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream was purchased at my local Big Lots for $4.00 USD.  You can find these at most mass retailers and even Ulta.  Inside of the plastic tube, you get 2.5 fl.oz/75ml worth of creamy product.  This usually does retail a bit higher than what I found it, so be aware of that if you are on the lookout.

Olay Fresh Effects - Ingredients

Upon initial use, Fresh Effects BB Cream is heavily scented...all of my sensitive skinned or sensitive nosed people may want to opt out.  The cream was very lightweight and melted into my skin.  What I found surprising was how mattifying this was upon application.  Surprising as usually cream/lotions make me slightly shiny/dewy.

Olay Fresh Effects in Light/Medium - Flash

Fresh Effects in Light/Medium - no flash, overcast

Unfortunately, this did nothing for me.  I had no coverage of any kind.  While did make my skin soft, I saw no evening out of tone or skin perfecting qualities.  Perhaps someone with a much lighter skin color than I could wear this and actually benefit from coverage, color, but this was not a win for me.  What I have liked this for is as a mixer for other moisturizers, concealers and foundations.  I have found that this plays rather nicely with other products I normally did not get much use out of due to formulas and such.  I still can't completely get down with the scent as it lingers....for a while.

If you have nice skin and a lighter skin color...this may be the light summer moisturizer you are looking for.  If you are darker than light medium, I would look elsewhere.

Thanks! :)

Prestige Cosmetics Polished Pals Sweepstakes

Polish-a-holics...are you ready to show your like minded polish friends you care?  Then celebrate National Best Friend Day with Prestige Cosmetics on June 8th, 2014!!!  On this day, Prestige Cosmetics will be launching a sweepstakes on their facebook page featuring nail art by Prestige's own nail designer, Gena del Portilla, from I Heart Nailart.

What do you need to do?
 - Head on over to Prestige Cosmetic's facebook sweepstakes page, and tag your bestie under the look that best describes your friendship!
-  Each day until June 13th, they will be releasing a new photo, so stay tuned to their page and keep entering to increase your chances of winning!

What is the prize?
- a pack containing an assortment of their high quality, super glossy wondergloss shades!

Good luck!

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup 6/1/2014

• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Kiwi Glow Daily Skin Oil Moisturizers in Amaya, Earth and Verde are three richly moisturizing, delicious smelling body oils that delight the senses and lift the spirits!
• TheFabZilla: Tell me you use face primer! Kathryne from TheFabZilla reviews a makeup primer from Reviva Labs. Yay or nay?
• Geniabeme: Take a look at Geniabeme's Spring trend inspired Mani!
• Harajuku Girl FL Beauty: If you're looking for high quality Organic Skincare, check out Be Natural Organics!
• New World Beautiful: Peach Sake Pore Serum Review: Combat shine with food!
• Color Me So Crazy: Pink, Black and SPARKLE!!! Check out my simple, yet fancy skittle design!
• !Beauty by Miss L: RazWar El Fidel Neo razor & After Shave Balm review
• The Passenger Element: Ecotools Flawless Face Brush Set
• beautyXposé: Kristin shares a first look at the Smashbox Full Exposure palette.
• Makeup Life and Love: On the hunt for a new foundation for gorgeous summer ready skin? Keep reading as Jamie finds a new fabulous foundation that will get skin ready for summer.
• daydreaming beauty: Start the summer with some color in your cheeks! Amber shows you her top blush choices for summer on daydreaming beauty!