Tiny Haul - All Lips - Ulta

Am extremely happy to be bringing this haul to you...

NYX / Revlon lip haul

I purchased these items a few weeks ago, tested them and have finally gotten around to getting swatches of these lovely products!  In the next post you will see...

NYX - 

Xtreme Lip Cream in XLC05 Bonfire

Pump It Up lip plumper in PIU05 Scarlett

Mega Shine Lip Gloss in LG 160 Tea Rose

Revlon - 

Just Bitten Kissable balm stain in 020 Love Sick

Just Bitten lipstain + balm in Crave

Cannot wait to show you swatches as these were either repurchases in different colors, or new items from brands I was already in love with!

Summer Staple 1 - theBalm Staniac in Beauty Queen

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone is finally getting a well deserved cool off period.  Here in the Midwest, we were getting pummeled with heat and little to no rain.  This past week has been a godsend for the rain and break in heat.

Today I have for you a product that I often overlooked, but has become a staple this summer...theBalm's Staniac in Beauty Queen.  They describe this as a "hint of tint for cheeks and lips".  The tint comes in a tube with a wand and doe foot applicator.  You get 8.5g or 0.3 oz of gel tint.  Screw top ensures for a nice, tight seal on the bottle.

theBalm Staniac in Beauty Queen

The formula of this tint is a gel, which I found a bit interesting to work with at first.  For a tint/gel, this is actually forgiving as long as you don't wait an eternity.  Beauty Queen is a berry pink, very sheer, but extremely buildable.  I am not usually a fan of light stains...they never seem to work for me.  But Staniac did. On lips is actually very nice, though prepping is important.  On cheeks it is bright, sheer, and almost dewy if you do not powder over it.  

swatch - direct sun light

This is one pass of the wand, blended out.  A pinky, berry stain.  I like that this lasts through some serious summer temps and also through my sweat.  One of the biggest pluses about this tint is that it is not sticky.  Once rubbed into the skin, its smooth and dry and good to go!  I throw this on top of some tinted moisturizer, lightly powder my oily areas, wp mascara, lip conditioner and I am out the door :)

Summer staples that are fast, easy and always worth letting someone else know.  :D

Stila Illuminating Finishing Powder in Bronze - swatch

The sun was completely gracious this weekend and decided to let me take some great swatch pictures!  I was excited as I do not have good lighting at all in my apartment.

With summer just around the corner, I decided to show you Stila's Illuminating Finishing Powder (IFP) in Bronze...

Stila IFP in Bronze

This is one BIG pot of Bronze!  Now, I am not an aficionado when it comes to bronzers.  I do not wear them at all, but that's more out of not knowing how to use them.

I would not necessarily use this as a bronzer as it is quite quite shimmery.  In the pan it looks like it may lend a sheen to things, but once on the skin, you can see how shimmery it really is.

heavy swatch - lt / blended swatch - rt

This color strikes me as more "rose gold" than bronze, especially when blended.  You do need a light hand with this.  The first few times I used it I had to become accustomed to how pigmented this product really is.  Running a brush across the pan can make the product "flake" a bit...does not look like you are picking up a ton of product.  Once on the skin it blends nicely.  Just one more product that I need to learn to use properly and give some well deserved love to :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Tiny Purchase - Urban Decay Last Call

Here with a tiny purchase from Ulta about a month ago.  Urban Decay's Last Call shadow...love the color, hate the formula of this.  The bonus?  Delux mini of De Slick Oil Control spray!  I am banking on not having to do anything this weekend and that the sun cooperates with me so that I can swatch everything I have acquired over the last couple of months.

Have a great day! :)

My naked palette (version Diana.0)

Urban Decay's Naked palette.

 Something I did not pick up and did not care to pick up.  

And then the photos started to show up...beautiful looks that were all neutral and gorgeous and...alright, enough of that!

I took a look in my stash and saw that I had what I like to call my naked palette! Colors that were similar to the Naked palette in palettes I already owned...

Cargo's Essentials palette

Cargo's Essential Palette - contains 4 smooth and blendable shadows, with matte and satin textures.  Awesome basic colors that are very soft and creamy.  This is definitely a daily go to palette! :)

Sugar's Day Job Round the Clock palette

Sugar's Round the Clock palette in Day Job.  8 shades ranging from satin, to matte to shimmer.  When I want to wear a more creative eye, but still stay within a neutral color palette, this is where I go.  The texture of these shadows in nice, actually.  The spectrum of colors runs nicely and have had no trouble in getting this to go with everything!  Unfortunately this palette has been discontinued.

Though it may not be THE naked palette, it did let me get more use out of palettes that I had stashed away to the wayside (bad MUAer I know).  I would hope that this would get you gals and guys going on shopping your stash and seeing what hidden gems you uncover.

Blogger Contest! POLABERRY's BEAUTY BLOG!

Hey there guys and gals...

The wonderful POLABERRY is having a contest where you can win a MAC blush!

Go HERE! for all of the details and entry information.

Aside from her rad contest, show her some love.  She is suuuuuper cute and very talented!

Another blogger's contest! - Hoplessly Devoted 2 Makeup

Hey guys, make sure to stop by http://hopelesslydevotedtomakeup.blogspot.com/ !  This is a really cute blog run by a sweet lady who is actually running a contest right now for a chance to win a Le Metier de Beaute product!  Really?  Yes, really.  She has amazing pictures, amazing posts....just do it!  You won't regret it!