Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup 7/13/2014

• TheFabZilla: Check out what Kathryne from TheFabZilla wore for her big day last 7/4. It's back to back FOTD and OOTD
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Just Organic Skincare Pure Hyaluronic Lifting Mask System is exactly what the warm weather calls for, if you want lusciously hydrated skin!
• Never Say Die Beauty: Allison adds 2 of the new Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows to her growing collection
• Glamorable!: Find out how Glamorable is keeping her makeup light this summer with these new drugstore must-haves.
• Fluttering Lashes: For a summer holiday packed with adventure, first you've got to learn how to pack! 
• Color Me So Crazy: Check out how I beautified for the 100th episode of Pretty Little Liars! 
• Beauty by Miss L: Are Byphassse Makeup Remover Wipes any good? 
• beautyXposé: We all know that your hair and skin need a little extra TLC in the Winter, but don’t forget about the importance of Summer moisturizers. Kristin rounds up her favorites after the click.
• New World Beautiful: Black Soap: It made my skin a red, raw mess, but still I went back for more

Reviva Labs DMAE & Alpha Lipoic Acid & Vitamin C Ester Firming Eye Serum

*Disclaimer - Product shown was sent by the company for the purposes of review.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

I never use to take my skincare too seriously.  In my teens and early to mid twenties, anything that said it cleansed and moisturized was usually was I purchased.  I had a couple of staples, but changed skincare as frequently as they went on sale.  Now, in my early 30's, I take much more care in picking out products with quality ingredients and proven results.  One of the areas I concentrate on is the eye area.  Today, I have a wonderful serum for those looking for a nice eye treatment...

Reviva Labs DMAE/Alpha Lipoic/Vitamin C Ester Firming Eye Serum

Reviva Lab's DMAE & Alpha Lipoic & Vitamin C Ester Firming Eye Serum (whew!  that was a mouthful!) is a milky serum chock full of good for you ingredients that firm, reduce the looks of wrinkles, decrease puffiness and reduces dark circles.  For the purposes of this review, we shall, from now on, call this the Reviva Firming Eye Serum.  The Firming Eye Serum can be purchased at revivalabs.com, or you can also purchase this at Ulta.  Contained inside the glass bottle, you will find 1oz./29.5ml of serum that you can dispense through a pump top.  This serum will run you around $19.00 USD.

Reviva Labs Firming Eye Serum - Ingredients

Reviva Labs Firming Eye Serum - skin

It took me a bit of time before I got used to using a serum around the eyes.  I am very much a fan of nourishing, semi to very thick lotions and creams for the sensitive eye area.  Anything that would cushion that area was fine in my book.  With the Firming Eye Serum, I was able to get a lightweight product in the vein of a serum, but at a slightly thicker consistency, such as a cream.  The formula of this is really quite lovely.  It is a semi opaque serum/lotion that is extremely lightweight on the skin.  Because this serum has a thicker consistency than what we know from regular serums, you can feel the protective nature of this product.

With all skincare, I took my time in using this product and giving it a good test run.  I did like that after 6 weeks, my skin felt more taut and looked it as well.  I have dark circles due to my sleep schedule and how much I get a night as opposed to heredity.  That was an even longer transition, but around the 2nd month mark, I did notice a slight lightening of my undereye area.  Because the skin is so delicate under the eye, you can see texture.  I have very bumpy skin under my eyes and the Firming Eye Serum aided in making the texture there more delicate.  Less "chicken skin" like and much more smooth.

For a product that actually gives results, can be found relatively easy, and is under the $20 mark, I say take the gamble and give Reviva Lab's Firming Eye Serum a try!



*Disclaimer - Product shown was sent by the company for the purposes of review.  I am in no way affiliated with this company or am being paid for my review*

Beauty Blogazons Weekly Roundup 6/29/2014

• TheFabZilla: It's officially summer! Get sexy-smooth summer legs in 3 easy ways.
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Looking for a pigmented pink pout in a lip gloss formula? Hourglass Extreme Shine High Shine Lip Gloss in Ballet is the one!
• Adna Cristina Beauty: Adna's Beauty Blog reviewed OROGOLD skin care products which the main ingredient is gold
• Beauty Apocalypse : Beauty Apocalypse tries out natural lip gloss from Juice Beauty
• The Feminine Files: Kristina does a review and a full makeup look using just 4 Benefit Cosmetics products!
• Color Me So Crazy: Neon Zebra Stripes in all of their GLORY!! 
• Glamorable!: Looking for an affordable lipstick with great formula? Check out these fabulous colors from Prestige Cosmetics!
• Beauty by Miss L: Does Avon Super Full mascara add any fullness to your lashes?
• New World Beautiful: Shiseido Knows My Secret Shame: I have facial hair and you do to! Here's how to get rid of it
• Makeup Life and Love: Acne? Lacking Radiance? Skin needing hydration? Head on over to Makeup Life and Love to find out what face mask you should be using for your skin's concerns...

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*