Fitness Friday - Walking Lunges

One of my goals for Winter Break was to expand my workouts and improve on my leg day moves.  I started with learning and perfecting traditional lunges and now I am moving on to learning Walking Lunges.  I have seen people doing this move all over my gym for the past few months and they have paired this move with weights to help grow upper body strength, I would love to be able to work some minimal lifting into my leg days and see how it improves my back and shoulders.

Walking Lunges are considered to be a "basic lunge with a boost", as stated by the Pop Sugar Fitness website.  They also state that this move works your glutes, hamstrings, and quads plus it helps to stretch your hip flexors.  I tried this move a few times before at the gym and I really need to work on my balance before doing Walking Lunges when there is more than five people present during my workout...

Pop Sugar Fitness also provides a step by step How To for this move...

- Stand upright, feet together, and take a controlled step forward with your right leg, lowering your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to 90-degree angles.  The back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over the ankle.

- Press your right heel into the ground, and push off with your left foot to bring your left leg forward, stepping with control into a lunge on the other side.  This completes two reps.

- Do three sets of 20 reps each.

This move helps to slim down the legs and build lean muscle, it also helps to increase mobility and overall hip function.  The article states that you can add light weights to increase the difficulty of the moves and I will need to improve my balance before I can try to add weights.

Walking Lunges are my newest workout challenge and I will be adding these into my upcoming leg days!

photo courtesy of Pop Sugar Fitness

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna

Last year was the year of Rihanna for MAC, there were several sell out collections that featured her and the colors that she loves to wear.  I loved the Ruby Woo shade that was given a makeover just for her and now I see that this year will be another year of MAC and Rihanna.  MAC has just released the latest in their acclaimed Viva Glam collection.  Viva Glam is one of their most consistent best sellers and one that often sells out within hours of the initial release.  My favorites in the past have included the Lady Gaga and Fergie collections and I see that this year we will have Rihanna as our spokesperson for this great cause.

This small collection is now available on the MAC and Nordstrom websites and I am sure that several more department stores will pick this collection up within the next week or two.  "Rihanna launches our new M∙A∙C VIVA GLAM with two strikingly bold shades of red frosted Lipstick and Lipglass, perfectly capturing her fearless, confident style. Every cent of the selling price of VIVA GLAM Rihanna goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Limited-edition, soft-touch red packaging features RiRi's signature."  I see that Rihanna has released yet another red shade with her name on it...

I love red lipsticks and especially MAC red lipsticks so I am all about this collection even though I have not been a huge fan of the previous Rihanna and MAC collaborations.  This collection introduces the new shade in both the Lipstick and the Lipglass and I bet that I will want both of them if I like the shade.

Viva Glam Rihanna...

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick - Rihanna's blue-red with frost finish. Every cent of the selling price of VIVA GLAM goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Limited-edition, soft-touch red packaging features RiRi's signature. Pro discount is not applicable.
- Viva Glam Rihanna - frosty blue red

Viva Glam Rihanna Tinted Lipglass - Rihanna's frost blue-red in M∙A∙C's much loved Lipglass formula. Wear it alone or with a Lipstick. Every cent of the selling price of VIVA GLAM goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Limited-edition, soft-touch red packaging features RiRi's signature. Pro discount is not applicable.
- Viva Glam Rihanna - frosty blue red

I do need to see how frosty these shades really are, they could be great new red shades for me or be way too shimmery for my taste. I am interested in a frosty red from MAC as I have several Mattes and Satins from this line already and this would be a big change for my red lipstick/lip gloss collection.  I am thinking that I would be able to pull off this Lipglass even if I don't like the Lipstick when I try it out.

I wonder how many more collaborations we will have with Rihanna for the next few months...

photo courtesy of MAC

LUSH Honey I Washed The Kids Bar Soap

Late winter is the time of the years when my skin is the driest and I have found that I benefit from swapping out my Bath and Body Works Shower Gels for more gentle bar soap formulas.  This always means that I need to have a decent-sized LUSH order made well before the end of December.  This usually presents no problems as I order from them in late fall once their Christmas collection releases and then I often order again right after Christmas so that I can grab up some last items from their big sale.  This time around, I decided to order a combination of holiday products and a few of the best sellers that I haven't tried yet.  One of the best sellers that I ordered is the best-selling Honey I Washed The Kids Bar Soap and I am regretting that I only ordered one bar of it...

Honey I Washed The Kids has been a cult LUSH product that I remember ever since I started shopping the brand in 2008.  This caramel-scented product is perfect the fall and winter and I can easily see why this is one of the best sellers of the brand.

"This is one of our best-selling soaps and it's no wonder why: it's simply irresistible!  One sniff and you'll need this sweet caramel fragrance in your life.  But get ready to share, because it's so gentle, buttery, and scrumptious that you'll have a hard time keeping it to yourself.  We use real honey and beeswax in every batch to soothe skin, while honey water and aloe help soften and moisturize, leaving the whole family clean and smelling bee-autiful.", states the LUSH website.

The star ingredient in this product is Honey, a natural humectant and hydrator.  I have used honey in my winter skincare for years now and this ingredient (plus the smell!) are what made my try this Bar Soap over some of the other ones that they offer.  Honey will attract moisture from the atmosphere and pull it into the skin and the thicker texture of this ingredient will also help keep moisture locked into the skin.  This is exactly what I need at this time of the year and I will be using this product until it runs out.

I have tried using this product applied directly to wet skin and applied to a washcloth.  I tend to prefer my bar soaps applied directly to wet skin, they will usually lather less and help my skin stay hydrated for longer periods.  I still liked it when applied with a washcloth but I would prefer to use it right on wet skin in the shower.  I have also found that applying the product directly to my skin makes the soap lasts longer and I should be able to use the same bar until the beginning of March.

The caramel fragrance is light and wonderful, this is pretty fragrance for fall and winter but will be too heavy in the warm weather months.  The scent remains lightly on my skin but fills the whole bathroom with fragrance, this is typical of most LUSH bar soaps and is one of the major reasons that I keep purchasing them over and over.

I can't say that Honey I Washed The Kids is any more or less hydrating than any of the other LUSH Bar Soaps that I have used in the past.  All of their Bar Soaps hydrate my skin nicely and I will continue to order these every year.  I will order another bar of this product once the cooler weather starts to roll around again!

photo courtesy of LUSH

Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover

I feel like I haven't tested out or reviewed a new eye makeup remover in the past few months, I have been using the same formula from the Clinique and have been quite happy with it.  I originally bought that product a few years ago and I have been repurchasing it ever since.  I am a person that likes to switch up my skincare and try new products and this was one area that I wasn't really reviewing many items from.  It seemed like fate when Sephora was offering a small bottle of the award-winning eye makeup remover from Lancôme as a 100 Point Perk when I was ordering some of the Bobbi Brown products that I spotlighted this month.  I decided to stop hoarding my points to grab this sample and try it out.

I have put my half-empty bottle of the Clinique to the side for the past two weeks and I have been trying out the Lancôme formula every night.  The Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover is a product that consistently has won the Allure Best of Beauty Awards and has been listed as a best seller as Sephora for as long as I can remember.  This is one of the more expensive eye makeup removers that I have seen and I do believe that the price was the main reason that I have not tried it before but I have decided that it is worth every penny...

The Sephora website provides the following description of this best-selling eye makeup remover, "An award-winning, gentle, liquid eye makeup remover.  This formula activates when shaken to gently whisk away even waterproof eye makeup while conditioning and refreshing the skin.  Ideal for sensitive and contact lenses, it leaves eyes feeling cool and relaxed without an oily residue."

This product contains a liquid layer and an oily layer and the formula needs be shaken before use and the two layers need to be completely mixed.  The oily layer is designed to break down stubborn eye makeup or waterproof products.  I tend to have the hardest issues getting mascara off without leaving traces under my eyes but this product does get the job done (when used correctly).  I have been using it to remove the Bobbi Brown Smokey Mascara formula, this isn't the hardest formula to remove and I will need to continue to test this product as I try more mascara formulas.  I have been using the Urban Decay Primer Potion under all of my eye shadows and this formula is able to remove all traces of these products.

I saturate a cotton pad with this formula and then press it up against my eye for 30 seconds before wiping it away.  This gives the product time to break the makeup down and helps it to wipe cleanly away.

My 100 Point Perk size will not last much longer and I will then finish up my current bottle of Clinique remover.  I have already decided that my next purchase will be of this product and I will continue to use and test this product out to see if there are any formulas that it cannot remove.  I don't know that there is too much more to say about this product, it does what it is supposed to and doesn't bother my sensitive eyes.  I would probably go back and forth in between purchasing this product and the Clinique formula, it is nice to have two products that I know will work well.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Brand Spotlight 2014 - Bobbi Brown Beach

We are starting off this year with the last product that is to be featured in this month's Brand Spotlight series, I have been enjoying collecting all kinds of items from a specific brand and I hope you all have been enjoying this series too.  I have found a few new gems from Bobbi Brown and I am really excited to keep ordering and trying more products from this brand, I have a feeling that this series is going to try into a very expensive habit...

We are going to wrap up this month's Brand Spotlight with a review of the iconic Bobbi Brown Beach fragrance, I ordered a bottle of this fragrance at the very beginning of the month and I have been eagerly awaiting the summer months so that I can wear this fragrance as much as possible.  I first smelled this fragrance late last summer and quickly fell in love with it but I forced myself to put off purchasing it until I started to collect products for the warmer weather.  This fragrance smells exactly like the beach and it makes me so excited for the summer!

The Bobbi Brown website provides the following fragrance description, "An eau de parfum inspired by the beach, this best-selling fragrance captures the atmosphere and essence of summer.  Designed with a lightly intoxicating blend of sand jasmine, sea spray, and mandarin; this fragrance is wearable anytime, anywhere."

I cannot put into words how much I love this perfume, it smells exactly like stepping on the beach and it makes me crave summer (even more than usual).  The main note is sand jasmine, this is the "beachy" note in this fragrance and in most of the "beachy" fragrances on the market.  I first smelled this note in the Suntan candle from Bath and Body Works a few summers ago and I have been obsessed with it ever since.  This perfume is exactly like that candle and somehow combines the smells of the sand jasmine with those of suntan lotion and ocean air and turns it into a fragrance I could wear every single day.

Beach is not a fragrance that I would wear for the office but it is perfect for casual summer weekends and warm date nights, it is a light beachy floral perfume and would pair perfectly with a sundress.  I think that this will become one of my new summer perfume staples!

My biggest issue with this fragrance is that it doesn't seem to last any longer than two or three hours when applied to my skin, this could be an issue with my skin chemistry however I have read several reviews that complain about the lack of lasting power.  I have resigned myself to using the EDP in the morning and then carrying the matching Rollerball in my bag with me.  I started by owning just the EDP but I quickly realized that I needed to purchase the Rollerball and I would need to be able to touch this fragrance up throughout the day.  This fragrance is also available in a lotion but I would love to see it in more body products and home fragrance products.  I do believe that I did see limited edition products in this fragrance last summer and I will be looking for more this summer.

My first Brand Spotlight is in the books and we will be switching gears for next month's brand.  This month we focused on one of the top brands in the makeup industry and I will be featuring a primarily skincare-based brand next month.  Any guesses?!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

OPI Spring 2014 Collection - Brazil Collection

We have already seen the spring nail polish collection from Essie and I have been eagerly awaiting more releases from my favorite nail polish companies, this is one of the times of the year where I purchase the most amount of polish shades and I am excited to keep adding some new shades to my collection.  We have yet to see a collection from China Glaze or Butter London however the new OPI collection is now up on the company's website and I am going to check these shades out today.  OPI usually has one of largest range of shades in their seasonal collections and I always know that I will like quite a few from every collection.

The collection for this spring is inspired by Brazil and contains twelve brand new shades, I have complained in the past about how this company seems to bring out the same shades over and over again and this collection does not contain anything revolutionary.  OPI has a huge shade range and many of their limited edition shades are close to ones already available, I find this to be a good thing as I don't have to be upset if a limited edition shade sells out and I can't find it anymore.

The shades contained in the OPI Brazil collection are as follows...

- Kiss Me I'm Brazilian - bubblegum pink cream

- Live.Love.Carnaval - medium warm coral cream

- Red Hot Rio - medium warm red cream

- Next Stop...The Bikini Zone - pale lavender with a subtle gold duochrome shift
- Don't Bossa Nova Me Around - nude cream
- Taupe-less Beach - pale taupe cream
- I Sao Paulo Over There - medium taupe cream
- OPI Scores A Goal! - deep warm red-brown cream
- Amazon...Amazoff - deep teal cream
- I Just Can't Cope-Acabana - medium banana yellow cream
- Where Did Suzi's Man-go? - medium orange cream
- Toucan Do It If You Try - deep orange cream

The shades in this collection are designed to remind one of the jungles and beaches of Brazil, I have never been to this country so I cannot comment on how accurate the shades and names are.  When I think of Brazil, I think of jungles and numerous Botany classes about the Amazon jungle.  Some of the shades fit this theme very well and others seem a bit out of place.  The bright hues fit perfectly with the season and the theme however I am not sure why two shades of taupe were included with the Brazil collection.  The most unique shade is the only duochrome in the bunch, many of the cream shades are similar to those in the permanent line up or have been featured in previous seasonal collections.

My favorite shade is Amazon...Amazoff, this bright deep teal reminds me very much of Butter London's Slapper shade.  That is my current favorite nail polish shade and I used it like crazy last spring and summer.  I will purchasing Amazon...Amazoff to replace my bottle of Slapper once it runs out.  Next Stop...The Bikini Zone is the only other shade that I find unique enough to purchase from this collection and I will also be grabbing of bottle of this one once it is available at Ulta.  I really like Taupe-less Beach and Don't Bossa Nova Me Around but neither of these shades are unique enough for me to track down, I would buy them if I found them but I can find shades like this from other companies very easily.

I don't like any of the oranges or yellows in this collection, shades like this never flatter my skintone and I would be skipping over all of these.  I also don't need any other pink or red shades right now and this pretty much rules out the rest of the collection for me.

OPI is not my favorite polish formula and one that I will deal with when I really love the shades.  The application of this polish is very easy and the wide brush makes the polish quick to apply.  My problem with this formula is not the application but the wear of the product.  I cannot seem to get more than one day from this formula before it starts chipping off like crazy, there is something about the combination of my nails and this formula that just does not work.  I am the only person that I know with this issue, all of my friends who use this formula absolutely love it and get at least three or four days of wear time without anything more than minor chipping.  I wish I didn't have these issues but this formula just doesn't work well for me and will never been a formula that I highly recommend.

I have a few shades to add to my shopping list but I think that I will have even more shades to add once I see the new collections from China Glaze and Butter London.

photo courtesy of Google

L'Occitane Shea Cleansing Face Milk

Today we will be looking at my second try with the L'Occitane Shea facial skincare line, many of you will remember the disaster that I had last year with one of the skin creams and may be surprised that I have decided to give this line a second go around.  I had very high hopes for the hydrating face cream that I tried from this line and still have very clear memories of the redness and swelling that it caused my face and neck and I went back to using all Clinique products for a few weeks after this issue.  At this time, I decided that I would never use any other product from this line even though I have loved many of the body products for years beforehand.  Obviously, I have decided to give a product from this line a second try and the results are much better this time around.

I decided several weeks ago that I really wanted to give the Shea face line another try and starting thinking about what product I would like to try this time and how I was going to go about it.  My initial thoughts were to chose a product that I do not leave on my face this time around and I settled on a face cleanser from the line and obtained several samples from the L'Occitane store before I decided to order the full size.  We will look at the product that I chose and then we will get into how I patch-tested it and a full review.

The product that I decided to try out is the Face Cleansing Milk from the Shea line, I had used a cream cleanser from another line produced by this company when I was in college and I loved it.  I think my love of that product and the matching face lotion and cream are the reasons that I bought the L'Occitane face cream and never properly tested it before rubbing it all over my face.  "This cleansing milk, with its creamy texture, gently cleanses and removes makeup.  Enriched with softening shea and soothing licorice extract, it preserves skin's natural hydration and leaves it clean, supple, and comfortable.", states the company's website.  

The manager at my local L'Occitane store was very generous with the samples of this product while I was deciding if I could use this all over my face.  I started with testing it on my forearm; the skin in this area is much less sensitive than my face, neck, or hands.  I tested this face wash in the shower for three days on my forearm area and experienced no irritation.  I then moved on to testing it on my hands, my hands are much more sensitive than my forearm and irritation develops easily on them.  Obviously, I had no irritation after three days worth of testing in this area and then I repeated the test on the back of my neck.  After three days of testing on my neck with no irritation, I decided that I would use my last sample to wash my face and then purchase the full size bottle.

I am very happy that this face wash worked out for me, I have been using it for about three weeks now and I have been very much enjoying it.  I use one and a half pumps of this product to cleanse my entire face, I do not use this product to take my eye makeup off and always go in with a separate remover in this area.  I have tried quite a few milk cleansers over the years and I have found that they often need a separate toner to remove every trace of makeup that I put on my face in the morning, this holds true for this product and I have been purchasing the huge bottles of the Clinique Toner designed for dry to very dry skin to use every other day.

This cleanser does not foam up and rinses cleanly with water.  I like that this product doesn't dry my skin out or leave it with the "tight" feeling that most gel cleansers would at this time of the year.  I would recommend this cleanser to anyone with skin that is dry and I could not see anyone with normal or oily skin liking this product.  The Shea Cleansing Face Milk is a very good choice for my dry winter skin and I will continue to use it throughout the spring months.  I do not yet know if this might be too heavy for my skin once the warm weather hits.

I have had one hit and one huge miss from the L'Occitane Shea face line, I am still trying to decide if I will be trying any other products from this line.  I am still hesitant to try other moisturizers from this line and I would be even less comfortable using any product from this line around my eyes.  I would only consider trying other products from this line if I could obtain a few samples and repeat the extensive patch-testing, I am so happy that the manager of my store was willing to help me with all the samples and I would go back to her if I decide to try another products from this skincare line.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fitness Friday - Triangle Yoga Pose

Today we are back to another Fitness Friday and I have decided to return to looking at yoga poses.  Triangle pose is my current favorite yoga pose and has been one of my favorite poses since I first did yoga last summer.  Triangle pose is one of the standing postures that is contained in the Primary Series and one of the first standing postures that is learned in a Level One yoga class.

The following steps are used when getting into Triangle pose...

- Stand in Tadasana.  With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart.  Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.

- Turn your left foot in slightly to the right directly over the plane of the right leg, bending from the hip joint, not the waist.  Anchor this movement by strengthening the left leg and pressing the outer heel firmly to the floor.  Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two sides equally long.  Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone toward the back heel.

- Exhale and extend your torso to the right directly over the plane of the right leg, bending from the hip joint, not the waist.  Anchor this movement by strengthening the left leg and pressing the outer heel firmly to the floor.  Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two sides equally long.  Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone toward the back heel.

- Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or floor outside your right foot, whatever is possible without distorting the sides of the torso.  Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders.  Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing softly at the left thumb.

- Stay in this pose from thirty seconds to one minute.  Inhale to come up, strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling.  Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.

Blocks can be used to modify this pose as needed and the hand can be placed anywhere from the shin to the floor.  I tend to prefer wrapping my hand around my ankle and playing with my balance.  I will admit that I fell backwards the first few times that I tried this version of the pose and trying this variation of the pose was actually harder than initially learning the pose itself.  I have been all about playing with my balance lately and trying to deepen poses so I really enjoyed challenging myself with that modification.

Another modification to challenge your balance is leaning backwards in the pose versus keeping yourself with a straight back.  I have tried doing a slight back bend while in this pose but I don't love this type of modification.

I think that I will be back on the yoga pose train for the next few Fitness Fridays...

photo courtesy of Yoga Journal

Brand Spotlight 2014 - Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15

We are back on my Brand Spotlight series today and we are looking at my last makeup product from Bobbi Brown for the month.  I have already tried out their lip and eye products and I decided that I wanted to try one of the face products and then finish out my shopping with a new fragrance from this line.  Today we are looking at the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15, I have been testing out this foundation for about three weeks now and it has given me a handle on the quality of their face products.  This foundation has been a great choice for me and I will be trying more face and skin products from this brand.

I chose the Skin Foundation SPF 15 to start exploring the face products in this brand as this is considered a hydrating foundation formula and my winter skin needs any extra hydration possible this time of the year.  This formula is a good choice from fall to early spring and I would like to look for more formulas to use as my skin changes in the warm weather.

The Bobbi Brown website describes this foundation as follows, "This water-based, oil-free formula delivers undetectable coverage and a fresh, hydrated glow for the most natural skin-like finish.  In addition to weightless, long-wearing coverage and hydration, the formula minimizes the appearance of pores, conceals imperfections, and delivers broad spectrum UV protection.  Buildable formula goes easily from light to medium and is available in a wide range of shades for all skin tones."

The website continues with a few more details about why this formula is unique in the range of Bobbi Brown.  "The lightweight water-based foundation sinks into skin, instantly helping to plump, moisturize, boost skin's glow.  Sustained hydration keeps skin looking and feeling fresh, and ensures that color stays true all day.  The oil-free formula is enhanced with light-reflective optic ingredients to give skin natural luminosity."  I ordered this product in Alabaster 00, "the lightest beige with a white hint and pink undertone, for palest skin".  This is the palest shade in the range and the only shade that would work my skin tone.

Bobbi Brown's website states that this products is designed for normal to oily skin types but I have no issues with it on my combination dry skin.  The formula is water-based so it sinks easily into the skin and helps to moisturize any dry patches that are on my face right now.  I can't say that I have seen a huge difference in the luminosity of my skin however I have been using this product with the Caudalie brightening products that I always use.  My skin looks wonderful with this foundation however I think that it is the combination of the foundation and the skincare products.  The combination of this product not sticking to the dry patches on my skin and the natural glow that it gives my skin make this product a great choice for me to use between fall and spring (I prefer BB Creams and tinted moisturizers during the summer) and I know that I will be repurchasing another bottle of this once I run through this one.

The shade Alabaster is a nearly perfect match for my skin this time of the year, I like that the undertones don't lean too pink and it helps to camouflage the redness in my skintone.  This product does not noticeably change colors as it dries down and I have no other issues with it darkening throughout the day.  This foundation lasts about eight to ten hours on my skin and I do have to blot my T-Zone once or twice during the day, I always set this product with powder and I'm not sure how long this product would last on my skin without setting it with a powder.

I really like this foundation and I think that I will be buying more products from the Bobbi Brown face product range.  I have been very happy with everything that I have tried so far from this company and I know that I will end up buying a ton more products from this brand in the coming months...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

The Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder is one of my most recent Sephora purchases and I can already say that I have a new obsession with this product.  I first read about this product several years ago in one of the Allure Best of Beauty issues and I have seen that this product has won awards for several years in a row.  I use through powders very slowly and I have been waiting to finish up my last few compacts before purchasing a new one so I have had this one my shopping list for quite a long time.  The Translucent Loose Setting Powder is one of the best selling products at Sephora and one of the top rated powders on their website and it lives up to its reputation.

This product can be purchased anywhere that Laura Mercier is sold, I purchased it at Sephora and will be pulling all of my product details from that company's website.  "An award-winning, silky powder with a touch of sheer coverage to set makeup for lasting.  Translucent Loose Setting Powder locks in makeup for long-lasting wear, without adding weight or texture.  This bestseller creates a modern, matte finish with a touch of sheer coverage, while it absorbs oil and reduces shine all day.  The pros know why it is their favorite: It's a little denser than an average powder, providing super-smooth, even application and blending.  This no-flashback formula means you'll look great in photos, and it creates a soft-focus effect to subtly blur the look of fine lines and imperfections.  This truly translucent shade works on all skintones", states the Sephora website.

I have been using this powder for the past week and I have been very impressed with it so far.  I first tried it with the same big fluffy brush that I would use for pressed powder or bronzer and I found that this is not the best way for me to apply it.  The big brush got product all over the place on my face and I used much more product than I really needed.  I started using the Bare Minerals Flawless Face Brush and this smaller brush allows for more targeted placement and less wasted product.  I have not tried to use any type of powder puff to apply this product as I find that this type of application tends to apply too much product on my dry skin and causes it to cake on my skin.  I am still glad that I received this brush in a Bare Minerals powder foundation kit that I bought a few years ago and I would repurchase this brush if it ever broke.  

The translucent shade adds no color to my face and I do believe that a range of skintones would be able to use this product.  I don't know if those with deeper skintones would be able to use it (at least not all over their face).  I mostly use this product to set my foundation and concealer on my T-Zone and under my eyes.  I usually get a bit oily on my T-Zone throughout the day and I need something to set the undereye concealer that I use every day.  I do use a very little bit of this on my cheeks to set my foundation and create a smooth canvas for blush.  The best mode of application for me is to start with applying this product under my eyes, apply some to my T-Zone and then use what is left on the brush to finish off my cheek area.  I use very little product when applying in this fashion and I will have this product for a quite before needing to repurchase.  I still keep blotting papers in my purse and use these to touch my nose and forehead up around lunchtime.

I can why this Laura Mercier product is a best seller for the brand and a multiple award winner in the Allure Best of Beauty Awards.  I have used a few loose powders over the years and nothing compares to this product, I will repurchase this product as soon as I run out of my current jar and I would recommend it to anyone that it is need of a powder.  I think I have found a new favorite and will look to Allure Beauty Awards for more recommendations!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Bath and Body Works Sky, Air, Sun

Bath and Body Works has just began to bring out the beginning of their spring line and I can say that everyone that lives in this area is ready for something bright and pretty, the snow has been piling up for the past month and there seems to be no end in sight to the cold and ice.  The Polar Vortex has been the big trend for this winter and I want to smell something that will remind me that spring does really exist even though I will not be able to wear any type of fragrance like these for at least two or three more months. 

Bath and Body Works has brought out their spring candles, hand soaps, and a line of limited edition fragrances called Sky, Air, Sun.  These are three new fragrances that are bright florals and will be perfect for the very beginning of spring and I first smelled these scents at the very beginning of January when the company previewed the small lotions during their Semi Annual Sale.  Now all three fragrances are out in the store and I am deciding what scents I will be adding to my collection.  Sky, Air, Sun consists of three fragrances: Sky (Violet Lily), Air (Pear Blossom), and Sun (Golden Magnolia).  Pear Blossom was a fragrance that I loved from this company when I was in college and I have nothing left of it, I got so excited when I first saw these names because I hoped that this Pear Blossom was the same as that one.  Sadly it isn't but it is a pretty fragrance all the same.

We will start with the Pear Blossom Air since I have already began talking about the old version of this perfume.  "Pear Blossom Air is an invigorating blend of crisp green pear, fresh gardenia and narcissus leaf, with whispers of crisp mandarin vapor and white musk."  The top notes of this fragrance are: Crisp Mandarin Vapor, Grapefruit, Red Apple, Crisp Greens.  The heart notes are: Crisp Green Pear, Narcissus, Gardenia.  The base notes are: Heliotrope, Cedar wood, Driftwood, White Musk.  This fragrance is more of a light white floral and less of the great pear and floral mix that the first fragrance was, this one is pretty but it is a bit too light for me to wear.  I prefer the Annick Goutal Petite Cherie when I want to wear a pear fragrance in the early spring.  I would consider the body products in this fragrance but I would not wear the Fine Fragrance Mist.

The next fragrance is the Violet Lily Sky, my favorite of the three and one of the most unique fragrances that I have ever smelled from this company.  "A heavenly blend of fresh violet blooms, sparkling bergamot and pink pepper, floating on a cloud of whipped lily petals and sheer sandalwood."  I do not remember ever smelling a combination of violet and lily flowers and I love this combination.  The top notes are:  Pomelo, Pink Pepper, Sparkling Bergamot Juice.  The middle notes are: Honeysuckle, Fresh Violet Blooms, Gardenia Water, Whipped Lily Petals.  The bottom notes of the fragrance are: Sheer Sandalwood, White Amber, Sensual Musks.  I know that I will want the body products in this fragrance but am currently deciding on purchasing the fragrance itself.

The last fragrance is the warmest of the three and would be better later spring or summer, it reminds me very much of the old fragrance Forever Sunshine.  "Golden Magnolia Sun is a luminous blend of pink magnolia, golden apricot and sun kissed peony, blooming with a touch of sensual vanilla and cassis nectar."  This is a mix of magnolia and apricot and I like it but I don't know that I love it, there is just something in it that turns me off when I tried the lotion on for the first time.  The top notes are:  Cassis Nectar, Mandarin, Apricot, Lotus flower, Leaves.  The middle notes are:  Jasmine, Peony, Water Orchid, Sheer Freesia, Pink Magnolia.  The bottom notes are: Caramel, Vanilla, Amber.  I just don't know what I don't like in this fragrance when I put it on, it smells pretty in the bottle but this isn't the fragrance for me.

I love the Violet Lily Sky, this one will be mine in the body products but I don't know that I would use the Fine Fragrance Mist in this scent.  The Golden Magnolia Sun is pretty in the bottle but I will need to skip over it since one or more of these notes just doesn't work when I try to wear it, this one will not be a choice for me.  The Pear Blossom Air is one that I am on the fence about, I don't know that I will be picking it up.  I like the pear note but I don't like how the florals were mixed into it, I doubt that I would buy anything in this fragrance since I certainly don't need any new body products.

The fragrances come in the typical Signature Collection products; Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Triple Moisture Body Cream, Foaming Scrub, and a newer product called the Diamond Shimmer Mist.  The Diamond Shimmer Mist is a product that was just introduced and replaces all the old shimmer products.  I saw the old shimmer products on a Sale table so I would guess that this is the only shimmer product that will be carried by this company.  "Dazzle with Diamonds! Infused with real diamond dust, our luxurious Diamond Shimmer Mist kisses skin with irresistible fragrance and gorgeous sparkle."  I am not shimmer lady so this will not be a product that will be added to my collection...

Spring is a still a very long way away and the prediction for next month is even more snow so I will be picking up some of the Violet Lily Sky products to put away for a few months.  At least spring fragrances get closer each day...

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Palette - Full Review

I have spend the last few days playing around with the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette and I am finally ready with my full review on this palette.  I really liked this palette on my first impressions but I have found that many of my eye looks like very similar no matter what shades I end up using from this palette and two of shades have proven to be complete duds when I tried using them in looks.  Overall, I do like this palette and I know that I will get a good amount of use from it but I can't give it the flawless review that I initially thought that I would be writing...

"A sweetly tempting array of 16 matte and shimmer shadows scented with real chocolate.  Too Faced Co-founder and Creative Director Jerrod Blandino learned of the healing properties of cocoa while getting a chocolate facial in Maui.  With Chocolate Bar, he created a first-of-its-kind palette that combines the healthy benefits of chocolate with richly pigmented, velvety smooth shadows.  Chocolate has been used for centuries for its soothing properties and to protect, condition, and heal skin that has been damaged by sun and wind.  Studies have shown that the scent of cocoa powder can increase memory and brain power.", states the Sephora website when describing the palette.

The shades that are included in this palette are...

- Gilded Ganache - deep chocolate brown satin
- Milk Chocolate - medium brown matte
- Black Forest Truffle - deep warm brown shimmer
- Triple Fudge - deep warm chocolate brown shimmer
- Salted Caramel - warm brown matte
- Marzipan - medium champagne shimmer
- Semi-Sweet - medium brown matte
- Strawberry Bon-Bon - pale pink satin
- Candied Violet - bright violet purple satin
- Amaretto - medium warm brown shimmer
- Hazelnut - medium neutral brown shimmer
- Crème Brulee - medium warm golden shimmer
- Haute Chocolate - deep chocolate brown matte
- Cherry Cordial - deep plum satin
- White Chocolate - cool champagne matte
- Champagne Truffle - cool champagne shimmer


We will start with a quick recap of my first impressions and initial thoughts on the palette and then I will explain my thoughts in more depth and if my initial thoughts have changed.  I still love that the White Chocolate and Champagne Truffle shades are much larger than the other pans, I use White Chocolate to set my eye primer and Champagne Truffle on both the lid and inner corner.  I hope this is something that we see in more Too Faced eye palettes and I wouldn't mind seeing other brands follow this brand's lead.  I still love the mix of shimmers and mattes that are contained in this palette, the mattes work well in the crease and on the outer V, the shimmers apply well to the lid.  The range of brown shades is very nice and I can use this palette for both day and night.

All four of the matte brown shades perform well; Milk Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Semi-Sweet, and Haute Chocolate are true to the colors that they appear in the pan and blend out nicely.  Haute Chocolate is too dark for the crease and I only use it to really deepen up the outer V and along my lower lash line.  I get the majority of use in the crease from Milk Chocolate and Salted Caramel, Semi-Sweet is best used in the crease only when creating a nighttime brown smoky eye, I only use in my outer V when creating day looks.  

All of the neutral shimmers perform very nicely on the lid, my favorite shades are Marzipan, Crème Brulee, and Hazelnut.  The two best shimmer shades for daytime looks are Marzipan and Crème Brulee, the rest of the shades are richly pigmented deep brown shades and work best for more dramatic brown smoky eye looks.  I can't say that I can tell much difference between any of the warm brown shimmer shades and the same issue holds for the cooler brown shimmer shades.  When applied on the lid, there isn't much variation in the shades and I took pictures of eye looks that I made with each of the brown shimmers and there was little to no difference in most of the looks.  Cherry Cordial is described as a "deep plum satin" but applies as a plum brown shade on the lid.  It applies as a mildly different shade than the brown shades but still pulls more brown than plum.  Too Faced could have reduced the amount of brown shimmer hues in this palette and I still could have created many of the exact same looks that I already did.  

There are two shades in this palette that are complete duds.  I am aware that every palette has a few duds but I was really disappointed with which shades were the issues in the Chocolate Bar palette.  Candied Violet was simply awful, I tried using it on the lid and there was little to no pigment payoff.  I then used it along the lower lash line and it came out as a muddy brown hue.  I can't use this shade at all and I was so excited at how pretty it looked in the pan.  The other really disappointing shade was Strawberry Bon-Bon, this pink matte shade applied very chalky and had no pigment.  I wasn't happy that the only two shades that aren't neutrals in this palette can't be used and this palette has even less of a shade range than I originally thought that it did.  

I go back and forth on the chocolate fragrance of the palette, I originally loved it but I have found that it made a headache worse one morning when I tried to use it.  I can't use this palette when I have a headache or any other type of sinus issues.  I am sure that many people do love the fragrance of this palette but there are a few people that can't stand the fragrance and it would make the palette unable to be used for them.  

Overall, the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette is a solid neutral palette with a great mix of matte and shimmer shades.  This company could have reduced the number of browns in this palette and either made it smaller or added a few more pops of color to this palette.  The two pops of color are the two the weakest shades and I don't plan on trying to use either of them again.  The fragrance could be a huge selling feature to some but a deal breaker to others.  I know that I will use this palette throughout the rest of the winter and into the beginning of spring but I think many of the hues are too deep to use in spring and summer.  Chocolate Bar is a very good choice if you are looking to add another neutral palette to your collection and/or you are a die-hard Too Faced fan and I would recommend purchasing it if these are the types of eye shadow shades that you enjoy wearing.

photo courtesy of Google

Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline

There is less than a month until Valentine's Day and I have already started to go through my perfume samples to look for a new fragrance to wear on that day.  I know that I want something floral but I am still not sure if I want a lighter, flirty floral or a deeper, sexy floral.  I will go back and forth between trying new (or new to me) fragrances from both of these categories.  I will work on this project for the next few weeks and I think that I will have quite a few reviews of fragrances by the time that the holiday arrives.  I have started with my current perfume sample collection, this collection grows more and more with each holiday gifting season and I have quite a few to choose from.

Today we are looking at the Omnia Crystalline fragrance from Bvlgari, a light floral with a prominent greenery note.  One spray of this perfume was enough for me to realize that it was not going to be a contender for my Valentine's Day fragrance.  Omnia Crystalline is more of a fresh fragrance with touches of floral notes.  This is much better as a fragrance to be worn in a professional environment.

The Sephora website provides the following fragrance description, "Capturing the glowing clarity of crystal light, Omnia Crystalline illuminates, reflects, and reveals a woman's unique radiance, her femininity, her beauty - the inexpressible, irresistible lightness of her being.  Omnia Crystalline is inspired by a gem - two rings flowing into each other to be displayed as a jewel symbolizing infinity: abundance and freedom."

The fragrance notes are: Lotus Blossom and Bamboo, this fragrance falls more into the Fresh family than the Floral family.  

I really loved this fragrance when I first tried it out, the fragrance starts with a watery note and then the greenery notes develop within the first fifteen minutes of wear time.  The fragrance than stays the same and it doesn't seem that there are any bottom notes contained in this mix.  The fragrance is full of top and heart notes but has very little lasting power and depth.

I like this fragrance less and less the more that I use it.  The fragrance smells very pretty when first applied but does not last on my skin.  I will say that this type of fragrance often tends to not last on my skin and this result may be different from everyone, only florals and muskier scents tend to work my body chemistry and I prefer to stick to fragrances in these families.

The fragrance also doesn't fade away gracefully on my skin, it is gone very quickly once it starts fading and I need to reapply it right away.  I have been burning through my sample and I need to carry it in my bag in order to reapply throughout the day.  There is just no point in my purchasing a full bottle of this perfume, I have other fragrances that are light and fresh but have more floral notes in and last much longer on my skin.  I think that Omnia Crystalline would work better for me if it had one or two more prominent floral notes in the mix but I think I can safely rule this one out from my fragrance search...

photo courtesy of Sephora

MAC Vintage Vamp

I am going to warn all of you right now...in previous years I have hated Valentine's Day and spent a whole month before it complaining about it.  This year, I am actually looking forward to Valentine's Day since I have a boy friend for the first time in ages and I think that some of my posts might be a bit different than from previous years.  I will try not to be sappy and goofy, I will be happy this holiday but not silly about the holiday as I have seen from some people in the whole month before.  I will now be coming up with an outfit and beauty ideas for going out that night and this is more likely to be my focus for this blog.  I am thinking that I might wear a favorite black and white dotted dress on mine and then I might want to do bright pink accessories and makeup in this same hue...

I hadn't starting thinking about Valentine's Day beauty until I got the email from MAC about the new Vintage Vamp collection.  This is a Valentine's Day themed lip collection and MAC does one of these collections every single year at this time.  In previous years, MAC has highlighted their best pink and red lip and nail hues and is the start of the Valentine's Day beauty shopping season.  I have always picked at least one or two new shades from this collection in past years however I think that my collection of these hues is getting so large that I may not need any items from this line up.

This collection is online only and will only be offered at the MAC website.  "M•A•C Vintage Vamp - From seductive reds to playful pink, our online-exclusive selection for that pinup-perfect matte lip on Valentine's Day."

Here is the Valentine's Day collection!

Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous.
- Candy Yum Yum - neon pink
- Ruby Woo - very matte vivid blue red

Pro Longwear Lip Pencil - A new generation of longwearing lip pencil technology. Glides on fluidly and adheres instantly. Defines the lips with an instant release of rich, saturated colour. Pro-longs the hours between re-application.  Transfer proof.
- Kiss Me Quick - yellow red

The only shade that I need from this collection is the Candy Yum Yum Lipstick, this shade is sold out at my counter all the time and is periodically sold out on both the MAC and Nordstrom websites.  I have both NARS Schiap and Funny Face however this face is in between the two shades and I still want Candy Yum Yum really bad.  I will just keep watching for this hue and order it as I can.  I would like to have this shade before Valentine's Day but I wouldn't mind wearing Schiap (as this is still a favorite pink shade of mine) with my black and white dress.

photo courtesy of MAC

Fitness Friday - Java Pro Protein Shake

I have been focusing on many different yoga poses and workout moves on my last few Fitness Fridays and today we are going to look at one of my new favorite things of the month.  I have tried certain different kinds of protein shakes and none of them have been all that great.  I have found that the vanilla flavors tend to be way too sweet and the all the chocolate flavors just taste fake.  My boyfriend decided to give me a different brand of protein shake, he wanted to find me something that he thought that I would enjoy based on my love of Starbucks.  I am happy to report that I have finally found a protein shake that I can actually drink and enjoy every single morning!

The Java Pro protein shake tastes like Starbucks iced coffee and I was excited to see that I can order this shake in a bunch of different coffee flavors.  "Each serving of Java Pro consists of 'roughly' one and a half scoops of powder, which amounts to 110 calories, 2g of carbs, 1.5g of fat, and 20g of protein.  Plus the oh-so-lovely 80mg of caffeine sourced from real coffee.  Java Pro includes whey protein concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate.  Aside from the protein powder and vitamin-mineral-amino acid blend, the only other ingredients in Java Pro are coffee, sucralose, and soy lecithin.", states the company's website when describing this protein powder.

This company recommends using 1 and a half scoops of this powder for every 12 ounces of water.  The website recommends using this shake in a shaker bottle or a blender, I find the shaker bottle method to be the easiest way to use this product.  I mix it up before I go to sleep each night and then put it in the refrigerator for drinking in the morning.  I typically drink two or three cups of coffee every single morning and I found that I will substitute this shake for one of those cups.  I am not affected by caffeine in afternoon or evening but I can imagine that not everyone could use this product depending on how they are affected by caffeinated beverages.  

Java Pro is a great choice for anyone that loves the taste of iced coffee and wants to add whey protein into their diet.  I can see how this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but this is the best protein shake that I have ever used.  There are a few flavors available in this product: Expresso, Hazelnut, Mocha, French Vanilla, and Caramel.  The best flavors are the French Vanilla and original Expresso.  I find that the Caramel and Hazelnut are slightly too sweet for me to drink every morning, I always order two different flavors of this product and then the I alternate them each day.

I think that I have finally found my perfect protein shake and I will be ordering bags of this product for as long as I can!

photo courtesy of Google

Brand Spotlight 2014 - Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick

I wanted to return to my Brand Spotlight slightly earlier than I had planned on, I was going to look at more spring collections today however this blog series is rapidly becoming one of my favorite topics.  Today we are going to look at one of my new favorite products and one that I already know will be on my list of top favorite products of the entire year.  I loved the Smokey Eye Mascara that I reviewed the other day and I have already decided that this brand has some of the best eye makeup products that I have ever used.  

I started my shopping of Bobbi Brown eye makeup products last summer when I tried out a few of their cream eye shadow formulas and now I am in love with their stick cream eye shadow formula.  I have been playing around the Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks for the past few weeks and I needed to force myself to put these down so that I could start working with the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Palette.  I am going to review these shadow sticks today so that I can get back to working on my thoughts of that palette.  

"A long-lasting, do-it-all eye shadow that's a stroke of genius - just swipe and go.  This budge-proof formula stays put for 8 hours.  Glides on lids tug-free and can be used to shade, define, smoke up, and highlight eyes.  Comes in subtle to eye-popping shades that last for up to 8 hours without creasing, flaking, or fading (and its completely water-resistant).", states the Bobbi Brown website.

The colors available on this product are...

- Vanilla - white cream

- Truffle - creamy beige

- Sunlight Gold - beige gold

- Malted Pink - deep nude pink

- Taupe - medium caramel

- Stone - medium gray brown

- Nude Beach - grayish taupe with a hint of shimmer

- Pink Sparkle - light pink sparkle

- Dusty Mauve - shimmering lavender
- Soft Peach - pastel peach
- Sand Dune - medium beige tan
- Golden Pink - shimmering peach pink
- Goldstone - shimmering brown gold
- Golden Bronze - deep bronze sugar
- Shadow - smokey blue gray
- Heather Steel - deep gray purple
- Bark - rich brown
- Violet Plum - deep shimmer eggplant

I purchased a few of the neutral shades in this product and now would like to order even more shades.  I didn't see all the shades at the counter in Sephora so I will need to visit the counter to find more of these shades.  I purchased the following shades: Vanilla, Truffle, Sunlight Gold, Sand Dune, and Golden Pink.  These shades have either a satin or a shimmer finish and I use each finish a different way.  My favorite finish is the shimmer finish but every shade that I have used is very high quality and pigmented.

The satin finish shades I use right over a primer, I draw them right onto my lid and then buff the edges out with a MAC 224 brush.  I will one shade all over my lid or I will combine two shades to create more definition on my lid.  The shimmer finishes can be used in exactly the same way but I do set down a matte bone colored shadow and a subtle transition shade before applying the shadow sticks.

Bobbi Brown has always preferred a more natural, polished beauty look and enjoys creating products that are effortless to use and last all throughout the day.  These Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks certainly fit the bill and I love that they take very little time to apply in the morning and then last on my lids all throughout the day.  The neutrals are very easy to work with and Golden Peach is my favorite shade of the group.

I want to grab a few more of these shadow sticks, I am hoping that some of the deeper shades will work to quickly add drama to an eye look or to create the gradient needed for a smoky eye.  I want to order the following shades to round out my collection of this product: Nude Beach, Goldstone, Golden Bronze, Bark, and Violet Plum.  I would like to see these in a deep charcoal hue or a pale gray hue, most of these shades trend to warmer or neutral hues.  I would love to see more cool shades offered in this product.

We will be picking back up on my Brand Spotlight series next week, I will be picking back up with a face product and then rounding out this month's spotlight with a new fragrance!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Essie Resort 2014 Nail Polish Collection

We just looked at the Deborah Lippmann spring nail polish collection the other day and now we are looking at what I believe is the first of two Essie polish collections.  I first saw this collection in an ad contained in Allure and I have finally found it up on their website.  The reason that I believe that this the first of two collections is that the company's founder describes this as more of a "late winter" collection than a true "spring" collection.  I am sure that the second collection will contain the traditional pastel shades that we saw in the last spring polish collection and I am happy that this company has decided to release two collections so that they can cater to all tastes...not everyone loves pastels.

The company's founder (Essie Weingarten" describes this collection with a quote.  "A beach escape is just the thing to recharge, renew, and break free of winter's icy reach.", states the Essie website.  There are four shades contained in this little collection, one deep shade and three lighter shades.  I am not looking for any new shades of dark polishes so I am more interested in the paler neutrals contained in the collection and then I will save my shopping of pastels for the next release from this company.

The four shades contained in the Essie Resort collection are...

- Resort Fling - bright peach cream
- Find Me An Oasis - very pale blue cream
- Cocktails and Coconuts - neutral tan cream with gold shimmer
- Under The Twilight - very dark purple cream

Under The Twilight is such a dark shade of purple that I actually thought that it was a black cream until I saw the shade description.  I might have been interested in this shade last fall but I am certainly not in the market for this dark of a shade right now, I will be skipping over this shade.  Resort Fling is a bright peach and this is not a color that I tend to prefer, I will also be skipping over this shade.  I initially thought that Find Me An Oasis was a pale silver cream but it is actually a very pale blue.  It appears almost white in pictures that I found on Google and I don't like this shade either.  The only shade that I really like is Cocktails and Coconuts, this neutral cream contained a gold shimmer and has the potential to be another one of favorite neutral shades.  I will definitely be picking up a bottle of this shade but will skip over all the others.

The Essie formula is not one of my favorites and I tend to only buy bottles of these polishes when I really like the shades.  I have found that this formula tends to be very hit or miss, I have had shades that are great and then I have had shades that take three or more coats to fully build up.  The neutrals and the jewel-toned shades are usually the best and the pastels typically are the hardest to work with.  I will be checking out a bunch of other spring polish collections before I decide if there are any other shades from those collections that I will want more than those in this formula...

photo courtesy of Google

Sephora Collection Express Cleansing Face Wipes

The latest addition to my gym bag is a new kind of facial cleansing wipes, I had been using the Korres wipes and then these new ones were recommended to me during my last Sephora visit.  I have been visiting the gym more than three times a weeks since the end of last semester and I have been burning through my makeup remover wipes (and post workout shakes!).  I was considering just stocking up on my favorite Korres wipes but I decided that this might be a good opportunity to try and review a new product.  The associate at Sephora recommended the Sephora brand wipes as a great option and I have used them after my past few workouts.

Obviously I will be pulling all of my information from the Sephora website as this is only place that I can purchase these wipes.  "A collection of biodegradable, pre-moistened wipes for cleansing, exfoliating, and purifying the face, eyes, and lips.  Perfect for travel, these handy wipes cleanse and tone the skin.  They remove all types of makeup, even long-wearing formulas, without leaving behind an oily residue.", states the company's website.  There are several kinds of wipes from Sephora Collection and I chose the ones that are just for cleansing.  Other formulas help to exfoliate and purify however I didn't want to use anything like that on my dry skin.

The Cleansing Wipes are designed to "Cleanse and tone with a formula that includes HydroSenn+, a natural ingredient proven to deliver immediate and long lasting hydration more effectively than hyaluronic acid".  I was only looking for wipes that would remove my makeup without drying out my skin, the other formulas would have been better for use on oily skin.

The Sephora associate recommended that I give these a try, I decided to pick up a pack of these plus a pack of the Korres ones (in case I didn't like these).  I have used these a few times and can give my review of them now.  I can't say that I would be able to tell the difference in texture between these two formulas and they both feel quite nice when used on the skin.  I don't experience any tugging or dryness during application and neither formula dries out my skin.

I will start by saying that I like the Sephora Collection wipes but I do prefer the Korres version.  The Korres wipes are infused with milk proteins and help to hydrate my skin while removing my face makeup.  I do like that the Korres version is soothing to my skin and I haven't experienced this from the Sephora version.  There are quite a few aspects of these wipes that are very similar, both formulas remove my face and eye makeup and do not dry out my skin.  The Korres formula is better for me in that it helps to soothe the redness and I will continue to purchase the Korres once I have used up the Sephora version.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Deborah Lippmann Spring 2014 Collection - Spring Reveries

Spring nail polish shades are always my favorite releases of the year, I usually buy all my pastels and brights this time of the year and wear them until after Labor Day.  I am alternating between pale pinks and dark grays right now but I will be adding more pinks and purples to my line up within the next few weeks.  I am ready to start looking for new shades and I was very excited to see that Deborah Lippmann has released her new spring polishes to her website.  Spring Reveries is the name of her newest collection, this is a range of pastel hues that reminds me of Easter Eggs.

I can already see that I am not going to be finding any new pink or purple shades from Spring Reveries but I am going to start looking to see what holes are in my pastel nail polish collection.  I have loved this nail polish formula for years and I love that it is now widely available at Sephora.  I haven't seen it very often in my local store but I will just order many of the shades online instead.

This line typically releases three or four new shades each season but they have decided to actually release six brand new shades for this spring and I hope that this trend will continue for the next few seasons.  Some of the shades have already been seen on the spring runways and I will make a note of which shades have already been shown in which shows.

The Spring Reveries collection...

- La Vie En Rose - pastel pink shimmer (shown on the Spring 2014 Badgley Mischka runway)
- Blue Orchid - baby blue cream (shown on the Spring 2014 Badgley Mischka runway)
- Spring Buds - pistachio cream
- Tip Top Through The Tulips - pale peach cream
- Build Me Up Buttercup - pale yellow cream
- Flowers In Her Hair - pale mint green cream

I really like quite a few of these shades and I want to pick up every shade but the peach and yellow ones.  If I had to pick just one shade to order, La Vie En Rose would be my top choice as I could alternate it with the rest of my favorite pale pink polishes.  Blue Orchid and Flowers In Her Hair are my next choices and then I would also consider grabbing Spring Buds to round out my shopping.

I am willing to bet that we will be seeing a bunch of pastel-themed nail polish collections this spring and I will need to decide which polish shades are my favorite.  Deborah Lippmann polishes have one of the best formulas in the industry and I would choose these other many other brands with similar shades.

photo courtesy of Bigelow Chemists

Brand Spotlight 2014 - Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara

We are going back to the Brand Spotlight today and I have been enjoying testing out all kinds of new products for this series.  Today we are looking at the Smokey Eye Mascara from Bobbi Brown, everyone knows that I love to try new mascaras.  I am sure that I will trying new versions from all different brands in the coming months and will be adding quite a few new formulas to my list of favorites.  I have always seen Bobbi Brown mascara formulas recommended in Allure magazine and I have been wanting to try one for quite a few months now.  I decided to visit the Bobbi Brown counter for my mascara purchase in order to make sure that I could see and choose from every single formula.  I have found that my Sephora doesn't have all of the products in the Bobbi Brown brand and I have to visit the counter for the best selection.

Bobbi Brown is well known for having a mascara to suit every single need and makeup look.  The company's website has a "Mascara Finder" and I took this quiz before visiting the counter.  I have always preferred volumizing mascara formulas and the quiz decided that I should try the best-selling Smokey Eye Mascara.  This is actually one of the formulas that I was the most interested in from the beginning so I was more than happy to head to the counter and pick up a tube of this.  The makeup artist working at the counter assured me that I had made a great choice and this Smokey Eye is a favorite formula of hers.

"The perfect complement to a smokey eye look, this kohl-pigmented mascara delivers high drama by creating extremely black, stretched-out lashes in an instant.  Plus, the long-wearing formula holds its own against flaking, smudging, sweat, and humidity.  Builds volume lash by lash as opposed to traditional volumizing formulas that create the appearance of volume by clumping lashes together.  Plus, a thicker brush base evenly combs through eyelashes from roots to ends, while a tapered tip grabs those small, hard-to-reach lashes.", states the Bobbi Brown website.

This mascara is only available in a black shade and this is one of the most pigmented black shades that I have used.  I prefer volumizing formulas over lengthening formulas and my mascara formulas tend to be wetter and then cause clumpy lashes.  I am used to this type of formula so I was a bit disappointed when I first worked with this formula and it didn't instantly volumize my lashes.  I had to get used to building this formula up a bit more than I would with the Too Faced Better Than Sex formula but the extra effort turned out to be worth it.  Many traditional volumizing mascara formulas tend to work in one coat but then the second coat will then start clumping up (until the formula begins to dry out with usage).  The first coat of this formula will provide natural-looking volume and definition and then the second coat is needed to build up the volume.  The second coat doesn't clump up like many other formulas do but it takes slightly longer to apply and perfect.

I feel that Smokey Lash Mascara is one of the "updated" volumizing mascara formulas.  Brands have been alternating traditional volumizing formulas with ones that can be used to create natural-looking volume but can be built up to create much more volume.  One coat of this product works very well for work but then a second coat can be applied to build up the look for going out at night.  I have also found that this is one of the few volumizing formulas that can be used successfully over a primer.

This is my first Bobbi Brown mascara and I am very impressed with this formula, I will be purchasing more tubes of this product and then trying even more formulas from this brand.  I think my next Bobbi Brown product to review will be another eye makeup product before I start moving onto other categories.

photo courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Urban Decay Primer Potion Eden

I have been trying a newer version of my favorite Urban Decay Primer Potion and I have to say that I think this version is the best one that I have tried so far.  I have used the traditional Primer Potion for years and I have always gone back to it after trying other formulas.  This company has released multiple special versions of the product but I have always found the original to be the best of the group.  I was on the fence about trying yet another version of the Primer Potion as I always end up preferring the original but I was in the mood to branch out and find a new product to review.  I have been playing around the Lorac eye primer since last month but I wanted to try another formula and see which one I prefer.

The Urban Decay Primer Potion Eden is one of the newer versions of the best-selling Primer Potion and was out of stock on the Sephora website when I originally wanted to order it.  It had been out of stock for so long that I had actually forgotten about it when I started using the my new Lorac eye products and then I decided to order the Urban Decay product once it came back in stock.  I have been using it the past few days and comparing it to the Lorac product, I didn't love the Lorac eye primer so I was looking forward to trying something different.  I was attracted to this version of the Primer Potion as Eden is supposed to resemble more of a concealer finish on the skin and leave a smooth canvas for eye shadow application.

The Sephora website provides the following description of this newer version of the Urban Decay Primer Potion, "A creamy, nude matte primer that gives you vibrant, crease-free eye shadow for 24 hours.  Get a primer with multiple benefits.  This 24-hour wear, crease-free shadow provides vibrant color and smoother application.  Eden, a nude matte shade, glides on effortlessly, reduces the look of redness, and delivers full coverage for a gorgeous, subtle look when worn alone.  Its innovative polymer technology fills in any imperfections on the skin's surface, prepping lids for all day shadow."

I think the first aspect that I love about this product is the newer packaging that it is in, I have always loved the Urban Decay eye primers but have found that the original packaging left a lot of  product left inside the tube.  The newer tube is more a squeeze tube but does not have the doe-foot applicator.  I miss the doe-foot applicator but I love the new tube and I will be able to get all the product out of it, more than making up for the lack of applicator.

The second aspect of this product that I really love is the finish that it leaves on my eyelids, the original formula dries clear but I think that I really prefer the soft matte finish that it leaves on my eye lid skin.  My eye shadows apply very smoothly on top of this product and it fills in any fine lines on my lids before shadow application.  I apply one drop to my finger and this has been enough to apply all over both eyelids, it applies tacky and then dries down to the soft matte finish.  It has a velvet feel while it is drying down and then it fully dries in about 60 seconds.  It does take this formula longer to dry down than the original formula or the Lorac formula that I have just been using.  I find that I like to apply this product once I finish up my foundation and then let it dry while I am applying the rest of my concealer, powder, and brow products.  My first few uses of this product slowed my morning makeup application down and then I found that I needed to change up my routine in order to save time.

I still set my primer with a matte bone shade, I have not yet applied a bright or deep shadow right over this product and I don't plan on trying.  I will continue to set my primer in this fashion no matter what primer I use.  So far, my shadows have been applying very nicely over it.  I have mostly been using the Urban Decay Naked palettes with it, I will be working with the Too Faced Chocolate Bar next week and then I will be finishing my review on that product but I happy to report that the shades that I have used so far have applied nicely and stayed bright all day.  I haven't paired this primer with every shadow and palette that I already own but it is working well with the Naked palettes and I have high hopes that it will work with everything I own.

I never thought I would say this but...Eden is my favorite of the Urban Decay Primer Potions and I will be repurchasing both this one and the original.  This one ranks with my favorite eye shadow primers and I am happy to see that one of the variations on the original product has actually worked for me!

photo courtesy of Urban Decay