Nail of the Day: Glitzerland by OPI

Glitzerland is a gorgeous sparkly gold color that is new from OPI this fall with their Swiss collection. In truth, I've never owned, nor worn, a gold nail polish before, but I have to say this is one of my new favorites for the transition from summer to fall. The golden tones still make it a great choice to pair with a tan, while it's also more muted than a hot pink or orange (which still screams summer). Perhaps what I like best about this polish, is that is VERY opaque and sparkly upon the first coat. I put two coats just for extra oomph, but you could certainly get away with it after just one!

Review: Boscia Skin Care Clear Complexion Kit

Although I purchased the Boscia Clear Complexion Kit a while back, I wanted to really use the products for several weeks before posting my review. I've finally almost finished the kit, so I think it's time to share my thoughts! I do want to note one thing in advance: I went to the dermatologist half-way through using these products and began a regimen of prescription medications to help heal my acne. Unfortunately this means I cannot really speak to the Clear Complexion Kit's ability to cure and/or prevent acne, I can only talk to the consistency of the products and the short-term effects that I saw.

Now onto the review! Included in your kit is a Clear Complexion Cleanser, a Clear Complexion Tonic with Botanical Blast, a Clear Complexion Treatment with Botanical Blast and an Oil-Free Daily Hydration moisturizer with SPF 15. Each is a travel-sized bottle with .5 - 1.86 fl oz of product, which is perfect if you want to try the system without spending the money on the full-size products.

In my opinion, the cleanser is very average -- the scent is very light, although it does have a slight plant aroma to it, and the consistency is the same as any cleanser in that it lathers well and rinses clean easily. The only thing I noticed was that my skin did feel slightly more stripped afterward than when I was using my mild cleanser from Clinique. I have very sensitive skin, so I can't say I was a huge fan of that super clean, squeaky sensation on my skin; however, the cleanser did not irritate my skin or cause me to break out any worse!

As for the tonic, well, I thought it was supposed to be a toner, but it turns out that I'm not sure what the purpose of this step is. It comes in a spray bottle and says you are supposed to mist it on your face twice a day and anytime you need a refreshing boost. I immediately realized that I HATED the spray bottle concept. If you have to close your eyes, you can't really see where you are aiming AND the nozzle doesn't spray the product wide enough that you can get your whole face with one spray. It literally would take me 4-5 sprays to feel like I adequately coated my face and then I was just drippy and wet! Plus, I didn't get the sensation that this product DID anything -- you aren't supposed to swipe it on your face with a cotton ball (which I feel helps remove the dead skin cells) and it didn't tingle like a typical toner would. I stopped using this step after about 10 days because it seemed pointless to me and I had already used 3/4 of the product from all the needless spraying.

Unfortunately, I can't say that I'm a fan of the moisturizer either. Because it has SPF (which is great for the daytime, don't get me wrong), it's not a product that you can use at night before bed and a nighttime moisturizer isn't provided in the kit. Usually when I try a new skin care regimen, I like to use only products from that line so I'm not biasing my skin with competing brands. However, I ALWAYS moisturize twice a day because my skin is dry, so I had to use my Clinique moisturizer during my trial period. My other complaint would be the consistency and smell of this moisturizer. I really don't like it when I FEEL like my moisturizer has sunscreen, i.e. you kind of get that sunscreeny texture when applying it and smell that sunscreeny smell? Yeah, this product does both. I also found it to be a bit greasy.

Finally, we have the Clear Complexion Treatment, and unfortunately, I didn't like this either! Again, I think it's a consistency issue. The product was so watery and thin that I didn't get the sense that it was really seeping into my skin. In truth, I don't really know if the consistency matters, I just know I would have preferred something that felt more medicated whereas this felt very watered down.

Overall, I wouldn't re-buy anything from this system, although I certainly don't think it HURT my skin at all because it's made with natural, preservative-free ingredients. Unfortunately, I just seemed to have consistency issues with most of the products and didn't notice enough of a difference in my skin (prior to using the acne medication) to warrant the expensive prices.

To Recap:

Pros:

- Products are natural and preservative-free so they are good choices for those with sensitive skin

- The kit is available with travel sizes so you can take them on airplanes AND try out the line for less money

- The products were all very gentle on my skin and didn't irritate me

Cons:

- The cleanser is a bit too stripping for my dry skin

- The toner doesn't seem to do anything and is difficult to apply with the spray bottle

- The moisturizer smells and applies sort of like sunscreen. It's also greasy.

- The treatment felt watered down.

- Full-size bottles are INCREDIBLY expensive

It doesn't seem like the Clear Complexion Kit is available at Sephora any longer (it's not showing up on their Web site), but they are selling Value Kits for Normal to Dry and Normal to Oily skin for $45. ULTA also carries this line. For the full size products, you'll pay $36 for the moisturizer, $26 for the cleanser, $35 for the treatment and $24 for the tonic. You can also visit their Web site at www.boscia.com for more information.

July Favorites

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Review: Benefit Bad Gal Lash

I feel really sorry for Benefit as I begin writing this review because the last few products I've tried of theirs I've kind of bashed on this blog (I do like the Boi-ing concealer though!). I guess I can forget the possibility of them ever sending me a free product to review, lol! ;X At the end of the day though, I didn't create this blog to only write positive reviews, because I don't think that's helpful for anyone, so Benefit will just have to hate me.

With that said, I guess you can probably predict my sentiments toward Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara. I received a sample of this product in a set from ULTA (it came with their primer, Stay Don't Stray, and a cream shadow in RSVP) and I was very excited to try it (as I am with any new product!). First thing I noticed: the wand is HUMONGOUS! I'm not just talking a little full, or a little long, this baby is literally the biggest mascara wand I've ever seen in my life. It's almost bigger than my eye! Look at how the wand compares to Lancome's Definicils -- crazy!

Now, some people might think of this feature as a plus, but for me, it just signaled a big mess in application because, contrary to what you would assume from the thought of a larger wand, the size actually makes it more difficult to maneuver to get those tiny inner and outer lashes (meaning you're much more likely to get mascara all over your face/eye).

I probably could have worked around the insanely large wand if it wasn't for the fact that the product really sucks too. To be fair, the product could suck BECAUSE the wand is so inefficient, and I don't have disposable wands to try as an alternative application, but I'll tell you this much: I have pretty long lashes naturally, they're just blond, so I mostly use mascara to darken them up and add some extra length and volume. I've used MANY mascara brands and usually it's a very lickety-split process -- a couple quick coats, some wiggling with the brush and I'm done. With Bad Gal, I stood in front of the mirror a good three times longer than I've done with ANY other mascara struggling to get the product to do anything. After several strokes, it didn't even look like I had applied mascara! I had to dunk the wand several times and coat my lashes over and over, turning the wand around, spinning it, etc. just to get product on my eye lashes. And even then, there was really very little lengthening/volumizing effect to speak of.

Being totally honest here, this is one of the worst mascaras I have ever used. I would never, ever pay the $19 asking price for a full-size product.

Here's one interesting thing to note: this formula also comes in a "slimline" brush if you get the waterproof or brown version. If money was no object, I would pick up one of those varieties in a heartbeat to test it out and see if it's just the funky brush that makes this product so horrible, or if it's truly their formulation. Unfortunately, I don't get paid to review this stuff for you guys, and I don't want to waste $20, so this conundrum will forever remain a mystery unless one of my faithful readers has tried the smaller brush and has something to share. ;)

To Recap:

Pros:

- Um, the packaging is pretty?

Cons:

- Giant brush makes application awkward and difficult, especially when trying to reach smaller inner and outer lashes

- At $19 for the full-size, it's much more expensive than other mascara brands that do a better job

- The formula didn't lengthen, add volume, or darken lashes until I struggled with it for several minutes

Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara can be purchased online at www.benefitcosmetics.com, or at Sephora or ULTA.

Nail of the Day: Rumples Wiggin by OPI Shrek Collection

I love, love, love this color! I've never worn lilac nails before, so I was a little nervous when I first applied this polish, but it turns out that Rumples Wiggin by OPI from the Shrek Collection is a great mix -- totally work appropriate, but a bit funky too!

I applied two coats, plus a base coat and top coat from Essie to achieve the look above. In truth, the first coat did go on kind of streaky, but that cleaned up really easily with the second coat to create a nice, even and opaque finish. 

A new fave for sure! 

FREE 15-piece gift at ULTA this week!

This week at http://www.ulta.com/ with any $17.50 ULTA brand purchase (on qualifying products), you'll receive a FREE 15-piece gift with eyeshadows, lipsticks, makeup brushes, polishes, blush/bronzer, liners and more! The gift is available in two shades -- purple and green -- with different products in each. ULTA.com orders also come with 3 free samples AND you can combine their current $3.50 off $10 coupon with the free gift offer (use coupon code 42185 at checkout). I know from past purchases that their free gifts are quite nice, so I would grab this new one while supplies last!

As an extra treat, they also had the Urban Decay Naked palette in stock this morning -- I grabbed one quickly because I know these are going to go super fast!

Comparison: Benefit's Erase Paste vs Boi-ing Concealer

Back when I first started Beauty Babble, I wrote a review about Benefit's Erase Paste under-eye concealer and how much I was enjoying it. Since then, I have tried using it on other parts of my face, as the packaging clearly states that it is a camouflage for eyes and face, but had dastardly results (bad coverage, no staying power). Thus, a few weeks ago when I was at Sephora during a special Benefit event, I approached one of the makeup artists to get her suggestions as to why Erase Paste was starting to fail me.

The woman announced that Erase Paste isn't actually meant to be used anywhere except under the eyes (so why the packaging states it for eyes and face boggles my mind) because it has a brightening complex that can actually make blemishes more visible. Instead, she said I needed their other concealing product, Boi-ing, for the rest of my face because it was a full-coverage, matte concealer. After trying the product, I liked the coverage, so I decided to pick it up and give it a try at home.

Then one day, I forgot to throw my Erase Paste into my morning makeup bag and thus, with only my Boi-ing with me, decided to try using it under my eyes, and lo and behold, the coverage was better than the Erase Paste, and this product worked all over my face, not just under my eyes. This got me to thinking: why would anyone need both of these products, and furthermore, what does Erase Paste really offer that Boi-ing doesn't?

Here's how these products are different:

- The consistency: Erase Paste is VERY thick and creamy. A very little bit truly does go a long way, and if you use too much, you'll give yourself a very caked, tacky finish. Boi-ing is creamy to the touch initially, but blends out into a powder-like consistency that is a bit more dry. I find that this consistency is easier to blend and sets better than the Erase Paste.

- The coloring: Despite both products only coming in three numbered shades, the colors are actually not the same across products. I have the 01 Fair for both, and notice that the Erase Paste has more of a peach undertone, whereas the Boi-ing is more neutral/yellow. I think this is what makes Boi-ing overall a more versatile product -- the neutral undertones make it easier to blend all over your face, whereas the peach undertone can look off when applied over red blemishes.

- Illuminating properties: After blending, Erase Paste definitely leaves a more dewy finish, with a hint of a sheen, whereas Boi-ing creates a more matte finish.

- Packaging: Not a huge point, but Erase Paste is packaged in a small tub and comes with a scoop to get the product out (which I think is useless, I just use my brush tip) whereas Boi-ing is packaged in a flat, round, powder-like container.

- Staying Power: While neither is a miracle worker, the Boi-ing stays put longer than the Erase Paste, even when the latter is combined with the company's Stay Don't Stray primer for eyes and undereyes.

Here's how these products are similar:

- Price points: Initially, it would seem like Boi-ing was more cost effective at $18 versus $26 for the Erase Paste, but ounce for ounce, they're nearly the exact same price (you get .1 oz of Boi-ing versus .15 oz of Erase Paste, which makes 1.5 oz of Boi-ing worth $27).

- The amount you need to get the job done. Both are "less is more" kind of products.

- The best way to apply them: Both go on most smoothly when applied with a fluffy blending brush, such as the SS 217. Denser concealer brushes grab too much product and apply it too thickly.

Overall, I feel sort of ripped off now! Although I was excited about my Erase Paste when I first got it, the poor coverage on the rest of my face, combined with the lack of staying power left me wanting more. And now that I've found another product from the same company that can cover my undereye circles better, AND work for my blemishes, I feel even more jipped. In the end, while I'll use both so that neither go to waste, I probably wouldn't re-buy the Erase Paste, nor would I recommend it unless you have gorgeous skin apart from dark circles and thus need a concealer only for your undereyes. Otherwise, you'll be buying two concealers just the same and could probably find an "all-in-one" variety to ease your budget!

Both Erase Paste and Boi-ing can be purchased online at the Benefit web site: http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/, at Sephora -- http://www.sephora.com/ -- or at ULTA -- http://www.ulta.com/. I hope this was helpful!

My first E.L.F. Cosmetics Purchase!

A couple of weeks ago, my lovely friend Twitter informed me that ELF was having a sale where their entire Web site was 60% off. I had heard quite a bit about ELF, particularly that their "higher quality" Studio and Minerals lines were worth a peak, so I decided to check out the site and see if I could find anything that I liked. Now, I had heard several times that ELF was the site to go to for dirt-cheap makeup, but even I was shocked to see that most of their items were $5 or less. Of course, at this point I couldn't resist trying a few things! Since I've been on a bit of an eyeshadow binge lately, I steered clear of the eyes section and instead focused on lips and face. In total, I purchased 12 items and received a 13th for free for referring some friends -- and my whole order came to less than $30 because of the sale! You can't even get prices that good at the drugstore.

LIPS

(Barely Bitten and Nicely Nude)

For lips, I ordered 7 shades from the Minerals collection (they have 16 total), since the Studio line only produces glosses, and I've got a million of those already. As you can see from the top picture, the lipsticks are packaged in a white cardboard box with the shade listed by color on the front. Initially, I thought the packaging looked pretty cheapy, but once I opened up the box, I was pleasantly surprised to find an angular, heavy plastic black case with the ELF logo engraved on the top and side. The packaging compares to professional brands, and in my opinion, is nicer than drugstore brands like Maybelline, Cover Girl and Rimmel.

The colors I picked up were (from left to right) Party Pink, Pouty Petal, Cheerful Cherry, Runway Pink, Fiery Fuschia, Barely Bitten and Nicely Nude, which are all in the pink/berry/red family (unfortunately the colors in real life aren't entirely true to what my camera is picking up...everything is a bit more pink, whereas the camera is giving things an orange/coral tint). This relates to my one complaint about these products: the colors on the Web site really aren't true to the colors in life, so it's a bit of a blind order. Also, a lot of the colors are quite similar on, even though they look different in the tube/swatched.

(Party Pink, Pouty Petal and Cheerful Cherry)

I haven't yet had the opportunity to wear all of these shades, but I did wear Pouty Petal yesterday and found it to be quite moisturizing, albeit a bit sheer (all of the other shades are substantially more opaque). The staying power was probably about average -- I eat and drink a lot throughout the day, so in general, lipsticks don't tend to last very long on me. Overall, from a first impression standpoint, I don't think ANYONE would guess in a blind test that this lipstick cost $5, while my MAC lipsticks cost $14!

FACE

For face, I picked up three blushes from the Studio line (which retail for $3 a piece at full price): from left to right, Blushing Rose, Mellow Mauve and Tickled Pink. Of the three, only Blushing Rose has shimmer. The packaging on these items is even more impressive than the lipsticks -- the case is a really high-quality, hard black plastic with a little clear window so you can see what color is inside (the casing is similar to NARS, but with a smooth finish). The products themselves are SUPER creamy for a powder blush -- I actually thought that I accidentally bought a cream blush when I swatched Tickled Pink for the first time because it felt SO silky to the touch (in truth, when you apply them, they are powders, just very soft ones!).

Then I also got the blush and contouring kit, which was said to be a dupe for NARS Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. This is the one item that I think I regret buying (but thankfully I only paid $1.50 for it!). Although I think the blush is pretty, it's very sparkly, and the bronzer is much too muddy for my skin tone (on me, it looks like I smeared poo on my face unless I use a very light hand and blend really well...for that much work, I'd much prefer to grab my Too Faced Sun Bunny bronzer and be done with it!). If you're slightly less fair-skinned than me, this might be a better match!

As I mentioned earlier, ELF also included a free gift in my purchase since I referred some friends after checkout. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the free gift was one of their famous Shimmering Facial Whips, which I had wanted to try out, but thought I'd leave for a future purchase. The shade they sent me is citrus, which looks more bronze in the tube, but rubs out into a pinky highlight shade. Word on the street was that this product was a dupe for Benefit's High Beam, and I think, on a color perspective, that's true. On a consistency perspective, the Shimmering Facial Whip is much thicker of a product, whereas High Beam is liquidy. For this reason, you need less product of the Whip to achieve the same result with High Beam. The best part is that it only costs $1 and it comes in EIGHT different shades!

The final product that I tried was one of their nail polishes in the color Passion Pink (retails for $1). Now here we have another instance of ELF misrepresenting their colors on the site. If you look at the picture they post, Passion Pink is a bright, hot pink color (I've copied the photo, below at left). Now compare that to the photo I took of the bottle of polish with my painted fingernails: the color is a true coral! It's so coral that I would consider it a near dupe for Essie's Cute as a Button, which I did a NOTD with not that long ago. As a matter of fact, when I was browsing the ELF site this morning preparing to make a second order (they are offering a promotion right now where you get 10 free full-size mineral eyeshadows of your choice, which is a $30 value, with a $25 purchase), I was so convinced that I had purchased the Mango Madness nail polish that I almost ordered Passion Pink again. Thank goodness I caught myself!

And that completed my first ELF order. Overall, I think you receive a much higher value than the price you pay, so I'd definitely suggest trying out their line if you're looking for high-quality budget makeup. Just remember that their site doesn't always portray the colors of their products correctly -- it makes it a bit of a guessing game, but for the price, I think it's worth the risk!

ELF cosmetics can be purchased online through their Web site: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/.

Birthday Haul Part 1: Sephora - Featuring Too Faced, Nars, Boscia and more!

As you all know, it was my birthday last Sunday, so naturally, I couldn't help but go out and spend some of my birthday money on the latest and greatest in the land of makeup.... Truth be told, I went into Sephora with the sole intention of picking up my free gift and running out the door, only that didn't happen! Of course, one look and I fell in love with a million other products and became unable to resist spending way more than I meant to. Guilty as charged! Oh well, at least I can blame it on a birthday spending bash! ;)

Here's the awesome stuff I picked up (plus some mini first impression-style reviews)!

Lately, I have been really obsessed with kits -- I feel like you get more bang for your buck and you can try a whole range of products without feeling too guilty about the prices that go along with the full sizes. The first thing I was immediately drawn to was the Too Faced "Walk of Shame" value set, which was originally $38, but on sale for $19! This is a kit I had been eyeing for a while, so when I saw that it was 50% off, I couldn't resist! Here's what you get: 

FULL SIZE Too Faced Shadow Insurance (retails for about $17 on it's own!)

Full size Lip of Luxury lipstick in Totally Nude

Mini Primed and Poreless Face Primer

Compact featuring Sun Bunny bronzer and two neutral eyeshadows in Silk Teddy and Totally Toasted

Small packet of chai flavored mints

Pink travel toothbrush

Adorable black and pink satin makeup case

I haven't tried all of the products yet, but will certainly do a full review once I've had the chance to form some opinions. So far, I'm totally impressed that this set features a full size TFSI (which I wasn't at all expecting), because for $17 on it's own, it makes the whole kit worth even the full price of $38 (if you subtract out the TFSI, you're still getting a bronzer, two shadows, a primer, a lipstick, etc. for $21, which is an amazing deal).

From a first-impression standpoint, I already know that I don't like the lipstick. Although the packaging is adorable, it's much too brown for my skintone/features. I also thought the mints tasted GROSS (but there were only 3 included, so I didn't feel too guilty about tossing them out). I haven't tried the shadows/primer yet, but I already own Sun Bunny from the Too Faced "The Bronzed and the Beautiful" kit and know I like that, so I am a happy camper!

The second kit that I bought was the NARS "So Famous" set, which includes a full-size Deep Throat blush, a mini Orgasm multiple and a Bettina Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. The set was a bit more expensive at $44 for the three items, but if you break it down, the full-size blush is $26 on it's own, a full-size multiple is $38 (the one you get in the kit is about 1/3 the size, so figure $13 for that) and the lip pencil, which is also full-size is $24. So for $44, you're getting a $63 or so value.

From a first-impression standpoint, I LOVE the blush. It's a beautiful color with a silky smooth application and definitely seems like it would be a good fit for both light and dark complexions. The multiple I haven't tried yet, but I do think the color appears to be pretty for a cream blush. I'm not exactly sure how I'd use this on my eyes or lips (I guess I could use a lip brush to turn this into a lipstick), but I will certainly try it and see how it goes! The lip pencil, unfortunately, I hate! As a big fan of lipgloss, I really don't understand the "matte" lip look, and that is exactly what this pencil delivers. The color is also, once again, too nude and muted for my skintone. Two out of three isn't bad, but I do sort of wish I could return the lip pencil or at least swap it out for a more flattering color!

The third and final kit that I picked up was the Boscia Clear Complexion kit for $48. I first tried this line a few weeks ago at ULTA (received some samples) and really liked how gentle it was on my skin (the toner didn't sting at all!). I also liked the fact that the products don't have added fragrances/colors -- a big plus for someone with sensitive skin like me! I've been using Clinique's 3-Step for years, and while I like it, it isn't formulated to treat acne, so I decided to give this line a try to see if it could clear up my skin. The kit comes with the Clear Complexion Cleanser, the Clear Complexion Tonic, the Clear Complexion Treatment and the Oil-Free Daily Hydration SPF 15. In total, you get a 30-day supply. I haven't actually used any of the products yet, as I want to finish off my Clinique first, but look for a review in the next month or so!

That's it for part 1 of my birthady haul! Stay tuned for part 2 (MAC) tomorrow! :)

Review: Bare Minerals Foundation (Original Formula)

I was first introduced to the Bare Minerals line when the CEO and Founder Leslie Blodgett came to my graduate school to speak at our Dynamic Women in Business conference. As part of the goody bag, we all got a full size Rare Minerals Moisturizer and Buxom Lash Mascara, and if you went for a "makeunder" in one of the conference rooms, you also got a sample of their immensely popular foundation, plus a mini kabuki brush. At the time, I wasn't using a foundation at all, so I fell in love with Bare Minerals because it felt light and airy, and was a really good color match for my skin tone. Needless to say, after I finished up my sample, I quickly visited the Bare Escentuals store in my local mall to pick up a full-size foundation.

It's been over a year and a half since I bought that full-size foundation and I still have a lot of it left, likely because my opinion of the product has changed a bit since I've started experimenting with other brands of foundations.

First, let me start with what I DO like about the product. Obviously, it's cheaper than many high-end foundations at $25 for the large size, and the color range is pretty wide with 20 cool, warm and neutral shades to choose from (I am Fairly Light, which is their light/neutral shade). I also definitely think that this product can achieve multiple levels of coverage, depending on what you are looking for. If you use just a tiny dusting of the powder, you can get very sheer coverage that simply evens out skintone, whereas if you swirl your brush in a larger amount, you can get a nearly full-coverage face (I say nearly full coverage because I always still need concealer to cover my red pimples/blemishes). Finally, I like the fact that it has SPF 15, but doesn't have the greasy feel or smell of sunscreen, which some liquid foundations can have.

Now, here's what confuses me about the product: apparently the "original" formula, which is what I have, is supposed to be the "luminous" formula. Ummm...sorry Leslie, but there is absolutely nothing luminous about this powder foundation -- it creates a 100%, completely matte look no matter how little you use. As a matter of fact, that's one of my DISLIKES about the product. As a normal-to-dry-skin type, I sometimes find this foundation to be too cakey for my complexion, and would recommend the "original" formula more for oily skin types. It has absolutely no shimmer, glitter or sheen to it -- it's just a matte foundation/powder. This all makes me wonder what happens when you use the "matte" formula that they just came out with! I honestly can't imagine anything being MORE matte than what I already use.

A few more things that I dislike. As with any mineral product, things can get VERY messy, even if you're trying to be meticulous. Since you're dumping product into the lid of the packaging to swirl your brush in, I find it almost inevitable that I pour too much in and then have to maneuver the leftover product back into the pot so I don't waste it. I also inevitably get powder all over the counter as I'm swirling and tapping off the excess.

The final thing that I dislike is the company's claim that this powder feels like a silky-smooth cream. Uh, no, it doesn't. It feels totally like a powder. Granted, I don't MIND powders, so the fact itself doesn't bother me, but I just get really annoyed when companies make claims that are so obviously far from the truth!

Overall, I may or may not re-buy this product once I finish it. There ARE several things that I like about it, and I find it to be particularly good for those on-the-go days when you want to throw something on quickly and easily. However, I'd just be aware that despite what the marketing materials say, this is truly a POWDER and it does what any powder would: mattify.

To Recap:

Pros:

- An affordable price point among higher-end foundations at $25 for a huge pot of product

- Color range is quite wide with 20 shades to choose from (cool, warm and neutral tones)

- The product allows you to achieve multiple levels of coverage, depending on your wants/needs

- If you have oily skin, this would be a great solution for you!

Cons:

- Can be quite drying for any skin type other than oily

- It's messy!

- The company makes claims about the product that are NOT true (i.e. that it feels like a cream or that it provides a luminous finish)

Beauty Break: It's My Birthday!

Sorry I've been a bit MIA from Beauty Babble this week -- I've been busy celebrating my 26th birthday with family and friends! I've been doing lots of hauling for my special day, and have received some great beauty and fashion gifts, so keep your eyes peeled for some new blog posts in the next week. In the meantime, I am off to keep the celebration going for one more day! (And P-S: The beautiful card you see above was hand-painted by my father who is an amazingly talented artist!)

Summer Lovin with Urban Decay (Featuring UD's Summer of Love kit)

As an eyeshadow junkie, Urban Decay is fast becoming one of my favorite makeup brands. I love, love, love their adorable packaging (they are second only to Benefit in my opinion), I think their eyeshadow colors are gorgeous and I swear by their Primer Potion. This adoration brings me to the subject of this post! Urban Decay's Summer of Love palette has elevated itself to top placement on my makeup counter as my summer go-to shadow box. Although it only comes with four colors, they somehow manage to make for endless looks, whether I'm going for a beachy nude look or a dramatic shimmer at night.

Here's what you get in the kit:

- Four eyeshadows in Flash (a purple with a metallic finish, but no glitter), Maui Wowie (a shimmery taupe/olive green), Chopper (a sparkly peachy nude) and Smog (a metallic, glitter-free bronze).
- A mini UD Primer Potion in Sin
- A mini 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon, which is a dark reddish brown

...All of this is packaged in an adorable, purse-friendly magnetic palette with a mirror!

Flash, Maui Wowie, Chopper and Smog

At this point you might be wondering: What is it that makes me love this palette so much? Firstly, let me say that if you have used any Urban Decay eyeshadows before, you will know what I mean when I say they are heavenly. The colors are so rich and look beautiful whether you choose to pack them on at their full pigmentation, or blend them out for a subtle, natural glow. Plus, the shadows are silky smooth, easy to apply and don't have excess fall out.

The other thing I love about this palette is its portability and color selection. You could easily pair up Chopper and Smog for a natural work look, pop this palette into your purse and add Flash in your crease to brighten the color for a dinner out, or just pop Maui Wowie onto the highlight to wake up your face throughout the day. Each shade is so complementary to the others that you can create looks with any two, three or all four shades at once!

The ONE thing I don't love about this product is the price -- $29 -- but I rationalize (one of my strengths, hehe) by breaking it down and considering that I am getting six products for that price, which makes each around $5 (and then I compare that to the $14.50 that MAC charges for a single shadow and I feel better!). At the end of the day, if you ask me, it feels like you're getting a pretty good bang for your buck!

The Urban Decay Summer of Love palette is just one of many cute sets and kits that Urban Decay sells (I'm itching for their NAKED palette, which is part of the new fall collection!). Check out their Web site for more -- www.urbandecay.com -- or look for their products at Sephora (www.sephora.com) and ULTA (www.ulta.com).

Now it's your turn to spill: What's your favorite Urban Decay product?

Review: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

If you read my recent mini-NYX haul, you'll know that I have just begun to try products by this brand, and I began my journey in the "eye" section since shadows/liners/mascaras are my favorites among makeup products. Unfortunately, despite the hype surrounding this brand, I wound up disliking a good portion of what I got -- the eyebrow kit was too dark for me, the glitter creams were too chunky and dry, and even the eyeshadows (which I have tried since my haul) failed to impress with their ultra-powdery formulation that makes for a TON of fall out (although to their credit I find this powdery-ness to be true only amongst their trio and palette shadows -- for some reason, I didn't have the same problem with their single shadows!).

Despite my general disappointment with what I've tried so far, there is one series of products that NYX has created that I find to be really original and worth purchasing, and those are the Jumbo Eye Pencils. Why do I like them? First and foremost, I've never seen anything like them from a drugstore brand, and the closest thing I've ever used from a department store is the Clinique Chubby Stick, which was a lipstick from way back when. Where else can you get an eye shadow and eye liner in one that is shaped like a chubby pencil, can be sharpened (so it's ultra sanitary) and is easy to store because it's long and thin?

Then we get to the color range. One word: AWESOME! Whether you prefer neutral or bright shades, NYX has something for you with more than 25 colors (pink, purple, blue, green, red, orange, yellow, brown, bronze, white, silver, gold, gray, cream, and more) to choose from. (P-S: the colors on the NYX site are TOTALLY off, so if you are going to order, I'd use another Web site, or just go see them in person at your local ULTA or drugstore.) On top of it all, the pigmentation is awesome and is easily buildable to an opaque shade. Right now, I own six shades: Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Strawberry Milk, Iced Mocha, Dark Brown and Oyster, and my favorite is Iced Mocha by far.

With and without flash. From L to R: Cottage Cheese, Iced Mocha, Oyster,

Yogurt, Strawberry Milk and Dark Brown

As far as wearability, I've tried the Jumbo Eye Pencils as eyeshadow bases, shadows by themselves, and as liners, and I think each has its pros and cons. As an eyeshadow base, you definitely achieve brighter shadows when you use complimentary shades (for example, I applied Pink Venus by MAC over Oyster and it made the pink shadow really pop!), however, I find them to be too thick to make blending with a brush easy (your shadow brush winds up getting all goopy from the creamy consistency!). As shadows by themselves, I always use an eyeshadow primer, so I haven't noticed any problems with creasing, and I find the colors to be quick and easy to apply because you can just rub them on, blend with your finger and you're good to go! Their third use as an eyeliner definitely makes for a pretty pop of color, but I find that the product fades fast on the waterline and is a bit too thick to make for an efficient upper lash liner.

To Recap:

Pros:

- Wide color range including neutrals and brights means there is something for everyone

- The pencil eyeshadow + eyeliner in one format is unique to NYX and makes for easy storage and a product that stays sanitary for longer than potted cream shadows

- At $4, they are very affordable, which makes it easy to build up your collection of shades

- Pigmentation is great and very buildable

Cons:

- A bit too thick to be used as an eyeshadow base

- Wears off very fast when used as an eyeliner on the water line

- Thick tip makes it tough to apply eyeliner to the top lash line

- Hard to blend with a brush (must use fingertips)

NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils can be purchased online at www.nyxcosmetics.com or at www.ulta.com.