Review: Benefit Ultra Plush Lipgloss in Sugarbomb

I was lucky enough to win a second giveaway prize back in September! The giveaway was hosted by the lovely India Robyn who runs The Jewel Beauty. She has an amazing blog and is a sweetheart, really. She's super nice and also makes jewelry, check her blog if you can, you won't regret it! :) The prize was the Benefit Ultra Plush Lipgloss of your choice, and I picked Sugarbomb since I had recently bought the blusher. It's a shimmering pinky-nude lipgloss with a non-sticky texture. I absolutely love it because I can't stand sticky lip glosses and  of course, I'm in love with the packaging. And honestly Benefit has got to be the makeup brand with the nicest packaging!

The consistency of the lip gloss is very light and non- sticky as I mentioned before. However, the staying power is amazing, I even took a shower with my lip gloss on and it didn't faded away! The colour is very natural and has silver shimmer that makes it look very pretty. I'd say it lasts 2-4 hours without eating/drinking anything. It's buildable and it can look peachier if you apply several coats. I do not advise do add this lipgloss on top of a lipstick because it tends to run the colour underneath. (I was wearing a matte formula when this happened).

I really love this lipgloss, is my go-to and my new favourite at the moment. I love using it along with my Sugarbomb Blush as it complements it. Thank you so much India for hosting an awesome giveaway, I feel really lucky I had the chance to participate and WIN! Thank you so much! <3

Have you tried Benefit Ultra Plush Lipglosses? Which one is your favourite?

Review: Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Stay Put Primer for concealer and eyeshadow ($.26.00) is a primer I've been using for quite a while, at first I didn't liked it much because it has one or two packaging-related problems. For starters, the pump delivers way too much product. Still, it's something that doesn't bothers me as much because the primer itself works wonderful. Stay don't Stray is creamy in texture and it has a light beige colour. On my lids it dries semi matte but I can still catch a hint of colour. Compared to Urban Decay's Primer Potion, this one doesn't dries clear, which in a way is good cause it brightens up lids and dark circles. I always apply primer on my eyelids as these tend to enhance the eyeshadow colours and reduce creasing, smudging and fading. 

As a primer for concealer it works well too, but I prefer to use concealer alone. Plus, in my opinion the best way to avoid concealer to crease is to pick the right formula and seal it with loose powder. I don't know how this primer would work on darker complexions, as it has a soft beige undertone. The packaging is okay, I like the fact it has a pump and it stands on it's own, but it delivers too much product with just one pump. Also, it's necessary to shake before use. The formula can get watery over time and it kind of separates in two parts. Maybe I've had mine for too long, but a little goes a long way! (It's still not expired, don't worry!).

The pictures above show how the primer enhance the colour of the
eyeshadow and how it adheres to it even after trying to remove it.

Have you tried Stay Don't Stray? What is your go-to primer for eyeshadows/concealer?

Favourites: September 12

Hello lovelies! Here are my September faves! The main purpose of doing this posts is to share with you the products I've been loving and using quite-a-lot. And I hope you share the ones you've been loving as well. I know all of these products seem unused but I always photograph them when they're new as they look aesthetic and pretty&cute and all that stuff. Just in case you were wondering :) So, as always I include my favourite perfume of the month and this months is...
Daisy Marc Jacobs Eau de Toilette Spray ($82.00): Probably the most fresh & feminine fragrance I've ever tried. It has notes of strawberry, violet leaves, gardenia, violet petals, musk, vanilla, jasmine petals, white woods and ruby red grapefruit. It smells so good and makes me feel elegant. The bottle is the prettiest! It's not on my background for no reason ;)

L'occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream ($10.00): Considered a beauty must-have, this hand cream is great for dry hands, especially now that the weather is cooling down. It's super creamy and it's enriched with 20% shea butter, honey, almond extracts and coconut oil. I honestly never tried a better hand cream than this!

Benefit Sugarbomb Face Powder ($.28.00): This blush is a dream. It has shimmering shades of peach, soft plum, pink and rose. Together they give the most glowy and natural flush to the cheeks. To see my review and swatches, click here.

Burt's Bee's Coconut Foot Cream ($.9.00): Every night, I have this little ritual where I put foot cream on and read a magazine before I go to sleep. I try different creams every day, but this is my favourite. The texture is so honey-like and smells soooo good. It's made with coconut oil that revives and rejuvenates dry feet. It also has hints of rosemary and peppermint extracts that feel refreshing. Dry feet saver.


Mac Bisque Eyeshadow ($.15.00): I love matte-neutral eyeshadows for under the eyebrow. Bisque is a soft beige that works great as a highlight or all over the lid with black eyeliner. I love having colour on my lids even if it's flesh toned. I recenlty got Urban Decay ABC Gum, a matte pale peach. Will post soon! :)
Please share with me your favourites this month! Specially skin care recommendations :) 

Review: Benefit Sugarbomb Face Powder

Last friday I was out of town and went to one of my favourite places in the world. You guessed it, Sephora! I could honestly spend hours and hours in there without getting tired or bored. If you remember my last wishlist, I had this lovely blush in it. Sugarbomb ($28 for 0.28 oz) is a sugar rushed flush face powder. It has 4 shades: peach, soft plum, pink and rose. 


It includes a small flat brush that I find perfect for application, the bristles are very soft and the shape is great for applying the blush onto the cheeks. The packaging is awesome, I think Benefit may have thought of reducing waste on packaging and made the whole thing out of hard cardboard and it's really cute too! I just love the combination of all 4 colours, it gives the most amazing glow to the cheeks, it has a slight highlight look to it but it's buildable. This is definitely my kind of blush and I instantly loved it. I can see me using it every single day!  

Have you tried Sugarbomb? What is your favourite Benefit Blush?

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?

Hello lovelies! I apologize for my lack of posts, I've been busy with school and last week I traveled to Mexico! :) I went to a beautiful place called Puebla, it has a lots of attractions and touristy places to visit, plus locals were celebrating Independence Day which is on September 16th, the season's food was amazing and the people over there were very nice and welcoming. I had a blast! But moving to what I took with me:


I packed what I considered necessary, the weather was warm so I didn't needed a heavy foundation and I only picked natural-look products. My makeup bag is from Marc by Marc Jacobs, i got it as a gift when I made a purchase. It originally came with 4 empty travel size bottles to put in moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner, etc. 


As a primer I took Touch in Sol Feels Like Honeymoon Skinbase, I got this travel-size sample in my August Glossybox. Touch in Sol is a korean brand that has trendy products and in my opinion, they delivers great results. The primer has a very soft texture and my skin feels instantly softer after application. To keep my skin moisturized and sun-protected I took Benefit's YouRebel tinted moisturizer. It doesn't cover up major imperfections, but it evens out my skin tone. For my cheeks I took Nars Luster blush, which has been a favourite of mine lately. And to cover imperfections the Laura Mercier Mineral Pressed Powder SPF 15 in Natural Beige is perfect for it, it has a silky texture and it's buildable from sheer to medium coverage. Finally, to conceal dark circles I use the Mac Select Cover Up in NW25.

Lashes make a really big difference in most complexions, and personally I believe without it makeup just isn't the same! I've been using the Maybelline's Great Lash in Blackest Black, I used to really like it but lately I find it smears a lot and I can't put it in my lower lashes or otherwise I'll look like a racoon. Next is a multi task tool, Mac129 powder/blush brush in travel size. I'm not really sure if they sell this anymore, I bought it 2 years ago. It's really useful and has lasted me a long time! For my eyes I took Mac Powerpoint Pencil in Engraved and Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Nymphea.

My tweezers are a MUST every time I travel, I have taken good care of these Tweezerman pink Tweezers, I've had them for about 2 and a half years and they're still mint. Bravo Tweezerman! And last but not least, I took this lip combo: Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked (have you seen the latest Vice Palette? Definitely on my wishlist!) and Mac Cremesheen in Creme Cup.
What's on your travel makeup bag? What are your must-take products?

Picks: Moisturizers

I hope you don't find this post boring, cause I know skincare stuff isn't very eye catching, but it's very important. Actually, it's the most important step on skincare. Moisturizers form a barrier between the skin and the environment that holds water in the epidermis. It helps protect against pollution and sun damage, that's why it's also important to use a product which contains SPF to protect against UVA and UVB rays. I have combination skin and it benefits from oil-free moisturizers. There are all different skin types and moisturizers and when you find the right one, your skin will look bright and smooth!


Benefit triple performing facial emulsion SPF 15 PA++: this is an oil-free facial moisturizer with a very lightweight formula. I first tried it when I bought the B.right Radiant Skin Intro Kit that included a facial polish and two facial moisturizers. I really like how it feels on my skin because it's VERY moisturizing but yet very lightweight! It contains a very pleasant aroma and makes my skin feel fresh and clean. I've heard one or two negative reviews about this lotion before but I really, really like it! It works great on my skin!


L'occitane Ultra-Matte Face Fluid: this moisturizer is recommended for combination to oily skin because it has red rice extract along with other ingredients that help control oil on the skin. I use this after washing my face with the Foaming Rice Cleanser on my problem areas, which is the T-zone (where most of the oil patches are) and it does reduce shine. It has a very light and clean fragrance as most of the products from L'occitane (which I'm in love with!) So if you have oily-combination skin like me, this moisturizer (and cleanser) will work great on your skin!

Depending on your skin type, this may or may not work for you. But I totally recommend these moisturizers for oily or combination skin!

What is your skin type and favourite moisturizer?

Getting Ready: Ombré Lips

It's been a while since I did Getting Ready posts, but I'm back!
Fall is getting closer and I'm starting to prepare for it! Don't you just love when seasons change? The fall trend is shortened in one word (or colour) and that's PLUM! I really like dusky shades of burgundy, plum & cabernet. They are so bold and elegant! So I got inspired and created this subtle eye and bold- ombré lips!


The ombré lips is a very easy technique, you only need 3 lip colours (either lipstick or lip liner). I used Revlon Lipbutter in 001 Pink Truffle as the medium colour and applied it from the outer corner towards the middle of the lips. The darker shade is Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 477 Black Cherry (will review soon!) and just applied a small amount with a lip brush in the corners of the mouth. For a hint of shine, I applied Revlon Lipbutter in 060 Gumdrop.


The products that I used:
Eyes: Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow Primer, Mac Select Cover Up in NW25, CoverGirl Lashblast Volume in Very Black, Mac Fluideline in Blacktrack & Crown 88 Professional Eyeshadow Palette.
Face: Mac Mineralize Satinfinish Foundation in NC30, Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick in Nectar.
Lips: Revlon Lipbutters in Pink Truffle & Gumdrop and Black Cherry Super Lustrous Lipstick.

Have you tried Ombré Lips before? What is your favourite shade for Fall?

Wants:

Yet another beauty wishlist! Can you tell I'm a sucker for peaches? Yup! And I fell into the hyped up products every blogger is talking about!

1. Mac Supercontinental Blush: A bright cute coral, recently released in the new collection Style Sleeker that also has some amazing Mattene Lipsticks!
2. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy: I've had this blush in my mind for far too long! It melts me :) Orange + Peach = <3  I also like the shade Blissful.
3. Benefit Sugarbomb Blush: It has shimmering shades of peach, soft plum and pink rose, so gorgeous!
4.Origins Super Spot Remover: I've heard this is like a magic trick, have a dark spot? No problem! Apply a small amount, go to sleep and the next morning is gone, baby.
5. Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream: Considering I'm in my early twenties, I need to start preparing for all the aging stuff. This cream is supposed to reduce puffiness & brighten up! Essential!

Any of you lovelies have tried any of these products? If so, what are your thoughts?

How To: Naked 2 Palette Look Vol.1

Step by step tutorial using Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette.

Since i got my Naked 2 palette  i've been creating new looks to share with you. This is my second tutorial , and i hope you enjoy it!

The shadows i used have been marked with hearts :)

I have created this simple yet elegant look on 10 simple steps:

STEP 1: Start with clean skin, don't forget to moisturize and prep your face!
STEP 2: Apply eyeshadow base all over your eyelid. I used Benefit's Stay don't Stray eyeshadow primer.
STEP 3: Apply the shadow Foxy from UD Naked 2 Palette under your eyebrow. This will help you brighten up your eye.
STEP 4: Next apply the shadow Chopper on your crease.
STEP 5: Apply the shadow Busted over your crease. There is no need to apply too much of this shadow as this is only the create a depth effect on your eyelid and you'll be applying a darker shade afterwards.


STEP 6: Apply just a bit of the shadow Blackout starting at the outer corner of your eye blending it towards the middle of your eyelid. It's kind of forming a "V" shape all over your eye.
STEP 7: Apply the shadow Half Baked in the inner corner of your eye to create a luminous effect.
STEP 8: Blend well with a bigger brush, and if needed apply more of the Foxy shadow under your eyebrow.
STEP 9: Apply concealer/corrector under your eyes to brighten up your complexion. I used Mac Select -Cover Up in NW25.
STEP 10: Put mascara on lashes to finish the look.

You're done!

Final look using shadows in the Naked 2 Palette.

Have you tried this look? I hope you find this helpful! :)

How To: Glossy Eyelids

Hey lovelies! Today i'm going to show you how to achieve glossy eyelids, also known as the wet eyeshadow look. Glossy eyelids have been around for quite a while, and have been seen in fashion runways and magazines. I had never tried it before, but since i got my Mac Gloss Crème Brillance when the Chenman Collection came out, i've been experimenting. I think the wet eyelid it's a very versatile look because depending on the colours, it can be a very natural or a very bold look.

I did my glossy eyelids on 5 simple steps:

STEP 1: Start with clean eyelids. The less makeup you have on, the better results you will get.
STEP 2: Apply an eye makeup primer or concealer all over your eyelids as a base to hold the eyeshadow.
STEP 3: Choose the colour of eyeshadow you want and apply it with a medium brush all over your eyelid starting from the outer corner of your eye.
STEP 4: Once the colour is well blended, apply a small amount of cosmetic gloss with your finger starting at the inner eye, making sure you're covering the whole area where you applied the eyeshadow.
STEP 5: To finish the glossy eyelid look, apply black mascara.

Multipurpose gloss is the most effective way to achieve this look. However, if you don't have multipurpose gloss, you may use non-sticky lipgloss, vaseline or petroleum jelly.

This is how it looks like in both eyes:


Apply black eyeliner for a more dramatic look:


This look is very wearable, it can be used by day without any eyeshadow for a dewy skin finish look or by night, on top of a very bold eyeshadow colour. i personally love it! I think it's very sexy!

The products that i used for this tutorial were:

1. Maybelline One by One Mascara in Blackest Black
2. Sephora Pro Natural All Over Shadow Brush #12
3. Sephora Pro Concealer Brush # 45
4. Benefit Stay Don't Stray Stay Put Primer
5. Mac Gloss Crème Brillance
6. Mac Eyeshadow in Brown Down
7. Mac Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved

What do you think about this glossy eyelid look? Have you tried it before? Do you love this look? Or rather stay with matte eyelids?

Wants:

Hello lovelies! I've made a list of some products i've been wanting to try and have heard good things too!

FRAGRANCE: Chanel Gardénia - Chanel describes this perfume as a Sweet and voluptuous, an intense fragrance of absolute femininity. It has a vanilla base, creamy gardenia petals and accented coconut. I can't wait to get my hands on this perfume! 
HAIR: Morrocan Oil - This is a nourishing and residue free formula that is used for conditioning, styling and as a finishing tool. How great! 
Bumble & Bumble Leave In (Rinse Out) Conditioner - Sephora describes this products as a lightweight detangler with moisture and frizz control. A summer must have! 
NAILS: Even though i think Deborah Lippmann's nail polishes are a bit overpriced, i just loved this colour! It's called Across the Universe and it's a blazing blue and metallic green glam in sheerest navy (glitter), and i love glittery nail polish! 
FACE: Benefit launched a while ago this Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation and since i'm a big fan of Benefit i think i'm going to love it. I already own the Hello Flawless Custom Powder and it's great! 
Next is the Girl Meets Pearl that i have tried before & i just need to repurchase!
And of course, a new Nars blush won't do any harm. The colour it's called Luster. Maddi, a reader from San Francisco, mentioned it in a previous post so i will give it a try!  
SKIN: I have heard wonders of Bioderma's Crealine H2O in a lot of reviews. This product is soap free make up remover and cleansing solution and it's soothing and emolliant. Sounds great right? 

So those are the items on my shopping list! Hopefully i'll collect them all!
Have you tried any of this products before? Do you recommend any of these products?