e.l.f. Holiday Stocking Stuffers!

If you're like me, stockings are the last thing I think about. Right around this time each year, when I'm feeling pretty good about how much Christmas shopping I've managed to get done, I catch myself and think "OH CRAP, I still need to fill a stocking, too!" If you're anything like me, I hope this post will help you fill your beauty-loving family or friends' stockings without breaking the bank, too! 

If you shop at Target or Walgreens, chances are you've seen e.l.f. cosmetics and maybe even picked some up, having been swayed by the super affordable prices. They have a TON of holiday sets this year and I have a few to tell you about. 

We're now at the week before Christmas, a.k.a. down to the wire!! So I'll waste no time... here are some fabulous e.l.f. stocking stuffer options: 

The e.l.f. Beautiful Brows Eyebrow Kit ($10) has all the tools you need for perfectly shaped, on fleek, eyebrows. It has four reusable stencils to get the perfect shape, one defining wax, two brow powders, a dual ended brow pencil and brush (in black?), a brow brush, and tweezers. The powders are very light. If you (or your secret santa) have blond hair, this will be perfect for you, but if you have dark hair, I don't think this will fly. You can always use these powders as eyeshadow crease shades if nothing else! 

The e.l.f. Subtle to Sulty Eyes set ($5) comes with three eyeshadow duos and a nice eyeshadow brush. For the price, you get a range of different shadows to play up a natural or dramatic look. The brush is also quite nice for the price. It's not amazing, but you'll be able to apply color to your lids as needed. The only thing not included that would be helpful is a blending brush. 

The e.l.f. Shimmering Eyes Eyeliner Set ($5) is not for the faint of makeup-hearted. It comes with five eyeliers, some pearlescent (the the white and the emerald) and some glittery (black, bronze and purple). The quality is what you'd expect for $5, but you can certainly make some gorgeous eye looks with these liners.

My most favorite stocking stuffer is the e.l.f. Mad for Matte set ($10). These lippies are awesome. They are more demi-matte than fully matte, and they're really comfortable on the lips. They don't feel dry and crusty like so many matte lippies often do. You are definitely getting your money's worth with this set.


Even if you bought all of these sets, you'd only be set back $30! That's an incredible value. Let me know if you get any of these sets this holiday season - I'd love to know what you think! 

FOTD - January 10, 2014

Remember that Coastal Scents haul from Wednesday? I had fun playing around with some of the new shadows I purchased, and thought I'd give you a look-see!

For today's look, I went with a coppery-orange eye, a more natural cheek color and matte nearly-neutral lips. Here's what I used to create the look.

• Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in 110 Ivory
• Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof eyeliner in Nude (on the waterline)
• Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent 

• Essence I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara
• Wet n Wild Mega Liner in Black
• NYX Lipstick in Minimalism

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion 
• Milani Illuminating Face Powder in Amber Nectar (cheeks)
• L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Iced Latte (inner corner of eye and lightly on inner third of eye)

From left to right:

• Coastal Scents eye shadow in Bronze Peach (blended in to crease)
• Coastal Scents eye shadow in Cajun Craze (all over lid and lower lash-line)
• Crown Brush unnamed brown (outer corner for dimension)
• e.l.f. unnamed nude (from this palette) (brow-bone highlight)

Check back for more FOTDs, and let me know what kind of look you'd like to see next!

e.l.f. Holiday Palette!

Browsing the racks of Walgreens last weekend I stumbled upon a brand new e.l.f. display that I can only assume is part of their holiday collection. The display really caught my eye, as it looked much more fancy than any of their other displays I'd seen. The $5 price tag also caught my eye, and I came home with the 10 Piece Nude Eyeshadow Palette. 

(If you happen to see the new e.l.f. display at Walgreens, you'll notice there are two different palettes like this that look very much the same. The other is the "Party" palette, I believe -- if I'm remembering the name right.)

 Take a look...

Just from looking at it, I fell in love with the colors of this palette, which are a bit different than what you'd expect from your typical "nude" palette. This comes with a great variety of colors ranging from shimmery browns and pinks to deep purple and green, and a couple matte skin colors, too. 

Unfortunately this palette just doesn't perform well, typical of most e.l.f. eyeshadows. While the packaging got a pretty upgrade, only a few of the shadows seems to have been upgraded with it. 

The two matte skin colors (on the left side) are amazingly buttery and pigmented, and some of the bolder shades applied nicely, too, but the shimmery pink and purple are filled with chunky glitter that leaves behind just a trace of color and a ton of fallout.

The eyeliner, well that just plain sucks. It's bone dry and would take some serious tugging on your eyelid to get a nice line. Straight to the trash it goes...

This palette isn't the greatest, but for $5, what do you expect? The two matte nude shades are worth the $5 as they have a richer, more buttery texture, and some of the darker shades apply nicely as well. If you're most intrigued by the shimmery purple and pink (as I was), you might as well look elsewhere as those shades are hardly manageable.

Let me know what you think of e.l.f.'s new holiday palettes in the comments below!

Product Empties II!

It's been a couple months since my last empties post, and this isn't the biggest group of products, but my husband I are moving in a bit here and you can bet I will NOT be bringing my trash with me! Time to get this stuff off my hands, tell you what I loved and what I didn't. Ready to see my trash?... 

• Nature's Beauty(works) Sensitive Skin Cleansing & Makeup Remover Towelettes  - These cleansing towelettes were okay. The one thing I do like about them is that they're made with organic and all natural products. Each product is either plant, sugar or naturally derived. I used them to wipe off my makeup at the end of each day, which they did, but they just weren't wet enough for my taste. They are pretty heavily scented with the smell of chamomile, which I enjoy. I know this scent won't be for everyone, though. I found mine on sale at Trade Secret, but you can find them on drugstore.com for $5.99 (click link above to purchase). I would purchase these again.

• Olay Fresh Effects (S'wipe Out!) Makeup Removal Cloths - I didn't like these. If I swiped too close to my eyes, my eyes would burn like crazy. You only get 20 wipes per package, which I think is a rip-off considering they retail for $5.99. (You may have noticed the Nature's Beauty(works) wipes came with 30!) I think for your money's worth you can get a better wipe for cheaper at the drugstore. I will not repurchase these.

• Vidal Sassoon Restoring Repair One Minute Mask - I didn't love this hair mask and I didn't hate it. I grabbed it on sale at Target, and figured I'd give it a shot. I didn't notice my hair feeling much more hydrated than it is from a normal conditioner, even when leaving it in longer than the one minute it suggests. You can find this product at most drugstores for around $5. I probably won't buy this again because I've used better hair masks.

• Finesse ReVitality Hydrate & Recover Conditioner - I really enjoyed this conditioner. My hair felt noticeably more hydrated and healthy after using it, and it felt especially soft and silky. This had a fruity scent that I liked as well. I found this at Big Lots, but you can find it on drugstore.com (click link) or Amazon for around $5. I would definitely repurchase this.

• L'Oreal Vive Pro Hydra Gloss Moisturizing Conditioner - This lovely conditioner made an appearance in my August favorites and I loved it the whole bottle through. This stuff was great for hydrating my very dry hair. You can find it at most drugstores for around $5. I would definitely repurchase this. 

• Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara - I got this little sample in a Sephora order, I believe and I enjoyed it. Would I spend the $28 to get a full-size? Hell to the no. (See my previous product empties for which high-end mascara I would shell out $$$ for) It added a good bit of volume (with a tendency to get a bit clumpy) and I found it worked best after the product started to dry out a litte (after 15+ uses or so). You can get this mascara at Sephora. 

• e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen - First and foremost, this definitely wasn't waterproof. It wiped off with the tiniest amount of water, disappointingly. Aside from that, I really liked the size of the tip (click here for a picture) and it went on well and was very black. For $2 you really can't beat it. You can find these at Target or online at eyeslipsface.com. I would repurchase this in the future.

• Wet n Wild Mega Liner Liquied Eyeliner in Black - Go figure! Another of these used up. Do I ever shut up about this eyeliner? I love this stuff, always have. My only complaint is it runs very easily when your eyes water, but it dries so matte, and SO black and has such a precise brush that I will continue to repurchase it for ages to come because I haven't found anything quite like it. On top of all that, it costs just $2.99. You can find these at Walgreens and most other drug stores.
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• Salon Sciences Instant Artificials - I got this base coat at Sally Beauty a couple years ago and slowly worked my way through it. I really liked it. It's 3-free (re: it doesn't have bad chemicals in it) and really did make my nails feel stronger. It retails for $8.49. I would repurchase this. 

• Barielle Hydrating Ridge Filler - I went through this base coat pretty quickly, and I did enjoy it, but I kind of think it made my nails weaker over time. I used both this and the Salon Sciences base coat off and on, and when I used this one I noticed that my nails were more prone to peeling. I can't pin it to this polish with 100% certainty, but I've got a hunch it was this product. I found mine at TJ Maxx for around$8, but this typically sells for $16 and you can find it at barielle.com. Click the link to purchase.

• Tom's of Maine Whole Care Flouride Toothpaste in Peppermint - I really liked this toothpaste. It's all natural but it still has fluoride (important for strong, healthy teeth!) which many natural toothpastes leave out. It tastes nice and fresh and made my teeth squeaky clean. I got mine at Target for about $5, and I'd definitely buy it again.

• Bath & Body Works PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Lemon Daisy - I always like these little PocketBacs. I use them prior to applying my makeup to make sure my hands are bacteria-free when I'm touching my face. This one had a nice daisy scent that I didn't love or hate. You can often find these on sale at B&BW, 5 for $5. I won't repurchase this scent because I've got a whole bunch of others to get through.

• Dial Skin Therapy Replenishing Body Wash in Himalayan Pink Salt & Water Lily - I bought this because I really loved the scent. It has that typical water lily smell, but there's something more to the fragrance that I can't quite put my finger on. Unfortunately  it didn't do much for moisturizing my skin, and the scent didn't stick around very long after showering, so I don't think I'd repurchase it. You can find this at most drug stores for about $6.

• Boots Extracts Mango Body Wash - I loved this body wash! It has a subtle mango scent with a vague hint of coconut too (although it's not supposed to). It smelled like I was spreading real mango all over me.  Another thing I loved is that this body wash is made with organic mango extract that is sustainably sourced and fairtrade. Boots is a UK brand, but you can get it at Target. I would definitely purchase this again.

• Bath & Body Works Sensual Jasmine Vanilla Body Wash - This body wash smells really musky, which I love for the cooler months. It was a decent wash, but I didn't think it was anything special. I was glad to have a travel bottle, because it was all I really needed before getting sick of the smell. You can get this at Bath & Body Works. I don't think I'd repurchase this.

• Chapstick Medicated Lip Balm - I really like this Chapstick. I've mentioned in other posts that I'm currently on a medication which dries my lips out like crazy, and sometimes that can make them very sore and irritated; this chapstick is the perfect remedy. It has a nice tingly feeling once you apply it because it has menthol in it. It also has camphor in it to help soothe irritated lips. You can find this at most drug stores for around $2. I've already repurchased another one.

• Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation in Ivory - I won't go in to depth on this product as I've already given a lengthy review here, but I will say I freakin' love it. It's full coverage and it lasts all day long. You can find this at most drugstores for around $10, and I've already repurchased this product.

• Clinique Happy Perfume - This is nothing new to you guys. Happy has been Clinique's most popular scent since forever. As you can see, I still have some left, but this little sample has gone rancid as I've had it for quite some time. I've never been the biggest fan of Happy, which is a citrusy floral scent, hence why it sat basically unused on my vanity. You can get this at Clinique counters. I will not repurchase this. 

FOTD - August 7, 2013

I'm back with another face of the day! A very sweet coworker of mine complimented me on my eyeshadow look, so I wanted to share with you what I used to achieve the look. I hope you enjoy it!

1. Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in 805 Ivory

2. Wet n Wild Mega Liner in 861 Black

3. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded (eyeshadow base & inner corner highlight)

4. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk (outer lid and bottom lash line)

5. Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara in 01 Noir Midnight 

6. Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Fair

7. Urban Decay Afterglow Glide-On Cheek Tint in Fetish

8. e.l.f. High Definition Powder in Transluscent

9. NYX Illuminating Bronzer in 01 Narcissistic

Face of the Day (FOTD)

I'm new to the FOTD-post world, and I have to say I'm a little nervous about it... but please be kind. I think it's fun to see others do these types of blogs, and I really enjoy seeing how people use certain products, especially if I have the same products in my own makeup collection. I hope you enjoy! (and please, excuse the camera angle that makes me look like I have a five-head!)

Click to enlarge image

Products used

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in 805 Ivory

Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Concealer in 205 Very Light (under eyes)

e.l.f. High Definition Powder in Translucent

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Blush in Blushing Nude

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded (eyeshadow base & inner corner highlight)

e.l.f. Long Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Soiree (eyelid color) 

Wet n Wild Mega Liner in 861 Black

Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara in 01 Noir Midnight 

p.s. I'm working with my camera to find the perfect balance.... I think my face looks a little yellow in this image, but I promise you it doesn't in real life!

e.l.f. Haul!

Last week Eyes Lips Face, also known as e.l.f., had an awesome 50% off online sale. Initially, I just wanted to browse the website and see if there was anything intriguing. Remember how I said initially? There would be no point in this post if everything ended right then and there. Clearly I found some goodies, and I just had to share with you! The awesome thing about e.l.f. is the products are dirt cheap, but you get so much value! All in all I spent just $24.45 - quite a steal! If you're looking to find some e.l.f. products of your own, you can typically find them at Target.

• Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black - I love eyeliner pens, so I figured I'd give this a shot considering it was only $1. Much to my surprise, this eyeliner pen blew me away. It's really dark and vibrant and super easy to use. At the store, this is $2, and you just can't beat the price for the high quality product you get.

• Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Soiree and Gala - These eyeshadows are creme based and have a very light whipped texture. I wouldn't use these as a base by any means, but as the packaging suggests, these are perfect for highlighting the eyes or adding extra shine. Soiree is a gorgeous glittering mauvey pink, and Gala is a sparkling deep brown.

• Eye Refresh - I'm not entirely sure if this does anything, but I was enticed and couldn't pass it up. I've used it a couple times, and the metal rollerball feels nice and cool on the eyes but I haven't noticed any brightening effects as the packaging suggests it will provide.
• HD Blush in Headliner - Regardless of the fact that I always gravitate towards powder blush, I always find myself buying cream blushes! The swatches I've seen of these are gorgeous, so I wanted to try one out. The color pay off is really something, but I haven't tested it out to see how long it lasts. I also really love the packaging of these blushes - the pump applicator is fab. 
• High Definition Powder in Translucent - Long have I lusted over this powder since Meg (ciaobellaxo on YouTube) said she uses it. This powder costs $6 at Target, and I was feeling stingy... but for $3 during this 50% off sale, count me in. I've heard it can cause a white-cast in picture taken with flash, which is definitely something to be careful of.
• Radiance Enhancer in Spotlight - Hello, my name is Brianna and I'm a highlighter junkie. There I said it. Sadly, I swatched this on my hand and I don't know if I like it. It's very thick and creamy - it almost feels like a lotion, and it doesn't seem to give much "enhancement" in the light. I need to play around with this more to see if I like it.
• Brush Shampoo - Who doesn't need brush shampoo? (ME! - I have plenty) I'm a sucker for makeup brand brush cleaner? I don't know... don't judge me. 
• Body Shimmer in Cosmic Coral and Golden Glow - Recently I've become obsessed with body shimmer, like this is 3rd grade all over again. I saw swatches of these and decided I needed not one, but two and I don't regret it for a second. I think Cosmic Coral would work best as a cheek tint or highlighter, and Golden Glow is wonderful for a summer body shimmer.

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know what you think!