Studio Gear Cosmetics Hydrating CC Cream | Review

BB and CC creams (and even DD creams now!) have been all over the place lately. I've tried my fair share of BB creams, but this is my first foray in to the world of CC creams! 

According to Studio Gear, their Hydrating CC Cream is supposed to fight aging, hydrate the skin and cover and treat blemishes. This formula contains collagen-building ingredients to help prevent fine lines and wrinkles with use. 

This "foundation" (not how I would refer to it, but it is how Studio Gear refers to it) comes in three shades: Linen, Natural and Wheat. The shade I'm featuring is Natural, which is just a bit too dark for my uber-pale skin tone. Luckily, this formula does blend out well enough for me to wear it without looking crazy.

The Hydrating CC Cream is just that - hydrating. It feels very light on the skin and moisturizes without being too thick or oily. 

When dispensed, this CC cream starts out white and gradually transforms to a skin-toned color. I have to admit, the first time I applied it I was nervous because the color was much too yellow-tan for my skin, but as I let it sit the color melded with my skin-tone really nicely.

While Studio Gear refers to this cream as a "foundation" - I certainly wouldn't go so far as to call it that. It feels more like a primer, or light-wearing cream used solely to even out skin-tone while still appearing very very natural. It provides extremely light coverage and can be built up some, but probably just to a medium coverage (I can't build it too much as the color is not exactly right for my skin). 

Below you'll see what it looks like before and after application. Before you'll see I have some redness and a couple blemishes. After application, my skin-tone does appear more even and blemishes look smoother and less noticeable.

I really like the Studio Gear Hydrating CC Cream. I think I'd love it even more if I had it one shade lighter, but that's beside the point. This cream applies really nicely and noticeably evens out skin-tone - reducing redness and the appearance of fine lines. I wouldn't use this to achieve a flawless, full-coverage face, but I would use this to moisturize and prime my face prior to applying foundation. This CC Cream is Glazed-Over approved!

Studio Gear Hydrating CC Cream is available at www.studiogearcosmetics.com, and retails for $34. Glazed Over readers can receive a 10% discount using discount code SGCC at checkout!

Influenster Violet VoxBox

I recently received a new box from Influenster and I couldn't wait to share with you! If you're unfamiliar with Influenster, it's a free website created for people who like to try things and give their opinions. That's the simplest way I can describe it. As a member of Influenster, you take surveys based on various things you enjoy such as beauty, food, wedding planning, etc. and every now and then they send you a free box with items that will undoubtedly pique your interest! Items are sent free of charge for testing purposes.  If you would like an invite to join the site, just leave your email address in the comments below!

I recently got notice that I would be receiving the Violet VoxBox, described below.

I got some really cool items in the Violet VoxBox. Take a look...

• Goody Athletique Headband (value: $6) - I like these headbands a lot. I use them specifically to keep my hair back while I do my makeup. The packaging says it will hold back flyaways with the wide band shape, keep you cool and dry with moisture-wicking fabric, and allow two-looks in one due to two colors that can be easily reversed.

• Sally Hansen Triple Shine Nail Polish in Fanta-Sea (value $4.99) - You've probably seen this new line popping up in your local drugstores. Fanta-Sea is a really pretty blue and silver glitter, and is just one of 30 other shades in the collection!

• SOYJOY Baked Whole Soy & Fruit Bar in Dark Chocolate Cherry (value: $0.99) - I loooooveeee SOYJOY bars, and this is a flavor I've never tried! Excited to scarf this down!

• Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spa Dead Sea Mud Spa mask (value: $2.49) - Face masks are a weakness of mine. This specific mask is made with bamboo fabric infused with clay for a better, quicker and easier cleansing.

• Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo (value: $5.99) - I'm always down to try a new dry shampoo, and this is one I've never used before! This dry shampoo has a really nice, fresh clean scent. I love the small, travel-sized packaging!

Overall, this is another awesome VoxBox from Influenster! All of these products are totally worthy of picking up to try out. Let me know if you've tried any of these - I'm curious to know what you loved or hated!

Best of Beauty 2013

Happy New Year everyone! 2013 was such a great year for me; my husband and I truly had a whirlwind of a year. If you would have told me at this time last year just how much my life would change, I wouldn't have believed you. 

In February we moved 90 miles back home to the town both my husband and I grew up in. I started a brand new job which I absolutely love. We spent 7 months living with my parents, and in September we moved in to our very first home - something Jake and I are so proud of. We rang in the New Year with my parents, eating Greek food, putting a puzzle together and flipping between Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve and (my personal favorite) Anderson Cooper & Kathy Griffin's New Year's Eve special. It was nice to have a quiet night in with family.

2013 was so good to me and my family, and I'm going in to 2014 feeling positive and wishing for the best year yet! 

--

2013 was not just awesome personally, but there were some great beauty products that stuck out as true gems this year. Here are the items that were my go-to from head to toe all year long.

• Moisturizer: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream -- My #1 this year. You've probably seen it mentioned many times that I was on medication that dried me out completely, and this thick cream was just the trick to keep my face hydrated. I especially love that it has hyaluronic acid in it. 

• Foundation: Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation -- I think I beat this foundation over all of your heads this year. I seriously love this stuff. It's super full coverage, and it doesn't budge. You can wear it all day without it wearing off. Amazing stuff.

• Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder -- I have used this for years, and 2013 was no different. I've repurchased it countless times. It keeps you matte without looking cakey or powdery, and it won't break the bank!

• Eye Primer: theBalm Put A Lid On It -- I received a sample of this in one of my Birchboxes and fell in love with it. This stuff is no joke; if you want your eyeshadow to stay on all day long, this will do the trick. 

• Eyeshadow Palette: Urban Decay Naked 3 -- Hands down, this is the best $52 I spent all year. I got so much use out of my Naked 2, but Naked 3 has the rose-gold tones that are perfect for my fair skin. Unless something major comes along, this might very well make the best palette of 2014, too! 

• Mascara: Covergirl Clump Crusher by lashblast -- This mascara performs like a high-end brand, and you can pick it up at Target! It lengthens, volumizes and separates but NEVER clumps... even after 2-3 coats!

• Eyeliner: Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eyeliner --For the longest time, Wet n Wild's Mega Liner was untouchable in my world. But this year, Milani's Eye Tech Extreme swooped in and changed my mind. It's convenient and super easy to use.

• Bronzer: Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer -- Oh my gosh, this smells like chocolate!! Even though I've used it for over half the year, I still can't get over the chocolate smell! I have the chocolate soleil bronzer in milk chocolate, the perfect color for lighter skin tones. This is a matte bronzer that warms the face up for a healthy glow. 

• Blush: NYX Blush in Peach -- Clearly I've loved this blush as I've almost hit pan on it! This blush is a gorgeous matte pinky-peach color. It blends really nicely in to the skin and the best part? It's super affordable. 

• Highlighter: NYX Illuminating Bronzer in Narcissistic -- So I guess "technically" this is a bronzer (but what fun is makeup if you don't make your own rules now and then?), but it's far too shimmery, for my taste, to use all over my face. I use this as a dewy pop on the top of my cheekbones . It has a tiny bit of glitter, but it won't leave you looking like a disco ball. 

• Lips: NYX Butter Glosses -- I can't pick just one of these as my favorite... I seriously love them all! I've got a good few of these, but featured in this picture are Peaches and Cream and Strawberry Parfait. These smell absolutely amazing and they leave your lips with a creamy pop of color that's hydrating and exceptionally comfortable to wear.

• Hair Spray: CHI Farouk Royal Treatment Ultimate Control Volume Shaping Spray -- A former boss of mine swears by this hairspray, and she got me swearing by it as well. I dare you to find a hairspray that smells as amazing as this one. It holds without being crunchy and won't make your hair feel weighed down. 

• Hair Care: Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Spray -- My former boss also turned me on to this product and it has stayed a staple in my hair care collection since. It smells so good (I seriously want to bathe in the scent of it) and it will leave your hair silky smooth. Don't let the steep price scare you away; this little bottle will last you ages as a little goes a long way.

What products did you love in 2013? Let me know in the comments below! I love hearing from you!

Mia Mariu Fragrance & Lipstick | Review + Swatches

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Mia Mariu is a new brand to me, and upon seeing their new perfume line, I had to give it a go (even though I have far too many perfumes!) I absolutely love the simple and chic pink polka-dot packaging of the Magia perfume, and the very sleek looking bottle. 

From the website: "This deliciously flirtatious fragrance invigorates the senses, creates a mood and sets the scene for unforgettable fun, romance and pleasure. With a medley of juicy strawberry, mandarin, peach and pear that play sweetly atop dewy blooms of jasmine, plum, magnolia and flirty frangipani; makes the perfect playmate and ideal soul mate for smooth and sensual base notes of rich vanilla, musk, tonka bean and warm and enchanting golden amber."

If you've smelled Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture, it smells like an exact replica of that. It's a very classy feminine scent that's perfect year-round, for any occasion. It smells really nice, and it's a scent that I would definitely wear.

Magia retails for $42 for a 1.7 oz bottle. You can pick it up at www.miamariu.com and from select independent Mia Mariu retailers. 

I also tested out the Mia Mariu Perfecting Finish Hydrating Stick Gloss in the shade Amore. The formula of this lippie is amazing - it combines color and gloss in one stick. It feels very hydrating on the lips. The best part is the smell, which smells really sweet, kind of like MAC lipsticks. 

What I like about this color is that the color can be kept really natural or built up for a bold look. Upon first glance, Amore may look intimidating, but it actually goes on very lightly and applies more pink than it looks in the tube.

I am absolutely in love with this shade! You can pick this shade up, or any of the other 10 shades, at miamariu.com. These lipsticks cost $15 each, and are totally worth the higher price. 

Overall, I am really liking these products from Mia Mariu. As I mentioned, Mia Mariu is a brand that was new to me before trying out the perfume and lipstick, but I am really curious to try more of what they offer! Let me know if you've ever tried anything from this brand in the comments below!

Find Mia Mariu on Facebook, HERE and on Twitter, HERE. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

December 2013 - Battle of the Subscription Boxes: Birchbox vs. Ipsy!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays! I know I sure did! I apologize for the couple missed posts, but after a nasty cold and lots and lots of Christmas-ing, my blogging fell behind. But now I'm BACK and I hope my blog will be better than ever, because my awesome husband got me a Canon Rebel T3i for Christmas, and I am freaking obsessed! (with it, and him!)

I already used it on Christmas to post the picture of my Christmas manicure, but today's post will be the first post where perhaps you'll really be able to tell the difference. To me, it makes all the difference in the world.

--

My Birchbox came VERY late this month. I just got it on Christmas Eve, so that is why this post is far overdue. No more waiting... let's get right to it!

December Ipsy Glam Bag

The bag is  absolutely adorable, and the products in this month's Ipsy are awesome, too!

• Nicka K New York Nail Polish - Oddly enough, there's no name on this polish. It appears to be a vibrant red cream polish. This brand is totally new to me, but I dig the packaging and can't wait to try it out.

• POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life eye shadow trio in Naturally Bare - POP Beauty seems to have stormed its way in to the spotlight recently, and I'm loving their stuff! This trio is surprisingly high quality, with buttery and pigmented shadows that are super gorgeous!

• NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in B52 - Full-sized product alert! I love NYX lipsticks, and I certainly enjoy receiving a full-size product in my Ipsy bag! This is a super gorgeous color, too. 

• Demeter Roll-On Perfume Oil in Snow - I love trying out different Demeter scents; they're so unique and fun to try. Snow smells fresh and sweet and is a nice subtle scent. These rollerballs are valued at $10 - the entire price of the Ipsy bag!

• Be A Bombshell The One Stick in Girl Crush - This is a cool multi-purpose product, not to mention it is full-sized and valued at $16! You can use it on your eyes, cheeks, lips or as a highlight. This creamy all-in-one stick will be fun to experiment with.

December Birchbox

• Greenleaf Starlight Candle - This thing smells so good! It made my entire Birchbox smell awesome. It's just a little votive candle, but I can already tell the scent will light up any room I burn it in. Kind of a different type of product from Birchbox, but I think most of us beauty-loving girls also enjoy candles, too.

• Nelson j Beverly Hills Argan Oil 7 Non-Foaming Shampoo - I don't love tiny shampoo samples like this, but I am intrigued by this shampoo. It smells minty and nice, and is the perfect size for traveling.

• Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy in Morelia Monarch - I really love the soft subtle smell of this lotion. I've actually seen it at a local drugstore/gift store but never thought to pick it up. The packaging is adorable (I'm bound to grab anything with a monarch on it) and the product inside is really nice, too.

• Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Serum Boosting Anti-Aging Serum - I'm always down to try a new anti-aging cream. I've never heard of this one before, and it smells nice like coconut, so I'm more than happy to give this a go.

• Mally Beauty Lip Magnifier in Tulip - Full-sized product alert, valued at $20! I'm really excited to try something from the Mally brand, which I've never tried before. This is a gorgeous lip pencil touted as a lipstick lipgloss. Great color, too!

--

I really liked both of these boxes this month. I thought both were well worth the value. I'm glad to see Birchbox keeping up the good work, and Ipsy hasn't faltered for a second. If you'd like to sign up to either or both of these subscriptions, just click any of the hyperlinked "Birchbox" or "Ipsy" links in this blog! Each cost just $10 per month and offer various coupon codes and points for purchasing from brands given in each month's box. 

Merry Christmas | China Glaze - Twinkle Lights

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your day is full of family, love and laughter! Glazed Over will be back after the holidays, but for now - enjoy a peek of what I'm wearing for Christmas (China Glaze's Twinkle Lights).

Drugstore Gems: Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Singles in Nutty and Glamrock | Review + Swatches

L to R: Glamrock, Nutty

There's a hidden gem in your drugstore that you've probably walked past many times without thinking about twice. But today, I'm putting them on your radar. The Wet n Wild Color Icon single shadows are completely worthy of picking up, and they won't break the bank either - they'll cost you just $1.99! 

I picked up two colors this weekend (since I found them on sale for $1.39! cha-ching!) - one that I've been meaning to grab for ages called Nutty, and the other, called Glamrock, is one that's completely new to me but looked intriguing. 

Glamrock was part of the Wet n Wild spring 2012 Color Icon Shimmer Singles collection, so it's been around for a while. It is a very shimmery, blue-ish purple. It's bright and bold, but still wearable. It may not be the most "everyday" wearable eyeshadow, but it's just a fun color to have in your collection. The texture is nice and buttery, not powdery at all (which you might expect from a shadow as cheap as this!)

Nutty is a shadow that's been around for quite some time and you can find this in the permanent Wet n Wild displays at your drugstore. This shadow is a must have. It looks and feels like something straight out of the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. The color is a gorgeous silvery cool-tone taupe that has a nice shimmer finish. Just like Glamrock, Nutty is buttery and smooth - performing like a high-end eyeshadow.

The quality, pigmentation and texture of these eyeshadows goes well beyond the $1.99 price tag. These singles perform as well as many high-end shadows, and for the tiny price tag, they're certainly worth picking up.

Product: 5/5

Pigmentation: 5/5

Texture: 5/5

Packaging:  4/5