Guest Post

Boots No 7 Stay Perfect Shade and Define Eyeshadow Sticks | Review & Swatches

March 22nd, 2016 by Adia Goss 17 Comments

Cream eyeshadow sticks are among my favorite makeup products of all. I love how easy they are to use, and I’m always on the market for a new good shadow stick.

I did a roundup of my Top 5 Eyeshadow Sticks last year, and now I wonder if these Boots No 7 Stay Perfect Shade and Define eyeshadow sticks will make the cut.

The four shades here — Glistening Ray, Pink Pearl, Cool Mink and Velvet Truffle — are all smooth, creamy and extremely long-wearing.

After swatching them on my arm, I went to a cycling class, then showered, and the colors were still intact!

With the exception of Velvet Truffle, they’re all very sparkly, which I love.

Here are some swatches:

boots no 7 stay perfect shade and define — L to R: Glistening Ray, Pink Pearl, Cool Mink and Velvet Truffle

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The Best in Beauty From the Boot, Vol. 2: Neve Cosmetics

March 22nd, 2016 by Carolina Braina 17 Comments

Neve Cosmetics Elegantissimi Eyeshadow Palette Italian Makeup — My mug shot with the Neve Cosmetics Elegantissimi Palette. I was arrested for possession of too much makeup!

Neve Cosmetics, eh?

Neve is the Italian word for snow, and while any other day I’d start by telling you all about the beautiful reason behind this name, today I can’t associate anything positive to any form of water falling from the sky.

This is because it’s been raining for two awful weeks, and my meteoropathic self can’t take it anymore.

If you follow my blog, then you’ll know that it all started with me evoking an ancient curse and triggering the wrath of the gods, so I shouldn’t really complain, since this horrible weather is all my fault (*goes to cry in the corner*).

Instead of moaning, I should focus on the flowers in my metaphorical garden, just as Karen taught me. 🙂

Neve Cosmetics Blush Garden Tuesday Rose cream blush — Neve Cosmetics Tuesday Rose from the Blush Garden

Neve Cosmetics definitely adds many flowers to my garden, including this adorable rose blush and the inspiring philosophy behind the brand… They think that, just like snowflakes, all people are different and beautiful in their own unique way, and I personally share the same view. I believe that makeup should enhance your natural beauty, rather than mask it.

The Turin-based company also adds flowers to the lives of many by supporting nonprofits that help humans and animals alike, and all of their products are cruelty-free and free of silicones, parabens and petroleum products.

Neve Cosmetics Italian Makeup — Neve Cosmetics products are all made in Italy with high quality ingredients

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Vera Bradley Shakes Things Up With New Scents in the Mini Eau de Toilette Spray Set in Multi 2016

March 21st, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 7 Comments

The Vera Bradley Mini Eau de Toilette Spray Set in Multi 2016 ($48)

As I was going through my products before my recent move, I realized something.

I am a serious hoarder!

I had a lot of expired products, and even for the ones that didn’t have an expiration date, I still knew they were due to be discarded.

This was further proven when boyfriend was putting away the kitchen items and found, and I quote, “Tea from 2007. 2007 BABE!”

I just hate throwing things out, guys. Like the authentic Chinese black tea from my old neighbor who invited me over for a traditional tea and chit-chat after I asked to borrow a screwdriver to put together my roommate’s shoddy Ikea bed? That was only two years ago. Who cares if the box says 2007 on it!

Tea aside, I really needed to go through my products before this move, and when I got to my perfumes, I noticed that I had almost completely full bottles of Victoria Secret Body Mist, something I had been into for a while, circa 2009.

I was an especially loyal fan of Fresh & Clean, with the matching body lotion.

I knew they were old, but I wasn’t sure just how old until I opened them and detected something quite unlike the apples and lilies described on the label. Instead…they smelled mostly like alcohol. I hadn’t kept them in the best places. They were often housed on windowsills where they were exposed to sunlight.

So away they went, along with an old bottle of Calvin Klein for women that had also seen better days.

Despite the fact that, nowadays, I prefer body oils and lighter perfumes, I don’t turn my nose up at unique sets from established companies, which is why I was curious about the new Spring Mini Eau de Toilette Spray Set ($48) from Vera Bradley.

vera bradley, perfume, Eau de Toilette, perfume set, — From L-R: Appleberry Champagne, Cotton Flower, Macaroon Rose, and Vanilla Sea Salt.

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Dream Big (Like, Unicorn Big!) With Pacifica Dream Big Lash Extending 7-in-1 Mascara

March 21st, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 23 Comments

My seven-year-old is pretty adamant that unicorns exist…somewhere. They’re rare, and we don’t have them where we live, but they’re real because, “You don’t know. You just don’t know that they aren’t out there somewhere… People don’t know for sure!”

* Insert insistent head shaking and hand gestures to go along with this exclamation. *

Pacifica Dream Big Lash Extending 7-in-1 Mascara ($14) is as rare as a unicorn.

To begin with, the packaging is to. die. for. It’s got a Disney Fantasia vibe that I love, and as a makeup lover I’m all about the adjustable “magic wand” that allows you to select either volume or length (or both).

But what makes this mascara so exciting for me is that it contains natural plant fibers to take lashes to great heights. In my experience, it’s not easy to find a natural lash product that can make as big of an impact as this one — so when I find a plant- and mineral-based mascara this good, I’m convinced that there must be unicorns out there, somewhere.

Armed with an adjustable brush, Pacifica Dream Big mascara is “flexible.” I’ve been favoring applying the first layer (or two…) with the wand extended for length, and then twisting the cap to shorten the wand and adding a few coats for volume. There are no rules to makeup, though, so if you favor one or the other, there’s no need to change the wand. But I have to tell you that it’s fun!

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An Easy, Beautiful Golden Bronze Eye Makeup Look Using the $5.49 Essence All About Bronze Eyeshadow Palette

March 21st, 2016 by Jen Clark 28 Comments

Is the weather starting to warm up where you live? I’m looking out the window at a gloomy night that is chucking it down with SNOW. Waahh! I just went on (what I thought was) a spring walk the other day, and now I have to bring out my winter coat again! If any of you are familiar with Utah weather, you know that, unfortunately, this isn’t that weird.

I’ll probably have to scrape off my car in the morning, but I’m choosing to be more optimistic with my makeup choices. I’m channeling sunshine with this springtime golden/bronze eyeshadow look.

This look is so flattering on every single eye color, and it’s so easy to do. AND the palette I’m using is only $5.49! It’s the Essence All About Bronze Eyeshadow Palette.

You guys, every single one of you needs to go out and buy one of these palettes. If bronze-y shades aren’t your thing, they’ve got a bunch of different options. Nudes, Roses, Greys, and more! They blend out like a dream and are so pigmented. Love, love, LOVE.

I started out with a matte transition shade in the crease to help the gold blend better with my skin. That’s the thing about this palette — the one con. There are no matte shades.

But, no worries. If you have one, just use a different shade from your stash. I actually used my contour powder today as my transition shade.

IMG_6499_edited-1 — I’m using the three “starred” shades in this look!

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MAC Charlotte Olympia Collection: Golden-Age Glam

March 18th, 2016 by Anna Oh 32 Comments

Hi, everyone! MAC is back with one of the most exciting releases of the year, the MAC x Charlotte Olympia Spring 2016 Collection, and this is one of the bigger MAC collections, too, with an emphasis on lips and accessories.

For those not familiar with the designer, Olympia is a luxury shoe and accessories designer obsessed with the bygone era of old Hollywood glamour and unafraid of a little humour.

The MAC x Charlotte Olympia collection has strong retro-glam vibes packaged in adorable printed boxes. They’re a collector’s dream come true.

MAC Charlotte Olympia — Charlotte Olympia for MAC Spring 2016

mac charlotte olympia spring 2016 — Wearing Retro Rouge Matte Lipstick!

There are no fewer than three different types of lip products (lipsticks, lip pigments, and pro lip liners), and all of them are in various shades of red.

You know how every now and then you’ll bump into a friend looking for their “perfect red lipstick”? Well, you should direct their attention to THIS collection, because each red is GORGEOUS, but just a little different.

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Dare to Go Bare With Rimmel “Essential Nude” Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate

March 18th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 19 Comments

Is there anything more Kate Moss than a smoky eye and a nude lip? Rimmel’s collaboration with the iconic Brit supermodel has given us countless iconic shades of lipstick, but none more iconic than the Essential Nude Lasting Finish Lipsticks released for Spring 2016 ($5.79 each, available exclusively at Walmart).

From the soft peach packaging marked with Kate’s signature — equal parts modern and evocative of classic vintage lipstick tubes — to the chic range of 10 nudes in varying hues and undertones, all lipstick lovers are bound to find a nude lip to love.

Like Kate’s celebrity status, nude lips can be intimidating. Some may elect to gleefully experiment with all of the shades, while others may want to more carefully follow a playbook. Alas, I belong to the latter group.

Nude lipstick can be a bit of a challenge for me personally — finding the “right” shade can be overwhelming, like picking a foundation! Like all skin-toned products, there are things to consider, from the shade, to the undertone, and a whole host of other aspects from opacity to texture that make a nude lip perfect for an individual’s beautifully unique complexion.

What I love about this collection is the fact that Rimmel seized the opportunity to make nude lips more approachable. At $5.79 each, the Essential Nude Lasting Finish Lipsticks aren’t cost prohibitive, meaning that you can pick up several shades and experiment with them, or mix, match and layer to create a customized hue.

Each lipstick is tagged with an associated undertone (more on that in the captions), making it simpler to target your “my lips but better” shade.

On the other hand, the array of diverse nudes allows you to achieve a particular effect — brightening the overall complexion, adding dimension or adding warmth — should you choose to use your lips as a way to change the overall appearance of your makeup.

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Egyptian Magic Skin Cream: A Multitude of Uses for This Multifaceted Potion

March 18th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 10 Comments

egyptian magic, skin cream, acne treatment, spot treatment — Positively magical…

Typically, I do everything I can to remove grease and oil from my face. At 25, with adult acne and a slew of medications to combat it, I never thought I’d actually slather my face with anything oil based. I’ve tried coconut oil, as well as oil-based cleansers, and they never seemed to perform any magic.

Egyptian Magic, on the other hand, might have a few tricks up its sleeve. Containing only six ingredients, the cult beauty favorite has been around since the early ’90s, and it’s easy to see why it’s become such a must-have item.

My first impressions upon investigation were that it did seem very similar in the style of packaging to Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (with the prayers and simple fonts). The red font, coupled with the blue and white background, screams drugstore product, but EM seems to fall somewhere in the middle. Price/size wise, I would have to call it “lower to middle high end,” with a 2-oz. jar ringing in at $26 and a 4-oz. jar coming in just under $40 (though you can also purchase it at drugstores).

Touted as an “all-purpose skin cream,” Egyptian Magic contains six ingredients that are said to be identical to a formula found in ancient tombs. While I’m not sure of that, I am sure that this formulation is somewhat of a miracle worker when it comes to difficult skin.

Here are just a few of the different ways I’ve used it over the past two weeks:

As an eyebrow tamer and conditioner

Seriously, I don’t know what possessed me to put this on my eyebrows, but something told me, “Marcy, put it on your damn brows. It’ll do them good.” And it did. I found that just dabbing my finger in the cream and applying before bed left my brows silky and soft (all the better for filling, my dear).

Note: it looks slightly wet if applied too heavily.

As a cuticle cream

This was sort of a “duh” moment for me. Applying EM to my cuticles daily and letting it sink in (5-10 minutes) is like heaven for my constant hangnails. I typically do so before bed, but if you have to during the day, it won’t make too much of a mess.

A moisturizer

A few times during testing I found myself without my regular moisturizer, or that I had forgotten my moisturizer. I was also moving at this time, and at one point, all of my products, except this one, which was in my purse, were packed away. Enter Egyptian Magic. Slathered on my face and properly rubbed in, I could go about my day without looking greasy. I didn’t exactly look matte, but I didn’t look overly oily, you get me?

A spot treatment

Also packed away were my acne treatments. Dabbing this on any problem areas has kept the few spots that have reared their ugly heads (literally) away for the last few days. Stress zits are real, ya’ll, especially when you stay up until 5 a.m. on the day your lease ends moving the last of your possessions (and your terrified cats).

To relieve hives/allergic reactions

I have a severe mold allergy, and due to some wayward mushrooms I found myself with a tiny patch of hives. This product did the trick better than the prescription cream an allergist (that I spent potentially hundreds on) prescribed me. Additionally, my boyfriend had a strange allergic reaction at this time, resulting in red welts on his arms, and rubbing a little bit of EM on his arms daily helped the itching.

As a lip balm

The first thing I thought of to apply this as was a lip balm. NYC winters and the winds that come with them can be extra harsh, and up until a few days ago, it was mighty cold around here. When I applied the cream to my lips, it was slightly exfoliating at first (TMI, that might have just been because of all the dead skin on my lips), and then came the pillowy softness and the realization, IS THIS WHAT SOFT LIPS FEEL LIKE? Applying this before bed and after a lip scrub will have you ready for any lipstick.

(Here’s a more comprehensive list of the product’s possible uses.)

All in all, I thoroughly enjoy this product. The only thing I own that is similar that I have enjoyed is Lush’s Ultrabalm. For $14.95 for 1.4 oz., it’s just slightly more expensive per ounce than the 4-oz. jar of Egyptian Magic. While Ultrabalm is vegan, I feel it doesn’t have as many uses as its contender. EM is a thoroughly universal product that anyone can find a practical use for.

Marcella Yakalis

Marcella Yakalis is a freelance writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York, with two cats, one snake, and one very patient boyfriend. She writes about family, relationships, and oppressive retail culture. She can also be found on Twitter and Instagram.