Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips

I love makeup palettes. They seem to be a great way to get a bunch of colors all at once. The problem is that a lot of the palettes I seem to love are a little bit too pricey for me to buy all the time. So, when I saw these for only $11.99 (from Ulta.com, who also had a buy one get one half off sale at the time) I couldn't help but order 2 of them. 

Now, since I ordered them online instead of in store I didn't realize just how small they were. They are significantly smaller than the palettes that I usually buy. 

I picked the classic nude and warm nude. The colors in them really aren't all that different. They're a lot more alike than I had realized, which is my own fault. I probably could have done with just one of them. 

When you look at them the colors really are similar, which I guess makes sense since they are both nude palettes, and nude colors are nude colors. 

The colors in the classic palette were set up a little strange to be since they didn't range from light to dark. They all swatched nicely, and I liked them.

The warm nude palette also swatched nicely. The colors seemed great.

It wasn't until I went to use the palettes that I started to have problems. The little brush that came with the palettes was extremely hard to use. It made applying the product difficult. Also, due to the small size of the palette its hard to use just one of the colors. I tried using my normal brushes but they all proved to be problematic as well. The small colors were too small. 

The shadows also weren't as pigmented when I went to put them on as they had appeared to be when watched. I had to use a large amount of product to get a decent amount of color.

The formula was creamy but seemed to flake a good deal when I tried to use it, and then after all of the work to get it to look right (since they weren't very blendable) the color didn't even last all day. I tried both with and without an eyeshadow primer, and yet the shadow still wore off by mid day. 

I had such high hopes for these palettes and ended up extremely disappointed in both of them. This is one product that you get less than what you pay for. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone, and I won't be purchasing them again.

Until Next Time,

Sara

Nadine West August 2015

Nadine West is a clothing subscription service. Nadine West is completely free, unless you keep an item. You only pay for what you keep. There is no subscription fee or anything else. Each month you are sent 1 top, and 2 pieces of jewelry. The prices for each item varies, but I have yet to see something more than $25, which makes it pretty affordable for the most part. 

It comes in pretty pink package, just like Ipsy does. 

Inside your outfit is wrapped in pretty pink tissue paper. 

This month I received a pair of purple, green, and silver earrings. They were very cute, but not something I can ever see myself wearing. They kind of reminded me of an easter egg. I sent them back. 

This turquoise necklace was gorgeous, but again, not something I can see myself wearing. So I didnt keep it either. 

This pink top was very cute. Extremely thin but cute. 

I especially loved the back detail. It was way too small in the arms though. I felt like my arms were going to fall off it was so tight. I was extremely sad to have to send it back because it was so nice. 

My second shirt was also very cute. I do feel that a tank top in August was a little strange. I've been packing up all of my summer stuff since were getting into fall, and so I couldnt see spending any money on a tank top.

It did have really cute back detail as well, but it was a tad bit too short for me. 

This month I didnt keep anything. There just wasnt anything that fit right, or was my style. I'm hoping that next month I'll get something that I can actually keep. This was the first month that I had ever received two shirts, and I kind of liked it. It was nice having a second chance to find something that I was really going to like. 

I enjoy getting my Nadine West package every month, though I do wish that I would actually get some items that I like. It feels like I give feedback every month, and yet I still dont receive anything that really fits my style. I am hoping that once winter comes I start getting things that I like. I'm a sucker for a cute sweater. 

I definitely think that Nadine West is worth at least trying, considering that its free if you dont like anything. And you at least have a chance to try something that you normally wouldnt pick out for yourself. I'll continue receiving mine for a couple more months at least. 

Until Next Time,

Sara

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick

I had seen the Melted lipstick by Too Faced ($21) and wanted to try it for the longest time. It just looked fun, and who doesnt love a fun lipstick? I finally gave in and purchased one from Ulta.

The packaging is nice. It doesnt really look like lipstick, more like a lip gloss, but still. I love it, the packaging that is. 

The applicator is a nice velvet tip. Its really soft. This goes on easily. Its really easy to get it precisely where you want it to be. 

There's no smell, or flavor to this, which seems pretty normal for a lipstick. Though the glossy formula had me expecting something. 

I picked Melted Berry for my shade which is described as a berry red. To me its not really red at all. Its got more of a purple color. 

The description on Sephora's website states "The shine of a gloss, lasting power of a stain, and pigment-packed color of a liquid lipstick, all in one high-impact formula. Bold, long-wearing color glides on cleanly with the precision tip applicator, delivering rich color with staying power." 

It is definitely shiney, and has a ton of pigment. I found that I was able to put a thin layer on for lighter color, or I could layer it on thicker and end up with a deeper color, which is really nice. I didnt find that it was long lasting at all though. I found that it wore off extremely quickly, even when all I was doing was talking, not eating or drinking. My lipsticks that dont claim to be long lasting wear better than this.

I also had a lot of issues with feathering, and always seemed to end up with lipstick on my chin. I'm not really sure how the lipstick managed to migrate all the way down my face, but it seemed to. 

I wore this lipstick several times because I love the color, and I love how quickly I can put it on. But I dont think that I will be buying it again, which has me kind of sad. I really wanted to love this lipstick but it just didnt wear well at all. I dont have the patience to constantly check if there's lipstick on my chin. And I dont want to go around all day looking like either I dont know where my lips are or like a clown. 

Maybe my next lipstick test will go better. I really want to find a liquid lipstick that I like, if only because the liquid seems to apply easier. And generally requires no liner.

Until Next Time,

Sara

Kat Von D Monarch Palette Review and Swatches

I recently purchased the Monarch Eyeshadow Palette by Kat Von D from Sephora ($46). I'm a sucker for pretty packaging, and this one definitely caught my eye. Its just so pretty.

The palette itself feels very sturdy. Its not flimsy at all, which is a good thing. I feel like I could drop it and it would hold up pretty well. I dont have to worry about it getting bumped around if I put it in a drawer, because its solid and wouldnt end up broken. 

See how pretty it is? Its just eye catching. 

The back of the box that the palette came in has the names of the eye shadows listed. I do wish that the names were also printed on the inside of the palette, since I know that I wont keep the box. 

The inside of the palette has a mirror, in case you need to fix your makeup on the go, which is a nice feature. I rarely seem to use the mirrors that come on my makeup products, but its nice to have the option in case I need it. 

The shadows are all richly pigmented, and have a nice creamy formula. When I applied them they went on with ease. It didnt take more than a swipe to get a solid amount of color. They also blended with ease. 

From top to bottom: Entomology (matte), Telepathy (super shimmer), Tiny Death (slight sparkle)

These three colors are extremely light base colors. They were intended to be used as bases, and they work great for that.

Top to bottom: Wrath, Papilio, Summerfly, Killing Jar, Delaney

These five shades are all shimmer shadows. They're light, but easily layered if you want a more intense look. 

Top to bottom: Vanish, Disintegration, Shadow Box, Deadhead

These shadows are all matte, except disintegration which has a slight shimmer to it. They're more pigmented than the shimmer shadows. 

Overall I love this palette. It has some great colors, and they all go well together. I love that they seem to stay on pretty well, and they are easy to blend. They also dont seem to flake the way other shadows do. 

Until Next Time, 

Sara