For all of my years I've had with makeup, I've always wondered what it was like to actually own a Nars product, let alone four, because I was darn right broke (and still am). After constantly wanting more from my foundation, I decided to splurge for myself and purchase the ever-so-praised, Nars Velvet Matte Tint in the shade, Finland. I knew that I needed to try out Nar's foundations before spending 45 bucks on a product. It's a pretty big investment, but my attitude towards it was just psyched to get something better for my skin that I could wear wherever, whenever without creasing, sliding around, and becoming oily easily since it is a matte foundation.
I walked into my Sephora and bee lined straight to the Nars counter just so I wouldn't have gotten distracted by the other amazing products Sephora has to offer. Commercialism, people! Anyway, I wandered over and a nice woman greeted me and I immediately got help to find the best foundation for my skin. The lady color matched me first and I think it only took her one try to figure out my shade. Props to her! I felt very comfortable with the shade and it wasn't too orange or yellow.
Nars has four different types of foundations and I ended up trying the Sheer Glow and the All Day Luminous, along with the Velvet Matte. The lady gave me three quarter sized containers of each to bring home and put to the test. To be honest, it was more than enough product to use for about a week or two (and I still have extra) to try out. You only need a pea sized amount which is great.
I knew immediately that I did not want any part of the All Day Luminous because it is a water based foundation and with my oily skin, it was a complete no-go. I was unhappy with the application as I found it to stick into every nook and cranny on my face. It took a lot to actually build coverage on my face and I have heard a lot of disappointing reviews about it. I also tried the Sheer Glow, which was okay, but I still didn't want the "extra" glow it promised, or the Sephora lady promised.
When I tried the Velvet Matte though, I knew right away that I liked it a lot. I used a Beauty Blender with all of the foundations and I think it worked best with this one. It truly is velvety smooth and leaves my skin feeling soft and crease free. With that said, I have been wearing it for about a month and it lasts a good eight hours before I notice some natural oil around my t-zone. I never thought I would like matte foundations, because they usually make my skin look dry and cracked, but this one practically does the job of a hydrating foundation without bringing out excess oil.
You get a very copious amount of product in the tube and I only use less than a pea sized amount for my entire face. Another thing that really impressed me was that it had an SPF 30. This foundation sort of reminds me of a tinted moisturizer (which I think they have as well), but without being too light coverage. It has a great medium coverage and is pretty buildable if you wanted more. For my situation, I normally don't wear a crap load of product during school, so this is great for an everyday makeup look. I think this could also be very elegant for a night out or even prom. I think because it is so matte, it's perfect for an event like that. It smoothes out everything and leaves a very natural finish.
I know paying this much for a foundation is ridiculous and there are some great alternatives out there, but a girl's gotta live a little, amirite? I was already using up my older BB creams before buying this so, I would be stuck with a pile of foundation to use up. I really think splurging on a great face product is worth it. Especially if it's something you could practically wear anywhere. I love keeping the sample jar as a travel jar so I can bring a little bit of the foundation wherever I travel. Surprisingly, I haven't heard any negative things about this foundation at all, but if you have tried it, please share your thoughts! I'd love to hear them :)
It's always great to put off time to pamper yourself and I am a true believer in it. Among the chaotic week filled with work, school, and other things, we kind of forget to think about ourselves every once and awhile. In the beauty franchise, many brands have their own skincare lines and very nice, high quality (and high priced might I add) skincare products. Most masks you find at Sephora can range from $20-$100+ dollars. For most of us, we find ourselves at our local drugstores looking for the best masks for the cheapest price.
Especially for an easy and inexpensive mask, the Que Bella range of masks are so individually made for different skin types and my friend gave me this awesome pack of them (I think I already used one of them to try it out).
Each mask is priced at around two bucks; there are cream, gel, and sheet masks and are all made with 80% natural products. Obviously, with it being very inexpensive, they are not made with 100% natural ingredients and contain preservatives to let them last for a longer period of time. There's a very generous amount of mask in each packet so, you could easily share these with friends who have the same skin type as you.
So far, I have used a couple more of these masks and really like them. They're not you're 24 karat masks, but these are really great to use as a little pick-me-up on a cozy, Sunday night. These are sold at Target and I believe Walmart and Ulta, as well.
Sometimes, with cheaper masks, I find them to make my skin tingle a bit. I haven't had any allergic reaction to it, so I think they're okay for sensitive skin. A couple of the masks tingled, but I read on the back that it was normal for them to do that. If you are a bit skeptical, I would recommend reading the ingredients to see if you are prone to a reaction from it or just buy one and try it to see. These are super fun to do at sleepovers and parties, so I would definitely recommend these for anyone of you looking for a cheaper way to look gawrgeous! See you guys on Thursday. XX
I think it's been awhile since I have reviewed an eyeshadow palette and I am very excited to be sharing this one with all of you today. The Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette has been a product that I have always admired, ever since it came out last summer, while walking past the beauty counters in the shops. I wouldn't say that I absolutely love palettes in general because they're way too big for me to ever use up, but I think this will be the first palette I have and will use up until I'm scraping the shadows from the pan.
I wrote briefly about this palette in my Christmas post as it was one of the gifts I received this past year. I think what really drew me to this palette was the entire aesthetic of it. It comes in a beautiful blush, velvet packaging that is very cute and is probably the first thing I noticed. Obviously, I was drawn to the incredibly beautiful shades. The rich golds, vibrant oranges, and deep red shades really stood out to me.
I like to buy palettes when I know I have room and the need for new eye shadows. I was holding off for awhile before Christmas to get a palette because I knew I wanted this one--and this one only. This palette is priced at around $45 and really isn't that bad for a 14 color palette (compared to an Urban Decay palette). I was so eager to try out the red shades because you would never think red would be a shade to put around your eyes. I wanted to try something new with my eye makeup and I have really loved the contrast it gives when you pop the color in the crease or on the outer lid. I recently did an eye look on my blue eyed sister, and it looks so classy and elegant. The overall theme of the palette was really well thought out. I love the renaissance inspired colors and the names are really unique to that period. I honestly feel like an artist when I use it.
I have swatched the palette a couple times in Sephora to see how the color payoff is and I was so impressed. SO IMPRESSED by Anastasia Beverly Hills. I know she has amazing products already and this palette takes the cake. Each shade is so buttery smooth. There is minor fall out here and there depending on the amount you use, but other than that, the powders are all amazingly opaque and vibrant like any paint would be.
For the sake of saving time and not having to swatch and touch every shade with my finger, I swatched two shades that I really love using. This one above is Primavera and is the perfect inner corner, champagne shade. It has just the right amount of shimmer to it and makes any eye look pop. It also is great to use on top of the lid to add a bit more definition.
I also wanted to swatch Red Ochre for you guys so you all can see the pigmentation of the deeper shades. It just looks so yummy! I think this would be a great touch to any eye look to add some color especially during the summer or fall. I guess you could also use it in the winter, but ohhh do I love this shade of red.
Each color blends really nicely and some of the deeper shades like the reds and oranges are actually better when applied with a finger to ensure all of the color to appear on the lid. Otherwise, using a brush works just as well.
Another shade I fell in love with was Buon Fresco, which is a very rich taupe (in the center above Red Ochre). I think this shade is great used all over the lid and nothing else. I have heard every blogger rave and express their love for this palette and I thought I could add to the mix for any of you looking for a new palette to try out. I think palettes can be hard to find or just hard to own because they can be expensive, too big, or maybe they just aren't the right shades you like or are comfortable with. Everybody has their own preferences and that's what I love about the variety of palettes out there. Have you tried this palette yet?
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