Beauteque Mineral Powder is a Hit for my Dry Skin!

November 19, 2014 By StephanieLouise 203015 Comments2014-11-19+16%3A03%3A22StephanieLouise

Powder isn’t always my friend. I’ve had dry skin for as long as I can remember & when all of my friends were in the middle school bathroom over-powdering their faces I was too. This has scarred me to this day obviously. Not all or even very many powders play nicely with dry skin but I’ve found that the ones I do like have a lot of things in common.

Beauteque Minerals Powder Foundation Review & WHy it is Great on my Dry Skin! from All Things Beautiful XO

So the Beauteque Mineral Powder in Porcelain Princess definitely isn’t a downer for me. Notice that it catches the light but doesn’t shimmer- this definitely helps my skin not to look flat. That’s a requirement especially for this dry season. They actually include a kabuki brush with your order as well which is really soft. I love these brushes- especially for travel. They do a great job of buffing in product & actually multi-tasking for highlighter & bronzer. [Read more…]

Covergirl #GirlsCan Makeup Look & Giveaway!

November 18, 2014 By StephanieLouise 204595 Comments2014-11-18+05%3A14%3A48StephanieLouise

The Walmart gift cards, product, and information have been provided by Covergirl.

When Covergirl reached out to me about the #GirlsCan campaign I was amped. Empowerment? Breaking down barriers? Dress for Success donations? Check, check & CHECK! I am a huge fan of Dress for Success as I’ve had friends be able to be their best professional selves with their help. Covergirl will be donating $50,000 but if you want to win a $25 Walmart gift card from Covergirl keep reading & check out my eye look!

I’ve been using Covergirl products for…forever it seems like. Here I’m sharing some completely new ones to me to spice things up a bit. I also did an easy look that can translate into fall easily. & a lip color that is an instant new favorite.

The Covergirl Eye Enhancers Quad of eyeshadows in Sugar Coated is unlike any other shade selection I own from the drugstore- which is of course why it was the first one I grabbed. From left to right we have a warm honey neutral, softened sky blue with a touch of golden sheen, cool plum-toned brown, & a green-toned blackened teal. All of these shade contain shimmer but with a small array of neutral mattes it gives you some lovely options.

I haven’t tried a Covergirl blush in a long time so I opted for an old favorite- the Covergirl Cheekers Blush in Rock ‘n Rose. The pigmentation is soft & easy to blend so it works great on my fair skin. I actually don’t mine the touch of sheen other- I think it comes off as a healthy glow to further up the value of this rose shade.

I own quite a few Covergirl lipsticks but Euphoria has been on my list for some time! My local stores are always sold out but I snapped it up last time I was at Walmart! This is a pink-toned berry shade. It has an underlying brightness but is still so seasonally appropriate. Isn’t this color pretty?

Last up is the only Covergirl mascara i haven’t tried- Covergirl All-in-One Professional Mascara in Very Black. I’ll admit my love for Covergirl mascaras to random strangers but I love a more dramatic lash. If you like more natural looking lashes then this is quite nice & I think with some drying out it would layer up nicely. You can find the Covergirl #GirlsCan displays in the cosmetics section at Walmart for both the Profession & the Flamed Out Mascara.

Covergirl has graciously offered my readers a $25 Walmart Gift Card! Please enter using the rafflecopter widget below. This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave me any comments below telling me how you’ve turned a “can’t” into a “can” because I’d love to read them! Thanks so much for being awesome readers & good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clinique’s Black Honey & How I Rock It Review, Demo, & Giveaway

November 17, 2014 By StephanieLouise 203177 Comments2014-11-17+06%3A19%3A59StephanieLouise

I didn’t grow up on Clinique products but they have certainly grown on me over the years. Since finding my absolute favorite moisturizer in their brand I’ve started branching out through their skincare & into makeup. Slowly but surely I knew I would make my way to the cult favorite shade Black Honey in some form…& today I’m sharing with you quite a few! After reading a bit about the history of the specific shade I thought a linkup with other beauty lovers would be amazing- different looks & different ages all showing how we wear Clinique’s Black Honey. Since this shade is supposed to be flattering on everyone I thought we would put it to the test!

I bought it. Affiliate links.

For a bit of background, Clinique’s Black Honey is their best selling shade of their Almost Lipstick line ever. In fact, Clinique ships one tube of this lipstick every 2 minutes. EVERY 2 minutes. There is a lot of history behind this shade but also a good bit of logical science. Black Honey has remained a best-selling shade for the past decade but was actually released first in 1971. The shade was added to the Clinique Almost Lipstick range in 1989 (the year I was born, were we meant to be or what?) & has spanned generations of women. The color itself is comprised of red, blue, yellow, & orange pigments that mix in a sheer base despite the deep shade you see in the tube. Each woman should have her very own custom color straight from the tube- for every age & ethnicity. With well over 1,000 reviews on Makeup Alley I just had to see why this shade has endured. [Read more…]

Estee Lauder Holiday 2014 Gift Set Review + Video

November 14, 2014 By StephanieLouise 201533 Comments2014-11-14+02%3A01%3A34StephanieLouise

Tis the season to buy gifts! Frankly many of them are for myself but we don’t need to go there, right? Estee Lauder is a brand I tend to play around in when I go to certain stores but like many other similar brands I try to wait for a great deal. When I know a brand will put out an awesome holiday set I try to hold out as long as possible for hope’s sake that something I’ve been eyeing will be included. Without further chatter- here’s what is in this month’s holiday set!

I bought it. Affiliate links.

This box is pretty gigantic & so is the case which I don’t mind at all. The packaging looks like a gift- who doesn’t love gifts? I found mine at my local BX but & actually don’t see it listed online anywhere yet…more on that below. [Read more…]

C is for Copy Cat with Zoya Matte Velvet Nail Art

November 13, 2014 By StephanieLouise 200715 Comments2014-11-13+15%3A39%3A34StephanieLouise

This #A2ZNails weekly series has been so fun so far. I love that you guys love it- repetitive? Yes but factual. After last week & my B is for Bold nail art I was looking for something a bit more fall or even winter. The theme this month is Copy Cat so there were tons of options here…but I decided to go with this idea that I pinned awhile ago & just loved. (ps if you don’t follow me on Pinterest you’re missing out- my nail obsession isn’t just restricted to my blog!)

PR Sample.

So basically I kind of took her fabulous idea & made it dark, vampy, matte (until I added top coat…), & of course multi-colored because I have no self-control. I personally love it.

So my base color is Zoya Dovima which was lovely. You let it dry completely & then add your striping tape kind of randomly focusing at the tips. I then sponged on each colorful shade focusing again on my tips. I think the outcome is so easy & so beautiful. Obviously her design is way more awesome-ly in your face color-wise but this just feels so fall! My pointer finger (red) is Zoya Posh, middle (purple) is Zoya Savita, ring finger (green) is Zoya Veruschka, & the pink looking color on my pinkie is Zoya Harlow.

In the end I decided to add a topcoat because…shiny! Plus it makes those shimmers really flash. Please ignore the obvious pet hair on my pointer. #that’smylife In the end I really love the design & I barely had to think about it- just pretty much came together!

So what design would you copycat? Next week’s design will be D for Dark, any ideas? I’m kind of at a lost- I need some inspiration! Remember to check everyone else out below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Beauty Brands vs Urban Decay Naked Basics Palettes Review, Swatches, & Eye Look + Video!

November 13, 2014 By StephanieLouise 199130 Comments2014-11-13+02%3A15%3A47StephanieLouise

Today I bring you a post I’ve been beyond excited about writing. A tale of dupes…a story of matte…& an eye look I’m in love with. On top of all that I’m talking about a bargain! If you love neutrals & snagging a great deal then you’re in the right spot!

I bought it. Affiliate links.

When it comes to neutral palettes Urban Decay is still likely the most well-known popular brand. From their trio of Naked palettes to the ever popular Naked Basics…Urban Decay is pretty much a no-brainer. I stumbled upon a few palettes at Beauty Brands recently on display & immediately saw some serious similarities. I picked up the Beauty Brands Matte Mini Color Collection & the Beauty Brands Neutral Mini Color Collection. There was also two other palettes which I’ll discuss below! [Read more…]

It Cosmetics Hydrating Primer is Perfect for Dry Skin! (Review & Demo)

November 12, 2014 By StephanieLouise 198422 Comments2014-11-12+15%3A59%3A55StephanieLouise

Like many of the posts up for this time of year I’m complaining about dry skin. Much like oily skin, it makes apply makeup & keeping it looking great harder than necessary. I’m constantly on the search for better products to perfect my skin both in photographs & in real life. When the wind picks up my skin pretty much just stops even trying to hide it & you can really tell. I woke up this morning & washed my face as usual. I was then promptly distracted which is pretty normal…what wasn’t normal was opening the door for my dogs & getting hit in the face with 10 degrees! Uhg! So now it is officially time to share with you my It Cosmetics dry skin secret weapon that I’ve relied on for over a year…& even show a sneak peek at an upcoming look while I’m on a roll!

PR Sample. Affiliate links.

It Cosmetics has become an easy favorite over the years producing many products I now couldn’t imagine life without. From the highlighter that pretty much changed my outlook on cream face products (review here!) to the matte palette that blew my mind (review here!), they’ve nailed it. Over & over again. Today I’m bringing you one of those behind the scenes products that may not be as flashy but is definitely beloved- my It Cosmetics No. 50 Serum Anti-aging Collagen Veil Primer. Does the “anti-aging” part make you immediately turn away? Well you need some whiplash because this primer was developed for all ages that locks in moisture while doing about a million other amazing things. Okay- maybe a slight exaggeration but seriously this primer is a multi-tasking genius. [Read more…]

Tokyo Milk Dark Lip Elixir in La Vie en Rose Review

November 11, 2014 By StephanieLouise 197817 Comments2014-11-11+23%3A29%3A02StephanieLouise

If you’re anything like me, this time of year brings along some seriously dry lips. I’m going through tubes, pots, & tins like a mad woman already. It is so much work! A great lip exfoliant is important but so is your follow-up balm. When I was searching the Sephora site a few months back I settled on trying something new!

I bought it. Affiliate links.

The Tokyo Milk Dark Lip Elixir in La Vie en Rose caught my eye over the 5 other options because I am such a sucker for rose scents. Most people don’t like the tin aspect of lip balms where you have to physically touch it but I honestly don’t mind. Actually…when I’m lazy I stick my lips in there anyway. It IS mine after all. La Vie en Rose contains rosewater, sweet orange, & peach as the main descriptors. All of the balms apparently contain both jasmine & bee balm. I actually love the scent- it smells very rosy & soft. My main issue was with the tin- I can’t get this lid to secure! I was SO sad & actually wasn’t sure if it was worth keeping…then my husband commented on how nice my lips looked & that this was slightly sweet. [Read more…]

Vitabath Fragrance Collection for Holiday 2014 Body Wash & Lotion Carrier

November 7, 2014 By StephanieLouise 197211 Comments2014-11-07+01%3A21%3A11StephanieLouise

PR Sample. Affiliate links.

The first thing that makes me think of the holidays isn’t glitz or even decorations but scents. Over the past few years Vitabath has stepped up for me personally- I really love many of their products for the scents specifically. I have actually reviewed the Vitabath Spice is Nice duo available last year here & was thrilled to see it again this year! Keep reading to see why & my thoughts on Sweet Pink Peppermint! [Read more…]

B is for Bold with Finger Paints Patent Polishes!

November 6, 2014 By StephanieLouise 196519 Comments2014-11-06+03%3A21%3A51StephanieLouise

PR Sample.

#A2ZNails is off to a fun start with last week’s post being A for Angles with some awesome glitter– but this week is B for BOLD! I sat & thought about my own interpretation- what do I see as bold on nails? I came up with some quick answers that really stuck & enlisted some new Finger Paints shades to make it happen- check it out below!

[Read more…]