Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Too Faced Melted Kisses Set (Holiday 2014)

Hello everyone!


Today's post is on the new Too Faced Melted Kisses set that recently came out as part of their holiday 2014 collection. I ordered mine from Sephora several weeks ago for $25 and it's now available in stores as well. I've been wanting to try these melted long wear lipsticks and this kit was the perfect way to try some out.

So this Melted Kisses set contains 4 different shades from a couple lighter colors to a hot pink and a red. It has a good variety of colors that are suitable for all seasons. The idea behind these melted lipsticks are that they're suppose to be a long wearing, intensely pigmented.... unique liquid formula. I feel that these are long wearing and very pigmented. The color applies super opaque and smooth on the lips. They do have a semi matte finish and can feel a bit drying on the lips after some time. Touch ups will be required for the brighter and darker shades in the Melted line.


One quick mention on the packaging, it's super cute! Too Faced in general has cute packaging on all their products.

Melted Kisses $25
Available at Sephora and Too Faced website.

L to R:
Melted Nude, Melted Peony, Melted Fuchsia, Melted Berry

The applicator is sponge tip which can be good at times but if you don't have enough product on it, it can feel a bit rough. 


Swatches of each color::

Melted Nude
Melted Nude
*without lip primer
Melted Nude is a brown based nude color. On me it looks a bit off since I'm very fair complexed but if I mix it with a pinky nude gloss, it becomes the perfect nude shade.

Melted Peony
Melted Peony
Melted Peony is probably my favorite and most reached for out of the bunch. It's a beautiful soft blush pink that is wearable and perfect for everyday.

Melted Fuchsia
Melted Fuchsia
Melted Fuchsia is a gorgeous hot pink color. It's not a shade a wear often but it's fun to wear every now and again. It would be beautiful with a nude eye look for fall.


Melted Berry
Melted Berry
*without primer
Melted Berry is an awesome shade for fall. It's beautiful, however, it doesn't fade nicely. After some time passes this color fades and leaves a dark ring around the lip line. Totally weird since the others don't do that. It would definitely require lots of touch ups throughout the day. 


One last note on this set, each tube is 0.16 fluid ounces which isn't bad but the tubes are halfway full. I expected more product inside the tube or at least a little more than half. Overall, it's a good way to try these Melted long wear lipsticks. This set also makes a good gift or possibly a good stocking stuffer :)


I hope this review was helpful and if you have any questions, please let me know. Tune into my beauty channel (here) to see these in action along with more beauty related videos. Please subscribe while you're visiting my channel :)

Connect with Me on Twitter & Instagram 
@GlamourbyLexi


Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip Set

Hello & Happy Wednesday :)


Today I'm reviewing a lip kit that I purchased from Sephora a few weeks back. I'm always on the hunt for new lip products so I love when sets/kits come out with a ton of lip products. Since we're approaching the holiday season, many brands have already released special holiday gift sets and kits. I love this time a year because I can try so many new things.

This kit is the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip set that retails for $25. In the past I have enjoyed the Sephora Favorites lip sets but this one isn't that good. There are only a few products within this set that I actually like and then there's some that look way to crazy on me. If you are interested in trying new lip stuff then you may like this one. I feel for the price ($25) you get a good amount of product to try.



Kit contains 5 deluxe sizes and 1 full sized lip gloss

Inside packaging 
Reviews of each~

Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in
"Meritage"

I really enjoy Bite Beauty products and this shade is perfect for the fall season. I own several Bite Beauty lip products and this brand doesn't disappoint! This high pigment pencil is very pigmented, creamy and comfortable to wear. 

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in
"Naked"

I've never tried the newest lipsticks by Urban Decay which are called Revolution lipsticks. So far this one is a nice nude shade with a touch of pink. It's comfortable on the lips and goes on smoothly. I may have to look into the other shades within this line of lipsticks.  


NARS Lip gloss in "Orgasm"

Again, NARS lip products are some that I'm not too familiar with...I know, call me crazy! I've only tried Turkish Delight in the old packaging and with the older formula. Apparently, NARS has repackaged and reformulated their lip stuff. This "Orgasm" lip gloss is actually really pretty. It has a beautiful golden pink color. It's good for layering over other products but it doesn't show up too pigmented on its own. It can easily be an everyday type of gloss :) 

Marc Jacobs Lust for Lacquer in
"Kissability"

Marc Jacobs is a brand that I have never tried as well. I always look at the products within this line and then realize how crazy expensive it is. As you can see for the swatch above, this doesn't show up on my lips. This gloss has a slight minty feel too. It comes across as a clear gloss....not happy! I would have expected for such a high end brand to have more pigmentation and a better formula. 

Buxom Lip Cream in "White Russian"
by Bare Minerals

This Buxom gloss is just weird. I don't like how it applies nor how it looks on my lips. It makes me look like I woke up from the dead....haha! The Buxom glosses have a thicker feel with a slight minty tingle. I don't mind the minty feel of these glosses but this one is no bueno. 

Smashbox Be Legendary lip gloss
in "Pout"

Well this Smashbox gloss is all kinds of wrong. I don't like the shade nor the formula. Smashbox has recently repackaged their glosses and possibly have reformulated too. Honestly, from years past, this "Pout" shade was more like a light baby pink. Even the picture on the box shows this as a light pink. It's actually more of a white color....not a shade I find flattering. 



So for me, this kit is no go. Unfortunately, there are too many dislikes within the set which makes this not worth it for me. I have tons of lip products and these were definitely not needed. I wanted to try something new and found this kit fell short of my exception. I think if you need lip products or want to try new brands, you may like this set. If these colors are up your ally, then you'll like them a lot. 

The Sephora website shows this is currently sold out online but I've seen several in stores. You can sign up by email to be notified when it comes back in stock. I hope this review was helpful for you. Let me know your thoughts on this set, I'd love to hear from you.

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Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi 

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

LORAC Mega PRO Palette Review + Swatches

Welcome back to my blog!


Today is a very exciting post for me because I'm finally sharing my initial thoughts of LORAC's Mega Pro palette that recently launched. This has been the most anticipated palette in a while from what I could tell from Social Media (Twitter & Instagram). LORAC has been teasing us since August about the release of this wonderful palette and it's finally here!!!!! When I first saw the photos on Instagram, my heart skipped a beat! I'm a huge LORAC fan and a definite eyeshadow palette freak so this purchase was an easy one. 

I'm so pumped to film makeup tutorials using this palette. I have done several fall inspired makeup looks already and you will definitely see more using the Mega Pro palette. The LORAC website is currently sold out and they're not restocking unfortunately. Amazon is the only other place that sells it and they should be (if not already sold out) receiving another shipment. Keep checking Amazon to see if they'll have it available. 
Let's get into the photos, review and swatches :) 


cardboard packaging like the other
two Pro palettes previously released.

The thickness and width of the Mega Pro is the same as the original Pro and the Pro 2 palette. The only difference is that the Mega Pro which contains 32 eyeshadows is longer in size.


Such a beautiful selection of colors!!
First two rows are all matte
Last two rows are shimmers & metallics

I'm loving the shade arrangement in this palette. It offers multiple options for highlight shades, to several mid tones to a few deep tones for crease work. I find this is a well rounded palette that is the perfect additional to anyone's makeup collection.

*Mega Pro contains 4 repeat shades from the original Pro palette (Cream, White, Espresso & Black).


Another look inside the palette.
Great size mirror!

I know the exterior color isn't a big deal but I think it's a beautiful fall color :) I have no complaints about packaging. 

Swatch Time!!


Upper Left Side
Upper Left Side

Upper Right Side
Upper Right Side

Lower Left Side
Lower Left Side

Lower Right Side
Lower Right Side


Overall, I'm impressed with this palette and the colors. I find some swatch better than others but it's not a big deal. I do believe for the price ($59), you get an amazing value; a total of 32 eyeshadows. I actually expected this palette to cost a whole lot more. LORAC in my opinion makes really good eyeshadows. I have never complained about the other two Pro palettes and I truly believe they're all worth the investment. 

I hope this quick review with swatches and photos was helpful. Please leave me any feedback you have, I'd love to hear from you. 

If you have a moment, please stop by my YouTube beauty channel and check out some of my videos. I post new makeup videos every Monday and Friday. If you like what you see, then please subscribe...it's free :) I appreciate your time and support. 

Other ways to keep in touch with me through Social Media (Twitter & Instagram)::
@GlamourbyLexi

Thank you for Stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi












Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick Review + Swatches!

Hello everyone!

Today's post is on some newer lipsticks that made their way into my September Monthly Beauty Favorites for last month. I wasn't sure what to expect from these lipsticks due to my previous experiences with Essence Cosmetics. I find this brand makes some good products and others are just not worth trying out. So when I saw these new lipsticks for only $2.99, I couldn't help myself!

Essence has two different kinds of lipstick formulas, the long lasting which are in black tubes and the regular formula in which the tubes match the color of the lipstick. I'm not a fan of the regular formula but these long lasting lipsticks are really good.

The long lasting range of lipsticks come in 10 different colors, each are only $2.99 and all can be purchase from Ulta. If you would like to see the other color options, click here to shop Essence. The long lasting lipsticks don't make outrageous claims like most other long wear lipsticks which I really like. It does last a long time and after the lipstick wears off, you'll have a stain from the color. They don't wear off weird like some other lipsticks that I've tried in the past. I find the formula to be very comfortable to wear and doesn't make my lips feel dry. They do have a slight glossy finish when applied.

I am truly surprised by these and I can't wait to try out the other colors. The four shades I'm sharing with you today are simply great for any time of the year. These can be worn now in the Fall and the upcoming Winter season. These colors are so versatile because you can layer darker glosses over them or even bright glosses to switch up the color. Also, another great trick to add some depth to the color is by using a darker lipliner that matches the same tone and shade in the outer corners of the mouth.

Now onto the Swatches & Photos:

Packaging

The packaging isn't fancy but it's sleek and functional. The size of each lipstick 3.8g and are made in Italy!


L to R:
#09 Wear Berries!, #06 Barely There!,
#01 Coral Calling & #07 Natural Beauty

Swatches

The best part of these lipsticks are the color and opacity from each one. What I have swatched above looks exactly the same on the lips which is huge in my opinion. This is what people want from their makeup products. 

#07 Natural Beauty
#07 Natural Beauty is the perfect everyday color that looks natural (hints the name) that can be worn with many different makeup looks. This is one that I have worn so many times, I love it!


#01 Coral Calling

#01 Coral Calling is a little bit bright but it's still a great color to own. I have used this under glosses and over a bit of a darker lipliner and it looks beautiful.


#06 Barely There!

#06 Barely There is a great brown nude with a touch of a rosy tone. It reminds of the 90's trend that everyone seems to be into these days. Since everyone seems to be trying the Kylie Jenner lip, this could be a good dupe to her actual products.


#09 Wear Berries!

#09 Wear Berries is so beautiful. It's a great wearable berry color with a little more pink added in. This one is definitely a favorite of mine :) 


I hope this review was helpful for you. I truly recommend these affordable lipsticks from Essence. Have you tried any of these long lasting lipsticks? If so, which ones do you like?

Don't forget to tune into my YouTube channel every Monday & Friday for new beauty related videos. Click here to access my beauty channel. Also, Subscribe while you're there. 

Keep in touch with Me on Social Media~   ::Twitter & Instagram::
@GlamourbyLexi 

Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

ColourPop Super Shock Eyeshadows Review & Swatches

Hello Everyone & Welcome Back to my blog!


I'm super excited as usual to share with you my thoughts on some newer eyeshadows that have joined my makeup collection. I found out about ColourPop eyeshadows through my Instagram surfing. I had no idea this company existed until I saw so many beautiful pictures containing swatches and rave reviews about these eyeshadows. This sadly was enough to peak my curiosity and place an order :)

These ColourPop eyeshadows are $5 each for a great amount of product. I can't believe how inexpensive these shadows are. The best way for me to describe ColourPop is that the makeup Gods have answered my prayers!! The eyeshadows are extremely pigmented, creamy and luxurious feeling. The actual formula is a bit hard to describe...it's like a cream shadow but with a bouncy mousse feel and a powder finish when applied. I know, it's a crazy combo but it works :)

I was a bit hesitant about trying them on after receiving them because they do have a cream/wet feeling. As I've stated before, I have oily skin and oily lids and I'm very picky about what type of products I use. So normally, I don't go for cream eyeshadows unless I'm using them as a base for my powder eyeshadows and/or pigments. I was very surprised that these didn't crease on me. Two thumbs up!! Currently, ColourPop has 54 single eyeshadows each $5 and 3 eyeshadow quads each $20 to choose from.

::Now onto some swatches and mini reviews of each color::



Photo taken in direct sunlight
Top Row: Friskie, Animal, On The Rocks
Bottom Row: Desert, Slave2Pink, Girly
Photo taken away from sunlight.
Friskie, Animal, On The Rocks
Girly, Desert, Salve2Pink

I chose these colors because I wanted to try one color that was a highlight shade, one that was a light transition shade, one medium toned, one really dark and of course two that were super bright. I feel that my color selection is awesome because I get to try a little of everything ColourPop offers in terms of color.

Animal
Animal: A gorgeous coral with intense pigmentation and a golden glitter sparkle.

Animal
swatched without primer


Desert
Desert: A beautiful light tan with a satin finish. This is the only one from my order that has a satin finish. It's a great crease and/or transition shade that would work for many different skin tones and makeup looks.

Desert
Swatched without primer


Friskie
Friskie: Oh my! This one is beautiful!!! It's a dark charcoal almost black shade with holographic glitter sparkles. Totally in love :)

Friskie
Swatched without primer
*Do you see the sparkle??? It's amazing!


Girly
Girly: A light ivory shade.... this one was tricky to photograph. On the website it doesn't look like much and I almost removed it from my shopping cart (thank goodness I didn't). This shade gives me life! It's a beautiful ivory with a pinky peachy almost duo chrome metallic finish. So awesome :)

Girly
Swatched without primer

On The Rocks
On The Rocks: An intense bronze shade with the absolute most beautiful glitter sparkle. The actual sparkle is like a golden lilac color. My camera had some difficulties capturing the sparkle in this one. If you try this one out, I promise you won't be disappointed.

On The Rocks
Swatched without primer

Slave2Pink
Slave2Pink: Wow! This one is super intense :) It's an amazing hot pink with a blueish purple silvery duo chrome. It's perfection! This would make an awesome pop of color for neutral makeup looks.

Slave2Pink
Swatched without primer

So those are all the colors I currently own. I'm absolutely in love with these eyeshadows and I'm completely blown away with the pigment and quality. My pictures seriously don't do these colors justice. It's hard to really capture the metallic finish and the glittery sparkle.

A quick note, the company recommends using your finger to apply them in order to get maximum pigmentation. I do agree that fingers are the best option but if you prefer using brushes you can. I would only suggest using synthetic brushes and not natural bristles. The natural bristles will pick up the product but not deposit onto the lids. Synthetic brushes are the way to go however, the effect will be a little lighter than using your fingers.  

If you are interested in trying ColourPop (highly recommend) click here to shop

*A quick mention on shipping- they ship extremely fast. My order arrived in 3 days :) 

*If you are not a fan of glitter don't worry these are not like typical glitter eyeshadows. The glitter particles actually feel extremely soft and not gritty nor flakey in the least bit. 

I hope this review with the swatches was helpful for you. I don't have anything negative to say about ColourPop eyeshadows :)  Tutorials using ColourPop will be posted very soon on my YouTube Channel  click on this link to visit my channel for beauty related videos posted every Monday and Friday. Please Subscribe, too!


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Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi