Summer Makeup Wishlist !

It's officially summertime now and there are quite a few things I am lusting over in the cosmetics department. I've compiled a list of products I have a summer crush on, that I think are just perfect for a fling with during these hotter months. They'll keep you looking like a beach babe and feeling like a rockstar, too bad my pockets will be completely empty after I purchase them all.


1. The Lancome x Alber Elbaz collection. Holyyyyy amazing. The packaging is so cool and gorgeous, and the colors are out of this world. I swatched all the palettes, ermagawhd, the largest bright color of each palette is good enough to have sex with. I especially was crazy about Mint Jolie, as I am partial to greens because of my eyes. Gah, duochrome hotness. $51
2. Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer. I completely LOVE two of my other Benefit primers, Stay Don't Stray for shadows and That Gal for a luminizing face primer, so I am betting this one will make my collection happy. It is a hydrating stick form primer with a matte finish (interesting) that promises up to 15 hours of makeup stay power (doubtful) but, hey, who knows? I think the idea is original and it's formulated without parabens which is a plus, not to mention the precious packaging (kind of channeling Topshop makeup though, no?) $32
3. Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Liner- originally designed for water ballet dancers, this liner promises to stay smudge proof and water proof, leaving your eyes sans-raccoon look and delivering gorgeous color (which can also be used as an eyeshadow) and it comes in 25 color options. Top of my list are 12L and 52L which is pictured, Lagoon Green. $18
4. Essie resort 2013 collection In the Cab-Ana. I already have Naughty Nautical from summer 2013, and Boom Boom Room from neons 2013, but I can't seem to find this one ANYWHERE. I have checked Target, Lengths, CVS, Ulta... ugh. Anyway, this is on my coveted list and the colors this year from all the collections are just so bright and gorgeous and, well, summery. I also am really loving Come Here! $8
5. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation- I am officially on the prowl for a new foundation, and if you know me or my blog, you know I am crazy about dewey skin. I have rather dry skin in some areas so anything that can make me look radiant and smooth and touchable is a must-have in my book. I've heard good things about this foundation and I have sampled it in Sephora many times, so I think I will definitely be picking it up. $42
6. YSL Rouge Volupté Shine - Yes, there are new shades! I really like the looks of Orange Impertinent, and Brun Insecure. The packaging on these babies is to die for, solid and gold and fabulous. The formula of these lipsticks is hydrating and smooth, like a chapstick, but the color payoff is really rich, but not over the top. Oh and it's made with fruit antioxidants, can't get enough right? $34
7. Urban Decay Chill Cooling and Hydrating Makeup Setting Spray. I tried this out in Ulta today. I am obsessed! It literally leaves a tingly cooling sensation, very pleasant and not at all uncomfortable, and dries pretty quickly as well, as it seemed quite lightweight. I haven't ever used De-Slick or Up All Night so I think I'd like to hear a few more reviews here and there before I invest, to make sure it really does what it says? I do like the hydrating, deweyness of it all though :) $29
8. Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee- another product I have been playing with here and there when I visit Sephora and I really think next time I'm going to jump in and get it. The formula in this little pot felt like a solid jelly, really nice and smooth, not goopy at all, and the color payoff was AMAZING, so pigmented and looked really nice in every shade when I swatched it. Smelled like my favorite scent too, coconut! Hence the name. My obsession. COCONUTCRAZY. Comes in 6 shades. $22

Now Playing: MIA "Bring the Noize"

I don't know about you but I can remember the first time I ever heard MIA and watched her Galang video on repeat with my girlfriends for days straight. Then came Sunshowers and we would braid our hair in a bunch of little braids and wear tons of glitter under our eyes and pick flowers (weeds, mostly) and sprinkle them on the trampoline and jump around blasting it. This was BEFORE the Paper Planes era, sorry tweens, I am an old lady, and dare I say, quite hipster "I knew MIA before she was popular" (aka if you're under age 20 i'm sure Paper Planes is how you discovered her, which is fine, i'm glad you did!) Anyway she is just so freakin cool and always has been. Not only her music, but her style is killer and she's just an artist in every sense of the word..I'm sure now everyone's savvy on her extensive list of tracks (and if you aren't yet, do yourself a favor and listen to every song she's ever made!) and the [actual war] rebel girl-90's graphics-acid trip-tropical getaway feel of every video. I got overly excited to hear another new song from MIA, and a new album, I know this is going to be on repeat for a while... As Mindy Kaling said, "Bring the noize? More like bring the dance party!" The video is set to be released Friday, and I am guna watch it til my eyes bleed.

The illest trilliest bad bitch killesttt



Doesn't she just make you wana slap on some red lipstick, leave your hair uncombed and natural and wear some form of a gold headpiece at all times? I know my outfit goals for this week... patterns/on/patterns.

RECIPE: RASPBERRY GREEK YOGURT CHIA PANCAKES (Healthy & Delicious)

So I woke up this morning craving something filling and full of protein to give me a great start to my day. After doing a little bit of morning yoga, I ventured downstairs to try out a pancake recipe I found on Ambitious Kitchen, but with my own twist to it. That's the link to Monique's original recipe. I changed out the blueberries for raspberries too, honey greek yogurt for plain, and added some chia seeds as well. I have to say, these were AMAZING, delicious and so fluffy!! The syrup too, yum yum yum. To see how I made these just read on through the cut!

HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT: Macadamia Deep Repair Masque (and review)

So for those of you that know me, my hair journey has been a long and confusing one. I literally have had every color hair (except like, rainbow colors) ranging from bleach blonde to bright red to jet black and even some phases of pink and purple here and there. Two August's ago, I cut my hair off completely; see inside for a photo :

UK Beauty Swap & Stila Haul

  

So I recently participated in a swap set up by Louise of Confessions of a Secret Shopper so firstly thank you to her for organizing the whole thing, and I was paired up with Natalie of Your Almost Alice and I could not be luckier in finding a swap partner! She is really lovely and nice and was so great at communicating with me about the whole thing! (sorry I am posting this so late!) Our price range was about $75 so we could get a good variety of products in there for each other. She got me EVERYTHING I requested and so much more! We told each other things that we've been interested in trying and tried to include them all, as well of some of our own personal favorites. To see what I got Natalie check out her post here: US Beauty Swap

 A bunch of yummy sweets that I haven't tried before and I'm pretty sure you can't even get here in the US, except Werther's. I love candy!!!! I wish I took better pictures of everything it was all wrapped so cute and wonderfully but I was just overcome with excitement and I couldn't even spare the time to take good photos because I wanted to just dig into everything.

 

 From the top, Natalie got me: Red polka dot nail wraps from Primark, the Sleek i-Divine palette in Oh So Special, MUA Undressed Palette, Technic Electric Beauty Palette, MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Hilighter (which might be my favorite thing this is SO amazing), No. 7 Brow Bar kit, Sleek Lash Out Mascara, Boots Natural Collection Blush in Peach Melba, Collection Work the Colour Trio in Naughty n Nude, Essence Quattro in 05 To Die For, a Barry M Lipgloss, RIMMEL APOCALIPS WHICH I WAS DYING TO OWN in Celestial, Apocaliptic and Big Bang (and I am utterly obsessed with these they're amazing cream products), a Sleek blusher in Flushed, 17 Instant Glow Bronzer, MUA Every Lash Mascara, MUA Intense Kisses Gloss in Sealed With a Kiss, 17 Lipstick in Barely Blush and Pink Power, and a Sleek eye khol and Pout Polish in Powder Pink. PHEW! Okay let me take a second and catch my breath. That's SO MANY PRODUCTS isn't it?! Thanks again Natalie, I've been having tons of fun experimenting with everything.

Closeups of the Technic Electric Palette and the MUA Palette.

I also spoiled myself a bit with the Stila Lakers promo which was 50% off everything and picked up the In the Know (matte) and In the Light (shimmer and matte) Palettes, as well as a lipgloss trio and this amazing minty aqua eyeliner. To die for! They also were so nice and tossed in tons of samples.

NYX Love in Paris Parisian Chic Palette

 Hey guys! So a little while ago I picked up one of the NYX Love in Paris palettes that everyone has been raving about for summer time, festivals, etc. It was really inexpensive (I think about $10) and I love NYX single shadows so I figured this was worth a shot. It came with 4 matte shades and 5 shimmer shades. The pigmentation in the colors is pretty nice, all except for maybe 2 colors. It's a nice and natural palette with both warm and cool neutrals that I think I could really make some nice looks with. I will say this though, the texture of these shadows leaves a lot to be desired. They're quite dry and almost flake up on application, brush or finger, which was disappointing and made them kind of hard to work with. I am spoiled by the buttery smooth texture of Urban Decay shadows which I'll remain ever faithful to, but if you don't have 50$ or so to splurge on those, this is a nice enough alternative.

pretty baby

Empties!!!

Here are some products I have completely sucked dry over the past few months! I really feel like these are all pretty solid products, worth mentioning, because if I don't like a products I usually just chuck it out, I wouldn't use it all up!
Starting from the left- The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream: I have really dry skin, especially in the winter and this was a nice thick moisturizer that really quenched my skin's thirst. It has a plain lotiony scent, nothing too noticeable, and a pale pinkish white color. I really just liked the thickness and consistency of this lotion, it felt good to apply. My biggest complaint is the amount of product you receive is quite small.
Fekkai Glossing Cream- I really liked this hair cream, but I wouldn't say anything remarkable about the shampoo and conditioner, nor would I repurchase them. (Sorry, threw the bottles out) The cream though is olive oil based and really made my hair so smooth and silky looking after styling it. I mostly used it when I flat ironed my hair, and it felt really soft to the touch. A little goes a long way.
Big Sexy Hair Dry Shampoo- Best dry shampoo ever! No color to it so my dark hair wasn't left looking grey, and it didn't make my hair feel sticky and thick with product, just clean when it truly wasn't! Sneaky sneaky.
St Ives Apricot Face Scrub- Honestly, nothing remarkable to say about this face wash. It worked just fine for me, exfoliated some of my dry skin off, and I didn't have any breakouts, but I am normally not prone to them anyway so that's not saying much. Smells pretty lovely though.
Loreal Magic Lumi Primer- I would NOT repurchase this, just putting that out there as a disclaimer, but that's only because I personally am partial to other primers myself more so. This is a pretty good product if you haven't found a primer you like though, but I wouldn't recommend it for oily skin. It goes on quite greasy feeling, but leaves your skin with this nice dewey sheen, I think the product actually had small whitish shiny sparkles, I can't remember. Anyway, I didn't like it much on it's own, but mixed with my foundation it made me look really glowing and natural faced which I did like. I can't really say anything remarkable about the staying power though, I didn't notice it making too big of an impact on that.
Benefit That Gal Brightening Primer- Now THIS is a wonderful brightening primer, I liked the sample so much I went and repurchased the full size! It has a pinkish tone to it, but feels like pearls when applied to the face and really left my skin glowing under my foundation. It doesn't have the pore minimizing effect like the Porefessional or my Tarte primer but I feel as though this is my go-to primer for spring/summer time because I love the look it gives my skin.
Revlon ColorStay Foundation- I've already repurchased this and it truly was my favorite drug store foundation for the longest time, but now it's been replaced by the CoverGirl 3-in-1 Stay Fabulous for drugstore fave. SORRYYYYY. But yes I still love it and use it occasionally. Strong smell though for those of you who are sensitive to that sort of thing.
Kat Von D Liquid Autograph Eyeliner- my holy grail liquid eyeliner. Already repurchased, and I think that's like my 10th bottle. This has the most precise paint brush like applicator, so skinny and perfect and the formula is TO DIE FOR a perfect matte black, so dark and pure black, doesn't budge, speaks to my gothic heart. Ugh. Obsessed. (For those of you not willing to spend that much on a liquid liner, the NYC brand one is a good dupe with an almost exact brush, just a little thicker)
Maybelline Mega Plush and The Rocket- I really liked Mega Plush until I found the Rocket which is so much better and a really close dupe for Benefit They're Real. I like the brush so much more on the Rocket, those spikey little bristles, and the Mega Plush had this weird bendy end that made it hard to get really deep there on my lashes. The Rocket blackest black is also much blacker than Mega Plush which was kind of grayish and I NEED PURE BLACK IN MY LIFE. I repurchased The Rocket and use it every day in combination with They're Real or my Urban Decay Supercurl. And lashes. Lots of false lashes. Addicted.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer- This was a sample, I have had the full size green one before but used it up. I do like this primer, it feels nice and does it's job. I just prefer my Tarte one, and I also like trying new primers far too much to repurchase the same one, so... I won't. But it does work !


So there you have it, some of my empties gone in the trash now! Coming soon I'll be reviewing a NYX Paris Palette, the Olay Va Va Vivid Cleansing System, as well as a Stila haul and an international swap with my friend Natalie of Your Almost Alice by next month! Exciting!

Real Techniques Core Collection Brushes Review

    A couple weeks ago I took a trip to Ulta and picked up this kit of Real Techniques Core Collection Brushes on a whim. I have so many brushes already but I really have been wanting to try these out! Real Techniques brushes have a reputation to be of the highest quality at a really affordable price. I believe these four brushes cost me about $17.99, which is usually the price of one brush.

 The kit comes with (from left to right) a contour brush, pointed foundation brush, detailer brush and buffing brush. They have the softest bristles ever and the handles are really sleek looking and just big enough to give you a good grip without being bulky. I also like how the bristles are attached directly into the handle, not with one of those separating pieces which can trap water and cause the brush to become wiggly and loose.

    As you can see the density on the bristles is really nice and consistent, shown above is the buffing brush, which is also by far my favorite. I seriously don't know how I've been living without this thing! I do feel as though I need a *tiny* bit more product when using this brush, but only like half a pump more. I apply it directly onto the bristles, pat it around my face and then buff it out to blend evenly. It gives me such a flawless, even, photoshopped finish, especially in combination with my Tarte Poreless primer. This brush doesn't absorb the product, which is nice because with some other buffing brushes, I feel as though the foundation sometimes leaks down into the bristles never to be seen again!
    I also am obsessed with the contouring brush, it's perfectly shaped and just full enough to give your cheeks the perfect contour! I go in with a light hand and sweep the bronzer across my lower cheekbones, and then buff it out with this same brush. It does it all! The pointed foundation brush is nice for contouring too, especially on my nose and in tough to reach areas. I also sometimes use it for a fuller coverage foundation routine, painting on the product first with the pointed brush, and then buffing it out with the buffer brush. The only brush I haven't 100% found out the best way to use yet is the detailer brush. Perhaps people with more noticeable blemishes would get more use out of it, to really cover them up precisely with concealer. For now I use it when outlining my brows and lips for a sharper look, and sometimes to detail my inner tear duct with a hilight color or something.
    All in all, I really recommend Real Techniques brushes to anyone who has been looking for an affordable and quality set of brushes to use! I really want to pick up the eyeshadow brushes now too.

So I've been a little MIA....

Hey guys! Sorry I've been the worst blogger ever as of lately. I was on vacation for a week, and things have been really hectic just trying to get my life in order. I've been home a week and still haven't unpacked! Anyway, I thought I'd do a little update post and let you know what's going on in my life. I'm working SO much and it really is disheartening to me, that I can't pursue the things I really want to do because I can't afford it right now, without continuing to bartend. And working in a restaurant, as many of you may know, takes A LOT of time out of your life.
Anyway to start bettering my life in the ways I can control right now, I've started totally revamping my diet, eating nearly completely clean and healthy (with a few cheats here and there, as to be expected) and I rejoined the gym. I have been taking yoga classes there too which I really am enjoying, surprisingly! I have always been a hardcore pilates lover, and yoga was a bit too hippy-dippy for me, but I am really liking the strength, balance and flexibility it's giving me. I think that I am going to start doing updates on my health regime, as well as post some recipes and ideas for you to move your life along the healthy track as well! Would you like to see that?
As always, my mind is bursting with things that inspire me, and I've been doing a lot of re-vamping of my bedroom, DIY's, reading new books (I have such a long list I want to read!) and trying new art techniques and brushing up on my skills. Vamp and Vixen is still in the works with Sydney as well, and I'm getting really excited for some of the ideas we have. Hopefully the online shop will be open by June, and the blog should be going within the next couple months. I've also been in contact with some girls in my area who are into blogging, Lauren and Alex and we're thinking about doing some collabs or something fun like that! I really want to make youtube videos, just haven't had the time yet.. I'm going to be posting a lot more inspiration and tutorials, even beyond the beauty spectrum of things.
So this weekend is St. Patty's day and also my alumni weekend for my sorority! I am so excited to see everyone.. and also scared for the craziness, ha! Anyway to end this off I will show you some pictures from my recent trip to Disney World! I had so much fun. xox








As always you can see more on my instagram, @angstyprincess! 

Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12 hr perfecting primer

 

 

After running out of my Benefit Porefessional primer, I was inclined to purchase another (although that's not my favorite primer, it seems to ball up or dry me out a bit, but still gets the job done), or return to my ever faithful Smashbox Photofinish. But I had heard a good amount of things about Tarte's Clean Slate Poreless 12-hour Perfecting Primer and I can't say no to trying out a new product. And I must say, after using this for about a week now, my first impression is.. I LOVE IT. 

    The formula only requires a small amount, a bit larger than pea-sized to cover my whole face. It is a very thick silicone formula, but doesn't wear heavy on the skin. When I put it on it feels so smooth, my skin feels soft like pearls. Around my t-zone and on my cheeks next to my nose i have noticeably larger pores, especially when I wear any product with sparkle or shimmer in it. This primer gives me a soft-focus, almost blurred out effect to my skin, and really fills my pores out so they're less noticeable. So far, I have not broken out from using this, although some reviews I have read say that they broke out, perhaps from the Rosemary which can cause some irritation to sensitive skin. I do have combination skin, leaning more to the dry side, and this primer does NOT add to that dryness, so anyone with super oily skin, be aware it does seem quite hydrating or moist. It does have a mattefying effect, so with your foundation and setting powder I'm confident this would work for most skin types.

   It smells nice, not a strong or noticeable scent, and creates a really smooth base for me to apply my foundation with. (Currently I'm using CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation as my go-to, thanks to Eleventh Gorgeous' recommendation). I can't say enough about the good stuff inside of this tube as well! I have really been focusing on my own personal well being and health, so taking care of my skin is important to me, and this primer is choc-full of awesome ingredients. The site boasts Tarte's Clean Slate Primer is 

"Powered By: Avocado oil: pressed from the fleshy pulp surrounding the pit, this natural oil is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, D, E and protein and has known skin soothing properties."

I mean how great does that sound? It also is based with natural plant and fruit extracts, which I'd much rather be slathering all over my skin than processed chemical jargon. I am happy I picked this up at my last Sephora stop and it's worth the $30. What primers are you guys loving right now? 

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MAC Betty Bright (Archie's Girls)

So of course I had to go and check my local MAC store just out of curiosity to see what they had left from the Archie's Girls collection since it sold out so quickly online. I really was a bit sad I didn't get this lipstick with my online order, so when I saw they still had it in stock I jumped at the chance to make it mine. I was returning 6 MAC empties today for a free lipstick (post to come) so I bought Betty Bright as it's LE, and received Honeylove for free! 

Betty Bright is a vibrant coral/peach color with a satin finish. It glides on so smooth and feels nice on my lips. This is the type of color I'm leaning towards for spring, especially since I am going to florida and Disney World in March, I can't stop planning my spring vacation outfits and makeup! I have been really loving wearing bright pink shades lately and this is a unique shade I don't have yet. It is very opaque and covered my lips in one coat, but pressing the lips or rubbing them together a lot could lead to spottiness with this formula. It didn't dry my lips out, but rather felt quite smooth.

Swatch, no flash.

One coat, no flash.

 

One coat, with flash.