Essence Pure Nude Highlighter Review & Swatches

The best $4.49 I've spent in quite a while was on the new Essence Pure Nude Highlighter. I picked it up during a recent Ulta haul as an impulse buy..I wasn't expecting much but figured it would be fun to try, especially since it was so inexpensive. I just didn't expect it to be so beautiful!

Let's take a look...

The Essence Pure Nude Highlighter comes in one shade called Be My Highlight. It's a baked formula that claims to be ultrasmooth (so true!). Packaging-wise, it's nothing too special...there's no mirror, no applicator. It's pretty simple and the compact it comes in is sturdy enough. Honestly, it's what's inside that counts here, people!

When I first got this home, I was a little disappointed that it didn't look "shiny" enough to be a highlighter. It looked more satin-finish, like a face powder would be. Turns out, when you apply it to your face, it has the perfect amount of sheen to it. It's not an in-your-face highlight and it doesn't have visible shimmer particles. But when you dip your brush into this ultra-smooth powder and smooth it across your cheekbones, it just lights them up with the most beautiful, natural-looking glow. 

These photos will never do this highlighter justice...heck, swatching doesn't even do it justice. I have the worst time trying to photograph highlighters...they just never come out looking like they should! But trust me when I say this goes on SO beautifully. It's very close to my skin tone which is usually the kiss of death for me because they don't show up. I'm always trying to find highlighters that are lighter than my skin to make them pop (not an easy task since I'm so pale) but in this case, I like that it blends in because all you see is the sheen from it, rather than the product itself. Basically, my skin just looks like it's glowing.

Here, I wanted to compare the color to some other popular highlighters so you can get a feel for what it looks like. It does have a little bit of pink in it and also some gold. It's not as pink as Wet n Wild's Precious Petals, and is just a little more golden (and less peachy) than Becca's Champagne Pop although it's pretty close to that (with less shimmer). It leans more golden than Becca's Opal but not as pure gold as The Balm's Mary Lou-Manizer since it does have that little bit of pink to it.

Overall, this is one highlighter that is not to be missed! It's less than $5 and the baked formula is so silky smooth with great pigmentation. If you love a more natural highlight, you'll LOVE Essence Pure Nude.

Grab yours now at Ulta.com

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Jordana Made to Last Liquid Eyeshadow Review & Swatches

I found the new Jordana Made to Last Liquid Eyeshadow ($4.99) at Walgreens recently and ended up purchasing all six shades to review and swatch for you guys today. I haven't had the best luck with liquid eyeshadow formulas in the past and usually prefer thicker cream formulas but I took a chance on these because I love Jordana and find them to be great quality most of the time. Let's take a look! 

Wet 'n' Wild Geometric Highlighting Powder Review & Swatches

Wet 'n' Wild Geometric Highlighting Powders ($4.99 at Walgreens) are new, limited edition highlighters for Spring that claim to be long-lasting, silky smooth, and blendable. They come in three shades and feature a pretty mosaic pattern. I'm not sure if these are a Walgreens exclusive or if they'll be showing up at CVS, Rite Aid and Target as well. Let's take a look! 

City Color Contour Effects On-The-Go Palette Review & Swatches

I recently stumbled upon the City Color Contour Effects On-The-Go Palette ($5) at my local Five Below store and I bought it because 1), I'm rarely disappointed by a City Color product and 2), this is a $5 contour palette! It would be so amazing to have a high-quality contour palette at a budget-friendly price wouldn't it? Keep reading to find out what I think! 

Jordana Sweet Cream Matte Liquid Lipsticks Swatches

I have some exciting news for all of you matte liquid lipstick fans...a new drugstore option is here and it's only $2.99!!! A few lovely ladies on Instagram spotted the new Jordana Sweet Cream Matte Liquid Lipsticks at Kmart and I have some photos and swatches to share with you. 

I was just at Kmart last week and spotted a bunch of new things (see that post here) but these must have arrived since then. I definitely have to go back and check them out now because I have always been impressed with Jordana products. Their Best Lash Extreme mascara is one of my holy grail formulas and I also love their lip crayons. I'm hoping that these new lipsticks aren't too drying, but I guess we'll see! 

From this photo below from @swatchesgalore on Instagram, it appears that there are ten shades, but don't quote me on that because the photo is cut off on the right hand side. 

Photo: @swatchesgalore on IG

Next, my pal @themakeupblock on Instagram posted swatches of the two shades she bought...Creme Brulee and Tiramisu. She said that they smell exactly like the LipKits by Kylie and Milani Amore Mattes and that they're super pigmented and even with one swatch!

Photo: @themakeupblock on IG

Here's a few more shades, swatched by @nailmatticbeauty on Instagram. Left to right: Tiramisu, Raspberry Tart (which she said is a little patchy), Mixed Berry Souffle, Cherry Cobbler, Sweet Marsala Wine, and Rose Macaron.

Photo: @nailmatticbeauty on IG

Are you guys excited about these? What colors look good to you so far? 

NEW N.Y.C Get It All Collection at Target

When I was at Target yesterday, I spotted some brand new N.Y.C. New York Color products including a new line that was developed with New York Makeup Artists called "Get It All". The idea behind the line is that you don't have to compromise when it comes to your makeup. With these you can get it all...great formulas, results, and pigmentation at truly affordable prices. 

Let's take a look...

Wet n Wild Ombre Blush Review & Swatches

I've been looking for the Wet n Wild Ombre Blushes ($4.99) ever since I heard about them launching at Target recently. But the local Target in my small town is always behind when it comes to putting out new merchandise, so I haven't had much luck. This past weekend, we headed down near NYC for some shopping and ended up at a store that was right near a Target. I ducked in quickly to see if they had the blushes and they did! So I wanted to get a review/first impressions post up quickly because I know a lot of you have told me that you're really interested in these. So let's take a look...

Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball Review

Earlier this week, I spotted the new Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball ($3.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond) and they looked so much like the Baby Skin blushes that launched over the summer, I almost passed them by. When I took a second look and realized they were actually Baby Lips balms, I grabbed all four shades to try and review. I love the original Baby Lips formula most of the time, even though they usually aren't enough moisture for me in the winter, so I was excited to see if these are the same or possibly a new formula. Also, I was happy to see this cute packaging return as a lip balm this time...I felt like it was wasted on the blushes, since I didn't care for them at all. 

Let's take a closer look! 

Wet N Wild MegaGlow Illuminating Palette Review

The Wet n Wild MegaGlow Illuminating Palette ($4.99 at Walgreens) has gotten a refresh for 2016, with new packaging and a new formula! As soon as I saw this, I immediately grabbed one to review for you guys because everyone is highlight-crazy these days (including me!) and this just looks so darn pretty! 

NEW Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball Spotted at Bed, Bath & Beyond

When I first spotted the new Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Ball ($3.99) at Bed, Bath & Beyond earlier today, I almost walked right by because I thought they were those cream blushes that they launched over the summer (and I was not a fan). But out of the corner of my eye, I saw the words "Baby Lips" and realized that this was a lip product rather than a cheek product. Then I was giddy with excitement...I've seen a lot of Maybelline sneak peeks the past few months but these totally caught me by surprise! Let's take a look...