Book Review + Giveaway: Make It Up by Marie Rayma


I've been interested in DIY makeup & skincare since I was a teenager...in fact, years ago my sister and I attempted to start our own lip balm company but life events got in the way and we never ended up doing it. I still like to dabble in creating my own formulas here and there, mainly as a hobby so when I had the opportunity to check out a new book filled with DIY beauty recipes, I jumped at the chance!

Make It Up: The Essential Guide to DIY Makeup & Skincare was written by Marie Rayma, the creator of HumbleBeeandMe.com. Her site is a wealth of information on all things relating to making your own beauty products at home and the book puts her years of knowledge right at your fingertips.

It includes step-by-step how-to's and recipes for creating your own makeup formulas such as eyeshadow, foundation, eyeliner, blush, highlighter, bronzer, airbrushing powder and lip products as well as skincare products such as lotions, face masks, body oils, and more.

Where to buy: Amazon.com and also for Kindle


After reading the book I was so excited to start creating, because her formulas are so easy to follow, even for a beginner! Marie was kind enough to send me the ingredients I would need to make my own loose eyeshadows, including the base (which she pre-mixed herself), mica colors, measuring scoops, and sifter jars along with detailed instructions. 

All of the ingredients she sent to me can be found at TKB Trading, which is a website I have ordered from many times in the past...they have a huge selection of ingredients and tools for creating your own makeup. 

I started playing as soon as the kit arrived, first adding the powder base to a little plastic bag and then measuring out micas to mix together and create my own custom colors. I added the micas to the base and then sealed the bag, smooshing them together with my hands to mix.
Mixing equal parts copper and gold plus a tiny bit of turquoise resulted in a beautiful warm rust color, which I then poured into the sifter jar.

I ended up making three more shades including a dusty lavender, teal green and olive green.

Overall, I'm really happy with how they turned out...they have nice pigmentation that's easy to build up for more intensity.

I was so inspired by Make It Up that I can't wait to start creating my own products again. Next I'm planning to order some liquid binder and eyeshadow pans from TKB to try making pressed powder eyeshadows (which is also detailed in Marie's book). Maybe I'll even try my hand at blush and highlighter! :) I also plan to dive into lip products again...she has recipes for lip scrubs, tinted balms, long-wearing lipsticks and more.

If you'd like to check out Make It Up, please visit Amazon.com it's available in Paperback and also on Kindle.

I'm also happy to announce that I'm giving away copies of Make It Up to four lucky readers (U.S.A. only please)! You can enter below...good luck! :) 

For more, please follow my new blog www.beauddiction.com



Make It Up Book Giveaway

Lalicious Sugar Kiss Review & Giveaway

**Giveaway Update! Thank you to everyone who entered! The Winners are: 
1. Sugar Kiss Set: Miranda C. 
2. Sugar Lavender Scrub: Paige S. 
3. Sugar Coffee Scrub: Susan N. 

The winners have been notified through email. Thank you to everyone who entered! XO**
When I discover a brand I'm passionate about, I want to shout it from the rooftops, and that's exactly how I feel about Lalicious. They have the most luxurious bath & body products I have ever tried and I'm completely obsessed! My dry skin looks so much better since I started using this line...it actually has a real glow (which I could never get before unless I used a product with shimmer in it).  The scents are also to-die-for! I had been using the Sugar Coconut and Vanilla & Brown Sugar Scents for a while but have always wanted to try Sugar Kiss (their most popular scent- it reminds me a little of Pink Sugar...yum!). Lalicious generously offered to send me all of their products in the Sugar Kiss scent and they sent me another set to give away to one lucky reader (see the bottom of this post to enter).

Let's take a look at each product:

Whipped Sugar Scrub ($35 for 16 oz. , $9.50 for a 2 oz. tub)
Lalicious started with their iconic scrub...it has a fluffy whipped texture that's really unique! The founder of the line wanted to create something that was effective and moisturizing, without the oily mess of traditional scrubs. I'm completely hooked on the texture...it's easy to scoop out and has the perfect amount of grittiness to get the job done well. After rinsing, my skin feels like velvet and I don't even feel like I need to use a body moisturizer afterwards (although I do anyway!). The ingredient list is short and sweet with nothing but great stuff for your skin:

Sucrose (Cane Sugar), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Honey (Mel).

* Just a note about ordering...I first ordered this scrub from Ulta.com and when it arrived it was packed down and harder to scoop out. It still works the same but I didn't even realize it was supposed to have a fluffy texture until I received the products straight from Lalicious. I'm wondering if they sit in Ulta's warehouse too long, they get harder over time? Either way, if you plan to order the scrub, I recommend getting it straight through the Lalicious website. They also have smaller 2 oz. tubs for $9.50 so you can try it first without the commitment!

One of my readers recommended this to me a few months ago, and as soon as I tried it, I knew I would never go back to shower gel. I had tried oil cleansers in the past, but was disappointed because they were runny and didn't lather up at all, so I still felt like I had to use soap afterwards to get clean. This one is completely different! It starts out very thick and rich and when you massage it into damp skin, it turns into this plush, milky lather that gets you clean while moisturizing at the same time. I look forward to using this every day...especially because the scents just make your whole bathroom smell so good while you're using it. You can also use it as a bubble bath! 

It contains grapeseed oil, plus specialized sugar molecules and probiotics to provide anti-inflammatory benefits! 

Water (Aqua), Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Cocamide MIPA, Sodium Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Biosaccharide Gum-1, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Alpha-Gucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus, Phenoxyethanol.
Lalicious Shower Oil & Bubble Bath
The Oil ($28 for 4 oz. or $12 for a .34 oz travel pump)
This is the only Lalicious product that comes in just one scent but it's heavenly! When I first got this last week, I just couldn't stop smelling it...it's warm and sweet (but not sticky sweet or juvenile) and it smells tropical without smelling like suntan lotion (the official notes are Peach Nectar, Coconut Milk, and Creamy Musks). If there was a perfume in this scent, I would be first in line to buy it!

It's thick and rich, and I love putting it on right out of the shower while my skin is still damp to lock in moisture. It contains Coconut Oil, Marula Oil, and Macadamia Nut Oil, plus a blend of plant extracts and it makes my skin glow! You can also use it before shampooing as a hair & scalp treatment, a bath oil, or a shave oil.

Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ubuntu Marula Virgin Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Macadamia Ternifolia (Macadamia Nut) Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Garcinia Mangostana (Mangosteen) Pell Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Leaf Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Primula Veris (Primrose) Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) Oil.

Lalicious The Oil
Hydrating Body Butter ($26.50 for 8 oz.) 
This body butter is thick and rich, yet it melts right into your skin and disappears quickly without leaving you feeling greasy. I love putting this on before I get into bed! I might be weird, but I love putting on lotions that smell great before I get into bed and then fall asleep breathing in the scent...mmm! This contains Shea Butter, Safflower Oil, Aloe, and vitamin E to nourish and protect your skin.

Water (Aqua), Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Dimethicone, Fragrance (Parfum), Polysorbate 60, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide.

Lalicious Hydrating Body Butter


Weightless Hand Cream ($18)
This hand cream is truly weightless, just like it's name! It sinks in immediately, so I love using it throughout the day knowing that I won't be putting greasy fingerprints all over everything. It contains Mango Butter and Milk Thistle to seal in moisture and it makes your hands feel so soft! I have one in my bag and one on my nightstand and have been using it religiously.

Water(Aqua), Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Sodium Carboxymethyl, Starch Glyceryl Stearate, Fragrance (Parfum), Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Silybum Marianum, Ethyl Ester, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.
Lalicious Weightless Hand Cream
Lip Butter ($18 for .20 oz.)
This lip butter has a firmer texture so it's not greasy or sticky. It makes your lips feel moist and soft with a hint of shine...it's perfect alone or under lip products since it's not super glossy. It contains Shea Butter, Jojoba, and Soy to nourish and protect your lips. Mine look and feel so much softer after using this the past week!

Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Vegetable Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Polyglycerides, C15-23 Alkane, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Oilvate, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Red 40 (CI 16035), Fragrance (Parfum
Lalicious Lip Butter
Lalicious has several different scents to try, but I can give you my impressions of the ones I've tried so far...

Sugar Kiss (Citrus, Rose, and Vanilla)- This is warm and sweet and reminds me a bit of Pink Sugar perfume. This is probably my favorite and the products are strongly scented so I can smell it throughout the day when I'm wearing it.

Sugar Coconut (fresh coconut)- This is a straight up sweet coconut milk scent...there's no suntan lotion vibe here. If you love coconut, you'll want to try this one! This is the first scent I tried and I'm still in love with it...I would say it's a little more subtle than the Sugar Kiss scent.

Brown Sugar Vanilla (vanilla & caramel)- This has a sweet, toasted, burnt sugar scent...so delicious! It's the warmest scent of the ones I've tried and smells good enough to eat.

Sugar Lavender (sweet lavender blossoms)- This isn't a medicinal-smelling lavender...it has a sugary sweetness that is rounded out by the soothing lavender. It's a beautiful blend and smells similar to Sugar Kiss (at least to my nose), with a twist of lavender.

Giveaway: 

Ok, is your mouth watering yet?  It's giveaway time! One grand prize winner will receive the entire Sugar Kiss collection plus The Oil in full sizes (worth $153.50), courtesy of Lalicious. I also went ahead and purchased two 2 oz. scrubs in the Sugar Lavender and Sugar Coffee (smells just like coffee!) scents to give away- see them in the photo below. I will choose (at random) one person to win the Sugar Lavender scrub, and one person to win the Sugar Coffee scrub. So there will be a total of three winners! Enter Below and Good Luck to All!



Lalicious Sugar Kiss Set

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Farmacy Lip Bloom Review + Giveaway!

About a month ago, I was in Sephora and one of my friends who works there kept raving about the new Farmacy Lip Bloom lip treatments ($16.50 each) At the time, I didn't really need another lip balm, but I kept it in the back of my mind for next time. So when I was recently offered the chance to try one, I jumped at the chance, especially after doing some research into the brand. Founded in New York, the owner, Mark Veeder discovered Echinacea Greenenvy, a variety of echinacea purpurea that contains the highest known levels of cichoric acid which is an antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical attack and helps to even skintone. It's grown on a small farm in upstate NY and is in all of Farmacy's products. Once grown, it's transported just a few hours to the lab where it's combined with nature's most effective ingredients to create the Farmacy skincare line. So today, I'll be reviewing their Lip Bloom in Apple Rosemary and also giving away their Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm (which is amazing by the way) to five lucky readers. Let's take a look!
farmacy lip bloom

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 14

It's the last day of my giveaways and today, I'm letting you choose your prize with a $25 Sephora gft card! Good luck to all, and thank you to everyone who entered! :) 
$25 Sephora Gift Card Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 13

Only one more day left! Today's giveaway is for an Elf Cosmetics Day to Night Eyeshadow Palette in Party Ready.  This is a gorgeous palette that you can use to create bold, bright looks or subtle, everyday looks. Good luck! 
Elf Party Ready Palette 

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 12

We're almost to the end of my 14 Days of Giveaways! Today's prize is a Makeup Revolution bundle which includes: 
The All About Cream Blush & Contour Palette, The One Blush Stick in "Malibu" (bronzy shade), Vivid Baked Bronzer, Ultra Velour Lipstick in "Can't we just make love instead?", Salvation Lip Lacquer in "Nothing Like You and I", Eyeshadow Single in "Killer", The Beach & Surf Eyeshadow Palette, and the Disappear to the Beyond Eyeshadow Palette. Good Luck! 


Makeup Revolution Bundle

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 11

Today's giveaway is a two-piece collection of Julep products, including one of my favorite liners, the Gel Eye Glider in Olive ($16) and their new It's Whipped Matte Lip Mousse in XOXO ($20). Sorry about the quality of these photos, but I'm doing this post with my phone and they came out smaller than usual. Good luck to all! 
Here's what the XOXO shade looks like on different skin tones...
And here's what the olive eyeliner shade looks like...so pretty!
Julep Two-Piece Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 10

Today's giveaway is the City Color Contour Effects On-The-Go Palette that I just reviewed! This palette isn't even available online yet so one lucky winner will get it here first. This palette is high-end quality and has a great variety of shades. Good luck! 
City Color Contour Effects On-The-Go Palette 

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 9

Today's giveaway is for one of my favorite lip products...the IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush 4-in-1 Lipstick Stain in the shade Je Ne Sais Quoi. This is a lipstick that feels like the most moisturizing lip balm ever and this shade goes on clear and transforms into a natural-looking flush of pink. Check out my review here for more information and swatches...good luck! 
It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Stain Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 8

Today's giveaway is a Feline Lip Luster set from Profusion Cosmetics! These are beautiful, highly pigmented liquid lipsticks that I reviewed last year (see my review & lip swatches here). This set comes with six shades so it'll be a nice addition to your lipstick collection! Good luck! 
Profusion Feline Lip Luster Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 7

Day 7 of my 14 Days of Giveaways is a Profusion Studio Contour Palette. This is a budget-friendly palette that can compete with the higher-end versions (see my review here). Good luck! :) 
Profusion Studio Contour Palette Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 6

Day 6 of my 14 Days of Giveaways is an Amope Pedi Perfect Electronic Foot File. I use mine all the time and it's the perfect tool to get your feet sandal-ready in time for the Spring weather (hopefully it's right around the corner!). Good luck! :)
Amope Pedi Perfect Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 5

Sorry I'm posting this so late in the day guys, but today was just crazy. :() The day 5 giveaway is a Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette! These warm, rosy shades are just beautiful in both matte and shimmer finishes. Good luck! :) 

Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 4

It's Day 4 of my 14 Days of Giveaways and today's prize is a Coastal Scents Revealed Palette! It's a beautifully pigmented palette full of all the nude eyeshadow shades you could ever want. Good Luck! 
Coastal Scents Revealed Palette Giveaway Landing Page (Automatic)

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 3

Today's giveaway is one of my favorite City Color products...the Spring Beauty Blushes. Check out my review of them here to see swatches...they're so gorgeous! The winner of today's giveaway will win all four shades. :) Good luck!
City Color Spring Beauty Blush Giveaway

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 2

Today's giveaway is an exciting four-piece collection from Julep. I used to think they just had nail polish, but after subscribing to their monthly Maven box (see my post here for all the details), I realized that their makeup is amazing! I always love everything I get from them, so I thought I would share a few of my favorites. This prize is worth $78 and includes It's Balm Full Coverage Lip Crayon in Nectar Pink Creme ($20), Pore Minimizing Blush in Clover Pink ($24), Waterproof Gel Eye Glider in Smoky Taupe Shimmer ($16) and Eyeshadow 101 Creme to Powder Eyeshadow Stick in Taupe Shimmer ($18). Good Luck! :) 

Julep Four-Piece Giveaway Landing Page (Automatic)

14 Days of Giveaways- Day 1

February is all about showing the love, so to thank you all for coming back here every day and supporting me for the last seven years, I'm giving away a different surprise every day from now until Valentine's Day! 

Today's giveaway is a Makeup Revolution I Heart Makeup Salted Caramel Palette. I own several of Makeup Revolution's Chocolate palettes and the quality is just amazing. Salted Caramel is their newest shade and it's been so popular, it's currently sold out on their website. Luckily, I was able to snag one before that happened!
Enter below and come back every day from now until Valentine's Day for another chance to win. :) 

Makeup Revolution I Heart Chocolate Salted Caramel Palette Giveaway

Profusion Perfect Ten Palette Review + Giveaway

This year, I've developed a bit of an addiction to Profusion Cosmetics. Ever since I discovered I could buy their products at Five Below and Burlington Coat Factory, I can't help but go a little crazy when I see new items. They're so inexpensive and often get it right when drugstore products fail.  A while back, I was super excited to become a Profusion Insider and last month they sent me a huge box of goodies to play with. 
One of the things I was most excited about were these new Perfect Ten Quilted Collection Eyeshadow Palettes ($6.49). I was planning to review and swatch them all, but then I realized I can review the formula and quality by swatching one palette and give the other two away! So check out the end of this post for your chance to win...

Only a Few Hours Left To Win a Philosophy Set!

If you haven't entered my Philosophy giveaway yet, there are only a few hours left! It ends at 11:59 pm tonight and I'll email the winner tomorrow. 

You can enter at the bottom of my original post here.

Softlips Cube Holiday Gift Pack Review & Giveaway

Softlips is one of my favorite lip care brands, and I'm especially fond of their little cube lip balms, so when a representative from Softlips reached out and asked if I wanted to try their new 2015 Holiday gift set, I jumped at the chance! 
This set contains three of the 5-in-1 Lip Care cubes in three delicious holiday flavors, including my personal favorite, Salted Caramel (limited edition). 

Plus, the best part is, Softlips has generously offered to gift five of these sets to Budget Beauty Blog readers! So head on over to my Instagram page to enter the giveaway...the contest runs from today 11/23/15 through Wednesday 11/25/15 at 11:59pm. 

This set retails for $9 and is available at drugstores or online here in case you have trouble finding them.

This creamy, 5-in-1 formula makes your lips feel so soft and smooth! Here are the key benefits:
  • Hydrates - advanced formula with Shea Butter restores softness and moisture to even the driest lips
  • Replenishes - with nourishing Vitamins A, C, E
  • Smoothes - rich emollients smooth roughness leaving lips silky and soft
  • Protects - SPF 15 protects lips from sun burn
  • Add Shine - luscious hydrators for a perfect radiant finish
I'm loving all of the flavors, but the Salted Caramel is my absolute favorite, hands down! It smells exactly like the real thing and it's hard to keep from licking my lips all day. Pomagranate Blueberry has a sweet, sugared berry flavor that's also yummy and the Fresh Mint feels cool and refreshing. 
You can find this special Holiday 2015 set at drugstores or at Softlipsstore.com...plus don't forget about my giveaway on Instagram! :)

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