Milani Baked Blush Swatches

I love shopping my stash, so the other day, I pulled out one of my Milani Baked Blushes to use and forgot just how much I love them! So then I ended up pulling them all out and swatching them for fun. I posted my swatches to Instagram and it got tons of likes, comments and questions. So I thought I'd post them here too and talk about why I love them!

They remind me a lot of the Laura Geller baked blushes (which are $28 each), because they're so smooth, blendable and pigmented! They're also baked on Italian Terracotta tiles, just like the Laura Geller version...but they're only $7.49.

They come in 9 shades, 7 of which are shimmery and 2 of which are matte. They glide onto the skin so effortlessly and can be applied sheer or built up. When I swatch them with my finger, they go on pretty heavily but when you're using a brush, they end up applying pretty sheer (so don't worry that the swatches look dark!). Some of the shades (like Luminoso) are a single color, while others have a marbled effect with gold, bronze, or other shades swirled into the blush.

You can see in the swatches how smooth they look...they just glide across your skin and warm it up with such a beautiful glow!

Have you tried the Milani Baked Blushes yet? If so, what are your favorite shades?

Circa Beauty Lustrous Shine Lip Polish Review & Swatches

I recently discovered Eva Mendes' Circa Beauty line at Walgreens. It's been out for over a year now but it took me a while to try the products because of the slightly higher price point. I finally took the plunge and loved everything I purchased (see that post here), including the Lustrous Shine Lip Polish ($10) . Walgreens was having a BOGO 50% on them a few weeks ago, so I went back and picked up a few more shades to try.

Keep on reading for my review and swatches!

Packaging:

The packaging is very luxurious, especially for the price. The square tubes remind me of the Jouer lip glosses (which are $18) and they feel very sturdy and have a little bit of heft to them. You can also see the lip gloss right through the tube, which is a personal preference of mine...I can easily see which shade I'm grabbing and also when it's running out.  
The wand has a doe-foot applicator that's slightly longer than average, making it easy to cover your lips in one swipe.

Formula:

The formula is beautiful and rivals any high-end lip gloss I've tried so far. It's not a thin, runny gloss that bleeds all over the place...it's thick, rich and cushiony and feels super hydrating (it contains Avocado Oil). It almost feels like it has a primer inside that fills in my lip lines and makes them look so smooth and perfect. Even though it's a thicker formula, it doesn't feel sticky or tacky when you press your lips together. It feels creamy and smooth, and the beautiful shine makes my lips look full and pillowy.

The coverage is sheer to medium...definitely not full coverage, but it's buildable. It doesn't last a long time on your lips either (an hour or two depending on if you're eating or drinking) but that's the case with most lip glosses so I can't really complain too much about that.

Lovely Lace is a beautiful nude shade that has a bit of peachy pink in it so it gives just enough color that it doesn't wash me out too badly or give me zombie lips.

Satin Blush is the first shade I bought and it's a gorgeous pink shade that I reach for often.

Electric Organza is a bright, cool-toned pink that's really pretty if I want a brighter pop of color without being too bright.

Cashmere Kiss is probably my favorite shade! It's a gorgeous pinky mauve that goes with everything.

Top: Lovely Lace, Satin Blush
Bottom: Electric Organza, Cashmere Kiss

Overall, if you're a lip gloss fan, I highly recommend the Circa Lustrous Shine Lip Polish! You can grab them at select Walgreens stores or online at Drugstore.com

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CoverGirl Katy Kat Matte Lipstick | Review & Swatches

I found the new CoverGirl Katy Kat Matte Lipstick ($9.49) at Walgreens over the weekend and couldn't wait to review them for you guys since I know that a lot of you are wondering about the formula. I was really surprised to see them since the original information I received about these said they would be available at Walmart. In my head I was thinking it was a Walmart exclusive, but when I went back to look, it didn't say that anywhere. I have heard from readers that have seen these in Walmart stores already and they're quite a bit cheaper at $6.94 each.

The display at my local Walgreens was half empty (I guess they didn't get the full stock in yet) so I only grabbed one of the shades I was planning to buy, Kitty Purry (love that name!). I figured if I like the formula, I'll go back and buy more at Walmart where they're almost $3 cheaper.

Keep on reading for my review (really more of a first impression) and swatches plus something very interesting I learned about the formula!

Review: 

These lipsticks come in a white, rubberized tube with the shade name and color on the bottom. I love the cat ears over the name...such a cute touch! Each shade has a cat-themed name as well.

These claim to be a "demi-matte formula with a soft finish that feels creamy and moist on the lips". I would probably call this a satin finish. It wasn't shiny, but definitely wasn't full-on matte either. It felt really moisturizing and creamy, which my dry lips loved! It didn't settle into lines or cling to dry patches.

This is probably the closest that my dry lips and I can get to wearing a matte lipstick. Every time I pressed my lips together, it felt so creamy and smooth and while it never dried down completely (I could still move it around if I rubbed my lips together), it didn't really transfer much, so that's definitely a plus!

Staying power was good at 5-6 hours. I applied it around 2pm and by 6pm, it still looked perfect, even though I drank a soda and had some snacks with my son. But by 8pm, right after we ate dinner, I looked in the mirror and saw that it had started to break down and there was just a hint of a stain left on my lips.

Kitty Purry is a pink-mauve shade with violet undertones and I'm obsessed! It's a cooler-toned shade that works well with my cool, pink undertones. I also want to mention that this formula is really pigmented and completely covers my lip color in one swipe.

Wearing Kitty Purry on my Lips
Old Navy Sleeveless Top

Now here's where things get interesting. When I first saw these, the packaging reminded me a lot of the CoverGirl Lip Perfection lipsticks (except it's a different color). Then when I tried it on, I was again reminded of Lip Perfection, from the vanilla scent, to the highly pigmented, creamy formula. So I decided to do a little investigating and here's what I found: 

I pulled the ingredient lists from both formulas from Drugstore.com and found them to be almost identical, with the exception of the color pigments at the end of the list, which will always vary by shade anyway. I've color coded each ingredient to make it easier to compare them (just look for the same color in both lists). Also, the Katy Kat Matte formula contains squalene while the Lip Perfection doesn't. 

Katy Kat Matte:

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Isopropyl Isostearate, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Acetylated Lanolin, Ozokerite, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Paraffin, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Cetyl Lactate, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Fragrance, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Silk Powder, Maltodextrin, Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Propylparaben, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Lauroyl Lysine, May Contain (+/-): Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Red 7 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Red 6 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 27 Lake, Blue 1 Lake, Red 27, Carmine, Orange 5

Lip Perfection:

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Isopropyl Isostearate, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Acetylated Lanolin, Ozokerite, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Paraffin, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Lactate, Fragrance, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Silk Powder, Maltodextrin, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado), Propylparaben, Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut), Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Retinyl Acetate (Vitamin A), Mica, May Contain (+/-):, Iron Oxides, Lauroyl Lysine, Titanium Dioxide, Red 27 Lake (CI 45410), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 6 Lake, Red 7 Lake, Yellow 5 Aluminum Lake, Yellow 6 Aluminum Lake (CI 15985), Carmine (CI 75470)


I'm not complaining at all, because I love the Lip Perfection formula and have always thought that they were an extremely underrated lipstick formula. So if you've tried the Lip Perfection lipsticks in the past, you'll have a good idea of what these feel/look/smell like. 

Overall, I'm really enjoying the Katy Kat Matte lipsticks...they're long-wearing, highly pigmented, and feel so comfortable on my lips all day. However, if you're looking for a truly matte formula that has a drier finish (or if you weren't a fan of Lip Perfection) you may want to skip these. 

You can find all 11 shades now at drugstore.com for $8.99 each.

City Color Highlight Trio Review

I recently picked up the City Color Highlight Trio ($8.99) during a recent haul and figured I would share a (very) quick review with you guys. It's not the sort of product I need to go super in-depth with, but I still wanted to post some swatches and let you know my thoughts. So let's get started!

The Highlight Trio is packaged in a slim black case (no mirror) and contains three large highlighters inside. There's a true gold shade, a pearl shade that's more off-white than pure white, and a pinky-peachy highlight.

All three shades pack a lot of punch...these aren't a subtle highlight at all. I think they're great for those of you who really want your highlight to show up easily on the skin because they're so pigmented and don't take a lot of effort to create a bold cheekbone. They have a very finely milled shimmer, so there's no chunky glitter...it's more of a sheen.

There's also a darker version of this palette if you like a more bronzy-looking highlight.

If you're looking for bold, pigmented highlighters at a great price, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up the City Color Highlight Trio during your next haul. I was recently swatching the new Tarte Skin Twinkle palette ($42) and I think this City Color palette was right on par in terms of pigmentation and feel. Of course the Tarte packaging is much more luxe, but if you don't care about that sort of thing, this is a great alternative!

You can grab this now at CityColorCosmetics.com and be sure to use code BudgetBeautyBlog for an additional 10% off! 

Jesse's Girl Back Stage Collection Palette Neutral Nudes Review

A few weeks ago, I purchased the Jesse's Girl Back Stage Collection Palette in Neutral Nudes at Harmons for $6.99. It looked like a really cute mix of shimmers and mattes and I thought it was about time I tried something from Jesse's Girl. A lot of people rave about their eyeshadow primer which is next on my list, but they didn't have that in stock so I grabbed this instead. Drugstore eyeshadow palettes have been on the up and up lately so I figured it was worth a shot, especially at under $10. Let's take a look! 

Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color Review & Swatches

Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color ($6 at Walmart) is brand new for Spring 2016 and I am so excited to review them for you guys because I think you'll really like the formula compared to the other matte liquid lipsticks at the drugstore right now. Let's take a look! 

Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Pencil Review

Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Pencil ($7.99 at drugstores) is a new eyeliner that has a micro-tip for sharp precision. I've been eyeing the Hourglass 1.5mm Gel Eyeliner ($16) for a while now, because when you have hooded eyes like I do, a skinny line takes up a lot less of that precious eyelid space. I've tried a lot of skinny liquid liners, but the idea of a skinny automatic gel pencil is even better, especially for everyday use. So I was really glad to see Maybelline come out with a 1.8mm version for half the price of the Hourglass one. Let's take a look! 

Flower Beauty Hydrasilk Ultimate Lip Butter Review & Swatches

The Flower Beauty section recently got an overhaul at my local Walmart and there are a bunch of new products with really pretty rose gold packaging (see my post here for all the newness), while a lot of the old products are now in the clearance section. Replacing the old Lip Service Lip Butter is the new Hydrasilk Ultimate Lip Butter ($7.98), which promises to give lasting hydration & conditioning with a glossy finish. Let's take a look! 

Profusion Studio Blush Palette Review and Swatches

If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I've turned into quite a Profusion Cosmetics junkie lately. Their newest products have left me so impressed, especially the Studio Contour and Studio Highlight palette (see my reviews here and here). So when I saw their Studio Blush Palette on their website and I knew that it had to be mine. Luckily, before I even had to place an order, I spotted it at my local Kmart (I didn't even know they carried Profusion!). It looked even more beautiful in person, and at only $5.99 (or $1 per blush-crazy right?) I couldn't resist. Let's take a look...

BH Cosmetics Wild and Radiant Palette Review

Recently, BH Cosmetics had a killer sale and I hauled a few products I've been wanting for a while including the Wild & Radiant Palette ($8.50). This is a baked illuminating and bronzing palette that contains four shades that can be used wet or dry to get that fabulous glow. Let's take a closer look...

N.Y.C Demi Lovato Lovatics Palette Review & Swatches

N.Y.C New York Color recently released the Lovatics collection with their color ambassador, Demi Lovato which includes several products including lip & cheek tint, a mascara, and a brow pencil. But what I couldn't wait to get my hands on was this Lovatics Palette ($6.99) when I saw it at Target recently. The gorgeous color palette had me swooning because I can see myself using every.single.shade. The only question in my mind was, can the quality be even remotely good at $6.99? I've tried many drugstore eyeshadow palettes at price points between $9.99 and $14.99 that were total flops so I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best when I put this in my cart. Spoiler alert...it's amazing. And you need it. So here's my review...

Milani Everyday Eyes Earthy Elements | Review & Swatches

Hey guys, I hope you had a good Monday! I finally found the new Milani Everyday Eyes Palette in Earthy Elements ($9.99 at Milanicosmetics.com) today at CVS and I wanted to share my review and swatches with you since this has highly requested the past few weeks. I posted a full review on these new palettes a few days ago, and swatched the Bare Necessities shade, so I won't go too in-depth with the formula today. I just mainly wanted to swatch this Earthy Elements shade since it seems to be the one everyone is most curious about. I can definitely see why...you really don't see beautiful warm shades like this  in most drugstore palettes, and can we talk about that matte orange shade for a second?! Stunning. Let's take a look...

Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color Review

Recently, I was at Walmart and spotted a ton of new Flower Beauty products (see my post here for all the details).  I couldn't wait to dig in and try everything I bought, especially these new Ultimate Eye Color Cream Eyeshadows ($7.98 each).  I assume that these are replacing the Color Play Creme Eyeshadows because they were no longer on the display (and are currently sold out online). Overall, I noticed a lot of new products in the display that seemed to be replacing older versions, so they may have decided to reformulate certain products. I do remember liking the Color Play cream eyeshadows, so let's take a look and see how these compare!

Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Palette Review

The Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Palette ($9.99 at Milanicosmetics.com) is brand new for Spring 2016 and comes in six beautiful color combinations. I recently spotted them at CVS and grabbed one to review and swatch for you guys, although it was really hard to pick just one. I was torn between all of the shades and a few of them were calling my name, but in the end, I had to hold back because I wanted to test out the formula first before buying more. The one I really wanted, Earthy Elements was out of stock, so I picked up Bare Necessities, which is described as "warm neutrals". Let's take a look...

Maybelline Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayon Review

I recently found the Maybelline Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayons ($6.99) at Walgreens and picked up five shades to review and swatch for you guys. There are ten shades all together (see my post of all ten shades here) but I wanted to try the formula first and make sure I liked it before I committed to buying more. I'm a big fan of the original Color Tattoo formula so I had very high hopes for these...let's take a look! 

NEW Herbal Essences Naked Clean & Refresh Coming Soon

I have a major soft spot for strawberry-scented shampoo and conditioner. My Mom used them on me when I was little (I think it was VO5's version) and then in middle school, I used a version by Suave that left my boyfriend constantly sniffing my hair. Even talking to him years later at a reunion, he said he remembered me as the girl with the strawberry hair...I guess it left a big impression! 

I haven't really seen any strawberry formulas out there recently...either they stopped making them or maybe the stores in my area just don't carry them (you'll have to let me know if you've seen any near you!). 

So I was super excited to see that Herbal Essences will be launching a Strawberry Mint scented shampoo and conditioner as part of their naked line. Let's take a look...

NYX Lip Lingerie Swatches

I figured I'd post this here in case you're not following me on Instagram...here are swatches of all 12 shades of the new NYX Lip Lingerie ($7). It's a "weightless liquid lipstick with a plush matte finish" and is available in a range of nude shades. Have you tried these yet? 

From left to right the shades are: 

Honeymoon, Embellishment, Lace Detail, Ruffle Trim, Beauty Mark, Push-Up, Satin Ribbon, Bedtime Flirt, Corset, Teddy, Baby Doll, Exotic

Grab yours now at Ulta.com!

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation Review

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation is brand new for Spring 2016 and is my highest requested review at the moment! It claims to be a gel-whipped formula with a soft, velvety matte finish. While most matte foundations feel drying on the skin, this one promises to be a hydrating matte formula. All I can say is Thank YOU Maybelline! I've never found a matte foundation that I can wear because I have really dry skin, so when I saw this at Bed, Bath & Beyond, it was like the heavens opened up and the angels started singing. And if you have oily skin, have no fear because the moisture in this formula won't clog you up.

So is this as comfortable to wear as it claims to be? Keep on reading to find out...

BH Cosmetics Sale + Haul

BH Cosmetics is having an amazing sale right now, and I ended up hauling a few items that I've had my eye on for a while! 

The first thing I had to put in my cart was the Carli Bybel palette. I know I'm a little late to the party, but it kept selling out in the fall and the waiting list was a mile long. It's finally back in stock and only $12.50 (reg. $20). The highlighters look so gorgeous and these shadows look like shades I would wear every single day. 

The next thing I picked up was the Wild & Radiant Palette. I know...I don't need any more highlighters but it's only $6.50 right now (reg. $22!) and the reviews I've seen on this are fantastic. 

The last thing I ended up hauling was the Forever Nude Sculpt & Glow Contouring Kit. It's only $8.50 right now (reg. $23!). It comes in a Light/Medium version (which is what I got) and a Medium/Deep version and contains two contour shades, one blush, a highlight and a banana powder for setting under the eyes. This is another palette I've had my eye on and I'm super excited to get it for less than $10! 

Have you purchased anything from BH Cosmetics lately or tried any of the products that I hauled? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

You  can shop the sale now at www.bhcosmetics.com

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...