bareMinerals released two new palettes for Holiday 2016, and I recently reviewed the Be Beautiful Face Palette (see that post here). So today I wanted to talk about The Wish List READY 12.0 Eyeshadow Palette ($45) which is currently available at Ulta.com.
I only recently discovered bareMinerals eyeshadow palettes and I absolutely love them so I was really excited to see two new Holiday 2016 versions arrive on the Ulta website recently. I hauled a few new products and first one I couldn't wait to open when the Ulta box arrived was theBe Beautiful READY Face & Eye Palette($45).
Neutral eyeshadow palettes are a dime a dozen these days but they're also they kind of shades I wear most often. I already own several neutral eyeshadow palettes, but what set this apart for me was the fact that it also contains blushes, bronzer, and a luminizer all in one place. It makes it that much easier to get ready in the morning!
I've actually become a bit of a face palette hoarder lately, and not just because they're great for bringing along on trips...it's because they're so easy to use every day when I'm short on time. I don't have to think about which products to pair together, just grab a palette, foundation, and mascara and go.
Let's take a closer look...
The Neutral Attraction Palette comes in a slim, cardboard compact with a magnetic closure and a mirror inside. It houses six eyeshadows, two blushes (one shimmer, one matte), one luminizer, and one bronzer.
The vibe of this palette is very soft, easy, no-makeup makeup. If you're the kind of person who wants to look really natural and fresh, you're going to love these shades. But if you're into brighter, bolder shades, you might find this one to be a bit boring and safe.
Eyeshadows:
The formula of the eyeshadows is very soft, so you'll see a bit of fallout with these. They're also nicely pigmented and long-lasting on the eyes. The shades are mostly matte, with the exception of Heavenly Halo, which is a shimmery silver shade, and Pumped which is a cocoa brown with gold shimmer. The interesting thing about Pumped is that it doesn't look shimmery on the eye...the overall shadow is a soft matte brown but you just see a sparkle every now and then.
Blushes:
There are two blushes, The Big Break which is a soft, shimmery peachy pink, and The Limelight, which is a beautiful mid-toned pink shade. I love them both individually and also mixed together...so pretty!
Luminizer:
The Premiere is a rosy gold luminizerthat's very soft...it's not an in-your-face kind of highlight, it looks really pretty and natural on your cheeks. If you like a bolder highlight, you can also use the Heavenly Halo eyeshadow, which really makes your cheekbones pop.
Bronzer:
The Ocean Viewbronzeris a gorgeous, soft shade that works perfectly with my fair-to-light skintone. It's also a perfect transition shade, so I use it on my eyes as well.
Here are the six eyeshadows swatched on bare skin, no primer...
Left to Right: Pacific Sands, Heavenly Halo, Daydream, Debutante, Vow, & Pumped
...and here are the blushes, luminizer, and bronzer.
Left to Right: The Big Break, The Limelight, The Premiere, The Ocean View
Overall, I have been loving this palette all summer and I'm sorry it took me so long to share it with you guys! Thankfully, it's on sale at Sephora right now, so you can grab it for $29! What are your thoughts? Are you as into face palettes as I am lately? Affiliate Link | Subscribe to The Budget Beauty Blog by Email
This week, I'm partnering with Ulta to bring you my Fall 2016 beauty picks! So whether you're heading back to school soon or just want to refresh your look for the new season, I've got lots of fun products to share with you. I tried to choose a mix of recent favorites that I've been dying to talk about on the blog as well as a few brand new products.
Let's take a closer look!
bareMinerals Meet Gen Nude Set
A few weeks ago, I tried the new bareMinerals Gen Nude Buttercream Gloss in the shade Snarky and I fell in love with the creamy texture and hydrating formula. I really wanted to try the Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipsticks, but I hesitated to buy the full-sized version in case it was too drying (I really don't like the feel of most matte lip products). Then I came across this cute Meet Gen Nude set that contains the Buttercream Gloss in the shade Sugar (which I knew I would definitely wear), a nude pink shade and Matte Liquid Lipstick in Bo$$, which is a rosy mauve with a hint of brown in it.
I have to say I'm really impressed with the Gen Nude Matte formula...it feels completely weightless! I didn't feel like I had anything on my lips all day. I put the thinnest layer on my lips and was able to get full coverage color. It dried down immediately with no sticky or tacky feeling whatsoever. If I'm being totally honest, it's a little bit drying (like most matte lipsticks) but it's the least drying of the matte liquid lipsticks I've tried, so that's huge for me. Oh, and it has a delicious cupcake-like scent too! Wear time was really good and it faded very evenly which I loved (I hate when lipsticks fade in the middle and leave a ring around the outside). I love layering the gloss on top as well.
If you've been wanting to try the Gen Nude line, this little set is a great way to try both formulas! (They're half the size of the full-size making this an $18 value).
I've never been too loyal when it comes to hair products...I'm always in search of the next best thing. But then I tried theL'oreal Extraordinary Oil line. This is actually my second time purchasing this shampoo and conditioner (I first tried it back in May) and I will continue to buy it as long as they make it...it's that good. My bleached, damaged hair has never felt so soft! My regular straw-like texture felt super soft and silky after one use and actually looks shiny.
Also, the scent is amazing. It's warm and sweet and I get tons of compliments from friends and family if I see them right after taking a shower. When they hug me, they always ask what perfume I'm wearing, and I'm like, "none, it's just my hair!". If you're heading off to college, your roommate will end up borrowing this all the time...just warning ya!
The only downside is if you have fine hair like me, you may need to use a stronger shampoo every second or third wash or else this will start to weigh your hair down a little bit. I use this twice in a row, then switch to John Frieda's Go Blonder shampoo (but still use the L'oreal conditioner) and it cuts through the buildup so I can go back to using this shampoo again.
This photo below is after I had been using it for a couple of weeks and I love how healthy and shiny my hair looks! This will definitely be a must-have going into the colder weather.
Lately I've been such a matte eyeshadow junkie so I jumped on this little Photo Matte Eyes Mini Palette when I saw it. I haven't owned a Smashbox palette in years...for some reason, I always skip the "artistry brands" and choose palettes from more trendy brands like Too Faced, Lorac, and Urban Decay. Man, have I been missing out! These are some of the softest, creamiest mattes I have ever touched. They literally feel like a cream when you touch them and they go on so pigmented in one swipe (my swatches are without primer). They blend so nicely on the eyes and I love that you can use these wet or dry, and also as liners and brow colors.
When I first got this palette, I was shocked by how tiny it is! But the pans are still a good size and you get a beautiful (and very wearable) palette of neutral colors. It's a great option if you want something you can keep in your bag or desk drawer (it's slightly smaller than a deck of cards and much thinner too).
I've been wanting to try one of the new L'oreal masks ever since they came out, so this Detox & Brighten Clay Mask was one of the first things I put into my Ulta cart. It contains pure clays and charcoal that act like a magnet to draw out dirt and gunk from your pores. I've only tried it once but so far, I honestly can't tell the difference between this and GlamGlow (other than the fact that this is smooth and GlamGlow has those little bits of leaves in it). It tingles a bit and my skin has that deep down, squeaky clean feeling after I use it. Since I have dry skin, I'm going to limit this to once a week (my skin feels a little tight but not dry after using), but I love how my skincare seems to absorb so much better and my pores appear smaller. So if you're looking for a great dupe for GlamGlow Supermud, definitely try this one!
The Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Concealer just launched (so I haven't seen any reviews yet) and although it was a big splurge for me, I love Becca's Aqua Luminous Foundation, so I had high hopes for this.
Just like the foundation, this is a great option if you have drier skin, especially going into the fall/winter season. It's 32% water and feels very hydrating with no cakiness. It has light to medium coverage, so if you have really dark circles it may not be enough for you (unless you're using a color corrector first to cancel dark circles or spots...then it might be fine). I love how lightweight it feels and it blends really well. It does contain mica to blur imperfections, but don't worry...it's not visible shimmer. I was a little concerned about that at first because shimmer tends to bring out skin imperfections, but this doesn't do that at all. It does a great job at brightening my skin without drawing attention to fine lines or pores.
I purchased the shade Light, which is the third-lightest shade. It has a slightly peachy tone to it, which works out well for using under my eyes because peach counteracts bluish tones.
You know that annoying fact of life when you apply your mascara in the morning and your lashes look great, but by the afternoon, they start to lose the curl and fall flat? And then you can't re-apply your mascara because your lashes are crunchy and you get can't the brush through them? Well this little $4 game-changer is seriously my new best friend. In the photos below, I'm wearing regular mascara at about 6pm (middle photo) and it's already made my lashes fall flat. Then I applied the Essence Forbidden Volume Topcoat and it made my mascara look fresh again with some additional volume and length due to the fibers in the formula.
I have no idea how they do it, but it works on top of any other mascara. I tried it over Pur Fully Charged Mascara (which you see in the photos below) and I've also tried it over the Cover Girl Super Sizer and it worked great both times. I've also used it alone in the morning and then to touch up later in the day and I actually love it by itself too! Most importantly for me, it doesn't smudge underneath my eyes.
I love finding products that solve a real problem and when they're inexpensive, it's even better!
This has become my favorite foot cream in the past year, so this is a repurchase for me. I've tried a ton of foot treatments but none of them make my feet feel as soft and velvety as this one does. Heel Geniusis a thick, light blue-colored cream that contains super hydrating ingredients like glycerin, macadamia oil, and allantoin plus a combo of fruit acids to slough away dead, dry skin. I've been kind of slacking off on foot care this summer, but now that the fall weather is approaching, I plan to wear this every night under my socks to try to ward off the dry, cracked skin that always makes an appearance in October/November. Prevention is key, right?
I had a great experience with the NYX Avant Pop Palette recently, so I've been wanting to try another one. The Wanderlust Go-To Palette totally said "fall" to me, with its rich, warm, earthy shades. I have such a weak spot for face palettes...I love having coordinated shades for my entire face in one spot. Maybe I'm lazy, but there it is! Haha.
It comes with six eyeshadows, a highlighter, blush, and bronzer. All of the shades have a soft, buttery texture that rivals some of my high-end palettes, so even though this is a higher price point for a NYX product, it's SO worth it. My only criticism of this palette is that the blush didn't feel as soft as the other shades and went on a little bit patchy. Maybe I got a dud...I'm not sure. Also, because these shades are so soft, there's a bit of fallout, so be sure to tap your brush well before applying. All in all, this is a beautiful face palette that's perfect for travel at an great price point!
...that Ulta offers a credit card now (actually two)? The Ultamate Rewards Credit Cardgives you double the points (you get 1 additional point for every dollar you spend). If you're someone who shops at Ulta exclusively for your beauty needs you can rack up 2,000 points pretty fast, which you can redeem for $125 worth of free products! They also offer an Ultamate Rewards Mastercard, which you can use anywhere Mastercard is accepted. You'll still earn double the points when you shop at Ulta, but you'll also earn 1 point every time you spend $3 everywhere else. So if you use your credit card for gas, groceries, etc. you can rack up Ulta points really fast. If you're not happy with your current credit card's rewards (and you're a beauty junkie), I wanted to let you know about this option because it's a great way to get lots of Ulta points (which translates to free stuff!). So what did you think of my Ulta Beauty haul? Have you tried any of these products yet, or is there anything you're planning to get? I'd love to hear about it! :)
Last month, I was at Ulta picking up some travel-sized items for my beach vacation and I came across the bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 8.0 palettes ($40). There are three different shade selections and the Sexy Neutrals was calling out to me with its wearable rosy peachy shades. I've used bareMinerals BB cream eyeshadows (in fact, they're holy grail for me!), but had never tried their powder eyeshadows before, so I was intrigued.
Plus, these palettes are the perfect size for travel! Let's take a look...
The Sexy Neutralscomes in a shiny metallic compact that's beautiful to look at and also really reflective. Depending on the light, it can look like two different colors...above, it looks rose gold, but in the photo below, it looks like a coppery color. It's also a total fingerprint magnet, so unfortunately if you're addicted to keeping your makeup looking like new like I am, it doesn't look pretty for long.
Size-wise, it fits in the palm of your hand which is so great for travel...bringing an 8 shade eyeshadow palette would normally take up a lot of room in a bag, but this one would fit in even the smallest of bags.
It seems like there isn't a lot of product in here for $40, but those 8 shades add up to .28 oz for $40...that's the same total weight as the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette, which appears much larger (and contains 14 shades vs. 8) , but also contains .28 oz worth of total product.
However, the Sexy Neutrals contains a little less than half the product contained in the Tarte Tartelette palettes ($45 for .636 oz) and the Urban Decay Naked Palettes ($54 for .6 oz.). Granted, those are a little more expensive but at the same time, they're giving you more than double the product.
Still, if you're the type of person who rarely hits pan on those larger palettes anyway and you really value the smaller, more compact size for travel purposes (or to keep in your handbag for touch-ups) the price may be worth it to you.
There isn't a lot of room inside the palette for the shade names, but they've listed them on the back which I really appreciate! It's so much better than putting a plastic sheet inside with the names on it (so many brands do that!)...I like to have them permanently on the palette somewhere.
Inside, there's a full-size mirror and eight shades with both matte and shimmer finishes. The shades are perfect for daytime, especially if you work in an office where you can't really wear bolder, brighter shades. Even though some of these have shimmer, they aren't glittery so it translates as more of a "glow" on your eyelids.
The shades include:
Hot Commodity (metallic medium copper)
Nude Beach (light warm sand shimmer)
Bare Skin (copper rose)
Pure (light airy peach matte)
In The Buff (light golden peach)
Natural (light buttery peach matte)
Perspective (deep espresso matte)
Celebrate (yellow cream matte)
I'm in love with this formula. I wasn't sure what to expect from my first bareMinerals powder eyeshadows but they're incredibly pigmented in one swipe, yet still very blendable. I don't have to work hard at all to apply them with a brush on my eyelids, they show up really well with barely any effort. I'm really impressed by the matte shades too, especially Perspective, the deep espresso shade. It's not streaky or chalky at all. I used it on the outer-v of my eyes and only had to use the tiniest bit on the brush and blend it in and it really stood out nicely. They also don't have a lot of fallout, which is awesome.
The only thing I feel like this palette is missing is a medium matte transition/crease color. There are medium shades like Hot Commodity and Bare Skin (1 & 3 on the top row) but they have shimmer in them. So for that reason, I don't do many complicated looks with this...and you know what? That's perfectly ok...I have other palettes I can use for that.
On a day when I want a pretty, natural look, I use one of the medium shades all over my lid and one of the lighter matte shades on my brow bone. If I want more drama, I add the deep espresso shade to my outer-v or use it as a liner.
Below, you'll see my swatches on bare skin with no primer...
Overall, this palette has me wanting to try more bareMinerals eyeshadows! The highly pigmented, buttery texture is quickly becoming one of my favorite formulas.
Have you tried any of the bareMinerals Ready 8.0 palettes yet?
About a month ago, I was at Ulta and spotted the new bareMinerals Skinsorials range. I had read about the Skinlongevity Serum in a magazine and had already decided beforehand that I wanted to try it, but didn't realize that they had new cleansers and moisturizers too until I got there. I saw these 3-part ritual kits for $60, and since the serum is $48 by itself, I figured that the kit was a better option, since it allowed me to try the cleanser and moisturizer for only $12 more. Let's take a closer look...
Description: Skinsorials, an exquisite beauty ritual filled with what your skin craves - gorgeous textures, naturally derived scents and effective ingredients - for your most beautifully resilient, younger and healthier looking skin.
PURIFY. Revitalize every time you cleanse. EMPOWER. Enhance the healthy look and feel of your skin. MOISTURIZE. Soften, smooth and deeply replenish.
Quick Verdict: I love the serum but the cleanser and moisturizer were just okay.
In the new Skinsorials line, there are four cleansers depending on your skin type, one serum that's universal across all skin types, and four moisturizers. The kit I purchased said it was for normal to dry skin (I have super dry skin in the winter that goes more toward normal in the summer) and contains the Pure Plush Gentle Deep Cleansing Foam, Skinlongevity Serum, and Bare Haven moisturizer.
Step 1: Cleanse Pure Plush is a thick, creamy foaming cleanser. When you first squeeze it out of the tube it actually holds it's shape...that's how thick it is! You only need a pea sized amount because a little goes a very long way. It feels very soft and cushiony on your skin, yet at the same time, it feels like it's really getting deep down in there to deep clean with lots of foamy lather. It removes all of my makeup easily and my skin feels really refreshed immediately after using it. It also has a nice citrusy-fresh scent that's not overpowering (and the fragrance they use is all natural).
The main issue I have with this cleanser is that after an hour or so, my skin starts to feel really dry. I don't know if it's the sea salt that's in it (which is meant to purify) or what, but a little while after using this I noticed that I had dry patches that normally aren't there and my skin felt tight. I'm hoping that once the weather warms up and my skin is more normal, I'll be able to use this because I really do like it. It's a really effective cleanser and it feels and smells nice too.
Step 2: Treat
The Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusionis my favorite of the three products. It's a water-light serum essence that absorbs really quickly into your skin and leaves it feeling velvety soft and smooth. It contains humectants to bind water to the skin and Long Life Herb, which is supposed to defend against the signs of aging. The first time I used this, I noticed that my skin had a healthy glow even though it's been really dry and dull lately. I feel like my makeup goes on better because my face is so smooth and it doesn't leave any kind of residue whatsoever. It's too soon to tell if it's turning back the clock, but I do love the way my skin looks when I use this, so I'll definitely continue to do so.
Step 3: Moisturize
The Bare Haven moisturizer comes in a jar (not a fan of that) and has a medium-weight texture...somewhere in between a body butter and a thinner lotion. It melts right into my skin and disappears without leaving any greasy residue, but it's not quite enough moisture for me right now. I think it would be better on someone with normal skin, so next time I'll probably try the Butter Drench cream instead, which is meant for drier skin types. I should also mention that this has a light, fresh, citrusy scent for those of you who are sensitive. The fragrance is all natural, so it may not bother some people who react to synthetics.
Photo: bareescentuals.com
Here's what they all look like swatched on my skin...the Pure Plush cleanser is on top and you can see how thick and rich it is. By contrast, the Skinlongevity serum is very thin and watery. The Bare Haven cream on the bottom is in between the two, texture-wise.
Overall, I'm loving the Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion and will continue to keep on using it, but I'm not as happy with the other two products in the kit at the moment because they don't provide enough moisture for my ultra-dry skin...totally not the products' fault, they just weren't right for me.
I probably would have done better with the cleansing oil and Butter Drench cream instead, but they didn't have a kit with those options available. I'll hang on to both and try them again when the weather warms up because they may work better for me when my skin is more on the normal side.
The entire Skinsorials range can be found at Ulta.com and Sephora.com (Sephora has individual products only...no kits).
bareMinerals has a fantastic deal on QVC today that is a crazy-good value so I had to share it with you guys. It launched at midnight and this morning I saw the presentation on my DVR (yes I'm a total geek and I tape all of the QVC beauty segments). It's the bareSkin Breakthrough 8-Piece collection Today's Special Value and features their brand new concealer that just launched recently and their best-selling bareSkin foundation and brush. Let's take a look!
This entire set is a $172 value for only $56.94. Just the bareSkin foundation and brush alone cost $57 in stores like Sephora and Ulta so for 4 cents less, you're getting 6 more pieces, including their brand new bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (which is $20 by itself). This set also includes a blush, eyeshadow, lipstick and brushes! Basically, you're getting each product for $7.11 which is like drugstore pricing.
bareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Performance Eyeshadow ($18) is a creamy full coverage color, primer, sunscreen, brightener and smoother in one for the eyes.
I was first introduced to bareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Cream Eyeshadows in my Ipsy bag a while back. They sent a cute little sample tube in the shade Divine Wine, a gorgeous raisin brown. I loved it so much, I went to Sephora and bought a full size in Sweet Spice, which is a lighter brown shade. Then I got another sample size in Soft Linen (a light tan shade)...I think it was in a sample bag from Sephora or Ulta but I can't quite remember. Then, Ipsy was offering (as a points reward) a full size in Delicate Moss, a light green shade, so I used my Ipsy points for that one. Then just recently during a Sephora haul, I purchased another full size in Blushing Pink. So I have five shades to share with you today!
It's hard to believe I haven't reviewed these yet because they're my favorite cream eyeshadow ever- they're so versatile and offer a lot of different benefits, plus they come in really pretty, wearable shades...I would wear every single one. So let's take a look!
bareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadows
