Sneak Peek- Clinique Sweet Pots

I follow Jane Cunningham (@britbeautyblog on Instagram) and yesterday she posted a sneak peek of these adorable Clinique Sweet Pots. They look like macarons, but they're really double-sided lip balm and scrub. Seriously, just take my money already! :)

I'm guessing they'll be arriving for holiday in the UK, but I haven't heard if we'll get them in the US yet and if so, when it'll be. Fingers crossed we'll get them for holiday as well! 

Photo via @britbeautyblog on Instagram

Photo via @britbeautyblog on Instagram

Missha Skincare Spotted at Bed, Bath & Beyond!

There's been a lot of buzz in the blogosphere recently about Missha (an extremely popular Korean skincare line) arriving at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Harmon stores this summer and I'm happy to report that it's finally here! I couldn't have been more excited since I've been using a few products from Missha's Time Revolution line for about a year and a half now, including the First Treatment Essence and the Night Repair Ampoule, and have always wanted to try more. Unfortunately, their Time Revolution products are no where to be found here, which is strange since that seems to be their most popular line. 

For now, Bed Bath and Beyond appears to be stocking only their Misa Geum Sul line, which is an anti-aging line for age 30+. I have no idea if this will change or if they'll expand their offering, but I'll definitely keep you guys updated if I see anything else come in. For now, let's take a closer look....

Revlon Fall 2015 The Fiery Temptress Collection Now at Bed, Bath & Beyond

I was in Bed, Bath & Beyond earlier today and spotted the new Revlon Fall 2015 Collection so I wanted to share it with you guys. It's called The Fiery Temptress and features some new shades of existing products (no new products, sadly but it's still pretty exciting). I'm not sure if any of these are limited edition or will be added to the permanent collection, but if you find out, definitely let me know. Let's take a look!

Pixi Beauty Fall 2015 Collection

Pixi Beauty has become one of my favorite brands the past year or so...I started with their Shea Butter tinted lip balms that I purchased on a whim at Target and loved them so much, I started picking up a new Pixi product every time I went back!

They're definitely on the more expensive side for Target, but are pretty affordable if you're comparing them to most of the brands at Sephora. I would say they're a nice middle-ground...with Pixi, you're getting the great quality of a higher-end brand at a lower price point. 

So I was really excited to see some new Fall 2015 products pop up on the Pixi Beauty website (I haven't seen them in Target yet) and I wanted to share them with you! 

Coming Soon: Benefit Shy Beam

Benefit posted another sneak peek on their Instagram tonight! Last night, I posted about their new Air Patrol BB Eyelid Primer that's coming out for Fall 2015, and now the newest product in their upcoming lineup is a matte highlighter called Shy Beam. I haven't seen too many matte highlighters but from what I can see from the swatch below, it definitely highlights! 

The good news is, you don't have to wait for it to be released (Benefit didn't say if it'll launch in September with the Fall line or at a different time) because there's a deluxe sample inside this Operation Pore-Proof kit from Sephora ($34).

Benefit Operation: Pore-proof $34 at Sephora

So what do you think, are you excited to try Shy Beam? Have you used a matte highlighter in the past?

*UPDATE* I was at Sephora today and they had testers of the Operation:Pore-Proof kit so I was able to swatch Shy Beam for you guys!
It's definitely a matte light pink...sort of like a liquid version of their High Brow pencil.

New Lip Products for Fall 2015

The Fall 2015 makeup collections have been hitting the stores the past several weeks and there are some exciting new lip products that have just been released from Bite Beauty, Urban Decay, Pur Minerals and Buxom. Let's take a look...

Bite Beauty Opal Creme Lip Gloss ($22) adds a pearlescent ultraviolet cast to bare lips or any lip color. I just picked this up the other day and I'm already obsessed with the color. It adds a perfect glow with a touch of violet, pink or blue depending on the angle. I've been wearing it by itself but I want to test it over other lip products to see how it enhances/changes them before I post a full review. Also, I want to mention that there's an Opal lipstick as well if you prefer that formula to a gloss.

Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick ($22) has a lightweight gel formula that delivers high-pigment, one stroke color. It also comes in an unbelieveable 30 shades! They also come in both satin and matte finishes. I really like all of the Buxom products I've tried so far, so I'm looking forward to these. Also, the packaging looks very Kat Von D, doesn't it?? Right now, they're only available at Sephora if you're a VIB or VIB Rouge, but give it a little while and I'm sure they'll be available in stores shortly.

Urban Decay Matte Revolution ($22) is a matte lipstick that (finally) doesn't dry out your lips! Urban Decay claims that it feels as rich and buttery as the original Revolution formula and it comes in never-before-seen shades. I haven't been on board with the matte lipstick trend so far because I have perpetually dry lips, but I'm really excited to try these in the hopes that it'll be the first one that's truly comfortable to wear!

Pur Minerals Lip Lure ($24) is a rich, saturated lacquer that gives full coverage, high shine color in one swipe. They also have a unique flocked "showerhead" applicator that delivers the perfect amount of color every time.

So there you have it...four new lip products for Fall. Have you tried any of these yet, or are you planning on picking any of these up? I'd love to hear about it! 

Simple Micellar Cleansing Wipes Spotted at Walmart

One of my awesome readers Jessica just spotted the new Simple Micellar Cleansing Wipes ($5.97) at her local Walmart and she shared pictures with me, so I wanted to pass the info on to you guys! 

I'm a huge fan of Simple's Cleansing wipes because they're non-irritating and actually leave my skin feeling clean and fresh instead of sticky with residue. So I'm really excited to get my hands on the new Micellar wipes because they have the makeup-removing power of Micellar water in them!

I actually use wipes often to remove makeup but they usually can't get all of the stubborn long-wearing eye makeup I wear so I end up having to use an eye makeup remover in addition to a wipe to make sure I get everything off. So the idea of being able to use a wipe to remove everything is really exciting and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these will be that holy grail wipe I've been looking for! 

Photo courtesy of reader Jessica

Photo courtesy of reader Jessica

These cost a little more than Simple's other wipes and Jessica shared Walmart's pricing with me below:

$3.49(Cleansing)
$3.59(Exfoliating)
$4.49(Radiance)
$4.96(Oil balancing)
$5.97(Micellar)

She said it's the same price as Simple's bottled Micellar water, but with these you're not paying for a cotton round as well (or dealing with the hassle). 

What do you think? Are you excited about these new Simple Micellar wipes? 

You can find them at Walmart stores or at Walmart.com

New! Bairly Sheer Sprays now at Ulta!

There's a new brand called Bairly Sheer that's now exclusively at Ulta and it's a range of spray-on, airbrush products that are at a great price point of $12.99 each. It's not just foundations either...they have a spray on blush, body blemish cover, pearl radiance for the body, plus a makeup sealant and a foundation primer. Let's take a look...

NEW Victoria's Secret Body Care

Victoria's Secret has just launched a new Body Care line and it's on sale for a limited time...all full size products are only $8 each (regularly $18). Let's take a look!

There are four different products in the line that are meant to be used together for maximum benefits. They're all infused with their patent-pending Cotton Moisture Complex for head-to-toe hydration and are paraben free. 

The first step is the Smoothing Scrub Wash to exfoliate and smooth your skin. Next is the UltraRich Cream Wash to cleanse and soften. The third step is the Hydrating Body Lotion to smooth and soften your skin, then finally, lock in the moisture for 24 hours with the Weightless Body Oil.

There are four scents in the line as well...Acai, Verbena, Shea, and Coconut Milk (you guys know I am all over that coconut one!). 

I'm definitely going to go there this week and sniff these in person. If I love one of the scents, I'll pick some up to try and review for you guys. Everything I mentioned here also comes in travel sizes for $5 each, but if the full sizes are only $8 right now, it makes sense to just spring for the full sizes while we can, right?! 

You can check out all the new Body Care products at Victoriassecret.com.

Nars Audacious Mascara Coming Soon!

A new mascara from Nars is not something we see very often, but I just got the news that we will be seeing a new one this fall and it's got a crazy hook..actually a bunch of them! It's called Audacious Mascara ($26), and the brush actually has over 200 molded bristles and lengthening hooks to catch every lash and grip them as it coats.  It claims to separate, lengthen, and amplify while the tapered tip grabs the inner and outermost lashes and bottom fringe.

I have to say though...I'm having a little deja vu here because the whole "lash catching hook" thing sounds a lot like the claims on Benefit's Roller Lash that came out earlier this year (one of my faves, btw).  This brush looks totally different though, so I expect the results will be different too! 

Nars Audacious Mascara will be coming to Nars Boutiques and Nordstrom online on August 1, and at Sephora and Nars counters September 1. 

New: Lumene Time Freeze Instant Lift V-Shaping Serum

Today I was in CVS and spotted the new Lumene Time Freeze V-Shaping serum. Since I'm really into Korean skincare products, I recognized the term "V-shaping" right away and was pretty impressed to see it in a drugstore in the US. 

V-Shape refers to a perfect oval-shaped face with a slim, firm jawline. Basically, the "V" refers to the shape of the jawline when pictured from the front and it tends to give a more feminine, youthful appearance. If you do a quick Google search, you can see photos of women who have had their faces altered through plastic surgery to achieve a V-shaped face, as well as tips on how to create the illusion through contouring and facial exercises.  If you're interested, this site illustrates what I'm talking about.

But if you're looking to create a slim, lifted jawline without surgery, the new Lumene Instant Lift V-Shaping Serum claims to actually "shape the contours of the face visibly so that the skin around the jawline is tightened, firmed and lifted". The lifting effect is supposed to be visible instantly as well as long-term, plus this formula also reduces wrinkles. 

Call me curious, but I just had to grab a bottle for myself and see if this actually works! 

I found it at CVS for $31.99 but it's on sale at Walgreens right now for $22.49, or you can also find it at Ulta for $29.99. 

Colourpop Sheer Lippie Stix are Now Available!

The Colourpop Sheer Lippie Stix were supposed to launch tomorrow but they're already available on the site! 

So if you've been wanting to try them, don't wait...the liquid mattes sold out really fast last time...I totally missed out! Happy shopping! I'd love to hear what colors you chose in the comments below! I got them all to review here on the blog, but I'm most excited about Crunch, Kiddo, and Juice Bar! 

You can grab these now at Colourpop.com!

Colourpop Sheer Lippie Stix Coming Tomorrow!

Colourpop will be releasing 8 sheer Lippie Stix tomorrow, 7/16 and I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to snag some (I totally missed the matte liquid lipsticks, but I want these even more). So far there's no published time that they'll be live on the site, so we'll just have to keep checking. They may announce it on social media, so be sure to follow Colourpop's social pages for the 411.

I've seen swatches all over Instagram, but I thought you guys might like to see the colors actually worn on the lips. So here's a quick video of Leslie Alvarado trying them all on! 

Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme Swatches and Review First Impression

Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme ($6.99 at Walgreens) is a brand new, limited edition line of matte liquid lipsticks that just arrived at Walgreens stores. I posted about these on Instagram the other day, and based on the reaction, it's safe to say that everyone is going crazy looking for these. I did check CVS also but I haven't seen them there yet. I had a really hard time finding these because out of the 6 Walgreens in my area, only one of them carries Milani. It's weird because the other locations used to carry Milani but seem to have recently stopped. Anyway, I wanted to give you my first impressions and swatches of the three shades I purchased, so let's take a look! 

New: Cetaphil Cleansing Wipes at Bed Bath and Beyond

I just spotted new Cetaphil Cleansing Wipes at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $5.99 a pack (plus they included a bonus travel pack of 10 wipes). This is good news for Cetaphil fans, as their cleanser has a cult-following and countless makeup artists and celebrities swear by it!  It's known for being a very gentle, unscented cleanser that's also very effective at cleansing your skin. 

I use face wipes pretty often as a sort of pre-cleanse to take my makeup off before washing my face and my biggest complaint with some of them is that they can sting a little, especially the fragranced ones. I've been using Simple's cleansing wipes and I like them a lot, but I'm definitely going to try these since I love their liquid cleanser. 

What about you...are you a fan of Cetaphil products? Tried these yet? 

New: Stila Lash Stunner Primer and Huge Extreme Lash Mascara

Stila just released two new lash products with their Fall 2015 collection, Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer ($26) and Huge Extreme Lash Mascara ($23).  Let's take a closer look!

Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer features two different kinds of fibers built into a creamy, easy to apply formula with no fiber fallout (yes!!). I actually saw this in Sephora today and I'm kind of kicking myself for not getting it, but I didn't want to go over my budget.  The formula is also brown instead of white like most lash primers are.

Huge Extreme Lash Mascara is supposed to be a lightweight volumizing mascara that builds extreme volume and coats lashes with an inky black color. It has a blend of soft waxes that allow you to build multiple coats without making your lashes clumpy or crunchy. I saw this in store at Sephora today also and the brush reminds me a lot of Too Faced's Better than Sex mascara.

Have you tried either of these yet, or are you thinking about getting one (or both)? I really want to take the plunge but I'm holding off for some reviews, as I do with most high-end products.

You can find these at Sephora and Ulta stores and online. 

New Hourglass Palette Coming For Holiday 2015

I know it's waaay too early to talk about holiday-related stuff, but I just saw a new Hourglass palette on Space NK's Instagram page that's coming out for Holiday 2015...and it's too gorgeous not to share with you guys.

According to their description, this palette is blush, bronze, highlight and finishing. They didn't mention the name of it in the description box, but they hashtagged #ShadowandShimmer so I'm going to guess that the palette is called Shadow and Shimmer...but don't quote me on that! 

Photo Credit: Space NK Instagram

I haven't tried any Hourglass blushes or bronzers yet because they're just too darn expensive at $50 a pop, but if this palette is around $58 like the Modernist eyeshadow palettes or the Ambient Lighting Palette, I might just indulge! But I'm guessing it'll be more in the $75 range. I don't have pricing information yet, but I'll add it to this post once I get it!

**Update! This will retail for $79 (thanks to reader Rachel for the info) and I have also confirmed that this contains one new shade, Iridescent Highlighter (the lightest shade) and that each shade is smaller in size than the Ambient palette.**

Will you be picking this up when it hits stores?

New: Stila Perfectly Poreless Putty Perfector

Stila Perfectly Poreless Putty Perfector ($39 at Sephora) is a brand new skin-perfecting foundation with an innovative bouncy, putty texture and it's part of their new Modern Goddess Fall 2015 collection. Let's take a look! 

This powder/cream hybrid is a weightless, invisible formula that offers buildable, weightless coverage that looks like skin, not makeup. It offers a soft matte finish while it smooths the skin and hides imperfections, pores and uneven skin tone.
It comes in five shades: Fair, Light, Medium, Tan, and Deep and claims to be waterproof and smudgeproof for all day wear.

According to the Sephora website, this is great for all skin types...oily skin types will love the oil-free matte formula while it won't settle into fine lines or look cakey on dry skin.

Honestly, I thought I was on a no-buy July from here on out, but now I find myself caving because I really want to try this, it sounds amazing.

What do you guys think? Will you be indulging? I'll feel better if I know I'm not the only one who wants this really badly.

You can find this at Sephora and Ulta. 

Lorac Fall 2015 Launches Today Plus...Pro Matte Swatches!

The Lorac Fall 2015 Collection launches in stores like Kohls and Ulta and on the Lorac website today. I'm most excited for the Pro Matte palette...I need it in my life! Also, from now until July 25th, if you spend $25 on Lorac products at Ulta, you'll get a free mini of the new Pro + Fiber mascara! So let's take a look!

Pro Matte Eye Shadow Palette ($28) is an all-matte pro palette featuring 8 shades! I absolutely love my Pro 2 palette and will definitely be getting this one since I use matte shades a lot.
Here are some swatches...isn't it beautiful?

Lorac Pro Matte Palette Swatches

Front of the Line Pro Eye Pencils ($20) is a pencil version of Lorac's Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliners. It claims to be waterproof, ultra-pigmented and super smooth and comes in both matte and metallic shades- 14 in all!

Pro + Fiber Mascara ($23) is a volumizing and lengthening formula that contains tiny nylon fibers that cling to your lashes like mini extensions. I've been testing it out for the past two weeks so I'll be posting a review soon!

Pro Contour Palette & Pro Contour Brush ($45)- This contouring palette contains 3 matte contour shades, 2 matte highlight shades and 1 shimmer highlight while the brush has a unique dome shape to allow for effortless precision and control.

Will you be indulging in any of these? I already bought the mascara and will be heading to Kohls later today to pick up the matte eye shadow palette...according to the store finder online, my local store has it! 

New Bumble & Bumble Don't Blow It- Air Dried Hair, Don't Care?

I don't know about you guys, but I don't let my hair air dry unless it's in a bun or braid or something. Letting it air dry when it's down is just a bad, bad idea. I've watched countless YouTube videos on ways to let your hair air dry into "sexy beachy waves" or "effortless tousled texture"...yeah, ok. Each and every time, my hair turns into a limp, lifeless, rumpled thing that just hangs there and doesn't just look frizzy, it looks fuzzy. So unless I want to wear a bun/ponytail/braid every single day for the next few months, I have to blowdry my hair which is the last thing I want to do when it's 90 degrees. 

But maybe not, according to Bumble & Bumble, who have just introduced a brand new hair styling creme called Don't Blow It ($14 for 2 oz. or $30 for 5oz.at Sephora).  Let's take a look at the claims!

According to Sephora.com, Don't Blow It is "a first-of-it's-kind hair cream that enhances texture and body for the perfect air dried style" and promises to give you a great air-dried hair day without the heat or hassle. It contains lightweight polymers to boost your hair's natural texture and add bounce, while a plant-based conditioning blend keeps your hair hydrated and soft. 

Considering that my husband has been teasing me lately about my "librarian hair", I may have to give my bun a rest and pick up a bottle of this to try. 

Do you ever struggle with air drying your hair or do you have any secrets you'd like to share? Do tell!

Don't Blow It can be found at Sephora stores and Sephora.com.