Look of the Day: Ocean View

So I tried to upload this post Sunday and yesterday, but I could not get my pictures to upload. I guess I have to use Google Chrome from now on to update my blog.

Moving on, my look of the day for today is inspired by the water. Have you ever stayed in a hotel room or maybe a house that overlooks the water? You know when you look out the window or stand on the shore and see the water glisten, and it looks like many different shades of blue? That's basically what I was trying to get at with this look. I hope you like it. :)

Products used:

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
BH Cosmetics 120 Eyeshadow Palette 2nd Edition - 3 different blues
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Flipside
CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara in Very Black

Face:
Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in 1.5
MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
Lancome Blush Subtil in Sheer Ambrose

Lips:
NYX Rounds Lipstick in Mars
Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Air Kiss


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Look of the Day: Across the Galaxy

I have been on a creative streak lately. I've really been trying to push myself to do new and different makeup looks. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut and do the same look too much. Now that I am getting back into trying new things, I would say to expect more posts like this more regularly.

Today's Look of the Day is based off of this photo of a galaxy:

It's not a super fancy look or anything, but I think it turned out pretty good.

 

Products I used:

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk as a base
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Oz (metallic silver shade in the Glinda Palette) on the lid
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Tornado (purple shade in the Glinda Palette) in and around the crease
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Aura (white/blue duo-chrome shade in the Glinda Palette) on the browbone and tear duct area
Stila Smudge Stick Eye Liner in Silver Dollar
Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Liner in Rockstar
Lancome Liner Design Gel Liner in Indigo Darling
CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara in Very Black

Face: 
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24 Hour Foundation in 100 Ivoire
MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
Lancome Blush Subtil in Aplum

Lips:
Clinique Butter Shine Lipstick in Pink-a-Boo

Smell This: Dolce & Gabbana The One Desire

Dolce & Gabbana The One Desire is the newest addition to The One line of fragrances. The other fragrances are the original The One, L'eau The One, and Rose The One.

Desire smells like a mix between the original and L'eau. It has a faint, sweet scent and also some heavier, musky scents. Top notes in the fragrance are bergamot, mandarin, lychee and lily of the valley. The heart is tuberose and the base is caramel, vanilla, sandalwood and musk.

After wearing it for over an hour, the sweet scent faded on my skin. I was left with a scent very similar to the original The One. I don't care too much for this scent because I usually go for fruitier scents. Don't let that stop you from checking it out for yourself though. The perfume did wear for a long period of time and wasn't too overpowering.

The Desire bottle is the same shape as the other The One fragrances. The difference is that Desire has an all-black bottle and a gold lid with a big black "jewel" on the top. Desire is written in elegant cursive on the bottle. I absolutely love the sleek and stylish look of the packaging. It proves that a perfume bottle can stand out without all the crazy bottles, toppers, frills, and flowers on it.

Dolce & Gabbana The One Desire retails for $93 for a 1.6 fl. oz. bottle and can be purchased a most department stores where fragrances are sold.

What is your favorite perfume bottle? Let me know in the comments below! You don't have to be directly subscribed to the blog or a Blogger member to comment!

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Also, if this is your first time stopping by, check out some of my latest blogs like my two-part post on Clinique cosmetics. Here is PART 1 and PART 2. :)

Clinique Cosmetics PART 2

This is PART 2 of my overview of Clinique cosmetics. In PART 1, I talked about Clinique skincare. If you missed my blog post on it, check it out here.

In PART 2 I will briefly discuss the makeup products I have used from Clinique and what my thoughts are on them. Swatches are included.


Mascara:

• High Impact - This is probably my favorite Clinique mascara. It's main purpose is to add volume to lashes. It coats evenly and covers very well with one coat. I love the way it defines my lashes. This mascara is somewhat similar to Lash Doubling but thickens the lashes more and makes them pop a little better. It retails for $16.

• Lash Doubling - This mascara is supposed to thicken and volumize the lashes, which I think it does. It separates them and helps them stand out but not too much. I like to wear this mascara when I want my eyeshadow to pop more than my lashes. It retails for $16.

• High Lengths -This is my least favorite product I have tried from Clinique. The brush/comb is a strange shape and does not fit well around the lashes. It applies super clumpy and is just a complete mess. I just don't like how it looks on my lashes. It is $16 for anyone that can actually make it work for them.

Lipstick:

•  Long Last Lipstick - I have these lipsticks in shades All Heart, Bamboo Pink, Pink Spice, and Sugared Maple. All heart is a strawberry red. Bamboo Pink is a neutral brownish pink shade that is good for any skin tone. Pink Spice is a deep berry pink. Sugared Maple is almost the darker version of Bamboo Pink with a little more red in it. These all have a slight shimmer to them. They are non-drying but are not as long lasting as I would prefer. They stay on a few hours before wearing off without eating or drinking. They retail for $15.

All Heart, Bamboo Pink, Pink Spice, Sugared Maple

• Different Lipstick -  I have these lipsticks in shades Glazed Berry and A Different Grape. Glazed Berry is a soft pink with a bit of shine. It is a fun pink without being overly bright. A Different Grape is a burgundy violet. This color is deep, but it is still very wearable. I think it is a great lipstick to wear with a subtle smokey eye look. These lipsticks are moisturizing and shiny. They wear for a few hours before having to reapply. They retail for $15.

Glazed Berry, A Different Grape

•  Butter Shine Lipstick - I have the shades Baby Baby and Pink-a-Boo. Baby Baby is nude pink that is gorgeous on all skin types. Pink-a-Boo is a pretty, golden pink. These lipsticks definitely live up to their name. They are super shiny and are also very moisturizing. These wear just about as well as the other Clinique lipsticks. Baby Baby is one of my favorite Lipsticks from Clinique. They retail for $15.

Baby Baby, Pink-a-Boo

• Almost Lipstick - I have this in the shade Black Honey. This color is a deep violet. It looks very dark in the tube but is a sheer shine lipstick. Once again the wear isn't as great as I would like it to be, but it is non-drying like the other lipsticks. It retails for $15.

• Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm - I have the shade Curvy Candy. It is a light pink. These Chubby Sticks are Moisturizing like they claim to be but lack pigmentation. They are good to wear when you are looking for just a little bit of color. I do not own any of the new Intense Chubby Sticks, but I have tried them on at work at would recommend them above all Clinique lip colors. They stay on well and are nicely pigmented. Roomiest Rose is my favorite. Both the regular and Intense Chubby Sticks retail for $16.

Chubby Stick in Curvy Candy, Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

Ligloss:

• Long Last Glosswear - I have these in Air Kiss, Kissyfit, Sunset, and Fireberry. Air Kiss is a golden pink shimmer. Kissyfit is a bright pink with shimmer. Sunset is a golden copper shade that fits the name perfectly. Fireberry is a deep red with gold shimmer. The glosses are beautifully pigmented. They have SPF 15 and wear for quite a while. They retail for $15.

Air Kiss, Kissyfit, Sunset, Fireberry

Eyeshadow:

• Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Plum Seduction - I am obsessed with basically anything purple (clothes, makeup, and my hair), so naturally the one eyeshadow product I own from Clinique has purple in it.The dark plum and the dark taupe color are my favorite shades in this quad. The colors are nicely pigmented and they stay on best with a primer underneath. It retails for $27.

Eyeliner:

• Cream Shaper in Starry Plum - This eyeliner is very creamy. The shade is a deep purple with a very slight shimmer. I love wearing this color with my Plum Seduction eyeshadow quad. It stays on nicely and last for most of the day. It retails for $15.

Plum Seduction Quad, Starry Plum Eyeliner

Blush:

•  Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher - I have these in the shades New Clover, Mocha Pink, and Fig. New Clover is a pink-y violet. Mocha Pink is a nude pink like the name suggests. Fig is a reddish brown shade. These blushes wear for a long time and are not overly pigmented. They retail for $21.

• Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in Peony Blend -This shade may have been changed or updated since I got it. Mine is almost a peach when mixed together. It is very natural-looking and is also great for every day wear. I love the design on the blush as well. It is a great color for spring time. It retails for $29.50.

New Clover, Mocha Pink, Fig, Allover Colour in Peony Blend

Have you tried any of these products or any other Clinique makeup that you love? What brand would you like to see me review/discuss next? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to subscribe to my blog, my feed, by entering your e-mail on the right-hand side, or through Google+ if you haven't already. I update frequently and have many more things coming soon! :)

Clinique Cosmetics PART 1

I want to start reviewing cosmetic brands every so often here. I think it would be fun to talk about what I have tried from a certain brand, what I like, what I don't, etc. However, I NEED FEEDBACK! I want anyone who reads my posts to feel like they have some input on what they read on here. If you like what I am doing or want to see something different, I need to know! So leave comments please!

Moving on, today I want to talk about Clinique. I started using Clinique products when I started working at Younkers a few years ago. Since then I have tried a good amount of their products. They are a pretty affordable high-end brand for the most part. I have not tried many of their serums or things from their lines like Even Better because I don't have a need for them yet, so I won't have much information on those things. 

This is PART 1 of 2 posts I will do on Clinique. This one is about skin care and makeup remover. Stop back tomorrow for PART 2, which talks about Clinique's makeup.

• Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion - This is a liquid exfoliator that is used after cleanser and before moisturizer. This particular one has a white powder in it that soaks up the oil that acne-prone people like me have. It also contains salicylic acid, which helps fight acne. I have been using this for over a year now with my cleanser and moisturizer and I have seen an incredible improvement in my skin. My acne has cleared up immensely. I still get acne, mainly on my chin, but it nowhere near as bad as it was before. It is best used with the acne cleanser and moisturizer, but I find that it dries out my skin and causes irritation if I use too many products with salicylic acid. It retails for $15.

• Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel - This is a spot treatment for acne that also contains salicylic acid. I use this on blemishes that are just coming in or that are very noticeable. The treatment dries the blemish up and reduces the size and redness. The bottle lasts a long time because you don't have to use very much of it. It retails for $16.

• Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Mask - I really can't say much about the results I have had with this because I just got it a few weeks ago and have only used it twice. It is a clay mask with salicylic acid in it that helps heal acne, unclog pores, and fight oil. It says on the packaging to leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse off, but I leave it on until it completely hardens and then rinse it off. It does leave my skin a little red after using it, so I would recommend using it at night a little before going to bed. I would also not use it more than once a week. So far I like it and will continue to use it to see what kind of results it will bring me. It retails for $22.

•  Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - This is their most popular moisturizer. They recommend using it with the other 3-step products (cleanser and clarifying lotion). It comes in a lotion for dry/normal skin and a gel for oily skin like mine. I started using this a few months ago and think it is an ok moizturizer. I haven't noticed too much difference in my skin from it, but it does feel nice and helps a tiny bit with cutting back on the oil on my face. It retails for $25.

• Moisture Surge Moisturizer - This is my favorite moisturizer ever! I have developed some annoying dry, flaky patches on my face from the dry Iowa winter we had. This moisturizer, which is like a "big drink of water for your skin," as my Clinique consultants would say, leaves my skin feeling hydrated but not oily. I use this one mainly at night before going to sleep and on days when my skin feels a little dry. The large jar (2.5 fl. oz.) retails for $49.50 and the small (1.7) retails for $37.

• Moisture Surge Overnight Mask - This is a new product for Clinique. It is a creamy mask that you put on at night after all your skin care and then wash it off in the morning. It helps bring moisture back to your face and it feels amazing. I use this once a week. When I wash it off in the morning, it leaves my face feeling super soft and hydrated but not oily. It retails for $32 and will last for a long time because you barely have to use any of it to cover the entire face.

• Pore Refining Solutions Correcting Serum - This serum, used before moisturizer after clarifying lotion, is supposed to smooth out the skin and diminish the look of your pores. I have not tried this product consistently enough to see any real results, but I love the way this serum feels on my skin. It makes my face feel baby soft and smooth. To see results, it needs to be used twice a day, every day like the rest on Clinique's skin care products. It retails for $42.50.

• Take the Day Off Makeup Remover - This makeup remover can be used on the eyelids, lashes, and lips. It is very easy to remove my makeup with this stuff. All I have to do is put it on a cotton ball and hold it on my eyelid or lips for 5-10 seconds and then wipe everything away. It takes off both regular and waterproof makeup. I do have to rinse off my eyelids after using it though because it does leave behind that oily residue. I also want to to point out the Take the Day Off is the perfect and most awesome name for a makeup remover ever! It retails for $18.

 Have you used any of these Clinique products before? What do think of them? Are there any other Clinique skin care products not mentioned that you really like? Let me know in the comments below!

Smell This: Gucci Guilty Black

Gucci Guilty Black women's perfume was released a few weeks ago and has sold fairly well so far at Younkers, so I thought you all might want to read my thoughts on the fragrance.

It is a sweet and slightly spicy scent that I would describe as sultry. It is fitting for the name Gucci Guilty Black. The top notes in the fragrance  are red fruits and pink pepper. The heart is made up of raspberry, peach, lilac, and violet. The base notes round it out with patchouli and amber.

The most noticeable difference between Black and the other two Gucci fragrances in the Guilty collection, the original and the Intense, is the sweetness in this new one. The other two do not smell sweet to me at all.

I think this perfume would be perfect to wear out at night to an event or party or on a date. It might be too heavy for some people to wear during the day, but I would say to wear it whenever you feel like it suits you.

I also love the advertisement posters for both the men and women's Gucci Guilty Black. Rachel Evan Wood and Chris Evans both look gorgeous! I love the mixture of colors that correspond with the colors of the bottles. The red and green blend so well to create the perfect atmosphere and feeling behind the fragrances.

I love the packaging of the Gucci Guilty fragrances. They look very sleek, but still stand out with the Gucci symbol cut out on the bottle. The one downfall, in my opinion, with all the Gucci Guilty bottles is that fingerprints are easily visible on them. However, fingerprints can be noticeable on many perfume bottles, and this would only be an issue if you have them on display in your room and are bothered by the prints. The only other thing I don't like about the new Black perfume bottle is the black, plastic-y cover. I think it makes the bottle look a little cheap. The other Guilty bottles are also like this, but the metal look made them seem more upscale. I do love the red tinted glass bottle and the overall shape of the bottle.

Gucci Guilty Black retails at $95 for a 2.5 fluid ounce bottle and $75 for a 1.6 fluid ounce bottle and can be found at most department stores where fragrances are sold.

What is your favorite scent to wear when you go out at night? Let me know in the comments below!

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Thanks for stopping by and while you're here, check out some of my previous posts like my review of a couple CoverGirl products: http://brightlipsanddyedtips.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-covergirl-clump-crusher-mascara.html or my Get to Know Me post: http://brightlipsanddyedtips.blogspot.com/2013/03/get-to-know-me.html

Review: CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara and Jumbo Gloss Balm

I recently went to Ulta and purchased the CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara and the Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm. I have heard and read many great reviews from beauty bloggers, so I finally decided to try these products out for myself.

The Clump Crusher mascara, which I got in very black, lives up to the hype behind it. On the packaging it claims to deliver 200% more volume and ZERO clumps. I definitely feel like the mascara covers all my lashes and covers them from root to end. Sometimes I find that mascaras can leave the bottom part of my lashes looking great, but the ends don't get covered enough. This mascara solves that problem for me. This mascara reminds me slightly of Clinique's High Impact mascara. This may be a comparable mascara if you are looking for something a little less expensive.

I love the brush for this mascara as well. The curved brush helps deposit the mascara onto the lashes and then comb it evenly throughout the lashes. Of course, the biggest plus about this mascara for a lot of people is that there is no clumping. It doesn't matter how many times you comb the brush through your lashes, the mascara does not clump! Overall, I am very happy with this mascara and will repurchase it in the future. I definitely recommend it for anyone who is looking for a new mascara.

The CoverGirl Jumbo Gloss Balm I got is in the shade Ballet Twist. I was in need of a good nude/light pink lip color and this seemed to be the best one in this line. A ton of lines are coming out with packaging like this that are in a jumbo crayon shape and twist up. There are quite a few lines (mostly high-end) that have had lip colors like this for a while now, but it has just now kind of taken off and become super popular.

As for the color, I really love it. The shade is very similar to my natural lip color. It is just a little bit lighter with an added gold sheen to it. The balm feels nice and moisturizing on the lips. It stayed on my lips for a few hours before I had to re-apply.

Excuse my extremely dry lips

Both of these products were $8.99 at Ulta. They were buy one, get one 50% off when I purchased them and I used a coupon. CoverGirl is usually a dollar or so cheaper at Target or Walmart, so I would buy them at another store if you don't have a coupon for Ulta or there isn't a sale.


Let me know in the comments below if you have tried either of these products and what you think of them. If you haven't tried either of these products, let me know what your favorite drugstore mascara and/or lip color is. I really want to be able to interact more with you all, so don't be shy and please please please leave a comment so I can get to know you all. :)

If you haven't already, check out some of my previous posts like this one:  http://brightlipsanddyedtips.blogspot.com/2013/03/get-to-know-me.html

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