Lancôme Fall 2013 Gift With Purchase

It's that time yet again! Lancome has their fall gift with purchase at Younkers, Carson's, Bergners, Herbergers, Boston Store, Bon Ton, and Elder-Beerman and you should definitely consider getting some things to get this one! To get the gift, you need to spend $35 or more.

Here's the scoop on this awesome gift:

Cosmetic Bag - Like most gifts that cosmetic lines have, this gift come with a makeup bag. However, Lancome is all about choices, so you can choose between a black or a berry-toned pink bag. The signature Lancome rose is on the bag in a soft, velvet print.

Skincare Trio - The next choice you get to make is which skincare trio you would like. There are three options and each comes with a serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. Each "set" is based on what your main skincare concern is. I choose the trio that has Visionnaire, High Resolution Eye Refill-3X Cream, and High Resolution Night Refill-3X Moisturizer.

Color Design Lipstick - You also get a choice between three of the Color Design Lipsticks. The options are Red Stiletto, Vintage Rose, and Pretty Burgundy. Vintage Rose (a dusty pink) was in one of Lancome's previous gifts that I received. I already own Red Stiletto, which is a bright, true red, so I picked Pretty Burgundy. It is a beautiful plummy red violet shade.

Hypnose Drama Mascara - The gift comes with a sample size tube of Hypnose Drama Mascara. I really like this mascara because it adds a lot of volume to my lashes and makes them stand out, hence the name "drama".

Cils Booster XL Primer - This lash primer also comes in the gift and it's amazing. It really helps mascara go on better, stay on better, and stand out better and saves your lashes a bit from the harshness of applying and removing mascara everyday.

Another added bonus to this gift is if you spend at least $70, you get some other extra goodies. Here is what those extras are:

Bifacil Eye Makeup Remover - This makeup remover is super awesome. You just put some on a cotton ball, hold it on you eyelid for 10 seconds and wipe. It works amazingly.

Definicils Mascara - This mascara is also part of the extra items. Another great mascara from Lancome. It is actually the number one selling mascara in the world.

Juicy Tube Lip Gloss - Last but not least you can choose to either receive La Base foundation primer or one of three different shades of Juicy Tubes. I have La Base primer already and it is a great primer that I would recommend trying. I also have two of the three shades offered in the Juicy Tubes. Moulin Rose (a bubblegum pink shade) and Magic Spell (a pretty rose shade). Both. I ended up with Tickled Pink, which is a nude, rosy pink. 

This gift goes through October 6th, but I would recommend getting yours ASAP because there are limited quantities, especially with the extra "step-up" gift.

NYX Cosmetics

Back in April I did a review of Clinique cosmetics. I talked about the products I had used from the brand, what I thought about them, etc. This time I am going to discuss a drugstore brand, NYX cosmetics.

I have been using NYX for a few years and find more and more products from the line each year that I like. This brand is super affordable and does not skimp on quality with most of their products. The best time to buy these is when Ulta occasionally has 40% off on NYX or buy one, get one free. NYX isn't sold at any of the drugstores near me, but I know that they are sold in various drugstores in the U.S.

EYES:
Glitter Mania Glitters - I won't talk too much about these because NYX doesn't carry them anymore. I wish they still had them because I think they are really nice glitters. I have them in white, blue, and purple and they are bright and stay on well. When I put other glitters on my eyes sometimes, they tend to crease a lot. These don't do that. I'm sure there are other comparable glitters out there that I will try when I use these up.

Slim Eye Pencils - I have these eye pencils in the shades Black, White Pearl, Electric Blue, Purple, Acid Green, and Emerald City. These aren't my favorite eyeliners in my collection for a couple reasons. I don't feel like they are as pigmented as they should be when I use them. They also do not wear well on me and are usually faded after a few hours. My eyelids are extremely oily, so that may or may not have something to do with it. I guess I have so many because they are a really good price and I can pair them with other eyeliners I have. These are $3.50.

Jumbo Eye Pencils - I have these pencils in the shades Milk, Black Bean, and Pacific. I started using these jumbo pencils after I saw XSparkage using them in her tutorials a lot. It was love at first use. Milk Jumbo Eye Pencil is something everyone should have. It is a perfect base and makes any color placed on top of it pop and look much more vibrant. It surprisingly doesn't crease on my oily lids, but I do use a primer underneath the pencil. NYX has tons of different shades in these to create all different kinds of looks. They can be worn alone or as a base for other shadows. They are $4.50.

Studio Liquid Liners - I have these liners in shades Extreme Black, Extreme Coffee, Extreme Plum Purple, Extreme Purple, Extreme Blue, and Extreme Sapphire. On the bottles, the labels say, "Dramatic Color Payoff". That is totally true. These liners are awesome. They are vivid, don't rub off, and have a small brush in the lid that is pretty easy to use. The blue and purple are my favorites because I love bright colors. At such a great price, it is worth it to own at least two. They are $4.50.

Liquid Crystal Liners - I have these in the shades in Crystal Gun Metal, Crystal Pewter, and Crystal Jade. These liners are as equally freakin' awesome as the Studio Liners. They are very glittery and stay on just as well as the other liners. You can wear them on top of the Studio Liners to make them stand out really well, but they stand out on their own too. I love putting one of these on with a more nude eye look to spice it up. These are also $4.50.

LIPS:

Sheer Gloss - NYX doesn't have these Lip Glosses anymore, but I have them in shades Shangri-La, Rose, and Sweet Dreams if that means anything to anyone. They are decent glosses, but don't wear that well. I will have to try some of their newer glosses at some point, but I just have so many other glosses right now that I need to get through.

Soft Matte Lip Creams - I have these in shades Abu Dhabi ( rose-beige), Istanbul (a soft pink), and Amsterdam (a bright red). Here is a description of these creams from the NYX website: "Neither lipstick nor lip gloss, the matte lip cream is a new kind of lip color that goes on silky smooth and sets to a matte finish. Soft Matte Lip Cream is surprisingly durable and, unlike some matte lipstick formulas, also moisturizing." I think this is a pretty accurate portrayal of these babies. However, I do think they are kind of drying after a while, so I use a lip gloss with them. Amterdam also fades after a couple hours, so I like to wear it over a red lipstick. Istanbul is my favorite out of the three I have. I probably wouldn't buy more of these just because I like some of the other NYX lip products a lot better and, at $6.00, they are pricier than most of their other lip colors.

Diamond Sparkle Lispticks - Ahhh! Okay, so NYX doesn't carry these lipsticks anymore either! Sorry that three of three of the products I have to talk about are ones you can't even go out and buy. I didn't realize that until I started writing this post. Well, I have these in Sparkling Gold (a gold-toned nude), Sparkling Amber (a gold-toned pink), and Sparkling Orchid (a purple-pink). They are nicely pigmented, extremely sparkly, and I don't reach for them as often as I do their other lipsticks.

Jumbo Lip Pencils - I have one Jumbo Lip Pencil in Ice (an iridescent, light brown). I don't wear this color as mush as I should. It is a great brown-toned shade, and I have a hard time finding something like this that looks good on me. The wear on these is average, but I sometimes wear this with other lipsticks to help make it wear longer.

Round Lipsticks - I have these in the shades Mars (beige), Louisiana (bright strawberry pink), Spell Bound (Magenta), and Femme (orange-red) I counted on their website and this lipstick comes in 108 different shades. There is almost no way you couldn't find a shade you like. The hardest part is deciding which one or ones to get. These are pretty moisturizer, very vibrant, and last for a few hours before having to reapply. Use a lip liner to make these last longer. At $4.00, they are totally worth trying.

Retractable Lip Liners - I own one of these in Nude Pink and it looks slightly brighter than what I would imagine a nude pink lip liner to look like. This is a great lip liner that I can wear with a lot of different colors. I usually fill my entire lips in with this lip liner before applying lipstick. My lip color stays on for most of the day without having to reapply when I use this liner. They are available for $4.50.

FACE:

HD Photogenic Concealers - I have this in the yellow shade and it's supposed to help reduce the appearance of under-eye darkness. This concealer works really well. It brightens my eye area and hides the dark circles that I generally have. It goes on really smooth and the applicator wand helps control how much I put in without over-doing it. This concealer comes in different shades and colors to correct various problems and costs $4.50.

HD Studio Photogenic Grinding Blushes - I have this blush in the shade Sangria in Madrid. I really liked the idea of this blush, but I just don't really like it. It is slighty messy if you don't open it carefully and the shade I have looks clownish on me no matter how little I use. Maybe some of you would like these though. They are $15.

Powder Blushes - Okay so I have not personally tried these NYX blushes, but I have heard a lot of good things about them. I also know that they have a lot of good dupes for MAC blushes. These will be something I will pick up in the near future. They are $5.

Sometime today or tomorrow I will have another post with swatches of this stuff. I won't include the items that NYX doesn't sell anymore.

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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!

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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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