Recent Ulta Haul!

Since I had a 20% off coupon as well as double points throughout March, I decided to pick up some things I'd been thinking about for awhile at Ulta.

For more photos of the products, as well as my thoughts so far, keep reading!

Face of the Day - Bright Purple & Pink Eyes

Products:

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro
Revlon Colorstay
Milani HD Advanced concealer
Milani Minerals Compact Makeup
Prestige Brow Perfection Light/Medium
Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara
Maybelline Color Tattoo - Fuchsia Fever
Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Fishnet
Make Up For Ever #92
Make Up For Ever #75 (on eyes and cheeks)
Wet n Wild Eyeshadow - Brulee
NYX single eyeshadow - Black
Milani Liquif'eye - Black
L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes
Rimmel Lasting Finish lipstick - Airy Fairy

Face of the Day - Job Interview

 I was meeting with someone about a potential job today so I figured I'd better go with something fairly light and something I know works!

I realized too late that I left my lipstick out of the photo! It was MAC's Rebel.

Face of the Day

I completely forgot to take a photo of the products I used today! Many of them are ones I've used before, however.

Products used:

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro primer
Revlon Colorstay foundation
Milani HD Advanced concealer
Milani Minerals Compact Makeup
Cargo blush - Key Largo
Prestige Brow Perfection - Light/Medium
Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara
MAC Paint Pot - Painterly
Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Honey, Peace
Wet n Wild Creme Brulee eyeshadow
Physicians Formula black gel liner (from the Hazel Eyes trio, but it doesn't really matter)
L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara
MAC lipstick - Impassioned
Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss - Coral Reef

My outfit today was pretty boring - just jeans and a tshirt, and shoes I've shown here before - so I didn't take photos of it, either. My fragrance of the day was more of my sample of Marc Jacobs' Oh Lola!

Face of the Day

Products Used:


Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro primer
Revlon Colorstay liquid foundation
Revlon Colorstay under eye concealer
Revlon Photoready concealer
Physicians Formula Healthy Wear powder foundation
Physicians Formula Happy Booster blush - Rose

Prestige Brow Perfection pencil - Light/Medium
Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara

MAC Paint Pot - Painterly
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils - Cucumber, Peacock, Yellow
MAC eyeshadow - Lucky Green
Urban Decay Deluxe Palette - Peace, Honey
Wet n Wild Vanity Palette - palest matte shade
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel Creamliner for hazel eyes - black
L'Oreal Voluminous mascara - Carbon Black

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Smitten

May 18 FOTD - Wet n Wild Fauna eyeshadows, new Maybelline mascara

Face:
Urban Decay De Slick spray
Revlon Colorstay Combo/Oily
Revlon Photoready concealer
L'Oreal True Match powder
Milani Minerals blush - Luminous

Eyes:
MAC paint pot - Painterly
Milani Shadow Eyez - Royal Purple
Urban Decay - Ransom eyeshadow
Wet n Wild - Fauna eyeshadow trio
Physician's Formula Nude Eyes liner trio - black
Maybelline Mega Plush waterproof mascara
Wet n Wild I <3 Matte palette (black over liner, dark brown for brows)
Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara for brows

Lips:
NYX lipstick - Femme

Bright Pink! FOTD - May 17

Face:
Urban Decay De Slick Spray
Revlon Colorstay foundation
Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer
L'Oreal True Match powder
Physicians Formula Happy Booster - Rose

Eyes:
MAC Painterly paint pot
Urban Decay - Scratch
MUFE - 75
L'Oreal Voluminous mascara - Carbon Black

Brows: 
Wet n Wild Vanity Palette - Matte Dark Brown
Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara

Lips:
MAC Candy Yum Yum lipstick (a thin layer)

Recent Hauls (with swatches!) - NYX, Wet n Wild, Urban Decay, Coach

Cream eyeshadows in Purple and Pinky Beige, Matte lipstick in Hippie Chic

Coach Poppy rollerball, Shine Killer primer, stay matte but not flat powder

Urban Decay 24/7 concealer

Wet n Wild lipsticks

Face of the Day - April 5

Face: 

NYX Shine Killer

Revlon Colorstay foundation

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer

L'Oreal True Match powder

Physicans Formula Happy Booster - Rose

Eyes:

NYX HD Primer

NYX cream shadow - pinky beige

NYX slide on liner - pretty violet

Maybelline Colossal mascara

Lips:

Covergirl Lip Perfection - Spellbound (bottom layer)

MAC - Candy Yum Yum (on top)

Face of the Day December 30

Face:
Revlon Colorstay liquid foundation
Maybelline Superstay concealer
Revlon Colorstay Aqua mineral finishing powder
Physician's Formula Organic Wear Light Bronzer/Soft Ginger (blush only)

Eyes:
Palladio eyeshadow primer
Physician's Formula gel liner trio for hazel eyes - black (as base and liner)
Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Graffiti, Peace, Ransom
Wet n Wild Greed Palette - top left shade
Covergirl Lash Perfection mascara

Lips:
Revlon Colorburst lipstick - Fuchsia

Face of the Day - December 28 2011

Face:
Revlon Colorstay foundation
L'Oreal True Match concealer
L'Oreal True Match powder
Wet n Wild blush - Heather Silk
Physician's Formula Happy Booster translucent powder

Eyes:
Palladio primer
Physician's Formula gel liner trio for hazel eyes - purple (as base)
Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Ransom, Fishnet
Physician's Formula gel liner trio for hazel eyes - black
Maybelline 24 Hr Bold mascara

Lips:
Milani HD Advanced lipcolor - Vivacious Fuchsia

Face of the Day - December 12

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it on here yet, but the lens I use for taking these pictures no longer is able to auto focus, so I have to manually focus it. This isn't too much of an issue for products or most swatches, but it has made taking photos of my own makeup quite the challenge! I've worked it out to be decently in focus, but it's definitely less sharp than it used to be. Hopefully I'll get it worked out in the next month or so, but in the meantime, just know I'm trying!

(Just to be clear, the products in these pictures are not necessarily their relative size to each other...it's just how they fit together!)

Face:

L'Oreal True Match liquid 

Maybelline Superstay concealer

L'Oreal True Match powder

Physician's Formula Happy Booster blush - Rose (not pictured)

Eyes:

Palladio primer (not pictured)

Physician's Formula gel liner trio for green eyes - purple 

Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Ransom

Wet n Wild Vanity Palette - top left shadow

Physician's Formula gel liner trio for hazel eyes - black

Sephora Flashy waterproof liner - Flashy Blue

Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Peace

Maybelline The Colossal mascara

Lips:

Revlon Colorburst lipstick - Pink Sugar

Jordana Lip Shine - Pink Grapefruit

I also forgot to put my foundation brush in there! I used the Sonia Kashuk pointed foundation brush, though. I've done a blog post on it in the past - it's my favorite foundation brush I've tried so far.

Face of the Day - December 3rd

For the eyes, I started with NYX HD primer and a thin layer of the Sephora jumbo pencil  in Green. I used the Urban Decay shadows in Graffiti and Scratch from the Deluxe Shadow Box, with Graffiti on the lid and Scratch above. I applied both with the same brush - the all-over shadow brush from Mark.
I used a small angled brush from Coastal Scents to apply the copper eyeliner from the Physician's Formula Glam Collection for brown eyes.
I used Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara.

I used L'Oreal True Match compact foundation, Rimmel Match Perfection concealer, and REvlon Colorstay pressed powder.
I used the ELF Studio Complexion brush with Physician's Formula Happy Booster light bronzer and the ELF Mineral blush brush with Wet n Wild blush in Pearlescent Pink.
For lips, I first did a layer of Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Kiss Me Coral, then topped it off with Jordana lipgloss in Darling. 

Eyeliner Pencil Collection and Swatches - Plus Urban Decay review

All my pencil eyeliners - including the 24/7 pencils. The order is the same in this photo as in the swatches.

L-R: Urban Decay - Radium, Physician's Formula - Shimmer Strips Eye Enhancing trio for blue eyes,  Milani Liquif'eye -  Blue, Milani Liquif'eye - Aqua, Jordana Easyliner - Bliss, Revlon Luxurious Color Eyeliner - Electric Blue, Urban Decay - Junkie, NYX eye pencil - Acid Green

Just a note- the Revlon and NYX liners above don't go on that pigmented over shadow on the eye area - probably because they are a bit harder so it's more difficult to apply the right amount of pressure without hurting the eye area.

L-R: Urban Decay - Ransom, NYX Slide On Eyeliner - Pretty  Violet, Jordana Easyliner - Purple Fusion,  ULTA Automatic Eyeliner - Raisin, Urban Decay - Woodstock

As you can probably tell, the Urban Decay and NYX purples are almost identical, with the NYX being even a little bit more pigmented.

L-R: Urban Decay - Perversion, Milani Liquif'eye  - Black, Physician's Formula - Shimmer Strips Eye Enhancing trio for blue eyes, Jordana Kohl Kajal Eyeliner - Onyx

I heard from several people that Perversion is the blackest black they'd seen...but from this photo the Milani looks even darker and the others don't really seem that different in darkness (of course the Physician's Formula liner has blue shimmer which changes it a bit - although it's hardly visible on the eye). The Jordana liner looks a bit shiny but I think that's because it never really sets. I never use that liner for that reason.

Physician's Formula - Shimmer Strips Eye Enhancing trio for blue eyes, Jordana Easyliner - Coffee Bean,  Rimmel Soft Kohl eyeliner - Pure White,  Rimmel Soft Kohl eyeliner - Stormy Grey, Milani Liquif'eye - Silver

After I had taken the regular swatch photos and uploaded my computer and then even waited a few more minutes, I just swiped down over all the liners with my clean, dry fingers to see how they smudged. The Milani and Physician's Formula liners definitely have the least smudging. The Rimmel and Jordana liners were the worst, and the others were somewhere in between. The Urban Decay liners didn't smudge a ridiculous amount, but they definitely did smudge.

I liked the color Junkie from the Urban Decay set since it was a more unique color that also had pretty good pigmentation. I wanted to really like Woodstock, but it wasn't as bright as I'd hoped. Radium is kind of in between bright and dark blue and while I didn't dislike it, I didn't get the feeling I'd reach for it often. I already have (slightly better, in my opinion) dupes for Perversion and Ransom in my collection, so it just isn't worth the money for me to keep this set. They're not awful liners but they're certainly not outstanding and I think better quality can be found at the drugstore price level, if perhaps lacking in shade range. But what good is a great shade range if the colors are only sort of pigmented and they smudge fairly easily?

What are your favorite or least favorite pencil eyeliners?

Face of the Day - Halloween

I'm not doing anything Halloween-specific today, so I figured I'd just do a look with Halloween colors!

Face:
Milk of Magnesia (primer)
MAC Matchmaster foundation
NYX Concealer in a Jar
Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder

Eyes:
Palladio primer
LA Colors eyeshadow trio - Boardwalk
Milani Infinite Liquid Eyeliner - Everlast
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Perversion
NYX single eyeshadow - Black
L'Oreal Voluminous mascara - Carbon Black

Lips:
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick - Kiss Me Coral

Face of the Day - October 30

Face:
Milk of Magnesia (primer)
L'Oreal True Match Compact Makeup
NYX Concealer in a Jar
Wet n Wild Blush - Heather Silk

Eyes:
Palladio primer
Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Fishnet and Ransom
Wet n Wild Vanity Palette - Matte Nude
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Ransom
Maybelline One by One mascara

Lips:
Rimmel lasting finish lipstick - Airy Fairy

FOTD October 29 - Urban Decay Blue & Green

This was my first time using the Urban Decay products - I am loving the shadows! I haven't had the primer on long enough to judge yet but no complaints so far. I like the eyeliner but I'm also not seeing anything particularly special about it? I've heard so many people who love these liners and say this one is the blackest ever, but it seems pretty normal to me? Am I missing something? Again, no complaints - but it's nothing unique.

Face:
Milk of Magnesia (primer)
MAC Matchmaster foundation
Rimmel Match Perfection concealer
Revlon Colorstay powder
Wet n Wild blush - Pearlescent Pink

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box - Peace, Graffiti
Wet n Wild Vanity palette - matte nude
NYX single eyeshadow - black
Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner - Perversion
Maybelline The Colossal mascara
Ardell #108 lashes

Lips:
Milani HD lipcolor - Vivacious Fuchsia
Kat Von D lipgloss - Marg

Sephora Haul and Swatches!

About a month ago, I won a contest on Erica's Facebook page with this look. (She also has a fantastic blog here.) As the prize, Erica mailed me a $100 Sephora gift card! I was so shocked to have won at all, and then there was such a fantastic prize. I've bought a few small items from Sephora in the past, but never anything over $10. I never thought I'd actually be buying full size items from there, despite how often I'd wander through and dream about what I would get if I could. After I made a list of some things I wanted to try, I went to one of the nearby Sephoras to get samples and otherwise try products out on myself. I also knew I was going to buy Stella McCartney's perfume in a rollerball since I've been wanting that fragrance for so long - I  would spray some on myself every time I went to a Sephora - but I didn't want to use up more than half of the gift card on an actual bottle. I've been using it most days since - I just love that scent!

Besides the perfume, I knew I would get the Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box and the 24/7 travel set as soon as I saw them. I also was considering MUFE Mat Velvet + foundation (which I decided I liked but not enough to pay 3x as much as my current foundation), a MUFE Aqua Cream (maybe in the future - this is something I'd be more likely to use in the summer), MUFE Smokey Lash mascara (I will DEFINITELY buy this in the future! It's amazing! But I have quite a few mascaras open right now so I'm going to wait until I've used up a few of them), and NARS Pure Matte lipstick in Carthage (an amazing color and product...but $25 for one lip product was a bit much for me...especially since I have so many pink lip products)

My eyes after going to Sephora to try things out - MUFE Aqua Cream #13 all over my lids, UD 24/7 liner in Ransom , and MUFE Smokey Lash mascara. I didn't have my lashes curled at all beforehand and I was using the disposable mascara wands, and I was still really impressed with the way my lashes looked. Plus it didn't flake or transfer AT ALL and it wasn't even the waterproof formula!

After I'd narrowed down my choices, I found out that the Friends & Family sale was coming up, so I decided to wait for that to take advantage of the 20% off and maybe be able to get something else! I ended up getting two MUFE eyeshadows instead of just one. So here are the things I got in my order!

The samples that came with my order - I'm excited for the perfume samples, but none of the Clinique samples are the options for my skin type! They're meant for dry skin but mine is oily.

These Makeup Forever eyeshadows are SO bright and fun! It was really hard to get them to photograph correctly in pan - the swatches are a bit closer to how bright they are in real life. The purple is #92 and the pink is #75. I also love the packaging on these. I wish all shadows came magnetized in their containers!

I love colored eyeliner so when I saw this set I knew I had to have it. It's the  24/7 Travel Size set of 5 in Electric.

This is one thing I have been eyeing at Sephora for quite awhile. I love bright colors and wanted a palette that had a good variety of them and I've always heard such good things about Urban Decay eyeshadows. Plus since it has a few neutral shades, including the black, I think it would work well as a travel palette for me. It also came with a small Primer Potion.

If you have any thoughts or experiences with any of these products or the ones I didn't end up purchasing, please share them!