Georgia by Robin McGraw Debuts on HSN

Light. Elegant. Invigorating. Sensual. 

A scent that expresses the spirit of being a woman. 
A new fragrance by Robin McGraw.

With fall in full swing and the holidays right around the corner, I'm always looking for fresh new fragrances. The launch of Georgia by Robin McGraw came just in time for me and debuts on HSN on October 28th, 2014. If you're looking for the perfect classic feminine scent for you or yours, be sure to tune in!

Press Sample

About:
Robin McGraw's debut fragrance, Georgia by Robin McGraw, inspired by the spirit, love, power and courage of her mother Georgia, embodies and inspires a woman of great optimism and inner strength. $58.00 // 1.7 fl oz. The Georgia by Robin McGraw collection will include a scented hydrating body butter ($30/8 fl oz), foaming shower gel ($28/8 fl oz) and moisturizing hand cream ($18/3 fl oz).

My thoughts:

I love that this is inspired by Robin McGraw's mother and that she put so much time and effort into developing her first fragrance. I love the stylish yet classic packaging and design of the bottle. It certainly makes it a piece you'd be happy to showcase in your collection or in your bathroom. I was really excited to try this fragrance when I read what the top, middle and base notes were (see photo above). It sounded like a really unique yet beautiful pairing of scents. I can be sensitive to some fragrances but this one was not overwhelming at all. I think it is a feminine scent yet it is mature and classic as well. If you're looking for a gift for your mother, mother-in-law, sister, etc I think this would be something they would absolutely love. This debuts on HSN on October 28th, 2014 so be sure to tune in! 

When Georgia Smiled, The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation helps the fight against domestic violence. $1 from every purchase will go to the foundation and HSN will match the donation. 

tarte Rainforest After Dark Limited Edition palette {Review}

One of my absolute favorite palettes for fall is the tarte rainforest after dark limited edition palette. Okay, first look at this packaging! Tarte makes it hard to even throw out the box this palette comes in. I also love the snake design on the cover of the palette with the purple jeweled eye. Tarte always has great attention to detail with their palettes and gift sets! I also love that this contains a nice mix of different eyeshadow colors with a highlighter, bronzer and blush. Because of the pairing of product types and colors, this becomes a must have travel palette. 

Press Sample 

Product Description: ($38)
A limited-edition, colored clay eye and cheek palette for day to night looks. Inspired by the rain forest’s deep orchid hues at dusk, Tarte’s limited-edition eye and cheek palette has everything you need to create sultry and sophisticated day to night looks. Infused with colored clay, which naturally color-corrects as it supports oil control, this makeup provides longer wear and truer color payoff. This modern ingredient from the mountainous regions of Brazil brightens, evens, and soothes skin, while the velvety formula glides on and delivers rich color—without settling into fine lines and wrinkles. Available at Sephora.

- 0.14 oz Highlighter in Champagne 

- 0.14 oz Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess™ 

- 0.21 oz Blush in Unleashed (nude rose) 

- 6 x 0.035 oz eyeshadows in Bare to Explore (pink beige), Make a Mauve (plum mauve), Plum Away with Me (dark plum), Up to No Gold (gold), Tan-gled Up in You (tan), Don’t Turn A-Brown (dark brown) 

- Step-by-Step Glamour Guide

I love pairing this palette with a tarte lipsurgence in the color Envy which is a mauve berry shade. This is probably my favorite tarte lipsurgence shade and I have just about every shade of them! I love the berry mauve because it is just a very flattering and wearable color for me. This is definitely a must have for the work day, a casual fall date or just hanging out with friends. I also like the formulation and pigmentation of this gloss. 

Final Thoughts:
For $38, I think the rainforest after dark palette is a really good value. I own a lot of palettes and yet I've been reaching for this one very frequently. I love the convenience of this palette and that it basically includes half of what I need for a complete makeup look. The blush on my fair skin shows up as a nice natural light pink. Because of my skintone, the blush was a really nice addition for me although if you have a darker skintone, you may not see as much color payoff. I also highly recommend pairing this palette with the tarte lipsurgence in envy. I love the combination of the browns, puples and golds in the palette with this mauve berry shade.

What are your thoughts on this palette? Does it strike your eye for fall?

Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW™ Pomade {Review}

                                                              

It wasn't until a couple years ago that I even started paying my brows any attention. Now I realize how important it is for your brows to be shaped and filled in. When I'm having an morning where I look especially tired, after I line my brows, I get an immediate pick me up in my appearance. I have been using the Tarte colored clay tinted brow gel product which I still highly recommend. The Tarte product gives you more of a subtle look and is a really good starter product for brows. When you first start lining your brows in, you will see a difference that may take some getting use to, so I think it's always best to start out natural. 

I first became interested in the Anastasia DIPBROW Pomade when I heard about it from my friend Justina at Justina's Gems. She tried her shade out on me which was dark brown. We have similar hair coloring and similar tastes, although her color was a little too dark on me. I wandered into Ulta to try to find the perfect shade for me. I'll admit it was a little overwhelming in the store until someone finally came to help me. I've found that in the pan it is really hard to tell which color would work best for you. In pan, I would think chocolate would be my best match but that is actually darker than dark brown and I knew that shade was already too dark. I ended up with the soft brown color and once I tried it on in store, I knew that it was a good match. You can see in the photo below that it really blended in nicely with my medium to dark brunette hair.

What it is:A smudge-free, waterproof pomade formula that performs as an all-in-one brow product. Retails $18 for .14 oz. 

What it does:
This creamy, multitasking product glides on skin and hair smoothly to create clean, defined brows. The standout formula works as a brow primer and provides color, sculpture, and shading. It is ideal for oily skin and in humid climates.

This product is a great value for the price. It is only $18 and it is going to last you a very long time. It is also super easy to apply. I use an angled eyeliner brush. The only issue I've had is that again you only need a tiny amount of product so when you start on the fuller part of your brow it can be a little too much or a little too dark if you've picked up too much product. Also I use the wand from my Tarte colored clay brow product if I need to blend this in a little better. I find lining the outer brow area is much easier with this product than filling in the fuller part before the arch. Overall though I think this is a really easy to use product. The hardest part may be finding the perfect shade for you so I highly recommend trying this on in person first. I've also found this lasts throughout the day without any problems. Although I still love my Tart colored clay brow product, I tend to reach for Anastasia when I'm going for more of a dramatic put together look or when I really am tired and could use the extra lift. 

What are your thoughts on this product? What do you currently use on your brows and how does it work for you? Comment and let me know, I'd love to hear from you!

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Tarte Cosmetics Bon Voyage Holiday Palette {First Impressions}

I don't normally do first impressions post, but I really thought this product was worthy of one! I am so excited about the set that I wanted to get some preliminary thoughts out there as you may be shopping around for holiday sets already. I plan to follow this up with a full review including swatches of the palette which is absolutely gorgeous. 

Press Sample

This set contains:

20 x 0.07 oz Amazonian clay eye shadows in Palace Of Versaille, Moulin Rouge, I Think I Cannes, My Own Cotes De Rhone, Boudoir Noir, Fall In Louvre, Provence Upon A Time, Eiffel For You, Too Haute To Handle, Bastille In The Night, Chantilly Lace, Merci You Later, No Champagne, No Gain, Take On Bordeaux, French Riviera, C’est La Vie, Marseille The Word, Play Nice, On A Good Notre Dame, Le Cordon Bleu
- 0.13 oz Deluxe lights, camera, lashes 4-in-1 mascara
- 0.17 oz Limited-edition deluxe cheek stain in Muse (soft nude)
- 0.27 oz LipSurgence lip gloss in Visionary (apricot)
- 0.06 oz LipSurgence lip tint in Romantic (peachy nude)
- 0.23 oz Deluxe maracuja oil
- 0.07 oz Deluxe smooth operator Amazonian clay finishing powder
- Limited-edition collector’s travel bag

Product Description:

Tarte’s Bon Voyage Collector’s Set and Travel Bag features a whimsical, feminine design inspired by vintage Parisian glamour. The exclusive travel bag has a structured design and top handle to create the look of luggage, and the soft and dreamy patterns woven throughout the entire collector’s set is meant to reflect the sweet dream of romantic jet setting—Parisian style. This giftable set offers handpicked bestsellers for the eyes, lips, cheeks, and complexion and includes natural-looking shades that flatter all skin tones.

Create endless, dreamy looks wherever you go: the sleek statement eye shadow palette is perfectly paired with Tarte’s iconic bestsellers in limited-edition, trendy shades for every holiday occasion, and the LipSurgence™ lip gloss can be worn alone for medium coverage and shine, or pair it with the included LipSurgence™ lip tint for amped up lip color. The lights, camera, lashes™ 4-in-1 mascara coats and lengthens every last lash, and the cheek stain leaves you with a natural, healthy flush to keep you glowing. The maracuja oil can be used as a daily facial moisturizer, and to finish off your makeup looks, dust on smooth operator™ Amazonian clay finishing powder over skin as a treatment, or on top of foundation for stay-put makeup.

Products used: 

Tarte CC primer stick for foundation, Tarte Bon Voyage eyeshadow palette, Anastasia brow pomade in soft brown, Too Faced melted lipstick in fuchsia, Tarte best in faux lash extending fibers, Buxom black eyeliner, Tarte classic blush (soft apricot pink) with Tarte prim blush (plum nude) from Tarte's chic to cheek 4 piece set for holiday 2014. 

My initial thoughts: 

This set retails for $59 but is a $423 value! I was actually just debating what I wanted for Christmas from my boyfriend. I was considering a blush palette that has three blushes in it but costs $58. After I saw a gift set like this, I figured I would probably hold off on asking for the blushes because I know there are so many great holiday gift sets out there. This is probably one of the best gift sets I've seen for the value. If you're a tarte addict like me and $59 is above your budget for a gift for someone, you could always break some of the pieces apart and include them as stocking stuffers (while keeping the eyeshadow palette for yourself!) A lipsurgence is $24 and a gloss is $19 so you're already at $43 for just two products. The lip colors are apricot and peach toned and blend well together. I think these will work well with a lot of skintones. 

I like the mix of matte and shimmery eyeshadow shades. As I get older, I find myself gravitating more towards matte shades. Sometimes tarte shades don't always grab me at first glance, but once I apply them it makes me remember how well their colors work with my coloring and my green eyes. The colors in the top row are what I used to create this look and are probably the colors that will be getting the most use out of this palette along with some of the shimmery browns. Overall, I'm really liking the eyeshadow colors and set as a whole. I look forward to testing this out more and bringing you guys more of my thoughts. Please comment and let me know what you think as well!

Stay tuned for my full review & swatches! 

Breast Cancer Awareness with Smashbox Cosmetics

As October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, you'll probably see the breast cancer pink ribbon around everywhere as well as lots of pink products for awareness. This year, Smashbox has created a beautiful limited edition Be Legendary Lip Gloss in celebration of all survivors and current patients. I already love purchasing beauty items so I love when part of my purchase can go towards a great cause.

Product Information: 

A limited-edition shade of Smashbox Be Legendary Lip Gloss inspired by the iconic pink BCA ribbon created to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This shade of gloss has an airy feel and glassy—never sticky—finish. Just 1 swipe leaves a vibrant wash of gorgeous color! Smashbox Cosmetics is donating $5 from the purchase of every Be Legendary Lip Gloss in Promise to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, an organization dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime through funding research worldwide.

The shade in person appears to be a clear gloss with a light pink tint to it along with some small flecks of glitter. Although this doesn't provide a ton of color on it's own, it's the perfect gloss to wear over any lipstick of your choice. This product is available through November 30th 2014 and remember that $5 of your purchase is going to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

  

Too Faced Melted Kisses {Review}

I've been wanting to try the Too Faced Melted liquified lipsticks for awhile now. Long wearing and pigmented....what's not to love? I recently picked up my first melted lipstick called Melted Candy during a sale at Ulta. I then was told by my friend at Justina's Gems that Sephora had a 4 piece mini set called Melted Kisses. I quickly went to Sephora the next day to pick this set up! At only $25 for four more colors, I just couldn't resist. I had tried the Melted Candy lipstick the day before and had already fallen in love. 

Melted Nude, Melted Peony, Melted Fuchsia, Melted Berry 

About:

A set of four deluxe, Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipsticks in lasting, stunning shades.
With a precise tip applicator, and the lasting power of a stain and the saturated color of a liquid lipstick in one long-wear formula, each shade goes on creamy and makes the perfect holiday party companion.  4 x 0.16 oz. Retails $25. Value of $40. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens

- Sulfates 

- Phthalates 

-Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly

Melted Nude, Melted Peony, Melted Fuchsia, Melted Berry 

I'm wearing fuchsia in the photo to the left

My thoughts:

• I think this is a great little set for yourself or for a gift. These are very pigmented so they may not be for everyone. I tend to be drawn more towards more vibrant colors and I love the Berry and Fuchsia in this set. I also like that they are paired with some softer colors, although the pigmentation is still intense. For me Berry and Fuchsia are the most flattering although I will also get use out of Peony. The nude color is probably my least favorite shade, but since this is a liquid format, I know I'll get use out of it by blending it with the other colors and some of my OCC Lip Tars. 
• If you've been wanting to try these but didn't want to drop $21 on one tube of lipstick, I highly recommend this set. It's only $25, but you get $40 worth of product. 
• The applicator is a great fit with this product. I like it much better than trying to apply a product like OCC Lip Tar with a small lip brush. I had to be more careful in application with the Berry and Fuchsia color as these are so pigmented any mistake is much more noticeable. 
• These do not feel drying on my lips even as the hours pass. They feel lightweight like you really aren't even wearing anything. These are truly worry free after they dry as well. 
• These are truly long lasting. This is one of those products that lives up to it's claims. I keep checking the mirror to see how my lipstick is wearing and each time I check, it's still flawless. 
• After about 4 hours which included eating and drinking, the original soft sheen had worn off and it was just more of a matte finish. Even as it wears, it still leaves a nice even stain behind. 
• I'm so glad I picked up this set and that I also purchased the Melted Candy color. I can't wait to get tons of wear out of these. They're definitely a new favorite lip product of mine!

NARS Holiday 2014 Gift Sets

NARS Holiday 2014 Gifting Collection: Laced with Edge

NARS’ exclusive Laced with Edge Holiday 2014 Gifting Collection exposes a world of color, where technology is seduced by fashion and femininity smolders in a disruptive new dimension. Swathed in digital lace, the keepsake collection brings fashion to the forefront with abstract white webs and hints of sleek red foil popping through. Translucent outer packaging creates futuristic illusions, seducing the eye in to a paradigm of color and pattern.

The iconic NARS bronzer, Laguna, recoded into a geometric fantasy—logically aligned with a mobile take on the classic Ita brush.Available November 1, 2014 at Department Store/Specialty, NARS boutiques, and www.narscosmetics.com.

Abandon protocol. Pencil-in a new code of sensuality by dressing lips with a circuit of rich, multidimensional color. Available November 1, 2014 at Sephora and Sephora.com. Retails $49.

Transcend. Transform. Transfix. Face your future femme with three iconic NARS Kabuki brushes to sculpt, contour, define—and defy color conventions. Available November 1, 2014 at Department Store/Specialty, NARS boutiques, and www.narscosmetics.com.com. Retails $149.

A futuristic vision for eyes, cheeks, and lips in a tech-chic double layer compact. Available November 1, 2014 at Department Store/Specialty, NARS boutiques, and www.narscosmetics.com.

The apex of femininity: NARS’ iconic pink tone, Roman Holiday, cloned into a prism of pigments for cheeks, lips, and nails. Available November 1, 2014 at Department Store/Specialty, NARS boutiques, and www.narscosmetics.com. Retails $49.

A seductive shift into a realm of cutting-edge color. Four megawatt miniatures of Larger Than Life® Lipgloss multiply future chic into polished possibilities. Available November 1, 2014 at Department Store/Specialty, NARS boutiques, and www.narscosmetics.com.

Submit to an altered state of seduction with this high-density powdered blush and bronzer palette, decoded into a laser-chic rush for cheeks. Available November 1, 2014 at Sephora and Sephora.com. Retails $65.