MAC Must-Haves: Love Nectar Lustreglass

Whenever someone asks me for a neutral lip gloss recommendation 99% of the time my response is "MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass."

This gloss is the perfect mix of pink and peach, with and added bonus of subtle gold flecks. It is not too shimmery or too flat...it is just right. I use this a LOT on its own, on top of pink, peach, coral and light plum lipsticks. I also wear this often with just a lipliner underneath to add a bit of color and lasting power.

MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass swatch in natural light

MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass swatch with flash

The lustreglass formula is a slightly less sticky than the MAC lipglass formula, and it has a brush applicator, whereas the lipglass has a sponge tip applicator. I don't really care about the applicator because they both work fine, but the Love Nectar shade is what really makes this product a must-have in my makeup bag. If you want to check out a full face shot of me wearing this gloss, see my last post.

Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Action

Hello! How are ya? I know it has been awhile since I last posted. I was traveling and spending time with my family for Thanksgiving. How was your Thanksgiving? Did you go Black Friday shopping?

In a recent post I reviewed Sue Devitt's Eye Intensifier Pencil in the shade Kenya. A few readers requested that I show a full face shot so here it is:

In this photo I am wearing Kenya all over the lid and smudged in the crease. I also smudged the pencil in to my lower lash line to add a bit of definition. I am not wearing any other eye product except for mascara. Here is a full face breakdown:

Beauty Blog Link Love

Have you heard of Beauty Bloggers for Charity? Tune into BeautyBloggers.org between Nov. 28th and Dec. 12th to bid on some awesome products. The auctions will be open internationally and all proceeds will go to Doctors Without Boarders, so don’t miss it!

Addicted to Beauty is excited to hear about the latest scented mascara - Guerlain's Noir G! Will it be a hit or a miss?

Get them before they are gone - polish insomniac shows you two of the Nicole by OPI Holiday Glitters!

Have you found your perfect fall lip colour yet? Rae, at theNotice, unearths another "hidden gem" in the brand's permanent lineup. Be sure to check out her MAC Desire lipstick review to see it for yourself!

My Lips But Better learns why you should always get a sample before purchasing new foundation!

The Pink Sith tells you a story about an "Ugly Duckling" or sorts and how she was transformed by Votre Vu SnapDragon Body Cream. This story has a happy ending.

Want perfect party nails for this season? Amy Antoinette shows us some sparkle with Models Own Pink Fizz.

Tracy at Beauty Reflections says Deborah Lippmann Stairway To Heaven is winter skating party worthy!

Want a compact powder for great coverage and convenience? Bun Bun Makeup Tips recommends the MAC Studio Fix Foundation.

Have you seen Guerlain's Spring 2012 Collection yet? Anita at Pleasureflush wants everything! What about you?

Kajal Couture shares her 5 Must-Have MAC Shadows that complement every skin tone!

At Musing on Beauty, Mariella tries a shampoo that smells like creme brûlée and keep your color vibrant.

Prime Beauty's Guest Reviewer takes you on a fragrance journey - or should I say fragrance quest? See what she ended up choosing.

---Want to win 3 month's of free nail polish customized to your taste? Enter Perfectly Imperfect's Julep Maven giveaway!

Smashinbeauty is have a Sigma Beauty & E.L.F. Cosmetics Giveaway. Make sure to check it out.

Shivani at Adorable On Your Vanity is celebrating her puppy's first birthday, with a gorgeous namkesake lipstick from Dior, Dior Addict Lipstick in Millie. Come and tell who is cuter!

It's Holiday Giveaway time! Enter to win a Conair Spin Air Brush from Audrey Dao!

Apothica Friends and Family Sale!!

Ok, I know that just about every beauty company has had a friends and family sale recently, but this one really got me excited. And no, the company did not sponsor or in any way compensate me for saying this. I was genuinely excited for Apothica's Friends and Family Sale. Why? Read on....

From now until November 23, 2011, receive 20% any purchase on Apothica using code FRIEND20. Some brands are excluded but I think it works on the majority of the products. 

Ok, so why was I so excited? Let me count the ways...

1. The discount! (I love me a good deal!)

2. I placed an order yesterday morning and by 4pm today I had my package. And I didn't even pay for overnight shipping! I got the free standard shipping that Apothica provides for orders over $49. Apparently, if you order before noon (CST I think) then your package gets shipped the same day (and you receive it the next day..or at least I did).

3. Not only can you order from Apothica, but you can also order from SkinCareRX and SkinBotanica at the same time in one order because all 3 sites are partners. Oh, and the discount works on products from ALL 3 sites.

4. I ordered my beloved Moroccan Oil and the box not only had the oil bottle in it, but it included a free pump!!! Of all the times I have purchased Moroccan Oil I have never received a pump!

So ladies and gents, if you are still pining over some beauty products or want to knock off some holiday gifts from your shopping list, now is the time. Happy shopping!

A New Staple in My Makeup Bag - Sue Devitt's Eye Intensifier Pencil

I have an affinity for pencil products, lip stick pencils, gloss pencils, shadow pencils...basically anything that is pencil-like and easy to travel with. So when I received a Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil and read that it is a long-lasting, waterproof pencil that can be used both as a liner and as a shadow, I was excited to review it for you.

This pencil is neat because one side is the actual product and the other is a smudger, that is actually decent quality...meaning, I wouldn't mind using it on my eyes. Sometimes the smudger that is attached to liners can be so stiff that I prefer using a separate brush to smudge the color.

I tried out the shade Kenya, which is a gorgeous bronzy, dark brown. Unfortunately, when I first tried applying the product to my eye, the tip broke off.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!!!

I <3 the holidays. And with Thanksgiving about a week away the grocery store shelves are full of holiday treats and retail stores are stocked with gift-giving goodness!

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know I have an addiction to anything Trader Joes. Combine TJ's with the holidays and what to you get? One really happy hungry blogger!!

These Dark Chocolate Stars are one of my latest holiday finds during my recent trip to TJs.

Cookies? Check.

Chocolate? Check.

Healthy? Check. (Well, it is dark chocolate...hehehe)

Delicious? Double check!

They even come in a plastic container with a lid so you don't have to worry about using a chip clip or transferring to another box to keep them fresh.

On another note, I wanted to show you MAC's holiday gift bag from this year because I am a big fan:

When you buy a gift at MAC they will give you this gift bag for free! It is metallic white and silver and made of thick paper...not the cheap stuff. MAC has special gift bags every year during the holidays but more often than not you have to ask the sales associate for the bag because they don't always offer it. Not only does it save you the trouble of having to wrap your gift, but who wouldn't love to receive such a cute bag?

What are you excited about this holiday season?

Two Cream Shadows Perfect for the Holidays: Bobbi Brown Beach Bronze and Galaxy

It's beginning to feel like the Holidays and that makes me sooo excited! I love the spirit in the air, the decorations, holiday parties, not to mention all the delicious sweet and savory foods that are a part of this season. The holidays are usually associated with sparkly gold and silver makeup looks, and I wanted to share two of my favorite cream shadows that follow suit: Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Cream Shadows in Beach Bronze and Galaxy:

Ok, so Beach Bronze isn't gold, but I think it is an easier shade to work with than gold, and is perfect for the holidays and year round.

L-R: Beach Bronze and Galaxy

These cream shadows are so easy to work with and they really are long-wearing. I went through a phase when the only shadow I was wearing was Beach Bronze on the lid and nothing else. Both shadows are pigmented, but can be blended for a more sheer look. I usually wear these on their own, but they also make good bases in lieu of a primer.

5 Must-Have MAC Shadows for Every Skin Tone

If I could only have 5 MAC shadows for the rest of my life, I would choose the following 5:

L-R: Expensive Pink, Texture, Sable, Bronze, Embark

These 5 shades suit every skin tone and I will tell you why:

Habanera with the Hubby, Nars Habanera That Is

I haven't been feeling too creative in the makeup department recently, so when I knew I was going out on a dinner date with the hubby, I reached to the bottom of my makeup stash to pull out some non-neutral fun: Nars Habanera eyeshadow duo:



I love how pigmented these shadows are and the minty shade gives a bit of flair to a classic grey. When swatched, the glitter in the grey shade is not so visible, and although there is some glitter, there is no fallout.

Nars Habanera Swatch with Flash

Nars Habanera Swatch without Flash

This is the look I created for my dinner date:

Beauty Blog Link Love

Miss Beauty Nerd is working on her own skincare line, code name Project M! She wants savvy beauty junkies to help her with the development process - are you in??

Check out these drool-worth bottle shots from the Wet n Wild Ice Baby collection on polish insomniac.

If it's taupe, then you know The Pink Sith is gonna be all over it! Her newest acquisition is the Dior 3 Couleurs Smoky Eyes Palette in Smoky Brown #781.

Love the shiny lid look, but hate the mess? Find out how to fake the glossy eyeshadow look at theNotice. It's perfect for the holidays, and ridiculously easy to put together!

Are you a fan of Lush? Check out Midnight Violet's review of the Christmas Lip Tints.

Beauty's Bad Habit points out the weird and wonderful quirks beauty bloggers develop, because we're a rather unique bunch!

Are your nails ready for Fall? Check out the new Mary Kay Fall 2011 Lacquers over at Spiced Beauty.

Fleurissante gives the reasons to show why Sisley Skinleya foundation isn't worth $190.

Kim Kardashian may not be able to keep a husband, but she can whip up a nifty little polish! Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed takes Kardashian polish (but not marriage) advice and swatches some Nicole by OPI Kardashian Kolors!

Tracy at Beauty Reflections is dreaming of skating parties thanks to the Tarina Tarantino Aurora Jewel Eyeshadow Palette in Diamond Dusk!

Still loving the nude nail trend? Krasey Beauty has the scoop on the new Feel Collection of nude nail polishes, by Zoya!

K from Beautifully Addicted To shows you her new favourite perfume D&G 3 L'Imperatrice.

Remember that popping candy from your childhood? Now it’s in a lip scrub! Hellcandy tries out Lush’s Pow Wow. Click here to read the review.

Pammy's Cover It! Concealer Review Series continues with her review of Maybelline's Mineral Power.

Madame B Fatale shows us part 4 of her Illamasqua products overview!

Testing IO Beauty Skincare

I have been very mean to my face lately. Between trying to use up different moisturizers and the sudden change in weather from summer to winter, my skin has taken a beating. Two weeks ago I started using my ol' faithful MAC Lightful Deep Ultramoisture Creme. Within 3 days of using this moisturizer I noticed a HUGE difference in my skin...it was hydrated, the sallowness had faded, my skin with brighter, and it felt super soft and smooth. This stuff is the only moisturizer that really moisturizes my skin without feeling greasy, absorbs quicly, and brings life back in to my skin. At any moment in time, I ALWAYS have a jar of this moisturizer on my dresser.

So that lasted a week.

Until, I was sent a moisturizer and booster product from IO Beauty, a new skincare line from Beauty Expert Sue Devitt and Nutrition Expert Tanya Zuckerbrot. They have a 4 product regimen they are promoting, which includes a treatment concentrate serum, moisturizer and eye cream, and a Beauty Booster concentrate that you apply to your skin AND ingest. Basically, this system is supposed to provide good skin care from the inside and outside.

Finished in October

I am not going to do a monthly favorites post for October because there was really only one product I kept using, MAC's Face and Body Foundation, so I will do a separate review of that. But I did manage to finish 3 products last month:

1. Philosophy Purity Made Simple - My Holy Grail (HG) cleanser. This is the only cleanser that removes ALL traces of my face makeup, doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or like it has a film on it, and it just works. I professed my love for it here.



2. Phyto Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm - The last time I got my hair cut my stylist gave this to me to try out saying it is the best for calming frizzy hair. She is African American and swears by this product, and I thought if it works for her hair, it will definitely work for my hair! Wrong. My hair is really dry and this stripped all moisture from my hair, and it didn't add any softness. I didn't notice my hair being any straighter with this compared to my beloved Moroccan Oil, so back to the oil it is!