Per-fekt Brow Perfection Gel Review

The last time I ordered something from Sephora I chose my free samples, and with just my luck, they sent me completely different samples. It all worked out though because I ended up liking a product I never would have thought of trying: Per-fekt Beauty Per-fekt Brow Perfection Gel:

I tried the Caramel shade, which is a dark brown color.

First off, the product is natural and doesn't have any of the bad stuff: 

- No Parabens
- No Sulfates
- No Synthetic Fragrances
- No Synthetic Dyes
- No Petrochemicals
- No Phthalates
- No GMOs
- No Triclosan

This is also supposed to be transfer-resistant, smudge-resistant, water-resistant, and sweat-resistant. I didn't go swimming with it or anything, but I found that this brow gel did last all day without fading or smudging.

The brush is really great and adds enough color without being clumpy or looking fake. The product dries to a natural finish, without looking glossy. This is one of the better brow gels I have tried, though it is pricey at $22 for 0.15 oz. There are 4 shades available, which I think are good enough to match any hair color. Overall, I think this is a good product for taming and filling in brows. If you have very sparse brows or literally have to draw them in with a pencil then this might not be for you.

Have you tried anything from Per-fekt?

21 Days of Makeup Deals!

Starting today is the 21 Days of Beauty at Ulta!! Woohoo!!!

So what does that mean? For the next 21 days there will be special promotions, free gifts, and beauty events at Ulta stores and on www.ulta.com. Also, everyday there will be one Beauty Steal, and today's deal is the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette for $20 (retail $36). Click on this 21 Days of Beauty link for all the latest on this beauty event.

Do let me know if you get any good deals or attend any cool beauty sessions! Happy Shopping!

Makeup Health Alert: Does Your Favorite Lipstick Have Lead In It?

In December of last year, the FDA published the expanded version of a study in which they tested 400 lipsticks, form drugstore to high-end, for lead content. I know we have all heard that lead in cosmetics is really bad for you, but is it really a safety concern? Well, here is what the FDA said:

"Although we do not believe that the lead content found in our recent lipstick analyses poses a safety concern, we are evaluating whether there may be a need to recommend an upper limit for lead in lipstick in order to further protect the health and welfare of consumers."

That being said, if you want to find out whether your favorite lipstick tops the list for lead content, click here.

A Sue Devitt Face of the Day with Product Reviews and Swatches

A few months ago I wrote about my love for the Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Kenya, and I was fortunate enough to recently receive the olive green color Bangalore, along with a few other Sue Devitt goodies:

Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Bangalore

Just like with Kenya, the Bangalore shadow pencil is opaque enough that it can be used as a liner or shadow, and is a quick and easy way to add some color to the eyes. The Eye Intensifier Pencils are creamy, easy to blend, and when used with a primer they last all day. 

Sue Devitt Gel-to-Powder Blush in Marion Reef

This is definitely my favorite product of the bunch. I mentioned it in last month's favorites, and this is a standout product. When you touch the blush it feels like a creamy gel and is soft and very easy to blend. When you start blending it on the cheek it starts to settle in to a powder but without being ashy or cakey. This property really allows the product to look natural on the skin and it lasts all day. The product itself is very pigmented and can be sheered out or layered for more intense color. I usually layer powder blushes on top of cream blushes but I don't have to with this one. I also like that the packaging is very slim and has a mirror....perfect for traveling.

Sue Devitt Lip Enhancing Gloss in Golden Triangle and Costa Del Sol

According to the Sue Devitt Website, these glosses contain Marine Filling Spheres that are supposed to "smooth out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and work in tandem with Peptides that promote collagen production." All four shades are sheer and give the lips a smooth, full appearance. Personally, these are nice, but nothing special. I like that the gloss formula is non-sticky and the brush applicator holds a lot of product so the bristles don't splay like some brush applicators do. I didn't notice any plumping effect or anything extraordinary. On my lips, this gloss lasted only 2ish hours. I also think the tube is a little hefty compared to most gloss tubes, and considering how sleek the blush packaging is, this is not sleek at all.

L-R: Kenya shadow, Kenya blended, Marion Reef blush, Marion Reef blended, Costa Del Sol gloss, and Golden Triangle gloss

Here are snaps of the shadow, blush, and Costa Del Sol gloss in action:

Bangalore Eye Intensifier Pencil with no primer

Bangalore Eye Intensifier Pencil 7 hours later

You can see how badly the Eye Intensifier Pencil creased when worn by itself. When used over a primer this shadow lasts all day without fading or creasing. 

Overall, I really like the Eye Intensifier Pencils and the Gel-to-Powder Blush. The glosses are meh. I have only seen Sue Devitt cosmetics in-person at Macys, but they might be available at other retailers too. You can also purchase them online on the Sue Devitt Website, which is currently offering a free Eye Intensifier Pencil in Golden Triangle, an exotic jungle green, with any $25 purchase. 

Disclaimer: The products in this post were provided by PR for consideration. As always, my thoughts and review reflect my honest opinions. 

Beauty Blog Link Love

Beautifully Addicted To.... shows you how to create http://beautifullyaddictedto.blogspot.com/2012/02/galaxy-nails.html">Galaxy Nails.

Musicalhouses takes a look at Benefit's latest boxed blush offering, http://musicalhouses.blogspot.com/2012/02/benefit-hervana-swatch-and-review.html">Benefit Hervana!

Tigers get frisky on Valentine's Day as Addicted to Beauty enjoys http://www.addictedtobeauty.co.uk/2012/02/tigers-get-turned-on-by-ck-obsession-at-london-zoo/">London Zoo's viral campaign. 

At Musing on Beauty, Mariella tries two of the http://musingonbeauty.blogspot.com/2012/02/edward-bess-quad-royale-south-of-france.html">Edward Bess Quad Royale and is positively surprised!

Dry skin got you down? Kajal Couture lets you in on an AMAZING new http://www.kajalcoutureblog.com/2012/02/this-isnt-just-good-its-amazing-gud-by.html">body moisturizer collection from Burts Bees.

Beautywoome's response to the Kate Upton's Sports Illustrated cover is that http://www.beautywoome.com/beautyblog/real-boobs-have-rights-too.html">real boobs have rights too!

Valentine's Day may be over, but here at http://myfunnyvalentineblog.com/2012/02/pretty-in-pink-a-clinique-valentines-day.html">My Funny Valentine, we love pink lippies all year round!

The Pink Sith has found yet another TAUPE eyeshadow to drool over.  This time it's http://www.pinksith.com/2012/02/rouge-bunny-rouge-fire-drops-loose.html">Rouge Bunny Rouge Loose Glitter Pigment in Caress Of Mink!

Curious about the new http://www.kraseybeauty.com/2012/02/at-nars-spring-has-sprung-with-the-spring-2012-collection-swatches-and-review-included.html">NARS Cosmetics Spring Collection? Check out Krasey Beauty's swatches and review!

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed would like to escape the cold weather for a resort. But, since that's not happening, she's brought it to her fingers with the http://www.beautycrazed.ca/2012/02/essie-2012-resort-collection-sure-shot.html">essie Resort Collection! Check it out and see if it brings you warm thoughts too!

Looking for the ultimate baby pink lipstick? Amy Antoinette reviews http://www.amyantoinette.com/2012/02/clarins-joli-rouge-lipstick-baby-pink.html">Clarins Joli Rouge Baby Pink Lipstick.

At theNotice, Rae takes you through http://thenotice.net/2012/02/bb-cream-comparison/">The BB Cream Breakdown, with bare-faced (!) and full-face swatch comparisons of Garnier and Marcelle's BB Cream offerings. 

Tracy at Beauty Reflections shares her http://www.beauty-reflections.com/2012/02/beauty-confessions-11-secret-beauty.html">secret beauty habit and wants to know yours!

Has Pammy Blogs Beauty discovered a new Holy Grail eye shadow? Check out her review of L'Oreal's new http://www.pammyblogsbeauty.com/2012/02/totally-different-kind-of-shadow.html">24 hour Infallible Eye Shadow in Iced Latte.

Phyrra debuts her first video tutorial of the year, a vibrant http://www.phyrra.net/2012/02/sapphire-blue-video-tutorial.html">sapphire blue look with Makeup Geek & Sugarpill.

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Every woman wants soft, luscious, plump lips. Win a tube of http://www.primebeautyblog.net/win-it-perfect-lips-from-3labs/">3Lab Perfect Lips from Prime Beauty and perfect YOUR pout!

February 2012 Favorites

This February I discovered a couple amazing new (to me) products, and fell in love again with some classics:

1. Lush The Sacred Truth Fresh Face Mask - I have used this before and it's definitely my favorite mask from Lush. Although I can't vouch for its anti-aging benefits, this leaves my skin super soft, moisturized and smooth, not tight and dry. 

2. Gud by Burts Bees Hand Cream in Floral Cherrynova - I love how fast absorbing this cream is, yet it still manages to infuse a solid amount of moisture in my skin. When I use this at night I wake up with super soft hands. I love floral scents and this smells soooo fresh and floral, but there are other scents available too. My full review of this line is here. 

3. Sue Devitt Gel-to-Powder Blush in Marion Reef - This blush is AMAZING! It has a velvet feel to it and it applies like a gel/cream but sets on the face as a powder. It feels so silky and lasts ALL day on me. I normally layer powder blushes on top of cream blushes but I don't have to with this because it is so pigmented and long lasting. I will do a full review soon. 

 

4. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation - This is such a popular product in the blogosphere so I just had to try it for myself. My verdict? It does live up to the hype! Nars has done a great job with the shade selection and the formula sets beautifully. Although it is called sheer glow, it has medium coverage and a natural finish. I will do an in-depth review of this product too, but so far I am loving it.

5. Kirkland Makeup Wipes - I have re-discovered my love for makeup wipes and these are by far my favorite. I love the thick texture, the moistness of each towelette, the fact that one towelette removes ALL my makeup (including mascara and gel eyeliner) and the price! Check out my full review here. 

Hope you all had a great February! I am glad it's over because that means we are one month closer to spring and warm weather! Oh, and in other news, the Too Faced Vintage Sale started today so check out the Too Faced Website for some great deals on soon-to-be-discontinuted products and sets.

DIY Lip Scrub!

Lush's Sweet Lips Lip Scrub has been in my monthly favorites a couple times in the past year, as I think it is a great way to slough off dry skin and smoothen and soften my lips.

I finished my pot recently and instead of shelling out $9 for another little tub, I headed in to my kitchen. Sweet Lips is basically oil, sugar, and cocoa flavoring....all things I have in my kitchen. I decided to skip the flavoring, but here is how I made my own do-it-yourself (DIY) lip scrub:

1. Pour olive oil into the palm of my hand:

2. Add some white sugar and mix:

3. Apply to lips and scrub a dub dub:

My DIY version was just as effective as the Lush scrub, and 100% natural. There are so many variations you can do:

• Use coconut oil, almond oil, or any other oil of your preference
• Store the scrub in a little tub and keep it ready for anytime use
• Use brown sugar or salt for different sized granules
• Add cocoa powder or another flavoring

My lips are as smooth as ever and I have a few more bucks to spend on a lip product to apply to those smooth lips. =) 

MAC Must-Haves: Ricepaper Eyeshadow

Just about everyone in the blogging world has confessed their love for MAC Ricepaper, so I figured it's time for me to share why I think it is a must-have.

Mine is almost used up, an indication that I use this a LOT. The color is a peachy beige color with a frost finish. MAC describes this shade as a "peachy gold with shimmer," but on the skin it is not shimmery at all.

I use this mostly as a highlight and inner corner shadow. On light-medium skin tones this also works as a lid shadow, as I am wearing it here:

This reason this is such a popular shade is that it just works. The peachiness allows the color to blend in with the skin and is not look stark like a lot of white-based shadows. This is a must-have for all skin tones and is one of my everyday staples.