Maybelline The Buffs Collection Review Lip Swatches and Mac Dupes

 If you were enchanted last year by the Maybelline Vivids collection that featured bright and bold shades this may not be a collection for you, but if you love to vary your looks or you felt that the vivids were just too VIVID you may want to check out The Buffs.

This collection makes sense coming from Maybelline, the brand that has brought us the line of Fit Me products. We can fit our foundation, our mattifyer, even our pressed powder to work perfectly for us, why not lipsticks? The Buffs collection features nude shades for every skin tone and are affordable for most budgets. It seems many companies are bringing us a very nude spring and these are a great way to stay on trend. Also, since there is a wide variation of shades you can choose a nude that works for you now or a lighter or darker one for those times when you have a tan or are a little pale.

The overall formula is consistent with  other Maybelline color sensational lipsticks in that they are soft and creamy, have a honey nectar scent, and leave a bit of shine when applied. Depending on the shade they can last from 3-6 hours.

Left Top- Bare All, Left Bottom- Nude Lust. Right Top- Blushing Beige , Right Bottom- Maple Kiss

BARE ALL- is an almost white shade that gave me (fit me 220, mac NC 30) concealer lips. This shade showed every lip flaw so it would be best to exfoliate before applying. This shade would be best for those with very fair complexions or those who want a very light lip. This shade could also be used to tone down a darker shade or applied to the center of the lip over another lipstick to highlight the center of the lip.It leans slightly yellow.

BLUSHING BEIGE- this shade is slightly darker and leans pink. It is great for those looking for a light pinky nude and it is similar to mac peachstock and mac pure decoration.

NUDE LUST- is similar to mac close contact and is a bit of a greyed pinky nude.

MAPLE KISS- is a red based medium brown that would look great if you have pigmented lips already, it may look like "your lips but better"

Left Top- Truffle Tease, Left Bottom Touchable Tuape, Right Top- Sin-A-Mon, Right Bottom- Stormy Shara

TRUFFLE TEASE AND SIN-A-MON- both look very similar to exclusive event and riri nude on the lips but they lacked some of the greyness that would make them a full dupe. These will look quite different on different skin tones. On my skin they were medium grey nudes with a bit of brown. Truffle Tease leaned more yellow while Sin-a-mon leaned more pink.

TOUCHABLE TAUPE- is a chocolate brown that has a bit of purple untertone and reminded me some of mac hot chocolate. This shade should flatter mostly any skin tone.

STORMY SHARA- is a pinky medium brown nude that would look good on medium to darker skin tones as a nude.

Top Left- Untainted Spice and Top Right- Espresso Exposed

UNTAINTED SPICE- This shade also pulls a little purple but is a medium brown (this shade also reminds me of mac hot chocolate but it isnt enough purple to be a full dupe)

ESPRESSO EXPOSE- is a darkened reddish brown that would be a great vampy shade on lighter skin tones or a rich nude on darker skintones.

 

Overall what I loved about this collection was range. I feel like with ten nude lipsticks that lean pink, yellow, brown, purple, grey, and red, it really covers a lot of different skin tones and undertones. I think that most people will be able to find a nude that fits them or even just a shade they like. The packaging is quite pretty with the soft pink shaded tubes and the shades the color of the sticker on the bottom. These shades are creamy and smell like honey nectar.


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Wet N Wild Fergie Desert Festival Eyeshadow Palette Review and Swatchs

First... weren't these supposed to be limited edition? I love how after the craze of when they were first released they suddenly appeared everywhere from drugstore.com to every store in my area... but were conveniently unavailable when first released. So where was i? Right! This eyeshadow palette, Desert Festival, is part of the Fergie for Wet N Wild collection. This collection became live back in December. While some of the products were quite similar to the Fergie boxes (see here) each one felt a little more bit more classy in terms of packaging, design, and even the color scheme.

Desert Festival has the classic quality of Wet N Wild which is pigmented, a little powdery, mostly easy to blend, and while some have said this palette was chalky or dry i have to disagree. I have no problems applying and each color applied with ease. I loved that there was no fallout and a generous amount of each shade. While the color scheme does remind me of "What happens in Vegas" by L'oreal i actually feel Wet N Wild offers just a little bit more in their palette.

The packaging is a very easy open and click to close container but sturdy enough that it wont open if in your purse. The shadows are fragile and will break if dropped so take care of this palette. It is about the size of the palm of a medium sized hand.

The first shade on the upper left corner is a soft beige that leans a little pink, under it is a golden deep orange. On the upper right side there is a matte bright orange and below that is a chocolate brown with golden micro glitter. The middle is a lighter chocolate brown that is matte. While these shades do not exactly fit with spring it is a great neutral palette and the oranges are bright enough to add to other looks.

Overall this overdue and unavailable palette has a nice range of neutrals and  oranges that can be fun to wear. While not seasonally fitting these shades can be incorporated into spring and summer looks. Now that it is more widely available those who missed out on its initial release will be able to get their hands on it at sites like drugstore.com or in their local drugstore. Selling price is $4.99.

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Limited Edition Palette Review Swatches and Look

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Color Icon Palette

The loveliness of spring has begun to show in the slowly warming weather, the green of perennial flower stems starting to poke through the soil, and pastel palettes hitting drugstores. Going in the Wild is subtle tribute to the season that is a a great transitional palette and a hit in every possible way!

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Color Icon Palette

If you buy drugstore brands often you may be aware that Wet N Wild has a line of color icon eyeshadow palettes that range from three pan to 8. They are normally highly pigmented, soft, a bit powdery, but overall fantastic quality for their price range. So when i picked up Going in the Wild (which is very hard to find, i don't mind limited edition but if we can't get our hands on it what is the point?) i expected to like it, i had no idea how impressed i would be.

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Color Icon Palette

First let me start with the packaging. While this palette is like the standard 8 pan palette in that each shadow has their application purpose stamped in, and they are separated into two looks, these pans are against a white background. The palette has a white base unlike the standard black base. The cover also has white flowers printed on it to give it an overall spring feel. I like this little touch. The applicator included has one brush end and one sponge end. While i never find these useful it is nice for someone who does not have a set of brushes. On the back of the palette there are step by step suggestions on how to create a full eye look using the palette. Even though each shade is designated for a specific place on the eye you can really use any of these shades anywhere on the eye and even mix and match from the left side or the right side.

The application of these shades are smooth, easy to blend, minimal fallout, only two shades were a bit too powdery if too much pressure is applied (the lilac and the mint). Overall these shades were well pigmented and i found them to really pop with or without primer. Without primer i got about 4 hours of wear before fading with primer i was able to wear them 7+ without fading. I love how smooth they are on the skin. The nice thing about this palette is if you are not a fan of bright colors there are enough neutrals to allow you to do a soft neutral look with maybe just a pop of color.

The shades on the left start with a smooth, frosted beige for the brow bone, a nice rose frost for the eyelid, a powdery somewhat matte lilac for the crease, and a rich eggplant shade with a bit of purple micro glitter for the defining shade. The glitter does stay put for the most part, but there can be a little bit of it fading, i did not see any on my cheek throughout the day. On the right a frosted champagne is used to highlight the brow bone, the eyelid shade is a powdery matte mint shade, the crease is a chocolate brown but it leans green, and finally the last shade is a deep forest green  with a kelly green reflection.

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Color Icon Palette

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Color Icon Palette

For this look i used the entire left side of the palette. I used all the shades for their designated parts of the eye except that i blended the lilac into the lid and into the brow and used the definer shade to highlight my outer v and extended it to the middle of my crease.

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Color Icon Palette Look

Wet N Wild Going In The Wild Color Icon Palette Look

You can also check out my video review here!

Overall this is a must have spring palette. If you can find this in drugstores it is about $5. I find its quality to be just over this price. From smooth application to pigmentation and color range, this is something i think anyone can find use for in their collection. Plus how adorable is the packaging?

L'Oreal Infaillible La Couleur Iridescent Finish in Permanent Kaki, Flashback Silver, Innocent Turquoise, and Tender Caramel Review and Swatches

 

When my mom asked me what i wanted for Christmas i instantly had a light bulb go off. While i love my higher end cosmetics, i have a few favorites from the drugstore. Some cosmetics by big brands like L'Oreal and Maybelline offer different items in Canada, where my mom lives, than they do in America (where i live). So i asked if she could pick me up some L'Oreal Infallible shadows since i already owned all of the American ones. This is my review on the shades she picked up for me.

For someone that has no real concept of cosmetics and what goes together she did a great job of picking out some pretty shades. The formula of these shades is exactly like the American version. Each container has a small press to keep the pigments down and the shadows apply mostly opaque. There is a lot of pigmentation in these and according to their label are supposed to have a nice Iridescent Finish. These shadows are meant to last 24 hours on the eye. I got about 13 hours before i had to shower and they were still in tact but i did use a primer. I did not find these sheer without one i just use one out of habit. Since they are somewhat like a loose pigment, just pressed, there was a little bit of fallout but nothing to really complain about. Just tap your brush on the package before applying to the eye.



 Permanent Kaki-

 Flashback Silver-

 Innocent Turquoise-

 Tender Caramel-

From Left to Right- Permanent Kaki, Flashback Silver, Innocent Turquoise, and Tender Caramel. Over primer.

Permanent Kaki, Flashback Silver, Innocent Turquoise, and Tender Caramel. Over primer. with flash

Permanent Kaki, Flashback Silver, Innocent Turquoise, and Tender Caramel. Over primer. Without Flash

Overall i really liked these shades and how well they applied. Even though they were iridescent they had high pigmentation and applied smoothly. I did find Flashback Silver to be more of a greyed purple and found both Tender Caramel and Permanent Kaki to be just a little bit duo chrome in some lights. 

Milani Nail Lacquer 3D Holographic Review and Swatches

I have to admit i feel like i was the last one to know about this polish! I have been so wrapped up in MAC collections and the holidays that i have been slaking on cosmetics and this blog in general. Either way, when i saw some of the great girls i follow on instagram with this polish i knew i had to pick up as much as i could of this collection.

This polish can be found at drugstores like Walgreen's and CVS but i had to purchase mine directly from the Milani website since no store by me carried it. The shipping was exceptionally fast and i was able to use a promo code making these just a little bit cheaper than the asking price. As for quality these are about what i would expect from Milani. It takes about 3-4 coats to have an opaque coverage, more if you want a more in depth holographic look. You can always apply a thin coat of white nail polish underneath to use less coats of the holographic polish. I wish this polish was just a little thicker. The color range is nice (silver, blue, pink, green...) and there is a decent amount of holographic pigment in each bottle, i personally would have liked more. Because some of these shades are thin you can pass them off as a light top coat over the corresponding color! These highly remind me of the Sally Hansen holographic polishes of the late 1990's and certainly brought back a slight sense of nostalgia. The pre-teen in me is proud to know she was a cosmeholic before her time!

Anyway picture time!

509-HD
This polish i had to apply over a white base. I felt this was one of the thinnest.

512- Cyber-Space
I had to apply this over a white base.

511-Hi-Tech
This is one of the thicker shades that did not require a white base.

513- Digital-
This shade was also thick enough to pass without a white base coat.

514- Hi-res
This shade was also thick enough to pass without a white base. I found this one to be the best of the above listed.

Overall i find this to be a beautiful collection of nail polishes. For drugstore polish i think these are pretty on point in terms of quality - not the worst but not fantastic. I think for 5 dollars (less in some stores) is decent. They have different uses- alone or as a top coat. Do not chip too fast. Could be a little thicker in terms of how much holographic pigment their is but it is acceptable! If you are willing to put in a little extra work these are great!

Colour Riche Eyeshadow in So Over It!, Blue Haute Couture, and Neon Skirt. Review and Swatches

A few weeks ago while browsing my local Duane Reade i happened upon a collection that i was very much anticipating. I love anything retro, while i grew up primarily in the 90's i always loved the glam and the glitz of the 70's and 80's. These mini palettes are a throw back to a more glamorous time when cosmetics weren't just about the makeup, but about the style, the era! These palettes lined in reflective gold will take you back to a time of bright colors and also natural beauty. Whether you want to look like an 80's disco queen, have soft brozny beach eyes, or some soft working girl blues, these mini palettes deliver.

313 Neon Skirt-
It may just be me, but i haven't seen this color combination in a drugstore palette since the early 90's. While these shades are bright golden, white, sea foam green, and pink, they aren't neon. These shades are very wearable. Gold, white, and pink are soft and have a pearl like finish, while the sea foam green is a matte shade. While this palette is not traditional colors they can be worn together without leaving you looking like you just opened up a box of crayola (though i do sometimes like that look, don't judge me). You could also wear one at a time, or make which ever combination you please. While this palette is a homage to the glamor days of the 80's and maybe even the bright early 90's, it isn't out dated. The pigmentation is medium, but i think it is meant to be. These shades are brighter when applied over primer. The pink shade had a little fallout. All but the sea foam green are soft so be gentle with them.

L'Oreal Colour Riche 313 Neon Skirt

L'Oreal Colour Riche 313 Neon Skirt

211 Blue Haute Couture-
 Of the three i picked up this i felt was the most repeated. I have so many palettes with these same colors but i just had to pick them up with the beautiful packaging. I don't think anyone can go wrong with a pop of blue on their eyes. This palette contains a soft blue, soft white, deep navy, and deep teal. These shades are very complimentary. As the above palette these are easy to blend, soft, but not as soft as Neon Skirt. You can apply these over primer for richer color payoff. The pigmentation is medium.

L'Oreal Colour Riche 211 Blue Haute Couture

L'Oreal Colour Riche 211 Blue Haute Couture

 817 So Over It!
 This neutral palette contains a soft copper, soft off white, red chocolate brown, and a dark brown with green undertone. This palette which, is no doubt, inspired by the 70's natural look is all class. This shadow is great for work or if you just aren't a fan of bright colors for your lids. These have medium pigmentation but work very nicely together. Applied over primer these shades deepen. I didn't experience much fall out with this one.

L'Oreal Colour Riche 817 So Over It!

L'Oreal Colour Riche 817 So Over It!

Overall if you like retro packaging and retro color combinations L'Oreal Color Riche Eyeshadow in Neon Skirt, Blue Haute Couture, and/or So Over It! are ideal choices for you. Since they are drugstore brand their pigmentation is medium but primer can make them pop and deepen.