April Favorites

Hi Ladies,

Another month has come and gone. I am really glad that its finally starting to warm up. We have had some beautiful days and I am looking forward to many more. I went a little crazy between March and April buying products because of sales and coupons and what not. I decided that I am going to do my very best to do a no buy for May. I have many products to review and try out some more. Below are my favorite products for the  month of April.

Here are my favorites:

Motives Mavens Element Palette

I recently did a review on this palette and have been reach for it all throughout March and April. The colors blend so great and I am just really happy with the wear time of these shadows. My favorite colors in this palette are Birch (matte cream), Shell (shimmer cream/off white) and Native (matte light brown). I haven't tried any looks with Raven (matte black) but I have a couple in mind. 

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden

Last month I mentioned that I was loving my samples of the different Urban Decay primer potions. This month, I actually bought my favorite of the four different kinds. Eden is a matte primer and has the most coverage of the 4 Urban Decay primers that I tried. The coverage is not as much at the MAC Paint Pots but it is creamy and works very well. I have been using this primer every day.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Rose

 I recieved this Bourjois lipstick in the box swap that I did this month. I love the color and finish of this lipstick. It is a reddish/pink and looks great with many of my more neutral makeup looks. I have worn this lipstick the most this month.

theBalm Hot Mama

 I finally received this blush this month after ordering it at the beginning of March. This color is beautiful. It has great pigmentation and looks great with many different looks. I have a review coming in May for this product.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty

I decided to try this mask out after Cella Paz from Never Not Glamorous recommended it to me. This was my first Lush product. I used this product a lot this month. I did enjoy it. It was a nice switch up from my other face masks.

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo

 Several beauty bloggers have talked about this product so I decided to give it a try. Since I have been dying my hair red, I wash it every other day. The days I don't wash it my roots are on the greasy side. I have tried other dry shampoos and methods to get rid of the oil look and  haven't had much luck. This product is AWESOME! It works so well! I will most definitely repurchase this product.

Rimmel Scandaleyes

My Rimmel Scandaleyes Flex Mascara was drying out so I decided to try out the original. It definitely doesn't give quite the same drama as the Flex one but I still really like it. I am loving both of these mascaras.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow in Auburn

I finally decided to try out Dipbrow and now I understand all of the hype. This product is amazing. It is a bit tricky to work with for reasons I will discuss in my review, but it blends great. I also don't have issues extending my tail like I did with pencils and other products. I have been using this product everyday.

I hope that you enjoyed my favorites. Keep your eyes out next month for reviews on some of these products and a bunch more!

What were your favorite products this month? Have you tried any of these? Post your comments below!

-Tanya xoxo

Review: Lush Mask of Magnaminty and Popcorn Lip Scrub

Hi Ladies!

Today I am going to review for you my very first Lush Mask. Cella Paz from Never Not Glamorous recommended this product to me when I didn't have luck with the Glam Glow Mud Mask. The Mask of Magnaminty is both a face and back mask. It comes in two sizes 4.4 oz for $12.95 and 11.1 oz for $24.95. I got the smaller size since it is a decent amount and will last me a while. 

Review: Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss Lipstick and Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner

Hi Ladies! 

Today I am going share with you some more Rimmel products; Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss and Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner.

Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in #104

I would consider this a Rose colored pink. I really love the color and think that it is the perfect color for the office. It would also be great for a night out paired with a smokey eye. Although this it matte, I don't find it overly drying. I always moisturize my lips before applying though. For some strange reason, the scent of this lipstick reminds me of watermelons??? I could be totally off but that is what I smell haha. This retails for $5.49 but as of lately, CVS has had a ton of BOGO 50% off on Rimmel products so you could get it for half the price which is great. I would definitely grab another one of these lipsticks. I am interested in trying out one of the Lasting Finish by Kate lipsticks (black tube).

Exaggerate Automatic Lip Pencil in #63 East End Snob

I found out about this lip liner while watching Beth Reynold's tutorial video on youtube. She used this liner and it looked very pretty so I grabbed this since it was a close match to the lipstick. Itsa  little it lighter than the lipstick but is still a pinkish/rose color. I  really like this lip liner and will definitely purchase more of these. I LOVE how the tip is slanted. It makes it so much easier to line your lips. These liners retail for $6.49.

Here are swatches of the lip liner and the lipstick:

Have you tried either of these products? If so, how did you like them? Post your comments below!

-Tanya xoxo

Review: Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

Hi Ladies,

Today I am going to share with you my thoughts on Rimmel's Stay Matte Foundation. The color that I purchased was Soft Beige. You can get it at many of your local drugstores for $5.00 or less. I am not a HUGE fan of liquid foundations but have been trying them out just so that I have another option besides my bareMinerals foundation. I wanted to try another matte foundation since I didn't have luck with Nyx's Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation. I have read good things about this product and my blogger friend Chelsea from Tiger Love Beauty highly recommended it. 

Get the Look for Less

Hi Ladies! 
Here is the latest edition of Get the Look for Less!

Look 1: Anne Hathaway Printed Blouse and Skater Skirt

Mossimo Womens Popover Blouse $22.99 at Target

Ruffle Skirt $24.95 at H&M

Box Swap with UK Beauty Blogger Ruth from SweetPBeauT

Hi Ladies,

I'm really excited to share with you a fun beauty blogging activity that I recently took part in. I did my very first box swap which also happened to be an international box swap! I did the swap with UK Beauty Blogger Ruth from SweetPBeauT. Ruth has a ton of great reviews and how-to posts. Please make sure that you check out her blog. Also, see what goodies that I sent to her! Ruth and I met on a Twitter chat and got talking about how there are certain US cosmetic brands that she couldn't get in the UK and vice versa. That is when we decided to do a box swap. We set a price limit of $70.00 USD which included the products plus the cost to ship them. We sent out our boxes on April 1st and both recieved them about a week later.

Here are the items that Ruth sent me:

Review: Ipsy Glam Bag April 2014

Hi Ladies!

March has come and gone and now April is almost over! That means another Ipsy bag has arrived! If you are unfamiliar with Ipsy, it is a monthy beauty subscription service. For $10.00 a month, you get 4-5 deluxe to full size products. It is SO worth your money. I think it is one of the greatest beauty subscription services around. The value of the products that you get each month ALWAYS surpass the cost.  I usually get my bag the 3rd week of the month. It came a bit early this month which was great. This months theme is Beauty Rocks! I was really happy to see that we were ALL getting some higher end products. I was really excited to try out some of the things in my bag this month. I wasn't disappointed about anything which was a plus.

Here are the items that I recieved this month:

Review: Tarte Maracuja Oil

Hi Ladies,
Today I am going talk to you about a lovely little product called Tarte Maracuja Oil. I got a deluxe sample of this in the Tarte of Giving Holiday Set. I wasn't quite sure the point of this product but I decided to try it out anyways. 

Here is what is said about Maracuja Oil on the Tarte Site:

"Not all oil is created equal. This earth-prescribed treatment oil targets your individual skin concerns and delivers harmony and moisture for firmer, brighter, smoother-looking skin. 

Product Performance: Rich in essential fatty acids known to recharge and replenish skin, maracuja oil helps deliver an overall rejuvenated and even-toned complexion while giving the appearance of brighter skin thanks to a high dose of vitamin C. This powerful anti-aging elixir provides instant hydration—quenching dry skin with no greasy or filmy feel. 

Known as “puro milagro” or “the pure miracle”, this rare Amazonian fruit is delicately harvested piece by piece. The superfruit is sustainably collected and then the nutrient-rich seeded pulp is extracted from each individual maracuja fruit. This naturally harvested treasure, referred  to as the “alma” or “soul” of the maracuja fruit is then hand pressed without the use of heat to guarantee the maximum amount of nutritious essential fatty acids and vitamins.

Powered By: Maracuja oil: pure maracuja oil has been known to replenish, rebuild and brighten skin. The nutrient-rich essential fatty acids repair & rejuvenate skin for a firmer complexion. The moisture-rich formula replenishes & hydrates skin."

http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-pure-maracuja-oil

Onto my thoughts...

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product if you are looking to try a face oil.  I use a couple drops of this product every night under my moisturizer. I thought applying an oil to already combination skin would be a disaster, but I was wrong. I really love the feeling of the oil and how it soaks into my skin. Once applied, it doesn't feel overly greasy or heavy on my skin. Although I have never had any serious skin issues, I do feel that my skin looks healthier after using this for 3 months. I just recently ran out of my deluxe sample and decided to buy more. 

The Pure Maracuja Oil comes in three sizes.

1.7 oz for $46.00

3.4 oz for $75.00

0.6 oz rollerball for $17.00

It is quite pricey so I decided to go with the rollerball. Since the deluxe sample size (0.23 oz) lasted me 3 months, the rollerball should last for a while. 

Have you tried Tarte's Pure Maracuja Oil? Have you tried any other brands? How do you like them? Post your comments below!

-Tanya xoxo

Review: Stitch Fix-Fix #7

Hi Ladies!

Today I am going to share with you my 7th Fix from Stitch Fix! For those of you unfamiliar with Stitch Fix, it is a personal styling subscription service. You can learn more about Stitch Fix and see my previous Fixes on my Subscription Reviews page. For this fix, I made a note to my stylist Jenni asking her to send me a maxi dress. 

Here is what she sent me:

$44.00

I really liked this dress. It was a bit more than I would normally spend but it fit me well and was comfortable. I also liked that the plain enough that I could accessorize in a ton of different ways.

$28.00

The instant I took this shirt out of the box, I knew I didn't like it. It wasn't really my style and I knew the fold over neckline was going to be a pain. When I tried it on, I was right. The fold down flap was very awkward and the shirt was on the tight side. The only thing that I liked about it was the price. This was a flop.

$34.00

When I first saw this shirt, I liked the cute pattern and the mixed fabric materials. What I was unsure about was the size and the asymetrical fold on the front. The shirt looked big and I wasn't sure that I liked the front cross part of the blouse. When I tried it on, I was pleasantly surprised. The shirt actually fit me well and I thought that it looked cute on. One thing that I noticed when trying it on though, it is a bit low cut for me with my small boobs, so I will have to wear a tank top under it. I was happy with the price too.

$48.00

I really liked this shirt when I first took it out of the box. When I tried it on, it fit me perfectly. I love that I can wear this now and into the summer. I love the leopard print and color block design. For $48.00, it is a bit expensive for my liking.

$44.00

This was the first shirt that I pulled out and I love the pattern and color right away. When I tried it on, it was a bit tight on my upper arms and shoulders but that is because I have broad shoulders. The rest of the shirt fits me great.

I really loved most of this box and would have definitely bought the whole thing is it wasn't for that pink shirt. If I bought all the items in the box, it would have been $133.50 (with 25% discount, minus $20.00 styling fee already paid, and minus $25.00 referral credit). If I was to only buy 4 of the 5 items, it would have cost me $170.00 (minus $25.00 credit) = $145.00. I would have ended up spending more money if I only bought the four items. Because of this, I emailed my stylist to see if they could swap out the pink shirt for another one. She told me this is not something they could do. So, I had to make the decision of keeping the whole box and a shirt I would not wear or returning two items.

What items did I decide to keep?

I decided to keep the zig-zag top, the leopard color block top, and the arrow top. I decided to give up the dress since it wasn't as unique as the other items. Also, because I could find a more inexpensive maxi at Charlotte Russe or Forever21. As I'm sure you have figured out, I also sent back the pink top. The three tops that I kept totaled to $126.00. After subtracting my $25.00 referral credit it came to $101.00. Since I already paid the $20.00 styling fee, my balance was $81.00.

Overall, I was bummed that I didn't keep the maxi dress but I was very happy with the pieces that I kept. I will be skipping my May fix since I have my birthday coming up and my husbands too! Our birthdays are a day apart. Our anniversary is also in May! My next fix will be coming in June. I asked Jenni to send me some fun pieces for my upcoming trip to Mexico!

Are you interested in learning more about Stitch Fix or signing up for your first fix? Click my referral link HERE!

What are your favorite pieces from above? Post your comments below!

-Tanya xoxo

The Resolute Beauty Blogger April 2014

Hi Ladies!  Beauty Bloggers Shalunya from Shalunya and Boyet and El from Glossy Glam Blog teamed up to create The Resolute Beauty Blogger. They wanted to do this to not only stay on track with their Beauty Blog Resolutions for 2014 but also to give other beauty bloggers the chance to join in on the action. 

Here are my goals and updates on each:

Gain a larger following- I am continuing to get more people following me on Twitter, IG, Google +, Facebook, and Bloglovin'. The numbers are increasing by a few more people each week which isn't huge but I am pleased that my numbers are going none the less.

Continue to collaborate with other beauty bloggers- I recently just did a Spring Lip Trends Collaboration with a hand full of my beauty blogger friends. I really enjoy doing collabs as its fun to work with other bloggers and see how each one of us interprets a challenge or project. I plan to try to do another collab in a couple months.

Learn more about the beauty blogger world- Not only have I learned what a box swap is, I actually took part in my first box swap this month. I met a UK beauty blogger named Ruth and we decided to do an international box swap. It was a really fun experience. I am currently working on a video and post all about my experience.

Participate in a No Buy and Tags- I haven't done another no buy since February but I am thinking of doing a no/low buy in May since it is my birthday month and I don't need to be buying myself stuff. I'm sure I will get money and/or gift cards for my birthday so I can wait until then.

Try to do more fashion related posts- I recently created a new fashion series called What's in My Closet where I will create looks for the season with items that are currently in my wardrobe. 

Try to use Instagram and Twitter more often- I use instagram daily and am starting to do twitter chats at least once a week or as often as my schedule lets me. I am also posting my IG posts to twitter and facebook as well now.


Try out more drugstore brand products- I have def picked up some more drugstore products. I have purchased a bunch of Rimmel products which I am loving and just grabbed some Milani blushes. I plan to pick up a few more Milani and Rimmel products.

***Side note: I am continuing to use my notebook for blog schedules and post ideas. I really love keeping track of things this way.

***Also, in May, I am doing my first giveaway. I am really excited for this and can't wait to post about it on my blog.***

My Personal Resolutions:

Be more positive and appreciate what I have- I am on track with this one! Trying to stay more positive with work. The nice weather definitely helps!

Eat healthier- Slowly but surely getting on track. I might have picked up a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream the other night.... but, when I went food shopping, I stayed clear of chips and really sweet things. Instead, I picked up seasoned almonds, popcorn, Greek Yogurt bars, and cheese and crackers for snacking on.

This is where I am with my goals this month! I hope you enjoyed reading.

-Tanya xoxo

Review: Motives Mavens Element Color Box Palette*

Hi Ladies!

I don't know about the rest of you but ever since I followed Motives Cosmetics on Instagram for a giveaway, I have been blown away with the insanely gorgeous looks that are posted on their account each day. For those of you unfamiliar with Motives Cosmetics, it is a cosmetic company that started in 2008 and is owned by Loren Ridinger. LaLa Anthony has also partnered with Motives to create a special line called Motives for LaLa. You could say that Motives is similar to Mary Kay in the sense that they have beauty advisors that can sell through print, online, or at "trunk shows". However, Motives is used by many makeup artists, photographers, and celebrities. I personally feel like Motives is more focused on high quality makeup and customization while Mary Kay is more focused on skincare. For me, the makeup is something that interests me more. Especially if I was to go to a trunk party for something like this. I was sent the Motives Mavens Element palette by a local rep for review purposes and was so excited to see what all the buzz is about.

Motives Mavens Element Palette

Collaboration:Spring Lip Trends

Hi Ladies!
Even though it doesn't quite feel like it yet in Massachusetts, Spring is finally here! In honor of Spring, I wanted to do a collaboration with some of my beauty blogger friends. The ladies that will be joining me are Lily from Beauty with Lily, El from The Beauty Isle, Liz from My Pretty Obsessions, and Jackie from Five Two Certified. The theme of our collab is Spring Lip Trends. We based our makeup looks around the following lip colors: Hot Pink, Fuchsia, Rose Pink, Radiant Orchid, and Orange-Red.

Here are our lipstick choices:
Tanya-Hot Pink
Lily-Fuchsia
El-Rose Pink
Liz-Radiant Orchid
Jackie-Orange/Red

FRAAS 2014 Spring Dottie Scarf *

Hi Ladies! 

Today I want to share with you a beautiful FRAAS scarf that was sent to me for review purposes. The style of this scarf is called Spring Dottie. It comes in 5 different bright and cheery colors that are perfect for Spring; turquoise, yellow, pink, green and taupe . I was able to pick what color was sent to me.  I choose the lime green since I don't have any shirts or accessories this color. These scarves can function as both a scarf and a wrap. The dimensions of this scarf is 28 x 76 inches. The Dottie Scarf (style#625827) retails for $32.00 and is made of polyester.

Review: Maybelline Blushes

Hi Ladies!

Today I will be discussing two Maybelline blushes that I recently purchased. They are the Maybelline Master Hi-Light and Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush. 

Maybelline Master Hi-Light Blush in Nude $9.99

I was hoping for this to be a little bit darker. It is great to use as a highlight but too light to use as a blush on my cheeks. The blush itself is creamy and applies beautifully. I want to purchase two more colors from this collection; Mauve and Pink Rose. I think that these will have more color payoff.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin $7.99

I read a ton of great reviews about these blushes so I decided to pick this up. I was actually looking for a darker shade but the CVS that I went to did not have the color. I grabbed this peach since I don't have many peach/coral blushes. When I got home and opened the blush, I actually made a dent in it with my finger as I expected the texture to be different. It is actually very true to the name...BOUNCY. To be honest, I didn't really like this blush. I though it was tough to apply but I also didn't use a brush to apply. I think part of the reason I didn't like this blush is because the color was too light for me. I may have better luck with a darker shade.

Have you tried either of these blushes? What are your thoughts? Did you have trouble with the Peach Satin Dream Bouncy Blush? Post your comments below!

-Tanya xoxo

Revlon Lip Collection

Hi Ladies!

I know I'm a little late in the game, but I wanted to share my Revlon lip collection with you. Before participating in the Beauty Crow Awards, I was not aware of all the amazing drugstore products out there. Revlon lip products being some of them. I wanted to share my small collection of lippies and my thoughts on each.

Here is my collection:

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Unapologetic and Sultry

Here is what is said about these lip products on the Revlon site:

"Velvety Matte Look. Moisture Rich Balm. A Matte finish that’s beyond plush. Balm that’s beyond comforting. Our Triple Butter Complex of Shea, Coconut and Mango butters nourishes lips. In 10 collectible, craveable colors."

http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Products/Lips/Lipcolor/Revlon-ColorBurst-Matte-Balm.aspx

Sultry was the first Revlon lippie that I purchased. Several beauty bloggers raved about these so I decided to try them out. Unapologetic is a hot pink and Sultry is a more neutral Mauve/Rose Pink color. Both are lovely but Sultry is a more wearable color for an everyday look. These are both very pigmented and have great staying power. I love the matte look that these create. They are a little drying on me, so I always put on some lip balm or chap stick before applying them.

Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm in Coy and Vivacious

These products have the same moisturizing benefits and ingredients as the Matte Balms but have a high shine lacquer finish. Coy is a brown with red tones while Vivacious is a pink-raspberry color. They are also have great pigmentation but wear off a bit quicker than the Matte Balms due to their glossy formula. However, these are a bit more moisturizing than the Matte Balms for obvious reasons. I like the look of the Matte Balms a little better. These are great if you prefer shine over a matte look.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey

Here is what is said about this product on the Revlon site:

"It’s a pampering balm fused with a lightweight lipstain in an adorable chubby crayon. Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain gives softer, smoother lips with a perfect flush of color that lasts hour after hour. The gel formula comes in 10 vibrant shades that match any look or mood."

http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Products/Lips/Lipcolor/Just-Bitten-Kissable-Balm-Stain.aspx

This  balm stain in Honey gives more a subtle color while moisturizing at the same time. I like to wear this on days that I want a more natural look. I only own one of these so I can't say much about any of the other colors in the collection. 

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie, Pink Truffle, and Wild Watermelon

Berry Smoothie is a Pinkish-Berry, Pink Truffle is a Rose Pink with a brownish tint, and Wild Watermelon is a bright pink with a tint of red. Of all the Revlon lip products from above, these are the most moisturizing and least pigmented. These do not have a ton of color payoff but do add a nice tint while moisturizing your lips at the same time. They are really creamy and soft and glide on very smooth. I usually use these at work when my lipstick has worn off and I want to put something on to moisturize my lips. 

All of these Revlon products are sold at all drugstore and range in price from about $6-8.00 depending on sales etc. I would recommend all of these lip products. I would not recommend the lip butters if you are looking for a high pigmented lipstick. I would recommend more as a tinted lip balm. If you are looking for a high pigmented and moisturizing lipstick then I would recommend the Nyx Butter Lipsticks instead.

Do you have any of these Revlon Lip Products? Which about the above products are your favorites? What are your favorite colors? Post your comments below!

-Tanya xoxo