Viva Glam Nicki Dupe!

Hey guys, I came across this dupe a few weeks ago when I noticed I had purchased two new lipsticks that looked pretty similar! Both bright coral/pink colors that are very trendy for Spring and Summer!
So here it is...MAC Viva Glam Nicki vs Wet 'n Wild Pinkerbell!

MAC Viva Glam Nicki, Wet 'n Wild Pinkerbell

MAC Viva Glam Nicki, Wet 'n Wild Pinkerbell

Wet 'n Wild Pinkerbell on left, MAC Viva Glam Nicki on right

Wet 'n Wild Pinkerbell on left, MAC Viva Glam Nicki on right

Wet 'n Wild Pinkerbell on left, MAC Viva Glam Nicki on right

Wet 'n Wild Pinkerbell on left, MAC Viva Glam Nicki on right

Differences:

• Color -  Both are coral but Pinkerbell may be a tad more on the coral side as the Viva Glam Nicki leans pretty pink. Not noticeable on the lips, though.
• Texture - Looks the same on my hands but Viva Glam Nicki is a Satin finish while Pinkerbell is Matte. Since Pinkerbell is "more" matte, it's more drying on the lips.
• Viva Glam Nicki is also much smoother and applies more consistently. Pinkerbell "drags" more on the skin/lips and is a little chunky if swatched heavily.
• Price - Viva Glam Nicki is $14.50 and Pinkerbell costs anywhere between $1.50-$1.99 (even cheaper with sales!) But, all the money made from a Viva Glam product go straight to the MAC Aids Fund, so you can't feel bad about that!

I hope this helped someone out there. In my eyes, these are dupes and such a gorgeous color for summertime. I can't wait to wear these babies!

Wet n Wild Holiday 2010 Limited Edition Palettes

Hey everyone! I hope your week-leading-up-to-Halloween is less stressful than mine, however, even though I'm stressed at the moment, I have something to post about!!

So for over a week, I've been looking for these Wet n Wild Holiday palettes. I've been to CVS, Meijer, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Walgreens again. Well, the 5th time's a charm for this gal, because I found 'em.

I have to give a shout out to Jenn, (Jenny04105 on YouTube), for letting me know that the palettes are usually found on an end of some random aisle, or else I wouldn't have looked so hard for them. They were across from the makeup at Walgreen's, by the face soaps for some reason. But, never the less, I have located them. The display only had two of each of the 4 palettes, with some mascara/eyeshadow combos and nail polish duos below. I picked out the two palettes that looked most interesting to me. Here's my review...

Night Elf Palette

Sugar Plum Fairy Palette

These palettes retail for $4.99 each. They have the same packaging as the regular Color Icon palettes, 6 eye shadows in all, which I also have a blog post of. These holiday palettes come with a free eyeliner, whereas the regular palettes do not.

I'll start where I'm least impressed. Sugar Plum Fairy. This palette looks beautiful in the packaging. It has a frosty white, a tannish brown, a lilac, a mauve, plum, and a black with warm purple shimmer. All of these colors have some kind of sheen, some have shimmer, but none of them are matte. I was envisioning all kinds of looks to create with these colors but I was really disappointed, which I'll get to in a minute. Now, the eyeliner is great. I've owned many Wet n Wild eyeliners that were just so-so, cheap eyeliners I'd buy in middle school. I have to say, the eyeliner in in this holiday palette is very much improved. It glided on smooth and opaque with a gorgeous plum color. The eye shadows left me wanting more, however.

I must have swatched the frosty white color 7 times and this is the best swatch i could come up with. It was chalky and powdery and didn't stick to my finger, let alone my hand. I was shocked, because every other Color Icon palette I own has insanely pigmented colors. I thought, maybe this one is a dud, and moved on to swatch the remaining 5. The color to the white of the swatch, although it is very light, is very pretty. The shimmers in it are subtle and the color is a neutral light brown/tan. The lilac color was a bit hard to swatch, I had to pack the color on for this picture and the one to the right of that was even worse. The last two were decent, with the black color being amazing. My finger is still stained and I'm sure it will blend like a dream.

On to the Night Elf Palette. I was much more satisfied with. This palette comes with a frosty ivory, medium silver, taupe, red, brown with green duo chrome, and a black. This palette also came with a black eyeliner, which I was very impressed with the smoothness of. The eyeliner doesn't have much of staying power, they smear after being dry for over 30 minutes, but I didn't expect that anyway. I was very happy there was no "tugging" with these eyeliners.

These eye shadows are to die for. These, too, have a sheen to each color but they all seem to work well together. I've never owned red eyeshadow before (except for the Coastal Scents 88 Palette, if you count that) so i was a little intimidated. The color that caught my eye in this set was the one swatched on the bottom left. It's a light brown but when in the direct light, it shines blue and green. Very unique in my collection. I've heard it compared to MAC Club, but I don't own that, so I can't say. Each and every eyeshadow in the Night Elf Palette were super pigmented and swatched like a dream. I can see me wearing this to a holiday party in a couple months. I'm so excited to play with these.

I'm very glad I bought these palettes. I'm tempted to go back to get the other two, even though I'm sure I have no use/need for them. The words "Limited Edition" just pull me right in, every time.

Thanks for reading, I hope you guys can find these palettes before they're gone!

-Liz

It's Homecoming!

Well it's homecoming season again...my high school is a little different than most, we have 3 homecoming dances every year. Our school is really more of a campus, with three separate high schools. Every student has a "home school" but each has classes in all three schools. Nice in the spring, rough in the winter. But that means three times as many homecoming football games and dances.

I volunteered to do my sister's makeup for homecoming. It's the last one of the year and the only one I was free for. I also did her friends' and my mom's hair and makeup while I was over there. I think they were all satisfied and I really liked how they turned out...here's some pictures!


My sister, Alex.

I used the Wet 'n Wild Lust Palette for her. I also used the Wet 'n Wild Gel Eyeliner in Eggplant. Her dress is black but her eyes are green so I thought a deep purple would look really good.

Alex's friend Sarah:

For Sarah, I used the Maybelline Stylish Smokes Quad in Charcoal Smokes. The taupey -colors really went well with her dress, which was a white with a gunmetal grey flower and sash. I used MAC Blacktrack Fluid Line for her eyeliner.

Their friend Kelsey:

For Kelsey, her dress was gold and her eyes are blue so i really wanted to bring that out. I used MAC All That Glitters on the lid, Mulch in the crease and Lorac Garnet in the outer v and blended. I used the gold color from another wnw palette and it turned out great. No before picture of her though, boo!

My Mom:



My mom looked the most different when we were done. She hardly ever straightens her hair and she never wears a smoky eye look. I used the Maybelline Stylish Smokes Quad in Charcoal Smokes on her as well.

Well that's all for me today, the Michigan/Michigan State game is on, we're winning and I have a really bad headache. I'll probably do a video or post later on or tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

-Liz

A Couple Things...

Here are a few things that have to do with the fall season...in Martha Stewart's words, here are some "good things."

First up, pumpkins. I love the look of them for fall decorating purposes, plus the taste of them in just about every form. What I don't like, however, is the way they are adored and eaten by squirrels. I have more squirrels in my neighborhood than I'm pretty sure populate the rest of the nation. And those squirrels are on my pumpkins like Kid Rock at Waffle House. Take a look...

I've tried mixing cayenne pepper with hot water and pouring it on them, I sprayed them with Pam and sprinkled cayenne on them and it rained all last night so it washed it away. While they were still wet from rain, right after this picture was taken, I sprinkled more pepper on them. I hope it works. Little bastards. They're a dumb animal too. I would never run over one on purpose but they run in front of cars and look around. Do they have no sense of sound or sight? I don't get it...

Enough for my rant on squirrels...another thing I've been loving is this eye look I created for a family Oktoberfest I went to last weekend.

I used Wet n Wild Nutty on the lid with Bare Escentuals Celestine over top, followed by MAC Satin Taupe in the crease with a little bit of Lorac Garnet in the outer v. I put MAC Shroom as an inner corner highlight, MAC Vanilla as a brow highlight and for liner I used Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Noir smudged on the upper lash line and Rimmel Special Eyes Precision Eye Liner Pencil in Black Magic on the waterline. I smudged the same colors from the lid on the lower lash line and topped it off with L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara on top and bottom lashes. I really like how this turned out, I think the warm tone of Garnet really helped bring out the blue in my eyes.

Another thing that is meaningless but one of those little things that just makes me happy is this pillow:

 I got it from Ikea, about a week or so ago so they probably still have them. It was only about $14 and I love that it looks like a cozy sweater. I had to change out my Liberty of London pillows anyway and this one is just too cute. My only wish would be more color options, as far as I know, the cream color is the only one available.

Thanks for being here!

-Liz

My Favorite Drugstore Products :)

So I have a crock-pot of White Chili cooking on the counter, I've finally gotten into my sweats and I'm curled up on the couch not doing my homework since my books haven't arrived yet. It's raining men [I wish, especially ones that resemble Tim Tebow] like crazy outside and has been all day. It's chilly for May - hence the pot of chili that smells wonderful by the way. 
Anyway, I feel like I've been neglecting this blog...and I don't want to do that so...


I think I'll list my favorite drugstore products. I think it's easy to write drugstore items off as "cheap" but there are some great products out there that I've fallen in love with; some that department store products can't hold a candle to.


The first "category" I'll mention will be haircare.
Two drugstore brands that I genuinely love for haircare are Suave and John Frieda. I love Suave because a) they are extremely inexpensive (less than $2/bottle) and b) they really do work wonders for my hair. My favorite line is the Suave Professionals and it's a toss up between Suave Professionals Vibrant Shine and Suave Professionals Rosemary and Mint for shampoo and conditioner. They both work about the same for my normal hair and they both smell amazing. My hair always feels shiny, smooth and soft after using either of these shampoos and conditioners. Now on to John Frieda. I think "he" makes fantastic "high-end" feeling shampoos and conditioners. They are a bit more expensive for a drugstore brand, about $7 a bottle/tube but I think they work well for colored/processed hair. His shampoos are generally aimed for fixing certain problems. I personally like the ones aimed for making blonde hair brighter and taking the brassiness out. I also love his Frizz-Ease line. All the products in that line make your hair smooth and tamed without weighing it down. My favorites are the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Daily Nourishment Leave-In Conditioning Spray and the Frizz-Ease 100% Shine Glossing Spray.


Another drugstore hair product that I recommend to anyone is the Pantene Pro-V  Restoratives Time Renewal Replenishing Mask. It retails for about $5 and last quite a long time. I use this mask about once a week instead of my normal conditioner and I only put it on about the bottom half of my hair. After I put a coat of this on I leave it on for about 3 minutes, I'll brush my teeth or shave my legs while it's "replenishing" my hair. Since I first bought this probably 2 years ago, I refuse to go without it. As soon as I get down to the bottom of the tub, I'll run out and purchase another because I think it is that good. 


The next product is TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray. I think this spray does a really good job of protecting your hair before you blow dry and before you straighten. I also like that it is inexpensive (about $5) and has a unique sprayer that is easy to use.


The last product I'm going to mention for haircare is the new L'Oréal Elnett StrongHold Hairspray. I have to admit, this is a "YouTube made me do it" type of product. I wanted needed to get it as soon as I heard about it. I've tried a ton of drugstore hairsprays. I tried the Herbal Essences one and the nozzle always got clogged, I've tried the Aussie one and it smelled like Grape Dimetapp. I've tried countless others and they all gave my hair a crunchy french fry texture...not cute. But when I sucked it up and bought this L'Oréal hairspray for (gasp!) $14.99, I didn't regret it. It made my hair stay in place but didn't change the look or feel of my hair. This hairspray also has the finest mist. The smell is just o.k., it smells like you would expect a hairspray to smell. I can live with it though, for what it does for my hair. I can still easily run my fingers through it - I'm in love. I don't use hairspray that often so I think hope this will last me a loooong time :)


Let's talk about skincare:
As a brand, I really like Clean&Clear. I feel like they have amazing products for people with acne-prone skin. I can't think of a time I was really "let down" by one of their products. My favorites are the face lotions. I like the Morning Glow Oil Free Moisturizer with SPF 15 because it really illuminates my skin and has an SPF for the day. I also like the Dual Action Moisturizer because it fights acne as it moisturizes. I just wish it had SPF!! I like their Advantage Acne Spot Treatment because it's the only spot treatment that gave me a noticeable difference overnight.


Another brand I'm rarely disappointed in is Aveeno. They are a little pricey but still affordable. They also use a lot of natural ingredients, which is good. My go to face wash, the one I've been using for at least a year now is the Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub. I honestly feel that it gives my skin a nice glow and does a good job as a daily exfoliator. I also love their Positively Smooth Shave Gel.


I can't talk about my favorite drugstore skincare products without mentioning St. Ive's. I never really realized how many products I own by St. Ive's until recently. My favorite product by them has to be the body washes. All of them. Especially the Oatmeal Shea one. All of them smell heavenly and moisturize like crazy. These are especially nice in the colder/drier months. I also love their lotions. My favorites are the Renewing Collagen Elastin Lotion as well as the Oatmeal Shea lotion. They all smell so warm and cozy and they're not at all greasy. Another St. Ive's product that I pretty much can't live without is their Apricot Scrub. I use the Blemish & Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub. It's good for a weekly exfoliator on your face and body. I really like how they make you feel like you have a clean slate and a fresh start with your skin by sloughing off all those dead skin cells.


I absolutely love Neutrogena products as well. I love their Pore Refining Toner. It's not too strong to where it dries out your skin but it definitely gets any remaining makeup out of your pores. Their sunblock is fabulous too. I use the Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion SPF 60. It's great.

Another product that I can't live without would be the Up & Up (Target's brand) makeup removing wipes. They are the best I've ever found and I've tried a lot of different brands. The towelettes are textured so it really gets all the makeup off and they smell nice. Plus for $3.49 for a pack of 30? Sold.


Now onto makeup:
I can think of a fantastic makeup item for just about every category that you can find at the drugstore. I'll just go by facial features.


Lips: I love Nivea's Kiss of Moisture Essential Lip Care. The most moisturizing, smooth feeling lip balm I've ever tried. I have one in my purse, one on my vanity, one on my nightstand and back ups all over the place.
I also love Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick. They are super creamy and they have a nice color selection. For lipgloss I gotta go with Maybelline Shine Sensational Lipgloss. They are long-lasting without being too sticky and they're shimmery but not glittery. The Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Glosses are also fantastic if you want that sparkly look.


Eyes: I truly believe that drugstores have the best mascaras on the market. My absolute favorite is Rimmel's Max Volume Flash. It makes your lashes voluminous and long and isn't clumpy at all. I also love Rimmel Glam Eyes Lash Flirt, Covergirl Volume Exact Mascara, Maybelline Define-A-Lash and a few others. One of the best eyeliners I've ever tried has to be Milani's Liquif' Eye in Brown. It's so soft and creamy and once it's dry, it doesn't budge all day. I also think Wet N Wild has really stepped up their game and have put out some fabulous eye shadows in the Color Icon Palettes. They blend really well. I did a blog post on them, you can check it out below if you want more info!


Face: I have to mention Physician's Formula Baked Blush in Baked Berry. I believe this delectable dome shaped baked blush is discontinued [ :( ] but you can still get it online [Thank Goodness.] It's the perfect shimmery pink summer shade. I also love NYX Blush in Natural and of course...the N.Y.C. Blushable Creme Sticks. These things are amazing! I just dot a little on the apples of my cheeks, blend it in and go. So quick and easy and gives you the look you want whether it be dramatic coral cheeks or a natural pink flush.
For a primer, there's two drugstore ones that I love. The first being Revlon Age Defying Primer. I think this may be discontinued (again, sad face) but even if it is, I still have a holy grail drugstore face primer. The Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base. This primer is seriously great. It gives your face a perfectly matte base to work with. Your skin feels velvety and soft. Love it!
I'm also a huge fan of Revlon foundations. Of course the coveted ColorStay is my everyday foundation but I also love PhotoReady for days that I want more glowy skin and/or less coverage. But I do think there is a foundation that is very "underhyped." Covergirl TruBlend Whipped Foundation. If I really need full coverage or a completely matte look, I grad this one. It's easy to apply with a brush because it comes in a jar and it has a very silky texture. Great color matches too!
And bronzers...I love my N.Y.C. Bronzer in Sunny. I think it's the perfect finish for a bronzer. I don't like ones that are too shimmery, they don't contour very well. This one is perfect and it's not too dark either.


Well, I think I've rambled on long enough and I must now go and put a pie in the oven...I hope you enjoy this list and I'll probably be editing it soon because I know I'm forgetting a million products. What are some of your favorite drugstore items??

Product Review/Rave!

I have been trying/buying Wet n Wild makeup since I started having an interest in makeup. They were never my favorite brand, not even out of the drugstore brands, but they claimed a lot of my "go-to" products over the years. If I needed an inexpensive eyeliner or nail polish, Wet n Wild was definitely the brand I checked into first.
But lately, I started noticing small changes in Wet n Wild displays. They have come out with a "natural" paraben-free line of face products, new lip glosses and new eye shadow palettes. I recently saw EmilyNoel83 and VintageorTacky on YouTube reviewing some of the new Wet n Wild Color Icon Palettes. These are so cute, they have a lot of good color choices. There are only four palettes but so far they are each named after one of the seven deadly sins.
The palette I bought was Lust. Its not a color palette I would normally pick out for myself, I'm more of a neutral girl, but for some reason, it stood out to me. I've been very into purples lately, and after buying the Maybelline Eye Studio palettes in Purple Icon, I wanted to try a more warm toned purple.

After trying this palette, all I can say is "wow."
These shadows are so extremely pigmented. Almost to the point where you have to be careful when you apply them because so much product sticks to the brush. Each palette comes with six colors and three of them are matte and three are either shimmery or sparkley. In this particular palette there is a mauve-light pink matte shade, a white sparkley shade, a medium warm matte raisin, a dark black-ish purple with glitter, a dark purple matte and a shimmering charcoal grey. They are all beautiful. This specific palette is so versatile. It's very easy to create multiple day time looks (which I did today-and got a complement on...thanks Jen!) or very dramatic night looks. I can't wait until my makeup ban is over so I can get the other three palettes.

Skin and paper swatches

Day time eye look using the three matte shades plus white sparkley shade for highlight.

I give this palette an A+! :)