Urban Decay 500 Point Sephora Reward

I had quite a few points to spend at Sephora during a recent online purchase. I purchased a re-up on my Dior Lip Glow lipstick and then cashed in 500 points for the Urban Decay reward and also used the code “Blitz” to get a deluxe sample kit of a variety of products. Basically, 10 large samples and one lipstick later, I was really pumped to get my Sephora Box!

The Urban Decay reward had a few products in particular I was interested in trying. First, it had the anti-aging eye primer. As you know, I love their classic eye primer. I thought if it was possible to combine elements of an eye cream with my eye primer, it was something I had to try. Well, unfortunately, the new take on this old classic just isn’t the same. Can you say…creases? I tried three shadows with it, including an Urban Decay shadow, and all creased by the end of the day. Something that never happens with the classic primer.

As you can see in the picture, Urban Decay classic primer has a slight tint and blends easily with skin.

Eye Primer

Click this image of the bottle to go to Sephora.com for a mini-size of the classic primer for only $12!

Next up in the Urban Decay package was their All-Nighter spray and B6 Complexion Prepping Viamin Spray. I absolutely love the fact that these came in “trail-size” or deluxe sample size bottles. The All-Nighter spray typically comes in a huge bottle that I feel would take months and months to go through. The smaller size is absolutely perfect. Click here to try it in only 1 oz for $14!

While I need to give the primer a few more tries before forming a definitive opinion, I do like the All-Nighter spray and feel it does a perfect job of setting your makeup for the long haul. The primer has some really interesting statistics and studies around it, click here to read more.

Last in the box was a pot of  Urban Decay eyeshadow in Mushroom, a wonderful grey smokey eye color that is extremely versatile and applies smoothly. You can find that exact shade here at Sephora.com.

Overall, if you have 500 Sephora points, I’d highly recommend cashing them in. The makeup prep spray and the All-nighter sprays are worth it alone. But hurry! Those rewards tend to go fast and this one might not be around for much longer! Happy shopping!

L’Occitane en Province Almond Body Oil Review

I’ve been searching for a magical body oil for months now. While I’m really interested to try some of the tinted oils, like the classic from NARS, I also wanted something I use for hydration every day.

After much research, I headed to Nordstrom and bought L’Occitane’s Almond Supple Skin Oil. Of course, the reviews sucked me in because they touted how wonderful it smells. Sure enough! It smells like crushed vanilla almonds. Absolutely divine.

 

It’s said to be potent enough to diminish the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite while smoothing and moisturizing skin. I haven’t been using it long enough to tout any long-term benefits but I love the smell and wish I could bathe in it morning and night. Which you almost can because they also make a shower oil.

Truth be told, it’s winter in Colorado and the air is unbelievably dry. I’m not sure anything short of a straight shea butter could really moisturize and soften  your skin. But this does a pretty darn close job. I’ve been using it each morning and love catching a whiff of the light scent throughout the day. My skin does still feel nice at the end of the day, although I feel I need to reapply lotion at night as well.

It’s $40 for  3.4 oz bottle (yay something you can travel with!) and I’ve used about a third of it in a month. I might need something even thinker for winter, but this absorbs quickly, smells great and will be a summer beauty staple.

Buy it here for $40 from Nordstrom today! Remember, Nordstrom has free shipping and free returns, on the off-chance you don’t LOVE it!

Urban Decay Eye Primer, now I know what the fuss is about

Almost 6 weeks ago, I purchased Urban Decay eye primer and after just a few uses, I’ve never looked back. It was recommended to me by another blogger who said she liked it much more than the NARS eye primer. And she was right!

This is the third eye primer I’ve tried. First, it was the Bare Minerals primer in pearl, which has a nice sheen and even coverage primer that was great, but very hard to get out of the container. Plus, a lot of it ended up going to waste because it was too hard to push to the top of the tube.

Next, I went for easy to apply with NARS. One swipe of the wand brush and you have a nice line of primer than just takes a second to smooth on your eyelid. Nothing special, but it gets the job done. Reviews on Sephora.com said it takes a little too long to dry, which I would tend to agree with.

Finally, I tested the cult classic, Urban Decay eye primer. This primer has a skin tone tint to it so you already get skin-evening coverage before applying any color. Basically, it’s a winner. Dries quickly, lasts indefinitely and is silky smooth. Plus, I absolutely love the tip of the tube for easy application.

If you need a new (or want to try the best) eye primer, click here to get Urban Decay from Sephora!

Review: 100% Argan Oil

In a recent online beauty purchase, I decided to buy a little bottle of Argan oil to see what all the fuss was about. Is it really a miracle hair and skin treatment? Does it really heal damaged hair and dry cuticles? I had to find out.

I bought the .5 oz bottle of Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan. For only $14, it wasn’t a big investment and would let me give it a good test.

Argan Oil

Overall, I like it. Do I love it? No, probably not. Here are my thoughts:

In my hair: Not a winner. My hair isn’t damaged or extra dry and even only the smallest amount of argan oil made it greasy. If you have very dry hair or breaking hair, it could be the right treatment for you.

On my skin: Truth be told, I haven’t been brave enough to put it in on my face. But legs, arms and feet have been tested. For me, it doesn’t absorb fully. It absorbs enough to not feel greasy but I can certainly tell it’s there. It does a fantastic job of fully moisturizing your skin and is easy to apply evenly. If my skin was dry or on my next beach vacation, I’m going to try it again.

On my nails: This is my favorite place to use it. And wow, does a little tiny bit go a long way. A drop or two will easily cover all nails on one hand with plenty left over to rub around as a full-hand moisturizer. I also love it on my toes and all over my feet.

I’m glad I bought the small bottle as a little certainly goes a long way. I think to use it regularly, you need to have very dry skin or dry hair. Otherwise, use sparingly and more as a treatment.

Click here to buy Josie Maran 100% Argan from Sephora!

Tale of Two False Lashes

For special occasions, I love fake lashes. I don’t know if I’ve watched too many episodes of the Real Housewives or if I am just running out of special occasion makeup ideas, but it really feels like a party when you put your fakes on.

But! They are most certainly not all created equal. Here’s a move I can’t explain: I bought some lashes online from Sephora.com that had very mediocre reviews. Lashes are tough already without buying some that most of the Sephora community didn’t like.

I bought the Urban Decay Flirt style lashes online for $15, they look like this:

They also come with a tube of glue, which is where most of my problems started. The glue never got tacky enough to stick to my eyelid. Most lash glue after 10-15 seconds, gets tacky and if you stick it to your lid, it will easily stay and you can manipulate it into the right spot. Not this glue! It stayed extremely runny for almost 2 minutes.

My second problem is that the base of the lashes (the part where all the fibers attach) is very stiff and isn’t easily bendable. It has to be bendable because you have to curve it to follow your lash line. So with glue that wouldn’t stick and lashes that wouldn’t bend, it was a no-win.

But I don’t want to leave you empty-handed! The lashes I love are actually Sephora brand. I love the Astonish (and cutting it down a little bit so it is only half that size) and Flair.

Sephora Astonish, $10 comes with glue:

Sephora Flair, $10, also comes with glue:

The glue that comes with these lashes is excellent and the lashes last 2-3 wears if you are gentle with them. For $5 cheaper than Urban Decay, they are such winners. What lashes do you love? Have you ever had trouble with false lashes? Let me know!

REN Vita Mineral vs REN Hydra Calm Day Creams

There’s a new day cream in town. You know me, I love REN products but I wasn’t sold on their Vita Mineral Day Cream. It was a great day cream. Easy wear under makeup, just enough moisture and never greasy. But, it wasn’t special. So I went looking!

I had been interested in testing REN’s Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream and recently bought a bottle.

From REN, here is the description of Hydra Calm: An antiaging moisturizer for skin that is delicate or affected by everyday stressors like smoke and pollution. An optimal cream for sensitive skin, this moisturizer hydrates and replenishes skin, leaving it protected and looking beautifully healthy. Skin feels calmed and soothed. Antioxidant ingredients protect against free radicals to combat the signs of premature aging. Free of: Fragrance, parabens, petrochemicals, sulfates, synthetic colors, silicones, glycols.

After two weeks, here are my thoughts:

REN Hydra Calm smells better, it has an herbal, clean smell

REN Vita Mineral is thicker, but that doesn’t mean it is more moisturizing

REN Hydra Calm seems to absorb more easily and more quickly

Price difference: Vita Mineral = $45, Hydra Calm = $55

While it’s a little too soon to tell if it actually makes a visible difference on my skin, so far, I’m a big fan of Hydra Calm. If you have sensitive skin, REN has an entire Hydra Calm line of products, from an anti-aging serum to a cleansing milk.

Makeup Travel Bags

What do you use to carry your makeup when you travel? Do you have a hanging bag that folds and has tons of clear pockets? Do you have a hard case? Or maybe (I hope not) you toss all of your beautiful makeup in a Ziploc and call it good.

I’ve used a few makeup bags over the years and my standby for the last 5 or so has been the Vera Bradley large makeup bag. (below) 

Vera Makeup

When shopping for a makeup bag, I look for the following…

1. Plastic lining

2. Long enough to fit full-size shampoo bottles

3. Soft sides and easy to put in a suitcase (even if the suitcase is too full and you have to stuff it in there)

4. Big enough to fit all the makeup and the majority of the beauty products I take with me on vacation

I recently made the decision that it was time to replace the Vera Bradley bag. It’s had its time. It’s also looking a little grungy. I love all the Kate Spade accessories. From umbrellas to this crazy cute Kate Spade picnic basket so I thought Kate Spade would be a good place to start looking for a makeup bag.

I bought the Le Pavillion Small Natalie when it was on sale for $40. It’s still on sale for $60, down from $88. The dimensions are comparable to the Vera Bradley case but the Kate Spade one is much more square and I do think will end up holding more.

kate spade makeup bag

 

kate spade makeup 2

 

Next trip, I’ll be trying it and giving you a full review!

Dior Sunlight: Staple product

Out with the old, in with the new. As you can see, it was time to replace my Dior Sunlight bronzer. But instead of replacing it with a new product, I replaced it with a new compact.
New Dior Sunlight

 

I’ve featured Dior Sunlight many times before, it was on my list of products to help you get a great fake glow, it’s on my list of Everyday Products, and I’ve reviewed it and answered questions about it on Sephora.com.

Since I love my lovely Everyday Lipstick readers, I put together a little Q&A, FAQ about Dior Sunlight below. Hopefully this helps you decide if it’s the bronzer you’d like to try!

Q: How much is Dior Sunlight?

A: $55, it lasted me more than 6 months

Q: Does it have any shimmer?

A: Overall, I would say no, it doesn’t begin to come close to the level of shimmer of any of the Bobbi Brown shimmer brick bronzers or blushes, but it does have a healthy sheen to it. You certainly won’t see “sparkle” in the product or on your face.

Q: Is it a bronzer or a blush?

A: While it does have a slight pink hue to it, it’s much more of a bronzer than a blush. However, it is a great combo product if you want to cut a step out of your routine. You could use it as both!

Q: What’s the difference in color between Sunset and Sunlight?

A: A lot. Sunset is much darker. So dark that it is for extremely tan or ethic skin. Sunset is too dark for me even during the summer but Sunlight works for my medium beige skin all year. Also, Sunset has less pink it in than Sunlight.

What else do you want to know about Dior sunlight? Leave it in the comments!

 

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat

In a Sephora purchase about 3 weeks ago, I purchased YSL Touche Eclat, one of the highest rated concealers on Sephora.com. I planned to use it under my eyes to brighten and to cover any look of sleepiness. It works really well, it is absolutely a go-to product and something I’m really happy I have in my makeup drawer. But for the price, $40 for the tube, I expect rainbows and butterflies to fly out of the end of the tube every time I use it.

For my skin, I chose Luminous Vanilla, a bright, light color with beige and peach undertones. It’s the perfect color of concealer and highlighter for under eyes, around nose or anywhere you’d like to brighten and remove any signs of fatigue. It absolutely works, as an undereye concealer, it stays put all day, does not crease or smudge and doesn’t make my mascara bleed or smudge by adding too much moisture to that area.

As you can see, it is lighter and brighter than my skintone and looks great under the eyes.

YSL

Overall, if you want a luxe concealer that works, you will  not be disappointed, but as far as going “above and beyond”, which is what I expect for $40, it comes a little short.

Bobbi Brown Friends and Family Event- ENDS TODAY

Have you been waiting for the right  moment to try Bobbi Brown products? That moment is here! 20% off ends today!


The three Bobbi Brown products I’m currently using are the Skin Foundation in Warm Beige, the Shimmer Brick blush and the high shine gloss in Pink Sequin. Honestly, they are all amazing. I am becoming a huge fan of Bobbi Brown and a convert from Dior with every BB product I try.

But here are some things I’m lusting after on their website:

The Lilac Rose Eye Palette, amazing! Click here to get it 20% off today.

Brow kit with perfect brow brush. It comes in light and dark shades. Find it here.