October 30, 2013

Review: Wet n Wild Mega Last Matte Lipsticks


Some of my favorite lipsticks are from Wet n Wild and these are the Mega Last Matte Lipsticks. Not only are they super affordable, but they give a great color payoff and are perfect dupes for some high-end lipsticks. I'm still on the lookout for the perfect nude and berry/wine color for my collection and I think I'll be satisfied with what I own. There's also one more shade that's impossible to find in stores around me that I'm on the look for because I'm just too lazy to get it online. ;)

I have seven shades in my collection and all were purchased from my Walgreens and Walmart. These lipsticks average at $1.99 US in most retailed but I have seen them for $2.49 US occasionally. I wouldn't pay more than $2.49 US for these anywhere because they are available for less in other places.

As far as quality, these lipsticks are amazing with their color payoff and opacity. Length of wear, it's maybe a 6 out of 10. I find myself touching up a lot after a few hours even if I haven't eaten. They just seem to wear off easily with normal activities - but at under $3 I'm not expecting long-lasting power! The name is Mega Last though... hm. I love these lipsticks for beginners to have in their collection to really start to try colors. These lipsticks come in a large array of colors between nudes, pinks, and reds so these are perfect for trying out bold shades or more tame nudes to see what fits you best! Now, these do stain your lips a bit so I'd be careful with the darker colors especially the reds. These look great on their own or with a gloss on top so play it up and let me see your creations!

The packaging isn't the best. The outer casing is a thicker plastic but it's cheap and the inside isn't the best quality to hold the product. There's a chance if you have the lipstick retracted too high you may break it from the base (as with all lipsticks) but specifically these very easily. There have been times the lids have popped off in my handbag and I've luckily caught it in time before a big mess happened!!! But these are definitely not best for portability unless they're in a contained makeup bag - just lookin' out for you ladies! ;)

From top to bottom: 903C Just Peachy, 901B Think Pink, 967 Dollhouse Pink, 905D Smokin' Hot Pink, 966 Don't Blink Pink, 970 Purty Persimmon, 910D Red Velvet.

List of MAC Dupes:
903C Just Peachy - MAC Costa Chic
905D Smokin' Hot Pink - MAC Moxie
908C Sugar Plum Fairy - MAC Rebel
911D Spotlight Red - MAC Ruby Woo
910D Red Velvet - MAC Russian Red
970 Purty Persimmon - MAC Sail la Vie
967 Dollhouse Pink - MAC St. Germain & Mac Pink Nouveau
968 Pinkerbell - MAC Viva Glam Nikki
901B Think Pink - MAC Creme Cup
966 Don't Blink Pink - MAC Candy Yum Yum

Thank you, FatandFierce for your list! So much easier than digging through my old files to find my list of dupes. ;D She also shows you these colors on darker complexions so check out her video! You can find these at your local drugstores, Walmarts and Targets, and online! Shop all available colors on Beauty Joint!



Thank you all for reading! I appreciate your time here with me! Leave me a comment about your favorite shades if you own any of these! Until next time...

xo K

October 24, 2013

Halloween: the Joker Makeup

Why so serious? It's Halloween after all! I have been up all morning playing with techniques to create awesome characters for Halloween. Yes, yes - it's already October 24 but who cares?! Follow my steps to achieve this classic joker look. Comment below with your photos or Instagram your looks with the hashtag #tcbjoker so I can see your creations!


Start with your fresh face!


1. Use any jumbo pencil in white or a face paint to make your complexion pale. I used NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk.
2. Draw on yourself! This is the fun part.
3. Blend using your fingers - using a sponge or brush will actually remove some of the product which isn't what we want here.
4. Once you're all primed and ready to go, we'll set the white creamy base with a translucent or white powder.


5. I am using my e.l.f. High Definition Powder to set my white complexion.
6. I'm using a Real Techniques buffing brush to dab the powder all over. Do NOT, and I mean do NOT, buff the powder into your face! You will remove a good amount of that white base and then will have to start all over again! Just pat it on with a light hand - we're just trying to seal that cream base from creasing.


7. Using the Sedona Lace 88 Matte palette I chose the Kelly Green color for my brows. I used a small angled brush to paint them on.
8. For a smoother application, you can use a little bit of water, dab your brush in it, wipe off some of the water and then use your shadows for a creamier application and a brighter intensity. Now make silly faces!
9. Use a medium purple color to apply and blend into your crease making sure to go almost to your brow bone but not all the way up.
10. You can use shadow shields but because my face is white I didn't want to mess up the base so I chose a straight line to make my cat eye on the corners.


11. I'm no using a darker purple to place in the crease on top of the medium purple. You don't want this to go high - concentrate it in the crease only.
12. Again using the brush handle as a straight edge.
* I didn't take a photo since it's easy, but you want to apply a black shadow to your lid and ONLY your lid. Wing it out a little on the ends for a cat eye look. *
13. Use your white pencil to apply a 'streak' under your eye. This is going to make the next color really stand out.
14. Blend it, but do not blend that white intensity away too much. You want this next color to really be vibrant!


15. Use a bright line/chartreuse for the under eye area.
16. I used a short shadow brush to apply the color to avoid fallout.
17. Ta-da! Classic Joker colors!
18. Use a black liner to line your waterline and top lid.
19. I used my NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean to line my waterline and I only applied a wing to the outer corner of my eye to complete that cat eye look.


20. I used Wet n Wild's Red Velvet red lipstick and a lip brush to precisely apply the lips. I dragged the color with a light hand out of the corners of my mouth for that ripped look.
21. I also used a little black shadow to line the lips and deepen the red in the center.
22. Finally, apply a light coat of mascara (just to feminize the look) and voila! You are now the Joker!



I hope you enjoyed this look! I give credit where credit is due and I couldn't have done this look without the help of MadeULook by Lex. She's got some AMAZING tutorials and she's a pro!!! I simply recreated her masterpiece! Check her out: YouTube & BlogUntil next time...

xo K

October 22, 2013

Jumbo Pencils: How-To & Review

The wonderful world of jumbo eye pencils! Nearly every brand of makeup now supplies some sort of jumbo eye pencil. The greatest thing about them is their versatility! They can be liners, cream shadows, or bases. Hell, some of the pinker shades could even be used for cream blushes! So though some brands will charge you a steep price for these little babies, they do serve multiple functions and make it easier on your wallet in the long run and easier on storage space!


The jumbo pencils photographed above are what make up my collection (for now)! As you can see, I do love my NYX jumbo eye pencils. I have black bean: a classic dark black, milk: the famous white base for ideal bright color looks, cashmere: a shimmery champagne/tan color, french fries: the perfect bronze, and rust: my favorite burgundy base. I did swatch all of the pencils below if you're interested in their colors. I use the NYX eye pencils as bases for my shadows, milk being my most used (it's the first one I've had to sharpen). These used as bases allow your shadow to really stand out. Try it! Take a base and apply it to your hand as a swatch and apply a shadow with a coordinating jumbo pencil to the base versus your skin by itself - you'll totally see the difference in vibrancy! With a $4.50 US price tag, these are truly worth the money! Check them out from the NYX website yourself! And another great point... they come in TONS of colors!

These rock as cream shadows by themselves as well. Take the essence 'stay no matter what' pencils on the left. I had just wanted to try essence out so I grabbed Gorgeous Grey and Cute Copper because in the store they applied so creamy, so pigmented, and seemed to last after I tried to rub with off with a tissue. (Check out the smudged swatch photo at the end! These are tough troopers!) I really, really like these and though there are only a few colors available, I plan on picking them all up! All essence products are extremely affordable - these average $2.99 US! Visit the essence website to find where to buy in stores! The brand is sold online at Ulta as well.

 From top to bottom: essence Cute Copper, essence Gorgeous Grey, e.l.f. Little Miss Thing, NYX Black Bean/Milk/Cashmere/French Fries/Rust.

As for the e.l.f. Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick it does have a beautiful color and it's retractable so that's a big plus! But for quality, it's kind of sub par. It's a great base for my favorite coordinating shadow from Urban Decay, but other than acting as a base this pencil falls short of greatness. It's a steal at only $2 US, it certainly acts a $2 product. I wouldn't recommend this and I probably won't be buying any more in the future. You can check out the other colors available at the Eyes Lips Face website if you're interested! There are about six neutrals available as well as a black, plum, navy, and green.

The above photo is when I took a standard makeup remove wipe and rubbed down once to see how well the staying power of the eye pencils were. As you can see, essence blew them all out of the water! The 'stay no matter what' motto is 100% honest! The e.l.f. shadow stick disappeared as did the NYX Milk and Cashmere. Though the darker NYX shades took a little more effort to remove.

Thanks for stopping by! Have you tried any of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils or the essence and e.l.f. ones? Have you tried any other brands worthy of mentioning? Comment below and tell me about your experiences with them and how you like to use them! Until next time...

xo K

Review: e.l.f. 32 Piece Warm Eyeshadow Set


Welcome back! I've got another palette review for you ladies (& gents)! This is the e.lf. 32 piece warm eyeshadow set and I picked it up at TJMaxx for only $6! Most of the time you can find e.l.f. products at Target, Big Lots, TJMaxx, various dollar stores, and a few other local retailers in your area. There's always a sale going on at the Eyes.Lips.Face. website - right now they have 50% off brushes with code: FALLSWEEP until October 28! Check those out! I would definitely recommend some of the brushes to pick up from e.l.f. that work just a great as other high end brands. But we're not here for brushes, let's get to this palette!


I initially bought this one for the third row which has a lot of plum-y purple metallic colors which I love in fall and transitioning into winter. Third row, sixth form the left was the one color I actually was attracted to (and I did swatch it below). As with some e.l.f. products this is a hit and a miss all in one. I decided to swatch metallics, then lighter matte colors, and finally some darker matte colors offered in this palette. I love the metallics! Such a smooth, rich application and the color payoff is right on the money! The mattes are hit or miss though... I had an issue with the neutral flesh colored tones as well as the matte black. But the deeper browns were very pigmented and worked perfectly.



For $6 this is a great little palette to have in your collection! The color choices are amazing! They have every color you really could dream up in a warm toned palette. Quality, out of a 10 star rating I'd give it about a 6 since the metallics and dark mattes are really what shine in this set. It retails at $12 US and is no longer available form their website. But check out the aforementioned retailers and you may find it! I also saw some amazing NYX sets at my TJMaxx yesterday so get to your nearest one now to see if you got a shipment like mine did!!!

As always, thank you so much for your support! I love you all and I look forward to reviewing more products. (It's my guilty pleasure.) ;) Until next time...

xo K

October 21, 2013

Review: Sedona Lace 88 Matte Color Palette!


It came in the mail this week and let me tell it - boy was it ever packages safely! It was in a slim box (I ordered two different palettes) and it had not only packing peanuts, but large bubble wrap wrapped around the two palettes about 10 times, then each palette was individually wrapped in smaller bubble wrap and then inside the box of each palette the black slim package was safely in its own pocket of bubble wrap. No. Joke. "Pics or it doesn't count?" Yeah if you want them, I can totally get you them! ;)


Now onto this palette of course! This was my first time trying our the SL brand and though their brushes weren't in my budget for the week, their palettes were! They had a big sale with 40% of all palettes and I was able to snag this one for $11.37, 40% off their regular $18.95 price. I figured for 88 shadows that was definitely a nice deal. And it was the Sedona Lace name, a brand widely heard across the YouTube platform! Below are the 88 colors (yes the photo is a little foggy but it's what I was working with at 4:00 in the morning, k?) featured in the matte palette. Now, not all of these are matte so I was a little confused as to why I had gunmetal and silver and even a few glitters in there but I am certainly not complaining because they are beautiful colors!


I would have to say some of my favorites ended up being the metallic ones! They have amazing pigmentation (except the silver one) and they go on very smooth. I swatched the colors with a flat shader brush and with my fingertip to see if the color payoff was different but they applied virtually the same so my swatches were made with my finger. Out of the colors I can say I love the matte black, the shimmery metallics, and the neutrals. The brights of course aren't really for everyday looks for myself so I'll be using them when needed but that's exactly why I got this palette. I wanted some bright fun colors in one place so when I was up for costume makeup or a pop of color I'd have a wide selection to choose from - and that I do!

What I Swatched: matte black, a matte green, a metallic gold/bronze/silver,
a matte pink, a glitter blue, a glitter coral, and a metallic copper.

As far as the regular price of the palettes with Sedona Lace, I would never buy them at full price because you can always grab them on sale! Like I said, I picked mine up for 40% off and I even found a $5 off my order code from perusing the internet. So take a look at what they have to offer and if you're looking a palette with creamy shadows that have great pigmentation this is definitely a winner! The 88 count palettes come in "warm," "ultra shimmer," "matte," and "metal" tones at $18.95-$22.95 US regular price.

Thanks for stopping by!
xo K

Sedona Lace 88 Matte Palette - Free shipping on orders of $50+ with 50FREE code!
All Sedona Lace Shadow Palettes

Current Favorites as of October 2013

LIP PRODUCT: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in "Tokyo"
MASCARA: Jordana Best Lash Extreme & Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes
CONCEALER: NYX Full Coverage Concealer in "Light"
SHADOW: NYX Roll-on Shimmer in "Nude"
LINER: NYX Retractable Eye Liner in "Deep Blue"
BLUSH: Physician's Formula Sexy Booster in "Rose"
BRONZER: It's fall! I'm not using bronzer!
HIGHLIGHT: Urban Decay Naked Illuminated
NAIL POLISH: Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in 340 "Cinna-snap"
HAIR PRODUCT: No new products for this month!
ET CETERA: NYX Wonder Pencil in "Light"


Let's start with that amazing NYX soft matte lip cream in "Tokyo." Holy goodness... this lip color is amazing! It has a soft texture and no harsh scent/taste! It glides on and I do know a lot of people like to layer it a few times for a solid bolder look and I think one or two coats paired with a gloss on top is perfect! I just started trying NYX over the last month as it just came into my local Target and I am so impressed with the quality and affordability! In stores I feel NYX can definitely be a little pricey, but you can snag awesome deals on Ulta's website (lots of buy one get one 50% off deals) and also discount cosmetic websites such as www.beautyjoint.com (a site I most definitely trust). This lip cream is a beautiful pinky color with a hint of coral and lasts a great amount of time! It doesn't slide so you won't find it feathering around your mouth during the day. Touch-ups can be necessary of you are eating/drinking/etc. but for the most part it lasts on me for a few hours. I loved it so much I bought 3 more colors! You can find most of these lip creams for around $4 US online.

If you watch Lauren Curtis on YouTube you will hear over and over again how much she loves her Jordana Best Lash mascara and I have now realized why! My Walgreens now carries Jordana and I absolutely had to get my hands on this! It is amazing! With only one coat it gives length and definition. Keep it going and you'll for sure see the volume begin to work its magic. I found on myself it does get clumpy and thick if you exceed three coats, but usually I like a subtle two personally with any mascara. At a nice price of under $5 US this is definitely a steal! Another favorite mascara of mine is the good old Maybelline Great Lash line! This time it's the Lots of Lashes applicator! Featuring a tin little lower lashline brush, this plastic applicator applies the perfect amount of product for a light touch of drama. I use it mainly for my lower lashes but will use the precision brush to de-clump my top lashes if needed. Always affordable, this mascara is a MUST for any girl out there who is a fan of Maybelline and is looking for a great precise brush.

Though I don't use foundation nor concealer often, I do sometimes want to mask the veins under my eyes (I have translucent skin all over my body especially under my eyes, on my wrists and forearms, my ankles and feet, and my legs). Anyways Kelly, let's get back on track here, I love this concealer! It is a full coverage concealer and it comes in this perfect little pot. It comes in a great variety of colors, too! Don't you hate when you are so limited to these things and some companies thing we come in 3 shades of skin? Yeah let's get real guys. We're all so different and beautiful and 3 shades just aren't going to cater to every woman out there! Downfall of having it in the cute little pot is that if you have longer nails like myself you may end up taking a nice chunk out - I have not yet, but I'm giving it time. It's very creamy and acts as well as a foundation. It blends very easily and I find I like using m fingers best as it glides on better with the warmth of my hand than a brush. You'll also keep that little pot neater by precisely using your fingertip than a clunky brush. As with most liquid/cream products, it is best to set it with a powder to prevent creasing and make it last longer. I use my e.l.f. translucent matifying powder for mine! If you're looking for a light weight concealer that offers full coverage, definitely try this one out! I found mine at Target for $4.99 US.

My daily routine when I'm going out into the wild (a.k.a. public) always includes a shadow! I don't care if I just slap on one color, it's better on m face than going naked! One of my favorite palettes is the Urban Decay Ammo palette which has this beautiful color called "sin" in it. When I find a comparable color to "sin" I grab it! I am so nervous I will use up that shadow and be left with no dupe. Luckily I discovered - again at my local Target - a NYX roll-on shimmer in the same tone! The shimmer is in the color "nude" and it is stunning! This is not something you're going to want if you aren't a shimmery kind of girl as this is glitzy. There are not chunks of glitter in this one, don't be confused, but a nice light glimmer to reflect light off of. It is a perfect champagne nude color and is versatile enough to wear all over the lid or in the inner corner for a pop of light. I love this shadow and I use it with all of my neutral looks either in the inner corner or center to add in a little reflection to make my eyes look bigger. I cannot even thank Target enough for bringing in NYX so I don't have to order online. Now it's not a plethora of supply like Ulta but it has just enough essentials to make a trip out there worth it. I snagged mine for $4 US & a little goes a LONG way! (It shows off as coppery in the swatch photo below but it is NOT like that when applied on your lid and buffed out properly.)

The eye liner I am obsessing over this fall is the "Deep Blue" NYX retractable liner! I picked mine up at my Ulta for $4.50 US but I did a second liner for half off. When you think of fall usually oranges, reds, burgundys, browns all come to mind. You can even throw in some metallics as well. This navy is AMAZING this fall! I paired this with a neutral brown eye and it added such a POP of color! Because it's a deep navy and not a royal blue it is perfect for this season. This liner lasts forever! Which isn't really a bad thing. If you're looking for all day wear without it smudging, definitely try their retractable liners! I removed the swatches from my hand within 2 minutes and it still left a nice shadow of where it was. I did test removing it with both makeup remover wipes and a facial wash and it did leave a faint shadow but nothing that interfered the next day with my makeup. It is a creamy formula, no rubbing to apply, it glides on easy. It is retractable so no sharpening! That's always a bonus! I tried the few other colors they had available at my Ulta and loved them! Check these out when you get a chance - they're always having BOGO 1/2 off sales on NYX at Ulta so pick some up with that sale!

This blush doesn't only smell amazing it has the prettiest light color to add the perfect natural blush to your cheeks! The Physician's Formula Sexy Booster in "Rose" is my go-to blush all year round! It has an amazing color that is buildable, but leaves you with a natural flush. It is infused with pheromones (most of their products are) and has this light vanilla scent. Every time I wear it my fiance does in fact comment on how good I smell, so I guess it's working! It's a little pricier at about $12 US but it is in fact worth it! The packaging comes with the blush under one door and the back has an included mini blush brush and mirror. The brush also isn't bad for an in-package applicator. I was able to pick mine up in full size from a freebie website last winter and I am still going strong! This blush is worth the price and the quality is fantastic! (Also comes in "Natural" color.)

Let me begin with the fact this is my first ever real "splurge" on a makeup item. I usually always get my palette's BOGO or 50% off or with free shipping, my smaller items like lip products and eye products are usually BOGO half off online or at my drugstores, and so this is my first ever real splurge at $29 US at Ulta. I fell in love the second I saw the tester. It is the highlight from Urban Decay Naked called Illuminated. It is this domed powder in a suede flip top package that has shimmer galore! It even comes with a more than adequate brush in the bottom flip top of the packaging. This stuff glows! It is glittery and it's awesome blowing off the powder from the package before shutting it because it lets these tin little glitter fibers fly around. It's BEAUTIFUL! If you want an amazing glow to your body (yes this is advertised as an all over body shimmer) then pick this one up! You will NOT regret it, I promise!


I try my best to only buy the Sally Hansen "Insta-Dry" nail polishes because they really are instantly dry! They dry in under 5 minutes and they have such a wide variety of shades! They come in glitters, shimmers, metallics, opaques - you name it! And they are affordable for drugstore nail polish at only $4 US a pop at drugstores.

The NYX Wonder Pencil is my absolutely favorite nude liner now! I heard so much talk about it and I finally picked it up at Target with my other NYX items and I can't get enough of it. I use it for my waterline to brighten my eyes and make them look rested. This is a versatile product in that it acts as an eye liner, lip liner, concealer, and brightener. Hell, you could use it as a shadow base, too! This is a fantastic pick up for any makeup collection! It comes in under $5 US at most retailers.

1. Urban Decay Naked Illuminated - 2. Physician's Formula Sexy Booster in "Rose" -
3. NYX Roll-on Shimmer in "Nude" - 4. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in "Tokyo" -
5. NYX Full Coverage Concealer - 6. NYX Wonder Pencil in "Light" -
7. NYX Retractable Eye Liner in "Deep Blue"

Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know you favorite products and if any of mine are on your list! What are you wanting to try out soon? :) Until next time...

xo K

Shop NYX at Target Online
Shop Discount Cosmetics at Beauty Joint
Shop Ulta for NYX, Maybelline, Urban Decay, & More
25% Off Cosmetics at Walgreens - Code: PRETTYFALL

October 20, 2013

Meet Kelly!

A little about me...
I'm so glad to meet you! I'm Kelly and I run this blog! I'm in my early twenties, going to college, and work from home. I was born and raised in Ohio and currently reside in Florida for now. I'm engaged to a wonderful man by the name of Patrick and we're looking into tying the knot Halloween 2015. I have many interests with makeup being number one. I also love Minecraft, Hello Kitty, daisies, and owls. I have a one-year old nephew named Noah and a tarantula, Aurora.

How I Got Into Beauty
I started to get into makeup and beauty this post year all due to some amazing YouTube gurus out there that you've more than likely hard of before. It started with some simple e.l.f. and Maybelline products and through the help of suggestive videos, I branched out and began trying all different products and brands! It has become a very important part of my life and it truly brings me joy trying new stuff and adding to my collection. Thank you for being here to share it with me!

F.A.Q.
What is my favorite brand of makeup?
Maybelline and NYX

Do you prefer high-end to drug-store makeup?
Definitely not! You can find such amazing steals and quality right in your local drug store! Check 'em out and especially peek at their weekly ads for makeup deals! They are always running BOGOs and coupons on beauty products!

Favorite beauty essential?
Gotta have my mascara! And brow gel - it's a necessity with my thicker brows.

One thing I cannot master when it comes to beauty:
I cannot contour nor do I really want to.

Favorite mascara (in no order):
1. Maybelline Great Lash -any of the Great Last line
2. Jordana Best Last Extreme
3. Lancome Hypnose Drama

One product I couldn't live without:
I couldn't really live without a good conditioner or balm, actually. I am a big advocate for hair care and with my platinum locks I definitely need to return as much moisture, health, and strength to the ends of my hair.

One thing you always live without:
Foundation. Something I thank my lineage for is good skin. I'm thankful to have a clear complexion  I've tried foundations, but I just can't get over the feeling of the heavy mask. Now for some it's perfect! And I know for a fact a few big reasons are that I have not a.) found one that's right for me, b.) ever been in need of full coverage foundation, and c.) mastered the tricks of the trade with foundation application and wear. So if you are a regular foundation kind of gal, I commend you for mastering that!



Please, if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask! I'm here to talk with you and expand on our mutual love of all things beauty! And with that I bid you adieu. Until next time!

xo K

Welcome!

First and foremost, thank you for stopping by and hanging out with me! This blog is for anyone interested in makeup, beauty, and all things girly! Here you can expect product reviews, suggestions, tips, and more! I'm extremely excited to actually get this up and running and extra excited to have you here! If you ever have any questions, comments, suggestions please do not refrain from commenting anytime! I love the feedback and look forward to sharing my hobby with all of you! Welcome and come on in!

xo K