December 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag

Hello Beauties! Here's a look inside of my Ipsy December Glam bag.

For this month, I noticed that there wasn't a specific theme, like the past two months that I have been receiving a glam bag. The goodies were placed inside of a black pouch, in which the lining on the inside is purple. Photographing the pouch was a bit difficult, as you can see the material isn't all that great (I think its nylon).

Now onto the goods! 

Coolway Boost Hair Repair System - I have honestly never heard of this brand before. According to the packaging, you apply a generous amount on your hair after shampooing leaving it on for 4 minutes before rinsing. It has a pleasant smell, and has a creamy consistency.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes - I own the full size version of this mascara, and was pleased to see that I received a travel size version of it! I have no complaints on this mascara - doesn't clump, it lengthens and doesn't make my lashes look spidery.

Nourish Organic Eye Cream - Its an organic, USDA certified, good for your skin eye cream designed for normal to dry skin. Ingredients include avocado oil, Moroccan argan oil and shea butter.

NYX Butter Lip Balm in Marshmellow - I must admit that when I first saw the color of the tube, my heart sank a little. It looked way too nude, and figured that same color would read on my lips. I was right. Although moisturizing, I can't wear this on it's own because it is nude enough to make me look a bit washed out.

Pixi Fairy Dust in Brightening Bare - This is a taupe colored loose pigment. When I swatched it on my skin, I thought it would be a more intense color, but it was definitely the opposite. I would have to try this wet.

What did you receive for this month's glam bag? Anything different than what I received?

Mini Ulta/Sephora Haul

Hello beauties! 

All these holiday sales are driving me nuts! I promised myself that I would't go crazy and buy a bunch of things, but of course I had to get myself a thing or two. I was pretty selective as you can see, and may be a bit on the boring side, but whatever haha! Here's a look at what I purchased...

Sephora Haul (minus the Lime Crime Velvetine in Salem)

For the purchases I made at Sephora, I took advantage of the VIB sale and also their Black Friday sale. For the VIB sale I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown, since I needed another one. I got the Bite Beauty Mix N' Mingle Lip Minis in the colors Nude Rose/Light Brown Nude. NOT pictured is the Lime Crime Velvetine in Salem (because I completely forgot to include it in the picture and only realized it as I was typing #KeepingItReal). You are probably thinking "since when does Sephora sell Lime Crime?!" They did have Lime Crime items available on their website for about a day, and I don't know why they decided to not restock. On Black Friday I purchased the Bite Beauty Best Bite Remix and the Bite Beauty Lush Lip Trio - which they had available for $10! As you can see, I'm on a Bite kick :)

Ulta Haul

For the Ulta Cyber Monday sale, I got the Real Techniques Nic's Picks 2014 brush set with the intention of saving this for my kit. I love the quality of Real Techniques, they never disappoint and I highly recommend their line to anyone. I also got the Lorac Champagne Dreams palette that was only available online on Cyber Monday for $15! I couldn't pass that up. 

Samples!

And of course what Sephora/Ulta order wouldn't be complete without some samples? 

What did you purchase during VIB sale/Black Friday/Cyber Monday?!

KISS InstaWave Automatic Curler Review

Hello beauties!

I recently was given the chance to try out the latest curling iron out in the market through Brand Backer - the Kiss InstaWave curling iron.

For some, the process of achieving a head full of nice curls may be a bit challenging. It may take a long time to do, if not careful enough you can burn your fingers, arms start hurting, wrists, etc (girl, I know the struggle). This automatic curling iron promises to get the job done quickly and easily - and claims that you don't have to be a pro to achieve the look you want.

Here's more on the InstaWave:

• 1" ceramic iron barrel
• Fully automatic, and tangle free
• Has two temperature settings (high and low, heats up to 420 degrees)
• The Curl Dial allows you to to choose the direction of the curl 
• You can curl with either your left or right hand
• Automatically shuts off after 90 minutes for safety

Step 1: Hold InstaWave vertically, and place 1-2 inch section of hair in between the prongs.

Step 2: Press the Curl Dial to the direction you want the curl. The prongs will start catching your hair and wrapping it around the barrel. 

Step 3: Wait 5-10 seconds, depending on how tight you want your curl to come out. Once you have reached your desired time, just guide the barrel downward to release the curl. 

And this is my end result! I need more practice with it so I can get my hair to look just right. 

Honestly, there is a bit of a learning curve with this iron, as it took me a few tries before I was able to get my hair on the prongs without it slipping, and wrapping around the barrel properly. I was a bit worried about the curls not catching on properly, due to me not having such long hair - I thought it would be an issue, but if done right, there is no problem. I was also concerned about my hair tangling  but not once did it catch on the wrong away! Something else I do want to point out is that the curling iron emits this weird humming noise when plugged in, but as per KISS, it's nothing to be concerned about as it's caused by the circuit that drives the motor.

Front view of final result! 

Overall I do recommend this to anyone that would like to curl their hair as quickly as possible and not have to worry about burning your fingertips.  You can purchase one through KISSinstawave and it retails for $59. 

Is this something that you would like to try for yourself? Do you own a InstaWave? Disclaimer: Powered by Brand Backer. My review is 100% honest, and entirely my own.

Face of the Day - Emerald Eyeshadow

Hello beauties!

Last night I posted a picture on my Instagram on a look I did on myself for a night out, and although I  quickly listed the products I used in the caption, I decided to make a blog post and go a little more in depth. I usually stick to my neutral colors, but that night I decided to be a bit more daring and step a little out of my comfort zone.

Face:
I always start off by moisturizing my face, so I used the Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer. For primer I have been loving the Pixi Flawless and Poreless. I wanted my face to appear flawless and picture ready, so I applied my tried and true Makeup Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation in the shade 153 Golden Honey. For concealer, I mixed L.A. Girl Concealer in Medium Beige, with NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard- I applied this in patting motions in an "upside down triangle" shape under my eyes, instead of just blending it in to achieve maximum coverage and smoother finish. To set that concealer, and to add highlight and contour to my face, I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. On the cheeks- Warm Soul by MAC, and the highlight for my cheekbones is the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal. Hourglass Ambient lighting Powder in Dim Light to further set, and to really make my skin look amazing.

Eyes:
UD Eyeshadow Primer Potion in original for my eyelid primer. To highlight under my brow bone I used MAC eyeshadow in Brule. Soft Brown by MAC was used as a transition color, and I applied it into my crease, and a little bit above it. Milani eyeshadow in Bella Emerald was used all over the lid. I first applied it dry and decided to intensify the color by spraying my flat shader brush with a little bit of Fix +. For the outer corner I went into my Amrezy Palette and used LBD and Legend for my inner corner. For my brows I used Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown. Inglot 77 gel liner, Cargo Picture Perfect HD Mascara, and Ardell Glamour lashes in 102.

Lips:
Instead of applying lipstick, I opted to just line and fill my lips in with Spice Lip Pencil by MAC, and on top of that I used Rambutan Lush Fruit Lip Gloss by Bite Beauty.

I should have taken more pictures, but as you can see, I had my coat on ready to go! Is this something you would like to see more of? Perhaps in pictorial form showing step by step? Please let me know down below!

November 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag

Let's take a look at what I received in my Ipsy glam Bag for this month! This month's theme is 'Girl Meets Glitter'

The bag itself is from Forever 21 Cosmetics for Ipsy. Super glittery - perfect for the holidays :)

First item I pulled out of the bag was the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the shade Submissive. I can definitely see myself using this as a base for a brown smokey eye look. I'm curious to see how good the staying power is...

Next item is the Star Looks Gem Pencil in Ultra Olive - it's a glittery, pretty olive colored eye liner.

This is such cute little sample size of Temptu highlighter in Pink Pearl. It looks a little scary in the tube, since it looks straight up white with just a hint of pink, but once swatched it definitely looks just as the name of it says - like a pearlized pink, but it's very faint.

I received the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Hairspray. It has a very pleasant smell to it. I hope it lives up to it's claim of it being flexible and non flaking!

When I first saw the J.Cat Wonder Lip Paint, I would have sworn it was an OCC Lip Tar! The shade given to me is in Mad Splatter. The packaging definitely fooled me, but the color is gorgeous! Right up my alley.

I'm looking forward to testing these month's items in the next few days! What did you receive in your glam bag for this month? If you aren't subscribed, and you want to check it out, click here!

Ola Tropical Apothecary Pikake Body Butter and Body Lotion Review

Living in New York, I know how harsh the long winter months can be to my skin. Moisturizing every chance you get is essential in keeping skin nice and smooth - cracked and dry skin is not sexy!

I was given the opportunity to try out Ola Tropical Apothecary Pikake Body Lotion, as well as the Body Butter. I just want to point out that Ola Hawaiian Body Products are handcrafted and made at the source - all ingredients are locally grown, indigenous to the land, organic, and cruelty free! According to Ola, the lotions are made with organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Avocado, Mango, locally harvested Macadamia and Kukui nut oils, as well as other signature blends.

A closer look at the ingredients.

As soon as I opened the bottles, I was in love- the smell is heavenly (the Pikake scent is from Jasmine flower)! Pikake leaves you smelling sweet and fresh, and I found that the scent lasts for hours after I have applied the product on my skin. From my experience, body butters have left my skin feeling heavy, and greasy, not really soaking into my skin. After using the Pikake Body Butter, I found that the consistency is thick, but yet it glides right onto my skin and absorbs rather quickly. The moisturizing effects lasts all day! The body lotion is thinner in consistency compared to the body butter, but still works just as great on my skin.

The Body Butter

The Body Lotion

I am very pleased with these lotions, and I am definitely looking forward to continue using them throughout the cold weather, and beyond. Learn more about the company by visiting the Ola Tropical Apothecary official website, and while you're there treat yourself to something! Use coupon code junkiibeautique for 15% off your purchase! You can also check out their Facebook and Instagram pages.

Do you have any favorite moisturizers for the winter?

*Disclaimer- These products were sent to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% honest and entirely my own.

My Beauty Wishlist

Yep, the title is pretty self explanatory. Oh, how I wish I had an abundance of money to buy the things my family and I need! I didn't want to label this as a holiday wishlist, although the season is upon us, because I feel this list goes beyond that. Just a general list of things I will be able to get in the near future, and things that are a little beyond my reach for a while, but not impossible. Not all of it is an actual beauty product, but it relates to it.  Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette ($58) - I love the hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders, and I'm sure this palette won't disappoint. The colors look so pretty!
2. Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment ($69) - This stuff is supposed to work miracles on blackheads. I've read nothing but good things about this.
3. Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint ($55) - I love me some dewey, radiant skin. This foundation is supposed to deliver just that, along with helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and tightens skin.
4. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Moonstone ($41) - Because I need more highlighters in my life.
5. Diva Ring Light NOVA ($189) - I don't have the best lighting at home, this would help me out tremendously!
6. Clarisonic Mia2 Winter Hydration Set ($149) - I have been eyeing the Clarisonic brush for some time now, I recently noticed that Sephora has this limited edition set available.
7. Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Champagne Pearl ($26) - Hydrating lip mask
8. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation ($62) - Curious to try this!
9. Simplehuman 5x Magnifying Lighted Makeup Vanity Mirror ($199) - Huge splurge, especially for a mirror. It simulates natural light, and turns on on its own when it senses your face approaching. Its completely cordless and one charge can last you up to 5 weeks!
10. Origins A Perfect World SPF 25 Age Defense Moisturizer ($41) - I'm in need of a good anti aging moisturizer!
11. Zuca Artist Pro ($305) - Would make my life easier when I have my kit together!
12. Soap & Glory Sit Tight Intense XS Special Super Strength Body Firming Serum ($38) - A serum that will help tighten? Yes please!
13. Canon EOS Rebel T5i Digital Camera ($699) - For better quality pictures, and perhaps YouTube in the future? Hmmm..
14. Versace Bright Crystal Absolu ($84) - Smells absolutely divine!

Is there anything on this list that you have been eyeing as well? What's on your wish list?

Artist Couture Diamond Glow Powders by Angel Merino

Hello beauties!

As I have mentioned in the past, I am a total highlight whore - anything from a subtle glow for daytime to give you that healthy radiance, or an intense in your face disco ball glow for nighttime. It's just something about highlighted skin that really helps bring a look together.

Angel Merino, better known as Mac_daddy on Instagram is a celebrity makeup artist that has come out with his own makeup brand called Artist Couture. I was really happy to hear that he was going to be releasing some products, and coming from Angel, I knew it would be nothing but the best! As of now Artist Couture consists of 6 permanent Diamond Glow Powder shades (all cruelty free), a fan brush for the application of the highlighters, and a brush belt.

As soon as I received my package in the mail I tore it open to find it wrapped up in gold foil and sealed with an Artist Couture sticker, I thought it was a nice touch - I had to show you guys.

Now onto the unwrapping!

I am so happy that the jar comes with a swivel sifter! Since this is a powder product, it has the potential to get very messy very fast, and having that swivel not only helps contain the product in its place, but you can also control how much product you want to use at a time. 

Yasss! is a light pink highlighter, and Conceited is more rose gold. Both very beautiful and would complement any skin tone very nicely. They are finely milled, and the amount of shine it has is definitely NOT for the faint of heart! Very little product goes a long way! I quickly swatched the colors and was amazed by their glow! 

 I really need to invest in better lighting. It DOES NOT do the swatches I did on my face ANY justice!   

So in love with these diamond powders. They are versatile enough to not only be used on your cheekbones, but on the inner corner of your eye, mix it with your favorite moisturizer for an all over glow, etc. The Diamond Powders retail for $26 and you can purchase your own by clicking here.

Favorite Autumn Lip Colors

Temperatures are getting chillier, leaves are changing colors, pumpkin flavored everything is now in season.. Fall is upon us! I personally am more of a summer time kind of girl, but all the pretty shades of fall is mesmerizing!

Fall also means trading in bright pop of colors to more warm, darker shades when it comes to makeup. I have gone through my stash and gathered my favorite fall time shades.

Velvet Teddy by MAC- Nude shades are always a must for me, no matter what time of the year it is! This color paired with MAC's Spice lip liner gives you that "Kylie Jenner lip".

Cappuccino by City Colors- I received this lipstick in my September Glam Bag, and as soon as I swatched it, I immediately thought that it would be a great color for fall.

Divine Wine by L'Oreal- This color picked up a bit lighter on camera. In person it is a beautiful wine color that actually pulls more brown than red.

Devil's Food Cake by NYX-  Ah, I love NYX butter glosses. This color looks very intimidating in the tube, but isn't actually so dark once applied. I only made one pass on my lips in the swatch below, but you can definitely intensify the color.

Berry Haute by Revlon- I feel like this shade will translate differently on everyone, but still such a pretty berry/violet/pink lip color. Also a dupe for MAC's Up The Amp!

Diva by MAC- A MAC fall staple. Beautiful deep red/plum color. Again, this was hard to get to show up true to color on camera. (I need to invest in lighting! lol)

Plum Adiago by L'Oreal- Love how hydrating the Extrodinaire Color Riche Liquid Lipstick line is! This is a great vampy color.

Black Dahlia by OCC-  This shade is a blackened red, and it is very intimidating in the tube! I love it's staying power.It looks light in the picture but trust me, it is way darker in person.

Transylvania by NYX- Perfect deep dark vamp burgundy. I admit, this color is kinda "high maintenance" - you should exfoliate before applying, as it tends to apply unevenly, and with dry lips it would look terrible. This color works better when applied with a lipliner or on top of another shade. Despite its flaws, I still really do love this color.   

Let me know what your fall favorites are below! Are there any colors that you would like to try, or that coincide with the ones I listed?