Have you ever sprayed a wasp spray or any insect spray indoors that smelled good? The answer I’m sure is no. It usually smells of chemicals. But at the end of the day, does it really matter? Not when you have a huge bug flying around that can strick your kids. But what if you can kill the bug, have a pleasant smell, and be safe for animals and kids? Well, of course, you’d pick the later. I’m shocked at how amazing this product is.
Marc Jacobs Coconut Highlighter
I’m not a fan of gel highlighters or really any gel products except foundation. I’ve tried Cover Fx and a few others but nothing that I’ve loved. Influenster did send me this product for free for my review, so I want to state that from the start.
BUT I will give you my honest opinion. Do I like it? Yes. Do I love it? I’m not sure. I’m still playing with it. I like it mixed in my foundation and it did look nice. I had a problem blending it on my cheekbones, maybe because I’m fair. I didn’t like the golden color of it, too yellow. I didn’t like it as much as my ABH Glow kits or a Becca highlighter. But it’s still nice in foundation. Would I rebuy it? Probably not. I love Marc Jacobs Beauty but this isn’t my favorite.
Marc Jacobs New Matte Highliner Eyeliners
Marc Jacobs has released a beautiful array of new eyeliner colors called Highliners. They are matte and glide on in a gel formula. I received this complementary from Influenster for my review. I wont write anything up that’s not amazing even if it’s comp. I wouldn’t want anyone to waste their money. These are pricey at $25 each but they are an excellent product for people that enjoy a luxury makeup line. I have several other pieces of Marc Jacobs makeup and I enjoy the brand very much. The lipstick color Infamous is my go-to neutral.
Personally I will buy these when they run out or invest in more colors. I’m not a colored eyeliner girl but the lavender one they sent is gorgeous! I blended it with a little brown on top to go more subtle and just a hint of color for my green eyes. Worth the splurge!
First Look at Jouer Highlighters
The holiday makeup sneak peeks are really rolling in and this one I LOVE by Jouer Cosmetics. These gorgeous highlighters will be available in three shades: Citrine, Topaz and Rose Quartz. They will be available September 8th. They are not technically holiday, because they will be permanent in the Jouer collection. They will be priced at around $22 each. Rose Quartz will definitely be on my buy list!
Lorac Mega Pro 3 Sneak Peek
Here’s a sneak peek of the new Lorac Mega Pro 3 palette. I would love to say that I’m excited but after buying the Lorac Pro 3, I feel like the formula has changed. The shimmer shades were so powdery that the fall out was horrible.
This palette doesn’t scream anything extraordinary but it would offer a lot of every day looks. Pomegranate is the only shade with any real “pop” from the palette. It might have been nice to add a few more bright shades to add more depth. I’m a little underwhelmed. I think Mega Pro 2 had better color selection.
No news on its release but you should expect it around fall for around $59. Start saving those Ulta points. A lower price tag could make it worth the purchase.
Charlotte Tilbury Holiday Makeup 2016
It’s not even September but holiday sneak peeks are already starting to appear in the beauty world. Who else gets uber excited for these??? I love the holiday collections! Here is a sneak peek at what Charlotte Tilbury has in store for us this holiday season. It will start to become available in October.
Charlotte’s World of Legendary Parties Advent Calendar (Retail $200) is made up of: a mini pot of Magic Cream, travel-size tubes of Take it All Off, Miracle Glow, Wonder Glow, Goddess Skin and Supermodel Body, and smaller versions of Eyes to Mesmerize, Legendary Lashes, Penelope Pink and Jessica Red lipsticks, and Sweet Stiletto lip lacquer. This will definitely be on my Christmas list!
The World of Legendary Parties advent calendar box of treats and treasures will be available exclusively on charlottetilbury.com.
The Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Party Eyes Kit is an oversized ball ornament that houses a mini Legendary Lashes Mascara and a Rock’n’Khol pencil. And yes, it can be hung on the tree. Retail $27.
Charlotte Tilbury holiday 2016 Pocket Kisses mirrored compact in Kiss Me Quick. Also available in Jessica Red. Retail $22
The Dreamy Look in a Clutch includes quite a few products: Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Muse Luxury Palette of glow-enhancing eyeshadows; mini Legendary Lashes Mascara; mini Legendary Eye Liner in Bedroom Black; mini Legendary Lip Liner in Bitten Kiss; a lipstick in Secret Salma from the Matte Revolution Hot Lips collection; and a Tilbury tutorial on a USB key. Retails for $128
Kindergarten Blues:When Your Youngest Leaves
It’s never easy for a stay-at-home mom to send a child off to kindergarten. It’s scary not being in control of their environment. What if someone picks on them? What if they get hurt? What if they’re sad and you’re not there to make them feel better?
But what is really different about a child going to kindergarten versus your youngest going to kindergarten….A LOT. I can safely say that as a mother of four, as I’m sitting here at 4am the night before school starts wide awake and crying my eyes out. It’s different because it affects you now and not just your child. You are now transitioning into a different phase of life. And what is that phase? For some it’s going back to work. For others it’s learning to be at home or going to a store without any children.
Frankly, I’ve loved having a child with me. During the week Target can be a quiet place to shop with most people in work or school. That was “our” time. Our time for popcorn and icee’s. Our time to look at all the neat Halloween or Christmas decorations that were coming out. Or to get a special treat her brothers and sisters weren’t enjoying because they were in school. And that time is gone. Yes, there will be times for “our” time still. But it’s different.
Having four children I work very hard to give each child their own individual time alone with mom. For my youngest that was our time every day, so she got the most. Now that time will be a lot less with school taking up her schedule and the nights dividing with siblings. But not just that. She’s getting older. Sending your child off to school is the start of growing up. She’ll start to have her own friends and then want to do her own thing. I see my 13 year old daughter and see exactly where this is headed. Moody teenager. I know it sounds crazy. But we’re just starting kindergarten?! But it’s that fast. You blink and they’re grown. And that’s why it’s so eternally more difficult to send your youngest off, because you know that things start to move even faster now.
Maybe I’m just not ready for the silence. Maybe I’m just not ready for “me” time. Maybe I like spending my day with a little girl dressed as her favorite princess. Maybe I like trips to the Children’s Museum on a Tuesday at 10am. Maybe I’m just not ready to give up cartoons and play doh all over the floor. Maybe I just wanted to keep her little a little while longer….
To all the moms out there sending their children to kindergarten, I know how you’re feeling. From everything I’ve been feeling, I think it’s extremely important to give yourself some time to really grieve. It’s okay to feel that loss. All you can do is be thankfully for all the time you did get to have with them, and then allow them to spread their wings and fly. Hugs to all the Mommies feeling the stress of kindergarten!
Marc Jacobs New Airblush
Marc Jacobs has launched a new Air Blush that comes with the claim it lasts for 24 hours! If you wear makeup as much as I do you know that blush is usually the first to go, faded to non-existence after a few hours of wear. I did not wear it for a full 24 hours but this is what it looked like after 9 hours of being the in Texas heat. That means 100 degrees and a 110 heat index, 100% humidity.
This is in the color Kinks and Kisses. It retails for a whopping $42 at Sephora.com which is a steep price for blush. But I will say this it does give you a good amount of product, coming in at .282oz.
One side is a lighter pink and the other is a peachy color. You can swipe your brush across for a custom blend or focus on one side for a stronger pink or peach tone. It is very buttery soft, little to no kick off, and very pigmented. I also like the luxury feel to the compact. It is large shiny black compact with a large mirror.
I received this for my review, so I did not buy it. But I would buy it. In fact I’d like at least one other….Lush and Libido is one I’d like to buy. The staying power justifies the price for me.
Dr. Brandt Needles No More
Just the name alone can stop a woman in her tracks…No More Needles? Botox in a jar? No high price for a smooth face? So of course I tried it. I also “tried” my hand at filming my review since it was rather in-depth. Let me just say, I suck at YouTube. I don’t have the right lightening, microphones, or backdrop. Hell, I didn’t even turn the camera the right way. So I apologize for all of that. But….it is an honest review. Products that I bought and paid for with no affiliation to the brand.
Having said all that, the long and short of it is it did absolutely zero for me. My lines are fairly minor. I’m 36 and have had botox a few times so we’re not dealing with deep wrinkles. I used it AM and PM, along with the morning moisturizer and evening moisturizer and it did nothing. I w0uld not recommend it. I would recommend you save that $100+ that you would spend on these products and put it towards a needle full of botox. Needles No More? I say bring me the needles!!! lol
Taking Down Jeffree Star
Jeffree Star has been a YouTube star for a relatively short period of time but his “star”dom has risen fairly quickly. His over the top style, makeup, and general persona have caught a lot of interest. Recently he’s launched into his own makeup line that has received rave reviews by fellow YouTubers. His liquid lipsticks are known to sell out as soon as they’re launched and his new eyeshadow palette has been highly sought after…..until now.
Watching your favorite YouTuber take a spiral down the “pay me to say anything” hole has been happening more and more frequently. It’s hard to know who to trust. You watch someone with millions of followers say something is amazing, buy it, and find that it’s actually garbage. But the pay-for-good reviews is happening more and more, and it seems no one wants to really be honest about how a product is performing and risk being blacklisted by that brand. Until now. Stephanie Nicole is quickly becoming the go-to reviewer that tells it like it is, and more times then not, she tells you its crap and she’s right.
Stephanie has recently posted a very long and blasting video regarding the character of Jeffree Star. I want to share it because it’s truly insightful. It definitely was eye opening. And it really draws awareness to who we support, whether it be by watching a video, buying a product, or just liking/subscribing. I will not be supporting JS products, his videos or anything to do with his brand. I liked Jeffree Star until I saw him smoking pot in the his videos. I think it sends a horrible message glamorizing drug use. So many teens look up to him, and watch his tutorials. But that aside, there is much worse things about his character that Stephanie Nicole brings to light. She shares actual video footage/tweets/messages of his antics, and violence against women.