Concateknit

Buxom Shimmer & Shake Show-Stopping Collection of 15 Mini Full-On Lip Polishes & Creams

As part of my Sephora VIB purchase (I say purchase but um, there were multiple purchases, so...yeah, that happened) I picked up the Buxom Shimmer & Shake Show-Stopping Collection of 15 Mini Full-On Lip Polishes & Creams. My introduction to Buxom lip products came by way of their lip cream, White Russian. I absolutely love everything about this lip cream and now keep one in my vanity as well as in my handbag AT ALL TIMES. It just goes beautifully with everything and it feels really good on the lips.

I have tested probably ten of the products included in the set so far and there isn't one I don't really like. I also love the mini size of these because you know, I may actually FINISH one of these at some point.

The Set:

The packaging is totally over the top, but it would be a pretty fun gift for the lip gloss (or Buxom) lover in your life!

L to R: Sandy, Katie, Sugar, Dolly, Trixie

Swatched L to R: Sandy, Katie, Sugar, Dolly, Trixie

L to R: White Russian, Kir Royale, Mudslide, Pink Lady, Cherry Flip

Swatched L to R: White Russian, Kir Royale, Mudslide, Pink Lady, Cherry Flip

L to R: Lauren, Rachel, Amanda, Victoria, Olivia

Swatched L to R: Lauren, Rachel, Amanda, Victoria, Olivia

I included the photo above with flash because I wanted to give you a sense of how shimmery these five lip creams are. The one in the center, Amanda, is particularly pretty and adds a lovely shimmer to any lipstick.

For $59, I think this is a GREAT value. You get White Russian, five sparkly shimmery lip creams and then nine more great colors, all of which are very wearable and easy to layer!

Haul - Ombres Matelassees de Chanel - Charming

Until I was about...37 I never wore more than one or two eyeshadows at a time. I didn't understand how to blend the colors, I wasn't sure where they went, I wasn't sure how to layer colors on top of each other. I was convinced that there was a Right Way to apply eyeshadow and since I didn't know it, I just stayed away from the issue. What that meant was that I had some single eyeshadows but not a ton of palettes because well...why?

A couple of years ago when I was in Ulta I ended up picking up the Urban Decay Naked palette and started experimenting with the lighter shades, layering them and figuring out what worked and most importantly, what I liked on me. Instead of being scary, it became something fun to experiement with, not dissimilar to how I felt about learning to knit, spin, and work with and wear more color in my everyday life.

Fast forward a few years and although the colors I'm drawn to are still predictably neutral, I really do enjoy different finishes and have been branching out into trying more taupey and eggplant types of colors. So you can imagine that I've been very excited about trying out the new Ombres Matelassees de Chanel Limited Edition palette in Charming.

The Chanel packaging is just so beautiful.

Can you stand it?

For me, this palette is just about perfect. The texture is creamy and blends effortlessly. The shade range means you can easily create very simply daytime looks as well as more complex evening looks. Also? The pigmentation is out of this world. I just can't stand it.

Those swatches? One swipe each. Dudes. Love.

This palette is limited edition and I mean limited in like - these were released after the rest of the holiday collection and in significantly limited quantities. My Macy's only got six of these total and I realize I'm in the Central Valley, but six is still...well, six.

This palette costs $80, which is certainly expensive, but that said, if these are colors you gravitate towards then I would absolutely recommend checking this out.

 

Maybelline, MAC, Revlon, Marc Jacobs

So...I wasn't exagerrating when I said that I've bought all the things recently. Between discovering online shopping like it is 2002 and both Beauty.Com and Sephora's Friends & Family and VIB sales, I have A LOT to share with you all. In this post I'm going to show a few random purchases I've made from drugstore to mid-range to high end brands.

For a very long time I was very biased against drugstore brands, thinking that their lower price point equaled poorer quality. Over the past year though, I've changed my mind as I've found some great products by drugstore brands. I've been particularly impressed with Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks and Revlon ColorBurst matte and lacquer balms.

L to R: Maybelline Pink Grandeur, Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Elusive and Matte Balm in Sultry

What I love in particular about Revlon's matte formula is that it isn't drying the way that I expect most matte lip products to be. The coverage is opaque in one swipe and lasts two to three hours.

Swatches in natural light

I highly recommend all of these lip products. Revlon and Maybelline have BOGO 50% off sales on a regular basis, so you can try these out without having to spend too much money.

MAC Stroke of Midnight Eye Bags: Gold and Nude

I was in Macy's recently and stopped to look at MAC's Stroke of Midnight collection. I ended up buying two of the eye bags in Gold and Nude because they had fluidlines and paint pots that I didn't own. I mentioned in my last post that I am a huge fan of MAC's paint pots so I am always on the lookout for LE paint pots to add to my collection!

Each eye bag comes with the black/white/gold clutch, Extreme Dimension Lash, a dual ended LE 209/239 brush and a paint pot and fluidline. At top is Blitz & Glitz fluidline and Genuine Treasure paint pot.

Blitz & Glitz fluidline, described by MAC as "intense black with gold pearl".

Genuine Treasure paint pot, described by Temptalia as "glittery bronze with flecks of antique gold, pewter, and a silvery-gray cast".

I am excited about trying out Genuine Treasure with a grey smokey eye and I think Blitz & Glitz will be great as part of a golden eye.

The Nude Stroke of Midnight eye bag included a paint pot that has quickly become a favorite of mine: Utterly Becoming.

Utterly Becoming is a very creamy nude/beige and works perfectly as a base for any eyeshadow look I want to do. It has warm undertones so works well on my lids.

You'll see more posts on the Marc Jacobs beauty line in future posts, but I can say with enthusiasm that this is a brand I've become very excited about. The pigmentation in all of the products I've tried has been amazing - the eyshadows in particular. As part of the Sephora VIB sale, I picked up the Marc Jacobs Shameless blush in Obsessed and although I haven't had the opportunity to wear it often yet, I know it will get a lot of use.

Marc Jacobs Shameless blush in Obsessed

Swatched in natural light - a light peachy pink

Once I have had some time to try out the products that I've purchased recently I will do more in-depth reviews of my favorites and any flops. I hope you have a great Friday and a great weekend!

 

Maybelline Matte Color Tattoos - WOO!

I may be a little obsessed with cream eyeshadow bases. I've certainly become pretty obsessed with MAC Paint Pots. They wear like iron on me and I love how I can change the color/intensity/longevity of the powder eyeshadows I wear on top of them.

I've also picked up a number of the Maybelline Color Tattoos and while I like them, I haven't loved them because they're a tad too sparkly for me to use every day. For me, the big gap in the product line has been a lack of matte options. I was really excited when I saw a review of three new matte products recently introduced to the Color Tattoo line.

L to R: Matte Brown, Nude Pink, Just Beige

I haven't used these enough to do a proper review, but my initial impressions are that these will be great for anyone who may find the MAC Paint Pot price point a little too steep. That said, I don't think these are as creamy as Paint Pots, but so far I've been pleased with the wear time and lack of creasing.

Swatches!

For my birthday, Mike bought me a Canon EOS Rebel T3i and I'm still figuring out how to use it. I have also been buying all the things, so...I apologize in advance if there are eleventy-billion posts for me in the next few weeks.