Milani & Rimmel Haul

The other day, I had a few different coupons for CVS, so of course, I had to step in and take a look -- especially since I had been eyeing the new Milani Color Statement Moisture Matte Lipsticks. I love Milani's traditional Color Statement Lipsticks, so I was super excited for yet another drugstore brand to come out with a matte formula! I also had a couple of things that I actually needed to stock up on too, so I got those while I was at CVS as well, and I thought I would share it!

Starting out with the "boring" stuff, I had to get some face products from Rimmel. Well, really, I only bought one of the items in the picture. My Revlon PhotoReady Translucent Finisher is on its last legs, and I decided to finally try a new powder! I've used the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder on other people when I've done hair and makeup for various musicals, and I've always been happy with how it performed (buh dum tss). I finally decided to give it a try to myself! I've always been a little turned off by the packaging, but I figure, for the price, I might as well give it a try!

The other two things from Rimmel that I got were my favorite Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer. Like I said, I didn't actually purchase these -- Andrew did. When I was back home, every single time I tried to purchase a new one, they were out of stock in my shade! And there's no place nearby here in North Carolina that sells it. So when I received a care package from Andrew the other day, I saw that he had sent me a new one, plus a backup! I had already bought the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in an attempt to replace my Rimmel concealer, so I'll have to use that up before opening one of these, but I'm so glad I have extras now!

For the most part, I don't tend to purchase single eyeshadows. But I had heard good things about the Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. The colors I purchased are Bella White and Bella Caffe, which are both a Satin-Matte finish. I would definitely say they lean more toward matte, but they are incredibly pigmented! It applies especially well with your fingers. For a matte, drugstore shadow, I'm totally impressed, and I'm definitely going to have to get my hands on more of these, especially since they have so many colors!

I'm so excited about these lipsticks! I literally sat in my room playing with them for an hour or so before I realized I should probably stop procrastinating and just do my homework... Anyways, the new Milani Moisture Matte Lipsticks are phenomenal. They're super creamy and apply like a breeze, but have that lovely matte finish after being on the lips for about 30 seconds. The shades I purchased of the Moisture Matte Lipsticks were "Matte Diva," a super vivid fuchsia color, "Matte Confident," a deeper, blue-toned red (think MAC's "Russian Red," but easier to apply!), and "Matte Orchid," which is similar to "Matte Diva," although a bit more deep and muted.

I also picked up one of their classic Color Statement Lipsticks in "Nude Creme," because my nude lipstick collection is pretty sad (as in, I have like, one or two nudes), and a Color Statement Lipliner in "True Red," because for whatever reason, I completely forgot I had just bought a red lipliner from NYX. Whoops.

What have you purchased lately? Is there anything in the drugstore that you have your eye on?

- D. 

First Impressions: Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection -- Part 2 + Collection Wrap Up

I finally got my hands on all of the Real Techniques Bold Metals brushes! This is Part 2 in my two-part series on these brushes, so if you haven't read Part 1 yet, click here. If you have already read Part 1, then keep on reading.

I'm going to dive right in and get straight to the brushes. If you would like more of an introduction to what these brushes are, how they look, and the features, feel free to read Part 1!

The brushes I was missing in Part 1 were the 100 Arched Powder, 101 Triangle Foundation, 301 Flat Contour, and 200 Oval Shadow. As you can see above, these are the brushes I will be reviewing today!

I wasn't certain about getting the 100 Arched Powder at first because I already had a powder brush that I enjoyed using. However, it was old and shedding, so I decided to spend the $26 and get this one! I definitely don't regret it. It's incredibly soft and luxurious feeling. It is a somewhat flat brush, almost like a larger, fluffier version of the 300 Tapered Blush. It's pretty standard in terms of what it does, but it feels like a treat putting this brush to my face. My only complaint is that, because of the white bristles, you can't tell how much product you have on your brush when using translucent powder.

The 301 Triangle Foundation REALLY surprised me. In fact, I almost didn't get it, because I normally hate flat foundation brushes, and this basically just seemed to me like a glorified version of the standard flat foundation brush. For the most part, I find that flat foundation brushes leave my skin streaky and cakey-looking. However, after using it I'm pretty impressed, especially after cringing at spending $24 on it. While the bristles are a little long, making the brush a bit flimsy, this brush can blend foundation out beautifully. I like to use the flat side to first "paint" on my foundation, and then use the pyramid-point side to blend it in! Because of the way the brush is shaped, I found that this is definitely the easiest and most foolproof way to use the brush. While it's still not my absolutely favorite for applying a more natural-looking foundation (I'd still reach for the Expert Face Brush over this one), I'd definitely use this on clients when trying to achieve a super flawless look!

If there is one brush I'd say is a must-have in this collection, it's the 301 Flat Contour. It's $26 and worth every penny. Everything about this brush is just so right. First of all, the super short bristles ensure that your contour powder is going EXACTLY where you want it, without the bristles being flimsy and getting powder everywhere. And because the bristles are so incredibly dense, it blends product out like an absolute dream. I wish I knew how to express how much I adore this brush. Seriously. If you can get your hands on it, don't hesitate! It's a similar concept to the NARS Ita Kabuki Brush, but half the price! 

The 200 Oval Shadow is a bit of a struggle for anyone with smaller eyes. It's about twice the size as a MAC 239, and it's kind of easy to get product everywhere when using this brush. It's a little bit flimsy, making it a little bit difficult to apply product with. However, this would be a great "clean up" brush. What I mean by that is, sometimes, when I've gone a little overboard with the shadows and brought them too high up on my brow bone, I like to take either my face powder or an eyeshadow similar to my skin tone and use a brush like this to bring the colors back down to where they should be. Overall, it's an okay brush, but not a must-have by any means, especially at the $16 price point. 

Like the other brushes in this collection, these do not shed at all after being washed! In terms of drying time, it was pretty standard. I washed them in the evening, and in the morning when I was ready to do my makeup, they were all dry.

Final Thoughts: Nothing stands out to me like the 301 Flat Contour. I just can't. It's no wonder this brush was sold out for weeks after the collection was released. Overall, these four brushes are beautiful to look at, are easy to clean, and get the job done!

Collection Wrap Up: Overall, the Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection is absolutely beautiful. These are the kinds of brushes you want on display on your vanity! The quality of the bristles on every single brush is exquisite, as well as the general build of all of them. Now that I've used all of the brushes, let's go back and do a recap and final review!

The 201 Pointed Crease brush is large and dense, and costs $16. I wish it came to more of a precise tip, because it can be difficult to use on smaller eyes, but it blends out product flawlessly. The 300 Tapered Blush brush is quite small, and kind of like a fluffier version of a standard flat foundation brush. It costs $24. I've played with it quite a bit since purchasing it, and I've realized that it is actually the perfect brush for setting my under eye concealer and for highlighting the face! I much prefer using it for more precise applications than blush. The 202 Angled Liner is very small, dense, and pointed, and costs $16. It's a little bit sharp, so if you have sensitive eyes, be wary. However, if can give you a super sharp and precise line! It is also fantastic for filling in the brows. Because it is so small and precise, it successfully applies even powder products in a way that looks like small brow hairs! The 100 Arched Powder is a standard powder brush that costs $26. It's not really anything special, but it is super soft and doesn't shed at all, which makes the final steps of my foundation routine just that much more enjoyable. The 101 Triangle Foundation brush is not quite what you'd expect, and definitely an upgraded version of a standard flat foundation brush, at $24. It creates a full-coverage canvas, which is perfect for anyone who wants to achieve a flawless look. The 301 Flat Contour is the creme de la creme, and worth the $26, hands down. An absolute must-have. It both places and blends contour powders like an absolute dream! Finally, the 200 Oval Shadow brush, is a little bit difficult to use for smaller eyes, but it places products well and feels soft on the lids. It costs $16.

Of course, you can definitely do an entire look using this entire collection. It is definitely a full set of brushes, and can easily help create a professional look and feel to your makeup look! This is a preview of a look I'll be posting soon, with which I exclusively used the Bold Metals brushes to apply the product.

I hope you found this First Impressions post helpful, and I really enjoyed getting to use these brushes! Is there anything out right now that you would like me to review? Let me know in the comments below!

- D. 

Swatch Fest + First Impressions!

So if any of you follow me on Tumblr, you'll know I've been sick in bed for about a week now. I picked up some horrific cold or flu or something and it just won't go away. And it has led me to online shopping, which is dangerous for a shopaholic like me. What's even more dangerous is telling me that it'll be good for me to get out of the house when I have a $4 off $20 coupon PLUS $5 in ExtraCare bucks at CVS.

...oops? So, as requested, here's a haul of what I bought (not all of it, because like I said, online shopping is dangerous), as well as swatches and my first impressions. All of these swatches were done with no primer underneath.

So these first products were labeled as new products. They were also on the display for new items. And I had never heard of it or seen it anywhere, so I figured, hey, it must be new! Nope. Apparently, these eyeshadow palettes from Wet n Wild that I picked up are actually from the Fall/Winter 2013 collection. These were released with the "In The Spotlight" collection, and because they were limited edition, I can't link you to any where that you can find them. Let's start with the major disappointment called "Lights, Camera, Attraction."

Looks gorgeous, right? I was hoping that cobalt blue would make this palette worth the $4.99, but sadly, it was a total flop. There's just not much to say about these. The only shadows with any real pigmentation were the mattes, but they're extremely chalky. Honestly, not only was this palette horrible unpigmented, it just came off extremely...80s glam. I was hoping for a smokier, richer kind of look.

No wonder I never heard about these palettes...I even tried it with primer, and with my NYX Jumbo Pencil in "Milk", and no luck at all. But then I moved on to "No Neutral Ground."

I bought this palette with hopes that it would definitely play up my brown/hazel/amber/"I don't actually know what color my eyes are" eyes. The lower right hand matte color is actually a deep forest blue-green and isn't showing up true to color, but the rest are.

THIS is more of what I was expecting. The mattes are still a little bit chalky, but they don't just brush away like the others. Still not quite the quality I'd expect from Wet n Wild, but hey, for $4.99, I'll take it. The purple shade almost reminds me of a less-pigmented version of "Candied Violet" from the Chocolate Bar palette.

Now I have found the new love of my life: the Milani Baked Blushes. I picked up two different colors, one in "Luminoso," and the other in "Bella Rosa." "Luminoso" is an absolutely gorgeous shimmery coral color. The best part about it is that it isn't glittery at all. It's very smooth and blends nicely. And "Bella Rosa," while a bit out of my comfort zone, is going to be fantastic for the summer. I recently read that the matte baked blushes, "Bella Rosa" and "Delizioso Pink," are new releases. If that's the case, Milani has seriously hit a home run with the matte baked blushes, because after swatching "Bella Rosa," I'm dying to go get the other!

Moving on to Maybelline, I picked up a Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Metal in "Inked in Pink," which I had been hoping to pick up for a while now. Every time I went in to purchase it, though, it was sold out! Go figure. I love pale pink champagne colors as an all over wash of color, and I feel like this cream shadow is going to be getting a lot of use.

(Although for the life of me I couldn't get a good swatch photo of it...)

I also debated on whether or not to re-purchase my beloved Maybelline Volum' Express The Mega Plush Mascara. It has been needing to be replaced for a while now, and I wasn't sure if I should just re-purchase it, or try something new. Well, I ended up deciding to try something new. I finally gave in and purchased Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara. I've been resisting this mascara for quite some time now, although I'm not sure why, and I finally just decided to follow the hype! I haven't had the chance to try it yet, but who knows, maybe I'll be a convert.

These are two new products from Rimmel that I've been pretty excited about. I was on a mad hunt for the the Rimmel BB Cream Matte in "Light." Already, I can tell you one major downfall with this product -- there are only two shades: "Light" and "Medium." From what I've read, the UK also has "Very Light," but I mean, can we get some color range here? But any kind of BB cream or tinted moisturizer that claims to be matte has me curious. I also recently picked up the Rimmel Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in "Peach Flush," and really ended up liking it. So I decided to pick up another one in "Pop of Pink." 

Clearly that swatch is unblended, but I think this will look absolutely gorgeous under the "Bella Rosa" blush I mentioned above, and will also look amazing alone. These cream blushes are great for a subtle, natural looking blush! 

The last few things I picked up aren't all that exciting, but I thought I'd tell you about them anyways. I've been in need of a new Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm and I finally found the "Shea Butter & Vitamin E" variety! This one always seems to be sold out when I'm looking at them, and this was the last one left. This stuff is my holy grail, my stuck-on-a-deserted-island product. Because, if they find me dead on a deserted island, at least they'll find me with hydrated lips. I also picked up the Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in "Hazel," which is a great affordable alternative to the more expensive brow pencils, as well as a basic but essential NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Milk."

I promise I'll be back to my regular blogging as soon as I'm feeling 100% again. I feel like I've been totally slacking in terms of content in the past month or so. I have quite a few things planned, though, so keep an eye out for new posts coming soon!

- d.