Products I've Used Up #2: Autumn 2013

December 9, 2013 Marianna

I'm sorry if I seem a little grumpy in this video - I have a cold and my sinuses were killing me as I was filming. Nevertheless, I hope I didn't scare you away and you still enjoyed this empties video! Stay warm and let me know what products have you repurchased lately!

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Products Mentioned:

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque
LUSH The Hair Doctor
LUSH Rehab Shampoo
LUSH American Cream Conditioner
Victoria's Secret Midnight Dare Body Wash
LUSH It's Raining Men Shower Gel
The Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub
LUSH Brazened Honey Fresh Face Mask
LUSH Mask of Magnaminty Face Mask
LUSH Celestial Face Moisturizer
Michael Todd Blue Green Algae Toner
MAC Opulash Mascara
Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara - Green
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circles Eraser - Light
Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water

On My Wish List #3: Palette Fever

December 6, 2013 Marianna

Lately I have been a little obsessed with palettes. Aside from the fact that they are perfect for traveling, there is something about beautifully arranged shades that makes me feel more creative than any amount of single eyeshadows. Below are the top three I currently have my eyes on. Would anyone like to be my secret Santa?

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I have to say, when I first saw the Naked3 palette I was on the fence about it. It just seemed a little too... well, pink. But once swatches, reviews and makeup looks started popping up, I realized I was definitely on board with this collection of "rose-hued neutrals". The palette seems to have a good balance of shades from pale pinks to deeper browns, and I am a big fan of Urban Decay eyeshadows for their quality.

With 6 matte and 6 shimmery shades, mainly neutrals, the Lorac PRO palette is on the top of my must-have list. When I swatched it in store, all of the colors had great texture and pigmentation. I love that this palette has a wide range of shades from light to dark (including a matte white and a matte black), making it very versatile.

Too Faced is killing it this year with holiday sets, but this one is especially cute. Be Merry & Bright is a set of two separate palettes plus a full size of Lash Injection Mascara. Both palettes include 6 eyeshadows, a blush and a bronzer or highlighter. While Be Merry is all about earth tones, Be Bright is its bold alter-ego. And since it's Too Faced, the packaging is adorable, complete with a gold and white polka dot makeup bag.

What are the palettes you're currently lusting after?

What's in my December Julep Maven Box

December 4, 2013 Marianna

Before you say "Wait, I thought you are on a No Buy?!", let me assure you: this was a total accident. As a part of my No Buy, I have been skipping and canceling all of my sample/random goodies monthly boxes and this generally needs to be done in the beginning of the month. Well, guess what: Julep's shopping window is 20th-24th of the month and I completely forgot to skip it. When I got the "Your box has been shipped" email, I was so annoyed with myself (not with Julep, obviously - they did what they were supposed to) that I didn't even bother going to the website to see what was in it.

When I received the box last night and opened it I actually giggled with joy! My husband was making fun of me for acting like a 5-year-old on Christmas morning. But really, I LOVE what I ended up getting: two very festive nail polishes, a neutral eyeshadow palette, and two twistbands. And yes, I am very excited about the twistbands because they are my absolute favorite and I refuse to tie my hair with anything else.

Julep Nail Color: Mia (top) and Jillian (bottom)

The nail polishes I got are from their new collection called "The Glitterati". The first one is Mia - a green-tinted silver with a metallic finish. I really like that it's a darker silver polish and I definitely don't have anything like this in my collection. The other one is called Jillian and is described as a "deep eggplant with bronze molten". At first glance this looks very similar to last year's Chanel Malice, but Jillian is definitely more purple and the bronze becomes prominent in direct sunlight, making it look almost duochrome. Stay tuned for NOTD posts on both of these, once I get a chance to test out how well they stay on.

Julep Sweep Eyeshadow Palette: Neutrals. Left to right: Tiramisu, Glow, Dusk, Toffee, Cocoa

I have to admit, I'm pretty thrilled about receiving an entire palette in this box. I've never tried anything other than nail polishes from Julep, so I was really curious about how good the rest of their products are. I like the shades (check out the swatches below), the texture is very soft and buttery, and from what I can tell so far, they blend nicely. I'm not sure about the wear just yet - haven't had the chance to really put them to the test. The packaging, however, I am not so happy with: it's glorified cardboard with a magnetic closure and the finish shows every bit of dust or product, making the palette look like a mess. On a more positive note, here is a fun fact: Julep claims these eyeshadows are formulated to provide anti-aging benefits.

Julep Sweep Eyeshadow Palette: Neutrals. Swatches left to right: Tiramisu, Glow, Dusk, Toffee, Cocoa

Overall, this was a really nice treat to receive, despite the fact that it kind of ruined my perfect No Buy record. I'll have to pay more attention next time, but I really can't complain about this one.

Are any of you Julep Maven box subscribers? What did you think of your latest box?

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Where to buy:

You can check out Mia and Jillian, along with the rest of The Glitterati collection on the Julep Website. You will also be able to find the Sweep Eyeshadow Palette there.

If you're interested in receiving the monthly Julep Maven box, you can register on their website and use the code FREEBOX to get your intro box for free. Take the Style Quiz to get started.

My Favorite Things: November 2013

December 3, 2013 Marianna

It's the beginning of December, and that means it's time for a November Favorites video! Can you believe this year is almost over?! November has been a month full of makeup loves for me. What have you been loving?

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PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

The Original Tangle Teezer
Korres Milk Proteins Makeup Removing Wipes
Laura Mercier Foundation Primer - Radiance
NARS Eyeshadow Duo - Taiga
Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush - Natural
Laura Mercier Rouge Nouveau Lipstick - Myth (my review and swatches are here)
Too Faced La Crème Lipstick - Spice Spice Baby
Too Faced Perfect Lips Lip Liner - Perfect Spice
Julep Nail Polish - Florence (my review and swatches are here)
Butter London Nail Polish - La Moss (my review and swatches are here)
Aldo Earrings

Nails of the Day: Butter London La Moss

December 2, 2013 Marianna

I know, I talk about this nail polish a lot, but this is exactly the reason I thought it just wasn't fair that I didn't have a NOTD post about it. So here goes: meet one of my favorite nail polishes that ever was or will be - La Moss by Butter London. The shade is a staple for autumn and winter, described as a "vampy deep, dark red nail lacquer full of red wine, just like its inspiration." It's so dark, that from far away it can easily be mistaken for black, but up close it's the most gorgeous dark burgundy I have ever seen.

The formula definitely needs two coats - one coat is just not fully opaque. However, two coats give a lovely thick-looking rich finish. I've heard that Butter London polishes can be a hit or miss for some people, but I have had really good luck so far. Just like my other polishes from the brand, La Moss doesn't chip easily, applies evenly and doesn't peel. I have been wearing it A LOT for the past three months and I suspect I won't be putting it away for a while or buying another dark burgundy polish any time soon.

What's your favorite vampy nail polish?

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Where to buy:

This is a pretty easy shade to find, so look for it at Ulta, Nordstorm, Macy's, Beauty.com, or butterlondon.com - pretty much anywhere Butter London is sold.

The Stained Lips Look

November 30, 2013 Marianna

Lately I have become a big fan of the "stained lips" trend. I tend to prefer the matte version of it, and today I wanted to show you my favorite lipstick to create this look with - Rouge Nouveau in Myth by Laura Mercier. Described as a "plum rose", this matte shade actually reminds me of the stain left by red wine - almost dark enough to be a burgundy, but not quite, which for me makes it wearable day or night. And how gorgeous is this tall slim packaging? Pulling it out of my purse for touch-ups makes me feel very chic and sophisticated (I actually think I might be touching it up just as an excuse to pull it out of the purse, not the other way around).

The formula is very light and comfortable to wear: it almost feels moisturizing, which is an entirely new experience for me when it comes to matte lipsticks. Hours into wearing it my lips still feel soft and smooth. As far as pigmentation goes, I think this shade is very buildable. A quick light application gives me a semi-sheer stain-like tint, but it can easily be built up to a full coverage without making it feel heavy. Myth lasts roughly 6 hours on me, depending on how much eating and drinking I'm doing, and it fades very evenly - you won't be dealing with that dreaded ring around the lips.

Above is the full-on application of Myth. Something I've noticed: the more you build it up, the more a little bit of shine comes through. It never quite gets to a crème finish - just starts looking closer to a natural one. If you want to keep it matte and velvety while building the color up, I recommend dabbing it on rather than swiping it on.

Back to my original topic: the stained lips look. In this photo I have roughly applied a little bit of the lipstick from the tube and then patted it into the lips with my finger to blend and soften. You can also apply a more generous coat of it and then blot with a tissue for a very similar effect. Either way, I love the soft pigmented stain I'm left with - perfect to brighten up the lips without making them look like I'm actually wearing lipstick.

How do you feel about stained lips? Have you tried any shades from the Laura Mercier Rouge Nouveau range?

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Where to buy:

I have seen these everywhere Laura Mercier is sold, so check out stores like Nordstrom, Space NK, Sephora, Macy's and of course, www.lauramercier.com.

Cinnamon Spice: A Thanksgiving Makeup Look

November 27, 2013 Marianna

The Thanksgiving dinner and the end of autumn are almost here! I can't believe it's almost December! Here is my last autumnal look for this year inspired by warm copper tones, cinnamon and other seasonal spices. I hope all of you have a happy Thanksgiving, surrounded by family and friends!

What makeup will you be wearing tomorrow?

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