Sigma

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Review

This is one of my daily must have skin care products.  I started using this bad boy about eight months ago.

I am always looking for the best preventive skin care to ward off wrinkles for as long as possible. For my current skin routine, I have been using Retin-A nightly for about two years, mostly for acne, paired with this serum.  

I have read that the best preventive skin care involves using a retinol product at night and a product containing vitamin C in the morning.

This product is a light weight gel that has a citrus scent to it.  I love Ole's products because they are nourishing and hydrating.  I have really been able to see a difference in my skin since I started using this product and I have experienced far less breakouts and my skin has a clearer texture.

The only downfall that I can find for this product is the price.  $50 for 1 oz  of product is a lot of money, but I have been using the same bottle for at least 6 months.  The smallest amount goes a long, long way.

I use about half a pea sized amount of product daily and am able to cover my entire face, the backs of my hands, and neck area.  The serum dries quickly and leaves my skin feeling smooth.

"This amazing ten-percent vitamin C skin booster and antiaging treatment firms and smoothes, delivering more radiant skin. The weightless, fast-absorbing, oil-free formula penetrates to deep layers of the skin, offering instant and long-term hydration, nourishment, and antioxidant protection against environmental aggressors."

$48 for a 1oz container



Monday, November 28, 2011

Winter Glow

I have some of the palest, red based skin around and have never seen any kind of tan on my body unless I fake it.  Because my skin is so red based, I like to use a foundation to conceal the redness.  With the red tone taken out of my skin I just look pale (NW20) and need to add a little color. 

Lately I have been wanting to add a subtle glow to brighten up my complexion during the dark winter season.  My favorite go to product to achieve this glow is Physicians Formula Happy Booster, Glow & Mood Boosting Bronzer.  I love that this product provides a complementary palette of color that blends together beautifully to create a light glow. The bronzer also has a cute vibrant pink heart that helps to give my cheeks a nice pop of color.

Light Bronze $13.95


This product does have a small amount of shimmer, but when it is blended onto the skin the shimmer is barely noticeable.  This product is super cute with the different sized hearts and smells great.  Physcians Formula says that the Happy Boost products feature, Happy Skin and Euphoryl,  natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress.  I can't say that I have noticed the Endorphin effect, but the cute packaging does make me smile.

Left: Bronzer with pink heart mixed in Right: Bronzer alone




I would recommend this product to anyone with a lighter skin tone who wants a little bit of color.


Saturday, November 26, 2011

My Top 5 Favorite Nail Polishes

I have a pretty large nail polish collection in shades from every spectrum of the rainbow.  The five polishes that I reach for most include:



Honeymoon Red, Rainbow Connection, Lucerne-Tainly look Marvelous, Houston
We Have a Purple, Watermelon

Sally Hansen Honeymoon Red $3.99 at Target


OPI Rainbow Connection $8.50

Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous $8.50

Houston We Have a Purple $8.50 
Essie Watermelon $8.00





Best Bar of Soap Out There

Trader Joes is one of my all time favorite stores.  I get excited every time I go there.  Can't say the same for other grocery stores.  Joe's definitely has a great thing going, a fun upbeat atmosphere and some of the happiest employees I have ever seen.  I'm not talking about put on your best face and pretend you are having a good time.  Every employee I have come in contact with seems really happy, like they enjoy what they are doing.

I discovered this gem several years ago and have been loyal to it ever since.  Not only is this one of the biggest bars of soap I have ever seen, it smells am-a-zing!  It says ginger almond scent, but I smell almond the most.  This creamy bar is chuck full of good for you and the environment ingredients and provides many sudsy showers.  There are chunks of oatmeal scattered throughout the bar for some added exfoliation.  

Best soap ever! $2.99















Hands down I would recommend this soap to anyone who loves a great smelling, moisturizing, and full of good for you ingredients.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

MAC Iridescent Powder Review

MAC Iridescent Powder, Silver Dusk is one of my favorite highlight shades.  It is a beautiful pinkish beige colored powder with subtle silver shimmer.  You definitely need to be a fan of shimmer if you plan to rock this powder.  I love using it below my brow bone as a highlight shade and on my cheek bones for a light glowing effect.  I reach for this powder almost on a daily basis.

Silver Dusk (NW20) $23



Iridescent Powder is a finely milled mixture of Mica and pigments which gives the skin a beautiful sheen. It can be used on its own or mixed into other products like foundations or moisturizers to enhance their iridescent qualities. Designed to apply easily and uniformly without streaking and caking, it blends beautifully and can be applied on bare skin or over foundation. Because it's so concentrated it should be used sparingly at first.

As MAC's description says above, this powder packs a lot of shimmer so you only need to use a small amount unless you want to look like a disco ball (not really a problem for me). Sometimes I wish that I was a vampire from Twilight so that my skin would shimmer all the time.

I would definitely recommend this powder to anyone who loves shimmer and glitter as much as I do!!!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

MAC Glitter and Ice Dazzlesphere

MAC's holiday collection for Winter 2011 is Glitter and Ice:

I only picked up one item from this years holiday collection, but I am in love with the colors.  I have developed a recent obsession with MAC pigments.  I have had some of the pigments for a few years and only used them every once and a while.  Now I cannot seem to get enough.

While checking out the new collection at my local MAC I instantly fell in love with the gorgeous pigment colors in the smoky berry kit.

Smoky Berry Ornament $32.50

Left to Right (NW20): Spicy Smoke, Roasted Chestnut, Rose Light, Pearl


MAC Wipes Review

I have heard so much hype about MAC's face wipes, but never tried them until recently.  Most people have a love or hate relationship with the wipes.  Many say that the wipes caused their skin to break out.  This is the main reason that I was so hesitant to try them.  My finicky skin does not need any help when it comes to breaking out.  After a recent visit to my local MAC store, I finally decided to breakdown and try them out for myself.


MAC Wipes 100 Count $28

At first I was a little put off because of their smell.  They have a very strong perfume smell to them.  To me the smell was not horrible, just strong, so I decided to give them a chance.  Since then the smell has actually grown on me.   I was completely shocked the first time the wipe touched my face.  It literally made all of the makeup disappear in one quick swipe.  I have never found another makeup removing wipe that could do this.  I was wearing lotion, SPF, Primer, foundation, blush, bronzer, powder, etc and one swipe took it all off!

I use these wipes before working out and sometimes at the end of the day to take off my makeup.  I read some where that the wipes are made with a sugar based emulsifier that helps breakdown makeup.

Besides the makeup melting strength my favorite thing about these bad boys is that they are moisturizing and leave my skin feeling as soft as a babies behind.   My biggest complaint of other makeup removing wipes is that they leave my dry skin feeling tight, uncomfortable, and even more dry. 

 

Birthday Simga Haul

I am a huge fan of Sigma Beauty.  I first learned about this company about 2 years ago from one of my favorite makeup gurus, MakeupbyTiffanyD.  I was new to makeup at the time and did not know anything about makeup brushes.  I did not think I even needed to use makeup brushes and had only used my hands for application.

I had first looked at MAC's brushes when I was thinking about investing in some brushes, but they are so expensive.   With my limited budget spending $40 on a single brush was not an option for me.

The brushes that Sigma Beauty make are high quality, affordable, and super soft.  You can buy an entire 12 piece brush kit for less than you could if you were to buy three or four brushes from MAC.

I now have several of the brushes that Sigma makes, and wanted to add to my collection with some of my birthday money.




I picked six brushes that I did not have. 

I also picked up another one of Sigma's Dry'n Shape Brush Rolls.  These things are really amazing.  They not only drastically cut the drying time of your brushes, but they also hold their shape so that the bristles are uniform and not sticking out everywhere.  I deep clean all of my makeup brushes about once a week and having two of the Dry'n Shape systems has made the process a lot easier for me.

Here is how Sigma describes the Dry'n Shape System:

"It works.
Tired of waiting for your brushes to dry after washing them? Wait no more! Introducing the revolutionary Sigma Beauty Dry’n Shape system! The Dry’n Shape was designed to completely dry and shape your most dense brushes within 4 to 6 hours, guaranteed.
The Dry’n Shape provides the necessary pressure to bristles to quickly and efficiently remove water from every fibre.  The fabric used to shape the bristles was specially engineered to accelerate water evaporation, resulting in a faster drying time for your brushes.
The Dry’n Shape is an easy, quick, and effective way to quickly dry and shape your makeup brushes."










I absolutely love Sigma Beauty.  They  provide great quality products and ship orders very quickly.  I would definitely recommend this company to anyone who is looking for high quality and affordable makeup brushes.

Anyone else tried these brushes?

Saturday, November 19, 2011

MAC Prep+Prime Translucent Power Review

MAC Prep+Prime Translucent Powder ($23)
A silky finishing powder that provides an invisible way to set makeup. Reduces shine while optically minimizing the look of pores, lines, imperfections. Available in one universal colour that suits all shades. Wear over makeup or on bare, moisturized skin.
I bought this powder a few weeks ago after a MAC Street to Runway Makeup class.  I have been using it almost everyday to set my foundation since then.  I have found that this powder provides me with just the right amount of shine control that lasts me all day long.  I only have to use a small amount, which I apply with a large powder brush.  (My favorite large powder brush can be found here)

I use the powder along with the Prep+Prime Face Protect 50, and foundation.  This combination of products leaves me with shine-free skin and coverage that lasts all day.


I highly recommend this product!!

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation Review

Tonight I wanted to give you all my review of the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation ($42).

This foundation is well known in the beauty community.  It is the HG of all foundations for many women.  This formula is very creamy, is made with a hydrating base and provides full coverage. My skin is NW20 and I have two shades of the silk creme foundation, Rose Ivory (a perfect match in the winter) and Peach Ivory (my go to summer shade).

My favorite thing about this foundation is that the coverage is very build-able. There are some days when I am only looking for light coverage and some days when I feel that I need fuller coverage.  This foundation has always been able to deliver the type of coverage I am looking for.

The only con that I can think of for this foundation is the price.  $42 dollars is a lot of money to me to spend on any type of cosmetic product.  I definitely researched this foundation a lot before I dropped that amount of money.  Another great thing about the foundation is that you only need a small amount so a tube will more than likely last you forever.

I have a lot of redness in my skin and I love that a small amount of this foundation will cover it completely.  I have been using this foundation for about 8 months and it has not caused any breakouts to my acne prone skin.


I would recommend this foundation to anyone who is looking for a hydrating foundation that provides build-able coverage.

What is your favorite foundation?

Friday, November 18, 2011

MAC Studio Moisture Cream Review

Hello again! Today I wanted to give you all a quick review on MAC's Studio Moisture Cream ($32).

This stuff is super creamy and moisturizing.  I am in love with this stuff.  I have very, very dry skin that often peels/flakes.  I have been using this cream day and night for about two weeks and I have noticed a significant reduction in dry my skin and my skin has felt smooth and comfortable.

I also love that MAC packed a bunch of good for your skin ingredients into this cream.  The Moisture Cream is also labeled as an anti-aging cream by MAC.

Here is what MAC says:
"A super-rich creamy moisturizer boosted with skin-nourishing extracts including passion fruit, spinach leaf, green tea, algae, wheat germ and coconut. Moistens, feeds, firms and protects the skin. Promotes a healthy radiance. Diminishes the appearance of fine lines. Good for day and night."















My overall opinion is that this cream is an absolute must have for me.  It has great ingredients and leaves my skin feeling moisturized.  I cannot get enough of it!!!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush Review

As I said in a previous post, Tarte really knows what they are doing when it comes to blushes.  In my opinion, they have some of the most beautifully colored blushes.  Each blush is jam-packed with pigment so you only need the smallest amount of product to get a beautiful wash of color.  Because the blushes are so long wearing they are perfect for anytime of year.  Even in the hot humid summer when wearing one of these blushes the color lasted all day and looked the same at the end of the day as it did when I put it on in the morning.

The blushes are a little pricey ($25) a piece, but if you invest in one it will last you FOREVER, and I mean FOREVER.

I have six colors from the eight piece permanent collection and one limited addition mini blush.

Clockwise from top (light pink) Dollface, Nautral Beauty (strawberry red), Exposed (pinkish nude), Tipsy (Coral), Blissful (warm peach), Blushing Bride (plumy rose), Glisten (Center) (shimmering peachy pink)



NW20 skin reference:
Left to right: Glisten, Blushing Bride, Dollface, Natural Beauty, Exposed, Blissful, Tipsy












My favorite thing about Tarte is that they are not only an environmentally friendly company, but they also put tons of good for your skin ingredients into every product.

Here is what Tarte has to say about their Amazonian Clay Blushes:

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

MAC Miss Piggy Launch!!!

I was really excited when I heard that MAC would be launching a Miss Piggy collection.  I have been in love with the Muppets since I was little.  Miss Piggy's line is a three piece collection inspired by her love of pink.  The collection officially launched yesterday (November 15, 2011).

The first item in the collection is, Miss Piggy eyeshadow, a creamy pink eyeshadow with blue undertones.
Miss Piggy Pink $15










The second item in the collection is the MAC 36 lashes.  These lashes are full and great for added drama while still looking natural.
36 Lash $15

























The third and final piece in the Miss Piggy Collection is the Penultimate Eye Line in Rapid Black.  The jet black, pen style liquid liner would be great for creating a precise black line.
 
Penultimate Eye Liner in  Rapid Black ($17.50)



















This collection is really cute, I only wish that there were more pieces to the collection.  It would also be a bonus if Miss Piggy was somehow incorporated into the packaging.

Anyone planning on picking up anything from the Miss Piggy line?

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Review

I have been dying to get my hands on some of Revlon's new Color burst Lip Butters.  I had a really hard time finding any at my local drugstores.  After several failed attempts I was finally able to get my hands on two of the shades at my local Target. They are popular because the display was quite picked over and only a few shades were left, but I was able to get the two shades I most interested in.
Berry Smoothie (left) Peach Parfait (right) $6.49

The colors I picked up are Berry Smoothie and Peach Parfait.

Peach Parfait is definitely the easiest to wear of the two shades.  It is a sheer peachy pink color with subtle gold shimmer.

The Berry Smoothie shade is slightly darker in my opinion, but still close enough to the natural lip color to be worn by all skin shades.  I think that this is the perfect everyday color when you just want a little something extra on your lips, but nothing too bold or crazy.
Peach Parfait (Left) Berry Smoothie (Right)

The Lip Butters definitely live up to their name.  Once applied to the lips the lipstick feels more like a lip balm than a lipstick and feels very moisturizing.  These butters are perfect if you are looking for a hint of color in a light weight moisturizing formula.
Berry Smoothie (Left) Peach Parfait (right)

Anyone else able to get their hands on any of the other shades?  What do you think?

Sunday, November 13, 2011

My Top Five Favorite Blushes

Hey There! Just wanted to share my top five favorite blushes with everyone out there.                        
These are the five blushes that I reach for on a daily basis.  I am MAC NW20 for a skin shade reference.
















(left to right) Physicians Formula Rose, NARS Orgasm, MAC Sunbasque, MAC Blushbaby,  Tarte Blissful















Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose.  This blush not only smells great, but it has a beautiful mix of skin flattering rose shades, and when mixed together on a fluffy blush brush creates a beautiful rosy glow. ($11.95)

Physicians Formula Rose
NARS in Orgasm.  This shade is universally known for its beautiful peachy pink shade with slight golden shimmer.  It really is awesome. ($27)
NARS Orgasm
MAC Blushbaby Blushbaby is a beautiful matte beige pink shade that I think provides just the right amount of color to my cheeks. ($19.50)
MAC Blushbaby

MAC Sunbasque Sunbasque is a peachy pearl shade with some shimmer.  This is my favorite summertime cheek color.  Beautiful peach color with just the right amount of shimmer. ($19.50)





MAC Sunbasque

Tarte Blissful  Tarte really knows what they are doing when it comes to blushes.  They have created some of the most beautiful, pigmented, long wearing (they say at least 12 hours) blushes.  Blissful is a gorgeous peach shade with subtle shimmer and the smallest amount of the blush goes a long way. ($25)

Tarte Blissful
What are your favorite blushes?



Saturday, November 12, 2011

OPI Muppets!

Hello!!! Today I stopped by Ulta to check out the recently launched Muppet polish line by OPI.  I read about this line a few weeks ago and was super excited to get my hands on some (hahaha).

I walked out with two shades from the line, Rainbow Connection and Excuse Moi!  Rainbow Connection is a chunky glitter polish in, take a guess.....RAINBOW colors.  This polish reminds me a lot of another shade by OPI, Mad as a Hatter, from the Alice in Wonderland collection a while back.  Mad as a Hatter is one of my all time favorite shades that I unfortunately ruined. I had used the shade so much that the polish itself was getting thick and hard to apply.  So I added a few drops of finger nail polish remover to the bottle to thin the polish out, not realizing that the polish remover would take the color off of the glitter.  When I looked at the bottle next time I wanted to use it it was a horrible brownish black color, needless to say I was devastated that I ruined my favorite polish.

Excuse Moi is a strawberry pink polish with multi colored glitter.

Excuse Moi (left) Rainbow Connection (right) $8.50






Hope you enjoy!

Friday, November 11, 2011

My Favorite Makeup Bag

I am a little late on posting my love for this makeup bag, but I cannot get enough of it.
I purchased mine from Sephora last winter.  You can still find this great bag online at Urban Decay $26.  I agree with most that this bag is a little pricy, but I use mine every single day and it is made of great material and is extra roomy.  I am able to hold my daily makeup essentials along with a few other items and I find that there is still plenty of room.  I love that the inside is a easily cleanable PVC, great thinking Urban Decay.

Urban Decay released this purple glitter bag in honor of their 15th year.

Here is a picture of my bag and all its contents:


 What kind of bag do you store all your makeup goodies in?