Sunday, October 21, 2012

e.l.f. HAUL

I hadn't bought any e.l.f. products in a while so one day I randomly decided to take a look at their website and found that they had a promotion for 50% off their studio line. I went crazy and started adding a ton of things to my cart but had to take some out or I would have left myself broke! Anyways here's the things I purchased with close ups as well as some swatches. Hopefully it gives you some insight to the products and helps you in case you were thinking of purchasing some of the same things.


LIPS

Studio Lip Stain

I really loved the colors I chose for the e.l.f. Studio Lip Stains because they seem like they would be very flattering on all kinds of skin tones. The two I chose are "Fashionista"and "Bombshell" which both come in a double sided tube and a does foot applicator. Pros for this have to be the $3 price tag, beautiful colors, and the fact that the product is very buildable to get a deeper or more natural color. Cons are that the product begins to fade not long after it is applied (something a lip stain should not be doing) and the stain can be drying to your lips so you may need to carry a lip balm with you. Also, the clear gloss that comes with the stain is horrible; it is so thick and sticky that I had to wipe my lips clean of it after having in on for only a few minutes. Overall I do like the product and would definitely consider purchasing the other colors that are available. 

Studio Matte Lip Color

These Studio Matte Lip Colors in "Tea Rose" and "Rich Red" are amazing for only $3. I absolutely love the Tea Rose with a soft pink lip gloss or a berry tinted lip balm on top. Of course they can be worn alone for those who want a matte finish since that is the purpose of this product, either way you get a gorgeous result. Just like the Studio Lip Stains, the product is buildable so you can have a soft look to it or continue adding the creamy lipstick to achieve a deeper color.

FACE

Studio High Definition Powder

The e.l.f. Studio High Definition Powder (in "Translucent") must literally be the most lightweight powder I have ever used. It feels as is you are putting no product on, yet it gives an amazing feel of silk to your face. I occasionally use this to set my makeup and it has helped control some of the shine I get around my T-zone. Although the powder appears really white it applies completely sheer. This is definitely a product I would recommend you should try out if you are looking for a translucent powder. Price: $3

Studio Blush

I've tried e.l.f. Studio Blushes before and I have always been satisfied with the pigmentation so I decided to buy one in the color "Twinkle Pink." The pink color itself is gorgeous but I am not so much a fan of sparkly blushes so I was a little disappointed with that but overall the blush is still very wearable.

Studio Complete Coverage Concealer

I was really skeptical to try this "Studio Complete Coverage Concealer" because the packaging reminded me of e.l.f.'s "Studio Corrective Concealer" that didn't work for me at all. When I first swatches this I was surprised how creamy and pigmented the product was and quickly realized it was something that was going to work for me. The only problem I had was that I purchased the color Light and I may have been better suited for the Medium color. Price: $3 and definitely worth it.



BRUSHES

Studio Powder Brush

The only other Kabuki brush I've owned was one that came with my Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation and that one was pretty lame.. it was much more compact than this e.l.f. one which made the application look heavier. I love using this brush with my new HD Translucent Powder from e.l.f. because it gives such a light application but still enough coverage. Price: $6 

Studio Powder Brush

I love, love, love this Powder Brush! I use it primarily to buff in my liquid foundation and it works amazing because it is the perfect size and does not leave any streaks at all. Price: $3

Studio Complexion Brush

The bristles on this brush were so soft that it makes it very easy to blend my blush and bronzer. I wouldn't say this brush is anything special but it is definitely an upgrade from my old and raggedy e.l.f. brushes from the Essential line I bought years ago. Price: $3

Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush

The small tip on this eyeliner brush  is amazing for making thin lines. Now I don't have to struggle to create the perfect winged liner. Price: $3


Wednesday, October 3, 2012

UnJunk Your Life!



Hello everyone! Today I am going to be giving you guys an UNREAL review on a candy product that just recently came out. So a few weeks ago I received my Bzz Kit in the mail containing a couple of coupons for the brand Unreal Candy. Before being asked to be a part of the campaign I had never heard of this brand but the idea of having a candy that was “unjunked,” meaning it had no artificials, no corn syrup, and no hydrogenated oils seemed like a really interesting thing to try. After viewing the website I was really surprised to find out that the idea of this “unjunked” candy was brought to light by a 13 year old boy and his family. To read the story click here.  The website is actually really informative so if you are curious about anything have a look! Moving along this is going to be my review on four of the five products that have been released.

Unreal 8
This candy bar is compared to a Snickers bar and contains: chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and nougat
To be honest this bar was not memorable at all. It tasted VERY bland and nothing like a Snickers bar.
For Nutritional Facts/ Comparisons click here

Unreal 54
Described as  "Candy coated chocolates with peanuts," this chocolate is compared to Peanut M&Ms
As you can see on the right image, I actually was eating some M&M's as I opened the Unreal Brand. I decided to put those in the image to show the comparison of colors. The Unreal brand has very opaque and bland colors which I did not find appealing until I found out they used natural ingredients instead of dyes (see HERE) . The chocolate tasted like dark chocolate more than milk chocolate (I like both so I didn't mind) which may not suit some peoples preference  Overall these were OKAY. For Nutritional Facts/ Comparisons click here

Unreal 41
These candy coated chocolates are comparable to M&M's and although I like M&M brand better this is something I may purchase again. There is a stronger taste of chocolate in these than the M&Ms but they also have a bitter taste to them. For Nutritional Facts/ Comparisons click here

Unreal 77
This Peanut Butter Cup is compared to that of Reese's but by far it is the one that tastes the least like its competitor. It wasn't necessarily bad but for some reason it left me with a taste of COFFEE rather than chocolate and peanut butter! Very strange.. For Nutritional Facts/ Comparisons click here 

Pros
   
Cons
Uses natural ingredients
Has more fiber, peanuts, protein, etc. than the leading candy products
Less Sugar than leading products
Dyes are not used for colors
Very Innovative Idea
Junk (corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, GMO’s, preservatives, and artificials are not used
Packaging is really fun and unique
Price (similar to leading brands)






L The names are a bit confusing and BORING. The candy is labeled as numbers which I have yet to know the purpose of.
L Taste (the BIGGIE!) Sadly I was not a huge fan of any of the products when it came to taste
L Availability in stores. It took me forever to find the brand in stores. I went to CVS but all I ever saw was big packages rather than these individual sizes. Finally picked some up at Michael's craft store**Many more stores are said to be carrying the brand by the end of October


**Overall these aren't the candies I plan on picking up when I go to the grocery store**