MAC Wash & Dry - Viva Glam Rihanna

For today's post I have a small MAC haul to show you.

When the new Wash & Dry limited edition collection launched I was really only interested in one item.  However, now that I've seen other people post their haul pictures I really wish I had picked up the highlighter.  Oh, well.  The packaging is alright.  I don't hate it but I don't love it.  (Honestly, the Alluring Aquatics collection is probably my favorite LE packaging.)  The item I picked up from this collection is the Steam Heat lipstick.  It's a beautiful red with yellow undertones and has a satin finish.

The next day I was just browsing through MAC's website and came across the limited edition Viva Glam Rihanna collection.  I was surprised to see it because I thought it had sold out a long time ago.  Now, I'm not a fan of Rihanna, but I really wanted the lipstick and lipglass from her collection with MAC.  The lipstick is a beautiful blue-red shade with a frost finish in a red velvet package.  The lipglass has gold and pink shimmer.  For those of you who don't know - red is my favorite color, so obviously red lipstick in a red package is a must have for me.

Swatches (top to bottom):
Steam Heat lipstick
Viva Glam Rihanna lipstick
Viva Glam Rihanna lipglass

Did you pick up anything from the new Wash & Dry limited edition collection?

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Favorite Mascaras

For this week's blog post I wanted to write about some of my all time favorite mascaras.  I'm quite partial to mascara wands with big bristle brushes.  Most mascaras with the plastic bristles that I've tried I haven't liked very much.  They always seem to clump my lashes together and stab me in the eye.  Big, fiber bristles really coat my lashes and give me volume and length.  I've tried so many mascaras over the years and have only been impressed by a few.  So let's get into my list of favorite mascaras!

Benefit Cosmetics "Bad Gal Lash"

This mascara is, by far, my most loved mascara.  I have repurchased this so many times.  The formula isn't too wet so my lashes don't clump together.  The brush is perfect for separating and giving me length and volume.  This is my holy grail mascara.

Bare Minerals "Flawless Definition"

I know I said that I don't like mascaras with plastic bristles, but this one is the exception.  This brush actually separates my lashes instead of clumping them together and gives my lashes amazing length.  I wouldn't say that this mascara will give you tons of volume though.

Smashbox "Full Exposure"

This mascara is very similar to Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara.  The formula isn't too wet and the brush is almost exactly the same.  Which is probably why I also really like this mascara.  If I don't have my Bad Gal Lash mascara around I usually go for this one.

YSL "Effet Faux Cils"

*This mascara was sent to me complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.*  This is my most recent mascara favorite.  This is the only luxury brand mascara that I've tried so far.  At first I wasn't too impressed with it, but the more I used it the more I loved it.  The formula is very wet, which I normally don't like.  With time though it seems to dry up just a bit so it had the perfect wet/dry ratio.  The brush isn't too big, but it still provides me with length and volume.

I haven't been able to find a drugstore mascara that I really like.  I do have five more mascaras in one of my drawers that I haven't had a chance to try out yet, two of which are drugstore, so hopefully I can find another favorite in one of those.

What are your favorite mascaras?  What do you recommend that I try next?

The mascaras that I've already tried (that I can remember) are Maybelline's "Great Lash" and "Volum' Express The Mega Plush", Rimmel London's "Scandaleyes Retro Glam", Almay "Intense i-Color for Blue Eyes", Benefit Cosmetics "They're Real", Too Faced "Lash Injection", Lorac "Multiplex 3D Lashes", Pur Minerals "Big Blink", Calvin Klein "CK One", Makeup Forever "Smoky Extravagant", and ELF "Lengthening & Defining".  The five mascaras that I have in my arsenal that I have yet to try are L'oreal "Miss Manga", Rimmel London "Lash Accelerator Endless", Marc Jacobs "Lash Lifter Gel Mascara", Tarte "Lights, Camera, Splashes", and Lancome "Hypnose".

Thanks for stopping by!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Artist Palette Review + Swatches

Hello, again!  I'm so sorry I didn't post last week.  I was completely exhausted and just not feeling too well, so I decided to take some time to rest up and focus on my health.  I'm feeling much better and I'm ready to blog!

I am so excited about today's post because this is my very first Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadow palette purchase.  (The only products I've purchased from this brand are the Brow Wiz pencil and the Clear Brow Gel.)  These shadows are very smooth and the colors are phenomenal.  I can see why so many people love her palettes.  The packaging is your standard magnetic closure package.  The design on the front of the palette is the exact same as the design on the box it comes in.  It includes a double ended brush, a decent sized mirror, and 12 shadows.

Packaging:

Box

Palette

Swatches:

Overview

Dusty Rose

Aubergine

Anaconda

 Punch Fuschia

Buttery

Blue Velvet

Coal

Unicorn

Phresh

Baby I'm A Star

Orange You Fancy

Beigely

Top Row

Bottom Row

I'm really excited to use the shades Aubergine, Unicorn, Phresh, Baby I'm A Star, and Orange You Fancy.  What do you think about this palette?  What shades are you loving?

Thanks for stopping by!