fall

November Ipsy Bag

/ Kayla Hutchison / 10 Comments

november ipsy glam bag

Hey beauties,

It’s obviously beauty subscription unbagging week. Also known as one of my favorite weeks of the month. I unbagged everything from my November Lip Monthly bag a few days ago, so today we’re going to take a peak into my November Ipsy bag.

If you’re unfamiliar with Ipsy, they’re a beauty subscription that arrives monthly and costs $10 a month. They typically send out 4-5 deluxe sample sized items or full sized items. I’ve been subscribed to them for a little over 2 years now.

If you follow my blog, you probably already know that the past few months have been weird for me regarding Ipsy bags. Two months ago my bag was stolen out of my mailbox, and last month an item was missing. I’m happy to say that this month the curse is broken and everything arrived safe and sound. Good thing, because this month looks really promising!

First off, I’m dying over the bag. It’s my personal favorite bag so far, design wise. I love galaxy printed anything and everything. I’m a bit of a space junkie, which is something I don’t think I’ve mentioned often on here or anywhere.

Anyway, I received five items in my bag and this is what they were:

1. Benefit Gimme Brow (Sample Size) I was pretty happy to see this in my glam room. I’ve always been curious about it, but I don’t enjoy spending a ton of money on brow products because my brows just don’t respond well to many products. So, having a sample size will be nice! Gimme Brow is a cult favorite as it’s supposed to have little fibers in it that cling to your brow hairs, making them look more voluminous. Not gonna lie, that’s something I need. I do not have full brows, and I never have.

2. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara (Deluxe Sample) It’s rare that I get two high end samples in Ipsy bags, so that in itself is pretty exciting. I have never personally tried this mascara, but with many mascaras I see a lot of either love or absolute loathe regarding it. I do love trying out new mascaras though! I will admit I have a lot of these little mini samples stashed away at the moment that I need to try out, so if you all want me to start reviewing these as I start running out of mascara (because I hate having a million tubes open, personally) then just let me know!

3. Inspr Beauty Angled Brush Honestly, I love getting brushes in my Ipsy bags. It means one less brush for me to but, and I have received some pretty awesome brushes from Ipsy! My elf brow angled brush has seen better days, and I was just thinking about how I needed a fresh one. Well, now I have one. I can’t wait to see if this is as great as my elf angled brush!

4. LeAnni Ecco Go Away Gloomy Day Serum I have neither received anything from this brand, nor have I even heard of them before this month’s bag. However, I love facial serums. I have a really dry skin type, and this time of the year I go through so many moisturizers and serums. I mean, if this serum will cheer me up I will totally try it out. This was a pretty gracious sample size for a serum, and will probably last awhile.

5. Beaute Basics Sahara Gold Chubby Eye Pencil This product is reminiscent of my favorite Nyx jumbo pencils. I love chubby eye pencils because they work great alone, as a primer, or in the water line. This gold shade is really pretty, and perfect for this time of the year with the holiday season approaching.

Overall thoughts: I am pleasantly surprised with this bag. I feel that Ipsy has upped their game, and I’m sure their new survey and quiz system has something to do with that. I feel like I get less things that go completely unused to more things that I will at least try. I felt there was a good mix this month with high end samples, seasonal trending shades, and a tool that I will actually use regularly.

If there is anything in this bag that you would want to see a separate review on, please let me know! Also, tell me about what you got in your bag if you want!

As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed this short and sweet little unbagging!

 

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Shop My Stash: Everyday Fall Z-Palette

/ Kayla Hutchison / 10 Comments

morphe shadows

Hey lovelies,

Today I’m going to be doing another “shop my stash” type of post! I wanted to share my current “everday” Z-palette. I just have a small one since I am more of a palette kinda gal, but I have been reaching for these shadows often the past month when I need something simple, yet quick to put on my eyes. I have a go-to style when it comes to shadows. I like a bold crease, bright lid, and dark outer corners. I just find it’s flattering to my eye shape, and these shadows are fool proof for creating that.

morphe shadows

From the wrist down:

Makeup Geek “Bitten:” This is one of my all time favorite single shadows right now. It’s so pigmented and smooth, and is a gorgeous burgundy color. I feel there are a lot of burgundy shades that aren’t very pigmented or are a bit too dry, but this one blends wonderfully.

Morphe’s “Creme Brulee:” Not to be mistaken with Makeup Geek’s Creme Brulee, this shade is super dark and cool toned. I love it though. I think that an everyday fall look for me will probably always include either dark browns or red tones, and this one is really lovely, and very affordable!

Morphe’s “Deep Cocoa:” I’ve been wanting this shade for awhile since Jaclyn Hill uses it often, and it’s such a pretty red toned brown! I’m obsessed with red toned browns, but my other favorite one is in the Revealed 2 palette, and deep cocoa is nice to have in my Z Palette on days when I don’t want to dig through a million palettes to create a look.

Morphe’s “Caramalized:” Very pretty warm brown shade. This looks pretty in the crease as a definer or as a transition shade if you use a light hand. There’s not much I can say about this shade other than it’s one that I felt completed this palette.

Morphe’s “Pink Moscato:” Ah, the only shimmery shade. Honestly, I don’t need any other shimmers in this palette with this shade front and center. I am a sucker for pink shimmery shades because you can wear them with cool toned looks or warm toned looks. This shade is super pigmented and very buttery to the touch. One that I highly recommend ordering if you love a glamorous lid for Fall.

Morphe’s “Secretive:” Another shade I wanted from the Jaclyn Hill favorites palette that I never snagged. However, this shade disappoints me a bit. It’s still very lovely, but as you can all probably see, it swatches a bit patchy. Now, it does perform way better on the lid, but if I had to choose between this and Makeup Geek’s Bitten, I would choose Bitten.

Makeup Geek’s “Cocoa Bear:” This is a cult favorite, and rightfully so. It’s the perfect orange toned brown shade. I know that once upon a time I said I didn’t like warm tones, but lately they’ve been growing on me. This past year has been one of enormous growth for me makeup wise, and I feel like I can comfortably wear warm tones…and if they make me look sick…okay. Ha!

Makeup Geek’s “Preppy:” The perfect shade of baby puke! I’m kidding, but not really. This is one of those odd khaki shades that is weirdly appealing. I have a thing for tastefully tacky shades of eyeshadow, and this one is still very lovely in the crease.

Makeup Geek’s “Creme Brulee:” My holy grail transition shade. If I don’t know what to transition a look with, I usually reach for this one. It’s one that I recommend for anyone with fair skin. It’s the perfect undertone that isn’t too orange or cool toned, and it will easily blend away in a look if you need it to. I’m actually surprised I haven’t hit pan on this one yet!

morphe shadows

This is an example of an everyday fall go-to look for me. Shimmery shade, warm crease, and dark outer corner with winged liner and lashes. I know that this is a lot to many people, but I’m a very “all or nothing” kind of person I guess.

Anyway, that’s it for today’s post! I hope you all enjoy these little peaks into my stash! As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend filled with pumpkin spice whatevers or apple cider thingies.

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Fall Lipstick Challenge Update 4 with Photos

/ Kayla Hutchison / 2 Comments

Hey lovelies,

It’s time for another Fall lipstick challenge update! Actually, this will be my last one! I’m honestly not ready for this month to end, I had a blast trying out different lipsticks and discovering new and old favorites! I do have one more day left after this update goes live, but I will share that on Instagram. So, if you want follow my Instagram (@lunafayebeauty) to see the rest. I will be making a video of my top 10 favorites of the month, which will be the shades that I feel are absolutely needed for a Fall lip product lover this season. So, without further adieu, let’s get on with the photos:

coloured raine soul

Day 23: Coloured Raine Soul & LaSplash Cryptic. I was really feeling a gray ombre lip this day. I ordered Cryptic awhile back, but it is really light and washes me out a bit, but I was really digging this lip look. Soul is a really pretty dark gray shade, and I positively love the Coloured Raine formula. It’s a bit thicker in texture so it’s easier to work with, and they are very long lasting!

nyx soft spoken

Day 24: Colourpop Tulle & Nyx Soft Spoken. I know, another ombre lip. I really wanted to wear both of these during this month and realized that September is coming to a close! I do love how this turned out though. Soft Spoken is a really gorgeous dusty rose shade for Fall, or any time, really.

pretty zombie cosmetics black cat

Day 25: Pretty Zombie Cosmetics “Black Cat.” I could not end a month of Fall lipsticks without pulling out a shade of black. Pretty Zombie Cosmetics makes some of the most pigmented liquid lipsticks, and this black does not disappoint. I have not ordered any other black liquid lipsticks simply because this one is so incredible. As I mentioned before, it’s not long lasting, but this black liquid lipstick doesn’t feather on me at all which is something black lipsticks in general can do. I will sacrifice long wear for no feathering. As much as I love Marilyn Manson, the smeared black lipstick look just doesn’t look cute on me.

nyx betwitching

Day 26: Nyx Simply Vamp lip cream in “Bewitching.” I’m sorry for the bad photo quality, I was super busy this day. However, I love the Nyx simply vamp lip crayons. Bewitching is a really pretty purply red color. These aren’t long lasting and I’m not in love with the packaging, but the product makes up for it.

milani matte love

Day 27: Milani “Matte Love.” We all know I have a love for the Milani Matte lipsticks, and this shade is no different. I love this shade of cranberry. It’s pretty enough to wear with a neutral eye and still make a statement. I could go on and on about this formula, but I believe I have already done that in another post.

la girl poetic

Day 28: LA Girl “Poetic.” I’m so sorry for the awful quality photo, this day was unexpectedly hectic for me, and by the time I was able to sit down I was a sweaty and hot mess…literally. However, I will be doing a full review of these lipsticks soon. Poetic is a GORGEOUS blue toned gray shade, and has been compared to Melt’s Space Cake! It’s a really close dupe, which is why I settled for this one instead of getting Melt’s. If you want to see what I’m talking about, go to dupethat.com! They post the best dupes 😀

jeffree star cosmetics unicorn

Day 29: Jeffree Star Cosmetics “Unicorn Blood.” Did you all really expect me to wear everything but my Jeffree Star Velour Liquid lipsticks this month? I know I talk about this shade sooo often, but it’s one of my absolute favorites. It’s not patchy, feels comfortable, and withstood me drinking coffee all day since I was so turned up (is that how that saying goes?) for National Coffee Day. Excuse my awkward hand. I have no idea what I was gonna slap in this photo.

That’s it for this update! I honestly had a blast with this Fall lipstick challenge. I will probably continue to do fun lipstick swatches and looks on Instagram, which wasn’t something I normally did, but you all responded so well to it and that makes me so happy! Well, anything lipstick related makes me happy.

I hope you all enjoyed these posts, and let me know what your favorite(s) were! As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you’re all having wonderful days.

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Fall Lipstick Challenge Week 2 (with photos)

/ Kayla Hutchison / 11 Comments

Hey beauties,

It’s week 2 of my personal Fall lipstick challenge! I’ve been trying my hardest to wear shades that are new and old, and some favorites mixed in. I even discovered a few new favorites! Let me know what your favorite shades were this week!

lolita dupe

Day 9: Okay, I kinda flubbed on this day. TMI, I started my cycle this day and makeup just wasn’t happening. All I wanted was a burrito and some cuddles, but all I got was coffee (which is also cool) and cramps (not cool). I did do a dupe swatch though. On the right is Nyx’s new “Soft Spoken” and to the left is Kat Von D’s “Lolita.” I know I have tried to dupe this before with no prevail, especially since mine is a bit more brown. However, Soft Spoken is pretty close, even though the finish is a bit different and the Liquid Suede lipsticks aren’t long lasting like the Kat Von D ones. Still a great shade to look into if you want an affordable dusty rose shade.

colourpop grunge

Day 10: ColourPop “Grunge” I had to put this shade on as soon as I got it in the mail. This shade screams 90’s. It’s a beautiful brown toned marsala shade, and Colourpop really nailed this shade. It’s gorgeous, and looks great on a lot of skin tones. You can read about my latest haul and see swatches here if interested.

kathleen lights miami fever

Day 11: Ofra Cosmetics “Miami Fever.” This is another new shade, and it’s the collaboration shade with Kathleen Lights. Kathleen is one of my favorite youtubers, and I really wanted to get this and use her 40% off code to support her, even though this shade scared the hell out of me. It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure. It’s still really pretty though, and I felt it paired well with a burnt orange smokey eye. This shade will look stunning on those with darker skin tones, but if you’re pale, you might not like this unless you like making bold statements with your lips. I never thought I would like orange before, but this shade is growing on me.

milani matte beauty

Day 12: Milani “Matte Beauty” this is a shade that I haven’t given any love in a bit, and I forgot how lovely of a nude this is. I paired it with some killer lashes and a glammed out shadow look and I felt like it added to the look without taking too much away, if that makes any sense. I love the Moisture Matte formula, but that isn’t a new statement coming from me. These are awesome drugstore matte lipsticks.

colourpop trap

Day 13: Colourpop ultra matte lipstick “trap” lined with Essence’s liner in “satin mauve.” Sorry that this is another phone quality photo, but I feel like I was still able to capture the beauty of this combination. Trap is such a gorgeous liquid lipstick. This combo lasted through chicken strips and biscuits, so this formula is a keeper in my books. When you’re Southern, a lipstick that can withstand the power of a biscuit is a big deal.

colourpop blood

Day 14: Colourpop ‘Blood.” This is the first time I’ve really gotten to wear this shade, and it’s absolutely stunning. This is a matte shade, and wearing a lipstick named “Blood’ just makes me feel like a badass. It’s a super pretty deep shade of red, and for $5 I do recommend adding this one to your cart next time you order from Colourpop if you love reds as much as I do.

nyx matte alabama

Day 15: Nyx Matte Lipstick in “Alabama.” Another red? Yes, judge me. I wear red very often. However, I have only swatched this one on my hand and not actually tried it on. I got it the last time Ulta had 40% off all Nyx products, and I really love their matte lipsticks. They’re much like the Milani ones. Pigmented, easy to apply, and not too drying. This dark red shade is to die for. Definitely discovered a new favorite red this week.

That is it for this week! Stay tuned for another update next Wednesday! I hope you’re all having wonderful days!

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Fall Lipstick Challenge Update + Overview

/ Kayla Hutchison / 5 Comments

Hey lovelies,

urban decay shame

Day 1: Urban Decay “Shame” lined with Colourpop’s “Creature” lippie pencil. I really loved this combo, and it was the lip look I was wearing in last week’s “Face of the Day” post. It’s such a gorgeous deep berry shade, and the finish of the Urban Decay Revolution lipsticks are semi matte, moisturizing, and actually do stay put for quite some time, especially when paired with a liner. I actually scored this lipstick off Glambot during a clearance sale, and it’s definitely made me think that I may need some more of these in my life sometime soon. I’ve been eyeballing the new matte ones lately…especially 1993.

colourpop creeper

Day 2: Milani Liner in “True Red” and Colourpop Ultra Matte Lipstick in “Creeper.” There’s nothing I love more than a bright, true red. This combination makes my heart flutter. I made a post on instagram stating that if you own the ultra matte lipsticks and you don’t enjoy the feeling, try them with a liner to create a barrier between your lips and the liquid lipstick. Milani’s true red is the perfect shade match for Creeper.

nyx liquid suede lipstick

Day 3: Nyx Liquid Suede Lippie in “Amethyst.” Oh, this shade. It’s the blurple of my dreams. These lipsticks are all incredible so far. They set well on my lips and aren’t too drying. They’re pigmented, and though they don’t last long, I still love them. I’m going to be doing a full video review with lip swatches of these, but this one was too gorgeous to not slather on my lips.

notoriously morbi lilith

Day 4: Notoriously Morbid Cosmetics “Lilith.” This is my first purchase from this indie brand, and I did so because Sharie from SecondhandSweetness swatched it and raved about this brand, and I was hooked when I saw this color. It’s so damn pretty. It’s the dark burgundy of my dreams. It’s the perfect mix of red and brown. These are vegan and cruelty free FYI, and they are only $9 a piece, and from what I could tell, pretty long lasting. Definitely worth looking into.

kat von d lolita

Day 5: Kat Von D “Lolita.” This is a cult favorite liquid lipstick, and my first ever liquid lipstick. It’s what started my obsession with liquid to matte formulas, so it has a bit of a sentimental value to me. I’m also pretty sure mine is part of the “bad” batch since it’s more brown than dusty rose, but I love this shade and haven’t bothered to purchase the newer batch because of it. If I’m not mistaken, Kat Von D will be releasing a shade that looks similar to this one since it was so popular.

city color cosmetics hibiscus martini

Day 6: City Color Cosmetics “Hibiscus Martini.” I ordered 3 of the new creamy lip stain shades the day they came out. I almost didn’t order this one, but then I saw the lady’s from TheLipSwatch on Instagram swatch it, and I decided I needed it. Okay, I needed it like I need another hole in my face, but look at this shade. It screams Fall to me. It’s a burnt red color that doesn’t look too orange. Though I don’t mind burnt orange colors since I just ordered one of the Ofra Cosmetics and KathleenLights collab lipsticks…oops.

nyx vintage

Day 7: Nyx Liquid Suede “Vintage.” I know, I wore two shades from this line in one week. In my defense, I’m still testing these out so I can put a video review with lip swatches together before these are released in Ulta stores on 9/24. This shade is a gorgeous deep plummy-red shade. I’ll speak more about this formula and such in my full review though.

city color cosmetics triple berry spritzer

Day 8: City Color Cosmetics “Triple Berry Spritzer.” I did this one because someone requested a swatch of it. It’s so freakin’ gorgeous though. I feel this would be a really pretty and flirty darker nude for Fall. Not everyone is into the darker colors, and I understand that. I want to throw a variety of shades into the mix this month. This is another one of the new shades from the Creamy Lips line. These glide on like butter. Definitely a formula you could keep in your purse to throw on while in a hurry.

During the first week of the challenge I realized I could keep this going for several months if I wanted to. I told you all I am obsessed with lipstick. We’re all allowed to have our guilty pleasures, right? Mine is lipstick, coffee, and diet coke. I think it could be worse.

Anyway, that’s it for this week! I hope you’re all enjoying these posts and the swatches on Instagram.

Speaking of Instagram, you can still join in and show my your favorite fall shades using #lunaloveslipstick

There are some that have been doing so!

Check out xxoctoberoblivionxx and scout_harper 🙂 they both used my tag this week and I always love their posts in general!

I hope you’re all having wonderful days!

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Wet n Wild Fall 2015 Swatch Party!

/ Kayla Hutchison / 10 Comments

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Hey lovelies,

I had another post planned out for Swatch Saturday, but then I stumbled upon these and I honestly just couldn’t wait to share them with you all! It’s no secret that I love Wet n Wild, and I always love their seasonal limited edition collections. I was meandering through Kmart (where I always find my best makeup finds) and I felt my heart quicken at the site of a completely untouched display of the new Fall stuff.

In this collection, there are 4 palettes, 6 (I think) lipsticks, and 6 nail polishes that are all limited edition. The palettes are in the traditional Wet n Wild quintet form, though I’m not the biggest fan of the quintet set up. I liked the way the Summer 2015 collection looked better, if I’m being completely honest here. The price per palette is $3.99.

The lipstick packaging is super cute. The packaging is almost like the usual megalast line, but matte black. MATTE. BLACK. I die. I wish they would make them all matte black. These are $1.99 each. In a nutshell, you could buy this entire line and only have to not go to Starbucks for about 3-4 days…which is possibly what I had to do to be able to buy these. I regret nothing.

I picked up 2 palettes and 4 lipsticks for now.

wet n wild fall 2015

This one is called The Gal-lery Next Door. Very clever. This one caught my eye because the definer shade looks super pretty, and purples are my favorite. I think that purples and plums look amazing on green eyes.

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These are the swatches. Sorry that the base shade is very close to my skin tone. These all swatched nicely. I will say that with these I don’t foresee myself being able to use only this palette. That’s one of my only beefs with these little palettes in general. I feel like I can’t do a completely look with them, personally.

wet n wild fall 2015

This one is called “Don’t be a Poser.” This palette is all shimmers, but the darkness in it just spoke to me on some weird level. I kinda want to pair this one with my Milano palette and do some super grunge looks to summon the colder weather.

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These all swatched nicely, but the “crease” shade did give me a bit of kick up. It’s still probably my favorite shade in this palette. It’s a really lovely dark forest green shade.

Even though I am happy with these, I wish there were more matte shades overall. I know that I am not the only one that likes to use matte shades in the crease and lower lash line. I would have loved to have seen a palette with a true dark matte orange and matte black. Or one with a shimmery champagne mixed with a lot of neutral/warmer matte shades. Maybe I’m alone here, but that’s how I feel about many of these quintet palettes, which could be why I don’t own many of them.

wet n wild fall 2015

Now, time for the lipsticks. These lipsticks are incredible. They swatched so smoothly, and they are so pigmented. I love the darker shades in this line. If you are on a budget, but you want the browns and wines that are trending right now, keep your eyes peeled for this line in your local drugstores.

wet n wild fall 2015

From left to right: coffee buzz, vintage vibe, photobomb, nightcap

My two absolute favorites are Coffee Buzz and Photobomb. Not only is the name of Coffee Buzz perfect, but it’s like a brown with a bit of purple in it, which is really unique! These colors will probably be the among the first to sell out everywhere, so I would not hesitate to pick these up if you want them. The LE Wet n Wild lines do tend to sell out quickly in general.

In all, I’m not head over heels in love with the palettes, but I am head over heels in love with the lipsticks. There are a few reds in this collection as well, but I truly need to use some of the other reds in my collection and not buy anymore. This probably won’t happen, but I’m trying. I am curious to see how close in color Vintage Vibe is to Melt Cosmetics’ “Darkroom.”

Anyway, that’s all the swatches I have for today! Will you be picking up anything from this line? Let me know in the comments section! If I pick anything else up, I will make sure to do another post! If you want to see a look done with anything, please feel free to ask! Or, if you want to see lip swatches of any of the lipsticks done on my twitter, snapchat, or instagram, I can do that as well. I just did quick swatches so that you all can have a good idea of what everything looks like!

Have a good weekend, beauties. As always, thanks for reading!

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Let’s Talk about Amazing and Affordable Face Products

/ Kayla Hutchison / 1 Comment

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Personally, when I watch videos and read blogs by my favorite beauty bloggers I catch myself day dreaming about high end products. I can’t be the only one. The products that I want to try out, but sadly can’t afford right now thanks to life and kids. Not that it upsets me at all. I love my life and kids with all of my being.
I do know that I am not the only one that is constantly looking for amazing and affordable makeup products though. Too many times I catch myself thinking that if I had more higher end products my makeup would look flawless, but then I remember that it’s truly about finding what’s right for you and how you apply it.
So, I want to do a few blogs about amazing and totally affordable makeup products, starting with some of my favorite everyday face products. Of course, these are just what works for me and my face, but I hope that everyone that reads this either finds a new awesome product to try out or that they take away a few tips on finding these products for even cheaper than they already are.
I will also include a separate picture of swatches for the blush, highlighter, and bronzer at the end of the post.

Wet n Wild blush in “Pearlescent Pink” – Holy grail blush. I use this blush almost everyday. That’s why the packaging looks kind of dirty. It’s the perfect shade of pink for me and has the slightest hint of shimmer. It’s so beautiful, and a shade that would work on many skin tones. These retail alone at around $3 most retail stores, which is incredible by itself, but I find these on sale so often at CVS and Walgreens. Wet n Wild also releases coupons in the newspaper often, so if you’re a coupon clipper (raises hand!) keep an eye out for them. I have scored so many free Wet n Wild products stacking sales with coupons.

LA Girl Pro Concealer– if you follow many youtubers and bloggers, chances are you have heard others raving about this very product. It’s so amazing and I just got it myself a few months back. I have horrible dark circles due to being extremely pale and having allergies, and this concealer covers my under eye circles and doesn’t look caked on. I use the lightest shade, obviously. This concealer retails for $5 on the la girls website, but I found mine for way cheaper on ebay. I got 3 tubes for $7.
Quick Ebay tip– when buying makeup always make sure you’re buying from a well known buyer with great feedback. Sometimes people are awful and sell fake products. There are a lot of great sellers on there that do sell the real deal for real cheap.

Nyx Matte Bronzer– This is a newer addition to my collection. I have searching for what seems like forever for a flattering contour shade for my skin tone. I typically use Nyx blush in “Taupe” which is amazing as well, but I wanted to switch it up a bit. This line has different shades for different skin tones, so naturally I picked out the shade called “light” that is supposed to be for lighter skin tones. It is a nice bronzer for light skin, maybe a bit on the warmer side for my liking, but a light hand while applying can easily fix that. The packaging is also very sleek and pretty.

Nyx Matte Finishing Spray– This has been in my possession for awhile (can you tell by the makeup all over the bottle?) and I love it! It’s perfect for everyday matte makeup looks for me when I want to set my makeup, but I don’t want to use up any of my Urban Decay spray.

Wet n Wild Highlighter– This is from the Fergie line in the color ‘Rose Champagne.” It’s so beautiful and affordable. It’s a champagne color with a hint of pink. Super flattering on fair skin. There is so much product in this for the price. I would recommend anyone try this if they are as obsessed with highlighters as I am. I hope the dewy skin look is here to stay.

Nyx Eyebrow Gel– I know this is technically not a “face” product, but eyebrows are a must for a complete face look. I’ve been using the black shade from this line for awhile now, and I love it. I still tend to reach for my dipbrow pomade most days, but if I am wanting a very bold brow I reach for this one. It takes the smallest amount of product to do both eyebrows, and it applies so easily. I use an angled brush to apply it. This product does set quickly, but it also stays ALL DAY. It’s an awesome and ridiculously affordable product that I would recommend to anyone to at least try.

Nyx HD concealer in “Lavender”– I use this concealer probably everyday. Usually I put this on under my foundation to cancel out the darkness under my eyes. I also use it to lighten up concealer if it’s a bit too dark. It serves multiple purposes, and costs $5. Amazing. Highly recommend for anyone with intense dark circles or is extremely fair and has trouble finding a light enough concealer.

BH Cosmetics Studio Pro Powder– If you follow my blog you have probably seen my first impressions post about this powder, if not I will link my review post of it at the end. I haven’t had this powder long enough to say it’s a staple yet, but it is a great powder for the price. BH Cosmetics has sales constantly on their site, and this powder tends to be about $7 on their site most days. My tips for using this powder are to use the elf powder brush (the studio one with the flat top) and just pat it into the skin if you’re using it to set your foundation or concealer. It works for me. I find that when I sweep powder across my face in a typical swirly motion it can kind of stick to dry spots easier. But do whatever works for you 🙂

Elf Acne Fighting Foundation– This foundation is something that is on my face often. I LOVE this foundation, and I mention it often in my “face of the day” posts. It’s supposed to be blemished skin friendly, but besides that it is also very full coverage and extremely affordable at $6 on the eyeslipsface website. I will say that if you have very fair skin and you don’t have a white mixing agent like the manic panic white dream tone foundation that you may want to hold out on buying it until you have both. The lightest shade on me is a few shades too dark, and I have a to use 2-3 pumps of white to get it to my exact shade, but it’s still an amazing foundation if you’re looking for a less expensive full coverage foundation to add to your life.

Elf Mineral Face Primer– The one in the picture is the green toned one, but I also have the plain clear toned mineral face primer. I use the green one on an almost daily basis because it’s supposed to correct red skin. I naturally have a bit of red in my skin on my cheeks, and this helps to correct it a little. Aside from that, it’s $5 (I think) and can be found on elf’s website or in many Target stores. This primer feels amazing on the skin, and the ingredients do not break my skin out whatsoever.

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Swatches from bottom to top: Wet n Wild “pearlescent pink,” Wet n Wild “rose champagne glow,” and Nyx Matte Bronzer in “light.”

Last tip for saving money, especially with all of the holiday things coming out- use ebates. I love this site. You get cash back for online shopping through their site. Example: I recently got 4% cash back on a Sephora purchase online, and 7.5% back on BH cosmetics. If you do a lot of online shopping please create an account through them. I think you get a check or paypal credit every 3 months for what you’ve earned…don’t quote me on that though.
Anyway, I hope this blog has been somewhat enjoyable or helpful. If you’re interested in any other affordable products I have in my arsenal, please feel free to make requests on what you may want to see me focus on.

BH Cosmetics Powder review: https://kaylahutchison.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/first-impression-too-faced-cocoa-powder-and-bh-cosmetics-studio-pro-powder/

First Impression: Too Faced Cocoa Powder and BH Cosmetics Studio Pro Powder

/ Kayla Hutchison / 1 Comment

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I have been hunting for a new powder for quite sometime now. If you’ve been following me for awhile you probably already know that I talk about the physicians formula correcting powder often. I still love it. I used it most of the summer almost everyday to set my concealer and would wear it alone some days. However, it can cling to dry spots if you have naturally dry skin like myself. So now that the weather is changing and I want to wear fuller coverage makeup, it looks a bit cakey after awhile and oxidizes weird on my skin.

If you’re as pale as me, you will understand my struggle to find a powder of any sort. Many are either too dark or oxidize and are darker after a few hours…or they look caked on if you apply too much. So, I’ve been watching videos and reading reviews by people with a similar skin tone/type as me and I have a few to talk about.

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First, is the Too Faced Cocoa Powder foundation in “Light.” I’ve seen this talked about a lot, but couldn’t justify wanting to buy it until I watched a video of Thataylaa (look her up on youtube. I love her videos and personality) using it lightly as a setting powder. So, I started trying to see if I could catch a good deal on it, and I found it on hsn.com for $39 with free shipping AND the teddy bear hair kabuki brush included ($68 total value). I ended up being able to use a coupon code for 15% off on top of it, so the deal was pretty awesome and it’s included in flex pay and I got money back on ebates. Just throwing that out there in case anyone is interested in trying it and wants a good deal on it, I was not sponsored to say any of that. I’m just a mom on a budget.

Anyway, back to the actual review. The smell of this product is as delightful as I had hoped and imagined. It smells like chocolate. I decided to try it out for the first time on top of a bb cream and use the teddy bear hair kabuki brush.
Application– Like a damn dream. Very easy to work with and is buildable. With that being said, I do feel it would be light coverage if worn alone as a powder foundation. I wore it on top of a bb cream so I only needed a small amount to cover everything up and set my makeup. The brush it came with is super soft as well. I don’t know if I would have bought it had it been alone, but since it came with the powder it’s definetely a perk.
Wear time– it lasted all day and did not oxidize or cling to dry patches during the day. I did chores, chased the dog and toddler around and ran errands and this stuff stayed in place and even kept the faint delicious smell all day.
Overall first impression- thoroughly impressed. I’m so happy I stumbled upon such a great deal because I don’t know if I could have brought myself to spend the money on it at regular price at Ulta or Sephora.
Lastly, I have to give Too Faced props for always having the most adorable packaging on the face of the planet. Seriously, how chic and cute is the packaging? It’s so pretty.

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Second, is the BH Cosmetics Studio Pro Powder in “205” which is the lightest shade. These powders are on sale often on Bh Cosmetics’ website. I think I got mine for around $7, so this is a very affordable option. The packaging is also very sleek and black, which I like. It claims to be a matte finishing powder.
Application– I used my elf cosmetics powder brush ($3) and patted this underneath my eyes to set my concealer, and I was impressed with how easy it was to apply. It wasn’t too chalky and didn’t get everywhere. I typically pat my powder instead of brushing on my face because I feel it’s less likely to cling to dry patches that way.
Wear– It did oxidize a bit, but it wasn’t bad. It didn’t apply cakey, but it did look a bit caked up and weird in a few spots after about 4 hours of wear. So, this is a powder that will need to be touched up a few times throughout the day.
Overall impression– I wasn’t as impressed with this one, but I wasn’t disappointed either. It’s probably a powder I will reach for this fall for everyday looks and for when I run errands. The price is superb though and the packaging is also adorable and very sleek.

Both of the brands mentioned are cruelty free, and as far as I know Too Faced is vegan friendly. Have any powders to recommend for me to try in my pursuit for the absolute perfect powder for fair skin? Please feel free to comment with your own thoughts, opinions, and recommendations.

Subscription Fever: Lip Monthly

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

Last month I decided to cancel both my beauty box and ipsy subscriptions because the samples I was receiving from both were merely piling up and ending up in a tiny sample landfill. I stumbled upon a relatively new subscription service called Lip Monthly, and decided to give it a try since I am a lip product addict. Lip products of any sort are probably the few things I get ridiculously excited for when it comes to subscription services.

It’s $10 per month and they say they will send 3-4 full sized products and 1-2 sample sized products. I was automatically intrigued just from reading that. So, I used a coupon code (will link at the end) and got my first box for $5 and started the subscription. The reviews I had watched seem mixed. Most seem to either love Lip Monthly or hate it. However, it seems that’s how the cookie crumbles with most subscription services. You can’t please everyone.

I received my tracking info last Friday and received my bag on Monday. So, shipping time seems to be about average.

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These were the products that came in my bag. From what I have seen on instagram and youtube, this was the standard bag for everyone with a few differences like maybe their eyeliner pencil was a different color. The bag came with a card, but the prices were not beside the products so I can’t tell if I got more than my money’s worth in terms of product value. It looked like there were 4 full sized products and 1 sample sized, the sample being the lip scrub.
The J Cat lipstick in my bag is actually defective. I opened it and can’t even swatch the product because the lipstick is broken in half on the inside. I will have to email them about that, so next month I will update about their customer service. However, I can tell the color isn’t going to be for me. The one thing that does upset me a bit about this subsciption already is that they sent out the same color lipstick to everyone. When it comes to nudes, one color does not fit all. This color probably looks stunning on people with darker skin tones…it just makes me look dead. It looks like, well, my skin.

There was a purple shimmery lip tiny (balm?) that came in the bag and it smells pretty nice. Much like grapes if you’re into grape flavored things. There was also another chapstick that I have actually tried before (and like) from another subscription that smells like cherries. I’m not too sure what the point of sending two balm/chap stick type products is? The shimmery one doesn’t exactly compliment the weird nude tone lipstick, and I am not one to put on balm on top of more balm.

The last full sized product was a LA Girl eyeliner, which I like. LA Girl is a product I have talked about before and I have been wanting to try a few more of their products. The color I got was a very pretty blue color. I’ve been digging the blues lately since I have been playing around with black lipstick, and I have a few blue lipsticks so the eyeliner will double as a lip liner for me since blue lip liners are hard to come by.
The sample product was a lip scrub. It seems like your typical lip scrub. The smell is…okay. It smells natural, and the ingredients seems to be all natural as well, so that’s a plus.

Overall, I am neither over the moon or extremely disapppointed in this subscription for the first month in. I will give it a few more months, because I know they are newer and I can’t base it on the first bag I get. I would like to see a bit more of a theme with this subscription. It seemed like they tried to make a theme, but it just didn’t come together well. An option for individual profiles to ensure great product selection for each person would be nice as well. Not everyone is the same skin tone, and not every lip color is going to be suitable for everyone. I’m sure there are people that love the lipstick in the bag, but I can tell despite the defect in the product that it will make me look like my lips have disappeared, and that’s not what I am going for when I wear a nude lip color.

Fall favorites: Nail Polish

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

It’s finally starting to truly cool down in my city, and not just during the mornings. I think many of us know the struggle of it being cold in the morning, so you put on a sweater, and then by the afternoon you’re sweating and wanting to rip all of your clothes off.
Anyway, my blog today is all about my favorite fall colors. Some new, some older. All favorites. Warning: some colors look the same, but are just different enough to me. I wear mostly grays and reds…all year. The main difference between fall and summer colors (for me) is that fall colors are a bit darker. That’s just how it is, right? We will go with that.

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I don’t have too many to talk about, and there’s only two brands! I mostly use either Essie or wet n wild. Why? They’re easy for me to work with and their colors are always amazing and last on my nails. I’m not a huge nail polish collector, so I tend to stick with my favorite brands no matter what.

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This is what each swatch looks like without flash.
From left to right:
Wet n wild “Disturbia” I want to say this is a new color, but I’m not entirely sure. It’s a beautiful deep purple color though.

Wet n wild “Under Your Spell” this color is a bit hard to swatch because the swatch is not it’s true color. It’s a very brown toned red with a hint of glitter in it. This color requires some building, but it’s gorgeous after about 3 coats or so.

Wet n wild “Wet Cement” a darker gray color. I love this color, but even more so I love wet and wild nail polishes. The brushes from this line are so wide and easy to work with while applying. The price is also amazing given the quality ($1.99 on average).

Essie “Chinchilly” this is an older color, but it’s been a favorite of mine for awhile now. I actually wear it all year. I think a few other bloggers have talked about this color, but rightfully so. It’s a very neutral and light gray that goes with every fall outfit. I actually need to purchase a new one because this bottle is getting old and it’s getting hard to get polish on the brush.

Essie “Skirting the Issue” a very dark, but ox blood, shade of red. A bit more Boudreaux? Either way, this is a must for fall nail polishes, in my opinion. It’s dark without being too “vampy” for those that don’t like the super dark looks.

Essie “Wicked” probably my all time favorite color of nail polish. Ever. It’s a true ox blood red and looks almost black. It’s so gorgeous. I am in need of a new bottle because I’ve seriously almost used all of it.

Essie “Stylenomics” this could be more of a holiday color? I don’t know, but it is a favorite of mine this time of the year. It’s a very deep green color. The only shade of green nail polish that I own, honestly. It’s so beautiful on the nails, and probably would pair well with all of the holiday looks coming up soon.

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These are a couple of pictures of the swatches with flash, since without flash it’s a bit difficult to tell what the true colors are. The nail polishes I’ve talked about today are just a few of my favorites. What are some of your favorite fall nail polishes? Any brands that you can’t live without that I should try?