Collection| Swap Star

After a month of solid dedication to swapping, I've managed to amass a few select staples, in sizable chunks, with the intention of taking my makeup stash to the grave in mind. Here is my cosmetics collection after swap (sounds like it goes with frizzy hair, a cigarette, and a balcony view to Paris, jeez) with a nod to the creme de la creme of what I've bargained, pleaded, whined, interrogated, and negotiated for.

Behold, my new couch! From general  order of guess and check and common sense:

Urban Decay All Nighter XL setting spray. While greatly revered by many others, I've yet to try a finish/setting spray that wasn't completely a gimmick of a water and "essential oil" turd grease droplet mixture (AHEM FIX+). This spray prolongs my foundation wear time from decent (8 hours) to deceptive (10 hours) without the powdery look of well, powder.

A quality finishing and setting powder to use for the undereye area and overall to give a slight healthy glow with no shimmer. I'm talking about Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder. This sucker will probably last a lifetime.

A few foundations in NC20-NC25. Hopefully this LA sun will go away for about 2 months or so, at the least. I have finally gotten my hands on  MUFE's Face and Body foundation in #32 which is turning out to be amazingly lightweight and versatile.

Several blushes that will last me a generation. I've got MAC's Warm Soul and Happy Together on the way, but for now Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface and Natural Beauty have found their way back into my stash. I remember these were the first items I've ever swapped for way back when, and I miss their excellent staying power.

I've also managed to collect three brand spankin' new palettes, all neutrals! TheBalm Nude Tude, Bobbi Brown Navy and Nude, as well as BB's Ultra Nude Eye palette now sit pretty with the rest of my "boring eye" palettes.

Oh, did I mention that I'm currently on a quest to hoard cologne/perfume and bath myself in them to preserve my youth and increase my attraction pheromones, much like drinking sacrificial virgin blood inside of a moonlit pyre? No, not really. I don't have pictures because they've yet to arrive, but I've managed to find:

• Citron de Vigne/ Zesty.


• Versace Crystal Noir/Sexy Hooker.


• DKNY Be Delicious/Love Poetry Writing Teenybopper.


• Donna Karan Cashmere Mist/Elegant Grandma.


• Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue/Buff Shirtless Italian.


• And rollerballs of Coach Poppy, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Chloe, and Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit. I really enjoy these because they are so easy to carry around for touch ups and isn't a forearm workout to pick up and spritz. Also, does anyone understand how to defy laws of physics and carry a full sized bottle of perfume in your handbag at all times?

For now, my collection is completely restored. I've thrown out (aka given out extras) of products I haven't touched in 3 months or more, replenished my stash of blushers, added more neutral palettes while giving away bold ones, and downsized my foundation stash to just the best. That is to say....easily a third of my makeup stash comes from the swap world and I've pared everything down to either essentials, basic variations, backups, backups of backups, and a few drugstore dupes. Most of my drugstore items were also donated away. It really does help with the mental clutter when you have less to work with in front of you every morning.

The only downside is how many sample cards and packets I have....my samples bag looks like Carrie's prom night.

That's all for today, the job search is slogging through. I've been to at least 10 interviews now with terrible callback etiquette and no success. Must be the butch haircut giving lesbopunkrock vibes *EYE ROLL* Bye!

Be

Blog Sale| I'm having a blargh sail?!

Hello everyboday.

After two months of grueling hard work and hours wasted at the post office for online swapping, I've managed to pare it down to mostly essentials and some high end delights. However, I still have quite a lot of things that came from swap or my own stash that I'm not 110% in love with. A lot of these items are like new or lightly swatched, and of course, genuine. And sanitized. That would be important. I'd love to sell them off as easily as possible, so I've made a list of things I no longer need. I'll update this list by either adding new items, deleting sold items, or adding perks and extras. Shipping is a flat 4 dollars for me (if you buy multiple items we can work out a deal) and is US only. I'm also trying to get rid of a lot of drugstore lip products, so you'll see a few surprises in your package too!

You can use Paypal and email me at minhvn29@gmail.com to inquire more about these items. Here goes nothing!

Makeup Forever La Boheme Palette, one shade swatched twice, rest is untouched. 39 retail. Asking 30. 

Urban Decay Glinda Palette, also comes with lip pencil (swatched once), purple shade used twice, all other shades lightly swatched/untouched. 49 Retail. 40 Asking. 

NARS eyeshadow duos in Sandra, Carmargue, and Wicked. Please look at pictures for conditions. All were received in swaps. Shadows are like new or lightly swatched. 34 retail each. Asking 25 for each, or 60 for all. 

  Sandra.

   Carmague.

  Wicked.

Tarte Natural Cheek Tint in Achiote. Received in swap, I swatched twice. 26 Retail. Asking 15.



Urban Decay Glide on Cheek Tint in Score. Lightly used. 24 retail. Asking 15. 



NARS blush duo in Albatross and Orgasm. Lightly swatched twice. Like new. There is a chip at the top right of the packaging, cosmetic flaw only.  41 retail. Asking 35. 



Stila It Girl Palette 2 (Eve, Kitten, Americano). Like new, each shade used once. 14 retail. Asking 7. 



Rock and Republic Saturate Eyeshadow in Carat. Used about 5 times total. No dips or dents. About 85% to 90% left. 15 retail. Asking 7. 



MAC Prolongwear blush in Stay By Me. Like new, swatched twice. 25 Retail. Asking 18. 

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lip Gloss in Samantha and Full on Lip cream in Berry Blast. Used 4x max. 22 retail. Asking 12 each.



Estee Lauder lipstick in Pink Parfait and a small Shiseido extra. Please see pics for condition. 26 Retail. Asking 12 for both. 



Marc Jacobs Woman EDP, 3.4 oz. About 95-98% left. No changes in scent, received as gift from aunt. 96 Retail. Asking 75. 



Well, that's all I have at the moment. Here is my swap list if you're interested and would like me to private message pictures.  Email me at minhvn29@gmail.com. Keep in mind that this isn't even a fourth of my swap list! D:

MAC Foundations

-Studio Sculpt NC20 (about 75%-80% left) this runs a little darker than a true NC20 imo, I used it when I was NC25 in everything else
-Studio Sculpt NC30 (about 75 to 80% left)
-Studio Fix Fluid NC30 (about 50% left) comes with pump but no lid.
- Mineralize Moisture NC30 (about 75% to 80% left)
- Face and Body C2 (about 50 to 60% left) (this comes in the huge pro size bottle)

Also....this problem:

Revlon	lip butters lot	Lipstick
The Body Shop	Strawberry Body Butter	Lotions/ Creams
NARS	Satin lip pencil Yu LN	Lipstick
MAC	Studio Fix C40	Powder
NYX	Soft Matte Lip Creams	Lipstick
NYX	Butter Glosses	Lip Gloss
Urban Decay	Primer Potion in Eden	Eye Primer

BeneFit Cosmetics	High Beam	Highlighters
Becca	Loose pigment in Odette	Eye Shadow
BeneFit Cosmetics	BN Hoola Bronzer	Bronzers
Rimmel	Stay Matte in Sandstorm BN	Blush
NARS	BNIB E/s duo in Isolde	Eye Shadow
BeneFit Cosmetics	Porefessional BNIB	Primer/ Corrector
LORAC	Pro to go LNIB	Palettes
Clarisonic	MIA	Misc Beauty Tools
Sigma	E05 eyeliner brushes 2x	Makeup Brushes
BeneFit Cosmetics	Watt's Up	Highlighters
E.L.F.	Glow Powder	Loose Powders
Lancome	Definicils BN	Mascara

Shiseido	Ultimate Sun Protection Cream+ Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ F	Sunscreen
Urban Decay	LN Mildew, Flipside	Eyeliner
Marc Jacobs	LN Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer lot	Polishes
Make Up For Ever	HD Blush #3	Blush
Becca	BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector LN	Blush
Vichy	Dermablend LN 35 Sand	Liquid
Revlon	Balm stains lot	Lip Liners
Urban Decay	LN Heavy Metal Eye Gel in backstage	Eye Shadow
Smashbox	Hydrating primer BN	Primer/ Corrector

 

BNIB: brand new in box, BN: brand new, lot means you should ask me about the colors, LN: like new, etc...

Hope you guys are enjoying your weekend!

Be

Review| Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion

We all know that Urban Decay is a cosmetic powerhouse when it comes to eyeshadows, lipsticks, setting sprays, (okay everything), but they also take the cake when it comes to primers. I stock up on their eye shadow primer every chance I get and have never wandered elsewhere. Of course, I should have known better that they would have a primer for lips. If you want your eyeshadow and foundation to look flawless all day, why not your lips?

Well, duh. They've already thought of that. It's called the Lip Primer Potion. Urban Decay claims, "This invisible primer lays a silky foundation for your favorite lipstick or gloss. Color is truer, applies smoother, lasts longer, and will not feather!" It retails for $20 and contains moisturizing Vitamins A, E, and C as well as SPF 15. It has no color payoff and the worst it will do is let your lipsticks apply true to color.



Bold claims, considering how most lipsticks fade unevenly on my lips and leave them looking drier and crustier than a teenage boy's quilt blanket. Disgusting. Even the creamiest lipsticks tend to fade much quicker than intended, even with flawless prep work and Satanic prayer. It's also the reason why red lips haven't become my signature look and fuchsia lipsticks only venture out in the evening. Like, two hours max before I rush home and furiously scrub my lip flakes.

Well, I have to say that this is the best swap investment I've ever made. Take a look at my test run schedule this morning:

• 8:00 AM- Wearily eye bold lipstick stash and wonder when I'll ever use them up. Notice the lip primer in the corner. Test time! I apply it over bare lips (I applied balm in the bathroom), line with MAC's More to love lipliner, and apply UD's Bang lipstick haphazardly within the general mouth area. Wink at sexy clown looking back at me in the mirror.


• 11:30 AM- Head out the house to run errands and get Starbucks. Order a tall iced coffee and their new Spinach croissant. Noms. Immediately look in mirror. The glossy top layer of the lipstick is gone, but the original color is still on! And even! The color is not as "satiny" but is a lovely matte.


• 1:00 PM- First vape of the day. Check in bathroom mirror, color is still there!? Lips feel a little tight, but no noticeable flakes are coming out. I apply NYX's Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee. Usually this starts an awful cycle of peeling and reapplication that cannot be remedied.


• Now (2:00 PM)- Lip line is not as precise as in the morning, but nothing is bleeding outside of the lines, even with gloss. Color is just as vibrant as in the morning and the faint gloss added back the sheen I wanted. No flakes! Woohoo!

I am in love with this lip primer, considering how I've never seen this at Sephora before. I've always thought that lip primers are over-glorified lip balms, but this is the bomb. The formulation feels like a heavy wax based lip balm and takes a bit of elbow grease to apply, but the end result is so worth it. I would rather wear this under every lipstick and take an extra minute in my routine than have to constantly check my mirror in paranoia. Where has this been all my life??

Well, I have another interview tomorrow, and the hubs has finally found work within Orange County. Happy day! I'll be rocking my red-orange lip look into tonight's celebration dinner.

Be

Swap Haul| Priorities, Be. [Part One]

With a new-found interest in swapping my makeup for "essential items", I've neglected the voices in my head telling me to go shopping. With the post office a block away and the Internet at my disposal, I've picked up so much good stuff by swapping away makeup that's been sitting at the back of my drawer (or fridge) for ages.See? Told you I'm on a low-buy. Just a high swap :D I also have to validate it by deluding myself that post office stamps are not worth real money.

This post covers the first half of swap items that's arrived within this past two weeks. Most of these items are lemmings, rather than essentials. A lot of these items are those I've always wanted to try but don't have the funds to do so.

Ready for some serious eye candy?



 



In no particular order: NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Sandra and Wicked, Becca Loose Pigment in Odette, Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Taupe, Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Bronzer, Buxom lipgloss in Samantha, Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl and Watt's Up samples, Urban Decay Revolution lipstick sample in Catfight, NARS Albatross/Orgasm duo, Stila It Girl palette (for the iconic Kitten!), Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Perversion (backup number 4), Clinique Moisture Surge, The Balm's Frat Boy blush.

I don't mean to brag, but that is some seriously savvy swapping *pats self on back* At the same time I've managed to clear out all extra samples, try out new ones, hoard up on high end items, and stock up on skincare. I would have never been able to afford Kevyn Aucoin, but with a little fancy fingerwork and shameless swap list browsing, I've been able to find quite a few gems.

The only downside is that swapping isn't open to completely everybody on MakeupAlley.com I think you have to had been a member of their site prior to a certain date? Ah well. Exclusive makeup illuminati circle is exclusive. It does frighten me when someone asks to swap and I have to look through 30 pages of items. Crazy makeup lady, is that you??

Ah well, time to get back to job hunting. That's all for today, folks!

Be

Review | Maybelline Eye Studio in Copper Chic

I am not a drugstore eyeshadow person. When I walk by drugstore counters, my eyes automatically look for mascaras, foundation, and lipsticks, simply because the packaging for eyeshadows tend to be so cheap. In high school, a close friend used drugstore shadow quads and I always felt like they were too sheer or too chunky in the glitter department. The snob in me doesn't appreciate plastic caps that snap off when dropped.

However, after a few reviews on YouTube complimenting these Maybelline quads for their buttery texture, I figure it wouldn't hurt to give them a try. I picked mine up at Wal-Mart for $7.41 (so precise) but I believe they are below $10 at most stores.

Swatches: Refer to pictures below. These are taken under natural lighting indoors (oxymoron, but I have a skylight).

Packaging: First I like how these include four shades (and a cursed foam applicator) for portability. From left to right, you have just enough colors to create two or three eye looks with dimension. For seven bucks, a mirror is too much of a demand, I guess.

Color: As I'm drawn to neutrals, I really enjoy the colors of the quad because they are not too cool or warm. The highlight shade is very subtle despite how it looks it the pan. The darkest color, a mauve-y warm burgundy, is not too dark for a daylight look. They are all sparkly (figures) rather than matte but not garish.

The payoff is noticeable and not shabby at all for a drugstore formula. The only problem is making these last, but a primer held them up for 4 hours and some fading after that mark.

Application: These do much better patted on in a precise manner and then blended out with a separate brush. They are liable to fly everywhere and cause fall-outs if you pack it directly onto a blending brush and go straight for the lids. In this respect the small foam applicator actually works well for inner corners and creases.

Overall, despite the cheap packaging, these are a step up from the drugstore eyeshadows I remember and abhor. I still wouldn't purchase another quad just for the hell of it, but if you're on a budget or want to add some shadows into your collection without breaking the bank, you can definitely rely on these.

Be

First Look | Hot Off the Press (Marc Jacobs, Urban Decay Revolution, NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation, LORAC Pro To Go)

With some help from a Groupon gift card (should have bought one more with the husband's account...) and some thorough research, I was able to locate my local Sephora. Sadly, this one is located within a JCPenneys and has some major restrictions. Including the fact that I have to personally call Sephora to add the points to my VIB account. Sigh, first world problems.

First, I made sure to haul a few good things that I already know I love, aka UD's Revolution lipsticks, this time in two shades:

• Fiend is a muted rose color that translates to a MLBB color. I am not a fan of layering on lip products that have no real color payoff, but this color gives my pout a nice sheen and a rosy color.


• Catfight is a pink-fuchsia with slight red undertones. This means that it's a little punchier than Anarchy and perhaps more classy, too. I would love to rock this into the fall season.

But really, I'm just collecting all of the colors slowly and surely at this point. Don't mind me. Again, these retail for $22 dollars each.

         

Second, I picked up two things from Marc Jacobs' line: a nail polish ($18 retail)  and lip balm ($22 retail). Because I already have cult favorites in other brands, I figure I should expand my horizons and try some things I usually do not splurge on.

• The Enamored Hi-Shine Lacquer in 134 Lola seems like a bright red that isn't too vampy or teeny-bopper. I don't like dark gothic reds on the nails. It may have a slight pink undertone.


• The Lip Lock Moisture Balm is raved about by Fashionista804 and I am always looking for something to fix my chapped lips. It is rather overpriced, but since I can't even finish a cheapie lip balm (they end up  fossilizing into dinosaur eggs) I figure this may be a good investment.

I also picked up the new NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation in Stromboli/Medium 3 ($38 retail excluding the compact). I have seen way too many blogger promotions to not try this out for myself. I have been fearing liquid foundations in this heat and hope that a lighter layer of cream foundation does a better job in regards to coverage and staying power. I'm also surprised that Stromboli is a better match than Punjab, and with 22 shades to choose from I had fun swatching while the reps glared. Hehe.



Finally, the main reason of my adventure was to find the new LORAC PRO To Go Palette ($38 retail). I own and love the original LORAC Pro, and this portable little guy also has cheek products. I'm all for low maintenance 2-in-1's and portable packaging especially when it comes to traveling. I'm willing to bet that the consistency of the eyeshadows is smooth like butter and that the cheek colors will be universally flattering.

Now, time for me to go cry tears into my bank account in hopes of replenishing my funds. Actually, I have a few interviews lined up for next week, and I'm really excited to show off my chops. Can't collect makeup and buy groceries at the same time without a job, now can I?

Bye bye for now, make sure to watch out for reviews to come within these next two weeks for these items, excluding the NARS Cream Compact. I will need more time to see if that little guy brings his awkward third wheel friend "Cystic Acne" along.

Be

Beauty Blab | Making Room for New Makeup

This past weekend has been moving hell. I won't get into details, but now I am finally settled into my new home in LA. My new room is loads bigger, but I hate how much clutter has built up over the past two years, especially when it comes to makeup. I've tossed out a bunch of things:

• Lip glosses. They've oozed out of their containers, gotten sticky and dated, or just have gone past their expiration date. I have at least four that may have reached radioactive radiation status.


• Old foundations. I have a bunch that don't match, aren't the right formulation, or is just plain OLD. Toss!


• Powders and blushers that I've outgrown. I'm talking sparkly disco balls, powders that I've had for over three years, and a drugstore mattifier that just doesn't work!

A few things I'm looking forward to trying this fall:

• NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation. I recently picked up NARS Sheer Glow in Stromboli and fell in love, and I want to know how this new compact measures up! The shade range is phenomenal, but I may have to wait until the season gets colder/drier before I test it out.  I also have to use up a few compact foundations I already have lying around! ($48 retail)


• Jouer's Creme Eyeshadow Crayon in Rococo and Baroque. As reviewed by Essiebutton and Rae from Raeviewer, these eyeshadow crayons seem to be a hyper pigmented and longer wearing version of Maybelline's Color Tattoo. Must try. ($24 retail)


• Pixi Glow Tonic. This is more for my mom than me. She has hyperpigmentation, uneven skin texture, and acne scarring issues to address. I've heard nothing but massively positive reviews about this. Now....where to find it...($ mystery price)


• Tom Ford's eyeshadow trio in She Wolf. Absolutely beautiful and overpriced. I feel like the $60 price tag can only be justified by how much use I can get out of it. I still have so many palettes that have not even been scratched at the surface, let alone hit pan!

My main goal, however, is to go on a no-buy for the rest of the month until I can find new employment in this strange and crazy new city. You can't ball with no budget after all. After seeing how much makeup I currently own cram into three plastic bins, I think my makeup binge is done for now. However, I won't say no to anything ground breaking. Fall 2013 collections have already started rolling out on department store shelves and I still have yet to visit the many malls currently surrounding my new home!

That's it for now. Let me know how often you go on a no-buy, or whether you use most of your makeup up before buying new products!

Be

Review | Urban Decay's Revolution Lipsticks

This seriously sounds like a recipe for love. Twenty two shades, 22 dollars, 22 reasons why I will be broke very very soon. I've seen beauty bloggers rave and obsess over this for the past month, and for some reason, I just wasn't that interested. Bright shades? Pass, I've seen brighter. Creamy and moisturizing? Lies, no such thing. In all honesty, I don't need another lipstick, even if it blows everything I own out of the water. Even if it cooks breakfast every morning, or does my laundry, or please me better than ice cream.

I resisted, I really did try.

Then I went to Sephora and the display case captured and enraptured me. "Swatch F-bomb, doooo it!" a voice whispered. I shivered with hesitation. Oh, it was the makeup consultant. Yes, yes, I swatched quite a few until my hands were crazy with colors. How creamy it is indeed, I thought. Look at all of these beautiful nudes and brights, I thought. Slowly, against my very will, I picked out Anarchy and made my way to the checkout. Then the rest happened in due time.

Sigh.

I've always been a fan of UD's makeup, from their primer to eyeliners and eyeshadow palettes, but I never knew they even had a lipstick line to revamp. Apparently, the Revolution lipsticks are part of their Fall 2013 collection and will be a permanent addition. Let's get right into the review!

Color: With such a great range, you are sure to find a couple shades to love and covet. Check out Phyrra's swatches here. Even before hitting the store, I was eyeing most of them with the dedication of a sex offender. Pigmentation is opaque and strong. I picked out four colors:

• Anarchy, a hot pink/true fuchsia


• Streak, a slight coral pink (it's a pity that there were no other true corals in the line)


• F-Bomb, a true classic red with no discernible undertones


• Shame, a deep berry (looks disgusting in the picture right? It's actually the shade on the UD's model's lips...perfect for fall!)

Pricing: At 22 per lipstick, this is definitely smack dab in the mid-range of lip products. Now, if only they were a little cheaper to facilitate my hoarding obsession....I wouldn't say this is a strange price point, especially for UD products. There isn't too much product for the price but this is never a problem as I've never been able to finish any lipstick. I got mine at Sephora and Ulta.

Packaging: A lovely silver bullet, big enough to kill vampire-werewolf mutants with style. The inside is UD's iconic purple, and the tube slides shut with no click but a tight feeling. I'm a huge fan of how the lipstick bullet itself is a little more slender than others with no pointed tip. It makes application a breeze! A clear label adorns the bottom for you to identify.

Wear: It is indeed creamy without having too much slip to bleed. Wear time is about 4 hours, typical of most lipsticks. However, the best part of this lipstick is how it doesn't flake! It almost feels like YSL's Rouge Voluptes without the pricepoint. For the most part, many of my fuchsias and hot pinks tend to dry out my lips no matter how much I scrub my lips raw or layer lip balm. These wear comfortably for about 4 hours and start to stain/fade after that time mark. There is no ugly ring around your lips even after a meal. My favorite thing about these is that they do not crack or chap your lips! I have encountered many a high end lipstick that do so (ahem, NARS...)

Swatches: Now for the good part. These are all two coats, with Anarchy being one single swipe, and indoors.

This is in natural but dim lighting.

This is under yellow lighting from a fluorescent light. Sorry for the carpet, seems like I love hoarding dog hair more than I think. Gross.

And these are in direct natural sunlight from the window. You can see that Anarchy has very intense pigmentation, and Streak is much more pink than online pictures suggest.

Overall, I am really pleasantly surprised by the quality of these newly launched lipsticks and would love to collect a few more. I'm eyeing 69, Bang, Liar, and Naked 2. Forgot to tell you they have rather naughty names!

Are you thinking of trying out a few? I've seen quite a few bloggers hoard up on these, and I mean HOARD. As in, 10 shades and counting sort of irresponsible. UD is doing another thing right.

Be

Review: MAC Cremesheen Glass

Richer, Lusher?

Is there such a product that makes me richer while plumping up my lopsided sausages?

Sadly, the answer is no. These cremesheen glass, or fancy tinted lip glosses, from MAC run about 20 dollars at Nordies. Surprising, since MAC lipsticks are only about 15 dollars. Good thing the mother offered payment in exchange for giving her advice on a new red lipstick shade and foundation. I recommended Studio Fix Fluid for a summer foundation and Viva Glam I (one of my recent finds) for a sexy red shade. She actually gave her SFF to me in an act of great charity, and upon seeing its finish on my skin, she had to re-buy. Women logic. SFF's full coverage and strong oil control makes flaw covering and tone-evening a one step process for lazy summers (no concealer or powder needed).

Anyway, I digress. Richer, Lusher is a beautiful coral/orange shade that looks lovely on its own or over a pink lipstick for more dimension.

PROS:

- Non-sticky. Lip gloss reminds me of the third grade. Sticky lip gloss reminds me of my third grade frenemy. Associations are powerful. This gloss doesn't stir up any old memories.

- Color is semi-opaque. In the tube, it looks like a heavy liquid gloop lipstick. The color payoff is a little less sheer than an actual Cremesheen lipstick but is more...

- Moisturizing. Even more so than its lipstick counterpart. The gloss can pair with any lipstick in order to prevent cracked lips or settled lip color.

- Doefoot applicator makes it easy to apply, though not precise enough without some reference to a pocket mirror.

- In general, a beautiful and subtle color that can lean nude for a smokey eye or brightening on its own. It is not opaque enough to clash with another lipstick but only helps amplify another lipcolor, either from a lipstick or lip liner.

- The Cremesheen Glass line has many beautiful, collectible, wonderful, obsession-inducing shades to choose from.

CONS:

- What the expensive heck? 20 dollars for a lip gloss? Good thing lip glosses last me for ages until I get annoyed at the sticky caps and throw them away.

Would I repurchase? Not likely. Would I purchase another shade in the collection? Yes, given that the color was absolutely to die for. I spotted many other lovely shades, but the price tag induced rational hesitance. My wallet actually screamed "No!" audibly. Just kidding. But 20 dollars for a lip gloss? Am I wrong for thinking that lip gloss shouldn't be more than 5 bucks under any circumstance?

Anyway, I am heading back to San Diego tomorrow to start my summer classes and clean up the house in order for a big move to another part of town. The upside is that I won't have to unpack anything, but I would still love to do a collective haul for you guys if you're interested. I'm not meaning to brag, a lot of the stuff I got were presents and gifts from my family for graduation who knows how much I love makeup and cosmetics. I got hooked up with some really great gems like a BeautyBlender, Origins face products, MAC products, and plenty of stuff from Sephora. If I do a collective haul, I'll be posting it up as a video on Youtube and link it here.

Tata for now,

Be