BLOGMAS | Day 11: Kat Von D Metal Matte Palette Makeup Inspiration

It's New Year's eve as I'm writing this post! It's been raining the past several days so I'm hoping it'll stop in time for New Year's Day. I was planning to have this up before then so y'all could draw inspiration from this for your New Year's eve looks but I've been running errands, trying to get everything done before I start school in a week. Anyhoo, I also planned on doing a review on the Kat Von D Metal Matte Palette but since it was limited edition and sold out like hotcakes, I never got around to doing it. But I had all these looks planned out and wanted to share them with y'all anyway, so I hope you don't mind.

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BLOGMAS | Day 8: Colourpop Holiday Haul

I'm not sure what came over me but ever since my first Colourpop Haul back in September, it feels like I've made an order every month! Their colors are quite unique and I find myself wanting to collect them all. Rest assured, this is the last one for a while but there's no guessing how I'll feel come January!

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BLOGMAS | Day 5: ULTA Birthday Haul + First Impressions

I've gotta say, hauls are one of my favorite posts to do because I love sharing all the cool loot I got. But then I feel massively guilty afterwards when I tally up how much I spent. They're a good way of reminding me what I've got so they're not all bad? As I'm writing this post, all of the items I am talking about are still in stock, so fingers crossed that if what I'm showing y'all today interests you, y'all can still get it!

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BLOGMAS | DAY 2: Birthday Haul with Urban Decay

Urban Decay make some of my favorite eyeshadows so when I found out they were giving a free eyeshadow of my choice with any full size purchase, I jumped on the website to see what I could get. At the same time, there were several Cyber Monday week deals happening.

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HAUL | Colourpop Fall 2016

If you haven't figured it out already, I've been a tad obsessed with Colourpop lately. I was always a late bloomer so I'm kicking myself for missing out on so many awesome shades! But I believe that it's better late than never so I'm making up for lost time with yet another haul. Most of the eyeshadows and highlighters are from their Fall release and so should still be in stock by the time this post goes up. And if you're anything like me, let's jump right into swatches!

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HAUL | Colourpop X Hello Kitty

Growing up, my sister was a huge fan of Pochacco. She had all the stationary and plushies but the one that kept my attention was Hello Kitty. I had hair clips and pencils with her splashed all over. When I was in high school, one of my closest friends was also a fan, cementing our almost decade-long friendship. So when I got wind about this collection, I marked my calendars and patiently waiting for the day this collection would drop. Instead of going wild and picking up one of everything, I picked up the Mama's Apple Pie quad, one Ultra Satin Lip in Tiny Chum and one Lippie Stix in Konnichiwa. 

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HAUL | Colourpop Shadows and Lippies

After following the Youtube beauty community for several years and being burned countless of times, I hesitated on jumping on the Colourpop bandwagon. KathleenLights is one of my favorite Youtubers so when she released her second collaboration with Colourpop, I wanted to show my support. But as every beauty lover is prone to do, my eyes started wandering and I ended up with 8 Super Shock Eyeshadows, 3 Ultra Matte Lips, 2 Lippie Stix, 1 Satin Matte Lip and 1 Lippie Pencil. For someone trying to downsize her collection, hauls seem counterintuitive. But I have no other reason for wanting this other than that I cannot turn away from glittery shadows and affordable products.  I have swatches of the lip products and two looks for y'all. I wanted to keep the shadows looking pretty for a review so I haven't swatched them for the blog but will include those photos soon!

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REVIEW | it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+

As an avid Korean makeup lover, bb creams and cc creams are nothing new to me. In fact, most Western versions disappointed me because they lacked the skincare aspect. Color options were slightly improved but formulations were mostly disappointing. When the it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+ was released, I turned away. However, a  glowing review from Emily Noel made me change my mind. Still slightly skeptical, I went with the travel size. After giving it several months of wear, I'm ready to share my thoughts!

{AT A GLANCE}

The it Cosmetics CC Cream fuses makeup and skincare. Claiming to offer full coverage without creasing or cracking in fine lines, it contains physical sunscreens only as well as various vitamins and botanical extracts for brighter, hydrated and smoother skin. This formula is paraben free for those concerned. it Cosmetics was recently acquired by L'Oreal and so may not be considered cruelty-free for some. In my case, I do consider in cruelty-free as long as they continue to not test either ingredients nor the finished products on animals during any stage of manufacturing AND do not sell in China. 

Each full-sized bottle contains 1.08 fl oz/32ml for $38usd. That comes out to $35.19usd per oz. The travel sized bottle contains 0.4 fl oz for $15usd. That comes out to $37.50usd per oz. Pretty comparable since travel sizes usually come out to be more expensive than buying the full size. Shade range includes 5 colors but the travel sizes only come in two: Light and Medium. I have mine in Light.

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REVIEW | Physician's Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer

Summer is on its way out here in the Northern Hemisphere but I'm going to hold onto it as best as I can! This was definitely the summer of bronzers for me. I fell in love with the bareMinerals' Skinny Dip last year so when everyone was raving about the Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer, I had to give it a try. If you're bronzer-averse like me, I'd definitely recommend it!

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REVIEW | Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette

I'm super late to the whole Champagne Pop party but it's still fashionable to be late, right? I wanted to be completely sure about my feelings on this palette before I wrote this review but as always, I'm never on time. Still, I wanted to get this out because 4 out of the 5 products are available in duos so y'all can pick and choose what you like instead. So, let's get into this review!

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HEART TO HEART | MWAH is Going Cruelty Free!

Since two years ago, I've been trying to live a healthier lifestyle. I exercise three times a week and have stopped eating red meat, incorporating more veggies and fruits into my diet. Sugary drinks were banished from my menu and most sugary foods have disappeared from my regular diet. That doesn't mean that I don't eat ice cream or chocolates, but I treat them as indulgences, a once-in-a-while treat. I actually lost weight and felt so much better! 

That motivated me to green-ify other aspects of my life. Makeup is a major passion of mine, if you hadn't noticed ;), so I looked into going cruelty-free. I didn't think it was possible but after some light research, I realized it wasn't difficult. Some of the blogs I find most helpful are crueltyfreekitty and Logical Harmony. Cruelty-free mean different things to different people. For me, the products  must be verified by PETA/Leaping Bunny/similar entity and cannot be sold in China. If the brand is owned by a parent company that tests but the brand itself is cruelty-free, I still choose to support it. This stance isn't very popular but I hope my readers and future readers can respect my decision. As sentient beings, we can decide for ourselves what is right for our lifestyle. Criticism and comments are always welcome on my blog but they must be presented with respect. I do not tolerate vitriolic or hateful speech in real life and my blog is a personal extension of me. So now that we have that out of the way, let's go down my journey!

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UNBOXING | Tarte "Be Your Own Tartetist" 7-Piece Essentials Kit for June 2015

 This actually came in June but as my summer was quite hectic, I couldn't get this out on time. I don't know if the items will be released individually but I had the photos sitting in my folders so I hope y'all don't mind. Anyhoo, the Tarte "Be Your Own Tarteist" 7-Piece Essentials Set for June 2015 fit right in for the summer with the warm-toned shadows and the bronzing serum so let's get on with the review!

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS | BECCA Radiant Glow Collection

With yet another heat wave hitting SoCal this week, a radiant glow seems fitting. For those of you just entering Spring, this'll be the perfect kit! The BECCA Radiant Glow Collection contains 4 items to help bring that glow to your face. The kit contains a mini Under Eye Brightening Corrector, a Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone, a Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal, and a Beach Tint Lip Shimmer Souffle in Raspberry/Opal. Let's get on with the review!

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REVIEW | BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream

I haven't reviewed a new base product on here in a hot minute. The hunt for a lightweight product led me to the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream. While I love my full coverage foundations as much as the next person, I haven't the time to apply a full face of makeup like I used to. I wanted something lightweight with just enough coverage, contains adequate SPF while being moisturizing at the same time. I've heard such good things about the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Cream (what I'll be calling it from now on since the full name is such a mouthful) so I decided to give it a spin. 

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REVIEW | LORAC Pro Metals Palette *Limited Edition*

As I'm sure you all are aware by now, I'm a sucker when it comes to Lorac eyeshadows. I haven't come across a formula I like more so when I see a new release, I'm on it like bees and honey. I wasn't going to get this palette at first but seeing the swatches, I couldn't resist! So let's get into the review :D

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REVIEW | Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil

Putting on makeup is one of life's many pleasures. I find the process very relaxing and empowering. Taking it off, however, is a whole 'nother story. I'm an all-in kind of gal so a full face of makeup is my preferred look. I'm always wearing waterproof eye makeup or long lasting lip products so a gentle cleanser won't cut it. That's when I cal in the big guns: cleansing oils. Ever since discovering them, that's all I use, save for the occasional makeup wipes when I'm lazy. I received a sample of the Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil in a Clarisonic collab . It promises to prevent skin dehydration, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and excess sebum production. 

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PRODUCT SMACKDOWN | LORAC Pro Palette "Lt. Bronze" vs Milani Bella Eyes in Sand

LORAC Pro Palette vs Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow

Hey y'all! If you haven't read my previous post on the Lorac Pro Palette, the TL;DR version is that the one color that would prompt me to buy another LORAC Pro Palette just so I wouldn't be without it: Lt. Bronze. There's just something about the color; it's like a shimmery version of my skintone that  brightens and costs my discolored lids without looking stark against my light-medium skin tone. I've made a huge dent in this shadow and not wanting to go without, I've been proactively searching for dupes. Unfortunately, not many people have found anything similar, a testament to the uniqueness of this shade. Despairing slightly, I stumbled upon the Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadows at CVS while looking for something to soothe my makeup soul. Are the two formulas comparable? Let's find out! 

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REVIEW | LORAC Pro Palette

Lorac Pro Palette

You're probably wondering why I'm writing this post. Bought it way back in 2014 in this haul and if you've spent any amount of time here, you'll have figured out that this palette is my all time favorite eyeshadow palette, bar none. It is the only palette that pains me to leave at home when im right on space and will recommend this to everyone and their mother when asking my opinion when it comes to a palette that can truly do it all. When I realized that I've never dedicated an actual post to it, I immediately sought out to remedy that slight. Hopefully, you'll find my 2 cents helpful in convincing you that this is the only palette that I've come close to hitting pan on. This one is a long post so get a snack and some tea to get comfortable!

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REVIEW | Cover FX Custom Cover Drops

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops

If you're anything like me, you've got a couple foundations sitting there, unused and unloved because the color was off. I've tried a few methods to salvage my foundations and you can check out one method in my DIY Foundation post. But if you want to be a little fancy, the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops can do that and more!

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REVIEW | Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette

Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette

Never in a thousand years did I think I would ever buy an entirely matte palette, let alone a neutral one. Don't get me wrong--mattes are an essential part to every eye look of mine but it's always the shimmery or glittery shades that catch my eye. I tend to use the mattes included in the palettes already but after bouncing from palette to palette, I thought it was time to settle down and find a workhorse matte palette that covers all the bases--and I think I've found it in the Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette.

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