BEAUTY ROUNDUP | Year in Beauty: 2016 Edition Part 1

Welcome to my first post of 2017! It's been another 366 days around the sun and many a beauty love has been discovered. In previous years, I chose four products in six categories to talk about. Strategic buying made this year's list harder to compile because I really do love so many things! Some things will come as no surprise but there are others that are just getting their spotlight now. I'll link to related blog posts so y'all can get more information if you're interested. I've split it into two parts and this one will be all my makeup loves. So without further ado, here is 2016's Year in Beauty!

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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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BEAUTY ROUNDUP | September 2016

It's Friday, y'all and while I still have classes this weekend, I'm super excited because it's a whole new month for new successes! September has been a turning point for me so I'll always be thankful for second chances. So before I get too sappy, let's talk about things beauty bits I've been loving (and not so loving) this past month.

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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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DE-STASHING PROJECT | Going Cruelty Free: Face Edition

Here's the next installment of my Going Cruelty Free De-Stashing Project: the Face Edition. If you aren't all caught up, that's cool, life's busy. The long and short of it is that I've decided to go cruelty-free. I'm starting off with my makeup because that's the easiest for me but then I'd like to sort through my skincare and haircare products as well. 

Note that these are mostly my non-cruelty free items with a few cruelty free items thrown in here because I have extra or just didn't care for them right off the bat. Eventually, I want to whittle down my cruelty-free stuff and develop a capsule makeup collection, if you will. So, let's start since I have a ton of products to go through!

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HALLOWEEN INSPO | Rational Ravenclaw

The graphics are from Emily Corene on deviantart and tashab07 from deviantart

 Welcome back to the second installment of my Halloween Inspo! Today, I'm creating a Ravenclaw-inspired look. Incorporating lots of blue and bronze, I was going for a sweet librarian look. The photos are all very confusing because I actually started doing this look and then had to run off to dinner with the family. I took it all off because I wasn't about to go to a casual dinner with like blue eyeshadow--too much to explain to my grandparents, haha. 

The next day, I tried my best to recreate the look but failed miserably and the overcast weather didn't help my chances. So I really liked the eyeshadow I did from the previous day so I just skipped several steps and showed you the final eye look. That's taking the easy way out but as Halloween is less than 3 days away--eep! I didn't have time to redo things AND still do Gryffindor and Slytherin (definitely don't want to leave them out!) so I hope you'll forgive me. 

Anyhoo, let's get on with the show!

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EMPTIES | June & July 2015 ♥

First off, I'd like to apologize for the blurry photos. I was in a rush to get these pictures because I had a family commitment to attend. When I got back, my mom had already tossed my trash. T_T Why does mom have to be so diligent??? Anyhoo, I'm sure you'll still want to know about the products so I'll just get on with it...

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UNBOXING | Tarte "Be Your Own Tartetist" February 2015 Set

My name is Cindy and I am a Tarte addict. There, I said it. No brand is as well represented in my makeup collection, which is much larger than what one would attribute to one sane person. It all started a couple of years ago when my mom (re) gifted me a Tarte Eye Couture Day to Night Palette, which I actually reviewed for y'all waaaay back in my early blogging days. Not only can I expect the packaging to be gorgeous, the product usually never fails me either. The purple theme jives quite well with me and the mission statement is one I can stand behind. I was quite the avid environmentalist in my teens so this brand speaks to me. I even created a 30 minute PowerPoint presentation and habitat about the Amazon rainforest for my AP Environmental Science culmination project (which bored my classmates and was quite overkill, if I'm being completely honest).

Going back to what this post is supposed to be about, when I heard that Tarte was releasing another TSV with QVC, I was intrigued but the items and colors didn't exactly wow me. It wasn't until I saw a slew of Youtube tutorials that I thought, why the heck not...I can always return it if I hated it. I, of course, got it on Auto Delivery as I like keeping my options open and *spoiler alert* so glad I did! Proceed with caution as I turn on "full-on" fan girl mode to the max ;)

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REVIEW ┊ LORAC Pro to Go Eye + Cheek Palette

As the warmer months approach, travelling will be on a lot of people's agenda. Travelling light is ideal but my "be prepared for everything and anything" nature makes that an unattainable dream LOL *le sigh* When LORAC was exiting Sephora (WHY??) I was able to snag the LORAC Pro to Go Eye + Cheek Palette for a slightly discounted price. Since then, it's been a travelling staple for several reasons, of which I'll enumerate below!

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REVIEW | Josie Maran Argan Color Stick

This winter has been the winter of dry cheeks for me. Nothing seems to apply smoothly and blend into my skin well. I've had these Josie Maran Argan Color Sticks for a while now and have been putting them to the test. These argan oil-infused color sticks impart a sheer wash of color over your cheeks and lips for a natural and long-lasting finish.

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REVIEW┊ Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick

awkward shot! My arm makes a cameo appearance..gah >.<

If you've spent any time in the beauty world, I'm sure you've heard many things about the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks. I picked up two of them, in Apricot and Sandstone. These are limited edition but don't worry, these are still available at a number of retailers. If appearing like a refined shimmer goddess is on your to-do lists, keep on reading for more thoughts and swatches!

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REVIEW | Tarte Cheek Stain

So this post is long in the making but hopefully, you are are still interested in it! I bought Flush when I went to BeautyCon way back in July of last year but never got around to opening it up. It wasn't until a full set of Exposed popped up on ULTA that got me curious enough to buy and try it. *Spoiler Alert* Totally fell in love with the color, went on a scavenger hunt to find Flush, tried that one and was possessed to buy 3 more, bringing my total up to 5. I've been testing these out for almost 2 months now so I have definitely found a lot of things to say, so shall we get started? 

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REVIEW | TheBalm Cosmetics Instain Blush

Winter is settling in quite well here in the Northern Hemisphere and I'm still enjoying the cold weather. There's just something about a nippy morning that makes me feel energized for the day! Though I love a crisp morning, I'm more of a night owl. Waking up for 9AM classes has got me feeling like a zombie, colorless and lifeless. To inject some life and color back in my complexion, I like to add a dab of TheBalm Cosmetics Instain Blush, which I'll be reviewing for you all today!

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REVIEW | Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush

It's been a hot minute since I last blogged! I just wanted to spend the last few days of break with my friends and family. The Spring semester has just started for me so excuse my lack of updates. Now that I'm more settled, expect to catch a couple more posts before the end of the week :D I'll go back to my regular posting schedule (Mon & Fri) once I catch up with everything!

Onto the actual product now! I'm reviewing the Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush and the Revlon Cream Blush in Berry Flirtatious. These blushes were created to mimic the glowing skin of a beach beauty, what I really need right now since it's the dead of winter. This blush also claims to be creamy, buildable, lightweight, with a smooth application. Apparently, there are photochromatic pigments that bend and reflect light to provide cheeks with a beautiful glow. Let's see which of these claims ring true. *ominous organ music plays*

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HAUL + MINI-REVIEWS + EOTD | ⁂ Sephora Annual VIB Rouge Sale ⁂

Not the most glamourous background but it'll do xD

With 20% off at Sephora, temptation was too great and I picked up a few things I was interested in. As you can see, I restrained myself to 4 items so this will be quick! Reviews for some of the items are forthcoming :D I forgot to photograph the Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer - Collector's Edition in Midnight in Paris but the long and short of it is that I liked the dark, almost black color and the application but the shine wore off way too quickly for me and chipped sooner than I'd expect from a $24usd bottle of polish, even though I used my usual base and top coat. 

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FAVORITES┊ ❆ Winter 2014: Beauty Edition ❆

Winter is coming and so are the holidays! I'm so excited and have been shopping like mad to get all my gifts for everyone. Online shopping is a savior for me because it's much quicker to grab a bunch of things for everyone and the deals are insane! Anyhoo, we're here to talk about beauty so let's jump into my picks for this winter!

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS ┊ Holiday 2014: ☃ Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Blush Palette ☃

 ⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤

Housed in an elegant light gold case, the limited edition Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Blush Palette features three shades of Ambient Light Blush, the groundbreaking blush that creates seamless, soft-focus multidimensional color. Exclusive, to this palette is Incandescent Electra. Luminous Flush and Mood Exposure are already a part of the permanent line-up.

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS ┊ Holiday 2014: ☃ Tarte Pin Up Girl Blush Palette ☃

⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤

This limited, holiday edition blush palette from Tarte features 5 new, exclusive shades. Made to last up to 12 hours, the key ingredient, Amazonian clay, balances skin beautifully to allow for better, longer, and truer wear.

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UNBOXING┊ bareMinerals Beauty & the Beach Sephora Beauty Insider Box

⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤

I love these little boxes from Sephora as it lets me try out a particular brand's most popular products. Of course, the 500-point "perk" is a bit exorbitant but I try to accrue points during their 4x points sales. Anyhoo, this time, I have the bareMinerals Beauty & the Beach Beauty Insider Box which includes deluxe sized samples of the All-Over Face Color in Pure Radiance, the READY Blush in the Natural High, the READY Bronzer in Skinny Dip, the Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara, and the Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Party Starter. 

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UNBOXING ┊ Tarte Shades of Clay October 2014 Edition

⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤
This is the third and final installment of the Tarte Shades of Clay from QVC. I'm sad that I won't be receiving any more of these but they have introduced an exciting new product in this installment: the Colored Clay CC Eye Primer! Each set contains 7 products to create a nice and rosy look:

• Amazonian Colored Clay Liquid Foundation
• Colored Clay CC Primer
• Amazonian Colored Clay Bronzer Blush in Rose Bronze
• Colored Clay CC Eye Primer
• Colored Clay Eyeliner in Midnight Plum
• Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
• Lipsurgence Lip Gloss in Blushing Bride

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