Beauty Buy Spotlight: Tarte Pin Up Girl Blush Palette

They've done it again. Tarte released a new blush palette for the holiday season and I HAD TO HAVE IT. Last year, I actually bought the Off The Cuff palette and in a moment of insanity returned it. I spent the rest of the year trying to find it on eBay for a decent price and I couldn't. That's why when I heard they were coming out with a new edition, Pin Up Girl, I needed to be among the first to go buy it.

Last year's palette included 4 blushes and a bronzer, but this year we get five blushes. I can't complain because they are all beautiful. From left to right, the colors are Breathless (pinky beige), Embraced (plummy rose), Whimsy (light pink), Bashful (rosy peach), Irreplaceable (mauve rose).

This palette retails for $42, which is an AMAZING deal considering each of the Amazonian Clay blushes retail for $26. The blushes are not quite full size (a full size is 0.2 oz and each of these are .15 oz), but it's pretty close. The Sephora website lists the value of this palette at $110. Basically, you end up paying about $8 per blush, which is less than most drugstore blushes these days (plus, it includes to really pretty hair pins (picture below). 

Now, I'm not gonna lie, compared to last year's pretty cuff, two hair pins aren't that impressive and I must say they didn't really add any extra incentive for me to go buy the palette. They're pretty and I'll use them, but nothing to go crazy about.

The packaging is another thing I really dislike. It's bulky and generally ugly. In fact, I'll probably remove that gold and purple strap pretty soon. I wasn't crazy about last year's packaging either. However, this one is very sturdy, which means your precious blushes are safe. Overall, it's not the kind of packaging that makes me love the product even more (c'mon, we all know a good packaging can make all the difference). This is not it.

Now, I haven't tried these on my face because I couldn't wait five days to post this, but they swatch amazingly, are very pigmented and smooth. I am familiar with the Amazonian Clay formula, so it's a given they will be long-wearing. By far my favorite thing in this palette is the variety of colors in it. I feel like I could throw out every other blush in my collection and still have a blush for nearly every look just using this palette. 

This is a really great palette for a really good value. I am SO happy I have this in my life. This would make an amazing gift for any makeup lover. I can tell you these will run out fast. My Sephora had received them, but they didn't have it on display so I encourage you to check on the website for availability (or order it online) and get it before they start flying off the shelves. If you wait until the last minute, you won't get one. 

My Christmas Wish List

For the past couple of years, I haven't been very excited about any products, so I usually just ask for money and then go buy clothing and other boring stuff. However, this year there are a couple of things I've been specifically eyeing. The only things here I absolutely gotta have are the first two; the rest are just additional things I would like to buy, but it all depends on how much my family members decide to give me. Pretty much in order of importance, here's my wishlist:

1. Clarisonic Mia 2 Detox Kit ($150)

I mentioned in my last post that my Clarisonic stopped working and I seriously can't live without this thing. I wasn't planning on asking for this, but when mine died, I knew I had to replace it. This kit up here is meant to detox the pores, which is exactly what my focus is when using the Clarisonic or any other skincare product. Clean, unclogged pores make your skin look healthy and prevents breakouts. I'm gonna wait and see if I find any deals online during Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but if I don't I'm still gonna have to invest in this device.

2. Jackery Mini External Backup Battery for iPhone ($19.95)

Don't you just love when you're iPhone runs out of battery in the middle of the day? Of course you don't... I use my phone all the time so my battery never lasts all-day. Having a backup charger that I can just use on the go is definitely a must-have for technology-dependent people like me. It doesn't have to be this brand or this style, but I am determined to buy one of these devices during the holidays.

3. iPad mini ($299)

I already own the iPad 2 and it is the most important electronic device in my life (over my iPhone and laptop). However, it is quite big and heavy for me to carry around every day, with every handbag. I am hoping to sell my current iPad for around $200 so that I can then get this one. We'll see...

4. Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation ($37)

I seriously do not need any more foundations but I can't stop wanting more.. I've heard so many people say great things about this product that I have finally allowed myself to want it. This is full-coverage, matte and super long-wearing, which are all the qualities I look for in a foundation. The price just kills me, but if I ask for it as a gift instead of buying it I'm gonna feel better about owning it. Grandma, now you know what to get me!

5. Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony ($21)

My eye brows are already quite full and shaped, but I always define my arch a bit more with some gray eye shadow. Because my eye brows are so dark brown, every eyebrow product I've tried at the drugstore looks very unnatural and way too warm-toned. I know Anastasia is the best brand for eyebrow products and I know I'm gonna love the easiness of this product compared to what I do right now. Again, the price seems to be a bit high, but it's an investment on a high quality product. This isn't a must-have for me, but I would love to finally own it.

6. Benjabelle Sunflower Brush Tree ($39.95)

I don't own the most expensive brushes in the market, but I take very good care of my Real Techniques brushes. However, I always have a hard time after I clean them because it's quite hard to dry them in a way that will prevent water from coming down the handle (this can loosen the glue and make the bristles start falling). What I do now is tape them to the edge of a shelf upside down until they dry. This is not only inconvenient, but also time-consuming. Having this brush tree will make it super easy for me to dry my brushes without damaging them. 

7. Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector ($36)

I have very oily skin so anything that can help me stay matte for longer is something I must have. I got a sample of this primer from Sephora and really fell in love with it. It keeps me matte all day, without making me look flat. I am a fan of looking radiant, but when you have oily skin the line between having a healthy glow and looking like a grease-ball can be crossed within minutes. This controls my oiliness and makes my skin look really flawless and perfected. I am hesitant to buy it because of its price, but I might have to cave in.

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Tell me what you're hoping to get this holiday season and if you've tried any of the things I listed here. I'm very nosy when it comes to people's wishlists. Am I the only one? haha

Gabriela xx

Top 5 products under $5!

Soooo....I haven't posted here in a while... *awkwardly says hi*

Today I wanted to show you my top products under $5 because it is so hard to navigate the drugstore aisles and know what products are worth trying. Behind the simple/cheap packaging you can find amazing products that can even reach holy grail status.

Wet n Wild color icon blushes ($2.99)

These are AMAZING. If you don't have them, go get them. NOW! The packaging on these is pretty cheap and simple, but the blushes themselves are SO pigmented and gorgeous on the skin. There are only four shades available and they are all so pretty. My favorite from the bunch is Mellow Wine, but they are all worth having. Definitely my favorite blushes (even more than my high-end ones).

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder ($3.97)

Can't live without this. This is the best drugstore powder. The packaging is ugly an inconvenient but the actual powder is very fine and doesn't cake-up my face when I set it with this product. From all the powders at the drugstore, this is for sure the one that keeps me matte for the longest time. I just wish the packaging was safer to keep on the go (the lid never stays on).

Wet n Wild megalast Nail Polishes ($1.99)

These are my favorite drugstore nail polishes. The brush is nice and big (photo here) and the formula is very easy to apply. Now, you definitely have to wear a base and top coat with these because the longest time they last without chipping is two days. I use the Sally Hansen Double Duty, btw. But yeah, these are great and really opaque. I can usually get away with just one coat (even though I usually do two).

elf Eyelid Primer ($1!)

This isn't a fancy product or a miracle worker, but it gets the job done. I have the Urban Decay Primer Potion and the Lorac Behind the Scenes and I still reach for this one more. It doesn't do the best job at covering veins or redness, but it really keeps my eye shadows from creasing or fading and makes the colors pop. You can't beat its price!

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stains ($2.99)

These are a relatively new product from Jordana and I am very impressed. They feel really nice and moisturizing on the lips, the color payoff is pretty good (not quite sheer, but it isn't super opaque either, which i like), and they leave a nice stain behind once they start wearing off. They are comparable to the Revlon Just Bitten (but less drying and more affordable, of course).

I had to pick my top 5, but I thought I'd give a shout-out to some of the other products under $5 that I love: NYX HD concealer, Wet n Wild coloricon trios and 8-pan palettes and the Jordana Fabuliner.

Hope you guys enjoyed this post and if I you think I missed any of your favorites under $5, leave me a comment below. I'm always looking for new gems at the drugstore!

Gabriela xx

REVIEW: Loreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream

Sorry I haven't updated the blog for the past couple of weeks. I'm back now with a lot of new products to try and review for you all. 

I was looking for a lighter coverage foundation a couple of months ago and came across the concept of a BB cream. I started looking into some reviews on YouTube and some blogs hoping to find the best BB cream for oily/combination skin types. This one was one of the most raved about, especially for my skin type, so I decided to give it a try. I paid less than $8 for two of them on eBay (which is an amazing deal compared to the $11 one of them usually retails for).

I dont want to make this review too long so let's get straight to the point: I really like this BB cream, but during these warmer months is not really holding on as well. As shown in the picture below, this comes out in a white creamy form and as you blend it it starts turning to a skin color. The coverage is very light, but it is enough to even out my skin tone and make it look like your skin but better. The finish is more of a demi-matte and once it has dried, it feels like a very silky powder on your face.

It lasts all day and it is pretty decent at oil control if you set it with a good powder. My problem with this BB cream at the moment is that when applying this, you should be in a comfortable temperature because the second you start sweating before the BB cream has set, it will break down.

Bottom line is that I do recommend this BB cream for people with normal to oily skin. It has a very natural looking finish and it smooths out your skin tone. It works great as a primer, but also just by itself. It is a must that you use a concealer if you suffer from undereye circles, sun spots or have any blemishes because this will not fully cover those. This is not very water/sweat resistant so it might not be the best product to use during the hot summer months, but other than that, it does what it claims.

Have you tried this BB cream? Do you have any recommendations for lighter, easy to apply foundations or BB creams for the summer time? Let me know in the comments!

Rating: 7.5/10