Birthday Haul!!

Happy birthday to me! On December 3rd I will be turning 28 years old. Does anyone else dread turning 30? I know I am! But birthdays are always fun nonetheless. 

My husband and mom both gave me my gifts early (because they're the best). I was so excited to show you guys and give mini reviews on what I did get! Let's get started.

Anastasia Contour Kit $40

When I heard the Anastasia Contour Kit was back in stock, it was immediately added to my list. I wanted this so bad last year and it sold out before I could get my hands on it. I was super exited to finally get it and let me tell you, it is amazing.

Top: Vanilla, Banana, Sand Bottom: Java, Fawn, Havana

Banana is perfect as a under eye concealer setting powder. Also, I love using Java and Fawn, they are my favorite to bronze and contour with. These are also really good eye shadows, especially on days that you want a more natural look.

Vanilla, Banana, Sand, Java, Fawn, Havana

Mama also got me the Anastasia Catwalk palette. This was only $19 on their website! 

Anastasia Catwalk Palette $19

Top: Call Back, Strut, Scout, Beauty Mark, LBD
Bottom: Day Rate, Couture, RTW, 10K, Pose

The colors in here are beautiful. They swatch beautifully. I haven't used it yet though, but I plan on it tomorrow.

Call Back, Strut, Scout, Beauty Mark, LBD

Day Rate, Couture, RTW, 10K, Pose

I also talked her into sharing the two pack of Evian sprays she got. I've been wanting to pick this up so it was great that she was so willing to share. Thanks, Mama!

Evian Facial Spray 2 pack $14.99

Last she took me to Bath and Body Works and to my surprise they finally got their Twisted Peppermint fragrance back! They had a sale going on, buy three, get three so she got some of the Vanilla Bean Noel things and she got me the following. 

Sparkling Snowflake Scrub $16.50
Ultra Shea Body Cream $12.50
Shower Gel $12.50

Every year it seems like Urban Decay comes out with something within a week of my birthday. Last year, Naked 3 came out and shipped to me on my birthday and this year Naked on the Run came out. Being the Urban Decay junkie that I am, this was something that I couldn't live without. (Dramatic much?) I mean it is all I ever dreamed it would be.

Naked on the Run $54

The palette comes with a travel size mascara, Perversion (my new holy grail), a travel size 24/7 glide on liner in the color Stag, a full size Naked lipgloss in Sesso, six never before seen shades of eye shadow and a blush and bronzer.

Dive, Fix, Resist, Dare, Stun

Bronzer, Blush, 5050

Perversion, Stag, Sesso

Can you hear the choir singing? This literally has not left my purse! Oh! The mascara you see in my picture is a deluxe sized sample that I already had, I want to use it up before I break into the other one. If you're looking for a palette that gives you everything you need, get this before it's gone!

Tarte Pin Up Girl blush palette $42

Tarte came out with one of these palette last year and everyone went berserk! I missed out on it just like the Contour Kit and I was ecstatic when they released another one this year!

Breathless, Embraced, Whimsy, Bashful, Irreplaceable

Breathless, Embraced, Whimsy, Bashful, Irreplaceable

These blushes are GORGEOUS. I have been using Breathless everyday. It's a barely there blush and is perfect for those "natural" days. There are 5 in all and they claim to wear for 12 hours. I can't quite say that yet, but they do last longer than others I have tried. I'll keep trying them out and let y'all know!

Becca Shimmering Perfector Pressed in Opal $38

That highlight though!! Ever since Jaclyn Hill slapped this onto her cheekbones, I've been dying to get my hands on it! I just couldn't bring myself to get it. Thank God for husbands, right? It's beautiful! This is going to last me FOREVER! The tiniest bit goes the longest way! There are two more I want to try, the rose gold one and the gold one. Have y'all tried them? Let me know in the comments below!

The last two were free. I racked up 500 points at Sephora over the last year and a half and it was perfect timing because they had a 500 point reward from Urban Decay! 

Urban Decay Urban Obsessions 500 Sephora Points

Skimp, Bust, Guilt, Oil Slick, Zero

When the lady at the checkout asked me what I wanted, I instantly said this one! Turns out they were out! :( Well the lovely lady gave me the one out of the display, God bless her, she made my day! This tiny palette comes with four shadows, a 24/7 Glide On Liner in Zero (one of my faves) and a sample of their popular Primer Potion!

Make Up For Ever Beauty Insider Birthday Peek

Smokey Extravagant Mascara

Rouge Artist Natural N9

Rouge Artist Natural N9 and Smokey Extravagant

I think the wand on this mascara is cool. I haven't tried it yet but I'm hoping that it's good. I have tried the lipstick and I love the color! It feels like a balm because it is SO creamy! I may be purchasing this in the full size version.

Well that's it! I hope you enjoyed my haul and the mini reviews! Please take a moment to subscribe and like me on Facebook! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!



Disclaimer: I am not trying to show off.  Hauls are some of my favorite things to see and I hope you guys like them too!

Product Rave: The Wet Brush

I never thought that it was possible to fall in love with a brush, but it happened! Over the past two months I have been using The Wet Brush on my hair and on my daughters hair. It has helped my mornings to go by more quickly and a lot less noisy.

Now I say noisy because my baby girl is SUPER tender headed. I would use a basic brush from the drugstore and she would cry because it hurt so bad. Especially when she would just get out of the shower. So, I decided that I needed to do something different. I have tried all kinds of brushes, detanglers and even the Tangle Teaser, NOTHING helped, I was desperate.

So, browsing the aisles of Target one day, like we all do, I stumbled across a tiny little brush called The Wet Brush Squirt. I figured a $5 purchase wouldn't break the bank and maybe it would help my baby (and my ears) so I got it. BEST. PURCHASE. EVER. After her shower that evening I brushed her hair, like I normally would, and what did I hear? NOTHING. She was like, "Mom, what brush are you using, I like it!" That was all I needed to hear. It wasn't even two days later when I went out and bought the bigger one. 

I don't just use it for my daughter, I use it myself also. My hair is thin but it is curly and when I use a regular paddle brush my hair tends to be frizzy throughout the day. Ever since I started using the other, my hair looks so much better! I've noticed that it doesn't tear my hair either. Also, when my hair is wet, it is so much easier to brush through. It really does cut down so much time used on my hair. 

Basically, it's fantastic and worth the purchase! Please take a moment to subscribe and like me on Facebook! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

The Wet Brush: Find it here.

The Wet Brush Squirt: Find it here.

The Smokes Palette by Maybelline

I was walking around the Walgreens beauty section when I noticed something new! Maybelline had a display for their Nudes palette but next to it was something I had never seen, nor heard about. They have released a new 12 pan palette called, The Smokes! I was excited, as usual, and grabbed it up so I could tell you guys all about it!

Maybelline The Smokes $11.99

 The Nudes palette wasn't my favorite, although it had it's good points. This one is the same way. Some of the colors I LOVE, some aren't that great. Let's get to the swatches!

Left side.

Top left hand corner.

Bottom left hand corner.

Right side.

Top right hand corner.

Bottom right hand corner.

Standard applicator. 

This comes with 6 mattes, 4 satins and 2 shimmers. The mattes tend to be a little patchy. They don't blend very well and aren't super pigmented. They also had mico-glitter within them. The satins are better, they are very, very pretty and show up quite a bit more. The shimmers are the winners in this! They are pigmented and just absolutely beautiful! Included with the palette is a standard applicator. For someone who doesn't own any brushes it will definitely come in handy! But, e.l.f. carries some wonderful brushes that range from $1-$3. They are some of my favorites and I recommend then to all beginners! 

Overall, I think this palette is just OK. If you are a beginner on a budget, I think this would be a wonderful starter! It does have some wonderful transition colors and some gorgeous lid shades. I do think that some people would get a lot of use out of it! Let me know what you think, if you purchase it!

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Fall Sunset Eye Tutorial

I saw this picture a few days back and being the woman I am, I immediately saw inspiration. I wanted to create an eye look using the colors, or at least colors similar, to the ones in the picture. And what better palette to use than the Lorac Mega Pro! 

So here I am in all of my "I just woke up and I HAVE to get this tutorial done" glory. I already filled in my brows and put on some under eye concealer.

#flawless

First step is to prime your lids! This is a must, especially with dark colors, so that your look doesn't crease. I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion, like I would use something else....

Next, you want to take any blending brush and place the color Camel into your crease. Go ahead and put it up a little above your crease also.

Next, I went in right under Camel with Mulberry with a domed blending brush. This has became one of my favorite shadows! It's so unique for a matte color. Blend this into your crease and onto your lid. No need to be precise because we're going to go over that in just a bit.

Then you want to take the color Espresso and place it all over your lid with a shadow brush.

Now to make the eyes pop just a little more, we are going to mix Mulberry and Espresso and buff it onto our lower lash line, with a pencil brush. I also highlighted with the color Cream, using my pointer finger, I placed it under my brow and in my inner corners.

I decided that I didn't want to use a liner on my upper lash line. But, I took a brown eyeliner and lined my waterline and added some black mascara. I used MAC's Stubborn Brown and L'Oreal's Butterfly Intenza in blackest black.

Lastly, I used a light lipstick, because I wanted the eyes to steal the show. The color I used was Jordana's Twist and Shine in Honey Love (Bonus! It's only $2.99 at Walgreens).

Here is the completed look!

I hope you like it! If you recreate it, tag me! I am always_86 everywhere! Please take a moment to subscribe and like me on Facebook! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! 

Products Mentioned:

Urban Decay's Primer Potion

Lorac Mega Pro Palette: Sold Out

MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil

L'Oreal Butterfly Intenza

Jordana Twist and Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Honey Love