Review: E.L.F. Golden Bronzer

Hey Gals. I went to Target the other day and I decided to do a little E.L.F. haul and try out some of their products. Some of their products are hit and miss. I would say this one was right in between.

This is a bronzer from their E.L.F. studio line called "Golden Bronzer". I paid about $3 for this at Target. There are 4 different blocks of colors in this compact that you can swirl together or use individually. 

When I swatched this on my hand it looked more like a great cheek highlighter rather than a bronzer. When I think of bronzer, I think of a powder that I can use to contour my face, give me a healthy warm glow and it's a powder I can use to make me look a little darker. I use a highlighter to brighten and make areas stand out on my face like me cheek bones.  

This Golden Bronzer claims to give " a healthy looking glow with this shimmering powder," and that the "sheer soft powders provide an illuminating shimmer." I agree with all of this. If you are looking for a product that will give you a glow and a touch of color this is great especially for the price.  

Swatches: 

(left to right, top to bottom)

 This swatch is when all the colors are blended together

If you are looking for an inexpensive golden cheek highlighter, this is one to check out. 

-Ariel

My Favorite Fall Nail Polishes By Essie

It's that time of year where you go darker with your nail polish. I love rocking dark, rich tones on my nails during this fall/winter season. Essie Nail polish is one of my favorite nail polishes to use. I have always been really happy with the pigmentation, color payoff, and the consistency. 

These are some of my favorite Essie polishes to use at this time. Maybe you will find some new ones to try this year!

 (left to right) Stylenomics, Power Clutch, and Licorice

 and...

(left to right) Devil's Advocate, Damsel in a Dress, Carry On, and Skirting the Issue

Essie is around $8 and can be found at some drug stores, Ulta, Target, Kohl's and Beauty Supply Stores. :)

What are your favorite Essie Nail Polishes for fall?? 

 

 

Review: Bare Minerals "The Dream Team" Brush Collection

Finally got my hands on this brush set from Bare Minerals. This is a brush collection called the Dream Team that includes 5 brushes for face and eyes. This kit retails for $49 and can be found wherever Bare Minerals is sold. 

All five of these brushes are full size. My favorite part about them is that they are synthetic. Synthetic brushes are made of artificial hair for those who don't know. I love synthetic brushes over real hair brushes for two reasons...
1. They are super soft
2. They last longer than brushes made of real hair

This set also includes a brush bag. The brush bag has a zippered closure to make sure your brushes are secure. The brush bag is nice. I love the gold finish of it to match the gold handles. 

Inside the brush bag are a few slots to hold the different brushes into place. There is also a fabric flap that lays over the brushes to keep their shape and make sure they wont get damaged.

There are a total of 5 full size brushes. Two brushes are for the face, and the other 3 are for the eyes.

Soft Focus Face Brush: This brush is great for foundation. This will give a light sweep of product for a light coverage.

Contour Blush Brush: This brush is great for blush. This is a tapered brush that is great to apply cheek color. You can get a light to medium coverage.

Eye Shaping Brush:This brush is great to sweep on eye color and also define the crease

Tapered Shadow Brush: This is great to pack on eye color

Eyeliner Brush: This is great for liquid liner. The hair is very thin so you can achieve a thin line. 

This collection is great for a gift, or a great set for some basic brushes. 

Check out my YouTube Video to see more holiday sets from Bare Minerals 

Review: Bare Minerals "Simply Irresistible" Collection

 

 Bare Minerals launched this beautiful sets as part of their holiday selection this year. This is a 9 piece collection for eyes, lips, and cheeks. You get a little bit of everything in this set. This kit retails for $49 which is such a deal for all that you get. 

The collection comes in a really pretty gold box that can be used later for other things. I love the gold cap details. It really makes the kit special and luxurious. 

 

This collection includes...

 3 loose Bare Mineral Shadows. One is a permanent color at BE and the others are exclusive to the collection.

(left to right) Posh, Queen Phyllis (permanent), and Heirloom

Posh is a charcoal brown with flecks of gold glitter. Great for a smokey eye or to contour your lid. Queen Phyllis is an oldie but a goodie. This is a color thats always available at Bare Minerals and is a really popular color. Queen Phyllis is shimmery champagne color shadow. Posh is a smokey green with a hint of gold shimmer. 

 

(left to right) 100% Natural Lipgloss in Pink Marzipan, Blush in Charm, Secret Radiance, and Round the Clock Black waterproof Eye liner

This collection also includes a 100% natural lipgloss that is in a bright hot pink, a matte loose mineral blush in a bright hot pink, a radiance, black waterproof eyeliner and the black curl and lengthen mascara. You will also get a double ended brush. One end is a tapered blush brush, and the other is a shadow brush. 

I am so happy that Secret Radiance is in this collection. This was in a holiday collection about a couple years ago and was a product I have always loved. Its the prettiest radiance that Bare Minerals makes. It's the perfect golden shimmer. This looks amazing on the cheek bones, and even on your eyes. You can even use this to give a glow on your body. 

This is a great collection to get as a gift or even for yourself to create a new look for the holidays. All full size products are in this kit and is totally worth the price. Definitely a kit I recommend checking out. 

-Ariel

Check out my YouTube video of more holiday sets from Bare Minerals

Review: Bare Minerals "The Royal Treatment" Collection

I am so excited about this set from Bare Minerals. As soon as Bare Minerals launched this as part of their holiday collections, I had to snatch it! So many great things about this set. 

This kit is a 18 piece collection for face, eyes, and lips. The collection also includes an awesome makeup bag that I couldn't pass up. This kit retails for $85 and is worth every penny.

The collection comes with a silver roll up makeup bag that has 4 separate zippered compartments. This is great for traveling, or an organized way to store your everyday makeup products. 

My favorite part of this collection has to be the eye shadows. There are 8 different mini loose mineral eye shadows that are included. A few of them are re promotes, one is permanent, and a couple are exclusive to this kit. 

(left to right) Dark chocolate (re-promote), 1990s (permanent), Sapphire Sky, Smoked gray, Glamorista, Vintage Ruby, Magnolia, Satin Ruffle (re-promote)  

 Another great product that comes in this collection is a MINI translucent mineral veil. The size of this is adorable! I'm a sucker for products that are mini. There is also a blush which is exclusive to this kit and an all over face color that is a permanent product at BE. 

 

 (left to right) Glee all over face color, Crushed Velvet Blush

To complete this kit, they included 2 lip colors, one eye shadow primer, and one mascara. The mascara included in this collection is a mini flawless definition mascara. This mascara is great for separation of the lashes for definition. 

The Bare Minerals Brightening eyelid primer is a great warm base for the shadows. This primer will give a golden undertone. This primer prevents creasing, makes the shadows last all day, and brings out the pigment. 

To complete this collection, you get two lip colors. Papaya Smoothie is a mini 100% natural lipgloss that has a peachy undertone. A mini Marvelous Moxie lipgloss is also included. This one gives a minty cool feeling to the lips and has a lot of color pay off. 

(left to right) Marvelous Moxie in Renegade, and 100% Natural Lipgloss in Papaya Smoothie

I love this kit and I cannot wait to play around with it. The colors are beautiful and you can create some amazing looks with these products. Better get your hands on this kit asap!

Check out my Haul of more amazing Bare Mineral Products from Holiday:

Bare Minerals "Fired Up" Tutorial

Hey Gals! I did this look a couple weeks ago but I thought I would share more pics and list the products that I used. This look was created from the Bare Minerals "Fired Up" Palette from Sephora. This is a great Holiday party look!

 

Makeup Used:

EYES

.Bare Minerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer 

.Bare Minerals Flare Shadow for brow highlight

.Bare Minerals Hot Spell- crease, lower lash line

.Bare Minerals Fuze Shadow-lower lid

.Bare Minerals Sizzle Shadow- Inner Corner, Around Tear Duct

.Bare Minerals Round the Clock Waterproof Liner in Midnight-Eyeliner

.Lashes Eylure #202

FACE

.Bare Minerals READY Bronzer in The High Dive

.MAC Blush in Harmony for contour powder

.Bare Minerals Blush in The Turn On

.Bare Minerals Flare Shadow for Cheek Highlight

LIPS

.Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie in Smokin Hot

Check out my YouTube Tutorial on this look:

 

 Happy Holidays! -Ariel

 

Review: Bare Minerals "A Vision in Velvet"

I was so excited to share this kit with you. Bare Minerals launched the rest of there holiday kits for this year and I had to grab everything. I heard about this kit a few months ago and I have been anxiously waiting for it. 

This kit includes 20 mini size loose Bare Mineral shadows. Ten of them are a matte finish (no shine) and the other ten are a beautiful satin finish. This kit retails for $79 which is a great deal for all the colors you get. 


A lot of older women out there are afraid of using a shimmer and has a hard time finding a good rage of matte finishes. This kit is for you ladies. All the colors you can possibly think of are in this kit. The satin finishes are nice too because they give you a pretty sheen rather than a glitter. 

I love the packaging of this kit. Makes you feel like you are getting a big, long box of chocolates...at least that's how I feel.  :)  The gold shinny tops makes the shadows look for luxurious. This box is also a great way to store these shadows and still be able to see what the colors are. 

There are some colors I absolutely love, and some are just ok. But totally love the kit overall. 

Here are the swatches you have been waiting for....

Matte Shadows

 (left to right) Velvet Blueberry, Velvet Violet, Velvet Pistacho, Velvet Vanilla, Velvet Strawberry

 (left to right) Velvet Mauve, Velvet Green, Velvet Charcoal, Velvet Espresso, Velvet Taupe

Satin Shadows

(left to right) Stain Sterling, Satin Lilac, Satin Nude, Satin Plum, Satin Mist

 (left to right) Satin Rose, Satin Sage, Satin Gold, Satin Caramel, Satin Peach

Love this kit! This is a must have :) -Ariel