A Review on ESalon!

Hey, Everyone!

A few months ago, ThatGirlShaexo did a video featuring ESalon, and since she had a coupon code, I wanted to try it! Unless I'm going to do something drastic with my color, I usually color my own hair. I took Cosmetology for three years, so I'm pretty confident I won't totally screw it up. 😜 I had been coloring my hair a dark red for a while, but that is such a hard color to maintain. My natural color (which I haven't seen in YEARS) is a level 6, which is an ashy light brown. Personally, I prefer my hair dark, so when I decided to get rid of the red, I wanted to go to a level 2-3. When you sign on to ESalon, you take a quiz detailing the hair color you have and the color you want, as well as other details of your hair such as texture and condition. They also give you the option to email them a picture of the exact color you want. I emailed them a picture of the color I currently had, as well as a picture of the color I wanted. The next day, ESalon emailed me to say the color I picked was (in their opinion) too dark for me, and they adjusted it to what they thought was more flattering. ESalon did say that if I tried the suggested color, and didn't like it, they would send me my preferred color for FREE. Here was my package:

At checkout, you can add extras to your order such as gloves, hair clips, and a mixing bowl. I didn't order any of those since I already had the necessities, but you do have the option. This kit came with my personalized color, coloring brush, gloves, packets of shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and two color applications. Depending on your hair length you'll use one or both during application. I was able to get two separate coloring applications out of this kit. If you've ever colored hair, this will look familiar to you, since it's the standard "mix the color with the developer" solution. I followed the directions (even though I usually do it my own way) because I wanted to be able to give a complete and honest review. Since I was coloring all of my hair a new color, I followed the directions for a full head. A few weeks ago, I re-colored and followed the directions for root touch-up only. I didn't have a good before picture, but here's the after:

Please excuse the makeup free face. 😉

My hair usually grabs color extremely fast, and if I'm not careful, I can end up with "hot" roots and darker ends. I was afraid that would happen since I was following directions to a T, but it didn't! I had even color from roots to ends! With the full head and the root touch-up, everything was even! No hot roots, no darker ends, and no patchiness! With the coupon Shae had (which I can't find anymore) I got the kit for around $15 after shipping, but without the coupon its $19.95 plus $4.95 shipping. It is a subscription, but you can choose your delivery schedule (three months, six months, etc), and you can skip whenever you'd like. If you're used to going to a salon, but don't like paying the salon price, this is a great alternative to try. If you usually buy boxed color, you may find this more expensive, but the quality is great. Plus, you have the advantage of customized color. You also get your own color consultant that you can talk with. I really think it's a great hair color option! 

If you've tried it, what did you think? 

*this item was purchased by me and all opinions are my own. 

*this is not a sponsored post. ESalon has no idea I'm reviewing their product. :)

Anastasia Shadow Couture World Traveler Palette-A Review

Hey, Everyone!

There's a whole lot of buzz going around right now over the ABH Shadow Couture Palette, so I thought I would put my opinion out there as well! I purchased mine from Ulta the day it released, but it's available at other retailers as well.

The packaging is really pretty, with a standard flip top and a black and gold design. There are twelve shadows, a decent size mirror, and a double ended brush on the inside.

There are four mattes, five satin/shimmery shades, and three metallic shades. I've been eyeing the color "Pink Champagne" ever since ABH released it, so I was thrilled that it was in this palette. I have the Amrezy palette, and Morocco is a repeat, but a beautiful color to have. There are some great shades in here, but there are some that aren't so great. 

The swatches above are in the same order as they appear in the palette. 

Let's start with the great shades. Pink Champagne is just as beautiful as I hoped it would be. It's a beautiful metallic that you don't even need to foil to get maximum color payoff. Soft Peach could either be a matte highlight or a transition shade, depending on your skin tone. Intense Gaze is beautiful and opaque, and Noir is the blackest black I've seen. Metallic is an opaque gold that has a hint of green to it. Fudge is not a bad color; it's a matte dark brown. Azure is an okay color, but not what I expected or hoped for. It doesn't translate as pretty on the eyes as it does in the palette. It seems to lose some of its "blueness" once you blend it out. Heirloom is the most disappointing, with a horrible color payoff, as you can see above. I was also disappointed in Bellini, Chic, and Spoiled. Those three had poor color payoff, as well. I know I could apply more layers, wet my brush with Mac Fix +, etc, but I don't always have the time to do that. 

For me, personally, there aren't enough colors in this palette to justify it, I already have Moracco, I have matte blacks, and I could just buy Pink Champagne as a single. There's just too many misses in this one for me! 

Thank you for reading, and I'd love if you'd subscribe!

*None of the links above are affiliates.

*All items mentioned were purchased by me and all opinions are my own. 

Atlanta Weekend Makeup!

Hey, Everyone!

Earlier this month, I wrote about my Birthday Haul; this post is slightly a continuation of that! The weekend of my birthday, my husband and I went to Atlanta as a gift from my in-laws. I had packed some makeup, but knew I would be birthday shopping right before leaving for the trip, so my makeup for the weekend was a mixture of new items and things I had already packed. I used a lot of different makeup items for those three days. I realize this. ;) 

If you read my birthday haul, you'll be able to spot what the new items are in this picture. The only actual foundation I used Friday and Saturday was the new Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, which I have in "Sand". It matched my self tan perfectly. On Sunday, since we were traveling home, I opted to use the It Cosmetics CC+ Cream in "Medium". I have the travel size since I needed a darker shade than the "Fair" and "Light" I already owned. I used one actual powder, the It Cosmetics Celebration Foundation Illumination in "Medium", and one setting powder, It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed. I took two bronzers, the It Cosmetics Ombre Bronzer and a mini size of the Nars Laguna. I alternated two blushes, Mac "Warm Soul" and Kat Von D "Wish", and used only one highlighter, which was Gerard Cosmetics "Audrey". I didn't pack any eyeshadows, knowing there were two palettes that I wanted to pick up, so I alternated the Tarte "Tartelette" palette and the Lorac "Pro Palette 2". I used the Kat Von D Tattoo liner in "Trooper" on Friday night and the KVD Ink Liner in "Baudelaire" on Saturday, along with the Stila Smudge Stick Liner in "Stingray". The only eyebrow products I took were my ELF Instant Brow Lift pencils in "Taupe" and "Medium Brown" and my Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel. I only used one concealer, and that was the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in "Light Neutral". Because, yeah, it's the best concealer ever. For lips, I went between the Sephora Retractable lip pencil in "Mauve" topped with the Lorac Alter Ego lipgloss in "Supermodel" and the Alter Ego lipgloss in "Goddess". My primers of choice were the Urban Decay Primer Potion in "Enigma" and the Cover FX Illuminating primer.  For moisturizers, I used the Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation, Josie Maran Argan Oil Light, and the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. For sprays, I used the Maria Badescu Facial Spray, Smashbox Primer Water, and the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray. I didn't buy any new makeup tools, so I took along my trusty Beauty Blender Pro, some Morphe, It Cosmetics, Sigma, Sonia Kaschuk, Bdellium Tools, Smashbox, and Mac brushes, as well as my Tarte eyelash curler. I also took my travel size Nars Ita Brush, but forgot to include it in the picture! Last, were my two hairsprays. I took the Kenra hairspray for maximum hold and the Living Proof Humidity Shield hairspray since I knew it was going to be hot. It wasn't as humid as Tennessee, though!  

Like I said, I know that is a lot of makeup for one weekend, but I'm okay with that. ;) With four kids, I don't usually have as much time as I'd like to spend doing my makeup, so with a weekend away, I took advantage and took my time to play! 

Thank you for stopping by and reading! I'd love it if you'd subscribe! :)

*None of the links above are affiliates.

*All items mentioned were purchased by me and all opinions are my own. 

YSL Touche Eclat Blur Primer and Perfector Review!

Hi, Everyone!

I recently received my first VoxBox from Influenster, and they included two new products from YSL to review!

 Inside my box were the new YSL Touche Eclat Blur Primer and the Touche Eclat Blur Perfector. I was sent a deluxe mini (.33 oz) of the primer, and a full-size Blur Perfector (.33 oz). The full-size primer is one ounce and retails for $52, while the full size of the Blur Perfector retails for $55.

Let's start with the packaging. The pale pink and gold is absolutely beautiful! It has such a classy and elegant look and feel to it. I've never purchased anything from YSL, due to the price, but I have had a few items on my wish list for a while! I obviously cannot comment on the packaging of the Primer since I only have a deluxe sample size, but the packaging of the Blur Perfector feels very sturdy, and has a great closure. It snaps closed tightly, so I'm not afraid of it coming open and being damaged in my purse.

First, let's talk about the Touche Eclat Blur Primer.

 The full-size primer comes with a pump, but because this is a sample size, it has a spatula applicator. It is described as being an "illuminating primer that blurs imperfections and boosts the radiance of foundation". 

 As you can see in the picture above, there are tiny flecks of gold glitter in this primer to provide the luminous finish. If you do not like glitter on your face, you may not like this. Indoors, this provides me with a pretty glowy finish, but in direct sunlight I can see the gold flecks on my skin. The consistency is the best part about this primer, though! It has a silicone feel to it, similar to the Smashbox Photo Finish primer, but it dries down to a velvety feel as opposed to remaining "slippery" feeling. I always feel like my makeup is sliding around on top of the Photo Finish, and the YSL Blur Primer doesn't make me feel that way. As the name suggests, I do feel like it does a great job of blurring my pores and the small lines under my eyes. It's also a great one to put in the areas where your foundation can tend to crease, such as your laugh lines or in between your eyebrows. I am enjoying it right now during the summer, but I may not use it as much come winter time when I'll be more into matte skin.

Next, is the YSL Touche Eclat Blur Perfector.

Once again, look at that packaging! Even the boxes are beautiful! The Touche Eclat Blur Perfector is a balm-to-powder product that is used to "soften the skins imperfections, while creating a subtle rosy glow effect". You can use it in different ways, such as alone to soften and blur the skin, to set your makeup, or later in the day to remove any oiliness. As I've mentioned before, I have dry skin, so this product idea is genius for someone like me! If you're familiar with the Mally Face Defender, this is a similar concept. It has a silicone, balmy feel to it, that when applied to your face with the sponge, reduces shine and the visibility of pores. One of the things I like better about the YSL Perfector over the Mally one is that once I apply the YSL, it dries down and I can't see or feel it. The Mally is supposed to be the same way, but I don't find that to be true on my skin. Mally's product has a slick, greasy feel to it, and even though it is invisible, I can still see a residue left behind, The Blur Perfector comes with its own small sponge and a velvety black pouch, with two pockets, so that you can carry it around with you, I love the way this performs, but I do have a few complaints. First, when I apply the Perfector over my makeup (to reduce shine or blur pores) it lifts my face makeup off onto the sponge. Which in turn, transfers my makeup from my face into the compact. I can imagine that in the long run, the compact will end up very dirty looking on the inside and could start to harbor bacteria.

All in all, I do think both of these products have some great qualities to them, and I will definitely continue to use them! I haven't experienced any reaction or breakouts from using either one of these, and I have used them both on a daily basis since receiving them.

If you've tried these, I would love to hear your thoughts! Please leave me a comment below and subscribe! Thank you for stopping by and reading!


*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

*None of the links above are affiliates.

My Birthday Haul!

Hi, everyone!

My birthday was on Friday 7/31, and I decided to treat myself and do what I love most; makeup shopping! My husband and I were going away for the weekend, so I had a limited amount of time in which to go by Ulta and Sephora. I actually made a list of the things I wanted to pick up most (yes, I'm a list maker), and managed to get most of what I wanted! While I was packing for our trip, I purposely didn't pack the type of  makeup I would be buying. For example, I knew I needed a new color of my UD Naked Skin concealer; therefore, I didn't pack a concealer.

Let's start with what I picked up from Ulta! I had a 20% off prestige coupon (I LOVE when these come around!), and wanted to take full advantage! Last year, I bought myself the Lorac Pro palette for my birthday, and this year I grabbed the Lorac Pro 2! I'm usually not a fan of cool toned shadows, but I've been drawn to them a lot these last few months, and I actually didn't own but two or three of them! I certainly didn't have any cool toned palettes! Another thing on my list was the Too Faced Twice the Sex mascara duo. For the price of a full size mascara, you get one full size and one deluxe sample. Then, thanks to the beautiful @coffeebreakwithdani, I knew I needed to pick up the new Stila Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer. I am a huge fan of lash primers, and she made this one sound amazing. A few days before, while browsing the "new" sections of Ulta and Sephora, I saw a new hairspray by Living Proof called "Humidity Shield" and thought that sounded wonderful for my curly hair. While at Ulta, I spotted the travel size and scooped it up! I had forgotten to pack an eye makeup remover, so I needed to grab one while I was shopping. I usually use the Kroger brand of the Neutrogena one because it's inexpensive and it works. Since I was in Ulta, I went ahead and grabbed the actual Neutrogena one, and it works fine. It does the job. I've been loving the Rimmel foundation that I mentioned in my July Favorites, but I also forgot to pack my moisturizer with sunscreen, so I picked up the travel size It Cosmetics CC+ Cream in Medium. That covered my sunscreen, moisturizer, and the need to match my self tanner. If you read my post about the Lorac Alter Ego Lip Set, you know how much I love those lip glosses. I picked up a new color while at Ulta; a pretty peach called Super Model. One thing that was not on my list was a new foundation, However, the new Too Faced Born this Way foundation sucked me in and "Sand" found it's way into my bag. If you purchased anything from Too Faced, you got a sample pack of three different shades of the Born this Way foundation, which is what you see in the bottom of the picture above. A last minute impulse purchase was the Mario Badescu Facial Spray. It was on an end cap of travel things for $5, and I had heard @emilynoel talking about it, so I grabbed it. I love all things rose scented, and this smells wonderful. The last thing from Ulta was my birthday gift! Platinum members get two gifts for their birthday; a $10 off coupon and the makeup item all other members get. July birthdays got a deluxe sample of the Urban Decay Perversion mascara. I've tried this one a few times, and I'm not a huge fan, but maybe it will work better over the Stila lash primer!

There were two things on my list that were out of stock at Ulta, so next stop was Sephora! As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I needed a new shade of the Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer. The one I had was Fair Neutral, which is too light with my tan. Ulta was out of the shade Light Neutral, so I purchased it from Sephora. The other thing that was on my list and sold out at Ulta was the Tartelette palette. @makeupbymaci, who is the queen of photographing her eye looks, was telling me how much she loves this palette, and she uses it in so many of her looks, I had to have it! The Kat Von D Ink Liner Trio was the other thing on my list. I already have and love the shade "Trooper", and this trio comes with that one, a navy, and a brown. I used the navy Saturday night and loved it! Sephora is great about offering samples, and the sweet girl who helped me gave me a sample of the First Aid Beauty Triple Remedy eye cream and the Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration moisturizer. As I was walking by the clearance table, I spotted the Kat Von D blush in "Wish" (no longer available on-line) and two bronzers on sale for $11.99 each. The bronzers looked similar to ones I already own, but "Wish" had been on my wish list for a long time, so I was happy to get it more than half off! A few weeks ago, I noticed that the Sephora automatic, waterproof lip liners were on the sale page on-line for $7, but all of the colors were sold out. My Sephora in JCP had them on the clearance table for $5.99! I've mentioned "Petal" in a post before, and I love it. They only had one left, which I bought, and then I bought two each of "Mauve" and "Naked". The last thing I picked up was the Josie Maran Argan Oil Light. I've used the regular version before, and loved it for my dry skin, but I thought the light version might be better for summer time. And then this happened...

Yep. Hello, Rouge!

Thank you for stopping by and reading! 

*None of the links above are affiliates.

*All items mentioned were purchased by me and all opinions are my own,