Beauty haul and mini reviews- Too Faced, Lorac, Clinique, NYX, Physicians Formula +more

There's is only one thing about the beginning of the year that is good, and that's new makeup. I have always felt like the first few months after December are cold and dreary but new releases just brighten up the beginning of the year. So of course I have done my share of damage and picked up a few of the latest things in the beauty world. I like to blame it on my blog and say I purchased everything to review but honestly, I'm a beauty junkie and I would have purchased everything anyways. Please tell me you have the same problem! 

Not everything is new. I found some deals and picked up some oldies. I also needed to restock on a few things, including NYX's Dewy Setting Spray. The majority of everything is new, though. How exciting! I didn't go out and just purchase this in one outing. This haul is probably about two weeks worth. I ordered online and went to stores. To buy each product click on the price listed beside the name of the product. 

Lorac Cosmetics Unzipped Gold palette $42- I have used this palette a few times and I'm majorly impressed. The shadows are smooth and rich. It doesn't take much to blend them out. There's one intense gold shade in the palette that resembles a pigment and I'm just blown away by how pretty it is. I will have a review of this palette  up as soon as possible. 

Lorac Cosmetics Unzipped Cheek palette $30- I have only used this palette twice but so far everything is good. I want to go ahead and review the City Color Cosmetics blush palette and get that one out of the way. After that I'll post my full review of this palette around the same time as the eyeshadow palette. I have swatched it and the blushes are smooth and pigmented. When I wore the matte shade on the top row it lasted all day and blended out with ease. I'll just go ahead and give everyone a heads up and say the review is going to be good. So if you're dying to get it go ahead and purchase it! By the way it is exclusive to Ulta only. 

Lorac Alter Ego Lipstick Collection Set $35- I'm trying to remember if I reviewed  this set already. I think I might have just posted a picture on Instagram. Anyways, I found this lipstick set at Kohl's for $35. It is Kohl's exclusive and it can't be purchased at Ulta. I have been dying to try the Alter Ego lipstick line for a while now but I always put it off for some reason but once I saw this kit I had to give in. Each lipstick is usually $16 and $35 for 5 shades is a steal. They are very pigmented and apply pretty easily. I did notice some tugging but overall I'm impressed with this matte formula. The thing that I love most is he wear time. The Alter Ego lipsticks are perfect for long nights out in town. 

Too Faced Cocoa Contour kit $40-  I just got this palette in the mail the other day. I did swatch it and post some pictures on Instagram. So go check that out. As for the quality, I don't have anything to say just yet. I haven't actually applied any of the shades on my face yet but I can say they swatch beautifully, except for the highlight shade. It's a little chunky but I'm hoping it looks better once applied to the face. I should have a review up by next week and yes, it does smell like chocolate! 

L'Oreal Infallible setting spray $16.99-  After reading so many reviews on this spray I had to pick it up. I used it once on Valentine's Day and I'm really impressed. Just from first impressions I noticed an extra 3-4 hours of wear and it kept everything looking nice until I washed my face. 

Physicians Formula city Bronzers $13 in stores- Ok, I'm guilty. I bought the two city Bronzers purely for the prettiness of the product. Physicians Formula makes such cute products but don't get me wrong they perform just as good. I have used these two bronzers multiple times and all I have is good thoughts about them! I can't wait to share a review with you all. 

Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer $27- Ah, another new thing that I'm excited about. I haven't tried it yet and I'm actually afraid that the shade I picked is too dark for me. Oh well, I guess we'll see. When I first opened the package I was shocked by how big the bottle is. I guess it's normal for a foundation but for some reason I expected it to be smaller. But then I opened the bottle and holy heck the applicator is huge! I don't really like doe foot applicators because of the whole bacteria concept but I still wanted to give this foundation a go. If I can I might try to find a pump for it. If I can't, I'll just apply he foundation to the back of my hand first I guess. Hopefully, I will have a review up within the next couple weeks. I like to take my time reviewing foundations because of my sensitive skin. 

Milani Rose Blushes $7.99- Eeek, I had high hopes for the Rose blushes by Milani. I heard great things but they feel kind of cheap to me. The swatch really chalky but I haven't wore them yet. So I can't say how they perform on the cheeks. I'm actually kind of nervous because it feels like they have A LOT of Talc in them. I hope not! I guess the cuteness will be worth my time and money. 

Milani Matte lipsticks $5.99- I already did a full review on these lipstick(click here for the review). Trust me, you need them in your life! 

Physicians Formula Fiber Mascara $14.99- I really need to post a review of this mascara kit. I have been trying it for maybe a week or so and I'm in love. Even my friends and family noticed how big my lashes look! Maybe I will have a review up early next week. 

NYX Tame and Frame brow pomade $6.99- Forget Anastasia's brow pomade. This is affordable, yet so good. I plan to do a quick review of this product at some point in the near future. 

Dermablend Intense Powder Camo  $31- I only used this powder twice but so far it seems good. It does provide a lot of coverage but I think it might not be good for oily skin. I just need a little more time to test this powder out. It will probably be one of the products I review in a couple weeks. 

Milani baked bronzer $9.99- This isn't a new product but I saw some people talking about it on Instagram. I haven't used it yet and I might not even do a review on it. However, at some point I will either throw it in a post somehow or let everyone know my thoughts on Instagram. But I'm always changing my mind, so who knows I might review it. When I swatched it I noticed a lot of shimmer (bad thing for bronzers) but maybe tapping the brush before applying will lessen the amount of shimmer transferred to the face. Perhaps it will be better for the warmer months only. 

Tarte Tartiest Clay Paint liner $24- Dont you just love the name Tartiest! It sounds so cute to me but maybe I'm just weird. Anyway, I haven't fully put this product to the test but I can say it's easy to apply and the pigment is very dark. I actually thought the product would be bigger but I'm sure it will go a long way. I'll try to have a review up soon. 

Maybelline Master Class correcting primer $9.99- I used this primer once and I'm in love! I didn't see much of a difference in the redness of my skin but it did make my foundation apply much smoother. My makeup also stayed on longer but that might have been because of the Loreal setting spay I'm currently testing out. Just to be sure I'm going to use it a couple more times without the setting spray. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Too Faced Melted lipsticks $21- I have always loved the Too Faced Melted lipsticks. The smell is divine and the pigmentation is always on point. I'm not going to do a review on them but I might do a swatch post of all the colors I have. The new shades I picked up are Melon and Chihuahua, and they are stunning! 

Rimmel Velvet Matte Lip Lacquers $5.99- I have tested out about half of the shades from this line. I purchased them all and I'll post a review with swatches soon. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about them. They seem nice but I'm not fully convinced that they're anything special. But let's just wait and see how everything works out. 

  

City Color Intense Blush palette $7.99- Intense is the correct word for this blush palette. It should also come with a warning label that states "Warning, use a light hand or you'll look like a clown", but it doesn't so I'm telling you now. It's great and the price is right. Online it says the price is $7.99 but I found it at Five Below for $3. So I suggest looking there before you spend the extra $5 online (even though it's worthy of $8). I feel like I'm repeating myself... I'll have a review up sometime in the next couple weeks. 

City Color Glowing Complexion Creme $6.99- Ugh... Do you know that intense powder smell that some makeup smells like? Well this smells like that but stronger. I'm so nervous to try this on my face but I'm also really curious about it. When I work up the courage to face the scent I'll write a revie on it. Wish me luck. 

Cory Airspun Translucent powder $5.97- I got this powder becuase of Tati (Glamlifeguru vlogger). She swears by so I thought I would give it a try becuase it's so affordable. It's still sitting on my vanity. I sniffed it and was distraught by the scent of it. Hopefully when I have the time to test it the scent won't linger. I'll be sure to let ya'll know how it is in a post at some point. 

Jergens Soothing Aloe lotion $4.97- If your skin gets really dry during the winter, pick this up. My hands get so dry that sometimes they look scaly and cracked. Jergens Soothing Aloe lotion is the only thing I have ever tried  

that truly helps them. I just can't live without it now. 

NYX Dewy Setting Spray $7.99- Repurchase! Nothing new but definitely something special. I love my Mac Fix+ but the NYX Dewy setting spray is much easier to get my hands on. Plus, they do pretty much the same thing. I'll use it to get rid of the cakey look from my foundation and boy does it works wonders. If you haven't tried it, you need to. The bottle is a decent size for the price. 

Eco Tools Eye Perfecting Brush $6.98- Ok, I don't want to spoil the review so I'm not going to say much. This review is on my schedule for this Saturday and I like it. Now my lips are sealed. 

Real Techniques Complexion Sponge $5.99- Just another repurchase. I must have bad luck because I already did something to it. I accidentally microwaved it too long and now it's deformed. Oh well, it still works just fine. It just has a nice curve to it. I really like this sponge for a natural look. It makes my makeup look less cakey and it's perfect for applying foundation on dry flakey skin. It's a must have and the price beats the Beauty Blender. 

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte lipstick $5.49- I must have been living under a rock, I haven't even tried the Rimmel Kate Moss lipsticks. I have heard great things about them and when I saw they were on sale I had to pick up atleast one. I would have got more but all of the others were open. So I settled with one and I'm glad that I did. I'm really loving it. 

Rimmel Nail Lacquer $1.50 in stores- Obviously, the 60 Second nail polishes are not new from Rimmel but I scored some for 50 cents each at Kmart. So if you love the formula like I do go pick them up before the sell is over!  

I wish I could type up a review for every product on this list in short notice. Unfortunately, I have things to do and I have to put the products that are in high demand on my schedule first. If there is a product that you're extra curious about just let me know in the comments below and I'll try to move it up the review schedule. Thank you for understanding! If you're interest in swatches be sure to check out my Instagram. I typically post photos of my newest products in there. 

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Have you made a haul lately? If so what did you get?

Did you spot anything you want to try?

Which review are you looking forward to the most?

Let me know in the comments below!

Review & Swatches: Milani Cosmetics Color Statement Moisture Matte Lipsticks

Guys, you wont believe how good these lipsticks are. It seems like I'm constantly finding my new favorite drugstore lipstick formula but Milani slayed it. I'm falling in love with Milani more and more every time I try their lipsticks. I would even pay high end prices for their new matte Color Sensational Moisture Matte Lipsticks. 

Milani released 8 shades for their Color Statement Moisture Matte lipstick line. This line includes a variety of pinks, nudes, one purple, one orange and one but mighty red. They can be found in stores at Walgreens, Cvs, Walmart and Kmart.  I found the whole collection at Kmart and picked up all eight shades. Unfortunately, the purple shade was lost either at the store or on the way home ( what a tragedy, I know). Your bank account only has to surrender $4.99 for each lipstick. They are matte lipsticks. So if matte lipstick isn't your thing.... hang around anyways. These matte lippies are great for those who even hate matte formulas. I bet you'll love 'em. 

Now let's talk about each shade

Innocence (pinky flesh toned nude)- This shade is the lightest of the range. I had high hopes for Innocence but it's my least favorite of the lipstick range. It's pretty when I look at it from the distance but when I am up close and personal with the mirror I noticed how patchy it looks. But if I apply a good chap stick, it looks a lot better. Innocence isn't as moisturizing as the other lipsticks. On the bright side, it applies smoothly and the pigmentation is decent. Though, it looks better when it's not built up to full pigmentation. It's not as patchy as a sheer lipstick but it still looks beautiful as if full pigmentation was being worn. Another thing that impressed me is how it doesn't transfer. When I was doing the usual transfer test I waited a minute before I kissed my hand and it didn't transfer at all. I also think Innocence is a great shade to mute pigmented lips and to add a ombre effect to the center of the lips. Overall, I do think this lipstick can benefit everyone in some way. I'm glad that I picked it up.

Naked (brown nude with mauve tones)- Right off the bat I noticed how creamy this shade is. When it comes to matte nude shades I always hope they are creamy because if they're not then they can look chalky. Luckily, Milani nailed their Naked shade. It applies like it has a glossy finish but looks like a matte lipstick once applied. 

On my lips it looks very smooth and doesn't cling to my dry spots. Another thing that blew me away was the pigmentation. Usually nudes have to build up for opaque coverage but Naked is full color in one swipe. I'm really enjoying this shade! Anyone who is looking for a matte brown nude lipstick should pick up Naked. 

Blissful (cool bubblegum pink)- Most of the time I can't stand the way bubblegum pink lipstick looks on me. However, Blissful is such a beautiful and wearable shade. It's probably the shade I gravitate towards the most. I think it will be very pretty for spring and summer. I might even have to purchase a back up for it. It applies smoothly and doesn't look chalky, which is surprising for a matte lipstick in that shade. When I kiss my hand or drink my drink it doesn't transfer at all. Blissful even wears for hours on my lips. It doesn't feel Moisturzing but at the same time it doesn't dry out my lips. Blissful truly is a perfect matte lipstick. 

Diva (bright blue toned pink)- Need a dupe for Mac Candy Yum Yum? Well her Ya go. Diva is bright, pigmented and long lasting. I have a feeling it's going to be a very popular shade, just like Mac Candy Yum Yum. It's not as Moisturizing as the other shades and I recommend using a chap stick prior to application. I don't recommend Diva if you're shy when it comes to bright shades. It's an attention grabber and people will admire this lipstick. So just be aware of that. And if you are interested in Diva, just know that it is a great lipstick. But honestly I don't see myself wearing it. It's too bright for my taste but I do love the performance of Diva. 

Orchid (bright orchid)- I have always shied away from Orchid colored makeup, but I decided to give this shade a chance anway. Boy am I glad I did. Orchid is such a wearable orchid (I feel awkward saying orchid so much lol).  Not only that, but it's creamy, ultra pigmented, extra long wearing and hello, affordable. If you're someone who is afraid of bright lipsticks but slowly wants to adventure out into the majestic world of bright lippies, then this shade is for you. It's bright but at the same time deep enough to make it wearable. It also has blue tones to it that make your teeth look white. Go out on a limb and try it like I did. I can almost promise you won't regret it. 

Passion ( bright orange with red tones)- If orange lipstick is your passion, then Passion is your next perfect orange lipstick. Seriously, this lipstick is just wow. It's almost as if there wasn't orange lipstick before Milani released Passion. Passion is giving orange lipstick a whole other meaning and its being done right! When I picked up this tube I thought, "wow this is a beautiful shade". When I put it on... Gosh I don't even have words for it. All I can say is it is PIGMENTED. Holy cow it is pigmented. All that's needed is one swipe and boom your lips are orange and it will last forever. Even if you're not sure if you like orange lipstick, just try it. There's a reason why Milani named it passion. 

Confident ( warm deep red)- When I first swatched this shade it looked a little patchy but when I finally applied it to my lips it blew my socks off. Confident is very opaque/ extremely pigmented, you get the point. I have always said the phrase "it glides on like a dream", but my goodness I didn't know that a matte lipstick could feel that good. And I honestly think this gorgeous shade will look good on everyone!  I'm not the kind of girl that wears red lipstick when in doubt but Confident just makes me feel... well, confident. The name suites it really well. 

Overall review 

Application

Almost every shade applied smoothly and didn't give me any problem. The only shade I had a little trouble with is Innocence. It applied kind of chalky and looked pretty bad in the mirror up close. On the bright side, I did find other uses for it, which are mentioned earlier in this post. Other than Innocence every shade applies absolutely amazing. 

Pigmentation

The best part about this line of lipsticks is the pigmentation. If you googled pigmentation, Milani matte lipsticks might pop up. 

Scent

Ah, the scent. I'm sure many of you are wondering what they smell like. A lot of people have issues with Milani's regular line of lipsticks because of the smell. Well let me assure you that they do not have the sweet watermelon smell like the other lipsticks. They have a light vanilla scent. 

Longevity 

One, two, three, four...dang, I lost count. Just kidding, I took notes. The darker lipsticks obviously lasted a lot longer and actually left behind a stain. The light shades lasted for around 5 or more hours. 

Do they transfer?

Shockingly, no they did not. I kissed my hand and drank my drink, but didn't see any lipstick transfer. Maybe, this formula would be good for a date night? 

Are they drying?

No, their not drying but it wouldn't hurt to wear a Chapstick underneath them. I personally think it feels better but it's not a necessary step with this lipstick formula. I didn't get to a point in the day when I thought my lips felt dry. When I am wearing them it actually feels like I don't have anything on my lips! 

Overall Thoughts

Call the hotties at your local fire station because Milani is on fire! First they release a holy grail status lipstick formula last year, now they release a matte lipstick line that's even better? I just can't believe the drugstore has  matte lipsticks that are so affordable but posses such high quality. In my book, these are a must have. If I had to pick my top shades it would be Blissful, Orchid, Passion and Confident. If you can only get four start out with those, but I still say get them all! 

Photos & Swatches 

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Do you like matte lipsticks?

Are you going to try them?

Let me know in the comments below! 

Tutorial: Cranberry and Gold cut crease ( works on hooded or deep set eyes)

Hello, again!

I don't know about you, but I love the color cranberry. When I thought about a cranberry look the first thing that came to mind is an easy cut crease. The second thing that popped up in my head is gold. Cranberry and gold are gorgeous together. I love it so much that I might create another look soon with the same two shades. What do you think?

There are so many tutorials on the web for a simple cut crease but it's hard to come by a tutorial that includes tips for hooded / deep set eyes. Luckily, for you I am on the same boat. When I first started wearing eyeshadow I struggled applying makeup to my deep set eyes. Now I have learned a few tricks and I intend to share them with you. By the way, please ignore the bump beside my eye. I just cant get a break from my acne.

Now lets get started!
 

What you will need

Makeup
concealer- I used Mac's Pro Longwear concealer
dark brown, cranberry and transition shade- I used the Lorac Mega Pro palette
gold cream shadow- I used E.l.f's Smudge Pot in Gotta Glow

(Optional) White eyeshadow- optional for highlight
gold eyeshadow- I used the gold from the first Lorac Pro palette
black liner- I used E.l.f's $1 liquid liner
black pencil liner- I used Pixi's Silky Endless liner in Black Nior
Mascara- I used Loreal Voluminous mascara

Tools
your fingers!
fluffy blending brush
precise brush for cut crease- I used a stiff detail brush with a round shape but any brush will work
crease brush
small flat eyeshadow brush
pencil brush

1. Apply your transition shade all over the eye with fluffy brush. I used a light pinky shade..

2. Apply the cranberry shade to your designated crease area with a crease brush. By designated I mean the made up crease for your eye shape. To find it, look straight in the mirror and start blending on the area that looks like your crease head on.

3. Keep looking forward and use a precise brush to apply a dark brown shade to create a cut in the crease. Start out with a light line. That way if it doesn't look right it will just blend in later. Just follow the natural line of your crease but keep it above the actual crease. I hope that makes sense.

4. Look forward, then down and see if the cut looks ideal. If it does darken the line with more shadow. Try to be precise but don't worry too much if you mess up. You can fix that later.

5. Don't put down the precision brush yet. Go along the cut and flick up along that line. This step will help blend that shadow up instead of downwards. Just keep the flicks small. You dont want the brown shade up in your brow.

6. Now grab the crease brush and apply more of the cranberry shade to lightly blend out the dark brown. Do not go over the cut. blend out the shadow that is flicked up only. The goal is to have a cranberry cut crease. The brown is just to make the cut more apparent.

7. Use the same precision brush from earlier and carve out the cut with concealer. Concealer will help clean things up and sharpen the cut. If you apply too much, blend it out on the lid. I like to put the concealer on my brush and dab it on my lid then go up along the bottom of the cut and carve it. When that step is taken you don't have to worry about applying too much concealer along the cut. 

8. Apply a gold cream eyeshadow all over the eye lid. Apply the gold over the concealer. I find that using my finger is easier for the most of my lid, then when it is time for the application close to the cut I use a precision brush.  

9. Use a flat eyeshadow brush and apply a gold eyeshadow all over the lid. I used a lighter gold eyeshadow on the inner corner but that's not necessary. 

10. Apply your eyeliner. I went with a small wing for the look. 

11. For the bottom lashline apply a black liner and smudge it out. I used a rubber smudge brush but whatever works for you is fine. I tried to concentrate on the outer corner more so than the inner corner. 

12. Blend out the black smudged liner with a cranberry shade using a pencil brush. This will soften the look but at the same time make it more dramatic. 

13. Apply your mascara. I applied mascara to both the top and bottom lashes. Feel free to use falsies! 

14. Makeup sure everything is blended. This also applies to your bottom lashes! Remember not to blend the cut with a fluffy brush. 

15. Optional, highlight your brow bone with a white eyeshadow. 

Now take a picture and tag #taylorpiebeauty on Instagram! 

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Are you going to try this look? 

Do you have hooded or deep set eyes?

Let me know in the comments below!