Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss (No. 09)

Stopped by Target the other day for a first time in awhile and they have really improved their cosmetics area--it's looking miiighty fine in there.

Anyway.

I grabbed one of these Rimmel lipsticks by Kate Moss in a pretty berry shade that leans a bit red on the lips. (It is shade 09--does it bother anyone else when cosmetics have numbers instead of names? I like names!). These are available in 10 different colors.

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in "Juicy Peach"

I picked up one of these MoistureSmooth color sticks at Ulta not too long ago and I didn't bother to do any sort of research, I'd never heard of these, I just grabbed one because it seemed like the sort of light hint of color/lip gloss I was looking for.

Ulta's site reads:

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks instantly moisturize lips, while continuously conditioning them so they are softer and smoother in just 3 days with nothing on them. Made with fruit extracts along with mango and shea butter, the balm-like formula glides on easily, providing a sheer wash of moisturizing color that lasts for hours. In addition, the twist up package allows for perfect application each time with no sharpener needed.

Ok so now that we both know the supposed deal with these, I'll give you my thoughts.

Out the Door Fast Drying Top Coat

Not too long ago, my friend Heather (another lover of nail polish) told me about "Out the Door" top coat by a company called Inm. I made a mental note that I actually remembered to remember and bought it as soon as I ran across it at Meijer.

In the past, I've used Seche Vite and have been very happy with it. However, OtD costs about half ($4 for .5 fl. oz. compared to $8 for the same of SV at Meijer) so I thought I'd try it. (Just a little side note: I've seen Seche Vite for less online but every time I find it in person, it costs close to $8.)

A Little Re-Opening Giveaway!

In the light of quitting the beauty blog world for so long and then coming back with reignited interest, I thought I'd do a little giveaway of two MAC products that I always intended to giveaway but never did.  One is the "Follow Your Fancy" pigment from the Stylishly Yours collection (I swatched it here) and the other is "Dalliance" mega metal eyeshadow from the Peacocky collection (swatched here).

Both are brand new in box, no worries there, these were not used to swatch--just in case that goes without saying.

Wedding Nails: MAC "Kid Orange" Nail Lacquer

"Kid Orange" was a shade from the MAC Shop MAC Cook MAC collection. (I hate the name of that collection, but anyway...) I went to a wedding this past weekend and this was the nail color I chose to go with my dress. I wanted to take a few great shots of my makeup and outfit but I didn't get many good ones so a nail post will have to do.

I put a personal post on my website about the wedding which includes a couple of photos. It is located here if you happen to be interested.

And on with the polish...

MAC "Rhythm" Lipglass

I'm mostly doing this post because I'm so excited to have bought a MAC product again after such a long time. Months & months! (Also, the blog has a new layout... Scope it out!)

So of course my one teeny lipgloss (and it is teeny) came in a box far, far too large. I didn't pay much attention and didn't know this collection had limited edition packaging so that was exciting. I get a little too thrilled with the packaging, though, I know. I like this one.... Makes me think ultra-bronzey hot, hot summer.

But you'll know what I mean about me and packaging when I tell you the "ooooh, purple insides" moment I had when opening the box:

L'Oréal Advanced Haircare Shampoo & Conditioner Review

I'm not sure what it is about a certain shampoo commercial that will grab my attention and make me buy their product but I do keep my eyes peeled when I'm running out of shampoo and/or conditioner and... Probably ultimately just see the same shiny hair you get on all of them on any one particular commercial at the right time and I'm sold. My last pick was L'Oréal's new haircare line of products called "Advanced Haircare" which are tailored to individual hair needs.

These ones I tried out were not for the same problem: the shampoo is the oleo-keratin variety for frizzy hair and the conditioner is the arginine one for fragile, falling hair. I tend to mix up my conditioners and shampoos all the time because I get the best results that way but I was still very conscious of the immediate after-effects of these ones.

Maybelline Expert Eyes 100% Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover

With Maybelline Expert Eyes Eye Makeup Remover, you get 2.3 Fl. Oz. for $4.49... It was the price tag that sold me. Now that I've used this several times on different brands of makeup... I'm ready to review!

Milani Eyeshadow in "Girls Luv Pink"

I've been wanting to try Milani eyeshadows. I have tried (and liked) other Milani products so I chose this pretty light pink called "Girls Luv Pink" to give it a whirl...

Essence Gel Eyeliner Review & Swatch

When I ran out of my MAC Fluidline in "Blacktrack," I wanted a cheaper alternative to try (all my recent posts are starting out like this, do you see the sad, sad trend?) so I selected Essence's Gel Eyeliner in "Midnight in Paris." (or... Black.) The 0.1 fl oz pot goes for a mere $3.99. So... I didn't expect too much...

NYX "Set it & Don't Fret it" Matte Mineral Finishing Powder

With my super oily complexion, I cannot really sing the praises of setting powder enough. I've cycled through a few brands now and this time I went the frugal route and bought this $9.99 finishing powder by NYX.

Most setting/finishing powders I've used have been translucent and WHITE in color. This powder comes in two shades and is not pure white powder. I use the "Light/Medium" but it also comes in "Medium Dark" for what seems like a very small range of tones but these should blend to invisibility--and Light/Medium does do that for me.

Maybelline Color Whisper "Cherry on Top" Lipstick

I'm a big lipstick girl. I especially love high end lipstick but lately I've seen Maybelline popping up on blogs in a way that dazzles and excites me (or something close to that). I have been into sheer color and I perfer a sheer lipstick over a gloss most of the time so I thought I'd give the "Color Whispers" a go. Sounds sheer, right?

I thought "Cherry on Top" was the perfect kind of cheerful pink I've had my eye out for right now. It's very bright and fun and youthful--but I wouldn't say only for the younger ladies.

A Small Haul with a Re-Appearance!

Sooooo... I took a long hiatus but I think I'm totally ready to jump back into the beauty blogging game. Thanks for coming back and reading again!

I've been grabbing little beauty purchases here and there when I'm out and I see something I really, really like. Being on a tight, no-real-income kind of budget right now, I have to be really choosy. I went a little bit nuts the other day when I took a trip to Ulta and Sephora on the same day.

I bought:

• Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick in "Cherry on Top" (As well as "Pin Up Peach" for my sister.)
• NARS "Tolède" Lipstick (Something I had been wanting for awhile, it was the main reason I went shopping to begin with!)
• Bite Beauty Lipstick in "Pastille Rosebud" (My first Bite Beauty purchase ever, they have some really pretty colors and this red was to die for.)
• Neutrogena MoistureSmoth color stick in "Juicy Peach"
• Yes to Grapefruit Exfoliating Towelettes
• Sephora Brand concealer brush (Not Pictured)

Reviews of some stuff coming shortly... Let me know if you'd like to see something in particular or if you're loving any of these products :)

Feels good to be back!