Burberry Shadows & Dior Concealer Update

I headed to the only Nordstrom in my area that carries Burberry cosmetics. In fact, apparently there are only 10 cities in the nation that carry them (otherwise they are available online HERE).  After reading so many wonderful things about the brand's eyeshadows, I was literally itching to give at least one a try. Of course, I can almost never buy just one of anything these days so I bought two. Oh yeah, I'm a rebel.

The packaging looks and feels extremely luxurious. Being that it is Burberry after all, I wouldn't expect anything less. Each shadow comes with a velvet pouch, a bit useless yes, but still gives the impression of high-end luxury. The little silver compacts are weighty, and have the classic Burberry plaid printed right on top.

I chose Pale Barley (left) and Porcelain (right)

Pale Barley is a golden bronze with slight hints of taupe. It looks beautiful all over the lid. Porcelain is a soft peach with hints of ivory. I don't really own any warm highlight shades, so I am excited to use this to accentuate my browbones.

I stuck my grabby little fingers in almost every single shadow that was on display. The SA didn't mind one bit. All of the shadows are just so buttery and soft. They really are worth the money.

Overall I am happy with them and even want a couple more.

Now onto an update! A few weeks back, I showed this Dior concealer that I had just purchased at Sephora. I promised I would keep you posted on what I thought of it, and the verdict is in. I love it.

I got it in the color Beige and I think it matches my skin quite well. It looks a bit orange here, but that's just the flash. In real life, the color is much more muted and natural. It is incredibly creamy and needs little effort to blend and melt right into my skin. If you have really dark circles, this coverage may be too light for you. But if you just want a little boost underneath your eyes, this product is perfect. It lasts all day and doesn't crease. I find it hydrating, which you know I crave.

My concealer routine:

1) First I apply a dot of this under each eye and pat it into my skin with my ring finger.

2) Then I use my Maybelline Age Rewind Brightener by swiping a bit on top of the Dior. This is solely for brightening purposes.

3) Then I use a little powder to set everything in place for the day (or night).

I hope you found this helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

♥ Noelle

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Over the rainbow

Coral pleated skirt & Green lace pencil skirt from Francesca's

Merona Sandals from Target

Pretty jewelry from Francesca's

New candy colored pieces that I've been adding to my wardrobe. I've never seen so much color in my closet. It's true what they say, you know. Bright colors really do lift your mood! You can't take life too seriously when you're wearing the rainbow.

♥ Noelle

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Fresh Picks

I couldn't be happier that it's Spring. That means that Summer is right around the corner! I love all of the ripe, juicy colors that makeup companies put out around this time of year. There's nothing as fun and youthful than hot pink toes, coral cheeks, and bronzed skin (of the fake variety of course. Always wear your sunscreen girls)! After Fall and Winter's dark moody colors, Springtime breathes new life into me.

I've accrued some great Spring and Summer items that I consider essential. Some of them I've had since last year, and some are brand new. Here are my top picks to keep you looking glowy and fresh.

Lancome's Corail in Love & MAC Dish it up

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze & Chanel Illusion D' Ombre in Epatant

Bronzer!

(This one gets great reviews) & (This one is gorgeous!)

NYX Mosaic Blush in Love, Benefit's Coralista, and M.A.C. Pink Swoon

Bright Nails!

This one is so on-trend

What are some of your Spring beauty picks?

♥ Noelle

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Corail in Love

When I first spotted this ad in a magazine, I was intrigued. I've never tried a Lancome lipstick before, but the saturated color of Emma Watson's look had me curious. I'm always a sucker for lip products. Over the years, I've found that MAC and Revlon make the best, but that doesn't stop me from trying new (to me) brands.

I picked up "Corail in Love", a pinky coral. Alright girls - this color is amazing! That word gets tossed around loosely, but this is truly "my" coral. I've struggled with corals in the past. Most look way too orange, too pink, or just too dramatic on me. I fix this by applying a soft colored gloss to tone it down, but that can get tiring when I'm out and about. This is the first coral I've found that doesn't require anything!

I like to swipe some on, then lightly dab or press the color into my lips for a pretty effect, almost like a stain. It wears for a long time without any fading. The claim is 6 hours, but I don't know of any lip product that lasts that long on me. Talking, eating, drinking...they all get in the way. But, because this lipstick isn't super creamy, it lasts a good three to four hours on me. When I say it isn't creamy, I don't mean it's gritty though. It goes on smoothly, but then feels weightless on your lips, almost as if you weren't wearing anything. It's very strange, but I like that. No temptation to press my lips together since I can't feel a thing!

The color reminds me of crushed rose petals. Ultra feminine and supremely wearable for a coral.

No flash

See what I mean? It's definitely a coral, but it's so soft and natural. It just brightens my entire complexion, which by the way, is very pale these days.

With flash

The Rouge in Love line can be found at most Lancome counters now. They have a good range of colors, so go test one out.

♥ Noelle

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I smell like candy {but it's Prada}

I was running very low on my Viktor & Rolf perfume, so I kept sniffing around the counters at Nordstrom to see what my next scent would be. I had heard wonderful things about the new Prada perfume, so I decided to see, or smell rather, what all the fuss was about. I'm not usually one to go for a widely popular perfume. I think fragrance is very personal, as it smells differently on everyone according to body chemistry, hormones, etc. But Prada's Candy needed to be tried. And the bottom line is that it is love.

I must say that the cute box drew me in. There was a giant display at the Nordstrom I went to. Just boxes upon boxes with little pink bows everywhere.

It's very difficult for me to truly describe the way it smells, but I will say that it is a grown up, sweet scent. Here are the notes, as described by Prada:

 Top: regressive notes of joyful carefreeness, explosion of caramel.

                                 Mid: powdery notes of sophistication, cocktail of musks.

                                Base: vanilla notes of sensuality, benzoin overdose

It is warm, but not overly so. I could see myself enjoying this year round, and not just in the colder months. It just dries down so well on my skin! The initial spritz is gorgeous, but I love the way it fades even more. It's so soft. I think that's why I love it. It isn't sickly sweet. It's just a very feminine and pretty scent, if that makes sense. Beauty in a bottle!

What fragrance are you wearing lately?

♥ Noelle

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Maybelline Color Tattoo

I can't remember the last time I was so excited to run over to the drugstore. As soon as I told you about how happy I am with the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush, I decided to pick up the 24 hour shadow in Tough as Taupe. I wore it all weekend, and was so impressed by it that I picked up another shade with a CVS coupon.

The glass jars make them appear more expensive than they actually are. For reference, they retail for $6.99. I got Bad to the Bronze for half that because I acquired a coupon. 

These shades are extremely creamy, smooth, and pigmented. Bad to the Bronze is a shimmery golden shade, similar to MAC's woodwinked. It leans warm, but I'm sure it would look great on everyone. Tough as Taupe is a matte shade that leans more on the cooler/grey/mocha side. In the pot, Tough as Taupe looks lighter, and almost milky. Once you start using it, the color is much darker. It's a beautiful taupe!  

I have only worn both with my Urban Decay primer, as I always wear a primer, even with cream shadows. These lasted all day! No joke, no creasing or smearing. I didn't even top these off with a powder. If you do top these with a matching powder eyeshadow, there isn't a doubt in my mind that they will last forever (or until you take your makeup off).

I can't rave enough about them and I highly suggest giving one a try. I think I'm satisfied with the colors I have so I will not be buying anymore, at least for the time being.

Aren't they pretty?!

♥ Noelle

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Fall Beauty Favorites

Now that it's almost Winter, I thought I'd take inventory and let you girls know what products I used consistently throughout the Fall season. I used much less makeup than I thought I would, purely out of laziness I might add. I focused on enhancing features I like, instead of really getting creative and coming up with different looks. I hope this little list of favorites doesn't bore you all, but at least we know what really works.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed is a tawny, natural color that goes with everything. I wore this blush the entire month of November, and so far every single day this month too. I sort of feel guilty for abandoning my other pretty blushes, but this really is a no-brainer. I've also been using it to contour, and I find that I don't even reach for bronzer because this gives my complexion a nice glow on its own.

I'm a huge fan of highlighters in the colder months. Amber Diamond by Dior gets rave reviews on Temptalia, YouTube, Sephora, and on MUA. Women of all ages find that it leaves a soft sheen and not an overly glittery or greasy mess. I think it would be flattering on everyone. I have been using it not only on my cheekbones, but also on the apples of my cheeks. I love it.

{I just wish I could find Laura Mercier's Rose highlighter, it's strikingly gorgeous! If anyone knows where I can get my grabby hands on one, please email me!}

As much as I love my UD Naked palette, this one by Too Faced has won me over. The colors are soft and eye brightening. I have been reaching for these shadows over any others in my collection. They all work together to create the perfect naked eye. I use this palette mainly for work.

I've already talked about the Maybelline Define -A-Brow and my Kirkland spoolie brush from Costco. These are the tools I use to amp up my eyebrows.

As for lips, I haven't been reaching for one in particular. I try to wear a different lipstick every day. Favorites include the Revlon Lip Butters, my MAC lipsticks in See Sheer and Shy Girl, a lip stain by TheBalm, Stila's Paramour, and lip balms from Korres, Victoria's Secret, and Fresh.

Let's see what products Winter has in store :)

♥ Noelle

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New Products I'm Loving

Some people say that part of being a beauty blogger/addict is the excitement that comes from trying new products. For me, it's easy to find something I love and then continue to repurchase. I am a creature of habit, so when I find a great item I have a tendency to go back to it time and time again. On the occasion I venture out, more often than not I am disappointed. However, I have found three products that I am loving lately, and using them on a daily basis. In fact, these products are now part of my makeup routine.


I initially learned about these face wipes from Tiffany D. You girls all know her I'm sure. She claimed that these are the wettest makeup remover towlettes she has ever tried. Sold!

The Pond's wipes were on sale at Target, so I grabbed some. She is so right about how moisturizing they are. They are dripping wet! So wet that you feel like you've just bathed after using one. I am able to remove all of my makeup, even waterproof mascara or hard to remove mascara like Benefit's They're Real! 

I really enjoy the quilted texture of each cloth. You really feel like it's removing every trace of makeup.

I will repurchase without a doubt.

I have been getting my eyebrows waxed by the same lady for a year and a half now. When I first started seeing her, our main goal was to fill in the sparse areas that had been overtweezed during my teen years. I also wanted to thicken them up, which has taken forever! My brows are still (over a year later) a work in progress, but I am very happy with them overall for the first time in my life. I love the shape of them. I get them waxed every three months, and I DO NOT TOUCH THEM AT ALL in between. I actually threw out my tweezers! She advised me to use a pencil or a powder to give the appearance of thickness, and I decided to try this on a whim:

Maybelline Define-A-Brow. I use the shade Dark Brown.

I lightly brush my brows with a spoolie. The pencil comes with a little comb on one end, but I don't find it useful. After I brush my brows with a spoolie, I use light strokes to fill in some spots where the hair is sparse. Then I comb and blend them again with the spoolie. I think the look is extremely natural.

My brows look thicker and fuller. I'm a happy gal!

With all of the dark lipsticks and stains I've been wearing this Fall, I decided to finally buy a lip liner. I never thought I needed one because my lips are naturally quite full. However, especially with the Revlon Lip Butters, I was noticing a lot of bleeding and messy smudges along my lower lip line. I needed a liner to keep it all in place. During the Sephora VIB sale, I spied this liner and was intrigued.

The unique part is that it goes on completely clear! According to TooFaced, "Borderline is a matte, colorless lip pencil designed to fill in and virtually erase vertical lip lines while it locks down your favorite lip products." Perfect! Why have I not seen more companies come out with something like this before? It's wonderful because you can use it with any and every single lip product you have. No worries about matching your lip pencil to your lipstick because it's colorless. I also agree that the tiny lines and cracks in your lips virtually disappear after using this. Brilliant!

Oh, I must mention this adorable little sample of Chanel's Beige perfume. How cute is it?! The scent is very pretty, softer than other Chanel perfumes I've tried.

Have you tried these products? What is something new to your routine that you're loving lately?

♥ Noelle



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Girl Crush

 

I have a serious girl crush. On these clothes, shoes, and accessories. The girls are all pretty too though :)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Please remember to be grateful for all the little things in life.  

xoxo

♥ Noelle

*Images found using Chictopia & Google

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My ♥ Flats

This goes without saying girls...I love flats. If you have read this blog at all, you know that! Simple, embellished, bows, leopard, colorful, glitter. You name the style, and I'll wear it! Flats are just practical for me and my current lifestyle. I think if I worked in an office or a corporate environment, I would probably wear heels to work. Since I don't, I save the heels for weekends and nights out.

I recently saw Tiffany's YouTube Video on her flats collection. I was drooling. Watch the video and keep your eye out for her Prada bow flats. They are to die for! Anyway, she inspired me to take inventory of my own collection.

Nine pairs total. Hmmm, less then I thought. Good! I don't feel so bad now.

Top row: Steve Madden (I've had these for years, and you can tell), Juicy Couture (my first flats ever).

Bottom row: Tory Burch Revas, Zara black ballerinas.

Top row: Circa Joan and David peeptoes, Zara ballerinas

Bottom row: Enzo Angiolini, Vera Wang Lavender, Kelly green Zaras



How many flats do you own? What's your favorite pair? I couldn't pick one!

♥ Noelle

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Brilliant Baubles

On Friday, I had the pleasure of going to Los Angeles with my fashion class. The garment district is the largest in the USA, with blocks and blocks of fabric stores and vendors selling clothing and accessories for ridiculously low prices. I had never been, and I was extremely excited to tour the California Market Center. This is where designer showrooms sell their merchandise to buyers. Every last Friday of each month, these showrooms are open to the public. The sales are amazing! I saw so many women hauling off loot and stashing it in rolling suitcases. It was a bit crazy!

The California Market Center, Downtown L.A.

Santee Alley, blocks and blocks of...stuff! Can you see the MAC cosmetics sign? You have to beware of fake knockoffs here.

After walking around Santee Alley and The San Pedro Mart, my friends and I went back to the CMC. I DIED in one particular showroom. The jewelry displayed in the window shimmered and shined, and I had to get a couple pieces.

I have never heard of the designers before, and I think they are only available to store buyers, as well as to the public in certain high-end stores.

In looking at their website, I see that they are quite popular amongst celebs.

This necklace is gorgeous! I love the pretty rust color against the soft rose gold. The stones sparkle like mad

I also got another similar necklace in a rich, deep navy. This one is quite a bit longer than the other necklace. It will look great with just about everything, especially long tees and blazers.

Lastly, I got this beautiful druzy stone ring, and it looks perfect with the shorter rust colored necklace. This screams Fall to me.

I am enamored with this line! I'll have to go back next month and grab some more. This jewelry would make a great gift.

I was so impressed with my trip! Equally impressed with these pieces that I will undoubtedly wear to death.

Thank you to my teacher for the trip!

In November, we are heading to South Coast Plaza in the O.C., where she worked for years at Saks as a personal stylist. I go to SCP fairly often, but it will be so nice to see it in a different light.

♥ Noelle

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