Favorite {Current} Lip Colors & OOTD

Nudes:



L'oreal Fairest Nude, MAC Shy Girl, MAC Mattene in Naked Bliss, Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

Revlon Glosses in Eggnog and Cocktail Dress

Reds:

MAC See Sheer, Revlon Lip Butters in Sugar Plum and Red Velvet, Tarte 24/7 Lip Stain, Stila Paramour

These are all lip products on heavy rotation this Fall. The question is...Which shall I wear today?

What are your favorite lip products this season?



I hope you are enjoying a long weekend off! Due to a sudden change in plans, the fiance and I are staying in Carlsbad tonight. We both need some R&R, and this gorgeous beach town is the perfect place to do it.

Cream lace top, mustard skirt, and necklace - F21, Gray jacket & pumps - Nordstrom Rack, Earrings - Sonya Renee, Bag - Chanel, Nails - China Glaze Lubu heels

I love you guys!

♥ Noelle

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Another Neutral Palette

I just don't know what it is with me and "Naked" palettes. I know the Too Faced version has been around just as long as Urban Decay's, but it wasn't until I went into Sephora last week that I finally took notice.

It comes with nine shadows, a little brush, and how-to cards that instruct you on different looks to try.

Without flash

Flash

Now let's compare...

 

Did I really need this? No, of course not. But it came home with me anyway and my 20% off VIB coupon is to blame. I must say though, the shadows are gorgeous. I love that the Too Faced Naked Eye palette is much more cooler in tone then that of the Urban Decay. The quality is definitely comparable though. Both palettes contain smooth, pigmented, and easy to work with shadows that can be layered, mixed, and worn in a variety of ways. I've worn the top row of the Too Faced palette for three days straight and I love the look. Very easy to wear during the week.

Do you girls own the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette?

♥ Noelle

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Beauty Talk

I read a rave review on one of my go-to beauty blogs. If you don't follow Nouveau Cheap, you need to! She is the queen of the drugstore beauty world. I saw her swatches of Revlon's new colorburst lip butters and high-tailed it to Rite Aid to find the special display. Warning: These are hard to locate! I think they are permanent though, so I imagine more displays will make their way to various stores soon.

I only planned on getting one, so I carefully picked out a safe light baby pink color. I loved it so much, I went back and got three more! The quality is incredible! I love that they are essentially balms, but these aren't your average run-of-the-mill chapsticks. The pigmentation is outstanding, and the moisture feels so good. I am highly impressed.

The packaging is nice because you can see the actual color of the lipstick inside.

Sugar Frosting

Raspberry Pie

Sugar Plum

Red Velvet

Aren't they pretty? I would say that Sugar Plum is my favorite, followed by Red Velvet. These are a bit deeper in person, so keep that in mind. The swatches above are just one swipe! If you swipe more than once, be in for a surprise because the color is saturated and unbelievable.

I'm addicted...

Please go try one!

Did you girls get anything from the Sephora friends & family sale? It is ongoing until November 2nd. Get your unique 20% off code HERE

I ordered three things:

A favorite skincare product that I am almost out of. I think I have about five pads left.

I LOVE the Fresh Sugar lip treatment. Although I just finished raving about the Revlon lip butters, NOTHING makes my lips as soft and supple as this. The set is called Sugar Fix, and also includes a little pot of Sugar lip polish, something I've been dying to try.

Urban Decay 24/7 liners in the Naked set (5 travel size pencils in gorgeous neutral shades).

Did you place a F&F order? What did you get?!

♥ Noelle

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Summer Grace

I needed a light fragrance for Summer and the boyfriend was sweet enough to get this for me:

It's a limited edition fragrance by Philosophy, sold only during Summer. Here is how it's described on Sephora:

"Inspired by the sunny, carefree spirit of summer, Philosophy's Summer Grace spray fragrance refreshes the spirit and opens the heart. Like a bottle of sunshine, this warm and bright floral fragrance was created to make a woman feel the lighthearted happiness and ease of summer."

Notes: "Blooming flowers, sun ripened fruits."

I will say that overall, I'm a big Philosophy fan. I love their message as a brand. I've tried other fragrances such as Falling in Love and Unconditional Love, both of which I really liked.

My only gripe is that the scent fades rather quickly, so you have to keep applying or at least you might be tempted to. I try to avoid that temptation, as I think people often make this mistake and over-apply. Just because you can't smell it on yourself, doesn't mean others can't ;)

This scent is perfect for Summer. It's floral, but not so much that you feel overwhelmed. It settles very nicely on my skin. I actually prefer the way it develops on me over time than at first spray. It's a happy scent, and instantly puts me in a better mood.

What's your Summer fragrance?

~Noelle

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Lights, Camera, Lashes!

I purchased Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara on a whim after watching a YouTube video in which a well known beauty girl raved about it. It was an emphatic review, and I decided right then and there that I had to try it out for myself. I've used this for about a month and a half now and in a word? AMAZING! Really, truly, hands-down my new holy grail mascara. I love it more than my CoverGirl LashBlast, more than the Physicians Formula Jumbo Lash. Which actually bums me out because those are so much more affordable. This retails at Sephora for $19. 

The packaging is just beautiful. The outside of the tube is encased in a deep metallic purple. It feels like leather.

The wand doesn't have plastic bristles like I normally like, but the wand is narrow enough that it can reach even the tiniest lashes at the corners of the eyes. The bristles are dense, but I think they vary in size.

The mascara is formulated without parabens, mineral oil, sulfates, and is fragrance free. It is very buildable, and I usually like to layer and layer just to see how big my stubby little lashes can get!

My sole brown eye, wearing two coats. Sorry for the odd picture, but I had so much trouble getting my camera to focus.

The mascara claims to increase lash volume by 424%! I thought that was a random number, and I'm not entirely sure how they came up with it, but I do agree that this makes my lashes so much thicker and longer. I feel like I'm wearing falsies!

I absolutely recommend this to you girls, and I wouldn't tell you that the price is worth it unless I planned on buying more again. I'll still be loyal to my drugstore favorites, but this will have to go alongside them. It's just that good.

~Noelle

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Beauty Shopping

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, Dior Amber Diamond SkinShimmer, NYX Bronzing Stick in Tango and Highlight, Essie Nail Polish in Topless and Barefoot, and Orly Polishes in Fancy Fushia and Pixy Stix

I went on a little shopping rampage after holding myself back from buying too much makeup. I have been lusting after the Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes since they were released, the color Exposed in particular. I don't own any tawny/bronze blush in my collection and since I have countless corals and pinks, I think a more natural option will be great to layer this Summer.

What's not to adore about Dior? I have never purchased Dior anything. Amber Diamond is gorgeous. It came with a lux velvety pouch that I plan on traveling with. I love this powder because it leaves behind a candlelit sheen, more of a glow really. I can't explain the texture. It looks shimmery in the pan, but it isn't shimmery on the skin. It's oddly fascinating and I recommend swiping one at Sephora the next time you can. I'm amazed by it!

I'm also excited that I finally found Essie's Topless and Barefoot. Beauty Gurus promise that this is THE PERFECT nude. I'm skeptical, but hopefully it's as pretty as it is in the bottle.



P.S. - My boyfriend and I are going to Las Vegas for my birthday in September! I know it's still a ways out, but since we are saving for more important things, we aren't planning a big vacation this year like we normally do. Instead, the Aria will be our mini vacay destination for 2011. Vegas is a wonderful birthday spot, although I've never been on my own birthday. I'm already planning my outfits. Yeah, I'm OCD like that.

Do you own any of the products I bought? Let me know! Oh and if anyone has stayed at the Aria, do tell me your experience :)

~Noelle

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Thoughts & Impressions # 2

Hey everyone! I'm back with another edition of my thoughts and impressions of  beauty products I've recently purchased. On a side note, I was so frustrated with Blogger last week! It ate some of my comments and my last post was lost...and then it magically reappeared. I'm sure you all felt the same way. Hopefully it doesn't happen again anytime soon.

Now to my mini reviews:

I finally bought a lipstick that gets a lot of hype: Rimmel's Airy Fairy

The color is beautiful. It's a wearable mid tone pink with hints of lilac. It also has some golden shimmer, but I don't find the shimmer transfers when applied to my lips.

The formula is creamy and quite moisturizing actually. I don't find it to be drying at all. I also love the fruity scent. At around four dollars, I think this is the best neutral pink I've ever tried.

Verdict: Recommend

On the same trip to the drugstore, I also picked up one of the new Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Balms. This one is called Peach Crystal. I love Revlon's Super Lustrous lip glosses and lipsticks so I had high hopes.

If you've tried MAC's Tender Tones, than you will remember that jolly rancher scent. This has the same smell, which I love! It also has an SPF of 15, so it will be perfect for trips to the beach this Summer. The color is very sheer, but this shade does give my lips that "juicy" look.

Pretty right? The formula is a bit sticky, so if you dislike that then you won't like this balm. However, I find it to be really moisturizing and I would absolutely repurchase.

Verdict: Recommend

During Sephora's VIB discount week, I bought this Urban Decay Liquid Liner in Smog. It's a gorgeous tarnished olive color. I love wearing green on my lids, as they complement my brown eyes and bring out the golden flecks in them.

I'm a mess with liquid liner, but the brush is so fine that it makes a perfect line without any effort at all. The brush is very flimsy, but I think that's what makes the application so easy. I still love my Lancome Artliner, but this definitely comes in a close second. I love the fun color range, the sole reason why I bought Smog in the first place.

Verdict: Recommend

So as you can see, I really love all three products and am very happy I have them in my collection.

Have you tried any of them?

♥ Noelle

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Extra Bits

Mustard envelope clutch and "Moltz" flower clutch - Aldo. Taupe grey quilted clutch - Franchesca's Collections.

I orginally spilled my love for oversized clutches last month. Luckily, I think my quest has been successful! I love all three because I own nothing like them. Sure I have a black wristlet from Express and a tan clutch by Jessica Simpson that I found at TJ-Maxx. I like those too. But these three pretties are much more fun and unexpected. They don't necessarily blend in to my outfits as my previous little bags do; they make an outfit. I've come to realize that I'm very, very envious of accessory editors. How delighted I would be to work at Elle or Vogue and stare at bags and jewelry all day long!

Sheer heaven.

On another unrelated note, I'm heading to Sephora after work today and using my VIB  coupon.

I only have a couple of Urban Decay products in mind. I'm curious about the new Tarte Amazonian blushes too. Have any of you tried them? I know MakeupbyTiffanyD loves them!

Have a great day!

♥ Noelle

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Mini Product Reviews

I received my Sephora Friends & Family order about two weeks ago and I have been playing around with the products I bought ever since. I thought it might be helpful to some of you if I let you know my initial impressions. I'll call these "mini" reviews. I am still testing things out and deciding if I will re-purchase certain items and keep them as staples in my beauty aresenal or if I can live without them.

First up, a total must-have in my beauty drawer: Urban Decay Primer Potion. I fell in love with this eyeshadow primer about two years ago and I have re-purchased it several times now. The one complaint many have about the product is the packaging. The little genie type tube is cute, but the wand applicator can be difficult to maneuver all the way down the tube. Enter UDPP Pro, which comes in a massive sqeeze tube and will hopefully last me eons. So far, so good! Same wonderful product that keeps my oily lids from sabotaging my shadow throughout the day. My only concern is that it will dry up before I get a chance to use every last drop. Oh, and it's limited edition for some unknown reason.

I have to rave about the next product, Lancome's ArtLiner. Let me preface this by saying that I am a mess with liquid liner. I blink and the next thing I know I look like Tammy Faye. I don't mean to be rude, but you get the picture. I remember when I was in the midst of my Lauren Conrad obsession, I tried and tried to recreate her gorgeous subtle cat-eye. I failed miserably each try. I wish I had known about ArtLiner sooner. The wand offers so much control and the liquid applies so smoothly and evenly. I have been wearing this constantly on my upper lash line and I have received many compliments on how thick my lashes look (something I have never been told before!) I know it's because of this liner.

I also ordered Bare Escentuals Buxom mascara and I am still on the fence about it. I love the plastic wand. Plastic wands are my favorite because I feel they grab my lashes a lot better than typical mascara wands. The only thing is, I still would take my Holy Grail CoverGirl LashBlast over this, and LashBlast is half the price! I do like Buxom, but I don't know if I'll be re-purchasing it once I run out. It just doesn't live up to it's name. It does thicken, but you have to apply several coats to get the full effect. Maybe once the formula dries out a bit I will appreciate it more. Have any of you tried Buxom? What are your thoughts?

The last thing I purchased from the sale is a tube of Smith's Rosebud Salve. When I was in high school, the first thing I ever bought from Sephora was Smith's Rosebud in a tin. First Sephora purchase ever! I think I just bought this again purely for nostalgia. I love that it smells like roses. I love that it's in a tube so I can carry it in my bag and whip it out whenever. But I personally don't think it's all that moisturizing and the formula is incredibly thin.

I have to include a couple of swatches of my new MAC blushes. I am in love with both colors and have them on rotation - one day I use Pink Swoon, the next My Highland Honey. They look very bright in their pans but apply a lot more sheerly. Of course, they can also be built up to intensity very easily if that's what your going for. I have lighter skin these days and I think both colors could work on lighter skin like mine as well as darker skin tones. I also like the fact that they are pretty matte and not shimmery at all.

Pink Swoon (permanent)

My Highland Honey (part of the Tartan Tale collection and LE)

I hope this was somewhat useful! If you have any questions about anything, please let me know. Happy Friday !

♥ Noelle

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Sephora F&F Order, MAC Blush, and OOTD

Thursday I posted some recent purchases, and I desperately needed your help with a pair of boots I was very iffy about. I got mixed reviews on them: some said I should keep them, others said the color or style was a bit off, and yet another lovely girl said they looked like pirate boots! No offense taken Natalia =) I adore Johnny Depp in Pirates of The Caribbean but I don't want to resemble him. I decided to return them yesterday morning. I mulled the boots over, and although I orginally loved their appearance on the shelf in the store, once I got them home and tried them on I was certain they weren't for me. I just needed some opinions to confirm my own thoughts. Thank you for the feedback, I really loved hearing what you girls all had to say. Your honesty was just what I needed!

My Sephora Friends and Family goodies arrived yesterday as well. I strayed quite a bit from my original wishlist. I skipped the NARS blush because I wanted to buy some from MAC instead. I also decided to forgo Benefit's Skinny Jeans creme shadow, although I'm sure I'll want it again in the future. Here's what I got:

Lancome Artliner in Noir, BE Buxom Mascara, UDPP in the LE Pro Tube, and Smith's Rosebud Salve. Three random samples were also included.

I stopped into the MAC counter to purchase two blushes. One is part of the Tartan Tale collection called My Highland Honey. It has no shimmer and is the perfect peachy-orange. The second blush has a cult following - Pink Swoon (permanent). Kardashian cheeks, here I come!

They are much more color saturated in person. The camera reads them as being muted, but they are not. Expect swatches and or reviews coming soon!

My OOTD (Friday)

Striped top with puffy shoulders - Forever 21

Chain necklaces - American Eagle

Jeans - Express. Please bring this style back! I don't like the new styles and washes

Green flats - Zara

Have I ever mentioned I have a ballet flat obsession? These are quite possibly my favorite. I love the combination of the green with the navy stripes in my top.

I am going to a Halloween party tonight! What are your plans?

♥ Noelle

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