Tag Archives: sephora

fringe benefits: hourglass film noir mascara

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last weekend, i marched myself into sephora with bare lashes looking to end my search for the ultimate mascara once and for all. i tapped an unsuspecting beauty consultant on the shoulder and described my perfect match: shiny and jet black in color, smudge-proof but removable with soap and water only (i detest makeup remover), must deliver volume, length, lift and separation.

now let this be a lesson to you, beauties. the sephora consultants are full of more makeup wisdom than any of us could ever know. i thought i would certainly get a recommendation for a product or products that i had already tested twice over, but in response to what i thought was a tall order and only one i’ve been looking to fill for, oh i don’t know, eons, the lovely kayleigh says, “sure. definitely hourglass film noir.”

it was love at first swipe, right there in the store – glossy, thick, intensely dark, lustrous lashes that were long and defined. the cool hourglass shaped wand applies the formula cleanly and without a clump. after a couple of weeks as my go-to lash lengthener, i’ve found that it wears all day and washes off nicely (hallelujah!).

simply put, it’s not overdone and enhances lashes without looking fake. so if i never feature another mascara on this here blog, you know why. (totally kidding. of course i’ll feature other mascaras, but if there’s ever any question as to what’s on my lashes, it’s this guy, forever and ever, amen.)

hourglass film noir full spectrum mascara is available at sephora for $28.

shades of spring

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i am obsessing over victoria justice’s gorgeous spring hair and makeup here. her lavender lids are so on trend and i love that she paired a poppy pink cheek with a bright pink lip without looking clownish. her natural, pretty arches and what i can only pray are false lashes (no one is that lucky, right?) are completely stunning and that soft, slightly messy updo is the perfect finishing touch.

want to recreate victoria’s pretty on your own? see my list of suggested products below.

pixi lip twin vs. korres lip butter glaze

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in stark contrast to last weekend’s peek inside the glamorous life, this weekend holds hours of schoolwork and babysitting while the husband hosts a bachelor party in atlantic city. to add a little shine to this humdrum weekend of mine, i’m thinking about picking up a new wallet-friendly gloss and i’ve narrowed it down to two:

pixi succulent lip twin cheek and lip color duo
$18 at target and online

a multitasker! the tube houses a fruity, satin-y balm with light pigment. the dome is a semimatte cheek / lip tint in a matching shade.

korres lip butter glaze
$14 at sephora

vanilla scented, crazy moisturizing, nonsticky, sheer, shiny goodness in an application-friendly tube.

i love how clever and cutesy the pixi is but i’m also a longtime fan of korres and love to see the famous butter in shinier, more vibrant hues. decisions! your votes and opinions are much appreciated. here’s hoping a new gloss makes my weekend! and now, a few things that have already made my week:

happy friday!

urban decay supercurl curling mascara

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i am so tough to impress when it comes to mascara. i have decided that my lashes need more than length and volume. they need sculpting. i want a mascara that holds steady and fast, giving me statue-like perfection that stays all day. no smudges, not a flake, oh and also some definition and thickening, please.

is that so much to ask?

i used to think that it was, but one cosmetic company has answered the call and no one is more surprised than me to find that my new mascara favorite comes from urban decay. i truthfully have not been a fan of previous mascara releases from UD, but i am sitting up and paying attention to this pretty gunmetal tube with swirling lash-like scrolls because what lives inside is changing the mascara game.

it meets all of my criteria for the ultimate mascara with a rich, thick formula and a brush designed to fit the contour of your lash line. i will note that you *should* curl your lashes before applying because it just seems to work a bit better when you do. the results are dramatic and doll-like and what i have been longing for – one of the best overall mascaras to be released in the longest time.

are your lashes as high maintenance as mine? go get your own! urban decay supercurl curling mascara is available for $20 at sephora, urban decay, and ulta.

josie maran matchmaker serum foundation is makeup magic

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warning: this foundation will rock your world.


i spend tons of time playing in sephora and testing products. i read endless reviews and press releases then head to the aisles to debunk myths and decide what’s worth bringing to the blog. since i do test so many cosmetics on a weekly basis and since i’ve been at this for almost two years now, i’ve found that i have high expectations of new releases! it’s 2011 for heaven’s sake and along with the flying car, i would like to see more makeup goodies that take the trickiness out of some age-old difficulties – like matching foundation to your skintone. perfectly.

now, please note that i am the world’s biggest skeptic when it comes to self-adjusting anything, but i have been thrown for a big loop with this latest product from josie maran. matchmaker serum foundation is like a tinted moisturizer on crack. it’s hydrating (you could skip your moisturizer if you want to), yet balancing so it keeps your oily areas matte and your dry spots moisturized. it goes on white then, when blended, adjusts to create the most undetectable foundation coverage i have ever seen. it is like second skin! but better, smoother, softer, clearer good-for-you skin.

you have got to try it to believe it’s capabilities so all i can do is encourage you to hop along to our favorite striped store and test this stuff out. trust me you will not be sorry.

the matchmaker serum foundation is available now in two shade ranges exclusively at sephora for $42.

true match l’oreal super blendable blush

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newsflash: it’s winter.

urgent breaking news: my skin is sallow!

i am nonstop daydreaming of an upcoming getaway to the mediterranean in may 2011 but until i can sail away to the greek isles, i must get through these next few chilly months. i’m a big believer in bronzer but find that i really only use it when the sun and i operate gravely opposite schedules, like from november – march. in my recent plight to find the best bronzer to weather winter 2010/11 on a drugstore budget, i came upon l’oreal’s true match blendable blush in soft sun. it’s so budget friendly at $9 and is the exact right shade (bronzer should be no more than two shades darker than your natural tone).  best of all it’s not shimmery. i’ve been applying it on the fullest part of my cheeks with my favorite angled brush and ta-da!  a simple way to beat the january blahs.

philosophy purity made simple one step cleansing cloths

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my third favorite facial cleanser (after this one and this one) is climbing the ranks! not only has it been voted best department store facial cleanser by allure readers four years running, but it now comes in an amazingly convenient, disposable cloth. they’re extra big and fluffy, perfect for throwing in your gym bag or for grabbing on those nights when you just can’t get the full face wash process in before bed (hey, it’s better than not washing!). they are not designed to take the place of liquid purity and operate in pretty much the same way as any other facial wipe, but they’re from a skincare brand that i trust and made of a cleanser formula i’m big a fan of so i would recommend them to anyone looking for a quality quick fix.

new from fresh: sugar plum

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there’s only one thing that calls for a double post and that’s a new fresh lip treatment! behold the latest addition to fresh’s incredible line of amazing lippes: sugar plum. it’s currently not in stock (i’m guessing it sold out since the sephora announcement for its arrival went out around noon!) but i would recommend popping your email address into that handy field so that they can notify you when it comes available. i’m already lusting it desperately but guessing it may only be available to beauty insiders to start so certainly jump on board that train if you haven’t already. and if any one of you lucky ladies was able to score one earlier today, do come back and let us know what you think once it arrives at your door!

sunkissed skinny

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i adore the sun. but, let’s just say it doesn’t love me. i’ve long been looking for a great lotion that subtly self-tans without smelling like toxic waste and/or getting streaky. i’ve given up on the drugstore versions and took my search to the big leagues hoping to find the holy grail. well, god bless sephora and their never ending failure to solve my beauty dilemmas! philosophy has introduced the big skinny — a self-tanning cream that smells delightful and (wait for it) firms your flabby bits! it’s about time someone came up with this unstoppable combo.

first of all, it’s the very first formula i’ve found that gives natural, gradual color. add in those amazing smoothing and toning agents and i am two seconds from absolutely taking a bath in this stuff! it smells amazing, just like cocoa and makes you feel overall just delicious. i am literally floored by this product and can’t recommend it highly enough. it runs $28 for 4 oz but you can score 20% off all orders at philosophy today with the code happiness.

happy head of hair

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i suffer from the limp locks and if there’s a new volumizer on the market, it’s got my name all over it. i resisted living proof’s full as long as i could because i live in a land where even lightweight lotions and creams don’t volumize, they flatten. (and they also make my forehead break out like crazy!) i have actually long been a believer that the only thing that volumizes is mousse because it’s light and fluffy and that’s what has worked for me. being the biggest skeptic may have made me the perfect person to review living proof full thickening cream because i assumed i would hate it.

but, boy was i wrong. this stuff is amazing! a little goes along way (we’re talking less than a dime size dollop) it smells better than my favorite perfume — i kid you not, i want to bathe in this stuff — and it fattens my hair up like none other. it also has a smoothing and detangling quality that my favorite mousses cannot compete with leaving my hair soft, pretty, and smell-erific. better yet, no pesky forehead pimples to speak of.

so there you have it. i am living proof and i am on board!