New Beauty Faves.

    I don't usually do beauty reviews, however, given that I posted about the Sephora F&F sale a few weeks back, I thought it would be fun to show you all some new favorites that I discovered. I usually use the F&F to try out new products that I've had my eye on for the past year. As a result, I usually make multiple purchases and make tons of returns. This year, even though I was trying to just buy my usual "necessities", I ended up trying a few new things I've had my eye on anyway.


   The first one of my new faves is the Urban Decay Naked Palette:

   I'm not going to say too much about this since every blogger and her cousin has blogged about it. I've been eyeing this since last Christmas, but I never bit the bullet because it is a bit on the pricey side for someone who doesn't wear eyeshadow on a regular basis. It's often sold out in stores and online, but it was actually on display at Sephora in the front of the store and when I saw it I couldn't put it down. Initially, I thought I wouldn't like it that much because I wanted more matte colors. However, the more I used it, I actually prefer eyeshadows that are a little shimmery because add a little extra depth to the eye. Some may think it's too much for daytime, but as long as you blend well enough, it doesn't look over the top at all. Anyway, I love this. And because I love it so much, I've been using it everyday. 


    As a comparison, I also bought Stila In the Light Palette and I just didn't like it as much. It is less expensive, and if you think the UD Naked palette is still too expensive even with 20% off, it is a good alternative. The color pay-off is good, and the colors are nice, somewhat similar to the UD palette but the colors appear to be a bit more glittery rather than shimmery. As a result, it seems to be a palette more for night time looks since I can't see myself using this palette that often for daytime. It comes with a little book to show you how to different make-up looks which is what had my buying this in the first place. Overall, it is s a nice palette and it comes with a brown eyeliner, but I just prefer the UD. 

    The second thing I fell in love with was the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush:

      I got two colors and ended up keeping Blissful which is a peachy color (the color is a bit washed out in my photos above). With my skintone (I'm a C40 in MAC), I find it difficult to find good pink and red blushes that don't look extremely unnatural when worn.  Peaches and corals are much easier to pull off mostly because they are pretty much universally flattering on all skintones. I have quite a few peachy and coral blushes, but because Blissful has a bit of more of a pinky tone to it than my other blushes I decided to keep it. The color pay-off is amazing. A little goes a long way--I will never get through this thing. Does it stay 12 hours? Well, no. My skin is on the oily side, so it tends to just absorb blush, but it does stay on for a good while. I've seen it stay on for as long as eight hours, which is unheard of on my skin. Love. I also want to purchase the shade "Natural Beauty" in the near future. I didn't like it when I tried it on in the store probably due to the lighting, but when I got home and saw it in natural light, it looked really nice so it is on my shopping list. Jen from From Head to Toe has a great review on these blushes.


    The final item that I absolutely fell in love with was the Stila All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner:

    LOVE LOVE LOVE. This thing does not budge. It has an interesting tip, which is actually a sponge as opposed to a brush. It is very pointy, but so easy to use. The point allows you to get the perfect cat-eye look. By the end of the day, it may fade a bit depending on how oily your lids are, but smudge? No way. Not unless you've deliberately rubbed your eye. I have extremely oily lids and this does not move. I compared this to Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner and I just didn't like BB as much. Even with a UD Lid Primer, it would still smudge during the day. 


    A few things to note about the Stila Eye Liner: It does have a bit of a "glossy" finish. The BB Gel eyeliner is completely matte. Some people say the Stila dries matte over the day, but I never noticed any change. Also, if you make a mistake or left a gap in the lash line or whatever, fix it while it's wet. Once it dries, it's difficult to go over the line again. Third, you might find that as you get to your second eye, the tip dries a bit and you can't get the ink flowing to finish your other eye. I was getting really frustrated about this point. As much as I loved the liner, the fact that the tip was drying out before I got to my other eye was pretty much a deal-breaker if I couldn't figure out how to to get the ink flowing again. After asking a Sephora SA, she said to press the sponge tip against the back of your hand until the ink starts flowing again, then you're good to go. It's also a good idea to store tip down. BINGO! I cannot say enough about this liner. It even stays on the waterline all day. Holy grail? Quite possibly. If you like that cat-eye or winged- eyeliner look or even if you just like to line your eyes the boring way like I do, I most definitely recommend this liner. I'm not sure how long this will last after everyday use, but so far, it's certainly worth its price (regular price $20US). And the question of how easily it comes off? With a good cleanser and water, it washes right off. Much easier than my UD 24/7 and MUFE Aqua eyes pencil liners which smudge and fade throughout the day. Go figure.


   Did you find any new winners during this year's F&F that you think I should try?