Target and Ulta Beauty Haul

I have a problem. When things are on sale that I am even slightly interested in, I feel obligated to buy them. It's especially a problem for buying makeup. I walk down the beauty aisles in Target and the little red clearance stickers just seem to jump out at me. And then I cut out the coupons from the newspaper, so everything just turns out so cheap it would just be a shame not to buy them.

A few weeks ago, I bought some makeup at Target and Ulta, but I wanted to wait to post about the products until I had tried them out.

Starting from the bottom left and going clockwise:

1. Maybelline Fit Me! Pressed Powder in 245 Medium Beige

2. Ulta Eye Shadow Brush #1: Ulta was having some sale where all their Ulta brand products were on sale. This brush was originally $10 and I think I got it for $2. It's actually really good quality. I would buy more of their brushes if they go on sale again. 

3. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Hot Tamale

4. Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Pomegranate Punk

5. NYX Round Lipstick in Miracle and and Hot Pink

6. Ulta Eye Crayon in Pink Pearls

7. Maybelline SuperStay 10 Hour Stain Gloss in Cool Coral

8. Elf Mineral Infused Face Primer

Here is a close up of the Maybelline Pressed Powder. This turned out to be surprisingly darker than I expected, but not dark enough so I couldn't wear it. I keep this in my purse in case my face gets oily during the day, and it's a decent pressed powder. Nothing miraculous, but it was on clearance at target for $3 so definitely worth it for that price. My favorite part about the packaging is that the powder flips up and underneath is a good-sized mirror and a powder puff thing so you don't need to carry a brush with you. 

I had heard a lot about these Dream Bouncy blushes and always wanted to buy one because they look so fun and squishy. Target had a few colors on sale for about $3 so I picked this nice bright coral-y color. 

Here is what it looks like on my skin. It can definitely go on more sheer or be built up like in this picture. I really like this blush and it's easy to apply by just using your fingers to rub it into your cheeks. 

Lots of beauty bloggers recommend these Color Tattoo eyeshadows, and when I found some on clearance at Target for about $3, I picked up this really pretty purplish shade. 

I was really impressed by how smoothly they go on and STAY ON. Seriously, they probably aren't kidding when they say it lasts 24 hours. Perfect for a night out when you don't have time to worry about retouching your makeup. 

Here is what the wand looks like of the Maybelline Stain Gloss. I found it hard to apply. I didn't really like this product at all. Luckily it was on super-clearance at Target (maybe for a reason). It looks good when you first put it on, but the gloss fades like right away and then your lips get dry. Not a fan. 

Although on my hand it does look like a coral shade as the name suggests, on the lips it looks darker and more like a berry shade. Misleading. I would not recommend this product. 

Here is the Ulta Eye Crayon on my hand. This makes it look kind of white and chalky, but in real life on the eyes it looks beautiful and creamy. I also found that if you layer normal eyeshadow over it, the eyeshadow colors look incredible. I got this for about $2 in Ulta's sale and would probably pay full price for another one. Love this. 

Here is what the Elf Primer looks like. It's a clear gel that is supposed to make your pores look smaller and help makeup last longer. It definitely created a really smooth base on my face, but it made me break out. I think i'll try it a few more times, because I really like the idea and so many reviews say how good this is. Maybe my face just doesn't agree though. 

Finally, I got these two NYX lipsticks at Ulta for $3 each. They go on smoothly and don't settle into creases. They come in a million different colors. I would definitely recommend these!

Hot Pink on top; Miracle on bottom

I would love to try out your favorite beauty products if you want to give me a recommendation! 

Hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!

Beauty Haul

Last week in the post-braces depression, I went a little crazy online shopping and bought a ton of makeup. Here's what I got!

First of all, e.l.f., an extremely affordable cosmetics brand sold at Target and online at eyeslipsface.com, had a huge sale where everything on their site was 50% off. I'm a huge sucker for sales and have recently developed a bit of an e.l.f. obsession. Everything is so cheap and most of their products are actually pretty good. I read a lot of reviews online before purchasing, because their products tend to be hit-or-miss. I got all of this for only $16 plus shipping:

I'll start on the bottom left and go clockwise. The prices listed are including the 50% discount.
1. Studio Beauty Book in Bronzed (Close up later in this post) - $2.50
2. Essential Eye Shadow Brushes - $.50 each
- Lots of bloggers love these because they work well for being so cheap.
3. Studio Powder Brush - $1.50
- So soft and just the right size
4. Zit Zapper - $.50
- Seriously, this stuff has a higher concentration of salicylic acid (the main ingredient in acne medications) than my "zit zapper" that I paid over $20 for at the dermatologist. And it's only a dollar full price.
5. Contouring Blush and Bronzer in St. Lucia (Close up later in this post) - $1.50
6. Studio Endless Eyes Pro Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Natural (Close up later in this post) - $3.00
7. Studio Baked Eyeshadow Palette in California (Close up later in this post) - $5.00
8. Essential Eyelid Primer in Sheer - $.50
- I kept reading about how amazing this is on beauty blogs and decided to try it. Whenever I wear eyeshadow, it ends up creasing or disappearing after a few hours. I tried this out yesterday and my eyeshadow literally looked like I had just put it on even after 9 hours of wear. Incredible.
9. Essential Brightening Eye Color in Day 2 Night (Close up later in this post) - $.50

                                   

                    Here is the closeup of the Beauty Book. It comes with three shades to create a day look and three to create a night look. It also includes a mini eyelid primer and eyeliner. I haven't tried this out yet, but the colors look really nice. 

I love this palette. I used it yesterday and today, and with the use of the primer, the shadow lasts all day.  The colors are also very versatile. 

If you google reviews of this product, you will have to buy it. For only $3 full price, and after reading tons of reviews praising this blush and bronzer, it's a must-buy. The colors look great on, and they blend very well. 

I haven't tried this yet, but for $.50 I couldn't pass it up. If I use the primer, the shades should look nice on. 

If there's one thing I hate most about big eyeshadow palettes, it's that they always have gross bright crazy colors that I will never wear. I saw this one with various natural shades for only three dollars and had to give it a try. There are so many different color combinations to try, and the quality is actually pretty good. Definitely glad I bought this. 

I also bought some makeup from my favorite makeup brand, Too Faced, and a new concealer that I kept reading about from Hard Candy. 

Starting from the left and going clockwise again:

1. Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Medium: They weren't kidding. This stuff is heavy duty. It can cover any blemish. People even use it to cover their tattoos. It also comes with a mini concealer pencil which is nice. Best part? It's only $6 at Walmart. 

2. Too Faced Lashgasm Mascara: I received this along with the lip gloss as free samples with my Too Faced order. Which is absolutely terrible. Because I love this mascara. I thought I was doing great with my Covergirl mascara until I tried this. And it was amazing. Which means I'm gonna have to find $21 to buy it full-sized. Stress.

3. Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Flirt: I'm not a big lip gloss person, but I'll always accept free samples. This stuff is pretty good, but I'm not gonna spend $19 on the full size.

4. Too Faced Glamour To Go Palette: This is adorable. The whole palette is about the size of my iPhone, so it is perfect for just throwing in your purse. Too Faced eye shadows are my absolute favorite, and this palette doesn't disappoint. The colors work very well together, and there's good combos for both day and night. The bronzer and blush are good for contouring, but I haven't tried the lip gloss in the middle yet. I would definitely recommend this cute little palette because it's only $22 whereas most Too Faced palettes run at about $40 to $50. 

Close up of the inside of the palette. So cute. 

Ok, that's all! Happy Tuesday!

Bad Day Beauty Fix

Well, as the title of this post suggests, I did not receive happy news at the ortho yesterday. Next week I get braces on for the THIRD time. Luckily (though there's absolutely nothing lucky about getting braces on 3 times), I only have to have them for a month and a half. Yay. Thank you Dad and orthodontist for being obsessive perfectionists.

After locking myself in my room and mourning the coming loss of my metal-less smile and second onset of tween awkwardness for a few hours, I proceeded to carry out the only tried-and-true, physician-approved method of curing that down-in-the-dumps feeling: retail therapy. Whoever claims this method doesn't work, you're wrong.  A nice sized dent was made in my bank account after making mood-improving purchases from various online cosmetic stores.

Feeling much better, my mom and I made a bonfire, whipped up some delicious s'mores (also guaranteed to make you feel better) and went to bed.

Whenever I have a bad day, I wake up the next morning determined to make it a good day. So this morning, I put on a nicer outfit than usual, slipped on some heels, and headed off to work. I decided that today, because makeup makes me happy, I would post about some of my favorite beauty products at the moment. Enjoy!

 This is what is currently in my makeup bag. Starting from the left (just had to make an L with my hands to determine the correct side...) and going clockwise:

1. Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin: This stuff is pretty great. It doesn't get all cakey like some foundations and also doesn't make me break out. However, now that I am getting more tan, I wish I would have gotten a darker shade.

2. Elf Studio Blush in Twinkle Pink: Obsessed with this. See below for a closer up picture. This blush was only $3 at Target and it's amazing. It's a light peach color with a little shimmer and is perfect for everyday wear.

3. Covergirl Perfect Blend Eye Pencil in Basic Black: I've bought a ton of eyeliners and just keep going back to this one. It goes on smoothly and stays on.

4. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny: Lots of beauty bloggers rave about this bronzer for its great quality for an affordable price. So I picked it up for $3 at CVS. It does go on pretty smoothly and is great for contouring. See closer up picture below.

5. Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder: Cheap and very effective. I would definitely recommend this.

6. Tweezerman mini tweezers: It took me awhile to finally listen to everyone going on about these tweezers and spend the $13 on them. Should have done it a long time ago. Seriously, throw away your crappy tweezers and go buy this. It's amazing.

7. Elf Studio Blush Brush: I have other, more expensive blush brushes and use this one because I like it better. It has super soft bristles. $3 at Target.

8. Wet and Wild MegaLiner Liquid Eye Liner: Bought this on a whim for $3 at Walgreens and literally use it so much. The brush allows for clear, precise application. Best liquid liner I've tried yet.

9. Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Pink Punch: I am completely obsessed with Baby Lips. I have way too many of them. This pink one gives a nice bright pink sheer color that's not too overwhelming and keeps your lips moisturized too! LOVE THESE.

These are the two mascaras I'm currently using. The green tube is Covergirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast and the orange tube is Covergirl LashBlast Volume. I've used the orange one for a few years now and can't find anything better. Best mascara ever. I bought the green one because I'm a sucker for advertising and like it but prefer the orange one.

Elf Studio Blush in Tickled Pink

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Powder in Sunny

These are my ultimate favorite hair products. From left to right:

1. Moroccanoil. Addicted. It's expensive but the bottle literally lasts forever. It will make your hair so so soft. 

2. Batiste Dry Shampoo: Lifesaver. Not kidding. If you are one of those people who washes your hair everyday (we probably aren't friends. kidding. but not really.), stop. Seriously, this dry shampoo can will change your life. I mean why waste time washing and drying your hair when you can just spray this amazing stuff in?? You can find it here.

3. Tresemmé Tres Two Hair Spray: Best bang for your buck. My mom and I go through cans and cans of this stuff. 

4. Suave Sleek Anti-Frizz Cream: My hair has been a little frizzy lately. So I went to Target, searched around and picked out this Garnier serum spray. Big mistake. One spray of that stuff and my hair looked like I hadn't showered in a month. DO NOT BUY. Returned that right away and switched it out for this Suave product. Usually I don't buy Suave because I'm too much of a hair product snob. This cream may convert me. It makes your hair look so sleek and soft but not greasy.  And under 3 bucks! 

Hopefully this post will help someone spend money on some random stuff they don't really need. Always a good thing. Hope you all are having a great Thursday!