Review -- bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 8.0 in The Power Neutrals

 When it comes to makeup, there are many types of products that I have trouble resisting.

Anything peachy tops that list for sure.

But coming in at a close second is neutral/natural/naked eyeshadow palettes.

It's probably because I just get so much use out of them.

Now, don't get me wrong -- I love playing with colorful eye shadows as much as the next girl, but when I'm in a hurry or just don't feel like thinking too much about my makeup, out comes my UD Naked or Naked 2 Palette, my The Balm Nude'Tude Palette, my LORAC Pro Palette, et al.

As far as I'm concerned, I just can't have enough natural eye shadow options.

(Clearly, since my last post was about the Mally Easy on the Eyes TSV featuring the In the Buff Vol. 2 Palette and here's another yet another one ...)

When I first saw the bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 8.0 in The Power Neutrals presented on QVC a couple of months back, though, I did resist.

Product Alert -- Mally Easy on the Eyes TSV from QVC

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you probably realize that I am a total sucker for QVC's beauty TSVs.

They're just such good values and can be a really great way to try a brand that you're not familiar with.

However, in all the years that I've been purchasing TSVs -- and it's been at least 10 now -- I have never purchased a Mally Beauty collection.

I've tried a couple of Mally's products over the years -- lipglosses, eye shadow sticks, eye liners, and mascara -- but I guess none of her previous TSVs really caught my eye.

However, when I saw that her upcoming collection scheduled to air on QVC on July 5th contained an eye shadow palette, I was pretty much sold.

Ditching Google Reader and Discovering Bloglovin

I am certainly not the most computer literate, internet savvy person in the world.

The fact that I can manage this blog, post photos and links, etc. sometimes seems like a minor miracle.

 So when I first started seeing stuff about Google Reader going bye-bye, I honestly didn't understand what it meant.

Yeah, I'm a little slow.

I get it now -- it's how I and probably some of you follow all of your favorite blogs so all the new posts are waiting conveniently for you each time you log in. I don't know about you, but I'm so lazy that if I had to hunt down new posts from all the blogs I like each day, I probably wouldn't keep up with very many and that would be a serious bummer.

That's where Bloglovin comes in -- it works just like Google Reader in that you can follow all of your favorite blogs, with the newest posts popping up at the top of your dashboard, but I actually find it to be a bit more user friendly.  If you want to keep following this blog, you can click the icon below and sign up:





I'm in the process of re-following all of my favorite blogs on Bloglovin and it's actually really easy even if you don't have a direct link like the one above. All you have to do is type the name of the blog in Bloglovin's search box and click follow.

Piece of cake, right?

Hope you're all having a great weekend. I got to see Fleetwood Mac at Jones Beach last night (if you're not from the NY-metro area, Jones Beach Theater is about the best venue in the world to see a concert because it's outdoors, right on the water. Nothing better than live music and the ocean -- am I right?)and they were beyond fabulous. I want to be just half as good at life at their age as they are, I swear.

Review -- Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Highlighter Stick in Sparkling Sands

Lately, I've been kind of obsessed with cream products.

In particular, I've been loving the natural, glowy way that cream blush looks on my cheeks -- and that kind of inspired me to branch out to cream highlighters.

Every highlighter that I own is powdered and while I love most of them, I wanted something a little more natural for summer. I got a sample size of Benefit's Watts Up as part of my birthday gift from Sephora and it's a nice product but I find the shade to be a little golden for my porcelain skin.

So when I was in Target recently picking up toothpaste and Diet Coke, the Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminousity Highlighter Stick totally caught my eye.

This and That -- The Balm's Time Balm Foundations (Light vs. Lighter than Light)

(This post is probably only of interest to my fellow fair skinned folks, but if you have a friend or family member who struggles to find foundations that are light enough to match their skin tone and you like to help them out with suggestions, you may want to read it too.)

I reviewed the Balm's Time Balm Foundation a while back when I purchased it from Haute Look.

It's a pretty nice product -- a cream foundation that blends easily, covers well and has good lasting power -- but I did have an issue with the color match.

I'd purchased it in the lightest shade available at the time, Light, and found it to be a bit too dark and maybe orange-y for my skin tone.

Now, there were ways I could get it to work (sheering it out with a damp sponge, layering a light powder over it, etc.) but I'm always less likely to reach for a foundation that requires that kind of effort than one that I can just throw on and go.

Review -- Victoria's Secret Eye Shadow Quad in Eye Contact

I have a confession to make.

I have totally and completely fallen off the eye shadow wagon.

When I was making beauty-related resolutions for 2013, my goal was to cut back on eye shadow purchases.

Sure, I have too much makeup in general, but it's the eye shadow drawers of my collection that I think would make the most convincing case for me as a hoarder. And since powdered products last longer than cream and liquid items, it's not like I'm anticipating having to throw away any of the shadows in my collection anytime soon.

And yet, I am terribly weak when it comes to eye shadow -- singles, quads, palettes... you name it and all the pretty colors just suck me.

I'm honestly surprised that I've made it to the middle of the year before I started caving on the shadow issues, actually.

Tarte Journey to Natural Beauty AD Shipment #2 from QVC

Back in January, I received the Tarte Journey to Natural Beauty TSV from QVC.

While it was a pretty simple, basic kit, it was one of my favorite TSVs in a long time because it included three new products that pretty much rocked my world and just had all the staples you'd need to do a pretty, full face of makeup.

That's why I was excited when the second installment of the AD plan arrived on my doorstep yesterday -- and I've got to say, I think I like this one even better than the first because it has all those fabulous products I loved from kit #1 but I actually like the colored products in this one a bit better.

Review - It Cosmetics Anti-Aging Celebration Foundation (with brush)

A couple of years back, I purchased the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer and Bye Bye Pores Powder.

I like both products quite a bit and find that they're nice additions to my makeup collection, but I can't say that I was wowed by them.  I mean, I have under eye concealers that I like a little better than the Bye Bye Under Eye and the Bye Bye Pores really does make my pores disappear but I find that I can only use it in warmer weather since it can look a little powdery on dry skin.

However, recently, I've been on an It Cosmetics kick. I've purchased quite some new things and I have to say, most of them have wowed me.

The Celebration Foundation definitely falls in that category.

Review -- NYX Butter Gloss in Peaches and Cream & Cherry Pie

When it comes to lipgloss, I don't mind a sticky formula.

That's because a sticky gloss usually has pretty good staying power -- and I don't mind putting with some stickiness if it means I won't have to keep applying my gloss all day long.

(Well, I don't mind the stickiness until the wind picks up and keeps throwing my hair in face so it sticks to my lips like glue.  Then I absolutely, completely hate it.)

However, if there's a gloss that isn't at all sticky *and* can last a good long while, then I'm all over it. 

That's exactly what you get with the NYX Butter Glosses.

May 2013 Favorites

In May, it finally started to feel like summer around these parts and there were definite adjustments to my makeup routine as a result.

Accordingly, there were a few products that I found myself turning to all month for the perfect warm-weather look. 

Oh, and I actually have a skincare product to mention this month as well.  I know, I know ... will wonders never cease?

The Balm Spring Giveaway Winner

First of all, I want to apologize for disappearing this week.

I have a new assignment for work that is seriously stressing me out -- so badly, actually, that I've developed some pretty terrible writer's block and somehow it spread to blog posts (and emails and tweets and basically anything that required stringing more than two words together.) 

Fortunately, I had a small breakthrough on the project today so hopefully the block will lift in all writing areas. I have my May favorites all ready to go for a post... I've just got to write it.

Anyway, on to the important stuff...

The winner of the Balm Spring Giveaway is Georgia Karantani.  Congratulations, Georgia!  I've sent you an email so please check you inbox when you get a chance.

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway -- I loved reading the comments about your favorite summer colors. I was actually inspired to play with color a lot this week because of them -- and reads along with the blog. I've got a few more giveaway planned in the coming months so keep an eye out.