Product Review -- e.l.f. Contour Palette

These days, pretty much every makeup company has some type of contouring palette on the market.

There are definitely some good ones, but they're usually pretty pricey and include a wide range of shades so you inevitably wind up paying for shades that don't work for your skin tone.

Fortunately, if you've been looking for a budget-friendly alternative, e.l.f. has once again answered the call.

The e.l.f. Contour Palette comes in a black plastic compact that's similar to the Powder Blush, Cream Blush, Illuminating, and Foundation Palettes. There is a nice big mirror inside that stays open by itself so it's ideal for putting your makeup on when you're traveling.

Product Review -- Becca Ombre Rouge Eye Palette

A year or two back, when Becca Cosmetics first came out with their Ombre Nudes Eye Palette, I was really interested in picking it up.

So one afternoon when I found myself browsing in Sephora, I decided to check the palette out.

I was pretty surprised to find it seriously underwhelming -- the shadows were nice enough, but they all swatched as essentially the same color, with little variation among them.

The shades weren't that unique to begin with, but the fact that they were all so similar to one another killed any desire I had to pick up the palette.

Fast forward about a year later when Becca introduced the Ombre Rouge Eye Palette -- I was drawn to the palette once again, this time because of all the warm shades, but I was hesitant to purchase it because of my experience swatching the Ombre Nudes Eye Palette.

So I held off for a long time ... until recently when I was in Sephora once again and decided to swatch the Ombre Rouge Eye Palette.

I walked out of the store with it so it goes without saying that I had a slightly different experience this time around.

Product Review -- Kat Von D Lock It Foundation

I'm a big fan of Kat Von D's products, but I'd always stayed away from one of her better known ones, the Lock It Foundation.

That's mainly because it's a long-wearing matte foundation, and those typically aren't the best fit for my normal to dry skin.

Still, I've always been somewhat tempted because of its large shade range -- 33 in total -- because I suspected the lightest shade would be a good match for my very fair skin.

So recently, I decided to bite the bullet and give the foundation a try.

And the verdict is still kind of out, to be honest.

Product Review -- Estee Lauder Gritty and Glow Magnetic Eye and Face Palettes

During the Sephora VIB sale a month ago, I tried to focus on getting products that I've been wanting to try for a while.

But I'm a makeup palette junkie so I couldn't resist the opportunity to add another to my collection at a discount.

And the Estee Lauder Gritty and Glow Magnetic Eye and Face Palettes seemed the best way to go because you get both eye and face products in two separate compacts.

It'd been quite a while since I'd tried an Estee Lauder product too, so it was the perfect time to try the brand again.

Product Review -- Too Faced Funfetti Eyeshadow Collection (and 5 Piece Collection)

I am a sucker for cute packaging and fun, gimmicky makeup products -- I can admit that.

That's why I've had my eye on the Too Faced Funfetti Eyeshadow Collection since it was hinted at this past summer.

The palette is exclusive to HSN, and can be purchased on its own or part of a 5-piece collection that also includes a Love Flushed Blush in Funfetti, a Funfetti Lip Gloss in Mocha Freeze, a Better Than Sex Mascara, and heart-shaped mini kabuki brush.

I purchased the entire set because... of course I did.  And I mean, really, it's a better value than the palette alone, so that's how I justified the purchase.

Product Review -- Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick

As big a fan of Hourglass Cosmetics as I am, I've never had much like with their foundations.

I love the finish and coverage of the Veil Fluid Makeup, but the lightest shade is too dark and yellow for my fair skin.

The Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation offers a good shade match for me, but the formula is mattifying so I can only use it during the summer months.

So when I heard that they were coming out with the Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Sticks, I was hopeful that it would finally be the foundation option that would work for me without any qualifications.

In recent years, I've kind of fallen in love with foundation sticks. They're just so quick and easy to use that they're perfect for days when you're in a hurry.

However, I've discovered that not all foundation sticks are created equal.

Product Review -- NYX Sculpt & Highlight Face Duo

During the winter months, I start wearing a lot more cream products.

My skin gets extra dry, so cream blushes and highlighters just seem to look better and more natural.

I've tried my hand at cream contouring too, but the NYX Cream Contour & Highlight Palette was a pretty big disappointment.

Still, I decided to give it another try with the NYX Sculpt & Highlight Face Duo, and fortunately, this go-around went much better.

Product Review -- Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour in Soft Peach

When you're a makeup junkie like I am, you wind up making quite a few impulsive beauty purchases.

I certainly didn't need another blush, but I was poking around on the Clarins website -- a brand that I've never purchased from before -- and something about the Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colours caught my eye.

So I decided to try one out, despite their somewhat steep $32 price tag.

The blushes come in a very sleek gold metallic compact. There is a decent size mirror on the inside, as well as a small, pretty flimsy brush. Clarins also includes a red, velvet-like pouch for the compact that makes the packaging even more special.

Black Friday Steals and Deals

If you're in the U.S., I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving. If you're not in the U.S., I hope you had a happy Thursday.

Either way, you can definitely enjoy some Black Friday deals.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it's all of the sales that I've seen pop up in my inbox or Twitter feed.

Happy shopping!

(I will try to update as I become aware of new sales and deals.)

Anastasia Beverly Hills -- 60% off eyeshadow and contour singles, 50% off Waterproof Creme Color and Concealer, 40% off Contour Kits and Cream Contour Kits, 30% off Lip Gloss and Metallic Luster Liners, 25% off Darkside Liner and new launch of Pro Brushes, 20% off brow products, Illuminators, and Stick Foundation, and 10% off Glow Kits (sale good Friday 11/25 12am through Monday 11/28)

bh Cosmetics -- up to 75% off sitewide (sale good through Friday 11/25 11:59 pm PST)

Clinique -- 25% off sitewide with code 25OFF (sale good Wednesday 11/23 through Tuesday 11/29 @11:59pm PST)

ColourPop -- 20% off all liquid lip products, including bundles, mini kits, and full kits (sale good Thursday 11/24 @ 8pm PST through Friday 11/25 midnight PST)

Dose of Colors -- 20% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY (sale good Friday 11/25 12am PST through Monday 11/28 11:59pm PST)

Inglot -- up to 70% off select items

Juvia's Place -- 30% off sitewide plus free shipping within the U.S. (sale good through Friday 11/25)

Mally Beauty -- 30% off sitewide (sale ends Monday 11/28 at 11:59pm PST)

NARS -- 20% off sitewide with code TAKE20 (sale ends Tuesday 11/29)

OFRA -- 50% off sitewide with code friday50 (sale good Friday 11/24 11pm EST through Saturday 11/26 1am EST)

Stila -- 25% off plus free shipping sitewide with code 25BFSALE (sale ends Friday 11/25)

Tarte -- 25% off sitewide with code FRIYAY (sale good Wednesday 11/23 through Friday 11/24 11:59pm EST)

Product Review -- Juvia's Place Nubian Eye Shadow Palette

I have such a weakness for warm neutral eye shadow palettes.

(Yes, I know that term is a contradiction -- if a shade leans warm, it isn't neutral! -- but lots of makeup brands go with it so I am too.)

Natural looking shades in tones of orange, red, rust, copper, and bronze are pretty much my idea of heaven.

So I was sold on the Nubian Eye Shadow Palette from Juvia's Place since pretty much the first time I saw a picture of it.

Product Review -- Strobe Cosmetics Hotel and Freak Show Palettes

If you read this blog regularly, you know that I focus on mainstream beauty brands most of the time.

The kinds of brands that you can find at your local drugstore, Target, Walmart, Ulta, Sephora, or department store.

And I enjoy those brands and the fact that they're widely available so it's easy for most of us to find them.

That doesn't mean I don't keep an eye out for exciting indie brands, though -- and in fact, lately, I've kind of been on an indie makeup kick.

That's partly because I always think it's a good thing to support small business, but mainly because indie brands seem more willing to try new things and are more responsive to their customers.

They also tend to be cruelty free (and oftentimes vegan too), which is something that I'm trying to become more aware of.

Long story short: you're probably going to be seeing quite a few reviews of products from indie brands in the coming weeks/months.

I'd seen some really good reviews of Strobe Cosmetics on YouTube and various blogs, so I decide to pick up their two eyeshadow palettes, the Freak Show and Hotel Palettes.

Product Review -- Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow Highlight and Contour Palette

One of my biggest makeup pet peeves is palettes that combine powder and cream products.

(It just seems impossible to keep the powders from getting mixed into the creams, which is just kind of gross.)

So I really had no intention of purchasing the Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow Highlight and Contour Palette.

It only has one cream throw in with five powders, but it still annoyed it.

But then Tarte went and had a sale recently where you got a certain dollar amount off based on how much you spent, and I was already picking up the Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette so I bit the bullet and picked up the Pro Glow too.

Hey, it helped me save $15, so why not?

Product Review -- Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette

It seems like Tarte has really been on a new product kick lately.

Every time I turn around, they've come out with something new, and it's starting to feel really difficult to keep up.

Still, from the moment I first laid eyes on the Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette, I knew it was going to be mine.

I'm a sucker for shadow palettes in general, I'm a sucker for warm shadows in particular, and I'm seriously in love with Tarte's metallic shadow formula, which I thought the shimmery shades in the palette might be -- so it was kind of a no-brainer.

Product Review -- Too Faced Totally Cute Eye Shadow Collection

Despite being a big fan of Too Faced's eye shadows and loving the compact design of their little tin palettes in particular, I had no intention of picking up their Totally Cute Eye Shadow Collection.

Don't get me wrong -- there were a few colors in the palette that did catch my eye, but there's also bright pink, which is a very difficult color for me to pull off on my eyes, and a couple of other shades that I just didn't think I'd get much use out of.

But I had an HSN gift card that I hadn't used, and the palette was available on the site with free shipping so I picked it up on a total and complete whim.

And I honestly can't remember being this pleasantly surprised by a palette in a long time.

Because I am seriously in love with the Totally Cute Eye Shadow Collection.

Round Up: Sephora VIB Sale

I just finished placing my Sephora VIB sale order -- it's only been nearly 72 hours that I've been debating over what to purchase.

That's not totally crazy, right?

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to share what I finally decided to pick up, and then shamelessly beg for whoever has or will partake in the sale in the future to share what they bought or have their eye on.

I love hearing about other people's makeup and beauty purchases almost as much I like making my own.

So here's the damage I did:

Product Review -- L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation

These days, with my skin getting drier each year, I love a good dewy or radiant foundation.

If that foundation also happens to be hydrating, well, then, even better.

Particularly now that we're headed into winter and colder weather, and my skin is starting to get its driest. 

That's why I couldn't picking up the L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation when I was at Walgreen's recently.

Product Review -- Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer (and Quickie Blending Sponge)

Whenever I see a lot of hype surrounding a product before I buy it, I become pretty sure that it's never going to live up to my expectations.

It isn't fair, really, but all of the rave reviews and gushing praise for the product just make me set the bar so high in my own mind that it would be virtually impossible for the item to be as good as the hype.

That's exactly the experience that I was expecting with the Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer.

I've seen everyone and their mother rave about this concealer and it's been sold out everywhere for so long that it seemed like the entire world was desperate to get their hands on it (many shades are again sold out everywhere at the time that I'm writing this review, so you may need to be patient if you want to pick it up).

Product Review -- Kat Von D MetalMatte Eyeshadow Palette

Over the past few years, I've tried plenty of eyeshadow palettes (and single shadows too) from Kat Von D, and much to my surprise, I've yet to be really disappointed.

In fact, in most cases, I've been seriously impressed.

If pressed to pick a favorite, I would probably say the Monarch Eyeshadow Palette from a couple of years back, though I really love my Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette too.

I really didn't think anything could top those two.

But the MetalMatte Eyeshadow Palette that's come out recently as part of the Kat Von D holiday collection may actually outclass them (even if only by a hair...).

Product Review -- Tarte Tarteist Paint Palette Collector's Set

Tarte always puts out a ton of holiday kits, and it's always tempting to want to pick up all of them.

But large holiday palettes are often disappointing -- and how much more makeup do I really need? -- so I limit myself to one.

I've seen some pretty lackluster reviews for the Sephora exclusive kit, so I decided to pick up the Tarte Tarteist Paint Palette Collector's Set, which is an Ulta exclusive.

Product Review -- The Balm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette

I am a huge fan of The Balm.

I love their products and I love their packaging, so I always pick up their new palettes and products pretty much as soon as they're available.

Which is why I had to pick up their new holiday palette, The Balm Appetite.

It's designed to look like a menu, with all of the shade names being food puns, and features the usual adorable retro artwork that The Balm uses for all of its products.

Product Review -- Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Collection

I've mentioned a few times that I'm an absolute sucker for peach eyeshadows.

I have blue eyes, so anything peachy, orangey, or coppery really does make them pop, so that's why I gravitate toward those types of shadows.

So you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that Too Faced was coming out with a Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Collection.

 And when I heard it was limited edition, you can bet that I was stalking the Too Faced site on the day it was released, sometime in March, like nobody's business until I got my grubby little hands on one.

I didn't do a review on the palette at the time because as predicted, it sold out in a hurry, and I usually don't review products that I know aren't available any longer.

But the good news is that the amazing popularity of the palette convinced Too Faced to bring it back this winter (along with a Sweet Peach blush and bronzer palette, an individual blush, and gloss). Right now, the Too Faced site says it will be back in December, so I figured it might be a good idea to review it in case anyone was thinking of picking it up -- or putting it on their holiday gift wish list.

Product Review -- Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette

Usually at the holidays, Urban Decay puts out a new Vice Palette.

This year, they decided to do a variation on their matte Naked Basics Palettes with the Naked Ultimate Basics.

At this point, I'm nearly drowning in matte shadow palettes, but I still couldn't resist picking this one up too because the original Naked Basics Palette and the Naked Basics 2 Palette are some of my favorites.

Unlike those palettes, which contain six shadows each, the Naked Ultimate Basics features 12 shadows so if you don't own any matte shadow palettes, it's got all of your basics covered for sure.

Product Review -- Milani Amore Matte Lip Cremes

If you read this blog regularly, you've probably seen me say that I'm not a fan of liquid lipsticks once or twice.

Hell, probably a dozen times at this point.

So you're probably confused to see yet another liquid lipstick review.

What can I say?

I'm a makeup junkie and I just want to try everything.

Fortunately, the Milani Amore Matte Lip Cremes are the kind of liquid lipsticks that I actually do enjoy.

They don't have the wear time and transfer-proof finish of other formulas, but they're also not drying and uncomfortable either.

Product Review -- Tarte Tarteist Metallic Shadows

I love a good matte eyeshadow as much as the next person, but if you forced me to choose between the creamiest of mattes and a high-shine shadow, I'm always going to go for the shimmer.

In particular, I'm a sucker for metallic shadows, which, when done right, always seem to have a really rich, intense appearance on the eyes.

I absolutely love Tarte and most of the products that they put out, so I was very excited when I found out that they'd be doing a line of metallic shadows.

If I'm honest, I was kind of surprised too, because Tarte usually offers more subtle, muted eyeshadow options, which -- don't get me wrong -- I enjoy. But metallic shadows seem a little bolder than Tarte usually go.

So it isn't entirely surprising that all of the shadows in Tarte's Tarteist Metallic Shadow line are more neutral or natural colors. Make no mistake about it, though -- these shadows still manage to make a serious statement.

Product Review -- NYX Ombre Blushes

I'm kind of a sucker for ombre blushes.

Regardless of how they perform, they just always look so beautiful in the pan that I can't seem to resist them.

The one risk involved in purchasing an ombre blush -- if you're not able to see the blush through the packaging or open up the package to check out the blush --- is that you never know exactly how the ombre design will be configured, which can affect the overall color that you get.

For example, if your blush is 90% of one color and 10% of the shades that it fades into, it's going to be pretty close to that first shade. On the other hand, if the gradient effect is divided more evenly among the colors, you might wind up with an entirely new shade.

Still, when I saw the NYX Ombre Blushes, I couldn't stop myself from picking up a couple -- even though I was ordering online and I wouldn't know exactly what I was getting ahead of time.

Product Review -- Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Color

Every makeup brand and their mother has a liquid lipstick on the market these days, and even as someone who isn't particularly a fan of these types of products, I can't resist trying all of them out.

It's a sickness.

So after resisting the Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Colors for a long while (I feel like these have been on the market for over a year, right?), I broke down the other day when I was at Target and picked one up.

Product Review -- L'Oreal Colour Riche Mono Eyeshadows

I don't think of L'Oreal as making particularly noteworthy eyeshadows.

Don't get me wrong -- I have a bunch of the Infallible shadows and few quads that I've picked up over the years that I do really enjoy, but on the whole, I'd probably rate their shadow offerings as pretty meh.

Still, I was intrigued when they came out with their Colour Riche Mono Eyeshadows a while back.

That probably has a little something to do with the fact that they're single eyeshadows, and I feel like I hardly every buy singles anymore.

So I picked up a few at CVS a while back when L'Oreal was on a sale, and I've got to say, I really like these shadows.

Product Review -- NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation

Back in the day, NARS Sheer Glow was one of my very favorite foundations.

It had a nice medium coverage, had a really natural finish on the skin, and always looked really smooth and flawless even on my less than perfect skin.

I didn't fall out of love with the foundation or anything like that -- I just used up the bottle I had, and because I'm a makeup junkie, I decided to try some new foundations rather than replace the Sheer Glow.

So when NARS came out with the All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation a year or so ago, I was pretty excited to try it out.

Product Review -- Maybelline Color Sensational Loaded Bolds Lipsticks and Color Jolt Intense Lip Paint

Maybelline's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks are some of my favorite matte lipsticks.

They're creamy and non-drying, and come in a bunch of great shades.

And they've relatively inexpensive too, so they're pretty perfect.

That's why I was really excited to try the Maybelline Color Sensational Loaded Bolds Lipsticks. 

They're a creamy matte formula too, but they're supposed to deliver high impact color in one swipe.

They come in a variety of bold colors, such as black, white, and even a gorgeous sapphire blue.

Product Review -- IT Cosmetics Superhero Eye Transforming Anti-Aging Super Palette

I've always had really good luck with the IT Cosmetics products that I've tried.

Their Your Skin But Better CC Cream is one of my favorite foundation type products on the market, few concealers offer better coverage than their Bye Bye Under Eye, and their Airbush Silk Illuminizer provides the most amazing glow ever.

So it's safe to say that I think IT Cosmetics hits a lot of homeruns.

I've been really happy with all of their shadow palettes that I've tried too, which is why I was intrigued when I saw the Superhero Eye Transforming Anti-Aging Super Palette. I was particularly interested because unlike their most recent palettes, which contained almost entirely matte shades, this palette offers a mix of shimmery and matte shadows.

Product Review -- Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer

My all-time favorite concealer is the Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer.

Part of my love for it is the fact that the Fair shade works so well with my skin tone, but I also adore the formula -- it's super creamy and hydrating, and amazingly pigmented so I only need to use a little to get the job done.

I will always have a tube of it in my makeup collection.

I lay all that praise at the Maracuja Creaseless Concealer's feet so that when I say that another concealer reminds me of it, you'll understand exactly what it means when I compare another concealer to it.

The Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer reminds me a lot of the Maracuja Creaseless Concealer.

Product Review -- Makeup Revolution Romantic Smoked Redemption Eyeshadow Palette

I've had pretty good lucky with most of the Makeup Revolution products that I've tried.

That's why I couldn't resist picking up another one of their eye shadow palettes when I was at Ulta recently.

It has an amazing satin-y burgundy shade in it. How could I possibly resist?

The Romantic Smoked Redemption Eyeshadow palette definitely has some dark shades that are ideal for a smoky eye, but there are purple and peach tones, as well as the burgundy shade I mentioned above, to live up to the romantic description in its title.

Product Review -- Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Incandescent and Strobe Light Sculptor

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder and Strobe Light Sculptor

I am all about looking glowy, so I love everything related to highlighters and highlighting.

Which is probably why I have a drawer full of more highlighters than I will ever be able to get through in my lifetime.

However, because I'm such a big fan of Hourglass products, I couldn't resist picking up one of their Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders.

I love my Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light, which I'm pale enough to use as an all over finishing powder, so I figured that a product from the same line designed specifically to leave the skin luminous was right up my alley.

I purchased the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Incandescent, which I believe is the lightest shade, because I figured it would be the best fit for my fair skin.

The powder comes in a silver mirrored compact that's similar in shape and design to the Ambient Lighting Powders' and Blushes' compacts. There's a small mirror inside that's big enough for touch-ups.

Product Review -- Makeup Revolution Ultra Base Corrector Palette

Color correcting products have been pretty popular in the makeup world over the past year.

I've stayed away from them mainly because I had bad luck with these kinds of products back in my younger days (long story short -- I wound up going to school in 9th grade with a faint ring of green all around my entire face because of a green primer that I hadn't blended in well enough. Oh the horror!), but I will admit that I've been just a little bit curious.

I mean, I don't have major color correcting needs, but I do get darkness under my eyes and redness in certain areas of my face, such as around the nose, and I wondered if my improved makeup skills might make the difference in how the products performed now as opposed to when I was 15.

I didn't want to spend too much, though, so I decided to give the Makeup Revolution Ultra Base Corrector Palette a try.

I've had good experiences with the other Makeup Revolution products I've tried, so I figured it was a go.

And it was only $10 for eight color corrector shades, which seemed like a pretty good deal.

Product Review -- Revlon Colorstay Not Just Nudes Shadow Palette in Romantic Nudes

These days, every drugstore brand has an eyeshadow palette.

I happen to think that's pretty great because it means that there are a lot of affordable palette options out there to try.

I was interested in trying one of the Revlon Colorstay Not Just Nudes Shadow Palette when they first came out at the end of last year, but I was a little hesitant because I've never been that fond of Revlon's eye shadows.

But Revlon was recently on sale at CVS, though, and I was in the mood for some new makeup, so I decided to bite the bullet and pick up the Not Just Nudes Shadow Palette in Romantic Nudes.

Product Review -- Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Creme, Lock-It Setting Powder, Lock-It Edge Concealer Brush, and Lock-It Powder Brush

Back when Kat Von D first launched her makeup brand, the line included a concealer that I really loved.

I don't recall the name, but it came in a tube and offered serious coverage -- and best of all, came in an ultra light shade that worked with my super pale skin (apparently, they still make it! It's the Lock-It Concealer... not to be confused with the Lock-It Concealer Creme that I mention below.)

Since then, though, I haven't tried any of Kat Von D's face products. That's because the Lock-It Foundation was really the only new one that was added, and because it's geared more toward oily skin, I didn't think my dry face would like it much.

But when I heard that Kat Von D was launching a new concealer, setting powder, and brushes to go along with them, I was intrigued.

So I was very excited when I found out that I was going to receive the products as part of a Kat Von D VoxBox from Influenster.

Product Review -- Wet n Wild Megalow Contouring Palettes and Illuminating Palette

If you're new to contouring or don't do it on a daily basis, it doesn't make much sense to spend big bucks on a contouring palette.

Well, at least in my mind.

Personally, I'm a haphazard contour-er at best, so I'm always on the hunt for budget-friendly contour products.

That's why I decided to finally pick up the Wet n Wild Megaglow Contouring Palettes when I was at Walgreen's recently.

And the Megaglow Illuminating Palette, because while I may not contour everyday, I would bathe in gorgeous highlighters if I could.

Product Review -- ColourPop Creme Gel Liners

When I gave ColourPop's Creme Gel Colours a try, I couldn't resist picking up some of their Creme Gel Liners too.

They're basically the Creme Gel Colours in pencil form, which is pretty cool because sometimes, you just want the ease of a pencil when you're applying eyeliner.

And ColourPop has the same shades for both the Creme Gel Colours and Creme Gel Liners, so if you prefer one formula over the other, you can always get the color that you want.

I picked up the Creme Gel Liners in four shades: Best O, a deep burgundy brown; Call Me, a plummy brown; Over Board, a metallic bronze; and Stomper, a dark cool-toned brown.

Product Review -- ColourPop Creme Gel Colours

As much as I love ColourPop -- and I am seriously head over heels for the brand, for sure -- I'm a little bit behind on their new products and reviewing the ones that I have managed to pick up.

The Creme Gel Colours have been out for a while now, and I've actually had them for quite some time, but so much new makeup stuff seems to come out everyday that I just haven't gotten around to reviewing them.

Please don't take that as any kind of commentary on the products themselves because I've got to say, they're pretty great gel liners (and very affordable too!).

Product Review -- NYX Gotcha Covered Concealer

I've needed a lot of concealer over the past month.

Work's been stressing me out, I haven't been getting enough sleep, and I've been breaking out more than I have in almost 10 years.

It hasn't been much fun.

But it has given me the opportunity to revisit some of the concealers in my collection and see which ones really get the job done.

Of course, I'm a makeup junkie, so I had to try a couple of new ones too.

On a whim, I picked up the NYX Gotcha Covered Concealer when NYX was BOGO-1/2 off at Ulta a while back -- and I've got to say, I'm pretty impressed.

Product Review -- NYX Cream Highlight & Contour Palette

I've been a little reluctant to try cream contouring.

For some reason, it intimidated me, probably because it didn't seem like it left as much room for error as contouring with powder products.

But when you've got the right cream products, it can actually wind up being easier and more natural, especially if you have dry skin, because the creams blend into the skin a little more easily.

I've had a tough time finding a budget-friendly cream contour palette, though, so I was excited to see the NYX Cream Highlight & Contour Palette at Ulta recently.

Product Review -- Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palette

As sad as this might be to admit, there are few things in life that get me as excited as trying out new eye shadow.

What can I say?

 I'm a total eye shadow junkie.

 I just love playing with new colors and testing out different textures and seeing how the new guys play with the other shadows in my collection.

 I was especially excited to try the Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes because I'd heard some pretty good things about them. The palettes are available in 5 pan varieties that are $48 each, and 28 pan varieties that are $239 each.

Product Review -- NYX Full Throttle Shadow Palette

I've always liked NYX's single shadows in their various formulations, but I haven't had much luck with their quads and larger palettes.

It's not that they've necessarily been bad, but they're not particularly impressive so I always feel like there are better options out there.

Still when NYX was BOGO-1/2 off at Ulta recently, I decided to give their Full Throttle Shadow Palettes a try.

They come in 8 different color ranges, and they really caught my eye because there are quite a few interesting combinations. There were a few that tempted me, but because I wasn't sure whether I'd like the shadow formula, I only picked up one in Daring Damsel.

Product Review -- BECCA Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation

Lately, serum type foundation that come with medicine drop-like dispensers seem to be all the rage.

I've tried the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation and the Stila Aqua Glow Serum Foundation, and I like both quite a bit because they have a very lightweight texture but still manage to deliver pretty good coverage.

So I was excited to try the BECCA Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation -- if it performs like the other two and offers a dewy finish like the Stila Aqua Glow, what's not to love?

Product Review -- Stila Perfect Me, Perfect Hue Eye & Cheek Palette

I love a good eye shadow palette, but I'm always lured in by the convenience of a palette that combines eye and cheek products in one.

They're obviously great for travel, but I also really like them for days when I don't want to think too much about my makeup.

I was especially intrigued by Stila's Perfect Me, Perfect Hue Eye & Cheek Palettes, though, because they created four different color schemes to complement various skin tones.

Product Review -- LORAC Pro Eye Shadow Palette 3

I have both the LORAC Pro Eye Shadow Palette 1 and 2, and I get plenty of use out of both.

I'm also a big fan of LORAC's shadow formula -- they're just so soft and creamy! -- so it seemed like a no brainer to pick up the newly released Pro Eye Shadow Palette 3.

Like the first two palettes, 3 comes in extremely thin, compact cardboard packaging, making it very easy to store. There's a small mirror inside that's really only good for touch-ups, but you do get a mini Behind the Scenes Eye Primer (which is actually one of my favorite eye primers).

Product Review -- Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette

I've always had really good luck with the Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH) eye shadow palettes.

Which means I've never purchased one that I didn't love.

And yet, I still haven't gotten around to purchasing any of the brand's single shadows.

Weird, right?

But that's sort of beside the point -- my real point is that I often decide to buy an ABH palette without ever seeing it.

I'll hear that they're coming out with something and just assume that it's something I'll want.

That wasn't exactly the case with the ABH Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette.

The first time I heard about it was when I saw a photo on Instagram, and it was quite literally love at first sight.

Product Review -- Tarte Swamp Queen Palette

I'm a pretty big fan of Tarte, so I'd say that, conservatively speaking, I purchase at least 75% of the palettes that they put out.

I'm also a big fan of supporting people in the YouTube/blogging beauty community, which means I was pretty sure that I'd pick up the Swamp Queen Palette that Tarte put out in collaboration with grav3yardgirl from YouTube.

However, what really sold me on the palette was the colors -- it's an interesting combination of warm peachy, reddish tones and some pretty purple-y, taupe-y shades, all of which are right in my wheelhouse.

Product Review -- Buxom Dolly's Wild Side Eyeshadow Palette

About a year ago, Buxom came out with individual shadows.

I've always been a fan of the brand, having enjoyed all of the products from the line that I tried, and I'd liked their previous foray into the world of eye shadow -- I don't believe they're available any longer, but they were quints that came in little black compacts similar to their blush packaging -- so I was interested in giving the new shadows a go.

But there's always so much going on in the world of makeup that I didn't get around to picking any up for quite some time.

When I finally decided to take the plunge, I actually opted for a pre-made palette of the shadows.

Dolly's Wide Side Eyeshadow Palette contains six of the shadows, which normally retail for $12 each. The palette is only $40, though, so you're getting nearly 3 shadows free.

And the size of the shadows that you get in the Dolly Palette are identical to those that you would purchase individually.

Product Review -- Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palette

I've mentioned before that I've kind of become obsessed with blush palettes lately.

I just love having a bunch of pretty colors in one convenient place.

Most of the blush palettes that I've picked up are on the pricey side, so I was really excited to try the Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palette -- because for just $10, you get eight shades.

That's a pretty great deal, right?