Product Review -- Stila Aqua Glow Serum Foundation and Concealer

There are a so many new foundation and concealers on the market at the moment, so as a total and utter foundation/concealer junkie, I've had a difficult time trying to decide which ones to try.

Now, ideally, I'd try each and every one of them, but I've got a limited budget so that just isn't practical.

But the fastest way to convince me that a foundation is worth trying is to put the word "glow" somewhere in the name -- which is why I grabbed the Stila Aqua Glow Serum Foundation and Concealer as soon as they were available.

Product Review -- Urban Decay Urban Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette

With so many nude, neutral, or natural palettes on the market these days, it's kind of refreshing when a collection of shadows comes out that actually features bolder, brighter hues.

And I say that as someone who doesn't really rock colorful looks all that often (with my incredibly pale skin, the look is usually more clown-like than fierce).

It's just nice to have some options.

So when I had a Sephora gift card that needed spending, I decided to go a little outside my usual box and pick up the Urban Decay Urban Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette.

While most of UD's palettes seem to contain a mix of natural and brighter tones, the Urban Spectrum Palette really only has four natural/neutral shades -- but it's such a gorgeous collection of colors that I think it'll appeal to plenty of people.

Product Review -- LORAC Nude Necessities Eye Shadow Palette

I don't know about you, but it feels like the whole nude/natural eye shadow palette trend has been going on forever.

Not that I'm complaining, really -- those types of palettes tend to get the most use in my collection because they work well for pretty much any situation and I can always come up with a look that flatters my fair skin.

But at the rate we're going, I'm going to have a ton of nude/natural palettes before long -- and I bet other makeup junkies feel the same way.

Of course, I could just stop buying them, but like a true makeup fiend, I have a compulsion to try all the new stuff that there is and since makeup brands keep coming up with nude palettes, I keep trying them.

Enter the LORAC Nude Necessities Eye Shadow Palette.

Product Review -- Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette

I've mentioned before that I've been obsessed with blush palettes recently.

I mean, I've always liked blush, but there's something about having several pretty shades all in one convenient place that just really makes me happy these days.

So as much as I told myself that I didn't need the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette (I already have 101 blush shades ... could there really be any unique shade in this one?), I wound up caving. 

Because I absolutely love the UD Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette, and the blush version has the same sturdy plastic packaging with the cool black-and-white cutout design under clear plastic for a polka dot effect and gold accents, including an antiqued metal label with the palette name.

In other words, it's totally the kind of palette that looks fabulous sitting out on your vanity.

Product Review -- Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Matte Liquids

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquids in Nude Thrill, Nude Flush, Possessed Plum (l. to r.)

You'd have to be living under a rock to not know that liquid lipsticks are just about the hottest trend in makeup these days.

More specifically, every brand and their mother seems to be coming out with matte liquid lipsticks. As I've mentioned before, this isn't really my favorite type of lip product because they tend to be so drying and uncomfortable to wear.

But that doesn't mean that I don't see the value in having some liquid lipsticks in my collection -- they definitely have staying power that traditional lipsticks or glosses don't.

So I was excited to try Maybelline's version, the Color Sensational Vivid Matte Liquids.

Product Review -- Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Collection

It seems like every drugstore makeup brand has new eyeshadow palettes out these days.

Not that I'm complaining -- I'm always excited when we get more affordable shadow options to try out.

And since I really like the Milani Bella Eyes Eyeshadow singles, I was especially excited to test out their new Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Collections.

These palettes contain 6 shadows and come in 6 different shade selections, so there really is bound to be an option that appeals to everyone.

The palettes come in sturdy plastic packaging with gold metallic accents. Instead of the usual sponge tip applicators, they include a small double-ended brush, with one end featuring a flat shader style brush and the other a dome style crease brush.

Product Review -- Tarte Tartelette Tease Palette

I'm a big fan of the Tarte Tartelette Palette and maybe even a bigger fan of the Tartelette 2 In Bloom Palette.

That's because the original all matte version offers really nice, smooth shadows, but the newest version has a few shimmery shades thrown in too, and I'm someone who usually wants at least a little shimmer in my eye looks.

Those palettes are $45 each, though, and while I think they're worth every penny, they might not fit everyone's budget.

Enter the Tartelette Tease Palette.

Product Review -- Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blush Wardrobe

I've been kind of obsessed with blush palettes lately.

It all started a few months back when I depotted all of my Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes and put them in a couple of a Z Palettes -- because it was just so convenient to have a variety of shades in one place. I'd leave the palettes out on my vanity and whenever I was in a rush, it was super easy to just grab one and find the perfect shade.

Since then, I've been seeking out pre-made blush palettes so when I saw that Too Faced was releasing a one, it immediately went on my holiday wish list.

The Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blush Wardrobe contains all six shades of the Love Flush Blushes. I've been interested in these blushes since they came out, but I was having a hard time justifying purchasing any more full size blushes when I already have so many.

Product Review -- Too Faced Born This Way Absolute Perfection Foundation

I am a total sucker when it comes to new foundations.

Particularly when they promise me radiant skin -- because I'm all about glowing skin, even more so now that I'm getting older.

So as soon as Too Faced announced the Born This Way Absolute Perfection Foundation, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

I mean, just look to the way that Too Faced describes it:

Born This Way is an oil-free foundation that masterfully diffuses the line between makeup and skin. For coverage so undetectable, you can’t see the makeup and you can’t see imperfections—all that’s left is naturally radiant skin that looks like you were Born This Way.

Sign up me!

Product Review -- Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation

As someone with dry skin, finding a foundation at the drugstore that I really love can be tough.

Even formulas that aren't drying don't really do much to smooth dry patches, so they often wind up looking cakey and patchy.

It's not a good look.

So I was excited when I heard that Maybelline was coming out with a hydrating foundation. Its soft matte finish was also intriguing, because hydrating and matte aren't typically two words that go together on makeup labels.

The Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation is definitely unique in the claims that it makes. The company describes it as a gel-whipped foundation that is its first hydrating matte foundation that provides velvet smooth perfection.

Product Review -- Maybelline The Blushed Nudes and The Rock Nudes Eyeshadow Palettes

When Maybelline introduced their first 12-pan shadow palette, The Nudes, a couple of years back, I immediately picked it up.

I was very excited by the prospect of a drugstore brand making a real, honest to goodness palette, so I was eager to try it.

I liked The Nudes, but I was overly impressed by the shadows so when Maybelline released The Blushed Nudes Palette about a year ago, I didn't pick it up even though the colors really appealed to me.

When I saw new The Rock Nudes Palette at Ulta recently, I decided that maybe it was time to try to the Maybelline palettes again -- and since they were BOGO-half off, I picked up The Blush Nudes too.

Product Review -- CoverGirl Tru Naked Eyeshadow Palettes

There are so many exciting, intriguing new products at the drugstore these days that I feel like I wind up picking up something every time I stop by CVS, Walgreen's, or Target for toothpaste or deodorant.

It's a problem only fellow makeup junkies will understand.

When it comes to new products, though, the ones that I've probably been most excited to try are CoverGirl's Tru Naked Eyeshadow Palettes.

Because, to be honest, I haven't really enjoyed a CoverGirl eyeshadow since I was a teenager -- and that's years and years ago.

The Tru Naked Palettes come in three shades: Nudes, Goldens, and Roses. They are clearly meant to mimic Urban Decay's Naked Palettes, though they have fewer shadows (8 vs. 12) and don't have exact shade-for-shade dupes in my opinion.