Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Drug Store Mini Haul + Reviews/Swatches


Finally, a review on the beauty products from my drug store mini haul! For the past two weeks I have been testing the products from Almay, Rimmel London, Wet N’ Wild, and Jordana that I bought at Walgreen's. Below are swatches and my thoughts on each item. Note: the following expresses my honest opinions on these products. I am not an expert, nor am I endorsed by any of the following cosmetic companies.


Almay Intense I-Color Shadow Stick
020 for blue eyes

Expectations: According to Almay, the Intense I-Color Shadow Stick has “multifaceted pigments [that] boost natural brilliance of your eye color,” it “won’t crease, fade or smudge all day long,” and has “rich vibrant color in expertly coordinated shades.”

First Impression: I typically don’t go for shadow sticks simply because I am accustomed to powder eye shadows, but I wanted to try this product since it claims to enhance your natural eye color. I have blue eyes, so my shadow stick shades are a dark brown and a gold/bronze color. As you will see from the swatches below, these shimmery shadows are very pigmented.

Review: This shadow stick proved to be an excellent drug store eye shadow. These shades are great for blue eyes; my eyes really did pop! Pros: blendable, long-lasting, pigmentation, creamy consistency, and color choices. I was most impressed with the fact that these shadows really do last all day as promised. However, my only complaint is that they do crease over time. I used the dark brown shadow for a brown smokey eye, and because the gold/bronze shadow was a bit light for my taste, I used it as a primer for a bronzey make up look. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this product. A lot of bang for your buck!




Available at drug stores for $7.99


Almay Intense I-Color Shimmer-I Kit
422 trio for blue eyes

Expectations: Almay says that the Intense I-Color Shimmer-I Kit “instantly brightens eyes with light catching minerals,” “1,2,3 easy application,” and for “all day wear.”

First Impression: I have been looking for a grey shadow for a while, and the dark blue shade looked perfect for the holidays and/or a night out on the town! Obviously because this palette is for big blues, I had to have it.

Review: I LOVE these shadows! I have been wearing the grey shadow on my eye lids and the dark blue as a crease color for the day time and it does last all day. I am also considering creating a vibrant dark blue make up look for New Years. The pink shade is not my favorite, but it is a pretty highlight color for under the brows. Pros: color choices, versatility, pigmentation, and packaging. The only part of this kit that I was not a fan of is the pink shadow. In conclusion, if you have blue eyes, this is the perfect palette for you!




Available at drug stores for $7.49
http://www.almay.com/products/eyes/eyeshadow.aspx


Rimmel London Glam’Eyes Quad Eye Shadow
002 Smokey Brun for blue eyes

Expectations: Rimmel London claims that this eye shadow quad is a “soft silky formula for smooth saturated colour. Long-wear, crease-resistant quad eye shadow.”

First Impression: I originally picked this quad up because I was looking for a champagne color to create holiday make up looks. The two lighter shades (one is a light, almost white shimmery shade and the other is similar except it appears to have pink undertones) stood out to me.

Review: I do like this quad, but I am not impressed with the pigmentation of the lighter eye shadows. The two darker colors (a deep plum/purple and golden shade) are much more pigmented. These darker colors could actually be dupes for Too Faced’s Natural Eye palette colors Push-Up and Honey Pot. The lighter shades could serve as great highlighters, especially the white shimmery shade. In conclusion, I would buy this product, especially if I was looking for Too Faced dupes, but I did not get the champagne color I wanted out of the light shades of the quad.




Available at drug stores for $5.68


Wet N’ Wild Mega Last Lip Color & Jordana Easyliner Retractable Lip Pencil
902C Bare It All (lipstick), Rock N’ Rose (lip pencil)

Expectations: Wet N’s Wild’s Mega Last Lip Color is said to be a “4-hour, longwearing lip color [that] leaves a semi-matte, crème finish in one stroke. Glides on easily with rich, velvety color that doesn't cake, feather, or bleed.” The Easyliner Retractable Lip Pencil from Jordana claims to have a “silky smooth soft glide formula,” “excellent color coverage; rich semi-matte finish,” and for “all-day wear.”

First Impression: I bought this lipstick and lip pencil pair in order to achieve a nude lip without pink undertones. I wanted a brown nude color for the fall and winter seasons. I instantly liked that both of these lip products were matte shades, which is something I look for in day time make up.

Review: For $2, Bare It All is the ideal nude lipstick cheapie. It does not last quite four hours, but it does last a lot longer than some of my more expensive lipsticks. Pros: color, creamy consistency, pigmentation, moisturizing, and cheap. My only con is that it does transfer throughout the day. The Jordana lip pencil is almost identical to Bare It All, so they make a great pair! Also at $2, Rock N’ Rose is one of the best shades that can be used with a wide variety of other lipstick colors. I think that it is a must-have beauty cheapie.




Available at drug stores for $1.99 (lipstick) and $1.99 (lip pencil)


Some of you may have noticed in my previous blog that I also purchased Almay’s TLC (truly lasting color) foundation. This foundation was a repurchase and I will write a blog post solely on this beauty product later because it is my all-time favorite foundation.

Have you tried any of these beauty products? What did you think? Also, do any of you know of a drug store champagne eye shadow? Would you like to see more hauls from me? Beauty and fashion?


Your fair lady,

callieeliza

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Coming Soon.. Drug Store Mini Haul + Reviews!


Happy December, my fair ladies! My senior year of college has left little time for blogging, but I return to you with good tidings: a drug store mini haul and reviews are coming your way this week! I made a trip to Walgreen's earlier today in hopes of finding gorgeous new lip and eye products to test out. Expect a post within the next few days disclosing my thoughts on beauty products on a budget from Almay, Wet N' Wild, Jordana, and Rimmel

Do you have any favorite beauty products from these brands?

Your fair lady,

callieeliza


Here's a sneak peak..

Monday, September 17, 2012

Beauty Review: Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit and Corrector



My fair ladies! Today I will be sharing with you my first beauty product review. I happen to be one of those unfortunate women with unforgiving, dark under eye circles. It doesn’t matter how much sleep I get, I still look like I have two black eyes. For the past year or so, I have been using Clinique’s All About Eyes Concealer (04 Medium Petal) and All About Eyes (an eye cream). I think that these products are great for people with little to moderate under eye darkness, but I wanted to find a concealer that offered a bit more coverage.

A couple of weeks ago, I started doing some research in order to find the perfect concealer. I am a big fan of the technique that Kim Kardashian’s make-up artist uses in which the under eye concealer serves as a highlighter as well. So, my goal is to recreate that look that’s also a little more wearable for everyday use. After reading too many reviews, I was impressed most with the things I heard about Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer and Corrector.  

After a trip to Belk, I returned home with Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer (Sand), the Sheer Finish Pressed Powder (Pale Yellow), and the Corrector (Porcelain Bisque). My entire experience with Bobbi Brown was phenomenal. First of all, let me say that the Bobbi Brown rep was beyond helpful! Loved her! The corrector combined with the concealer made an incredible difference. Not only do they provide full coverage, but it honestly looks like I got an eye lift. After applying foundation, I use my ring finger to apply and blend the Corrector under my eyes and on my lids (covering veins). Then I do the same process with the Creamy Concealer and finish by setting it with the Sheer Finish Pressed Powder to prevent from creasing.

My under eye circles are very faint with the use of these products. If I wanted to diminish the remaining under eye darkness, the Bobbi Brown rep recommended an under eye serum such as Estee Lauder’s Idealist Refinishing Eye Serum. I cannot say that the use of just these three products completely recreates the Kim K look, so I will still be searching for other products such as a highlighter. However, I would absolutely recommend the combination of these Bobbi Brown products to anyone looking to cover up their raccoon eyes.


What is your favorite concealer/corrector? What highlighters have you tried and what are your thoughts about them? What other Bobbi Brown products do you like?



Your fair lady,

callieeliza


Products mentioned:

FYI – When choosing a shade, look for a concealer that is two to three shades lighter than your foundation.

Photo credit: callieeliza

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Online Shopping: Tobi.com

Hello, my fashionable ladies! Let's face it, one of the best go-to procrastination activities (other than Pinterest) is online shopping. There are several websites that I check on a regular basis, but I will write reviews about those sites later. Today I want to tell you about a website that I recently discovered called Tobi. Tobi.com has tons of cute, well-priced clothing items that appeal to wide varieties of personal style. Last week I ordered a few items from Tobi: a white wrap dress, a cream blazer, and a black infinity scarf that I should receive in the mail by the beginning of next week. I will post a blog about my experience with ordering from Tobi.com as well as my thoughts and pictures of the clothes. But for now, check out Tobi and let me know what you think!

Your fair lady,

callieeliza

Friday, August 31, 2012

My Top Three Health and Fitness Tips




Welcome, my fit ladies to my first fitness and health blog! Let me start by saying that I am by no means an expert on health, nor am I a certified personal trainer. However, over the past few years, I have digested an insane amount of information about general health through blogs, magazines, books, etc. Today, I am going to share with you my top three tips I have learned along the way. Usually I see lists that have 20, 50, and 100 tips, but I think that’s a bit overboard. The following three tips are simple, yet could potentially make big changes to your life.


1. Drink water

Some might say this is common sense. Perhaps it is, but you don't need just a couple of glasses a day; you need several! I recently came across an article on Pinterest about Lauren Conrad's beach body routine. Her trainer recommended drinking an ounce of water for every pound you weigh. For example -- on a good (OK, great) day -- I weigh 125 pounds, therefore, I drink 125 ounces of water every day. This ends up being a little less than six glasses in the big tumbler cups (they can hold 24 ounces). You can find them at Bed Bath & Beyond (you know, the clear ones with your initials or favorite sports teams.. of course mine are Georgia Bulldogs!) I’m not saying to go out and buy one, but this is how I keep track of my daily water consumption. Find a method that works for you.

Fact – I also read a study on women that added at least one liter of water to their daily diet. These women lost on average over five pounds a year by making this small, easy change!


2. Eat processed foods SPARINGLY!

They don’t say “abs are made in the kitchen” for no reason! I’ve learned that if there are more than four ingredients on a food label, STAY AWAY! Now, I know you are probably thinking that every food item in the grocery store has more than four ingredients, but you’re forgetting the most important section: the produce aisle! Add as many fruits and vegetables to your diet as possible; eat clean! My favorite place to buy fruits and veggies is the local farmers market. Not only will you find boatloads of fresh, organic food, but you will also save a lot of money buying from the farmers market rather than a grocery store. My favorites right now are watermelon, kiwi, squash, and zucchini.

Also try – Greek yogurt, brown rice, and nuts.

Especially avoid – Frozen dinners, crackers/chips, and most canned foods.



3. Add some cardio to your life

I am NOT the type of person that spends three hours in the gym a day (I did a couple of summers ago, but I was a loser back then :-).) I am a full time college student with a job, plus I like sleep, but I do need some form of exercise in my daily routine. This year, I am parking across the street from my college so I end up walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes (15 minutes to class, and 15 minutes back.) I realize that this is not a great deal of exercise, but I like to focus more on my diet or “lifestyle.” Everyone should figure out a way to add at least 20 minutes of exercise to their schedules, whether it’s taking the dog for a walk or lifting weights in the gym.


What lifestyle changes have worked for you? Which of the three changes above would you like to try? I would love to hear your thoughts and tips!


Your fair lady,

callieeliza

Photo credit: http://inspirefitness.tumblr.com/
Sources: http://www.laurenconrad.com/post/shape-up-lauren-conrad-bikini-boot-camp-fitness-plan
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/20-habits-skinny-people-live-by