Review: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dazzled

I know, I'm so late to the party on this one. These beauties have been raved about for what seems like forever, but I have finally just recently gotten my hands on one. 

The Tarte Amazonian 12-hour Blush is infused with natural clay that is harvested from the Amazon River and then naturally baked in the sun. Its not only filled with nutrients and healthy ingredients, but its also made without all of the bad stuff (parabens, sulfates, GMOs, synthetic fragrances, etc). The formula benefits all skin types, which in my opinion is just amazing - a one size fits all blush. The Amazonian clay balances the skin. Its helps those with oily skin by minimizing oil in and around the pores, helping the product stay in place. For those of us with dry skin, this blush uses hydrating properties to naturally restore the skins moisture. Lastly, combination skin types get the best of both worlds. This product zeros in on everyone's skin concerns and delivers all of its amazing benefits. Now that you've heard the spiel, lets hear my review.

The shade Dazzled ($26.00) * is described as a soft rose by Sephora, but I see it as a pinkier plum. My boyfriend called it raspberry colored, which I totally agree with. Whatever you want to call the color, its just perfect for fall and winter. It has some small shimmer, but its hardly noticeable when applied. Its so natural looking! It goes on the cheeks like a dream - the pigmentation is great, and it blends well. As far as the 12-hour staying power goes, I don't know. I haven't had the need to use it for a full twelve, but it has lasted me at least 8 hours which is good enough for me. It is without a doubt longer lasting than my MAC blushes. I love their packaging, shade range, longevity, and ingredients. I'll be adding quite a few of these to my birthday/holiday wishlist!

Do you own a Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush? What shades do you recommend?

New Nighttime Skincare Routine

If you saw my last post, then you know that I've recently acquired tons of new products to build my new skincare routines - one for the morning, and one for the evening. Today I wanted to share with you what I will be testing out before bed. I'll try to do a couple of updates, which will act as mini reviews. 

Before I tell you about what I'll be using, I just wanted to say that this is my first time ever creating a strict routine. I have combination skin, but definitely am more on the dry side. I get oily on my t-zone sometimes, but my skin is still flakey in those areas. I use makeup primers to control my oil, but I never include anything drying as far as skincare goes. In the evening I have decided to use an eye cream, a serum, and then a heavy moisturizer. 

My skincare routine will go a little bit like this: 

+ Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream * | $34.00

+ Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C x 30 Brightening Serum * | $85.00

And then I will choose one of these two moisturizers, depending on how my skin is feeling:

+ Boscia Super Charge Overnight Moisture * | Full size $36.00

+ BareMinerals Purely Nourishing Cream for Dry Skin * | Full size $28.00

I've been using these products for four days now, and so far so good. In no more than a week I will write a review on these four products, and give you a skin update - so keep an eye out! My AM routine is still being made too, so that'll be up asap. Thanks for stopping by!

Fall Haul Part I: Skincare

Guys, I think that I have finally  been bitten by the skincare bug. After ignoring my skin for the last nineteen years, I have made it my mission to stop being the girl who answers "make-up wipes and any old moisturizer I can find laying around" when asked what her skincare routine consists of. So in this post, I'm going to show you some new products that I have recently gotten - short and simple. Enjoy!

+ Clinique Even Better Skin Correcting Moisturizer Deluxe Sample * | Full size $47.00
+ BareMinerals Purely Nourishing Cream for Dry Skin Deluxe Sample * | Full size $28.00
+ Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser Deluxe Sample * | Full size $30.00
+ Dior Hydra Life Skin Perfect Pore Refining Perfecting Moisturizer Deluxe Sample * | Full size $67.00
+ Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream * | $34.00
+ DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum Deluxe Sample * | Full size $72.25
+ Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C x 30 Vitamin C Brightening Serum * | $85.00

+ Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel * | $35.00
+ Boscia Luminizing Black Mask * | $34.00
+ Boscia Self-Defense Vital Antioxident Moisture SPF 30 0.5 oz * | 1 oz Full Size $36.00
+ Boscia Super-Charge Overnight Moisture 0.5 oz * | 1 oz Full Size $36.00
+ Boscia Super Cool De-Puffing Eye Balm * | $26.00
+ Boots Expert Anti-Redness Serum | $7.99

A lot of good stuff, right? I'm most excited about the Peter Thomas Roth and Boscia items. I can't wait to form a new skincare routine and share it with you all - also keep an eye out for some reviews! The Fall Haul Part II: Makeup will be up in a few days. Hope you all had a relaxing weekend!

Inside Birchbox: POP Beauty Aqua Lacquer Review

Hi everyone, I'm so sorry for being MIA the last few days. I started my new job, went to some college open houses, and tried to spend as much time with my friends and family while I could. Today I'm going to review another product that I received in my October Birchbox - the POP Beauty Aqua Lacquer in Flowering Fuchsia. 

When I first glanced at this product, my first thought was "oh no, this is not something I would have picked for myself" - I'm not really a lip gloss person, and if anything I like subtle nude glosses. The color in the tube is a bright hot neon pink, but its a little bit more sheer when on the lips. The consistency is super thick and tacky, but because of this it has longer staying power and also adds a wet/juicy effect to the lips. The applicator is a flat paddle, which I strongly dislike. Distributing the product evenly and easily, in my opinion, is a nightmare. Definitely not a quick, hassle-free "no mirror" gloss. Overall, I'm not as disappointed as I thought I would be. My lips look fuller, and juicier when wearing this gloss, and the sheer hot pink is quite flattering. The thickness is a little uncomfortable... and my boyfriend wants nowhere near me when I have this stuff on. Maybe with a better applicator I would consider trying different shades but for now I'm going to pass on repurchasing. You can purchase this POP Beauty Aqua Lacquer for $14.00 on Birchbox.

Are you a lipgloss lady, or a lipstick lover like me?

Review: NARS Dolce Vita Powder Blush

Ah, I have another beautiful NARS Powder Blush to review for you all today and its in the shade Dolce Vita. This is one of the two NARS blushes I own, the other one being Amour which a reviewed a while back. Lets get right into it.

As with all NARS products, Dolce Vita came in their signature black rubberized packaging which is super sleek and luxurious. The only downside is that it becomes really dirty, really quickly - but its nothing a simple swipe of a napkin can't fix. The shade itself is a matte dusty rose which is just b-e-a-utiful for fall. As with all their matte shades, Dolce Vita isn't dull or flat. The pigmentation is amazing, and the texture is incredibly soft. It truly works like a dream, and its so easy to blend. I typically get six to eight hours of wear time when using this blush before I feel the need to touch up. NARS really has proven themselves in my eyes, and I recommend that you at least go and swatch Dolce Vita and Amour next time you're at a retailer. They retail for $29.00 at Sephora.

Are you a fan of NARS? Whats your favorite blush brand?

Inside Birchbox: ChapStick Hydration Lock Review

In case you missed my October Birchbox unboxing, I received this ChapStick in the Hydration Lock formula. I was pretty happy about it, as I can never have too many lip moisturizers - I always seem to lose them before I can finish them up. I was especially happy because of the Vanilla Creme scent. 

Let me start off by saying the ingredients are bad. I don't have the time to sit here, Google, and explain each and every harmful ingredient that is in this product but I would like to bring up two of them. This chapstick contains petrolatum which is featured on the "Dirty Dozen" list - a list of twelve ingredients that you should try to avoid. It can be contaminated with PAHs, which is linked to cancer (when the skin is exposed over long periods of time). The product also contains dimethicone, which is another Dirty Dozen ingredient. Dimethicone has the potential to coat whatever it is applied to (trapping bacteria underneath), disrupt the skin from performing its normal functions such as sweating and temperature regulation, and it can cause some serious skin irritation - which is terrible for those of us who have sensitive skin.

After using the ChapStick Hydration Lock for the sake of this review, it provided me with no substantial benefits. The vanilla scent was hardly noticeable, especially after a couple of uses. It was not much different, if not worse, than my usual chapsticks. It did apply smoothly, and because of the harmful ingredients it stayed put for hours. I would rather reapply a healthier organic balm every so often than put myself at risk for a few more hours of wear. I have seen better results, and longer lasting ones, with my other balms. Once it dissolved and faded away, I was left with no long term results.

Overall I would recommend skipping out on this product. Also, if you have any recommendations for healthier or organic lip balm alternatives please leave them in the comments below. Take care of your skin, people!

Review: Benefit Cosmetics Triple Performing Facial Emulsion

A few of you might remember a haul I posted two weeks ago featuring the Benefit Cosmetics B.Right! Radiant Skincare Intro Kit ($12), and a review of the Total Moisture Facial Cream ($40) that it came with. Today I'm going to review another sample that came in the kit - the Triple Performing Facial Emulsion ($30). Hope you enjoy!

The Benefit Cosmetics Triple Performing Facial Emulsion ($30) is described as a sheer oil free facial lotion that contains SPF 15. It is made to hydrate, protect and comfort the skin. I love the lightweight formula, which is totally the opposite of their Total Moisture Facial Cream that I previously reviewed. Despite it being light and more liquid based, it still provides so much moisture and hydration. I love to use this in the morning, but I've also used it at nighttime on days where I wanted a lighter feel to my skin. It absorbs into the skin quickly, and doesn't make me look shiny. It has a fragrance to it (a hint of floral which I'm honestly never a fan of), but it doesn't linger once applied. The packaging, as expected from Benefit, is adorable. The sample does not come with a pump, which leads my to pour a little bit too much out of the bottle from time to time (the full size does include a pump). I think that this would be the perfect moisturizer for all skin types as its light and oil free (for oily and sensitive skin types),  but also very hydrating (for dry skin types). It is on the pricey side, but I've found that it is worth every penny. I have truly seen results while incorporating this into my skincare routine. I will be purchasing a full size of this product, and I highly recommend it the next time you're at a Benefit retailer. 

What are your favorite lightweight daytime moisturizers? 

* PS I'm not totally satisfied with the photos, but I really wanted to get a post up today. Sorry!