Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Cateyes Mascara Review

Hey beauty lovers! I wanted to touch base with you all on this great mascara I have been using for the last couple weeks. The Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Cateyes Mascara is AMAZING!

This drugstore brand mascara is very affordable for those of you on a budget and the results are fantastic. Every time I use this mascara people always ask me if I have false lashes on. I smile and say nope they are all real baby. As I bat my eyelashes. LOL C'mon what girl doesn't bat their eyelashes when they get a compliment? It is natural.

Now I have to warn you, when you first open the bottle, the formula of this mascara is liquidity compared to other mascaras I have tried, but do not be alarmed about it. The formula does have a bit of the stink to it but I personally think it is so manageable due the results it gives my lashes.

The wand is a fibre bristle wand that has a bit of an arch to it. I personally enjoy this type of wand because it helps make applying mascara quicker and easier with no fuss. I usually only do two coats using this product but you sure can build it to more then two coats if you want it more dramatic. This formula does not flake at all. It is not waterproof which is a bummer but I can deal with that since the results are perfection. This shade I am wearing is in Glam Black below..

The price tag ranges between $5-$10 depending on where you purchase it but it is very well in the affordable rang compared to some of those higher end mascaras, that do not give you this result I am talking about.

Below are some photos of my eyelashes to show you how well this baby works, along with a couple of pictures of the product it self, in case you all are interested to go purchase it at your local drug store.

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25

End of November 2013 Beauty Empties

It is that time of month again, November 2013 Beauty Empties! I love reading and watching these kinds of posts and vlogs because I get to see that persons true opinion on a product after they have fully finished it. So here are my end of November Beauty Empties! Enjoy :)


1. Crest 3D White Strips: 5minute routine
- These white strips took me forever to finish. It comes with 28 top and 28 bottom strips. You put them on for 5 minutes only and then you remove them and rinse. These 5 minute strips are great to remove the surface stains from your teeth if you are a coffee and tea drinker. I have tried the 2 hour strips and although they made my teeth white, they brutally killed my teeth with sensitivity. So I would only re purchase the 5minute strips again. The only thing is that if you are not consistent with these strips then your white teeth will not stay long, you will need to constantly use the strips to maintain your white teeth. I plan on trying out a new whitening system in the near future so stay tuned on my thoughts on that.

2. One 'n Only Argan Oil Hair Color Cream Developer: 20 Volume
- I use this cream developer when I color my hair. This is the only brand I will use developer from since it has Argan oil in the developer which makes my hair so smooth and healthy. I usually get this baby for free when I purchase my hair color at Sally's only because they usually have sales going on for this line every so often. Definitely a re-purchase.




3. One 'n Only Argan Oil Hair Color: Medium and Dark Chocolate Brown
- Love this hair color. Just like the cream developer this color has done greatness to my hair. I will not go back to box color from the drug store nor will I go to another brand. Loving this color and will re-purchase. These can be found at Sally's Beauty Supply as well.






4. China Glazes Glitter Nail polish:  You're a Hoot & Flying South
- I love China Glaze polishes, so do not get me wrong on this one BUT I hate these glitter polished. You need at least 4 to 5 coats of this to make them opaque and once they dry the pop off your nails because you had to apply so many coats!  They were only $6 each so not worried that I am getting rid of them, but I am disappointed because that could have been $12 total I could have used elsewhere. C'mon China Glaze get with the times and work on those glitter formulas.





5. Benefit BAD Gal Lash Mascara-Sample size
- Now I enjoyed the Benefit They're Real Mascara so I thought this one would be great too. Don't kid your self. The wand on this B**** is so huge that you would end up looking like raccoon eyes after applying the mascara you want on your lashes. The formula is more on the dry side so you are sitting there for 20 minutes re-applying mascara that ends up on your lids. Not my cup of tea for a $29 mascara! This one was a disappointment. If you want to see the wand please go check out my YouTube Channel for my November empties video at MacGirl25Antonietta.




6. L'oreal go 360degree clean deep facial cleanser
- I have tried L'oreals facial cleansers so when I tried this one I loved it. It has a great morning citrus scent so it really wakes you up in the morning. I loved the little rubber scrub it comes with to help remove all the dirt properly. This line has a bunch of different types of cleansers for different skin types so I am determined to try each one slowly and give you guys my thoughts on them. The only down fall to this product is that it is a bit pricey, like $14-$16 range. But if you can find them on sale for half the price, because they do go on sale then grab them when you can. You will not be sorry you did trust me.




7. NeoStrata Moisture Infusion Cream (Face): Deluxe Sample size
- I have mentioned this sample size in previous favorite posts. I really enjoyed this face cream. I used it at night before bed, and I found that my skin soaked it up without leaving any greasy residue. The full size of this cream runs about $30, sometimes it goes on sale for $19. So in the future if you want to try it out and can't get a sample size wait until it goes on sale, that way you can save $11. I would purchase this in full size, once I am done the rest of the face creams I have.



8. Smahbox Photo Finish Lid Primer
- Loved this lid primer. It cancelled out all of my discoloration and veins on my eye lids. I sometimes just use this as my base and add no eye shadow at all because the skin tone it gives off is so awesome. I have already re-purchased this baby even though I am currently using a different lid primer at the moment. This product retails around $21.





9. Prevens Paris Makeup Remover Wipes- Travel size
- Got these wipes at Winners in a bundle pack with the full size packages. Tried them and I am not a fan. The scent of these babies are not appealing at all. The wipes are moist so the make up does come off, but the scent just throws me right off. That makes me un-attracted to putting them on my face. Yuck. The value pack was 2 full packages and the travel package for $6.99, so it was a good deal but I won't be repurchasing these once they are done. Working on the two full packages now. Can't wait until they are finished.





10. Benefit Porefessional Primer: Sample size
- Love this face primer, I have two full sizes of this. This is the most raved primer on YouTube and in the beauty blog world. If you haven't tried it go grab yourself a sample. You won't regret it. This product leaves your skin smooth and silky, the perfect canvas to apply foundation too. Full size bottle retails for around $30, but so worth it believe me.



11. ION Solutions Deep nurturing and hydrating cream
- Love these individual packets of hair masks. Get these at Sally's for $0.99 and you can usually get two uses out of each packet, depending how thick your hair is. My hair is fairly medium volume to thin, so 2 uses per packet I get by with. They are also great for travelling.



12. JJ Face masks: Dead Sea Face Spa & Fudge Sauna
- Love these at home face masks. They are so easy and affordable. You can find these at Wal-Mart or pretty much any local drug store for under $2.



13. Balea Detoxifying face mask
- Love this line of masks as well. If you have read my previous empties I always have a Balea face mask in my empties. They are 3 for $5 at Shoppers Drug Mart here in Canada. Love these at home face masks, one of my favorite past times when I am at home, and it's even better in the winter too because you cozy up with a cup of tea and a book and you chillax. When you rinse it off, your face feels fresh and rejuvenated.




14. Bath & Body Works Creamy Pumpkin Hand Soap
- Love BBW hand soaps. One of my favorite brands. Creamy pumpkin was a nice sweet scent. Loved it. You can get these on sale for 5 for $20 or $25.




15. Bath & Body Works 3 wicket Pumpkin Carving Candle
- Love BBW candles as well. Who doesn't love their candles? They can be pricey so wait until the sales come on and you can get them for 2 for $25. Regular retail they go for $22 each! Can someone comment down below on how I can take out the excess wax from these jars so I can reuse the jars?




16. Lush Almond & Coconut Shower Smoothie
- This was my first time using a shower smoothie, and I do not thing I will ever go back to not using one. These shower smoothies make my skin so hydrated and scrumptious, my skin has never felt so healthy. They are a bit expensive, Lush carries these babies for around $26 at 250gram container. But if you can grab a sample first to try it out because they are awesome. Use this after you wash your body, then rinse and pat dry after you finish in the shower and you will notice your skin is amazing. You can also use this to shave with but I don't waste it on that.





17. MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation in NC35
- I did a detail review on this foundation a long time ago, refer back to my older posts. Love this foundation, it is my go to foundation for winter. Keeps me looking dewy and healthy and it is long wearing. Yes I have repurchased this in a different shade since I thought the cool tone was too light for me. Adding this empty to my back to MAC stash of empties :)




Well everyone that is it for my end of November Beauty Empties. I think I did pretty good this month with finishing products. I managed to finish a few samples this month and I am still going with finishing samples.

Also quick update, I decided to post pone my Make Out 2014 to begin until after the holidays, SO that means I am still able to purchase makeup until January 1st 2014! I will be making up a new post on that closer to the time. Until then just so you are aware, I have been invited to another MAC Sale in my area in about two weeks so keep watch for another mini haul. I won't be going too crazy, but I do need to pick up a couple items so keep on the look out there! :)

Thank you all for keeping up with my posts, I do appreciate all your support! Lots of hugs xxx

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Balm Review

Ola beauty lovers. Today I am going to give you some of my quick thoughts on the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Balms. I saw some hype here and there on these balms but I wanted to see for myself what was the big deal.

First off each chubby stick intense balm is around $19-$20. They have the regular line of chubby stick balms too but those are not as pigmented as these intense ones are. Which brings me to my next plus. These intense sticks are freaking pigmented galore! They are so smooth and buttery to apply on the lips, they provide the moisture of a balm and the pigmentation of a lipstick. That is the beauty of these, they are the best of both worlds!

The wearing power on these babies is decent. I have eaten and they still stay on, sometimes the balm may wear away but the stain of the color still sticks around to give you lips a great color.  My lips do not feel or look chapped or flaky when wearing these balms. They are so comfortable to wear on an every day basis, and have been my go too lippies for the last month. There is no tingling feeling to these lip products which is a plus so a larger range of consumers can use them. You don't even have to wear a lip liner with them. They are so perfect to throw on your lips and go out the door.

This would be an awesome product for those mothers on the go all the time. Throw it on your lips then throw it in your bag for a touch up later on in the day. In the mean time your lips are getting the best conditioning treatment while spicing your look up with a bit of color!

The current colors I have are:

• 01 Curviest Carmel: This is the perfect everyday nude to wear to the office or out and about if you are wearing a more darker eye look
• 04 Heftiest Hibiscus: This is a beautiful coral shade for the summer time (but I still use this in the winter)
• 05 Plushest Punch: This is a gorgeous hot pink shade for the summer time as well (but we all know I always use vibrant colors in the winter time too)

If you live in a cold climate like I do for half of the year, then these balms will be your go to staple for the fall and winter time. My lips feel so hydrated when I use these babies. I am looking in to grabbing a couple more colors. I think they have around 8-10 colors in the Intense range of chubby sticks, don't quote me on that I am making an educated guess.

Anyways hope you enjoyed this review, thanks again for reading my posts! I do appreciate you all xo

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25
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The Clarisonic Diaries: Nov 23 2013

Ola Beauty Lovers, so I have decided to start a new series of posts about my journey with the one and only Clarisonic. There are so many mixed reviews and opinions on this product that I thought this way would be different for all my readers to see what the process is when introducing a new skin care product to your body.

So I have been using the clarisonic now for about two weeks. I was so excited to get this baby in the mail. I was hesitant to try it for the longest time but one day I got fed up with how my hormonal acne was acting, so I said F**** it lets just try it out. So I bit the bullet and bought this sucker.

As soon as I got it I ripped it open and started reading the instructions. It explains how to take care of it, how to charge it, how the battery buzzes when it is half charged or fully charged etc.

Before I started using this "tool" if you want to call it that, my face was doing OK, not great because I would have acne pop up here and there but it wasn't strikingly brutal. Plus I had heard that this sonic technology is suppose to be great for your skin....once you get over the first few weeks of bad break outs. Although I have heard some people did not experience break outs at all. Anyways this series is going to be my experience with the famous Clarisonic Mia.

With in the first week I noticed that my breakouts on my jaw line and chin were enhanced times five. By this second week, my breakouts in the same spots were enhanced times ten! Now I knew before starting this journey a lot people said that the first month will be your skin purging all the inpurities out of your skin when using this tool. So I mentally prepaired myself....sort of.

Two weeks in and my chin breakouts (which is where I usually get my bad acne) are looking like they came to party on my face and want to stay there! I am mortified. I know I should not pick at them but sometimes it gets difficult especially when you get all anxious and nervous. That is the worst time!

I don't use the clarisonic every day. After a long period of researching and checking out other peoples experiences/reviews, I decided to use this tool every other day or every third day instead of every day. I did not want to butcher my skin that much.

For those of you who do not know what the Clarisonic is (if you really don't know then your living under a rock) it's a  special, expensive tool that is suppose to work as an exfoliant/cleansing system to ensure you get rid of all the dirt and oil off your skin when you wash your face. It can also be used for your body too, but I just want to use it for the face.  

The kit that I purchased comes with the clarisonic mia, a sensitive brush, and a deluxe sample size of the Clarisonic facial cleanser. Retail cost for this kit is $135. So yes this kit is a bit pricey but I figured this device should last me a long time and should be worth it in the long run.

I guess we will see how this product will change my skin, hopefully for the better. This is going to be an interesting journey, sit tight for a rollar coaster ride my friends.

Until next time beauty lovers
MacGirl25

Mariah Carey OPI liquid sand nailpolish review

Ola beauty lovers! I know the holidays are around the corner so I have been trying to give you all some gift ideas with palettes and makeup products. Today I am going to talk about the latest nail polish gift set from Mariah Carey OPI liquid sand line of nail polish.

This will be a quick review. First off if you know me, I am a nail polish fanatic. I have pretty much every color under the sun. I always do my own nails so I use all my polishes. I change my polish about once every 3 to 4 days. Yes I know excessive but that's what beauty lovers do :)

So this little gift set comes with three mini OPI glitter nail polish shades. There is a champagne nude, a Rosy gold and a taupe purple.

I have only tried out two out of the three colors, but I love these little guys. No one needs a full bottle of polish. I do not see any beauty guru on YouTube showing empty bottles of nail polish in any of their beauty empty videos. You can probably get away with wearing one mini bottle 3 or 4 times, possible 5 times depending how thick you make your coats and really thats all you need to use one nail polish because we always get caught up with new colors all the time.

These shades are gorgeous for this holiday time of year. With a good base coat they do last a good few days on the nails. Now you may ask, well it's glitter so it must be hard to remove afterward....and the response to that is nope, it is not hard to remove at all. Compared to other glitters this line is very easy to remove.

To remove this polish this is what you do:
1. soak your cotton pad in acetone nail polish remover
2. wrap it around your nail and press on the top of the nail with the cotton pad so the remover soaks into the polish.
3. count to 15 seconds and rub the pad around to remove the loosened glitter.
4. wipe your nail clean and move on to the next nail.

This gift set of 3 costs $9.99 at the local beauty supply store. It's a great gift for women and girls who love to paint their nails or who enjoy beauty products period. The colors are very pigmented and you only need a max of 2 coats of polish on your nails with this line. You can get away with one coat but I am a two coat kinda girl :) The finish of the polish is a sand texture hence the name "liquid sand" but it is not a rough texture, it does not scratch the skin if you were to rub the top of your nails on your skin.

Below I have a couple of swatches and images of the product itself.

Until next time beauty lovers!
MacGirl25

This color is the gorgeous purple taupe

This color is the beautiful nude champagne 

Limited Edition Palettes Part 2

Ola Beauty Lovers! With the holidays coming up quickly, I want to get this part 2 up so that you all can make your decisions for the holiday season of gift giving to someone else or yourself. Come on, who doesn't buy for themselves at one point or another?

So here is my Part 2 of the Limited Edition Palettes.

Smash Box Heat Wave Palette: $54.00+tax

• This palette is great for those summer lovers. Smash Box has always been one of my top end brands to go to for eye shadows. This palette has 10 full size eye shadows (shadow pans are equivalent to MAC eye shadow pans) plus a double ended eye shadow brush. 
• The quality of the shadows are amazing, very pigmented and easy to blend. 
• The color range is great. There are a great selection of neutrals and darker shades to take any day look into a smokey dramatic night look.
• Out of the 10 shades only 2 shadows are matte enough for blending purposes, the rest are more on the shimmer side. I know there are people out there who would prefer a more matte palette but these shades are worth the splurge for how pigmented and blendable they are. With two matte blending shades what more do you really need?
• The size of the pans are fairly larger then most pan sizes in the beauty industry which is a bonus.
• The double ended brush has a larger shader brush on one end to pack on the color, and on the other end there is a short shader brush for more detailed work. The shorter shader is great for under the eye work, inner corner work, or even the brow bone.
• This palette also comes with a huge mirror on the top which would come in use when traveling. 
• The packaging is sleek and compact. The packaging material is like a hard plastic material so the palette will not get dirty, and if it does it is easy to clean off. 
• Even though they call this a summer palette, you can get away using this palette through out fall and winter as well, since they have a few warm and cool tones included you can widen your range of looks.

Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette: $68.00+tax

• This palette is the IT palette. Urban Decay is very well known for the quality of their eye shadows. So it doesn't surprise me when I saw this palette release and a lot of beauty lovers jumped hoops to go grab it. Yes I admit it, I did too, I have nothing to be ashamed of. 
• These shadows are made without Parabens, Sulfates, & Phthalates which is a bonus for those more aware consumers out there.
• The palette comes with 20 shades of a great range of colors. There is a great selection of neutrals for daytime looks, and there are great colors to deepen any day time look into a night time look with in seconds.
• The quality of the shadows are fabulous. Very buttery creamy formula, easy to blend and the pigmentation is floor stopping. 
• This palette also comes with a double sided brush, which I enjoy. No make up lover can have too many brushes let me tell you. One end of the brush is a tapered blending brush for the crease, the other end is a more wider shader brush where you can use it on the lid or in the crease.
• There are about 2 or 3 matte shades to blend with. I was a bit disappointed on the selection of matte shades for blending purposes, but I can deal with it if I have too. 
• The price for this palette is a steal. One Urban Decay Shadow is $23. This palette is worth $460 but you are only paying $68 plus applicable taxes. Such a great item to add to your collection if you are a palette lover like I am. Plus I missed out on the Vice 1 palette so I just HAD to get this one. 

Lorac Pro To Go Palette: $50+ tax

• I am not too sure if this palette is limited edition. However I was only able to purchase it through online only, so I am assuming it is a type of limited edition product.
• I saw this palette on a few beauty gurus on YouTube and I was sold. I love my neutrals, so for those of you who have a weakness for neutral shades, be aware this one will get you. 
• The palette comes with 6 shadows, 2 blushes, and 1 bronzer and 2 shadow brushes.
• This is a great deal for a full face palette. 
• The shadows are 3 matte and 3 shimmer shades, and the quality of the shadows is great. If you love the Lorac PRO Palette then you will love this PRO to Go palette. The shadows are very pigmented, creamy, easy to blend.
• The blushes are on the matte side and so is the bronzer, both are very pigmented and easy to blend as well
• This palette can go from daytime neutral to intense smokey dark night look with no problem and even though you have two blushes and a bronzer in their, doesn't mean you only have to use them for blushes. If you want to spice up a neutral eye look go ahead and use those blushes for eye shadow, why not? No one is stopping you from doing that.
• The packaging is like the NARS packaging so dust or make up residue will cling to the packaging if you are not careful. It is a more smaller travel friendly palette if that is what you are in the market for.

Well Beauty Lovers, I hope this helped you in making a decision on which Limited Edition Palette to pick up. There are a lot more out there on the market, but these were the ones I purchased with my own money and enjoy.

Leave me a comment down below if you have any of these palettes or if you have different palettes that your enjoying that are from a limited edition line.

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25

Limited Edition Palettes Part 1

Hi Beauty lovers. I did some shopping lately during the VIB sale at Sephora last week, and I thought it was the perfect time to stock up on some limited edition palette with the sale going on.

The two palettes that I had my eye on, but was not sure if I really wanted to take the leap on buying was the Smash box Full Exposure palette and the Too Faced A few of my Favorite Things palette. I went to look for these in one Sephora location early last week because I saw the palettes online, but I couldn't find the Smash Box one at that location. The Too Faced palette, when I swatched it at the first Sephora location I went to, I don't know why but the shadows seemed a bit dry and flaky. So I didn't pick them up the first time. A few days went by and the sale was still on and so I went to another Sephora location to see if they had the Smash box Full Exposure palette. Good news is they had it, so I was able to swatch it and I was sold on it up front. I also re swatched the Too Faced palette as well, and for some reason these shadows made me melt in love.

Below is a breakdown mini review on these palettes with prices. If you are interested in these palettes please go to your local Sephora to swatch them, OR you can order them online too. Keep in mind these are limited edition so don't wait too long.

www.sephora.com

Smash box Full Exposure Palette: $58.00+tax

• This palette caught my eye online at first. Smash box is a fabulous cosmetic company, out of the products I have tried so far that I own, I have not had an issue with their items. This palette is gorgeous. It comes with 14 eye shadow's, 7 of which are matte finish, and 7 of which are shimmery or have sparkle finishes to them. That is was sold me from the start. You do not find a lot of palettes that have a good balance between matte and shimmery shadows. This one has half and half. BONUS. It also comes with a double ended brush, one side of the brush is a blending brush, the other side is a shader brush to pack on the color. It also comes with a deluxe size sample of their Full Exposure mascara. 
•  The formula of the shadows are great. They are creamy and easy to blend. Not to mention their pigmentation is crazy good. 
• What I love most about this palette is that it is so versatile. With the options of so many matte shades and shimmer shades you can combine them to make any look you want. Go from Day to night with no problems. 
• The palette also comes with a mirror on the top. The palette closes with magnets. 
• The packaging is very similar to the Lorac pro palette and the NARS packaging, so it is easy to get dirty quickly.
• For the price you do get your moneys worth since one of their single eye shadows retails for $18-$20 each and a trio of shadows retails for $36 plus tax! So realistically this palette of 14 shadows at $58 is a steal.
• Using an eye shadow primer underneath, the shadows are very long wearing. 

 Too Faced A Few of my Favorite Things Palette: $64+tax

• This palette caught my eye on line as well. However when I went to swatch it the first time in stores I didn't really love how the eye shadows transferred on my fingers. They seemed dry. BUT when I swatched them a second time at another Sephora location a few days later, the palette seemed flawless. You get 20 eye shadows, 2 blushes, and 2 face powder bronzer's. Also it comes with a deluxe sample size of their Better then sex mascara and a full size lip injection balm in nude. All that for $64 at Sephora. This is a great deal, with all the great goodies inside, this palette is valued at $496! This would be the perfect Christmas gift for a chick who is a makeup lover at that.
• The formulation of the shadows/blushes/and bronzer's are fabulous they are very buttery and smooth. Very easy to blend and so pigmented that your looks will pop.
• This palette does not come with a mirror, but that is OK. I do not really use the mirror that comes with the palettes anyways. 
• The packaging is very cute, pink and cream color packaging. The palette is thin like an Ipad mini. Equivalent to that size of the Ipad, maybe a tiny bit bigger.
• This palette does have a couple of matte shadows, but not as many as the Smash box one does. I think there is about 4-5 matte shades you can use for blending colors together in the palette. 
• The good thing about this palette is that you can get a day look, or a night look with it. So it is versatile if you need to travel and only want to bring one palette, this would be a good one to bring. Not only does the shadows provide options but it also provides face powders. So this is perfect to travel with.
• Also using an eye shadow primer underneath, the shadows are very long wearing. 

If you wish to see swatches on line, please go visit my YouTube channel MacGril25Antonietta to see some swatching done.

I hope you all enjoyed this mini review, stay tuned for Part 2 of Limited Edition Palettes coming soon.

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25




Disclosure: I purchased these palettes with my own dollar bills, I am not affiliated with these two companies what so ever.

Mid November Beauty Empties 2013

Hello my beauty lovers! Welcome back. I can't believe we are almost in mid November already. I used to hate the month of November because it seemed like the longest month of the year, but time is flying.

Today I am going to show you what I have in my empties for mid November. I hope you enjoy these reviews as much as I love giving them, because it gives you all an idea if a product is worth the cost or not.

Let's jump in, this one is not as long as my other empties but if you wish to grab yourself a hot cup of something before we begin go ahead, I am waiting :)....

Now that you have your hot drink let's begin.

1. Listerine Mouth Wash in anti cavity formula
- Love this mouth wash, will aways re-purchase it. If you are not new to my blog you know I always run out of this stuff. You can get this at any drug store for under $10. Helps freshen the breath after brushing and prevents those cavities with the fluoride formula. Love, love, love it!



2. Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup remover
- I do not know what happened with this product, but for it being such an expensive product, it did not feel good when I used it on my eyes. I did not purchase this myself (Thank God), my mom gave this to me from a girl at work who apparently gets this brand for cheaper as one of her family members works for the line. Anyway, when I used this remover, it left this white mousy film on and around my eyes, it was gross. It did not sting, but the residue it left behind was not pleasant. My L'oreal eye makeup remover does a better job than this stuff and is half the price. Won't be purchasing this with my own dollar bills.



3. Neo Strata Micellar Cleanser (Deluxe Sample Size)
- I have two deluxe sample sizes of this stuff. One of which I have finished. This make up remover is amazing. Really impressed with how much face makeup it takes off before I use my cleanser. Once I finish the second sample I will be looking into the price of a full size. Really did help making the removal of make up a lot easier at night time. Doesn't leave an oil residue, doesn't smell bad either. What more could you want? Let's hope the price is decent.



4. Dead Sea Elements Facial Cleansing wipes
- Bought this wipes at Winners hoping that they would be great since they were $5.99. In all honesty, I was not wow'd by them at all. The wipes were maybe medium moist. The makeup removal part was not that great. It would not take off a full face of make up. These are not to be used around the eyes, as they sting a tiny bit. Definitely not a re-purchase for me.

 

5. Balea Facial Mask: Purifying Cucumber and Melon
- I have said it before and I will say this again. Love these Balea facial at home masks. They are easy to apply, cheap, and great when you need 15 minutes to your self to wind down. My favorite time to put these on is right after a hot shower when your pores are opened at their best. I get these at the drug store 3 pouches for $5 and this line is paraben free which is a bonus!



6. NeoStrata Moisture Infusion 24 HR Hydrating Serum (Sample Size)
- I have mentioned in my last favorites the NeoStrata Moisture infusion facial cream. Love that stuff. I have a couple of these sample sizes of the hydrating serum and I am enjoying them. Once I finish some other sample skin care items, I will be interested to check out the price to the moisture infusion line from NeoStrata. This line doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy at all. Love using these products at night before bed.



7. Bumble & Bumble Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner (Sample size)
- I hear everyone raving about the Bumble & Bumble line of hair care. However once I tried these samples I was not impressed at all. The shampoo was OK, it was a clarifying formula which was average. BUT the conditioner was awful! My hair felt even drier after using that conditioner then before I used it. For the price this line is, not worth the splurge (each bottle is $30+). Save your money ladies and gents, you can find better quality products out there for less.

 

8. Equate Cotton Rounds
- For the price you pay for the equate brand at Wal-Mart, I love these cotton rounds. I love the ones I get at Costco more but I don't go there often so sometimes a girl has to improvise. These do the trick for makeup removal and nail polish removal. They go for about $2 or less. Thumbs up!



9. Benefit They're Real Mascara (Sample size)
- This mascara is raved about so much. I can see that a lot of people enjoy it because it gives you that length and a bit of volume. I would get a few compliments on my lashes with this mascara on. BUT there is a catch. This mascara I find dries quicker then other brands. Also to take this mascara off your lashes you need an ultimate eye makeup remover. The only brand I find that takes this baby off is my none other then L'oreal Eye Makeup remover. One last thing, once I do take it off I find that my lashes are more drier then normal. For the price (about $26+) of a full size of this I don't think I will purchase this in full size. I can find other mascaras that do the same job for less and not dry out my lashes or make it a chore to take off my face.





Well Ladies and Gents, that is my mid November Beauty Empties. I hope you enjoyed this post. Leave a comment down below of any items you finished that you love or you will not buy again! Would love to hear from you.

Until next time beauty lovers ❤️
MacGirl25

Revlon 12 Hour Color Stay Eyeshadow Quads Review

Welcome back my fellow readers to another post. Today I am going to make it a quick review on the Revlon 12 Hour Color Stay Eyeshadow Quads. I have had these babies for a long time now, and they always come through to what I need them to do.

Of course the packaging has changed a bit from when I purchased mine, but still the Revlon shadows are always a good product in my eyes.

You can get these quads at any drug store, Target, Ulta, Wal Mart etc.

The pigmentation on these quads are great. They are easy to blend, and the lasting power on them is fabulous. The 12 hour statement is true. As long as you use a primer underneath you should be good. Sometimes you may find that the shadows give off a little bit of fall out, which you can't really complain about for the price you are paying for them. Aside of the fall out in certain shades these quads are great for everyday use.

The 3 palettes I have are #1 Copper Spice, I have been using this one all throughout October. #5 Blushed Wines is my second favorite. Both these palettes I have used throughout October since they give such great neutral looks.  The last palette I have is #10 Berry Bloom. This quad I do not use as often as the first two because this quad has more vibrant punch colors I can not wear in the office.

I have had some eyeshadow looks with these quads in my previous YouTube videos. Go check out my YouTube channel for swatches on these quads.  MacGirl25Antonietta

Now the price point is fairly reasonable. Each quad is around $8-$14. Which is great considering the high end palettes go no more then $40plus. To make this better Revlon goes on sale all the time so you could probably pick these up for cheaper as well.

#1 Copper Spice quad is very similar to the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. So if you do not want to go out and buy the $30 Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. This Revlon quad is a fabulous option.

Below is a photo of all 3 quads. If you want to see swatches please go check out my YouTube Channel MacGirl25Antonietta

From left to right here are the shade names: (Don't mind how full of shadow dust they have, that just shows you how much I use them :) )
#1 Copper Spice, #5 Blushed Wines, & #10 Berry Bloom

Until next time beauty lovers!
MacGirl25

Nume Megastar Flat Iron

Ola beauty lovers! I am back again to give you a thumbs up review on the latest Nume Megastar Flat Iron.

Now before you readers think that Nume gave this Iron to me, You are wrong. Just like the rest of you consumers, I grabbed a  coupon code from one of those fellow larger You Tubers and redeemed for the iron at a great price spent with my own dollar bills that I work hard for.

This Iron goes for $199.00 on their website. I snagged mine for $79.00 which is an amazing deal. You tubers such as Ciaobellaxo, Whatwouldlizzydo, MakeupbyTiffany, and NicoleGuerriero should all have coupon codes if I remember correctly so go check them out on YouTube to snag a deal.

Anyways, back to the review. I was a bit hesitant to pick this puppy up, BUT I was in the market for a new flat iron since my last one is ten years old, and on its way out the door. Yes I said ten years old. I purchased that bad boy back in high school when I was co-oping at a hair salon. I have dropped it billions of times over the years and it still worked, sometimes it needed a shake or two to get the temperature to where I wanted it but it was great. Times have changed and I needed a new one.

I was tempted to go into Sephora and look into one of those flatirons but I was not in the mood to dish out $200 or more. So I did some soul searching on YouTube about the best flatiron out there and low and behold the Megastar came up time and time again. So I journeyed off to the Nume website to check it out, you know see what the description is the price [even though I had a coupon code ready on hand :) ] Every time I went to that darn website the Nume Megastar flatiron was always sold out!

I said to myself holy moley this iron must be amazing. So I waited patiently in the side lines for them to be restocked. Everyday I went to their website to check on them. Then finally one gracious day at the end of September they were back in stock! I snagged one right away since they sell like hot cakes.

I was so excited to try this baby out and I counted the days down until I got it in the mail.
You may ask why such the hype? Well let me tell you the features on the box:

*100% Tourmaline Ceramic Plates with infrared light
*1 inch precision-engineered floating plates
*25% longer tourmaline plates
*Digital temperature setting between 140-450 degrees F (60-230 degrees C)
*Superior ceramic heating elements
*Far Infrared light beam
*1000% more negative ion conditioning technology
*30min automatic shut off
*360degree power swivel cord
*Rapid heating component heats up in seconds
*Built in thermal fuse
*dual voltage
*Multi-purpose styling tool
*Ergonomic sleek design

My whole take on it all was the infrared lights and how those lights are suppose to help you add hydration to your hair instead of stripping it out. So I couldn't pass it up for the price I got it for.

The very first time I used it I was impressed. The second time I used it I was amazed. Then every time after that I was blown away for how silky and hydrated this tool made my hair feel. Phenomenal! I do not use a lot of product in my hair, and I don't use a lot of product so I can see what the iron is capable of. Obviously to use some product in the hair does help your hair. So once I towel dry my hair I use It's a 10 Miracle Leave in conditioner with keratin. That is the only product I use before I blow dry and flat iron.

This iron is great for straightening your hair before bed, then waking up and you have no kinks in your hair! No joke, I was so amazed that the iron helps prevent kinks in the hair. My hair feels so smooth, silky and looks shiny then it ever did before.

The best part of this tool aside that it helps hydrate and is multi purpose (you can use it to flip or curl as well) is that it helps seal your ends so that they do not split. No joke I used to get a lot of split ends because of using heat tools and since I have been using this iron, my ends have not looked healthier until now. Mind blowing.

The tool is a great hair tool, and very much worth the investment especially if you care about the state of your hair.

Keep in mind that the tool is suppose to help you maintain the health of your hair. You still need to take care of your hair by using shampoo, conditioners, deep conditioners, oil treatments or heat protectants. Do not stop using these products, as the irons purpose is to enhance the outcome of those products results.

Below is the link for the Nume website in case any of you are interested in giving this iron a second glance. You never know this could be the iron for you if you give it a chance :)

http://www.numeproducts.com/shop/hair-straighteners/megastar

Until next time beauty lovers! ❤️
MacGirl25

October Beauty Favorites 2013

Ola Beauty Lovers! Yes I am back with in twelve hours again to give you more love :)

Today is October Beauty Favorites! I have a tone of stuff so bare with me and if you can go get your self a hot cup of something to enjoy while reading this novel :)

1. It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Conditioner with Keratin
- I LOVE THIS STUFF! My hair has been so healthy since I use this in my damp hair after I shower and towel dry before I blow dry! My ends have never felt so healthy for such a long period of time until I began using this. Remember a little goes a long way so a couple of sprits through out your hair will help the following: Maintenance if Keratin straightening treatment, increases styling and manageability, perfect for all hair types, replaced lost protien, protects the natural keratin in hair, protects against heat, restores hydration balance, detangles, defrizzes and adds shine, strengthens hair structure, seals cuticles for extra silky hair. That is a mouth full and does wonders! It is a bit pricey, around $16 - $20 but well worth it! You can find this at Target, Trade Secrets, Or your local Wal Marts hair salons have them as well.

2. Two Mini spray bottles filled with my own concauction
- Why two you may ask? Well one bottle is just plain old water. I use this to spritz on my brushes before applying foundation or even pigments. The secont bottle is water with tea trea oil to act as a brush disinfectant. I may not have the time always to clean my brushes so this is an in expensive way to do a quick disinfect before using brushes that you have used over the last couple days. And if its wet when you apply to your face you shouldn't worry because tea trea oil is great for your skin! Go check out my article on benefits of Tea Trea oil!



3. Britney Spears Perfume in Midnight Fantasy
- This has been my go to perfume all month. I loved the original fantasy fragerence but the midnight one is more subtle and lighter to use. It is a sweet scent but its tolerable. Enjoyable for me any way.

4. IBD Reconstrux Nail oil : rebuild and Renew Nail Growth
- This nail oil is my #1 favorite nail oil to activate my nail growth. I had a rough month with my nails breaking and splitting from stress and weather so I had to take this puppy back out and start using it again. I got this at Sally's beauty supply for about $10. It takes a few weeks but there is a difference in my nails when I use it religiously. So worth it!



5. Sephora By OPI: Non Fat Soy Half Caff (Nude Nails)
- Since my nails are shorter at the moment I love wearing nude nails at this time. I hate it when my nails are all messed up, broken, short, un-even so nude nails are my go to for those times of the year. This nail polish color is one of my favorite nudes to wear since it blends well into my skin tone, I am brown biscuit right now so it looks great.

 

6. Proactiv Solution: Refining Mask
- I have massive break outs around that time of the month. My hormones just do not want to simmer down. So this refining mask has been helping me out tones! I use it all over my face every night when I am getting those break outs for about 3 days and poof those suckers go away! It is a bit expensive, full size bottle is around $30 but it is well worth it because it works!



7. MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NC45
- I have been tanning so I am using a darker shade in powder foundation to warm up my face. My skin is still oily from the warmer month so I can not yet use liquid foundation. I need the weather to geta bit more colder for me to switch over. I usually have combination skin, but in the warmer months I am oily, and colder month I am drier. Anyway love this powder foundation. Been my favorite power foundation since high school! Great coverage, and it is buildable if you want more coverage.

 

8. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette
- I won't go too much into this one, since I have a review on it. Go check out my review on this one in a previous article! Love this palette. It is great for everyday use. Multipurpose for different areas of the face which is great! Such a great little compact to travel with and the shadows are so buttery and blendable. Love it! Sephora has this for around $27.  Check out my review in the link below:

http://macgirl25.blogspot.ca/2013/10/urban-decay-naked-basics-palette-review.html




9. NeoStrata Moisture Infusion Cream (sample size)
- I got this delux sample size face cream and was hesitant to try it. Lately when I try sample sizes of face creams I had bad luck with them. They were either too greasy or they smelled awful. But this Neo Strata Moisture infusion face cream is a delight to use. Very moisturizing without being greasy (thank the Lord) and it smells good. Those are my main two items I look for in a moisturizer, also that it does not break me out and that has not happened. Yay!

10. Nivea Mint & Minerals lip balm
- This is my favorite lip balm. Very affordable, and leave your lips smooth. It does not cause any cracking which is great. The light minty sensation is awesome because it is not over powering. You can get this at your local drug store.



11. Revlon Color Stay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in #1 Copper Spice
- This little quad is amazing for every day use. I love this color quad for work mostly, but even for the night time as well. The colors are pigmented well. They do blend great, the only issue is they can be a tiny bit chalky. But what can you do for a $11 quad you can not complain. I have another quad from the same line called #5 Blushed Wines. Both quads are neutral colors. Copper Spice is more of a brown earthy tone neutral, and blushed wines is more of a pink tone neutral. Both are great but I use Copper Spice the most.

#1 Copper Spice

#5 Blushed Wines

12. Urban Decay Naked BB Cream
- I love Urban Decay products. My second favorite make up line by far (With MAC taking first place of course) This Naked BB Cream is amazing. It is a great formula that really does what it says on the bottle. Optical blurring is really the best feature in this formula. Of course it has a primer to prime the skin, and thats great but the optical blurring portion of it is my favorite. When you apply this beauty balm on your skin it truly blurs out any redness and tones down the discoloration areas on your skin. Amazing. The price point is on the bit expensive side but realistically it is worth the price. Sephora is selling them for about $34. I know it is steep, but well worth it in the end. Trust me on this one, I would not tell you otherwise if it didn't work out for me. Keep in mind my skin tone is Olive toned, and I have oily combination skin. The only down side about this product is the scent. Not the best scent but its managible. Go check out my link below to my full review on this product I did back in August.
http://macgirl25.blogspot.ca/2013/08/urban-decay-naked-skin-beauty-balm.html






















13. Benefit They're Real Mascara (Sample size)
- So I got this sample size as my birthday gift from Sephora and I wasn't fond of knowing the brush head was a spikey plastic material. But I shouldn't have judged until I tried it. Boy is this mascara great. It makes my lashes look twice as long then they are naturaly. Volume wise, it gives volume but not enough volume as I would like. A normal bottle size is $30 and I don't know if I would spend that much on mascara when it only does one out of the two features I look for. But It still made my lashes look great, so I am enjoying it while it lasts. Ps. I have a second sample of this baby so I should be ok for a while LOL.




















14. Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer
- I love this eye lid primer before applying shadows. This primter is a one shade fits all type and really cancels out the discoloration on the eyelids big time. Sometimes I don't even apply shadow because I love the natural color the primer gives my skin. Amazing. Sephora sells this product for $22. I have had it for a while so it does last, but the packaging could be better. The doe foot applicator is great, but as you get to the bottom of the tube, it is hard to scrape out the rest of the product since the applicator doesn't go that far down the bottle. A squeezy tube would help. I love the product just the packaging could improve in order to not waste product.



















15.L'oreal Smoldering Eyeliner in Black
- Love this smoldering eyeliner for the water line. I use this to smudge on the top lash line as well if I am doing a smokey effect, however the waterline this baby lasts and that is what I want. Very inexpensive $8 or so and even though it's a smaller stick the product does last long because you only need a little bit to go a long way! You can find this at your local drug stores.

16. Marcel Eyebrow Pencil in Black
- This is my favorite drug store brow pencil by far. I have tried a few brow pencils from the drug store in the past and this one is the best one. The formula is very creamy and therefore makes the application to the brows more enojoyable. Less work to blend in which is a bonus AND because the formula is creamy and pigmented you can also use this baby as an eyeliner too! Yup two in one. Love those type of products. I purchased this a while back and it has lasted me about 1 year and I am still going with it. Granted its coming to the end but still lasts long.
 

17. Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder in Sandstorm
- This one is new discovery for me but since I purchased it I can not stop using it. Cheap product and keeps your skin matte. I bought it a bit lighter for setting under the eye (since I don't want to finish my ben nye banana powder) and I find myself using it in my T zone as well. Got it for $6. Pretty impressed with Rimmel lately. Keep in mind I have combiniation oily skin. So those girls out there who are dry skin, you may not enjoy this as much as I do. :) Just saying.


18. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin
- I was scared to try this but once I did, I fell in love! These blushes are so affordable and they blend so well into the skin that I just can't believe how great they work with my skin. Yes they are cheaper, they do not last 14 hours onthe skin, which is a bummer but really all you need them to last is for an 7 to 8 hour work shift. Anything more then that is a bonus. I usually use my real techniques contour brush to blend this product out and it works so amazing. You will be able to find them in any drug store.
 

19. The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Body Butter
- I love using this baby on my hands at night before I go to sleep. It is a body butter so it does have a tiny bit of greasyness to it which I personally do not mind since I am going to bed, my hands will not be wondering around doing things for them to slip. In the morning my hands feel so soft and hydrated, wow I can not say enough. I love those body butters. I think the Body Shop is a Canadian store, but if you are interested in checking them out they are having a 40% off sale right now (November 2-3 2013) so go check it out!
http://www.thebodyshop.ca/en/shop-by-line.aspx#/shop-by-line.aspx

20. Real Techniques Brushes
- I have the more expensive Sigma brushes and those are great, however Real Techniques brushes founded by a fellow YouTuber from Pixiwoo Channel are by far the best most affordable brushes anyone can have. The sets of 5 to 3 brushes per set go for about $18-$20 a set! Which is amazing! The bristles are so soft, easy to use, easy to blend make up with. They are great and to wash them is so easy as well. I have been loving these three brushes below the most this month from the Real Techniques Brush line. If you are a beginner or even a make up proffessional these are a must have in your collection. I swear to you that you will not regret the purchase.

Multi Task Brush
Contour Brush
Domed Shadow Brush






 Well that is it for my October Favorites! Thank you all so much for reading, I truly appreciate all your support!

Until Next Time Beauty Lovers ❤️

MacGirl25