Benefit Cheekathon Review

Benefit Cheekathon Review

Benefit Cheekathon Palette
Price: $58.00
You can buy this at: Sephora, Ulta, Benefit

I recently purchased the Benefit Cheekathon palette from Sephora and I absolutely love it! If you are considering buying one or two of the Benefit blushes or bronzers, or you are just a makeup junkie like I am, you need this palette. I already owned the Rockateur blush in the individual container, but I wanted to purchase the Cheekathon palette anyway because I have considered buying the Hoola bronzer and Coralista blush for quite some time now, but never took the plunge. After the Cheekathon palette came out, I realized this was the perfect opportunity to try out all of the blushes and bronzers that Benefit is known for but only for the cost of two individuals blushes.

The Cheekathon palette comes with three blushes, one bronzer, and a face powder along with a small flat topped brush. The products that are inside of the palette are as follows from left to right and top to bottom: Dandelion, Hoola, Rockateur, Dallas, and Coralista. I have tried every color in the palette and all are super pigmented and easy to blend on the skin. Everything in the Cheekathon palette is full size products so it is truly a bang for your buck. I have more fair skin so all of the colors show up nicely on my skin tone, however, I think that Dandelion might be a light on medium to dark skin tones.

I would definitely recommend this palette to anyone who is interested in buying a Benefit blush or bronzer. It really is a great deal for the price verse the amount of product that you get!

                     In order from left to right: Dandelion, Hoola, Rockateur, Dallas, Coralista

All Photos by Becky Schutten.

Bomb or Bust: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation

Bomb or Bust: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation
Price: $16.99
You can buy this at: Ulta, Walgreens, Walmart, and CVS
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod13441004

The L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation is a liquid foundatioin that is saturated in a cushion. When I originally heard of this foundation, I didn't know what the difference was going to be between the True Match Lumi and the True Match Lumi Cushion. After using this new foundation for a couple of weeks, I have figured out that there are some significant differences between the two.

To start off, the True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation is different from the other L'Oreal True Match foundations because it is in a compact form with a cushion inside that soaks up the product to keep it in place. The packaging is a round rose gold and white circular compact that is opened from the front. When you initially open the foundation, it has a sponge that fits in the top compartment that you can use to apply the foundation. Personally, I do not use the sponge that it comes with because those type of sponges never give me the coverage that I am looking for. I think that this would have been better if L'Oreal had left the sponge out and gave you more of the foundation. When you open the compartment that contains the sponge, you will see the foundation soaked in the cushion. At first, it doesn't seem like you get a lot of product or that a limited amound of foundation will come out of the cushion onto your sponge or brush, but to my pleasant surpise you do get a decent amount of foundation. I like to use a Real Techniques Complexion Sponge to apply the True Match Lumi Foundation because I think that it gives me the best amount of coverage and doesn't soak up unnecessary amounts of product. I take the sponge and tap it lightly once in the foundation then apply it to the areas of my face that I am working on. This foundation gives a dewy, luminious look to the skin and is very buildable. You can wear it as sheer or as heavy coverage as you want. If you have any oil to your skin, I would suggest using a powder to set the foundation to prevent it from moving around throughout the day. After setting the True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation with a powder, I have found that it lasts me all day without breaking apart.

All in all, I would say that the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation is bomb! Try it out!

Note: At my fairest, I am the shade W2.

All Photos By: Becky Schutten

Bomb or Bust: Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquids

Bomb or Bust: Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquids

Cost: $6.99
You can buy this at: Ulta, Tartget, Walgreens and Walmart
http://www.target.com/p/maybelline-color-sensational-vivid-matte-liquid-lipcolor/-/A-49098564

When I was at the grocery store the other day, the new Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquids caught my eye. I had to pick up a few and try them out. Nothing is better than a lip product that lasts all day so you don't have to touch it up when you are on the go, and I usually find that liquid lipsticks last the longest on me. So naturally I had to pick up a few of my favorite colors to try out this new Maybelline formula.

To my delight, I really love them! No need to spend a ton of money on expensive liquid lipsticks when you get can these for under ten bucks (unless you are a makeup junkie like myself then you try to justify the purchase of everything you can get your hands on.) The Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquids are a thin cream-like texture and are super opaque. All you need is a light layer across the lips to create a full coverage effect. This is great because you are using less product which in turn will make the product last longer. The liquid lipstick has a flatter doe foot applicator which makes the application easier for creating a smooth lipline with the side of the brush. I have worn the Vivid Matte Liquids a couple of times and they have lasted up to six hours without coming off or bleeding. Even though this liquid lipstick is more on the creamy side, it does not feel thick on the lips and is not drying at all. It is very comfortable to wear throughout the day.

The Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquids come in ten different colors ranging from nudes to pinks to reds to purples. There is a good color for everyone with every skintone no matter what you lipstick preference is. I only bought three colors to test out the formula, but I definitely want to go back for more. The colors consist of: Nude Thrill, Nude Flush, Pink Charge, Electric Pink, Fuchsia Ecstasy, Orange Shot, Rebel Red, Berry Boost, Vivid Violet, and Possessed Plum.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a lightweight long-wearing liquid lipstick!

Nude Thrill (5)

 

Nude Flush (10)

 

 

Rebel Red (35)

 

 

Photo Credits: Becky Schutten

Bomb or Bust: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

Bomb or Bust: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

Price: $6.97
You can buy this at: Walmart, Walgreens, Ulta
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Garnier-SkinActive-Micellar-Cleansing-Water-13.5-fl-oz/47176167

After seeing the commercials on the TV about the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water, I thought this was going to be another gimmick that wasn't going to work. While at Ulta, I saw it sitting on one of the end caps that holds all of the new products so I decided to give it a try. I did not have high hopes that this cleanser would be anything special. However, when I got home that day and used it to take my makeup off, I was pleasantly surprised. It actually took all my makeup off and left my skin feeling super smooth and supple. I wanted to test it out some more before talking about it, so I used it a couple days later to take off a full-on face of makeup. Again, I was shocked to see that it took all of my makeup off without a ton of effort!

The Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water is supposed to be a multi-purpose cleanser that removes makeup, cleanses the face while refreshing the skin at the same time. Garnier claims that this cleanser is a no rinse formula which I can agree with since it does not leave your skin feeling dry or like there is a film on top of it. However, I always suggest using water to wash off any excess when you have the time or water availability. You do not have to rub hard to get any of your makeup or dirt off of you face. It takes everything off with the lightest touch, even stubborn mascara. Garnier also says that it is safe for the eye area, which I usually have trouble with in a lot of products because my eyes can be very sensitive. I was apprehensive to use this to take my eye makeup off since I have had troubles in the past, but I sucked it up and tried it, and to my pleasant surprise, it did not hurt or burn at all. This was a huge plus for me! There is nothing like removing your eye makeup without a struggle and have your eyes feel refreshed afterward. This cleanser is also good for all skin types because it is so light and gentle on the skin. It does not dry your skin out, nor does it leave you feeling greasy or dirty. You wipe your face down, and you instantly feel refreshed and clean.

This Garnier cleanser is great when you are in a rush or on the go because you only need to use one product to get your skin prepped for moisturizer. I love to use this on my lazy days when I don't want to full out wash my face, or when I want to freshen up throughout the day when I'm not wearing any makeup. This cleanser is also good to use to wipe your makeup off easily prior to washing your with your liquid or bar cleansers. The way I use this product to clean my face is by saturating a cotton round with the product and gently rubbing it over my face. After, my face can be a little wet so I like to dab it with a clean towel before I apply my moisturizer.

All in all, I would definitely say that the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water is a bomb product and worth checking out!

Note: Garnier states that this product does not have oil, alcohol, or fragrance.

Photo Credits: Becky Schutten

Makeup Brush Storage

Makeup Brush Storage

I have used so many different containers to hold my makeup brushes, but my brush collection has gotten bigger and bigger throughout the years so finding one container that could hold all of my brushes with easy accessabilty was difficult. After searching many different stores and websites, I finally found an amazing storage container to hold all of my brushes in one place.

The storage container I found is called the Spinning Tool Organizer from Hobby Lobby which is originally made to hold artist tools and brushes. When I was browsing Hobby Lobby and ran into this storage container, I thought it would be the perfect organizer to hold all of my brushes, beauty sponges and small hair supplies such as small clips, hair ties, and bobby pins. This organizer has twelve cubbies to hold brushes, and six drawers to hold little beauty items. The middle cubbie has a removable slot to make the center a bigger cubby if you desire. The storage unit is made of wood and comes in a varity of colors. The wood is easy to wipe down in case it gets dirty, and it sits on a spinning axle so you can turn the organizer to see every drawer or cubby.

I personally have the white organzier and I removed the middle wood plate to create a bigger cubby to hold my bigger brushes so they were not all crammed together. I like to use the bigger sections for larger brushes or brushes that have bigger bases, and I use the smaller sections for brushes that are smaller or more delicate. I love using the six drawers to store things like my smaller hair clips, bobby pins, hair ties, beauty sponges, and eyebrow tools such as scissors and tweezers. To stablize the smaller brushes, I put clear marbles to hold them in place and prevent them from falling over. If I need to clean my makeup brush organizer, I use a makeup removing wipe and wipe it down then dry it off with a towel. It is very important that you store all of your makeup brushes with the bristles facing upward to prevent them from being ruined. Taking care of your brushes is the only way to make sure that they last as long as possible.

Spinning Tool Organizer: $49.99
You can buy this at: Hobby Lobby, Michaels, any craft store
http://www.hobbylobby.com/search/?text=Spinning+Tool+Organizer&quickview=20511

Note: Hobby Lobby usually has coupons for 40% off one regular priced item.

All Photos By: Becky Schutten

Tarte: Tartelette In Bloom Review

Tartelette In Bloom Review

The Tarte Tartelette In Bloom is a neutral eye shadow palette with twelve shadows. The eye shadows range from light creams to deep browns with every shade in between. There are three rows of four shadows that include a cool-toned row, a neutral-toned row, and a warm-toned row. The Tartelette palette is made up of mattes and shimmers. All of the eye shadows (mattes and shimmers) have amazing pigmentation. They apply great to the eye without creating any fallout or patches. When dipping the brush into the palette, it does seem a little powdery but you do not see that when it is applied to the eye lids. The shimmer eye shadows are extremely shimmery on the eye and almost have a metallic look to them. I would definitely recommend this palette to someone who is looking for a diverse neutral palette or for someone who wants to add another great palette to their makeup collection. Also, the Tartelette In Bloom palette is a great deal for the price!

Tarte Tartelette In Bloom: $45.00
You can buy this from: Ulta, Sephora, tartecosmetics.com
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod13281007&skuId=2293234&CPMID=CSBING&CAWELAID=330000200000393616

 

The following images are the eye shadow swatches from top to bottom and left to right:

Cool-Toned Row

 

 

Neutral-Toned Row

Warm-Toned Row

 

All photos were taken by Becky Schutten.