January 2012 Favorites

I love doing monthly favorites posts, but January has to be my absolute favorite month to do them. It's a new year with new favorites to be found! How many times can I say "favorite" in one paragraph?! Well, my stepdad has always joked that "favorite" is one of my favorite words. Maybe he has been onto something all of these years. Well played, sir. Very well played!

* Lip Butter swatches to come soon! You can find Sin swatched here. I reviewed Wonderstruck here. Blush swatch is coming!

What were some of your favorites? Did some of the beauty items you got for Christmas get reached for the most or have you been shopping your stash? All of mine come from the time around the Christmas holidays except for Urban Decay's Sin, which has remained a holy grail eyeshadow for me for years now. :)

SAG Awards 2012

I have to say that the red carpet for the SAGS impressed me a lot more than the one for the Golden Globes! Here's my choices for the best and worst dressed. Share your list and opinions with me!



^ Naya Rivera was HOT HOT HOT! This dress by Naeem Khan is gorgeous!

^ Sofia Vergara never disappoints as she never seems to stray from the same type of fit of dress. I say if it's not broken, don't fix it. What I really love about this is the color! It just pops against her skin! Regina King looked lovely in lavender! The ruffles left me drooling.

Jayma Mays was stunning in Reem Acra. Sequins? Always a welcomed option in my book! With Kaley Cuoco, I actually really like the dress. I like the color and the fit. I'm only torn because of her hair. It just doesn't suit the dress.


^ Busy Phillips was on my Golden Globes worst list too. Double offender! I don't know what she was thinking with this. The only place I think this might would have been acceptable is at Woodstock...

^ Emilia Clarke just proved that just because it is Chanel doesn't make it an instant winner. Were the SAGs in Hawaii? No? Well then, Shailene Woodley must have just gotten confused.

^ Kristin Wiig looked gorgeous. The dress was fabulous...and then she ruined it by putting a choker on. Why, Kristin?! And Lea actually looked gorgeous, but I'm so tired of her trying so hard to be so sexy. At the Golden Globes, it was a see-through embellished dress. Now it is a slit up to there, which I don't really think is necessary for the SAGs.


^ And I'm just throwing this out there but if this couple gets any hotter, I'm going to have to turn on my air conditioning!

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Tough as Taupe

It's no secret that I love the EyeStudio line by Maybelline. And now they have released these new cream eyeshadows that are supposed to rival MAC's Paint Pots. Well, it's also no secret how much I love my Paint Pots (especially Painterly!).

The store that I went to had all of the colors in stock, but I just bought this one because I knew it would get the most use and I wanted to try one out first before splurging on other shades. It is safe to say now that I would certainly buy some of the other more neutral shades. Quite frankly, I would just never wear that bright blue or orange. They are gorgeous, but definitely not for me.

This did not crease or smudge while I wore it for approximately ten hours. I wore it alone with no primer. I was very impressed as the performance was on par with the MAC Paint Pots. I would say that this is a great cheaper alternative or if you want more color selection with your cream eyeshadows. They were smooth to the touch and blended easily, drying in about the same time as a Paint Pot.



^ The pots are glass and well made.

I give this product a big thumbs up! If you can find these in stock, give them a try. They are absolutely worth the hype they are getting! Hope you all have a great weekend. :)

Cute Blog Award & New Blog Layout!

It's lovely to come on here and realize that I have received a lovely award from two awesome bloggers. One being Christine and the other being Kar Yi. Both are beauty bloggers and I think a lot of you would love their blogs (and them!). Thanks girls, for choosing me as one of your recipients of the award. I'd like to also thank the Academy and...oh wait, I'm getting carried away now. *cue the orchestra*

For this award you:
1. Link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Answer the award questions.
3. Tell something about yourself you haven't told anyone on your blog yet.
4. Award as many blogs that you think are worthy of this award.
5. Make sure you let those you gave the award to know that you awarded them.

Award Questions:
1. What is your go to makeup product?
It used to be eyeliner, but now I'd say concealer. As I get older, I need it for dark circles and to even out my skintone in certain areas. Concealer has become my best friend.

2. What was your favorite fashion trend of 2011?
I love the slouchy sweaters that can be worn off the shoulder and over skinny jeans or jeggings. They look effortlessly cute and are so comfortable.

3. What is your favorite dessert?
I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I loooooove cherry cheesecake.

4. Favorite color?
I have three that I love equally. Pink, red, and purple. If I had to truly choose one, I'd go with pink as it has always been a favorite so it gets seniority privileges.

5. What is your middle name?
Marie. I have always liked my middle name, actually. It's so basic and common, but it really flows and fits nicely with my first name (which is Wendy, obviously).

6. What was the last song you listened to?
Graveyard by Feist. Her new album is amazing!

Something you don't know about me yet:
Well, I don't tend to get too personal on this blog so there is plenty you all don't know. I have mild OCD. I cannot stand for things to be in odd numbers like change in my wallet, knocks on a door, etc.. Things on my desk have to be lined up in a certain way. I can't get in bed one way and out the other is another example. There's a lot more ways it effects me, but I just have to keep living life and not let it stop me. I could go into more detail in a future post about it, if anyone is ever interested.

I tag:
Antonia- She has become a dear friend who is as sweet as she can be!
asoftblackstar- She makes amazing makeup accessories on her Etsy store!
Linh- Another person who has become a great friend of mine. And I love her hauls!
Gaby- She leaves such sweet comments and her product reviews are great.
Raech- Her hauls are fabulous and her handbag collection is to die for.

I decided to stop at five, but there are certainly other blogs/bloggers that I have come to enjoy and adore. I will be showcasing a few of them soon in a "Share the Love" post! Also, I changed the blog layout. I try to change it every three months or so. :)

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy Swatches

I'm finally getting around to swatching my Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy! And part of the reason I'm doing it today is that my friend Christine just opened a new giveaway on her blog where she is giving away this very lipstick shade. You can read the rules for the giveaway on her entry (click here). :)



To see more pictures and the swatches, please click below.

Keep reading!

Small Drugstore Haul

I bought Layla's Magneffect nail polish in Purple Galaxy and you can see swatches over at All Lacquered Up. I tried it quickly on one of my nails, but I didn't really notice much of an effect. I'm guessing my nails are too short right now. It is a pretty purple, though. While this is normally around $15, I got mine on clearance for under $8 at my local Rexall.

Essie's Aruba Blue caught my eye, because it's just a gorgeous gemstone blue shade. I have a few blue nail polishes and none are similar to this. I think this is going to look really good with a gold glitter accent nail.

And lastly, I picked up one of the new Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo eyeshadows in Tough as Taupe. I'm going to try this out and then swatch and review it for you. The reviews that I've heard make this sound promising and I have loved nearly everything else from the EyeStudio line. Looking forward to trying it!

So there is my small haul. I got the two nail polishes on sale and I knew I had to quickly grab the eyeshadow, because this shade in particular has been hard to find in stock. Have you tried any of these? :) Hope you all have a great weekend!

Philosophy's Purity Made Simple Cleanser

*Picture taken when I first got it. My bottle is less full now! :)

I have had this for a while now, so I thought I would share my thoughts on it. First off, I do like it but I'm not sure that I would repurchase it. I'll explain why during this post. I have the 8 fl. oz. size that retails for $20 US/28 CAN, which puts it on the more expensive side of skincare. But hey, if something works for you, the price should sometimes be overlooked. Great skin is important!

This cleanser does not foam and is more of a creamy consistency, much like Cetaphil. This is great for doing a one-step cleaning to take your makeup off and wash your face at the same time. I don't use it every day. I switch between a few different face cleansers depending on what I need a certain day (zit fighting, exfoliating, etc.). The only problem I find with prolonged use of Purity is that it made my dry areas feel drier, which is why I don't use it every day. It excelled at getting my makeup off and making my face feel clean. I noticed no breakouts from using it at all and I have very sensitive skin.

The thing is that Cetaphil does the same things for me without drying out my skin as much. It doesn't foam, takes off makeup, and is gentle on sensitive skin. It retails for less than Purity, being usually around $12 for 16 fl. oz. and can be found in most drugstores. Though I do find that Purity does a better job at thoroughly getting all of my makeup off.

Now of course, all of this is just my opinion. Not all skin is created equal and Purity Made Simple may just be your holy grail of face washes. I have yet to find my holy grail, so my search continues! What is your HG facial cleanser? Tell me in the comments!

Golden Globe Awards 2012 Best & Worst

Here's my personal list of best and worst dressed from the red carpet last night. Honestly, I was a bit let down. I only watch the red carpet events, as I don't care for award shows...but I really thought there would be more excitement with the dress choices. Certain celebrities that I expected to look amazing failed for the most part. Oh well! I've narrowed my list down to five in each category.


Easily my favorite of the night. Nicole Richie really surprised me with her dress and the perfect accessories really sealed the deal.

Shailene Woodley looked gorgeous in this Marchesa dress. The detailing on it was impeccable. Katharine McPhee went the subltle route, but it really worked. I love the understated makeup and hair.

Reese is red hot in red! Why does she have to be so darn gorgeous?! Sarah Hyland's dress is similar to Kat McPhee's. I guess I'm drawn to the nude lace. It's a very classic look and I love how the dress is broken up with the black sash. The best part is that this dress is age-appropriate for Sarah and doesn't age her.


Emily Watson, oh my. This dress is majorly plain and does absolutely nothing for her shape. And she really needs to learn how to pose on the red carpet.

Piper Perabo, what are you doing to me? This dress was nearly see-through and looked like a plastic bag. Busy Philips, why must your dress match your name? It's too busy! I just do not dig the fringe detailing one bit. And the hair was massive! I felt like those two details clashed.

Connie Britton. This dress does everything right for her figure, but I feel like it is a little too dressed down for the Golden Globes. It pains me to add Melissa McCarthy to my worst dressed list, because I love this woman to death. The thing is that there are much better gowns out there suited for plus-sized women. This isn't bad, but I think she could have stepped up her game a bit.

Who made your list? :)

Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift: Perfume Review

I am a huge Taylor Swift fan but even if I wasn't, I'd still want this perfume. Not only is the packaging absolutely gorgeous, but this is a scent that I think a lot of people will like. I'm certainly not a pro at reviewing perfumes, so if anything this post gives you pictures of one of the prettiest perfumes out there. ;)

The scent is very light and a little fruity. Because it is light, I feel like a lot of different age groups could get away with wearing this. It's not really a "young" or "old" perfume. Sephora lists the big notes as being: green tea, freesia, dewberry, apple blossom, and raspberry. I definitely smell the freesia and raspberry and a hint of musk. I do think that it is more of a daytime scent.

To me, the scent hits its best stride as the day goes on and gets even better the longer it is on the skin. The lasting power is its downfall, though. This lasts maybe four hours on me before it starts to fade away, but I have dry skin and that can make a difference. For others, it may last longer. To rectify this problem when I'm out all day, I just put a little of the perfume in my Travalo and touch it up when needed.

A tip about the bottle is that if you want to see how much of the perfume you have left, just lift it in front of a light and you'll be able to see through it.

I am very happy with this perfume and if you like sweeter scents, I don't think this will let you down. Everyone I know that has purchased it has fallen in love with it. I hope this is not Taylor's first and last venture into perfume making. Have you smelled this perfume? Is it a "take it" or "leave it" for you? Let me know!

OCC Lip Tars in Trollop and Divine

I own four OCC Lip Tars so far. To see my swatches of Hush and Memento, click here. This post shows my latest two that I bought at last year's IMATS. Hush and Memento are more like everyday colors for me, while Trollop and Divine make great statement lip looks.



^ This picture shows how they can separate in the tube. Just flip it the other way and give it a little shake and it mixes back together. I actually don't care for the packaging, because it gets everywhere. And these go on best with a lip brush. I'd rather them be in a lip gloss tube with a wand.

Trollop is a dark pink and Divine is a true pink.

For swatches and rest of review, click to read more!

Keep reading!

My MUFE Palette

I thought I'd share my Make Up For Ever palette with you. It's incomplete- still needing two more to fill the palette. I have been very slow to fill this up and meticulous about what colors I choose. At $19 US/$22 CAN, I consider these investment pieces. I do not want to end up with a color that I can't see myself ever using. So here are the eight eyeshadows that I have collected so far!

Click to make larger to read shade numbers.
^ The first row are my colors and I've made the bottom row my neutrals.

^ 88 (pink) doubles as a blush and an eyeshadow. 81 (blue) and 121 (purple) were my first two MUFE shadows. 81 remains my favorite blue that I have ever owned. It makes such a beautiful smokey eye. 47 is a matte green unlike any other green I own.

^ 165 is a greige color. 98 is a great crease color, as it is a basic matte brown. 156 makes a great highlight and lid color. 127 is a beautiful taupe.

I have to say that my favorite MUFE finish is the metallic one, because I love the sheen. Matte comes in a close second. If you think MAC's matte shadows are hard to blend, I really do recommend trying MUFE! I still have those two last spots that are vacant so if you have a favorite MUFE eyeshadow, don't hesitate to let me know in the comments.

Christmas Gifts 2011

I thought I'd share a few of the things that I got for Christmas. I'm only showing the beauty/fashion related items. Actually some of the previous limited edition items I posted (like the UD sets, Tarte set, etc.) were part of my Christmas gifts. I was allowed to have them early to post about them on here while they were still mostly available. :)

My other gifts consisted of DVDs, books, Wii games, giftcards, and other little items plus the items you saw in my last haul post. :D I was incredibly surprised and beyond grateful for everything I received. Though the best gift was being able to go home for Christmas and spend time with my little brother!

^ This handmade polar bear glass tray. I use it for some of my favorite perfumes so that I can see it every day. This was only one of many polar bear themed gifts I got. LOVE.

^ Taylor Swift Wonderstruck perfume, Too Faced Primed and Poreless, MUFE eyeshadows in 88 and 165, MAC Syrup lipstick, UD Naked lipliner, Kat Von D Adora perfume, and UD 15 Ann. eyeshadow palette.

^ Sephora giftcard and Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Dollface.

^ Lady Gaga x Terry Richardson book! Sorry about horrible picture...I snapped this as I was opening presents and forgot to take another one.

^ Little cupcake bath bombs which are so pretty that I don't want to use them. :) They even have sprinkles!

So what did you get for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever you may celebrate? I personally love seeing gift hauls. So if you made a post, let me know! Hope you all have a great weekend!