Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24 HR Foundation Review

I thought Estee Lauder Double Wear could never be topped.  That it was my "ride or die" foundation.

I WAS WRONG.

I recently won an incredible giveaway on Instagram (all details to follow on a separate posting) and purchased the Lancome Teint Idole Foundation.  I had been wanting to try it for ages.  All of the reviews I have read were positive.  At a hefty price point of $46.50 I was really hoping this stuff would be flawless.

And it is!!!

I picked my shade on the web, and went with 210 Buff N-for light skin with neutral undertones.  This comes in a variety of shades to choose from....neutral, cool and warm.  So if you know if you are pink or yellow or a mix, you should be able to accurately "guess" when picking online.  Otherwise, I would suggest going to a Lancome counter and getting color matched and getting a sample.

Moving on......so it comes in a glass bottle with a pump.  That was my number one peeve about Double Wear, NO PUMP! So I am spilling it all over with my eyes half open getting ready in the morning.  Lancome allows for a lot less wasted product with the pump.

I tried it with a beauty blender the first day I wore it.  It went on seamlessly.  It did not oxidize or move on me all day.  It did not rub on my clothes.  It did not FEEL like I was wearing foundation (as Double Wear can sometimes feel like that).  The finish is matte, but a light matte.....like, it is your skin but better.  My skin is oily in the summer and combo (oily and dry) in the winter.  This leaves my skin looking great.  I do think the next time I pass a Lancome counter I will stop and see if I chose the color they think I should be, just to check :)

My mother has always loved Lancome products and I can still smell her wearing Tresor as I was growing up.  She told me today this was my grandmothers favorite too.  Makes me smile from ear to ear.  Lancome has won over another generation!!

Today when I wore it, I applied it with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush.  It also went on just as smooth as the beauty blender application did.  I was able to work so quickly (running late as usual) but it still melted right into my skin.  So if I missed any spots, I surely couldn't tell!  Tomorrow I am going to try the Lancome concealer and we will see if I am converting over for good!

Update-I did try the concealer in light buff and I like it/ It goes on light and another great color match,but I don't think it is as long lasting as Estee Lauders double wear concealer.

Have you tried this foundation?  What are your thoughts??  Let us know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo

Becca AfterGlow & Carli Bybel Palette Reviews

Here is the look I created using both the Carli Bybel eyeshadow palette and the Becca AfterGlow palette.  I wanted to glow while I was putting up the holiday decor!!

I wanted to get all the photos up first since the beauty of them each speak for themselves.  I can pretty much leave :)  The Becca afterglow palette comes with three highlighters and two mineral blushes.

From left to right, Moonstone, Rose Gold, Topaz, Wild Honey and Flowerchild.  I mean even those names are gorgeous!!  They are long lasting and of great quality, smooth as butter and the brush picks up so much so a little goes a long way.  My only complaint is I wish the pans of product were bigger. But for the price of $39.50, you get to try a bunch of best sellers.

The Carli Bybel palette is an amazing value at ONLY $12.50.  $12.50!!  Now I have only used a few BH Cosmetics brushes but have been pleased.  The eye shadow palettes also get rave reviews.  So this collaboration is a great match.  I love the matte shadows for the crease and outer v and the shimmer shades for my lid and inner tear duct.

Don't mind my hair, it's the weekend!! :) 

Both of these are great value for your money and would make great gifts for the holidays!!

Do you already have these or are they on your wishlist??  Let us know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo

November 2015 Favorites

This is a long overdue post, about favorites that is.....But I haven't really fallen head over heels in a while.  Until this past month!  I have fallen in love with entirely too many things! Shhh, don't tell my husband (muah!).

First up is this NARS Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette.  This palette comes with 4 blushes, a highlight/contour duo and a bronzer.  Gorgeous packaging, long lasting color and beautiful shades anyone can wear.  Perfect staple for everyday use!!

Paloma contour duo, Laguna bronzer top row, Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita blushes bottom row

Courtesy of bubblymichelle.com

Laguna bronzer and Blasphemy blush

Next up is Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation.

My favorite blogger, Stephanie Lange, raves about Chanel foundation so I had to try it myself.  I love it.  It has beige undertones and since I am more neutral, those shades work more with my skin tone. This goes on very light and I find is best applied with a beauty blender to achieve light coverage and a second coat for medium to full coverage.  It does have a very perfumey smell but it did not irritate my skin or make me break out.  It has a hefty price tag but a little goes a long way!!

My next favorite this month is Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer.  To be honest, I can't believe it took me this long to try it.  I fell in love with Double Wear foundation last year and since I am always on the hunt for a heavy duty concealer for my dark under eye circles, this should have been a natural selection for me.  It goes on light but dries to full coverage.  It is offered in a range of shades and I chose light.  It does not crease on me and stays on all day until my makeup remover takes it off!

Next, I tried Benefit Gimme Brow in a Sephora sample pack.  Since my brows are so thin to begin with, I was always nervous to try this product.  Since I have gotten bangs this winter, I have been letting my brows grow (thank god for bangs!!) and this is literally the perfect product to brush my brows in to place and add some color and volume.  It is described as a brow volumizing fiber gel and it does just that and looks so natural!!

Another sample I got from Sephora is the Tarte Lights Camera Lashes mascara.  My short stubby lashes always need a lift (hee hee) and this does the trick!!  It adds nice length and blackens them perfectly with 2 coats.

And my last favorite from this month are my ear jackets from Asos  These are another rec from Stephanie Lange.  They are gorgeous.  I have gotten so many compliments on them and even bought my mother a pair!  Sadly, they are currently sold out since I started this post but hopefully they will stock again soon!

And there ya have it!  My November 2015 favorites.  There have been so many holiday releases as of late and I just recently won an amazing giveaway on Instagram so I will be doing a haul post along with some more reviews soon!  Hopefully I can provide some great gift ideas for you!

And it is also that time of year when the DIY crafts and gifts start so let me know if you have any special requests!!

If you have any favorites from this month or love any of my favorites, let us know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo

Urban Decay Smoky Palette Review & Eye Look

Let me preface this by saying I apologize for the long delay in posting!  This review should have gone up weeks ago as you can see I didn't even have my bangs cut in the pictures below.  But I wanted to let ya'll know my thoughts about the Urban Decay Smoky Palette.


When I first heard about the smoky palette coming out, I was skeptical.  I thought it would be dark colors that would only be wearable for a smoky eye or night on the town look, so not something that I could wear day to day at work.

I was pleasantly surprised.  The colors were much lighter with a single swipe on the lid than they led me to believe.

Courtesy of peekandponder.com

Some shades perform better than others, I loved Smolder but couldn't always get High to perform as well.

Here is a look that I wore to work and out several times.

Yep, my shirt says Genius!!

In this look, I used Whiskey and Combust as my blending shades above my lid, Smolder on my outer V and DirtySweet on my mobile lid.  This is a lighter version of the look, but adding more color and blending more quickly darkens the look!

Overall, this is a great palette for fall.  Colors are on trend and will go into the winter months well.  If you are a fan of the other Naked palettes then you will love this one.  There were some negative reviews that I came across but as long as you are using a good primer then the staying power of these shadows should be fine.  Also, if you start out with small amounts of color then they should not be muddy when applied.

Great purchase and no regrets here!!

Did you run out and get this?  What are your thoughts?

Stay tuned for my thoughts on the Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation!

Let us know in the comments below!

Have a great day!! xo

Too Faced's Born This Way Foundation Review

As ya'll know my holy grail foundation is Estee Lauder Double Wear.  But since I stopped using silicone primers and use my Clarisonic dupe every day, my skin doesn't always require a full coverage heavy duty foundation.

Welcome, Born This Way Foundation by Too Faced.

This foundation has been described as, "your skin but better foundation" and it's largely because of the ingredients!

I have also been trying new ways of application to withstand my oily tzone throughout the day. Surprisingly enough, using those cheapo triangle makeup sponges in a dabbing motion on my face each day has been working out really well!!  I think the change in the weather here in Chicago is helping too, but it has withstood the hot, humid days as well.  Am I the only one who is trying this method?

Overall I find this foundation to be light to medium, buildable, but not cakey, coverage.  It lasts all day long and brightens my face.  It does not oxidize and it also only takes a little bit to get the job done.

I am using nude which is actually light with pink undertones.  Warm nude pulled too yellow on me, so with my neutral undertones, this is actually the perfect shade!

Here I am in natural lighting, with no filter! Pretty spot on coloring if I do say so myself!

Have you used this foundation yet? What are your thoughts?  Was color selection hard for you?

Let us know in the comments below!

Have a great day!! xo

Sephora Epic Rewards Choice-Smashbox Makeup!!

A few weeks ago, Sephora once again had their epic rewards choices.  Epic meaning 1,000 points and up reward choices.  Some were valued at 10,000 reward points.  I know my chances were slim but I tried nonetheless to get in on the action.

And I was able to choose one!!  I  ended up going with the Smashbox reward.  It was 1,000 points and I knew I would use all of the items, as opposed to some of the other choices, where I already had or wouldn't use some items.

All of the above items came in my reward:

• Smashbox Primer Water
• Smashbox Mascara
• Smashbox Infrared Matte Red Lipstick
• Smashbox Crimson Red Lip Liner
• Smashbox Shape Matters Palette

The approximate value of all items combined is $157.   Not bad!

Now on to the star of my reward choice, the Shape Matters palette.

Look at how gorgeous it is.  I have had my eyes on this palette since I got a sneak peek of it.  

The left side is for brows, the middle is for face and the right is for eyes.  I mean, it really covers everything.  If I could change one thing, it would be to have added a blush in the mix.  They just released a palette full of shadows and blush and I think that one looks beautiful too!

You may remember in my January Favorites blog post, click HERE to reread, I reviewed the Smashbox contour palette and have loved it ever since.  This palette is sturdy and perfect to take on a trip.  The sizes of each pan seem like they will last forever, too.  They are all very pigmented and smooth and the brush that comes in the palette is great quality!

Do you have this palette?  What do you think about it?

Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great night xo

Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Shadow Palette Review

It was with much hesitation that I purchased this palette.  Due to the fact my experience with the contour palette was not the best. Read that review HERE. But I watched a video that Stephanie Lange (vlogger) did and from that moment I knew I had to have it.

I don't even want to say the H word.......hooded eyelids.......I have them and one day, I will overcome them.  But until them I shall work with shade and light to fight the good fight on not accentuating that dreaded hood.

So I broke down and bought the palette......because matte shades are what you should wear with hooded lids.

And so far, I am very pleased with it.  I recreated the Stephanie Lange look, of course, and have worn it every day since I got it!!

The nice thing about this palette is that it is aimed at all skin tones.  Kat Von D wanted everyone to be able to enjoy it.  I say that like I know her......"You know, when Kat and I were hanging out the other day discussing her plans for her new palette"........

The left side is the neutral side, the middle is cool and the right is the warm side.  Though I lean towards warmer tones, the look I am in love with comes from the cool portion of the palette,

You can see how I extend and round off the corners to define the shape of my eye and pull the focus outward rather than upward (towards the hood).

I blew up these pictures so you all could see the placement.  I always put my crease above the hood so that when you are looking at me straight on, the shadow is visible.

Courtesy of vampyvarnish.com

The palette comes with look cards which will be very  helpful if you are trying out new ways to enhance or play with your eyes.

Courtesy of glamourzen.com

For my look I started out with Lazarus directly above my hood, creating my own crease.  That is also my transition shade.  Then I placed Saleos there as well and blended them both out and extended. Liberatus was used next on my mobile lid and inner corner only.  Then I took Solas (from the warm side) and placed at the outer corner of my eye and rounded it up into the other shadows.  Blend, Blend, Blend.

Overall, I am very pleased so far.  There are absolutely so many looks that can be created with this palette,  The price is steep, but not when you think about how much product you get.  The packaging is kind of bulky but all of her palettes are great for travel, I have found, because of that.  And the shadows are great quality.  They blend smoothly and stay on all day.

Click HERE to read the exact color descriptions from Temptalia!

Do you have this palette??  What do you think so far??

Let us know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo

Hourglass Hyaluronic Skin Tint Review

Lately I have been on the search for the perfect BB cream or foundation for summer. I am so pale in the fall and winter months, so when I get tan, I need another product.  One that doesn't cover my tan, but any redness or imperfections I may have.

Introducing Hourglass Hyaluronic Skin Tint!!

This comes in 12 shades for varying skin tones.  I chose Golden Tan.  And the color is exactly that.  It gives me golden tan, which accentuates the tan I already have.

It also minimizes pores and gives me a flawless finish.  The only criticism I have is that I have oily skin, more so in the summer months, so I do use a setting spray or powder to set it, depending on where I am going.  It gives you a natural, fresh faced finish and sinks into the skin so it doesn't look like foundation.  It is named "tint" but I think it provides plenty of coverage.

For application, it suggests using your fingers or the Hourglass Foundation Brush No.2, but since that is $58, I said nope.....I use my stippling brush and it applies seamlessly.

I have yet to be disappointed with the Hourglass brand in general.   It is a little pricey but remember, cheap makeup is not good and good makeup is not cheap!!

I have a few other ones I am reviewing so will keep you posted!

Have you used this before?  What are your thoughts?  What is your go to summer bb cream or foundation?

Let us know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo

Upcoming 2015 Beauty Releases

Happy Friday Ya'll!!  Today I really just want to do show and tell.  I've come across some amazing products that some of will be releasing as soon as the end of this month!!  And believe me when I say I want all of them!!

First up is Benefit's They're Real Push Up Liner!!  As soon as this product came out I prayed that they would be releasing more colors than black.  And they heard my cries at night because not only is the liner coming out in 4 new shades but so is the mascara.

Another one of my favorite brands, Kat Von D.  These colors are gorgeous and if you have used them then you know how they don't budge from your lips.

Urban Decay is coming out with a 4th Naked palette, a Naked Smokey Palette.  

Lorac!!  Two new eye shadow palettes!!  One is all MATTE!!  Beautiful!!  And their own contour palette.

Mac's matte lipstick line.  This one is currently available on their site.

Glam Glow has done it again........Flash Mud......this is a brightening treatment mask.

Givenchy eye shadow palette....look at this packaging.  Who cares what is in it? :)

So now you can see why I am over here drooling away and maybe some things that will be on my birthday wish list (yes my birthday is in October and so what lol).

Which product are you most excited about??  Let us know in the comments below!!  And thank you to +TrendMood for always keeping us current xoxo

Have a great day!! xoxo

April 2015 Choix Unboxing And Review

Last month was my second month of the Choix subscription.  It is $20 a month and you get to select the 5 items you sample, all high end brands that I myself, have limited access to.  Tom Ford, Kevin Aucoin,Chanel,YSL,etc.....

the goodies

You also get a $10 coupon code to use towards a full size product out of the items that you sampled for the month.

Let's talk about what I selected this month.

• Nars Dual Intensity Eye Shadow in Phoebe-what's neat about Choix is they send you the sample already pressed in a little pan for you.  You can get a little palette from them to hold all your shadows in so you can take them with you or keep them all in one spot.  I actually really liked this color and it lasted forever on my lids.
• Smashbox Primer Water-I have been wanting to try this for a while but didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.  It was very refreshing but to me not worth the price tag. I also found it did nothing for my pores prior to foundation application and found it better suited for a finishing spray.
• Bobbi Brown Foundation in Cool Beige-I liked this so much that this is what I used my $10 off code on and am waiting for the full size product so I will do a full review then!  It truly is "your skin but better" foundation.  I find application best with Real Techniques Expert Face Brush!
• Chanel Illuminating Base Primer-this primer was a little too shimmery and sticky for me.  Ya know how Smashbox's original primer feels?  This is the exact opposite and again too hefty of a price tag. If you don't have crater sized pores then this would be better for you than me!
• Lastly, Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector in Light Bisque-I love this stuff and have written a post on it before.  In fact, I merely ordered it too be able to use the $10 off coupon on it but I fell in love with the foundation instead!! This is a miracle product that you use under your concealer to counteract the discoloration. 

Click HERE if you would like to try this monthly sub!! As you know, I LOVE surprises but since this box lets me access such amazing stuff I really was glad I tried it!!  I mean sure, you can have them pick your products for you if you want though :)

So overall this was the best box I have received from them so far but I can't blame it on Choix since I made all of my own selections.  Being the foundation and concealer junkie I am, those were where I ran into problems since color selection was hard.  They don't offer all the choices for each brand so I found myself going back and forth reading shade descriptions on Sephora's website.

What do you think?  Have you tried Choix before? Do you think you will?

Let me know in the comments below!! xo

Mudpipes And Glitter Beauty Giveaway-Simple Treasures

I have to admit, this year my family has been very blessed so far.....I got a new job, was recently offered a promotion, a getting a new car and my husband and I are going to Jamaica in less than two weeks for an early wedding anniversary present to ourselves........if I can just get a bun in this oven, we will be complete....our girls are doing good and Shelby is recovering from her emergency hysterectomy.  My mom and brother are doing well and so are my amazing little nephews :)

So to share the love and pay it forward, I am giving away another mixed beauty lot!!!

This one will consist of things like lotions, masks, brushes, a nice assortment of samples and items that I love with a few randoms and a beauty bag thrown in :) And I will be adding stuff during the week to make it even more exciting!!

All you have to do is like my Facebook page, share this giveaway and comment on the post on my wall with this giveaway that you have done so :)

This contest will start May 5th and end on on Saturday the 9th at 7pm CT.

Good luck to everyone and have fun!! xo

Remember this is NOT the final giveaway package but all the stuff I had in front of me right now!!! heeheehee ;)

May 2015 beauty giveaway sneak peek 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Review And The Brush Version Of The Beauty Blender

You may remember my review on Estee Lauder's Double Wear and how much I loved it.  That was also a post I had written when I had my old phone, so all of the associated photos were deleted with the transfer of data.  The link is still above so you can read my thoughts on it but wait until you hear about Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light.

This is Double Wear's younger, hotter sister.......Quite frankly, I am ashamed I haven't reviewed this sooner. If you love the full coverage, matte finish of Double Wear but find it a bit too drying or heavy, than Double Wear Light will be your new obsession.

It comes in only 10 shades but if you are an online shopper like I am, it is much easier to make your selection than it is with the Double Wear.  I think the fact that it has such a narrow shade range makes it easier to find one that matches you.  Sometimes too many options can be confusing.

There are of course several ways to apply this, for me fingers is the worst way. I feel it just smears the product on and doesn't allow for an even application.  I tried with the amazing beauty blender and that works great but I am literally about to tell you about the brush version of the beauty blender.....I am so serious!!

Sephora Pro Airbush Blender #78

This brush has over 100,00 bristles.....it is so soft and allows for smooth, even application AND you can stipple it for targeted concentration on an area.  Think of how many beauty blenders you buy when they need to be replaced and you can justify the cost (at least that is how I did).  My foundation goes on like it is air brushed every time I use this brush.

So soft and lovely

The only negative is it takes a while to clean it and it also takes 2 days for it to dry completely but it is worth it if you want a photo shopped smooth face!  Click HERE to buy it and read even more reviews!!

I wore it this weekend and used the brush for application.

#nofilter loves

I think it looks amazing, it goes on light and doesn't make you feel like you are wearing makeup.  I am using Laura Merciers translucent setting powder for under my eyes and to set my face lately.  I am still on the fence about that powder, and am looking to try Bobbi Brown's pressed powder next.  Laura Mercier's powder sets my under eyes perfect and doesn't crease but I don't feel like it lasts all day and that is a problem with dark under eye circles like mine.

For reference, I am 1N2 Ecru, pale ivory beige with neutral undertones, for Double Wear.  That is why I selected Intensity 1.0 in Double Wear Light.

Currently Sephora is offering a primer, night serum and foundation brush for only $10.00 with purchase of either Double Wear Light or Double Wear! Click HERE to get that!  Otherwise, you can go to any department store counter and get a free 10 day sample of either!

Have you used Double Wear light before??  What are your thoughts on it??  How soon are you going to get this brush??

Let us know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!! xo