My Beauty Addiction: Blush

I never had and probably will never have a lipstick addiction.
I never had and probably will never have a lip gloss addiction.
I never had and probably will never have a mascara addiction.
But I love my blushes and I will never give up my love for them LOL.

As the title of this post says, I am addicted to blushes. There, I said it!

Blushes are the only type makeup I will buy with less hesitation because of price. As long as the product is great, I probably won't mind the price tag.
I love blushes because they can give you that pop of color on your face when foundation and/or concealer washes out some of the color on your face.  It also adds more dimension to your face! What is there not to love?

Of course it's rather easy to "over do" blush, looking like a clown in the end. But with some practice and lots of blending, you can add a very nice touch to your overall makeup using blush!

Without further ado, my blush collection!

-NYX Rouge Cream Blush (cb02 Natural)
-NYX Rouge Cream Blush (cb05 Glow)
-Stila Custom Color Blush (Sheer Pink)
-Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Amused)
-Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush (10 Pink Frosting)

-Benefit (Coralista)
-Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit (Candy Leopard)
-Illamasqua Cream Blush (Promise)
-Benefit (Bella Bamba)
-Benefit (Dandelion)
-ELF (Candid Coral)
-theBalm (Hot Mama)
-HK Memoirs of a Kitty (Shade 1 / Shade 2)
-L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle (824 Cherubic Candide)

I use one of these brushes to apply my blush.  From top to bottom: MAC 116, random brush I purchased from the IMATS, random angle blusher brush I got from TJMaxx.  This also happens to be in price order.  The MAC was probably around 20+ dollars, the brush I got from the IMATS this spring cost me $7 and the bottom brush from TJMaxx cost me $3 (originally $20 so it was a bargain!).  I absolutely LOVE the angle blusher and I use it more than I use the MAC brush. I wish I had purchased this first, I would not have bought the MAC brush. BUT the MAC brush is excellent for powder highlighters.  Both are very soft but I mean, $3 vs $20 is a big deal for me. Love them both.

Now for the middle brush I got from the IMATS, it's a small stipple brush I only use for applying my cream blushes.  I actually like that it's not too dense as this avoids picking up too much product.  I gently swirl the blush around my cheeks and I love how soft the brush is! I have no idea which brand it was from other than the fact that I got it from IMATS here in NYC. 

Without Flash

With flash

My three Benefit blushes! My favorite, or most used I should say, would be Dandelion and Coralista.  Bella Bamba is more of a brighter pink with many glitter particles. Usually, it's too overwhelming to wear on a normal day. Dandelion is very subtle and can be used as a highlighter.  Coralista falls in the middle of these two! I would love to purchase Hervana in the future! These are $28 each if I remember correctly.

 Without Flash

 With Flash

These are my other powder blushes.  In pan, ELF Candid Coral and theBalm Hot Mama look somewhat alike.  It isn't so when swatched and the quality of theBalm is better.  I think Candid Coral was one of my first blush purchases and I liked it very much in the beginning.  I wonder how Hot Mama compares to NARS Orgasm? I think it's a couple of shades lighter but still pretty comparable. I'm not sure at all though, as I do not own NARS blushes yet. 

The HK Memoirs of a Kitty was my first Hello Kitty for Sephora purchase. I own one more palette and I think these are pretty good for the price ($36).  You get 4 eye shadows and 2 generously sized blushes in a REALLY cute package. I already did a review on this so if you want, check it out here.

I purchased the Too Faced palette a while back and I think the packaging is really cute! I do like the highlighter (right) but I'm on the fence about the bronzer (left) because it's a bit too sparkly.  I really think bronzers should be matte! The blush is in the middle and it's a nice baby pink with some darker pink and peach mixed in as well.  The only problem I have with this is that it's very powdery. And it's not as pigmented as I'd like it to be.

I suppose the most interesting from these would be the Stila Custom Color Blush, which is pH based.  Basically the idea is to adjust to your skin tone this way it's like a "one color for all skin colors" kind of thing.  I can tell you that you have to use a light hand if you do not want to look like a toy but with a lighter hand, it does seem to show up a little different on my skin vs my friend's skin, who is darker than myself.  This is $20.

The Tarte Amazonian Clay is probably a cult favorite, EVERYONE loves these. My friend got this for me for Christmas and it's amazing. It's matte so it looks even more natural.  But the color I have it in is a bit bright, depending on how I use it, it calls for a lotttt of blending.  Still a wonderful blush nonetheless.  I recommend this to people who are first trying out, I guess, "higher end" blushes.

Without Flash

With Flash

These are my cream/not powder blushes.  I generally like cream blushes more, even though lasting powder for these babies may not be as long as powder blushes.  The reason I like it is because my skin is rather dry and I feel that cream blushes add some "dew" to my face.  I don't like looking overly matte because that does not look natural at all so these are my go-to blushes.

The Illamasqua one is in the shade "Promise" which may be limited edition, I'm not sure.  But it's such a gorgeous color. THIS IS MY FAVORITE BLUSH EVER. Out of all my blushes, this must be my favorite.  I love the consistency, the packaging, and the color! It does not feel sticky or wet and dries very nicely on my cheeks. The only downside is the $24 price tag for something I feel I would use up quicker than a typical powder blush. Even then, I would repurchase. Over and over.

The L'Oreal magic smooth souffle is also great, a little goes a long way for these. It's definitely under $10 at drugstores. I feared it might be too dark but by using a little and blending out, it looks very, very, very, nice.  Maybe if I bought this first, I might have not bought the Illamasqua.. but I really love my Illamasqua blush so I don't know. Another good thing about this blush is that it lasts a really long time. I love that about this blush. 

I like the NYX cream blushes as well but not nearly as much as I like the Illamasqua blush.  It is significantly cheaper, I bought it for around $6 at the IMATS.  The packaging is okay too! It's definitely a pass.  But I have a problem with the consistency of these blushes. They're very.. sticky and almost gooey feeling to me. I like "natural" more than "glow" as glow is too dark for me but to me, these almost feel like lip glosses... on my cheek. And they take a while to dry down on my cheeks.  Still, very pigmented and I absolutely love the look after it finishes drying lol. 

I'm sure by now everyone has read/seen/bought the Dream Bouncy blushes by Maybelline and despite most people not enjoying this, I pop this into my makeup bag during school days and apply this when I feel it's necessary (even if I did apply this specific blush in the morning).  It's not that bad, rather subtle in color but looks natural without many glitter particles. I love the consistency too! But I don't think I'll repurchase as isn't really great on it's own. 

Time for you guys to confess: What is your beauty addiction? Do any of these blushes interest you? Let me know!

Recent (somewhat) Buys!

So I guess it is obvious that I did not post anything since the last time I posted. A lot has happened over the span of half a year and basically, I've decided to accept the things I cannot change. That's when everything seemed to get easier.

And THEN I really missed blogging so I decided that I'm really back for good this time. Pretty bad timing though, I start classes next Monday. Ahh already into my 3rd year of college... time really flies by!

Today's post will be about my somewhat recent buys (both beauty and non-beauty related), so I hope you guys enjoy!

I actually own another dog now (a chihuahua) and he has a knack for nibbling on my earphones and he always manages to tear them apart. I gave up on buying good earphones because they never seem to last and I got these for $10 (orig. $20) at tjmaxx.  There were several designs but I liked the polka dot ones best. I bought a back up of these as well, but in stripes instead. The ones without volume control/microphone are only $6, get them if you come across these! They're pretty good quality.

I needed a new crossbody bag. But I'm poor right now LOL (actually not funny...) so I got this from Forever21 for $18 after taxes. It's a bit darker in real life, like a legitimate 'tan' color. Obviously not the BEST quality, as you can see there is some poor stitch work in the center but overall, I do like it very much.

I like it even more because it has two compartments inside. I keep my wallet towards the back and my keys/cards/etc in the front. My wallet is pretty bulky and I like that it fits comfortably without making the bag look too bulky.

My friend "R" got this for me on my birthday. It's an "Eyeko" mascara, I was eyeing this for a while but my local Sephora's did not carry this so I was pretty hesitant on getting it. I haven't really tested it out for sure yet but my first impressions of it were good. I like this packaging, I feel like I'm going to waste less product.. because I can technically squeeze the sides of it so I can get more product out when I'm running low... does this make sense??

It comes with this little chip for you to hold under your lashes so your mascara won't ruin your eye makeup. Neat! Reminds me of a guitar pick.

Interesting wand, no? I believe this retails for $19 but I may be wrong.

The same friend also got me Benefit's Coralist blush. It's basically my go-to blush when I'm busy in the mornings. I like it because I don't really have to blend out as much (because the color is pretty light/subtle) but it still gives me that 'glow'.

Color of it with flash! The flash shows the color best. It's a really nice pink. And is it just me or do some of the Benefit blushes smell good?...

My three favorite foundations: Dr. Jart BB cream, Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation, Clinique Even Better Foundation. Let me know if you guys want reviews!

My new favorite pressed powder. It's only a dollar and ELF items are almost always a hit or miss so I was skeptical but I hit pan on the first one and I bought a back up.  My skin is not the most sensitive and I think this serves my skin pretty well. It has very little salacylic acid in it (0.5 I believe) but it does help with my skin when it's having a bad day (or week.. lol). It's not a life saver but it does help a bit. Oh, the coverage is pretty good as well! Beware though, this product has talc in it which does seem to bother many people. And a lot of people broke out because of this. But it's worth a try for a dollar I think, if your skin is not the most sensitive.



My new favorite concealer! Revlon's PhotoReady.  The top one is my backup because I'm almost done with my first tube of this. The glitter particles seem to bother some people but I don't see anything when it's on my skin. Love the consistency and coverage. If I am wearing this, I am not wearing any foundation. It's almost always either this, or my foundation but never both.

My Lioele princess mirror! It's a small hand-held mirror but it's so cute, isn't it?

Ok. So I got these little boxes (3 x 2 in) and they're called "Really Useful Boxes". They're cute and stackable but not useful at all. What am I going to do?!

YAY! Sharpie highlighters for only $1/pack!!! This is crazy for me because I love Sharpie highlighters but they're NEVER a dollar for 2. Ahhh this was so exciting LOL. Everyone else must feel the same way because I grabbed the 2 from the 3 remaining in that big box.

Ah, feels good to be back. Do you guys want reviews on anything? Or do you have any input on the products? Let me know!

Where do I even begin?

Hello, hello.
:( this week has been treating me really badly... but I'm glad it's ending soon!
I am NEVER packing my schedule into three days ever again. I have way too many classes in one day for me to handle.
This is also why my posts have been lacking and I hate it because I really enjoy blogging! It takes my stress away :)

So, basically, this is what has been happening with my photos. I bought my new camera 10/25. But even before then, I've been taking pictures of things I wanted to blog about on my old Sony camera.

I've been taking photos but I've been delayed with editing and uploading so... I do not know where to begin with the photos. So I've decided to upload my four most recent purchases. Two from Sephora, one from Missha, and one from F21.

So starting with the Missha - they were giving away their BB creams for FREE to celebrate the launching of their new website. All you had to do was pay for shipping :) I got a mask as well because my mom wanted to try a collagen mask to see if she likes 'em. Total was $11. Ahh! So cheap!

I got #21 and I really like it! I don't know why I didn't like Missha so much before. Or maybe I like it more now because it was free?? Haha.


Bad photo, I know. I was being lazy :P

Next up is F21 GLITTER polishes! With flash / without flash.
From left to right: Teal, Magenta, Silver, Rust, Aqua
@$2.80 each.
They're okay. Nothing spectacular, I wasn't expecting much but I do think they're very pretty :) But I'm having a hard time adjusting to the smell...



Sephora #1 (Online):

Pick up 4 Nars products! Three are eyeshadow duos and they were $10 each. Regular price was $33 so I still spent less after buying THREE of them ($30) hehe. The last Nars product is a nail polish and the regular price was $17 but I got it for $7 I think.
Also picked up some nail stuff: hot pink glitter ($5) & dotting/marble tool ($7) & deep purple polish ($4)for free shipping lol.
I also became VIB last month and they had a VIB offer for a deluxe sample of Amore (comes with three items) so I got that for my mom :) And last but not least, my three free samples.
I will not be elaborating further for these products on THIS particular post. A "Recent Sephora Hauls Overview" entry is currently waiting to be published, so stay tuned!

Last but definitely not least, Sephora #2 (In-Store):
Another nail glitter! And a Mini Tweezerman tweezers featuring Harajuku lovers! It's so cuteee! And it's my FIRST Tweezerman tweezers and I am MADLY in love with them. They were pricey at $15 but SOOO worth it. I have pretty tiny hands and they just work so well with meee!

Also picked up the 500 point BI gift. I was saving and saving because I didn't like any of the other gifts they had but I really like Benefit overall so I went right for it!
The Dandelion blush is full sized (retails $28) and the primer and mascara are sample sizes (mascara size is pretty generous though, I think).

NOTD + Long Reviews + New Planner! + Picture Heavy

Finally Thursday! No class tomorrow! Yayayayayay! Nothing is more exciting than that~ But I have a lot of studying to do over the weekend, but so far for spanish we've had 5 exams and I got a 100 on all of them!! But on the essays I keep getting 90s so my average is a 96.67% :( I don't understand why they count for as much as exams though...

Today I couldn't go past Dunkin Donuts because of the scorching heat -_- I ended up getting an iced tea for $.99 and it was pretty refreshing :) My bus came rather quickly and I don't have work today. Overall, a wonderful day so far!

I did my nails this sparkly pink color but it's more purple in the pictures aha :|
It kind of reminds me of those sally hanson nail strips thingy except mine aren't as good. But I can't imagine forking out $9 for something I can only use once!! And I wish I could grow out my nails but I'm so... anti-bacteria LOL. I secretly worry about bacteria that might be collecting under my nails even if I wash my hands often. I am SUCH a loser I promise I'll try to be less loser-ish from now on.





But it'll be a pain to take off later T_T

And since the fall semester is starting soon... I got myself a new planner!



It was pretty darn expensive but my friend knew the store (Banzai) owner so we got 30% off. I think I paid around $10 for this which I guess isn't thatttt bad since it's the binder type thing.




Pretty cute huh? I love the outside of it as well as the cute papers on the inside. I get so sad every time I write in it though, I feel like I'm tainting the cuteness of it all heheh~

PRODUCT REVIEWS:
So in my last post, I shared a small cosmetics haul and I received two requests :) Today I will be reviewing:



-Benefit's High Beam
-Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

I will start off by saying that both products are SO EXPENSIVE!!!
But you don't need a lot of either product so I guess it's "okay" but... I can't get over the price. I know I'm going to repurchase both but ... I still need more time to get over the PRICE!

Benefit's High Beam ($23 at Sephora):


^I was surprised to see that the Smashbox Primer has more product in it...

I know there are TONS of reviews on this but yes, it is a highlighter. I use it on my brow bones and on my cheeks sometimes but it shows up less on my cheeks. In other words, it's a very subtle highlighter. It shows up more in the light (which my camera, unfortunately could not pick up) and it has a little bit of shimmer but overall it's very pearly, which is what I love about it. It blends quickly although I like to warm it up a little bit between my fingers before applying because I feel EVERYTHING goes on more smoother like that (except for primers -- I don't do it with primers for some reason lol).

However, there are a few things I don't like about it..

_The price ($23 for 0.45oz......)
_The applicator, as many have said as well. It's impossible to use every bit of it but I for one, will!! I'm going to cut a straw in half (the long way) and scoop it out until I use every bit of it LOL. Ugh, I just hate wasting stuff...


-The packaging in itself is awkward as well. Why... is it a nail polish packaging thing?? I'd love it if I can squeeze it out instead, maybe if people keep complaining about it, Benefit will change it? :P Wishful thinking~



That's about it!
Product itself: 4.5/5
Packaging: 3.5/5
Applicator: 3/5
Price: 1/5
Repurchase: Yes (4/5)



^Simply dotted



^Slightly rubbed



^What's left after application



^Swatch

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($16 at Sephora):
Okay, this one is VERY expensive as well. I can't tell which is worse, the high beam or this primer... lol. This isn't the full-sized one, I really didn't have the heart to fork out $36 for something I may not like so I got the small one for now.





I will first begin with my skin type/facts.

-Kind of pale (NC15/20)
-Redness around nose area.
-Dry-normal but I get acne sometimes :( but no blackheads.
-Small-ish pores.
-Quite sensitive to the sun.
-I don't tan but I burn very easily.
-I use BB cream and concealer. BB cream is a MUST for me, esp. in the summer because I am sensitive to the sun. SPF is very important.

With that said, I don't really need a primer in the winter because my foundation/BB doesn't really fade. I don't wear much to start off with but in the summer, especially in humidity, my face sometimes does look like it's melting even though my skin is somewhat dry in some areas. That really is not attractive at all. I'm going to wear it in the winter though, I just feel like it sets everything in place well because it has a matte finish.

On the other hand, my mom has oily skin and we share this primer. I noticed that this extends the life of my make up about 4-5 hours (and I never have to blot when I use this) and my mom doesn't have to blot for an extra 3 hours. My mom used to always be stressed out about how her make up does not last but after using this, she only has to blot once the entire day, only around the nose area.

So if you can't tell already, we love this product!! After we finish this we will buy the full size one, even though the price tag is hefty.



^look how small it is!



^ This is how it looks when it's squeezed out. I don't know how I feel about this but.. the feeling of it is very... silicone-y. Super soft, but silicone-y. My mom likes that feeling but I'm still on the fence about it.



^ This is my bare naked nose after I woke up. As you can see, there is a little bit of shine.



^ After using it on my nose, pores show less right?? As you can see it's matte, but I think it accentuates my dryness a little. Not sure if it's because I took too long today to moisturize after washing my face, but yeah. But it doesn't show once I apply the rest of my make up so that's okay.

Product itself: 4.8/5
Packaging: 5/5
Applicator: 5/5
Price: 1/5
Repurchase: Yes (5/5)


PHEW. Was this too long?!? I just wanted to be very thorough about it.
So, how was everyone's day today?!