Laura Mercier Fall In Love Face Illuminator Collection

What it is:
A limited-edition palette containing four long-wearing and light-reflecting highlighting powders. The non-dusting texture allows for a buildable layer of shine—from a subtle highlight to a more intense level of luminosity.

Colors in the Set:

• Addiction (gilded gold highlight)
• Devotion (cool highlight)
• Seduction (soft bronze highlight)
• Indiscretion (warm rose gold highlight)

Swatches:



Verdict: This was my very first holiday purchase from this seasons releases and I must say I was not disappointed. The palette had a nice variety of shades and the color pigmentation was nice and buildable. These highlights were also so smooth and felt like satin when applied. I have read some negative reviews about this palette and I have to say I am not sure why. It could be a manufacturing inconsistency but I had no trouble applying or using my palette.


* If you would like to pick up your own Laura Mercier Fall in Love palette it is currently available online for $58 at Sephora. Click the link for more details: Sephora

JULEP It's Whipped Matte Lip Mousse (ULTA Exclusive Colors)

A few months back I mentioned that Julep was going to begin selling their products in ULTA stores nationwide. I recently noticed that the display had finally arrived at my local ULTA store and decided to pick the four ULTA exclusive Julep It's Whipped lip colors.

What it is:
A super-pigmented weightless matte lip color that glides on smoothly and delivers up to 12 hours of long-lasting color. The blend of rosehip oil keeps lips feeling nourished while the blend of pigments minimizes the appearance of lip lines.

ULTA Exclusive Shades:

• Mwah! (Deep Aubergine)
• Amore (Vivid Rose)
• Say Hello (Rich Marsala)
• Pillow Talk (Victorian Pink)

Swatches:

Verdict: These lipsticks have a great formula and come in a nice range of shades. The colors applied very smoothly and were non-drying.  I wasn't a huge fan of the applicator because it made applying the lipstick very difficult and messy. Julep should have used a doe foot applicator, i think it would have made a huge difference in application and opacity. I am a fan of these lip products but I'm not sure I would shell out $20 for one. If you can grab these lip mousses on sale I say go for it. 

* If you would like to pick up one or all of the Julep It's Whipped Matte Lip Mousses they are currently available in-store and online for $20 at ULTA. Click the link for more details: ULTA
You can also grab certain colors online on Julep's brand website for $16. Click here for more details: Julep

BeautyCon Box Fall 2016

If you read my blog you may have noticed that I have been taking a break from subscription boxes lately. I just hadn't seen anything that interested me until I heard about BeautyCon. 

The BeautyCon Box is a seasonal beauty and lifestyle subscription box curated by the most in demand influencers. Each season you will receive a box filled with over $100 in products. 

This box is priced at $29 seasonally or $99 annually plus the cost of shipping.

The Co-Curators for the Fall 2016 box are 

Angel Merino and MakeupShayla!

Angel Merino, Better known as MAC_Daddy, is the badass makeup artist who has slayed the faces of Ariana Grande and Chanel Iman. A Los Angeles native, Merino’s parents initially believed that his dream of becoming a renowned makeup artist was unrealistic, but he proved them wrong. You can find Angel spreading his inspirational words and beauty knowledge through his Flawless Faces Makeup Tour.

There are makeup artists that are good at what they do and there are makeup artists that slay — MakeupShayla definitely falls in to the second category. Shayla’s work received immediate recognition on Instagram which allowed her to score her first celebrity client. Since then, she has quickly grown her clientele and gone on to do makeup for celebrities such as Monica and Kandi Burrus. Known for her glam looks, you can find MakeupShayla on Instagram and YouTube offering up the best makeup tips in the biz.

Here are the contents of the Fall 2016 box:

1) The BrowGal Double Ended-Highlighter Pencil

     $20.00
2) Luxie Beauty 504 Brush
     $16.00
3) Milani Cosmetics Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
     $4.99
4) Ofra Cosmetics Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick  
     $19.90
5) Flutter Lashes SlayLa 
     $9.95
6) Duo Lash Adhesive Mini (0.09 oz)
     $1.82

7) Jour Esseential Lip Enhancer (0.15 oz)
     $7.27

8) Mystic Tan Mocha-Kyssed Bronzer Lotion (1 fl oz)
     $5.83
9) Simple Cleaning Clothes (7 wipes)
     $1.26 
10) Laser Kitten Lipstick Pin
      $12.00 
11) Sugarfina Sugar Lips
      $2.50   
12) BeautyCon Sticker Sheet

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $101.52

* This seasons BeautyCon Box was such a disappointment. The items in this box aren't new or exciting. Most of these products have already been sent out in previous subscription boxes such as Ipsy and Glossybox. Compared to the Summer 2016 box this seasons box has fewer full sized items and just seems underwhelming especially for the price. When I heard that Angel was one of the curators I was hoping that there would be a product from his personal brand, Artist Couture, but no luck. I do not see myself using everything in this seasons box but I guess only time will tell. My fingers are crossed that BeautyCon will redeem themselves with the Winter 2016 box. 

If you are interested in subscribing to the BeautyCon Box, click the link: BeautyCon.com

Urban Decay Liquid Moondust Eyeshadow

What it is:
The cream version of Urban Decay’s coveted Moondust Eyeshadow. The Liquid Moondust contains micro-fine bits of iridescent sparkle and lush, 3-D metallics to produce a gorgeous, diamond-like effect.  Whether you want to add just a hint of sparkle at the lash line or layer color all over the eyelid, the slim, precise brush helps you do it all. 

Shades in the Collection:

• Chem Trail (oyster with iridescent sparkle)
• Zap (gold with tonal sparkle)
• Spacetime (deep coppery bronze with iridescent sparkle)
• Recharged (peach with pink shift and sparkle)
• Solstice (pink-red with green 3-D sparkle and shift)
• Vega (bright blue with iridescent sparkle)
• Zodiac (smoky black w/blue-green shift and blue-green 3-D sparkle)
• Magnetic (purple with iridescent sparkle)

Swatches:

Colors from L-R: Chem Trail, Zap, Spacetime, Recharged, Solstice, Vega, Zodiac, & Magnetic

Verdict: These tubes are filled with sparkly, glitter happiness. I am not ashamed to admit that shiny things distract me and these new Urban Decay liquid shadows did just that. I wish the photos did the product justice but it is so difficult to fully capture the shimmer in these beauties. 

The colors in the collection are a great range of neutrals and dramatic shades however the formula does lack consistency. You can see the difference in opacity in the picture above. This isn't a huge issue but you will have to do multiply coats to get the opaque look you desire with certain colors. 

All in all, I am a fan of these new liquid eye shadows. They are highly pigmented and just give off a glamorous vibe. 

* If you would like to pick up one or all of the Urban Decay Liquid Moondust Eyeshadow's they are currently available in-store and online for $22 each at Sephora. Click the link for more details: Sephora