I'm not gonna lie, I was drawn to the packaging on this one. The concept is cutesy and retro inspired. I was also curious about the two part brush system.

The pros, it's a nice rick black color, the small section of the brush is great for reaching the hard to grab lashes and ease into the corners. It really lifts my lashes kind of like a pushup bra for your eyes. It didn't flake or crumble. The formula layered well with my Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir for added staying power and length. I loved that it didn't get clumpy either. This is a great mascara for creating the relationship between your falsies and natural lashes too. I like this type of brush for that.

The cons, I didn't feel like I got that feathery look I go for. The texture felt a little too wet but that could have been because my Marc mascara was on its last leg and dry as a desert.

Overall, if you are looking for an inexpensive mascara that lifts and curls like a champ, I would check this out! I don't know if I would repurchase since I just wear it with another mascara or falsies but I might use my Extra Bucks for it from time to time.

that's what I can clean brushes!

After seeing this conditioner everywhere online, I received it in my September Ipsy. I was interested to see if it was indeed that good. Here is what I found...

I was able to get about three uses out of my sample and I can say it wasn't that great. Yes it conditioned, made my hair soft and shiny but it was nothing I couldn't get from the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle or something else similar. It did have a creamy consistency and smelled really nice. I don't think it's worth the $26. It is formulated without parabens, silicones, phthalates, and sulphates which is really great but I think there are other options out there.

Maybe my hair wasn't in need of deep conditioning at the time and maybe it would work for someone who's hair is in desperate need of moisture. This is only my opinion and I'm not saying it's completely worthless. If it was less expensive I would repurchase if my hair was super dry but for the price probably not....

"I learned early on how different types of light can truly flatter the complexion. Growing up, my mother had pink light bulbs in all of the lamps throughout the house. She loved pink light because it was the softest and most flattering, and she always wanted to look good. I used this concept of lighting in Ambient Light Powder." - Carisa Janes, Hourglass Founder

Ms. Janes, these powders are gorgeous and I love the story behind them.  I love powder and anything that will help me glow so I was so happy to add these to my collection. They retail at $45 a pop which I do find to be a bit much even for how great they are. You can find them at Sephora.com.

I found these powders by watching one of Jaclyn Hill's videos on Youtube a few weeks ago. It all started with Diffused Light, a pale warm yellow with a slight pearl sheen. I thought this one would be perfect for neutralizing some redness that occurs on my pale skin and I was right. It also doesn't turn too yellow on my skin and leave a strange cast either. With my skin tone I am in the middle of pink and yellow so it is hard sometimes finding the right undertones in products. This powder worked wonderfully for a subtle fix.

Then I decided to order Ethereal Light (a opal cool white shade) and Dim Light (a neutral peach). They did not disappoint either! Ethereal Light is supposed to be a great brightener for paler skin tones and I have to agree it leaves a bright finish over my foundation. Dim light is great for warming up my skin with neutral peach tones.

Finally, I saw the limited edition holiday palette on Sephora and had to have it plus I decided Mood Light would be a great addition as well. :) Can you tell I am obsessed? I just received these two today so I have not played with them too much but Mood Light looks like it will be a pretty blush color. It has a mix of rosy pink and lavender. The limited edition palette has Dim Light (which I already own). Incandescent Light is the middle shade and is a new addition to the collection. It is so pretty! It is a little similar to Ethereal Light but Incandescent has much more radiance where Ethereal is more pearl. Incandescent has a radiance on the pink side as you can see in the swatches below. The final shade in the palette is Radiant Light which is a permanent shade but one that I did not own yet on its own. I am excited to try this one out for a different take on bronzer so we will see how that goes. From the swatch I think it will be really nice for adding color year round without being too dark. Another idea for the more color packed shades is to use them as an eyeshadow.

For those of you who like your powders on the matte side I don't think you will like Radiant Light or Incandescent Light as they have the most radiance (or soft sparkle) out of the collection.

I have yet to try the last one in the permanent collection, Luminous Light (a champagne pearl) but I have a feeling I will be either adding it to a Christmas List or splurging again soon. ;)

Ethereal Light

Diffused Light

Dim Light

Mood Light

These can be used as highlighters, blushes, or an overall face powder. I like to use them all over my face because I love a glow and I'm not afraid of the "sparkle". But don't get scared, there is no glitter here, just radiance. They remind me of one of those old vanity mirrors my grandmother has with the different light settings. I always loved seeing how I looked in the outdoor light, indoor light, office light, etc. so this was an exciting find for me. I hope you can try at least one of these out. I think the majority of them can be used on all skin tones with the exception of Ethereal and Diffused Light because I feel that on a deep skin tone they will be too light and come out chalky.

Limited Edition Holiday Palette - Dim Light, Incandescent Light, & Radiant Light

indoor / sunlight - Diffused, Dim, Ethereal, Mood, Incandescent, & Radiant

natural bright indoor sunlight

What I am about to introduce is a fantastic fall palette from Kat Von D called Ladybird. It is stunning. The pigmentation is great (I swatched on my arm with no primer). If you are on the market for something other than nudes and a seriously rich color palette then I would most definitely check this out. It retails at $36 at Sephora.

Sephora - Ladybird Palette by Kat Von D

Miss Kat hit it out of the park this time. I have three of her other palettes which all have great pigmentation and colors. I do think this is my favorite besides the Saint palette which is also a great neutral set and cheaper than Urban Decays Naked palettes.