January Favorites 2014

Hey Lovelies!!!

So along with my weekly posts every week for 2014, I'm also going to be doing monthly favorites. Now, I can't guarantee that each month will have new beauty products, but I'm also going to add fashion, food/drinks, entertainment, and anything else that I'm just absolutely loving for that month. I hope you all like this new type of blog post from me! And let me know what you're loving this month!! :)

Beauty

♥ Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polish- I don't have enough good things to say about these. I've done a full review for these, so go check that out! And as you can see, I've picked up another color in "Apricot Nectar"

♥ Maybelline Color Elixirs- LOVE THESE!! And again, I've done a full review for these, so check that out as well. All the colors were reviewed there.

♥ Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue- I've always been a fan of the Baby Lips and when I saw that they came out with a new collection, I had to try it out. I got "Too Cool", which is a clear lip balm and I really like it. They have menthol in them, so they aren't the best smelling lip balms, but they really work to heal and moisturize dry, chapped lips. And the menthol gives off a cooling sensation.

♥ Maybelline Gel Eyeliner- I love this eye liner. It comes with a brush which works really well for applying the eye liner precisely. I got it in the color "Eggplant" and it looks amazing, especially on brown eyes. It has really subtle finely-milled shimmer; it's not obvious but gives some nice definition. I would classify this more as a cream eye liner rather than gel, but everything else is perfect.

Fashion

♥ "California Stole My Heart" Sweatshirt- I bought this recently on sale at Forever 21 and I'm obsessed. It's a really pale pink color and quite thin for a sweatshirt, but I think it will be perfect for the spring and fall where it's a little too cool for no sweater. And it's super comfortable!!!

♥ French Maroon Pajama Shorts- I'm totally in love with these pajama shorts and they're super comfortable too. It's still freezing here in MA but I like to wear these when I'm having a lazy day around the dorm room. And they're white so they make my pale skin look (a little) tanner. And they were under $10 so f course I had to get them.

♥ Plaid Pajama Pants- These pajama pants are from Victoria's Secret and they actually came in a set with a (slightly cropped) pajama shirt. I got this as a gift from my cousin for Christmas and couldn't be happier. I love lounging around in pajama pants and these are so nice and fit perfectly. They are slightly more pricey but, I think, totally worth it as a gift.

♥ Long Key Necklace- I got this from Forever 21. It was on sale for $2.80 (no lie) so I couldn't pass it up. It's a long gold necklace with a decorative key. I don't have much gold jewelry, never mind long gold necklaces. I absolutely love keys (skeleton keys especially) so I was thrilled when I found this with such a low price tag! I'm definitely getting my money's worth as it goes with a lot of different outfits.

♥ New Glasses!!- I recently got these adorable Candie's glasses because I desparately needed my prescription changed (I'm practically blind). I tried on a lot of pairs and these were by far my favorite. They are black with a lot of gray in them so they aren't super dramatic. The suit my face really well and every time I wear them, I can't help but imagine I'm Zooey Deschanel (I absolutely adore her).

Entertainment

♥ New Girl- I LOVE THS SHOW!!! It's definitely my favorite at the moment. I watched it when it first came out and then randomly stopped (I don't know why). And right after Christmas, I watched every single episode. I finished right in time for the new season which I'm loving!

♥ Lorde "Pure Heroine"- I've recently got into more alternative music. I don't really know what prompted me to but I love it now! And I really love Lorde's album. My favorite songs are Royals (even though it's extremely overplayed on the radio), Team, White Teeth Teens, and Tennis Court. Definitely check it out! Such amazing talent for a 17 year-old.

♥ Bastille "Bad Blood"- Another alternative group that I love. And they don't overplay them (yet). I don't have too much to say about the album other than I love it. My favorite songs are Pompeii and Flaws.

♥ JacksGap "The Rickshaw Run"- My favorite YouTube channel, hands down. And their journey across India is documented in their 4-part series. It is absolutely stunning and intriguing and is almost like a reality show (but a good one). I watched religiously as soon as they came out and was genuinely sad when it came to an end. If you haven't already seen it, GO WATCH IT!!

Food/Drinks

♥ Panera Mac & Cheese- Need I say anything at all..?! If you've had it before, you know what I'm talking about. It's not that healthy at all but it's definitely a nice occasional "treat". And, to make it better, they sell it in Target now!

♥ Sea Salt Caramel & Almond Granola Bites- Oh my god! I'm in love with Salted Caramel anything. So mix it together with almonds, granola, and chocolate and it's irresistible.

♥ Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Carton- So good! It's not as good as getting it in an actual Starbucks but it's also way less expensive and tastes pretty good. I really like having this and adding some caramel sauce to it; it makes it taste a little closer to the real thing. I was actually really excited when I saw this in Target and just had to try it.

Other

♥ Olay Fresh Effects "Shine, Shine Go Away" and Brush- I had heard some good reviews on this product and when it was on sale at Target, I picked it up to see what I thought of it. I got the brush with a mini/travel sized "Shine, Shine Go Away" and really, really liked it, so I went out and bought the full size product. The brush is actually really good too (it's not a Clarisonic, but for the price, it works well). And there is a definite difference between just using my facial cleanser and using the cleanser with the brush. And my skin is a lot smoother and clearer because of it.

So that's it! I hope you all like this post. Please let me know if you do so I can do more like this in the future. I'd also like to give a quick little shout out to a fellow blogger/Instagrammer Nicholle. (Blog, Instagram: @beautybynicholle) So go follow her!!! And Nicholle, if you're reading this, let me know!!! :)

I'll be back again on Sunday with a regular, weekly post. And until then, stay beautiful!!

♥♥♥

My (Pathetically Small) Brush Collection

Hey Lovelies!!!

I've been wanting to do a blog post like this one for quite some time but felt slightly uneasy about it because of my lack of brushes. I still have very few brushes but they work for my everyday makeup look, which is basically all that I wear while in college. I have intentions to expand my brush collection, but since I'm in college, with no proper job and very little money to spend, it may not be for a while... :( I feel like sharing my collection with you, however, because I love most of the brushes I use and want to share my opinion to those of you who are looking for one.

And before I begin my post, I just wanted to point out that I'm in school until the beginning of May. I will continue to do at least a post a week. However, for those of you who follow me on Instagram or have found me there (@megsmaquillage), the posts on there will probably be much less since taking #ootd especially is very difficult in my dorm room. However, I'll try my best to get a few photos up every once in a while. And if I buy some stuff (which could be rare- #brokestudentprobs), I'll definitely be posting and Instahaul! But still, go follow me on Instagram!!!!

 

So, back to the brush collection. As you can see, it's very small; only eight brushes at the moment. But those eight brushes work really well for my on an everyday basis. I've changed my everyday makeup quite significantly since my previous post (http://megsmaquillage.blogspot.com/2013/09/makeup-collection-and-storage-dorm.html). And just from looking at the brushes, you can probably tell that I REALLY LOVE the Real Techniques brushes. In case you didn't know, Real Techniques brushes are made by Samantha Chapman is a makeup artist and has a YouTube channel with her sister (http://www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo) and she makes these amazing synthetic makeup brushes and continues to release more and more brushes and tools and they're just flawless. Go check out the website if you haven't already (http://realtechniques.com/). And for those of you who are new to makeup, they even have video tutorials of how to use the brushes and also makeup looks!

My current makeup brush collection consists of eight brushes. I guess I'm proving that you don't need 100 different makeup brushes to wear makeup! :) I'll give the name of the brush and also what I use it for:

♥ Real Techniques Expert Face Brush- My most recent addition. I use it to apply liquid foundation. And it applies it FLAWLESSLY! It's super dense and SO soft! Highly recommend it to anyone that uses liquid foundation!

♥ Target brand Crease Brush- I actually use this brush for concealer (occasionally, I usually just use my ring finger). It's not the best brush, but it was pretty cheap and I thought I'd give it a try. I would actually recommend getting an elf brand brush over Target brand brushes, it will save you some money and they tend to be a little softer.

♥ Real Techniques Powder Brush- I use this brush for face powder (obviously). It's not nearly as dense as the Expert Face Brush but just as soft. It's really big and fluffy and really evenly applies powders. Again. I highly recommend!

♥ elf Professional Total Face Brush- I use this brush for bronzer (when I wear it). It's decent, especially for the price ($1). It applies a pretty good amount- not too much, not too little. I'm using this brush for the meantime until I get something a little better (Real Techniques Mulit-Task Brush from Travel Essentials kit maybe???). If you're on a budget like myself, this is a pretty good brush.

♥ Real Techniques Blush Brush- I use this for blush, like it says. I really like the shape of this brush. It's quite small but narrow. I do find that right after I was the brush, though, it doesn't really apply a lot of blush and takes a bit of building up to have the color show. Although that could just be the blush I use too. I would recommend this as well.

♥ Real Techniques Shading Brush- I use this brush for an eye shadow all over my lid. I love the shape of this brush, thick but flat, so you can really control the eye shadow placement. It's very soft and quite dense. It's not super flimsy so you have added control over the brush. I really recommend this brush!

♥ elf Professional Defining Eye Brush- I use this brush to apply dark brown eye shadow to my lower lash line. The shape of this brush is perfect- thin and angled. It's extremely cheap ($1) and totally worth it!! I would definitely recommend!

♥ Maybelline Cream Eyeliner Brush- I got this brush with my cream eyeliner and I really like it. It's thicker on one side and thinner on the other, so you can really customize how thick you want your eyeliner. A lot of companies make eyeliner brushes/tools but I like this enough that I'll just stick with this one! I recommend trying this brush along with the eyeliner it comes with!

And here's how I store it all:

The brush holder is an old, used Bath and Body Works candle that got GIYed by following the steps in MissGlamorazzi's video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRPvlXJbzGI). It's the perfect size and looks so adorable! It's a great way to up-cycle old candles.

So, there you have it! If you haven't already tried the Real Techniques brushes, I really think you should. You can get them online, at Ulta, Walmart, online at Target, and maybe a few other places... And, just a disclaimer, these are completely my own views and opinions. This wasn't sponsored by Real Techniques or anything like that, I just really love their brushes as do many other people.

Anyways, it's almost the end of January already. I'm going to be posting my January Favorites on January 31 (next Friday) which will have beauty, fashion, food, entertainment, and other categories so stay tuned for that! I'm not sure if I'm going to post twice next week yet or if I'm just going to do January Favorites. Let me know what you think in the comments! As always, I'll see you very soon and stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

Review- Maybelline Color Elixirs

Hey Lovelies!!!

My WiFi has been down for the afternoon so I'm posting on my phone so the set up may be slightly different until I can get on my computer to fix it. I'm going to try my best until then!

So, recently, I've came across one of my new favorite lip products!!! The title of the post probably gave it away, but they are the new Color Elixirs from Maybelline. They are stunning and I think they have great formulation.

("Mandarin Rapture", "Fuschia Flourish", "Petal Plush", "Celestial Coral")

I'm going to start by reviewing the presentation and packaging. To start, they are small square tubes that appear to be lipstick.

It's not until you twist the top to realize they are actually a lip gloss. The actual applicator is really nicely shaped and angled so it's very easy to get an accurate application all over the lips.

In addition to individual presentation and packaging, there are many colors to choose from (I believe time around 20) with colors ranging from red, pink, nude, orange, and purples in light, bright, and dark shades.

The product itself is quite fragrant and pigmented. I think the smell is nice but if you're sensitive to strong smells, this might not be the best product for you... As soon as you apply the product, you can see color immediately. It feels thicker than a lot of other lip glosses but it's not sticky at all! These are also pretty moisturizing. The color only last for a couple hours but leave your lips feeling soft and hydrated - a major plus even if it means reapplying. These aren't meant to be a stain, so it's not expected that these will last all day long.

I have gotten 4 colors in the last 2-3 weeks (no judging!) and I like all of them!

(I posted the same picture without flash above but I really feel like this picture captured the true color of the tubes)

And here are the swatches ("Mandarin Rapture", "Fuschia Flourish", "Petal Plush", "Celestial Coral")

As I've said, I love these so much and I don't have much to complain about for them. It would be nice if the color lasted a little longer, but I'm very satisfied with how they are now. And I would recommend them to anyone! (That means you!! ;)) Out of the colors that I have, my favorite is hands down Fuschia Flourish, which was the very first one I got!! It's a very pretty hot pink that looks very flattering and can be worn casually or formally as well.

If you try this product, let me know what you think of it! Also, if you liked this review please let me know so I can make more like this!! Until next time!! And, as always, stay beautiful!!!

❤❤❤

Review- Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polish

Hey Lovelies!!!

I'm sure most of you are aware of the tons of new products in the cosmetics section of the drugstore. I've recently picked up a few of them and still looking for a few that have been sold out. And I've set up an Instagram recently (@megsmaquillage) where I upload instahauls, outfit of the days, and a few miscellaneous photos, so be sure to follow me there!! I post there very regularly!!! But anyways, I hope to post a few reviews of the new products I've been trying out recently. Here's the first one for Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polishes.

Basically, these are scented nail polishes, hence the name, which make them so unique compared to other nail polishes on the market. And according to their website's product description, each color has a separate scent. The color/scent that I got is called "Bordeaux". It's a very beautiful deep red color and (I'm terrible at describing scents, but I'm going to give it a shot) fruity scent. The scent, however, doesn't show up until the polish starts to dry, so don't smell the polish in the bottle! I applied a base coat, 2 coats of Bordeaux, and even after applying a top coat, I could still smell the scent; a major bonus!! And even after washing my hands multiple times and showering, I could still smell the scent the following day! I should also mention how nice of a consistency and pigmentation/opaqueness this nail polish has... I probably could have gotten away with just one coat of the nail polish because it was so nice! The one thing I really don't like is the applicator handle. It's a little sphere in order to add to the presentation of the product to represent a perfume bottle. It's rather small and not the easiest to use.

I do want to say that I found it crucial to use a top coat! Not because the color polish isn't good quality or not shiny enough, but because the nail polish chipped only in the one spot that I missed with top coat. The top coat (Revlon Colorstay) really held the nail polish in place and strengthened it. And, like I said before, don't think that the top coat will take away the scent of the nail polish. And if it weakens the scent, it's very slightly.

Overall, I am very pleased with the product and will definitely be purchasing more in the future. The price, at $4.99 at Target, is very affordable, especially for the quality and uniqueness of the product. I'm very interested in seeing if the other colors in this line are just as high-quality as Bordeaux. I'm also interested to seeing the different scents of each of them. I'm anticipating other companies to start making scented nail polishes to compete with this line and it will be interesting to see how they compare.

I hope this review helped you out as it is my own complete and honest opinion. I'll talk to you all soon! Stay beautiful!!

♥♥♥

My 2014 Resolutions

Hey Lovelies!!!

It's 2014!!! How exciting is that... 2013 was definitely an eventful year for myself and many others! And I'm just hoping that 2014 will be even better, if that's at all possible. In order for that to be possible, I made some resolutions. I'm not usually one to make New Years Resolutions, but I made a few this year. And maybe I'll actually achieve them...?! Here they are!:

♥ Blog regularly- I'm aiming to post at least one blog post a week. And, truthfully, that shouldn't be difficult at all, right?! Because of school, I will probably post at some point during the weekend unless I come across some free time during the week. Currently, I'm on break so I'll hopefully post a bit more frequently (hopefully)... If anyone catches me not posting during a week, please yell at me!!!

♥ Post my first YouTube video- Before the end of the year, I want to post my first video to YouTube. This has been a goal of mine for almost a year now, and I've been a bit to anxious and nervous about it... :( But I made a YouTube channel for videos and I just need to figure out when to start. I'm at college now so filming isn't all that easy, but we'll see how it goes, whether it means vlogging or more Meg's Maquillage type videos.

♥ Figure out what I want to do with my life- Recently, I've hit a wall and realized that what I'm in college for isn't what I want to do. I'm currently a Modern Languages major (French and Spanish) but I'm not even good at speaking languages... Oops! So, I'm currently trying to redo my schedule which is proving to be impossible... I'm also switching to an undeclared major as soon as I return to school and then I'll be on the mission to figure out what I want to study. Right now, communications seems like the best option. If any one is going through something similar or has some advice, please leave a comment below!

♥ Get a job that I enjoy- The only jobs that I've had in the past have been babysitting, demonstrating for my dance studio (which I wasn't actually paid for...), and cashiering at a local market. I love babysitting and hope to do it more regularly over the summer, possibly nannying...? I also loved demonstrating for the dance studio but since I'm at college, it isn't possible anymore. Plus it wasn't all too practical since it was just volunteer work. And I hated working as a cashier and literally refuse to go back to work there... So I'm currently trying to get a new job. I'm hoping for Bath and Body Works when I'm at home on breaks and Lush Cosmetics while at school. Who knows if that will happen, but I hope it does. Wish me luck!!!

Those are my main four 2014 resolutions and I hope to achieve all of them! *crosses fingers* I hope this year will be a good year for Meg's Maquillage and that it proves to be something worth my time and I can continue it into next year as well! I really enjoy blogging so far (sorry for the lack of posts though). I love each and every one of you!! See you soon and stay beautiful :)

♥♥♥