30 January 2014

RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Collection Review


Again, I am late with this but I wanted to finally post the Holiday edition of the RiRi collection with MAC. I wasn't impressed by the liners, shadows or other products from this collection so I decided to stick with the lipsticks and to try the polish out. I was in line opening day for this collection and was a little shocked to see an actual line when I got to my MAC store. Fortunately there were only like ten people ahead of me but Bad Girl RiRi sold out just before it was my turn to checkout, so I only bought Pleasure Bomb and another RiRi Woo for the pretty packaging. Before leaving I swatched Bad Girl RiRi on my hand and instantly fell in love and decided that I NEEDED it! But since it was sold out and I was tired of stalking websites for it I went ahead and ordered it from Evil-Bay at over double the price *angry glare* But anyway I'm glad I did because I love it! Check out swatches of everything I purchased below.

RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Collection


RiRi Woo, Pleasure Bomb, Bad Girl RiRi


Swatches
riri woo, pleasure bomb, bad girl riri


Bad Girl RiRi


Pleasure Bomb


RiRi Woo Nail Lacquer


the polish is very pigmented, it was opaque with one coat. 



Glow: The packaging is so pretty, I love the white paired with rose gold! I didn't photograph myself wearing RiRi Woo because I posted it previously with it's original release. Let's jump into the two lipsticks. I'll start with Pleasure Bomb which is the only color I initially thought I wanted. Pleasure Bomb is a matte fuschia/rose shade, it's a bit more muted in color than I expected it to be. I definitely like it but it doesn't necessarily wow me. My favorite is Bad Girl RiRi which surprised me. After swatching the other nude from Rihanna's Fall collection it made me a bit skeptical about trying this one. I'm so glad I gave it a chance because it's completely different. What I love most about it is how the color gives off a pinkish/mauve on my skintone. I've seen many comparison pics of it and it's crazy how it looks so different on everyone. I've been searching for a brown girl friendly nude lipstick for awhile and this is perfection! I almost hate that I couldn't have bought a backup of it though.

Glare: I really have no gripes about any of these. The lipstick formulas are much better than those from her Fall release. I haven't worn either of these outside of swatching them for photos so I can't really give my opinion on the wear just yet. 

Would I Recommend It? I would recommend MAC to stop making these limited ass edition collections that sell out in MINUTES! That's what I would recommend lol. Seriously, it's ridiculous. I'm tired of it, everyone else is tired of it but that's how they keep the demand up and their evil little tactics work because we keep buying into them. So what else can I really say? 

Where To Buy: If you didn't get anything at this point from any of the RiRi collections then I suggest to just give it up because there is no hope left other than her boring Viva Glam collaboration which I will also be getting *cries*


Product(s) in this post were purchased by me. Read our disclosure policy here
CONTINUE READING »

29 January 2014

Addicted To All Things Pretty Introduces "Luxe Oil" - A Staple For Radiant Skin


It's like Winter came out of nowhere and with the chilly temperatures approaching, nurturing my skin is one of my top priorities. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes I am a bit delinquent when it comes to taking care of my skin with the exception of my face. One of my favorite blogging buddies Krissy from Addicted To All Things Pretty posed a question on twitter one day asking "how often do you reapply moisturizer during a single day" I almost think she was horrified by my response lol. I often shower with liquid soaps that have built in moisturizers so most of the time I do skip moisturizing my skin which I'm almost certain is a beauty crime of some sort ;-)

But like a fairy blog mother and slayer of all things ashy, my darling friend Krissy came along to save us all. Early this month she launched her signature skin care line called Luxe Oil. Luxe Oil is an in-shower moisturizer formulated to relieve dry skin and promote long-lasting radiant skin. The Luxe Oil line currently consists of three all natural hand blended products including Luxe Oil, Cocoa Deluxe Whipped Cocoa Butter Blend and a Whipped Shea Butter Blend with over 5 exclusive scents.

Luxe Oil 
Cocoa Deluxe Whipped Cocoa Butter Blend and Whipped Shea Butter Blend


the Cocoa Butter blend is so rich and creamy!




Glow: Let me just say that I love supporting small businesses. I like the personalization that most small businesses provide and most importantly I always appreciate great customer service. I can't even begin to tell you how many small and start-up companies I've dealt with in the past who truly lack professionalism and a great business sense. So when I come across such impressive service with indie brands such as Luxe Oil I have to give praises. I was initially sent a sample of the in-shower Luxe Oil in the beautiful scent Coco-nilla to test out and immediately after trying it I decided that I would be doing myself an injustice if I didn't give the other two products a try.  So I ordered the Cocoa Butter Blend as well as the Whipped Shea Butter Blend in Black Unicorn. After placing my order online it was shipped out the same day and I literally had the products in my hand in two days -talk about fast shipping! Lets get into the goodness of these products, the Luxe Oil not only smells amazing but also feels really good going on my skin in the shower, after drying off my skin felt so soft and looked radiant. The Cocoa Butter Blend has a thick rich consistency and smells like pure chocolate, it goes on effortlessly and leaves my skin feeling so nurtured. My favorite out of the crew is definitely the Whipped Shea Butter Blend, it's so creamy and smooth! The formula is blended to perfection. I've totally fallen in love with the scent Black Unicorn, it's intoxicating and heavenly and has become my new nightly staple after showering.

Glare: There's absolutely nothing negative that I can say about these products. Krissy has spent a great amount of time doing her research to create the perfect blend and she has definitely got it right! I love most of all that none of the products feel greasy or leave behind a residue, they absorb into your skin immediately and promote moisture and a healthy glow throughout the day. I also really like that the all natural ingredients are clearly labeled on the containers.

Would I Recommend It? I already have! I've purchased a few products for my BFF and my mother is next on the list after trying to set claims to my Whipped Shea Butter *side eye* lol! I almost forgot to mention that all of Luxe Oil products are made by hand which makes it that much more awesome! 

Where To Buy: All 3 Luxe Oil products are available for purchase at http://www.addictedtoallthingspretty.bigcartel.com/. There are also upcoming products in the works including something for the guy in your life. To stay up to date with future releases be sure to subscribe to the Luxe Oil Newsletter.


Product(s) in this post were purchased by me. Read our disclosure policy here
CONTINUE READING »

28 January 2014

RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection Review


I am fully aware that the holidays are far gone and that this post is late as hell, but.....I was determined to get this one out one way or the other. I would've had this review posted ages ago if I hadn't had such an ordeal in trying to get these products, I explained all of that in my last post. But anyway I was pretty much able to get everything I wanted despite the BS. I was also able to purchase the products I wanted from Rihanna's final Holiday collection and a review will be coming soon. MAC also just released Rihanna's Viva Glam lipstick and gloss which I will be getting sometime soon. Some people are saying that MAC has gone a little RiRi crazy but hey she sells and that's all that matters I suppose.  One thing for sure is that I'm over all of these limited edition/limited quantity collections and I plan to give it a break come the first of the year -the struggle in trying to get hold of them is beyond a headache plus I need to start enjoying the MANY products I already have *giggles*. Photos of the RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection, swatches and my full review are below, enjoy!

RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection
how cute is the packaging?! 


RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Lipsticks
Talk That Talk x Who's That Chick


RiRi Hearts MAC
riri woo lipglass, extended play gigablack lash mascara, liquid last liner 


Swatches


RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick
Who's That Chick


RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick
Talk That Talk


RiRi Hearts MAC Pro Long Wear Lip Pencil
RiRi Woo


Swatches

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipglass
RiRi Woo




Glow: I'll start with the packaging, honestly I think that's what really drew me in this time around. I love the rose colored boxes and the pink and rose gold theme throughout each of the products. For the lipsticks, Talk That Talk and Who's That Chick were the only 2 I wanted, I already have RiRi Woo so I would've just been purchasing for the packaging. Talk That Talk is a retro matte dark plum. Retro Mattes can be very drying but I always prep my lips with a tiny amount of chapstick before application and it still lasts for hours on me. Honestly I really love this color, it has more red/burgundy tones and was not as dark as some supposed dupes like Cyber and Yung Rapunxel. Who's That Chick has a frost finish and is described as a mid-tone orange. To me, it definitely has more gold tones than it does orange which I love. The color looks neutral on me and goes with my skin well -I like it! RiRi Woo Lipglass is a vibrant red, it's highly pigmented and goes on opaque with just a couple swipes. The formula holds up just like all MAC lipglass and the wear time is normal on me (about 3-4 hrs). RiRi Pro Longwear Lip Pencil is also very pigmented and can be worn alone or paired with the RiRi Woo Lipstick, I also hear that it looks great paired with Who's That Chick which I plan to try in the future. The Extended Play Mascara and Liquid Last Liner are basically just repackaged products that have always been with MAC and are not exclusive to this collection. I won't go into detail about either because I haven't tested the wear of them just yet. I will say that I do like the mascara, the formula is good, it's not clumpy and gives my lashes an even coverage. 

Glare: The biggest complaints that I've read about this collection are based on the lipsticks, mainly Talk That Talk. I've seen other reviews that complain about the application and coverage issues that include patchiness. I haven't seen any reviews about Who's That Chick's formula but from my experience with it, that's the one I had issues with. While the lipstick feels smooth it goes on a bit crumbly. I'm not sure if that's from the frost or just the way I applied it. I tried applying it both from the tube as well as with a lip brush and still the same results. It's a pretty color but the application kinda sucks. I'll continue to play around with it to determine what works best for me. 

Would I Recommend It? I don't think it's fair to answer that question since the collection is basically sold out. But I will say that if you're a Rihanna fan then I'm sure you already got your hands on it ^_^

Where To Buy: Unfortunately the majority of the Fall Collection is sold out. I've seen a few palettes, lashes, mascara and liquid liners lingering around on some of the retail sites that carry MAC such as Belk and Nordstrom but sometimes the availability that they show is not always accurate so I would always call before placing an order. As far as the lipsticks and other products your best bet is eBay if you just have to have it. But always use sound judgement when checking for reputable sellers.


Product(s) in this post were purchased by me. 
CONTINUE READING »

13 January 2014

Party On Your Nails with SinfulColors Tints of Tinsel!


Yes, I realize the holidays are long gone but don't you think your nails deserve to party all year long? I certainly do! This past holiday SinfulColors released several new nail shades consisting of beautiful glittery top coats designed to give your nails instant glitz and glam. The top coats can be worn on top of any base shade of your choice to give it an extra pop of color and flair. I tried out four of the new shades; a glitter, microglitter and 2 confetti polishes. I layered each on top of a deep navy for maximum effects.  Check out swatches and my thoughts below.

Glittery in Pink
pink glitter


Top Me Off
colorful microglitter


 Pink Icicles
red and white confetti


Silver Rainbows
 silver confetti glitter with multicolored undertones





Glow: Let me start by saying that SinfulColors never seems to disappoint. From my experience the formula of their polish has always been consistent and easy to apply. The top contender for me amongst these shades is definitely Top Me Off, it's such a mesmerizing fun microglitter and you really only need one coat although I used two. Glittery in Pink is my second favorite, I like the variation of sizes with the glitter pieces and I like the effect it gives when I only painted the top portion of my nails with the top coat - a super fun look!

Glare: This isn't really a con but more so a preference. I'm not really a fan of confetti based polishes and although these have pretty color combinations they still don't wow me nearly as much as the other top coats. 

Would I Recommend It? I would! SinfulColors is super affordable and they have such a broad range of shades to choose from, you'd surely find a color that fits your personal style! 

Where To Buy: SinfulColors Holiday Tinsel & Sheer Lustre Glitter Topcoats are exclusively available at Walgreens and retail for $1.99 each. For updates and other info be sure to follow SinfulColors via Facebook and Twitter.


Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here
CONTINUE READING »

On Instagram

© Awkwardly April. Made with love by The Dutch Lady Designs.