25 December 2017

Fenty Beauty Galaxy Collection Haul + Review

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone’s having an amazing day and in good spirits with those you love. My intentions were to get this post out weeks ago but since it is officially the holidays this makes perfect timing. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna has only been out a few months now and I’ve been all over this collection like a mad woman! I bought tons of things from her initial release (which I will be reviewing soon) and most recently from her limited edition release for the holidays, the Galaxy Collection.

The Galaxy Collection was pretty light in comparison to her permanent line so I headed to Sephora on release day and picked up most of the holiday items including the eyeshadow palette, a couple lipsticks, lipglosses and an eyeliner.

What I love most about this collection is the packaging. The colors are so pretty and fits right in with the Galaxy theme. The eyeshadow palette’s case is simply gorgeous. It reflects iridescent rainbow colors from every angle. My photos do this case no justice as my camera couldn’t capture all of its true beauty.

Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette

If the packaging isn’t enough to entice you then the actual eyeshadows surely will. They are so pretty. All of the colors are glittery and very pigmented. The perfect pairing for any holiday look.

Swatches

The shadows go on smooth for the most part and look even better when you apply them with a damp brush. The only cons for the palette for me is that not all of the shadows seem to have the same texture/formula. I noticed that a couple shades kinda breakup a bit when I apply them but they still gave off the same color consistency so that’s not a big deal for me. The only other thing that I’m not fond of is how the eyeshadow case picks up fingerprints and smudges so easily. It has zero effect on the product quality but if you’re quirky like me then you may find yourself wiping the case down a lot lol but no big deal. Overall for a full glittery palette I think they did a great job with the color range.

Starlit Hyper-Glitz Lipstick (Supermoon, Gravity)

I only purchased 2 of the lipsticks because the other colors were passable to me. I fell in love with Supermoon right away, it’s like a peachy shimmery nude and I love the way it looks on my skin tone. Gravity was my second favorite, it’s described as a shimmery hot pink.

Swatches

The formula for the lipstick feels smooth and lightweight, the color is also buildable. The lipstick did seem to breakup on my lip lines a little bit but that could be due to the combination of gloss I applied over it. Overall, I like the lipsticks a lot and I think I may buy a backup of Supermoon if it’s still in stock. It’s the perfect nude for me.

Cosmic Gloss Lip Glitter (Spacesuit, Gal On The Moon, Plutonic Relationship)

These glosses are everything you’d want in a glittery lipstick. They are so shiny and packed with tons of shimmer. There are 4 glosses in the collection but I only got 3. If the other wasn’t sold out I would’ve definitely got that one too. These glosses were also love at first sight. I didn’t even try these on. I swatched them on my hand in store and knew I had to have them all.

Swatches

I like the formula. It’s not sticky or overly filled with glitter particles. It goes on nice and smooth. My favorite out of the 3 is Spacesuit, it’s described as a glittering peach. It’s the perfect pairing on top of my lipstick fave Supermoon. Gal On The Moon is described as a holographic pink orchid and it is beyond mesmerizing, it has iridescent colors in various angles and lighting. Plutonic Relationship is described as a holographic hot pink. This would also look great paired on top Gravity.

Eclipse 2-In-1 Glitter Release Eyeliner (Alien Bae)

There wasn’t much variation in the 2 eyeliners offered in the collection. They both were pretty dark, the only difference was one had blue tones and the other green. I decided to go with Alien Bae which is described as a blue/black metallic and smoky navy glitter.

Swatches

I tried using the liner over my lash line but wasn’t too impressed with the results. It didn’t really stand out or appear pigmented enough over the glitter eyeshadow so I decided to use another liner for my overall look. I haven’t tested the liner on its own or with other eyeshadow but the color does seem to go on super dark and pigmented when I swatch it on my hand. So I’m still kinda on the fence of how I truly feel about it. I do like the 2 in 1 effect the shadow has when you blend it out which activates the glitter.

Final thoughts, while there are a few quirks like formula consistency between the shadows and the packaging picking up fingerprints - I don’t think any of that would deter me from this collection. The theme and shades were well thought out and compliment one another nicely. I definitely see myself continuing to use the products. Because of the glittery nature, the eyeshadow would probably be more for fun or special occasions for me though. The Holiday Galaxy Collection is a yes from me. If you haven’t purchased yet then now is the time because these are selling out quickly and are limited edition so get what you can while you can!

Below is a look I created with the products.

You can also watch my haul and live swatches on my YouTube channel. Don’t forget to comment, rate and subscribe! Happy Holidays!

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

26 November 2017

Vampy Nails: Deborah Lippmann "Bitches Brew" x Zoya "Peyton"

If you know me, then you know that I'm extremely partial to pink when it comes to my mani and pedicure. Every variation of pink and corals are my absolute favorite polishes to wear and I wear them year round. I rarely stray from pink shades but I have so many polishes that I know I'm doing myself a disservice by not giving them all some wear.

Well, it's about that season for nice deep vampy colors so I decided to give a polish I've literally had for years and have been promising myself forever to try. "Bitches Brew" by Deborah Lippmann is a deep wine/berry cream polish with a light shimmer. I opted to spruce things up with a glittery accent nail in one of my favorite shades by Zoya in "Peyton". I must say I think I could get used to this color combo. It's very pretty and gives a little grown & sexy vibe ^_^ More photos and swatches below.

Bitches Brew by Deborah Lippmann x Peyton by Zoya

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

25 November 2017

Awkward Outings: Decatur Wine Festival

I'm by no means a wine connoisseur..hell, I can probably count on my fingers the number of glasses I've had since legal drinking age lol. I think it's probably because I've never truly found a wine that I enjoyed the taste of. I know a few wine lovers who talk about their deep affection for the savory spirits but I'm still on the hunt for the one that meets my fancy.

November is my birthday month and I've been looking to try some different things around the city that I've yet to explore. That's how I stumbled across the Decatur Wine Festival. I figured it'd be a good way for some outside fun and to sample a few wines. Who knows? Maybe I'd find my holy grail of wines!

The Decatur Wine Festival created by the Decatur Arts alliance kicks off once a year and is held in historic downtown Decatur. The festival features nearly 500 wines all for your sampling pleasure. I honestly had way more fun than I had anticipated, despite going alone and being totally clueless on wine culture. The people were friendly, the wine stayed flowing and there were also tasty foods, music and a dance session that kept the good times rolling! All of the wine vendors were very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to tasting. While I didn't quite find a wine that I felt like I could commit to - the overall experience did open my eyes to the various types of wines and makes me want to explore more ^_^ Below are a few pics from the fest. If you ever have a chance to attend a wine festival in your city I urge you to go! I definitely plan to do it again but next time I'll probably try the Atlanta Wine Fest. Enjoy!

A little entertainment before and during the fest

Delicious foods and treats (I think I ate more than I drank)

Good times!

30 October 2017

I May Never Step Foot in a Grocery Store Again : The Farmers Market

I haven't been to the Farmer's Market in years. In fact, I believe the last time I went was for a school field trip many years ago. I got a mini burst of energy a few days ago and decided I'd go see what it's like to visit as an adult who actually enjoys cooking these days. With the holidays approaching I'd say my little trip kinda fueled me into being excited about doing all the cooking this year lol.

I went to the Dekalb Farmers Market here in Atlanta and boy was the whole experience refreshing. If you've never been to your local farmers market it is definitely something you should experience; as most are rich in fresh, cultural and organic foods. Some of which you'll probably never find in regular grocery stores and the prices are insanely reasonable. My market had some of the most fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables I've ever seen. Even exotic fruits like Dragon and Kiwano fruit. I literally wanted to try one of everything but I paced myself as I didn't want to go overboard on my first visit.

Kale

Purple Potatoes

Dragon Fruit

Kiwano Fruit

The seafood section was literally a dream and had everything you could imagine. Various fish, shrimp, crabs, mussels, calamari...even a few live fish and creatures. The prices of the fish was super cheap and I wish I had gotten more. I ended up sticking with fish I've cooked before. I got tilapia, catfish and salmon. Waiting in line for your fish selections was a little hectic and unorganized but definitely worth it if you wanted them cleaned and the heads cut off. (there was no way I was bringing home fish with the head still on lol)

There was just so much food! I can't wait to go back. There were so many farm raised meat selections, pastas, pastries, they even had their own custom sausages. I picked up a few links of a delicious custom Italian Turkey sausage. There was also a floral department with some of the most beautiful arrangements I've ever seen.

And of course I couldn't leave without visiting the cafe and trying some of the cooked dishes. Everything was so good!

I made dinner last night with some foods I bought and it was incredible. Organic Kale & Greens, Berkwood Pork Chops and oven roasted Red, Purple & Yellow Potatoes. So delicious!

15 June 2017

Fresh Coats DIY: Updating Old Spaces Easy & Affordable

So I've been doing a lot of updating to my home over the past two years and it's quickly become more than just a hobby for me. It's been fun to see the drastic changes and even more exciting to be able to see my own vision come to life. It's an antique home built in the 1920's and I will say that the decision to keep it vs buying a newer home has been rewarding but not without it's challenges. I had a full bathroom and kitchen remodel about 2 years ago and I still get mesmerized walking through both rooms reminiscing on how far this little house has come. I'll share a few before & after photos of that in another post but today I wanted to share a glimpse of a smaller project I'm currently working on.

I recently cleared out a bonus bedroom in my attic. I initially was unsure of what I wanted to do with the space but now I've decided to turn the room into a cozy little dressing/sitting area. All of the walls in the attic are paneled wood except for the main bedroom which I had drywall and insulation put in a few months ago. I painted over the paneled walls in the smaller room (that's become my current project) several years ago. Although my initial paint job wasn't perfect, it still looked way better than those ugly brown panels that had been scraped up over the years. I really wanted to tear down all of the paneling in the attic but the one room (my bedroom) that I did do was quite expensive.

So I figured why not just save some coins and slap a fresh coat of paint in the bonus room. Besides the surface imperfections the walls were still in pretty good shape. Only this time I decided to go the professional route and just hire someone. My little paint job held up over the years but I painted that entire room yellow...from the ceiling to the trim to the doors. I don't know what I was thinking lol. I wanted to brighten it up a bit and make it girly so I chose a pretty rose pink for the walls. I couldn't be more happier with the color.

Here are a few before & after pics. It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do!

In my bedroom I also had some unfinished closet doors I had installed last year. I'd been meaning to paint it forever but finally got around to it. I wanted to do something a little different than basic white doors so I decided to go with a metallic silver. I absolutely love how it came out!

A few before & after photos. The camera truly doesn't do the beauty of this color justice but it's really pretty!