Birthday Haulage!

Hi All,
    So my birthday was on the 29th of July and of course...I went out and did a little retail therapy shopping/ birthday shopping. There are many similar brand as the USA but I had my eye on Inglot makeup for such a long time! I know I can order it online, but there's something about going to the Polish makeup store and purchasing it there.  I also picked up a few other things which I'll also include on this haul.  (I will review the products individually, including prices,so keep a look out!)

First stop? 

INGLOT! 

(Okay so I went there on three separate trips *addicted*)

 My first trip was really just to explore (plus the fact that I didn't have my money

exchanged stopped me from purchasing). 

My second trip, I walked away with a few items! 

I purchased the newest style case from Inglot (has a big mirror and the magnetic spaces. 

It just looks so sleek, and it very easy to open up. 

I'm already in love with my colors and review them individually soon!

Colors from left to right are: 142, 107, 154

My THIRD trip to Inglot, I also walked away with a few shadows.

Instead of the large square pans, I opted for the circles

so that I could pop them into an ELF palette and easily carry them around.

The Colors in top right from l-r: 111, 393, 102, 142

Second Store?

DOUGLAS

This is like an Ulta where you have really high end (Chanel) and then low brands

like Essence all in the same space.  I don't have easy access to an Ulta or Essence 

beauty products so I picked them up here.  I had heard so much about the mascara

and the gel-tint just looked like fun!

Third Store?

ROSSMAN

This is a proper drug store with plenty of makeup and as my face powder was getting a little

dangerously low, I opted to pick one up from a European brand.  Miss Sporty is a UK brand, 

and runs along the same price range as NYC (perhaps a few cents more) but they happened 

to have a bunch of interesting looking products.  I picked up the So Matte Pressed Powder (claimed to have 10 hour wear), Ohh! Blushed Again... blusher, and two bright lipsticks.

I did also receive as a gift from my Aunt an Inglot nail polish in a beautiful mint color 

(I've never tried their polishes). 

Previously, I did also purchase the Garnier BB Cream (it was only 5 bucks here!)

I had heard a lot about it and my drugstore is always sold out, so I figured out why not? 

I look forward to testing these out in the following weeks and letting you know about them!

Have you tried anything from these brands?

xoxo,

Emi

July Favorites

I don't typically do monthly favorites just because I don't rotate out products as much as many other youtube or beauty bloggers do. But if you have read any of my previous travel/ packing blogs, you know that I have packed some variety of products to use too. So I figured, since these were different from a lot of my usual products...I could just show you which ones I opted to use the most this month.  (I'd also like to mention that having less products has been extremely relaxing because I don't feel so stressed out that I have so much to use up!) Without further comment, here are my July Most Used Products.

 Eyes Products:

Shadow: I have opted for this little trio from 

LA Colors (it's in the shade Nude) and love it.  Obviously I have

hit pan on two of the shadows.  I find this versatile and just very easy to use in 

very busy mornings.  This is also a really great basic trio where 

you can just add on shimmery or glittery shadows to bring it to an evening/ dramatic look. 

Look at those dents!

Liner: I have gone back to my gel liner roots! (and now expanded to liquid!)

I love this gel liner from ELF and believe it'll be one of those

that I'll always fall back to. The coffee color is great because it's still not as dark as black, but dark enough to line.  The liquid liner is something I've gotten into,
I've never previously been a fan but it's awesome to make a dramatic eye.
The shade Midnight is also nice because it's a dark navy.

Primer/Base: Of course, If you have been following my blog for a while,
you will know that I am in LOVE with my NYX eyeshadow base in
Skintone.  This small pot has lasted me for over a year and it still is running strong.  It does not
crease on me and I just find it makes my eyeshadows stay SO long.

Mascara: Benefit Badgal mascara is such an oldie but a goodie.
This was my first mascara (not same tube...this is a new one) that I got and was introduced to.
I find this one gives me dark but long lashes.  I keep coming back to this mascara!

Face:

Concealer: I have been loving my ELF Studio Line Under Eye Concealer and Highlighter due.

Ok scratch that, I love the concealer part of the due, I dislike

the Highlighter portion of it.  I have a whole review up on this product, so check it

out to find out why I like it so much!

Blush: Yep, I'm still working through my Rimmel London Blush.  

This is a great dupe for Benefit's Dandelion, the only downside is that I no longer see this

at my drugstores.  (womp womp womb) I like that I can be a bit heavy handed 

with this blush, and still not turn out looking like a clown. 

It's also great because it leave a slight sheen on the cheeks so you don't really need a 

highlighter. 

Bronzer: At home I use the Physicians Formula Bronze Booster, but that thing

is SO clunky.  So I opted to take along a sample of Hoola bronzer

from Benefit.  I like this bronzer, but haven't quite fallen in love with it. 

Finishing Powder: If you keep up with my previous "trying to finish out 

products" you'll know that I've been working on a different product, but I didn't want

to possibly risk smashing my powder in flight, so I opted to take the NYC Smooth Mineral Loose Finishing Powder in Natural Veil.  I'm not a huge fan of loose powders

because they cause a huge mess.  But this summer I've been using the heck out of it!

Body/ Skincare:

St. Ive Apricot Scrub: Oh my gosh, I forgot how much I actually love this product.

After finishing out my large bottle, and vowing to not buy another face wash until my big bottles were done, I almost forgot about how great this makes my skin feel.  I think I'll have to break my ban and purchase this again. 

bebebeauty Face Experts: I picked this up here in Poland as a makeup remover and I love it.  

It's best explained as a milky, makeup remover lotion.  I had a different brand 

but same product a long time ago and loved it.  This doesn't sting my eyes

and takes off EVERY bit of makeup.  

Nivea anti-perspirant Stress Protect: The USA doesn't mass market this product, but in some Polish

markets you can get your hands on this. At first I was skeptical because it's liquidy and I just

couldn't believe that if I had to use heavier duty stick deodorants back home,  this would work.  

Needless to say...I think I'll be picking up a few extra of these to take home!

Randoms!

Vitamin C Tablets: SO many people have been sick and even after going to 

the doctor and getting meds, they still can't shake their colds, so these tablets have been a staple

for me.  I pop one of these a day into a bottle of water, and just drink. It

tastes like lemonade too!

Review: Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm

Hey Everyone!
   So pretty much every brand has a BB cream in their makeup line...and Urban Decay has totally been workin the "Naked" line too.  I had received a sample of the Naked Skin Beauty Balm with a previous purchase and had put off using it until now.

According to the Urban Decay website the Naked Skin Beauty Balm "Minimize pores, lines, wrinkles and redness instantly.  Get significantly firmer, more lifted skin in 8 weeks".  It also has SPF 20 and claims to have DNA Repair, Optical Blurring and is Oil Free.  Sounds pretty darn great doesn't it? It retails at 34 bucks for 35 ml.  What Urban Decay claims to be so special about their particular BB cream is: "while many beauty balms are tinted to provide coverage, ours diffuses light with high-tech pigments to give you amazing, natural, NAKED-looking skin." This sounds all fancy.  It claims to blur lines to create an "airbrushed" finish to the skin.

Sorry for the ill lighting!

The product comes just in one shade that once blended in becomes translucent.  I'm just going to say it right out from the start...I don't like this product...nor do I really get the point of it.  I was under the assumption that BB creams offer some coverage...this sounds more like a primer.  I don't see any blurring of fine lines either...it truly looks like I've got nothing on my face (which yes...I understand the idea of "naked" skin).

 My redness didn't change at all with this product.  I feel like this would work as a good primer for foundations and tinted moisturizers....but not a stand alone product.  It IS oil-free though, and didn't make me feel greasy.

Final Points: More of a primer than a BB cream, this won't give any coverage, or help redness on it's own.  I'll pass on it.

Have you tried it?
Emi