Thursday, September 22, 2011

They're Real! (I swear)

So, I recently gifted myself with a few fun things from Sephora for my own birthday last week (because I'm just that lame). One of those things is none other than Benefit's new They're Real! mascara. I've heard great things and had to check it out for myself. I gotta say - it was pretty much love at first swipe. Keep reading for a picture-heavy review.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

September Birchbox

September's Birchbox came last week so I thought I'd go over its contents with you and do a little quick first-impressions review. For those who aren’t familiar with Birchbox, here is a little explanation: It’s essentially a “makeup of the month” club where for $10 a month, you become a member and they ship you a few sample sizes (or sometimes full sizes if you’re lucky) of high-end skincare products and cosmetics. If you like them enough to re-purchase, you can buy that item on the Birchbox website and earn points which you may later use as discounts on future purchases. You also fill out a short questionnaire about what your skin and makeup concerns are so that they can tailor your box based on your needs and likes. If you are interested, I recommend visiting the website for more information, as I’m sure I’m not covering everything there is to know about being a Birchbox-er. In short: if you like samples, you’re going to enjoy this club. Keep reading for more info and photos.



Monday, September 19, 2011

Quick Birthday Eye look

Yeah, I practice what I preach. :-) As proof, here is a easy eye look I wore to go out to my fancy birthday dinner with the hubs. I used the Balm's The Balm and the Beautiful palette and a few other items that I've previously reviewed.


No flash
It's just "The Supermodel" over the entire lid (with Too Faced Shadow Insurance as a primer underneath, of course) then a bit of "The Bad Boy" in the outer corner and into the crease. That's it! It's an easy natural eye that I thought would compliment the gold jewelry I was wearing that night with my black dress. The eyeliner on top and in the waterline is that Stila waterproof Smudge Stick I reviewed earlier. And on my face is my BB Cream. Mascara is none other than my beloved Cover Girl. 
Easy peasy!



Hello!
Closed eye with flash.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

the Balm and the Beautiful palette

the Balm has recently released a new limited edition palette with a Muppets theme called "Cast Your Shadow" that is not only limited edition, but also limited number! They only made 1,000 palettes. Luckily, they are also releasing an identical palette with a different theme and therefore different packaging based on soap operas called the Balm and the Beautiful. Supposedly the Balm and the Beautiful is their holiday 2011 palette to be released later this fall. However! It is bizarrely available for more than half the price currently at T.J.Maxx. Craziness! Once I learned this, I immediately went to my nearest T.J.Maxx and grabbed one of the 2 that were left on the shelf and bought it. Original price on the tag is marked $44.50, but the price I paid at T.J. Maxx was a steal at $19.99. Keep reading for swatches and photos!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Eve Pearl products

So I recently purchased two Eve Pearl products via Haute Look that I'm really enjoying: the Dual Salmon Concealer & Treatment and a Glamour Lash Mascara. 
For ages I've heard makeup gurus sing the praises of salmon concealer, but I just never got around to trying one out. The idea behind it is that the salmon hue cancels out any blue undertones in your under eye circles, and it really does work. I was kind of skeptical because it was such an overhyped phenomenon, but I was really impressed with the Eve Pearl concealer. 


I chose the Light/Medium (I'm an NC30-NC35 in MAC foundation) and it's a really good match. I put the medium shade on first and pat it in to cancel out most of my dark circles and then pat on a thin layer of the lighter shade to blend everything into my skin tone. It's super creamy and very pigmented, too, so a light application is sufficient. Once it's topped off with a powder it should last all day.


The Glamour Lash Mascara builds lots of length due to the micro-fibers in the formula. It also claims to build volume, but I didn't notice as much of that compared to the length. Honestly, my favorite volume building mascaras usually come from Cover Girl (like Lash Blast in the orange tube). But what really impressed me was the fact that after a day's worth of wear and sweating, there was no transfer to my lower lids or under eye area. That's always a pet peeve of mine. By the end of the day when it was time to remove my makeup I realized why there was no transfer. It comes off in little tubes! It literally surrounds each lash in a little tube of mascara and washes off with warm water and a little pressure. I had NO idea that was part of the deal, so I was pleasantly surprised. If you're at all familiar with Loreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes, it's exactly the same idea. I'll probably always be loyal to Cover Girl, but on days when I know I'll sweat, or if I want to apply mascara to my bottom lashes, I'll probably turn to Eve Pearl.
:-)
-A

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Welcome! and August Favorites

Welcome to All Tarted Up! 
I thought it might be a good idea to just jump right in with a list of some products that I've used and loved pretty extensively within the past month of August.




First up is an amazing nail polish remover by Karma Organics. This is an organic soy remover with a lavender scent, and it works like a charm. It comes in a cute brown glass bottle, and you don't need to use a lot at once so it will probably last a really long time. It removes polish faster and cleaner than any non-acetone remover I've ever tried. And the the most important part (in my opinion) is that it doesn't strip your actual nail! I have suffered from dry, peeling, flaky nails for a long time due to using pure acetone and even non-acetone removers. But Karma Organics has kind of an oily formula that doesn't strip my nail, and I feel like it's actually nourishing them. I've been using this stuff like crazy and my nails have really improved. And it really does a great job removing polish. I was able to use just one cotton pad to obliterate 2 coats of dark red polish (plus base coat and top coat) on one hand and it still had enough juice to move on to a couple fingers on my other hand! It doesn't "carry" the polish around to stain your fingertips either, which is a pet peeve I always had with non-acetone removers. I think it's some properties in the oil that trap the color in (yes, that's my scientific opinion). The only downside I can think of with this one is the price. You can find it on Amazon for $11.99, which is where I purchased it. You're not limited to the lavender scent; it's also available in unscented and Tea Tree. But even at nearly $12 for a 4oz bottle, I think it's completely worth it for how powerful it is and how well it treats your nails.
Keep reading for more goodies!