Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

HI FRIENDS! I AM BACK!!

I know I haven't been posting as much as lately. I was back home in the States and I didn't spend one minute blogging (minus the small update I did in my last post). At first, I felt a little guilty about it and thought that I should have put some effort into my blog, but I realized that the break was good and I am happy I spent every minute that I could with my family and friends. But I am back in France now and am ready to go with several blog ideas as well as getting more YouTube videos up! Stay tuned :)

I wanted to do a post on the NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette. I got this for Christmas and I have pretty much known since my first couple of uses that I wanted to do a blog post on it. The reason why I knew I wanted to blog about it: There was SO much buzz about it before the holidays when it was released and everyone was raving about it.... but honestly, I am not as impressed. (SORRY if you love this palette!)

Do I think that this is an absolutely terrible palette? No. I still use it but I am just not as excited for it as I thought I would be after hearing everyone rave about it.

I thought that since this palette is Limited Edition, that NARS was just going to offer for the holidays. But it is still available so I thought that I would give you my thoughts on it in case any of you are considering purchasing it.

Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

This palette retails for $65 and you are getting one highlighter, one bronzer and three blushes. The blushes you are getting are: Deep Throat, Sex Fantasy and Final Cut. Each blush is .15oz which is slightly smaller than a normal, full size NARS blush of .16oz. The highlighter: Miss Liberty. Again it is .15oz vs. the normal size of .16oz. And the bronzer is the ever-so-famous Laguna. In this palette, you are actually getting .35oz of Laguna vs the normal .28oz. So the value of this palette is amazing and that is the main reason I purchased it. (One blush/highlighter retails for $30 and Laguna retails for $39) But I wish I would have actually played around with the palette and swatched it before purchasing it from the Sephora website. 

Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

Highlighter: Miss Liberty - My first issue with the palette is the highlighter. Miss Liberty is just straight up glitter and sparkle. It doesn't even really give off a pretty sheen underneath the sparkle as a pretty base - it basically just looks like you took some glitter and smeared it on your face. I could tell immediately by looking at it in the palette that it was way too sparkly for me. But I decided I would give it a try anyways. And this is how I really know it was bad: My husband made a comment about how glittery it was. He knows NOTHING about makeup and he even noticed how bad it was. That was the first and last time I will wear Miss Liberty.

Blushes: Deep Throat, Sex Fantasy, Final Cut - The blushes for me are just so-so. I could take them or leave them. I don't think they are ugly or anything but I am a blush fanatic and these blushes just do not wow me. These blushes are something that I force myself to wear from time to time rather than being something I am excited about wearing. I think they are pretty but nothing overly gorgeous (I take my blushes very seriously, girls!). Deep Throat is probably the one I like best out of the blushes. It is a pretty corally-pink blush. It reminds me a lot of Orgasm by NARS as it is similar in color and has a shimmer to it as well. Sex Fantasy is a cool toned pinky-lavender. It is matte and I do feel like I have to kind of build up the pigmentation. Final Cut is a peachy-orange and is matte. I like peachy-corally blushes but this might be too much on the orange side for me and have to use a little bit of a lighter hand when applying.

Bronzer: Laguna - The bronzer is what saves this palette for me. This is a very popular bronzer from NARS and I had never tried it before purchasing this palette and I was not let down. I think it is a gorgeous bronzer. It does have a slight shimmer/sheen and I typically prefer matte bronzers, but I actually really don't mind the sheen in Laguna. It doesn't give an overwhelming shimmer off whatsoever when applied. It just gives you the perfect sun-kissed glow. I am happy that Laguna has the most product in this palette as it will definitely be the one that I will use the most.

Swatches in Natural Light

Swatches with camera flash
(You can see the sparkle better in Miss Liberty in this picture)

I think the quality of this palette definitely meets the high quality of any typical NARS product. And I really do love NARS products in general! I think I just would have rather invested my money in buying a bronzer and a blush separately. I think I would have gotten more use out of buying Laguna and then finding a blush that I was absolutely in love with. I know it would be less product than what I am getting in the palette, but at least then I know I would be constantly using the separate bronzer and blush instead of letting the palette sit there without days/weeks of use like I have been. 

I know that a lot of girls really love this palette so if you are considering getting it, you might love it as well! I just wanted to give my honest opinion on it in case you are like me and would rather invest your money in a couple of products that you know you will get more use out of. 

Hope this helps!

XOXO Kayla

2014 Beauty Favorites: Lips

Hello, Christmas Beauties :)

For this next installment of my 2014 Beauty Favorites, I decided I would list my top ten favorite lip products. When I was going through my lipsticks and glosses, I realized a lot of what I have are just different shades/colors from the same collections/formulas. So most of what I list below, I most likely have other colors from the same collection! I also noticed that most of my "higher end" lipsticks are from MAC. (I have four of them listed below!) So my goal for 2015 is to branch out a little bit more and get different lipsticks from different brands and collections! But for now, here are my favorites from 2014 in no particular order!

• Creme Cup by MAC - First I should start off by saying, you are going to see a lot of pink/nudes listed! If you have followed by blog for a while, this will be no surprise to you. I absolutely LOVE pinky-nude lipsticks so several will be listed :) Anyways... In my opinion, Creme Cup is the prettiest pink lipstick of them all! It is the perfect girly, baby pink lipstick and I think every girl needs one of those in their collection! I just love how feminine and soft it looks and I never get tired of it!

Creme Cup by MAC

Creme Cup by MAC

Creme Cup by MAC

• Creme Brulee by NYX - NYX Butter Glosses are some of the best glosses I have ever tried. They are not sticky at all and they are all so pretty! They look great alone or wearing them over a lipstick. I love all of my Butter Glosses and honestly, anyone of them could have made the list! I just chose Creme Brulee because it is the one I tend to reach for more often. These glosses are truly great and so cheap!

Creme Brulee by NYX

Creme Brulee by NYX

• F-Bomb by Urban Decay - I have mentioned this lipstick several times over the past month or two. So I am sorry you have to hear about it again but you know I love it and had to include it on my list of favorites! I absolutely LOVE this red lipstick! I used to hate red lipstick until I tried this one out. I danced from the ages of about 5 to 21 and every recital or competition, we were slathering our lips in layers of red lipstick and I hated it! So I had just always been a little turned off by red lipstick! But I tried this about a year ago and I have been hooked ever since. The formula is so CREAMY and PIGMENTED! It is a classic red and if you are like how I was and not really interested in red lipstick - give it another try. It is amazing what a good red lip can do for your confidence!

F-Bomb by Urban Decay

F-Bomb by Urban Decay

• Anita by NARS - There is something about the formula from the Audacious Lipsticks by NARS that makes your lips look AMAZING! I don't know how it works, but whenever I apply this lipstick, my lips look so plump and full! It is incredible! It amazes me every time! Not to mention, the pigmentation in the formula is out of this world! It is SO opaque and lasts forever! Of course I like Anita because it is pink, but it is more of a darker pink and I really like that about it. In my opinion, it looks really similar to that "Kylie Jenner Lip" color. I can't get enough of this lipstick and have Raquel and Olivia sitting under Christmas tree right now :) (Is it bad I know most of my presents? ;) Whoops!)

Anita by NARS

Anita by NARS

Anita by NARS
(The lighting in the room I took this picture in was a little weird & makes the color look a little lighter)

• Natural by e.l.f. - I love these Matte Lip Colors from e.l.f. For how cheap they are (only $3!) the quality is out of this world. They are creamy and gorgeously pigmented. I think it is one of the prettiest matte lipsticks I own. Every time I apply it, I realize how much I love it. It is also so easy to apply as it in a stick form. It takes no time at all to quickly line and fill in your lips with this product. I am so impressed by e.l.f.'s products and would definitely recommend them to anyone!

Natural by e.l.f.

Natural by e.l.f.

• Honeylove by MAC - I always get compliments when I wear this lipstick so it must have just been made for me ;) Just Kidding ;) I think this lipstick really compliments my skin tone. This lipstick is a matte nude with a peachy undertone - so I think it looks good against my light skin with yellow undertones. I do think this would look amazing on anyone though! MAC's lipsticks are so universal for any skintone and they have so much variety!

Honeylove by MAC

Honeylove by MAC

Honeylove by MAC

• Butter Cream by Gerard Cosmetics - These lighted lipglosses are amazing from Gerard Cosmetics. Not only is the packaging a knock out - has a little mirror on the side, lights on the wand to help you see better, and just overall looks so pretty and luxurious - but the formula in these glosses are amazing. They are so pigmented, extremely creamy and not sticky. I love Butter Cream because it is such a gorgeous pink gloss! It looks beautiful worn alone or amazing on top of a pink or nude lipstick. And Jaclyn Hill created it and who doesn't love her!? I only own three of these lipglosses from Gerard Cosmetics and it is on my list of "Things to get" to get more of them! 

Butter Cream by Gerard Cosmetics

Butter Cream by Gerard Cosmetics

• Ruby Woo by MAC - Ruby Woo is probably one of the most difficult lipsticks to work with, but once you get the perfect application, it is STUNNING! It is a matte lipstick and has a SUPER dry formula and takes a little patience when applying it. Also, you have to make sure to exfoliate your lips before applying this lipstick because no matter how much or how little your lips are dry/chapped or have dead skin, it is going to show big time with this lipstick! Even though this lipstick is a little difficult, it is totally worth it! It is a BEAUTIFUL, classic red and and makes you look so glamorous!

Ruby Woo by MAC

Ruby Woo by MAC

Ruby Woo by MAC

• Creme D'Nude by MAC - This is the PERFECT nude lipstick! It has no type of peach or orange or pink undertones... Just straight up nude! I absolutely adore it! And even though it is nude, it doesn't wash you out. It is a cremesheen lipstick from MAC so it is really creamy and I think this specific lipstick makes your lips look so full. This is one of the more popular nude lipsticks from MAC and I definitely recommend trying it out!

Creme D'Nude by MAC

Creme D'Nude by MAC

• Divine Wine by Maybelline - OK, I have only owned this lipstick for about a week but I am SO IN LOVE with it that I had to include it! When Maybelline came out with the Creamy Matte Line in the fall I grabbed a nude one (Nude Embrace) and loved the formula. I saw a swatch online of Divine Wine and instantly wanted it - it looked so prettty! But every time I went to the store, it was sold out. I never ended up getting my hands on it before I left for France so I was a little disappointed about it! But I knew my mother would be sending out a package with Christmas gifts this month, so I asked her if she could look the next time she was at Target to see if they might have this lipstick to send out. Luckily they did and I finally have it now! It is absolutely GORGEOUS! I have been trying to find the perfect deep, dark red for over a month now. But every time I go to Sephora and try to swatch different dark red lipsticks, everything I found had a berry undertone to it. I strictly just wanted a deep red. I can't get over how pretty this color is! The formula from this line is incredible - it is matte yet SO creamy! I am going to wear this bad boy out over the holidays :)

Divine Wine by Maybelline

Divine Wine by Maybelline

Divine Wine by Maybelline

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone! Have a blessed holiday with your loved ones!

xoxo Kayla

2014 Beauty Favorites: Face - Part 1

Happy December, loves! I absolutely love Christmas and it truly is the most wonderful time of the year :) I love everything about the Christmas spirit and only wish it could last longer!

I mentioned in my last post that I would only be doing one post a week in December. I also said that I would be sharing my 2014 Beauty Favorites with a different category each week. This week: FACE! Since there are so many sub-categories that apply to the face, I am going to be doing Part 1 - Foundations, Concealers, Powders and Brushes - this week. Next week I will do Part 2 - Blushes, Bronzers and Highlighters! 

I have a ton of favorites in each sub-category, but I am going to try my best to pick my top 3 for each. (I don't know how I am only going to pick 3 blushes - my obsession!) 

I want to share all of these favorites with you because they are all AMAZING PRODUCTS! If I had to downsize my collection, these would be my top picks that I would want to save because I don't know what I would do without them! If you are on the hunt for something new, you will be able to find out what my recommendations would be for everything makeup-related over the next few weeks!

FOUNDATION:

     If you have been following my blog for a while, you have seen me mention that I have been struggling with acne for about a year (you can read my story here). Thankfully, I haven't had a breakout in well over a month and I am so, so grateful! These foundations are amazing at covering acne as they provide medium-full coverage. But as I am continuing to have clearer skin, I am still loving them as I can apply a more sheer, lighter application! So whether you have acne-prone skin or normal skin, I am sure you will love these foundations as well.

• Double Wear Foundation by Estee Lauder - This is the best foundation of life and I absolutely love it. It is seriously amazing! It provides the best coverage! It is so flawless and lasts all day long. For real, it will not smudge or wear away for 12+ hours! I also think the price tag of $37 is amazing compared to how many higher end foundation can cost you $60+. You are getting a great deal for a high quality foundation. I always recommend this foundation to girls. If you have never tried it, go to Sephora or Estee Lauder counter and ask for a sample. You will be hooked as well!

Double Wear Foundation by Estee Lauder

• HD Foundation by Make Up For Ever - This is a close second for me. It also provides a flawless finish and lasts all day as well. This is slightly less full coverage than the Double Wear - this is more medium coverage. This foundation is specifically created with film and camera in mind. This is a foundation that will look flawless if you are going to have an event where you will be taking lots of pictures!

HD Foundation by Make Up For Ever

• ColorStay Foundation by Revlon - If you are looking for something more affordable but still have a foundation that will last and look great, this is it! This is the foundation that I wear on an average day. Since my other foundations are more expensive, I hate wasting them on days where I am just going to be running to the store or getting groceries. But I still think that this foundation provides a flawless finish just like my other two favorites. The only con I have with it is that it does not last nearly as long as the others. I would say it will definitely last you a good 6-8 hours before it starts to break up in places (at least that is what I have experienced and definitely not the "24 hours" it claims). But for a drugstore foundation, this is a true winner and it is by far the best drugstore foundation I have tried!

ColorStay Foundation by Revlon

CONCEALER:

     These three are the only concealers I own and continue to repurchase. I have tried others in the past, but nothing works as great as these! 

• Pro LongWear by MAC - I mentioned in my last post that this is the concealer that I wear when I want to do a full on makeup look. It doesn't crease on me and creates the most perfect highlighting and concealing effect (since I use a lighter color than my skin tone). It blends so easily into the skin and it always blows me away at how perfect it looks. I just love this concealer!

Pro LongWear by MAC

• Age Rewind by Maybelline - I also adore this concealer. It is so affordable and it also creates an amazing highlighting effect when using a lighter shade. I think the MAC concealer creates a little bit more of a brightening effect, but this still does a great job at highlighting and concealing. I also don't notice any creasing when wearing this concealer and have gone through countless tubes of this bad boy!

Age Rewind by Maybelline

• Boo-Boo Cover-Up - This has been such a little blessing to me! Now that I am getting over acne, I have a lot of discoloration, spots, scars etc. This concealer blows me away at how incredible it is. It covers up any scarring that I have so effortlessly. The product is a little bit on the thicker side but it blends out to perfectly to cover any flaws. It never looks cakey and I can't even tell where it begins and ends on my skin when it is blended out. After applying it in my problematic areas, you can't even tell I ever had blemishes! It also has ingredients in it to lighten your scarring and heal. It is truly amazing and if you have any scarring or flaws you want to cover up, I HIGHLY recommend trying this out! 

Boo-Boo Cover-Up

POWDER:

     I have been using these powders consistently for several months now. I haven't tried any new ones recently because I have been so happy with these!

• Banana by Anastasia Beverly Hills - OH the infamous Banana! I had to try the hype out and I am loving it. I use this to set my under eye concealer and it works like a charm. I am impressed with the formulas of the concealers that I use, but I am always setting it with Banana and feel like it really just gives you an extra hand at the longevity of under eye concealer. 

Banana by Anastasia Beverly Hills

• Light Reflecting Pressed Powder in Translucent Crystal by NARS - I love how this powder feels so light when applying it. It barely feels like you are putting anything on your face. It is so sheer and you will never feel cakey with this powder! It is super silky and sets my makeup perfectly. It is mattifying yet creates a soft, luminious glow. SO pretty! This is definitely my go-to setting powder (as you can see below how much use it has gotten!) and I absolutely love it!

Light Reflecting Pressed Powder by NARS

• Mineral Veil by Bare Minerals - I also like to use the Mineral Veil to set my makeup. I just tend to reach for my NARS powder because it is pressed and the Mineral Veil is loose powder. It tends to get messy and I am finding myself some days not even wanting to deal with it. I do still think it is a wonderful powder to set your makeup. It just melts into you skin and creates a luminious glow as well. I wouldn't say the NARS one is any better, I just use this one on days when I have more patience :)

Mineral Veil by Bare Minerals

BRUSHES/SPONGES:

     I know I cant complete a full makeup look with only these three brushes, but these are the top three that I would recommend spending the money on and investing in. There are a lot of affordable brushes that work amazing, but in my eyes, nothing compares to these three and totally worth every penny.

• Beauty Blender - This obviously isn't a brush but it is something that I think any girl interested in beauty and makeup needs! The pointed side is perfect for blending out concealer and the bottom is great for foundation. It can be used wet or dry and gives you a flawless finish. I definitely recommend spending the extra $15 on the Beauty Blender over the Real Techniques sponge. In my personal experience, the Real Techniques sponge did not compare to the Beauty Blender!

Beauty Blender

• F80 Flat Top Kabuki by Sigma - Although I think the Beauty Blender is great for foundation, the F80 is ten times better! This brush is going to make your foundation look perfect and flawless. You don't have to worry about looking cakey or having any streaks with this brush! When I heard all the great reviews about it, I thought it was too good to be true. But it truly is that amazing! If you want to look flawless, you need this brush in your life!

F80 Flat Kabuki by Sigma

• E40 Blending Brush by Sigma - I just love this brush. I love doing my eye makeup and I honestly think part of it is because of this little guy! It is so perfect for blending out colors in your crease. In my opinion, crease work is what gives so much depth and definition to the eye. This brush disperses the shadow evenly and beautifully. I know that I will never have any harsh lines when using this brush because it just blends out the shadows so easily. You must try out the F80 and E40 from Sigma, ladies!

E25 Blending by Sigma

You might be thinking "What about primers?" Honestly, I don't remember the last time I bought a full size primer. Probably well over a year ago! I have just been using samples ever since. The reason I haven't purchased a full size primer in so long and not including any in my favorites is because I really don't have any. I will use some that I "like", but I haven't found a face primer that has truly blown me a way. I just use samples that I get and it does the job. Maybe next year I will found that I can't live without :)

Have a wonderful weekend and I will be back next week with Part 2!

xoxo Kayla

Friday Five: 11/28/14

Happy Friday, babes! Hope you all had a fantastic Turkey Day! How many of you burned off those extra calories by Black Friday Shopping?? I have to give it to you if you did. Even if I were home in the States, you wouldn't see me anywhere near any stores today! I tried going one year for about 30 minutes and I couldn't handle the intense craziness of some people! So if you can handle being around all those crazy shoppers, you are more woman than me ;)

Let's get on to my favorites of the week!:

1. In the Light palette by Stila
     You might have seen me post on Instagram that we received a care package from Tyler's mom this past week. It was so exciting! Having a box full of little goodies from home seriously makes my heart so happy! We receieved food items that we can't get over here, Christmas items and little, fun presents. When Sephora was having their friends and family sale in the States, I placed a small order and knew I would be receiving it in this package. This palette was one of the items I purchased and couldn't wait to get my hands on it! I have been wanting to get it for months and so happy to finally have it! It is such a pretty palette and I have been using it every day since receiving it! The infamous "Kitten" shadow is the most gorgeous shimmery silvery-pink. The shadows blend so easily and effortlessly. And I typically prefer gel eyeliners, but I am really liking this blackish-brown eyeliner pencil that came with it! 

In the Light palette by Stila

In the Light palette by Stila

2. Audacious Lipstick in Anita by NARS
     This is the other item I purchased from the F&F sale. I had to see what all the hype was about! Everyone has been raving about the Audacious Lipsticks from NARS so I had to get one. And with the steep price tag of $32, I felt a little bit better about purchasing it at a 20% discount. I chose "Anita" because it looked like that perfect "Kylie Jenner" lip color. I really hate to refer to it as that because I am a little sick of hearing about it! But it is that perfect dusty rose color that everyone is crazy about! And the pigmentation in this lipstick is out of this world! The swatch below is only one quick swipe! It lasts so long and looks like I just applied it even after wearing it for hours! It is super creamy and the formula in general is just incredible. I knew I was going to love this lipstick even before receiving it so I then ordered two more during the VIB sale - I'm not even ashamed to admit it ;) So I have "Raquel" (a nude) and "Olivia" (a red) waiting for me to be sent from my mom in our next care package! (The makeup addiction is real, girls!)

Audacious Lipstick in Anita by NARS

Swatch of Anita by NARS

3. Hypnose Drama mascara by Lancome
     I have some points built up on my Sephora account so I decided to trade in 100 of them for this sample of mascara. I have never tried out a Lancome mascara but have been wanting to because I have heard great things. I really have been loving this mascara because the formula is perfect! It is not thick and clumpy and messy, it just coats your lashes perfectly! I have rather short, fine lashes and this mascara makes them look so long! I am so impressed! I can't wait to keep using this!

Hypnose Drama by Lancome

4. Scandaleyes waterproof eyeliner in Nude by Rimmel
     I think nude eyeliner is great for the waterline to really open up your eyes. But I honestly rarely ever do it. I have extremely watery eyes and can never find anything that will stay put, even if it is waterproof. I purchased this eyeliner this summer and used it a few times but haven't used it in several months. I decided to use it a few days ago thinking that even if it only lasted an hour, it would be no big deal. I went about my day and didn't even really pay attention to see how it was holding up and when I went to wash my face at night, I could still see it there! It was a little worn away but definitely still noticeable! I was amazed. Clearly I wasn't paying any type of attention to it the other times I wore it this past summer! If you have watery eyes, you need to check this out! I am telling you, my eyes water like a fountain! I rarely even ever wear winged eyeliner because my watery eyes will just wash it away! It's a little sad, but I have some positive hope with this little guy - if it works for me, I think it would work for anyone!

Scandaleyes eyeliner by Rimmel

5. Pro Longwear concealer by MAC (in NC15)
     If I want to go the whole nine yards with my makeup, I am, without a doubt, using this concealer. This concealer doesn't crease, doesn't wear away and just blends and melts into your skin perfectly. I chose NC15 because it is much lighter than my skin so it really creates an amazing highlighting effect. I have had this bottle since around March and I still have a good amount left! Now I am not using it every day, but I am using it frequently! A little bit of product goes a long way so it is definitely worth the $20! If you haven't checked out this concealer, you really need to!!

Pro Longwear concealer by MAC

On a side note: For December, I will only be doing one post a week. December is always a busy month with the holidays and even though I only blog twice a week, I want to have a little extra time to do some Christmas shopping, skype with family and friends, and spend more time with my husband when he has a little time off. But my weekly posts are probably going to be a little bit longer as I am going to share my 2014 Favorites! Each week I will do a different category - eyes, lips, etc - so stay tuned to find out what my absolute, holy grail items are from this year! I can't believe a new year is just around the corner! Time goes way too fast!

Have a lovely weekend!

xoxo Kayla


Find the products I mentioned here:

In the Light palette

Anita Audacious Lipstick

Hypnose Drama mascara

Scandaleyes eyeliner

Pro Longwear concealer