Tarte Amazonion Clay 12-Hour Blush in 'Dollface'

I finally broke down and bought a blush I've been lusting after for at least 2 years. It is the award winning Tarte Amazonion Clay 12-hour blush. Tarte claims that this blush is chalk-full of benefits because of the Amazonion clay used in the formula. It is reported to be suitable for all skin types and create an overall smoother appearing skin.  I don't know about those skin benefits, but I do now that this clay blush is certainly long wearing and beautiful. I selected the color 'Dollface:'

The packaging is so great with these blushes. It is a rather heavy plastic that feels durable in your hand and the color of the compact matches the blush inside. This is awesome because if you have multiple blushes you can grab for the color you want easily!

There is a full mirror included in the compact and no wasted space given to a cheap throwaway brush!

Embossed in the packaging is an abstract little picture with a river and some branches to represent the Amazon. So cute!

The formula isn't necessarily super buttery soft or anything but it is pigmented and applies really nicely. My brush picks up and deposits the perfect amount of product onto my skin. I find it easy to blend and to use overall.

This blush has 5.6g of product which is just shy of what you get in a MAC blush (6g). I think that's a fair amount and I think the mirror in this blush trumps the MAC packaging.  Additionally, this packaging is awesome because the blush is incredibly easy to de-pot to add to a Z-palette. You just have to stick a pin into the little hole on the top of the back and the blush will pop right out! That's the power of magnets, son!

Also if it matters to you, Tarte is a cruelty-free makeup brand :) I love bunnies!

Overall I'm so happy I have this blush in my collection now. It's a soft baby doll pink that will be perfect for everyday wear! I want to pick up more blushes from this line, for sure.

xxSJ

Sunday Funday!

A few of my favorite things this week:

1. TV Shows!

I've recently become addicted to New Girl! I love it and am so happy to have a short (only about 20 minute episodes!) and fun show to watch in my spare time.

2. Makeup
Sephora's 15% off sale inspired me to do some major shopping and get some of the makeup products I've been wanting for a looooong time. It means I'm officially on a low-buy for at least a month, but I'm so happy to have added these products to my collection.

3. Flowers and Colors
I always love a good trip to the local nursery to pick out plants and flowers. The colors are gorgeous on a bright, sunny day!

4. Days spent with loved ones
I treated my boyfriend to a mystery date to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and we had a great time riding rides, experiencing our first every deep fried twinkie, and playing mini-golf:

We also had some scares in the Fright Walk. So kitschy and fun!

Hope everyone has had a fantastic week and chins up for the upcoming grind!

xxSJ

NOTD: OPI Tutti Frutti Tonga

Today's nail of the day is an old faithful in my polish collection. I don't always gravitate toward this lighter color but when I do I always love it! It is OPI's Tutti Frutti Tonga:

This peachy pink neutral shade has subtle metallic ribbons running through it and it reminds me of silk or satin when its on my nails. Its so feminine and pretty!

I recommend this shade to anyone looking for a pretty light pink or neutral. This is so perfect and easy to apply formula-wise.  The polish can be sliiiiightly sheer, which is its only drawback. Some nails required 3 coats for full opacity but the wear is worth it to me!

xxSJ

Dior 5 Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette in 'Grege'

Oh my goodness.  The Sephora 15% off Sale gave me the courage to finally buy a product that I've been lusting after for YEARS. It is the Dior 5 Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette and I just want to hold it and pet it and look at it... it is the most luxurious make up product I own to date and I thought I'd share my thoughts on this little beauty with you all:

Even the box the palette comes in is to die for... the glossy blue is GORGEOUS.

Dior gets an A+ for packaging. Within the box, the palette comes in a little velvet pouch with CD debossed into it. You know you have a luxurious product when it comes in a little pouch... it's kind of unnecessary--scratch that, it's COMPLETELY unnecessary, but I love it. Also if for some reason you're purchasing a super expensive makeup palette and you don't know how to use it, there is a small instruction booklet to give you ideas on how to wear the shadows.

Behold!! The shiny deep blue plastic casing is so soft and pretty I just want to die!!!

Press the button to open the compact up (love that there's a button closure so this guy won't be popping open in your makeup bag!), and there's a full mirror on the top of the compact. Perfect for on the go application or touch-ups.  The palette comes with 2 sponge tip applicators (really, Dior???) which I'll probably end up tossing when I get sick of them falling out every time I open this up. 

The palette color I chose was Grege. I wanted to pick a neutral palette with more subdued and muted tones that I could wear to work and then bump up a bit for night time dates. I thought the pretty hues would do the trick and these colors are a bit of a different group of colors for me to add to my collection. What a mature decision! I guess I'm growing up a bit, aren't I? The shadows themselves are so adorable with the stitched design printed on them and the CD in the center color. Bourgey.

Here are the colors swatched on my arm. I started in the upper left hand corner and went clockwise around the edges and then ended with the center color. These shadows are SO buttery to the touch and just melt on your skin.  The pigmentation is so wonderful and all the shadows are as deep and rich as I was hoping for. The only color that's a little lackluster for me is that white color... it wasn't quite as buttery as the other colors but highlighters aren't a big deal to me...I purchased this palette for the deep browns, not so much the white.  Most of these colors are pretty matte which I'm lovin' the matte look right now! The shimmery color in the middle is just so pretty...it's a gray-ish taupe and I'm so excited to rock this on the lid with one of the two deepest colors in my crease and the soft brown color as a transition shade. Seriously, so perfect.

This is my 'I'm in disbelief that I'm holding this in my hands!' selfie. No shame because I'm in love.

Imma be real with you right now and say that this palette was $60. That's a lot of money even with a 15% off coupon. I justify this purchase by saying the shadows are of an amazing quality and the luxury of the product justifies the price. Did I really need this? No. But I've been lusting after it for years and it was about time I added it to my collection instead of being my white whale makeup product. You best believe I will be referring to this palette as Moby Dick from now on.

What product have you been lusting after and would just DIE to have in your collection finally?
xxSJ

Fabletics Subscription Review!

I kinda love subscription services...whether it be online or things sent directly to my house, I love getting little monthly gifts :) I prefer online services because you get to actually browse what the subscription has to offer and choose what you want to spend your credit on rather than risk getting sent something you may not like. AND, usually sites make it really easy to skip a month so you don't get charged if you don't want to buy anything that month. I'll explain more below, but this month I wanted to check out Fabletics, an athletic clothes subscription site designed by Kate Hudson.  The whole idea of the site is that these are well designed and cute athletic outfits for women for a discounted price for members. I got suckered in because I had a 50% off first purchase link! The outfit I chose was the Arch outfit and it came with a big flowy tank top called 'Aventura' (in assorted colors, but I chose gray), a bright sports bra called 'Samana' (I chose blue but they also had pink, black, and yellow), and the 'Lima' capri style yoga leggings (I chose black for versatility but they had a ton of cute colors with this as well!). Shipping was free and my package arrived in only 5 days:

The tank top is really thin fabric with deep arm holes so you can see the bra poking through. It's pretty cute and I like that its light for working out. The sports bra is super breathable and comfortable with adjustable straps. It is a minimum/medium support bra so not the greatest for running, but fine for other low impact activities. The pants are what I'm most excited about! These pants are a thick fabric that is reportedly anti-chafing and anti-pilling. They kept me cool despite their thickness while I was running and they are water resistant! I actually went for a run in the rain in these and they somehow stayed dry...its a Fabletics miracle! They are also maximum constriction so they suck you in tight but still remain comfortable. I got this whole outfit for $27 including tax and shipping. I would easily spend that amount of money on just the leggings alone! Seriously, they're phenomenal!
As far as the subscription service is concerned, at the beginning of the month the website releases new outfits to browse. You have from the 1st to the 11th of the month to skip the month otherwise you will be charged with a $49.99 credit to use on the site. Sounds fishy and scary, but I like to set a reminder on my phone to go off on the first so I'm reminded to skip my service. You don't need a credit to still shop around! And skipping is super easy, you just press a 'skip this month' button and you're brought to this page:

And that's all! No pestering, no unnecessary charges... you just gotta remember to skip the month. Overall I love these clothes and want to get some more leggings in other colors. Even though I can't get another outfit for 50% off, the quality of the leggings is so good that I think its worth it to spend about $50 on an outfit to get these leggings. They are the same quality as Nike or LuLuLemon but SOOOO much less expensive! If you're interested in checking out Fabletics.com, check out this link: http://www.fabletics.com/invite/47108420/

Just browse around and see if anything catches your eye! In the least, it's fun to look :)

xxSJ

NOTD: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear 'Lacey Lilac'

Today's nail of the day is a total happy color for me! It is Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 'Lacey Lilac:'

This is my first time using this formula of nail polish and I really like it! This blue toned lilac is so gorgeous and I prefer the formula of this polish to my long time favorite purple, Essie Lilacism. The formula is a bit thick but nothing difficult to work with and this light color was perfectly opaque in just 2 coats.

We've been in a bout of crummy weather lately so this color does the trick as far  as lifting my mood :) I'm in love and can't wait to try out other colors from this line to see if all of them have such great formulations. This polish was only $3.19 at Walgreen's so I'd love to find an affordable nail line to fall in love with!

xxSJ

Youtube Favorite: NYX Powder Blush in 'Peach'

Another blush in another YouTube made me buy it post! Today's blush is NYX's 'Peach' blush and I purchased this at the same time I bought 'Bourgeois Pig' during a BOGO sale. Seriously, don't buy NYX when it's not BOGO!
I purchased 'Peach' because Amarixe on YouTube frequently uses this blush in tutorials and blog posts so I thought I'd give it a shot:

I love NYX's quilted design on their blushes. I think it looks lovely!

Whoah there, son.... is it just me or does this blush look super bright pink and dark? This blush is advertised as a soft baby pink and that's not exactly what I'm seeing when this is swatched. Just like with Bourgeois Pig, it is super important to be light handed with this stuff. It is meant to be worn sheered out on the cheeks, otherwise: clown face.

I decided to compare with Bourgeois Pig and thank goodness these blushes ended up being quite different! Sheered out on the left in the above picture is Bourgeois Pig and on the right is 'Peach.' It all depends on what look you're going for but I think I will be reaching for 'Peach' more often. The subtle look is the look for me :)

I think this YouTube favorite trumps Bourgeois Pig as far as which one I'll be grabbing for more often! Both are good blushes to have in a collection, but I think I prefer this one as far as wearability is concerned.
What are you NYX blush recommendations?

xxSJ