Sephora Beauty Insider Birthday Gift 2015!

Every year Sephora gives members to their rewards program a free gift in their birthday month!   If you're not a Sephora Beauty Insider, what are you waiting for??? There's no catch to join (no credit cards, no nothin!) and you get a free gift every year while also racking up points on every purchase you make to redeem for deluxe samples later. There is also the highly anticipated 15-20% event for Beauty Insiders every Spring and Fall.  This year, the gift was two mini Nars lip pencils for Beauty Insiders and VIBs (and an extra eyeliner if you are a VIB Rouge!). 

The pencils come in sleek containers with the housed color displayed on the end. These minis are .06oz of product each compared to the full size which is 0.08oz of product (pretty close!). The pencils, just like their full size versions, are NOT twist up so require sharpening. 

The two colors that come in the birthday gift are Cruella, a cult favorite bright matte red, and Rikugien, a satin mauvey pink. 

Here is Cruella on my lips. It applies really easy and smooth though I would recommend using a similarly colored lip liner to get a really perfect outline. This one can be a little rough around the edges since it is such a large pencil.

Above is Cruella compared to some other cult classic red lipsticks! 

Rikugien is very similar to Cruella in terms of application, but it is far less pigmented since it is a satin instead of a matte finish. I like how natural this pencil is and I think it is a great everyday lip color! 

Above is Rikugien compared to some other mauve tones I have in my collection.

The wear time of these lip pencils is pretty good at 6 hours, but you have to reapply after eating and drinking. Cruella does not wear off in a flattering way and leaves a red rim around your lips so make sure to bring the product with you for reapplication during a night out on the town.

Overall, I love that NARS included a bold statement color (and a fan favorite), along with a wearable everyday color. The value of this set is about $39 and it is COMPLETELY FREE if you are a Sephora BI!

No, its not a trap, I promise!
xxSJ

Review: Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick 'Lovecraft'

 I received a mini Kat Von D studded kiss lipstick in the cult favorite color 'Lovecraft' and was excited to try out my first product from this collection! Kat Von D's lipsticks come housed in a black plastic tube covered in studs. Its very edgy in appearance and I can't think of a brand that's anything like it!

The tube does not snap closed very firmly and so I've found this little guy in my purse with out the cap on completely! This might only be a defect with the mini size but still something to note--these are so cute and might be intended for display on vanities. 

The color 'Lovecraft' is a 'matte mauve pink nude' and is one of those colors that always ends up being hit sellers among makeup lines because of the universal appeal. Worth noting is that the color swatches very rosey and warm on my wrist but appears almost purple hued with gray undertones when on my lips! 

 I definitely like how opaque and smooth this color is on the lips. I wouldn't call this lipstick revolutionary by any means as far as wear time or comfort, but I do think it is a very nice formula. The color stays put on the lips with out slipping or smearing and almost has a powdery feeling to it.

Overall, I like this lipstick and can see the appeal. The formula I would imagine caters to deeper or brighter colors quite well where you really want the lip product to be pigmented and stay put with out having to use a liquid or matte lipstick. If you've been unhappy with your lipsticks and are looking for a new formula to try I'd give this one a shot. Its definitely good and I see how it could be some people's holy grail!

Kat Von D lipsticks are $21 for 0.10oz of product ($210/oz). Check them out Here!

xxSJ

Steph Reads: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

It had been a while since I had read a Liane Moriarty novel so I decided to end the Summer off with a perfect chick-lit read: Big Little Lies. This story is told in the voices of 3 very different women who all have at least one thing in common: they all have children in the same kindergarten class. Jane is the young newcomer to town who has a haunting past she is trying to escape. Celeste is a startlingly beautiful woman who on the outside seems to be picture perfect. Madeline is the sassy and vivacious one in the group who can't help but get wrapped up in drama. The book begins by hinting at a catastrophe occurring at a parent Trivia night at the elementary school that will ultimately become the story's climax. The book then starts from the beginning with chapters alternating perspective between Jane, Celeste, and Madeline. Each chapter ends with a small segment of detective interviewing occurring after the Trivia night (what all the events in the book are leading up to!). This thoughtful touch is a fun way to try and piece together the puzzle and get a little more information on characters the book doesn't flesh out quite as much.   Kindergarten may seem like a placid setting for a book promising drama; however, you will not be disappointed!

I loved this book perhaps even more than I loved The Husband's Secret. I enjoy Moriarty's captivating writing style and her ability to create characters that are relatable and meaningful.  I love that every time I read one of her novels, I find bits of myself in each of her characters causing me to care more about them and be more understanding of their actions.  I would mark this book as a must read if you enjoy chick-lit novels dripping with humor and satire and if you are patient enough to hold out for the shocking revelations!

xxSJ

Check out my other Steph Reads posts!
I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends by Courtney Robertson
Golden Son by Pierce Brown
The Hypnotist's Love Story by Lianne Moriarty
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks
Someday Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
The Husband's Secret by Lianne Moriarty
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty
Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Splintered by AG Howard
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler

NOTD: Essie Petal Pushers

Today's nail of the day is Essie's Petal Pushers, a cool toned purple gray that I whipped out in preparation for the cooler Fall weather. The formula of this polish is top notch for Essie--the color was completely opaque in one coat (I did two thin coats for good measure!) and was easy to work with and apply.  The wear time of this polish is also superb lasting about 4 days with no chips. This pretty purple is from the Spring 2015 collection but you can still find it at all drugstores for about $8.

xxSJ

Review: Covergirl Ready, Set Gorgeous! Oil Free Foundation

After seeing this foundation reviewed favorably by MakeupbyTiffanyD on Youtube (one of my faves!), I thought I'd give it a shot. Since I have fickle skin that reacts poorly if you just look at it the wrong way, trying a new foundation is always kind of anxiety-inducing for me. Will this foundation totally break me out? Will it look like I have an inch of makeup on? Will it dry me out like a lizard??? Luckily for me, none of the above!!! 

This foundation is labeled as 'oil free' and 'fresh complexion' which was a huge draw.  I have combo skin so I worry about becoming too mattified and looking cakey or getting a dewy finish foundation that ends with me looking like I was just dipped in some crisco.  This foundation gets it perfect with being a medium coverage finish (freckles still peeking through while evening out my tone) and leaving my skin looking hydrated, glowy, and healthy. Here is my face with and with out the foundation (no other makeup!):

No makeup on (L); Covergirl foundation on (R)

As you can see, the foundation superbly evens out my skin but you can still see my natural tone and freckles (some may call them imperfections... I say they add character!) peeking through the coverage. This foundation wears really well all day and thus far I have worn it in mild Northern California, dry Lake Tahoe, and humid New York City with no complaints and nothing but comfortable skin. I'm wearing the foundation in this photo as well:

Overall, I'm pretty well pleased with this stuff. The price is a steal at about $7 for 1oz of product and you can find it any drugstore and even on Amazon! I can't speak to the color selection since my skin is pretty easy to color match (110 was perfect!), but there are 12 shades offered on Covergirl's website.  This particular foundation is one of the best reviewed of Covergirl's many different foundations!

Give this product a shot if you're looking for a light-weight, oil-free foundation that can stand up against heat and humidity. I'm very pleased and will definitely repurchase!

xxSJ

Steph Reads: I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends by Courtney Robertson

"Bye, I can't stand you all."

Anyone who's been a Bachelor fan for a while remember's Ben's season when the season villain was the woman who prevailed and received the final rose. I remember watching the finale with some of my closest girlfriends and all of us crying 'NOOOOOOoooooooOOOO!!!!' in disbelief when Ben sent sweetheart Lindzi Cox home and chose bad girl Courtney Robertson as his fiancee. When I heard about Courtney's tell all book where she promised readers would see a different side of her Bachelor story, I was too intrigued to pass it up! 

Rightfully named 'I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends,' Courtney Robertson tells us her journey leading up to the Bachelor including a quick run through of her childhood in Arizona and her time modeling in LA.  She talks about her sexual awakening in high school, her ugly duckling feelings from puberty, her rather oppressive mother, and her break into the modeling world. She also discusses in detail past relationships that explain her feelings and emotions when she entered into the Bachelor family.  

As far as the tell all parts of the book, I found this book gave a different perspective on the editing of Reality TV.  According to Courtney, the producers decided Courtney would be the villain, and thus they made her so. In a way, I feel for Courtney because reading this gave me an insight to her personality--she is a sarcastic girl with a dry sense of humor who wasn't going to put up with the bullsh** going on with other women on the show. I kind of feel like if I were on TV, I could be portrayed in such a way. Courtney said when she felt she was being funny and just chatting with the producers, they were really waiting for her to say something to spin as 'villain-y.'  Courtney also owned up to some of the more nasty things she said and, even after explaining the context in which they were said, apologized or claimed she wished she hadn't said it.  

Overall I found this to be a good read and the perfect amount of behind the scenes into the world of the Bachelor franchise.  I found it fun to follow along while reading her book by googling pictures, interviews, and clips from the show to remind me exactly of the moments she writes about. If you are a Bachelor fan, I recommend checking this book out to get some insight into this particular infamous 'villain' and how the show is run! 

xxSJ

Check out my other Steph Reads posts!
Golden Son by Pierce Brown
The Hypnotist's Love Story by Lianne Moriarty
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks
Someday Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
The Husband's Secret by Lianne Moriarty
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty
Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Splintered by AG Howard
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler

NOTD: Formula X for Sephora in 'Illustrious'

Formula X for Sephora has quickly become my favorite nail polish brand! I think the formula is fantastic, the colors are plentiful, and the design of the packaging is totally chic to display out in the open.  I'm building this collection slowly but surely, and my most recent addition is this gorgeous pastel pistachio shade, 'Illustrious.' This minty shade has been 'in' for a couple seasons now and I don't see it going anywhere in a hurry! This particular shade sets itself apart from other similar hues because it has a gorgeous pearl sheen running through it. The pearlized finish makes the color look extra shiny and extra gorgeous!

This formula required 2 full coats to be completely opaque and the wear time is about 5 days with no chippage. I love this formula and think its worth the cost to get some of your favorite colors from this brand!

Check out Formula X for Sephora Here!

xxSJ