Matchmaker Argan Serum Foundation - Review and Swatches

A foundation that color matches and contains the benefits of Argan oil? Could it be too good to be true?!  I had to find out for myself, so I picked up the Josie Maran Matchmaker Argan Serum Foundation.  Retails for about $42 USD.  It is a new foundation that contains 'chameleon' pigments that go on white and instantly adjust to your skin tone.  The formula comes in only 2 colors, light/medium and medium/dark.  I purchased the light/medium.  The foundation is infused with Argan oil, which I love the benefits of.  Read the benefits of Argan Oil here.  

The foundation starts out white (has tiny black dots in it).   The color changes once you start to rub it in. 

Ahhh! As you can see, the color is totally wrong on me!  I liked the texture of the foundation, but the "color match" didn't match at all!  I am very fair skinned and this was very yellow, almost orange.

The above photo is comparing the Josie Maran with my all-time favorite foundation, Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk in #4.  You can see how yellow and dark the Josie Maran is compared to my standard foundation.

Overall, I love the idea of this foundation.  I wish Josie Maran would create this for really fair skin tones with pink undertones, instead of yellow.  I did not apply this to my face because I knew it would not match.  I think this formula would be better for someone with darker/yellow tones.  But for me, it is going back!  Has this worked for anyone else?

This was purchased by me.

Beauty on the Go - Spring/Summer 2011

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, travel size beauty products. I think its the cute, tiny packaging, and the ability to take it anywhere. No matter the reason, I jumped at the chance to pick up Sephora's Limited Edition Color Flip Palette!  These are perfect for spring/summer when on the go.

The cards are very similar to the old Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card. About the same size, only a little thicker, because it has 3 levels. Dimensions are 2.75 in. x 1.75 in. x 0.5 in.

The first layer contains 8 beautiful eye shadows. Colors are shimmering white, bronze, aqua, bright purple, nude, plum, peacock, and matte brown. They are all very wearable, blend easily, and look great!

The second layer contains 8 lip glosses (cherry, hot pink, nude, peach, fuchsia, bubblegum pink, bronze, and clear) I usually don't use any of the lip glosses that come in any palette, but these are very sheer, and will look great for Spring.

The third layer contains a lovely brush and bronzer. The duo is similar to NARS Orgasm/Laguna, but a little lighter. So pretty. The bronzer is very golden, which I prefer for my olive skin. They are sheer, but can be layered for more color.

This is such a bargain at $15! It is perfect for busy women on the go (throw it in your pocket, gym bag, purse), or its great for those looking to get quality makeup, while on a budget. I think this set gives you the most for your money. It's sleek, portable, and a great deal! What more could a girl ask for?

This item was happily purchased by me!

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Luster Review and Swatches

In my recent Sephora haul, I picked up these semi-new Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Luster.  They come in 6 different shades.  Tarte says they are a follow-up to the original lip tints (matte and natural), but now has shimmer in it.  I picked up Buff (nude), Adored (light pink), and Pouty (berry).

Overall, these were SO nice! They were creamy and moisturizing, but not greasy.  They felt more like a lip balm.  The shimmer is present but is pretty! Not sparkly at all.  My favorite color was Adored, as Pouty seemed a little too dark for me.  There is good coverage with the color and it was long-lasting.  It does not dry your lips out like a typical stain does.  Has anyone else tried these yet?

These were purchased by me.

Bright Lips for Spring 2011 Swatches - Part Two

As promised, this part of our bright lips for spring, focuses on hot pinks and bold fuchsias. There are literally 100’s of hot pinks/fuchsias out this season, from drugstores to department stores, there is a one for each of you. I actually found myself loving these funky, bright colors, and am really excited to add them to my spring/summer look!

1. Wet n' Wild Lipstick in #521 Blue Rose: a fierce, fuchsia with just enough shimmer. If you are lucky enough to have a deep skin tone, this is stunning! $1
2. Ulta Extreme Wear Lip Stain #11: deep fruit punch color stain, great for medium to deep skin. Looks fantastic under a shiny gloss. $8
3. NYC Liquid Lipshine in Fashion Avenue Fuchsia—shimmering warm fuchsia gloss with loads of color. Looks great on every skin tone. I LOVE this one! $3
4. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolor in Fifth Avenue Fuchsia: dark, matte magenta. Looks great on medium to deep skin. Very wearable. Really liked this one! $7
5. NYC Kiss Gloss in Murray Hill Melon: bright, neon pink. Sheer enough to look good on every skin tone. $2
6. Bath and Body Works Liplicious Tasty Lip Color in Fruit Punch: sparkly, hot pink. It looks smells and taste great! Good for fair to medium skin. $7
7. Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil in Gorgeous Peach: the name is decieving. It is a gorgeous, gold kissed strawberry. A dupe for Nars New Lover Gloss Pencil. Looks great on everyone! **Not pictured here, but worth mentioning are the Miami Pink (bright, glossy bubblegum pink—light skin tones) and Strawberry Delish (vivid strawberry/magenta pink—medium to deep skin tones). These are swatched in my post on the NARS gloss pencils** $12
8. Essence Glossy Lip Balm in Pink Dragonfruit: vibrant, hot pink, in a sparkling, sheer formula. So sexy on fair skin! $1

.These items were purchased by me

Bright Lips for Spring 2011 Swatches - Part One

Bright, 80’s inspired, colorful lips are all over the place right now. On runways, in magazines, on TV—bold lips are the new fashion accessory. I admit, that this trend had me very doubtful. As you know, I love nude lips, so this is a whole new venture for me!


I have decided to post this review in two parts: #1-corals/oranges and #2 bright pinks. I have tried to narrow it down to my favorite in each category. (Just so you know, I just can’t see spending lots of $ on a color I am only going to wear every so often, so I tried to keep most of the products under $10).

1. Maybelline Color Sensational in Coral Crush: bright, saturated, neon coral. Best on deep skin tones. $7


2. Revlon Super Lustrous in Kiss Me Coral: creamy, carrot orange. Looks good on medium to deep skin tones. Suprisingly wearable. $5


3. Revlon Colorstay Mineral Lipglaze in Continuous Coral: deep, opaque, shimmery coral. Beautiful on deep skin, good on medium skin. I really liked it layered over the Ulta stain. $9


4. 
Ulta Extreme Wear Lip Stain #10: sheer, true coral. Lightweight stain, layerable for deeper intensity. Looks good on all skin tones. $8


5. Lipfusion Gloss in Boca Babe: very sheer, true orange. Light to medium skin. $38 (for full size, mine was a free sample)


6. 
Tokidoki Fantastico Lip Ink in Cactus Friends: bright, true coral stain. Sharpie-style applicator, good for medium to dark skin. $10


7. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef: opaque, cream gloss in a light, coral color. All skin tones. $7


8. Rimmel Moisture Renewal in Coral Shimmer: shimmery, peachy-pink. Beautiful on fair skin! $5.50


9. Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in Red Delicious: unlike the name, it’s a beautiful, sheer, shimmering melon. Great on all skin tones! $7


10. YSL Gloss Volupte #1: super shiny, glossy, sheer peachy-coral. Stunning on fair skin, or those who need to ease into this coral lip thing. $30

Deeper skin tones really can rock all of the bold, bright colors, with ease, so go for it!! For fair and medium skin, its all about finding the right shade. I find that glosses are the easiest to wear, and you can layer them over a stain for more intensity! Stay tuned for part 2, bright pink lips!

All items were purchased by me, unless stated free sample.

Hard Candy Ginormous Lash Mascara Review

Another drugstore purchase this week!  This time I picked up the Hard Candy Ginormous Lash Mascara with Growth Serum.  The purchase price was around $7.00.  This mascara is supposed to give you long, thick lashes.  The formula has growth serum infused in it to promote lash growth, strength, and vitality with regular use.

One coat - not looking at camera!

I LOVED this! I was really surprised with this mascara!  There were ZERO clumps.  The mascara did not smudge or flake after wearing all day.  I cannot comment on how well the growth serum works, as I just purchased this and haven't used it long enough.  This is a great buy for the price.  All of the Hard Candy products were cute, and I definitely want to try more.  Has anyone else tried this and could comment on the growth serum?

This product was purchased by me.