Ok wow....where has the time gone??  I have not updated this blog in over a month!  
Deepest apologies :)

Not that you care, BUT there has been a lot going on in my world lately with school starting, being extra involved at school, a new job and just life in general.  You know how it goes... just hasn't left me much time to sit back and relax at all.  It's just been one thing after the other.

Anyways, I just wanted to put up a quick update and talk about a few products I've been using constantly.  Lately I have had to leave my house around 7am every morning to make it to school in time to find parking up close so that I don't have to walk 50 miles (in my heels!) to my building... sooo I have been getting out of the house quickly with just foundation on and finishing my makeup in the car!  Yeah, so glamorous.  
So I thought I would talk about the products that I've been keeping on hand to complete a nice, polished look that's appropriate for Business school all while sitting in your car/at your desk/in the restroom...lol, basically products that are quick and easy for "on the go" makeup!

• Loreal Lineur Intense liquid liner- I used to use this ALL the time but then I started to get bored as usual and moved on to try other random liners, but I decided to go back to this old favorite and I really don't know why I ever switched!  It creates a perfect, DARK black line and when you don't have sufficient elbow room or a magnified mirror in your car, lol, it's pretty much a fool proof liner for me to easily create my favorite cat eye.
• Wet & Wild "Walking On Eggshells" palette- This is probably one of the best purchases I've ever made as far as value.  It's about $3 and I seriously use this palette almost every day of the week.  It's so universal and perfect for creating a nice, soft defined eye that you can just add liner to and be good to go.  I love it so much that I've even added it to birthday gifts for my girlfriends.  Love it.
• MAC Spiked Eyebrow pencil- I am really late to jump on the Spiked bandwagon but I am so glad I finally did.  It's a perfect match for my brow/hair color, and my favorite thing is that it is SO tiny that it makes it easy to get that sharp eyebrow shape that you want.  It is a little pricey for just an eyebrow pencil though, I don't remember how much it is but if you want to try a drugstore alternative, the Maybelline Define-A-Brow is a good dupe.
• Benefit Hoola Bronzer- I know everyone has heard about this bronzer and that's for good reason, it really is a amazing matte bronzer.  I use this to contour my face pretty much every day.  I also love the Chanel Bronze Universal but I use that more during the winter as it doesn't show up as much during the Summer.  I'm also looking to buy the Too Face Chocolate Soleil bronzer next so let me know if any of y'all have tried it and what you think!
• MAC Hue lipstick- I think I already mentioned this before but if you don't have this and you like nude/nude-pink lips....get this!!  I think I wore this for a month straight when I first bought it.  So easy to thrown on with any eye look and also without a mirror so perfect for slapping on while running to class late ;) Love it. 
• YSL Rouge Volupte #1- this is another lipstick that I will repurchase over and over and over again because I really think it's the PERFECT pinkish nude color.  Feels amazing.  Smells/tastes amazing.  Looks gorgeous!  I know they're pricey but....what can I say?  The packaging is gorgeous and it's not a waste if you actually use the lipstick almost every day!

Ok....that's the main things I can think of that I have been using every morning.  Blushes change of course but if you're interested in what I have been wearing in the past month it's:

• Cargo blush in Tonga
• Milani Luminoso baked blush
• Benefit Bella Bamba (just high on my cheek bones with a lot of bronzer...looks really fresh)

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Marissa

Latest obsession...Benefit They're REAL!

For the past few months I've been on the hunt for the ultimate mascara.  Something to really make me LOVE my lashes.  
Even though it helps to hear reviews from other girls online about which mascaras they're loving, the fact that everyones lashes are so different makes that review a little less useful sometimes.  So it seems like the only way to find that HG mascara is to just start testing them out!


So in the past few months I've been trying out quite a few different mascaras including Prestige My Blackest Lashes, Loreal Telescopic, Collection 2000 Collagen Curl, Maybelline One by One, NYX Doll Eye, Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes....aaand a few others.  Some I hated, some I liked but none of them were quite good enough.


THEN....out comes Benefit They're Real mascara.  I had seen a small ad for it in a Sephora catalog but didn't really pay attention until I used my Sephora points to get a sample size.  I have loved it from the first time I used it.  For reference, my lashes are a nice length but the problems I have are getting them to look thick and stay curled.  So I look for all three things in a mascara: separation, volume and curl.  Am I asking too much? lol


First...lets take a look at the brush...

Not only does it have a really great plastic brush with LOTS of short bristles to pull through every single lash, but it also has this great tip to it that has bristles sticking out of the end, almost like the Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes mascara.
This mascara really makes my lashes look full and long, and it separates SO nicely without making my lashes look thin and spidery.


Like I said earlier, I know everyone's lashes are different but if you are in the market for a new mascara I've been hearing other beauty girls are loving this one just as much as I do!


Thanks for reading!
Marissa

MAC Semi-Precious Mini Haul & Thoughts

A new month...a new MAC collection.
The Semi Precious collection was actually one that I've been waiting on for a few months now, I had a list prepared and everything!  But...as pretty as it looks on display, I ended up being kinda disappointed by most of the items when I looked at it in person.  Not that there weren't some nice pieces, just didn't end up "needing" as many things as I thought.  The blushes were really pretty but they looked like something I already had in my collection, and the mineralized eyeshadows always look SO gorgeous in the pan but then don't end up looking as gorgeous on your eyes.  So I passed on those too...


Oh well, yay for my wallet!


Of course I didn't walk out without SOMETHING, so here's the two items I picked up....

First thing I made sure to put on hold was the Semi Precious Rose Quartz MSF...

Rose Quartz MSF

Outer Circle...Inner Circle...both blended together

At first I thought the outside circle looked a bit similar to Stereo Rose but...it's not.  But! It IS very pretty and nothing like any of the MSF I already have.  It's actually a really nice product since you can see from my swatches that the outer circle worn alone is a lovely pink blush, even swirled together it makes a nice light pink blush with lot of sheen.  And then the inner circle can be used as your highlight!  On my skintone I like to wear this as a pop of pink on the apples of my cheekbones, with some nice bronzer.  It really brightens up my face.

The next product I got was the lipstick in Gem Of Roses....

When I heard the description on Temptalia I thought it sounded really nice, and then when I saw it in person I thought ehhh...might be a bit dark for me.  But as soon as I swatched it I realized it is a lustre formula so it gave my lips a really gorgeous rosey pink tint and I think it looks very sophisticated and "pretty"...if you get what I mean?  I really like it!  and first day I wore it I got lots of compliments so if you're looking for a nice rosey lipstick different from anything MAC has released lately, go check this out :)

Well...there's my little haul & my thoughts...let me know if you guys picked up anything from the collection!

Thanks for reading,

xoxo

Marissa

June Favorites!

One of my favorite types of videos to watch on YouTube are all the beauty monthly favorites, it's just so interesting to see what everyone consistently used during the entire month.  Those are the products you know they really love... So here's mine!

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 02

This is a lip balm/lip gloss that has seriously not left my purse since I purchased it, I always keep it in one of the little pockets in my bag so that I can reach for it quick & easy!  It's moisturizing like a balm but leaves your lips looking glossy and just healthy looking -if that makes sense.  I want to do a whole post on this product because I have really been loving it, so look out for that soon.  

MAC Lipstick in Hue

You guys already saw my recent post on this lipstick that I found as a dupe for the Limited Edition Innocence, Beware lipstick and I have not stopped using this since!  I think I have worn this probably 95% of the time, it's just perfect on my lips.  Not too nude, just lightens up my lips a tiny bit and is a great "my lips but better" look.

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse in 240 Natural Beige

I discovered this last summer and have loved it throughout the summer and the winter months.  I have Normal/Dry skin and this foundation makes my skin feel so moisturized and glowy.  I swear I have gotten more compliments on my skin from this than any other foundation!

MAC Studio Careblend Bronzer in Lush, Light Bronze

This was from the recent Surf Baby collection at MAC and I'm so glad I picked this up, the color is gorgeous for all over bronzer and the formula of these Careblend powders feel so lovely on my skin.  My next purchase will definitely be one of the skintone Careblend powders.

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

I know this is a staple in many girls makeup bags and I definitely couldn't live without mine.  One of my classic everyday looks is a bold, winged liner and this gel liner paired with my Sonia Kashuk bent liner brush are great for creating my perfect cat eye look.

MAC Teddy Eye Kohl

On the days when I don't have time to spend on doing my normal black winged liner, I like to smudge this brown liner on my top and bottom lash line to create some definition, then add mascara and I'm good to go!

Clarins Lip Perfector in 02, MAC Lipstick in Hue

Ok so those are just a few items that I know I've been using a whole lot this month.  Nothing particularly interesting, mostly basics but that's the type of makeup I've been doing this month.  I work as well as go to summer school everyday so there's not much time to experiment...clean & simple is the way to go.

Leave me a comment and let me know of any products you've been loving this past month!

Thanks for reading,

XOXO

Marissa

My Current Mani ♥

So the nail polish craze continues....I ended up buying 5 more bottles of nail polish in the past 2 weeks, lol oops!  All these gorgeous summer colors are just so damn tempting! 


This past week I had on Essie Borrowed & Blue, but I forgot to take good pictures so all I have is this quick snap shot from the car....

I was on the fence about this color but once I actually had it on it's a very nice powder blue color, and even though I usually think blue nail polish is a bit too teeny bopper for me, I think this particular shade of baby blue is quite classy, and dare I say sophisticated? Hmm....that may be taking it too far, lol but it is pretty!

Anyways, after that very light colored manicure I decided to go a little funkier tonight.  I used a few colors that I just picked up and they ended up looking SO good all together.  I topped it off with a new Crackle nail polish and I'm loving how they turned out.  

Index & Pinky : China Glaze Electric Pineapple

Middle & Thumb : China Glaze For Audrey

Ring Finger: Zoya Pippa

All topped with China Glaze Crackle in Tarnished Gold

I think this is a really fun, very summery nail look and I'm really loving the gold Crackle on top of ALL the colors I used, especially For Audrey...gorgeous!  I'm liking the metallic Crackle polishes way more than the cream Crackles that came out first, so if you're a fan too then make sure to run out and grab a few before they sell out!  I found mine at Sally's Beauty Supply but they also sell them at Ulta.  Let me know if you like any of the other colors because I only allowed myself ONE for today ;)

Thanks for reading!

xoxo 

Marissa

Innocence, Beware Dupe & Current Favorites

Lately I had been trying to "shop my stash" instead of going out and buying makeup that I doooon't necessarily need.  You feel me?  I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not on a shopping "ban" or anything (that would be a tragedy) but I'm just trying to be a bit "smarter" with my shopping habits.  Yay me!


The product that I've brought out of my stash and have not stopped using lately is one of the Limited Edition lipsticks from the MAC Venomous Villains collection called Innocence, Beware! 


It's a creamsheen formula so it has nice pigmentation and I haven't found it to be very drying like some nudes can be.  It's nude but still looks natural on the lips so I've loved it now that I have a little more color in my skin.  The only negative thing is that it's limited edition!  So the last time I was in MAC I thought I'd pull it out and try to find something from the permanent line that was comparable.  


After a few swatches I found the color Hue, and as you can see, they're almost exactly the same.  Yay!  

Innocence Beware, Hue

I have heard people mention Hue before as a favorite, but with all the collections that MAC releases I hardly have time to look at the permanent line.  There's some good stuff in there!

The only noticeable difference between the two is that Hue is a glaze formula so it has a little more gloss to it than Innocence, Beware which is a creamsheen.  Other than that they look exactly the same on my lips and I couldn't be happier!  

So even though I did good by shopping my stash and re-discovering one lipstick....it kinda led me to buy a new product.  Funny how that works out, lol.  

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Marissa

Early Summer Lovin

It's still early in the summer months but the heat is already getting uncomfortable here in Texas.  It's like walking out into a wall of humidity...hellooo frizz!  Well it seems like as soon as the heat moved in I have constantly been reaching for these two products so I wanted to show you what I've been loving...


The first product I'm so happy to be using again is my Mac MSF in Gold Deposit.  I picked this up over a year ago from MACs website and at the time I thought this was a Limited Edition MSF, but I have since seen it at my local MAC store and also online so I'm sure you can still find it if you're interested.

 This is a very bronzy, shimmery MSF and it has been too dark to wear it during the winter months but for the summer, I have been LOVING it.  For the past week straight I've been using my Studio Careblend bronzer from the Surf Baby collection first (which I also love btw) and then putting Gold Deposit on top of that and the result is a very defined, bronze goddess look & I am diggin it!  The picture above doesn't quite pick up the intensity of my cheeks but this definitely isn't a "subtle" bronze look, it's more of an obviously bronzed look but that's why I like it!  Since I am taking summer school (boooo) I haven't had much time in the mornings to get ready so throwing on this combo paired with winged black liner has been quick & easy...good to go! :)


The other product I'm going to get good use of this summer is the MAC Supreme Sheen in Gotta Dash. I have only picked up two of the Supreme Sheen's so far but I really love the formula.  They were released to replace the Slimshine lipsticks they recently discontinued and from what I can remember, the formula is pretty much the same.  I feel like the color range for the Supreme Sheen's are much better and I already have a few more on my list!


Gotta Dash is a beautiful peach color that has a lovely moisturizing, glossy look and feel.  Perfect for a fresh, summer look.

Mac Ever Hip, Gotta Dash, YSL Rouge Volupte #30

Oh and btw - I'm super excited for MACs next collection "Semi Precious" and after I get a better look at the swatches I will make a post of my *wish list* :))


xoxo
Marissa