Urban Decay Vice 2 Swatches

Hey everybody! Last year when UD came out with the first Vice Palette, I passed it up knowing that I didn't really need it. However, I was kind of sad when it sold out because I thought it was a beautiful palette. When I got an email from UD saying the second palette was out, I was like, okay this is going to be mine. I've swatched all the shades for you guys to see. Feast your eyes on the beauty...

The packaging is beautiful, and pretty compact for a palette with 20 eyeshadows. It has a mirror on the inside that stretches the length and width of the lid, which is awesome. I probably will not depot these shadows, because the packaging is wonderful and reasonably small.

Swatches are left to right, top to bottom.

Smokeout, Lovesick, Shellshock, Coax, X-Rated
Smokeout is a very dark shimmery brown with maybe a hint of plum.
Lovesick is black with silver glitter.
Shellshock is a metallic silver. Very beautiful for a special occasion where you want something flashy.
Coax is darker pink with shimmer.
X-Rated is a matte light pink.

Prank, Madness, Strike, Stash, Poison
Prank looks nearly black in the swatch, but in the pan it looks dark blue. It almost has a duo-chrome kind of vibe going on.
Madness is a bright, but still dark blue with shimmer.
Strike is gold with shimmer.
Stash is an olive green with shimmer.
Posion is a charcoal color with shimmer.

Radar, Damaged, Voodoo, Betrayal, Derailed
Radar is almost an amber color. I believe it has both shimmer and glitter. It's very beautiful.
Damaged is an emerald green with shimmer.
Voodoo is like a grape purple with shimmer.
Betrayal is a purple-y duo-chrome color. It's very unique.
Derailed is a dark, taupe-y brown shade with shimmer.

Dope, Toxic, Habit, Ambush, Rewind
Dope is a light, soft pink with a satin kind of finish.
Toxic is kind pink-y mauve shade with shimmer. Definitely leans more pink though, but not the same kind of pink as Coax.
Habit is a matte, almost skintone like color. It is slightly darker than my skin.
Ambush is a shimmery brown.
Rewind is a matte, medium/dark brown.


What do you guys think? Are you getting this palette, or saving your money for something else?

Let me know!!

Love as always,
Gianna

Light, Natural Makeup Products

Hey everybody! Even though I am a makeup addict, I understand that a full face of makeup every day is just not feasible for most people. When I wake up early in the morning for school, the last thing I feel like doing is putting on some thick foundation, lipstick, liner, etc. Not only is a full face of makeup a hassle at times, it's also not very good for your skin.

I've put together four products that are extremely natural, light, and easy to put on and go. On days where I just don't care enough to do anything extra, these are the products I use.

Left to right: Covergirl Super Thick Lash Mascara, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie, Jouer Matte Moisture Tint, NYX Blush in Mocha
Covergirl Super Thick Lash is pretty awesome for natural, but still nice looking lashes. When I don't feel like piling on Maybelline The Rocket (which gives tons of volume and length), I go with this. It lengthens, defines, and thickens my lashes, but still looks natural. It's a mascara that perfects your lashes without looking like you have mascara on. I really enjoy it, and it's super cheap at your local drugstore.

Revlon Lip Butters are really light and glossy. The shade Berry Smoothie is a natural pink color, very much like the natural color of my lips. It doesn't add tons of color, just a little tint and a glossy finish. It makes my lips look healthy and beautiful. I love it!

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint is just awesome. It's light to medium coverage, but way better than a tinted moisturizer. It perfects my skin, looks really natural, and covers just about everything I expect it to cover. I have a full review on it, if you would like to see what I think of it in depth.

Last but not least, NYX Blush in Mocha. This blush leans pink, but not too pink. It's completely matte, which is going to give you the most natural look. Blush is not really something that I think we should skip, even if we're doing a natural look. A slight flush to the cheeks makes us look healthy. Choose whatever shade you like best, but I think Mocha is a fabulous choice.

Here are a few swatches...

NYX Mocha, Revlon Berry Smoothie
They are quite similar colors. I totally did not plan it that way! Depending on your skin tone, choose the best color that suits you. I am quite fair with yellow undertones. I think neutral pinks suit me really well if I'm trying to look put together, but not overdone.


That's all for now!

Much love,
Gianna

What to avoid when you have Rosacea

Hey everybody. For about six months I have been dealing with rosacea and all the fun little things that go along with it. Rosacea isn't just chronic redness; it can also appear as "papules and pustules," burning ans stinging, an enlarged nose due to excess tissue, and irritated eyes. My rosacea sits under the "papules and pustules" plus burning and stinging category, which pretty much means that when I have a flare up, it looks like acne. When I first started getting flare ups I thought it was acne, and treated it as such. That was probably the worse thing that I could have done, and once I finally figured out what the heck the problem was, I started doing tons of research to figure out a new skincare routine.


When you have rosacea, that means that you have sensitive skin. When you have sensitive skin, there are loads of things you need to avoid, especially if you are prone to rosacea.


The first thing you need to do is stop exfoliating your skin. Yeah, that's right. Papules and pustules can make your skin feel very rough, like it always needs exfoliating. Before I knew acne wasn't the problem, I exfoliated the crap out of my skin, which only made it worse. Your skin needs to repair itself, so exfoliation is the exact opposite of what your skin needs.

As far as products go, there are lots of ingredients you need to avoid. Always looks for products that are labeled "sensitive skin," and go from there. I always choose products that are oil free, because I have oily skin. My nighttime moisturizer has oil in it, but that doesn't matter because I only use it at night.

Products that you choose should be free of drying alcohols (not all alcohols are drying, did you know that?), fragrance, witch hazel, and anything irritating like menthol. Toners are pretty much a no-go. They contain alcohol and acne fighting ingredients that are going to exacerbate your rosacea. I stay away from acne fighting ingredients because they can be irritating. If I do happen to have a pimple, I use a spot treatment only on that one spot to clear it up. This method works well for me.

It's really important to stay away from scented products. I've heard that fragrance is the number one irritating ingredient in skin care. Think about it- you're just apply unnecessary chemicals to your already sensitive face.

I have found that simple is better when it comes to caring for sensitive skin. I use my cleanser, my prescription treatment for rosacea, and my moisturizer. During the day I also use a sunscreen. And that's it. When I start overloading my skin with products, I can really tell that my skin retaliates.


Sunscreen is important for everybody, especially those of us with sensitive skin. When it comes to sunscreen, look for physical suncreen ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Physical sunscreens are far less likely to irritate the skin than chemical sunscreens. It's difficult to find sunscreen at the drugstore that uses only these ingredients. Your best bet is going to be products that are made for babies or are labeled as natural. Neutrogena Pure and Free is a good line to use.


Here is a really helpful chart showing the differences between physical and chemical sunscreens.

Drying alcohols that are irritating to the skin are listed as :

Isopropanol
alcohol denat
ethanol
SD alcohol
ethyl alcohol

Avoid those and you'll be fine.


Fatty alcohols that are okay are listed as:


cetyl alcohol
cetearyl alcohol
behenyl alcohol
lanolin alcohol
stearyl alcohol

These alcohols are perfectly fine because they are not stripping or drying.



I know this is a lot of information, but I hope it helps you in choosing the skincare that is right for you.


Much love,
Gianna

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint Review

Hey everybody! I have been hearing loads of great things about the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint on YouTube, so naturally I had to try it out myself. I mean, a tinted moisturizer that keeps me matte? Sounds good to me. It's certainly better than Dr. Brandt's BB Matte, which I have previously reviewed. Here is what it looks like:

The Matte Moisture Tint comes in five shades and retails for $38.00. You get 1.7 ounces of product, which is nearly double the typical amount of foundation you get in a bottle. Because you get so much product, I think the price is not too terrible.

The texture of this stuff is kind of thick, but not hard to work with. I would say work in sections rather than do your whole face at once. I almost want to say it is a cream to powder formula, but it isn't exactly. It just sets matte, and once it starts to set, it feels a little powdery. But it doesn't look powdery. It looks natural, with a demi-matte finish. This stuff has really awesome coverage for a product called a "moisture tint." I would say it has light to medium coverage, and it's buildable. You're not going to get full coverage out of this. But I find that it gives me a good medium coverage applied with my fingers (which is the only way I've applied it thus far). If you want full coverage, this isn't the product for you.

It feels very light and comfortable on the skin. It sits well and doesn't sink into my pores. It doesn't necessarily stay matte on my face all day. If you're really oily, expect to blot.

One of the absolute best things about this product is the ingredients. It is oil free, hypoallergenic, fragrance free, and non-comodegenic. It has an SPF 15, but it uses physical rather than chemical ingredients to provide broad spectrum protection. This means that for those of us with really sensitive or rosacea prone skin, this product should not be irritating. This is probably my favorite part of the this product. It's really hard to find products with SPF that don't use chemical sunblocks.


Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this product. I like the coverage, I like that it's super natural, I like that it's matte, I love the ingredients, I like the hygienic packaging... I just like it all.


If you haven't tried this already, I highly suggest you check it out. I can see myself repurchasing this product many times in the future.


Much love,

Gianna

Favorite Drugstore Under Eye Concealer

Hey everybody! Under eye concealer is one of those things that I seem to change my mind on a lot. But by trying different products with different consistencies, I think I have found what I like in an under eye concealer. My under eye area can be quite dry, even though my skin is rather oily. Most under eye concealers accentuate the dryness around my eyes, which is a terrible look. I look for under eye concealers that are really creamy; if it is too thin, it accentuates my dryness. Products like the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind under eye concealer is very thin, and looks very dry on me. MAC Pro Longwear has a similar aging effect. Although I like Pro Longwear, I don't like the way it looks on me after a whole day's worth of wear.

The Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer is quickly becoming my go-to under eye product. It is supposed to have a "gel" formula, which makes a lot of sense. It kind of glides over my under eye area, rather than settles into the lines.

For right around six bucks, I think this stuff performs right up there with higher end products. It reminds me a lot of Tarte's Creaseless Concealer, which I really enjoy.

I have it in two shades, Radiant and Ivory. Radiant is a light pink color meant for highlighting and brightening purposes. Ivory is slightly lighter than my natural skin tone. I have been using Ivory a bunch lately, and I find that it does a fantastic job of brightening up the area under my eyes as well as concealing my circles.

As far as the way it wears throughout the day, I really enjoy how it holds up. I don't really find that it creases on me. It may sink into some fine lines a little bit, but unlike other concealers, I don't find that this makes me look old and dry under there.


Overall I just really enjoy this product. It covers well and performs at a great standard, especially for such a low price. If you tried the Age Rewind concealer and didn't like it, or if you're looking for something at a drugstore price that its moisturizing like Tarte's under eye concealer, I say give this a go.


That's all for now!

Much love,

Gianna

Cheap Brush/Beauty Blender Cleanser!

Hey everybody! Oftentimes we get lazy with keeping our cosmetics clean, but the truth is we really need to be aware of sanitizing our cosmetic tools. Brushes get covered in product, touch our face repeatedly, get dipped in product again, etc. It's a playground for bacteria to grow, and I know I certainly don't want that anywhere near my face. I already have enough skin issues to deal with.

I find that the best way for me to keep my brushes clean is to spot clean after each use, and deep clean every four weeks or so. I could probably do a deep cleaning more often, but let's be realistic. I have quite a few brushes, and it takes a while to clean them all. Every four weeks is pretty typical for me, and I'm okay with that.

Today I want to talk about deep cleaning my brushes, and a fantastic product that I have found to get the job done quickly and effectively. I used to use the Beauty Blender Liquid Cleanser, which is just okay. I found that I had to use a lot of product for it to get my brushes clean, especially the really dense ones like my Sigma F80. It never really got the stains out of my Beauty Blender, which is just ridiculous. I also don't like that it's in a liquid form, because I find it inconvenient. Then they recently came out with the Beauty Blender Solid cleanser, which I have considered purchasing but could never bring myself to spend so much money on a stupid bar of soap, even though I've heard it's great.

So I started hearing others talk about their own methods, like baby shampoo, Dawn dish soap, etc, but nothing really struck my fancy. Today I was browsing the aisle's on my local Walgreens and saw Dr. Bronner's All-One Hemp Lavender Soap in bar form. I had heard a beauty guru talking about it, and I was like, that might be worth a shot.

I brought it home and tried it out, and let me tell you what, this is good stuff. I LOVE that it's in a bar form, it makes it so easy. I just run the bar under water and take my brushes to it. Swirl it around on the soap, swirl it around on the palm of my hand, rinse, and viola. It cleans my brushes so amazingly quick. My beauty blender was clean in a matter of seconds. This is really important to me, because sponges hold bacteria like crazy. It smells absolutely divine, I just want to bathe myself in the smell. They have many other scents as well, so if lavender isn't your thing, you have options. The only thing is, lots of oils are used in the soap. It's very moisturizing, but next time I might go with the peppermint one, just so it's a little bit more clarifying. However, if your brushes are really scratchy, Dr. Bronner's might be a great option.


The best thing about Dr. Bronner's is the ingredients. It's completely natural, organic, doesn't test on animals, and mutli-functional. Dr. Bronner's is known for the liquid soap, which can be used for absolutely anything- washing your clothes, your body, your hair, even brushing your teeth. I feel totally comfortable using this soap to clean my brushes. In fact, I feel better about this than any other cleanser, which likely has lots of chemicals and harsh ingredients that I don't want to put on my skin.


I highly suggest checking out the bar or liquid soap- whichever you prefer. It's cheap, effective, and totally natural. Can there be anything better?

What do you clean your brushes with?


Much love,
Gianna

Hard Candy Mod Quad Baked Eyeshadow Swatches/First Impression

Hey everybody! I stopped at my local Walmart today and spotted some Hard Candy Mod Quad Baked Eye Shadows. I'm not sure if they are limited edition, but they were situated right in with the rest of the Hard Candy line, so I am guessing not. I believe they are new, because I have not seen these before. I can't think of anything that I own by Hard Candy, although I have heard great things about their baked shadow duos and have wanted to get my hands on them for a bit. I've never gotten around to actually picking up any duos, but I saw these quads and I was like MINE.

Hard Candy is sold exclusively at WalMart. I bought mine for six dollars each. You can also order them online at the link provided above.

I bought four quads out of the five available: Brownie Points, Pink Interlude, Under the Moon, and Ivy League. The last one that I did not buy is called Smoke Mirrors, which has a lot of grey/silver shades.

Brownie Points, Pink Interlude

Under the Moon, Ivy League
I will say that I don't love the packaging. It's kind of bulky. On the inside there is an okay mirror, which is pretty cool. But other than that I find them to just be a little excessive in the packaging department. However, they're durable and good for travel.

Here are the swatches. The top row of each picture are the colors swatched dry, the bottom row are the colors swatched wet.

Brownie Points

Pink Interlude

Under the Moon

Ivy League

I haven't worn any of these on my eyes yet, but all I have to say is...wow. I'm really excited to put these babies to use. Dry, they are just okay, but wet, they seem great. The pigmentation is totally on point, they are metallic, the glitter shows up, it's just all around impressive.

I might just have to go pick up the last quad. I avoided it because I don't often wear greys and silvers on my eyes, but I might make an exception. For the price, I think these are really worth checking into.


What do you think? Do you have your eye on any of these? Let me know!


Much love,
Gianna

Impress Nails Review

Hey everybody! I am by no means a pro at nail painting. When it comes to beauty related things, makeup is my main squeeze; hair and nails fall by the wayside. I am always looking for polishes that are supposedly "long wearing" or chip-resistant, because I don't like to repaint my nails very often. Once a week is more than enough for me. However, more than once a week is usually necessary (although I rarely do, anyways) because I work part time at a local fast food place. My hands are always being dipped in sanitizer water, cleaning things, wearing gloves, washing dishes, etc. Also, my nails are quite thin and brittle, so acrylic nails are not an option for me. I find that my nails cannot handle the grinding down, acetone removal, or any of that stuff. Even gel manicures are kind of harsh on my thin nails. So, with all of these nail-related-woes, I am pretty much looking for a solution that is durable, nice looking, and kind to my fragile nails. Impress Nails have pretty much provided me with what I am looking for.

Impress Nails are basically plastic nails that have the glue already applied to them. You peel off the plastic layer to reveal the bottom of the nail with glue on it. You apply it to your nail, and it is supposed to stay on for up to a week. You can find them at pretty much any drugstore for around $6-8 dollars. They come in a whole array of colors and designs, and I believe there are both short and medium length options. Each pack of nails comes with many different sizes and multiple size options for each nail. You'll get two applications out of one pack. However, you may not have the perfect fit for each nail on the second application if you use up all of your correct sizes on the first application.

These are my nails with the tie-dye Impress Nails applied.

I have to tell you guys, I really like these. I wore just a plain french-manicure style set to Las Vegas for my 21st and I had absolutely no issues. I even brought extras just in case one were to pop off during my trip. I'm happy to report that they stayed fantastically, and I probably could have gotten another couple of days of wear when I was home and ready to remove them. I think that the staying power all has to do with your application, and how hard you are on your nails. Once you apply them, don't run your hands under water for at least an hour. I think this gives the nails time to totally set. Also, I wasn't working when I was in Vegas, so my normal, day-to-day activity was perfectly fine on the nails. They looked great, stayed put, and I was really happy with them overall.

The nails don't look like your natural nails. However, I don't think that's supposed to be the point of these. They are supposed to look like you did your nails all fancy. They don't look ridiculous or like plastic (in my opinion), they just look like you had your nails done by someone else.

I have a few small complaints that I want to get out of the way. With the french-manicure style nails, you can see the glue on your nail if you look really closely. I highly doubt it's noticeable to anybody else, but it's noticeable to me. You eliminate this problem when you use the sets that are totally opaque, like the ones that have a design or are a solid color.
My second problem with these is the price. It makes it better that you get two applications from one set; however, they are still pricey if it's something you're going to be wearing often. I don't wear these every day. But for special occasions or just once in a while, these are great.


Overall, I highly recommend these. They stay put for up to (and sometimes over) a week, they don't damage my natural nails, they look nice, are relatively inexpensive for special occasions, and are so darn easy to apply. I approve!


What do you guys think? Have you tried any fake nails?

Much love,
Gianna

Everyday Lipsticks From the Drugstore

Hey everybody! When it comes to lipstick, I generally turn to the drugstore. The only time I get a high end lipstick is if I am back-to-MAC'ing some stuff and get one for free. I think there are some great formulas at the drugstore that are definitely comparable to high end ones. Why spend the money when the drugstore has so much to offer?

Today I want to talk about "everyday" lipsticks. When I say "everyday," I mean those colors that just go with everything. They offer a your-lips-but-better kind of finish, and they are totally work and school appropriate. Nude lipsticks are probably my favorite, and I don't often venture into anything too flashy or bright. If you're looking for some ideas on great nude lipsticks from the drugstore, take a look at what I have collected...

Left to Right: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsick in Blushing Mauve, Sassy Mauve, Wink for Pink, and Primrose. Rimmel Lasting Finish in Airy Fairy. Milani Color Statement in Nude Creme. NYX Round Lipstick in Tea Rose. L'Oreal Color Riche in Fairest Nude.


And of course, swatches.

Left to Right: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsick in Blushing Mauve, Sassy Mauve, Wink for Pink, and Primrose. Rimmel Lasting Finish in Airy Fairy. Milani Color Statement in Nude Creme. NYX Round Lipstick in Tea Rose. L'Oreal Color Riche in Fairest Nude.


As you can see, I have a lot of the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks in this selection. This is my favorite lipstick line at the drugstore. Blushing Mauve and Sassy Mauve are very similar. Sassy Mauve is bit darker, but still wearable. It might be a great everyday shade for someone with darker skin. With Fall coming up, these are great choices. Wink for Pink and Primrose are great choices if you want something with pink in it. Wink for Pink is a bit more pink-coral. Primrose is a cool pink.

Rimmel Airy Fairy is probably my favorite of the bunch. It's just so perfect, not too pink, not too brown. I love it.

Milani Color Statement in Nude Creme is another fantastic choice. This is a very creamy, pigmented lipstick. The smell is kind of distinct... if you don't like lipsticks that smell, this might not be for you. Other than that, it's a great color.

NYX Round Lipstick in Tea Rose is fantastic. It's very pigmented, and a nice pinky-nude color. I have seen NYX at Target (Yes, TARGET!) lately. Hallelujah.

Last but not least, L'Oreal Color Riche in Fairest Nude. This was my long time favorite until Rimmel Airy Fairy entered my life. It leans pretty brown, but it's still a great shade. I'm quite fair with olive undertones, and I find it works well for me.


What about you guys? Do you have another great nude lipstick that you love? Let me know!


Much love,

Gianna

Curly Hair Update: Week Nine

Hey everybody! It's been about nine weeks since I completely cut out sulfates and silicones from my hair routine, and here is what's been happening...

My hair, as I've mentioned before, is still feeling really healthy and soft. I guess that's what to expect with the Curly Girl Method! Maybe I should stop mentioning this in these posts, but I have to admit, I'm still getting used to having such healthy hair. I know a lot of this has to do with my leave in conditioner (Kinky Curly Knot Today), which I am still really loving.

I haven't noticed a ton of change in my curls since my last update. However, I have not been wearing my hair down very often. I'm not back to school yet, so I haven't been taking the time to style it.

I want to mention one major change- I haven't been co-washing. I know, I know. Sounds like I'm abandoning the method, but I'm not! I have been using my sulfate-free shampoo for a couple of reasons. First of all, my hair always feels really dirty. Co-Washing is not leaving my hair as clean as I want it, and I'm frustrated. I think my hair is still going through a transition. I know in one of my previous posts I said I think my hair is used to the change, but I lied. There is no other explanation... I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do! I don't use silicones at all. Half the time I don't apply any product and just put my hair up in a bun. The only thing I can think of is that my hair is still transitioning.

Co-washing was making my hair clean, but I had to really scrub. I already have a lot of hair fallout, and I started to notice a lot more the last few weeks. I think that the scrubbing I had to do from co-washing was causing more hair-fallout than usual, and I certainly do not want that. Furthermore, even when my hair felt clean from co-washing, it never felt clean for very long. Over night my hair would just get gunky again, and I hate that feeling.


So...the only solution I can think of is using my sulfate free shampoo. I'm still technically following the Curly Girl Method, but I've modified it to fit my current needs. I don't need to scrub as hard, and it keeps my hair clean. You gotta do what you gotta do.

That's all for now. What have been your experiences with the transition period? Did you find it difficult?


Much love,
Gianna