Happy Tuesday y'all!

I feel like I haven't done a Face of the Day post on my blog in forever. However, I was in love with a look I created over the weekend and just had to show you all. Now, I have always been a fan of super warm eye shadow looks and almost always incorporate a warm tone as my transition shade and this look is no exception.

Am I the only one that struggles with wearing a full face during the week?

It just does not feel practical for me at all. I usually stick to minimal or no makeup for my day to day, but I love to glam it upon the weekends. Glam for me typically includes Warm tones and of course false lashes.

For this look, I only used two eye shadows from the Juvia's Place Nubian 2 palette and a ton of the Lorac Cosmetics Twilight Highlighter. I also kept the the lip simple only using Coloured Raine's Lip Paint in Single. If you haven't checked out any these products, run and try them. The Juvia's place palettes have been all over social media, but I picked mine up on Hautelook a few months ago.

Products Used

Primer: Smashbox Photofinish Primer
Foundation: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation
Brows: Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in " Granite"
Eyeshadow: Juvia's Place Nubian II Palette "Morocco" in the crease
Eyeliner: Nyx Wonder Pencil in "Dark" on bottom Waterlime
Concealer: Tarte Shape Tape in "Dark"
Setting Powder: Ben Nye Luxury Powder in "Topaz" and "Zuri" on the lid
All Over Face Powder: Mac Mineralized Skinfinish in "Dark"
Contour: Ruby Kisses Mineral Face Powder
Highlighter: Lorac Cosmetics Light Source Illuminating Highlighter in "Twilight"
Mascara: Urban Decay Perversion
Lipstick: Coloured Raine Lip Paint in "Single"

Recently, I posted an Ulta haul that featured a bunch of products I picked up in the month of December, including some brand new Nyx Cosmetics launches for 2017.

One of the items I picked up was the Duo Chromatic Illuminating Powder in "Crushed Bloom" and I have been wearing this non stop so I just had to run and tell y'all all about this powder!

These Duo Chromatic Powders seem to be Nyx's answer to The Anastasia Beverly Hill's Moonchild Palette and the just launched Kat Von D Alchemy palette. The real question is, do these measure up?

These are available at Ulta and on the Nyx website and retail for $6.99. Ulta describes these as " silky powders that blend like a dream". The formula also contains light catching pearls that look different from every angle, which really intrigued me because a lot of highlighters have duo chrome claims, but never get it right

Currently there are 5 available shades in this range.

Swatches

Crushed Bloom

Review

I will be rating all aspects based on Pigmentation, Packaging, and Performance on a scale from 1 - 5.

Packaging 4

The packing on this product is pretty standard and not to special. At .21oz, there is a bunch of product so I can basically never see myself using the whole thing. The texture of the powder is actually really silky and smooth, which will help the powder blend well.

Pigmentation 4

Crushed Bloom is a pink tone highlighter with opal reflect. The glitter particles are minimal, so this powder gives a sheeny glow and is not a glitter bomb, which I prefer. This shade is definitely going to be a blush topper for my girls that are lighter. On dark skin, this is a gorgeous highlight for any one who likes be stand out. The pigmentation on this shade is amazing, its swatches opaque, but doesn't lose its color integrity when sheered out! Meaning you actually can see the duochromatic effect on your face.

Performance 5

Piggy backing off the pigmentation, this also performed really well on my face. I spent about 2 weeks wearing this under different conditions and it lasted about 6 hrs when I had on a full face of makeup. When I wore it with a bare face, I found that it didn't last as long, but I still got about 4 hours of wear. For application, I primarily used a fan brush and applied it sparsely on the high points of my face and found that that worked out really well, but you could also use a blush brush. Lastly, this blends out much better than I expected! I also love that you able to build up the intensity so it can be super subtle or a full on pink highlighter.

Does it measure up to the ABH Moonchild Glow Kit?

I think these powders are a good alternative to the ABH Moonchild palette. Especially if you know you won't use all of the shades, 'cause I mean who really needs a green highlighter.
I swatched the shade Pink Heart from the Moonchild Kit next to Crushed Bloom and found it to be almost identical except Pink Heart has a tad bit more glitter and only slightly more reflective. On the skin they honestly look the same ! So if you want the Moonchild look without paying the price, these are definitely your best bet.

Edit:

I did end up picking up two more shades: Snow Rose and Lavender Steel so I want to add some pictures and swatches here.

L to R: Snow Rose, Lavender Steel, Peach Kiss from Makeup Revolution

For a Full Review on the ABH Moonchild Glow Kit click HERE.

Here are a few of my other Nyx Faves

NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Stick Review

NYX Vivid Brights Eyeliner Review

NYX Prismatic Eyeshadow Review 

NYX Ombre Blush Review

NYX Ombre Lip Duo Review

NYX Electro Liner Review

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I definitely went overboard on the makeup purchases for Black Friday. In my defense though, there were so many things that I has been wanting to try out, so naturally I just got everything!

Single eye shadows are typically good purchases for me because I actually tend to use these more then palettes on an everyday basis. I also love that they are more customizable than palettes. Some times, I just want to pick shades that I want that way I'm not stuck with shadows I won't ever use.

Anastasia Beverly Hills is one of my favorite shadow formulas and they just happen to be having a 60% off sale on single shadows. I also picked up a few shadows from a brand called Coloured Raine that were 20% off.

Listen! Both of these shadow brands are must haves. I figured I would love the Anastasia shadows because I love every palette I have from the brand, but Coloured Raine truly surprised me. I totally fell in love.  I've had these for about two weeks and tried to use them on all of my makeup days and want to show off some swatches and give a mini review on the two different formulas.

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Simply put Anastasia Beverly Hills single shadows are amazing and live up to the hype for me. They have great pigmentation and perform amazing on the eye. The formula is finely milled and don't leave huge glitter chunks on your face which is always a plus.  My favorites of this bunch are definitely Electro (duo chorme pink with blue reflects) and Prussian Blue (reflective teal blue). I found that the matte shade, Red Earth (warm reddish brown) fell short in the swatch, but honestly performs really well on the eyes. I also love that these shadows can be layered without getting muddy. These regularly retail for $12 and are definitely worth it!

Coloured Raine

I hadn't tried anything by Coloured Raine up until a few months ago, but this formula is nothing short of legendary. The pigmentation gets a 10 out of ten! They also blend really well and lasts all day. These shadows are one of those formulas where you need every single color! Champagne Life (Champagne Gold) is my favorite and has quickly become my everyday go to. The mattes in this collection have more pigmentation then the Anastasia shadows and still have the same blendability. My favorite part of these is that they are only $6.99. You can find them here on the Coloured Raine site.

If you haven't picked up either of these brands you have to at least try one of each. You will not be disappointed. Below is a look I did last week using these shadows, so you can see how well the shadows melt together. The Anastasia Eye shadows can be found on her website (here) and at most major retailers (Ulta) . Coloured Raine shadows are sold on their website and Ricky's NYC also sells the line.

Look using Truffle Glitter and Champagne Life on the lid. Red Earth was used as a transition color.

 

The Holidays is hands down my favorite time of the year. I love spending time with my family and friends and sharing awesome meals and good times. Today, I want to share some awesome gift ideas for every type of beauty lover in your life, just in case you need a little inspo on the gift front.

For the Lipstick Addict

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Bold Lips

This little lip sampler is perfect for the friend or family member that loves to play around with color and different formulas of lipstick. It features 6 different lip products in a range of bold colors from hot pink all the way to deep vampy red. My favorite formula in this kit is definitely Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lip. At $28 dollars, this kit is also affordable and totally worth it.

Everlasting Mini Liquid Lipstick Set $49

Kat Von D literally has one of the best liquid lipstick formulas on the market. They are ultra pigmented, long wearing and really comfortable. This gift is perfect for the makeup lover that either trying to grow her collection or wants to try out a bunch of different KVD shades before deciding on a full size product to purchase. My personal favorite in this bunch is Backstage Bambi (vivid pink) and there are two new shades in this set that have just been released (Plath and Roxy).

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette $52

I picked up this palette a few months ago and I absolutely love it. This palette is perfect for your highlighter obsessed friend because it gives a sample of all of the best Becca products. Champagne and Prosecco Pop are too die for. I also love the blushes in this palette because they are universally flattering for a wide range of skin tones.

Becca Blushed With Light Palette $34

This new blush palette is also a good option for anyone who loves glow and complexion products. It features 2 Ultra popular Becca blush shades, Songbird which is in the mineral blush formula and Snapdragon a luminous finish coral blush. The palette also features Wisteria, a soft rose, that is exclusive to this palette. Totally worth checking out!

Lorac Pro 2  Palette $44

This is my all time favorite cool palette and is perfect for any eye shadow newbie who wants to try out quality shadows but not totally break the budget. The shadows in this palette are easy to blend and are super smooth

Urban Decay Spectrum Palette $55

This palette is perfect for the color lover. It features 21 shades for every shade of the spectrum. Urban Decay has amazing shadow quality and this one is definitely on my radar this season!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette $42

This palette is one of the hottest products this year and would make the perfect gift for anyone who wears makeup because its an awesome everyday palette and features on trend warm red tones.

What gifts are on your wish list this Holiday Season? Comment Below!!

 

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October was an awesome month for me beauty wise. I was able to pick up a bunch of products that I am testing out and added some of my og favorite products back into the mix.

It's now almost the Holiday season and the amount of new beauty products is a bit overwhelming, so I think I'm going to chill on adding any more palettes to my collection, but I wanted to tell you about some of the products that were good to me in the past month or so!

Bare Minerals Translucent Powder

This powder was added to my collection on a whim when I saw it randomly at TJ Maxx for like 10 dollars. I was suprised at how smooth and translucent the powder really is. I traveled with this powder alot this month because loose powder isn't travel friendly in my opinion. My favorite thing about this is the fact that there is absolutely no flashback. This is comparable to Laura Mercier Translucent, but in a pressed formula. I love this stuff!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Self Made Palette $35 (Post)

I did quite a bit of traveling in the past few months and this has been my go to palette. It is so versatile and my personal favorite palette from ABH. It has some great neutrals like Chocolate and Self Made, but also has a few pops of colors to spice up any makeup look ( I'm looking at you Isla and Deep Purple!). This palette was limited edition, but all of the shadows can be purchased individually so I'll drop a few swatches of my faves below.

Estee Edit Edgiest Kohl Shadowstick in "Black Viper" $22 (Post)

This shadow stick came with a set I picked up at Sephora recently and it has quickly become one of my favorites. I love to use this as a waterline pencil because it's ULTRA black and does not smudge. Like once this sets its not going any where. I also loved this as a base for any of the vampy eye looks that I have done because it blends so good and pairs so good with eye shadow.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Duo in "Chocolate" $23

This brow powder is so awesome. I love how dark it is and leaves just the right amount of pigment. Perfect for an every day quick fill. I also love to pair this with the matching Dip Brow for a more dramatic night time brow.

Wet n Wild Liquid Lipstick in "My Tulips are Sealed" $5 (Post)

This lip color is the perfect fall pink for me. I have literally been wearing every chance I get. These are so comfy and lasts all day! Even through meals and drinking. This has been my go to lipstick for night's out. My Tulips is a gorgeous warm pink and go with a variety of looks. Honestly, one of the best liquid lipstick formulas at the drugstore.

NYX Cosmetics First Base Primer Spray $8

I've been using this spray for a month and it is a really good multiple use spray. It's great as a primer and to dampen your brush to intensify eyeshadow. This product also actually does what its supposed to do. It preps the skin for makeup, leaves my skin smooth, and helps to controls my oil.

So recently I had a brow emergency. I NEVER EVER let anyone do my brows, but I had a date that I needed to get to so I allowed my hairstylist to clean them up. Now, I told her I just wanted the stray hairs cleaned up, just because I like my naturally thick brows to stay that way.

 

She took off HALF of them y'all!!

When I tell you, I literally got in my car and cried....like real tears!

So today, I am going to show you how I keep my brows looking perfect despite them being over waxed at the moment. I should also mention that I am all about natural looking brows. For me, it's important that my brows look groomed and neat, but for every day I don't typically go for what I call power brows. Before we do that, let's talk about some of my must have brow products

My Must Have Products

Morphe M158 ($2.99)

I use this to groom my brows before, during and after. The spoolie end is a great size and the angled side picks up product and is stiff enough to precisely apply product

Royal and Langknickel 1/8 inch Acrylic Slanted Paint Brush ($2.99)

This is my secret weapon! I get this little brush from Michael's Craft store for like $2.99 and it is the perfect precision brush for getting my brows perfect. I use this to fill in my brows with tiny brush strokes as well as for making the shape as crisp and perfect as I like.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade in Granite ($18)

This product was a game changer for me. I own this in "Granite" and "Dark Brown", but this color suits me a little better and does a better job of filling in gaps for my hair color. I also love that this last all day and does not budge. This makes filling in brows so much easier and it doesn't take a lot of product to get the desired effect. It also lasts forever, I have had this pot for almost a year and haven't even scratched the surface

Alternatives: Nyx Tame and Frame Brow Pomade

 Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer in Dark Brown ($23)

As I mentioned earlier, I have naturally thick brows so I prefer this sized pencil over the ABH Brow Wiz because its quicker and easier. This pairs perfectly with a pomade and has the same lasting power.

Alternatives: Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil, Nyx Micro Brow Pencil, Anastasia Brow Wiz

Nyx Control Freak Brow Gel ($6)

Brow Gel is an essential for any day. I like to use clear Gel before I do anything to my brows to give them shape. This also helps to keep my brows in place after I apply all of my other products. The great thing about this is that is so affordable, but still so good. This along with my other products makes my brows bulletproof.

Alternatives: Jordana FabuBrow Gel, Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel



1. Use the spoolie end of your brush to brush you eyebrow hairs upward. Apply light layer brow gel at this point. Since, I am trying to fake fullness at the moment I am going to leave the brushed up and the Brow Gel will help to keep them in place.

2. Next, Draw a line at the top and bottom of your brows using your brow pencil.

3. Fill in the brows and sparse areas with Dip Brow. You can use the angled end of the Morphe brush for this step. I am using my 1/8th inch paint brush for more precision. Make sure to use short strokes and a tiny bit of product on your brows so they don't look too dark.

4. Go over the brows clear brow Gel to set your brows in place all day.

*Optional* You can clean up any mistakes using concealer but I prefer to use foundation for this step. Since Foundation is my skintone and has a lighter consistency, my brows end up looking a lot more
natural.

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Hightlighters are my weakness y'all....

Recently, Anastasia Beverly Hills released a few new products and after seeing the visuals and swatches I decided to pick up the Moonchild Glow kit.

This past Friday, I had a rare day off of work. One of my girlfriends actually graduated from the Police Academy and I couldn't miss her big day. So in the process, I decided to bring out some of my Anastasia Beverly Hills products that I don't use as much as I should and go to town. The other day, I also picked up one of the Milani Amorematte Metallic Liquid Lipsticks  (Dramatic Diva) so I put it on to start the trial process for my review of the formula.

I will say my first impressions is that it actually dries down to a Matte finish unlike the new Wet n Wild Metallic Liquid Lipsticks, but more to come on both of those.

I pulled out The Lavish Palette from a few years ago and the Self Made palette from the Holiday 2015. I also feel like I hadn't used the Glow kit in a few weeks so I used that in this look too.

This past weekend, I decided to try out some of the new products that have just been kind of sitting on my vanity for the past month or so. I placed an order with Colourpop about a month ago and was waiting for a chance to get to use the shade "Too Shy". Words cannot express how beautiful this color is. It's a Glittery true blue shade. The pictures really do it no justice.

So I am so excited to share my February Makeup Favorites with y'all today.

I literally feel like February flew by, but I had some awesome times this month. It was Mardi Gras here in New Orleans, which is always fun, but I had friends in town this year so it was 10 times the fun this year. I also attended the Chris Brown Royalty Concert with my best friend on the 12th and we had a freaking amazing time. Chris Brown really killed the stage and I live for a good cocktail and some good music.

Today, I want to talk about something that has been all over the Beauty World since they launched in January.

Anastasia Beverly Hills has been killing the beauty game for a while now with her growing line of cosmetics. I absolutely live for the Brow Wiz pencil in "Dark Brown" and her eye shadows are freakin amazing. So when I saw the new Glow Kit, I had to jump on the bandwagon.

So here's the thing, I am totally obsessed with watching Youtube beauty videos. I love the hauls, the tutorials, the reviews....Everything. I also look to Youtube to find out about all of the new product launches and I especially love the holiday season because Holiday palettes have a special place in my heart and I usually end up purchasing more than I probably need, but I mean who's counting.

However, after the initial luster of new products wane or the holidays end I find myself not using the palettes like hardly at all. I want to change that (I also want to save some $$) so I'm challenging myself to using and sticking to the purchases I made and getting creative with the things I have already.

This year I ended up getting:




Stila - Eternally Yours Lip Collection ($39)
Stila - A Whole Lot of Love Palette ($59)
Anastasia Beverley Hills - Self Made Eyeshadow Palette ($35)
Urban Decay Vice 4 ($60)
NYX Cosmetics - Butt Naked Underneath it All ($24.99 on sale at Ulta for $12.49)
NYX Cosmetics - In Bloom Look Set ($17.99 on sale at Ulta for 8.99)
NYX Cosmetics - Unraveled Look Set ($17.99 on sale at Ulta for 8.99)


I added a hyperlink for the NYX products because they are on sale currently. Get you some while its still there!

Stay tuned for more posts featuring the fun things I come up with these palettes...

What are some of the things you got for Christmas and how do you plan to use them if at all? Comment below and lets be friends. Follow me on Instagram @treceefabulous.