Grateful

It's been kind of a whirlwind year for me so today I sat down and thought about all of the wonderful and not so wonderful things that have happened. I'm grateful I have an awesome new job doing something that I love, for my amazing family, and for my friends whom are always there for me even though they live far away. It's been a year full of heartache and struggle, but also one full of happiness and success. Going back to school this semester should be interesting, so bare with me while I try to figure out a blogging schedule! I'm ready to see what the new year brings.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lips

I've been wanting to get some of the ColourPop Ultra Matte Lips since they came out, but I was a little skeptical because there were a lot of rave reviews and some people who didn't like them at all. I finally just bit the bullet last week and ordered some. The very first time I ordered from ColourPop I complained about the slow slow shipping, but this time my package only took about four days to arrive! I ordered Midi, Beeper, and Avenue (As well as a shadow and a new liner!). And oh my goodness I am in love. I have a few of the Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks which I adored, these are a million times better. They feel like velvet to the touch, but weightless on your lips and they last ALL day. 

The formula is very thin and watery, meaning they dry down super fast. That's kind of the only negative as you need to quickly get an even layer down. You can build them a little bit, but if you're not careful they can start to pill up, especially if you rub your lips. You also need to have prepped lips to apply them. Obviously your lips have natural lines in them as you can see below, you if your lips are really dry or cracked these don't look too pretty. I would say I had the easiest time with Midi which is interesting because most people had trouble with the lighter shades. I think for my skin tone, it's a really nice everyday colour that I've pretty much been wearing on the daily. I've also gotten a ridiculous amount of compliments while wearing this. ColourPop describes it as a "soft neutral beige." I definitely want to see how light Vice, the lightest in the collection is on me. Beeper is a little darker and a little more brown than Midi, ColourPop describes it as a "warm mid-toned taupe." I thought the warmer tone might be less flattering on me, but I really like it! Last but not least is Avenue. ColourPop calls it a "deep yellow red," but I find that it pulls quite blue on me. Like most dark colours, this one is a little more difficult to get even. It also pills a lot if you put too much on, and it was the only one I found transferred onto my coffee cup. Despite this, I absolutely adore it.

For $6, you really really can't beat these. They feel comfortable on the lips, don't transfer (unless eating something greasy), and stay put for hours. The packaging is beautiful and I'm really excited to try more!

Midi Ultra Matte Lip

Beeper Ultra Matte Lip

Avenue Ultra Matte Lip

Have you tried any of the Ultra Matte Lips? Which are your favourites?
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Anastasia Beverly Hills Self-Made Palette

When I first saw the pictures for the release of the Anastasia Self-Made Palette, I knew I had to have it. Anastasia's shadows are some of the most raved about, and at $30-$35, their palettes are a steal. I wasn't a huge fan of the previous palettes because the colourful shadows were ones I would rarely use. However, the Self-Made has a great balance of neturals and pops of colour. This palette contains 14 shadows for $35, where previously the palettes housed 12. Did I need more eyeshadows? No. Did I buy it anyway? Absolutely.

One thing to note, that most people have complained about, is that the palette is mostly satin and shimmery-metallic colours. Buttery and Hot Chocolate are matte, and Spirit Rock is a matte black with purple glitter. I have so many mattes in my collection that the lack here doesn't particularly bother me. But if you're buying this as someone who doesn't already own a lot of mattes, this isn't going to be a palette that you use alone if you prefer to use mattes. That was probably the most confusing way to say that ever. The shadows are also set up to use in quads, which is why the colours seem to be placed kind of randomly. But if you look at the four shades together it makes perfect sense!

The colours in the palette are beautifully pigmented (some don't show up very well on my pale arms sorry) and blend like a dream. I also tried to take some close up shots to show you the gorgeous sheen on the shadows, but seriously how do people take pictures of their own arm with a DSLR? They're heavy and evidently my auto-focus hates me. Anyway, I hope you can see what I mean because they are so pretty! Speaking on the quality, these are also some of the most long wearing shadows I've used. I always prime my lids so I do with these as well, but they last pretty much perfectly throughout the day, even once when I got stuck in a torrential downpour eek!

Have you guys tried any of Anastasia's shadows or palettes? Let me know what your favourites are!
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MAC Lip Liners

MAC Lip Pencils are probably my favourite liner, but I rarely buy them because they retail for $16.50 each now. However, we do carry them at the CCO and every now and again we'll get some REALLY good shades in. At my store the regular lip pencils are $11.25, so I snatched a few up when we got shipment.

I decided to get Subculture (one of my favourites), Soar, and Nightmoth this time around. Subculture is a slightly pink nude shade that I love to wear by itself just to define my lips, but it is also beautiful under other shades. Soar is the famous "Kylie Jenner" lip colour. I was kind of surprised by how pink it looks on me, but it does have enough brown in it to not look unnatural. This is really pretty under nude lipsticks. Nightmoth is a super dark plum and this is GORGEOUS by itself. I don't think I've ever gotten so many compliments on my lip colour. The awesome thing about wearing liners as lipstick is that they wear for a super long time and have much less transfer. You definitely want to have exfoliated and prepped lips, but MAC's liners are so creamy and comfortable.

Have you guys tried any liners from MAC? They have a million colours, which is your favourite?
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Nest Indigo

I haven't worn anything but Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black for almost a year. It's become my signature scent. I raved so much about it my friends learned the top notes. I have people asking me what fragrance I'm wearing on a daily basis. I didn't want to wear anything else.... Until I smelled Nest's Indigo perfume.

I was in the checkout line at Sephora trying to convince myself I didn't need any minis. There was a little sampler of three of these Nest fragrances sitting there but they were out of stock. I decided to sniff them anyway and I kid you not I almost fainted right there. This stuff smells heavenly. It's sort of similar to Nirvana Black in a way I can't describe, but I feel like if you like that you'll love this. Its notes are "Moroccan tea, Kashmir wood, and black cardamom; enhanced with hints of wild fig and bergamot." I think it's slightly masculine, but still very feminine which is the case with Black (and many Tom Ford fragrances). Fragrances are really hard to describe, but if you can find it in a store somewhere I implore you to smell this divine substance!

And can we talk about this packaging?! So so so beautiful. The botanical illustrations on all of the packaging are wonderful, but Indigo is definitely one of my favourites. The rollerball retails for $25 and contains 0.27 fl oz (Sephora says 0.28, but I'm going to trust the packaging) and the full size bottle is 1.7 fl oz at $68. It is not available in store at my local Sephoras, but definitely check yours!

I am still in love with Nirvana Black, but it's nice to have something new to switch it up. What are your favourite fragrances?
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H&M Cuticle Care

I've been thoroughly impressed by H&M's new beauty range and this little gem is no exception. The Almond Cuticle Care is a Vitamin E and Lemon oil and has been working wonders for my poor dry cuticles. When the seasons change my skin tends to freak out, and as it gets colder I get really dry hands. It costs $6.99, and for some reason is not on the website (that I can see?) but it is in the store! It contains sweet almond oil, lemon peel oil, and castor oil. It smells yummy but not too strong and it super moisturizing! I usually use an essie apricot one, but I ran out and it is slightly more expensive. This is a great alternative and I actually think it's more moisturizing!

Have you tried any of the new range?
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Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows

 I've been super into warmer shades this fall and wanted to get some similar to the Melt Dark Matter Stack. I ended up finding these two shades from the Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows line, I've heard a lot of good things about them so I picked two up! The shades I got are M738 Auburn and M846 Morello Cherry, both matte finishes. The shadows cost $22 each, but if you buy two you pay $34 and three $44. The "palettes" come with the shadows. These are the most pigmented eyeshadows I have EVER used. I'm freaking out guys, I legitimately want to buy all of them. Like seriously get down to Sephora and swatch these right now, you might just pass out right there forreal. The formula is a gel-powder hybrid meaning they have 88% pigment (holyyyy) and are ridiculously blendable. There are 5 different finishes, I just grabbed two mattes because I'm a matte person. There are also ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-EIGHT (why not 200?) shades, so I'm sure you'll be able to find several shades you like, wink wink.

They ARE expensive, but you're getting .07oz in each pan. When you think MAC shadows ($16 for single, $10 for a pan) are .04oz you are getting quite a bit more shadow. Plus literally tapping the product gives you more pigment than swirling your brush in most shadows. It's also worth noting that MUFE only calls these shadows by the numbers, it seems that only Sephora's site has the 'names' (probably so it's more user friendly) and they are not printed on the packaging.

I cannot wait to get some more of these shadows! Have you guys tried any?
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H&M Beauty

H&M has recently released their new beauty line and when I walked into my store the other day, let me tell you I was completely unprepared. The line features over 700 beautifully packaged products in white, black and gold. The day that I went must've been one of the first days because everything was pristine and gorgeous and I wanted to buy it all. I did go back a few days later and the testers all look gross now (cry) but what are ya gonna do? I managed to slightly restrain myself and picked up four of the single eyeshadows, a lipstick, and a blush.

The single eyeshadows cost $6.99 and come in little white and gold compacts. Each contains .07oz of shadow. As far as I could tell from swatching in the store, all of the single shadows are very pigmented and buttery, while most of the shadows in the palettes seem to fall behind on quality. The packaging looks high end, but it's definitely plasticky and lacks the weight of more expensive products. But, for such a low price I can't really complain. The shades I picked up were Shitake, Sahara Dawn, Stargazer, and Gingerbread. Shiitake is a cool toned taupe with a beautiful shine to it. This one has a lot of pigment and I didn't notice any fall out, however it was a little less pigmented when using a brush. Sahara Dawn is a beautiful berry shade which also has a lovely sheen, it again is definitely way more pigmented when I pack it on with my fingers. Stargazer is one that I couldn't not buy. It's a gorgeous deep blue glitter, and the glitter isn't just an overspray it goes all the way through. I was shocked when I swatched this in the store. It looks on the skin exactly how it looks in the pan. I haven't worn it yet but believe me, you NEED to swatch this. It will blow your mind. Last but not least is Gingerbread, probably my favourite of the four. It's a warm medium brown that leans slightly orange, it's got a satiny texture so it's not quite matte and it is a beautiful crease colour. It reminds me a lot of Texture by MAC.

The lipstick I got in the shade Sandstorm which is a warm pinky-nude. It's got a very creamy formula that feels nice on the lips, and has a surprisingly long wear time considering it's not matte. The lipsticks are housed in gold tubes with white caps which do feel a bit nicer than the eyshadows. They retail for $9.99 and you get .12oz of product. I also picked up the powder blush in Cameo Pink honestly because I wanted to photograph the hexagonal packaging. These are $9.99 and you get .18oz. This packaging feels the cheapest of all because it is so light, but it is a really pretty shape. The colour is a nice muted pink but it doesn't have great wear and kind of fades into the skin. I'm interested to try the cream blushes as I don't regularly wear much blush.

H&M are also planning to release a premium line later this fall which I am VERY excited about. If it's better quality than these, I'm sure they will be amazing! I also wanted to mention that H&M Beauty products are cruelty free, and the packaging is made from recycled materials. The products are also "paraben-, silicone-, GMO-, synthetic-fragrance-, and dye-free."

Have you tried anything from the range? Get down to the store and do some swatching!
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Today's Look 08

I kind of fell in love with my eye makeup today, so I wanted to put up a post! This look was inspired by one that Andrea had on her instagram a while back, LOVE!

EYES

MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot

NARS Paper Tiger Cream Eyeshadow

MAC Texture Eyeshadow

LORAC Pro Palette (used Taupe, Sable, Espresso, Gold, and Lt. Bronze)
Colourpop Super Shock Shadows in Game Face and On the Rocks

MAC Nylon Eyeshadow

KAT VON D Thunderstruck Eyeshadow

L'oreal Miss Manga Black Angel Mascara

MAC False Lashes Mascara
Ardell Wispies Lashes
Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade in Chocolate

NYX Liquid Seude Lipsticks

When my friend told me that Ulta finally had the NYX Liquid Lipsticks in stock I drove straight down there. Luckily they were all still in stock, so I of course went for the nudes and the dark reds (can't resist). The shades I picked up are Sandstorm, Tea & Cookies, Softly Spoken, Cherry Skies, and Vintage. The other colours in the collection are beautiful but a bit too bright and colourful for my taste. NYX describes these as a velvety soft waterproof lippie that dries to a matte finish. If you're thinking Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks or Anastasia Beverly Hills, know that these are different. I would say they're in between the KVD formula and the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. Not quite heavy duty, won't budge colour, but still very long lasting. I had to reapply after eating, but other than that the colour seems to stay and they're very comfortable on the lips.
  A problem I have with a lot of liquid lipsticks is that they're too matte and feel really dry on. Because these don't dry down to be super matte, they're more comfortable on. Most of the shades are super pigmented, and only require one coat. However, the darker shades (Cherry Skies and Vintage) really require two. You can see on the Cherry Skies swatch that the colour is much darker where there is two layers. I don't know if I got a fluke Vintage, but this one seems less matte and less pigmented than the others. It doesn't dry down quite as much and you definitely have to touch it up more often. The applicators on these are awesome, it's like a doefoot but flat, so it's easy to get a really precise line.
  Overall, I think these are great and I hope NYX brings out some more shades. Maybe a paler nude for us fair girls? Don't forget, Ulta often does buy 2 get 1 free on NYX or there's the $3.50 of off $10 coupon!

Have you tried any of the Liquid Seude lippies?
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Tom Ford Lips & Boys

If you read my last post you'll know that I am currently working at a Cosmetics Company Store. The other day, the manager from a nearby store texted a picture of all of the new Tom Ford lippies (most of the Lips and Boys Collection) they just got in. We only have one at our store (the full sized Coco Ravish) so you best believe I high-tailed it over there (and bought way too much again oops). I ended up getting two of the shades, Orlando and Wes. These did retail for $32, but at the CCS are $24 and contain .07oz. Only a few shades are still available online, but I would definitely check a CCS if you have one near you!

Orlando is a golden beige and has quite a sheer finish. I'm not usually a fan of sheer lipsticks, but this looks so gorgeous, especially when paired with a more opaque lipliner underneath. Wes is a dark reddish plum and is also a little more sheer than I'm used to, but it's very creamy and again looks beautiful with a dark lipliner. Both shades are very creamy and I'm just obsessed with the packaging. I really hope we get some of the Matte collection in because I would love to try those!

Have you ever tried any Tom Ford Lipsticks?

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While I've Been Gone

I know it's been long time no see; with the end of the summer, a new job, and personal things, I haven't really had time to or felt like posting. That clearly did not stop me from shopping. My new job is as a keyholder at a Cosmetics Company Store so I've been stocking up and I'm super excited. I'll talk a little bit about the things I've tried, but if you want an actual review on anything in particular let me know!

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks in Outlaw and Damned. Okay, so I've been looking for Bow and Arrow but it's literally never in stock. I can't help myself from buying one in it's place when I go to look though, oops. Outlaw is a bright red that I've been wearing quite a lot and Damned is a daaaark "black cherry" colour that I haven't been brave enough to wear yet. This is my first experience with true liquid lipstick and I love Outlaw, but Damned is a wee bit patchy. We shall see.

L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte in Classic Ivory 101. I returned the NARS All Day blah blah foundation and I'm sort of regretting it so I've been on a foundation buying binge ever since. I bought this because Desi loves it and I thought I would too. Obviously my skin doesn't look like hers but I do really like this formula, it's a little too light for me at the moment (whaaat?) so I've been mixing it with the Bobbi Brown Serum Foundation (see below) and I have been adoring the combo. I also picked up the Estee Lauder Perfectionist Youth Infusing Foundation at work and I do love it, but I think it'll be better for me in the fall/winter so you shall hear about it then!

Origins GinZing, Eye Doctor, and Perfect World Skin Guardian. I have been desperately been needing a new skincare regimen, so I picked these up at work. I've only been using them for a few days so no real report, but I think it'll be love.

Clinique 7 Day Scrub. This is just a tiny little trial size, but it's a really gentle exfoliator and I think I'll probably buy the full size! My skin feels softer and looks more radiant!

elf tweezers I have a million pairs of these, they're the bomb.

MAC Bamboo and Texture Eyeshadows. We got these in at work and I snatched them up, they're perfect transition, crease, and "best friend" colours, and so cheap at the CCO!

Formula X Nail Polish in Monumental. I feel like I'm always buying nude nail polishes, but believe me when I say this is the most perfect I've found. It's called an ivory gray and looks stunning on, I've never gotten so many compliments!

NYX Wonder Pencil in Light. My poor little guy was reaching the end of his life so I picked up a new one, I use this sucker for everything. Post here.

Kaplan MD Perfect Pout Duo. This is something I'll definitely be reviewing. One of my Sephora girls recommended this to me and it is AWESOME! My lips are so moisturized and I don't have to worry about matte lipsticks! Love!

Sephora Fig Luster Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Colour. I'm still loving this in case you missed the post.

MAC 217 Brush. I bought this beauty on a whim in New York and I absolutely adore it, we recently got them in at the CCO and I'm gonna have to pick up like three because it is really really the best brush. Post here.

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation in Warm Natural 4.5. Okay, so I know you're thinking Amelia, you're paler than a sheet of paper, why are you buying such a dark foundation. Well let me tell you. I came into work the week before last and my manager was freaking over a new product. Bobbi Brown is my line so she was so excited for me to come in. She told me we got the serum foundation in and I almost fainted with excitement. I played with it immediately. Sad story, we only got three shades in and 4.5 was the lightest. I thought what the heck I want it, I'll mix it in with my light foundations while I still have a bit of a tan and then let my mom have it (which she's very excited about). So I bought it and I ADORE it. My coworker just texted me today (I'm on vacation yay) and told me we got 2.25 Cool Sand in so you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be buying that and posting a proper review asap.

Have you tried any of these products? And what exciting things have you purchased recently?
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Hello

Hi guys, sorry I've been really absent on the blog recently. Along with starting a new job my mom had major surgery. So I've been working long hours and in my free time I've obviously been helping her out. Hopefully this week I'll have some time to sit down and write a couple of posts! Speak to you soon.
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Sephora Fig Luster

 I went into Sephora the other day to pick up some of the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. They were out of almost all of the shades, boo. But by happy accident I picked up the Sephora Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color in Fig Luster which is gorgeous. They're supposed to be 'An ultralightweight, modern matte lip color with a subtle sheen.' It's kind of weird because a sheen makes it not matte... but regardless, it's so so so pretty. The colour is very similar to that famous Lolita shade and looks gorgeous. The formula is kind of cool but kind of strange. If you're expecting a matte dried liquid lipstick, this is not it. It's like a heavy-weight lipstick that has a major lasting power. After eating it's still there, just with a little less sheen. I would say I got about 4 hours of wear before it 'needed' reapplying, but it wears so beautifully that it never looks patchy. I will say that the packaging is awful, for a $16 product I'd expect it to be a little nicer. Regardless it is a beautiful colour!

Have you tried any of these?
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NARS All Day Luminous Weightless

 This is another one of those things I accidentally splurged on in New York. $50 for a foundation is kind of a lot, especially when I have a million. But it was a moment of weakness. I picked up the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in the shade Gobi. I have a complete love hate relationship. It can look beautiful but you kind of have to be really careful with it, which is not what I want in an expensive foundation. First of all, it WILL cling to even the slightest dry patches. So, if you have dry skin you better moisturize the heck out of your skin. Also, if you have oily skin, this will 100% break up and look gross after a few hours. You pretty much have to have normal skin or a wonderful primer. Speaking of primers, that's another issue. It seems to work okay with my Too Faced Hangover Rx and the Nivea Mens Aftershave Balm, but it did not like the Make Up For Ever Mattifying Primer. I'm so frustrated because if you apply it right (I use a beautyblender) it looks absolutely beautiful. I took this selfie on my phone (lol) and I kid you not I didn't do anything but edit the lighting. It looks amazing on camera. But in real life it just doesn't last. Maybe in the winter it'll work a little better because it won't be so hot outside. I really, really wanted to love this but I just don't think it's worth the money. I will say that it does work nicely when I mix it with the Chanel Perfection Lumiere (because that one is slightly too pink for me), but you can definitely find better foundations out there. I'm sort of debating returning it, eek!

I hate doing reviews when I don't like the products, but I figured I should let you guys know how I feel about it! Have you tried this yet? What do you think?

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Hydraluron

I am by no means a skincare expert, but I recently have had a lot of trouble with my foundations sticking to my skin strangely and decided to start taking better care of my skin. I know it's cliche, but you only get one skin so it's really important to take care of it. I work at a Cosmetic Company Outlet at the moment and surprisingly, most women come in looking for skincare. It's pretty hard to correct skin problems after they've happened, but preventing them is a lot easier.

My main problem is that I have annoying dry patches, so I definitely needed some moisture. After a bit of research I decided to purchase the Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron Moisture Serum. It has a LOT of great reviews out there, and most of the negative ones talk about how this product didn't magically perfect their skin. The thing I want to stress is that this is a moisture serum. That is all it's marketed to do. It is not anti-aging nor wrinkle filling nor pore minimizing. It is simply supposed to boost skin's hydration. Indeed Labs claims 'This is the ultimate daily facial serum for moisturised skin. Hydraluron Moisture Serum contains a pure form of hyaluronic acid, an incredibly hydrating ingredient that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Red marine algae helps provide maximum delivery. The result...better hydrated, moisturised plumped up looking skin.' To use you're supposed to cleanse your skin, then apply a pea-sized amount over your face, and then apply your moisturizer. Let me tell you, the first time you use it, you'll be amazed. My skin felt plump and smooth and hydrated. I don't have problem skin other than the fact that it's quite dry, so if you're interested definitely do some more research!

The great thing about this is that it's not full of a bunch of random ingredients, so you can mix it with other serums. If you're wanting to use an anti-aging serum, but your skin isn't getting enough moisture... use them both!

I'm excited to start trying out more skincare products, so look out for those soon! Have you guys tried anything from Indeed Labs?

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Inglot

While in New York I OF COURSE had to visit the Inglot store. It's in Times Square, which again is not my favourite, but it was close to where we were staying and very very quiet. Instead of filling up my other palette, I decided to make a new neutral palette (not really sure why). If you don't know, at Inglot they have a 'freedom system' in which you pick a palette size and fill it with whatever products you want (not just eyeshadows). I decided to do 5 eyeshadows, because Inglot shadows are absolutely beautiful and honestly some of the best quality shadows you can find. There are SO many colours, which does make it very very hard to decide, I spent quite a long time trying to pick shades that weren't too similar to things I already own. The shadows cost $7 each and the 5-pan palette is $11. The shadows are .09oz pans, so comparing this to MAC shadows that are $16 for .04oz, it's a ridiculously good deal. The palettes are super sturdy, with a frosted magnetic lid that will not come off unless you pull it. The only problem I have is that when you put the pans in, it's really really hard to get them out without ruining them so it's almost impossible to know what the shade names are unless you've written it down. But, I suppose I can always come back to this post to figure it out.

 I ended up picking two matte shades, both quite cool in tone, and three shimmers that were pretty warm. I have a hard time finding cool-tones mattes, but have a ton of cool-toned shimmery shades so it worked out. The shades are Matte 329, Matte 360, Pearl 409, Pearl 405, and Pearl 395. They're all beautiful and I've been obsessed with using this. Matte 360 is also a really great colour for contouring on fair skin!

Have you tried any Inglot shadows?
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Fossil

 I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE watches. Like I am obsessed. It's worrying. I also do not have the budget for my watch obsession. This means that I usually buy cheap watches that LOOK nice. However, while we were in New York, Elle and I decided we both wanted to buy a nice watch. I adore Fossil because they're not ridiculously expensive but they are beautiful. So one night we wandered into the Times Square Fossil store and decided we wanted to buy everything. I'm not really a fan of Times Square because it's busy and touristy and the associates in most of the stores are snotty. However, this store is like a little hidden gem. It was really quiet, full of good deals, and the associates were lovely. We spent probably an hour talking to those girls about random things (convos always start because of Elle's tattoo sleeve!). Anyway, we both ended up with a beautiful watch and we are sooo excited. The ones we bought also have really easily exchangeable straps so it's kind of like multiple watches in one hehe. Elle's (on the bottom) is the Jacqueline Three-Hand Leather watch with a bone strap. It's gorgeous and I was quite tempted to get it as well, but I have a very similar watch and the strap was a bit thin on my wrist. Hers was $115. I, after a very long debate, decided to go with the Gold-Tone Chronograph with a bone strap as well. Mine also was $115, which in the grand scheme of things isn't a lot for a nice watch. Fossil also has an amazing warranty and they wear beautifully, I have one of my aunt's old Fossils and it must be over 20 years and it still looks lovely!

If you were to buy a Fossil watch let me know which you'd go for!
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Clean Brushes

I, like a majority of makeup lovers, HATE cleaning my brushes. I have a ton, it takes forever, and it makes my hands wrinkly. This baby solves the whole takes forever part. Samantha (follow that girl omg) reccomended the Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap for cleaning brushes. And let me tell you, the stuff is amazing! I got the peppermint solid bar, but there are tons of scents and you can also buy a liquid formula. I love how clean the beautyblender solid cleanser gets my sponge so I figured I'd take Samantha's advice and get the bar. First of all, it smells delish. It doesn't linger on my brushes but it makes the process slightly more enjoyable. Secondly, it gets those suckers CLEAN. I've had a lot of my brushes for a loooong time and the white hairs had always been stained no matter how much I cleaned them. This? This had them looking like new in seconds. It makes them super soft and really, clean brushes do better work. It's also made from natural ingredients, so no need to worry about harsh chemicals! Best of all you can get it from Target for less than $5. I'm in love.

What do you use to clean your brushes?
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Mary-Lou Manizer

The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer is one of those cult products that has been talked about for as long as I can remember. For some reason I've never bought it (probably because the Balm is so hard to find where I live) but while in New York I snatched one up. This gorgeous champagne highlighter costs $24 and you get 8.5 grams. Eight point five grams. Talk about bang for your buck. If you're looking for subtle this definitely isn't it, but it's also not glittery so it leaves a beautiful sheen on your skin. It's super finely milled and incredibly pigmented so it packs a punch, leaving your cheekbones the most defined you will ever see them. It also has super-cute packaging and a HUGE mirror.

I honestly have no idea why I've never bought this because it is amazing, I can't use anything else now! Have you tried this beaut?
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Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

The very first thing I bought on our NYC trip was this concealer. We wandered into Sephora just to look around since we'd be coming back the next day, but I saw the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer and I thought you know what? I need a new concealer. So I bought it. This is the colour Fair Neutral and it is beautiful.

I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on this product but I'm sort of in love with it. First of all, the packaging is beautiful. UD used to be known for their insane packaging but recently it's become beautifully sleek and this just looks luxurious. I don't have super dark under eye circles but I think that this stuff packs a punch in the coverage department. It's as concealing as the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer but a ridiculous amount lighter. It's thin, but creamy so it blends like a dream and you honestly cannot feel it. The most wonderful thing is that it lasts forever on me. I could wear this for twenty hours and my foundation could be sliding off of my face, but my under eyes still look flawless! I have applied it using my beautyblender, a brush, and my fingers and while it does look good all ways the beautyblender makes it look so beautiful and natural. Because of the thin consistency it's also quite buildable if you have much darker circles, from reviews I've seen people with super dark circles seem to think it does the trick! It also doesn't crease on me, but again I only have a few small fine lines.

Now this does cost $28, which is a pretty steep price for concealer considering how quickly I go through them. I've always loved my drugstore concealer but honestly this stuff just takes the cake. I don't think I'll ever be able to use anything else.

What's your favourite concealer at the moment?
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MAC 217

My first item from the New York haul was definitely an accidental purchase. I went to all of the MAC stores I could get to trying to find the Giambattista Valli collection but with no luck. On the second-to-last day I went into another store and they were again sold out. My friend Elle was looking at their brushes and I thought what the heck, oops. So I picked up the famous MAC 217 Blending Brush. It costs $24 but I definitely think that it's worth it. I use mostly elf and Sigma brushes. The Sigma are pretty high quality, but elf's aren't amazing. This brush blows them out of the water. I've never owned a MAC brush, but I have a feeling there's going to be a collection starting.

The 217 is marketed as an eye brush, but it's definitely got multiple uses. The oval, slightly flattened tip means its great for putting shadows on the lid. But the longer, fluffier bristles make it perfect for blending products out. This blends crease colours like a dream, as well as creamy products like concealer or a cream eyeshadow. While $24 seems a little expensive to me for one brush, I definitely think it's worth the investment.

Do you have any MAC brushes?
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New York, New York

I'm sorry that I've been MIA this week. My best friend and I took a trip to NYC and I decided to take a break from blogging. We relaxed, walked around, and did a LOT of shopping. Here's some pictures from the trip!

On The Top of the Rock! I definitely recommend this over the Empire, it's slightly less busy and it has much, much better views!

Plus you can see the Empire State Building!

The ridiculously amazing view from our apartment

With my favourite sculpture in Central Park

Beautiful theater in SoHo

I clearly love fire escapes, the old buildings in SoHo are so beautiful!

This AMAZING little jewelry shop in Brooklyn, here's the link. They are all handmade in the city and so gorgeous and unique!

We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge on the hottest day of the year, which was brutal. Definitely a cool thing to do but I'm not entirely sure I would do it again, especially not in the summer!

But, it does provide amazing photographs!

Our last two nights we spent in the Row hotel, which had this gorgeous little cafe with a bunch of restaurants in it.

Eating breakfast looking out on to the city!

More from SoHo, everything is beautiful there!

Our last day was rainy, so we headed back to Fifth Avenue for some last minute shopping!

One night we wandered into the Times Square Fossil and walked out with new watches, oops!

I love night flights!

 Keep an eye out this weekend for the haul post, we definitely did a lot of shopping!
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