Wet n Wild Contour Palette Review

After seeing the banana powder trend popping up I knew I just had to try it! However, I didn’t want to drop $20 for the smaller size of the Ben Nye Banana Powder and hate it, so the $4 Wet n Wild option seemed like a good one to try. I have yellow toned skin, so I feel this product works better for me than someone with pink or red undertones, but for $4 why not try it out?

Wet n Wild Megaglo Contouring Palette in Caramel Toffee $4

Pros:

• The banana powder does provide light coverage for those no makeup days.
• If you put it under your foundation, it gives a glowy finish (my friends actually noticed) and provides more coverage under my medium coverage foundation.
• There are so many ways to wear it (those mentioned above) and of course you can use it as a highlight.
• There is a guide on how to highlight and contour on the back.
• Big pans make it easy to get a large size bronzer brush in the product.
• Great price point.
• Cruelty free

Cons:

• It breaks very easily! I dropped it once and cracked the packaging and all the banana powder shattered…
• The bronzer is a tad dark for my pale skin, but I found if I put it under my foundation, I get away with it.

Overall, I would recommend this product! Let me know if you try it out!

Makeup Empties

I must confess, there is a certain sense of pride from using up a product completely and knowing you got your money’s worth. So I’m back again with my makeup empties! As I’m sure you all know, makeup is sooo much harder to get through than body care.

 

• Estee Lauder Doublewear foundation- This is my absolute holy grail! This foundation really gives my skin a flawless finish, and is recommended by dermatologists because it helps acne (seriously, it really helps me stay away from breakouts and covers them pretty well) and is very full coverage. It barely fades after a day of walking in the insane humidity on campus. The only downside is the price; at $36 it’s not cheap, but lasts me around 4-5 months of daily use. Repurchase? Every time! Already have a bottle and a back up!

 

• Revo Pumpkin Spice chapstick- This is the EOS knockoff that I like a lot better. It moisturizes my lips really well, but the only downside is the scent. It comes in several varieties to choose from. Be warned they are so strong so choose wisely. It honestly smelled like I was smearing a candle on my lips. Repurchase? Already did in a different flavor.

 

• Rimmel Stay Matte foundation- I loved the coverage this foundation gave for days when I was just going to class and didn’t need the flawless look Estee Lauder’s Doublewear provides. My only complaint is that half way through the tube it started to look a little orange. However, I’m surrounded by awful lighting all day at school, so it could just be that. Repurchase? Yes!! I’m currently trying out the Tarte Amazonian Clay and It Cosmetics foundations, but I would like to have this on hand.

 

• EOS limited edition Rachel Roy- I’ve never loved EOS unless it’s in the mint scent. For some reason that flavor is more moisturizing. I bought this a year ago and just wanted to finish it. For some reason it molded around the edges, so I didn’t finish the entire thing. Don’t leave this sitting in your room too long, otherwise it will go bad like mine. Repurchase? No thanks, I’ll pass.

 

• Covergirl Orange Mascara- I know I used to love this, but I think I might have just gotten a bad tube. It didn’t provide any volume and barely any length. Also, it seemed half full because I finished it in 2 months and mascara normally lasts me anywhere from 3-4. Repurchase? I think I will give this formula a break for awhile. I’ve since found better drug store options.

 

• Stila mascara- This mascara came in a kit from Nordstorm’s Rack and is awesome! It really brought volume and length to my lashes. I was sad to see it go. Repurchase? Yes, if I ever come across it again.

 

• Wet and Wild Mega Volume mascara-I loved this mascara for the $1.99 price tag. I found it on sale at Walgreens and thought it was worth a try. It gives great length, but not a lot of volume. If you like to layer mascaras this would be a great budget friendly option. Repurchase? Maybe once I get through the 6 other mascaras I have right now.

 

• Covergirl Supersizer- I love this mascara! It gives me insane length and volume and comes off pretty easily with makeup remover. The MAJOR downside is the flaking. Towards the end of the day I inevitably have to take off my makeup because the flakes get in my eyes. Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

Body Care & Candle Empties

Since I was posting about Project Pan, I thought I might as well show you my trash too. That’s why today I will be debuting my first Empties post! The reason I’m showing you my trash is because I can give the best review about the products I loved or just finished, since I used every drop! I decided to split up my body care/ scent empties from my makeup empties, which will be coming soon!

 

Acure Conditioner: I picked this up at Whole Foods for $9.99 in the peppermint scent and fell in love with this natural conditioner. Not only does it do great things for my hair, but is affordable and the scent is energizing. I will repurchase after I go through my array of current shampoos and conditioners.

Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap: Castile soap has changed my life! To clean my makeup brushes I make an all natural, all purpose cleaner by diluting it with water! However, I repurchased in a soap bar form and not only is it half the price, but it cleaned my makeup brushes better and will last longer!

The Body Shop Cranberry body wash (travel size): The Body Shop did it again! The formula felt so rich and luxurious! Don’t forget you can find these really cheap at TJ Maxx! By the end of the mini bottle I was so tired of the cranberry scent. I would repurchase in a different scent like Virgin Mojito, which smells like limes!

Grapefruit Makeup Wipes (60 count): For $3.99 the value is incredible! I got these at TJ Maxx in the makeup wipe section by the checkout counter. They smelled amazing, were organic, cheap, and took off my makeup, making them a definite repurchase.

Estee Lauder Take off the Day mini: This miracle makeup remover moisturized my skin while simultaneously taking off my makeup with little to no effort! I would repurchase it if it wasn’t so pricey!

Dollar Tree peppermint candles: Don’t waste your money! They smelled good on a cold sniff, but when being burned had no throw and didn’t even melt all the way down. Not even worth a dollar!

Tom’s toothpaste: I was debating doing a separate post on how much I love this toothpaste! Since going fluoride free, I haven’t had any cavities, which is rare for me after I got my braces off (They said the braces were the cause of my cavities). The last time I went for a cleaning, the dentist even told me I had beautiful teeth! Such a different report before I used this toothpaste! It’s no question that I would repurchase this teeth cleaning miracle!

Cinnamon Carmel Swirl Wallflower: This smelled amazing and made me feel as if I was baking something in the oven. The throw was strong as lasted about 4 weeks, which is longer than most wallflowers last me. I’m not going to be replacing it because I want a less chemical filled alternative, but I got it on sale for $3.50 and would repurchase if not for the scent properties.

 Klar and Danver hand soap refill: When I found this at dollar tree I decided to give it a try because it was an amazing deal. The soap was a green color and the green apple scent smelled awesome. However, I prefer more natural alternatives and it wasn’t as moisturizing as other hand soaps, so I wouldn’t repurchase.

Cinnamon Carmel Swirl BBW Candle: This candle burned well (no excess soot), smelled amazing, and had a great throw! If I wasn’t trying to get away from scented candles and find more natural alternatives, then I would repurchase.

 

My Beautycon Experience

I had been looking forward to this day for months, ever since I decided to buy a ticket. No matter how many vlogs I’d watched from last year, nothing could compare to what I was about to experience! We got off the train to get our tote bag that came free with the ticket (I got the hauler package) and wait in line for the doors to open. The breeze was about to blow me away and to say it was chilly is an understatement.

Once the doors opened and we were scanned in, my shopping buddy/photographer/mom rushed inside with me. Moments before we were composing a game plan of which booths to hit up first. Once we saw the list, we were slightly disappointed because although there were 30 brands in attendance, it seemed half were hair care and the only high-end makeup retailer was Tarte. Later I found a booth that was filled with z-palettes, Ben Nye and Inglot. We booked it to Tarte first, and as you saw the salesclerks were very persuasive. Plus, their makeup looked amazing, so I believed anything they said…

Once I bought the highlights of the trip, we made our way to other booths. Makeup artists were doing touchups and hair at every turn. Brands were shoving freebies in our faces, adding weight to our already heavy bags. Several brands like NYX and Garnier had vending machines with built in wifi! A staffer would take your picture and you would eagerly wait in line and get your photo all ready to post to Instagram or Twitter. At the front a staff member would give you a unique hashtag and as soon as you posted, the machine dispensed a freebie! It sounds as cool as it was!

The QVC booth was also a highlight. As soon as we walked through we were handed water, a t-shirt, and a QVC gift card. We passed by a hairstylist and tanning area equipped with lotion and mits, to a photo op. After we took a picture a Wen representative gave us each TWO free bottles! Last in the booth was a makeup artist with IT Cosmetics CC Cream and Laura Gellar lip pencils at the ready. We wanted to buy the products, but they weren’t for sale. Perplexed, we made our way out only to be given gift bags with the makeup!

Everyone was so nice and very excited to pass out as many freebies as possible! We did all this in the span of a few hours. The debate was whether to wait an hour for the panel of famous Youtubers to start. The place was getting crowded and we were pretty exhausted, so we vowed we would catch the panels next year. This was so worth it, and I can’t wait to go back next year.

P.S. I just had to document my makeup! I’m wearing my trusty Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation and Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette.

Beautycon Haul

For the second post in my Beautycon series, I thought I’d show you what I actually bought! As you can tell by my last post, 80% of the things I acquired were free, and 20% I paid for. So let’s get on to the haul!

Beautycon Sweatshirt:I haven’t taken off the world’s most cozy sweatshirt! I couldn’t resist this adorable sweatshirt, so no one will ever question if I went to Beautycon!

 

Beautycon BFF Box: Even though this box was $40, it was well worth it! Bethany Mota curated this one of a kind box that was full of almost all full size products!

• Garnier Fructis-Root Amp Root Lifting Spray Moose (Think dry shampoo and texturizing spray in one!)
• Maybelline- The falsies Push Up Drama Mascara
• Essie nailpolish
• Revlon-Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor
• Minnie Mouse Tattoos
• Minnie Mouse Sequin Ears
• Colourpop highlight
• Murad-Hydrating Toner sample
• Soap & Glory- Hand Food in Original Pink Scent
• Goal Digger Notebook
• $20 off $50 purchase Nike giftcard
• $20 off $50 purchase of Bethany Mota’s Aeropostale collection
• $5 off Beauty Box for a friend

Tarte Products: Let’s just say the employees at the counter were very persuasive… Plus, everything was $15 off the regular price.

• Eyeshadow brush- $5
• Foundation brush- $20
• Tartlette in bloom palette- $30
• Tartiest liquid lipstick-$15
• Amazonian Clay blush in Dollface-$15
• Amazonian Clay full coverage foundation- $25
• Tartiest Mascara- NOT IN STORES YET $15

I know this is a huge haul, but I had Birthday cash and money from selling clothes at Plato’s Closet that I was itching to spend!

Beautycon Freebies

As many of you may know, I had the time of my life Saturday at Beautycon Dallas! I have so many things to share about my experience and the goodies I got, that I had to split it up into a three part series! Today is all about the freebies I got! I can honestly say I made up for the price of my ticket in free stuff, which is insane to think about! I got the hauler package (I’ll explain the benefits more in my experience post), but I got this adorable zip up tote that says Beautycon! Let me tell you, this thing was filled with goodies! By the end of the day I could barely carry all of the stuff because it got so heavy.

 

 

What’s inside my bag:

To make it easier to view, I decided to split up my freebies into categories. All of these items came in the tote!

 

Hair Care: All of the sponsors for the event contributed a product or two, which is why there are so many from Garnier! I’m equally excited about all of these products!

• Garnier Fructis-Grow Strong Mask Fortifying Treatment
• Not Your Mother’s- In a Heat Beat Blow Dry Accelerator
• Eden Bodyworks- All Natural Cleansing CoWash
• Garnier Fructis- 48H Ultra Strong Sheer Set Breathable Hold Hairspray

 

Makeup:

• Maybelline- 2 pack of Vivid Matte Lipstick (best nude ever!)
• Lime Crime- Barbie pink gloss
• NYX- Vivid Brights pink eyeliner
• Tarte- Amazonian Clay Blush in Fearless
• Coverfx- cream concealer samples
• Coupons for Perfumania and Blushington

 

Skincare:

• Benzac Acne Solutions- Complete Acne Solution Regimen (3 steps)
• Wildflowers- Deep Daily Cream Cleanser in Chamomile
• Colgate- Optic White Platinum toothpaste
• Garnier- SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water (Two were in the bag and one was at the booth for free!)

 

Did you think I was done?! Nope! The QVC area changed my life. I got all of these freebies just from that section and the ladies were so nice! They were curling hair with Conair tools and doing makeup! The Wen lady gave us two bottles and pumps and the Conair lady gave us this hot pink t-shirt! Then on the way out we got goody bags with the remaining products and a QVC giftcard!

Items from QVC:

• Wen-Cleansing Conditioner in Winter Cranberry Mint and Spring Gardenia Green Tea with pumps
• Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting sample
• SheaMoisture- Weightless Shampoo (oops I think that came from the tote!)
• Julep- Konjac Sponge (exfoliating sponge that you can use with or without cleanser)
• QVC giftcard
• Conair t-shirt
• Laura Geller- Love Me Dew Lip Crayon in Dragon Fruit Sobert
• Mally- Eye shadow stick
• It Cosmetics- Deluxe sample of CC cream
• Scunci- 2 braided hairties

 

See I told you I had to have a separate post just for freebies! I can’t wait to try out all of these products, and when I do I’ll let you know what I think!

 

 

The Hashtag Code

As I was surfing Pinterest, which I find myself doing too often, I found this awesome  template! I would highly recommend checking out Amanda! She posts custom wallpapers, planning templates, and the hashtag code below. We both agree with the importance of integrity and honesty to our amazing readers. Since I’ve been getting some offers from various companies, I thought it was a great time to post! Stay tune to see some of the collaborations I’ve been working on!  Just in case you didn’t get my cleverness, OAU is short for Overdressed and Underbudget.

What are your thoughts on the #HashTagcode?

Project Pan Update 1

I just had to share my project pan progress! It may be slow, but I’m getting there. For me, the point is to pick products I love and enjoy. I’m not showing all of the products in my project, but you can see the original post here. These are the things I’ve made the most progress with!

Tarte Lipsurgent in Dazzle- I can’t believe I finished this! I’ve had it for 2 years and never stuck to just using it up. I would repurchase this product in a second! The color is beautiful, it’s moisturizing, and has a minty scent. That makes 1  lip product down and a million to go!

 

Mac shadow in Carefree and highlight shadow – I made the most progress in the highlight shadow (the name rubbed off).  I use it as a highlight on my cheek bones and inner corner highlight.

 

Mac Superwatt- This cream shadow is starting to dry up, so I’m glad that it’s in my project. I will definitely be working on this a lot more this month.

 

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette- Even though I’ve been using this almost everyday, you can barely tell any progress. I got it for Christmas, so it was new when I started, but this dip in HoneyPot is huge and I feel I’ll hit pan soon.

I may not be the fastest panner, but I’m always determined. I guess we’ll see after the next update.

Huge Announcement!

So, I may just have the most exciting announcement ever!

I’m going to …….BEAUTYCON DALLAS!

Whenever I found out it was in Texas I knew I had to go! I decided about a month ago, but my tickets just came in and I’m giddy! It was meant to be when I realized it was on the first day of my Spring Break. Let me know if your coming because I would love to meet up! If you’re still questioning my excitement, just imagine me doing my happy dance! Now I just have to decide what to wear…

 

Affordable Makeup Review

Like any normal blogger, I can’t just love a product and keep it to myself, I must publish it for the world to see! That’s why I needed to share some affordable makeup goodies I’ve been loving lately.

Drugstore foundation is one of the hardest things for me to find. It always has minimal coverage, wears off within a few hours, or leaves my face looking fake tan orange. Not with these foundations!

This Rimmel Stay Matte foundation saved my life! It provides a medium to high coverage and feels like I’m not wearing any makeup, which is a definite bonus. The last thing I have to say about this foundation is the fact that it doesn’t break me out! I’m very sensitive to makeup, so this is harder to find than you might think!

Price: $5.00

 

I already thought this foundation was a great deal from ELF at $3, but at Walmart I found it on clearance for $1.50! I really enjoy this foundation because it provides a flawless, smooth finish. It does have less coverage than the Rimmel foundation, but most summer days you don’t want much on that would make your face feel cakey.

Price: $1.50-3.00

 

This Elf brush is perfect for bronzer! It’s stays fluffy and didn’t shed after multiple cleanings! I’ve had this brush for about 6 months and it still looks brand new! I highly recommend this!

Price: $3.00

 

This Hard Candy Glamoflauge foundation is a real winner! I saw on Pinterest it can cover up tattoos, and I don’t know about that, but it sure can cover a blemish! It’s also great for under-eye circles, which saves you from having to buy two concealers. Another bonus is that this product never ends! I swear I haven’t made a dent in it after months of constant use!

Price: $6.00

The Covergirl Lip Sugars have gotten mixed reviews, but in my mind what’s not to love? The pigmentation is lacking because of how moisturizing these are. I think they are perfect for an everyday lip color, because I don’t want my classmates staring at my bright lipstick (which they totally would), so I’m completely happy with this!

Price: $7 (swatch is Sprinkle)