Inspired a bit by Estée's favorite rose products, I thought I would do my own little post about the subject. Most of this is really just rose colored makeup items rather than products with rose in them (that would be whole post in itself). I think my obsession with rose started with the Naked 3, it's just so beautiful and now I think I need everything in that color range.

Revlon ColorStay 16 Hour in Decadent
I had debated this quad for quite some time and I'm glad I bought it. It has a really nice rosy bronze color and a gold that compliments it really well. For $6 at Target, this was worth the money. It does have a bit of fallout but that's kind of to be expected with a drugstore brand.

Essie Fun in the Gondala
I just purchased this the other day and thought this rosy pink was perfect for our non-existent spring. I typically wear a neutral nail but I think this color will be just enough without being over the top. Lord knows I can't wear a bright color.

MicaBeauty Lip Balm in Fiesta
This product was in my Ipsy bag last month and I wasn't massively impressed with it when I got it. I still don't wear it as a lip balm because I still feel like it stained my fingers more than my lips. However, I have been wanting a blush this color and so I have been wearing it more as a cheek stain. While I love the color and its stay on the cheeks, I don't think I'll be repurchasing it because it's a bit expensive for a brand I had never really heard much about and it also has mineral oil in it. The mineral oil was a turn off for me but since I am using it over all of my skincare and foundation I am hoping it's not terrible.

What rose colored products are you guys loving?
xx Tori

tessa
Cargo's Mendocino
     I'm not much of a blush junkie, but this is easily a winner for my winter favorite (mostly because I only own like 10 blushes. Whatever). I believe I talked about this in my fall edit, and my love for it applies just the same in winter. It's the perfect dusty rose color and gives the most natural pink flush. As usual, I kept the rest of my make up minimal, using my Naked Basics palette for my eyes and my usual EM Cosmetics Mascara that I can't seem to go a single post without mentioning. Seeing as today is the first day of classes and effort was an all around no, I just stuck with a Maybelline Baby Lips in Melon for my lip choice of the day. And yes, the picture is a campus bathroom selfie. You're all welcome for that.



tori
Mac's Stubborn
     Like Tessa, blush is not my forte. However, when I saw Stubborn, I knew I needed it. Not only because the name matches my personality, but it's a beautiful wine colored blush. Since this is a darker blush, I typically wear it with minimal makeup; Mascara and foundation minimal. This blush achieves the whole, "just in from the cold" look effortlessly.

I told myself that I was going to be on a makeup ban this month. Did that happen? No. Did I make it three days? No. I should really work on my self control when it comes to makeup. That being said, I feel pretty solid about these three purchases because I *needed* them. I have actually been wanting two of these products for months. In the picture I am wearing all the products listed below. Not like it was difficult because I luurrvee them.

The first is the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer in fair. If you have been reading the blog for awhile, you know that I raved about the sample I got from Sephora months back in my "BB Cream War," post. When I finally broke down and bought it, the first use was pretty magical. It has that silky formula that I love and a nice, natural coverage. There are a few other perks of this product. One including it's Broad Spectrum SPF 30. Who wouldn't want that? Another perk is it being a vegan product, also meaning no animal testing. Y'all know I'm a sucker for brands who don't test on animals.

Hourglass has been tempting me in the form of YouTube videos because just about all the people I watch use the Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil. I was running out of my beloved Gimme Brow and decided that it was time. The moment I tried this pencil I fell in love. I know I say that with about every brow product ever, but truly, this is amazing. It's advertised as a pencil but looks like the most natural thing. The consistency is more like a crayon than a pencil. That being said, I think putting a clear brow gel on over helps it stay put. I purchased the soft brunette shade and it is perfect. How did I ever operate without filling in my brows? This is a mystery.

This last product is one I am determined to conquer. Blush. I have the hardest time applying blush. I never think it looks right on me, I have no idea why. I've gotten better about it, thanks to my Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual. Anywho, I thought this NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Hot Pink would be the perfect shade. It's a gorgeous shade and does work with my skin tone. I used it the other day and was pleasantly surprised. It blends really well, I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush just to blend it in. With my face shape being oval, I go ahead and place the product higher on my cheekbones towards my ear and then blend out. I feel like that works the best for me just because I don't like the color on the apples of my cheeks, it just looks weird on me.

What products have you guys been loving lately?
xx Tori

So Rachel and I stopped by the MAC store before class yesterday. Mistakeee. I told myself I was only going to look, which I knew was a lie. However, nothing really caught my eye the first go around. I had heard from numerous people that MAC's Blush in Harmony was an amazing contour, and it definitely is. I tried it out when I got home and instantly fell in love. It's not too much on my ghostly pale skin, but it just adds a nice definition to my face.




The next beautiful purchase was the Viva Glam lipstick. I was very on the fence about this purchase. I had Rachel talk me into it. With the exception of Rebel, I had kind of gone away from bold lipstick. Viva Glam is seriously one of the most perfect red shades and it went to charity sooooo, I had to buy it. When I got home I rubbed this one on, more like a stain than a true lipstick and it's gorgeous. It'll be great for low effort days that I just put on foundation, mascara, and lipstick.


The last beauty that I picked up was Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Camel Coat. I didn't have to spend that much time debating on this purchase. Even though I think have a lifetime supply of neutral eyeshadow colours, it's a Paint Pot. It's completely different than a powder eyeshadow. I love the Paint Pot that I have in Stormy Pink. It truly does last all day, it doesn't crease, and it is just perfect for a one eyeshadow day. Plus it'll look fantastic with Viva Glam.



Now that you know I've spent about $60 at MAC, I hope you guys...and your bank accounts, feel a bit better.

xx Tori

     With most everyone after a luminous, radiant complexion highlighters seem to have become a staple in most people's kits. I'm definitely in the cream/liquid camp in terms of preference. Be it eye shadow, blush, or base I find that a creamier consistency gives a nicer finish and is easier to work with. Yet this Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush (an unnecessary mouthful, in my opinion) in Honeymoon has altered my mindset slightly.

     Though marketed as a blush, I find this to be much more suitable as a highlight. Granted I do have a skin tone comparable to Casper. Still, the pale peachy tone and the strong iridescence lend themselves to it. The lavender marbled through the blush also makes this a great shade for you cool undertoned ladies out there (like moi). Sadly I fear that anyone with a warmer complexion may end up looking a wee bit ashy and should opt for something more gold-based. Plus, unless you have flawless skin with a complete absence of pores, I would steer clear of the apples of the cheeks if you wish to avoid accentuated pores. So as a blush, I find it a little useless.

     That's the end of the con list my friends. Utilized to achieve said glowing skin, I can rely on this. I sometimes find that baked powders can be just that - a bit powdery and/or chalky. However, this is fairly soft and not messy in the slightest. Applied to the tops of my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and my cupid's bow it creates a subtle shine that could never come off as glittery.

     As opposed to a cream highlight, this powder boasts a solid lasting power. It is so finely milled that the powder formula doesn't irk me at all. There is a fair amount of product in the compact, and it is definitely affordable at only $7. Especially since I find it quite difficult to find a good highlighter in the drugstore. There are a few other shades in this range which all seem to have a strong sheen, so have a gander and see if there's a shade to suit you.

Au revoir!

xx
Rachel

This little gem I happened to receive in a Birchbox about a month back (at least I think it was last months.. I could be wrong. Don't quote me on that) and I've been in love with it from the second I opened the packaging.

The packaging is the standard Cargo tin, which I actually quite enjoy. I had owned one of their blushes and an eyeshadow duo previously and I find that the packaging doesn't get dirty in comparison to others. The full size blush that I own is a little big, but still useable for travel inside of a make up bag, but the size I have for Los Cabos is absolutely perfect and doesn't take up too much space at all. My only complaint on the packaging is that I constantly have to check that I'm grabbing the right product since they all look the same, and considering this blush and my eyeshadow duo are the same size.

Los Cabos is a gorgeous peachy shade, or as the Cargo website describes it a "soft tangerine." It has a slight shimmer to it. It reminds me a lot of NARS Orgasm, but with a more orange tone than pink. I've been reaching for this over my e.l.f. St. Lucia blush & bronzer kit (drugstore dupe for NARS Orgasm and Laguna).

The shade is perfect for summer. In fact, when fellow Broke Girls Jen, Rachel and I had an outing to the pool the other day (a rare sight, even more rare, we were around males, but that's another story) since this blush is a part of Cargo's Water Resistant make-up line it was the perfect way to put it through the test. I wouldn't say that it lasted the whole time on my skin, but we were out for quite a while, and a lot of water contact was involved... I think that was a given since we were swimming but whatever. Point being, it didn't smudge which is a great attribute because no one wants to have streaks of make up running down their face when you're at the pool with attractive boys or really anytime for that matter. Sorry for my tangent but you get my point.

I only have the sample size of this since it was a part of my Birchbox, as mentioned before, but I have no doubt that I will end up purchasing the full-size. This could easily become a summer staple for me so let's hope they keep it around long enough for me to snag up a full size!

You can get the full size for $26 from Cargo Cosmetics or Ulta stores.

xx
Tessa