Monthly Must Haves - June

Hey Beauty Gems -

It's me, AngBeauty411, here with another monthly wrap up of my "can't do without em'" products of the month. Time is flying....just when the weather is getting good! I just don't understand. I'm trying to hold on to summer with every ounce of my being. Just a tad late on getting this posted.  I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!!

Urban Decay Naked Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation - Lately I've been going back and forth with foundations.  It's been a struggle trying to find the "one" for summer. UD Naked Foundation has been my fav for the month of June.  If you want a foundation that's not heavy, gives you light to medium coverage and has a natural look...this is a perfect pick.  Although I'm more of a full coverage girl, summer heat quickly dictates that less is more. UD Naked foundation is a great for everyday wear and for days your going to battle warm temperatures.  It stands true with giving you great coverage and lasting power throughout the day.

NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Purple Rain & Orange - With all the bright colors I've been rocking this summer, lip pencils are a must have.  Nothing curbs lip color running amuck than some lip liner.  Organizing my lip products, I started using my NYX pencils I brought this spring.

The colors immediately jumped out at me. They're vibrant, long lasting and blend well with many lip colors. Did I mention that they're also relatively inexpensive as well????

Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain in Shaghai Sizzle - Just can't enough of orange this summer.  My new love is Revlon's Shaghai sizzle. It's moisturizing, non-drying, great color and leaves a beautiful color stain.  I love it, one of my go to lip colors for summer so far.

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Extreme Wear Nail Color in Pacific Blue -  I was watching a Friday Favorites and Flops video by You Tube's own MsLolaLynn and she was talking about SH polish in Pacific Blue (2 nails have the Sephora Formula X Top Coat in Chaotic).  I brought this a while back and it was just sitting on my shelf for months. This inspired me to pull it out. I've been rockin it every since.

This color looks great with indoor lighting and has amazing brightness outdoors.  I literally just fell in love with this all over again. Perfect for all skin tones.  The picture makes the polish look alot darker than it actually is.  NOTE:  Sally Hansen has changed the color of this polish; the new shade is a metallic dark blue. If you find this in stores, be sure to grab the ORIGINAL color and not the new one.  Sally Hansen....please go back to the original formula(color)...the new one is not even close to the original.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Nourishing Styling Treatment -  For my course, dry hair, this treatment is amazing. A versatile product that can be used  to soften, moisturize and tame unruly hair.  I primarily use this on my damp hair after washing and before using my hair tools to style. This treatment is infused with Argan and Sunflower oils to smooth and protect hair from dryness and frizz. I purchased this protect during Ulta's Love My Hair Event.  From first use, it blew me away with the captivating smell and softness it gave my hair.  I love it so much that I want to try out the shampoo and conditioner from this product line.

Bath and Body Works Semi Annual Sale - You've seen my recent hauls and know I'm head over heels for this sale.  Some of the best times of year to shop till you drop. Unfortunately, the sale has ended....whaaaaaa!!!  Look on the bright side, you can begin preparing yourself for the next semi-annual sale (end of the year).  If you want to cash in on some last minute deals, do it ASAP cause time is running out!!!

That concludes my list of monthly must haves for June.  Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend and as always....happy shopping!!!

It's Ipsy Time - June Edition

Hello Beauty Gems -

Welcome Back!!!  Can you believe how fast time is flying???  June is a little more than halfway over so you. I'm a little late with my post.  I received my bag in the mail a week ago. So let's dig into it....

So as you've seen in my previous post, Ipsy is featuring different artist with the Ipsy bag design.  This month's bag is designed by Rebecca Minkoff.  I love the design of this bag...perfect for summer.  I think this is one of my favorite bags so far.

The first item I spotted in my bag was the NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel.  If you haven't already heard the hype about NYX butter glosses, listen up now.  These glosses are smooth, non-sticky, have great color (not too pigmented; a medium wash of color), and smell so so good.  Adding this to my collection, I think I have 4 of them.

NYX offers butter glosses in a range of 22 different shades.  I'm really into the orange/coral trend lately so this will pair perfectly with some of my summer looks. NYX butter glosses retail for approximately $4.99 each.

My bag also included a full size Be a Bombshell Lash Out Mascara. Ipsy seems to include Be a Bombshell products in almost every one of their monthly subscriptions. I've liked some of their products. However, sometimes I just want to switch it up.

Perfect timing because I've been on a mascara kick lately. The product description says " A rich pigmented mascara with a lengthening formula that offers a multidimensional look."  This product retails for $15.

The one product I was really interested in trying was the Clarisea Sea Salt Solutions Face Rapid Detox Charcoal Exfoliant.  This is probably by far one of the most unique skincare products I've ever used.

The instructions say to mix with your favorite facial cleanser for extra blackhead clearing kick. Primary benefits of this product are:

• Blackhead control
• Natural Exfoliation
• Pore purging & minimizing
• Daily cleansing & light exfoliation

This product retails for $18.

Next, we have the NickaK Shimmer Eyeliner in Blue (NF004).  This liquid eyeliner is a beautiful, metallic teal color.

With just the swatch on my hand, I noticed the applicator (more firm than most; not sure if it's actually plastic or not). For most, that may work well allowing for a more precise application.  I allowed the color to set. When I tried to remove the liner with a small drop of water, it did come off but still left some color (shown in the picture below). So we know it's not waterproof.

However, I'm still impressed by the pigmentation.  I'll definitely be trying this out very soon. This eyeliner comes in 14 colors and retails for $4.99.

Last but not least is the Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray.  I used this for the first time yesterday and really liked it.

The product description says "Create sexy, tousled beach waves all year long".  The spray smells amazing (fresh coconut scent) and gives great results.  I only used a little (on my hair dry) and used my fingers to scrunch up my hair.  I could feel the hold it gave to my waves (which scared me at first).  However, I was able to easily run a hairbrush through my hair with ease. The full size bottle (which is 4.25 fl oz), retails for $8.99.  Ulta's website currently has this item on sale (Buy one get one free).


Overall, I was very pleased with this month's bag. Most of these items will go to good use.  Keep your eyes peeled for the latest and greatest with all things beauty via Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest @AngBeauty411.  Have a wonderful day and as always....happy shopping!!!

A Few of My Favorite Things.... Best of Beauty 2013 Drugstore PART II

Hey Beauty Gems-

As promised, here's part 2 of my favorite drugstore products in 2013. This blog will include lip, foundation, mascara and eye liner products. I didn't want to make this blog too long.  I narrowed it down to just a few in each category. Let's begin shall we.....first on to lips.....

Lipsticks

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Colors -  Maybelline you really brought your 'A' game with these.  The color sensational lipsticks are wonderful. They are by far one of the best drugstore lipsticks I've used. These lipsticks apply smoothly to the lips, leaving them with a soft, non-drying feel and great color payoff. As well, Maybelline has a variety of colors (62 in all) to suit all beauty gems. Even better, you get a great lipstick at an affordable price. P.S. - Much love to the new "The Buffs" collection they just released..I'm head over heels for them. 

Milani Color Statement Lipstick - Another great and affordable drugstore brand. You can choose from 36 colors that include matte, pearl, shimmer and cream finishes.These lipsticks also have great color pay-off and long wearing. Milani offers other great products including their baked blush and lip glosses. Only downside - The matte colors can be a little drying.  However, just adding some extra balm to your lips before your lipstick will solve that issue.

Wet N Wild  MegaLast Lip Color - Rounding out my favs of 2013 is the wonderful Wet N Wild.  This is a great product for gems on a budget that want a good, inexpensive lipstick.  These lipsticks can be easily found in most drug stores, have a variety of colors for all taste (26 colors in all) and have a sister lipstick with SPF 15 MegaLast Lip Color SPF 15 . These lip colors contain Vitamin E, Amino Acids, Avocado Oil, and Rice Bran Oils that provide moisture to your lips.  With great pigmentation and long-lasting wear, a super value you just cannot pass up. Whichever option you choose, you won't be disappointed.  

Lip Glosses

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Glosses -Similar to it's lip color counterpart, the Maybelline CS glosses are really nice.  They apply smoothly to the lips and have vibrant color.  These along with the CS lip colors are a great couple for achieving spectacular lip color. The formula is non-sticky so the colors can sometimes be easily transferable.  However, if you're looking for an inexpensive gloss that gives you true color....this is it. You have 24 colors to chose from (12 Vibrant High Shine colors; 12 Pink Perfection). 

Lip Liners

Jordana Lip Liner -  If you don't already know about these then let me give you the 411.  Another best kept drugstore beauty find.  These are one of the best drugstore lip liners I've every used.  The retractable lip liners give you great color and last a long time. Although they only come in 12 colors; they are so versatile that they compliment a variety of lip colors.  For an average cost of $1.99 each, these are a slam dunk deal!!!

Eyeliners

Jordana 12HR Eye Pencils - I feel in love with these the instant I used them.  The long-wearing eye pencils glide on with so much ease and DON'T SMUDGE.  The colors are vibrant and compliment most day/night looks.  The only downside is that currently they only offer 6 colors to choose from.  Fingers crossed that Jordana decides to expand this line because these are a winner in my book, anytime!

Jordana INCOLOR Fabuliner Liquid Eyeliner -  If you're looking for an inexpensive eyeliner to practice your cat eye skills with, this is it.  The slim tip applicator applies liner smoothly to your eyes making the art of liquid eye liner simple. I've found other favorites to use and haven't used this liner in a little while.  However, it's a must have in my makeup kit. The only downside is that it's not waterproof but I've never had issue with smearing/fading.  For $2.99 each, it's another great Jordana deal.

Mascara

L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara - All I can say is.....it's WONDERFUL.  You get volume, deep color without any flaking or clumping.  Another bonus...L'Oreal has expanded this line so if you want something more waterproof or longer lasting, they've got it.

Jordana Best Lash Extreme- This beauty delivers with giving your lashes all the volume you need.  While it claims that it doesn't clump, it actually does (at least for me).  As well, if you apply too much, it can make your lashes hard. With a few applications (and even combining with another lengthening mascara) you can achieve the look you want and more. For $2.99, it's a steal.

In 2013, I learned about alot of drugstore brands that produce great products.  It's comforting to know that I don't ALWAYS have to use the high end products to get the results I want. For 2014, I hope to expand my list of "best" to include more drugstore foundations and primers. 

Well gems that concludes my best of 2013 list.  I've already began ordering some other new releases for spring/summer (check out my Pinterest/Twitter/Instagram posts).  I can't wait to dish the 411 with you on those...STAY TUNED!!!

As always, be sure to follow me on all my social media sites.  Until next time....Happy Shopping!!!!

A Few of My Favorite Things....Best of 2013 Drugstore PART 1

Hello Beauty Gems! Happy Sunday Funday. I hope you've been having a fantabulous weekend. I've been taking it easy by organizing my closet, rearranging my makeup storage and catching some ZZZss. 

With that said... I wanted to make sure I posted my 2013 best of beauty drugstore edition. The picture doesn't show ALL of my favs but most. This post will show my favs with the exception of foundation. My fav foundations will be posted in a separate blog post.

So let's get started!!!! As I was cleaning, I pulled the items/brands that I used and loved the most in 2013.

While everything is not shown in the picture below, I included most. 

Eyeshadows

I'm an eyeshadow junkie. Specifically, ones that have a lot of color and pizazz...those standout colors that pop with little to no effort. First drugstore fav is....Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips. This was my go-to day palette during spring/early summer. The colors are amazing. Great pigmentation, lasting power throughout the entire day with no creasing. I primarily used the warm nude palette. Highly recommend trying this product if you haven't done so before. Great price and versatile (offered in various shades to suite your eye and natural color preferences).

NYX Single Eyeshadows... Not necessarily a drugstore brand to me at least (mostly found in Ulta, Target and other retail stores). I cannot say enough about these colors. They are gorgeous. Many of the shades from this brand are great dupes from many high-end shadows. Great pigmentation, no fall out, blends beautifully on the eye and wears ALL day without fading.

Other favorites include (not pictured) are the Wet n Wild Color icon 8-color palettes. Beautiful color at such an affordable price. I also use an eyeshadow base to make the colors vibrant. 

Next, Jesse's Girl Eye Dusts. These I can say are one of the great finds I came across in 2013. My expectation was not really high but Girlll I have been proven wrong. These are amazing products that can give you the high end look for a great value. 

To round out my favs are the ELF baked Eyeshadows. I made mention of these in one of earlier drugstore haul blogs last year. So versatile (use wet or dry) and great color. Some colors can also be used as a highlight/blush. 

On to Blush....

NYX Blush - What more can I can say.... The blushes are just as good as the eyeshadows. Great color, price and lasting power...All Day!!! 

Hard Candy Baked Blush - One of the least talked about brands. I haven't tried all of their products but the blushes are great. The baked blush formula gives you a wash of beautiful color to the cheeks. Another great value find.

Last but not least, ELF blushes. I haven't tried all their colors but Pink Passion and Fuschia Fusion were my spring favs. At $3 each, you get great product with beautiful color. 

On to Highlighters...

I have two drugstore brands that were my holy grails for most of the spring and summer... Wet n Wild and Physicians Formula.  I love, love, love the PF Sunset Strip/Bronzer. They say Bronzer...I say amazing highlight. Ideal highlight to give you that warm golden glow. It's versatile as well....colors are perfect to use as an all over eyeshadow. 

Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer.....Again, they say Bronzer, I say amazing highlight. WNW bronzers are matte and contain SPF 15. They're packaged in a large pan so you get a MAJOR amount of product. The product applies smoothly on to your skin. The darker colors in this brand can be used for it's intended purpose Bronzer. A fav drugstore product among many YouTubers and beauty bloggers including yours truly. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 which will include my favorite drugstore lippies, liners and setting powders. 

Until next time... Happy Shopping!!!!

It's Ipsy Time!!! December Bag

Hello Beauty Gems -

Hope you're having a wonderful week so far.  The countdown till Christmas is quickly coming to a close. Christmas is next week!!!  Only a few more shopping days left to get those last minute gifts.  While you're busy shopping for others, it's nice to see that beautiful pink envelope at your door.  That wonderful envelope I'm referring to contains my monthly IPSY BAG...YEEAAAHHH!!!!

This month's bag I truly love....one of my favorites.  So here's the 411 on the goodies for this month....

I'm a lash gal for sure. Just imagine how excited I was when I saw these babies.  Andrea Strip Lashes (#33)!!!  I've tried this brand before and they were pretty good. Perfect for Christmas or New Years Eve.

Also included in this month's bag was this Pop Brighten Up Your Life Eye Shadow Palette in Smokin Hot. Pop cosmetics are sold in Ulta. I've never tried this brand and not 100% crazy about the colors in this particular palette....we'll see how it wears.

I'm also ecstatic about the NYX Lipstick in Muse (LSS589A). I haven't cracked this open yet but from the bottom, this appears to be a beautiful rosey nude color with gold glitter finish.  If you don't know by now, NYX lip colors are very pigmented, long lasting, affordable and just plain GORGEOUS!!! From the looks of it, might be a good lipstick to pair with looks you create from the Naked 3 palette!!!!

Another nail polish in my Ipsy back. Curious to try this one out Starrily in Bzzz Bzzz. This polish is really clear with black and gold flecks of glitter.  Might be very pretty over a nice black or maybe light gold polish. At least it's not a full-size bottle so if I don't like it, it's not a full bottle going to waste.

Lastly, Be A Bombshell The One Stick in Flustered is a pretty red (with some coral undertone) with golden glitter accents. This stick, I'm guessing, could be used as a cream blush and/or lip color.

Overall, very happy with my products. Can't wait to try them out and see.