Into The Fuchsia: Covergirl Outlast Longwear Moisture Lipstick Pics and Swatches

Into The Fuchsia Covergirl Outlast Longwear Moisture Lipstick is one of eleven colors available in the line.  It’s a beautiful, bright fuchsia pink color that’s perfect for the summer season.

I have to start by saying that I’m not a fan of the packaging.  It’s a very flimsy plastic that just feels like it could fall apart at any second.
But the pigmentation of this lipstick by far makes up for the packaging.  It is super creamy and gives amazing opaque coverage with a single light layer.
The heavy color payoff does not mean that it wears “heavy”. It has a thin, light feel to it that doesn’t feel thick or goopy.
I love this color as well as the nice glossy finish.  It doesn’t feather or bleed outside of my lips or settle weirdly into any of my lip lines.
As for the long wear and moisture claims, I don’t find those to be true.  It stays creamy on the lips and transfers onto anything your lips touch so it will need reapplied throughout the day.
I don’t find that it adds any bit of moisture back into my lips.  It stays soft and creamy on the lips and doesn’t dry them out at all throughout the day.
Into The Fuchsia does stain my lips for the entire day though. Once it wears off, I’m left with a fair amount of pink color on my lips.

A Closer Look:

 

 

My Final Thoughts:

I give the Covergirl Outlast Longwear Moisture lipsticks two big thumbs up! The crazy good amount of pigmentation and opaque coverage more than makes up for what is lacking in the packaging department.

If You Missed the Sephora VIB Sale, There's THIS...

So last night I was looking up something on the Nordstrom website when I noticed that all of their Anastasia Beverly Hills products were 10% off. That got me looking at other brands, only to discover that MANY higher-end beauty brands are now 10% off on the Nordstrom site, and you of course get everyday free shipping on all orders (no minimun required) on the Nordstrom site as well.

Even more brands than you see above are now 10% off (I'll list all of the brands I found below). Apparently this 10% off discount is a price match (Nordstrom is awesome about price matching) although I don't know which retailer's sale they're price-matching. But with free shipping on all orders, who's complaining, right? 

NOTE: Some items that are currently out of stock on the Sephora site (for example, most of the YSL Volupte Tint-in-Oil shades) are IN-STOCK on the Nordstrom site.

Keep reading for more info...

PLEASE NOTE that, in some instances, not every product by a given brand is 10% off. There seem to be some exclusions, but not too many, as far as I can tell! Here are all of the brands that I personally found (after about an hour of searching) that are now 10% off. Click a link below to go directly to the brand's page on the Nordstrom site:

AERIN Beauty

Ahava

Anastasia Beverly Hills 

Anthony

Bobbi Brown

Clarins

Clarisonic

Clinique

Dior

Estee Lauder

GLAMGLOW

Kiehl's

Lab Series

Lancome

Laura Mercier

OCC

Philosophy

Prevage

Shiseido

YSL

Again, you get free shipping on all orders, no mininum required, on the Nordstrom site, plus your choice of three free samples (there's a YSL Volupte Tint-in-Oil sample right now, as well as a MAC Mascara sample).

I hope this helps those of you who perhaps missed out on the Sephora sale, or weren't able to get what you wanted due to do things being out of stock on the Sephora site. I hope you're able to get some of those things via the Nordstrom site while these items are 10% off!

*** this sale is going to last through 4/28/2015

Model’s Secret: Shrink Your Waistline with Coconut Oil

Fun Fact: In a research experiment involving obese men, an intake of 30 grams (2 tbsp) of coconut oil for 4 weeks reduced waist circumference by 2.86 cm, or 1.1 inches.
Its like coconut oil is the solution to all problems these days.. Its everywhere!! For hair, skin or body.. Coconut oil will take care of anything. I think at this point every home should keep a jar of it.. and now I sound like those ladies in sponsored ad shows.. Buy one and get one absolutely free haha Nah I am just kidding!
So recently I read an article on how a woman lost weight by adding some coconut oil in her coffee. I’ll link the post in the end so don’t forget to check it out. This article inspired me to do some research and spread the good news with y’all.
I also heard the famous Victoria Secret model, Miranda Kerr swears by coconut oil and its benefits of keeping her waistline slim. So read more to find out how you can add it in  your daily diet…

How does coconut oil help with weight loss?

• It contains a ton of MCTs (Medium chain triglycerides) which are the healthy fatty acids that boost metabolism.
• They do not get stored in the body as excess fat.
• When we replace the normal fats with MCTs, they burn more calories.
• It very effective in reducing abdominal fat because it fuels up our digestion power and metabolism.
• Fun Fact: Countries like Philippines, India and Pacific Islands where coconut oil is part of the regular diet have fewer cases of heart disease and obesity.

How much should I take everyday?

• 90-130 lbs, use 1 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 3 TBL per day.
• 131-180 lbs, use 1.5 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 4.5 TBL per day.
• Over 180 lbs, use 2 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 6 TBL per day.

I am not trying to lose weight but what I do is every morning, I add 1 full table spoon of coconut oil to some warm milk with 1 tbsp crushed almonds, a pinch of saffron, a pinch of turmeric and 1 tbsp honey.
I take it because it gives me a lot of energy for the day and it’s keeps my immunity high as well! I call it my morning protein energy drink.
You can add your coconut oil to some tea or warm water or warm milk.
You can use it in cooking instead of olive oil or sunflower oil.
Or add it in your smoothie as a protein power.
You can satee your veggies in coconut oil which actually gives a really nice flavor and essence.
Use it in replacement of butter in bakery food like muffins.
Use it every single day consistently for quick, noticeable results and get that summer body ready to show off at the beach. You’ll thank me later <3
IMPORTANT- Make sure the coconut oil you use is organic, virgin and cold pressed. The best brands are Nutiva and Optima. Honestly, any brand is fine as long as it claims the labels mentioned above and is certified.

"What Faith Can Do"

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes
And make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache
You think it's more than you can take
But you're stronger
Stronger than you know
Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining
I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason
For someone not to try
Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can
I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
That's what faith can do
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

Blueberry Croissant Puff

But just in case you do in fact have something against blueberries, any fruit would be fabulous in this.

 

How can you go wrong with cut up buttery croissants, fruit, and a cream cheese milk mixture that is baked until golden brown. The cream cheese is not overpowering at all and this would be perfect for breakfast or even dessert. This could be easily doubled and put in a 9X13 pan.

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.

Blueberry Croissant Puff

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 3 large croissants, cut up (about 5 to 5 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place croissant pieces in a 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with blueberries.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add milk, beating well after each addition. Pour evenly over croissant pieces. Let stand 20 minutes.
4. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in center and golden brown. You may want to cover it with foil for the last 10 minutes if the tops are getting too browned.
5. Serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar.
6. Variation: Instead of baking in a square pan bake individually. Place croissant pieces evenly in 10 (1/2-cup) ramekins; sprinkle with blueberries and pour cream cheese mixture evenly over croissant pieces. Let stand 20 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until set in center and golden brown.

Notes

This can easily be doubled in a 9X13 pan.

Jordana Modern Matte Lipsticks: Swatches & Review

I might have to start admitting that I'm becoming obsessed with lip products! ...Especially affordable drugstore lipsticks. And I love collecting all the shades when they're extremely affordable.

I really didn't think I would find the new Jordana Modern Matte lipsticks. But then low and behold, there was a display in Walgreens! And they were only $2.49! I did go to 2 more Walgreens to find the other shades I wanted. :) So that's why my initial pictures below are broken into 3 parts. But I will swatch them all together at the end of this blog post.

The packaging is cute. I love the font of the logo, and is think it's fun that the container matches the lipstick color inside. So on to the pictures! 

Left to right: 06 Matte Adorable, 07 Matte Popular, 09 Matte Dare, 10 Matte Pretty, 12 Matte Style

Left to right: 06 Matte Adorable, 07 Matte Popular, 09 Matte Dare, 10 Matte Pretty, 12 Matte Style

Left to right: 06 Matte Adorable, 07 Matte Popular, 09 Matte Dare, 10 Pretty, 12 Matte Style

Left to right: 01 Matte Bare, 02 Matte Blush, 04 Matte Tease, 05 Matte Classy

Left to right: 01 Matte Bare, 02 Matte Blush, 04 Matte Tease, 05 Matte Classy

Left to right: 01 Matte Bare, 02 Matte Blush, 04 Matte Tease, 05 Matte Classy

And then finally, I found 08 Matte It Girl at the 3rd Walgreens, so that's why she's all by herself! 

And then I wanted to swatch them all side-by-side for y'all so you can see the shades all together. 

Left to right: 01 Bare, 02 Blush, 04 Tease, 05 Classy, 06 Adorable, 07 Popular, 08 It Girl, 09 Dare, 10 Pretty, 12 Style

Left to right: 01 Bare, 02 Blush, 04 Tease, 05 Classy, 06 Adorable, 07 Popular, 08 It Girl, 09 Dare, 10 Pretty, 12 Style 

From first impressions (wearing them just a bit so far) and swatches, I actually like them!  I've heard from some people that theirs smell awful. Mine actually don't, and you know how sensitive I am to scents in makeup products! Mine smell like a subdued version of Mac lipsticks with a faint waxy scent behind that. But the scent doesn't bother me at all. If anything, I kind of like it! I'm guessing that there are maybe some bad or older batches that went to the shelves somehow, maybe?  Just speculation there! 

But overall, I think they're really fun lipsticks for $2.49 that come in a lot of versatile colors. Side note though: I do not like these more than the Wet N Wild MegaLast Lip Colors. Those will probably always be my favorite matte lipsticks from the drugstore!

And as far as the feeling on the lips, not all Modern Mattes are created equal. Some I have tried seem much drier than others and some are much more patchy and difficult to apply. While others are creamy, opaque, and very comfortable!

Drugstore Makeup and Beauty Favorites

 

There’s something about strolling through the beauty aisles of a drugstore (or your favorite discount store). Tons of beauty products to choose from, inexpensive and worth a try. In many cases, formulas are equal to that of their more expensive department store counterparts. The difference is usually in the packaging–maybe not quite as luxe as what you expect in the department store beauty aisles. 

Since I try hundreds of beauty products throughout the year, I’ve found many of my favorites come from the drugstore. These are the drugstore beauty products that I re-buy frequently :

Makeup

No longer do you have to feel that you're trading off quality for value. The product that I buy most frequently in the drug/discount store is mascara. I'm always searching for the newest/greatest. My favorite drugstore mascaras include L'Oreal Paris Voluminous® Power Volume 24H Black Smoke mascara and CoverGirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast Mascara. 
Eyeshadow is another drugstore staple. If you like neutrals like I do, check out Maybelline The Nudes Palette. Twelve eyeshadow colors that you can mix and match to get your own versatile look. I also love the  Maybelline EYE STUDIO® COLOR TATTOO®  line and have found these to be great dupes for MAC. And for eyeliners, you can't beat Wet 'nWild or e.l.f.!

Sunscreen

Unless you are loyal to a prestige department store brand, the sunscreens in the drugstore are excellent. Two of my favorites include Aveeno® Protect + Hydrate™ Lotion Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 and NEUTROGENA Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen. Both of these brands consult regularly with top dermatologists, so there is no trade-off in quality compared to more expensive versions.  

Nail Polish and Nail Care Products

Nail polish is my favorite product to buy in the drugstore. There are so many brands to choose from—most are well under $10. Sinful Colors, L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche, Essie…I can always find a new color to pick up.  Chances are if you like a hot-off-the-runway department store nail polish shade, you can find a dupe at the drugstore! And while you’re there, don't forget nail care products. Pick up Cutex® SPA Formula Nail Polish Remover, Sally Hansen Cuticle Rehab and stock up on nail files.

Skin Care - Cleansers

Yes, you can find good skincare products in the drug/discount store. Cleansers are an excellent drugstore beauty buy. My favorite cleansers include Neutrogena Foaming Cleanser, which removes dirt, oil and makeup. If you like a creamier texture, try Olay Luminous Brightening Cream Cleanser, which gently exfoliates and brightens dull, uneven skin. And if you prefer an oil, Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil is a great choice for dry, winter skin. 

Hair Care

The best drugstore hairspray—and my favorite hairspray at any price, is L’Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray. A fine mist, no-stick, no-buildup, stands up to weather formula make this hairspray my must-have. In addition, beauty companies are coming out with extensive hair care ranges that rival those found in a salon. You can find everything you need, from shampoo and conditioner, to products that create the perfect blowout. You can even buy hair dryers!