Elf Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzer Powder- Nars Orgasm Laguna Dupe

When I worked at Sephora, one of my favorite palettes was the Nars Orgasm/Laguna duo.  I loved the peachy pink blush, and the perfect light brown bronzer that wasn't orange.  What I didn't love was the $41 price tag!  
When I was in Target recently, I saw an ELF palette that looked strikingly similar to the Nars one I loved so much- and it was only $3!

For a $3 product, I can't believe how high quality the packaging feels- the compact feels heavy and substantial in my hand. Here's the ELF palette on top, and below is a picture of the Nars version.

This compact comes with a peachy pink blush and a light brown bronzer, both with a little shimmer.  The powder itself is highly pigmented, which really surprised me for a $3 product.  When I dipped the brush into the pans, it picked the powder up very easily, with no effort at all. I also love that the pans are large which makes this very easy to use. 

I don't own the Orgasm/Laguna palette anymore, but I do have Orgasm, so I wanted to compare it next to the ELF blush.  The Nars is on the Left, ELF on the right.    

The colors were really similar, but I found that Orgasm is a bit pinker, while the ELF blush has a little more peach in it.  Here are swatches of the two ( I swatched them really heavy to show the color better).  ELF is on top, Nars is on the bottom. 

Next, I swatched the bronzer, and it's a really great brown based color- it doesn't turn orange on me. It's a little bit dark for my super pale winter skin, but I think it'll be perfect for summer! (Right to left, colors are: Nars Orgasm, ELF Blush, ELF Bronzer). 

I'm so impressed by this palette!  Even though the colors aren't identical, they're close enough between the quality packaging and high pigmentation that I can't justify spending the extra $38 on the Nars palette.  

Have you tried this palette?  I'd love to hear what you think!

Shielo Anti-Aging Smoothing Complexion Scrub

A few weeks ago, I reviewed Shielo's Antioxidant Leave In Conditioner , and I really liked it a lot.  This week, I wanted to talk about another product I got to try from the line- the Anti-Aging Smoothing Complexion Scrub. 

According to Shielo's website, this scrub: 

"Contains non-irritating jojoba micro-spheres that will safely and gently refine skin to a new clarity. These micro-spheres are excellent for removing blackheads. Contains soothing Allantoin for comforting skin.

Aloe Vera Juice: Refreshing vitamins for skin health and renewed complexion.

Jojoba: Contains fatty acids that revitalize skin; this product contains jojoba microspheres which are small and delicate for a microdermabrasion effect.

Allantoin: Soothes the skin while reducing inflammation."

It costs $16.99 for 4 oz.

First off, I wanted to say that this product contains sodium laureth sulfate as its cleansing agent, in case you are sensitive to it.  Other than that, it's cruelty free, and made in the USA, which is a huge plus in my book. 

What I love about this scrub is that it contains tiny jojoba beads as the exfoliant, rather than crushed seeds which can cause tiny microscopic tears in the skin.  Jojoba beads are perfectly round, and are much more gentle on your face.  This scrub has a light, refreshing scent that's really pleasant to use, and it doesn't dry out or strip the skin at all.  I found it to be very gentle and non-irritating.  I use it about three times a week, and noticed lately that my makeup is going on much smoother and there are less dry flaky patches on my forehead.  I haven't noticed anti-aging benefits, other than the fact that removing dead skin helps your skin look younger, but I haven't been using this for more than 3 weeks or so, so I can't say for sure.  

Here's what it looks like out of the tube: 

When I add water to it, and spread the product around on my hand, this is what it looks like.  It doesn't foam, which for someone with dry skin like me, is a good thing, because it's not stripping.  

Overall, I think this scrub does a great job of exfoliating my skin, while doing it gently and without irritation.  The calming ingredients, such as allantoin and aloe vera leave my face feeling smooth afterwards, and never tight.  

The one thing I'm not crazy about is that it contains sodium laureth sulfate, and while it doesn't irritate my skin, others might be sensitive to it.  

It's also not cheap at $16.99, but after weeks of use, I've barely made a dent in the tube, because you need very little product, and are only using it a few times a week.  

Disclaimer: Jenna has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.

Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara Review

One of my readers mentioned in our forum that her favorite drugstore mascara was Rimmel Sexy Curves, and I realized I hadn't tried it yet.  So,since I had a $2 off Rimmel coupon at CVS, plus $10 in extra care bucks from the CVS Beauty Club, I got to try it for free! 

The packaging says that it makes lashes 70% curlier, while adding volume.

The brush reminds me of DiorShow's Extase mascara a little bit in the way it curves in and out, but the Rimmel brush is plastic, while Dior's has bristles and is a little more fluffy.  In this case, I actually like the plastic bristles because they separate the lashes a bit more.  I'm a huge regular Diorshow fan, but I remember not really liking the Extase, because it glopped up my lashes a bit.  

For this review, I decided not to curl my lashes so I could see exactly what the mascara would do.  I found the formula to be very wet, and it actually made my lashes a bit sticky and gloppy the first time I used it... 

So this morning I decided to wipe off the brush a little before I applied, and it made a world of difference! 

Before: 

After: 

The second time around, I was much happier with the results! This definitely did curl my lashes up, and flared them out a little.  It didn't make my lashes huge by any means, but it did give them a cute flirty look, and I really like it for everyday use. It also hasn't smudged yet, even at 10:00 at night, and I applied it early this morning. The downside for me is the wetter formula, and having to make sure it doesn't get on my eyelids during application, but wiping the brush off helps. My lashes are also a bit crunchy feeling, and the curl has drooped a little since this morning. 

What do you think of Sexy Curves?  Have you tried it?

Contest Winners!

I just wanted to congratulate two readers on winning the February contests... 


Morgan won the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum contest on Facebook, and Snarky from our new forum won the SensatioNail Gel manicure kit- Congrats guys! 


Everyone stay tuned for our March contests coming very soon! :)

Bath and Body Works Liplicious Gloss- Best Kiss

This week, Bath and Body Works Lip Glosses are Buy 2, Get 1 Free, and since it was time for some new glosses (not really, but that's what I'm telling myself!), I thought I'd check them out.  I haven't tried BBW glosses in a long time, so these were almost new to me again.  
I figured I'd try one from the regular Liplicious Line, one of the C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tints, and one of the Lip Jewels.  
Today, I wanted to talk about my favorite one- the Liplicious gloss in Best Kiss. This gloss says that it goes on clear and changes to pink once on your lips. 

The first thing I noticed about this gloss was the scent- it smells (and tastes!) like chocolate cake.  It's literally chocolate fix- I keep reapplying this all day.  And while I'm not the type to lick off my lip gloss, I am really tempted with this one- it's just yum! 

It does go on completely clear, as you can see on my hand: 

But after about 2 minutes on my lips, it just slightly darkened into a really soft pink.  Of all the lip glosses I've tried that are supposed to darken on contact, this one probably has the subtlest effect, but I really like that about it!  Sometimes you just want a tiny hint of color, and this one came out so pretty.  

Here's my before:

And here are the after shots: 

The other thing I love about this one compared with the other two so far, is that it's really thick. I'm not a fan of runny lip glosses- I like when they're thick because they have better lasting power and just feel more moisturizing.  This one lasts quite a while for a gloss, but as with most glosses, reapplication throughout the day is necessary.  But with the way this one smells, reapplying is not a problem! :) 
What's your favorite BBW gloss? 

Free Sample Alert! Gud body lotion.

Last month, I posted about the new GUD bath and body line by Burts Bees.  It's a fab new line of body lotions, body washes, shampoos and conditioners in really yummy scents.  Now, you can get a free sample of one of their body lotions!  Just head over to Facebook and fill out the form- that's it!  

They even let you pick which scent you'd like to try: Orange Petalooza, (blood orange and hyacinth), Vanilla Flame (Vanilla and Rice Milk), or Floral Cherrynova (Cherry Blossom and Almond Milk).  Don't ya just love free stuff? :)

E.L.F. Studio Mineral Infused Mascara Review

While perusing the aisles at Target the other day, I stopped by the ELF section to see what was new. Well, I didn't see anything new, but their makeup is sooo cheap (between $1 and $3), I always feel like I should get something to try. Since I'm a sucker for mascara, I decided to spring for the Studio Mineral Infused Mascara, $3. 

The brush is a plastic bristle brush, which is great for separating lashes.  The one downside to the brush is that the head seems a tiny bit flimsy and I'm worried that with a lot of use, it might get wobbly to the point where it'll be hard to use.

I was really impressed by the results I got from this.  I didn't expect much from a $3 mascara, and while it didn't give a falsies look, it lengthened and defined my lashes and even thickened a little bit.  It gave a natural, separated lash look that I would definitely wear everyday.  It didn't smudge all day, and came off really easily when I washed my face at night.  

Here's my before:

And here's the after: one close up, and one further away:

Who knew a $3 mascara could give such great results? Have you tried this?

Spotted in Store- Revlon Nail Art Break-Up Crackle Effect Nail Polish

I was in CVS today and saw these really cool looking Revlon Crackle Nail Polishes.  They're double ended with complimentary colors and have cute names that go with the Break-up theme. 

I picked on up in Fatal Attraction, so I'll be posting a review this week- stay tuned! 

Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Polish- Passionate Pink Swatch

If you saw my previous post on Revlon's new Colorstay Longwear nail polish, and all of the reader comments below it, you know that this stuff is just awesome- patent leather, gel-like shine and it lasts a looong time! Without a topcoat, the tips start wearing around day 4, but with a topcoat, mine lasted a week before I decided to just take it off and switch colors.  I just picked up Passionate Pink, and it's such a pretty bright pink that makes me think of Spring when I wear it.  I just wanted to post a pic so you can see the color- love it!

SensatioNail Contest is almost over!

If you haven't entered our SensatioNail contest on the forum, you'd better hurry!  The giveaway ends February 29th! 


The prize is one SensatioNail Gel Starter Kit worth $60. The kit comes with a UV lamp and all the products you need to get a salon gel manicure at home.  This kit comes with the color Raspberry Wine to get you started, but you can always buy additional colors separately.  

Spotted in Stores- Organix Coconut, Moroccan Argan and Cherry Blossom body washes and lotions.

Today while I was at CVS, I spotted some new Organix body washes and lotions in three scents: Coconut Milk & Hibiscus, Morrocan Argan Oil, and Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk.  

The Coconut Milk and Hibiscus is a "creamy" body wash and body lotion.  
The Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk is a "cashmere" body wash and body creme. 
The Moroccan Argan Oil is a "creamy oil" body wash and body lotion.  


They seem to mirror the hair products, which I absolutely adore the scents of, but haven't necessarily stood out to me in terms of performance.  But, the thought of using that amazing Coconut Milk & Hibiscus scent all over, instead of just on my hair is enough to make me want to try these! 
Have you tried these?  If not, do you want to?

Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Cuticle Eraser + Balm

I was in Rite Aid yesterday, and spotted the new Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser and Balm- I was totally drawn to the white and mint-green swirly pot! 

My hands are dry normally, but the winter makes them look like I'm 84, not 34, and having hands that are that dry, comes with major hangnails and rough cuticles.  Since I just bought a beautiful new Revlon Colorstay Gel nail polish (review coming tomorrow), I thought maybe I should clean up my nails a bit first so my manicure looked prettier.  

Here's the packaging/ingredients

I loved that this is an all in one product to remove cuticles and moisturize at the same time.  The balm smells really light and fresh, like cucumbers, and it's the consistency of a cross between vaseline and a body butter.  It's very thick, yet easy to massage into the nails. 

 I found that it removed some cuticle, but not completely.  I think I'll have to use it a few more times to remove them totally.  The instructions said you can use a cuticle pusher to get rid of hard to remove cuticles, but I didn't have one with me- not a big deal.  I loved the way it made my nails and the skin around them so smooth and healthy looking!  They looked my age again, which was so great.  

My one (tiny) complaint with this is that it's hard to wash off.  The directions said to wash your  hands afterward, and when I did, I realized that I still had greenish goop stuck around the sides of my nails.  I had to wash my hands a couple of times, scrubbing furiously at them to get it all off.  The buttery consistency of this stuff makes it want to hang on for dear life, which is a good thing while you're using the product, but not so good if you want it to come off!  Next time, maybe I'll try a stronger soap, such as dish soap to remove it, and see if that's easier.  

I definitely recommend this product if you're looking for an all-in-one solution to clean up and moisturize your cuticles!  It cost around $7 at Rite Aid.

Spotted in Store- Maybelline Spring 2012 Limited Edition Colors

Today I was in Rite Aid, and spotted some new Maybelline 2012 Spring limited edition colors. 

There are really pretty new blush shades with a flower shape embossed into the powder, two new shades of Express Finish nail polish, five marbled EyeStudio eyeshadows, and four new Color Sensational lipsticks.  Here's some up close shots: 

What do you think?  See anything you like?