Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Review

Hello fellow beauty junkies, 

Today I would like to share with you my thoughts on Too Faced's Shadow Bon Bons palette. I bought this for my birthday. It is on sale at Sephora right now for only $32.00 it was originally $42.00. If you want to check it out on their website for yourself then just click here 

Now for some photos:

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It's no surprise that this palette is cute as hell since it is a Too Faced product. The outside is kind of velvet-ish feeling. I really like it. It kind of reminds me of Marie  Antoinette, probably because I was a history major & I tend to associate everything with something from history. I'm a nerd, what can I say? Back to the palette though. 

I comes with 12 shadow 3 of which are matte the rest are glitters or shimmers. It also comes with a shadow insurance in Candlelight which is a golden shimmery color. It is about half the size of a regular shadow insurance. There is also a FULL sized LashGasm mascara.

Now let's look at some swatches:

I swatched these over the primer that it comes with in order of how they appear in the palette. 

For the most part they have good color payoff. I'm not really a fan of the Nude Beach color though. It feels very dry & has a ton of fall out. When I apply it to my lid I get glitter all over my cheeks so I would recommend placing a tissue over your cheeks as you apply it. It is a pretty color but it's just a bit difficult to work with & honestly I expect more from a brand like Too Faced. Other than that my only complaint would be that there isn't a matte brown in between the shades Marzipan & Coffee Bean. That's pretty much personal preference though. 

Now for some photos of this palette in action:

I have to say that I am way more impressed with the mascara than I thought that I would be. It has rubber bristles which I am normally not a fan of but this stuff is awesome. I'm just not so sure that I would pay the full retail price of $21.00. The shadow themselves were a bit difficult to get to show up on the camera for some reason. My favorites so far though are Cut The Cake, Peach Fuzz, Candy Rose, & Cinnamon Sugar (which makes me want some cinnamon sugar toast, yum). 

Final Thoughts: I think that this palette is very much worth the sale price of $32.00. I have really enjoyed it. Plus, it looks really cute sitting on top of my makeup storage. If you have been wanting this I would suggest that you act quickly before they sell out of them! 

Hope you enjoyed & thanks for reading

As always

Stay True & Stay You

--Frankie-- 

  

My (late) birthday haul.

Hello! 

On October 12th I turned 25. I can't believe that I'm that old, haha. Where has all the time gone?

I thought that I would share with you the goodies that I picked up for my birthday. 

First up are some things from Beauty.com, Etsy, Sephora, Rite Aid, & Big Lots.

From Beauty.com I picked up a Pro Z-Palette in Leopard & two L'oreal infallible eyeshadows in Eternal Sunshine (left) & Glistening Garnet (right).

From the Etsy shop anothersoul I picked up 3 empty magnetic makeup palettes. These are SO gorgeous in person. I am so in love with them. You can click here to check out the shop & I highly recommend that you do. A full review/comparison to the z-palette is pending. 

From Sephora I picked up Too Faced's Shadow Bon Bons palette. I have been lusting after this since it first came out but didn't want to spend the money. Lucky me it is on sale here for only $32! Here though before they sell out.

At Rite Aid I scored some more awesome sale items. I got 3 of the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara for $1.34 each! My Rite Aid had a bunch of these still in every color. I only picked up Wink of Pink, Vision in Violet, & Green With Envy. So go check out your Rite Aid & hopefully you can score these for cheap too. I also picked up Jesse's Girl Masquerade palette that I've been wanting since it came out this past Spring but never saw.

From Big Lots I got this cute little Maybelline quad & brush for only $3.00. Honestly though, this sucks. Don't waste your money. None of the shades are pigmented. The brush is okay but not worth buying the whole kit for. 

Now for Target, The Dollar Tree, Walgreens, & Etsy (again)

From Target I got this awesome bad for only about $20.00 (I can't remember the exact price & I already took the tag off...opps) & also Sonia Kashuk's Jewel of an Eye palette for only $10.00! What a deal right? So if you're like me & wanted this palette but wasn't willing to pay $20.00 for it go check out your Target & hopefully you can score the deal. 

From The Dollar Tree I got a little foot brush thing with a pumice stone on the other side & also a great face wash from Acne Free & also one of thier face masks. They are both great I recommend them. 

 From the Etsy shop historicallydestash I got these cute little clips. You can visit her shop here. I prefer the bobby pins. The seller is awesome & the pins are only .99 each so you can't beat that. 

From Walgreens I picked up one of Maybelline's new Elixir glosses in Petal Plush, Wet N Wild Fergie eye palette in Suburban Jungle (limited edition), Maybelline Color Tattoo in Edgy Emerald which is really more mint to me, & lastly Sinful Colors nail polishes in Skylark (left) & Song of Summer (right). 

Also for my birithday my mom, step-dad went to St.Louis for a few days to visit with my aunt & uncle. It was SO fun. I really liked it there. We went to this cute little winery & my mom & I could help ourselves with these shirts

I think it's so funny.

My aunt got me this great candle

 It really does smell like cake! I love it. I had never heard of this brand of candles until she introduced me to them & I'm hooked now. They have a great scent throw & last a long time. Plus, the jar is super cute.

I also talked my aunt into getting her first tattoo! She got a cute little paw print on her big toe & my mom & I got matching Mickey Mouse finger tattoos! 

(On my nails is the Sinful Colors shade in Song of Summer)

I love my new tattoo so much! It's my 10th. I really want to get another finger tattoo. I just love the look of them.

Well guys that's all! It's more than enough though. I kind of spoiled myself for my birthday this year. There were just so many great deals though I couldn't control myself! 

Until next time

Stay True & Stay You

--Frankie--

What's in my bag?

 Hello out there, 

Today I would like to share with you what's in my bag. 

This is my bag. I got it about a year or so ago from a store called Dots. It was on sale for about $5.00 so I couldn't pass it up. I also pick one up in white. It is fairly small but I like that about it because when I carry bigger one it just gets filled with tons of unnecessary things. I also really like this purse because it reminds me of something that a character on Sons of Anarchy would have. I love that show & it makes me want to be a biker. 

Now for what's in my bag...

Lip Smackers Lip Balm in Salted Caramel (Limited Edition)

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Pop

Almay Liquid Lip Balm Blooming

Maybelline Color Whisper in Pinup Peach

EOS Lip Balm in Tangerine

Bath & Body Works Pocketbac in Pineapple Mojo

Paris Hilton perfume 

Bath & Body Works Body Lotion in Capri Seaside Citrus

Hello Kitty Bow compact mirror from Sephora

I didn't want to take photos of my cards & what not for obvious reasons but let's face it...the beauty products are why we are all here. 

Hope you enjoyed! 

Stay True & Stay You

--Frankie--

 

Going Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Hello everyone, 

As most if not all of you know October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. According to cancer.org in the USA alone in 2013 around 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women & about 39,620 women will DIE from the cancer. There is no reason that these numbers should be this high. This is why everyone should check their breasts for lumps, don't be afraid to feel your boobs! It could save your life. You can learn how to here.

Breast Cancer touches millions of lives, including mine. My childhood best friend lost her mother to breast cancer. It broke my heart to see my friend hurting & not being able to do anything about it. No one should lose a loved one to any kind of cancer especially when it can be prevented.

So, today in honor of my friend's mother, Jean-Marie, who also happened to be a makeup lover I want to share with you guys my favorite pink products. 

Let's start with lip products: 

Left to Right: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Pink Pop, Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch, ELF Studio Line Lip Stain in Birthday Suit, Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake, Revlon Lip butter in Cupcake, Flower Beauty Lip Butter in ?? (the name is on the label that peels off to open it I think it is Princess & the Peony though), Revlon Just Bitten Kissable BalmStain in Sweetheart, Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Rose Hip, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Gentlemen Prefer Pink

Now for the eyes:

Left to Right: Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Inked in Pink, ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Sweet, ELF Baked Eyeshadow in Pixie, Jesse's Girl Eye Color Collection in Tickled Pink #5 & #6 (the pink shades), Elf Prism Eyeshadow in Sunset (the 2nd shade)

Let's talk about face stuff now:

Left to Right: Mark touch & glow shimmer glow cubes (swatched the bottom row), ELF Body Shimmer in Mystic Moonlight, Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Natural, Benefit Boxed Blush in Dandelion (sample size), Wet N Wild Fergie Centerstage Collection Shimmer Palette in Rose Champagne

Now for nail polish:

 Left to Right: Revlon in Sparkling, Claire's in Candy Shop, Claire's Glow in the Dark doesn't have a color name, Revlon in Strength of Pink

Lastly, random stuff: 

Left to Right: Not Your Mother's She's a Tease Hairspray, Paris Hilton Perfume, Bath & Body Works Scent in Cherry Blossom, Yes to Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub

Well, that's all for today. I hope that you enjoyed today's post & please remember to feel your boobs. 

R.I.P. Jean-Marie & everyone else who has fallen victim to breast cancer

Stay True & Stay you

but most importantly Stay Healthy

--Frankie--

Nail Polish Besties for Fall 2013

Hello everyone. 

Apart from being a makeup hoarder I am also a bit of a nail polish hoarder, although I'm not as bad about the nail polish as I used to be. Since I have already shared with you my makeup besties for Fall I though that today I would show you the nail polishes that I love for Fall. Hope you enjoy! 

 Top Row from left to right: ELF Dark Red, Revlon Facets of Fuchsia, Wet N Wild Wet Cement, Sally Hansen Nail Strips Kitty Kitty.

Bottom row from left to right: Revlon Smoky Canvas, Revlon Muse, Wet N Wild Gray's Anatomy, Wet N Wild Sagreena the Teenage Witch

 

I really had a difficult time narrowing this down to only 9 picks. So let's begin. 

 ELF in Dark Red: This is my favorite red polish that I own. It is a deep almost blood red which makes it great for Fall. 

Revlon in Facets of Fuchsia: This polish has a black base with purple round glitters that are rather small & also hexagonal glitters that are a bit bigger. I really like wearing this over a black polish that way you can build up the black background without having a tons of layers of glitter polish on your nails since the black background in this polish alone is a bit sheer. I'm also told that this is a dupe for some Deborah Lipman polish. I don't own any of her polishes though so I can't personally speak to that. 

Wet N Wild Megalast in Wet Cement: I'm not so much a fan of the brush in this polish line but this color is pretty much perfect for Fall. The name "Wet Cement" describes the color really well in my opinion. It does have the slightest hint of a purple undertone which I love. Plus, this color look great no matter what you're wearing which is always nice. 

 Revlon in Gold Coin- Holy metallic, Batman! Is this polish stunning or what? This is what I like to refer to as "jewelry for nails". This polish is perfect for a special event or party but it can also be nice for every day. It also goes with pretty much anything that you're wearing. 

Revlon in Smokey Canvas: This is one of my all time favorites for any time of the year but especially Fall time. It is a light, neutral grey which looks great with anything. I really like wearing this as an accent nail with the rest all black. It might sound kind of boring but there is just something about the look that I love. It's kind of "grunge" & being a child of the '90s you know I love. 

Revlon in Muse- This is a mossy green color that is a little more on the light side than most others that I have seen. It makes me think about going hiking in the woods, is that weird? Oh well. I like wearing this one with Gold Coin as an accent nail. I love the green & gold look. 

Wet N Wild Fast Dry in Gray's Anatomy- This polish is hard to photograph because it is so multi-chromed. It's a greyish silver base that flashes green, purple, & even dark pink at times. It is a sheer color which I like because it can be nice & subtle on it's own or you can use it over other colors such as black, grey, white, really anything. Most of the time though I just do about 3 coats of this on it's own. 

Wet N Wild Fast Dry in Sagreena the Teenage Witch: Jewel tones are always great for Fall & this is my favorite jewel toned nail polish. It is a bright green with very fine sparkles in it. It is so pretty in person. This one would also be great around Christmas time. 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips in Kitty, Kitty: Leopard print is great for Fall & this is a really fun way to incorporate it into a look. This is another nail polish type item that I would describe as "jewelry for your nails". A part for this shade I really love these in general. With a good top coat I can get almost 2 weeks wear out of them. 

Well, that's all for today. What are some of your favorite shades for Fall?

Stay True & Stay You

--Frankie--

Dollar Tree Haul!

I'm a big fan of The Dollar Tree. You can really find some great deals. I went to my local Dollar Tree to try & get my hands on some of those Rimmel eyeshadows that have been popping up everywhere...but mine. Although I was sad that I wasn't able to find any of those I did get some other goodies that I would like to share with today. 

Donna Michelle Color Changing Nail Strips- These are like the Sally Hansen ones. I have yet to try these but I will report back to you with a full review once I do. 

Hershey's Cookies n Cream Bar- My Favorite! 

Milani's Runway Eyes Single Shadow in Royalty

ELF's Super Glossy Line Shine in Angel

A no name brand nail brush. I just couldn't pass this up. I love elephants, they are my favorite animal. 

Lastly, ELF's Brightening Quad in Silver Lining. Once I got home I realized that I already had this quad. I hate when I do that. There is something weird about it though. The colors aren't quite the same. 

The one on the left is the one that I purchased from ELF's website a while back & the one on the right is the one that I purchased from The Dollar Store today. The one on the left has (from top to bottom) a lilac, a dark grey-ish purple with a slight metallic finish, a bright purple with lots of glitter, & then a very light pinkish color. The on the right (from top to bottom) has the same very light pinkish color from the bottom of the other quad, the same dark grey-ish purple, a dark blue with a hint of purple, and a some what pearly white shade. 

I have been a long time user of ELF products. I know from personal experience & from reading other reviews that the quality of a product can vary from one to the next but the whole two of the same products not being the same colors thing is a new one for me. Have you ever had this happen? Did they change things?

Hope you enjoyed the hail! Until next time..

Stay True & Stay You

--Frankie--

Products that I regret buying

Today I have for you the products that I regret buying. 

Let's start with some stuff that can't be swatched. 

Skin Care:

Left to Right:

CVS Acne Fighting Moisturizer- This leaves my skin feeling super greasy which makes it horrible to wear under makeup or just in general really. I also don't like the smell. It reminds me of baby wipes which I'm not a fan of. 

 Biore Blemish Treating Astringent- This has a VERY strong scent which I could maybe get over if it worked...but it doesn't. It dries my skin out really badly & doesn't help much with blemishes. 

Biore Acne Clearing Scrub- This face wash smells really good, like oranges. That's the positive about it though. Instead of clearing my skin it broke it out! I was surprised that it did because I've been using Biore face wash for years & years without having a problem with any of them until this one. Plus, the little scrubbies in the thing HURT. They are almost sharp. I hate it. 

CVS Detoxifying Cleansing Towelettes- In case you couldn't tell from the bright green packaging these are supposed to be comparable to the Garnier brand. I haven't used those so I'm not sure if they actually are or not all I know is that these ones suck. They remove makeup alright, I've used better & worse, but they sting my eye SO badly to the point that I look like I've been crying all night or something. 

Studio 35 Beauty Eye Makeup Remover- I'm not 100% sure but I think that it is comparable to the Loreal brand. Again I don't like the smell of this. It's a strong flowery scent. It also just doesn't work well & again stings my eyes. 

Now let's get into the Makeup: 

These little cuties are the Revlon Baby Sticks. They came out with the summer collection for 2013 & were all the rage for a bit & were even used backstage on a runway for I think it was Fashion week? I'm honestly not sure which show it was for but reading that made me buy all 3 as soon as I spotted them. Sadly though, the only one that gives off any color of the bright pink one but even it isn't all that pigmented. I had to wipe it back & forth like 100 time to even get that. 

Now we have Rimmel's Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in Flush of Pearl. This is just too glittery for me to use. I don't have very large pores but this really brings attention to them & makes them look bigger than they are. 

Now we have Physician's Formula Youthful Wear concealer in Light + Yellow. This has a little roller ball on the top that you are meant to use to blend in the concealer under your eyes, it doesn't work & just gets messy. The concealer itself it's so awesome either. The skin tone one is a bit dark for "light" & has about 20 minutes of staying time. The yellow one is much better. It really cancels out my under eye circles but it can be a bit hard to cover with another skin tone concealer.

Now we have Almay's Smart Shade CC Cream in Light. The consistenacy of this reminds me a lot of the Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream which isn't surprising since they are owned by the same people. This one is quite yellow though & a bit dark for it being the shade "light". It also darkens on me throughout the day. 

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil. This isn't a total fail. I do like the formula on this but the color just doesn't look right on me for some reason. 

 Hard Candy Top Ten Eyeshadow Collection. These look great in the packaging but they just aren't very pigmented for the most part. The pink one is called "Pinking of You" & the browns are called "Naturally Gorgeous". I swatched random colors from both. The pink ones are pretty much all sheer & basically look the same. The brown palette does have a few shades that are pigmented but they are SO powdery & hard to work with. I really wanted to like these too so I'm sad about this. 

Now another Hard Candy eyeshadow product. This is called the "mod quad" in the color Pink Interlude, swatched dry. I had higher hopes for this because they are baked & I'm a big fan of their baked duos but these are sadly a different formula. They aren't quite as pigmented as the duos & they have rather big chunks of glitter. They also don't feel smooth to the touch like the duos.

Now for some lip products. Loreal Colour Riche Le Gloss the colors are Short Shorts (left) & Mint Ice (right). These were part of the limited edition collection that Loreal put out for summer. I can't remember the name of the collection. Before we get into why I don't like these I will say that the packaging is really nice & they have a yummy vanilla scent. Now for what I don't like, as you can see from the photo above they are both basically clear glosses & if I wanted a clear gloss I would buy a clear gloss. I don't know if the whole line of the Le Glosses are this sheer because these are my first ones but I'm not all that into going out & buying more. 

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipsticks in Front Row (Left) & High Heels (Right). I loooooove these colors & the packaging is nice too but the lipsticks themselves....are a big bummer. These feel nice & look nice on the lips for about 10 minutes but after that they feel like shrinkwrap & are super drying. They also wear off really funny & end up looking patchy & kind of...crusty...which is gross.

Lastly we have Wet N Wild's MegaVolume Waterproof Mascara. Bottom line...this doesn't do anything. It doesn't even build on itself which is weird. Plus, the wand just sucks. The bristles are too far apart & the spiral up the wand which I'm not a fan of. In short, skip this one. 

Well, that's it for now. What are some products that you regret buying? Do you have any advice for me to make these work better?

Stay True & Stay You

--Frankie--