Viva Glam: Miley Cyrus

Hey everyone!

My Viva Glam: Miley Cyrus MAC lipstick finally showed up yesterday and I am sooooo freaking excited. I did not order the lipglass (total fail on my part there).
The packaging, as always on these Viva Glam products, is beautiful. Iconic black MAC tube, pink on the inside, with Miley's signature across. Love it. And sure, it doesn't hurt that I'm a huge Miley fan.

On a side note: just in case you guys didn't know, every cent of the purchase price goes towards those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, so there is also a great cause attached.

On to the lipstick!

This color is described by MAC as a "super-sexy hot pink hue", and my goodness, is it ever. The formula is what we've all come to love from MAC lippies and goes on super smooth and feels creamy on the lips.

This is in no way a lip stain and this does come off easily with eating and drinking - but a quick touch up and you're good to go.
One thing I did notice about this color: although it does come off fairly easily (seriously, be careful wearing white), it does tend to leave a sheer stain on the lips once it has come off. I did not re-apply it after work and I didn't take it off before bed last night as it was pretty much worn off (another fail for me, I know - ALWAYS take off makeup before bed). Anyway, when I woke up this morning, there was a sheer pink stain still there on my lips that was actually a really pretty subtle color. Basically, if you don't have time to re-apply, it does not come off blotchy or flakey, it just kind of.... gently fades away; my kind of lipstick.

Here it is with me wearing it so you can get a sense of the color on lips. It is super pigmented, but you can definitely play with the application to get a more sheer look if you like.

Today I went super simple on the makeup:

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer
Milani Baked Blush in Rose D'Oro
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara
Anastasia Brow Pomade in Ebony
MAC VIVA GLAM: Miley Cyrus lipstick

This lipstick will be perfect for the spring and summer... and lets be honest, we all know I'm gonna rock this during the end of Winter as well.

As a good friend of mine once said "Once you go MAC, you never go back".

XOXO
-J

Winter Wonderland Nails

Heyyy!

So in this months TopBox, I requested the Essie Prive box and got my choice!
I love when this happens, although, usually I end up choosing to "surprise me with a regular TopBox", I couldn't resist trying to get my hands on these colors.

Essie: Find me an Oasis (I received a Full-Size bottle)

Essie: Jiggle Hi Jiggle Low (I received a Sample-Size bottle)

Find me an Oasis is a gorgeous icy blue color that is so light is almost looks white on the nails, yet has just enough light blue tinge to tone down the brightness.
Jiggle Hi Jiggle Low is a shimmery gold that sparkles. I thought at first this would be like a glitter overlay, but it definitely isnt. This color is very opaque and does not have flecks of glitter, but rather flecks of shimmer.

When applied separately, these colors can be used at any time of the year. Find me an oasis would be a lovely beach color in the summertime, or a pale Winter neutral in the colder months. Jiggle Hi Jiggle Low is similar, as the color would be great for a sunny party, or feel festive for Holiday time.

When used together, these polishes evoke a feeling of cool iciness that just looks amazing for January. (Note: my application was a little sloppy due to the Shepsky puppy trying to help me during application).

One thing I would like to note, is that I actually am NOT a huge Essie nail polish fan.
While I do absolutely love the range, choices, and collection of colors that come out, I really dislike the brush and the formula. The brush feels dated in comparison to the shapes that have some out recently that are designed to make application easier, faster, and less messy (such as the Rimmel Lasting Pro Finish). As for the formula, I find that all essie polishes take forever to cry, regardless of color or finish, and it is definitely the brand that chips the fastest on my nails.
On top of all that, sometimes I really don't want to pay $10 for a nail polish that I will never get to the end of.
 However; sometimes I obviously cave when there is that special color I cannot find matched elsewhere and absolutely "must" have. Again, these polishes came in my January TopBox, so while I did not actually go out and purchase them, I still paid what would have been regular price for them when you factor in the subscription box cost.

XOXO
-J

Winter Fragrance Favorite.

Alright,

So it's been a while. Lets start this back up again with a Fragrance preference.
At the moment, I have a favorite scent. I am so in love with it, I am actually sad to see Winter leave because it is a tad too dark for the Spring and Summer months.
But guys... This perfume though.

When I say I'm sad to see it set aside, I truly mean I might cry.

Elizabeth and James (a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson brand) Nirvana Black. The Sephora site describes it as "an addictive blend of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine",

That is the most perfect description of this scent. It is beautifully musky and dark yet completely feminine and wearable. I have taken to wearing is every day and adopted it as my new signature scent. It retails for $26, $66, or $90 a bottle on the Sephora site (depending on size) which can seem a little pricy, but is actually on par with most perfumes and is definitely worth it to smell like a mysterious and strong goddess for a day. Yes, this perfume actually evokes particular feelings of strength and confidence for me.

A dab on each wrist and behind the ears and this scent actually lasts all day long (no re-applying after work before going out!). It also does not seem to change its structure, as some fragrances do throughout the day when hit with lotions, hand washing, and sweat.

Currently I have the rollerball and will be re-purchasing that size and a larger size very soon - I like to have both for home and travel :)

Highly Recommend!

XOXO

-J

TVAL Review Pt. 2

Hey Everyone!

Time for Pt.2 of my TVAL product review! Lets just jump into it!
*again, these were sent to me for review - however, I am giving my own honest opinion of each product*

TVAL Cleansing Milk with Geranium

 So I've been using this for about a month now and I feel like it MIGHT have to replace my beloved ponds cold cream. I actually haven't made a final decision on that yet, but I like it that much that it's an option. It has an amazing creamy texture (much like ponds cold cream, actually) and just feels very nice on the skin when you apply it and rub it in. It washes away with no residue feeling, which is nice, as sometimes creamy cleansers can leave a filmy feeling like you haven't washed it all off. Also, I feel like the texture doesn't allow for any moisture to be stripped away, as it is not a drying cleanser at all. This is the kind of product I love in the nighttime (if you've seen my skincare routine you know I LOVE moisture for my skin at night). Now, I will say that it claims to remove all makeup. I have to debunk that unfortunately. I use mostly waterproof makeup on my eyes so I never rely on face wash to get that off. I always use makeup remover. However; this doesn't even really get all of my foundation off. At first  really thought it did, my face looks and feels clean, but then I go in with a toner, and the cotton pad has makeup on it. It is not very much at all, so this does a very good job at getting most of the light makeup off of my face, but it definitely doesn't get all. I assume thats because the formula is so gentle, which in my opinion is actually still worth it as long as you use a makeup wipe before or toner afterwards you will be fine. I will also add that the ponds cold cream is the same way (I never actually noticed before, so I tested it one night and there was definitely still makeup left after). Overall I really like this, but I'm still on the fence about introducing it in place of my beloved Ponds Cold Cream.

TVAL Pore Refining Toner

This stuff I really love. This is the toner I've been using at night that made me realize there was still a little bit of makeup left on my face after using a cleanser. I just pour a little bit on a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face. Compared to the toner I use in the morning (see morning skincare routine), this one actually does give the slightest tingle/tightness, but very very small amount, nothing like the Green Tea toner from The Body Shop. I feel like I can actually tell that it is doing what the name says, refining my pores, without completely drying out my skin. There is little more to say about this. It doesn't have a strong scent, if any scent really, it does exactly what the packaging says, and I have not had any breakouts at all using it. I have to say, TVAL pretty much knock skincare out of the park.





TVAL Dry Shampoo (for Brunettes)

Ok. So this stuff just looks ... weird. Dry shampoo that looks like baby powder that has been dyed brown. I was veryyyy hesitant on using this as I didn't really even know how to apply this without powder going all over the place. But, I had to try it and I have to admit, I was insanely surprised. The application is as I imagined, not easy at all. You kinda have to just try to get a little bit in your hands and apply it where you want the dry shampoo on your scalp, or use a makeup brush to pick some up and then apply it where you want. I don't have an extra makeup brush that I can just dip into this and apply to my head - I would need to figure out a good size/shape and buy one, so I just used my hands instead. This is where my negativity ends. I used it one morning when I didn't have time to wash my hair before work. Wow. Not only did it get rid of all the oil and buildup I could feel, but my hair had insane amazing volume. I actually couldn't believe it. Seriously, my hair looked great. I love that they tinted the product too because I have black hair and sometimes lighter dry shampoos actually make my hair look like I have dandruff or hairspray buildup. Despite the light brown color against my black hair, the product was not visible at all. I do really like how this product performs, again, I'm just not a fan of how you apply it. I would even be alright with having to use a brush like they suggest on the packaging, but it would be nice if a brush came with it for application. This size shown here is a sample size and it also comes in a shade for blondes.

TVAL Smink Eyeshadow Trio for Brown eyes

Truthfully, I'm just not a very big lover of pigment style eye shadows. I always feel like they're going to just cause a lot of fallout flakiness. I'm going to make this product review fairly short because I can't give much of an opinion in comparison as Iusually avoid this style of shadows. I will say that I really like the color payoff. The swatches shown are without a primer and the colors show fairly true to the pots. I also have to say that I really really like these colors a lot. The lighter and middle shades are very shimmery and the charcoal is matte. I like that the darkest color is not quite black, but almost a deep grey; it helps tie the colors together very nicely. Because the lighter shades are so shimmery I would probably find a similar color to help blend them out a little bit. Although I expected a lot of fallout and flakiness from these, they actually went on fairly smooth and I was pleasantly surprised. I'll probably use these for a night out look soon and show you what it turns out like! Overall, I do like these, but this style of shadow just isn't my favorite to work with for some unknown reason so I will definitely use these because the colors are so pretty, but I'm undecided if I would go out and get more once they're gone. Who knows, maybe after using these I'll get used to the loose pigment style shadows and end up buying them all the time, but right now, I just enjoy the packed or cream shadows a bit more as I do find they are easier to use.


So there you have it. My review of the TVAL products sent to me. Again, although these were given to me for review, I still gave my honest opinion. Some products I loved, others weren't things I'd repurchase, but as I always say, Just because they do or do not work for me, doesn't mean they won't for you. In store TVAL usually lets you sample things etc. so you can decide if it's something you would like. If I were to recommend products from this brand, I would definitely say the facial skincare lines are amazing and are a definite must. After trying these products I am dying to go back down and pick up some bath and body products; bath bombs, body butters, things like that as I am hopeful of similar results.
If you don't live in the area, again, TVAL provides online shopping and will ship to you!

I hope this didn't sound too preachy about the brand, I actually just really like (most) of what I tried and have been using this in my skincare routine since before anything was sent to me.

Anyway, let me know what if you guys have tried anything and what your thoughts are!

Thanks for Reading! Love!

-J

TVAL Product Review Pt. 1

Hey guys!!

So, as I mentioned before, TVAL sent me some things to review. I have given each product a fair bit of use and I will give my thoughts truthfully. Some products I LOVEEEED, some were not the greatest for me. Remember though, just because I liked or disliked something, doesn't mean it may or may not work for you. Because there is quite a few products here, I am going to do this in a 2 part review so it doesn't make this post too long. Below I have pictured all products sent to me and I will give the most detailed description of how I felt using each that I can. Come back and check out Pt.2!

                                                            Products for Review

As you can see they sent me a few ranges of products. There is skin care, makeup, lotion, and even some dry shampoo. So, with that. Lets dive in!

Colorful Lip Balm

Ok. So this is something I absolutely loved. The way this feels on my lips is absolutely amazing. There is no stickiness, just softness. It feels like my lips are just being hydrated and treated right. One thing I actually dislike about tinted lip balms, are that I tend to use lip balms when my lips are already dry and sometimes flaky. Using a lip balm that's tinted almost always ends up distributing unevenly and getting products build-up in creases and actually enhances any dry look my lips already have.Now maybe that's because deep down and burried in the ingredients of lip balms, there is actually usually a chemical that dries out your lips so you end up using more product and buying more etc. the viciuous cycle we have all heard of. So when you get a tinted balm, for me, it ends up accentuating the dryness of my lips and I may as well have put on a lip stain. This, however... This lip balm in no way does that and it has almost become a holy grail for that situation. I haven't reached for any other tinted balm since I received this. There is a slight smell (can't quite put my finger on it, but it is nice), and the color is very sheer (as you can tell from the picture). It is definitely a lip balm that just gives the smallest hint of color. My lips are pretty pigmented, but this still shows up a little and just gives a nice natural look. Again, it is just how this makes my lips feels that makes me love it the most. We'll see how it works out through the winter, as I tend to get very dry lips, but I think I'll definitely be repurchasing this one! P.S: The cute tube is definitely a bonus, seriously, how adorable is that packaging?

TVAL Skin Smoothie

Can I just point out (again) how cute this packaging is? They seriously know how to grab a gals attention with that. Ok, the first thing I want to say is kind of a disclaimer here, the scent is "Cherry Tart". I feel the need to mention here that at no fault of anyone's (except whoever made that awful cherry medicine as a kid), I actually despise the scent/flavour of cherry. No matter what it is, or who made it - it is a scent I do not like. Candles, lotion, bath salts, lip products, scratch and sniff stickers, candy, you name it and I won't like it. Therefore, I had to get a second opinion on the scent from someone else because I was just not going to like it regardless. I have been told by 3 others that they actually like this scent, so I feel comfortable saying that this probably does smell good to a normal human (unlike myself haha). Either way, it isn't the only scent this product has, so just smell whichever one you like best to choose. I do however really like it as a moisturiser, so its a shame that I won't be able to use it (although I'm sure mom will be loving this little gift). The only way I could really try this out was before bed, or to wash my hands with pumpkin soap after using it. I wanted to try it before bed and leave it on so that could tell how it worked over time (not just being washed away immediately). In the morning I awoke with my hands feeling very soft and any dry skin was no longer white (you know, the dry hands thing where the creases turn a little white because you're in desperate needs of moisture). I tried it a few times during the day, but washed it off (again, the scent). I did this so that I could gauge the initial feeling of the application.When initially applying, it also doesn't leave that annoying sticky feeling that sometimes lingers with hand creams, which is definitely a plus for me. I can't stand when I apply hand lotion and I have to wait 5 minutes before I can continue working or whatever it is I am doing. I type a lot at my job so my hands need constant attention, but I don't have time to apply hand cream, wait 5 minutes before I can put my rings back on and continue working. This stuff just doesn't require that kind of time commitment and you can rub some on and continue on with your day. I really like the feel of this, so I think I'm going to have to pick up another scent and give it a try through the winter!

Banana Honey Face Mask

I used this once a week (so manybe 3-4 times now) and I also enjoyed this as a face cream. It is just your typical face cream that makes you feel like you got that deep clean yet didn't strip my skin of any moisture (which is essential around this time of year). It says to keep it in the fridge, which I actually ended up loving' applying this stuff cold felt soooooo nice. After a few uses I didn't find that I broke out and my skin just felt nice and soft. I've also been on a bit of a kick lately where I want to watch what kinds of things I'm washing my skin with, especially my face, so I really like that this is all natural ingredients that just help enhance my skin, not strip away its natural oils. The only downfall I found for this product was again, the scent. The banana scent is very strong and after the 10 minutes or so on my face it was almost overpowering to me. This could again just be me. I'm very scent crazy, so if you smell this out of the jar and like it, you will be fine. I just kept thinking of banana flavoured medicine (again with the medicine!). I'm going to continue to use this as I like the way it feels, but once its gone I may have to try a different mask from there and hope for the same skin benefits without the scent.

Alright. So this is all I'm going to review for Part 1 of these products. There are still 4 things left to go, and like this post, there are some I absolutely loved, and others that I am a little unsure of; but we'll get into that next time!

I just want to say again, that these products were gifted to me to try and review, but as you can see my true thoughts on everything has been said. I am in no way being paid etc. and all these views are completely my own.
Thanks again to TVAL for sending me these things as I have certainly found some gems in here (as well as from Pt.2 - coming up!)

If you are interested in any of these products and want to try them for yourself - TVAL accepts orders and ships from their website (in case you do not live near)

http://tvalskincare.com/

Thanks for reading! Love!

-J