Revlon Lash Potion: Review and Swatches

This month, I have been test driving Revlon's Lash Potion Mascara, so here is what I think.

I am a Rimmel girl through and through, you can never separate me from my Rimmel Scandaleyes Curve Alert Mascara but, alas, it has happened.  This will not be replacing my favorite mascara but it does come in a close second to all of my favorite Rimmel Mascaras.  I had never tried Revlon mascaras before so I was a bit skeptical when I first picked this up from the store but, after seeing the adds, I just had to try it.
The Product: This comes with your normal spooly wand and tube, nothing to see here, nothing to see here.  The product itself is a bit more wet than I am used to, and definitely caught me off guard.  I wasn't expecting anything excellent from a product that was so liquidy when first applied, or from a normal fiber brush, but I was wrong.
My Reaction: I was really surprised by this product.  I wasn't expecting anything spectacular but, well, just look.

 On the left we have my eye without any curling or mascara, and on the right we have my lashes curled with the mascara put on.  As you can see it makes a great difference in how long my lashes look, and how full they look.  I was really quite pleased with this product, and will keep on using it for the months to come.
Left- with mascara and curling, right- with no mascara or curling.

January Favorites!

Can you believe it's the end of the month? It feels like we celebrated the coming of the new year just yesterday!  I picked out a few products that I have been using a lot of this month to share with you in this month's "January Favorites!", I hope you guys enjoy!

1. Sephora Eye, Lip, and Cheek palette- I've had this palette since... well, since awhile, and it had gotten shoved towards the back when I received my BH cosmetics palettes but this month I've been reaching for it more often.  I love the pigmentation of Sephora eye shadows, and this little palette is no different than their single shadows.  There are also two mini slide trays of four blushers and twelve lip colors, but I don't use those as much as I use the eye shadows.  I have really been loving the far left column colors, the pinks, especially the bottom two which are more in the dusty rose family.  I'm really happy I've started using this palette again, I had forgotten how much I loved it!
2. NP Mosaic Blush- I don't usually wear this blush because it is more of a dark rose color when built up than a bright pink color, which is what I usually wear.  I've found this to be really great to use this winter because the color is so complimentary to the weather.  It gives a sheer wash of dusty rose in one swipe and helps to deepen the color of your cheeks but can be built up to a really nice opaque color too.  It took me awhile to figure out how to wear this but once I figured out which brush to use with it, I haven't been able to put it down!  I think I've now officially found my 'winter' blusher.
3. Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream- I've blogged about this before and how much I absolutely love it.  Since it's been so freakin' cold here in good old Missery, my cuticles and the skin around my nails has been particularly horrible.  I slap this onto the area around my nails and cuticles before I go to bed every night and when I get up in the morning and I've really noticed a marked difference in the skin around my nails.
4. Revlon Lash Potion Mascara- This is a new-ish product that I got that I've been road testing the past month, and I've been really pleased.  Anyone can tell you that I am a die hard Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara fan and will rarely deviate from it, so to try this new mascara was big for me!  What surprised me more was how much I truly liked how this mascara applied and how it makes my lashes look.  I had never tried Revlon mascara prior to this so I don't have any to compare it to, but this mascara makes my eye lashes look long and full.  Expect to see a full review of this very soon, as in probably tomorrow or sometime in the coming week.
I may or may not be posting this weekend, so the vlog will probably go up on Wednesday or Thursday next week, because I am heading out of town for the weekend and I don't know how much I will be around my computer to blog.  As always, I would love to hear what you have been loving this month. XOXO
Here are links to my other social media where you can get more posts about all things beauty!
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/canvasofaface
Youtube- http://youtube.com/canvasofaface
Twitter- https://twitter.com/MakeupLovers

Personal Style: Soda Shop Sweetheart

I thought I would share one of my favorite dresses with you all.  It's a fifties style, A-line skirt, sweetheart neckline dress in mint green with white polka dots.  I got it from modcloth.com in October and it's called the Soda Shop Sweetheart Dress.  My shoes, I got at Marshalls- they are cream colored with white bows and match stick heels and platform front.  I love the style of the fifties, so I got this dress for the opening of the show I directed last semester called "The How and The Why".  What do you guys think? XOXO

Valentine Sweetheart

This is my best friend Taylor, who became a (willing) model for a Sweetheart Valentine look I had been playing around with.  Like me, she is a Paley McPale Face but even more so, so the colors I used on her eyes really popped against her skin tone.  Here is the final look:
I used a light  pink wash all over the lids and then took a light purple/orchid color and did the crease and out to the eyebrow.  I then took a red and put it on the inner corner of her eye.  The final touch was a little bit of pink glitter from a NYX palette I own in the center of her eyelid.  On her cheeks I used my Napolean Pardis (NP) mosaic blush and swept it along the apples of her cheeks and up to the hair line.  One reason I really like this color is because it can either be sheer, like I did here, or be built up to a nice rosy flush.  The mascara I used was the Maybelline Rocket Blast mascara, which I've never used before.  I had read mixed reviews about it so I was a bit apprehensive to use it but was then pleasantly surprised when I put it on her lashes!  For her lips, since her eyes were so bold, I used a peachy sheen color from NYX gloss and it gave her a 'my lips but better' look.
This look is definitely meant more for night time partying or dates, but if you're bold- wear it whenever you want! That's the fun of makeup, if you can think of it- you can try it! XOXO

Mirenesse Glossy Kiss

A few months back, I received the Mirenesse Glossy Kiss lipstick/pencil in number 2, Flirty Kiss.  I had completely forgotten about it, although getting really excited when I first received it, until today when I was rummaging through my lips bag for something fresh to wear.  Enter this beauty and, ladies, I head over heels in love with this product.
The Specs: A Deep yet bright, blue toned red lipstick in pencil form.  The finish is glossy and very opaque.  There are 4g of product in the packaging, and can be sharpened by a plus size sharpener to get more product.  The tube is slick, and looks very high end, with the color that's inside on the bottom of the pencil. It is just slightly larger than a pen so it sits in a persons hand nicely.
My Thoughts: I really like this product.  It goes on opaque with one swipe and is very easy to control where the color does and does not go.  There is no smell to this product that I can sense, and I really like how nice the packaging looks because aren't appearances everything in this world of ours?  Here is what the product looks like on me and I'd love to hear what you all think about it too! XOXO

As always you can find my facebook page here, my twitter here, and my youtube channel here. I would love if you checked those out and gave them a follow!

How to Clean your Brushes

I really should just stop saying 'Happy Monday' and just say 'Happy Day'.  I hope this helps!

The BEST Nude lipstick

Okay, it may not be the best nude lipstick for you but it certainly is the best nude lipstick I've found for myself. The color is 'Tender Heart' and it's from Clinique. I don't even know if they make this color anymore, oh well, best make it last whilst I have it.  Here's what it looks like:

 I'm really fair, so finding a nude color that doesn't wash me out is really difficult and I've tried time and time again to get it right and failed miserably on multiple attempts.  Then I whipped out this beauty from my collection of lip products this morning and fell in love with it all over again.  I remember getting it in a sample bag from Clinique and being very apprehensive about the color at first.  It's a peachy brown nude, without any shimmer but it's not a drying matte consistency.  It's hydrating, it stays and doesn't leave a wring around my lips, and just looks good with anything.  I have rediscovered my love of this lipstick and will definitely be wearing it on a more constant occasion. What do you think of the color? XOXO

Weekly Roundup #2: Raves and Rants

So this is a day late and a dollar short, but I'm trying to keep up with doing my weekly roundup.  Since I ran out of time to take pictures of the products I've loved this week, I decided to mix it up and do a rant, rave, random post.
RANT: I'm a California girl, is it possible for my blood to freeze in my veins as I walk to class? I'm not used to cold and this 'feels like -15 degrees' thing needs to stop. Seriously. Where's spring when you need it?
RAVE: I did Zumba for the first time this weekend at a two hour Zumbathon, hosted by my school's Mortar Board Athenian Chapter to help raise money for Alzheimers research.  I had a blast at the event, danced the whole two hours, and one a raffle prize which just happened to be a lavender scented beauty bath basket.
RANDOM: I will be going to Texas this weekend to spend time with my family and get away from school for a little bit.  Every senior needs some sort of break day, and this will be mine.
How was your week? XOXO

This is a picture of me and one of our instructors (also the friend who convinced me to do it), Annie Malin, after the Zumbathon event.

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion: Review

I received the Burt's Bees Intense Hydration day lotion in my January Birchbox.  I had been wanting to give this a try since I had seen it in Walmart, but wasn't going to shell out $15 for a lotion I wasn't totally sure I would like.  Enter this sample, and what a sample it is! 
The Logistics: It has a quarter ounce of product in a glass case, with a tin twisty lid.  This lotion claims to have intense hydration properties with Clary Sage: Salvia sclarea, clary, or clary sage, is a biennial or short-lived herbaceous perennial in the genus Salvia. It is native to the northern Mediterranean, along with some areas in north Africa and Central Asia. (source, google)  I didn't know too much about this product before I started to research what was in it.  Burt's Bees is a good company that promotes natural products to help improve a person's skin.  The texture of the lotion is a combination between a gel and a cream, which I find interesting.  It's kinda goopy feeling when you first put it on, but then it sinks into my skin and makes it feel WONDERFUL.  
My Reaction: I really enjoy using this product and I think I will be purchasing this when I need a new day lotion.  This makes my skin feel hydrated all day, and the smell isn't overpowering but nice.  I am really pleased with this sample, and will definitely be repurchasing this.

Revlon Photoready BB Cream- Review

 I had mentioned a while back that I had been wanting to try a new BB Cream and since my other one ran out, I finally could!  I have fallen in love with the Revlon Photoready collection and so it seemed appropriate that I should give their BB Cream a whirl.
The Logistics: It comes in a silver squeeze tube, with a twist on black cap.  There is 1 Fl. Oz of product in the container.  This retails for $8 to $10, depending on where you go. I do find that to be a bit pricey for so little product, but if it works and looks nice who am I to judge?
My Reaction: This is a lot thicker than the Garnier BB Cream that I have been using, which I find nice.  It blends into the skin nicely and has moderate coverage.  I do like that the finish is a bit more matte than the finish of the Garnier BB Cream, which is more of a dewy finish.  There is no scent to this product which attracts me to it even more.  I am the color Fair/Light, the lightest one they offer because I am a Paley McPale Face.  All in all, I really do like this product but for the price I think I may stick to my Garnier one after this one because the price is around the same but you get a fair amount more of product.  Have you tried this BB Cream? What do you think of it? XOXO

Fergie for Wet n' Wild- Lipstick Review

 This past fall/winter, Fergie released a new collection with the brand Wet n' Wild fully of deep, vampy colors- perfect for winter weather.  I picked up two of the lipsticks, one being a bright, blue toned red and the other being this lovely plum color with just a hint of frost to it.  This color is called 'D-Vinely Chilled'.  I talked briefly about this in my weekly round up last Sunday, but I wanted to go a bit more in depth because I have fallen head over heels for this color.  It's a plum color, reminiscent of Kate Moss Rimmel Matte lipstick in 107- which was my first foray into berry toned lipsticks.  At first, I was a bit wary of the color because it looked so deep in the packaging but for about $3, what could I lose?  This is not a matte lipstick, but instead has a soft frost/shimmer to it, which really makes it stand out.  I was really surprised at how much I liked the texture of this lipstick, too.  It's creamy and glides on without having to use much pressure at all.  It does have that sort of 'old lady' like smell to it, but I sort of like that and you don't notice it once it's applied.  I think this is a great color to wear during the day or night, but especially during the colder months.  It's just that right bit of 'vampy' to give you that little edge.  During the day, you could pare it with a nice champagne colored eye and simple cheek and then at night you could pair it with a bolder, smokier eye and just go all out and be bold.  I personally would highly recommend the lipsticks from the Fergie collection, I think they're wonderful for the price but I haven't tried any of the other things from the collection.  Maybe I should? Have you tried anything from this collection? XOXO

A Plethora of Beauty Bibles

The other day I went down to my local library in search of a good read and found four wonderful beauty books.  Obviously, they were immediately snatched up and added, if only for a few weeks, to my other two beauty bibles.  What I like about these books, by Bobbi Brown and Jemma Kidd, is that they are all different and talk about different aspects of beauty.  In this post I shall try to explain why you need to at least read these or pick them up and add them to your personally library.

 Jemma Kidd: Makeup Secrets- This is a basic how to guide to makeup.  Nothing particularly spectacular of special applications, but it does give a good basic background of how to do your makeup nicely.
Jemma Kidd: Makeup Master Class- This is a more advanced version of the first book.  This book talks more about different techniques and different applications.  It also shows you different types of products and goes into detail about each one.

 Bobbi Brown: Beauty Evolution: This book talks about the beauty industry and what roles people play in photo shoots, etc. It talks about how no one comes into a photo shoot perfect and it's the makeup artist and the lighting director and the photographer and the photo retoucher's job to make them look perfect.  It also takes you through makeup you should be doing for YOUR age, twenties and beyond, which I find to be a very helpful thing to have.
Bobbi Brown: Living Beauty- This book is about Bobbi's life and how she gets her inspirations.  It also talks about diet and exercise and how that also affects your beauty.

Bobbi Brown: Makeup Manual: This is my makeup bible.  It has everything you could possibly need in a book about makeup. Enough said.
Bobbi Brown: Pretty Powerful: I just bought this the other day and love it.  It not only talks about looks from day to night, natural to bold, but also highlights women that Bobbi thinks embodies the qualities not only with their makeup but with their personality.
So, as you can see, these makeup books all hold something completely different from the other but together make one gigantic Makeup Mega Bible.  What books about makeup do you like? XOXO

My Makeup Brushes

Here is my latest post that was supposed to go up yesterday but because of technical difficulties, made it up today.  Here I talk about my makeup brushes, what I have, and what brands I like most. I hope you enjoy! What makeup brush brands do you like? XOXO

The Weekly Roundup #1

I'm starting a new series on this blog, every Sunday I will do a weekly roundup of some of my most used and favorite products of the week.  So let's dive in, shall we?

1. A big shocker that my Rimmel Scandaleyes Curve Alert is on this list.  I've been trying to 'put on a face' every morning, which usually just involves a swipe of mascara, maybe blush, and a lip color.  Half because I'm lazy in the morning and the other half because I'm running around doing other things.  This mascara has become one of my holy grail products, and I use it almost every single day.  It gives my lashes a lift and a bit of oomph without having to use a lash curler.
2. I have also been wearing the new Fergie lipstick for Wet and Wild in the color 'D-Vinely Chilled'.  The plum color reminds me of my favorite Kate Moss for Rimmel 107 except that this lipstick has a bit of shimmer running through it and is not matte.  I really liked using this product this week because I wanted to wear a plum color but didn't want something drying and wallah!
3. Since the weather has been so bloody cold, my lips and my skin have both been taking a wallop.  Enter my Gold Bond Moisturizer with Aloe and Dr. Lipp's Nipple balm lip balm.  The Gold Bond sinks right into my skin and leaves me feeling nice and moisturized without feeling greasy.  This lip balm was something I ordered from birchbox and almost immediately regretted, it's a tiny tube for a pretty large price (about $15) for a tiny amount of product.  But, me being me, I wanted to give the actual product a fair chance and again didn't really like it but now that the months have gotten colder this has become a God send.  I put this on right after I polish my lips with my Lush Mint Juleps lip polish and it stays on all night.  My only qualm about it now, besides the price, is that it is very very sticky.
4. No list would be complete without my one of my favorite perfumes, Harijuku Lovers 'Lil' Angel'.  I hadn't used this in awhile because I am practically betrothed to my Vera Wang 'Princess' perfume, but after I left that back home I found myself reaching for this.  The scent is a nice floral scent with a tiny hint of musk undertones.  I find just a spritz on my wrist will do the job, and the scent stays around all day.
5. Coming back from home to school meant a big climate change for me, and my body was just not having it.  This is why I love to use my Aches and Pains body wash, it's got eucalyptus and mint in it to help relax a person's muscles.  It also really helps to open up your sinuses while you're in the shower.  This stuff is really one of my favorite things to use when I'm sore or feeling under the weather.
What have you guys been loving this week? XOXO

January Birchbox

 The other day, I received my birchbox in the mail and it made my day when I opened it! The theme of this month's box is "Go Time" and the whole thing is about instead of giving things up, taking things on and trying new things- a great way to flip new year's resolutions on their head! Without further ado, here is what I received in this month's box:

 What: Harvey Prince 'Journey' perfume (full size $55)- a perfume that is said to have hints of Indian tuberose and Japanese orange flower.
My reaction: I'm always excited to try new perfumes, and I love that there is a Unicorn on the fold card.

 What: Nail Rock 'Velvet' nail polish (full size $6.99)- A brand new product from the UK brand Nail Rock that brings new definition to the term 'texturised nail'.
My Reaction: I definitely won't knock it till I try it, but I'm wary of having a velvet like substance on my nails.

 What: Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion (Birchbox Extra, total price unknown)- This is in addition to my other products, a bonus, like two toys in your cereal.
My Reaction: I'm really excited to try this because I've been looking at the Burt's Bees moisturizers for awhile and just haven't convinced myself to shell out the money for something I don't know I'll like so this is a great way for me to know if it will even work well for my skin.

 What: Serge Normant 'Dry Conditioner' (full size $25)- This is described as a hydrating mist that adds instant shine and softness to hair.
My Reaction: I haven't heard a lot about this product but I've been seeing that a lot of people got this in their boxes this month.  I'm interested to try it because I do love me some dry shampoo.

What: 100% Pure 'Fruit Pigmented Mascara' (full size $18)- An all natural mascara that conditions, thickens, and lengthens lashes with natural fruit pigments.
My Reaction: The first thing I noticed when I opened the tube was the smell, it's a very strong fruit smell- like, very strong.  This makes me really nervous to put it near my eyes because I'm afraid my eyes will have an allergic reaction to the scent (that made no sense but trust me, my eyes are the first to go with an allergy reaction).
What did you guys get in your box? Have you ever tried these products?

Simple Days

 Right before I left home I went out with some friends to celebrate a our friend's 21st birthday, and this is the face I did.  I wanted something simple that also looked nice, so I decided to amp up my lashes and my lips.  On my lips I used one of the new Revlon Lacquer Balms in number 210.  I liked that it gave my lips a nice wash of color that popped but wasn't too in your face.  I then used my Rimmel Scandaleyes liquid eyeliner (review soon) to create a subtle cat eye flick at the end of my eye.  This really helps my eyes to open up and it's a nice way to have fun with a simple black eyeliner.  I then popped on two coats of of the Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara and viola! I was done. Brows, eyes, lips. Boom.

And then I decided to chop my hair off...

My hair had been looking a bit, well, ratty for lack of a better word.  The amount of times I had dyed it and the colors I had dyed it, mainly the black, had really done a number on my hair.  Enter Blanc Studios in Downtown Columbia.  They had done my hair when I got back after Boji, in an attempt to get the black out.  This time there was a bit more of a decision to make, how did I want to handle my hair which looked raggedy.  Then came the decision to pixie cut my hair, I had actually made the decision the day before, but this time I stuck with the decision and I'm glad I did.  It's definitely different and is taking some getting used to, but I do like it.  This way, I can grow my hair out so it's healthy at the ends again and I will go let it go back to my natural hair color which is a medium/light blonde. As the Doctor said, "Out with the raggedy, in with the new."  What do you guys think of the new do? Do you have any styling tips? XOXO

Raving about Revlon: Vlog Post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY_xwCVibCU

Hi guys, here's my first vlog using my new camera- so thanks for stopping by! The products you will see in this video are the:
Revlon Photo Ready Primer
Revlon Photo Ready Foundation in Ivory
Revlon Photo Ready Concealer in Light
Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in 210 "Unapologetic"
Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm in 150 "Enticing", 120 "Vivacious", and 110 "Coquette"
My blog is at http://canvas-of-a-face.blogspot.com/
My twitter is https://twitter.com/MakeupLovers
My Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/canvasofaface
My youtube is http://www.youtube.com/canvasofaface

All the Social Media

I've been watching the videos Anna and Lily from Viviannna Does Makeup and Lily Pebbles have been doing about blogging and vlogging and so I decided I would make a quick post about my social media accounts for this blog.  I really want to get my name out there because I do want to get my certification as a Makeup Artist because it is something I really love to do.
On Instagram: @emmdelfosse
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canvasofaface
On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/canvasofaface
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakeupLovers
If you really want to get your name out there and your blog read, you need to take the steps- do blogs, vlogs, tweet, everything.  I will be doing more vlogs because I've started getting better at filming myself on my camera and not just my computer.  I would really love if you would go and like and follow me on the sites, and if you leave me links, I'll check yours out too!

Morning Skin Care Routine

I figured it was time to do a skincare post, so it's best to start with what I do in the morning, right?  Now, I do not claim to have the best skin, but I do take care of it.  First, I cleanse my face with the Clearasil Rapid Action Daily Face Wash.  I don't know about the claims of it clearing things in twelve hours but it does make my face feel clean but not dried out.  Then, in the morning, I tone my face with an Oxy Daily Defense cleansing pad.  I know that this isn't actually a toner or astringent, but I feel it gives me the extra protection against the day's dirt and grime. For my base moisturizer, I have two choices- The Simple moisturizing protecting lotion and the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (DDML).  When it's winter, I go for the DDML because it's heavier and really helps with harsh winter winds in Missouri but any other time of the year, I use the Simple skin moisturizer.  This is really nice and light, not oily at all.  It is made for sensitive skin, which I don't necessarily have, but sometimes my skin can be a bit finnicky and this is always a safe bet when putting it on.  I put on a base moisturizer because a BB Cream or tinted moisturizer doesn't necessarily have enough moisturizing power to last me all day.  On top of the base moisturizer, I put on my BB Cream and for this I use the Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream in Light/ Medium.  I find that the coverage of this is really nice, and makes a really good base for my makeup.  It covers up some smaller imperfections and makes the larger ones not as noticeable.  This is by far my favorite BB Cream but I've been wanting to try the Revlon Photo Ready BB Cream, would you suggest that one or is there another BB or CC cream that you like better? XOXO

Beauty Blog Weekend Link Up- BLUSHED ON A BUDGET

This weekend I'm linking up with Nikki over at Blushed on a Budget, I would highly recommend you all go on over and link up! Be sure to follow all of the instructions and let the party begin! :)

Lush Phoenix Rising Bath Bomb- Review and Photos

During my trip to Universals, I made a stop at the Lush store and I purchased a bath bomb, Phoenix Rising, and a bubble bar which I have already done a review of.  The look of this bath bomb is what initially drew me into it, it's a beautiful purple/ pink color with gold running through it and, apparently, inside there is a nice teal color that blooms out- just like a Phoenix rising from the ashes.  The scent of this is an amazing apple cinnamon scent, but it's luckily not too strong or else I'd be sneezing up a storm! I cut my bath bombs and bubble bars up to make them last longer, and so I didn't get the teal in this drop but it did turn my bath water a lovely bright pink color.  As almost everyone knows, pink is my favorite color (next to Tardis blue, of course).  I really liked how this made my skin feel too, it didn't dry me out or anything but instead left my skin feeling soft and nourished.  The scent also lingered on my skin and in the bathroom, which made the experience all that much better.  You can either pick this up at the Lush store or online for $6.95.  Have you tried any Lush products? XOXO  

Rosebud Salve- Review

 I picked this product up the other day when I was in Sephora's just looking around and when I saw it I decided to give it a try.  Okay, the main reason I wanted to try it was because it was made in Maryland, which is where my family is from.  But enough with the rambling and onto the review!

They had two different forms of this, the tin form (which I chose) and a squeeze tube lippy form.  I don't like squeeze tube lippy products so I headed straight for the tin.  Right on the back of the tin it lists the multiple things that it can be used for besides lips like, chapped skin, diaper rash, blemishes, and rough cuticles.  I can see how it would help with chapped skin and cuticles because the formula absorbs fast and leaves you feeling moisturized and not oily.  I'm very picky about my lip balm products as you can tell from my many rants and raves of Carmex, but this surprised me.  I mainly got it because I liked the subtle rose scent and the product itself was a pretty pink sheer color.  I really really love the scent like, LURVE, it because it smells like fresh roses but isn't so overpowering like perfume roses can smell.  I'm really happy with this product and I think this tin will last me a long time but when I do run out, I plan on repurchasing.  I love it when I leave Sephora's a happy customer :) XOXO