Sunday, October 26, 2014

Too Faced Snow Bunny Bronzer Review

Too Faced Products

This is my first time trying anything by Too Faced so I was really excited when I finally got off my bum and placed a (very small) order on their website. I didn't get too much at once because I didn't want to risk wasting the money if I didn't like the brand.

Too Faced Snow Bunny Bronzer
Too Faced Snow Bunny Bronzer
Too Faced Snow Bunny CompactThe actual product that I ordered was the Snow Bunny Bronzer. I wanted something more shimmery for the holidays and this looked perfect. Plus it felt seasonal with the name and everything. The whole idea behind this bronzer was that it would give you a natural bronze look in the winter when you wouldn't normally be tan, not that I like being tan anyway.

I really liked the packaging. The box was cute and the actual compact felt nice and heavy. It also has a great mirror. I love the elaborate pattern and the gold; it's different from the sleek black packing from a lot of brands, drugstore and high end. It is cute without being tacky.

Too Faced Snow Bunny Finger Swatches
Too Faced Snow Bunny Finger Swatches

Too Faced Snow Bunny - Separate Swatches
Too Faced Snow Bunny - Separate Swatches
Too Faced Snow Bunny - Mixed Swatch
Too Faced Snow Bunny - Mixed Swatch
The colors themselves I was impressed with. They did not look too orange or dark which, for me works fantastically. However, the bronze was the only one that you really noticed a color. The white was a very pretty highlight but the two pink shades looked nearly identical and were not very pink or pigmented. They are not really meant to be used as a full on blush but you can't see them at all on camera and it is hard to see them in real life. They just give the skin a shimmery glow. I have not decided whether that is good or bad yet. When all of the colors are mixed together, they give a really pretty subtle bronzed glow to the skin. I would not use this as a contour because I think matte bronzers work better for that purpose but this is great to add an extra glow.

Too Faced Primed and Poreless Powder
Too Faced Primed and Poreless Powder
When checking out, you get the option of picking two samples. The first sample I chose was the Primed and Poreless Powder. The first day I tried this, I was rushing so I just stuck a bunch of powder on my brush and all over my face. BIG Mistake! I ended up in a cloud of powder and I felt like I applied too much and my skin felt slightly too dry for most of the day. However, I love the effect the powder had on my skin and especially my pores! It felt silky smooth in a way that no other powder has ever felt on my skin. I also had very minimal oiliness and wear by the end of a busy 13 hour salon work day. My foundation did not look overly slick or like it had streaked off anywhere. It also did not settle or cling to any dry patches. You also get a lot for just a little sample, there is 0.07 oz which you get for free with a purchase! Assuming you don't do what I did and accidentally use 3 times the amount of product, this will last you awhile. The dry feeling, I suspect came from using too much. I am officially hooked! The only thing I am not fond of is when you are applying it onto your face, you get a cloud of product and I actually have to hold my breath so I don't breathe it in. If you have asthma or cannot be around smoke or other irritants for what ever reason, I would avoid this product.

Too Faced Lip Insurance Primer
Too Faced Lip Insurance Primer
The second sample was the Lip Insurance Lip Primer. It is a good size, especially for a sample. It has a basic doe-foot applicator. The product itself is clear and goes on a bit like a gloss but dries quickly. It can feel drying on the lips and a bit tacky. I applied the primer first, then applied whatever lipstick I intend to wear that day. The first time I applied it, I realized how drying it felt and I reapplied my favorite lip balm, Smith's Minted Rosebud Salve ontop of my lipstick. I have tried a few different lip products from different brands and I am not really wowed by this. I think just using a clear lip liner would give you better results.

If you have never tried Too Faced products before and don't want to pay the higher price tag for one item, you should check out their holiday collections! It is a great way to try out more products from any brand at a less expensive cost per item. Be sure to leave a comment below, I wold love to hear your Too Faced recommendations!

I bought these products with my own money. All opinions are my own and these are not affiliate links. 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

New Skincare Routine

Skincare Routine

If you read the very first post on my blog then you will probably know that I have been using the Simple face wash, scrub and moisturizer for a few months now. I still really like them and they are definitely the best drugstore skincare products I have ever tried. However, I have been noticing that they were making my face red so I decided to switch back to my Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser. I am also trying out a bunch of new products and I have noticed that my skin improved dramatically ever since. I still get breakouts and black heads but they are far more manageable now. I would still purchase Simple products if I really needed to replace something and could not get my hands on anything else for whatever reason but I think I will be sticking with higher end products from now on.

Morning Routine


I use my Dermal Clay Cleanser in the morning. I love this face wash so much. It has menthol in it so my skin always feels de-congested. This is also great if you have a cold! The only thing that I am not overly fond of is that if you use this in the winter when your house is colder, you will freeze! It makes your face feel extremely cold. The first time I use it as a mask; I just leave it on for about 5-10 minutes before washing it off. Then I apply it again as a regular face wash.

I use a face scrub about twice a week in the morning. I got a small sample of the Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator by Vasanti Cosmetics from my Birchbox so I have just been using that. I like it so far. It dissolves the bonds that hold dead skin cells together and scrubs the dead, dull skin away. There are also natural healing ingredients to combat redness and irritation.

I bought the Caudalie Favorites Kit which included a small Caudalie Beauty Elixer. I love this product! It is so refreshing. You can use it as a toner or a refreshing mist throughout the day. It is also said to help reduce breakouts.

If I am going to be applying makeup then I will use my Embrolysse Lait-Creme Concentre. I buy mine from Birchbox just because it is the most convenient for me. You do not have to be a subscriber to Birchbox to purchase products from them. They have the small 30ml for $16 and the large 75ml for $28. This moisturizer works great, even during the cold winter months and also acts as a primer. Clearly there is a reason it is favored by makeup artists everywhere.

If I am just planning on staying home for the day or if I am feeling really tired and have an early morning, I will use my Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer that I got from my Origins Bestsellers Kit

Another moisturizer that I love is the Dermalogica Active Moist. This is light and oil free, and keeps my skin balanced and moisturized even during the harsh winter months. It is one of my holy grail products!

For eye cream I use the Orgins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream. I absolutely love this product! I have gone through multiple samples of this and can honestly say that it works amazingly. I still have dark circles but the puffiness has been greatly reduced.

Then I will apply a lip balm. I love Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm but I also will use an EOS one or if you are looking for an even more budget friendly option, Carmex is great as well.

Nighttime Routine


If I am wearing makeup I will first remove it with a makeup remover wipe and some of Maybelline's Extra Eyes Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover if I wore something heavier. Then I will go in with my Caudalie Makeup Removing Cleansing Water. I am in love with this makeup remover. It is not greasy or oily and it doesn't sting my eyes or make them all blurry and it works great!

Then I will go in with my Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash on a scrub brush. I only use the scrub brush once because I have sensitive skin. Then I will follow up by just using my finger tips for my second wash. If I had no makeup on I will usually skip the face brush and just wash my face twice with my fingertips.

You can find basic scrub brushes at Sally's Beauty Supply or Sephora. I don't have a fancy Clarisonic or anything like that. Any face brush will help give you a deeper clean. If you have sensitive skin, be extra gentle or find a brush specifically meant for sensitive skin.

I try to use some sort of mask every night. Depending on the condition of my skin I will either use the GlamGlow Thirsty Mud Hydrating Mask, my Michael Todd Organics Pumpkin Mask or my Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask or sometimes I will try a new mask as well. The pumpkin one really helps to clear away dead skin but I only use this on days where I have done nothing else that is abrasive in any way; usually that is on a weekend where I was not wearing any makeup so I didn't use my face brush and didn't use a scrub that morning. Technically this mask is not supposed to be used for sensitive skin but I have had no funny reactions to it as long as I am careful about when I use it and how often. Other nights I will use my charcoal mask which I am obsessed with! I have noticed that my pores are cleaner and smaller just after one use and it leaves my face extremely soft! Other masks that I like are the Lush Mask of Magnaminty and the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. There is also a Drink Up 10 Minute Mask version of this as well.

Usually when I go to rinse off my mask I will take the tiniest bit of face cleanser and use that to help get all of the mask off. Literally only a pea size is plenty. It is just to make sure that there is no left over mask lingering on your face.

Then I will use my Caudalie Beauty Elixer and apply my nighttime moisturizer. I have been using the Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream. For me, this feels a bit oily and I also wake up with my skin feeling a bit dryer than usual so I am not sure whether I like this one or not. However, it doesn't clog my pores or cause any funny reactions. I did find out that they make an oil free version but I am going to use up this one first.

For my nighttime eye cream I have been using Origins Eye Doctor Moisture Care eye cream.

After I brush my teeth, I use my ELF lip scrub to exfoliate my lips and get rid of the dry skin. Then I will use my Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm. This is one of the few lip balms that are thick and moisturizing and keep my dry, cracky lips from getting dry or cracky for at least most of the day.

Since the holidays are coming up, companies are coming out with all kinds of gift sets. I think that this is the perfect opportunity to try out new face products because you can pay less for small versions of a bunch of different things. This is especially great if you are trying out a new brand all together. The same applies for makeup! These are the two gift sets I have purchased so far.

The Origins Best Sellers Kit includes a 1 oz Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash, a 0.5 oz Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask, a 1 oz High Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream, a 1 oz GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer, a 0.5 oz Plantscription Youth Renewing Face Oil and a 0.5 oz GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream. Retails for $38 from Sephora.

The Caudalie Favorites Kit includes a 0.15 oz Lip Conditioner, a 1 oz Hand and Nail Cream, a 0.33 oz Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet, a 1 oz Beauty Elixir Spray and a 1.69 oz bottle of the Make-up Remover Cleansing Water. Retails for $32 from Sephora.

I hope this helped some of you who are looking for new products to try. Overall, I have noticed a huge improvement in my skin's condition so far. I would love to read your comments and recommendations!

None of these links are affiliates. I am not making any money by you clicking on them. Everything was bought with my own money.

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Monday, October 13, 2014

Bath and Body Works Haul - Fall 2014

Bath and Body Works Bag

I love Bath and Body Works and couldn't wait to get there for some of their fall candles! I didn't go crazy because I am kind of late and there is only really another two months of fall left. I also had to try extremely hard to resist the Christmas candles that have begun to slowly take over. News flash Christmas; Halloween isn't even here yet, wait your turn!

Sweater Weather BBW Wallflower Plug InSo the first thing I got was one of their wallflower plug ins. I got Sweater Weather which smells amazing! To me it smells like a fresh, crisp autumn day, however this is what BBW has to say about it. 'Cuddle up with an aromatic blend of eucalyptus, juniper berry and fresh sage that celebrates the arrival of crisp autumn breezes.' Yep, sounds good to me. Because I got the wallflower in this scent, I reluctantly decided to skip out on a duplicate candle. May yet change my mind.

Vampire Blood BBW PocketBacAnother thing I made sure to grab before heading to the candles was my Vampire Blood Pocket Bac. The scent itself is called Wicked Plum and smells like berries. I love the scent, the name and the packaging! And like any proper vampire related thing, there is no GLITTER in this!

BBW 3 Wick Candle HolderI ended up getting a large candle holder. I had previously purchased both a large and a mini Christmas one a few years ago and also a mini holder on a stand. I decided to splurge and buy another large one that worked for all year so that I was not as tempted by the cute seasonal candle holders. And they are getting better and better each year! I love this one, it goes with the tall mini holder I already own and it is on a slight pedestal which for me takes away some of the worry about putting my candles on cardboard or wooden surfaces. I have never had an accident with a BBW candle but you never know.
BBW White Barn 3 Wick Leaves Candle
BBW Mini Candle Holder and mini Leaves CandleMoving on to the candles! I got a mini Leaves candle. Not entirely sure why as I also got the big 3 wick one. I do like to have a small stash of mini seasonal candles on hand just in case I can't get to BBW for whatever reason at the beginning of the season. I have a Sparkling Icicles mini candle left over from last year just for that purpose! The holder is one from last year so they may not have it anymore.

As I mentioned, I got a large Leaves candle, except this is the White Barn version, while the mini is the regular BBW version. I personally thought the White Barn one smelled stronger this year for some reason so I am going to try both. This is what BBW says about Leaves. 'Celebrate the brilliant colors of autumn with a rich blend of golden nectar, red apple and spiced berries.' I found it interesting that both the BBW and the White Barn brands had the same description. I don't particularly care for one brand over the other but I have noticed that there is sometimes a difference in strength between the two.
BBW 3 Wick Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Candle
This one I wasn't so sure about. Usually when I smell this candle, it is so sweet and I want nothing to do with it. However, when I smelled it this time it reminded me of the pumpkin mask that I use and wasn't as offensive. BBW says, 'A fall harvest favorite inspired by delicious homemade treats - pumpkin pie, vanilla cream and spice.' I am not 100% sure that I will like this one but as I have never actually burned it before, I will give it a try. Hopefully it doesn't make me sick, which is what usually happens with sweet scents.

These next two were part of a system I planned before I got into the store. I knew that, being half way through October I would most likely still have fall candles left over by the time I was ready to get the Christmas ones. So while still carefully avoiding the Christmas candles, I picked up two 'transitional' candles that could work for either month. I will burn my fall ones first and then start on these two in November.

BBW 3 Wick Cranberry Woods Candle
I love Cranberry Woods. It is similar to Frosted Cranberry, just spicier and less wintry. It is described by BBW as 'Tart cranberries, black currant and warm cinnamon bark captures the magic of the woods during harvest.' This is one of my favorites for fall that I have repurchased many times along with Leaves and Sweater Weather.

BBW 3 Wick Fresh Balsam CandleThis one is probably the most wintry one that I got. It is usually the one that I get that smells like a Christmas tree but really it just smells like a pine forest during the colder months. 'Crisp eucalyptus, fir needles and cedarwood musk evoke the invigorating aroma of evergreen woods on a clear fall morning.' Something odd that I noticed was that the descriptions for Fresh Balsam varied depending on the packaging. They are all the same scent by White Barn but are described differently. I love the packaging for this one though, it makes it look more fall-ish than having pinecones or glittering Christmas trees on the front. I am saving this one for the end of fall/beginning of winter.

A Thousand Wishes mini BBW perfumeOnce I got to the checkout I ended up grabbing this little thing. It is a mini of a new perfume that will be coming out for the winter. It is called A Thousand Wishes and says 'Warm your heart a thousand times over with a festive blend of sparkling champagne, crystal peonies and almond creme.' This smells really good and is a perfect spicy winter scent. Those of you who like Victoria's Secret Night or Dark Orchid will probably like this as well. The top notes are Sparkling Champagne, Twinkling Star Fruit and Golden Quince. The middle notes are Crystal Peonies, and Purple Freesia. The dry notes are Gilded Amber, Almond Creme, Sugared Sandlewood and Velvet Musk.

That is everything that I got from Bath and Body Works. What are your favorite scents for fall! I would love to know so leave a comment!


Saturday, October 11, 2014

Fall Favorites Q&A!

I am a child of Halloween! Not literally, my birthday is unfortunately in August. But Halloween has been my favorite holiday since I can remember and I have never once stated otherwise. In fact most of my early readers books were about witches and other Halloween themed things. I remember fondly my green skeleton Halloween lights in my bedroom window, those are gone now too. I decided to do a Fall/Halloween questionnaire in honor of the best season ever!

Fall Drink

In general, my favorite fall drink is apple cider but if you want to be more specific, I always get excited for Starbucks' Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.

Fall Accessory

Scarves. It is the only time of the year where you can wear a scarf without getting hot or having to wear a thick one out of necessity.

Fall Candy

Candy Corn. I have discovered that if you eat too much candy corn, it gives you a sore throat. That is how much candy corn I consume at one time. A good alternative is Butterscotch, they taste very similar.

Fall Makeup Product

MAC Spice it Up! I love this color and it will be a fall favorite for many seasons to come!

Fall Nail Polish

OPI's Every Month is Oktoberfest. I always gravitate towards colors like these but this is my favorite. Another that is a classic for me is Vampsterdam on top of a layer of Black Onyx. It reminds me of my first ever nail polish color that I bought for Halloween in middle school. Unfortunately I have no idea what brand the polish was.

Fall BBW Candle Scent

Leaves. This is one that I will always buy. It is a fall staple and I love the scent.

Fall BBW Body Scent

Amber Blush. I love this scent for fall. It is a perfect balance of floral and warmth that I love in the fall.

Fall Perfume

Dolce and Gabbana The One Desire. I love this perfume! It is slightly floral, warm and spicy. My perfect scent for fall.

Fall Desert

Without a doubt, Pumpkin Pie! Anyone who knows me knows that I will gladly finish a whole pie by myself if given the chance.

Fall Activity

Pumpkin Picking and Corn Mazes!

Halloween Additions

Haunted Houses, Corn Mazes or Hay Rides?

I prefer haunted houses and insane asylums to haunted corn mazes and I just think haunted hay rides are boring. I usually do regular corn mazes along with my pumpkin picking.

Favorite Halloween Movie

Trick r Treat, The Little Vampire and Hocus Pocus. Trick r Treat is supposed to be a scary movie but it is more of a mildly spooky, rainy fall Saturday movie. It is one of those movies that isn't really that good but enough people like it that you can still find it some places. Hocus Pocus on the other hand is a classic halloween family movie and I had to include The Little Vampire in honor of my child self who absolutely loved it.

Most Worn Costume

Vampire. I alternated between a vampire and a witch for most of my Halloweening career with the occasional Mad Hatter and miscellaneous other characters but I think that Vampire won most used overall.

What is the first costume you remember wearing?

This is slightly complicated for me. I have pictures of my baby self in a lamb outfit, I was a cow when I was about preschool age and I distinctly remember my mom making me a homemade angel costume one year when I was young. I don't remember the lamb at all and I am not sure whether the cow or the angel was first.

What was usually still left in your Halloween stash after you have eaten everything else?

Blow Pops, Tootsie Rolls, Whoppers, Smarties, and Licorice (unless it was Twizzlers).

I would love to know your answers to any of these questions! Leave a comment down below.



Monday, October 6, 2014

My Top Fall Nail Polishes

Yet another reason that Fall is the best season ever! It has everything!  The best weather, the best makeup, the best pie (yay pumpkin!), Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate from Starbucks, and of course the best nail polishes! So without further delay, here are my top  must have nail polishes for Fall!

The first one is a staple for fall. I have so many taupes but I had to narrow down to my all time favorite, which is OPI's Berlin There Done That. This is my favorite because it is not too brown or purple.

Butter London's Old Blighty
This is a really pretty smoky brick red creme. A real fall classic. Comparable to Julep's Claudette.

OPI Every Month Is Oktoberfest Swatch
OPI Every Month Is Oktoberfest
OPI's Every Month is Oktoberfest
This was my first ever OPI polish. I just love the color! It is a beautiful deep, almost coppery purple wine color. It seems more blue based but with purple, red and gold shimmer. I love colors like this and the is my favorite out of all the ones I own with a similar color.

OPI's Nein, Nein, Nein, OK Fine!
This is a nice dark neutral color. It is a dark grey that has a bit of a greenish hue.

Julep Trina
This is a shimmery eggplant purple color with purple shimmer. I think it is quite similar to OPI's Suzi and the 7 Dusseldorfs but it is warmer.

OPI's Vampsterdam
When I was younger I had a polish very similar to this but it was darker. I have since thrown away the bottle and long forgot what the brand or the name was. This polish reminds me of that other one. Even more so when layered on top of OPI's Black Onyx. I just do one coat of each and the effect is stunning.

Butter London All Hail the Queen Swatch
Butter London All Hail the Queen
Butter London's All Hail the Queen
This color is a taupe with holographic glitter. I love it because it gives an elegant twist to a basic nude color.

Essie Stylenomics
I bought this during IMATS on a whim. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. It is a very dark greyish green and really unlike any other color I have seen.

Julep Boris and Nicole
This is a beautiful frosty autumn leaves color. It is a warm reddish brown that just screams fall.

Revlon Raven Red
This has been my favorite red for years before I even had OPI's Got the Blues for Red (see honorable mentions). It is a tad lighter but it is still a beautiful blood red.
Butter London British Racing Green Swatch
Butter London British Racing Green

Butter London's British Racing Green
A beautiful hunter green with subtle shimmer. I love dark greens but they can be hard to find. This one is a real winner!

OPI's Suzi and the 7 Dusseldorfs
I actually bought this one because I saw my Cosmetology teacher wearing it on her toes and it looked so good! I later realized that it is nearly an exact dupe for China Glaze Draped in Velvet. The only difference is that Draped in Velvet has more of a chunky shimmer and OPI's Suzi and the 7 Dussel-what-its (it's a long name) has a much finer shimmer and seems a bit darker because of it. I love both but the OPI does not chip as easily on me. Out of the two I definitely prefer the OPI polish.


Honorable Mentions

All of these are either discontinued or hard to find.

My classic red for fall is definitely OPI's Got the Blues for Red. It is a dark vampy blue toned red. However I cannot find it for sale other than amazon or drugstore.com.

OPI's Skyfall Collection
This was a limited edition collection that came out for the new 007 movie, Skyfall; which by the way, was awesome! My favorites from this collection are On Her Magesty's Secret Service, Live and Let Die and The World is Not Enough. The last two come in the mini's collection if you can find it on amazon.

Julep Hoch
I love this polish but sadly it was limited edition. However Julep's Emilie seems to be a decent dupe for it. The Polish Jinx here on Blogger did a post comparing them. Check it out HERE!

Finger Paints Harvest Hues
I tried to find a color like this for years before I finally stumbled across this one. It was also limited edition and it has mostly been replaced with Butter London's British Racing Green, though they are not really a dupe for each other. It is a beautiful blue toned dark green with some silver shimmer. Very Slytherin!



Nail Polish Safety Specs.

Essie is 3 free. There is no DPB, Toluene, or Formaldehyde.

Julep is 5 free and vegan friendly. There is no Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde resin, DPB, Toluene, Camphor, or animal ingredients or byproducts.

OPI (green label) is 3 free. There is no DPB, Toluene or Formaldehyde.

Revlon is Formaldehyde and Toluene Free.

China Glaze (black label) is 3 free. There is no DPB, Toluene or Formaldehyde.

Finger Paints is 3 free. There is no DPB, Toluene or Formaldehyde.

Butter London is 5 free. There is no DPB, Phthalates, Toluene, Formaldehyde or Parabens.






Thursday, October 2, 2014

My Current Playlist - Fall 2014

Okay I know most people make a summer playlist. I have one but I just love fall so much more that I decided that it needed it's own playlist too! I know some of these songs are pretty old but I listen to what I want, not what the radio is currently playing. It's a nice change from the overplayed radio music. There are a few instrumentals listed as well. Here are a few of the songs I have been listening to lately.



Marina and the Diamonds - Numb



Adele - Skyfall


Midnight Syndicate - Blackest Rose (Instrumental)


Motion City- Always Running Out of Time


Voltaire - The Industrial Revolution (and how it ruined my life)


Demi Lovato - Heart Attack


Roger Daltrey - It's A Hard Life


Avenged Sevenfold - Save Me


Selena Gomez - Round and Round


Plain White T's - Welcome To Mystery


Alice Madness Returns - Madness(Instrumental)


Rae Morris - Walls


Kerli - Walking on Air


Tokio Hotel - World Behind My Wall


They Might Be Giants - Istanbul


Thomas VanOosting - Crispy Breeze (Instrumental)


My Chemical Romance - Disenchanted


That is a sample of what I have been listening to lately. I would love to know what is on your current playlist! Leave a comment below!