Tarte Holiday Blush Palette

Went to my local Sephora to check out all the new holiday goodies that are already out, and a few of my instagram buddies were already posting about this gorgeous blush palette by Tarte cosmetics and had to see it for myself. I was definitely NOT disappointed!

This palette retails for $42, it is limited edition and is available in Sephora stores and Sephora.com.

It's a nice sleek palette, and has all the sparkly bling that screams that the holidays are around the corner. The "Off the Cuff" palette also comes with a super cute cuff bracelet adorned with a gold bow (and I love bows!); the bracelet has two snap on buttons, which can be a con as it may not fit everyone. But very stylish nonetheless!

There are 4 blushes and 1 matte bronzer, the blushes are: Crave, Dazzled, Darling, and Dollface, and the matte bronzer is called Park Avenue Princess.

From L to R: Crave, Dazzled, Darling

From L to R: Darling, Dollface, and matte bronzer Park Avenue Princess

Swatches from L to R: Crave, Dazzled, Darling, Dollface, and Park Avenue Princess

Final thoughts: This is the perfect gift for yourself or for any beauty or blush enthusiast for the holidays. I love that it has a variety of colors to complement many skintones rather than showcasing one color family. It's great for traveling because it's sleek and small enough to fit anywhere without taking up a lot of room. The matte bronzer is great for contouring and is a nice addition to the palette. I love the permanent Tarte blushes so it's a no brainer these have the same amazing quality that Tarte continues to deliver.

From the Sephora website:

What it does:
The perfect gift for the spontaneous blush enthusiast, this palette comes with a range of five full-size shades and a wearable eco-chic bow cuff that’s sure to be the season’s hottest accessory. This limited-edition set complements all skin types and is infused with skin-balancing Amazonian clay that lasts up to 12 hours for fade-free, flawless wear.

This set contains:
- 4 x 0.158 oz Amazonian 12-hour blushes in Dollface (light pink), Dazzled (soft rose), Darling (nude melon), and Crave (pink peach)
- 0.158 oz Amazonian clay bronzer in Park Ave Princess
- Wearable, eco-chic bow bracelet 

readmore »»

Review: Wet n' Wild Eyeshadow Primer

I recently went to my local Walgreens as you know from my last post and came across the display stand for the Fergie Centerstage collection by Wet n' Wild, and all my lovely Instagram ladies that have already tried this demanded I pick this up! So today I will be reviewing the eyeshadow primer from the line (and will review the lipsticks in another post). As you can see from the top pic, I stocked up! Because this stuff is awesome sauce! Don't worry, I will be doing a giveaway very soon and one lucky reader or instagram follower will receive one in their giveaway set! If you have Instagram, feel free to follow me @nessasarymakeup.

The deets:
Where I bought mine: Walgreens
Price: $4.99 (on sale)
Shade: For my primas (only shade it comes in), it's a neutral, colorless shade and blends in with the skin.

What it's supposed to do: Prevent your eyeshadows from creasing on your lids and keeping it fresh all day.

First impression: When I took off the cap, I noticed the product was just spewing out due to all the pressure in the tube (not a deal breaker), but it's definitely a waste of product because you can't control it and you can't put any of the excess back in, however I am sure once some of it is used up, this will be eliminated. There is no funky smell to it, in fact, it reminded me EXACTLY of my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (UDPP). Same look and feel. I wore it under some Inglot eyeshadows to work when I did a brown smokey look, and 13 hours later (from the time I got ready for work at 6am until 7pm when I got home), it still looks really fresh! No creasing whatsoever! I was highly impressed considering this is probably one of the first drugstore eyeshadow primers I have really seen and it was only $4.99!

PROS:
- Lots of product in the tube
- Only $4.99
- Actually prevented creasing for me and kept my eyeshadows vibrant

CONS:
- Hard to find, since I believe these are Limited Edition as it is part of the Fergie Collection, that means when you run out, you most likely won't be able to re-stock.
- Too much product oozes out of the tube first few uses due to all the product pressure in the tube, but should subside once enough product is used.

Final thoughts: This is pretty amazing, and you cannot beat the price as it performs just as good, if not better, than some of the "high-end" eyeshadow primers as you can see from the pics below. I definitely recommend it if you can find it!

readmore »»

teeze w/ eez teasing comb

I have very flat hair, with no volume to it whatsoever. I am sure if you have seen my past posts of my hair normally, it's just stick straight and flat. I try to tease it with the regular rat tail combs, but it gets very tiring and tedious, and not to mention that sometimes it yanks on your hair.

Decided to try the teeze w/ eez comb ($12-14, www.teezeweez.com), which is a professional teasing tool to give us flat haired gals more boost and volume. Because there are three rows of teeth, you backcomb easily in half the time, and it does not tangle your hair. Giving you nice volume with less work and hassle. It has a long handle that's easy to grip, and the teeth are made of anti-static stainless steal, so you don't have to worry about static head or flyaways.

I really like this teasing comb, it's different, and most of all- does the trick and gives my hair lots and lots of volume. I just spritz a bit of hairspray on my hair and tease, and voila. Definitely something I always use now because it totally makes a difference! Just check out the pictures below!

My hair normally flat...

My hair teased with teez w/ eez

Disclaimer: All product reviews and honest opinions on this site are solely that of my own and I am not endorsed, affiliated, or paid for this review unless otherwise specified. This product was given for review consideration.

readmore »»

Paw Palette (www.crystalpowder.com)

Calling all makeup artists! The "Paw Palette" is an adjustable strap-on palette to fit any size wrist (www.crystalpowder.com); allowing you to mix and apply makeup as you work your magic on your client. It keeps things sanitary as opposed to applying makeup to the back of your hand, and you can use it your palm if that's more comfortable. The palette itself, is a white nonporous board and it's reusable and easy to clean. And the straps are made of durable elastic band and is easy to adjust.

You can also inquire if you need extra long straps or a special size, but it definitely fits most sizes! I like that you can efficiently and quickly work on clients since you can put on swatches of concealer, foundation, lipstick, etc all on the palette and have everything within reach.

You can purchase this palette for $14.95 at the Cinema Secrets store in North Hollywood, or at www.crystalpowder.com

readmore »»

Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Set

This Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Set was designed by the gorgeous and talented MakeupbyRenRen for Sedona Lace; and I had the wonderful opportunity to try it out!

First of all, let me say that I absolutely admire Ren and Sedona Lace for putting in a lot of thought and quality into this brush collection, and for picking out really good basic and handy brushes, because you definitely get your money's worth, you will not be disappointed! The brush belt is super soft, feels like real leather, and not the cheap plastic kind (I have one and I can feel a major difference!), and fits tons of brushes, not just only the ones in the kit. Also has a cute tiny pocket where you can probably fit a few business cards. The brushes themselves are also of high quality- they are super soft, sturdy, and not scratchy at all. You can get BOTH the brush belt and brushes for $79.95 or get them separately, the brushes only for $69.95 and the brush belt for $19.95, definitely a good bargain though if you get the entire set.

And right now you get free shipping off of $50 or more by using code 50FREE.

My favorite brushes in this collection are the Jumbo Fan Brush, because it's great for removing fallout eyeshadow or to sweep on a little powder, and the pointed crease brush which makes eyeshadow application easy, even for beginners, especially in the outer-v. I specifically love how this is a unique collection that caters to makeup artists or beginners because it has everything you need. I have not seen too many brush kits that offer a brush belt with a variety of quality brushes.

From their website, www.sedonalace.com:

The brushes included in this set:
	Jumbo Fan Face Brush Everyone needs a fan brush in their life. This multi-purpose brush is large and luxurious and can be used with a number of powder products. Use it with loose powder and pack it under your eyes to catch fall out. It’s also great for setting your foundation with powder. Use it on an angle to get a nice, even distribution of blush, bronzer or highlight. The large shape also makes it great for applying body shimmer.
	Tulip Contour Face Brush The tulip cut makes this a great contour brush.  Use it on its tip and it fits perfectly into the hollow of the cheeks for contouring or onto the tops of the cheekbones for highlighting.  From the pointed tip, the bristles taper off to help with blending.  In a pinch, this brush also works great for applying bronzer, blush or setting powder. Tip:  Try using this with cream foundation.  The tulip shape will make blending a dream.
	Dome Contour Face Brush For some serious contouring, this compact, dome shaped brush comes in handy.  The bristles are tightly packed giving the density needed to really buff in contour powder into the cheek bones, temples, and jaw line.  You can also use this brush for liquid or cream foundation as the dense bristles help to blend out the product and apply it with maximum coverage. Tip:  Use a light amount of pressure when using this brush to avoid shedding.
	Flat Top Buffer Face Brush A flat top buffer brush is everyone’s best friend when it comes to foundation.  The compact, flat top helps buff in powder, liquid, or cream foundation for an airbrushed finish.  No need to worry about liquid or cream foundation staining these brown, synthetic bristles.  You can also use this brush on its side to get a precise, contoured edge on the cheekbones. Tip:  Dampen the brush bristles slightly to make foundation application a breeze.
	Universal Blender Eye brush This is the universal blender because it can do everything.  Use the brush flat on its side to pack on eyeshadow, and use it on its tip to apply crease and contour color.  This is also an amazing brush for applying all over lid color in a snap. Tip:  Keep an extra Universal Blender around to help with blending out colors – it will correct any over application or mistakes instantly.
	Flat Synthetic Eye brush Synthetic brushes are ideal for cream and liquid products as they prevent soaking up of excess makeup.  The large head of this brush makes it perfect for applying creamy eyeshadow base or concealer in seconds.  The dense, smooth bristles also make it ideal for packing on shadow – both cream and powder. Tip:  Use this brush on its tip and you’ll get the best application of brow bone shadow ever.
	Synthetic Blender Eye Brush This brush is not only great for eyeshadow but concealer as well.  Makeup artists have been using crease brushes for years to help blend out creamy product like concealer or eyeshadow base.  This brush was formulated with synthetic bristles to apply the perfect amount of product.  The bristles are also nice and dense to for easily blending out darker crease colors.  Tip: Use this as brush for contouring the nose.  The shape and tapered bristles will help you blend out hard lines easily.
	Pointed Crease Eye Brush The best thing about this crease brush is that it comes to a nice point at the top.  This is perfect for even the smallest eye spaces.    Tip:  Use this brush to help you blend out cut the crease looks – the pointed tip will prevent over blending and keep colors where they’re supposed to go.
	Brow Spoolie Duo Eye Brush The key to better brows is having the right tool set.  This duo is perfect for applying brow color effortlessly and then blending it out to look completely natural.  The angled brow side has more stiff, textures bristles so that you can really get it there with your brow color.  After that, use the spoolie side to blend out harsh lines and create consistent, even color. Tip:  Use the spoolie brush to blend out mascara clumps – its multi-purpose!
	Bent Liner Eye Brush If you have problems applying liner, this bent brush will solve all your problems.  The ferrule is conveniently angled so that you can apply gel or liquid liner without having your view obstructed by the brush head.  The tip of the brush was created to be dense and pointed to give you a clean line. Tip:  Dampen the bristles of the brush before you apply liner to always have a super clean line.
	Detailed Shader Eye Brush For advanced eyeshadow application, a small shader brush is essential.  Use it to fit into all the nooks and crannies of even the smallest eyes.  This is great for getting into the tear ducts with a highlight color or even onto the lash line for smudging out color. Tip:  Use this as a crease brush for smaller eye shapes – draw the outer v and crease on its tip and then blend.
	Angled Detail Eye Brush This angled brush was created specifically to have extremely thin bristles and a deep, diagonal cut.  You’ll never have a problem with applying the perfect winged liner with this brush. Tip:  The thinness of this brush makes it amazing for creating a cut the crease look.
	Capped Lip Brush A lip brush is essential to get a clean lip line.  This style was formatted with a cap to keep your brush sanitary when not in use.  Snap it onto the end of the brush while using it and you have a full sized lip brush that’s easy to handle. Tip:  Think you’re out of your favorite lip stick?  Don’t throw it away.  Use the lip brush to scoop out extra product inside the bottom of the tube.
	Brush Belt Having a brush belt on a gig keeps you organized and professional looking.  Use the brush belt at home for storage and easy access.  The upgraded material is smooth, durable and easy to clean. With this belt, you can store dozens of brushes with room to grow. Tip:  When traveling, fold the belt together with brushes on the inside and then wrap the straps around the belt.  Place in a baggie and your brushes will stay protected and won’t fall out of place.

readmore »»