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Collab | Winter

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Hey dolls! If you follow me on Instagram (@xonoelle - let's be friends!), you'll have seen my little sneak peek on this post. A few weeks ago, I e-mailed a few girls I follow on Instagram and on a whim, asked them to collab on a makeup look with me. I was totally surprised (and excited!) that they all e-mailed me back and said, "yes!". So for the past few weeks, we've been going back and forth with ideas and themes and came up with a really awesome one - wearable looks for different seasons

My season is winter and I was inspired by silver sleigh bells!

  • Face: I started by adding moisture to my face with the Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer. Then I mixed MURAD Blur Shield with my CoverFX Custom Cover Drops (in N25) and applied with a stippling brush. I really like these two together but I'm still mixing the drops with different bases to see which I like the most. For concealer, I used It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer (in fair) and set that with Smashbox Photo Set Setting Powder. Bronzer and contour from the Smashbox Master Class 3 Palette. Blush is The Balm Frat Boy.
  • Eyes: From the Kat Von D Chrysalis Palette - Graphic Nature on the inner and outer lid, Melancholia patted in the middle, Black Milk in the crease. Lunar Light in the inner corner. Graphic Nature + Melancholia on the lower lid, blended out. Jordana Extreme Lash for mascara (LOVE!)
  • Lips:Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Exorcism
  • Brows:Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Brunette




Love With Food Monthly Subscription Box - Tasting, Gluten-Free + Deluxe | Review

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Hey everyone! I'm back with a review on Love With Food - a monthly subscription box delivered to your door filled with healthy all natural, gluten-free and/or organic snacks and foods for as low as $27 (with a three month subscription). This is great for those that are looking for a healthy alternative in the New Year!

And what's better than a company with a cause? Love With Food donates a meal to a food bank in the US for each month you're a member!

You can choose from three options: 
  • The Tasting Box - which is filled with 8-12 new snacks that are either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial stuff.
  • The Deluxe Box - which is filled with 16-20 new snacks that are either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial stuff. This box also donates two meals to a food bank.
  • The Gluten-Free Box - which is filled with 10-15 gluten-free snacks that are either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial stuff. This box also donates two meals to a food bank.


Let's see what was in this month's boxes! Starting with the Tasting Box:
What's inside the box?
  • Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks
  • Sheila G.'s Brownie Brittle (in Salted Caramel)
  • David's Tea (two tea packets inside)
  • Dirty Sweet Potato Chips
  • Biscoff Biscuits
  • Chocolatiere Monbana
  • Bello Rustico Tocchetti Sesame Bread Sticks
  • Maui Whites Natural Cane Sugar
My absolute favorites in this box were the Sheila G.'s Brownie Brittle and the Dirty Sweet Potato Chips. My son went absolutely crazy over the Back To Nature Honey Graham Sticks!

What's in the gluten-free box?
What's inside the box?
  • CookSimple White Bean Sante Fe Chili
  • Hillside Candy Organic Apple Hard Candies
  • PopChips Crazy Hot Potato Chips
  • Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps
  • Bare Simply Toasted Crunchy Coconut Chips
  • One Potato, Two Potato Hawaiian BBQ Chips
  • Bonta d'Italia Gluten-Free Penne
  • Brothers All-Natural Fruit Crisps - Fuji Apple
  • True Orange/Lime Cold-Pressed and Crystallized Sugar
This box was amazingggggg! My fiance, son and I loved the Pretzel Crisps, the organic apple hard candies and the Apple Crisps (buying more as we speak!). I also wasn't hating all the different types of chips in the box because I'm a total potato chip snacker. The PopChips were so good.

Lastly, the Deluxe Box:
What's inside the box?
  • Dirty Sweet Potato Chips
  • David's Tea
  • Back To Nature Honey Graham Sticks
  • Sheila G.'s Brownie Brittle (in Salted Caramel)
  • Snappers Up Your Snack Game & Ooh La La
  • Maui Whites Natural Cane Sugar
  • Biscoff Biscuits
  • 18 Rabbits Organic Granola Bar in Caramel Apple
  • Bello Rustico Tocchetti Sesame Bread Sticks
  • Dilettante Raspberry Chocolates
  • Chocolatiere Monbana
  • 479 Pumpkin Praline Popcorn
The snack that stole the show was hands down the 479 Pumpkin Praline Popcorn. I have never tasted something so amazing in my entire life. I won't even share, guys, that's how good it is. Close runner ups were the Biscoff Biscuits and the Dilettante Raspberry Chocolates.


Overall: I think this is such a great monthly box to subscribe to! If you're looking to get healthy in the upcoming New Year, this is perfect! You'll have yummy, healthy snacks coming straight to your door! The box offers a lot of foods I probably would've never thought to try but really actually enjoyed. 

Love With Food - Buy
* Save $5 on any plans over $30 and get a $40 bonus + magazine. Use code: JOY5

*Press Sample

#StarWarsLook | Dark Apprentice

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Hey guys! Today we'll be recreating an everyday look inspired by CoverGirl and Pat McGrath's Chrome Captain for Star Wars: The Force Awakens which comes out tomorrow!

The original Dark Apprentice look by Pat McGrath is IN-SANE and while I would love to rock it every single day (red hair, red eye and all!), I've come up with a softer, more wearable look - perfect for the upcoming holidays!

  • After putting on my foundation, I started with my eyebrows using the CoverGirl Pow-der in Black. I used light strokes to fill in my brows. I then took a spoolie brush and lightly brushed through my brows to set it.
  • After setting my lid with a primer, I took #3 from CoverGirl's Stunning Smokey's Eye Shadow Quad and brought it into my crease and blended it out.
  • Then I took #4 from the quad and with a more precise crease brush, created a soft cut-crease and then smoked it out to the end of my brow. 
  • Taking a flat lid brush, I sprayed it with a setting spray and patted #1 from the quad all over my lid. The setting spray helps intensify the glitter on the lid and also makes it easier to apply. I wanted to do a red lid but also really wanted to use all the shades in this quad. so I ended up doing the latter. #beautybloggerprobz 
  • Lastly, I took #3 and #4 from the quad, lined and smoked out the lower lid.
  • To finish the eye look, I coated my lashes with CoverGirl Star Wars Super Sizer Mascara in black.
  • For lips, I used CoverGirl Star Wars Lipstick in #30.
I hope you guys liked this look! Now it's giveaway time! Enter below for your chance to win a surprise CoverGirl prize pack:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday #FOTD | Candy Cane Lane

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Christmas is eight days away - bring on the parties! JK. I'm a mom. No parties for me. But for those that are indulging in some festivities, I've got a fun, candy cane-inspired look for you! This is perfect if you're looking to add a little fun to your look without going overboard (is that such a thing?).

  • FACE: Foundation: CoverFX Custom Drops in N25 mixed with CoverGirl Simply Ageless Primer (I really like this combo together!). Concealer: It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer in Light. Blush: NARS Goulue. Highlighter: NARS Devotee. Contour + Bronzer: Smashbox Masterclass 3 Palette
  • BROWS: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Brunette (shortly after this, I realized it's almost out! - whomp whomp)
  • EYES: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly for a base. Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Destroyer on the lid. On the bottom lid, I wet a small detail brush and picked up Destroyer again and made small lines. Then I went in with Skulls (wet) and filled in the spots I didn't cover with Destroyer. For mascara I used Jordana Extreme Lash.
  • LIPS: ColourPop Lippie Stix in Bichette


Holiday Gift Guide | For The Beauty Lover

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Hey babes! The holidays are literally right around the corner and if you're like me, well, you might have waited last minute. I swear, I do this every single year. Don't worry! We've got you covered. I enlisted the help of my fellow beauty bloggin' babes to compile a guide filled with their favorite beauty products that are perfect for that beauty maven in your life.

A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Lotion - $22 | Review
"For being such a lightweight lotion, it surely packs a moisturizing punch with olive oil, shea and cocoa butter.The only flaking my skin sees in the winter now, is from the sky!" -A Girl's Gotta Spa

Personal Microderm Device - Review
"This hand-held, easy-to-use skincare device provides effective professional-grade exfoliation at-home for a fraction of the cost of seeking a Dermatologist. It boosts collagen (which helps reverse signs if aging), while minimizing the appearance of pores, discoloration, fine lines and acne scars. If you want radiant, youthful skin, the PMD is a must-have tool." - Inspirations & Celebrations

SimpleHuman 8" Sensor Mirror - Review
"Best mirror for daily makeup application, the LED light works perfectly. Makes it easy to apply all of my makeup from my mascara to my eyeshadow to my blush. My husband bought it for me last year and I use it daily." - Phyrra

Becca Radiant Glow Collection - Review
"I like it because it has my favorite under eye brightener, 2 great "in" highlighters, and a beautiful gloss." - Beauty Info Zone

 Fresh Nude Lip Lovers Mini Kissing Trio - Review
"The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments make me feel like I'm being pampered everytime I use them! The nude tints in this set perfect for everyday wear and they are incredibly hydrating as well." - Olive & Ivy

LORAC Mega Pro 2 Palette - Review
"You have a wide variety of colors and finishes to work with and the quality of the palette is spot on! Whether you're buying it for someone new to makeup or for a gal who loves to play with color, both will love and enjoy this palette!" - From My Vanity

Viseart Paris Neutrals 01 Palette - Review
"I’ve been coveting this for over a year. At the Makeup Show NYC, I caved. Honestly, the Viseart Paris Eyeshadows Palette Neutrals palette is so multi-functional and practical, I don’t want to buy or need anything else for my kit as far as mattes." - Norah Loves Makeup

Lancome AUDA(CITY) in Paris Palette - Review
"The Lancome AUDA(CITY) in Paris is a palette I will reach for daily because it has such a good range of colors and is easy-peasy to create polished and sophisticated eye looks. The mix of finishes makes the palette even more versatile taking from work to drinks easily." - Prime Beauty




Last Minute Stocking Stuffers from LUSH

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With Christmas just days away, I'm dreaming of the perfect stocking stuffers. Er. Just me? Hear me out! If I had to put together a stocking for someone, it would include the following: chocolate, scratch offs and LUSH products. Who wouldn't want all of that? Gimme, gimme. Now you're on your own for the chocolates and scratch offs but I can totally help you with the LUSH gifts. I'm showing you my top six faves from LUSH that would be the perfect stocking stuffers!

Santa Baby Lip Tint ($8.95) - This is exactly what you need for that moment (or moments) you're caught under the mistletoe! Santa Baby is a light red tint (made from cherries and dates) filled with carrot oil and shea butter to keep your lips super soft and a tiny kick of cinnamon to keep things interesting.

Salt and Peppermint Bark ($9.95) - Peppermint lovers, this one's for you! I could literally eat this it smells so delicious. This is such a fab salt scrub that leaves a prominent but not strong peppermint sent. This bark is made of sea salt, organic cocoa and cupuacu butter to leave your skin silky smooth.

Santa's Lip Scrub ($8.95) - I would expect nothing else from the big guy himself. I'm a huge fan of these lip scrubs and absolutely adore this flavor (wait - we're not supposed to lick it off?). I love to rub this on, especially before rockin' a matte lip, to make sure my lips are smooth. This scrub sloughs off all the dry, chapped skin for a nice, smooth, moisturized lip. Also, cola-flavored? YES PLEASE!

Butterbear Bath Bomb ($4.95) - I can't handle the cuteness! This little guy vanilla-scented bath bomb that is great for nourishing and softening the skin. I almost popped him in the tub for an action shot but his cuteness saved him for a special day. 'Til then, Mr. Butterbear, 'til then.

Intergalactic Bath Bomb ($7.5) - Want a bath bomb that'll make you go, "OOOOOOOOOOH!". Yup, that's this one. I need back ups on back ups. This sparkly (you can't see it in the picture but there's actual sparkles on this!) neon bath bomb's scent is a mix of peppermint, vetivert and cedarwood. Again, I was going to post an action shot but seriously guys, I leave it a surprise for you. BUT IT IS AWESOME! Hint: You'll feel like you're bathing in a galaxy. And who doesn't want to experience that?


Mask of Magnaminty ($25.95) - If you are looking to gift someone the feeling of a fresh, clean face, this is it! It's a deep-cleansing face and body mask made from China clay and peppermint for that cool, light-tingle feeling. Also added in are aduki beans to exfoliate, vanilla to calm redness and honey to soothe. I know this sounds like a lot but I promise that it's not as harsh as it sounds and is actually a very lightweight mask that gets the job done as if it were heavy duty. * Also comes in self-preserving option.

So, ladies and gents, hop, skin or RUN to your nearest LUSH and grab some stocking stuffer goodies for your closest pals, family or yourself. Definitely don't forget yourself! ;)

LUSH Shop
* Press Samples

tarte Tarteist Lip Paints | Swatches + Review

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Hey y'all! I hope you all had an safe and amazing holiday. We spent ours pretty much traveling the whole day but it was lots of fun. Today I have a review of one of my Christmas presents - some of the tarte Tarteist Lip Paints


The Tarteist Lip Paints are supposed to be an ultra-pigmented, matte liquid lipstick. The consistency is supposed to be velvety with a slanted, soft applicator to paint onto your lips precisely.

  • Namaste - a pinky nude. First off, how cute is this name? The consistency was very light and creamy - reminiscent of the NYX Matte Cream Lipsticks - except this never dried or set. Very pigmented and I was able to re-apply and layer without it getting crumbly.
  • TBT - a dusty mauve. Probably my favorite of the bunch! Again, super light and creamy consistency but very pigmented. Went on very smoothly and didn't gather in the lip lines.
  • Lovespell - a bright fuchsia. Consistency was slightly less creamier than Namaste and TBT but more than Hangry. Very pigmented, went on smoothly, didn't gather in my lip lines. 
  • Hangry - a berry. UGH. This is where it started to get messy :( Hangry was SO, so patchy. I couldn't make this work for the life of me. No matter what I did, it just grabbed on anything it could (lip lines, etc.) and kept applying uneven. The consistency was a bit more liquid-y than the others and also transferred onto my teeth. Like, made my teeth pink kind of transfer. Total mess.
  • Frenemy - a burgundy with brown undertones. Frenemy was a bit easier to work with. Slightly patchy but evened out with a few layers. Consistency was creamier than Hangry but looser than the lighter colors. Pigmented and lasted about five hours.
  • Manbun - a dark berry. Manbun was a little difficult to work with like Frenemy. Patchy and slipped into every line on my lips. Creamier consistency than Frenemy though. Didn't apply very even either and no matter how many times I tried to even it out, it just slipped and slid around.
Overall: I honestly don't know if I like these. There. I said it. I love tarte so much but the consistency is all over the place. The lighter colors (Namaste, TBT) were the best to work with - very creamy and smooth, super pigmented and application was even. Hangry and Manbun were the worst to work with - they moved all over the place and applied super patchy.

I think I was expecting a lip paint that you could apply, correct your mistakes and then have it set and not budge or move. Granted, Too Faced never promised that so that was more user-error than anything but I'm still kind of disappointed. They just don't do it for me. 

I do, however, like the fluffy, creamy consistency of the better two (Namaste and TBT) but again, not all the lip paints had that same consistency and I still wish that they would set. They consistency is very reminiscent of the NYX Matte Creams (minus them finishing matte). I also wanted to note that the applicator? Total pain in the butt. I really didn't like the way it applied the product onto my lips. It had a very slight slant to it that made it hard to line and fill in my lips with. I definitely prefer a doe-foot applicator over this one.

Smokey Brown for NYE

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Hey babes! I had a whole series of New Year's Eve looks I was going to do - and then I got this horrible cold. Ugh. Sore throat, puffy eyes, the works. Not to mention Hunter has one too so that's been a huge blast. 

Speaking of, what will you be doing for New Year's Eve? This mama will be eating lots of food and watching the ball drop. Maybe. Who am I kidding? I probably won't make it to midnight.


FACE:
  • Smashbox Primer Water (LOVE this!)
  • CoverFX Custom Drops (N25) + Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination + Covergirl Outlast All Day Primer 
  • It Cosmetics CC+ Cream Concealer in Light
  • Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
  • Too Faced Papa Don't Peach Blush
EYES:
  • MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
  • ColourPop I Spy in the crease
  • ColourPop Boy Band on the lid
  • ColourPop Stereo on the lower lid blended into Boy Band
  • Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Brunette (that casually just ran out as I was using it)
  • ColourPop Acorn in the inner corner
LIPS:
  • ColourPop Platform


I hope you all have a fab and safe night and I'll see you in the new year! xx

Benefit They're Real! Tinted Lash Primer | Review + Swatches

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Happy New Year, love muffins! So with my last order to Sephora, I received a sample of the new Benefit They're Real! Tinted Lash Primer and couldn't wait to try it out! I'm a huge, huge fan of Benefit's They're Real! Mascara so I was excited to try the primer and see how it matches up to others.
So this primer comes in the shade mink brown only (for now) for a super gorgeous natural tint to your lashes. It can be worn by itself to define and tint your lashes or under your favorite mascara for a huge boost on your lash length and separation. The consistency of this primer is very light and gel-like. It conditions the lashes with Provitamin B5. It also boasts that it leaves your lashes so soft that you can apply mascara up to six hours later. 

The Custom ExtraFlex brush is specially formulated to separate lashes and evenly apply the primer.


Before / After

How gorgeous and wispy are they!? So natural. This is exactly what I look for in a mascara - nonetheless a primer. I actually prefer this without a coat of mascara over it. I did try this with a mascara over it (Jordana Extreme Mascara) and it came out a little clumpy. I just wasn't a fan but this primer by itself, man, it's amaze. Super even application with the wand and dried fairly fast. I didn't experience any "raccoon" eyes or flaking through the day. Thumbs up! 

PS. I know this might sound weird but even though I really like this primer, I do have to note that this is a sample size and I have found that sometimes samples vs. the full size are completely different. Weird, right? Bottom line: I like this enough to try the full size but am aware they may be completely different formulas. I have no clue why that happens but have noticed it before, so just a little warning :)

Benefit | Buy ($24)

ColourPop Week | Soft Focus

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Hi love muffins! Happy New Year! Sheesh. Two weeks in and just now I'm wishing it to y'all? We've been fighting this nasty cold over here and it just won't kick. UGH. 

Onto the post, right? So today I'll be sharing with you a look I put together from some ColourPop Christmas presents I received. I'm thinking of doing a ColourPop week where it's just a whole week of ColourPop goodies and looks. Let me know what you think!

  • FACE: CoverFx Custom Cover Drops mixed with Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination applied with a damp Beauty Blender. 
  • CHEEKS: ColourPop Under The Sheets, Aphrodisiac and Stole The Show
  • EYES: ColourPop Hanky Panky on the lid, Acorn in the inner corner, Cop A Feel on the lower lid and outer v + Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
  • LIPS: ColourPop Kapow
  • BROWS: It Cosmetics Build-A-Brow in Dark Brown

Looks To Love | Soft and Simple Contouring for Valentine's Day Tutorial

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MNYLookstoLove #CollectiveBias

Contouring. You either hate it, love it, think it's a miracle-worker or maybe a little bit of all three. I'm a huge fan of contouring but understand it's a slippery slope. So what is contouring? Contouring is playing with light and shadows to minimize or emphasize your favorite (or not so favorite) features. To contour is to add shadow (think under your cheekbones to make them pop or down your nose to make it appear slimmer) while highlight is adding emphasis and light to it.

I think I find contouring so much fun because one minute you can go hardcore and just completely change your face shape or you can do a much softer look and really just make your favorite features pop. Where else can you get results that you can wash off and change around? The power of makeup, people.


Contouring can be extremely intimidating at first but I'm here to show you a simple, natural-looking contoured look that with a bright pink or red lip is perfect for a quick Valentine's Day look and get this - it's using all Maybelline products that you can find at your local Walmart. Saving money and looking gorgeous!? Total win/win!
Can you tell they were VERY popular?

So let's get started!

  • So after applying my favorite moisturizer and primer, we're going to be using the new Maybelline Dream Velvet Foundation (shade: Ivory) as the foundation in this look. Guys, I have never been so excited to try a foundation out in my entire life. This baby was sold out everywhere which naturally added to my absolute need to find it. The hype did not disappoint! The foundation is a fun consistency of a gel/whipped feel that applies nice and smoothly. It leaves a natural (medium coverage!) matte finish.
  • I first dotted the foundation all over my face and then went in a damp Maybelline Dream Blender (WHAT WHAT!?) and blended the rest in. Let's go back. MAYBELLINE CAME OUT WITH A BLENDER. All the yes in the world! I really love the shape and I'll tell you why. It allows you to get into all the curves of your face. Around your nose, up near your eyes without actually touching your eyeball. It's love! The blender itself is great and blends the foundation very nicely without pushing it around and leaving weird streaks on your face. I'm impressed.
  • (Not pictured) I quickly went in with some concealer under my eyes and then set it with a transparent setting powder.
  • Onto the contouring! First, from the Maybelline Contour Palette (in Light), I took the contour shade and drew two lines right under my cheekbones. You can find the hollows of your cheeks by sucking your lips in, making a fishy face. I also contoured down my nose, my forehead and under my chin. Taking a fluffy brush, blend all of them in. With your cheekbones, make sure to blend upward onto your cheek. PS. I didn't expect this palette to be as pigmented as it is. High-five, Maybelline!
  • Next, we're moving onto highlighting. Again, the highlight in this palette is SO on point! Taking a brush, I like to highlight right on top of my cheekbones, my cupid's bow and right above my eyebrows.
  • Lastly, let's talk blush! I highly recommend using blush with contouring. With all the shadows and light, it can sometimes look a little flat. Adding blush to your look, brings in warmth. This blush in the Maybelline Contour Palette is super flattering! Taking a fluffy blush brush, I popped this right onto the apples of my cheeks.
  • Finish with a bright red or pink lipstick if you're feeling in the Valentine's Day spirit and you're good to go!
What are your plans for Valentine's Day? Have you ever tried contouring before?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MNYLookstoLove #CollectiveBias

Valentine's Day Blog Hop Giveaway!

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For this super-awesome Valentine's-themed blog hop, 38 fabulous bloggers have teamed up to give away some epic prizes, all beauty-related, of course! If you've been wanting to splurge on some fun items for yourself...you're in the right place! Here’s How it Works: Each of the blogs participating are giving away their own prize on their blog. Yes, you heard that right — this blog hop has 38 separate giveaways that you have a chance to win! So after you’ve entered my giveaway, make sure you hop to all the other blogs (linked below) for more beauty products that you could win! GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY: Because we like to spice it up a bit, we didn't stop at 38 giveaways...we wanted to make it a nice, round 40 with an epic grand prize that you could win! So, if you go around the blog hop and enter all the giveaways, you’re eligible to enter to win a $400 eGiftcard to Sephora or Ulta (winners choice!). If you live in a country that Sephora or Ulta doesn’t ship to, no worries! You’ll be given the money via PayPal to use at whatever beauty store you have nearby! International Readers: There are some blogs who do not have their giveaway open worldwide, but you can still enter to win the grand prize giveaway! Here's how that will work -- for all the blogs in this hop that do not have their giveaway open worldwide, all you have to do is check out their giveaway, complete the ONE required entry, and leave them a comment on their giveaway post letting them know you’re international but still did the required entry so that you can have a chance to win the grand prize! Then click the link below that will take you directly to where you can fill out the form to enter the grand prize giveaway.
You got all that? Any questions, just ask below! Let’s get into this hop!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the event that you get an ERROR message when clicking on any of the links below, try clicking on the HOME page of that blog. Or come back later and try again. There are often hiccups that happen in the beginning of a pre-scheduled blog hop such as this. Thank you for your patience!

Valentine's Day | Soft Pink

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Happy Thursday, y'all! Today I have a soft pink look for you that's a great option for Valentine's Day! I was also dying to try out these new lashes I spotted by Kiss called the Blooming Lash. Apparently, they're multi-dimensional with layers to create a gorgeous, full lash. I got the ones in "Tulip". What do you think?

  • FACE: It Cosmetics CC+ Cream Foundation in Light applied with a damp Beauty Blender. It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer in Fair. Smashbox Master Class 3 Palette bronzer and contour. 
  • BROWS: Maybelline Eye Studio Brow Palette in Dark
  • EYES: Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette (Semi-Sweet in the crease, Amaretto on the lid, Cherry Cordial in the outer-v, Champagne Truffle in the inner corner). Maybelline Master Preciser Eyeliner. Too Faced Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. KISS lashes in Tulip.
  • LIPS: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Requiem 

Looks To Love | Blue Cat Eye (with a Twist!)

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MNYLooksToLove #CollectiveBias

Happy Monday, y'all! I hope everyone had a great Super Bowl weekend. Today I'm sharing with you this super gorgeous but a little out of the box Valentine's Day look. It's not your typical smokey eye look and I'm so excited over it, guys.


I know, I know. Normal Valentine's Day looks usually consist of bright red lips and smokey eyes (which I love!) but I decided to switch things up and give you something a little bit different: two blue cat eye looks that you can create with just one eyeshadow and black eyeliner.

Are you ready for the best part? All Maybelline products used in this look can be found at your local Walmart! Aww, yeah! 


Onto the tutorial...
  • So I've already gone ahead and put on my foundation and contour. If you guys are interested in seeing that routine, I've laid it all out tutorial-style here.
  • Next we're going to prime our lids. This keeps the eyeshadows from moving around and gives us a nice neutral base to work with. 
  • Taking the second shadow on the bottom from the Maybelline Rock Nudes Palette and a fluffy brush, I'm going to place that into my crease in a windshield wiper movement.
  • Next I'm taking a shader brush and spraying it with some setting spray before taking the fifth shadow (that gorgeous blue!) from the top of the same palette and patting it onto my lid. After that, I'm taking the same shadow and with setting spray on an angled brush, taking it and winging it out. It should all be connected together.
  • For an inner corner highlight, I'm using the light shimmer shade on the bottom from that same palette.
  • For eyeliner, I'm using the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Ink Eyeliner and created a thin line above my eye. 
  • OPTIONAL: If you're looking to add more depth to your cat eye, you can outline the outer part with the eyeliner and then take the black eyeshadow to blend it into your lid.
  • Next, we're going to coat our top and bottom lashes with mascara. I'm using the Maybelline Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara! You can either leave your look here or apply falsies like I have. Putting mascara on first helps blend the falsies with your lashes together!
  • Lastly, finish the look with a nice pink lipstick. I chose Maybelline Color Sensational Lust for Blush (such a gorgeous pink!).
Whether it's your significant other, a pint of ice cream or drinks with the girls - go get 'em, tiger! 

You can only choose one: chocolates, makeup or diamonds?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MNYLooksToLove #CollectiveBias

Makeup Revolution Affirmation Palette | Swatches + Review

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Why, helllo. We are finally on the road to wellness over here. We ended up taking Hunter back to the doctor yesterday and they gave him antibiotics for an ear infection (where the hell did that come from?) so I'm hoping that helps him. I'm just over here overdosing on coffee and cough drops. Just not together. Because that sounds really gross.

Yeah, mine is totally scratched up. Oops!

Anywho, today I have for you a full review on the Makeup Revolution Affirmation Palette! This baby has 32 shadows that include neutrals, roses, coppers, chocolates, purples and smokes - a little somethin' somethin' for everyone in just about every finish imaginable.


Let's talk about the palette! The palette itself is a great size and is sturdy with a full-sized mirror on one side which makes it great for traveling. It also has a great clasp that closes the palette without any worry of it accidentally opening. 


Onto the shadows. At first swatch, a lot of the shadows felt hard and you almost had to dig at them to get pigmentation. Once you got through that first hard (but thin) layer, the majority of them were fine and easy to play with. It almost seems like the more you use the shadows, the easier they are to work with. My two problem shadows are the black shadow in the bottom right corner and the dusty plum in the third row, third from the right. They were both chalky and difficult to work with. The metallics in this palette were easily the smoothest and most pigmented but I was pretty surprised to see most of the mattes were nicely pigmented as well. 




Overall: I recommend this palette but be aware that the pigmentation gets better with more use. Does that even make sense? The metallics are amazing in this palette. The mattes come in a close second with pigmentation.  

Makeup Revolution | Shop 
* Press sample

Michael Todd Soniclear Petite | Review

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Is skincare important to you? It really never used to be for me. Granted, I didn't wear much makeup a few years ago but even wearing mascara was wiped off with a baby wipe and whatever was leftover was just left there. GROSS. Shame, young Noelle, for shame.

Now that I've found how important the correct care is to your skin, I can't get enough of cleaners, moisturizers, tools - I'm addicted! - which brings me to our review today! It's one that's been reviewed for a few months now. It's the Michael Todd Soniclear Petite
The Michael Todd Soniclear Petite comes as a four piece set which includes the Soniclear Petite itself, an antimicrobial face brush + a cover, a charger/storage cradle and a charger. The Soniclear is the first of its kind. The brush heads are treated with LIFE antimicrobial product protection in the manufacturing process to inhibit 99.9% of stain and odor causing bacteria. That means that you don't have to replace the heads as often as you would with other cleansing tools. They recommend changing them every six months.
So, I was sent this back in December and to be honest, it wasn't love at first use, guys. I'm not sure if it was my skin that particular week or what but I found it to be super abrasive and it just wasn't working for me. I ended up walking away from it for a week and then came back to it again.
I'm so happy I did! Once I tried it again, I found the brush to be incredibly soft and worked well with a bunch of different cleansers. I have no clue what happened that first week! I found my face to be softer and more supple-feeling after the first use and continued to feel that way with every use. I did find that I didn't need to use this every single day and night. I ended up just using it at night, every other night otherwise it felt a little drying. I find that happens with most cleansing tools and my skin anyway so it's not out of the norm for me.


Some quick info on the Soniclear Petite:
  • The brushes move 18,000 times per minute.
  • It comes with an automatic cleansing timer (so nice to have!) to let you know when it's time to move on to the next spot.
  • Has three speeds to tailor to your liking.
  • It's cordless and waterproof! Note: I found that I loved using it in the shower! It has made my legs and arms significantly smoother!
Overall: I love product reviews that have a happy ending! At first, I wasn't a fan and now it's a regular and major player in my skincare routine. I do recommend, depending on your skin type, only using this once a day or even every other day.

Michael Todd Soniclear PetiteShop ($99)
* Press Sample

ColourPop Trust Me... & Lumiere 2 | Review + Swatches

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Happy Tuesday, y'all! I have been waiting allllll day to edit this post. A certain toddler refused to nap until just an hour ago in which he passed out in about two minutes and I raced to the computer to start this thang. #momlife

So today I'll be talking about the two newest lipsticks from ColourPop - Trust Me... and Lumiere 2! 




  • Trust Me...(a bright red cherry with a new matte x finish) - I had no idea what to expect with this but I always get excited when ColourPop releases a new finish. The formula is described as a "super matte, but super comfortable, long wearing lipstick" - well, sign me up! I am SO in love with this finish. It's exactly how they describe it. It's insanely pigmented but so, so comfy with a matte finish. Matte and non-drying? It's a miracle! No, but seriously. I can't wait to see more lippie stix with this finish but it's definitely a must-have.
  • Lumiere 2(a dark muted mauve) - ColourPop released Lumiere 2 for KathleenLights birthday as a surprise and it's stunning! Also, has ColourPop gone and changed their liquid lipstick formula again? I noticed a significant change in this one. It's more liquid-y but still really pigmented. It goes on a lot smoother, dries a little slower but lasts longer. Does that make sense? As for Lumiere 2 itself, how gorgeous, right? Lumiere 2 is basically the liquid version of Lumiere but slightly darker. I also noted that Lumiere 2 dries even darker on the lips than what appears in the bottle. Last time was about six hours!

Overall: I am SO excited to see what other lippie stix will come out with the matte x finish. Trust Me... is so stunning and is very comfortable. Probably one of the most comfiest matte lipsticks I've ever worn! Lumiere 2 is gorgeous and the formula seems to have changed to a more liquid-y consistency, smoother application that dries slower but lasts longer.

Shop | Trust Me... is currently sold out / Lumiere 2 ($6)

PS. ColourPop is coming out with new ultra satin lipsticks February 18th! Naturally, your girl will have your covered and will try her best to order all of them! ;)

#FOTD | Bring On The Sunshine

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Happy Tuesday, guys! How was your weekend? We really enjoyed the warmer weather and I'm officially counting down the days until spring is here (it's March 20th, if anyone was wondering)! Actually, this look was inspired by some warmer weather! 

I was looking at my ColourPop Ultra Matte Lipstick in Pacific and realized it really hasn't gotten much love lately so I did a fun, spring-y look surrounding that!

  • FACE: Murad Daily Moisturizer. CoverFX Custom Drops (N25) mixed with Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination. It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer in Fair. Smashbox MasterClass Palette 3 Contour and Bronzer. theBalm Mary Lou-Manizer Highlighter.
  • BROWS: L'Oreal Brow Stylist Prep & Shape Pro Kit (medium to dark)
  • EYES: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as a base. LORAC Mega Pro Palette 2 - Cream all over the lid, Stone in the crease. Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Palette - Skulls in the inner corner, Fran on lower lid. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. Kiss falsies in Tulip.
  • LIPS: ColourPop Ultra Matte Lippie in Pacific

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks in Beetroot, Pepper & Gazpacho | Review + Swatches

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Good morning, y'all! It's always a good day when Influenster chooses you to try out a few of Bite Beauty's lipsticks from the new Amuse Bouche Collection. Um, yes please!

The Amuse Bouche Collection has 34 bold, dimensional shades infused with 12 different edible oils, all with a yummy, citrus scent/flavor made from fresh pressed fruit. 

  • Pepper - a pinky nude. Um, hello. Literally the most gorgeous pinky nude I've ever come across. It's so incredibly pigmented, smooth and long-wearing. I will note that these obviously aren't transfer-proof but they last a pretty long time. I know that every skin tone has their own issue with certain colors but can I say how tough it is to find a pretty pink-nude for pale skin? THIS IS IT.
  • Beetroot - a deep berry. There's nothing like a good berry lipstick, eh? Swoon, swoon, swoon. Again, super creamy, pigmented and long-wearing. What's really nice is that when this lipstick does start to fade (maybe about five or six hours), it leaves this beautiful stain behind. 
  • Gazpacho - a bright, bright red. Lastly, we have Gazpacho which just screams summer to me! It's the most gorgeous bright, neon red with a slight blue undertone. Same as Pepper and Beetroot in that it's smooth and creamy to apply, incredibly pigmented and lasts a very long time. Like Beetroot, once it does start to fade, it leaves a gorgeous stain behind.

Which is your favorite shade? Will you be picking up some goodies from the Amuse Bouche Collection?

* Products have been sent to me from Influenster but all opinions are my own!

Favorites | February Edition

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Happy March, y'all! We are this close to warm weather. Woohoo! I'm so excited to share that I've finally got it together and am sharing with you my February Favorites! These type of posts used to be my absolute favorites to write and I'm not even sure what happened but I just totally slacked and stopped posting them - until today!


  • MURAD Essential-C Day Moisture - Let's just go in the order they're applied, shall we? First up: moisturizer. I'm a moisturizer freak because my skin is constantly dry in at least one area of my face (usually my eyebrows and nose) and it's annoying. What I like about this one from MURAD (besides the fact that it smells like straight up citrus) is that it soaks into the skin pretty fast. Cons? It can feel a little greasy at times.
  • COVERFX Custom Drops in N25 - I bought this a few months ago and it's almost done which says a lot because I'm constantly trying new foundations and never get to finish them. The drops are basically a full-coverage pigment foundation that can be added to anything (moisturizer, primer, etc.). My favorite to use with these drops is the Rouge Bunny Rouge Sea of Tranquility Highlighting Liquid for an extra dewy and natural look. Cons? I can't use a dropper and get this stuff everywhere!
  • It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer in Fair - Sup concealer? Welcome to "The Empties Club"! Seriously, guys. When I empty a product, it really says something because I normally don't use a product to the last drop. What I love about this concealer is that it's super full-coverage, applies very smoothly with a damp BeautyBlender and doesn't seem to cake up or crease throughout the day.
  • theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer - I know, I know. Just about everyone raves about this but I swear, it lives up to the hype! I would describe it as a white gold highlight that looks amazing on pale skin. Dampen your brush before applying this for an extra "va-voom in yo face" highlight!
  • theBalm Frat Boy Blush - theBalm, back at it again! Don't worry. I'll see myself out. Ha! Anyway, this blush is so, so flattering on almost any skintone. It's just that perfect "flushed" blush look that looks great on anyone.
  • Maybelline Brow Drama Pro Palette - My brows are a constant work-in-progress. Half of the time I'm filling them in because they seem sparse in some areas and the other half I'm tweezing away because they seem too bushy. Is there a happy medium? YES! I love the wax in this palette. It's tinted to fill in the sparse areas but still waxy to keep my brows in place without moving around.
  • ColourPop Ultra Matte Lipstick in Lumiere 2 - I just love, love, love this shade! It's this gorgeous dark, dusty mauve-y color that I'm really diggin' lately. See swatches here!
  • Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick - I guess I've been into pinks lately because Lovesick has been on repeat all dayyyyy. See swatches here!
  • LUSH Mask of Magnaminty - As much as I'm into skincare, I can't say I've been huge into thick face masks. I used to think I just didn't have the time to apply, sit and wait and rinse when now that I type that, it sounds so silly. Luckily, I've been over that and lovin' this LUSH classic. So many beauty bloggers swear by this! It's super minty on the skin and gives that fun cool, tingly feeling when it's drying. Once I rinse this off, my skin is left feeling smooth and clean.
  • LORAC Mega Pro Palette and Mega Pro Palette 2 - I feel like I just can't get enough of these two palettes lately. They honestly have everything I could ever need. Warms, cools, neutrals, shimmers, mattes - whatever - they're all in these! Unfortunately, I think they stopped making these (maybe? possibly?) but I'm hoping that they come out with a third soon!
What were your favorites in February!?
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