Today’s Close-up and Product Reviews: NYX Eyeshadow Base & NYX Triple Shadows for Sexy Babe’s Eyes Only!

The other day I purchased my first NYX products ever on my Ulta Loot-y Call!  I bought the NYX Eyeshadow Base in #ESB03 Skin Tone (a matte flesh tone) and the NYX  Triple Shadows for Sexy Babe’s Eyes Only! in #TS03 with Nude (a shimmery light golden cream), Taupe (a shimmery warm taupe), and Dark Brown (a less shimmery deep brown) palette.

Here’s today close-up using those NYX products:

In addition to the NYX products, I also applied a touch of Victoria’s Secret’s Beauty Rush Wet/Dry Shadow in Gold Rush on the center of my eyelid for an eye brightening effect as well as the darkest, almost black eyeshadow from my BH Cosmetics 88 Neutral Palette in my crease (well, technically I don’t have a crease–instead, the area of where a crease would be, almost where you can feel the eye socket) and outer corner for extra smokiness.  I followed up with my Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackened Brown on my upper lash line, Styli-Style Line & Style 24 Twist Eyeliner in Black Brown on my inner rim/water line, Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base, and Maybelline Define-a-Lash Volume Waterproof Mascara in Black on both my upper and lower lashes (after curling them first!).  If you have questions on any of the other products I’m wearing with today’s close-up, feel free to leave me comment!

The final word on repurchasing NYX Eyeshadow Base in #ESB03 Skin Tone:

• Just so you know, I don’t use eyeshadow primer ever because I’ve never had any problems with creasing or my eyeshadow wearing off too quickly, so my opinion may not be the best to rely on if you do have issues with creasing or lasting eye makeup issues.  I am not even going to offer pros or cons on this product, instead I will just give you my observations.
• This primer seemed to do the job I believe eyeshadow primers in general are meant to do.  I had no problems with my eyeshadows wearing off as the day went on and the colors stayed true to how they appeared  in their pans.
• The flesh tone left a neutral base for your shadows which I think would be especially beneficial to those who have discolored or vein-y eyelids. NYX also has a pearl and white toned base as well.
• Very budget friendly price (I think around $6)!

Yes, I will repurchase if I decide that eyeshadow primer is an essential to my makeup routine.  I do recommend those of you who use eyeshadow primer on a regular basis to try the NYX eyeshadow base if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the cult classic Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion which I know is much pricier.

The final word on repurchasing the NYX  Triple Shadows for Sexy Babe’s Eyes Only! in #TS03 with Nude (a shimmery light golden cream), Taupe (a shimmery warm taupe), and Dark Brown (a less shimmery deep brown) palette:

PROS–

• Beautiful colors in this trio of shadows I selected
• These neutral shades would work beautifully on most skin tones
• Texture of the shadows was soft and easy to work with (good blendability)
• Good budget friendly price of ~$8

CONS–

• Due to the soft texture, there was some fallout onto my cheek
• The darkest brown color was not as dark as I had hoped for my smoky eye look that I was trying to achieve, a separate black eyeshadow was also used for this effect
• Packaging felt a tiny bit flimsy and cheap, but not a big deal since I take care of all my products

Yes, I would buy this palette again and I do recommend anyone looking for an easy and natural eye look to keep this trio in mind!

Has anyone else tried any NYX eyeshadow trios or their single pans?  What is your favorite budget friendly eyeshadow brand?  What is your favorite budget friendly eyeshadow base/primer?  Looking forward to reading your comments!

Shame on me, I had to make a LOOT-Y CALL yesterday!

Don’t tell my husband (actually he’ll eventually find out since he likes to check up on my blogging!), but I picked up a few items that I’m running low on and wanted to “research” to put onto my blog!  I tell my husband as a good beauty blogger, I must stay current with all the new beauty products and trends that are coming out almost all the time.  My readers deserve to have a well-informed self-proclaimed beauty expert who is up-to-date with the greatest and latest that the beauty and fashion world has to offer.  Hopefully I can convince him to believe this because it’s true, for the most part–haha!

Now let’s get to the good stuff!  Here’s all my loot from my most recent loot-y call:

My loot-y call at Nordstrom Rack:

• Stila Mineral Matte Eye Shadow in Kalahoo (a grayish-lavender-taupey-brown)
• Stila Mineral Matte Eye Shadow in Nanda Devi (a deep cooler-toned brown with hints of deep plum)
• Stila Collectible Travel Palette No. 1 with Snow Bunny Eye Shadow (a pale silver shimmer with very light lavender undertones), Valley Girl Eye Shadow (a mid-toned lavender shimmer), Southern Belle Eye Shadow (a shimmery pink with lavender undertones), City Chick Eye Shadow (a dark, but not too deep shimmery purple-plum), and Convertible Color for Cheeks and Lips in Hibiscus (a gorgeous mid-toned rose with a touch of peach with no shimmer)

My loot-y call at Sally Beauty Supply:

• Beauty Secrets Pure Acetone (to use as a really strong, but drying nail polish remover)
• China Glaze Nail Lacquer in #617 Love Letters (a sheer pinky-peach) and #202 Innocence (a pale opaque pink)
• Out the Door Top Coat (supposedly the #1 super fast drying top coat in America!)
• Palladio Liquid Eyeliner in Black/Brown
• Palladio Baked Blush in #BBL01 Blushin’ (a shimmery mid-toned rosy pink)
• Palladio Herbal Liplicious Ultra Shiny Lip Gloss in #PTL05 Natural (a mid-toned nude with gold shimmer)–got this on clearance for $1.99!!
• Palladio Herbal Lip Gloss in #PGL18 Bubble Gum (a bright pink with a hint of shimmer)
• Andrea Modlash False Eyelashes in #21
• Ardell Invisiband False Eyelashes in Babies
• Andrea Modlash False Eyelashes in #53
• Duo Eyelash Adhesive in Dark tone

My loot-y call at Ulta:

• Japonesque Travel Eye Shadow Crease Brush
• Sally Hansen La Cross Gentle Curl Lash Curler
• Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder with Real Cocoa (a mid to deep-toned matte bronzer with true brown undertones as opposed to orange/pink/red)
• Tarte Park Ave Princess Matte Waterproof Bronzer (a mid-toned matte bronzer with brown and slightly more warm/orangey undertones than Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer; very similar to my Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Light)
• Tarte LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain in Exposed (a light pinky-nude) and Envy (a rosy-berry)
• NYX  Triple Shadows for Sexy Babe’s Eyes Only! in #TS03 with Nude (a shimmery light golden cream), Taupe (a shimmery warm taupe), and Dark Brown (a less shimmery deep brown)
• NYX Eyeshadow Base in #ESB03 Skin Tone (a matte flesh tone)
• NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in #155 Perfect (a shimmery pink), #122 Natural (a creamy nude with beige undertones and no shimmer), #129 Beige (a creamy pinky-rosy nude with no shimmer), and #120-a Sponge Cake (a shimmery mauvey-rosy nude)
• Tarte Zip-up Tote Bag (free with a $30 Tarte purchase)

Don’t worry, I plan on posting reviews on products as I try them out!  I’m excited with everything I picked up and hopefully you are too!

Do you own anything my loot-y call list?  If so, can you comment on any of the products?  What’s the most you spent in one day doing a loot-y call of your own?  Please share your beauty wisdom with everyone!  Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Battle of the Brands!: Some of my favorite drugstore brand lipsticks!

A girlfriend of mine recently wanted to know what were some of the best drugstore brand lipsticks that did not feel drying on the lips and/or get cakey after wearing for awhile.  Well, I’m so glad that she asked!  Out of all makeup products, I probably own more lip products than any other type of makeup.  This includes lipsticks, lip glosses, lip liners, lip stains, and lip balms!  I haven’t done an exact count of all my lip products, but I can approximate at least one hundred and probably more!  I have a good mix of both high end ($15 and up) and budget friendly (under $10 and can typically be found at drugstores) lipsticks.  In my opinion, great quality lipsticks can be found in both price groups, as well as horrible lipsticks in both.  My current favorite drugstore brands of lipsticks that I think feel moisturizing on the lips and provides smooth, even coverage without getting cakey would be the following:

• Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick–feels very creamy and emollient on the lips, gives semi-opaque color coverage with slight sheen, has SPF 20, almost feels like a lip balm, color has average wear time due to its moisturizing abilities, retails for around $6, this is probably my favorite one out of the ones I’m reviewing here!

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Dreamy #140 is a light shimmery pinky-nude.

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Spotlight Beige #620 is a light creamy rosy-beige nude with no shimmer.

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Sunset #180 is a warm rose shimmer.

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Precious Brown #680 is a shimmery mauve-nude.

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Autumn Breeze #740 is a shimmery warm-toned darker rose.

• Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick–feels very lightweight on the lips, almost as if it’s sinking in right away (this lippie is great for people who don’t like the feeling of lipstick on their lips!), since the lipstick feels so light on the lips it doesn’t provide a ton of moisture but at the same time doesn’t dry out your lips either, the semi-opaque color that’s almost matte wears very well throughout the day, retails for around $9

Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in Soft Nude #070 is a pale peachy-pink nude with no shimmer.

Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in Rosy Nude #065 is a pretty mid-toned rose with brown undertones (very similar to Bobbi Brown’s lipstick in Brown) and no shimmer.

• Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color–feels creamy on the lips (not as much as Rimmel’s lipppie), very opaque rich color with a satin-like finish, wears very well throughout the day, retails for around $6

**Sorry, I forgot to do swatches on my arm for reference.  Please contact me if you would like these added!

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color in Warm Me Up #235 is a mauvey-rose with brown undertones and no shimmer.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color in Totally Toffee #215 is a deeper mauvey-rose with brown undertones and no shimmer.

• NYX Round Lipstick–feels creamy on the lips, give semi-opaque color, wears well throughout the day, retails for around $5

NYX Round Lipstick in Ceto #546 is a light shimmery pinky-nude.

NYX Round Lipstick in Frappucino #632 is a creamy rosy-nude with brown undertones and no shimmer.

Here’s another look at all of my favorite drugstore brand lipsticks:

What are some your favorite drugstore brand lipsticks?  Any ones to avoid?  What are your must-have qualities in any lipstick?  If you don’t wear lipstick, why not?  Share your thoughts!