New from Sigma Beauty: Nightlife by Camila Coelho

Sigma Beauty Nightlife by Camila Coehlo

Sigma is launching a brand new collection in collaboration with Brazilian beauty blogger Camila Coelho called Nightlife by Camila Coehlo. This collection was inspired by her fast-paced lifestyle, nights in the city, and of course New York City. This collection contains an eye shadow palette, a blush, bronzer, liquid highlighter, dual ended eye liner pencil, lip liner, brush set, and lipstick. That’s right, Sigma now has a lipstick!

Nightlife Palette

The eye shadow palette is really cool, the shades were designed to be used all together but they can also be split up into three looks. Each row contains every color you need to create a look. The top row is neutral for day, the middle row has beautiful bright shades, and the bottom row can help create the perfect smoky eye. The picture above has shadows that have been swatched but I had to retake the palette photo so that’s why they look used.

Hotspot blush and Limelight bronzer

The blush and bronzer are really unique colors. Hotspot gives a really natural flush to the cheeks, it provides a really nice warmth to the skin, I think it would work on all skin tones, just make sure you use a light hand, it layers really easily. Limelight is a completely matte bronzer that isn’t too warm or too cool, it is the perfect contour shade. Again, a light hand is best, it builds really well.

The dual ended liner features two kohl shades, Eclipse and Festa. Eclipse is a current Sigma liner though it has been out of stock for a while. It is a creamy, matte black liner that I find stays on the waterline really well. Festa is a matte purple shade that blends like a dream and is a great shadow base.

In Fine Feather is the lip liner in this collection, it is a great every day shade, it is pink without being overly pink and can easily be taken from day to night. It works well under almost any shade too and won’t feather at all.

Sigma is launching their first lipstick with this collection, it is int the shade Dance ‘Till Dawn and is a super buttery formula that isn’t drying in the slightest. It’s an earthy pink shade that isn’t unflattering at all.

The liquid highlighter is another unique product, it is in the shade After Glow which is a golden highlight with pink/blue duo chrome. I like that this dries really quickly, I like to apply it under my foundation so I don’t end up looking like a disco ball.

The brush set contains 5 brushes, they aren’t new but they all have a cool black handle with silver glitter. The brushes are Camila’s favorites and are the F40 Large Angled Contour, E15 Flat Definer, F35 Tapered Highlighter, E55 Eye Shading, and E25 Blending.

Never waste lip gloss again!

You know when you have a lip gloss that isn’t gone but you can’t get anything else out because the applicator doesn’t reach the corners? There’s a tool for that! My favorite Dior lip gloss is no longer available, the changed the formula and the new one isn’t the same so I was devistated by the thought of throwing it away. It is such a unique formulation! Around this time, I was asked if I was interested in receiving a product called the Swoon Universal Lip Gloss Scoop & Applicator and thought that if I could help me use all my beloved lip gloss, why not give it a shot. It arrived and I was a bit skeptical. It comes in a black tube with a white wand and black silicone tip. I like the tip, it is easy to apply product and the pointed tip is super precise, I think it would work great with liquid lipsticks as well. It is a small, secure tube so I can easily take it in my purse so I don’t have to be worried about it opening up in my purse and getting gloss everywhere. It’s super easey to clean too, I just use a makeup wipe at the end of the day or between colors.

I think this is a great product, perfect for glosses like mine that have been reformulated or discontinued colors. Even if you can go out a repurchase it, it is nice to be able to actually use it all, not leave a large amount of it in the bottom of the tube. This would make a great gift, it is available on Target.com or the Swoon website and for $12.00 per wand, it is a great deal. I highly recommend this, I hope it can extend the life of your favorite lip gloss.

–Sam

Wish List Wednesday

I have a few items I’ve had my eye on for a while now and I wanted to share them with you!

• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Khaki: I have one of these already and I can tell you that they are fantastic. They don’t crease all day but blend like a dream, and are so pigmented!
• NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anna: This is the perfect dusty rose color that can be worn with so many looks. I like this formulation too, it’s long-lasting but not drying.
• Tarte Amazonian Clay Powder Foundation: I really want to cut back on liquid foundations and I have heard great things about this, it still provides coverage without the weight of liquid formulas.
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer: A cheaper alternative to the classic NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, this drugstore dupe is creamy and covers under eye circles. I wouldn’t use it for blemishes but in a pinch, it would work.

These are a few things I’ve had my eye on, I’ll be sure to let you know if I end up getting any!

–Sam

MAKE UP FOR EVER Lip Set Review

I got these three products in a set from MAKE UP FOR EVER in honor of 5o Shades of Grey because it had three products in it that I had wanted to try for a long time.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Tease Me Set

The first thing I wanted to try was the Aqua Rouge which is like a liquid lipstick. This one is the shade 50 (of course) and it is a nice pinky berry shade. One big tip is to make sure your lips are moisturized but are completely dry because this stuff lasts for hours if your lips are dry. Like all long-lasting lip products though, it is drying but isn’t matte and is sticky which puzzles me. There is a gloss on the other end but I don’t like to use it because it’s sticky. It does help with the dryness though. Even with those issues, I really do love this product. It lasted my through lunch which is huge!

The next product I was excited to try was the Aqua Lip Waterproof Liner. I don’t remember what color it was but it is a deep berry shade. On days where I don’t want an intense lip, I’ll wear this on its own. It doesn’t feather and provides a great base for any lip color you might want to put on top of it. I don;t use lip liner a ton but I like this shade a lot and keep it in my purse all the time.

The Lab Shine in D4 wasn’t too exciting to me until I tried it on. I do not normally go for glosses, they wear off quickly and reduce the weartime of lip sticks. Anyway, I tried this one on and fell in love with lip glosses again. It is a pretty color, light weight, and not sticky in the least. I find myself reapplying this which is pretty rare for me when a gloss is concerned. Here are swatches of the products:

MAKE UP FOR EVER Lip Swatches: Lab Shine, Aqua Rouge, Lip Liner, all products combined

All of these products can be worn together or separate and still look awesome. It’s too bad you can’t buy them as a set any more but you can get all of the products separately, although the Aqua Rouge isn;t available in this shade any more.

–Sam

GLAMGLOW SUPERCLEANSE: Hit or Miss?

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that I love GLAMGLOW face masks. Pricy but oh so effective. Not too long ago, GLAMGLOW released a line of cleansers that go along with the masks and at a significantly cheaper price tag. I was in between cleansers so I thought I’d give it a shot.

GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD Cleanser

I have the SUPERCLEANSE formula which matches the SUPERCLEANSE mask so it is designed to start out as mud but transform into a lather that washes away dirt and rids pores of impurities. The texture is similar to the masks, its green and feels exactly like a mud mask. After I rinse off my makeup off, I pat my face dry, then take a pump of the cleanser and apply it all over my face. Once it is evenly distributed, I wet the brush of my Clarisonic and start working it over my face. I don’ think it was meant to be used with a Clarisonic but I feel like my face is the cleanest when I use it. Once the Clarisonic’s shuts off (it’s tied to be on for a minute), I start rinsing it off in circular motions. My face feels so clean after I’m done using this cleanser. I literally cannot say enough good things about this product. My face has that great tingly feeling after and just feels so refreshed. I would highly recommend this to people who have oily skin or problem skin.

There are two other formulations as well, THIRSTYCLEANSE for dry skin, YOUTHCLEANSE for anti-aging. I’m sure another one will come out to match the POWERMUD mask as well.

I really like this cleanser, I think it has made a difference in my skin and it actually makes my skin feel so incredibly clean. I would say this cleanser is a huge hit!

–Sam

NARS Contour Duo Review

NARS Contour Duo in Olympia

Contouring and highlighting has been a huge trend lately but I think we are starting to see it move away from that super intense sculpted look to a much softer, more natural shadow look. For us fair ladies, it can be hard to find a shade that isn’t orange or have warm undertones. NARS came out with this highlight and contour duo last year and I snagged one and wanted to share it with all of you. The photo above is a bit warmer than the actual product but a pretty accurate portrayal of the color. I like this because I can apply a light dusting with a tapered brush like the Sigma F35 for some light definition but can easily build it up if I want a more intense look. It looks really natural and blends out well so I’m not left with an obvious line of contour (not a good look for anyone) or a bright orange streak on my face. The highlight is nice too, I use it to set my under eye concealer and also under my brow bones. I don’t like the intense contour look and this product does not provide that which is perfectly fine with me. This product comes in three shades that would work for most everyone. I really like using a small tapered brush for sculpting the cheekbones because it allows for a lot of control but also blends flawlessly.

–Sam

Social Media Tips

Today I wanted to share some social media tips for beauty bloggers and makeup artists. Though I have not mastered this for my blog (due to laziness), I work with social media all day at work so I know the business side of how to get noticed and how to ask for product without coming across as pushy. I can only speak from my experience so I can’t promise this will work for every brand but here are some general guidelines:

1. Don’t tag brands in everything. Seriously. When I see seventeen selfies from the same person, I just keep scrolling. Be sure to tag brands in engaging content. If we see something we like, we’ll click on your profile to see more. There is no reason to have 100 hashtags or tag 87 brands in your post. One of the best ways to get noticed is to post relevant comments on their Facebook or Instagram pages or reply on Twitter!
2. Tag brands in things that directly relate to them. When people tag brands that have nothing to do with the photo, they tend to get ignored more often than not. When I see a photo of an obviously different brand’s product but we’re tagged in it, generally, I’ll ignore it. We get tagged in so many things that it is nearly impossible to see them all but I probably won’t see it if it’s clearly not meant for me/my work.
3. List the products used. This is a huge one for Instagram especially. I am so much more likely to repost an image if I can say what products were used to create it. Be honest and let the brands know what you used, plus it makes it easier for your followers to recreate it too!
4. Don’t ask for product directly. I appreciate when people email and introduce themselves, list their social media links, and mention what they do. People who automatically assume I’m going to send them product without any sort of ‘Hello, my name is ______’ usually don’t get very far. Sometimes, when I see potential, I’ll put a person on a watch list for future product opportunities or reviews or follow up with a product offer. I do also look at your links when they’re provided, I like to see what kinds of work you do or products you use already.
5. Know the company. If you do a lot of really insane, bright looks, aim to work with a company who mirrors this. For example, Tarte is known as a more natural brand so someone who does bright and crazy looks probably wouldn’t fit with their brand identity. This doesn’t hold true for everyone, but will help you decide who you want to represent. Of course every brand has a wide variety of products so just use your best judgement.

Again, these are just a few tips I’ve learned from the business side of things. Of course, these won’t apply to all companies or even individuals at each company. Let me know if you have any helpful tips to share too!

–Sam

Bite Beauty Cinnamon Lip Oil Review

I know I have been gone for a while, life has been crazy with my job, personal life, etc. but I have a new post today! I bought this Bite Beauty Cinnamon Lip Oil back in December because I had heard that it was a nice lip plumper/gloss, plus I love cinnamon flavor.

Bite Beauty Cinnamon Lip Oil

While the product is red in the tube, it doesn’t really have a color when applied. It has a really sweet cinnamon taste that I don’t particularly enjoy but it isn’t offensive. I like that the doe foot applicator is bent at the end for easy application. It is also very plumping. It isn’t painful but does tingle and burn a bit but dissipates after a while. I like that Bite Beauty is a more natural brand to that uses food-grade ingredients so feel better about what I’m putting on my mouth and basically into my mouth too because I eat half of it off of my lips. For $22 though, I’m not sure it’s worth it. I like it more than any other lip plumping product I’ve tried. I use it more like a gloss anyway so it is nice. The only reason I would say that it isn’t worth the price is because $22 is a lot to pay for basically a lip gloss. I will keep it but it will use it all up to get my money’s worth.

–Sam