Review: Bare Minerals Lash Domination Mascara

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

This going to be my last review on the mascaras from the Lash Stash to go box from Sephora.  I didn't review the Lancome Hynpose Drama because I have previously written a review on that a little over a year ago. If my opinions change then I'll do another post about it, but I don't want to have too many mascaras open at the same time.

This mascara retails for $18 at Sephora. So, it's a little cheaper than most of the mascara's that come inside the Lash Stash box.

The packaging is made out of a silver reflective plastic. The wand has plastic bristles like I prefer. However, I find the shape to be a little odd. The bristles spiral around the wand.

Here are the claims on Sephora's website:

What it is:

A do-it-all mascara for larger-than-life lashes. 
What it does:This volumizing, lengthening, thickening, separating, long-wearing mascara does it all. The exclusive ProTwist180™ Wand is spiraled 180 degrees to curve around lashes and coat from all angles with intense black color. 

This mascara is volumizing. However, not to the point that it becomes clumpy. I'm not sure about the lengthening aspect it. My lashes are already pretty long so I didn't notice any additional length. It does separate very well. It's why there was no clumping. It fans my lashes out very nicely. It doesn't look like you're wearing mascara. I did notice that this mascara, like most mascaras for me, smudged on my right bottom lash line a little. Very few mascara don't smudge on me there. 

Also, I will be using this mascara in my next YouTube video that will hopefully go up on Thursday. So, if you want to see perform through video you should check that video out. If you like it please subscribe.

So, That's it.

Until Next Time,

Aleema

Haul: MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

I remember seeing pictures of this collection when it came out in Europe. I took one look at the packaging and new I had to get something from this collection. However, I wanted to make sure to get something I would like and use. So, I looked up the collection. There were a couple blog posts and videos about it. Many of them were in different languages and that wasn't helpful. I did manage to get a little more information from promotional posts on blogs like temptalia.

I bought a mineralized eyeshadow in Silver Sun and two lipsticks in Mystical and Goddess of the Sea. I  placed this order a week ago as soon as the collection came out.

Silver Sun seems to be the underrated eyeshadow out of the entire collection. When I passed by the MAC store today it was the only shadow still in stock. But it's beautiful and unlike any color that I have.

On the MAC website it's described as a midtone dirty seafoam green. Although all of the other shadows are out of stock, this one is listed as coming soon. So, it might be restocked?

Mystical is described as midtone creamy rose, and goddess of the sea is described as a dark vibrant violet. They're both cremesheens and are very moisturizing. Mystical is an everyday color and goddess of the sea is a muted plumy color. So, it isn't as bold as MAC's Rebel.

Nothing else really caught my attention. So, I passed on everything else. I'm very pleased with all of my purchases. Did you pick up anything from this collection?

Until Next Time,

Aleema :)

Review: Too Faced's Chocolate bar Palette

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

Happy summer for those that are in done with classes and Happy almost summer for those still in school! So, unfortunately for my wallet I did end up buying the Chocolate Bar palette. This is my first Too Faced purchase. I got it 20% off at Beauty.com. The sale is most likely over but I have heard of people getting it at a discount from HSN.com. I was going to do that but it was sold out on their website for like two weeks as soon as I got paid. So keep a look out for when it comes back in stock. I paid a little over $42 because of tax which I was kind of miffed about. I was miffed because they wouldn't charge me tax if I didn't have  the discount. Without tax the palette was $39.

 The box looks like an actual chocolate bar box which I thought was really cute. 

So apparently they made the actual palette thinner.

The palette has a magnetic closure which could be stronger. I would probably secure it with a rubber band if I took it traveling.

 I'm going to admit that looking at this palette makes me crave chocolate.

The names of the shadows are printed on a plastic sheet instead of being printed below the shadows. It's kind of annoying. However you don't need to know the name of the colors to use them. Sorry for the glare. It couldn't be helped.

 I love the color arrangement. The palette is so versatile. At first glance you may be like there's a lot of brown. That doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. Especially for me. Since this palette has matte browns and I mostly have shimmer it works for me. It's also smart that they made the two browbone shades the biggest.

It comes with a guide for 3 different eyeshadow looks. I haven't tried them yet.

 The swatches are from left to right starting from the top row. These shadows don't swatch the best but apply very nicely.  I was curious if the browns would show up on my skin when I first saw this palette and they do.

Although some of the swatches look similar in the photos they're all different. My favorite is Gilded Ganache. It's such an unusual color. It's a dark brown with a gold shimmer which doesn't sound special. But, sometimes it flashes a green color. I've only used this palette once and it lasted all day with no creasing.

I'm quite pleased with this palette. Even though I wasn't interested at first I'm glad this palette stalked my life. 

So, if you thinking of getting this palette, you definitely should.

Until Next Time

Aleema :)

Review: Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

I wasn't sure whether or not to do this blog post. I mean who hasn't heard about the Naked 3 palette by now? But, when I was looking up makeup looks for inspiration I didn't see many looks or swatches on women of a darker complexion. For anyone that does want my opinion of this palette I'll include that as well.

When I went to Sephora I didn't go for this palette. Despite the fact that I was obsessing over it before it even came out. I was going to buy Too Faced's Chocolate Bar Palette that has been in my face since it came out. I swatched it and my friends and I weren't that impressed. So, I decided to end my suffering and just get the Naked 3. I bought it during Sephora's 20 percent off sale. I still might buy the Chocolate Bar Palette. It's been on my mind a lot lately.

I was apprehensive about buying this product because I watched reviews and a lot of people weren't that happy with some of the shadows' quality. So, I thought maybe if I waited a while UD might reformulate them. But, I've been having dreams about this palette, that's how bad my obsession was!

This what the packaging looks like. It reflects the rose gold theme.The palette is in a hard tin packaging, the same as the Naked 2.The packaging design is very beautiful.

So, this palette like the previous Naked palettes comes with 12 eyeshadows. Out of which 3 are matte. The rest are either glittery, shimmery, or satin. I know some people would prefer more mattes. I don't particularly mind either way. I like shimmer.

The palette also comes with a dual ended brush. I'm not a fan of the brush. Not because it doesn't perform well, but because storing, cleaning, and drying it becomes a pain. I prefer to turn my brushes upside down to dry. My lighting washed out the writing on the brush.

Close ups:

There is good range of shadows with regard to color.They are very pigmented.
The only shade I would complain about is Dust. Everyone complains about this color because although it is very beautiful, it is very hard to work with. It has a lot of glitter and gives a lot of fallout.

Here are the swatches:

Close ups:

*I realized that I didn't swatch 'Limit' and added it in later.

My most used colors of this palette are: Buzz, Trick, Liar, Factory,Mugshot, Nooner, and Strange

My least used colors are: Dust, Limit Burnout, Darkside, and Blackheart. I don't use Blackheart all that much because its very dark and intense, and on a regular I'm just attending classes. I don't know why I don't use Darkside and Burnout more. I'm going to make an effort to. I don't use limit that much because it seems kind of light to me. I don't use Dust because it requires a lot of work. It's very beautiful once it's on though. I'm going to try applying it wet.

Here is a comparison photo between the Naked 1 and the Naked 3:

Naked 3 is on top and Naked 1 is on the bottom. The only similarity is the color 'Toasted' in the Naked 1 palette looks like it could go in the Naked 3 palette. 

Here is the look recently created with the Naked 3 palette:

As you can see the shadows are very subtle but still very beautiful. I normally would wear this over a base such as the Maybelline Color Tattoo in the color 'Inked Pink.' I used the color 'Sin' from the Naked 1 palette in my inner tearducts. I used 'Trick' on the inner third of my eyelid and 'Buzz' on the outer third. Lastly, I used 'Factory' in the crease.

Final thoughts: I love this palette! However the Naked 1 will always be my favorite. It's more versatile. For me anyway. If you're liking the colors and are thinking of picking it up go for it!

What are your thoughts on this Palette?

Until Next Time

Aleema :)

Review: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

Today I'm going to be reviewing the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. This is my second NARS purchase. My first one was a blush in the color Taj Mahal. I bought them both from the NARS website.  I like the fact that they gave free shipping but it took forever to get to me. I made my order on the weekend and they waited until Monday to send me a confirmation. I understand them waiting until a business day to do it. However, it took them 6 days to ship my order! I've never waited long than 4 days to receive anything in the mail. Maybe I'm just impatient. I digress.

 This the box it came in:

I got the concealer in the shade Caramel. For my complexion, this shade highlights and conceals. I use it mainly under my eyes. I didn't use a concealer under it like some people recommend to cancel dark circles.

I'm in love with this product. When I first swatched it on the back of my hand it was so creamy and smooth like the name suggests. When I blended it out, it was so light. It creased a little on me but barely. It wasn't noticeable. I had to stand so close the mirror that my nose was practically touching it.
On the NARS website it does say that you can use it to cover blemishes. I don't think I will use it for that.

I bought this from the NARS website for $29. With tax it came up to about $32. It's expensive. I don't plan on using this on too much of a regular basis.

The photo above is a swatch of the concealer before I blended it (on the left) and after I blended it (on the right).

I'm pleased with this product. I don't really have any complaints. In the picture above it highlighted my under-eye area perfectly and blended out nicely.

So, if you were thinking of getting this product and don't mind the $29 price tag, go ahead. I think it's worth the price.

So, That's it.

Until Next Time

Aleema :)

Review: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

Hi/ Assalamu wa Alaykum,

It's been a while. This semester is so draining. So, I didn't really buy/ wear a lot of makeup. Plus my skin was acting up. Now, I'm starting to get back into the swing of things again.

So, I've seen the hype surrounding the Laura Mercier foundations and tinted moisturizer. I decided to see if it was worth it. I chose the tinted moisturizer because the weather is going to be getting much warmer soon ( or so they say!) and I want something lighter than a normal liquid foundation.

I purchased the tinted moisturizer that is oil free and has a broad spectrum of spf 20. I bought this from Sephora for a whopping $43! Which is really expensive!

This is what the packaging looks like. I didn't take a picture of the back but there is a strip that shows you what the foundation color is supposed to look like and the name. Mine is in the color Walnut.

Here is a swatch:

The claims:

What it is: A perfect blend of skincare and makeup that helps control oil breakthrough and gives skin a sheer hint of colour for a healthy, natural glow..

What it is formulated to do: Laura Mercier created this product to give skin a healthy ‘no-makeup’ look with a soft hint of colour that evens and enhances without hiding the skin. This oil-free lightweight formula provides ideal protection from the sun’s harmful, damaging rays with broad spectrum SPF 20 UVB/UVA sunscreen. Perfect for all skin types, especially sensitive or oily skin.

This product has light to medium coverage. It evens out the skin nicely.You can layer it for more coverage. I wouldn't advise doing more than two layers. Otherwise it will be noticeable and defeat the purpose of a tinted moisturizer. 

I can't say whether or not this helps control oil. Normally, my skin is really oily, but ever since I returned from Dubai my skin has become so dry. It's getting back to normal though. So, when I was wearing this yesterday I did see myself get a little shiny about 4 hours after I applied it.

I've heard that the oil free version is more watery than the normal version. I don't know if that makes a difference with regard to coverage. 

Here is what it looks like on:

You can still see my skin showing through. So, it does give a very natural finish.

So far I've been pleased with it. It matches me well and blends in nicely. Would I repurchase it? Hmm, I'm leaning more towards a no on that one. Before I bought this product I made my own tinted moisturizers by mixing a foundation and a moisturizer in my hands and then applying it to my face. I recommend doing that. If you prefer to buy one and don't mind paying $43, then go for it. I am, however, interested in trying there foundations now.

Have you tried this tinted moisturizer before? What did you think?

P.S. I've been thinking of starting a schedule. Perhaps a review every Thursday that way I have a post up at least once a week. I'm not sure yet.

Until Next Time

Aleema :)

Favorite Makeup Look # 2

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

This is another one of my favorite make up looks. It took more time than I would have preferred. I would probably wear this look if I was going out with friends.

All of the products that I used are in the picture above except for Maybelline color tattoo in the color 'Pomegranate Punk.'

1) I applied foundation using Maybelline's Superstay in the shade 'Caramel'
2) I used Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Darspot treatment eraser as an under eye concealer
3) I used my third blush in my Inglots palette- The pink one
4) I used Maybelline's color tattoo in 'pomegranate punk' all over my lid as a base
5) I applied 'Toasted' from the Naked palette on my lid below my crease
6) I applied a reddish brown color from the Sephora palette in my crease and blended upward; keep applying until you get the intensity that you want
7) I made a winged liner using the black gel liner in the Sephora palette
8) I applied 'Sin' from the Naked palette in my inner tear duct and 'Virgin' on my browbone
9) I applied Maybelline Colorsensation lipgloss in the color 120 'Plum Luster'
10) I applied MAC's 'Rebel' in the center of my lips

Comments? Suggestions?

Until Next Time:)

Influenster Jolly Voxbox Review

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

 I'm an Influenster member as you can tell from the badge I have up. A few weeks ago I received their Jolly Voxbox for review purposes.

 A voxbox is basically a box full of products that certain members are selected to receive based on the content and their points.

Disclaimer: The fact that I received these products for free does not in any way impact my review. I'll be honest as I always am in my reviews.

So, this is what the box looked like inside when I first opened it.

This is what was under the Skinny Cow box.

Contents:

 1) Puffs Ultra Soft & Strong To Go Tissue Pack: $0.49

 2) NYC New York Color HD Color Trio Eye Shadow: $2.99

 3) Rimmel London NEW Show Off Lip Lacquer: $5.49- $5.99

 4) Skinny Cow Candy: $3.99

 5) Ducklings Mini Rolls $2- $3

The contents of this box was okay. I wasn't all that impressed.

Puffs tissue is always good quality tissue. Especially if you're sick. I'm not a fan of chocolate with caramel in it. So, I gave the Skinny Cow candy to my mother. She didn't really like it. She said it wasn't sweet. The box is still full.
 I already owned one of the Show Off lip lacquers. However, I feel that this particular shade doesn't look flattering on me. It's too pink. 

The NYC Eye Shadow is nice and smooth. However, it's full of colors that I either already have or don't show up on my skin. It was in the color 781- Long Beach Sands

In the pictures below, I have on the eye shadows in the way that was recommended on the product. You could barely tell that I had it on.

As for the Ducklings Mini Rolls, they seem decent. I don't really have a use for duct tape.

So, That's it,

Until Next Time :)

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.*

Review: Smashbox Photo Matte Anti-Shine Primer

Assalamu wa Alaykum/ Hi,

If you have been read a few of my blog posts you may or may not know that my skin is naturally oily. Therefore, I am always looking for new ways to keep it matte. Due to the heat in Dubai, my skin was even oiler. My Urban Decay De-slick setting spray wasn't cutting it anymore. I bought this primer from the Sephora in the Dubai Mall.

The product comes in a squeeze tube which is convenient. It allows you to control how much product you use. You only need a small amount.

Here is the claims of the product as written on the packaging:

This cream gel formula instantly absorbs oil and minimizes the appearances of pores, leaving skin shine free for up to 8 hours. Wear alone, over/under makeup or dab on for touch-ups.

Does this product keep my skin oil free for 8 hours?

No, It didn't last for 8 hours. When I first bought it I was pleasantly surprised that it managed to suppress my oil at all. I will say that I feel that this primer is better at reducing my oil than suppressing it completely. For the first couple of hours I was shine free but after that I noticed my oil coming through just not as much.

Does this product minimizes the appearance of pores?

Not really. If it did, it wasn't noticeable to me.

I've applied this product alone, under, and over makeup, and it performed the same.

I believe that this product costs about 165 Dirhams. I know I got ripped off once again. But, this primer was out of stock in Dubai for about 2 weeks, and when I checked Sephora website it was out of stock online and in stores in the US.

Final Thoughts: I give this product a thumbs up. I think it is better to be used for touch ups though.

So, That's it.

Until Next Time. :)