MAC x Mariah Carey ~ my picks

Today I want to show you my picks form MAC x Mariah Collection. I was surprised when I saw the preview of the collection. I thought after Holiday Nutcracker Sweet Mac was done , but nooooo. Right before holidays Mac Mariah launched and ahhh the collection is gorgeous! 

Its so Mariah! you guys remember lipstick that was out last year "all I want"? there was something missing right? The packaging.  Lipstick was housed in simple Mac bullet, nothing special. I read so many blog saying that they should do better than that. and they did! 

This collection's packaging is fabulous! its sparkly, festive and so eye catching! 

Now lets me show you want I picked up at my local MAC Store.

Lets start with lipstick. OMG the bullet is soooo freaking gorgeous! Silver glitter all over! Inside its gold with Mariah signature. Once you twist the lipstick.. Hello butterfly!   Freaking butterfly engraved on a lipstick how cool and beautiful is that!? 

the two lipsticks I got are:

* MAC Dahhlinggg! ~ pinky-peachy nude, creamsheen 

* MAC Mcizzle ~ rosy peach, creamsheen.

and a lip glass 

* MAC Rainbow Interlude ~ clear pink with pink and silver or should i say rainbow sparkles. 

to be honest I didn't want to buy any lip glass but when I saw this one I was in love :) I have actually similar one in my collection form MAC Alluring Aquatic collection ~ Clear Water.

the last product I got was blush. I wanted a blush. First I wanted the highlighter but price scared me. So I ended up getting blush. 

* Sweet Sweet Fantasy ~ such a pretty deep coral. Its matte but when you look closely you can see slight golden shimmer. I liked this one more than the other pink one. I think this one is more of a natural and everyday kind of blush. Plus it comes in a pretty , super pretty gold packaging. 

So that will be it. I actually, after thinking for few days I want the other blush and I get so OCC lipstick. So I will go and check my local Mac if they still have anything left. If not well than too bad. It might be back again on a restock or something. We wait we will see :)

 Did you pick anything form this collection?

Allegory Story Lip Products ~ Review and Swatches

*pr sample*

Allegory Story is a vegan and cruelty free company  based in NYC :) And they make fabulous lip products! 

They first launched with lip glosses :) and Holly Molly their glosses are amazing! They are super pigmented, glossy and non sticky! There is 7 shades total and you can choose if you want pink or blue caps :) Definitely mix and match them , than you have have a little bit of both. On the cap you can see holographic clouds which are super cute. Allegory Story was kind enough to send me both pink and blue caps :) To be honest I don't know which color I like more heheh :)

 

So let me tell you a bit of the glosses. They are not like any other glosses I tried. I was really surprised  how pigmented they are! When you think lip gloss you think something sparkly or sheer. No Allegory Story brings glosses on a  new level! Once applied they don't feel sticky at all. They are not drying or thy wear off easily. I say that can stay up to few hours ( just limit licking you lips and well foods and drinks and you be good LOL).

 

Shades in the collection:

* Botticelli ~ beige nude (allegory of Spring)

* Eve's Apple ~ true red with blue undertones (refers to allegorical biblical story of Adam and Eve. Allegory for Temptation and Sin)

* Faerie Queen ~ pastel pink. The Faerie Queen is an English novel. Represents allegory of Queen Elizabeth I.

* Lady Una ~ hot pink. Lady Una is a main character in English poem The Faerie Queen. Lady Una is meek,humble and beautiful, but strong when necessary. She represents the Truth. 

*Plato's Cave ~ medium brown. Plato's Cave is a reference to allegorical work by Plato, Greek philosopher.

* Primavera ~ soft, shimmery peachy-coral. Primavera is also known as a Allegory of Spring, painting by Italian artist Sandro Botticelli. 

* Wonderland ~ soft lavender purple.Wonderland is a reference to famous novel, Alice Adventures in Wonderland. Wonderland is consider a political allegory, with Wonderland symbolizing the country of England, that is ruled tyrannically by Queen of hearts (allegory of Queen Victoria)

They retail for $15 each and they are worth it you guys! 

The second products launched by company were liquid matte lipsticks. All nude or nudish shades which I love! Omg one of the best liquid lipsticks on the market. Lipstick in Self-Portrait is my absolute favorite. When i got them I could not put it down. I wore it for two weeks straight. I wore lipsticks the whole day and I had reapply only once! Just once! The formula is amazing, they dry to matte finish and they don;t feel drying. Very comfortable to wear. 

Here as you can see the cap is black and it still contains holographic clouds :) tube have a matte look to it :)

 (from the top : The Lion, Orwell, Self-Portrait)

Shades available in the MATTE Range are:

* Self Portrait ~ dusty mauve pink. The name refers to painting called Self Portrait as the Allegory of Painting by Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi. 

* Orwell ~ soft brown nude. About the name; George Orwell's novel Animal Far, tells a story of an animals on the farm as a Political Allegory of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Communist Revolution in Russia. Animals represent the greed and corruption of the revolution while showing how those in power can change ideology of a nation.

* The Lion ~ warm terracotta brown. The Lion refers to famous novel by C.S. Lewis The Lion, The Witch and Th wardrobe. The story is a religious allegory drawing parallels to religious ideology with the lion, Aslan as a Christ like figure who rises for the dead.

Each lipstick costs $ 17

The last and most recent launched by the company were metallic lipsticks. Oh metallic lipsticks are so fun and so metallic! They do have a different scent then than glosses and matte lipsticks. These babies are peppermint scented! and no don't worry the scent is not overwhelming.  Now moment of truth these are my first metallic lipsticks :) and I love them. I wore Verity twice and its so pretty on! I just have to make myself look matte before applying coz shiny lips and shiny me don't look well hahah! no, but for real I like it. Just like a matte lipstick these wear pretty long and don't feel crazy drying.

 

The shades I have are:

* Verity ~ deep bronze with metallic finish. Verity is an allegory for Truth and Justice.

* OZ ~ Soft metallic gold. As you can guess it refers to Wizard of Oz and following the yellow brick road... 

they come in a limited edition silver packing and retail for $17

The company will be sending me two new reds: Bacchus (Matte) and Inferno (Metallic). Really can't wait. I saw swatches on IG and I love them already! :)

By the way. If you thinking of purchasing anything. Follow them on IG and keep checking website for deals. They have so many great deals that will ave your $$$!

Direct link to website here.

Lucie and Pompette New Creme De Paris Lip Colors

*pr sample*

Its is fun to see Lucie and Pompette new products :) The new Creme De Paris are fabulous! I got 4 out of 6 shades :)The supreme lip color combines the convenience of a lip liner and a lipstick. The long wearing formula is enriched with Shea Butter, Coconut Butter and Vitamin E for hydration and creamy texture. Creme De Paris is prefect for lining, all over lip color and can be use with other lip products like their lip butters :)

The packaging is you simple chubby stick kinda of a lipstick. You twist it up form the bottom. The cap is clear so you can see your color. 

The design on each is same and its fabulous! The city of Paris wit Eiffel Tower :) Simply adorable, Each come in a separate pink box with Lucie on it. Its pink and super girly.

The shades I got :

* Lou Lou ~ Matte Burgundy

* Kissette ~ Demi Matte Natural

* Fifi ~ Demi matte Poppy

* Pom Pom ~ Demi Matte Rose 

They color pay off is amazing. they are super pigmented. One swipe on my hand and I was like Woow ! :) Especially Lou Lou, this color is amazing! Its dark and mate and wears pretty nice. I wore most of them already. Kissette is gorgeous nude that I can pull off everyday. It wears nicely. And since its demi matte is less drying then Lou Lou. Demi mattes are more creamy when on lips. Lou Lou wore a bit longer then others though, but it also came off from he inside of my lips (do you know what I mean LOL) But Lou Lou is my favorite out of all :) 

Overall I like them. They are better then other chubby sticks out there :) The pigmentation is amazing and colors are super wearable :) 

go get Lucie form Here.

Price $18

 

Apple Coffee Cake Muffins *Pinterest Recipe*

hey Loves!

I have to tell you I have a huge amount of apples at home. Ask me why? We love apples, Sophia eats them by tons :) But with a this large amount I decided to bake some apple goodies :)

After browsing Pinterest I found great recipe I had to give a try. 

I love Pinterest :) Unfortunately my previous profile was removed .. long story on that. So I made new one and just keep pinning. I pin recipes the most :) You can check my Pinterest page by clicking in my profile Pin Icon :)

So I found the recipe that come from Sweet Peas and Saffron blog. 

OMG the muffins are so delish! And so easy to make too! you guys need to try them. I made 12 muffins on Monday and they disappear within minutes ! I had to bake more on Tuesday. When they bake the house smells so good! That's what I love about baking the smell of the goodness in the oven. 

The muffins itself are so good. Yeah I know I keep repeating myself but I cant help it . I love it. They came not super sweet but sweet. With sugary cinnamon crumble and swirl yum!

Go and check Sweet Peas and Saffron blog for recipe or just hold on and I will copy it here :)

Ingredients

Apple Coffee Cake Muffins

• 2 cups all purpose flour {250g; spooned, fluffed & levelled}
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar {165g}
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk {buttermilk recommended but any milk works}
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups of apples, peeled and diced into 1 cm pieces

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

• ¼ cup packed brown sugar {55g}
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon

Crumble Topping

• 2 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces {28g}
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar {55g}
• ¼ cup all purpose flour {32g}
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Crumble Topping

1. Combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut the butter in using a pastry tool. Mix until coarse and crumbly {see photos above}. Set aside.

Muffins

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Line a standard-sized muffin pan with large muffin papers and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, beat egg, and add in the milk and vegetable oil. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry with a spoon, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix!
4. Fold in the apples.
5. Spoon 1 tablespoon of muffin batter into the bottom of each muffin paper. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon sugar mixture, then top with remaining batter until the well is completely full. Spread a heaping spoonful of the crumble topping on top.
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

CHI Rose Hip Hair Care

Ok so I have never try any hair care products from CHI. I do use their styling tools daily but never hair care. 

I recently go their new line Rose Hip and I love it. First off the scent is amazing. When i sprayed dry shampoo on my hair, my daughter walked to the room and asked what spray I used coz she want to smell same. It does smells delicious.
What is rose hip oil? Well rose hip oil comes form the seeds (of specific verity of roses) which are the fruit left behind after the rose have flowered and dropped its petals. Rose Hip Oil is harvested from the seeds and its vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that are known to be very beneficial to skin and  hair.
The whole line is great for color treated hair, rose hip oil, vitamin C and antioxidants prevents color loss and increase shine :)

The key ingredients in the line:

* Rose Hip Oil ~ easy absorbing oil that aids in preventing of color fading.
* Silk~ helps strengthen and protect hair cuticles
 * Vitamin C and Antioxidants ~ rejuvenate hair and offers a color boost.
* UV protectant ~ protects form harsh sun rays that fade and dull color.

The product line contains:
* Color Nature protecting Shampoo ~ it gently cleanse color treated hair. I feel like it protecting my hair color form fading. Well the whole line does :)  It smells amazing. Comes with pump so it is really to use. You don't have to turn the bottle upside down and squeeze shampoo. On my long hair I use few pumps. I am afraid that i might run out soon LOL.

* Color Nature protecting conditioner ~ restore moisture into color treated hair and eliminate dull and dry hair. Same as a shampoo it comes in a bottle with pump. The consistency i a bit thicker then my other conditioner. I usually apply conditioner and hair mask same time and leave it on my hair for 5-10min. After my hair become super soft and manageable.

* Color Nature Recovery Treatment ~ helps to replenish moisture and strength hair with vitamin c and antioxidants that help reduce dryness and breakage while restoring hair. I use it after conditioning. I towel dry my hair a bit and apply treatment to my hair and wait for another 5min and then rinse with water.

* Color Nature Repair and Shine Leave-In Tonic ~ adds moisture, shine and  strengths week color treated hair. This can be used on dry or wet hair. I use it on dry. Feel like it works better for me. I tried on wet and I didn't like it. I don't apply too much on my hair. Just few sprays here and there.

* Color Nature Dry Shampoo ~ helps extend life of hair color and style by removing excess oil and eliminate odors in between shampooing. This by far is my favorite product. What can I say I am a sucker when it comes to dry shampoo. I love them all. Dry shampoos are a staple in my hair care. I try not to wash my hair so often so in between when my hair look greasy I spray dry shampoo :) This one smells amazing you guys! I didn't notice any white residue left in my hair. My hair is blonde so it would be hard to see. I try on my daughters hair and nothing. I really been loving it :)

* Color Nature Dry UV Protecting Oil~ finishing mist help maintain color radiance with UV protecting ingredients. Love the smell of this again. I love how beautiful my hair are after I spray it. They shiny and healthy. I use it after all my straightening/ styling done. It don't leave my hair greasy, or sticky. This and dry shampoo are my faves for he whole line :)

Overall I love this line. If you have color treated hair that need help try CHI Rose Hip Oil line :) I know you can get them at Ulta Beauty  (there is a sale at the moment so go and check it out ) and some other web places like Loxa Beauty and Farouk System.

*pr sample* Products were sent to me for review

Osmosis Skin and Beauty ~ what's new in my skin care / makeup bag ?

Hey Loves! 

I know it have been long time since I posted last.  I think this was my the busiest year ever when it comes to my regular job. I really looking forward to some time off. 

Anyways few weeks ago I got new products from Osmosis Beauty. I already own few products from them and you can find them in links below:

* Eye shadow Makeup Palette

* Long Lasting Lipstick

* Concealer

* Blush, Mineral Pressed base and Calm Serum.

Now I added two lip glosses and a eye serum.

Lets start with lip glosses first.

I picked up two shades:

 * Bare

* Berry Frost

Both come in a very well made plastic tube. They are available in 6 sades. Each gloss features creamy, rich texture and 3D pigments to help lips appear fuller and more plumped The line's jojoba and sunflower oils hydrate and nourish, encouraging the healing process and turning dry, chapped areas into smooth and soft. Each formula promote firmness and elasticity. Each swipe of luminous color will even help remove free radicals and bloc environmental age-factors, all thanks to it's antioxidant packed ingredients. 

I personally am not fan of glosses but these are great. The doe foot applicator applies the
color wonderfully. I can see color on my lip
s with only one wipe. Both gloss feel like they really do hydrate my lips and yes they make my lips looks fuller no doubt there. Osmosis says that each gloss have a grapefruit and strawberry scent to it. I personally don't smell anything ... both glosses can be worn by it self or as a lipstick topper. 

I personally love Berry Frost. When I got them Berry Frost was the one that wow-ed me the most. Color is amazing and I love to wear it on its own. It does have this beautiful sheen :)I love it. Bare is great as a topper and its beautiful nude shade. I wore it on its own too but I prefer on top of the lipstick :)

Both glosses and well other 4 shades can be find on Osmosis Website

Price $19 each. 

Next we have Refresh PM Eye Serum. Its an intensely moisturizing eye serum that helps restore a healthy barrier and plump fine lines around the eyes, while providing protection and improvement to delicate area. 

I feel like skin regenerates better over night. That is why I picked the PM eye serum, it replenish and refreshes while I sleep. .  

After cleansing my face i apply pea size amount and patted gently under my eyes.The consistency is thick and tacky. I am getting used to it now at first I didn't really like it. After using straight after a week I could see my dark circles less visible and puffiness and redness  almost gone. This was and still is a life saver! After working enormous hours me and my eyes felt tired. PM Serum helped a lot.  Its really gentle for my sensitive skin. My under eyes feel even and I feel more awake.

It does have a slight cirrus scent but it don't bothers me I actually enjoy it. The pump "pumps" out the right amount of product :)

By the way did you know you can also use i on your lips? It works great as a lip serum and protect and moisturize my lips though out the day. 

It can be find on Osmosis Website.

Price $68 (15ml)

I highly recommend Osmosis skin and color line :) They are like the hidden gem in skin care world. I really enjoy their products. 

here is a info from their website:

Osmosis creates permanent change by:

• Clinical ingredients with a holistic, noninflammatory approach
• Solutions targeting the source of aging and skin conditions
• Targeted dermal delivery systems
• 5 patents and pending patents
• free of toxic chemicals, SLS, phthalates, parabens, gluten, artificial
  colors and fragrances

Our unique philosophy is based on analyzing the skin and body as a whole to treat skin conditions at their source, restoring beauty and wellness.

Colour Mineral Makeup Collection

• Luxury performance makeup
• Long-wearing color
• Finely milled minerals
• Intense natural color