Make Up Forever Aqua Cream: Shade 13, Shade 15

Make Up Forever Aqua Creams: Shade 13, Shade 15

Shade 13, Shade 15

Shade 13, Shade 15

I know Make Up Forever is a highly-praised brand that doesn't need further review from someone like me. I decided to do this anyway because I initially had trouble with the Aqua Creams but just recently figured out a way to apply them. Now I love them!

I have Shade 13, a frosty champagne pink, and Shade 15, a frosty warm brown. The Aqua Creams are very smooth and pigmented. They dry quickly and completely so there shouldn't be concerns about smudging. The fast dry time was the exact source of my initial problems. When I first got these, I tried to apply them with my fingers but I found that they set so quickly that I didn't have the chance to blend them out. Further application looked splotchy as I couldn't get an even application. I just started using the Sedona Lace 954 brush (the perfect cream shadow brush) to apply them and am getting much better results! For some reason, I am able to get even coverage and to blend when using this brush. It seems that I get more time before the product completely dries on my lids. Perhaps the heat of my fingers caused the product to set more quickly. I think most of the product probably dried onto my finger, which was why I was getting splotchy application. Lesson learned- apply this with a brush!

Now that I have figured out a way to use it, I absolutely love these products, especially Shade 15 (my ever-clear love of browns will never wane). The most impressive thing about them is their longevity. They wear incredibly well. I didn't experience any creasing, smudging, or fading of the colors.

These creams may also be worn on the cheeks (though these shades would not be good for that).

I highly recommend these products. These products are pricey ($22 for 0.21 oz) but a little goes a very long way since no reapplication is necessary. Shade 15 is such a perfect color for me that I would be open to repurchasing it. Shade 13 is also very pretty but since I only wear it as an inner corner highlight, its use is limited and it can easily be replaced. There is a decent range of colors so if you find one you love and know that you will use again and again, I would say go for it.

Shade 13 on inner corners, Shade 15 on rest of lid

After 11 hours of wear

Chanel Nail Colour: Black Pearl

Chanel Black Pearl


Chanel Black Pearl (with flash)

I think Chanel's Black Pearl is a popular nail color that certainly does not need my review. I decided to do one anyway because I was amazed with how well this polish applied.

I assumed that the hype was over the color, which is beautiful. The shade is a deep pearly gray-green that really looks like black pearls! However, what impressed me even more was how quick the formula was to dry! I put it on two rather thick coats in a short amount of time. I was waiting to give them some time to dry before putting on the top coat when I unexpectedly learned that I had to go out to meet someone. I had applied the last coat only a couple of minutes before so I figured that my nails were certain to get ruined as I quickly dressed and left the house. Lo-and-behold, they did not! They had dried in about 5 minutes! This is not something I experience with other polishes as I frequently have problems with smudging and denting due to slow dry times with thicker coats (which I am prone to).

In summary, I feel justified in paying $25 for a nail polish. It is definitely pricey but the color is lovely and unique, and the formula is a dream. Plus it's Chanel. You can't expect a bargain. Still, I recommend it highly!

P.S. I did Google to see if there are any dupes out there, and I saw that someone found Black Pearl comparable to Revlon's Black with Envy. I have that color, though I haven't tried it yet. I will do a comparison sometime!

P.P.S. Notice the super adorable bunny ring holder?! It is too cute! Not only is it functional, it is also a sweet and affordable decorative item. If interested, it's sold at Urban Outfitters.

Chanel Black Pearl


Chanel Black Pearl (natural light)


Chanel Black Pearl (with flash)


Chanel Black Pearl (sunlight)

NYX Nail Polish: Sunday Afternoon

NYX Sunday Afternoon


Natural Light

I am loving this nail color by NYX in Sunday Afternoon. It is a metallic silver-pink with a foil-like appearance that I think is very cool!

The first coat was too sheer for the foil effect. I was actually surprised to see in the first coat that the polish was composed of glitter particles in a translucent base. I expected the formula to be denser, thicker, and opaque. However, the second coat gave my nails the look of foil so it was not difficult to achieve the desired appearance. I think the thin formula is probably preferable since it means that the coats dry more quickly and are easier to build.

Keeping it short and simple, I love this color and I definitely recommend it! Not only was it dirt cheap (<$2 on Cherry Culture), the formula was also easy to work with. This might be an odd comparison but it actually reminded me of Chanel's Graphite. I haven't had a chance to try Graphite out yet, but it too looks very metallic and foil-like. Sunday Afternoon could be an affordable option to see if you like that sort of effect.

Natural light


With flash


Chanel Graphite, NYX Sunday Afternoon


Chanel Graphite, NYX Sunday Afternoon

Philosophy: Hope in a Jar

Philosophy Hope in a Jar

Here is another product that I managed to use up, and I liked it enough to repurchase it. Philosophy's Hope in a Jar is a moisturizer that is supposed to be suitable for all skin types. I personally have combination skin. I get dry and sometimes flaky in the cheeks and around my mouth and chin, but I get oily in the T-zone. Because of my problem with oil in the T-zone, I used a very light, oil-free moisturizer for years. I broke that routine with Hope in a Jar. I didn't realize it until just now, but Hope in a Jar is actually 99.9% oil-free as well. In the jar, however, it is a rather thick, heavy cream. When I first tried Hope in a Jar, I was blown away. I felt that it helped to moisturize my skin so much better than the lotion that I was using before, yet it didn't leave my skin feeling sticky or oily, which was such a huge plus for me. My skin felt noticeably softer and smoother. I was definitely impressed.

Though I still believe that this is a great product, my fascination has since waned. I took Hope in a Jar along with me to Europe, where my skin went rather crazy. I got extremely dry with terribly flaky skin on my cheeks, nose, and chin. My eyelids got swollen in the inner corners. I'm not sure what was going on. Maybe my body had a hard time adjusting to the sudden change in environment. Whatever the case, Hope in a Jar could not save me. I'm not sure if anything could have, but this experience definitely knocked down my adoration for what I once considered a miracle cream. It wasn't moisturizing enough to cure my dry skin. In addition, it actually burned a bit when I applied it to my sensitive skin, especially in the eye area. I know that this was an extreme case, but I would be wary of using this if you have very dry, sensitive skin.

There are a few other cons to be aware of. Firstly, there is a definite scent that I can easily see some finding unbearable. I'm not sure how to describe it but it isn't pleasant. I guess it smells synthetic. I can put up with it, and it doesn't bother me after I blend it into my skin. However, my boyfriend has complained that he can't stand the smell of my skin, even long after initial application. Secondly, the product can dry out. I notice this especially on the lid. The product that gets stuck to the lid dries out and becomes tackier so that it does not feel nice to use. I'm sure most won't have this problem but since I did take this along while traveling, my jar did get jostled around so that a lot of product ended up on the lid. Consequently, I don't think this product is good for traveling.

In summary, I do believe that Hope in a Jar is an excellent moisturizer that deserves a try. If possible, you should first sample it in store to see if you can stand the smell, since this will probably be the biggest deterrent for most. If you're interested in sampling the Hope line of products, there is a great value set available on Ulta for $40. It includes a 2 oz jar of Hope in a Jar, which alone retails for $38. That itself is enough to make the set worth the buy. It also includes Eye Hope, which I've reviewed here, and Hope in a Tinted Moisturizer, which is a product I love and will be reviewing soon. Excellent deal!

Philosophy: Eye Hope

Philosophy Eye Hope

This product is one that I used up a while back and have been meaning to review as part of my failed Project Pan. Eye Hope is supposed to be an "advanced anti-aging eye cream" that, according to Sephora's website, claims to "diminish dark circles, reduce puffiness, and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A dose of antioxidants fortifies skin against future damage."

I am still quite young and I don't spend a lot of time in the sun, so I'm lucky not to have a problem with fine lines or wrinkles yet. Consequently, I can't attest to the product's claims that it will minimize fine lines or wrinkles. I do have dark shadows under my eyes that nothing seems to help with. I think they are the result of my facial structure so I don't hold it against the product. Lastly, I don't often have a problem with puffiness but when I do, I take a cold spoon to my eye to reduce the swelling and that usually does the trick. Hence, it is hard for me to confirm or refute Eye Hope's claim about puffiness. If anything, I guess the product doesn't help reduce swelling when the spoon method can't completely take care of it.

That being said, I do think that Eye Hope is a nice eye cream in that it has a light, moisturizing formula. I like it for a daytime eye cream because it blends out easily and doesn't leave behind any oily residue. It leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth. You can test it on the back of your hand and definitely feel the difference. It is harder for me to tell the difference in my eye area because the skin there is already so soft, but the effect on the back of my hand is certainly impressive. It leaves me to believe that it must do the same for the eye. Another strong point is that a little product goes a long way. Lastly, the pump is a nice touch since you don't need to worry about dipping your fingers into a pot.

At $48 for the full-size 0.5 oz bottle, I do feel that Eye Hope is a bit expensive. To be fair, the price is comparable to the those of other higher end eye creams. My recommendation is that if you're interested in trying out Eye Hope and the other Hope range of products, then you should check out a Philosophy value set that Ulta has for sale. It goes for $40 and includes a 0.25 oz bottle of Eye Hope, which I think is a great deal. (The set also includes Hope in a Jar and the Hope in a Tinted Moisturizer, both of which I like and will be reviewing soon!) I personally would repurchase Eye Hope and I have, in the Ulta set. I do recommend it. It is one of the top two eye creams that I have tried, though my favorite is Estee Lauder's Night Repair Eye (again, review coming soon). Definitely check out the value set if you're at all interested in giving Eye Hope a try!

The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Eye Colour: Golden Emerald, Bronzed Amber, Nude Gypsum, Vivid Amethyst, Deep Jade

Top L-R: Golden Emerald, Bronzed Amber
Bottom L-R: Nude Gypsum, Vivid Amethyst, Deep Jade

Here are some more products that I purchased during the massive Body Shop sale that I mentioned before. I'm not sure if it's still going on but I did see that the Buy 2, Get 1 or Buy 3, Get 2 deal was going on July 4th weekend. So maybe?

Because I love loose shadows (I really don't know why), I of course gravitated toward these. I even bought colors that I wouldn't normally bother with. I already owned two shades, which I have reviewed previously. As far as application goes, my comments for the other two shades hold true for these as well. They apply smoothly, blend evenly, and I don't experience fallout, which is lovely. The colors are wonderfully pigmented and I feel that they hold up quite well over the course of the day, though the colors do lose their vibrancy. I have a picture illustrating the way it wears below.

L-R: Golden Emerald, Bronzed Amber, Nude Gypsum, Vivid Amethyst, Deep Jade

Golden Emerald (03) is, as the name implies, a gold with green tones. Bronzed Amber (05) is also true to its name as a medium to dark bronze with strong red undertones. Nude Gypsum (07) is one of my favorites. It is a pretty satiny nude shade which is really nice for a brightening wash across the eye or as an inner corner highlight. Vivid Amethyst (08) is a vibrant, jewel-toned plum purple. Deep Jade (09) is a surprising favorite. It is a blackened forest green with golden shimmer.

I have tried a look with Nude Gypsum, Bronzed Amber, and Deep Jade. Interestingly, when Deep Jade is blended into Bronzed Amber, it loses its green tones and ends up looking like a deeper brown. I'm not sure why that happens but I don't personally mind since neutral browns are more work appropriate than greens. I shall try out a look with Deep Jade as the primary color to see if I can maintain the green.

To sum it up, these are nice eyeshadows and they're definitely worth checking out to see if the colors appeal to you. I think that Nude Gypsum and Deep Jade are good ones to look into if you like more neutral shades like I do. Vivid Amethyst is really beautiful but I don't find myself wearing purple on the lids so I haven't tried it out in a look yet. I think Golden Emerald is rather unique. To me, Bronzed Amber is the least original shade in this bunch but that's probably because I hoard anything that's in the brown/bronze/gold family. Especially if the sale is still going on, then I recommend that you give them a try!

Golden Emerald (03)

Bronzed Amber (05)

Nude Gypsum (07)

Vivid Amethyst (08)

Deep Jade (09)

Morning: Nude Gypsum in inner corner, Bronzed Amber across lid, Deep Jade in outer corner

Morning: Nude Gypsum in inner corner, Bronzed Amber across lid, Deep Jade in outer corner

Night: Nude Gypsum in inner corner, Bronzed Amber across lid, Deep Jade in outer corner

Essie: Too Too Hot

Essie Too Too Hot

Oh my! I have a gazillion things I want to review, but I have too many other things on my plate. I figured this one would be a quick, easy post so I might as well.

I was never keen on bright red polishes but that changed recently, probably because I saw how nice it looked on other girls. I picked up this Essie polish in Too Too Hot, thinking it might be worth a try. I got it at Walgreens, where it came in a set with some toe separators. They were a nice little addition. I don't paint my toes but I might give it a try now.

Too Too Hot is a very bright red that can look quite orange. At times, it looks even like a neon coral- that is how bright this shade is. I wasn't thrilled about it in the first day or so after application. However, the color is either growing on me or it has toned down in the process of dulling with wear. Whatever the case, it looks less orange to me now and more like a true red, which I like.

I've tried a few Essie polishes and I do like their formula. This is the first creme finish shade that I've tried, and I did feel that it was less quick to try than the shimmery formulas. Still, I got opaque coverage with the first coat. I added a second just out of habit. I like the glossy finish.

Overall, this is not a shade that I personally love. It is not bad but I'm sure there are better bright red options out there that don't have that a strong orange cast to them. If you like that quality, then Too Too Hot might be for you. As far as the performance of the polish, it is definitely as nice as you would expect from a beloved brand like Essie. Whether or not you want to check this out is really a matter of color preference.

Natural Light

With flash

Brighter depiction of polish