A Craving for Hard Candy

Has anyone tried Hard Candy cosmetics, available exclusively at Walmart? I'm beginning to think I might be obsessed with this brand. Let's get one thing clear: I am one of those people who totally falls for cute packaging. And it doesn't get any cuter than Hard Candy. I just can't resist perusing through all of their brightly colored, sparkly products every time I'm hunting in the Walmart beauty aisles (which is frequently). So far the only Hard Candy product I have tried is their Glamoflage Heavy Duty Concealer (review coming soon!) and I really like it so far. I'm intrigued to try more Hard Candy products though. They have an under eye concealer I'm dying to try, but I didn't see it at my local Walmart. Boo. Has anyone else tried Hard Candy?

Review: Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara

Ok, I finally got to try the new Clump Crusher mascara by Covergirl! The reviews are in! I am not usually a Covergirl fan, but this mascara intrigued me. I first heard of it when it was listed as a "beauty breakthrough" in Allure magazine. If Allure says it's a breakthrough product, then it probably is! Then I read some strong reviews for it on other blogs. The lime green packaging drew me in, and I finally purchased it. And? I LOVE it! It's important to understand that I am very picky when it comes to mascaras. I can usually tell immediately if I like the formula or not. My sister Hayley tried Clump Crusher first, and after applying a few coats she turned around and said something to the effect of, "Um, dude, my lashes look amazeballs." When I finally tried it myself, I seriously was wowed. I LOVE this mascara! Read on for my review. (The photos are of my beautiful twin, Hayley)

The Pitch: "Get 200% more volume and ZERO clumps"

The Price: $8.99 at Walgreens

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Pros:

-Pretty lime green packaging

-Fantastic wand. Covergirl claims the secret to no clumps isn't in the formula, but in the wand. The Clump Crusher wand is sturdy and easy to use. It feels similar to other Covergirl Lash Blast mascara wands.

-The FORMULA. The formula of Clump Crusher is not runny, too wet, goopy, or too dry. I feel like Goldilocks: "This one is just right!" I applied about ten coats of this baby and had NO clumps! My lashes instantly became very long and fluttery. Love! 

-The very black shade was great, very dark.

-I experienced zero flaking or smudging.

-Clump Crusher claims it is a volumizing mascara, but I feel like I got great volume AND great length! The pictures below show Hayley with bare lashes and then wearing Clump Crusher.

Cons: Um. That would be none.

Make Me Up Like Kim Kardashian

Raise your hand if you love celebrity culture. (My hand is waving around wildly!) I adore reading about celebrities, and I love it when a celeb comes along who really perfects their own hair, makeup, or clothing style. Love her or hate her, Kim Kardashian has her own signature style that is pure glamour. Kim is all about voluptuous hair, sky high heels, and a fully made up face, even on latte trips with Kanye. I'm not sure how to post a photo of Kim on here, but unless you've been living under a rock for a few years, you probably know what she looks like. Kim's signature make up look includes flawless foundation, a bronze glow with pink cheeks, a smoky eye, nude lips, and LOADS of lashes on top and bottom. I was inspired today to try and see if I could replicate Kim K's ultra glam look using some of my very own perfect, pretty, and, most importantly, cheap, products. WARNING: I am currently using an iPad as a camera and the picture quality is truly horrendous. My bronzer and eyeshadow was MUCH darker in real life than it appears in these ghastly pictures. Also, the iPad seems determined to put as much shine on my face as humanly possible. So keep in mind it's hard to see what the makeup really looks like in these crappy photos. (My god, will you LOOK at that shine?! Actually, please don't.) So how can you create a makeup look like Kim's? Read on

1. Apply concealer under your eyes. I always have wretched dark circles. I used Hard Candy Glamoflage concealer which is amazeballs! It's very heavy duty. Use the concealer to cover up any scars or blemishes after you apply your foundation.
2. Apply a liquid foundation all over your face and make sure to blend well. I always use my fingers to apply liquids. I recommend liquid because it gives the heaviest coverage and Kim wears heavy foundation. I used Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse foundation.
3. Set your makeup with a light dusting of loose powder. I used Maybelline Shine Free loose powder.
4. Next use a dark gray or silver eyeshadow and apply it all over your eyelid. I used a smoky eye kit from Claire's. I usually apply eyeshadow with my fingers. 
5. Use another gray or silver color that is darker than the one you used on your eyelid in the crease of your eyelid. Blend well!
6. Next apply a shimmery gold or bronze eyeshadow on your brow bone, in the inner corner of your eye, and, most importantly, sweep some along your lower lash line. Kim usually rocks this.
7. Now, eyeliner. I usually use gel liner. I used Ulta's gel eyeliner in Smoke, but you may use black or brown. Line the top and bottom of your eyes. 
8. We've arrived at the most important step! Mascara is essential to the Kardashian glamour. False eyelashes would be fabulous too, I just hate struggling with them. Apply about a zillion coats of a volumizing mascara in a very black shade. I used Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara (which is freaking fantabulous!). It's VERY important that you apply mascara to the bottom lashes as well! Just keep applying more coats! This is the Kardashian look, not the natural look, honey.
9. Use either an eyebrow pencil or some brown eyeshadow to fill in your eyebrows. Kim's are very well defined. 
10. Bronzer time! Using a big, fluffy brush sweep some bronzer across your cheeks, hairline, and nose. I used Milani Baked Bronzer in Glow, which is a Gold Standard Product all the way.
11. Use a light pink blush on cheeks. I used Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in soft pink.
12. For Kim's lips, use a nude or peach lipstick, topped off with ipgloss. I used Revlon Color Burst Lipstick in soft nude, which is the best nude of all time. 
13. Put on a hot outfit and find a hot Kanye look alike as a date. 
14. Keep up with your fellow Kardashians. 

Coming soon: Kate Middleton makeup!

The lowdown on bb creams

Ok, so burning beauty question: What exactly IS a bb cream? They are popping up everywhere in stores and in magazines. I must admit, after doing some beauty research, I am skeptical. Bb cream stands for 'beauty balm', which is a product that is extremely popular in Asia. A beauty balm is supposed to have several benefits; it protects your skin from the sun, provides anti oxidants, can plump up your skin with ingredients like peptides, soothes sensitive skin, moisturizes your skin, conceals imperfections, and more. The Maybelline bb cream pictured above is supposed to 'blur imperfections, brighten, Even skin tone, Smooth, hydrate, and protect with SPF 30' according to Maybelline's website. Does it do its job? I have no idea because I haven't tried it. There's something about the American version of the bb cream that just screams marketing gimmick to me. Can one cream really have all those benefits? And it seems like every line of bb creams I come across has a very limited shade range. Boo. I'm kind of dying to try it on one hand, just to see if it works. Maybe I'll buy one and then return it?
  Here's the thing: if you wear a bb cream, are you supposed to stop wearing moisturizer? Does the bb cream function as your normal moisturizer? Or your foundation? Is a bb cream really just a tinted moisturizer? A girl's head is spinning! Anyone have any more theories on these mysterious creams?

Review: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

I am super excited to write this review. Why? Because I have discovered my new Gold Standard Product (GSP). So what is this fantastic newfangled product? That would be Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten. I love it so much I may want to marry it. I was really curious to try the Kissable Balm Stains 1) Because I adore Revlon's lip products, 2) Because I was drawn in by the Emma Stone advertising campaigns (If I buy one of these, will I look as pretty as Emma?! Must find out!), and 3) Because I was looking for something that was easier to apply than a lipstick. I decided to try out the Smitten shade. In the crappy first photo above you can (sort of) see what the product looks like. It's a cute chubby pencil, no sharpener required. The lower two photos show the color (albeit in heinous fluorescent kitchen lighting). I love the color. I really do. It is a beautiful shade that reminds me of Valentine's cards. Read on to discover why this is my new GSP.

The Pitch: '...gives softer, smoother lips with a perfect flush of color that lasts hour after hour.'

The Price: $7.48 at Walmart

Pros:
-The color is absolutely beautiful. This shade is Smitten. Adore!
-The formula is very easy to apply. You just pop the lid off and fill in your lips with the chubby pencil. It looks like the pencil will last a good while. The formula is creamy with a bit of shine. 
-The color LASTS for about eight hours. The shine wears off fairly quickly, and the color will wear off quicker if you are eating or drinking, but it still leaves a nice stain. 
-I really enjoy the smell of this product; it's kind of minty. 
-The price was good for the quality of the product.
-I just love how the fat pencil is so easy to apply.
-The line has a lot of shades.

Cons: 
-I honestly can't think of any. Did I really just say that?! I think this balm stain is so easy to apply and has such a nice formula and shade range that I will wear it all the time now. I can't WAIT to try the other colors. 

The result? If you are looking for a bright colored lip stain that is easy to apply and long lasting, head to Walmart right now and plunk down some change for this. 

P.S. If wearing this lip stain makes me look as pretty as Emma Stone, does that mean I can have an Andrew Garfield look alike as my boyfriend? Pretty please?

Review: Maybelline the Mega Plush mascara

Ok kids, time to review one of Maybelline's newest and most buzzed about mascaras, the Mega Plush. (again, sorry for the crappy photos. And why does my face looks so hideously shiny? Me thinks I need to wear powder after all.) Anyways so I came upon this mascara after trying the Dior Diorshow mascara, which was an absolute fail. And here's the thing. I LOVE the Mega Plush! I adore it! I can't stop using it! I think it's fantastic! And I usually end up throwing mascaras away in frustration! (see Diorshow) Some info for those searching for a fabulous mascara:

The Pitch: '...first gel mousse mascara with 40% less hard waxes for massive volume with a supple touch.'

The Price: $5.94 at Walmart

Rating: 4.5 PPC's (that's Perfect Pretty Cheap's) out of 5.

Pros:
-Props for cute packaging. I love the colors and I love the name.
-The formula. I'm not sure exactly what a 'gel mousse' formula is, but I really did notice as I was applying this mascara that the formula felt feather light and not waxy, runny, too wet, or too dry. The best part? No flaking! The formula really does feel lighter than other mascaras. 
-The color is amazeballs. I bought this in the Blackest Black shade, and the more coats I applied the darker the mascara became. 
-The mascara REALLY curles my lashes. It's what I love best about this mascara, and I suspect the gel mousse formula is responsible. 
-The wand. The wand (I should've posted a photo, mental head slap) has a flexible bend to it. At first it was a little intimidating, but as time goes by I think it makes it easier to really grab each lash.
-There is little to no flaking. LOVES it!

Cons:
-If you apply too many coats it can start to get clumpy. 
-The wand could be intimidating.
-I can't find it at all drugstores which is annoying.

The 411? Maybelline's the Mega Plush mascara has a great formula and makes my eyelashes curly and dark. What more could a girl ask for? 

Review: Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss lipstick

So PLEASE forgive me if for a while this blog has really crappy photos (or no photos at all!). I am brand spanking new to the world of blogging, and I'm trying to figure everything out. I also just have an iPad right now as opposed to a computer where I can upload photos from an actual camera. Once I rectify the computer situation the photos should be of much higher quality (we can hope). For now my iPad and iPhone photos will have to do. For this first post I am reviewing Rimmel London's Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 001. I was super excited to try this lipstick because it was featured as the overall best red lipstick in Allure magazine's 2012 Best of Beauty awards. Allure promised that this shade, 001, would 'Out red any rival'. Does it? Read on.
Price: $4.63 at Walmart
Rating: 3 PPC's (that's Perfect Pretty Cheap's) out of 5. 
Pros: -the packaging is gorgeous. The tube is sleek and black and is emblazoned with Kate's signature. It truly makes you feel like a glamorous supermodel. 
-The price was pretty fantastic for a collection supposedly designed by a celebrity. 
-In the tube, the lipstick is a dark rich red.
Cons: -The lipstick is super matte so that can make it hard to spread. I would definitely exfoliate lips first and apply a balm afterwards just to give it some more oomph. 
-It fades after a few hours. 
-The big issue that I have with this lipstick is the color. In the tube it looks like the perfect true red shade. I am VERY picky when it comes to my red; I want an old Hollywood Marilyn Monroe feel. Once I wore this out in natural light I was very disappointed because it really had much more of a pinkish look. (yes, I should've posted a photo) It was a bright pinky red, as opposed to a blue-toned dark red. I was so disappointed I don't think I'll even wear this again. 
The gist? If you're looking for an affordable, matte lipstick that's a bright pink with red tones, you will like this.  Xoxo stay beautiful! -chelsea













Rating: 3 PPC's (that's Perfect Pretty Cheap's) out of 5. 
Pros: I adore the packaging of this lipstick. It truly is as glamorous as Kate Moss herself. It comes in a sleek black tube with Kate's signature emblazoned on it in red. Beautiful. 
-The price is pretty amazing. I thought it would be much more expensive. 
-In darker