Learning To Love The Skin I'm In...

Being a makeup wearer and lover, does not necessarily mean that I do not love the way I look. In fact, I actually adore my slightly freckled, pale, and imperfect skin. I have spent the last couple of days of 2016 makeup free because I want to end this year feeling beautiful and confident without my beloved makeup. Although I love myself, most days I paint on the makeup to make me feel even better about myself because how could someone not feel like a goddess with a highlight on the cheeks and pink lip on!

I have never had picture perfect skin. I, like most people, get the occasional acne breakouts and redness on my face. There are some days, however, when my skin looks and feels amazing, but that doesn't stop me from wearing makeup overtop my seemingly perfect skin. There are also days when my skin doesn't look it's best and I forgo adding any makeup, letting my imperfections be seen by the entire world. This is because whether I have clear skin or not, wearing makeup depends on how I will be spending my day. I have never forced myself to wear makeup in fear of what others may think or say. I wear makeup when I want because whether I have no plans or a busy day ahead, makeup is a choice make everyday based on my schedule and how I feel. If I feel tired or cannot be bothered to do my makeup I won't, but most days when I have sufficient energy I will go for it because it makes me happy and is something I love to do.

Going into this next year I will continue to wear makeup whenever I want, clear skin or not because it is for me and no one else. I love myself pimples and all because I have to live with me everyday! Society may tell us that makeup is a way for women and girls to hid their insecurities and is a way for us to 'catfish' men, but to me makeup is none of those things. Makeup is a way for me to express myself. Whenever I wear makeup I feel like a walking work of art. When I am bare-faced I do not feel like a Picasso, but I do feel just as beautiful because I know in my heart that I am me either way. Makeup or not, I feel beautiful and confident while also loving myself and my imperfect skin.

Although my following is small, I felt the need to say this because I feel so strongly about it. I know in my heart that many of my fellow makeup lovers probably feel the same, so please comment below your opinion and stance on the makeup equals confidence issue. Thank so very much for reading! I hope you all have an amazing 2017 and let this be your year to make your dreams come true! BYE!!

KISSES TO ALL!

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*

Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Face & Eye Palette Review 💗

As many of you may know I am obsessed with highlighters. I love to glow and shine bright like a diamond! I also love anything holographic and shiny because I am very easily impressed by anything that puts a glint in my eye. So there was no doubt that as soon as I saw one of my favorite brands was coming out with a holographic highlighting palette I knew I had to get it. Kat Von D's cosmetic brand is known for creating unique makeup products with cool effects and out of this world colors, so everyone, including myself, had high hopes for this product. I expected intensely pigmented powders that were very soft and easy to blend based off what I had seen and used in the past. One of the main selling points for this product is that the powders can be used as either an eyeshadow, highlight, or even on top of lipsticks to transform the shade of a color. I have to say, I am not disappointed with this product at all. This met my expectations and then some.

image from sephora.com

This palette is in triangle shaped packaging and has four circular pans of product inside of it. There is also a mirror on the inside which is very helpful when traveling and is always a plus when a palette contains a mirror. Retailing at $32 for four pans containing .05 oz. of product each, this palette is a better value than many other highlighting palettes on the market. So now that I have gotten the basic details out of the way, let's discuss the highlighters themselves!

image from sephora.com

Overall all four of the colors are very pigmented and soft to the touch. I have no doubt that I will get use of all shades whether it is on my eyes, lips, or face. The first shade is called emerald and it is a green opalescent shade, on my skin tone. Of all of them I was surprised at how quickly I gravitated toward this shade and wore it first thing when I opened the palette. I just really love how stunning and strikingly beautiful the green is without being too crazy. The next shade is called saphyre and it is a icy blue almost metallic looking shade. I love this color and how it is a cooler color than the other three shades, perfect for those winter makeup looks. Now onto the ultra-violet shade called amethyst. Amethyst is very much a purple/violet colors, but it also has hints of opalescent blue in certain lighting. This shade would be gorgeous for a festival or concert because of how bright and fun the color is. Last, but certainly not least is opal which is the pink shade in the palette. This shade is definitely one of the ones I will wear more often than the others because of its warmer color that seems to go from pink to slightly bronze and orange in certain lighting. All in all, every shade has the prefect amount of pigment and makes for the perfect set of holographic highlighters. The versatility of these powders in combination with the formula makes for the most amazing product I have purchased in the last few months. Although this product has been accused of being a copy of what Anastasia Beverly Hills already has, that is not true because this has been in the works for over a year and many other brands have similar products to others, but this is very much a standout in comparison to other highlight palettes. This palette is definitely more holographic than the Anastasia Beverly Hills 'Moonchild' palette and is a little bit cheaper. I think that this is a great palette for anyone who loves highlighters or eyeshadow and wants a holographic touch to their everyday look! Try it, you won't be disappointed!

Hope this review was helpful and made you want to give this amazing palette a-go! Thank you for reading and leave a comment below on any other posts you want me to make and if you are buying this palette. BYE!!

BUY IT HERE!!

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*

2016 Christmas Makeup Haul!

Hello, I hope all of you reading this had a happy holiday weekend and are ready for the new year that is swiftly approaching! Before we can get into anything else this week, I decided to show you all of the makeup products I was given as gifts by my lovely family. I am so blessed and thankful not only right now, but all year round to have such a caring and thoughtful family! They have given me some amazing products that I can't wait to use, so without further ado, here is what I got as gifts yesterday! Enjoy this post and comment below what you were gifted or what is on your wish list going into the new year!

1. Kylie Cosmetics 2016 Holiday Kyshadow Palette ($42)

image from kyliecosmetics.com

2. Kylie Cosmetics 2016 Holiday 5 Piece Brush Set ($35)

image from kyliecosmetics.com

 3. Colourpop X Hello Kitty Mama's Apple Pie Super Shock Shadow Collection ($18)

image from colourpop.com

4. Sephora Favorites The Kissentials ($28/sold out)

image from amazon.com

5. Tarte Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in 'Bestie' ($20)

image from sephora.com

So there you have it, my 2016 Christmas Makeup Haul! Once again, I hope you all had a happy and merry holiday and got everything you wanted! Thank you so much for reading and be sure to comment down below what you got or got someone else! BYE!!!

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*

Holiday Makeup/Beauty Haul! ~TREAT YO SELF~

As I was shopping for family and friends this holiday season, I got a little carried away and bought a few items for myself! Enjoy this unnecessary, but perfectly crafted haul! I enjoy shopping for others just as much as I do myself, so it is no surprise that I found way too many things I needed to have. Maybe this will give you ideas on what to spend you gift-cards on or buy for your friends! Enjoy!!!

1. Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix Setting Spray - $30

4.22 oz
image from sephora.com

2. Huda Beauty Lip Contour Set (Trendsetter/brown nude) - $24

*SOLD OUT*
image from sephora.com

3. Benefit Cosmetics Goof Proof Brow Pencil (03 Medium) - $24

.01 oz
image from sephora.com

4. Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Palette 4-in-1 Face Essentials - $36

4x .10 oz
image from sephora.com

5. Peter Thomas Roth Mask Sampler Kit - $25

6x .47 oz
image from sephora.com

6. Josie Maran Glowing Argan Oil Skincare Essentials - $29

image from sephora.com

7. Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette - $32

4x .05 oz
image from sephora.com

8. Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain (29 Dark Forest) - $14

.169 oz
image from sephora.com

9, Sephora Collection Classic Precision Liner Brush (#92) - $6

image from sephora.com

10. NARS Exclusive Mini Blush For VIB Rouge (Goulue) - $0

image from sephora.com

Hope this haul was interesting and gave some of you ideas for gifts this year! Let me know what's on your wishlist and if you would like a review on any of these products! I will be back after this weekend with more posts and better content as that has been lacking lately due to school and personal things getting in the way! Thank you so much for reading and Happy Holidays once again! BYE!!

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*

Happy Holidays! (update: where have I been & what's to come)

Hello and Happy Holidays! I have been pretty absent for about a week on this blog which I regret. With Christmas less than a week away, things have been getting pretty hectic for me! My classes recently finished around the 9th and I have been enjoying the time off so far with my family. I did post a recent gift guide before my short hiatus because I really wanted to get a post out for you all! I also have been babysitting a lot lately and have really enjoyed it. Another thing that has happened is that I am getting glasses. I have never had or thought I needed glasses, so when the eye doctor showed me how I would see with them I was surprised at the improvement I saw. Now I am really excited to get them and finally be able to see something across the room, lol! Anyway, my life has been so busy I have barely had anytime to do my makeup for fun, let alone blog about it!

However, from now on I will be posting twice a week as per usual! I really enjoy the blogging process and want to continue making posts that I enjoy and that I think others will love to read! I wanted to make this post so we are all on the same page and can move forward to 2017 together! Thank you to all that have read my posts and that follow my blog, I really do appreciate the fact that there are people out there who want to read things that I write. this has been such a crazy, but rewarding experience and I am so happy that I made this blog! Merry Christmas and here's to 2017!!

My next post will be up before Friday!Please leave any requests or suggestions down below! And once again THANK YOU!!! BYE!!! XOXO

image from emblibrary.com

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*

Holiday Gift Guide 2016: Sephora $15 & Under!

I compiled a list of what I believe are some of the best gifts available this holiday season from Sephora! These gifts are especially for those who just, love makeup and are reasonably priced for the gift giver! I hope this is helpful and let me know what other brands or stores you would like a gift guide for! Enjoy!

$15 & Under

1. Urban Decay After Dark Travel Pencil Set...$10

0.03 oz/ 0.9 mL 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Voodoo (bright metallic purple), Zero (zealous black), Corrupt (dark metallic reddish brown shimmer w/silver micro-sparkle)
image from sephora.com

2. TOCCA Simply Chic Set...$10

3 x 0.15 oz/ 4.5ml Eau de Parfum in Florence, Cleopatra, Simone
image from sephora.com

3. Philosophy Snow Angel Ornament...$8

2 oz/ 60 mL
image from sephora.com

4. Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleaner Travel Set...$8

2 oz Cleansing Tin (mini size)/makeup brush cleaner
image from sephora.com 

5. Sephora Collection Strays Away Mini Tweezer Set...$10

image from sephora.com

6. Sephora Collection The Romentic Eyeshadow Palette...$7

8 x 0.02 oz/ 0.7 g Eye shadows
image from sephora.com

7. Sephora Collectiom Confetti Set of 5 Mini Sponges...$12

5 x Uniquely-shaped makeup mini sponges
image from sephora.com

8. Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick Duo...$14

SIZE 2 x 0.05 oz/ 1.48 mL
availble in four shades
image from sephora.com

9. L'Occitane Almond Delights...$14

2.5 oz/ 75 mL Almond Shower Oil /0.7 oz/ 20 mL Almond Milk Concentrate
image from sephora.com 

10. Origins Cleanse & Smooth...$15

1 oz/ 30 mL Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash /1 oz/ 30 mL Modern Friction™ Nature's Gentle Dermabrasion
image from sephora.com 

P.S. Make sure to use your personal coupon code for $15-25 off your purchase of $50 or more, before it expires on the 14th (I believe)! Check your email! Happy Holidays!

Sephora VIB Rewards 2016 Haul! ($20 off)

It's that time of year again when Sephora sends out reward after reward. I previously did a post of my VIB 20% off sale haul in which I bought some products and used a 20% off coupon that Sephora had rewarded me and many other beauty insider members! Now, only a a few weeks later, they have sent out codes to all of us again, but this time we get $ off! VIB Rouge can redeem $25 off, VIB got $20, and all other beauty insider members get $15 off. This reward is still valid so be sure to check your email if you are a member or sign-up now, it's free! All codes are unique and can only be used once unlike the 20% off codes. The purchase you redeem the code on must be of a $50 or more value, so you get free shipping too! Now that you know a little bit about the $20 reward that I used, let's talk about what I got!

$58 for two, six pan palettes
image from sephora.com

I decided to purchase something that I have wanted for a couple of weeks and that is usually to pricey for my budget. Although it may e Christmas, I decided to treat myself to something I have lusted after and dreamed of getting! I bought the Estee Edit Gritty & Glow Magnetic Eye and Face Palettes for $58 (I paid only $38)!! This set contains two palettes, one for eyes or face and the other for eyes! Both palettes have six powders, one has lighter shades for highlighting and the other has colors for dark, sultry eye looks.

Gritty (black palette), Glow (silver palette)
image from sephora.com

REVIEW: Overall I give this product a 10/10, which says a lot considering I just used it this morning for the first time! I really love it, nothing bad to say at all so that is why it gets a perfect score. The packaging of each palette is simple, but stunning with gorgeous glitter. Both palettes also have huge mirrors inside which are perfect for everyday use and great for traveling. The powders themselves are also amazing. The powders are not chalky, they are buttery and glide on skin beautifully. I used three of the Glow Palette shades on my face today and two of the Gritty ones on my eyes.The way they applied and looked once I was finished was so glam, but not overwhelming. Basically what I am saying is that I am obsessed with these palettes and think that they would be a great gift for a friend or yourself! Hopefully this haul/review was helpful and gives you an idea of what to get during this rewards sale at Sephora! Thank you for reading and be sure to comment what's on your wishlist or what you have already purchased! BYE!!!

image from sephora.com

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*

My Top 5 Favorite High-End & Drugstore Highlighters!

HIGH-END HIGHLIGHTERS
1. Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact in 'highlight 01 - golden nude'

.26 oz - $40
image from sephora.com

2. Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in 'fireball - peach with pink shift'

.23 oz - $26
image from sephora.com

3. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed 'champagne pop - soft white gold w/ pinky peach undertones'

.28 - $38
image from sephora.com

4. MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Sculpting Duo in '1 pink beige - for fair to medium skin'

.28 oz - $39
image from sephora.com

5. Jeffree Star Cosmetics Skin Frost in 'mint condition'

.53 oz - $29
image from beautylish.com

DRUGSTORE HIGHLIGHTERS

1. E.L.F Illuminating Palette

.56 - $6
image from target.com

2. Revlon PhotoReady Insta-Fix Highlighting Stick in '200 - pink light'

.24 oz - $12
image from walmart.com

3. NYX Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator in 'gleam'

.5 fl oz - $6
image from target.com

4. BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel 14 Color Eyeshadow & Highlighter Palette

1.68 oz - $14.50
image from ulta.com

5. Japonesque Color Liquid Light in '01'

.84 fl oz - $28
image from ulta.com

Want a review on anything mentioned? Leave any requests in the comments below! Thanks for reading! BYE!!!

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*

My Kylie Cosmetics Collection... (lippies & dupes too!!)

MATTE LIP KITS - $29 each/.11 fl oz & .03 oz

1. Dirty Peach

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - Nude Beach by Jeffree Star ($18/.19 fl oz)

image from beautylish.com

2. Koko K

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - NYX Lip Lingerie in Embellishment ($6.99/.13 fl oz)

image from nyxcosmetics.com

3. Smile (not available currently)

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - 714 by Jeffree Star ($18/.19 fl oz)

image from beautylish.com

4. Candy K

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip in Alyssa ($6/.11 fl oz)

image from colourpop.com

5. Posie K

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Prague ($6/.27 fl oz)

image from macys.com

6. Kristen

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Bumble ($6/.11 fl oz)

image from colourpop.com

7. 22

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - Lime Crime Velvetine in Pumpkin ($20/.088 fl oz)

image from limecrime.com

METALS - $18 each/.11 fl oz

1. Heir

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - Too Faced Melted Metal in Debutante ($21/.40 fl oz)

image from sephora.com

2. Kymajesty (not available currently)

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - NYX Cosmic Metal Lip Cream in Galactic ($7.50/.13 fl oz)

image from ulta.com

GLOSSES - $15 each/.09 fl oz

1. So Cute

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - Stila Lip Glaze in Shortcake ($22/.08 fl oz)

image from ulta.com

2. Like

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu ($4.99/.23 fl oz)

image from ulta.com

3. Literally

image from kyliecosmetics.com

DUPE - CoverGirl Colorlicious Lip Gloss in Melted Toffee ($7.99/.17 fl oz)

image from ulta.com

I have really wanted to make this post for a while now because I wanted to share my collection and some pretty great dupes for the shades I have!! I love all of these lipsticks and the colors in different ways. Some may be used more than others, but I really have nothing bad to say about this brand other than the price. Although the price may be high, the products are very nice and reflect the dollar amount they cost. I will definitely continue to buy more from Kylie Cosmetics in the future because she does make great makeup products! I hope this post was helpful and interesting to read. Not all the dupes are exact, but they are very similar, so they are still close enough!! Let me know if any of you have an Kylie Cosmetics products or have any good dupes for them, I would love to know! Also comment what brand you want me to review or show my products from next! Thanks for reading! BYE!!

P.S. I did not include the Koko Kollection products because the dupes are in a separate post that I will link below!!

- http://kylep101.blogspot.com/2016/11/koko-kollection-review-dupes.html
Here is my review on the bronze Kyshadow Palette & Chameleon Kyliner too!
- http://kylep101.blogspot.com/2016/09/kylie-cosmetics-review-kyshadow-palette.html

*Makeup has no rules, just tips & suggestions.*