Tarte vs. Tarte- Mascara Showdown

Hey guys!

Today I have a double review for you; comparing two different Tarte mascaras. I received both of these as Christmas gifts, and while I was super excited to receive Tarte products since they’re one of my favorite brands, there was a clear winner here. One of these mascaras worked great for me, and the other just didn’t cut it. Scroll down to see which one is the winner!

---

First we have Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes 4 In 1 mascara. It retails for $23 and features a double ended applicator, with fibers on one end and mascara on the other. Find it here.

What Tarte Says: “A revolutionary, double-ended eye routine for fuller lashes in 3 simple steps.” You’re supposed to put on a coat of mascara, apply the fibers, and then add a second coat of mascara.

What I Thought: As much as I like the concept of this mascara, it reality I just can’t get behind it. The mascara end is nice and does a good job, but the fibers are not my favorite! They make your lashes weirdly fuzzy and spidery, and I had the issue of them falling off and getting in my eyes. However I do really like the brush on the mascara only end.

Next up is the Tarte Gifted Mascara, which retails for $21, is vegan, and is made with Amazonian clay. Find it here.

What Tarte Says: “An Amazonian clay smart mascara that instinctively treats your unique lash concerns- working overtime to keep lashes hydrated, intact, healthier, and stronger, while delivering the appearance of voluminous lashes.”

What I Thought: I actually agree with almost everything here! I can’t say whether it’s smart, but the brush makes my lashes extremely thick, and even curls them a little! It doesn’t make them especially lengthy, but then again it doesn’t claim to! This mascara has found its place in my everyday makeup bag. And how pretty is the bamboo packaging too!

We clearly have a winner here! The Gifted mascara beats the Lights, Camera, Lashes, hands down. I just couldn’t get over the weird fibers! I’ll probably use the mascara end without them though.

---

What do you think? Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Maroon + Black OOTD or Christmas Skincare Haul

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

I was thinking as I was taking these photos that maybe I should save this review for Valentine’s Day, since everything is so pink and red! But I’m way too excited about these matte lip creams to save them for later! I’d been seeing these all over the place, so I just had to pick them up and see if they lived up to the reviews. Read on to see!

---

These are advertised as “velvety smooth shades that set to a matte finish…surprisingly durable, lightweight, and creamy.” They come in cute little compact tubes with doe-foot applicators, which I love with any kind of stain or other liquid lippie. They come in an extremely wide range of shades, with 12 new colors just added! I love that all the colors are named after cities, with I think is so cute.

I picked up the shades Monte Carlo and San Paulo, a deep, true red, and a pretty medium pink. Both are easy to apply, and the consistency is nice and smooth. Once applied, they dry evenly into a nice matte finish that lasts me at least 5 or 6 hours through eating and drinking before reapplying. I’m super impressed with the durability of these! For a $6 drugstore product, the pigmentation and lasting power are really impressive. (You can see me wearing Monte Carlo here!)

I would recommend that you exfoliate and make sure your lips are soft and moisturized before applying this, because as with any matte product it can settle if you have a lot of ridges or cracks in your lips before applying. They also have a light scent, which I enjoy, but may bother people who prefer unscented lip products.

Overall, I’m super impressed with these products, and I think they definitely live up to the hype! Would I repurchase? Absolutely, and I already have my eye on a ton more from the collection! You can get them here, or anywhere that carries NYX products for $6 each. I give these 4.5 out of 5 stars!

---

 What do you think? Have you tried these before? Any favorite lip stains? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Christmas Skincare Haul or 3 Lipsticks for $3

Better Than Sex Mascara Review

Hey guys! I’ve disappeared for a few days, sorry about that! It’s been pretty crazy so far in 2016, and I’ve just gotten settled at school again. I picked up a ton of new makeup and products over the holidays, so I have lots of reviews coming up soon!

This mascara is a cult favorite that I’ve been wanting to test out for quite a while. I grabbed the sample size at Sephora just to see why everyone seems to love this product so much. I gave it a test drive! Scroll down to see what I thought.

---

First off, the packaging is totally gorgeous. The pretty metallic pink tube is just adorable! It has some pretty high claims for a mascara. Better than sex? I’m not sure about that haha!

It claims to have a revolutionary “bombshell” brush shape. To be honest, I was not in love with the brush. It makes it very difficult to apply the mascara to your bottom lashes without getting it on your skin. It applies well to the top, though.

The formula is pretty good! It lasted all day with no flaking or smearing, and when I was applying it there were no clumps and it went on very smoothly. It made my lashes extremely thick and defined, which was really nice, but at the same time it didn’t seem to do way too much in the way of lengthening them. I’m wearing it on both eyes in the below picture-sorry for the poor iPhone quality!

The bottom line? I wouldn’t say this mascara is better than sex haha. The brush isn’t my favorite, but the formula is silky and gorgeous! If you’re looking for a mascara to make your lashes thick and sexy, this is for you! 🙂 I will probably not purchase the full size, simply because there are so many other mascaras that I want to try. But I give this mascara 4/5 stars! Find it here.

---

What do you think? Have you tried this, and do you think it’s better than sex? Any mascaras you’re excited to test? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy FOTD: Sample Edition, or Eyeshadow Steals: $2

Christmas Skincare Haul

I hope everyone’s holidays were amazing, regardless of what you celebrate! Today I want to share some skincare gifts I received this Christmas that I’m super excited to test out!

I had a really hard time taking these photos, since it was super overcast out and I couldn’t get any good natural light. These are the best I could get, after about 75 shots for a 6 picture blog post haha. Oh well! They’re not as clear as I would like, but that’s okay, because I couldn’t wait any longer to share them!

---

First up, a giant tub of the St Ives Apricot Scrub, which I know is a cult favorite to many! This is one of my very favorite exfoliators. I previously reviewed the sample size here, and that small amount lasted me a few months, so I’m sure this huge on will last me forever! Grab it here.

My younger sister knew I wanted something to moisturize, so she got me this lovely body butter from Bath and Body Works. It’s warm vanilla sugar scented, and the scent is divine! I can’t wait to use it, I love a delicious scented lotion, and the packaging is adorable! Find it here 🙂

I really wanted a face moisturizer that had a) SPF in it b) wouldn’t clog my pores, and c) would make my skin less dull and dry. This product from Aveeno claims to do all three! If it actually makes my skin positively radiant, I will be super impressed! I know a lot of people love this product,so I hope it works for me too. Find it here. (And grr at that annoying reflective spot! I struggled so hard with these photos!)

Last but not least, an essential oil, which can apparently be used for your face, hair, and body. I’ve never tried one of these before, but I absolutely love the pretty packaging and the cute bottle with its dropper! I have super dry skin, so hopefully this will help me out. Any tips on using oils like these?

---

I was super excited to receive these for Christmas, and to share them with you, even though my photos weren’t what I’d like haha. What do you think? Do you use any of these products? Would you like to see reviews of any of these? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy 10 Beauty Products For Under $10 or What’s In My November Ipsy Bag?

Add A Bit Of Whimsy (Giveaway with CaseApp)

My friends are always telling me that my decorating style is like a scrapbook. I have stickers all over my water bottles, my walls are covered in a mixture of posters and tapestries, and I wear two or three necklaces at once. I love to add some touches of whimsy to my life. So a few weeks ago, when a website called CaseApp reached out to me about a collaboration, I was intrigued. They let you design your own custom phone cases, as well as laptop cases and decals! I loved the idea of adding some whimsical flair into my life via my electronics.

I love the products I received, but the best part is that I got to design them myself. I’m super excited to be giving away a $40 USD value online code to one lucky winner! Scroll down to see more, and to enter the giveaway!

First up, this MacBook decal! I made a mistake when designing this: I accidentally designed this for an 11-inch Macbook Air, when the computer that I actually have is a 13-inch MacBook Air. Oops! No big deal though, I actually don’t mind that it’s a little too small, I think the border looks cool. But if you’re getting this, make sure you double-check how big your computer is! The decal is made of a really nice heavy-duty vinyl, and definitely protects from scratches and other superficial damage. I used a stock photo and added a quote, but you can use literally any picture to design your own decal or case!

I also designed this iPhone case! I happen to have an iPhone 6, but they can make cases for quite a few different types of phones, including Androids and old iPhone models. Similarly, the computer aren’t limited to only MacBooks either! I got the solid case, and while it isn’t very heavy duty, I would recommend it if you’re not as clumsy with your phone and like to change up its look. Again, you can use any picture, and even add their little doodles like I did! I picked this stock photo of Big Ben and then added this cute little rain cloud raining diamonds.

Overall, I really like these products! I think it’s awesome how you can design them to your specific tastes. If you prefer a more minimalistic version to my scrapbookish style, you can make it exactly how you would like!

I’m going to be giving away an online code worth $40 to CaseApp. You can use this code to design anything you’d like! Just click on the link below, then follow the instructions to enter-it’s super easy! The only required fields are to comment on this post and follow on Twitter. The winner will be notified by email the day the giveaway closes, November 6. Good luck to all!

Enter The Giveaway!

I also have a discount code to share with all of you! It’s valid for the next week at CaseApp. Use the code COLORME20 to get 20% off your order! If you need some inspiration, check out CaseApp’s Instagram or Facebook.

What do you think? Have you used CaseApp before? I hope you enter the giveaway 🙂 Let me know what you think in the comments! Thanks for stopping by!

Love Kiki

Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy 3 Halloween Costume Ideas or Let’s Run Away Together

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Review

 Today I’m excited to review an interesting product I’ve been loving lately: this Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine. I purchased it last week while on a weird Amazon binge (do you guys get those too? Only me? Gotcha.) and I ended up with this in my cart for cheaper than I could get it at the drugstore, so of course I got it. Thanks to Amazon Prime’s enabling of me, it was here two days later!

 The leaves are truly gorgeous right now, so of course I had to “artistically” put it in some of them for pictures. I couldn’t help myself!

I chose the shade Plum Wine, I’m really loving plum and maroon shades of everything right now! The quality of this blush is really amazing. The packaging claims that it applies like a powder but sinks in like a cream, while being a gel. I actually have to agree with the application! It sinks right into your cheeks, staying like a tint all day. I usually apply it with a beauty blender and blend it in.

It should be said, the packaging of this product is not exactly aesthetically pleasing. The top is fine, but the pan is just cheap looking plastic. I was a bit disappointed in Maybelline, but they’re still one of my favorite drugstore lines! I’m still looking to collect the rest of these shades. I just wish they were prettier, like my favorite metallic Milani packaging. Overall, 4.5/5.

I tried to get a picture of what it looked like on, but the wind was not cooperating with my hair! Oh well, I did try. The color in the pan is very rich and dark, and that stays true with the transfer to skin- a very little bit of this goes a long way. You can pick it up at the Maybelline site, or head on over to Amazon for the cheaper one 😉

What do you think? Have you tried this blush series? What do you think of Maybelline? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

  Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Splurge, Spend, or Save: Bronzers or OZ Naturals Face Mask Review

Let’s Run Away Together

Remember the royal wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince William? I got up early to watch it before school, and I remember drooling over her gorgeous dress, with the beautiful lace overlay and the huge train and the buttons up the back…I was obsessed with that dress! So when CocoMelody got in contact with me to talk about wedding dresses, I immediately thought of Kate’s gorgeous lacey wedding dress. Looking through the photos, I even found some that were similar!

CocoMelody is a website that sells everything you could ever need to wear to a wedding! They have wedding dresses, bridesmaids’ dresses, and all kinds of accessories. You can check out their website by clicking on the above link! Now, let’s see a few of my favorite ones.

Ivory Lace Dress, $429

This dress really reminded me of the Kate Middleton dress, with its gorgeous lace and buttoned back. I found it in the section for modest dresses, surprisingly enough they have a whole section for brides who don’t want to show too much skin!

There definitely is something to be said for simplicity too, though. If I was to ever get married, I’d definitely consider an outdoors one! Here are a couple of my favorites for a more simple and relaxed wedding, like a beach wedding or a destination wedding. I’ve always liked the simplicity of beach wedding dresses.

A-Line Sweetheart Dress, $229

Sheer Overlay Dress, $169

Who knows if I’ll ever get married, but I love all three of these dresses, and the prices are really great! Would you rather get married in a church or on a beach, and what kind of dress would you have? Destination wedding dresses, anyone? I want to hear all about it!

Are you married, or are you not planning on it? Dream dress? Let me know what you think in the comments, and thanks for stopping by!

Love Kiki

  Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own. All photos belong to CocoMelody, I own nothing.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Daydreaming About My Fall Wedding or What I Think About the iPhone 6

Laser Hair Removal- What Even Is It?

Hello everyone, and happy Friday! Today I’ve got something a little different to talk about: hair. More specifically, too much hair. We all hate the chore of shaving, but as a woman, it doesn’t always feel like we have a lot of other options. But we actually do!

Have you been struggling with body hair in places you don’t want it, but avoiding having laser hair removal because you don’t know enough about it? Do you have concerns about how the process works, how successful it is, and what the risks are? I was in the same boat as you until a lovely individual reached out to me about talking about laser hair removal. I thought this was something we can all relate to! Here’s what I learned.

How Dangerous Are the Laser Machines?

Any cosmetic skin treatment has some side effect risks, but the risks during laser treatment are minimal. At least, they are minimal as long as the procedure is being performed by a fully certified, experienced technician, and also as long as it is an appropriate procedure for your skin type. You see, laser devices have varying intensity levels and skin penetrating capabilities. Some of them are safer and more effective to use on certain types of hair or skin. For example, if a dark-skinned person is treated by a machine that is better suited for lighter skin tones, they could experience blisters and other problems. However, your trained technician should be able to easily tell you which skin treatments are good for your skin and which you would be better off to avoid.

Do Skin and Hair Colors Really Make a Difference?

Yes, skin and hair colors can make a huge difference when it comes to laser treatments. There are several reasons for that. First of all, those with darker skin tones are more prone to having oily skin, which can blister easily if the wrong treatment is performed. Also, certain lasers can change skin pigmentation, leaving patches of different colored skin in the treated area, which is generally more noticeable on people who have dark skin tones. More to the point, certain machines simply don’t work well on people with dark skin because the machines can’t “see” the hair. Many of them are designed to automatically target dark hairs against a lighter background, which is the surface of the skin itself.

Should I Completely Avoid Laser Therapy if My Skin or Hair is Dark?

No, you don’t need to avoid these treatments. In fact, there are plenty of medical lasers that can be calibrated to work on those with dark hair or skin. You will just have to consult experts to make sure that your treatment plan is going to work with your skin and hair combination.

Do I Need a Lot of Sessions to Cure the Problem?

Finally, there’s the question of how many treatments you are going to need. Multiple sessions will definitely be required, no matter what type of machine you are being treated by. Contrary to what some people think, you cannot completely cure the problem with any laser treatment, no matter how many sessions you undergo. Since the treatments go right down to the roots, unlike shaving, the hair will take longer to grow back. But at least some of it will eventually return, although some roots (follicles) will become dormant. So, after the initial round of therapy appointments, it will be up to you to decide when you need to come back for more.

What do you think? Have you ever tried laser hair removal? Is this kind of informative post something you like reading? Let me know in the comments, I’d love some feedback on what you like to see! Thanks for stopping by!

Love Kiki

 Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

This post is sponsored, but all opinions are honest and my own.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy 4 Ways To Make A House A Home or How To Be A Good Roommate

Daydreaming About My Fall Wedding (with PromTimes UK)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted a fall wedding.

Spring is too muddy, winter is too hard for travelers, and summer is just so hot and sticky, I think all my makeup would be melting off my face! So when the folks at PromTimes, a British-based clothing company, reached out to me to collaborate, I was instantly drawn to the bridesmaid’s dresses section.

I’m ashamed to admit that I probably spent about an hour browsing through their dresses and planning what dress would suit all of my bridesmaids the best. I’m nowhere near getting married, but we all like to plan it in our heads sometimes, right? I was never one to have a Pinterest board dedicated to the subject of weddings, but I can’t say I’ve never zoned out thinking about it in class…anyway, if you’ve got a wedding coming up, or a homecoming or prom, or just like daydreaming like me, this is a great place to start! Here’s a few of my favorites.

Grape Sweetheart Dress

Navy One-Strap Dress

Triangle-Back Dress

I love these all! I think the first two would be perfect for fall weddings or formal events, and I love the one shoulder style. My very favorite though is this black cocktail dress. You could really wear it anywhere, and the detail of the back is so cute! Even better, all three of these dresses cost less than £50, or around $77 US! I’m thinking I’m going to have to check this website out next time I have a formal coming up. I’m all about finding deals on fancy pieces, since you wear them less than day-to-day clothes.

If I ever do get married, I hope whoever it is likes the fall, because I can be pretty stubborn about what I want! I suppose a late August wedding wouldn’t be too bad though. I’m not sure I’m willing to compromise on that point haha. That day’s a long way off though. What do you think? Have you ever tried PromTimes? Are you the type to plan your wedding, or have you never really thought about it? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

 Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own and are genuine and honest.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Short Hair, Short Skirt, Don’t Care or Back To School Fall Haul

OZ Naturals Face Mask Review

Am I the only one who gets very skeptical of products that claim amazing things? Sometimes you’ll read the back of a product, and it claims to freshen, revitalize, renew, do your homework, and take the trash out too! I’m never sure what to believe in today’s advertising industry, so when I got this face mask that claimed to be “a botanical skin tsunami”, I was rather skeptical to say the least!

I received this Amino Herbal Hydration Mask in my August Ipsy bag, and I was so excited to test it out as soon as I saw it! It’s a 100% vegan, cruelty free, and 72% organic product made right here in the USA, so I was already pumped before I even read the ingredients list! According to the seller, this product hydrates, plumps, and nourishes skin cells. It claims to be gentle enough for daily use and that it will “leave skin hydrated, radiant, and more youthful looking.” Let’s see if it lived up to its advertising!

I’ve been using this product for four days now, and I have to say, so far it actually has made an incredible difference in my skin! I apply it to my skin directly after gently exfoliating in the shower, leave it on for about 20 minutes, rinse, and then follow with my normal moisturizing routine. My skin looks smoother and is plumper and more deeply moisturized. I think the hyaluronic acid in this product is the main culprit behind the great resurfacing to my skin, but this mask also contains vitamin B5 and vitamin E, two great things for your skin. Since I have quite dry skin, this was a great product for me. I’m not sure what results it would have on oily or combination skin however. Since it is meant to add moisture to dry skin, I don’t think I would recommend it for those skin types-it might cause more trouble than good!

Overall, I am very pleased with this product. This is one case of advertising that actually accurately described what the product does, although calling it “a botanical skin tsunami” might be going a little far haha. It has quickly become a major part to my skin routine! I would recommend it to anyone looking to add moisture or plumpness to their skin. You can find the full-sized version of it here for USD $21.99.

What skin products are you loving lately? Do you hate false advertising too? Any favorite face masks for summer? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by!

Love Kiki

Instagram–Bloglovin‘–Pinterest–Twitter

All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy What’s In My August Ipsy Bag or Clarifying Cucumber Face Mask Review