OPI's Lighten Up, You're Two Pence!, $6-9

OPI's Lighten Up, You're Two Pence! is a perfect color for October--a rich, warm, fiery, burnt orange. It has a metallic finish, small hints of shimmer, and a beautiful opaque color. I love it! Depending on the light, it can look more bright orange or more gold.

The great thing about this orange is that it's dramatic but it's warm, not neon. Totally matches those changing leaves! It would look great with purples, leopard print, browns, and dark teals. Plus, it's a great base for Halloween nail art. I think I'm gonna grab my black nail art pen and try out a jack-o-lantern! I'll def take some pics if it turns out well :)

Final verdict
Cost: $6-$9--normal OPI price.
Color: Absolutely gorgeous! The perfect autumn orange.
Texture: As always, OPI's formula is amazing. You could get away with two coats if you wanted (I used three here).
Repeat offender: I would totally buy this again. Every time the leaves change I try to find a color just like this, and I'm so glad to have found it.

-T

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Distortion, $18

I love Sephora's Beauty Insider points program. I racked up 500 points and got a set of 4 Urban Decay 24-7 eyeliners plus this Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Distortion. I was more excited for the pencils than I was about this, but I thought, why not try it out? And I'm really happy I did!


First of all, this stuff is super glittery. This particular color is full of light-colored, iridescent, pearly glitter pieces. (Check out their other colors on Sephora's page.) I thought it would be hard to get a lot of glitter out (kind of like cheaper glitter nailpolishes that go on mostly clear) but was surprised at the amount that gets on your skin. It's really easy to use--the glitter goes on easily and dries in an instant so you can layer on more and more (if you get excited like I do!).

What really sold me on this is that it does NOT come off. With a lot of glitter products the pieces will fall all over your face and get your eyes (ouch). But, I put this to the test: The other night I used some over my black eyeliner, just on the corners (it looked fab, I must say). I danced and sweated all night and it didn't move at all! Perfect for the party-goer in all of us!


Final verdict
Cost: $18--about the same as other Urban Decay liners and shadows.
Easy: The product comes out easily on a thin liner brush, making it easy to put on a little or a lot. Plus it dries quickly, so it doesn't get everywhere, and you can layer as much as you want.
Glittery: OMG, so glittery. And with more applications comes more glitter! You could probably wear it on its own, but I think it would probably look best (and more dramatic) if you put it on top of a good eyeliner.
Stays put: Unlike a lot of glittery eye makeup, once this dries (a couple seconds) it won't move at all. No need to worry about it getting all over your face, no matter how hard you party!
Repeat offender: I'm in love. I kind of wanna buy them all! Actually, I really like the Catfight (bright pink) and Stagedive (bright turquoise) colors. If you love glitter, you'll absolutely love this liner.

-T

OPI Catch Me in Your Net, $9

OPI's Catch Me in Your Net is part of their Summer Flutter collection. I think it appeals to all those girls out there who dream of being mermaids. I mean, who doesn't? You get to swim around all day, look awesome, toy with fishermen, chill with dolphins, whatevs. Of course, you're going to need a glittery, sparkly blue-green nail polish to match your tail, right?

From the minute I saw this color, I knew I had to have it. When I put it on my nail, I literally said, "OMG." It's so full of sparkles! And the aqua color is just perfect. This picture makes it look a lot lighter than the bottle, but it's actually a pretty close match. This is just 2 coats, no base or top coat, so maybe it would look darker with another coat. (It also looks different in different lighting, as a lot of OPIs do. The above shot is in the shade.)

(Here's a shot in direct sunlight.)
I think it goes well with my tokidoki calendar and my octopus ring. :) I can see myself putting this on in the middle of January, just to remember what the beach is like. Here you can see its more greener tones.

Love it with my mom's treasure chest necklace!
Photo inspired my Mirna! :)

Final verdict
Cost: $9 full-price (cheaper elsewhere).
Color: Beautiful! The perfect shade of aqua. Be warned: It might make you yearn for ocean waves . . .
Texture: Like all OPIs, this one is smooth and easy to put on. There is a ton of color in just one brush stroke, so you only really need two coats.
Sparkles: The intense amount of gold and green sparkles really give the aqua a lot of depth.
Repeat offender: If you can't tell, I'm in love. I highly recommend it.

-T

OPI Princesses Rule!, $9

Calling all things girly!
There we go :)
This is the baby pinkest, sparkliest, girliest nail polish ever. And I'm so in love with it!


Makes me wanna leave drama aside and channel my inner 5-year-old!
This polish goes on smoothly, like all OPIs. It's pretty sheer, so I'd recommend 3 coats if you're trying to get it as pink as possible. Just don't load it on too thick--as with most glittery polishes, it tends to get goopy if there's too much. Per usual, this polish has great lasting power.

(3 coats and a clear top coat)
I love it with 3 coats, but it's just as pretty with 1 (shown above with my fluffy kitty!). It's a light, natural sparkle with a pink close to the bare nail color. It would work as a super shimmery top coat as well. Try pairing it with a hot pink or a dark purple.

The sun really brings out the shine.
Um, did I mention the sparkles?
Pink, silver, and slightly multicolored--too pretty!

Final verdict
Cost: $9, typical OPI.
Color: Baby pink, emphasis on the pink. Gorgeous! Apply 3 coats to really see the pink. One coat will give you a sparkly top coat with a hint of pink.
Sparkles: So many sparkles! Looks fabulous on its own and amazing as a top coat.
Easy:One thing I love about this polish is that it's easy to put on quickly. It dries pretty quick and hides imperfections. No need to be perfect! You're a princess, you'll look fab anyway.
Repeat offender: I will totally buy it again. I love it! Where's my tiara?

-T

bareMinerals Blush in Pure Charm, $18

Another part of my Bare Escentuals kit is bareMinerals Blush in Pure Charm, a dramatic orangey-peachy-pink tone. The color is slightly more daring than I'm used to for blush. In some pics it looks neon! But when you see it it's actually much more of a rosy shade with hints of peach and gold.

The texture of the blush is really nice--soft, blendable, and buildable. I'm not really a fan of loose powder blush though, especially in such a small container, because it makes it hard for me to get it evenly distributed on my brush. I ended up using the cap as a little dish to catch the excess and moved the brush around in that. It seemed to work pretty well, but if I'm running around in the morning I'd be afraid of making a mess.

Applied sparingly (less than in this pic), it looks really nice on my skin tone. I think it would work with darker complexions as well. It's a perfect summer shade because it adds a bright pop of color that can blend well with a tan (or bronzer). And actually, I think it would look beautiful as an eyeshadow!

What I love about this color is the tiny gold sparkles. It gives the blush depth without compromising its strong pigment. I photographed it next to my staple, Nars Orgasm, which is more heavily infused with gold. As you can see, it's around the same shade, but more intensely pigmented.

Final verdict
Cost: $18 brand new, but they don't sell the color at Sephora anymore. Try looking for it on eBay and Amazon for as little as $8.
Texture: Just like the eyeshadow, I found it to be soft, blendable, and buildable. Feels like nothing's there at all!
Color: This color is a bit daring but it's easy to make it work. Just keep blending! The gold sparkles keep it from looking too shocking.
Repeat offender: I like this blush and would definitely understand why someone would want to buy it again--it's great quality and is a unique color. But I honestly can't really get over the inconvenience of the loose powder (it's slight, I know). I'll use it for sure, but I think I'll stick to pressed powder blushes. Maybe I'll just use this one as an eyeshadow instead!

-T

bareMinerals Eyecolor, $13

I just bought the Heroes Super Color Collection from Bare Escentuals. Since there's so much to review in the collection, I thought I'd give each product their own separate entry. The set includes a Buxom gloss, which is awesome (check out Mirna's review here).

Today I'll review their bareMinerals eyecolor (loose eyeshadow) in Fearless and Freedom.

(Fearless and Freedom)

Fearless is a super dark forest green/gray/black with multicolored shimmer. Oh my, is it gorgeous! I was surprised at how pretty it really is, in that dark and dangerous kind of way. The picture on the website really doesn't do it justice.

The shadow is intense and highly pigmented. It is crazy dramatic as a shadow. It could be used as a liner, to add some depth to your crease, or blended with other colors.

Freedom is a sweet light blue with a hint of green (less green when applied, see photo below), decorated with tiny silver shimmers. It reminds me of a really clear summer day, when the sun bleaches out the sky.

The color is also really pigmented but is much more subtle. It would look really nice with blue or brown eyes, and coordinates nicely with Fearless.

(click on pic to enlarge)The versatility of these eyeshadows really impressed me. The top line is Freedom, shown (left to right) over Urban Decay primer, dry, and applied with a wet brush. The bottom line is Fearless, shown (left to right) over Urban Decay primer, dry, and applied with a wet brush. As you can see, these shadows can have quite different looks! With primer the colors are bright and clear. Worn dry they are more subtle and easily blended, for a nice day look. When applied with a wet brush they become intense and really shimmery. I love having options!

Final verdict
Cost: $13 each. Right now these particular colors are only available in the Heroes collection for a limited time. ($40 for a lot of awesome products, get it while you can!) I found Fearless on Amazon, so as always check there, too (and eBay).
Color: These colors are amazing! They have so much life and depth, and are unlike any other eyeshadows I have. I personally prefer Fearless because of the richness and drama, but Freedom is sweet and pretty as well.
Versatility: The colors look different whether they're worn dry, over primer, or applied wet. You can create a lot of distinct looks with just one color.
Repeat offender: Totally! I would definitely buy their eyeshadow again, as well as other products. Stay tuned for reviews of the other products in this collection.

Hey! Did you enter our giveaway? Remember, it ends Friday at 11:59pm!

-T

L'Oreal HiP Studio Secrets Shocking Shadow Pigments, $9-$12

Well, I tried High Intensity Pigment's cream eyeliner a little while ago and didn't have that much luck with it. In the same trip to CVS I grabbed one their Shocking Shadow Pigments in Exciting.

I'm not sure why but I was under the impression that HiP's colors were generally matte. When I picked this up though, all I could see was the beautiful purple-pink-white iridescence. And if you know me, you know I can't resist anything that sparkles.

The color is predominantly white with a pink iridescent shimmer.

The eyeshadow is a loose powder in a tiny little 0.05oz. jar, which can get a little messy if you're not careful with it. Make sure it's closed all the way but don't close it too tight (stripping the inside)--I've learned from past (dumb) experiences! But, this closes pretty securely, so I'm not really worried about it leaking.

One thing that made me okay with paying $11 for eyeshadow is the free brush. It's a pretty good size (especially for the small container) and is soft. It grabs the powder well and makes it easy to apply.

As you can see, the color shows up really well. It would work great for any part of the eye (lid, eyebrows, corner) and as a highlighter. It blends well and seems really subtle at first, but then sparkles when you turn.







Final verdict
Cost: $9-$12, depending on where you get it. (Look for it and other colors on Amazon for around $9).
Color: Wow, the color is incredible! Dynamic, iridescent, and subtly dramatic (what a great oxymoron). If all the colors have this much life, I'll buy 5 more.
Easy to use: The brush it comes with is a great size--much bigger, softer, and more useful than most free eyeshadow brushes. The powder goes on easily and blends and builds well.
Repeat offender: I'd definitely buy this again! I want to go out and try other colors, too. HiP, you disappointed me with the cream eyeliner, but this totally makes up for it.

-T

Olay Quench Body Lotion - Ultra Moisture, $9

I got a sample of Olay Quench Body Lotion - Ultra Moisture when I bought my Olay Body Ribbons body wash (the one with the mica) over the weekend. Don't you just love free samples? Anyway, the full size (12 oz) is about $9 (but they have some great deals on Amazon, as always). Plus, Mirna mentioned wanting to try their tanning lotion so I thought I could at least try their regular lotion and see how it is.

Its scent is like the typical lotion smell--not overpowering, but definitely feminine. It's a pretty thin lotion but soaks in really quickly. It didn't leave me feeling greasy and seemed to moisturize. Seems like a really nice summer lotion.

Oh! Wanna know the best part?

It sparkles. Whaaaaat. They don't advertise it at all but it's full of little silver sparkles, like really fine fairy dust. So I guess it fits that I bought it with the mica body wash!


Final verdict
Cost: $9 for 12 oz is very reasonable. Available at drugstores, Target, Amazon, etc.
Texture/smell: Typical lotion--smells a little perfumey, isn't too thick, soaks right in.
Surprise sparkles: Olay, why didn't you tell me this lotion would leave me covered in tiny little sparkles? No, no, I'm not mad, I love it! It just threw me off when I walked outside and wondered how I managed to roll around in shimmer before I left the house.
Repeat offender: I would buy this again. It's a good lotion and I'm really into the shimmery glow. As with the body wash, it's not extremely noticeable, but it's definitely there if you look. Fun!

-T