RANDOM OUTING: MAC COUNTER (DUPE ALERT)

TOP: MAC 'MOCHA' LIPSTICK
BOTTOM: NYX 'HERADES' ROUND LIPSTICK

I went to a mac counter and was swatching away like crazy when a color caught my attention. I remember having this particular shade in my wish list and I was beyond tickled when I found out I already own an incredibly similar shade... NYX round lipstick in HERADES.

Glad I didn't spend the 15++ dollars because these two feel/look about 98% similar. Herades (bottom swatch) is slightly brighter but on the lips and swatched you can barely see any difference unless you're a little ocd-ish like me, lol. I didn't even buy the NYX lipstick thinking it was a dupe, it was just a random buy. Don't you love when that happens? : )

Another great random dupe.

BATTLE OF THE EYE PRIMERS! URBAN DECAY, TOO FACED, ELF!

The 2 most popular eye primers out in the beauty world, and one incredible inexpensive primer that is quite impressive!

Too Faced Shadow Insurance cost about $18 dollars, and the Urban Decay Primer potion in the old packaging is about 18-19 dollar (i forgot) and the price to beat is ELF's Eyelid Primer at $1 ridiculous dollar, lol EVERYONE CAN AFFORD A DOLLAR PRIMER!


THE UDPP comes in a cute package but if you seen any youtube videos, you will now the packaging at the end is a severe inconvenience. Product gets caught in the curves of the packaging that the wand can not simply reach. I would have bought the new UDPP in the new tube packaging but I got this in a set. I like how it applies, it dries on clear and sets fast and dry not greasy and does not move my foundation/concealer. My lids are oily and this primer has not worked 100% to make my shadows not crease. I'm not to terribly disappointed, nor impressed. I don't know if I would buy this again to be honest. It also irritates my eye a little but only in the beginning, lol shoot I am not letting a expensive primer go to waste...


The ELF primer is not a necessarily "you get what you pay for" type of product. Its actually a pretty decent product considering its one dollar! I actually find this and the UDPP to be somewhat similar. It doesn't irritate my eye like UDPP, and shadows apply nicely, but it can crease your shadow a lil bit. Not a primer I would wear to go clubbing, nice to wear when running errand though, like running to the drugstore for some more makeup! lol


Lets get to it folks. My fav out the set is Too Faced Shadow Insurance.


The packaging is functional, product last for a year +, and it really makes my eyeshadows come alive! I know UDPP is the king of primers in many eyes *no pun intended*, but many haven't tried Too Faced. The price seemed ridiculous to me in the beginning but honestly this thing LASTS! And your shadows will be happy to. I have a separate full review on luuux on TFSI in this link.

BATH AND BODY WORKS YELLOW TAG SALE!

OMG! I was just saying the other day I needed a new/few summer-y scents and here I see a post on my FB page on a super sale at Bath And Body works! 50-75% off sale?! I could NOT miss it, even though I heard this sales been around for a while. hmmm wonder whats going on...


Anyway, I got mostly fruity yummy scents and the prices were AH-MAZING, and the coupon code saved me a few on shipping and handling. so heres what I got y'all!

BALI MANGO SPRAY MIST - $4.80 

PASSIONFRUIT COCONUT MIST - $5.00

COCONUT VANILLA SPRAY MIST - $2.40

TWILIGHT WOODS SPRAY MIST - $4.80

JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM MIST - $2.40

JAPANESE CHERY BLOSSOM BODY CREAM -$2.40

Everything with coupon + tax cost me $31.35. I'm a little pissed that there's a 10 dollar off $30 coupon floating around but that's what I get for rushing. I don't have good luck with sales cause by the time I come back, everything is out of stock, but on the website everything is still there, go figure, lol oh well.


I am very happy with all my purchases. My favs at the moment are Japanese Cherry Blossom and Bali Mango mmm mmm yummy! I am  greedy so I'll probably buy more scents. 

MINI CROWN BRUSH REVIEW!

Before I purchased my sigma brushes, I had my 'brushes for now' brushes from Crown. I heard so many good things about this company so I decided to give them a go. The prices are super low for individual brushes and they have their fair amount of dupable brushes for MAC. The only con is you have to make a minimum order of 25 bucks otherwise you can't buy. This isn't a huge con, but if you just want one extra brush to add to your collection your better off going elsewhere like Coastal Scents for example. Shipping was $7, not amazing but not terrible, and shipping & delivery went smoothly. The professional line is the most prcey of all the individual brushes next to the synthetic line of brushes. Okay enough of that lets get to the goodies. 

From the 'Studio Pro' line I have: 


1. This is the precision brush aka the pencil brush. NOT AT ALL A DUPE FOR MAC'S 219! Its beyond scratchy, its what i cal unusable... I don't throw it away, because I am a firm believer in making good out of a crappy brush. I'll find a good us for it eventually. I like it for applying/blending my eyebrow when using powder. 

C431 PRECISION DETAIL (PENCIL BRUSH)

2. This is the large fluff shadow brush I was hoping to be a dupe for Mac's 227 brush (its not as tapered and it very large). I don't use this brush for shadow, but I really like it for my brow brown as a highlight, or buffing the shadow when it blended it up to high. The brush is also good for highlighting the cheekbones. It's not the softest brush alive, but its definitely usable. Minimal shedding when washing.

C407 JUMBO SHADOW

3. Next is my fave brush out of them all, it is the pro blending fluff, a dupe for Mac's famous 217 blending brush. Its soft, its not super dense, but it does the job. I like to blend my shadows with it, add color to the crease, highlight my brow bone, and even shading my lid. Hardly ever sheds.

PRO BLENDING FLUFF C433

4. Now this brush i have mixes feelings about. Its sheds a ton when you clean it and t sometimes shed when your applying your makeup! I tried using this brush for concealer but no go. The bristles are shorter than Mac's 224, but it's just as tapered. It's the the softest brush, but its not super prickly either. I only use this brush to add a subtle wash of color in my crease. And that pretty much it. : (  Dare I say this was the most disappointing of the bunch?! I do. (only because I had high expectations for this brush)

DELUXE POINTED CREASE C412

5.  The last 2 brushes are from the 'Studio' line. One angle 1/4" liner brush and a concealer 'camouflage' brush. Both are I beileve taklon brsitles and are the softest of the bunch. I dont use much of the camoflauge brush as it is called, but I like it to apply/blend cream shadows, and eyeshadow bases like nyx jumbo pencils. I got this brush because i thought it looked like a dupe for Mac's 252 brush but it way too soft/flimsy. The angled liner brush another mac dupe for the 266 brush would be perfection if it was firmer but its a little to flimsy for my cream liners, but applies liquid liner beautifully.

C224 OVAL CAMOUFLAGE  

1/4 ANGLE LINER

DUPE ALERT! ESSIE'S TART DECO vs. SALLY'S HANSEN SNAPPY SORBET

I went to Rite-Aid and there was my color, Tart Deco. I've been obsessed with orange/corals for the spring and this color is just so pretty but 8 bucks for a polish? honey please, not me! So I did what any cheap broad would do... I swatched the polish to find a cheaper dupe, lol. I know, I know... But t my effing surprise, this color looked very similar. When I went home there it was in my collection; Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri nail polish in snappy sorbet. Im telling both colors are near identical! Sally's polish is a bit darker/orange-y but i swear after it dries you can't even tell the difference between the two! SMH, wow, all this time.... and i had a dupe all along. Here are the pics.


I actually like Essie's polish consistency and the brush, and one coat was pretty good, but i painted my nail with 2 coats just to make sure that it was at its truest color. Gorgeous peachy-coral shade, perfect for all skin tones and SPRING!


But I really lovvveeeee Sally's flat-paddle shaped brush one coat is seriously all you need, and they last long. Oh, and it's hella cheaper. I still want tart deco... greedy! : )

tart deco looks darker but its the lighting, i swear its lighter but not that much lighter

*UPDATE: NEW DUPE FOR TART DECO IS REVLON TOP SPEED 'PEACHY'. 97% LOOK ALIKE. PICS AVAILABLE HERE :

http://www.luuux.com/node/3089617?blog_id=53722

REVISED: 09/12/2011

SPRINGY NAILS ON DECK! CHINA GLAZE

I LOVEEEEE China Glaze Nail Polishes and it has been a minute since I've done some majah haulage but at last, these polishes will have to do, but I'm coming for them later on and its going to be huge! These shades are just screaming EASTER! Pastels are my fav, and apart from 1 polish (Agent Lavender), they were HEAVENLY to apply, surprisingly so. Cream finishes as usual, and 2 coats is all you need. They dried rather fast too and you really don't need a top coat but I love glossy nails.

'Agent Lavender' is a gorgeous lilac/lavender with a gray-ish undertone in the sunlight, but in a regular room lighting its a gorgeous light and bright purple, perfect for Spring. (I wore this all through the summer too!). I don't know why, but from the first time I purchased and used it, the formula was a bit thick and sticky, a problem I have never ever had with any of my CG polishes and it was a little difficult to apply. I must have gotten a bum on but the color is so pretty I just worked with it.

Holy guacamole! Or Holy Minty? Well, anyway this polish was the easiest to apply, it was like a dream! 'Re-fresh Mint' is so gorgeous! It takes a ballsy chick to rock this kind of green, but its so light and delicate, anyone can get away with it, especially on your toes. I don't think they would look good on my toes, maybe on the lighter skin tones...

Lastly is 'Lemon Fizz'. It looks a lot more yellow in this photograph but it's a little more of a pale yellow and its so pretty. This polish was easy to apply and 2 coats should suffice. Yellow makes any and every outfit pop, so go for it. It will certainly pop, but not in an obnoxious neon way (just the way I like my nails to pop, but again this is just as bright and pretty). 

SINFUL COLORS 'HAZARD' NAIL POLISH

This polish is a brighter in real life and this pic was taken in natural light. 

This color is just gorgeous and I have a few others like it and I will be posting pics of the rest later on...


The color is a peachy/salmon coral color and it is a creme formula and I just think it's perfection for the Spring time. This color looks like it would be flattering on all skin tones. 2-3 coats is all you need and it dried pretty fast (5-6 minutes) but not completely.  I purchased this polish at my local Walgreens for $1.99 and the color that came to mind was China Glaze's Peachy Keen, a color that has been out of stock of my fav discount nail polish website, a color I don't understand for the life of me why I didn't purchase when I had the chance but i digress... 


This color will due and For 2 bucks I can't really complain. Or can I? Yes, I am not too fond of Sinful Colors Nail polish's brushes. I feel like it's way too dense and makes the polish go on streaky. Luckily I'm kind of a pro when it comes dealing with crappy nail polish brushes so I had to put in work and it came out lovely, but it was certainly frustrating at times. But the color is so pretty, it's worth the hassle.

RIMMEL'S 'HEATHER SHIMMER' LONG LASTING LIPSTICK

More haulage swatches. If you didn't know Walgreens was having a major sale for Rimmel products, so this is one of the things I purchased; a lipstick called 'Heather Shimmer'. It's kind of hard to describe this color. It definitely isn't in the nude color family but it's definitely not a bold statement lippie. It's almost like a wine medium dark pink, lol.

The texture is shimmery/frosty but yet creamy on the lips. I think if this shade was not shimmery it would be perfect but it's just okay. Boring shade indeed... pretty, but boring. Like Kim Kardashian. eh, can't win them all.

RIMMEL'S 'AIRY FAIRY' LONG LASTING LIPSTICK *sale monster*

Walgreens is having a monster sale on ALL Rimmel London cosmetics for 50% off so of course being the sale junkie I am I purchased my first Rimmel products... EVER! I purchased 2 lippies and a nail polish plus I had $1 off coupons so everything came out ridiculously cheap (I paid $1.99 for a 6.00 lipstick : ) ). 


One shade I heard about and popularized was 'Airy Fairy' and I didn't think they were going to have any but I was wrong: this Walgreens was fully stocked! 

Yay for me! First impressions was yummm they smell nice, doesn't taste too awful and the shade in the tube itself wasn't too dark nor too light. I tend to go for the more rosier/brownie shades in lipsticks but I still wanted to try this one. It's a bit light for my liking but with a brown lip liner pencil it is magical! It's a cream finish so it isn't matte nor glossy just right and opaque. I really like it for everyday neutral looks and could easily be paired with a smokey eye any day. It is a pink with a light plummy undertone, that's the best way I can describe it. As for the 6+ long lasting claim I couldn't tell you know but I will keep you posted later on... LET THE SWATCHES BEGIN! 

looks a little lighter in the pic but in real life its a tad darker

It's a bit drying on the lips so I always keep my burt's beeswax on deck before application and let the lip balm absorb into my lips before applying the lipstick. 

*all pics taken in natural lighting/no flash

SINFUL COLORS 'NIRVANA' NAIL POLISH

I have been quite obsessed with nail polish for a hot minute, but lately I can't remember the last time I made a huge nail haul. I NEEDED MY FIX MANNNNN!!! lol I 've heard mostly positive things about Sinful Colors Nail polish but to be honest I never EVER noticed them in a store before because I love China Glaze nail polish and NK nail polish. Fast foward to a couple months, I saw a YT guru who was sporting a gorgeous nail color and it was a dark grey but brown, I never seen anything like it. I am the girl who will rock neon nails to a funeral, so neutral colors are not my thing but this just looked beautiful. It was OPI's 'You Don't Know Jaqcues' and it is a chocolate gray. 


I googled dupes for it right away and I found many and the cheapest/most dupe-able was Sinful Colors #949 'Nirvana'. Lightbulb went off and there goes my hunt, off to my Walgreens. Like a friggin elephant in the room, there it was right in front of me, my color. So Without any more rambling here are the pics and the dupe pics and decide for yourself. They look pretty damn similar so I don't know If I will but the OPI...

http://colourcoated.com/2011/02/21/new-sinful-colors/

Now for the application; I am not going to lie, it was a bit hard to work with. I heard so many people compare Sinful Colors polishes with China Glaze so I was expecting it to be a breeze. It was not. the brush is a bit more dense and the formula is a little thicker and can get streaky on you and worst of all air bubbles! Lord knows I hate those bubbles, but with a little patience and practice, all is good. For 2 bucks it's a steal. I applied 2 coats on one hand and 3 on the other because I didn't want any air bubbles on the right hand but it was lighter than my left hand so...yeah... lol. This polish can very well be a 1 coater with a heavy hand.

All pics are my own EXCEPT the googled image and the link is:

http://colourcoated.com/2011/02/21/new-sinful-colors/

NK NAIL POLISH WITH HARDENERS 'Taupe Extreme' FROM NICKA K COSMETICS

Hey dolls! These have been my favorite beauty supply brand nail polish for a very long time, for years! The polishes cost $1 dollar in about 80% of all the beauty supplies in New York (it's a New York based brand). I do not know if this company is sold in any other retail stores I only find this band at the local beauty supply shops. 

They are always up to date on the nail polish trends but this is a company I never hear anyone talking about. Their polishes are fantastic! I had this one  for 3 days with no top coat and I have had minimal to no chipping! I just adore them, i wonder why retailers like walgreens, rite aid etc doesn't sell this brand. 


The color I'm wearing is 'Taupe Extreme' and it really just looks like a light brown and it is a creme finish. It has a tint of pink in the light, I don't know how to describe it but its a gorgeous neutral and naturally glossy. Im not a neutral girl when it comes to polish so what possessed me to try this shade is beyond me and I'm so glad I did. 

I have a ton of NK nail polishes and maybe in the future I will show my collection. That's a lot of photos, oy! : )

Here's where you can get information on this company and where to buy:

http://www.nicka.com/index.php

BEAUTY BARGAIN HAULIN! What coupons can do for you

Well beauty frugalistas I have the deal to knock your socks off! Rite Aid and Walgreens are both having 40% discounts on Maybelline and Revlon as well as BUY 1 get one half off for L'oreal. Great beauty deals but the icing on the cake is my new secret weapon: COUPON CLIPPING SITES! I don't know what took me so long but honey once you know, you won't go back to buying retail drugstore price. I purchased a ton of mascaras, pencils, concealer, lipstick and I saved a total of 17 bucks and some change! 


The website I went to is called 'the coupon master' (www.thecouponmaster.com) but there are many other lovely coupon clipping services websites but this to me was the best because everything I wanted and needed was in stock and at a ridiculously good price. You only needed a minimum of $3 in order to make an order, hah!


I Purchased these coupons for a total of 4.26 delivery/shipping, surcharge handling fee included:


5 Rimmel $1 off coupon
5 Maybelline Mascara $1 off coupon
5 Maybelline Lip $2 off coupon
5 L'oreal Eye $2 off coupon
3 Revlon $1 off coupon
3 Maybelline Face $3 off 2 products

And at Rite Aid I purchased:

Maybelline Colossal Mascara in Glam Black and Falsies Mascara in Blackest Black
Maybelline Fit me concealer in Cafe (loving it shoulda purchased another one)
L'oreal Voluminous in Blackest Black and Carbon Voluminous Waterproof formula




Maybelline Lip Color Sensational in Blushing Brunette which I read on Temptalia, is suppose to be a dupe for Mac's Creme in your Coffee or cup who the hell knows heres the pic:

Blushing Brunette: Creamy but not too shiny a bit drying : (

And Lastly a supposed dupe for Mac's eyebrow pencil in 'SPIKED' , Maybelline's Define A Brow in Dark Brown which is like an almost blackened brown and i really like it! 

Dark Brown perfect for me!