Haul: Sephora F&F/ VIB Sale

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend! We were excited to host our very first Thanksgiving this year and am happy to report that it ended up being a delightful night with some close friends and one very delicious turkey.

As pertaining to the haul, let me just say, the initial Sephora F&F sale didn't go so smoothly for me. Apparently, my order included an out of stock item and the entire order was cancelled. I was not a happy camper. Luckily, the VIB sale was around the corner and I could take advantage of it to pick up these beauties.

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1. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Blissful: The photo makes it look a bit more intense than it actually is- it's supposed to be more of a peachy coral. A little goes a long way with this blush so a light hand is recommended. It turns red on my cheeks (more than I would like) so I may actually opt to return this or exchange it for a more flattering shade.

2. Dior Hydra Life Skin Energizer Pro-Youth Hydrating Serum: something to get me through the dry winter months. It's a light, watery (as opposed to some more creamy-type serums) formula that the skin seems to drink up. Friends have been recommending the Dior Capture Totale One Essential a lot lately so that's on my list to try next.

3. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: my favorite cleanser of all time. It removes my makeup in one step (like Purity Made Simple by Philosophy) but also leaves my skin feeling hydrated after wash. If you buy in store- look for the bundle pack with a deluxe sample of the Soy Face Cream attached, which is what I got.

4. YSL Touche Eclat in #1 Luminous Radiance: I've tried more concealers than I'd like to admit but my search for the perfect concealer/ highlighter ends with the Touche Eclat. It's a potent formula that brightens up my eye area like no one's business yet feels lightweight on my skin. It doesn't crease into fine lines or look caked on. It even looks natural over makeup should you want to touch up throughout the day. I could have gone with #2 Luminous Ivory since that's the one for fair to light complexions with yellow undertones but the pink in the #1 seemed to give my face a more livelier look (I had tried some samples beforehand) so I went with the #1 and am happy with my choice.

The rest are samples I got during the online order. So that was my haul. I hope you enjoyed!

Swatch: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple

As promised- photos and a swatch of the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple! 

I loved Sweet Tart so much that I had to pick up another one of the Lip Butters. I've never been one for bold red lips but I've always wanted to try it so this time I went for the warm toned red in Candy Apple. There's another red in the line if you're interested- Cherry Tart- which I think would be better suited for cool-tone complexions.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart and Candy Apple

The color of the packaging matches the shade of the lip butters. 

Candy Apple has the same smooth texture that I've reviewed Sweet Tart as having. The shade looks intense in the tube and in the swatch but you'd be surprised at how wearable it really is. It reminds me of Snow White and even though my skin isn't as fair, the contrast makes my skin look brighter and cleaner. I think I could create a great look for fall and/or a festive look for the holidays with this gorgeous yet approachable red.

Swatch: NEW! Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart on Right
Maybelline ColorSensational PopStick in Citrus Slice on Left for Comparison Only

I think there should be a warning on all things hot pink. Something along the lines of "Caution: May cause racing heartbeat, impaired judgment and/or impulse purchases."  

But the new Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart is so much more than just a hot pink beauty. It's  a magical combination of lipstick, lip gloss and lip balm and the way it applies reminds me of the smooth application of the Dior Addict Lipsticks. I love these!!- and for someone who rarely wears lipsticks that's saying a lot :)

The top is clear so you can take a look at the actual color- big improvement from the original Colorburst lipstick packaging which doesn't have this nifty little window. The packaging also corresponds with the shade so each shade has a different color tube. Sweet Tart is a nice fruit punch type pink color (no shimmer) that is surprisingly wearable- and it's one of those colors that brightens up your face giving you a youthful look. The Lip Butters have a subtle sweet scent- barely noticeable unless you're really trying to sniff it out.

I picked out a couple I thought would compare for the swatch shot but they ended up being all very different. As you can see the Fresh Lip Treatment (one of my favorites) is more sheer and glossy- you can't really build the color up on this- it's meant to give your lips more of a slight tint rather than a full-on lipstick look. The Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm is sheer but less glossy. I actually dislike this formula as it dries out my lips even though it's a lip balm. The Colorburst Lip Butter is not as glossy as the Fresh Lip Treatment but has more of a smooth texture (something between the Dior Addict Lipsticks and the buttery YSL Rouge Voluptes) and can be sheerly applied or built up for bolder look. I also like the fact that my lips don't feel like they have lipstick on. I love these!


* Purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond. A shout out to BentleyBlonde who gave us the heads up to be on the lookout for these!

** Update: Just picked up the Lip Butter in Candy Apple too so I'll be doing a swatch and review of that soon :)

Review: The Body Shop: Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner, Facial Wash

I've never had much luck with skincare products from The Body Shop so I was wary about these but I have been having some skin trouble lately (not acne) and I read that tea tree oil was a good remedy. I took advantage of a recent sale and ordered the Tea Tree Skin Essentials kit (comes with four travel-size tea tree items) online.

I've been using the toner and the facial wash on and off for a a couple of weeks and here are my thoughts on them!

First of all, I liked the toner but not as an everyday all-over-the-face type toner since it wasn't as refreshing as I expected it to be (especially with the minty scent it has!) I should've kept in mind that this is a tea tree "oil" product- meaning that it will leave a (very) slight oiliness to your skin. It didn't break me out or anything- this line is actually meant for blemished skin- but I prefer a more clean-feeling toner. I did, however, find that it was a nice toner to apply around my nose area right after I've used a Biore nose strip and my skin feels a little raw. The Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner soothes my skin without clogging my pores.

Second, I absolutely love the facial wash! I actually think I'm washing my face more often because I love it so much- the best part is the cooling sensation. I use this in the morning when I wake up or in the shower (the steam enhances the cooling sensation), and at the end of the day after I've removed my makeup (note, this is not a makeup remover). For some reason it takes a lot of washes to remove the soapy feeling but for me it's so worth it. I feel my skin has benefited more from the wash than the toner.

So those are my thoughts on The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Skin Clearing Toner and Facial Wash. Hope you enjoyed and/or helped some of you on your shopping decisions ; )

The set that I got: comes with actual tea tree oil and lotion as well.