Back To Mac

Are you familiar with the Back To Mac program? You probably are but if you are not, no worries. I will explain. In fact I was surprised to find that as recently as last year or so, some Mac loving gals I know didn’t know about this giving back program. For being repeat offenders at Mac, it was shocking to say the least.

Back to Mac is a recycle program where Mac accepts empty packaging of any of their products in exchange for a new product. Typically you turn in six empties and you get a lipstick of your choice. Pretty simple.

I usually save up my empties and go in for six or seven lipsticks. Some of the eye shadow pots below are not all the way empty but I've had them for over two years so it's time to say adios to them too, used up or not.

It’s back to Mac time for me and I'm excited to be hauling all these empties back in exchange for some of the new and very pretty holiday colors. I’ll be sure to share my haul in an upcoming post.

If you didn't know about this program, not to worry. You can't wish the ones you've tossed for years back but you can start now to save those empties. Pretty soon you'll be smiling your way to the bank Mac counter near you to exchange them for some haute lippies.

Do you love Mac lipsticks? I find them very pigmented and have had particularly very good luck with the staying power. And if a matte finish is your thing, just don’t forget to prime your lips prior to application to avoid drying out. I use a lip primer from Bite cosmetics. Much as I love it, I’m currently shopping for and trying out products from other brands and will share my finds with you shortly. I heard a ‘thank you’ :)), you’re so welcome ;).

To get more info on the Back To Mac program, stop by their website and have you a very very happy hump day.

Thank you for stopping by and have a great rest of the week, Xo

 

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Posted by Fashionably Idu in Back to Mac, Beauty, Beauty products, Dark lips, Fall trends, Lipstick, Makeup

Back To Mac

September Box

It's almost that time of the year when our skin calls for more TLC because of the harsh cold weather. My September box arrived and surprisingly has products I like even better than last month's in it. 

Take a peek, :).

Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Facial Primer & Brightener

I get a lot of compliments on my make up and a huge part of the flawless finish is of course priming my skin before makeup application. Foundation glides on and stays on longer. While I love a great primer underneath my foundation for that pore reducing, oil controlling effect and totally love my current primer and also swear by it, this one has worked very well. It has a light pink tint and a orange juice scent. It won an Allure Best of Beauty Award for it’s moisturizing effect and antioxidant content. Soothing ingredients like aloe, green and white tea extracts which we all know to be very helpful in achieving great skin make this a much sought after product. $48 for 1.7 ounces, it is available at Janeiredale.com.

Tangle Teezer

It was love at first sight with this handleless hair brush that's used primarily for detangling wet or dry hair. The catch for me was not just the color but the size as well. It can fit easily in any clutch and in the palm of your hand for quick hair touchups on the go. It retails for $15 at Sephora.com.

Kaplan MD Cellular Rejuvenating Concentrate

Kaplan is known for their great products and this wrinkle fighting, collagen increasing anti aging serum is no different. It’s translucent white and has a faint apple scent. Its 50% hyaluronic acid, an ingredient loved for it’s ability to hold moisture in the skin. It also has peptides to increase collagen production and antioxidants to protect the skin and is not animal tested. A drop goes a long way and I can’t tell you enough how happy this product makes my skin. Instant plumpness and moisturizing effect, whats not to love? This retails at $170 for !ounce and is available at Kaplanmd.com.

Alterna Replenishing Moisturizing Milk

This is a sulphate and paraben free leave in conditioner that smells like sweet lime. It hydrates and adds shine to dry brittle hair. A few pumps is all it takes. And by the way, it distributes more evenly when pumped onto your hand and worked in evenly through hair as against spraying. It doesn’t weigh my hair down and the smell lingers on and on so don’t be surprised if you’re accused of sipping mojito at work when your colleagues catch a sniff of it. It costs $30 for a 5.1ounces and is available at Alternahaircare.com.

Soap and Glory Pillow Plump XXL Lipgloss in Pinkwell

This gloss claims to plump up your lips. Its an opaque, coral pink gloss and goes on sticky at first which was a turn off for me. It does feel really really good on the lips after you apply it thanks to the zesty flower oils and peppermint that leave a tingling and minty feel on the lips for the next close to an hour or so. While it’s very rich and moisturizing, I’m not a huge fan of glosses, but if you are, then you should try this one. It also has a pretty pink sheen that’s very flattering. This retails at $14 and is available at Skinstore.com.

Pixi By Petra Glow Tonic

I think this is my second favorite product in this box. What’s not to love about an alcohol free, exfoliating and brightening skin toner with glycol acid, aloe vera and witch hazel as active ingredients? It’s peach colored and has a very clean smell. I love makeup and I’m always in search of products that boast of taking makeup completely off and leaving my skin cleaner, fresher and brighter with no tightness or redness. It retails at $15 for 3.4 ounces at Target and Target.com. 

Erno Laszio Firmarine Bar Soap

This clean smelling moisturizing bar leaves my face feeling soft and hydrated.I’ve used this in place of my cetaphil face wash for about a week and I’m loving it. You can get this from Ernolaszlo.com at $45. Ok get this. Much as I love this beautiful blue bar, I just found out I’ve been using it wrong. And I thought I knew how to wash/rinse my face, haha. Obviously I was supposed to dip it in a half full bowl/sink, rub, lather and wait for it, wait for it, wait for it (LOL) … splash my face 20 times with the water in the bowl, then 10 more times using splashes of running water. I sure will try that, it better make a huge difference.

It gets better each month and I’m already looking forward to next month’s box. 

Thank you for stopping by, come back soon. Xo...

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Posted by Fashionably Idu in Allure, Beauty, Beauty Box, Beauty products, Products

September Box

Loub Stick Review

Wooo Hooo, now we got red on our kicks, our nails and our lips. Can we all say Loubi complete!

So this is my review of the new and trending Christian Louboutin lipsticks lunched on September 1st and no I was not paid to write this. I received my order of a couple colors Eton Moi and Zoulou from Saks New York after almost a week which in my opinion was too long. Overnight shipping was not an option, because they don’t fly, I was told. Really???

First off, I must say that being a sucker for pretty packaging, I just about melted when I saw this. Oh so divine! Classic boxes with a gold stripe (or red if you got the Rouge Louboutin) going around the sides just like the nail polish case. The cute lil boxes have a gold CL logo on the outside and are lined with red velvet on the inside. They'll actually make great display cases for these lipsticks. 

A lot of people that purchase this product may (or may not) miss an extra little detail which is a drawstring mesh bag shaped just like the lipstick and tucked underneath the velvet casing. A dust bag for your lipstick so you can carry it in your purse with out fear of the tube getting scratched. Kind of like the dust bag for storing your shoes. So adorable.

The tube itself is a gold metal with a cap shaped like a crown. Understandably so as CL’s inspiration for these came from Queen Nefertiti (here). I’ll leave out mentioning what this bullet has a very close semblance to. I did in my post (here) and after seeing it life, I hate to say that but I told you so (in my Larry Birkhead voice). They must be cousins. Then again it also looks like some holiday ornaments I own. Second cousins. There, haha.

When you open it, you find the top is beautiful red on the inside. Think signature red bottoms inside the top - so cute! It's also very snug might I add and has a Louboutin logo on one side and a code on the other that probably stands for the color or some other industry jargon. Replacing the cap needs you to push until it clicks which I think is great cos you want to be sure you’re product is well secured. You’d be surprised to find just how heavy this product is in comparison to other lipsticks. Beautiful things really do come in small but gorgeous and weighty packages!

I wore the Eton Moi which is dark and vampy for three back to back days and found it long lasting and not drying considering it’s a matte finish. It's well pigmented, offers a full coverage and I did not have to apply layers to build intensity. That means I won't be running out of it soon thank goodness, I have to get my money’s worth, right? Great news! Really great color payoff too and very very pretty. It glided on very smoothly and actually felt very luxurious on the lips. I’m not sure if that was from my lip primer, a Bite cosmetics product which also leaves my lips feeling super soft and minty but for 90 bucks, that luxurious feel better have been from this CL lipstick, hehe. By the way my daughter says I look evil when I wear dark lippy (hands on head + shocked emoji).

Zoulou which is the second color in my haul is a very pretty nude shade with a tad of warmth to it and aren’t we all always always always in search of the perfect nude lipstick. This one won’t leave you looking pale cos it has a touch of pinky tones to it. I’ve worn it only once and I have to say that I love these two lippys to the core. Christian Louboutin did not disappoint.

I know I know, you must be wondering about transfer. I got the matte finish so honestly there wasn’t that noticeable a transfer and I wasn’t trying to be careful or anything. I just gulped down and ate like I’d normally do, haha.

PROS

Great staying power

Well pigmented

Luxurious feel

Style it as a necklace. I’d personally switch out the ribbons they came with and wear it with a chain or something better quality if I have to, that is. The ribbon was kind of flimsy and even my 13year old may say no to it, hehe.

Awesome quality

Full coverage

Great display box

Dust bag

CONS

Steep pricing but then again, it’s a luxe brand.

Not readily available at stores for another few weeks or even months I’m told so If you’re planning to wear it soon then order soon enough so as to give it time to get to you cos it only ships ground and takes quite a few days.

WOULD I REPURCHASE?

That would be a heck yeah! These lipsticks have truly won my heart! No, scratch that! They have truly won my lips, hehe. I’m not big on red lippys but I've ordered the Rouge Louboutin in the same matte finish. Not sure if it's cos of all the hype or maybe I just want the black tube. Must be the later. But who knows,  I’ll probably start loving red lippy as much as the beautiful Nilu of Big Hair Loud Mouth.

Are you a fan of Beautelouboutin? Dove into Louboutin Charme already or still gearing up to? I am not a fan of color swatches so I’m leaving you with none but you’d be happy to know especially if you’re ordering on line that these are pretty true to color, so what you see is what you get for the most part. Go splurge on those lips/ treat yourself if you may.

Thank you for stopping by and have a happy hump day, Xo..

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Posted by Fashionably Idu in Beauty, Beauty products, Christian Louboutin lipstick, Lipstick, Louboutin Charme, Summer

Loub Stick Review

Louboutins on Your Feet, Your Nails and Your Lips

“After the eyes, lips represent the most expressive element of the face. And there’s the fetish appeal, because lipstick can transform a face form intense to naive or even dangerous. When a woman carries a handbag, we look at her shoulders. When she slips on a pair of heels, we observe her walk. If she applies lacquer to her nails, we admire her hands. With it’s slow circular application, lip makeup becomes a rich and sensual gesture”. - Christian Louboutin

Famed red sole designer Christian Louboutin is set to lunch his lipstick line with colors that will have our hearts racing wildly. Nudes, dark vampy reds, pinks and of course the iconic red aka Rouge Louboutin without which the collection would not be complete. The product boasts 38 shades in 3 finishes. The silky satin comes in 20 shades with a bit of a shine to it, Velvet Matte comes in 9 shades and so does Sheer Voile for the gal that likes to sport a sheer finish. 

If you’ve been dying to match your Rouge Louboutin nail polish to your lip color, you got your wish because each collection offers the signature Rouge Louboutin that lives in a black tube. The other shades come in gold tubes. The tubes can be worn as necklaces by threading a ribbon or a chain for that matter through the ring on top of the bullet shaped tube. Is it just me or does that tube have a striking resemblance to a vibrator? Did I just go there? Call it a golden bullet or a black vibrator, the tubes are undeniably unique. I am a fan.

Inspired by his shoes and bags, these lipsticks would set you back 90 bucks. Ladies (and gents of course) would you pay 90$ for a tube of lipstick or would you totally snob CL and his new experiment? Which finish would you go for? While it’s definitely a splurge on my lips because you can get a good, well pigmented and long-lasting lipstick for about 16$, I’d buy the Rouge Louboutin in a Velvet Matte finish for the keepsake tube. 

Mr. Louboutin is busier than a one eyed cat watching nine rat holes. He's got two other projects in the works. The Paloma, a tote with red side panels and nude top handles hitting stores in November, and the Piloutin a spiky evening bag.

First shoes / bags, then nail polish and now lipstick. Sheesh, the Loubi family of goodies is expanding fast. I just can’t help but wonder what's next. Your guess?? My guess is lingerie. Ahhh, I'm already  lusting after that, hehe. We can leave it to Mr. Redsole to gift woman with the most delicate, dainty, luxurious and exciting pieces in the form of lingerie. There is no stopping this dude. Watch out fashion / beauty industry!!!

This product is lunching September 1st and will be available at Christianlouboutin.com. Is it on your wish list yet? Salivating already? 

Thanks for keeping our Wednesday date, ;)... 

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Posted by Fashionably Idu in Beauty, Beauty products, Lipstick, Makeup, Summer style

Louboutins on Your Feet, Your Nails and Your Lips

August Loot

Gosh I don’t remember how long it’s been since I did a beauty post. But when my daughter gave me a gift of 1year of Allure beauty box, I instantly thought - blog worthy! So I’m here to talk about the products and my honest opinions of them.

First off, the red box itself is alluring and sturdy and will definitely be a great storage for some of your beauty products. 

Now onto what came in the box this month:

There’s a Malin + Goetz peppermint shampoo with a smell to die for. You know I had to wash my hair right away just to experience it, hehe. And all day I still caught sniffs of that glorious peppermint smell, mmmmhh. And by the way, all I needed was a little squeeze and that sure went a long way. It also left my hair feeling squeaky clean. If you’re a sucker for great scents then don’t hesitate to pick up a one of these. This product retails for $20 for an 8ounce bottle and can be ordered from Malinandgoetz.com.

Eau Thermale Avene Clearance Gel Cleanser: This is a foaming cleanser for oily and acne prone skin non of which I have. But it did take away every trace of makeup and left my face feeling clean and fresh. Most acne fighting products in the market boast of salicylic acid or benzoic peroxide but not this one. It contains a fairly new ingredient monolaurin that claims to decrease oil production with regular use. So if you have an oily or zit prone skin, you may want to give this product a try. It retails for $20 for 6.76 ounces and is available at Drugstore.com.

Benefit They’re Real Push-Up Liner: Honestly I had a hard time figuring out how to work this mini eye liner pen but once I did, I fell in love. I love the chiseled/ angled tip that made for precision and may have you get rid of your 266 eye liner brush. A gentle squeeze was all I needed to deliver the right amount of product. It glided on smoothly and stayed on. Just like a liner brush, be sure to wipe the tip in between applications to ensure the product goes on evenly. This retails for $24 and is available at Sephora.com. I will definitely be buying this. 

Nuance Salma Hayek AM/PM anti aging cream. Now this is supposed to be a medium weight moisturizer but I must say it felt really heavy on my skin. So my first thought was not for oily skin but guess what, it absorbed not so quickly but surely. It claims to soften dry skin and is packed with antioxidants. The key ingredients include glycerin and borage oil that is supposed to be soothing on the skin. It has a rich creamy texture and left a hint of a herbal scent. This products retails for $19.99 for 1.4 ounces and is available at CVS.com. 

Bumble and Bumble Grooming Creme: This is a styling cream that smooths frizz and boosts waves. I haven’t found a use for this but it promises to be a great product. A little squeeze on the back of my hand felt smooth and silky so I can imagine it would do just that and more on hair. I am a sucker for great ingredients and this one has some that I really love like avocado and sweet almond oils as well as jojoba castor and safflower seed oils for shine. Retail price is $30 for 5 ounces and is available at Bumbleandbumble.com.

So Allure has collaborated with Butter London and birthed a line of nail polishes. I am a french tip girl for the most part but I tried this beautiful powdery pink polish on my daughter and it looked very fresh and clean. This is a limited edition collection that boasts 10 awesome shades and will be in stores starting this month. What are you waiting for, go get the nails did, take a hand selfie and hashtag thebeautybox on instagram/twitter. 

So there you have it. I love my box and most of the things in it. Can’t wait for my next month’s loot. Have a wonderful Wednesday and see you back on Saturday. Xo...

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Posted by Fashionably Idu in Allure, Beauty, Beauty products, Makeup, Skin care, Summer style

August Loot