Tarte's Amazonian Clay Tartelette Matte Eyeshadow Palette

This palette was "sneak peak" released through email to some people but will launch spring 2015 publicly. It features 12 brand new matte eyeshadows and retails for $44. Ive never tried Tarte's eyeshadows before but I've always heard amazing things about the formula. These shadows are made with Amazonian clay so they will have a longer truer wear as well as Vitamin E and Mineral Pigments to help soothe and soften skin. Now lets get to what the website says about the palette and some color swatches!

From the Tarte Website - Product Performance: tarte is introducing an all matte eyeshadow palette featuring 12 never-before-seen shades to inspire, celebrate and empower real women to take on the day with confidence. The name says it all – this sleek, statement palette is all about the tartelette and features tarte’s signature Amazonian clay-infused, long wear eyeshadow in rich matte shades that are as beautifully diverse as the brand’s loyal fans:

• free spirit (cream)
• force of nature (nude)
• dreamer (warm brown)
• multi-tasker (chocolate)
• caregiver (pale pink)
• natural beauty (mauve)
• best friend (mulberry)        
• bombshell (dark plum)
• super mom ivory)
• wanderer (light brown)
• power player (taupe)
• fashionista (black)

So when I first try out a new eyeshadow I like to do it without using an eyeshadow primer so that I can truly test out the formula and staying power as well as the pigmentation. The shadows are so soft and creamy, they almost feel like a cream shadow when you're dipping your brush into them. The pigmentation is true to color and none of them are patchy, I'm especially pleased with the darkest 3 colors! These shadows performed perfectly, went on smoothly with great pigmentation, easy to blend. Exactly what I expected from Tarte. What surprised me was how cute and compact the palette was, for some reason I was expecting it to be big like the Vice palettes from Urban Decay. This could easily fit in your makeup bag or purse and with the range of colors it would be perfect to take on vacation. It has a great sized mirror and the gold with the purple gives it a rich feeling. I do wish it had a little duel sided brush then it would be perfect to just grab and go but I can forgive them for it. Overall I'm extremely happy I bought this palette, especially because I don't own a lot of matte colors and to have them all in one palette is perfect! A lot of these shades would work great transition shades or would pair perfectly with any shimmery/glittery color. The 6 middle shades are what drew me to this palette but now I'm loving all of the shades! It has great highlighting colors as well as the darker ones to do a smokey look. A great investment in any collection if you ask me! A+ Tarte, exactly what I've been searching for!

            

                                          

Too Faced Melted Kisses Set

What it is: 4 deluxe sample size tubes (0.16oz) of Too Faced Cosmetics famous liquified Melted Lipstick. They are supposed to have the staying power of a lip stain while having the look and feel of a liquid lipstick. I picked mine up from TooFaced.com for $25 and it comes with 4 great colors. 

Melted Berry- A True Berry Color, 
Melted Fuchsia- A Bright Hot Pink, 
Melted Peony- A Light Soft Pink, 
Melted Nude- A True Nude 

I think this is the perfect way to try the Melted Lipsticks! I personally hadn't tried any of the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks until I picked up this set. The $21 price tag was a little steep for 1 color plus nobody had heard of a melted lipstick before this! This "melted" lipstick was a whole new concept when these were released. A melted lipstick, what does that even truly mean!? This is what the Too Faced website says, " Using exclusive technology to keep cauldrons of molten lipsticks liquid and creamy, Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick comfortably coats lips in bursts of intense, high-impact, super rich, saturated color that lasts for hours." Now we have all heard of liquid lipsticks, which I was never a huge fan, they would always dry on my lips and feel like I had paint on my lips. The staying power was so so if you could deal with the drying effect they always had on lips. I don't like feeling my makeup on my face, it should feel like my face is bare no matter how many layers I'm wearing! These Too Faced Melted Lipsticks truly are a liquified lipstick! They glide on without any problem while staying comfortable and cushiony and not sacrificing any of the pigmentation or shine! It really is the best of both worlds! You get the staying power of an amazing lipstick/ lip stain while getting the high shine and comfortability of a gloss! I do find these to be very comfortable on the lips and they staying power is there. You will have to touch up a little after eating and drinking especially if you like that just applied high gloss shine. Ive worn these throughout the day with just a little lip liner to enhance my pout and really enjoyed the way they felt on the lip. They will transfer when you kiss someone or drink something but then again most lipsticks do so I don't mind that.

Now let's talk about packaging... These lipsticks because of their liquid form come in a squeeze tube with a precision tip applicator. I will say I do like the tip of this lipstick, especially with the formula I feel like it helps you get a more even application while helping you stay within the line of the lips. I will say though that the design of the squeeze tube worries me when you get towards the end of the product. I haven't reached this point yet but I can see it being a pain in the butt to get that last bit out before you finally toss it. I personally really like this product and if you can pick them up during a sale or with a coupon code the price tag isn't as shocking. I plan on picking up some full size shades in the near future, I just have to decide which colors I can't live without!

Have you tried any of the Melted Lipsticks? Do you love them or hate them? What are your can't live without shades?? Let me know on Instagram: LovingLifeMakeup or chat with me in Twitter: LovingLifeMUA

Bare Minerals Bare Skin Brightening Serum Foundation

So I might be a little bit of a foundation junkie! I'm always looking for the perfect foundation plus I love to try out high end vs. drugstore makeup. So now that is summer and I'm a little tanner my Double Wear foundation was getting too light so I was on the hunt for a new one. I wanted something that would be light weight but still give amazing coverage and that had a wide enough color range to match my undertones. Then I started seeing the Bare Minerals commercials and I knew I had to have it. The problem was I didn't want to spend that much money on a foundation and a brush and then hate the product so I waited. Then Bare Minerals had their 20% Family and Friends sale and I started looking up reviews on the product and doing my research. Everything I heard was great for the most part so I decided to go for it! Now this foundation is $29 and then the Skin Perfecting Brush that you use along with it is $28 so if you get both your going to spend $57 without tax for the set. That being said it is a 1oz bottle so standard size but it is a serum foundation which means you won't need as much so the bottle will last longer. They say to shake it really well and then start with 2 drops for light coverage, 2 more for medium and then 2 more for heavy. I like to use 6 drops total, so like 2 for each cheek/chin so that's 4 and then 2 more for my forehead. Even though 6 drops is considered Heavy coverage it doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all!! The website says this foundation is a skin loving formula with No Silicone, Oil, Parabens, or Fragrance plus its Hypoallergenic and Non- comedogenic (won't clog your pores). It has a coconut-derived base with jojoba coated mineral pigments and lilac plant stem cells. Plus it has Vitamin C to reveal a bright more even- toned skin with a no makeup effect. It also has a none chemical broad spectrum SPF 20 in it! It is obviously full of amazing ingredients to help give your skin that youthful dewy finish but not all those icky chemicals we don't want on our face!

So lets get to the nitty gritty! First the foundation, because it doesn't have all those icky fillers and such you have to make sure to shake it up really well before you use it. The bottle has this nifty little dropper so that your able to put it in the little bowl in the middle of the brush. I love this bottle, and the dropper makes it super easy to get out and control how much you get out. The foundation blends out seamlessly and I feel like it helps the rest of my makeup go on more smoothly. It does leave my skin looking bright and it has a nice dewy finish without looking oily or shiny, and it lasts all day without wearing off in places like I've had other foundations do. Ive used it with and without a primer and it looks great both ways, so on days when I'm in a rush and need to skip a few makeup steps this is great!! I do have to say though if you have oily skin and don't use a mattifying primer under it this might not be for you because of that dewy finish. They are available in 20 different shades and Bare Minerals has a shade finder online that's pretty awesome. It asks you a few questions about your skin tone and your undertones to helps you find the right shade, plus it has tips to help you figure out your right undertone! My personal color is Bare Honey #15 which is very Golden so in the bottle it looks too yellow for me but when blended out it matches my tan skin perfectly! ( I don't tan my face so its lighter then the rest of my body)

Now shall we talk about the brush?! Let me start by saying I love this brush and I am glad I bought it with the foundation, its super soft and the little bowl in it where you put the drops of foundation is cool, I feel like it helps distribute the foundation throughout the brush so that it blends seamlessly. The bristles aren't too long that it drags the foundation and leaves it looking streaky but they aren't so short that they are poking you in the face and its uncomfortable. Plus they are fine so I don't feel like the foundations is just getting soaked up into the brush and cleaning it is a breeze! That being said, if you are on a budget like most of the world and you want to try this foundation it is not absolutely necessary for your to buy the foundation and the brush. If your really wanting to splurge on a great foundation but the fact that you also have to buy this equally expensive brush is stopping you don't let it. You could put this foundation on with pretty much any buffing or stippling brush, or even a sponge! So I would just go for it!! Over all an amazing product and it's actually gotten me more interested in the rest of their products! Have you guys tried anything from Bare Minerals that you love?! Let me know and keep in contact with me on Instagram @LovingLIfeMakeup and on Twitter @LovingLifeMUA Thank guys!

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation

I have to start by saying this is the first high end foundation I've ever tried. I went to Dillard's because they were having a huge clearance sale and i needed some pants for work. While I was paying for my knew colored skinny jeans the girl at the register told me that Estée Lauder was having a gift with purchase deal going on, who's going to say no to free makeup! So I went down to check it out and started talking to the girl at the counter. 

Now lately at work I have been noticing places where my makeup was wearing off from sweat and what not, and  I've heard of Double Wear a few times on YouTube before. The lovely lady cleaned off my face and color matched me. This was great because it's always hard finding the right color with the right undertones, they always end up too pink! Plus they have such a huge color range (31 shades) so there really is something for everyone! After she found my color we continued to talk while she did my make up showing me other products she loved, I really had a great time talking to her! My color ended up being 3N1 Ivory Beige 10 and it costs about $37 for 1oz, so it is on the pricey side but I have to say it's a medium to full coverage so you don't need as much! Just a dollop on the back of your hand and you can do your whole face! The fact that it's called Double Wear rings true this stuff stays on till you take it off. I've slept in it and only had a few patchy places when I washed my face in the morning. At work it stands up without fading or getting cakey! It always looks natural and won't cling to any dry spots but still holds up on the oily parts of my face.

I highly recommend this product if you have a problem with your makeup not lasting throughout your day or looking unnatural because you can't find the right shade, getting color matched helped! I will definitely be buying more of this and probably before this bottle runs out, I'm thinking the next shade darker because summer is coming up and I will be outside a lot so I'm going to develop more of a tan. I think if your able it is definitely worth the splurge, you want to start with the best base possible. It will help the rest of your makeup last longer and look better no matter if it's a $1 blush or a $27 bronzer. I've applied this using a brush, my hands, and a Beauty Blender and it looks great everyday. Most of the time I use a primer under mine but it's not mandatory, the staying power is there no matter what! You guys know I love my drugstore makeup but I have to say I think this one is a keeper. Have you tried Double Wear? What do you think about it, let me know!