Sephora Haul/ Product Review: New Favorites!

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Hello, beauties!! Happy hump day!

It's been a crazy weekend/week so far, but I missed writing for you all, so here I am! :)

As some of you may know, I am graduating College tomorrow! I'm receiving my Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature and Corporate Communications. I'm really excited, and I look forward to seeing what's ahead for me! 

That leads me to today's haul, haha! I received a Sephora gift card as a Graduation present, and I obviously rushed to Sephora and used this fantastic opportunity to try out a few products that I have heard so much about, and I have been dying to try.

Tadaaaaaaa!!

There are several reasons why I've waited to try the above products, but I'm SO glad I finally did. So let's just jump right in and talk about each, shall we?!

The first product I purchased was the Tarte Tarteist Clay Paint Liner in black!

I have been wanting to try this product for months and months. Every time I would go into my local Sephora, it'd be sold out! Even when I searched for it on Sephora's website, it'd be sold out! I was in the city (Manhattan) to see a show last week, and there is a huge Sephora smack dab in the middle of Times Square, so I took this gift card opportunity to shop there! And voila! They had the liner! I snatched it so fast, there was smoke behind me, haha!

The next day, I tried it... hello, new fav. Firstly, it's so fun to use because it's so different than any other liner I've ever tried. It's a gorgeous blackest of the black, cream liner. You squeeze a little bit of liner out of the tube, and it rests on a tapered tip. You can squeeze out as little or as much as you want, and it doesn't drip anywhere. It comes with an angled flat-tip bamboo liner brush that makes it incredibly easy to apply and create the liner shape you desire. It's said to last up to 12 hours, I cannot vouch for that since I've only worn it once so far, and I usually don't wear my makeup THAT long, but I'd believe it!

The liner costs $24.00 at Sephora, well worth it if you ask me. You don't use much product, and it comes in a large 0.21oz tube. 

I give this product a 10 out of 10 so far. I will definitely repurchase. 

Next, I purchased the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Fair Neutral.

I've heard great things about this concealer through a few beauty vloggers, and I've been searching for a new more high-end concealer. I LOVE my It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye, and even my Cover Girl Ready, Set, Gorgeous, but I think it's always important to give new things a try!

This is such a weightless, smooth, creamy concealer that provides amazing coverage! It covers imperfections and blemishes, but does so with a natural finish. It's buildable, without caking or creasing like crazy. 

Here are some of the benefits of the formula:

Amazing, right? It did slightly crease on me... though I will admit, I've only used it once, and didn't properly set it. But I truly love it!

The concealer costs $36.00 for a 0.16oz tube. A little bit pricy...

I give this product a 9 out of 10. I would repurchase, but not too quickly, due to the price. 

Now, we have the Josie Maran Argan Enlightenment Illuminating Wand!

When I found out that Josie Maran was releasing new illuminzing/highlighting products, I was so excited! I have her original illuminzer, and it works like a charm! It leaves such a gorgeous, dewy glow. Out of the new illuminzers, this Illuminzing Wand immediately caught my eye.

I was a little weary to purchase, due to the price, but thanks to the gift card, I was able to give it a try! I'm so pleased! This highlighter is PERFECT for summer. It provides a beautiful dewy, hydrating glow. Of course, the wand is infused with Argan Oil, so you're gaining all those skincare benefits along with the beauty benefits. 

Look at that shine! It's a shine, without any glittery shimmer!

The Shea Butter infused in the wand creates such a smooth creamy application, without any grease or smudging. It's a twist up tube with tons of product, all you do is twist it up and directly apply it wherever you want the highlight, and it's easily transportable! It's perfect for a dewy look in the summer, and for extra hydration in the winter months!

The Josie Maran Illuminizing Wand costs $28.00 at Sephora for a 0.36oz tube. There is A LOT of product for a highlighter, so the price isn't too bad. 

I give this product a 10 out of 10. I would repurchase.

Finally, we have the MAKE UP FOREVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation in 115!

I was most eager to try this product because I have seen countless beauty vloggers and bloggers rave about this product and use it a TON. The only thing that has turned me off from purchasing it is the price. Momma Mia, it's a pricy foundation. $43.00 for a 1.01oz bottle at Sephora. It has a controllable pump top, which I like. 

The foundation itself is great! It has full coverage, and it's totally buildable without caking. The only thing I don't like is that it's a very liquid-y foundation. I pump it onto the back of my hand, and then use a kabuki brush to blend it into the skin. However, I guess the liquid-y-ness (What a word, haha) is okay because that means that it's very weightless and won't clog your pores! 

I don't see myself using this foundation every day, due to the price. I think I'll save it for special occasions and special date nights, haha. 

I'm really pleased with this purchase, as well as all of my purchases in this haul! 

I give this product a 9 out of 10. I would repurchase... but maybe I'll wait until I have another gift card in the future, haha. 

I hope you enjoyed this haul/review! Be sure to share with me your favorite products, as well as the best ways to use/apply the products mentioned above! 

I hope you all have a great rest of the week! I will be back on Friday with a great/really whacky skincare tip for treating sunburn (I spent the day at the beach yesterday... ouch!) Seriously though, when I say "whacky", I mean WHACKY. I couldn't believe it myself, but it's really been working. 

Until then, stay out of the sun, and enjoy the rest of the week. Most importantly, stay beautiful!

Christina Bracco

xoxoxo

For PR inquires  questions, comments, suggestions, please email: Christina.f.b@aol.com or please fill out a Contact Form in the sidebar.

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Bright/Fresh Summer Eye Look!

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Welcome back, beauties!! I hope you are all doing well!

I have been meaning to write this post for you all for a while now, but time slipped away from me. In honor of Summer being right around the corner (wasn't it just Christmas like, yesterday?), I thought now was the perfect time to sit and write about my favorite eye look right now!

To achieve this look, we're going to be using the Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette!

I mean, really? Can we talk about this? Every. Single. Shade. BEAUTIFUL.

I've talked about how much I love this palette in the past - with 20 gorgeous, HIGHLY pigmented

shades for just $20.00 on Amazon.com... how could you possibly go wrong?

You can create an endless amount of looks using this palette, and I just love playing around with all of the shades. One day, I wanted a really bright, warm-toned gold/copper/peach eye look, so I sat down, played with just THREE shades(four if you count the base), and it ended up being PERFECT.

• For this look, I used the top left shade as my base. I apply this from lid to brow bone to even out, and brighten my eyes. 
• Next, I apply the fourth shade from the top right (the shimmery gold shade) all over the lid.
• After this, I apply the top right shade in my crease using windshield wiper motions. This gives the eye more depth, as well as providing the perfect transition shade.
• Finally, I apply the second shade from the top right to my outer corner using patting motions.

 Here are some wonky swatches of the shades. I'm not sure why the photos I took are not in focus or higher resolution. Camera, explain yourself!

Pinky: Base Shade
Ring: Crease Shade
Middle: Outer Corner Shade
Index: Lid Shade

This look is perfect for summer. It's so quick and easy, and it makes every eye color pop! The shimmer of the shades, as well as their brightness, make your eyes look brighter, more awake, and Summer ready! 

I took a photo after I created the look. I took this photo pre-mascara, so that you can really see the shades better...

If you want a little more pop, after applying the crease and outer lid shades, I would definitely apply a little more of the gold lid shade to the inner corner and center of the lid in patting motions. 

It gives you a beautiful, bright, fresh, clean, Summer look! I don't like wearing too much makeup in the summer, so this is perfect for giving you a great shimmer to go with you Summer tan, without going crazy!

So there you have it! I hope I've inspired you to give this look a try, or create your own bright Summer looks!
I've practically been wearing this look every day lately, even though Summer isn't even here yet.

I probably won't be posting until next week, so I hope you all have a happy and safe Memorial Day! Remember that this day is to honor our Vets, that's what's most important!

I will be back next week with a fun little Sephora haul. I did a teeny bit of damage to my wallet this past week. I purchased a few products I've been dying to get my hands on. Weee!!

Until next week, stay beautiful!
Christina Bracco
xoxoxoxo

For PR inquiries, questions, comments, suggestions, please email: Christina.f.b@aol.com or please fill out a Contact Form in the sidebar. Thank you. 

INSTAGRAM <---- CLICK AND FOLLOW ME HERE!!

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Adore Me Lashes and Lingerie Challenge!

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Well hellooooo there, beauties!

 It's been a while, hasn't it? I just got back from a week long vacation, and the first thing I wanted to do was get back to writing a new post for you all, and what a fun one it is!

I'm very excited about today's post, because I had the pleasure of teaming up with NYC based Lingerie company, Adore Me, for their Lashes and Lingerie Challenge!

I'm pairing some pieces from their Spring/Summer collection with some of my favorite makeup looks to help you feel your best!

I believe lingerie is all about feeling confident, and being your best self. You can create ANY type of look you want, but I wanted to share some of the looks I would create while wearing certain pieces. Whether it's girly and sweet, or a little more sultry, it's always important to accommodate your lingerie with a makeup look that ties it all together!

I chose three gorgeous sets from the Adore Me Spring Collection, and I chose some of my favorite beauty products that I think would go beautifully with each! Here are the three Adore Me sets I chose:

Fleur Contour

Claire 

Audrina

Aren't they beautiful? 

Adore Me has SO many beautiful lingerie pieces  - but the Fleur Contour, Claire, and Audrina pieces really stuck out to me the most.

The second I saw each of these sets, I immediately had makeup looks in mind, and that's the kind of inspiration you want! 

Let's start with the Fleur Contour!

The second I saw this piece, I knew it needed to be paired with a gorgeous, sultry smokey eye, and a true matte red lip. As I've mentioned previously on my blog, the Mally Beauty City Chick Smokey Eye Kit in Soho Silver is one of my favorites. This will give you the perfect silver smokey eye to perfectly match the black, white, and gray shades of the Fleur Contour piece. Pairing the smokey eye with a classic matte red lip using the Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in the shade 111 (found in most drugstores, and Ulta), gives you such a classic, sexy, pinup girl-esque look! I LOVE it!

Let's talk about the Claire, shall we?! 

This set is such a beautiful, light, silky set for the Spring and Summer months! It's a gorgeous, blush/peach/nude color that will go beautifully with ALL skin tones, and pretty much all makeup looks. I felt that due to the softness of the color and material, this look would look best with a very natural, warm toned, nude look. That's why I went to my favorite go-to palette for a warm toned look using the Too Faced Cosmetics Chocolate Bar Palette. Just looking at the color of the shadows of the palette next to the Claire set from Adore Me: Every single one of the champagne/chocolate/brown/gold shadows match this set PERFECTLY. And can we talk about how perfectly the Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in the shade Nude Beach matches the Claire set??? I am living for this look!! If you'd like a more in-depth post about both of the Too Faced products I paired with this set, you can read my post right HERE! I even provide a demonstration of a look using shadows from the palette that would be the perfect look for this set!

Last but not least, let's end things with the Audrina!

Is this piece not gorgeous?? Another beautiful set for Spring and Summer from the Adore Me collection. I wanted to pair this set with a beautiful fresh Spring/Summer look using the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Eyeshadow Palette. As you all know, this palette has been one of my favorites lately. It's perfect for natural/bright/fresh looks! If you were to pair ANY of the shadows in this palette with the Audrina, you'd look amazing. I'd suggest mixing the Transforming Pearl with  Love and spreading that all over the lid. Then, I'd take Soulful and blend that into my crease, and finally pop some of Violet in the outer corner of my lid. Highlight your brow bone with a little Sheer, and you have a gorgeous eye look to go with the Audrina! 

I wanted to throw in a scent with this particular look, because I immediately thought of the Philosophy Loveswept perfume when I was thinking of what I would wear with this set. Loveswept is a warm, sensual scent that reminds you of a Spring bouquet. Can you say perfect?? If you'd like a more in-depth review of both beauty products paired with the Audrina, you can click HERE! 

And there you have it! I'm really pleased with the looks I've created to match some pieces from the Adore Me Spring/Summer collection for their Lashes and Lingerie challenge, and I hope you all love them as well!

 Play around and create your own looks using these pieces, or any of the other pieces over at Adore Me's site and do some shopping for some gorgeous new sets for your own collections! :)

Thank you so much for reading, I'm so happy to be back! I will have a new post this week featuring my favorite bright Spring look I've been rocking CONSTANTLY lately! 

Much love, stay beautiful!

Christina Bracco

For PR inquiries, questions, comments, concerns, please email Christina.f.b@aol.com or please fill out a Contact Form in the sidebar. Thank you. 

INSTAGRAM  <----- CLICK AND FOLLOW ME HERE!!

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Nail Care: Ruby Crystal Nail Care Kit!

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Happy Friday, beauties!!

Do you struggle with damaged, brittle, thin, weak, dull nails? Are you a nail bitter like myself? Are you trying to get your nails stronger, shinier, heather, and longer?

I have the purrrrrrfect kit to help you out, girlfriend! Or guy friend? Haha

This is the Ruby Crystal Nail Care Kit:

This nail care kit is the Bomb.com! Is that something the kids still say? Am I hip?

I got this nail care kit from HSN.com for $23.90. It's currently sold out (not surprising to me in the least), but you can find the same kit right here for $29.95:

http://carenproducts.com/collections/ruby-crystal/products/ruby-crystal-nail-care-kit

Of course, HSN has a better deal, and threw in a free gift, because that's how the Home Shopping sites work, but for a few dollars more, it's very much worth it to me! If you want the better deal, then I suggest checking in with HSN.com every once in a while to see if the status changes HERE: 

http://www.hsn.com/products/ruby-crystal-nail-care-kit-with-hydrating-hand-cream/7236084

I'll break down what the kit includes. Note: These are all FULL SIZE products.

• Ceramic stone nail file
• #1 Cleansing buffer
• #2 Structuring buffer pad
• #3 Sealing buffer pad
• .34 fl.oz. Calcium roll-on
• .7 oz. Cuticle oil pen
• .08 oz. Nail whitener pen
• Travel/Storage bag

I use this system to prep and beautify my nails before I give myself a manicure, or even when I'm rocking a natural nail and want to keep them strong and shining!

You are supposed to use these products in a specific order, which is why some of the products are numbered for you!

The order in which I listed the products above is the order in which you use them. 

• Use the ceramic stone nail filer to shape the nails without damaging them. Dust from the crystals of the filer help to prevent the nail from splitting 
• Use Cleansing buffer #1 to buff and gently exfoliate your nails to allow the following buffers to disperse their benefits evenly
• Structuring buffer #2 smooths the nails and disperses beneficial vitamins to the nails
• Sealing buffer pad #3 leaves an incredible high-gloss, natural shine on the nails
• The calcium roll-on contains calcium and vitamins for thinner nails while helping to hydrate and strengthen nails
• Use the Cuticle oil pen to gently push cuticles back while keeping them soft and supple, without damaging the nail surface. The moistened tip directly releases necessary oils to the cuticle
• Use the Nail Whitener pen to color the underside of the nail to give yourself a natural french-manicure look while diminishing dark spots, lines, creases, and reshapes the nail line. 

After using this nail care system, I apply my Perfect Formula Pink Gel Coat that I have previously mentioned in my March Favorites post found HERE ! These two systems combined have made my nails the strongest, longest, and healthiest I have EVER seen them! 

Everything in this kit is reusable, so I believe for just over $20.00, or $30.00, it's a great investment. Especially if you're a nail lover like myself! Give it a try, and let me know how you enjoy it! 

Thank you so much for reading! I will see you next week, stay beautiful...

Christina Bracco

xoxoxoxo

INSTAGRAM <---- CLICK AND FOLLOW ME HERE!!

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