Spotted at Target: ELF Holiday Kits

Hello everyone!

Today while out at Target looking for some winter clothes (it is 38 degrees in Austin!), I noticed that they already had out the aisle displays for Black Friday.  These green cardboard displays have impulse buy items and are strategically placed throughout the store.  These are different items then the ones in the end cap display, so I thought that I would share them with you.

The first item I found was a three pack of nail polish retailing for $4.99.  There is an orange polish, a silver glitter polish, and a grey polish.  These are full size polishes.

The second item I located was also a three pack of nail polish.  It also retails for $4.99 and the polishes are full size.  There is a pinkish polish, a gold glitter, and an orange polish.

The next item is lip glosses.  They retail for $3.99.  There is a clear gloss, a pinkish gloss, and a more mauve or berry gloss.

And lastly, more lip gloss.  These are the longer ones with the brush applicator.  They also retail for $3.99.  There is a nude, a pink, and a berry or mauve color.

Have you spotted these items at your local Target?  Have you tried them out, what do you think of them?  I like ELF's nail polishes, so I will probably be picking those up soon!

Rumor - Urban Decay Naked 3 Launch Date

If you haven't heard yet, Urban Decay is launching their latest palette Naked 3 later this year.  The palette appears to be more rose gold and pink neutrals then past palettes.  The palette will retail for $52.00 and be available at the Urban Decay website, Sephora, and Ulta.

(Image from:  http://www.urbandecay.com/udemail)

There is already a review and comparison to Naked 1 and Naked 2 on Temptalia for you to peruse.  The palette received decent marks from her, so that is always a good sign.

Rumor has it that both Sephora and Ulta will be launching the palette on December 11th at 9:00 A.M.  Make sure you get in line for this one, as I am sure like a few of these palettes in the past, it is going to sell out super quick.

Happy shopping!

New Item - NYX Two Timer Kohl Pencil Liner & Felt Tip Liner

Hello everyone,

Today at Makeup Addiction on Reddit, NYX Cosmetics gave a sneak peak to one of the new items coming in 2014.  It is called the Two Timer, a double sided eye liner, one end is a Kohl Pencil Liner, the other a Felt Tip Liner.

(Picture from imgur)

(Picture from imgur)

NYX also included a sneak peak of new Butter Lip Sticks in various shades.

(Picture from imgur)

You can see more of the pictures on Imgur.  Including swatches of the eyeliner.

First Look Swatches - Laura Mercier - Artist's Palette for Eyes

I am a weak person.  Very weak.  I am the sort of weak person that sees the 20% off at Sephora for VIBs and can not help myself.  I had gone on Thursday and purchased the Tarte Off the Cuff Blushes and figured I was going to be done.  Then I saw all the posts about the Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes and I just couldn't help myself.  It is sold out online and I managed to snag the last one at my local Sephora.

Everyone, I can totally see why it is selling out.  Oh my lord, the swatches alone make me want to take off all my makeup and redo my eyes.  This is a wonderful little palette.  The shadows are nice and creamy without being too powdery.  They swatched smoothly for my purposes here.  I have not used the palette yet, but I wanted to get the swatches up for you.

The Laura Mercier Artist's Palette comes in a brown faux leather case with a magnetic closure.  It has a large mirror in the top and a magnetic closure.  The palette is heavy but not cumbersome.  There is a large mirror in the top of the palette that is the size of the top.

The Artist's Palette has 12 eye shadows with a mixture of finishes.  Each eyeshadow is .03 ounces.

(Top Row:  Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet, Plum Smoke, Kir Royal, Violet Ink 

Bottom Row:  Vanilla Nuts, Primrose, Fresco, Bamboo, Truffle, Espresso Bean)

The back of the box states that the colors African Violet and Bamboo are lusters.  The colors Vanilla Nuts, Plum Smoke, Violet Ink, Espresso Bean, Truffle, and Fresco are mattes.  Finally, Primrose, Guava, Kir Royal, and Sparkling Dew are sateens.

(From Top to Bottom:  Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet, Plum Smoke, Kir Royal, Violet Ink )

From Top to Bottom:  Vanilla Nuts, Primrose, Fresco, Bamboo, Truffle, Espresso Bean)

I can not wait to use this palette.  I can see myself using all of these shadows so very often.  

How did you do at the Sephora sale?  Any goodies out there I should keep my eyes open for?

Hope you're having a great weekend.

~Kratrina

Spotted - New Product - Chapstick Gingerbread Kiss and Candy Cane

While at Walgreens tonight, I found two new ChapSticks for the holidays.  They were on a endcap stringer in the beauty department.

I present ChapStick Gingerbread Kiss:

And Candy Cane:

First Look Swatches - Revlon - Lacquer Balm

Hello everyone!  I hope that you had a lovely week.  I am so very happy that it is Friday.  The week seemed to go by so fast, but today dragged on and on and on.

Today I am bringing you a quick first look review at the new Revlon Lacquer Balm sticks.  These are the ones with the glossy finish to the container.  They are currently being sold in a display with the matte lip balms (which I have now bought five of... I know, I know).  I have picked up three of the Lacquer Balms now.

The colors are Enticing (#150), Demue (#105), and Coy (#140).

I just picked these up, so I have not had an opportunity to play with them.  Hopefully in the next few weeks I will be able to give a better review and swatches.  I do find that the balms are nice and creamy with a glossy shine.

I have included a swatch of the colors for you below.  Enjoy!

Swatches - Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks

Hello everyone!

Today I wanted to do swatches on the Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks eyeshadows.  These new eyeshadows retail for $.299 and are a new product by Revlon.  Each item is a single eyeshadow that can be mixed and matched.  Each eyeshadow is in packaging that will link with other eyeshadows from the line.  The eyeshadows come in several different finishes and range from bright colors to metallics to neutral mattes.

I purchased eight different shadowlinks of various finishes while they were on sale at Walgreens.  In the following swatches, I swatched them over Benefits Stay Don't Stray eye primer, bareskin, and NYX Milk.


The first three, in order are, Oyster (a metallic), Blush (a matte), and Candy (a pearl).

The next three are Plum (a matte), Taupe (a satin), and Java (a pearl).

The last two are Cocoa (a satin) and Gunmetal (a satin).

I am not impressed with these eyeshadows.  The color payoff is not there at all, even over primer or milk some of them are hard to see.  In the pan, each eyeshadow is hard and this causes the eyeshadows to be incredibly powdery when using.  Even the more pigmented shades, like Plum, are hard to use and have a lot of shadow fall out.

In my opinion, save your money and take a pass on the shadowlinks.  They're a novel ideal, but the color payoff and the powerdiness of the shadows make them a poor purchase.

Hope you enjoyed these swatches and the review.

~Kratrina

First Look Swatches - Revlon Colorburst Matte Lip Balms

Hello everyone!  After reading several reviews on the products, I decided to pick up the Revlon Colorburst Matte Lip Balms.  The formula for these lip balms is amazingly creamy.  The colors are all highly pigmented and apply smoothly.  The lip balms also have that minty tingly taste, so if you don't like that, beware!  If you do not mind the taste, I would totally recommend these to everyone.

The packaging is sleek and looks like the other Revlon Colorburst lip balm products.  For these lip pencils, the packaging are all matte.  In two separate trips, I purchased four colors.

I have done a quick swatch so that you can see the colors I have purchased.  In the next few days, I will get some swatches of the products on the lips.  The four colors pictured below from top to bottom are Sultry (#225), Elusive (#205), Unapologetic (#210), and Striking (#240).

I really like the feel of these lip balms and I highly suggest them to anyone that likes the matte lip look.  Currently, these are retailing for approximately $8.99.  Walgreens has an in-store coupon for $2.00 off all Colorburst lip balms, just look in the November coupon book.  Remember, Walgreens allows coupon stacking, so if you have any printable coupons or clippings from the paper you can use those and the coupon book coupons together.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!