Tuesday, September 24, 2013

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils Review

NYX Center Stage Jumbo Eye Pencils

Hello my Budget Beauty Bees!! I am back with a quick haul and review of the NYX Center Stage Collection of Jumbo Eye Pencils. I purchased this set from www.hautelook.com for about $14.00 and the total was about $20.00 with shipping. These Jumbo Eye Pencils retail for $5-6.99 at local beauty supplies and most recently Target stores! You an also purchase the collection on www.nyxcosmetics.com . Check it out:



Packaging:
These came securely wrapped in plastic. The black cardboard box also contains a clear plastic place holder with 6 slots for each Jumbo Pencil. The pencils themselves come in opaque white plastic packaging with clear tops. Its a very cheap package, from my experience the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils have easy to break caps, and very hard to sharpen plastic casing. So I always depot mine.

Pigmentation:
These pencils are VERY pigmented. They are all true to color and present on the eyes just as they do in the package. I am pleased with the color pay off. There are only two matte colors in this collection (Black Bean and Milk). All the other colors an be described as having subtle shimmer/ metallic finish. They are all beautifully pigmented.

Texture:
The texture of these Jumbo Eye Pencils is very luscious texture. They feel super creamy. They do glide on very easily and don't require any "warming up" or tugging on the eyes. The product can be layered on, but this is truly not necessary.One swipe provides smooth even coverage.

Staying Power:
The staying power of these pencils is pretty good. NYX says these can be worn alone or used as a base. When worn alone, they do crease, but the color does not fade. Due to the fact that they crease, I would not wear them alone. I use these solely as an eye shadow base for my powder shadows. As a base, it works amazingly! It makes my shadows pop and helps the color become more vibrant! When topped with a powder shadow both the Jumbo Pencil and Powder shadow last all day. I have noticed that sometimes in humidity there is a small amount of creasing. To avoid this I use an eye shadow primer with a thin consistency like the ELF $1 Eye-Lid Primer (www.eyeslipsface.com), before applying the base. This is provides full proof eye looks!

Verdict:
Would I repurchase? Absolutely! Do the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils live up to the hype? Yuuupp!! I am very impressed with these particularly as eye shadow bases. I am looking forward to purchasing the rest of the collection! Its a great Budget Beauty Buy!!
CHECK OUT THE SWATCHES:

ELECTRIC BLUE


BLACK BEAN


                                                                   SPARKLE NUDE


ICED MOCHA


YOGURT


MILK


NATURAL LIGHT (In same order as above)


FULL FLASH


Let me know if you guys have tried any other colors! Thanks for visiting! 






Ioni Cosmetics Review

Ioni Cosmetics Review


Hello Again Budget Beauty Bees! This post is dedicated to a New Product Line that launched recently: IONI COSMETICS! I must say I am excited about this brand because its super affordable! You can find these at Fred's, which is a discount store similar to Big Lots. The three products I recently purchased are reviewed below:

Automatic Eye Pencil in Blue Bolt: 

Cost: $1.99
Ioni Cosmetics Claims:"Define and Defy Classic and vibrant colors intensify eyes for depth and definition."

Packaging: 
This product came in a sleek black cardboard package. Now the pencil itself is a bright blue plastic container that twists to reveal the product through a clear top. Overall the packaging is standard, and has a lightweight feel. Nothing super special.

Pigmentation:
This eye pencil is fairly pigmented. With the name Blue Bolt I was expecting an extremely Vibrant blue color. It is a pretty cool blue color, but does not exactly say "POW"! If you know what I mean. Its just a standard average amount of pigmentation.

Texture:
The texture of this auto pencil reminds me of the 99 cents pencils you buy from the local beauty supply. It is a dry formula and is not very creamy as I would have hoped. I personally suggest "warming up" the color by drawing a small set  of lines on the back of your hand to use body heat to melt the product a little. Overall the texture feels like the texture of a $1.99 eyeliner. Despite the fact that its not super creamy, its not a difficult product to apply, it just doesn't have that Glide on feel.

Staying Power:
Although the color was not super bright, I will say that the pencil definitely lasted a good 6-8 hours without any fading or smudging. I would suggest using this as a pop of color smudged on the lower lash line.

Verdict:
Okay, so if you are in the market for an affordable bright blue eyeliner, I would skip on this one. The lasting power is good, but if you have sensitive lids, this product may irritate your eyes due to the fact that you have to layer on the color and tug at the corner of your to get the blue liner in a straight line and to really pop. I suggest purchasing the NYX automatic eye pencils. They cost a little more, but have staying power PLUS a comfortable creamy easy to apply texture.

CHECK OUT THE SWATCHES!



NEXT UP...

Ioni Cosmetics Single Eye Shadow in "Posh"

Okay guys, so now let's talk about the eyeshadow single. When I went to Fred's ALL the single shadows were sold out except for two colors, "Posh" and "Rodeo"( a bronzy brown). Posh is a very pretty purplish plum color.


Cost: $1.99
Ioni Cosmetics Claims: " Blendable and beautiful color smooth shadow colors accentuate eyes to create a sultry look."

Packaging:
The packaging for this eye shadow is pretty standard. It is made of black (bottom) and clear (top) plastic with a single hinge. The shadow is in a metal pan that seems to be easily depottable. (yea I just made that word up lol) Overall the packaging is fairly sturdy, I wouldn't drop it though!

Pigmentation:
This eye shadow is overall pretty pigmented. After being disappointed by the auto pencil I wasn't so sure how much color payoff this shadow would have. But boy was I surprised! It is very pigmented and has a multi-dimensional feature that makes it look a little like a plummy brown color. It is quite beautiful,especially with a white base like NYX Jumbo eye pencil in Milk.

Texture:
The top of this shadow has a quilted, raised pattern, so you do get a little extra product. I can appreciate the creativity that was put into developing this shadow. The texture of the shadow when swatched and applied is relatively creamy. It goes on smoothly, with lots of color payoff. It is easy to blend.

Staying Power:
This shadow actually did a pretty decent job of staying for about 6 hours. There was some creasing, but not enough to annoy me. The best way to avoid creasing with this product is to use a primer and cream a white cream base. Both are necessary if you want all day wear with this shadow.

Verdict:
This shadow is certainly an interesting color  unlike any in my current collection which says a lot! Its multi-dimensional color adds a bit of spunk to any eye look! It can be used to create a strong smokey eye when blended with a matte black shadow or a soft everyday look if blended with a mid-tone brown. I have also used this shade as my pop of color on the lower lash line when wearing my classic brown smokey eye. Overall this shadow is a great price, nice quality, and is very unique I would certainly repurchase and would love to try more of the colors!

CHECK OUT THE SWATCH!


Last but not least...


Ioni Cosmetics Powder Blush in "Ecstasy"

This is my favorite product of my three recent Ioni Cosmetics purchase is the powder blush in the color " Ecstasy". The color is very universal and would look great on any skin tone! I wanted to purchase all 4 colors but this was the only one not sold out!


Cost: $2.50

Packaging:
The packaging for this blush is all black with a transparent lid revealing the color. It is a typical package, nothing too spectacular. It does click down and is pretty sturdy.

Pigmentation:
This matte peachy orange blusher is SUPER pigmented! When I tell you ONE, just ONE light swipe with your brush (or finger if swatching) will provide you with a ton of color! Even after tapping off the excess you still have plenty of color for both cheeks. You must MUST use a light hand with this blush. It is certainly among the most pigmented blushes in my collection. And with it being only $2.50 I am absolutely in love!

Texture:
The texture of this blusher is very smooth and soft. It reminds me of the Wet n Wild color icon blushes/shadows or the La Femme blushes which are very buttery and have great color payoff. I will say that this blush is definitely of a high quality. Its not too powdery and there is very little fall out.

Staying Power:
WOAH! This blush stayed on my face form the time I applied at 9 AM until the time I finished my day around 8PM. I was outside walking to and from different classes in the heat and this blush did not fade one bit! Woot Woot!

Verdict:
For a blush to only cost $2.50, it has incredible quality. I would say the pigmentation and texture can certainly compete with some of my higher end blushers. The powder is very finely milled and I will definitely REPURCHASE! Its very hard to find an affordable pretty peachy colored blush with no shimmer, so I am happy about this deal! I'm looking forward to trying out the other shades!

CHECK OUT THE SWATCH:



*Have any of you tried the other shades?? I'd love to know what you guys think!!


Wet n' Wild Color Icon Trio Review: "Knock on Wood"

Wet n' Wild "Knock on Wood"


Hello Budget Beauty Bees! Today I'm giving detailed Reviews of a few Products. First Up Wet n Wild Color Icon Trio in "Knock on Wood".



Quick Info:
Cost: $2.99
Where to Buy: Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart, Big Lots, pretty much any drugstore.
Size: .12 oz
Wet n Wild Claims: "Coordinating trio shades takes the guesswork out of creating the perfect eye look. The "how to" palettes are created to highlight, define, and accentuate specific eye colors to create unique looks."

I would always see the Wet n Wild Color Icon Trios at my local drugstores and after hearing one of my favorite bloggers EmilyNoel83 rave and rave about them, I decided to see for myself if these shadows really lived up to the hype. So there I am at Walgreens browsing the makeup sectiona s I always do, and I spotted the entire Wet n Wild collection on sale! So I picked up a couple palettes (will review the others at a later date.) Below you will find a detailed review for this palette.

Packaging:
The trio comes in a black (bottom) and plastic (top) package that snaps to close in the front. As with most drugstore cosmetics there is a pesky sticker wrapped around the package that can be hard to peel away without nails. Considering its only plastic with hinges, the palette is actually rather sturdy. Also, thanks to the easy to melt plastic, I have not had any problems depotting the shadows. Although its not the prettiest package, with 3 shadows for only $2.99, not so glamorous packaging is to be expected.

Tools:
The palette does come with two small tools. The typical rounded sponge tip applicator, and a small synthetic mini brush. I usually don't use the applicators that come in palettes, but I did think it was pretty cool of Wet n Wild to include both types. If I was on the go, and didn't have brushes with me, I could definitely see myself using the two applicators (sponge tip to pack color on the lid and synthetic brush to blend colors for my crease.)

Pigmentation:
All I can say is WOW!!!! These shadows are ULTRA pigmented. Even the lightest shades are vibrant. A little bit of the product goes a very long way. The shadows do appear pretty true to color, meaning the color in the pan is the color that appears when applied to the eyelids. I would even say these shadows are as pigmented (some even more ) as MAC or other high end shadows. And at $2.99 you can't beat that with a stick! I love it!

Texture:
The texture of these shadow is super buttery smooth. The colors blend very easily, and look great when overlapping various shades. I would even compare the texture of these shadows to the likes of Urban Decay. The only difference is that because these shadow are super soft, if you put too much product on your brush, you may experience some fall out. With that being said, use a very light hand to avoid wasting product!

Staying Power:
Not only are these shadows super pigmented, they also have Amazing staying power! I have tried these with AND without a primer. Both times the color pay off was awesome, and the shadows stayed vibrant ALL day! AND now the ultimate question do they crease?? VERY VERY little! Without a primer, there is very minimal creasing, so minimal that it is not even noticeable on the eyes unless looking in a magnifying mirror. With a primer however, there is NO CREASING whatsoever! I am definitely impressed!

Verdict: 
Overall, I am super pleased with the quality and price of the Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio in "Knock on Wood". I would definitely repurchase this product! Try it out and let me know how you like it!

CHECK OUT THESE SWATCHES:

(Left to Right) The 1st color is a very rich cranberry color. It does have a satin finish
The 2nd color is a deep mid-tone brown with a satin finish, no true shimmer. 
The 3rd color is a light shimmery pink. (sorry about the flash)
**Please keep in mind the colors are much deeper than they appear on camera.

Thanks for stopping by!

Quick Makeup Haul

Quick Makeup Haul


Hello Budget Beauty Bees! So a couple days ago I went to a few stores and did some quick Makeup Shopping! I grabbed some new products from several different brands! I will be posting individual detailed reviews on each product! Below you will find lists and photo of all the products I purchased! Check it out!:-)

(From Left to Right)

Wet n Wild Trio: "Walking on Eggshells" $2 (originally 2.99 I caught it on sale at Walgreens)
Wet n Wild Color Icon Blush: "Pearlescent Pink" $2 (same deal :-) )
Ioni Cosmetics Blush: "Ecstacy"$2.50 (Fred's )
Ioni Cosmetics EyeShadow: "Posh" $1.99 (Fred's)
Ioni Cosmetics Automatic Eyeliner Pencil: Blue Bolt $1.99 (Fred's)
Rite Aid Eye Shadow Brush: $3.99 (Rite Aid)




So far I am REALLY loving all of these products! Stay Tuned for individual reviews coming soon!