Thursday, August 29, 2013

Geek Chic Superneutral Collection Review and Swatches

Geek Chic Cosmetics is an independent makeup brand geared to those of us that live our lives a little on the geeky side. All of the makeup and collections are based off of geek culture. And all the products are gluten free, 100% vegan, cruelty free, irritant avoidant (paraben free, they do not use non-organic preservatives, talc, or bismuth oxyclouride), filler free, they are compliant with all FDA labeling regulations, and, most importantly, they do not repackage and all the formulations are 100% theirs and developed from scratch. They are truly an independent brand.

I first found out about them through a few women I follow on twitter, but I really remember hearing Chloe Dykstra talking about them and loving them. I went on their website and started reading their collections, and I just fell in love, but couldn't get myself to pull the trigger to buy. Until I saw that their Supernatural themed collection, Superneutrals, was on sale. Then I knew I had to at least try it! I LOVE Supernatural. It is one of my favorite shows currently running on television. If you're not familiar with the show, you might not understand how they came up with the names for the products, but that's okay. I don't think you have to be an actual fan of any of the things they do collections for to really enjoy their products, because, as you will see below, the quality is outstanding!
But being a fan of geeky things, I get a kick out of knowing my entire eye looks are sometimes completely due to someone else's inspiration from one of my favorite shows. They also sell blushes, foundations, and nail polish. I am anxious to try some of those, but have not yet purchased any. But you can bet I will be, after trying and loving this collection.

Now, on to the pictures!

All descriptions of the products below were copied directly from the Geek Chic website, to ensure accuracy. 

 photo geekchicsuperneutrals_zps2cafe3b9.jpg
The Superneutrals Collection contains 10 eye shadows and 1 glitter based on the television show, Supernatural, which currently airs on The CW. The description from the website says it all - "Grab the salt and iron, we've got work to do. Just remember: driver picks the music, shotgun shuts their cakehole." All of the eyeshadows are loose pigments, and can be used wet or dry.

The Righteous Man

 photo geekchicsuperneutralstherighteousman_zps983ef628.jpg


Description: The Righteous Man is a cool-toned chartreuse with bright golden fire and shimmer. A particularly great color for brown eyes.
Who is this based on from the show?: Dean, one of the two Winchester brothers. Did I mention I love him, and want to have all of his babies? And by him, I mean Dean. Not the actor that plays him, but actually Dean. I know, I'm a little nuts!

 photo geekchicsuperneutralstherighteousman2_zps653e2246.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralstherighteousman3_zps805f1f84.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

First of all, I almost have to like this color solely because it is based on Dean. He is my favorite of the two brothers, and I just love his character. Like... I love him. I would leave my husband for him. Of course, it would only be for one night, and then he'd be off to save the world again. But I digress. I also love this color because it is one of the most flattering shades of green that I own, and I think it's due to the shimmer. Both wet and dry, it's a wonderful texture.

Morningstar

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsmorningstar_zps49d1309e.jpg


Description: Morningstar is a glitzy nude, golden-brown that is dripping in a blanket of micro diamond shimmer. This color is a fantastic color for the browbone, or even a soft dusting on the apple of your cheeks.
Who is this based on from the show?: I believe it is based on Lucifer, and Sam, and their relationships with their brothers (Michael and Dean, respectively).

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsmorningstar2_zpsf27ab3bf.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsmorningstar3_zpsde64b3f8.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

This is the one shade in the collection that I have used the most. I love it both for a highlight and a lid color. I am obviously very pale, and it is an extremely easy color to wear. I won't keep going on and on about the texture of these products, because it is always the same- buttery, and so easy to use either wet or dry.

The Trickster

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsthetrickster_zpsd568e654.jpg


Description: The Trickster is a dewy golden tan with golden fire and subtle shimmer. This color is good for giving your eyes a bright, dewy look. 
Who is this based on from the show?: Gabriel

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsthetrickster2_zps84f44243.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsthetrickster3_zps18172c7b.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

This is an amazing lid color for my skin tone, and I actually prefer this one dry over wet. I think it blends so easily and looks good with anything I combine with it, regardless of brand or type of shade. If you only buy one shade from this entire collection, I recommend this one.

Most Loyal

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsmostloyal_zpsa2b2056d.jpg


Description: Most Loyal is a rich Maroon that leans a little rusty that has a velvety finish and soft shimmer.
Who is this based on from the show?:
Ruby. That bitch.

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsmostloyal2_zps7b8dcf74.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsmostloyal3_zps1c16c5a7.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

Truthfully, I have only used this shade a few times, and pretty much only as an eyeliner. I really do like the shade, and it performs fabulously wet, I just haven't really played with it too much. I think it's time to start, though, because in swatching it, I realized how much I really love it, and that it would be a great outer corner color!

Fallen

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsfallen_zps3adc8e68.jpg


Description: Fallen is a soft and shimmery powder blue with a sprinkling of iridescent glitters. Looks gorgeous in soft lighting.
Who is this based on from the show?: Anna. Who is quite possibly one of my favorite characters as well. The scene between her and Dean in the car... oh. my. god.

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsfallen3_zps002247d9.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsfallen5_zps9e4a5f09.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

I have no real opinions about this because I actually had not even opened it prior to taking these pictures. See?

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsfallen2_zps93c29c25.jpg

And then I spilled it everywhere. But, thankfully, there is still plenty left! I really want to play with this shade, I think it's really beautiful, and I actually can't believe I had not even opened it before!

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsfallen4_zps2eb26a14.jpg
(*sigh* ... I'm such a klutz. At least I was outside.)

Angel of Thursday

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsangelofthursday_zps694f3ee9.jpg


Description: Angel of Thursday is a velvety greyed-taupe with a soft copper heat and subtle shimmer.
Who is this based on from the show?:
Castiel. Of course!

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsangelofthursday2_zps83b17eb7.jpg
(You can really see the shimmer coming through this picture! Love it!)

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsangelofthursday3_zpsfab2b7b0.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

I really enjoy this shade. It's unlike anything else that I have. It's beautiful all over the lid, and actually more subtle than it is coming off in the swatches, especially when used dry.

Idjits

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsidjits_zpsb27f58e9.jpg


Description: Idjits is a rich russet ochre with tons of gorgeous golden-green shimmer and sparkle. Idjits goes on very opaque and has great coverage.
Who is this based on from the show?: Bobby, another favorite of mine, and pretty much everyone that watches the show.

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsidjits2_zpsccaf9555.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsidjits3_zpsb77e480b.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

This is not my favorite color to use dry, but wet. it is absolutely gorgeous, and as the description above states, it is very opaque. It is perfect for a smokey eye, and blends beautifully.

Born Under a Bad Sign

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsbornunderabadsign_zpsfc50d026.jpg


Description: Born Under A Bad Sign is a plush mahogany brown with a copper fire and bursts of beautiful blue sparkle.
Who is this based on from the show?: Sam, the other Winchester brother.

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsbornunderabadsign2_zps1609b318.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsbornunderabadsign3_zpsd339e0af.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

You can really see the sparkle in this one, and the blue makes this shade so unique! I have worn this on the lid, and the shimmer catches the light beautifully. It would probably look amazing at a club with lights everywhere. I'll have to try that next time I go out!

Baby

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsbaby_zpsd76539f5.jpg


Description: Baby is a semi-matte, deep toned black with very little shimmer. Makes a fantastic eyeliner and crease color.
Who is this based on from the show: The Impala, Dean's car. That beautiful, wonderful car.

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsbaby3_zps81471a4c.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsbaby2_zpsb9de6b27.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

I use this color all the time to tightline. It applies so smoothly, and wears beautifully throughout the day. If you're looking for a great black to add to your collection, I recommend it!

King of Hell

 photo geekchicsuperneutralskingofhell_zps08f48b68.jpg


Description: King of Hell is a luscious charcoal base with reddish-pink fire and pops of red and orange sparkle. Very good for a truly smoky eye.
Who is this based on from the show?: Crowley. Who is also one of my favorites! I know, he's basically the villain, but I can't help it- the actor that plays him is just so great!

 photo geekchicsuperneutralskingofhell2_zps1f82bb0f.jpg

 photo geekchicsuperneutralskingofhell3_zpsdbae9cd7.jpg
(the left side is dry, the right is wet - no primer used)

I have a love/hate relationship with this shade. I love the color, but the sparkle gets everywhere. I am still trying to figure out the best way to prevent this from happening- even wet it kind of flies all over my face. On the plus side, it only falls out when I'm applying it, not throughout the day, so as long as I do a good cleanup when I'm done applying, and wait to put on my foundation after (which I pretty much do, anyway), I am good to go.

Rock Salt

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsrocksalt_zpsc5621883.jpg


Description: Rock Salt is a super luxe combination of micro diamond-like natural glitter mixed with gorgeous silver glitter. It glitters like a handful of crushed diamonds.
Who is this based on from the show?: It's not based on a character, but it is used a lot in the show! From the GeekChic website: "Don't ask us why Rock Salt protects you from demons and ghosts. It just does. Trust us."

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsrocksalt2_zpsdca44fb7.jpg

HOLY SPARKLE, BATMAN!

 photo geekchicsuperneutralsrocksalt3_zps202ee42f.jpg
(This is over Crave by Urban Decay. If I was smart, I would've put it over Baby, but I didn't. I failed.)

I have only used this once, and it looks on your eyelids just as it does in the package. If you're looking for a super glittery shadow, this is it!
One word of warning- it does kind of get everywhere. I had sparkle all over me. But it cleans up very well, so I feel like it's worth it to use it! I just don't go many places where I would need to use it often. Maybe I need to change that.


Overall, I am super impressed with this collection, and I highly recommend it, even if you're not into the show. I think the colors are so unique and beautiful, and are very easy to use. They are all neutrals, but with a twist, which as a neutral loving girl, I can get behind! Sometimes we like a little extra in our every day, even if it's not crazy bright.

You can purchase the complete Superneutrals collection from the Geek Chic website, or the colors individually by going to that shades individual page.

I highly recommend checking out their facebook fan page- they have recently been posting pictures of their upcoming collection, and it appears to be Harry Potter themed! Bye, money!!!


FTC: I purchased this collection with my own money. I am not affiliated with Geek Chic cosmetics. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream Review

Today I am going to be reviewing the Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream. 

 photo OlayFreshEffectsBBCreamFairToLight_zpsfc3dc9d3.jpg

 photo OlayFreshEffectsBBCreamFairToLightSwatch_zps34415bb5.jpg

 photo OlayFreshEffectsBBCreamFairToLightSwatch2_zps21583c6e.jpg

Product Description
Late night? Early morning? Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream has you covered with six skin-perfecting benefits. It refreshes your skin instantly while evening your tone with a splash of sheer color. It hydrates for 24 hours and gives you smoother, softer feeling skin. It also brightens your skin for a radiant glow and helps protect it from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Whether you’re just starting your busy day or leaving for a girl’s night out, we’ve got the all-in-one solution for your Fair-to-Light or Light-to-Medium skin.
Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream blends effortlessly with your natural skin tone, helping hide imperfections and minimizing the need for concealer and foundation. With just one use, your skin will be left glowing and naturally even. Say "bye bye" to blotches and imperfections, and hello to a fresh, flawlessly radiant look with Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream.
My Review
I bought this and was initially very excited about it! I had heard such great things from other Beauty Bloggers, and loved the results I was seeing in pictures. It was completely sold out at my local Ultas, so I figured that probably said something about the product, so I went to Target, and bought their last bottle in Fair to Light.
The first couple of times I used this product, I was okay with it. I wasn't expecting amazing coverage (it does indicate it has light coverage), and I truthfully wasn't expecting a miracle product. I just wanted a good BB cream with a good amount of SPF. And I guess maybe I covered it up with my powder foundation really well with the first couple of uses, because I was happy with the results.
However, I was driving to work one day, and noticed spottiness. I could literally see the product IN my pores. Which is not a cute look for anyone. You can actually see how it settles in the swatch picture above. And I actually blended that pretty well.

I really, really wanted to love this product. I gave it several days and multiple uses, trying it with different primers, moisturizers, or by itself, and it continued to perform this way- not blending well, and pooling in my pores. I even tried moistening my hands with water, and trying to blend it that way (this was recommended to me), and dampening a sponge. Same results.

This product would probably be great for someone with teensy tiny pores. But that is not my skin, at all, so this product really isn't for me. This is going in the garbage.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

What's In My Makeup Bag? (as of August 27th, 2013)

Time to switch it up again!

For my eyebrows, I am using the NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder.

 photo NYXEyeBrowCakePowderBlonde_zps81dbb229.jpg

This is pretty much the only brow product I own, but I keep showing it just in case I decide to switch it up, or in case you haven't seen my makeup collection posts before. This is in Blonde.


For my face, I am still using my BB Creams, minus the Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream. A review on that will be up tomorrow. I am going to be using the Too Faced Beauty Balm, the Revlon Photo Ready BB Cream, the Ponds Luminous Finish BB+ Cream, and the L'oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB.

 photo TooFacedBeautyBalm_RevlonPhotoReadyBBCream_PondsLuminousFinishBBCream_LorealMagicSkinBeautifierBB_zps81c27db4.jpg

I still haven't quite used up my Too Faced Beauty Balm, so I need to try to do that. I'm trying to use up some of my products! And I'm almost out of that tube of the L'oreal BB Cream, but I have another full tube in my makeup case, because I love it so much.

 photo LorealMagicPerfectingBase_LorealTrueMatchNaturaleGentleMineralMakeup_zps946c4806.jpg

I am also going to throw in my bag the L'oreal Magic Perfecting Base, for those days I do not want to use a BB Cream. I am okay with this primer, but I think once it's gone I will be looking to try something else.
And my everyday foundation is the L'oreal True Match powder. This is a nice alternative to Bare Minerals, and I've really enjoyed the coverage it gives me.

For blush, I decided to break out my tried-and-true, Ulta Cheeks in Exposed.

 photo UltaExposed_zps30b02200.jpg

I obviously love this product- do you see that pan?! This blush has a pretty subtle shimmer, and the color is great for me.


And for my eyes, I've decided to use some of my higher-end products.

I bought this palette because I knew I wanted to eventually get a couple more Urban Decay eyeshadow singles, but for now, I only have Sin.

 photo UrbanDecaySin_zps54bf93eb.jpg

This is one of my favorite eyeshadow colors of all time. I absolutely live for this color. It is the perfect color for my skin tone. As you can see, I still only have one, but soon I will be getting more singles, when I can settle on the colors.

Next I decided to use my Lorac Pro Palette.

 photo LoracProPalette_zps11c82c21.jpg

I have written a complete review on this palette that you can see here, and I have posted some Pinspiration for this palette here. It is probably my favorite palette at the moment, and I'm not quite sure how I've gone so long without using it. I probably won't do that again!

I also decided to use my Urban Decay Naked Palette.

 photo UrbanDecayNakedPalette_zps995e5b40.jpg

I did put their shade Sin in with this round of my makeup bag, but there's a reason for that- the Sin in this palette is very, very low. I tried to illustrate in the picture below how low, and you may be able to tell by looking at the shade beyond.

 photo UrbanDecayNakedPaletteByeByeSin_zps04a7d561.jpg

This is another favorite palette of mine, and I also have done a complete Pinspiration post on how to use it.

I have been really loving the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze.

 photo MaybellineColorTattooBadToTheBronze_zpscfccf27b.jpg

I recommend everyone get this shade. It's so wearable!

I also decided to break out a few of my Geek Chic shadows!

 photo GeekChicSuperneutrals_TheRighteousMan_TheTrickster_Baby_zps2283329b.jpg

I really love this brand, and I love these eyeshadows. I chose the shades The Righteous Man, The Trickster, and Baby. There will be a complete review of this collection up on the blog on this Thursday, August 29th.

I mostly kept the same eyeliners I used last time

 photo eyeliners082713_zpsdc9457c2.jpg

Only my new baby, the Pixi Eye Bright Liner, is included! I am really loving this! It is quite a bit more subtle than the Tarte EmphasEYES, but still makes me look more awake. I get up early in the morning (5am, and maybe earlier coming up pretty soon, because of work), so it's nice that this one little product can make me look like I get more sleep.

I still want to play with the Laura Geller Eye Spackle in Mauve Majesty, especially now that I have my Lorac Pro Palette out to use, so I put that in there, along with my NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk.

 photo LauraGellerWaterproofEyeSpackleHuesMauveMajesty_NYXJumboEyePencilMilk_zps0dba0638.jpg

I also need a primer on pretty much a regular basis, and as I've stated before, Too Faced Shadow Insurance is my holy grail eye primer. I also decided to break back out the Lorac Eye Primer.

 photo LoracEyePrimer_TooFacedShadowInsurance_zps26d0ff9c.jpg

My eyelids are pretty oily, so an eye primer is a must to keep my shadow looking great all day.

And last, but certainly not least, mascara. Because when you don't wear it, your look just doesn't look finished!

 photo Mascaras082713_zpsfe3dee30.jpg

I am still forming a definite opinion on the Mally mascara, but as it dries out, I am really loving it more and more! All the others are ones that I really like (I'm coming around on Benefit's They're Real- another case where it's starting to get drier and I'm really liking it!), except the Maybelline The Falsie's Big Eyes. This has a wand that you use for your upper lashes, and a wand for your lower lashes. I purchased this a couple of weeks ago, and so far I really like it, especially the teeny wand for the lower lashes. I also purchased the waterproof formula, because my eyes can get watery.


That's what's in my makeup bag for now! I am going to use these products until September 26th, when I switch it up again!


FTC: All products mentioned in the above post were either purchased by me, or given to me as a gift from a friend or relative. I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned. All thoughts and opinions are my own.