It Cosmetics your lips but better waterproof lip liner stain - comparison swatches

L to R: It Cosmetics YLBB lip liner Buff Nude, Blushing Nude, Pretty In Pink, Perfect Red, Romantic Rose, Cherry Flush

I have had my eye on the It Cosmetics your lips but better (YLBB) waterproof stain lip liners for awhile - the idea of a staining lip liner is really interesting. I swatched all 6 shades my Ulta carries to compare the colors and test the staining and waterproof claims. For some reason, the 7th shade, Spicy Nude, doesn't have a spot in the store display. It Cosmetics lip liners retail for $20 for .017 oz of product.

Blog update - comments are enabled!

Hi guys,

I have an exciting announcement - thanks to reader suggestions, I have enabled comments on this blog.

Thank you in advance for your patience - I will be moderating comments to ensure the comment section doesn't turn into a spam fest. My comment policy is super simple - no spam, harassment, or profanity.

So go ahead, tell me what you think! I would love to hear from you :)

L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain / Lilac Ever After #185

I wanted to quickly post swatches and a before & after of the L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Lilac Ever After #185. I spotted several shades of the L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stains on clearance at Target today, on clearance for $2.15. Full price at Target is $7.19, but I usually see these for $9.99 at CVS and online. In addition to #185 Lilac Ever After, I also saw #184 Rose On And On and #193 Eternally Nude on clearance. The display was pretty picked over, so I bet other shades were on clearance as well.

 L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stains on clearance at my local Target

Mega bronzer comparison on fair skin [review] [swatches]

I absolutely adore bronzer - it gives my face a healthy glow with more dimension. Today I wanted to share my bronzer collection with you all and show you my favorite bronzers for fair skin. I own bronzers at many different price points and with different finishes, so hopefully you can find one that suits you. Disclaimer: I bought all of these myself with my own money.

Keep reading for comparisons and swatches!

Summer makeup inspiration: 5 picks to try

I love the stock summer makeup trends - natural skin, glowy, healthy finishes, and warm bronzes, peach, and pink. Lately, I have  been head over heels for this picture and used it as inspiration for a look I did at a friend's wedding. The photo is from a blog I love by Cole Townsend called New Old Stock - he curates copyright free vintage photographs. This photo is called Fringed Poppy and was taken in 1930.

My 5 picks to try for summer: 

1. Urban Decay Freelove eyeshadow single - a beautiful peachy pink shimmer that works well as a sheer wash or a more dramatic eye

2. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector liquid in Opal - a believable golden pink glow that looks healthy and natural

3. NARS Laguna bronzer - Laguna is a cult classic staple for a reason. I love the subtle golden pearl throughout both on my eyelids and cheekbones.

4. Clinique Lash Doubling mascara - The natural bristle triangle shaped wand manages both volume and separation, while really delivering on accentuating the length of my lashes

5. Individual Flare False Lashes - I have been loving individual flare falsies lately because they add fluttery drama to my natural eye lashes without the necessity to use lots of eyeliner to cover the lash band from a traditional strip. I place 3 to 4 flares on each eye, focusing on the outer half of the lid. My favorites right now are the knot free Ardell Duralash Natural Flares in Medium Black paired with the Duo Brush On Striplash Adhesive. 

Makeup Memories - My First High End Palette - Too Faced Matte Eye

I wanted to show you a behind the scenes sort of look at my eyeshadow palette collection and put the spotlight on the first high end eyeshadow palette I ever bought. My Too Faced Matte Eye palette is very well loved and I still use it regularly.

The Story

I bought this palette almost 3 years ago (feeling old!) on a trip across the country to visit my then boyfriend/now husband's family. Before the trip, I was really nervous and excited to meet them - I was his first serious girlfriend to be brought to meet the extended family, and I was feeling the pressure! His awesome cousins took me out shopping and made me feel loved and welcome. On that shopping trip, I picked up the Too Faced Matte Eye palette at Sephora, along with some other goodies. I remember being so frustrated by the lack of good matte eyeshadows at the drugstore (still true to this day, alas), and I used the crap out of this every single day after buying it. I still use it regularly and love remembering that trip.