Aqualillies for Tarte

The first time I saw Tarte's limited edition beauty collection created by the bathing beauties of the synchronized swimming group the Aqualillies- I do believe I might have drooled a bit. I mean the packaging alone is swoon worthy! What's perfect as we head into summer (insert sweating) is that these products are budgeproof- jump in the water & you'll be fine!

Amazonian Clay waterproof liners come with their own liner brush & are available in Splash (left) & Black (right.) They go on creamy & smooth- plus even after giving several facials with steam in my face, these liners stayed put. I always say give cream or cakes liners a try, you'll be surprised at how easy they are over pencils.

 Don't be afraid to live it up a little with the Splash option! As long as you're not wearing an entire teal ensemble, this vibrant color pops the whites of your eyes & makes you look instantly awake.

 Of course you can't go wrong with classic black either.

The Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek compact in the collection is on my lust list- about the size of a CD, it offers a neutral palette with that pop of teal to spice things up a bit & the powders are all waterproof. I mean not all of us are actually swimming in fully applied make-up, but this palette will be perfect for my summer brides! There are super cute additional treats like a shower cap & beachbag as gifts with purchase on Tarte's website.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.
*Liners gifted for review

Make-Up Must Have Monday: Make Up For Ever Black Tango

I first spotted Make Up For Ever's Black Tango Palette when I was in Italy a few weeks ago. They were sold out of it & I panicked that it wouldn't be available in the U.S.  Luckily it is. The palette includes 4 Aqua Cream shadows- which is are so creamy & delicious they easily apply as liners. Here I sport the emerald hue on my top lash line & the navy on my bottom lash line.

I was a bit apprehensive of the reddish hue- since I feel pinks & reds near the eye can make them appear bloodshot.  But the shade is a deep black plum that's very wearable.  I covered my entire lid with it while playing with Halloween looks. Make-Up For Ever is such a great brand in that they offer truly theatrical grade coverage & colors without the heavy feel. This shade reminds me a bit of my beloved go to nail color- OPI's Midnight In Moscow.  I used the white shade in the palette as a highlighter.

All of the shades sparkle like jewels on the skin.  Since the deeper shades are all blended with black- it's a great palette to step out of your comfort zone a bit from basic blacks & browns.

The compact itself is a work of art, like a Japanese paint box.  It states on the compact to close each pot tightly, which I make sure to do since I noticed the tester on display at Sephora had dried out a little.  The textures & intensity make this palette a must have. It's also a great value at $45, when individual Aqua Creams (though larger) retail for $23 each.  I say put it on your holiday wish list!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Ultraflesh Black Magic

I feel naked without my black cat eye liner. It's like the feeling you get when you've left your cell phone at home. I just don't feel like myself, when I'm not sporting my signature look. I love all liners, but tend to favor cake liner versus pencils. I've read about Ultraflesh & have wanted to try it for a while. Spotting that this Black Magic Palette was on sale at Sephora was all the incentive I needed. The compact is large, imagine the size of a wii remote- so it's not ideal for travel. It is filled with every possible black liner a girl could dream for! Matte cakeliner, shimmer cakeliner, cream liner, a shimmer pencil liner & classic black pencil liner round out the mix. The formulas are a nice quality. The one thing I would mention is that the layout of the compact is a little awkward to operate. Though it's cool how it fans out, I end up often digging my nails into the cake liners. Not a great thing when you're dealing with black pigment. All in all- you get a lot of product for it's sale price of $20!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M