Since I do consider each new season a reason to go on a spree, I bought some stuff over the past two weeks and I'm so excited to tell you about them! I did post a haul a few weeks ago, but due to a glitch, it got deleted, so I'm doing a new one with some more products. I also thoroughly reviewed the goods I wrote about in the aforementioned post, so now I'm comfortable telling you my honest opinion about a few of the products. (Disclaimer: I was not sent any of these products to review, I simply went out and bought some items I needed and read were good. )
My Spring Haul.
Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette
I'm so excited to finally have this palette, because I heard some great stuff about it, and it did not disappoint. The Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette is basically a neutral palette, with colors ranging from browns to greys to purples to greens. It really does have everything. I usually gravitate towards earthy, neutral colors because I think they they're the easiest to work with and can offer you a multitude of looks, so when I read online that the 88 Warm Palette not only offered gorgeous neutral shades, but it also offered matte and shimmery shades, I knew I had to get it. This palette retails for about $25, which roughly translates to about 170- LE.
I personally think that you get a lot of bang for your buck with this palette, and considering that a single MAC eyeshadow pan costs about 190- LE in Egypt, you really are saving a lot. It's good to have this palette mainly because you can always turn to it for any look, day or night, and it'll deliver. The colors are just gorgeous, with such high payoff and the pigmentation is out of this world. I even found a few Naked dupes. You can even mix two colors together to find some gorgeous dupes.
As for the lasting power, I wore a brown smokey eye yesterday and with my UDPP, it lasted about 8 hours, which was quite a pleasant surprise. If you can, I urge you to go out and get this palette, you will find yourself turning to it more often that not.
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean
Unless you've been living under a rock these past few years, you probably heard about NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencils. If you go on youtube and look for a beauty guru, 9 times out of 10 they will use or mention the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil. What I love most about this product is mainly its versatility, in that it can be used as a base, or smudged on the eye as cream eyeshadow. It can even be used to line the eyes if you use a thin, preferably angled, brush. They come in a multitude of colors that are so pigmented and creamy, it's almost impossible not to love them. This particular shade, Black Bean, has saved my life on so many levels, mostly because I use it on those quick-out-the-door days, and I've never encountered a problem with it.
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 220
I wasn't so sure that this foundation would blow me away, especially because I read some mixed reviews on it. People either hate it or love it, but I figured that for $7.99 (got mine for 70- LE), it couldn't hurt to try. I actually love this foundation. It didn't break me out like it did other people, and I found that the coverage was to my liking, light to medium but quite buildable. The texture did put me off, mainly because it tends to look a bit chalky. The particular shade goes surprisingly well with my NC30 skin tone and can be blended to perfection. One thing I absolutely hated about this foundation was the packaging. I find it really annoying when a foundation doesn't come with a pump, it results in a lot of messiness and I find that 9 times out of 10, I will have poured to much and struggle to pour some back into the bottle. They really could have something going for them if they just add a pump to the bottle, I doubt anyone would object to that. Either way, if you want a nice, cheap foundation, go for this.
Maybelline Superstay 24h Foundation
For some reason, I wasn't as impressed with this foundation as I was with the Fit Me foundation. I don't know why I don't find myself reaching for it as much as I reach for my other foundations. I did like the coverage, and the staying power wasn't as bad as I'd heard, despite the 24h promise, but for some reason I just wasn't as amazed with it as I'd expected I'd be. I've used it maybe twice, but I figure that with a few more uses, I could settle on a verdict. Maybe I'll love it quite as much as everyone else does, or I'll hate it. I got it for about 105- LE, which is quite cheap here in Egypt.
Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation
I absolutely love love love this foundation. I can't possibly imagine living without it, and it's well on its way to becoming an HG foundation for me. I just love the coverage, and the fact that it is quite buildable, which a lot of foundations aren't. The texture is really nice, especially when applied using a Beauty Blender. When set with the Revlon Nearly Naked Powder, this foundation really takes the gold. It is a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked Foundation, though the UD foundation has an even lighter coverage.
The Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation is an absolute favorite of mine. It doesn't streak, it doesn't break me out, it doesn't look chalky, it feels so light and airy on my skin..the list could go on and on. For $7.49, it's quite the steal. I got mine for about 100- LE. The only thing I hate about this foundation is the packaging. Again, no pump. I don't know why they go through the process of creating gorgeous products if their just going to end up putting them in horrible packaging. Other than that, this foundation is perfect in my eyes.
Revlon Nearly Naked Powder
It glides on smoothly, has a gorgeous finish, doesn't look caked on, and makes the foundation look even better on, if that's possible. I absolutely love this setting powder, and I'm so glad I made the decision to buy it next to my foundation. I got mine for the same price as the foundation, which was the tiniest bit steep, but in Egypt that's just how much makeup retails for anyway.
NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Pearl.
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this pigment because I sort of bought it on a whim and hadn't read any reviews on it beforehand, but I gotta say, I love it. The color itself is quite possibly the most beautiful color in my collection. A gorgeous color that has given many looks a lot of depth and definition, and that is super pigmented. Just the tiniest dot on my finger gave me the most intense color I'd ever seen. The staying power is beyond belief and the fact that it can very very very easily be blended has me blown away. I absolutely love it and I will be very soon picking up every other color there is. I got it for about 25- LE. Quite a steal if you ask me. It retails for about $3.00.
e.l.f. Essential All Over Color Stick in Golden Peach
One of my absolute favorite brands is elf, and when I was looking for a nice cheap highlighter, I turned to them in a second. This highlighter retails for about $1.00, but I got mine for about 40-LE. The thing is, I didn't want a highlighter that was light, (think Nars's Albatros) but something that was a little warmer to give me just the tiniest glow to compliment my summer tan. I absolutely love this. The color is this gorgeous shimmey peach that really compliments the skin and gives it a gorgeous glow. What I love about this product is that it is so versatile, and can be applied almost anywhere. I even use it to highlight my cupids bow and give it a little more definition. For $1, you get a lot of product in the container, and you also get an awesome, versatile highlighter.
NYX Powder Blush in Mauve
When I realized I needed a new blush, the first place I thought of was MAC, but when I came across this blush, I fell in love with the color. I absolutely loved it and because I have really fair skin, I thought it would compliment it well. I do wish the color payoff was a little stronger. This retails for $5.00, almost 35- LE. I honestly cannot remember if I paid that same exact price or not, but I do remember that it was cheap. I find that most NYX products are highly pigmented, and are of the highest quality. $5 vs $21 for a MAC blush, for almost the same quality and gorgeous colors. You do the math. If you're ever in need of pretty face or lip products for a cheap price, I suggest you try NYX before anything else.
NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Candy Land.
I love the color payoff, I love the pigmentation, I love the creaminess, I love the range of colors. I am in love. I heard that when in need of a good lip product, look no further than NYX, and now I know why. If I'd known how good this lip cream was going to be, I would have bought all the other colors in the collection. This Lip Cream retails for about $6.00 which converted to Egyptian Pounds equals to 42-LE.
Max Factor Max Effect Mono Eyeshadow in Vibrant Mauve
I'd read some amazing reviews on this particular product from Max Factor, so while on the hunt for a nice cool pink toned shadow, I came across this and picked it up right away. The shade is this sort of dusty pink that I find compliments most of my eye shadows, especially the browns and plums. I find myself reaching for this more often than not. I've even used this alone on my eye under my winged liner, and I love the depth and definition it brought to my eyes. It compliments my skin tone quite well and makes my hazel eyes pop, which is always a plus. I love the pigmentation, it's really good, but not enough that it overpowers any other color, and the color payoff is brilliant as well. The next time I come across this particular line, I will make sure I pick up a few other colors.This eye shadow retails for £4.99, which is about 52-LE.
Revlon Satin Eye Shadow in Shimmering Sienna
I don't usually gravitate towards colors like this, but I fell in love with it as soon as I swatched it. Shimmering Sienna is a gorgeous shimmery rust toned shade that beautifully compliments the eyes. I reach for this particular shade whenever I'm going for a nice brown smokey eye, and it always umps up the volume. I love the oomph this color gives most of my looks and the depth is most definitely creates. The pigmentation is beyond belief. This eyeshadow retails for $6 which is about 40-LE.
NYX Tango with Bronzing Powder in Confessions of Tanaholic
I absolutely love love love this bronzer. I love the way it glides on perfectly, I love the fact that it gives my skin a gorgeous glow, and I love the way it looks so effortless on me. When I apply this to my face, it doesn't feel like I have a heavy bronzing powder on, it doesn't look to in your face. I don't look too made up.I also love the gorgeous flush it gives me.
I do wish it was a little more pigmented, though, but I figure that you don't really get everything you want, especially for such a cheap price tag. I haven't used this enough to decided if it will be my HG bronzing powder or not, but I think that at some point in the future it will be. This particular product costs $10 which translate roughly to 67-LE.