Coastal Scents Bionic Flat Top Buffer Brush VS. E.l.f. Powder Brush

These two brushes are very very similar and I'm going to keep this review short because there is not much to be said.

Similarities:
-Circumference of the flat top part of each brush is the same size.
-The way they buff liquid foundation on is nearly identical.
-Neither brush sheds at all.
-Both are synthetic.

Differences:
-Bionic brush is an inch shorter.
-Bionic is denser with the amount of hairs, but not by a large amount.
-Bionic is softer against the skin.
-Bionic is firmer.
-E.l.f. brush is jiggling loose already from its handle, but it does not bother me.
-Bionic is 13.95USD and E.l.f. brush is 3USD.

Overall, the Bionic is the brush I reach for the most, but if you are looking for a VERY similar and much cheaper alternative go with the E.l.f. powder brush.

Coastal Scents Creative Me #1 Palette Review

I love this palette.  The colors are very vibrant and pigmented.  Some are smoother than others such as the greens and blues.  I have labeled the colors as they are on the Coastal Scents web site.  Here are the swatches without primer underneath:

With Flash

Without Flash

I initially bought this palette for CM07.  I figured I would buy the whole palette of colors since the single shadow would cost more than half of the palette itself with shipping.  I have read reviews that said that the greens and blues were the the same color, but they are NOT.  One blue is cool while the other is warm.  The same goes for the greens, CM11 is more turquoise.

This is a quick look I created just to show some of the colors on the eye and I used TFSI for the primer:

Strictly CM09

In between CMO7 and CM09 is a thin layer of CM10

There is a thin line of CM06 between CM07 and CM08

I added CM11 to the inner corner of my eye

I then finished the look with a champagne shadow as my highlight and NYX's black eyeshadow in the outer corner.  I also used wet n wild's creme eyeliner for the cat eye.

This palette is definitely worth cost and is a lot of fun to play around with.

This is CM11.  I got so many compliments from strangers when I wore it out that night.

Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette Review

Packaging:  Mine came damaged with three of the eyeshadows cracked and messy so that disappointed me, but they are kindly sending me a replacement.  The palette itself is decent.  Opening it is a bit heavy because of the mirror.

Eyeshadows:  These shadows very in quality throughout the entire palette from chalky to oily and zero pigment to a lot of pigment.  I find that the matte shadows tend to be more pigmented than the shimmery, but some more chalky.  They are very small and probably as wide as a brush you may be using.  Before I bought this palette, I read other reviews saying they were dime-sized and that sounds about right, slightly larger if anything.  If you really like a particular color, I don't see it lasting too long.

There are too many light colors (like almost white) and too many burnt orange colors.  There are plenty of colors to create a lot of looks, but many of the colors don't look like ones I would reach for.  The palette looks different in person.  I can't say I hate it because the shadows do show up well on my eyes, but I wish the colors looked how they do in pictures on the website.  I did not use any primer underneath the shadows in the following photos.

Verdict:  I would not purchase this palette again, but that doesn't mean I won't repurchase from Coastal Scents (this was my first order btw).  I also ordered the Creative Me #1 palette and their Bionic Flat Top Buffer brush.  I will review those two items soon.

So Hooked on Carmella from Benefit

LOVE LOVE LOVE this perfume.  It's an intoxicatingly sweet yet soft scent similar to roasted marshmallows I guess you'd say. I purchased it for 38 USD and it's not a bad price because it seems like you get a lot in the bottle.

Aside from the smell, it comes in a cute little box that I'll probably just hang on to because it's so cute and not because I need it.  I think the bottle itself is kinda eh, but that's not why I bought it so I'm happy anyway.

Sephora's I.T. Natural Foundation Brush Review

I love this thing.  At first it looks like a glorified blush brush or something, but it really does an amazing job at applying my liquid foundation ESPECIALLY my long wear foundations like MAC's Pro Longwear and Estee Lauder Double Wear Light.  I don't have to worry about streaks with this brush because it is densely packed but soft to make foundation look airbrushed.  My boyfriend has even commented that my face looks airbrushed when I use this brush. 

I also love the pink and black handle that makes the brush look sleek and interesting.  The handle becomes thicker at the top providing a more conic shape for my hand to fit around when I apply my foundation.  It's a secure foundation for applying my foundation. 

This bristles of the brush don't seem to absorb foundation and let it sink to its core which is great because you know the brush isn't depleting you of your products that you've spent hard-earned money on.  When I wash it, there is hardly ANY and I mean ANY orange gloop for lack of a better term in my hands.  It's like a pale peach rinse when I wash the bristles. 

The only con is that even after washing it several times now, I still get maybe one or two hairs shedding each time.  They are really annoying to pull off of my face.

I've had this brush since Decemeber and have been reaching for it every day ever since.  I feel bad for all my other unused brushes.

UPDATE 4/12/11: I still use this brush because I love the way it applies my liquid foundation the best, but I'm sooooooooooo frustrated that the little hairs are still coming off the brush and they are like two millimeters long so it's hard to pick of my dewy (liquid foundation) face!!!!!  I'm pissed because the brush is sooo expensive.  URG.



EOTD Felix da Housecat

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I went to a new club in Chicago where Felix da Housecat was playing.  We danced like crazy and even then my makeup didn't melt off. 

First I used wet n wild's creme liner in black all over my lid as a base, then used Urban Decay's Flash over where the creme liner was place and blended it into my brow bone where I used Kat Von D's Agatha Pink from her Memento Mori palette.  The liner used on the bottom is wet n wild's Mega Liner in Turquoise which I also let coat my lashes during application.  On my waterline I used Maybelline's gel liner in Blackest Black.  I wish I made this more smokey, but I do everything at the last minute and this is all I had time for.

TURN DOWN THE VOLUME BEFORE YOU PLAY IT

Almay Intense i-Color for Hazel Eyes

Even though this is for hazel eyes and mine are green, I don't care, I buy colors because I like them and i find that these shadows would work really well with any eye color.  They are not that pigmented without primer, but with primer, they are gorgeous.  There is a deep shimmery ever green shade that you put on your lid, then a dark matte charcoal shade for your crease, and a shimmery white gold which sadly couldn't be captured with the photos below.  Of course you can use the shadows however you would like, but I do like to use them as directed.

The last two photos show the shadows without primer on the bottom three swatches and the top swatches have NYX's Milk underneath.

Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Riviera Blue

Also purchased this for 75% off at CVS.  This is a navy blue with a more mute appearance.  The pigmentation is not great and kind of sheer.  With NYX's jumbo eye pencil in Milk underneath, this works much better, but as you can see there is still white poking through the shadow even after trying to build and layer the shadow.  I feel this is very hard to work with, but if you like a sheer crease color and are willing to build this shadow up to get good color payoff, then I recommend it.



I used TFSI and shadows from the FLIRT! set

Although the look above was actually easy to achieve, I had to layer it several times.  I guess the payoff is nice and creates a good smokey-ish eye.  For the price, this is a great shadow.