Color Your Smile + Dose of Colors + Sephora LIP Review!

I recently purchased these three random lip colors and couldn't really figure out a way to incorporate them into any sort of haul or specific review, so I'm giving them their own post!

1.  Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Gloss in "Coral Craze" ($24)

I had been dying to try out the Whitening Lightening Gerard Cosmetics Color Your Smile lip glosses for such a long time.  So many bloggers rave about the pigmented and creamy formula, so I couldn't resist picking one up for myself.  The little mirror on the side lets you apply this gloss anywhere you want!  I also used a discount code (google one to find the most updated version!) and got 20% off plus free shipping.  DON'T pay full price for this one!

 I obviously got the coral shade, because coral.  The product itself is buttery and opaque -- so beautiful for a gloss!  Most glosses just look a little washed out and/or watery when they're worn on their own (as opposed to layered on top of a lipstick or lipliner), but this Whitening Lightening stuff can definitely stand on its own.  The coral color is so complementary to my tanned olive skin, and would also look gorgeous on virtually any skin tone.

2.  Dose of Colors Lipstick in "Coy" ($16)

This was another lip product that I had been dying to try for quite a while now.  More and more indie brands are coming out with such amazing makeup -- the downside is usually the hefty price.  But Dose of Colors, at only $16 a lip stick, is pretty reasonable.  

For some reason, the shade of this lipstick in the tube doesn't properly register in my photos.  No matter what lighting I tried to use, it never did the color justice.  The photo above is more true-to-color than what I could capture.  It's definitely not a dark shade -- in fact, it's the exact opposite. 

I wouldn't exactly consider this a "neon" shade, but it's a very pastel and extremely opaque and pigmented color.  A lot of photos of Coy make the lip stick look super orange-y and tangerine-y, but I found it to fall somewhere between a light coral and peach color.  The formula is creamy and thick -- if you're not careful with application it can even become a little chalky looking (while still maintaining its shine, if that makes sense).  I definitely recommend using a lipliner on your lips before applying this lip stick!  But that being said, I'm in loooove with it.

3. Sephora Collection Color Lip Last in "Pink-Spiration" ($13)

I'd been looking for a dusty pink lip stick, and I thought this shade would hit the nail on the head.  From the swatches I had seen of it, it looked like a perfect MLBB color -- I have pretty pigmented lips naturally, and just wanted to find a lip stick to enhance their color.  The Kylie Jenner lip color trend has been crazy popular lately, and everyone is trying to recreate her look.  Unfortunately, this color missed the mark.

The formula of this lip stick is great though.  It's matte, long-lasting, and pigmented.  It dries to an almost "natural" feeling finish, and sort of feels like you're not even wearing any makeup (which I like!  I hate super-sticky lip products that glue my hair to my lips in the wind).  However, this shade ended up being a little too pink -- almost leaning magenta or purple -- and not nude enough for a MLBB.

But! I just mixed a little of my Too Faced Melted lipstick in Melted Nude and it really neutralized that blue-toned color!

Here are swatches of all three products:

In artificial light

In natural light

From left to right: Coral Craze, Coy, and Pink-Spiration.

And just an FYI, a Kylie Jenner inspired makeup tutorial is coming shortly!

xojaybee

New Nails + Amazing Nail Polish

New nails again!  I love these ones -- they're totally different from anything I'd normally get!  My ring finger is a black and gold leopard print underneath a layer of pink roses.  The rest are a beautiful, peachy cream color polish, which I absolutely adore.

I've had a lot of people as me what color nail polish the cream shade is, so I figured I'd let everyone know!  It's actually a pretty random buy.  It's from the Urban Outfitters "UO Neutrals Collection" line in the shade "Sweet Tooth."  I'm not sure why the bottle I have has a gold top instead of the black one that's shown on the website, but I'm sure it's the same formula and color.  I picked it up in-store from one of those little stands near the register.  They're only $5, or 2 for $8, so they're a pretty decent deal.  The polish itself is very opaque and creamy, and looks this flawless with only two coats.  It reminds me of a peach smoothie, or a melted peach ice cream.  And it makes my tan skin look even tanner, so how can you go wrong?!

I always try to keep an eye out for things like this in unexpected places.  I love a good Essie and OPI polish, but I love experimenting with off-brand or indie brands.  You never know when you'll find your next favorite item!

xojaybee

PITCHFORK Music Festival!

So I spent the weekend of July 19-20 at the 9th annual Pitchfork Music Festival.  Being in Chicago is something that I take for granted on an almost daily basis, and sometimes I forget how many amazing summer festivals we have here.  I've never been to Pitchfork before, and was offered a last-minute ticket with some of my friends, so the opportunity was ripe.  (I just laughed out loud at that last sentence because that was the first phrase that came to my mind.  It. Was. Ripe.) 

I had an absolute blast.  I really enjoy music festivals, but this one was great because I wasn't surrounded by 16-year-olds on too much molly in bedazzled bras.  Don't get me wrong, I love fests like Spring Awakening and North Coast, but Pitchfork felt much more.. mature? Perhaps.

Between the music acts (some of my favorites were Earl Sweatshirt, Hudson Mohawke, Danny Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Deafheaven, Jon Hopkins.. the list goes on!), I took some time to try to snap some photos of the style I was loving.. and a few I could do without.  Below are just some of the standouts that I decided to feature here!

Kids.  Awesome children are awesome.  It's no shock that I'm not the biggest fan of children.  But when they're this cool, how can you not?  Pitchfork is an all-ages festival, and I'm totally cool with that if all the kids are this amazing.  A little girl channeling her inner hippie and a brother-sister duo with pastel hair were my absolute favorites.  I mean.. come on.

Floral prints.  Floral prints when done right are key.  But they have to be done right.  There were so many girls (and guys!) rocking floral prints and doing it so right.  I hate color, as you know, but it made me want to go out and buy some flower tops and dresses!  This girl's dress + bag + booties gave me LIFE.  I'm obsessed with her look from head to toe.

Accessorizing the right way.  I loved this girl's flowy and simple dress paired with a knee-high gladiator sandal and hardware-heavy cross body bag.  Her subtle lipstick and oversized sunnies finished off the look to perfection.

Purple lipstick.  I was pretty hesitant about this bright-lipstick trend at first, but the more I see it the more I like it.  This girl, whether it was intentional or not (I like to think it was), matched her violet lips with her purple bralette impeccably.  

Leather backpacks.  Same girl killin' it again!  Music fests are a mecca for backpack-clad fashionistas/fashionistos.  They're a hands-free and convenient way to store and lug around all your necessities.  No one wants to carry around a tote or hand-held bag while trying to dance to their favorite band.  And I was so drawn to all of the leather packs I saw!  Definitely buying one ASAP.

Chiffon kimonos.  This trend is still going strong.  I've been a fan and a wearer of the sheer kimono for quite a while now, and from the looks of it they aren't going away anytime soon.  I saw so many different colors, styles, and prints -- from a cropped solid cream to floor length tie dye to long sleeved and covered in butterflies, it was like walking through a Free People catalogue.   But I definitely didn't hate it.

Colored hair.  I remember when I was younger and used to dye my hair all sorts of crazy colors (I've rocked hot pink, red, purple, etc.), people thought I was "emo" and a "weirdo," but now the trend has definitely hit mainstream.  I think the pastel hair thing is adorable, and would have lavender/silver hair if I could.  Unfortunately for me, the most extreme I can go is blonde.  But I like to live vicariously through everyone who can wear colored hair!

Guy's style.  Most of the guys you will see at a festival fit into three categories: bros, hipsters, or ravers.  But then there's the occasional oh-my-god-are-you-from-a-magazine? guy.  I was staring at these two for this entire set, and was so amazed that they even existed.  Can all guys dress like this?  Thanks.

And here is a collection of people who should not be wearing hats.  Hats can be an amazing accessory -- I love them and I have many of them -- but there are some that should never see the light of day.  I saw a decent amount of fashion faux pas at Pitchfork, but the amount of poorly-worn hats I witnessed really took the cake.  

And may I ask, WHY ARE BUCKET HATS A THING?!  I seriously don't understand this trend AT ALL.  And that's the last I'm going to say about that.

Pitchfork was an awesome music festival, and I'll definitely be back next year.  I still love me a good EDM rave, but it was a refreshing two days at Union Park spent listening to rock and hip hop, eating too many cheese fries, and not rolling my eyes at tutus and flower crowns.  So to leave this blog off on a good note, here are some fun, standard, stereotypical festival photos!  Enjoy.

xojaybee

Amrezy Palette!!

It's no surprise that I absolutely love my Anastasia Beverly Hills Lavish Palette.  I don't know what I'd do without my Orange Soda, Rum Cake, Sienna, and Truffle shadows.  So when I saw that ABH was releasing a new palette, the Amrezy Palette, I swiped it up immediately.  Amrezy is the name of Amra Olevic's Instagram page, and she's an awesome MUA in Los Angeles.  Just from looking at the swatches online without even having it in person yet, I knew I was going to love it just as much as my Lavish Palette.

And sorry! I purchsed this palette weeks ago but I'm just getting around to reviewing it now.  But it's still available on Anastasia.net! It's only $29, which is jaw dropping.  10 shadows for under $30 is almost unheard of, even compared to drugstore makeup brands.

When this palette arrived at my apartment, I immediately noticed that it was much more substantial than the Lavish palette.  If there is one thing I actually don't like about Lavish, it's the packaging.  There isn't a ton of protection for the shadow pans, as it just slides in and out of a plastic sleeve.  But the Amrezy is in a cardboard box with a mirror flap! 

CLICK the photo for closeups of the shadows! 

The colors in this palette are beaaaauuutiful.  And it even comes with a little dual ended brush!  I haven't tried it out yet but it looks a lot better than some other brushes that come with kits.  Anyway, I've already been thinking about how many looks I can create with this palette.

Natural sunlight, over un-primed skin

Natural sunlight, over primed skin (UD Shadow Insurance)

The palette contains 10 warm-toned shadows, and they are either satiny-shimmery shadows or completely matte shadows.  The formula and color payoff are incredible!  You can even tell how pigmented they are from the swatches over un-primed skin.  If they're that opaque and creamy even on top of bare skin, you know they're good quality shadows.  And I'm not usually a huge fan of jewel-toned shadows, but even I'm excited about the purple and emerald colors in this palette!  The iridescent purple is so gorgeous I can't handle myself.  In certain lights it becomes bluer or periwinkle colored, with gold undertones throughout.  And even the black color, cutely named LBD, is a nice quality, matte black shadow.  My favorite colors are Glisten, a beautiful peachy shimmer shade, and Caramel, a caramel colored matte shade.  But I'm in love with the whole thing!  

And I'll say it again, for only $30, this palette is a real steal.  Pick it up while it's still in stock and I guarantee you won't regret it!  If you like warm-toned shadows (and even only want to use the 8 neutral shades), get the Amrezy Palette!

xojaybee