Wet n Wild Eye Shadow Trio in Knock on Wood - Review and Swatches

Disclaimer: The product mentioned in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Since I've been trying to be good about not buying a lot of makeup lately, I don't have a lot of new stuff sitting around for reviews. That's a good thing because now I can start working my way back through my stash and review the stuff that I already have.

The first trip into my stash is going to be the Wet n Wild Eye Shadow Trio in Knock on Wood. I've collected several of these trios because they tend to be pretty good quality for a fantastic price - $2.99 is the typical retail price. You can quite often pick it up for less than that though because Wet n Wild regularly goes on sale at drugstores.

Packaging

Let's face it, the packaging of these isn't anything to write home about. It's a basic case with a black bottom and a clear top. It isn't the type of packaging that can take a beating, but that's to be expected when you're only spending $3. The empty well at the bottom did hold a sponge tip applicator and a brush that is useless. My general preference would be a smaller palette that leaves out the cheap applicators, but I understand why a lot of drugstore brands feel the need to include them.

Product

These shadows have a soft, slightly powdery texture and good pigmentation. The top shade that is labeled as a browbone shade isn't as pigmented as the other two. I have to work a little bit to get good coverage on my lids (I am nowhere near dark enough to use this shade on my browbone). All three seem to blend well together. Using a primer, I can get a full day out of these shadows without creasing, but the browbone shade does fade some on me. It doesn't bother me much since it is such a subtle shade to begin with that I don't worry so much about it popping on my eyes. All three shades have subtle shimmer, but they come across as more of a satin finish on the eyes.

Speaking of popping, this trio would be fantastic for blue or green eyes. The brown and reddish-purple tones in these shadows make a great contrast on those eye colors. My eyes are blue-green, and I really like what these shades do for my eyes.

Final Thoughts

These might not be the most amazing eye shadows ever created, but they are really good, especially for the price. If you have blue or green eyes, or if you want to dip your toe into using something other than basic brown neutrals, it's worth checking out this palette.

Disclaimer: The product mentioned in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Favorites of 2012

Last year, I started my blog with three posts on my favorite products of 2011. I'm having a much harder time coming up with my favorites for this year for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that a lot of my favorites are still the same. The second reason is that I tried out so many new products this year that I don't feel like I've used many products very consistently.

To see my favorites for 2011: Best of Face, Best of Cheeks and Lips, and Best of Eyes.

Hair

I didn't even think to include hair last year. I'm not a huge hair person. I don't experiment with my hair very much, but I do have some standout products that are such staples that I'm not even going to include them in my finished product posts anymore.

Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo, Pomegranate Sunflower Conditioner, and Biotin Conditioner (not pictured) - These are my staple haircare items (I didn't like the Henna one all that much, but I pulled an old picture). The Tea Tree Shampoo keeps my scalp from flaking, and the conditioners do a great job of helping detangling my hair. I buy them and finish them consistently. Oddly enough, I am listening to a YouTube video by NYCGeorgette, and she said she hated the Pomegranate Sunflower conditioner and said it made her hair really greasy. Maybe my hair is just really dry...*shrugs*

SalonGrafix Conditioning Cleanser - This is another product that I recently saw a terrible review on while watching YouTube. Jen from the channel From Head to Toe hated it. She said it wasn't anything like the Wen Cleansing Conditioner. I've never tried Wen, so I can't compare the two. I will say that I tried using this once when I had product in my hair (currently a rare occurrence), and it didn't work very well. However, for lazy days when I just don't want to have to mess with a separate shampoo and conditioner, this works great. I plan on keeping a bottle of this in my stash at all times.

Skincare

 Silk Naturals Kiss Cleanser - This has been my regular face wash for several years now, and I love it. It removes all but the most stubborn eyeliner (and possibly waterproof mascara - I haven't had a waterproof mascara in a while). It's a really basic cleanser. I had no qualms about having my 7-year-old niece us it over Christmas when we were playing with her makeup that she got as a Christmas present. I recently resolved to stop testing other cleansers because I always go back to this one. I don't need to search for anything else.

Essential Oils - I started adding essential oils into my skincare routine around November-ish after Christine from the PinksoFoxy YouTube channel and her Beauty Travel Channel blog did a couple videos and blog posts about them. I use a mixture of tea tree oil, lavender oil, sweet orange oil, and rosehip oil. For carrier oils, I have just been using Tarte's Maracuja Oil, Josie Maran's Argan Oil, and grapeseed oil that I purchased at WalMart. The place that I have noticed the biggest change is actually on my legs. I get ingrown hairs on my legs all the time, and I have a lot of scars. I feel like both have been reduced after starting to use these oils.  

Warning!!!! If you want to experiment with essential oils, please check out Christine's information and do some research. Essential oils should be used sparingly (I only have a few drops of each in the two dropper bottles in the picture). The underside of my arms broke out in bumps this week, and I think it was because I used a body scrub with essential oils and then used my regular oil mix after my shower, so I ended up using too much overall. Please be careful!

Makeup

Nars Sheer Matte in Siberia -  This is probably the best match I have ever found for my skintone. It hasn't quite reached Holy Grail status yet, but it is a really nice foundation. Sadly, I wasn't able to wear it for several months because I got too much of a tan over the summer (which is why there isn't a lot gone from the bottle).

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation in Translucent Light - This was my go-to foundation for the summer months (it's too dark for me during the winter). It was quick and easy, and it gave me just enough coverage. I actually went through two of these during the course of the summer and fall. My main compliant is that I couldn't wear it on days when I knew I would be sweating a lot because it started to feel really gritty and gross on my face. It was fabulous though for days when I was just making a quick run to the store or something like that.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Shimmering Powders in Rose and Champagne - When I grabbed for a cheek highlighter this year, it was likely one of these two. They are both subtly beautiful. I even used Champagne a lot as an inner corner highlight for my eyes and on the browbone.

Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells - This was my go-to trio for when I didn't know what I wanted to use. It has become an cult classic for a lot of people because it is such a basic, easy palette.

Lorac Pro Palette - This is a relatively new purchase for me. I bought it in December. I'm going to repeat what a lot of other people say about it. I love the versatility and the mix of shimmers and mattes.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils - I'm showing the Ocho Loco set here, but I'm talking about the liners in general. I bought the Naked set of mini pencils last holiday season, and I enjoy them all. It took me a while to get used to how soft and creamy they are, but now I'm comfortable using them and grab for them most days.

Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner in Suede - This liner is on-par with the Urban Decay ones. I particularly love this color because it is a great soft brown for my pale skin. It works really well with Walking on Eggshells for a subtle look. I will eventually pick up more colors in this line.

Urban Decay Pocket Rocket Lip Glosses - I'm really sad that these have been discontinued! I love them. I love the creme brulee scent and the non-sticky formula. This is the gloss that I reach for the most. The one thing I would change is having the guys on the top. It is a cute, novelty thing, but I don't like having them there when I'm subbing at a school. Having a lip gloss with a guy in his underwear on the top isn't exactly school appropriate.

Real Techniques brushes are the first, third, fifth, and seventh brushes from the left.

Real Techniques Brushes - I have bought quite a few of these over the past year. The brand has a good variety of brushes. I use the Expert Face Brush, Stippling Brush, and Deluxe Crease Brush every day. I use the other brushes that I have consistently.

I'm sure I've forgotten some things from my list, and I'm going to kick myself the week after this gets posted when I grab for something that I love. *shrugs* That's how these sorts of things go I guess. I also want to mention again that nearly all of my favorites from last year are still favorites and/or Holy Grail items for me.

What were your favorites from 2012? Is there something I HAVE to try this year?

Product Fail - Wet n Wild Mega Eyes Defining Marker in Dark Brown

I had the urge to play around with liquid liner recently, and since I had a Wet n Wild coupon at CVS, I ended up grabbing theri Mega Eyes Defining Marker in Dark Brown (870). With the coupon, I figured it was worth a shot.

 It had a felt tip, which is what I was wanting. Felt tips seem like they would be better for liquid liner novices like myself.  I excitedly put a swatch on the back of my hand, and imagine my dismay when this is what I saw:

The swatch looked like a red with a little bit of brown. Who in their right mind would call this a dark brown??? I haven't even bothered to try and use it on my eyes because the color just doesn't seem workable. Aside from the fact that the color itself is terrible, I'm not impressed with the formula either. It is streaky when applied, and if I try and build up the color, it continues to streak more. 

Has anyone else tried these Mega Eyes Defining Markers? Did I just get a really old dud or are they all this bad?

Weekend Haul - Sephora, Ulta, CVS, Walgreens, WalMart

My fiance's cross country team went to sectionals this weekend, and I went along as the female chaperone for the group. It was a nice trip with a really good group of high school kids. The bonus of the trip was that my duties were done after the races were over, and since I had to drive separately, I got to go shopping on my way home. It was an area that I was familiar with, so I had a list of stores that I wanted to check out and a list of things I wanted to try and pick up.

My first stop was the mall since I needed lunch and a potty break (there were only port-a-potties at the races, and I wasn't going to use one of those unless I HAD to). I then stopped in at Sephora. I wasn't planning on picking up much there because I had a 20% off coupon for Ulta, but I wanted to check it out anyway.

Look what I found!

This was a boxed set of The Body Shop that was originally priced at $42, and it was on clearance for $20. I had a new eye cream on my shopping list, and I figured I would spend that much even on a good drugstore one, so I went ahead and got this set. I love face scrubs, and I know vitamin C is good for helping with scars, so can't wait to give these a try.

I also asked for a sample of the Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation in 2.0. I got samples in a couple of Urban Decay orders I placed a while back, and I like the foundation, but 2.0 will soon be too dark for me. This way, I should have enough to get me through until I'm back to my normally super-pale self.

After a quick cruise through Bath & Body Works and not getting anything (Victory!), I headed over to Ulta to use my 20% off coupon.

I planned on buying the Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation in 0.5 because that will be my shade soon, but it wasn't in stock. Boo! There were a few other items that I considered getting as well that Ulta didn't have, which was kind of nice because I didn't walk out with much makeup. Here's what I did get:

I got a Clarisonic Mia in Turquoise. My skin started freaking out recently, and I caved to the hype. I hope it ends up being worth it. The cleanser came with it, and I picked up two extra sensitive brush heads since they were 20% off. If you've tried any of the other brush heads, let me know what you think of them. I'm thinking of picking up a couple of the deep pore ones when Sephora does their VIB sale next month.

I picked up some haircare things as well. I got the got2b dry shampoo and volumizing powder because I've been wanting to try both of them out, and I grabbed anohter Salon Grafix conditioning cleanser because I'm out and I miss having it (Side note: Salon Grafix is BOGO 50% off at CVS this week).

My current daytime moisturizer is almost gone, so I decided to give the CeraVe one a try.

I purchased the Essence dual pencil sharpener because I've read that it's a good dupe for the Urban Decay Grindhouse, and I wanted a pencil sharpener with a cap. I grabbed the NYX retractable eye liner in Bronze because I never hear anything about these, and they're cheaper than the Slide On liners.

My last Ulta item was the $9 trio of Tarte primers to try out. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to try the eye primer or not because I haven't had good luck with Tarte eye primers. If you've tried it, let me know what you think.

My next purchases were from CVS. I have a coupon for $2 off any $4.99 Wet n Wild purchase that I wanted to use. I was hoping the CVS that I stopped at would have the limited edition 8-pan palettes, but I was out of luck there. Instead I picked up two liners, one liquid and one retractable (both of them are brown, even though the packaging looks black in the picture. Sadly, I can already tell that the liquid liner is going to be a dud. It is really red when swatched.

My next stop was Walgreens. I love this particular Walgreens because I've had really good luck finding limited edition items there, and yesterday was no exception. They had the Wet n Wild display with the 8-pan palettes I was looking for. Yippee! I only picked up the Sparkle 'Til Morning palette because I thought it would get the most use.

I also noticed some Sinful Colors eye shadow palettes, and I grabbed one in Barely There Shadow. I can't wait to try it out. I just did quick swatches on my hand, and they are nicely pigmented and apply smoothly.

The last item I picked up from Walgreens was another brown liquid liner. EleventhGorgeous on Youtube loves the Jordana FabuLiner, and I've been wanting to play with liquid liners, so I figured I would give this one a try too. Thankfully, it swatches much better than the Wet n Wild one. It's a nice, deep brown.

My last stop of the day was WalMart. I thought I might pick up a couple of the new Hard Candy items, but nothing interested me there. The few things that I did pick up were a Palmer's Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick, Simple Vital Vitamin Night Cream, and a couple of powder puffs.

That was the end of my shopping adventure. Since I didn't sleep the night before (there were bugs in my hotel room beds - Ewww!), I nearly fell asleep watching a tv show with my fiance, and we were both in bed by 9 p.m. Yep...we live really exciting lives. :-)

Did you get the Ulta 20% off coupon? What did you use it on? Have you had any fun shopping adventures recently?

Finished it!!! Volume 5

I was hoping to get a couple more review posts up before posting another post about finished products, but I have a lot of stuff compiled, and I'd like to throw it all away. Here's what I've gone through (in no particular order):

Garnier Fructis Color Shield Shampoo and Conditioner samples - I got these as part of a Target Beauty Bag. I can't stray from my Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo for long or else my scalp starts flaking, so I would never have considered buying the shampoo in full size. The conditioner did a nice job detangling my hair, which is the primary thing I have to look for in a conditioner, but I have other conditioners that I like better, so I will not be purchasing a full size of this either.

Pond's Original and Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes - I've mentioned before that I primarily use makeup wipes for removing swatches from my hands and removing makeup before using a face mask. I only use it as my sole means of washing my face once in a blue moon when I am completely and utterly exhausted. Therefore, I'm not overly particular about these. These did well at the jobs I use them for, but I already have other wipes to use up, so I won't be repurchasing in the near future.

Bodycology Brown Sugar Vanilla Body Mist - Body sprays always sound like a good idea, but I don't use them as much as I should. I've had this one for way too long. I finished it up by using several spritzes before bed each night. I won't be repurchasing.

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm - It has been so long since I used this balm on my lips, I honestly don't remember if I liked the texture or not. I think I did. The problem was, I swear I found an eyelash that wasn't mine stuck inside the balm. Ewww! After that, I stuck to using this on my cuticles to use it up. I have a bunch of other lip balms to use before I purchase any more.

Simply Lip Balms in Vanilla Mint and Pomegranate - I found these balms at Walgreens over the summer for around $1 each. I bought a few, tried one out for the day, and bought a bunch more the next day. I love that they have SPF 15. They have a smooth texture and don't feel heavy on the lips. My only real complaint is that they melt easier than any other lip balm I've owned. I had one in my pocket a few weeks ago on a warm (but not hot) day, and I had to move it to my purse because it got too soft to use. I don't have easy access to purchase these, but I would probably repurchase more if I happen to see them.

Bath & Body Works Country Chic Supercharged Body Scrub and Cream Body Wash - Both of these were a Christmas gift. I like the scent, and I started to like it more as I continued to use these, but it isn't my favorite. I liked the body scrub because it's a sugar scrub in a body wash base, so it wasn't an extra step. I was even able to use it to shave. The creamy body wash gave a nice lather, so I liked it too. Since I am finally getting close to the end of my stash of body washes and soaps, I may stock up at the January B&BW semiannual sale. I would buy both products again (in a different scent) if they had a good sale on them.

Giovanni Exfoliating Body Bar in Cool Mint Lemonade - I got this in a Meg's Makeup package over a year ago. The mint part of the scent was really subtle. I probably wouldn't have identified that there was mint in it if it wasn't written on the box. The overall scent also wasn't very strong. According to the box, crushed mint leaves and purified salt granules are what make this an exfoliating bar, but this doesn't provide a very strong exfoliation. Overall, this was a decent bar soap, but it wasn't anything special. I prefer body washes anyway, so I don't plan to purchase any more.

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation in Translucent Light - I picked up three of these when they were 75% off at CVS. It is too dark for my winter complexion, but it became my go-to summer foundation. It gave enough coverage without feeling heavy, and it was quick to apply. I was a little dismayed to notice that if I was outside in the heat and sweating for an extended period of time, my face started to feel gritty. Not pleasant. It's also unfortunate that this product is no longer being sold in stores; it can only be purchased online. I still have two more, and I haven't decided if I like it enough to order more when I run out, which won't be until sometime next summer.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in Radiant - This is a sheer to medium coverage concealer that I've already reviewed here. I liked this, but it wasn't a Holy Grail find for me, so I'm going to keep looking for something better.

Meow Sleek Siamese Concealer sample - If you aren't familiar with Meow cosmetics, their shades are classified by a breed (undertone) and an adjective (depth). Sleek is the second lightest shade. I typically wear Inquisitive, the lightest shade. This originally came in a sample baggie, and I decanted it into a jar. This works okay for me during the winter months, and it worked really well for me this summer. I really like this mineral concealer in general, and I already have a full size of my regular shade. I might need to repurchase samples of this shade next summer because my regular shade becomes too light. I would only get samples though because the samples alone last a really long time.

Silk Naturals Chocolate Cream Cuticle Balm - This cuticle balm had cocoa butter in it, which gave it a light chocolatey scent, which I loved. The texture in the pan went off slightly not long after I got it. The ingredients separated slightly, so it had more solid beads of product in a more oily, but still solid, base. It didn't affect the performance of the product though. It took a little bit of time for the product to soak into my cuticles, so I preferred using this while watching TV in the evening. It is currently not being sold on Silk Naturals website, so I don't have the option to repurchase.

DKNY Be Delicious perfume sample - I love the tart apple scent of this perfume. I recently bought a double-ended roller ball with this perfume and Be Delicious Fresh Blossom at Ulta. I also have two sample sets of Be Delicious NYC, London, Paris, and Rio.

Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment - This was a preview item sent in a QVC set of Tarte items. It was a nice eye cream, and I enjoyed using it. This product hasn't been released yet, but I have a feeling a full size is going to cost more than I'll be willing to spend on it.

Wet n Wild Brulee Eye Shadow - I would consider this my Holy Grail browbone shade. I love that it is matte. It does a wonderful job of evening out my browbone and blending out the edges of my crease color. I already have a new one of these waiting in the wings. I'm trying to use up two shadows that are very similar in shade to this one though before I open the new one.

Nature's Gate Conditioners in Jojoba and Biotin - I love Nature's Gate hair products. I've used the Pomegranate Sunflower conditioner for a long time now. The last time I stocked up, I purchased a few other kinds to try. I didn't love the jojoba conditioner. It didn't detangle my hair as well as the others, so I won't be repurchasing it. I LOVED the biotin version though. It felt tingly on the scalp, which was a bit strange at first, but once I got used to it, I liked it. I'm also wondering if this conditioner is part of the reason why my hair has gotten back a lot of natural volume that it had lost until recently. I ordered more conditioner yesterday from drugstore.com, and I threw in two bottles of this type along with a couple of other types that I like.

Salon Grafix Conditioning Cleanser in Citrus Creme - This is my second bottle of this product. I love it. I can't use it all the time because my scalp will start to flake, but it is great for those lazy nights when I don't want to deal with shampoo and conditioner. I just put this on at the beginning of my shower and rinse it off after I've finished everything else. I haven't repurchased it yet, but I will be in the near future.

Organix Moroccan Curling Perfection Defining Cream - This is a nice cream to add a little bit of definition to the natural curl/wave that I have in my hair. It doesn't make my hair stiff at all. I already have a new bottle.

TRESemme Split Remedy Shampoo - This was another sample from a Target Beauty Bag. I honestly didn't noticed if it helped hide split ends. As I mentioned with the Garnier shampoo, I'm sticking to my Nature's Gate Tea Tree shampoo.

Neutrogena Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Moisture Night - I uncovered this in my skincare drawer recently. I had completely forgotten that I had it. The tube was almost gone, so I pulled it back out to use it up. I didn't notice anything special about it. I have other things that I'm trying to use up and other products that I want to try. I don't plan on repurchasing.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer Night - I've used up two of these. I love the fact that this has retinol in it. As I just mentioned, I'm using up some other things in my stash, and I plan on testing out other products. I don't plan on repurchasing this for the time being.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar - I got this in a Sephora 500-point perk. I would prefer trying the oil-free version since I have oily skin. This worked okay, and it didn't break me out, but I didn't notice anything special enough to pay for a full size. If I got more of this in a skincare set or as a sample, I would use them though.

Garden of Wisdom Fruit Hydrating Mist in Peach - A makeup forum that I participate in had a traveling box of beauty products this summer. A group of generous ladies donated a bunch of products to get the box going, and it got passed from person to person. When you got the box, you got to choose was you wanted to remove from the box, and you had to replace those items with items comparable in price. This was one of the items that I took out. I used it as a face mist for after I applied my makeup in order to get rid of the powdery face look. It worked for that, but I'll stick with the rose water and setting spray that I have in the future.

That's it for now. I was really happy to finish up several makeup items lately. I was particularly happy to finish off the Physicians Formula powder foundation and the two concealer products. I have too many foundations, concealers, and powders in my collection, so it was nice to get rid of a couple of them.

Have you finished up anything recently?

What's in My Travel Makeup Bag?

A few weeks ago, I made the 6 hour trek to visit my family and attend the annual family picnic. Being the person that I am, I over-packed. I think I had twice as many clothes as I actually needed. My fiance refers to me as a boy scout when it comes to packing because I will pack anything and everything I think I might need. I have a large duffel bag that I use to pack my clothes, and it is a rare trip when it isn't completely full. I figure that if I have the room, I might as well use it and give myself options.

The same can be said about my makeup bag. I will fill it as full as I can without straining the zippers. Here's what I took with me for this trip, which included a day of shopping and a day sitting outside with my extended family.

 This is the bag I typically use. I got it last year at Target. It is by Sonia Kashuk, and I think it cost around $20. You can maybe see in this picture that it has three zippered compartments. The reason I originally liked this bag is that the top one has an elastic pocket with a protective flap for brushes. In a dream world, I would prefer that the sides were made of something more solid so they stood up better. It would also be nice if they separated completely. Overall though, this is a great bag that works really well for my traveling needs.

The top section is the one designated for brushes. Some people might not like that it is just one big pocket for brushes, but I like it because I don't have to worry about whether or not a brush handle will fit into a designated slot. On the left, you can also see that there's a zippered pocket that is really nice for smaller, random items.

Here's what I had in the zippered pocket. I bring extra hair ties, just in case (remember: boy scout). I throw in Q-tips for blending, and I bring tweezers for any stray hairs that I need to take care of. I threw in three lip products: Revlon Kissable Balm Stains in Sweetheart and Smitten and the new Tarte LipSurgence pencil that is also named Smitten that I got in a recent QVC TSV. I threw in a couple of perfume roller balls in Pacifica Island Vanilla and Clean Shower Fresh.

Here's a better look at the brushes I took. I like to take enough eye brushes that I could use a new brush every day if I switch colors. Yes, I realize that's excessive, but there's room, so I go for it. From left to right they are: Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush, Real Techniques Stippling Brush, ELF concealer brush, Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush, an Eco Tools shadow brush, Real Techniques Accent Brush, Everyday Minerals eye liner brushes (3), ELF Studio Contour brushes (3), and Everyday Minerals shadow brushes (3).

Here's a look at the second level of my makeup bag. I generally use this section for eye products. As you can see, it has quite a bit of room. For reference, my Naked palette fits quite nicely in there, and I can still throw in more products.

This is a closer look at the eye products that I took with me (clockwise starting on the far left): Laura Geller baked shadows in Sand and Sea, NYX matte shadow in Tryst, NYX shadow in Flamingo, Urban Decay Rollergirl Palette, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes mascara, Silk Naturals Molten cream eye liner, Silk Naturals eye liner palette, and Wet n Wild Brulee eye shadow.

Finally, this is the bottom layer of my bag. I use this layer for face products. Again, it has plenty of room, allowing me to over-pack even more stuff.

Here are the face products I took (going clockwise starting in the top left corner): Tarte Maracuja Miracle Foundation in Fair, jumbo pencil sharpener, Skindinavia 10 Years Younger makeup finishing spray, Everyday Minerals kabuki brush, Physician's Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation in Translucent Light, Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar Light Peach, Meow Sleek Siamese concealer, Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch concealer in Radiant, Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller, Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in CIA (old formula), Milani Minerals blush in Mai-Tai, and Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose.

I didn't even get close to using everything I took, but I wasn't wishing for anything either.

What is your packing style? Do you over-pack like me or do you pack the bare minimum?

Meg's Makeup Package

I got a package from Meg's Makeup a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I'd share with you what I got.

If you aren't familiar with Meg's Makeup, it is a beauty blog that offers rewards for participating. After you create an account, you get points for rating products and writing comments. You can then use those points to get a surprise package of beauty products (please note that you have to pay for shipping). You can redeem at 50 points, 150 points, and 250 points. Obviously, the more points you use to redeem, the more you will receive in your package. I believe the site says that it can take 6-8 weeks to receive packages, and that is close to accurate. She sends packages out in huge groups, so if you redeem right after one shipment, you'll have a wait. I've had some packages arrive in around a week, but I also think I've had to wait the full 8 weeks before.

At this point you might be thinking that you will receive cheap, no-name, awful products. If so, you're in for a big surprise. Here are some of the things I've received at different times in past Meg's Makeup packages: Revitalash, Urban Decay Dangerous Palette, Urban Decay Pocket Rocket in Doug, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty, and Tarte LipSurgence in Enchanted. I've also gotten a few lower-end items like a Giovanni bar soap and a Jordana lip gloss. I have only redeemed for 250-point packages, and I would say that most of the packages I've received have averaged around $100 value. 

Here's what I was sent this time around:

AeroMinerale sheer Hydrating Mineral Primer (Retail Price: $19.99)

Meg has sent out AeroMinerale items before, but this is the first product I've gotten from this brand. I haven't tried it yet because I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup recently, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try soon.

Wet n Wild Megashield Lip Color SPF 15 in Lolly Popstar (Retail Price: $2.99)

I'm not a lipstick person. This is the second lipstick that I have in my collection, and I got the other lipstick in the last MyGlam bag that I received, which I think was back in April. I just don't like the maintenance of lipsticks. I usually forget to reapply throughout the day if I need to use a mirror.

That being said, I love this color. It's a gorgeous hot pink, and it has an almost metallic sheen to it. I just put it on my lips, and it felt smooth going on. I don't mind how it feels. I feel like the color looks good on me, but it is a little intimidating. I don't know that I'll be gutsy enough to wear it outside the house.

NP Set Glam Set Palette (Retail Price: $24)

NP Set is the line of cosmetics by Napoleon Perdis that is sold at Target. I haven't tried anything else by this brand. This set comes with four neutral eye shadow, two blush, and four lip glosses. So far, I've only worn the blushes. I love the look of the eye shadow colors, but I would have to add in at least one other color because the lightest shade here wouldn't work as a highlight for me. The blush colors are really on-trend with Tango Tangerine being the color of the year. I wore them mixed together, and I was happy with the results. The glosses are terrible. They have a hard texture, little color payoff, and they taste terrible. I wish cosmetics companies would learn to stop putting awful lip glosses in palettes like this and drop the price of the palettes.

NP Set Shimmer Highlight Duo Bronze/Gold (Retail Price: $15)

This product looks like something that my 6-year-old niece might wear for a dance competition. The glitter is so chunky that I don't think I could pull it off. My only hope for using this product is using it as an eye shadow base, but I'm afraid it is going to crease like crazy. It did make a nice effect when I put eye shadow over swatches on my hands. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't crease.

Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes Mascara (Retail Price: $25)

This is part of Napoleon Perdis's regular makeup line. I saw it in Ulta over the weekend and about fell over when I saw the $25 price tag. The really interesting thing about this mascara is the wand. As you can see, it is flat, with two different comb sizes on opposite sides of the wand.

I have been hating every mascara I've tried for months now, and I like this mascara a lot. I use the smaller comb side, and I love that it separates my lashes. It dries nicely (I've had a couple of mascaras recently that have remained tacky feeling ALL day), and it doesn't flake or smudge.Will I spend $25 to purchase it myself? Not likely. I will enjoy it while I have it though, and I think I'm going to clean off the wand when I pitch the tube and use it as a lash comb.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Baked (Retail Price: $19)

I enjoy Urban Decay eye liners, so I was happy to see this in my package. I'm pretty sure this is a discontinued color. The difference between the first swatch picture and the second one is just me tilting my arm towards the light a bit more. I think I'm going to have fun playing with this color.

As a side note, Meg recently declared that she would no longer support companies that test on animals. With Urban Decay's decision to sell their products in China, I would assume that Meg's Makeup will stop promoting Urban Decay. She has not made a direct statement about this, but I'm guessing this round of packages was the last one to include Urban Decay products.

Grand Total Value: $106 (rounded up)


Bottom line is, if you are a makeup addict and haven't signed up for Meg's Makeup yet, do it now! I had to pay $12 in shipping to get over $100 worth of product. Your points don't expire, so even if you aren't super dedicated to rating and commenting, you can go back months later, get more points, and get (nearly) free stuff.

 Disclaimer: These products were sent to me as part of a points rewards program hosted by megsmakeup.com. I paid for these items to be shipped to me. I did not receive any sort of compensation for posting about these products or about Meg's Makeup. My only affiliation with Meg's Makeup is as a registered member. I do have an affiliate link for Meg's Makeup on the sidebar of my blog. The ONLY thing I get when people use that link is an extra point towards my next package.

Do you participate on Meg's Makeup? If not, will you now? Which of these products would you be most excited to receive?