HourGlass Cosmetics Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm

This product has been trending everywhere for a while now. So, I finally purchased this product to see if it lives up to the hype. The glossy balm retails at Sephora and Ulta for $36 dollars USD.

The product comes in gold packaging and is retractable. You can move just a little product up at a time. This prevents bending or breaking while preserving the product.

Upon application, the product feels smooth, creamy, and hydrating to the lips. The balm is not sticky or greasy. Your lips look plumper A very minimal amount of the product is needed to achieve this.

The product is nicely tinted and leaves a noticeable amount of color. I used the color Slip which left the most beautiful color. Slip is a rosy mauve color. For a more dramatic look, use a lip liner and a second layer of the glossy balm.

This product is an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner for 2023. I am not surprised as this product lives up to the hype. This glossy balm is a staple in my beauty bag.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Nars radiant creamy concealer comes in 16 shades. It is a liquid concealer with buildable coverage. It provides full coverage, but it does not look flat on the skin. I was easily able to find a shade to match me perfectly.

The product has a nice creamy consistency, yet it is lightweight. You do not need too much product. The concealer can nicely be layered on top of foundation. It does provide enough coverage to be used as a light foundation as well.

After purchasing this cult classic, I can see why so many love it. I found it does not cake. I put it on in small dots and blend it with my beauty blender. The concealer covers any redness you might have. I am always on the hunt for a good concealer or foundation. This one may be my favorite concealer to date.

Kylie Jenner Lip Kit

In 2015, the first Kylie Jenner Lip Kit was launched. Kylie Cosmetics has since expanded its brand into much more including skincare. I have to admit, I had yet to try the lip kit everyone raves about. I thought it may of been a bit overhyped until recently.

I purchased my first Kylie Jenner Matte Lip Kit in Posy. For a little over thirty dollars, you get the liquid matte lipgloss and a lip pencil to match. That is a decent price point considering many lipglosses are a little under or over that. Plus you have to usually buy the lip pencil seperate.

The instructions say to line your lips first then apply the lipgloss. The lip liner is soft and easy to apply. It did not smudge and feels nice on the lips. The matte lipgloss was also easy to apply. It went on smoothly and dried quickly. I immediately fell in love with the color Posy. Its a nice soft pinkish mauve.

Now, I do believe that the lip kits are not overhyped. They are at a decent price point. The product is good quality and the lip kits come in some beautiful shades.

Nars Blush

Many have come to know and love this brand. I first fell in love with this brand when I tried their cult classic blush, orgasm. This glittery pink blush became a rotation in my makeup arsenal. One day I made my usual trip to Ulta to get another Nars blush in orgasm, and to my horror, they were not in stock that day. I decided to try, Nars deepthroat blush.

Quickly, I fell in love with this shade. It is a warm coral with a soft golden shimmer. The blush is a tad darker than orgasm. If you love shimmer, but want a more subtle shimmer then, this shade is for you.

Nars blushes are very buildable colors and go on very lightweight. You can wear the shade more subtly or amp it up for a warmer look. The blush will last all day.

This blush is priced about middle range, for prestige cosmetics. It is worth the investment because of the quality and longevity. I wear my Nars blush everyday and they last me close to six months. Nars blush lives up to the hype.

Pureology Smooth Perfection

My hair is naturally curly, but I like to wear it very smooth and straight. I get Brazilian Blowouts every ten to twelve weeks. The Brazillian Blowout Shampoo and conditioner are great. I still use Brazillian Blowout styling products, but for my thick curly hair, Pureology Smooth Perfection shampoo and conditioner smooth my hair out the best.

Pureology Smooth Perfection shampoo and conditioner tame the frizz and calm my hair. The formula has shea butter to smooth the hair and sesame oils to keep the hair hydrated. Also in the formula is Camelia oil to fight frizz at the very source.

This unique compound also contains an exclusive Thermal Anti-fade complex to keep the hair shiny and healthy. The Pureology line is sulfate-free and helps maintain color and chemically treated hair. After washing, conditioning, and styling, my hair is a lot smoother and sleeker. I would definitely reccomend this product for those who want to tame frizzy and or color/chemically treated hair.

Gucci Guilty Pour Homme

Gucci Guilty Pour Homme smells intoxicating. I fell in love with this amber woody fragrance for men when my husband wore it. He has the 5oz eau de toilette bottle.

The top notes are french lavender and Italian lemon. The middle note is orange flower and the base note is cedarwood and patchouli. This creates a very aromatic fragrance, I am guilty of falling for.

I love the classic Gucci branding and packaging. The mens comes in a heavy glass bottle covered in anthrancite and the womens comes in a block bronze. These look very nice on a vanity or wherever you like to keep your fragrances.

A 5 oz of the Gucci Guilty Pour Homme in the eau de toilette retails at $148 dollars right now at Macys. The Gucci Guilty Pour Homme parfum spray retails at $204 for 5oz at Macys. This is as of November 2022. The pricing will vary of course.

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue

Light blue was launched in 2001 and has held its popularity throughout the years. It is typically seen as a summertime fragrance. It exudes the feeling of a Sicilian summer. However, it is such a good crisp scent, you could wear it anytime.

The top notes in the fragrance are Sicilian lemon, cedar, apple, and bellflower. Middle notes are jasmine, bamboo, and lovely white rose. Base notes are amber, cedar, and musk.

I decided to purchase, after using a smaller sample of the fragrance gifted from Macys. The limited edition gift set was what I decided upon. The packaging is exquisite with the beautiful blue and white color combination and the D&G logo.

Inside this glorious gift set, you get 3oz of Light Blue, a 1.6oz body cream, and a 0.33oz body spray. The body spray is currently selling for $114 dollars as of November 2022.

This floral fruity scent is such a classic. I have recieved many compliments while wearing this fragrance. With, all the perfume gift sets and deals during the holiday season, now is the time to consider purchasing one.

IT Cosmetics Essentials

Two of my favorite cosmetics from IT Cosmetics is their, Bye Bye Pores pressed translucent powder and the Brow Power eyebrow pencil in Universal taupe. I adore their foundation, but we will save that for a later post.

After applying my makeup the translucent powder, in my opinion is currently the best setting powder around. It is good for my skin and won’t dry it out. It also doesn’t cake my makeup. I use a full coverage IT Cosmetics brush sold by Ulta and its the perfect finish.

Now, the Brow Power eyebrow pencil in Universal taupe was a game changer for my routine. I still like a natural look, but wanted my brows enhanced and for my look to be complete. This was my first time using an eyebrow pencil and it was simple. One side is the eyebrow pencil and the other side is a brush.

You use the pencil across your brows and the brush blends it in for a natural look. Universal Taupe is a good color for practically any shade of brunette. You can make it darker or lighter. The pencil comes in many colors though. I would definitely give it a try. I will update you if I find another favorite.