I was super excited when I found the brand new display for these at the drugstore yesterday. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain Pencils are brand new chunky lip pencils that not only add color and moisture but act as a lip stain, leaving behind long-wearing, natural looking color. These are going to be the “next big thing” just like how the Revlon Lip Butters were huge when they were released. These lip pencils are exactly like the more expensive Clinique Chubby Lip Pencils except these are drugstore available and they also leave behind a gorgeous stain of color. To see photographs and swatches of Sweetheart, the color I picked out, read more…

I love Essie nail polish. I’ve had a love affair since they had mostly all neutral shades that were chic, sophisticated, timeless, and a staple for brides everywhere on their wedding day. Since then, the brand has really evolved by creating lush brights that really pop on the nails. The Essie Spring 2012 Collection has a little bit of something for everyone with pastels, a neutral, and rich brights. To see swatches of the entire collection, read more…

Today I bring you an amazing product that I have been so excited about lately. Milani Shadow Eyez Eyeshadow Pencils are super creamy, rich, pigmented eyeshadow pencils that last and last on your eyes. This is the first type of long-wearing cream eyeshadow product we’re seeing that is available at the drugstore, and these don’t budge! They are so rich in color and look so gorgeous when you apply them. Since I’m a bit obsessed with my NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils, these have totally taken the place in my heart. To see photographs and swatches of the entire collection, read more…

Today was “Diablo Day,” also known as the day Diablo III was released. One little known fact about me is that while I am a huge girly girl, I also love sports and video games. I adore computer games like World of Warcraft and had been looking forward to the release of Diablo III for quite some time. As a result, this post is going to be kind of a mini-post, and I’m going to get right to the point. The Maybelline Porcelain Collection contains this lipstick called Afternoon Tea, which is the perfect pinkish-mauve shade. It’s a wonderful neutral for a natural lip look, and it would be a great lipstick to top off a colorful eye makeup look with. To see photographs and swatches of this universally flattering lipstick, read more…

The Summer 2012 collection from Revlon is called Summer Escapism, and we once again see Gucci Westman create a gorgeous, appropriate palette for the warmer weather. I spotted this palette when I was at the drugstore, ended up passing on it, and then went back to grab it because I really wanted to test out the colors. The shades in this palette remind me of a beach with the soft gray, blue, and brown. “Beach Beauty” is a beautiful array of shades that you can wear together or separately. I put together a quick look using the palette so you can see how the colors perform, as well. To see photographs, swatches, and my eye look using this new palette, read more…

I still remember the first time my best adolescent friend whipped out a lip balm I had never heard of and said to me “You HAVE to try this, it is so minty!” It was Burt’s Bees lip balm, the original, of course. I’ve been using Burt’s Bees since that day, and the brand has really expanded since then. Since I’m a huge fan of their products in general, I decided to try one of their Lip Shimmer products, seeing as how I love to keep my lips super moisturized but still want color to them. This lip balm has the same minty feeling and smell from peppermint oil, but it has a hint of gorgeous color to it. To see “Rhubarb,” read more…

One of my fondest memories growing up is collecting Caboodles to store my “makeup” in. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t always makeup, but more like hair scrunchies, slap bracelets, and whatever my mom would give me from her makeup collection, but the storage was the coolest part. Everyone I knew owned one, and they came in different colors and sizes. Every year I would ask for another one, and every year I would happily wake up on Christmas morning, shredding the wrapping paper open to find a shiny new Caboodles container! Now known as the “Classic,” they still sell Caboodles, and have expanded their brand beautifully. Caboodles is twenty-five years old, and celebrating strong with a gorgeous collection of modern, updated makeup storage and organization. In the above video, I wanted to show you in detail the two products I love, as well as how I use them, and a little bit of my makeup storage. To see photographs of two products from their collection, as well, read more…

Manna Kadar Cosmetics has some gorgeous makeup in their collection, but when it comes to blush, they have this on lock-down. Orgasmic is a stunning pink-peach blush with a luminous golden sheen. It is universally flattering on every single skin tone, and it brightens your complexion like you wouldn’t believe. I’m a newbie to the actual cosmetics line, but their motto is “beauty simplified,” which for my busy lifestyle is always appreciated. This blush can also be used as an eyeshadow, and it would be especially amazing for those of us with blue or green eyes. This blush takes over the spot where NARS “Orgasm” was, because it’s every bit as pretty, and every bit as flattering. To see photographs and swatches, read more…

The Metropolitan Museum’s annual Costume Institute Gala was held last night, and it is the perfect runway for stars to show up in their best. This, of course, means tons of inspiration for hair, makeup, and fashion. It’s so fun to see the dazzling ball gowns, the dolled-up faces, and who tries new trends or stays classic. Last night there were a ton of stars rocking a vampy, dark red lip, and it was full on glamour. Dianna Agron, the gorgeous beauty from Glee, was a vision in a bright green gown, and beautiful metallic eye makeup. She is always someone I look forward to seeing on any red carpet because she always has really great makeup and isn’t afraid to try new things. I recreated this look because it’s the perfect makeup for wearing out on the town or for a big event. It’s sultry, it’s smokey, and it’s has super shine power. To see how I achieved Dianna Agron’s Met Gala makeup, read more…

This look was requested by lovely Beauty Gala reader Carly, and she even sent me the photograph of Charlize Theron to show how much she loved this makeup. It’s absolutely stunning, and best of all, it will take you less than five minutes to do! I used all drugstore products to achieve this look, and I was able to finish this off in a lightning-fast record amount of time. The skin is glowing and perfected with a dab of bright pink blush on the upper portion of the cheekbones. To see how to achieve this look and what products I used, read more…