It Cosmetics Confidence in a Glow Swatches

I can't believe I was so excited about these that I forgot to take pictures of just the product - especially of how GORGEOUS the actual product is! In any case - here we've got It Cosmetics' newest glow product that has a three in one - a highlight, blush and bronzer, all ombre'd into one! They advertise this as getting an "instant all-over vitality filled glow, plus a boost of brightening and radiant warmth, in one simple step"

Of course one of my favorite parts of It Cosmetics products is that they always have some sort of skincare benefits to their products. So not only does this have a gorgeous orange scent, but its infused with vitamin C, has anti aging ingredients, and is talc free!


This is from the It Cosmetics Website and what the inside of each palette looks like with their own color palette.

This comes in three shades:

Instant Nude Glow - sheerest pretty glow (peachy pink blush and my favorite - its very natural!)


Instant Warm Glow - like an INTENSE version of the Nude glow. It has a super pigmented bronzer, deep peachy pink shade. (This would be great for deeper skin tones!)


Instant Natural Glow - has a gorgeous rosy color to it!

Pigmentation: All three shades have great pigmentation and there are definitely great shades for any skin tone! They have a cooler/berry tone as well as two warmer ones. You can make it super subtle, but you can build that SO fast too lol!

Ease: It actually comes with its own brush (sold separately) that advertises one sweep - which works, but I also like to use the colors separately. Either way, its super buttery, soft and smooth which allows for super easy application!

Lasting Ability: With a good primer and foundation, it lasted the whole day! :)

Smell: It smells SO good - like a slight citrus scent.

Price: I think that this three in one is INCREDIBLY reasonable at $32. It is three products in one and is super compact and has .521oz of product.

Overall, a great bang for your buck. In my opinion, you may not need the accompanying brush - this product speaks volumes for itself with any brush you choose! It is gorgeous, pigmented and there is a color for everyone!... plus, who can say no to this amazing packaging!

You can purchase this on It Cosmetics, Ulta, and QVC. :)

ftc. this was sent to me by PR.

Read more >>

Mehron Metallic Powder in Gold

So I recently went to the Makeup Show and was able to stop by the Mehron booth. Now I've always known Mehron as a huge special effects and theatrical line, but I DID hear they had amazing foundations (WHICH THEY DO!!! REVIEW COMING SOON!) that I wanted to try out!

Anyhow, I was able to chat with the gorgeous Stephanie - the Creative Director of Mehron to talk about her favorite products from Mehron. She mentioned these metallic powders were some of her favorites. In one swatch, I knew why.

I received the metallic powder in gold - these are so versatile. You can use these alone for a gorgeous, pigmented color or because its so incredibly finely milled - you can mix it with a mixing liquid and get a super intense foiled look. Every time I put this on my eyes for shadows - I always get compliments! I also love to lightly tap this on my lips for a gorgeous golden sheen!

Left is the powder alone, right is mixed with Mehron Mixing Liquid

Color: Although this is gold - they come in 6 different shades. The color is extremely pigmented without anything... with mixing liquid it is unreal!!

Longevity: The powder without a base will last, but easily wipeoff-able. When I put a base, it lasted the day, but faded in color. When you put the mixing liquid - it will be on there for the WHOLE day! The golden color seriously didn't budge at ALL once I put it on!!! It is even water resistant.

Texture: It is incredibly finely milled and soft. It is a loose powder, so you will have to play with it a bit.

Ease: I'm not a huge fan of loose powders, however - this one was super fun to use and play with. I will say though, my brushes and table did get very golden and slightly messy. However, it was totally worth it!

Price: You receive 1 oz for 10.95 - in my opinion that is SOOOO cheap! For the amazing product you get - you get a TON of it for just less than $11! A total steal if you ask me!!!

Overall - I more than highly recommend this product!!! In fact - I want to pick up the other 5 shades LOL! (And it def wont even break the bank!) You can find this at Mehron online... however you can't find them at your usual makeup stores - they are sold in a wide array of theater and party stores that you can find here.

Read more >>

Becca Cosmetics x Chrissy Teigan Swatches

So I had to run into sephora yesterday to get a quick touch up on my lippie before I head to meet felix and I ran into the amazing Becca Cosmetics x Chrissy Teigen Palette!!!


The line was too long, so I wasn't able to purchase it yet, but I wanted to share swatches with you!

First impressions - AMAZING QUALITY as are most of Becca's powder products. Another thing I noticed was the blush was more pink than I imagined and the bronzer was more matte and universal than I imagined. Also, the highlights are a bit more glowy and peachy that would be perfect for the summer nights!

Here are some swatches as of now! I cannot WAIT to get my hands on this for real!

This palette retails for $46. You can purchase this at beccacosmetics, sephora, or ulta.   

Read more >>

A little bit of my heart about mother's day

Hey everyone!

Happy Mother's Day weekend! I was going to just make a post about mother's day gift ideas, but it was hard for me to write that post in a happy way without feeling completely fake. I was inspired by my good friend Wendy to just be honest about this.. more emotional holiday for me.

As some of you may know, my mother passed away from cancer when I was in high school. Since then, every time I hear about mother's day, I feel a pang of jealousy for others who celebrate their mothers here on earth. It's a loneliness that over 10 years has still never fixed. And as a married woman with the most AMAZING mother-in-law, I almost feel guilty for feeling sadness on a day where I should be celebrating such an amazing gift in my life.

So as I shop for Mother's Day for all the incredible mothers in my life - I take the moment to remember the incredible gifts and strengths my mother gave me and cherish those that I have in my life right now.

Below are the products that I would recommend :)

The first this I would recommend is the La Mer Moisturizing Creme for your leading lady. It's actually the gift we're giving my mother-in-law this year. And I dont think I have to explain why - because this is obviously the best LOL! :) 

Next are Sugarfina Champagne bears - I would give this to someone who is like my sister who loves her gummies and chocolate, but isn't a huge fan of alcohol. Now you can celebrate her being an awesome mother. 

Below is the Sugarfina "green juice" candies. I thought this was so super fun and unique. It would be great for healthy mamas out there. You can pair this with a juice subscription or a workout outfit, or even a pretty personalized water bottle! 

Next is the ItCosmetics travel face and eye essentials brush set. I thought this was so perfect for the on the go mama who is legit too busy for life running around. Its the perfect set to throw in your purse. It would pair perfectly with a travel sized eyeshadow or face set! 

Lastly, I have the ItCosmetics Je Ne Sais Quoi Rose Lip treatment. I think this is perfect for the minimalist mom! Someone that needs something practical (like a lip treatment lol), but this can spice up her day a little bit with a flush of color! 

I hope you enjoyed reading my recommendations! -- and to anyone that struggles like me...just waiting for this holiday to pass you by, no matter what your situation is - know that you are SO loved. 

XOXO 

Read more >>

Urban Decay Naked Skin Shapeshifter Swatches and Review

I've been so obsessed with all of UD's lip products, I forgot (nor have I ever tried!!!) about their face products! This is one of my first times trying out their powder and creme face products, so I was super excited!! And they (as usual) didn't disappoint me! In fact, I'm ready to stick this into my makeup artistry kit because I feel like it's such a great staple with a great range of shades.

I picked this up at the Makeup Show, so was able to try it out a bunch before the official launch (Today!!) This comes in two different shades: Light Medium and Medium Dark. On one side, there are four powders: dark contour, medium contour, light contour and a highlight.

Dark contour, Medium Contour, Light Contour, Highlight

On the other side, there are 5 creme products: dark contour, light contour, 2 correctors (one can also serve as a matte highlight) and a highlight.

Dark contour, light contour, corrector, corrector/highlight, highlight 

Here is my breakdown of the products:

Packaging: I am a huge fan of this packaging. Its dense enough to make you know that it's durable, but its small and compact enough to travel with. I love that BOTH SIDES of the products have a mirror which makes life SO much easier for me! It did NOT come with a brush like many UD products, but this allows you to be flexible to use whichever  tool you are used to.

Color: I love the color selection here. I love that the contour shades have one slightly warmer and one slightly grey. I also LOVE the corrector colors - its everything I love in one! All shades are very pigmented - however the highlight shades on both sides just give more of a luminous glow - but not quite the crazy pigments that highlighters these days have.

Texture: The powders are extremely finely milled and pigmented. A little bit goes a long way with these and its so incredibly soft and blendable. The cremes are silky and thin and allow for good blending time and turn into a powder form when dry.

Long Lasting Ability: It was a very long lasting product for me. The powders stayed on all day for me. I haven't used the cremes long enough to know the lasting ability. My skin gets sweaty and splotchy a lot - so I couldn't get an accurate read on the cremes yet!

Overall - I think this is an amazing staple product for every makeup artist. I'm literally putting this into my kit ASAP. I love the versatility of this product - you can use it for virtually anyone, do it for the perfect day or night look. Super excited to use this product more!

This product is $45 and is now available at sephora online

If you are interested in WINNING one - definitely come along for the ride on my IG @jessicalee422 :)

Read more >>

Benefit Galifornia Blush Swatch and Review

Gal-i-fornia girls la la la!

Was so excited to receive the new Benefit Galifornia Blush! Not going to lie - even though I llooooove the Benefit boxed blushes, I quickly dismissed ordering it since it looked similar to my other fave blushes (lol!) However... the amazing little fairies at Benefit sent over this awesome blush to me along with these fun glasses! So now of course... I have to try it :P

Below are swatches of the blush:

First time using on Cheek (spray overlay is on cheek)

Without direct sunlight

In the sun!! :) So glowy <3 

Here's my breakdown:

Color: This is definitely a glowy pinky-coral color. When you first use it, there is gold spray overlay on it - however once you use that up, there is still some golden sparkle within it. The color is definitely sheer when u first put it on, but is very buildable.

Longevity:  with a primer and foundation, it lasted all day for me. The glow looked beautiful! When I first used it, the golden overlay was a bit much for my face - however once the spray was gone (one to two uses), it left the perfect golden look.

Smell: OMG it smells SO GOOD. I can't stop smelling it. In fact... I would use it just for the smell! I can't quite put my finger on it - it smells kinda like coconut and vanilla, but with a hint of citrus. It's refreshing yet beachy and I can't get enough of it!

Packaging: I love their box powders because its super compact, yet it comes with a mirror as well as the brush. The brush is actually the perfect companion as it allows for more pigmentation than when I used my usual blush brush!

Overall: it's a gorgeous summer color to wear and now I use it daily.. however, it's not incredibly unique as I feel like I may have some similar colors... however, what does make this product unique is the smell! With the smell and the ease of the packaging, it definitely is a wonderful product to bring along with you!!!

You can purchase this product for $29 from Sephora, Ulta, Benefit, or wherever Benefit Cosmetics is sold! :)

ftc. PR sent this to me for review. Thank you!

Read more >>

Becca Sunlit Bronzers Swatches and Review

Oh Becca - always blowing me out of the water! :) I already love their blushes and highlighters so much... so it wasn't a surprise that I'm obsessed with their bronzers as well! 

According to the Becca website, their new Sunlit Bronzers are 

Inspired by sun-drenched destinations, Sunlit Bronzer is like a day at the beach without ever having to step foot in the sand.

It comes in five gorgeous shades that fit different skin tones. 

From lightest to darkest they have:
Bali Sands: soft golden-beige to give warmth to fair skin tones 

Capri Coast: warm golden-brown for light to medium skin tones

Bronzed Bondi: Medium amber for medium skin tones 

Ipanema Sun: Medium Auburn brown for medium to dark skin tones 

Maui Nights: Ultra rich Sienna Kissed bronze for deep skin tones 

Here are swatches of each shade: 

In direct sunlight - top to bottom: bali sands, capri coast, bronzed bondi, ipanema sun, maui nights

Outdoor, in shade - top to bottom: bali sands, capri coast, bronzed bondi, ipanema sun, maui nights

Color: I love these because they all kind of run in the golden family (except Maui Nights looks a bit more reddish). However I do think they really would fit most ranges of skin tones. I work best with Capri Coast, but could also use Bronzed Bondi if I wanted a more done up look. Because I have the whole range, I decided to play with some of the deeper shades... and although Maui Nights is very red - I used it very lightly on my face as a bronzer-blush and it was GORGEOUS! :) 

Texture: Like most other Becca products, these bronzers are extremely milled and apply beautifully. They are buildable since first application was a bit more sheer. They also have slight shimmer but it isn't so noticeable until you are in the sunlight - when you look so golden! (I love it!) 

Longevity: with a primer and foundation, it lasts nearly all day. By the end of the night, even though it has worn off a bit, the color is still there. 

Overall: I'm really loving this. Although its not incredibly unique, I love how becca products are very consistently great for me - they are long lasting, finely milled, don't irritate my skin and have the perfect amount of shimmer for a 'sunlit glow' :) 

These are available for $38 each at ulta, beccacosmetics.com and sephora.com

Read more >>