Clarisonic Mia Review (Pink)

Alright guys, I did it. I bought a Clarisonic. I purchased the Clarisonic Mia in pink at Ulta ($119, I know, pricey). I originally went there for the purple one but they did not have one and I didn't want to go through the trouble of hunting a purple one down so I purchased the pink. Anyway, I purchased the Mia and not the Mia 2 because I'm a poor college student and I did not think I needed the two different speeds. Although if I had the extra cash, I would have gone with the Mia 2 because I usually like to have the latest and greatest. Plus, they have some bright fun colors and the pulse vibrates every time you are supposed to move to a different part of your face.
I have acne prone skin as well as extremely sensitive skin. I am on accutane at the moment but consulted my dermatologist and she gave me the okay and told me only to use it once or twice a week. I wanted something that would clean a little deeper than just washing my face with my hands. I had some acne scars and redness that I was hoping the Clarisonic would help with.
Anyway, here are some of the pictures I took. The Mia comes with a sensitive brush and a small face cleaner that I haven't used yet because I am only using what my dermatologist recommends.

The charger is interesting. It plugs into the wall like normal but the part you attach to the unit is magnetic. It takes about 24 hours to charge but the charge lasts for a while. I have only recharged mine once and I have have it for a little over a month now.
I have been loving my Clarisonic. My face is softer and smoother. I also think it helped diminish my acne scars. As far as reducing pores goes, I did not see much of a difference. I'm only 22 so I don't have any fine lines of wrinkles but the product claims to reduce the appearance of both. If you can swing the big price tag on this product I would most definitely recommend it. I feel like it does a great job of cleaning my face and getting all the dirt and makeup off before I go to bed. If you do not have sensitive skin you can use this product everyday. For those with sensitive skin I suggest using it every other day or once of twice a week.
Please feel free to comment below on your thoughts about the Clarisonic! :) Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

NYX Stick Blush

Hello again!

An Ulta store recently opened up near my house so needless to say I have been making daily trips there! I have never tried NYX products before so I have slowly been picking up products to try.

I recently picked up their stick blush. I have been looking for a nice cream blush and I thought the stick feature would be fairly convenient. I was relatively inexpensive, around 4 to 5 dollars I think. I picked up the shade 07 "Water Lily". It is a dark plumy rose color.

Swatched:

I love the pigmentation of this product and I really like the color. However, it is very difficult to blend. It is almost impossible to blend with your fingers so I have been using an ELF blush brush pictured below. I streak the product on my cheeks and the blend with the brush. It gives a really nice natural finish and I find myself using this blush almost daily. For the price I think the quality is great and it does last all day. 

As far as the brush goes, I think it is too hard for powder blush, I think the blush would go on too heavy. However, it works perfectly for this blush! I would definitely recommend this product!

Bella Beauty makeup sponge

Happy Monday! Today I have a review on a product I picked up at random from TJMaxx. I have heard all the rave reviews about the BeautyBlender but let's be real here, I am not spending $20 on a makeup sponge. I just won't do it. When I saw this Bella Beauty sponge for $4.99 at TJMaxx I figured it was worth a try. I cannot compare the Bella Beauty sponge to the BeautyBlender as I have not tried the BeautyBlender before, but I can tell you my impressions of the Bella's makeup sponge. Here is a look at the packaging:

They came in a multitude of colors including blue, green, yellow and pink. The packaging is cute and convenient. As you can see in the picture the sponge is latex-free and hypoallergenic. I have sensitive skin so it is always great when I can find a product that is hypoallergenic. I searched to see if I could find this sponge online but I could not even seem to find a website for Bella Beauty. If you find the website be sure to let us know in the comments below!

Here is a picture of the sponge out of the package. I picked up two, one in pink and one in blue. Here is a photo of the pink sponge:

Here is a picture of the sponge in my hand so you can get a feel for the size, I have normal to small hands.

Ok, now that all the technical things are out of the way lets get to the review/first impressions. I like this sponge very much. It gets about twice its size when wet. The wetter the sponge the more sheer the coverage you are going to get. I like a medium coverage so I ring out most of the water from the sponge before I apply my foundation. I have used both drugstore and higher end foundation with this sponge and both worked out well. I like the look the sponge application gives to my face, more of an airbrushed look. It is easy to blend. Although the point at the top is convenient I don't find myself using it as much as the bottom end. I dot my foundation onto the face and blend it in with the sponge. 

I would give this sponge an 8.5 out of ten. Keep in mind I have nothing to compare it to, but for me it works just fine. No need for a $20 sponge here. I can buy four of these for one BeautyBlender. I do have one complaint. The sponge does get stained pretty quickly. I know they all do but the perfectionist in me comes out and it drives me insane but that does not affect performance. It is relatively easy to clean. They recommend if you use it every day to clean it once a week. I find myself giving it a good cleaning every other day because I'm a clean freak. The packaging suggests using your face cleanser, baby shampoo or a mild soap. I use my Neutrogena sensitive face cleanser to clean it and it works just fine. 

I hope this review helps! If you are looking for these sponges I have seen them in both Marshall's and TJMaxx! :) Have a wonderful week and happy makeup-ing!

Covergirl lipperfection jumbo gloss balm

My first product review! I picked up three of these covergirl jumbo gloss balms at my local Walmart. They were $6.94, much cheaper than at CVS. Little fact I learned this weekend, you CAN return used cosmetics to Walmart as long as you still have to receipt! For years I thought they would not accept them so I was glad to hear that I could return the color 205 "ballet twist". I did not swatch it but I will tell you why I did not care for it. The color appeared very satin-y when applied to my lips. I prefer a matte or slight glossy finish in my lip products, I just can't do satin.

The three colors I do have swatched are 210 "blush twist, 215 "watermelon twist" and 235 "coral twist". I love the formula of these gloss balm. I get great color payoff from the watermelon and coral twist. I do not love the blush twist, I might exchange it. The color gives off a slight satin finish similar to the "ballet twist". I'm not a lipstick gal, mostly because I can't really wear it on a daily basis. I go to college so I am going to class ever day. Wearing lipstick is a little too much so I prefer something I little more casual and easy to apply, something I can throw in my backpack and apply without a mirror if need be. So, without further adieux here are swatches of the three colors I own and a picture of the packaging. The only problem I have with the packaging is that they do not include the name of the color on the bottom, just the number. I find it easier to remember a name instead of a number when I am looking to repurchase the color. So a word of advise, remember the name of the color you are purchasing!

From top the bottom, 210 "blush twist", 215 "watermelon twist", and 235 "coral twist". I know I am not the best photographer but I'm working on it! 

Here is a picture of the packing, this is in 235 "coral twist".

If you have tried this product and have any thoughts about them let me know down in the comments, thanks for reading and I hope I gave you a little insight on this product!

Hello!

Hello! This is my first blog post ever! I am so excited to share my random thoughts and opinions on all things makeup, fashion and beauty! My posts will range from reviews to first impressions. I will try and always take pictures and swatch products for you! :) A little about me, I am a senior in college and about to graduate and enter the real world..yikes. I will graduate with a bachelors degree in accounting. I love all things makeup and I wanted to start to share my opinions on new products (some old too)! Thanks so much for visiting and I hope you enjoy!!

*Caveat: I am in no way, shape, or form an expert. I like makeup and it has become somewhat of a hobby. These posts are only my thoughts and opinions and should be taken with a grain of salt.