December 2010 Top 5 Favorites + Review: SkinFood Red Ginseng Repairing Toner

Omg 5 days till Christmas!  Time for mistletoe kisses, wrapping presents, writing cards, and a monthly  Top 5 favorites video!  I was a little schizophrenic between just "going over" products and "reviewing" products.  The concept of just talking about a product without reviewing it confuses me a little....

Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel
Purchased at: Sephora

I feel that it's gentle yet very effective at cleaning off my face makeup (not eye makeup).  I wear BBcream, sometimes concealer, and some kind of setting powder everyday and this gets everything off without me having to scrub at my face.  I wet my face with warm water, massage one pump all over my face, brush my teeth (I do this b/c I feel like it gives the cleanser time to soak in), then rinse with cold water.  This is a makeup remover and cleanser so it saves me the trouble of doing a two-step process (makeup remover wash then cleanser).  I like that it leaves no residue, seems very gentle, yet leaves my skin feeling clean.  No breakouts.   Bottle is pretty small though....ok, I need to stop, I'll cover the rest later.

Will do an in-depth review later.

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask
Purchased at: Sephora

I picked this up b/c Fuzkittie loves this mask xD   However, she recently said that it's not supposed to remove black/whiteheads, just refine and luminize skin.   However, for me, this does remove whiteheads...I will post pics of this on my in-depth review later.  Personally, this mask removes almost all of my whiteheads and many blackheads as well.  It is a very powerful mask though and you should not use this if you have open sores/lesions or popped/healing acne on your face.   I feel that this mask really helps my skin turnover and I will definitely agree that this mask refines and luminizes your face.  The texture of my skin has really improved in the 5 weeks I've been using this (have used 4x so far).   You must moisturize like a mofo afterwards though, especially since it's winter, or else you'll end up as dry as the Sahara.

Will do an in-depth review later.

Skinfood Red Ginseng Repairing Toner

Purchased at: Sasa

Description: Skin Food Red Ginseng Repairing Toner is enriched with nutrients from red ginseng and royal jelly extract. This toner with oriental medicine moisturizes and nourishes skin, making it moist and smooth.

Beneficial Ingredients (from video):

Ginseng
- Revitalizes skin cells.
- Helps skin circulation = reduces fine lines and makes skin firmer.
- Adaptogen: helps the skin adjust to stress.

Royal Jelly
- Healing, moisturizing.
- Antibacterial: effective for eczema, neurodermatitis, & impetigo.
- Restores proper pH balance.
- Contains amino acid (collagen building block) helps eliminate age spots and wrinkles.

I ended up pretty much reviewing this in the video so I guess this will be my official review of this toner :\  That said, I really like this toner!   Unlike the Skinfood Peach Sake Toner, which is infinitely more popular (no doubt because of its delectable scent), this one actually seems to work!   To quickly summarize, here's my pros/cons list from the video:

Good:
- Skin seems much healthier, plumper.
- Does not dry my skin out.
- No oily or sticky residue.
- A little goes a long way.
- Absorbs quickly.
- Very reasonable cost.

Bad:
- Honey-like consistency makes toner hard to get out of bottle.
- Herbal ginseng scent may be very off-putting (I got used to it).

Royal jelly and ginseng has always traditionally been known to be great for skin, but I've always associated both with *ahem* old ladies because the ginseng smell is so herbal and lots of older ladies in Korea use royal jelly.   But I picked this up anyway since it said this is a "repairing" toner and I am always on the hunt for something to help my scars and the texture of my skin.   I haven't been using this long enough to comment on whether it helps heal old scars, but my skin has definitely gotten plumper and seems healthier somehow. I am going to say I've recently been using a lot of face masks too, so they definitely aided the effect.  Regardless, I haven't broken out at all from this toner and my face really took to this like a fish to water.  I used it for a week before I started using sheet masks regularly and I felt like my skin was plumping out ever so slightly and it just felt refreshed - like my face could breathe all of sudden.   Also, toners are notoriously drying but this one is not at all.  It's not moisturizing per se but it definitely is not as drying as witchhazel or the Peach Sake toner.  Perhaps because of the honey-like consistency?

Like I said, this toner is a real pain in the ass to get out of the bottle; I've tried prying the plastic top off, but haven't been able to manage.  I guess that's alright though since too much would come out at once then, I only need 3-4 drop to cover my whole face anyway.  I don't use a cotton ball for toners btw, I just shake the bottle over my face and spread the droplets that land.  I feel like using a cotton ball soaks up too much toner and wipes off rather than applies :\  The scent is ginseng and pretty strong.  I found it very off-putting at first but I've gotten used to it really fast.  One you put it on your face, there's no scent anyway.  I put this toner on right after I wash my face or after a sheet mask.

I would highly recommend this to people with sensitive skin who have always found toners either too harsh, drying, or completely ineffective.   This is truly a rather unusual toner and at $10.10, it wouldn't hurt to try.  And if you like it, this bottle is gonna last you awhile. I've been using this toner for several weeks and it still looks like I haven't used any :} The fact that it's hard to get out of the bottle probably helps me limit how much I'm using at once too ^_^  Also while the scent is quite herbal, I promise that it doesn't linger on your face and you will get used to it surprisingly quickly.  

R&R Contrived Blush in X-rated
Purchased at: Official R&R website (how to order)

There are about a million swatches of this so I'm not going to bother.  Overall, it's just a luscious matte berry with cool fuchsia undertones - perfect for a holiday look.   I've seriously been using this blush everyday since the day I got it.  X-rated and Foreplay are hands down the best fall/winter blush colors ever.

NYX Round Lipstick in Pumpkin Pie
Purchased at: Cherry Culture

Although my initial review of this color was lukewarm, I have really fallen in love with this color.  It's my second favorite NYX color after Circe.  I never thought an orange-tinted l/s would work on me but...damn.  This color is understated, yet not quite a nude lip, and markedly trendy since it has a rather unusual orange-rose hue.  The texture is creamy and leaves a glossy sheen.  Goes well with both dramatic and simple eye looks.

My favorite look these days are understated e/s with a semi-dramatic wing, berry-colored cheeks, and Pumpkin Pie on the lips.  I feel that it's holiday-ish without being the typical bronze/gold eyes + pink cheeks + berry lips look.   It looks more natural, is easier to put on, and it looks like your cheeks are flushed from playing in the snow ^_^ Downside is that it wears off pretty quickly since it's creamy :P But it's moisturizing, which is vital for the winter months :D!

I still want to try NYX Orange Soda (still OOS on CC), which I hear is a lighter version of Pumpkin Pie though :)

Review: Rock & Republic Contrived Pressed Blushes

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and enjoyed shopping on Black Friday ^_^  I hauled quite a bit over the weekend and once everything comes in I'll be reviewing them :)  Related to this post is that R&R restocked their cosmetics, namely their famous blushes this weekend (Sales post)!  The 50% cosmetics coupon code (ROCKCOSMETICS) is still working even if it's not being advertised.

Also if you didn't know already, R&R is phasing these blushes out (arghhh!) so there will be less and less colors available each time they restock (aka they're just clearing inventory now...and I couldn't get Bedroom darn it).  Very popular colors like Call Me, Spank, and Kinky are already hard to come by (the former is no longer in even stocked).  So if you want any R&R blushes that are still available (a few choice colors, Tease and X-rated are still available), you should get them now.  Rumor has it that R&R is planning on debuting a new series of blush colors (yes!!!), which is why they are trying to get rid of all the current colors they have.  I don't know if it's true they're debuting a new set of blush colors but it has been confirmed that the current blush colors are being phased out, period.  Just wanted to let you guys know :\

Say hello to my babies!!  Who does not love these?  I don't think I've read a single bad review about the famous Rock & Republic blushes, honestly.  I've been sampling these for the past few weeks and I must say, these puppies have not disappointed me at all.  They are all very finely milled, richly pigmented, and blend like a charm.   Each blush comes with a plastic slip so the powder won't get all over the mirror in case you're wondering what the round things are ^^  I got 2 of these from Beauty Ticket ($20/each) and 2 from the Official R&R online store ($8/each, read post).

The packaging is super luxurious (R&R's trademark) with mirror-like undersides and heavily embossed lids.   Everything is just so reflective (even the cardboard case!). I adore the attention to detail from the labeled stickers to the textured pattern on the inside of the round boxes. They all close with magnetic closures.

All these blushes are very pigmented, do not streak nor oxidize (change color on your face) and have minimal fallout.  These colors are build-able and it is possible to achieve a sheer blush - just use a very, very light hand.  I won't repeat this again to avoid redundancy.

Foreplay - a matte tan.  It looked very unassuming in the pan and in swatches but it turns a gorgeous peachy coral on me.  I didn't like this color at first but now it's my favorite!  To me it's the perfect Autumn blush - it adds just a touch of color.  I'd say you have put this on your face to know how wearable it can be.  I think this would look best on paler skin colors though.  I'm wearing this blush color here and here.

Tease - my 2nd favorite blush color.  It's a lovely matte pink-lilac with cool undertones.  I can't confirm this because I don't own the MAC Briar Rose (Venomous Villain collection) but Tease looks like a dupe of that color - both are delicate lilacs.   This was initially my favorite but Foreplay usurped it just because I'm going through a peachy-coral phase right now.  Mara has a good pic that shows what Tease look like here.

Kinky - a matte bright pink with a cool undertone.  I think this will be great for spring/summer, especially since hot pink will be "in" Spring/Summer 2011.  It's a great vibrant color but it's a bit bright for Fall/Winter, which is the only reason I haven't used it much.

All Nighter - an orange blush with gold sparkles.  Since the gold sparkles are very fine, it turns out as a beautiful gold sheen.  I think this color is so underrated and that people are afraid to wear it because of it's odd color.  If you use a very light hand I think this would be beautiful for summer.  I do happen to think this would be a bit more flattering on tanner skin colors though (but I'm not sure).  When the warmer months roll around I shall be experimenting with this!  To see All-Nighter on a face go here.

And for a look at the sparkles/sheen....just look at the golden sheen on All Nighter! Beautiful!  Foreplay and Tease look pretty hideous as finger swatches (mostly because my fingers are really dry) but they are much more accurately represented in the arm swatches above.

Price can't be beat if you pick these up on sale, quality is solid, packaging is impeccable.....and I've said enough compliments about these.  Now for some nit-picks: you get a ton of product and the packaging is very nice but that makes them very bulky and a definite no when it comes to portablity.    Whatever, this thing is too pretty to keep in a purse anyway - although I wouldn't mind pulling one of these beauties out in a subway just to see everyone's faces ;) Lastly, due to the rich pigmentation, some people, especially those trying these for the first time could find some of the brighter colors tricky to use.  It's very easy to apply too much blush so err on the conservative side when putting these on.  You really need the lightest amount on your brush, you should barely be able to see the blush flecks on your brush.

For the most amazing collection of R&R blushes and shadows go to KarlaSugar.

Overall
These blushes are a steal whether you buy them for $20 or $8.  They come with enough product to last a lifetime (and 2x the amount of NARS blushes) and are of amazing quality.   I highly, highly recommend you try these out - you won't regret it.

The most popular color is Call Me (NARS Orgasm dupe supposedly, a color I find to be rather overrated honestly).   I personally recommend Foreplay and Tease.  I also picked up X-rated this weekend because I could no longer resist the berry color ^_^ It'd be perfect for winter!

Review: NARS Orgasm Lust Lip and Cheek Set (Orgasm blush, Laguna bronzer and Super Orgasm lipgloss)

This was my most anticipated product from my Sephora F&F Haul.  I have been on the hunt for a nice contouring color forever and have yet to find The One but I read a lot of rave reviews about the NARS Laguna bronzer.  So I was determined to try it as a contouring color when I saw the NARS mini-set.

Packaging
Everything came wrapped in black tissue paper in the red box (above).   My first impression of the duo was....damn this is small, it's barely the size of my palm.  Nonetheless, it's a great portable size.  The lipgloss packaging is nothing amazing but nothing to complain about either.  The blush/bronzer packaging is very simple and elegant - signature NARS.  But I did hear if you so much as get one dirty fingerprint on the black, faux leather-y? covering, it shows up like none other - not a big deal tho.  The duo also comes with a slip of clear plastic with NARS written on it, it's not printed on the mirror.   Overall, everything is a nice easy-to-carry size.

Sorry for the terrible closeup :P but this is a pretty accurate look at the way the colors shimmer.  The blush is pink with a gold shimmer and the bronzer is a nice toasty brown with a gold shimmer.  Since I swiped it with my fingers, the colors look a lot more pigmented than they would be on your face.

Colors
Orgasm Blush - peachy pink with a gold shimmer
Laguna Bronzer - sheer light brown with a gold shimmer
Super Orgasm Lipgloss - peachy pink with gold glitter

These are accurate descriptions of the colors and they aren't particularly that pigmented (unlike the R&R blushes).  This is not a bad thing, especially with the bronzer since it's more natural looking to "build" a contour.

Orgasm Blush
It's not 'that' pigmented but there is minimal fallout and no streakiness at all.  It does last all day and I imagine this color would be flattering on many skin tones (which is probably why it's so hyped).   It's a very wearable, truly an everyday color even with the gold flecks.  I've been hearing a few complaints about the size of the gold flecks being too much for an everyday look - I'd semi-agree.  The gold flecks don't bother me as much as the general....typical-ness of the color.  I'm probably going to differ from a lot of people when I say this....but I honestly don't get the hype.  A full sized blush is $30 - I would take an R&R blush or even a NYX Mosaic blush over this any day. I mean yeah, it's a lovely delicate peach glow but I think you can find comparable colors for cheaper.

Overall - It's a nice color but seriously, it's over-hyped.  Give it a try in-stores and buy it if it's just perfect on you but I hardly think this is worth $30.   Your money would be better spent on NYX and R&R blushes. I don't regret the opportunity I had to try it though.

Laguna Bronzer
Ahh...the whole reason behind this purchase.  It's a sheer, blendable color - EXCELLENT.  I think sheer-ness is good in a bronzer because it allows you to control how 'dark' you want to contour.  It is also quite flattering on my cool-toned face.  There is a slight gold shimmer; initially, I wanted a matte bronzer so it'd look more natural but this shimmer is subtle enough.   Actually I like the subtle shimmer now, since I think it adds a dimension to my face.  I'd venture to say only younger people can get away with shimmer-y contouring colors though (but don't quote me on that).  Also there is no streakiness and most importantly, it does not oxidize into orange on my face! *cough*Neutrogena*cough*  I wish the little rectangle was bigger, sometimes I accidentally pick up some of the blush color on my brush since the pans are so small :(  it's not a huge deal though since the blush isn't pigmented enough to interfere with the color too much.

I think good contouring colors are much harder to find than good highlighters so I would certainly be willing to spend $30 for the full size.  I am very fond of how it's hard to add too much of this color since it's sheer - it's an important quality since contouring can be harder to apply properly and really make or break a look.  Again, since this is a sheer color I can also certainly see this being used as an actual bronzer - the gold shimmer would really add a nice sun-kissed glow to your face.

Overall - I haven't used it long enough for it to be a HG item yet but it is indeed looking very promising!  If I still like this or haven't found anything better after I'm done with this duo, I will definitely get the full size, $30 or not.   I would recommend this for people looking for an easy to apply contouring color (or bronzer).

No flash, no chapstick or base color.

Super Orgasm Lipgloss
A very nice portable size and comes with a doe foot applicator.  I wouldn't say it's the most unusual, un-dupable color around but it's a very flattering light pink.  Click to make the pic bigger and see the gold flecks.   This doesn't dry out my lips and it's decently moisturizing.  There is a slight plastic-y smell but it's very, very mild and has no taste (thankfully).  The only real downside I can think of is that this gloss is ever-so-slightly sticky.   I'm very picky about stickiness though so this may not bother some people.  It can be worn alone but it would make an excellent topper too.  You can't go wrong with this color (it's sheer enough to go with many face tones) and while I would never purchase the full size for $24, I'm very glad to have such nice everyday gloss to keep in my purse.

Overall on the NARS Orgasm Lust Lip and Cheek Set
I think $30 is worth spending to try out some of the most arguably popular colors in the NARS collection. I also like how everything is perfectly travel size.  I could live without the Orgasm blush - I wish this set was just all bronzer and the lip gloss.  The lip gloss is nice but I'd prolly never buy the full size, same with the Orgasm blush.  The NARS Laguna bronzer is probably the only thing I'd consider buying the full size of.  Overall, everything was nice quality and I don't regret this purchase at all.

Review: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Custom Glow Blush & Bronzer Duo

I've been wanting to do this review for awhile now because I was so miffed about it :P  Anyway I bought this about early September in Raisin Glow 50.  I didn't care so much about the blush color, I just was looking for a nice bronzer for contouring, so I got a darker duo than I normally would've chosen. 

The packaging isn't bad; it's quite hefty and sturdy.  It comes with a brush, which I used several times and can conclusively say is a cheap piece o' shite.  It's machine cut (aka jagged edges) and the bristles having been falling out since Day 1.  Another design flaw is that since the blush is right next to the bronzer, the fallout from the blush tends to migrate over to the bronzer side.  This wouldn't be a problem if say, the blush weren't so dark or if there wasn't so much blush fallout.

The swatches I took turned out badly so I didn't include them. I would say the color you see is what you get on your face (at least for the first five minutes...).

Good:
- very pigmented (the blush is actually more pigmented than the bronzer I think)
- it is indeed "lightweight and velvety" as written on packaging
- bronzer doesn't have much fallout
- a little goes a long way
- the micro-glitters are quite pretty

Bad:
- blush is so pigmented that when it shifts over to bronzer side it messes the color up
- blush has a lot of fallout
- the brush that comes with this duo is awful
- bronzer oxidizes orange on your face
- bronzer turns very streaky over time

The last bit is why I especially hate this duo and had to return it.  When I put the bronzer on my face it's not powdery but still streaks a bit.  I could live with a bit of streaking except that if I sweat even a little, the bronzer's streakiness goes from bad to terrible and turns orange.   I never noticed how awful the affect was until I took some pictures on Halloween.  I mentioned in my American McGee Alice makeup tutorial that I didn't get to take a lot of closeups of my face....well this is the reason why:

LT: No flash.     RT: Flash.

WTF is that?! It looks terrible in both - even Po'shop can't save this mess.  This is less than one hour after I put on my makeup.  All I'd done was run outside for maybe 1/2 an hour to take a picture in the woods and come back in to take close up shots...and FYI, it'd been a cool day so I don't even think I sweat very much (if at all).  Needless to say after I examined the closeups I was pissed off enough to return the duo the next day.

Overall
I do not recommend this duo.  It was pretty expensive to me ($10.77 at Walmart), the bronzer awful, the brush useless and the blush had too much fallout.

Review: NYX Product Reviews

Now for more reviews ^_^ This time from a couple NYX stuff I picked up from Cherry Culture.  Cherry Culture is pretty much the place to get NYX products; I've compared prices left and right - at Ulta, Ebay, various drugstores - CC hands down has the best prices.  Shipping isn't even much of an issue because it's always free shipping when you spend $40+.  Ulta in my area particularly jacks up the prices of NYX single shadows and round lipsticks and NYX is not carried at Walmart here. So yeah, online is really the place to get NYX for me.  The stuff came well packaged and within a week of ordering + detailed receipt.

If I recall correctly I got these all on Final Sale so they were cheaper than usual. For example, the famous NYX Round Lipsticks are usually $3.50 and I snagged em for $2.50 :D  All of these NYX items are still on sale (in the Sale section) so grab them now (esp the Round lipsticks)~!  I've heard some people have gotten these for as low as $1.75 but either way it's an amazing bargain.   NYX is known for their Round Lipsticks and Single Eye Shadows, so those are items you should definitely try if you're thinking about trying NYX stuff.

Everything was in bubble wrap but what I really like is how they put the concealer in a separate pouch in case it breaks or something.  Attention to details like that always impresses me. Neway,  I've put swatches of everything up here except the concealer, I still need to take pics of how it covers blemishes~   And I have yet to try on the lashes but they're pretty cute yeah ;)? I'll review them properly another time.

NYX Fabulous Eye Lashes - $4.00

Option 121.

Option 114.

The look real nice but let's see if these really last 10 uses ;) Sample pics online are exactly what you get.

NYX Single Eye Shadows - $3.99

Extreme Apricot, Blue Marine

I only bought two so I could see what the hype was all about before a bigger investment.  The camera really captures the exact color of Extreme Apricot in this pic I think, hopefully individual monitor colors aren't too far off.  On the left is a matte red-orange, truly exquisite.  The color is rich and exactly red-orange. Love it.  Very smooth and no fallout.  Blue Marine is supposed to be a matte color too but I swear it has light sparkles and a slightly frosty finish I think. Blue Marine also has a bit of fallout and is less smooth on application than the apricot. Overall, great pigmentation and the color pay off is worth the price tag.

I don't have a particular reason I picked these eyeshadows, I just really like blues and that apricot color looked unusual. I mainly picked these up to see what all the hype about these shadows were.  I'll definitely be picking more up, these were quite good, especially the matte colors.  NYX has a great range of single shadows so I look forward to exploring more of the unusual colors.

NYX Rouge Cream Blush - $6.00

This is my first cream blush -- I've been dying to try out Canmake Cream Blushes but I've heard good things about NYX Cream Blushes so I decided to try this out and it looked quite similar to Canmake's.  I don't regret it, this blush is super creamy and pigmented.  My swatch is obviously a lot darker than how you'd apply it on your cheeks - the actually color you'd get on your cheeks is like the top part of the swatch where it fades out. I only took one pic because it captures just how the blush looks in room lighting.  Rose Petal is among the more popular colors for this blush and I can see why, it's a very wearable color indeed.  It's got a peach-pink glow and while it looks more brownish in the pan it's a lovely peach pink on your face.  Cream blushes are said to be more natural and give a delicate lit-from-within glow powder blushes just don't give and I would say that's true.  There are no sparkles and it just settles into my skin into a subtle healthy flush - very natural.  It looks like I just came in from a quick jog :)  A good first cream blush and it's decent size too.

I applied this onto my face with my fingers the first time *yuck* cuz I didn't have any sponges and it was a bit difficult to get an even application. So def use a sponge or something when using this.  I know many people use their fingers with cream blushes but it's really unhygienic in my view and since cream blushes do "dry" fairly quickly, if you don't blend fast you'll end up with splotches.

NYX Mosaic Powder - $6.75

A super popular blush color and understandably so.  This is a very wearable peach color; it creates a very natural nude peach glow.  It's gorgeous in the pan and well-milled.  No fallout from the glitter and application is smooth.  The colors mixed together are really lovely, it creates a beautiful shimmery peach glow. It's more peachy than the cream blush above.  One thing that occurred to me looking at the single swatches is that I want to use the gold-bronze in the lower left as an eye shadow ^^  This has less color payout than the cream blush but I like it that way, I prefer to build colors slowly rather than struggling not to splotch my face with too much color.  This is a really nice blush and the color's lovely - I'd say it's worth the money.

NYX Round Lipsticks - $2.50

As usual I saved the best for last - SUCH a steal and the quality is eye popping! Packaging isn't "high end" but it's definitely sturdy and does not feel cheap - it has a nice heft and I like the peep of color on the bottom of the tube.

The color payoff is amazing, application is silky smooth, it does not sink into cracks and it does not smell.  I hate smelly lipsticks, it's the reason I dislike Revlon lipsticks (it smells SO strong and chemically to me) and the reason Maybelline lipsticks will never be an HG or favorite for me even though I use them often - I hate the fake wanna-be MAC vanilla smell. Actually, I don't even like the smell of MAC lipsticks even though it has a more "true" vanilla scent :\ To be honest, I believe that cheaper lipsticks tend to smell worse than high quality ones and so far, that has always held true for me.  Not NYX lipsticks though - I was so shocked!  Just a very light almost soapy-waxy scent; it's so faint I almost missed it.  I've read some reviews complaining about this but honestly, you literally have to stick this in your nose to smell it.

The color pigmentation is incredible, all these swatches are just one swipe:

Circe - perfect nude lip color for me. Has a distinct yellow undertone; I really recommend this for cool toned Asians looking for a perfectly nude lipstick.   I have pretty pigmented lips and this covers it very well. I heard this color does not go with warm-toned people though but for NC15-20s (which I am), I think this is very suitable. This is already my go-to nude lip color.

Rea - The color outright looks awful on me, way too brownish-grey :\  ...it makes me look...old O_o It also has a faint purple flash and it makes me look a bit bruised and unhealthy. I do not recommend cool toned people to get this at all.  You will look like you smeared mud on your lips :( Great for a zombie look I suppose. Don't get me wrong, this lipstick is great, just a terrible color choice on my part. Do not recommend for NC15-20s.  This only has a 52% Buy Again and a 3.5 on Makeup Alley, which I think demonstrates what a tricky and unflattering color this can be :\

Thalia - a matte dusty rose color.  I really liked it as a swatch and in the tube but it has a warm brown undertint that makes this rather unflattering on me :\  It also looks kind of purple when it's on my lips.  This color truly does not match my complexion and it would look a lot better on non-pale people I think. For me, this is another "zombie" lipstick -_- Do not recommend for NC15-20s.

Doll - it looks very pink in the swatch but it really is more of a berry (reddish-pink, more red) color with a purple undertone.  This color is strangely harsh on me; it looked like a nice pink in a swatch and in the tube but it turns into a deep plum red on my lips.  It's a bit much to wear to work but it's a great winter color fo' sho'.  It's truly a warm berry tone, rich and pigmented.  I can totally see this paired with gold/bronze eyeshadow + cat-eye for a Christmas party or something ^_^ It may be a hint too warm for my skintone but I'm going to try and work it ^^;;  Nonetheless, I do not particularly recommend this lipstick for NC15-20s.

Snow White - a classic red with a blue flash.  Love it! The blue flash makes your teeth look super white and it really suits my cool toned skin ^^ I'm glad I bought this cuz everyone needs one perfect red lipstick right ;)? I highly recommend this for cool-toned people since warm-tones look better with red lipsticks with an orange flash (see below).

Tangent: I recently returned Maybelline's Color Sensation in Are You Red-dy.  It was red with an orange flash and let me tell you, it looked awful on me :\  I don't buy lipsticks too often and the ones I pick usually look decent on me (well, the lippies I pick in person, not online ^^;;) - but this is the first lipstick that legit looked BAD on me.  On camera and in real life.  It was just way too warm-toned for may face.  I'm sorry I didn't take swatch pics of this color but it was so awful I returned it before I remembered to take a swatch.  Cool-tones should try NYX's Snow White or any red lipstick with a blue flash.  Conversely, this leads me to highly recommend this to warm-toned people :D

For a ridiculous number of NYX Round Lipstick swatches go here.  From the colors I've seen, these are pretty accurate if a bit washed out and more glossy looking since she uses high flash.

FYI: The sample colors of these lipsticks on Cherry Culture are totally off.  If you're picking lipstick colors, google specific lipstick swatches because if you follow the sample colors on the site you're going to end up with something completely unexpected. I also heard NYX lipsticks melt very easily.

Overall
I can't stress how smooth and creamy the application of the lipsticks were.  I must say these have joined my HG list; Etude House lipsticks are still my favorite but those are very difficult to get in America and more expensive.  NYX is very accessible via CC in America and I can't believe these are only $2.50 each....they have a great range of colors too so I am sure everyone can find a color to suit themselves.  I 100% recommend these; of all the items reviewed here, these were the best.   The Extreme Apricot eye shadow was also really nice and the color is awesomely unusual, I haven't seen another color like it anywhere. 

For the other items I think you can find comparable blushes and the Blue Marine eye shadow else where.  They are all nice items and I don't regret buying them but I wouldn't say you're missing out on much if you don't get these. 

RESPONSE to Anonymous:

The staying power of NYX lipstick varies on the texture.  Very creamy NYX lipsticks like Circe and Pumpkin Pie are not long lasting, they come off after your eat/drink etc.  They are also nude lip colors, which is probably why they are less long lasting.  Overall, I'd say they last 3-4 hours.  More matte and darker lipstick colors like Doll and Snow White are more long lasting, they will fade but last through eating/drinking.  They leave a stain on your lips even if the actual color fades. Overall, they last a decent 6-8 hours.

Rock n Republic Contrived Pressed Blush for $8.00!!

Holy crap, these Rock n Republic Contrived Pressed Blushes are so friggin cheap right now! RnR is now having their own sale and all cosmetics are 50% off (use promo code ROCKCOSMETICS right before you click Confirm Order).  On top of that shipping is 0.99.

Also, if you want $25.00 off your first ($75+) purchase, just click here.  I DO NOT get the $25 referral bonus because this Friend Invite link has been used once already. Aka you will get the $25 off first-time buyer bonus, but I will not get $25 off my next purchase.   The reason I put the Friend Invite/referral link here anyway is because it's more convenient for you to be able to just click and join.  While it's nice getting a the $25 referral bonus, I think it's easier for y'all just to have a link available rather than me being all anal-retentive about referral bonuses.  However, if you do not mind waiting ^_^ I would very much appreciate it if you email me at insideoutelle@gmail.com and I will send you a Friend Invite as soon as I get it!  The Friend Invite email gives you $25 off your first purchase and $25 off my next purchase at no cost to you :)

Even if you missed the makeup you wanted today, the $25 off Friend Invite has no expiration date so it's nice to keep on hand for days like this when sales suddenly come up. They are also automatically applied to your first purchase (Reward Credit) so you can stack this with other coupon codes.  

Notice how the 50% discount is applied to the total order without the $25 Reward Credit to maximize your savings - crazy generous (or stupid) I don't know which ;)  This is actually SO MUCH BETTER than the Beauty Ticket Sale yesterday - I literally bought Foreplay and Tease for $8 each!  And I thought I got a deal getting blushes for $25.50 each from BT yesterday -_____- grrr~

Of the blushes available right now, I recommend Immoral, All Nighter, and X-rated because the swatches I've seen are really pretty.  The reason I didn't get these this time (I got All Nighter yesterday) is because I think I have quite enough blushes for now. Though next time I think I'm getting X-rated, Immoral and Call Me if it ever is in-stock.  I haven't tried other R&R cosmetics but I have heard that their lip glosses (regularly $26/each) are also really nice. I just forgot to add those because I got so excited over the blushes.  Colors are selling out like lightening, Call Me (NARS Orgasm dupe) was already OOS when I got on the site and Bedroom went OOS as I was paying -____- so grab them fast!

Here's Karla Sugar's amazing collection of R&R Swatches if you wanna take a peek at the colors.

Best Place to Buy R&R Blushes
R&R blushes are also often available on discount sites like HauteLook and being the psycho discount-hunter I am, here's my comparison of just about all main sources of R&R blushes to see who offers the best price.

HauteLook
HauteLook offers R&R Blushes (the last time I saw) for $19.99 and shipping is $5.95. Aka ~$26/blush.

Beauty Ticket
As you saw yesterday on Beauty Ticket, prices range from $23.99 to $19.99 with more popular colors like Kinky being more expensive.  Shipping is $6.95. Aka~$27-31/blush.  
EDIT: Actually, the prices are different because some of the blushes don't come with the circular box packaging.  I confirmed this when I received my BT order. This is particularly disgruntling since that means they charge $4 for the box -_-. One would think that the purchase would entail ALL the packaging or at least they should give you an option to choose. Given this is not a "big" deal because most people pitch the box anyway but I think the lack of a box should be noted in the product description.

Beauty Story
Last I saw, Beauty Story sells R&R blushes for $20.00 and shipping is a flat rate of $6.50. Aka $26.50/blush.

Official R&R site
Now though R&R cosmetics regular prices are way~ too high, they actually have these 50% off sales rather often; they actually had one back in September too. Also their shipping is always a flat 0.99 for regular shipping; it says .99 is for a "Limited Time Only" but it's been saying that for the past six months, I swear >_> so it's pretty much always available.  Also R&R usually has the most color options available if you catch the sale early enough and they usually restock right before a sale.

So even without a $25 off Friend Invite, you can get these blushes for $21/blush on the official website, which includes .99 S&H. So yep, for R&R Blushes, going to the source and waiting for a sale gets you the most color choices AND the best price.

Getting the Best Deal
So, the official R&R store being the best place to purchase, once you've gotten a hold of the Friend Discount, 0.99 shipping is available and a 50% off Sale is up, the best way to maximize the deal is actually to purchase two blushes.  You can't buy just one because for the $25 off to work your total (without the discounts) needs to be at least $75, a real trifle since that's just 2 blushes.

2 Blushes: (($40*2 blushes)* 50% Sale) - $25 FDiscount + .99 S&H = $15.99 = ~$8/blush
3 Blushes: (($40*3 blushes)* 50% Sale) - $25 FDiscount + .99 S&H = $35.99 = ~$12/blush
4 Blushes: (($40*4 blushes)* 50% Sale) - $25 FDiscount + .99 S&H = $55.99 = ~$14/blush
5 Blushes: (($40*5 blushes)* 50% Sale) - $25 FDiscount + .99 S&H = $75.99 = ~$15/blush
6 Blushes: (($40*6 blushes)* 50% Sale) - $25 FDiscount + .99 S&H = $95.99 = ~$16/blush
7 Blushes: (($40*7 blushes)* 50% Sale) - $25 FDiscount + .99 S&H = $115.99 = ~$16.57/blush
8 Blushes: (($40*8 blushes)* 50% Sale) - $25 FDiscount + .99 S&H = $135.99 = ~$17/blush

....and so on.  You can actually buy as many as 50 blushes and still be spending only $19.50/blush and that includes shipping.  If you want one of each, there's 12 shades total I believe. Yeahhh~

I probably come off as certifiably insane but I enjoy number crunching actually xD especially mindless calculations like these that lead to more makeup ;)