Lime Crime Velvetines and Jaclyn Hill's "1995"...Worth the Hype and Money??

Hola beauty lovers! :D

All of us are much too familiar with the annoying temptation to make last-minute splurges on all of the high-end beauty products shoved in our faces day after day. Each of us has our own weak spot when it comes to makeup, one of mine is DEFINITELY lip products. I'm a sucker for them and all their beauty... ): If you are a lip lover like I am, you understand. With all of those gorgeous lip products to tempt us, how do we know which ones are worth the big spend despite all the hype?

Well today I hope I can save some of you from the frustration a bit! I'm going to talk about two lip products that are fairly new and have become products plastered all over social media and being raved by many beauty gurus. That's great and all...until you see their price tags! Luckily, I was able to set aside some cash and found a way to get my hands on these puppies for you guys! >:] If you'd like to watch my YouTube video on these two products, I'll leave it just below this section before I get into my blog post. (:

LIP PRODUCT #1: 

Lime Crime Velvetine Lip in "Wicked"

Ahhh the Lime Crime Velvetines...probably one of the most frequently posted lip products on Instagram right now. My curiosity got to me and I HAD to buy it, especially since I'm the ultimate matte lip lover. This product is named "Velvetine" for good reason, they aren't messing around when they state that it is a long lasting MATTE lip product. 

The applicator is that of your average lip gloss, when first applied the product appears very glossy, then after a couple of minutes have passed the product dries and almost adheres to your lips, creating the most matte finish I have ever seen thus far. Not only does the product dry to be more matte than you could imagine, but it also manages to remain quite soft to the touch. However, don't get me wrong, this product will dry out your lips and look patchy after awhile if you do not exfoliate and heavily moisturize your lips beforehand. Although that is to be expected from such a strong matte product.

Along with this product's impressive application, the pigmentation is unbeatable! The color I purchased, "Wicked," is an extremely deep, dark red with a subtle plum/blue undertone (making your teeth look extra white, yeeeeaaa :D). One light layer of this product is more than enough, using too much may definitely cause the product to become patchy and extra drying on the lips. 

Another important thing to keep in mind regarding the Velvetine's pigmentation, it can be dangerous to work with! Since the color is so strong, one slip of this product outside your lips can become hard to get off. When you attempt to wipe the product off of your skin, the extremely high pigmentation causes an obvious stain from the product to be left behind. If the product has already dried before you attempt removing it...well, you're going to need a good makeup wipe, there is no other way to fully and evenly remove this product from the skin or the lips. Just be weary of this since you don't want to make a mess of the rest of your makeup! They advise that you do not need a lip liner with this product, but because of it's pigmentation and lasting power, it is cleaner for me to use a lip liner. The one I use is the MAC Lip Pencil in "Mahogany." Below I'll give you guys a couple pictures of the product. (:

Left: Lime Crime Velvetine "Wicked"

Right: MAC Lip Pencil "Mahogany"

Application of the Velvetine and MAC Lip Pencil after it has set to a matte finish.

Ahh yeeeaaa, workin' that Velvetine lip!!

Over all, I would say that the Velvetine is worth the high price tag of $20.00 each! Just because I have yet to discover any cheaper product that has the pigmentation, finish, and lasting power that comes close to comparing to this one. From the looks of it, these products should also last a long time considering how much you need everytime you use it. When I can, I definitely want to purchase another! :D

LIP PRODUCT #2:

Gerard Cosmetics "The Perfect Pair": By Jaclyn Hill

If you know beauty gurus then most likely you know Jaclyn Hill. Jaclyn Hill is probably one of the most professional makeup artists on YouTube right now, and inspiration from the oh-so-popular Kylie Jenner lip gave Jaclyn the inspiration to create this beautiful product!

Jaclyn Hill + Kylie Jenner Lip Dupe = Highly Requested Product. Therefore, I had to make this another expensive makeup treat at the top of my list. The lipstick she created in partnership with Gerard Cosmetics is named "1995," and is available as a pair with the Gerard Cosmetics Lip Gloss in "Nude," chosen by Jaclyn as the perfect partner for her lipstick.

Beginning with "1995," Jaclyn created one heck of a color! The pigmentation of the lipstick is gorgeous of course. One swipe and you've got plenty of color. However, figuring out how to identify the lip color is a whole different story. At first glance, this lip product appears to be a pretty brownish-pink shade, nothing too unique. Once you swatch it though...you can begin to notice the various undertones this lip product contains. When directly applied to the lips with no lip liner, the color appears fairly redding-pink. However, depending on what lip liner you choose, a different undertone can be brought out in the lipstick. For example, when I used the lipstick with MAC Lip Pencil in "Whirl," my lips appears to have a slight purple undertone topped with a slight brown-pink shade. When using the lipstick with my MAC Lip Pencil in "Mahogany," The lip stick appeared to be a strong brownish-red. The versatility of this lipstick's color is absolutely amazing and I can honestly say that I have NEVER encountered any color like it! It's flat out gorgeous and not overpowering.

Secondly, the consistency of the product is very ideal to me. No matter what lip products I try or how much I attempt to moisturize, most products leave my lips at least a bit flakey by the end of the day. I wore this product for two entire days and by the end of each day my lips were still soft and smooth to the touch. The GC Lip Gloss didn't dry my lips either. Both products are very creamy and comfortable to wear on the lips, unlike a product as matte and as dry as the Lime Crime Velvetines which can become a bit uncomfortable to wear after awhile. The creaminess of the lipstick also leaves behind a mixture of a matte and satin finish. It's not quite matte and has the slightest sheen to it without the lip gloss on top, which fits the lipstick well in my opinion.

As for the GC Lip Gloss in "Nude" that comes as the partner to Jaclyn Hill's "1995," I was pleasantly surprised with how well this lip gloss compliments the lipstick. Although I wouldn't necessarily consider the lip gloss to be worth such a high price (it's easily comparable to the Apocalyptic Lip Glosses by Rimmel London), it was definitely a nice addition. The gloss is what I would consider a Peachy-Apricot pink shade. Due to how much peachier and lighter the gloss is than the lipstick, it actually aids in adding dimension to your lips, creating that little extra OOMPH everybody wants in their pout. (: PLUS, the lip gloss packaging comes with two adorable little lights on the handle...which I was pretty fascinated by. Haha. Below I'll give you guys some pictures of these products as well. :D

Left: Jaclyn Hill Lipstick "1995"

Right: GC Lip Gloss "Nude"

Ain't that just a gorgeous color?? This is how it looks being worn with MAC Lip Pencil "Whirl." (:

Well that's all for today everyone! I really hope my review on these expensive babies helped you guys determine whether it's worth your money or not. (: Let me know what you thought if you have tried these or if there are possibly comparable products that I don't know about!

Much love,

Marisa (:

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INSTAGRAM: @misslebleu

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8 High End Products A Broke College Student Would Repurchase! (:

Holaaaa guys!(:


I apologize for not writing out a new blog post in a week, but I promise one is coming soon. (: I've just been working on launching my YouTube channel. I got my second video uploaded and ready to watch!!!(: 

I really hope this is helpful to any of you who are on a budget and don't know what high end products are worth your money! (: Please feel free to leave any comments, I would love to hear from you.


Much love,

Marisa (:

FIRST EVER YOUTUBE VIDEOS!!! :O

Hola beauty amigos!(:

I finally took the dive into the YouTube world! I have to admit, I'm pretty amateur but I hope you guys enjoy it. (: Feel free to call me a total newbie haha. Both videos are Part One and Part Two of my Favorite Foundations of the Drugstore. 

 FAVORITES OF THE DRUGSTORE PART ONE!

FAVORITES OF THE DRUGSTORE PART TWO!

I REALLLYYYY hope you guys enjoy it and PLEASE let me know what you think!(: If you liked it don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe. (:

Thank you soooooo much for any support! ADIOS! (:

Keep in touch with me:

INSTAGRAM: @misslebleu

TWITTER: @marisalebleu

Aquatic Seduction Eye Tutorial

Hola beauty amigosss! (:


Guess what time it is? 

That's right. It's time for my first ever eyeshadow tutorial on the photo above! Exciting isn't it? I know I was pretty excited to get this ready and posted for you guys. This summer I had a couple of makeup goals...1.) To begin playing with more color in my makeup looks. 2.) To improve in applying false eyelashes. This look covers both of those and I was actually extremely happy about the results and couldn't wait to share! The products in this post will be a mix of high end and drugstore. Although I only recently began purchasing higher end products, I never bought much drugstore eyeshadow, probably because I don't buy eyeshadow often. I apologize ahead of time if any of you are frustrated by my use of certain high end products, but trust me, they aren't necessary at all. (: Now I hope you enjoy this step-by-step tutorial I set up on this aquatic look and hope I inspire some of you to try on your own!! :D 


STEP ONE:

Just to let you guys know, I had already applied my foundation, concealer, setting powder, and set my brows before continuing. This order is my personal preference but definitely do whatever you're most comfortable with. (: 

First, I dab a very thin layer of my ELF Eyelid Primer (I have beyond oily eyelids and although I admit this isn't the best primer out there, for one dollar it is actually amazing). After doing that, I'm going to apply a minimal amount of NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in the shade "Milk."

The picture above shows you about how much to apply to the eyelid. There should be enough product on the eyelid to blend into a very thin layer upwards over the crease as well, as shown below. Using the shade "Milk" will actually work to enhance the pigments of whatever eyeshadow is being applied, perfect for bright colors especially. WARNING: Using too much product on the eyelid will end up increasing your chances of having creased eye makeup, so try your best to be careful with how much is being applied! As they always say, less is more.

STEP TWO:

Alright, now that your eyelids are ready for the fancy shmancy stuff, you're going to take Milani's Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow in "Bella Teal" and apply it only to the lid. 

My advice to you on this step would be to apply enough product to where the color is vibrant. However there's no need to pack it on during this stage since you will have to apply more later after finishing the rest of the eyeshadow and adding eyeliner, since the vibrancy of the teal eyeshadow may fade a bit after the look is almost finished.

STEP THREE:

Next up is...you guessed it! The crease! I tend to like adding the transition color into the crease before adding any darker eyeshadows into the mix, but again that's just how I do it, you don't have to. So what you'll do is take a warm, matte, light brown eyeshadow and blend it seamlessly into the crease and take the color up a bit further. This color should not be highly concentrated in the crease, it should fade up towards the brow bone while still leaving plenty of room for a highlight shade. 

I went ahead and used "Buck" from the Urban Decay Naked Palette for this step along with a simple Blending Brush (purchased from CVS too long ago to remember which brand).

Hopefully you can see in the picture above how I brought the soft brown shade into the crease and up towards my eyebrows, making sure not to leave any harsh lines. Again, there is no need to pack the brown eyeshadow on at this step.


STEP FOUR:

NOW it's time to add a darker Navy shade that will be concentrated into the crease, which will cause an effortless gradient effect that makes this eye look appear much more complex than it is! Pretty cool in my opinion. (; Although this simple step is ultimately what escalates this look to something absolutely gorgeous, it is VERY important you have the lightest hand possible when applying the shade to the crease.

In the picture below I show a side-by-side comparison of the shade "Navy" in the LORAC PRO 2 Palette and Milani's "Bella Navy." As you can see, the Lorac shade is basically a matte version of "Bella Navy." Whether the eyeshadow is matte or metallic, any navy would work. 

Since I'm looking to create an eyeshadow look with a bit more shimmer, I will be using Milani's Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow in "Bella Navy". I proceed using a type of Eyeshadow Pencil Brush (also purchased at CVS at the same time as my Blending Brush) and taking a small amount of eyeshadow on the tip of the brush to ensure the color does not smudge into the eyeshadows already applied. When applying the Navy shade, it is easiest to use lighthanded "windshield wiper" motions, being sure to only brush into the crease, no lower or higher as this will cause the look to become muddy (and trust me, with such a dark and highly pigmented shade, muddy is easy to achieve if you aren't careful!). 

As the picture shows, that blue is popped straight into the crease and the crease only. Again, no lower or higher. After doing so, I go ahead and bring that Navy shade down onto my outer lower eyelid (again, make sure you remain lighthanded, Navy shades are no joke).


STEP FIVE:

For this step, I'm simply going to liven up the lower eyelid by using an Eyeliner brush to line the middle section of my lower eyelid with "Bella Teal." Then, in the corner of my lower eyelid, I mix a bit of "Buck" and "Bella Navy" to pop the tiniest amount into the lower-inner corner of the eye. So your lower lid eyeshadow should fade from dark, to bright, then back to dark in the inner corner. This helps to balance out the eye makeup, since so much color on the upper eyelid can become rather top heavy!

STEP SIX:

Time for highlighting!! :D For this step, you can choose to use your NYX Pencil in "Milk" or a separate white eyeshadow. I am going to use the shade "Snow" from the LORAC PRO 2 Palette, since this shade has a fine, soft shimmer to it that compliments the metallic blue shades perfectly. However, using "Milk" also looks incredible with these eyeshadows. Below I'm going to include a comparison of "Snow" and "Milk" so you guys can have an idea of the two. (: "Snow" is on my left finger, "Milk" is on the right.

To highlight this look, I use "Snow" to line the space directly beneath my brow and use my pinky finger to apply it to the inner corner of each eye. You might also notice in the pictures below that my brown eyeshadow has become more prominent than before. This is because after applying my highlight, I take my Eyeshadow Pencil Brush again, take a very light amount of the brown eyeshadow onto the end, and run it ever-so-gently between the Navy shade and the brow highlight. I then use my clean Blending Brush to sweep over the edges of the newly applied brown eyeshadow, therefore there isn't a harsh line between the brown and the highlight shade.

STEP SEVEN:

Define those eyes! This step is one of the main reasons this look is able to tie together so well, in my opinion. I use either black gel eyeliner, or black liquid eyeliner to create a thinner wing. My two favorite eyeliners are definitely Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner in "Black" and Kat Von D Tattoo Liquid Eyeliner in "Black". 

I believe that creating a thin winged eyeliner for this look is vital just because you don't want all the hard work put into your beautiful teal eyeshadow to be masked by thick liner! Plus, the wing helps connect all the eyeshow and create the illusion of a lengthened eye, making the look appear mature and keepinng the eyes as an inviting feature, rather than looking like you just slapped bright colors on your eyelid like a circus act! Haha. Unless that's what you want to achieve, then go for it! 

I know winged eyeliner can be a real pain in the butt, especially if you're new to it! That's okay though, we have alllllll been there my friend. Gel eyeliner is definitely much easier to control and still creates a bold liner. If you guys would like me to go a bit more in depth on eyeliner, don't be afraid to ask. (:


STEP EIGHT:

Your eyes are ready for the finishing touch...eyelashes! (: Although you can definitely use mascara to complete the look, false eyelashes help in combatting such intense eyeshadow. However, just like winged eyeliner, I know false eyelashes can be a real hassle as well. I'm still new to them myself! :P Anywayyyy...after I curl my eyelashes, I go ahead and apply a light coat of my Maybelline Lots of Lashes Mascara in "Blackest Black" before applying the Ardell Wispies for eyelashes (I also use my gel eyeliner to fill in my upper water line afterwards, this helps to darken and elongate the lashes as well). After my upper eyelashes are finished, I use a few coats of L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara in "Black" to thicken my lower lashes.

Lastly, I make sure to use my pinky finger to pat on some more "Bella Teal" Eyeshadow to revive its vibrancy and ta-da! The eyes are finished! :D About time right...

STEP NINE:

Now what should you do for the rest of your makeup? I'll share with you what I used in order to complete the entire face but you can, of course, use whatever you please. (:

First, I took some of my Rimmel London Bronzer in "Sunlight" and used this to softly contour my cheeks, the rim of my face, and my nose. Next, I took my Milani Baked Blush in "Dolce Pink" and used an EXTREMELY light amount to brighten the apples of my cheeks, blending the blush up the cheekbone a bit so it fades into the bronzer.

As for the lips, there are two different combinations you can use. One combination is for those who might prefer a bit of gloss to the lips, the second combination will create a much more satin finish for the look.

First Combination (Gloss Finish):

     - MAC Lip Pencil in "Boldly Bare"
    - MAC Lip Pencil in "Stripdown"
    - Rimmel London Apocalyptic Gloss in "Luna"

Second Combination (Satin Finish):

     -MAC Lip Pencil in "Boldly Bare"
     -MAC Lip Pencil in "Stripdown"
     -L'Oreal Lipstick in "Fairest Nude"

THE END!!! :D

Here is my version of the completed look everybody!!

Thank you once again for reading!!! I really hope you liked this tutorial! I tried to make it as organized and easy to follow as possible, but I know I'm a major newbie so sorry if it wasn't the best. (: Don't be shy to give me feedback! ADIOOOOSSSS!(:


With love,

Marisa


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INSTAGRAM: @misslebleu
TWITTER: @marisalebleu

Becca VS. Becca?!?!

Holaaaaa everyone! (:

I've got to say, beauty gurus tend to ramble on about the same products 24/7 don't they? Trust me, I totally agree. There are so many beauty products out there that might have amazing potential, but aren't even given a chance since certain products always steal the limelight. This is precisely why I decided to choose the brand Becca for my next blog post! I had walked past this brand multiple times at my local JCPenny Sephora, but finally stopped to give it a look when looking at CoverFX which is placed right beside it. In my opinion, the packaging of the products are actually quite simple and sleek, yet a bit unique to the other "sleek" same old black packaging many other brands have, so it caught my eye!

The two products that caught my immediate attention were the Becca Ultimate Coverage Compexion Creme Foundation and the Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation, for one simple reason, one foundation claimed "ultimate coverage" while the other claimed "matte/shine proof"...That's my language right there. (; Although, I don't let myself get too excited over foundations that claim to be shine proof since my skin beats the foundation 9 out of 10 times...but why not give it a try? I got myself a sample of each foundation in the Medium shade "Nude" (Becca uses the same shade names in both foundations, which is rather convenient) and couldn't wait to test 'em out! 

The first foundation I decided to try was the Ever-Matte Shine Proof. Since this product claims to be extremely mattifying, I decided to use my damp Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge in case the formula were to dry quickly on the skin. Sure enough, only seconds after a section of my face had foundation, it set to a very powdery looking finish (literally SECONDS after application, and yes I moisturize well and again, I am beyond oily). This could seem to be a great thing for us oily skinners, but unfortunately it made the foundation difficult to work with. It was one of those mattifying foundations that dries so insanely quick and isn't forgiving once it does. Everytime I accidentally brushed a section that had already set, the foundation would look patchy. Alongside drying so quickly, this definitely isn't a matte foundation meant for those who need a lot of coverage. My scars were still very prominent and the foundation's undertones seemed to make my skin appear even more red.

Layer #1: As you can see, all my scars are visible and the foundation seems to come off as very orange-red on my skin. Initially, it did not come off this way on my hand either.

Layer #2: This was difficult to do without making the already set foundation look too blotchy/patchy. As you can see, adding more heightened the redness but managed to soften the appearance of my scars a bit more.

This is also a picture after Layer #2, you can see a section on my nose where the foundation rubbed off when I tried to lightly dab a smidge of concealer over leftover redness. Since this foundation isn't forgiving at all, it makes concealing almost impossible. Again, not good if you're looking for coverage.

What I found to be insanely odd about this foundation, is the fact that after I added under eye concealer and setting powder, the harsh undertones vanished and the color seemed to adjust. I'm unsure as to whether I can thank my setting powder for this or not, but it worked out anyway!

After my full face of makeup is complete, you can see that the foundation ended up matching well with my skin (as long as it isn't on it's own). Also, it took longer than I'd like, but I was able to very gently dab some concealer onto needed spots which helped to even my complexion as well. In my opinion, the finish of this foundation was extremely flat and made my skin look pretty dull and lifeless. However, after wearing it the entire day, I have to say that the mattifying power surprised me. It kept me 85% shine free for the entire morning (7:30 AM-12 PM). In the end, aside from the mattifying power, I really don't have any other reasons I would spend $42.00 on this foundation.

Next up is their Ultimate Coverage foundation! Just as I did with the previous foundation, I used my Real Techniques sponge to hopefully receive the most flawless finish possible. The most high coverage foundation I have tried so far is, of course, the Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation, so this foundation blew me away the moment I first dabbed it onto my cheeks. One layer and my scarring/redness was nowhere to be found, which is always exciting! It was also forgiving, meaning I could use concealer or add foundation to areas and it would melt into the previous layer, rather than becoming awkwardly patchy like the previous foundation. I did have to keep in mind that this foundation's main claim wasn't it's ability to mattify, it was it's coverage ability, so the inital finish of the foundation came off as an under-the-skin glow, which looks nice but can definitely be worrisome for a grease ball like myself. Also, rather than having such an orange-red undertone like the Ever-Matte did, this foundation's "Nude" shade caused an extremely yello and olive-like undertone, making it appear darker on my skin than what it first seems to be.

As you can see, zero scars! The coverage is absolutely AMAZING, but you can definitely notice what I meant by the deep yellowish/olive undertones in the foundation.

Now, here is the foundation after my undereye concealer has been added alongside setting powder. The undertones are still visible but not quite as harsh.

Aaannndddd ta-da! This is after all my additional makeup has been set and applied. Just like the Ever-Matte Foundation, after completely setting everything the foundation seemed to adjust accordingly. 

My Overall Thoughts:

In the pictures I gave, it might be difficult to identify the differences between each foundation after completing the entire face. However, I have to say I definitely loved the Ultimate Coverage foundation much more. The Ever-Matte was much too difficult to achieve a flawless canvas with (despite having such a watery thin consistency) and proved near impossible for someone with as many skin issues as mine. The Ultimate Coverage foundation, though much thicker to the touch than Ever-Matte, was MUCH easier to work with and gave me 100% coverage with very minimal effort. 

Not only the difference in coverage, but how the foundations appear on the skin after being set. If you compare the two final pictures given for each foundation, you might be able to tell that the tone of my skin appears much cooler and slightly grey with Ever-Matte in comparison to the final picture for the Ultimate Coverage foundation. I found that those olive/yellowish undertones actually made my skin appear so much warmer and glowy after being set. Whereas, Ever-Matte left my skin quite dull.

As for lasting power, as I stated before, Ever-Matte's "shine proof" claim is no joke. The foundation did manage to keep me from being so greasy over half of the day, which is quite the accomplishment with my skin. However, the fact it kept me mattified wasn't enough to rule out all of the other cons about the foundation I discussed. Although Ultimate Coverage didn't keep me mattified as well, I did only feel the need to blot about 3 times in the day and the end result of this foundation is much more beautiful. Even after a bit of shine has seeped through, the foundation only gains even more of a warm glow which I actually enjoy. 

Over all, I definitely have to say that Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme Foundations won this face off! Sorry Ever-Matte. ):

Until next time...thank you for reading and don't forget to follow or comment (or both if you want to be even cooler) and keep in touch with my blog. (:

Loveeee,

Marisa

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