theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

I've really been into highlighters recently, I think it's because of the summer. This product hands down is the best highlighter I own.



Blended out on my hand:


This product can be used a few different ways. As a traditional highlighter on the cheeks, nose and cupids bow. An an inner corner or brow bone highlight, and you can also dust a bit on your décolletage.

This shimmer is so beautiful, and captures the light well. A little goes a long with this product so don't be heavy handed. Lovesit!!!

$24 on theBalm's Website but you can also probably find it @ Marshals for less.

theBalm Down Boy Blush Review

I loves theBalm, we all know this, let's get on with the review :)



Their packaging is so darn cute I can't stand it! The blush itself is a light rosey pink that leaves a beautiful flush on the cheeks. A little goes a long way, I made the mistake of being heavy handed and ended up looking a little clownish. The powder is super bendable and non chalky.

$21 @ Sephora and theBalm website.

Balm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer SPF 18 Review

I can't really recall ever having a tinted moisturizer in the past. I've never really seen the appeal since I like using the full cover of a foundation. But of course since I'm a theBalm products nut I just had to try out their tinted moisturizer.

The color I got is in light/medium and is a perfect match for me.

This is me with the tinted moisturizer on with a little bit of time bomb concealer on my under eye circles and some sexy mama powder to set and mattify:

theBalm says: This weightless, silky smooth tinted moisturizer SPF 18 offers lasting moisture and helps to improve the tone and texture of your skin, leaving you with a polished complexion.

I love the ease of slapping this stuff on with my fingers and going out the door. It gives a light coverage and evens out the skin tone. Being that there is spf in this product is does smell a bit like sun block, and I really don't recommend it for flash photography. I have oily skin so setting this stuff with a powder is an absolute must, sexy mama by theBalm works great. If you have super oily skin I would skip this product.

I like using this on days where I'm feeling lazy and just want to even out my skin tone a bit. It's $25 on theBalm's site but you can find it @ Marshalls for less.

theBalm Overshadow Work is Overrated Review

Shimmer is my middle name, or at least it should be ;)

This product is something I didn't know I needed until I got it, and now I find myself reaching for it every time I do my eyeshadow.

This is me quickly slapping it on without a primer so you can see what it would look like on the lids. I normally wouldn't put it all over the lids.

What Sephora says:
Overshadow was created to add a luxe look to the lid, taking the most subtle daytime shadow and amping it up for nighttime fun. Apply over your favorite shadow to give a fresh look to your staple shadows colors. Dust the lighter shades on shoulders, cheeks—anywhere—for a sexy shimmer.

I love, love, love using this in the inner corners of my eyes. It really adds a nice highlight that really opens up your eyes. The powder is very fine and and be pressed on top of other shadows to give them a bit of shimmer. I don't know how I lived without this stuff before!

$15 originally but of course you can find it at Marshalls for less.

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer Review

This is a multi-functional product as in it can be used for bronzer, eyeshadow, or over all shimmer. I use this product in different ways depending on my mood, it's fabulous!

Sephora says:
This all-in-one bronzer, shadow, and shimmer uses mica to diffuse light so your skin looks softer and younger while adding subtle warmth. The oil-free formula can be layered on your lids for a luxe look, swept on your cheeks for a radiant glow, or used as an all-over finish before heading out for the night.

Now on my skin tone this looks fabulous since I have yellow undertones. I saw some comments that said this looks a little too orangey on them but is great as an eyeshadow. I like to use it alone and sometimes on top of a matte bronzer to give a nice glow. It doesn't look like glitter on your face, just a nice fine shimmer. Perhaps on older skin this shimmery bronzer might exaggerate wrinkles so keep that in mind.

Overall I love this product and use it almost everyday!

$24 on Sephora but I bet you can find it cheaper at Marshalls.

theBalm Cheater Mascara Review

It never ceases to amaze me how theBalm continually brings out awesome products. I only wish Sephora would carry more of their line. Well in any case, here's the review :)

Here's a picture of the packaging: (just so darn cute!)

The applicator:

What the mascara looks like on the lashes:

I love this mascara! Here's why:

It lifts and separates the lashes with little clumping. I honestly wasn't expecting much since the mascara wand looks pretty standard. Also, it doesn't say anywhere on the packaging that the mascara is waterproof. I have tested this baby out on many occasions in the hot Florida sun and not once did I get raccoon eyes. The wand is big enough for me without being too big where you can't maneuver it around easily. I just love what it does for my lashes.

One negative I will say is that the packaging on the actual mascara is a sticker instead of being printed on the tube. theBalm lets work on this!

theBalm has it in their website for $18 but hopefully it will pop up on the Sephora website soon :)

theBalm Plump Your Pucker Tinted Gloss in Passion My Fruit Review

Having already large and luscious lips, I was wary that this lip gloss would not look so great on me. The color does look kinda scary in the tube already, but alas I had a pleasant result :)

Here is the tube:

I forgot to take a picture but it has a doe foot applicator. Here are the swatches:

Sephora describes this color as a sheer sparkly mauve. They also say:

Formulated with a special combination of folic acid, menthol, and vitamin C, these sexy glosses increase blood flow to the lips and reduce the look of fine lines. But the lip building benefits have only just begun! An additional ingredient, MaxiLip, works cumulatively to encourage lasting fullness. Be prepared for a poutier pucker after 30 days!

Hopefully you can see in the picture all of the little glitters there are in this gloss. I don't mind the glitters but I do have to note that they stay on after you wipe the gloss off.

I love how this leaves a light berry color on my lips, nothing like what it looks like in the tube. I didn't experience any drying of my lips, but not necessarily much moisturizing effect either. It didn't give me that weird tingling feeling that some plumping lip glosses give, thank god, but I did feel like my lips looked a teeny bit plumper. I'm glad my lips didn't look like I got lip injections, but I'd love to know how this would look on much smaller lips than mine. The gloss isn't sticky and lasts about 3-5 hours. Overall I love this lip gloss and recommend it :)

$15 @ Sephora.com and thebalm.com

theBalm Frat Boy Blush Review

I love theBalm, they make amazing makeup and this blush is no exception. As I said in the last post, coral is my favorite color of the moment and this blush is the way to go in terms of coral colors.

I love this blush! It leaves the nicest coral flush on your cheeks without over doing it. There is tiny micro shimmers in the bush but it looks mostly matte on the cheeks. You can really layer on this blush for it to be super bright or just barely noticeable. It also wears for a good while, 7-10 hours.

It's $21 on theBalm website but I got it on Hautelook for half the price when it was on sale.

Eye Look of the Day Using The Balm Nude Tude Palette

So I did this look using only The Balm Nude Tude Palette, I actually did an inspired Kim Kardashian Look.

Here are some close ups of the palette if you haven't seen it before:

I used standoffish in the inner corner, schitzo in the middle, silly in the outer corners, sultry faded over on top, and sleek smudged on the lower lash line.

Let me know what you think :)

Naked 2 Vs. The Balm Nude Tude

First off I want to give 100% credit to Meredith (a.k.a En Route) for the pictures and swatches.

I will now give you a few minutes to go ahead and follow her blog, copy paste the link below and follow her blog already!:

http://meredithenroute.blogspot.com/

Did you do it!!! Alright I'll trust that you did, onto the pictures:

Naked 2:

The Balm Nude Tude:

Okay I have to say I'm not that interested in the new naked palette, I mean it kind of looks the same to the old one. Sure there are more mattes in the new one, but I really don't need that many neutral palettes.

Nude Tude however has made it on to my Christmas list. The packaging is adorable and for some reason the colors seem more interesting to me.

Well let me know what you guys think. Naked 2 is back in stock if you are interested btw.

Here is the original blog post from Meredith so you can see a more in depth review:

http://meredithenroute.blogspot.com/2011/12/neutral-eyeshadow-palettes.html

*Update*

I just got my hands on the Nude Tude palette via my wonderful boyfriend :) Looks to come!

Review of The Balm Muppet Palette: Cast your Shadow!

As soon as I heard about this palette from Temptalia.com I knew I had to have it! So I moseyed on over to The Balm's website and luckily I made it on to their second pre-order list. So without further ado here are the pictures! (Click on the pics for a larger view)

In review:
I loveeeeee it! There aren't any intelligent words to describes my absolute love of this palette. ALL of the eye shadows are pigmented, and all of them are beautiful. No mattes in this palette but I don't mind. Swedish pancakes is my favorite, the most beautiful shimmery nude. Great gonzo is also a favorite of mine, such a gorgeous blue. If you get a chance to get this palette you wont regret it!

There are also two lip/blush stains as well as a gloss which are fabulous and surprisingly pigmented :)

Now there are only 1,000 that have been made (licensing fees...) but don't fret my pet they will be releasing a palette called The Balm and the Beautiful, a soap opera themed palette with the exact same eye shadows and not limited edition.

Check out the Balm facebook for more http://www.facebook.com/pages/theBalm/58936684679?sk=wall&filter=2.