Naked Nails Day 1

I was so bad today... yes, I picked off ALL every single one of my acrylic nails.  Worst. Descision. Ever.

I don't know what I was thinking but I've been wanting to go to natural nails and I guess I just went for it.  My nails literally are PAPER thin.  I've had acrylics since May 2010 (so not long at all) The reason I got acrylics in the first place was because I pick my cuticles chonrically and they're alwaysss bloody and gross.  And honestly, I didn't have anything to lose.  My natural nails are a disaster.  They peel like no other and don't really grow... now they're worse.  Not dissing acrylics, loved loved loved them they looked perfect and were so fun to try out fun colors with.  I did take pictures of my nails but they're wayyyyy too embarassing to post.  I'll post them once they're decent hahaha. 

 I'm using Nailtiques nail protein formula 2.  It's advertised for "soft, peeling, bitten, weak, or thin nails"  which I have all of the above.  You're supposed to put a layer on every day for four days and then take that off and start over for two weeks.  So I'll let y'all know how that goes!

Just a note... I'm in SOOO much pain.  I'm not just being dramatic either.  (this doesn't have to do with taking my own fakes off)  My nails are SO thin that they literally feel like they're on fire.  I've taken two ibuprofin and an aleve and I've been soaking my nails in ice water for the last hour.  Dethawing them to type this was awful.  Any tips?!?!?  pleaseeee help with this one.

XO I'll keep y'all updated! BeSweet

Love This Mascara

           I'm SO weird about mascara.  I think it's because I'm so obsessed with eyelashes.  They're one of the first things I notice about people... it's really weird I know.  I'm NOT blessed with good eyelashes.  I wish I was.  Mine are relatively long but they're very very fine and I don't have many of them.  I had a coupon from CVS for two dollars off a Maybelline XXL mascara so I picked this one up on the way to a college visit Friday. 

I know this is a horrible horrible horrible picture... I took it with my phone in the car after I had put on my mascara in the car! (dangerous don't do that) I was just sending it to a friend who wanted to see the difference.  I really wasn't planning on doing a blog about this because I wasn't expecting anything but I was so pleasantly surprised!  Obviously I didn't do a great job on this I was just throwing it on on the way to a meeting so no curler, primer, etc.  And this was just one coat.

This is Maybelline XXL Bold.  But it also comes in length and curl. 

It has two steps.  The first side is for volume and it has a thinner old school brush that's super plain.  What I love about this is that even the first step is black.  Usually two step mascaras have a primer first that is white and ends up being hard to cover or giving your eyelashes a grey look.  The second side is supposed to lock in the mascara and make it last all day.  I found this to be very defining.  It has a thicker brush that is kind of peanut shaped that really separated and added extra length to my lashes. 

It's a super dramatic mascara and I love the formula.  It didn't clump but after the second coat it did start to look a little tree branchy.  (which was totally my fault not the mascaras)  Also, I applied this at 6 30 in the morning and came back to my hotel room at 4 and it was still perfect.  A little had gotten under my eyes in a line from where I had blinked but I believe that's from my concealer that is kind of oily and doesn't dry very well.  My only complaint about the XXL Pro is that I wish it was darker.  Yes, it is black but to me, black is not just black.  The reason I love Falsies so much is because the black drama version is such a rich shiny tar-looking black.  But other than that I say go for this mascara.  I would never have purchased it without my coupon but I'm so glad I did because this is now living in my purse!

Thanks for reading, if you try this let me know what you think!  What's your favorite mascara? I'm always on the prowl for more!

XO Be Sweet :) love y'all, Lina!

Loving this Nail Polish + OPI vs. Essie

Hi girls :)

One of the most difficult times for me to pick out nail polish is transitioning from winter to spring.  I never know if I should go dark or light or bright or muted... it's a long process.   Fall to winter is easy, that's the greiges matte reds etc.  Anywayyy for my latest set of fills (after I had gone back to the color table literally four times) I chose a shade of dark red. 

I know I have freaky shaped fingers... too much piano and bass time.  Just ignore them :)

This is Essie's Clutch Me If You Can

The reason that I love this is because even though it's a dark red it's NOT burgundy or maroon.  It's still a real true red which is really hard to find.  Most of the darks get purpley or browney. 

My only complaint is one that I always have.  Generally, I chose Essie for light colors and OPI for dark colors.  (I have no idea if this is true it's just what I've gathered after years of being a polish addict)  OPI tends to begin with a white base whereas Essie tends to begin with a clear.  What I'm trying to say is that even though Essie's dark colors are dark they are still a little bit translucent when OPI's dark colors are completely opaque.  The same goes for light colors.  In the summer I want a little bit of translucent pink like Essie's Sweet Heart or Ballet Slippers (all time fav) but a light OPI still gives me the very whitey pinky kinda Fiji-esque color.

Does that make sense?  If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

Thanks for reading, comment and subscribe! XO Be Sweet :)

Major Haulage!

ELF haul :)  I haven't been a fan of ELF (eyeslipsface) for very long simply because I didn't know about it, but in the last couple months I've completely fell in love.  I took advantage of an ELF sale called something like Coffee Break.  It was a three hour sale that had so much stuff (pictures below) for only twenty dollars!  It said it was a 150 value, I don't believe that, but it was originally 45 so I'm excited about the deal!

I LOVE these.  I got every beauty encyclopedia (Lip, Face, Basic Eye, Everyday Eye, and Sparkle Eye editions) and the ELF professional 9pc brush collection which honestly I didn't know it came with so that was a fun little addition.  The brushes came in a great carrying case that has two huge pockets and room for all the brushes.  Also, it came with Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths which I'm not going to use, does anybody want them?

My only complaint is that a lot of these eye shadows appear really sparkly.  I'm more into matte but I'll have to test them all out first!

Tell me which one of these you would like a review on!  I love love love this purchase.. can we go back to the fact that it was only 20?!?

Comment and subscribe! XO be sweet :)

My Everyday Look

          So this is a post that's not too exciting but I felt like I should share what makeup I wear everyday.  This is the makeup I don't leave the house with out... bottom line: VERY minimal.

Face:

• MakeUp Forever HD primer
• CoverGirl NatureLuxe foundation in 310
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin loose powder in light
• Bobbi Brown Concealer in Sand
• Lancome Star Bronzer in Bronze Solaire
• NARS blush in Orgasm

Eyes:

• Sephora Perfecting Eye Primer
• Clinique Like Mink (light side)
• MAC Sandy Taupe
• Benefit pencil in Eye Bright
• Almay eyeliner in Raisin Quartz
• ELF essentials waterproof eyeliner pen in black
• Lancome Eyebrow Pencil in Taupe
• Maybelline Falsies mascara in Black Drama
• Bare Essentials mascara in Flawless Definition

Lips:

• CoBigelow in My Favorite Lip Balm
• MAC lipstick in Hue
• Chanel lip gloss in (not really sure, stickers off) maybe Tickled Pink

And there ya go!  Not anything special, just the everyday stuff but thanks for reading!

Comment and subscribe!
Be Sweet <3

PERFECT OPI DUPE

          Okay so if you know anything about OPI polishes you know about Midnight in Moscow. (Lincon Park After Dark's long lost sparkley twin)  This is my go-to polish color in the winter and I have used one full bottle and half of a second one.  I was cleaning out my nail drawer today and discovered an IDENTICAL color.  I've found dupes before but never one this exact!

This is Sally Hansen Laquer Shine in 08 Glossy.  I purchased mine at CVS. 

Normally I would say ones a little more red ones a little more shimmery, etc. but I really don't have anything to say about these!  They're literally the exact same!  I would say OPI is better quality but that's the case with all expensive nail polishes.  But if you're the kind of girl that can go through a whole bottle... go get Glossy!

XO Be Sweet!

Holy Grail Lip Combo

I've missed y'all! I've been out of town since Thursday and haven't gotten to a computer so sorry about the lack of posts lately!

I just wanted to share with you girls a lip combination that I will NEVER stop wearing!  I love love love this and can't imagine leaving the house without it. 

Sorry about this bad quality picture haha but these two are MAC Fleshpot which is a PROcolor and NARS Turkish Delight. 

It is a nude hue, which I love right now but I know I won't in a couple months, but these two together give a super natural I-just-ate-strawberry-icecream look.  It's plain enough that it's good for school but since it's glossy and pinky it's perfect for night too!

I'll get up a picture with me in this to hear what you think but I've consistently been wearing this for as long as I can remember now and I LOVE it.

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Be sweet!

What's your favorite lip combination?  Do you use a liner too?  (I probably should...)
      

Scrubba dub Favorites!

Okay last needy post of the night!

What do y'all use to clean your brushes with?  I'm currently scavenging Sephora.com to find a brush cleaner because they have a BareMinerals promotion that I really want and I definitely don't need any thing. hahaa, so I always just clean my brushes with plain shampoo and reshape them and let them dry?

I'm looking at the Sephora one and the Bare Min one.. What do you think?  If you don't use one how do you clean your brushes?

XO! Be sweet <3

Two Questions for Y'all!

Hey sweeties!  So I have two questions for y'all that I've done some research on and still don't have a clear answer.

1.  Fekkai Glossing Cream.  Most of y'all saw that I bought this in a recent mini Sephora haul (post below) and I don't really know how to use it... My hair routine consists of blow drying and straightening my hair almost every day.  When do I put this in my hair?  While it's wet or dry, before or after it's straightened or dried, etc.  Can y'all give me specifics on how this works best for you?

2.  Stila One Step Primercolor.  What is this....  It came in a sample from Sephora and I've read a lot about it and people use it so many different ways that I don't know what it's actually for.  Is it primer for color or is it the actual color?  Do you put it on before or after your makeup?  Mine's in Per Suede.

Let me know please! :) Be sweet!

Product Warning!

       Hola!  In a recent Sephora purchase I got a sample of Sephora brand primer.  I'm new to primer and am currently addicted to Makeup Forever HD primer (review below)  When I first put on the Sephora primer I literally double checked the package twice.  I felt like I was putting baby oil onto my face it felt SO soft.  I immediately got nervous that I had just put a pee sized amount of oil onto my face.  It's really weird describing a gel as soft but it really was.  It was such a weird sensation.  And it does work as a mattifier like it claims! 
      The downer...  I've used it twice and am breaking out sooo badly.   It's not one or two pimples here and there it's on both cheeks and forehead and I rarely rarely rarely get zits on my cheeks. 
      So If you're looking for a primer don't overlook this one because it does do exactly what it claims!  But it did make me breakout so if you're naturally blessed, as I am not, with good skin then go for it!

Just a warning girls and my favorite boys, this will clog your pores and cause zits. 

Be sweet! <3

Buddy the ELF, what's your favorite color?

           Hey cuties! So I had a little elf haul last week that came in today!  I've never used any ELF products before so it probably wasn't the most genius idea to do a haul of it, but once again, another of Lina's brilliant moments.  I bought a lot of things so I'm just going to list them below, I think the most expensive was three dollars but mostly everything was only a dollar! I thought it was worth a try!

Essentials Mechanical Eyelash Curler.  I broke my eyelash curler the day I ordered this, I thought that was a sign.  I think I'm going to like the handles! I've never had one with those before. 

Total Face Brush.  Okay honestly, who wouldn't buy a face brush for a dollar?  I'm planning on using this for bronzer because it's really fluffy. 

Ethereal Brightening Eye Color 

 Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara.  I really just wanted this for the clear brow gel... What do you do with clear mascara? 

 Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder in 2420 Warm Tan.  This is still in the package so I really shouldn't be talking about it but it looks kind of sparkly.  I wish I had gotten the Matte but I JUST now saw it while I was getting the picture!  It is a really pretty true bronze and not orangey. 

Waterproof Eyeliner Ben in 7303 Black.  I don't know why I ordered this.... I don't wear liquid eyeliner OR waterproof products... maybe I'll try something new?? 

 Shimmer Palette

 Studio Powder Brush.  This is kind of infamous on YouTube as a great buffer brush so I thought I'd try it! 

Eyeshadow Brush.  Easy go-to eyeshadow brush for a dollar... why not? 

Custom Eyes Step 2 in 2507 Pink Ice.  Another desperate attempt to match Stila's Kitten.  With all the dupes I've tried I probably should've just bought it by now.  In the package it looks really glittery though.. but I'm excited to try this one!

My friend bought some products in this haul too because you had to spend 25 to get free shipping! hahah all of her items were face products like foundation, tinted moisturizer, concealer, etc.  I'm really not trying to sound stuck up or spoiled but it makes me really nervous to use a dollar product on my skin... after all, I am a teenager.  Have you used any ELF face products?  If so, how did your skin react?

Yay for my first ELF purchase!  What's your favorite thing from the brand?  I'm so excited to play with all these new things and purchase more in the future!

Comment and subscribe <3 stay sweet

Loving this Eyeshadow!

Okay so I've been on the search for a really everyday pretty eyeshadow and seeing as it's right after the Holidays and I'm unemployed... not too rich right now! 

I recently found Shell by Stila and at first I loved it.  It's a really nudey pinky light color that is super buildable.  However, the last couple times I've worn it I've come home from school and it looks really violet.  Which I love violet eyeshadow, but it's not what I was looking for with this little expedition. 



This is kind of the opposite scenario of Shell.  It's NYX eyeshadow in Ultimatum.  At first, I didn't like this color because in the box it's not really what it looked like on the website.  It appears darker and kind of mustardy, but when I put it on it's the color that it showed it as! Weird I know...

This is a nude that isn't as pink but more fleshy tan colored which I like.  It does have sparkles which I usually avoid but they are so fine that they end up looking more pearlized than sparkly if that makes sense.

I love this, I've probably worn it everyday since it came.

Do any of y'all have better nude every day eye shadows?  What's your favorite?  I've really been wanting to get MAC's femme fi (sp?) but can't bring myself to spend the money.

Comment and subscribe! Stay Sweet!

Mini Sephora Haul

Hey girls! So I had a mini Sephora online haul and the box just came in the mail today!  Very excited about this one even though it's only a few things!

1. Fekkai advanced Brilliant Glossing Cream

Okay honestly out of the whole box I pulled this out first.  Definitely the most excited about this!  I've read great reviews about it and my hairs been looking super dull and just blah lately (I straighten it every day... save the lectures, I know it's bad)  Although, I'm not sure if I really understand this product! Do you put it in wet and then style your hair or do you put it in after it's styled?  If you use this PLEASE comment how you use it!

      2.  Sephora Base Eye Primer

 Yes... this is me being cheap again.  I've been dying to try Urban Decay Primer Potion and honestly, from what I've heard I don't think there are any dupes that are comparable.  But this was 50% off, I got it for only six dollars, so I figured I would give it a try!  I'll let you know how this one turns out.

      3.  Nars Lipgloss in Turkish Delight

Anyone who knows me is fully aware that my Kim Kardashian obsession is equally as unhealthy as my product addiction.  This is her favorite lip gloss and no I'm not just saying this because I love her to death, it's mine too!  This box came in the mail four-ish hours ago and I have already declared it my new favorite gloss! (Balm is CoBigelow My Favorite in 100% Shea Butter, see review on that!)

Those are what I purchased with my money and then the following are things that came in the box.  Samples, beauty insider gifts, etc.

(.09 oz)



I know this was a little one because I only really paid for two or three things haha but I'm excited about it so I hope you found this interesting!  Let me know if you want a review on any of these products and please please comment if you use the Fekkai glossing cream because I'm a little confused! 

Subscribe porfavor!

Be sweet girls <3

Dont Waste Your Money!

     
      I'm such a Neutrogena fan this was SO disappointing!  Honestly, this product was fail was karma because the whole reason I bought it was trying to save money. I've been dying to try the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer but I just can't spend four hours of babysitting money on one tube!  In a recent CVS trip I saw the Healthy Skin Glow Sheers and picked up the fair to light one.  It was around 12 dollars.. a huge step from the 45 Mercier.  At first I thought maybe my expectations were too high and I'm used to full coverage foundation so I've given this a good five or six chances.  Still awful.
        
 Reasons I don't like it:

• It doesn't do anything..... I put on three coats one time alternating between my fingers and a brush and there was no coverage AT ALL. It literally looked like I had nothing on.
• I know this isn't the right word, but it oxidizes.  After thirty minutes or so of wear it turns a rusty orange color.  So basically it goes from nothing at all to orange paint.  Not cute...
• It smells like sunscreen.  I never buy a product because of the sunscreen part of it but if one I want happens to have some I'll still buy it.  This smells like the sticky baby sunscreen that stays white after you've rubbed it in for ten minutes.  It made me so nervous putting it on my face and leaving it there because it was just begging for a break out.
• It's not moisturizing.  Tinted moisturizer.  It's not tinted and it's not moisturizing.  I have extremelyyyyyy dry skin all the time and after five days of use it was still flaky and peeling around my nose. 

       Neutrogena come on!  This one needs some major help.  Ladies don't waste your money!  Do y'all know of any cheap/drug store tinted moisturizers with decent coverage I should try? I'm starting to get desperate here.
      Be sweet girls! comment and follow :)

Product Rave!

     
       Okay I want you to think back.. when was the last time you were so excited about a product you opened it walking out of the store??  I couldn't remember mine until I got "My Favorite Lip Balm" by CO Bigelow in number 303!  I've been on the prowl for a super moisturizing lip balm--basically a glamorous version of the beloved Aquaphor. 
      This is 100% natural Shea butter and has no flavoring or scent.  It's exactly what I was looking for.  I picked mine up at Bath and Body Works for 7.50$.  It is in the section with the mentha products (which I definitely went through a phase of). Already, I've been back to get three more so I'll have one in my pencil bag, backpack, makeup bag, makeup drawer...etc. and bonus! the last two I bought were on sale for five dollars! 
      I've had this balm for about a week and I'm already questioning what I used before I had it.  Because it is simply Shea butter, I use it on dry spots like elbows and knuckles and especially on my cuticles.

This has definitly turned into "my favorite lip balm!"

           Be sweet girlies and thanks for reading!  What's your favorite moisturizing lip product? Have you tried this one?