Birthday Haul

Alright, y'all. Take a deep breath because it's another long haul. An Ulta just opened up in my college town, so they had a bunch of great deals during the opening days, and my birthday wasn't that long ago, so I had some money to spend! Yaaaaay. Unfortunately, instead of resisting, I only fed my addiction. There is just no curing me. But here I am to share everything I bought, along with some first impressions/mini reviews.

Let's go by brand and start with Maybelline!

Maybelline Chic Naturals Eye Shadow Quad in Designer Chocolates

I've heard good things about this quad for a while, but I never picked it up. Emily talked about it in a recent video and then did a gorgeous tutorial using it, so I finally bought it. I thought the tones were appropriate for fall, and purpley tones accentuate green eyes (et j'ai les yeux verts!) The swatches aren't doing the colors justice, and I have a feeling that when they're used on the eyes they look even better. That's usually the way things go with eye shadows.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Berry Ready

I bought a Color Whisper a while ago and loved it, and I'm looking to expand my collection of lip colors to darker berries and reds for the fall, so when Emily suggested this guy in her Top 10 Lip Colors for Fall video, I knew I had to get it! It falls somewhere between a very blue toned red and a berry, and I just love it! Once the weather starts to be a little more consistently cool, I'm going to be using this guy a TON!

And what do you think of be putting the swatch in the corner like that instead of on the side? I was just kind of dinking around with composition and tried this. Let me know if you like it better or worse.

Now for some Essence stuff!

Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara in Ultra Black

This is another Emily Recommended Product (ha, there's a lot--I'll start calling them ERPs). I think she even included it in her Makeup Starter Kit giveaway video. I know she likes it a lot and it's Essence, so it's pretty cheap, so I thought I'd give it a try. I've used it once so far, and I'm not sure what I think yet. I'll have to do a review once I've used it more.

Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll

This product actually came as a suggestion from Melissa Raymond (her name used to be melmphs). She received a blush in a swap and was going on and on about how soft and silky it really felt. I'll try to paraphrase what she said, "Silky touch is right, girl. Whoo!" I think her reactions are the best! It is a really soft blush, though, so I think I'll enjoy using it. It's also in a shade of pink that's slightly deeper and even hints at plum, so it's great for the fall/transition time. Yay!

Now for some Jordana!

Jordana Best Lash Exteme Volumizing Mascara in Black

This is actually the second of these that I've bought. What?! I could go on and on about it, but I'm not because I think I'm going to do a review of it soon. I like it a lot though, and the price is pretty great ($2.99, I think). I was getting some other Jordana stuff, so I thought I might as well get it then.

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush

I've heard good things about these from several sources, and they're so cheap, so I thought I should pick on up. They were only like $3 or $4, and that's much cheaper than Revlon's Kissable Balm Stains, so if they work just as good or better, that's a good replacement to know. I'll let you know! I thought this color would be perfect for fall. Don't you?

Jordana Easyliner Retractable Pencil for Lips in Cabernet

Are you sensing a theme in the colors I chose of lip products? Well, fall is just around the corner. I thought I would use the balm stain, then the lip liner, and then the Color Whisper and I'd have a "stay all day" lip. We'll see. I have two other Jordana lip liners and love them, so I wasn't worried about formula. I was just getting it for color.

Now for the Ulta stuff... so much stuff...

Ulta Color Coat Cream Eye Shadow in Metallic

When my friends and I got back from Ulta and I was swatching my new makeup (hence the fingerprint mark. Naughty me! I should've waited until I'd taken a picture) one of them turned to me and said, "Wow, that looks metallic." Well, my dear, that just happens to be the name of the product! Good job Ulta naming department!

I got it because I'd been wanting Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze for a while, and in the store this looked pretty similar. Since I don't own Bad to the Bronze, I can't tell you if they're dupes, but I don't think they are. This color is interesting because in some lights it can look very warm-toned and golden, but then in other lights it looks kind of taupe-y, grey, and cool-toned. I can't wait to use it on my eyes. And since I have a lot of other Color Tattoos, I can at least compare them on lasting power, texture, etc.

Ulta Gel Eye Liner Pencils in Golden Egg (top) and Plum (bottom)

I think it's interesting when companies claim that their pencils go on like gel liner. I mean, I guess "gel" has everything to do about formula and not format, but still. I have another pencil eye liner that claims to go on like gel liner. I'll have to start paying more attention and maybe do a post about that. I really like these colors, though, so I hope they work out well. I got them both free with purchases.

Ulta Extreme Wear Cheek Stain in Desire

Now, I haven't really looked at anything other than Ulta's eye shadows, but I feel like this has to be a pretty recent addition. I'm pretty thankful to Ulta for providing cheaper alternatives to high-end products. This reminds me of the Tarte cheek stains. It's funny, because I had swatched some on my hand early in the shopping trip, and said how I liked how they felt and I just wanted to rub it all over my face. They have a very cool feel (as in temperature). I think it's kind of a gel based formula. This feels very similar to that, so I'm glad to have a cheap alternative! Thank you Ulta!

Ulta Cheek Color in Adore

This is definitely a plum blush. Perfect for fall! I'm not crazy about the glitter in it, and the swatch wasn't impressive in pigmentation, but when I swept it across my cheeks, it made me look like I'd just had a nice, brisk walk in the chill autumn air and it was beautiful! I'm looking forward to using it a lot.

Ulta Lip Crayons, from top to bottom, in Prom Night, Doll Face, and Rumors

There doesn't really look to be a whole lot of difference in these, but there is! The top two have shimmer, and the bottom is just a creamy shade. The very top is the lightest with a little bit of a lavender undertone. The middle one is a shimmery, pretty much classic pink. And the bottom one is a gorgeous, creamy, neutral pink that's slightly deeper and great for the fall transition.

I didn't vary a whole lot on the range of colors because I thought they were balm stains, and usually balm stains lean towards the dark side of things. When I swatched the testers Ulta provided, I couldn't believe how well the light shades showed up, so I thought I should get the light shades and bother with dark shades in other brands.

Now, I do not think these are balm stains. Ulta doesn't even call them that. I guess I just assumed because that's the shape a lot of balm stains are taking right now. I think they're more just a lipstick/tinted lip balm in a crayon form. Which is fine. Rumors has the creamiest feel because there's no shimmer to interfere. The shimmery shades do feel a little bit thicker. All in all, though, I think they're pretty good. I only spent $4 a piece because Ulta was selling all their stuff really cheap for the opening weekend.

Well, that's all for my present shame. Ha, it's not really shame. I had fun shopping for it, and I'll have fun using it. I hope you have a great day/night and I'll talk to you soon. I hope. Just remember that soon for a college student may not be your soon! I have a lot of homework, and I have to attempt at a social life.

~Stacie