The Sweet Sparkle of Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream Blush - Fragrance Review and Giveaway

-Raises right hand- I'll admit it. I have an addiction for collecting pretty fragrance bottles...but I told you this back in December when we first talked about the launch of the new limited edition blush flankers from the Marc Jacobs Daisy line. My favorite of the new flankers...Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream Blush.

You see, I've built a relationship with Daisy Dream that has developed quite nicely over the years. When the original Daisy Dream fragrance first launched in 2014, I was drawn to it as it boasted its fresh and fruity, wispy floral notes. In the summer of 2015, Daisy Dream forever was released as an Eau de Parfum enhanced floral and fruity explosion. And now...I'm here to introduce you to it's sparkling little sister - Daisy Dream Blush.

Encased in this gorgeous, pretty-in-pink bottle, Daisy Dream Blush is an Eau de Toilette with an airy bed of lush floral notes that are blended together to create a sweet, feminine sparkle. It is filled with accords of pear and violet leaves as its top notes, followed by heart notes of water lily, rose and honeysuckle that is rounded up with base notes of clean musk, bergamot, freesia and vetiver.

And now you know it's coming...something this beautiful is, of course, limited edition so grab a bottle as soon as you can. It retails for $78 (1.7oz) / $90 (50mL) for a limited time at Sephora and Ulta.

But I'm ready to hook a few lucky subscribers up with their very own bottle of Daisy Dream Blush with a giveaway here and on Instagram!

Blog giveaway (Two winners) To enter this giveaway, simply follow/subscribe to this blog and leave a comment on this post telling me why you need this fragrance in your collection. Scroll down to find my subscription box or look to the to right of your screen to follow/subscribe. *Please note - Don't worry if you don't see your comment right away. I have to approve most of them :-)*

Contest ends Sunday, August 14^th, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. I will choose two subscribers at random from those who commented on this post. The Instagram winner will be chosen separately.

No giveaway/spam accounts. Open internationally; 18+ to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Good luck to all!

Instagram entry (One winner) To enter this giveaway on Instagram, please head to over to this photo and follow the rules listed to enter.

Good luck everyone!

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Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick Trio For $24 ($72 Value)

Yes, you read the title correctly. Last week, Bite Beauty offered an insane deal on their Luminous Crème Lipsticks on Sephora.com: a trio set in Nude and Bold that offers a three of their bestselling cream lipsticks for the price of one. Normally, one full sized lipstick from this line would cost $24 but Bite was liquidating their remaining Luminous Cremes (which have been discontinued) and each full sized trio set came out to the price of one lipstick. 

The sets were available in two color families:

• Nude - Musk, Retsina, Fig
• Bold - Zivoli, Tannin, Mulberry

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Trio in Retsina, Fig and Musk

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Trio in Zivoli, Tannin and Mulberry  

These lipsticks are incredibly soft and creamy. Here are swatches of each set taken in my studio (LED daylights).

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Trio in Retsina, Fig and Musk

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Trio in Zivoli, Tannin and Mulberry

 And because you know I'm a sucker for a deep red, I had to try out Tannin. It is such a soft lipstick that lasts about 3-5 hours on the lips (depending on what you eat/drink).

What do you think? Were you able to snag any of these trio sets?

Milani Cosmetics Amore Mattallics Liquid Lip Crème Review & Swatches - Matterialistic, Mattely in Love, Automattic Touch, Raving Matte

Paint your pout with gilded glamour. Milani Cosmetics recently launched 8 limited edition shades of new metallic matte liquid lip crèmes and I picked up 4 of them to review: Matterialistic, Mattely in Love, Automattic Touch and Raving Matte.

Bold and richly pigmented, these metallic liquid lip colors shine with a soft luster and dry to a smooth matte finish—without drying out your lips. Waterproof and kiss-approved, each Amore Mattallics Lip Crиme delivers up to 16 hours of wear. You can remove them with an oil-based product ( try Micellar water or baby oil).

If you're lucky enough to find these in store (CVS, Rite-Aid, Duane Reade etc) then you're luck as -- because you can probably use an in-store coupon or BOGO! They sold out so fast in my neighborhoods but luckily all of the colors are still available online. Here is a live look at the 4 colors I got in action. (Y'all know I have to give you those live swatches in different lighting).

[embed]https://youtu.be/ktbQpPDH9Vk[/embed]

Matterialistic

 

Mattely in Love

Automattic Touch

Raving Matte

And before we leave, I just wanted to show you the doe foot applicator in comparison to Colourpop's applicator for their metallic liquid lipsticks.

We talked about this on Instagram earlier, but for Colourpop's metallics ($6 for 0.10oz) vs Milani's metallics ($8.99 for 0.17oz)...please spend the extra $3 and try Milani's. I couldn't be anymore real with you when I say this but Milani's formula, applicator and wear are far superior.

NARS Cosmetics Summer Instagram Giveaway

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh -insert my finger snaps- Summer summer summer time, Time to sit back and unwind! I swear every time I look at these products from NARS, I instantly want to throw on a pair of shorts, my rollerblades and skate around looking for the ice cream truck while listening to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Isn't it funny how makeup can transport your mind and make you feel nostalgic?

Anyway, so I teased you all too much. It's time to announce the next NARS giveaway!

Two Instagram followers will win (one of each):

• NARS Blush in Taos ($30) — The ultimate authority in blush, NARS offers the industry's most iconic shades for cheeks. Natural, healthy-looking color that immediately enlivens the complexion. A light application of even the highest-intensity hues delivers a natural-looking flush.
• NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Phoebe ($29)— A mesmerizing Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow features a luxuriously smooth transformative texture.
• NARS Lip Gloss in Priscilla ($26) — Serious shine and sexy color in sheer, semi-sheer and creamy formulas.

Here's how to enter:

1. You must follow @candycoatedclosets on Instagram.

2. In the comments on this Instagram photo, tag a friend and tell them something uplifting; something positive. Tell them why you absolutely love makeup!

3. You can enter as many times as you want – just make sure that you comment and tag a new friend with a new message that will make them understand the addiction.

That’s it! Contest runs from Friday, July 29, 2016 and ends Friday, August 5, 2016 at 11:59pm est. Two winners will be randomly chosen from those who commented (not those tagged within the comments) and announced within 48 hours of the contest ending.

No giveaway/spam profiles & profile must be set to public by the end of the contest so we can ensure that you are following @candycoatedclosets. Open internationally; 18+, to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received.

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Guerlain Shalimar Souffle de Parfum Fragrance Review – The Latest Rendition of Guerlain’s 1925 Classic Hit

What if the rain clouds let out a burst of lemon and vanilla during the next summer storm? It's a random idea but that's where my mind goes when I smell Guerlain's Shalimar Souffle de Parfum.

The house of Guerlain describes Shalimar Souffle de Parfum as an unveiling fresh and light citrusy fragrance with opening notes of bergamot, lemon and mandarin. The middle notes open up to a playful combination of jasmine Sambac from India mixed with with a unique orange blossom water absolute note. Towards the bottom, the notes of the vanilla from India and Tahiti combined with white musk lets out a hidden sexuality of the fragrance which can become quite addicting. 

Sure, Shalimar has seven other flankers that attempt to make its individuality known in the fragrance community so I had to make sure to give this one a try. Are you a Guerlain fragrance collector? What do you think about this Shalimar flanker?

Fall Glam Makeup with Dark Vampy Lips|OPV Gorgeous Eyeshadow Palette Paired with Lena Lashes

So I was playing around with a few shades in the OPV Gorgeous eyeshadow palette and decide to put together this quick Fall inspired eye look with I used with the Kendall lashes from Lena Lashes.

Details on the rest of the products for my look:

Brows: Colourpop Cosmetics Bangin’ Brunette Pencil ($5) Lips: OPV Liquid lipstick in Saturn Eye Pencil: Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in Aqua XL D-12 – diamond black ($21) Eyeshadow Primer: PÜR COSMETICS Cease Crease Eyeshadow Primer ($14) Liquid liner: Inglot black gel eyeliner in 77 Lashes: Lena Lashes Kendall ($15.99) Highlighter for inner corner: OPV Stardust Foundation: Tom Ford traceless perfecting foundation in Sienna Concealer: IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Concealer in deep ($24) Mascara: Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof mascara ($23) Brushes: OPV Pink Brushes

-Includes purchased items and PR samples- -Affiliate Links-

AJ Crimson Beauty Review: Creme Foundation in 4/6.5 + 4.5/7, Nude Lipsticks and Loose Finishing Powder Review and Swatches

AJ Crimson has created an amazing line of foundations for colors of all skin tones. When we visited his last event - Beyond Beauty, Building Your Beauty Business – a Multicultural Beauty Event - AJ spoke about the creation of his beauty brand and how it was borne out of necessity. "I felt like there was an absolute need to bring product to women that actually worked and didn't oxide or change. I wanted to create a product inclusive of women of all ethnicities, a product all women could find ownership in and believe in. So often, makeup has been designed with a one size fits all mentality, and with black women and women of color, my cosmetic line contains shades for women of every ethnic background and skin tone." - AJ Crimson There really isn't much more that I can say that AJ didn't so let's dive into some swatches and review shall we?

I ordered two of dual skin creme foundations in the warm 4/6.5 compact and the deep 4.5/7 compact along with 3 nude lipsticks and a loose finishing powder.

First, let's look at the dual skin creme foundation compacts. Here is the warm 4/6.5 compact.                                                                     Photo taken with LED lights and flash

(Photo taken with LED lights and flash)

(Photo taken with LED lights and no flash)

(Photo taken outside in natural lighting)

Here is the deep 4.5/7 compact.

 (Photo taken with LED lights and flash)

(Photo taken with LED lights and flash)

(Photo taken with LED lights and no flash)

(Photo taken outside in natural lighting)

Here are all 4 shades swatched next to one another for a better comparison. This gives you a better idea of which ones have more of a yellow, golden or red undertone.

(Photo taken with LED lights and flash) (Photo taken outside in natural lighting)

And as usual, here is a live video of the foundations in different lighting (inside and natural sunlight to help you).

[embed]https://youtu.be/CMEoJch-YFY[/embed]

Next, is the loose finishing powder in neutral matte. You can use this to set your foundation and absorb shine. (Photo taken with LED lights and flash. I blended it out as we move further right in the photo so you can see how it it applies once you pick it up and how it blends out.)

And now for the unfiltered test (oh the things I do for you guys). Here is a super upclose (unfiltered and unedited) photo of me testing out the warm 4/6.5 compact and loose finishing powder. I only set my underneath my eyes with the neutral loose finishing powder and didn't set my face because I wanted to see how the creme foundation performed on its own. I love the full coverage that you get with this foundation and contour shade, especially because I didn't put on any concealer and I have extremely dark circles that were covered with just the "4" foundation shade. The only thing that I would change in the future is to make sure to use a mattifying primer and mattifying setting spray because I felt "too shiny" in this photo - however, it was very hot the night I reviewed this foundation and my studio lights are insanely hot - so I am going to test it out and post a few updates once I do that.

Lastly, I picked out 3 lipsticks that were designed to be the perfect matte (creamy) nude for any skin tone. From left to right, we have #Nude, #PerfectSelfie and #NoFilter.                                                           (Photo taken with LED lights and flash)

(Photo taken with LED lights and no flash)

(Photo taken with LED lights and flash)

(Photo taken with LED lights and no flash)

(Photo taken outside in natural lighting)

I must say...it is refreshing to wear some creamy matte lipsticks that aren't liquid lipstick! My favorite of the three nude shades is definitely #NoFilter.

Whew! This post was definitely photo heavy but I really wanted to feature these foundation shades to help some of you that are having a hard time finding the right match for your skin tone and undertone. If you are or looking to try something new in your routine, definitely head to AJ Crimson Beauty.

Juvia’s Place The Nubian 2 Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

I've recently become obsessed with Juvia’s Place, an independent black owned cosmetics brand, that won me over with their Egyptian themed eyeshadow palettes. For as long as I can remember, I've always been enchanted with the rich culture and history of Ancient Egypt. So it was a no-brainer that I had to try this eyeshadow palette that was designed with the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti in mind. The Nubian 2 palette ($35) is cruelty free and consists of 12 versatile eyeshadows - 8 metallic shades and 4 matte shades. Each pan has a net weight of 3.5 g / 0.12 oz. The palette is made in the People's Republic of China - don't let that deter you from checking out this palette because it is one of the best palettes in my collection. The ingredients include: Talc, Mineral Oil, Magnesium Stearate, Iron Oxides, Mica, Kaolin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Chromium Oxide Greens, Titanium Dioxide, Manganese Violet, FD & C Yellow 5 Al Lake, FD&C Blue 1 Al Lake, Ferric Ferrocyanide, FD&C Red Al Lake. I swatched each shade with two coats to show the true colors with no primer. Each of the photos below were taken with my DSLR camera (no flash) and LED lights.

And no review would be complete without a live look at the shadows.

[embed]https://youtu.be/ikYzKWJ3Wig[/embed]

On my lids, I used Madagascar and Kenya as transition colors and in my crease. I added a bit of Leyla mixed with a hint of Jezebel on my lid. On my lips, I am wearing a liquid lipstick called Silencer from OPV Lashes.

Here is the breakdown of the rest of the products used:

Eyelashes: Unforgettable by Esquido Lashes Brows: Colourpop Cosmetics Bangin’ Brunette Pencil ($5) Lips: OPV Liquid lipstick in Silencer Eye Pencil: Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in Aqua XL D-12 – diamond black ($21) Eyeshadow Primer: Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eye Shadow Primer Potion ($24) Liquid liner: Inglot black gel eyeliner in 77 Foundation: Tom Ford traceless perfecting foundation in Sienna Concealer: IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Concealer in deep ($24) Mascara: Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof mascara ($23) Sigma Brushes: E25 – Blending Brush; E55 – Eye Shading Brush; E35 – Tapered Blending Brush; E30 – Pencil Brush; E45 – Small Tapered Blending Brush; E57 – Firm Shader Brush; E15 – Flat Definer Brush

You can order the Juvia's Place Nubian 2 palette here.

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Juvia's Place The Nubian 2 Eyeshadow Palette Flash Giveaway

Um, can we talk about an impromptu giveaway please? There has been so much going on in the world that it has made my head spin over the past few days. I've already touched on the subject on my Instagram page which you can view here until I formally work up the blog post. But tonight...I want to see something that makes me smile.

So I've decided to gift one of my Instagram followers a brand new Juvia's Place The Nubian 2 Eyeshadow Palette. It's so funny because I just opened this palette an hour ago to work on it for a blog feature and each swatch of the Egyptian themed colors screamed "yes, give me away!"

Here's how to enter:

1. You must follow @candycoatedclosets on Instagram.

2. In the comments on this Instagram photo, tag a friend and tell them something uplifting; something positive. Tell them why you love them!

3. You can enter as many times as you want - just make sure that you comment and tag a new friend with a new message that will make them smile.

That's it! I will have swatches up of the colors on my social channels along with a detailed blog post on the palette but I wanted something to go up tonight so that the week could end on a brighter note.

Contest runs from Friday, July 8, 2016 and ends Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 11:59pm est. One winner will be randomly chosen from those who commented (not those tagged within the comments) and announced within 24 hours of the contest ending.

No giveaway/spam profiles & profile must be set to public by the end of the contest so we can ensure that you are following @candycoatedclosets. Open to US residents only (sorry my international babes); 18+, to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received.

The Lure of a Sweet Gourmand: Viktor & Rolf Bonbon Fragrance Review

Melted creamy caramel, dripping Tahitian vanilla and syruped canned peaches. Would you believe me if I told you that I was just describing a fragrance? Sounds scrumptious right? As much as I'd love to eat that right now (um hello ice cream sundae), I'm actually describing Viktor's and Rolf's Bonbon EDP - a gourmand fragrance.

So in case you don't know, a gourmand fragrance is a perfume that has sweet ingredients in it and smells almost edible. Literally, your mouth will begin to water the second that you smell its succulent notes and fade away into the scent of its dessert-like qualities. That's exactly what happened with me when I first got Bonbon.

I ordered Bonbon on a blind buy, of course because of its beautiful presentation, but mainly because it's the little sister to Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb - which I've been obsessed with since 2008. Now although this is the little sister to Flowerbomb, I find Bonbon to be a bit more grown up and seductive. It opens with a huge explosive of caramel and sugary sweets surrounding it and as it dies down, the heart notes of peach, orange blossom and jasmine start to take over. Now I find the more grown up and sophisticated part of this fragrance comes in when it starts to settle into the base notes - specifically the sandalwood and cedar. Surprisingly, I love how the earlier sweet notes blend into the woody base to form a more concrete and sultry scent.

Notes includes mandarin, orange peach, orange blossom, jasmine, caramel, cedar, guaiac wood, sandalwood and amber. It has an 8 hour+ longevity and a memorable sillage.

Now for the fun part - our Bonbon giveaway! This bottle is just too pretty to keep at the CCC HQ so I want one of you to be able to win your own. Here's how to enter:

I want to know what tickles your taste buds (as well as your nose). Leave a comment on this blog post telling me your favorite type of candy and why you need this bottle of Bonbon in your collection. I will choose one winner from all of the comments on Tuesday, July 12th at 5:00pm EST. Open internationally; 18+, to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received.

Good luck everyone!

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How To Celebrate The Fourth Of July in Style (A Quick Nail Tutorial & OOTD Inspiration)

Happy 4th of July! Isn't it amazing how much inspiration you can pull from the world around you for your next outfit of the day? I created this outfit for the 4th of July and what started as a simple pair of jeans and white t-shirt spiraled into a montage to the holiday!

But the star of my look was my nails today! Here is a super quick video tutorial on how to achieve this look all by yourself.

[embed]https://youtu.be/61hYFQwZro0[/embed]

Products in this look: Nail Polish: Starry Starry Night, Blanc, Life of the Party JustFab - Stretch denim jeans Shoes - Shoedazzle Brandee Foot Petals Blossom Cushions

I hope you all have a safe and fantastic 4th of July!

Take An Oud to The Beach - Bond No. 9 Shelter Island Fragrance Review

There aren't many times when I would recommend wearing an Oud fragrance to the beach but Bond No. 9 put an astonishing marine twist on Shelter Island that I couldn't help but test it out this weekend. For starters, Oud is a dark and fragrant resin (also called agarwood) that comes from the wood of the tropical Agar (Aquilaria) tree. It is produced when the wood of the Agar tree gets infected with a very specific mold. The oud - when properly distilled or extracted - is a highly valuable ingredient to perfumers because of its distinctly complex woody, sweet and aromatic scent. I tend to be drawn more to oud scents during the colder months because they are normally heavier but Bond No. 9's Shelter Island took a fascinating turn with this fragrance that contrasted it into a light marine oud. 

It is a tart and lemony fragrance with notes of Citrus zest, black pepper, white lilies, algae extract, sandalwood, amber, myrhh, musk and oud. As I mentioned above, to me, oud tends to make a fragrance heavier but I love how the oud here contrasts with the natural aquatic aromas and candy sweetness to make this scent ideal for the summer and the beach. Plus the bottle was a perfect pairing for this holiday season.

It is available in a 1.7 oz and 3.3 oz from Saks.com and Nordstrom.com.

I hope you all have a fantastic and safe July 4th!

Tarte Cosmetics x Makeup Shayla Contour Palette Review & Swatches

Tarte Cosmetics recently teamed up with beauty vlogger Makeup Shayla for a collaboration that caters to women of color. And for the love of melanin, I must say - yesssssssssssss! It's about time that multi-billion dollar companies started listening to women of color and giving us products that cater to our skin tones .

The Tarteist contour palette ($45) was designed specifically for contouring, sculpting and highlighting darker skin tones. It is cruelty free, made in the USA and comes in purple and gold packaging. Once you remove it from the outer packaging, you will have a gold circular palette that is about the size of your hand. It features six circular pans - five of which have a net weight of 4.5 g / 0.16 Oz. x5 and one smaller glow pan which has a net weight of 1.90 g / 0.067 Oz. The 6 contouring shades includes:

1. Highlight (champagne shimmer highlighter)
2. Correct (matte yellow correcting powder)
3. Soft contour (tan to deep skin tones)
4. Deep contour (deep to rich skin tones)
5. Accentuate (peachy blush)
6. Glow (shimmer bronzer but I use as another highlighter)

The shades are incredibly soft and buttery. I used this palette four times (so far at the time of publishing) so I can tell you that you're going to have a little bit of product fall out when you pick up a lot of a color onto your brush because they are so soft. Here are different types of swatches:

Swatch pictures aren't enough for you? Ok, well here is a live swatch video of it in natural day light.

[embed]https://youtu.be/0_sxRUGizBo[/embed]

When using this palette, I used the lighter contour shade to contour my nose and it gave it a very nice, natural contour. I used the darker contour shade to add dimension to my cheekbones and rounded chubby face. My favorite part about this palette is the highlighters. Linda listen...

I know you weren't expecting that type of a picture but I had to show you the highlight bling while I was testing it out (and practicing filming hair tutorials for YouTube). :-D I also have the blush and both contours on in this shot.

Sorry for the sucky last still shot. My Sony ended up overheating and I had to run out to do errands so my hair is all in my face buuut can you see that highlight peeking through?! On my lips I am wearing Kami Cosmetics Rich Girl.

In addition to a contour palette, you can also use it as an eyeshadow palette to create a natural glam look. Overall, I am happy that I purchased this, since I can use it for multiple reasons and use it to set my cream contours. If I had to give it a rating, I'd give it an 8 out of 10 - for my skin tone (for reference I am MAC NC50). The only reason that I am knocking off 2 stars is because I don't feel like all of the colors are deep enough for darker women (maybe around NW43's - 50's) so I would recommend going into Sephora or Ulta to test this baby out to see if it's a must have for you. However, the collector and woc supporter in me still wants to say no, buy it online immediately before it sells out lol.

[Edited for an update] It is available on Sephora.com now.

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Pretty in Pink (Graffiti): Preparing for a Date Night with Escada Fragrances

The notion that fashion is just putting on a pair of pants, a matching T-shirt and some stylish shoes is simply untrue. When I get ready for my day, there's so much more to it than just going into my closet and picking out a pair of jeans, t-shirt and pumps to match. Seriously, there are so many factors to consider when picking out the perfect outfit - whether you're going for a casual look or something that you're preparing for a night out on the town. The biggest thing that people tend to forget until the last minute is their fragrance.

Take Pink Graffiti by Escada for example. This Eau De Toilette is a bright floral fragrance filled with fruity notes like: pink grapefruit, red peony, wild strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, violet and hints of vanilla, musk and cashmere wood. Sounds great right?

Well this type of fragrance is one that you want to make sure you pair with the right kind of outfit for the right kind of event. Since it's so fruity and floral, you want to make sure that you wear it out for a light and fun event - maybe to a carnival or trip out with some of your closest friends. Since it's an Eau De Toilette - meaning that it has a lower concentration of perfume - expect it to last for up to 2 to 3 hours without having to worry about the scent fading or having to reapply it.

A Simple Date Night Makeup with the OPV Gorgeous Eyeshadow Palette

Have you ever needed to get ready for a date night in under 10 minutes? Well here is a quick natural glam look that you can do with one eyeshadow palette.

Here are the four colors that I am using (these do not have any individual names). 

The color on the far left I used as a transition shade, then blended the orange orchid color in my crease. After blending that out, I lightly added the burgundy color over my crease and the gold shimmer color on the far right on my lid.

And believe me I know you're waiting on the video tutorials! I just received my new lights and working on the setup now.

Details on the rest of the products for my look:

Eyeshadows: OPV Gorgeous Eyeshadow Palette Brows: Colourpop Cosmetics Bangin’ Brunette Pencil ($5) Eye Pencil: Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in Aqua XL D-12 – diamond black ($21) Eyeshadow Primer: Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eye Shadow Primer Potion ($24) Highlighter: StarDust from OPV ($27) Liquid liner: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($22) Lashes: Ardell Lashes Demi wispies in black natural ($3.99) Foundation: Tom Ford traceless perfecting foundation in Sienna Concealer: NARS Cosmetics Radiant Creamy Concealer in Caramel ($29) Mascara: Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof mascara ($23) Sigma Brushes: E25 – Blending Brush; E55 – Eye Shading Brush; E35 – Tapered Blending Brush; E30 – Pencil Brush; E45 – Small Tapered Blending Brush; E57 – Firm Shader Brush; E15 – Flat Definer Brush

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ColourPop Ultra Satin Lips Liquid Lipsticks Review & Swatches - TooLips, Prim, Brooklyn, So Wavy and Panda

I'm working my way through my ColourPop liquid lipstick collection which has ridiculously accumulated over the past 2 years so I'll keep this blog post short and to the point.

ColourPop Cosmetics released a new liquid lipstick collection with an entirely new formula around the end of February/early March 2016 called their Ultra Satin Lips collection. This new liquid lipstick formula is designed to give opaque, long-wearing coverage, however, it isn't transfer-proof and won't dry down completely. Each lipstick is permanent and costs $6.00 for 0.11 fl. oz.

These get a 4 out of 5 from me. I love how soft and comfortable they feel on my lips. As mentioned, they are not transfer proof so I recommend steering clear of these if you're going to be lip locking but otherwise (for $6) get as many as you can.

Here are swatches of TooLips, Prim, Brooklyn, So Wavy and Panda - disclaimer - I am testing out new cameras and lighting positions. The first 3 lip swatches were done with my Sony A5100 camera which alters my skin tone in my LED lights :-/ so I went back to shooting with my Canon T3i Rebel camera so a truer color would show. Let me know which photos you guys prefer.

TooLips

Panda

Prim

So Wavy

Brooklyn

OPV Highlighters in Gold Digger, StarDust and Glam-o-rous Review and Swatches

I know you're sitting there asking yourself, "do I really NEED another highlighter?" And my answer to you is, "of course, are you really debating that?" And here I am just enabling you even further... Today, I wanted to introduce you to the new OPV highlighters in Gold Digger, StarDust and Glam-o-rousEach highlighter is $27 each (USA conversion rate) and the company does ship worldwide. Each highlighter is 16 grams so you are getting a good size for your money. The ingredients include: Talc, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Silica, Nylon Powder, Isopropyl Palmitate, Magnesiumstearate, Dimethicone, Ironoxides, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin.

The highlighters are described as "a very pigment-rich crème formula that provides high colour payoff with a sophisticated shimmer. Very perfect for highlighting and luminosity in any light. This luxurious crème formula is very shimmering  for sophisticated highlight."

Personally, I love Gold Digger and StarDust but enough of reading about it. Check out my full review video to see how these babies really perform.

[embed]https://youtu.be/0lkjVcEUAIo[/embed]

OPV Highlighter in Gold Digger $27.00 OPV Highlighter in Stardust $27.00 OPV Highlighter in Glam-O-Rous $27.00

Valentine’s Day Nail Art | Red and Black Hearts Nail Tutorial With Rhinestones

Valentine's Day nails already? I know, I know I'm either super early (or really late in my book) but I filmed this tutorial when I received a lipstick from the I Adore collection and I was inspired by the packaging and by Nails by Jema.

It's a quick and easy, no-tools-needed, nail art design that will wear great for Valentine's Day, date night or even a cute look at the office. So let your inner artist shine and click play to see how to recreate this look.

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Products used: Knees Up Nail Lacquer by Butter London Union Jack Black by Butter London Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat Nail Crystals

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Enter to Win a Dream Prize of NARS Cosmetics - Blog Subscriber Giveaway

It's time to finally announce our NARS Cosmetics giveaway and this one is solely for you blog subscribers! For this giveaway, I really wanted to celebrate all of the new content that we have on the blog that was created to help you find the very best in fashion and beauty.

Two blog subscribers will win one (1) set of the following:

• NARS Audacious lipstick in Angela — Modern lipstick so shamelessly seductive in touch and texture the sensation is audacious. Unadulterated luxury glides on like satin across skin with single-stroke coverage.
• NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Dione  — Mesmerizing Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow features a luxuriously smooth transformative texture.
• NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Never Say Never  — The application of a lipstick combined with the convenience of a pencil in a jumbo crayon design. Lips are instantly saturated with rich pigments and a velvety matte finish. The long lasting, non-drying formula is enriched with emollients for a creamy texture, while a combination of unique silicones ensures long-lasting, seamless color for hours. Use for lining, all-over lip color, or pairing with another lip product.

To enter, just make sure that you are subscribed to (or following) this blog — Candy Coated Closets. If you need help figuring out how, just leave me a comment and I'll be sure to swing by to help! Two winners will be selected at random from our subscriber list on Tuesday, June 14th, 2016. Open internationally; 18+, to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation and Concealer Review and Swatches - Y415, Y445, R40, Y41

There has been so much hype within the beauty community about the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation - an Allure Best of Beauty winner of 2015 - that I decided to get some samples to test it out myself. This liquid foundation is a super light weight foundation that provides medium to full coverage that is best applied in small thin layers. It is designed to give you an airbrush-like finish on and off camera. There are 40 shades available. I also got a chance to try the Ultra HD concealer. There are 10 shades available and Y41 is the deepest shade.

Here are swatches of the foundation in Y415 and Y445 and the concealer in R40 and Y41.