More Makeup by One Direction and a Giveaway!

Awhile ago I reviewed one of the limited edition Makeup by One Direction kits, Up All Night from The Looks Collection.  One Direction and Markwins have come out with more colors for select hit products, which are now available in type-specific sets.

ELECTRO GLAM MASCARA

Give your look a jolt of electric colour, with this limited-edition trio of ultra-bold coloured mascaras for hair and lashes, in three heavily pigmented, buildable colours.   Make a subtle statement by adding a pop of colour to the tips of your lashes, or add coats to your entire lashes for a shockingly chic look. The more the better! Or apply to small sections of hair and swipe through for instant highlights.  Unfortunately, this kit is missing the all-around useful black mascara (which came in all the original Looks Collection kits), but it does include these three colors:

Why don’t we go there- Shock of blue
Does he know?- Pinkest hot pink
Story of my life- Amped canary yellow

LIQUILIGHTS GLOW GLOSS

If you remember from my Up All Night kit review, this gloss was my favourite product of the bunch!  Liquilights Glow Gloss sparkles brilliantly during the day and illuminates under UV black light after dark. Enriched with natural oils and vitamin E to keep your lips soft and hydrated all day and all night.  Gloss can be worn alone for a pop of sparkle and color, or paired with One Direction crème lipstick for a bolder look.  It is a surprisingly good dupe for the Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss, one of my favourite lip glosses.  In the set is three colors:

Through the Dark- Electric glitter poppy lip gloss that glows to neon red-orange under UV light
Kiss You- Orange glitter rush lip gloss that glows to neon yellow under UV light
Taken – Powerhouse glitter pink lip gloss that glows to neon orange under UV light

ROCK ME NAIL KIT

You know I love dressing up my nails, so I was especially excited about this set.  It features UV-reactive Nail Varnish and UV-reactive glitter that add even more sizzle to your mani, for nails that light up day and night.  Sprinkle the glitter over wet polish for a subtle accent, or go for the glitz and dip your entire wet mani in mega-watt sparkle!   It can be messy (work on top of a big piece of paper!) but coating your polish with glitter will give more zing and be longer lasting than ordinary glitter polish.  In each set is three nail polishes and three bottles of glitter:

Nail Varnish:
Happily– UV iced blue glitter
Moments- UV neon pink
Diana- UV 3D holographic

Glitter Toppings:
Kicks- UV snow cone blue
Not afraid- UV electrified pink glitter
Star– UV holo glitter

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE TO WIN ONE OF THESE THREE SETS!

You can buy these new kits now at Macy’s, Dillards, Boscov’s, Stage Stores, Beauty Brands, and Lord & Taylor.

Keep up to date by following the official Makeup by One Direction Facebook page.

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Manicure Monday: Lilac and Lace

HI all! Today’s manicure features a beautiful lilac shimmer paired with steel and silver lace accent nails.

First, I put on three coats of Julep Elisa, which is a beautiful lilac with a fine shimmer.  The shimmer is almost imperceptible, and really just gives the solid color a shine boost.  I went with this color, which was oh-so-chic this past spring, because I wanted to celebrate the last few days of nice mild I-don’t-need-a-coat weather.

To give my manicure some extra personality (and because I was too lazy to do any nail art!) I used OPI’s Trend Tips in a steel and silver lace design on the ring finger.  Trend Tips are “real lacquer strips” which you peel and stick onto your nail, which allows you to have all sorts of patterns and effects that wouldn’t be possible in a home manicure.  Each set comes with several sizes which you can also cut and file to shape.  I keep my nails fairly long, but I find that one strip usually ends up covering two nails!  Plus, they’re really easy to put on when fresh, and last a long long time.  However, I like to keep mine for a while (you’re supposed to use them all when you open it!) to use as accent nails.  They tend to get dry and stiffen up after time, but a manicurist showed me a cool trick – just heat them gently and the strip will soften and the adhesive melts to stick nicely on your nails.

BOTTOM: Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat

COLOR: Julep Elisa (lilac), OPI Trend Tips (sorry, it doesn’t have a color name!)

TOP: Julep Oxygen Performance Top Coat

Only for the month of September, sign up for Julep Maven and get a Limited Edition Fall Neutrals 4-Piece Welcome Box! That’s two times the size of the normal welcome box!

If you’re already a Julep Maven, use code FABFALL to get gift set free with $25+ purchase.

Manicure Monday: Suzi and Erin Bike Around Town

This week’s Manicure Monday features a manicure and a half (sorta!).

I originally went with a really simple but sassy manicure with a fairy-dust pink, OPI’s Pedal Faster Suzi!  I’ll be honest – I totally picked this polish because of the fun name.  I did a bunch of biking when I was visiting Washington D.C. last week and wanted a polish that reflected my activity (although I have no idea what this shimmery pink has to do with pedaling!).

Pedal Faster Suzi was great buuuuut after my August Julep Maven box showed up, I was dying to try out one of the polishes from their Art Walk collection ASAP.  The grey in particular, named Erin, caught my eye, and I decided to update my pink nails with a little bit of geometric flair.

For this month only, get the very special City Lights Welcome Box when you sign up for Julep Maven!  Or, if you’re already a Maven girl, use promo code FABFALL to get gift set free with $25+ purchase.

Julep Maven August Boho Glam Unboxing

Hi~! A few days ago I received my August Julep Maven box, in Boho Glam.  August’s collection is named The Art Walk, so of course, being an art historian, I had to have it.

A cute thing Julep does is send little bonbons in every Maven box!

I’m really loving these colors for fall, and grey is one of my favourites year round.  I’m sure these two polishes, Erin (grey) and Mary Lee (burgundy) will star in one of my upcoming Manicure Mondays, so I won’t talk too much about them today.

The plush pout lip crayon is an interesting hybrid.  It is a twist-style crayon, with a moisturizing core in the middle and lipstick on the edges.  First off, I know crayons are trendy, but I don’t see any advantages lip crayons have over conventional lipstick tubes, especially when they’re twisties and have a cap (if someone makes a capless crayon, then I’m on board).  The color and saturation of Plush Pout is really great, buuuuut that moisturizing core in the center really throws me off balance.  On one hand, with the moisturizing core, this is a nicely smooth medium-wear lip color.  On the other hand, the colorless core makes even application of the lip color tricky.  In my opinion, the way to achieve the most even coverage is by using a lip brush – which defeats the point of a carry-all crayon.    I’m not sure how much this Plush Pout retails for on its own, but as part of this fall set, I’m glad to have it.

If you love what you see here and want to sign up for your own fully customizable Julep Maven box or check out their full selection of great beauty products,  I have two great deals for you!

Only for the month of September, sign up for Julep Maven and get a Limited Edition Fall Neutrals 4-Piece Welcome Box! That’s two times the size of the normal welcome box!

If you’re already a Julep Maven, use code FABFALL to get gift set free with $25+ purchase.

Manicure Monday: Uptown Rocker

Hi there!  This week’s Manicure Monday is a modern and edgy take on a classic.  It’s been awhile since the last Manicure Monday.  I did do my nails while I was on vacation in the Bahamas last week, but I didn’t have my computer with me so no post, sorry (it was tropical, with yellow and pink)!

Today I have for you an updated French Manicure with extra metallic glam.  I made black French tips using Covergirl Black Diamond, a gold lame French tip and accent nail with Julep Zelda, and a second accent nail with crushed gold flakes with Julep Gianna, finished off with two coats of glossy topcoat for shine and strength.

MUCH LUXE SO DANGER

BOTTOM: Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat

COLORS: Covergirl Black Diamond (black), Julep Gianna (gold flakes), Julep Zelda (gold lame)

TOP: Julep Oxygen Performance Top Coat

Jet Set Beauty

I just got back from a family vacation to beautiful Bahamas, and I wanted to share something interesting I bumped into during my travels!  In New York city’s JFK airport and Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport, there are some very cute boutique/kiosk/vending machines selling beauty products!

I especially love the suitcases stacked on top!!

On my way to the Bahamas at the Fort-Lauderdale-Hollywood airport, I stopped in my tracks as something very pink and very bright caught my eye.  It was the Benefit ‘van,’ full of their awesome products and adorned with their signature sassy style.  Other than their regular line of products, they were also selling special travel kits – I saw a quad of mini lip glosses, and a small skincare essentials set.

When I got home to New York City, I bumped into yet another Benefit van, but JFK also has an Essie boutique!  Now, you know I’m a nail polish junkie, and definitely an Essie girl (ok so most of my polishes are Julep, but I still love Essie’s colors the best!), so this was a little slice of beauty heaven.  Unfortunately, this machine doesn’t have their full stock of colors (nor does it sell any of their top/bottom coats, only the cuticle oil and the all-purpose coat),  but it does give you a free polish when you buy 4.

Have you ever encountered these beauty boutiques before?  What other ones are out there?

Up All Night: Makeup by One Direction from The Looks Collection

Calling all One Direction fans: this sneak peek review is for you!  I received one of three exclusive makeup sets from The Looks Collection by One Direction, thanks to Brandbacker and cosmetics company Markwins.  I got “Up All Night,” a fun cobalt and pink centered set.  If you’re curious about the other limited edition tins from The Looks Collection, be sure to see my overview of the collection.

Each set from The Look Collection includes a 5 color eyeshadow palette, mascara, a chubby pencil, lipstick, lip gloss, and nail polish.

First, let’s look at the collectible tin the products are housed in!  The picture of the band is on a transparent plastic sleeve, and after you slip it off, you get a grunge-chic black and white brick design.

The tin was bigger than I expected, which was great as I love using tin boxes to store memorabilia and trinkets.

Nestled inside the tin are 7 products.  A great feature is the inside of the lid, which gives you suggestions on fun ways to use the set.

The first thing I picked up was the 5 Color Eyeshadow Palette.

Eyeshadows in an edgy case.

Each color in the palette has a cute name.

‘More Than This’ is a soft coral cream, which is great as a base and for highlighting the inner corners and brow bone.  ‘Save You Tonight’ is an icy turquoise which would work on its own for fresh eyes (for a modern look, follow the lash line and don’t wing out or touch the crease) or to illuminate the ball of the lid.  ‘Gotta Be You’ is a taupe with a light shimmer, and would be best used in the crease and outer V of the eyes.  ‘Another World’ is a royal blue shimmer, and I think it looks very chic as part of an updated smokey eye.  The last color is ‘Up All Night,’ what the box sleeve describes as “sapphire glitter creme” but it’s really a lot of glitter without much creamyness.

From left to right: ‘Up All Night,’ ‘Another World,’ ‘Save You Tonight,’Gotta Be You,’ and ‘More Than This.’

The staying power and saturation of these eyeshadows are just average, although the colors are vibrant.  You will definitely need to use some primer or setting spray with these eyeshadows; since every color has a shimmer/glitter element, there is some fallout.  All the colors in this palette would work well with ‘Stand Up,’ a dark denim eye and body chubby crayon.  I really like the color of ‘Stand Up,’ as this kind of blue brightens the whites of your eyes and is a great alternative to black or brown liner.

 

The greatest downfall of the palette’s packaging, IMO, is that there is no built in mirror, and the ‘brush’ end of the included applicator sucks at picking up pigment – I would much rather prefer to have 2 sponge ends.

 

Would be great for the fall and winter, or as an accent color year round.

The next product is ‘Na Na Na’, an aqua blue metallic chrome nail varnish.  To me, this polish is way more green with blue shadows and is not aqua blue as described.  It is a very high shine metallic, and while it applies smoothly, is strangely thin.  It took me 5 coats to reach opacity, and since it’s not colored glitter in a clear base, it’s not really suitable as a glitter coat on another color.  Hm.  On the plus side, it’s easy to remove.

The ‘Little Black Dress’ volumizing black mascara is not so much volumizing as it is lengthening.  I do like its dense applicator brush and smooth formula, which managed to hold onto my stick straight lashes and keep them in place.

‘Taken’ Liquilights Glow Gloss was my absolute favourite product of the bunch! It has a great flat round edge applicator and the formula is smooth and feels good on the lips.  The color reminds me of one of my favourite glosses of all time, Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Passionfruit.  I love ‘Taken’ so much, I threw it in my purse right away!

 

The box sleeve says that this “powerhouse glitter pink lip gloss” has a secret feature: it “glows to neon orange under UV light”!  After reading that I was thinking, “Where and when would I ever be in a place with UV light?”  And lo and behold, that very day, I found myself in a glow-in-the-dark blacklight-only store on Jersey Shore.  Lucky!

As you an see, ‘Taken’ does glow orange… sort of.

On the left is ‘Taken’ lip gloss and on the right is ‘I Should Have Kissed You’ lipstick.

The other lip product in the tin is ‘I Should Have Kissed You’ a bubblegum pink creme lipstick.  This lipstick feels more matte to me, and while the color is fun, I don’t really think it suits me.

 

 

Finally, the last ‘product’ is the One Direction Stencil Kit.  You could use these 5 cards as stencils to decorate yourself a la temporary tattoos, or use with some sharpies to personalize your tin.

 

 

I hope you had as much fun reading about The Looks Collection as I have had playing around with the products!  These three limited edition tins are not for sale quite yet, but when they are, but sure to pick up your favourite set!

 

US RELEASE DATES:

Macy’s – August 11th
Stage Stores – August 25th
Dillards – August 25th
Beauty Brands – August 25th
Lord and Taylor – August 25th

You can visit their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MakeupbyOneDirection to get all the latest details!

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Manicure Monday: Daisy Dalliance

BASE: Essie Grow Stronger

COLORS: Dior Addict 150 (pearl), Essie Tart Deco (coral), Essie Shake Your $$ Maker (green), Ulta Fuschiamania (fuschia), Julep Charlie (yellow), Julep Sydney (red)

TOP: OPI Rapidry

Left hand with Essie Tart Deco

Here’s my manicure of the week!  No, it’s not Monday, but still!  They were painted on Monday, but more importantly, Manicure Tuesday just doesn’t sound cool.

I wanted to go for a delicate and flirty floral this time around.  Originally I was going to paint a tried-and-true rose design, but I was inspired by Wondrously Polished and fell in love with this look!  Instead of  a solid base, I used only one coat of a white pearl polish, Dior Addict, 150, to create a sheer, simmering effect.

My favourite part about this manicure is how the flowers creep around the edge, like wildflowers at the side of a path.  It’s feminine and fun at the same time!

Giveaway! Make-up by One Direction: The Looks Collection

Win a limited edition make up set from The Looks Collection by One Direction before it’s available to the public!

Up All Night

Brandbacker and beauty company Markwins have teamed up to give you this exclusive first look and giveaway contest, and I’m so excited to share it with you before the make up collection even hits stores!

Winners will receive a Make-up by ONE DIRECTION limited-edition collection of beauty essentials, housed in a collectible keepsake tin. Inside is everything you need to rock all your beauty looks on or off the stage.

Much like the One Direction band members themselves, this prestige makeup line is fun, bold and a tad mischievous, featuring vivid shades, premium formulas and chic, collectible packaging and components.

1D fans, remember when Niall showed off his make up skills?

Just had a great meeting about 1D make up! it’s that good im gona start wearing it myself pic.twitter.com/XKqZW45Buc — Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial) June 23, 2014

I hope you’re better at applying nail polish than Niall!

Check out the three kits, each named after a 1D song.  Every kit has 7 pieces and includes an eyeshadow palette, mascara, lip gloss (which glows under UV light!), lipstick, nail polish, a chubby multitasking crayon that can be used as eye liner and shadow.  It also comes with bonus stencils made from doodles by the guys; use it anywhere to decorate your accessories or give yourself a temporary tattoo.

Take Me Home

By looks alone, Take Me Home is my favourite – I’m such a sucker for gold!  The eye shadow palette looks like it’s going to be great for building shimmery neutrals.  The black light activated lip gloss sounds really cool (although, where would I find black light even?).

Midnight Memories

I can’t wait to try these out!  My kit from Brandbacker is in the mail, and once I get it I will definitely let you know what I think about each piece.

If you’re looking to buy your own kit (or all three!) they will be coming to US stores through August.

US RELEASE DATES:
Macy’s – August 11th
Stage Stores – August 25th
Dillards – August 25th
Beauty Brands – August 25th
Lord and Taylor – August 25th

TO WIN YOUR OWN ONE DIRECTION MAKE UP ENTER HERE: https://promosimple.com/ps/4f5b

Contest ends in two weeks on August 5th and winners will be picked at random.   They are giving out 50 kits, so don’t miss out!  Be sure to come back everyday and enter to increase your chances of winning!

You can visit their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MakeupbyOneDirection to get all the latest details!

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Manicure Monday: Poppy Garden

BASE: Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat

COLORS: Julep Alexandra (cream), Essie Fifth Avenue (red), Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Black Diamond (black), Essie Shake Your $$ Maker (green)

TOP: OPI RapiDry Spray

Left hand with Essie Fifth Avenue and Julep Alexandra

Time for a new manicure! Poppies are one of my favourite floral designs, with their broad fluttery petals and striking red and black contrast.  They’re also fairly easy to make without any tools, which was a huge plus this week because I couldn’t find my nail art tools ( lost?? ;__;!! ).

The finished product!

First I put on two coats of Julep’s Alexandra, a cream color which featured in last week’s manicure as well.  Using the brush straight out of the bottle,  I made the flower petals by controlling pressure (and thus how wide the bristles spread).  Then, using a toothpick and dipping in Essie Shake Your $$ Maker (what a name!), I made the stems and leaves.  The black poppy seeds were painted using the bottle’s brush too, by picking up just the tiniest amount of paint and dotting with the corner of the brush.  Just goes to show you that you can create nail art without a ton of tools!

Right hand

If you like the polishes I used today and want to try out Julep’s awesome nail products for yourself, click here for your first box FREE.