Mary-Lou Manizer Review

Hello world!

Hope everyone is having a marvelous Wednesday and enjoying the hot weather (at least, the hot weather in the Northeast)! I have heard a so many great reviews on The Balm Cosmetics's Mary-Lou Manizer aka The Luminizer, so I knew I had to try it out for myself. Lucky for me, Hautelook was having a sale on some of the Balm's great products, so I knew I had to snatch one up for myself! Here she is:

Summary (Mary-Lou Manizer aka The Luminizer):

- Highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way.
- Can be used as a highlighter/shimmer/eyeshadow
- Price: $24.00 on The Balm Cosmetics's website. Get it here!

My experience:

So at a first glance, the compact looks slightly dark, maybe darker than a highlighter. Take a look:

Seeing this, I was a little nervous, thinking how can I use this as a highlighter? That's when I decided to test it our on my hand, just to see how much of a shimmer I would get. Amazingly, this is what I got, and you will notice how fair-skinned I am, so take that into consideration, too! Looky:

So, forgive how scaly my hand is, but look at that! Isn't it beautiful?? I used a highlighting brush to apply it on the tops of my cheekbones and down the center of my nose (to make my big shnoz look smaller) and found that this highlighter was so pigmented that I had to use a clean makeup brush to swipe a bit of it off my cheekbones. I've never had to do that with any other powdered highlighter. It did apply really smoothly though, and I didn't notice any scent, which I also enjoyed. I haven't tried this out on my eyelids yet as a shadow, but I do think that this would also be great in the corners of the eyes.

At this price, I don't know why you aren't rushing to get your hands on one! Not only is it affordable, but will look beautiful on all skin tones. Let me know what you think if you get one! Until next time!

Peace and Love,

Farrah <3

Julep Nailpolish/ Apologies

Hello world!

Ok, I really have to apologize for my lack of posts. My fiance and I have been trying to plan our wedding and let me tell you- it SUCKS. The amount of money, coupled with the many details that go with finding a venue, really almost drove us to eloping. We finally found our venue and the only date they had available for us is Friday, June 13th! That's right, pals. Friday, the thirteenth. Now, comes the task of getting evvvverything else ready for the big day. Any tips/suggestions/advice would gladly be heard!

Ok, so, enough of that, here's the scoop on one of my new favorite brands- Julep. Julep is a company on the rise for their superior nail polish and beauty products. The fact that they are "4 free", which means they do not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP, is not only amazing for your nails, but better for our environment! Tell me that doesn't make you automatically a little happier? So, I had heard a lot about them through my monthly beauty box subscription, Birchbox, so when they offered a specialty box in affiliation with CEW and there was a Julep nailpolish in there, I knew I had to try it! Here is the color I received in my box, named "Liz."

Summary:

- Fast-drying, chip-resistant, highly pigmented color
- Prices discounted further through Maven beauty program (month to month subscription that can be skipped when desired)
- Prices: range depending on styles, but generally nail polish starts at $14. You can buy "Liz" and others here!


When I used this nail color, I didn't use a primer or a top coat. I used two coats and literally, my nails were dry in about 5 minutes. I'm the type of gal that always needs to use the loo as soon as I'm finished painting my nails, which is why I almost never have a perfect manicure unless I've gone to a nail salon. On my life, no smudge, no chipping, no nothin'! The color stayed on my nails perfectly for about 5 days until I started to see some wear. Julep suggests painting the edges of the nails and under the nail a bit first to extend the time before wear starts showing. I think if I try that next time, I will be even happier. Even so, about a day after trying "Liz" on, I signed up to be a Maven, took the style quiz, and ordered my first monthly box! I'll do a review as soon as it comes in! Until next time...

Peace and Love,

Farrah <3