Turning Page - So Beautiful!

I'd like to share a song real quick that I came across recently and I've been listening to it again and again for the past few days. It's performed by the band Sleeping At Last and it's part of the soundtrack for the Twilight movie Breaking Dawn (say what you will about the movies but the soundtrack has been decent throughout all the movies in my opinion)

Something about this song just moves me to tears every time I listen to it, which is why I stop myself from listening to it too much lol. It's just so touching and beautiful and it's like the music just plays on my heart strings. I hope you like it :)

(I do not own the video/music in any way)

Review: Nyx Tinted Lip Spa (Must Read If You Have Sensitive Skin)

From left: Silk, Vintage, Sake, Pinky Winky

Oh Nyx, my first ever product from the Nyx line and unfortunately it didn't work out like I had hoped. I used this product for about a week and a half after which I was forced to stop but more on that later.

I came across the Nyx Tinted Lip Spa in one of the countless YouTube beauty videos I watch lol and it just looked so nice on the beauty guru that I had to try it. So, when HauteLook had their Nyx sale I snatched these up. The only color I wanted was Sake but it was a set of four on sale for $13 so I figured, why not? 

Now, for some reason I don't see these on the Nyx website but they are available on Cherry Culture where the description for them says: "Lip conditioner with just a hint of color! Tinted lip spa is full of moisturizing and nourishing benefits to give your lips the ultimate spa treatment they deserve."

I'd say it is a pretty decent lip conditioner and it has more than just a hint of color, it wasn't too sheer, which I considered a plus. It was also good on it's claim of being moisturizing, my lips can get very dry and they didn't feel dry at all over the period of time I used this lip spa. The consistency is quite soft and buttery and it glides on very easily. As I said, I really wanted Sake but the color I ended up loving was Vintage. It's just this beautiful peachy coral color and it's the kind of color that I feel would be flattering on everyone.

The scent was quite minty, it reminded me of the Wrigley's 5 gum only stronger. However, it disappeared after a while so it was something I could live with. The staying power was not great, about 3 or 4 hours for me but it's the kind of cute little thing that you could throw in your purse and pull out and reapply whenever, wherever. All in all, I was satisfied with the product itself and honestly, if I could I would have continued to use them. So why did I have to stop using them and sadly put them away?

Vintage (above) Silk, Sake, Pinky Winky (below from left to right)

About two days after using these (I mostly used Vintage, occasionally Sake) I noticed one side of my face near my lips was breaking out a little. I've always had acne prone skin so I didn't think too much of it and used the Clinique Acne Spot Corrector hoping it would go away. 

Not only did it not go away over the next few days it had also appeared on the other side of my face. I was getting a little worried because it looked more than just the normal breakout but I couldn't think of what it could possibly be since I hadn't made major changes to my skincare routine. I decided maybe it was my pillowcase so I changed it and thought that might help. I also pinned it down to not  drinking a lot of water so I started being more conscious about that. Over the next few days it had spread up my cheeks, there were multiple red bumps all over and some of them were painful,  I was in agony over my skin. I couldn't figure out what was going on and the idea entered my mind that it might be these lip spas but I dismissed it because I had never experienced an allergic reaction to a lip product before, ever, and I didn't know why it would be all over my cheeks. 

It has more FD&C than just this one, I simply highlighted this one

However, I noticed that when I didn't use them for two days the breakouts did not get better but they did not get worse, I didn't see any new bumps. Stupidly enough, I canNOT explain to myself why I would do it lol but I used Vintage again one more time and you guessed it, the next day I noticed more bumps on my cheeks. It still seemed far fetched to me that a lip product was making me break out so bad but I did some research and found that beauty products that have artificial coloring can sometimes irritate skin. TotalBeauty's website said to look out for products that had FD&C in the ingredient list because it meant the product had artificial coloring. So I looked at the ingredients and sure enough, these lip spas have FD&C. Well...that was the end of that. It's been one week now since I stopped using the lip spas and I have not noticed any new breakouts and my skin has slowly started to get better and return to normal. 

Makeup Alley Rating: 4.2/5

Personal Rating: I'm not going to rate this product, I just wouldn't know what to rate it given my experience with it. 

It's unfortunate, really, because I loved the Vintage lip spa and it was pretty perfect...you know, if you ignore the massive breakout all over the cheeks lol. I'd just like to say though that I have nothing against Nyx, I just wanted to share my experience so that others with sensitive skin can take it into consideration when buying something that might have artificial coloring. My allergic reaction to them aside, I thought this was a great product and if you do not have super sensitive skin you might find these to be a great buy.

Update: I ended up giving these to a friend of mine and she absolutely loves them, no reaction whatsoever lucky her grr

The opinions expressed in the above review are my own and I was not paid for this review, I bought the product myself.

Beautiful Quote # 4

"Most of the shadows in this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I just think this is so true because if you look at it so many of the daily annoyances and worries...well they're created by us! Sometimes I'm walking around feeling anxious and I'm not even sure what it's about and suddenly I'll stop and think "what on earth am I worried about?!" and most of the time it will either be something that I don't even have control over so worrying is utterly pointless or it'll be something that is not a big deal at all but I'm still worrying for no reason and I walk around all day carrying that anxiety which is so unhealthy. So I think it's very important to monitor our thoughts and feelings and eliminate some of the worries that we ourselves are creating. Does this happen to you? Do you find yourself feeling anxious sometimes when there's really nothing to be anxious about? Almost like you're just used to it. If so, take a deep breath and clear it out of the way, make room for positive thoughts :)

A Beautiful Pathway Lined with Trees ... Buy From Art.com

Praying for Sandy Survivors

Those of you who live in the US (and perhaps some of you outside the US) know that Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast this past week and caused a lot of damage. It also claimed many lives. The individuals we lost in the hurricane will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved them and I pray for their loved ones in this difficult time. My heart goes out to everyone affected by the hurricane and I hope and pray that you all get through this safely.

The Secret

Have any of you seen the movie The Secret or read the book? It started as a book, written by Rhonda Byrne who stresses the importance of positive thinking and says that we can change our lives if we change our attitudes.

On the website for The Secret and on YouTube there are some beautiful videos that are meant to help you feel more positive and harness your energy. I'd like to share my favorite one, it's called Planet Earth and honestly, it's just beautiful and so peaceful. I always feel so grateful for this planet we call home after watching it because it really is magnificent in ways we don't stop to think about. Many thanks to the Secret team and I hope you like it as much as I do :)

Feel the positive energy? :)

Quotes

I think I'm going to make sharing quotes a permanent part of my blog from here on out. I've always loved inspirational, positive quotes and I think they can make such a big difference in your attitude. Reading a good quote can instantly make my day a little brighter and a little better. So, I'd like to share quotes that I discover and like and I'd love for you to share your favorites!

Since I already shared two quotes this will be # 3 :)

"I have found that if you love life, life will love you back" - Arthur Rubinstein

This quote really rings true with me, I honestly believe that if you put positive energy and thoughts out into the world then that is what will come back to you in your life. If you have a positive attitude towards life, life will reflect positive things back to you!

What are some quotes that you find inspirational? :)

Chanel Gommage Microperle Éclat Review

Hello lovelies! Ok, so a while ago I developed an obsession with Chanel skincare products and I bought this scrub (the name is so fancy I wouldn't even know it was a scrub! would you?) during that time. I've had it for more than two months now so I think it's long enough to properly review it.

To be fair it's not really a scrub, technically it's an exfoliating gel and according to the Chanel website it "delivers powerful exfoliating action for a refined, revitalized, luminous complexion". So does it deliver?

The packaging is pretty basic for this product but pretty nonetheless! It comes in a light pink tube with a shiny black cover on the bottom which you unscrew and then squeeze the gel out. Not a lot comes out in one go so you don't waste any product, which means it will last you longer.

The consistency of the gel is very creamy unlike a lot of gels that either feel thin and watery or thick and greasy, this one has the perfect consistency in my opinion. The color is a light light pink with darker pink exfoliating beads suspended in the gel. I like that the beads are very gentle on my super sensitive skin and they didn't cause any irritation whatsoever, which is rare in my case. The SA I bought it from told me not to scrub it in too much because it wasn't made for that kind of scrubbing and it might irritate my skin. So I was very careful to not rub it in and just lightly massaged it on my face in circular motions.

One thing that I noticed is that it does not rinse off easily. Even after a few rinses I can still feel one or two beads here and there but a few more rinses and they're gone so it's something that I can live with. Immediately after I wash my face with it my skin feels baby soft and definitely looks more glowy and dare I say, radiant, and hey who doesn't love looking radiant? So that's a definite plus AND it gets better, my skin looks even more amazing the next morning (I use this at night). Like seriously a "whoa" inducing glow that will make you want to stare at yourself :)

The radiance, however, doesn't last very long. A day and a half at the most and then I was back to non radiant normalcy. For whatever reason I just expected more from this product (maybe because it sets you back a heft $45) but it does what it says, it does revitalize your skin temporarily and the effects are certainly very good. It's not something that is a staple in my skincare routine but definitely good for a spa day when you want to pamper yourself. So to sum up!

 

Pros:

• Creamy consistency

• Leaves skin baby soft

• Gentle enough for sensitive skin

• Did not cause a break out

• You will most probably look like a goddess for a while and ooh and aah at your face in the mirror

Cons:

• Expensive ($45 at Nordstrom)

• Effects are temporary

• No long term effects (is this the same as the one above? Maybe but I'm going to write it anyway!)

All in all, if it's within your budget and you feel like treating yourself I recommend this product and hey, you can return it if you don't like it! Nordstrom is the best when it comes to returns. If you're looking for a facial exfoliator to join your regular skincare routine I wouldn't go with this one.

Makeup Alley rating: 3.3/5

My personal rating: 3.5/5

Let me know what you think in the comments below! Have you tried any exfoliating gels? Which ones worked for you? :)

The opinions expressed in the above review are my own and I was not paid for this review, I bought the product myself.

A Beautiful Quote

Another quote that I came across that I really love :)

Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. 

They are where they should be. 

Now put the foundations under them.”  -Henry David Thoreau

Nuance Rosehip Moisturizing Body Lotion Review

A while ago I went through a phase where I was absolutely obsessed with the Nuance line by Salma Hayek. Many celebrity lines are usually flops but something about this line was just calling me! Admittedly there were hits and misses for me in this line but this lotion was a definite hit.

This lotion has Rosehip with Aloe Vera & Irish Moss Extract and according to what it says on the bottle "Rosehip oil helps relieve dry skin almost instantly. Aloe Vera & Irish Moss Extract help soothe, nourish and moisturize for soft, smooth, radiant looking skin."

The texture of this lotion is very creamy and smooth and it just feels amazing on the skin. What I especially love is that it's not greasy at all but you can still...feel the moisture on your skin even after it's dry. It's like the skin just drinks in the moisture from the lotion. It's heavenly. I got this over the summer but I find myself using it a lot more now that the weather is getting colder so it's definitely a better product for fall/winter.

One of the most important factors in how much I like a product is how the product smells. More often than not I end up returning a product with any strong smell. I must admit, when I first tried out this lotion the smell wasn't something I loved, it smelled very strongly of roses. Over time, though, it's grown on me. I barely notice it now and even when I do I honestly kind of like it.

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           The bottle is sort of curving inwards because I'm almost all out lol

The bottle design is pretty basic and it's quite easy to get the product out until you're running low at which point you have to squeeze it extra hard and shake it to get the lotion out but that's to be expected. 
 

Price: I got this at CVS for about $8 which I think is very reasonable for the quality of the product. If you're a CVS rewards club member (I think it's called ExtraCare?) and you have some ExtraBucks lying around you can get it for even less :)

All in all, I definitely recommend this if you have dry skin and you're looking for a relatively inexpensive lotion that moisturizes without that icky greasy feeling that I know we all hate :)

Rating:

Makeup Alley Rating: 5

(mind you there aren't a lot of reviews for this on mua yet because I don't think a lot of people even know about the line)

My personal rating: 5

Have you tried this lotion yet? Do let me know what you thought :)

Let's start with a quote

For my first post, I just wanted to share a quote that I've always found to be inspirational and motivating :)

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford