Weekend Makeup Essentials #2

So almost every weekend for the past 2 or so years I have stayed at my boyfriends.  This has given me master packing skills.  Awhile back I showed you my weekend makeup essentials and thought that this would be a fun series.  So here is what I packed last weekend. 

I have been loving my Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum.  It really moisturizes my skin and leaves a radiant glow.  My absolute holy grail foundation is the Dior BB Creme.  It has great coverage and is such a great match for my skin tone.  Since my skin has been quite oily lately so I have been setting my foundation with the Chanel Les Beige powder.  This powder makes my makeup last all day long.  And I love to use my Sephora #55 brush with the powder.  It isn't too dense and just picks up the right amount of powder. 

For blush I have been loving a good blush stick.  Lately I have been enjoying the new Nars Matte Multiple in Laos.  It is a nice rosy coral shade that looks great on my fair skin.  I am not into the whole using my fingers so I have been using the ELF small stippling brush.  It has such a small head that it works great with this product.  To highlight I have been reaching for my Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight.  This gives you such a beautiful lit from within glow (if that even makes sense). 

 I have been going for a really strong brow lately so, I have been using the Maybelline Color Tattoo in matte brown (le).  It has a great waxy consistency that keeps my brows in place all day.  I have also been doing very minimal eye makeup, just some mascara.  The Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme makes my lashes look so voluminous.  It is just amazing!  Then for lips I have been loving the YSL Gloss Volupte in Grenade Pepite.  It's a nice strawberry color that makes my lips look luscious.  

What are your weekend makeup essentials ??

Love, 

City Styles 

      

Current Wishlist !

I always have a running wish list of the products I really want to try. These are currently the top 5 I've been lusting over.

1.  I've been looking for a bag to replace my Neverfull and I love how sleek this Mansur Gavriel looks and I love the pop of color it has on the inside.

2. I don't own anything from Guerlain and I want to change that, like ASAP.  This Rouge G is absolutely gorgeous and the limited edition packaging has me drooling.

3. I was recently looking at The Beauty Lookbook's review on these new Armani Cheek Fabric Blushes and I knew I had to have a few.  They seem so pigmented and beautiful.

4. Ever since I saw thebombshellsuite talk about this La Mer loose powder I knew I would have to give it a try.  I just started to  get into powders and I think I'll really enjoy this.

5.  Laura from Buy Now, Blog Later has raved about this Chantecaille Just Skin foundation for what seems like forever.  My skin has recently been changing from a dry desert to a McDonalds French fry so I think I might enjoy this light weight tinted mositurizer.

What is on your wish list ??

Love,
City Styles

PS - I might have bought the Chantecaille Just Skin yesterday ... Oops . 

Dior Addict Fluid Stick {Wonderland}

Dior has recently released these Dior Addict Fluid Sticks.  There are 17 shades in all.  There is a nice mix of light, medium, and darker shades.  I picked up the shade Wonderland.  It is a beautiful bright red, coral shade.  It looks a bit intense in the tube but, I love it on the lips.  These fluid sticks are highly pigmented.  They are a hybrid of a lipstick and a gloss.  That seems to be all the rage now and I am loving it.  

  

These Fluid Sticks are a bit different then the regular Addict Gloss.  The glosses are more sheer with a wider shade range but, if you are looking for something with a longer staying power then you will love the Fluid Sticks. 

The sponge tip applicator is the only con I have with these.  I am not a big fan but, I am also not a fan of the Addict Gloss brush either.  The sponge tip is a little to large and rounded.  It is not flexible either.  It makes putting the gloss on a bit harder.  

When I first heard of the Dior Fluid Stick I immediately thought if the YSL Glossy Stains.  I like the Glossy Stains but, I was never over the top about them.  The original ones were not pigmented enough for me.  The Fluid Sticks are similar in concept to the Glossy Stains but, Dior executed them better.  I think the Fluid Sticks last longer and have better pigmentation.   

Dior Wonderland compared to YSL Gloss Volupe #15, Chanel Sonate, and Burberry Mallow Pink (almost exact dupe).  

Worn on the lips


Over all I am really enjoying this new formula.  I actually have two more on the way to me as we speak!  The lasting power of these is great.  I can get at least five hours of wear even through eating and drinking.  And the stain they leave after they are gone is gorgeous too.  Dior formulated these with water instead of wax so there is a light, weightless feeling on the lips.  These retail for $35 and can be found at Dior.com, Sephora, Macy's, and Nordstrom.


Have you tried these Fluid Sticks ?? If so, what do you think of them ??

Love,
City Styles 

Let's Talk Trash #2

I don't know about you, but I love seeing other peoples empties.  It inspires me to try and finish up products that I have.  I also love the satisfying feeling of finishing a product.  If you aren't a crazy makeup person like myself you might not understand what I am talking about, but just take my word for it!  So, I decided hey why not show my empties. 

(1) Target makeup wipes (2) Target exfoliating cotton rounds (13) samples .... Do you think I liked the Chanel Le Blanc serum hahaha. 

(2) full sized mascaras (6) mini mascaras (1) lip balm (1) face spray (1) aragan oil (1) primer (1) eye serum 

(1) nail polish remover (1) dry texturizing spray (2) face washes (2) face creams (2) hand lotions

What is your most repurchased item ??  I have the Oribe Dry Texturizing spray and Armani Eyes to Kill mascara on my list !

Love, 

City Styles

Dior Vernis Gel Shine & Long Wear Nail Lacquer {Wonderland & Bonheur}

Dior has released a new formula of nail polish, Gel Shine & Long Wear Lacquer.  There is a variety of shades, some new and some old.  This formula is supposed to provide a glass like shine with extended wear.  The brush is also a but smaller then the original polish brush.  I tested these for about a week or so and I was pretty impressed.  I have had a gel manicure from the salon and to be honest after a week my nails were chipping.  But, these polishes hardly chipped and I had them on for about 7 days.  For an at home manicure I was so excited.  I used two coats plus a base coat and top coat.  These are so opaque that you could get away with one coat but, I personally like two.  Over all I am pretty happy with the formula and shades.  I totally want to pick more up. 

   

Have you tried any of the Dior nail polishes ??

Love,
City Styles 

Spring Blush Picks !

Last week I shared my favorite spring blushes on Instagram and I though hey that is a great idea for a post!  There are four blushes I reach for the most during this time of year.  First is Nars Final Cut.  This is the newest to my collection but, I love how it has a slight orange coral tint to it rather then a pink coral tint.  This looks great on fair skin.  Next up is Breathless from Buxom.  Hands down this is my absolute favorite.  It is the perfect shade of coral and it gives you a beautiful flush.  Dior Rosy Glow is a gorgeous light pink that adjusts to your skin tone.  This would be flattering on all skin tones.  And lastly is Burberry's Hydrangea Pink.  This packs a punch.  It is the most pigmented blush out of the four and I love to wear this to special events.  It gives my cheeks great color and looks great in pictures.  

What are your favorite spring blushes ??

Love, 

City Styles 

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipstick {Infamous}

I was walking by the Estee Lauder counter and was intrigued by these new lipsticks.  I normally don't buy makeup from Estee Lauder but, hey these looked great so why not.  I swatched a few shades and landed on this one, Infamous.  All of the Pure Color Envy lipsticks are highly pigmented but, this one was calling my name.  It's a rich, bright pink that suits my fair complexion very well.   It is ultra hydrating and doesn't make me feel like I need a lip balm once it has worn off a bit.  It lasts on my lips around 3/4 hours depending on what I am eating or drinking.   And, I am in love with the packaging.  It is sleek and rectangular (which I love) and it has a magnetic closure.  Something about a magnetic closure just screams luxury to me.  Now at $30 a pop these are up there with Dior Extreme lipsticks and Burberry lipsticks.  I believe the Color Envy lipsticks are just as good in quality.  I have very much been enjoying this formula and am thinking about going back and getting one or two more !  You can find them at most department stores.  I bought mine at Macy's.  Or you can order online from Estee Lauder.  

What has been your favorite lipstick lately ??  And what lipstick formula do you just hate ??

Love,
City Styles 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask !

As I have said before, if you don't own anything by Bite Beauty you better hop on over to Sephora and pick yourself up a few things.  Bite Beauty is an all natural lip care company.  I have a few of their lip pencils and I am about to place an order to get a few of their lipsticks too.  Awhile back I picked up this Agave Lip Mask on the recommendation of a youtuber.  And let me say I am extremely happy I did.  I love to use this as an over night treatment.  My lips have been like the Sahara Desert lately and this has totally helped them.  It is a thick ointment like mask that smells divine (think A&D but so much better).  You only need a little bit.  The one think I don't like about this is the packaging.  It is very hard to squeeze out of the tube at times.  But, it does leave me lips nice and moisturized in the morning so, I forgive the packaging.  This has helped more then any other balm I have used.   

What is your favorite lip treatment ??

Love, 

City Styles 

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Collection !

First of all let me say that I resisted buying these brushes for almost a year but, I caved.  After watching a youtube video they went on the ever evolving shopping list.  Recently I was at Ulta and decided hey lets pick these up.  They are limited edition and sell for $19.99.  Ulta usually has some kind of BOGO going on so you can get a good deal.   

The eye brush.  Personally I don't like to use this on my eyes.  I actually love to use it for my new hg highlighter.  It picks up the right amount of product and lays it nicely on my face. 

  

The contour brush.  I love to use this with my highly pigmented blushes.  The brush is a bit small but deposits the perfect amount of color on the cheeks.  Since it is duo fiber it picks up less product so no clown cheeks here. 

The powder brush.  I love to use this with my Ambient Lighting powders.  I dust the powder on my forehead and under my eyes and the brush leaves the perfect amount of powder.  As I said before because it is a duo fiber brush it does not pick up too much product.  

Over all I have been really been loving these brushes.  And I am happy with my purchase. 

Have you tried any Real Techniques brushes ??

Love, 

City Styles 

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara !

Let's just start out by saying that this mascara is extreme!!  The name says it all, Sumptuous Extreme Mascara!  I first got this mascara as a sample and was blown away so I knew I had to pick up the full size.  The bristles on this are amazing and make your lashes grow.  I love the way it makes me look like I am wearing falsies when I am not.  And btw I hate wearing falsies.  Anyone else??  Anywho, this mascara does not flake nor does it transfer onto my under eye area.  It is extremely black and is not too wet of a formula.  I love the L'oreal Voluminous but, the formula is extremely wet.  It retails for $26 which is a bit pricey but, Estee Lauder always has some gift with purchase going on so I think it can be worth it. 

What is your go to mascara at the moment ??

Love,
City Styles 

Spring Nail Picks !

Spring is upon us and I thought I'd share my spring nail picks with you guys!  I love a great pastel nail during this time of year so I picked my favorite and prettiest pastels I own.  

First up is Tom Ford Sugar Dune.  This came out in his spring collection and is easily my favorite nude.  It is so gorge!  Next is Dior Bouquet which is a beautiful coral.  My favoritest (oh yes I know not a word) is YSL Rose Scabiosa.  It is a beautiful rosy purple color and looks great on the fingers or toes.  Jo-Mina is such an amazing purple shade that is like bam in your face.  My most recent pick up is Blue Orchid from Deborah Lippmann.  She just came out with new spring shades and this light blue was calling my name.  And lastly is this mint green from Butter London.  I like to apply two coats and if necessary a third.  These all last at least three or four days with minimal chipping.

What are your favorite spring shades ??

Love,
City Styles 

Eco Tools Skin Perfecting Brush !

Eco Tools recently came out with this new Skin Perfecting brush and I was very intrigued by it.  It reminds me of the Wayne Goss one and since I have not gotten my hands on that one yet I thought hey why not try this one.  It retails for $7.99 and I found mine at Ulta and I have also seen them at Walgreens.  The Eco Tools website claims that this brush was designed to use with BB/CC creams.  I have tried this with my Dior BB Cream and my Covergirl TruBlend foundation and I love it with both.  It is a very soft brush and blends the product into my face with hardly any streaking.  However is does suck up a lot of product but then again so does my Sigma F80.  I do reach for this Eco Tools brush more then my F80.  I like how small it is.  I gets under my eye area really well and my nose.   For $7.99 this is a great brush to have in your arsenal.   

Have you tried this Eco Tools brush ?? What is your favorite foundation brush ?? 

Love, 

City Styles 

Chanel Les Beiges Powder !

The Les Beiges powder debuted in the US back in August.  At the time I could not wait to get my hands on it but for some reason I never picked it up.  Well I am sorry that I didn't.  This powder is just fabulous!  It is finely milled and more on the sheer side.  It works lovely to set your foundation or even just to dust all over your face on a no makeup, makeup day.  I use mine everyday to set my foundation and it works wonders.  As you all know by now I have extremely dry skin and normally I don't set my foundation at all.  But, this powder has changed all of that.  Since it is so fine and sheer it does not hold onto my dry patches.  It actually gives my face a nice healthy glow.  It does not break my foundation down throughout the day and wears nicely.    

It comes in seven shades.  I am actually thinking of picking up a darker shade to use as a bronzer.  The beige packaging is so gorgeous and the half moon brush is actually not bad.  I do prefer to use the Sephora 55 Pro Airbrush though.  This is the older version which I like more then the newer one.  But that is a totally different subject and totally different post.  Now buyer beware that this powder does have a scent to it.  On the website it claims the scent it White Rose and Cotton Flower.  I actually love the smell and it does not bother my skin at all.  

     

All in all I am really happy with this powder.  The only thing is at $57.50 a pop it is quite expensive.  But I mean it makes my skin look so amazing so I am willing to shell out the $$.   

Have you tried the Les Beiges Powder ??  What is your holy grail powder ??

Love, 

City Styles