Category Archives: Makeup Reviews

NYX Smokey Eyes Swatches & Review

NYX Smokey Eyes BoxOne of the looks I always fall back on when I’m strapped for time in the morning is a classic smokey eye look with gray and black. It goes with almost everything – an easy no-brainer! So you don’t have to worry about whether or not it’ll complement your outfit.

Although I already have gray and black eye shadows I absolutely adore, I still ordered the NYX Smokey Eyes palette from Cherry Culture because it’s convenient to have all the classic colors you need in a single compact.

After playing around with this NYX eye shadow palette, I’m really enjoying it. As you’ll see from my swatches, these colors should be staples in anyone’s makeup arsenal.

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Everyday Minerals Like Lady Bird Lake Swatches & Review

Everyday Minerals Like Lady Bird Lake BlushMany blushes contain Bismuth Oxychloride, a known allergen. If you’re allergic to it like I am, you may have given up finding one that doesn’t irritate your skin. Forget about blush from NARS, MAC, and many drugstore brands.

Enter Everyday Minerals. Their products are natural and don’t have Bismuth Oxychloride or fillers. And the wide range of colors and finishes of their blush selection will blow you away. Then look at the price – talk about great value! (And shipping is very reasonable even if you’re shipping to Canada.)

Today I’m reviewing the Everyday Minerals Like Lady Bird Lake blush. It’s very different from the blush colors I usually gravitate toward, but y’know what? It flattered my NC20 skin. Continue reading

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NYX Slim Eye Pencil Sapphire Review & Swatches

** This post was written by Fiona. She no longer blogs for Swatch And Learn. However, Mary still continues to blog and will be happy to reply to your comment. **

Eyeliner – I never leave home without wearing it. My eyes look tired if I don’t! That’s why I’ve made it a mission to build a wide collection of pencils, liquids and lining shadows to match whichever mood I’m in.

One of the colors I frequently turn to for lining my eyes is blue. I think it’s soooo pretty against brown eyes. So when I saw NYX Slim Eye Pencil Sapphire as I was raiding the booth during IMATS, yes, I grabbed it immediately. I’m so glad I did because it’s such a lovely shade! Continue reading

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MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick Swatches & Review

MAC Viva Glam V LipstickAlthough I’m more into lip gloss than lipstick, there was a color that I’ve been jonesing for the longest time – MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick! I finally bought it.

Not only is this a gorgeous neutral pink with golden pearl shimmer, but every cent of the selling price goes to the MAC AIDS Fund, which supports women, men, and children who are living with AIDS and HIV. So now you can look good while also doing some good.

This shade is perfect for people like me who don’t want to sport loud lip colors for everyday wear. MAC Viva Glam V Lustre Lipstick is sheer enough to look great on pretty much everyone, yet has some color to give you that Your Lips But Better Look. Continue reading

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e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Mysterious Review & Swatches

Do you ever wonder how e.l.f. Cosmetics sells their stuff so cheap? I mean, even if it’s not as good quality as other brands, how can they afford it!

I’ve tried many of their brushes and filtered the good eggs from the rotten ones. And now onto their eyeshadows. I took advantage of a 50% mineral sale and got e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Mysterious – it looks like a fun purple-y, lilac-y color on the site. So how does it really fare? Continue reading

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NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils Swatches & Review (Black Bean, Milk, Cottage Cheese, Strawberry Milk, French Fries, Horse Raddish, Lime, Purple & Rocky Mountain Green)

NYX Jumbo Eye PencilsMy makeup box is filled with a spectrum of shades, especially when it comes to eye shadow. Some colors I have may lead you to believe that I moonlight as a circus freak – hot pink, flashy turquoise, banana yellow, and even a saturated orange.

I believe that if you use the right blending techniques, you can pull off any color no matter how wild. And if you’re really uncomfortable, using an eye-shadow base beneath your shadow can really transform the finish and overall appearance.

Over the course of several months, I bought a bunch of NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. They’re affordable, they come in tons of great shades, and they make an excellent addition to your makeup collection.

I’ve swatched the 9 colors I own. Let me know which one you like most! Continue reading

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NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss Swatches & Review – Pink Frost & Salsa

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss Salsa & Pink FrostAlligator lips are never sexy. And not only are dry lips unsightly, but they can be painful, too. That’s why lip gloss and I are BFFs. Plus a little color on your pout can dramatically change your look in seconds.

At IMATS, the NYX booth was the largest, and when I laid my eyes on the NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss section, I was a goner. With so many shades to choose from, I had to exercise great restraint to not buy one of everything. My wallet was thankful that I didn’t go ballistic – just left with 2 tubes.

This was the first time I had ever tried any NYX lip glosses, and I was pleasantly surprised at how pigmented they were, how smoothly they applied, and how they didn’t have a gross plastic smell. Continue reading

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