Tag Archives: top rated

Judicial Review: Chanel Rouge Coco in Vendôme

I never believed I could fall in love so quickly… with a lipstick. I’ve spent 90% of my make-up wearing life as a lip gloss loyalist, but over the last year I’ve been trying out more lipsticks. As with many of my make-up romances, it all took place at Neiman Marcus, where I was doing my usual browsing, checking out what’s new. All of a sudden, I got the impulse to try on Chanel lipsticks. Having always read about how fabulous they are, I thought I’d give their lipstick line a test drive.

After the salesperson walked me through the different varieties, I determined that Chanel’s hydrating lip crème colour Rouge Coco line would be the best fit. It’s not as pigmented as their newer Rouge Allure line, but I was more interested in a moisturizing formula since my lips tend to get dry and flaky when wearing lipstick. And here’s where the real magic happened. I skimmed over the display and picked one and only one tube to test, Vendôme. Perfection. Continue reading →

Judicial Review: Bite Beauty Lip Shine

Judicial Review: Davines Sea Salt Primer … For Wizards!

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It’s for wizards! It says so on the bottle.

If you haven’t been reading Beautypendence since the beginning (Welcome! And what took you so long?!?), then let me debrief you on the current state of my hair.

medium-long length, just past my shoulders
very thick strands
wavy, but not quite curly
silky texture
holds a curl well
more than average amount in quantity of hair strands
longer layers with bangs

As a true Texan, I like big hair, but due to the quantity of weighty, long strands on my head, my hair can look limp. My beloved hairstylist Mark gave me a styling product by Davines to try, their No. 14 Sea Salt Primer FOR WIZARDS. A few Davines products are already longtime staples in my hair care arsenal – Momo Conditioner and No. 10 Universal Polishing Coat (also for wizards). I think I’ve added something new to my line-up.

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Judicial Review: Mary Kay Peach Satin Hands Pampering Kit

Judicial Review: Revlon ColorStay Longwear Nail Enamel

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Perhaps its the spring-like weather we’ve been having in Austin, but I’ve had a strong desire to wear bright pink nail polish. So when I was last at H-E-B, I combed the cosmetics aisle for some vibrant pink shades. One contender I came across was Revlon’s new ColorStay Longwear Nail Enamel. I had seen an ad for this polish in InStyle magazine claiming “Gel-Like shine and up to 11 days of shatterproof color”, when worn with ColorStay base and top coats, per the fine print. It was $8/bottle, but there was a $1.50 off coupon, so it was worth a try. I’m happy to report that this may be my new go-to line of nail polish.

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Judicial Review: COOLA Face SPF20 Mineral Sunscreen

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For a while, I had been hunting for good sun protection for my face. Let us not forget that even in the winter (or Austin’s weak interpretation of it) you need to wear some kind of sun protection on your face. EVERYDAY.

I was specifically looking for a physical sunblock, which is typically sensitive skin friendly. (If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between “sunscreen” and “sunblock”, or “chemical” and “physical” sunblocks, read this.) The problem with sunblock formulas, however, is that they can leave a white cast on your skin due to the minerals used to do the sunblocking action. It’s not a good look.

I had first seen the COOLA Suncare line at a trusted local beauty store, so I went online to further investigate their self-proclaimed organic products. And then when Wendy and I went to Travaasa, their spa sold COOLA Face SPF20 Mineral Sunscreen, so I bought it in hopes that it would become my go-to daily sunscreen. Continue reading →

Prized Products: Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

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I enjoy wearing eye make-up, and sometimes, I like to get a little dramatic with it. As my fellow smoky eye-wearers know, the downside is taking it off at the end of the night. And I do mean completely off.

I’ve tried many eye makeup removers, but my favorite of all time is definitely Mary Kay Oil-Free Makeup Remover. I’m convinced there is no better eye makeup remover for the price ($15).

I have my dear friend Amy to thank for this find. A few years ago, I was visiting her in the DFW metroplex, and I had forgotten to pack my eye makeup remover. Amy said she had just the thing for me.
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Beauty on a Shoestring: Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick, Lipgloss, and Lip Butter

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As I’ve told you before (see Babe on a Budget), my local grocery store, H-E-B, is one of my favorite places to shop for make-up products. Especially, when I want to be adventurous and try new stuff. Lately, I’ve been really into the Revlon ColorBurst lip line-up. Thanks to strategic coupon usage, all three of these products cost me less than $15. TOTAL.

First up is Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick. I had read good things about this lipstick, so I thought I’d give it a try. I first bought the lipsticks in Coral and Fuchsia and later purchased Raspberry. Fuchsia is my favorite. The ColorBurst lipstick comes in a black tube with what I’ve learned is the signature diamond-patterned embossed casing. It’s a very bright … well, fuchsia color. The formula is creamy and smooth with good pigmentation. When I wear it, I get lots of compliments. (I’m telling y’all, bright lipstick is something everyone should try.) This lipstick was selling at H-E-B for $6.48, and at the time there was a $2 off coupon, so it cost me a grand total of $4.48. Continue reading →

Prized Products: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Rockstar

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In this series of “Prized Products”, we’ll share those make-up, skincare, and hair products that we just can’t live without.

If you see me wearing eyeliner, 8 times out of 10, I’m wearing Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. And out of those 8 times, 7 of them I’ll be wearing that eyeliner in Rockstar. Aside from the kick-ass name, it’s a fabulous dark purple color that I think anyone can wear.

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Judicial Review: Dior 5 Couleurs Lift Eyeshadows

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Last week, I told you about the Dior Event that Wendy and I attended at Neiman Marcus. Dior National Make-up Artist Jeffrey Sanchez created a dramatic smoky eye look for me that I loved, but as far as what to purchase, I wanted something more suitable for a daytime, office make-up look. With some consultation from one of the Dior make-up artists, I ended up with this:

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