Swatching and more with theBalm Nude'tude palette!

Hi everyone!  I hope you all had a lovely Memorial Day weekend.  I got together with my group of friends for a cookout and it ended up being a lot of fun!

About two weeks ago, I made a simple little header for one of my blogger friends Kelly over at College Makeup Bag- in exchange she offered to send me one of her unused theBalm Nude'tude eyeshadow palettes!  She is incredibly sweet and this was totally unnecessary (as playing around with Photoshop is something I love to do so it isn't a big deal at all!), but I just received the palette in the mail today and have had such a fun afternoon swatching it.  :)  Thanks again, Kelly!

Anyway, I thought I would share some pictures and swatches with you all.  I hope this helps you decide whether or not you need the palette if you've been on the fence!  Like other theBalm palettes I've tried (Shady Lady vol. 2, Muppets), the eyeshadows included are smooth, soft, and nicely pigmented.  I'm glad that theBalm has gotten more attention recently- it seems to be a really quality brand that I don't hear enough about.

The Nude'tude palette is $36.00 and features 12 eyeshadows at a total of 0.382oz.  That comes out to roughly 0.03oz per shadow, which is a pretty decent value considering it's less than $40.00.

Isn't the design of the palette adorable?  The names are really fun, too.  The size/shape reminds me of my Naked palette except this is slightly skinnier, which I happen to like even more.  It makes it a fabulous product to travel with!

The palette comes with a double-ended brush which reminds me of the one that is included in theBalm Cast Your Shadow palette- I don't personally like it.  The bristles are scratchy and don't deposit color/blend well (the side that looks like an angled eyeliner brush works decently at applying eyeshadow as liner, though).

If you love your neutrals, this will be a great addition to your eyeshadow palette collection!  I love that it mixes everyday nudes (taupes, browns, beiges) with burgundy and a couple of bronze shades.  You can create a simple daytime look and easily smoke it out with the deep, rich shades on the right-hand side of the palette.  There is also a nice combination of shimmer and matte finishes- Silly appears to even have some glitter throughout.  

You'll also notice that the top and bottom rows seem to kind of go together, and I love that they combined the shades this way.  (I might not use all 5 shades of eyeshadow at once but) I can totally see pairing all the shadows in the top row for a really smoky taupe/burgundy look, and the ones on bottom together for a neutral brown look.  That being said, the blend of cool and warm tones makes it so you can definitely mix them however you want!

Swatches:

L-R: Sassy, Stubborn, Selfish, Sophisticated, Sexy, Serious

L-R: Snobby, Standoff-ish, Sultry, Shitzo, Silly, Sleek

What do you think?  Do you own this palette or are you considering purchasing it in the future?  I'd love to know what your thoughts are!

(It is currently sold out on theBalm's website, but if you search for it on Google and then go to the "Shopping" filter, it's available many other places. :)

Influenster Spring Beauty VoxBox!

Hi and happy Friday!  Yesterday, I received my Spring Beauty VoxBox from Influenster in the mail and thought I would share with you all what came in it.

If you remember my first post about Influenster back in November (when I was sent the Cosmo VoxBox), you'll know that Influenster is a website similar to BzzAgent.  As you increase your "status" as a member (in Influenster's case, you do this by unlocked "badges") you get opportunities to receive VoxBoxes- I believe there are numerous types of boxes that are shipped out to members all the time.  I've personally only qualified for two, the Cosmo Voxbox and then the Spring Beauty one that I'm showing you today, so I'm not 100% how the system works.  And to be completely honest I like BzzAgent better for this kind of word-of-mouth sharing idea.  But I'm a beauty blogger and these types of things are super fun to try, so I decided to go ahead and see what the Spring Beauty Voxbox was all about!

(Before I continue, I'll just say here that I'm not compensated in any way by Influenster and there is no referral link to sign up.  I'm just doing this for fun. :)

My box contained six sample and full-sized products plus one "bonus" item.  Influenster sends you an email when you qualify to receive a VoxBox, and in the one they sent me, it mentioned there was an extra product they threw in.  In my case it's the Dr. Scholl's For Her Ball of Foot cushions.  I'll be honest again and say that I don't wear heels and I'm really not sure if I'll use these- hey, but it's free.

Everything else: Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail polish strips (in Zebra, so fun!), Paris Amour Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist, ChapStick Lip Shield lip balm, Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash, Strawberry Soyjoy bar, and a Sheer Cover Duo Concealer in Light/Medium.

I was actually really impressed with the contents of this VoxBox.  I enjoyed the last one I received (it got me started again on Proactiv and totally cleared up my skin!), but this box had a fun variety of products that I normally wouldn't try for myself.
I've only used the concealer once so far- this morning- but I can tell you it's creamy and looks insanely natural.  Sheer Cover is a brand I've never tried before and I'm always looking for ways to cover my dark circles!  I couldn't believe they sent out full-sized bottles of B&BW Fine Fragrances Mists, too!  I actually really like the scent of Paris Amour (smells a lot like most other B&BW scents, but it's a sweet fruity-floral which is nice for warmer weather).  I'm actually going to give this to my girlfriend- it's her birthday tomorrow and it will go nicely with the other bath/body things I got for her!

Here's an up-close of the concealer (if you would like swatches or a separate review, please let me know!):

And I did try the zebra nail strips on my ring finger as an "accent"- this is my first time using these so it was a bit interesting!  They don't stay on that well, if you're curious.  WELL.  They might if I was more careful and finished with a top coat, but I'm kind of "no guts no glory" with my nails and stickers probably aren't meant for people like me.  If you've tried these before, I'd love to know if they work better for you!

INSTAGRAM SHOT!

Have any of you signed up with Influenster/received a VoxBox recently?  Let me know your experiences!  Thanks for reading and TGIF. :) :)

Disclaimer: I received these products through Influenster.  I am not being compensated in any way and my opinions are 100% true and my own!

Pictures from lately and some beauty inspiration!

Happy hump day, lovelies!  Oh, I totally JUST realized today is Crazy cat lady picture spam Wednesday and I'm not posting cat photos.  That actually kills a small part of me on the inside.  BUT, I will resume the series next week because today I want to do a slightly different post.  I mentioned briefly in yesterday's post that I've gotten into Instagram lately, so I thought I would share with you a few pictures I've taken over the last month or so.
That being said, I have also become obsessed with looking on Tumblr for beauty inspiration (and Pinterest, fashion editorial-themed livejournal communities, etc. etc.) and it's really a lot of fun!  The last part of this post will be some of my favorite pictures of sa-weet makeup that will either A) inspire you to recreate the looks yourself, or B) just be fun to look at.  Hope you enjoy!

So... I had most of my final projects due the week before the last week of school.  So when everyone was busy studying for finals and other fun things, I went on random late-night walks downtown with my two awesome guy friends.  And maybe tried to go swimming?

 But I had one last essay due the next day, and once I was finished with it I was in full-on summer mode!  Writing and reading for the essay (and all my other homework the last few weeks) looked a lot like this:  (It's MARU THE CAT!  In other words, terribly difficult to study when you have access to cute cat videos)

(Pinterest on my screen- I'm actually not on it too much, but the "Pets" and "Humor" filters get me!)

And then it was summer and time to move me out of the "dorms" (which in downtown Chicago are pretty close to apartments) and out of the downtown area!  So busy, but so exciting for me.  The apartment I'm living in over the summer is adorable and I can't wait to show you all more pictures once I get my space cleaned up! (Dreading this, btw)
Here's a little picture of one part of my bookshelf, all IKEA'ed out:

And here's another picture of a part of my room (again, more IKEA.  My nightstand is a stool!):

This next picture relates to something that I am very, very excited about.  I will tell you all about it soon!  But it's a really yummy smelling soap- "Biscotti Breakfast"!  I'm in love:

If any of you want to follow me on Instagram, my personal account is Stephkclark.  It's a lot of fun!  Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, I should mention that on Twitter, I use my personal account MUCH more frequently than my blog's account.  My personal Twitter is @Stephkclark and my blog's is @inhermakeupbag.  Just wanted to make that clear because I know some of you are following my personal account (which is perfectly fine because I actually use that one!), and I'm following a lot of my favorite bloggers on that account as well- I just don't think I ever really made that distinction in a blog post.

Onto some fun editorial makeup/inspiration pictures!

(Vogue Paris August 2011)

I just stumbled across this post on Karen's blog and had to save it!  I love the placement of colors, so flattering. 

I have more, but to keep this a crazy-long picture heavy post I'll save them for another time.  Thanks for reading and have a lovely day! <3

Nudists unite! Talking nude eyeshadow with Too Faced Naked Eye Palette

Just kidding about the nudist mention in the title, guys- today we are strictly discussing eyeshadow, I promise!  Too Faced eyeshadow, to be specific!  I have been seriously pleased by the quality and gorgeousness of every eyeshadow I've tried by Too Faced (ones that I own and have swatched at places like Sephora, ULTA, etc.), and the Naked Eye Palette that I'll be showing you today is no exception.  This is one of the Too Faced products I've wanted for the longest time, and over spring break, it finally made its way into my little makeup collection.  Squee!  Excitement.

You guys already know my love for the Romantic Eye Palette (see my review/swatches here!), but I'm afraid the Naked Palette has stolen an even bigger piece of my heart.  Seriously.  For the last month or so that I've been away from the blog, I have also experienced a sort of "makeup slump"- this palette has been my go-to almost every single day (and as I'm sure you guys will understand, you know you're in a makeup rut when you reuse the same palette more than a couple of weeks!).

That being said, it's really just perfect for those days when you want an easy, pretty eye look but don't want anything over the top.  I'm all about that.  Let's get on to exactly why it's fabulous, shall we?

Since I'm pathetically obsessed with Instagram lately.... (below are the little cards you get showing you how to pair up the eyeshadows)

I resisted the temptation to Instagram ALL of the pictures in this post, ha!  

Like the other eyeshadow "box" palettes that Too Faced has, this Naked version gives you 3 eyeshadows that are 0.07oz and 6 that are 0.03oz.  This is a grand total of 9 eyeshadows for $36.00.   (But wait, there's more!  While I'm speaking of the price, I should mention that until tomorrow 5/16, Too Faced is having their Friends & Family 20% off sale.  You can go right to the website HERE and find out all about it. :)

There are three "looks" you can create, and each one has a coordinating card (see the top picture of this post for what they look like) that shows you where to apply each shade.  I love this little detail.  While I don't use the cards often, I think it's great for anyone starting to get into makeup or who just wants the helpful reminder!  

The Day look has a creamy matte white (In The Buff), light grey taupe with soft shimmer (Pillow Talk), and a matte medium brownish grey (Like A Virgin).

The Classic look features a medium beige brown with soft shimmer (Birthday Suit), frosty peach with a hint of pink and a golden sheen (Satin Sheets), and a deep silver-grey with shimmer (Unmentionables).

The Fashion look has a sheer pale pink with soft shimmer (Pink Cheeks), deep purple-toned taupe with shimmer (Lap Dance), and a sheer matte black (Stiletto).  

My hands-down FAVORITE shade is Satin Sheets and I am so sad that it isn't available individually.  If anyone knows a dupe for it, I'd love to know!  And if you love taupes, you'll probably love Lap Dance- it's gorgeous in the crease/outer corner with Stiletto along the lash line and blended into the outer corner.

Unlike the Romantic Palette where I stick to the shades in each "look", with this palette I mix and match as I please.  I've worn Satin Sheets, Unmentionables, and Stiletto paired together for a smokier look, and I frequently use Pink Cheeks as my highlight for the "classic" look.  And really, all of eyeshadows are neutral enough that it's hard to go wrong.  

Aside from the shades themselves, the pigmentation of the eyeshadows is pretty decent.  I've only experienced problems with Pillow Talk and Like A Virgin (from the "day" look) and find I have to layer them several times in order to show up well.  Besides the two, though, I haven't had any trouble with application- they blend flawlessly, last all day, and look beautiful when paired together.  

If you love soft, neutral shades, this is one palette you should consider.  

I promise I will do EOTDs for each of the three looks, but for now, here are swatches of all nine shades:

(L-R: In The Buff, Pillow Talk, Like A Virgin, Birthday Suit, Satin Sheets, Unmentionables, Pink Cheeks, Lap Dance, Stiletto)

So, what say you?  Have you ever seen/swatched this in person or own it for yourself?  Are there any other neutral palettes you're loving? 

I'm off to catch up on some of my favorite beauty blogs and see what you all have been up to.  I miss being around here!  Thanks so much for reading, like always. <3

False eyelashes that mimic the look of a natural, fuller fringe? Sign me up!

....Anywhere here?  Hi!  I'm Stephanie, and this is (still) my beauty blog.  ;)

I have literally been swamped with school, making plans for this summer, and my social life over the last several weeks and I cannot apologize enough for being absent from my blog!  This week is finals, but mine were staggered over the last couple of weeks and now I am completely done with school for the summer.  This past month has just been absolute craziness!  I hate that I let things overwhelm me and abandon my blog, because like I've said in the past, this is where I find a balance.  Blogging and interacting with you all (even though it's not in person, which would be AMAZING!) is such a therapeutic and rewarding thing.  If you're a blogger, too, you'll know exactly what I mean.  I promise I'll try to be better and get back on a schedule ASAP.  If anyone is still around reading this, I've missed you all so much!

I have some very exciting news to share with you before I begin this post!  I got a position as a marketing intern at an upscale clothing store for this summer, and I could not be happier!  I recently declared my minor in marketing (I'm a fashion business major), so I really wanted some hands-on experience in the industry.  I'm still in the process of getting details figured out so I can live here over the summer (a job, moving into my new place, etc.), but a lot of my free mental energy has been spent getting this internship in line.  

That being said, today I want to do a review of a set of natural eyelashes I recently received for review from Born Pretty Store.  I actually did a post on another set of natural-looking eyelashes from them over the summer, but these are quite a bit different.  I'm absolutely loving them!

This set contains 10 pairs of false eyelashes and is only $7.77 on their website.  I absolutely love how affordable their eyelashes are- most come in packages containing multiple sets making the value impressive!  The one I'm reviewing today does not come with its own glue (I have my own), but there are sets that do.

As you can see, they are fairly short in length and attached to a clear strip (as opposed to a black strip).  This makes them look insanely natural- honestly, with these you can't even tell I'm wearing false eyelashes.  I'm obsessed.  In the pictures below I show how they look worn cut in half, and then worn in full.

Cut in half

Full strip 

See how pretty and natural they are?  I've worn these on a few different occasions, and my friends always say my lashes just appear full (not like, "Oh hey!  You have fake eyelashes on!").  If I'm going to wear false eyelashes, this is the look I want to achieve!

If you guys are interested in trying these out (or anything else on the Born Pretty Store website), I have a coupon code for 5% off that you can use!  Just enter the code below at checkout and the discount will be applied to your order.  Let me know if you decide to pick anything up- I'd love to hear what you like or dislike!

Thanks so much for reading, everyone, and for your continued support despite my infrequent posting.  The next couple of weeks are going to be crazy (I have to move into my new place and find a job!), but I have no intentions whatsoever of neglecting my blog!
xox