Musings of a Muse

Enjoy 20% Off Benefit Cosmetics starting today and ending Friday using promo code MAKEUP20

Best take advantage quick as Benefit normally doesn’t do a whole lot of sales like this!

The Muse digs cookies. Mmm cookies and milk, good stuff. You know DeLuscious looks like they make seriously good looking cookies. The Muse can get on board with good looking cookies.

But get this….their cookies happen to be laced with something other than the typical ingredients you’d find in your standard chocolate chip variety.

Click it to find out what’s inside these cookies!

Considering Borba has bottled up tropical juices with anti-aging, clarifying, replenishing, and other goodies for your skin it was only a matter of time that they got to the cookies.

Come to the darkside…we have cookies…cookies with good for your skin ingredients. Ok, be right there!

Deluscious has teamed up with Borba to create a line of vitamin-enhanced oatmeal raisin and chocolate white chocolate toffee cookies (that’s chocolate twice peeps obviously this is serious skincare we are talkin’ here) to help your skin look flawless. Look at that? I’m so printing this out and taking it over to my mum’s who proclaimed how bad chocolate was for my skin when I was a growing teenage girl.

I think the promise of a cookie that creates flawless skin could be a bit much but I’m willing to try, for the sake of beauty, etc…not because I like cookies mind you.

Here’s the scoop, the cookies contain antioxidants and nutrients such as acia and noni berries plus vitamins B3, B6, and B12 plus Flaxseed. I honestly get a bit too much Flaxseed in my diet (I’m addicted but that’s a story for another day) so I might be over doing it by indulging in these.

But hey sure sounds like a cure all for your body and your skin! You can get half a dozen from Deluscious for $24.95 USD, milk is sold separately.

As for the Muse she’s still debating if this is Beauty Most Unusual or something that could actually work.

I’m leaning towards a tad unusual for now.

What do you think?

Would you like your cookies laced with skincare and a side of Flaxseed?

Tell the Muse!

Stardust, screams Gaiman doesn’t it? Considering Lush is quite British we could have went on a hunch that the name was Gaiman related if they hadn’t told us so!

If you’re a Lush fan, a Stardust fan, or a crazy screaming fan girl a la the Muse Gaiman fan you can stock up on some Lush Stardust Bath Bombs for 2 bucks and 95 cents. Lush has these little guys on sale right now knocked back from the original price tag of $6.95.

It’s almost but not quite as good as having Neil Gaiman in the tub with you, somethings are left up to the imagination.

Go Steal!

Btw save an extra 15% off your total Lush purchase by entering promo code GIFTFORYOU09, the Muse tells you these things because she likes you.

I’m obviously a shallow little being as I find something terribly appealing about a face powder that has a faux diamond embedded in it.

What? Diamonds are a girl’s best friend!

Ok, ok I admit the diamond isn’t the only appeal. Ready To Wear Gem Radiant Complexion Powder looks pretty darn nice. I’m a lover of pink so I can appreciate a gorgeous pink powder for my face!

Supposedly this powder gives your face a soft focus finish with a soft creamy powder. I’m thinking Laura Geller Ethereal Rose here, horror but could be good, could just be good, I’m trying to not to let that bloody diamond lead me around by the nose.

Check it:

Just as a crystallizedTM Swarovski element reflects light, Gem Radiant Complexion Powder helps reduce the appearance of fine lines by helping ensure that light is reflected off your skin for a superior more natural look. This “jewel” of a powder helps make your skin more precious than ever with a potpourri of Coral, Amethyst, Ruby, Tourmaline, Pearl and Amber powders. The special formula is enriched with micro spherical powders, and it also helps act as an optical lifting.

That’s what they say about it. The Muse says “ohhhh look at the pretty diamond!”…ahh being shallow rocks it.

WANT! For the diamond and maybe the face powder too!

Available from HSN.

Enter code BELIEVEINHOPE and get $10 off your order of $50 or more from Philosophy.

Visit www.philosophy.com to steal it!

I’m tempted to indulge in Philosophy Eye Hope, really wanting to try this!

The little things in life make a Muse happy such as the fact that Korres is takin’ it online. Head over to Korres website and signed up to be alerted when they go live with their brand new online shopping site.

Sweetness! Now I can get my Korres fix direct from the source. I dunno why this makes me happy but it does.

You guys wanted it as much as I did.

So go get it! Stila Indian Summer Collection is available online now for your purchasing pleasure. And dudes, don’t forget that Stila has a 40% Off Coupon hiding out on this post.

Haul it!

As Summer approaches I’m all about lighter coverage, lighter makeup, just less of everything. I’m really minimal about my makeup regime this Summer and keeping it simple is where it’s at for me. In keeping in the theme of lighter makeup I’m always on the look out for the best tinted moisturizer around but never really found just the right one. I do really love Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer but I’ve cheated on it and tried others in the name of beauty blogging.

My quest brought me to Benefit You Rebel Lite last Summer and ever after it’s played an important role in my “run out of the house with as little on my face as possible” routine.

My sister SWEARS by the original Benefit You Rebel. I’m talking can’t live without. But why is beyond me, because no offense Benefit, that stuff is crazy dark and makes me look like a big blob of orangey bronze badness. When the lite version was released I was all about trying it out for myself and I’m pretty glad I did because it’s one of the very few tinted moisturizers I enjoy using!

Jump for it!

Rather random review isn’t it? Benefit You Rebel Lite isn’t new by any means so why am I reviewing it now? I think it deserves a mention because I’m sure, like me, many of you are seeking that perfect light coverage to get you through the long, humid days ahead. What better way to get that coverage than with a tinted moisturizer? Preferable one that works well.

It deserves to be mentioned my first few tries with You Rebel weren’t exactly great. I didn’t really like the results, wasn’t too keen on the overall look, and wasn’t loving the formula. But it’s since oddly grown on me and I find I reach for alot it more daily even when it’s not hot outside or Summer for that matter. These are the days I want to look flawless but I’m not in the mood to go through the entire process of primer, base, foundation, etc…etc….etc….

Right off the bat it’s greasy and it’s oily. It feels pretty darn greasy going on and has a bit of an oily texture. Don’t say I didn’t warn you kids. Now, putting that aside I will say my skin seems to love it but my skin is dry and it sucks up any moisture it can get so even though it feels greasy as hell on my fingers it ends up blending very well onto my skin. Funny as it’s oil free but indeed that’s the feel of the formula all the way.

Secondly, it has a really low SPF of 15. I suppose you’re not going to get much better than 15 in a tinted moisturizer, 30 if you happen to be lucky which is why you should prep prior with your regular SPF for extra coverage if you’re as anal about the sun as I am.

Aside from these two possible flaws it does manage to even out my skin tone and create a nice, lightweight coverage that I can apply a pinch of blush to and be gone. No insanity, no huge makeup regime. Concealer, You Rebel, and a bit of cheek stain and gloss and I’m good to go! It’s possibly one of the better tinted moisturizers I’ve tried since it’s considerably more pigmented than most so it successfully evens out my skin tone plus erases dullness. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with clogged pores or oily skin as this has the potential to be a bomb for that type of skin. However, if you have dry skin and virtually clear pores or no pores like me your skin should suck it up and enjoy.

I also wouldn’t recommend a tinted moisturizer to anyone who desires extra coverage. The point is it’s sheer, lightweight coverage so if you’re wanting to cover a ton of skin woes this isn’t going to do that for you. Stick to regular foundation for that.

If you’re wanting a simple way to create a good working canvas for a light application of makeup I definitely suggest checking out Benefit You Rebel Lite. It’s one of the better tinted moisturizers I’ve tried out.

Any one a Rebel fan?

Tell it!

My next venture? I’m so wanting to try out DuWop Revolution!

Here’s a little sneaky peek at the Jelly Pong Pong Deluxe Gift Bags I was telling you about earlier!

Victoria’s Secret Pool Party Beauty Rush Lip Butter are available in three shades, have an SPF 15, and are tasty treats for your lips this Summer!

Check out what I think after the jump!

I showered a whole lot of love on the Victoria’s Secret Pool Party Collection when I seen it in stores. The Muse cannot hold out against VS makeup goodies very long. I’d have normally left the glosses in all honesty but something tempted me that day. Could be the allure of a tasty gloss, could be the bright popping colors, could be I was just weak that day. Whatever the case may be I ended up getting two of the three shades available (who knows I’d probably gotten three if the other shade was available at the time). Now, one thing I should mention, I was mistakenly thinking these were glosses but actually they are lip butter. Oh, ok, big difference!

I was kinda juiced at such popping shades in a gloss but as I mentioned, lip butter, big difference eep! No likey the texture or formula on my lips. Feels a tad bit on the silicone side and kinda waxy-like. Mmmm…not loving it sadly! I’m wearing Frostea (orange shade) in my FOTD here if you’d like to see what they look like on.

Aside from the undesirable formula these hold a bit of appeal as they are tasty. I got Frostea and Lemonita. Frostea tastes like iced tea and is a bright popping orange shade where as Lemonita is a tart, fruity lemon and a shade of sizzling pink. Both have decent pigmentation so you can get away without using a lipstick or stain underneath as they do leave a hint of sheer color behind.

Taste is great (love flavored lip products), price isn’t bad at 3 for $15, and the colors are pretty sweet for Summer plus these contain SPF 15. They definitely have a bit of a good thing going for them now I just need to get over the idea that they aren’t a gloss but a butter aka waxy, silicon feeling on my lips, yak! If I can get past that I might be able to recommend ‘em for purchase.

Cute but longing for a better formula here.

Anyone try yet?

Do share it!

The Muse was loving all over the Laura Geller Baby Cakes Complexion Palette a few weeks ago. It’s cute size and it’s small price tag definitely made it appealing to say the least. With my great success with the Laura Geller Baked To Go Balance n Brighten I was about ready to venture deeper into the world of Laura Geller baked products so indeed I spilled out my $30 bucks to QVC on the double and waited patiently for the arrival of my little Baby Cakes palette.

And it finally arrived.

You can hear all about what I think after the jump!

No likey. That about sums it up.

Ok, uber cute packaging, loves it! Good job Laura. Love the cute flip top lid, love the idea of three cute little baked face powders available in one spot with a small brush for application. Love the inexpensive price tag of $29.99 too! All good things as far as the Muse is concerned. Who doesn’t think this thing is adorable? I admit I was worried about the kick up of dusty face powder ending up all over the black palette but I overlooked that and just concentrated on the fact that it was rather a nifty, neat little design. I liked the idea of toting around three little face powders with a handy, dandy brush for application. The powders are small, a little bigger than a quarter. This could be a deal breaker for some but for me it just added to it’s appeal and seemed to make it extra travel friendly.

However, all this doesn’t make up for one of the reasons I avoided Laura’s baked products for a long time. The chalky way they apply. Le sigh.

Ok, first off I’m pretty chuffed with the Balance n Brighten. This is the lightest shade in the palette and meant to create a nice, even finish to skin. It does just that and does the job very well. I generally love this product and was happy it was in the overall palette. It evens out my skin tone, brightens it, erases dull spots, and just makes me look flawless.

My beef lays with the Ethereal Rose Face Powder and the Bronze-n-Brighten. I guess Ethereal Rose isn’t really supposed to act as a blush but I suppose I was thinking it would be pigmented enough to work as one. It’s sheer, chalky, and applies a bit on the nasty side. It makes my dry skin look even drier which is not a good look in my humblest. This particular powder is one reason I’ve failed to purchase any of Laura Geller’s products in a long time. The Bronze-n-Brighten is just as bad. It’s chalky and sheer as well but at least it applies somewhat better however you’ll notice no real difference in your skin tone once applied as it’s not pigmented enough to make much of a difference. Disappointing to say the least.

We are purchasing this because it contains three great products but sadly only one of three actually works well so what’s the point? Count this Muse disappointed. This one just didn’t work out as well as I’d have liked and the cuteness and inexpensive price tag just aren’t enough to make me grin and bear it.

Skip.

Not worth it in my humblest opinion.

Anyone try?

Love it?

What are your experiences with Laura Geller Ethereal Rose Face Powder?

How about the Bronze-n-Brighten?

Share it!

A few weeks ago I blogged about the joys of Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Pads and how excited I was about trying these out. I’ve long since found my HG (holy grail) remover in Lancome Bi-Facil however it’s costly so I replaced it with a bottle of Sephora Waterproof remover and call it a day. Hey, $8 bucks and it works. It’s the best remover I’ve come up with so far that gets my waterproof mascara off and doesn’t cost me much plus it doesn’t temporarily blind me.

Now…it deserves to be mentioned I’ve tried a few pads here and there and most are oily, messy, and do blind me or at the very least give me a mean case of cloudy vision, yes I’m talking about you Almay.

Now my question is does anyone recall a high end brand that makes remover pads? I’m thinking but can’t recall a single one. The idea of a pad that removes my eye makeup and waterproof mascara appeals big time so when I seen these available at Sephora I was all about hauling them home for a test try.

Jump ahead for it!

Love them. Simply love them.

I know many of you were just as curious as I was about these and wondering how good they are and the answer is yes, they are good. I like them, alot. They have one minor problem I’ll get too shortly but let me share the rest of my lust with you first.

First off they aren’t terribly saturated but they contain just enough remover to soak the pad nicely. Each pad isn’t huge but big enough to do one eye, if you’re being stingy you can possibly go for two eyes with one pad but I suggest using a pad for each eye to get it all off. They remove waterproof mascara very well and get all my eye makeup off in a few swipes. I’m trying to decide if the formula is the same waterproof remover I normally buy from Sephora but I’ve come to the conclusion this formula is a tad less oily. It feels like water which is a good thing because that means no cloudy vision. They come in a nice plastic jar, resealable which guarantees freshness for each pad, no dried out pads here. Yes, I guess one can rant that the plastic jar is a big drain on the environment but you can always use it for some sort of storage after use.

Now my rant….

I love these, I really do however I’m trying to decide if they are a good deal or not. They contain 30 pads for $8 USD which gets me a little over two weeks of use when using two pads a day. Now, I normally buy the 4.22 oz bottle of Sephora Waterproof Remover which sets me back $10 bucks. I do think that the bottle lasts me longer than the pads……the pads are cheap however they last alot less longer and I think I’ll be purchasing them more often than my normal bottle of remover. I’ll probably save a buck or two on cotton but I think a bottle gets me through a month or more of use. The convenience of the pads really make me want to repurchase again after I’m done with these but I’m unsure if it’s the best deal in the world.

On a follow up to my own review I seen some bad reviews of these on Sephora which shocked me as I thought they worked darn good. I guess these are one of those things that you have to try and either love or find they don’t work for you. Personally I loved ‘em and think they are ideal for travel. I’m off on holiday very shortly and these will def be packed away with my other skincare bits and bobs.

After a session with my eye makeup!

Repurchase….that remains to be seen but so far loving ‘em just wish they had a bigger size available for around $10 bucks or so. I’d be a happy camper indeed if that was the case!

Anyone try yet?

Love ‘em?

Wanting to try?

Tell the Muse!

The Muse is boldly going where no Muse has gone before. To the land of nail polish….yes it happens occasionally, the Muse ventures outside her comfort zone and takes on exciting new cosmetics like nail polish.

Remember kids, the Muse knows nothing about nail polish, isn’t an expert of any kind, and is only doing this post for a little fun.

Click ahead to check out Victoria’s Secret Limited Edition Pool Party Nail Paint.

I swear I’m having nightmares someone is going to ask me some techy nail polish question like what finish this is or something equally important and I won’t know how to answer. I’m truly a n00b when it comes to polish (be gentle) so I really can’t review this proper for you however I did want to show you this funky fun shade from the Victoria’s Secret Pool Party Collection I was telling you about last week!

There are a total of four shades available and the one I’m sportin’ today is called Clemenshine. The other shades I didn’t haul but this particular color did appeal for whatever reason so I just snagged it with the rest of my treasures as it seemed such a fun, funky shade for Summer. It’s a bright, true orange so indeed it fairly shouts Summer! These are 3 for $15 which you can mix and match with other items in the collection so I guess not too badly priced? I’m not sure how much does polish cost anyway? I don’t normally buy polish aside from a few select Chanel shades and when I have my weekly pedi I get whatever is hanging out on the rack or I steal something from my sis.

If you’re looking for bold, neon shades this Summer, I’d check these out as they seem quite fresh and fun for the warmer weather.

Hope my first official nail post wasn’t too bad, wink!

The Muse is all about bronzing this Summer. Normally I’m not one for embracing bronzers or tanning in any way, shape, or form but for whatever reason this year the bronzing bug has bit me in the butt and I can’t get enough bronzer in my life. I’m so obsessed that I find myself purchasing tons and tons of different compacts and trying them out for size or heading in store to swatch my little heart out.

For this review the Muse is up for a little Lancaster loving with their super size bronzing compact that I’m lusting at the moment!

Lancaster isn’t as well known in the US as it is Europe however you can find it at your local Lord & Taylor or if you sneak a peep you’ll see it crop up on HSN too! With it’s gorgeous array of jumbo size palettes it’s hard not to notice it, particularly it’s interesting line up of Summer bronzing pieces that make a Muse happy about the sun again, believe me getting excited about tanned skin isn’t easy for this Muse but she can be tempted.

Tempted indeed especially when she comes across great palettes like the Lancaster Sun Carrousel Compact Powder Bronzer. Oh how I love you. This palette combines everything I DO like about bronzers. I like bronzers that give me a soft, peach or coral finish with a hint of bronze and a tickle of pink. For me, bronzer is most flattering when I top it with a hint of pink cheeks. This way I get the best of both a sunny tan on my skin and a hint of pink on my cheekbones that makes all that bronze bearable for the Muse. The Lancaster Sun Carrousel Compact Powder Bronzer combines all that into one. Swirls of pink, bronze, peach, and coral make up this huge palette to create a soft tanned finish to skin with pops of peach and pink for a healthy tanned look. Likey!

The powder is a swirl of various shades which you can use together or separately to create your look. The powder is a matte finish which is great for the shimmer haters amongst us (there aren’t any of those around here though are there? You’d never admit to the Muse you hate shimmer! For shame!). I basically use a tiny kabuki and swirl all the colors together and apply. Afterward I sweep my brush on the pink shade and apply on my finished look. You can use the colors to contour as if you like since the shades range from lighter to darker. The pink shade lends a certain lightness to the completed bronze look which is how I favor my bronzer.

The appeal of the palette is not only it’s beautiful look or how gorgeous it looks on my skin but it’s price tag and size. The palette is huge and should last you a very long time. At $38 USD this is alot of product for the small price tag.

For the bronzer beginner or anyone who doesn’t like bronzers like me, Lancaster Sun Carrousel Compact Powder Bronzer can convert you easily. It leaves behind a flawless look that’s flattering without being too orange or too brown. For anyone who’s a novice to bronzing this a matter of simply sweeping your brush around the palette and buffing on cheeks, done, nothing hard about that.

As you can see below it’s HUGE compared to my itty bitty Urban Decay Baked Bronzer

Overall, it’s price tag, beautiful packaging, and pretty finish on my cheeks makes this Lancaster palette a sure choice for the Muse’s Summer Must Haves! Loves it. Good stuff. Makes bronzing easy without making me too brown or too orange, just a perfect peachy Muse.

Sportin’ Lancaster Sun Carrousel Compact Powder Bronzer

Not sure if anyone has been visiting Jelly Pong Pong lately but they have Deluxe Gift Bags again! Ok, so this is probably nothing to get too excited about considering the last bags weren’t available for shipment outside the UK. Boo! But have no fear they ship worldwide now. Yay!

Jump ahead to read the deets!

Ok, so, deluxe bags. What are they, why do you need ‘em. Jelly Pong Pong Deluxe Bags are basically filled with Jelly Pong Pong goodies and offered to us makeup junkies at a seriously discounted price. The first time these were offered Jelly Pong Pong was only shipping within the UK and only had one bag selection available. Since that time, things have changed. These are now available in three selections and are shipped worldwide, wahoo!

Bags are £10 each which converts to $16 USD plus shipping. I purchased all three bags for around $88 USD each which makes each bag around $29 USD each. I broke down each bag and added up what was inside and processed it as $111 USD of items. So buying all three I did save a little bit of money.

Few tips, if you do order they’ll charge you shipping but later send an invoice for the remaining shipping as it’s a standard flat rate of $6.95 but you’ll be charged more. Secondly, the price of $88 USD for all three bags shipped is for residents of the US. Anywhere else I do not know what they will charge for shipping so you can contact them prior to ordering for a shipping details.

Each bag contains two items each and you’ll have three choices for bags however you cannot choose the contents of bags. The bags are as follows:

Jelly Pong Pong Deluxe Bag One Includes:

Jelly Pong Pong Hawaiian Sun ($20 USD Regular Price)

Jelly Pong Pong Cheek Puff ($14 USD Regular Price)

Jelly Pong Pong Deluxe Bag Two

Jelly Pong Pong Muffin and Meringue Gloss Set ($22 USD Regular Price)

Jelly Pong Pong Brush Set ($12 USD Regular Price)

Jelly Pong Pong Deluxe Bag Three

Jelly Pong Pong Wakeup Makeup ($27.50 USD Regular Price)

Jelly Pong Pong Cherry Pie ($15 USD Regular Price)

All the items in the bag are full size products and very, very cute. I’ll be reviewing the items I got in my bags shortly in various posts. All in all I think these are really good deals and a great way to try out Jelly Pong Pong. All the items are brand new to the Jelly Pong Pong line and some are particularly fun for Summer.

If you want to indulge visit www.jellypongpong.com

If you’re just wanting one of the items you see in a bag you can always order it separately as well!

Happy Shopping!