Product Review -- Tarte Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation

I've been purchasing Tarte face products (Oh, who am I kidding? All manner of Tarte products actually) like it's going out of style lately.

I mean, in the past several months, I've tried two new foundations and a concealer... and yet, every time another product hits the shelves, I'll all over it.

Case in point: the new Tarte Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation.

I've mentioned before how difficult it can be to find a powder that plays well with my dry skin, so as soon as I saw the word "creamy" in its title, I knew that I had to give this powder a try.

Product Review -- Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder

Maybelline has a ton of new, pretty exciting products on the shelves these days -- and I've bought a bunch of them so reviews are coming -- but I'm kind of excited about an item that they've had out for a while.

The Dream Wonder Powder.

I've discussed before how difficult it can be to find a powder that cooperates with dry skin because by its very nature, powder is designed to soak up excess oil and moisture, which means it usually accentuates the hell out of dry, flaky spots.

But even dry-skinned folks need powder sometimes -- whether you're going to be on the go all day and need to set your makeup so it'll last or you have a BB cream or tinted moisturizer that you love but needs a little extra coverage -- so I'm always on the hunt for options that work.

I think the Dream Wonder Powder definitely fits the bill.

Shopping Bag -- LORAC, e.lf. & bareMinerals

When I was cleaning up my makeup area this morning, I realized that I had gathered up enough products to do another "Shopping Bag" post (if you're not sure what these posts are about, there's an explanation here.) and figured today was as good a day as any -- especially since I want to put these items away so things look a little neater.

I'm not a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but when it comes to my makeup, I like everything to be organized and in its proper place.

So onto the goodies in question...

BE Beautifully Brillant Holiday Collection A/D #3 from QVC

Note: I apologize in advance for the poor lighting in these photos. It's been raining for at least some part of the day here all week, so I had to contend with dark, cloudy skies every time that I wanted to take pictures. You know, it wasn't until I started this blog that I realized just how terrible the lighting in my house is... I really should do something about that. I'm planning on getting a photo tent and light kit so if anyone has suggestions, feel free to share.

I’m always happy when the UPS man shows up at my door with the latest installment of a QVC TSV. 

This week, he delivered the latest kit in the bareMinerals Beautifully Brilliant Holiday Collection, which is called Fortune Found. While I get a lot of beauty-related TSVs, it always seems like the bareMinerals (and Tarte) ones are my favorites.  This one is another hit for me, though I do have a somewhat serious problem with it that I mentioned in my review of the second installment.

But let’s get on to the good stuff first, namely what’s in this kit.

June 2013 Favorites

For many people, I'm sure what I'm about to say sounds like crazy talk but I've always traveled to the beat of my own drum so...

I'm not really a summer person.

There, I said it.

I hate the heat.  I hate the humidity.  I hate sweating.

I actually prefer the winter, if you can believe that.

So I'm happy that June's over.  It means the summer is like a quarter over (well, according to my admittedly screwy calculations...).

(Of course, July and August promise to be even hotter and sticker but ...)

But despite my distaste for months like June, I still had a few favorites that got me through.

Review -- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders (Ethereal Light, Dim Light, & Luminous Light)

I knew that I would purchase one of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders as soon as I read about them.

A powder designed to capture, diffuse, and soften the light that surrounds your skin?

Yeah, sign me right up.

We all know that lighting can affect the way our skin looks.

I can't tell you how many times I've nearly gasped when I caught a glimpse of myself in the harsh florescent lights of a public bathroom -- why do they always use the most unflattering lights in those things anyway? -- or how many times I've become embarrassingly enamored with my own reflection when I caught a glimpse of myself in oh-so-forgiving candlelight.

Being able to replicate the look of flattering light with a convenient pressed powder that you can take with you everywhere seems a little too good to be true, right?

bareMinerals Beautifully Brilliant TSV AD Shipment 2 (To the Nines)

BE Beautifully Brilliant TSV AD Shipment #2 - To the Nines

Back in late October or November, I got one of my favorite bareMinerals TSV kits that I ever ordered from QVC.

The Beautifully Brilliant Holiday Collection.

Of course, I signed up for the auto-delivery kits and my UPS guy delivered the second kit in the series, To the Nines, on Monday.

As soon as I saw that there were peachy colors in it, I knew that it would be love.

I'm easy like that. 

February 2013 Favorites

February definitely flew by, but there were still a few products that really stood out for me.  Here are the item that I reached for most often this month.

Tarte 'What Has Your Makeup Done For You Lately?' TSV AD Shipment #3

As you may or may not know, the Northeastern part of the U.S. got walloped with a ton of snow this weekend -- record snowfall in a quite a few spots, actually.

Fortunately, my part of Long Island didn't get it too bad. We've probably got about 10 inches on the ground here, which is definitely a pain to shovel (I have the sore arms to prove it!) but didn't bring about any real damage.

And before Nemo (apparently they give names to snow storms now too.  Who knew?) dumped all his snow over the Northeast, my intrepid UPS man managed to drop off the third and final AD installment in the Tarte 'What Has Your Makeup Done For You Lately?' TSV series, which means that I had new makeup to play with while I was snowed in today... so no cabin fever for me.

January 2013 Favorites

My January Favorites

While I'm always vaguely terrified by how quickly the days fly by, I really look forward to doing these monthly favorites post.

However, between trying out a slew of Christmas and birthday products and being so sick that I didn't wear a stitch of makeup for a week, my list for January is pretty paltry.

To make up for the lack of products, I decided to include a few little random favorites - mainly because I personally love hearing about people's favorites in non-makeup categories on occasions because you never know when you might come across a gem and I think it helps you get to the blogger or video maker a little better.  

Tarte What Has Your Makeup Done For Your Lately? A/D Shipment #2

Tarte What Has Your Makeup Done For You Lately? TSV Box

You know that you have a serious QVC addiction when two new installments of a TSV show up on your doorstep on the same day.

And from the same brand no less.

That's what happened to me today - my UPS man dropped off the second installment of the Tarte What Has Your Makeup Done For Your Lately? TSV and the third (and final) shipment of the Tarte Miracle of Maracuja TSV this afternoon.

So yeah.  I know I've got a problem.

I just can't resist these deals. 

Seriously.

bareMinerals Beautifully Brillant Holiday Collection TSV

By now, it's pretty obvious that I'm a total sucker for any and all QVC beauty-related TSV's.

But I was especially excited to get my November InsideQ magazine and see it chock full of some pretty great deals.  I've actually only ordered one early, but I suspect that I'll be persuaded to be one or two more when they actually make to the air.

The one TSV that I decided to order early is the bareMinerals Beautifully Brilliant Holiday Collection, which will air on November 16th, and while it only arrived today and haven't had much chance to play with it, I am seriously glad that I did.

MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection

If you were unable to purchase anything from MAC's Marilyn Monroe Collection before it sold out and are feeling bummed about it, I think I can make you feel a little bit better.

You're really not missing out on much.

Now, don't get me wrong - I am thrilled with my purchases and there are a couple of products that I'm pretty much in love with.

But on the whole, there's really nothing particularly special about the colors or products in this collection.

In the end, it's really the packaging that makes this collection so special.

June Favorites

Gold Star Products for June

So I was totally going to post my final review on the Balm goodies that I bought from the last Haute Look sale yesterday, but fate conspired against me.

Not only did I have camera issues, but my netbook died on me and I dropped my cell phone and shattered the screen.

Not a great day in these parts.

But then I realized this morning that it was nearly July 1st so I could do a June Favorites post today and that cheered me up a bit.

I really love these monthly favorites posts.  It's a lot of fun to share the things that I've been loving for some reason.

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation & Powder Foundation

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation & Powder Foundation

Just a friendly reminder - there's still plenty of time to enter my Tarte Foundation, Concealer & Sigma Brush giveaway.  You can find all the details here.

In my April Favorites post, I included the Josie Maran Fresh Finish Hydrating Liquid Powder and mentioned that I was a fan of quite a few of her products.