Budget Buys: NARS 'Albatross' VS E.L.F. 'Gotta Glow'

left to right: NARS 'Albatross' // E.L.F. 'Gotta Glow'
As most of you should know, I'm NARS obsessed. I's the one higher-end brand that I'll allow myself to splurge on & I truly feel like they have really great products. HOWEVER, I'm also a penny pincher so I love finding cheaper alternatives to expensive things I love or want. Many of you may be asking "why the hell would you buy two products that are so similar?". Well one, because I can. And two because I had the expensive version first & when E.L.F. was having a sale I decided it might be fun to see if they were dupes of things I already owned. And at $3 a piece, why the hell not!?



close ups of each on my cheekbones
Color: Both are a cream colored powder with gold micro-shimmer and golden undertones. They look nearly identical in the pan.

Consistency: Both are powders that apply smoothly over the skin and require very little blending to look natural. The ELF version actually seems to be a bit more intense on the cheeks but I think that may have to do with the amount of product that comes off with each swipe of your brush. It appears to be much softer and less tightly packed.

Fallout: NARS Albatross has nearly zero fall out. When you swish your brush across the color it only goes onto the brush. ELF 'Gotta Glow' has a LOT of fall out. When swiping it, use a super light hand or you'll end up wasting a ton of product.

Similarity on cheeks: They look identical on the cheeks. I applied one to each side of my face and was unable to tell the difference. When swatched on my arm the ELF version appeared more opaque when applied heavily.

Price: NARS 'Albatross' is a whopping $29 USD in comparison to ELF 'Gotta Glow' at $3 USD. You could buy nearly 10 ELF blushes for the price of ONE NARS blush. Ridiculous.


top to bottom: E.L.F. 'Gotta Glow' // NARS 'Albatross'
In conclusion, you might run out of the E.L.F. blush faster due to fall out and softness but you could replace it 9 times before paying nearly what you would pay for a single NARS blush. Ultimately, I would choose 'Gotta Glow' over 'Albatross' if you're looking for a beautiful highlighter with a seriously expensive counterpart. Plus they look identical on the cheeks & nobody will know the difference.







-Becca

Review: NARS 'Gina' Blush

The NARS website describes 'Gina' as "a true tangerine".

I had been debating over whether I wanted 'Gina' or Stila's Convertible Color cream blush in 'Gladiola' for what seems like forever. I love the way NARS 'Luster' looks against my red hair & pale complexion so I thought an even more true matte orange would look equally as neat.

I'm so glad I ultimately decided on 'Gina'. Ryan offered to buy it for me from the NARS website since you can't buy it at Sephora online or in store (wth right?). I've yet to try a cream blush but my skin is pretty oily so I just imagine it sliding off and down my face. I loved the way 'Gladiola' looked on Esteé of essiebutton (she's wearing Gladiola in both the video & her blog post) but she doesn't have oily skin so I imagine cream blushes work better for her. If you haven't heard of essiebutton, do yourself a favor & watch her Youtube channel & follow her blog. She's hilarious & has a great relate-able presence on camera. Not to mention she's SO pretty & has impeccable taste. Even Ryan enjoys watching her videos with me & he hates everything. What more can I say? She's my favorite beauty blogger ever? Yes.





But back to 'Gina'...

'Gina' is very pigmented but so soft and buttery that blending it is ridiculously simple. I've found this to be true with most NARS blushes and 'Gina' is no exception. Staying power is almost all day but my face is oily & tends to absorb my makeup so I normally reapply or do a touch up after around 5-6 hours depending on if I've used a setting spray.

Judging by what it looks like in pan, it looks like a soft terra-cotta peach but when it hits skin it's more pigmented than that and it doesn't have the pinky tinge that most peach blushes have.

As for what to wear it with, I like to pair it with a nude, peachy lip or a coral lip tint but most people are braver with lip color than I am, so I say do whatever makes ya happy. I also love to coordinate my clothing to my cheek color? Maybe that's common...or maybe it's weird. I don't care.


this is what it looks like on my face

'Gina' retails for $29 USD and you can buy it here

Have you considered 'Gina' for yourself? Are there any blushes you've been really wanting to try as of late?



-Becca

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my birthday & I spent the beginning of the day in a pretty cruddy mood but as the day wore on I felt myself feeling less bleak about turning 25.

Ryan & I went to our local Bath & Body Works so I could pick up some hand soap and candles & had half-priced frappuccinos at Starbucks since they were having Happy Hour from 3-5. Then we came home & watched The Mindy Project on Hulu while we ate cake.

Oh! And my sister sent me these really funny videos of my family's dogs sending their birthday regards. She used a helium balloon app to make her voice sound so high.




And these are the presents I got this year from Ry-Ry & Taylor. They'll indulge my sad & intense obsession with NARS products. I luv them:

Taylor got me the 'Boys Don't Cry' limited edition Pierre Hardy NARS blush, some cute strawberry soft foam hair rollers, & a Jonathan Adler box of matches.



close up of 'Boys Don't Cry'

Ryan got me 'Gina' & 'Sin' from the NARS website so I used a coupon code for a free 'Super Orgasm' mini. I haven't tried it yet since the glitter is a bit scary in the pan but I've seen Taylor wear it and it looked beautiful on her.



from left to right: NARS 'Gina' // NARS 'Super Orgasm' mini // NARS 'Sin'

And finally, this is what I bought myself... a 1oz bottle of Chloé.

I bought this from Sephora with a gift card & used the voucher inside for a full size bottle. It's a great deal since you're getting a bunch of samples & a voucher for a free full-size bottle of any of the 6 or 7 perfumes you sample inside. The 1oz bottle of Chloé is normally $65 but since I used the voucher it was only $50 for the sample box + voucher &&& I used a 10% off coupon along with my giftcard so I spent maybe $20 of my own money.



I felt really spoiled this year & my NARS blushes make up what seems like half of my makeup collection now (I have a problem). I'm so thankful to have such sweet best friends that will buy me ridiculously priced little boxes of sparkly pigmented powder and put up with my neurosis on a regular basis. They're the best.

Anyways, here's to being 25!



-Becca

Review: NARS 'Douceur' Blush

Described on the NARS website as a "soft pink-brown", 'Douceur' serves as a matte cheek contouring blush. When applied it creates perfectly sculpted cheekbones with the tiniest bit of soft dusty-rose color.



This is the blush I reach for when I'm unsure of what I want to wear that day or if I just want my makeup to look classy and really put together.

I've paired it with my MAC Marilyn Monroe lipstick in 'Pure Zen' which is a really beautiful nude lipstick that isn't too pale on the lips (trust me I'm the pickiest about nude lipsticks). I believe it's available in their normal range of lipsticks so you don't have to try and hunt down the Marilyn Monroe packaged one by any means (found it!). & Douceur has a matte finish but I'm wearing a Hard Candy highlighter (tiki) in the photos so that's why there's a slight sheen. Look for a full review of that highlighter in the future!

This photo really doesn't do the blush justice, but it's been gross and cloudy out all week so it's all I've got!
on my face: nars sheer glow foundation in 'mont blanc' // hard candy so baked bronzer in 'tiki' // nars 'douceur' blush // mac lipstick in 'pure zen'
NARS 'Douceur' Blush retails for $29 USD at Sephora & the NARS official website.

In conclusion, if you've been looking for something soft and subtle that will give you amazing looking cheekbones, definitely give NARS 'Douceur' a chance.

-Becca

Ladybugs & Coral

So I went to Houston for Spring Break last week to visit my family and overall it was a really nice trip. There was a serious family emergency followed by a hospital trip, but things are fine now and we all still managed to have a nice spring break together.



1. Gap Shrunken Boyfriend Ladybug Printed Shirt - $54.95
2. Sleek Blush by 3 in 'Lace' - $12.49
3. MAC Powder Blush in 'Lovecloud' - $14 at a Cosmetics Company Store Outlet (I think this was a limited edition color from the Tres Cheek collection)
4. Laura Mercier Silk Creme Finish in 'Rose Ivory' - $43


These are a few of the things my parents bought me while I was home + some things I ordered before going out of town. I thought it was sort of funny how most of the things I got were either shades of coral or hot pink. I have another post centered around hot pink coming up.

I guess I know what colors I'll be wearing a lot of this spring and summer!

&&&&&
here's a few photos of me wearing my new top & coral-y makeup



on my face:
laura mercier silk creme foundation in 'rose ivory' // Sleek Blush By 3 in "Lace" palette (mixture of 'Guipure'/'Rose Gold' & 'Chantilly') // NARS Highlighter in 'Albatross' // Tony Moly bunny lip tint in 'Orange'

Are any colors you find yourself drawn to as warmer weather approaches? Let me know!!

-Becca

Too Faced 'Perfect Flush' Blush Review

Ryan bought this for me for Valentine's Day this year and....I love it!

The pink part reminds me a bit of my NARS Gaeity blush but it's got a nice shimmer and it's more blue toned and the other two peachy colors when blended with the pink make SUCH a flattering color. I've never been one for "custom" blushes because most of the time I just don't find it very enticing and often times the strips or bits of color are too small to use the colors individually.. Thankfully that's not an issue with this blush. Each section of color is large enough that you can use a brush to zero in on each color. I personally like to run my brush over all three to make a really beautiful and natural looking flush. I think this blush would best suit mostly people with fair-medium toned skin since it's buildable, but if you have darker skin you could definitely use this as an awesome highlighter since it has so much sheen.





Plus it's shaped like a heart so really, I don't know how you could say no. This blush lasted a fairly long time on my skin and I didn't have to re-apply. I would maybe need to if I had a REALLY long day ahead of me but most of the time I only need to wear makeup for 8 hours or less. This review is a bit scatter-brained. Sorry, I'm packing up to go visit my family in Houston for Spring Break so my writing is a bit bleh. First draft I wrote "really beautiful" proooobably 4 times.





At $29USD I can see why you wouldn't run out to buy this but I'm not sure if it's limited edition or if Too Faced is adding it to their regular line-up so definitely keep an eye out if you want to wait and see if it goes on sale.

But if you've got a bit of extra money to burn or you've been looking for a subtle but buildable blush that's heart-themed, I recommend at LEAST trying it out at your local Sephora or Ulta.

-Becca

Lately...

This week has been a bit of a mess. I'm excited about Valentine's Day but since I'll be working, I'll probably be doing a valentine craft and spending most of the day with the kids I babysit and my cousin I'm watching for the week. It won't stop me from wearing my lipstick print dress from Forever 21 though!


Coco sleeping

My Sperry Shearwater Boots(the fuchsia are sold out). I love love love them.

My late grandparent's cat Cali. She's 21 this year and sweet as ever.

My Valentine's gift from Ryan. 'The Perfect Flush' Blush by Too Faced.
I hope you have an amazing Valentine's Day week! I've never understood why people get so bent out of shape about being single on Valentine's Day. My family's always used it as an excuse to give a gift or two to whoever you love. Family, friends, significant other, dog, whoever. Taylor and I exchange presents and I bought a dozen cupcakes for my parents from their favorite cupcake place (Crave Cupcakes in Houston!). To be honest I haven't even looked for Ryan's gift yet. We normally just make dinner together the night of and go out to eat on the 15th or 16th to avoid the crowds.

Happy Valentine's Day!

-Becca

Valentine's Day Beauty Wishlist

1. Too Faced 'Sweetheart Perfect Flush Blush' - $29 USD

2. MAC Veluxe Brow Liner in 'Redhead' - $19.50 USD

3. MAC "Archie's Girls" Veronica Powder Blush in 'Prom Princess' - $22 USD

3. MAC "Archie's Girls" Betty Lipstick in 'Girl Next Door' - $16.50 USD


Seeing as how Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays and I can always seem to find about a thousand things I want, it was hard narrowing this down to just a few things.

That being said, I'm super excited about the MAC "Archie's Girls" collection coming out in a few days online (Jan 30th) and in stores (Feb 7th) especially since they're pretty obviously Valentine themed. White with red hearts?? Come on, how can I say no?

You can't find the products from the Archie's Girls collection on the MAC website until the 30th of January, but if you're interested in looking at swatches or photos of the products, both Makeup and Beauty Blog & Beautezine are a great resource.


-Becca

photo sources for MAC "Archie's Girls" collection: www.beautezine.com