Makeup Review: NYX

Makeup Brand Review time! Over the last 14 months or so I have been steadily collecting NYX makeup. Now, many of you have probably seen NYX in your local ULTA or some drugstores which carry it. Often times, because of the low price we tend to overlook it and think that purchasing department store brand makeup or designer makeup will more better or more pigmented. I am happy to announce that NYX should be a high-end brand. As you can see I have a small collection of their items, I'm still steadily collecting it =D

So I wanted to review some of the items I've tried and see if this might sway your thought on certain products.

The prices listed are for Cherry Culture. I believe the prices vary where you get them.

Eyeshadow Trios $5.50
I have about 5 of these and I have to say that I love them! They are highly pigmented and if you're feeling crafty you can depot these and they fit perfectly into your MAC palettes.There's like over 30 different trios to choose from!

Single Eyeshadows $3.50
There's TONS of different colors and many are really good dupes for MAC colors. I actually prefer their matte Black to MAC's carbon, it's SUPER pigmented and wonderful. You can get like 3 colors for the price of one MAC shadow. You can't beat that!

10 Color Palettes $8.00
I have two of these and I love them, they're perfect for travel all the shadows are very pigmented and there's like 10 different palettes to choose from. They mix in mattes with satins and shimmers so it's not like Urban Decay that all you get is shimmers. Plus, when you calculate the price you're paying per shadow it's like $.80 each!

Jumbo Eye Pencils $3.25
I simply love these! I have 4 of them and I am aching to get more. I use these as a base for the shadows, they're creamy and with a primer that shadow goes no where. If you're going to invest in just one, get the Milk one. The wide base is perfect not only for the eyeshadows but it makes for a great under eye highlighter.

Slim Eye Pencils $2.50
Unfortunately I can't say great things about this liner. I'm not fond of them and I've tried 3 different colors. I find that they're not smooth. they thug at my eye and they're not pigmented. So I'd say put your $2.50 towards something else.

Ultra Pearl Mania $1.50
I have this in a few colors and they're great. They're small little things which you have you use a base with or a primer but using the right base they're very pigmented and fun. They'll great a great metallic look used in the right way.

Jumbo Lip Pencil $3.25

Honestly I was not keen on these. Mostly because they were not good to use as a lip pencil. The line was so big ans they were too creamy. You can use them as a lipstick, that would be a better use.

Round Lip Glosses $2.00

I love these! For $2 I stock up on these because I really really hate sticky lipglosses and these are the perfect consistency. My favorite color is "Kiss", the perfect nude pinky tone that I always carry in my purse.

Round Lipstick $2.25
For a couple of bucks this is the best lipstick in the market. All the ones I've tried have been super pigmented, smooth, creamy and so awesome all around. I have about 7 or 8 of them. My favorite color is B52 but I also LOVE Chloe. Some of these are MAC dupes so you can't beat the price, the quality of them!

Mega Shine Lipgloss $3.75
How much do I adore these? First of all, to me they smell amazing! They are pigmented, not sticky and they stay on! I'm starting to collect these, I only have 3 but I LOVE the three that I have!

Eyeliner Brush $5.00
This is the only brush of them that I have tried and I am mightily impressed. I usually use my Smashbox one (which I believe to be the holy grail of cream liner brushes) and when I got this one I didn't expect much. I was very much proven wrong, I love this one as much as my Smashbox one and this is the one that travels with me!




So that's it! That is my review! I have been working on this post for a few days but bad days at work always got in the way of posting! I hope this helps you out if you're looking for some products.

Blog Pimping: Karla

I'm trying to do these once a month because there's so many awesome bloggers out there that need some recognition. My all time favorite for different, bold attire is hands down, Karla. Karla's Closet is a little obsession me and my best friend Alex have. In preparation for a thrift shop search we pour over Karla's pictures to find inspiration so when we find this quirky floral dress circa 1985, we pause and consider: WWKD? Well, I'll tell you what Karla would do; she would dish out the $3.25 for it, have it tailored and fitted. Then wear it with a pair of posh in season sky-high heels and a blazer to look absolutely fabulous and feminine!

Karla has a distinct 1980's high fashion sense and then she updates with with a new Marc Jacobs bag or a pair of new Mui Mui shoes which is what makes it fresh and exciting. Is it possible to do on a small budget? Yes and yes.

This is how: thrift shopping hardly cuts in the budget, you can get a bunch of pieces for $30. Then you save the rest of your $$ for a pair of high-end shoes to make the looks updated and contemporary. Another thing is that you should start searching for a tailor. Tailoring of antique or old pieces is essential. Very seldom do they fit like a glove. So if you find yourself someone who would tailor your clothes you've got yourself a set up. Another option is, of course, to learn how to sew yourself. It can be a crafty thing to know. Can you imagine finding a pair of vintage Calvin Klein jeans and being able to look at them and say "I can turn these into a great pair of skinny jeans." You can't beat that!

So here are her looks, plus honestly does she have the most awesome legs and haircut or what??

Isn't she fab? Me and Alex love her. Alex's favorite lines go along like this "Oh I love this skirt, Karla was wearing one like it the other day..." lol

Yeah, we're addicted.

What's in Karla's Closet?

Karla's Closet by isabellecs featuring Firetrap skirts

Want to try out some stuff? Check it out:

Karla's Closet - casual by isabellecs featuring Melie Bianco bags

Karla's Closet - dressy by isabellecs featuring Casadei shoes

Now... are we inspired for a weekend of thrift shopping?

Things that are Pretty....

I will admit it. I am a very girly girl. I dont like sports (I do enjoy both baseball and soccer players), I love Masterpiece Theater, I love makeup, I love pinks and purples and I will be found listening to classical music.

Without further ado, shameless picspam.

Things that are Pretty...



Blush (Coralista by Benefit)


Eyeshadow (The Shady Lady Palette)


Baubles & Red Polish


Taking one's clothes off and dropping them on the floor


A drawer full of blushes


Arriving home to find TONS of swap packages!!


A girl's purse, especially a blush-colored one


Overall girly things and cream shoes


Rings, earrings and pearls!

This was a post-work photo session.

LUSH of the jungle

I'm not going to lie, I've contemplated closing the blog because I dont always have the time to dedicate to it as it deserves but I figured a few people really love the read it and I might as well keep it updated. I can't promise I will update daily but I will try to keep it going :)

Now... I wanted to write about something I've really been feeling lately. LUSH.

Now, I know LUSH it's really either hit or miss with people. Many people LOVE it and live for it, others dont and many others think it's too expensive.

I have to admit that I really enjoy some of their products and some are just really not my thing.

So I wanted to make a collection of things I've tried, give a mini-review in case you're considering where to start with it.

Bath Melt: Happy Blooming

How it works: You use one of the three blocks as an additive to bubble bar or a bath bomb. It's supposed to leave your skin seriously moisterized.

My thoughts: The sad thing in life is that I dont have a bathtub in my apartment. I only have a shower, which is fine because I'm because I'm a shower-girl. But every once in a while I'll ache for a bath so this is where my work travels come in handy. I take my goodies with me and I soak at the Marriott. Works out great for me since I dont have to clean the tub :) I really love this product, it smells amazing, like exotic fruits and normally I'm anti-fruit smells. I like muskier deeper scents or floral tones but this leaves my skin so smooth that I end up loving it.

Shower Jelly: Whoosh

How it works: You split a small piece from the jello and smush it into your loofa, it'll create bubbles and clean you up!

My thoughts: It's a clean lemony-scent which I'm all for in the mornings because the scent wakes me up and if you follow me on twitter you know I constantly complain about being tired in the morning so to shake sleep off this things helps out a lot. My annoyance is the ripping of the jello. I think I should just cut it up in squares in order to make it easier.

Facial Cleanser: Angels on Bare Skin

How it works: You take a piece of this roll and wash your face with it.

My thoughts: I hate this with the passion of a thousand suns. It smells like lamb marinade to me. However... my mother LOVES it. I bought like $10 worth of this to test it and ended up detesting it so I gave it to my mom and she does nothing but rave about it and how much better her skin feels. She loved it so much I got her a huge chunk some weeks ago and it made her very happy. So I think you either love it or hate it.

Facial Cleanser: Herbalism

How it works: You take a piece of this roll and wash your face with it

My thoughts: I have a strange relationship with Herbalism. We're not friends... we're more of acquaintances. You dig? I guess I'm an old fashioned girl who likes her facial soaps to have suds so I have trouble falling in love with this. The scent is... alright, I guess. I have a tub of it that I got in a swap and I will use it but I'm not sure if I will re-purchase it.

Facial Cleanser: Facial Pharmacy

How it works: Like a bar of soap, you make little suds in your wet hands and wash your face with it

My thoughts: Out of all the cleansers I've tried from LUSH this is my favorite... and I still dont think it's perfect because it doesn't remove my makeup. But if it did I would love it. I love the scent, it's not offensive or anything and the concept is much more traditional which I like. I think I would buy again... I think.

Makeup Removers: Baby Face

How it works: I'm still not sure.

My thoughts: I really want to re-name this to "what the fuck face". I was excited to get a bar of soap so what do I do? I run it under water to make suds and get my makeup off. Yeah. Bad idea. It became a pasty, Vaseline-like mess in my hands and eye. It was not pretty. Later I find out I used it all wrong but by then I hated it and it was sent to permanent time-out in the corner of my vanity. I will most likely be swapping it.

Makeup Removers: Ultra Bland

How it works: Like your grandmother's cold cream, you gently work it into your eye and then wipe it off with baby wipes.

My thoughts: I'm pretty sure I've raved about this before. But seriously: BEST STUFF EVER. I'm on my second tub, I love it so much, removes all my makeup, it's a bit complicated but when a girl is wearing 3 coats of Diorshow Mascara in Carbon Black life is already at complicated. We deal with it.

Solid Conditioner: Jungle

How it works: A chunk of this apparently conditions your hair

My thoughts: I came to the conclusion that the reason this is named 'Jungle' is because George of the Jungle used it to condition his dreads. Now, I tried it. Twice. And I had not had anything leave my hair as nappy and dry since the great Dove disaster of 2004. It was not a good thing. The great Dove disaster of 2004 came when I compulsively bought a Dove conditioner (dont ask me which one, I have deemed all Dove products hazardous to my health) and used it and it dried my hair out so badly that I had to soak it in beer to rejuvenate it. This kind of shit can mess up a girl. So I had the similar reaction to this "jungle conditioner". Unless I want to emulate an extra from a Tarzan flick or begin anew a "Boho chic" look I plan to stay as far away from this as possible. Bad little green block. Bad.

Solid Shampoo: Trichomania

How it works: No one knows

My thoughts: I think I'm being too negative. I didn't like it. It didn't work for me. Ewww.

Toner: Tea Tree Water

How it works: It's a toner. How else is it supposed to work?

My thoughts: I love it, I spray a bit in a cotton ball and use it on my face once a day after washing it, it's not drying or harsh and it's a lovely tingly feeling.

Soap: Rock Star

How it works: It's a soap bar.

My thoughts: I like this product. It works excellent. I dont like the smell. Makes me feel like a walking laffy-taffy bar. It's not good. But I like what it does for the skin.

Bubble Bar: The Comforter

How it works: You drop it in the water and it makes soothing bubbles.

My thoughts: This stuff is delightful. I love it. Yes, it smells kinda like cherry but I love playing with it. I have a couple I need to use when I go on my next trip.



As you can see, it's either hit or miss. I love some things, like others and plain old hate some of them. Now, I have plenty more to try. I got the 'naked' pack this week when I went and I want to try more stuff.

The thing about LUSH stores is that they have the nicest people working there. They get all excited about a bar of soap and because they seem to love it so much you think to yourself "OMFG, I NEED THIS ASAP." when you really dont and when you make it home (after hiding the bags from a suspecting significant other) you're like "WOW... I got a $15 bar of soap. Excellent, B." But you can't take it back because I would hate to see their disappointed face taking back the soap. So it becomes a vicious cycle.

Any thoughts on Lush, you guys? Love it, hate it, never tried it?