May 2012
12 posts
Amber S. is the Real Techniques giveaway winner! Check your inbox, Amber!
Many thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway!
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I'm giving away two sets of Real Techniques...
Visit this post for more information!
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Overview & Photos: Birchbox Man
It’s no secret that I love Birchbox, so when the company started a monthly subscription service for the boys, I convinced my boyfriend, Chris, to sign up! He received his first Birchbox Man box this week!
If you’re familiar with the women’s Birchbox, you’ll notice that the men’s box is not only bigger, but is also constructed differently. I quite like the design...
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Giveaway: Real Techniques Brushes
I raved about my Real Techniques brushes and now I want one of you to add these brushes to your collection!
One person will win one (1) Core Collection and one (1) Starter Set as pictured above.
To enter, send an email to glossandgab@gmail.com with the subject line “Real Techniques Giveaway” and include your first name and last initial in the email. One entry per person,...
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Review & Photos: Real Techniques Brushes
Samantha Chapman, makeup artist, blogger and one-half of You Tube’s Pixiwoo can add “creator of the most fabulous range of makeup brushes” to her list of accomplishments. Her line, Real Techniques, sold at Ulta and the company’s website, features a wonderful assortment of well-made, affordable and multi-purpose taklon bristle brushes each outfitted in bright aluminum ferrules. You can read more...
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Photos & Swatches: Naked Cosmetics Color...
I purchased this stack of Naked Cosmetics pigments at IMATS a few weeks ago. According to the company, these mineral pigments can be used not only as eye shadow, but also as eyeliner, lipstick, blush, bronzer and temporary hair highlights. They can also be mixed into a clear nail polish to create a customized manicure. You can learn more about the versatility of the product at the...
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Luxe is the best word to describe my May 2012 Birchbox. The company drew inspiration from the TV series Gossip Girl and filled the boxes with high-end, decadent products inspired by the show’s Upper East Side socialites. When the series first launched, I watched it religiously and loved it. Though I haven’t watched Gossip Girl since season three, I still have a spot in my heart for...
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Photos & Chit Chat: IMATS New York 2012
This year, my sister and I ventured across the Hudson to IMATS in New York City. The event was held at Pier 94 and featured brands like Stila, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Kett, NYX, Naked Cosmetics, Eve Pearl and Inglot. We attended IMATS on Sunday, April 15. The crowd was smaller than I expected it to be, but that just made it easier to navigate the floor, find brands and choose products....
April 2012
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Photos, Swatches & Review: Bare Escentuals...
Bare Escentuals was my go-to makeup brand throughout college, but over the last three years curiosity got the best of me, and I abandoned the company for everything Sephora, Ulta and drugstores have to offer. With the release of Bare Escentuals’ Ready line, the brand wrangled me back with the purchase of this gorgeous eyeshadow duo.
As I opened this beauty, I was first impressed by the...
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New Goodies: Bright Pink Lips Edition | From left to right: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Queen, MAC Lustering Lipstick
I purchased these two beauties recently and I think each will pair perfectly with minimal makeup or a bare face during the summer months. OCC’s Queen is the punchier half of the duo with richer color and a slightly heavier formula. MAC’s Lustering...
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Hi friends,
First, I want to say hello and welcome to my new followers! Second, I want to apologize for how quiet I’ve been over the last several weeks and for the lack of new posts. I usually dedicate my weekends, specifically Sundays to writing and preparing posts, but the last four weekends have been hectic due to two friends’ weddings, IMATS and other things. But I promise to get...
gloss & gab around the 'net!
Hi friends! Here are a few places to find me around the Internet. I’m especially excited because I can finally add Instagram to the list.
Twitter: glossandgab Instragram: glossandgab E-mail: glossandgab@gmail.com
Stop by and say hi! :)
March 2012
28 posts
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Photos & Thoughts: March 2012 Birchbox
March marks my one year anniversary as a Birchbox subscriber. Throughout the year, I’ve experienced both excitement and disappointment with Birchbox and this month’s box created an odd combination of the two.
Birchbox offered two types of boxes this month - its usual box curated by the Birchbox staff or an exclusive box curated by Teen Vogue’s Eva Chen. I opted for the Teen...
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 10
If you were given $100 to spend on makeup, what would you spend it on? List products and their prices.
1: NARS Blush in Gaiety, Mata Hari or Dolce Vita ($28)
2: Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Sheer Candy in Succulent Pomegranate ($30)
3: The Balm Nude ‘Tude Eye Shadow Palette ($36)
And I’d still have $6 left over!
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Photos & Swatches: Revlon Super Lustrous Matte...
I own more lipsticks than I care to admit, but three factors convinced me to purchase these beauties: Revlon makes great lipsticks, the packaging is sleek and CVS was offering a great deal with Extra Bucks. Based on that last bit alone, I obviously had to buy these, right? I’ve always been tempted to try Revlon’s matte lipsticks, but I mistakenly thought these lipsticks were limited...
Capitol Colours giveaway winner!
The winner is royal-ocean.tumblr.com! Please check your messages on Tumblr.
Many thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! :)
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 9
Your nine step daily makeup routine: The number of steps in my daily makeup routine changes nearly every day and ultimately depends on the amount of makeup I wear on that particular day. To keep things simple, I’ll give a run down of my makeup routine from today since it actually consisted of nine steps.
Step 1: Moisturizer, eye cream and mattifying primer
Step 2: Concealer applied to my...
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I already own three of Maybelline’s Color Tattoo 24-Hour Eye Shadows, but I couldn’t resist adding Audacious Asphalt to my collection this weekend. Audacious Asphalt is a shimmery metallic deep gray shade. Unlike Bold Gold and Bad to the Bronze, which are certainly metallic, but not shimmery, Audacious Asphalt contains small bits of silver glitter. Based on swatches and a quick...
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 8
Eight favorite nail colors and their brands: China Glaze For Audrey, Milani 3D Holographic in Hi Res, China Glaze Ingrid, Revlon Carbonite, China Glaze Lubu Heels, China Glaze Ruby Pumps, OPI Passion, Milani 3D Holographic in 3D
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 7
One favorite of each:
1: Lipstick: Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Heavenly
2: Lip Gloss: I can’t pick one! I own too many!
3: Eye Shadow: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Eye Shadow in Bad to the Bronze
4: Mascara: Benefit They’re Real Mascara
5: Eye Liner: I don’t wear eye liner!
6: Blush: Benefit Coralista Boxed Powder
7: Contour: Benefit Hoola Boxed...
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 6
Six favorite makeup brands: To make this a bit more fun and diverse, I’ll expand this to my favorite beauty brands, not just makeup. My favorites are Lush, Benefit, E.L.F., Maybelline, Revlon and Wet N Wild.
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On My Nails: Spoiled by Wet N Wild in Toad-ally...
Toad-ally Amazing is part of Wet N Wild’s new Spoiled range, a collection of gorgeous nail polishes priced at $1.99 each. Toad-ally Amazing has a pretty minty green base with silver micro shimmer sprinkled throughout it. I love the brush on this nail polish. It’s much wider than the average nail polish brush and it works perfectly on my fingernails. Those with narrow fingernails...
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 5
Five favorite makeup brushes: E.L.F. Studio Line Blush Brush, Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush, Real Techniques Stippling Brush, Sigma Tapered Face Brush (F25), Eco Tools Bamboo Bronzer Brush
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Giveaway & Requests
Don’t forget to enter the Capital Colours giveaway! Visit this post to learn more!
Also, be sure to visit this post to leave requests for future posts on gloss & gab!
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 4
Four makeup products you can’t live without: MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural, Benefit Coralista Boxed Powder, Benefit They’re Real Mascara and Smith’s Rosebud Salve
If I could only use four products for the rest of my life, I’d be set with these. They are all amazing, work incredibly well and have never let me down.
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 3
Three makeup products you wish you had:
1: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar: This product is at the top of my shopping list for IMATS this year. I’ll definitely opt for a pink shade!
2: NARS Blush: Every time I venture into Sephora I’m tempted to purchase a NARS blush, but I haven’t just yet.
3: More blush and powder brushes: I have a handful, but I can never have...
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Overview: Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Mattifying...
Foundation is my main nemesis where make-up is concerned. The whole process –the shopping, the application and the furious blending necessary – can be overwhelming. In fact, for about two years, I avoided foundation because I found it to be such a hassle. Instead, I opted for tinted moisturizers or concealer and MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural. Now that I’ve discovered these two gems from...
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 2
Two makeup products you would not recommend:
1: Stila Lip Glaze: This product is too thick, sticky and heavy on the lips. Plus, the packaging becomes so messy! I also think it’s overpriced.
2: E.L.F. High Definition Powder: This is another messy product! I don’t like the overall finish of this powder. Because it’s white, it leaves a slight cast on the skin. I owned this...
Send your requests!
What types of post do you want to see on gloss & gab in the future? Certain product reviews, collection overviews, recommendations? Let me know on this post!
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Photos & Overview: My Glam
Over the last year, I’ve signed up for a handful of beauty subscription services - Birchbox, New Beauty Test Tube and Julep Maven. Now, I can add My Glam to the list. My Glam is the brainchild of Michelle Phan. It’s a monthly subscription service and still in its infancy at just a few months old. Like Birchbox, it costs $10 per month and each shipment includes deluxe samples and...
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10 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 1
One makeup product you use everyday: This one is super easy - MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural! I use this product everyday that I wear makeup. I buff it into my skin and wear it as a powder foundation with a touch of concealer under my eyes, or I use it to set foundation or tinted moisturizer. Mineralized Skinfinish Natural is a flawless powder because it never looks cakey or patchy. It adds...
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Giveaway: Luxe and Lush & Fast Track from China...
China Glaze recently released Capitol Colours, a Hunger Games inspired collection, and I’ve got two nail polishes from the collection to give away to one of you!
One person will win one bottle of Luxe and Lush and one bottle of Fast Track. To enter, like this post. For an extra entry, reblog this post one time.
The general giveaway information applies: You must be 18 or older or...
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Review: Lush Seanik Solid Shampoo
As a Lush obsessed lady, I was determined to get my boyfriend, Chris, hooked on the company’s products as well. He’s accompanied me on many a trip not only to our local Lush store, but also to those in New York City, Atlantic City and even Boston. I purchased his first Lush product - Seanik Solid Shampoo - as a gift for him last summer. Now,...
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In February, I received Eye Rock Designer Liner in my Birchbox. I sent them to Liz and she just posted her review. You can find her review here. Go check it out!
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Photos & Swatches: Benefit Boxed Powders in Hoola...
Benefit’s Hoola was a perpetual wish list item and Hervana became a must-have shortly after its release. Luckily, when Valentine’s Day rolled around, my boyfriend made my makeup dreams come true and gifted these beauties to me.
Hoola is a fabulous matte bronze with an olive undertone that prevents it from turning into an unsavory orange on the skin. Hervana is a gorgeous pinwheel...
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10 Day Makeup Challenge →
beingcc:
thescienceofchic:
Day 1. One Makeup Product You Use Everyday
Day 2. Two Makeup Products You Would Not Recommend
Day 3. Three Makeup Products You Wish You Had
Day 4. Four Makeup Products You Can’t Live Without
Day 5. Five Favorite Makeup Brushes
Day 6. Six Favorite Makeup Brands
Day 7. One Favorite Of Each: lipstick, lipgloss, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner, blush, contour
Day...
February 2012
10 posts
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Lush Valentine's Day giveaway winner!
Hi everyone! I apologize that it took ages for me to announce the winner. Without further delay, the winner is angisforkeeps.tumblr.com! Check your messages!
Many thanks to everyone who entered! :)
glossandgab.net is here!
I purchased a domain name and switched over to glossandgab.net! Also, gloss & gab has a new header created by yours truly and a (slightly) revamped layout.
In addition, in the next few weeks, I’m going to be adding more tabs in the sidebar, so it’s easier to find specific posts. Right now, I’ve got a Reviews tab, which contains all of the full-length reviews I’ve...
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10 Days of Lipsticks, Glosses, Stains & Balms
I own a lot of lip products, but most days I find myself settling for colorless options, like balms and salves. So I set out on a challenge to use a different lip product every day for 10 days and share my thoughts on those products here. Inevitably, a lip balm (or two) made it into this challenge, but you can’t teach this girl new tricks. Day 1: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Gumdrop:...