Heads Up!!! Deals and Steals Alert!

Hi Pretties!  Urban Decay‘s Friends and Fanatics sale is going on now and ends TOMORROW, October 19th at 11:59 PST.  It’s an awesome (and rare) opportunity to score some fantastic goodies for yourself or maybe even some holiday gifts!

Twilight Saga Steals!

What a week it’s been!  I’ve been working like a mad lady, and I’m exhausted!  Fortunately, I had a little treat to look forward to:  my mom and I had a movie date to see Breaking Dawn, Part 2.  Yes, I admit it, I’m a Twilight fan.  The movie was the highlight of my week, needless to say.  It was a ton of fun, and Kristen Stewart’s makeup was divine!  In anticipation of the movie, I went to my local Ulta in search of Essence Cosmetics’ Exclusive Makeup Collection – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2.  I guess a lot of people had the same idea because the display was pretty picked over.  That’s okay – I got the one product I was really excited about.

This gorgeous matte blush in Renesmee Red was only $2.99 for 5.5 grams of product.  As a point of reference, Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Blushes (which I love) are 5.6 grams and retail for $25.00.  I’m typically a big believer in “you get what you pay for” (I’m a bit of a product snob), but I’m finding that the quality of this product is really great for the price point.

The texture is very smooth and silky – not chalky or dusty at all. It’s also highly pigmented – a little goes a long way – and though it’s a bit bright in the pan, it blends out nicely.  I’ve been wearing it all week, and I love the red color – it’s nice to change things up from my usual pink or peach blushes.  I have really fair skin, but I think those with darker skin tones could easily wear this color.

Swatch of Renesmee Red on Bare Skin

The staying power is pretty good too – it doesn’t seem to disappear midday like some other blushes do. The packaging is simple – nothing super exciting, but I do like the Breaking Dawn logo across the front.  As a HUGE added bonus, Essence Cosmetics is a cruelty-free company; you can read their statement on animal testing here.

Swatch of Renesmee Red on Bare Skin – Blended Out

For the price, I highly recommend Renesmee Red – even Twilight haters will love this blush!  If you get an opportunity to pick up this limited edition product before it’s gone, you definitely should.  Essence Cosmetics are sold at Ulta, H-E-B, and Fred Myer.  For more information, visit Essence’s website.

Short and sweet, but there it is.  Stay tuned for more good things to come.  I’ve got a lot of new stuff to try and talk about!