lip gloss, lip products

Ofra Cosmetics x Madison Miller Lip Gloss “Smiley For Ryleigh” | Review

Hello friends!

I will forever talk about how much I adore Ipsy, and this is part of the reason why! I was able to get this lip gloss as part of my bag – I love being able to try new collections from brands I enjoy!

Color: This is a mostly transparent peach gloss with tons of glitter. There is a hint of peach color in the base, but for the most part it’s clear with shimmer.

Finish: The finish of this is shiny, but more so I’d say this is a glitter finish gloss due to the lack of base pigment.

Packaging: The packaging of this gloss is a beautiful matte white cap with a plain acrylic tube and Ofra written on the cap. The product information is white, printed on the tube, and appears to have Madison Miller’s signature on it.

Applicator: The applicator functions like a basic doefoot, however it does have an interesting curve to it and a bit of a “chair” shape. I’m not sure if that really improves the application, but it is kind of fun.

Application: Application of this gloss is pretty easy. I dipped into the tube twice; once for each lip. Since the base is mostly clear I wasn’t too worried about going outside of the lip lines. One thing I do want to caution is that it can look streaky and clumpy upon initial application until you “blend” with the doefoot – so I’d be careful about applying without a mirror. You could also rub your lips together to distribute the pigment a bit more, but it was something I had noticed. This is me being nit picky!

There is a very sweet vanilla scent that dissipates after application.

Continue reading “Ofra Cosmetics x Madison Miller Lip Gloss “Smiley For Ryleigh” | Review”

lip products, liquid lipstick

Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick “Babe Alert” | Review

Hello friends!

Aside from primers, one product that really worked for Smashbox was their liquid lipsticks! So many people discussed them when they first came out, and even years later I still hear people talk about these being a favorite formula.

Color: Babe Alert is a corally-pink nude. It’s got a warm undertone, and is mostly pink but feels more wearable than what I’d consider a “true pink”. Sephora and Ulta both describe this as a “nude rose” – I’d say more rose than nude.

Finish: This lipstick dries down to a completely flat matte finish. Even upon initial application the actual appearance of the dry down was pretty quick; there wasn’t any period of shine.

Packaging: The lipstick that I have is a sample size, but the packaging is similar between the full size and sample size. It is a large square acrylic tube with a black cap. The label is printed directly on the tube and doesn’t appear to be a sticker.

Applicator: The applicator on this lip product is a tear drop shape with a hole (also known as a well) in the center that holds extra product. It’s got a bit of a fuzzy texture to it but I didn’t find that there was any problems with that making the edges less crisp.

Application: Applying this lipstick is very easy. The teardrop shape made getting a sharp line simple, and the well holds enough product to cover both lips without having to dip back in.

I did feel like even with applying the normal amount that comes on the applicator, the product felt thick going on. This, in turn, played in to the amount of time that it took for the product to dry & I believe also played into how it looked later on.

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New at Ulta | January 13 – February 2, 2020

Hello friends!

I’m back once again with some of the standout products from Ulta recently!

Of course the brand new ABH palette drew my attention because it’s beautiful, but there were a lot of Colourpop palettes released as well! It also looks like Ulta is getting some products that have been out for a while, like the Persona Cosmetics glosses and Colourpop Just a Tint Lip Crayons.

New at Ulta | January 13 - February 2, 2020 - A Midwest Belle

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New at Ulta | December 23, 2019 – January 12, 2020

Hello friends!

I know I just posted one of these – but there were so many amazing new releases that I had to share this one as well!

The drugstore has really been knocking it out of the park with releases lately!  I have a ton of different lipsticks, concealers & foundations that looked interesting. Lipsticks in general this time around really drew me in – plus, as always, I love a good eyeshadow palette!

New at Ulta | December 23, 2019 - January 12, 2020 - A Midwest Belle

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New At Ulta | November 25 – December 22, 2019

Hello friends!

It’s time for yet another installment of my New at Ulta series!  I’m definitely a bit delayed in getting this one out to y’all, but I ended up taking a break over the holidays. Rest assured, the new year has reinvigorated me and I hope you’re all excited for what 2020 has to offer!

There were a lot of new palettes & lipsticks that drew my attention this time around – especially from Milani and the drugstore in general.  There were also a few base products that sound interesting!

New At Ulta | November 25 - December 22, 2019 - A Midwest Belle

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New at Ulta | October 28 – November 24, 2019

Hello friends!

Surprisingly, there wasn’t a lot that interested me this time around!  I really couldn’t say why, either – there just wasn’t a bunch of holiday collections that looked like something  I needed.

A few holiday packs stood out as something I wanted to try, including both the Becca holiday collection & Disney Frozen Anna Collection!  I might need to pick up some of the gifts if they go on sale – especially that MAC advent calendar.

New at Ulta | October 28 - November 24, 2019 - A Midwest Belle

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New at Ulta | August 5 – September 1, 2019

Hello friends!

I’m back with yet another New at Ulta, and this month was pretty exciting!  New brands were introduced, as well as awesome new products!

I’m especially excited for all the new collections being released; like Beauty Bakerie, Tarte, and Too Faced!  Plus anytime Colourpop can be purchased at Ulta makes it even more awesome, since basically half of my makeup is Colourpop.

As usual, there’s a ton of eyeshadow palettes that peaked my attention; surprisingly, I seem to have also been drawn in by concealers and setting sprays!

New at Ulta Graphic

Continue reading “New at Ulta | August 5 – September 1, 2019”

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New at Ulta | July 15 – August 4, 2019

Hello friends!

Once again, we’re here to talk about the new beauty at Ulta that’s caught my attention!  Unfortunately this is another month where there wasn’t a ton that really looked interesting to me, but we do have a lot of eyeshadow palettes and listicks!

Also super exciting – Nabla Cosmetics is now being carried at Ulta!  I added a couple of products that sounded really interesting to my list from them, especially because I’ve heard so many good things about their eyeshadows.

New at Ulta Graphic

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New At Ulta | June 10 – July 14, 2019

Hello friends!

Last month was looking a little weak in terms of new beauty releases, but this month is jam packed with them!  There’s a ton of beautiful new eyeshadow palettes, and some awesome mini sets of products I want to try.  Out of everything on this list, I’ve already picked up one of the mini Mac setting sprays, but I got the watermelon scent.

A lot of the makeup on this list is from Makeup Revolution/Revolution Pro/Revolution Skincare; how many brands can they have?! Additionally, Tarte has a few intriguing products on my list.

New At Ulta | June 10 - July 14, 2019 - A Midwest Belle

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New At Ulta | May 20 – June 9, 2019

Hello friends!

This edition of New At Ulta has a lot less on it than usual!  I found that there wasn’t a lot that stood out to me as something I wanted to buy. I’m not sure if this is true, but I also feel like there wasn’t a ton that got released during this time period on Ulta!  I’m assuming it’s because this is just a slow time for makeup releases and that as we get closer to September (read: holiday!) we’ll have a lot more to look at and chat about.

One big thing to note was the addition of more Kylie Cosmetics items, so I have quite a few on my list of want to purchase!  I’ve never tried her products, but I do own one of the lip kits.  I’m curious about her powder products!

New At Ulta | May 20 - June 9, 2019 - A Midwest Belle

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