NYC Sun 2 Sun

Product: Sun 2 Sun is a bronzing powder with two shades. It comes in 3 different shades: Bronze Gold, Bronze Mist, Terracotta Tan.  I have Terracotta Tan & Bronze Gold.

Price: $
I bought this in Kmart for $4.99 each, but can be found in any drugstore.

Packaging:  ♦ ♦ ♦
A .22 oz round plastic compact that is divided in half for 2 different shades. It come with a plastic clear cover.

Claim: NYC New York Color's Sun 2 Sun All Over Bronzing Powder - Two coordinating bronzing powders heat up your skin while minimizing shine. A believable back-from-the-beach tan tone instantly ... without the harmful effects of the sun.

Application: According to NYC
Sweep onto cheeks, chin, forehead, nose...anywhere you want a touch of sunny color. You can use the darker shade to contour and the lighter shade as a highlight.

Pros:

• Oil absorbing
• Fragrance free
• Two shades color and contour skin with a healthy sun-kissed glow
• Non-comedogenic

Cons:

• None

Final Verdict:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I was looking for some bronzer because I really didn't have any.  I like using bronzer for contour so I was looking for one that didn't have a lot of shimmer to it.  I decided to try NYC Sun 2 Sun, especially when I saw YouTube guru RenRen recommended.  I bought Terrecota Tan & Bronze Gold.  All the shades are not completely matte.  They have a slight shimmer to them but it's not overtly obvious.  Even though the Sun 2 Sun is an inexpensive bronzer it's not at all cheap.  They are not powdery and have a nice color payoff.
Terrecota Tan:  The darker shade works great as contour for me.  It is a red-ish bronze with a copper shimmer. The lighter shade didn't really show on my skin (MAC NC35).  I could use this as a powder.  The color is more of a beige bronze with a silver shimmer.  To someone with a darker skin tone it could work as a highlight.
Bronze Gold:  The darker shade is a more subtle shade for contour.  It's a light bronze with a gold shimmer.  The gold shade is a yellow-gold with a gold shimmer.  I really like love this shade as a highlight color.  The gold blends in with my skin but in the light it comes out.  It would be a good highlight for those with a warm undertone to their skin.  You can also blend the two colors for an all over face bronzer.
Overall, I would recommend this product.

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain + Balm

Product:  Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm for a beautiful wash of kiss-proof color and moisturizing, soft shine.  It comes in 10 shades.  I tried the stain in Twilight.

Price: $
I bought this at Walmart for $7.99

Packaging:  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
 This is actually a repackaged item from Revlon.  Just Bitten first came in a vile with a roller ball applicator.  Now it comes in a double ended plastic tube with a marker tip applicator on one end and the lip balm on the other.  The lip balm does not adjust thought.  It comes in 10 shades.

Claim:

• Kiss-proof color with soft shine
• Nourishing balm for supreme comfort
• Lip stain and balm in one convenient, dual-ended package
• Lip stain marker provides precise application
• Color does not smudge or streak
• Contains vitamin C for anti-oxidant protection
• Creamy, lightweight balm perfectly melts on lips for smooth, glide-on application
• Translucent balm provides instant moisture and soft shine

 Application:  According to Revlon
Apply marker directly to clean, dry lips. Build color and coverage as desired. After 30 seconds add extra shine and moisture by applying the balm. 

Ingredients: 
Lip Stain:  Water, Ascorbyl Glucoside, VP/Methacryalamide/Vinyl Imidazole Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Fragrance, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2 Hexanediol.  May Contain: [+/-:  Red 33 (CI 17200), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 28 (CI 45410), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Blue 1 (CI 42090))].
Balm:  Octyldodecanol, Polybutene, Polyethylene, Synthetic Beeswax, Mica, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Oleate, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid.

Pros:

• Comes with a Lip Balm
• Pigmented
• Lasted Well for At Least 4 Hours

Cons:

• Can Be Uneven
• Lip Balm Is Not Retractable

Final Verdict:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This was my first time trying a lip stain.  The reason I chose Revlon over other drugstore lip stains was because of the lip balm that came with it.  I was worried that a stain might dry my lips.  I'm always excited to try something new so expectations are high.   The stain is like marker, making it easy to use.  I was really surprise on how deep & bold the color actually was.  It makes me thing that the other color are going to come out brighter or bolder then what you might expect.  Depending on how many layers you put on, the color can look deeper.  I did see that when I applied it, it was a bit uneven.  I think two layers of the stain was enough to give me the color that I want and make it more even.  Once dried, it did not come off or budge.  It lasted a good 4 hours before I felt the need to reapply.  It could last longer depending if your eating or drinking. 

As for the lip balm, it was really nice.  It made my lips feel moist and smooth and gave it a little shine, so it didn't look so matte.  It reminded me of Nivea's Kiss of Moisture.  However, the down side of the balm is that it's not retractable.  What you see is exactly what you get.  And since you can't retract it, there could be an issue of damaging or even breaking off the balm if you're not careful.

Overall I thought it worked great.  I've had it for at least 2 months and it has not dried out yet.  It's worth the try.

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HauteLook Beauty Week

This week HauteLook is having a sale on several great beauty products.  Visit HauteLook to start shopping.  All sales begin daily at 8AM PT and end two days later at 8AM PT.

Monday (9/20):
Stila Cosmetics
Alterna Haircare
Instyler Styling Tool
NuFace Skincare

Tuesday (9/21):
DDF Skincare
GoSmile
LORAC


Wednesday (9/22):
NYX Cosmetics
RapidLash
D'Arcy Skincare

Thursday (9/23):
Freeze 24/7 Skincare
Hand Perfection
Tan Towel

Friday (9/24):
Enessa Skincare
NuBrilliance
Amika Hair Styling Tools

12 Best Foundation Under $15

12 Best Foundation Under $15 
Get flawless-looking skin with these beauties from L'Oreal, CoverGirl and more

When it comes to foundation, it really pays to find the perfect product for you. After all, all the eye makeup and lip products in the world won't make you look gorgeous if your skin looks blah. On the bright side, TotalBeauty.com readers have found that you don't have to spend a fortune to get flawless-looking skin. In fact, there are plenty of cheapie products that will give you just that! Read on to see what they are. 

By Sarah Carrillo

FOTD: Black & Blue

Face:

L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 02 Medium

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Foundation in Natural Tan

Revlon Press Powder in Medium/Deep

NYC Sun 2 Sun in Bronze Gold

Lips:

Nivea Lip Moisture

Ulta Lip Liner in Neutral

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Blush

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

Too Face E/S in Skinny Dip

MAC E/S in Stately Black

NYX E/S 1 (Matte Black)

NYX E/S 2 (Blue-ish Grey)

Maybelline Gel Liner in Black

Urban Decay Eye Liner in Zero

Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara

Garnier Anti-Puff Eye Roller

Product: Garnier Skin-Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller to roll away under-eye puffiness and dark circles for brighter, more radient eyes.


Price: $ $
I bought this at Walmart for around $12.  This seems to be one of the lesser priced eye cream in drugstores.


Packaging: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
A 0.5 fl oz  green plastic tube that has a little bit of a coke bottle shape for easy handling. The product comes out from a metal roller ball applicator on top of the tube and has a clear plastic cover.


Claim:  According to Garnier

Instantly: eyes look renewed and refreshed.
In One Week: under-eye puffiness is reduced and women saw dark circles diminished
With Continued Use: The severity of puffiness is further reduced and dark circles stay minimized.

Application: According to Garnier
Gently roll Skin Renew anti-puff eye roller under the eye from the inner corner to the outer corner, one to two times


Ingredients:  Aqua/Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caffeine, Panthenol, Escin, Guanosine, Hydroxyproline, Biosacharide Gum-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Aluminum Hydroxide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium Edta Laureth-7, Mica, Polyacrylamide, Caprylylglycol, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Imidazolidinyl Urea, F.I.L. B29143/1 Pro-Vitamin B5.


Pros:

• Easy to Use
• The Gel is Cooling
• Did Reduce Puffiness

Cons:

• Did Not Diminish Dark Circles
• Took A While to Reduce Puffiness 

Final Verdict:  ♥ ♥ 
Since having my baby, I have been getting some random sleep.  So I wanted to get an eye cream to help with the dark circles and puffiness.  Honestly, I'm not sure if this product was made for me.  I have slight puffiness but I really wanted something to help with my dark circles.  It did help with the puffiness but took a while.  At least an hour, and even with continued use, I still got puffy eyes.As for my dark circles, it didn't help at all.  I've had this products for weeks and it has not helped to diminish them.  This product did not live up to it's claim.