Meet Matt(e) Nude by theBalm | Swatches and Close Ups

Hey guys! I want to share this beauty I picked up, a month ago! It's the infamous Meet Matte(e) Nude Palette. This is really just to share the swatches and a couple of comments. 

Talk about supperr smooth and pigmented shadows! Even those lighter shades like 'Matt Malloy' and 'Matt Lombardi' are potent.  Not flaky whatsoever and so easy to blend with. 

You might pickup small specks of shimmer in the picture, that's just from my using brushes I'd previously used with shimmery shadows! I promise you this is a Matte palette! 

Note: that shimmer you see on 'Matt Wood' is because I used a wet 

angled brush. 

Super slick packaging. It does come with a DVD type sleeve. It's a magnet close type of palette. 

I plan to either film or share pics using these shadows! 

Lots of Love,

Camila 

  facebook | twitter | instagram

L.A. Colors and Beauty 21 | Animal Testing Inquiry

Hey guys! Have you heard of L.A. colors? or I'm sure you've seen Beauty 21.  If you've never heard of them, they do a lot of things: eyeshadow, nail polish, face products, etc. I usually find them in Dollar Tree and drug stores. I own a few of their products & am impressed. (Especially with the lipies).

I emailed LA colors about their animal testing policy. I used the format I always use.
This was their reply:

Thank you for contacting L.A. Girl USA Cosmetics.
In regards to Animal Testing, please be certain that our products are NOT tested on animals. None of the raw materials or manufacturing process through finished goods are tested on animals. Our parent company, Beauty 21 Cosmetics Inc. is also part of the cruelty-free PETA program. 
L.A. Girl and our parent company, Beauty 21 Cosmetics, do not offer/sell our products in China. Some of our products do contain Carmine (which is derived from an insect) and Lanolin which is derived from sheep’s wool.  If you are interested in a specific product, please let us know and we can specify for you. Hope this helps! Thanks for writing to us. Sincerely,Customer Service Dept.of L.A. Girl Cosmetics

YAY! It's nice that they address the China question, but they can vouch for the policy of their parent company. Also, they are on PETA's list, which is always reassuring.
They did not address every single one of the questions I asked, but as far as my criteria for determining CF status, they meet all the points.

I feel safe buying from them & will do in the future <3

Lots of Love,

Camila

                                                         facebook | twitter | instagram

Rose Smoke | Eye Look

 Hey guys! I wanted to share this rosy-smokey eye look. I was inspired by an instagram picture by MakeupByAnna. Please check her out (you'll fall in love! <3)

P.S. You might notice a crazy eyebrow hair, I apologize :D 

I love how it came out! It's a bit more 'light" (if that's possible).  

Hope you are having a good Monday so far. 

Feel free to follow me on instagram if you'd like. 

facebook | twitter | instagram

January Wish List |

Hey guys!

I love reading Wish List posts, so I thought I'd be fun to share what I'm been wanting this month.

♥ 1. Too-Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

It looks wonderful! I've seen a couple of reviews & it's being raved about. I love my neutral shadows & this would be a great addition to my collection. Those of you who've picked it up, does it smell like chocolate?

♥ 2. NYX Butter Lipsticks

Specifically these three: (L to R) 'Deep Burgendy', 'Blue Violet', & 'Coral-Red'!

I swatched them at Ulta & I was throughly impressed.

♥ 3. Emani Brow & Liner Trio

I actually lost the one I had! I'm so sad! :( I love this, I actually did a review of a bunch of Emani stuff a while ago. My sister and mom always ask to borrow it, so they miss it too. 

♥ 4. New Real Technique Brushes & 'miracle complexion sponge'

Left to Right: 'Blush Brush', "Miracle Complexion Sponge' & 'Stippling Brush'

I have the 'starter kit' and the 'core collection'. These brushes are vegan and cruelty-free & AMAZING!!! I use them everyday & I really want to expand my collection.

♥ 5. Floral Skater Dress:

I have this same dress, so I'm not sure it exactly counts as a wish item, but I do LOVE it. I want to pick up the same one in navy. It's only $8.80! 

♥ 6.Buckled Cutout Booties:

Ahhh boots! I'm definitely a boot kind of girl. I saw these and fell in love. I think it's a fun pair of shoes, because you can then play around with your socks and make them part of your outfit. 

♥ 7. Daisy Floral Tights

I love wearing tights with my dresses! Especially during the cooler months. (I'd still wear this during summer though, shhh!) I thought these were super fun! 

♥ 8. Disney's Tangled!

I remember watching this movie a few months after it came out. I didn't really think much of it at the time. This past December it was on on DisneyChannel and I watched it again and BECAME OBSESSED! I watched it everyday during finals week & It got me through. I love it & need to own it :D

Well, that's pretty much it! I've been really wanting all of these things for months now. Maybe next month I'll own a few of them ;) Let me know what you've been wishing for this month!

Lots of Love,

                                                                   Camila

facebook | twitter | instagram

BECCA Cosmetics | Animal Testing Inquiry

UPDATE: Thank you guys for helping me figure this puzzle out. A wonderful reader (see comments) gave me this link where it states BECCA's parent company(Cosmetic Developments Limited). I will be emailing them! Also, I'm not 100% how the regulations go for Hong Kong (i've heard repeatedly that they aren't the same as those for mainland China). I'm not expert on this & will have to contact LeapingBunny to ask them about this. I will keep you guys posed! I valve you're input tremendously!



Hey guys.
I emailed BECCA and received a reply. They answered all my questions and I find that the information provided is useful. However, I was left with more questions! Ok, enough teasing, this is what I received:

Hi Camila,
Happy Wednesday and thank you for writing in with your BECCA inquiry!
1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals? No2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test?  No. We have documentation that states such under EU Law.3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals? No4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals? No5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they? Yes we do have a parent company6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? We don’t have a distributor that specifically covers Mainland China. However, our international Distributors cover Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan that service many tourists from China.7. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? We have Carnauba Wax in mascara, compact concealer, pressed bronzer (duende), nude lip liner .8. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?
Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Opal, Moonstone and TopazBronzing Skin PerfectorUltimate Color GlossRadiant Skin Creamy ConcealerMatte Skin Shine Proof FDTResurfacing Primer 

Thoughts:
1. Why didn't they state their parent company? I actually googled it but haven't found a name. If you know let me know!!
2. Their answer to the China question. WHAT?! I am typing this rather late at night, maybe I'm reading it wrong, but I don't understand their answer. I will email them back and ask for clarification.

Let me know what you think!! If you know something, share with us!

Lots of Love,
Camila

BH Cosmetics

Benefit Cosmetics | Animal Testing Inquiry

UPDATE: A lot of you are letting me know (in the comments) that benefit sells in China. Which in itself tells us that animal testing has occurred. I will not be supporting them! Check out their site. 

Hey guys!

I contacted Benefit some time in December. I got a reply from them. I stalled in sharing it because I found it rather vague. However, I thought you'd like to read it and I would also share my thoughts. 

I emailed them using the same format I always use. 

This was their reply:

Hi Camila,
Benefit does not test our cosmetic products on animals. When selecting the ingredients to be used in our cosmetic products, Benefit requires raw material suppliers to provide safety information based on scientifically accepted alternative testing methods that meet international safety standards and regulations. Benefit products must meet both consumers’ needs and consumer safety, while respecting animal life. Benefit continues to strongly support & favor alternative testing and is committed to following all animal testing laws and regulations in order to ensure our products’ safety for the end consumer. 

First of all, they did not address all of my questions. Secondly, as you can tell (I'm sure), the part I've bolded is the definition of vague. They claim to use alternatives to animal testing, but also follow "animal testing laws and regulations". I don't want to speculate too much, but I have a bad feeling about this. I certainly would not purchase from them at this time. I will try to contact them again, asking them to be more specific. I will keep you guys updated. 

Lots of Love,

Camila

Awesome Bloggers!

Hey guys! I thought I'd share some of my favorite beauty vloggers & bloggers & just awesome people you need to check out. I've been blessed with this platform and I wanted to share the loved. I'm sure you might have heard of most of them, but just in case...

1. TheBumbleGumPrincess
One of the first CF Youtube ladies I started watching. She's amazing! She has awesome recommendations and such well-spoken reviews.

2.BeautySavvy
She is hilarious! Her videos always make me laugh! She always recommends products I've never heard of, which is an awesome way to learn about new indie companies!

2. natiatheart
She makes youtube videos and has a wonderful blog. Did I mention she is gorgeous!? I have loved all her tutorials! I also love her blog and hope gets to that level!

3.Makeup Guinea Pig:
Her blog posts are awesome!! I always look forward to reading them and I get so much out of them.

5. WildFox

small NYX Haul | Cruelty Free

I went to Ulta a couple of days ago. I thought I'd share what I picked up. I will have a more indepth review later, once I'd had more time to form an opinion. 

♡1. NYX stay matte but not flat:

Heard awesome things about this one. I've used it once so far & I'm impressed with the coverage.

♡2. NYX slide on, glide, stay on & definitely a turn on water proof, extreme shine eye liner

WOAH! A mouth full of a name! I got the color in 'jet black'. I have the one in 'golden olive' & absoultey LOVE that one. I have high hopes of this one! I like it so far (keep in mind, I've only used it once, well this color.)

♡ 3. NYX badunkadunk lush lashes mascara:

I think the packaging is : SEXY! I love it & will admit it was partly the reason I picked it up. Again, I barely got this stuff a few days ago and have only used it twice. I really like it so far ;) 

I wanted to keep this short & quick. I hope you enjoyed it & tell me if you've used any of these products :D

Lots of Love,

Camila 

Sigma Beauty | Animal Testing Correspondence

Hey guys! I got a reply from Sigma. I wanted to share it right away because the correspondence I had with them was smooth! I didn't have to email them more than once, which is nice. 

I emailed them using the format I always use.

This was their reply:

Hello Camila,

Thank you for your email. I am happy to help you with these questions. I have provided the questions and answers below.

1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals? NO
2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test? NO
3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals? NO
4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals? NO
5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they? NO, Sigma does not have a parent company.
6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? NO
7. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?

 Yes, extracted from the leaves of Carnauba palm. Yes the Carnauba wax is sustainable and organic.
8. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase? All of our Synthetic brushes are Vegan and can be found here http://www.sigmabeauty.com/category_s/50.htm

Please let me know if you have any other questions I can help you with.

Best Regards,

I'm excited share this with you all. You can imagine I was quite happy when I received this reply. 

As for what I look for when determining cruelty-free status, Sigma Beauty meets my criteria. I look for three major factors when determining the animal testing status of a company: parent company , suppliers of raw ingredients, and if products are sold in China. To read more about why I look for these criteria, click here. 

Share your feedback! 

Lots of Love,

Camila 

Skin Care Tool Kit | Cruelty-Free

Hey guys! I wanted to share these products because I've seen a wonderful change in my skin since I started using them! I wish I had a before and after picture. They are all cruelty-free, as far as I am aware. 

1. derma e: Evenly Radiant Makeup Remover

I'd never used a makeup remover before I started using this one. (I know, I know!) I think it's alright. It does a nice job of dissolving the makeup and removing it; however for eyeliner you have to either use more product or rub more. I heard the Sonia Shuck is a good one, any recommendations?

It retails for $8.93 on Derma E on Amazon. 

 2. Dessert Essence: Thoroughly Clean Face Wash:

I've repurchased this product dozens of times! I switched over to this brand for skin care after I discovered that Burt's Bees is not cruelty-free. (I used to use the Burt's Bees Acne Solutions Purifying gel Cleanser). Desert Essence is an amazing brand. This cleanser has tea tree oil which is a magical oil, magical! If you have dry skin, look for the 'normal skin' wash. I've used both and this one is definitely best for oily skin. It will leave your skin feeling dry so make sure to use a good face moisturizer. 

It retails for $9.29 on the desert essence website. 

3. alba botanica: natural VERY emollient sunscreen 

A week ago I was stung by a bee on my left index finger. Just my luck! I went to the doctor because it was very swollen. I turns out I had an infection, called cellulitis. I was prescribed antibiotics to fight it off. This medication makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight.  I'd purchased this sunscreen a few weeks back. I didn't really wear sunscreen regularly and so I wanted to find something that would protect my skin without making it oily; it does claim that it won't clog your pores. This sunscreen by alba is wonderful. I've noticed that the dark marks on my face have diminished. It doesn't claim to do anything of the sort, but I've certainly seen a transformations just in the softness of my skin. I am converted & wear my sunscreen everyday!

Retails for $10.99 on alba botanica's site. 

 4. Dr. Bronner's Magic "All-One" Fair Trade & Organic Coconut Oil

 Oh coconut oil! How I love thee! I could write 100s of poems about my love-affair with this product. I've used it in the past; however only for my hair. I decided to start applying a little before bed. It will leave your skin looking extremely shinny but it's wonderful!! I'm not a doctor but I am not aware about all the benefits of using coconut oil such as: hydrating for skin, killing off bacteria, etc. (To read more about it click here). I am certain introducing coconut oil to my skin care routine has been greatly responsible for my skin's change. If you've never tried coconut oil for your face & skin please do.!! Make sure you buy as pure & natural as you can! 

It's on sale right now for $9.71 on abesmarket!

Hope you got some good recommendations & will try some of these products! 

 Lots of Love,
Camila

Finals Week Fall 2013 & I got stung by a bee...

instgram name : imalwaysmused 

Hey guys.
I just thought I throw this short little post up to catch up. This week has been so hectic. I've had two finals so far and have one more "final" this Thursday. I say "final" (or type?) because all I have to do is show up and turn in a 8ish page paper! I posted on Monday or was it Tuesday (it's been a longgg week) that I haven't replied to emails or fb messages because I've been really busy. You know it's bad when you consider the amount of time showering will eat up. (Don't worry I still showered this week). Thanks for wishing me good luck! & if any of you had finals this week, keep on pushing guys!

A little about my week. It's been crazy and as luck would have it, on Wednesday my sleep deprived self was stung by a honey bee! Yes! You would think I was climbing a tree or rolling in the grass but no, where did I get stung?!? In an elevator.

I think the bee hitch-hiked in my hair. I was running my hands through it and felt that horrible burning sensation. If you've ever been stung by a bee you know what I mean. This is the second time (in my life) that I've been stung so I knew that the redness & swelling (don't forget the pain) would probably be the worst of it. There's a clinic on campus and seeing as the visits are very low cost/free I decided to go. I definitely felt silly going in, but I'm SO thankful I did. They patched me up & told me to take an over the counter painkiller for the pain & gave me an ice pack. They told me to come in if it stayed swollen.

Today, I went back in. My left index finger is the size of a sausage & it hurts a lot. Apparently I have cellulitis. Sounds scary, it's not walk in the park, but it's a treatable skin infection. I have antibiotics to fix me up. Which I'm not too trilled about. I detest taking medication. I refuse to take anything! I only time I take painmeds is for the 'time of the month'; I get horrible cramping pains.

Anyways ways. That has been my week so far. Really random & bee filled. Hope you are doing well. Also, stay away from them bees. ;)

I'm exciting to post after the madness, MADNESS of finals week is over.

Lots of Love,
Camila

Laura Geller | Animal Testing Info.

Hey guys! I contacted Laura Geller!
I know a couple of you really wanted to know what they had to say. I promised to have this up by tomorrow, or Friday! I'm not crazy busy & have a few hours to kill and decided to post it early!! :D

That reminds me!! "Like" me on facebook, thats where I let you know which companies have gotten back to me!

Anyways!! I emailed them using my newly tweaked format! It still has all the questions, I just made it more personal.

This was their reply:

Hello:
Thank you for your email.  Laura Geller Beauty, LLC and our Manufacturers do not test our products on animals.  The outside sources, however used by our Manufacturers may test raw ingredients on animals. We do not have a distributor in China.  We do not have a list readily available of all vegan products.  If you provide a specific list of products you are interested in (including shade) we can provide a more immediate answer.
If we can be of any further assistance please feel free to contact us.  Thanks again for your email and for your interest in Laura Geller Beauty.
Kind Regards,
Customer SupportLaura Geller Beauty, LLCinfo@lauragellerbeauty.com

They did not answer all of my questions. Usually, I would email them again asking for all my questions to be address, but in this case I feel it is unnecessary. They admit to being ignorant of whether their raw ingredients manufactures test on animals. This is always a BIG no-no for me!(check out my cruelty-free criteria).

I like to support companies that are ethical about everything (ingredients, production, animal testing, packaging) and are knowledgeable about their product. I can see Laura Geller is not one of those companies (this is my opinion).

Hope this answers your questions! If not, don't be shy & leave a comment. I will try to help answer your question to the best of my knowledge.

Lots of Love,
Camila

Sugarpill | Animal Testing Policy

Hey guys!
I just got a reply from a Sugarpill representative! 

I contacted them using the format I always use. *I have changed it up a bit, but the questions are the same.

This is what I received:
*I added the questions, so you don't have to open 1000x tabs.

"Hi Camila,

I apologize in advance for the short reply. I am on the road.
Below is the answers to your questions. 

*1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals?1) No

*2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test?  
2) No, We visit our manufacturers regularly and have a written statement from them confirming they do not test.

*3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?
3) No


 *4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?
4) No

*5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they?  
5) No

*6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? 
6) No

*7. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? 
7) We use Carnauba Wax, Our supplier does not state their source.

*8. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?  
8) We have a "Vegan" category tab on our site that shows all of our Vegan items, which is most of them.

Thanks,"

So there you go guys! I will be adding them to my Cruelty-Free list. Sugarpill is also on PETA's does not test list. 

Lots of Love,
Camila

Julep | Animal Testing Policy

Hey guys!
I contacted Julep a week or so ago. I'm happy with the speed of their reply. As promised I will be sharing that correspondence.

I emailed them using the format I always use. Since that time, I have changed it up a bit. I made it more personal.

This was what I received the first time I emailed them:

Hi Camila,
Thank you for your inquiry about Julep products. We absolutely DO NOT test on animals! Never have, never will! We only “test” on humans. One of the great things about Julep is we have 4 Nail Parlors and amazing customers that let us test and try products on them all the time!
Some of our products do contain animal-derived ingredients (milk, beeswax, etc). Here are some products that are completely VEGAN: Facial for Hands Glycolic Hand Scrub, Julep Essential Cuticle Oil, and any non-red nail polish.
Another great thing about our products is that they are “4 Free”. We use NO paraben, NO sulphate phthalate, NO DBP, and they are tolene and formaldehyde FREE. We like to say, we took out all of the nasty carcinogens that are found in so many other products.
If you are interested in the Ingredients of each item we invite you to check out our site. We are proud to say we list ingredients for each and every item in the item details section.
I hope this convinces you even more how Julep can be a brand you can be proud to wear. We are always interested in how new Julep customers hear about us, since we use many different outlets. If you have time just drop us a line. Also, please let us know if you have any more questions. Until next time, have a wonderful weekend!

As you can see the representative is a sweetheart! However, all the questions I originally asked weren't addressed so I emailed them back seeking details.

This is the second email I received:
*I added questions so you don't have to open 1000x tabs.

Hi Camilia,
Thank you for following up with us. I sincerely apologize for the delay. Of course, we we are happy to answer any questions you may have
[1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals?]
  1. No we do not test on animals at all. We preview or test new items in our Salons.
[2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test? ]
  2. We do not have a third party that tests on animals
[3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?]
  3.No we have products that are not tested on animals by us or 3rd parties. We check up on the sites regularly.
[4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?]
  4. We are a privately owned. Julep does not test on animals.
[5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they? ]
  5. We do not have a parent company we are privately owned
[6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? ]
  6. We are currently in US and Canada and are unable to ship and market outside of the US. We have no plans to expand in the near future.
[7. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? ]
  7.We invite you to view all of our ingredients for each item on our site.
[8. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?] 
  8 Our Vegan friendly items include Facial for Hands Glycolic Hand Scrub, Julep Essential Cuticle Oil, and any non-red nail polish. 

If you have any other questions we are always happy to help.
Until then, have a wonderful weekend!

 They meet my three criteria & I would feel safe purchasing from them!!! I also quite enjoyed contacting them. Sometimes, companies seem hostile in their emails.

Lots of Love,
Camila

If you have questions please feel free to ask me.

Sugarpill

I have received an email from a representative from Sugarpill. He wanted me to correct my information about their cruelty-free status. I do not have an official post about Sugarpill. He was referring to my post on MakeUp Geek.
Please click this link to see their PETA certification. I was surprised to learn that most of their products are vegan. They also have won a Libby award.

I have emailed said representative back, asking the questions I always ask.

Lots of Love,
Camila