MAC: Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 & Select SPF 15 + MAC Face & Body

So here are some swatches and a small description (not really a review) of MAC's Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 & Select SPF 15 in NW20 and also MAC's Face & Body in C1. I provided both MAC's description and my own opinion for each of these.

So lets get the ball rolling..

 Left to right: Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 NW20, Select SPF 15 NW20, Face & Body C1

Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 - This is what MAC says about it: "A modern foundation that combines a natural matte finish and medium-buildable coverage with broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15. Comfortable and long-wearing: lasts for up to eight hours. Applies smoothly, builds coverage quickly and easily. Contains specially treated micronized pigments and soft-focus powders for a super-smooth look that helps minimize the appearance of imperfections. Absorbs and disperses oil. Contains special skin-conditioning ingredients. Oil free"

This is a great medium to full coverage foundation. Its pretty buildable but I wouldn't go too crazy here because its a tad on the heavy side. The only issue I had with this foundation was that it seems to be geared more towards oily skin, which is a huge issue for me because I have SUPER dry skin. Obviously the girl who recommended this to me at MAC didn't know what she was talking about when she suggested this particular foundation to me. It was good at first, but after a couple weeks of use my skin was really flaky and dry. There are 30 shades. 30 ml / 1.0 fl oz. $26.50 US.

Select SPF 15 - This is what MAC says about it: "Our water-based liquid foundation. Combines medium coverage with SPF 15. Provides a fresh, natural matte finish. Layers up, lasts long: helps protect the skin all day. Non-oily. 18 shades. Best way to baby your skin!"

This is a really good medium coverage foundation that can be buildable into full coverage, the good thing I found with this foundation is that its really light, since it is water based. Its defiantly not as heavy as Studio Fix Fluid. It seems to be working quite well with my dry skin. I don't think this would be good at all for people with oily skin just because its not drying me out what-so-ever like the studio fix fluid did, so it doesn't seem to be absorbing any oil I may have on my face. I really am liking this foundation when I want a little bit more coverage then my Face & Body can provide. There are 18 shades. 30 ml / 1.0 US fl oz. $26.50 US.

Face & Body Foundation - This is what MAC says about it: "A water-based, water-resistant foundation that provides long-lasting, natural coverage for face and/or body. Ideal for all skin types. Face and Body Foundation provides sheer, natural looking coverage in an easy to blend, water-resistant formula. The long-lasting formula is available in a wide range of colours and contains several emollients to help moisturize and condition the skin. It delivers professional looking results that meet the exacting standards of beauty photography and is ideal for perfecting the face and body."

This is my absolute favourite foundation. Ever. Mac, for me anyways, really hit the nail on the head for this one. The foundation itself is really really light, and watery, which is awesome for me because I have dry skin and don't need a lot of coverage normally. This foundation is really really easily buildable. I normally put on three thin layers just to even out my skin tone so everything looks just right. I again don't think this would be a good foundation for people with oily skin, because it is quite dewy - which I personally don't like all that much so I put on a little dusting of Mac's Set Powder and I'm good to go. Plus the fact that the bottle you get it in is 4 times bigger then a normal Mac foundation is awesome, and it only costs a few bucks more. There are 13 shades. 120 ml / 4 oz. $32.50 US.

 Left to right: Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15, Select SPF 15, Face & Body (with flash)

 Left to right: Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15, Select SPF 15, Face & Body (without flash, natural light)

 Left to right: Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15, Select SPF 15

Face & Body Foundation

You can find all of these products Here.

The PolishAholic 1 Year Blogiversary Giveaway... ITS HUGE!

Sooo The PolishAholic is having a 1 year Blogiversary Giveaway!!

There are 4 prizes to be won:

 1) From left to right: Misa Pixie Princess, Touch The Rainbow, Genie In This Bottle, Blush Hour.

 2) Left to Right:  Make U Smile,  One Time Lime, I've Got Bieber Fever, Red-y to Runaway Love?,  My Lifesaver, Not A Gold Bigger, "Baby" Blue, I'm A Belieber.

 3) The entire OPI Texas Collection! The shades from left to right are: I Vant To Be A Lone Star, Suzi Loves Cowboys,  Austin-Tatious Turquoise, San Tan-Tonio, It's Totally Fort Worth It, Don't Mess With OPI,  Houston We Have A Purple, Big Hair...Big Nails, Too Hot Pink To Hold 'Em, Y'all Come Back Now Ya Hear?, Guy Meets Gal-veston, Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

4) From Left to Right: China Glaze He's Going In Circles, Maybelline Colorama Ice Princess, China Glaze TMI, China Glaze Blk-Bla-Bong, OPI Red Dazzle,  OPI Black Shatter.

Seriously, this is one of the best giveaways I've come across so far!

The giveaway is open until April 14 2011 Midnight Pacific Time.. SO ENTER, and maybe one of us will be one of the lucky winners ha!

You can enter Here.

Review: Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Black

I bought this liner about two weeks ago. I bought this because I had heard good things about it along the lines of its super pigmented (which is isn't) and its long lasting (it is, sort of)

I used this liner about 4 times. I know it doesn't seem like a lot but I gave this stuff a fair shot. The first day I bought this I swatched it on my hand and though it wasn't SUPER pigmented it seemed to be very waterproof. I washed my hands multiple times that day and it didn't budge, it did fade but I figured that was to be expected with washing my hands often.

The first time I used this I was SO excited. The applicator tip was more of a brush then a felt tip, which is what I was actually expecting. I put it on one eye and moved onto the next. By the time I finished my second eye the first eye had smudged all over my lid on the inner corner. I assumed my eye was watering I fixed it and went on my merry way. I went over to a friends place and we hung out (nothing extreme) by the time I got home my liner was faded and grey, it was still there but it looked SO BAD..

I gave this stuff three more tries and the same things happened. The smudging and the fading. The only thing I liked about this liner was the pen itself. Its very sleek looking.

I can't rate this product on its "lash boosting" claims. Due to the hassle I had with using this liner I don't think its even worth it to use it long enough to maybe see results.

Tip

 Swatch: One Swipe (left) Three Swipes (right)

Overall I give this product 1 GlitterBalm out of 5 - It faded, it smudged.. Its crap. But the packaging itself was nice.

To see how Physicians Formula describes this product click here.

NOTD - March 23 2011 Fimo & Gosh

Chello everyone.. I'm really really digging these fimo things lately, they're so cool. Its something different, and its seriously easy - anyone can do it.. all you have to do is have a semi steady hand and you're rockin.. I know last NOTD I posted said expect a tutorial soon, and it will be soon! I promise.. Next week! Serious!

Products Used:

Gosh - Miss Mole

Random Nail Glue

Fimo Rod Pieces - One Butterfly & One Flower

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Invisible

GlitterBalm Rating System..

So I was thinking, before I get too far along in the world of blogging, I'm going to implement some sort of a rating system.. Right now I'm thinking something along the lines of:

1 being the worst and 5 being the best, at the end of every review I do I'll just add my rating at the bottom of the blog entry, with a brief summary of its score and why, maybe I'll do a pro and con thing too..


This is most likely what the rating system will look like..

Obviously this is an example of a 5/5

Eyeko 3-In-1 Cream With Extra Glow & 3-in-1 Tinted Cream Swatches!

So here are the swatches of both the 3-in-1 Extra Glow & Tinted Creams. I've so far only tried the Extra glow cream and so far I love love love it as a Hi-lighter.. I'd like to use it a few more times before I review it though, I also want to try out the tinted cream also & I'll do both reviews at the same time, so expect that soon!

Click the images to make them larger!

MAC Goes Green!

So even though I'm sure most of you know, MAC recently got new bags! I was there picking up a few things a few days ago and was happy to see that MAC now gives you paper bags rather then plastic, which is totally cool. Since I only picked up two things I only got a small bag, but I'm sure they have a few different sizes =)

So say Good bye to the old plastic MAC bags..

And Hello to this little ditty.. The paper version! Check out the inside too!

 

Urban Decay Primer Potion Disco Ball?

So I needed a new UDPP, and I originally wanted to get the professional size one (in the squeeze tube) But I totally forgot it was limited edition.. I don't know what I was thinking, not buying it when I first saw it.. Dur..

Anyway, the reason why I wanted the one in the squeeze tube is because its A) Its more sanitary and B) So the purple color of the bottle (which is actually like a paint) doesn't flake off. The last UDPP I had did this, and the little purple flakies that came off the bottle got all over the stuff in my make up bag (including getting into my brushes!) and all over my hands and then obviously all over my face! It was so irritating, if any of you have suffered with this issue you know what I'm talking about!

SO A SOLUTION!

I thought maybe going over the whole bottle with a cotton ball and acetone would take it off, but I didn't want to risk the plastic bottle being damaged by the acetone so I used box tape, which my boyfriend suggested =)

I know, I know, the bottle doesn't look as nice or as pretty as it did when you first got it but.. So what, at least you won't go walking around looking like a flaked out purple disco ball, unless that's what your going for.. If that's the case then carry on my friend =) haha

LastLash Give Away!

LastLash is having a Fantast-ish give away!

Here's the Scoop:

The contest is through April 1 2011 (Today!) So get your entries in! The giveaway is international! So no matter where you live you can participate! Yay!

Here's what the give away consists of:

• Maybelline Lash Stiletto
• Nicole by OPI Let's Get Star-ted
• A super-fun mirror compact
• OPI RapiDry Spray
• A manicure set that includes nail clippers, cuticle clippers, large clippers and tweezers

You can enter Here

Good Luck Everyone!!

Eyeko & New Jersey Ulta Haul!!! YAAAY!!

So one of the original members of KISS was doing a meet & greet autograph signing in New Jersey this past weekend and since we're psycho, we decided to go! It just turns out that right around the corner from the place where the meet & greet was there was an Ulta - Which us Canadians aren't lucky enough to have! So I bought some stuff I wanted, most of which we have in Canada - but I figured why not.. I also got a little extra surprise - something that's been out of stock in every Sephora I've been to in months and months.. A NAKED PALETTE!! wo0t! wo0t!

Also I placed an order with Eyeko!

Enough talking! Here are my Haul photos!!

Ulta Stuff:

Clockwise from left: Physicians Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Black 7367, NYX Pencil Sharpener, NYX Push-Up Bra For Eyebrow,

NYX Glitter Cream Pallet in Ocean Breeze & Royal Violets,

NYX Glitter Candy in Hot Candy and NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Purple & Extreme Blue.

Top: Naked Pallet with mini UDPP in original

Bottom: Urban Decay Cooling Lip Gloss in Wallflower, Urban Decay Stardust Shadow in Retrograde & Decay Cooling Lip Gloss in Midnight Cowboy

Eyeko:

Eyeko 3-in-1 cream in extra glow (left) and 3-in-1 tinted cream (right)

From top down: Eyeko Line & Shine in Teal & Electric Blue

(top 2 liners are the same)
The third one is Black Glitter & Silver, The fourth one is Graffiti Eyeliner Pen in Ink-Black and the bottom is the Big Eyes Mascara in Black.

You can find these products at ULTA and Eyeko

Expect Reviews & Swatches Soon =)

NOTD - Fimo Nail Art!

I just thought I'd share my nails with everyone. I bought some fimo rods off ebay about a month ago and they finally came! (please don't mind the little bit of polish I got on the skin around my nails - I was just so excited to put the fimo pieces on lol! - also any discoloration I have around the nail itself is due to a really dark blue polish I just took off previous to doing this haha)

OPI - I Vant To Be A-Lone Star

Fimo piece (I think its a bunny)
Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear - Invisible [Best Topcoat Ever!]

Soon to Come Fimo Nail tutorial!

Review: Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

Hello All!!


I just bought this stuff today (because it was on sale for $9.99 CAD!) and I'm in loooove! Just because I bought it today though doesn't mean that I haven't tested it out well. Every time I go to a Shoppers Drugmart lately I've been testing this stuff out and falling deeper and deeper in love. I don't know why I've been putting off actually buying it, maybe just because its a cream but its SOOO worth it! I'm a happy little bunny now that I have it!

Now enough blabber - To the Review!

BREAKDOWN

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter 300 ml - This stuff is so thick and rich it goes on really smooth and absorbs into the skin well. You don't need alot of product to feel it sink in. The best time to put it on is after a shower or bath so it can absorb better but it works quite well on non dampish skin too. I've mostly been using it as a hand cream and after just a few applications though out today they feel fantast-ish =)

The smell is divine, yet I can't quite put my finger on it. It just smells so fresh and feminine. All in all this stuff is wonderful and well worth the money! - This sells for approx. $14.99 CAD

Also available at: Soap & Glory

No Naked Nails Contest!

Another contest, readers! this one is by No Naked Nails The prizes consist of:

• China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Cracked Concrete
• China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Broken Hearted
• Sinful Colors Green Ocean
• KISS nail art package
• A special makeup prize 

This contest is international, which is a total bonus =) and the contest is open until: Friday March 11, 2011 @ 11:59 pm!


Good luck to everyone who participates!

Natalie's Nails - China Glaze Contest!

So Natalie's Nails is having a give away for a fantastic looking China Glaze High Def polish! I thought to myself "Why not participate!" I just started following her blog and it looks like its got tons of great swatches and nail looks so I'm looking forward to snooping around her blog to see some nail looks!

The contest is international, which is great for, well... Everyone! The contest end date is March 14, 2011 at midnight! So get your entries in!

Contests! Contests! Contests!

I'm new to this whole blogging scene, and so far I'm really enjoying it.. I'm trying to get out there and get some people to check out Glitter Balm and in the process hopefully I'll win a thing or two!

Browsing around the Make up and Nail blogs I've come across a few contests, so over the next few days I'll be participating in the contests! So following this post there will probably be several plugs to other peoples blogs, I just want to let whoever may be reading this know that.. I'm going to try my best to be selective of the things I plug, just because I don't think its right to go around promoting other peoples stuff that I think is crapola so keep that in mind =) Oh! this also goes for products that I review.. No lies here just honesty.

The first one I'll be posting after this is for Natalie's Nails!

Review: The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser, Toner & Moisturizer

This past winter has been worse then ever for me, face wise. I was flaky, dry and pretty dissatisfied with the way my skin was looking even after I washed, toned and moisturized so I hit the bricks and found this little gem!

Its great for anyone with dry skin, its also great for those of you with sensitive skin. I've been using it for about a month now and the improvement in my skin has been amazing.


The bonus is that I don't use make up remover anymore. This stuff takes everything off. Anything that the cleanser misses the toner picks up.

BREAK DOWN:

Vitamin E Cream Cleanser 200 ml  - is a cream cleanser, which is nice and gentle, it has almost the consistency of a lotion, it doesn't foam up when you wash your face like a typical cleanser, so just to take it to the next level a few times a week I use a wash cloth and gently rub it over my face (using a wash cloth takes care of exfoliating too) this cleanser won't give you a really refreshing feeling, more soothing. This sells for approx. $14.00 CAD


Vitamin E Toner 200 ml - A really gentle toner, gentle enough to use on your eyes to assist in removing excess makeup. Feels really refreshing. This sells for approx. $12.00 CAD


Vitamin E (intense) Moisturizer 50 ml - Typically you'd probably want to buy the regular moisturizer, but since winters in Canada can get pretty dry, I chose to get the Intense moisturizer, in the summer though I'm going to get the normal one. This stuff is great, it comes in a little jar its super thick and it absorbs into the skin really nicely. I wish the container was a little bigger so it would have the same ml's that the cleanser and toner have so they would all last me the same amount of time. This sells for approx. $20.00 CADAll of these products have a slight baby power like smell.

Available at: The Body Shop

Blogging Virgin!

My Blogging Virginity is officially gone!

 Let me Start off by explaining that the goal for this blog was to be called Glitter Bomb (which would explain the glitter bomb I made - check the title!) but that wasn't possible lol so that's why I switched out Bomb for Balm, which is kind of cool because the majority of this blog will be Make Up related! Cool, eh?

So all in all I'm planning on filling this blog with random Makeup and Beauty related things. Also, I'll probably mix it up a tad with other non sense I deem important ha 

...Here we GOOOOOOO! =)