Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Palettes and sets are the most fun and exciting makeup products, in my opinion. You’re usually getting a great value and a convenient package of matching products.

Urban Decay is one of my favorite cosmetic brands. They make high-quality products, are always animal-friendly and have a great design aesthetic. The packaging and names of products are always funky and kitschy and, most importantly, what’s inside works! I’ve never tried one of their famed Book of Shadows, but am super excited about testing out numero 4!

How To Use It:

This palette comes with 16 shades of eyeshadows, a mini eyeshadow primer, a mini mascara and a full-size liquid liner! Talk about haulage! What’s unique about this palette is that it also comes with a mini speaker and QR codes that take you to videos of six looks you can create with the palette. You simply scan the code using a smartphone, insert the speaker into the headphone jack, place the phone in the holder and create your look. This is super unique – I’ve never seen another brand utilize technology quite like this, but I feel like many will hop on the bandwagon Urban Decay has started. Here are swatches of the 16 shadows and products! Read More »

Every few months when I start to run out of my high-end make up, I tend to re-evaluate why I’m spending so much money on products.  I save up a lot in order to purchase the likes of Make Up For Ever, NARS, MAC, and Urban Decay.  But I also think about what I could be spending that money on, and I look into more affordable options.  While I absolutely love my high-end brands, I also love drug store brands. Like, the kind of love I usually reserve for peanut butter and chocolate. I have a huge variety of the stuff and I’m a strong advocate for affordable make up.

That’s why I get really excited when brands like Maybelline try to imitate those big makeup brands.  You’ve probably seen those TV ads for their new FIT ME collection of foundations and powders.  They’re a little annoying, but the product is good.  Really good!  I was very impressed with how similar the quality was to my high-end products. Plus, it has SPF 18 in the foundation!

My only real qualm was that I couldn’t test the shade in the store.  They have a wide spectrum of 18 shades said to fit all skintones, but it’s still a necessity for me to test a shade in the store before I buy it.  Also, I recommend using a primer (here’s how it’s done!) with the foundation to help it last.  If you’re looking for something that feels like a high-end brand but is extremely affordable, then check this collection out! But first, get my full rundown here: Read More »

We all know the total euphoria of finding a brand new must-have, I’m-totally-obsessed-with-that-since-I-saw-it-in-Glamour-and-checked-it-out-at-Sephora-and-it-made-my-skin-look-effing-flawless beauty product. I don’t care what anyone (boys) says, I stand my ground that these things can be life changing.

Except when said life-changing beauty product is sold out. Everywhere. As in, I spent two days calling every makeup counter, Sephora, Ulta, random ass beauty store looking for it and it was nowhere. Could not be found. Dunzo. No Mas.

What is this product that has left me crying and over my cell phone limit for the month? The Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow palette, full of 12 gorgeous shades of golds, browns, champagnes, plums and gun metals (sigh). It’s got the perfect range of mattes, shimmers and glitters (swoon), paired with two silky eye liners in brown and black. It is seriously a dream for any eyelid. Not only is it at a killer price point ($44), but it’s also nice and compact, making travelling so easy. It’s my eye makeup soul mate.

But this slice of makeup heaven isn’t available at the momento. And no one seems to really know when it will be. Not the stores I’ve called. Not the websites I’ve checked. And for sure not the woman I grabbed outside the makeup store shrieking, begging and pleading for info. Read More »

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Wallflower

Why this should be in your bag:

I truly don’t know any girl who doesn’t own some form of lip product. Whether it be the standard cherry Chapstick or a fancy MAC Lipglass, girls love to play up and take care of their lips. My collection of makeup is definitely most numerous in lip products so clearly I’m always up for trying something new.

Urban Decay describes their new Lip Junkie gloss as “A decadent lip gloss (with a delicious vanilla-mint flavor!) that allows you to get hooked on the shine, without the sticky hangover.” Sounds pretty great right? One of my biggest peeves with lipgloss is when it’s so sticky that my hair gets stuck in it (Lipglass, I’m looking at you!), so I was really intrigued by this no-stick claim. Thankfully, Urban Decay has pulled through! I’m truly loving their new Lip Junkie Lipgloss. The scent is just sweet enough and the stickiness is at the bare-minimum. With 11 shades, I’m sure everyone can find something they like. Read More »

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Urban Decay Vegan Palette

Why this should be in your bag: Every girl needs a nice eyeshadow palette. They are totally foolproof, since the company itself picked out an array of complimentary shades for you. Whether you’re a shadow newbie, or simply trying to expand your horizons, a palette is a great place to start. It also comes complete with an eyeliner and mini shadow primer. Plus, they are ideal for travel! This palette has a magnetic closure, which ensures that it won’t open in your checked luggage. Also, if you’re an animal lover like me, you’ll really feel good about using totally vegan, cruelty-free products. Even the super cute packaging on this palette is vegan! Read More »

Yesterday, after a failed attempt to apply chunky mascara to my lashes (it was gross), I decided it was time to restock. Only when I ran over to my local CVS to pick up a new one, I was totally overwhelmed. Do you have any idea how many different kinds of mascara there are? My god! I stood there for ten minutes with 12 different options in my hands trying to figure out which one was the best. They all claim to last the longest, to lengthen the most, to make you the hottest, but which one really works?

And what about foundation?
And moisturizer?
And bronzer?

HOW ON EARTH IS A GIRL SUPPOSED TO KNOW?!

OK, so it might not be the most difficult decision on earth, but with so many options and so little money, it made me sweat. I may know what the commercials say and what some magazine editors say, but how can any of us really know what products are worth buying? So I turned to my friends (I frantically dialed 5 to get a good sampling/variety of advice) and eventually settled on Almay’s Intense I-Color for Blue Eyes, which was recommended by the one girl who didn’t hang up on me when I told her about my life and death situation. And the stuff is awesome! Just knowing someone who had used and loved it made everything so much easier.

So I decided to take it one step further and find out what beauty products the CollegeCandy writers can’t live without. If they love it that much, it’s gotta be good. And knowing that will make my next CVS run (and yours!) a whole lot smoother. Read More »

For me, shopping for makeup is like a bargain scavenger hunt. Whether I’m using coupons or waiting for a Friends & Family sale, I’ll do whatever it takes to save money. To be honest, I often hesitate to buy high-end products because I know I can usually find a substitute from a drugstore brand.

You know you have discovered gold when you find a great drugstore substitute for a cult product. Over the years of scouring the aisles at Target and CVS, I’ve learned that there are some amazing high-end product replacements out there – you just have to seek them out! Here are 5 of my favorites. Read More »

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You may not have work or class on Memorial Day, but it’s definitely an on-the-go kinda day. Between the family BBQ and the night out with friends (and, of course, all that patriotism), it is easy to forget about your makeup. And makeup is important if you don’t want to look like a hot sweaty mess. Below are some tips and portable products to help you make an easy makeup transition from grill to dance floor.

Clean: To wipe away the sweat and sunscreen of the day, use some pocket oil-absorbing wipes.  Try these ones from Clinique.  They will help wipe off the sunscreen and oils on your face so you have a fresh pallet to transition into night.  If you are able to get to a sink, you can use Ponds travel-sized makeup wipes to remove grease and makeup more thoroughly.  You also may want to throw on some extra deodorant (just sayin’….).  This mini Dove deodorant will fit easily in any bag and is less than $2!

Face: You’ll definitely want to reapply your bronzer and up your blush, so try this NARS kit that has both in a tiny compact and comes in three color choices including NARS’ top selling blush, “Orgasm.”

Eyes: The most convenient thing on a day like Memorial Day is to have pallets that have daytime and nighttime colors.  Try this pallet from Urban Decay.  It has pretty light gold colors for a daytime sparkle, then, when you switch to nighttime mode, you can apply the primer to help your color stick, then layer on the deeper brown or blue shade.  Finish off with a thick brown liner pencil to create a more dramatic night party look and top it all off with a (adorable) mini mascara.  This duo by Fresh includes a bold mascara and a lighter look.  You can use the lighter one for day and then add the more voluminous one at night. Read More »

Just because our economy is in the crapper doesn’t mean your style should be. In fact, one of the best things to come from our current economic….er….challenges is that great discount stores popping up all over the web. We’ve featured a few on CollegeCandy before, but we have a whole new batch of great online shops to pick up the hottest looks at some seriously discounted prices. We know, we know; you love us more than Easter Reese’s.

We get that a lot. Read More »