Grand Cayman's Discount Makeup: NARS Haul, Review, & Swatches (Isolde and Deep Throat)

I apologize in advance for the crappy iPhone pictures- it was the only decent camera I had while I spend the week away!

Today I came home from the wonderful Cayman Islands, and I'm more than depressed about it. I was actually able to fully relax during my time there and the scenery and beaches were beautiful beyond belief. (Maybe I'll do a little lifestyle post about it when I get the chance!) Check out my spring break travel essentials here :)

I got to HOLD A BABY TURTLE, GUYS!!!

(it took all of my willpower to not kiss it and take it home with me)

     Grand Cayman didn't have a lot of shopping options that weren't extremely high-end and expensive, but while my mom and I were scouring the streets of Georgetown for good a good deal I stumbled upon a duty-free tax exempt high end beauty shop.

     To my mother's dismay ("You have too much makeup, Isabel!!") I ran immediately to the NARS counter (in hindsight, how in the world did I ignore the YSL stand?!?) and oogled the price cuts. Everything was $3-5 cheaper than in the states, and there was no tax on any of the items either. This might not sound like a huge discount to you guys, but I've been eyeing these two products for a very long, and to get them at any kind of discount was pretty awesome, so I just jumped at the chance to get them!

      I probably should have probably gotten more because of the lower price, but you know what? I have what I really wanted and that's fulfilling enough for me :)

Like I said, I picked up two things:

• Blush- Deep Throat
• Eyeshadow Duo- Isolde

     I've been using a dupe for Deep Throat for quite a while (blog post about that later! ohohoho) but it seems that it was finally time to branch out and get the real thing. This color is just gorgeous, long-wearing, and flattering on my monburnt NC15 complexion.

     Ah, Isolde. A favorite blogger/YouTuber Zoella wrote a blog post praising this duo, and I've had my eye on it ever since. The colors are bronze-y and gorgeous, and even though these colors are more for blue eyes I couldn't care less- I love my golds and bronzes, and it still looks okay on my hazel eyes!

     I literally only had to tap my finger in the pan to get these colors... NARS' pigmentation makes me go weak at the knees, you definitely get what you pay for!! :) 

     This concludes my (makeup) shopping adventures at Grand Cayman! I miss that little island so much already D: but these products will always being me back to those sunny days filled with tanning, the occasional sunburn, and holding baby turtles!

     Did you do any shopping around easter time? Let me know in the comments!

Love,

Izzy

Haulin' at Nordstrom Rack!

     I'm going to start this post by saying that I absolutely should not be allowed into any store that offers discounts especially one that sells makeup for dirt cheap. I can't deny my thrifty nature when I'm thrown into one of these situations, and I'm going to admit right now that I have to stop buying more makeup!! But it was on SALE, my god, I couldn't just pass by and not stare at all of the wonderful products that were begging me to buy them!!

     The Nordstrom Rack is dangerous. A good friend of mine has been raving about this place for years, and now I finally know why! They have a great collection of designer clothes, shoes, bags, makeup.... everything.. and it is SO FREAKING CHEAP.

     Well, okay, I saw my favorite brands and I flipped out and impulsed a bit, but can you blame me? Look at these beauties:

NARS, guys. FREAKING NARS. 

I had a heart attack when I saw that box...

Here's what I picked up, with price comparisons:

Urban Decay All-Nighter Finishing Spray- $13.97 ($29)

NARS Midsummer Dreams Set- $34.50 ($47)

Urban Decay Primer Potion- $8.97 ($18)

     I will definitely be writing separate reviews on all of these beauties, because I use these products regularly!

     Midsummer Dreams from NARS is a set with a mini nail polish, a small The Multiple in Orgasm (get it, lol), and a beautiful highlighter duo called Hungry Heart. I'm in love with this, and now that spring break is coming I'll be able to work the glittery highlighters into my routine, and the blush stick is a beautiful shade- I've always wanted to try Orgasm and now I have it! (squee) 

     The next two products that I picked up from UD were at Nordstrom Rack only because the company is changing the packaging on the products- I got them for half-off just because the brand wants to redesign their bottles! Yay.

     All-Nighter has been WONDERFUL with increasing the staying power of my foundation and blush, but my best find was the primer, hands down:

     I am OBSESSED with Urban Decay's Primer Potion, and I'd been using the same container for years. I dropped and shattered my old one a few months ago, and I was heartbroken, because I didn't feel like throwing down $20 for another one. I had been using ELF's eyelid primer in the meantime, which is pretty terrible. To find this product in its old packaging for only nine bucks is such a steal, and I'm relived that I was lucky enough to find and buy it!! I've been using it every day, and I'm ready to burn my interim ELF primer, lol.

    After coming back from Nordstrom Rack I had a wonderful opportunity to try everything out- I was out the door an hour later for dinner with a friend, and I felt very posh with my new blush/highlighter combo on!! c:

here i am in all my glittery, neon-y glory!! (is it spring yet? screw it, neon 4-eva)

***I'm wearing MAC's Cockney on my lips- I swatched it in this post! ***

I'll definitely be taking a trip back to my new favorite store- and maybe i'll actually look at the clothes they have next time! :p

Love,

Izzy

EOTD: Smokey Brown Eye

     Today was a very lazy day.. I sat around with a good friend, baked brownies, played the sims, and chatted with her about going to college :)

     I got bored and struck inspiration for this look from a few wonderful Tumblr posts. This is a REALLY dramatic eye (for me at least) so this isn't very common for me... I just felt like going all out with some great brown shadows. ;)

    This is my first true EOTD, and I had a BLAST with it. I feel like I'm getting the hang of photoshop all over again.

Here it is!

Products I used: 

Primer:

ELF Eyelid Primer.

Eyeshadows:

(All over lid) MAC Eyeshadow: Soft Brown

(Outer Lid) Urban Decay Eyeshadow: Half Baked

(Crease) NARS Eyeshadow Duo: Cordura- Lighter color in inner crease, darker color in outer crease

(Inner Corner) Sassy from TheBalm's Nude 'Tude Palette

(Brow) Browbone color from Wet N' Wild's Walking on Eggshells Palette

Liners:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof liner in Black (winged, under eye, tightlined)

Wet N' Wild Coloricon Eyeliner in White (Waterline)

Mascara:

Model Co Lashxtend Black Lengthening Mascara.

I'd love feedback! Leave me all of your questions, comments, and tips.

Here's to many more EOTD's to come!

Izzy