PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ: A BEAUTY HAUL

Duty-free shops will be the death of me.

On my way back from Barcelona, I made a stop in the shopping section of the airport and lemme just say, I went a wee bit crazy. 

Here's what I got.

I am addicted to perfume. When I smelled this one, which is Juicy Couture's Viva La Juicy Noir, I instantly fell in love. It's super sweet and smells like a sexy candy shop, if that's a thing. The scent isn't overpowering and seems to last a fair amount of time. Plus, the packaging? Totally amazing.

VERDICT: 9/10

I am forever on the hunt for the perfect foundation, and by george, I think I found it: Chanel's Vitalumiére Aqua Foundation in "Beige 10". It's super lightweight but has medium-to-heavy coverage, it conceals any blemishes I have, it blends like a charm and has SPF to protect my vampire-like skin. The only fallback is the price, but hey, sacrifices must be made for beauty.

VERDIT: 10/10

Now, I have some issues with Chanel mascaras. I got this one in hopes that I would prove myself wrong but sadly, that was not the case. This is Chanel's Inimitable Waterproof Mascara. It claims to be both lengthening and volumizing. The length, I did get for sure. The volume, not so much. I found that my lashes became rather spidery after applying two coats. Also, no matter how hard I try, the brush always manages to get mascara onto my eyelid. It's very frustrating. Long story short, I wasn't that impressed.

VERDICT: 5/10

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Chanel lipsticks. Seriously, they're my all time favorite. The color pay off is great, the formula is creamy and the application and the amount of lipstick itself lasts forever. I'm in love.

This is Chanel's Rogue Allure Lipstick in "Passion".

VERDICT: 10/10

Once again, a Chanel lipstick is perfection. However, this "velvet" formula is godly.

This is Chanel's Rogue Allure Velvet lipstick in "La Sensuelle".

VERDICT: 11/10 (yep, that's right.)

This is the first Chanel lip gloss that I've tried. I find that the formula is pretty light and isn't sticky. The gloss itself isn't very long lasting however. Still, it's too pretty to resist. This gloss is Chanel's Lévres Scintillantes Glossimer in "Astral". The color is very sheer with pink sparkles in it. It's the perfect gloss for layering over a lipstick. Plus, the space-themed name totally won me over.

VERDICT: 7.5/10

This lipgloss is the same deal as the one above. It's lightweight, good color payoff but isn't very long-lasting. This is Chanel's Lipgloss Brillant Lévres in the shade "Ironic Tonic". The name is to die for.

VERDICT: 7.5/10

I love Daphne Groeneveld and I love her as the face of Dior. When I saw the campaign for the new shades of Dior's Dior Addict Gloss, I simply HAD to have the shade she was showing off. And now, it's all mine. Victory for Bailey. This is Dior's Dior Addict Gloss in "Diablotine" and it's simply fabulous. It's not sticky whatsoever, the color is gorgeous and it's perfect on almost any skin tone. You go, Daphne.

VERDICT: 9/10

As you can tell, I'm a Chanel cosmetics junkie. Please don't judge.

OBSESSIONS, VOL. 2: SHIRO COSMETICS

I have never been vegan. I have never been interested in becoming vegan, nor will I ever be...

I simply love meat too damn much.

However, I do love a vegan beauty product.

Through some meaningless late-night tumbling, I found a popular text post about an independent cosmetics company called, Shiro Cosmetics. The entire company is run by 21-year-old Caitlin, a self-proclaimed geek who prides herself on her vegan, cruelty-free cosmetics. What has made her company so noteworthy though is the sense of humor that comes with the products. I mean, where else can you find shades dedicated to Nic Cage raking leaves on a brisk October afternoon or Doctor Who's trusty Tardis? 

I decided that I simply had to test out a few of her products. At only $1 for sample size (1/4 of a teaspoon), how could I resist? I wound up ordering 5 samples (may I mention that I also got a free one included, plus a caramel?).

The colors I chose are Alkahestry, The Truth, The Wandering Wizard, Ever in Your Favor, Lingered in Twilight, and Equivalent Exchange as a bonus.

Here are the shades sampled on my skin. I used both flash and natural sunlight to give you a full idea of these shadows and their color payoff. 

MOTHER MERCY, LET ME SAY THIS.

THESE PRODUCTS ARE GOD.

The shadow is silky light, the color payoff is excellent and the colors themselves are gorgeous. I am absolutely obsessed with the glitter in these products too. The shadows are positively luminescent.

I can honestly say, although I am a tried and true MAC girl, Shiro Cosmetics cannot be beat.

I can't wait to order again! Shiro, you've got yourself a fan girl!