L Brands owns both Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works which in fact makes them sister brands. I walked in a Bath & Body Works once and they had the shelves lined with Pink products. I was like, wait, where am I again? I was pretty surprised as I didn’t realize they were owned by the same company at the time.

It makes sense though when you think about as both concentrate heavily on their bath and body collection and they do have similarly packaged items in that line.

However, they couldn’t be less alike in other ways.

For example, Victoria’s Secret promotes their main perfume collection very, very heavily. They dropped most of their makeup line but their perfume collection remains a focal point in their beauty line and they add to it often which new seasonal releases. Already for Fall 2017, they have launched a brand new fragrance called Wicked. They take a lot of pride in their collection with beautifully packaged perfumes that capture the eye of beauty fans easily. But for the most part their bread and butter is in fact their lingerie line which means they are limits them in the beauty department.

Bath & Body Works on the other hands focuses heavily on their own bath and body collection however, they do fail miserably at perfume launches. Bath & Body Works launches a single Holiday seasonal perfume and rarely updates the line to include much else aside from their standard best-selling scents. It’s a shame because they have the potential to make even more money should they launch some of their limited edition scents in a perfume form. For example, they choose to bring back Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte every year. It’s a scent that sells well and is loved by many fans. Why not take it further with the launch of a perfume? I know I’d buy it if it was available!

But Bath & Body Works does have the upper hand because their releases come quickly and frequently with many, many new seasonal offerings.

So, Victoria’s Secret or Bath & Body Works?

If you had to choose one which would it be?

I actually lean towards Victoria’s Secret because I do love their perfumes however, Bath & Body Works does win in this case because of their much wider selection of offerings. Sure, many of their limited edition releases are very repetitive but they still have a larger variety of products and releases compared to Victoria’s Secret.

Which do you like best?

The post Victoria’s Secret or Bath & Body Works appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Foundation is a unique experience for everyone. Some folks like powder, others prefer creams….! Some love the joys of a matte shine-free finish and others like the hydrating feel of a non-clinging cream. It’s all about your skin type and whether you’re oily, dry, or a combination of both.

What’s your choice?

Do you prefer cream or powder foundations?

I prefer cream and if possible I enjoy fluid even better. I have drier skin so, that’s the formula that works best for me and looks the most natural because it doesn’t cling to drier areas and it’s less likely to oxidize for me.

Although, on a rare occasion I do use powder especially in the Summer when I have a little more shine and oil. I have to admit I actually kind of like the way powder looks on my face when it cooperates. I used to love using Physicians Formula Mosaic Powder because it gave my complexion such a beautifully bright appearance. But sadly, it’s rarely use powder because I’m dry.

How about you?

Do you use cream or powder foundation?

Both?

Do share!

The post This or That Beauty: Cream or Powder Foundation ? appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Are you a cushion foundation fan? Or do you just like regular liquid or cream foundation?

This or that, cushion or traditional foundation?

What’s your fav?

If I had to choose, I’d go with cushion foundation. It isn’t really as crazy here in the US as it is in Korea as a lot of people aren’t convinced that cushion makeup is all that great but it’s an Asian trend I’ve fully embraced. I tend to like sheerer, brightening foundation formulas and cushion give them my skin but better look I’m looking for where as liquids or creams tend to be a bit more pigmented and heavier.

I will say I do like fluids which is probably why I like cushions as many of them have a light, fluid texture! I’ve been trying to find a dupe for Sephora’s Wonderful Cushion because that had a delightful light, fluid texture with a sheer, brightening formula that made my drier, dull skin look lively and fresh. If you haven’t already Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free All-in-1 ABC Cushion Foundation is pretty fab too and they also expanded the shade range for Spring 2017. It’s now offered in 5 shades I believe which as we all know is pretty amazing for Physicians Formula.

So, how about you?

Which do you prefer?

The light, sheer natural finish of a cushion? Or a heavy liquid or cream foundation?

Do share!

The post This or That Beauty: Cushion Foundation or Regular Foundation? appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Gagging to try Lancome’s new Miracle CC Cushion Color Correcting Primer but not loving the $39.50 price? Save some cash and purchase the Dot Art CC Cushion instead. These are $22 each (plus snag 10% off your purchase using promo code 101smiles) so you’ll save yourself over $17 bucks!

They are available in three shade selections of purple (dull or swallow skin), pink (brightens), and green (redness) to treat imperfections such as darkness, redness, and dullness! They also contain an SPF 50 which is something Lancome’s formula does not have!

Get them now at Memebox.com.

The post Save Money Buy the Dot Art CC Cushion Instead of Lancome’s CC Cushion Corrector appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

One day, soon, they’ll be a brand plague and all the brands will disappear from the entire planet forever EXCEPT for Urban Decay and MAC. Mass hysteria, pande-freaking-monium will ensure, people will threaten to jump off bridges if they can’t get their beloved foundation from their favorite brands!

It’ll be ugly.

Really, really ugly.

And scary.

And you’ll be forced to make a choice between a mere two brands!

Who do you choose?

There was a time in our country’s history or the world’s history for that matter where women and men didn’t have a 100’s of makeup and beauty brands choose from with millions of color options. That was just life. Let’s face it, if you lived in 1928 how many brand’s were offerings bright aqua eyeshadow? Likely none.

Nowadays we are spoiled with hundreds and hundreds of different brands to choose from that offer millions of color and product options.

What if you woke up one day and were forced to choose between two brands?

What if those two brands were Urban Decay and MAC?

Which would you choose as your life long brand?

I’m an Urban Decay fan girl just like the rest of the world but I’d likely go with MAC since their range of product is a lot more extensive than Urban Decay’s is. Skincare, tons of concealer options, a slew of different shades to choose from, and even fragrance! MAC has me covered. It’s not about liking one brand more than the other in this case but more about surviving a world with two makeup brand options and MAC offers more than enough product and color selections to keep me happy and sane.

What about you?

If you had to choose which would you go with?

You must choose one only though!

The post You Must Choose: Urban Decay or MAC appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Everyone loves to hate on Sephora because their VIB Rouge membership isn’t all that and a bag of chips. Let’s face it, Ulta is better when it comes to their Platinum Membership because hello, cash back rewards! What’s not to love about that?

Recently, Sephora started offering five samples instead of three and all I could think to myself was, “Woop dee doo!” Ulta does, in fact, have a better loyalty program that’s for sure.

But when you narrow it down which do you prefer?

Sephora or Ulta?

Props to Ulta as I love the fact I can get drugstore beauty and mid to high end makeup, skincare, and beauty in one spot.

But when it comes down to the nitty gritty I’m a Sephora girl all the way!

Sephora has way more variety and they just recently started getting into niche fragrances which is a big plus for this perfume loving girl! I prefer mid to high-end makeup brands myself. Don’t get me wrong, drugstore beauty can be fun but many cases I’m spending tons of money on drugstore makeup and I end up liking one or two things.

Sephora also ships a lot faster (not that much faster, because even Flash shipping is still sometimes a problem) but it’s a lot faster than Ulta. They also package things better. Ulta kinda tosses stuff in a box and doesn’t bother with bubble wrap or even extra paper so things don’t break. I ordered a ton of NYX Spring last year and the eyeshadows and blushes I purchased arrived from Ulta all broke :-/

All in all, Sephora might not have the better royalty program but I’ll take it over Ulta any day.

How about you?

The post This or That Beauty: Sephora or Ulta appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

If you asked me a few years ago, “Shimmer or Matte Eyeshadow” I’d totally say shimmer! On some levels I will still willingly say shimmer! But honestly, mattes have evolved so very much over the last few years that I actually started using them a lot more.

Or maybe I’m getting older and I’m starting to appreciate mattes more?

But when it comes down to shimmer or matte, I’ll say shimmer any day of the week

How about you?

Shimmer or matte eyeshadow?

The post This or That Beauty: Shimmer or Matte appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Contouring is a huge Spring Trend and I’m pretty sure you’ll see more of it come Summer 2015! Along with many contouring palettes launching from a variety of brands we are also seeing a huge flow of contouring brushes to help achieve that perfectly chiseled look.

If you’re like me and a bit of a klutz with contouring or just new to doing it and taking baby steps learning to do it this post is for you!

No wants to spend a ton of money on brushes, tools, or makeup during the learning phase! There are tons of great brushes at the moment for contouring like the new Sephora Pro Contour Blender #77 ($34) and the newly launched Stila Shape & Shade Custom Contour Brush ($38) for Spring 2015. If you’re new to contouring and these prices intimidate you I think you’ll be happy to know that E.L.F. Cosmetics just recently launched a $6 Studio Contouring Brush!

I haven’t personally tried it myself but the new E.L.F. Studio Contouring Brush is designed with dense, short bristles that allow for precise cheek, forehead, and jawline buffing and contour work. The brush can be used with bronzers, liquids, powders, and creams to create a sculpted, defined contoured look on your face.

I’ve always had excellent success with the E.L.F. Studio Brush Collection (can’t say the same for the Essentials Collection) so I have a feeling that the Studio Contouring Brush will be an ideal and inexpensive pick up if you’re new to the contouring world and just learning!

You can grab it now at www.eyeslipsface.com.

The post This or That Beauty with the E.L.F. Studio Contouring Brush appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

I can’t believe how quickly the Sephora Marsala Pantone Color of the Year Collection sold out online. One of the items that sold out quickly was the Sephora + Pantone Universe Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme Lipstick! It was rather a gorgeous shade in my opinion! Not quite marsala mind you but still lovely none the less.

If you didn’t get it for some reason due to cost you can cheap things up with this alternative.

Mind you this isn’t a dupe but the new Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Fresh Fig is a nice switch up for the Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme Lipstick! This is a nice raspberry shade! It’s not nearly as deep as the Sephora version and it’s a little bit lighter but if you missed Sephora’s version, you’re embracing the marsala trend at the moment, or just want the look on the cheap this is a nice shade to go with. It’s not nearly as brown based as Sephora’s that’s for sure but the raspberry aspect makes it a little more wearable as well. Fresh Fig kinda makes the shade a little more fun and Spring friendly! As I said it’s not a dupe for Sephora’s version but still a nice lighter more Spring forward way to wear the color!

Sephora + Pantone Universe Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme Lipstick

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Fresh Fig

Marsala is described as more of a wine shade but I’m noticing that the color is getting a little twisted with makeup releases and it falls more into a brown based berry shade or wine brown. Which is fine by me as I’m liking what I see brands doing with the shade! It’s surprisingly wearable and lovely.

I’m REALLY looking forward to Sephora Summer 2015 as I imagine they have something incredible planned for the shade!

What’s your favorite marsala shaded products of the moment?

Do share!

The post The Marsala Lip Look on the Cheap appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

If you don’t quite have the $$ to splurge on Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder ($45) might I suggest the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio ($21)?

Recently, Sephora launched two new shades of their Microsmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trios in Sublime and Spirited for Spring 2015 and Sublime is a perfect little switch up for the more expensive Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders.

Take a look!

Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio is made up of three gradating shades of soft, silky highlighter powder. I know people who automatically see the words “baked” cringe! Personally I’m a huge fan of baked shadows, baked blushes, etc…don’t let your hate of baked sway you from trying this palette as the texture is divine and very close to the silkiness of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder.

The soft shimmery, beige peach shades remind me of my own Radiant Hourglass Palette and also reminds me of shades in the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette! Not exact dupes mind you but the texture and look of the shades on skin do very much remind me of Hourglass’s much more expensive formula.

The Microsmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio has a very soft shimmery finish. I wouldn’t recommend it all over use but you can use it in key areas around your face to add a touch of luminosity. It’s especially handy to have around if you contour your face as this makes for a perfect way to follow up with a highlighter.

The texture is divine on this powder. It’s very soft, silky, and easy to blend. The colors are quite universally flattering as they’ll look great on lighter skin and even better on darker.

If you’re not looking to spend near $50 bucks on Hourglass’s powder, I’d say that Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio in Sublime is a nice little switch up!

You can get it now in stores or online at Sephora.com.

The post This or That Beauty: Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio vs Hourglass Ambient Lighting appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

If you can’t quite pull the trigger on the MAC 224 that will set you back $32 you might just want to settle for the E.L.F. Studio Blending Brush that’s a mere $3!

This or That Beauty is all about inexpensive options to replace a higher end product that costs more you might be lemming! Don’t get me wrong I own and love my MAC 224! It’s a great blending brush that will last me many fine years (I already have it five years and it still looks brand new with daily use and washings). It has soft, longer bristles that don’t shed and blends shadows like a champ.

Of course, if you don’t have the heart to dish out $32 on a brush you might switch it up for the $3 E.L.F. Studio Blending Brush which just recently launched from E.L.F. Cosmetics. I haven’t personally tried it but I own many E.L.F. Studio Makeup Brushes and love ’em! This taklon brush can be used to blend colors or you can use it to brush and blend out concealer to an airbrushed finish. Plus that $3 sure makes it a tempting morsel because hey, even if you hate it, you didn’t break the bank buying it now did ya?

You can grab it now at www.eyeslipsface.com.

The post This or That Beauty: E.L.F. Studio Blending Brush appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Butter Balm is currently a trending at the drugstore. Everyone from Maybelline to Almay has some sort of liquid balm slash lipgloss hybrid formula at the moment.

So here’s a little this and that beauty featuring Ulta Butter Balm!

Looking for a cheaper alternative to some of the newfangled butter balms that are popping up at the drugstore lately? I quick run through CVS recently revealed how crazily priced some of these products are lately!

Many of these new formulas act as a lip color, stain, and gloss all in one. They have thicker, creamy formulas with a highly glossy shiny and excellent pigmentation. Sort of like a butter slash gloss slash lipstick all in one!

L’Oreal Extraordinaire Lip Color comes in at the most expensive at $9.99 (and in some cases as high as a $11.99 depending where you purchase it). Maybelline Color Elixir creeps up next at $8.99 and in some cases as a high as $10.99 with Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm being more affordable at $5.99!

But the one who really wins this deal at an even cheaper price that NYX’s budget friendly Butter Gloss is the brand new Ulta Butter Balm.

Now I dunno if they are any good but the sweet $4 price makes them a fairly nice budget pick up compared to these other offerings.

Available in ten shades Ulta Butter Balm promises weightless color with a smoother, buttery formula that’s part gloss, part lip balm with the color of a lipstick. They market them as being infused with a mix of vitamins and antioxidants that conditioner lips and give them a baby soft finish!

Sound interesting to you?

These are available at Ulta stores now or online at Ulta.com.

Anyone try them yet?

I’ll have a review upcoming shortly!

Hope they will prove brilliant!

We shall see!

The post This or That Beauty Featuring Ulta Butter Balm appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Kiehl’s Micro-Blur Skin Perfector is a new, Nordstrom exclusive facial primer that promises to blur the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles but you might want to try out L’Oreal Miracle Blur for less!

This week’s This or That Beauty faces off these two primers.

Kiehl’s Micro-Blur Skin Perfector promises a lightweight texture to features a blend of LHA, lentil and bark extracts to visibly transform your skin as well as perfect it so fine lines and pores are blurred.

L’Oreal Miracle Blur is formulated to instantly blurs lines, wrinkles, pores and uneven texture while mattifying skin.

Of course, the nice thing about L’Oreal Miracle Blur which is essentially the same dimethicone based primer you’re getting with Kiehl’s version is the fact that it is $19.99 where as Kiehl’s version is $35. Plus you have a better chance of scoring L’Oreal’s version on sale and even using coupons to grab it which makes it the nicer, cheaper option to indulge in.

Either that or head in for a Monistat purchase but I haven’t quite convinced myself this is a good idea to use on my face, sorry, you can try to convince me all you want but it hasn’t swayed me yet

Have you tried either Micro Blur or Miracle Blur?

Share your thoughts!

The post This or That with Kiehl’s Micro-Blur & L’Oreal Miracle Blur appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

Dior Fusion Mono Matte Eyeshadow became available in three shades for Spring 2014 and are now apparently a permanent part of the Fusion Mono Eyeshadow Collection.

I recently reviewed them but at this price lord knows at their $30 price tag they are a bit sheer.

Might I direct you to their dupe in the form of Almay Softies Eyeshadow?

Honestly if you’re simply gagging to try out the new Dior Fusion Mono Matte Eyeshadow I can’t blame you. The texture is pretty unique which feels like clay almost and molds like it too! I’d liken it to Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush as it has that sponge-y consistency that doesn’t necessarily bounce back to the original form but still feels very interesting! I think they have a very nice formula but they are pretty sheer. This isn’t a bad thing as I really love the shade Mirage which is a sheerer taupe as it creates really low key smokiness on my eyes without accentuating my dark circles.

Mirage

However…they are $30 bucks each.

In that case, I’d direct you over to the new Almay Softies Eyeshadow. Same exact texture as Dior’s Mono Matte Shadows but a quarter the price and available in 12 shades versus the mere three that Dior offers in a matte finish. They also have a bouncy consistency with a molding clay-like texture and offer the same sheer wash of color as Dior’s version.

Petal

Best part?

They are as little as $3.99 each depending where you purchase them (Harmons) and around $5.99 each (Walgreens and CVS) if you aren’t shopping them on a budget.

Honestly, I see very listen different in the formulas from their sheer color pay off to their clay-like texture. It’s practically the same product just as a way cheaper price tag.

So if you’re yearning for Dior’s version I’d suggest trying them on a budget with Almay’s Softies!

Anyone try both?

Do share your experience with them!

The post Dior Fusion Mono Matte versus Almay Softies appeared first on Musings of a Muse.

The Elizabeth Arden Foundation Blender Brush is treated like my first born child. I love this thing. Yeah, so, it’s a sponge with a handle but dude, dude….it works wonders. I use this nifty little dodad to swipe and blend out foundation, contour under my eyes and blend conceal to an airbrushed finish, and heck I even have an extra one that I use to apply serums and moisturizers! It’s that handy! And the $15 price tag makes it a total buy and a half.

But…

Budget friendly babes might like the even cheaper Target Up & Up Precision Blender Cosmetic Sponge at a mere $4.99 quarter the price of Elizabeth Arden’s version and gives you enough left over change to buy two more or perhaps just save that extra $10 bucks and buy some Cadbury Easter Eggs on the way to check out.

Yeah, you read that right…Target ventures into the world of makeup brushes and such with this new Up & Up Precision Blender Cosmetic Sponge. I’ve personally tried it but I have hopes it’ll have the same dense head as my beloved Elizabeth Arden’s version. Otherwise I see no major differences…pointed head check, handle check, sponge tip, double check.

Granted not everyone loves the idea of sponges especially due to bacteria so be sure to wash it daily and toss it after a few months to keep things happy and healthy around your makeup neighborhood.

If you’ve always wanted to try the Elizabeth Arden one but just didn’t have the buckage to indulge or just didn’t feel like $15 was well spent on what is essentially a sponge that has a handle, well, perhaps this new cheaper version from Target will finally have you indulging!

Grab it at your local Target or online at Target.com.

I’m not saying it’s life changing but it could be.

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