Category Archives: Reviews

Review and Swatches of Whitening Lightning Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Glosses

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If you watch YouTube beauty videos or follow beauty bloggers on Instagram you may have heard of Whitening Lightning.  It’s a teeth whitening company that also sells beauty products.  I have a number of Whitening Lightning Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Glosses and I must say I really do love them.  They’re lip glosses that incorporate an LED light and a mirror.  At first they sounded quite gimmicky.  But truthfully, the glosses are really opaque and beautiful.  The mirror and LED light also come in handy if you’re out at night.

The Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Glosses are packaged in a rectangular tube which I like because they don’t roll around and fall off flat surfaces.  On one side of the gloss is a mirror, which comes with a sheet of plastic that you have to remove before you can use it.  The mirror isn’t the best quality but it does the job.  You do have to be careful not to scratch it up though.  If you’re like me and carry around a ton of lip glosses and other makeup products I recommend storing your Color Your Smile Lip Gloss in a part of your purse that doesn’t have a million other things that can rub against it and damage the mirror.

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When you open the gloss you’ll find an LED light built into the wand.  The LED light turns off after you insert the wand back into the packaging and twist it to close it.  It’s perfect if you’re at a club or party and it’s dark out.  The glosses also have a doe foot applicator, which is my favorite because it applies the product the easiest in my opinion.

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I have a total of 16 colors, which I have swatched in indoor light with no flash and then with flash.

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From top to bottom: Crystal, Nude, Butter Cream, Sugar Mama, Coral Craze, Pink Tiara, Fiji, and Raspberry Sherbet (No flash)
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(With flash)
  • Crystal is a shimmery nude that’s perfect for dabbing in the center of your lips to highlight them and make them appear more plump.
  • Nude is exactly what it sounds like, a gorgeous nude with no shimmer.  I love this gloss alone or topped over a nude lipstick.  It’s even awesome over lipsticks that you want to tone down.
  • Butter Cream is a pink-y nude with no shimmer.  This gloss is also beautiful over nude lipsticks as well as pink ones.
  • Sugar Mama is a very milky pink shade with no shimmer.  It’s not the most flattering shade on me but it’s nice over nude lipsticks.
  • Coral Craze is another one of my favorites.  It’s a milky coral with no shimmer and it’s beautiful alone or paired with a coral lipstick.  I wore this one non-stop this past Summer.
  • Pink Tiara is a light warm pink with no shimmer.
  • Fiji is light cool toned pink with no shimmer.
  • Raspberry Sherbet is a darker cool toned hot pink.  This shade is perfect for bright summer lips.
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From top to bottom: Salmon, Pouty Princess, Rose Hill, Summer Sun, Candy Apple, Jewel, Seduction, and Bermuda (No flash)
(With flash)
(With flash)
  • Salmon is a deeper coral than Coral Craze and has no shimmer as well.  This shade is another great one for the summer months.
  • Pouty Princess is a shimmery berry pink shade.
  • Rose Hill is a beautiful rose shade with no shimmer.
  • Summer Sun is a gorgeous bright orange shade without shimmer.
  • Candy Apple is the perfect red with no shimmer.
  • Jewel is a dark berry shade with slight shimmer.
  • Seduction is a super dark borderline black shade without shimmer.  It’s perfect for Fall and Winter.  I would probably use this gloss over a lipstick though just because it can look a little patchy on its own.
  • Bermuda is a pastel purple shade with no shimmer.  It’s not a shade I would probably ever wear in public unless I was going to a Halloween party or something like that.

Overall, I’m really impressed with these glosses.  They aren’t sticky yet they last on the lips.  They also have amazing pigmentation.

**I have a coupon code for anyone interested in purchasing the Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Glosses or any of Whitening Lightning’s other products.  Use the code cassie for 25% off of everything on Whitening Lightning and Gerard Cosmetics.

 

Review: Anastasia Beverly Hills Tamanna Palette

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Recently, Anastasia Beverly Hills collaborated with makeup artist Tamanna Roashan(@dressyourface on Instagram) and launched the Tamanna Palette.  The palette includes 10 pigmented eyeshadows that are especially perfect for the upcoming Holiday season.  The Tamanna Palette retails for $29.  Anastasia Beverly Hills also launched the Waterproof Crème Color in Azure and the Metallic Luster Liner each retailing for $18.

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For the past few weeks of owning the Tamanna Palette, I have created numerous looks ranging from dramatic to simple.  The palette contains a few matte shadows as well as shimmer and satin finishes.  I really enjoy this palette and think it contains some beautiful shadows.  It also comes with a double ended eyeshadow brush.  It’s the standard double ended brush that Anastasia always includes with her eye palettes.  It has a pointed pencil brush on one end and a flat shader brush on the other.

From left to right: Fresh, Blush, Venezia, Gilded, and Custom (Without flash)
From left to right: Fresh, Blush, Venezia, Gilded, and Custom (Without flash)
(With flash)
(With flash)

Top row:

  • Fresh: It’s a light nude shadow that blends in with my skin tone. It’s a perfect shadow for an all over lid color or even a subtle highlight.
  • Blush: It’s a pink toned shimmery champagne shadow.  I absolutely love this shade for highlighting my tear duct.
  • Venezia: It’s a beautiful shimmery teal/blue shadow that would be perfect as a pop of color along the lower lash line.
  • Gilded:  It’s a gorgeous shimmery bronze shadow.  This shadow is extremely similar in color to Maybelline’s Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze.
  • Custom:  It’s a beautiful shimmery taupe shadow.
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From left to right: Noir, China Rose, Chocolate, Bengal, and Sangria. (Without flash)
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(With flash)

Bottom row:

  • Noir: It’s an extremely pigmented matte black shadow.  This is a great shadow to line your eyes with if you don’t feel like using a traditional eyeliner and want a softer looking line.
  • China Rose:  It’s a beautiful rose gold shade.  This is probably my favorite shadow in the entire palette.
  • Chocolate:  It’s a lovely warm matte brown shadow.  I love this one for adding depth to my eyeshadow looks.
  • Bengal: It’s a nice medium brown with a satin finish.  This is a great transition shade.
  • Sangria:  It’s a pretty shimmery purple/wine shadow.  This color is amazing for making brown, green, or hazel eyes pop.

Overall, I’m not disappointed with any of the shadows in this palette.  The pigmentation is wonderful and I think the Tamanna Palette is definitely worth $29.

I’ve created a smokey rose gold look using the palette.  For all of the details on this look, check out my Instagram account.

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Waterproof Crème Color in Azure. (Taken with flash)

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The Waterproof Crème Color in Azure is a cream product that can be used as a cream shadow or an eyeliner.  It’s smudge proof and crease proof and is a gorgeous blue color.

Waterproof Crème Color in Azure. (Without flash)
Waterproof Crème Color in Azure. (Without flash)

The last product, Anastasia Beverly Hills Metallic Luster Liner in Liquid Gold is a super soft pencil that glides on effortlessly.  It’s a pretty metallic gold color and I love using it on my waterline to brighten up my eyes and make myself look wide awake.

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Metallic Luster in Liquid Gold. (With flash)
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(Without flash)

Review: Loving Tan Bronzing Mousse in Medium

Personally, I love a good tan.  It makes you look healthier and slimmer.  However, I’m not a fan of tanning beds or laying out in the sun since it’s so harmful to your skin and your health.  A great alternative to achieving a nice tan is using self-tanning products.  I recently tried Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse in Medium and it’s a great product.  Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse is available in three shades, Medium, Dark, and Ultra Dark.  As with all products it has pros and cons.

Pros:

  • Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse has a nice scent.  Oftentimes self-tanning products have an unpleasant smell but this one is nice.
  • It provides a natural-looking tan.  Some self-tanning products give you an orange look, but this one provides a natural looking olive color because it contains DHA and Erythrulose.
  • It’s long lasting.  I applied this on Saturday and it has lasted five days so far.  Supposedly it will last up to 10 days if you keep your skin moisturized.
  • It dries fairly quickly after application.
  • It’s Organic and contains natural ingredients.  It’s also free of parabens and alcohol.
  • It contains an instant bronzer that gives an instant color boost and acts as a fool proof color guide to show where the product has been applied.

Cons:

  • It doesn’t come with a mitt. (**However, use the code beautybycassie and receive a free mitt with your purchase)
  • You have to move pretty quickly when applying the product because it dries fairly fast and can leave streaks if you’re not careful.
  • It can feel a bit tacky after application but it goes away within a few minutes.
  • You have to avoid water or perspiration for six hours after application so the tan can develop.
  • To maintain the tan you have to avoid swimming pools.
Left: Before application. Right: After 6 hours of development time. Pictures taken in outdoor sunlight.
Left: Before application. Right: After 6 hours of development time. Pictures taken in outdoor sunlight.

As you can see Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse gave me a natural looking bronzed look.

Overall, I do enjoy this product.  It’s not my favorite self-tanner just because you have to work quickly during application and I’ve gotten better results with Tarte’s Brazilliance™ skin rejuvenating maracuja face and body self tanner but it does a nice job nonetheless.

Review of Bella’s Boutique Jewelry

Over the past few months I’ve received a few pieces of jewelry from Bella’s Boutique.  Every piece has been well made and great quality.  Of all of the pieces I have, I haven’t had a single one break or have any stones fall out.  I actually dropped a crystal encrusted pair of earrings on a tile floor and was impressed that none of them fell out.  Bella’s Boutique carries everything from statement necklaces, bracelets, and earrings to watches.  Most of the jewelry on the site is quite flashy, which I enjoy.  I definitely recommend purchasing from the site because, in my opinion, everything is very reasonably priced and many pieces come in sets.

I have a few pairs of earrings from Bella’s Boutique.  Each pair is extremely bold and beautiful.

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The above dangle earrings retail for $7, which is an absolute steal in my opinion, considering a similar pair from a department store would probably be double or triple in price.

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The gold and teal diamond shaped dangle earrings I’m wearing above are one of my favorite pairs.  They also retail for $7.  They are somewhat heavy but that’s to be expected for a pair of earrings that large.  To be honest, after the first few minutes of wearing them I forget I even have them on.

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The above necklace is absolutely stunning.  It’s definitely a statement piece.  I actually created a gold and teal eyeshadow look inspired by the necklace.  For a list of products used, check out my Instagram account.

 

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The above asymmetrical pearl statement necklace is very classy and on trend for the season.  It retails for $14.95.

Review: de Prettilicious Lashes

 

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At first glance De Prettilicious Lashes reminded me of the bulk false lashes that come in packs of 10 on Ebay.  I’ve tried those and found them to be extremely hard to work with and cheaply made.  To my surprise, however, these turned out to be great.  They are made of high quality synthetic hair, are handmade, and really natural looking.  Even though these lashes are synthetic they look and feel like human hair lashes.  I love the fact that they have very thin bands because it makes them reallly easy to apply and blend with your natural lashes.  I also like how the pack of lashes comes with 10 different styles.  Included are a good mix of dramatic, as well as more natural looking lashes.

The only downfall is that there are no printed style names on the package.  To figure the names out you have to visit @deprettilicious on Instagram.  Having printed names would be convenient so people could tell others what style they’re wearing. 

De Prettilicious Lashes come in a pack of 10 and retail for around $13 on Amazon.com.  In my opinion, that price is a steal since each pair equates to about $1.30 each and basic good quality lashes go for around $4 to $6.  The direct link to purchase them is http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J1MYWES.

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Review: New Anastasia Beverly Hills Products- Maya Mia Palette, Waterproof Creme Color, and #3 Brush

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills has recently launched three new products.  These include the Maya Mia Palette, Waterproof Crème Color in Jet, and #3 Brush which can all be purchased on www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com.

  

First off, I want to talk about the Maya Mia Palette.  It was designed in collaboration with @maya_mia_y on Instagram.  I’ve been playing around with this palette for the past few weeks and I must say it’s easily become one of my go-to eyeshadow palettes.  I enjoy the fact that it contains mostly neutral shadows but also incorporates a few pops of color.  As far as pigmentation goes, these shadows are great quality.  I’m also a big fan of the packaging.  I like how it’s made of cardboard, has a magnetic closure, and is relatively thin and compact.  Not to mention the design is too cute! The palette is cruelty free, retails for $29, and is reasonably priced in my opinion, considering it includes 10 eyeshadows, a double ended eyeshadow brush, and “Get the Look” cards that show you how to achieve five different eyeshadow looks. Below, I’ve included swatches of each shadow.

(No flash) Shadows from left to right: Vanilla, Warm Taupe, Sienna, Deep Brown, and Nude
(No flash) Shadows from left to right: Vanilla, Warm Taupe, Sienna, Deep Brown, and Nude

 

(With flash)

The swatches above are of the first row of shadows in the palette.  Vanilla has a satin finish, Warm Taupe, Sienna, Deep Brown, and Nude–which blends in with my skin tone– are all matte.  One thing I’d like to mention is that this palette, like the Lavish Palette also by Anastasia Beverly Hills, includes Sienna.  However, that doesn’t bother me seeing as Sienna is one of my favorite transition shades.  The only shadow in the palette that I’m not head over heals about is Nude just because it doesn’t really show up on my skin.  Having said that, it does work as a base shadow.  Also, I’d like to make note that all of the photos in this post are unedited.

(No flash) From left to right: Aqua, Fresh Peach, Glisten, Caramel, and Gold Bar
(No flash) From left to right: Aqua, Fresh Peach, Glisten, Caramel, and Gold Bar
(With flash)
(With flash)

The bottom row of shadows only contains one matte shadow, that being Caramel.  Aqua, Fresh Peach and Gold Bar have satin finishes and Glisten is shimmery.

    

The accompanying brush is double sided and is well-made.  The bristles are soft and the flat shader brush side is good for packing on shadows, while the pointed pencil brush side is nice for applying shadow along the lower lash line or deepening your crease.

  

Next up is the Waterproof Crème Color in Jet.  It retails for $18 and comes in a glass pot just like the ABH Dipbrow Pomade.  I really like the texture of this product and the fact that it’s matte.  I’m not really into the whole glossy/shiny eyeliner look so this is right up my alley.  This can be used as a liner or a cream shadow.  It would make the perfect base for a dark, dramatic black smokey eye because it doesn’t crease or smudge.  As for the waterproof claim, they aren’t kidding!  I applied the product to my wrist, let it set, then rubbed vigorously and it didn’t even budge.  Oh, and I didn’t even mention the intensity of the product.  This stuff is black! Not an off-black or grayish black, but a true inky black color. Below is a swatch of the Waterproof Crème Color.

(With flash)

   

Lastly, we have the #3 Brush.  It retails for $18.  It’s flat and tapers to a point which makes it ideal for lining the eyes.  You can flip the brush on its side and create a super thin line or use the other side and create a much thicker line.  I also find that this brush is helpful in creating winged liner looks. Below, I’ve drawn some lines using the #3 Brush and Waterproof Crème Color.

(With flash)
(No flash)

 

Recent favorites: April 2014

I’ve been loving a bunch of products the past few weeks and I thought I’d share them with you all.

Here’s a list of the products I’ve been absolutely loving:

  • Vitagoods Spin for Perfect Skin brush, which comes with 4 different brush heads(Use the code BeautyC33 for a 70% discount on www.vanityplanet.com. The final cost will be $30 and includes free shipping for the United States & Canada.) This brush system has been amazing for my skin! In my opinion, it’s comparable to my Clarisonic Mia 2. It’s extremely gentle on my skin and removes all of the dirt and dead skin cells.  I also love how it comes with 4 different brush heads. For a more info on this system check out my separate blog post reviewing it.
  • Next up is the @itcosmetics My Sculpted Face Palette. This bad boy is amaaaazinggg. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, but this one is more accessible since the ABH one is currently out of stock.  The It Cosmetics palette can be found at ULTA for $38.00.  Another reason I enjoy this palette is because the powders are waterproof.  That really is essential for me since I live in the hot, humid South.
  • I’ve also been obsessed with my rose gold @luxielush brushes.  First off, they’re gorgeous! But beyond aesthetics, they have synthetic hair and blend all of my cream, liquid, and powder products out flawlessly.  I can’t get enough of them! Use the code Cassie for 15% off www.luxielush.com/
  • I also adore my @hairandmakeupaddiction brushes. They’re similar to the Luxie Lush brushes in that they’re both made of synthetic hair and are super soft.  I love these guys as well.
  • Another recent favorite has been @tartecosmetics Amazonian clay blush in Captivating.  This is the most perfect peachy, coral blush.  It’s matte and long lasting.  I’ve pretty much been wearing it everyday lol.  Love it!
  • Next is @tartecosmetics Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara.  If I recall correctly, I’ve been using this since November of 2013.  I only wear it on my lower lashes since it doesn’t seem to hold the curl of my upper lashes.  However, it looks stunning on my lower lashes! This mascara is great because it conditions your lashes as well.
  • My newest favorite is the @tartecosmetics Brazilliance self-tanner.  I started using this April 24th and it’s pure magic! This was the first self-tanner I had ever used and it definitely changed my opinion of them.  It creates such a gorgeous, natural looking tan and you see results within 8 hours of application! I have a before and after pic on my Instagram(with 3 applications).  So, if you’re in the market for a great, streak-free, “long-lasting” self-tanner, check this out!
  • Next are the @anastasiabeverlyhills Pro Concealers.  These guys are soooo good! (I have a separate blog post reviewing them). But overall, I love them because they provide such full coverage, work beautifully for contouring, and are great for under eye circles.  I never experience any creasing(I always set my face, including my under eyes, with powder).
  • @anastasiabeverlyhills Brow Power Duo in Medium Brown has been a long-time favorite of mine.  I’ve been using it for almost a year and it never fails me! It’s the perfect shade for my hair and has great lasting power on me.
  • @cultureshockcosmetics High Frequency Luster in Joy has been one of my favorite glosses lately since it’s a perfect coral shade for Spring.
  • Next, one of my all-time favorite nude glosses, @alexapersicocosmetics Naked Lip Velour, is something I’ve been reaching for whenever I do a dark smokey eye.  It’s just a gorgeous nude!
  • @alexapersicocosmetics HD pigment in Pixi Dust has been another recent favorite, it’s such a beautiful shimmery golden color that I love to wear on my lid and lower lash line and pair with bronzer for an all-over glow-y look which is perfect for Spring and Summer.
  • The @urbandecaycosmetics Naked Palette, of course, makes my favorites list!  I recently purchased this, I’d say, within the past few weeks–I know… I’m SUPER LATE in jumping on the bandwagon– and I’ve been reaching for it non-stop.  It contains some of my favorite neutral shadows and is easy to create an everyday look without even thinking.
  • So, I’ve recently become a perfume addict and Florabotanica by @Balenciaga has become one of my all-time favorites(how many times can I say favorite? lol).  I don’t even know how to describe it but I’ll try… It’s definitely a classy, mysterious, and sexy scent in my opinion.  The scent definitely develops the longer you wear it on your skin.  The lasting power is phenomenal on me(almost a full work day.  Maybe even longer) and it goes extremely well with my body chemistry.  The notes include: Carnation, Wild Mint, Turkish Rose Essence, Hemp Leaves, Vetiver Roots, and White Amber.
  • My last recent favorite is Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes mascara by @3dlashesbycandicec.  I received this product for review a few weeks ago and now I’m hooked!  It adds incredible length and volume to your lashes(I have an extreme before and after pic on Instagram).  Overall, I love that it’s buildable so you can add minimal length and volume or go all out and achieve super dramatic lashes without falsies.

Review: New Violet Voss Eyeshadows

I received seven super pigmented eyeshadows from www.shopvioletvoss.com (@shopvioletvoss on Instagram) and they are amazing! I was tempted to buy the new Urban Decay Electric palette prior to receiving these but decided against it since these are so vibrant and blendable.

Some of the shadow do appear to have slight shimmer particles running through them but they aren’t noticeable when applied to the eyelids– they appear to have a matte finish.

The shadows I received are

  • Patty, a matte purple
  • Bridgette, a matte sky blue
  • Giselle, a matte green
  • Yvette, a matte yellow
  • Ophelia, a matte orange
  • Giana, a matte pink
  • Ryder, a matte red

Overall, I definitely recommend these shadows! They’re easy to blend and are matte, which I love!  Sometimes it’s hard to find nicely pigmented brightly colored shadows(especially matte ones!).

Here are the swatches of all seven colors (Keep in mind I didn’t use a primer or base.) :

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As you can tell, they are incredibly bright and beautiful!

I created a purple cut crease look using Patty, a gorgeous matte purple.

Here are some pictures– All product details can be found on my Instagram page, @BeautyByCassie93.

Review: Elegant Lashes New Collections for April and May 2014

I’m excited to let you all know that one of my favorite lash companies is releasing two new collections!

Elegant lashes–@elegantlashes on Instagram– is a great company that offers lashes in bulk at amazing prices!   Their website is www.FalseEyelashesSite.com.  For a FREE pair of #415 Black lashes use the code BeautyByCassie93 at checkout.

The “Black Velvet Collection” will consist of their new premium luxury lashes.  It will be launching in May 2014.  This collection will include four pairs of upper lashes–one is a pair of accent lashes– and two pairs of lower lashes.  The lashes are all made of cruelty-free synthetic hairs and are extremely durable and jet black in color.

Here is the new “Black Velvet” Collection launching May 2014 (Click image to enlarge)

Black Velvet Collection launching May 2014
“Black Velvet” Collection launching May 2014

The next collection, “Sexy Undies,” consists of their three best-selling bottom lash styles and three NEW bottom lash styles.  Each pair is made of 100% human hair.

If you were wondering, I’ve never tried bottom lashes before since I never feel the need to use them but I’m excited to try these guys out! 🙂

“Sexy Undies” Collection launching April 18th.  (Click image to enlarge)

"Sexy Undies" Collection launching April 18th

 

 

Review: Born Pretty Store

So I’ve recently come across www.bornprettystore.com and it’s awesome!  They carry everything from makeup to nail accessories to phone cases to even colored contacts.  And I haven’t even mentioned their prices… They’re great! Everything is such a steal.  Born Pretty Store also has free shipping worldwide.  And if that isn’t already amazing, if you use the code CASH10 at checkout you receive 10% off your order! 🙂

I received the 72 Matte Natural Colors Eyeshadow Palette and let me just tell you it’s fantastic.  It has easily become my most used everyday palette since it contains mostly matte neutral shadows that blend easily and are nicely pigmented.  I also like how it even contains a few vibrant coral and pinks shades.

Here’s a quick everyday look I created using the palette.

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Another item I received is this cute antler bracelet covered in rhinestones.  I’m absolutely in love with it and it fits me perfectly.  

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