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Review: Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Multi-Finish ‘Glambition’ Eye Palette

September 1, 2017 by The NYC Talon Leave a Comment

Influenced by textiles and layering, the new Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic multi-finish palettes were on my radar since early this summer. While debating whether or not to splurge on a new palette, the folks at influenster sent me one of my own (a.k.a. that was my disclaimer). Cue my personal happy dance! I thought I would share some of my thoughts about this collection – specifically the Glambition palette – that I was lucky enough to receive.

At first glance, the packaging is very luxurious and sleek. The Marc Jacobs eyeshadow palettes always remind me of razor clams. Crack them open and its treasure is less edible and more exciting. I’m not going to lie, there is a ton of brand recognition cachet involved in the whole experience. I would be less thrilled if ‘Marc Jacobs’ was spelled out across the front in silver font. The clasp is not at all flimsy, in fact I love hearing the snap when it’s opened or closed. It’s sturdy, travel friendly, a luxury product without being ridiculous. Would I feature this in a bunch of beauty themed Instagram flat lays? Yes, yes I would.

Each of the eye-conic palettes feature a nod to the textures of lamé, silk, satin, and velvet. The Glambition palette contains seven shades: She Was, Infamous, Known For, Seeking, The Most, Over The Top, and Glamour. You might have noticed that the shades, when said consecutively all bead into a sentence: She was infamous, known for seeking the most over the top glamour. I actually didn’t realize that for a while, haha! I’m really curious as to what the other palettes from this collection say! It’s such a clever little detail.

Glambition is the bronze and bare set of the collection, it’s colors are eye wardrobe essentials. What makes them special is the specific shades for this palette, the quality of the formulation, and their blending ability. My first impression was that the shadows, and especially the The Most shade was that they were very buildable. Initial application is velvety, but the more you push the shade around – with your makeup brush or even your fingertips – the consistency becomes lighter and more even.

It’s not an intimidating palette. It’s more like a palette that you can’t go wrong with – all the colors are usable, which means that at a retail value of $49, or $7 a shade, this is actually reasonably affordable. Unlike more expensive or similarly priced palettes that you won’t get much use out of because the colors are not conducive to every-day wear. However, if you’re more adventurous, the other five palettes of the collection offer a variety of other shades including plums, deep purples, lovely emeralds, sky blues, and dark navy.

Check out the entire line at Marc Jacobs Beauty or find them at Sephora.

*This product was complimentary, received in order to facilitate this review.*

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: beauty, eyeshadow, fashion, influenster, marc jacobs, review

Bite Beauty’s Amuse Bouche Collection

April 18, 2016 by The NYC Talon Leave a Comment

I think I’ve been with Influenster for about four years now, and never have I been so excited to get picked for one of their boxes! I know, I’m easily pleased. The Amuse Bouche collection was released in time for this Spring. Influenster and Bite Beauty sent me three of their lipsticks from the collection, however the complete collection consists of 34 different shades.

What’s special about the Amuse Bouche collection is that they are made from 12 edible oils, which lend them their ultra-creamy hydrating texture. The three shades I received were Gazpacho, Beetroot, and Pepper. Up until I received this box I had never tried anything from Bite Beauty before, I had heard really good things though so my expectations were pretty high. Now having tried these beauties out I can see what all the fuss is about – the pigmentation and staying power of these lipsticks are insane.

The formulation is, true to form, very creamy and hydrating. I don’t often use lip liner, but I feel like using a liner – even something like Pixi’s Invisible Smudge Stopper liner – would be a good idea with these. And again, the color payoff here is off the charts, also you won’t need to keep checking the mirror to see if the lipstick is still there, I wore one all day (*sidenote, I didn’t eat much that day) and I only had to reapply once. However if you are having regular meals, I recommend you reapply after eating because these transfer a lot.

Gazpacho was a very Taylor Swift-esc true red with blue undertones. I mean this is your fire engine red, break out the pin curls and victory rolls kind of lipstick. While the Beetroot is a rich berry infused with deep reds, and Pepper is a mid-tone dusty rose with brown undertones. I own quite a lot of pink and dusty rose shades and am a massive fan of that color family, so Pepper was a welcome addition. It’s actually a lot deeper on than you would think. I also loved Gazpacho and Beetroot, unfortunately they didn’t really look right with my skin tone – which was so disappointing to me as they are such great shades. Eh, I guess you can’t win them all – my sister was all too pleased to take those two shades of my hands and every time I see her slide them out of her makeup case I breathe a sigh of regret. Luckily I have Pepper to comfort me, which is a neutral worthy of being worn frequently.

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: Amuse Bouche, Bite Beauty, influenster, Lipstick, review

The Good Life VoxBox Review!

October 1, 2013 by The NYC Talon 1 Comment

Not too long ago I was one of the lucky Influensters to receive a (complimentary for review purposes) Influenster The Good Life VoxBox. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Influenster and the VoxBox, click here for more deets (and let me know if you’d like an invite in the comments below), otherwise, here’s what I received in the Good Life themed VoxBox:

New-Skin® Liquid Bandage (ARV $7.29) – I was super excited to received this – it’s like a liquid bandaid that dries and forms a protective cover that is flexible and waterproof! Unfortunately I haven’t been injured recently (not even a paper cut) so I haven’t been able to give it a proper try – but I’ll let you know when I do, I know I’m pass due for some sort of injury

Nonni’s® THINaddictives ™ (ARV $3.99) – I like them, they’re decent cookies and they go great with coffee. Plus, they’re only 100 calories for 3 of them – which makes it a healthy snack. I’ll probably buy these myself when I get a chance.

the Vitamin Shoppe Garcinia Cambogia (ARV $16.99, 90 Capsules) – Garcinia Cambogia is a fruit native to Southeast Asia, India, and West Africa, and may support appetite control. I’m still in the testing process with these – you’re supposed to take 2 capsules 30 minutes before a meal.

ZonePerfect Greek Yogurt Bars (ARV $1.25 ea.) – My bar was their Greek Yogurt Vanilla Berry one and it was amazing! I love this bar! I’ve seen it a zillion times on store shelves and I was always curious about it, but never went ahead and bought it. But now that I know how good this one was, I’m definitely going to try the other varieties that they have. Have you tried ZonePerfect Bars? If you have, let me know which one you like best!

UrgentRx® Fast Powders™ (ARV $1.39) – You all already know how much I love my Urgent Rx, I buy mine all the time from Duane Reade. They’re amazing, and super convenient.

The Verdict: I love receiving VoxBox’s of any kind, but this box couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve recently been journeying into a more healthier lifestyle – and I feel like the ZonePerfect Bar and Nonni’s cookies and really everything that was included in the box have been great helpers for me. They’re products that make the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle that much more easier.

Filed Under: Health & Fitness Tagged With: fitness, Good Life VoxBox, health, influenster, lifestyle, product, review, voxbox

My Kiss Nail Dress Obsession

February 6, 2013 by The NYC Talon Leave a Comment

Probably one of my most favorite brands is Kiss and their sister brand Broadway nails. The other day I had an event to go to, however I had no time to do my nails – and believe me, they were not looking pretty! So on my way out I grabbed one of the nail dresses that I had on hand and applied it on my way downtown where the event was held. At the event my nails were complimented not once, but twice – and it’s always nice to receive compliments on your nails, especially when you didn’t have to put in lots of time or effort to make them look as good as they do, lol!

I’ve written about Kiss Nail Dress before – which you can check out here, but I just wanted to update you on the Nail Dress options and the one’s that I like to keep on hand. I’m a stereotypical New Yorker in that I tend to wear a lot of dark colors (who am I kidding, if I could I’d dress like Johnny Cash all the time – all in black), so playing with accessories and my nails gives me that much needed pop of color.

The nail dresses from left to right are Peignoir, Push-Up, Princess, and Shrug. I first tried Shrug back when I received my Love VoxBox almost a year ago. I loved it so much that I always make sure to have a set of them on hand. I remember at first being iffy about the style, and then I put them on and was surprised by how much I actually like them. I picked up Princess and Peignoir at the drugstore, I haven’t tried them yet, but I’m always surprised with how good Kiss Nail Dress looks that I’m sure these will look super pretty.

I received Push-Up, the set I’m most excited about in my latest VoxBox- the Holiday VoxBox. It’s super pretty, and I love the green and hot pink feather design. It looks perfect for Spring and/or Summer! At the time I’m writing this I’m still rocking my Impress Nails, so I can’t show you what Push-Up looks like on – but you can see lots of reviews and pictures on the Kiss Nail Dress review page on Influenster here. Want to see more? Check out Kisses other Nail Dress designs here!

Have you had the chance to try out Kiss Nail Dress? What designs would you like most to try?

* I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster. I am under no obligation to review said product. All opinions presented are my own and are not influenced in any way, for more info see my PR tab above!

Filed Under: Beauty, Beauty & Fashion Tagged With: beauty, fashion, holiday voxbox, influenster, kiss, kiss nail dress, product, review, voxbox

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine in Nude York City!

January 26, 2013 by The NYC Talon 2 Comments

I love lip gloss, it requires less maintenance than lipstick and I’ve always liked the glossy look of a good lip gloss. I received NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine in Nude York City as a part of my Influenster Holiday VoxBox and I thought I’d share some of my thoughts on their Liquid Lipshine::

NYC is one of my favorite drugstore cosmetic brands for a number of reasons. First of all, they have amazing prices and I can usually find them on sale at my local Rite Aid, Walgreens, or Duane Reade. Secondly, they generally have comparable cosmetics – and you can find quite a few dupes for high end makeup from them, which is great for any girl buying on a budget. And lastly, NYC pays homage in their product design and advertisements to my most favorite city and home – New York City!

Now about that lipshine, Nude York City is a versatile nude color. It has an almost peachy look to it, and has a generous amount of glitter and shine. On application it’s pretty sticky at first, but absorbs nicely into your lips and looks quite attractive. I have to tell you guys, I really love the wand for this gloss! It’s actually flexible, which is good for application and feels really good when you put it on!

Another thing I found when using this gloss is that it goes great over bright colored lipstick, and even colors that otherwise might not suit you. For instance, I have this limited edition red lipstick that I love the color of but never wear because it just doesn’t look well with my skin tone. When I applied Nude York City over the lipstick it smoothed down the color, and brought out the warm tones in the lipstick making it look better on me than without the lipshine.

NYC has loads of great colors in their Liquid Lipshine line (and they’re only about $2.25 each!), feel free to check them all out here – and check out their whole site and everything NYC New York Color has to offer by clicking here! Have you tried any of NYC’s products? Which ones were your favorites? Let me know in the comments below – I’d love to know which one to try next!

Filed Under: Beauty, Beauty & Fashion Tagged With: beauty, holiday vox box, influenster, lip gloss, lips, makeup, new york color, nude lip gloss, nyc, product, review, sample box, subscription box, vox box, voxbox

Goody QuikStyle Review

January 19, 2013 by The NYC Talon Leave a Comment

I have pretty long wavy/straight hair – and usually it takes quite a while for my hair to air dry. And recently I’ve been trying to lay off of the heat products just for the sake of keeping my hair from getting irrevocably damaged, plus curling/ironing my hair takes a lot more time than I have these days.

So when Influenster sent me the Goody Quikstyle paddle brush I was really interested in trying a product that claimed it would not only dry my hair faster, but would also help me style it- without heat. Now I normally will roll and pin my hair in a bath towel after my shower in the hopes that it’ll absorb some of that moisture. The starring feature for the Goody Quikstyle brush is that it has absorbent microfiber bristles that work to absorb about 30% of water in your hair – which makes for even faster styling!

Not only to the microfiber bristles absorb some of that excess water, but they’re made with an antibacterial microfiber that keeps the brush clean – although you’ll also want to cleanse it regularly, and when you do make sure to tap the back of the brush to rejuvenate the bristles.

I really enjoyed the design of the brush and found that despite it’s bulky appearance it was not only effective in soaking up water from my hair, and even significantly reducing frizz, but it also felt good in my hand. Turns out, this brush was designed to be lightweight, but effective (with rear-screen ventilation) – while avoiding hand fatigue. The bristles seemed flat after a couple uses, so to remove the hair I ran a fine tooth comb between the rows, which removed stray strands and then I rinsed the brush itself, turning it over and tapping the back until the bristles stood at attention again – it was like new!

The Goody Quikstyle Brush comes in a paddle version – the one I tried, and a convex half-round shape. You can find out more about the brushes here, and if my review hasn’t convinced you that this brush is amazing then please feel free to check out what other Influensters had to say about the Quikstyle brush here! Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions at all about the brush and my experience with it then just drop me a comment below!

*I received the product(s) mentioned in the post in from the Influenster Vox Box in order to facilitate a review. I am not obligated in any way to review the product. All opinions presented here belong to The NYC Talon, and are not influenced in any way.

Filed Under: Beauty, Beauty & Fashion Tagged With: beauty, brush, goody, hair, holiday voxbox, influenster, product, quikstyle, review, sample box, subscription box, voxbox

EBOOST, for natural, long-lasting energy!

January 14, 2013 by The NYC Talon 1 Comment

There are a zillion and one energy products out there on the market. But EBOOST is one of the few that boasts natural ingredients that provide a LASTING energy boost. I was always wary of energy drinks and supplements – I never knew exactly what was in them and I completely dreaded the crash that inevitably followed.

I actually have tried EBOOST before and the taste was alright – it was the orange one, and while I appreciated the boost of energy I just couldn’t imagine drinking it every time I needed some energy. Luckily in the Holiday VoxBox from Influenster I had a chance to try the Pink Lemondade version. The pink lemonade has a far better flavor – and if you’ve had energy drinks before then you know how hard it is to find an energy drink that tastes drinkable let alone good. I should warn you, it does have a bitter aftertaste, it doesn’t last long at all, but really just tastes like orange rind.

The packet advises that you mix it in with 12oz of water. Initially I mixed it with 12 oz, using the mason jars I bought (thanks Pinterest!) but ended up moving it to a larger pitcher because it was a little too sweet for my tastes and I wanted to add some more water. So personally, I’d mix it with like 20oz of ice cold water. It fizzes up like soda in the beginning, but then dies down a bit and tastes only subtly carbonated.

I would definitely recommend EBOOST to athletes, people who exercise- like when you need a boost before starting your cardio routine at home, and definitely students. I know I have a super full semester this Spring and I’ll definitely be needing an extra boost. I used my EBOOST when I had to pull an all-nighter and it keep me feeling awake enough that I powered through the night. But what I love most about EBOOST is that it gives you natural energy that lasts and contains vitamins and super nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and B-12! That to me is definitely a winning formula!

To check out more EBOOST reviews, check out Influenster’s EBOOST page or check out the EBOOST website here for more info!

Filed Under: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle Tagged With: eboost, energy, energy drink, fitness, food, health, healthy, influenster, natural, product, review, sample, sample box, subscription box, voxbox

A Better Breakfast with Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal+

January 9, 2013 by The NYC Talon Leave a Comment

During the week I don’t always manage to eat breakfast. I know, it’s terrible. But I’m determined now more than ever to get the most out of my mornings. Which means adding in a healthy breakfast into my routine. The only problem is that I’m probably the exact opposite of a morning person, I can sleep through pretty much anything, and after I wake up I won’t be coherent for another hour or two. So popping up to make a delicious but healthy breakfast is as realistic as me suddenly sprouting wings and flying (like those Red Bull commercials).

Thankfully, Quaker – a brand I grew up with, came out with their Real Medleys “instant” oatmeal. My mom was actually really excited about the Real Medleys line when it first hit stores, but for some reason or other we never actually got around to trying them, until I was sent one of the Real Medley’s in Apple Walnut in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox. So over the holiday week, I was super busy and therefore even less of a morning person than ever, I just popped it in the microwave and I was actually pretty darn surprised with how tasty it was!

I know the directions say to just add water and microwave, but I’m a lactose lover so I did a half milk half water mixture. To me milk makes everything creamier and better. SO if you’re like me and regularly add milk to your oatmeal, I’d suggest you edit the directions and add some milk.

Real Medleys comes in Cherry Pistachio, Peach Almond, Summer Berry, and Apple Walnut – which is the flavor that I tried. It’s really really yummy – and I promise I’m not just saying that. It literally tastes like a hug from the inside – it’s warm, not too sweet, the apple and cranberries add the perfect pop of flavor, and the walnuts give a great layer of texture to the oatmeal. So if you’re in the store, and you’re looking for a delicious, fast, and easy breakfast option totally pick up some of these because they’re so good and only about $1-2 each. To find out more about Quaker Real Medleys click here, to read more reviews on Real Medleys by other influensters click here!

Filed Under: Food, Food & Entertainment, Health & Fitness Tagged With: food, holiday vox box, influenster, oatmeal, photos, product, quaker, real medleys, review, sample box, samples, subscription box, vox box, voxbox

Beauty Blogger VoxBox Review!

November 18, 2012 by The NYC Talon Leave a Comment

If you’ve been keeping up with my most recent posts, you might have noticed that a few of my reviews mentioned that I received the featured product by way of my Beauty Blogger VoxBox- and I just wanted to share the full details on what was inside my Beauty Blogger VoxBox as well as my overall impression with you guys

Inside my Beauty Bloggers VoxBox I received an NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Limited Edition Compact, Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin, a Bath & Body Works Fall Mini-Candle, Kiss Ever Pro Lash Starter Kit, a sample/travel sized tube of Not Your Mother’s Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream, samples of Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleanser and Night Cream for Normal/Dry skin, and a packet of eBoost supplement.

The box was stocked generously with some pretty impressive products that I just knew I’d love – I thought I’d include my general impression of each product, but please feel free to click on each products name for my full review/run down!

NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Limited Edition Compact: I loved the dark colors that Influenster sent my way. I was already in the market for grey eyeshadow to complete a smoky eye look that I was going for, so I was pleased to receive this compact. The color payoff was great, and my one complaint is that the included primer was too oily. Other than that, the IndividualEyes is a great compact with an even greater price.

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin: I’ve been using these spin pins since I received them – that’s how much I love them. They’re super easy to use, and don’t pull on my hair like ponytails do. They’re great stocking stuffers!

Bath & Body Works Fall Mini-Candle: I received the White Barn No.1 in Nutmeg and Spice and I flat out did not enjoy this candle. It gave me a terrible headache and smelled too thick and heady. However, using the coupon included in my VoxBox, combined with a sale on B&BW’s website I was able to score quite a few mini candles (see the full post for my review of each scent here) and since that post, have burned half of them through. My favorites are Autumn, ‘Tis the Season, and Cinnamon Sugared Donut.

Kiss Ever PRO Lash Starter Kit: I loved these lashes – easy to apply, and ultra glamorous, what more could a girl ask for???

Not Your Mother’s Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream: If you get a chance to buy/try this cream then please do! I loved how well this cream worked (teaser: there are pic’s in my full review here!) and still can’t get over how fun it is to have beautiful, envy-worthy curls!

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleanser and Night Cream for Normal/Dry skin: I’ve long heard of this brand and was completely thrilled to finally have a chance to try it. Boots No7 definitely lives up to the hype and I totally plan on trying more of their makeup and skincare offerings.

I have to say- I really really loved this box. I do review a lot of beauty products on here, so getting to try news ones and letting you know if they’re worth the hype is always a treat! I loved discovering a new cleanser and lotion, and using the spin pin, and even getting some curls out of my hair with Not Your Mother’s Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream – so if you’re active on social media and would be interested in the Influenster VoxBox program, leave me your email address in the comments below! The first person to comment with their email address gets an exclusive invite!

As always, comments and questions are welcome!

Filed Under: Beauty, Beauty & Fashion Tagged With: beauty, beauty bloggers vox box, fashion, hair, influenster, makeup, product, review, sample, sample boxes

Boots No7 for Beautiful Skin!

November 16, 2012 by The NYC Talon 1 Comment

I’ve heard about Boot’s for years now, but didn’t see any of their products in US store until recently in Target – where they have become more widely available. And while the US has been slow to distribute the beauty brand, Boots has been a staple for over 160 years in the UK – and the No7 brand is the number 1 cosmetics and skincare brand in the UK! So you can bet that I was pretty darn excited to receive a sample of Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion and Beautiful Skin Night Cream (both for Normal/Dry Skin) in my Beauty Bloggers VoxBox!

The Night Cream claims to energize and help promote optimum hydration for healthy radiant skin. Now I have super sensitive acne prone skin, so I’m always wary of products promising to hydrate my skin- because I usually end up doing an emergency pore cleansing mask afterwards to deal with breakouts caused by overly-thick creams. However, no joke, the No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream was as light as silk and left my skin feeling like a baby’s! It has a subtle scent that I found to be quite nice and not overbearing at all. Also, the cream absorbs really well into the skin – so you won’t have any oily residue left behind or anything.

I actually never understood cleansing lotions before my experience with Boot’s No7 Beautiful Skin one. I usually scrub the makeup off my face using makeup wipes, wash up with my foaming cleanser and call it a night. However, makeup wipes tend to be really abrasive and leave my eyelids dry and red – and never fully rid me of my makeup on its own. But this No7 Cleansing Lotion is where it’s at! It was super light, and literally took all my makeup off in one shot. It doesn’t really have any scent, and you just apply the tiniest bit to your eye/face rub it around and then wipe off. No dry, red eyes and no makeup! I used it to rid my hand of eyeshadow when I was taking photos for my NYC Individual Eyes swatch and review – it worked like a charm!

I’m really loving these two products and can’t wait to try the rest of Boot’s No7 skincare line, as well as their makeup offerings – you can find out more about Boot’s and what they offer here!

Have you had any experience with Boot’s and their cosmetics and skincare products??? Let me know in the comments below!