Fresh for Spring: The New Pixi Pretties Collection

*PR Product/Affiliate links

If you were to ask me what beauty brand exudes springtime, I don't think anyone could top Pixi. From their pastel green packaging, to their glow inducing, rose-infused skincare, to their soft, ethereal makeup, Pixi's products are basically the cosmetic equivalent of frolicking in a field of flowers. Sweet, feminine, and effortless, Pixi Beauty is the perfect brand for more minimal makeup lovers, and is one of my go-tos whenever I'm craving a lighter look.

As we're FINALLY starting to see the signs of Spring here in New England, the timing is perfect to start playing with some fresh, new makeup. Earlier this year, Pixi released a new range of products to their Influencer-created Pixi Pretties collection. Last year's offerings, such as the It'sEyeTime Palette and Double Cleanse, were some of my most treasured products of 2017, so I was incredibly excited to see what new collaborations Pixi had in store for us.

Shop the Stash: Brows

Has anyone else noticed that I am SUPER overdue for my next installment of Shop the Stash?! I've been a little bit distracted with all the new goodies I took home from Gen Beauty (can you blame me?), which means my quest for rediscovery got temporarily put on pause. But now that I've had plenty of time to play I'm ready to get back to business!

For those of you who might have missed out on my first couple of posts from this series, we're going through my makeup stash one category at a time in the hopes of rediscovering amazing products I've been neglecting. As we "shop the stash" I'll be giving you mini reviews of each product and tips on how I like to use them. So far we've covered my collection of eye primers, concealers, and bronzers, and today we're going to be chatting all things brow-related!

For the longest time I never considered eyebrows a necessary step of my makeup routine, but now I feel naked if I leave the house without them done! As a result I've ended up with quite an arsenal of products to fill, define, and highlight those bad boys. So let's take a look at everything and see which of these brow goodies are my absolute faves!

Save or Splurge? Another Drugstore and High-End Beauty Showdown

*This post contains affiliate links.

Anyone who's been around these parts for a while knows that when it comes to beauty products, I appreciate having a healthy mix of high-end and drugstore options. Sometimes the quality of a product merits the extra cash, sometimes the budget friendly option performs better. It's one of the things I love about beauty blogging. The more I try and review, the better able I am to compare and contrast so you guys can reap the benefits!

I know I'm not the only one who loves searching for a good dupe. It looks like my original Save or Splurge post has been getting a lot of attention lately, which made me think it's about time I did a follow up! Over the past 7 or 8 months I've been keeping an eye out for potential pairings, and I think I've now rounded up a nice little selection of products to share with you guys.

Today I've got four of my favorite high-end beauty products to talk about: a cult favorite liquid lipstick, an iconic brow pencil, the perfect summer blush tint, and the super glue of eyeshadow primers. Are they worth the splurge? Or should you save your money and opt for these budget friendly drugstore options instead? Let's take a look!

Brows on Fleek: Nudestix Brow Stylus & Brow Wax Reviews*

Sorry vampy lips, there's another fall makeup trend that's seriously stealing the spotlight. Whether they're ultra defined or soft and natural, anything brows is so hot right now (Mugatu, anyone?). From pomades, to gels, to powders and pencils, the beauty scene is currently overflowing with products to help you get those #browsonfleek. Wanting in on the action, up-and-coming brand Nudestix recently launched their own badass brow products to add to the mix. There's the Eyebrow Stylus Pencil & Gel, which ingeniously pairs a defining pencil and setting gel in one sleek stick and the Brow Wax pencil to help tame even the most unruly of brows. As someone who loves all things brows and all things Nudestix, when they asked if I'd like to give them a try my response was an incredibly enthusiastic yes. I've had my hands on these bad boys for a few weeks now, and can't wait to share my thoughts on them with you!

Sephora Favorites Brow Wardrobe Review

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you're slapping on a full face of makeup, DON'T neglect your eyebrows. Heck, even if you're going for a super low maintenance makeup look, giving your brows a little bit of attention makes a world of difference. A strong, clean brow really pulls together any look, and balances out all of your other features. Fortunately the beauty industry has really gotten behind the whole brow trend. There are TONS of amazing options to shape, define, and groom to your hearts content. The downside? It can also be totally overwhelming trying to figure out where to start.

Before you panic from product overload, there is an answer. The awesome folks at Sephora have rounded up some of the best of the best from the brow world in their newest favorites kit. The Sephora Favorites Brow Raising Brow Wardrobe has basically got everything you need to take your brows from blah to badass in a single box.

Sumita Must Have Brow Kit Review

In sitting down to write this review I realized something. Eyebrow products are the serious underdogs of the makeup world. Let's be real. I'm pretty sure if you ask someone to list off lust-worthy makeup, most people will probably ramble on about buttery lipsticks, creamy eyeshadows, or the most flawless looking foundation. Eyebrow pencils, creams, and mousses just don't get the same kind of love. But truly, good brows are SO important. You can spend 15 minutes blending out the perfect smokey eye, but if your eyebrows are invisible your face is just not going to look pulled together. Now, I cannot speak to whether or not my brows are on fleek, but I at least generally try to keep them looking reasonably well groomed. And this set I picked up from Sumita will definitely help me to up my eyebrow game.

Brand Focus: Maybelline

Over the past year I've started testing and trying a lot more drugstore makeup. While the aisles of Sephora and Ulta are filled with lust-worthy, luxurious products, my budget just doesn't afford me the ability to buy high-end beauty on the regular. With the aid of coupons, sales, and general shopping savvy I've been able to snag a lot of drugstore beauty products at ridiculous prices, allowing me to test and try at my leisure without breaking the bank. That being said, I have also quickly learned that just because you got a good buy doesn't necessarily mean you made a good purchase. While there are disappointing products at all price points, budget beauty is by far the most inconsistent. To help you avoid buyers remorse, I thought it would be helpful to take a closer look at some of the most popular brands at the drugstore, discussing what I think they do well, and what I think isn't worth your heard earned cash.

Starting on a positive note, let's talk all things Maybelline. Maybelline is a brand that has quickly won me over, with an ever growing range of products that easily rival their high end competitors. I'll be sharing all of the products I've tried recently, and whether I love it, like it, or recommend you leave it out of your shopping bag.

Save or Splurge? Budget Beauty vs. Hyped High End Makeup

Truth. If I've had a stressful day, perusing the aisles of Sephora or ULTA will generally always make me feel better. Most of the time I just browse, swatch, and oggle all of the pretty things around me, and only on rare occasion to I let myself splurge and make a purchase. I'm not going to lie, I love me some high end makeup, but if I took everything I wanted home with me I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to afford to eat. In the end I've realized it's all about balance. Sometimes spending those extra $10 or $20 (...or $50) is totally worth it for a knock-your-socks-off-one-of-a-kind-amazing product that performs like no other. But other times you can find an equally great alternative (maybe with slightly less pretty packaging) at the drugstore for a fraction of the cost.

Hence, the topic of today's post.

My recent experimentation with some newer drugstore launches has led me to a few promising finds that I wanted to put to the test against some of my favorite (and currently hyped) high end makeup products. I've got three pairs to compare: the Benefit Roller Lash with the Maybelline Lash Sensational, the Benefit Gimme Brow and the L'Oreal Brow Stylist Plumper, and the Make Up For Ever Lip Line Perfector with the Rimmel Moisture Renew Universal Transparent Liner. How do these budget beauty products measure up? I'm dishing out all the details.

Benefit Gimme Brow Review & Giveaway!

There are some people out there in the world who have been blessed with beautifully full, perfectly arched eyebrows.

I am not one of those people.

Fortunately for me, I can fake amazing brows with the right product. There are a lot of options out there - from pencils, to powders, to gels - and each has their own unique pros and cons. Ultimately my ideal brow product will do three things: define the shape, hold them in place, and still manage look natural. Pencils and powders can be great for adding definition, but they aren't always so great for keeping unruly hairs in place. A clear brow gel will keep everything looking neat, but won't do much to fill in sparse areas. Usually this means I have to resort to using at least two different products to take my brows from lackluster to luscious.

And then I discovered Benefit's Gimme Brow.

Birchbox has a special list serve for it's blogger community (lovingly referred to as their Birchbloggers) and will frequently notify us special contests and giveaways we can enter. A few weeks back there was a giveaway where 10 Birchbloggers were chosen to receive Benefit's new Gimme Brow to try out and review. Somehow I miraculously made the list, and last week this beautiful little package arrived in my mailbox!