Ulta Beauty | Makeup Haul & Review

Hello Beautiful People!

Today on the Blog I have some lovely products from Ulta Beauty!

Ulta is one of my FAVORITE shops to buy makeup and skincare products.

They have drugstore brands as well as prestige and high end brands.

One of the best parts about Ulta is that a few times a year they have a sale where you get a special makeup bag filled with all kinds of free makeup products, with the purchase of Ulta brand makeup. 

Two things I love: Makeup and Free, especially in the same sentence!

For this fabulous promotion I spent $19.50 on products (which I was going to do anyway).  

Here is what I bought:

Ulta Clear Brow Gel

Ulta Glitter Top Coat in Fairy Princess

Ulta Gel Eye Liner in Silver Dust

And here is what I got for FREE:

So much makeup!

I had a blast playing with all of these colors!

Below is my quick review of each product with some swatches 😊

Eyeshadow Quads:

Dramatic Eyeshadow Quad

A Nice Combo: Iceland on brow bone. Twilight on lid. After Hours in crease.

Classic Eyeshadow Quad

A Nice Combo: Silk on brow bone. In the Buff on lid. Social Climber in crease.

Chic Eyeshadow Quad

Finish: All Shimmer (except for Low Key in Dramatic Quad, Matte)

Formula: All Pressed Powder

Fallout: Yes

Blendable: Yes

Chalky/Flaky: A Little/No

Lasts For: Approximately 6-7 Hours 

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⋆⋆ (3 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: Probably

Overall: For a more inexpensive eyeshadow they are very nice.

They are slightly chalky, and do have a bit of fallout. 

The colors go on light but can be built up to a bolder shade.

I would definitely use an eyeshadow primer with these shadows; the color goes on stronger, less fallout, and lasts longer.

Mascara:

Ulta Voluptuous Volume

Color: Jet Black

Waterproof: Yes (Cry-proof)

Formula: Volumizing

Wand: Traditional, Bristles 

Clumps: No

Smudges/Runs/Flakes: No/No/No

Lasts For: 12 Hours

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⋆ ( 4 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: Yes

Overall: I love this mascara! It has quickly become my go-to. 

It gives a ton of volume, and I think it gives decent length as well. It doesn't run or streak in humidity and it's "cry-proof" (studying for midterms put that to the test 😅). 

 Lip Colors:

Super Shiny Lip Butter

Name of Shade: Vienna

Color: Nude Coral

Finish: Satin

Formula: Cream

Smudges/Drying/Sticky: No/No/No

Lasts For: About 4 Hours

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⋆⋆ (3 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: Maybe, in a different shade

Overall: Very smooth application, with a subtle burst of color. Comfortable to wear, not drying at all. The shade is not my style but it is a good lip color.

Super Shiny Lip Gloss

Name of Shade: Illusion

Color: Peachy Blush Pink

Finish: Gloss

Formula: Liquid Gloss

Smudges/Sticky: No/Minimally Sticky

Lasts For: Approximately 4 Hours

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⋆ (4 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: Yes

Overall: This gloss goes on so soft and plush. It is only minimally sticky and is very comfortable to wear. It gives the right amount color with a pop of cute pink. 

Eyeliner:

Dual Ended Eye Liner

Color: Black & Deep Brown

Finish: Matte

Formula: Pencil

Waterproof: Yes

Smudges/Streaks/Runs: A Little/No/No

Waxy/Chalky: Yes (for Deep Brown)/No

Blendable: Not Really

Lasts For: About 6 Hours

Star Rating: ⭐⋆⋆⋆⋆ (1 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: No.

Overall: As with most Ulta eyeliner pencils (not the gel pencils though) these are rather waxy. 

The Black shade is not too bad, but Deep Brown is very waxy. 

I don't like waxy eyeliners because they tend to tug and drag along the delicate areas of the eyes.

These are a no-go for me.

Blush:

Name of Shade: Sweet Cheeks

Color: Pink

Finish: Matte

Formula: Pressed Powder

Blendable: Yes

Chalky/Flaky: Slightly/No

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⋆⋆ (3 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: Maybe

Overall: A very competent blush. It is ever so slightly chalky, but it blends well.

It gives a nice muted flush, nothing too over the top. This blush gets the job done, and lives up to its name. 

Primer:

Matte Prime

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⋆ (4 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: Yes

Thoughts: A lovely, non-greasy face primer. I apply it before foundation and notice that it keeps my foundation in place longer, with less streaking and shine.

Nail Polish:

Color: Bright Pink

Finish: Cream (Standard)

Number of Coats for Bottle Shade: 2

Dry Time: Average

How Long Before Chipping: About a Week

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⋆⋆ (3 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: Probably Not

Overall: This is a decent nail polish. It is about on par with your typical nail polishes. 

I'm a bit of a nail polish snob and mostly use OPI, but this is a nice alternative.

Brushes:

Eyeshadow 

Sponge Tip

Contour Blush

*The Sponge Tip brush is just your typical sponge makeup applicator, so I did not review it*

Star Rating: ⭐⋆⋆⋆⋆ (1 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: No

Thoughts: These brushes are actually quite rough. Their bristles are too firm and are unpleasant to use on face and eyes. They tug on the skin and the bristles splay after washing.

I would recommend a better level of makeup brushes, it makes all the difference in makeup application and you don't want any unnecessary tugging and pulling of the face

 (say no to wrinkles 👎).

All of these products come in a cute pink bag, with a skincare coupon for 30% off a product.

There we have my quick little review of the free products Ulta is offering during their current promotion. 

Some of the products are total gems and a steal to get in this deal, definitely worth buying on their own.

 A few of the products are not worth the buy, and you would be better off opting for a different brand.

Thanks for stopping by the Blog today!

There is more to come, so stay tuned

If you missed it, check out my last post on My Oscar Makeup Favorites

Don't forget to subscribe via email 😉

XOXO

Ultima Beauty

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My Top 3 Oscar Makeup Favorites 2014

The stars, the performances, the pizza order, the selfie that crashed Twitter, there was something for everybody at the 2014 Academy Awards this past Sunday.

But what I was paying attention to was the makeup and the gowns. 

Confession time: I'll be honest, I haven't seen any of the movies that my top 3 makeup favorites were nominated for. 😆

But none the less, I saw their style and loved it!

So, in no particular order, here are my top 3 makeup favorites from the 2014 Oscars: 

#1 Sandra Bullock 

(Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Gravity)

Gown: Her gown was so elegant! The navy blue shade contrasted beautifully against her skin tone. Plus her diamond cuff earrings added an extra touch of style.

Makeup: Smoky brown shimmer on the lids and a blue liner on the bottom waterline with a nude lip, was a new twist on a classic look. And her lashes were extra defined and miles long. Simply lovely.

#2 Jennifer Lawrence 

( Nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, American Hustle)  

Gown: Her beautiful orange peplum, strapless gown paired with a simple diamond, choker length necklace proved that not only is she hilariously funny, but also, ever so classy. 

Makeup: The liner really made this look for me. 

The top lash line lined with a slightly thicker, black liner and winged out just a bit while her lower lash line was lined with a soft brown shade. Her lipstick was more on the natural side, with a pinky-coral shade.

Her hair, her dress, her necklace, her makeup, all were just gorgeous! 

And, no matter how many times she trips at the Oscars, she still looks beautiful.

#3 Lupita Nyong'o 

(Winner, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, 12 Years a Salve)

Gown: A beautiful, flowy, Cinderella-esque gown. A floor length masterpiece that complimented her so perfectly. And her accessories were spot on, not too many, not too few; perfect.

Makeup: When your skin is this perfect you don't need to add much to it. 

Her skin is truly flawless! Pictures can't even do it justice. 

And her eyes were done simple but looked amazing. A soft sweep of highlighter from lid to crease and long lashes, she looked perfect.

She won! Her acceptance speech was so sweet and heartfelt.

 She also wins a best style award from me (which I'm sure would mean soooo much to her lol 😄).

There you have it, my favorite looks from the 2014 Academy Awards (I bet you couldn't wait to find out 😝). What was your favorite style or moment from the evening?

 Left me know in the comments.

Thanks for checking this post out and in case you missed my last post on my 

February products of the month, you can catch it here

And don't forget to subscribe via email!

XOXO

Ultima Beauty

Want more makeup fun between blog posts? Check out my social media pages! 

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