Ms. Curly Girl's Beauty Blog

Well, hello there my pretty. I have been waiting a long time to play with this highlight/contour palette. Now, none of these pictures have any filters at all. I really wanted to because my skin is being crazy right now, but I wanted the pictures to be true so you can see. Above is what the packaging looks like. I love the packaging. It just looks bad-ass just like all her makeup. It opens and closes very easily and is thin enough to bring with you when traveling. It comes with a card of three techniques on how to apply the highlight and contour. I did all three of them in one.


I purchased this palette at Sephora and it is priced at $46.00. Sephora's write up says:
What it is:An exclusive contour palette featuring three shades for contouring and three shades for highlighting, designed to shape and define facial features to create a look of authentic dimensionality.

What it does:
An expert sketch artist, Kat Von D uses shadow and light to create depth and dimension in her captivating portraits, infusing them with lifelike authenticity. Take artistry shading into your own hands with this Shade + Light Contour Palette. Effortlessly sculpt, chisel, shape, and slenderize your features for enhanced definition. Unlike traditional bronzing powders, the Shade + Light Contour Palette is loaded with a unique selection of matte shades that capture the true hues of shadow and light. The three contour shades create realistic shadows to recede facial features, while the three highlight shades impart a soft luminosity to amplify dimension. A true artist's palette specially designed to be used with the Shade + Light Contour Brush, these silky, buildable powders blend effortlessly into the skin for a flawless, fade-proof finish that flatters every skin tone or face shape. This set is exclusively available at Sephora.

This set contains:
- 3 x 0.16 oz Shade powder in Sombre (true taupe), Shadowplay (soft brown), Subconscious (deep brown)
- 3 x 0.08 oz Light powder in Lucid (pinkish nude), Lyric (yellow beige), Levitation (soft peach)
-Step-by step guide

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates



What else you need to know:The palette includes an illustrated step-by step tutorial featuring three easy, artistic ways to define your cheekbones, slim your face, and shape your nose. The Shade + Light Contour Brush is sold separately.

Follow the included insert—illustrated by Kat herself—and master the art of contouring in three simple ways: Define cheekbones: sculpt and chisel your appearance. Slim your face: slenderize features and define the jawline. Shape your nose: taper your silhouette.

There is a Shade & Light Contour brush that costs $36.00. I did not purchase it because I have so many brushes that I love and I felt I just didn't need it.


This is me with my foundation on. No contour or highlight done in the picture above and two below. I do have eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara on as well.


I used my Sephora Pro Angled Contour Brush #75 for the contouring. I used Shadowplay  for my contouring and I used Lyric for my highlighting. I also used my Japonesque #140 brush to contour down the sides of my nose and highlight down the bridge. I also applied some blush which I used #3 Milani's Illuminating face powder. I applied my blush with Mac's #130 brush. Lastly, I did apply some lipstick to finish my look. I used Nars Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.



Suggested Usage:-For the perfect sculpted cheeks, apply a shade powder along the entire length of the cheekbone and blend any visible lines.
-Apply a light powder at the high point of your cheeks and blend toward the hairline.
-Tip: Use shade powders to create shadow and recede facial features; use light powders to highlight and enhance.
-To discover more ways to contour, see Kat Von D's illustrated, step-by-step guide featured in the Shade + Light Contour Palette insert.



These are the final look. Again, no filters. I do love how they blend easily. This palette is definitely user friendly.  The powders are very pigmented so you don't need to put too much on your brush. I would start light and work up to what you want. I love that the powders are matte and don't leave skin sparkly. This palette doesn't give you an orange look like some contour palettes do. Is this palette life changing? No, but it is very nice. Some palettes don't give as much product so, for the product, the price is okay. However, will I use all colors? Are they all useable with my skin tone? That is where I don't think you're getting your moneys worth. Just keep that in mind if you're thinking of purchasing.

Thanks for stopping by my friends. Hope you are having a great day. Talk with you soon! Xo

Quality                    4.5    STARS
Price                        4.0    STARS
Application             5.0    STARS
Feel                         4.5    STARS
Look                       4.5    STARS

A matte eye & cheek palette infused with Amazonian clay that celebrates the fun florals of summer.


Here I am before applying this palette. First let me say that, the foundation I have on, has been on ALL DAY. I did not apply any lipstick because I wanted you to see color on my face from the product and not my lips.

This palette Includes a mix of liner, lid, crease and highlight shadows in wearable, all-matte shades that you can play up from day time to play time. Finish your look with pop of golden peachy pink, fanning glisten over the apples of your cheeks for the perfect everyday glow.


Quality                    5.0    STARS
Price                        4.5    STARS
Application             5.0    STARS
Feel                         5.0    STARS
Look                       5.0    STARS

Are you like me, and when you see words like "Age Defying"....do you just buy it, hoping that it is THE product that's going to Rock Your World? Well...I will admit, I am like definitely like that. This is one of those products.


First, I am in LOVE with the packaging. I love how it looks like a soft ice cream when it swirls into an ice cream cone! The container is plastic but it looks so thick that it could pass for glass. The red top is easy to pop off and put back on. Simple...and I love simple.



This foundation, you do NOT need a lot. I usually just apply to the center of my face and buff it out to the outer ends of my entire face. You can see above how thick and creamy it looks. That isn't even one full pump. So, I would assume that this foundation will go a long way.


Now, here is when things get a little different. When I first apply it to my face it almost looks like it's going to accentuate my wrinkles and pores. As I use a buffing brush....that starts to go away and it starts to cover them. So, the bottle states that it is Age Defying with DNA Advantage. Which in layman's terms, covers fine lines and will smooth the appearance of pores. I will have to say it does it better than some but not all foundations....high end AND other drug store brands that may even be cheaper.


Here is what it looks like completely blended in. I would say that this foundation is medium to full coverage. It kind of calms all the lines in my hand. It didn't completely hide them, but it made it less noticeable. So I like that. What this cream foundation does the most is make my face look very hydrated. It gave it some life. If you are on a hunt to revitalize your skin, maybe this may be a choice for you to try.


The color I use is 15 which is Tender Beige. Revlon has this foundation in only 8 shades, so there may be a little difficulty for some people to find that perfect shade. Mine is pretty perfect. Revlon, on their site, states "Award-winning Revlon Age Defying with DNA Advantage™ Cream Makeup combines makeup and powerful anti-aging skincare to help protect skin's DNA and fight the visible signs of aging. Lines and wrinkles are visibly diminished while skin is hydrated and revitalized. It has SPF 20. 96% of women saw flawless, younger-looking skin in 2 weeks." I haven't used it on a consistent basis and in a little bit I'll tell you why.

Let's talk about the ingredients for a moment. I'm just going to list the active ingredients and not even talk about the other ingredients. So, if you want to know them all. CVS' website is really great for that. I couldn't find it on Revlon's website. Here they are: Active Ingredients: Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate) (3.5%), Titanium Dioxide (9.5%). Non Medicinal. Now, I know NOTHING about these ingredients but what I want to talk about is the smell. OMG....it is HORRIBLE! The reason why I can't use it all the time, is because it smells so bad. I applied it and could smell it all morning. Eventually it starts to go away, thankfully. But I even asked my husband to smell it and he nailed what the scent is. It smells like....CLAY...and maybe mixed with something else but I just can't get past the scent. 

So I only use it when it's that time of the month or I ate bad that month and I get a blemish or two or three....because it's great at covering.


Here I am wearing it all day. I put it on this morning at 8:15am and this picture was taken at 5:00pm. I have two yucky blemishes on this cheek and you can't really see them. If you look around my nose, it's not oily....it's more of what my skin looks like with a bit of glow. I do NOT have any oil on my face ever. Even if I coat my face with oil....my face sucks every ounce. I am bone dry. So I like that feature of this foundation.

Now I purchased this at CVS. It goes for around $15.29 for 1 fl. oz. It's kind of expensive in my opinion. If it didn't have the smell, I'd keep purchasing it though. Thankfully, I use coupons and rewards and got this foundation for free. Walmart may have this foundation a little cheaper, if you want to give it a try. Just watch out for the smell. :-)

Thank you for stopping by today. Hope this review is helpful. Wishing you a great day! Talk with you soon. Xo!

Quality                    3.5    STARS
Price                        3.5    STARS
Application             4.0    STARS
Feel                         4.5    STARS
Look                       4.5    STARS
Smell                      2.5    STARS

20. I am half Puerto Rican (from mom) and half Norweigan (from dad). As a young child growing up in the 70's and 80's, I was made fun of quite often because I was Spanish. I was a super chubby kid all my life and I got made fun of more because I looked Hispanic than I was chubby.

19. I was born and raised in Jersey! Lived super close to the Pine Barrens. Miss that awesome smell of pine and freshness! I lived in a small town about 45 minutes from the Shore and 40 minutes from Philly called Pemberton Borough. It was awesome there because the town was so small that you knew every kid and could walk around the town freely and safely.

18. I had my first child, my son, when I was only one month into my 21st year. I liked babies and small children and thought it would be cake. Being a young parent was very hard. 17 months later I had  my daughter. I actually thought one child was tough? Holy Crap...2 was even crazier! LOL. I made it though.

17. The largest I had ever weighed was 260lbs. In 2011, I began a weight loss journey and lost 110 lbs. and have kept 100-90 of it off still today.

16. I finally got to travel to my #1 country that I have ALWAYS wanted to travel to, since I was 11 years old. That is England. I visited there for about a week. We were in Folkestone which is in Kent. Saw England's shore (which were pebbles). Visited numerous castles, churches, street long markets, parks and pubs. I loved going into London and seeing all the historical buildings and learning all the facts. My two favorite things to see were the Royal Jewels and the country side. So GREEN and beautiful. I just want to live there!

15. I love to sing. I can carry a tune but I'm not a Beyoncé. I used to sing 1st Soprano in church. Singing solos almost every month. I've always wanted to join/start a local band and just play in bars or open mic nights. Love to entertain...

14. My love for makeup started when I was 6 years old. I'd watch my mother put on her makeup and I loved how beautiful my mothers skin was and how makeup changed her to pretty in 20 minutes. I wasn't allowed to wear makeup until I was in 9th grade and that was just eyeliner and light lipsticks. Just love how makeup enhances beauty and makes people more confident.

13. When I was young I used to write novels. I had numerous novels an one day I threw them all away! I wish I had kept them all. I am sure they were hilarious now. I took some college courses within the last year 1/2 and writing was one. I didn't know how much I missed it until I was made to write for class. I'd love to take a creative writing class and get these creative thoughts stirred up!

12. I have a makeup/beauty room in my house. I have always wanted one and finally....my wish came true. Thanks to my hubby. :-)  I love learning how to make adorable DIY décor for this room. It still needs a lot of work but I love looking things up and trying.

11. I love collecting makeup. Sometimes I get sad when my makeup...goes...bad, and I have to throw it away. At moments like those, I don't want to keep buying until what I have is used up. However, then I see all these cute packaging or new item that comes out and I feel that impulse to buy. If I get a coupon or discount code...oh lord, it's all over!! lol

10. I am a serious advocate for wearing....scarves. I love to wear scarves. I have about 40-50. It doesn't matter what size or colors. It makes whatever I am wearing even prettier...classier. More put together. I love that! I need more!!!! Ha!

9. I own a black 2012 Kia Optima...TURBO. This car has all the bells and whistles. I used to be a crazy driver...using that turbo all the time! I don't as much...except when I am listening to LOUD rock music. My foot then turns into Lead.

8. I love to hunt and fish. Hunting is fun because that moment when you have your bow or rifle on something and you are just waiting for that perfect second to let the arrow go or pull the trigger....and you let it go. You see it hit your target and your heart is pounding so loud and so hard....that is just so exciting to me. I also love listening for the animals. Every sound you hear may be something so you are always watching like a hawk. It's almost like a competition. So much fun. Fishing I love even more. It's so relaxing to me with a splash of excitement when you see your line bobbing and you yank and reel and reel and reel in your catch. I'm so competitive with both.

7. I have a OCDish thing. I love things to be organized. They don't have to be spotless or super clean or smelling fresh, it just has to be in its place. It has to make sense. Also, if I am cleaning something or doing something and it leaves marks, that bothers me. If it's supposed to leave straight marks like mowing the grass or vacuuming the carpet, it has to be straight and perfect. When I see perfect straight lines, I feel good. I know that is strange but it's... me.

6. I love to camp! I love just camping in a tent at a site with a fire pit. Just roughing it is fine with me. Going for hikes is nice too. I usually get logs and sticks and I actually can make great fires.

5. I love to bake. I haven't done to much baking since meeting my husband. I miss it but if I am good at anything, it's baking. It makes me happy and keeps me calm....as long as no one else is in my kitchen LOL

4. I have a weird desire to have every color and type of....SHARPIE that there is in this world. I just love Sharpies and love making things with them. I have way to many, but that's okay.

3. I don't like it when adults who are much older than me act like immature brats. One of many pet peeves that I have, but this is the one I deal with every day lately. I definitely don't want to be around these types of people because they bring such negativity around me, that it drives me crazy.

2. I enjoy taking bubble baths. I mean if I could take at least one a day, I'd be one happy camper. I know there are all these bath accessories, I like a lot of them, but just a good old fashion bubble bath is fine as well. Put on some soft music, dim the lights and I could drift off into happy land.

1. I have an obsession with smells. I love candles and always have to have one burning. I love cleaning supply smells and soap smells and even air fresheners. Some smell so great that I'll use or spray for no reason at all. Just to smell it!

I am tagging all who read this and who have either a blog or a INSTAGRAM account. When I see these, I have to read them. I love knowing things about people and finding out if we have anything in common. It definitely can spark some great conversations or possibly start some friendships!

Thanks for stopping by. Take care and talk to you soon! Xo

I'm back again and I'm feeling super Spring-y! I saw this Milani's Illuminating Face Powder in CVS a few weeks back and decided to get it. It looked so pretty! All the different color roses. They are all supposed to signify your highlighter, bronzer and blush. So I just opened it and thought I'd give it a try. Of course....I had to tell you about it. (^_^)


Milani states that: this multi-colour, multi-purpose blush, bronzer and highlighter brings the idea of “lit from within” to the next level. Radiant but not over-the-top shimmery, the silky smooth powder – a Milani exclusive design. Also the instructions are as followed:

Use as highlighter for a brighter complexion with a lit-from-within radiant glow.

Use as a bronzer or blush for an instant healthy, sun-kissed finish.


I can't get over how gorgeous this is. It Doesn't look overly shimmery which is great for this old lady. The packaging is pretty good. It opens easily enough, it feels sturdy and it closes nicely every time.


Don't mind my wind swept hair, but this is me without it on my cheek. I do have a little bit of blush on so I decided to apply it over it a little bit so the camera could pick it up.


The smell of it, smells like most Talc powders. Please check the ingredients first at the link above before applying to your face. I know some people can't tolerate Talc or Mica. Which this has both ingredients.  It is definitely silky smooth. As seen above on my middle finger.


This is me with it on my cheek. I put the flash on both pictures so you could see if it was overly shimmery. This is not. I checked it out and I do agree that this illuminator DOES give that glow from within. The two pictures below are one swipe of it on my arm so you can see it even better.



Now the price for this on Milani's website is $9.99 for 0.35 oz. This will last me FOREVER. To me it's a great investment to add to my makeup collection. CVS sells it regularly for $9.99 but with coupons, sales etc....I believe I got it for $2.99! Not bad, huh?

So I love this illuminating face powder so far. Mainly because it isn't so shimmery like a lot out there. I will see tomorrow if my face breaks out from it and update this post with that information. I 'usually' don't have issues with powder, but...we shall see and I will let you all know.

Thanks for stopping by my friends. Talk to you soon, have a great rest of the day! Xo!!

Quality                    5    STARS
Price                        5    STARS
Application             5    STARS
Feel                         5    STARS
Look                       5    STARS

Today's Get To Know Me, I thought I'd share with you my love for music. I figure I'd start from the very first band I loved all the way up to current. I just love music. I love to listen to Classic Rock the most. Bands/Songs from when I was a little girl just moves through my soul! Of course I love my own music which tends to be a little bit heavier but it actually calms my brain. LOL. I don't know how else to explain it but by that way....


My very first band that got me 'band crazy' was Duran Duran. My bedroom was full of posters, and I had to have all their albums. Even albums that were made in other countries that were hard to get in the U.S.

Every time they came on MTV, it was a frenzy! My friends and I would scream and cry! It was like The Beatles. I owned hats and jackets and pins and my school pictures had to have Duran Duran in them! LOL  I still like them and when I hear old songs like The Reflex, Rio and Girls On Film....I am swept up!

The first band I saw in concert was Glass Tiger at the Pennsylvania State Fare. I was front row with my best friend and we stayed there all day instead of enjoying the fare. I only knew a couple songs by them but I was excited to be front row listening to guys in bands! Here is Glass Tiger....



Now from Duran Duran I somehow slowed down listening to pop and moved to something else. I remember the moment I saw this next band on MTV and I was HOOKED. I left Duran Duran and pop music, all for.......


DEF LEPPARD! Yes, Def Leppard turned me into a "metal head". How did it happen? I have no idea. I just loved how high he could sing, I loved the edginess and hardness that they portrayed. So different than suit wearing, sweet singing...Duran Duran.

I would have to contribute my 1st Soprano range when I sing to all the Rock bands of the 80's and 90's because they all sang SO HIGH! lol.


My second concert was at Great Adventure in New Jersey and we went to see Cheap Trick! I loved Cheap Trick because they were an older band and as a little girl, I remember listening to them in the car or hearing my sister/brother/father listening to them. That band has been around since the 70's!

Now, this next band was THE band that was the BIGGEST influence in my life. I was in high school now. Smack dab in the middle of the 80's/90's Rock Hair Bands. And then...I heard Bon Jovi for the first time.


Runaway was the song that made a young girl lust after an older man. Lord have mercy girls.  Girls went crazy over them. People wanted to look like them. And because I was from NJ and so was the band....it was even cooler! I had seen Bon Jovi in concert I think a total of 4 times. I still love them and continue to buy their song/CD's.

The following pictures are bands I've seen in concert when I was younger. All bands were amazing and loved every moment of being in the same room with them as they played. I love seeing bands live and will continue to, till the day I die!