Reviews and Raves: Juicy, E.L.F. and J. Crew

I'm the kind of girl who always consults reviews online before making a purchase, especially when it comes to haircolor and makeup. Doing my research has prevented me from making many unnecessary purchases and has also introduced me to tons of new products. So to give back, I will share some of my recent purchases with you guys and what I think of them.

Juicy Couture "Daisy" makeup pouch and "Queen of Juicy" wallet

I confess, I'm kind of completely obsessed and in love with Juicy. Everything they sell is just so damn cute. Nothing beats lounging around in their sweatsuits on a lazy Sunday with a mimosa in hand and the latest issue of some trashy, tabloid magazine. P.S. I purchased both of these items on Gilt, thebest membership-only designer sale website.

Okay, now while I absolutely love both of these purchases, I must admit the "Daisy" pouch - although completely adorable-looking and reminds me of a sunny spring day - is not very practical. It honestly doesn't hold much stuff and there's not a wristlet so you can't really take it with you on a night out and expect to be able to keep track of it after a couple of cocktails. Nevertheless, I carry it around in my purse all the time because it's so cute, just seeing the daisy yellow color brightens my moom. I usually just keep some lipgloss and gum in it, sometimes my compact, but that just barely fits.

The wallet, though not quite as cute as the makeup pouch in my opinion, is the much more practical purchase of the two. It's replaced my old Anna Sui wallet as my everyday wallet. There's a nice fold for cash, a clear section for a school I.D. or driver's license, a small zipper coin holder, and plenty of slits for credit cards and store gift cards. In addition, the whole thing zips up so you never have to worry about things slipping out. Oh, and not a single rhinestone has fallen off yet.

Makeup from E.L.F.

For those who are unfamiliar with the brand, E.L.F. (eyes lips face) is a line of decent quality makeup at rock bottom prices. And by rock bottom, I really mean it. Most brushes and makeup are $1, with some mineral makeup and studio line brushes at $3. I bought the brightening eye color in Silver Lining after seeing it on Miss Holly's gorgeous prom tutorial, the shimmering facial whip in Camilia, an eyelid primer, mineral face primer, eyelash curler, several eye and face brushes, and the nail polish in nude.

The great thing about ordering from E.L.F. is that you don't have to be afraid to test out new things since it'll generally only set you back a dollar. Plus, sites like retailmenot always have codes for further reductions and there are frequently deals on the E.L.F. website itself. I was actually quite impressed with all these items. The mineral primer makes my face feel incredibly smooth although I'm not a fan of the chemical-ly scent. I've started using it as my everyday primer and saving my Benefit "That Gal" for special occasions. I really love the eyelid primer. Although it's not quite as good as the Urban Decay Primer Potion, it still works pretty well and makes my eye makeup last much longer than if applied without a primer.

The eyeshadow I also really liked and was able to recreate the look in Holly's tutorial. Unfortunately, I dropped the container on the third time I wanted to use it so the shimmery white and blue shade fell out (tear). The nail polish is a great nude color although it's starts chipping after about two days. At the same time though, because it's nude, you can't really tell that it's chipping, so that's a plus. I've always been a fan of bright colors but I've started using this nude color a lot more since I've recently started a summer internship and bright colors don't exactly scream professionalism. As for the facial whip, I use it more often as an eyeshadow or lower eyeliner because it's so shimmery. I do like it though as it really brightens my eyes and a little goes a long way.

Now for the tools, I was really impressed with the complexion brush. I use it to apply my powder foundation and it's absolutely wonderful: the hairs on the brush are very smooth, they don't fall out, and they grab on to the foundation really well. Plus, the brush itself looks very professional, not something that you would expect for only $3. I wasn't so impressed with the brushes from the elf line so if you are ordering a brush, I definitely would recommend the studio line. As for the eyelash curler, I've never used one before so I can't compare it with anything. All I can say is, it works and it doesn't pull out my eyelashes.

J. Crew = Love

Right now, J. Crew is having a huge summer sale both in stores and online. During a visit to the store on Michigan Avenue last month, I picked up an ombre tote, flower flip-flops, and a couple of their soft tissue tees. Best of all, nothing was more than $25. I think my favorite item is the tote. It holds absolutely everything (yes, including my laptop, textbooks, and a water bottle) and looks effortlessly chic. The straps also don't dig into my shoulders despite how heavy my tote becomes after I stuff my school supplies in it. I've yet to wear the flip flops as I just bought a bunch of Havaianas slims (again, from Gilt). I don't think the J. Crew ones are quite as comfortable as my Havaianas but I think they look cuter.