If you're always on the lookout for good beauty products, the Maybelline Color Tattoos are far from strangers to you. In the past two years, people have obsessed over and raved about the entire color tattoo line — with good reason.


I bought Tough As Taupe back in 2011 when the color tatttoos first arrived and was fairly disappointed by the color (although the lasting power is as great as everyone says it is.) It didn't look right with my skin tone so it just sits in my stash now. However, I picked up Barely Branded and Inked in Pink last summer when Walgreens had a "buy one, get one 1/2 off" sale as they often do and wear them whenever I feel like doing a complete eye look. Barely Branded is my favorite to wear as an eyeshadow base, especially with the Naked palette. I assume Inked in Pink would work really nicely with the Naked 3, as they are all rose-toned shades.

Are they comparable with the MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pots? For the most part, yes. Both brands have a great lasting power on the lids, but the paint pots are slightly more creamy to the touch. I've had the MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork, a mid-tone neutral taupe, since Summer 2012 and it is still as creamy as when I first bought it. After being used so much, Barely Branded has started to slightly crumble around the sides but once I apply it to my lids, it looks fine.


If you're someone who doesn't like using fingers as an application tool, I would highly recommend the e.l.f. Studio Concealer Brush. Because of its synthetic bristles, it picks up cream products very easily.

The best part? It's inexpensive ($6!) but the quality is still there.

After spotting this Bioré Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser at Target, I decided to give it a go because 1) my Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub was doing nothing to help eliminate my blackheads, 2) I have tried Dark Angels cleanser from Lush (which also uses charcoal) and enjoyed it very much, and 3) I had a coupon.

The consistency of this cleanser is a lot like hand soap, complete with small beads that are pretty useless. Once you lather it up in your fingers and massage it into your face, you smell it immediately. I don't think it's tingly, but the scent may make your mind think so. It felt very refreshing and it did help with my blackheads. Although I didn't feel like it was doing much to my face, it did clean my face fairly well.

My forehead did get a little oily a few hours after I used it, but nothing too crazy. (My skin is normally and naturally oily.) If you have sensitive skin but you still want to try this out, I would recommend testing it on your hands first. The texture of this cleanser won't harm your skin, but some of the ingredients may cause an allergic reaction.

Because it's Valentine's Day, I thought it would be appropriate to share my favorite red lip combination with all of you :) Funny enough, Steph from fun size beauty just posted something on one of the products I used and I happened to have caught it!

I have been obsessed with both the OCC Lip Tar in Black Dahlia and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry, two beautiful deep reds. Black Dahlia is a little scary since it's black in its container, but it can be sheered out for a nice "stain" look (or layered for a really dark look!)


As you can (maybe) tell, I decided to keep it nice and sheer. The only problem I encountered with Black Dahlia was bleeding, but that could easily be fixed with lip liner. I am very picky with lipstick scents, so I was really happy to have Black Dahlia smelling like peppermint and not crayons. Black Cherry didn't bleed, but it did cling onto my lips as patches. As it's winter and I'm bad at keeping myself from peeling my lips, you can see the different blotches on my lips.

If I'm good and I don't peel, Black Cherry looks really nice. I've been wearing it a lot lately, especially before it becomes unsuitable to wear for Spring! If you're not into super dark lipsticks, Black Cherry does a great stain — and it's buildable.


Here, have a silly selfie :)

PS — I couldn't think of a worthy title, so this cheesy saying I found online will have to do. Sorry if it's a little awkward.

While being on a nice little vacation with my boyfriend and two of our other friends, my skin became incredibly dry. I assume it was due to the slight change in the weather and water, but it made me feel as if I had never touched lotion in my life. Thankfully, I packed a couple of items that saved the day and kept me sane.


HANDS + FEET • L'Occitane Shea Butter Dry Hand Cream ($28)
I have tried the Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream, but L'Occitane's works ten times better. It moisturizes so nicely without being greasy and doesn't have an overbearing scent. This stuff comes at a hefty price, but it works wonders and will last for quite some time (it's 5.2 oz!). If you sit in front of your heater all winter long, you're going to want the foot cream in your stash immediately! If you're not willing to spend that much before trying it, Sephora has a smaller version of the hand cream for $12.

CUTICLES • Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream ($6)
As I mentioned in my "Habits I Need To Break", my cuticles are disastrous. Thankfully, this cuticle cream is a life saver and is AWESOME at keeping my cuticles moisturized. When my cuticles are moisturized, I don't peel. This cuticle cream + my fingers = happy Amaris.

LIPS • Blistex Lip Medex ($1)
If I was going to be trapped on an island and only allowed one thing to bring, it would be Blistex. I cannot express my love for Blistex enough (and I guarantee you I'll be doing it tons more in the future!)

BODY • Bath and Body Works Body Lotion in Secret Wonderland ($11)
I love slathering this scent all over my legs after a nice shower or in the morning before I head out. These are surprisingly very moisturizing, but can be scent-heavy. I also like Bali Mango and Wild Berry Tulips :)

FACE • Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer with SPF 15 ($9)
Although the SPF gets me a little oily, it's nothing a little powder can't fix. I have been using this lotion for over seven years now and my skin rarely breaks out or sprouts a pimple.

HAIR • It's a 10 Miracle Hair Mask ($19)
Although I stated that this was nothing special to me in this post three weeks ago, I have changed my mind. My hair has felt significantly more dry after returning to my Dove conditioner and I find myself wanting to use this hair mask because of the moisture it provides. The ends of my hair are holding up pretty nicely, which makes it a lot easier for me to grow it out!

Even if you're not traveling, these are still great for chilly and dry days. What products are you using to stay moisturized this winter?

P.S. I added my Goodreads account in my bottom links! Add me as a friend to see what I am reading (or don't add me and just stalk it every so often!)

Bringing you a two-in-one, what what?

Sephora sent me a nice little $15 coupon back in December and I had to use it. This also happened around the time they were giving out a Cyber Monday Mystery Sample Bag, so of course I added that to my cart immediately.

Two of the sample items I was most excited for were the Lancôme Définicils High Definition Mascara and Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey.


You really don't know a good mascara 'til it comes along. This is by FAR the best mascara I have ever used. I don't know how much the sample differs from the regular size, but I love the shape of the brush and the consistency of the mascara. Because it is a dry formula, it is very light on the lashes and dries quickly. I don't think I will ever be a fan of wet mascaras — I like it to dry fast so I can re-curl my lashes after application. I will definitely be purchasing this after it runs out.

Sadly, the Clinique Almost lipstick was very disappointing. After seeing how dark it was in the tube, I was excited to have something similar to the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry.


As you can see from the swatches above, they are two entirely different colors. I guess I should've taken the "Almost" part of the name into consideration. It has a plastic smell (which I dislike) and is buildable, but you'll just end up looking like a little girl playing with her mom's lipstick collection.

It didn't work for me, but that's the beauty of samples — you try it and avoid buying it if you don't like it!


Other items that came with the bag include samples of Shiseido's Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream, Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation in 310 Bisque, and philosophy's time in a bottle.

As someone who dyes her hair more often than she should, my hair always needs a little extra TLC. I never cared about my hair before — I would wash it and even curl my hair with a flat iron every single day. I've even bleached and dyed my hair three times in a span of two weeks (I know, I'm crazy.) After gaining hay as hair a week after each haircut, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking care of my hair before it all falls out.

After hearing many great things about It's a 10, I decided to try their miracle hair mask.


This miracle hair mask claims to detangle, restore moisture balance, instantly restore elasticity, soften, smooth, impart luminous shine, enhance natural body, nourish, defrizz and improve color vibrancy.

This was the first hair mask I have ever tried and luckily, I didn't pay full price for it (thank you, Target!) $10 is usually my limit on hair products, so this was a nice treat for my dehydrated hair.

Although it does a good job at detangling, I wouldn't go so far as to say that it is nourishing. It does keep my hair moisturized for longer than a conditioner would, but I don't think it's worth paying more than $20. However, the packaging was a nice surprise. I don't have to worry about turning it over to get the last bits or wondering if there's any left — I can see exactly how much I have remaining.



This miracle hair mask is a good product, but there's nothing special that stands out. I would only recommend this for someone who has really dry hair and doesn't wash it often. Other than that, using a Dove conditioner would probably give you the same results.

Happy Friday! I hope all of you (yes, all three or four of you who actually read my blog) had a lovely Christmas week and were able to be at home with family and friends. Thankfully, I am not working this winter and am able to spend my entire break at home. It's so nice to not worry about writing papers and studying for midterms!

I've been saving my trash in a bag for quite some time, so I think it's time for an "empties" post. As you may already know, talking about trash is becoming quite popular around the Internet. Basically, I've kept all my finished products to photograph and tell you whether or not I've enjoyed using them :)


LOTIONS
Bath and Body Works' Forever Sunshine and Secret Wonderland (Currently $4!)
I will always love using Bath and Body Works' body lotions on my legs. (You'll probably hear me mention that a million more times on my blog.) Their scents linger for a long time and their lotions are surprisingly very moisturizing! I like them a lot more than the Victoria Secret body lotions and have already stocked up on three lifetimes' worth (you can view the damage done in this post from July).

Hand Food Hand Cream ($12)
I did like this, but I probably won't repurchase this again because the L'Occitane hand cream is more moisturizing for me.

MAKEUP REMOVER & WIPES
Yes to Grapefruit Correct & Repair Brightening Facial Towelettes ($6)
It smells like a combination of grapefruit and baby wipes, which is a little strange  ... but it did work very nicely at exfoliating. I will probably not be repurchasing this because the smell weirds me out, but it wasn't a bad cleanser.

Olay Fresh Effects (S'Wipe Out!) Refreshing Makeup Removal Cloths ($5)
I will never buy these or anything that has "Fresh Effects" in the title ever again. It smells like hair dye and it burned my eyes really badly, even when it didn't come into contact with them. I think it's just the scent that irritated them, but I would stay away from these if you have sensitive eyes or skin.

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes ($6)
I wanted to try this because everyone on YouTube has been talking about them, but there's nothing spectacular about these. I must give it credit and tell you that it does remove makeup very nicely, but I did not particularly like this scent. (I'm just really picky with how things smell, as you may have already noticed ...)

up & up Eye Makeup Remover ($4)
Another round of a Target brand eye makeup remover finished! I have gone through a good five bottles of these and love how easily my eye makeup comes off. I could not ask for a better money saving remover :)

FACE
Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in Medium ($10)
This was the very first powder I've ever used (I always thought that using powder meant that you had to wear foundation ... don't ask me why I thought that) and I had a good experience with it! It lasted me a good half year, so I may repurchase it after I finish my Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder sample (which is awesome, by the way, but I hate using loose powder.) OR if you have any good pressed powder recommendations, let me know!

The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner ($8)
The only toner I've ever tried and will probably only try. It gets the job done and smells as normal as toner can smell. I use this after I remove my makeup, but I still like to wash my face afterward. I've already bought two more during their Cyber Monday sale, hehe.

LIPS
Blistex Lip Medex (2/$3)
This stuff is magic and my lips would probably scare away all of humankind if I didn't use it everyday.

HAIR
Batiste Travel Size Dry Shampoo in Cherry ($4)
I bought this thinking it'd be a good size to try, but it didn't last me very long. However, I do like the scent and have purchased the full size version in Blush, which I mentioned in this post. If you're looking to try a Batiste dry shampoo, I would just go for the full size!

EYES
Cover Girl Clump Crusher Mascara in Very Black ($9)
This is definitely going on my list of favorite mascaras. It's very hard for me to find a mascara light enough to keep my eyelashes curled. Mascaras are usually too heavy and cause my lashes to fall almost immediately after application, but THIS STUFF. Cover Girl, bless your souls for creating such a great mascara.

YAY, I can finally throw all my trash away! Sorry if this was a bit long, but I hope this was informative and helpful. Was your opinion of something I mentioned the total opposite of mine? It's always interesting how the same thing can be so different depending on who you are!

If you're on the fence about purchasing a lipstick from Urban Decay, hop it and run yourself right to Sephora because you need this in your stash.


Urban Decay first came out with their Revolution lipstick line back in July and I've been eager to review it. Although I wanted to purchase all 22 tubes, it comes at $22 (plus tax) a pop so I had to control myself or I'd end up being in debt. I chose Venom, a dark plum with a hint of shimmer. It wasn't as creamy as I thought it would be, but I think that's a good thing because it doesn't smear all over the tube like Revlon lip butters do. The wear time on Venom is great — even when it comes off, a nice stain remains :) Both the packaging and formulation deserve a full five stars.


If you are looking for a quality lipstick to give your best girlfriends for Christmas, any of the Urban Decay Revolution lipsticks will not disappoint you.

I wanted to include this in my October Love List back at the beginning of this month, but I thought it deserved its own post!

Even though I own real shampoo, I would consider throwing it away if Batiste mailed me a lifetime supply of this stuff. (Just kidding, sort of.) Since I've decided to keep my red hair, I wash it every three days to maintain its color. And yes, a bun or beanie is definitely necessary on that third day to hide all signs of oily hair!

I can't believe November is here and that there's only a month and two weeks left in my school's semester. I'm super excited for Winter Break because I'll be able to go home and spend time with my family. Do you guys have any plans for the holidays yet?

I wanted to start this "Love List" series to just talk about a couple of items that I love each month. I'm a little afraid that these posts will turn into long essays, so I've divided them up by categories so you can pick and choose what you'd like to read. Also, I've limited myself to three items or less per category so it won't take you 500 hours to load this page :)


BEAUTY
Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge Liquid Lip Color in 10 Raspberry ($24)
Although it comes with a hefty price tag, the quality is definitely there. I love the doe foot applicator and that it only comes off with oil. (So if you're eating pizza, I suggest not wearing this. Actually, just don't wear lipstick when you eat pizza ...) As for my personal preference, I don't like wearing the gloss because I feel ratchet with it on.

L'Oreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner in Carbon Black ($9)
I used to only use MAC's Blacktrack eyeliner, but I love the intensity of this liquid liner. Out of all the liners I've tried, this one is most black and long-lasting. I've slept with it on overnight and it was still good the next morning :)

Maybelline Color Tattoo in 70 Barely Branded ($7)
When I want to wear gold eyeshadow, I always put this on to make the color stand out. I like to apply it with e.l.f.'s Studio concealer brush — it works really well with any kind of cream product. It's starting to dry out, which makes me kind of sad because I bought it not too long ago.

FRAGRANCE
Dot by Marc Jacobs ($22)
I bought the rollerball version but if I finish and still want to continue using it, I'm definitely going to buy the full-sized one. Recognizing scents is not my forte, but Sephora's website describes it to have notes of red berries, dragonfruit and honeysuckle. If you're able to, get yourself to a beauty store and smell Dot!

ETC
Bath and Body Works' Heirloom Pear candle ($12.50)
I went into Bath and Body Works to look at their candles, and I instantly loved this one. It smells like any artificial pear scent would, but it burns neatly and evenly. (Don't you hate it when it ends up being a dent?) B&BW always have coupons, so make sure you search the web before you buy one!

MUSIC
I have been loving Hunter Hayes, especially this performance of "I Want Crazy" that he did with Danielle Bradbery, The Voice's Season 4 winner. It also doesn't hurt that he's a very cute boy :)

I am also obsessed with Elli Ingram's cover of "Poetic Justice". I have heard the original by Kendrick Lamar countless times because my youngest brother always bumps it in the car whenever I'm home, so it's cool to hear a female make an awesome remix.

TELEVISION
Season five of The Vampire Diaries. It's a little weird that I watch it now because I told "high school" me that I would never watch anything involving vampires. But I'm glad I started because it's a great show. I'm a little sad that Klaus isn't a recurring character anymore, but I'm still excited to see how certain events will play out. (Tweet me if you watch!)

one • NARS' And God Created The Woman Set
It might be just the way that it's packaged, but this looks amazing. I know that it's extremely tiny in reality, but I think these are the perfect six eyeshadows that can be used everyday. It also comes with a primer (which is awesome, by the way) and a brush!

two • Mini Cloud Cork-Board Set from Urban Outfitters
I think it's finally time for me to add some wall decorations in my room. I'm leaning toward these mini clouds, but I might also want to have a cork-board and chevron it. What do you think I should do?

three • MAC's 217 Blending Brush
My only blending brush is the travel size of Sigma's E25 and I always misplace it, so a regular sized one would be lovely.

four • Lynne Sandals from Shoemint
I can't justify spending $80 on a pair of sandals, but a girl can dream right? If I could, I would wear these all summer ... my feet definitely need to breathe in this warm weather.

five • Longchamp's Le Pliage bag in Burgundy
I think the burgundy color is limited edition, so hopefully they re-release it sometime soon! I'm going to SoCal for a week at the end of July and I have been wanting a durable travel bag, so this would be perfect.

six • Jewelry Tree with Bird from Target
I never wear any of my jewelry because it's always hidden in the abyss of my drawers. Maybe once I get a display, I'll reach for it more often.