Tarte Cosmetics Deluxe LipSurgence™ Lip Crème in Wonder - Product Review

Tarte Cosmetics has some beautiful products on the market. They have a uniqueness to them that is attractive with names, packaging and ingredients like maracuja oil which this lip creme, LipSurgence,contains.

Recently having tried this product, I find its appeal is likely to a very young market. As someone who loves lipsticks and glosses for personal and professional use, I did not care for this particular piece. I would however be interested to try their other lipsticks and products that appear high-quality, professional and more "grown-up."

The large "crayola"-shaped stick was awkward in application, especially on applying to the top lips. 

It is matte and deep in its shade of "wonder," a poppy color. It is also available in shades of apricot, rose berry and a soft pink. The application faded quickly but worked similar to a lip stain in that the color remained though more lightly. It is slightly moisturizing but not enough in comparison to other lipsticks that are highly moisturizing.

Overall, though it is not for me, I believe young girls would enjoy this lip product and the range of light colors is a perfect fit for them. 

This product retails for $24 at their website. 

Video - Jelly Pong Pong Neapolitian Eye Shadow Palette - Product Review

Watch the video review here or on my YouTube Channel

Watch the video to find out if you will enjoy this new eye shadow trio from Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics.

VIDEO - L’Oreal 8-Hour Pro Gloss/Suede - Product Review

Watch the review here or on my Youtube Channel

New product review from the Makeup Ranch at STYLE Santa Fe with your host, Cheryl Bruedigam, reviewing L’Oreal 8-Hour Pro Gloss in the color of Suede. Watch this video to find out what we found out and to decide if you will want to use this product.

This gloss is available in twenty shades and retails from $8-10 online or in a store near you.


Products used in this video:
L’Oreal 8-Hour Pro Gloss/Suede
BellaPierre Waterproof Gel Nude Lip Liner (Read the review)
Lipstick by Player in Brown #5

Makeup Forever Excessive Lash Mascara - Product Review

Makeup Forever Excessive Lash Mascara - Product Review

Watch the video here or on my YouTube Channel

If you have been following my mascara reviews, you know that I am picky about mascara. This product did not disappoint! As a matter of fact, I have not used anything else since I got this mascara. Watch the video to find out more!

Video Review - Dirty Little Secret Illuminating Baked Highlighter in Bellisima

Watch the video here or on my YouTube Channel

You may also read the review.

theBalm Cosmetics/Mr. Write (NOW) Eyeliner Pencil in Jac B Bronze – Product Review

theBalm Cosmetics/Mr. Write (NOW) Eyeliner Pencil in Jac B Bronze – Product Review

Although I admire and applaud all that theBalm Cosmetics’ founder, Marissa Shipman, has created and accomplished, I did not care for the Mr. Write (NOW) Eyeliner Pencil in Jac B Bronze.

The color is very beautiful, a light shimmery bronze, with light being the key word; too light. It just does not show up. I have medium skin tones and I am used to a dark brown or black for lining. I tried applying it just for some extra sparkle on the lower inner eye but still it appeared a no-show. I believe this color might (only) work on a blonde with very pale skin. I will note that the pencils do come in darker shades and are available at the website. I will also note that the colors are named after men, i.e., Bill, Brian, Wayne, etc., which is kind of confusing to me because there is nothing to go on other than a picture of the pencil and the pencil’s male name. That just does not work for me and I am not twenty, so neither does the whole Mr. Write name-thing.

This pencil has the self-sharpening tip that rolls out. Not trying to be a negative-Nellie here, but when I tried to apply the pencil, the tip broke easily and immediately, and of course we all know that heat affects any eye-pencil, and I had just received it in the mail. After bringing more of the tip out and applying, it did not flow or apply easily. I personally have found very few of these type of tips that do not break constantly or that apply smoothly. My favorite that I had found was by Katherine, but has been dis-continued (of course). Jordana EasyLiner works very well. Otherwise, I have a drawer-full of eyeliner pencils both regular and reractable/self-sharpening, that do not work.

And last but not least, there is no smudger on the end and in my book, a smudger is a must.

These pencils retail at theBalm website for $17.

So overall, sadly, I am sorry to say that although I love bronze, I will have to turn down Mr. Write in Jac B Bronze, as well as his other friends as far as a regular day-to-day eye-liner.

Update: I have continued to experiment with the pencil in its bronze/gold color. I have included it in my tutorial on my makeup look, Tie-Dyed Eyes, so I am happy to have found a use for it. It is better suited for enhancement than lining. 

Video Review Jelly Pong Pong Caribbean Sun Bronzer Duo/Aruba

Jelly Pong Pong Caribbean Sun Bronzer Duo/Aruba – Product Review

Watch the video here or on YouTube

This bronzer duo is a product that I was looking forward to using and reviewing. I do love it . If you have a light complexion with warm tones, the duo shades of Aruba will work beautifully. They go on easy and blend well. It contains Argan and mango butter which is supposed to be moisturizing, it is a powder though

Use the darker shade beneath the top color for a double-bronze effect or use the darker shade beneath the cheekbone to contour and the lighter shade on top of cheekbone to highlight. An easy quick trick is to turn the rotate the container in your hand so that the light color is on top and the darker shade is beneath, then sweep bot with your brush and apply. This technique will do the contouring for you when you are in a hurry by adding the darker color beneath the cheekbone and the lighter color on top. Viola!

Dust the lighter shade above brows on forehead, down the nose and on chin for that just-kissed-the-sun look.

It comes in an easy little compact with a quality mirror. Brush is not included but who uses those little brushes anyway?

Overall, I would buy this product again. It retails for $24.95 at their website.

ColorMates Lipstick - Product Review

Watch the video review here or on my YouTube Channel

Welcome to Style Santa Fe, this is Cheryl Bruediam here with a quick review on ColorMates Lipsticks. I first discovered ColorMates a few years ago when I was in Santa Fe for a wedding. It was raining and I needed a mascara touchup so I ran into a grocery store and all they had were ColorMates. It got me through in a pinch so when I saw them at my local store I thought I’d check them out and let you know how it went. I love the lipsticks. These little jewels have gorgeous colors and amazing staying power. They’re also super moisturizing.

I have three colors here today, Pink Frost, Berry Root and Peach Fuzz. The Pink Frost is really more of a mauvish frost and the color is light and sheer. The Berry Root is my favorite of the three and is really more of a bright hot pink and I love it. The peach fuzz is a bright shimmery peach and pretty true to its name.

I’m just going to apply the Berry root real quick so you can get an idea of how well and easy it goes on. (PAUSE) There, it looks great!

So if you’re on a budget and wondering what line to use or you’re in a pinch and need a quick fix that you can rely on, ColorMates is the choice for lipstick. And best of all, at least at the local store near me, they’re only one dollar a piece. Yep that’s what I said, one dollar, can’t beat that. So, I love ‘em, you’ll love ‘em and I’ll be back with reviews on other ColorMates products soon! 

Thanks for joining me, this is Cheryl Bruedigam with Style Santa Fe.

I hope you will subscribe to my channel and comment on and share the videos. See ya next time. 

Mellow Cosmetics Eye Shadow/Plum - Quick Product Review

Just a quick look at Mellow Cosmetics' Baked Eye Shadow in Plum. Watch the video to find out if you will like this product.

Watch here or on the YouTube Channel




This color is so rich and beautiful that I made a video so that it could be seen better.

This baked eye-shadow is from Mellow Cosmetics. It is also available in Coco.

I found this product very similar to the Dirty Little Secret Eye Shadow that I recently reviewed. As a matter of fact, it was so similar that the two go extremely well together. I used the DLS Bellisima as a highlighter with this Mellow Plum and it was gorgeous. 

This product is available online. It is very affordable and I would absolutely buy more of these shadows. 

Review by Cheryl Bruedigam of STYLE Santa Fe.

Boombastic Lash Volumizer Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara - Product Review

Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara

Review by Cheryl Bruedigam, owner STYLE Santa Fe

Boombastic Lash Volumizer from Doucce is a wonderful mascara. I love it! I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and there are no negatives. Recently, I reviewed Smashbox Mascara, which I also liked very much but I have to say I like this one even more because of the brush. 

As I have mentioned, I am picky about mascara, and the brush is always important to me. Before this product, with regard to brushes, I always thought bigger was better. But this brush is small; so small in fact I would not even call the bristles "bristles" because they really aren't, they are just tiny protrusions but boy do they work. The brush allows you to really separate lashes, get in between each lash or whatever you need to do. There is exceptional control that I have yet to find in any other mascara. 

The formula is really good. There is no smearing, smudging or flaking and it comes out in just the right amount. It comes off easily with my makeup remover. 

Overall, I love this product and I would definitely re-purchase.

It retails for $24 at doucce.com. It is available in black. 

Dirty Little Secret Illuminating Baked Highlighter in Bellisima - Product Review

by Cheryl Bruedigam

Watch the video or read the article below

This product is wonderful.  Though it is a cool shade, it gives the “southwest sunset” look that I have been working with an added burst in this unusual shade of what I would classify as near-peach. 

As a highlighter on eyes or checks, it goes on rich and generously.

Because it is rich and does go on generously, be careful not to overdo though it is so lovable you may be tempted.

Another bonus is that it is a very large pot as far as eye-shadows and their containers go so you definitely get your money’s worth with this purchase.

In the line, there are also shades of Rosa and Sunkist, both of which I would love to try.

Bellisima retails for $9.00. Is it worth it? Every penny

Smashbox X-Rated Mascara – Product Review

by Cherryl Bruedigam

Love this product, and I do not say that lightly. It worked surprisingly well for such a small tube because I have the travel size. 

I had concerns that the brush would be too small but it is not. It goes on great and is lengthening.

Since I have been using this product (about two weeks) I have cried with it on and I have gotten something in my eye and my eye poured with water and I thought, oh no, my mascara will be ruined. Not so. After each incident, there was zero smudging and it was still in tact. I was amazed. It does not smudge nor smear nor flake nor clump. Although they do carry a waterproof brand, this is not it so that makes it double amazing.

I have always been picky about mascara. There are some beauty products that you can fudge by on with  the quality but mascara is not one of them. I am picky about the formula but even more so about the brushes. The last three or four tubes I have tried were very disappointing. I tend to stick with Revlon because I know what I am getting but even then there are only one or two types of Revlon that I will use. It is difficult to venture out into the territory of new mascaras. The Smashbox brush did not disappoint even though it did not look as large as brushes I generally prefer, it is not small either. It has three sets of brush lines that spiral around it so that it is really able to work into the lashes and the mascara itself is wetter than some and it really goes on well.

The final test for me will be how long the product lasts in the tube. I live in the dry desert mountains of the southwest and it seems that my mascara dries out so much more quickly here. I go through tubes like wildfire, seriously, a tube lasts about two months. Whereas when I lived in more humid climates, I rarely finished a tube before it just got old and I threw it out. So I am hoping since this is a wetter formula (and I say that in a good sense, not a bad sense) that it will last longer that what I am experiencing with other brands.

That’s it; pretty simple. Not much more to say about mascara; mascara and brush. This product works great. It retails for $22 at their website in several different options. Is it worth the money? I would say yes, absolutely, if you are picky about mascara, have the budget and are looking for a high quality product.

BellaPierre Waterproof Gel Nude Lip Liner - Product Review

BellaPierre Waterproof Gel Nude Lip Liner - These all-natural lip liners are made up of mineral pigments and botanical waxes such as jojoba and safflower which are supposed to provide definition and long-wear, as well as waterproofing.

At the first application, I really did not care for this lip-liner; however, after continued use, I find it more enjoyable. I love the easy, quicker application due to the softness of the product. I find myself wearing it more than other more traditional liners (of which I have an drawer-full).

Plus

Soft and moisturizing vs some of the harder tipped pencils.

Softness makes for easy application.

Nude color is good for that all-natural look (which we all know takes time, skill and products to achieve)

Nude color is good for older women so that color does not show so much in wrinkles while still offering a defined look.

Nude color may be used for contouring and correction beneath a colored pencil.

Nude color is great for younger girls wanting to define without looking overdone.

It is an all-natural product and this is always a plus and sometimes we have to let go of other plusses than unnatural products offer to make the best and healthiest choice for ourselves, the animals and the planet.

No animal testing.

Minus

Nude is way too light for me personally I prefer more color (even though I am older).

Not a lot of staying power I think due to the gel, it is softer and creeps a little.

“Waterproof” is a pretty broad statement. It does stay on after taking a drink. It does not stay on after a meal and teeth-brushing so you be the judge on that one. As for swimming, I do not know as I have not yet swum while wearing it.

Gel is a little messier to sharpen because it is softer than a hard liner pencil, especially if the product gets warm. Best to store it in a cool place if possible. If carried in your purse, it may soften a little more as do most cosmetics.

The product retails at their website for £20.00 (just under $29 USD). It is available on Amazon for as low as $14,99 + 5.00 shipping, so $20. Is it worth the money? That is up to you and your budget to decide. But remember, it is all-natural and a quality mineral product. Natural and quality cost more. 

Overall, I do really like it. It is easy and comfortable and I can feel good about the ingredients and the company’s philosophies. 

Jelly Pong Pong Caribbean Sun Bronzer Duo/Aruba – Product Review

Watch the video or read the review below.
Subscribe to my channel for more great product tips and reviews.

This bronzer duo is a product that I was looking forward to using and reviewing. I do love it . If you have a light complexion with warm tones, the duo shades of Aruba will work beautifully. They go on easy and blend well.

Use the darker shade beneath for a double-bronze effect or use the darker shade beneath the cheekbone to contour and the lighter shade on top of cheekbone to highlight. Dust the lighter shade above brows on forehead, down the nose and on chin for that just-kissed-the-sun look.

It comes in an easy little compact with a quality mirror. Brush is not included.

Overall, I would buy this product again.