reviews

CHARCOAL PORE STRIPS: DRUGSTORE vs HIGH END

Sunday, April 24, 2016





I was never one to use pore purifying strips. I tried the original Biore pore strips (you know, the white ones) when I was in high school, but I didn't feel that they made much of a difference. 

For at least the last year and a half, I have been wearing a liquid foundation almost every single day. While I have never been one to suffer from breakouts (for which I am very thankful) I do feel that my skin could use some extra care from all of the makeup I wear.

I know that Boscia is a well known skincare brand, and heard itsJudytime talking about them, saying they are her favorite pore strips. At the same time, I was in Ulta and saw that Biore came out with a new Charcoal line of pore strips and skincare items. Why not put them both to the test?

The instructions for using both of these brands are the same: cleanse your skin, thoroughly wet your nose and apply the strip, making sure that the entire strip comes in contact with your skin. Wait 10-15 minutes for the strip to dry, then slowly peel it off.

So, did I notice a difference? The Boscia strips give you a cooling feeling while they are drying, and I didn't find that same sensation with the Biore strips. I don't know about you, but I want to feel like my skincare products are doing something when they're on my skin, and I really enjoyed the cooling sensation from the Boscia strips. Also, Boscia focuses on the fact that their strips are free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, phthalates, and triclosan. d Biore doesn't mention anything about what their strips are made without, so it does make me question if their strips contain any harmful ingredients.

Both of the strips left my skin feeling very soft, but I feel that I noticed a bit more of a difference with the Boscia strips...they just seemed to pick up a bit more dirt from my pores.

So, which is better? The Boscia strips focus more on absorbing dirt and oil, while the Biore strips really focus more on absorbing oil. My skin isn't particularly oily, so I prefer what the Boscia strips have to offer over the Biore ones.

You can find the Biore Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips at Ulta, a pack of 6 strips for $6.99, while the Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strips come in a pack of 12 strips at Sephora for $28.

Do you use pore purifying strips? What brand is your favorite?

reviews

IPSY GLAM BAG: APRIL

Wednesday, April 20, 2016








It's time to go through my IPSY Glam Bag! You know the drill: $10 a month, 5 deluxe samples, delivered to your door in a cute little bag. Let's see what I got this month...

Moroccan Argan Oil & Keratin Hair Serum by Nth Degree - I always apply an oil or serum to my hair before I blow dry, so I was happy to get this in my bag. Full-size products like this can be a pain to travel with, so this mini-bottle is perfect. This left my hair feeling soft, but not weighed down.

Jelly Pong Pong Blush & Contour - A peachy blush and a cool-toned contour? Sign me up. This is a very small compact, which makes it difficult to use with larger brushes, but you can manage if you're careful. These are bit more powdery than I'd like, but they apply and blend beautifully. And I know, that blush looks like nothing in the swatch above, but it is surprisingly pigmented.

Tarte LipSurgence Lip Creme in Wonder - I love Tarte. This is a lip creme with a satin finish, infused with maracuja oil for moisture. I don't wear colors like this on a regular basis, but this will definitely come in handy for special occasions - and I'll be thrilled to apply this rather than a drying liquid lipstick.

Exfoliating Treatment Mask by TULA - YES! I love a good mask. Here's what I care about when I use a mask: how it feels (and smells) when I apply it, and how my skin feels and looks afterwards. This mask has small exfoliating particles in it, so you're supposed to apply it in circular motions to scrub away dead skin. Plus, it smells like a spa, has a slight cooling sensation, and left my skin feeling refreshed and feeling so soft. It also contains probiotics to help decrease redness - and we all know I could use that! This is the stand out product of my bag this month.

Probelle Nail Lacquer in In or Out - This shade just isn't me, but I could probably make it work on my toes. I'll probably end up gifting this to a friend who would appreciate the color a lot more.

What was your favorite product from your IPSY Glam bag this month?

reviews

EMPTY PRODUCTS III

Sunday, April 10, 2016


Here we are again! I've been saving up the products I've gone through the past few months and want to share them with you today. Plus, you'll get a mini-review of each item!


Products mentioned in this video:

> Soap and Glory Rich and Foamous Body Wash
> Kenra Volume 25 Hairspray
> NYX Micro Brow Pencil - Ash Brown
> Beauty Blender Cleanser 
> Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Oil
> Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo 
> Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water 
> Not Your Mother's Dry Shampoo
> NYX HD Concealer
> Dry Bar Triple Sec 3-in-1

What products have you gone through recently?

reviews

BOSCIA MAKEUP BREAKUP COOL CLEANSING OIL

Sunday, April 03, 2016


 


Ah, that moment at the end of the day when you remove your makeup, isn't that the best? My favorite way to remove all of my makeup, including waterproof eyeliner and mascara, is with a cleansing oil. The best way to use a cleansing oil is to apply a few pumps to your dry face and massage it into your skin, including your eyes, to break down and dissolve your makeup. 

I usually use a cleansing oil by Clinique, but I was in a Sephora in JC Penney recently and they don't carry Clinique, so I had to try something else. I've heard good things about Boscia and their cleansing oil - so that's what I picked up.

Boscia's Makeup Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil is just as effective as the one by Clinique, but the thing I noticed right away is that this one has a slight cooling sensation, and noticeable fragrance. I was happy to learn that it does not contain any artificial fragrances, and is scented with Geranium and Eucalyptus. It's also made without parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, preservatives, artificial color, gluten, and ethanol alcohol. This product has been dermatologist tested - so it's safe for sensitive skin.

Would I pick it up again? In a pinch - I absolutely would. However, Boscia's cleansing oil ($30) contains 150ml while Clinique's contains 200ml ($28), so Clinique is really a better buy. However, both brands do offer a small travel size (50ml) of these and Boscia's is $10 vs Clinique's $14, so if you were going to try one out or just get one for travel, Boscia might be the better way to go.

Click here to see the next step in my skincare routine.

What do you use to take off your makeup at the end of the day?

reviews

GARNIER MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER

Monday, March 21, 2016







Are you totally unfamiliar with micellar waters? Yeah, so was I. When I first started watching UK YouTubers, they always talked about Bioderma, a brand of micellar cleansing water. It's not readily accessible in the US, and I just plain wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

Micellar waters are touted as a powerful, yet gentle makeup remover; removing even waterproof and long-wear makeup. You apply it to a cotton round, smooth it over your face, and voila! Your makeup has been gently removed with no need to rinse afterward.

The first micellar water I found was from the Sephora brand, but I quickly moved onto the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. Firstly, the Garnier cleansing water is available at a wide selection of stores. Also, the Sephora cleansing water has a scent, and I like that the Garnier one doesn't. I first tried using micellar water with cotton rounds to remove all of my makeup - face, eyes, everything. I tend to wear foundation, concealer, powders, and waterproof eye makeup on an every day basis. I had to use five or six cotton rounds soaked in micellar water to remove everything. I was already in the habit of using a cleansing oil to remove the majority of my makeup, so this definitely wasn't going to replace that. If you wear a light amount of makeup on a daily basis, I think this product would be perfect for you to remove all of it. Despite not being able to remove all of my makeup in one step, this still made its way into my skincare routine in a really important way.

After removing my makeup with a cleansing oil, I will soak one cotton round with micellar water and run it across my entire face, including eyes, to make sure that I have removed every stitch of makeup. I almost always end up removing the final bits of foundation and mascara from my face with this step. If I don't wash my face in the morning, I'll also use this on a cotton round to refresh and wake me up.

You can find Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water at a drugstore near you, or at Ulta.

What do you use to remove your makeup at the end of the day? Have you ever tried a Micellar Water?

reviews

IPSY GLAM BAG: MARCH

Sunday, March 13, 2016











The Ipsy Glam Bag is a monthly subscription service that includes 5 beauty, skincare, and haircare products ranging from sample to full sizes for $10 a month. Ipsy is the first beauty subscription service I have ever used, and this is the second bag I have received.

The thing I like most about this subscription service is the personalization it offers - you complete a survey about your preferences, which made me feel like the products I was going to receive would really cater to my taste. I also like that you can complete this survey multiple times throughout your subscription, in case your preferences change.

I received the Global Beauty Care Dead Sea Mask and found that it left my skin feeling extremely soft. I already have the Make Up For Ever Hydrating Primer, and love this for every day use to hydrate my skin and prepare it for makeup. I applied the Vera Mona Eyeshadow in Clover with the Beau Gâchis® Paris Eyeshadow Brush, which left a beautiful wash of pink shimmer on my lids - perfect for spring. The Model Co Lip Lacquer in Socialite is high shine and applies as much more of a peachy tone than you'd think from looking at the product in the tube.

Have you tried the Ipsy Glam Bag? Do you use any other beauty subscription services?

reviews

L'ORÉAL TRUE MATCH LUMI CUSHION FOUNDATION

Sunday, March 06, 2016











I'm back! I know it's been a minute, but I'm thrilled to share this post with you because the photos were taken with my new camera. 

Cushion foundations came at us out of nowhere, and to be honest, I thought they were quite gimmicky. The idea is that a liquid foundation is soaked into a sponge, or "cushion", providing a lightweight, fresh application. 

I do not tend to go for lightweight, or light coverage foundations, because I have redness on my cheeks that I like to cover up. However, L'Oréal states that this is "buildable, customizable coverage" so I thought I'd give it a go.

I'll be honest, I didn't like this when I first tried it. I think that's because I was comparing it to other foundations that I love that provide much higher coverage, and more of a matte finish. Of course, that's not what this is so that wasn't a fair comparison.

I really like this. It comes with a sponge applicator that works great, and is probably the best way to go about applying this if you're new to these types of foundations. I've also applied it with a brush and got similar results. This foundation provides a luminous finish, without making you look oily. The nicest compliment I received when wearing this foundation was that my makeup looked natural, and some days, that's exactly what I want. Is this buildable? Ehhhh...not very. On this day I used some concealer to cover up some of my redness on my lower cheek area, and I loved how it looked. I also set the perimeter of my face with powder to make the foundation last and allow my other powder products to go on smoothly.

If you are looking for something to even out your skin tone with a natural look and finish, I'd say this is right up your alley. I can't wait to start using this in the summer months - I think it will be perfect to add a bit of coverage, while not feeling like you're wearing a thick layer of foundation. Another plus? Since it's a compact, you can take it on the go for touch-ups. What other liquid foundation can you say that about?

Have you tried cushion foundations? What is your favorite?

makeup

MAC FIX PLUS

Saturday, January 30, 2016


I first heard about Mac Fix Plus when I started watching makeup tutorials on YouTube. I would mostly see beauty gurus use this spray to wet their brush before using a glittery eyeshadow, and I would think "yeah, but does that really do anything?" Yes honey, it does.

The MAC website describes Fix Plus as "A lightweight water mist that gently soothes and refreshes skin and finishes makeup." I would by no means call this a makeup setting spray, because I don't believe that the use of this product prolongs the wear of your makeup. But Fix Plus does something important that I don't believe any makeup setting spray does: spray this on your face as the last step of your makeup routine, and you'll find that all traces of that powdery finish or that cakey makeup look will disappear.

The real marvel of this product is it's effect on shimmer eyeshadows. I was recently gifted the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, and while the shimmer shadows are beautiful in the pan, I found that they didn't transfer to the lid with the same amount of glimmer. Enter Fix Plus, whose second ingredient is glycerine. Pack some shadow onto your brush, give it a spritz of Fix Plus, and watch the magic happen. Apply the shadow on your lid, and you'll find a much more pigmented, almost foiled shadow emerges.

Top swatch using Fix Plus, bottom swatch without

This spray is also great to use as a primer before applying your makeup, and throughout the application process by spraying your foundation brush or Beauty Blender before application. This stuff will be a definite repurchase when I run out.

Do you use Fix Plus?

foundation

L'OREAL TRUE MATCH FOUNDATION

Sunday, January 24, 2016




I just want foundation to sit on my skin and not look or feel like I'm wearing foundation. That's probably a little unreasonable.

This is what I'm thinking when I try out a new foundation: I want to apply this to my face to cover my redness and even out my skin tone, but I don't want to feel it and I don't want it to look like I'm wearing makeup.

That's probably too much to ask, but I do have some foundations I absolutely love (here's lookin' at you, L'Oreal Infallible!) so when I try a new one, I want it to be as good, or better than my current favorite.

I had heard so many good things about L'Oreal True Match foundation, and I finally gave into the hype a few months ago. I've been reaching for it more now that we're in the colder months; I found that using matte foundations every day was drying out my skin. Girl. Girl. This foundation is great, and I'll tell you why.

So, the packaging isn't anything fancy - but the formula is amazing. There are 24 shades, and 3 different skin tone variations to choose from within those shades (W - Warm, C - Cool, N - Neutral) so that you can find the perfect shade to match your skin tone.

This foundation has a liquid consistency, and goes on smooth when applied with a brush or damp sponge. It's is oil free, but also has a moisturizing and nourishing quality. This foundation won't cling to any dry patches, and can be sheered out or built up to a medium-full coverage. As always, you should set this foundation with a powder to ensure it will last all day.

Want to see this foundation in action? Click here!

liquid lipstick

Review: Sephora Cream Lip Stain

Sunday, January 10, 2016


I was going to do a post dedicated to this lip color during the holiday season, but my life got busy and before I knew it the holidays came and went. Then I got some questions about this product on Facebook and even in person, and thought this might still be helpful to many of you.

It seems like liquid lipsticks took the makeup world by storm in 2015. Almost every high-end makeup brand offers one, and they've even made their way into the drugstore market. 

Liquid lipsticks are intended to be a matte, long-wearing formula. Because they are highly pigmented, and liquid, application can take some practice and precision. Sephora has done a great job with their formula. The great thing about these lipsticks is that they go on, and stay on. Since they're a matte formula, they can be a bit drying (but not nearly as drying as others I've tried). A good way to combat this is to use a lip exfoliator before application (try this one) and to wear a bit of lip balm underneath. 

I wouldn't wear something like this on an every day basis, but for parties and special occasions, it's nice to apply a lip color (a bold one, at that) and not have to worry about touching up multiple times. 

My favorite shade of this lip color is the one pictured above, Always Red. There are 14 shades available at Sephora, ranging from matte to satin finishes.

Do you use liquid lipsticks? What brand is your favorite?

beauty

REVIEW: FRESH SUGAR LIP POLISH

Wednesday, December 23, 2015





Ah, the holidays. A time when the weather turns cold, all is festive, and us in the beauty world bust out a red lip. The cold weather, in combination with the wearing of matte-red lipsticks, which are drying by nature, create the need for something to exfoliate and hydrate our lips.

A lip exfoliator is a great thing to use at this time of year, and the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish is my favorite. First, the packaging -  small, sleek, and functional, fitting in well with the rest of my beauty collection. This product not only exfoliates with brown sugar, but also hydrates with jojoba and grape seed oils to leave your lips feeling exfoliated, and hydrated. It also has a lovely sweet-tea scent which makes using this product downright lovely. Of course this is great to use during a pamper session, but I especially like the fact that it exfoliates and hydrates my lips just before putting on a matte lipstick.

Do you use a lip exfoliator? What is your favorite?