December Sephora Play! Box

Thankfully, this month's box got to me on time! December's theme is "The Partygoers," and contains products to get you through the holiday party season. There were some yay and some nay things in here for me this month, but overall it wasn't a disappointment.

November Sephora Play! Box

My November box got caught up in the whirlwind of moving and address forwarding. I got it about a week before I got my December box, so it was sort of like a double dose of new things! (Alongside some frustration, the post office had it for a week and didn't try to deliver it.) November's theme was "Best In Glow" - the products had a theme of illuminated skin and glossy lips for the start of winter. I actually got a couple of items I was excited about, and one I was THRILLED to get, so let's talk about them!

I'm Back!

I really didn't mean to, but I'm back after a somewhat? brief hiatus. Between packing my house up, moving into a new place, the home buying process, and then the holidays, things just got away from me! But I'm back, with a ton of new stuff to review and post about!

September Sephora Play! Box

This month's play box was a bit disappointing, I'm not going to lie. I'm going to continue my subscription because I usually like at least one of the items, and I enjoy getting a box of goodies for $10 every month. But yeah...September wasn't the best month for this box, in my opinion.

Kat von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lolita II - Review

Lolita II is one of my favorite Kat von D liquid lipstick shades. When I heard it would be released as a Studded Kiss shade as part of the holiday release, I knew I would be picking it up immediately. For the limited edition release, two other liquid lip shades were released in the Studded Kiss formula along with Lolita II - Mother and Double Dare.

Sugarpill Liquid Lip Color in Trinket - Review

I was able to get in on the original release of Sugarpill's first liquid lipstick earlier this year. They're finally re-releasing it, and they've made some changes to the formula as well as the packaging - so my review won't be able to discuss the changes, only the original release.

Trinket is a "creamy matte mauve infused with luminous golden sparkles." The lipstick is more of a pinky nude with lots of gold shimmer. The lipstick formula is more of a whipped lipstick, sort of like Fyrinnae's lip lustres - a mushy lipstick that's easily spreadable. The lipstick applies easily and smoothly, with one coat covering the lip. The formula isn't patchy, and the sparkle is pretty evenly distributed (at first - more on that later.) After applying, the lipstick is mostly pinky nude with some gold shimmer lurking underneath that isn't terribly in your face. I found it close to NARS Orgasm gloss, giving a shimmer without being frosty or metallic. The lipstick has a heavy creamsicle scent that dissipates after applying. The lipstick dries to a comfortable matte finish, which was not overly drying. There were no issues with bleeding or feathering.

The lipstick wears well at first, but as you go about eating, drinking, or if you lick your lips, the pinky lipstick part wears off leaving lots and lots of gold shimmer. I wound up with patches of solid gold shimmer on my lips throughout the day. Reapplication fixed the issue, but the gold would eventually resurface and change the lipstick to be a much harder metallic gold with some pink mixed in. Additionally, reapplication was easy with no disturbing the lipstick underneath. To keep the initial color of the lipstick, I found myself needing to check on the state of the lipstick and reapply after every drink or every few hours.

I do like the overall formula a lot, I think Sugarpill did a great job. Hopefully with their reformulation the fading issue is resolved, and if not, I would still like to try non-shimmery shades in the future! The new packaging is a shorter, stubbier tube without the mermaid artwork. I'm happy I got the LE artwork, it's super cute!

Pros:

• Easy application
• Applies smoothly
• Scent that does dissipate
• Non drying

Cons:

• Color fades leaving only gold behind
• Frequent reapplication needed to maintain original shade
• Heavily scented

Sugarpill Liquid Lip Color in Trinket - $18.00 for 0.21 oz

Review - 3.5/5

Epically Epic Lip Balms - Review

I featured my Marshmallow Epically Epic lip balm in my August favorites, and I wanted to write about the other flavors I picked up after I fell in love with Marshmallow! Marshmallow was gifted to me in a swap, and it took the finishing of my favorite Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment to crack it open, and I'm really glad I did! I ordered some more flavors near the end of the summer, so I'm going to be writing about a few seasonal flavors that may not be around all the time. (Marshmallow seems to be a constant from what I've seen, though!)

Sixteen92 Anniversary 2016 Collection - Review

I have been so, so behind on reviewing perfumes. I figured I'd get a start on my backlog with something that was recent - Sixteen92's anniversary collection! I reviewed the collection that was released last year, and I repurchased another set of samples for this year. The collection has two repeat scents from last year - The Tea Party and The Princess Party. I actually bought a full size of The Tea Party last year, since I'm a lover of everything tea related. I'm a big fan of Sixteen92 scents, and I'm excited to review these!

The Tea Party - I'm not going to review this here, since I already did so last year. This year's batch smells exactly like my bottle from last year, which is awesome! Definitely going to keep this as a backup!

The Princess Party - Another repeat. Smells just like last year - orange cake!

The Luau Party - Reminiscent of last year's The Pool Party, the notes for this are white sponge cake soaked in cold coconut milk, topped with rum-infused whipped cream and toasted coconut shavings. From the vial, the scent is all coconut cream. Wet on the skin, the coconut takes a bit of a backseat for a more vanilla leaning note with a hint of rum. As it dries, the scent becomes a little artificial, much to my disappointment. The coconut turns plasticky, sort of like cheap drugstore coconut shampoo. If only the initial notes didn't morph on me! I could seriously huff the vial scent all day long. This scent lasted around 3 hours on me before fading and needing the notorious super huff of the wrist.

Review - 3/5

The Garden Party - I love lemon desserts, so I was super pumped to read the notes for this one - Meyer lemon honey cake soaked in rosewater and jasmine simple syrup, topped with a citrus glaze and candied rose petals. Opening the vial, there's definitely lemon, but more of a chemical cleaner like lemon. On the skin, the lemon opens up more and brings with it a floral note. I don't get much cake out of it, which is a bit of a letdown. As it dries, the scent turns more and more towards a white floral with a bit of an herby background. I was really hoping to get more honey cake from this, so it's a bit of a disappointment for me. This one had a very strong throw and lasted longer than the others, over four hours.

Review 3.5/5

The Cocktail Party - Another new scent! The notes are listed as dark chocolate Devil’s Food cake with caramelized fig compote and whiskey ganache. In the vial, the scent is heavy dark chocolate. On the skin, the dark chocolate melds with cake and comes together as a fantastic chocolate cake note. As it dries, the scent turns to dark chocolate and coffee. The entire scent is super rich, so it's a perfume better suited for colder months. The scent lasted 2.5-3 hours on my skin before starting to noticeably fade.

Review - 4/5

The sample set was $20, and was sent within the advertised 14 day turnaround time. I also got a mini vial of another scent with my order, which is always appreciated! This collection isn't one of my favorites, I liked last year's Anniversary set more (MASQUERADE PARTY!!!) but perfume is such a personal thing, they won't all be winners.

Perfume oils work differently for different people due to skin chemistry. This is my experience with these perfume oils, which may differ for you!

August 2016 Favorites!

Life has been so busy lately, and I've put off this post long enough. I'm glad that summer is winding down, but here are my favorites for the last month of summer, August!

August Sephora Play! Box

I look forward to getting my Sephora Play box every month, and this month had an exciting box. There are a lot of spoilers for the box out on the internet, but I try not to spoil the surprise for myself. This month's box theme was "The Eye Openers" - and I love eye makeup! Here are my thoughts on this month's products.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Tryst - Review

I recently posted my review of one of the new Urban Decay Vice lipsticks, in the shade Wonderland. I wanted to follow up with my review of the other cream finish Vice lipstick I have, Tryst!

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Wonderland - Review

Urban Decay recently released their Vice lipstick line, after discontinuing their Revolution lipstick line. The Vice line has 100 shades, in six different finishes (sheer, sheer shimmer, comfort matte, mega matte, metallized, and cream.) Many of the Revolution shades were moved over to the new formula, and a ton of new shades were introduced. I've bought five Vice lipsticks so far, I'm really liking them! I mentioned Wonderland in my July favorites, so I figured I should write my review sooner rather than later!

July 2016 Favorites!

Happy summer - we're halfway through! I got a few new products this month, and a couple of them made this month's favorites. I'm really excited to share my choices with you!

The Face Shop Black Label Lipstick in Lady Wine (437) - Review

I was contacted by the lovely people over at q-depot with the opportunity to review one of the lipsticks from The Face Shop. I chose the shade Lady Wine to try and get out of my comfort zone a little. (I passed up corals and pinky nudes!) This is my first time trying a lipstick from a Korean brand, but I have used skincare products from The Face Shop in the past.

Lady Wine is a deepened berry red, with a warm undertone and hints of pink. There is a decent amount of silver shimmer, enough for a hint of pearly sheen but not enough for a metallic finish. The lipstick has a fruity scent which disappears quickly after applying. Application is smooth with no tugging or skipping. On the lips, the lipstick feels slightly gritty, most likely due to the shimmer. The formula is light with some slip, and it did not feel drying during wear. I had no issues with bleeding or feathering.

I experienced a lot of transfer during wear, especially while eating or drinking. Reapplying was easy enough, adding another layer of lipstick did not disturb the layer underneath. I did experience some fading on the inside of the lip, bad enough that it was noticeable and I needed to reapply. This shade did not leave a stain. Overall, this lipstick was easy to apply and wear, but isn't really good for situations where you need a lipstick to hold fast all day.

Pros:

• No bleeding or feathering
• Non drying
• Smooth application

Cons:

• Prone to transfer
• Slightly gritty feeling
• Fades on inner lip

The Face Shop Black Label Lipstick in Lady Wine (437)
Review - 3/5

This product was sent to me for free for review purposes. I was not paid for my review, and all thoughts are my own.

Recent Repurchases

I love hauls just as much as the next person - but I also love seeing what products are bought more than once! I also like talking about products I repurchase as well. I picked these up over the past month or so. I repurchase a lot more skincare than makeup due to the fact that I'll use the same skincare day in and day out, while I'll change up my makeup more often. But this time, there's some makeup in the mix!

July Sephora Play! Box

I'm starting to really look forward to this each month! July's theme is "effortless" - Sephora's choice of "warm weather essentials." This month had two separate boxes, one for dry/normal skin and one for oily/combination skin. I received the oily/combo skin box. The dry/normal box has a Benefit Hoola liquid, a regular First Aid Beauty cleanser, and the regular Smashbox Photo Finish primer. All of the other products are the same between the two boxes.

Etude House I Need You vs. 02 Therapy Air Tea Tree Sheet Masks

Etude House I Need You sheet masks were the very first Asian beauty item I ever tried. I ordered a set of three hyaluronic acid masks from RoseRoseShop, and the rest was history. I really liked the I Need You masks, they came in a ton of flavors, they worked well for me, and the fit was nice. But then they were discontinued. I was so upset, but at least Etude House was releasing a new line of masks, right? I ordered some of the new masks from Jolse (Tea Tree and Pomegranate, two of my top ones from the old line) and I happened to get a Tea Tree I Need You mask as a bonus gift. I decided to compare the old one to the new one to see if the new line measures up!

June 2016 Favorites!

Summer is now in full swing and I'm not enjoying it! This month's favorites are a lot of products that help me out during the warmer, more humid months. (At least this month I'm not super late!)

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion - I'm actually on my second one of these! I really like the cushion formula, I find it to be a little different than the regular Lumi foundation. I apply this with my trusty beautyblender, I don't really like the puff that this comes with. This has light coverage that's good to cover minor imperfections, but it can be layered for more coverage. Paired with powder, this lasts through my commute and a day in the air conditioned office.

bumble and bumble Don't Blow It - This came in my June Play! box and I've really been enjoying it! I shower a lot due to working out once or twice a day (I get REALLY sweaty so hair must be rinsed at the very least!) and when I can't be bothered with my hair, I've been putting this in. My hair gets a little more volume and a tiny bit of texture, so it's great for on the go. I'm considering a full size, but I have a tiny bit left of my mini.

Givenchy Mister Mat primer - I've tried a lot of mattifying primers, and this is by far my favorite formula. It has that silicone-y feel to it, but it actually smooths onto the skin and doesn't ball up or create primed patches on the face, letting foundation stick to those parts more. I pair this with the Lumi cushion to get some decent wear out of the dewier formula. I do get a little shiny throughout the day when using this, but not shiny enough to have to blot.

Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence sunscreen - No matter what else I try, I come back to this. It sinks in quickly, no white cast, and dries matte! I wear sunscreen year round under my makeup, but I definitely rely on this in the summer as I sometimes don't use any face makeup when I'm going to be outside, and this doubles as a bit of a mattifying primer. I have yet to get a burn on my face while wearing this, I can't recommend it enough!

eos hand lotion - I won't lie, this was a cheap item to try and make the free shipping threshold for an Ulta order. I needed a hand cream, I needed to make shipping, it was a match made in heaven! Even better, I'm really liking this! I wash my hands a lot at work, so I keep this in my bag to save my hands from becoming dry and cracked. The lotion is light and absorbs quickly, and doesn't leave behind a greasy feel. The scent is also super fresh, but fades quickly. I have a feeling I'll be picking up another one of these!

I hope your summer is going well - lots of fun and no sunburns! Remember to always wear sunscreen even if you're wearing makeup with SPF in it - chances are you're not using enough makeup for adequate coverage (you need 1/4 of a teaspoon.) Let me know what products you're loving so far this summer!

Palette Comparison - ABH Modern Renaissance, MUR Newtrals vs. Neutrals, Lime Crime Venus

I recently bought the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette, and I'm really liking it! I wanted to compare it to a couple of similar palettes I have in my collection - the Makeup Revolution Newtrals vs. Neutrals palette, and the Lime Crime Venus palette. There are a few similarities between the three, so you may not need all of them (but no judgement if you do...) Prepare for a lot of pictures!

June Sephora Play! Box

Another month, another box! I've been getting Sephora's Play! beauty box for a few months now, but I started reviewing them with my May box. Sephora used to ship out the boxes near the end of the month after billing on the 4th or so, but the last couple of months they've shipped out a bit earlier. I received mine on June 17th!

This month's theme is "The Minimalists," focusing on emphasizing "less is more." For the start of summer, it's definitely better to wear less than have more makeup melt off your face in the humidity! I'm actually excited about a couple of this month's products, and disappointed by a couple of others.

Korean Skincare at Ulta!

Over the past year or so, I've hardcore gotten into Asian skincare. Until relatively recently, getting lesser known Korean brands required ordering from specialty sites like Memebox or placing orders from Korean sites such as Jolse or RoseRoseShop and then wait for the international shipping to get your goodies to you. However, stores such as Ulta and Sephora have "discovered" Asian skincare and the previously "unknown" brands are now popping up for sale! I love shopping at Ulta for their rewards system, so I was excited to see brands such as Goodal and Whamisa available on their site. I've been slowly ordering more goodies from Ulta to supplement my other orders. Ulta's prices are in line with stateside retailers such as Glow Recipe and Memebox, which are a little more expensive than ordering directly from Korea (give or take with that shipping, though...) but give faster gratification. Unfortuantely, the full lines of the K-beauty brands are not available, but hopefully one day there will be more of a selection. Another benefit to buying from Ulta (or Sephora) is the advantage to return purchased items in store, which is just added convenience.

Goodal and Whamisa are brands that both focus on fermented ingredients, with Whamisa putting extra emphasis on organic ingredients. These brands tend to cost a bit more than brands such as TonyMoly (also sold at Ulta!) and have packing that isn't as cutesy as other K-beauty brands. I've bought Goodal Double Bright Intense Serum and Waterest Lasting Water Oil, and I really like them both. I wasn't terribly impressed with the sheet masks I tried, and since they're excluded from the famous $3.50 off $15 Ulta coupon, I may not give them another try. From Whamisa,  I really like the Organic Flowers Eye Essence. I've only used the Water Cream a few times, and it was a little heavier than I'd like, but my skin feels really silky in the morning after I use it. Ulta has some exclusive "7 Wonders" masks from Leaders, along with some of their other sheet masks. I really liked the Pore Minimizing mask I got! To be completely honest, I didn't realize it was a gel mask and put it on my face with the protective film still on it and thought it was a total piece of crap before I realized that I was an idiot.

I also picked up a TonyMoly foot peel, and I got about five weeks of super soft feet. I've already ordered my second one. TonyMoly items can be bought using a coupon, so it makes the increased price of the sheet masks a little easier to swallow. (I still order packs of 10 sheet masks from Korean retailers because it's cheaper per mask, but if I want something on a whim, this is super convenient.) Some of the other brands are online only, but TonyMoly and Leaders are both available in store. (Not to mention the Hada Labo that was already available!)

I swear I'm not being paid by Ulta or Sephora or another store to gush about this, I'm just really excited that I can buy stuff I've been wanting to try and get points for it. I'm really hoping western stores expand their offerings so more goodies can be tried!

May 2016 Favorites!

Another month, another set of favorites! Late, as usual, because I really am the worst.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray - I picked up the travel size bottle when I went to Texas in April to try and combat the heat and humidity. Now that's also hot and humid at home, I've been using this over De-Slick pretty much daily. My makeup isn't melting off my face halfway through the day (or rather, as soon as I get into my sunbaked car...) so I think this stuff really works! I'm not an all night partier, so I don't know how true the all nighter claim is, but the setting claim certainly is true!

Urban Decay Naked Skin One and Done  - Two months in a row! This sits so light on the skin, making it perfect for summer weather. I've found that it applies best on its own (it has SPF but not enough for sun protection since you aren't loading it on) or over sunscreen that has had 15 minutes to sink into the skin. I've applied this with my fingers and with a beauty blender, and I like the finish for both. I don't always pair this with a primer, since it's supposed to be an all in one product, but I do need a concealer with it for anything needing more coverage.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone - Another travel size! To be honest, the regular size is such a massive bottle of highlighter that is seems unnecessary, so I was happy Becca released Moonstone in this smaller size. (I have a full size of Pearl, going strong for over a year...) This liquid highlighter goes on sheer and can be built up to fulfill your disco ball dreams. It sinks into the skin making it look more natural than a powder highlight, and it also doesn't emphasize my skin texture as much. I've worn this with no base products, just a few taps onto the high points of my face for a natural glow.

Givenchy Mister Mat Primer - I liked this when I initially bought it, then I fell out of love, and recently I've picked it up again! I found that the key to using this primer is to really wait at least 15 minutes after my sunscreen has been applied to make sure there's no pilling of product when I apply. That, and doing more patting than rubbing into the face makes this work really well. I definitely notice that my face looks less greasy over the course of the day when I use this. Unfortunately, it's a little expensive for a primer ($38!) so it may have to wait for a sale should I decide to repurchase.

Sixteen92 Lolita EdP - (Full review here!) I'm one of those people who takes too long on their eyeliner or false lashes in the morning, so when it comes time to select a scent, I get overwhelmed. I've been grabbing Lolita lately, because it's so easy to just spritz on as well as being super fruity and summery! I really do love my EdP Lolita over the perfume oil, it lasts so much longer and seems much brighter over the course of the day.

If you haven't noticed, waiting 15 minutes after you apply your sunscreen before applying your makeup is a real game changer! Even something as fast absorbing as the Biore Watery Essence that I use can really benefit from some time to sink in. What have you been loving lately?

May Sephora Play! Box

Sephora recently (as in...within the last year) started a subscription box called Sephora Play! This is actually my third box, but the first I'm getting around to reviewing. I must say, this box has been the best so far. My first box included an empty sample container so I could go to a store and ask for a sample. Really? I can do that without paying $10 a month, thanks. But anyway, onto the May Play! box!

The theme of this month's box was "The Forces of Nature," emphasizing products with plant based or organic ingredients. Bite Beauty is known for using food grade ingredients in their lip products, and Tarte's tagline is "high performance naturals." I was so excited to open the box and see the mini Bite lipstick and the Tarte lip liner, I have a soft spot for lip products. To me, including a fragrance sample is a bit of a cop out for Sephora, as you can always add fragrance minis to your order via their three free samples. 

The mini Bite lipstick is from their new Amuse Bouche line, in the shade Kimchi - a vibrant cool toned pink. The name is a bit misleading, when I think Kimchi I think the bright orange of the actual food, but pink is cool, too. I haven't worn it, but it swatched wonderfully. The lipstick has a citrus scent that fades quickly, like the other lipsticks in the line. The mini comes in at 0.05 oz, with a full size at 0.15 oz.

Tarte put out a whole slew of new lip products earlier this year, including lip liners. The mini liner in Latergram (ugh, no, all of the new names for everything are the absolute worst) is a neutral mauve. When swatching, the tip broke off, so that was disappointing. It applied relatively smoothly to the lips, with a tiny bit of dragging. Neutral lip liners are always welcome, but I don't know if I'll go out of my way for a full size. The mini is 0.001 oz, with the full size being 0.01 oz.

The Origins sample is a three for one - I'll always take more goodies! The main sample is their Maskimizer - a mask primer. I feel that primers are getting ridiculous, and a mask primer is really pushing it. The Maskimizer fits the theme with the feature ingredient being red algae extract. After looking at the ingredients, the first two are water and alcohol, so it doesn't seem like a super special product. I paired it with the included Clear Improvement mask sample, and it didn't really seem to enhance my masking experience. The charcoal based Clear Improvement mask left my pores looking smaller, though! The Maskmizer mini is 0.05 oz, and a full size is 3.2 oz. The mask samples (Clear Improvements and Drink Up) are enough for one application each.

Briogeo is a new brand to me, as I've never heard of them, let alone use their products. Don't Despair, Repair! is a deep conditioning mask that is "six free," meaning there are no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, silicones, DEA (diethanolamine), or artificial dyes. The conditioner lists the use of rosehip and argan oils, biotin, and algae extract to revitalize your hair. I used this after my clarifying shampoo and left it in for a little more than five minutes. It rinsed out easily, and didn't leave any residue. I let my hair air dry, and it felt very soft and silky. The tube is 1 oz, which is actually sold at Sephora for $9! That's the majority of my box price right there, so I'm pretty happy about that. 

The last product is a deluxe mini of the Korres Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial. The mask has wild rose oil and "super C," a stabilized vitamin C. I haven't tried this yet, since I tried out the Maskmizer and didn't want to overload my skin with new goodies. The product page on Sephora states that after 14 days of use, skin will be more radiant with an even tone. Hopefully, my skin likes it! The mask sample is 0.34 oz, with a smaller full size product at $48.

I'm not really a sucker for the "natural ingredients" labeling, since cyanide is technically a "natural ingredient" because it occurs in nature and we aren't falling all over ourselves to put that into things. I do appreciate a well curated beauty box with large samples and my favorite lipstick brand, though! Do you subscribe to the Sephora box? Are you digging it?

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Pickled Ginger - Review

Earlier this year, Bite Beauty announced that they were discontinuing their Luminous Creme lipstick line. In its place, they released the Amuse Bouche line, bringing back some favorite shades and introducing a whole ton of new shades! They began showing swatches and teasers on their instagram, and I knew right away that I wanted to pick up Pickled Ginger. I received it with my last Sephora order and began wearing it right away!

Pickled Ginger is described as an "electric coral." The shade is a very vibrant, pink leaning coral. Pickled Ginger is very bright, just shy of neon. I feel like it's too bright for me sometimes, but I've gotten a lot of compliments whenever I wear it...so it must look good! The lipstick has a definitive citrus scent that fades on application, but it is not unpleasant. Application is smooth, with no tugging on the lips. I found that I needed two coats for maximum color payoff, but pigmentation is not lacking. The lipstick formula is comfortable, with some slip. I definitely needed to blot after application, and there was a lot of transfer onto cups and utensils, but the shade did leave a bright stain. I did not experiencing any feathering or severe drying.

I really wanted to like this one, but I found that the color really collected into my lip lines and emphasized imperfections. I wore it with and without a lip primer, and still got the same result. I'm not sure if it has to do with the brightness of the shade or what, but it just did not agree with my lips. I've worn it several times and had the result be the same, if my lips were in A+++ smooth perfect condition or just okay. 

I've since picked up several other Amuse Bouche shades and found them much more agreeable, thankfully. It's definitely you, not me, Pickled Ginger.

Pros:

• Smooth application
• Pleasant scent that dissipates
• Leaves a stain
• No feathering

Cons:

• Prone to transfer
• Product gathers into lip lines
• Highlights imperfections

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche lipstick in Pickled Ginger - $26.00 for 0.15 oz

Review - 2.5/5

April 2016 Favorites!

Once again, I'm super late with this. I don't have any excuse other than that  I'm lazy and the worst. This months favorites all gravitate towards the skin aside from the Gimme Brow, which helps emphasize a natural look.

My Scheming Mandelic Acid Brightening sheet mask  - This mask first popped up in my February Favorites this year. I had gotten a couple from a friend, and I loved them so much I bought a full box for myself! I find myself reaching for this mask when I have no particular mask "need," so to speak, because it does such a great job of making my skin look all around fantastic. I did, however, wear one before a social event to make sure my skin was at its brightest for the night!

Benefit Gimme Brow - I have wanted this product for a while, but couldn't swallow the $24 price tag! I finally picked it up with Ulta points paired with a 20% off prestige coupon. This really gives a natural definition to my brows, and is perfect to put on after the gym. Benefit is revamping their brow line, and are releasing another shade of Gimme Brow, but I'll be sticking with the Medium/Deep. I'm normally wary of Benefit products since they seem gimmicky or have tacky packaging, but I like this one. I wouldn't pay full price for it though, since the tube is TINY!

Foreo Luna Mini - This graced my March Favorites, and it's back this month because it's just that great! I've only had to do one full charge on this so far - I tried to top off the charge before a trip and it was done charging in like, five minutes. The five month claim they make may just be true! My skin is still looking smooth and radiant after using this, so I have no regrets with this purchase.

Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum - I incorporated this into my routine about a month and a half ago, and omg. My face is so much less red than it was, I can hardly believe it! I love this serum, I use it morning and night. It has a fresh, somewhat "green" scent, and is very light. It sinks in quickly, making it a great addition to my morning routine. Even if I'm short on time, I make sure I pat some of this in. I'm maybe a quarter through the bottle, and I will definitely be repurchasing when this one is through.

Urban Decay Naked Skin One and Done - This is one of UD's summer collection releases, and I got it during the recent Sephora sale. I started with a sample, thinking the whole "one and done" is a little gimmicky - but it's actually fantastic at being a one shot product! It applies easily (I use fingers, blend out any streaks with a damp beautyblender) and gives the sheerest coverage - just enough to cover super slight imperfections. Since my skin has been 100% awesome lately, it's been all I need! I do use concealer on my under eyes, but this has been a solid staple in my routine since I got it. I've also used it as a primer under a BB cream. I have noticed a slight white cast on my hands after applying, and I really have to let my sunscreen sink in beforehand or they don't play nicely together, but I've made it work. I picked up the shade Light, which covers UD shades 0.5-3.0 (I'm around a 1.5-2.)

Arcana Fille de Joie Perfume Oil - Review

I told myself I didn't need any more perfume oils. Unfortunately, Fille de Joie was released, and when the rave reviews started rolling in, I needed to get on that bandwagon. Thankfully, I was able to snag a bottle from Pretty Indulgent when they restocked. I already started expressing my newfound love in my March favorites, but here is a full review.

Fille de Joie is described as "delicate lavender marshmallows and yellow peaches cured in a vanilla absolute bottle." From the bottle, the first impression is sharp, slightly medicinal, yet somehow sugary lavender. Wet on the skin, the lavender is still at the front, with a backing of deep vanilla. As it dries, the lavender mellows out, letting vanilla and sugar take over. After the oil has fully dried down, the peach note comes forward and the sharp lavender fades fully into the background, mingling with the marshmallow and vanilla. A little goes a long way with this scent, I have a feeling that slathering too much on would be a lavender overload. Which is good, since it's limited edition and I already feel myself rationing it. 

The only drawback to this scent is that the throw fades after about four hours. It still clings to the skin, but I have to actively "look" for it to notice that it's still there. Either way, I have been loving it - it is a wonderful spring scent. 

Pros:

• A wearable lavender!

Cons:

• Limited Edition
• Throw fades after 4 hours

Arcana Fille de Joie Perfume Oil (Limited Edition) - $26.00(CAD) for 5 mL

Review - 4.5/5

March 2016 Favorites!

I'm late on posting this, because I'm the actual worst. I'm really excited to share what I loved during the month of March, though!

Recent Repurchases

I love picking out and buying new stuff. Hauling is SO much fun! However, I also like having products that I can turn to and keep buying over and over because they're so dependable. I wanted to highlight my recent repurchases - they're all skincare! Skincare is something I use daily and go through much more quickly than makeup, but still have fun shopping for and using. 

Nails of the Day - 3.24.16

I am all about springy colors lately! I also recently picked up Mini Mani Moo liquid latex to help with my nail art, and it really made clean up so much easier. I'm not looking forward to taking the actual nail polish off, because glitter polish is the worst. (I know, I know, tinfoil trick...but ugh.)

Here's what I'm wearing:

• OPI Nail Envy
• OPI Bubble Bath
• Deborah Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening
• Seche Vite

First Glow Recipe Order! LJH & Blossom Jeju

I'm somewhat obsessed with building and customizing my Korean style skincare routine. By Korean style, I mean putting an emphasis on layering products to achieve results, not just using Korean products. When it came time to add some new products, I turned to a retailer I had read about on other blogs. (Fifty Shades of Snail, no shame!)

Glow Recipe is a K-Beauty retailer based in the United States. Their shop is a curated collection of products that the owners fully believe in, citing natural ingredients and natural beauty as the driving force behind what products they choose to offer. Since they're based stateside, prices are a bit more expensive than ordering from Korea - when you don't consider the usual shipping by weight that ordering from Korea entails. I'm happy to pay a bit more for the convenience and not having to wait weeks for my order to arrive! They also offer free shipping over $50. Since it was my first order, I also received a 10% off code! The site states free samples with every order, but I did not receive any in mine. I consider it a trade off for getting my package so quickly! I ordered on a Monday, it shipped on Tuesday, and it was in my hands that Wednesday. A perk of living the next state over!

Onto the products - I picked up two new goodies that I've been thinking of getting for a while. A new essence and a new serum! Since I've had them about a month now, I feel confident in talking about integrating them into my routine and the results I've seen.

LJH (Leejiham) Tea Tree 90 Essence - I know some skin doesn't like tea tree, but mine does! This essence is 90% tea tree extract, and claims to help with sensitive, irritated, and troubled skin. I bought this because I was looking to reduce redness, and help control oil. The essence itself is on the more liquidy side, and doesn't have a discernible scent. It sinks in very quickly. I apply three or four drops in the morning, after toning. I originally was using it at night, but I switched to the morning to see if it would help with oil production (which kills my foundation!) throughout the day. I'm happy to say it has! I have noticed less oil breaking up my makeup during the day, and I am less shiny. I don't really notice my skin feeling extra moisturized with this essence, so I add other essences and serums to my routine in the morning if that's what I'm needing. 

$45.00 for 50 ml

Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Essence Serum - What a mouthful! This serum is meant to add moisture, and leave behind a dewy, smooth complexion. Sign me up! There is also a non-pink version of this serum, which I passed on in favor of this one, due to the "dewy and smooth" portion of the description. This serum is more viscous, and has a very heavy floral scent. I personally don't have an issue with fragrances irritating my skin, but YMMV. I used two drops of this at night, and it spreads nicely. It takes a bit of patting to make sure it has absorbed, but it does not sit heavy on the skin. I definitely get a moisture boost when using this serum, and layered with other products my skin is positively dewy and bright. 

$64.00 for 30 ml

I'm very happy with my first purchase from Glow Recipe! It helps that the packaging on the products is wonderful - both are in glass bottles with little droppers, and look beautiful on my dresser. (Normally things are in the bathroom, but I love having these on display!)(Also, the medicine cabinet is full...oops!) Next time I'm looking for something a little fancier (that Blossom Jeju bottle, come on!) to add to my routine, Glow Recipe will definitely be my first stop. 

Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Exorcism - Review

I was so happy to receive Exorcism in a gift swap this year! It's been on my wishlist since the shade expansion of the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick line in the middle of last year, and I was very excited to try it out.

Exorcism is described as "ripe blackberry." The shade is a deep berry, leaning more red than purple. The formula is the same as other Kat von D liquid lipsticks I've used - not runny, not to stiff. This shade applies extremely patchy - several coats are needed to get an even color on the lips. Unfortunately, when trying to even the color out, it deepens to the point where it's a blackened purple, completely different from an initial coat or in the tube. Additionally, this shade highlights flakes and imperfections on the lips.The lipstick dries down relatively quickly to a very matte finish. There really wasn't much of a scent.

Through a day of wear, there was not much transfer. The formula was not terribly drying, especially when paired with a lip primer. The lipstick does stain, a deep purplish shade that takes some scrubbing to rub off. I experienced no bleeding or feathering while wearing.

I really, really wanted to love this shade, but the patchy application is killing it for me. I'm happy to say that it wears and is not super drying, just like other Kat von D liquid lipsticks, but the patchiness is just something I have not yet come across in this line.

Pros:

• Not terribly drying
• Leaves a stain
• No bleeding/feathering
• Little transfer

Cons:

• Highlights flaws
• Patchy application
• Layering to correct patchiness changes the shade

Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Exorcism - $20.00 for for 0.22 oz

Review - 1.5/5

Nails of the Day - 3.8.16

Okay, I'll admit it - not the most perfect mani. But I'm really happy about how springy this looks! The glitter is loose glitter patted onto a layer of damp polish. A thick layer of top coat on top of the glitter seals it in! (Just be careful, it may stay smudgy longer, even with a quick dry top coat.)

Here's what I used:

• OPI Nail Envy (trying to strengthen!)
• Formula X Harmonics
• Lit Cosmetics glitter in Angel Eyes
• Seche Vite

I've been having super good luck with my nails for the most part - only one or two breaking on the edges. With the Nail Envy, I'm hoping to grow them out again.

(mini) Sephora Haul!

I have a whole bunch of excuses ready as to why I placed this Sephora order. It was my birthday (month...), I got my tax return, I really wanted one of the new Bite lipsticks. All of them are 100% valid because I'm trying not to guilt myself for shopping! I kept the bill in check, at least.

First up is Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleaner. A repurchase! I love this stuff. It isn't a replacement for a good brush washing, but it's perfect for spot cleaning when there's a brush you really need and it's already been used. This is my favorite spot cleaner by far - I've tried a couple and none measure up to Cinema Secrets. 

Bite Beauty recently pulled their Luminous Creme lipsticks to much disappointment. However, they then dropped an entirely new line! I picked up the new Amuse Bouche lipstick in Pickled Ginger. As soon as I saw swatches on their instagram I knew I needed it, since I live for bright, pink leaning corals. When swatched, the formula felt smooth and creamy, and had great pigmentation. I can't wait to wear it!

After receiving Burberry Light Glow blush in Cameo for Christmas (which I haven't reviewed because I'm actually the laziest AND the worst), I knew I wanted another blush in the Burberry Light Glow formula. After poring over the shades, I wound up with Earthy. I was lucky it was in stock, as it has been out of stock ever since I started lusting after it (...on December 26th.) It's a beautiful light pinky brown. Since I'm on the lighter side, the pink shows up a bit more when applied, but just barely. It blends out like a dream, and is not powdery in the slightest.

A new beautyblender was in order as well, since it had been well over six months since I replaced mine. With daily use, it gets pretty grungy. It may seem like a boring item, but I'm super excited to have a newly squishy sponge to bounce on my face each morning. 

I also used a promo code for a 3 pack of Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel Pads. These things are so expensive to actually buy, with a box of just five being $16. I think I've used this code like four times now, since I really like the product but don't want to drop the cash on actually buying it. Maybe during the next sale. Maybe.

I'm sure I'll come up with more excuses to pick up some more goodies soon. (Easter?) Have you picked up anything cool lately?

beautyblender - Old vs. New

I recently purchased a new beautyblender! Mine was over six months old and looking pretty sad. Because I had both the old and new at my disposal, I decided to see how a used and abused sponge vs. a shiny a new sponge looks.

Here's the two sponges while dry. You can see that the old one is much bigger dry than the new one, which is compact and...clean.

I went ahead and wet the two sponges, since that's how they're supposed to be used. The new one is still a bit smaller. The old one has more visible cracks in it from use. The newer one definitely had more bounce in it as well.

When I wet my beautyblender before use, I also clean it using a bar of Dr. Bronner's soap. (It's cheap, lasts forever, and works like a charm! Save money!) As you saw in the other photos, the used beautyblender had some stains on it near the top and bottom, since I did not wash it this time when I wet it. I cut the old one open, and you can see how much product was leftover from my foundation that morning. However, the rest of the sponge was pretty clean, meaning washing as often as it is used is a pretty good way to keep the sponge clean. There's no product at the top, since I had used the tip to blend in my concealer only. The bottom of the sponge seems to have soaked up a decent amount of product, though.

There you have it! The quick and dirty differences between a new and an old beautyblender. Can't wait to break this new one in!

February Empties aka Hoard My Trash!

In an effort to use up things that I have, I started keeping track of products I finished throughout the month. Hoarding my trash in a bag in the bedroom was really weird and somewhat annoying, but I am shocked and impressed at how much I used up!

If you haven't noticed, I LOVE sheet masks! I used up a whole bunch last month. Here's a quick rundown:

• TonyMoly I'm Real Rice
• Tosowoong Pure Aloe
• Tosowoong Pure Green Tea
• Tosowoong Pure Propolis
• The Face Shop Real Nature Mung Bean
• Etude House I Need You Tea Tree
• Etude House I Need You Olive
• My Scheming Mandelic Acid
• My Scheming 7 in 1 Brightening
• Benton Snail Bee
• My Beauty Diary Black Pearl

My favorite that I used this month was the My Scheming Mandelic Acid, which I waxed poetic about in my monthly favorites. All time favorites are the Benton Snail Bee, and the Tosowoong Pure Propolis and Pure Green Tea. I'm also fond of the Black Pearl mask!

Here are some cosmetics, samples, and another sheet mask that I forgot to include in the other photo. 

• Nature Republic Green Tea
• Alterna Caviar Instant Repair Shampoo & Conditioner
• Drybar Texas Tea Shampoo & Conditioner
• Bumble and Bumble Surf Shampoo & Conditioner
• Tatcha Cleansing Oil
• L'Occitane Amande hand cream
• Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel Pads
• Inglot #77 gel liner
• MAC Prep and Prime Lip
• Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack
• Performance Colors lip balm
• Tarte Lights Camera Flashes mascara

The Inglot liner I've already repurchased - I didn't really finish it, it's just all yucky and old now, so I got a new one! It was well over a year old and needed Duraline to reconstitute it. The Pumpkin Sleeping Pack was nice, but I hated the overly floral scent of it. I LOVE the Dr. Dennis Gross peel pads, and I use and abuse Sephora promo codes to get them since I refuse to shell out big $$ for them, even though they work really well for me. The Tatcha oil was a solid meh, which was a relief - it's also expensive!

I've already repurchased this Tigi conditioner, and this is my nth bottle of in shower lotion. The Cosrx A-Sol is a product that seems to be hit or miss for a lot of people - it's a definite hit for me. I used it as a toner whenever I sensed some trouble brewing under the skin, and I found that it really kept things in check. I've repurchased this as well!

Look at all these empty jars! I really am impressed with how much I was able to finish. What we have here:

• Haus of Gloi body emulsion mini in Cozy Sweater
• Alterna Plumping Strand Expand
• Haus of Gloi whipped soap in Eggnoggin'
• Banila Co. Clean It Zero
• Sunsets and Seas sugar scrub in The Crunch
• Vice and Velvet lotion in Honey Trap
• Haus of Gloi whipped soap in Pumpkin Queen

I've gone ahead and repurchased the Alterna plumper because I really do feel that it makes my hair thicker. This was my second jar of the Clean It Zero, but I've picked up a different cleansing oil to try next. I love Haus of Gloi's whipped soap! Eggnoggin' didn't smell like too much, but I am obsessed with Pumpkin Queen, and have about...oh...three or four more jars of that scent in whipped soap form. I wish Sunsets and Seas would restock their sugar scrubs, as I loved the consistency of this one - it was like a pudding, almost.

I'm happy to have made a dent in my huge hoard of beauty products last month. I hope to keep it up this month and find new favorites and get through some eh products. 

February 2016 Favorites

Happy Leap Day! Another month over, which means another month of favorite products!

1. Haus of Gloi Body Emulsion - Haus of Gloi is somewhat known for their pumpkin butter, which is available in their seasonal scents as well as general catalogue scents. However, I prefer their lighter body emulsion. The lotion, though light, is still very moisturizing and absorbs quickly. My bottle is labeled with their unscented version, but it's actually First Blush - my favorite Haus Valentine's collection scent! I dumped a sample vial of perfume oil into the lotion and shook it up, and it came out perfectly! I'll definitely be doing this with other scents I need a lotion of.
2. MAC Face and Body foundation - I'm not trying to brag, but my skin has been really good lately. Like, really good. So I decided to pick up a lighter foundation to just help with any light redness that may come up, instead of using it to cover imperfections. MAC Face and Body is very, very light coverage - exactly what I was looking for. It's very liquidy and applies easily using a beautyblender. The coverage is buildable, and since it's so light, it doesn't get cakey. I've really enjoyed using it, although sometimes I need to mix in a bit of liquid highlighter since it can be a little flat.
3. My Scheming Mandelic Acid sheet mask - My first My Scheming mask - I received this as a gift from a friend, it didn't work out for her. Her loss is my gain, because I LOVE this mask! My skin is so hydrated and BRIGHT after using this, not to mention free of redness! The mask is silk and so clingy, it fits very well. They're a bit fragile but I am excited to see what other masks My Scheming has to offer! (I may or may not have ordered a sampler set - whoops!)
4. Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in I524 (Pinky Beige) - Since I'm really boring, I tend to do the same eye look a lot - warmish smokey eye with a shimmery lid. I'm always looking for new shimmery lid shades, and I picked up this one this month and love it! I'm a huge fan of the MUFE Artist formula, they're wonderfully pigmented and blendable. This shade has an iridescent finish, and looks wonderful alone or layered on top of a matte shadow for a bit more sparkle. I apply this with a flat brush just in case there's some sparkle fallout.
5. Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask - This mask...I hate that I love it. I hate it because it's ridiculously expensive ($52!) for something you put on your face at night and gets rubbed all into your pillow. I love that it was gifted to me - I couldn't spend that type of money on this sort of thing. But what I love the most about it is how soft and radiant my skin is in the morning. I know that there's a ton of skincare out there that works just as well as high end stuff for cheap...but this sleeping mask is the real deal. It's light yet very moisturizing - it sinks in to my skin quickly which means less mask on the pillow. It's scented - lightly floral - but not overly so. (Unlike the Too Cool For School sleeping pack...) I mentioned that my skin has been looking super great lately, and I don't want to credit this...but I recently started using it nightly and the effects are there.

A lot of focus on my skin this month! It's really paid off - I'm enjoying makeup even more now that I have a beautiful canvas to work with! Hopefully March brings more spring-y colors to next month's favorites.

Beautylish Haul!

So I needed to pick up a new pot of gel liner, and as you may or may not know, Inglot's gel liner in #77 is my favorite black liner. Of course, I hate paying for shipping, so I needed a few more items to reach the free shipping threshold on Beautylish...and this is how I wound up with this fantastic mini haul!!

As I previously mentioned, Inglot gel liner in #77 is my favorite black gel liner. I've used a few others, but Inglot takes the cake. It's smooth, ridiculously pigmented and rich, and doesn't budge. No really, it doesn't budge on me unless I scrub at it with a makeup wipe or take a cleansing oil to it. The formula glides on, allowing for perfect winged liner. The gel is a very rich, warm black that I find preferable to liquid liner which can seem thinner, in a way. The size is also ridiculously generous - my old pot dried out way before I had even used half of it. It can be revived easily using Inglot Duraline or a similar product, but it was time to retire my old one.

I decided to pick up the Wayne Goss #18 brush because out of all the brushes I own, I only have one other flat brush to pack color onto the lid. (It's an old Sephora Professional brush. I'm talking like 6-7 years old! It's a great brush, though!) I have small eyes and therefore small lids, so the #18 fit my needs. I had heard some talk about how the brush was a bit too "pokey," but after several uses, I can say that it is not so for me.

Unfortunately, as large as my collection of colored eyeshadow is, I cannot resist picking up a new shade when the opportunity arises. It's a problem, I admit it. (This is even more true for green and aqua shadows.)  Sugarpill Chromalust eyeshadow in Hug Life made its way into my order, and I love it! Sugarpill's loose shadows make fantastic colored eyeliners when mixed with something like Inglot Duraline, and that's exactly how I broke this one in. I've yet to be disappointed by Sugarpill, and I hope that keeps up. I definitely plan on wearing this one through spring and summer.

The last product I picked up was OCC Lip Tar RTW in Black Dahlia. I have this shade in the original lip tar packaging, so I probably didn't need it in the new doefoot applicator packaging, but the heart wants what the heart wants! I haven't used it yet, but I'm excited to see if I fall back in love with the lip tar formula with the new applicator.

I can't wait to put all my new things to good use - until the next haul! (Just kidding, I use all of my babies always!)

Haus of Gloi Valentine's Haul! (it's all First Blush...)

Last year, I did my very first indie perfume review. That scent was Haus of Gloi's First Blush, from their Valentine's collection. As a quick refresher, First Blush has notes of Tahitian vanilla bean, white tea, lavender and peach. In other words, it's lightly fruity and slightly floral perfection. I fell in love with the scent, but I had only ordered a bottle of perfume oil, and a mini sugar scrub. Haus of Gloi has been becoming more and more popular, with more and more releases getting cleaned out. Which is amazing for them, but it makes it harder to get the things you want! This year, I got snowed in on release day, but managed to snag all the goodies I wanted when I finally sat down to order. Here's the damage:

• First Blush Hair Oil
• First Blush Whipped Soap (2x)
• First Blush Sugar Exfoliant (2x)
• Aether Body Emulsion
• First Blush Perfume Oil sample
• Rose Gold Lip Tint
• Chamomile Oak Butterbomb

I HAD wanted a Pink Champagne butterbomb, but I'm happy to have even gotten one at all! I liked the pumpkin one I picked up in the fall release, so hopefully this is just as nice. The whipped soap formula from the Haus is pretty high on my list of favorite whipped soap formulas, so I made sure to stock up. (I did not make the mistake I made with my fall order...where I bought five Pumpkin Queen whipped soaps. No ragrets.) I prefer the Sugar Exfoliant to the Haus Bubbling Scrub, so I made sure to get two of those. I really like the hair oil, and I needed a lighter scent than my wintery Cozy Sweater one. 

Instead of the ever popular Pumpkin Butter, I bought a full size bottle of the Body Emulsion. The emulsion is lighter and sinks in much more quickly than the heavier butter, which I prefer. As an added bonus, the emulsion comes in a squeeze bottle, which (to me) is better than the scoop out tub. Unfortunately, Haus of Gloi only releases their seasonal scents in the Pumpkin Butter formula. To try and get my First Blush lotion fix, I picked up a perfume sample and dumped it into the lotion bottle. To me, it seems like the perfect amount of scent for the amount of lotion, and I've been using it often! I can definitely see myself picking up another bottle or two of the body emulsion to keep myself stocked.

I did notice that this year's First Blush scent is a little different than last year's. It isn't bad in any way, and I still love it, and it could be that my perfume oil has aged a year...but the scent is a tiny bit different. I still recommend it, though! First Blush is a lovely springtime scent, and I'm very glad I loaded up!