Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Tencel & Midnight Blue Calming Sheet Masks - Review

Klairs recently released some sheet masks! I'm new to Klairs products - I got the famous Supple Preparation Toner for Christmas but haven't opened it yet, and recently got the Rich Moist Soothing Serum which I really like. I was placing an order over at Beautytap and tossed these into my cart to try! (...and to help reach the free shipping threshold.) I shared some mini reviews on Instagram, but I wanted to talk more about these two masks.

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Spanked - Review

I am a super huge fan of Fenty Beauty's Gloss Bomb, so when Rihanna decided to drop a line of matte lipsticks, I was intrigued. I'm a little over matte lipstick, but this wasn't a liquid matte, so I was willing to give it a chance. I was really good though, I didn't immediately purchase one and waited a few months. Other reviews looked good, so I went for it! 

Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Foundation - Review

I love when I get stuff in the mail, especially unexpected goodies! I got the new Marc Jacobs Shameless foundation in the mail right before I left for Las Vegas, so it became my travel foundation for that trip. (I was originally going to bring the Fenty foundation but was meh on the matte finish for my going out looks.) It was risky, bringing a brand new, untested product with me, but life is about adventure, right? Before we get started, I received this product for free from Influenster (my referral link, fyi) in exchange for an honest review.

I Tried Glossier Solution So You Don't Have To!

Glossier announced a new addition to their skincare line last month - Solution. A chemical exfoliant touted as an "exfoliating skin perfector," Glossier claims that their Solution will "transform skin in four weeks." Naturally, as a skincare aficionado and a lover of a good miracle, I accepted the bait and purchased Solution. I also bought the Glossier branded cottons for $4, since buying the two enabled me to get free shipping under their normal free shipping threshold.

Glossier Solution

Sixteen92 You Who Swallowed A Falling Star perfume oil - Review

It's been a looooong time since I reviewed any indie perfume oils, and I have a backlog of them. I'm going to start with something from one of my favorite brands - Sixteen92! This was a limited edition scent, but bottles are always floating around on destash lists - hopefully this helps anyone who is undecided on if they want to try it!

Epically Epic Spring Lip Balms - Review

Even though I still haven't finished up my fall balms from Epically Epic, I could not resist when the shop re-opened and put out new balms for spring! Some of these have an island theme, but I got a few additional balms as well.

Haus of Gloi Fig & Pear Perfume Oil - Review

It's been a while since I've had a new indie perfume! Fig & Pear was apart of Haus of Gloi's Valentine's Day collection this year. This was the only new scent I bought, the rest of my order was all First Blush scented!

Fig & Pear is described as fig with juicy ripe pear. Opening the bottle, the scent is fruity and slightly spicy. The fig note is definitely more prominent, there's a sweetness underneath, but no strong pear note. On the skin, the fig is very prominent, with a slightly peppery scent. As it dries, the fig is still the star of the show - on me, I never got much of a pear scent.

The scent itself hung around on my skin for 4-5 hours, and had a nice throw - nothing too overwhelming. Unfortunately, I had been hoping for more of a pear scent. Overall, I wasn't too much of a fan. I even let this sit for another few weeks to see if the scent would change after resting more, which was not the case.

Pros:

• Decent longevity
• Non overwhelming throw

Cons:

• Not enough pear!

Haus of Gloi Fig and Pear perfume oil (limited edition) - $15 for 5mL

Review - 2.5/5

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Balm - Review

I'm a big fan of Bite Beauty, it's no secret. When they announced their Everyday Agave Lip Collection late last year, I was intrigued. I have and own the Agave Lip Mask, and the idea of a matching lip balm was interesting. I find the lip mask to be a bit goopy, so I wanted to give the lip balm a shot. (Not to mention that it's cheaper than my beloved Fresh Lip Treatment...)

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Balm

Epically Epic Fall Lip Balms - Review

I sang the praises of Epically Epic balms last year when I reviewed some of their summer and permanent flavors. Of course, right after I wrote that review, the shop released their fall offerings. I am a total sucker for fall flavors, especially pumpkin (almost) anything. I ordered three more balms, and they are currently in rotation since the weather is colder.

Sugar Cookie, PSL, and Pumpkin Pie balms!

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!

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!

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.

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

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

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

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Celebrity Skin - Review

If you haven't noticed, liquid lipsticks are some of my favorite products. I like the fuss free idea of liquid lipstick, since the best ones are applied and stay put. The really good ones dry down without sucking all the moisture out of the lips as well.

Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks have become quite popular - so much so, that I had to wait a while to catch this shade in stock! I have a few others on my list to try that won't be in stock for a few weeks, but I'm happy to play with this one in the meantime. I picked mine up from Beautylish with a few other items.

Celebrity Skin is a "soft brown nude with a peachy undertone." The shade is definitely on the browner side of peach, but it isn't a straight up brown - there is definitely a lighter element to it lending it to be a very nice nude. It definitely isn't a pink leaning nude, though, so if that's your preference, this shade wouldn't be for you. Like most liquid lipsticks, this comes with a doefoot applicator. However, this doefoot is slightly curved, leaving a short portion on the bottom, and a longer overarching curve to assumedly fit the curve of the lip. I have no issues with this applicator, as the end is a small tip, allowing for the corners of the lips to be reached. When applying, the product is smooth and applies evenly, one coat is usually enough to get full true to tube color. But when applying...the product smells. It smells like straight up paint. It fades pretty quickly after drying, but still...not fun. The product dries to a fully matte finish in about a minute. Applying another layer on top of a dry layer does not cause issues, either!

I have worn this with and without a lip primer, and the product was not overly drying either way. I experienced no bleeding or feathering, and had very little transfer when using a cup. However, after eating, there was some more transfer, but the majority of the product stayed put. I did experience the color sinking into lip lines a bit, but pressing my lips together to redistribute fixed this right away.

If you're able to get ahold of this shade in one of the very hyped restocks, I definitely recommend it. I really like the formula, it's up there with the Kat von D liquid formula in my book. (Aside from the smell!) If you aren't able to catch this one soon, it IS a permanent shade, so there's no need to worry.

Pros:

• Pigmented
• Applies smoothly
• Lasts forever!
• Relatively non drying
• Very little to no transfer if you don't eat!
• No bleeding or feathering.

Cons:

• It does not smell good. Period. Can't even fluff this, it is not a nicely scented product.
• Some transfer after eating, especially anything greasy/oily
• Consistently out of stock, and restocks are hyped to high heaven.
• A little bit of gathering into lip lines, but it is easily redistributed by pressing the lips together.

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Celebrity Skin - $18.00 for 0.19 oz

Review - 4.5/5 (it smells SO bad.)