Category: Makeup
April Birchbox – Magic Inside
Just one item led me to pick this month’s curated box. It was that new lipstick – Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Double the Lip in “Lusty Rose”. Mostly because I was skeptical – it’s just a two tone lipstick. It took some maneuvering to get it on my lips, while keeping the dark portion to the lip line. I repeatedly kept asking my husband if my lips looked bigger, fuller, plumper. Apparently, they looked the same. The lipstick is just plain old lipstick and didn’t make them look any different – just pink. I was correct to be skeptical. Boo.
Also in this month’s “Magic Inside” curated box: TOCCA Emelia Eau de Parfum (strong geranium scent, but not geriatric); Vasanti BrightenUp! New Skin Amplifying Moisturizer; Bumble and bumble. Don’t Blow It (gives volume to air dried hair – genius!); and derma e Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask (I love me some charcoal masks).
Great box this month, even if the lipstick doesn’t live up to the hype.
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April Ipsy Bag – Sideshow
I literally SQUEALED when I opened this month’s ipsy bag and saw the Glamour Dolls x Lisa Frank Angle Blush Brush. Who didn’t have EVERYTHING Lisa Frank back in the 80s? So psyched to get a pre-release from this new collection!
Also in this month’s “Sideshow” bag”: H2O+ Beauty Keep It Fresh Cleanser (I am loving getting to try so many new cleansers); Luseta Beauty Volume Reviving Dry Shampoo in “Potpourri”; defy & Inspire Wear Resistant Nail Lacquer in “Paradise Island”; and ColourPop Cosmetics Crème Gel Pencil in “Show Me” – vivid true copper (I was assuming this would be blue based on the color of the box, but I was wrong).
Is it me, or are ipsy bags getting WAY better?
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Motherfucking Unicorn!
I had JUST placed a big Ulta order, but I found myself placing another one, just a week later…because….
Ulta came out with a Rainbow Highlighter! I had actually gone to the store in person to buy it, but they didn’t have it yet, so I went ahead and placed an order online, to take advantage of the Buy 2, Get 2 Free sale.
In addition to the Rainbow Highlighter ($10), I also picked up the new Metallic Liquid Lipstick Kit ($16), the new Glitter Tears 3 Piece Eyeliner Set ($16) and a Skin Clearing Tool ($10) – yup, I’m gonna pop some pimples. I didn’t do the best job in picking products – I got the 2 $10 products for free, instead of going for higher priced items. Oh well. At least I was able to use a $5 off $15 coupon to counteract the shipping charge.
I also got a few free samples – bareMineral Skinsorials, with Pure Plush Gentle Deep Cleansing Foam, Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion and Bare Haven Essential Moisturizing Soft Cream; and Lab Series Future Rescue Repair Serum.
The Metallic Liquid Lipstick Kit came with 3 mini Liquid Lipsticks, in “Athena” (metallic red), “Apollo” (metallic plum), and “Zeus” (gold). These lipsticks are vividly metallic – like amazing. My one complaint was that they don’t dry down completely – they stay a bit tacky and transfer a bit. Even so, they stay all day. I’m wearing “Zeus” in the look to the right.
The Glitter Tears Eyeliner Set comes with 3 mini glitter eyeliners – “Galaxy”, “Comet” and “Solar” – I don’t remember which is which and they aren’t labeled. I’m pictured wearing the rose gold one.
That Rainbow Highlighter…it practically jumped onto my fan brush and then onto my face, staying in rainbow formation. Of course, my husband said I look like a deranged Easter Bunny, but what does he know?
I’m actually wearing ALL Ulta makeup in this pic. In addition to the Rainbow Highlighter, “Zeus” and rose gold glitter tears, I’m wearing Ulta Minerals Finishing Powder, the Ulta Eye Shadow/Mascara/Blush from the February Freebie bag and the Ultra Slim Brow Pencil.
Target Beauty Boxes – April 2017
I skipped last month, but April’s boxes were so nice, I had to snag them both.
The box on the left is the “regular” box, which includes: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser (fancy); Sally Hansen Double-Duty Base & Top Coat (it’s not quick dry, so I doubt I’ll use it for anything but a base coat); HASK Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioner; Dr Teals Lavender Foaming Bath (I don’t have a bathtun!); eb5 Facial Cleanser (Yeah, more cleanser!); Rimmel Colour Precise White Eyeliner (this has me both excited AND scared – what crazy looks can I do with this?); and Banana Boat Dry Balance SPF 50 (ooooooh, matte sun protection).
The box on the right is the “natural”box, which includes: SheaMoisture Kukui Nut Facial Cream Cleanser + Face & Neck Cream; Juice Organics Deluxe-Size Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner; Burt’s Bees White Tea Extract Facial Cleansing Towelettes (I hope these don’t burn like the other ones do); Hello Extra Whitening Pure Mint Flouride Toothpaste; Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask (So excited to try this); ACURE Pore Clarifying Red Clay Scrub; and Raw Sugar Lemon Sugar Body Wash.
Wow, both boxes are amazing!
Each box was $7 and came with a $3 off $15 coupon. 5% off with my Red Card, too!
Everlasting Flash – April 2017
I am going to tell you a tale of some of the best customer service I’ve ever received. Without fail, Sephora has provided excellent customer service – and this time, I didn’t even know I needed customer service!
Last Wednesday, I decided to take advantage of this month’s Everlasting Flash Deal and get early access to one of Kat Von D Cosmetics new line of Everlasting Lip Liners ($18 each). The deal was for “Lolita”, so of course I had to have it. I also ordered one of the new Everlasting Lip Liquid Shades ($20)- “Miss Argentina” (in homage to the character from Beetlejuice). The very next morning, I noticed an email that my order for “Lolita” had been resubmitted. Weird. I didn’t really think about it much, but on the way home from work, I got a call from Sephora Customer Service. It seems that they accidentally sent me a “Lolita II” Lip Liner instead of “Lolita”, so they sent me the right one as soon as the error was discovered. When I asked what to do with the “Lolita II”, she just…to just keep it. THEY LET ME KEEP IT…free ya’ll. I think I even got points for it.
…and this is why I LOVE Sephora. Rouge for life.
Oh yeah, for samples, I got a card with Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer (I’ve been wanting to try this so bad!) and 2 shades of Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Makeup (shades are 2.5, 5.0 and 8.0 – I wear 3.5, so not very useful), Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 and Belif The True Cream – Aqua Bomb (one of my faves). I also used a code to get a deluxe sample of Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment (this shit is powerful and turned my skin into lizard scales after a single use; it’s 3% sulfur, so I’ll be saving for BAD breakouts).
The 15% off spring event is next week…need to dig through the couch for change…
Ulta 21 Days of Beauty – Day 14
So proud…I made it all the way to Day 14 of Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty before placing an order!
I had to pull the trigger on trying It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder SPF50+ in “Light” for half price ($17.50 instead of $35). I’m always on the hunt for the perfect powder foundation. Trying it for the first time this morning, I wasn’t disappointed. This stuff is THICK. I used the included sponge for the first application, over only moisturizer – no primer – and it is THICK. Thick, but not as cakey as MAC Studio Fix. It covers almost as much as a liquid foundation, so I switched to my usual kabuki to buff it out evenly. I’m going to try over a few different primers next – it tended to settle into my nose pores, so I’m thinking that’s the only place I’ll really need it. A good buy!
I also took advantage of an NYX BOGO half sale – I got the Cosmic Metals and Lid Lingerie Shadow palettes (normally $9.99 each). They are like matte/shimmer twins. I wore Lid Lingerie today without primer. Note to self: NYX shadows ALWAYS needs primer. The colors are nice though.
I also grabbed another Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($10) – it is my new go to. Also, it put me over the threshold to get $5 off my order. For free samples, I got an Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo (I have like 6 of these) and Smashbox Photo finish Foundation Primer (I have like 16 of these). They also threw in a huge sample pouch of DevaCurl Buildup Buster…but I don’t have curls or use a lot of product in my hair.
Free shipping since I got a Beauty Steal, so I didn’t have to hit the $50 threshold!
April Julep Maven Box – Relax & Remix
So, I wasn’t feeling all of the Spring-like polishes available in this month’s “Relax & Remix” Collection. So I picked just one polish – Julep Bombshell “Eliza”, infinite ocean holographic. No idea why Julep It Girl “Ming” – wild orchid jelly – is in my box. Thanks, I guess?
I decided to enlarge my makeup collection. I picked a new shade of Feels Like Velvet Full Coverage Eye Shadow Duo – “cinnamon & spice”. I LOVE these colors on me. They’re very warm and light up my face. I’m also impressed with the creamy formula – they stayed put all day without primer. I also picked a matching lippie – It’s Whipped Matte Lip Mousse in “Say Hello”, rich marsala matte. It’s Whipped doesn’t last through meal, well…not tablitas and fajitas, anyway. I’m not sure ANY lippie would last through the juicy smoked ribs I ate yesterday.
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March Ipsy Bag – Tres Jolie
March’s ipsy bag is beautifully color-coordinated – from the pale pink bag with a rose gold zipper to that snail thingy (more on that later) to the nude lippie. And the bag is super-sized – perfect for liners or brushes.
So about that cute little snail…it’s Ladykin Affinitic Snail Cream. It’s literally 80% snail secretions. And I am supposed to put this on my face. For wrinkles. For what it’s worth, I looked it up on Amazon and it had some legit good reviews…so I’ll give it a shot. But…snail slime…on my face.
Also in this month’s “Tres Jolie” bag: Cake Desserted Island Supreme Body Mousse; Elizabeth Mott Blending Brush (the Elizabeth Mott All Over Shadow Brush I received a few years ago is still my favorite lid brush); tarte cosmetics tarteist quick dry matte lip paint in “rosé”; and Doucce Freematic Eyeshadow in “Marisa” (for the record, I HATE the name “Marisa” – my college boyfriend cheated on me with a homely (and possible homeless) skag named Marisa).
Great bag this month! I’ll let you know if the snail trail kills me.
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Review – Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Liquid Lipstick
It’s been a minute since I’ve done a full on product review, but I had ALL Saturday to myself and I had myself a little swatch party…
I’d been considering trying out Wet n Wild‘s new Megalast Liquid Catsuit Liquid Lipsticks since they launched at the end of 2016. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on liquid lipsticks in the past year or so – at $18-$20 each. Could a $4.99 product really match products that cost 3-4 times the price?
If you’re too lazy to read any further, the short answer is YES. If you’re NOT lazy, I’ll continue.
I started slowly, buying “Give Me Mocha” at Walgreen’s a few weeks ago. I was so impressed with the formula, that I started looking for a few more colors to test. It took a few trips to different Walgreen’s and Targets, but I also snagged “Rebel Rose” and “Goth Topic”, also snagging three more tubes to send to my lipstick buddy, Sally. They started their voyage to Scotland a week ago yesterday – I hope they get there soon!
Let’s start with “Goth Topic”. I’ll admit it, I only bought it for the name. I spent so much time at Hot Topic in the 90s!
I don’t wear dark lipsticks like this much anymore, but back in high school and college, this dark maroonish/brownish color was my jam. It’s the 90s in one color.
I only had one color to compare it too – and it’s not that hot a match. NYX Liquid Suede Creme Lipstick in “Club Hopper”. The NYX lipsticks are only a bit more expensive at $6.99, so it’s not much of a savings, but I found that “Goth Topic” – although thin – gave better coverage than “Club Hopper” and wore off my inner lips more slowly.
I’m suspecting that I’ll rarely wear either of these, unless I want to really annoy my husband.
On to “Rebel Rose” – a dusty rose. I’ll be honest, I thought that I had at least a handful of lipsticks that would match this one, but when I swatched them – they were all a little off. I wasn’t able to find ANY exact matches, but I decided to show off the closest ones I found.
Jeffree Star Cosmetics “Gemini” is somewhat similar, but a bit more Terra Cotta leaning. I suspect that it is a closer match to Jeffree Star “Doll Parts”, but I don’t have that one yet. Soon.
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in “Patina” is a bit closer, but leans more lavender. I really like the Stila Formula – it’s not as drying as most others.
“Patina” lasts the longest of the three on me. It is also the most flattering, but “Rebel Rose” looks pretty amazing as well.
…and I saved the best for last. “Give Me Mocha” is similar to SO many of my lipsticks – at least a dozen, if not 20. I narrowed it down the the very closest of matches to share.
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in “Lolita” is my absolute favorite matte liquid lipstick right now. It’s not an exact match, but fairly close. I was hoping that Jeffree Star “Androgyny” (another favorite) would be a dupe, but it leans more mauve.
I found two from NYX that are very close: NYX Lip Lingerie in “Exotic” and NYX Intense Butter Gloss in “Chocolate Crepe”. The Lip Lingerie has the matte staying power, but “Chocolate Crepe” is the closest color match….BUT, it’s not a matte liquid lipstick. The Butter Gloss is a slimy gloss that gets all over the place.
If you want to be a babe on a budget, don’t lose a minute’s worth of sleep over saving a dime (or 150 dimes) by picking the Liquid Catsuit Liquid Lipstick. It lasts just as long as Jeffree or Kat Von D and the colors are decent. It doesn’t smell weird and although thinner, a second coat fixes any thin coverage spots. I just wish they had more colors!
March Birchbox – Pretty Mighty
Leave it to Tracy Flick to deliver a perfectly color-coordinated Birchbox. March’s “Pretty Mighty” box was curated by Reese Witherspoon and her “lifestyle brand” Draper James. I have no idea what a “lifestyle brand” is – maybe it’s her “goop”?
In any case, she did a great job on this month’s box. For my sample choice, I chose Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream – I got it in last March’s Birchbox and used it right up. Also in the box: Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Bronzer (why???); Coastal Scents Revealed Smoky Eye Shadow Quad (2 tiny eyeshadow samples from the palette, but love the rose gold and taupe); Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water (I am so confused about all this “special water” I’ve been getting – how does “hydrogen mineral water” remove makeup when regular water doesn’t?); and Davines Oi All in One Milk, plus samples of Davines Oi Shampoo and Conditioner (man, I wish I could afford full sizes of Davines).
Thanks, Reese!
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