Review: Beauty Blender

Hi everyone! 

It is ridiculously hot in California right now -- I melt the minute I step outside in the 100+ degree weather! Thankfully, putting on my makeup isn't as terrible as I thought it would be in the summer.  Usually during this time, I dread putting on foundation or any heavy makeup because it will just melt off of my face a couple of hours outside.  Luckily, I've found something that makes putting on makeup just as enjoyable as it always has been for me! 

I bought the Beauty Blender at IMATS this year.  While there have been many rave reviews, I never had the chance to buy it because I didn't want to pay for shipping costs on Sephora.com! When the chance came, I went ahead and bought myself one at IMATS for a discounted price.  I can understand the hype around these beauty blenders! Putting on my regular medium coverage foundation with this is very refreshing -- especially in this weather. I simply wet the sponge and use it to dab my foundation on my face.  I find that not only is it refreshing because it is wet, but it also leaves me with a sheerer, yet still flawless, finish.  It is a definite MUST HAVE for the summer! 

Beauty Blender has its own cleanser.  However, I've found that if washed every couple of days with a blend of olive oil and anti-bacterial dish washing soap, it removes what foundation is on the sponge and returns it to looking new and clean.  :) 

Review: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Twilight Night

Bobbi Brown’s Desert Twilight Collection for Fall 2012 has recently released in stores across the US.  While the promo pictures caught my eye, I realized that I didn’t love anything enough to justify the purchase… except for one! A little background information on me: My very first piece of makeup (high-end or drugstore) was a Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner.  One of my high school friends gifted me with a Black Ink gel eyeliner and I have been a loyal fan of it and gel/crème eyeliners ever since.  Fast forward to the present – I walked away with the Twilight Night gel eyeliner ($22.00 for 0.1 oz/3 g) because not only is it limited edition, but I just couldn’t resist the beautiful color.

Twilight Night is a dark shimmering greyish purple with sparkles.  Compared to the other eyeliners that I own, Twilight Night appears to be the most sparkly.  My fear was that the sparkles would irritate my eyes (since I wear contacts) or produce some type of fallout, but I am glad to report that I experienced neither of these problems. 

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Twilight Night

From L to R: BB Ivy Shimmer Ink, BB Twilight Night, BB Chocolate Shimmer Ink

I have only experimented with this product for three days, but I am already considering buying another one as a backup! The formula is consistent with the other colors from her permanent line.  The color glides on the eyelid without any tug or pull, and it is pigmented enough that I do not have to build up to the intensity that I need.  The only negative thing that I can say about the formula in general is that if you are not careful about closing the lid, the product becomes dry and flaky very quickly.  Otherwise, the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner continues to be my holy grail eyeliner formula.  Check these out the next time you walk past a Bobbi Brown counter! You won’t regret it! 

Review: theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 2 Eyeshadow Palette

Hello! 

Continuing with the Shady Lady eyeshadow palette reviews, here is Vol. 2! Like the previous eyeshadow palette, Shady Lady Vol. 1, the eyeshadow formula is velvety smooth and blends like a dream.  The only problem with this eyeshadow formula is that it is not as pigmented as it could be.  I find that it is very important to use an eyeshadow primer underneath to enhance the color.  Other than that, this is a very versatile palette with neutral and colorful shadows that I like to use when traveling.  

The packaging itself is made of cardboard and I find that it can be easily dented and damaged, especially during travel.  Luckily, it is very lightweight and easy to add to any makeup bag.  There is a large mirror that is useful for on the go application or touch ups.  

From Left to Right: 

Caught in the Act Courtney (shimmery medium brown with gold sparkles) 

Feisty Felicia (matte brownish grey) 

Insane Jane (satin taupe with a hint of purple undertones) 

Bossy Bobbi (satin cornflower blue) 

Makeout Mary (satin light mossy green) 

Just This Once Jamie (light satin purple with a hint of pink) 

Mischievous Marissa (shimmering light copper rose gold) 

Tempting Tara (satin pearl white) 

Devilish Danielle (shimmering gold beige) 

Overall, there is a wide variety of colors in this palette that make it a very go-to palette for me! 

Monthly Favorites: June 2012

Hi everyone! 


I was rummaging through my makeup to see what I have been using the most this month and this is what I found: 

It was more difficult than I thought to narrow it down to just these products, but these are products that I have used every day for the past month! 


1. Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX: This is my favorite sleeping mask -- it absorbs into my skin and leaves it feeling very smooth and hydrated when I wake up in the morning.  


2. Melvita Orange Blossom Extraordinary Water: I use this in the morning and night after I wash and cleanse my face.  It makes my skin supple and fresh before I apply my moisturizer.  


3. YSL Teint Resist Long Wear Endless Comfort Transfer Resistant Foundation with SPF 10: I have been using this during the summer months because it is one of the foundations that doesn't feel like it's slipping off of my face in the summer heat.  It is transfer resistant and provides me with light to medium coverage.  I am currently in the shade 07 Pink Beige. 


4. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30: I've been using this religiously for the past four years and I will continue to repurchase it for a long time! It has SPF and I use it on sunny and cloudy days.  I use this every morning before foundation and found that it does not contribute to a white cast in photography.  


5. Murad Acne Spot Treatment: After testing different acne spot treatments (such as Kate Somerville, Peter Thomas Roth, etc.), this is the most effective treatment for me.  Ever have that feeling when a pimple is just forming and it's beginning to hurt? I usually place a dab of this onto the spot before bed and when I wake up, it is quickly reduced in size and hurts much less.  It prevents the pimple from reaching a point where it can create any acne scarring.  Love love love this! 


6. NARS Blush in Deep Throat: I have been using this blush mainly because it's the one that has been the most accessible, but I must admit I've grown to love it again.  Even though the wear time doesn't last past 6 hours, I still love the peachy pink color for the summer time.  


7. Le Metier de Beaute Eyeshadow Palette in Bora Bora: I received this as a gift with purchase from Neiman Marcus when I bought the On the Coast Kaleidoscope.  Initially, I didn't think I would like it based on the colors, but I absolutely love this palette for an everyday look.  It adds subtle color and depth to my eyes and I've already tried to find the same colors or dupes in the Le Metier de Beaute permanent makeup line to purchase once I use up this palette! 


8. CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Blasting Mascara Waterproof: My friend introduced me to this  and I must say that this is a very good mascara, almost as good as a high-end mascara! It is very waterproof and does not budge unless I remove it with a makeup remover.  It does not budge at all and makes my lashes look longer and thicker.  It is not a very dramatic look, but very appropriate for the daytime.  

Review: Giorgio Armani 'Eyes to Kill Acqua' Waterproof Eyeliner

Hello! 

In Spring 2011, Giorgio Armani released three limited edition Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencils and they sold out in a blink of an eye! I was glad that I was able to snap two of them up before they were gone at my local Nordstrom's. I was even more excited when they came out with two new colors for Spring 2012 in Antique and Copper.  These waterproof eye pencils quickly became my holy grail pencil eyeliners because they were the only ones that were able to stay on my waterline for 4+ hours without any significant fading.  When there was fading, it simply disappeared and did not smudge underneath my eye.  

Now imagine my surprise and delight when I found out they came out with a new "Eyes to Kill Acqua" Waterproof Eye Pencil during a mini Summer 2012 release! My saleslady at the Armani counter told me that these are limited edition.  I picked up one in black and immediately gave it a test drive.  

Left: Spring 2011 Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencil

Right: "Eyes to Kill Acqua" Waterproof Eye Pencil

(Apologies for the different swatch sizes!)

While the black color is very similar between the Spring 2011 Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencil and the ETK Waterproof Eye Pencil, I found that they do not wear the same on my eye.  The ETK Waterproof Eye Pencil is remarkable on the upper lash line, with very minimal fading, even after 6 hours.  However, the same could not be said for my lower lash line and waterline.  I found that after about 3 hours, I had raccoon eyes.  There was significant smudging under my eye.  

I have only been testing this for three days now, but found that if I place primer under my eye and set with an eyeshadow, it lasts much better on my lower lash line.  I could be wrong and this could be same formula as the Spring 2011 Waterproof Eye Pencil, but I personally don't think that the wear is quite the same.  However, these are still very good eye pencils to be worn on the upper lash line and I will still continue to use them for that -- especially when I'm feeling in a rush or just lazy.  :) 

Review: YSL Eyeliner Effet Faux Cils in Deep Black

Hello! 


As previously mentioned, I am a BIG fan of gel eyeliners and here today is Yves Saint Laurent's Long Wear Cream Eyeliner in Deep Black ($25.00)! My holy grail gel eyeliner is Bobbi Brown; however, this definitely gives it a run for its money! 

Deep Black (01) is the deepest black I've seen, perhaps even just slightly darker than Bobbi Brown's Black Ink.  The formula is much different than Bobbi Brown's.  It is more difficult to work with and does not glide as easily on my upper lash line.  It's not necessarily dry, but it is definitely much thicker/dense than the Bobbi Brown.  

BUT... the thing that makes me love this eyeliner is that it really is very long wearing and the best part is that it stays on my waterline! I like to gently place it on my waterline using my Bobbi Brown eyeliner brush and it will stay for a good 6 hours before I see some smudging below the eye.  Be careful, though, because it can feel a little dry when first applied. 


I have now found the perfect gel eyeliner combination for my eyes: Bobbi Brown on top and YSL on my waterline.  I suggest you give it a try and tell me what you think! :) 

Skincare: Lush Dreamwash Shower Smoothie and Ro's Argan Body Conditioner

Hello everyone! 

I'm here today with a review on two Lush products that I've been using for the past two months: Dreamwash and Ro's Argan.  

Dreamwash ($21.95) is a Shower Smoothie that was recommended to me at the store.  It appears light purple in the pot and smells very much like lavender.  It is supposed to be soothing and calm easily irritated skin.  According to the ingredients, it includes aloe vera, lavender, rose, tea tree, calamine and chamomile.  My skin isn't easily irritated, but I had had some sunburns on my arms and shoulder at the time and decided that it was worth a try.  While it felt nice on my skin and didn't hurt any of my sunburns, I can't say that I would repurchase this again, especially for the price.  While calming, I think that there are other options for a body wash that are available at a more affordable price.  

The other item I picked up was Ro's Argan Body Conditioner ($29.95), a light pink lotion with a lovely rose smell.  I believe that this is one of the more recent additions to their lineup.  It is a body lotion that is supposed to moisturize your entire body while in the shower.  The lady at the store told me that I had to put it on while I was in the shower and leave it on for 2-3 minutes and then rinse off.  My skin would be instantly moisturized and there would be no need for me to put on any lotion afterwards.  I am a rather lazy person and I don't like having to sit and rub lotion on all parts of my body after a shower, so of course I knew I had to give this a try! And... I must say that I am in LOVE with this product! It cuts down on the time and really does leave me feeling so moisturized that I don't feel the need to put on any lotion afterwards! The only possible negative thing I have to say about this product is that it can feel a little greasy on the skin afterwards.  It can feel like it's rubbing off on my clothes during the day, even though I haven't seen anything to suggest this.  This is why I like to use it at night before I go to sleep at night.  :)