Saturday, January 31, 2015

Sorry :(


I'm sorry I've been absent for the past several weeks.  We've had some serious personal situations going on at home which have demanded all of my attention.

Right now, I'm behind on my blog posts, but I do have several lined up and a few more planned for the near future.

Here's to hoping things stay calm around here!

Jen

Thursday, January 15, 2015

QVC Liptastic Lip Color Discovery Collection

My hubby is such a great guy. He has been supportive of, and even encouraging, my interest in and blogging about beauty. For Christmas, he was the one that picked out the majority of my gifts.  Recently, while laid up in the hospital, he took up the dangerous habit of watching QVC. This led to many of the aforementioned gifts, and one that I mentioned briefly before, the Liptastic Set.


The QVC Liptastic Color Discovery Collection is a set of 8 full and sample size products from mid to high end brands. Most are nudes or pinks, and you get a range of glossy cream to glitter.

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Rebel is a very light sheer pink gloss with a light peppermint scent. This has a sticky texture, but not exactly in a pleasant way. It is not as creamy as the buttercream formula, which is actually what I tried first and I much prefer. I'm not a huge fan of the color, but being so sheer, I should be able to make it work.

Doll 10 Beauty Nude Lip Wardrobe Lip Gloss in Buff is an opaque shimmery nude that smells like caramel. Doll 10 Beauty is the only included brand I hadn't heard of prior to receiving this box, and so far I am fairly impressed. While I personally don't like wearing this on its own, I found that it is a nice one to use to add shine over another lipstick. Also, this is a great weekend color for the kiddo.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF15 is the clear lip treatment version of their very popular product line. This is very hydrating, and really helped heal my painful lips this week. I love that it smells like lemon poppyseed muffins (one of my favorites!). My only issue with this is that, because the stick itself is rather thin in width and soft in firmness, I feel like it may break when I'm applying it. I have noticed that there are marks on the sides of the stick from the edges of the tube, so I am being extra careful when I put it on.

IT Cosmetics CC+ Lip Serum Anti-AgingHydrating Crème Gloss in Love is a warm pink/dusty rose glossy cream liquid lipstick with a pleasant, non-descript scent. They definitely chose the right name for this color, because I am in love! It is a perfect MLBB shade that can be worn with anything. The formula is somewhat sticky but not overly so, so you know that you're wearing something on your lips but they're not sticking together. The applicator has depression in it like Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer, pleasant non-descript scent. My biggest complaint is that the applicator does not pick up a lot of product, so it takes several dips into the tube to completely apply the color to my liking.

Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil in Everlasting Honey is described on the Sephora website as a rosy nude, and I found it has a pleasant, slightly fruity aroma. This product does need to be blended in with brush or fingers since the tube itself does not come with an in-place applicator, likely to ease its dual purpose usage. I found that shaking before using, even just to swatch, provided more even product out of the tube. It does sheer out thoroughly, so it will definitely not be as dark as when it is first dispensed. The consistency is something I had to get used to, since it is a cream-to-oil product, rather than the cream-to-powder I have grown more accustomed to. With my dry skin, I don’t think I’ll have any problems with oiliness, especially in the winter, but others might have issues. I really like this as a cheek tint. It adds just a hint of natural flush while moisturizing and soothing dry skin. It is very sheer and very thin, so it doesn’t really show up well on my lips, but and only sort of feels like you have a thin layer of something on. Since receiving this product, it has become one of my go-to blushes, I'm just not a fan of it as a lip color on me.

Laura Geller Beauty Sparkling CocktailLip Gloss in Cosmopolitan is a red glitter in a clear gel base. I would suggest shaking before using this one. This somewhat sticky gloss is very red and very glittery, so I won't be wearing this alone. But I think it would look great over a red lipstick for a holiday or party look. It comes in a squeeze tube with an angled plastic tip for applying, which reminds me of lip glosses sold for kids or even certain drugstore lip balms, which I think cheapens this a bit. Definitely not my favorite of the group...

Mally Slimline Highshine Liquid Lipstick in Must Have Pink is a lovely peachy pink liquid lipstick with lots of shine, a little shimmer, and a slight fruity scent. Since the tube is so large, I didn't realize until I recently got a full-size one that this wasn't! I think this is a great color and would probably wear it more if it wasn't for the applicator. The applicator is a brush that you have to twist bottom to click product up. Unfortunately, since the product comes up through the middle of the brush, it causes the bristles to spread out and causes the color to apply unevenly and streaky.

Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint in Enchanted is a sheer reddish glossy balm with a peppermint scent that and causes the lips to tingle. It has a very slippery texture, so I have to be careful when I apply it to prevent feathering. This plumping product leaves a significant stain after only a short time. It showed up much brighter than I thought it would (from the tube I thought it would be a dark berry, it was more a darker bright pink), so don’t need to add a lot of product to get good color payoff. This is my first LipSurgence product, but now that I've figured out some of the tricks, I should have no problem wearing it. I understand why they are very popular, but the aren't currently my favorite balm because of how careful I have to be when applying it. If you have any tricks, please let me know!

Overall, I really like this set and have been using several of the products as part of my standard rotation. That being said, I do think this is missing a few things to make it complete. This set does really well on the glosses, but I would have liked to have had at least one cream and/or matte lipstick to round out the color set. Also, if they had truly wanted to stick with pinks and nudes, then I probably would have chosen a different Tarte Lipsurgence color and Laura Geller Lip Gloss. My favorites so far are the IT Cosmetics and Josie Maran items, which I find myself reaching for all the time.


Have you ever gotten any of the sets from QVC? Have you tried any of these items in particular? What did you think?

Friday, January 9, 2015

Empties November/December - Part 2

Here's the rest of the Empties!

Skincare
  • Ahava Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream – Not positive but sample probably from Ulta. This had a nice consistency, but kind of an odd smell. Purchase: No.
  • Air Repair Rescue Balm All Purpose Skin Salve and Lip Balm – Sample from Birchbox. This product was another of what I grouped into the Aquaphor-like creams, although this one did have a slight menthol smell. I see no reason to but this when I can get other similar products for a lower price. Purchase: No.
  • Dermadoctor Shrinking Beauty Body Beautiful Lotion (not available) – Not positive but sample probably from Ulta. This was a really nice lotion that was actually more the consistency of hand cream. Although it doesn't say it, this was mostly fragrance-free, which was helpful. Purchase: Maybe.
  • Essential Elements Wake Up Rosemary Shower Gel – Sample from Birchbox. This shower gel smelled lovely, like rosemary and mint with a hint of eucalyptus. I found it really nice and refreshing, and it helped me wake up in the morning. I just don't know if it's worth the cost. Purchase: Maybe.
  • Harvey Prince Ageless Body Cream – Sample from Birchbox. I am not a fan of pink grapefruit, but the scent of this is intoxicating. The body cream is pretty good too. Purchase: Yes.
  • Naobay Body Radiance Lotion – Sample from Birchbox. I'm torn about this lotion. The lotion itself is just OK. I do really like the light citrus smell, but the hubby is having a hard time with it, and I already have lemon-scented lotions I love. So for now... Purchase: No.
  • The Body Shop Body Butter in Shea – Travel size. We got this for my hubby when he got ultra-dry and his nurses suggested shea butter. He is super sensitive to scents right now, so we went to Ulta and I had him smell the Body Shop body butters until we found some he could tolerate. We decided to get the travel size in case they didn't work for him, but he used this up in no time (with me helping :) ). Repurchase: Yes, in both the travel and the larger size.

Fragrance
  • Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline L'eau de Parfum – Paper sample, not positive but probably from Ulta. This was OK, but not good enough for me to purchase a larger size. Purchase: No.
  • Elizabeth and James Nirvana White – Sample from either Macy's or Sephora. I've actually already purchased the rollerball of this, along with the Black. Purchase: Yes.
  • Versace Crystal Noir – Not positive but sample probably from Ulta. This fragrance is really nice; I really like how the Versace samples have the notes listed on them. This is classified as Oriental/Floral, and I find it darker than the Versace Bright Crystal fragrance sample I tried. I might like this if they come out with a rollerball or something similar. Purchase: Maybe.

Hair Care
  • Agave Healing Oil Treatment – Sample from Birchbox. I didn't realize until half-way through the packet that this was an oil treatment that was supposed to be put on and washed out. Instead, I used it as a standard hair oil, and it seemed to work ok. I loved its slightly smell aroma, which made it different than any other oil I have tried. At this point, though, I don't use a lot of hair masks, and have plenty of those and hair oils. Purchase: No.
  • Davines Oi Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion – Rippy packet sample from Birchbox. This hair oil seemed to be as good as any other, from the little bit that I could tell. Unfortunately, the rippy packet made this very messy to use, since I did not use up the entire sample in one go. Even to dispose of it, I put it in a zip-top bag because the oil had gotten everywhere. That really put me off to this product, especially when I already have others that work fine. Purchase: No.
  • Neil George Conditioner – Sample from Birchbox. I received both the shampoo and conditioner, but always tend to use up conditioners before shampoos (I heavily condition my hair and leave it in for a long time like a mask). This worked fine, but I have others that have been recommended by my hair stylist. Purchase: No.
  • Redkin Diamond Oil – Not positive but sample probably from Ulta. This was another hair oil sample, and it worked fine. Purchase: Maybe.

Other
  • Eyeliner Brush from $2 gel eyeliners – This brush was free with the set of eyeliners I got at Walgreens around Black Friday for $2, and it is AWFUL! It is so stiff that the bristles don't even bend, and they are going in all directions even before using it once. I just tossed it and used my own. Love the eyeliners, though. Purchase: Yes to the eyeliners, No to the brush.

Give Ups
  • Benefit Big Easy in Light/Medium – Sample from Sephora. I really like this product, but I think I may have been matched to a color that's too dark for me. I'll probably go back and try another shade. Purchase: Maybe, if there is an appropriate shade.
  • Elf Waterproof Eyeliner Pen – Full size, not empty. I picked this up to practice with a pen liquid eyeliner on the cheap. It sort of served its purpose, but was definitely only worth the $1-2 I paid for it. It was supposed to be black, but came off more as gray. Also, when I went over my line, the lines didn't blend together so it looked extra messy. Since I don't wear black eyeliner, I definitely won't be getting this again. Repurchase: No.
  • Gold Bond Ultimate Protection Skin Therapy Lotion with SPF 15 – Full size, not empty. I found this during a cleanout and decided to dispose of it due to age and the likelihood that the SPF was no longer active. From what I remember, it was OK, but it was somewhat hard to rub in completely. Repurchase: No.
  • Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Eau de Toilette – Sample from either Macy's or Sephora. I couldn't stand this fragrance. It lingered on me, no matter how little I put on. But when I wore it, my coworker liked it, so I am passing this on to her. Purchase: No.
  • McKesson Medi-Pak Performance Instant Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera – Travel size. I found this during a cleanout and decided not to use due to discoloration and breakdown of product. I have plenty of other hand sanitizers, and really like Pocket-Back from Bath and Body Works best. Repurchase: No.
  • StriVectin SD Advanced Intensive Concentrate for Wrinkles and Stretch Marks – Not positive but sample probably from Ulta. This smells minty and was kind of nice while I was using it, but it started breaking me out. Purchase: No.
With how long this turned out, I'm going to try to post my empties more often.  Keep on the lookout!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Empties November/December 2014 - Part 1

Here we go... another empties post!  I was originally going to write this as a single post, but it wound up being huge, so look for Part 2 coming soon.  In this one, I'll review Makeup and Face Care.

Makeup
  • ChapStick Classic in Strawberry – Full size. I use lip balm every night before bed, and have experimented with which ones I like best. Of the drug store ones I've tried, this one doesn't come anywhere close. Luckily, even though I originally bought this in a 3-pack, I was able to give the other two away and suffered my way through this one. It was just too waxy for me, and didn't last through the night. I think my lips felt dryer when I woke up than when I went to bed. Repurchase: No.
  • Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips – Sample from Birchbox. This was the never-ending lip product! I swear, every night I thought it would be the end of the tube, then the next night there was still another huge amount left. This seemed very similar to other Vaseline-like products except that it came in a squeeze tube rather than in a pot. Again, I used this before bed, and there were plenty of mornings that I work up feeling like I hadn't used anything the night before. Purchase: No.
  • Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector – Full size. I picked up this BB Cream on a whim at the drug store one day before a trip. My skin hadn't been acting great, so I thought I could use some coverage lighter than a standard liquid foundation and had read some good reviews on this one. I am so glad I got this. This is so great for some very light coverage, and it blended in really well without being too pink or too orange. It acts more like a tinted moisturizer, but more days than not, that's what I reach for. I was so sad when I used this up, and the only reason I haven't picked up more is that I'm trying to use up some of what I already have at home. Repurchase: Yes.
  • Simple Pleasures Sweet Candy Dreams Lip Gloss (no longer sold) – Full size. I picked this up at Ulta a few years ago to round out a purchase, before I had really started to get more heavily into makeup. And let me tell you, I have been wanting to use it up since then. I did a little cheer when this ran out. This gloss always seemed like it was supposed to smell and taste sweet, but never quite did. It also is the man reason I am not a huge fan of the glosses that twist up from the bottom and come up through the middle of a brush. This was overly sticky, and shiny in a weird way. Just so NOT a fan! Repurchase: No.
  • Ulta Professional Flawless Primer (x2) – Sample from Ulta. I received this in a sample bag from Ulta, and it's OK. It's green and supposed to reduce redness, but I haven't noticed any visible reduction. It is silicone-based, but seems to be a kind of odd intermediate consistency. Purchase: No.
  • Ulta Voluptuous Volume Mascara in Jet Black – Full size. I started this mascara on October 11, and stopped using it on December 7 due to excessive flaking. This was an OK mascara, and I believe I may even have another one waiting for me at home. I would have continued to use it if I didn't have to keep wiping away the dry mascara flakes from my cheeks by early afternoon. I have a lot of other mascara to try now, so I probably won't be buying any for a while, even if I do find one I really like. Repurchase: No.


Face Care

  • Albertini International Warm Love Pumpkin Exfoliating Mask – Sample from Ipsy. This smells wonderful! This mask is almost like putting a non-sticky pumpkin pie filling on your face and massaging it in while basking in the aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg. I'm trying to be more regular with masks, but not there yet, and have several to use up. Purchase: Probably not.
  • Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser – Sample from Ipsy. I love the light citrus scent of this face cleanser. This didn't seem to break me out, but it didn't work so well for the kiddo in that regard. For the price, I don't think I'll be getting this now since it didn't work for the kiddo. Purchase: No.
  • Jurlique Purely Bright Radiance Serum – Rippy packet from Sephora. This worked fine from what I can tell, but I'm not sure if it did anything. It did smell very perfume-y. Purchase: No.
  • Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover – Full size. This was the first eye makeup remover I owned. I used to be really bad about not removing my makeup before bed, especially since I only wore eye makeup. I have been making a concerted effort to remove my makeup every night, and this was spark. It did leave an oily feeling on my eyelids, even though it says it is oil-free, so I wiped my eyes off either with my face wipe or a towel after use. I have found others that I am trying out, but I am so glad I found this originally. Repurchase: Maybe.
  • Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes – Full size x 2. These face wipes work fine, although the cloths are a little rough compared to others that I have used. I can usually find these on sale, which is always nice. Also, I haven't had any problems with these breaking me out, and they seem to work well to take off makeup. Repurchase: Yes.
  • Simple Soothing Facial Toner – Full size. I needed a new toner, and Simple products were on sale and hadn't aggravated my skin, so I decided to give it a shot. This toner worked out fine, although I do have other ones I want to try out before going back to this one. Repurchase: Yes.
  • Soap and Glory Make Yourself Youthful 6-in-1 Intense Rejuvenating Super-Serum – Rippy packet sample from Sephora. This serum smells yummy and actually seemed to possibly do something in the short time I was using the sample. I've added it to my Loves list at Sephora, and I'm just waiting to use up my current serum or find some other way to justify spending the money on this, since it isn't cheap. Purchase: Yes.
  • Ulta Moisturizing Makeup Remover Pads (not available) – Full size. I am SO glad these are finally done. I bought these the first time I tried to buckle down and remove my makeup every night. These are pre-soaked wipes, and they are most definitely soaked. So much so that they are dripping wet when you take them out of the jar. I wound up using them to wipe off swatches, but had to wash up after because they left me so oily and soaked. Repurchase: No.
  • Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray – Sample from Ulta. This says that it's supposed to reduce redness, minimize pores, and absorb oil. From what I can tell, it doesn't do any of these. I also thought this smelled like glue, and made my face feel kind of sticky and tight. I kept checking the bottle to make sure I didn't have something like setting spray. Purchase: No.
  • Yes to Blueberries Age Refresh Cleansing Facial Wipes – Full size. I had used these in the past, both a travel size and full size, with no problems. This time, I had some issues with a burning sensation while I was using it and had to stop. I was eventually able to finish off the pack after using a pack of another brand, but I am hesitant to try the Yes To wipes again. This is now the second time and second scent that I've had problems with Yes To wipes causing a burning sensation. The kiddo can't use these either. Repurchase: No.
Look for Skincare, Fragrance, Hair Care, Other, and Give Ups in Part 2.

What have you finished recently that you would recommend?  Anything you would absolutely stay away from?

Monday, January 5, 2015

Mini Sephora Haul - December 2014


Another Sephora haul, at least this one was kind of small. :)  This purchase put me into VIB status for 2015! That's actually why I wanted to get it in before the end of the year. Since this was my first time, I made sure to grab my VIB welcome kit, more because I wanted to see what was included than anything else.

Of course, I grabbed some free samples (none have been tried yet):



Guerlain KissKiss Lipstick in #368 Baby Rose, #325 Rouge Kiss, and #344 Sexy Coral



Purchased Products:


Too Faced Melted Liquified Long WearLipstick in Melted Fig – I LOVE this color! It is a medium purply-pink that, while not a true MLBB shade, it is a great everyday shade for me. I also really like the liquid lipstick formula. You only need a very thin application and you get fully opaque coverage. Although it wears very thin, when you press your lips together, you can definitely still feel the product on your lips. I also really like the felt/sponge applicator; it gives a really precise application as long as you don't squeeze too hard.




Benefit Lemon Aid – I've mentioned before that I really like Benefit products. One of the YouTubers I follow loves this product, and I don't have a yellow or green concealer in my collection, so I wanted to grab this. It is a rather thick, dry cream that definitely stays opaque yellow when applied, even after blending. This is marketed as a an eye concealer, but I have worn this on other areas as well. Because of the color and coverage, I found that I need to apply this before my foundation if I'm wearing foundation that day, and if not, I need to make sure to layer another concealer closer to my skin color. In addition to being a decent concealer, this also makes a decent eye shadow base I the way that some people use NYX Eye Pencil in Milk.  I will say, this could be better if it smelled like lemons, but that's such a minor thing...


Sephora Precision Sponge – I love my BeautyBlender, but it seems to be starting to shed a little bit. To try to save it and try to save a little bit of cash (and also qualify for free shipping), I decided to pick up the Sephora version. I haven't tried it yet, but I'll let you know what I think.


Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rollerball Set in Black and White – Sephora was having a points special on fragrance, offering an extra 250 points with any fragrance purchase. I'm a big fan of rollerballs in general, since they allow you to have a good amount of product at a fraction of the cost. I had been finishing off a sample of White and had heard good things about Black, so I thought I'd pick these up. My only complaint about White is that, when sprayed, it didn't seem to last very long. I'm hoping that might change when applied by rollerball. I haven't tried the Black yet, but on initial whiff, I like it even better than white.

Are you a VIB? What did you buy to get to that level?  Do you like Sephora or Ulta better?



Saturday, January 3, 2015

The Body Shop Haul


The Body Shop was a place only the cool kids shopped when I was in high school. It wasn't the easiest place to get to, and there was only one around, so I only ever tried one thing back then (Kiwi Lip Butter/Gloss, the one in the pot). It also was on the pricier side, so it seemed like such an extravagance.

Recently, I was reading reviews by British bloggers and watching videos from British YouTubers, which tended to be overwhelmingly good. I happened to find a fairly convenient shop, and between that, online shopping, and Ulta, have been sampling several products.

I must say, I am impressed! Everything I have tried so far has worked out great, and I am definitely looking forward to trying out the rest.

Here's what I've picked up so far:

Nutriganics Refreshing Toner – Using this now, and it smells great.

Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover – Removes makeup like a dream. I do have to be careful not to get too much on my cotton ball or it stings my eyes.

Vitamin E Cool BB Cream – Just started trying this. With how dark it looks coming out of the tube, I'm pleasantly surprised that it blends in so completely and matches so well.

Radiant Highlighter (not tried yet)

Strawberry Hand Cream (not tried yet)

Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream – Love this, use it at least once a day. I've already bought a replacement because I'm almost out.

Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil – Use this every night, but don't know if it's doing much.




Body Butter (travel size) in Strawberry, Olive, Shea, and Coconut – Smells great, feels great, works great.

Strawberry Lip Butter – Smells yummy, feels divine.

I'm looking forward to picking up more from the Body Shop. I joined their rewards program, and have gotten some great deals during sales already.


What's your favorite Body Shop product?

Note: All photos from The Body Shop website.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year!


Wishing everyone a New Year that is happy, healthy, and beauty-full :)  

I hope 2015 is a great year for everyone!