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Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask

06/08/2017
Makeup, Skincare
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This is a little different from my usual posts, but I want to start doing more posts about skincare and this sort of falls into that category, right?! I had to take a little break due to my health and while I’ve been away I haven’t worn makeup aside from testing a few new things I got recently… It’s made me realize just how much I was missing in my skincare routine so that’s definitely something I want to focus on more and share with all of you!

It’s so important to have a good canvas to start with before applying your makeup, and with as popular as matte liquid lipsticks are, you have to have something that locks moisture into your lips before you apply that lipstick that’s going to be on literally all day! I initially got this product just to try something new but I’ve been using it for over a month now and I see a major difference in the texture of my lips. As always, I hope you all enjoy this review as much as I enjoy sharing some of my favorite things! Please leave me a comment if you’ve tried it or know of any other miracle lip balms!

There are three shades to choose from, but this post will just be on the clear one. I have purchased the other two, though, and I’ll be reviewing those in the future.

Also, if you want to stay up to date with new products I’m testing or playing around with, or just want to chat, you can follow me on Instagram @lesley_makeup , twitter @lesley_makeup or add me on Snapchat, which is also lesley_makeup. I LOVE hearing from all of you so don’t hesitate to hit me up!

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Bite Beauty’s Agave Lip Mask is a permanent product that sells for $26 and is available at Sephora stores (including most inside JC Penney). You can also order this from www.sephora.com. It contains 15 g / 0.52 oz of product, which may not seem that much, especially for that price but a little goes a long way! When I photographed this I had been using it for about 3 weeks already, at least twice a day if not more, and that’s the dent I had left in the tube at that time! I imagine one tube of this is going to last me at least a couple of months, so I feel like this is a better deal than some cheaper alternatives out there, just due to the fact that the ingredients are very high quality and you don’t need to apply this very often at all. If this would have been any other type of squeeze-tube lip balm, I’m pretty sure I’d have run out by now! It does not contain any Phthalates, Parabens, or Sulfates and Bite Beauty is a cruelty-free brand ❤

From the box it comes in to the tube itself, the packaging is simple, yet modern and classy. I appreciate that with this type of product because I feel like no matter who you are, you can use this product and not be turned off by extravagant, bright packaging. The tube itself is your basic squeeze tube, but it’s pretty I dunno, hefty?, which prevents you from squeezing out too much product too easily and wasting it, since you only need a little bit. The tube has surprisingly held up floating around in the bottom of my purse for over a month now, so that says something about the quality of it! When you get it, the there’s a seal over the opening, which you break using the screw on lid. I like that with products like this because you know you’re getting something brand new and sanitary.

Since this is a pretty basic review, I’m just going to pop the photos down below the description and such so keep scrolling down to see those, including the list of ingredients which are all of super high quality and 99% natural!

As I just mentioned, Bite Beauty uses the utmost high quality ingredients. On top of that, all of their products are hand made in house, so when you buy their products, you aren’t getting something that’s going to have any weird chemicals or vary much from batch to batch because the production is from one location, is hands-on, and is closely overseen by people. Since Bite Beauty is also a company that focuses on lip products, I feel like that might have something to do with this literally being the best lip balm type of product I have ever used, and I’m not just saying that because it’s a current, new obsession… I really mean it!

Obviously, this one is clear and has a natural type of finish. The texture is pretty thick, which is probably why it’s referred to as a mask rather than a balm. It honestly takes a little bit of effort to squeeze it out of the tube, but you only need an amount about the size of a peppercorn or metal bb to get plenty of moisture packed onto your lips. Since it’s a thick product that’s not very slippery, I like to pat it onto my lips then gently rub it in with my finger using a back and forth motion because it does need to be warmed up in order to go on evenly.

Another great thing about this being more of a mask than a balm is that once it’s applied, it looks natural and not too shiny or glossy. The less you apply, the less shiny it looks, so this is a product that’s suitable for everyone… And by everyone, I mean all you men out there who need to upgrade from chapstick but are too afraid of wearing something high-end because it might look too wet and glossy! There’s also a stick version of Bite’s Agave lip treatment that’s even less satiny than the Lip Mask is, but I find it harder to apply. I also feel like I have to use more product with the stick type and apply it more often… I’m actually going to review that one soon, too, so that way you all will know more about the differences in them.

With this Lip Mask, you honestly see instant results. After I used this just once and sent a picture of my lips to my best friend the next day, she asked me what I did and said it looked like I’d had my lips filled a little because they were so full and smooth… The only thing I had changed was the fact that I applied this before bed! You see, because of the consistency and ingredients, it soaks in and adheres to your lips without slipping off, so you can apply this before bed, then wake up 8 hours later with smooth, plump (as in naturally, this doesn’t have plumpers in it), hydrated lips. Because this formula is so unique and soaks in so well without leaving your lips slippery or sticky, I find it ideal to wear before I apply matte or liquid lipsticks. When I get ready, I’ll usually shower, apply my skincare including this Lip Mask, dry my hair, then put on makeup, always doing my lips last. That gives this product time to soak in prior to putting on your lipstick so you won’t end up with lips that feel like they’re dry and cracking underneath your liquid lipstick that’s going to be on all day! I don’t usually have a problem with this, but if you feel like there’s a little too much still on the surface of your lips before you apply your liner and lipstick, just blot onto the back of your hand or a tissue. Even at the end of the day after I’ve removed my lipstick, I don’t feel like the moisture has been sucked out of my lips at all… Since I usually end up reapplying this after washing my face, I feel like my lips are never dry any more and in the month I’ve used this consistently, I have not had dry patches or chapped lips ONCE!

I bought this in the other two colors too, one of which is a peachy-pink with a hint of shimmer called Champagne, and the other which is reddish pink, but just makes your lips look naturally pigmented and flushed. I’ll be reviewing those soon, so make sure to subscribe for updates via email or follow me on the social media platforms listed in the beginning of this post to see when those reviews go up.

Overall, I 100% recommend this to anyone and everyone… Especially to anyone who is a liquid lipstick addict! Bite Beauty’s Agave Lip mask will literally change your lips and your life!

Overall Rating:   5 / 5

Application:   5

Coverage:  5

Color Payoff:   N/A

Texture:   5

Wear Time:   5   (8 hours)

Packaging:   5

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*** This post expresses my own honest opinion. I purchased this out of pocket and did not receive any type of PR or compensation for this review ***

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glamglow Nude Glow Glowstarter

04/28/2017
Makeup, Skincare
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This is one of those products that I bought AGES ago when it first came out and it just sat there forever until I recently picked it up and absolutely fell in love with it! It’s the type of moisturizer that you can wear alone if you want a healthy glow but don’t want to wear makeup, or you can wear it under your foundation or even mix it WITH your foundation to create a base with extra luminosity. Glowstarters come in three colors but I’ll only be reviewing Nude Glow in this post.

Glamglow’s Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer is a permanent product which sells for $49 and can be purchased directly from www.glamglow.com, Sephora, Dillard’s, Nordstrom, and many other retailers. It contains 50 g (or ml) / 1.7 oz of product, which is pretty average for a higher end moisturizer in this price range. Glamglow is a cruelty-free company, so this product was not tested on animals ❤

If you sign up for emails on Glamglow’s website, you get a 15% off code! Also, if you act now, they have a friends and family discount code that will take 25% off of your entire purchase. The code is FF25OFF and it expires on Monday, 5/1/17 at 11:59PM Pacific Time.

As always, if you’d like to get updates on upcoming posts, chat with me, or get sneak peeks of new products that I’ll be testing and reviewing, be sure to follow me on twitter, instagram, and snapchat, all @ lesley_makeup!

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The packaging for this is your basic little tub but it’s SO pretty! It’s a bright silver with the Glamglow star on the top of the screw-on lid. It feels heavy but not bulky and it’s sturdy enough to live through being tossed in a travel or gym bag. It also seems to hold up well  when dropped onto a tile floor (I’ve dropped mine at least half a dozen times and it hasn’t even cracked). It’s easy to get all of the product out too since there’s no awkward shape or lip to the container, so you won’t waste a drop of this moisturizer!

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The formula isn’t too thin and fluid-like, but it’s also not super thick and creamy… It almost feels whipped but not in a dry, poofy sort of way… If that makes any sense. It has a slick, almost cooling feel to it but isn’t greasy at all. I guess the best way to describe this is just exactly what it is, which is SUPER moisturizing without being sticky or heavy. It absorbs quickly so you don’t have to worry about waiting a long time between applying this and then your makeup. I actually like to use this right before putting on my foundation or primer, if I even decide to use one along with this product. Glowstarters have a tropical, almost creamsicle-like scent, which I like but that’s me… It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, though. The scent does fades after a little while, so you don’t have to worry about walking around smelling sweet and fruity all day!

According to Glamglow, and also based on my personal experience with this product as well as my experience using this in my makeup kit, Glowstarters are suitable for all skin types. That said, if your skin is sensitive to things which are scented or have very small pearlescent particles, you may want to try a test area before applying this to your entire face. Personally, my skin varies between dry and combination depending on the time of year but I can use this year round without getting overly shiny or oily. If you have oily skin and don’t want any extra glow, this product may not be for you or you could just mix a small amount in with your foundation for a healthy hint of luminosity. Also, if you have larger pores, this moisturizer can emphasize them a little bit, like many shimmery products can, so that’s something else to keep in mind. I’ll go over different techniques of using this product below the summary for this particular shade of Glowstarter.

As I mentioned earlier in this post, I’m only reviewing Nude Glow today but you can choose from three different Glowstarter colors. Pearl Glow is the lightest and is a pearlescent white, Nude Glow is the medium color and is a pearlescent pink, and Sun Glow is the darkest and is a pearlescent bronze. The great thing is that all skin tones can use all of these colors! If worn alone, I would recommend Pearl Glow for fair to light skin, Nude Glow for light to medium dark skin, and Sun Glow for medium to deep skin. You can also use the different colors to lighten or deepen your foundation if mixed together, or use the different colors on different areas of your face, much like doing a very sheer, subtle base, contour, or highlight with a glow. In the summer, I have a pretty medium skin tone and prefer Nude Glow most of the time but I will reach for Sun Glow if I want to look a little more bronzed.

Glowstarters are hydrating enough to use as your daily moisturizer and contain all sorts of beneficial ingredients such as vitamins, botanicals, hyaluronic acid, and Glamglow’s own Teaoxi golden root technology which instantly gives you boost of moisture that lasts all day. One of my favorite ingredients in Glowstarters is green tea extract, which helps to soothe the skin. They also contain emollients like ceramides, jojoba oil, shea butter, and a top secret, special lipid-complex that’s going to infuse your skin with moisture and keep that moisture locked in all day long. The pearlescent particles in these moisturizers add to the glowing effect, reflecting light and helping to blur out imperfections. For me, when I wear this alone, I feel like I have one of those naturally radiant looking filters on my face (think flower crown filter on snapchat minus your skin color being all blown out and bright… And without having to walk around with flowers on your head lol).

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Photo taken indoors using natural, diffused sunlight PLUS a ring light. Glowstarter swatched on NC25 skin.

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Photo taken indoors using a ring light only. Glowstarter swatched on NC25 skin. 

Nude Glow:   This is a light, sheer peachy-champagne type of nude with warm undertones and a soft golden sheen. The texture is very smooth and almost feels cooling when applied. It has a medium consistency, falling right between a lotion and a cream so it isn’t runny but also isn’t so thick that you need to warm it up on your fingers before putting it on. The color payoff and amount of shimmer is obviously not going to be as pigmented or intense as it is in the pot, but that’s to be expected with this type of product. Coverage is the same way… While it’s not going to be anywhere near opaque, you will get an even amount of glow without any patchiness. Wear time is actually really nice for a radiant, shimmery moisturizer… When worn alone, I don’t notice the shine beginning to fade away in most areas until I have it on for about 10-12 hours unless I get hot or it’s exceptionally humid, then it may fade a bit faster because the glow will slide off right along with your sweat!

I’m not going to give this the typical rating since many parts of that don’t apply to this product, but we’ll try it this way:

Overall Rating:   5 / 5

Application:   5

Hydration:  5

Luminosity:   4

Texture:   5

Scent:   5

Packaging:   5

Application Tips:

Worn alone or as a moisturizer:   

Gently rub or pat this into clean, dried skin, avoiding the eye area. You may also apply this to your shoulders, arms, legs, décolletage, or anywhere else on your body for a sexy, goddess-like glow. If you are wearing primer and other makeup over this, let it soak in for about 10-15 minutes, then you’re good to go with your normal makeup routine! This technique is great for all skin types.

Worn as a primer:

Apply lightly to your face after letting your usual moisturizer soak in for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Let this absorb for about a minute, then apply your foundation directly over the Glowstarter. At this point, it will be tacky enough that your foundation will adhere to it like it would any other primer. This technique is best for dry to normal skin types.

Mixed in with foundation as a luminizer:

You can mix in as much or as little as you want! The more you mix in, the more sheered out and glowy your foundation will become, while the less you add, the more coverage you’ll have with your base and the more subtle the glow will be. You can also mix this with something like MAC’s Select Cover-Up or Pro Longwear Concealers to create a beautiful, luminous foundation that will still give you a good amount of coverage, since concealers are typically more pigmented than foundations are. You can use this trick no matter what type of skin type you have but if you’re oily, you will want to use a very small amount of Glowstarter in your mixture.

Worn as a highlighter:

As with any liquid highlighter, you’ll want to pat this onto the high planes of your face (cheekbones, tip and bridge of nose, above the brow bone, on the cupid’s bow, etc). I like to use my fingers for this method. You may add a powder highlighter over it to intensify the glow but it’s not necessary to set with a powder if you want a softer, more natural look.

 

 

*** This post expresses my own honest opinion. I purchased this out of pocket and did not receive any type of PR or compensation for this review ***

 

 

Update: What’s coming up and a few other changes…

01/13/2013
Coming Soon, Makeup, Other Cosmetics, Skincare, Update
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I was away from the blog for a while because I was working so much around the holidays and had barely enough free time to sleep and eat, so my apologies for not keeping up with things over the last few months.

Things have finally slowed down so I’m going to be doing a lot more on here! There won’t be a set schedule, but you can bet I will be reviewing the majority of MAC’s new launches, as usual. I’ll also be making random posts about MAC’s permanent products, as well as some products from other brands.

In addition to makeup posts and face charts, I plan on doing posts for outfit of the day, other cosmetics like nail polish, hair products and skincare, and good buys and finds. I will be doing makeup of the day posts too, so you all can see the makeup I do on myself (eek!). I’m trying to challenge myself and try new things that are outside of my comfort zone, so that should be interesting!

 

Thanks for reading… If you all have any ideas or products/reviews you’d like to see on here, let me know in a comment!

 

XO,

Lesley

Tuesday Tip #5: Shea Butter… The Moisturizing Miracle

07/10/2012
Skincare, Tuesday Tip
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I’ve been searching for the best, most nourishing moisturizer for quite some time now and I finally found it… It’s not a complicated product with tons of fancy ingredients… It’s pure, simple, organic shea butter!

There are so many uses for shea butter, but I purchased this with the primary intent of treating my eczema. You see, I have a type of eczema called dyshidrotic eczema, which causes little tiny blisters on the sides of my fingers and backs of my hands. It gets very dry, then cracks and hurts SO bad. It’s embarrassing to have too, being a makeup artist and all. I finally did my research and saw that shea butter was something natural that could nearly cure this condition, and it almost has in only a week!

I started applying this to my eczema throughout the day, anytime my skin would start to feel dry or tight. I went from having about a dozen dry, cracked blisters, to having two that are nearly all healed up. It’s amazing!

That said, there are also so many more uses for shea butter, like these:

  • Chapped Lips:   It’s taken my lips from dry and chapped to completely smooth and soft.
  • Frizzy Hair:   I rub a tiny amount of shea butter between my fingertips and run it through any frizzy areas of my hair that need “tamed”. I also use it on the dry areas of the ends of my hair.
  • Cuticles:   Rubbing this on my cuticles has made them soft and easier to push back.
  • Dry Heels/Feet:   After I shower and buff my feet with a pumice stone, I rub shea butter all over my heels and the dry, tough areas of my feet every few day. If you do this, make sure to wear socks for a little while so it soaks in and you don’t slip on the floor! It’s made my feet SO much softer… Just in time for sandal weather.
  • Scars:   If you apply shea butter to recent scars, it will help keep the skin supple and help it to heal and reduce scarring. Make sure the tissue is no longer open. This will work on scars from any cut, scrape, surgical procedure, burn, or even acne.
  • Dry Scalp/Dandruff:   Just like shea butter helps with other dry patches of skin, if you have dandruff, you can rub a very small amount of shea butter between your finger to warm it up, them rub it on the dry areas of your scalp to help control dandruff.
  • Rosacea:   For some people that have rosacea on their face, neck, and chest, applying shea butter can help soothe the skin and reduce redness.
  • Psoriasis:   I have heard that shea butter can reduce the amount of redness and flaking associated with psoriasis… A good friend of mine has psoriasis and is going to test this for me very soon!
  • Fine Lines & Wrinkles/Sun Damage:   Because shea butter is full of antioxidants, it can help reduce the appearance of aging if you apply it to your face where you have wrinkles, lines, or sun spots.
There are even more uses for shea butter, but those are the main ones that I can think of right now! It basically calms and conditions dry, irritated, or damaged skin. Shea butter has loads of Vitamin E and other antioxidants in it, so it soothes and protects your skin, helping it heal and restore and retain moisture.
Shea butter has a thick, creamy, slightly oily consistency that thins out once it’s warmed up between your fingertips or on your skin. In tubs like the ones I bought, it’s nearly a solid… kind of like a thick lip balm. It can range from white to yellow in color and has a slight smell, which is minimal if it’s a more refined type of shea butter. The smell is not bad, though, and fades quickly.
I purchased my shea butter from L’Occitane, which is a high-end, somewhat pricey brand, but I know that the quality of it is great and it’s certified organic. For the small 8ml tub, it was $10, while the larger 150ml tub was $40. A little bit will last you a VERY long time, though! You can also find shea butter at most health food store or store, or even some grocery stores that carry organic foods and supplements, like Whole Foods. My mom purchased some from her local health food store for only $6!
If you have any other uses for shea butter or other suggestions, please post them in the comments section… Thanks again for reading!!

MAC Heavenly Creature: Complete Collection Roundup

07/02/2012
Collection Roundup, Makeup, Skincare, Tools
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MAC Heavenly Creature  –  Thursday, July 5th, 2012

MAC’s Heavenly Creature collection is a large, space themed collection full of Mineralize products such as Eye Shadows, Blushes, and Mineralize Skinfinishes. There are also Mineralize Charged Water skincare products like Eye Cream, Cleanser, and Moisture Gel. They even brought back Volcanic Ash Exfoliator with this collection! As well as Mineralize products, there are Lipsticks and Cremesheen Glasses too. MAC is also repromoting a few of their permanent products, like the 286, 187, and 188 Duo Fibre Brushes and False Lashes Mascara.

The product names in this collection are all fun and space-related. The Mineralize Skinfinishes, Blushes, and Eye Shadows all have a swirly appearance too, so they resemble planets, galaxies, etc… Most of the products are bright, bold, warm colors, which are perfect for summer! MAC usually releases a Mineralize collection around summertime every year. Heavenly Creature is my favorite in the past few years… These colors really are unique and nearly every product can be worn by anyone!

MAC’s Heavenly Creature collection is already available online, but the official North American release date for counters and stores is Thursday, July 5th. The majority of these products are limited edition. Since Mineralize products are SO popular, you may want to go ahead and get what you want online or stop by your local MAC store or counter and pre-purchase or reserve the products that you want! These will probably sell out VERY quickly!

* Mineralize Skinfinish *

$29 for 10g / 0.35 US oz

MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish is “A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish. Smoothes on: adds buffed-up highlights to cheeks, or an overall ultra-deluxe polish to the face.” These are shimmery, but buildable so you can wear them as a softer wash of color with a glow, or layer them up for intense color payoff and a metallic sheen. These apply best with something like a MAC 187 or 188 Duo-Fibre brush and wear for around 8 hours. There are four Mineralize Skinfinish powders in this collection, all of which are limited edition. For more photos and swatches, you can click here: MAC Heavenly Creature Mineralize Skinfinish: Photos, Swatches and Reviews

* Mineralize Blush*

$23.50 for 3.2g / 0.10 US oz

MAC Mineralize Blushes are “Baked minerals refined into a powder formula to provide exceptionally sheer and lightweight application. Colour builds lightly, layer after layer, without heavy coverage. Veils and enhances the cheekbones with a luminous, pearlized shimmer.” All of these are warm, bright colors and although they may look a little intimidating to those of you with fair-light skin, they’re buildable, so with proper application, these don’t have to look so intense if you don’t want them to! Mineralize Blush applies best with a MAC 187 or 188 Duo-Fibre brush and wears for about 8 hours. All four Mineralize Blushes in this collection are limited edition. For additional photos and swatches, you can click here: MAC Heavenly Creature Mineralize Blush: Photos, Swatches and Reviews

* Mineralize Eye Shadow *

$20 for 1.8g / 0.06 US oz

MAC’s Mineralize Eye Shadows are also “Baked minerals refined into a powder formula provide exceptionally sheer and lightweight application. Colour builds lightly, layer after layer, without heavy coverage”. Basically, it’s the nearly the same formula as the blushes are, only in an eye shadow form! As with the rest of the Mineralize Products, these are buildable, and can also be applied damp for extra bold shimmer and color payoff. I go over all application techniques in my other post. With these, I get approximately 6-10 hours of wear, depending on whether or not I apply a primer underneath. All nine Mineralize Eye Shadows are limited edition. For more photos, swatches, and a full review, you can click here: MAC Heavenly Creature Mineralize Eye Shadows: Photos, Swatches and Reviews

* Lipstick *

$14.50 for 3g / 0.1 US oz

MAC’s Lipstick formula feels lightweight on the lips, but still gives great pigmentation and color payoff. Most of the Lipsticks in the Heavenly Creature collection are Lustre finishes, except for Pleasureseeker, which is a Glaze. Lustre finish Lipsticks give me around 4 hours of wear before they need to be touched up, while Glazes last slightly longer since they are a bit more creamy. All five of these Lipsticks are limited edition, with Pleasureseeker being a repromote that was originally released with the Neo Sci-Fi collection in May of 2008. Cut A Caper is also a repromote from MAC’s A Tartan Tale collection which came out in October of 2010. Cut A Caper was extremely popular when it was originally released and sold out online the first day that the Heavenly Creature collection was available! For more photos, swatches, and a complete review, click here: MAC Heavenly Creature Lipsticks: Photos, Swatches and Reviews

* Cremesheen Glass *

$19.50 for 2.7ml / 0.09 US fl oz

MAC Cremesheen Glass is “A lip finish that fuses the creamy, sheen-filled nature of Cremesheen Lipstick with the shine of M∙A∙C Lipglass. Soft, comfortable, non-sticky. Applies with a doe-foot applicator. Use as a top layer to its namesake Lipstick or on its own.” These truly are non-sticky, and while they aren’t as thick as typical Lipglass, they are still intensely pigmented and offer great coverage. I get around 4 hours of wear with Cremesheen Glass. The five Cremesheen Glasses in the Heavenly Creature collection are all limited edition. If you’d like to check out more photos, swatches, and full reviews, click here: MAC Heavenly Creature Cremesheen Glass: Photos, Swatches and Reviews

* Brushes *

187 Duo Fibre Face Brush:   This brush is permanent and sells for $42. It is “A large full circular brush used for lightweight application and blending of face powder or pigments. Use to create soft layers or add textures. Made from a soft blend of goat and synthetic fibres.” It’s perfect for the application of Mineralize Skinfinishes or Mineralize Blushes (but the 188 will give you more control). You can easily layer the product, gradually building color with it. The 187 Brush is also great for buffing and blending!

188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush:   This brush is permanent and sells for $34. It is “A flat-topped, full circular brush used for lightweight application and blending of any formula colour – fluid, cream, powder or pigment. Ideal for creating soft layers or adding textures. Made from a soft blend of goat and synthetic fibres.” It’s a smaller version of the 187 brush, so it’s better for applying to smaller areas, like cheeks, and gives you more control over the product. This is my favorite brush for applying Mineralize Blush.

286 Duo Fibre Blending Brush:   This eye brush is also part of MAC’s permanent line and sells for $30. “With its soft dome shape, this two-toned, duo-fibre brush of goat and synthetic fibres provides a sheer, more controlled application of M·A·C Mineralize Eye Shadow.” I think this brush is great for applying Mineralize Eye Shadow, but mostly just for buffing out and softening the intensity and dry application. It fits into the crease very nicely and gives you a great deal of control. It’s also a fantastic brush for applying under-eye concealer!

* False Lashes Mascara* 

$19 for 8g / 0.28 US oz

False Lashes Mascara:   This mascara is a permanent product. The formula is “Fashionably false in look, but honestly real, this mascara’s key benefits of volume and curl are matched by a dramatic end look. The unique edge: the ultra-thickening formula in combo with the plush-’em-up action of its unique double-lush brush.” This is by far one of my favorite mascaras of all time! I use this on an almost daily basis to make my lashes look long, dark, and full. I especially like layering this over Prep + Prime Lash for added volume, length, and drama. False Lashes Mascara layers well without weighing down the lashes or clumping and wears without smudging or flaking.

* Skincare *

Volcanic Ash Exfoliator:   This product is “A highly effective, dual-purpose foaming, cleansing and exfoliating scrub blending natural Volcanic Ash with fine sugar crystals. Refines and unclogs the skin, adds instant moisture: leaves skin feeling soft and comfortably clean. Mineral-rich. May be used effectively on any part of face or body. Rinses off with warm water.” I have not used this myself, but I plan on picking some up this week! I hear fantastic things about it and from what I understand, it’s good for all skin types. MAC usually releases this in limited quantities and once it’s gone, it’s not released again for a while. That said, I’m unclear if this is going to stick around or not, but I’m pretty sure that it’s limited edition with the Heavenly Creature collection. This contains 100ml / 3.4 US fl oz of product and sells for $28.

Mineralize Charged Water Cleanser:   This cleanser is “A lightweight cleanser formulated with our ionized Super-Duo Charged Water technology. Removes all makeup (except waterproof and longwearing) with a wipe – no rinse-off required. Leaves skin nourished, soft, absolutely clean.” It’s a cleanser/remover, so you don’t have to rinse your face with water after using this if you’re in a hurry. I still like to rinse mine, though. I don’t own this product but I’ve used it several times and I like it! It leaves my skin feeling nourished and doesn’t seem to dry it out. Mineralize Charged Water Cleanser is permanent product that contains 100ml of cleanser and sells for $23.

Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Eye Cream:   This eye cream is “A luxuriously rich eye cream. Infused with our ionized Super-Duo Charged Water technology. Moisturizes and adds radiance, while instantly – and over time – reducing the look of dark circles, lines and puffiness.” I have only tried this out for a few days in a row but I thought it was nice and plan on purchasing it when I run out of my other eye cream! it doesn’t decrease puffiness as quickly as Fast Response Eye Cream does, but it seems to help prevent it to some degree and provides more moisture. This is a permanent product containing 15ml of eye cream, which sells for $35.

Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel:   This moisturizer is “An ultra-light, gel-like cream that absorbs instantly to give the skin intense hydration. Infused with our exclusive Super-Charged Water technology, this formula leaves skin softer, more luminous. Use day or night.” Again, I haven’t used this much, only as a sample for about a week, but I think this is a fantastic product for all skin types. If you have dry skin, this will soak in quickly, but still hold in moisture throughout the day. If you have combination skin, it will help to even out the dry areas and oily patches. If you have oilier skin, it will give you just enough moisture to keep your skin even and healthy. My favorite part about MAC’s gel formula moisturizers is that they aren’t heavy and feel like that almost adjust to your skin type, giving you the perfect amount of moisture. It soaks in quickly and doesn’t sit on the surface of the skin, so you can apply makeup over this without feeling like a shiny, slippery-faced mess. During the hotter months, I use the Lightful Moisture Creme, which is also a gel-style moisturizer, so my skin can breathe without having a sticky, heavy layer of moisturizer on it when it’s already hot and humid outside. Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel is permanent and contains 50ml of product. This sells for $37.

Coming Soon… MAC Heavenly Creature collection, Extended Play Lash mascara and Jeffrey Campbell shoes!

06/25/2012
Coming Soon, Makeup, Shoes, Skincare, Update
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Over the next week or two I have a whole bunch of fun things I’ll be making posts about…

Tuesday Tip is tomorrow and it’s all about lighting!

A post for MAC Extended Play Lash mascara will be up on Wednesday. I know it’s taken a while but I’ve been experimenting with the different ways to wear it so I can tell you the best ways to use this product! It’s such a different brush and formula that I really wanted to take my time testing it so I could give you all the most accurate review!

I got the last of the Jeffrey Campbell shoes I ordered and will be buying for a while, so I’ll be making a post on those later this week too! I want to get some good photos of them and write up reviews about comfort, sizing, etc… and my favorite places to purchase them. That will be a fun post and a little break from the world of makeup!

I also just ordered a TON of stuff from MAC’s Heavenly Creature collection, so I’ll be reviewing those as soon as they get here. It became available online today (not sure if it’s for Pro members only or everyone). I ordered it ASAP and got two day shipping so I’m hoping that it will get here soon enough for me to post my photos, swatches and reviews before it goes up for sale online to everyone and before the release date.

These are the items from Heavenly Creature that will have on the blog:

Lipsticks:

– Cut a Caper (midtone peachy pink)

– Cusp of Dawn (beiged pink)

– Fire Sign (red-pink)

– Pleaseureseeker (creamy peach)

– Venus (sheer yellow pink with pearl)

Cremesheen Glass:

– Astral (bright yellow pink)

– Celestial Kiss (pale cool peach)

– Galaxy Rose (midtone violet pink)

– Meteoric (midtone vibrant coral)

– Strictly Plutonic (midtone pink-brown)

Mineralize Skinfinish:

– Center of the Universe (coral with gold shimmer)

– Earthshine (tarnished bronze with gold pearl and pink reflects)

– Light Year (peachy pink with gold shimmer)

– Star Wonder (plumy pink with multi-dimensional pearl)

Mineralize Blush:

– Ring of Saturn (terracotta and gold melange)

– Solar Ray (peach and gold melange)

– Stratus (amethyst and gold brown melange)

– Supernova (magenta and burnished gold melange)

Mineralize Eye Shadow:

– Aurora (peach, green and brown melange)

– Bright Moon (grey, silver and icy green melange)

– Earthly (beige, peach and gold brown melange)

– Invincible Light (icy white, lavender and warm gold melange)

– Magnetic Attraction (orange, pink and gold melange)

– Neo Nebula (cream, warm amethyst and warm pink melange)

– Sky (green gold, turquoise, and cobalt melange)

– Universal Appeal (gold, bronze and violet melange)

– Water (yellow, lime green and blue melange)

There are also skincare items in this collection that I will not be featuring because I don’t own them and am not planning on purchasing them. I will do a summary of them with descriptions but no photos unless I can get some at work or something.

False Lashes Mascara is part of this collection as well, but it’s permanent so I am not putting this in my posts for Heavenly Creature. It will be part of a MAC mascara post I’m currently working on, though.

The Duo-Fibre brushes 187, 188, and 286 are also included in this collection, but they are permanent too so I won’t be including them in my posts. They will be part of a brush post in the future!

Summer Beauty Resolutions

06/20/2012
Makeup, Nails, Other Cosmetics, Ramblings, Real Life, Shoes, Skincare
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As of today, summer is officially here! Woohoo!

Lately I keep thinking of things I want to change about or incorporate into my beauty routine so I’ve been scribbling them all down to look back at them later on. I figured that turning them into a list of resolutions for summer was a great idea!

I feel like I’ve been in a sort of beauty rut lately and I want to break out of it so badly. Here are some of the ideas I’ve come up with for creating a new and improved version of myself…

 

  • Drink more water and stop drinking sodas. Also start eating healthier and working out more regularly.

I want to be in better shape, have better skin, and feel more confident.

  • Add more color into my daily makeup routine.

I always tend to lean towards neutrals, especially if I’m having a lazy day or I’m in a hurry, but I really want to step outside my box and start having more fun with color… No more Blankety Lipstick and Bisque/Wedge Eye Shadow combo for me!

  • Try different, colorful, creative things with my nails other than a pretty color + glitter.

I want to try new nail shapes and really focus on details more. I’m even going to try an at-home snakeskin manicure using shed skin from all of my little ball pythons.

  • Wear (and perfect) winged eye liner, especially with bright colors.

I can apply winged liner easily and flawlessly to everyone but myself. Weird, but true.

  • Start wearing heels and platforms more often…

Of course that involves me learning to walk in them better but practice makes perfect.

  • Use perfume more often, rather than scented body lotions and sprays.

I think there is something so feminine and sexy about perfumes. I always feel so much more put together and confident when I wear them. I have SO many different scents but I only wear them on “special days”… Well, I think every day should be special! I blame my mother for my perfume buying habit hehe.

 

Those are a couple of my summer beauty resolutions… I’m curious if any of you have some as well! Share them in comments if you do!

 

P.S. I apologize for there not being a Tuesday Tip this week. I had a bit of a fall and tore the ligament in my left ankle so I spent my Tuesday in several different doctor’s offices. I got a sweet boot/brace to wear so I’ll heal up quickly and be back on my feet in no time (har har). Tuesday Tip will be back next week!!