Tag Archives: beauty

Jan31

Sephora Haul

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Sephora Haul

Hi! Every four months or so, I like to stock up on the goodies that I use from Sephora. AKA, my Better Than Sex mascara and a fabulous hair balm by IGK. All of my Sephora shopping is always done online, because they sure know how to add on the freebies with excellent promotions and samples. And, it is always free shipping if you spend over fifty dollars, which is so not hard to do! Take a look at my most recent haul and let’s discuss:

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The Haul:

  • Sephora Favorites Lashstash To Go gift set
  • IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm
  • Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Deliciously Shiny Lipstick sample (FREE!)
  • Atelier Cologne perfume sample (FREE!)
  • Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry (FREE!)
  • Glow Recipe Avocado Sleeping Mask sample (FREE!)

I was so happy to have purchased the mascara gift set because, not only did it come with five samples of mascara, but it included a voucher to get a full size of your favorite for free. This gift set was twenty-eight dollars, and a full size of any of the mascaras in the set is usually twenty-four or twenty-five bucks. Talk about a steal! The mascaras that came in the set are Too Faced’s Better Than Sex, Buxom’s Lash Mascara, Lancome’s waterproof Monsieur Big, Smashbox’s Super Fan, and Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes. I’m looking forward to trying all of these mascaras but, let’s be honest, we all know that I’ll be getting a full size in Better Than Sex!

Purchasing my IGK hair balm was also a must for me. Although it’s a bit pricey at twenty-nine dollars, it takes me a good long while to finish one bottle. I began using the one I’m on right now in October and I’m still not done with it – and I use it daily. So, I’m definitely willing to shell out for something that lasts me that long. And, my hair has never been more soft and shiny since my IGK regimen so, continue to shell out, I will.

And, finally, the freebies! With each Sephora online purchase, you get at least two to three free samples to choose from. This time, I picked a perfume sample in Vanille Insensee, which is divine and two lipstick pods from Guerlain to swatch. I also used one of their promo codes to receive a free mini jar of the Glow Recipe Avocado Sleeping Mask, which you can review in tomorrow’s Face Mask Festivities. To top it off, I used my Beauty Insider points for a free Clinique Chubby Stick. I am obsessed with these moisturizing balms that give the perfect pop of color and I just had to give a more red shade a go. I can’t wait to try it out!

I have such fun shopping online with Sephora and picking out the best deals to give me the most bang for my buck. And, judging from the haul above, I’d say that I did a pretty good job!

Which stores offer the best online discounts? How do you shop smart at Sephora? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan30

January 2019 Finishes

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January 2019 Finishes

Hiiii everyone and welcome to our first finishes post of 2019! We are one month into the new year and, since basically anything beats the month that I had in December, I’d say that I’m feeling pretty good! Because I wasn’t well enough to comply with my beloved beauty routines last month, it felt good to fall back into the swing of all of my self care and this brought me lots of empties to chat with you about today. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Suave Almond Verbena body wash: Maybe
  • Bath & Body Works Mango Mandarin body spray: Yes
  • Lubriderm Daily Moisture lotion: Yes
  • Unknown brand Radiance Crystal Cleansing Foam: YES!
  • Garnier Micellar Water: Yes
  • AlpineSilk moisturizer: Yes
  • Clinique Moisture Surge moisturizer: YES!

Why/Why Not?

Suave Body Wash: This Almond Verbena body wash by Suave was just okay. It smelled fine, it lathered fine but could be better, and I finished the bottle in one month. I wouldn’t go out of my way to use it again but, if it was cheap and available, I would probably get it.

B&BW Body Spray: I loooove the Mango Mandarin body spray from B&BW and I stock up on it every year during their summer sale. It’s the perfect fragrance for a warm day, but it is also nice to use during the colder months to add some sunshiney pep to your step. Any citrus scent always goes down well with me, especially when it takes me over five months to finish one bottle!

Lubriderm Lotion: I am constantly getting new tattoos and Lubriderm has become a staple in my bath and body care hoard. It feels oh so good on fresh ink and it helps move along the healing process. My tattoo artist recommends applying it to new tattoos once in the morning, afternoon, and night and it takes me about four months to finish one bottle.

Crystal Cleansing Foam: I, sadly, have no idea what brand made the Radiance Crystal Cleansing Foam and I really wish I did, because I LOVED IT. Foam cleansers are my favorite to use, simply because it feels really good and my skin always feels so fresh after using it. This face wash removed my makeup and left my skin feeling so soft and looking really bright. I started using this product in mid October and I finished it at the end of January, so it was an amazing value, to boot!

Garnier Micellar Water: Another product that has become a staple in my beauty routine is the Garnier Micellar Water. I like to use it as a toner and a makeup remover and it always does its job well. And, as per ushe, it took me one month to finish one bottle.

AlpineSilk Moisturizer: I purchased this moisturizer from TJMaxx a while back ago and finished it up in mid January. I liked this product because a little went a long way and you didn’t need to cake it on for your skin to feel hydrated. It took me about a month and a half to finish this moisturizer up and I would definitely use it again if I found it the next time I was at TJ’s.

Clinique Moisturizer: This is my second sample of the Moisture Surge moisturizer by Clinique and I love it just as much the second time around. I can’t even describe the texture of it – it’s a lot lighter than a gel moisturizer, though, so it spreads so easily across your skin and, my god, does it hydrate. After one use, my skin felt so good and supple and it just glowed. I would LOVE to get a full sized jar of this product and am hoping to find it at TJMaxx some day. Fingers crossed!

January was a great month for empties and I loved being able to pamper myself the way I like with all of my favorite products. I missed using all of my bath and body and skin care goodies in December, so it felt so good to indulge in all of the items that have become must haves in my beauty routine. 🙂

Have you used any of the products discussed above? What were your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan29

Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions Eyeshadow Review

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Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions Eyeshadow Review

Hello! Recently, we swatched the Emerald Obsessions palette by Huda Beauty to take a closer look at all of the colors that you can see below. I finally got around to using the emerald glitter eyeshadow the other day and, sadly, it did not go over too well. I wasn’t expecting much from this palette because, as you can remember, all of my reviews were pretty wishy washy. And, in this case, I hate being right because it was such a thoughtful Christmas gift from my sister! I didn’t take any pictures of my MOTD because I was working all day, but here is a reminder of what the palette and that specific shade of eyeshadow looks like:

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^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

When it comes to makeup, I really do like to keep things fairly simple. I try not to go overboard because I have a lot of facial piercings and tattoos on my body, so heavy makeup often looks too “much”. So, when I am applying my eye makeup, I either use a colored eyeliner or use an eyeshadow as an eyeliner and leave it at that – and it works! When I decided to use my Huda Beauty palette, I knew that I would be lining my eyes with the shadow and that’s about it. 1) I’m bad at doing makeup on my eyelids in general. 2) If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

If you can recall, one of the resounding comments that I made as we swatched the Emerald Obsessions eyeshadow was that it was very dusty. Regardless of whether it was wet or dry, the product was flaky and powdery and it didn’t apply well on my hand – so I don’t know why I thought it would apply well on my eyelids! It took many micellar water Q-tips to clear away all of the eyeshadow that fell onto my face and throughout the day I had to continue wiping away little flecks that had fallen.

By the end of the day, the eyeshadow had completely transferred all over my eyelids, which was a far cry from the lining I had originally started with. I hate when this happens more than anything and I do a great job of preventing this by covering my lids with my Blush On Radiance beads from The Body Shop once my eye makeup is on. But, my tried and true technique didn’t stand a change against the Huda Beauty eyeshadow and my eye makeup looked like I spent a long day partying by the time I got home. Not cute.

If this is how all of the HB eyeshadows are, then I wouldn’t recommend it at all. I quite liked the color that I used, but the quality of the shadow was so low and I was left looking like a hot mess instead of a hottie – not a good look! -___-

What are your thoughts on Huda Beauty products? What is your favorite brand of eyeshadow? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan25

Face Mask Festivities: Global Beauty Care Metallics Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Global Beauty Care Metallics Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities. In the words of Goldmember from Austin Powers…. I love gooooooooooooooooold. Oh yes, I sure do. Gold jewelry, gold eyeshadow, and now, most recently, gold skin care! My love for all things gold when it comes to my skin looking right began with the Azure Lux Rose Gold Sparkling Serum that I scored from TJMaxx. It is utterly amazing and leaves my skin positively radiant. So, during a recent haul at TJ’s, I needed more – including this Global Beauty Care face mask:

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The metallic face mask seen above includes gold, Manuka honey, and royal jelly. All of which work wonders for your skin. The gold firms and tones the skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Manuka honey helps your skin lock in moisture for a dewy complexion. And the royal jelly treats dry skin while promoting new skin growth. Talk about a trifecta to combat dull and dehydrated skin – especially during these cold winter months!

I have never used a metallic face mask before and I was really looking forward to putting this Global Beauty Care mask to the test. Usually, my first impression of a product is its smell but, this one is scent free, so we will move onto its appearance and texture. This mask was a bit more runny than I would like, however, I did love the over exaggerated gold color and shimmer so that made up for the thinner texture.

One disappointing thing about this mask, is that it didn’t seem to dry – which is what I like for a face mask to do when I’m using one. It stayed very wet for the ten minute duration that I had it on for and that’s fine, but definitely not what I prefer.

My skin did feel somewhat hydrated after I washed it off but it wasn’t so remarkable that I would rave about it. I also didn’t notice the radiance in my skin that I see instantly with the serum that I’m using, which takes a matter of seconds to apply. This Global Beauty Care mask was fun to use because of the color and shimmer, but I don’t recommend purchasing it because it was overall a bit of a let down. Whomp whompppp.

What is your favorite metallic face mask? Do you prefer silver or gold? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan24

Blush, Baby: Clinique Swatch In Melon Pop Edition

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Blush, Baby: Clinique Swatch In Melon Pop Edition

Hi! Clinique is a brand that I’ve grown increasingly fond of as of late. I love their skin care, I’m obsessed with their chubby sticks, and their Pansy Pop blush was my first high end makeup product. So, I was really happy that my sister passed down her Melon Pop blush by Clinique onto me. Their Pop blush collection is such a fun array of bright and springy hues and they offer the perfect pop of color for any MOTD. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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What I love the most about Clinique products is that you know you’re getting the good stuff. It is such a reputable brand and makeup lovers young and old all seem to flock to it at some point or another. I feel pampered when I use Clinique goodies and, even though this blush is used, I know that I am still going to enjoy it as if it were brand new.

Like I mentioned earlier, I love the Clinique Pop collection and Melon Pop is a delicious summery shade fresh out of a chopped fruit salad. Melon Pop is delightfully reminiscent of a juicy cantaloupe, and it has the sweetest hints of pink underneath so that you’re not rubbing straight up orange onto your cheeks. This will be the perfect shade to bust out come springtime with a lovely floral dress or while you’re trying to catch a tan this summer. I can’t wait to use it!

Thanks a lot to my sister, Kristen, for sharing her makeup with me! We swatched a lot of great products and I am looking forward to putting all of them to the test soon! 😀

What is your favorite product that we swatched recently? What is your favorite brand of makeup or skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan23

Ulta Beauty Liquid Illuminator Swatch In Northern Lights

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Ulta Beauty Liquid Illuminator Swatch In Northern Lights

Greetings! Today, we are going to take a look at a Liquid Illuminator product by Ulta Beauty in a shade called Northern Lights. I have never tried Ulta’s own brand of makeup and have never felt inclined to, because the reviews that I have seen have always been fairly average. But, this illuminator was handed down to me from my sister, so swatch it we shall. Here we go:

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I have never used a liquid highlighter before, so I don’t know what I was expecting. But, I will say that the texture of this product was really, really thick. Of course, for swatchings sake, I always apply the products more heavily so it can be picked up on the camera. But, regardless of how much I put on, the highlighter felt cakey even when spread across most of the back of my hand.

I actually quite like the idea of this product, and the color and its namesake are kind of fun. But, I don’t think that a liquid illuminator will ever replace a traditional powdered highlighter for me. I can see myself applying this Ulta Beauty illuminator in really small doses around the corner of my eyes, but that’s about it. Anything else would look too unnatural for me, and I don’t like combining something so loud when my favorite thing to rock is a bold lip.

I can’t say that I would recommend the liquid illuminator, but I can see something like this being fun to use in a more costume style approach, so there’s that. Otherwise, I’ll be sticking to regular highlighters!

Would you ever use a product like a liquid illuminator? Do you prefer liquid or traditional makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan22

Blush, Baby: Seraphine Botanicals Swatch In Happy Hibiscus Edition

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Blush, Baby: Seraphine Botanicals Swatch In Happy Hibiscus Edition

Hello, hello everyone and welcome to another edition of Blush, Baby! Today, we will be discussing a Seraphine Botanicals hue in Happy Hibiscus. With all of these new shades of blush that I got from my sister, I will never be without color in my cheeks! Take a look at Happy Hibiscus and let’s get to it:

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I can easily say that this color is definitely more of a shade for my sister than for me. Kristen is a tan goddess and the browns, purples, and oranges with a more “baked” appearance all look awesome on her. Happy Hibiscus is an interesting shade, because I can see undertones of all three of those mentioned colors mixed in to create this hue. And, of course, a little shimmer never hurt anyone, either!

Despite Happy Hibiscus being a more “Kristen” blush, I can see myself wearing it during the colder months for a more dramatic look. And, it will be nice in the summertime if I ever manage to catch a tan instead of just burning and going back to pale. But, let’s all be honest, that is never going to happen! -___-

What colors look best with your complexion? How does you and your sister’s or best friend’s taste in makeup differ? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan21

Blush, Baby: Seraphine Botanicals Swatch In Lychee + Gold Edition

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Blush, Baby: Seraphine Botanicals Swatch In Lychee + Gold Edition

Yoohooooo! In today’s new edition of Blush, Baby, we will be discussing a lovely hue by Seraphine Botanicals in Lychee + Gold. My sister gave me the hookup with a bag full of makeup hand me downs, many of which came from her Ipsy subscription. It has been a treat going through these goodies, because a lot of them are from brands that I have never heard of, and it is always fun to try something new. So, take a look at this pretty shade and let’s get to it:

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This blush actually reminds me of a toned down version of the Smoked Peach shade that we looked at yesterday and I am in loooove. The lychee pigment in my Seraphine Botanicals blush definitely still has an orange-y hue, but it has a soft rose undertone to it making it much more wearable than the harsher Smoked Peach color. I love the extra touch of gold mixed in, too, because every girl needs a little shimmer!

Of course, this blush will look gorgeous in the summertime. But, it is not as boldly orange as the one in yesterday’s edition of Blush, Baby, making it appropriate to wear even during the more grey winter months. I can see myself wearing this to add some extra brightness to my MOTD year round and I am really happy with this new blush. 🙂

How does your makeup differ depending on the season? What is your favorite season to create a makeup look for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan20

Blush, Baby: Bang Beauty Swatch In Smoked Peach Edition

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Blush, Baby: Bang Beauty Swatch In Smoked Peach Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the newest edition of Blush, Baby! Today, we are going to be discussing a shade called Smoked Peach by Bang Beauty. This is another makeup goodie that I received from my sister and it is a pretty one. The color is definitely unique and it is perfect for some fun in the sun. Check it out:

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At first glance of the Smoked Peach blush, I was super ambivalent. In the package, this color is a loud, fireball red and I almost didn’t even bother taking another look at it. But, I decided to swatch it anyways and was really happy with the results. Smoked Peach is a lot more toned down on the skin and it looks like the juicy center of a ripe peach. The gold shimmer mixed in is like the sun catching the soft fruit at just the right angle and it will look so perfectly glowing on a bright summer day.

This isn’t my favorite blush by any means, but I can see myself wearing it once the weather gets warmer. It still is a bit too pigmented for my liking and would look kind of crazy during the dull, winter months. However, this Bang Beauty blush will be fun to wear during an outdoor concert or a fireworks show come July, especially with the sun kissed shimmer that Smoked Peach offers. Not the best, but certainly not the worst, either!

What is your favorite color of blush? Could you see yourself wearing Smoked Peach? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan19

Winky Lux Holographic Highlighter Swatch In Charm

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Winky Lux Holographic Highlighter Swatch In Charm

Hi! Today, we are going to chit chat about a gorgeous highlighter given to me by my sister from the brand Winky Lux. I reckon that Kristen got this itty bitty beauty from her Ipsy subscription and I am obsessed. I have wanted a holographic highlighter for forever, but never felt like buying one so I am SO looking forward to trying out this shade in Charm! Check it out:

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It took me a while to get hip to highlighters and I’ve started to enjoy using them only within the past year. My whole reason being was because I would see different MOTD pics with highlighters that look like they slapped the model’s faces with glitter and I was like “why would anyone want that” lol. So, needless to say, I definitely prefer a more subtle look when it comes to the color of the highlighter that I’m using.

I like that this Winky Lux shade in Charm has the faintest hint of the holographic shimmer but it’s not enough to take away from the rest of your MOTD or make you look too costume-y. I love the blend of violet and pink shimmer and it will add a perfect pop against my pale skin. I also adore the cute as a button packaging – it reminds me of Polly Pocket inspired makeup, and it doesn’t get much better than that!

How do you feel about the highlighter trend? What is your favorite shade of highlighter? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah