Category Archives: Makeup

Reusing Birchboxes (DIY Z-Palette Alternative)

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birchtowerIt’s been almost a year since my last post and during that time away from this blog I’ve been searching for ways to utilize and organize the mass of beauty products I’ve accumulated. I began to delve into the world of “upcycling” and although I no longer subscribe to Birchbox, I still have a gigantic collection of their pretty boxes that I don’t want to just throw away (in the recycling bin of course). I’ve always used them as gift boxes but most of the presents I give are too large to fit. I also use them as drawer dividers/organizers but I still have a tower of them left. So below are a few additional ways I’ve put my boxes to use:

Wall Art

birchwallThis one is straightforward. All you need are push-pins and a ruler to evenly space out your boxes along the wall. Although my design is different, credit for the idea goes to Tiffany Johnson on Youtube. I would not have thought of it otherwise.

Another great thing about it is that they can be interchanged as often as I like! I could have a day when I want to hang all the blue birchboxes or all the purple ones or only the geometics, only the flowered ones, etc.

Empty Magnetic Palettes

diybirchZ-palettes are a huge deal in the beauty industry and before their recent (now deleted) Instagram rampage on customers…

worstzpalette…I was already planning a way to create my own. When you really think about it, Z-palettes are just slim cardboard boxes with colored paper around it, magnetic sheets, and a thin acrylic lid. They can be easily duplicated and many cosmetic companies already have their own custom palettes. You can get them in metal or hard plastic instead of cardboard. Some versions have a mirror on the inside instead of a clear lid. You can also find some very inexpensive ones on ebay and amazon. That being said, none have the cute prints that are on Birchboxes and I still wanted to make my own. The only thing I had to actually buy was the magnetic sheet from Michael’s which cost me $2.99 without a coupon.needbirchdiyITEMS USED:

  • 1 Birchbox or any sturdy box
  • 1 cutting tool (scissors and/or x-acto knife or even a regular knife)
  • Tape (preferably clear and durable) or glue
  • 1 pencil
  • 1 magnetic sheet (strong enough to hold the weight of the eyeshadows)

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

  • 1 ruler (I didn’t end up using it but it helps to create an even square on the lid)
  • glue (any strong bond type of glue will work)
  • 1 foam sheet (to add an additional layer of padding to the palette)
  • 1 piece of cardboard (for the additional layer of padding)
  • 1 sheet of plastic (doesn’t have to be acrylic but it should be thick, unwrinkled, and easy to clean/not stain)

*The foam I’ve had from multiple subscription boxes and mailed packages. The sheet of plastic I used came from hosiery packaging but additional household sources can be the plastic around products like my hot glue gun, markers, insoles, the plastic cover on bakery boxes, etc. It took me only a few minutes to find supplies around the house.

plasticsPart 1 (skip this step if you don’t want the added protective layer)birchbotsMake sure the piece of foam fits the dimensions of the box. Then use it to trace around the cardboard and magnetic sheet and cut those so they all are the same size. Then glue the foam to the bottom of the birchbox, making sure to spread an even layer (paying extra attention to the four corners).

zgluePeel off the backing of the magnet and attach the magnet sticky-side down to the cardboard. Use a little glue if necessary for extra adhesion power. Then apply glue to the other side of the brown cardboard in order to attach it to the foam layer already inside the birchbox. Now your custom palette has extra protection!

zstandPart 2

If you skipped part 1, cut the magnetic sheet to fit the dimensions of the bottom of the birchbox. Remove the paper backing and attach it to the bottom, adding extra glue if needed.

Now we’re moving onto the lid. In my example, I followed the pattern of the print but you can use a ruler and pencil to trace a rectangle underneath the lid and then cut it out to form a hole in the cover.

birchtopsCut the sheet of plastic to fit on the underside of the Birchbox lid. It should be large enough to cover the hole with a little extra room. When you tape or glue the edges of the plastic to the box, you don’t want tape lines to be visible once the lid is flipped over.

birchxAnd that’s it! I like how sturdy this feels (it can even be stored upward but give the glue a day to dry before use). If you find this to be too bulky you can always cut the edges of the lid and base by half and then line it all with colorful tape to hide any jagged edges. In fact, next time I will line the edges around the lid hole with solid colored washi tape before I tape the clear plastic underneath. birchzfinzstandsideThis has room for a minimum of 24 MAC sized eyeshadow pans.

24shadI have SO many Birchboxes left that I should start gifting these to my eyeshadow loving friends. And with all the different Birchbox tops just imagine the number of unique magnetic palettes you could create too!otherbirch

But really this could be done with any cardboard box, magnetic sheets, plus cutting and pasting tools. An ordinary box can be easily spruced up with printed paper or washi tape. 🙂

-Lili ❤

Natasha Denona and Viseart Palettes

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Some of the biggest beauty gurus on youtube say that these two brands make the best eyeshadows they have ever used. Although I am an eyeshadow junkie, I needed to do some research first before I invested in these products. And they are certainly an investment because you get a ton of product in each pan, which is ideal for makeup artists, but would last the average consumer ages. They’re also not cheap. The 5 pan palette was the most I was willing to commit to from ND’s line of shadows.

Natasha Denona Palette 04

ndpaletteThe single, 5-shadow, 10-shadow, and 28-shadow pans are available at Beautylish. Although ND has many other products for sale, the eyeshadows are the top sellers.

nd2nd3nd4bnd6I used finger swatches without primer in the photos above. When using the fingers, these shadows are unparalleled in pigmentation. The tiniest touch (not even a full single swipe) produced those swatches above.

ndclaimsThese are basically pressed pigments which are soft in texture, apply smoothly, and contain ingredients which maintain the shadow’s moisture while on the skin.

ingredientsAlthough Natasha Denona stands behind the use of parabens in cosmetics, she removed all of them from her eyeshadows to assuage wary customers.

The shadows are very long lasting on my lids. The photo below is after 8 hours of wear.

oxideeye3The video of the swatches going on and on, although true, is only practical for those who prefer to apply the eyeshadow with their fingers. Using the finger to apply it like a cream eyeshadow is actually the recommended method. If using a brush, Natasha Denona recommends one which is, “fluffy…thick and round, not flat brushes.”

roundfluffyI do not own her brushes, so I used natural and synthetic bristle brushes from various brands in the photos for this post. I also used the Too Faced Shadow Insurance in the primed swatches.

allbrushndPlease note that if used like any other eyeshadow, the color can be built up just as intense as the finger swatches. The brush demos were performed using one swirl of color, except Cool Plum. That shade required much more product to become visible at all on my skin. Here are some comparisons between my favorite and least favorite shades in the palette.

oxideallflashcplumallCool Plum perplexes me. It is so much stiffer, harder to work with, and less pigmented than the other shadows. Considering the effort required to work with it, I’d rather use a dark color from any other palette instead. I’m also confused by the fact that it looks matte in person but in the photos of the palette online, and the description of the individual pan on both the ND and Beautylish websites, it’s supposed to be a shiny pearl shade. I see sparkle in their pictures but zero in mine.

nd5From ND:

nd5panndcoolpFrom Beautylish:

ndbeautylishI spoke with a friend who bought this palette at the same time that I did and hers looked matte as well. Aside from that mystery, there are a few more things to know; when using multiple colors they don’t just blend. They mix and form a new shade, like paint. So if you want to keep each shade separate you have to apply and blend carefully. Cool Bronze was partially on the inner corner when I applied Aura on top and it created a yellow gold color.

shimeyeIf you have hooded eyelids you could run into the issue of color transferring from the lid to just above the crease. I have partially hooded eyes but this is the first time I’ve ever had this occur.

oxideeyeaThere may be as simple of a fix as using a different eyeshadow primer, but I would have to look into it. Although not necessary for some, ND recommends those with oily eyelids to still use a primer.

lastvislookOverall, the negatives aren’t enough for me to dislike this palette or ND’s eyeshadows in general. I think the shimmers are very nice and I can see why so many people have been raving about them. The way it looks in person is quite special and I’m willing to work on perfecting a technique in order to use the shadows exactly the way I want. Minus Cool Plum.

Viseart Eyeshadow Palette 4 Dark Mattes

darkmattesThis palette is also available at Beautylish but I purchased mine from Sephora.

The 01 Neutral Matte palette is what most people talk about but what makeup fanatic doesn’t already have at least one neutral palette after the Naked (and dupes) palette craze from 2014? There are seven of these 12-shadow palettes available and Viseart recently announced a new Rule of III collection of three half size (enfants) palettes coming soon to the makeup show LA.

For the rest of us, we can enjoy what is already available, like this Dark matte palette.

allvisI’ve never seen such a beautiful arrangement of colors from a premade palette. I absolutely love fall colors and I will still be rocking these shades all year long. I absolutely love the first two rows. The last one is patchier but I don’t wear blue or green that often anyway. And when you build up the color it won’t be much of an issue. They all feel the same texturally. Not buttery but not super stiff either. They feel like Lorac matte shades but most of these perform even better. Below are single brush swipes over primer.

top4vismiddle4visbottom4visAlthough the color and pigmentation is on the same level to me as Lorac mattes, the blendability of the Viseart mattes are insane. I’ve never seen mattes perform this way (minus the bottom row). Now, non-shimmers aren’t terribly exciting. Even if the colors pop, I always feel like something is missing without some shine on the lids.

rightvislooklornviseyeWhen I used an almost all Viseart eye look, I didn’t see what was so special about them at first. But then when I saw the pictures on camera it made complete sense. On camera they look ultra smooth/blended and just perfect. I’m certain a professional MUA can create even better looks with these eyeshadows than I can.

visinThese and Lorac Pro mattes share similarities but this palette is free of parabens, mineral oil, and other such ingredients. I have heard good things about Viseart shimmer shades as well but none of their colors grabbed my attention.

Final Thoughts on Viseart and Natasha denona Eyeshadows

In certain areas they do live up to the hype. I wouldn’t use either of these palettes alone and even together these two aren’t quite enough for me. Anyone looking for practical makeup for everyday use will likely find the difference in quality between these and other good palettes not quite enough to warrant the price. Those who take a lot of photos, make videos, or are MUAs may be more interested in testing and purchasing them. I do just enough for these to be relevant for me and to fit my needs.

❤ Lili

Decluttering: Lip Products

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lipcollectionThere comes a time when every makeup lover has to invest in better organizers or scale back on future purchases. I decided to do a little of both! I purchased a 36 slot acrylic lipstick holder and decided that I would only store as many lip products as I could fit on that tray. This meant I had to rifle through my collection and find the items that needed to be given away, sold, or tossed.

Lip Balms

balm1 balm2cThe amount of balms I saved is still excessive but if I had to keep only one it would be the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm. It creates a barrier which locks in moisture and reduces the appearance of peeling lips better than anything else I’ve tried. It has a hint of a honey scent and it stays matte. I keep this in my purse at all times. I should also note that I kept the Arrow Lip Balm although it isn’t pictured here.

Lip Tints

liptints1 liptints2Every one of the tints I’m keeping were from subscription boxes. My favorite in this category is also the newest. I got it in my Birchbox and it is the TonyMoly Delight Tony Tint. Some people say it doesn’t produce enough color, but it shows very well on my lips. The best part is that the color doesn’t skip! It lasts quite a long time as well.

Lip Glosses

glosses1 glosses2The majority of my glosses were gifts from friends or from subscription boxes. I can’t remember how I got the BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss in Maverick. It’s a shade I never would have purchased for myself but I’m happy to have it. It’s a brownish pink gloss which looks lovely on my bare lips and on top of light pink lipsticks. In fact, whenever I get a lip product that is too light, I apply Maverick over it to see if it can become more wearable. My favorite glosses are swatched below.

zglossesswaLip Liners

lipliners1liplinerswaSince my lip liners are different shades, I decided to keep them all. I purchased the Palladio liners purely for their affordable price but they’re actually very good! They are also on sale at Ulta fairly often. I prefer the retractable (as opposed to the regular pencil liners) because it’s more convenient.

The Nars lip liners were from Sephora’s free Birthday Pack last year. Because Rikugien has a creamy texture, I enjoy using it all over my lips like a gloss.

Stick and Liquid Lipsticks

liquidlip1 liquidlip2I’m fairly new to the Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick scene. The only shade I own in the collection is Unicorn Blood which I felt compelled to get as soon as I saw it on NikkiTutorials from Youtube. Unfortunately, I forgot that lip products look different depending on the natural lip color. I still like the shade but not quite as much as how I wish it looked on me.

*UPDATE: This post was before I knew who Jeffree Star was and before I learned about his past controversies.

Tube Lipsticks

lipstick1b lipstick2In the process of reducing my lipstick collection and working on this post this week, I still managed to buy another lipstick!

gwenThis is the only Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Collaboration item that I bought for myself (I bought Spiderweb for a friend and kept Rock Steady).zgwen2

My initial thought is that I like the color but I haven’t worn it enough to give a full review.

Extra swatches: Ravishing REDSzredswa

Extra swatches: Pretty PINKS/CORALzpinksswa

Tutti-Cutie is the only coral color I kept in my collection. As much as I love corals, they’re too light for me to rock comfortably. This one works because the sheer peachy-coral color enhances my lips without becoming too bright.

Another shade that is extremely light for me but still works is the ModelCo lipstick.

Extra swatches: perfect PURPLES/BROWNzberriesswa

Reds were my favorite color range in 2014. In 2015 it was, and still is, the berry family that I favor most. One such favorite is Glam Life from LOC which is an very comfortable matte shade.

Another color which truthfully fits better in the red category, but looks very purple in the tube, is Frank-N-Furter. For the longest time I kept it as a collector’s item but in doing this post I realized I needed to either sell it or use it. No more hoarding! As you can tell, I decided to keep it.

It saddens me to say that one of my favorite natural-looking lipstick shades, Shiraz, is no longer available. Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipsticks were discontinued this year in favor of the Amuse Bouche line. On the bright side, I’m crazy for this new release but I will discuss that at the end of this post.

Picking Favorites

top14I was able to narrow my favorites to a Top 14…then 10…

top10ztop10favbMy Top 5 was extremely difficult to select-

top5-but Top 3 was impossible to rank. Below are my favorite 3 lip products in no particular order.

top3Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in Nocturne is just a deluxe size sample but it has lasted me quite a while. It is a flattering and very opaque classic red. It goes on smooth and is long lasting.

zshiseMake Up For Ever Artist Plexi-gloss in 406 Burgundy is a shade I talk about frequently. As demonstrated in swatches further above, the shade and intensity is dependent on how much product is applied. It is an opaque high-shine gloss which I can be seen wearing in several youtube videos, my current youtube channel photo, and my “About Me” photo here.

headshotMy newest favorite to make Top 3 has been kept secret for several months (even in this video)! Now that it has appeared on the Sephora website, I think I’m finally allowed to talk about the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Jam. A friend of mine gifted this to me before the official release and I’ve been in love with it as soon as I got it! It is so gorgeous and hydrating with an intense color payoff (almost staining). As a citrus fan, I’m obsessed with the fruity-citrus scent of these new lipsticks. Like the MUFE lipgloss, this also looks slightly different depending on how much is applied. It also differs based on lighting.zbiteamuse

The darker purple is closer to how it looks in person.zbitejam

The full collection isn’t available for purchase yet but I cannot wait until the rest are out! I believe Bite Beauty fans are going to love this formula as much, if not more, as the previous line.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

zlipprint

❤ Lili

Arrow, a New Beauty Brand

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birstufYou may have heard of Birchbox’s first cosmetics line called LOC (Love of Color) which launched in 2015. They partnered with Tati the GlamLifeGuru in their initial release of lip crayons and eyeshadow sticks. This year, Birchbox created their second brand called Arrow, which has nothing to do with the CW Television show or DC comics.

arrowmemeWhat makes this one so special is that all the products in the line are vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.

I purchased the starter kit as soon as it was available on the Birchbox website. Everyone received a $10 off promo code from their December Birchbox and I had 100 points on my account. That means I received this kit plus the mystery pack for only $16!

 ARROW BOOST Color Enhancing Lip Balm

lip1Price: $14

In my early high school years, I was obsessed with mark Glossblossom Ripening Lip Tint. A clear gloss came out of the tube but turned pink on contact with the lips. The ARROW balm brings me the same joy but is prettier and has much better ingredients. To quote the product page, “Formulated to adjust to your unique pH, it enhances each wearer’s natural lip color to create the perfect, just-for-you hue. Nourishing ingredients like mango seed butter hydrate and protect lips, and the lightweight, subtle formulation allows it to go wherever you do…”

I put this on and went about my day, which involved eating, drinking, and licking my lips (the lippie isn’t flavored). The actual balm wore away after a few hours but the color stayed put for the rest of the night! And since my lips weren’t dried out, I didn’t feel the need to reapply. I was very impressed by the performance of this balm and it has become a new favorite! It brings out the natural pink in my lips!

drylip

ARROW REVIVE Cooling Cheek Tint

cheek3Price: $18

This line caters to people on the go, and this is why the creators decided to put this cheek stain in a clickable pen with a brush. The concept is smart but the packaging…

Pros: The actual cheek stain is fantastic quality. It glides over the skin, is buildable, and long lasting. The formula isn’t sticky. It comes in two colors: Pink Punch and Berry Flush. The one I bought is Berry Flush. It can be used under the ARROW lip balm for a bolder lip shade. It does feel comfortably cool on the skin. When it comes to the actual stain, I love it!

Cons: On the first day I used this, I only clicked until a tiny dot was visible on the brush.

noclickclickThat tiny dot grew to the size of a nickel which is way more product than necessary. Part of my Instagram photo (pictured above where I listed the price) shows how much came out from holding it upside down for just a few seconds. I chalked it up to first time use, wiped the tip of the brush until it was clean, then put it in my blush drawer.

The next day I opened the cap to find this.

insideAgain, I thought it was a fluke and wiped the top but I noticed it continued to pump out gel without any clicks at all. I put it on the counter in the upright position and it continued to come out. That’s when I realized there must be a problem with the inner mechanism of my product. I don’t know if it happens to be just my pen, or if all the cheek tints are like this.

I continued wiping until the pen went a solid ten minutes without leaking. That’s when I tried my last test. Whereas my other pen products only require 2-3 clicks, this one needs at least 6 before it starts to drip. And it drips at a snail’s pace. The drip is far too slow to be practical. So then it takes an additional 3 or more to get a tiny dot. By that point, the same overflow issue happened again. I took a five minute video to show the progression of the leak. Some stills are below.

zoom1zoom2zoom3zoom4zoom5This is a very big issue for someone on-the-go to deal with a cap full of blush stain. Where should they put the excess product? That style of brush is good for packing on color, which isn’t what most would want to do with a stain. So the packaging is a fail but the actual gel was worth saving for me. So I took one of my sample jars and clicked out all the remaining product.

fullstainI don’t know how long my little jar will last me before it potentially dries out but if I kept it in the pen, I wouldn’t use it anyway. Now, it’s exclusively a lip brush!

endARROW PROTECT Aluminum-Free Deodorant

deo2 Price: $9

Finding the right deodorant is a very individual experience. Some sweat more than others. Some produce stronger odors. Unfortunately, I require heavy duty deodorant. So when I say that I went two hours with solid protection but needed to reapply after 3-4 hours, that happens to be my personal experience with it.

Less subjective comments about this deodorant is that it looks clear in the tube and applies clear as well under the arms. It’s made without alcohol and aluminum. It does have a fragrance which reminds me of an Arnold Palmer beverage, which I love. The actual notes are pink grapefruit, mint leaf, ginger flower, and sea spray.

I should also note that it’s the same size as the $8 travel size of LAVANILA. I like the scent of the ARROW deodorant better, although the actual performance is nearly identical.

deoARROW Makeup Bag

bagPrice: $12

My bag smelled like a mix of chemicals and gasoline. I’m accustomed to Ipsy’s bags occasionally smelling like this, so I immediately put it in a corner to air out. It should take several days before the smell dissipates. I believe it comprises of a vinyl water-resistant material. One could easily find a larger, cuter, and cheaper makeup pouch but the water-resistance is what this bag really has going for it.

There are additional products coming to the Arrow line. The one I’m most excited about is the facial mist, since I’m looking for something which can replace my beloved Aloe Water Mist from The Skin House. Overall, I am still happy with my purchase. The Arrow lip balm is a sample choice option for February’s Birchbox, so you could potentially try it for yourself if you’re a Birchbox subscriber!

❤ Lili

Note: The link provided is a referral link, not an affiliate link. This is not a sponsored review.

Beautylish Lucky Bag 2016

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BL1WHAT IS IT?

Beautylish is an online retailer which I use to purchase from overseas brands like Wayne Goss and Chikuhodo. They have an annual grab bag where you spend a specified amount of money and receive full size items worth an even greater retail value. This year, the bags were $80 ($75 plus $5 shipping) with the promise of at least $150 worth of products. Canadians had an extra duties fee, making their total $95.

If you hadn’t heard about these bags, I would not be surprised. It never made the front page of their website. On Dec 22nd, Beautylish’s email subscribers were sent a link to sign up for early access. I am subscribed under two different emails, and ironically it was the account I did not sign up on which was sent the purchase page link. I was informed by a few other beauty lovers that they did not receive the email either.

IS IT WORTH IT?

$80 is a lot of money to spend blindly on beauty products. It may not work with the buyer’s complexion or skin type. They could get products they don’t use or products they already own. I keep a list of items I’m saving money to purchase. So I had to decide whether or not I would be happier just buying a Viseart palette outright, or two $40 items I’m guaranteed to enjoy. I compared the Lucky Bags from 2015 and instead of a random sampling, last year’s participants had to choose between a Natural, Bold, or Makeup Artist themed bag. With the exception of the MUA bag (the first to be sold out), I was not impressed with what I saw. However, Beautylish is a company that strives to make their customers happy and I was willing to bet the 2016 edition would be much better.

gambleWHAT DID YOU GET?

BL1bBenjabelle Tulip Brush Tree

bl3bbl3cbl3Price: $24.95

Last year, I bought myself a brush tree dupe from Walmart and since then I’d been considering getting a second one. Now, I don’t have to and it’s such a cute shape! Drying brushes flat on their side is good but I find that hanging them upside down works best.bl3d

Charlotte Tilbury LTE Luxury Palette in Fallen Angel

bl8bl8b2Price: $65

I’ve been itching to try Charlotte Tilbury products but the price deterred me. I’m always looking for deals and CT is a brand I only see at full price. The other Luxury Palettes are $52, but because this one has limited edition shades and packaging, it’s even pricier. I only received my bag two days ago, so I would like to play with these shadows longer before I make a judgment but I really like them. The colors are beautiful but I would have to pair them with another palette if I wanted to create a look that really pops.

bl8cCTeyesb

The lightest color is under the brow and on the inner corner. The lid is a mixture of both lighter colors. The brown shade is in the crease and I added a touch of black on the outer corner.

CTeyescI love this shimmery neutral look!

Kevyn Aucoin The Creamy Glow in Patrice

bl6bl6bPrice: $26

A huge percentage of buyers received either a KA blush or bronzer. I don’t wear bronzer so I feel lucky that I got a blush. Patrice appears to be the only shade in the collection that I could pull off, so I was relieved to see that one in my bag. I am a fan of the KA brand so this was another hit for me. The way it blends reminds me of the Make Up For Ever HD blushes, but I do think I prefer MUFE’s over this one. It is still nice though.

bl6cIt Cosmetics Universal Brow Pencil

bl7bl7bPrice: $24

Again, I was glad to see this over the mascara option because I have a box full of unopened mascaras but I only own one brow product. This twist-up pencil is supposed to work for everyone. It is a cool toned shade that creates a shadow under the hair which makes the brows appear filled without adding additional color. At least that’s been the result for me.bl7cI consider myself a brow beginner so this product is actually perfect for me. I wasn’t as precise as I could have been when testing this out, but it takes a lot of effort to overdo it haha. I can see myself using this for everyday looks!

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector

bl5Price: $36

I’ll reserve this primer as something to gift a friend. I have heard great things about this product for those with combination/oily skin. Because mine is dry, I can achieve and keep a matte face quite easily. Testing this out myself would be a waste so I’m keeping this unopened.

Bioderma Sébium H2O

BL2Price: $6.95

This is a stock photo from the beautylish website. The one I received is bubble-wrapped and I’m keeping it that way for a friend who could use this. I love Bioderma and already have 1.25 liters worth of the Sensibio version, so it would be a waste for me to try out this one.

WHAT COULD YOU HAVE GOTTEN?

Based on what I have seen on Instagram #luckybag2016 I’ve compiled this list. It is not 100% comprehensive as I’m sure I missed a few.

Bioderma: Sensibio and Sebium

It Cosmetics: Universal brow, Mascara, Pores no More

Becca: Backlight Primer, Ever-Matte, The One Perfecting Brush, Undereye concealer, Shimmering Skin Perfectors (Pressed, Poured, Liquid), Ombre Eyes Palette

Kevyn Aucoin: Blush, Bronzer, Eye Pigment

Charlotte Tilbury: Eyeshadow Palettes, Lip Pouch, Filmstar (Bronze & Glow and Killer Cheekbones), Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson Items

Benjabelle: Brush Tree

Beautylish Gift Cards: $20

Wayne Goss: 05 Brush, Brow Set

Chikuhodo: Sakura Set (VERY FEW)

Natasha Denona: Eyeshadow Palettes

TooFaced: Eyeshadow Palettes (Natural Eyes, Sugar Pop, Chocolate Bar, Boudoir Eyes)

Viseart: All Eyeshadow Palettes

rms: lip2cheek, eyeshadow

Glamglow: cleansers and treatments

Nudestix: (something in a case)

By Terry: Gold Baume de Rose Parure

Bliss: Lean Machine (VERY FEW), hand cream, spray, cleansing milk, 15-minute facial, cooling gel

Sugarpill: False Lashes

Jeffrey Star: Lip Scrubs, Velour Liquid Lipsticks

Korres: Lip Butter, Black Pine cream, Sleeping Facial

Anastasia Beverly Hills: Self Made Palette

FINAL THOUGHTS?

blgbsmallerBeautylish sent out prestigiously branded, high quality items. Many of them are best sellers! The total retail price of my bag is $182.90 but it is only as valuable as the products I can actually use. Since my favorite items would have cost $140, the $60 savings is something I am extremely happy with! That being said, I’m not sure if I will take the gamble in 2017. The number of items I saw on Instagram which I already have made me feel like it was pure luck I got products I’ve never owned. If I had a guarantee that my account profile photo would ensure that I don’t get complexion products too light for me or bronzers I couldn’t use, then I would sign up in a heartbeat!

But let’s be real…the lure of potentially getting another fantastic bag will make me participate again next year. 🙂

❤ Lili

Too Faced Vegas Nay Stardust Palette

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mainstarvnayThis Ulta Exclusive is really a pack because it includes a mini Better than Sex mascara, Shadow Insurance Eyeshadow Primer, 6 tutorial cards, and Glamour Dust loose pigment. cardsfrontcardsbackThe extras are worth at least $18 at the most competitive pricing. This puts the palette itself at around $27. I think the Stardust palette is worth the price although there are some major flaws, depending on your preferences.

Row 1

1Star1starsChandelier looks stark white on my hand but I was surprised to see it wasn’t too light to use as a highlight shade. It looks completely matte but upon closer inspection in the pan, it has a little shimmer. Millennial is a peachy tan matte shade which I also find works nicely as a highlight shade. Girl’s Night is a rust colored matte shadow and a little inconsistent in swatches. Sometimes it comes off as a little more orange, or more red. At times the brown looks in a way I can only describe as “dirty” and other times it’s bright.

girlsnightI still like this as a transition color, although it can be tricky to make each eye the same shade when using it. All three of these are well pigmented, blendable, and soft in texture.

Row 2

2Star2starsb#selfie is essentially Chandelier with much more shimmer and a metallic finish. Showgirl is another metal and the most impressive shadow in the palette. It’s a beautiful golden shade with a smooth texture, well pigmented, and no fallout. Jackpot is a deep brown with gold glitter and good pigmentation but the amount of kick up is the worst of any palette I’ve ever owned. JackpotFailIt’s one step away from being a loose pigment. Jackpot, The Strip, and Golden Nugget are the eyeshadows with the loosest formulation.

Row 3

3Star3starsThis is the least exciting row for me. Pink Pearl is a pale pink with slight purple tones and minimal fallout. The Strip is the color that made me realize just how similar these light shades are. lightsIn the pan, The Strip looks like someone mixed #selfie, Pink Pearl, and a ton of glitter. If you apply your foundation and concealer before doing your eye makeup, I hope you have the best glue-like shadow primer to keep the fallout away. lidandinnerright eyeI wear contact lenses so this shade is particularly nightmarish because of how easy it is to get glitter in my eyes. I used it as an inner corner and lid color for two of the suggestion cards and it looked like no pigment, just sparkle.

Insta-Star

InstaStarbComment Queen

CommentQueenI was afraid to put The Strip on the inner corner again, so I put #selfie instead. The strip is on the lid though.

Jackpot is messy but at least it shows up on my skin, unlike this one. Even with a pencil brush, the inner corner looks messy. Follow Me is a pretty violet purple shade with only minor fallout. I haven’t experimented with this shadow as much as the others but I imagine I can use it for the same purpose as Sugared Violet from the Too Faced Sugar Pop palette.

Row 4

4Star4starsI can’t tell if the shimmer on Double Tap is supposed to be there or if it’s just glitter from another shadow, especially because it looks mostly matte in swatches. It’s a burgundy shade with dark brown tones. I wish there was more purple in it, because when I apply on my eyes, I only see brown with a touch of red. It’s the lid color in my custom eye look photo.

Custom

TFVNCustom I use both Double Tap and Girl’s Night as crease colors or for the outer V, and I don’t see an instance when using one would be better than the other. If Double Tap was a truer burgundy, I wouldn’t feel like this shade is redundant.

browntonesGolden Nugget is a stunning yellow gold color but that beauty is spoiled by the same fallout-heavy formulation as The Strip. Too Faced makes a glitter insurance primer and considering how many of these shades perform like loose pigments (plus the inclusion of the glamour dust) I have no idea why they didn’t include that as the mini primer instead. In my custom eye look, I tried to use Gold Nugget as an inner corner shade but nothing stuck to my eyes. I attempted to use water and it was still unsatisfactory. This eyeshadow was one of biggest reasons I wanted this palette, so I am willing to try switching to my usual primer (Lorac) to see if it will work better. Sin City is a matte black (when glitter from other shades don’t get into it). It’s soft and blendable. I do wish it was more intense, but it’s still darker than Licorice from my Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette.

I kept pushing back the date of this post because I wanted to ensure I tested this thoroughly and gave this palette a fair review. Despite having this for 6 weeks, I haven’t tried every possibility. I could buy another primer and see if it yields better results. I know that using a finger in swatches held the pigment better in place, so I could apply the sparkly lid colors with my finger in the future. I could use all the colors wet to see if they would adhere more intensely and stay put, but for the time being, I have no more desire to try and make this palette work. Not when I have the Vice 4 which is better formulated and has more variety.

❤ Lili

Urban Decay Vice 4 Palette and Guerlain Météorites Perle des Neiges Review

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I intended to include a review of the Too Faced Stardust Palette as well but I need more time to test that palette.

busymemeUrban Decay Vice 4

mainudThis is my first Vice palette! I purchased it after Sephora issued the $50 code as an apology for the Epic Rewards fiasco. The retail price is $60.

allv4The outer packaging is so unique and beautiful. They nailed the oil-slick look! The palette includes a dual-ended brush. I’m not a fan of that brush type because it’s tricky to clean without getting water into the ferrules.

theudbI appreciate the duo fiber style crease brush side, as I have nothing like it in my collection, but it doesn’t perform the way I want. The base is too stiff and the top is too floppy. The other side of the brush is for blending, and it does the job fine.

First Column

C1ud4 c1sLight shades are notorious for not showing their true colors on me. Bones is a slightly beige satin which just looks white on my hand. Framed appears yellow instead of light peach tones it is supposed to have. The purple in Discreet shows a bit. The brown tones in Bitter are blending with my skin but the red/orange pigment keeps it visible. The mattes are extremely smooth in texture and all four in this column are well pigmented. I used the Too Faced Shadow Insurance under all the swatches in this review.

Second Column

c2ud4 c2sGrip is the most disappointing shade in the entire palette. The texture is fine but the pigmentation is lacking and the silvery grey tones don’t flatter me either. The faults in a few other colors don’t come close to being as bad as this one. Fastball is a nice pink glitter shade. Grasshopper is a gorgeous opaque jewel toned green. Flame is the shade I was most excited for but the orange-red shadow with its gold glitter is a little rough and patchy.

Third Column

c3ud4 c3sAll of these shades are decent in texture. Deadbeat, 1985, and C-Note are nicely pigmented. With Low, I couldn’t tell if the brown is blending too well with my skin or if it truly is a sheerer shade.

Fourth Column

c4ud4 c4sThis is my favorite stack of adjacent colors in the palette! They all swatch well. Beat Down is a pretty violet blue. Underhand is a stunning wine color. Arctic is a beautiful teal and Crowbar’s dark olive tones compliment the gold glitter.

Fifth Column

c5ud4 c5sThese final four are also good in both texture and pigment. I love the plum in Pandemonium. I generally don’t use light purple colors like Harlot or chromes like Robbery but I can acknowledge that they’re pretty shadows. Delete is the fourth matte shade which looks much darker on the skin than the pan.

These shadows are very soft, so they must be lightly tapped onto the brush to avoid powdery messes. What I found strange was that Framed breaks off into clumps or flecks of product.

bitsudmorebitsudAs you can see, even bits of it landed in shades a few rows away. I also found some of it on my hand as well when doing swatches.

Another thing to note is that this palette has some manufacturing issues. I have read many reports of improperly placed pans in both this and the Spectrum palettes. They are either crooked or partially popped out. One woman in my Facebook group shared a photo where one of her pans (Grip) popped out of the palette on the first day that she received it. In my own palette, Fastball wasn’t pressed all the way either.

fastbaitAfter taking photos for the blog, I used my finger to press the shadow back into the palette.

Sometimes cosmetic companies put similar shades within the same palette. Besides the shadows in Column 1, the only other similarities are shown in the photo below…

graysbut I can see distinct differences.

I love this palette! I wish there were more matte shades but this is the best $10 I ever spent! Even if I paid full price, I would not have returned this and I’m happy I have it.

This palette didn’t come with suggested looks so I tried a few of my own. I was in a rush and was still shocked by how quickly I could produce the two looks below.

Test Eye Look Number 1

UDV41I used Framed under the brow, Delete in the crease, Bitter as the transition shade, Underhand on the lid, and Harlot on the inner top and lower lash lines.

Test Eye Look Number 2

UDV42I used Bones under the brow, Crowbar in the crease, Grasshopper on the lid, C-Note in the center of the lid as well as the inner corner of the top and bottom lash lines. I also used a tiny bit of Deadbeat on the outer V.

Guerlain Météorites Powder For The Face And Décolleté

guermetesThis new beauty is part of Guerlain’s holiday collection. There is a significant price hike between these and the permanent meteorites. They are currently sold out at Sephora (where I purchased them) but they will likely return to the site, as Sephora is notorious for having out-of-stock limited edition items eventually return to their website. They retail for $80 but for those willing to snag them at a better price at the risk of them being sold-out, I suggest waiting for the Friends and Family sale or other 20% sales that usually happen between late October and mid-November. I used a 10% off coupon via Sephora Shake-Up and a gift card to get mine.

fullball guertop guermirror meteoritesThis is my first ever Guerlain product. It’s my understanding that these meteorites have more shimmer than the original. It’s supposed to be an all-over-the face product but as immensely fine as the glitter is, it’s too visible on me in person. I mentioned strobing in my highlighter review last week but this the perfect product for that.

megafinehighlighterguershimmerI used a stippling brush to apply the powder to the center of my forehead and cheekbone. It is very difficult to show anything other than a glow on camera, as you can see from the face photo. But the up-close look is better depicted by the picture of my hand.

“These Météorites pearls are made of light-reflecting iridescent pearly particles that leave the skin looking radiant with an illuminating glow. It features pearls in beige hues to even out the skintone, champagne to illuminate, and golden for a subtle, sunkissed effect. These pearls are infused with light-correcting nacres that harmoniously blend together to create a pure and correcting light for perfectly tailored luminosity, creating an ultrasoft powder that smooths the complexion for a unique, soft finish. These powder pearls reveal the iconic violet fragrance of Météorites.” -Sephora’s Product Description

I love the delicate violet scent which is strong enough to linger on the face for about an hour before the scent dissipates. As much as this is a luxury product and not a necessity for many people, I love these so much that I’m considering buying the original in the color Dore during the 20% sale so I can add darker colored balls to the globe. I figured the darker tones and will make it a little less frosty, especially if I remove some of the lighter balls and the stars.

I must say that the holiday items this year are even prettier than last year, which is great for collectors but certainly a burden on my wallet!

❤ Lili

Liquid and Cream Foundation: Make Up For Ever, Estée Lauder, and Bobbi Brown

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liqswaI remember a time when my only requirement of a foundation was for it to be dark enough to wear. Now I have my choice of undertones, finishes, coverage, etc. I didn’t find my perfect foundation until a few years ago, but when you live in Florida, you’re bound to have more than one “perfect” shade.

Foundation is the key to creating a flawless face, but it can also spoil a look if the color is off. This is one of the reasons I sometimes skip foundation. You can guess the other reason…

foundThe foundations I chose to review today are all yellow undertone and natural finishes.

MAKE UP FOR EVER ULTRA HD Invisible Cover in Y505

mufes* $43 at Sephora

* Medium-to-Buildable coverage

Ultra HD is the reformulation of the original HD formula in 177 Cognac (pictured on the right). MUFE intended for it to be invisible, even under 4k lenses. There are a few minor changes to the packaging, such as the silver rim on the current bottle and the imprint on the top cap.

capsThe number system has also changed. bottomsMake Up For Ever posted the equivalent changes for all of the shades (a few were discontinued). Despite looking lighter in the bottle it’s darker than the original, once on the skin.f3The newer foundation is slightly thicker than the original. I noticed I still used more pumps than usual to cover my face. Both foundations lasted all day. What I love about the Ultra is that the Hyaluronic acid really works for me. My skin looks smoother and more dewy when I wear it, particularly along my cheeks and jaws. However, if you own the HD and are wondering if you should finish your current bottle before getting Ultra, I’d advise finishing your old one. The improvements aren’t dramatic enough to rush out and get, especially since this change is permanent.

I was surprised to see how many MUFE fans were unhappy with Ultra. In addition to my own observations, other reviewers have said it is cakey, oxidizes too much, and looks oily after several hours. I agree that it can look heavy but Make Up For Ever reps recommend using a tap and spread method with a flat foundation brush or sponge.

I was curious about how much the formula has really changed, so I analyzed the ingredients lists. 6 ingredients were removed, 15 were added, and 11 had their quantities altered as indicated by the order listed. proconmufeEither way, it is still my number one foundation.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in 6W1 Sandalwood

est* $38 at Macy’s

* Medium-to-Buildable

I’m part of a beauty group on Facebook and one member said she was looking for a medium coverage foundation, and asked what everyone thought of Double Wear. fbgroupconvoThe former Lauder employee is correct that it is listed as medium to buildable, however, this product is the fullest coverage of anything I own. In fact, I use it as my under eye concealer because of how quickly it sets and the fact that it doesn’t budge easily. A dampened beautyblender will sheer any foundation, so for anyone who finds Double Wear too cakey, I recommend using a sponge. Otherwise, this will easily give full coverage to those who want it.

I also recommend using a moisturizer beforehand if you have dry skin, as the foundation has a tendency to cling to dry spots/emphasize uneven textures on the face.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Golden Almond

BBfoun

f2

* $44 at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

Unlike DW, this is listed on Sephora’s website as a full coverage foundation but I consider it a medium to buildable coverage. It does transfer if not set well enough with powder, but my main reason for hardly wearing this foundation is that I used to find it a bit too orange. After getting darker this summer, it looks like this color may not be as off as I originally thought.

It’s creamy, blendable, and promises “…eight hours of water-, sweat-, and humidity-resistant wear.” I wish I could have sampled this from Sephora before I purchased, but it’s only available with them online, not in-store.

MUFE and ELDW are what I wear almost exclusively. I have a few powder foundations as well, but liquids will always be my favorite formula type.

❤ Lili