How To Glow Like A Real Life Snapchat Filter

Written by @Twist.It.Tea

I love the face filters and flower headbands just as much as the next girl, but I know I’m not the only one who has wished their makeup was as flawless in real life as it it behind a cute sparkly filter.  Well, luckily I’ve unlocked the secrets, and I'm willing to share with you all today the easy steps to recreating flawless skin.  I found that this step may be the most important. and It starts with, WHEN Glamour Base Sheet Mask. This sheet mask is made from coconut and a bio cellulose fiber, which is very different than a paper sheet mask made from wood or cotton. Bio cellulose fibers have an incredible ability to hold and absorb moisture, making it a perfect component for a face mask made for skin firming, nourishment and hydration. 

Courtesy of WHEN Beauty

When I opened the sheet mask it came sandwiched in between two paper-like masks and at first touch, had a latex feel and I was a little turned off.  I was surprised it smelled like citrus when I first put the mask on, because I read it was made from coconut (I got my hopes up to say that least).  But it was lovely, refreshing and not over powering. I left the mask on for the recommended 30 minutes, and it definitely had a suction feeling upon removal.  I also noticed while I was wearing the mask it felt like the sheet was clinging to my skin, which is all thanks to the super hydration (FACT: bio cellulose masks hold 10 times more moisture than a paper mask thanks to its nano sized fibers) that helped open up my pores to sink in all the good stuff, like ginseng extracts to help with the glow, and adenosine, hydrolyzed collagen and peptides to maximize skin elasticity.  I’m always weary of using a face mask before my makeup application because I’m never sure how the serum is going to sink into my skin or if it’s going to leave a sticky mess behind.  Luckily this sheet mask is made for a makeup prep and it fully absorbed into my skin within 10 minutes.  The serum is supposed to increase collagen production, and make my skin look more firm and smooth, which I can sincerely say is true. 

Photo by Taylor Adami 

Step two is Becca Velvet Blurring Primer, and this stuff is looking like the golden ticket in order to be a real life, walking, talking Snapchat filter.  This primer is going to brighten your complexion, and blur your pores to give you an airbrushed finish.  It’s perfect for my oily/combo skin because it goes from liquid to powder right before my eyes (I'm convinced it's magic).  I apply this after my moisturizer has set in *completely*, or else you’ll get little dried up pilling of lotion when you try to apply the primer.  The formula is a gorgeous light shade of pink that comes out rather aggressively, so be careful.  I don't want to over complicate things, so I will tell you that Sephora said it best, “the formula is infused with pore-blurring powders that float over your skin to diffuse light for a velvety smooth, soft focus finish”, which also helps control oil (huge plus).  I was truly amazed when I applied this over my face, because I was not expecting such a luxe feeling.  It kept my skin hydrated due to the sodium hyaluronate, and brightened up my skin which gave me the confidence to wear this alone on my face because it made such a difference (it also provides slight color correction).  A primer that blurs imperfections and keeps my skin oil free all day is sure to be a keeper, but the fact that it does ALL of that and keeps my makeup in place all day is a home run. 

Photo by Taylor Adami

The grand finale is Too Faced Peach Blur Translucent Powder.  I can’t say enough good things about this product, but I can start with the fact that it has opal-correcting spheres that work to smooth out harsh lines and blur imperfections to give you that near perfect skin filter. The packaging is adorable, and the pressed powder smells AMAZING (like peaches and sweet fig cream to get specific), and you don’t need a lot to get your desired filter. It really looks like there’s no powder on your brush but when you swipe your face, it looks amazing.  I use my Guerlain brushes and although they are a little rough, they pick up the perfect amount of powder.

Photo by Taylor Adami

The formula makes my face buttery smooth, while simultaneously controlling my oil.  This is the last and final step on How To Become A Real Life Snapchat Filter, I even apply over my setting spray because I love the lit from within vibe it gives me.  I feel so pretty with this on! 

Ethereal Goddess vs. GhostFace Killa

Written by Twist.It.Tea

Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow

Sephora for $54

1 oz.

This is a story about being in love and then falling out of love.  It happened because of one photograph.  But before I get to the traumatic parts I want to tell you why this product was at first the love of my life.  I was absolutely enamored by the Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow when I first tested it out.  First, the packaging was gorgeous and gave me warm, Spring vibes.  The soft pink was aptly chosen for the airless squeezable tube (with pump) in lieu of the advertised name, ‘Baby Glow’ – which had me a little skeptical at first, I won’t lie. It’s a glamorous BB cream, a low maintenance version of foundation, which is right up my alley.  I was so eager to try this out on my face after testing it on my hand and noticing how beautiful it looked. It blended and left a gorgeous illumination without the glitter as one might expect from a product that advertises themselves as a ‘Glow’. It felt like pure luxury on my face; from Guerlain’s signature violet scent, to the silky smooth application of the formula – I thought I found “The One”.  It felt like pure opulence to put this on my face, which made me feel so good.  The formula was hydrating and gave me a nice finish, covering most imperfections and smoothing out my skin.  This formula is a one and done – a moisturizer, primer and tinted moisturizer.  Personally, I continued to do my normal routine because I trust my Too Faced Primer to really hold my makeup all day without separation.  I loved how lightweight the formula is while leaving a matte look to my skin.  Well … my love soon turned to dismay when I realized how greasy my face turned by midday. I was under the impression this BB cream was giving me a GLOW not a grease bucket vibe. Like I mentioned before, when I first applied it, the illumination was so flattering and multidimensional that it hid my flaws.  But after a few days of trying different ways to wear, I had  that moment of realization when you’re dating someone new and they do something minor to make you reconsider EVERYTHING.  I didn’t want to give up so easily on Guerlain, I knew we had a future together and I was willing to make some adjustments to my routine so I could get the most out of this product.  Not to mention – it’s legit an arm and a leg, so I definitely wasn’t putting this baby back on the shelf any time soon.

After the whole ‘dewy/greasy’  thing I was being very cautious of relying on this for all day coverage, it was separating and was making weird lines in my face that I had to constantly buff out.  We were on 'ok' terms at this point when I decided to wear it out one night to my best friend’s birthday party.  Let's just say we broke up within 2 hours of going out together. I was mortified.  Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow embarrassed the F*** out of me!  Turned me into a ghostly GHOUL with every photo I took. The photos I took during this celebration were epic but my face was bright white.  I wanted to legit wash my face in the middle of this party I was so pissed.  I would rather walk around with a naked face than look like a mime. 

 I really thought I had been walking around the city looking absolutely insane and ghostly the last few weeks. That was the last straw with this fella.  The SPH in the formula is way too white for my skin tone and the back flash will always be very prominent regardless of what kind of finishing powder I’m using.  I wanted to love you, Guerlain, but I can’t afford this love/hate relationship! I also would rather spend my coins on companies who don’t test on animals….realllllly not cool.  Like men, there are way too many BB creams in the sea to be stuck trying to make it work with one who just continally shows their true colors. 

$10 Subscription Unboxing: Ipsy v. Sephora Play

Of all the mail that gets shoved into your mailbox, nothing compares to your subscription service finally getting in! Push past the bills, the junkmail, the wedding invites, and get right to the goods! Today we unbox two $10 beauty subscription services: Ipsy and Play! by Sephora. 

Ipsy

Ipsy is subscription service created by Michelle Phan, the woman who played a major role in how beauty marketing works today. For $10 a month, subscribers of Ipsy receive 4-5 deluxe size sample products that range from lip balms to body scrubs and everywhere in between. The products featured are from brands you'd find at your local drugstore, higher end products, and even indie lines. The products are all packaged in a cute unique pouch that coordinates with a theme of the month. While you cannot explicitly customize what will be featured in your bag, Ipsy does take into account your preferences from information obtained through a quiz taken when you initially subscribe to their service. 

This Gudetama themed bag included 2 skincare type items. The Tarte Rain Forest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel and the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet. I appreciate that the skincare was so well balanced. Having a cleanser and moisturizer featured in the same bag shows that the curator really thought of the beauty process in terms of skincare. 

The remaining beauty products featured can give any Ipsy subscriber what they may need to be ready and out the door. Concealer, liner, highlight (brush). In the bag there was a Concealer Crayon from TreStique and a Wonderwand Gel-khol Eyeliner by Ciate London. The Illuminator brush is by Beau Gachis Cosmetics which is a full size brush and valued at $9.95. 

Play! by Sephora

Each Play! by Sephora subscriber receives 5 sample products and a fragrance sample.

This box included care items that serve as protective and restorative treatments from all the fun things of summer. Diving in the pool is fun. What it does to your hair and skin is not. There was a hair mask from Madam C.J. Walker. The Beauty Culture Dream Come True Wonderful Pre-Wash Protein Treatment is great to restore life to your hair throughout the summer. TTThe Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber De-Tox Bouncy Hydrating Gel can be helpful for after-sun care. Finally, the Ren Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream which smells like heaven!

The fragranced featured was Mon by Guerlain. It has a warm smell that is perfect for the "Glamp" theme. The Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm is an easy throw-it-on lip product. The It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara makes your lashes very fluttery. However, I thought it was kind of an out of place item. It just really didn't make sense in this bag. I read up on the product on Sephora's product web page. It describes the mascara "like skin care for your lashes."

Who do you think had a better bag? Ipsy or Play! by Sephora?

All photos are property of meetpepperb.com

Shalimar Fragrance Review

Written by Deanna. P

I have heard of the famous Shalimar scent, but I had never tried it.  This is a fragrance that was inspired by the love story between an Indian princess & an Emperor.  Shalimar actually means temple of love & the origin of the word is Sanskrit.  It is the the promise of eternal love forevermore.  

The Eau De Toilette comes in 3 sizes:

Complete refillable spray 30 ML
Spray 50 ML
Spray 90 ML

The spray is Oriental and some of the ingredients include iris, jasmine, & rose.  Also notes of vanilla, & the tonka bean. I tried the 50 ml & I am sad to say as much as I wanted to fall in love with the scent, I am not feeling the love.  It just did not smell good on me.  This is a great example of the issues I described in my Scentbird review,  Some scents just don’t combine well with people’s body chemistry.  The bottle is pretty & the story & long history of the fragrance &  brand speaks volumes about it.   It just unfortunately was not for me. If interested in trying, stop in any of the high end department stores, Sephora, or the Guerlain Spa to try it & see how it smell on you.   You could be pleasantly surprised as it all about body chemistry.