Product Reviews

GlamGlow Duo Cleanser & Mask Product Review

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Written by Deanna .P 

 

I wrote about a GlamGlow product that I really liked a few months ago so I was excited to receive a couple more products to review from the brand. In case you did not read my previous review here is a refresher on the origins of the brand.  The GlamGlow line was originally created by a couple in California in 2011to be used exclusively for backstage & professional useby Hollywood movie stars.

Glenn & Shannon Dellimore formulated it in their home & gave it out to some of their actor friends to try.  The products worked so well that they received a call from a top luxury brand that wanted to retail the products.  And the rest is, as they say, history!    They now have a full line of products that are sold for all of us to buy.  

 

GlamGlow Powermud Dualcleanse treatment

1/7 oz / 50gMSRP: $69.00

 

This treatment is a mud to oil treatment.   It goes on as a mud & when you cleanse it off with water it turns to oil.  This results in soft velvety skin. The directions to use are as follows.  Apply a thin even layer to skin & leave on for5 to 10 minutes allowing it to dry.  To remove, apply water & move your hands in circular motion so the mud turns to a cleansing oil.  Use one or two times per week.  The Powermud is a good product & made my skin feel smooth &  soft after treatment, but it took the full 10 minutes to dry.  I did like the fact that it turned to oil as most mud masks are so hard to get off & they feel abrasive on your skin.  This turned to oil & really worked on making my dry skin look better.

 

GlamGlow PowerCleanse Daily Dual Cleanser

 5oz/ 150g MSRP $39.00

 

This is a face cleanser with two separate pumps.  One for mud & one for oil & when combined together they form a dual cleansing foam that gets rid of makeup & dirt build up on your skin making the skin feel fresh clean & purified.  To use pump 3 to 4 pumps of each mud & oil on to hands, add water & vigorously rub together to make a foam.  Massage onto face & then rinse. The more water you add, the foamier it will become.  Make sure to avoid eye area.

 

The Dual Cleanser was great to use in the shower & is now my daily cleanser.   A couple of quick pumps & I have a facial cleanser that made my skin feel clean & terrific.  This will definitely become part of my beauty routine. Both of these products are without parabens, sulfates, & Phthalates.  Also, they can be used by both men & women.I liked both of these products, but I definitely liked the Dual Cleanser better.  I think the pricing is rather high for these products, but the product line was made for Hollywood stars so the price point makes sense.  I definitely believe these products & this line are worth trying if you have not.

 

 

You can buy the products at http://www.glamglow.com or at sephora.com

@Hudabeauty Lip Contour Set Review

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Written By Pepper.B 

I'm honestly probably the last person who should be reviewing a lip product at the moment. Due to my lack of enthusiasm when it comes to lips and application, I haven't been to thrilled about lip color. I am all about playing up my eyes which I've been doing a lot lately. I have been rocking super natural lip colors. This very day I still don't prefer a bold eye and bold lip on myself at the same time. Earlier This week while attempting to hide my cash from myself to prevent me from shopping at sephora. FAIL! I stumbled across "The Lip Contour Kit" in sephora at World Trade Center. I had to snag this because I wasn't sure when the opportunity would prevent itself again. I mean stumbling across Huda Beauty in Sephora is like seeing a UFO with an exception to the lashes and even those are hard to find sometimes. 

This kit includes a full sized lip pencil along with 2 mini lips. The miniature sizes of the lipsticks are actually a really good sizes and I think this is an awesome gift year round not just for holiday season! The kit Values at 24.00 dollars and is more personable then a gift card. HA! 

Lip liner: Vixen Deep burgundy shade

Liquid Lip: Vixen Deep burgundy shade

Liquid Lip: Famous Deep Matte Brown  

Refer to Images below:

There are several options in this kit. This was my choice and my favorite. I am super picky when it comes to nudes so I would prefer not to have a pre-made set. If you have tried palette let us know what you think by responding below! 

 

 

XO 

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops Review

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Cover FX Custom Cover Drops Review 

By Amanda V. 

his innovative little bottle of pure perfected liquid pigments is an absolute game changer. Yes, I am slightly late to the party but I'm here nonetheless. This product, Not to be used alone, is perfect for creating your own foundation, tinted moisturizer or BB cream. You have control of how sheer or full you want your your coverage to be. The results you end up with is BOMB!! 

 

 

 

The concentrated drops are thin enough to perfectly mix with any primer, moisturizer or serum as well as adding more pigment to any other base like foundation or BB Cream to bump up the coverage but without the heavy cakiness. The pigments contain a biochemically skin-like ingredient (lecithin) giving you a seamless, flawless finish and leaving you with that "your skin but better" look that we all know I favor. I tried the drops a couple of different ways. If you use a serum or oil (I used Josie Marian Argan Oil with 2 Custom Cover drops) your skin would end up with the most hydrated, luminous finish, which would be incredible for the winter months. I also tried it with My Glossier Priming Moisturizer and it gave me the most stunning dewy, radiant finish. I think this could possibly be my new go-to base. I am definitely keeping these drops in my everyday makeup bag. 

 

 

 

The Cover FX Custom Cover Drops is a product I'd use especially when I go away on a tropical vacation or during the Summer months when I have a tan and don't match any of my foundations. I would get these drops a shade (or 2, depending on the shade of my tan) darker so that I can alter the shade of all of the foundations I already own to match my sunkissed skin.The only con about this product is the packaging, but it's more of a personal preference kind of thing. The slender Dark, glass bottle is great, I just absolutely loathe the dropper. I wanted to throw it across the bathroom multiple times. I'd rather carefully pour out a small drop which is what I found myself doing. With this product, you only get 0.5oz for $44. Although it's half the amount of the average foundation which is usually 1oz, being that it's super concentrated and you would only need 1-2 Drops of product at most for a full face, you get twice the amount of product so its like having 1oz of product (or more depending on how many drops you'd use). This is a complete steal for the amount of product you get as well as the quality because this little bottle of concentrated pure pigment is ACE!!! I definitely recommend, especially to anyone who wants to play around and create their own perfect base with their ideal coverage.

Living Proof Nourishing Oil Review

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Written By; Deanna P 

Living Proof is a company that was founded in 2005 & is based in Cambridge Mass.  It’s staff is comprised of beauty experts & biotech scientists using technology from MIT.  The company actually does what it promises & makes hair beautiful.I have tried Living Proof product before & loved the results so I was happy to try Living proof frizz nourishing Oil.  This product actually got the coveted 2016best of Beauty award given by Allure The Beauty Expert in 2016.

The nourishing oil comes in 2 sizes

A 0.85 oz for $20.00 &  3.4 oz for $38.00.  I suggest you start with the smaller size & try the product to see how well it work on your hair.  I think the price is fair as this is a high end oil that really works to improve your hair.  The things I loved best about the oil is the scent & the fact that itdelivers on the results promised.  The product packaging is also pure genius.  Simple in nature, the color, size, & shape of the product made it feel ultra expensive & give off a cool trendy vibe.  The product was easy to dispense & it was easy to store.

The scent was one of my favorites, a light fresh citrusy smell.  I am a big proponent thata product should smell as as good as it works and the nourishing oil does just that. The oil promises that it will prevent frizz & add nourishment to the hair.  Since my hair tends to be frizzy, & not look very smooth, I was happy with the results.  My hair looked shinier, healthier, less, frizzy & more manageable.  I really liked this product better than most leave in oils.  I highly recommend trying it.  It also contains no Parabens, Sulfates, or Phthalates .

 

 

 

For more information or to purchase, check out:

 

http://www.livingproof.com

Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil

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Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil

Written by: Danyelle V

Ya’ll, she was talking about this eyeliner. The Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil is a beauty lover’s must have. Think of everything an eye pencil does wrong. Crumbles and skips across your skin so you can’t ever create the lines you want. Sets too fast so you can’t blend it evenly. Doesn’t set at all so it melts and settles into the corners of your eyes. So attractive by the way. Raise your hand if you’ve been personally victimized by an eyeliner. You were out all day and come home to find your lower lash line went from smokey and sexy to ‘oh, she hasn’t slept in days.’ Now imagine an eyeliner that does all the right things. If you haven’t found one that works for you, I gotchuhoney. The Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil by Chanel will never disrespect you. I have watery eyes and this pencil lasted in my waterline all day. Water. Line! It’s not even marketed as waterproof!

 

Down side: It’s $30. Thirty dollars for an eye pencil! While it is longer than your average eye pencil- $30? Idk, man. Is that something you would buy? It is a luxury product so if you’ve been good to yourself, treat yourself. The price v. the quality is something you’re going to have to battle for yourself. 

 

If you are on a budget and still need an eyeliner that won’t do you wrong, Colourpop has gel eyeliners that work just as well but with a significantly smaller price tag. They last in the waterline too! No fading, no running, no betrayal. They have metallic shades too! I know I always refer to Colourpop as an alternative but you can’t deny their quality. 

 

The Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil is available in 6 shades. Which one is going to be your holiday gift to yourself?

 

Comment. Like. Share!

Available at Nordstrom; $30

Product Photo from Nordstrom.com

Photo taken with iPhone 7

Glossier Priming Moisturizer & Perfecting Skin Tint Review.

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Glossier Priming Moisturizer & Perfecting Skin Tint Review. 

By Amanda V. 

5 Stars 

I, the Glossier obsessed, am coming to you with yet another review. This time I did it in pairings because this dynamic duo should be used together because the results are BOMB! If you've read my past reviews, you know that although I love a full on glam, I'm a minimalist on the daily. I live for a natural look with glowing skin, which is why I'm drawn to a brand like Glossier who caters to the everyday girl that still wants to look polished and put together. For work, 99% of the time I am running out the house because there's just not enough time for me to get ready in the morning (Unless I decide to wake up at 5am which I REFUSE). But this little duo is the Batman and Robin of low maintenance makeup, it has changed the game for me. 

First up is the Glossier Priming Moisturizer. I was incredibly hype for this product because I have yet to find a moisturizer that I love. What I've tried has been either to thick, too thin and has either left me with a rash or a gross residue (which is a pet peeve for me, ugh) but I finally grabbed this little bad boy. It is described on the packaging as a "buildable hydrating creme". It has a thin consistency, like not a lotion and not a gel Moisturizer. The silky consistency of this creme is incredible and leaves Skin smooth to the touch. The instant I put this moisturizer on my freshly cleansed face, it instantly felt and visibly looked hydrated. My skin soaked it up at an instant and then I added another layer and my skin felt plump and properly moisturized. I've been using this for about 3 weeks now and I have seen a change in my skin feeling softer than usual. It DOES work as a primer in the sense that it properly preps your skin for makeup application and works well when mixing it with a foundation if you want to create a light coverage tinted moisturizer, or even as a base for anything with sheer/light coverage. I'm not sure Id use it as a primer for foundation longevity, especially since I always set my skin with powder or Mac Fix+, but it does prep the skin well enough and keeps it very moisturized for hours upon hours. This works for all skin types and has been exceptional for my dry/combo, sensitive skin. Ideal for the upcoming winter months when my skin becomes a flaky mess. It is cruelty free, free of harmful, harsh chemicals as well as fragrance free which is crucial for me because for myself and most people with sensitive skin, moisturizers with scents irritate and inflame my skin. I have not broken from this moisturizer at all whatsoever. This moisturizer goes above and beyond and has made a permanent home in my makeup bag. 

The perfect pairing for this moisturizer is the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint. This particular product has. Even on my radar forever! This gives the sheerest of coverage for that "your skin, but better" look. This light base will diminish imperfections and even out any discoloration. The skin match is incredible as this product adapts to your skin tone. I could easily wear either  "Medium" or "Dark". The formula is fantastic as my face is left super smooth and plump (which Glossier credits their secret ingredient, Polymer X, to give a slight lifted look to the face, think of it as not a push up bra but an uplift bra for your face) but the holy grail ingredient to me is the Diamond Powder which gives a brightening effect to the skin while also blurring any minor imperfections of the skin. This product makes me look awake and refreshed even after watching the World Series Game 7 coverage until 3am and having to get up 3 hours later for work.  

(As you can see above on my hand swatch, , the duo vanished my redness and blurred my skin to perfection.)

The consistency is comparable to MAC's face and body foundation, minus the major oxidization that product tends to give regardless of how good it is. I applied the Perfecting Skin Tint after the Priming Moisturizer. I used my fingers to blend and the product instantly melted into my skin. It is thin enough that you can layer it and you WILL NEVER come off looking cakey. If you want to set it with a powder, I'd recommend something light and slightly luminous like Nars reflecting pressed powder or Hourglass Dim Light Pressed Powder. 

The pricing is incredibly reasonable for the incredible quality you are getting. The Priming Moisturizer retails for $25 for 1.7ozof product, which is a pretty good deal for an outstanding moisturizer. The Perfecting Skin Tint retails for $26 for 1oz of product which is about half the price of any tinted moisturizer from shops like Sephora. It's high end quality without the high end price tag. I highly recommend trying this out, whether its one or the other or both as a duo. You won't regret it. Go purchase at Glossier.com and say hello to your new staples for low-maintenance Sunday runs to Starbucks and Target. 

 

Note: For 20% off your first purchase at Glossier, use this link! http://bff.glossier.com/eq5SF

 

Happy Shopping Beauties!! 

Madam C.J Walker Jamaican Black Castor & Murumuru Oils Edge Control

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Written by Pepper .B 

Edge control has been a constant struggle for me, The texture of my hair is super curly thick and frizzes easily. I don't perm my hair so I rely on good edge controls to keep my hairs tamed! I've probably purchased every edge control that exsist and still deal with this issue. Normally when I apply it My edges look amazing for all of 2 minutes then its back to normal. Most of the time I notice edge controls get super flaky or turn ashy or white in your scalp.  Working in the beauty industry that is like suicide referring products for my clients with a flaky scalp. 

I stumbled across this amazing edge control by Madam C.J Walker Beauty Culture. Honestly at first I wasn't sold on it, I used it and it didn't work for me. Totally didn't pay attention to the fact that my first test on the product was in 96 degree weather in vegas during the summer. I didn't write the product off completely. As the seasons started to shift I tried this product again. I'm sitting here looking at my jar completely empty. Elated, I had to come share this amazing find with you.  I generally use Jamaican black castor oil in my hair to help promote hair growth.

“Jamaican Black Castor & Murumuru Oils collection has products to define curls and coils with intense hydration—each featuring captivating amber and warm glimmers of musk. Jamaican black castor oil is a highly potent restorative oil great for both hair and scalp health. Vitamin-rich murumuru oil leaves a conditioning coating on strands that seals in moisture, extending curl definition and sheen.”
— Madam C.J Walker Beauty Culture

This product holds my edges all day. No flakiness or Stickiness. I love using this product for styles that are out of my face, ponytails and top knots. All though the price point is a little pricy it worth every cent! 

Ceramidin Nanoskin Sheet Mask by Dr. Jart+ Review

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Written by Ada H 

The new Korean facial mask craze looks crazy indeed! It's a fabric-like mask that has all these enzymes that you lay on your face. The mask has all the appropriate holes cut out for your eyes, nose, and mouth already. You just have to position it correctly and slap it on.  You look like something out of a halloween store!  It's funny, cool, and scary all at the same time.

 

I've tried different brands and different purposes of these Korean masks. By purpose I mean, one could be for oil control, another hydration, another for pimples, etc. for all problems that plague our skin. This time I tried out Ceramidin by Dr. Jart+. (Which is a little funny - "jart". Look this up on urbandictionary.com. I dare you, this is for the strong willed and definitely NSFW.)  Out of all the skin care products I've tried. This is definitely a strong No, never again.  

 

The soul purpose of this mask is for rehydration. When I took it out of the packaging, it was covered in what looked like a mixture between runny lotion and milk. (Also, reminded me of what your boyfriend spills out when he's happy teehee). A lot of other brands for these masks actually have it on a plastic sheet where you just peel it off like a sticker and put it on your face. Easy peasy. This one was folded up into an unrecognizable shape and I had to peel it open bit by bit. It was not user friendly and I was left to my own wits. Once I got it open, I positioned it onto my face and let it soak for the allotted time of about 15-20 mins. I read the directions and it said after you take the mask off to wipe away and pat the rest of the milky residue into your skin to help hydrate it even further. Yes my skin was soft and supple, but it also left this film of something I don't even know how to describe, except that it was less than desirable. I went ahead and put my makeup on for the day over it, and I just felt like I was walking around with an extra layer of a lotion of ghosts past. It was weird. I didn't like it.

 

Onto the next one. Like my men. 

Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment Review

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Written by Ada. H 

The smaller letters underneath the product name state, "Supermud Clearing Treatment". They really weren't kidding. Super poreless skin. I love everything about it.  It comes out a dark gray cream and when you rub it onto your face you're taken aback like wtf? Because in this mask is a little ingredient that looks like black flakes of I don't know what! It's awesome!  Is this what supermud looks like? I googled some of the ingredients. It could be teaoxi, volcanic pumice rock sediments, or french sea clay particles. I don't know, but these all sound like good things to me.  This mask was once available only to the Hollywood stars, but as all good things you can't keep it from the masses! We shall get our grimy hands on this and be poreless! Yeah! 

 

It smooths on your face like a creamy dream and starts to dry almost instantly! The clay mask will turn a true dark gray color once dried, but you'll be able to see darker black spots popping up all over the mask as it dries. What are those? That's the mask seeping into your pore holes to pull the crap out of your face! It's marvelous darling, oh so marvelous!  I've tried a bunch of face masks before and this is my favorite! This beats Origins' Charcoal Mask right out of the water!

Gimme gimme gimme. This comes with a hefty price tag though at $69 a pop. 

But that's the cost of cleaning out your pores, you dirty girl. Well paid and well played, Hollywood. That's the price of looking like a star, and a star you shall look.

Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation

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Written by Amanda .V 

Although I am A Makeup Obsessed Queen, I will be first to admit that I have NEVER EVER went full coverage when it comes to a base. I’m a tinted moisturizer, sheer-to-medium coverage kind of gal. I recently caved in and grabbed the All Nighter Liquid Foundation from Urban Decay. I was feeling a little bold and it looked lonely on my makeup dresser so I decided to give it a little bit of love. 

I grabbed this futuristic, badassery in a bottle and put a couple of pumps on the back of my hand and used a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush spritzed with Mac Fix+ and dabbed some of the product on my face and started to blend. At first swipe, I did feel that his foundation went on like a thick creme but still smooth nonetheless. I tried not to let that intimidate me, I kept repeating to myself to step out of my comfort zone. I kept blending until my entire face and neck was evened out. The result was pretty AMAZING! I only needed one of the pumps I had on the back of my hand and it blended like an absolute whimsical dream. It smoothly glides on to create the perfect base for your face. Lawd knows that I live for the dewy, glowy, radiant finishes, but this natural matte finish didn’t fall flat once. This foundation is loyal and didn’t oxidize on me during the 7 hours of wear (thankfully not leaving me to look like an Oompa Loompa). It did start to cake and flake around my nose but that is nothing that a light dusting of setting powder can’t fix so I wont complain. 

The Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundations retails for $40.00 for 1oz of product and trust that one pump is enough! a little goes a very long way (Also meaning this bottle will last you forever). This Foundation is DEFINITELY the fullest of coverage. If you’re into the very sheer like myself this will come off as intimidating, but take a chance and try it out. You might fall in love with this type of coverage. It is unreal how perfect it leaves your skin. If you have anywhere near Dry skin or Dry-Combo skin like myself, you MUST prep for this type of foundation, Especially now that the winter months are approaching. Try a rich moisturizer on your face like Kiehl’s ultra face cream for example and let it sink in, followed by a proper primer for extra longevity. I also finished off with Mac Fix+ to give a light dew. I recommend this foundation to anyone who prefers a fuller coverage and to those who want to cover acne scars and even out their skintone. I DO recommend this to those who prefer a sheer coverage as well because this can be used for special occasions and bolder looks. This foundation is perfect for the special days when you want extra flawless skin in photos which is what I will be using it for. 

Dr Dennis Gross Firming Peptide Milk Review

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Written by Deanna .P

I don’t know if you read my review of Dr. Dennis Gross’s product a month or so ago.  At that time I had no idea who Dr Dennis Gross was & I had never tried any of his products.  Fast forward to now & I now know & respect him & I was excited to try his firming peptide milk which is a nourishing & lifting hydration for the face, neck, & chest.  

Dr Gross is a well known & respected New York City dermatologist who specializes in cosmetic dermatology.  He became a dermatologist to the stars & decided to create a line of products that his patients could use in the comfort of their own homes. He has a host of great products for your skin & this time I tried his firming peptide milk.  It comes in 1.0 fl oz & retails for $65.00. it contains no parabens, sulfates or phthalates. The product is easy to use.  Twist the cap to reduce the appropriate dose.    Unscrew the cap & push top to release it on your fingers.  Massage cream into your face, neck & chest.  Use in the am & pm.  Can use a moisturizer after you apply it& use sunscreen in am after it is applied.  The milk nourishes skin while making your complexion look firmer.  Formulated with tetrapeptide-21, collagen amino acids, and ceramides, the ingredients in this lightweight formula, work to make your skin have a tighter & more lifted appearance.

I have used this product for about a week & so far I really like it.  It is such a light weight formula & it feels great on my face.  I have noticed a definite difference in the way my skin looks.  It is less dry & looks a lot firmer.  It also feels so much softer than it did a week ago.  I will continue to use it.I do think this product is a bit pricey, but it does help firm, lift & moisturize skin so you do not have to buy multiple products.    This makes it more worth the investment.

Some of the places it can be purchasedare at Sephora, Nordstrom’s, & directly from Dr. Dennis’s website below:

 

Kylie Cosmetics #KYSHADOW: The Burgundy Palette Review

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Kylie Cosmetics KYSHADOW: The Burgundy Palette Review 

By Amanda V.

 

There's something about colors in the Fall that bring me to this happy place of comfort, other than the fact that I was born during the middle of this whimsical season. Shades of Amber, Burgundy, Warm Chocolate Browns and Rustic Oranges... reminiscent of walking along Central Park as different shades of leaves fall to the ground, make me feel warm and giddy as the temperature drops. With that being said, let me introduce to you what I think is the perfect eyeshadow palette for Fall... The Kylie Cosmetics KYSHADOW Burgundy Palette. This palette is what autumnal dreams are made (Hey! Hey!). The KYSHADOW palette comes with 5 Mattes and 4 Shimmers. It glistens as soon as you flip it open [insert infinite heart eyes emojis here]. With each creamy swatch of each shade I couldn't help but gasp and slowly lose my breath. Think I'm being a tad bit dramatic? Get the palette and try it out for yourself and meet me at my current state. I must say that these mattes are super pigmented. I usually have a hard time finding super pigmented matte shades that don't look chalky. These are very rich and go on super smooth and they blend INCREDIBLE! The shimmers are gorgeous and glimmery, the shade Naked is barely there on my skin but I'm not going to write it off as a con because the name clearly states what the shade should look like, but I can possibly live without it. I'm in love with all of the mattes, I can't pick a favorite, they're all too beautiful and very vibrant. The photos don't do it justice. I think these are definitely going to hit pan! Enough said. 

The packaging is gorgeous that I will let it slide that I'm not fond of cardboard magnetic packaging but just about every brand seems to have those nowadays. It's sleek in all white with those famous Kylie Jenner eyes dripping with mirrored, metallic shades from the palette. Each shadow is 0.05oz and this palette retails for $42 (that's less than $5 per shadow) but of courseKylie's shipping bumps it up to about $50.95. I highly recommend, especially if you like to play around in beautiful autumn hues. 

Boscia Oil Control Mask Review

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Written by Ada H 

I live in one of the greatest cities in the world - New York City. Time is a funny thing here. Back home in Texas, I had a lot of time and I spent the majority of it watching Netflix. After I moved here, it’s like I don’t have time for anything. There’s so much to do here. This city really inspires the “Empire State of Mind” as Alicia Keys puts it. It’s true. Whatever you dream of, whatever you want. This city has all the opportunities available for you to grasp and make those dreams a reality. New York is Go. So I go.

With Boscia’s Green Tea Oil Control Mask, I love the results. My face feels soft and supple, and it looks soft and smooth. From all the harsh weather and environmental pollutants, this is a nice refresh at the end of the day. It smells amazing, fresh. The color is a light jade creamy hue. The results make this a definite yes for your beauty arsenal.

That is where my compliments stop. I’m busy, I’m beginning to have white hairs from everything I’m doing and wanting to do. So many projects and side hustles. First, this mask is a little difficult to put on your face. The viscosity is thick (I’ve been wanting to use that word – viscosity hehe).  It’s not a smooth application. It’s a slight struggle to apply all over your face. An unnecessary struggle if you ask me. The directions say to put on a thin layer. The first time I used it, I guess I put on too thin of a layer. I had the hardest time picking and peeling it off. I ended up washing the majority of it off. (Am I the only one who gets satisfaction out of peeling that layer off?)  The second time, I put more on. The peel was more satisfactory this time around, but it was still difficult to separate the substance from my skin. I had to sit there and pick, pick, pick. It should be peeeeelll, peeelllllllll, done! It took up way too much time. 

The results are fantastic, but the process isn’t as smooth as it should be.  I’m torn really, why can’t the mask be like me and just tear.

Ole Henriksen Facial Water Review

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Written by: Ada .H

Ole Henriksen skincare line originated from a Scandinavian man with the respective name.  He had cystic acne and turned to botanical and natural remedies. In his own personal journey to remediate his own skin, his skincare line emerged.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle of his Nuture Me Facial Water. It’s a mist that you spray all over your face to rehydrate and soothe. The directions say to spray on a clean, dry face before application of anything else. I was so excited that when I first got it, I sprayed it on immediately after work just to try it out. I love the scent. It’s a light hint of fresh cut roses. When I sprayed it on the first time, I had just gotten home from work with a dirty face and semi melted makeup. I didn’t care, nor did I read the directions haha! The spray didn’t settle in well at all, obviously. Clean face it says. It ended up making my face feel sticky and left a weird sheen on top of my already dirty gross face from the day.  Alright. Let’s follow the directions. I woke up the next morning, washed my face. Patted it dry, aimed that bottle at me, and sprayed. I patted the over-sprayed areas with a tissue to blot dry and hand-aired the rest. Didn’t take long. Then I applied my daily facial lotion and followed that up with my usual BB cream for the day along with the usual makeup routine. My makeup looked nice the entire day. I could go to happy hour and dinner and not worry about makeup run offs or meltdowns. If I had time, I would run home and wipe my makeup off with a towelette. Respray this on, and put on my entire night out makeup on. It feels great when done right. I like that it helped keep my skin in check the entire day. Our faces pump out oil to try and overcompensate for the dryness. I feel like this hydrates really well and creates some kind of a barrier to keep your face looking fresh all day. I haven’t tried a mid-day spray with makeup still on though. I’m a little hesitant seeing as I learned on the first time trying it, you should spray on a first layer underneath everything. Maybe then, the following sprays won’t leave gack on your face.  

Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits And Metal Mattes Review

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Written by: Amanda. V

Once again, I come to you with another review from the Kylie Cosmetics brand. The makeup guru and baby of the Kardashian/Jenner Klan released her famous LIP KITS about a year ago and they literally crashed the internet. At an instant it became a craze. As soon as she restocked she would sell out again in minutes. This continued for months and months. This summer I gave in and got a hold of a few. The 5 shades I picked up were Kourt K, True Brown K and Dolce K along with Kylie's Metal Mattes in Heir and King K. I may have had these since summer but I started wearing them in late September/Early October. 

(From top to bottom are Kourt K, Dolce K & True Brown K. On the left are the lip liner swatches and on the right are the liquid lipstick swatches) 

 

I will just go ahead and say it, Dolce K has hands down been my favorite every day lip color, HOLY GRAIL! It's a must have tan-nude, whether it's the liner alone or as a combo with the liquid lipstick or even paired with any Kylie gloss. It's the perfect go to neutral. I guarantee you'd be obsessed, plus it glides on like silk! True Brown K is one of the most pretty, opaque brown lipsticks I've come across. It is rich, deep, warm chocolate. It's pretty much a Cadbury Bar in creamy Liquid Lipstick form. The staying power is equivalent to a Sharpie (4 tacos in and It didn't even budge, my friend was absolutely amazed). Lastly the perfect, glam fall shade is... drumroll please... Kourt K! This gorgeous deep purple did glide on super smooth but it was a bit transparent at first swipe. To get a full opaque lip you MUST use the liner, or apply at least 3 layers if you're solely using the liquid lipstick. 

 

These Liquid Lipstick Kits are super gorgeous. They smell like cake which I love (but also that's what I've seen a lot of people complain about, if you're sensitive to smells you may want to pass on this). I absolutely love the scent and the formulation. They feel light and glide on smoothly. The longevity of these products are insane. I have to actually slather on coconut oil and scrub it off with a toothbrush. Being that they ARE matte, they ARE a bit drying so make sure you do a proper prep of a lip scrub and moisturizing balm before applying so you won't get any flakiness. Proper care and preparation of your lips can make this lipstick last all day.  

 

Warning: The shade Heir seems to always be sold out, you must act fast when a restock is announced if you really want it.The Kylie Cosmetics Metal Mattes have a bit of a different, airy, mousse like texture than the liquid lipsticks. It goes on light and I felt that I needed to apply a couple of layers to get the opacity that I wanted. The shade Heir is a mega gorgeous metallic peach with gold reflects (SWOON!) and King K is noted to be a soft metallic gold that comes off a bit more bronzed in my eyes. To be honest, although these colors are absolutely stunning, they seem to come off a bit lack luster and dry when applied on the lips. They also don't last as long as the original Matte Lip Kits. These easily wiped off with a baby wipe, but I couldn't see a complete failure in this product because with every product I have, I try my best to make it work. These look stunning when layering with either the liquid lipsticks or lip pencils as a shimmering lip topper. I think they look better paired with other lip products than they do alone. The Lip Kits retail for $29, but are now also sold as separates with the liner retailing for $14 and the liquid lipstick retailing for $17. The Metal Mattes retail for $18. They are your average sized liquid lipsticks with about 0.11 fl oz of product. I'd definitely recommend at least trying out the Lip Kits. Although the metals mattes are super pretty, I'd still suggest getting the kit before getting the metals. The only Annoying thing is that $9 dollar shipping (that is rather slow). Why Kylie? Why!!!

 

Note: As I mentioned in my previous post, there's a lot of BS going on with Kylie's products not living up to its hype and the constant comparison to inexpensive makeup brand Colourpop, but I will say this again THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. Especially the matte lipsticks. These are not a uncomfortable as the Colourpop ones tend to sometimes be for me. Yes, You can find a shade dupe but the formulation is definitely different. Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip doesn't last as long as Kylie's in my honest opinion. I think some people are overly critical because of the name behind this brand. They want to find something wrong to tear it down because of their dislike toward this family. Now I may not be the biggest fan of Kylie Jenner personally but her brand is great. I'm loving what she is coming out with. When something is not great with a product, she makes sure to improve or change it and I think that's great and better than what most huge brands do. Please don't let your thoughts on Kylie herself or her family prevent you from trying great makeup products.