Regrets #2: Face

Hello again readers!

Another round of regrets for you today. It's always a bummer when things don't work out, isn't it?

Wet n Wild Fergie BB Cream - Light:

During my brief interactions with BB Creams, I thought to give it a try. A cheap, drugstore choice from one of my favorite drugstore brands? Why not? The product comes out with a very liquid consistency, that smells like... maple syrup. Strange, right? It's a little dark for me, but since majority of drugstore BB creams are nothing more than tinted moisturizers, it blends out into only slightly darker, but it's easy to cover up if I blend down my neck and set it right.

Of course, that's all it's good for. It doesn't blend well, it doesn't set, it doesn't dry down, and since I have oily skin, it's a mess. It remains tacky, and no matter how much I put on powder it doesn't change, just makes my skin look oily and cakey at the same time.

On top of that, it just doesn't last. Perhaps it's because, as I've said, I have oily skin.  Perhaps it's because this product is just an unfortunate disaster. Regardless, within a couple of hours, the product is completely gone off the high points of my face; cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin. It breaks up SO easily. What a terrible product.

Wet n Wild Fergie Concealer - Light:

This had an almost opposite effect. The product is thick - just like the Hard Candy Glamoflauge concealer. I tried on my face, but even with a damp beauty sponge, it doesn't really blend out very well, at least if I just used it on spots. I've read that this is ideal for under the eyes, so I tried that too. I felt it was far too thick. It lasts a while, that's for certain, but it looks terrible on me no matter where I place it. What a shame.

ELF Concealer - Fair
I wanted to have high hopes for this concealer too. It's my shade, it matches, and it's a lightweight concealer. First off, it has a fruity smell that many of the essential products have - a gross, fake sweet fruit plastic scent. Not ideal. On top of that, the scent doesn't just go away, it sticks around for far too long, making me feel nauseous. Also, it doesn't cover much. It looks like it will, but once I go to blend it, it just blends away with minimal effort, it's too thin. It's better if I didn't bother at all, instead of using this product.

ELF Studio Blush - Pink:

I was never super into bright pink blushers, it makes me look too much like a doll and that's just not something I really want to look like at all. Of course, these blushes are great because they are easy to build up, which is ideal in most blushes. Although this one has almost NO payoff at all. I thought it was strange, the first time I used it with how light it was, and didn't think anything of it. Then I noticed that after not using it for a bit, it just didn't give any pigment payoff. It was disappointing.  None of my other ELF blushes do this, only this one, so I'm wondering if it was just a bad batch, or if this particular one just... sucked. I won't be buying this color again, so I guess I'll never know for sure.

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Bronzer- Light:

Last product in this category, this bronzer! I bought it at Big Lots for about 3 dollars, and was really excited about it. I LOVE the Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Foundation, and thought this would be just as good. This bronzer had SPF 50, and was soft and pigmented. Downside? It was almost straight up orange. Not an attractive look. I wanted it to work, I've tried it under another contour powder, under blush, as an eyeshadow crease color. It just didn't work out for me, so I had to let it go.

Thanks for reading!

KleanColor Haul *Pic Heavy*

Hello again readers!

I wanted to give KleanColor a shot, since it looked promising. Most of these products I've purchased from the site ShopMissA, where everything listed is a dollar. Others I tracked down to purchase through Ebay, which I will note under the photos of the product so you are aware of the shift. For being so cheap, can they compete, or are they flops?*

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Airy Minerals Loose Powder Eyeshadow

The Airy Minerals are the Loose Powder Eyeshadow that KleanColor offers. I'm really pleased with the shape of the packaging, because I find that it's easier to store square packaging compared to round packaging. It just ends up fitting better in storage. The downside is that the packaging is REALLY bulky. It's easier to store, and stack, but it just doesn't... fit quite right. What a shame.

The plastic is pretty cheap to be honest, and tapping it with your nail even gives off the sound of cheap plastic. Shape? Love it. (Wish it were smaller!) Quality? Not so much.

Inside was a complete disaster. Though they have built-in sifters, they didn't do much to help keep things clean. Inside is a dusty mess. The pigment of the eyeshadow is EVERYWHERE, and even closing the containers gives off poofs of the pigment into the air. For those sensitive to dust, watch out! This could irritate your sinuses, I know I had a sneeze or two.

Also, the mirrors in the packaging are not attached well at all. It would have been better for them not to add a mirror at all. For one, they are far too tiny to get any use out of. Secondly, they are just going to end up falling off anyway. It's ridiculous how cheap these were constructed.



Bachelorette:
A warm taupe shade. Very powdery. It looks pretty, but there's not too much to it.

Destiny:
A green-tinted khaki brown.

Spirit:
My favorite shade out of all of them, also the worst. It's powdery, but also gritty to the touch. The pigmentation isn't that bad, but with the texture it isn't easy to get it even either.

Each of the shades is very powdery, gets everywhere, and just feels... cheap. Without a good base, or using them wet, they get brushed away easily. Even though they seem like a good deal, pass them. The packaging is awful, and the product inside isn't good enough to make up for it.

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American Eyedol Baked Shadow

I was really interested with these products, because baked shadows are like hidden gems. Sometimes they're amazing dry, but they're always gorgeous when you use them wet (like with water, or with a setting spray).

The plastic still feels really cheap, but the packaging looks really unique. They look a bit like throwing stars. They're really great, because they stand up on their own, making them easy to store.



Malt:
A warm brown base with blue duo-chrome. Like a watered down version of MAC - Blue Brown. It's pretty, and a subdued alternative if you're someone (like me!) who really likes duo-chromes and wants to wear them all of the time.

Taupe:
It looks nothing like any taupe you have come to know and love. It's more like a brass, than a taupe.

Burgundy:
This is an okay shade, more or less like a rust rather than a burgundy. Whoever decided on these names were not very on-point.

Malt, and Toffee

Toffee:
A deep taupe, with a slight blue shimmer. Similar to Malt, but with less duo-chrome and a darker brown base.

The eyeshadows feel cheap, like the loose eyeshadows. When used dry, they're also easily brushed away. Disappointing, but when used wet they're really pretty. These are more or less pass or fail. Either they're really gorgeous and worth keeping, or they're just okay and not worth it. It's up to you to decide, because they're easy to use and you might just find a few gems in the rough. Also noted, do not rely on the shade names to make a decision, so find swatches online if you can!

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 Lip Liner and Eyeliner Pencils

The Kleancolor Pencils are a variety of different, as well as standard, pencils. Meant for the lips, eyes, and eyebrows, these pencils give a nice variety of color choices to suit your needs. Of course, be wary, I use these all on my lips, though I could use some on my eyes. *Be careful of this, as those made for lips might not be the best for eyes, and vice versa.* I'm okay with this, but I take measures not to cross-contaminate, by using alcohol to sanitize he pencil and then sharpening it so that I can have a "fresh" product, depending if I'm switching or not.

Barbie Pink:
Bright, white-based pink. True to the name.

Violet:
Also true to the name, this one comes out rather streaky and might need to be passed over a few times to get an even coverage.

Charcoal:
A charcoal off-black grey.

I was really impressed with these, as they seemed like they'd be really dry (sometimes they tug!) but the pigment payoff is surprisingly descent. The color payoff matches the description on the label, and there wasn't any surprises to be had. They work both on the eyes and the lips (be careful though!) and I haven't noticed any issues.

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Ms. Chick Blush

The Ms. Chick blushes come in a round, domed-top container. The plastic is better quality than say, their eyeshadows, but they're a hassle. The domed-top makes  them really difficult to store, and since they're rounded, they don't stand up on their sides very well. Unless you have willpower, they're better suited to sitting flat in your collection, as standing them on their sides gave me too much of a headache.

The product inside is rounded too, and very soft. I was really surprised because the shadows felt really powdery, but these had more of a substance to them. There are a so many different blushes to choose from, and I played it safe with the blush shades I knew I'd like; some warm neutrals and a mauve.

Coral:

A little on the red side, but otherwise a coral pink. 

Gypsy:

My favorite out of all of them, a neutral pink with just the right amount of warm and cool tones to the skin. (Really hate the name for this though, I think they could have done better without a slur)

Redwood:

A very red toned ruddy pink.

Mauve:

A mauve pink.

Each of the shades applied well in swatches, but when it came to blending out on the cheeks they ended up being such a disaster. They apply rather patchy, and I would have to build up a lot of product onto my cheeks to make it look well-blended, and then it had the adverse-effect of looking too over the top. I was really disappointed, because I really do love Gypsy, but it just doesn't work for  me at all. 

I would pass on these, there are better blushes out there that aren't expensive at all.

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 Airy Minerals Matte Finishing Powder

Similar to the Loose Eyeshadows, the Airy Milerals Matte Finishing powder is also housed in a terrible plastic packaging nightmare. With the same issue that the powder just gets all over the place. I can't even move it around without powder escaping and just getting in my face/on my clothes/on my makeup are. It's frustrating.

The powder itself is pretty awful. It goes on with a bit of a white cast, even on my skin, so darker skin tones would end up looking ashy. The feel of the powder feels cheap, and putting it on my skin wasn't something I appreciated. It didn't set my makeup well at all, and I found myself reaching for it to touch up about halfway through the day, which I usually never do.

It doesn't feel comfortable on the skin, like there's just a layer of powder, and the quality is poor. Skip this product over.

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Kleanista Lipgloss

The lipgloss isn't anything revolutionary, by any means. It's packaged in a softer plastic case, with a hard plastic cap. The branding is nothing more than a sticker, and I can guarantee it will come off if used often. There is no sticker with the name attached.

Tea Rose:
Light pink rose, opaque gloss.

I was really blown away with this gloss. It was a cream soft rose pink shade that looks really flattering on the lips, the application was good, and the gloss feels good. It isn't too tacky, it isn't too slick, I think it's a good medium. It doesn't last too terribly long, it is a gloss after all, but I noticed that it faded rather evenly (unless I was using a straw) instead of in odd patches.

The only thing that I hate about this product, is the smell/taste. Like super sweet, sugary candy. It isn't very pleasant, and smells fake. I'd even prefer peppermint to this flavor, and that's saying a lot seeing as I HATE peppermint in lip products. The flavor lingers too, and it's pretty terrible, but I'm really loving this gloss. It's something easy and effortless to wear.

This product is great! I'd definitely recommend picking this up, as long as strong scents aren't an issue.

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Kleanista Lipstick

 Each of these shades come in a bullet-shaped container. The lipsticks are at an angle, similar to the Wet n Wild Megalast Matte lipsticks, and I find that it makes them easier to apply, however, not as precise. The formula is okay, very creamy, but that makes these not as opaque, and also they slide around very easily. They do best with a lip liner underneath. The scent they have is also very annoyingly sweet, like candy. I'm not a fan, as it reminds me of little-kid-makeup. For a dollar, they're pretty nice, with a variety of different shades to choose from, but if you're looking for a lipstick that's going to last all day, these aren't it.

Also, if you use these right out of the tube, they are really annoying, because while some of the lighter shades go on in a few passes, the darker shades took up to TEN passes of the lipstick to build up to a suitable coverage.

Jewelry Box:

Mint green.

Cast a Spell:

Lavender. Really pigmented of a shade, and a bit blue-toned.

Tea Rose:

A really nice, soft rose pink. Very flattering.

Fiesta:

Bright fuchsia pink. Not that strange of a shade, and there are much better formulas out there. This one has a bit of extra violet.

Purple Machine:

Violet lipstick. This one can be built up, but it looks strange. It isn't as wearable as I expected it to be.

After Hours:

Blue lipstick. This one is a bit patchy, and also would be best with a liner underneath.

Envious Desire:

Yellow-Green. This one is really sheer, and would look best with a liner underneath.

After cutting a bit off the top.

Since the payoff wasn't amazing with how they came, and it took me a few passes to build up coverage, I cut a bit of the tops of each lipstick to try to get to the creamy center. It worked! The amount of passes was cut IN  HALF for each lipstick I used. If you get these, they need to be cut in order to get them as pigmented as they need to be. Of course this means they slide a bit more.

It's also to be noted, that you just have to remember what these are called, as they don't have a sticker or a label with the name on these lipsticks. So either you need a fantastic memory, or document them in some way like I did here.

If you want to try experimenting with colors, these are a good, cheap option. Of course they're not the most amazing, so if you're looking to wear shades for every day these are not it.

New VS Old

Old on the top, New on the bottom.

The old version of Jewelry Box is a mint green with a white base. The new version is much more pigmented with mint, not relying so much on the white base. I find the new version to be more wearable, and much more pigmented. Plus, the new version is easier to store, and not as bulky. The new formula for pre-existing shades was a great move, they work so much better.

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Nail Polishes

With all of these different polishes I bought, the one constant is that they all smell pretty damn terrible, like chemicals. I can handle it, but I am aware that many cannot.

Chunky Holo Purple:

Bought off Ebay. This polish is okay. It's an iridescent glitter polish suspended in a light violet base. Nothing to write home about. Even with layering it many times it just doesn't look as beautiful as it does in the bottle.

Holo Pink:

Holographic glitter in a pink jelly base. This polish is really pretty, and applies well. I have two coats in the photos above, but might just look better with three coats.

Pastel Teal:

This polish is very bright, for being considered pastel. A basic white-based teal polish. Applies fully opaque in two coats.

Chunky Holo Black:

Bought of Ebay. This is everything I expected it to be. A variety of hex, holo glitter suspended in a black base. Doesn't darken the underlying polish too much, but does add a shade difference. Really pretty, and really unique. I used one coat for the photos above over a Rue 21 Pink Ice polish.

Holo Chrome:
Bought off Ebay. I really fell in love with this polish once I saw swatches of it online. Holo Chrome is a beautiful blue-violet jelly with beautiful holo shimmer. It's something that i couldn't resist. I used two layers for the swatches shown above, perhaps it needs three, maybe even four to be opaque. I might try it with another polish underneath, but I'm not certain. It's a beautiful shade, and if you can get your hands on it I suggest that you do.

The polishes aren't bad, especially for the price point. I'm not really drawn to any of the other shades, and the smell really turns me off. I'm going to stick with Sinful Colors if I need my cheap nail polish fix. At least those don't smell like a terrible chemical abomination.
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Thanks for reading!

*Any bumps present in swatches are from a chemical reaction, and aren't at the fault of the product unless otherwise stated.

NYC Smooth Skin Setting Powder

Hello again readers!

This is another product that I kept passing up as I would go into the drugstore, because it's been talked about so many times before, and I just never felt like picking it up myself. Then it had a bit of a sale attached, and I couldn't talk myself out of it then.

The NYC Smooth Skin Translucent Setting Powder is a translucent powder in a sifter jar. The packaging is admittedly terrible, and it's something that I would NEVER want to take with me traveling. The packaging is a plastic, with the lid being a thinner black plastic, that I feel would be easily breakable.

The lid is a simple pull-off lid, not a twist-off, which would be awful to take with you. It's incredibly easy for the lid to just pop or fall off. Even with taping it shut, the damage INSIDE the container would be terrible.

The sifter lets so much product through that even with a couple of shakes, it goes everywhere. I had to throw away the sponge. Which, I now regret because that was the last piece to hold back the flow of powder into the top of the sifter.

The powder itself it okay. It leaves a bit of a white cast, which if you have a dark skin tone, then you will be disappointed. It sets my foundation if I use a lot of it, and I found myself dipping into the mountain of powder at the top of the sifter and then tapping it in and buffing it in. At first, it feels like powder and not so much like set makeup. It ends up absorbing into the oils of your face over time and looking more natural, but in no way is it an oil-control powder.

I can see why so many people like this powder, it's pretty descent, but it's not something I would feel a loss after it's gone. I'm still in love with my ELF setting powder. For $3 it's not bad, and if you're on a budget it's ideal. I'd rather spend the additional few dollars for a product that I prefer.

Thanks for reading!

Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye Palette - Eye On Neutral 02

Hello again readers!

I've had this palette for what seems like ever, and it's only getting some use as of now. There are a couple shades that I just lust over, and a couple that are just... meh. Really it's a nice palette, but some of the shades I wish were just changed since it's like a whole sea of similar shades aha. Honestly, they're all different, there are no two shadows alike.

In the Eye Couture palette, there are 12 different shades in square pans. All matte. There is a Shimmer version of this palette, with the same price tag. I skipped on that one, because I knew I would never get good use out of a palette full of shimmers.

The biggest gripe I have on this palette, is that there are five browns. Granted, they are all different shades and tones, but there are still five browns. I wish there was another taupe, or even a couple of different greys, hell, a MATTE WHITE instead. We can't have everything, but five browns is excessive...

This palette is $20 at Target, and I suggest picking it up, if you're looking for some new matte shadows. If you already have a large amount of neutral mattes, this is something you don't need in your life and you can pass up.

Thanks for reading!

Milani Romantic Rose Powder Blush

Hello again readers!

I couldn't resist picking up one of the Milani Rose blushes, they just look so beautiful, and I was weak! Unfortunately, I don't think I'd look very good with the other shades that have been made readily available, so I'll just be sticking to this one.

The powder itself is molded to look like a rose. Something so delicate (being made of powder) that would look gorgeous even if you just let it lay out on your vanity. It's really pretty, and even when I rub my finger over it, it doesn't mess with the design. At least, not until I use up a LOT more powder. The design doesn't effect how much powder I pick up with my brush, I thought there would be some 'skipping', but fortunately that did not happen.

Romantic Rose is a beautiful dusty rose pink, that looks really natural on my face. It's enough to add a little color, but not enough to look fake. I'm really pleased with the performance, and it lasts through  most of the day. If I'm really oily, it'll wear down after about 8 hours, but that would still get me through say a day of work, so I'm okay with that. It's what I expect out of blushes.

The powder has this odd smell though, like basic makeup powder (the kind of cheap powder you'd buy for children to mess with) or crayons... It's not very pleasant. Every time I open it I can smell it, and it's just sort of disappointing. I would want a scentless powder, or maybe even one that would smell like roses, although that is an allergy issue and I wouldn't want some people to break out just because I don't like the crayon smell.

The Rose blushes retail from $6-8, and if you can get it for $6 or on sale, I definitely think they're worth it. I have $3 blushes that apply just like this, but with more pigment and without that gross smell. I'm glad this is the only shade I wanted, because I don't think I'd buy another even if they had say a mauve or a more neutral blush.

Thanks for reading!

Wet n Wild The Naked Truth Palette

Hello again readers!

Pretty much behind the times on certain products. Either I've seen them so much they become invisible, or I just... haven't gotten around to buying them with all of the new products coming out. But the good news is that I have them now, and that's what matters.

The Naked Truth is a palette from Wet n Wild that is a neutral-lovers dream. A good assortment of five neutral shadows for a variety of looks.

Browbone: 

Pearl shimmer, with a hint of taupe. Has some glitter in it. Illuminates the area, but doesn't have a load of pigmentation.

Base: 

Warm cream matte. Pretty basic, but nice.

Definer: 

A warm, medium brown matte. I love these sorts of shades, and I'm happy to have one in this palette.

Eyelid: 

Taupe shimmer. I will always love taupe shades, and this is no exception.

Crease: 

Warm brown shimmer with glitter. Really nice pigmentation and color, but I wish it didn't have the glitter included. 

This palette is easy to work with, blends well, and I like the colors. Are they the most unique? Of course not! But they're colors you're going to have eventually, especially if you have a larger collection.

This is a great palette if you want something easy, or if you're just starting out and you feel you don't have enough neutral shadows.

Thanks for reading!

August Favorites

Hello again readers!

It's September now, which means it's almost fall. Of course, Summer still has it's hot, clammy grip on the Midwest, and it's not comfortable. I can live with that, but it's still not fun.

Dare to Dream Pocahontas Beauty Book:

It's so easy to make good makeup looks with this, and I loved every look I've done! Simple, has  most of what I need in one place, and so cute! You can see swatches here.

Went for palettes this month of eyeshadow singles, and I kept reaching for these two the most.

Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette:
I love this palette, even though when I finally got it, I assumed I wouldn't use it. I forget how much I love warm shadows for my eyes. Majority of the shades are pigmented, and there's a variety of shades to really get a subdued, or dramatic look.

Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye on Neutral Palette:
I'm not sure why it took me such a long time to love this palette, I've had it for AGES. I just... never reached for it. This month I reach for it all of the time, from my everyday makeup, to making myself look like a zombie for my interview. This palette is great, with good pigmentation and a nice selection of matte neutrals. I'm in love!

Dare to Dream Pocahontas Spinning Arrow Bronzer:
I've already waxed poetic about this bronzer, and nothing has changed. Just a nice bronzer for the face, and not too overwhelming. A good choice for quick work.

ELF Belle Face Palette:
When I'm going out or I feel like my face is looking a little too dull, I go for this. Each of the products has a bit of shimmer in it, which I like to add a bit of a glow.

Colormates Blush - Sunkissed Tan:
I've embrassed the love for neutral blushes. Not too pink - not too brown. A nice medium. Looks good on my face, and adds warmth without being too over-the-top. It's a good look. Plus, I found it at the Dollar Tree, so it doesn't get any better than that!

Milani Rose Blush - Romantic Rose:
I can honestly say I wasn't too excited to really buy any of the rose blushes. A lot of them were just... too pink for my liking. This is a nice cool-toned pink, that I can't get enough of. It's soft, and blends in like a dream. I don't even care that it smells like crayons!

ELF Clear Mascara and Eyebrow Gel:
This is a product I haven't had in ages and ages. The only reason I picked up a new one, is because my friend got married and I needed it for her eyebrows. Now that I have it back in my life however, I'm ashamed I ever let it go. I don't always use products that are long-wearing on my brows (powder brows for lazy days!), and this ensures that even a product that slides off easily, will last me through the entire day. I'm glad to have it back.

Ruby Kisses Matte Lip Lacquer - Mirage:
This is the only Ruby Kisses Matte Lip Lacquer that I have, and I love it. The formula is creamy, it smells like brownies, and feels SO good on the lips. It's a lot like the NYX Matte Lip Creams, but better! They have some wild colors too, but I'm not sure if I'll be buying them or not - time will tell.

Maybelline Color Tattoo - Tough as Taupe:
Another product that once it's gone, you pine for it. Well, at least I do. I used this as an eye base, and for my eyebrows... mostly for my eyebrows. I used up almost all of my previous one, and then I lasted not even a week, before I bought this one. I can't go without it, it's too good to me.

Thanks for reading!