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review

Beauty

Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder

Posted on May 2, 2017

I have been hearing so much about “setting powders” lately.  I know that Laura Mercier has one of the best ones out there, but sometimes I like to stray away from the best sellers and look at the up and coming products.  Plus, I have a current obsession with Kat Von D products.  I love the Tattoo Liner and the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick (review coming soon!).  I know I’m late jumping on this bandwagon but it’s better late then never right?

First I needed to figure out exactly what I am supposed to use setting powder for.  Is it the same as using powder foundation after my liquid foundation?  Do I put it on after both of those?  Do I need to “bake” with it?  There are so many questions! Lucky for you, I did hours of research for you.  Here’s what I found out:

  • Use setting powder after your liquid foundation to matte and “set” your face.  It’s different from powder foundation in that it’s lighter and will typically not give you a cake-y finish.
  • Baking:  Putting a crap load of translucent powder under your eyes (typically) and letting it sit there for awhile.  The heat from your face will set your foundation and concealer giving you a flawless finish.  Some people use it where they contour as well.  I am not that savvy just yet.

Personally, baking is too much for me.  My friend does it for big events and swears by it.  I guess you can say that I am too lazy and don’t want to deal with the excessive amount of powder after.

So how is this setting powder?  I am still getting used to it but you can kind of see it in the photo with my hand – it’s powdery.  However, it’s a finely milled silky powder.  I used CoverFx’s Matte Setting Powder and within an hour my nose was super shiny.  The Kat Von D one gives me a nice glow.  Seems to have the tiniest bit of shimmer in it but not much.  I do have to do one touch up in the middle of the day with a pressed powder (review coming soon!), but it’s not bad.  If you are looking for a setting powder, this is definitely a great one to try.  It’s lightweight AND the Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Brush so soft!  I am a sucker for brushes that go with the product.

Final thoughts:  I still love Kat Von D’s products and definitely think you should try it out!!!  Stay tuned for more Kat Von D product reviews.  I am obsessed right now – so that’s what you’re going to get!

Lock-It Setting Powder | Sephora $30   Lock-It Setting Powder Brush | Sephora $38

Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty – Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter

Posted on April 23, 2017

I received the Marc Jacobs Beauty Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter complimentary from Influenster for review a few weeks ago. When I found out I was chosen to review this products, I was super excited.  I have heard such great things about the Marc Jacobs Beauty brand and wanted to test this out!  Dew Drops is a lightweight, coconut-infused gel highlighter that can be applied directly onto the skin or added to a foundation or primer for a glow.  I have been trying it the last few weeks and am finally able to give a good honest review.

PROS:

  • The packaging is very fancy.  The product comes in a nice glass bottle.  It feels very luxurious.
  • The amount of product that comes in the package is a lot!
  • A little goes a long way = this bottle will last forever!
  • Great for mixing with your foundation for a glow from within look
  • The Radiant Finish color has a gold tint and will work on most skintones.
  • Marc Jacobs Beauty has been known for having some great products

CONS:

  • It’s a bit hard to control when you just want to highlight your cheekbones.  I find that when I put a little, I can’t see anything.  Then I put a few more drops on my cheekbones and then it’s too much.  Since it’s like a lotion I have to rub rub rub.  Well, I don’t want to rub rub rub.  I want it to sink in when I pat it on with my fingers, which it doesn’t do.
  • Doesn’t smell like coconut – which I feel like it should since it has coconut oil.

Final thoughts: Marc Jacobs Beauty Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter definitely tried to jump on the highlighter bandwagon.  Unfortunately, I prefer to use my powder highlighter.  If you are looking for a subtle glow to add to your foundation – this is it!

Thank you Influenster & Marc Jacobs Beauty for letting me review this product!  #CoconutGlow #contest @Influenster @MarcBeauty

Sephora $44.00

Beauty

March Birchbox Review

Posted on March 30, 2017

This past weekend I was up in NorCal for work and had a blast!  If you follow me on my Instagram, you would have seen that I went to Kittea Cat Cafe in San Francisco.  I had so much fun, the cats are adorable. Maybe I will do a review on my visit.  Let me know if you want to know what it was like.  Other than that, I ate a lot.  The food up there is amazing and it’s fun to see the different variations between SoCal and NorCal.  For example, I saw a huge line for Boba Guys. Growing up in the San Gabriel Valley – we have a ton of boba places.  I couldn’t believe why there would be a line at this place. Well, it’s the hip, organic, delicious version of what we have down here.  I approve.

Now back to the real reason for this post – March Birchbox review!  This Birchbox was curated by Reese Witherspoon and her lifestyle brand Draper James. This one had some great products in it and I was super excited to try everything out.  Also, I love Reese!

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream | Birchbox $27.50:  This is a no-brainer.  I love Kiehl’s products.  This is right in between being lightweight and creamy.  It’s great for an everyday face cream.  It has no scent which I do like.  This is the best every day no nonsense face cream!

W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara | Birchbox $21.99: It doesn’t matter what kind of mascara it is.  They  never work on my stick straight eyelashes.  However, I try every single mascara that is sent to me and sadly, this did not work for me.  *insert sad face*

Davines Naturaltech Replumpling Shampoo & Conditioner | Birchbox $26.50 each:  I know I say this a lot, but I was really looking forward to trying this out.  I love Davines.  However, this smelled musky and like an old lady.  AND when I used the shampoo my hair didn’t feel clean.  When I used the conditioner, my hair didn’t feel soft.  PASS!

Davines Naturaltech Replumping Hair Filler Superactive | Birchbox $40:  I was skeptical about this.  What is it supposed to do?  Fill my hair?  Well, other than the smell which I didn’t like (it’s the same as the shampoo & conditioner) – it did what it said it was going to do!  My hair is full and plumped.  I wish it didn’t smell like an old lady, but I will be using this whole sample bottle up!  Who doesn’t love fuller hair?

Real Chemistry Fresh-Start Foaming Cleanser | Birchbox $24:  I loved the Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel that was in my December Birchbox so I was really looking forward to trying this out.  It doesn’t dry your face out like normal foaming cleansers do and it’s moisturizing!  Not bad!  This would be perfect if you have a Clarisonic.

Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Double the Lip in Lusty Rose| Birchbox $20:  This product is really cool.  It’s a lip liner and lipstick in 1.  You can see in the photo that there are two layers.  However, even though I was super excited to see this and try it – it was a bust for me.  The first problem, the color.  It just wasn’t a good look on me.  Also, having to put the “liner” part on your bottom lip is a bit of a task.  It’s a great concept and Benefit is some high quality stuff – but this just wasn’t for me.

I liked 4/7 of the products sent to me.  I say that’s a win!

If you want to get your own Birchbox, click here!  Until next time!

Beauty

September Birchbox Review

Posted on October 17, 2016

I was so busy last month that I almost forgot to do my Birchbox review!  This was a good one to review because it was had a lot of products I have been dying to try.  Want to learn what I loved?  Read on!

Oribe Glaze for Beautiful Color | Birchbox $58:  I used to think that high-end haircare was a waste of money.  That was before I met my wonderful hair stylist, Luisa.  She taught me how to take care of my hair and now I know what it means to take care of your hair.  I LOVE this brand.  I use their texturizing spray on a regular basis and it smells wonderful.   This is a fancy conditioner that makes your hair silky soft after you’re done using it.  It reminds me of those conditioners you get after dying your hair in a box.  It has the same scent as the texturizing spray.  Great if you have color-treated hair!

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Milk Makeup Lip+Cheek | Birchbox $24:  I have been interested in this new brand, so I was very excited to see it in my box this past month!  I actually thought that I wasn’t going to like this, but I LOVE it!  It’s great on your cheeks and it looks good on your lips.  On my lips, it’s a light coral pink . On my cheeks, it gives a really pretty coral glow.  I have to say that this definitely surprised me.  I am going to up to SF this week for work and this is definitely coming in my travel bag!

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TOCCA Travel Fragrance Spray – Florence | Birchbox $34:  I love TOCCA soaps.  They smell AMAZING!  So how do their fragrances fair in comparison to the lovely smells of their soaps?  Ah-mazing!  It is very difficult for me to find fragrances that don’t smell musty on me.  This is a winner!  Maybe my new Fall scent?

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Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser | Birchbox $25:  I have been wanting to try this for the longest time!  It’s world-renowned and won over 100 beauty awards.  I have been using this every night for the past week.  I don’t know if I am using it wrong or what, but I don’t get it.  The cleanser smells like eucalyptus which reminds me of my Malin+Goetz deodorant and the cloth is like the face cloth I use to wash my face.  Am I missing something that everyone else is getting out there?  I know this is great for sensitive skin which is a plus in my book, but my skin didn’t feel exceptionally better.  Let me know if you have other experiences with this, I want to love this stuff!

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COOLA Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer | Birchbox $32:  I have received a few COOLA items in my past boxes and and I’m not mad about that.  When I traveled to Utah and Las Vegas for work last month, I threw this in my travel bag and used it everyday. It’s lightweight and smells lovely.  Win win!

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Out of everything I received, I really liked the TOCCA Fragrance, MILK Lip+Cheek Stick and the Oribe Glaze.  Everything else was just okay but I was happy to try them all out.  Glad I didn’t spend the money on the full size without knowing if I would like the product.  That’s why I love Birchbox, you can try things out that you may not normally purchase.  If you want to sign up for your own box for $10 a month click on this link!  Also, if you travel a lot for work like me, you will appreciate all the deluxe travel sizes that are TSA approved!

Beauty

Malin & Goetz

Posted on September 20, 2016

Hello from Utah!  I am here for the week for work and I have to tell you, I am really loving it here!  The mountains are beautiful and so are the fall colors – which I don’t see too much in Southern California.  AND the food isn’t too shabby either.  I just wish there was more Asian foods but other than that – I think I want to live the nice small town life.  Traveling gets me thinking a lot about skincare.  I get really dry skin when I fly so that mixed with sensitive skin doesn’t not do well!

I did a review on the Malin+Goetz samples that I got in my April Birchbox a few months back and I fell in love with the products.  I was at Larchmont with my friends last month when I stumbled upon the Malin+Goetz store right next to Salt & Straw.  I walked on in and of course, purchased a few items.  The best thing about this place was that the associate inside gave me a TON of samples.  SO MANY SAMPLES!  He even gave the 2 friends with me a bag FULL of samples.  Best EVER!

This brand is great if you have sensitive skin and they don’t test on animals.  Win win!   Ever since I turned 30, my skin has turned extremely sensitive.  Who wants to be traveling and have a surprise break out?  Not I!  I love how everything smells really clean (not gross) and isn’t very harsh on my skin.  Keep on reading for some reviews….
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Malin+Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant | $20:  The smell reminds me of the locker room at Soulcycle.  They probably use a ton of eucalyptus in their locker rooms to help with the germs.  I really like using natural deodorant.  I’m not too fond of deodorant that doesn’t let you sweat or is too heavily scented.  This was the perfect choice.  I don’t mind if I’m sweating because I wear it when I work out and that’s what you’re supposed to do.  If you do end up using this, keep note that if you’ve been using regular pore-clogging deodorant – your body may produce more sweat.  This actually happened to me and I thought I was going crazy.  After about a week or two, my body’s equilibrium is back to normal.

Malin+Goetz SPF 30 Face Moisturizer | $36:  This is light weight and feels like it’s whipped.  There isn’t really a scent, it absorbs quickly and doesn’t interfere with my face makeup.  I absolutely love using it as my day moisturizer.  It’s water-resistant which is great if you need that.  Malin & Goetz 4

Malin+Goetz Grapefruit Face Moisturizer | $32:  I did a review on this for my April Birchbox review so I won’t review it again here.  I still love it.  It’s great and if you have sensitive skin – definitely try this out and this brand.

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So in conclusion – try it out.  The brand seems very generous in having you try out their products prior to purchasing them.  The products smell clean, it’s gentle, and I feel like I’m using something that’s semi-natural.  I like that.

I will be updating my Instagram with fun things I see in Utah this week, so if you are interested – stop on by!