Face Powders I Want to Hit Pan On! (text only)

After doing a post on my eyeshadow palette, I want to write an update post on face powders I want to hit pan on!

1.) The Mary Loumanizer Highlighter by The Balm. I use this quite a bit, and I've had it for 11 months. It's reported as lasting 12 months. I am going to keep using it past the date because there is just so much product. If I sanitize it every so often and keep an eye on it, I think I can get use out of it past November 2017. That being said, I want to pan it by then. This was my first more expensive highlighter, and I still really like it. It is more gold than I would have liked, but it's just the right level of shimmery.

2. Wet 'n Wild, Reserve Your Cabana (RYC). I've got quite some time on this, as it is reported as expiring in a year in a half, which is fine for me. However, I still want to pan this because 1.) it has quite bulky packaging and takes up a lot of space in my drawer, and 2.) I can see the faint outlines of the pan on the surface of the powder. I am getting close to panning it, I know it. It is a good powder that offers some soft sheen, and though I enjoy it, I am not sure at this point if I would repurchase.

3.) Physician's Formula, Butter Bronzer (light). This powder caused me a lot of grief because it shattered in my purse and I had to repress it. It works fine now, but a lot of product was wasted, and some pan exposed. I want to make more significant products on it, and I do use it every day, especially to diffuse my contour and warm up the outside of my face. I do enjoy using it, but I also own two other bronzers that I have not been using as much.

4.) Fyrrinae Blush sample in Mesmerize. I ended up really liking this blush, and I am nearly finished. I transferred the blush from the small sample pot  into a medium sized pot that used to contain a blush by Pop Beauty, which I finished up. I needed to have the product in a container that was easier to use with a blush brush. Anyway, I am almost done with this, and even though I have a lot of blushes I want to use up, I will always be on the look out for a decent purple toned blush. This one was very nice, and a perfect level of warmth for a purple blush.

5.) elf cool toned correcting powder: I found myself reaching for this a lot when I first bought it, only for it to be upstaged by the Innisfree No Sebum loose powder. I'm trying to get back in the habit of using up the elf one, though, only because it is a decent powder for what it is.

Drugstore Palettes: Ranking and Reviews

I own six palettes on the more expensive side of the spectrum. Two of them are larger palettes, and the rest of them are smaller-sized, including one "mini palette."

As for drugstore priced palettes, I've got five. Today I wanted to rank them according to quality and how much I choose to use them.

All five are commendable in their own way, but all vary in their effectiveness for me. Only the palettes that I am talking about for the first time on this blog will be swatched. I will link to the reviews for the others.

Let's begin with the one I use the least:

5. Milani Palette in Earthly Elements ($10.67). One, I am not loving the price increase on these. When they were first introduced, they cost $9.99. Not a huge price difference, but I am having trouble believing they are over $10.00. This is a pretty popular palette, but only valuable in my eyes for the two mattes. The one glitter shade is a total dud. There is a satin peach that has no pigmentation, and the two shimmers are too similar to inspire creativity. The two mattes are very high quality- the swatches are only one swipe of the finger, without too much pressure. But besides the mattes, I really would not use the palette for anything else.

4. Milani Palette in Must Have Metals ($10.67). My review and swatches of this palette can be found here. I still agree with my original review, that even though the pigmentation of all shades in this palette are wonderful, you still have to bring in other palettes for a cohesive look.

To demonstrate, though, how awful the large cream-colored shimmer in the Earthly Elements palette is, let me compare it to the one in Must Have Metals:

Earthly Elements (l), Must Have Metals (r) no comparison frankly. One is a glitter bomb, the other metallic

3. City Mini Palette by Maybellie in Downtown Sunrise
My review and swatches for this palette can be found here.
Overall, this is a cohesive palette that I do reach for once in a while for the shimmers, and more often for the mattes. They are creamy and aside from the very pigmented brown shade, have okay pigmentation.

Because of how pale the light orange shade was, I was inspired to buy Angel Face from Coloured Raine, because I was frustrated that the shade in the City Mini palette wasn't showing up exactly how I wanted:

Angel Face (l), City Mini (r)

The quality of the Angel Face single also lies in its staying powder, compared to the shade in the City Mini Palette, which wipes away quite quickly.

2. Okalan Jupiter Palette (Lime Crime Venus 2 Dupe) from Hush, $8.00

I am including this in my post because it is priced in the same range as the other palettes, and if this did appear in the drugstore, I think many people would be very excited. I personally will not buy from LimeCrime, so to get an affordable version of that palette works for me.

As of now, I am incorporating this palette into a lot of my looks, but I don't have a comprehensive review up yet. I do have some swatches, though:

My personal favorites from this are Mustard and Mud (second to last on the right). 

1. Finally, my number one drug store palette is one that is currently being sold on Amazon for $0.98. It is the Greed palette by Wet 'n Wild. I love this. As the swatches will show, the peach and blue shimmers are duds, but the mattes are something special. That salmon one I use especially quite a bit.

All in all, drugstore palettes can be quite good, and I am frustrated that ones of a high quality, such as the W'nW one end up being discontinued. I find in interesting that though I did give the Maybelline palette a lower review than the Milani Metallic one, in terms of usability from day to day, the City Mini palette scored a lot higher. It goes to show that the pigmentation of a shadow may be intense, but whether or not one is drawn to it for daily use is another story.

Thanks for reading!

Z-Palette Updates and Progress!

Yay, another z-palette post! I haven't done one of them in a very long time, and I am so excited. I added a few things, took away a few things, resurrected some eyeshadows from makeup purgatory, you know, the usual! Today I thought I would talk about notable additions to my z-palette.

I don't particularly think this is the palette to end all palettes. But for what I have, I know I could just take this with me and I'd be set. In addition to this palette, I have 9 palettes total. All my eyeshadow is mostly drugstore/affordable/discounted, with some full price high-end thrown in.

Let's get to it! Let's first talk about brand new additions:

1. Angel Face by Coloured Raine. This is in the "fifth" column of my palette, the second one down. It is a reported dupe for MuG's "Peach Smoothie," and I think Orange Soda by ABH. I can see why shades such as this are excellent for helping to create blended-out, warm looks. I've really been enjoying this eyeshadow. 

2. Mac Chrome Yellow: This is the brightest yellow, farthest down in the "third" column. I've used this in my crease, but it is tricky to work with and I haven't yet used in a way that I especially like.

3. Tangy Dijon, Vanessa's Vanity. Just arrived in the mail today by total surprise. It swatches beautifully, and I am excited to use it, and perhaps even pair it with Chrome Yellow. 

And now, resurrections!

4. Urban Decay sample shadows in Lounge and Fireball. When I first got these, I didn't know what to do with them aside from swatch the,. But I've grown to really appreciate duochrome shadows, and have decided to give them a second chance.

5. The brown matte shade from the Nude Tude palette, depotted. I have it here to the left of Fudge from ABH. This shade has a really large dip in it from constant use from a while ago, and I want to pan it. It is my mission. And it still works really nicely. 

For reference, this is what my palette looked like five months ago:

Before we get to decluttered shades, let's talk about panning progress!

6. The Kat Von D large pan of a cream shadow: I definitely made progress on it. I don't know when I am actually going to use it all up, but I am getting there.

7. ABH in Amber. This one is not panned yet, but it is getting close. This is probably one of my favorite lid shades of all time, and I know it is very close to hitting pan. Amber is in the sixth row from the left, and the third one down. 

As for decluttered stuff that is moved to makeup purgatory:

8. One half of a Nars duo. This was when I was getting really into yellow-toned mustard shades. But this was not flattering on me. It just came off really muddy and I did not enjoy using this.

9. Japonesque pixellating shimmer powder thing: This came from an ipsy deal, and I was actually keeping this in my face products z-palette. I needed to make room in there for a powder from Vanessa's Vanity, and I chose this to go. Why? It's an okay powder and I would use it under my eyes, but I have not used it in a while. I don't think there was anything special about it, and I don't see myself using it in the future. 

Goals?
Aside from panning, I really want to push myself to use the KvD mattes, as I have not used them in a while. They are perfectly good, I've just been enjoying other things. I also want to try more of the colorful shimmers I have, in order to use my z-palette in a more balanced way.

Thanks for reading!

Face of the Day: Brownish Glowy Look and Product Reviews

Morning!

Today I thought I would do an in-depth product review for my face of the day.

On weekdays, I don't really like to stray from my tried and true products, because 1.) the time crunch and 2.) I need to feel secure that they will hold up.

That leaves weekends for experimenting. I very much enjoy trying old favorites and testing new products during this time.

Lessgo!

Primer:

1. Eye primer: Milani. This actually something I do use daily. At one point it seemed like I had tons of different eye primers, but I did a declutter, as well as used up an entire UD primer potion. Milani has a great dupe for the primer potion, and I highly recommend it.

2. Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy: As much as I love this, I do normally save it for weekends or special occasions, on days when I need my eyes to last all day. Today, however, I was curious to see how it would act with a new palette for my eyes, so I also used it.

3. Wet n' Wild Face Primer: This came as a free sample with my purchase of their Photo Focus (or finish?) Foundation. It has a creamy consistency and white color. It absorbs quickly into the skin and has no fragrance. I will update with a wear-report as the day progresses.

Face:

4. Revlon Age Rewind Concealer: This is my second tube of this. I like to combine it with the Maybelline concealer, because that one is a tad too yellow, but has a very nice formula. Today, however, I only used it by itself around my nose and chin area.

5. Dr. G BB Safe in fair. I bought the full size of this after getting an Ipsy sample. I'm quite pleased with the finds Ipsy has made available, especially when it comes to skin products. Anyway, I put this on the back-burner for a while, because I was using the foundation from The Ordinary, but I wanted to switch up my routine today. A little goes a long way with this, and it does have a lingering fragrance on the skin, but it is not unpleasant.

6. Manic Panic Dreamtone Foundation in White. I also mixed this with the above, because it is a tad too dark. It mixes well with the Dr. G BB cream. However, my pores did look more pronounced than usual, so I used...

7. Innisfree No Sebum powder. This has become a staple and I do bring it to work with me for touch-ups, if needed. It did a good job of blurring the aforementioned pores.

8. WnW Highlighter in Reserve Your Cabana. I am trying very hard to pan this and the Mary Loumanizer. I think that the Cabana highlighter gives off a very diffused, gentle glow that is excellent for autumn.

9. Shiseido Oil Free Bronzer in Light- This bronzer is slightly more red-toned, but I don't mind. It gives off a more sunburnt look than my other bronzers. It also paired well with my blush...

10. Pixi Blush in Beach Rose, a very brown-toned blush that has just the right amount of pigment.

Eyes:

11. Milani Earthly Elements Palette: I do enjoy this palette, though I think the mattes are the stand-outs compared to the shimmers. The Pixie Epoxy really did bring out the gold in one of the shimmers, though.

12. L'Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara: Enough said. It is a tried and true favorite of mine.

13. Physician's Formula Liquid Eyeliner: See above.

Lips:
14. Vaseline Lip Therapy in Rosy Lips: Also tried and true.

15. Colourpop Gloss in Ipsy VIP: I really like this gloss. It is not sticky, and though it is not a color I normally wear, it is a color that is easily worn as a flattering wash of pink.

What did I buy? Slow buy for the month of September.

As much as I love to tear down products, I also like to talk about the things I've gotten. I've been really into makeup for the past two years, but early on I definitely felt the mad rush to buy the new and flashy palettes. I've grown a bit since then, especially because of the fact that I don't enjoy spending more money than I have to. 

My curiosity has been piqued recently by the brand Okalan, as well as the online vendor, Hush. Hush sells products at affordable prices, but also carries higher-end brands like Sigma and The Balm.

There's not much on the Okalan palettes, but the little I've read says that Okalan does a good job of duping higher-end palettes, for a fraction of the price. Most notably, they've duped the LimeCrime Venus 1 & 2 palettes, which is fortunate, because I don't want to support Limecrime. 

I myself picked up the Okalan Venus 2 dupe, because I wanted to ride that Subculture cool-toned wave in some way. 

This is what the palette looks like:

And this is what the Venus 2 palette looks like:

The colors of the original appear more rich and saturated, but it could be a result of the photos.

Either way, I am excited about trying this affordable alternative, especially if this brand is being slept on. I love finding hidden makeup gems, and I have a feeling the Okalan palette will be one. As soon as it arrives, I will have a review up shortly after. 

September Ipsy 2017

My September Ipsy bag is due to arrive this Monday, but I would thought I'd once again go over the products and what my hopes/expectations are for each of them.

I am also getting an additional sixth product in my bag, which I redeemed some points for, so I will include that as well.

I've been using the items in this bag for a couple of days now, and I have some thoughts! Overall, I think that this was probably one of the best months for me!  

1. The bag: I've been loving the bag designs recently. For me, the worst bag of all time had to be that blue denim with orange lining they did once..in February. This September is really busy for me, work-wise, so I think this utilitarian-subtle fashion thing is really fitting. I am not sure how I feel about the faux-leather, though. Any time Ipsy sends bags that are not some sort of fabric, they have a weird smell to them.

2. Color Pop Cosmetics Gloss in Ipsy VIP: Not going to lie, I got a real kick out of getting a ColourPop product, and an exclusive one at that. Still, the color is not really me, though I do think it can be flattering. I plan to just use thin coats of this to just get  a hint of color.
My prediction came true! I love this gloss so much. Not sticky, and though the color can become very bright and opaque, if I use just a little bit, it adds a nice amount of color. This one was a real winner!

3. LXMI Pore Refining Moisture Veil. I am definitely curious about this product, partly because I genuinely don't know if I can use it as a primer or moisturizer, or both. Primer and moisturizer are basically the same, just one goes on before makeup and one goes on after. I have a feeling this is supposed to go on makeup, due to the fact that it supposedly fills pores. I am looking forward to trying this out- I am always on the hunt for pore-blurring products that don't contain silicone.
This is an interesting product, though I am not in love with the smell.

4. Smashbox Photo Radiance Primer
The last Smashbox product ipsy sent was the primer oil, which I never used and hated the smell of. This product has mixed reviews, but I am looking forward to trying it. I have been enjoying face and lip products recently.
Not a bad product, but I don't necessarily need it. It works well mixed in with foundation. 

5. This is what I am most excited about: The White Truffle Serum in Oil Drop. I needed a new moisturizer, and I am so happy I get to try this. Yay for serums!
And again, another winner! I am very pleased with this product, especially because I have been using moisturizing creams, which I haven't really been enjoying. This serum is fast absorbing, and does an excellent job of moisturizing my skin. I plan on purchasing a full size of this after I use this up. 

5. My last two products from Pixi were a bit underwhelming, but it's hard to mess up blush. And, I don't have a blush quite that color, so I'll happily use it.
Update on the blush: It's actually quite brown-toned, which is unique in my collection, and I've been really enjoying it. 

6. Bonus item: I've been frustrated with the Ipsy points system for quite a while now, but thought at 350 points this was an okay deal. These usually go for $8.00, and I really liked the cool tone to this.
As for the balm, I am officially wary of Pixi lip products. They have a weird mineral scent to them which makes me quite nauseous. It's not as strong with this balm as it was with the one lipstick I got from them, but it is still there. 

TMO: Coloured Raine Mini Palettes!

I gotta admit, I was so excited for these. But when they came out, and I saw the price tag of $30 something, I knew it was time. It was time for an anti-haul.

The first thing, in general, I want to say is that even though I did say mini-palettes are getting more love, these are not priced as mini-palettes. Just saying. I am not yet going to do a cost per gram breakdown, but I definitely was surprised and thought they were going to skew a little more affordable.

So let's get into it!

A post shared by Coloured Raine Cosmetics® (@colouredraine) on Sep 13, 2017 at 5:53pm PDT

1. Beauty Rust
This I think is to be a dupe for the Naked Heat Palette. My own opinion is that I really don't think these colors- all muted browns and oranges, are that distinct. Tonally, and because they are all so muted, I can see these becoming very muddy on the eye. I don't think this can be used on its own, which is a shame because you are paying a pretty penny for them.

2. Smoke Show: I am kind of aghast that we've got two cream-colored shadows here, though one is a bit more peachier than they other, but still. If you have to choose six colors to charge more than thirty dollars for, it seems like kind of a waste. I don't really do smoky eye looks that much, but I see a matte red, green, and brown-plum, so why not a dark matte blue, instead of two fair tones? Oh wait, because there's matte blues in the other ones. And of course they want you to buy more than one.

3. The Lovelies
If I am going to be positive, I'd say that the blue and red/pink mix is interesting and a step toward variety. But this is not a place of positivity. Nope. There's one shimmer- a pale pink, and again such a waste! Think about the mattes in this palette- what they could be complimented with! Maybe a rich purple shimmer? Oh wait, that's in the other palette. Again, areas in which it would be okay to overlap because the combinations would be cool- that's to be avoided because they want you to buy more than one. Don't do it, people.

4. Berry Cute:
For some reason that Tomato Red is pissing me off. What is berry-toned about that? The two mattes further annoy me- in the pan they look distinct, but in that swatched-out picture they look very similar. Not really impressed.

In sum, I don't think you should be spending thirty dollars on these, at all. Coloured Raine's Queen of Hearts palette is permanent and well-loved, but if i remember correctly there was a purple matte in the palette that performed rather badly. This may be the case for a lot of these as well.

For six colors, you have to be thoughtful in the selection of them, and honestly I don't think some of these colors within the palette vary enough to be distinct on the eye. Don't buy!

Shout-Out: Palette Reorganization

Today the user r/yodaloda posted on the Makeup Addiction subreddit 31 pictures they photoshopped of reorganized eyeshadow palettes. Their post on imgur of all palettes can be found here.

Not only was this pleasing to look at, but from a consumer-standpoint, really enlightening. This practice really highlighted how, in many palettes, the same shades repeat over and over again, and consumers are being duped into believing the palette has more variety than they do in reality.

With that in mind, I'll repost the WORST offenders here, especially palettes that I have not already blasted for doing this.  At the end, I'll just list the palettes that, even after reorganization, still clearly had variety when it comes to color.

Original palettes are on the left, and reorganized palettes on the right. I will be commenting on what becomes apparent when you look at the ones on the right.

The worst:

The She Palette from Colourpop- that entire first row, and bottom left two colors really will not look that different on the eye. 

Kylie's vacation palette, again that left side of the palette of repeating light shades. 

Lorac Megapro something: I mean....this is just rude. 

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar, Too Faced. This one really helped me because I always carried a torch for this palette. But to see it for what it truly is convinces me that I really don't need it. 

And this. The Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons. A taupe snooze fest. 

Other thoughts: If a person recognizes that there will be shades on the palette that will go on the eye very similarly, and that they are not getting a palette of completely distinct shades, and maybe they do want extra pans of cream or brown or taupe, but then the companies should be more transparent. 

The ones I was most surprised by include The Subculture palette. Now, I know that the formula for this is a mess, and that on the skin they did not look all that great or distinct. But the IDEA of it looks really intriguing, even though I know personally I would never buy it.

I also was pleasantly surprised by The Sweet Peach palette, which I think does manage a gradient effect, while still being somewhat distinct. I still would not buy it, but I did see the palette in a new light. Same goes for the Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette. 

TMO: Colourpop I Think I Love You Palette

I called it a while ago, and I'll reiterate my point again:
small palettes are gaining momentum.

And for good reason.

Lower price, easier to use up, less waste. I personally love this trend, and if I was interested in the color schemes of the upcoming Coloured Raine mini palettes, I would totally buy them.

But today we're not talking about Coloured Raine. We are talking about Colourpop, which just announced their third eyeshadow palette. Their prior ones were Fem Rosa, a cooler toned Rose Gold palette, and their Yes Please palette, a warm sunny palette.

This is what the third palette, the I Think I Love You Palette, looks like:

There is no way in hell I will be purchasing this. A couple of reasons:

1.) It will possibly be sold out. The hype CP engineered is real, and people are clamoring. I don't know if there is as much enthusiasm for this one as the Yes Please palette, which actually looked quite fun and a nice transition between summer and autumn. Still, if it does sell out, who knows if it will relaunch? The limited edition approach is tiresome, and I am not feeding into it.

2.) I know I have these colors. Shimmer browns and coppers, and creams. One very yellow gold that looks about the same quality the yellow shade from the Dose of Colors EyesCream palette.

OR, if you want an excellent yellow-toned gold, I would suggest Eternal Sunshine from the L'Oreal Infallible line.

3.) Even if you don't have all of those colors, the lack of variation among the brown-toned shimmer shades, as well as the cream-colored shades, is really frustrating. After having and using these types, it makes no difference on the eye. Trust me. And you will get annoyed.

In my own z-palette, I found like three copper-toned brown shimmers, that vary slightly in darkness. But I don't want to use them because in the pan they look the same. It's uncanny and annoying.

At this point, I know I will avoid buying all of these palettes from CP and not be affected at all. And I'm okay with that. I own as many palettes as I can handle currently. Unless a company can create a palette that tells a color story and contains varying and interesting colors, I'm not going to buy.

What I did not buy- Drugstore Edition

So this might seem like a weird or banal topic, but I congratulated myself today. I made it through a hard work week, and resisted buying several beauty items.

I thought it would be interesting to list them below, including my reasons for ultimately saying, "I don't need it and I'm not gonna buy it!"

1.) Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation- This five dollar foundation was interesting to me because the reviews for it are so divided. Either people swear by it, or say that it sucks. I am 50% done with my Ordinary Foundation, so I am starting to look elsewhere for comparable products. However, the shade range, I was afraid, was not going to work for me. According to the Walmart display, the lightest shade was "warm-toned," which was concerning to me. I am cool-toned myself, and would have to do more research to see if they have an offering that suits me best.

2.) Physician's Formula Butter Blush: They added more shades, including a highlighter, though it is still labeled as a blush (they are coming out with a separate highlighter line, though). I was so tempted and even had one in my cart, but they cost $10. That's a lot. Aaaaand I did find a veery interesting product on Amazon, a favorite of Kimberly Clark herself- it is a trio by Wet 'n Wild of a highlighter, blush, and bronzer, the now discontinued Fair Trade Coffee. With that on the way, I have no need to buy rather pricey Physician's Formula stuff.

3.) Hard Candy Highlighter in Rose Gold- "Dupes" for Becca's geode highlighters. This was sooooo tempting. They look just like the Becca design, except that they have three stripes of color, rather than being one solid color. I was ready and I did not even look at the price. But in the pan they seemed really glittery, and I knew I would need to see reviews.

As a side-note, I am all for drugstore/more affordable brands replicating higher end products. All for it. I said it once, and I'll say it again, I don't believe this practice decreases the consumer amount of the higher-end stuff. I wasn't going to buy your wares anyway, Becca.

4.) Wet n Wild Concealers: Another purchase I avoided because they seemed a little dark again. Also, I am currently using a mix of two concealers: Maybelline Master Conceal, and Revlon Age Rewind. The Maybelline is yellow-toned, and the Age Rewind is pink-toned, but not as much as it used to be. I wonder if they improved the formula. Any way, I did not need another concealer. So I skipped it.

5.) Milani Blushes: These are so pretty. Both the baked ones, and the rose ones. However, I am on the hunt for a nice purple-toned blush, and they really didn't have that available. So I bought nothing.

6.) Maybelline Rainbow and Gold Highlighters: Another case, for the Rainbow one, of "I need to see swatches." The Rainbow trend is definitely waning down, and the Maybelline offering definitely looks more appealing than the Wet 'n Wild one. But it would probably not work for me. This also is the same case with the Gold shade- though I did see really impressive swatches, I know it is too dark, and I have plenty of highlighters already.

So a lot of products that I avoided. I am actually really surprised at myself, and proud that I can refrain so easily from stress-spending. Sometimes it does not feel that way.

That's not to say I didn't buy anything at all, recently. I have that Wet 'n Wild trio on the way,

$30 Palettes, Nyx???

So a couple of days ago I posted about a series of element-themed palettes Nyx was releasing. Like any reasonable person would, I predicted that they would cost about $10-$15, the current going rate of many Nyx palettes.

Looks like I was wrong.

Today,Nyx announced that the palettes were going for Thirty. Dollars. And people were not happy.

When questioned about it, Nyx basically said that the quality and amount of shades justified it.

Noooooo. Wrong. BS.

First, they want to talk about amount of product? The palettes look small.

Second, quality? Based on the finger swatches floating around the internet, you can't possibly make a call about quality based on them.

If Colourpop can make a really nice palette, with lots of shades and good quality for $16, then so can Nyx.

However, the core issue is brand identity. Most people are annoyed because Nyx is drugstore, and should be more affordable. I think they definitely are one of the more expensive budget brands, for sure. But I don't think even the more expensive budget brands would have the audacity to release an eyeshadow palette for $30.

We'll see how this goes. I am thinking there will be many buy one get one free/half-off situations, any way to move stock without having to own up to inflating the prices of their makeup.

Personally, I am really disappointed in Nyx, and though I just did a brand best and worst post, I am not going to buy their products for a while, if at all. It's not worth it.

Will I Buy It: Items from the Physician's Formula Anniversary Collection

This collection caught my eye, because I love it when brands do this. They go through an image shift, and come up with interesting products to celebrate that.

In this case, PF is going back to its roots, releasing a vintage spin on some of its pre-existing products, as well as bringing out some new ones.

So, um, I won't be buying.

Let's start with the Mineral Glow Pearls, in the shade Pearl:

This is a new shade, limited-edition (yawn), in a slightly different design and three dollars less than their permanent mineral glow pearls. Unlike their permanent ones, this one is not formulated with Pearl Extract, Kaolin (clay), or Shea Oil, so I am wondering if this will be a very shiny, translucent product. I have never used any of this, and I really don't intend to. I don't need any more highlighters.

And the brand font reminds me of Willy Wonka.

Moving on:
Le Velvet Foundation

First of all, the shade range on this is pretty limited (4), and pretty indiscernible. I myself have never tried this, or poured foundations. PF boasts that it is "15 SPF" which, come on...is not that high. Pass.

The third product in their collection are two eyeshadow quads that feature two matte shadows and two shimmers. Each quad retails for $7.95. The one I had my eye on looks like this:

To begin, I know the matte shades from PF are pretty much raved about. The shimmers though, is where I am going to express major reservations. Those shimmer strip palettes suck. They don't seem to have the same ingredients, though, so perhaps PF made improvements. Whatever the case, I don't think the shade variety was very smart. The top left white frost could have been a warmer red-tone or something. It just feels redundant. 

Lastly, are lipsticks I was interested in because they resemble vingtage lipsticks from Besame Cosmetics or Estee Lauder, both very expensive. However, I think, again, the shade range is laughable:

Swatches I've see show a bit more variation, but not enough for my liking. 

So, though I think this collection is a fun idea, I really think that PF went about it in a very boring way. 

Brand Best and Worst: Nyx

Looking at my inventory, it seems I have a lot of products from Nyx. Nyx is a drugstore brand, that for me, is rarely at the drugstore. My CVS is never really restocked, so it does contain older Nyx products, but never new ones. The local Walgreens is a bit better, but if I want the latest Nyx products I'd have to visit Ulta. Or order online.

Overall, I think Nyx is a good brand, but is pushing it when it comes to prices. There is probably a lot of the brand I have yet to try, but the products I have are listed and reviewed below. The particular shades of each is in parenthesis.

Best:

1. Nyx Butter Gloss (Praline): Flavor: Subtle, but pleasant. Shade: Flattering. Formula: Long-wearing, non-sticky, and moisturizing. 
2. Nyx Butter Lipstick (Pops.) I panned this lipstick. It was the only one I was using for a while. Loved it. 
3. Blush in Taupe (Discontinued Version): I used this when I don't feel like cream contour. Excellent shade, just not as long wearing as I would like.
4. Eye Crayon in Milk: What can I say? This has saved many an eyeshadow look. Does have an acrylic-paint smell upon opening the cap, but you can't smell it after it is applied. 

Meh:

1. All Purpose Balm: Bought today, actually. I like the subtle coconut scent, but I don't think the overall ingredients are all that relevatory.
2. Nyx Wax Eyebrow Crayon: This was my HG wax pencil, until I bought the elf one. This contains a harder wax that has pulled out my eyebrow hairs, even if I use a light hand. Does its job, though. 
3. Blush/Bronzer/Illuminator in Chiffon: On its own, really has to be built up because it is so dry and powdery. Best used to diffuse more pigmented blushes. 
4. Eye Crayon in Cottage Cheese: This...doesn't do much. It's a sheerish white frost. I bought it because of the name. I could declutter this. 
5. Wonder Pencil 01: When I really care, I use this on my bottom lid waterline. I also use it for browbone highlighting, etc. I stopped using it, however, and don't really know why.
6. Away We Glow Illuminator in Crystal Glare: This is so pretty, but is a pain to use, being a cream highlighter. I am currently trying to use it up. 
7. Ipsy Collab Eyeshadow Trio: I ended up decluttering this. The quality wasn't terrible, but the colors were not that interesting. 

Worst:

Nyx Ultra Gloss (mmm) Sticky, artificial cherry flavor, this gloss is everything a gloss should not be
Nyx Concealer: I thought this would be a Mac dupe or something. Nope. Creasy, greasy, hard to use, and unpleasant.

The collection of "different" shades

Nyx Lip Lingerie : The exact color I had I cannot recall, only that it was unflattering, but I had no way of telling which exact color I was getting, because they all looked the same from the outside!
It was awful. The formula was drying for me and I hated it.

Nyx Punk Heart Prismatic Eyeshadow: I know purple is a hard color, but it was cloudy and grey on my eyes, even with primer, when on the finger and swatch it was a metallic purple. Super frustrating.

Overall, I have not tried Nyx's face powders, concealers/foundations, because I have not really heard anything from them. At this point, I don't really care about buying new eyeshadow because I like my collection as it is for now. Personally, this brand only works for me when it comes to basic necessities and functional necessities. I try to stay away from everything else.

Quick Post: The Worst Makeup Brushes in my Collection

Bienvenue! 

Today I wanted to talk about makeup brushes. I would consider my collection to be medium-sized. Most of the brushes in my collection I have use for and do use consistently, so I do think it is a manageable collection.

I am not one of those people that see a point in buying expensive brushes. The way I get my brushes is threefold: 1.) from Ipsy, which I am grateful for, as some of my best brushes are from Ipsy 2.) palettes, as I do think some makeup companies actually provide decent brushes with their products, and 3.) drugstore/TJ Maxx. 

Looking at my collection, I wanted to talk about the duds. I will also say that some of these brushes have/will be decluttered. 

Let's go!

1.) Wet n Wild fan brush. So, prior to buying this I never actually used a fan brush. But when I picked up a highlighter from WnW, I saw the brush on sale for less than a dollar. Though the handle and ferrule were weighted nicely, the bristles were so flimsy and bent out of shape so easily. Eventually I kind of got the hand of how to use it, but I thought it was kind of a waste of product, and never used it since. 

2.) MUA Makeup Academy crease brush # 315. I length of this brush and the size of the bristles. It is perfect for detail work. However, this brush was way too expensive at the time, $8.00 (now $5.50 on sale) to be shedding so much. I have elf brushes that do not shed. It is still a useful brush and I do use it every day, but the shedding drives me nuts. Boooo. 

3.) Anastasia Beverly Hills double-sided shader and blending brush, from the MR palette. This is a weaksauce brush, though I do use it every so often, as it broke. I put it back together, but the blending brush end can pop of the handle. Poorly made brush. 

4.) Speaking of breaking brushes, the Luxie Beauty Large Angled Face Brush, #504, was the first brush I ever decluttered. I had only been using it for a couple of weeks, and the ferrule got loose and eventually just fell right off. I think it's a huge problem with manufacturing/the brand, as I can feel my tapered highlighting brush, #522, getting loose too. I have had brushes that are 4 or 5 years old that do not wiggle and break like that. 

Ipsy August Retrospect and September Items

I really ought to wait until the end of the month to give my thoughts about my Ipsy Bag for August 2017. I reviewed it here, initially, but I thought it would be productive to go back and see after a month how I feel about these products.



The products are listed below, and I'll include my thoughts under each item.


1.) Crown Medium Contour Brush, $7.00
I don't use this as often as I do my other brushes, especially my big fluffy one. I think this is a nice brush that I will use eventually, but I find myself not really having a need for it at this point. 


2.) The Balm Eyeshadow Single Sample, 0.6 g, $2.92 (using the unit price of the Bon Voyage 2 palette)
Nah, I don't like this. This is pretty much the Mary-Loumanizer. I will probably declutter this. 


3.) (2) Secret Key Face Masks, $2.00
Okay, my secret shame is that even though I have tons of these face masks, I don't use them much. I think they're a bit messy and you can find them everywhere nowadays. I don't think the ingredients in them are that interesting, either. 

4.) Makeup Forever Excessive Lash Sample $7.14
So. This dried out on me like two weeks ago. I was shocked. Totally unusable. 

5.) Naked Cosmetics Translucent HD Finishing Powder (full size) $15.00
I kind of like this, though it is just talc and silicone. It flies everywhere, and I don't want to be inhaling talc...so. It does smell like latex, but it does a good job of setting makeup. If there was an alternative, talc-free option, I would probably buy it. 

And, as an Ipsy preview for September, I am getting:

I think this will be one of my favorite glam bags of all time.....fingers crossed! 

August Favorites

The summer is finally winding down. These past two months certainly have been a wild ride when it comes to makeup.

I will say that I did spend money on makeup this summer, as well as on an acrylic organizer for my palettes, brushes, and some miscellaneous products. Maybe I will make a makeup organization post down the road.

Anyway, today I will wrap up the month of August by reviewing some of my most-used makeup this month!

Favorites

• Too Faced Hangover RX Primer. I've been using it every day, though I think it is more of a moisturizer, if anything. Still, I like it a lot. 
• Milani Eyeshadow Primer. I solemnly swear I will never buy another high-end primer. There is no need. 
• Shades from the Modern Renaissance palette: Realgar, Venetian Red, and Red Ochre. In one of my eyeshadow files posts, I talked about how I am opening up to using these, especially as I feel my eyeshadow technique get a little better. This definitely held true this month. None of these shades have dips in them, but they will eventually. 
• Primer Cocktail of Pixi Skintreats Makeup Fixing Mist and Wet 'n Wild Setting Spray. This was a stroke of genius, I feel. 
• The Tarte Pro to Go Palette: Though I have a z-palette full of shimmers, as well the newly acquired Milani Must Have Metals Palette, I've just been reaching for the Pro to Go instead. I've been getting a lot of use from it, and find the bronze and purple shimmer shades to be complex and interesting. I keep reaching for this over everything in my collection.
• Physician's Formula Butter Bronzer in light: I have definitely been making use of this daily, sweeping it around my hairline and temples. Subtle enough that I don't have to be afraid of making myself orange. 
• Fyrinnae Blush, Mesmerize. Now, I have definitely been gearing towards warm eyeshadows and face products, but the blush I preferred this summer is actually cool toned. Mesmerize is a purple-toned blush, that not only cools down my face, but also provides a really pretty complement to all the warmth.  I bought a sample size of this, and will probably repurchase. 
• Nyx Blush in Taupe: I returned to this after giving my cream contour stick in Proton a break, because it was a little too light for me, and I did not feel like applying cream products to my face. I am sure this will change when winter comes back.
• Simple Eye Makeup Remover. Okay, I was so so skeptical of this product when I saw it in stores. However, for me, it is now essential. I used to wake up with puffy or swollen eyes because my miscellar cleansing wipes could not break down the products on my eyes. I hate how small the packaging is, though, and I know I will go through this very quickly. But still, this is a really helpful and effective product. 

Mehs

• Ziaja Goat's Milk Night Cream: Now this is a rich, moisturizing cream. But when I first used this, I put A LOT on my face, including my neck. Mistake. The smell was very soapy and unappealing to me. When I use a moderate amount of the product, and avoid applying it to my neck, the smell is not a problem. However, I also do want to moisturize my neck as well so I am at an impasse of sorts.

Misses

• The Milani Cream Contour Stick and Cream Highlight duo. I tried really hard with this one. And it was expensive!! But I just have products I like more that I feel work better.