Shimmery Spring Recommendations! (+ swatches)

It seems that Spring has finally arrived! I have a couple of products to bring to you today that you might enjoy if you are in the mood for some transitional spring-time shimmer and glow! As always, click on the pics for higher resolution.

The first product is from Catrice. It is the 3D Glow Highlighter in the shade Pinch of Rose. The pan contains 3 g of product for $4.89. The design mimics ABH's old design for their highlighters, but nevertheless I did find this highlighter pretty unique in its own right.

For starters, it's incredibly soft. Catrice claims that the pan contains "two tones," but I am not sure if I can make them out. Some squares look darker than other ones? Some swatches below:

 Here I tried swatching from different sections, to see if I could make out a difference. The farthest swatch is everything blended together.

And here we have everything blended out.

If you are concerned the product seems too dark for you, I have found the product's pink base looks quite flattering. The highlighter is much warmer in the pan, and I tend to see a silvery lilac reflect, which is quite cool. And don't let the finger swatches fool you- on the skin, it is less metallic and more "glass skin" finish. Highly recommend.

Next, another product from Catrice is their Eye Gloss stick, which I purchased at Ulta for $6.00. I quite like the concept of this, especially if you think about how Mac, Linda Hallberg, and Danessa Myricks all have a clear gloss like product, but for a lot more. Of course, the Catrice pen only contains 2 g, and I should note that I only use it on my face as a highlight. Still, I think it's a nifty product if you want a more natural shimmer and glow on your face.

We also have another lip icing from Pixi, which I picked up from Target for $14.00.  have reviewed the first one that came out as a limited edition collaboration with Chloe Morello. The one I picked up, Toffee, is like the Chloe Morello one but amped up.It is even more jam-packed with shimmer.It does the slightest grit, but also the same comfortable and hydrating formula.

 Pixi on left, Catrice eye gloss on right. 

Moving on, we have a new face product from Milani called Soft Focus Glow Complexion Enhancer, in the shade Nude Glow, the lightest. It cost $11.00. According to Milani, this product provides an instant boost of hydration and brightness. Some reviewers claim it is a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Filter, but I can't verify that claim. All I know is that I find it absorbs quickly, and does leave a nice glow on the skin. I also enjoy the fact that it comes in a pump bottle.

 Unblended, left and blended, right.

And our last product is very exciting- the new Kaja Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer (oh my that's a lot of words) Eyeshadow in the shade Orange Blossom! Each shade in the trio contains 0.85 g of product, for a total of $21.00.

The shades are: Sandy Peach, Sun-Kissed Tan, and Baked Cinnamon.

 

Overall, the Orange Blossom Trio is quite pretty and quite easy to use! It has this multi-faceted yet glossy finish, and is just very pretty. I don't have anything else like them in my collection and have been really enjoying using them.

So that's all I got for today! Let me know if you have tried any of these!

Thanks for reading.

February-March Faves and Fail

It has been a hot minute, has it not? And by that I mean this blog has been a bit of a ghost town. My sincerest apologies. I know I have explained on the blog before that this period of time gets pretty hectic, and I don't have much room to sit down and prepare posts.

Enough excuses. Just know that there is more to come. As for my favorites, some are things that have already been in my collection, but I have since really come to appreciate. Others are brand new. Most of them, oddly enough, were purchased at Target.

None of them are eyeshadows, which is shocking to me. Eyeshadows are typically my makeup favorite. Right now I am holding off, though, because I am currently trying some Sydney Grace shades. I want to devote an entire post to them, so we will forego any discussion of eyeshadow for now.

Let's get this show on the road. As always, click on the pic for higher-res. 

The first is the PIXI Milky Mist. It cost $15 at Target, for 80 mL of product. I bring this one with me to work. I am very much a fan of facial mists, and I especially enjoy the fact that this provides hydration. Though I have combination skin that can get quite oily throughout the day, I find that the lines on my face are more pronounced by the end of the day, and my skin just feels tired, which this spray helps with. As of now I am not sure if I would repurchase, because there are plenty of facial mists out there, but in the meantime I am very much enjoying this one. I have been using it for a month now.

Soap and Glory Puffy Eye Attack Gel, $14.00 for 18 mL. So this one has pretty mixed reviews on the internet. I am always on the hunt for eye gels, because my eyes are prone to getting a bit swollen in the morning. On my sensitive eyes it seems to prep my skin pretty well. It doesn't sting my eyes in the morning, but at night if I removed makeup and rubbed the skin and then applied the gel, it most certainly stings, which makes sense. It absorbs quickly and doesn't leave the skin sticky. I personally like this gel, and appreciate how it calms my eye area in the morning and night. However, I am always open to different alternatives.

Good Chemistry Body Mist in the fragrance Brainiac. I bought this about a year ago after trying out the tester. It cost $10.00. In addition to a positive first impression from using the tester, the name of the spray was intriguing and reminded me of the Justice League/Supergirl/Superman villain. Brainiac is unlike anything else in my collection. While I usually wear gourmand, creamy, and very sweet fragrances, Brainiac seems very masculine at first, and peppery. It eventually wears down and you can smell a bit of Vanilla. Even though this is a body mist, the fragrance lasts the whole day, which I appreciate. It is a really cool, clean scent, and I would recommend checking it out.

Next, we have a new shade of Butter Blush from Physicians Formula, in the shade Saucy Mauve. It seemed to me that the initial Butter Blush release from PF wasn't very successful, because the shades were a bit too chalky and similar. I think PF is trying to rectify this. Saucy Mauve is similar to Wet 'n Wild's Blazen Berry, but not as sheer. It also lasts the entire work day for me, which is about 7 hours. Now how can I get Butter Bronzer to stay on that long?? I have been using Sauvy Mauve as my only blush for about two weeks now, and I don't know why. I just think it goes with both cool and warm toned looks. It provides warmth and color to the face and has a somewhat lustrous, natural, finish. I highly recommend it.

Then we have two brushes from Elf, both $3.00 each. The left is a tapered highlighting brush, which I now use to set translucent powder under my eye. The other is a concealer brush, which I use now to blend in concealer under my eye. They have replaced my Real Techniques brushes, which I think are not precise enough for that area of my face. The elf brushes are quite fluffy and soft, which is important when working on such a sensitive area of skin.

Makeup Revolution, Supersize Concealer in the shade C1. C1 is the second lightest shade in the range, with neutral undertones. The concealer cost $10.00, and you get more than double the amount of product in the original, which is excellent. I used up the original sized Conceal and Define in about 3 months. I just wish they didn't make the supersize option an Ulta exclusive. Maybe one day.

Alright, so my last two favorites are part of a team, in a way. One "major" makeup revelation I had these past two months has been cream/gel eyeliner. I am a total convert, and no longer want to mess with eyeliner pens. Mac Pro Longwear Fluid Line in Blacktrack, which cost $18.00, is working for me. I use it with the Luxie lip brush. I feel that this option gives me the most control. I also think it is the more economical version, as I was getting overwhelmed with the amount of dried up eyeliner pens that were piling up. My only caveat about this product is that is does leak to my lower lid when I inadvertently apply too much product towards the outer corner of my lid. But that does not happen too often.

And finally, I have one fail, but it is major. Target and CVS are now carrying the Creme Shop, which used to be a K-Beauty brand (I think). I bought their wispy mascara for $9.00, and all I can say is....Nope. Stay far away. This product did literally nothing for me. And this is what it looks like:

A clumpy nightmare.

So, that's all I have on the docket for today. Have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading!  😊

Pixi x Chloe Morello Lip Icing Cake: Review and (Updated) Swatches

Today I found a product that blew me away. We are talking about a collaboration between Pixi and the beautuber Chloe Morello, a moisturizing lip products that contains glimmer and shimmer.

I have been on the hunt for lipglosses that rival more upscale brands, as well as indie brands, whose glosses contain larger, more complex particles of shimmer. For the drugstore, the most common shimmer gloss seems to be frost, or does not translate well on the lips. However, the lip icing absolutely does, and it stands apart from any gloss that I have ever tried.

According to the packaging, the product can be worn on its own, or on top of lip products. It is housed in a solid clear plastic container with the signature Pixi-green cap. The applicator is a flat doe-foot wand. You get 3.5 g of product for $14.


In the container, the product looks super interesting and complex, a reflective coppery/yellow gold/rose combination, with tons of shimmer. The gloss itself is sheer with a golden tint to it.



On the lips,  the look is a tad more subtle, but the end result is really pretty, and you do get lots of visible shimmer, which ranges from gold, pink, and even a bit of green.


There is nothing gritty about the way the product feels on the lips. For me, its consistency lies somewhere between a lip oil and a gloss. You do get a glossy finish, but the product is very moisturizing. It also lasts on the lips a good amount for a lip gloss- I would say 2-3 hours.

The scent of rosehip is present when I open the gloss, but it disappears when the gloss is applied. There is no "flavor" to the product at all, which I appreciate.

Ingredients:

 Swatches on the back of my hand with one swipe of the applicator (click for full size):

There is something really thoughtful about the way this product was designed, and I think this was an admirable collaboration. The gloss was everything I was looking for: long-wearing, moisturizing, shimmery, non-sticky, and not gritty. I think lipgloss fans will appreciate this product very much, and it has my full recommendation. 

Products I am Trying to Use Up [Update 8/27]

I am by no means a Project Panner. I don't like feeling rushed to use or complete a product, especially because I don't think my collection is necessarily out of control. However, there are a couple of products I have that I like,

 but I really want to use up. So, today I'll go through each of these products, and whether or not I will repurchase them.

As of 8/27, I've made some progress in this pile of products! For the sake of ease, I've included that update throughout my reviews! 

1. Pixi Makeup Fixing Mist.
First, the positives. I do love how this makes my skin look and feel, especially after finishing makeup application. It is refreshing and does, for me, help with oil control. Negatives: The spray has become so annoying to use. I am about 78% finished with the product, but the spray really got worse over time. It's hard to press, and does not create a fine mist.

2. Wet n Wild Setting Spray
 So I had some of this product still in the bottle. But from prior experience, since this was my third time buying this spray, I knew this amount would not be usable. When it gets low, the mist becomes weak and not terribly helpful. So, I dumped the rest of this in the Pixi Makeup Fixing Mist. We'll see what happens. After I use up the Pixi Mist, I probably won't repurchase that or the Wet n' Wild, until I finish the L'Oreal Spray, as well as the Urban Decay one.

Update #1. So, in what I consider to be a pretty smart move, I poured the rest of the Wet n' Wild setting spray into the Pixi Bottle. Having more product in the bottle definitely made the PIXI spray more fine and mist-like, but the amount of product in that bottle didn't really change much, due to the addition of Wet 'n Wild. What I will say is that I like the combination a lot. I've been using it a lot since, and intend to continue using it. 

3. Urban Decay Primer Potion.
This stuff will not run out. Seriously. But I am almost there. I do like this primer, but I will not repurchase. I have found the Milani primer is just as good, and formula wise feels very similar.
Update #2. I will repeat: took forever to use up. But I am finally done. I cannot physically squeeze anymore out of the bottle. If I really cared, I could cut open the bottle and see what I could scrape out, but I am not going to do that. I already have the Milani primer on deck, so there is no need. I 

4. Nyx Away We Glow Highlighter in Crystal Glare.

 I am about 50% done with this product, maybe 60%. It is hard to tell. I like the effect of this highlighter, and I think it is very long lasting, but I just don't like cream products. When all my other face products are powders, using this and then blending it in is just a pain. It is really pretty, though. (With a rather short shelf life, though).
#Update 3: Argh. I have not made much progress with this, because I also have a Milani double sided highlight and contour pen thing, which I don't really like. Additionally, I have not been wearing too much makeup these past few weeks, and I don't enjoy the extra work I have to put in for this.  I decided to move this back to my face-products drawer for now. 

5. Affinitic Snail Cream.
No, I would not repurchase.  I mean, I did not actually purchase this in the first place. It was from an Ipsy bag. But I do like this facial cream. I added it to my list because I found this recently after having lost it, and thought it would be quite easy to use up. I am not sure what I plan to do with the container afterwards, though. Maybe use it for lip balm?
Update #4 All used up! Was a good moisturizer, but I will not repurchase. Nope. Instead I am using the Goat's Milk Nourishing Night Cream by Ziaja. 

Now, I will also add to this recently panned shades from my eye products! In my last eyeshadow files on the Modern Renaissance, I had only panned one shade:: Tempera. Now, I also have a small pan in Vermeer and a pin-sized one in Golden Ochre. I don't know why, but I feel myself trying to use up the lighter shades in this palette. I think it is because they don't "wow" me as much as the darker shades. 

When I first bought the Modern Renaissance was just beginning to use it, I was like "THIS ENTIRE PALETTE IS PERFECTION." Now I know that it's not. The ones I am, surprisingly, hesitant to use up are the rich oranges and reds- who would have thought? And it pisses me off that Raw Sienna and Burnt Orange are so similar that they practically perform the same function on the eye. Bummer. 

In my Z-Palette, I am also trying to use up a depotted KvD shade from the Chrysalis palette. The giant cream-colored matte called "Lifelike." It was repressed as a result of colllateral depotting damage, so it was already very loose. This is a heavily panned shade already, and I will probably be done with it by the end of September. In terms of alternatives, I plan to pan "Berries n Cream," a more pink-toned version of this. 

So that's it, folks! 

My Highlighter Collection

As of now, I have four highlighters in my collection that I have picked for daily use. I have decluttered some this past year, and the four I have work best for me. At this point, I don't really have a need for a new highlighter, nor do I particularly like the "duochrome" trend, commonly known as "holographic." Let's dive in, shall we:

No flash: RYC, Marry Lou, Crystal Glare, Vessel...

w/ flash

1. Wet n' Wild's Reserve Your Cabana (RYC), about $4.00. I never knew this powder contained SPF, but it does, 15, which is not much, but still something. I wouldn't go about using this as one's only source of UV protection, though. This powder is lovely, with a subtle sheen. I commonly use this to set my under eye. I can't use it to dust all over my face, however, because it would be a tad too dark. As a highlight though, it is flattering, and I love the way it smells, though it is not perfumed. This highlighter I rarely use by itself, but frequently as a powder base for other highlighters. Overall I'd give this ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5.


2. Mary Lou-manizer, The Balm. $23. I knew I wanted to purchase a higher end highlighter, but I had no idea where to begin. If I had to start over, would I have picked this? Maybe not. Maybe I would have spent my money on the Hourglass ones, just to see, or some other brand. But this one was the most consistently mentioned one online. It is a beautiful highlight, and I do not need to use a heavy hand with it. I do not find it particularly long lasting, and have found that I bring it to work for touch-ups throughout the day. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

3. NYX, Away We Glow, Liquid Highlighter in Crystal Glare. OH MY. How are people not talking about this one? First, let me say I bought this, for $7.00, because Temptalia gave it an A-. Now, I have a love-hate relationship with Nyx, but I have been on a quest to find some sort of substitution, not really a dupe, for Kevyn Aucoin's Candlelight liquid highlighter. This is terribly pretty, and a paler,less sparkly version of Mary Lou. It is long-lasting, and because it is liquid, it gives a nice, dewy look. Application can be tricky of you are working with a powder base, so I only use this when I have used liquid foundation only. The doe-foot applicator can deposit a lot of product, so I dot it along the tops of my cheekbone and my temple and blend it with a damp makeup sponge. Compared to the other line of Nyx liquid highlighters, the "born to glow," the sheen of this is natural but strong, while the born to glow illuminators were glittery.  Lastly, I love the name of this. Crystal Glare. Staring daggers at anyone who dares. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

4. Shiro Cosmetics, Vessel for Dissacharides, $9.00. One blogger on YouTube once gave a really solid critique of indie brands, saying "I have to protect my nerds." She was referring to the fact that many indie brands bank on the fact they can appeal to niche audiences while larger corporations cannot. Even if the product has a tenuous relationship to the concept at hand, by slapping a reference on it they generate an association that makes people want to buy the product. I found myself in this predicament when purchasing from Shiro. First, the name of this product, a reference to A Series of Unfortunate Events, makes reviews extremely hard to locate. Second, I find myself a bit reluctant to use this highlighter, because of the glitter. It can easily be brushed away, and the highlighter itself is the lightest one I have, white, with a good sheen and almost creamy formula. So, I do like this product. In a way. I just feel I do not particularly need it, but I do not want to declutter this Very Finicky Dust. ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Decluttered Highlighters:

1. PIXI Rosegold highlighter blush duo, IPSY bag. Retail price $18.00. This product makes me roll my eyes. Pixi makes me roll my eyes. The blush had zero pigmentation, the highlighter was not bad, but I disliked the texture of it.

2. Wet n' Wild Rainbow Highlighter. Sigh. No reason to purchase this but hype. Can create an effect of the face with all the colors, making a slightly greenish gold highlight, but will show texture.

3. Essence Glow with it (?) highlighter, $3.00. Found at Target, clearance. I loved the look on this on my face. But did not last at all.

Final thoughts:
I have a lot of golden champagney tones. I myself am a cool toned person, with light skin. I think I would be willing to try a slightly pink toned highlighter. I am expecting UD's Sin highlighter in my next Ipsy bag, so we'll see how that goes!