Flower Beauty Blush Bomb in the shade Nectar: Review and Swatches

This has been the year of cream blushes for me. Despite the fact that I have historically been afraid of blush and cream products, I have found that certain cream color products do, in fact, work- and work well. This is certainly true of a new product from Flower Beauty, The Blush Bomb Color Drops. When I saw Temptalia review them favorably (she was the only one at the time who even featured the product), I knew I had to try one.

I picked up the shade Nectar for $9.99.

The blush is housed in a squeeze tube and has a really cool applicator- the nozzle is entirely transparent. 

It contains 0.3 oz of product, and the tube was definitely smaller than I thought it would be. However, the drops are quite concentrated and you only need a little bit. 

Nectar is a very orange-leaning peach. I think it is quite unique to the berry and mauve tones already in my collection. 

Blended out:

I will say that I personally prefer using a synthetic blush brush to blend out the product after I dot a little on my face- and if I have to build up, I will. When I first tried it out, I used my fingers, but I found that a brush creates a more even effect.

On the face, the finish is not matte, but not overly luminous. Moderately dewy, if you will. And with my combination skin, this stuff lasted the entire work day on my face.

In short- I highly recommend this product. While I can't definitely say it is a dupe for any Glossier Cloud Paints (because I have not purchased any), the Flower Beauty is an affordable option that also gives you a better deal. While Glossier Cloud Paints equal to $54.00/fl oz, Flower Beauty clocks in at $33/fl oz. Make of that what you will.

I am very excited to continue using this for the summer!

Thanks for reading! 🌞

Quick Reviews: Palettes I've Purchased @ TJ Maxx

I have talked before about the lure of TJ Maxx. I have admonished myself for falling prey to the discount and accessibility of products that normally I would not see in person. And despite all of this, I have in my stash three palettes from TJ Maxx. I'm going to review them for you today quickly by stating my thoughts, how I've used these products, but forego my usual swatches and looks.

First up is the infamous Subculture, purchased for about $22.00:

I actually have used this palette quite a bit, and think there's a lot of potential here. The darker shades are excellent to pack along the lash line, and the lighter mattes work really well on the lid and crease. Part of the failure of this palette comes from the two shimmers Cube and Electric. As you can see with my palette, these sealed up pretty badly, rendering them unusable. 

Some bloggers have reported success with the two shades I mentioned, but I know ABH has different batches floating out there in the world. I didn't do my research, it seemed, and should have looked up the batch code prior to making the purchase. That being said, the strength of this palette is how it adds depth and coolness to looks, and works well with other palettes. 

The next is my most recent purchase, the Bon Bons palette from Too Faced, for $20.00:

Right of the bat, I am shocked- SHOCKED- that at one point this palette was sold for $49.00. Only some of the mattes- like Mocha and Bourbon- are blendable and have impact, others get pretty muddy. I have been enjoying Satin Sheets as an inner corner highlight, as well as the cream matte to set my primer. I think the two standouts are the two brown shimmers. 

To me this palette is a sign of the times and the beauty landscape of 2015, which included extremely neutral shadows, and formulas that were meant to go with techniques that are not used as commonly- like shimmers and satins in the outer corner (which I believe is making a comeback). Though I do think this is a pretty palette, and the smell of it is divine, I do believe this thing is completely superfluous.  I'll take the L there. 

Finally, we have the most inexpensive palette in this trio, and the one that I have the most to talk about, the Marvycorn palette from BH Cosmetics, which I think I got for about $6.00. 

Let's first start with the highlighters. They are super creamy and could possibly run the risk of being chunky, though the formula is not dense, nor tightly packed. All three do contain micro shimmer. They look pretty on the skin- the darkest one I have to use as an eyeshadow, though. 

For me, the standouts of this palette are the neutral mattes- I know that is ridiculous, but still. They blend really smoothly. My personal favorite is Flodder, which is a really cool yellow neutral beige. I don't have anything else like it. 

The shimmer eyeshadows are a bit disappointing- thin formulas and not high-shine. The only one worth anything, the one that does not require glitter glue or any additional help- is the fourth shade in the top row- the slightly duochrome red-copper shimmer. That one is quite metallic and creamy. 

The packaging, of course, is a major draw. It is prone to getting dirty, but I don't mind. I don't use this palette every day, but I do pull it out every so often and I enjoy it every time. 

Looking at all of these palettes, do I have a life lesson? Yes, stop it. Not the most helpful advice. But I let curiosity get the better of me- especially with the Bon Bons palette. If I had really thought about what my collection looked like, I could have easily realized I didn't need it. The goal is to be a bit more thoughtful next time. 

So that's all I got for today! 

Thanks so much for reading.

May Inspiration Board

Greetings! I don't have much in the way right now of immediate products reviews. I have one very large review of Menagerie Cosmetics Eyeshadow coming up, as well as an updated highlighter master post. But, for now, let's talk about what is inspiring me, and what is not.

These types of posts fall under my Beauty Bookmarks tag. For more extreme versions, I do have old anti-hauls/and TMOS.

First thing coming up is what I assume to be a new palette from Nabla. Now, I do love Nabla singles, but the quality of the palettes is a little more contentious. They have been sneak-peaking the cover of the palette which features rich burgundy, gold accents of suns, seashells, and other symbols, and maybe tropical flowers?

I'm going to throw my hat into the ring (that's a phrase, right?), and make some guesses about what this palette is about, using some key words:

secret cove, tropics, meridian, island, beach, mermaid

Those are my guesses. I tend to like the color layout of Nabla palettes, though I have not yet actually purchased one. We'll see if I take the plunge.

Moving on, for about a year now I've had my eye on another Italian makeup brand, Neve Cosmetics.

Now, Neve currently does not ship to the US. But they did tell me via instagram they are working on it, and their instagram posts have been featuring text in both English and Italian. So, let's hope. I have my eye on a number of things, and I will say that Neve has an excellent range of duochrome shadows and powders that I have not yet seen from other brands.

One makeup artist on Instagram who I have been really inspired by is @lana_makeup_nails. One of her recent books I bookmarked is:

I think her use and placement of color is really cool and something I can replicate, while still looking quite unique.

I've been on a real kick with more watercolor-type shades, and this post from Clionadh is making me think I can use a shade with a blue shift on the lid with a warmer transition color, and it would look really cool.

The lid shade featured is Clionadh's new multi-chromes. Right now they are probably one of the most interesting things going on eyeshadow wise in the indie-verse. I would have to agree, though I wouldn't buy more than one or two.

I am wondering if a potential downside to multichromes is if they are not as versatile as regular shimmers or duochromes.

Anyway, my last bookmarked post is Glossier's new Bubblewrap, and eye and lip cream that is supposed to reduce texture for $26. As someone with sensitive eyes, I love eye cream. I am still using up my Soap and Glory eye gel, but once I finish I will gladly use the Glossier one.

Finally, let me comment on a couple of things I am staying far away from, mostly high-end single eyeshadows.

Most recently Viseart released its single eyeshadows, for $12 for about 2g. Pat McGrath is offering singles at $25 for 1 g. Now, I enjoy buying singles quite a bit. But I am not impressed by these prices. I do think Viseart is definitely giving you a better deal, but both companies have left me a bit disappointed- they are fully capable of producing gorgeous, interesting colors, and I don't see them.

For PML, the singles serve as a complement to the palettes- the assumption is you have at least one large one and one small one, and you need a transition color or something. For Viseart, the color selection is a bit more interesting, but the colors have a muted quality (save for the handful of literally neons).

For me, I prefer to collect singles that are unique and singular, and that complement my palettes, not the other way around. Especially if I am going to invest more than the usual amount, and especially if indie companies are offering a lot of product at a good price, too. While it is exciting that a person does not have to pay $100-something to try PML, I don't think it's exactly fair that we have to pay a fourth of that to "sample" or "try," PML. I think that mentality minimizes how much money you're putting into it, exactly.

So, that's my spiel. Let me know your thoughts!

Quick and Cheap Recommendations

I know, cheap is sort of a subjective term. But bear with me. All the products listed here can be found at Walmart or Target (some at Ulta), and are reasonably affordable for the amount of product you get and the quality of it, compared to other brands in the same product category.

Let's begin with the Elf Lip Lacquer in Clear. It costs $2.00 and contains 8 fl oz.  I picked this up because I thought the packing was nice and minimal, and the plastic looked thick and sturdy. I do quite like clear lip gloss, and this was kind of a careless purchase that I didn't really think much about. After applying it, I was happily surprised. For one, it doesn't have that typical mineral-oil flavor that comes with many cheaper lip glosses. Instead, it has a mild vanilla flavor that disappears. In a word, this lip gloss is comfortable. I have been reaching for it constantly, and have made a large dent in the tube.

Next is The Good Stuff intensive nourishment cream (leave-in conditioner), bought at Target for $8.00 for 7.7 fl oz. The story with this one is that all winter I was using the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Oil Shampoo and Conditioner. At first, it made my hair really nice, but over time and as the weather got warmer, I felt my hair getting oilier and oilier. So I stopped using conditioner all together, and my hair got very dull. So I was kind of hapless and frustrated when I stumbled across this product- surprised at first by its reasonable price point. Be aware, though, this isn't some salon/indie hair brand with a magically low price point- it's owned by Unilever.

Still, after washing my hair with Head and Shoulders (because I have a dry/itchy scalp), I applied this to my damp hair. I really like how it brought back sheen and softness to my hair, without making me feel greasy. It also has a really nice salon-shampoo scent that definitely lingers throughout the day.

FYI, my hair is medium-thick is naturally kind of inconsistently wavy. *shrug*.

The mascara that I am currently using and would definitely recommend is The Pret a Volume Smoky Mascara in Velvet Black from Catrice. I did not get the Waterproof one because I feel waterproof sticks to closely too my lashes and is too difficult to remove.

 It costs $.7.00 and you get .37 oz of product. Snooping around other mascaras from other ranges, this mascara is quite hefty and contains more product than the L'Oreal Lash Paradise (0.28 oz), and the Benefit Roller Lash (0.3 oz).

I have seen some mixed reviews of this mascara online. My own lashes are naturally curled and chaotic at times. I don't really want length out of a mascara, just volume and definition, which this mascara most certainly provides. The formula was a bit creamier and easier to work with when the mascara was newer. Some mascaras get better as they "age," but I felt this one was more potent in the beginning. Still, I am continuing to quite happily use this.

Next is Ponds Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream. I buy mine at Walmart in the mini, which contains 1.75 oz (50 g) and cost maybe $3.00. I can't find the mini online :(. I would buy it from the travel-friendly section. . It does come in two other sizes, the largest containing 14.1 oz (40 g), and currently on sale for $13.82. This is my second time using up a container of this, and I have definitely mentioned this product on the blog before.

Still, it bears repeating. As someone who uses Retinol 1-2 times a week, this is a great product for those days when I am not applying Retinol.  The cream has a strong fragrance, and I usually take a break after using it for a couple of days, to prevent breakouts. If you have sensitive skin or skin that is raw from exfoliation or something else- be aware. Even today because my nose was red and raw from allergies, getting the tiniest speck of this cream on my nose was a bit painful.

Other than that, I really enjoy this cream. It makes my skin feel plump and does minimize lines on the face.

The next one is a newer purchase, the Neutrogena healthy skin anti-aging perfector (whew looong name). Mine is in the shade ivory to fair (10). This one is the priciest item on my list, at $10.59 (Target), for 1 FL oz of product. I have been on the look out for a BB Cream with SPF that is light enough for me. When I saw this, and read that The Muse approved this, I snapped it up.

I was unsure how well it would match me, but I am happy to say that it does a great job of blending into my skin tone:

It don't wear it alone, though, I layer it on top of Australian Gold SPF 50.

Overall, I have found myself pretty open to trying things from Neutrogena, even though some of their offerings are weirdly expensive- like that $15.00 highlighting stick?? If they can scale back the cost of some of their products, I think they would be even in a better spot- because I do like what I have tried from them so far.

And last, we have a brush! The Elf Flawless Concealer brush has been so much more enjoyable to use than my Real Techniques concealer brush. The Elf one costs $3.00, and has a fluffy, outward shaped brush head that is also rounded. I find it to be the perfect shape to blend under my eyes, as well as on my face. The shape of the brush really makes it easy to buff out concealer, rather than patting it or brushing it, which is what I felt the somewhat flat head of the RT brush was doing. I picked mine up at CVS, I believe.

So those are all my recs! Would love to know what you think- have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading.


*** Redacted Rec: Burt's Bees Intensive Overnight Lip Treatment. Oh hey, if you made it this far down the page, then congrats! I have some bonus content for you- a redacted recommendation. This means that I was going to recommend the Burt's Bees lip mask on the premise that it was cheap, but some simple math has proven me wrong!

I really need to thank one of my fave bloggers, Brutally Honest Beauty. On her instagram stories, she was posting price comparisons of comparable drugstore vs. high-end products according to price per gram or oz, and actually found that in some cases the higher end product was actually the more cost-effective option.

This is true of the BB Lip Mask, which costs $8.68 for .25 oz. This means it costs $34.75/oz.

Let's compare this with a higher end mask- Laniege, a company that is known for its lip masks. Well, theirs costs $20 for .7 oz, or $28.00 for 1 oz. So the Laniege one seems to be the more practical option, especially for a product that does get a lot of use.

In sum,  I redacted it because I don't think consumers are exactly getting the best deal. And now I have something to add to my wishlist- I saw that Laniege had a vanilla option!

My Curated Spring Succulent Palette: Overview and Swatches

Hello hello!

If you've ever given the "makeup organization" tag in my blog a gander, you'll see several posts dedicated to curated/themed palettes that I created out of my single collection. I stopped doing this, to my unhappiness, because I just wasn't being inspired. It's not that the color combinations I chose were not inspiring, it's that they were being housed in utilitarian, plain black palettes. After I gave up on that, my z-palettes were organized into three categories: shimmers, neutral mattes, and "fun" mattes. This was working for me for a while, until I got sick of it.

So enter Colourpop. I thought the palette I ordered from them would be larger, which was my one disappointment. Other than that though, I unintentionally was very much inspired by the design of the palette, and decided to see if I could fit some of my singles into it to build a palette around the design.

Here are my results:

I think this looks so pretty! And I like the balance of warm and cool. We'll go into each shade, and- if I feel like it- why I chose it for the palette. Swatches for each shade, in order of the palette, can be found below. 

1. Clionadh, Strawberry Mousse. While this pink is very light and is hard to see on my skin tone, I do think it looks pretty when built up over primer. It is also useful for blending out the edges of pink and purple looks. 

2. Clionadh, Maize. This is a cooler-toned yellow, which I appreciate it. Overall it's just a happy, vibrant, easy to blend yellow. 

3. Colourpop, Howlin'. This is a matte light warm lilac. I find this shadow really easy to work with. 

4. Nabla, Lotus. This is the one shadow that makes me think I do NOT need the Linda Hallberg Spectral palette. This matte is the perfect purple-pink for me and I love it. 

5. Colourpop, Lay Low. I bought this last summer, but this shade is still going strong. The quality of this shadow is excellent, but I didn't get much use out of it so far, which I don't get. 

6. Dose of Colors, Blueberry Swirl. From my old Eyes Cream palette, which feels like eons ago. It doesn't swatch all that great, but it is a useful muted cool-toned mauve to have around. 

7. BH Cosmetics Neon Chartreuse, depotted from the Back to Brazil palette. One of the few shades that stood out to me, quality wise,  from that palette. 

8. Looxi Green Apple, a warm light yellow-green. 

9. Coastal Scents, Tangelo Tint. 

10. Looxi, Pumpkin Spice Life. 

11. Coloured Raine, Princess. One of my favorite neutral pinks. 

12. Clionadh, Toasted. A very warm brown matte. 

13. Dose of Colors, a cool-toned brown from the Eyes Cream Palette. 

14. Colourpop, Team Captain. This shade is very soft. I barely use it, which I am trying to change. 

15. Sydney Grace, Tiara. A stunning metallic taupe. My description barely addresses how complex and multidimensional this shade is- it can be paired with a multitude of mattes. 

16. CP, On a Whimsy. A soft, pigmented, cool-toned true silver. A stunner. 

17. Looxi, Charmed. A duochromatic highlighter/topper. Excellent for layering or inner corner.

18. Nabla, Calypso. I have reviewed this on my blog before, check out my post here. 

19. Sydney Grace, Officer. This blurple-toned dark grey matte is so effortless and easy to work with and pair with a whole host of colors. 

20. Nabla, City Wolf. A warm grey matte. I've used this a lot and like it. 

21. Sydney Grace, Moon Landing. A brown-taupe matte, also very blendable and surprisingly unique.

22. Sydney Grace, a very interesting and frosty champagne duochrome with a lilac base. I love wearing this on easy, one-shadow days. 

23. Sydney Grace Siren. A blue-toned pink shimmer. Also complex, beautiful, gorgeous shade. Can't be more effusive. 

24. Looxi, Bohemian. A warmer rose-gold that is very intense. I put this in for another pink option, just warmer. 

Please click on the pics for a better view!

In many ways, this palette feels like a culmination of all the collecting I've been doing for that last couple of months, and I really feel I have something that is both inspiring and "me." If it were not for the cool packaging of Colourpop's palette, I don't know if this would ever come to fruition.  I look forward to continue using it!

As always, thanks for reading!