Beauty – Page 4 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Colourpop UR A QT Pressed Powder Palette Review

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you have a fun or relaxing day ahead of you. Any plans? I’m not sure what we are going to do tonight. Probably eat at home and watch TV. LOL!

I thought I’d do a fun kind of Valentine’s themed palette review today. I hope you enjoy!

This is the UR A QT Palette from Colourpop. Right now, it’s an Ulta exclusive. It’s so adorable and pretty. It’s perfect for Valentine’s and Spring looks, as well as soft, neutral looks.

Stunning! I love the purples, pinks and neutrals in this palette. And I love that the shades are soft.

The Ulta website doesn’t give a description of each shade, so the descriptions are mine:

2 Hot 4 U — matte light peach
Luv Me — metallic light pink Super Shock Shadow
Angel Face — cool toned medium pink matte with glitter
With Luv — light warm brown
So Fine — light-medium mauve matte
Kiss Me — light-medium plum duo-chrome
Lover — medium-dark berry metallic
Love Note — medium lilac matte
1st Date — medium warm brown
Candy Gram — deep plum metallic
Cutie Pie — light pink frost
Heart Eyes — deep purple matte

From Left to Right: 2 Hot 4 U, Luv Me, Angel Face, With Luv, So Fine and Kiss Me — I love the names, just like the little conversation hearts!

All of these swatched well. I love 2 Hot 4 U as a base color. Also Angel Face is a gorgeous Super Shock and Kiss Me is a lovely duochrome. I’m not much of a fan of With Luv just because of the very pink shade. I do love the pigment though.

From Left to Right: Lover, Love Note, 1st Date, Candy Gram Cutie Pie and Heart Eyes.

I love all of these purple and plum shades! Heart Eyes looks like a dark brown in the pan, but it’s such a gorgeous plum. Plus Love Note is so pretty in the crease!

I’m so glad I picked this palette up. It’s so pretty on and I really love purple! This also has a couple of neutral shades, but I can see myself using this more when I want a bright and fun look.

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Have you purchased the UR A QT palette? What do you think? Or, what is your favorite palette to use for Valentine’s Day? palette

PÜR Products For A Glamorous Valentine’s Day Look

Hey all! How’s your week going? I’m doing pretty well. Are you getting ready for Valentine’s Day Tomorrow???

I was sent these pretty PÜR products that can glam you up for V-Day for my honest review. Here’s what I received:

PUR X Barbie™ Barbie™ Doll Lash Signature Cruelty Free PRO Eyelashes ($14 USD)
Blushing Act Skin Perfecting Powder in Pretty in Peach ($26 USD)
Fully Charged Mascara Primer ($20 USD)
Fully Charged Mascara ($22 USD)
4-in-1 Correcting Primer Redness Reducer ($33 USD)
4-in-1 Tinted Moisturizer in Light ($35 USD)

I don’t usually wear false eyelashes, but these are so pretty. I think I’m going to give them a try. I’ve heard PÜR’s lashes are really nice. Plus, the packaging is stunning!

I almost always use a mascara primer before I apply my mascara. I do this instead of curling my lashes. I find that it helps give my lashes more curl, volume and length.

This one is really nice. And it works especially well with the Fully Charged mascara. It uses their innovative Magnetic Technology that has a revolutionary “magnetic” polymer matrix that wraps a positively charged elastic veil around each lash to instantly lift, separate and define each lash for maximum, long-lasting performance. It also conditions the lashes.

I love that this helps with the health of lashes as well as making them look amazing!

This blush is so gorgeous on. It’s applies so smoothly on the cheeks. This is formulated with good-for-you skincare ingredients, including nourishing Energy Complex and Ceretin® Complex—a proprietary blend of super-hydrating ceramides that is exclusive to PÜR. It claims to improve the skin’s appearance with each use.

I love the peach color this gives and the soft matte finish.

I have redness on my cheeks and sensitive skin. This primer helps brighten and firm the skin’s appearance, while neutralizing the look of redness from breakouts and irritation. It has a green tint to it that really helps offset the redness. I find that it also minimizes the look of my pores, which my aging skin needs!

I’m loving the 4-in-1 Tinted Moisturizer. It’s a moisturizer, primer, foundation and SPF 20 all-in-one! This innovative 4-in-1 formula infuses the skin with powerful hydrators and proven correctives, including sodium hyaluronate and PÜR’s exclusive Ceretin Complex, a one-of-a-kind ingredient engineered to radically renew the skin without irritation.

I like that this gives a natural finish. I can use it alone for a minimal coverage or as a base for a full coverage foundation of glam days. I enjoy it on days where I just want to look fresh!

Have you tried PÜR products? Which are your favorites for glam or natural looks? Check out these products an more at http://www.purcosmetics.com and Ulta.

Derma E Mood Rituals Line

Hi all! I hope you’re week is off to a great start! It’s still winter, sigh. And it might snow in Kansas City tomorrow. I hope you’re weather is better!

I was so lucky to receive a February influencer package from Derma E. I love their products so much and use them every day. Here’s what I received this month:

This is Derma E’s Mood Rituals line. These mists contain purified spring water and skin-nourishing herbs with therapeutic essential oils. They claim to enhance the mood and enrich the skin. Here’s info from the Derma E website about the products:

Balanced blends of therapeutic, skin-benefiting essential oils combined with purified Spring Water, Witch Hazel, Coconut Essence and Herbal Waters work to comfort and nourish your skin, leaving it hydrated and softer while herbal adaptogens and sacred cleansing plant extracts provide re-centering, mood-enhancing benefits.

These are the three different mists:

CREATE Mood Enhancing Skin Beneficial Mist ($18.95 USD) — Revitalizing therapeutic blend of Cordyceps & Cardamom, aromatic waters, coconut essence, and witch hazel improves skin’s health while enhancing your mood. Essential oils of Rosemary, Ginger, Spearmint stimulate one’s senses and helps to revitalize your skin while adaptogens, Cordyceps and Cardamom promote focused thoughts and clarity allowing you the freedom to create.

UPLIFT Mood Enhancing Skin Beneficial Mist ($18.95 USD) — This uplifting and therapeutic blend of Eleuthero & Artic Root, citrus waters, coconut essence, and witch hazel improves skin’s health while enhancing your mood. Essential oils of Orange, Grapefruit, Chamomile, Lavender and more combine to help boost your mood, soothe skin and elevate your senses while Adaptogens Eleuthero and Artic Root help to calm feelings of fatigue and anxiety to uplift and energize your spirits.

CALM Skin Beneficial Mist Mood Enhancing ($18.95 USD) — This relaxing and calming therapeutic blend of Amla & Gotu Kola, herbal waters, coconut essence, and witch hazel improves skin’s health while enhancing your mood. Essential oils of Lemon, Eucalyptus, Sage and Rosemary soothe and calm skin while adaptogens Amla and Gotu Kola help to reduce feelings of fatigue as they relax and calm your senses.

I really like these mists. They smell very herbal. I think my favorite scent is the Uplift. I can definitely smell the citrus and lavender. With the create, the spearmint takes over, so if you like mint scents that might be for you. And in the Calm, the rosemary and sage give off a savory fragrance.

I really like how hydrating these make my skin. They are so nice under makeup for extra hydration and over it for a pick me up. I haven’t noticed any mood-changing effects yet, but I’ll keep using them.

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What do you think of these products. Do you like to use essential oils to enhance your mood?

Boxycharm Subscription Box Review — February 2020

Hey all! I have just received my February BoxyCharm! I love receiving this box each month.

I’ve been subscribed to BoxyCharm for two and a half years now and really enjoy it. BoxyCharm is now $25 a month plus tax for 5 full-sized beauty items. The value is at least $125 each month.

The only subscription boxes I’m currently getting is this box, BoxyLuxe four times a year and the new BoxyCharm Premium. I think Boxy has been doing an amazing job curating their boxes lately.

The theme this month is Adore. My version is 47. This month I received:

Alamar Cosmetics Complexion Brush Trio – $36
Kate Somerville Kx Active Concentrates Bio-Mimicking Peptides Serum — $98.00
Ciaté London Everyday Vacay Coconut Scented Translucent Loose Powder — $22
Qveen Matte Liquid Lip Satin in Wifey — $17
Pretty Vulgar Faux Reals Extreme Volume Mascara — $23

These are gorgeous! They are very soft and seem to be of good quality. I really enjoy the Alamar eye brushes I have, so I’m excited to use these!

The serum was my choice this month. I love anything that smooths and firms my skin. I will be testing this out once I’m done with my current firming serum.

The powder is okay. I already have a Ciate powder in my stash that I got from a Boxycharm. It’s a different name then this one but it looks like almost the same thing. I’ll either save it for later or give it away.

These are my least favorite products this month. I don’t wear liquid lipstick and haven’t heard of the brand Qveen. I will pass it on to someone else.

I like Pretty Vulgar and have tried a few things in my Boxycharm, but I haven’t found anything I love yet. I have tons of mascara, so I’ll either throw this in my stash, or give it to one of my daughters.

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The box this month was okay for me. I am loving the Kate Somerville serum and the brushes and will use those. I might use the powder and mascara, or I might give them away. I will definitely give the liquid lipstick away.

Do you get Boxycharm? What did you get this month?

bareMinerals Limited Edition Beauty of Nature Collection

Hi All! I hope your weekend is going well!

I was sent the above products from bareMinerals Limited Edition Beauty of Nature Collection for my honest review. It is inspired by blooming tropical hues and natural textures. Here’s what I received:

The Beauty of Nature Gen Nude Powder Blush in That Peach Tho ($24 USD) — This buildable talc-free blush is formulated with light-reflecting mineral pearls that blur the look of pores for a soft-focus finish. The shade is so pretty and natural looking on, and it can be built up for more of a flush. So pretty!

The Beauty of Nature Gen Nude Eyeshadow Palette Natural Oasis ($29 USD) — Build a colorful smoky eye, create a wash of color, or add a vibrant pop to your look with these 6 new island-inspired shades, from shimmering sand to rich coral. Each features Jet-Milled Mineral Pigments for buildable, blendable color while botanical extracts help nourish skin around the delicate eye area, Cucumber Extract and Caffeine help soothe skin’s appearance and Cold-Pressed Borage Oil moisturizes skin. These eyeshadows are crease- and smudge-resistant to ensure your eyes look flawless all day long.

The shades from left to right are:

Sandy Beach: Shimmering Cream(shimmer)
Papaya: Creamy Papaya(matte)
Cabana: Terracotta Brown(matte)
Red Hibiscus: Red Copper(shimmer)
Shimmering Sunset: Warm Violet(shimmer)
Palm Leaf: Rich Palm Green(matte)

I really enjoy this palette. It’s nicely pigmented and lots of looks can be made with it because of the gorgeous shade selection. I love that it’s not just variations on one color, that there are 6 distinct shades in it. Also, since it’s so small, it will be nice for travel this spring and summer and they shades will even look nice in the fall!

Mineralist Hydra-Smoothing Lipstick in Wisdom and Perception ($20 USD) — This creamy moisturizing lipstick is made with minimal ingredients for maximal results; it’s proven to significantly improve the look of lip lines, texture and dryness in just one week — even after you take it off — and provides 2X hydration* and 2X rich color** with one swipe.

With just 19 ingredients — 40% less than top-selling lipsticks*** — MINERALIST Hydra-Smoothing Lipstick is formulated with 76% naturally derived extracts, including sustainably sourced botanicals from around the world. MINERALIST Lipstick is infused with omega-packed, cold-pressed European Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil; Mediterranean Olive Oil and antioxidant-rich Moroccan Pomegranate Extract to hydrate, nourish and replenish for softer, smoother lips. Because we believe less does more, we left out the unnecessary additives, including Parabens, Phthalates, Synthetic Fragrance, PEGs and Mineral Oil.

Each MINERALIST shade is inspired by the healing powers of natural minerals, crystals and gemstones, and features a subtle, uplifting natural scent of Prickly Pear and Açaí.

I also received the Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliner in Agave ($17 USD) — I can’t find the shade anywhere, so it might be an older shade. But you can purchase this eyeliner in a few other shades.

Here are swatches:

The liner is very pigmented and is nice for the waterline, or just lining the eyes.

The lipsticks are creamy, but have almost a satin-matte finish. They feel very hydrating on. These aren’t shades I normally wear, but the formula is gorgeous. I might have to pick up a nude or lighter pink!

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I’m really enjoying these products! The packaging is gorgeous and it’s making me think of spring and summer. The blush and eyeshadow are my favorites, but I do recommend the lipstick in a shade that’s wearable for you. Such a beautiful formula.

What do you think of this collection?

BoxyCharm Premium Review – February 2020

Hi all! I’ve just received my February BoxyCharm Premium! This is a fairly new subscription from BoxyCharm. It’s a little more products than the regular and a little less than the BoxyLuxe. Here’s the details:

It’s $35 a month
6-7 beauty items a box
$175+ Value
You get to pick one of the items
The items will be different from BoxyCharm/BoxyLuxe – you can subscribe to both with no product overlap.

I’ve been receiving this box since it launched last November. The products I received are:

Karity Picante Palette — $29
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush — $40
Faccia Skincare 24K Gold Foil Moisturizer — $100
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist — $28
Korres Body Butter in White Blossom — $32
Tarte Double Duty Beauty Base Tape Hydrating Powder — $30

My total this month is $259 — Amazing for a $35 box!

This is the item I chose this month. It was between this and a hair straightener. The photos I saw of this made the palette look so bright, but in real life it’s a lot more wearable. I’m excited to test it out!

I’m very excited about this blush! I don’t have any Hourglass Cosmetics products and I’ve heard their blushes are gorgeous. This is in Dim Infusion – A subdued coral blush fused with Dim Light to add warmth. I’m trying it out soon! I’ve been sick the last few days and haven’t been wearing makeup, but I have lots of new makeup to play with, so I’m getting up and putting makeup on!

This is the skincare I received. I love Glow Recipe and am looking forward to use this mist, but I’ve never heard of Faccia Skincare before, but I’me game to try this spendy face cream. I have a few moisturizers open right now, but I’ll put it in my stash for later.

I have heard good things about this Tarte primer. I love all types of primer, so I will use this, too.

The packaging of this Korres Body Butter is gorgeous. It’s very floral, but I will keep it in my office and use it when I need some hydration.

I am quite happy with this month’s BoxyCharm Premium! I plan on using everything that I got in the box this month! Amazing! Next month’s Premium is all Fenty Beauty products and I’m looking forward to that box as well!

I also just received my regular BoxyCharm for February and will be reviewing that in a couple of days.

Do you get BoxyCharm or BoxyCharm Premium? What did you get this month?

Ulta Haul — Treating Myself for Valentine’s day!

Hi All! January was a looong month! I’m glad it’s over and we are well into February. So I decided to treat myself with an Ulta Haul. This is a Valentines to myself. It helped that I had a 20% off coupon and a Christmas gift card I hadn’t used yet!

Here’s what I picked up:

I fell for this palette as soon as I saw it online, and love it even more in person! I’m excited that there are neutrals along with the pinks and purples. It will be so wearable for every day as well as special occasions.

Sorry this is a bit dirty, but that’s how it came to me. Maybe the trip was too rough for it! I ams looking forward to using it. It’s so pretty and soft. I think it will be lovely for the spring as well as now!

I have just finished my Farmacy Honeymoon Glow AHA serum and I really loved it. But I decided to try something new. Lactic Acid is supposed to be more gentle but still resurface the skin. Hopefully I’ll love the Ordinary Lactic Acid.

This Milani blush is new and I’m looking forward to trying it out!

My skin has been really dry and I need a new body cream. The Unicorn Fruit Body Butter looks like fun and smells really nice. Plus, I just wanted a new bath bomb and thought this one seems calming.

The NYX lip liner is a favorite of YouTuber Allie Glines, and I really need a new nude one.

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So, there’s my haul. Have you picked up any new makeup or skincare?

StriVectin Peptight Tightening & Brightening Face Serum Review

Hi all! I hope you’re having a great Thursday! I hope your February is going well.

I was sent an amazing product from BzzAgent to review. It’s the StriVectin Peptight Tightening & Brightening Face Serum ($99 USD). Here’s more about the product:

This dual-focus formula harnesses the power of two unique types of peptides, proprietary NIA-114™ and potent botanical extracts for visibly tighter, brighter skin. Tetrapeptides and botanical tensors visibly tighten, and firm for more sculpted-looking contours. Hexapeptides, vitamin C-rich Australian Kakadu Plum Extract and naturally-derived brighteners help even skin tone and enhance clarity and radiance.

I am loving this serum! I apply it before moisturizer in the morning and evening. I like how light but creamy the serum is. It absorbs quickly into the skin.

After about a week of use I noticed tightening, especially around my neck and jawline. I do have some loose skin on my neck, and I love how the serum made it look firmer!

I think this is a beautiful product that really works!

Have you tried this serum or anything by StriVectin?

Shop My Stash — February 2020

Hi all! Happy Superbowl Sunday. I live in Kansas City, so it’s a pretty exciting day! Plus, it’s time for my February Shop my Stash! Win win!

I’m always excited to play with new (again to me) color cosmetics that I either haven’t used in a while or haven’t used much at all! My goal is to get more use out of the products I have and to see if they are something I want to keep.

This month I have chosen products that I have only used a few times, but I am excited to see how I really feel about them. I’ve picked out two palettes, a blush, a highlighter and a lip gloss. You can probably tell that I chose lots of pinkish tones. I love wearing these shades in February!

Here are the palettes open:

So many pretty shades to play with! I have already used them today and loved playing with something I haven’t tried in a while.

Here are close ups of the products:

Anastasia Beverly Hills x Carli Bybel Palette — This is such a pretty palette. I got it last fall with my Ulta points (LOVE Ulta’s reward system). The shades are gorgeous, but I haven’t used it more than a few times. I’m excited to really give it a try!

Dose of Colors Eyeshadow Palette in Marvelous Mauves — I received this in a BoxyCharm last year. I really love the tones in the palette and the shades are so soft and buttery, so they blend so well! This is an all matte palette, but I can use one of the ABH x Carli Bybel shimmers on top if I want to add some sparkle to the look.

Makeup Geek Highlighter in Lit, Nanacoco HD Pressed Blush in Shimmery Dusty Rose and Milani Keep It Full Nourishing Lip Plumper in Soft Rose

I love the formula of the lip gloss, but it’s a bit dark of a shade for me. I want to use it more to see if I like it.

The Makeup Geek highlighter looks golden in this photo, but it has a bit of a pink tint to it. It’s pretty. The blush is pretty, too. It has a bit of a shimmer. I have been wearing matte blushes lately, so this will be a nice change.

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I’m excited about his month’s Shop My Stash! Do you do a Shop My Stash or Project Pan to use up your products?

Shop My Stash January 2020 Results and Monthly Empties

Hi All! Happy Saturday! I’m back with my January Shop My Stash results! I enjoy dipping into my collection and using products I haven’t used in a long time, or just haven’t given much of a chance.

My rule with this is if I don’t like the item after the month, I will move it out of my collection to make some room and let someone else enjoy it! You can check out my first Shop My Stash post for January.

I’ve had a lot of fun playing with these products this month! And I have decided to keep all of these products for now.

The Colourpop blush and Milani blusher are both amazing products! They are still fairly new to me, but I now have a good idea of how they perform, and I love them.

I’ve found that I don’t really wear lipstick any more, just liner and gloss. I did wear my MAC Creme in Your Coffee lipstick once or twice. It is nice and I’ll keep it, but I now want to go through my lipsticks and get rid of most of them. I did a pretty big declutter last year of my makeup, but I really want to pair it down to just what I use. Would you be interested in seeing that on my blog?

I used this palette a lot this month! I tried every shade. I’ve found that I like it okay. Many of the shades have to be built up, especially the shimmers. I am okay with building up mattes, but I like my shimmers to be soft and very blingy. I do like the variety of the shades and I made a lot of varied looks with it. I think I’ll keep it for now, but I might pass it on when I declutter.

Urban Decay On The Run palette in Detour – I really love this palette. It’s the opposite of the Emily Edit palette in that it’s very pigmented and easy to use. The shimmers, especially Dash, are creamy and are very blingy! And the mattes are so easy to blend.I am very happy to keep this in my collection.

On to my empties:

I had a lot more empties than I thought I would this month, but I have been trying to go through my products more. So I’m proud of these.

For skincare, I finished the PIXI Jasmine Oil and the PIXI Collagen & Retinol Serum. I’ve had the Jasmine oil for a while, but I concentrated on using it the last few months. I love the scent. I also liked the serum, which was unscented, but I don’t know if it did much to my skin. The Glow Recipe Pineapple Bright Serum was very scented like extremely ripe pineapple. I didn’t care for the scent but I loved the serum to brighten my skin. I would repurchase the PIXI Jasmine oil and the Glow Recipe.

The Laneige Choco Mint lip mask was amazing! I got it in a holiday set with a full size of the berry and another little one. I use the lip mask every day. And I will continue to repurchase them so I always have one on hand. I also used up the Body Shop Fall For Pumpkin body butter I purchased in October and two hand creams, Juicy Pear and Mango, from my The Body Shop advent calendar.

For Makeup, I finally used up the Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer. I’ve had it for about 18 months and have been working on using it up. It’s okay. It works fine, but was really expensive. I don’t know if I’ll purchase again in the future. I also finished my L’Oreal Lash Paradise primer, a deluxe size of the Too Faced Damn Girl Mascara and the Pop Beauty lip liner. I would purchase the lip liner again, I loved it.

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I had fun playing with the products in my Shop My Stash last month. I’ll be posting my new one hopefully tomorrow.