cosmetics – Page 3 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Shop My Stash — March 2020

Hi all! Happy Sunday and happy March! The weather is so nice in Kansas City today, it’s supposed to be in the 60’s. What’s the weather like where you live?

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 and a highlighter palette and two really interesting lip products. Since spring is on it’s way, I went with softer tones:

Such gorgeous products! I’m excited to play with these!

Here are close ups of each product:

Sigma Enchanted palette — This palette screams spring to me. I think enchanted is the perfect name for it. It’s almost like a fairy palette, lol! Plus there are greens and a gold for my St. Patrick’s Day look (I always wear green and gold on that day. My dad was part Irish). I’m very excited to play with this more.

bareMinerals Gen Nude Eyeshadow Palette in Neutral — I chose this so I would have a neutral palette as well as my fun one for March. I love the formula on this and the shades are perfect for every day.

Natasha Denona Bloom Blush and Glow Palette — I received this in a Boxycharm Premium last fall. I haven’t used it a lot, so I want to give it some love. I think it looks perfect for spring.

Vice Lip Chemistry Lasting Glassy Tint in Pink Slip and Low Key — high-gloss lip tint that reacts to your pH and creates a custom shade unique to your tone. Its lightweight, balm-like texture gives your lips a hit of hydration, so they feel moisturized. The lasting glassy tint adjusts to you; the color fully develops and reveals itself after just a few minutes and lasts up to 5 hours.

Steve Laurent Lip Liner in Chic — this is a nice nude pencil. I forgot I had it and just found it. I love nude liners because they work under any lip color.

Swatches:

The lip pencil in Chic and the Lip Chemistry’s in Low Key and Pink Slip

I am very excited for these products this month. I have used the eye shadow palettes a few times each, but not the other products. I am looking forward to trying them out!

Do you do a Shop My Stash? What products are you focusing on this month?

Shop My Stash February 2020 Results and Monthly Empties

Hi All! Happy Saturday! I’m back with my February 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 February.

February may be a short month, but I did get lots of use out of most of these products! The shades were perfect for February and I enjoyed using them!

I made sure to use every shade of the ABH x Carli Bybel palette. I really have enjoyed testing it out more. It’s a good palette. The mattes blend well and I really love a few of the shimmers. I do wish that most of the shimmers didn’t have glitter in them, but they are pretty nonetheless. I also still think Jode and OA are so similar and I wish they both weren’t in the palette. But, I can make some nice everyday looks with this and will be keeping it.

The formula of the Dose of Colors Eyeshadow Palette in Marvelous Mauves is so creamy and pigmented! This is a really gorgeous matte palette. I wore it alone and with shimmers from the Carli Bybel palette (especially Aura). I like this alot and will be keeping it.

I wore the blush and highlighter many times this month. They are the Nanacoco HD Pressed Blush in Shimmery Dusty Rose and the Makeup Geek Highlighter in Lit. They are beautiful together! I love them both and are keeping them both!

The Milani Keep It Full Nourishing Lip Plumper in Soft Rose is pretty, but it’s darker and more pigmented than I usually like in a gloss. I’m going to keep it for now and we’ll see if I reach for it.

On to my empties:

I had ten empties this month! Mostly skincare and body care.

I already have backups of the Pixi Retinol Jasmine Cleanser and the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer. I love both of those products! Products I would repurchase are the MAC Fix+ (this was coconut scented), the Farmacy Honeymoon Glow and the StriVectin Peptight.

I got the QMS eye cream from a Boxycharm and liked it. It’s very expensive, though, so I wouldn’t purchase it again. The Julep Boost Your Radiance Oil is nice, but I haven’t purchased from them in a while, since they ended their Maven program. And the rest of the products were from my The Body Shop Advent Calendar. I loved them and might be purchasing them in the future!

Another successful Shop My Stash on the books! I had so much fun with these products and am looking forward to a new batch of makeup in March!

Do you shop your stash or have a project pan going on? I will be doing my first quarter project pan update at the end of March.

February 2020 Beauty Favorites

Hi all! Happy Friday! February is almost over, which is crazy! I’m so looking forward to the spring!

Below are my beauty faves for February. As usual, If I have reviewed them before, I will include the link, if not, I will link to where you can purchase:

I had a pretty good mix of skincare and makeup this month! Like normal, it’s a mix of stuff I buy, products from beauty subscription boxes and PR.

Here’s a photo with the palette and blush open:

So pretty! Here’s close up looks at the products:

Truly Beauty Unicorn Fruit Body Butter— I purchased this in my recent Ulta haul and love it. It’s a very dense body butter and needs to be warmed up. When applied it almost turns into an oil and is so hydrating! It smells delicious, too!

The TellurideGlow Snow Rose Recovery Mask also smells amazing — like vanilla and rose. This is a powder mask that’s activated with water. You leave it on for about 10-15 minutes until it dries then washes it off. My skin is glowing a beautiful later!

Kate Somerville Kx Active Concentrates Bio-Mimicking Peptides Serum — This was my choice for BoxyCharm this month. Yay me — it was an amazing choice! I mostly apply this on my neck and it does firm it. I use it in the morning and night and love it!

Derma E Blue Light Shield Spray — I use this everyday before I work at my computer or phone. It has amazing ingredients and I love that I am protecting my skin from blue lights!

Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Facial Oil — I use this in my evening skincare routine. I have been loving facial oils this winter for hydration and glow. This smells like fresh cut roses and it’s lovely. Plus it sinks into the skin quickly, which I love.

PÜR Fully Charged Mascara and Fully Charged Mascara Primer — I have been using this duo every day and really love the volume I get with it. I am a fan of mascara primers and am enjoying this one!

NYX Cosmetics Slide On Lip Pencil in Nude Suede Shoes — I purchased this in my recent Ulta haul on the recommendation of Youtuber Allie Glines. I needed a nude lip liner (I thought, I just found a Steve Laurent one I got in a subscription box in basically the same shade, LOL). It’s very nice and works well with all of my natural toned glosses.

PÜR Blushing Act Skin Perfecting Powder in Pretty in Peach— If you want a very pigmented peach blush, this is it! This is such a smooth blush and blends out well, but just use a little at first! This shade screams spring to me — and I’m so ready for it!

Colourpop UR A QT Palette — This is another item from my Ulta haul. I love Colourpop and really wanted this! It is only available at Ulta. It’s still available and it’s on sale right now! It’s normally $18, and it’s on sale for $12.60. I think it might be a limited edition, so if you want it, get it now here.

The second month of 2020 is over, bring on March!

What were your favorites this month?

Fresh New Beauty From Pixi!

Hi all! I’ve recently received a bunch of amazing products from Pixi for my honest review! I love Pixi because their products have amazing natural ingredients and have really improved my skin. Plus, the packaging is always gorgeous!

These products are from Pixi’s New Colourtreats +C Vit collection. They give the long-term benefits of Vitamin C while correcting tone and perfecting the complexion. The products I have from this line are:

+C Vit Lip Brightener ($10 USD) — Inspired by nature, this Vitamin C infused lip balm smooths with a hint of tint and shine. It gives a very natural color and feels hydrating.

+C Vit UnderEye Brightener ($16 USD) — This Vitamin C infused under eye perfector blurs and energizes to give an instant awakening effect. Refreshing treatment in a tube brightens and restores vibrancy. It has a peachy color that helps with my dark circles!

+C Vit Priming Oil ($28 USD) — Infused with Vitamin C, this tri-phase oil nourishes, energizes and balances to prep and prime for a radiant glow. Gently shake to mix & smooth on a few drops into skin in between Skintreats routine and makeup application.

• Vitamin C brightens
• Turmeric provides Antioxidant protection
• Carrot Oil replenishes & hydrates

+C Vit Brightening Perfector ($18 USD) — Vitamin C infused complexion enhancer blurs and perfects to give skin a dewy radiant finish. This works well under makeup, but I really like it on it’s own. It’s nice to apply when I don’t have time for makeup. It smooths my skin and gives me a bit of polish. Add the lip brightener and I’m ready to go!

Here’s a shot of the priming oil so you can see the three layers. When they are mixed together, they smell like fresh citrus. It feels so hydrating, but not greasy. It’s very nice under makeup to add hydration and glow.

Collagen LipGloss ($14 USD) — Enriched with Botanical Collagen and Peptides, this nourishing lip balm hydrates and softens while helping to create smoother, fuller looking lips. It is so lovely! It’s hydrating without being sticky and is so comfortable on. It’s not a plumper and doesn’t sting, but my lips do look fuller because of the collagen and peptides.

I also was sent some new makeup!

On-the-Glow Blush in Ruby ($18 USD) — Formulated with Ginseng, Aloe Vera and a unique mix of Fruit Extracts, this tinted balm provides a hint of natural color while hydrating and conditioning skin. This is a bit bright for me, but it would be gorgeous on darker skin tones!

LipGlow in Fleur ($14 USD) — Sheer, buildable color that leaves lips softer after each use, making on-the-go no-mirror application effortless. This shade is so natural on and I really like wearing it with natural daytime looks.

Eye Effects palette in Rosette Ray ($22 USD) — A selection of gorgeous super silky shadows come in a portable compact to help create any look needed, day or night. This palette has beautiful, natural shades that are perfect for every day looks.

The shades in the palette are on the back of it. From left to right are: French
Rose, Ice, Glow, Plum, Mocha, Wine, Berry, Mushroom and Black Tulip.

As you can see from the swatches, the shades are very soft and natural. They can be built up for more drama. The mattes are very blendable. The shimmers give a glow. If I want a more metallic look, I need to wet them. The shade Ice looks nice on me as a highlighter, too! I’m really happy to have this for more natural days. Plus, it comes with a nice mirror which would make it nice for travel.

I’m so happy I got to try all of these amazing products. As always, Pixi has made stunning products!

What do you think of these new Pixi products? What are your favorite products by the brand?

Melt Cosmetics Millennial Pinx Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hi all! I had some Sephora gift cards, so I decided to pick up the Melt Cosmetics Millennial Pinx eyeshadow palette. I’ve been wanting to try Melt’s shadows, but their recent releases have been either too deep or too bright for me. Melt describes these shades as “a refreshing combination of boujee pinx and modern greys with an edge! The unique tones in our ultra-pigmented, one-swipe opaque formula will get anyone out of their makeup rut!”

Yes please, that sounds amazing!

You can also pick this up on the Melt website here. It retails for $58. I really like the description of the shades from Melt:

Rosé Brunch – Pop this iridescent pink bubbly on the lid and you’ll be ready for any Sunday ritual.
Pink Leather – The juxtaposition of this soft, but bold strawberry milk hue excites us.
Flamingo Dream – Wash this tropical pink ultra-matte shadow all over the lid for a dreamy and feminine eye.
Mixed Emotions – The vivid pink shift of this decadent rose quartz will have you feeling all types of ways.
Modern Love – There’s nothing more romantic than this contemporary rosewood hue.
Ruby Spar – Bring that date night sparkle back in this metallic rose wine shadow.
Pink Noise – The loud pink shift of this opal iridescent is as addicting as your favorite love song. Turn up the chrome by using this wet.
Moonglow – Not even the stars can explain the beauty of this luxurious silver metallic.
GF – Boys come and go, but your GirlFriend and this french grey matte are forever
Euphoria – How deep is your love? As deep as this active charcoal ultra-matte shade.

Here are swatches of the shades:

Here’s a swatch of all of the shades to get a good look at the color story.

From left to right Rosé Brunch, Pink Leather, Flamingo Dream, Mixed Emotions, Modern Love and Ruby Spar.

The mattes in this palette are so pigmented and easy to blend. I love the pinks especially Pink Leather and Modern Love. Flamingo Dream is a bit bright, but it does look pretty on. The metallics are very softly pressed and a little flaky. But when wet, they are stunning!

The last four shades from left to right are Pink Noise, Moonglow, GF and Euphoria

These two metallics are gorgeous but very sheer. They can be built up by using your finger or a wet brush.

All in all I’m happy with this palette. I’ve seen mixed reviews but I think the quality is very nice. I’ve made some pretty soft looks and more dramatic looks with it. I’m happy I’ve added it to my collection!

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What do you think about this palette? Do you have any Melt Cosmetics products?

20 Palettes in 2020 — Juvia’s Place The Nubian 2

Hi all! This is the second review in my new series! I’m reviewing 20 palettes that I purchased or received last year (and maybe previous years) that I haven’t reviewed yet. I might also include palettes from this year if I don’t get around to reviewing them right away. These will be mostly eye shadows, but some face palettes may be thrown in the mix.

The reason I started this was as I was doing my Shop my Stash last year, I realized that I hadn’t reviewed a lot of the palettes I featured (check out my February Shop my Stash here). I’ve used them, of course, but haven’t given my review. So this year, I’m going to get that done!

The palette I’m reviewing today is the Juvia’s Place Nubian 2 palette:

I only have a couple Juvia’s Place palettes and I think this is the first time I’ve reviewed one. I purchased this last fall at Ulta (on sale, of course)!

The shades are:

Row 1: Morocco (matte dark orange), Madagascar (matte beige), Sheba (metallic fawn), Yaa (metallic auburn)
Row 2: Jezebel (matte maroon), Zuri (shimmer ivory), Cleopatra (shimmer royal blue), Nefertiti (shimmer 18k gold)
Row 3: Nairobi (metallic yellow gold), Leyla (shimmer royal eggplant), Kenya (matte chocolate brown), Egypt (metallic royal green)

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.

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?