makeup – Page 6 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Sephora VIB Appreciation Sale Mini Haul

Hi all! I did a little haul during the recent Sephora VIB Appreciation sale. I’m currently just an Insider (I usually shop at Ulta). I’m close to being a VIB, which will be nice for the next sale!

Here are the products I purchased. There’s swatches at the end:

Stila Glitter On The Go Liquid Eye Shadow Set ($25) I’ve been wanting to try these for a while. The shades are:

Rose Gold Retro – rose gold & silver Kitten Karma – champagne, silver & copper Smoldering Satin – deep tan & silver

I think these are so pretty, but they are sooooo glittery. I tried them on and they left glitter all over my face. These definitely aren’t an every day product, so I have to firgure out where to wear them!

BITE BEAUTY French Press Lip Gloss ($18 USD) — This collection of lip glosses contains hydrating coffee butters and arabica cold press coffee oil, and has a sweet mocha flavor.

I have heard a lot about this and especially the shade I got, Flat White. I have fair/light skin, but this is still a bit light for me. And it has more coverage than I thought it would. It’s not sheer. But If I use it over a darker liner or lipstick, I think it will look nice. And it does feel creamy on, not sticky. So I’ll continue using it.

This is the Natasha Denona Super Glow Highlighter ($38 USD) — This super-soft, lightweight formula melts into the skin. It gives a glass-like strobing effect thanks to its high concentration of crushed and milled chroma crystals mixed with crushed pearls.

I have this in the fair shade, Icy Ivory. It’s so gorgeous! But, it’s not really an every day glow. But I want to use it everyday because the glow looks healthy as well as booming! So I like to brush a little translucent powder on top to tone it down. I kind of want this in Light Medium – nude champagne next.

Swatches:

From left to right -Bite lip gloss in Flat White, Stila Glitter & Glow in Rose Gold Retro, Kitten Karma, Smoldering Satin, and Natasha Denona highlighter in Fair.

I chose 3 freebies. The Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara is so amazing. I was going to buy a full-sized at the Ulta sale on Friday, but I didn’t make it to the store. This is a decent little size, so I’ll take it. I am looking forward to trying the Marc Jacobs Shameless primer and foundation. I did’t choose the Rahua shampoo an condition, but I’ll use them.

Did you shop the latest Sephora sale? What did you pick up? I have been shopping the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty sale (and I’m not done yet). I will be doing at least one post on that sale!

August 2018 Beauty Favorites

It’s almost September! Yay! It has been a LONG, HOT summer and frankly, I’m glad it’s almost over! My daughters have been in school for over two weeks now, so I’m ready for cooler weather and a change in my beauty routine!

Below are my favorites this month. These are products I’ve been using all summer. I haven’t done a ton of reviews in August because I’ve been busy and I haven’t had many new products (I have a feeling that will change this fall!). Here are the one I have been loving most:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Eyeshadow Palette ($42 USD) — I would think this would be a predictable favorite for many of us this month! I purchased this as soon as went on sale at Ulta.com. I love purples shadow and I loved the packaging! I wish this had more purples, but the ones in it are very pretty and you can make lots of natural looks with it. There is a lot of kick up in the pans and their is fallout, but the shades blend well and are very pigmented!

Philosophy Pure Grace Endless Summer ($49 for 2 fl. oz EDT) — I have been loving this during the summer. It’s citrusy and fresh at first, then the musk gives a sultry finish. I received this in a set that includes a body lotion, but the set doesn’t seem to be on sale any more. You can get the perfume still. And I definitely recommend it!

jane iredale’s NEW Triple Luxe Long Lasting Naturally Moist Lipsticks ($35 each). These are actually new for fall and are a very new favorite for me! Each lipstick contains antioxidant-rich Moringa Oil to soothe and nourish, plus Tahitian Vanilla and Blackberry for subtly sweet, natural flavor. These are hydrating but feel really light on. My fave shade is the one shown, Jackie (peachy pink). It’s pretty now for summer and will also look gorgeous with dramatic eyes in the fall.

Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Setting Powder ($34 USD) — This gives me a matte look, but isn’t dry on my skin. That’s important to me as I age, and the fact is my face isn’t oily. But it does get greasy in the summer when it’s so hot and humid. The combo of this and the Urban Decay Chill setting spray really has kept my makeup in place all day during the hot weather.

Pixi Beauty Retinol Tonic (#15 USD) — This amazing toner features a unique time-release Retinol to help rejuvenate the skin for a natural glow. Powerful antioxidants and botanicals replenish the skin for a smoother, softer appearance. I love using this once a day (normally at night). It makes my sensitive a bit red at first, but then calms down and is so even-toned an smooth! Plus my skin looks great in the morning!

Derma E Firming DMAE Cleanser ($15.50 USD) — This has been my favorite cleanser for months now! It claims to cleanse away oil and makeup while supporting visibly firmer skin with this exclusive treatment cleanser. The formula contains skin-firming DMAE, antioxidants Alpha Lipoic Acid and C-Ester, calming Lemon Grass, Chamomile, natural astringents Horsetail and Horse Chestnut to be gentle on skin while encouraging healthy tone and texture. It doesn’t irritate my skin at all and cleanses so well while not drying out my skin.

So, those are my August faves. What have you been loving this month?

New Summer Releases From Pixi Beauty

I was so lucky to receive some new Pixi by Petra Products for my honest review. I got a fun mix of skincare and makeup.

The first three products are some amazing Skintreats. The first one I want to talk about is the Retinol Tonic (now on the website, in the middle of the photo above).

This is not on the website yet, but I did get some PR materials about it. It will retail for $15 and is 3.4 fl. oz. It features a unique time-release Retinol to help rejuvenate the skin for a natural glow. Powerful antioxidants and botanicals replenish the skin for a smoother, softer appearance.

I have only been using this and the other two Skintreats for about a week, but I am enjoying it. It doesn’t have much of a scent, so if you are sensitive to scent, this is a good choice. I apply it every night before serum and moisturizer and I like how smooth my skin looks in the morning! I will keep using and report what results I see.

There are also two new products in the Rose Skintreats line — Rose Ceramide Cream and Rose Glow Mist:

Rose Ceramide Cream ($24 USD) — This ultra-rich cream is infused with Ceramides and Rose Oil to deeply hydrate the skin for a healthier, more supple appearance and feel. Antioxidant-rich botanicals help to improve skin’s elasticity while protecting against environmental aggressors.

This is a very hydrating cream. A little goes a long way. I over did it the first time I used it and it felt a little heavy. For me, this is a night cream. In the morning, my skin is well hydrated. It has a soft floral scent and smells really nice.

Rose Glow Mist ($15 USD) — Infused with 7 types of Rose Flower extracts and antioxidants, this lightweight mist helps soothe and strengthen the skin. Helping to moisturize, improve elasticity and provide free radical protection, skin’s complexion is left with a naturally enhanced glow.

I’m in love with this mist! I use this after cleansing and before serums and moisturizer. I also use it over makeup for a little hydration and glow. It smells like fresh roses and gives my skin a healthy glow. LOVE!

These are the stunning PixiGlow Cakes ($28 each) –This light-diffusing palette helps to achieve a naturally healthy, radiant complexion with flushed apples of the cheeks, subtle contouring and glowing highlights. The shades in the gradient make it easy to create a sheer wash of luminous colour that enhances your PixiGlow!

This comes in two shades, GildedBare Glow on the left in the photo above and the PinkChampagne Glow on the right.

Here is a swatch of the GildedBare Glow. It’s kind of hard to see, but I swatched the lightest end, in the middle and the darker end.

This is very shimmery/glittery, but when applied it gives a glow and the glitter doesn’t show on my face. I tried it two ways: swirling a big fluffy brush in it and applying it all over my cheek, and applying the lightest end as highlighter, the middle as blush and the darkest end as bronzer. Both ways are so pretty, but I think I like applying it all together. It gives a gorgeous flush! The more bronze end doesn’t work well bronzing the rest of my face, though. It’s way too shimmery!

I have to say, though, I really recommend this. It can be built up easily and gives my face the perfect summer glow!

This is the LashLift 188 Mascara in Beyond Black ($15 USD) — This unique 2-in-1 dual chamber contains a larger wand for volume and a finer precision wand to coat every one of your +188 lashes. Together, the brushes create volume, length and curl for an eye-opening effect and the ultimate false-lash look!

Here is how it looks with both of the wands. I use it this way first and it gives great volume.

Here is what the smaller wand looks like when removed from the larger one. I have never seen anything like this before!

I use the skinny wand to define my lashes and on my lower lashes. It works really well! All in all, this is a great mascara. It doesn’t smudge or flake. I really like this and will continue to use it.

I am really liking all of these products. I will continue testing out the skincare, but so far are enjoying using them — especially the mist. The GlowCakes are perfect for the summer and I will be using both of them. The mascara is really fun to use and gives a dramatic look.

What do you think of these products? Will you be picking any of them up?

Julep Maven July (& June) 2018 Subscription Box Review

I am excited to share what I received from one of my favorite (and my oldest) subscription box, Julep Maven.

This is the JuIy box, but I realized that I never photographed and reviewed the June box! So I found the products and I will include the photo at the end of this review.

I have been a Julep Maven subscriber for 5 years now. And I love it! You don’t have to take a box each month, you can skip if you want to. Which is so nice if I’m short a month or if I’m not feeling any of the items. The cost is $24.99 a month ($19.99 a month with a 3-month subscription).

I also love that you can customize your box. When I first started subscribing, I could choose from curated boxes, but now, I get to curate my own! Here are the products I chose:

Saundra Polish ($14) — Color description: Azure Seas Holographic Shimmer. There were a bunch of fun shimmers this month, but I have a TON of nail polish, so I just chose one this month. Their formula is 5-free and vegan-friendly.

Rethink Your Shower Hydrating Body Cleansing Oil ($38) — An ultra-hydrating, lightweight body cleansing oil that reaches deep to dissolve impurities and prep skin for exfoliation, then rinses away to reveal silky, nourished skin. This smells amazing! Kind of citrusy. But, I haven’t tried it yet. It’s in my beauty room/office and I keep forgetting to take it into my bathroom. I am excited to try it, though.

Don’t Leave Your Brows At Home – Cool Brown — Two-in-one tool with brow powder and an angled brush to fill in and define your brows. I can’t find this on the website right now. It wasn’t a new product this month, but one I wanted to try. I have been playing with it and am liking it okay. I’m more used to an eyebrow pencil.

And this is what I chose last month:

Roberta polish ($14 USD) — Color description: Breezy Turquoise Shimmer

Two It’s Whipped Matte Lip Mousse ($20 each) in ULTAmate Nude and Blush. Blush is shimmery, which I didn’t know until I purchased it.

Here are swatches:

I really like ULTAmate Nude. It’s so pretty on! These are so nice, they don’t dry down all of the way and aren’t transfer proof. But I don’t like drying lippies, so these are right up my alley!

I love this box and will continue subscribing! I love that I can choose from new or older products depending on what I want and need.

What did you choose for your June and July boxes if you are a maven?

Urban Decay Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hi all! I’m excited to be reviewing the Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette! When I saw it was about to be released, I had to have it! I drove to my nearest Sephora last Sunday to pick it up as soon as it came out.

The first picture is the front of the box and this si the back. I like how it shows all of the gorgeous shades! Here is the front and back of the palette:

I love all of the travel photos! They are really fun. I haven’t seen a palette designed like this before. Plus, its made of a sturdy plastic and has a really nice mirror.

Lets look inside:

The top photo shows the amazing mirror, but in the bottom photo the light was better. In the bottom photo, the shades look truer to life.

I love the shade selection! I think a lot of palettes being released right now look very summery — lots of bronzes, blues and oranges. And they are really pretty. But this palette has those shades and so much more, plus I think the shades will work so well in the fall and winter, too!

On to the swatches (I’ll be going by rows):

From left to right — Breakaway (warm ivory shimmer), Stranded (pale rose gold with tonal micro-shimmer), Blaze (light metallic peach with pink shift), Weekender (light neutral beige matte), Still Shot (bright peach), Riff (brown-nude matte with floating micro-sparkle), Good As Gone (deep brown with iridescent micro-shimmer)

Hell Ride (deep fuchsia matte), Baja (burnt orange matte), Accelerate (reddish copper metallic), Guilt Trip (smoky purple shimmer), Ignite (rose gold metallic), Smog (deep coppery bronze shimmer), Wanderlust (forest green with gold micro-shimmer)

Wildheart (bright fuchsia), Punk (red-brown matte), Double Life (metallic rust), Jet (black with deep shimmering purple shift), Drift (charcoal satin with tonal micro-sparkle), Radio (deep emerald satin), Big Sky (frosted green shimmer with iridescent micro-sparkle)

So pretty! I was excited to play with the different colors, but of course I have been reaching for the bronze and purple shades because they are so easy to use. I have just tried out the blues and greens on, and they are amazing, too! I can get SO MANY looks with this palette!

And for the quality, they are very pigmented and blend well. The quality reminds me of my Anastasia palettes. I don’t have a lot of Urban Decay, but if this is what their shadows are like, I need to get me some more. Any suggestions?

Have you picked up this palette or are you planning on it?

Fun Products For Easy Summer Beauty!

Happy Friday! I’ve received samples of some fun products for my honest review. Some are new and some are new to me, but all are fun for the summer to some degree!

Ola Tropical Apothecary Body Mist ($14 for 2 oz) – The secret ingredient in Ola Tropical Apothecary’s Deep Sea Body Mist is…the water. Found at 3000’ below the ocean surface off the Kona Coast, each Body Mist contains over 90 trace minerals, and is high in calcium and magnesium. A few simple spritzes to hair, face and skin instantly hydrates and moisturizes.

I first thought this was like a body cologne spray, but it has a very fine mist and I read that it can be used on the face. I have the Pikake, which smells like a Hawaiian lei, and the Passion Fruit. I LOVE the passion fruit one, it’s one of my favorite scents. These are very refreshing and hydrating.

Hotheads’ Mini G Hairbrush ($9.29 USD) – Good things really do come in small packages! The Mini G conveniently fits in your handbag, gym bag or travel bag. Use it with your favorite dry shampoo to refresh tired locks. It’s the perfect little brush to distribute your leave-in products before heading out into the sun. Great for detangling after a swim, the Mini G also helps remove sand debris from the scalp and hair. Finishing your day at the beach using the Mini G will reduce frizz and help create the perfect ponytail.

Mally Beauty More Is More Mascara ($20 USD) has a special brush designed to grip lashes and smooth mascara out to the very tips for exceptional length and definition. Has a rich, creamy, jet black formula. It took me a few uses to get a very voluminous look. And it only really lengthens if I use a primer underneath. It is very black, though!

Mally Beauty Kiss Me Tinted Lip Oil ($27.21 USD for 3) — I received this in Crystal Clear, but you can get a trio including Crystal Clear, Peach Me and What a Melon. This is a conditioning oil that gives shine like a gloss, but it’s not sticky. It has a minty taste. This is nice when I want something on my lips, but don’t want to wear color.

Hard Candy Stroke of Gorgeous Colored Mascara ($5 USD) — Delivers intense opaque color that will not clump or flake. Maximum bristled brush helps give volume and length to all lashes. Available in 8 colored mascaras and two glitter top coats. The two shades I received are the glitter top coats in Disco Ball and Shooting Star. Disco Ball has silver glitter and shows up more than Shooting Star, which has black and multi-colored glitter. These show up the best in the sunlight. They are fun, but I will probably be giving them to my daughter.

What products have you been trying out lately?

Project Pan April-June 2018 — Second Update

I hope everyone has had a great weekend! This is the second Project Pan update for my April to June pan. Just one more month to go! It has been going really well. I started out with 12 products, but as you can see from my photo above, I only have 5 left! I panned two in the first month and 5 more the second. The first two products I panned were IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye concealer and Bye Bye Lines foundation. You can check out my original post here and my second post here.

Of the products left, I am almost finished with the Philosophy Eye Hope eye cream and the the H2O+ day cream. I have only used the face mask a few times, so it’s still half full. I really like it, but I always forget to use it. So we’ll see! The powder still has a lot in it and I have made a dent in the eye shadow.

Here’s what I used up:

I used up my Ofra Cleanser, Neocutis night cream, Oscar Blandi Glossing Cream, Reclaim Botanical neck cream, and the Philosophy Snow Angel body lotion. I am really happy with that!

One more month to go! I should use up almost everything. I’m learning so far that like I thought, skincare is much easier to use up than makeup! I am trying to decide if I’ll do two more pans this year. It’s a lot of work, but it is really satisfying using products up.

Are you doing a project pan? How’s it going?

Macy’s 10 Days of Glam!

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Macy’s is having a huge beauty sale event called 10 Days of Glam, which starts in stores and online today, May 31st through June 9th! The event includes a selection of products that are on sale for the entire ten days, as well as select 50% off Beauty Offers which will change daily.

Click here to see the deals for each day. Here are some products that look amazing to me:

Smashbox Spotlight Highlighting Palette

The Smashbox Spotlight Highlighting Palette ($35.00, Sale $17.50) — This is still on sale for a few more hours online, so grab it if you want it! It comes in two shades, Pearl (shown) and Gold. They include 3 complementary highlighting shades that range from subtle glow to mega sparkle.

Tomorrow Clinique Liquid Facial Soap, 6.7 oz is on sale from $17.50 to $8.75 and the Benefit they’re real! lengthening mascara is one sale from $24 to $12.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture Eye Shadow Palette

On Saturday June 2nd the Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture Eye Shadow Palette is on sale from $42 to $21! I might pick that one up. It’s the only recent ABH eye shadow palette that I don’t have. I’ve heard the controversy, but I really like the colors and would love to check it out!

Probably the other two I’m super interested in is 8 different shades of Benefit’s Box of Powders are on sale from $29 to $14.50 and

MAC In The Flesh x 15 Eye Shadow Palette

MAC In The Flesh x 15 Eye Shadow Palette is on sale from $65.00 to $32.50! I haven’t tried MAC eye shadows since the ’90’s, but I bet the formula is still amazing! The colors are very nude, but pretty!

Are you going to check out this sale? Visit the Macy’s sale page and let me know what’s caught your eyes!

New Pur Cometics Products For Spring and Summer

Pur Cosmetics are one of my favorite brands. They always are releasing new, fun and innovative cosmetics and skincare. I received these new products for my honest review.

This weekend, if you shop on their website you can get 50% off the whole site (except for the mystery bag). I am going to give the retail price of these items, but they will be half that this weekend with the code MEMDAY50 on purcosmetics.com.

I have wanted this as soon as it came out, so I’m excited I got to try it! It’s the 4-in-1 Blush Book ($36) — This is such a cool palette. It is huge and has four full sized blushes in it. The pans are removable so they can be used in a z-palette. My shade called Passionate came a bit broken, and it’s worse now. I have to be careful of the palette, I can’t throw it around! But it’s a pretty color and I still use it.

The blush is formulated with vitamins and botanical extracts and is long-wearing. Each pan has 3 complimentary shades. You can use them separately, or swirl them together. Here’s swatches of each pan swirled together:

From left to right is Honest, Passionate, Determined and Loyal. I find myself reaching for Honest and Passionate, but Loyal is gorgeous, too! I have to have the right makeup on to use that one because it’s shimmery and bold. Loyal is pretty, but a little deep for my skin tone. I think there is a shade for almost every skin tone in this palette. The blush formula is very smooth and blend well.

This is a tiny eye shadow set called On-the-Go Eyeshadow Palettes ($14 USD). You get both the Day and the Night palettes. They are small, you can see the scale in the below photo as I hold the Night palette in my hand.

This is the Day palette. This feels more cool toned to me, but there are a couple of warm shades in it. This is very work appropriate

The Night palette is very warm toned. This can be used to create a really dramatic evening look with the bottom row, but the top row can make a nice day look too.

Here are my swatches:

This is the Day palette. As you can see, the two shimmery shades are not showing up well on my arm. But they do look nice on the eye.

These swatched better, and also look nice on the eyes. The formulas of these eye shadows are very butter and pigmented. There is not a lot of kick up in the pan or fall out on the eye. They blend well, too.

I think these are very travel friendly and so affordable. Plus, if you get the set on sale this weekend, it will only be $7!

Now, to apply this fun makeup, I use the Essentials Brush Set ($39 USD). These brushes are very soft and densely packed. The packaging and handles are a little industrial for my taste, but they are pretty cool looking.

Do you like PUR Cosmetics? Are you picking up anything during the sale this weekend?

Brand Review — Flower Beauty

Happy Monday! I was recently sent Flower Beauty products for my honest review. Flower Beauty was founded by Drew Barrymore to give women the best quality makeup at affordable prices.

I haven’t reviewed Flower Beauty for a few years, and have been wanting to try some of their current products.

I was so excited to try this foundation! I’ve heard really good things about it. Light Illusion Liquid Foundation ($13.99 USD) — This claims to have buildable coverage, while imparting your skin with the most flattering soft luminosity imaginable. All with a weightless, nude skin feel. Imperfections and uneven skintone are diminished. Only a flawless, smooth, and incredibly natural complexion is revealed.

I do really like this! I received the four lightest shades (above) They all kind of look the same in the bottle. But they are different. Right now my perfect shade is a mixture of Ivory L2 and Nude L3. The L2 is a bit light and the L3 is a bit warm, so together, they are perfect! I think Warm Beige L4 will work when I faux tan, and I’l probably give Porcelain L1 to my daughter.

This is about medium coverage, which I like. I don’t enjoy full coverage, it feels like I’m wearing a mask. It does have a little bit of an illumination, but it doesn’t make my skin shiny. My skin has felt dry lately, and this is so comfortable on. And it lasts for hours, too!

Available in 12 skin-perfecting shades.

I love trying new concealers. These are the Flower Beauty Light Illusion Full Coverage Concealer ($9.99 USD). This contains blurring pigments to help diffuse dark circles under the eyes. It’s full coverage, dries down quickly and gives a hint of illumination. The formula contains an infusion aloe, chamomile extract and caffeine.

The shades above are Fair on the left and Light on the right. I am using Fair now and will probably use Light in the summer, when I have a bit of a tan. Four darker shades are also available.

FLOWER Beauty’s Seal The Deal Long-Lasting Setting Spray ($12.99 USD) creates a sweat-proof & rub-resistant barrier that maintains your makeup for a fresh just-applied look that lasts all day. The invisible formula will keep your skin looking beautifully matte all day long.

This has a fine mister and feels so good when applied. I have noticed that it helps keep my makeup fresh. I’ll probably use it more in the summer, when it’s hot and humid and I need to mattify. My skin is usually a little dry, but not in the Kansas City summers!

Lift & Sculpt Contouring Palette ($14 USD) is the perfect all-in-1 tool to define your face in a flash! The powders blend easily and layer together seamlessly for a professional sculpted effect.

I have the Light to Medium kit. I believe it’s also available in Medium to Deep. Here are swatches:

The bronzer and blush are a bit powdery and there’s some kick up in the pan. They are really pretty, though, and look nice on my cheeks. The highlighter is gorgeous! It’s a creamy powder and can be very blinding!

FLOWER Beauty’s Petal Pout Lip Colors ($8.99 USD) Pure color pigments apply smoothly, while conditioning & protecting lips with healthy antioxidants. Available in a soft matte and cream finish that wear comfortably all day long. With a spectrum of luxurious shades from bold to nearly nude, there is a perfect shade for every look and occasion.

I love the packaging of these, and all of the Flower Beauty products. They are an amazing mix of fun and elegance.

The shades are 015 Peachy Nude, a cream and 120 Fuchsia Flush, a matte. Peachy Nude is more my shade, because I like lighter colors. The formula is very hydrating. The matte one is nice, too. I might pick that up in a lighter shade. There is a matte color called Naked Blush that looks amazing!

Flower Beauty is available at Ulta Stores and Ulta.com

Have you tried anything by Flower Beauty? What’s your fave Flower Beauty product?