OFRA – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Shop My Stash December 2019 Results and Monthly Empties

Hi All! I’m back with my December 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 December.

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

I usually wear a lip pencil and lip gloss everyday, but I do enjoy these lipsticks. They are matte, so I wear a gloss over them. They are very long wearing.

Here are the palettes open:

The ABH Sultry palette was my favorite product in my stash this month. I haven’t really used it much before this month. I love it! It’s so gorgeous. All the looks I made with it have been every day looks with a touch of glam. The shimmers/metallics take all looks to the next level! I used most of the shades in this.

I also used the Urban Decay Elements palette a few times in December. I like this palette, especially the purples and bronzes. I don’t really wear the blues, greens or the matte pink. The gold in this palette is so gorgeous! I’m going to keep this for now, but if it takes me until next holiday season to use it again, I will pass it on to someone else.

I used the highlighters in this Ofra x Madison Miller palette a lot. I would often forget to wear the blush, but when I did, I liked it. It’s not my favorites shade, but it blends out nice and wears well. The highlighters are so glowy! I will keep this and see if I reach for it.

Now, on to my empties!

I have a good amount of empties for December. Mostly skincare as always.

Out of these products, I can see myself repurchasing the Smashbox Primerizer (on sale) and the Ordinary Hyaluronic acid (when I am needing it). I have other hydrating serums that I am using now. The Primera water cream was nice, but I have a lot of moisturizers open and in my stash, so if I purchase it, it won’t be for a while. The Meaningful Beauty SPF moisturizer is okay. It’s a bit greasy and I’d like to find a less heavy sunscreen this year.

I LOVE both of these mists. The Skin & Co one is great for setting makeup and the Botanics mist is one I use after washing my face as a toner. I’m not going to purchase new ones write now because I have lots of mists to use up.

The Primera essence is so lovely! I may be repurchasing it. I have been working on the Soap & Glory Righteous Butter for a long time! I do like it, but don’t have to have it. I’m using other body creams right now.

December was another successful Shop My Stash and I used up lots of good products!

I’ve decided I’m going to do the same style Shop My Stash this year. From time to time I might add in some complexion products. We’ll see. I was thinking of doing a Project Pan, too. But I’m not sure. What do you think? Do you shop your stash or do Project Pans?

September 2019 Beauty Favorites

Hi all! It’s almost October, which means it’s time for my September favorites!

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

My favorites this month include a good mix of makeup and skincare, plus a hair care item!

I’ve been trying out loads of new skincare the last few months and love to spotlight my favorites each month. Plus, a few of these favorites are from subscription boxes.

I received the Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Bright Serum in my BoxyLuxe for September. I use it every morning after cleansing and toning.It really brightens my skin!

The Primera Alpine Berry Water Cream is so hydrating.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion has made such a difference in my fine lines.

I purchased the Smashbox Primerizer during the spring Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty. I didn’t want to wear it in the summer heat and humidity, but now that it’s cooler, I’m really enjoying this. It smooths and hydrates the skin. Perfect before foundation to create a moisturized base.

I also got the MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Scents in Creamy Coconut in the Ulta’s Spring 21 Days. I only have about a third of this left. I like the soft coconut set and it performs just like the original spray.

The IGK Hair Mistress Hydrating Balm was also included in my September BoxyLuxe. This is a gorgeous balm that works to smooth damp or dry hair. I use this every day to tame my frizzies.

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The Wander Beauty Frame Your Face brow pencil was in my September Ipsy Glam Bag Plus. The shade is Dark Brown and it works well for me. The pencil is a bit of a dry formula and takes a little pressure to use, but I like the effect I get with it.

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This pretty face palette is the Ofra x Madison Miller Miller Squad Midi Palette. I also received this in September Ipsy Glam Bag Plus. The blush is really nice for fall and I enjoy the highlighters, although they are very similar to each other.

I’ve had the Sigma Beauty Enchanted Eyeshadow Palette for a couple of months. I’ve posted about it on my Instagram (fortyflirtyfab), but I haven’t reviewed it here yet. I do plan on reviewing it soon. It is unfortunately sold out on the Sigma Beauty website, but I have found it on Amazon here.

This is a stunning palette! You can create ethereal or even very dramatic looks with it. The shadows blend nicely. Some of the shimmers need to be built up, but that’s fine with me.

———————————————————————————————————————————That’s my September favorites. Bring on October! What have you been loving this month?

BoxyCharm Subscription Box Review — January 2019

Hi all! I received my January BoxyCharm this week! The first one of 2019 I see the spoilers each month, so I basically knew what I was getting. There were a lot of variations this month.

I’ve been subscribed to BoxyCharm for about a year and a half now and really enjoy it. Boxycharm is just $21 a month for 4-5 beauty items, most of them full-sized. It is a nice way to try new makeup and beauty tools.

This month I received:

BRIOGEO Rosarco Milk™ Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray — $9

tarte limited-edition Rainforest of the Sea ™ highlighting eyeshadow palette vol. III — $36

TATCHA Luminous Dewy Skin Sheet Masks — Set of 2, $24

OFRA Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick – $20

Billion Dollar Brows Pencil — $18

I was so glad to get this. I have a small bottle of the Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair! Leave-In Mask in my October BoxyCharm, and I’m almost out of it. I haven’t used this one before and am really liking it so far. It leaves my hair very soft.

This is very pretty. There were three variations of this. All of them has 7 shimmers and 1 matte. Which is kind of strange, I would have liked a few more matte shades in the palette. I’ve tried it once, but need to keep testing it out. I’ll be reviewing it on my blog sometime hopefully soon. I know I say that each month (Violet Voss palette from December BoxyLuxe for example), but I plan to be reviewing more of my palettes this year! I’m glad I got this, though, and think it’s a nice, neutral palette.

I am so excited about these Tatcha masks! I got two, which is amazing! I haven’t tried one yet, but I am looking forward to it. It’s cold and snowy here and my skin is really dry! Hopefully these will help! Tatcha is super luxe and I’ve only tried their primer. I hope to try more from them this year, so this is a nice start!

I do like Ofra lipsticks, but this is way too dark for me. And I don’t really wear liquid lipsticks that often. I like creamy lipsticks and glosses! So I will pass this on.

The eyebrow pencil seems really nice. It’s supposed to be a universal shade, but it might be a little light for me. My brows are almost black. But I will keep trying it out. It’s a nice texture and has a good spoolie on it.

This month is such a big win for me. I’m keeping 4 out of the 5 products! I usually only use just one or two. I will use all of the Briogeo spray, the eyshadow, the amazing Tatcha masks and will try to make the brow pencil work. The lipstick will go to a friend or family member. Not bad BoxyCharm!

You can sign up here. It is my referral link, so if you sign up, I will receive charms, which is their rewards program.

Do you get BoxyCharm? What did you get and what do you think of this month’s box?

BoxyCharm Subscription Box Review — June 2018

My June BoxyCharm finally arrived! I have been waiting for it because this month’s box is so amazing!

Boxycharm is just $21 a month for 5-6 beauty items, most of them full-sized. It’s an amazing way to try new makeup and beauty tools!

Here is what I received:

I was excited to try these Luxie Brushes. I have some travel Luxie eye shadow brushes I’ve received in another BoxyCharm. I haven’t use them yet, but they are pretty. I think I’m going to try these tomorrow.

I don’t wear false lashes. I’ve tried them years ago, but I didn’t really know how to apply them. I like how wispy these are. I’m going to hold on to them and maybe play around with them.

This smells amazing! It’s such a cute little container. It is a very hydrating, but not greasy cream. Very nice for the summer.

This eye pencil is okay. I’m not the biggest fan of pencils you have to sharpen, plus when I swatched it, it wasn’t very pigmented. I put this in my giveaway pile.

I also put the Ofra lipstick in my giveaway pile. It’s too brown for me. But I really do love their lip formula.

This is the item I was most looking forward to this month! These colors are so pretty. The top 4 are shimmers that can be used wet or dry and the bottom 4 are mattes.

Here are swatches:

The shimmery shades swatch the best, they are so gorgeous! The mattes (of course) don’t swatch as well on my arm, but they blended on my eye really nicely. I think this is gorgeous for some amazing eye-catching looks this summer. I also think it will got into fall nicely, too.

So this month was a win because of the Alamar eye shadow palette. I will also keep the lashes to try out, the brushes and the bum bum cream! The eyeliner and lipstick will be given to a friend. I think this is the most I’ve kept from a BoxyCharm!

Did you receive June’s BoxyCharm? What did you think?

BoxyCharm Subscription Box Review – February 2018

I just received my BoxyCharm February 2018 box a couple of days ago, and I wanted to share it with you. I really like this subscription. You get a lot of makeup for a great price!

Boxycharm is just $21 a month for 5-6 beauty items, most of them full-sized.

Here’s what I got this month:

Ofra Cosmetics Pop-Up Palette with Blush — $19 for the Palette and $12 for the blush
CoverFX Shimmer Veil Amethyst – $28 USD
Crown Pro Trio Brush Set – $29.99 USD
PUR Lips Plumping Lip Exfoliator – Retail Value $17
Vintage Cosmetics Smokey Eye Pencil – Retail Value $21

This was a variant item. Subscribers either receive this palette with the blush or Naked Cosmetics Highlighter Palette.

I wanted the highlighter palette. I’m not the biggest fan of variations because I always seem to get the item I don’t want, LOL!

The blush included with this is Winter Rose Glow, a warm brown with subtle shimmer. It’s not really a shade I would wear.

The palette itself is fine, I guess. It’s a little flimsy, and I don’t have anything to put in it. But I might use it some day.

Besides the highlight palette I didn’t receive, this is the item I was most excited about. It’s a really pretty lavender color. It is buildable too. With two layers I got a really shimmery look and ot stays all day.

The brushes are very soft and have a nice indent in them to make them easier to handle.

They are meant to be used for contouring — the smaller one can be used for concealer, the middle one contouring and the larger one for powder. I’m looking forward to using them and seeing how they work.

This exfoliator is a surprise win to me! It not only exfoliates my lips, it hydrates them too. It has a nice fruity taste, too.

I don’t usually wear black eyeliner, but this is really pigmented and glides on smoothly.

All in all, this is a pretty good box. I can see myself using the Cover FX Shimmer Veil, the brushes and the exfoliator. I will probably keep the eye pencil in case I want to wear black eyeliner. I don’t know what I will do with the Ofra palette. I might purchase some shadows to put in it.

Do you get BoxyCharm? Which products did you get in yours this month.

My Beauty Favorites of 2017

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealing Pot

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN MOD LIP CREAM DUO

Lorac Beauty and the Beast Blush Palette

I’ve been looking back at my favorite and most used beauty products — new discoveries. I have noticed that all above are makeup and not skincare. This is curious, since I am a 40-something blogger who loves trying anti-aging products. I guess I didn’t really find anything amazing in skin care last year. This year I’m going to focus more on finding and using (I get lazy) anti-aging skin care, plus using up the ones I have. Tomorrow will be the start of my first Project Pan, skin care exclusive!

But today, I am reflecting on the gorgeous makeup above, some I use every day:

Ofra Beverly Hills Highlighter ($40 USD) — I was sent a bunch of amazing Ofra products for review in August (see review here). I love a lot of it, but this is the product that I use most often. I love that there are 5 shades, I can blend them together or use one or two on their own. The two largest pans, a soft gold and rose gold are my favorites and I love using them together. This is the product that really got me interested in highlighters and I use it more because it this one!

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealing Pot ($28 USD) — I received this and the foundation for review (here). I use both products almost every day. I love this because it is so creamy. I use it under my eye, but also all over the face. It’s great for covering redness. I’ve recently bought a new concealer with a drier texture for under my eye (so it will stay put), but I will continue to use this to cover rednes.

LORAC Pirates of The Caribbean Mod Lip Cream Duo ($26, on sale for $13) — I received a bunch of these this year. Although I announced it on my blog here, I only reviewed the eye shadow palette. On one end is a creamy lipstick and the other end is a natural looking lip gloss, not too shiny or sticky. These are gorgeous alone or layered. The shade in the photo is Risk it All.

LORAC Disney Beauty and The Beast Cheek Palette ($28 USD) — I love this whole collection. I use the eye shadow and the lip glosses a lot. This has four gorgeous colors that can be used separately or blended together. There are also mattes and shimmers for a variety of looks. So pretty!

Huda Beauty Mauve Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette ($27 USD) — I purchased this on Black Friday because I had been wanting to try it since it came out. It’s tiny, but the pan sizes are nice, they take up the whole palette, no unused space. They shades are so pretty and I can make a few different looks with them. This is one I can take with my on trips because it’s so portable. You can see my review here.

COVER FX Illuminating Setting Spray ($31 USD) – I received this in my November BoxyCharm. I have really just started using setting sprays this year and was really excited to try this one. It has been working so well for me in the cold weather. My skin has been dry and a bit dull. This spray gives my skin hydration and nice dewy skin. It’s not greasy on me at all, but I will probably use a matte spray in hot weather. Plus, it keeps my makeup fresh all day!

BENEFIT COSMETICS Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara ($24 USD) — I purchased this during Ulta Beauty’s 21 days of Beauty event this fall. It is now one of my favorite all time mascaras! It grabs all of my lashes, lengthens and curls them. I have tiny lashes, and this makes them look long and lush! I just had to toss it because it’s been 3 months, and I’m so sad! But, I’m sure I’ll purchase it again.

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Lines Foundation ($38 USD) — This is a serum foundation. It’s really light and I’d say a medium coverage. I am looking for a heavier coverage for the new year, but this has been a nice foundation. It blends really well and looks so natural. Plus, I love that it’s good for my skin.

Tomorrow, hopefully, I will post my first ever Project Pan. It will be for the skincare I want to use up in the next three months. Wish me luck!

Brand Review: OFRA Cosmetics Part 2 — Skincare

I was so lucky to be sent some wonderful OFRA products to review for my honest opinion. I reviewed gorgeous OFRA cosmetics here. Now, it’s on to the skincare!

I received 4 products to test: Peptide Cleanser, Peptide Silk-C Serum, OFRA X Kim Thai Wanderlush and the Peptide Brightening Mask.

OFRA Peptide Cleanser ($24 3.3 fl. oz) is designed to provide gentle yet thorough results for normal and combination skin types. It combines quality ingredients for a deep cleansing of the skin.

I find that this cleanser is amazing for nighttime cleansing. It removes waterproof and long-lasting makeup well. It leaves my skin clean and ready for serum and moisturizer. It has a slight, clean scent to it and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.

OFRA Peptide Silk-C Serum ($79 1 fl. oz) is a highly advanced product with a premium Peptide base designed to help hydrate the skin producing significant anti-aging results. It includes Kinetin, a plant hormone, to promote regeneration of skin cells.

This is probably my favorite product of the four. It has a smooth texture, almost like a cream. It absorbs into my skin right away and leaves a nice sheen. It also smooths my skin and makes my pores look less noticeable. I have also noticed that the fine lines around my eyes are harder to see! I use this morning and night under moisturizer.

OFRA X Kim Thai WanderlushOFRA X Kim Thai Wanderlush ($29 2.2 fl. oz.) — an extremely velvety, soothing and lightweight moisturizer that quenches skin with intense moisture for long-lasting hydration. This fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic cream is suitable for even the most sensitive skin types. Wanderlush replenishes dry, dull skin increasing elasticity for a fresh, youthful appearance.

This hydrating cream is fragrance free, which I love. It is very moisturizing. It isn’t greasy, but takes a little while to sink in. I think it will be perfect for the colder weather, when my skin gets drier. Right now, it’s a nice evening treatment. When I wake up, my skin is glowing! And it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.

Also, $2 of each unit sold will be going to a charity of Kim Thai’s choosing, which is amazing!

OFRA Cosmetic Laboratories Peptide Brightening Mask

OFRA Peptide Brightening Mask ($59 6.8 fl 0z) — Give combination and normal skin the ultimate beauty boost with this pigmentation reducing treatment mask. It has an oil-absorbing formula with a rich texture. The mask refines and smoothes as it reduces pigmentation revealing clear, refreshed skin.

This is really easy to use. Apply twice a week on a clean face and neck and allow to stand at least ten minutes, then wash off. It has a cooling effect and feels really nice on my skin! Once I remove it, my skin is glowing. I haven’t used it long enough to see the lightening effects, but will continue using it.

These and much more fab skincare is available at www.ofracosmetics.com

Have you used any OFRA skincare? What are your favorites?