Monday, June 29, 2015

MEMEBOX BRAND NEW I'm Lipcrayon Lipsticks | Review + Swatches




Fellow lippie lovers, listen up! Memebox released a new set in their "I'm Lipcrayon" line and you're gonna want to hear about these! The I'm Lipcrayon lipsticks are lipsticks in the form of a crayon (think Revlon Kissable Balm Stains...). They're 3-in-1 meaning they have the color pop of a lip pencil, the staying power of a tint, and the shine of a lipstick. 

These are easily the most hydrating lipstick crayons I've ever tried. My lips are comfortable only using one of these all day. Most of the time, with other lipsticks, I throw chapstick on after lunch for a bit of hydration, but that's completely unnecessary with these. That's a HUGE plus in my book.

5 new shades launched recently, and I have to say, they're all fantastic and gorgeous colors! See them in action below...


I'm Lipcrayon #07 Carmen
I'm Lipcrayon #08 Natalie
I'm Lipcrayon #09 Irene
I'm Lipcrayon #11 Linda
I'm Lipcrayon #10 Alice


Overall, I really really love these lip crayons. They may be the best crayons I've ever used. I was able to get 4-5 hours of wear time out of the darker shades before reapplying, and 2-3 on the two lighter shades before reapplying. You can purchase these on the Memebox website, and they're on sale for just $20 for all 5 right now! I'd highly recommend picking these up if you're in need of some fabulous new lippies.

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Friday, June 26, 2015

Yu-Be





Back in the DAY, I'm talking years ago, I got a product from Yu-Be in one of my Birchboxes, and that's my first recollection of the Yu-Be brand. For those of you who are new to these products, Yu-Be is a Japanese brand that's been around since the '50s, and was created by a pharmacist with one goal in mind: to create products that work for the entire family. 

Yu-Be's moisturizing creams are formulated with glycerin, Vitamins E and B2 and camphor. The high levels of glycerin are what make their products so moisturizing on the skin. All products are free of sulfates, synthetic fragrances and dyes, petro-chemicals and pthalates. They have a range of different products, and I've got a handful of them to show you....



The Yu-Be Moisturizing Body Lotion ($29 for 10.25 oz) is a hydrating, mostly unscented lotion that feels really nice on the skin. It does have a slight smell of camphor, but it doesn't last or overpower any fragrances you want to wear over it. It kept my skin hydrated all day long and it wasn't greasy in the slightest. 



The Moisturizing Skin Cream ($25 for 2.2 oz) seen above, is a richer moisturizing cream than the Body Lotion, perfect for when you need really intense hydration. It's meant to soften calluses, hard or cracked heels, and help prevent split cuticles. This one is a bit greasy, so I prefer to use this on my hands before bed. This has the same light camphor scent as the body lotion, but again, it isn't overpowering, nor does it linger.

A unique item from Yu-Be is the Heel & Elbow Moisturizing Sock ($13). This sock is made with a bacteria absorbing material called "Chitosan" which is hypoallergenic and has anti-microbial properties to eliminate odor and promote healthy skin. This can be used multiple times, so it's not a one and done application. 



The smaller tube of Moisturizing Skin Cream is the same as above, but this 1.25 oz size retails for just $16.

The Yu-Be Lip Balm ($5 for 0.15 oz) is an excellent choice for protection against chapped lips. It's comfortable to wear, and provides a boost of moisture to soothe dry lips.



The Foaming Skin Polish ($18 for 7 oz) is a gritty exfoliator that reminds me of St. Ives, without the creaminess. The exfoliating ingredients are all natural, comprised of walnut shells and rice bran. This product also contains camphor and glycerin to soothe the skin. This was a bit too rough to use on my face, but I really enjoyed using it as a body exfoliant. 



Overall, I really like the Yu-Be brand. I love that each product is formulated without harmful pthalates, or synthetic ingredients. I find the camphor in each item to be really soothing on my skin, and I kind of enjoy that (very light) Vap-o-rub scent. These are quality products, and I'd highly recommend trying them out if you have sensitivities to fragranced skincare, or if you suffer from dry skin.

Yu-Be products can be purchased at Sephora.

Have you ever tried anything from the Yu-Be line? Let me know in the comments!

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation


One of the newest face products in the Covergirl lineup is the Ready Set Gorgeous Oil-Free Foundation. This is what you've seen Katy Perry promoting recently, so basically - I had to pick this up because I love me some Katy Perry, and I LOVE me some Covergirl foundation. 

The ingredients are listed below.


Covergirl touts that this foundation has a formula that lasts all day, blends easily to even skin tone and reduces shine. There are 12 shades in this range, and I got the lightest - #105 Classic Ivory. For pale girls like me, this shade is a tad too dark unfortunately. I think on either end of the spectrum, people may have trouble finding a shade that's a perfect match. I've been using this shade when I self tan and that's been a good match for me.




Aside from the lack of color selection, I really like this foundation. It reminds me a lot of my favorite Covergirl 3-in-1 Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation, except it's more of a medium-buildable coverage than full coverage foundation. As you can see from the photos above, my freckles are mostly covered but some still show through. It's quite a natural medium-coverage foundation. And the best part? It really does last all day, and does an excellent job of keeping my face matte. The lasting power is just as good as the Outlast Stay Fabulous, and on the up-side, it's a couple bucks cheaper, too! 

I highly recommend trying out this foundation if you want a great foundation that will stand up to the summer heat, and last all day long! You can get it at any drugstore that carries Covergirl. 


Have you tried this foundation? Let me know what you think in the comments!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

June Ipsy Glam Bag


This month's Ipsy bag is the BOMB diggity. All this for just $10! And it showed up conveniently at my door. You can sign up for a monthly Ipsy subscription at this link. This is hands down my favorite beauty subscription service out there - well worth the $10 per month. This month I received the following goodies:

LaVanila Healthy Body Butter in Pure Vanilla - I love LaVanila products because they're natural, they smell amazing and they actually work. This is the first lotion I've tried of theirs and it has their classic vanilla scent, which smells like vanilla musk.

IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil in Universal Taupe - I definitely don't think this brow pencil is a universal color, but it does work OK for me. It is a bit darker brown than I like for my brows but I love that this is a good sized sample and it has a spoolie on one end. 

tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon in Kona Coffee - This shadow crayon is a highly pigmented dark matte brown. You could use this to line your eyes, or blend it out for all-over color.

J.Cat Beauty Liptitude Hydrating Lip Stain in Bead - This is an awesome product. The color is great, the stain is creamy and it's just overall a beautiful lip product! Plus, it's full sized! 

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - I can't tell you how many Smashbox primer samples I have, but I enjoy them so I can't complain too much. They really do help your foundation last and your skin look flawless. 


Have you tried any of these samples? What came in YOUR ipsy bag? Let me know!

Monday, June 15, 2015

MEMEBOX | Botanic Farm





While still relatively new in the US, Botanic Farm is a popular Korean brand.  Korean skincare is all the rage and I was fortunate to get to try out some fun goodies from Botanic Farm that I wanted to share with you!

First, I was sent the Polar Energy Hydrogel Mask Pack. This sheet mask retails for $5 on the Memebox website, and it aims to whiten the skin and also has anti-aging properties. I also received the Sea Mustard Mask, which retails for $2. This mask is rich in antioxidants that help detoxify the skin, and it also has ingredients that help moisturize the skin and keep it healthy.


The Botanic Farm Pearl Shining Primer, which retails for $25, is infused with pearl essence and subtle micro shimmer to make the face glowy. It also helps to keep your foundation on longer, too. This is REALLY shimmery, so I'm a little scared to put it all over my face, but paired with some of my more matte foundations, it might just be OK. 


And this brings us to my favorite Botanic Farm product, the Grain Ferment Cleansing Sherbet, which retails for $30. This product is basically a cleansing balm, it is solid in the jar but once you scoop out a tiny bit, it turns in to an oil consistency when rubbed between the palms. This stuff removes makeup like no other - eye makeup, foundation, tricky mascara... it removes it all. It contains fermented rice bran which helps brighten the skin and remove impurities. This is definitely a new favorite for me. 


Have you tried anything from Botanic Farm? Check out all of their products on the Memebox website.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Summer Wish List 2015


As I prepared everything for this blog post, I looked over at my husband and said "It's sad how easily I thought of everything on this list." I guess that's just the life when you stay on top of trends and products in the beauty world, eh? There's always at least ONE thing I really wish I had at any given moment. Here's what's on my list currently....

 Too Faced Little Black Book of Bronzers ($49) - Even though I’m a pale girl, this book of bronzers calls my name. There’s a bronzer for every occasion in this thing! Matte, shimmering, pinky-brown, dark - you name it, and I want it.

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm ($60) - This has a cult following in the beauty world, and I've become a recent lover of cleansing balms. I have not heard one single bad thing about this, so maybe if I'm feeling like splurging, I'll pick this up and see what the fuss is all about.

Origins Ginger Essence ($45 for 1.7 oz) - I smelled this in a CCO once and was really intrigued by how different it was from anything in my perfume collection. I really love the scent of ginger in perfumes and lotions, and this was just pure heaven. Not only is the scent comprised of ginger, but it also has bergamot, lemon and lime, too.

Becca Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal ($38) - This is the most beautiful highlight I've ever laid eyes on. I think I could probably get rid of all my other highlights and use this one forever and ever, but it isn't cheap, and I have a whole bunch of highlighters that do the trick. So for now, it remains on my wish list.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed palette in Streak ($32) - I got a sample of this and if you follow me on instagram, you probably saw my post about it. This palette comes with a bronzer, blush and highlight, all of which are beautiful. The blush is a lovely coral color and the highlight was like KA-POW on my cheeks! I nearly picked this up on a whim in Sephora the other day, but luckily for my wallet, they were sold out.

Colourpop Blush in Birthday Suit ($8) - I did a Colourpop haul not too long ago, and in that post I talked about the interesting consistency that Colourpop products have. I assume these blushes are much of the same, and I really want to see what kind of magic that would work on my cheeks. Birthday suit is a gorgeous shimmery pink blush that seems like it would be flattering on just about anyone. 

Moroccan Oil Body Souffle in Fleur de Rose ($56) - Everyone and their mom love Moroccan Oil products, and everyone who reads my blog knows how much I adore rose scented products. So naturally, I want to give this a try. These body creams are said to be lovely and if they weren't so darn expensive, I'd know whether people are right about that or not!

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse ($42) - I've been on a bit of a self tan kick lately, and the tried and true product seems to be this tanning mousse. I've only ever tried the St. Tropez gradual tanning lotion, and that was super nice, so I imagine that this more intense self-tanner is the bomb.

Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise perfume ($60) - I've never even set my nose to this perfume before, but I just have this feeling that Vanilla + Anise = my nose in heaven. I'm a vanilla girl through and through and Jo Malone makes some of the best perfumes I've ever smelled, so what I'm trying to say is that I'm just one impulse click away from this landing on my doorstep.

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think? Let me know!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Tarte - Tarteist Clay Paint Liner | Review + Swatches


If I were stranded on an island and could only have one makeup item, black liquid eyeliner would be my one item. If I'm wearing makeup, you can bet I'm wearing black eyeliner, winged just slightly (or sometimes a lot!). It's been that way for many, many years - black eyeliner is my go-to. There aren't many new developments in the liquid eyeliner world that seem to excite me -- I've found my tried and true favorites that I've used for years and years -- but when the Tarteist Clay Paint Liner came out, I had to have it.



The Tarteist Clay Paint liner comes in a 0.21 oz squeezy tube, and it comes with a brush that's bent the perfect amount for easy application. According to the Tarte website, "The unique formula features fewer waxes, cushioned pigments and a special development process unlike other traditional liners, allowing for the creamiest texture and smoothest application ever. " 



This eyeliner also claims to have 12-hour wear time, and I can say that that is true. It has excellent wear time and it's very easy to apply. I normally don't like eyeliner brushes like this either, but something about this one is fantastic. It's easy to use and apply as thick or thin of a line as you like. 

Before I purchased this eyeliner, I read the reviews and lots of people complained that it was a watery formula that didn't build up well. I didn't find that to be true at all - it builds up well and doesn't require going over it a bunch of times. It's also a perfect matte black that's a dark, bold black (my preference). If you're not skilled with drawing a crisp line with a brush, this might take some practice, but all in all, it's quite simple to apply, with a minimal learning curve. I'd highly recommend this liner.

You can purchase the Tarteist Clay Paint Liner for $24 at Sephora.





What's your favorite black liner? Let me know!

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Glambot | Haul + Swatches


I just recently came across the coolest website for makeup junkies ever. That website is Glambot.com and the other week I made my first, of which I'm sure there will be MANY more, order. Glambot, in their own words, is "the online destination for the largest collection of rare, limited edition and discontinued items from highly sought after and coveted makeup brands."

So basically, people sell their makeup that they don't want anymore, all of which are name brand, non-drugstore items, and you can buy their stuff for a fraction of the cost. I know what you're thinking... "YUCK - used makeup!? From someone I don't know?! No thank you!" But, Glambot sanitizes each and every product so you don't have to worry about stranger germs. They also ensure that each product is authentic, so you can rest assured that you aren't getting anything fake (which is a real problem, if you haven't heard). They also tell you how much product is used -- some products are brand new! Seriously, girls... I'm in LOVE with this site. 

Here's what I picked up in my first order...


  • bareMinerals blush in So Fab - This blush is no longer something you can purchase on the bare escentuals site, but typically their blushes retail for $20. I paid just $7.56!! It was marked as being 80% full (but it looks like there's hardly anything used-- Glambot only notes levels of 100%, 80%, 50% and 30%, so it's not entirely accurate with how full it is). The color is so natural on my skin and gives me that "just in from the cold" flush. 
  • Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip & Cheek Creamy Oil in Boundless Berry - You can still get this at Sephora for $18 a tube, but I paid just $6.80 and it's 80% full! I think there's more than 80% of the product left, too. This is a gorgeous berry stain. I think it's far too oily to use on my cheeks, but it'll make a great lip tint. 
  • MAC eyeshadow in Girlie - This pink eyeshadow is still available to buy on the MAC website for $16. I paid just $6.66, and it didn't even have a dent in it. I love pink eyeshadows in my crease, and I've heard this works beautifully as a blush, too!
  • Urban Decay Midnight Rodeo eyeshadow - This eyeshadow is available on the Urban Decay website for $18, and I paid just $6.80 and it hardly looks touched! I've had my eye on this color for a long time, it's a beautiful shimmery brown, and I'm pumped to have gotten it so cheap!
  • Benefit Hervana blush - I love Benefit blushes, and Hervana is one of the only ones I didn't have. It's available at Sephora for $28, but I paid only $10.96! I could tell this one had been used a tiny bit, but it's definitely 95% full still! This is a beautiful light pink, good for lighter complexions. 
  • bareMinerals eye color in Nude Beach - This eyeshadow is still available on the bare escentuals website for $14, I paid just $2.77!!!!! Again, it's hardly used. This is a gorgeous shimmery light nude color that adds a pop to the eyes. I love this color!
L to R: bareMinerals So Fab blush, bareMinerals Nude Beach eyeshadow, MAC Girlie, Urban Decay Midnight Rodeo, Benefit Hervana, Josie Maran Boundless Berry tint


Now tell me - are you rushing off to Glambot to place your order?! I bet you are!



*This post contains affiliate links.

Monday, June 1, 2015

The UltiMitt Tanning Mitt


Being a pale, pale auburn-haired girl, self-tanning is the only way I will ever have bronze summer skin. Besides, I'm no advocate for tanning beds or laying out - I, for one, would rather avoid wrinkles and skin cancer if I can help it. So when spring hits, I break out the self tanner for a subtle glow. 

After using my fair share of gradual tanning lotions, I've been experimenting more with tanning mousses, and to make sure my hands don't look like I dipped them in dye. I've recently been using the UltiMitt and it is a fantastic, high-quality mitt.



The UltiMitt is a microfiber mitt, so it's super soft and easily spreads your tanning mousse of choice, and on the up-side, it can be washed! My favorite thing about this mitt is the size, it's big enough for my hand and it won't rip the way so many cheapy mitts do. 



I also really like that the inside has plastic separating the foam from the inside of the glove, so you don't have to worry about the inside getting gross or product soaking through. 

This mitt will set you back a tiny bit, ringing in at $15, but you will get way more use out of it than the cheap $5 ones you can get at Spehora. If you want to get the UltiMitt for yourself, you can buy it on Amazon here
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