Sugarpill Chromalust Loose Shadow Review: Goldilux, Decora, Asylum, Absinthe, Tipsy, Lumi, Darling, Hysteric, Weekender

This post is going to be a bit different from the others. As in - the makeup photos will come after the general notes. In addition,  there will be photos so you'll see what each product looks like in color and consistency. Onto the blog post then:

My Sugarpill Story: Amy Doan, the founder of Sugarpill, has been an inspiration many years before Sugarpill even launched. I found out about her Ebay shop through Leesha's videos and  was blown away by the gorgeous makeup looks she did to accompany her product pages. She is an enormous inspiration to me because she's doing what she loves and is colorful and not afraid to express or be herself. So when Sugarpill first launched about 2 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long) I knew I had to get my hands on the goods. But I've kind of patiently waited for the reviews to come in and the line to grow. I did order some things last year, but with me being kinda cheap (:/) I (im)patiently awaited this year's Black Friday sale to get some products. I really want to show you folks how everything comes packaged but because this will be a picture heavy post anyway, I'll save it for the pressed shadow review. I really hope you enjoy the review and seriously, if you have the money to spend, go to sugarpill.com right now and get your hands on this gold! :3 

Availability: Update as of 2020: They are no longer calling these "chromalust" but they can be found under the loose shadow section of their site, they retail at $14 for 2g of product. Many of these shades have been discontinued but you can still get your hands on Goldilux, Asylum, and Lumi. 

Notes: What sets the Chromalusts apart from similar loose shadows or pigments are that a large majority of them contain these amazing micro-glitter particles - they do a good job of staying on the skin as well but generally show up when the product is used dry (it takes a more metallic quality if used wet). I have to apologize that for many of the pigments, my camera just doesn't do the glitter justice because it's just so much more multidimensional in natural light, but I hope my descriptions are helpful :3

I apologize in advance if some of the photographs are less than perfect (in terms of smudges) :/. For all color swatches I used lune+aster Dawn to Dusk Gel Eyeliner in Black  for the black base and Sephora Collection Let It Snow Colorful Shadow & Liner for the white, the far right is swatched wet. Alright then, here comes the fun part:

 I love how each shadow has a little symbol above the shade name, how absolutely precious!

I received a sample of Goldilux with an Ebay order I made earlier this year and am completely out, so of course I needed to restock. This is amazing! It's like ground-up yellow gold. This is one of the shadows with the micro-glitter I was talking about earlier. It has a metallic yellow-gold base with matching micro-glitter particles. I'll be honest, I generally gravitate to more amber-y golds, but this is just so stunning and sparkly that I always want to reach for it if I'm doing a look that includes gold. I just love the glitter this has, super eye-catching. :3

Decora is a beautiful soft hot-pink with bright green micro-glitter. It kind of transforms into a pink-y violet when used over a black base and I find that the green shimmer shows up more over a black base as well. I've been using it as a blush and it's quite lovely - the shimmer on this doesn't overpower it to where it would look weird and green-esque/sickly on the cheeks. I think it'd be quite gorgeous as a lip-color as well.

Asylum is a color that I've been kind of scared of and yet intrigued by ever since I saw it. Reds generally scare me because it's hard to make them wearable. That said, I think it looks a lot more intense on the sugarpill.com swatches. I would describe the color as a shiny warm red with just a kiss of amber/copper. It's actually quite wearable because it's warm - it pairs easily with fall colors like golds, oranges, and yellows. If you're looking for more intensity, this really pops over a white base or when used wet. I think it would make a beautiful blush for darker skin-tones and would make a gorgeous lip-color.

Absinthe is a gorgeous chartreuse with golden sparkle. I don't know what it is, but I have a soft spot for this color, I think it looks good with my eye-color because it brings out the warm, reddish amber-y tones out of the brown. I had my reservations about getting yet another chartreuse shade, but this is unlike anything I own, it's warm and yet somewhat grassy and cool-toned at the same time. It's kind of silly, but I've been looking for this particular shade of chartreuse all year and am glad to finally own it without constantly mixing things. Yeah, I realize how lazy that makes me sound :P 

Tipsy is yet another one of those colors I've wanted but don't have in my collection. Many of the greens I own are either very yellow or very blue and lean heavily teal-esque. I needed a good grass green and this is doing the job quite nicely. Plus it has gorgeous green micro-glitter in it. I think this would pair wonderfully with both warm and cool shades. I'm kind of in love. :3

Lumi is one of my all-time favorites. Why? Well... because I'm an enormous sucker for teal. Lol. Well, really because Amy (or whatever awesome person packed the box) put a sample of this in with my Black Friday order last year. I remember seeing it and thinking "gah, teal! It's like they know me!" It just felt so personalized because I had ordered shades in the blue range and it's like a friend had packed it and was thoughtful and was saying "I see you like blues and I think you need to try this cause it rocks." Now honestly, I have no idea if that was the case. But that's how I like to think about it. It looks like a whole bunch of snowy blah in the jar but as soon as you open it, you'll notice the pretty reflects. I really like how it kind of shows up and flashes teal even over a white base because it makes a lovely highlighter. I am in absolute love with this. :3 

Darling was my very first Chromalust, and as you see, started an addiction. This is one I actually ordered last year and I really like it. This is a green-based teal with gorgeous teal micro-glitter. It looks really cool and metallic when used wet. :3

Hysteric is a gorgeous red-toned metallic sparkly purple with teal-green micro-shimmer. I kind of want to use this as a lip color. It's super unique and gorgeous. :3

Weekender is a beautiful blue-toned purple with teal and magenta micro-glitter. This is super gorgeous. Violet is becoming my favorite color, I don't know what it is, it's kind of a chill, tranquil color but is also mysterious at the same time and I love that this has teal glitter in it.

Overall, if you're looking for really unique, gorgeous, bright loose shadows - I highly suggest checking these out and getting your hands on them. I am so in love, I don't think you'll be disappointed :3

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I paid for all of these myself. :3

Blush Review: Tarte Exposed Amazonian Clay Blush

So I finally got around to testing and photographing the cheek products, I'm excited to share them with you this week! :D

Blush: Tarte Amazonian Clay Long-Wear/ 12-Hour Blush in Exposed

Availability: This shade retails at $29 for  5.6g (0.2 oz) at sephora.com and ulta.com along with their respective physical store locations or at tartecosmetics.com. You can search for it on Ebay and Amazon as well.

Would I buy this again? Yes! I want more colors! Gah :x
Notes: While both Sephora and Tarte describe Exposed as nude, I feel that when this is applied it's kind of mauve-y, it has a touch of a pink tint to it. It's completely matte - no visible shimmer in it at all. I think if it were a straight nude, like a skin-tone type color, it might look flatter - having the pink to it makes it extremely flattering for a variety of skin-tones. Plus, the color itself is perfect  for every day and it's versatile enough to work with any look you've got going. I've been wanting a good  mauve-nude blush for a long time now, every time I peruse the selection they're always too gray, tan, or purple... Alas, I have found the chupacabra! 

   Moving on, the texture of this is quite lovely, it's very smooth and silky. I can't speak to whether this lasts for a full 12 hours because I never quite wore it that long - I had it on for around 6 hours today and it was still going strong (and I can't say that about many of the blushes in my arsenal) - I also love the fact that this lasts even after being buffed out, I feel with most blushes if I want them to last I have to pack on a lot, and for someone as fair as I am, I look ridiculous. In addition, this is uber pigmented, so a little will go a long way (and is also great because it'll work for darker skin-tones).

    I'd also like to point out, that if you're a makeup artist or just like to de-pot blushes and keep them in palettes - that de-potting this is a piece of cake. It has a little pinhole thingamabob at the back and all you have to do is poke through it with say a needle or paperclip or anything long and thin (be careful you don't hurt yourself though) and it'll come right out because it's held by a magnet. Pure genius! :3 

   As I've done in the past, I'd like to draw your attention to the skin-friendly ingredients in this; and again, if you're going to be putting products on your face - they might as well be benefiting your skin somehow, here is the low-down on the goods (for more detail, and yes I'm paraphrasing, I'm not sure how to site information on blogs properly so I'll just put it out there... :| be sure to check out: the product page) :

Amazonian Clay: This is a clay gathered from the banks of the Amazon river, it's supposedly intuitive and great for all skin-types because it contains both hydrating and oil-balancing properties. Sure, some believe this is a gimmick, and I haven't used it long enough to really speak of any particular benefits - but our good buddy oatmeal works quite similarly and is good for every skin type as well.

Beeswax: This gives the product waterproofing qualities, allowing it to last longer on the skin. It also stimulates collagen production - helping plump up the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin C: Another collagen production boosting agent, Vitamin C also has antioxidant and brightening properties.

Vitamin E: Also has antioxidant qualities and has anti-inflammatory properties.

   If you're looking for a fantastic blush that'll be long-wearing, great for every day, and just overall good in terms of texture and blend-ability - I highly suggest checking this out.

Disclaimer: I paid for the blush myself.

Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick Review

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

  

Here are my lips with the lipstick on:

Availability: This product is $17.50 for .07 oz. It is available at nordstrom.com, bloomingdales.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, and their respective physical store locations as well as amazon.com and ebay.com. It is also available for $21 with the Black Honey lip-gloss. 
Would I buy this again?:I'm on the fence 

Notes:  I've been looking for something like this for a long time now - a one-stop lip product that would function as a balm, lip color, and look at least glaze-like (not necessarily glossy, but not flat either) that I could carry with me easily. Plus I've just been meaning to try this - I've heard good things.

    I'd describe this as a sheer wine-berry kind of color. Its description on sephora.com claims "oh it will look different on everyone" - well no duh, so will everything else, depending on your coloring - will look slightly different from person to person. But I can see why they call it a "universally flattering shade" because this color tends to look nice and be wearable on a large variety of skin-tones - it just adds a bit of a berry tone to your pout. It looks really scary in the tube, nearly a blackened berry but, as you can see from the above photos, it is SHEER. I actually like how sheer it is because there are days when I want to throw a BB cream on and I want a bit of color on the lips but a straight up lipstick will look a bit odd with a completely bare face so this is the perfect thing - it provides just a bit of color and moisture. 

   I've been using it for about 1.5 weeks thus far and... I like it OK but I wouldn't call it anything special. It has a  lip-balm kind of feel when applied, dries like a glaze-finish lipstick, and is neither flavored or scented (kind of smells like a generic unscented Chapstick would; as fragrance-free is a big thing for Clinique).  I do really love the permanent silver packaging; it's sleek, looks pretty, and is easy to fit into the smallest clutch or purse.  

 Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: *Photos and some text have been updated as of 5-3-2018; although the original review was written from when I purchased the item myself the one in the photos above has been provided for testing purposes, I am not being compensated to mention it on this blog nor am I obligated to do so*

Beauty Benefits: Oatmeal

Alright so I'm trying out something new - I'm not sure how often I'll be doing what I'll call a "highlight" on an ingredient, but after a few months of great results,  I have to share this:
Today I'm going to tell you a little bit about the wonder of oats:     

 The Aveeno Oatmeal Bath retails at $7-8 for 3 packets (each is good for 2-3 baths), it's available at most drugstores in the US and this particular product usually lurks around the band-aid/ first aid section. I can't speak to the pricing and availability in your area, so feel free to check on ebay.com or amazon.com for it

So as you can see from the photos, there will be two types of oats that I'm going to focus on.

Please note: I know it may seem kinda obvious but please bear in mind - if you have oat or gluten allergies, this is not the product for you. 

     First off, I've known about the goodness of oats from when I was about 8 years old and got afflicted with the chicken pox, my mum would run baths for me using the Aveeno Oatmeal Bath and I just wouldn't want to get out - it alleviated the worst of skin itchiness and irritation. It works wonderfully for insect bites too - the mosquitoes love me, my ankles must be especially tasty because I'm always getting bitten over there and just soaking my feet in a tub with a bit of the Oatmeal Bath sprinkled in helps a lot. It also makes my skin wonderfully soft and smooth after use.

     All that said, I didn't give any thought on using oatmeal on my face until I watched bubzbeauty's video (watch here). When I saw the benefits of it on her face after suffering from horrible skin irritation, since oatmeal is something that's relatively inexpensive and easily accessible to me, I decided to pick some up and give it a try. 

    Before I go into my experience, I'll go ahead and tell you just why oatmeal is such a skin-friendly ingredient: when applied topically (meaning - to your skin), oats have anti-inflammatory properties - which will help to reduce any redness in your face, they also contain antioxidants which will protect your skin from environmental free radical damage (and that stuff causes wrinkles!!!). It is also very gentle and soothing, making it suitable for very sensitive skin-types. Oatmeal is also a great source of soluble fiber - this means that it lowers the level of "bad" (LDL) cholesterol circulating in your body (that stuff clogs arteries ya know... no bueno) and helps to stabilize blood-glucose levels (this helps you avoid type 2 diabetes). This makes it a star ingredient whether you're putting it on, or in, your body. :3

   My experience with simply washing my face with the oatmeal + which texture is better: The way my skin feels after I use oatmeal to wash it is just... baby's butt softness. Instantly! My face only feels that soft when I use real expensive cleansers to wash it. Things like Shiseido's Ibuki Cleanser - and that retails for $30. The reason I put that out there is because I know many people have reservations about putting food on their face and feel that it's a waste of something you could've eaten. I ask you - would you rather pay $2-something for a whole big can of oats, or $30 on a cleanser?  In addition to the wonderful softness I feel, the redness in my cheeks also seems to dissipate. I still use, and love, my cleansers for heavy-duty cleansing like taking off my makeup but I prefer oatmeal if I'm not wearing any makeup, or if I want to wash my face post-workout (it really soothes hot sweaty skin). In my experience, I prefer the regular oat texture when washing my face - I feel that the oats do a good job of exfoliating, softening, and cleaning. I just don't get that with the Oatmeal Bath. However, if you have very sensitive skin and can't handle anything even slightly abrasive, I say try the Oatmeal Bath out because it may help to soothe your skin. I also prefer the oats when I do my oatmeal yogurt mask (another thanks to Bubz here :3, it makes my face feel divinely soft) for the same reason, I feel they provide better exfoliation (but are still gentle :3) and give my skin a softer feel. I think that some of the oils that the oats contain kind of dry out when they're milled very fine, like in the Oatmeal Bath which is why it doesn't make my skin feel as soft. If you're worried about the fact that oats have oil in them... I find that because they're a grain, they absorb the oil as well... it's hard to explain but you'll feel it when you use them. To put this in simple terms, it takes out the bad oils in your skin that clog your pores and puts in good oils that will soften your skin. :3 My skin used to bounce around from oily to dry, I'd have oily patches here and dry patches there, the oatmeal definitely helped improve the texture - it's relatively normal/ ever-so-slightly oily now.

     However, if you'd like to put oatmeal in your bath and are worried that the oat flakes may clog your drain and/or be tasty to bugs, I highly suggest the Oatmeal Bath because 90% of it dissolves completely (just be sure to stir it up good in your bathwater) and whatever doesn't dissolve is very fine and easy to rinse out - or simply wrap up your regular oats in some cheesecloth or gauze before dropping them into your bath so you can easily fish them out  and throw them away later. 

    I really think that if you aren't using oatmeal to wash your face already, you should give it a try - it can be a bit messy, but your skin will thank you.

Ok, I know you want some recipes:

Oatmeal-Yogurt Mask (adapted from Bubz :3) - makes 1 mask

     1 teaspoon plain yogurt

     1/2 teaspoon oatmeal

Mix oatmeal and yogurt. Spread an even layer on your face (avoid the eye area) and allow 10-20 minutes for the mask to set. Wash off and marvel at how smooth your skin feels.

Some notes about this: Bubz's recipe uses a tablespoon of each - I found that when I did this, the oatmeal absorbed most of the yogurt and made a clumpy mess on my face, plus I had a lot left over and nowhere to store it (we've got 5 people sharing a fridge :|) so I like to make this in small batches. I use plain, fat-free yogurt. You can use one with fat in it, I just use what I eat :P Make sure to look for a yogurt with live & active cultures (it usually states somewhere on the package that they're in there) because these friendly bacteria will help get rid of dead skin and acne, plus they can help your tummy if you have... tummy trouble - they're like Pepto. I don't suggest flavored yogurts - they often contain high quantities of added colorants and sugars that I can't imagine being skin-friendly. Like I said above, I prefer using the plain oats. But if your skin is very sensitive, use the Oatmeal Bath - it dissolves completely in the yogurt and will give you a smooth, creamy mask. I've also tried this with Greek yogurt and it's either higher in acid or bacteria than regular plain yogurt because it made my face very red and irritated post-use - then again, I let it sit for 30 minutes, so if Greek yogurt is your yogurt of choice, be careful. For those of you who are curious, the mask is 100% edible, but it isn't very tasty - add some fruit or preserves if you'd like to eat it. Yes, it's good for you in whichever way you wanna use it... not really much of a mask if you're gonna be eating it though :P

Yummy Cinnamon Oatmeal: Makes 1 serving

     3/4 cup oatmeal

    1-1.5 cups milk or water (depending on how you like the consistency of your oats, less liquid for thicker oats, more for  runnier oats)

    1-2 teaspoons brown sugar (you can use light or dark, whichever you like); maple syrup and honey are also good options - I just add a light drizzle

     Cinnamon, to taste

Pour liquid into a small pot or saucepan and heat until boiling. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes (or however long the package tells you to cook it). Enjoy!

Notes: Cinnamon, along with the oatmeal, helps regulate blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes and/or having stable blood sugar is a concern for you - this is the ideal meal/breakfast. It's tasty and isn't too crazy time-consuming to make, plus with winter approaching the Northern hemisphere, it's a nice warm breakfast to warm you up on a chilly morning. :3

Please let me know if you've got any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I paid for the oatmeal myself, all of it. :P

Jesse's Girl Eye Dust Review: Kiwi Rose, Sunlit Cactus, Indian Summer, Key Lime, and Peek-A-Boo

My Eye Dust Story: I've always wanted to try Jesse's Girl Eye Dusts since Julieg713 busted  out with Sunlit Cactus on Youtube - it's gorgeous, on top of which, my good friend Schayla, knowing of my intensely deep love of all things bright and makeup related recommended them. Alas, none of the Rite Aids in my area carried them and I wanted to see them in person before I committed. The first time I came upon them in person was at IMATS 2011 where I picked up a couple and fell in love, I always regretted not having gotten more. Well, a few weeks ago I went out on my morning walk and popped into a Rite Aid I don't often go to (it's not really near my house where I go shopping) to buy a drink and happened upon a huge Jesse's Girl Eye Dust display. Imagine my joy! My absolute favorite part about the whole experience was that I found a whole bunch of unique duo-chrome eye shadows for a mere $3.99 each - they cost the same as a chocolate bar (well at least the Godiva ones I like are $3.99 :P) and will last you for far, far longer - bringing far more joy (and possibly less guilt :P) for a long time. 

Availability: Unfortunately it appears that these are no longer being sold and the company itself has been sold off and dissolved into nothingness. :( For all color swatches I used lune+aster Dawn to Dusk Gel Eyeliner in Black  for the black base and Sephora Collection Let It Snow Colorful Shadow & Liner for the white, the far right is this swatched wet

Pictures do little justice for this beautiful color, disguised as a boring shimmery white, Kiwi Rose has the most gorgeous green duo-chrome - best seen when used over a black base. This holds a special place in my heart - I met the owner, Jesse at IMATS (I didn't know he was the owner at the time.... it's even more sad now that I know the company has sold) and had to pick out a color to get as part of the free gift thing they had going with Julie's vids - I didn't really know if I should get it but I did and I remember Jesse telling me he had a thought I'd choose this particular one. :) In addition to the sheer sentimentality of all that - I love using this as a highlight color and am constantly getting compliments and "ooh what's that color?" whenever I wear it. :)

Sunlit Cactus. I've been lusting over this color for a while now, when Julie used it in her videos I always thought it was so pretty! However, this is another one that looks more bleh in photos than it does in real-life (just wait until you get it into the sunlight - the way it sparkles is sooooo pretty). I've been wanting MAC's discontinued Green-Brown pigment but think this is the perfect dupe. This is an orange-y brown with a very pretty green duo-chrome. I love how it walks the line between being a neutral and a bright. :)

Indian Summer. I'd describe this as a coppery bronze with a pink duo-chrome, the duo-chrome effect in this is more subtle compared to the shadows seen above and I think the effect is better seen on the white base above, compared to the black (on which duo-chromes generally pop out on). This is another color that I think would look beautiful as a blush (especially for darker skin-tones) or a lip color.

Key Lime. This is a very pretty mid-tone green that leans a bit cooler-toned than most. The color reminds me of a greener pistachio ice cream - I really love this color, especially because it brings out the redder/more coppery tones out in my eyes and I can get away with wearing it to events where really bright in-your-face shades of green wouldn't be appropriate. I love being able to get away with color :P

Peek-A-Boo is a very pretty magenta-pink with this real stunning violet duo-chrome. I think this would make such an awesome - and unique - lip color. Maybe even a really unique blush for the cooler-toned gals. :)

Overall, I really love the Eye Dusts - my pet peeve with these is that the label with the color name is on the side of the package (it holds the lid/jar together) - I understand this is a good concept with a drugstore item because you know if it's been tampered with, chances are that someone's played around with the product. However, the OCD in me doesn't love sticking the sticker to the bottom of the jar where the ingredients list is. :/

Please feel free to let me know if you'd like to see any of these colors (or a combination) on my eyes - I'll be more than happy to throw a look together for you :) In addition, please let me know if you have any questions or comments ^- ^

Update: The good folks at Jesse's Girl have gotten back to me and the eye dusts are safe to use for eyes, lips, and face - so let your creativity go wild :) I think even Kiwi Rose patted on top of a coral/red or orange blush or lipstick could be a lot of fun :)

Disclaimer: I paid for all of these with my own money, with the exception of Kiwi Rose, which I received as a free-with-purchase at IMATS. The fact that I received it free is really not why I love it, I'd be glad to have paid for it. :P

Blush Review: tokidoki for Smashbox Dolce Vita Soft Lights

Blush: tokidoki for Smashbox Soft Lights in Dolce Vita

As you can see I've repurposed mine as decoration

Availability: Discontinued. You could try makeupalley, ebay.com (it is very reasonably priced there), or amazon.com
Would I buy this again?: Yes!!!!!!!
Notes:     Before tokidoki launched its (their?) own makeup collection at Sephora in 2010, they joined forces with Smashbox back in Spring of '07 and released an adorable collection of wonderful makeup goodies. Normally, I don't keep product packaging around as it's bulky/takes up storage space and is just plain worthless - imagine the money and resources that could be saved by NOT stuffing a product into an extra box. But the packaging for this - I mean look at the box, such amazing artwork and plain cuteness cannot go to waste! Plus I love that the heart and crossbones logo of tokidoki is embossed into the blush itself. If you choose to buy this as a set, it comes with a wonderful goat-hair fan brush - it's very dense, soft, and of good quality. The only reason mine is missing a chunk is because I was VERY rough when washing it - I tend to be impatient when soap doesn't come out :(, but the rest of it is good and going strong.

      I would describe the color as plum-kissed bubble gum pink with gold micro-shimmer throughout. The coverage is fairly sheer and needs to be built up if you want any color to show up. When applied lightly it gives off this radiance that's just lovely. The way it looks on skin - it's like you don't even need a highlight, it just makes my cheeks glow with life - and the best part is it doesn't look like blush, it looks very natural. I feel like this would be a gorgeous highlight for a darker skin-tone. Plus the texture is fantastic - it feels so velvety and nice. I think the retail price for this was $60 but I got mine for $15 on Ebay, I definitely - 100% recommend anyone reading this to check it out! It's worth every penny!

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I bought this on Ebay, using money of my own :3