Sugarpill Cold Chemistry Collection Palette Review

Um so folks... here is the palette we've been anticipating for a YEAR now. Cold Chemistry :D A beautiful fall-appropriate smoky goodness of a palette featuring signature charcoal and two lovely bursts of color along with a white. Are you excited? I know I am!

Let us first take a look at the exterior packaging:

The mirror is pretty and edgy looking but not particularly functional... I'd rather use another one as I'm applying my makeup. 

Availability: This palette and all the shadow shades have been discontinued. 

Notes: Alright so... this palette was made in collaboration with Amy's friend Amelia Arsenic. It's a bit different in its aesthetic - darker, sultrier, deeper. The rest of the colors we've seen so far in Sugarpill have all been bright and cheery and this is almost like its dark side. On top of that, we've seen a lot of mattes and satins in the pressed shadow formulations whereas all four shades in this palette are pearlized. They're beautiful. However, I wish it contained a matte highlight because the white in it is too intensely pearlized to work well with the other three colors as a brow-bone highlight unless you like a very sparkly brow-bone.

Ok, ok, enough chatter, lemme show you the colors!

Soot & Stars is a rich blackened charcoal (it looks more charcoal-ish when blended out or used with a fluffy brush but darker if packed on) with noticeable silver pearl. It also contains pink and turquoise pearl which isn't so visible.

Diamond Eyes is a very pearly intense white with a hint of a pink - I like it as a highlight for the inner corner but imagine it'd be nice on the lid or below the eye as well.

Elemental Chaos is my favorite color in the palette - which should surprise you because you know how I love my teals. It's a beautiful deep, dark, blue-based violet purple with a blue shift. Have you noticed a trend of me just buying and buying these types of colors this year? Love 'em with brown eyes.

Subterranean is a blackened green-based teal with turquoise pearl. I wish it had more blue in it. Le sigh. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments :)

Disclaimer: I bought this using my own money.

Sugarpill Elektro Cute Sparkling Neon Pigment Review

Alright, if you know me, you know Sugarpill gets me uber excited because the wonderful Amy Doan shares my love of all things girly, frilly, and bright. Thusly I bring you a review of Sugarpill's newest products tonight.

In this particular post I will be featuring the Elektro Cute Sparkling Neon Pigments and my suggestions as to how to wear them and best practices. I bought all the colors sans the pink because the pink was sold out when I ordered them. I don't think I'll be picking it up though. But before that, let's take a look at some of the exterior packaging cuteness. 

Availability: These have all been discontinued.

Notes: Firstly let's start off with packaging talk. These are packaged very similarly to the loose pigments Sugarpill carries - the Chromalusts the main difference being that these are filled to the brim with product. That said, both contain 5g of product. A vast majority of bloggers have suggested NYX's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk as the ideal base for this. I decided to try these with Too Faced Shadow Insurance - Glitter Glue and yo... the stuff works. I mean look at the swatches - it keeps the pigment and glitter in place. Try it. Ask for a sample. It being a clear base versus a white like Milk means that it won't alter the colors. There will still be fallout though so I suggest doing your eyes before the rest of your face. Speaking of, these are technically not FDA-approved for the eye area so apply at your own risk. I haven't had an issue. In addition to that, I find these work best in applications of patting, rather than anything that requires blending. They don't blend or move around well. They sit in place well provided you pat them on a sticky base. Using them as crease colors has proved to be a poor endeavor for me as they either don't want to blend out properly or fade significantly throughout the day - neither of which I experience on the lid.

Ok, ok, enough chatter, lemme show you the colors! 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 over Too Faced Glitter Glue Shadow Primer.

Hi-Viz is a bright lemony canary yellow with multi-sized gold glitter with a silver-ish shift.

Supercharged is a coral-kissed orange with the same glitter that Hi-Viz has. It is the least pigmented of the bunch and the one that requires the most work to look nice. I probably would've skipped it if I knew how much work it'd be.

Sparkage is a beautiful grass green with the same kind of golden glitter that the other two contain. It's so pretty - a marriage of chartreuse and grass green. I kind of want to eat it and hope it tastes like green tea powder. But it won't! Don't eat neon pigment folks.

Hellatronic is my favorite of the bunch. It's the most pigmented on its own and is the only one that responds to any sort of blending (although this makes it fade throughout the day... but alas). It's a royal blue with just a kiss of purple and contains magenta and silver glitter that has a bluish shift (or reflects its blue-ness... I'll never know!) 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments :)

Disclaimer: I bought this using my own money.

Moisturizer Review: MAC Oil Control Lotion

Hello folksickles. Today's review will be for MAC Oil Control Lotion

Availability: This has been discontinued.

Would I buy this again?: Yes

What is this product designed to address?

According to maccosmetics.com this is what the product is and what it does:

The ultimate no-shine base for oil control. Natural exfoliants help improve texture and clarity. Lightweight and instantly matte, bonds makeup to the skin for fewer touch-ups. Oil-free hydration with natural colloidal minerals and antioxidants. Formulated to keep skin pH-balanced. Use day or night.

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Unfortunately I threw the box from this away and the website doesn't list the ingredients in the product so I can't really speak to any beneficial ingredients this may contain. I apologize. So outside of the colloidal minerals and antioxidants mentioned above I'm not too sure.

What is the texture like?

This is incredibly lightweight and refreshing when applied. It feels moisturizing but in a way that doesn't weigh the skin down at all. It absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. 

Is it scented?

The scent of this is difficult for me to describe. It's kind of a light soapy floral(?) scent.

My overall experience/comments on the product:

Firstly, this is the perfect summertime moisturizer for me. I've tried others and really like this best because of how it feels when it goes on. It's like a splash of water but it moisturizes, albeit lightly. I like pairing it with two drops of face oil. It still feels lightweight that way but is a more moisturizing concoction. It does a good job of keeping the oil at bay also. I don't get particularly greasy or shiny when I use it. Overall it feels really nice and gets the job done without irritating my skin. I love it.

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

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

Nail Polish Review: Color Club Eternal Beauty

Today I'll be reviewing Color Club Nail Polish in Eternal Beauty

What the polish brush looks like: 

My nails with 2 coats of polish, all nails have Orly Won't Chip, Chip Resistant Topcoat on

Availability: This is available at shopcolorclub.com and at amazon.com. All holographic finishes are $12 on the Color Club website and are a bit cheaper (about $10-12) on Amazon.

Would I buy this again?: Possibly.

Notes: Color-wise this is a blue-based violet purple with a holographic finish. The holograph on this shows up in all lighting as far as I've noticed but artificial lighting - run of the mill translucent light-bulbs or direct sunlight make it most noticeable.

Application was fairly easy with this and the brush is simply your average nail brush - nothing to write home about. The polish is mostly opaque in two coats. I could see the whites of my nails under it but only if I was looking for them.

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

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

Nail Polish Review: Color Club Angel Kiss

Today I'll be reviewing Color Club Nail Polish in Angel Kiss

What the polish brush looks like: 

My nails with 2 coats of polish, all nails have Orly Won't Chip, Chip Resistant Topcoat on

Availability: This is available at shopcolorclub.com and at amazon.com. All holographic finishes are $12 on the Color Club website and are a bit cheaper (about $10-12) on Amazon. 

Would I buy this again?: Yes

Notes: Color-wise this is a vivid sky blue with a holographic finish. The holograph on this shows up in all lighting as far as I've noticed but artificial lighting - run of the mill translucent light-bulbs or direct sunlight make it most noticeable. 

Application was fairly easy with this and the brush is simply your average nail brush - nothing to write home about. The polish is mostly opaque in two coats. I could see the whites of my nails under it but only if I was looking for them.

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

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

BB Cream Review: Urban Decay Naked Skin Illuminating Beauty Balm

Urban Decay Naked Skin Illuminating Beauty Balm

Availability: This item has been discontinued.

Would I buy this?: No.

What is a BB cream? 

I have been doing research on Youtube (mainly BubzBeauty's videos) and others' blogs (I don't remember who, exactly) and this is what I've come up with: BB creams, also known as beauty balms, blemish balms, or beblesh balms were invented in Germany and were given to patients who've had laser surgery in order to help heal their scars or other blemishes while providing tinted coverage. I also understand that the word "beblesh" is just a poorly translated form of the very familiar "blemish." I had a Chinese friend and on our many trips to Chinatown, starting about 4 years ago, I always noticed "whitening" creams of all sorts. The BB cream is nothing new and I don't quite understand why it's only becoming popular/catching on now. We had a discussion about this at my makeup school and came to the consensus that the Western market is probably more interested in the blemish coverage/healing properties than the whitening of the BB creams, not all of which have whitening properties. I want to mention that since I will now be reviewing "Western" or "US-Market" BB creams - they're not all formulated with blemish-healing abilities, so be sure to read the packaging claims and ingredients. 

What is this particular balm? What is it supposed to do?

According to Sephora.com here are its benefits:

What it is:

A five-in-one, illuminating beauty balm that minimizes flaws and supports firmer skin in eight weeks. 

What it is formulated to do: 

- Lends skin a tighter appearance and blurs flaws 

- Leaves a radiant finish 

Urban Decay’s oil-free, silky-smooth formula delivers hydration and supports firmer skin—instantly priming makeup so that it goes on smoothly. This beauty balm pampers skin as it evens skintone, protects against sunlight with SPF 20, and light-diffusing spheres give skin a retouched look, minimizing the appearance of pores, lines, wrinkles, and redness. Pepha®-Protect shields skin cells against daily stress, while Vitasource™ and dGlyage® support elasticity and blur the appearance of wrinkles. 

What else you need to know:

This illuminating shade is formulated with champagne-colored pearls that give skin a gorgeous, radiant look. 

Research results:

In a clinical study of 30 participants, immediately after use: 

- 65% of participants’ complexion looked significantly improved 

- 59% of participants’ skin looked lifted. 

- 68% of participants’ skin hydration improved significantly 

In a clinical study of 30 participants, after 8 weeks of use: 

- 93% of participants had significantly firmer, more lifted skin 

- 90% had significantly more radiant skin 

- 84% had a significant improvement in fine lines* 

*Based on subjective analysis

Does this come in any other shades than the one pictured above?

This only comes in one shade :I

What's the coverage/consistency like?

The coverage is nearly non-existent and can be built up to be more on the light side. It does have a visible glowing/sparkly property to it that makes skin look healthy and lit-from-within. Consistency wise, it feels like a very lightweight gel-like primer. I love its texture and how it feels like you're not wearing any makeup at all. 

What makes this different from a regular foundation or tinted moisturizer? Does this have any beneficial ingredients in it?

So here goes, again copied from Sephora.com and edited to be easy to read:

- Vitasource™ and dGlyage®: Firm the appearance of skin, support elasticity, and fight wrinkles. 

- Pepha®-Protect (derived from watermelon extract): Protects skin cells against daily stress. 

- Light-diffusing Spheres: Create a professionally-retouched appearance

Is this scented?

This has a minty scent that's combined with something sweet, something that reminds me of Thai iced coffee - which isn't helpful because it contains a lot of spices. Cardamom perhaps? Not too sure. So think minty Thai iced coffee. I thought I wouldn't like it because it's mint, but I kind of like it. 

What has my experience with the product been like?

I'll address the "what it's supposed to do parts" first:

In a clinical study of 30 participants, immediately after use: 

- 65% of participants’ complexion looked significantly improved - I wouldn't use the word "significantly"

- 59% of participants’ skin looked lifted. - No, but other than being chubby, my skin doesn't droop from aging-related causes.

- 68% of participants’ skin hydration improved significantly - yes

In a clinical study of 30 participants, after 8 weeks of use: 

- 93% of participants had significantly firmer, more lifted skin - again, not quite an issue for me

- 90% had significantly more radiant skin - yes

- 84% had a significant improvement in fine lines - this ain't me, so no comment there.

This particular one, I use as a primer only because I know it doesn't have coverage in it. It does a really good job of holding my makeup in place throughout the day, smoothing out the texture of my skin, being hydrating, and feeling really lightweight.

What do I use to apply the product?

For quick application, I simply use my fingers to apply this.

I feel like this review is as thorough as it gets but please let me know if you have any questions or comments. 

Disclaimer: This was provided for testing purposes. I am under no obligation to mention it here on this blog.

NARS Orgasm Blush Review

Today I'll be reviewing NARS Blush in Orgasm

Availability: This retails at $30 for .16 oz (4.8g) and is available at sephora.com, jcpenny.com, bluemercury.com, macys.com, nordstrom.com, bloomingdales.com, narscosmetics.com, along with their respective store/boutique locations.

Would I buy this again?: Yes.

Notes: Orgasm is quite the famous, quintessential blush and one I've kept meaning to buy but haven't because though I had similar colors already, I was pleasantly surprised by this and receive a ton of compliments each time I wear it. The color is described as a peachy pink with shimmer. I'd describe it as a heavily pinky coral with a golden pearl. What's interesting to me is that it swatches this meh shade of orange-y coral on my hand and doesn't seem pigmented at all but is a GORGEOUS golden pink on my cheeks and is well-pigmented. I think I may have put off buying it for so long because I don't love how it swatches one bit. The texture feels relatively silky but isn't very soft compared to other powder blush I have. Again, applying it with a brush onto my face has a completely different result than touching it with my finger. Now with the packaging, I love the sexy sleek design of NARS makeup. I also hate that the velveteen/suede-ish texture is an utter dirt/stain magnet. It drives my OCD off the walls. :x The mirror is pretty decently sized if you're in a pinch and need a mirror.

Please let me know if you have questions or comments.

Disclaimer: Bought this baby with my own funds.