Thursday, January 7, 2021

Mask Review: Fourth Ray Beauty A-HA Moment exfoliating enzyme Mask

'Ello folksickles. Today's review will be for the Fourth Ray Beauty A-HA Moment exfoliating enzyme Mask





Availability: This retails at $16 for 1.7 oz. (50g) and is exclusive to colourpop.com and fourthraybeauty.com.

Would I buy this? Possibly.

What is this product? What is it supposed to do?
Product info according to fourthraybeauty.com:
Has your skin been waiting for an A-HA moment? Our A-HA Moment Exfoliating Enzyme Mask is the must have, at-home facial to instantly resurface skin. Powered by a blend of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA's) and Papaya Enzymes that are known to exfoliate dull skin, instantly revealing a fresh, new, and nourished complexion

Does this contain any special/beneficial ingredients?
Once again, according to fourthraybeauty.com:
Papaya Enzymes: known for having exfoliating properties. 
Glycolic Acid: known to exfoliate and renew skin texture.
Lactic Acid: known to exfoliate and reveal softer skin.
Cranberry Seed Polish: known to renew and refresh dull skin.

What is the texture like?
This has a soft clay feel. 

Is this scented?
This smells sweet and fruity.

What has my experience with the product been like?
This is a really wonderful, creamy, exfoliating mask that leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth. It really helped draw out any breakouts and impurities to the surface without drying out my skin and also gave my skin a nice radiance. It also smells really yummy. 

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

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Johnny Concert Acid Mermaid Eyeshadow Look

Hey folks, today I bring you a smoky, witchy mermaid look.


Enough blabbering, tutorial time!
I  applied the blush from the Lune+Aster Desert Moon Palette as a base for Hourglass Strobe Blush, Iridescent Rose with my Sephora Collection Pro Mini Airbrush 55.5. I also applied illuminator from the Lune+Aster Desert Moon Palette as a base for Hourglass Strobe Powder, Iridescent Strobe Light using my Sephora Collection #74 PRO Small Blush and Contour brush.


As a base for my eyeshadow I applied MAKE UP FOR EVER Aquamatic in D-21 and blended it out with my Crown Pro C511 brush.

For the crease I applied bh Cosmetics Carnival along with bh Cosmetics Dippie with the Sonia Kashuk Essential Blending Crease Brush No. 273 and Crown Pro C511 Brush, respectively.

For the lid I applied Acid Mermaid wet using the innisfree nourishing mist with canola honey and  my  Crown Pro C510 brush.


To highlight the brow-bone and the inner corner of the eye I applied Kat Von D Melanie and bh Cosmetics Trixie using my no-name gigantic paddle brush from Crown and Crown Pro C528 brush, respectively. I apologize, I seem to have forgotten to photograph this step.



For the lower lash line, I applied bh Cosmetics Swag and blended it out with bh Cosmetics Ultimate using my Bubbi Detail brush.
The look sans lashes. 


For lashes I used  Colourpop Falsies Faux-M-G Lashes in Chick along with the Duo Quick Set Striplash Adhesive.
For lips, I applied the Colourpop Just A Tint Lip Crayon in The Strand (not pictured) and topped it off with Sugarpill Liquid Lip Color in Sub-Zero.

Hope that you liked this! :D It was super fun for me to put together! 

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

Disclaimer: The Sephora 55.5 brush, Hourglass, and Lune+Aster products were provided for testing purposes.  I paid for everything else you see here myself. 

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Johnny Concert Acid Mermaid Eyeshadow Review

Today I bring to you the Johnny Concert Eyeshadow in Acid Mermaid


Availability: This can be purchased at johnnyconcertmakeup.com for $18 for 1.5g (0.05 oz.).
Would I buy this again? No.
Notes: This shade is described as a glistening teal with reflective shimmery gold shifts. I'd say this is an intense metallic Caribbean blue teal with a greenish-gold pearl. It's a shade I've been lemming for, for years and finally decided to go ahead and get it. That said, while the shade is BEAUTIFUL, it's not unique and I find that it's pricey for what it is, especially if you take shipping into account.

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

Disclaimer: I bought this myself. 

Monday, January 4, 2021

December 2020 Departures

Ok folksickles. Departure blogs will contain items that aren't empties but that are going to be given away for one reason or another. I'm working hard to curate my makeup collection and want it to include only the products that I think truly work well, that I reach for often and do what they're supposed to do.

1. L.A. Colors eyeliner pencil in Turquoise: Unfortunately I find that this just isn't as smooth and pigmented as I'd like it to be. It's not terrible but I'd rather pass it along.

2. L.A. Colors eyeliner pencil in Electric Blue: This has the same issue as the one described above.

Disclaimer: My coworker purchased the eyeliners for me as a birthday gift.

Sunday, January 3, 2021

December 2020 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! Arrivals feature items I bought this month that are joining my collection; a haul if you will. Without further ado.

1. Sheet Masks Galore: I purchased these intending them to be gifts for others but I needed to spend extra to get free shipping so I figured I'd get a set for myself as well
innisfree Green Holidays Jeju Root Energy Mask Set - this set features:
Carrot
Beet 
Potato
Burdock
Kohlrabi
Lotus Root
Ginger 
Yam
innisfree also sent me the following goodies as free gifts:
Youth-enriched Cream with Orchid (and a smaller sample)

2.  ColourPop Haul: Oh did we venture back into the danger zone with this one
My wife also gave me the Mulan Palette for Christmas

3. Violet Voss mini Haul: These two palettes were on BOGO and you know I love Violet Voss so I just had to!

4. NARS Extreme Effects Palette: When this palette went on sale and I saw the colors in it, I feel like my best friend spoke to my soul (even though I didn't consult with him) and said to get it. It's so beautiful and the colors are so buttery smooth that I just couldn't resist.

5. Random palettes my wife gave me for Christmas: I mean what can I say, I feel very loved

Disclaimer: I purchased everything listed above with the exception of the innisfree samples and Christmas gifts mentioned above.

Saturday, January 2, 2021

December 2020 Favorites

Hey folksickles,

Alright, all the goodies I've been enjoying in December :) To be honest I've been testing so many products this past month that nothing comes to mind as a certain favorite other than these few products:
1. Trader Joe's Oatmeal & Honey Pure Vegetable Soap: I've mentioned my eczema on and off on this blog and this year it attacked my knuckles to the point of drawing blood - this soap honestly brought my skin back to normal. Granted, it took several weeks but I notice that when I'm washing my hands when my eczema is active on them typical hand soaps tend to be extremely stripping and drying whereas this leaves my skin feeling super soft and replenished. It also foams up quite nicely. 

2. Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant with Lactic Acid: I love this scrub so much! It remains fairly scrubby even with water added and I love that it's a combination of physical and chemical exfoliants. It smells absolutely delicious, like really good fresh strawberries and leaves my skin feeling like a baby's bottom. It has somewhat of a hefty price tag but given how far a tiny bit of it goes I find that it's genuinely worth the money. It also provides a nice radiance to my skin and isn't irritating at all. 

3. papa recipe Bombee Honey Mask: I haven't had this mask in so long and now that I've used it I remember why I used to love it so much. This smells incredible and leaves my skin as soft as a baby's behind. Like the above product, this is gentle on the skin and gives the skin a nice glow.

4. goodal sheet masks (no particular type): This brand is new to me but I've tried several of their sheet masks and really like their quality. The provide a really nice, hydrating, refreshing serum infusion that absorbs well into the skin and feels nice to wear. They leave my skin feeling really silky too.


Disclaimer: I paid for the products mentioned above myself.

Friday, January 1, 2021

December 2020 Empties

  All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

Sheet Masks Galore:
Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Face Gels: Well lmfao I just realized that these are for smile lines and not for the under-eyes, which is where I put them, and I was gonna say I hated how sticky they were but I was using them wrong the whole time... well then... I didn't find them to be particularly hydrating or cooling - can't tell you if they smooth smile lines either. 
patchology Illuminating Eye Gels - Glitter Edition: I really didn't love these because they fit under the eyes kind of strangely and the glitter is just like... why would I want chunky glitter under my eyes? These did feel hydrating and refreshing I just think the glitter aspect is unnecessary. 
Candy O'Lady Mellow Cotton Candy Mask: Unfortunately this is another one that I wasn't a fan of and it's because this mask is just extremely oversaturated with serum to the point of feeling like wet goo on the face. The serum doesn't pat in nicely afterwards either, it just sits on the skin because there's too much of it. 
goodal citron infused water mild sheet mask: We're finally onto a good one. I really like these particular masks because I find that they do a wonderful job of infusing their serum into the skin while making the skin feel refreshed and hydrated. This particular one has more of a rosemary than a citron scent which I find rather odd. 
EVERYDAZE Collagen Focus Treatment Mask: I found this mask to be very hydrating and refreshing. 
goodal apple infused water mild sheet mask: This one has a nice, mild apple scent. 
goodal green tea infused water mild sheet mask: This one has a really fantastic tea scent that I just adore! 
papa recipe Bombee Honey Mask: It's been so long since I've used these masks and I have to say I still LOVE them so much! They smell so good and leave my skin feeling super soft and rejuvenated. 
Candy O'Lady Cake Pop Candy Mask: This is another one I didn't love because again, it's oversaturated with a serum that doesn't absorb well into my skin and with both masks, I find that the philtrum area (the part between the nose and mouth) never lays down flat so I feel like I have some kind of odd Dr. Zoidberg flappy upper lip area.
A'Pieu Strawberry Milk Air Pocket Sheet: This is a great hydrating, refreshing mask that leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth, and supple while smelling like a strawberry milkshake. I think it's great.
Candy O'Lady Lemon Candy Mask: This is another one I didn't love because again, it's oversaturated with a serum that doesn't absorb well into my skin and with these masks, I find that the philtrum area (the part between the nose and mouth) never lays down flat so I feel like I have some kind of odd Dr. Zoidberg flappy upper lip area. At least this particular one had a somewhat nice lemon scent to it.
Etude House Smoothing & Firming Snail Mask: This mask is fantastic in that it's hydrating without being heavy. It left my skin feeling smooth and a tiny bit firm, mostly just smooth and soft. I love that this mask is inexpensive and does what it promises to do.
Jajun Okra Green Mask: This is another mask that I really enjoyed because it left my skin feeling hydrated, refreshed, and soft. 
esfolio Rose Essence Mask Sheet: This mask left my skin feeling super silky and soft like a baby's behind. It has a pretty, soft, herbaceous rose scent.
A by BOM Ultra Water Leaf Water Mask with Plant Energy from Garden: This mask was quite wet and gloppy so I was concerned that it would just end up feeling like a mess but it was incredibly hydrating and left my skin very smooth, supple, and soft. 

2. Neutrogena Hydro Boost water gel: This is a fantastic hydrating gel cream moisturizer. I personally liked it a lot and found that it gave me adequate hydration despite having a gel texture. It absorbs quickly and I like the way it smells too. The fragrance is a bit much though and I can see why someone wouldn't like it. 

3. fresh Rose Face Mask: I really loved how soft and smooth this made my skin. I'm sad to have used it all up completely. 

4. ColourPop Creme Gel Liner in Cry Baby: I'm so sad to have used this up entirely because not only was it a fantastic brightening shade for my waterline but this color has been discontinued. It's such a pretty lavender. 

5. Anastasia Beverly Hills False Lashes in Gorgina: These are a really pretty voluminous fluttery lash. I got loads of compliments when I wore these. 

6. Scentsy Blue Grotto Scentsy Bar: This smells so wonderful. It's got a really beautiful bright, intense citrus scent to it. 

7. Tree Hut Firmin Sugar Scrub in Mocha & Coffee Bean You know this is another product that I adore and keep repurchasing because it's really scrubby and works well to make my skin softer and smoother as well as to give me a closer shave. This has a delicious coffee scent to it that wakes me up in the morning.

8. ORLY Nail Defense Strengthening Protein Treatment: Unfortunately I don't find that this did much to help strengthen my nails. Last year especially my nails were a disgusting peeling mess and nothing helped until I started taking prenatal vitamins. 

9. Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20: I really loved this moisturizer - it adds a great lightweight hydration that I find is nourishing enough for my dry skin and has SPF protection. I wish it had a higher SPF to it because I really enjoy its texture. 

10.  Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub in Moroccan Rose: You know this is another product that I adore and keep repurchasing because it's really scrubby and works well to make my skin softer and smoother as well as to give me a closer shave. This has a nice soft rose scent.

11. R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray: Honestly I feel like this is a product that I want to love because it's meant to add volume to the hair but be weightless so it's a great product, in theory, for someone with fine hair like myself. Unfortunately it deflates in my hair very quickly and because it's lightweight and doesn't seem to have any type of weight or grit to it there's really nothing there to keep the hair elevated in place. 

12. Virtue Volumizing Mousse: Say hello to my new favorite thickening/volumizing mousse. I love that this mousse gives me volume, more definition to my waves, a slight hold and thicker-feeling texture, and feels smooth and weightless (read: non-crunchy) in my hair. I think it's an incredible product and definitely worth checking out. 

13. Fourth Ray Beauty The Big Detox Mud Mask: This is a fantastic, albeit messy, mud mask. It does a really wonderful job of removing impurities and dirt from the pores - you can literally see the oil coming out onto it - and really draws pimple gunk to the surface. I like it a lot but I wish it wasn't such a mess to remove. 

14. Anastasia Beverly Hills False Lashes in So Hollywood: I got quite  a bit of compliments on these lashes, they're a really pretty semi-chunky, semi-wispy style. 

15. Bath & Body Works Shea & Vitamin E Shower Gel in Sparkling Limoncello: This shower gel is super sudsy and has a yummy sweet lemon scent that wakes me up in the mornings.

16. Laneige Multi Deep-Clean Cleanser : I am so sad that this cleanser has been used up - it provides a deep clean, as its name implies, but leaves my skin feeling very soft and hydrated. It's not the least bit stripping and is perfect for my dry skin that experiences things like clogged pores and acne that need a deeper cleaning. 

17. Chesapeake Bay Asleep Lavender Essential Oil: This has a very true lavender scent to it and did a beautiful job of scenting my room when used in my diffuser.

18. Maya Chia The Super Couple Astaxanthin + Chia Ultra Luxe Facial Oil: Another product that I am sad to have used up completely. This does such a wonderful job of boosting my skin's hydration, leaving it feeling very soft, smooth, and supple. 

19. boscia Vegan Collagen Booster serum: This serum is nice in providing hydration to the skin. I can't really say if the collagen in it produced any benefit in terms of my skin's own elasticity. My skin felt bouncy and supple with this on it but that could be just from the hydration.

20. NEST Holiday Scented Candle: This is a really pretty holiday scent that smells of holidays spices and pine. Unfortunately for me, it also reminds me of the way one of my, now ex, friends' houses in Puerto Rico smelled especially during the holidays. It makes me oddly nostalgic and mostly just sad at how that friendship disintegrated. But alas. 

21. Chesapeake Bay Mind & Body Clarity Peppermint Essential Oil:  This is a good, sweet peppermint essential oil that did a good job scenting my room in my diffuser.

22. Bath & Body Works Wish on a Starfish Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel: This smells really citrusy and yummy. 

23. Dove Rejuvenating Pomegranate & Hibiscus Tea Nourishing Body Wash: As mentioned previously, I really like to use these as shaving cream. This one has a yummy, somewhat sour-sweet fruity scent to it. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the fresh, Jack Black, Maya Chia, boscia, NEST,  and R+Co  products. The Scentsy and Neutrogena products were given to me as gifts.