Moira Beauty Soul of Fire Palette Review

Behold the Moira Beauty Soul of Fire Palette

Availability: This is available at $19 at moirabeauty.com; this palette is on other online retailers but I'm not sure how trustworthy they are so I will not be listing them. Order at your own risk. 

Would I buy this?: I'm not sure

Notes: I really loved my Moira Beauty Sweet Paradise Destiny Eye & Face Palette so when I saw these palettes on sale at Harmon Face Values I had to have them!

Without further ado, swatchfest!

Lover is a matte ivory.

Be Fearless is an intense metallic yellow gold with gold glitter flecks.

Magical Love is a matte dark red.

🦋 is a soft off-white base with a golden chartreuse pearl.

Always True is a metallic emerald green.

On Fire is an ever-so-slightly bluish matte red. 

My Treasure is an intense metallic copper.

Seeking You is a metallic tarnished gold/dark golden olive shade. 

Special Kind is a gunmetal gray with a silver pearl and silver micro-glitter.

Mind Blown is a milk chocolate brown. With a name like that you'd expect a much crazier color.

🔥 is a matte reddish purple.

Show Me is a blackened base with an emerald pearl. 

Passionate is matte charcoal black.

Right Way is a matte navy. You already know I love this color because I love matte navy eyeshadow when it's done well and this one sure enough is.  

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.

lune+aster Copper Dawn to Dusk Gel Eyeliner Review

Today's eyeliner review is going to be on lune+aster Dawn to Dusk Gel Eyeliner in Copper

In this look I applied this as a base for my eyeshadow, on the upper lash line, and in my waterline/inner rim of the eye

Availability: This is a bluemercury exclusive and retails at $22 (and includes a sharpener).

Would I buy this again? No. 

Notes: I'd describe the color of this as a reddish brown with a subtle hint of copper micro-shimmer bits. In terms of texture this is very smooth and glides on easily without pulling or tugging on the eye at all. In terms of wear - I had this on for 10 hours, during which I managed a 6 hour nap -  it works pretty decent as a base, I had very slight creasing but no fading of my eyeshadow, on the upper lash-line this stayed put as well. 

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

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

Eye Cream Review: Indie Lee Restorative Eye Cream

Hello folksickles. Today's review will be for the Indie Lee Restorative Eye Cream.

Availability: This product retails at $68 for 15mL (0.5 fl. oz.) and is available at bluemercury.com, macys.com, ulta.com, and credobeauty.com as well as their physical locations along with dermstore.com and indielee.com. 

Would I buy this?: Probably not.

What is this product designed to address?

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

A lightweight, nourishing eye cream that is Vegan, gluten-free and powered by nature to reduce the visible signs of aging. Also works great as a primer!
Key Features / BenefitsEctoin, antioxidant Centella and Paracress extracts help strengthen, protect and diminish the visible signs of aging. Conditioning algae and Licorice Root promote brighter, plumper, more youthful-looking skin.

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?
Again, according to bluemercury.com:

Ectoin -  Helps protect the skin against sun and pollution damage.

Centella - Has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties.

Paracress - Meant to help reduce muscle tension which can relax wrinkles and fine lines.

Hyaluronic Acid - Holds moisture in the skin

Licorice Root - Has brightening properties

What is the texture like?

This has a lightweight, whipped texture to it that feels refreshing and deeply hydrating when applied.. 

Is it scented?

This has a particularly discernable scent. 

My overall experience/comments on the product:
I really like how hydrating yet lightweight this eye cream is. That said, I really dislike the pump on this bottle as it dispenses enough product to essentially smear over the face. If you're looking for a slightly brightening, but mostly hydrating eye cream this would be one to check out as I truly do love its texture and hydration ability. That said, I personally like something that brightens and depuffs a bit more.

As primer, the aspect of the pump releasing too much product is an issue because I typically use very little eye primer on my lids. It also doesn't hold up well, a concept which doesn't surprise me. I'm glad that I didn't go out when I tested this as a primer because my shadow creased and faded significantly. To explain, the purpose of an eye cream, in its most basic form, is to hydrate the eye area. The purpose of an eyeshadow primer is actually to mattify the eyelid so that powder adheres to the area better; the mattifying of the eyelid is what keeps the eyeshadow from mixing with oil or other hydrating ingredients and then creasing. Now, perhaps they meant that this works great as a primer for under-eye concealer, and it really does work well for that in terms of creating a nice, smooth texture for concealer to go on. That said, I don't find that the longevity of my under-eye concealer is any better with this particular eye cream versus any other.

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 this product on this blog.

July 2021 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. lune+aster Dawn to Dusk Gel Eyeliner in Copper: I personally feel like my main issue with this eyeliner is that its color just doesn't work with my eye color. I feel like because this has too much red in it, and my eyes are a warm brown, that it makes my eyes look really bloodshot. For someone with blue or green eyes I feel like this color would be very pretty. Alas. 

2. Sugarpill Elektro Cute Sparkling Neon Pigment in Hellatronic: Unfortunately, this goes on rather patchy and I just know I won't reach for it.

Disclaimer: I purchased all of these myself with the exception of the lune+aster product. 

July 2021 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! Look at me for a change, only buying essentials.  

1. Seche Vite dry fast top coat: I ran out of my topcoat and haven't used this in a hot minute so I decided to purchase it and see if I still liked it like I used to,. 

2. Maybelline Color Tattoo in 15 Front Runner: Given that I have recently run out of MAC Bare Study Pro Longwear Paint Pot and am near running out of Laura Mercier Rose Gold Caviar Stick Eye Color in addition to the fact that I use my nude eyeshadow bases more than any other color I decided to go out and find what they had at the drugstore where it was surprisingly difficult to find a pinkish nude champagne shade but alas this is the closest I was able to get. It's still more yellowish than I wanted but it'll work. 

3. KISS ME Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner Super Keep in 01 Jet Black: It was time for me to purchase a new eyeliner and I was at my local Teso Life so I figured why not try something new - I remember seeing these at Asian supermarkets/beauty stores in the past and meaning to try them and then they'd escape my mind so I just grasped my opportunity. I figured for $11 I might as well. 

3.Duo Brush On Striplash Adhesive in Clear x2: It was also time for me to repurchase my lash glue and since this was on a buy one, get one 50% off I decided to just buy two because I figured I'll need to replace it at some point anyway. 

Disclaimer: I purchased everything listed above \.

July 2021 Favorites

Hey folksickles,

Alright, all the goodies I've been enjoying in July :) To be honest I have been sticking to many of the same products so I don't have much in the way of favorites but alas:

1. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Junkie: It's been so long since I've worn one of these teals with glitter on the waterline on a regular basis - I feel like this sort of color was a signature for me when I started wearing makeup regularly in the late 00s. Not only is it nostalgic, but it really does a beautiful job of contrasting with my brown eyes. I absolutely love it!

2. ColourPop Just A Tint Lip Crayon in A Go Go: I've already sung my praises to these lip balms and how much I love them. They act as great hydrating bases for other lip color but are fantastic on their own. This is such a beautiful rosy neutral tone that pairs beautifully with everything. 

3.Bath & Body Works Pineapple Mango Scented Candle: (not pictured) I literally have this burning as I talk about it but it just smells so good! A wonderful candle for the summertime or for when you're longing for summertime.

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

Disclaimer: I paid for the products mentioned above myself.

July 2021 Empties

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

1.  Kiss So Wispy Lashes in 09 x3: These are a very soft, natural-looking wispy lash that adds a little boost to any eye look without being too crazy or dramatic. I also have to sing some praises to these lashes as they have thin bands they're very easy to mold to your eye shape and therefore easy to glue on and apply. 

2. Softsoap Blooming Jasmine & Plum Moisturizing Body Wash: Unfortunately this body wash, despite the large bottle, didn't last long as a windy day in the bathroom caused this to fall down and have most of its content leak. That said, this has a really pretty scent and I enjoyed it while I had it. It's not as moisturizing as I would personally prefer.

3. m-61 PowerGlow Peel Pad 2: As I've said many times before I really love these peel pads because they instantly retexturize the skin - rough, flakey skin is transformed to beautiful glowing skin. Because these exfoliate, they let the skincare you apply over top to work even better since it's not fighting to bypass a dry layer of dead skin. 

4. beauty 360 100% Pro Strength Nail Polish Remover: I really like this nail polish remover for regular nail polish as this makes really quick work of things. I haven't tried it with gel or heavy glitter polishes but its scrubby bits help get more stubborn polish off in my experience. 

5. Darphin Stimulskin Plus Multi-Corrective Divine Eye Cream: I found this eye cream to be very hydrating and quick-absorbing but it didn't do much else for me.  

6. Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish: This smells delicious but isn't as scrubby as I personally like. If you're someone who likes a gentler, softer scrub this does a nice job.

7. Indie Lee Energize Body Oil: Folksickles I think there's just something about my skin, specifically my foot skin, that doesn't agree with body oils. In terms of my legs, this worked great at hydrating them but as for my feet - arguably the part of my body that needs the most hydration is my feet and this just made them super scaly and dry. It felt really nice when I first applied it, but afterward it would get sucked up by the feet super quickly and disappear off into the abyss. So, all that said, I like the way this smells and I like that it sprays out and is lightweight but it just isn't hydrating enough for me. 

8. Duo Brush-On Adhesive with Vitamins: As I always say I like that this is a brush-on and dries fairly quick. It works just as good as any brush-on lash glue. 

9. Moroccanoil Moroccanoil Treatment: I like to use this on the ends of my hair to give them a little boost of hydration. I find that it's not too heavy even on my very fine hair as long as I stick to mostly the ends and mid-lengths of my hair. 

10. Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau de Toilette: This is a nice, fresh, floral fragrance. I like it, I don't like it enough to buy it, but I like the way it smells. 

11.  Kat Von D Saint Eau de Parfum: A light, sweet scent. 

12. Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia:  Another sweet, light scent - this one is a bit more citrusy. 

13. PRADA CANDY Eau de Parfum: This perfume is just too sweet for my personal taste. 

14. berkley jensen Unscented baby wipes: I like these baby wipes as they are nice, thick, well-moistened, and do a great job of dusting off surfaces or removing swatches. I also love that they come 500 to a pack so a pack lasts a long time!

15. Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara: I feel like I liked this mascara when I first started using it and then it just kind of got lost in the abyss in terms of it just drying out quickly. The brush gave my lashes volume regardless but alas, it was just ok. 

16. Physicians Formula Eye Booster Waterproof Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner: I really like this eyeliner as it's easy to apply, remains black, has a really nice, fine, flexible brush tip and stays put all day long. 

17. ORLY In A Snap Quick-Dry Topcoat: I really like this topcoat. It dries fairly quickly (about 30 minutes to fully set is typical for me) and leaves my nails looking shiny and gel-like. 

18. Bath & Body Works Leaves Scented Candle x2: Frankly friends I feel weird having burned this candle in  the summertime because it's just not it for hotter weather - the scent feels heavily sticky with sap and apple notes. I like its smell but I prefer it without the stickiness of summer... if that makes sense at all. 

19. LUSH Cranberry Fizz Lip Scrub: This is a super yummy sugar scrub for the lip. It was adequately srubby without feeling too harsh for me and I loved the way it smelled. I never licked it off, honestly, because I feel like that defeats the point of removing dead skin, as saliva tends to break down lip tissue. In addition, it's not appealing to me to consume my dead lip skin so... that's gonna be a no from me dawg. 

20. Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray: In all technicality this spray is designed as a UV and heat protective spray and, well I did go out into the sun but I don't typically use hot tools anymore. This made my hair really shiny and added a very light hint of hydration.

21. REVLON COLORSTAY SHARP LINE Eyeliner in 01 Blackest Black: I confess that I've only used this eyeliner a handful of times but am getting rid of it because it's SO BAD! I usually don't feel strong dislike... or hate... toward a product but this one... ugh. The felt tip is actually not fine at all, so it's difficult to get good precision with this. In addition, it's not waterproof, which typically is neither here nor there for me with eyeliner BUT if this gets even a little bit wet, like your eyes tear up a little or maybe it starts to rain or whatnot, this runs and SMEARS all over your eye, making you look terrifying. 

22. wondergloss face aperitif in rose: I'm so sad to have used this up completely, it's a wonderful setting spray that has a delicious rose scent. Frankly I found the scent intense at first but I've fallen in love with it.

23.  Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Bae: Unfortunately this smells off.

24. Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint in Birthday Suit: This is another product that smells off and is fairly dried out.

25.  Indie Lee De-Stress Body Wash: This body wash is nice and lightweight for the summertime. That said, it has a rather prominent eucalyptus scent that's neither here nor there for me. I typically don't like very strong eucalyptus scents as they tend to go musky or sweaty-smelling to me. I most likely wouldn't go out of my way to purchase this.

26. Crown brush C511 brush: As you know I absolutely adore this brush but mine was getting scraggly and they were sold out of these for a long time, so when I saw that they had come back in stock I was super excited and ordered a bunch!

27.  Bath & Body Works Pineapple Mango Scented Candle: I'm sad to see this candle go as it smells absolutely delicious. If you like pineapple and mango anything, I suggest checking this candle out!

28. KISS Lash Couture Triple Push-Up Collection Lashes in Bombshell: As much as I love the look of these lashes in the box, I don't really like them on myself. Unfortunately, because they're very thick and full all the way across the band they tend to make my eyelids look heavy and down-turned.

29. Bi&Lita Olive Hand Cream: My mom gave me this a while back and, because I never go through hand creams, I used primarily as a foot cream. It worked alright, and moisturized my legs wonderfully, but as I say often, it didn't do much for the soles of my feet. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the m-61, Darphin, Indie Lee, Moroccanoil, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Giorgio Armani, Kat Von D, Oribe, wondergloss, Tarte, Bi&Lita, and Chanel products.