Love It Or Leave It; Review 2.0: ColourPop Making Mauves Pressed Powder Palette

Hello folksickles. As a makeup junkie and blogger you may have realized that I review a LOAD of eyeshadow palettes and I like to think of myself as being largely an eyeshadow junkie. In order to de-clutter a bit I've decided to pick out a palette or series of eyeshadows for the month and have that be my monthly selection for those instances where I'm not doing a tutorial for the blog. Every month I'll do a recap on the eyeshadows - how I feel about them and whether I'll be keeping them or giving them away (and why :P) as well as if I think it's worth its price tag. 

ColourPop Making Mauves Pressed Powder Palette

You can find a look I did with the palette here. These are the looks I created this month:

So as you can see I created some soft, some smoky, neutral looks. I really love the quality of this palette - the color payoff is excellent (with the exception of A La Mode, which is extremely sheer and difficult to work with, I'm not sure if they meant for it to be used as more of a "topper"), the shadows are beautiful and they blend well. That being said, while I enjoyed using the palette for this blog post, I will be passing this along. The reason being that this palette is too cool-toned for my liking and I just don't see myself reaching for it on the regular. I feel like cool-tones make me look a bit tired and somewhat lifeless and I see myself reaching for warmer browns and blush tones. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.

BB Cream Review: PACIFICA Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream

Today's review is for the PACIFICA Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream in Shade 11.

Availability: This retails at $16 and is available at target.com and ulta.com with potentially their physical store locations (I would call to make sure) along with pacificabeauty.com and vitacost.com.

Would I buy this? No.

What is this product? What is it supposed to do?

Let's quote from pacificabeauty.com, shall we?

Think sheer moisturizing tint with benefits. A true multitasking miracle that hydrates, primes, illuminates, and perfects, leaving a sheer bare skin finish. Specialized mineral pigments that instantly adjust to your skin shade allow one color to work for many. The sheer application can be built up for just the right amount of coverage, while helping diminish the appearance of pores, fine lines, and uneven tone.

Great worn alone if a natural look is what you want.

Ingredients We Love

Floral stem cells

Coconut water

Hyaluronic acid

Available in 3 shades: Light (Shade 11), Medium (Shade 6), & Dark (Shade 3)

Formulated without talc, parabens, phthalates or mineral oil

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

This comes in 3 shades.

What's the coverage/consistency like?

I would say this has a light to medium, buildable coverage with a soft, slightly dewy finish.

Does this have any beneficial ingredients in it?

Floral Stem Cells: Protect against sun damage and can help prevent wrinkles.

Hyaluronic Acid: Is able to hold 1000x its weight in water, helping to hydrate the skin.

Coconut Water: Contains Vitamin B2, B3 (niacinamide), and Vitamin C; also contains hydrating properties.

 

Is this scented?

This has a faint paint-like scent mixed with a faint floral scent that reminds me of lilacs.

What has my experience with the product been like?

Pros:

-Consistency is really smooth, easy to blend and apply

-Feels very lightweight
-Nice, buildable coverage

- Very natural finish, looks like healthy skin

Cons:

- EXTREMELY limited shade range

- oxidizes (I can personally disguise this with concealer and powder but if I was wearing the product on its own, that would be an issue).
Honestly I wish this didn't oxidize because if it was either available in a slightly more fair, pinker shade or just didn't oxidize to be a bit orange on me I genuinely think I would love it and think it was the perfect sheer but buildable product to throw on to even out your skin-tone. I'm also shocked that despite being a BB cream this has no SPF in it.

What do I use to apply the product?

I apply this with  my e.l.f. Total Face Sponge.

I feel as though this review is pretty thorough but 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.

Concealer Review: COVERGIRL Trublend Undercover Concealer

COVERGIRL Trublend Undercover Concealer in Light Ivory

Availability: Due to the drugstore nature of this item I am seeing the price point range anywhere from $4-$12 for this item (I suppose it might be on sale at some places). It is available at drugstores that carry the COVERGIRL line.

Would I buy this?: Probably not.

What is it supposed to do?

Quoted from covergirl.com:

COVERGIRL Trublend Undercover Concealer is an all day wear full coverage concealer with a velvety, matte finish. That's right—conceal, shape and brighten with our new under eye concealer! This easy-to-apply formula will help you cover hard to hide skin imperfections like dark circles. Find your perfect shade among thirty (30) shades that match 99% of skin tones! FULL COVERAGE - Covers hard to hide skin imperfections like bags under the eyes and dark circles | CONCEALS BAGS - This full coverage concealer is designed for all day wear, making it perfect for long days at work or late nights out | 30 SHADES - Find your perfect shade among thirty (30) concealer shades that match 99% of skin tones | FLUFFY APPLICATOR - Ensures an easy, even application | CRUELTY FREE - We do not test our products on animals.

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

This comes in 30 shades, as mentioned above. 

What's the coverage/consistency like?

I'd say this is a fairly full coverage concealer with a natural finish, it's neither matte nor dewy and just looks like skin.

Does this have any beneficial ingredients in it?

Glycerin, Urea: Attract moisture to the skin's surface.

Vitamin E: Has antioxidant properties.

Is this scented?

This has a  faint, paint-like scent that, frankly, I only notice if I'm smelling the applicator directly. 

What has my experience with the product been like?

I've seen reviews where people have compared this to Tarte Shape Tape and I'd have to disagree. In my personal opinion, this has a somewhat more matte finish to it in comparison. Overall I'm pretty happy with this concealer. It has a nice finish to it, stays put throughout the day (I wear makeup for around 8 hrs/day), and covers up my under-eye darkness/discoloration as well as the redness on my face; it also blends out really easily. My only complaint is that this shade is a tiny bit too light for me but I ordered it through the Flip Fit app so it's hard to predict what it would look like in person - "light ivory" sounds like the kind of color that usually works for me which is why I went for it. 

What do I use to apply the product? 

I apply this with my Colourpop Silicone Blending Sponge.

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, nor am I being compensated, to mention it on this blog.

February 2022 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.  ColourPop that's Taupe Pressed Powder Palette: As I said in my Review 2.0 of this palette, once I ran out of Rock Steady to use on my brows I knew I would be passing this palette along. Unfortunately I find that the cool tones here make my eyes look tired and heavy.

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.

February 2022 Arrivals

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

1. Farmacy Makeup Remover Cleansing Balm in Very Cherry: I've heard good things about this cleanser and am curious how it compares to my beloved wondergloss beauty Makeup Assassin: 2 in 1 Makeup Remover and Oil Cleanser.

2. Garnier green labs Brightening Gel Wash Pinea-C: This cleanser was on my wish list because I love pineapple and vitamin C products so it seemed up my alley. I ended up purchasing the Hyalu-Melon last month because I couldn't find this one in stores but since I was ordering other things I figured I might as well add this onto my order.

3. COSRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balance Essence: This was also on my product wish list, I'm not sure if it's because this is meant to be a dupe for the SK-II essence or because I had a sample in the past and liked it but alas on I am my last bottle of toner and wanted something that would give my skin an extra moisture boost.

4. ORLY Bonder Rubberized Basecoat: I'm running low on this basecoat and since I like it, I decided to just replenish on it.

5. inm Out the Door Top Coat for Nails: I had this topcoat in the past and really liked it so since I'm low on topcoat I decided to purchase this.

6. Layered Fragrance Rose Muscat Body Spray: I was at Teso Life and a friend had wandered into the perfume section and let me say, I was hooked, I technically intended to purchase the Rose & Muguet and this was an accidental purchase but I really like how it smells!

7. Aveeno Positively Radiant brightening daily scrub: I haven't had this scrub in ages but I remember liking the way it smelled and felt on my skin so I decided to give it a try and see if I still had any warm, fuzzy feelings toward it.

8. Flip Haul: I was very lucky to have been given a credit to use on the app to try it out and review products. The reviews are meant to be in-app only but you all know that I will be posting them on this blog here as well (well the types of items I usually review). If you would like to get a free $30 credit to use toward a future in-app purchase my link is: https://go.flipfit.com/go?u=c6955543 (please don't feel obligated). The app is generally useful because it is quite easy to earn credits on it which you can use toward 30% off on your orders, which all ship free in a nice discrete box. Getting that 30% off is essentially like having a retail employee discount and there are loads of brands on there, so if anything, I do highly suggest checking it out. Without further ado, here is the haul:

Lilly Lashes 3D Faux Mink  in Miami

pixi Makeup Fixing Mist

pixi Rose Cream Cleanser

Rock Creek Soaps Loofah Soap in Sweet Sunshine

COVERGIRL Trublend Undercover Concealer in Light Ivory

Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream in Shade 11

Kim Chi Chic Puff Puff Pass Powder in Translucent

beauty blender BLEANDERCLEANSER solid in Lavender

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

Disclaimer: I purchased everything listed above with the exception of the Flip items, which were sent for review. 

February 2022 Empties

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

1. theraWell pink grapefruit Essential Oil: I bought a set of these to use in my diffuser and I find that this is ok but its scent is a bit faint. In addition, it smells distinctly citrusy but I would be hard pressed to identify the scent as being grapefruit. It's nice but I don't have particularly strong feelings about it.

Unfortunately the following two lipsticks just smell like crayons and really off so I feel its best to discard them:

2. wet n wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 536A Dark Wine: 

3. wet n wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 535D Black Orchid: 

4. Stila Magnificent Metals Liquid Eyeshadow in Smoky Storm: Unfortunately this has completely dried out so the glitter just flakes all over my face instead of adhering to my eyelids.

5. Seche Vite dry fast top coat: Unfortunately this has come to an end so I have purchased new top coat to replace it. This makes my nails really shiny and I like the gel-like look and texture it provides. That being said, it does cause nail polish to pull away a little at the tips of the nails when it's drying.

6. Nature Republic Hand & Nature sanitizer gel in Rose: I'm sad that this has come to an end as it smells absolutely delicious and left my hands sanitized without any goopy or drying feeling. 

7. Caudalie Instant Detox Mask: Honestly I did like this mask years ago when I first used it but it's just too drying for my skin now. It feels uncomfortably dry and tight as it dries on my face to the point where I get irritated by it. I also don't notice a significant change in terms of sebaceous filaments in my nose when I use this and give that it's my main issue in terms of using a detox mask for it, I won't be purchasing this again.

8. Trader Joe's enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 15: I really liked this moisturizer, it gave my skin a nice boost of hydration and went on nicely underneath tinted moisturizer. That being said, I wish it had a higher SPF, as a pale person I feel like 15 is nowhere near enough.

9. Clinique Go-Go Pop Lacquer Lip Color + Primer: For whatever reason this has developed an odd earthy, musky scent that reminds me of mushrooms and given that it didn't smell like that before I feel like the safest option is to discard it.

10. beauty 360 Original Nail Polish Remover Pad x2: I purchased these to use on my feet since my local CVS, unfortunately, was closing and out of the liquid remover. These work fairly decent and do a good job of removing my nail polish. I'm able to get both feet done before it dries. That being said the pad is a bit thick which, overall, is not bad but it's difficult to get it around the cuticle area to remove nail polish there. 

11. ORLY Bonder Rubberized Basecoat: I am pretty much out of this in my bottle, it's gotten down to the bottom where it's difficult to pick it up and apply it onto my brush. I have replenished because I like it a lot.

12. Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil: Frankly, I really dislike the musky, masculine scent of this but when I started using this, my hair was so damaged that I was willing to tolerate it. This mask is pricy but if your hair is damaged it's amazing for restoring hydration and vitality. I'm sure my hair thickness has improved by a combination of things - I haven't had it bleached since 2019, I started taking prenatal vitamins, I'm using the Ordinary's hair serum so I can't attribute it to any one product but this certainly made my hair feel nice as it was recovering.

13. Tree Hut Vitamin C Shea Sugar Scrub: I really loved this scrub, as I do most Tree Hut scrubs because they feel scrubby and invigorating to use. This has a really yummy sweet-yet-tart scent that I really enjoyed.

14. Kara Beauty Fabulashes #3DFauxMinkLashes in 51: These are a really beautiful pair of dramatic lashes and I had fun wearing them.

15. Garnier Fructis Style Flexible Control Hairspray: This is my all time favorite hairspray - personally I use hairspray specifically to avoid flyaways and static so I don't need anything high hold that tends to make my hair crispy and sticky. This is super lightweight and does the job while keeping my hair soft and touchable. 

16. Dove renewing peony & rose oil Nourishing Body Wash: It should come as a surprise to literally no one that this is by my far my favorite of Dove's scent offerings and I'm always happy to use it because it makes me smell delicious. This is a great hydrating body wash and I love to use it for shaving my legs and pits.

17. Virtue Curl Conditioner: This genuinely enhanced the curliness of my hair and left it feeling very hydrated and easily manageable. That being said, my ends still feel a tiny bit dry when I was using this and I would personally say it's one of Virtue's heavier conditioners. I honestly like what it did for my curls but I'm not 100% that I'd purchase it again.

18. Juvia's Place I Am Magic Concealer: This is a product that I am genuinely so sad to be out of. This concealer is just absolutely incredible. It's very full coverage, has a beautiful natural yet slightly dewy finish to it, blends gorgeously into my skin, and lasts forever because you're given quite a generous amount. I highly recommend giving it a try and will eventually replenish on it.

19. ProBeauty Essentials Faux Mink Wispies: These lashes a re a bit hard to get the hang of because they seem to want to just jump off the lash-line or not glue quite to where the lash-line begins. That being said they're a very pretty lash that gives great length and volume. 

20. Colourpop no filter loose setting powder in soft pink: I am so sad to have used this up! This had a nice brightening effect on my skin and left my skin with a very perfected, diffused appearance. It set my under-eyes very nicely without moving or creasing throughout the day. 

21. Eau Thermale Avene Thermal Spring Water: I've had this bottle for quite a while and there's still about a third of it left but it simply no longer dispenses product so unfortunately I have to part ways with it.

22. e.l.f. Stay All Night Micro-Fine Setting Mist: This setting spray did keep my makeup on and it smells like green tea which I like but it doesn't quite have the setting spray finish to it that I personally like. 

23. wondergloss beauty Makeup Assassin: 2 in 1 Makeup Remover and Oil Cleanser: This is a great makeup removing balm and I'm sad to have used it up entirely.

24. Face Values Natural Castile Liquid Soap in Lavender: I purchased this because it was cheaper than Dr. Bronner's and I figured I might as well give it a try for washing my brushes. It works great at getting my brushes clean and leaving the bristles soft. That being said, the lavender scent is quite strong and kind of cleaning-product-esque so I don't think I'll be getting this scent again. 

25. Colourpop Silicone Blending Sponge: This sponge worked alright and I think is kind of a neat concept given that it's a brush with a silicone core enrobed in regular sponge material. That being said I prefer the feel of a softer sponge. I feel like this performed no better than any other makeup sponge that I've used.

26. Etude House Moistfull Collagen Eye Cream: This is a really nice, hydrating eye cream. I really love how long it's lasted me and think that it's a great value item that works really nicely as well if you need hydration.  

27. Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub in Exotic Bloom: I really loved this scrub, as I do most Tree Hut scrubs because they feel scrubby and invigorating to use. This has a really yummy sweet floral scent.

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

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the  L.A. Girl, it Cosmetics, Korres, and dermalogica  products. 

Cleanser Review: pixi by Petra skintreats Rose Cream Cleanser

'Ello folksickles. Today's review will be for the pixi by Petra skintreats Rose Cream Cleanser.

Availability: This retails at $18 for 4.6 fl. oz. (135 mL) and can be purchased at ulta.com and target.com along with their physical store locations (I'd recommend contacting them first to make sure they have the product in stock) along with pixibeauty.com and iherb.com. 

Would I buy this?: No.

What is this product designed to address?

According to pixibeauty.com:

• Soothing, gentle cleanser.
• Rose & Avocado conditions.
• Chamomile & Aloe Vera soothes.
• Suitable for all skin types, including very sensitive.
• Paraben-free
• Not tested on animals

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Once again, according to pixibeauty.com:

• Rose Flower Oil moisturizes & restores

• Chamomile soothes & calms

• Avocado Oil conditions & replenishes

What is the texture like?

This has a slippery mud to cream kind of consistency that foams up very lightly. 

Is it scented?

This smells like a mud mask.

 

My overall experience/comments on the product:

Ever since I tried, and fell in love with, the Pixi by Petra Skintreats Rose Tonic years ago I've been wanting to try other products in the rose line because that toner just smells so incredible and left my skin feeling so nice. Alas, this doesn't have that same beautiful rose scent that I was looking forward to. Nor would I really describe this as being a cream rather than a creamy mud. I wish that this was a silky, creamy, cleanser that produced beautiful clouds of moisturizing foam and had a sweet, apple-like, rose scent but that's just not what's happening here. It does leave the skin feeling moisturized but it hardly foams up and you all know I'm not a fan of cleansers that don't have a nice, cloud-like, moisturizing foam. I really wanted to love this but alas I can't say that I do.

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

Disclaimer: This was provided for testing purposes. I am under no obligation, nor am I being compensated, to mention it on this blog.