Drugstore beginner skincare kit

lets start with the basics which is knowing what you are working with. everyone has 4 options, dry skin, normal skin, oily or combination. These are subject to change.
To test for this,

• If your oily you would already know, because your skin will naturally feel greasy on a everyday stasis. Usually oiliness is asccated with acne, enlarged pores, excess sweat, but also keeping away wrinkles
• Dry skin Usually your skin will feel tight, have more texture issues, your skin will feel extra dry after cleansing and/or flacking. Can give you wrinkles later on in life.
• Normal usually a little oil, not having a tight skin feeling, Mainly little to no texture/ acne.
• Combination, usually oily on the t-zone  which is the nose and forehead. it doesn't always need to be there it can also be around the chin or cheek area, but some place on you face needs to be normal. this can be seen by blackheads, white heads, acne around oily areas.

If your still confused I suggest the blotting sheet test. which require only blotting sheets which you can find in a drugstore. Just place 3 blotting at the same time on your forehead nose and cheeks, press lightly.  After pressing for 3 seconds remove each blotting sheet, if they are all drenched in oil your oily, If only two are very oily you have combo, if they all had a quarter size amount on each you have normal, if there is hardly no oil on  any you have dry skin.
for more info  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALfSJBq1hCA

The reason why this is so important is that makeup is art, or at least how I see it. And to have that finishing picture you need a good base. Skin care is everything and more, because makeup is a choice but skincare is a must.
Cleansing:

• Oily skin- use a foaming to deep cleanser or pore cleaners here are some options
• Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser $8-10 
• Garnier Shine Control Cleansing Gel for Oily Skin $6-9
• Clean and Clear morning or night cleanser $5-9 (they also offer a set for a discounted price)
• Dry Skin- use light cleansers not too foamy or too penetrating you want to keep things at surface level.
• Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil For Dry Skin, 4.2 Fluid Ounces $6- 12
• Yes To Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser 6 fluid ounce $5-9
• Or Coconut oil $5-10 price varies per location and amount
• Normal to Combo- you can use whatever you fancy but make sure to not go to too dry or too oily.
• Acne- Clean and Clear Control acne cleanser $8-12
• Natural cleanser at home- take honey and white sugar, rub on to skin

All skin types should exfoliate but the amount of times and tequniques will be different. You will also need an oil of your choosing, moisturizer, and spf. 
 What I hope people get from this is you should own a basic skincare, whether you wear makeup or not, to prevent aging, wrinkles and acne.

 

 

 

 

Sheet Mask collection

Ok, I'll start with the fact that I love skincare. I find it super important to take care of your skin, to prevent the little things that turn bad over time. Such as fine lines, sun spots and more.  Sheet mask are becoming more popular in America now although they have always existed. I have had the pleasure of trying many sheet masks from america as well as asian countries. I have used alot that aren't here because I have finished using them. To use sheet mask cleanse your face make sure there's no makeup or anything on it, open up the packing,  place it on the face for 10-15 minutes or longer depending on you, or what the instructions say. Little tip sometimes I'll keep it on for 30 minutes it really helps seal in the product. But let's begin.  

Innisfree it's real collection
(They are very light mask, they don't reck the skin with too much serum. But some people have neggitive reactions just make sure to drink lots of water and cleanse your face before)
•2 pomegranate
•1 Rose mask
•1 cucumber mask
•2 Bija mask
•2Kiwi mask
•2Lime mask
•2honey mask
•2 black berry mask
•2 rice mask
•2tea tree mask
•2 green tea mask
•2 strawberry mask
•2 aloe 
•2 sheabutter mask
•2 acai berry mask
•2 bamboo.

My Beauty Diary ( these are super common alot of people use these. And they have some creative ones.)
•9 hydronic brighten mask
•6 Black Pearl mask (good for oily skin)
•1 birds nest mask
•1 whitening mask
•1 Mexico cactus mask
•2 Red Vine mask

Daylight mask ( I haven't heard alot about it, to me it's ok.)
•bamboo essence
• herb essence

3w Clinic (was a bit sticky but my skin looked so bright)
•2 fresh coenzyme q10

Leaders ( this is another popular brand aimed more for the 25-34 public, but it's super effective. They have alot of collections)
•Amino moisture
Premium grade leaders
• 3 balancing recovery mask
• 2 moisture recovery mask
•2 lifting recovery mask
•3 brightening recovery mask
Leaders in cooking
•3 gel mask with tomato
•2 gel mask with orange

The Face Shop mask ( can be found all over the world first tried this in Dominican Republic, and I like it it's not anything special but they are what they say they are.)
•Blueberry
•sheabutter
• rice

Pure smiles ( not a big fan of this one, it does tend to have high acidity, so I have to use a serum before hand. So will not repurchase. Except for bust care that one Is awesome. )
•pearl milk essence
•royal jelly
•Oh my busty three-step bust care

Etude house (a well known company, but prefer TonyMoly. But the packaging is super cute)
• Korean ginseng
• collagen gel patch

Sephora mask ( these are really good mask lots of serum inside. Plus they are available locally)
•2 peal mask
•Ginsen
• Pomegranate

Wellfon ( I was able to find a set of these for $10 and I really can't wait to try them out they're very affordable much like the My Beauty Diary)
•Rose moisturizing mask
•Natto lifting mask
•natto resilience mask,
•intensive wrinkle correcting
•royal jelly mask
•pearl mask
•orange mask facial
•rejuvenation whitening mask •lavender mask
•rose mask
•loofah ask and
•facial rejuvenation
•whitening mask in grape

Baroness
•pomegranate mask
A ' PIEU
•firming neck pass 

TonyMoly
• little pets wrinkle line patch
• panda dream eyepatch
•Snail care mask

pure source sheet mask
•caviar

Han aka
•2 step for a racer
• camellia

Murray Hill
•black eye anti-wrinkle mask

Holika Holika juicy mask collection ( this brand is all the rage right now.)  •pomegranate
•mango

Eco pure
•essential orange juice mask 
mask

Skinfood ( this is a super liquidity mask that has an awesome textured applicator)
•glacier water gel

Viva LaVida face mask
•whitening function
 
CHOOSY lip mask
•5 peach flavor

So it's a total of 109 mask i have in total. You don't need that much ever. But I use 1-3 per week and they don't go bad because they are all individually wrapped. Plus I use the remaining essence on my skin after I cleanse to make the product last longer. And I get my full money's worth. 

Korean skincare haul

If you don't know already I'm very interested in Korean products Skin products. so I found these two web sites online one I have been using for around couple months it's called Imomoko,  and the other is called beauty net korea, they're both very awesome sights and very well known. I'm a moco is one that's very common on YouTube you can find review the suggestions of my people were interested like I am in Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Japan skincare products and/or makeup products and sometimes lifestyle, bath, clothing, and snacks. But beauty net was new to me and I saw a preview of them by one of my favorite Australian youtubers Shannan XO. so I decided to give it a whirl and I was very very happy you have a lot of cool specific products brands and the stuff usually goes on sale unlike imomoko where they have a steady rates. But the bad thing is to take a little bit longer to ship because Imomoko has a warehouse in California that allows products to get to Americans faster but Beauty net ships all over the world. They also have a lot of samples to choose from but if you want to buy some samples or something before you actually know by the full product they offer you multiple samples from anywhere from 2 to 6 dollars depending on the company and its product which is super awesome because you want to know what you're investing your money in before you buy it.
What I got from Imomoko:
• I got 2 I got to magie cochon on the collagen jelly packs,  they were on sale 2 for $14 and I usually get mines for around $13 but thats just one. I do like it and I have tried to previously it does smell like grape jelly but its in a brown color it is super jiggly and melts into the skin.
• the next thing I got was 2 back up lip mask by choosy in peach. We hope to hydrate the lips after exfoliation making them appear plump and healthy so if you suffer from dry lips this is something that you might want to check out and the great thing is it's only about $1.
•The last thing was a super elastic bust cream by  Elizavecca Milky piggy. If you go with my previous blog I told you about the same brand before, and how it completely enjoy their foaming cleanser. So I thought I'd give this a try. The price of this was I think 13 dollars.
Beauty net Korea:
• TonyMoly banana sleeping pack samples 10 for $3
• 2 Skin food samples of their Gold caviar cream with 10 in each both for $3 each pack
•2 Skinfood royal honey nutrition essence for anti-wrinkle effect 10 in each for $4 each pack.
• Etude house moistfull super collagen essence for $5 10 samples
• IOPE whitening luminous perfection serum full size 4 $15 because they're having a special
• secret key snail repairing essence full-size around $15
Their samples,
- TonyMoly panda dream eyepatch -TonyMoly intense care do affect sleeping pack
-TonyMoly banana hand milk
- Skinfood premium lettuce and cucumber watery cream
- TonyMoly avocado rich cream
- TonyMoly regencia Homme Multi Fluid

I really enjoy Korean products because they have a lot more competition than American skin care. They have so many options to choose from and if I could even give out samples and with every order even for just a regular non super expensive makeup skin care is really awesome it gives you the opportunity to try things see if you like something different. And the thing is that Korean products are expanding the beau ty boarders.  Their skincare tends to be very concerned over the effects of anti aging removing dark spots and overall hydration of the skin which is what helps keep people looking young. So if you're interested in Korean skincare I suggest checking out these websites I'm not going to paid by them or anything but I do use them. and I think that everyone should be able to skin care which is something that Asian countries are familiar with that. they even have skin care lines for men if you feel like this stuff is too girly or they look to pink or anything like that. Is very affordable. They attempt to use our natural products or ingredients that are very good for your skin. So if you want to check them out go crazy slime and it's not too expensive which is what everyone needs.

Bellepierre Lip and cheek stain review

5g/0.176oz
 $20
This lip and cheek stain is unlike others I have previously used, this is more of a cream based stain. they have 2 shades available one in a pink shade the other in  corral pink. I received the pink one in a old subscription box called Beauty box5. this was one if my first cream cheek/lip stains, it wasn't amazing but t wasn't bad.
My experience;
   I was excited to see a pink stain for once, and with my luck it was super pigmented but sadly very Barbie cool pink. Which don't tend to look good with yellow based tan skin tones. but it lasted a very longtime on the cheeks but not on the lips (plus it made my teeth look yellow). So for a while I used this a base to place more favorable blush colors. this allowed my blush to last longer.
the consistency was very creamy but not so easy to blend, I had to warm it up between my fingertips to allow a smooth application.
Do you need it?
     Honestly no, a regular non-expensive blush will do. A specific thing I have in mind is the Maybelline bouncy blush which doesn't claim to be  stain but does both equally as well. its less then half the price of the bellapierre and has so many more colors.

What the company said.
Unlike traditional stains that are hard to apply, this oil-free Cheek and Lip Stain will finish off any look with great ease and is super blend-able. Available in Pink or Coral.With your finger apply a small amount to your lips as you would with any lip balm. Apply a small amount to apples of your cheeks and blend for a just-pinched hue.

 

 

 

Sephora 8 HR Mattifying Compact Foundation

$11-22 USD
0.3 oz
23 shades available
       The in-house Sephora brand usually has hidden jems, such as their primers and eyeliners, so I thought I would give this a try.
Boy I was not impressed. I was disappointed. I have used powder foundation as a teen mainly the Maybelline powders. I strayed away to try liquids but I always keep a powder foundation for traveling and in the summertime.
When I first saw this it looked nice, very compacted not too powdery and didn't just make a mess allover the compact. the compact was an oval shape black with the Sephora logo on top, very sleek and it didn't take much space. It also had a nice big mirror and a sponge applicator on the side.

The product itself was heavy on the skin. Heavy enough to clog pores, and look super chalky. Even with a light hand it completely left my skin like the desert it did take away all shine but at the cost of flaky looking skin. honestly I rather blot then look flaky and dry, plus there ate better alternatives such as the bare minerals that leave the skin looking beautiful but still matte. plus they also have a large array of finishes and a large color selection.
 But if you have super oily skin this may be what you are looking for. just use a hydrating primer and your ready to go. If you have  dryish to normal skin, this is not for you.

glambot review

Ok so I have been watching youtubers talk abut makeup outlets. where people have tried out makeup, high end/ mac/ limited edition products,  but no longer want it. its bought by the company who sanitize those products to prevent the spread of germs and any weird feeling you may have. I kept hearing Lizzy from What-Would-Lizzy-Do talk about how great it is.
 So I bit the bullet and I checked out their website. They did have a lot of high end brands to choose from such as Givenchy, Nars, too faced, Laura Mercier, Stilla, Anastasia, but what caught my eye was the benefits erase paste.  I have been interested in trying it for years but somehow never got around to it.
they were having a sale on it for 9.99 for 30% of it, which is honestly a bit much because 50% full would be 9.99 because the full cost of one is $20.
But its a great way to try it, and I don't go through concealers too quickly. So I place my order on April 6 and received it around the 16th, so it was a bit of a wait but I was super happy to see how it came packaged.
it came in a bag inside of a bag, inside a bubble wrap bag, taped together with a glambot approved sticker. it looked untouched, but just for safety of mind I used a alcohol spray bottle  on it. it worked just like I thought it would smooth and creamy, and the color was just right. So overall im impressed and whenever I want to try something super expensive or limited edition I'll check to see if they have it first.

 

    
What the company says:
 Glambot was founded by a tried and true makeup hoarder. She loves makeup and all the glamour it represents. After trying the various online makeup bartering and trading communities, she experienced the major downsides of these communities, such as swap lifting, counterfeits, items arriving damaged in the mail, or worst of all --items in unusable condition. Instead of abandoning the makeup community entirely, she decided to improve and unite it! In May 2013, Glambot quickly grew to become the online destination for the largest collection of rare, limited edition and discontinued items from highly sought after and coveted makeup brands. So come on and experience the glam! We add new items every day!

April Birchbox

Birchbox is a $10 a month subscription box including beauty products skin care products hair care products and lifestyle products. each month they are doing a different box, sometimes with different companies like this months Rifle Paper Co. The offer different systems for multiple types of customers. Customers with over 500 points get to choose the box that they want called sample choices. those who aren't on the 500 points get a regular box but I don't necessarily get to choose their samples but of course you can personalize things to your taste with their quiz. But they also have a great reward system you can choose to review all the parts in the parks each product is worth 10 points. So in one box you can earn 50 points and within a year you should be able to hit that 500 but you can also use those points and their shop where they allow you to purchase things every hundred. I believe is $10. And this shop is very well equipped with so many options and so many different brands that sometimes aren't available and stores.
This month it was a very beautiful flower design with chorally pink. background. in this box there was a --BEAVER Hydro nutritive moisturizing shampoo 2 fluid ounces / 60ml full size retails for $15
-BEAVER hydro  nutritive repairing conditioner 1.3 fluid ounces / 40ml full price retail for $16.00
-Cargo swimmales water resistant blush. 11 oz/ 3.19 g full size retails for $26
-LAQA and COO. Sheer lip tube pencil. In the color honey pot, 2 grams or 0.p7 oz , full size retails for $20
-whish body butter in blueberry full-size retail for $24 holds 22ml/.75 FL oz
I'm extremely excited over the blush which is super pigmented it is an orange blush with golden pigments kind of like the Nars Orgasm blush. I'm not too excited over the body butter just because I have so many I wasn't even a big fan of the lip crayon it kind of went patchy on me and the color isn't something that I would prefer. Failover the commissionaire and Shampoo other I don't understand why they give us more shampoo and conditioner I guess some people use more shampoo but I'm not really one of those.
It wasn't bad I really like 3 out of the 5 but . Maybe i really might like this body butter and I'm just not giving it a chance.

Beauteque monthly mask maven April

Mask Maven a $15 subscription box  which provides you with 9 thru 11 mask every month most of which are in Korean or Japanese but do not fret it comes with an instruction card which tells you how to use your mask . You can subscribe for 3 months, 6 months and the whole year. With the option to subscribe monthly. Its an automatic renewal. Here to talk about April mask maven today we got 8 sheet mask, one two-step pore eraser and a girls cheek patch.
I received
* juicy sheet mask in  pomegranates by Holika Holika
* Juicy's sheet mask in mango by Holika Holika
* hyaluronic acid camillia by Han aka
* My Beauty Diary Red Vine mask
* Korean ginseng mask by Etude house
* leaders Mediu, amino moisture mask
*  fresh Cohen and Q10 mask sheet by 3w Clinic
* My Beauty Diary Mexico cactus mask

Others
*2 step eraser by Hanaka
* red cheeks girls patch by Tony Moly
Honestly really like it, they seem consistent with their brands . which is good if you really want to try more of the brand but they do include new ones. I do think that after my May one I will get the BB bag. But this was great.  I got the email on the 10 and received it 4 days later I'm so impressed with the shipping.  

Elizavecca Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask

$13-16

100 g

This is a very famous Korean beauty brand that is really hitting the shelves in America more people are trying carbonated bubble clay mask thanks to the presence of more Korean beauty products availability online and in beauty stores.
I have seen this a lot due to beautiques BB bags, imomoko,  and memebox.  At this point I couldn't wait, a foaming mud mask cleanser, like omg how awesome. I am aware that glam - glow makes one but it's $38 and I wasn't handing over that much until I know it's really going to work for my dry skin.

 

Companies claim:

Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask is a bubble mud pack that provides pore cleaning and black head removal. One thing to keep in mind is this isn't meant for extremely dry skin or overly sensitive.

The carbonated bubbles gently massage the pores. Suitable for all skin types. Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask contains Green tea extract, Pomegranate extract and Extract powder of charcoal.

After paste mask to your skin for 5 minutes, bubbles are generated. Add some water to skin and massages two more minutes, effect of cleansing is maximized. 

My experience
when I received my cute little box I noticed the adorable caricature of a pig using a mud mask  and on top  cute little bunny wearing sunglasses. when opened inside the box was multiple bunnies wearing sunglasses and underneath them the companies name.

It came with a mini spoon and with a lid. I removed the protective lid because sometimes it would be hard to open. The product inside is like a slimy substance which is a dark gray color.

The effects on my skin 

The product requires a more than I would like to really bubble.  You need to apply a thick layer and rub into the skin. After it warms up you leave it in your clean skin for 8-10 minutes and the bubbles will turn a light grey color.  It also gives you the option of using water after ten minutes on to the foaming cleanser to really help get any residue off the skin. Leave that on for 2 minutes more and wipe off with a cloth and then some water and that's it.

My skin did feel clean and bright but not completely stripped of all oil's.  My black heads were gone  and my skin looked clear. My pores did shrink and my skin felt firmer.

 

Would I recommend this? 

Hells yah! I really enjoy using this, it did what it's supposed to do without killing my skin off. Plus the packaging is supper cute. 

Where you can purchase this:

Imomoko-http://www.imomoko.com/elizavecca-carbonated-bubble-clay-mask-16059.html

Amazon

Beauteque

03moo

 

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

Instant pore eraser
Price rage $4.55 -6.99
0.67 FL or 20 ml
It comes in a blue squizzy tube.
I  didn't feel like this filled my pores but did give a smooth canvas. this is a very silicone primer, but not the good kind. I have the sephora one and it does blend into the skin. Did leave a film over the face that helped texture. As for being a primer it doesn't help for longevity, or any real blurring effect. It also clogged my pores leading to little bumps on my my skin.
This has a slight baby powder scent, but it does give a texture balance.

What the company says:
new beauty secret: a post-moisturizer, pre-foundation primer that works as an instant skin smoother for ultimate light reflection. When layered on your clean moisturized face, you haven’t seen smooth until you’ve tried Baby Skin. This instant skin smoother immediately erases the look of pores so you can wear it alone or under foundation.

Organix "Ever Straight" Brazilian Therapy, shamppo/conditioner/oil

In Ulta, I bought a sample kit of the keratin therapy system from Organix. The price was $8 but you can find this at the drugstore or $9-10. Containing 3 oz or 88.7ml of shampoo and conditioner and 1.7 or 50 ml of the matching oil. I got around 7 uses of the shampoo around 3 for conditioner and 20 uses for the oil. Of course I used oil and shampoo sparingly.
Company claim:
An exclusive blend of antioxidants rich coconut oil along with lush keratin proteins to strengthen and soften the hair, while avocado oil and cocoa butter smooth the cuticle for straight, strong tresses, adding a brilliant glow and luminescent shine.

Might I say that's a lot of claim for a drugstore hair care system. So to recap my hair should be straighter, stronger, and shinier. 

The products:
•Shampoo - I really enjoyed it, it lathered really nicely and gave off a wonderful smell in the tub. It was very thick consistency that gave off a smell of a candle with coconut, sugar,  and cinnamon. The bad side, it has the silicones that allow shampoos to lather, and it does strip off moisture. 
I'm personally okay with shampoos that do that as long as it's followed by a hydrating conditioner or followed with a hair treatment. But do not run this though the ends because you run the risk of drying but the ends which may lead to split ends.
•Conditioner- I wasn't super impressed but it was a good way to detangle hair after the shampoo but I didn't find this perticulatly moisturizing, or extraordinary honestly I would skip on this and just use a treatment.
•OIL- This was a heavier oil that what I am use to. It can Weigh down hair which can give the illusion of straighter hair, but gives a shiny look.

My overall evaluation:
°Shampoo 4 out of 5 unicorns
°Conditioner 2 out of 5 unicorns
°Oil 3 out of 5 unicorns
I didn't really see anything in the straightening department but when I did straighten my hair it would be smoother and less frizz. But it was well worth the price since I was able to find something I really enjoyed, and once I'm  done with what I'm using I'll switch to using that shampoo.  The oil I can skip on but it was good to try out a whole line before investing.

St. Ives Fresh Skin Invigorating Apricot Scrub

 I really like this product I tried it on a whim in 2014 and that was a great choice. 

I had gone to a closeout store and had seen this Apricot scrub not seeing any review or anyone telling me what they knew about it I bought it for $5 to try it out.  Well this was great so good I began to

use it 3 times a week.

They have different ones that help with acne, or pores, refreshing skin to shower exfoliators and body wash. The price is also great some ranging from $4-6, ranging from 1.5 oz. to 2 oz to . They can be found in any drugstore or online on amazon.com/ drugstore.com.

The one I have using lasted me for around 6 months and it’s a gigantic tube containing 10 oz. This directed towards any part of your body and face so when summer comes around I use this on my skin to remove winters harsh grasp. I dampen my skin in and then rub this gently in circular motions and then just rinse it off. 

I currently introduced this to 3 friends of mine who love this as well. One of which has very fry skin, another very oily and they all like it. They claim it keeps their skin looking nice and smooth. The smell is amazing and some people say if you mix a little of the scrub and coconut oil it will leave your skin looking like you drank a gallon of water every day.

So I truly recommend this as a multiuse product that can help you save money, and is readily available.

What the company says:

This scrub gets its cleansing power from 100 percent natural apricot extract, corn kernel meal, walnut shell powder, and glycerin. These ingredients work together to reveal a healthy, radiant complexion. Apricots contain high levels of purifying carotenoids (like Vitamin A) and anti-oxidants to gently nourish and moisturize skin. Glycerin further replenishes moisture so skin feels soft and smooth. Corn kernel meal comes directly from dried corn and is a gentle but powerful exfoliant that promotes cell turnover and regeneration for softer, brighter skin. Walnuts have a hard shell that once ground serves as another all-natural, effective exfoliant.

Sulfate-Free and Hypoallergenic
Designed to be gentle and non-irritating, St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub is free of sulfates and paraben. Its creamy formula is also oil-free, non-comedogenic (so it won't cause breakouts), and dermatologist tested, making it a great choice for all skin types.

 

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator Review

So I got this in my birch box.
4.23oz for $34
what it claims:

This powerful exfoliator mimics the results of professional microdermabrasion, minus the potential for redness and sensitivity. First, papaya enzymes break down dead cells while evening out your skin tone. Next, dermatologist-approved microderm crystals fade the appearance of fine lines and acne scars, leaving skin smooth and free of imperfections. Finally, aloe vera, coconut, and vitamins B and E nourish fresh skin to keep it free of irritation.

For those who don’t know much on the concept of derma-abrasion it’s essentially making small cuts in the skin to allow new fresh skin to take its place allowing the production of collagen and age reversing cells to float to the top, also allowing more access to blood.

For me I did feel it working, I did feel it taking off the dead skin and making small but not painful removal. It contained super small granules that really did the work. The reason why I’m not too happy is the after affects. It claims to be non-irritating but I get small red bumps. Sometimes more acne appears and I personally don’t like that but I still try to use this once a week as a deep exfoliator. If you have dry skin and you have an exfoliator do follow this with a serum or facial oil of your choice and then a moisturizer. This s is because the oils will help your skin repair itself, and still breathe. Because I know those who have dry skin tend to use heavy moisturizers that sometimes do worse.

Would I recommend this?

            Maybe, it depends on you, if you need a good exfoliator this is one but I can be a little harsh. Plus there’s a more affordable option called Saint Ives apricot scrub/ green tea that does the same thing only with bigger granules that don’t cause as much irritation, and it smells delicious.

 

Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer Review

Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer

1 fluid oz for $27

20 available shades unfortunately not on the very pale side but if you have a light – dark complexion they have a color for you. Can be purchased in Macys, Sephora, or any local department store.

I received a sample from Sephora of the new Clinique foundation my first though was wow this is gimmicky, most foundations can be used as concealers but okay, its marketing I guess. So I gave it a try last Saturday and I can say I’m honestly impressed. I had originally heard negative reviews on the stupidity of the doe-foot applicator and the greasy feeling it left behind on the skin.

What they say:

This lightweight, moisturizing foundation and concealer provides full coverage without clogging pores. This 12-hour wear, breathable formula is ideal for very dry to combination oily skin types, its special polymer formula forms a flexible film that moves with the skin for lasting wear, and it dries slowly for easy blending. Get lasting coverage and give skin a perfected look that stays put, even through sweat and humidity. 



What I think:

When trying it I used a small amount around a pea size and it spread wonderfully throughout my face and it gave a medium coverage and a semi-dewy finish which lasted 9 hours before it began to fade (I didn’t use powder to set it). It set nicely by itself into a skin like finish within a couple minutes I used it as a concealer by adding a small layer wherever I needed it. It creased a little under my eyes but that’s no surprise so I quickly removed any excess product and went off. It is very buildable and for its price I’m impressed.

I do like the idea of the applicator but I do think it’s easy to overdo it which may lead to that weird feeling. But if you are a nerves about bacteria/ germs you can remove the applicator or simply not use it. But I think it’s good for beginners to teach them how to not overdo things by keeping a natural look on the skin and not having to go out and purchase a separate concealer. It keeps the price down but its functionality is great.  

 

Gorgio Armani Luminous silk foundation Round 2

Gorgio Armani Luminous silk foundation

The second try:

On the second try I used a silicon based primer, the foundation and a loose setting powered by Marsk.

The difference:

The foundation lasted 8 hours but by blush began to fade around hour 6. Still gave a satin look, but with a little more coverage then than the first time. Once again I’m not really impressed by this product but I’ll continue to try this out. I really recommend setting this with a light powder if you want it to last more than 5 hours. The coverage is not impressive and it lacks in pigmentation.

If you really want this the only way to make it last is to have dry skin and a trusty powder. I think that helped the gross feeling of tackiness on the skin.

Whom would enjoy this?

Well the only people this would work for is those who have an already even complexion and just want a natural skin brightening effect. To which case I would also just recommend a tinted moisturize which is just as effective.   

Tint and sass by Elisabeth Mott

This is a lip and cheek stain  from an indie company. My first time trying this was through an ipsy bag. I thought this was a dupe for benefits benetint. But they are their own different products.

Benetint

·         $30 for 0.42oz

·         Sheer tint of red

·         Buildable

·         Dries quickly

Tint and sass

·         $22 for 0.35oz

·         Smells like cherries



http://www.elizabethmott.com/shop/tints-and-sass-lip-tint/#

·         Mild tint upon first application

 

What the company said:

Smells like delicious cherries! Our formula not only stays put all day, it's absolutely irresistible and keeps the boys coming back for more!

Check out the non-drip and spill proof bottle, because there is nothing worse than staining anything other than your gorgeous lips and cheeks!

Want a more dramatic look? Layer Tints & Sass to transform that dewy color to a red-hot siren lip with rosier cheeks. (Remember to blend the formula while wet with your fingers to smooth out the color.

My own experience:
I personally enjoyed using this product.

The smell and the constancy were very nice. It wasn’t super watery it held some light gelatinous form, it took anywhere form 10-35 seconds to dry which allows you more time to rub onto cheeks. This also contains a doe-foot applicator which is much easier than a paint brush applicator. The packaging is all levels of cute (for those of us who need a little cuteness in our lives). and for what it does its a better price point then the benetint. its a blush and a cheek stain all in one, which is great because if you think about it it's 4 in one because you can have a sheer tint, or a super rosy tint.

And one more thing it doesn't spill I have tried it. its kinda cool

 

March wantable Box (makeup)

I have just received my wantable box today. And I'm definitely delighted with what I received. I have been subscribed to wantable boxes for almost a year, in which I have tried the accessories box and the box and the intimate the box, I have never tried the current Fitness box but I'm not too interested. But I have digressed, I personally love the makeup box and the accessories box and this is my review for the makeup box. This month I received:
- bodyography loose complexion powder in almond
- Mirabella wildflower glory cheeky blush
-Frankie rose cosmetics lip gloss in sangria
- Yourminerals Swedish Winter highlighter.
The whole value of my box was 93 dollars and I only paid 32 dollars.
So impressed by this box, specifically the mirabella blush it is so beautiful it is a mixture of peach lavender pink all mixed together with a beautiful satin finish in the cutest container of life.
The bodyography powder is so finally mailed I will definitely go great to set my foundation, or I'll use it as a stand-alone on the hotter summer days that are coming up. It does match me is very yellow / beige undertone. The lipgloss is a beautiful red color which is super opague which was surprising, but I'm happy to report that it can be sure that out. I'm still finding uses for I think it will be a great in a corner highlight of the suggested. It is super shimmery but its so gorgeous a little too pale for my personal pace I usually like more golden colors but I'll find a use for this I have to it's so pretty.
On another note I also received the nicest letter ever. which was kind of a customer appreciation card and thats totally made my day I was really happy about that and it's really nice to see that a company actually cares about their customers. So in all I'm super satisfied with the fault and thank you Joe for inspecting my order because in the box it says all who inspected your order so thank you well done I appreciate it.

Gorgio armani luminous silk foundation

This is a very pricey foundation that's going all around youtube since sephora started carrying it.
With such a hefty price Of $62 one can't be deny the feeling of curiosity so I received 3 samples of that foundation .
One the first day I layed on 2 coats of foundation to cover up redness from my noses (specially since I have been under the whether aka I have a cold).  I did not use a primer to see its full effects on the skin. I exfoliating and moisturized before hand. The color I received was a decent match a shade litter but has a good undertone of neutral - yellowish. It blended nicely the first time but the second time it look a little more buffing with my flat kabuki brush. At first I felt unsettled by the foundation smell it's not horrific but it does smell like foundation but luckily it didn't linger.
This isn't super amazing but it does have a very light formula, honestly I was expecting alot. I expect it to give me a flawless natural but still luminous finish, that would would hide the texture, cover dark spots left from acne.

Instead it was very lightweight,  not as dewy as I would have liked, and doesn't really hide redness or dark spots without 2 layers.
PRODUCT INFO

What it is:
A lightweight liquid foundation that achieves a radiant, silky finish.
Sephora info
What it does:
This award-winning foundation is formulated with micro-fil technology, producing a low-density product that pairs high-impact pigments with weightless texture. Inspired by the silk shantung worn by kings and emperors, this foundation glides seamlessly onto the skin leaving a finish that’s reminiscent of charmeuse silk.

How it made my skin feel:
At the beginning my skin looked unreal, so perfect not dewy but not flat. Still imperfections seeping through. It took forever to set though.
After that when I went on with my day I felt like there was something on my face. once I look in the mirror around five hours into my day I saw that the foundation has sunken into fine lines and was clinging onto my drier areas around my pores and lip line. I was truly horrified by this as well as the fact that redness was peaking through on my cheeks and the fact that my bronzer and blush were gone. Many small bumps had resurfaced.  So far ... no good. 
I don't think I recommend this to drier skin types or for people with long days. I will retry this tomorrow with a primer and a setting powder.