I just wanted to share a few looks from the Le Métier de Beauté Sexy Eye Palette, which I got last month from the BVVIP box. I liked it when I got it but I didn’t predict that I would be using it pretty exclusively for the next month. I think you guys might be able to tell that I haven’t been too active on here, but this palette is what, as children are wont to say these days, “gives me life.” Ha. Anyway, I really like it and it’s making me wear color! Read More
I received these awesome “skin conditioners” a few days ago from Kracie* in the Rice Extract and Yuzu (Citrus) Extract variants. I don’t usually get too excited about body products, and I left these alone for a while until I saw them again on Liz’s Instagram.
This moisture-rich skin conditioner/lotion comes in the form of a watery liquid that hydrates the skin without the greasy feeling. It’s also got a plant-based Ceramide Mixture that nourishes the skin. At first, the thought of the texture put me off—I thought it was going to be similar to body oil—but this is straight up liquid that gets absorbed into the skin fairly quickly. Which makes me love it because it’s hard to wait for lotion to dry before going out in this heat. Really pretty much the best summer companion!
The Kracie Natululu Skin Conditioners* are allergy-tested, fragrance-free, less acidic, coloring-free, mineral oil-free. What’s awesome about it, too, is that it can be used for the face. I usually use a face oil, but if I want something lighter, I’m glad I have this.
At 500ml, it’s pretty reasonable for Php 495, especially if you’ve got dry skin like me, even in this heat. I like using the Rice Extract one for my body (for smoother skin) and the Yuzu/Citrus one for my face (brightening). The other variant contains Tomato Extract (for anti-aging).
If you’re averse to the sometimes-stickiness of lotion, but you know your skin’s parched and is need of moisture, these are an excellent alternative. 🙂
* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.
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My fourth makeup item for 2015 is the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium. I’d been wanting this for a while and listing down the stuff I have my eye on makes reasonable shopping easier. Having this limit’s not so bad, either. I’m going to see how well I’ll do once my LMdB sub service finishes (my last month is July), but I’m not so bothered by it. I haven’t been wearing makeup lately, even when I go out of the house. There’s something strangely liberating about that, if I’m honest.
Anyway, the Sculpting Powder is essentially a contour powder, and KA’s Medium is a cool-toned, shadow imitator—something decidedly different from your standard bronzer. I was surprised at how brown it was when I got it, to be honest. I thought it would be much closer to NYX’s Taupe, which I had been using when I contoured. The longevity of that was a bit meh to me, but the color is great. Because it left me wanting, I decided to give this one a go. Prior to Taupe, I’d been using Tarte’s matte version of Park Avenue Princess, which is quite nice but also a lot warmer than both of these. I don’t use that much anymore, and it’s found my way into my sister’s makeup bag.
The Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder is quite heavily pigmented and can be a bit powdery. It kicks up a fair bit of product when dipping your brush in the pan, which I am incredibly, inexplicably irritated by. It deposits a lot of pigment so one should take care not to overload the brush and over apply. I usually use my NARS Yachiyo Kabuki brush, which is still one of my favorite cheek brushes. As you can see, it’s a very cool-toned brown with just a tiny, tiny bit of grey. I thought it would actually be a bit greyer, but seeing it swatched next to Taupe proves that it’s undoubtedly a straight-up cool medium brown.
Going back to comparisons, the differences between the three products is super apparent here, especially when applied on my skin tone. NYX’s Taupe actually has a tiny, tiny bit of sheen, especially when set against the other two, which are completely matte. Both seem a little chalky, but I think it’s really because most matte powders do feel chalky regardless.
I don’t usually go heavy-handed on the contour… I’ve yet to master the “natural blended” look and tend to prefer a more subtle effect than going to town with shading and looking like a zebra. I’ll get the hang of it, I think. This isn’t the best lighting, probably, but I do love the effect that it gives me. I think that, on my skintone at least, the tone and shade of NYX Taupe probably creates more contrast and a more obvious contour, whereas this is very, very subtle on me.
Compared to NYX Taupe, I find that this actually has a bit of a learning curve to it. It’s not as easy to apply because it’s easy to overapply, since it’s so pigmented. When I’m in a rush, I actually grab for Taupe more since it’s a bit easier to control.
The packaging is a bit clunky, too. The mechanism has a sort of spring in the hinge so that when you press on that gold bit, the lid “automatically” opens up. The gold bit is a little temperamental, though, and it’s just so fiddly. It does look great, though.
On of the things I like about Kevyn Aucoin is also that it’s cruelty-free. I’m still not completely cruelty-free yet, but finding staples that are CF makes me happy.
Have you tried The Sculpting Powder? Am I using it wrong? I like it well enough, but I’m not head-in-the-clouds, stupidly swooning in love with it, really. I’ve had it for a few weeks, so I suppose the only reasonable thing to do is to keep using it and see if I change my mind.
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This is a pretty late post of the April BDJ Box*, I don’t know if you’ve noticed! I think that it’s because I thought that it was a little bit of a “lackluster” box. Although it’s a pretty packed month, I feel like for the most part, people subscribe to these boxes with an expectation of something special. So, regardless of the total value that the box comes out to—in this case, Php 1608 as per Tellie’s calculations, or over 3 times the initial Php 580cost—people are bound to get disappointed if they don’t get “special” items. Even if it’s full of useful products. Read More
Hello all! I come bearing a really beautiful thing today. This is the thing that came in the May box (sooo articulate…) for the Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP subscription. May was also conveniently the month that sign-ups for current subscribers opened back up for the next round. You can sign up here, if this interests you, but I’ve decided not to re-sub. More on that later, but believe me, this month’s offering nearly made me sign up again.
For this month, I received an 18-pan palette called Sexy Eye Palette. If it looks familiar, I have a similar palette called Melange de Colour Fashion Eye Palette, which retailed for $95, like the LMdB Kaleidoscopes. They’re pretty different, but someone on MakeupTalk.com found a Neiman Marcus GWP that looks a whole lot like the Sexy Eye Palette, but it was named Galore. Read More
April favorites time! I thought I didn’t have “enough,” but as you can see… I have quite a bit to share. I think it has to do with no favorite lip product, but I just didn’t love any one lip color enough this month to call it a favorite. As you can see in a bit, I had a really great eye makeup month.
Indie Lee Squalane Oil — Although I used some moisturizers here and there for the month of April, I relied heavily on this oil. I honestly don’t have any complaints about it. It’s sufficiently hydrating, doesn’t grease up (which counts for a lot when you live where I live), keeps my skin in check, and it doesn’t smell like anything. You know how products are called “unscented,” and it just means no perfume was added, so it still kind of smells like crap? This. Smells. Like. Nothing. A++++ repurchased forever.
Cure Water Treatment Skin Cream* — This is essentially a GWP hand cream from Cure, but I feel like it’s worth getting if you can get your hands on it. My hands aren’t as dry as when I’m in a cold country, but my cuticles tend to be problem areas and this takes care of them, and absorbs quickly so I can resume type-type-typing right away.
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Balm — I kind of don’t see myself repurchasing this on account of it’s too expensive for my fucking life, but I had a moment of weakness in Hong Kong, and bought a “discounted” Geranium Leaf duo (one’s a body cleanser which I also love), and I’ve been slathering it on after a shower ever since. It’s very light, and doesn’t moisturize the driest parts of my body, i.e. elbows, heels, etc., but for the not so problematic areas, it’s a gem.
Sunkiller Perfect Water Essence SPF 50+ PA++++* — I had to throw out my Kosé sunscreen, which has the same texture as this one because it started to smell strongly of alcohol. I was using my Sunday Riley Cashmere SPF 30+* but this plays better with the heat. It absorbs quickly and smells pleasant enough. The tube is also small enough to carry in your bag if you’re the type of person who likes reapplying throughout the day. I’m not, haha, but maybe you are!
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer + Ellis Faas Skin Veil* — If I know I’ll be safe from ultra-strong sunlight and heat, and I want to bother with base makeup, I put this combo on. I love the finish of the Ellis Faas Skin Veil* (I wear shade S104L) and it truly is my favorite foundation, ever. The Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is also, doubtlessly, my favorite face primer. It just makes product go on my face really, really beautifully.
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal — I don’t use this much because it feels a little overkill in this infernal heat, sometimes, but I’ve been really liking the look of a strong highlight, and this has been my go-to for that.
K-Palette Real Lasting 2Way Eyebrow Pencil in 103* — I’ve been wearing this as pencil + powder or just as a powder and I’ve been really loving the effects. I realized that I don’t like brows that are too carved out (goodbye Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade dreamz), so a fine pencil and powder are really my ideal brow products. For now.
NARS Powder Blush in Final Cut — Spring has sprung! Although I’ve been using no blush a lot, this is one that I reached for quite often last month. It’s a very agreeable (haha) shade, a slight peachy flush that goes well with a lot of makeup combos. Sometimes it’s too pretty, but other times, it’s just right.
NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow Palette — Specifically smitten with Ursa Major. I think that shade really balances this palette out and makes it more “wearable” and not so bling-y. Guess what? I love this palette so much, I endure using the eyeshadows wet. BECAUSE, LOVE.
Addiction Eyeshadows in Sand Dune, Safari Mode, and Truffle — These shadows have been getting quite a bit of love lately, but specifically Sand Dune, that deep dirty mustard shade, and Truffle, the warm chocolate matte brown that I can’t seem to put down.
Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-lasting Eye Shadow in Bejewelled Skylark — THIS PRETTY RUST RED SHADE IS JUST TOO MUCH. It’s so gorgeous. I love it. I know this doesn’t look like spring makeup, but drama is welcome on the eyes, no matter what season, I think. My favorite way to wear this is all over my damn lids, because I really just can’t get enough.
And, that’s that! Heavily on the eyes, but that’s always been my makeup weakness. 🙂 What have you been loving this month?
* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.
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Cleaning brushes has definitely turned into one of my most reviled beauty-related activities. What used to be a therapeutic session for me is now something I put off doing until I absolutely cannot take the state of my dirty brushes anymore. I’ve figured out that the reason why it takes me so long to do this is because I wash all of my brushes in one go. Instead of rotating out duplicates and washing my brushes in small, filthy batches, I torture myself and go all or nothing.
Anyway, my solution to my groaning and moaning is switching out my brushes for their alternates once they get too dirty to handle, wash them, and replace. And so on.
After my most recent round of cleaning my brushes, I resolved to only use and keep out a few of them at a time. I tend to let all of them sit within reach but some of the unused ones (passed over for my preferred and favorite brushes) sit and gather dust, ending up in need of a clean anyway, even without me having used them. Here are the ones I’ve set out right now:
I’ve got a flat shader brush (MAC 236), a fluffy blending brush (MAC 217), a spoolie (EcoTools), a small angled round brush for concealer (cheap “Noconi” brush I got at Landmark), a small stipple brush for the cream brush I used yesterday (e.l.f. Small Stipple Brush), a small tapered brush (Marionnaud N°37 Eyes), and a duo fiber brush for powder/setting makeup (RealTechniques Duo-Fiber Face Brush).
As for actually cleaning them, I’ve put off spot cleaning them too (I can hear you cringe from here!) and just kind of brush them back and forth on my arm or on a tissue if they’re still loaded with a lot of product. The one I’ve been using is the Ellana Brush Cleaner** and I’ve got a little bit left so I’ll probably try to use that up. I’ve also been using my fingers a lot for eyeshadow application. I promise, I am determined to change my gross ways.
Here’s my deep cleaning arsenal:
Makeup Store Brush Soap — This has been with me for a long time, but I stopped using it for a while, opting for the Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap. I have it in Lavender. I use water and this Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove mini sample** and just lay them out on towels after rinsing. You can use any textured silicon-type or plastic product, of course. The roughness and texture just helps to really get into the bristles and clean it out without doing too much damage, like when you apply a lot of pressure on the brushes.
Here are my current goals/resolutions for brush cleaning and use:
And that’s it. I hope y’all are washing your brushes much more diligently than I am. If you’ve been having a lot of skin issues lately, try washing your brushes before trying to find the culprit in your beauty products. I got scared into doing this because of this story, and I just don’t want to have nasty germs all over my face anymore.
What’s your brush-cleaning routine?
** Items marked with double asterisks are PR samples with affiliate links
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Softly Sometimes 