A product review of the Mile High Club Mascara from Wander Beauty! This is a black mascara designed to add volume and length to lashes, while nourishing the lashes at the same time. The mascara claims to be smudge-proof, flake-proof and water-resistant.
Grade: A
Retail Price and Where: $26 at Sephora
What I Loved: Truly is volumizing, didn’t flake off on my undereye and the mascara’s ingredients condition and moisturize lashes.
What I Didn’t Love: The kind of squeeze tube that the wand goes into is different and I worry about squishing it (and the brush) but I suppose I’ll get used to it (especially given how much I love the mascara).
Close-up of the wand
The wand slides in and out of a kind of squeeze tube (that you DON’T squeeze) and the wand is straight and evenly round. I carefully worked the mascara on one eye from the base to the tip, wiggling as I went. I did do two coats because that’s what I almost always do to get enough volume. For comparison purposes I applied mascara only to the lashes of my right eye (your left).
For comparison purposes – Mascara on my right eye only
Then, because it would look weird to go around with mascara only on one eye, I applied the mascara to the other eye’s lashes (and finished up the rest of my makeup). I’m very happy with the end result and the volume achieved. I had the mascara on for a good eight to ten hours and did not see any flaking or crumbling (which is commonly where I have trouble with mascara).
Note: I am a challenging grader as I expect the grades on my product review to form a bell curve in the aggregate.
I finally received the last of my Ulta 21 Days of Beauty packages so here we go. This is a combination of replacement products and new products that I had favorited. I tried (and mostly succeeded) in not buying items just because they were on sale. My replacement items were Clinque Moisture Surge, Anastasia Brow Wiz, Benefit Porefessional, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Benefit Gimme Brow, Lancome CILS Booster XL and Too Faced Sun Bunny Bronzer. The rest is all new to me!
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder in Translucent
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Loose Setting Powder in Translucent
Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder in Translucent
BareMinerals Mineral Veil Finishing Powder
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream in Porcelain Beige
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Skin Relief Treatment Moisturizer
Benefit Gimme Brow in 3.5 (I should have bought two)
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Auburn
Clinique Quickliner for Eyes in Intense Ivy
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Cream in Kir Royale and Rose Julep (actually I don’t think both of these are lip plumping – Ulta’s website was wrong)
MAC Prep + Prime Fix Plus in Lavender
Benefit Porefessional
Too Faced Sun Bunny Bronzer
And for giggles, this is my mom’s haul. Since I’m Diamond/Platinum I get free shipping so I ordered all of her’s and will get it to her in a couple weeks. Also note how many items we both ordered (five total) – I really am turning into my mother! We even ordered the same shade of lip cream!
BoxyCharm, which I’ve only been getting for several months, contains four to five full sized products, per their website. The products are what I would call higher end (versus drugstore). The subscription is $21 per month (plus tax) and will have a retail value of over $100.
Overall Box Impressions: I feel like we have a second month in a row let-down from BoxyCharm. Really the only item I’m excited about it the three piece Luxie brush set. I received variation 6 (as noted in the corner of my card). If you get this box, which variation did you receive? What was in your box? The total retail value of the box, as noted by BoxyCharm, is $126. That’s on par with other months but includes several products that I feel are a bit overpriced, including the palette, glow powder and lip gloss. I’ll probably give the box one more month, maybe two, but if I’m still “meh” on it, I will likely cancel.
This has been the big hyped product for BoxyCharm this month – a twelve pan eyeshadow palette from PUR called the Festival Palette. I think the colors are a nice blend of fun and neutral. At first blush I’ve seen a lot of people complain the colors aren’t usable but if you cover up the three bright shades in the middle row you’re left with a neutral color scheme.
I went ahead and swatched each of the shades (left to right, top to bottom). Some of these took two or three heavy swipes to get pigment down, especially the mattes. The two glitters would likely do better dabbed or patted on rather than brushed or swiped. The $36 retail price for the palette does seem high given there are only 12 shades and the quality of the pigments is nowhere near other brands. You can buy a 12 pan eyeshadow palette from Tarte for $3 more better quality shades. If you like like the bright colors you could look at the Rainbow Palette from Violet Voss – 10 shades for $30. MSRP: $36
This is the items I was most excited for in the box – a three piece brush set from Luxie. The set includes a small contouring brush, a small shader brush and a large shader brush. The brushes are quite soft and I like how they apply product. However, the handles on this set feel light and less substantial than other Luxie brushes I have – to the point where the handles feel like cheap pencils. MSRP: $32.
This is the Diamond Glow highlighting powder from Artist Couture in the shade Purple Dream. On the skin it looks like a pinky/purple sparkle and the sparkle is prominent. I don’t agree with the product card that this can be applied for a subtle finish. Some people got a different shade which I think might be more suitable for a subtle finish. MSRP: $27
This is holographic lip gloss from Appeal Cosmetics, which means it’s really a clear gloss with pink/purple shimmer. When I do go for a shimmer I usually want it for a dark color, and not pink or purple. This is another item I think is significantly over-priced. It is crazy to me this costs more than a Fenty Gloss Balm and Tarte or Anastasia glosses. MSRP: $21
This is the Bodyography Eye Pencil in Bali Bronze which is a gold shade pencil. I swatched this and it did not apply smoothly (it actually dragged across the skin). I would be absolutely terrified to try this on my waterline – it was that rough. The gold color is pretty but I will be passing on this product. MSRP: $14
My top 3 blushes at the moment (and wishlist items):
Upper right is the Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure from Hourglass Cosmetics – a makeup artist used this on me one day and I fell in love. It’s a soft plum but doesn’t look that dark when applied. Looks very natural and luminous once applied.
Upper left is the Make Them Blush Powder blush in hush blush from Pretty Vulgar, which is a nice rosy shade (it was that or Shameless Flirt which is a darker berry rose). I love the pigmentation and how long it lasts on the skin – just wish Sephora carried Pretty Vulgar in stores so I could better choose colors and shades.
Bottom right is the Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush from Tarte in the shade Quirky. Much to my horror it appears this was not a permanent color as I received it as a sample and cannot locate a full size. I’ve managed to nab two more sample sizes but so sad they discontinued this color!
On my wishlist: These are rather random but I want to try the Wanderlust Primer-Infused Blush from Buxom and a Cheek Pop from Clinique.
I wanted to do something different this week and one of my passions is creating products at home from essential oils and common products I have around the home. So today I’m going to tell you how I make a lavender linen spray that will help your bedding smell great and you to relax and fall asleep.
Now, because someone is going to ask, yes, this is safe to spray on your face as a facial spray. And by safe I mean it’s no more harmful than using witch hazel as a toner (which a lot of people do). That said, I wouldn’t use it as a facial spray because the basic witch hazel does contain alcohol, which can be drying to your skin. I am working on a nourishing facial spray recipe and hopefully that will be another DIY later this month. Hopefully it goes without say, do not ingest this mixture.
Also as a note, I have sprayed this onto cotton and flannel sheets with no ill effects. I have not sprayed this onto silk or any other material so do so at your own risk.
What you need:
(1) Distilled water (tap water can allow yuckies to grow)
(2) Witch Hazel or Vodka – your basic witch hazel (found near the band-aids in drugstores) will have alcohol in it (as does vodka, obviously). You can find Thayer’s that is alcohol free (if you are wanting to spray this on your face) – usually at Target. Witch Hazel or Vodka are needed to thin down the oils so they don’t clog up the sprayer. If you don’t like the scent of Witch Hazel, I recommend using Vodka instead.
(3) Essential oils of your choice – I highly recommend lavender as most people find it calming and relaxing. I also added one or two drops of peppermint and chamomile based on my personal preference. This spray smells great if you only use lavender so if you’re just starting your oils collection you only need to buy one. Brand-wise, I personally use Plant Therapy (my lavender bottle is unlabeled because I pour off into the smaller bottle from a large bulky bottle). You can choose what works for you but I do not recommend cheap oils you find at Wal-Mart or other large discount stores as the quality can be questionable. Aura-Cacia is another brand that is usually easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Luckily, lavender is one of the less expensive oils.
(4) An amber or blue (or other dark color) glass jar with sprayer. Anytime you’re using oils, especially if they will be stored for a while, you want to use a dark glass container to preserve the oils. I use a two ounce bottle (you can buy a 12 pack on Amazon for $10) and that will last me about two months.
(5) A funnel if you’re messy like me
(6) A measuring spoon (one tablespoon)
Steps:
Steps (for a 2 ounce bottle)
(1) Pour no more than one tablespoon of witch hazel (or vodka) into the bottle (doesn’t have to be exact – that’s why you see me using a 2 tablespoon measuring spoon – it was clean and I could guestimate half).
(2) Add 25 drops of lavender essential oil (or 25 drops in total if including other oils).
(3) Put the lid on (tightly) and roll and shake the bottle to mix the oils and witch hazel (or vodka).
(4) Either take a sniff or spray some product onto a paper towel to see if you like the scent. *THIS* is the point in time at which you will want to add more lavender or other oils. I recommend spraying onto a paper towel as this most closely mimics spraying onto bedding. Trust me, adding the water in the next step will not change the smell so now is the time to tweak it.
(5) Top off the bottle with the distilled water, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch from the top of the bottle. You need this airspace to mix the product before each use.
(6) Screw the lid back on and you’re done! Each time you go to use the spray you’ll want to gently shake or roll the bottle in your hands to mix everything back together (the oils like to separate).
My top 4 eyeshadow palettes at the moment (and wishlist items):
Top is Naked Cherry from Urban Decay – this is one of my go-to palettes because I can create a variety of quick looks (especially if I don’t want to have to think too hard about creating a look).
Right is Dream St. from ColourPop from their collab. with Kathleen Lights. I like combining those two darker teal/green shades with the more neutral shades for a pop of color.
Left Center is the Nightingale palette from Pretty Vulgar. This is the palette I grab when I need to do something more dramatic for night time and I want cool toned shades. And thank you Pretty Vulgar for putting that inner-corner highlight in the palette.
Bottom right is Just Peachy Mattes from Too Faced. I work in a conservative office environment where sparkle and glitter is not appropriate. So this is the palette I grab for work most days. The shades blend quickly, giving me a little more time to sleep in during the week.
On my wishlist: In a world of unlimited funds I would love the Safari matte palette from Natasha Denona but realistically on my wishlist is the Game of Thrones eye palette coming out later this month and either the Phoenix Rising or Pretty Birdie palettes from Pretty Vulgar.
This is my second month getting Ipsy Glam Bag and I’m pretty pleased.
With Ipsy Glam Bag Plus (you don’t actually get a bag), you get five full-size products for $25 per month. Similar to the normal Ipsy bag, they do customize your products using the beauty profile. You do have to have a monthly Ipsy bag membership in order to upgrade. They just announced that there is no waitlist now!
Overall Box Impressions: I’m significantly more wowed but this month’s box (my second) versus my first box last month. I still question if Ipsy is really using my profile or if there is just such a limited pool of full size products. What stood out to me this month was the blend of indie versus commercial brands. I hope Ipsy follows this path in the future. The total retail value of the box, as noted by Ipsy, is $173, which is about $30 higher than last month. I love (and would have bought) the blush palette from Lovecraft Beauty, which is $39 by itself (more than the cost of the box).
Paris Hilton ProD.N.A. Dual-Action Cleansing Gel
This is the item I’m least excited about. I’m very specific about what beneficial ingredients I like in skincare products and this cleanser has more “hyped” ingredients than proven ingredients. These include, per the booklet from Ipsy, exfoliating caviar lime and pineapple-derived enzymes to brighten skin, cucumber to depuff and white tea extract to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and help repair sun damange. I didn’t smell the product as I am leaving the safety seal on so I can trade or donate this product. MSRP: $29.
Lovecraft Beauty Blush Palette
When I saw the promo pictures I wasn’t sure the shades would work for me but wanted to try the formula, at the least. When I opened the palette and saw the colors in person – just wow. These are soft and beautiful shades. I could easily use Altheda or Oscalia on their own, or mix either with Dauphine. I love soft shades for a nice natural look and these are so flattering. So next I had to stop and swatch the shades.
Formula-wise these were soft and creamy and literally went on like butter. The swatches above were two swipe stripes. Dauphine is more of an orange brown, Oscalia is a peach shade and Altheda is a gentle rose pink. If you didn’t receive this palette I highly recommend checking it out Lovecraft Beauty’s website. They also have a similar bronzer palette which I am going to look into. MSRP: $39.
Laura Sanchez Moods Eyeshadow and Highlighter Palette
I had not heard of this brand before but was intrigued by the color story of the palette. Some more muted shades and some bright pops of color. I do think you would need to use this in conjunction with another palette (unless you’re doing a one-shade look) and if you normally add an inner-corner highlight, you might need another palette. So, let’s swatch!
The top two shimmer shades (you can barely see the second one) are the highlights. The gold one is very shimmer-y but pretty if you use a light hand. While the second highlighter looks white in the pan it has a pink reflect when applied (very pink with a bit of a purple undertone). I moved on to the eyeshadows next. For the matte shades (which is the top row of two browns, red and yellow) I did need to go over my swatch two to three times to see the pigments. However, on the metallics, there was a lot of pigments with just one swipe, except for the purple (needed two). So not my favorite formula but the color payoff on the metallics makes this a palette I will still reach for. I absolutely love the darker green and might use that with the copper for a two color look. MSRP: $35
Benefit Cosmetics High Brow Eyebrow Highlighter
I remembered as I started to write this that last month we received a liquid highlighted from Benefit in the Ipsy Plus. So two highlighting products from benefit in consecutive months. Anyways, the eyebrow highlighter is designed to be applied under the brow and/or above the brow.
It’s definitely a pinkish shade so I would recommend blending/smudging it out a bit. Since it is a pencil that requires sharpening, and it is truly a pencil, I probably wouldn’t pay full retail. MSRP: $22
IT Cosmetics Heavenly Skin Skin-Smoothing Complexion Brush #704
This is an awesome item to be included in the box. I have one other IT Cosmetics brush (also received in a subscription box) and I don’t know that I would buy one on my own given the price. The retail value of this Heavenly Skin brush is a whopping $48. This brush has a bit of an angled brush head and is purported to give makeup an airbrushed finish. This item has me perplexed. What is unique is that the brush hairs are infused with anti-aging collagen, silk, peptides, niacin and antioxidants, which is an interesting concept. MSRP: $48
My current collection of products from DermaE (and wishlist items):
My favorite item: Overnight peel (AHA) – you put it on and go to sleep. What could be easier?
My most used item: This is a four way tie because I use these products daily: Radiance Toner (has Glycolic acid), Vitamin C Micellar cleansing water, Vitamin C Concentrated Serum and the Dark Circle Reducing Eye Cream
What I wish they would create: moisturizer for the essentials collection, especially if it had AHAs in it, and a gel sleeping mask
On my wishlist: Microdermabrasion Scrub and the Even Tone Brightening Day Cream
I bought a few things right at the beginning of April and didn’t want to wait until the end of the month to share so here they are! I bought a new primer, some under-eye setting powder, eyeliner and a lip balm set.
Face related items from my mini-haul from Sephora in early April: the new High-Adherence Silicone Primer from The Ordinary and the Secret Brightening Powder for Under Eyes from Laura Mercier. I purchased the primer because my mom had asked for one and I wanted to try it as well (we live six hours apart so trying the other person’s makeup isn’t workable for us). I purchased the under eye powder to try to deal with the darkness under my eyes, even after concealer, but this powder is stark white and leaves a dull cast on the under-eye skin so I may be returning it.
Eye and lip related items from my mini-haul from Sephora in early April: the Always Sharp waterproof kohl liner from SmashBox in Sumatra (a pretty brown shade) – I love how these kohl liners glide on the waterline and stay put all day. And, a lip set from Fresh. I was actually going to just buy the sugar caramel lip balm (guilty pleasure for the price) but for only about $10 more I would get the sugar lippies. They are a highly tinted balm and go on lighter than they appear. I haven’t worn them enough to form a solid opinion but my first impression is positive.
There were limited
freebies options (of the spend $x get y variety) on Sephora’s website when I
ordered so I went for a foundation sampler set. It was surprisingly nice –
samples of five foundations, a mini beauty blender with water, a mini primer
and a mini of the Laura Mercier translucent setting powder. It did ask for my skin tone so the samples I
received are aimed at lighter skin tones (for the most part), however, it doesn’t
address the warm/cool issue I always seem to run into.
MooseBeauty 