Kat Von D Lock-It VoxBox

August 15, 2016August 12, 2016Leave a comment

Hey makeup nerds!

I am back with you for one heckuva Vox Box. Like, the Simone Biles of Vox Boxes.

(and no, I am still obsessed with Simone. or any of the other gymnasts for that matter. including the 41-year Uzbeki old one.)

As I have mentioned countless times, I am signed up for Influenster, and so can you. I have no affiliation with them other than the fact that I am a member. Check out their site to learn more because I am not an expert. What I do know, is that they send me cool sh*t. This time it was a box of goodies from Kat Von D! A brand I have never tried before (SHOCKING I KNOW) but always wanted to. Here is what I received as well as my initial, very early thoughts!

The box included:

• Lock-it Concealer Crème in Light 11 Neutral
• Lock-it Concealer Crème in Light 5 Neutral
• Lock-it Setting Powder
• Lock-it Edge Concealer Brush
• Lock-it Setting Powder Brush

Lock-It Concealer Cremes

As of right now, I really love these concealers. Both shades are nice and fair (perfect for my Scandinavian-princess skin) and the packaging is really cute. The wand is a nice angled doe-foot and deposits a good amount of product.

I swatched these both on my hand and then blended them out slightly (pictured below). They blended really nicely and both looked like they had great coverage.

Here are a couple shots of me with the lighter concealer on under my eyes with the setting powder (sans mascara in the first one #alienface). Overall, I like this concealer. It may not be as crazy of coverage as say the Mac Pro-long Wear, but I def need to play with it more!

Lock-It Setting Powder

10 points for packaging on this one, Miss Von D! I also LUURVE that the product is dispensed out of a star! I only used this one time but so far it is an excellent, finely-milled translucent powder!

Lock-It Concealer Brush

Both brushes are very nice. Super soft too! I usually use my finger to press concealer onto my undereyes but this brush might convert me. I love the slight angle to it and the fact that it is a duo-fiber.

Lock-It Powder Brush

Can I also get an AMEN for these stiletto-like handles!? This brush is stupid soft and I love the fact that it is tapered at the top. Getting the perfect amount of under-eye setting powder on this brush is so easy and it deposits the product perfectly in that area.

Marc Jacobs Glowstick Review

June 24, 20161 Comment

Shoutout to Influenster for sending me this product to review! (ANYONE can sign up for Influenster, btw I’m not that cool)

When I found out I was receiving this box, I was of course, overjoyed and promptly watched the application video on the Sephora website. What I really liked about the video, was how the guy was putting it basically ALL over the face. I mean YAASSS QUEEN. It truly looked so natural, dewy and gorgeous on the model.

PACKAGING

The packaging is very true-to-form MJ. Black and white, very sleek and modern. I really like the little rounded square shape and the fact that it twists up.

FORMULA

The formula is pretty much your run-of-the-mill cream product. It’s not too thick, but not too thin. It is not sticky, nor does it have a smell.

PERFORMANCE

One swipe

I realllllly love the glow this product gives! It is striking without being overpowering and the fact that it’s a cream gives it even more of a natural look. The staying power was good, I did not notice it disappeared on me, but I also didn’t think it was particularly long-lasting either. The way I applied this was with my fingertips and then used a duo-fiber brush to buff it in a bit.

OVERALL

I love it! I am so excited to use this all summer on not only m’mug, but my decollete and shoulders. This is truly the first cream highlight I have seen that really packs a punch in terms of pigmentation and blends out smoothly.

L’Oreal Volume Filler Skincare Review

April 25, 20163 Comments

Hey lovelies!

Once again, Influenster sent me another voxbox! This time, it was for the L’Oreal Revitalift Volume Filler Skincare line.

Inside this box, were four products:

(Can you tell I take really great product images ON MY COUCH?)

I was beyond thrilled to receive full sizes of these products! So often with skincare samples, a tiny packet containing a few measly drops of product is hardly enough to warrant a thorough review, much less a firm opinion. And while have only been using these products for a couple weeks now, I feel like like I can give a pretty good review because I have been generously smothering them all over my face and neck!

Here we have the:

Night Cream

This comes in a squeeze tube, which I very much appreciate. It does have a smell to it, if that bothers you, although it is a pleasant one. The consistency is on the thicker side, but it is not anywhere near as rich as my beloved First Aid Beauty Hydra-Firm Sleeping Cream. It provides a pretty instant smooth feeling on the skin, which I do tend to question (silicone?) but overall it is very nice.

Volume Moisturizer

I love the packaging of this cute little tub. It has the same smell as the night cream, but is a thicker consistency. I have been wearing this stuff during the day and so far, it has the same smoothing effect and is great under makeup.

Serum

Being a serum fan in general, I knew it would take something pretty awful to make me garner any ill feelings toward this stuff. It is pretty much a straightforward serum. I like to rub it between the tips of my fingers to warm it up and then press it into the skin. It seems to sink in pretty well and does have a nice volumizing effect.

Eye Treatment

I need to give this stuff a bit more time to provide an in-depth review, but so far I do like it. I have been using up some eye cream I bought at Sephora a while back so I’ll start working this one more into my routine in the near future.

OVERALL:

I realllllllllly like Hyaluronic acid. Like, alot. I have known about it for years and did purchase a Korean Hyalurnonic treatment a few months ago which I also really liked. From what I have read, it is a natural acid that the body produces, but as we age, it produces less. I do feel like it contributes to the “voluminous” effect these products claim to provide. I like to think that it makes ‘me skin a bit more plumpy (yes, plumpy) and hydrated looking. I would recommend this line to anyone with more mature skin, especially if you have those fine wrinkles that would benefit from a bit of plump!

If you have tried any of these products, leave a comment and let me know what you think!

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Voxbox

October 13, 2015October 12, 2015Leave a comment

I totes hit the mother load with this Influenster Vox Box.

When I heard I was receiving TWO YSL lipsticks for FREE I am not kidding, I squealed. Like a little piggy. Did you know that ANYONE can join influenster? You just link up all of your social media accounts, they send you surveys and then mail you products if you qualify. It is amaaaazing and I feel stupes that haven’t done it forever.

I was among 2,000 people to receive two YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lip Colors in two shades.

The first color is #9 Rose Stiletto.

The second color is #19 Fuchsia

My thoughts?

I am SUPER impressed with the overall quality of these lipsticks. Both shades are very pigmented, creamy and comfortable to wear. They last well for being a lipstick, (about a 2-hour wear) and the packaging is totes bougie. While they come at a hefty price tag of $36, I feel like this is what you’d expect from YSL. If you are committing to a $36 lipstick, you probably a.) don’t care because you’re kinda rich b.) are splurging and treating yourself to a luxury item or c.) are so obsessed with the packaging and YSL brand that you simply don’t care about the price.

I fall more into category B. For special occasions (weddings, giving birth, haha) I would totally spend 36 bones on a beautiful lipstick, but this would be a CALCULATED, premeditated purchase. I wish I was the kindof lady who could waltz into Sephora and casually toss lipsticks in my basket that cost more than an outfit at Forever 21. But sadly, I am not. I’m the $1.99 Wet’n’Wild lipstick connoisseur who thinks twice about adding guac at Chipotle and buys greeting cards at the Dollar Store. That’s just me.

Beautiful lipstick – stunning packaging – and VERY happy these babies were free 🙂

Thanks YSL! Thanks Influenster! Thank you, baby Jesus.

Influenster YSL Vox Box Review

August 18, 2015August 14, 2015Leave a comment

Bonjour bon bons!

Can you imagine how overjoyed I was when I found out I was being sent the YSL Vox Box via Influenster? I literally peed and couldn’t sleep for a week. Then, a couple weeks later I received this little box of majesty containing the YSL Touche Éclat’ Blur Perfector and the Touche Éclat Blur Primer. I DIED.

First, let’s discuss the Perfector.

The packaging. OH LAWWwww the packaging. Perfect in everyway. Here’s to you, Yves! If you’ve ever felt the consistency of the Mally Face Defender, than you are familiar with this kindof product. The idea is that you can use this before OR after you’ve applied your makeup. And I have tried both methods. The box recommends using a sweeping motion (from the interior to the exterior of the face) when applying it before makeup, and then using a blotting motion for touch-ups.

My thoughts on this product should first be prefaced by the fact that I have fairly decent skin. I do not have large pores, oily skin or any issues with my foundation breaking-up on me. That being said, I do like using this product as a touch-up OR as a primer, but I think I prefer to use it as a touch-up. When I need a quick face refresh I will ALWAYS reach for an oil-blotting sheet, a makeup mist or a product like this before I’ll ever reach for a powder. I find that I tend to look more cakey (read:OLD) with the more powdery products I apply (which is why I love the It Cosmetics Celebration Illumination Powder!).

The product itself is kindof like a balm and has that silicony feel to it, which I do not hate. It does provide a nice, smooth, even base on which you can apply foundation. However, I really love using it as a touch-up product after work when I want my skin to look a bit more fresh. I find that the claims to “blur”imperfections aren’t totally false, as it does tend to smooth out the skin quite nicely.

The second product I received is the primer and YES, it has tiny gold sparkles in it and crazy enough, they don’t transfer too much on the skin. At first I thought I was in for a glitter bomb, but they pretty much dissipate once you smooth it over your skin.

Again, I am not the best at reviewing primers simply because I do not need one necessarily. However, if I want my makeup to last long and still look awesome, I will use one to ensure it is as locked-down as possible. This primer definitely does the trick but I am not sure if it’s worth the price. Whereas the perfector is more of a niche product (with GORG packaging), this primer is something I would pass on. It works nicely as a base for foundation, but so do many other primers which cost much less.

So there you have it – my review on the new goodies from YSL! Have you tried these products?

Influenster Dessange Box

March 14, 20152 Comments

Get ready for some serious PURPLE.

If you’re a blonde, than you are more than aware of the upkeep. Like an English garden, a blonde head’a’hair is not something to take lightly. It involves perseverance, sensitivity and of course, the right tools. These products from Influenster couldn’t have come at a better time for me, given the current state of m’brassy locks.

I tried all three of these products two days ago, so please keep in mind that this is more of a “first impression” rather than a full-on review.

For starters, neither the shampoo or the conditioner are purple, which is okay with me. I happen to think that too many purple-hued products can give off a gray tone. Anyway, the smell is definitely not my fave. The musky scent in the conditioner is kinda old-lady and the shampoo isn’t much better. I tend to favor more fresh, spa-like smellin’ hurr curr personally. The shampoo did give me a nice lather and the conditioner is a nice thick consistency. Neither left my hair feeling heavy, or weighted down which is something that often happens to me, given my fine hair.

Now let’s get on to the CC Crème. Holy PURPLE. This stuff is sooooo purple that it almost errs on the side of cobalt blue.

Like paint.

The directions for this products are also pretty strange, instructing you to do this big allergy test on your skin 48 hours prior to using it. YEAaaaaahhh… I aint got time for that. I just went ahead and used a medium amount from root to tip, as instructed. I left it on about 5 minutes and then rinsed. And rinsed. And rinsed some more. I rinsed my hair for literally 5 minutes. And purple water just kept swirling down the drain. My arms were getting so tired and I figured that I got it all out, so I dried it a little and went to bed.

The next morning while combing out my hair I noticed a couple patches of PURPLE scalp. So yeah, I didn’t get it all. Nor did I feel like it cancelled out any of my brassiness. Please keep in mind that I only used it once and that with continued use it might start to work better. However, with how much fuss is involved I probably will not be using it on the reg.

All in all, the products were just okay for me. I will definitely report back after I have used them a few more times and let you know if my opinions have changed.

Have any of you signed up for Infuenster or tried Dessange? If so, let me know what you think!

Influenster Fekkai VoxBox Review

November 12, 2014Leave a comment

Hello dumpling heads!

And just a little tid-bit for ya…when I was a kid I wanted my last name to be Dumpling. Natalie Dumpling. Has a nice ring to it, eh?

So a few weeks ago, Influenster sent me a cute little box in the mail. Inside were two products from the brand Fekkai. NOW. I have used the Fekkai Smoothing Creme before and was a huge fan, so I had already regarded the brand very highly. I was elated to see they hooked me up with a few samples from their PrX Reparatives line with Argan Extract. And if you guys know me, you know I looove me some Argan.

My hair is blonde and therefore it is dry, damaged and a split-end circus. I am always looking for anything to pump moisture into my tired locks so I was excited to jump in the shower and give these babies a whirl.

First up, the Fekkai PrX Reparatives Shampoo and Conditioner with Argan Extract.

The texture of these products is quite thick and the aroma is very rich. You can definitely tell both the shampoo and conditioner contain Argan as the smell has that distinctive full-bodied aroma I have grown to love (much like a fine wine). The shampoo lathered up nicely and the conditioner felt quite thick and clingy to my hair. My head felt very silky upon rinsing the conditioner and I experienced zero funky residue upon drying. The result was very favorable as my hair felt soft, silky and smelled great.

The next product to try was the PrX Reparatives Intense Fortifying Masque.

This product is meant to be used once a week to restore shine and protect from future damage. NOW. I do like to use a “fortifying” or a protein treatment on my head every now and again. I find that switching between heavy moisturizing conditioners and ones that are fortifying or contain protein is the perfect cocktail. Thus, I was pumped to try this one out.

The consistency is VERY thick and the smell? Ermygurd. The bottle says it is scented with vanilla and crème and oh yes it is. It smells sooooo nice and just like the original shampoo + conditioner, it lingers. To try the masque, I started with the Fekkai Shampoo and then applied a fairly generous amount of the masque and combed it through with my fingers. I left it on about 7 minutes and rinsed. My hair instantly felt silky, smooth and wonderful. Sometimes this can be a trick (i.e the effect we all feel after using Pantene for the first time) but I have noticed zero ill side effects. My hair felt great, smelled great and was free of any heaviness.

Overall, I am really impressed with both the shampoo and conditioner from the Fekkai PrX Reparatives line as well as the Intense Fortifying Masque. I would definitely recommend this line to anyone in dire need of a little hair TLC.