Month: July 2016

  • Sephora Play! Beauty Bag July 2016

    Sephora Play! Beauty Bag July 2016

  • Closeup (lefit to right): Too Faced Soleil Matter Bronzer (in chocolate), BeautyBlender blotterazzi, and Ouai Wave Spray

    Closeup (lefit to right): Too Faced Soleil Matter Bronzer (in chocolate), BeautyBlender blotterazzi, and Ouai Wave Spray

Included products in this month’s Sephora Play! bag:

  1. Nest Fragrances Citrine  (Full size, $68)
  2. First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay (Full-size, $24)
  3. Ouai Wave Spray (Full-size, $26)
  4. Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer (Full-size, $39)
  5. BeautyBlender blotterazzi ($20)
  6. Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer in Chocolate(full-size, $30)First Impressions:

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay:  At first sight, I was a bit anxious to use the First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleaner because of  its infusion of red clay.  When I hear the word clay, I automatically think of something overly dry and chalky.  However, this product turns into a foaming gel upon skin contact thus eliminating all previous notions that this product would dry up my skin.

Ouai Wave Spray: I’m all about beachy wavy hair, especially during the summer months.  At first glance, the Ouai Wave Spray (1.7 fl oz sample 🙂 ) seemed liked a god send because of my affinity for this texturized hairstyle.  However, the overpowering scent really took be aback to the point where I will not be using this wave spray in the near future.  If you can withstand the strong scent, I still find the Ouai Wave Spray too expensive ($26, Full-size).  Your better off buying John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Salt Spray ($9.99) because it’s cheaper, smells nicer, and works just as well.

Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer:   I actually own several Smashbox foundation primers because they are that good.  So when it comes to the Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer don’t think about it too much and go for it!

BeautyBlender blotterazzi:  For most people, summertime is primetime for shiny/oily skin  I am no exception to this rule and as a result, I always carry blotting paper where ever I go.  The BeautyBlender blotterazzi is a flat sponge, just like the original beauty blender, however the blotterazzi is used dry like blotting paper.  I have to say that it worked well in picking up any and all excess oil from my face.  As long as you clean it regularly I can see this sponge being a great addition to any makeup collection.

Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer in Chocolate:  Too Faced is known for its great bronzers and I was more than happy to see this sample in this months Birchbox.  In fact, it was my first time ever using the beloved bronzer and quickly learned why it has reached cult status.  The powder is smooth and finely milled and has no trace of shimmer – making this bronzer perfect for contouring.

Bonus Perfume

Nest Fragrances Citrine: “Layers of fresh lotus flower and freesia mingle with citrine, a sparkling golden yellow gemstone” (Sephora Play! list sheet).  I really enjoyed the fresh scent of the Nest Fragrances perfume in Citrine and will certainly use it throughout the summer!

NOTE:  Every Sephora Play! bag comes with a Sephora Play! Pass which gives you 50 extra Beauty Insider Points with any purchase.

Final Verdict: Merge

Kiss Kiss

Makeup Deconstructed Rating System:

1 Kiss = Purge: Only one of the products in the box/bag is worth keeping.

2 Kisses = Merge: Two to four products make this box/bag worth merging into your makeup collection.

3 Kisses = Splurge: All five products are amazing and worth splurging on!

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Birchbox Review July 2016

Included products in this month’s Birchbox:

  1. Cargo Blush and Bronzer (Full size, $35)
  2. Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion (Full-size, $58)
  3. Marcelle Xtension Plus Curl Mascara (Full-size, $14)
  4. MD Solar Science Daily Anit-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 (Full-size, $68)
  5. TOCCA Eau De Parfum – Bianca (Full size, $34-68)

First Impressions:

Let’s begin with the box – it is classic!  The flower petal pattern in a gradient of colors is lovely and very appropriate for summertime.  As for the products:

Cargo Blush and Bronzer:  The first thing my eyes found immediately upon opening my July Birchbox was the shiny Cargo tin (apparently a Birchbox exclusive item). I really do enjoy Cargo products and was more than happy to try this one on for size. However, my joy was quickly squashed between the difficulty in opening the tin and realizing how small the sample was. I mean, if it had been a one-product sample, say just a blush, I would have been okay with that. However, splitting two completely different products in this miniscule packaging was simply not practical. There was no way to get a regular size brush into the pan, so I had to resort to looking for brushes that I had from previous samples. Thank you Benefit Hoola because that was the only brush I could use to maneuver around the bronzer portion of the sample. Logistics aside, the pink blush was pretty on my medium complexion and the bronzer looked decent. Overall, there really is nothing to rave about when it comes to the Cargo Blush and Bronzer Duo.

Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion:  I love Dr. Brandt’s skincare line of products and the PoreDermabrasion did not let me down. Given the sample size of the product, I decided to use it only on my nose where my pores are noticeably larger and see, if over time, it would make a difference. According to Birchbox, The Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion is “a boost of salicylic acid that unclogs pores, caviar lime brightens, and lentil seed strengthens and tightens pore walls”. Well they got the description down pact because over a week I realized my pores were noticeably smaller, which in turn, helped my makeup sit better on my nose. The Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion is a keeper if you can afford the steep price.

Marcelle Xtension Plus Curl Mascara:  I’m a sucker for a good mascara sample; I simply cannot get enough of them. So for this month’s Birchbox, I decided to select a brand I was not familiar with. Well, I’m so glad that I decided to take a chance on the Marcelle Xtension Plus Curl Mascara. First off, it has a curved wand, which is my favorite shape.  Second, the brush grabs onto every single lash and helps extend it to the max. Third, it also works very well on the bottom lashes because the brush does not overload with product. There is no doubt in my mind that Marcelle Xtension Plus Curl Mascara is a great mascara comparable to high-end mascaras.

MD Solar Science Daily Anit-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30:  I can’t say I was happy to see another moisturizer/sun protector in these month’s Birchbox. My personal preference is to use a foundation or a BB cream that already incorporates SPF, so I don’t have to layer on more products, especially in the summer time. Given this preference, I decided to give this product a try on a non-makeup day and was happy with the thin consistency, but did not notice positive results. Unfortunately with skincare products with SPF, you have to use it for a long period of time to really notice if it is working. So as of now, I can’t say its good or bad, and given how expensive the full size product is, I will probably never really know.

TOCCA Eau De Parfum – Bianca:  “This clean, citrus scent has undertones of rose and sugar for longwearing, intriguing layers” (as per Birchbox). This is my second TOCCA perfume from Birchbox and I like the Bianca scent much more. It’s a bit heavy compared to other rose perfumes I’ve used, but it does last all day.

Final Verdict: Merge

Kiss Kiss

Makeup Deconstructed Rating System:

1 Kiss = Purge: Only one of the products in the box/bag is worth keeping.

2 Kisses = Merge: Two to four products make this box/bag worth merging into your makeup collection.

3 Kisses = Splurge: All five products are amazing and worth splurging on!

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Dior Addict Lip Maximizer High Volume Lip Plumper and Dior Addict Lip Glow

Who wouldn’t want Angelina Jolie sort of lips? Well I can certainly be added to the long list of those who would do just about anything to achieve plump, luscious everything, except for having a needle full of collagen shot into my lips. So, given my aversion to needles, I began scouring the isles of Sephora and Ulta in an attempt to achieve my objective. I finally came across one that, quite frankly, looked pretty. Yes, I know what you’re thinking…the packaging doesn’t make the product. That fact is very true, but when confronted with an array of options and no prior experience to go on – the pretty one wins!

So the grand winner was the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer High Volume Lip Plumper ($33). Go ahead and call me a sucker because I bought the accompanying Dior Addict Lip Glow ($33) in the color pink as well; more about that later. But first, for the first week of use, I followed the instructions to a tee. As per the Sephora website:

Suggested Usage for the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer High Volume Lip Plumper:
– Apply alone or layer with your favorite lip color.
– Begin application at the center of the lips, then blend outward.
– Use as a part of your skin care routine before starting makeup. By the time you get to apply your lipstick, your lips will be perfectly plump.

I religiously applied this “collagen and marine based fillers” and instantly experienced a tingly sensation all over my lips. I was worried at first that I was experiencing an allergic reaction of sorts, but thankfully it subsided. Once my foundation and everything else was applied, I put on a coat of the Dior Addict Lip Glow. Now, the end result was mixed. I do believe my lips looked suppler and moisturized. However, I don’t believe the results merited a $33 price tag and I could have done without the tingling sensation I experienced.

The Dior Addict Lip Glow is a whole other story. I absolutely adore the color beautiful pink tone it gave my lips. What’s really neat is that the color gradually darkens to a shade that looks very natural on my lips. Apparently, as per Dior Beauty website, it is the “first universal balm by Dior that reacts to the unique chemistry of each woman’s lips to give them a natural flush of custom pink that suits her skin tone”. I must say that the Dior Addict Lip Glow delivered a custom shade as promised. As for the other shade in the collection, Coral, I cannot speak of. However, I wouldn’t think twice about purchasing it given my experience with the shade of pink.

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