Oval Brushes | Joining the Hype On a Budget

Thanks to blogging and YouTube, makeup enthusiasts are now able to stay up-to-date on all the fun (and sometimes strange) beauty trends. It seems as if there is a new trend popping up every week and while most are fun, some are just not worth the time or money. I am probably the last gal on board with this trend but better late than never, I always say! Everyone and their momma probably owns an oval brush and I have seen some retail for up to $50 per brush! In the words of KathleenLights, "Das Espensive!"

I have seen some companies advertise their oval brushes on Facebook for as low as $20 per set. Many of you have probably seen such brands as MyMakeupBrushSet and AliExpress on Facebook or Twitter. While I think they do have great deals, I watched some reviews where people complained about the poor quality. Some said the handles were not easy to hold or were too cheap and were concerned about them breaking. Others said the bristles were not soft enough or as soft as those of higher quality/price. Of course, you do get what you pay for so considering the price, quality won't be so great.

Yesterday, I was shopping around and decided to stop by TJ Maxx where I saw some oval brushes. A little curious, I checked the original retail price which was $20, much more expensive than the other off-brand oval brushes. TJ Maxx had it priced at $10 which I though was pretty reasonable, so I put it in my basket, checked out and went home to give it a try!

ibeauty Mermaid Brush

I like the packaging it came in, it protects the bristles and gives a full view of the product!

Just like a standard oval brush, the bristles are densely packed for smooth application and it soaks up less foundation which is why they're so sought after.

What was cool about the handle was that it swiveled the brush head in a circular motion with almost no effort on my part. I love the sleek look and rose gold finish!

One swipe (back and forth once) 

Blended out completely. 

I am so pleased with this brush, the price point was perfect in my opinion and the quality is just what I hoped for. It did not soak up the foundation like my beauty blender does and it blends everything into the skin smoothly. I can see myself using this on a daily basis and would recommend it to anyone looking for a flawless finish. If you want to try this out but don't have a TJ Maxx near you or weren't able to locate these, I linked the product above! Have any of you tried this brush or any oval brushes? I would love to know what your opinions are on this! 

Must-Have Mondays: LUSH Catastrophe Cosmetic Face Mask

Ever since my most recent breakout, skincare has become an even more important part of my daily routine. Before it consisted of aging prevention products, anything from serums to eye balms. It has now expanded to include, facial resurfacing serums, acne spot treatments, and fade creams. I have also educated myself in what ingredients I should be looking for in my skincare products. Knowing what ingredients your specific skin type needs is a real game changer! One brand that I have loved for years is LUSH cosmetics. I buy their products knowing that whatever I use on my skin is going to be healthy and safe.

Last month, I discovered the Catastrophe Cosmetic mask and I have been in love since. It does wonders for the redness on my skin, and those of you who have been around for a while know that I have dealt with a lot of redness and skin problems over the last year. It's such a wonderful mask that I decided it needed it's own post!

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This mask contains blueberries and calamine which soothe any redness on the skin as well as any breakouts that are just below the surface. It's great for sensitive skin and I feel like it controls the oiliness of my skin. It is not too drying and the application process is smooth when applying and removing. 

The texture is smooth and the dark blue spheres are not harsh on the skin. This mask needs to be refrigerated and it feels amazing when the cool mask touches your skin. I leave it on for twenty minutes and wash off with cool water, really working the mask into my skin as I rinse it off. 

These are some of my face mask essentials. Before applying any face mask, I remove any trace of makeup with face wipes, I've used these wipes for years now and they are my favorite! The Origins Checks and Balances face wash has also been a tried and true for me, I use this to clean my face of any oils. The Origins Maskimizer is a fairly new product for me but has quickly become a favorite. It preps the skin specifically for masks and helps the skin absorb all the nutrients a mask has to offer.

During the summer, I tend to experience lot of skin issues due to the oiliness of my skin. These products have become part of my daily/weekly face routine and I thought I would share them with all of you! Let me know if you've tried any of these, or if you have any questions! I will post a new video on Wednesday, so be on the look out!

First Impressions: Reema Beauty

Any time that I can get the opportunity to explore new brands and products, I take it. Not only do I learn more, but I also get to share my experiences and help those who are curious to know. This week, I got to experiment with Reema Beauty! They sent some goodies over to me which I got to play around with and create a look to share with all of you. I decided to travel back in time to the 60's and try out their popular Mod look. I've seen so many recreations over the last few years and it was something that I had never tried so I thought it fitting for this occasion!

Watch here!

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Reema Beauty was also kind enough to give me a 40% code!: Reema40

-Shopping Links-

Eyeshadow:  https://reema-beauty.com/eyes/eye-shadow.html?___store=default

Lipstick: https://reema-beauty.com/lips/lipstick.html?___store=default

Lip Gloss: https://reema-beauty.com/lips/lip-gloss.html?___store=default

Swatches!

Pros:

Pigmentation is good

Shadows lasted all day

They did not crease (I was wearing anti-crease primer)

Blendable

Cons: 

Price? 

Patchy swatches (shadows were NOT patchy on eye)

*Note: Shadow in Risque was not as pigmented as the rest (I did mention it in video) but was somewhat still visible after 10 hr wear!

A screenshot from this week's video! 

Products used:
*Face*
Too Faced Primed & Powerless Skin Smoothing Face Primer
PUR Cosmetics Correcting Primer Redness Reducer
Milani Conceal & Perfect Foundation
Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer
Coty Airspun Translucent Extra Coverage Loose Face Powder
Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer
Urban Decay Naked Flushed
Becca Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed
*Eyes*
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Tarte Tartelette Palette
Reema Beauty Shadows in "Flutter" "Risque" and "Pretty in Pink"
Covergirl LashBlast Volume Mascara
Rimmel London ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner
*Brows*
Benefit ka-BROW!
*Lips*
Reema Beauty Lipstick "Sexy Sweet"
Reema Beauty Naked Lip Gloss
*Other*
Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
realTechniques Brushes
L.A.B. 2 Beauty Brushes
Sigma Brushes

I promised I'd tweet my full experience on the products! Here are some screenshots!

I really enjoyed collaborating with Reema Beauty, their products were overall great and easy to use! I especially loved the light pink shade and lip gloss. As always, I would really appreciate it if you would subscribe to my channel and like this video to let me know if I should make more. Head on back on Friday for a brand new post! Until next time. xoxo!

Beauty Report: Maybelline ColorBlur Cream Matte Pencils

I am surprised at how this product has not gotten any attention, as I have not seen any sort of commercial or social media ad whatsoever. I was walking through the makeup aisles inside Walgreens when these captured my eye. They immediately reminded me of the Lorac Pro Matte Lip Colors. The only difference is that the Maybelline ColorBlur pencils include a smudger. The picture of the model was sporting a full on lip and an ombre lip. It wasn't the smudger that caught my attention, it was the fact that these were matte lip colors in pencil form. I bought two shades, hoping that these would be true to their claim, unlike their Vivid Matte Liquids.

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Here are some swatches, they are creamy, apply evenly and are true to their shade and packaging color.

Swatch in "50: I like to mauve it"

This shade was not as matte as the other, it reminded me of the NYX lip creams, it came off when I ate and there was some transfer. 

Swatch: "40: My-My Magenta"

This shade was the most matte out of the two. There was no transfer and I was able to eat without it coming off completely, I just had to touch up the middle.

Overall, I feel like these pencils have more pros than cons, and if you are looking for some matte lip colors at a reasonable price, then these are it! Both shades applied evenly, were true to color and only one shade was not super matte. I did not try the smudgers, because they did feel kind of plastic-y and I am not fond of the ombre lip trend. I did use the smudger on my arm swatches and they smudged perfectly fine. The packaging is sturdy and reasonably sized. I like the fact that it's a pencil because it gives you more control when applying. I would definitely recommend these to any matte loving gal out there!

If you have tried them, let me know what you thought. My favorite shade is the magenta, it brightens up a simple eye look and it's great for summer and spring! Let me know if you'd like to see more reviews and come back on Monday for a brand new post! 

Gold Hair Challenge: Pura D'Or Review

It has been way too long since I have posted on here and I have waited too long to share this with all of you! School, as always, has been very draining and finding free time to post and stay active is almost impossible which makes me sad because I love blogging! I especially miss my daily posting on Instagram and it's something I need to get back into the habit of doing. Just know that when I'm not on here, I am definitely thinking about all of you.

What I have for you today is a review on the popular Pura D'Or hair products, as I'm sure you've seen many other bloggers/ YouTubers talk about. The wonderful people at Pura D'Or contacted me last year, asking me if I would use their products and give a review on my channel and blog. They sent me shampoo, conditioner and an oil treatment to use until I was confident enough to share my experience with you. I'm glad they were able to be so patient with me and my schedule because I should have gotten this up a while ago.

Their products are available at several places including Target, Amazon and their website! They advertise their hair products as pure, including plant based ingredients and organic, intended to treat the hair and scalp as well as prevent hair loss.

As part of the Gold Hair Challenge, I get to share with you before and after hair photos from using the product and I'm also going to give you some pros and cons and my overall rating out of five stars for this product line. So let's begin!

Pictured here are the shampoo and conditioner but I also received the argan oil serum.

You can shop these products on their website: Pura D'Or

Before and after!

This picture is after a two month difference of using the products. I can see a huge difference in the pictures and I was also able to feel how much it changed over that time. Before using the products, I was dealing with an excessive oily scalp, brittle and dry hair as well as my hair color bleeding out rapidly. In the after picture you can tell that my scalp is no longer oily (both pictures were taken on second day hair) and it looks healthier because my curls had a greater longevity, although other factors such as better styling techniques and hairspray could also account for a better hold.

My hair routine is not too outside the norm for the average gal. I wash my hair every three days which might be too long of a time for some of you, but I have always struggled with extremely thin hair and this is the only way I can manage to avoid a mass amount of hair loss. I used all three products sent to me and when styling my hair, I used a heat protectant, mousse, dry shampoo and sea salt spray (in between washes to liven up my hair). I tried to keep my routine very close to how it was before I started using their products in order to better observe their effectiveness. I trimmed my hair once but did not dye it throughout the entire process.

PROS
-Hair color safe
-Organic ingredients
-Oil control
-Follicle strength
-Less hair fallout
-Sturdy packaging (pump dispenser)

CONS
-Smell (not strong but not too annoying)
-Price
-Larger than normal amount to build up a decent lather

Where can I get this?
purador.com
Amazon
Target

And right now if you use the code Love30, you get 30% off your order but only for limited time!



Overall, I really did enjoy this product and would purchase it myself. It gave my hair a better texture and I was more than happy to know that it did not contain harsh chemicals that would harm my already sensitive hair. I would give it four out of five stars and although it's not the cheapest option, I think it's wise to spend a good amount of money when it has to do with your body. In this case, you really are getting a good use out of your money.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, I hope to post at least two to three times a month for now since school does take most of my time. Feel free to share this and follow me on my social media for pretty pictures and tips! Until next time, xoxo!

Beauty Report: LAB 2 Brushes

It has been a while since I have reviewed products on the blog and I thought it'd be a great time to pick up where we left off. As a beauty blogger, I am always on the hunt for the best beauty products whether it may be foundation, mascara, or lipsticks etc. But I seldom talk about the tools in which we apply makeup which I feel is equally as important. No matter how good of a quality product you own, if you are not using the right tools you are not getting the full product's worth! 

When it comes to makeup brushes, I feel like I haven't given full effort into finding the right kind. I feel like I've committed a major beauty blogger faux-pas! But enough is enough! I've been doing my research and the lovely people at LAB 2 Brushes were kind enough to send me some brushes and although I don't want to spoil the surprise, I am very pleased!

     

      

These are brushes you can find at Walmart and amazon, with that being said, I love that the packaging is so sturdy and filled with information about the brushes and how best to use them! When compared to ELF and RealTechniques, LAB 2 gets an A+ in presentation.

     

The handles are also something to talk about. The thickness of the handle depends on the type of brush it is and I thought that was pretty special! It definitely helps your hand grab the brush and handle it with ease in the application process. The bristles are synthetic which is an advantage because they are better at picking up a lot of product and holding it without  causing shadow fall out. 

      

These are the swatches from the eye brushes and I am most happy about the flat eyeshadow brush. It picked up so much pigment from the glitter shadow and this was without eyeshadow primer by the way! The eyeliner brush is also impressive and I cannot wait to try it with some smokey eyes.

      

 
  I've always steered clear of kabuki brushes, not because I didnt know how to use them but more  because I haven't had the best impression of them. Using this, I was skeptic and was prepared for total disappointment. I have to say that I was impressed and the bristles are extremely soft! The bristles didn't fall all over my face which is what has happened before with previous kabukis. I love how small it is which makes it easy to pop into my bag and have it handy for when I need to mattify my face.

Here's a close up of the eye brushes:

      

Eyeshadow brush

      

Crease brush

      

Brow & eyeliner brush

      

Pointed eyeliner brush

      

Brow & lash groomer (side 1)

      

Brow & lash groomer (side 2)

Overall, I think these brushes are a win! They are inexpensive, high quality, and they were made with the consumer in mind which is very important. After trying these, I am already planning a trip to Walmart to get my hands on their other brushes. But I do want to state that although these brushes were sent to me, these opinions are my own. I would not say good things about a product if I didn't like it. I am very picky when it comed to my makeup application, especially my eye makeup, and I am glad these brushes have become a part of my growing collection.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog! I will be posting again on tuesday along with a YouTube video so stay tuned for that! It was fun to make so I hope you all like it as well. Follow me on my social media for more updates and fun stuff! Until next time, xoxo!