Beauty Playlist

Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oil Skin (240 Medium...

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:22:52 -0400

Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oil Skin (240 Medium Beige)

Since this product is one of the best medium-high coverage drugstore foundations for oily/combination skin, I knew I had to try it. Since my teenage years, I’ve always struggled with prominent red undertone and uneven skin tone. This foundation does a great job of concealing redness and hiding hyperpigmentation scars caused by acne.

Pros:

Great coverage, don’t really need to use concealer
With a face primer, such as the Avon Magix Face Perfector, it’s pretty long lasting. But I wouldn’t leave it on my face for 24 hours even though it claims to last for up to 24 hours.
It doesn’t break me out

Cons:

Terrible packaging: I wish it comes with a pump dispenser. I deal with it by flipping the bottle and tapping it on my palm a few times before opening the cap and dispensing the product onto my flat kabuki brush.
This foundation is really thick. I always mix it with a BB cream or facial moisturizer to thin it out.
It clogs my pores sometimes. If you use this foundation regularly, you have to use a cleanser that’s effective for removing makeup, such as the Philosophy Purity Cleanser. You’d also need to use a facial scrub at least once a week because this foundation can easily clog the pores around your nose.

This product is available on Amazon, drugstore.com, and your local drugstores.

-Karen

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Avon Magix Face Perfector I am a big fan of primers. They are...

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:23:58 -0400

Avon Magix Face Perfector

I am a big fan of primers. They are life savers that keep my makeup in place regardless of how hot and humid it gets in the south. But I’ve always thought that good quality primers tend to be overpriced. The Benefit POREfessional and Smashbox Photo Finish retail for $30 and $36, respectively. As you can see, I’ve been on the hunt for an affordable and effective face primer for quite a while. A few months ago, I discovered the Avon Magix Face Perfector while browsing on Amazon. It has a lot of great reviews, it’s under $10, so I thought why not give it a try?

Since I use a BB cream on an everyday basis and it’s supposed to have the “priming effect”, I only use face primers for special occasions or during hot summer months. The Avon Magix Face Perfector is a good silicone-based primer that provides a smooth base for foundation. It fills in my pores and it doesn’t break my out. Additionally, it has SPF 20, which is always nice. For my skin, this primer definitely helps to control oiliness and prevent makeup from slipping off my face. But I have noticed dry patches from time to time when I used this in the cold winter months. That could just mean that I need to use a heavier moisturizer when I use this primer in the winter. I would strongly recommend this product to those of you with oily or combination skin. If you want a product that mainly fills in your pores to make them look smaller, I don’t think this is as effective as the Benefit POREfessional. But for the price you pay, I think it does a pretty good job.

-Karen

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2013 Sephora Beauty Insiders Birthday Gift In honor of my 22nd...

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:46:14 -0400

2013 Sephora Beauty Insiders Birthday Gift

In honor of my 22nd birthday, which is coming up in a couple of days on May 9th, I’m doing a review on the Sephora Beauty Insiders birthday gift for this year since these products do come in full sizes. This year, they are giving out Benefit Watt’s Up! highlighter and They’re Real! mascara. I really enjoyed the Fresh lip balm duo last year so I was excited to try out these products.

Watt’s Up! Highlighter:

I’ve never used a highlighter before and have never even thought about trying one. I have combination skin and my skin is already more glowy than I need it to be :P I’ve used this product a few times on my brow bones and it works pretty well. On my skin, it shows up better than a shimmery light color eyeshadow.

They’re Real! Mascara:

Since this is one of Benefit’s best-selling products, I had high hopes for it. After using it a few times, I must say that it truly thickens my lashes and make them appear like fake lashes. The wand is pretty unique. It’s rounded on the end and it has bristles coming out in different directions so it’s easier to apply mascara to the ends of your lashes. With an eye primer, it doesn’t really smudge that much throughout the day. Additionally, this mascara doesn’t clump with 2 coats, which is really nice. But it does take a while to dry. Be careful not to sneeze after application or you’ll get it all over your eye area. I guess I’m spoiled by the fact that my go-to mascara, CoverGirl’s LashExact, dries up really fast :) Another downside is that it’s not very easy to remove. Although my Neutrogena makeup remover removes a lot of it, after I take a shower and wash my face with the Philosophy Purity Cleanser, I still end up with a lot of residual underneath my eyes. I don’t really like how I basically need to remove this mascara 3x before it’s gone.

Both products are available (in full sizes) at Sephora. Click on the product names above to access more information.

-Karen

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Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23 After trying the Skin79...

Sat, 04 May 2013 16:22:05 -0400

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23

After trying the Skin79 Super+ BB cream, I have fell in love with Asian BB creams. Since there’s only 1 shade for Skin79 and it’s too light for my skin tone, I decided to try the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in shade No. 23.

I’ve been using this product for a few months and I really like it. It goes on smoothly, has good coverage, has a fairly high SPF (42), and it doesn’t break me out. When I was doing research online, some people mentioned that this product has a scent that bothers them. Personally, it doesn’t bother me at all and it’s barely noticeable. For everyday use, this BB cream gives the perfect coverage. If I want more coverage for a special occasion, I would mix it with a thick foundation, such as the Revlon Colorstay Foundation. My favorite brush for applying this product is a flat top kabuki, such as the EcoTools Buffing Brush.

This product is available at: Amazon, Sasa

-Karen

Image credits: here

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My baby: Clarisonic Mia

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 23:42:00 -0400

Hi y’all! I just splurged on a clarisonic mia! I want to give it at least a few months of...

Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment After spending...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:36:00 -0400

Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment

After spending years using my holy grail spot treatment, Clinique Acne Solution Spot Healing Gel, I decided to try something different from the drugstore. The Clean & Clear acne spot treatment contains salicylic acid and it’s supposed to be effective towards whiteheads. After using this product for a couple of month, I think this product is all right for treating small bumps and whiteheads. But it’s pretty ineffective and it does absolutely nothing when I’m experiencing hormonal breakout. During “that time fo the month”, this product doesn’t make a difference in terms of controlling and preventing pimples. Additionally, there’s a strong scent associated with this product and I don’t really like it. It’s similar to the smell you’d find in Clean & Clear cleansers. I’ll use up the tube that I have right now but I won’t be re-purchasing after I’m done using it.

-Karen

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Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (Blackest...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:44:43 -0400

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (Blackest Black)

After getting fairly good results from the Maybelline gel liner in the shade “eggplant”, I decided to pick up the black shade. I think black gel liners are great for both everyday use and special occasions (such as a dramatic, cat eye look). The “extra step” you have to take with gel liners is that you need to clean the brush after every use. While Maybelline provides a brush with their gel liner, I don’t really like using it. Like I have mentioned before, the e.l.f. studio small angled brush is my favorite for applying gel liner.

As you can see from the swatch, this shade is very black and matte. The product glides on smoothly and it doesn’t irritate my eyes at all. It also dries fairly quickly and doesn’t smudge easily during the application process. In a non-humid environment, this liner could last for 6 hours (with a primer) without any smudging. I think this is really good considering how poorly the Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner worked for me. I live in the south and the weather has been warming up lately. I’d say the best way to use this in a hot, humid environment is to apply a very thin line and minimize the amount of product you use. Overall, I think it’s a great gel liner and it’s definitely worth a try for those of you who also have oily eyelids.

Tip: Gel liners tend up dry up quickly. The best way to prevent that from happening is to store them upside down in a drawer. Additionally, when you are using the gel liner, flip it up side down (on a clean surface) when you are applying the product to minimize exposure to air. Re-capping the product while you are still using it might be too much of a hassle. So this is a quick way to keep your gel liner more long-lasting.

This product is available at: Amazon, Ulta, drugstore.com, and your local drugstores

-Karen

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Makeup Basics

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:12:00 -0400

(Note: this post is image heavy AND lengthy. Don’t say I didn’t warn you :P) As senior...

Salon Graffix Conditioning Cleanser: I have started washing my...

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 22:33:00 -0400

Salon Graffix Conditioning Cleanser:

I have started washing my hair every day as it is short and I have oily hair. With short hair, it’s harder to do second day hair shenanigans.

I wanted to try Wen Cleansing Conditioners, but the price tag is too much for me when it stays on my hair for less than eternity. So when I saw this conditioning cleanser at Target (and I’ve read online that it’s also sold at Walgreens and online), I had to give it a go.

I use this every other day, so that I can trick myself into actually shampooing my hair every other day. The verdict: I love it. The first time I used it, I was touching my scalp throughout the morning, and I could tell that it was clean. I had read online that some who try cleansing conditioners have experienced discomfort in their scalp or matted hair, but I did not get that. It also made my hair extremely soft and smooth. I naturally have very straight hair, but for people who battle frizz or unmanageable hair, this cleanser would be ideal.

Unlike shampoo, you do have to use more of this product each time you wash your hair, but the more gentle cleansing method makes it worth it. I highly highly recommend.

-Christine

Photo image credit here.

Elma & Sana Moroccan Argan Oil After receiving a sample of...

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:35:00 -0400

Elma & Sana Moroccan Argan Oil

After receiving a sample of the Josie Maran Argan Oil as a Sephora 100-point gift, I’ve been really enjoying using argan oil on my skin and hair. But the price tag on Josie Maran products is way too steep for my college student budget. After looking around on Amazon, Elma & Sana Moroccan Argan Oil had lots of great reviews and a reasonable price tag so I decided to try it out. I use this product in 2 different ways. For my hair, I put 5 drops on my palm, rub my hands together, and apply it to damp hair. For my skin (during the dry months), I add 2 drops to my facial moisturizer and mix them together before applying onto my face.

Pros:

Very moisturizing: it’s an easy way to make your summer lotion more moisturizing without buying a new lotion/cream.
I use this oil to replace my hair serum (Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum) whenever I travel. It definitely minimizes frizz and defines the waves in my hair.
It makes my hair and skin feel softer.

Cons:

Poor packaging: the dropper I got is defective because the oil keeps on dripping regardless of whether I squeeze the dropper or not. Since I kept my Josie Maran sample bottle, I just transfer this product into the smaller bottle.
There’s a slight odor associated with this oil. I can’t quite describe how it smells. It’s not overly pungent but it’s not all that pleasant either. You’d only notice it if you apply the oil to your face.

This product is available on: Amazon

-Karen

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Philosophy Purity Cleanser If you are looking for a gentle...

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:26:00 -0400

Philosophy Purity Cleanser

If you are looking for a gentle cleanser that has the ability to remove your makeup, this is definitely the product for you. Having combination skin, a lot of cleaners have either dried my face out or didn’t clean it thoroughly. The Philosophy Purity cleanser is a liquid cleanser that effectively removes oil and face makeup off my skin. Although it claims to remove eye makeup as well, waterproof mascara and liquid eyeliner don’t come off very easily. Eyeshadows, however, do come off with this cleanser. Overall, I think it’s a great cleanser for combination and oily skin. If you have dry skin, this cleanser may be slightly too drying for you. I’d advise those of you with dry skin to use a cream cleanser, such as the Sana Nameraka Honpo Soy Milk Cleansing Wash.

The Philosphy Purity cleanser is available at: Sephora, Dermstore, Ulta, Philosphy official website

-Karen

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Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover I don’t like to...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:36:00 -0400

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

I don’t like to spend a lot of money on makeup removers so I generally get drugstore brands (Up&Up from Target and Equate from Walmart). The Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover is known as one of the best drugstore makeup removers. After using it for a few weeks, I have to say that I’m quite pleased with it. My go-to mascara, CoverGirl LashExact Waterproof Mascara, is long-wearing but extremely hard to remove. This makeup remover does a great job of removing the mascara without irritating my eye area. I just shake it up (I love bi-phase makeup removers), put some on a cotton ball, hold it on my eyelid for 5-10 seconds, and wipe it off. Occasionally I do need to repeat this for a second time. Overall, I really like it because it’s effective and affordable.

This product is available on: Amazon, drugstore.com, and your local drugstores

-Karen

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Ecotools Retractable Kabuki Brush I’m a huge fan of...

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:03:00 -0400

Ecotools Retractable Kabuki Brush

I’m a huge fan of Ecotools brushes. I own 8 of their brushes and I really like all of them. They are soft, well-made, eco-friendly, and budget-friendly. What else can you ask for?

Honestly, I don’t really like using kabuki brushes for my makeup routine. Because of their small size, they are rather awkward to hold and store. But I need a brush that I can carry in my bag without worrying that it’s going to get dirty. The retractable kabuki is perfect because there’s a cap to make sure that the brush stays clean. Just like all the other Ecotools brushes, this brush is soft and applies my pressed powder very well. The brush itself was slightly bigger than I had expected but still small enough to be stored in a clutch or small bag. Highly recommended for those of you looking for a portable, travel-friendly face brush.

This product is available at: Amazon

-Karen

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Spring Break Cruise to the Bahamas

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 01:54:58 -0500

Hi everyone! Spring break has officially started and I’m going on a cruise with several of my...

K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner When I was in San Diego this...

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 00:08:00 -0500

K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner

When I was in San Diego this past winter break, I visited a Marukai store and I was planning on getting another Dolly Wink Liquid Liner (hoping it’d be cheaper than online retailers). Unfortunately, it was out of stock. But right when I was about to leave, I spotted the K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner and decided to purchase one to try it out. Many fellow beauty bloggers like these two eyeliners equally and I’m interested in seeing which one works better for me.

So far, I’ve been very pleased with the K-Palette eyeliner and I think it works even better than the Dolly Wink liner. These two eyeliners are very similar in terms of packaging, pigmentation, and long-last formulas. The biggest difference is their brush sizes. The brush tip of the K-Palette liner is slightly longer, which makes it easier to apply. I’m also able to get a thin, precise liner much easier using the K-Palette eyeliner. The formula dries quickly and it’s long-lasting.

Since the package of this eyeliner is so similar to that of Dolly Wink, it doesn’t last very long with daily usage (also the biggest complaint I have about DW liquid liner). Additionally, I’ve come to realized that the K-Palette formula isn’t waterproof. I was sick with a cold last week and my eyes were more watery than usual. I noticed my eyeliner was disappearing throughout the day. The DW liquid liner isn’t 100% waterproof either but it’s not as problematic. The Kat Von D tattoo liner seems to be the most waterproof eyeliner I’ve used.

Nonetheless, I still really like this eyeliner overall. I’d recommend it to those of you with oily eyelids like me. But if you are foresee yourself swimming (or crying :P), I’d advise against using this product.

//05.04.13: there’s a waterproof version of this eyeliner!

This product is available via: Amazon, Sasa, and Japanese stores

-Karen

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LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Primer Eye primer….what would...

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:52:00 -0500

LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Primer

Eye primer….what would I do without you? Before I bought the LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Primer, I used the Urban Decay Primer Potion for a year and I loved it. I found out about the Lorac primer during Sephora’s Black Friday sale last November. The full size eye primer and a single eye shadow were on sale for $10. Many people who have used both the UD and LORAC primers seemed to like them equally. Personally, both products work very well on my oily lids. The texture of the LORAC primer is thinner than that of UD Primer Potion. I consider this difference as an advantage for Lorac because occasionally, the UD primer potion makes my eyelids overly dry and the eye shadows don’t go on as smoothly. I think the Lorac primer only comes in one shade (sheer ivory beige) while UD Primer Potion comes in 4 shades. But both products are long-wearing and holds my eye makeup in place all day. The LORAC Behind the Scenes primer (0.47oz) retails for $21 at Sephora while the UD Primer Potion (0.37oz) retails for $20 at Sephora. So you get slightly more product per dollar when you purchase LORAC.

This product is available at: Sephora, Ulta

-Karen

Announcements

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 14:33:00 -0500

Hi guys! I just want to make some quick announcements about this blog. I’ve made a few...

Zoya Nail Polish: Bijou, Faye, Ziv I got these 3 nail polish...

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:32:00 -0500

Zoya Nail Polish: Bijou, Faye, Ziv

I got these 3 nail polish when Zoya was having the “try 3 for free” deal. Their nail polish retails for $8 each but I only had to pay $10 for shipping and handling and my package arrived pretty quickly. I’m fairly new to nail products as a whole because I didn’t really get into nail art until this past winter break. I had a chance to try all 3 of these colors and I have to say, Zoya nail polish are awesome. I apply 2 coats and a top coat and it usually lasts at least 4 or 5 days without chipping.

Bijou is a bright coral pink color with subtle shimmer. It’s almost neon but not quite. I think it’s a great color for summer.
Faye is gorgeous pinkish purple color with gold sparkle. It’s my favorite shade out of the 3. It’s very wearable and looks great during any time of the year.
Ziv is a metallic gold shade with silver highlights. Initially I was afraid it’d be too bright. But the brightness is not overbearing and it looks great with a dark red nail polish (for the holiday season).

Besides a large selection of colors and long-lasting formula, Zoya nail polishes also lack harsh chemicals including: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, camphor, and dibutyl phthalate. Also, these nail polish don’t smell as strong as some of the other brands of nail polish I’ve used. Overall, I’m very satisfied with quality of Zoya nail polish.

You can purchase Zoya nail polish from Zoya Official Website and Zoya salons.

-Karen

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner (Eggplant) I...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:48:00 -0500

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner (Eggplant)

I picked up this eyeliner a few months ago at Target. I was originally planning to get the black gel liner, but my local Target only had Eggplant and Brown at the time. I thought it’d be fun to try this Eggplant color since I love the color purple and all the other eyeliners I own are black.

When you first open the jar, you see a beautiful shade of purple with shimmer. This gel liner stays on my lash line very well and it doesn’t smudge. (I always use an eye primer.) But the color is not very noticeable/pigmented after I apply it to my lash line. You’d have to line your eyes a couple of times for the color to show up. Sometimes by the end of the day, I can barely see the gel liner on my eyes. I feel like this wouldn’t be a problem if you use the darkest shade, Blackest Black. I’ve also tried applying this purple gel liner over a black liquid liner. This method makes the black liquid liner appear less harsh and gives the line a purple tint. I actually really like the result of this technique.

This gel liner comes with a small brush. But I find the brush hair to be too stiff and it’s not very easy to use. I prefer using the e.l.f. Studio Small Angled Brush because it’s smaller than a regular angled brush and it makes gel liner application pretty easy.

You can purchase this item from: Ulta, Target, various drugstores

-Karen

Review: L’Oreal Nail Polish These nail polishes are in...

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:56:00 -0500

Review: L’Oreal Nail Polish

These nail polishes are in the medium range in terms of price as they usually go for about $5. There is a beautiful color range as it is a fairly new line of polishes, and I personally love the penthouse pink color. It is a creamy baby pink and looks good on both pale and dark skin tones.

Many online reviews do note that these nail polishes look streaky upon application, and I do have to agree somewhat. Upon the first application, the color is definitely not opaque. But with a good second coat, I’ve never had any problems with streakiness. It is also quite shiny, and I like to seal it off with a coat of Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dry Anti-Chip Top Coat. And voi-la!

Without the top coat, it is not as shiny as Opi polishes, but for the price (and stores like Target and Walmart often have discounts), the shine is quite good. As for wear, I usually use a top coat and don’t experience chipping for at least a few days.

With discounts, a bottle is usually $2. For that price, I would give this nail polish a 3.8/5. But because I find Penthouse Pink to be my fairy tale shade of pink, that polish by itself is a 4.5/5.

-Christine

Photo credit here and here.