Play! By Sephora: July

Third Sephora Box! Wooooooo!

So this month's bag is hella cute with the little Popsicle omg. I love it. I don't however love the box unfortunately, but it probably has appeal for people who haven't already tried most of it. For me though, my first box is still the best. But we'll just go through each item and I'll explain my feelings. 

These little inserts are still so GD cute I can't even handle it. Someone get me a job working on Sephora's graphic team 😍

(Also as a side note, in all photos I have the Smashbox primer on and the Too Faced Bronzer)

First up, Smashbox Photo Finish Primer:

I literally got a sample of this in another Sephora order a week before I got this box. So that's a bummer, and also I'm really hesitant about products with Silicone and silicone derivatives as they can be negative for your skin in the long term. 

But anyhow, I don't actually love this product regardless, as even though it feels great, it didn't actually make my makeup look better. It balled up a bit on my skin and my foundation didn't lay nicely on it and I'll stick to my usual primer. 0/1

Next we have the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer:

I also wasn't excited for this, as I had really hoped these boxes would be more introducing new things instead of just regurgitating things that have been out forever. 

I do actually love this product, as even though I'm super fair skinned, this isn't too dark and smells amazing. I first got this exact same sample from an Ipsy box (which is another reason it's a disappointment as on the Sephora insta it looked like a really nice component sample) and it is a totally great product. But it's something that at this point most people have tried, just like the Benefit They're Real! mascara. But if you haven't, this is a really nice bronzer for all skin types. It goes on great and looks really smooth. I'm giving this 1/2 just cuz I do like the product even though I'm not stoked it was in here. 

Next up, First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay:

I really like FAB products, and talked about their peel-off mask in depth in this post HERE, so it's kind of nice to try the cleanser, HOWEVER I JUST got this as a sample in the same order I got the sample of Smashbox primer. So again, this is super lame that Sephora is sending out samples of the same products they're putting in their boxes. Like it makes me wonder why I'm paying for a subscription when I can get the same things with my normal orders 😑

I used this in tandem with the peel-off mask and it felt super nice. My skin was soft after using the cleanser, which was also pretty thick and gel-like for a cleaner.  So it's not bad overall, might be a nice alternate for my normally drying acne type cleanser. 

2/3

Ok so then we have a Beauty Blender Blotterazzi:

This is interesting as its a reusable blotter instead of using blotting powder. I do like Beauty Blender and the cleanser (which I talk about more in another post HERE) so it was kind of cool to get this full size product, it's just a bit of a bummer since I'm already really familiar with the brand. Nit picky, I know. It just doesn't really have a good container with it, so I can just keep it in my purse as is. Unfortunately I don't love this as well as the normal Beauty Blender. My skin still felt wet as opposed to how it feels after using de-slick or a Kiehl's anti-oil cream I love. It just doesn't do the trick for me. 

2/4

Last of the normal sample is Ouai Wave Spray:

First off, I haven't tried anything from this brand yet so I was super stoked to get this, second, it smells AMAZING. I have another wave spray from Kevin Murphy (which works amazing btw) but this smells so much better. One thing though, I tried it on dry hair first, and it didn't really do much. But I also tried it on damp hair and it worked better for sure. It gave my crazy curly hair some more uniform texture, even though I'm not in love with the frizz. The smell is heaven, but I think I'll stick with my other sea salt spray from Kevin Murphy, which I enjoy better largely as it works really well of dry hair. But a solid product overall.

3/5

And finally, the fragrance sample this time around, NEST Citrine:

This smells reallllly nice. I love the initial citrus notes, but the floral is a hair too strong so I can't put too much on, but it really is a nice scent. It's very feminine and lovely and lasts seriously all damn day. Which is really unheard of as far as I'm concerned. I feel like I stop noticing al my fragrances pretty quickly in general, but this really lasts. It's totally lovely, and I'm tempted on the full size, but that Orange Sanguine from the first box still totally has my heart. But this was a win. 

4/6

Overall this may not have been an exciting box for me, but it is still quality products so I can't knock em for giving out top notch stuff 

SaveSaveSaveSave

Marc Jacobs #VoxBox

OMG. So it took me a while to get to posting this, but I got my first #VoxBox from Influenster and I'm so excited! I'm getting to try out the Marc Jacobs Glow Stick for free, a product I was already super interested in 😍😍😍 and I'm hella stoked. It's so cute!!! It came in this adorable little box and it's such a sweet little component for a nice subtle product.

How it looked at the end of the day

Look at my face!!!! It's so pretty and glowy, and the staying powder of a stick is definitely higher than a powder. The application is similar though, using a brush to dust it on for a super subtle look, or I personally like applying the stick directly to my face to have a more noticeable glimmer or using a finger to apply. I'm pale as death so I need a little more than just 'subtle' going on. 

It's just so glowy! I can't get over it. It's so easy to use, and in the pic above I set it with another powder highlighter to really make it last all day. It's not sparkly, so it's not really glittery or too makeupy, it catches the light just right at every angle and doesn't feel too overdone. Just the right look for summer. I also like how precise you can get with it, highlighting exactly where you want, as with just a powder it kind of needs to blend with the rest of your makeup, but this already blends in with your skin tone, and just adds a little something extra- it really is like a portable spotlight! And with a light dusting of powder over it, it's even more gorgeous. 

Hopefully I'll be able to do some more voxboxes in the future, it was fun to try something new and do some tasks for it. You can buy the highlight from Sephora HERE, and sign up for your own influenster account to do reviews and get voxboxes HERE!

Liquid Lipsticks: A Definitive(ish) Guide

SO MANY LIPSTICKS. SO LITTLE TIME. 

Ok, so first things first, I am OBSESSED with lipsticks. This is not an exaggeration. And liquid lipsticks are even more my favorites. No jokes here.

I even made a spreadsheet guys, this is superserious.

I have Lime Crime Velvetines, Beauty Bakerie Lip Whips, Kylie Kits, Colourpop Ultra Matte Lips, Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, OCC Lip Tars, LASplash Lip Lustre, Sephora brand liquid lipstick, have tried Stila and I don't even know what else. 

So believe me when I say I take my lipstick game super serious. So let's get started- spreadsheet up top, reviews after, and i would say after trying all of these and talking to friends and taking recommendations, I will say that lipstick superiority is ALL A MATTER OF PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I hated brands others love, and am obsessed with some others hate. I would say it's tough to do a definitive 'this is best/this is worst' list, so i'm just sharing my personal experiences, listed in price order.

Kylie Lip Kits... and Colourpop:

Now, I want to get into the debate of Kylie Kits vs. Colourpop right away, cuz this seems to be a pretty serious deal on the interwebz, and for good reason. If you can get the same quality shit for a third of the price, I would 100% make a big deal out of that, along with the fact I completely support avoiding putting money into the hands of anyone in the Kardashian/Jenner family, but we need to get real here. Despite any similarities in ingredients list (read: identical) the formulas are Definitely different. Like, night and day. This is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT a case of you get what you fucking pay for. Hands down. 

Let me explain. 

I have 2 Kylie kits, 2 Kylie Metals, 2 Colourpop Ultra Mattes, and 2 Colourpop Lippie Sticks. So at this point I feel like I can make some fairly solid comparisons. First with swatches and buying online- shipping time for Colourpop is significantly longer, although cheaper. The swatches are Not accurate to the color you're getting however, whereas with Kylie the swatches are correct, however they may change over time as the formula is changed. I definitely like the packaging for Kylie over Colourpop, although it's still pretty fun. And the whole buying a lipstick with its coordinating liner really works for me---the liners are The Fucking Best I have ever used. It boggles my mind how much I love these damn lipliners. They glide on like heaven, don't get all lumpy if you go over the same spot, and hug every curve and wrinkle in the lips. They're like goddamn butter. So, those alone are worth the money for me. 

Ok, formula comparison, Kylie's last longer than Colourpop. They just do. They also dry faster and don't smudge, while one of my Colourpop smudges hardcore, and the other flakes, but my darker color has significantly more staying power through food and drink than the other, even though it does transfer color. The Only negative I have for the Kylie colors, is that godawful smell. They seriously smell like the tri-colored lip smackers lipgloss in Birthday Cake from way back in the day. I don't need that shit. However, the scent goes away as the color dries, so it's really not that bad. As far as drying goes, I felt like the Ultra Matte were drier than Kylie, but not by much. And neither are really that bad. In my experience if you just exfoliate and put on a lip mask the night before you wear your liquid lipstick, you're not gonna have a bad day of liquid lip wearing. So the moral of the story here, is Kylie lip kits are worth the $20-something, Colourpop is worth the $5-6. This isn't necessarily a bad thing- they're two different lip companies that offer similar yet different products. And it all comes down to preference. I prefer my lip colors to look exact, even though I do like the colors they turned out to be, and I have no problem buying a fun lip color for hella cheap and then splurging when I can. This just simply isn't a case of them being the same thing and one is just cheaper. Also, if you want to read a pretty good article about the debate, here's a professional story. 

Lime Crime:

Now, I've totally gone into the awesomeness that is Lime Crime Velvetines, so I won't go hard on the subject here, but if you want to read more about my Lime Crime love, you can find the post HERE. As far as liquid lips go, this probably ties with Kylie as my fave. I love the range of colors, I love the consistency, I love the lack of smudging, and they don't need as many passes as other brands to be totally opaque. In short, I wear them All The Time for a damn reason. They're really fucking good, however they can totally be drying, so if you don't take care of your lips in advance, you're gonna have a bad time. 

Ok, Black Moon Cosmetics:

I'd been wanting to try this brand for a while since my fave youtuber (Ahitsrosa) has used them and the colors are gorgeous. And let me say, they did not disappoint. So, they definitely don't Dry dry, they more so dry to a certain level of tacky, but this isn't a bad thing. They are still a matte lipstick that's not sticky, and its not coming off everywhere on everything. Where you place it is where it stays. I would say you could compare the texture to the Kylie Metals, in that it's a whipped formula, but BM is significantly thicker and smoother. I love love love this texture, and building it up after eating isn't a problem. The color is smooth, precise, opaque and crisp, and they look So Good on I just can't say no. 

Beauty Bakerie:

I've had one great experience and one not so great. The great experience the color is opaque, the finish is a little shiny, and this shit Does Not come off. You need a serious oil-based lipstick remover for this nonsense. So if you wear it a night in Vegas and plan to wear another lipstick, definitely don't forget your serious lipstick wipes or you're gonna have a bad time. The other experience was ok as far as longevity, but the lighter color I couldn't get opaque and even for the life of me, unless i covered my lips in concealer, then layered a primer, and then did two coats, which is most unfortunate. Plus they don't do returns so I'm a little iffy on this. 

NYX Lingerie:

I love how insanely lightweight the formula is- it glides on like whipped air and has great coverage while being easy to get on nice and crisp. My complaint is that it's a bit sticky and doesn't dry at all, and unlike Black Moon Cosmetics, it's not a dry tacky, but like, sticks, however it doesn't transfer onto anything. But overall it wears nicely and is easy to layer, but the longevity is definitely on the short side. I would say I prefer Black Moon for a liquid that is more cream. 

NYX Liquid Suede (New):

So I definitely prefer the lingerie after this test drive. This formula fries really sticky, and I also couldn't tell that it Had dried. The applicator and formula is not as precise as I'd like, so it was hard to get a crisp line or even make it smooth and even. The color is nice, but I had to go over the same spot to make it opaque, which isn't too bad as it didn't build up, get cakey, or need me to wait for it to dry before adding more. However after it dried, I did have to fill in spots that weren't solid and as it dried I could see problem areas. It also tends to settle in cracks of lips, which isn't my favorite, and is only good for 6 months. SIX MONTHS. It takes me minimum a year to go through a lipstick. This isn't so chill. Oh, and it transfers onto everything off of your lips. Also, as the day went on and I continued to apply more, eventually it was Incredibly dry, was balling up at the corners, flaking, and for super cakey. The long wear is not a thing on this, so overall I would say not a win. 

Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick:

This is a really nice smooth texture that goes on easily and dries quickly and somewhat powdery, but isn't crispy as it doesn't fully dry- i wouldn't say it's tacky, but it definitely transfers surfaces even though it stays on your lips. Like after eating your coverage is still pretty solid, but there is definitely a lip mark on your chin. I like the pointy applicator too, as it gave me a nice defined Cupid's bow which I feel is usually the hardest part of application for me. The color is also very smooth and opaque, with any transparent spots being easily coverable and the formula doesn't build up. The wear is super smooth too, originating from the center of the mouth and working itself off without flaking, and it's incredibly comfortable to boot. Overall I would definitely purchase in other colors. And this Grey is so flattering! One of my faves already. 

Stila Stay All Day:

I am officially a believer. This lipstick feels like heaven, doesn't transfer, and is the Most flattering nude I've encountered. It even matched my natural lip color so much, this seems more like a foundation for lips! They look so smooth and like the idea lips I wish I had every day, this Baci color is a strong investment. And it didn't get all over my chin when I was eating either, so yeah, this is a hella win. I'm not generally a big fan of Stila, but this they definitely nailed. It does have a tendency to bleed though so wearing something like UD's Ultimate Ozone, at least around the edges, is a good idea. 

Jeffree Star Velour Lipstick:

So I really really wanted to like this, but I'm not convinced with Unicorn Blood. Not only did it crazy bleed, but the applicator was hard to use, it transferred on everything, and even got on my teeth. So the color is gorgeous and completely opaque, but I def couldn't be kissin boyfriend with this on. And it also wore unevenly. So I'll try another color, I know reds can be tricky, but I was seriously disappointed. 

Follow up:

I tried 'I'm Royalty' and had a totally different experience, and the only differences were I applied Ultimate Ozone as a base on the edges and applied using a lipstick brush rather than using the actual applicator for a really precise effect. It wasn't sticky, didn't transfer, and lasted forever through drinking. So idk if this Unicorn Blood was a fluke, but I'm super down for I'm Royalty! 

MAC Liquid Lipsticks:

So I don't have a lot of pros for this, except it's not super drying and the applicator is nice and pointy. It's not really opaque, it bleeds, it transfers when drinking, it wears splotchy and it's tacky. Buuuuut I can give a few kisses without problems so I guess there's that. I won't be buying more. 

Kat Von D:

So i've worn this lipstick a few times and i'm just not in love, but that doesn't mean i'm totally ruling out this line, i just think the darker colors may not be as solid as the lighter ones. It's just so hard to get even, it transfers, and i have to wait for it to completely dry (a long-ass time) before trying to even out the color. Plus it chunks up and collects at the corners of the mouth, so that was also not fun. I intend to try others though as I've heard such great things, but i'm not convinced

Finally, I was having so much fun, I had my friend Alex draw on me with my lipsticks! A good time was had by all, especially when these suckers really don't come off! Fun fact: liquid lipstick doubles as body paint...